Beauty tip

Six Beauty Shortcuts

Follow these tips so you can stash that eye-shadow quad and put your blow-dryer on hiatus

By Bora Chang


1. You Want: Smooth, Even Skin

Skip the heavy foundation. "In summer your face already has a nice dewiness," says Gretchen Monahan, style expert on TV's Bravo Channel and Rachael Ray Show. To lighten up, blend equal parts face lotion and foundation in the palm of one hand, then press both palms together and apply the mixture like moisturizer. Get even better staying power by combining base one-to-one with water-resistant sunscreen. "The viscosity ensures it won't slip off," says Monahan. We like La Roche-Posay Anthelios 60 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid ($27.50, drugstores), a water-resistant matte formula with broad-spectrum protection.

2. You Want: Melt-Proof Makeup

Opt for feather-light formulations (the less makeup you put on, the less you have to worry about it sliding around). "In steamy weather, you'll sweat through most makeup, even powders," says Meredith Baraf, a makeup artist for Victoria's Secret. Her advice: Switch to tinted moisturizer, or simply disguise any discoloration with a concealer or stick foundation. Try Prescriptives AnyWear Multi-Purpose Makeup Stick SPF 15 ($35, department stores) — it comes with two minis you can keep handy in your purse and desk. To enhance lashes without smudges, use waterproof mascara, or try Clarins Double Fix' Mascara Waterproofing Seal ($21, department stores), which forms a clear, watertight seal over your favorite brand. If you're fair or just a low-maintenance gal, lash tints safely darken eyelashes for up to four days, even through showers and swims. (However, they won't add volume or length.) Try Tarte 4 Day Stay Lash Stain ($18, Sephora). On lips, try a sheer stain, such as CoverGirl Outlast Lipstain ($7.29, drugstores). Dab away excess shine with blotting paper or a tissue. "Face powder can look cakey on sweaty skin," says Nicky Kinnaird, founder of Space NK beauty shops in the U.S. and England.

3. You Want: To Fake a Tan — Fast

Brush on a believable shade of bronze. "Pick a color within a couple of shades of your skin tone," says celebrity makeup artist Mally Roncal. If you're fair, try a tan shade with peach tones like Physicians Formula Bronze Booster Pressed Bronzer in Fair to Light ($15, drugstores), which has vitamins and moisturizers designed to enhance your color. If you're medium-toned, go for caramels like Victoria's Secret VS Liquid Bronzing Brush in Light to Medium ($22, Victoria's Secret), a gel bronzer with a built-in brush. For already-tanned or brown skin, choose a deeper bronze: Lorac Tantalizer Baked Matte Satin Bronzer SPF 15 ($28, Sephora) can be applied wet or dry, depending on the color intensity you're after. "Use a big, fluffy brush to apply the color around the perimeter of your face, then work it in toward the center," says Roncal, who recommends adding a touch of blush on cheeks.

4. You Want: A Better Way to Tame Your Frizzy Hair

Silicone serums are the gold standard for reducing frizz, but they can weigh hair down and make it greasy. Living Proof No Frizz ($24; Sephora) claims to prevent humidity from penetrating the hair, via a lightweight, moisture-repelling, friction-reducing molecule (PolyfluoroEster) that was developed by an MIT professor and his team of scientists and hair experts. To see if it works, the Good Housekeeping Research Institute tested it against the leading frizz serum. In the lab, frizz-prone women applied one of six Living Proof products (each is for a different hair type and straightening or curl-defining effect) to half their wet hair and the control product to the other half, then styled as usual. They then spent 20 minutes in a climatology chamber set to 80 degrees and 80 percent relative humidity. The volunteers also used the frizz product at home as their sole styler for one week. The results: In the lab, the Living Proof products tamed frizz better than the control for half the testers, and at least as well for all but one of the rest. Over half the women also said Living Proof prevented frizz and improved the look and feel of their hair more than their current product. The highest marks came from volunteers who wanted to maintain their waves.

5. You Want: Sun-Kissed Strands

Shampoo your way to beachy-blond highlights: John Frieda Sheer Blonde Go Blonder Lightening Shampoo and Conditioner ($9 each, drugstores) both contain lactic acid to gradually brighten natural and color-treated blond strands without ammonia or peroxide, the traditional bleaching agents. You should notice a change after about two weeks of daily use, though you can keep using the products until you reach your desired shade. Two caveats: You'll see a difference only on hair that's already in the blond family, and you should skip it if your hair is prone to dryness, because lactic acid can further dehydrate it, according to New York City trichologist Philip Kingsley.

6. You Want: Sandal-Ready Feet

Try this express "spa" pedicure: Shape uneven nails by filing them straight across the tops, then smooth feet with a mixture of salt and lotion or olive oil — or try Barielle 60 Second Mani-Pedi ($25, barielle.com), an exfoliating treatment combining hydrating oils and Dead Sea salts that smells like a day at the beach. Rinse and dry thoroughly (push back cuticles with the towel as you dry). To get out the door faster, use shimmer polish; any mistakes won't be quite as obvious, and the mica in shimmer adheres better, says CND cofounder Jan Arnold. Try N.Y.C. In a New York Color Minute Quick Dry Nail Polish in Bryant Park ($2, drugstores).