*This article has been updated since its original Summer 2019 Publication
“As women we naturally stress over any and everything. With makeup we worry and think 'where do I start'? or 'what do I do'? 'I’m not a makeup artist'. It becomes stressful and it doesn’t have to be. Make it fun". –Mary Sams, Founder & CEO, Mary Elizabeth Artistry
I had the wonderful opportunity to chat with professional makeup artist Mary Sams, the founder and CEO of Mary Elizabeth Artistry, about all things makeup! We had so much fun. Now I know summer is almost gone, but I still wanted to share some great tips that she had for summer makeup. Maybe you’re going on a vacation, maybe you live in an area that’s warm all year round. I know that in my hometown sometimes it’s still hot in October. No matter where you are, she shared some awesome advice that’s great for the summer and your everyday makeup routine. Hold on to your lashes and get ready as we dive inside of the mind of one of the industry's experts. Be sure to follow her on Instagram and Facebook too: @MaryElizabethArtistry.
Au Naturelle
In a hurry and want a quick go-to look for the summer, or really, just any day of the year?
Try Mary’s light and natural look:
Tinted moisturizer
Highlighter or a little blush or bronzer on the cheeks
Lip gloss
Setting Spray
Brows*
Finish this look with a setting spray. This look is especially great if you’ll be in a humid climate.
*If you have just a little more time, try to fill in your eyebrows if you can. If not, try to use a tinted brow gel. A tinted brow gel will add a little bit of color to your brows and keep them tamed. It’s not necessarily going to give you the structure of a pencil, but it will give you a nice polished look.
Beauty Must-haves
Achieve a smooth and flawless look with these beauty tools.
Blotting Sheets
Whether you go light or heavy with your makeup, keep blotting sheets, foundation powder, and setting spray with you in case you need to touch up your makeup. Paper towels will remove your makeup and reapplying liquid products after you begin to sweat can create a mess.
Beauty Blender
A beauty blender is very easy to use when applying liquid makeup products.
Kabuki Brush
A kabuki brush is popular too! You can use this with powder or liquid/cream formulas.
Beat in the Heat
Sweat won’t let you be great? Is oily skin being disloyal? Mary tells us how to look unbothered and flawless through it all.
There are a few different looks that you can try.
Go Light
For lighter coverage, Mary recommends a primer, powder foundation, and setting spray.
Powder foundation will give you additional coverage and it matches your skin tone.
Another lightweight option is a tinted moisturizer and powder. If you have oily skin try using a mattifying tinted moisturizer and skip the setting spray in this case because it is self-setting.
If using a regular tinted moisturizer, still use a setting spray. Tinted moisturizer is thin and it will even out your skin without having full coverage.
Full Coverage
If you’re going for a glamorous or full coverage look she recommends a primer, matte liquid foundation, translucent powder, and setting spray.
For oily skin look for a mattifying primer. Focus on your T-zone, or apply it over the entire face if you tend to perspire all over. Matte foundation is also good, however, if you use this you’ll actually start with a hydrating primer. Too many matte products on the face will dry out your skin.
Translucent Moment
Translucent powder is essential because it locks the makeup onto the skin and keeps you matte and flawless all day. There are different types of translucent powders. There are translucent powders that strictly mattify and control oils for hours, such as the white translucent powders. There are also translucent powders that still have a luminous finish. Many brands also have tinted translucent powders. It’s not going to give you the same coverage of foundation powder, but it has a slight tint to it so that you won’t get "flashback" or a white shadow in pictures.
True or False: If I don’t have a primer I can just use setting spray instead. False: “A setting spray cannot be used interchangeably with a primer. However, there are priming sprays. Using setting spray first will help set your makeup, but it won’t give your makeup the long-lasting effect that primer gives it”.
Try This! For extra staying power, lightly apply your translucent powder before you apply your liquid foundation. It’s going to absorb oil prior to you applying the foundation.
Waterproof It
Mary recommends waterproof formulas for the following products for long-lasting makeup:
Brow pencils (a brow gel is good to pair with this too)
Brow pomades (For those at a more advanced level. You’ll need to use an angle brush for this)
Eyeliner
Mascara
Lips
Eyes
Before you fill in your brows with a waterproof brow product, gently pat a small amount of translucent powder on the eyebrows. Brush away any excess powder (although it shouldn’t be too much there as you’re applying it).
Waterproof eyeliner and mascara will be your friends.
Lips
For lip color that lasts, Mary recommends a liquid matte lipstick. It acts as a stain so once it dries on the lip, the color payoff or the pigment is pretty much there throughout the day. If you don’t mind touching up your makeup you can go with lip gloss. Also if you don’t like the finish of a liquid matte lipstick, but you like the benefits of it, apply the matte color first and follow up with your favorite lip gloss. This gives you the best of both worlds. Go bold with the classic sexy red lip or the everyday classic nude lip. It’s your prerogative.
Cheeky
Worried about using a highlighter if you sweat a lot or have oily skin? No need to. Stick with the high point of the cheekbone. The sweat and oil typically start around the forehead, the center of the face and the sides of the face. If you apply a highlighter along with the high point of the cheekbone, you’ll be fine. If you have dry skin, there are liquid highlighters that are similar to a primer. You can apply it over your face before applying your foundation.
Mary also suggests cream blush for people with dry skin or wrinkles and fine lines. Cream blush melts into the skin and has a smooth finish. If those aren’t any of your skin concerns, then stick with a powder blush and as always follow up with a good setting spray.
One final thought from Mary Elizabeth Artistry:
“At the end of the day, yes there are rules for makeup. There are rules for everything, but as people and creatives, we often try whatever works for us. If you find something that works for you, I say stick with it. With makeup, relax in the moment and have patience with yourself”.
Once again beautiful people you can follow Mary Elizabeth Artistry on Instagram and Facebook: @MaryElizabethArtistry