In the eye of the beholder: beauty looks for this summer

A delicate glow or all-out glamour, there’s a beauty look for everyone this summer, says Rebecca Gonsalves

Light fantastic

A high SPF on the face, come rain or shine, should be part of every woman’s morning beauty regime, especially those with fair skin and freckles. But that doesn’t mean you can’t add a bit of colour to your cheeks and a healthy glow afterwards.

Gucci Westman, global artistic director of Revlon, created this light-infused look on actress Emma Stone using: “PhotoReady Perfecting Primer as the base to give life to the make-up and create a flawless complexion. The next step was Nearly Naked Make Up foundation for a beautiful sheer and luminous finish that’s not too shiny. To finish, I dusted Emma Stone’s skin with Nearly Naked pressed powder. PhotoReady Skinlights in ‘Pink Light’ were applied to the cheeks, bridge of her nose, tear ducts, cupid’s bow, chin and collarbones to create a polished look with a porcelain-like finish.

“Avoid the T-zone and forehead - a skin illuminator on those areas will make you look shiny opposed to luminous,” advises Westman.

revlon.co.uk

Totally tropical

Darker skintones are lucky enough to be able to carry off stronger colours: MAC’s Tropical Taboo look may seem complicated, but the bold shades are a great way to add a playful accent to sultry summer nights. Senior artist Rachel O’Donnell explains how to get tropical at home: “Place Mineralize Eye Shadow in ‘Caribbean’ on the centre of the eye, creating a balance in the make-up with its soft pink highlight. Wash the lime green of the shadow in ‘Cha Cha Cha’ over the socket and underneath the eye to create a base of colour.

“Use ‘Feline’ Eye Kohl firmly across the top lash line and smudge it into the socket as a base for the blue tone from the marbled Cha Cha Cha. Fill brows with Eye Brows in a suitable shade and add a liberal application of Zoom Lash. Next, with the 159 Duo Fibre Brush, sweep Mineralize Skin Finish in ‘Rio’ to create a warm, soft-focus glow. Finish with Lip Pencil in ‘Heroine’, and a coat of Mineralize Lipstick in ‘Midnight Mambo’.”

maccosmetics.co.uk

Dark arts

A sexy, smoky eye isn’t just for the winter months; just keep shadows sheer for summer, while a hint of sparkle will work well on lightly sun-kissed skin.

Laura Mercier was enchanted by “the dark side and the magical ways of women” when creating her Dark Spell collection, mixing mystery and fantasy to create a mature colour palette.

The focus on the eyes makes this look best suited to the evening: outline eyes with black Kohl Liner Extreme before building a wash of “smoke” on lids with Caviar Stick Eye Colour in that shade.

A bright spot in the darkness, skin should glow with vitality. Mercier’s trademark Foundation Primer Protect, enriched with SPF30, is a great base to ensure that products don’t slip off in the summer, while the Face Illuminator in “Spellbound” adds a subtly pearlescent glow.

Lips should be kept looking soft and plump with the merest hint of pink or berry shades adding more than enough to complete this sultry, grown-up summer look.

lauramercier.com

Golden delicious

Forget the you’ve been Tango’d, sun-baked look of old: this summer, a gentle wash of colour and clever use of contouring are used in conjunction to create something altogether more flattering.

Hannah Murray, Topshop’s make-up consultant who creates the looks for the brand’s Unique catwalk shows, created this barely-there LA-inspired look with Matte Bronzer, which comes in two shades, and should be applied, by “tracing the number ‘3’; starting from the temples sweep around and underneath the cheekbone then around and beneath the jaw line without taking the brush off the face,” instructs Murray.

The Bronzing Brick comes next: “Sweep over the three colours with a large brush, pat off excess product then apply to cheeks, temples, up on to your forehead and even a little on the nose for a sun-kissed glow.”

A light touch applies elsewhere, too – a sheer Lip Colour in ‘Swirl’ or ‘Dolly’ and a slick of Waterproof Mascara are all that’s needed.

topshop.com