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I don’t know if y’all have noticed lately but dang, St. Louis is hot. I really got used to those hot, DRY summers in Colorado. I’ve noticed that my summer makeup routine has changed a lot since I’ve been back in Missouri, it’s been more about how to look glowy and natural without looking sweaty, while at the same time being sure that my makeup can withstand the heat and sweat.
Today’s post is extra special because you don’t just get my amateur/makeup connoisseur input but you are getting some advice from an amazing makeup artist (and amazing woman), Alexis Bonacker. She specializes in bridal and event makeup; which means she knows how to make your makeup last through all those pool parties and backyard BBQ’s. So for each step in our sweat proof makeup routine Alexis will give you her tips, tricks and favorite products, then I will give mine.
The Base:
Alexis: While trying to achieve a lasting look during these summer months, I will use a very light moisturizer or none at all. If your skin is dry to normal, I’d recommend the Neutrogena Oil-Free Facial Moisturizer. SPF isn’t necessary as it’s in our next product!
My favorite foundation right now is the It Cosmetics CC cream. CC stands for color corrector, so you won’t need any extra products to look flawless! It’s so buildable and so moisturizing, so if you already have oily skin I would skip an extra moisturizer. This foundation is perfect for summer because the SPF is built right in! To achieve more coverage, use a stippling brush or your fingers to apply. If you like a more natural look, like Kaitlin, you’ll want to use a damp beauty blender.
Kaitlin: I love starting off with the First Aid Beauty Coconut Skin Smoothie Priming Moisturizer, it smells like a vacation and really hydrates your skin. I used to be afraid of adding moisture to my already oily skin but I’ve found that when I do my skin produces less oil and instead takes in the good stuff. This primer also smooths the appearance of pores and wrinkles which is always a good thing.
I’m not huge on foundation or anything with a whole lot of coverage but I use the First Aid Beauty Tinted Moisturizer to even my skin tone, I start off applying it with my fingers then I use a damp beauty sponge to smooth everything out and to take it down my neck.
I’ve been using the same concealer for a while. I love the Maybelline Fit Me concealer for under my eyes, to highlight and to spot conceal. When I am in a hurry I normally just dab a little concealer in the darkest part under my eyes and blend out with my ring finger.
I any time I start off with a liquid or cream base I always set it. I think this is huge in getting your makeup to look its best for the longest amount of time. I have been loving the Coty Airspun powder, it's from the drugstore and I’ve never gotten flashback with it. I normally hold off on powdering my base until I put the rest of my face products on since I use a lot of cream products in the summertime. Then after I set everything with powder I like to hit it all with some setting spray. For keeping everything intact and locked in I’ve been using the L’Oreal infallible setting spray. Then I normally press it all in after the spritz with my damp beauty sponge.
The Face:
Alexis: After foundation, I always grab my Too Faced Milk Chocolate Bronzer to make me look glowy and sun kissed. This bronzer is perfect for most skin tones since it doesn’t have much much of an orangey base. Apply to anywhere the sun would naturally hit.
Since my skin is a bit red and the sun can make it more visible, I’ll skip blush. To add a little more glow, I’ll touch the tops of my cheek bones and the tip of my nose with a highlighter. You can do this with a fluffy tapered brush, or your fingers! I love Becca’s champagne pop, as it has a “glow from within” quality. To really give it a natural look, make sure to apply your highlight BEFORE your blush.
Before finishing with a makeup setting spray, make sure to set your face with a powder. I love the NYX setting powder. You can apply this with a big fluffy brush all over the face.
To make sure all my products stay put, I’ll top it all off with the Gerard Slay All Day setting spray in the scent coconut. This stuff smells so amazing that you could probably skip perfume!
Kaitlin: I love healthy, bronzed, glowy skin for summer so I am all about cream products. The Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel bronzer is my go-to in the summer. The rest of the year I am too light to wear it without looking orange but during the summer it give the most beautiful, healthy glow to the skin. I know it's expensive but I’ve had the same pot of it for a year and I’ve barely made a dent; when I leave my house 9 times out of 10 this stuff is on me. During the summer I don’t often contour, I leave it to my highlight to add dimension to my face but if I’m going all out I will use the Physicians formula butter bronzer. It smells like summer time and will chisel out cheekbones in no time without looking too cool or muddy.
As for blush, my summer go-to is a classic. Benefit’s Bene-tint. It’s a rosy cheek stain that even has a slight hint of rose. This was the first “high end” makeup product that I ever bought. Aka… this stuff is from my sophomore year of college when I really started wearing makeup. You only need a couple dots on each cheek to get a healthy flush of color. I wear this cheek tint all the time, especially when I have a bare face and I’m not trying to get the “do you feel ok?” comments.
