Makeup for Summer Nights

A couple of weeks back I shared my everyday summer makeup look, so I thought it was only right that I also put together an evening version! I still love a glowing base in the evenings but like to dial things up a little bit and go for a really bronzed look.

I think that bases are really personal and some people don't like to wear one at all in the Summer so you just go with whatever works for you, but my top pick is the Estee Lauder Double Wear Light Stay-in-Place Makeup | £31. It gives me all the pros of the original formula in that it's long-wearing and has a matte but non-drying finish, however it feels much lighter on the skin and gives more of a medium coverage. Even though this is an evening look, I do still like my skin to be able to breathe. It evens out my complexion and gives a very flawless look but isn't too thick. Of course I go in next with my trusty Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealers and Peach Colour Correcting Fluid | £17.50 each. I won't bore you too much because these are my top picks no matter what the makeup look; they give incredible coverage whilst being so light and fluffy in texture. They blend out beautifully and last so well. The formula isn't so hydrating that it slips around on my skin but it isn't too drying to use under my eyes either. The Peach cancels out my dark circles, I use Medium Neutral to brighten under my eyes and Medium-Dark Warm to cover up any blemishes (Medium-Dark is slightly deep for me but it's ok now I have a tan). Finally for my base, I set my under-eyes and t-zone with a damp BeautyBlender | £16 | (or you can use the £5.99 Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge) and my Ben Nye Banana Powder | £ 11.95. There are a range of shades for different skin tones in the Ben Nye loose powder, however for me Banana is perfect as a slightly highlighting colour. It in't a proper bake but really does ensure the concealer under my eyes doesn't crease and that my eyeliner and mascara doesn't transfer as well as keeping my t-zone shine-free.

Onto cheeks: I start with my Urban Decay Beached Bronzer in Bronzed | £20. The texture of this matte bronzer is beautiful; it blends out with ease and looks so natural on the skin. The colour is warm but not orange and always adds that bit of dimension to my face (although the colour requires a lot more layering on my skin tone, the Maybelline Bricks Bronzer | £7.99 | has a similar tone and formula). I just use something like the Real Techniques Blush Brush | £9.99 | to apply it as there's no need to be precise; I'm going for soft warmth as opposed to a sharp contour. Next I go in with Prosecco Pop from my Becca x Jaclyn Hill Champagne Collection Face Palette | £48 | review. This is a true gold highlighter in Becca's beautiful and famous Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed formula. I don't find the highlighters in this palette *quite* as beautifully creamy as the individuals but it still blends out amazingly well for a powder formula. It's got intense pigmentation and gives this incredible dewy finish without any glitter. I know this shade won't be for everyone, however Becca's Shimmering Skin Perfector range has a wide selection of shades so there's something in there for everyone from the almost-white Pearl to the deep bronze Topaz. Any of these will give you that same effect so just have a swatch and see which shade suits you best. 

I then go in with Amaretto, a Mineral blush from the same palette. This palette has actually come back to Space NK in limited quantities and the Split Pans are also in Space NK stores (one of them has these two shades in it). I love the pigmented, easy-to-blend formula and it wears so well throughout the day. Amaretto is a very warm peachy caramel-brown tone that's semi-matte but has a slight sheen. It's my favourite for a bronzed makeup look (although it leans more towards peach and is a truer matte, Sleek's Suede Blush | £4.99 | is my closest drugstore dupe). I then set my face with the Urban Decay De-Slick Setting Spray | £22 | which really helps my makeup last and keeps the shine at bay.

