Summer makeup tips.

I hate wearing a lot makeup in the summer, but I still want to look nice when I am out and about with my kids. Can you give me some tips for hot weather beauty?

Summer is almost here! Even though where I live we are still seeing some 50 degree days. Stupid weather. I bought my girls the most adorable matching sun dresses at H&M, but they just don’t look that cute paired with winter tights and long sleeves underneath! Anyway, I consider summer to officially start when our local pool opens up. Maybe you consider the start of summer the moment your kids are let out of school. The heat, sun, and beauty of summer are here for your enjoyment, so pack up the kids and get ready for outdoor fun. Even if it’s humid where you live, you still want to look polished and put together for the pool, beach, or park. Plus, you need to protect your face from the damaging rays of the sun. Did you know that 80 percent of aging in the skin is from environmental (sun) damage? This is obviously a very important message to keep in mind when choosing your summer makeup.

The main thing about summer makeup is that it needs to be easy and fast. Your kids are going to be jumping up and down around your feet raring to get out, so a complicated makeup routine is out of the question. Just use these four simple products and you can get out the door in a hurry. They will hold up to the heat and protect your face as well!

1. Tinted Moisturizer: Put away your heavier foundation until the fall. It’s probably going to be a little too light in the summer anyway. Summer calls for a sheerer, more casual look. Find a tinted moisturizer that has at least a broad spectrum SPF 15. One with an SPF 30 would be even better. Just make sure it is oil-free so it doesn't separate in the heat. Here are a couple that I use for summer: Stila’s Sheer Color Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15 ($30) comes in the widest variety of shades I have seen at stilacosmetics.com. Or, pick up Neutrogena's Healthy Defense SPF 30 Daily Moisturizer in light tint. You can find this at most drugstores for around $10.

2. All-Purpose Makeup Stick: This is a great product for summer. It's a cream-to-powder formula that you can rub on and blend with your fingertips onto your eyes, cheeks, and lips. The best shades to choose for summer are a bronzy shade with a hint of pink if you are fair skinned, or go for a more golden bronze shade if you have a medium-to-deep skin tone. A little shimmer is fine for summer, too. One of my favorite makeup companies, NARS, has one of these sticks called The Multiple ($36), and it comes in a variety of colors. You can usually find NARS at Sephora or narscosmetics.com. It’s a little pricey, but a little goes a long way, and it’s definitely one of my die-hard devoted to products.

3. Waterproof Mascara: This one is a no-brainer choice for summer water and sporting activities. There are many fine quality drugstore brands that make a waterproof shade. I recommend a dark brown because it's a little softer looking out in the sun than a traditional black mascara. If you feel like splurging on a great mascara that will last you the whole summer, my pick is Lancôme Definicils Waterproof ($23). It will hold up through the sticky heat of summer without any smudges or "raccoon eyes." Plus, my kids think it’s funny to splash me continuously at the pool until I am soaked and red in the face, but at least my mascara isn’t running!

4. Lip Gloss with an SPF 15: Buy a few fun, flirty lip glosses for summer. You can choose some colors you wouldn't normally wear because most glosses are sheer. Make sure it has your SPF because your lips really need protection from the sun, too! Throw one in your beach bag and one in your purse. I even keep one in my double stroller for when I take a walk with my two girls.

I guarantee if you invest in these four products for summer, you will have a beautiful hassle-free summer face!

Summer Beauty Blockbuster!

I thought I would give you a little preview of some of the upcoming columns coming soon to a computer near you! Next month I am dragging myself (ha ha ha) to two different spas in an effort to bring you an expose on spa etiquette. Ever wonder how much to take off in a massage? Or what exactly you should do with your legs when you are getting a bikini wax? They’re serious questions that will definitely take me two days of spa treatments to find out about. Luckily for me, I conned, uh, talked my parents into watching my girls. Also in June, stay tuned for my “Ode to Sunscreen”—a love affair with the goopy white stuff that we all have to use constantly, everyday, all day long. I love you sunscreen!!!