Luminous lips, high-shine eyes... summer make-up mood is anything but shy. What better time to start rethinking the contents of your make-up bag?
Whether your summer plans hinge on a few weeks of full-frontal sunshine in the UK, or you're one of the lucky ones and have a long-haul holiday on the horizon, 2023's summer aesthetic is beckoning, and it's all about glowing skin, statement brights and XXL shine.
Thought that opting for a sheer, glow-giving base meant you had to compromise on coverage? Think again. According to make-up artist to the stars - read: Erin O'Connor, Jenna Goldsack, Michelle Dockery and many more - Adam de Cruz, the key to working a barely-there base to your advantage lies in strategic concealer placement. 'Apply a tinted moisturiser, BB cream or serum foundation to your skin with your fingers,' he says, 'before dabbing a lightweight foundation over any areas you want to veil some more.' Duly noted.
In the market for more summer-ready make-up inspiration? Scroll on down:
All That Glitters
This Ibiza-ready eye is minimum effort, maximum impact. No, really: just 'stick your finger in a pot of shimmer-heavy shadow and pat onto your eyelids, taking it right up to the brow,' says make-up artist Adam de Cruz, the pro behind the looks you see here. 'Easy, you're done!'.
High-Rise Blush
Forget pretty and barely-there – this summer’s blush packs a punch. ‘For max colour pay-off, apply NARS Orgasm Dry Body Oil, £45, first, before dusting on NARS Summer Unrated Blush/Bronzer Duo, £37, with a big fluffy brush, working up and out towards your temples,’ says Adam. ‘You get a beautiful hit of pigment and glow.’
Wild Streak
Channel ’80s Club Tropicana with block, saturated pigments in creamy textures. ‘It’s all about being playful, not perfect,’ says Adam. ‘Use your finger to sweep the colour across your lids and diffuse it towards the arch of your brow.’
Base Instinct
Holiday skin lives for glow and gloss. Go for lightweight, luminous formulas, such as NARS Light Reflecting Foundation, £39, a skincare/ make-up hybrid that amps up both.
Loud Lips
‘For a statement bold lip, start with a bright liner,’ advises Adam. ‘It delivers grip and ensures your creamy, statement colour won’t slip.’ Pro tip: use a sword brush to apply your lipstick. ‘It’s a paint brush that’s flat on one side – great for the sides of your lips – and curved on the other, so it’s perfect for your Cupid’s bow,’ says Adam.
Shop: Get The Look With 10 Summer Make-Up Essentials
10 Summer Make-Up Essentials - Grazia 2023
1 of 10NARS Summer Unrated Blush/Bronzer Duo in Orgasm/Laguna, £37
‘For max colour pay-off, apply NARS Orgasm Dry Body Oil first, before dusting on NARS Summer Unrated Blush/Bronzer Duo with a big fluffy brush, working up and out towards your temples,’ says Adam. ‘You get a beautiful hit of pigment and glow.’ - Adam de Cruz.
2 of 10NARS Powerchrome Loose Eye Pigment in Islamorada, £22
This Ibiza-ready eye is minimum effort, maximum impact. No, really: just 'stick your finger in a pot of shimmer-heavy shadow and pat onto your eyelids, taking it right up to the brow,' says make-up artist Adam de Cruz.
3 of 10NARS Light Reflecting Foundation, £37.50, available in 36 shades
Holiday skin lives for glow and gloss. Go for lightweight, luminous formulas, such as NARS Light Reflecting Foundation, a skincare/ make-up hybrid that amps up both.
4 of 10NARS Orgasm Dry Body Oil, £45
‘For max colour pay-off, apply NARS Orgasm Dry Body Oil first, before dusting on NARS Summer Unrated Blush/Bronzer Duo with a big fluffy brush, working up and out towards your temples,’ says Adam. ‘You get a beautiful hit of pigment and glow.’
5 of 10NARS Summer Unrated Eyeshadow Palette, £50
This Ibiza-ready eye is minimum effort, maximum impact. No, really: just 'stick your finger in a pot of shimmer-heavy shadow and pat onto your eyelids, taking it right up to the brow,' says make-up artist Adam de Cruz, the pro behind the looks you see here. 'Easy, you're done!'.
6 of 10NARS Orgasm Lip Mask, £24
Slick on a nourishing swipe of lip balm to add glossy lustre. Tapping it across the tops of your cheekbones with your fingers will mimic a post-facial glow too.
7 of 10About-Face Matte Fluid Eye Paint, £21
Channel ’80s Club Tropicana with block, saturated pigments in creamy textures. ‘It’s all about being playful, not perfect,’ says Adam. ‘Use your finger to sweep the colour across your lids and diffuse it towards the arch of your brow.’
8 of 10Lisa Eldridge Enhance and Define Lip Pencil in Ribbon, £19
‘For a statement bold lip, start with a bright liner,’ advises Adam. ‘It delivers grip and ensures your creamy, statement colour won’t slip.’
9 of 10By Beauty Bay Matte Lipstick in Juice, £7
Pro tip: use a sword brush to apply your lipstick. ‘It’s a paint brush that’s flat on one side – great for the sides of your lips – and curved on the other, so it’s perfect for your Cupid’s bow,’ says Adam.
10 of 10Rose Inc Softlight Luminous Hydrating Concealer, £23
Have a lightweight concealer to hand if you're intent on wearing a sheer, glow-boosting base without compromising on coverage.
www.boots.com
This multi-functioning, glow-giving balm adds a custom shade of colour anywhere you need. The colour-changing technology reacts with your skin's natural pH and moisture levels to leave a universally flattering wash of dewy pink.
jonesroadbeauty.com
For those after a lightweight, natural-looking sunkissed glow, Jones Road's latest innovation is a perfect summer-skin enhancing liquid bronzer.
www.lookfantastic.com
MAC's iconic cult Strobe Cream has been reimagined with this new tinted iteration, which offers the same enviable glow but this time with a touch of colour and light coverage.
Shoot Credits
Photographer: Ellyse Anderson
Make-Up: Adam De Cruz using NARS
Beauty Director: Joely Walker
Style Director: Molly Haylor
Make-up: Adam De Cruz @ One Represents using NARS Light Reflecting Foundation and Summer Unrated Collection Heated Encounter
Hair: David Wadlow @ Frank Agency using Mermade Hair Tools and Living Proof
Casting Director & Producer: Christie Phedon
Digital Tech: Jess Segal
Stylist Assistant: Susie Lethbridge
Words: Annie Vischer