Six Summer Beauty Tips

When summer rolls around (any day now, right?), I like to curtail my cosmetics to include just the bare basics.

Despite the sticky, sweltering elements of summer, it is possible to keep your face from melting and your hair from frizzing.

For today’s post, I’m sharing six of my best tips for staying beautiful this summer (on the inside and out). Read on for how to look cool, calm and collected – no matter how hot and humid it gets.

// Exfoliate your body. Think of buffing your bod like taking out the trash – do it a few times each week to slough away dead, dry skin (I use this one from H20). Rinse with cool water to really make your skin shine.

// Tan — the safe way. While I like to lay on a beach as much as the next girl, I don’t often have the time — or, well, actual location to do that in Manhattan. A friend recently introduced me to St. Tropez tanning mousse and I’ve been hooked. To apply, start with your legs and work from the bottom up. Dab a bit on your elbows, knees and ankles to keep them from turning dark orange. Use the glove!

// Ditch your dryer. Get beach-worthy waves by spritzing your strands with a salty spray (I like Oribe Apres Beach spray) and letting ‘em air-dry. Try to avoid a hairbrush, if you can.

// Save (your) face. I always use my Clarisonic in the summer, when my skin is more prone to oil and breakouts. In addition — as I mentioned last month — I’ve been testing Clarins’ Double Serum formula for the past 30 days.

The jury is out, and this is one product that’ll remain in my regime. Having spent six years in the digital marketing industry, I’m always skeptical of the “scientific claims” made by brands; however, this one’s a winner. After nearly four weeks, I’m happy to see a brighter, more toned version of my face in the mirror every morning.

// Go sheer. Possibly my favorite thing about summer — less is always more. My summer make-up favorites include Benefit’s eyebrow pencil, Lancome mascara and NARS matte lip pencils, since they don’t budge. Thankfully, the Double Serum has given me a much better skin foundation, so I can get away with not wearing face make-up, as shown in the image below.

Last but not least…

// Be kind (to yourself). I was going to save the image above for my next Outfit Outtakes installment (as I found it to be unflattering), but I thought otherwise over the past few days. That right there is the realness of getting cussed out by a taxi cab.

Side-bar; back on track: Clarins challenged me to draw inspiration from their #30DaysofBeautiful campaign for today’s post. It’s a movement that’s inspired me to think about beauty in its rawest form — beyond the realm of pastel-colored peonies, glossy magazine spreads and the like.

Here’s what I realized in reflecting: You’ve heard that saying, “Be bright, be beautiful, be you.” Right?

I never really thought about it until the past week. It’s true: You attract that of what you are. You know how you might meet someone (be it a friend or a boy) and have instant chemistry? Yeah, that starts with you. Y-O-U.

True beauty is being the best possible version of your Self. Awesome attracts awesome. So go out and be f-king awesome.

//

On a less serious note, I hope you have a great Memorial Day weekend. Safe travels + see you back here soon!

Don’t forget to enter Clarins’ sweepstakes (to win a Double Serum for yourself). Simply snap a photo that exemplifies beauty (here’s an example of mine) and share it to Instagram with the #30DaysofBeautiful and #ContestSweeps hashtags. Full sweepstake details here.

This post was sponsored by Clarins USA via Glam Media. All opinions and product sentiments are – as always – my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that support c+c!

first image via