3 Bold Beauty Looks to Try This Summer

Photo Credit: Geoffrey Ross
Get the Look: Popsicle-Coloured Digits

Tip 1: When in doubt, go pink.

Choosing a vibrant nail polish shade is equal parts artistry and intuition. “Certain bright shades are easier to carry off than others,” says Tamara Di Lullo, a CND Education Ambassador, nail artist and owner of Candy Nail Bar in Montreal. “If you’re reluctant about yellow or green, try warmer shades, like coral and pink, which are universally flattering.” Try Di Lullo’s latest must-have: Holographic, a cool peachy-pink from CND’s summer collection.

Tip 2: Don’t apply too much polish.

Regardless of hue, flawless application involves adding thin layers and creating a beautiful shape with the first coat. “You only need to have one side of the brush wet,” she says. “Put it on a 45-degree angle to control the excess so it won’t pool into cuticles or side walls of nails.” For the second coat and optional third, Di Lullo lays the brush nearly flat to glide polish over nails. To avoid indentations and light patches near cuticles, adjust the angle of your brush, she says.

Tip 3: Dare to get artsy.

“Colour blocking, or using negative space, is really easy to handle,” she says. “You could do one nail or part of a nail – you don’t have to do all of them.” Substituting colours, like pink and red, in a classic white-tipped French manicure is popular. Di Lullo’s only rule is with regard to proportions. “Always consider the way that the colours are positioned and create an effect that elongates nails,” she says. “A light pink nail with a red stripe across it visually shortens the nail. Instead, you want something that will make the nail look longer, like red at the tip.”

Tip 4: Keep your steppers buffed.

But wherever you land on the rainbow, gentle upkeep is required. “Sandals create calluses, so it’s normal that you’ll have more in summer than winter,” she says. To remove dead skin gently, she recommends a pumice stone or foot file. It should be for personal use only – not shared – and washed after every use. And take a stand against blades. “No cheese graters on the feet, please!” she insists. “You should especially avoid them if you have diabetes. Metal blades are really unnecessary. If you have good maintenance, you don’t need that kind of aggressive removal process.” (Here are some more natural home remedies to make calluses disappear.)

Nail products from left to right:
Sinfulcolors Polish in Rise & Shine, $4.80; walmart.com
CND Vinylux Long Wear Polish in Gypsy, $13; cnd.com
Suncoat Water-Based Nail Polish in Lilac, $12; suncoatproducts.com
QUO by Orly Nail Polish in After Glow, $11; Shoppers Drug Mart

Photo Credit: Geoffrey Ross

Get the Look: Juicy-Bright Pout

Tip 1: Apply a bold lip when in need of a confidence boost.

For a mood booster in micro form, look no further than a bold lip colour. “Bright colours enhance lips, making them appear more voluptuous and giving you more swagger,” says Jodi Urichuk, a Canadian makeup artist and expert for L’Oréal Paris who has worked with famous faces like Laura Dern and Serena Williams. “When you wear a red lip, you walk completely differently, feel differently and radiate differently.” Spicy shades of pink, coral, orange and red complement every skin tone, as does a relaxed application. “You don’t need to have that hard line,” she says. “The look now is softer, even though it’s packing a punch. The edges are powdery.” To DIY, use a lip brush to gently blur the lipline “so that it’s more like a stain and less like a hard, painted lip.”

Tip 2: Create a smooth canvas.

“Exfoliating your lips and having a smooth palette for products is key, especially if you’re going to wear a bright matte lip colour,” says Urichuk. “You want your lips to look hydrated.” Try Eos Tropical Escape ($10), a handy two-piece set that includes a gentle sugar scrub and balm infused with coconut oil. If feathering or bleeding is a concern, consider using a lip primer, a translucent lip pencil or even a light dusting of finely milled face powder over top of lips to enhance its staying power. “It just gives you an extra safety zone so that you know the lip colour won’t go anywhere,” she says. To make your lipstick last longer, learn how to use a lip pencil with ease.

Tip 3: Choose a gloss for the summer.

Pivot to a lively coloured gloss, which Urichuk always endorses. “I love lip gloss, and I take a few things into consideration when choosing one,” she says. “First, ask yourself how you want it to perform. Think about whether it’s for hydration, plumping or long wear.” When it comes to shade selection, your complexion can inform your choice. “Generally, with a sheer lip gloss, going one or two shades darker than your actual lip colour is a good way to gauge it,” she says.

