Miss Neira

Spring and Summer Beauty Tips

As the weather get warmer, short shorts and flirty dresses inevitably pop up like weeds—er, flowers.  With said boldness, however, comes responsibility: sleek legs need something more than just shaving, and even your go-to makeup routine can turn to slime on the beach.  Here are some basic beauty tips to keep you looking fresh all season long.

Protect your skin

Your mom was on to something when she wouldn’t let you leave for the pool without your sunscreen.  Don’t worry—even with sunscreen, you’ll probably tan.  Keep in mind, however, that there’s no such thing as a healthy tan—it still damages your skin, pores, and throws all your anti-aging efforts out the window.  Reapply sunscreen of 50SPF or more every two hours you’re directly in the sun, every hour if you’ve been romping around in the waves.

Does sunscreen make you break out?  Go for an oil-free variety as well as a fragrance-free one.  Companies aren’t obligated to reveal the ingredients of their fragrances (often listed as “parfum”).  You could be putting bleach on your skin for all you know.  You know, if bleach smelled good.

(Miss Neira’s favorite! no fragrance, chemical free and natural!)

Not going into the sun but still needing moisture for those freshly shaved gams?  Your best bet in the summer is to forego perfume and find a yummy body butter, which lasts longer than most creams or lotions. Although you can get body butters without animal testing from The Body Shop (the coconut variety is a former fave), it’s hard to come by cosmetics not loaded with chemicals and parabens your skin’s better off without.  My current potion of choice is Herbolution’s Organic Mandarin Aloe Body Butter on Etsy.  The citrusy smell is perfect for the incoming warm weather.

Makeup at the beach

I love the beach, but I hate feeling so naked, and I’m not even talking about the bikini.  Instead of loading your skin up with the usual foundation and eye shadow, try to stick to lighter varieties of makeup.  Use a tinted moisturizer with SPF (oil-free if you’re prone to break-outs).  For eyes, cheeks, and lips, stick with very thin layers of natural hues like pink, peach, gold, and bronze.

Lastly, stay away from creams.  Sand will stick to them like glue.

Naturally fresh

When you think of spring, you think of bright colors.  While this season is a great time to try daring hues, you’re probably going to want to stick to softer colors on an everyday basis.  Pink, peach, gold, and bronze are favorites of the warmer seasons; use shimmery varieties to add spice.

Another color to try is coral.  It’s a bold color, admittedly, but it looks great on cheeks matched with neutral lips and shimmery gold eyes.

For your skin, you never want to look cakey or slick, especially as the weather gets warmer and we’re prone to sweat or oil production.  Keep it simple, like with a layer of glōSheer tint base.

Vibrant Nails

Since the rest of your face should stay, on most days, pretty fresh and natural, you can afford to let your clothes and nails do the screaming.  Don’t be afraid to try new hues you’d find on flowers and beaches, like purples, pinks, corals, golds, greens, and more.  Try Zoya’s Ooh-La-La collection for long-lasting, glossy finishes.

(Maura)

(Jancyn)

Bio: Alexis Posharo is a stay at home mom, freelance writer and representative for Home Security Systems, where the source for keeping your family safe starts with a wireless home security system. Her hobbies include playing piano, practicing yoga, and curling up with a good book at the end of a long day.