Summer Essentials
In the first installment of her new column, celebrated makeup artist, teacher and brand innovator Aimee Connolly takes us through her top makeup products for the summer months – perfect for recommending to your clients!
Welcome to my new column with Irish Beauty! I'm thrilled to be writing for the magazine, and I hope that my tips and trends will be useful for you all. I have been a makeup artist for nine years now, and I'm very lucky to have had the opportunity to work in all areas of makeup, from wed-dings to photo shoots to TV. I launched my own makeup school last year, Sculpted The Academy, which is going from strength to strength. I also have my own makeup line, Sculpted by Aimee Connolly.
As we've finally hit the warmer months, this issue I'm taking you through my summer essentials – perfect for adding to your own daily routine or recommending to your clients!
Tinted SPF
An SPF is essential every day, but especially in the summer. These months it's easy to recommend to clients an SPF that combine skincare
with protection, and emphasise how it should be used every day. My go-to is IMAGE Skincare's SPF32 Tinted Daily Protection, which feels light on the skin, has a great tint in it so it can be worn as a base or instead of
makeup, and offers a high protection factor.
Glowing base
Every good makeup should start with a good base. A luminous base cream helps to keep your makeup looking radiant and alive on the brighter days of summer. My choice is MAC Strobe Cream, which creates luminosity at the base of the skin and filters through the makeup.
Lightweight foundation
Summer is a time for lightening up the base – but it's equally important that the chosen foundation stays put for the day, no matter what the weather is like. There's a number of great options available: Bourjois Healthy Mix is a great affordable buy, NARS Sheer Glow gives gorgeous coverage but lightweight for night time, and then something like Chanel
Vita Lumiere Aqua is somewhere in between, giving great colour and freshness to the skin.
Sculpted face
Naturally I am slightly biased when it comes recommending a soft and radiant contour but I do think it totally makes the base, no matter what the
age. And there's no sign of the contouring trend going anywhere. I genuinely use my Sculpted palette daily on myself and on every client. Shade with the bronzer and then add some texture to the skin with the cream highlighter or a higher shine finish with the powder.
Summer blushes
Much like contour I am blusher obsessed, but this does not mean
that I give Aunt Sally a run for her money. I think a soft pink/peach tone
into the apples makes a big difference to virtually everyone, especially in the summer months. One of my ultimate favourites is MAC Springsheen Blusher
Finishing touch
Everyone wants a dewy finish to their makeup – especially in summer. However, there is a difference between being dewy and being shiny and so a setting powder can really help to lock the foundation in. To avoid an ultra matte finish you need to go for something finely milled and translucent if you can so that it won't affect the finish of the foundation.
One of my favourites is Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Powder.
If you have any questions on any of the above or want to know more you can find me at:
www.aimeeconnolly.com
Instagram @aimeeconnolly_com
Facebook @ Sculpted by Aimee Connolly
Please do get in touch if you would like anything covered in this column.
