Beach Babes!

As a professional makeup artist I have seen my share of “makeup don’ts”!  The kind of silly or careless mistakes that make me want to go all cave man and drag a woman by the hair to the nearest restroom and scrub off the crazy cosmetics she has applied to her face! 

This Pro has many cosmetic pet peeves too: applying makeup while driving, too much glitter (at any age), streaked makeup from no blending, dark lip liner combined with very light lipstick, massively overdrawn lips, young girls with too much makeup on, unkempt eyebrows, clumped mascara, foundation build-up around the nose and chin, touching up makeup at the dinner table and most of all…beach babes that have on pounds of cosmetics!

It makes me laugh and want to ask them, “did Tyra crown you the next top Victoria’s Secret model when I wasn’t looking?” or “Are we doing a secret photo shoot and the professional photographer is pretending to be the Life Guard?”  I don’t see lights, reflectors, Miss J or even a little plastic snappy camera, so that leads me to believe that the girl or women is just so vain that they can’t wear less or heaven forbid, no makeup to the beach!

It really does look ridiculous when your face is made up for a night on the town, but your body is sporting athletic apparel!  Plus, you are at the beach, in the heat, in the sand, in the wind, in the water…that is not a good combo! 

Heavy makeup + heat is like sticking a clay pot into a kiln ready to fire!  Eventually your perfectly applied foundation, concealer, powder, bronzer, contour, highlighter, blusher, 3 shades eye shadow, eyeliner, (pause for a deep breath) mascara, lip liner, lipstick and lip gloss are going to crack, run and clog your pores!  Awesome dude!

If you choose to wear cosmetics that are not a waterproof formula and you venture out into the ocean, your makeup will resemble that of a sea hag instead of the gorgeous mermaid!  But, isn’t this elementary my Dear Watson?   This Pro wants to believe that women already understand basic Makeup 101, but I keep seeing it happening this time of year, so I must wrong!

Here is another thought: you’re all made up and you’re looking hot, but according to your internal sundial, it is time to reapply sunscreen.  Uh oh!  Do you apply it to your face over your cosmetic?  Hmmm…how well do you think that sunscreen is going to work to protect your skin from sun damage if you have a thick layer of makeup on? 

Also, if you didn’t apply sunscreen prior to putting all that "stuff" on your face because you thought that your cosmetic had plenty of SPF in it, guess what?  Cosmetic formulas do not have enough sun protection in them and the sun is strong enough to penetrate through your cosmetic.  Now, it is 2 hours later, your face feels warm and your skin tone is pink (but really it is red under the makeup) and you need to add more sunscreen! 

Your lovely face that you worked so hard on is going to be nothing more than a hot mess when you slather on the sunscreen and begin to rub it in and as a bonus, your skin is damaged because it is sunburned!  How pretty are you now?

Ladies…it is much easier on your skin if you cleanse, moisturize, treat and protect your face instead of spending senseless time in the mirror primping prior to sunbathing!  It is much better to throw an oversized helping of self-esteem into your beach bag along with other sea and sand accoutrement and rock that no makeup look with confidence.

Understandably, there are times when a little cosmetic can be appropriate for the beach.  Especially, if you are attending some type of event, party or maybe just attempting to capture the eye of that surfer guy.  I get it!  So, here is this Pro’s approved list of beach babe makeup…

Jan Marini Antioxidant Daily Face Protectant Sunscreen – oil-free matte finish, does not feel heavy or greasy on the skin, beige in color (not white) so you don't need to "rub" into the skin to absorb.

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer – oil-free, hydrating formula.  Provides extra protection from UVB rays and harmful effects of the environment with an SPF 20.  Apply after skin care and sunscreen, use for spot concealing only (dark circles, broken capillaries around nasal labial folds, break outs).  Do not cover entire face!

Becca Beach Tint – waterproof tint adds a hint of color to cheeks and lips.  Oil free, streak free, contains antioxidant vitamin E and is paraben-free.  Use after skin care, sunscreen and tinted moisturizer.  Available in two shades Watermelon and Peach.

fresh Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15 - lips are sensitive and with increased sun exposure they can burn just as easily as the rest of your body.  Apply Sugar Lip Treatment before Becca Beach Tint for extra sun protection.

Shu Uemura Waterproof Cream Eye Shadow – if you must wear an eye shadow, then choose one color in a waterproof, cream formula that is a neutral, matte shade.  Shu Uemura eye shadow will not crease or fade under extreme conditions.  Recommended colors: beige, pink or brown (lightest hue). Apply all over eye area with fingertip or brush and blend.

tarte cosmetic's lights, camera, splashes, 4-in-1 natural water proof mascara – apply one coat to the top lashes only for natural, longer looking lashes.  It's great for the beach and will not give you that "overdone" look!

Pass on the face powder (everyone will have the “dewy” look so you will fit right in) and skip everything else you usually put on your face!  Think of it this way, you get a chance to go on vacation from work so, give your face a little cosmetic break too!

Now that you have protected, hidden the sins of the skin and added a little tint to the face using waterproof cosmetics, you can feel free to frolic with Puff the Magic Dragon down by the sea and you can reapply your sunscreen when needed without feeling like you will mess up your makeup!  How liberating!!!!

PRO TIPS AND TRICKS:

Throw the tinted moisturizer into your beach bag and touch up a break out inconspicuously – Laura Mercier’s tube looks like a sunscreen component so you won’t draw attention if you happen to whip it out!  This Pro highly recommends investing in a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher because you want to keep your skin looking gorgeous (and young) for years to come.  Since the LM Tinted Moisturizer is only an SPF 20, you will need to apply sunscreen prior to applying and/or reapplying this product in order to ensure maximum sun protection!

STAY TUNED:

Up next on IMPO:  In keeping with our summer theme, IMPO's next blog post will be all about sunscreen.  The best brands for your face and body!