You Only Need These Three Products to Be a Summer Stunner

For full coverage glamour queens like me, we’ve got some paring down to do.

Concealer is my BFF, and when I say concealer, I mean the “erase your face” kind.

I use it religiously to mask all the real (and imaginary) flaws I see when I look in the mirror.

(I know, I know. I need to see a counselor.)

However, I also know that an entirely made-up face on the beach reeks of insecurity. It’s trying too hard, and it’s obvious.

So for those of you like me who are a bit shy about ditching the entire makeup arsenal this summer, relax.

You don’t have to ditch everything. However, you must limit your product application to a few select things.

Tinted sunscreen with moisturizer

Beautiful skin is plump and glowing, and this is why moisturizer is essential.

Harvard Health explains the power of moisturizers, stating they trap water in the skin and give it a more hydrated, youthful look.

Even with the beauty benefits of moisturizer, many of us still feel leery of going out bare-faced. This is why tinted sunscreens with moisturizer are the best choice for those with discoloration or other marks they’d like to camouflage.

Although tinted sunscreens with moisturizers don’t have the coverage of regular foundations, they still manage to even out the skin and minimize flaws. Even better is that the sunscreen keeps those areas of hyperpigmentation from darkening.

NBC Select cites the advice of dermatologist Dr. Erum Ilyas, who comments on the advantages of wearing tinted sunscreen with moisturizers:

“Tinted sunscreen can help even out your skin tone and protect your face like standard sunscreen, giving it both cosmetic and functional benefits.”

Plumping gloss or tinted lip balm

Feel naked without lipstick?

You can still add pizazz to a natural look by substituting a tinted lip balm.

Like the moisturizing tinted sunscreen I mentioned before, lip balms add hydration and color without appearing overdone.

A universal favorite emerged after researching beauty-gurus top pics for tinted lip balms. It’s Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm. It sells for less than ten dollars, and if you go to their site, you can see their wide variety of colors. They also have lip balms that add a touch of shimmer for those like me who like a little extra “oomph.”

Speaking of extra “oomph,” you can even buy plumping tinted lip balms. Allure lists some great options, many of which are dirt cheap.

If you prefer a wetter, shinier look, another option is lip gloss. Glosses also provide the same natural wash of color as lip balms, and they too keep the lips smooth and moisturized. In addition, they also come with the added option of plumping qualities.

NYX is a great option if you’re only looking to spend a few dollars. For example, try their Filler Instinct Plumping Lip Polish. I’ve bought every single shade, and they’re each beautiful. What’s more, many drugstores sell them, so you can get your hands on them asap.

For those beauty junkies willing to shell out more bucks, there’s the cult favorite (and my personal “holy grail” lip plumper) Lip Injection Extreme Lip Plumper. It’s around thirty dollars, but it keeps its promise to deliver plumper, juicier lips.

It also comes in a variety of shades.

A touch of waterproof mascara

Style Caster surveyed what beauty items women said they couldn’t live without. Mascara came in second place (moisturizer was the top pick).

Mascara’s high rankings are easy to understand. For example, Today cites Claudia Soare, creative director of luxury cosmetic brand Anastastia Beverly Hills, who explains the magic of mascara.

“Mascara enhances the eyes in a number of ways. It not only darkens lashes, but can lengthen and volumize for brighter, bigger-looking eyes. Fuller-looking lashes can help to give a more youthful appearance to the eye area.”

Sweltering temperatures and romps in the ocean make waterproof formulas usually the best option. They keep you bright-eyed without worrying that black streaks will make their way under your eyes or down your cheeks.

There are too many great options to name. Still, one of my favorite inexpensive waterproof mascaras is L’Oreal Paris Voluminous Lash Paradise Waterproof Mascara. Evidently, I’m not alone in my love of this mascara. The water-resistant formula has over eighty-four thousand ratings on Amazon and boasts four and a half stars out of five.

For those who prefer more luxury brands, you’ll fall in love with Too Faced’s Better Than Sex Waterproof Mascara. It provides spectacular volumizing, lengthening, and curling properties all in one.

The bottom line:

I’m a little envious of you gals who feel entirely confident without a stitch of makeup. Sadly, I’m not there yet, and maybe you aren’t either (that’s something we need to work on).

However, with a few changes to your makeup habits, you can radiate summer beauty without people staring at you and wondering what you’ve got to hide.

Goods news? Fall’s coming. You can return to the more dramatic look you love when it’s here.

The even better news?

Maybe this “less is more” look will rub off on us, and we’ll finally realize we were beautiful all along.

Here’s hoping.

See you on the beach.

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