This summer we are seeing a rebirth of very soft, feminine textures and bright colors, but it is made in a sort of transparent wash of color instead of bold, thick colors...

When it comes to makeup - this summer is all about easy beauty.

Foundation: "It’s the perfect time to apply sheer foundation and perhaps a little powder and bronzer. Our clothes are getting lighter, the air is buoyant and we want featherlike texture"

Eyes: "We’re seeing a lot more color on the eyes along with bronzing to metallic, translucent pops of color on eyes, and do it in really unexpected way, maybe do a deep turquoise, plum or amethyst"

Lips: "With beautiful, sort of translucent Bronze skin; try a beautiful burst of color - whether it’s a pink tone or fuchsia - on the lips. Remember though, if you are going to have that burst of color, make sure it is less opaque and sheerer"

Nails: "Nail enamel is an accessory, like a piece of jewellery, and you need to play with it. Sometimes you'll feel like wearing red and other times you'll feel like wearing soft peach. If your nails are short, choose a color that draws attention, if your nails are long, balance the color so you don’t draw so much attention to them. It’s all about balance"

Soft, feminine = “Hot”: Number 1 rule for this season. Go for the gold to get a healthy summer glow, give your makeup the Midas touch. Touches of gold are more chic than having an all over tan. This season, lose your self tanner or bronzer (don’t even think about visiting the tanning salon) to get the chicest look, use gold to highlight - not hide - your complexion for a fresh, sun kissed effect "its all about touches of gold on one focused area - just the eyes or cheeks or lips - and keeping your own skin tone, whether you are fair or dark." You can mix metallic- pink and metallic gold loose powders together then brush it on. Gold really makes pink come alive! Just remember, no matter what facial feature you choose to play up, a little bit of gold goes a long way.

Summer hair special - Doesn’t scrimp on...
Shampoo: 'Some inexpensive ones give that squeaky clean feeling that isn't always best for your hair. Look for sulphate free formulas, they are less aggressive.

Conditioner: "This is the foundation of your hairstyling. The best products make hair smoother but don’t coat it with heavy silicones".

De frizzier: "Anything that contains a high amount of dimethicone is worth the splurge. Otherwise, you end up with a watered-down version that doesn’t perform as well"

Tip 1; to smooth frizzy hair, blow-dry the top of your head with cold air.
Tip 2; A dab of matte pomade creates instant texture.
Tip 3; Mix hair serums with conditioner for sleek look.
Tip 4; Avoid ponytails if you have coloured hair - it causes breakage.

The best advice we’ve ever heard
1-hair "lather it up only a couple of times per week. On days you don’t shampoo, rinse hair with warm water to release natural oils that fight frizz"

2-makeup "to make your eyes look bigger, apply a nude pencil to the inner rims of the top and buttons lashes lines (always sharpen the pencil first to avoid bacteria)

3-skin "gently scrub your lips with a washcloth every morning to prevent dryness and flaking through out the day"

Flawless skin by the weekend
Toss the concealer; DG has four secrets for abolishing acne and banishing breakouts, curb the most common complexion culprits, and get skin that glows - for good.

Blemish buster #1 treating breakouts the right way
Get zits only occasionally? Wash your face in the morning and before hitting the sack with a face wash like cetaphill gentle skin cleanser. Follow with a moisturizer and zap white heads with a 2 % salicylic acid on the-spot product. If you are prone to major breakouts; you need an acne cleanser "cleansers with salicylic acid or benzyl peroxide are helpful”.

Blemishbuster #2 go easy on your skin
Sure, its easy to get angry when blemishes are busting out all over the place, but an all out assault on your skin is only going to make the  zit worse "squeezing or picking pimples and vigorously scrubbing the face in an effort to get rid of acne (or prevent it) is the biggest mistake. If you have a pimple and the occasion can’t wait till it clears by itself - go see a dermatologist to inject it with cortisone, and you will be in the clear within 24 hours. It can be pricey. So save it for true emergencies.

Blemish buster #3 cleanse right after your workout
Even though its great to go easy on your skin, if you workout, you have to get rid of the grease straight after a sweat flesh (you must wash your face as soon as u hit the lockers - do not wait till you go home, you don’t want to allow the sweat, bacteria and other inflammatory agents to work against your skin regimen." Keep a box of wipes in your gym bag; they make it easy to stay on top of your routine”.

Blemish buster #4 eat and drink your way to clear skin
Even though certain junk foods have a bad reputation for causing acne, there is no direct link. Having a healthy lifestyle may help control breakouts" power yourself up with super food antioxidants like pomegranate, green tea and kiwi, drinking lots of water, get your regular beauty sleep ! Skin makes vital repairs when you wind down, just one more reason to get eight hours straight each night.

By Nermine Al Ramlawi