Summer beauty is definitely not cancelled! Now that seasons are gently morphing into each other, away from the tyranny of fashion and beauty’s obsolete merchandising calendar (winter coats shipped to stores in July, pre-spring trends arriving in January, only to be heavily discounted later when the real season gets underway), what we’re enjoying now in beauty will definitely stay beyond Labour Day. At least until Autumn starts settling in, at the very beginning of October.
Even if social distancing is now part of our new normal, we’re cautiously up for some much needed – and safe – get-togethers after being cooped up indoors for months. And for our new beauty rituals, we’re drawn to the dreamy hues of fresh-cut flowers and intense, magnificent blooms.
But given that face masks are likely to be an essential accessory for the foreseeable future, late summer makeup looks focus on the eyes and are light on the lips. At least when we’re outdoors. For our Sunday Best dinners at home, that’s another story.
It’s All About the Eyes
“It’s a classic,” says Marika D’Auteuil, an award-winning makeup artist and a regular contributor to the most creative photoshoots in Canada. “Every summer, I see new colour palettes inspired by the world of flowers. This year pastels really stand out, and at the same time we’re seeing some bold strokes of colour with purple eyeshadow. It’s great because, from lavender to violet, shades of purple look amazing on everybody.”
If you don’t feel ready (just yet) to book that eyelash extension or lash lift appointment, but you’re craving something bold and different instead of that basic black mascara, you’re in luck! Coloured mascaras are back in a big way. “It’s an easy way to add a subtle flash of colour and you don’t need a special talent to use them,” says Marika. “They can even be used for a nice pop of colour along the lash line.”
Invest in a good eye makeup base, or concealer, to make the pale colours stand out on the upper eyelid, and apply the eyeshadow with your fingers. Yes, fingers! Despite an enviable and lavish collection of brushes, many professional makeup artists often rely on their digits for a more consistent, even application, and the maximum amount of pigment deposited. “It helps you ‘push’ the colour onto the skin,” explains Marika.
Love That Skin Glow
Marie-Laure Larrieu, a professional makeup artist who is now expanding her artistry with a brand-new fashion label called Marie-Laure ML, and who also created the stunning decoupage flowers (seen here) to promote her new couture craft, is an expert at creating dewy skin effects.
She says, “glowing skin isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. After all, it’s one of everyone’s top favourite finishes. Twelve months a year.” We’ve all consistently seen those flashes of golden light on the tip of the nose and in the innermost corner of the eyes, which are still crazy popular on Instagram. So even if you didn’t fly out to Baja or South Beach, you can still get that sweet end-of-summer glow.
“The first thing you need to do is to moisturize. You don’t really see it, but your skin needs a lot of water to look beautiful.” Marie-Laure likes straight-up spring water face mists (Eau Thermale Avène Thermal Spring Water), or those with refreshing ingredients such as cucumber and mint (Olay Mist Ultimate Hydration Essence, in the Cooling Formula).
She then dabs a bit of apricot cream blush (Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Colour Stick No. 22) directly on the cheekbone, “not in a contouring way, but by gently blending it with the fingertips and smoothing towards the temples, to avoid streaks while enhancing that golden shimmer on sun-kissed skin with a soft finish.”
To make sure skin stays perfect throughout the day (and more so, with a mask), Marie-Laure then finishes her makeup with Bare With Me Prime. Set. Refresh. Multitasking Spray from NYX Professional Makeup. This multipurpose mist also gives skin a dewy glow, minimizes the appearance of pores, and provides up to eight hours of hydration.
Oh, Yes To Juicy Lips!
After the matte madness of these last couple of years, fuelled by Kylie Jenner and her Lip Kits featuring a liquid lipstick and matching lip liner, most of which are in a flat finish, we’ve now seem to have outgrown the desire for mostly muted lips.
Remember the glaringly luminous glosses of the early 2000s? Well, they’re back. Partly. They are now being introduced in a more manageable formula that has switched from the super tacky texture of the aughts to a high-shine finish providing more glide, sheen and pigments. After being discontinued in 2018, Juicy Tubes from Lancôme are also making a comeback. Great news for fans of the fantastic original lippy line! Of course, glosses are primarily for the unmasked who are staying home while pouting for selfies. Or for those Zoom meetings.
“In terms of shades, roses are making a splash. These glosses are generally worn solo, but they can also double-up over a more subtle and discreet lipstick,” says Marika.
3-D Accessorizing
Ever since glitter – there are now sustainable, organic versions – became an essential element of many high-octane glam looks, 3D accessories like face gems and rhinestones have followed.
In keeping with the floral theme, the spectacular textile flowers presented here were entirely handcrafted by Marie-Laure, who made them by cutting out the prints from the fabric she used for her first clothing collection. She washed it “to give it a worn-in luxe hippie look”, and then redrew the outlines of each flower to emphasize the hand-drawn quality inherent to makeup. Like she says, “here it’s about having couture at the service of makeup, and vice versa. In fashion and beauty, everything works together with one same goal: to create something exquisite.”
We couldn’t agree more!
