TOP TEN FAVE RAVE SUMMER BEAUTY PRODUCTS: FOR THE BEACH OR THE STAGE

  It’s been a while since I’ve made a list of my favorite  beauty products, and Summer Solstice is gonna be here in a couple of days...  

 Boy-oh-boy do I  know what cosmetics  are  going to get me through the  up-coming season- which is always full of sunny days and sweaty gigs!

 Here’s the current crop of goodies:

 1) First off I gotta tell you that my new favorite discovery is  L’OREAL  REVITALIFT MIRACLE BLUR INSTANT SKIN SMOOTHER!

 I saw the ads and was tempted to try this new product, but was wary.  I finally did, and now it’s going straight to the top of my list of  Cosmetcs I Can’t And Won’t Live Without.  Not only does it really do what it promised- filling in lines and fine wrinkles , it gives  your entire face a gorgeously smooth, dewy airbrushed appearance.  You can use this as a primer under your foundation ( for stage or every day) or use it on it’s own. Either way, it works just great. This stuff glides on smooth as silk, and  has a broad spectrum SPF of 30… Seriously, I want to mummify myself in this stuff!  Just get it, you won’t be sorry! 

2) A close second is Boots No. 7 Photo Fix Wrinkle Filler and Primer.

 I didn’t put in screamin’  capitals  only because it doesn’t  feature sun protection, but other than that,  it’s almost as amazing as Miracle Blur. In fact if I hadn’t tried Miracle Blue, this would be on the top of my list!  Apply it and your skin feels creamy and smooth, and your stage make up will definitely  stay put.

3) Mac Cream Sheen Lipstick in Giddy

 This gorgeous cameo color is  soft shiny, but still looks natural, not gooey or gloopy or  Kardashianesque. You could line it  with lip pencil and wear it on the stage for a  “natural” look, or just slick some on and run to the beach.  The color is subdued and pretty and would work for many skin tones, from peaches ‘n’cream to  deep olive, tanned or not.

4)Lumene Vitamin C+ Pure Radiance Beauty Drops

 I discovered Lumene products when I was in Finland in 2011, and a few months later they appeared in the USA- they’re available at target, CVS, Walgreen’s, etc. Their natural formulas are hypo-allergenic, don’t have a cloying perfumed smell, and feel yummy on. Bust open one of these capsules and squeeze it onto your skin, and wake up glowing like a goddess!

5) Ben Nye Lumiere Eye Colors in  Aztec Gold

 I’ve sworn by this  brand  for years cause the colors are hyper-pigmented and pearly, so they can be used wet or dry. Aztec Gold has always been a favorite because it’s glamorous and over-the-top or subtle, depending on how you apply it.

6) L’Oreal Paris Sublime Bronze Pro-Perfect Airbrush Mist

As far as “tan-in-a-can” goes, this is the bomb! Get the color without the UV rays. It sprays on evenly and dries quickly,  and doesn’t look orange.

7) For you Goth chicks who accidentally got a few rays but still wanna look lily-white, I recommend Sally Hanson Airbrush Legs in Nude Glow. It’s the exact opposite of the above product! I always use this when I want to look ethereal onstage- it makes your entire body look airbrushed and  pearly. Won’t rub off on your costumes, and comes off easily in the shower.

8) Freeman Feeling Beautiful Apricot Creamy Facial Scrub

 Freeman products are available at most drug stores and  big box stores, and they’re really  inexpensive, but they work great. I adore this scrub cause it doesn’t feel like I gave my face the once-over with sandpaper. My skin is sensitive and gets red easily- this removes the dull look ( especially after having been slathered with sun block all day) and   makes your coutenance feel as soft as a baby’s bum. Yes!

9) Essie Nail Polish in Cab-Ana

 If you want  your summer nails to pop, this is the color for you! It’s a cool  “modern pin up”  shade of light teal, kinda like a cross between  the paint job on a girly 1957 Thunderbird and the waters of the Mediterranean. It’s nice and opaque, so you’ll only need two coats.

10) L’Oreal Infallible Never Fail Eyeliner Pencil in Black

Nope… I’m not sponsored by L’Oreal, they just manufacture great-and affordable- beauty products.

When I was in Turkey this spring,  my friend Hale Sultan ( a great belly dancer, by the way!) always had gorgeous, exotic kohl-rimmed eyes- even when we were  soaking in a steamy  hammam  ( traditional Turkish bath ) together for hours. Her secret was  what she called a “greasy” eye pencil.  Sh Hale swore by Cecile eye-liner pencils, a Turkish brand that went on  soft  but stayed on forever. She  took me to a drug store and I got one. But I also discovered that the  L’Oreal version, available in the West, is just as good. Wear it swimming, wear it gigging, wear it making out…wear it all summer long!