In the summer months the weather is glorious, sunny and hot and we tend to spend a lot more time outdoors, enjoying nature, going to the beach, playing sports or just hanging out with friends having a good time. But the hot and humid weather also means that your makeup can melt and run down your face, fade faster and there’s always the risk of sunburn.

That’s why in summer it’s best to change your makeup routine and choose waterproof and longlasting products that will stay put for hours. And even though I’m one of those people that likes to wear what I want whenever I want regardless of the weather, on particularly torrid days, I follow all the tips below as well or my face would end up pretty messy! Here’s what I do:

1. Slather on sunscreen all over your body
Wearing a broad spectrum sunscreen is important all year round but even more so in the summer when we spend more time outdoors and at the beach. Choose a sunscreen that protects from both UVA and UVB rays and apply it about 15 minutes before heading out the door on your face, neck, arms, legs and on any other body part exposed to the sun rays. And don’t forget to reapply every couple of hours!

2. Ditch foundation
Most foundations are too heavy to be used in the summer and, unless you need very heavy coverage, it’s best to opt for other options. If your skin is in good condition, you can skip foundation altogether and just dab on concealer where needed. If that’s not enough for you, you can opt for a tinted moisturizer instead. They have lightweight formulas that don’t feel heavy on the skin and provide a very light and natural coverage perfect for this season. You can also make your own by mixing your regular foundation with some of your moisturizer!

3. Waterproof mascara is your friend
I like to use waterproof mascaras all year round but in the summer they are a must. Although they can be a pain to remove sometimes, they give you long, glossy and beautiful lashes without you having to worry about your mascara smudging, flaking or melting in the heat resulting in horrible panda eyes.

4. Substitute powder and glosses with stains
Powder blushes can be too heavy and melt away in the heat, so to give your cheeks a natural and healthy flush, opt for gel blushes or stains that blend into your skin and stay in place for hours. Stains are also perfect for your lips as they give just a hint of color that lasts a lot longer than glosses. And because they’re not sticky, you don’t have to worry about your hair or sand (if you’re at the beach) getting stuck in your lips.

5. Prime, layer and set
To prevent makeup from melting in the heat and to make it last, it’s important to wear layers. Start by applying primers on your face and eyes (you can use them on lashes and lips if you want to as well) to give the makeup something to better adhere to and improve its staying power. Then proceed to apply your makeup as usual and finish off by dusting a layer of powder on top to set it so that it’ll last longer.

6. Blotting sheets are your best allies
If you have oily or combination skin with oily and greasy patches, carrying blotting sheets with you is a must. These little and inexpensive sheets are perfect to remove excess sebum and sweat without ruining your makeup underneath.

Do you change your makeup routine in the summer? If so, how?

The first time I used blush I was about 15. I had no idea how to use it so I just happily swept away and once done I looked like a clown with two bright pink spots on my cheeks! It took me a few good years (blush application is tricky and very easy to get wrong) to finally master the technique, but every now and then, I still overapply.

This usually happens when I buy a new pigmented blush. With my pale skin, I have to be extra careful cos overdoing blush is even easier. But anyone can make this mistake and when you do, there is no need to reach for your makeup remover. That’ll only mean that you’ll have to reapply all your makeup (foundation, concealer etc) again. Instead, try these tips below:

1. Translucent powder is your ally

If you used too much blush and now look clownish, simply swirl your brush into your translucent powder and tap off any excess. Now that you only have a hint of powder on your brush, buff it onto your overapplied blush. It will tone it down to give a more natural look.

2. Translucent powder works even better with a cotton ball

For years, I used the translucent powder tip above until recently I came across Renee’s post on how to fix overdone blush where she suggests using a cotton ball first. Basically, all you need to do is to lightly sweep a cotton pad over the blush in a circular motion. This will pick up some of the color from your cheeks. Next, using your blush or kabuki brush, apply some translucent powder on top of it and blend well to soften any harsh lines. The translucent powder trick always worked well for me but now that I use it together with a cotton ball, I noticed correcting mistakes is a lot easier and the result more natural. Thanks Renee!

3. Fix cream blush with foundation

The tricks above work very well with powder blushes but when I overapply cream ones I fix them in a different way. What I do is put a small drop of foundation on my hand, gently dip a duo fibre brush like the MAC 187 in it, go over the blush with it and blend well. Not only it will make the blush look more natural, the makeup also won’t look cakey!

What do you do when you overload on blush?

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Hello everyone,

today is Earth’s day and even though I didn’t have the time to put together a series of posts throughout the week to celebrate it like I had originally planned (sorry about that but you can visit my friends Dao and Paris blogs for some useful eco-friendly tips ), I still wanted to take this opportunity to rant talk about something that irritates me: excessive packaging.

If I have to be honest with you, I don’t like it when lipsticks, eyeliners, eyeshadows and any other cosmetic and personal care products (doesn’t apply to sets or brushes obviously) come in boxes. I just feel they are unnecessary cos, unless the box is very pretty like the Sleek one pictured above or they have small tutorials on how to use the products printed on them, as soon as you as you get home you’re gonna take your purchases out and throw the boxes in the bin.

