Glowing Goddess: Tips and tricks for perfect summer skin

Exams are over and Summer is finally here! Whether you’re jetting off on a J1 or staying home for some summer madness (Volvo Ocean Race, Galway Arts Festival and the Picnic to name but a few), here’s a few tips & tricks to achieve and maintain that natural summer glow.

courtesy: flickr - kimsdinner

1. Glow from within

Don’t worry I’m not about to get all “Gillian McKeith” but in order to achieve glowing skin you need to start with your diet. Vitamins A,
C, B and E and minerals Iron and Zinc are fuel for our skin. They help with dryness, discolouration, breakouts and preventing wrinkles. Be sure to eat a balanced diet full of vegetables, fruit, dairy, cereals and meat. If you struggle with your 5-a-day, try supplements such as skin, hair and nails formula, found in health food stores and chemists.

2. Protect yourself!

Sun cream, I cannot stress this enough! Before you book your spot on the sunbed or whip out the tanning oil, just google Patricia Krentcil. Ok, perhaps a little extreme but you see my point! Whether you’re a bronzed beauty or like myself you prefer the “pale and interesting” look, sunscreen is always important. You need protection from the obvious big C, as well as brown spots and wrinkles. I opt for the Boots Soltan range in factor 30 or above, it’s inexpensive, non-greasy, smells lovely and doubles as an insect repellent. Soltan face is light and hydrating and perfect for under your make-up. Remember that it doesn’t have to be scorching hot for your skin to get damaged, I follow Dita Von Teese’s example and choose to wear sunscreen all year round. If you are sun worshipper, and love a nice tan then just fake it, a real one isn’t worth the effects it will have in years to come.

3. Less is more!

So you’ve eaten your banana and put on your sunscreen. Now for the summer perfect make-up. The key to summer make-up is being minimal, less is definitely more. You want to make your skin look as though you have no make-up on at all.

• Step One: To achieve that summer glow, begin with an illuminating moisturiser, I absolutely love Soap & Glory Glow Job. It contains microbeads that burst when you rub it into the skin leaving your skin looking glowing and sun-kissed. You can buy this in Boots and it’s pretty inexpensive compared to most illuminating moisturisers.

• Step Two: Then it’s onto the base. If your skin in good condition and you’re looking for a product with very sheer coverage then I’d opt for a BB cream. A bit of an “all-in-one” kind of product, BB cream is a combination of primer, moisturiser and foundation. My favourite BB cream of the moment is Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector. It comes in 3 shades, light, medium and dark. The coverage is very sheer with a very dewy finish. It’s smooth and light on the skin and smells gorgeous. If you prefer a little more coverage I would suggest mixing your foundation with some moisturiser or BB cream. There are hundreds of sheer and dewy foundations out there but my all time favourite is definitely Bourjois Healthy Mix serum. It has light yet buildable coverage, have a dewy finish, smells amazing and feels as though you’re not wearing foundation at all. It’s available in Boots and it’s €15. Apply your BB cream or foundation and add some concealer to the blemishes.

• Step three: For nice glowing cheeks, opt for a cream blush. Maxfactor do a great one in a range of different colours to suit different skin tones. A cream blush will maintain the dewy finish whilst adding some colour and freshness to the face. (Remember less is more!)

• Step Four: Use a highlighter on the tops of the cheek bones, the bridge of the nose and the top of your upper lip, this will catch the light and create that glow. I love Benefits High Beam or Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Cream.

• Step Five: Dab some powder to set the concealer. Keep the powder to a minimum to maintain the dewy finish.

• Step Six: Curl the eyelashes, add some mascara to your top lashes and finish with a dab of lip balm.