For Your Face:
Sunless tanner
- I love this because it gives skin an all-over wash of sun-kissed color without the skin damage, which is all the camouflage many women need. Apply once a week on bare, freshly cleansed skin, blending onto ears and neck to avoid telltale tan lines. Choose a hue that closely matches your skin tone when you tan naturally. For example, if you usually turn a deep bronze, opt for dark (instead of light or medium).
- Offering just the sheerest hint of color, this is a good choice for complexions that don't need a lot of coverage or those that require a bit more than a sunless tanner provides. Look for one with an SPF of 15 or higher, and choose a shade based on your natural skin tone. Try Aveeno Positively Ageless Correcting Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30.
- This works well for uneven complexions that require heavier coverage, especially in the summer, when skin tends to be oilier. Opt for a compact instead of liquid foundation—it's portable and can't spill, and its matte formula helps soak up excess oil. And check the ingredients list in this summer makeup pick for silica, a mineral that reduces shine. Try The Body Shop Oil-Free Foundation SPF 15.
- A best bet for summer, it's light and evens out skin tone yet knocks out shine. Instead of using a puff (which can deposit too much powder), try a brush and apply just on areas where skin tends to be oilier like the forehead, nose, and chin.
- These disposable, powder-free paper sheets keep oily areas in check. You can use them as often as you need unlike powder, which looks cakey if applied too often.
Face powder as eye primer
- For crease-free eye makeup, prime your lids pre-application with the same loose powder you use to set your foundation. It will absorb natural oils and create a base for shadows to stick to. Skip cream-formula shadows (they're emollient-based and not particularly long-lasting), and use powder ones instead.
- Smudge-proof and water-resistant, these will stand up to almost any sticky, sweat-inducing summer day. Skip eye pencils, which are wax-based and prone to smearing in humid weather.
- If you have very oily skin, choose a tint such as Korres Cheek Butter ($25); opt for powder if you're normal to dry. Avoid cream formulas, which contain emollients and tend to fade in warm weather.
- Any lip formula will last longer if you use a pencil first because it gives the color a slip-free surface to adhere to. Choose a pinky-brown one that matches your natural lip color, and use it to line and fill in your lips before applying lipstick or gloss.
