The Six Products in My Summer Makeup Routine

From Upper Left, 1. Sigma Bunny Foundation Brush ($21) // 2. Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Foundation ($47) // 3. Benefit Hoola Bronzer ($15) // 4. Armani Eyes to Kill Mascara ($32) // 5. Bobbi Brown Cheek Duo ($42) // 6. Maybelline Color Tattoo Shadow ($7)

1. Sigma’s Bunny Foundation Brush is changing my life.  It gives me smooth, flawless coverage with less product than I ever believed possible.  It also cleans up like a dream.  And despite the name, is cruelty free. If you want a great set of brushes, Sigma’s travel kit is $86 and contains everything you need.

2. My love for Lancome’s Teint Idole Ultra Foundation cannot be overstated.  As you know, I have problems with acne, acne scars, and uneven tone.  This medium to full coverage foundation covers everything.  I’ve only had to break out the spot concealer three times since I started using it.  I even bought a lighter shade to use under my eyes in place of concealer.

If you don’t need full coverage every day, I’ve been mixing it with Laura Mercier’s Radiance Primer.  The ratio is 2:1 primer for a dewy, light finish that still covers and evens out skintone like a dream.  Also, if you’re concerned about cost, this technique will make it last forever.

3. Benefit’s Hoola Bronzer is an oldie bit goodie.  So many bronzers have shimmer or an orange base that it can be hard to find a good one.  This is a great one.

I’ve been using it as a contour in the hollows of my cheeks, my temples, and the tips of my nose and chin.  It looks lightly sun-kissed, totally natural, and gives my bone structure more definition.  If you prefer more of a rosy bronze (doubles as blush), try Benefit’s Dallas shade.  Also, I’m applying it with Sigma’s Angled Kabuki brush.

4. I’ve never been a big fan of designer mascara.  It’s expensive, and usually no better than the drugstore stuff.  But Armani’s Eyes to Kill Mascara, different story.

The mascara lengthens and volumizes.  It also separates with zero clumps, zero clumps!  And if you have an issue with smudging, which I always do, there are no smudges, ever.

Now, I understand if you don’t want to make the jump to $32 mascara, it’s a slippery slope.  If you need a drugstore dupe, the Internet recommends L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara.

5. Wearing two blushes seems silly, until you see how Bobbi does it (video link) with her Blush Duo Palette.  The darker shade (plum, in this case) is for the cheekbone, the lighter shade (sand pink) is for the apples.  It gives you a defined, flushed look that makes it hard to argue with her technique.

I apply the dark product with an angled brush, and the lighter one with a fluffy blush brush.  Then, to soften the lines, I buff in Hourglass’s Mood Light highlighter around the edges.  The pinky hue of the Mood Light blurs the lines and blends flawlessly.  Looking for an Hourglass dupe?  Try boohoo’s Get Gorgeous.

6. In the summer, I want easy.  I want light shimmer.  And I want a color palette that looks one step above natural.  So for the eye makeup I like Maybelline Color Tattoo cream eyeshadows.  These are from their Metal color collection, and the hues are Inked Pink and Barely Branded.

I apply the gold hue all over my lids, and the pink into the crease for a bit of definition.  I also set with a translucent powder to prevent creasing.  Prefer powder shadow?  Try Stila’s Oasis and Trish McEvoy Rose Quartz.  Need more definition than pale pink can provide?  I am loving this Bare Minerals Power Neutrals Palette with shades of brown, pink, purple, and shimmer.

So those six products are what I’m using everyday.  I throw in some Tom Ford eyeliner on occasion, or a bit of Lipstick Queen Hello Sailor.  But that’s it.

If you have a makeup product that you’re loving this summer, leave it in the comments.