How to Enhance Your Tan with Makeup

Whether your skin is slightly tanned, golden, or deeply bronzed, discover how to use makeup to enhance your tan. Here are some tips to help you.

How to Enhance Your Tan with Makeup?

It's summer, and your skin is gradually tanning. To enhance your beautifully tanned face, there are some makeup techniques and products that you can easily use.

The Importance of Colors

You won't choose the same colors depending on whether your complexion is slightly tanned, golden, or deeply bronzed.

• For Slightly Tanned Skin

If you are slightly tanned and your skin is naturally fair, opt for matte eyeshadows in soft tones to apply to the mobile eyelids: peach, pale pink, or coral. Using a blending brush, you can blend several colors in a halo. If you are looking for a more graphic makeup look, draw a line of colored eyeliner along the upper lash line and stretch it slightly towards the outside of the eyes.

For the lips, use a colored balm in coral, fuchsia, or mango. In the evening, if you want a more sophisticated makeup look, apply a layer of lacquer to your lips in the same shades.

• For Golden Skin

If your tan is a little more pronounced, in addition to bronzer, opt for original shades on your eyes, such as khaki, taupe, or gray. Whether you choose matte or shimmering eyeshadows, the "intense look" effect is guaranteed. And for the lips, don't hesitate to use bold and vibrant colors, such as poppy red or raspberry pink, in gloss, shimmer, or satin versions.

• For Intensely Tanned Skin

If your skin is naturally dark and has a dark tan, use bright colors to enhance your complexion, for example, a coral, peach, or strong pink blush. Prefer highly pigmented cream textures to powder blushes, for better hold throughout the day.

For the eyes, dare to use iridescent or satin colors that catch the light, such as turquoise or purple, the major trends of this season. You can also opt for more sun-kissed eyeshadows, such as copper or bronze.

And for the lips, you have two options: a very colorful mouth with a blackcurrant, pomegranate, or burgundy lipstick in a satin or shimmer version, or a more natural mouth, with an apricot or peach gloss.

Brighten Your Skin

To enhance your tan, you have two valuable allies: bronzer and blush. They bring light to your face and accentuate the healthy glow.

• Bronzer

If there is one product not to forget in your makeup bag during the holidays, it is bronzer! If your skin tends to shine, opt for a matte bronzer. Conversely, if your skin is dry, opt for a satin bronzer.

To apply it, it's very simple: dip a large, round brush into the powder, making circular motions to impregnate it well, then tap it to remove the excess. Then apply your powder starting from the forehead towards the cheekbones, then from the cheekbones towards the chin.

• Blush

Now that your complexion is beautifully tanned and illuminated by bronzer, add a touch of color with a blush suitable for your skin tone (see the paragraph "The Importance of Colors"). You can even combine several shades to obtain the desired color. Simply remember that blushes with light shades will bring a touch of radiance to your cheekbones, while darker shades will allow you to model your face more. But be careful, in summer, don't overdo the contouring, use your eyeshadows in small touches for a fresh and luminous rendering.

Waterproof Mascara

Summer often rhymes with the beach, sea bathing, or the joys of the swimming pool. And to avoid streaks on your eyes when you get out of the water, use waterproof mascara. Many mascara models offer remarkable results while providing excellent waterproof hold. This is particularly the case with MAKE UP FOR EVER's Aqua Smoky Extravagant mascara.

Did you know? Waterproof doesn't just apply to mascara, there are many waterproof makeup products, such as eye pencils, foundation, and even lipstick. To find out all about it, check out our article "Why Use Waterproof Makeup?".

Glossy for the Lips

Only one watchword for lips on tanned skin: use a glossy lipstick! Raspberry, poppy, coral, or peach… Focus on bright and sparkling shades. For very tanned skin or for a slightly more sustained makeup look in the evening, you can use darker shades such as blackcurrant, cherry red, purplish red, or burgundy. But in all cases, the glossy option will bring freshness to your makeup both day and night.

• And for those who want to go even further, MAKE UP FOR EVER Academy offers a Beauty Makeup course that will reveal all the techniques to put on makeup and master the latest Make-up 2.0 trends: freckles, halo eyes, glowy complexion, or cut crease for a 3D effect, brow lift, etc.