You don't need makeup at the beach. The glow you get from the sun and fresh air is enough! But, if you're like me, it's never enough. ;)
I don't wear makeup on the beach itself now, but I have been known to in the past. I surely wear a touch when I go out to have drinks, shop the shoppes, or pop out for dinner (seafood, of course!). I mean... it's the beach, not jail!
If you want some tips for pulling off some beach makeup without ending up looking clownish or drippy from the sweat, keep reading.
And if you have makeup tips for the beach, let us know in the comments!
Quick Tips:
- Think sheer!
- Think light!
- Think oil-free!
- SPF first (rather than in your makeup)? Let it set for 20 minutes before proceeding with makeup.
- If in doubt, don't!
Tips for makeup on the beach
Maybe you want to impress the cute guy in the floral board shorts, or maybe you want to make the girl in the yellow polka dot bikini feel a little jealous. Or maybe you just want to hide a little something and slip on some mascara. Whatever the reasons, there are some tips for making beach makeup work...-
Lightweight skin makeup is better!
Really, if you can skip it, do. If you absolutely must, try a tinted moisturizer with some SPF. Keep in mind, it may (probably!) fade or come off in the water. Mineral makeup tends towards the water-resistant side, so you could try that, too.
Try: Laura Mercier's Tinted Moisturizer has so many fans it's a must-try. (Note: I haven't tried it because there's no color match for my skin!). She makes an illuminating version with an SPF of 20 ($42). I can't stop singing the praises of my MAC Face & Body Foundation ($32) which is -TADA!- water-resistant. The bonus with Face & Body is that you can pat a bit on body flaws or even slick it on pale spots to even out - and it won't rub off on your clothes. My favorite mineral makeup brands for foundations are Everyday Minerals and Jenulence (both of which I reviewed here). As much as I love my MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural (Light), I can't wear it in the sun because it has a touch of bismuth oxychloride and it breaks me out if I get sweaty. In fact, I just pack it away in the Summer to avoid the cystic acne hell. I know: TMI. I'm here to help and gross you out! - Concealers beware!
Trust me on this one: check the SPF level on your concealers and proceed accordingly. For years, I was using MAC's creamy Studio Finish SPF35 Concealer ($16.50) to hide circles and blemishes and even out the area around my nose. I'd carefully feather the concealer into the surrounding skin, blending it carefully, and feel confident I looked amazing. And I did! Until the makeup came off later and I realized that those areas were really white and the rest of my face was a pink-tan combo. Not cute! And harder to explain than sunglasses marks. ;) - Primed and ready
If you're doing face makeup, put a primer on. In fact, a primer with SPF is ideal! Primers help keep your makeup from slipping and sliding and settling in you fine lines and pores.
Try: I adore MAC's Prep + Prime Skin ($25), but there's no SPF. Boo! They do make a version with a higher SPF: Prep + Prime Face Protect SPF 50 ($30). If you have sensitive skin, ask for a sample and test it first - it made me itch. I haven't tried NARS Makeup Primer SPF 20 ($33) yet - though I'll give it a test run at the beach (I got a sample at Sephora). - The eyes have it
If you must do eye makeup, make it waterproof and sweat-proof. I recommend a creamy eyeshadow product in either a gold or bronze for a natural and sexy look. Or just go for it and put on a slick of teal or blue! Keep makeup confined to the lashline and lid so you don't look overdone. As for mascara, try one of the tube mascaras. I promise they won't budge unless you get in warm water.
Try: Make Up For Ever is your go-to brand for no-smudge eyes. Aqua Eyes Liners ($17) come in some great browns, bronzes and metallics and you can get your pop of color, too! Line with them or smudge to get water-resistant shadow. They also make Aqua Cream ($22) - waterproof pots of pigmented yum. Some shades are for cheeks and lips, while others are for eyes. For eyes, use a flat synthetic shadow brush (or finger) to use it as shadow, or use you favorite liner brush for detailed application. My A+ #1 favorite tube mascara is Clinique Lash Power. ($14) LOVE IT! Better than waterproof - it only comes off with warm water. - Lip service
Protect your pucker by using a nice hydrating lip balm (tinted if you prefer) and using it frequently!
Try: Carmex Original Stick SPF15, and my favorite Carmex Moisture Plus SPF15 are great choices you can pick up almost anywhere for about $5. I also swear by MAC Lip Conditioners. The pot and Stick are clear but there's also a Tinted Lip Conditioner, too, that comes in a few great a-bit-more-than-sheer shades (Fuchsia Fix and Plum Perfect are my favorites!). All of the MAC Lip Conditioners are $14.50.
After hours!
- Up the ante
Switch to a shimmery gloss. Warmer skins look lovely with a bit of gold shimmer in their coral or peach lippies, while cool skins can slick on coral or pink. Whatever you choose, make it hydrating to replace any moisture lost during the day!
Try: Again, MAC's Tinted Lip Conditioner works well here, as does Clinique Long Last Lipwear ($14). - Get cheeky
If you're a bit sunburned, skip this step unless you need to even something out. If your SPF did the trick then a fresh -light!- dusting of something with a bit of brown in it looks natural but pretty. I like mineralized blushes for their slight shimmer (without glitter).
Try: MAC Mineralize Blush ($21) in Love Joy (warm midtone brown with gold pearl) and Warm Soul (midtone beige with gold pearl). Bobbi Brown's Illuminating Bronzing Powders ($33) are also super pretty and comfortable to wear, and all of them have a bronze base so are perfect for this look. Apply any cheek color with a light hand and blend into surrounding skin to look gloriously glowing without appearing made-up. - Eye Appeal
Stick with slightly shimmery bronzes and golds to accent the pretty tan you have, but add a bit of blue or teal liner (or just blackest-black really close to the lashline. Trust me, it's pretty!). Pale girls like me, now it's time to shine with a water or sky-toned eye look. Pick blue, aquamarine, teal or turquoise and if it has a silver shimmer that's even better. But please: it's still the beach and low-key is key, so don't take your bright colors above the crease!
Try: MAC shadows ($14.50) in Woodwinked (gold), Romp (chocolate with bronze), Tempting (neutral bronze), Era (golden beige), Honey Lust (gold-peach), and All That Glitters (gold) or pop some color on with their Freshwater (bright summer blue), Swimming (sea green), Juxt (green w/ gold pearl), or Steamy (blue-green). Urban Decay fans should grab neutrals like Maui Wowie (sandy shimmer), Chopper (shimmery fawn), Half Baked (gold), and Twice Baked (deep brown shimmer) and seascape shades like Shattered (aquamarine), Flipside (electric teal), and Kiddie Pool (shimmering blue). UD shadows are $17 at Sephora.
Oily?
Keep face blotting papers on-hand to control the shine!
Try Shieseido's ($17), Boscia's ($10), Sonia Kashuk's ($6.50) and MAC's ($10)
I also highly recommend MAC's Blot Powder ($22), which will not build up or change your makeup. Super sheer, super effective. Reapply as often as necessary with no ill-effects. Amazing stuff!
Bonus tips:
-Shiny with nothing at hand to help? Grab a corner of a toilet seat cover!
-Cut your blotting papers in half to get more mileage out of the pack!