I am a highlight junkie. Ever since highlighters became a “thing” I’ve been into them. My all time favorite highlights are the Becca x Jaclyn Hill Champagne Pop highlight and the OFRA Rodeo Drive Highlight. I feel like they add the perfect glow. The Becca highlight is more neutral/pinky toned (hence the name champagne) and the OFRA highlight is more of a yellow/gold base; I initially thought I would hate this on me because I’m so fair but it WORKS. I apply this with a small, but fluffy brush to the high points of my cheeks then I use my ring finger to apply it to the inner corner of my eye and the tip of my nose. I use my finger because I think it gives it a more subtle and natural application. After this step I always feel like I look so well rested, like I have no stress in my life and like I actually drink enough water everyday. My favorite highlight tip is to not neglect your shoulders or collar bones if you’re wearing a shirt that show those areas, you will be amazed at how poppin’ your collar bones are after you throw a little on.
The Eyes:
Alexis: During summer, the last thing I want to do is spend a bunch of time doing my makeup, when I could be enjoying my time outside! To keep the eyes simple, I like to use a MAC paint pot. This is a creamy shadow/primer that you can smooth on with your fingers and go! It stays put through all the humidity St. Louis can bring, and can add a pop of color to the eyes! If you’re looking for a matte finish, choose Soft Ochre for a brightened eye, or Painterly for something similar to your skin tone. If you’re into a bit of shimmer, try Vintage Selection, which is a shimmery peach color.
Next I apply waterproof mascara. I have two favorites, one is a drugstore product and the other is high end. Something I use on all my clients is the Maybelline Great Lash (yes, the kind in the pink and green bottle that seems to have traveled through decades) in blackest black. Make sure to grab the waterproof kind! This will last you all day and is about $5 depending on where you buy it! My other favorite is the Too Faced Better Than Sex Waterproof mascara. Because this product is almost five times the price as the drugstore mascara, I only use it on myself. The formula is thick but gives me super voluminous lashes.
After my lashes are finished, I’ll give some definition to my brows. Brows are so important and can really help a look stand out. I am super into thick, bushy brows right now, so my favorite product to use for a natural look is a brow gel. If your brows are already full and you don’t want added dimension, use a clear brow gel, like the one NYX makes, to brush your brows up and hold them in place. The gel comes with a spooly, just like mascara, so you can brush the brows into the exact spot you want them! If you’d like a bit more color and thickness, try a tinted brow gel. I love Benefit’s Gimme Brow, which has little fibers that will not only give your brows some color, but also the look of a bit more hair. When choosing a color, pick a shade one to two shades lighter than your natural hair.
Kaitlin: Like I’ve said before, when it comes to summer time makeup I am all about the skin so I like to keep the eyes super duper simple. I normally prime with the same concealer I used on my face to conceal my eyelid veins/discoloration and then set it with my face powder. I then reach for my Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer because its always on my vanity and pop a little it of it in my crease using a tapered, fluffy brush. Then to top it off I add in the aforementioned highlighter to my inner corners.
Since I’m not good at eyeliner, I never do it but I do layer on mascaras like its my day job. I am a big fan of waterproof mascara year round because I like the way it holds a curl in my lashes better. It's just a bonus that my lashes also look incredible after taking a dive in the pool or sweating my buns off at the farmer’s market. My holy grail mascara is the L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise in the waterproof version. This mascara makes my lashes full, fluffy, long and NEVER spidery (which is my biggest pet peeve). I often layer my mascaras, so once I’m content with one layer I will add on the original cult favorite L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black, also in waterproof. I feel like this just lengthens my lashes further and I especially like this one for my lower lashes because the wand isn’t as full.
As for eyebrows, we all know I run a strong brow game around here so I opt for a slightly waxier pencil for days I know I might lose a brow to moisture. For these instances I love to use the IT Cosmetics Brow Power Universal Eyebrow Pencil. This is a pencil I really like for every day but because of the formula it really likes to hang on and the universal shade works well for me since I have dark brows. I probably wouldn’t recommend this product to people with blonde/light brows.
The Lips:
Alexis: On a day that you may be lounging around the pool or running some errands, a nude lip color/moisturizer is a casual way to give your lips a little extra love. Try Burt’s Bees tinted lip balm. Pick a shade that is a touch darker than your natural lip color, and you’ll have effortless color!
Kaitlin: When it comes to lip products I am about as basic as it gets. I love a good pinky nude gloss like the NYX Butter Gloss in Creme Brûlée. My lip must have for summer is a chapstick with SPF in it because you do not want to burn your lips. It’s quite miserable. My favorite here is the Coola Classic Liplux with SPF 30. If you’re feeling sassy they even make tinted lip balms.
I feel so ready for my next hot, sweaty, Missouri day. I’ve loved putting this post together so much. Y’all, Alexis is amazing. Seeing some of the products she uses and her tips and tricks are so fun, I hope you all learned as much as I did. What are your go-to, sweat proof products? Also, if you’re not already running to your closest Sephora or Ulta to buy the Becca x Jaclyn Hill highlight... then what are you doing?
by Kait (and Alexis), with love
