After the cold and darkness of the winter months, it's lovely to see the flowers beginning to sprout up from the earth and begin to bloom, the grass gets mown again and we all breathe a sigh of relief that at last the days are longer and we can spend more time outside.  Like nature, our skin needs a change too and I want to help you to have a fresher look in makeup for the spring/ summer time.

Firstly, give yourself some home facials or visit your chosen beauty therapist and have a facial.  There are many different types of facials on the market and new inventions made all the time in speeding up cell renewal and rejuvenating the skin, so ask for advice.

I often recommend a galvanic spa facial to my clients which only takes 45 minutes but leaves the skin feeling and looking radiant.  The products I use are from an American company that specialises in organic and natural ingredients that re-hydrate and heal the skin.  Another good treatment is a Glycolic peel.  It's not as scary as it sounds and it is very effective for people with sluggish, tired and dry skin, or those with mild acne or spot breakouts.   I usually recommend either of these facials to my bridal clients too, especially for the month before the wedding to give the skin a dewy look and a soft natural feel.

Makeup worn in spring/summer should be lighter and softer than in winter. Try to choose a foundation that is not as heavy as the one you wear in winter.  When the sunlight hits your face, it's not a good look to have a caked-on dark foundation and white skin.  So go for a lighter texture and use a bronzing powder and a spray tan to even out the white bits on your body.

Eye shadows can be lightened also, especially during the day and you can always deepen the eyes at night  if you're going out.  If you want to give yourself a fresh sun kissed look, use a tinted moisturiser, a soft warm bronzing powder on the cheeks, forehead, nose and throat... and dust a little over the chest area.

Apply mascara (see my video by clicking on the link) and a soft brown eye pencil over top and bottom lids of eyes.  Apply a natural beige, spicy lip pencil (make sure it's soft) and a natural beige or spicy lip gloss.

This will give you a fantastic simple makeover for day time, even if your going to the beach and don't want to look 'bare'.

 

The most essential  makeup products to take on holiday are a tinted moisturiser, a bronzing powder, waterproof mascara, lip gloss and a lip  protector (SPF 20) to wear in the sun.

For those of you who get freckles in the sun, use an SPF  lip protector when you're sunbathing as this stops freckles from forming on the lips. Protect eyes when sun bathing with the eye protectors used  for sunbeds; they are great because you don't get lines at the side of your temple from glasses, and your eyes are protected from the harmful rays.  Most good pharmacies sell these now and if you have problem getting them in the shops,try online.

Start moisturising your body all over from April onwards.  Exfoliate in the shower and you will find that your tan, whether it's false tan or a real tan, will last much longer.