Ever wanted to know how celebrities look so picture-perfect? It’s not magic, but it does require the expertise of a really, really good makeup artist.
You, too, can look picture-perfect – and in the balmy summer months, no less – with the help of Juliana Landis, makeup artist , brow and lash expert, and owner of the Juliana Landis Brow and Lash Studio in Los Angeles, CA and Kristen Arnett, makeup artist and founder of Green Beauty Team.
Juliana Landis began her career in London after attending the prestigious London Esthetique College of Beauty Therapy and Makeup, eventually taking her expertise to Los Angeles. Once at the exclusive salon Umberto in Beverly Hills, Juliana has since become a leader in her field, especially in makeup, brow-shaping, and lash extensions. She now owns a private makeup lounge in Los Angeles where she caters to the beauty needs of high-profile clientele.
Kristen Arnett has worked everywhere from New York to Milan, with celebrities like Laura Linney and Jude Law, and behind-the-scenes at the runway shows of Dior, Valentino, and more. Her expertise extends past the glamorous world of A-list celebrities and high fashion, though, as she is an avid advocate of making healthy and informed beauty choices. Not only is she a talented makeup artist, but also she is conscious of the products that she uses and the effects of utilizing such ingredients on the wearer’s health and appearance.
It goes without saying that these two professionals know what they’re doing when it comes to making the best of a beauty routine and products, so Kristen and Juliana will take us step-by-step through the necessities of attaining and maintaining an effective summer beauty routine that will leave you feeling flawless.
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The Best Way to Get a Healthy Summer Glow? Don’t Burn and Go Faux!
The best way to get a tan is by spending hours in the sun, right? Wrong. Take it from Kristen, “Protection is crucial for summer time. In the short term getting too much sun exposure can cause burns, peeling and possibly an unsightly ‘farmer’s tan.’ As soon as skin starts to look pink, it’s too late to protect from a burn and even if that burn later turns into a tan, it’s anything but a healthy glow.”
Sure, soaking up the summer sun may seem like the easiest and cheapest way to obtain an enviable tan, but by doing this, you’re not only putting your health at risk, you’re also ensuring that you will age prematurely. Kristen agrees, “Take it from someone who spent her youth and college years at the beach, spending too much time baking yourself increases your risk of skin cancer (the #2 cancer in the US) and accelerates the signs of aging, which you will not appreciate once you hit your 30s.”
Juliana’s advice? Fake it! “To give skin a healthy glow while protecting it from the sun, I like to use a self tanner with built in sunscreen,” she says. “My favorite is the Jergen’s Healthy Glow with SPF 20, the color is natural and develops quite quickly.”
For those of us who need a little more color than that in a tanning moisturizer, Juliana has another suggestion, “Another trick I like to use is at the end of my nighttime routine, spray self tanner over my face, this gives me a natural glow by morning. My favorite spray tanner is by St. Tropez. It has the most natural, even color and lasts a long time without getting flaky.”
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Kristen’s Top 5 Tips for Summer Skin Protection
To help prevent developing skin cancer and early signs of aging, Kristen shares with us her top 5 tips for how to protect your skin:
- “Limit your time from standing directly under the sun. Be in shade when possible during the sun’s strongest hours from 11-2pm.”
- “Wear a hat. Choose your favorite type: a baseball cap, a fedora, an elegant wide brimmed hat, a cowboy hat…you get the picture.”
- “Use an all-natural, titanium dioxide sunscreen on all the exposed parts of your body. It’s very important to avoid chemical sunscreens as there is a lot of controversy regarding their safety.” Kristen’s two favorite sunscreens are Badger Balm for Faces in SPF 30 and Jason Mineral Based Natural Sunblock in SPF 30. (For more information on the controversies regarding the ingredients and use of sunscreen, check out Kristen’s article on Green Beauty Team. )
- “Take the time to work the sunblock into the skin evenly to avoid creating any weird looking stop/start areas.”
- “Get really good at using a self-tanning cream.”
Want to Protect Your Skin? Eat Your Fruits and Vegetables!
Believe it or not, what you eat can actually impact your skin’s protection from sun damage. Kristen encourages us, “eat plenty of fruit with antioxidants like blueberries and leafy greens.”
So try incorporating these antioxidant-rich foods into your daily routine with fun, summer-friendly recipes. We can’t wait to try this Heavenly Blueberry Smoothie recipe!
