For me, this word means many things - out of school for two months (I'm a 5th grade teacher), kayaking (and lots of it), relaxing by the pool, wedding makeup jobs, grilling out with my boyfriend and hanging with friends by the river, margaritas, reading (for pleasure), and of course - glowing summer makeup!
I started off this look with the L'oreal Paris Magic Lumi face primer I bought because Jaclyn Hill recommended it (she's hilarious and talented - check her out on YouTube).
I will keep it short - it does exactly what it sounds like it would do! It helps to illuminate your face and keep the makeup in place. Super glad I bought this product and plan to continue using it because let's keep it real - a totally matte face just isn't in anymore - RIP matte face, yeah, RIP...RIP, we just killed the club......okay, re-focusing.
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| $12.99 at Ulta - probably cheaper at drugstores or Target |
When I first saw Benefit's 'Sun Beam' - I knew I had to have it. After using their highlighter, 'High Beam' as a mix-in with my foundation, I just knew that Sun Beam would give me the tan, summer glow I wanted. And I was right (as usual...)!
In the video, you can see that I mixed Sun Beam into my L'oreal True Match liquid foundation with an SPF of 17 (which appears to be much too dark, but in the end - I promise it isn't, it blends into the color of my neck very well - most people's necks are darker than their faces, so think about that when buying foundation!)
The SPF is great for protection against that hot summer sun! The two mixed very nicely together and gave me JUST the perfect glow I was looking for. I'll be honest, the photos and video do not justify how gorgeous it truly looked on my face. It was like my face was screaming, "IT'S SUMMER!"
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| Remember - pat, dab, or press foundation into skin with finger, brush, or sponge. Never wipe or swipe it! |
For those of you who aren't as into full-coverage liquid foundation, here's an alternative. This is my everyday "foundation" - NARS tinted moisturizer. AKA the queen of all tinted moisturizers. Or king, whichever you prefer.
I just love this tinted moisturizer so much! It's SPF 30 and gives a nice 'sheer-but-covered' coverage while moisturizing at the same time. I am literally on my fourth tube of this stuff and it lasts a good 3-4 months using it every day. Totally worth the $45 you will spend on it - pinky promise! (side note - if you have oily skin like me, I highly recommend setting the NARS tinted moisturizer - or any tinted moisturizer you may use - with Makeup Forever's Pro-Finish powder, it keeps me dry all day while keeping my face in tact and giving a flawless finish)
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| These two are a match made in makeup heaven, just mix them together and apply - about the same amount of each, or less if you want less glow. *NARS products can be found at Sephora, not Ulta* |
Okay, now, about this NYX contour and highlight palette!
I was super happy to find it when I went to Ulta yesterday with all intentions of buying the Anastasia Beverly Hills one (which I will still be buying for my kit). Half the price and I can always count on NYX to bring the good stuff! I have had trouble with powder contour colors being too shimmery or too orange-y or just plain muddy looking. But this one did not disappoint - it gave a nice milky brown matte contour underneath my cheekbones, which went really well with the look I was going for - too much shimmer is a no-no! (side note - when buying 'shimmery' or 'illuminating' products, avoid 'glittery' unless you are going for a glittery eye shadow look - glitter on the cheeks or face just isn't cute and we said bye-bye to body glitter in the early 2000's, ya'll)
Another cool thing about this palette - I used it for my eyes, too! I just love being able to create a nice monochromatic look with the same palette, but still giving my face some contrast by using the different colors available (key to using highlight and contour colors - you MUST use them in the right places on your face). You don't always need a heavy, super-smoked-out eye, or even eye shadow for that matter. The video shows in more detail how I used this palette on my eyes and to set my under-eye concealer with the banana colored powder (obsessed with banana powder right now, by the way). And let's be real, I am so using this palette on my eyes again!
Overall, a big 'yes!' I can't wait to keep experimenting with this guy.
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| NYX Contour Palette - $24.99 at Ulta |
Next, I used the 'Illuminating Powder of the Century' by Ulta. Just kidding, that's not the real name - but I have decided to call it that because it is just so beautiful for $12.50. I'm usually hesitant to buy store brands, but most things I've bought from Ulta's brand have been wonderful. This illuminating powder in 'Yellow Diamond' completed this look when I placed it on my cheekbones and the bridge of my nose.
If you want a more 'pinky' colored glow (which would go nicely if adding Benefit's 'High Beam' to your foundation instead of 'Sun Beam') they also have the same powder in 'Pink Diamond'. I almost got it and might end up going back for it, it's just as beautiful as the Yellow Diamond shade. Again, this leaves a glowing finish - NOT a glittery one! (Also ideal for bridal makeup which is my area of expertise)
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| "Ahhhh!" This is what I said when I swatched this gorgeousness on my wrist - go spend $12.50 on it if you want to glow - and who doesn't? |
For my lips, I used good ole NYX products again. While you don't HAVE to put the liner on first, I did just to add some extra pop to the color. The liner shade is 'Nude' and the gloss shade is 'Creme Brulee' - one of my favorites in the butter gloss collection. If you're more of a 'gloss-only' kind of person, just swipe the gloss on and forget the liner!
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| NYX products can be found for great prices at Target and Ulta |
One product from this look that I was pretty disappointed in was the Instant Age Rewind under-eye concealer by Maybelline. I have heard several established makeup artists who do tutorials say that this is their favorite drugstore concealer, but I found that it didn't brighten as much as I desired and it seemed to crease even with the setting powder. Maybe I need a lighter shade...or maybe I just need to go ahead and grab a Mac Pro concealer or the Urban Decay Naked one I carried around for 20 minutes until I decided on the cheaper one......
As usual, here is the final look along with my first tutorial video. Please excuse the overgrown, bushy, need-to-be-waxed brows....
Like I said, the photos so do not do the glow justice. You just have to do it and see for yourself! Hope you enjoy Ollie's cameo as well, haha.
*Two things I learned during my first video - 1. I need a better camera and 2. doing makeup in front of a laptop is freakin' hard*
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| False lashes are Ardell 'Glamour' in Wispies - Black - about $4 at Target or Walgreens Optional, of course! |