Of course, they can be useful cos when items come in boxes, chances are no one messed with them and used them as testers in the shops (don’t you just hate it when that happens? It’s so gross!). But even though I’d prefer it if they came unpacked, as long as it’s a small box that fits the items almost perfectly I don’t mind.

What bothers me is excessive packaging. Like the Fior di Magnolia lipstick pictured above has. As you can see, the box is much, much bigger than the lipstick itself. Not only that, but inside there also was a plastic holder to keep the lipstick in place which ended up in the bin ages ago. But why on earth would a lipstick ever need so much packaging?!

I actually spent quite a few minutes in front of the stand trying to figure out whether to get it or not. Part of me really wanted to try it, while the other felt really guilty about picking it up due to the excessive packaging. In the end, I brought it home with me even though I still feel guilty about it and would never repurchase it again for this reason alone.

Another example is the Olay Regenerist line. These products come in big plastic boxes that, from what I read online, are even hard to recycle. I usually like Olay skincare products but the packaging is really putting me off from purchasing these (my conscience is still bugging me from the Fior di Magnolia lippie, you know?), especially when it is totally unjustified. What’s all that plastic supposed to protect a moisturizer from?! No skincare products needs all that plastic around them and neither does the environment.

Also, some online retailers pack their goods in boxes that are way too big compared to what you bought. Kiko Cosmetics is the perfect example. I bought two eyeliners, a powder and a eye makeup remover and they delivered everything in a huge box filled with polystyrene and other fillers to protect the products.

And while I appreciate they packing everything so carefully (no one wants to open a package only to find their eyeshadow broken or nail polish open right?), such a huge box was totally, completely and utterly unnecessary. The items I ordered don’t break easily and they would have filled a smaller box, so why didn’t they use that?

Doesn’t this bother you that companies use so much packaging without caring for the environment at all? Sure most of it can be recycled (I recycle everything myself), but how many people do it? Thankfully, more and more but not enough. Here where I live it took a council law for people to start recycling, for goodness’ sake! Which sadly tells a lot about Italian people. (Although not everyone is bad an irresponsible of course, there are too many who are rude and treat streets and parks like their personal trash cans. )

But still, wouldn’t it better if there was nothing to recycle in the first place? And what about all the plastic and other wastes that can’t be recycled at all? So much packaging wastes resources, pollutes the environment and even makes prices go up. After all, if companies didn’t bother manufacturing boxes and sent orders in smaller packages or envelopes which would cost less to send, it’s us, the consumers who would save some money.

Personally, I don’t think companies are doing themselves any favours by using all that packaging. More and more consumers are slowly starting to look for more eco-friendly products. And not just products that use natural ingredients but also those that use less packaging that can be recycled.

I, for one, know that if something I want comes excessively packaged, then I’ll think long and hard before getting it and 9 times out of 10, I’ll pass. And if so much packaging can’t even be recycled at all, then I’ll definitely skip it.

How do you feel about excessive packaging?

For years, I totally snubbed eyeliner. I used to find it hard to apply and so I would tell myself I didn’t need it. Until one day I tried it again. And I got hooked. I love the way it defines my eyes and gives them shape and these days, unless I’m really pressed for time, I never leave the house without.

However, our love affair wasn’t without problems. My lids are a bit oily and so eyeliners have the tendency to smudge and smear down my face after a few hours. So not a good look! Other times, instead, the liner would simply disappear. How frustrating!

For those of you that feel my pain, here’s a few tricks I learned to make eyeliner stay put all day:

1. Prime, prime, prime

Always apply a eyeshadow primer like good old Urban Decay Primer Potion or Senna Totally Transforming Eyeshadow Primer on your lid before lining your eyes. Primers act like a glue that will keep your eyeliner (and eyeshadow) in place all day preventing it from smudging. Some people also recommend applying some powder to your lid to soak up the oil before putting on eyeliner, but I find this works only if your lids aren’t very oily. Otherwise, a primer is your best bet.

2. Set with powder

Once you’ve applied your eyeliner, with a small angle or shader brush, go over the line with a matching eyeshadow. This locks the liner in place, keeping it from straying and smearing down your face.

3. Do your research

Using a good eyeliner is also important. If you buy on impulse, chances are you’ll be stuck with a liner that will soon smudge and smear on you. Instead, do you research and read reviews to know which eyeliners will last the test of time even on the oilest lids.

Do you have any more tips to prevent eyeliner from smudging?

I’ve always been obsessed with dark nail polishes. The’re edgy yet classy and are very flattering on my pale skin. And they also look great on short nails like mine (I can’t stand long nails, they aren’t practical at all).

But dark shades are hard to maintain and they can even stain nails yellow. If that happens you could always apply nail polish to hide the stains or just wait a few months for your nails to grow back, but let’s face it: those solutions aren’t ideal. So, what can you do?

