Summer here in Louisiana is in full swing and I’m loving my glowing skin. There is something about summer that just makes your skin shine. When you have bright glowing skin, your confidence is high, and you look and feel great. Here are some of my essential tips for keeping that beautiful summer skin year round.

Step 1. In order to really keep that glowing bronze skin, you will need to find a regime that works best for you. The first step is assessing your skin and face. You will need to determine which skin type you have: (normal, dry, oily or combination).

Step 2. Exfoliation and hydration are key. You will need to remove any dry, flaky patches before you add any extra color. I like Planet Beach’s “Polish” facial exfoliant. It’s gentle, yet effective. It helps to transform dull, lifeless skin to look younger, healthier, and more vibrant! Exfoliating should be done no more than 2 times a week.

Step 3. A must-have in my daily routine is Strobe cream by MAC cosmetics. It’s a moisturizer that boosts the look of dull skin and illuminates with iridescent particles. The ultimate quick-fix for your skin. This is applied before your foundation.

Step 4. Next, a light-weight foundation is appropriate for summer. Preferably something that evens out the complexion but still looks effortless. My favorite is Dior’s Nude Air foundation. It’s a weightless, ultra-fluid foundation serum that creates a nude makeup look. Formulated with SPF 25, it offers sun protection and the fresh-faced beauty of a natural-looking glow.

Step 5. Bronzer. There are so many out there, it can be overwhelming. My personal preference is definitely a matte bronzer. I try to make sure that it is not orange and has more of a cool undertone. I can not stand sparkles all over my face! I think that sparkles are appropriate for where you are highlighting where the light is hitting the high point on your face or body with just a slight shimmer. I really have a makeup crush on Planet Beach’s Beauty Bronzer in fair. Its just enough to darken up my skin, but not so much that I look like I’m a cast member of the Jersey Shore. However, it does come in darker shades for the bolder gal.

Step 6. Highlighting the skin is my favorite part of achieving your flawless summer glow! I think the key to really nailing the summer glow is to have it look as natural as possible. Beauty Golden Glow by Planet Beach adds a touch of natural-looking golden shimmer and provides a radiant glow to highlight the face and body!

Step 7. To keep skin looking dewy and supple, I keep Mist, another Planet beach product, in my purse and use as needed. Mist helps to enliven and refreshen the skin with a cool hydration. This can be layered in between your makeup and reapplied all day long!

Of course, in addition to these simple steps, you have to be aware of what you’re putting into your body! Drinking 8 glasses of water a day and a proper diet help aid beautiful, glowing skin! Eating fruits and vegetables that are especially high in carotenoids will also add a glow and keep you looking young and healthy. Carotenoid-high food includes carrots, grapefruit, guava, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale, tomatoes, and collard greens. The best way to take full advantage of carotenoids is to eat these foods raw or lightly cooked.

Once you figure out what works best for you, this routine will be easy as 1-2-3!  I hope you enjoyed these tips and remember you don’t need to wait for summer to shine.  I would love to hear your thoughts and comments below!

The Makeup Doll

XO