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Go Bare: Opt for a Mineral Foundation or Tinted Moisturizer – or None at All!
One of the most common summer beauty mistakes to make is using heavy foundation in harsh heat. Why is it such a beauty faux pas, you may ask? Kristen explains, “Sweating is a very necessary function of the body to eliminate toxins and if you keep your face from doing it, guess what you are going to get? Zits! Let your skin breathe and show off your youthful, wrinkle-free face!”
So, take it off! “In your late teens and early 20’s your skin is enviable by most standards,” says Kristen. “The glow of glistening skin can be quite beautiful, and as a makeup artist, I recreate this all the time on dry skin to make it look healthier for photo shoots. So why fight it?”
Some of us do prefer coverage, though, so Kristen suggests a lighter alternative to liquid and cream foundations, “If you really want good coverage that will let your skin breathe try a mineral foundation.” Kristen’s favorite? “I love the one from Alima Pure, which comes in a huge variety of shades and you can buy samples to test before committing. As a bonus all mineral foundations have a natural SPF built in.”
But here’s some more serious advice from Kristen: “If possible avoid the ingredient ‘bismuth oxychloride’ which can be a skin irritant.”
Juliana takes a different approach to summer coverage, suggesting that along with powdered foundation, a tinted moisturizer is a viable option, “For great coverage that lasts all day without melting, I like to use a tinted moisturizer and follow with a powder foundation in the t-zone to maintain a dewy glow without looking greasy.” Her favorites are Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer and Glo Mineral’s Pressed Base, because she swears that they, “both give great coverage and last all day long.”
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Go Bright or Go Home: Take Chances With Your Eyeshadow (And Go Waterproof!)
“Summer is all about color! Pick one or two really vibrant, almost neon shades and have some fun with them!” Kristen says. Juliana agrees, “The ‘in’ thing right now with shadows are bright greens, pinks, and blues in all shades.”
Since neon makeup is an unknown territory for most of us, Juliana has a suggestion for practical application. She explains that neon shades, “Can be toned down with a nice brown waterproof liner.” Her favorite is Make Up For Ever’s Aqua Eyes: “its creamy formula stays put all day, I recently used it on an underwater shoot and the model’s makeup didn’t move.” Hear that, beach-lovers? Juliana’s found the miracle cure to raccoon eyes!
Kristen has had some experience with these bold shades, as well, and offers up some similarly hands-on advice for how to look your best in them:
“At a recent shoot I worked on, our model was blonde, blue-eyed and very fair-skinned, so I put a bright, lime green eyeshadow concentrated on her lid below the crease. Then I packed a small amount of bold, gold yellow right on the center of the lid into the lash line. I finished it off with black mascara on the top and bottom and her blue eyes looked incredible!”
And for brown eyes? “Try a vibrant purple as the wash color on the lid up to the crease, and a splash of bright pink or green in the center and closest to the lash line.”
Want to try it? “I suggest using creams,” says Juliana. “Stila and Mac has great…pots of cream color that are easy to apply with your finger and blend beautifully over the lid. They come in gorgeous colors and the brighter the better.”
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A Sticky Situation: Leave Your Lip Gloss at Home
Juliana admits, “When it comes to lips, it’s all about personal preference,” but given the viscosity of lip-gloss, Kristen would rather avoid what she deems, “The sticky problem,” also known as, “lip gloss.” So what’s a collegiette™ to do? “I’d choose a lipstick for long wear,” says Kristen, “And a tinted lip balm for some natural on-the-go color.”
As a precautionary measure, Juliana adds, “I tell clients to stay away from formulas that have a minty taste as these tend to dry lips outdue to the ingredients.”
We love Korres Mango Butter Lipstick with SPF 10 and for lip balm, we suggest Fresh Sugar Honey Tinted Lip Treatment with SPF 15.
Want More?
The advice doesn’t stop there! Check out Kristen’s article on how to effectively use bronzer and watch her beauty demo videos at Green Beauty Team) — we can’t get enough of “How to Fake a Tan Without Looking Fake!”
To get the latest from Juliana and Kristen, be sure to check out their Facebook pages–Juliana Landis, Kristen Arnett and Green Beauty Team–and follow them on Twitter–@makeupbyjuliana and @KristenArnett!