Use a base coat

Preventing dark nail polish from staining your nails is very easy. All you need to do is use a base coat. This will create a protective layer on your nail so that the polish won’t get in contact with the nail plate and stain it. In addition, a base coat provides a smoother surface for your polish to adhere to and makes it last longer.

Squeeze some lemon juice

If you forgot to use a base coat and your nails are now an unattractive yellow color, don’t panic. Go to the kitchen, get a lemon, squeeze the juice on your nails and rub it for a few minutes. Or you can just pour the juice in a bowl and soak your fingers in it for 10 minutes if you prefer.

When you’re done, you’ll see that your nails are already whiter but you may need to repeat this treatment a few times for the stains to be removed completely. In addition, lemon juice can dry skin and nails, so you should always apply a moisturizer afterwards.

If it doesn’t work

If the lemon juice trick doesn’t work for you at all, then the yellow nail stains can be a symptom of a more serious condition, like diabetes for instance. If this is the case you should consult your doctor immediately.

Do you have any more tips to prevent or remove nail stains?

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Lipstick can enhance your lips and totally transform a look but it can also ruin it if it travels to your teeth. And that can be very embarrassing too! Luckily, there are a couple of things you can do to make sure your lippie will stay off your teeth. Here’s how:

Prime and set: apply a lip primer before putting on your favourite shade of lipstick. This will make the color stay put on your lips. Then place a tissue on your lips and dust some powder through it to set the lippie.

Remove excess lipstick: once you’ve applied lipstick, put a finger in your mouth, close you lips gently and slide it out. This is a trick used by models so that any excess lipstick will end up on your finger instead than your teeth.

Do you have more tips to avoid lipstick getting on your teeth? Share them in the comments.

When I first got into makeup, I used only pressed eyeshadows. That’s because I rarely saw pigments around as most stores didn’t carry them back then and I thought pressed shadows were more easy to use anyway. It was only about five years ago that I was introduced to pigments and since then I became addicted!

That doesn’t mean that I have abandoned pressed eyeshadows though. In fact, I still use them a lot as  I don’t really think that one type of shadow is better than the other. They both have some pros and cons and which kind to use depends on what look you want to achieve and how much time you have to get ready.

Color payoff

Pigments are pure colors and therefore they are said to have better color payoff than pressed eyeshadows. However, that’s not always true. Some pigments contain fillers to help the color stick to the lid or to add shimmer, but they also reduce pigmentation. I have a lot of pressed eyeshadows that are very pigmented and pigments that apply sheerly and viceversa. So, personally I don’t think that pigments have better color payoff than pressed eyshadows in general. In the end, it all depends on the specific product in question.

The messy factor

Pigments can be very messy and for this reason, if I’m in a hurry, I avoid to use them. They usually come in jars or in those little sample plastic bags that are very prone to spill the powder everywhere, which doesn’t make them very travel-friendly. I always bring with me pressed eyeshadows when I travel as they don’t make a huge mess in my suitcase.

In addition, loose eyeshadows are also prone to fall out when you apply them, which almost never happens with good quality pressed eyeshadows. To reduce fallout, use an eyeshadow primer (a cream eyeshadow or a pencil will do too) on your lid to create a sticky base for the powder to adhere to. Also, use a brush with dense bristles to apply pigments and pat the color on. I also prefer to do my eye makeup first, so if there is any fall out I can easily remove it without ruining my face makeup.

Pigments are multi-purpose

Pigments are very versatile and can be used for several purposes. They can be used as dry or wet eyeshadows, or as eyeliners (but then so can pressed powder shadows), or on the face as blushes or highlighters. You can also mix them with glosses or nail polishes to get your own custom colors. The possibilities are endless!

But be careful as not all shades are versatile: for instance, some aren’t eye safe while others can be used on the eyes only. This information is usually printed on the label so make sure you read it before experimenting.

What type of eyeshadow is better?

I honestly don’t think one type is better than the other, I love them both equally. I like the versatility of pigments but pressed eyeshadows are more convenient to use especially when you travel. What about you? Do you prefer loose pigments or pressed eyeshadows?

The search for a foundation that matches our skin tone can be a real challenge. And sometimes, when we think we have found the perfect match, suddenly, it turns orange on us! Why does that happen?

Why does foundation oxidizes?
When a foundation oxidizes, it turns orange, or one or two shades darker, on your skin. The oils on your skin or those present in the product can affect the pigments of the foundation, intensifying their color. This is why people with oilier skin are more prone to experience a change in the color of their foundation.

How to prevent foundation from oxidizing?
The only way to know if a foundation won’t oxidise on you is to try it before buying. Ask for samples or test it at the counter and then go for a walk. Wait one or two hours and if the foundation hasn’t changed color, go back to the store and buy it. If, instead, the foundation has turned darker, try testing a lighter shade and see if once oxidised, it matches your skintone.
I also read on some forums that using a primer may help. That makes sense because primers create a barrier on the skin so that your sebum won’t react with the foundation. But from what I heard, this method doesn’t work for everyone. Still, it’s worth a shot.

Has this ever happened to you? And have you got any tips to prevent your foundation from oxidizing?