Summer. A word you associate with sun, sea and sand. The ‘ideal’ for many women is glowing golden-bronzed skin, freckles dotted over your face with glossy lips and brows. But how do we create this look straight from the magazine pages? For a minimal look, you’ll be glad to hear it really is a minimal make-up bag you’ll need for your holiday this year!

Ultimately, how many of us wear make-up in a hot country? If you want something to stand out of an evening, paint a bold lip and a bold brow. Pack up the following for your travel beauty bag and travel light this summer – an eyebrow pencil, statement lipstick (letterbox red always works well against a tan) and eyelash curlers.

Glossy sea-foam lids for the ‘mermaid’ trend
I find the best way to create the perfect glow is simply to moisturise (I use Vaseline Aloe Vera lotion) – keeping your skin hydrated is really important after exposing it to the sun all day. I also recommend a good lip balm such as Maybelline’s Dr Rescue in ‘Coral Crave’, which keeps lips looking glossy and sunshine ready! For hair, think golden sandy tones and a wet-look texture to add some shimmer, which will accentuate a subtle glow.

For a night on the town, glossy sea-foam lids are all the rage for this season’s ‘mermaid’ trend. The metallic mermaid shades have taken over the summer palette with vivid peacock blues and greens, inky and icy blues, turquoise and emerald greens. Against your minimalistic golden complexion, this fashions the perfect stand out oily lids that not only shimmer in the sunshine, but give the illusion of wide-set bright eyes! Keep your hair carefree and tousled with John Frieda’s ‘Beach Blonde Sea Salt Spray’ and match those eyes to that sea blue view to create your own ‘little mermaid’ look!

Surfer dude
When you think of surfer hair, a shaggy, tousled hairdo comes to mind. Sandy blonde by long days spent on the beach, naturally waxy from the sea salt and lighter tips from exposure to the sun. One thing is for certain – surfer hair is summer.

Traditionally for guys, hair is kept long, layered and sandy looking. The waxy appearance from tanning oil helps make the hair a windswept ‘constructed’ mess! Nowadays, those seeking the surfer look can get it in any hair salon or right in front of their own mirror. With the many men’s products available on the market to help create the ‘surfer look’ guys can take their pick. However, products such as those by Bumble and Bumble ‘Beach Hair’ actually have salt water in and this is what creates the desired look.

The surfer hair cut has evolved throughout the years. What was once very long hair to the shoulders has become more accepted with shorter hair, but with long layers. So, if longer hair isn’t for you or your guy then fear not – you can wear it shorter and still rock the surfer look, just keep those layers long, windswept and waxy!