Be a Beach Blanket babe: here comes the sun… - GL Beauty - summer beauty tips

Girls' Life, June, 2002

Get that beachy glow without frying your face. Start the day by mixing a little bit of Origins Sunny Disposition Liquid Bronzer or Revlon Skinlight Face Illuminator Lotion with your favorite SPF 15 face formula. Test the color on vour wrist to make sure you have enough bronzey stuff to give you a touch of color before carefully applying the mixture to your face, ears and even you neck. Blend a Jot, so you're wearing a tag mask! Finish by slicking on a lip balm with SPF and top with a shimmery pinky bronze gloss, like NYC New York Color Brush-on Lip Glaze in Marvelous, and you're out the dorr. Going out later? Dust eyelids. Oneeks, nose and forehead with a bronzing powder, like Rimmel Sunshimmer Natural Bronzer, if your face is oily. If your skin is normal or dry, highlight your cheeks with Sonia Kaskuk Illuminating Color Stick in Glowify. Make you lips sand out by layering your NYC Marveious gloss over L'Oreal Colour Riche lipstick in Sandstone. Everyone will ask you how your day at the beach was. Just s mile knowingly.

Dare to go nude...

Look like you are wearing no makeup at all...or at least that's the idea. The hottest color this summer? Shades that barely show. Nude tones like beige, sand and linen look best on skin that's moist, dewy and natural-looking. Even things out with a nomakeup-look foundation like Origins Nude and Improved BareFaced. Then let eyes shine with a shimmery sheer (we used Clinique Touch Tint for Eyes in Nude Sparkle). Nude lipsticks can totally wash you out, so pick a shade that's a little lighter and brighter than your skin, not darker, And this is one color that looks terrific on everyone's nails (check out Sothy's Nail Polish in Perle de Rosee). Soft, pretty and natural--yep, that's you!

SUMMER BEAUTY BUMMERS... SOLVED!

Help! I can't stand chemical SPF sunscreens. I know I need to use something to keep from burning but what?

Yes everyone (and we mean everyone) needs to slather on sunblock 30 minutes before setting foot outside (even on cloudy days). If you don't believe in better sunstopping through chemistry, look for sunblocks with allnatural ingredients. Lather Botanical Sunscreen with Green Tea Extract and Origins Beach Blanket both use titanium dioxide (doesn't sound natural, we know, but it is) to keep you sun-safe. Spending time in the woods? Try Joey New York Outdoor Activities. Not only does it protect you with SPF 15, but it contains botanicals and extracts to ward off mosquitoes, fleas and ticks. And we love Noode Shield Me Pure SPF 15, ($14.50). It's hypoallergenic; PABA-, oil- and fragrance-free; quick-drying; and protects against UVA and UVB...all without leaving your skin feeling greasy. Perfect!

Yuck! My skin lucks like it belongs to an alligator!

Face it--dry, pasty, scaly skin doesn't exactly go with shorts and tees. The easy solution? Exfoliate, as in out with the old, in with the new. Wash away that rough wintery skin with your favorite body wash and the adorable scrubby gloves from Crabtree & Evelyn. Just go easy--the idea is to leave soft skin behind, not redness and irritation. Or try Ella Bache Loofah Body Scrub. A cheaper solution? Make your own body scrub by mixing 114 cup granulated sugar, two tablespoons canola oil and two tablespoons fresh milk. Scrub the mixture on while standing in the shower, and rinse off with warm water. Follow up with a rich body moisturizer and--if you really want to combat the Casper look--a self-tanner.

Aargh! I have short hair, and there is nothing cute I can do with it at the beach to keep it from just looking like it's lying there.

Headbands and little hair clips are two cute options. But short hair is perfect for our favorite new product--KMS Turnstyle Head Wetter All Wet Spray ($13). Spray it on short hair, and you'll get a wet, sleek style that looks really cool on the beach. Like you just went into the water and came out with perfect hair. Nifty.

We loved last summer's twists, but who has the 10 extra hands needed to create those cute 'dos? Claire's Twist 'n' Clip (S6.50) to the rescue! This is the best hair toy we've seen for a while. Slip on the headband, grab sections of hair, twist and clip into the clasps built into the band. It works on just about any hair length (we tried it everyone), and you can use it even if your hair is wet. Joyous!

Hot hair

Had it with your hair? Special extras, like headbands, hairbars, cute pony holders and pony wraps, do wonders for tired summer tresses.

Colette Malouf Cluster Teardrop Glass Pony, $18

Skaffles Ponytail Holder, $12

Skaffles Barrette, $4.50

Fantas-Eyes Pony Wraps, $4

Head Dress Bead Flower Ponies, $18, for set of three

Fantas-Eyes Ponytail Holder, $12

Skaffles Hairbar, $6.50

Capelli NY Ponytail Holder, $5

Head Dress Headbands, $18, $20 and $19 from top