Summer Beauty Guide

Take a good look in the mirror: Has your complexion lost that fresh glow? Is your hair dull, frizzy, or flat? Do you feel like your makeup could use an overhaul? Then, it’s time for a head-to-toe makeover.

A few simple beauty tricks and tips, including DIY beauty treatments you can do at home, can help refresh tired skin and hair, revealing a more youthful appearance. And best of all, these natural products (translucent powders, clarifying hair elixirs) and homemade scrubs and masks are guaranteed to leave you feeling more confident and radiant.

Skin: Light, Fresh, & Dewy

Summertime is the season to start scaling back on foundations and powders. As the weather grows hotter and more humid, foundations can feel heavy on your face. Thicker foundations also sink into pores and clog them, which can lead to breakouts and congested skin. Opting for lighter coverage in the form of a tinted moisturizer or a BB or CC cream is a much skin-friendlier idea.
Another option: Forgo foundation altogether and simply spot-conceal blemishes with a light but creamy concealer. Then apply a light dust of loose colored or translucent powder to keep everything in place and absorb any excess oil. Finish with a few spritzes of rosewater to hydrate, set, and impart a healthy glow.

Eyes And Cheeks

To continue a light, fresh summer makeup theme, the eyes and cheeks shouldn’t look heavy or overdone. To make eyes pop and add some dimension, use a soft, dome-shaped blending eye brush and apply a shimmery light brown or bronze shadow right into the crease of the eye, just below the brow bone. Blend well. Give the lashes a good two or three passes with an eyelash curler, and apply two coats of thickening and lengthening mascara on both the top and lower lashes. This will really give the eyes a bright-eyed look. For the cheeks, a light pink or rose-colored cream blush or stain is a great way to impart a natural flush of color on the apple of the cheeks.

Summer Hair Care

Restoring And Nourishing Coconut Milk and Honey Hair Mask
We all know that coconut oil has a number of miracle-worthy uses and benefits, but coconut milk is also a great resource that seems to be robbed of the limelight. Coconut is full of essential fats and protein; it promotes hair growth and can help maintain healthy hair and restore moisture and strength. This mask will work wonders for anyone suffering from brittle, dry ends. It makes a great weekly pick-me-up to maintain the moisture and softness of hair. This creamy, nourishing coconut milk and honey mask smells delicious and will leave your hair silky and shiny.

1/2 can coconut milk
4-6 Tbs. organic honey
1 empty hand soap container or squirt bottle

Combine coconut milk and organic honey in a glass bowl. Whisk the ingredients together until frothy and pour into an empty hand soap container or squirt bottle. Apply it to your hair, starting at the scalp and working your way to the ends. After hair is thoroughly drenched, massage into scalp for 2 minutes. Let treatment soak into hair for 30 minutes to one hour. Rinse and shampoo as normal.

Acure OrganicsBrightening Facial Scrub feels like a pricey spa treatment and leaves skin ultra soft and glowing.

WeledaBirch Body Scrub invigorates and smoothes skin-perfect to use before heading out to the beach.

NOW SolutionsEuropean Clay Powder turns into a detoxifying face mask when mixed with water-use for an instant, brightening skin boost.

Mineral FusionRosette 3-in-1 Color Stick can be used on eyes, cheeks, and lips for a light, natural look. And this pale pink shade is flattering on most complexions.

AubreySilken Earth Base Loose Translucent Powder (in a variety of shades) blends with your skin tone to create a sheer, airy look-while still covering imperfections.

ZuZu LUXE Mascara lengthens and thickens lashes, settings the eyes off beautifully-and naturally. Choose from five shades: Onyx, Espresso, Navy, Clear, and Midnight Violet.

Andalou NaturalsSunflower & Citrus Brilliant Shine Shampoo and Conditioner boast fruit stem cells, which nourish hair strands from root to tip. These formulas are sulfate-free and color-safe, too.

EORepair Deep Conditioner, made with wild lime and ginger, rescues damaged hair with an infusion of nutrients, herbs, and natural proteins.

John Masters OrganicsHerbal Cider Hair Clarifier & Color Sealer brightens hair by removing residue and restoring a healthy pH level to the scalp-it’s an instant way to give hair a shine boost.

Papaya Enzyme Face Mask

Clear, glowing skin is something that we all want, and is the best canvas for beautiful makeup application. Exfoliation is the key to kick-starting cell renewal and keeping skin bright. The following gentle exfoliating mask is made with papaya, which is rich in vitamins A, C, and E. Papaya also contains naturally occurring enzymes and alpha hydroxy acids, which break down dull, dead skin and help to increase cell turnover. This process brings oxygen to new, healthy skin. Using this mask once or twice per week will awaken a new, smooth layer of skin, leaving you with the kind of radiant complexion you’ve always dreamed of having.

½ cup fresh organic papaya, mashed
1 egg white, whipped
1-2 tsp. honey

Combine ingredients in a bowl and mix. Thoroughly cleanse skin, and then apply mask. Leave on for 5-8 minutes, allowing the papaya enzymes to gently exfoliate the skin. Rinse with warm water.

Try it

When you think of beauty nutrients, probiotics might not come to mind. But they should. These good-for-you bacteria help reduce inflammation and deter bacteria-two key factors for clear skin. Many skin-care experts recommend probiotics to their clients. In fact, Arthur Andrew Medical Syntol AMD, a high-potency blend of probiotics, prebiotics, and enzymes, has developed a cult following among estheticians for its acne-fighting powers.

Enter to win 1 of 5 bottles of Syntol AMD, courtesy of Arthur Andrew Medical. Send your name and address to betternutritionfreebie@gmail.com, with “Probiotic” as the subject line.

Winners will be chosen at random; no purchase necessary.

Jane Olivia Paik is a Los Angeles-based makeup artist and freelance writer.

photo (opposite Page): Pornchai mittongtare; prop Styling: robin turk