The key beauty trends you need to try this summer

As we get stuck into the New Year, now is the perfect time to freshen up your look with the key hair and makeup looks for 2018.

Here are our top summer beauty trends and how to recreate them at home.

The smudgy brown eye look

A lighter, modern take on the smoky eye of the noughties, this foolproof look is universally flattering, regardless of eye colour.

To create your base, start with an eyeshadow close to your skin colour. We like Maybelline Eye Shadow The Blushed Nudes Palette.

Next, choose a brown eye pencil that’s creamy and relatively easy to smudge. We like Nude by Nature Contour Eye Pencil in 02 Brown or Revlon Colorstay 2 in 1 Angled Kajal Fig. Draw a thick line along your lash line and using either a sponge spoolie or cotton bud, start smudging the line out to create a smoky effect.

To deepen the look, apply a darker brown shadow to the lid, focusing on the outer vee. We like Maybelline Expert Wear Eye Shadow Quad Natural.

To add a pop, apply a shimmery brown shadow in the middle – try Nude by Nature Illusion Pressed Eyeshadow 12 Quartz or Revlon Colorstay Creme Eyeshadow in Caramel.

TIP – For an added touch, apply a shimmery shadow to the tear duct, which instantly gives a bright, wide-eyed effect to the look – try Nude by Nature Shimmering Sands Loose Eyeshadow 01 White SandFor added definition go over your original line with that.

Chignon chic

Top buns are starting to look dated, so what’s a fresh alternative for those bad hair days? The answer comes in the form of a classic chignon, a French twist on a low bun that’s loose but elegant.

To master the look at home, start by creating a middle part using a tail tooth comb. Then pull all of your hair into a tight low pony tail.

Gently twist the pony and coil it into a bun, using your index finger to hold it into place.

Secure the bun with bobby pins, pulling out some shorter layers to soften the look.

If it still looks too structured, take out some front layers at the crown for a more casual look. If you want it to look formal, take some pomade and slick down both sides of the front layers, pulling tightly behind the ear and secure with bobby pins. Try L’Oreal Botanicals Camelina Smooth Pomade.

The basic yet elegant eyebrow

Overly drawn in “sharpie brows” are well and truly faux pas in the beauty community. Instead, there has been a return to the minimalistic brows of the ’90s (minus the heavy-handed plucking).

To recreate the look at home, use a brow pencil or shadow with a light hand and slowly build up the depth, mimicking brow hairs for a truly natural effect. Try Maybelline Eye Studio Brow Satin Dark Blonde or L’Oreal Brow Artist Genius in 01 Light or Rimmel Brow This Way Filling Powder in 002 Medium Brown.

TIP – It’s important to opt for a shade as close to your brow hairs as possible, if not slightly lighter. Unless you want to look like Burt from Sesame Street, avoid darker shades as they can look heavy-handed.

If your brow hairs are naturally lighter than the rest of your hair and you need added definition, there’s a huge range of new-age brow products that can achieve this without giving you sharpie brows. One of the best products on the market for this has fibres that blend with your brow hairs to give a thicker appearance.

We like:

A longer lasting alternative is to tint your brows, giving them a darker but natural looking appearance. Try Maybelline 3 Day Brow Tattoo in Light Brown or 1000 Hour Eyelash & Brow Dye in Dark Brown.

Metallic nails

In the spirit of the holidays, give your nails a festive touch by going metallic. Those with cool toned skin suit silver polishes best like Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Celeb City. If you after a particularly bedazzling look, add some glitter on top with Maybelline Color Show Nail in Glitter It.

For warm skin tones, steer towards gold or bronze polishes, like Sally Hansen Miracle Gel in Game of Chromes and Rimmel 60 Seconds Nail Polish in Darling You Are Fabulous. 

You don’t have to limit yourself to gold or silver tones either. Chrome shades, copper, bronze and rose gold also work a treat.

We like Sally Hansen Rose Gold Chrome KitRevlon Nail Enamel Copper Penny and Revlon Transforming Effects Nail Enamel Pink Glaze.

Need more beauty tips and tricks? See how you can harness the power of coconut oil for hair, skin and body here. 

Written by Charlotte Brundrett

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