Skin Deep with Samantha Altea

Fresh Face for Spring
Spring has arrived and people are out and about in droves. But it seems that everyone I come across has a bad case of spring fever. They either want to look good for their partner or are on a mission to find that special someone before the summer officially gets underway. There are even those who simply want to shed their winter skin for a fresh new look.
With this in mind, it’s the perfect time of year to reconsider your make-up, hair and clothing to lighten the load of the winter we’ve all been unconsciously carrying around for months. During the winter we cover our bodies, hair and faces. So this week, we’re talking about lightening our make-up and shedding the layers that we’ve been coating on and changing to be more spring-like. We’ll also touch on some make-up trends for this season.
During the winter months we tend to wear thicker foundation, heavier eyes and darker, stronger lipsticks. But as Spring blooms and begins to bud with perfect pinks, luscious greens, blossoms in blues abound, so should we.
It’s time to ditch your foundation if you feel you can and, if you’re comfortable, go bare. Perhaps just use a little concealer under the eyes and on blemishes. Laura Mercier Secret concealer is a great product to use for just $22. My all time favorite is YSL Radiant Touch and it works like a dream. If you really need a little more coverage, try to choose a very light powder and use it sparingly.
Definitely go with a little bronzer to give a sun-kissed appearance, without the harmful UV Rays. There’s a new bronzer on the market called Fusion Beauty, GlowFusion, for $39, which allegedly contains natural ingredients that act as muscle inhibitors to prevent wrinkles. It also contains vitamin C, which Fusion Beauty claims decreases dark spots and helps balance skin tone. It also contains vitamin E that helps to fight free radicals and prevents premature aging. Bottom line, when wearing any bronzer, you don’t need to be in the sun to achieve color. Bronzers and self-tanners for the face are definitely worth the investment in time, money and effort.
This year, the eyes have it and they’re getting a splash of color. Take, for instance, Bobbi Brown’s new make-up line, aptly named Surf and Sand. The Surf and Sand eye eallette contains shades of blues, sands and pinks, and costs $42. Bobbi Brown explains, “There’s nothing more beautiful than a wash of shimmering aqua on eyes paired with fresh pops of color on cheeks and lips.”
This is a great look for an evening event, but in my very humble opinion, there’s nothing that looks more fresh for spring and any casual environment than a sweep of mascara, natural face, a hint of color on the cheeks and just some sheer gloss for the lips. Don’t forget to manicure your eyebrows at all times for a fresh, polished look. Eyebrows frame the face and are extremely important in our overall appearance. So keep them shaped nicely. If you have bare spots, be sure to fill them in delicately with a pencil or powder. You might want to look into eyebrow kits to help with shaping.
For an upscale, dressy occasion try blue or green eyeshadow and be adventurous by trying some blue Mascara, too. A little shimmer of silver or gold in small doses is very apt this spring and summer. Metallics are also extremely hot at the moment, even more so than they were last year.
Lip gloss is a must-have item, whether dressing up, or just popping out to the farmers market. Try wearing it in fun bright, but light colors to spark up your face and give it a glossy fresh glow. For the evening, I’ve seen a big trend in bright red matt lipstick, coupled with mascara only eyes, defined brows and just a hint of color on the cheeks. But this is a daring and difficult look to pull off, so be careful that you don’t look like a ten-year old who just raided her Mom’s make-up bag. If in doubt, use a lip pencil and fill in with some fun lip gloss, try the new blue hues and call it a day.
If you’ve got a case of spring fever, it’ll help to cool your temperature!