The eyes are probably my favourite part of the look and the reason I go for quite an understated blusher is to allow them to be the star of the show. I start by applying my Maybelline Colour Tattoo in On & On Bronze | £4.99. This is an incredibly long-wearing cream eyeshadow that I use as a base because the gorgeous dewy bronze colour adds dimension to the look and it also acts as a primer for the powders that go on top of it. On the inner corner I go for my usual Makeup Geek Eyeshadow Pan in Shimma Shimma | £4.95. This is just a really nice champagne/off-white shimmer that acts as a highlight. This is really pigmented and doesn't wear off my inner corner after a few hours like so many I've tried. Next I blend the Makeup Geek Eyeshadow Pan in Peach Smoothie | £4.95 | into my crease. I often use something like the Zoeva 227 Luxe Definer | £9 | and there's no need to be overly precise because this just acts as a transitional colour. It does kick up quite a bit of fallout but I find the light peach matte shade adds real depth to my eye looks. 

I use MAC's Pro Refill Eyeshadow Pan in Woodwinked | £10 | as a lid shade, which is a beautiful warm antique gold/bronze shimmer. I find this formula so pigmented and long-wearing, though the texture is much more solid and less creamy than Makeup Geek's. Almost done (I promise!); it's time to define the crease with my Anastasia Beverly Hills Eyeshadow Single in Red Earth | $12 (if you don't want to order these from their website or Sephora then Makeup Geek's Wild West | £4.95 | is pretty similar). This is a beautiful muted reddish-pink-brown matte. This is a really creamy matte formula which blends out so smoothly and has fantastic colour payoff. Finally I use my flat Zoeva 234 Smoky Shader | £9 | to pat the Anastasia Beverly Hills Eyeshadow Single in Cognac | $12 (I think Makeup Geek's Eyeshadow Pan in Brown Sugar | £4.95 | is pretty similar, though has a more muted shimmer and leans closer to brown than red) on the outer part of my lid. This is a stunning muted red dewy shimmer with brown undertones that just adds a smokiness to the look. I'm obsessed with this eye look and these are the kind of colours that will take you into Autumn.

I finish off my eyes starting with my usual liner lineup! I tight-line with the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Stag | £15.50. This is a charcoal-black with a very subtle sheen that's creamy, pigmented and lasts me all day long. I find this makes my winged liner look completely solid and makes my lashes appear thicker. I then go in with, of course, the Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner Pen in Intense Black | £14.50. No evening makeup look of mine is complete without a sharp winged liner and this is my favourite. The tip is so precise but not at all scratchy. I love how pigmented the formula is and it never seems to dry out! Best of all it doesn't smudge or transfer on me. I then define my lower lash line with Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Smog | £15.50. This is a warm golden-bronze shade with a metallic sheen that goes perfectly with this eye look and is softer than using black. Sometimes I also take my Zoeva Smoky Shader and run it along the outer part of my lower lash line so what's left of Cognac is also blended in. My lashes obviously get finished with my Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara | £7.99. What can I say? This stuff is LIFE! It gives me that length, curl and bit of clump-free volume without any flaking or smudging. Moving on to eyebrows, I opt for the bold and long-wearing Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade | £15. I apply this with an angled eyeliner brush and a light hand to get a bold but not fake or over-the-top look. The shade Granite is pretty spot-on for my dark brown, almost black, hair.

Lastly, it's time for lips and I have two options here: a nude and something a little brighter but still muted enough that it's not too much with the smoky eye. My nude option is the Gerard Cosmetics Hydra Matte Liquid Lipstick in Everything Nice | £9.50. This is a stunning warm medium caramel-brown shade. It's also one of my favourite liquid lipstick formulas because it's not at all drying but still has amazing pigmentation and lasts me at least 5-6 hours without fading or flaking. The brighter alternative is the Ofra x Kathleenlights Long-Lasting Liquid Lipstick in Miami Fever | $20 (as a side note: if you want something slap-bang in-between these two then try Kat Von D's Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Lolita II | $20). This is a sort of orange-terracotta with red undertones. the formula is definitely more mousse-like than most liquid lipsticks, however still applies opaquely. It is a tad more drying after a few hours of wear but it's nothing major and well worth it for that beautiful colour. 

What's your favourite kind of look to wear on a Summer night?

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