Single Minded Women - women's looks - Some Like it Hot: SMW's Sizzling Guide to Summer Beauty

Latest in STYLE

FEATURE ARTICLES
10 Coats to Help You Beat the Chill in Style Spotlight on Fall's Fashion Trends
full archive

WEEKLY COLUMNS
Big Style, Small Budget: Insider Tips on Shopping Savings Expired Beauty Products: How to Banish Your Beauty Ghosts TV Togs: How to Dress like Your Favorite TV Star
full archive

ASK THE EXPERTS
Q&A: Hot Holiday Hair Tips from Top Colorist Mia Q&A: Which Fall Shoe Trend is Your Best Bet? Fashion Freakout: A New Breed of Little Black Dresses
full archive

COMMUNITY FORUMS

FEATURED ARTICLE

Some Like it Hot: SMW's Sizzling Guide to Summer Beauty
SMW Women’s Fashion, Makeup & Beauty Tips
By Erin Donnelly, updated 10/4/2008 at 8:35:29 AM

You may be ready for some long-awaited fun in the sun, but is your beauty regimen?

Yep, that carefree, ‘natural’ summer look takes a lot of work, preparation, and product to achieve, with some blood, sweat, and tears thrown in for good measure (Had a Brazilian wax lately? Yooooowch!).

With that in mind, Single Minded Women has created this handy cheat sheet to steer you to the summertime beauty essentials every aspiring beach goddess needs. Now you can move on to more important matters—like finding a swimsuit that makes you look like you swapped bodies with Elle Macpherson.

SPF Up
By now, slapping on some sunscreen should be as integral to your daily routine as brushing your teeth. Whether you’re headed to the beach or just the office, don’t leave the house without proper UV protection. The new UV Plus Day Screen SPF 40 from Clarins is a great gentle sunblock that feels light, not goopy. MD Skincare’s All-in-One Moisturizer provides a subtle sun-kissed tint along with SPF 15 protection, while Banana Boat’s easy-to-use UltraMist Sunblock Continuous Spray Sport SPF 30 is perfect for active types, squirmy kids, and anyone else who can’t be bothered to pull contortionist moves to cover every nook and cranny with lotion. Speaking of nooks and crannies, protect yours with Dr. Hauschka’s Sunscreen Stick SPF 30, a natural sunblock for lips, ears, and noses. Armada Moisturizing Protective Lip Balm soothes dry, chapped lips while offering a staggering 60+ SPF.

Get Your Bronze On
Here’s a tricky one: We have to be slathered in sunscreen 24/7, but somehow boast a gorgeous bronze glow too? Thankfully, scoring a fake tan is a cinch thanks to foolproof, natural-looking bronzers and self-tanners. Get a temporary tan with bronzers like Lancome’s new Star Bronzer Sensual Body Powder (love that cherub-imprinted palette!), Physicians Formula Organic Wear 100% Natural Origin Bronzer, and Too Faced’s Tanning Bed in a Tube, a gradual self-tanner with an instant tint. For a more serious self-tan, skip the toxic tanning beds and try Guerlain’s new Terracotta Sunless Express Self-Tanning Spray, infused with 100% natural Moroccan argan oil. MAC’s Skinsheen Leg Spray transforms pasty pins into sexy, glowing gams.

And Benefit’s Talk to the Tan Sheer Bronze Facial Tint delivers streak-free, just-back-from-Rio results.

Protect Those Locks
The sizzling sun, chlorine, and salt water can all wreak havoc on your hair, leading to all sorts of regrettable hair decisions (remember those beaded cornrows from last year’s cruise?). Fight back by stocking your shower with Frederic Fekkai’s limited-edition Summer Hair collection. Designed to protect locks from the harsh summer elements, the line includes tress-saving products like the Sunshine Shield Spray, a water-free Wash & Wear shampoo spray, and the Zero-Humidity Frizz Control styling spray. TGIFF.

De-Fuzz
Summer’s skin-baring fashions demand smooth, hair-free skin. In other words, it’s time to book that appointment with Attila the Hun (otherwise known as your trusty bikini waxer). Bliss’s new Get Out of Hair will also help you beat the fuzz sans razor or wax; the lotion inhibits hair growth and keeps ingrown hairs at bay. If you’re daring enough for some DIY waxing, check out the Wax Works Kit from Completely Bare, which contains ‘ouchless’ wax, spatulas, and an instructional DVD. Throw in a jar of Bikini Bump Blaster to eliminate tell-tale ingrowns.

More SMW Beauty Tips
Beauty Giving Back: Socially Conscious Beauty Brands
Body Exfoliators to Try At Home
Cellulite- and Wrinkle-Zappers For the Body

Recent Forum Postings.

No Forum Entries Found.

Read the entire forum here

FEATURED SPECIAL OFFERS

The Body Shop

All Skin Care Buy 2 Get 1 Free

Frederick's of Hollywood

Frederick's of Hollywood

see more special offers