This month’s Image Article:

Summer is a time to get back in touch with one’s inner child. It is the season that many people always looked forward to more than any other, with its long days filled with sun, water, outdoors and adventure. Growing up with Indiana Jones as my idol, I would plot my awaited discoveries with great care. I invented secret cities for gnomes and fairies out of the rich earth and moss packed roots between gnarled trees, and ran carefree on the beach scavenging for elusive shells, rocks and other sea treasures. I believe most North Americans make many of the same associations with summertime that I do. My thoughts of summer consist of outdoorsy, carefree images of beaches, barbecues, adventure and quality time with friends, family and loved ones. There are always plenty of fun activities, and the summer makeup and hair trends tend to follow similar themes year after year: sun-kissed, bronzed, colorful, carefree and a bit whimsical. Summer of 2013 is absolutely no exception.
Many of the spring and summer runway looks are generally the same, but can be interpreted a little differently as the weather heats up. I am always a fan of minimal makeup during the summer, as outdoor activities, warm weather and water can affect a heavily made up face. Here are a few of my favorite looks to share with you for summertime 2013.
Be bronzed and glow! A little sun is good for just about everyone; however, too much UV ray exposure can cause skin cancer and premature aging. Due to these risks, your clients may be thinking twice about tanning at the beach or heading to the tanning salon. I would recommend the following suggestions to either implement into your pre-application services or to pass on to your clients along with some home care.
Recommend that they use a good self tanner in the evening after they shower and exfoliate to give their face and body a beautiful warm glow, which creates the illusion of fun filled days and countless adventures. Tell them to add a little extra moisturizer to areas that may draw in more pigment, like the ankles, knees and elbows after exfoliating. They should be sure to blend thoroughly, and wash their hands immediately afterwards to prevent them from turning an odd shade of orange.

A long summer day

Dot and blend a little waterproof highlighting concealer under the eyes (using your ring finger or soft makeup brush) and on any blemishes. Adding a bronzer may be all you need to do to give your client a radiant, beachy glow. Be careful, as adding it excessively or unevenly can make the tan look orange, dirty or fake. To apply bronzer properly, I like to use a delicate fan brush so I can slowly build and delicately dust a sheer layer of bronzer on the forehead, cheeks, nose and chin. A little can go a long way. Mist with some rose water, sea plasma or toner to set and create a healthy, dewy reflective finish.

Grunge out the evening

Summer is filled with all sorts of music and art festivals; so go back a few years and get your clients grunged! The grunge look was fairly prevalent in a lot of the trends showcased in the 1990s. You can make it work by adding eyeliner just in or under the lower lash line. Go for smudgy black or various shades of brown and metallic pencil or shadow with a short angle brush. Use a waterproof pencil if there is any chance your client may encounter water in the near future!

Neon and color block

Green, blue, pink, fuchsia ... think bright and simple! Use a good waterproof eye shadow base or primer and go super simple with a dash of color along the lash line. There are tons of great waterproof colored pencils out there, and their prices are all over the map; experiment with a lime green or sky blue liner for brown eyes and magenta or fuchsia for blue eyes. A quick, medium sized line along the top lashes will be fun and easy. Don’t forget the waterproof mascara!

Long, big and bold lashes

The 1960s were a time of inspiration everywhere on the runways for spring/summer of 2013. Luscious lashes with extra length and volume were readily available for viewing at all four fashion weeks (London, Paris, Milan and New York City). If you want to try something other than strip lashes on your clients, try the “flares” or “clumps” in the outside corners; they are easier to apply and won’t make your clients look like drag queens! I suggest applying a coat of mascara, adding the lashes and then applying a second coat after the glue dries. Waterproof lash extensions are also a great way to go.

In the pink

Pink is still the must have color this season! Hot pink lips are everywhere, and pink has not only been confined to the lips. It has also been seen all over the eyes and cheeks on the runway (even in the hair)! Pink has been the flirty color that can’t show up often enough—it never seems to wear out its welcome! Try a hot pink on the lips, then blot, blot, blot! Your clients don’t want to look dead, do they? Dash a burst of peony pink on the apples of their cheeks. Do they want something to make their eyes fun and flashy? “Pinkify” their eyes with a dreamy opalescent rose color on the lid, and sweep a subtle gold or champagne highlight under the brow.
Take an easy, breezy approach to your makeup artistry, as summer is a time of activity and progress. Trade in that wintertime glamour for a fresh new look for your clients that exudes the radiant glow of a life well lived!

“And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.” — F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

Teal Druda is an industry veteran who has been a practicing makeup artist for more than 15 years. Her work has been featured in fashion magazines and music videos. Druda also shares her artistry with clients such as Marie Claire, ABC and Relativity Media. She resides in Los Angeles, CA.