The sheer look 

By Sharon Mosley

IT'S TIME to lighten up. Pull on your camisole, a sheer tunic top, slip into your gauzy skirt and slide into those sandals; summer here. And it's also time to get a little daring and go nude — that is get ready to bare your face.

"Everything becomes lighter in feeling around the summer months," says Jillian Veran, director of colour artistry at Prescriptives, where the newest collection of make-up palette reflects fashion's fascination with soft colours of delicate nudes infused with pale shimmering accents.

"Summer is about sheer washes of colour," adds Veran, who urges women to soften their eye makeup and focus on cheeks and lips.

"Luminosity is king during the summer months," she says, "but with the bright sunlight, you don't want to overdo it."

This make-up expert recommends using a highlighter over blush to create a veil of reflective light "that isn't over the top."

On a light to medium skin tone, Veran suggests mixing a drop of self-tanner into your facial moisturiser to bring a hint of warmth to your skin.

"Light colours will play off the skin better with a slightly richer backdrop," she says.

If you have pale skin, she advises choosing an all-over colour complexion enhancer rather than a bronzer that may be too overpowering. In the Prescriptives line, Pressed Powder Leaves in Royal Radiance shade adds a soft veil of colour to the skin, according to Veran without looking too brown or orange.

Cheeks are another way to lighten up on summer makeup. "Sun-kissed" is the operative word, says Veran. She suggests using a blush that mixes several colours together to achieve the sheerest look of beautiful colour.

"Apply to the apples of the cheek and top of nose to create a soft 'kissed by the sun' look," says Veran.

Lip colour also takes on a soft and sheer look in summer.

"If you are used to wearing a rich lip colour, try switching to lip gloss in the same tone to keep the intensity, but have a softer finish," adds Veran. "If you like to wear soft, nude colours, always use a lip gloss over them to create a sheer summery look."

And if the nude make-up you are using has a hint of colour, make sure it's not dark.

"A gray-based nude will deaden the look," says Veran. "Opt for a nude with a hint of pink, peach or bronze in it."

Summer is a great time to skip the lip liner too, she says.

"If you need to create more shape to the lip, use a pencil two or three shades lighter than your lipstick," Veran suggests. "You don't want any heavy lines. Keep it on the light side."

-Copley News Service

(Sharon Mosley is a former fashion editor of the Arkansas Gazette in Little Rock and executive director of the Fashion Editors and Reporters Association)

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