No time to hit the beach to get sun-kissed skin? Just follow these tried-and-true tips from our go-to makeup artists Larry Yeo, Lolent Lee and Sha Shamsi and you’ll be stepping out with the perfect golden glow in no time.
Lolent prefers a radiant primer like this to illuminate areas of the face where the sunlight doesn’t hit. “Dab the makeup base on the inverted triangle area under the eyes and below the mouth. This will help brighten up the dullness that typically appears in these areas,” says Lolent. What you should remember: go for a shade that is the closest match to your skin tone or just half a shade darker to fake a slightly tanned look that still looks natural.
For fool-proof bronzing, Sha says a powder bronzer will get the job done as it is more user-friendly than liquid or cream bronzers. Pick a colour that’s three to four shades darker than your skin and apply the colour on the bony parts on your face such as the temple, brow bone just above the eye socket and cheeks. For a seamless finish, make sure you blend the powder bronzer all the way to the hairline from the cheeks.
If you’re just after a soft glow, Larry suggests mixing a drop of Drunk Elephant’s D-Bronzi Anti-Pollution Sunshine Drops with your sunscreen – this will achieve a golden, sun-kissed result. Alternatively, apply your regular base makeup and top it off with the liquid bronzer. Squeeze a tiny dollop on the back of your hands, pick up the liquid with a highlighter brush and dab it on the higher points of your face.
To further warm up the skin tone, Sha favours brown eyeshadow shades with red undertones. The best part? Sha contends that this palette can be a go-to for most skin tones to achieve the sun-kissed warmth. There’s no need to be heavy-handed on the application, advises Lolent. “Lightly shading the eyes will suffice as Asian eyes are usually not as deep set.”
All three makeup artists recommend using lip gloss to complete the bronze goddess look. This coral shade with soft gold pearl will bring sunshine to the lips, making it look extra luscious and pouty.