Shimmery purple lids, soft pink lips, gilded cheeks and aqua nails? Oh yes spa girls and beauty mavens, it’s time to trade those dull and broody colors of seasons past for a fresh crop of summer colors. And this season, the makeup trends are brilliant, bright, flirty and teetering on edgy (if you’re bold enough to go there!). We combed through the beauty aisles in search of buzz-worthy products that are long lasting and easy to apply, and that capture the wild side of Summer ’09. Here’s what caught our eyes (and cheeks, lips and nails!). Photo: Sephora by OPI Mermaid in the Shade nail colour collection.
Lips
Pucker up with a pop of bold, vibrant pink this summer. Pull off this trendy new look with a sheer gloss like Stila’s Pearl Shimmer Gloss in Ocean Currant ($22 at stilacosmetics.com). The sheer formula gives lips a hint of color and contains crushed pearls to soothe lips and even banish fine lines. For a brighter look, try Make Up For Ever’s Lipstick in Fluorescent Orange Pink ($19 at sephora.com). The statement-making shade is long lasting and packed with moisturizers so it’s actually good for your lips. We’re also giddy about the new Limitless Long Wearing Lip Gloss in Nonstop Cool Raspberry from Smashbox ($21 at smashbox.com) — not only does it protect your pucker with SPF 15, but the shine lasts up to 6 hours.
Eyes
Vivid, bright shades of green, blue, purple and even yellow are high on the style files for eyes this season. We’re loving Wet N Wild’s IdolEyes Cream Eyeshadows because they come as a no-mess stick and can be applied in a few quick swipes ($1.99 at most mass retailers or get a list at wnwbeauty.com). If you’re not quite ready to take the plunge into the world of brights, get your feet wet with shadows that contain a bit of shimmer. GloMinerals gloLoose eye shadows come in a rainbow of wearable jewel colored shades (we are smitten with Whimsical) and can be layered on top of one another for a two-tone effect. Glam it up with gloLiquid eye liner in Purple Haze ($15-$16 at gloskincare.com).
Cheeks
With bold eyes and lips, cheeks are going au naturel this summer with bronze shades kissed with a golden sheen. Get a sweat-proof flush by first applying an illuminating product like RMS Beauty’s Mineral Living Illuminizer to make cheekbones pop ($38 at spiritbeautylounge.com). For extra color and staying power, set your look with a light dusting of powder bronzer. We like Tarte’s Mineral Powder Bronzer in Park Avenue Princess because it is infused with skin-loving nutrients and gives cheeks a light gold shimmer ($28 at tartecosmetics.com). For a darker, just-back-from-the-beach glow, try Too Faced’s Brightening Blush in Mocha Mi Amore ($19.50 at toofaced.com).
Nails
Pretty pinks will never go out of style but add nudes and blues to your lineup for summertime fingers and toes. With the vibrant colors of this season’s fashions, neutral nails don’t compete with your summer duds with the added benefit of making your fingernails look longer and leaner. But when you’re ready turn it up an amp, ocean-inspired blues and greens are the way to go. In the new nudes department, our votes are for classics like Barielle’s Curious ($8 at barielle.com), ck Calvin Klein Barefoot ($10 at sephora.com) and Lippmann Collection Nail Lacquer in Fashion ($15 at lippmanncollection.com). The colors of sea, sky and summer converge with shades like Wet N Wild Wild Shine Nail Color in Caribbean Frost ($.99 at most mass retailers or get a list at wnwbeauty.com), Sephora by OPI’s Underwater Fantasy ($9 at sephora.com) Butter LONDON’s Henley Regatta ($14 at beauty.com) and NARS Limited Edition Blue Lagoon ($16 at narscosmetics.com).
Totally digging this? Do tell by commenting below.