Tip 4: Dare to try a metallic shade.

This summer, metallic glosses are having a moment, and the pro is here for it. “Women at any age can wear a little sparkle these days, and we should embrace it because it’s youthful and fun,” she says.

Lip products from top to bottom:
QUO Lip Boost Plumping Gloss in Hot Stuff, $12; Shoppers Drug Mart
Covergirl Exhibitionist Cream Lipstick in Bombshell Pink, $11; mass retailers
Yves Saint Laurent Beauty Tatouage Couture Long Lasting Matte Lipstick in 03 Rose Ink, $45; yslbeauty.ca
Almay Lip Vibes in Smile, $10; mass retailers
Givenchy Gloss Interdit Vinyl In No. 14 Solar Orange, $37; givenchybeauty.com
Chanel Rouge Allure Liquid Powder in 962 Electric Blossom, $46; chanel.com
Maybelline New York Color Sensational Lipstick in Ruby For Me, $11; mass retailers
L’Oréal Paris Rouge Signature in 422 I Don’t, $14; mass retailers
Buxom Wanderlust Full-On Plumping Lip Cream in Goa Gimlet, $26; Sephora

Photo Credit: Geoffrey Ross

Get the Look: Ocean-Inspired Eyes

Tip 1: Make your eyes pop with eyeshadow in aquatic hues.

Your eyes speak volumes, and choosing to complement them with a bright colour is an effective dial-up. “I wish more women knew it’s not as scary as they think,” says Urichuk. “Colour on the eyes actually makes your eyes brighter and more noticeable. You can focus on something you’re really confident about.” Success starts by aiming for contrast. “I don’t like to make rules about colour – you can play with it,” she says. “Someone with green eyes shouldn’t necessarily avoid green. It depends on the colour of green chosen. If it’s a little different than the colour of their eyes, it’s still going to look amazing.” Rich tones (think teal, cobalt, aubergine and forest green) top her preferences. But if you’re looking to master a metallic eyeshadow, here are the shades that best suit your skin tone.

Tip 2: For a subtle look, try a coloured mascara and eyeliner.

“It’s a sneaky way to start, and not overwhelming,” says Urichuk. “Plum and eggplant shades are very underrated. They’re beautiful options instead of brown.” Blue and green also get her approval. To add eye-catching intensity, pair any coloured mascara with an eyeliner in a similar shade. “You don’t have to wear a hard line: Dab six or seven dots across the lash line and smudge it with a brush.” Another foolproof option: Put the spotlight on vibrant eyeliner. Urichuk suggests “wearing a splash of colour on the bottom lash line and regular mascara.” But make sure to avoid hard lines. “Keep colour from the lash line up to the crease, and fade it out with a fluffy brush,” says Urichuk.

Tip 3: Add white eyeliner for extra pop. 

You can also power up any pastel tone like a pro. “My trick is to apply a base of white eyeliner and then shadow on top,” she says. “It gives any colour extra pop.” Try Kat Von D Beauty Cake Pencil Eyeliner in White Out ($24). The cream-to-powder formula provides long wear in a 100 percent vegan formula.

Tip 4: Play with texture.

To further advance your skill set and final results, explore different textures of shadow in the same colour family. “It’s nice to layer products to create a bit of dimension, like a wash of matte powder with shimmer overtop in the middle of the eye,” she says. “You draw more attention to the colour.”

Eyeshadow products from top to bottom:
Covergirl Eyeshadow Palette in Trunaked Dazed (two shades), $15; mass retailers
Sephora Volume On Mascara in 02 Navy Blue On!, $13; sephora.ca
Sephora Colorful Eyeshadow in 318 Very Bad, $10; sephora.ca
Sephora Colorful Eyeshadow in 344 Make a Wish, $10; sephora.ca
L’Oréal Paris La Petite Palette in Optimist, $15; mass retailers
Yves Saint Laurent Couture Eye Palette in Luxuriant Haven, $71; yslbeauty.ca
Lise Watier Eye Shine in Peacock, $24; Shoppers Drug Mart
Marcelle Waterproof Eyeliner in Purple Rain, $11.95; marcelle.com
Smashbox L.A. Cover Shot Eye Palette, $58; smashbox.ca

Next, check out our editor-approved collection of SPF products.