From The Straits Times    |

Want to look like a lithe and loungey Penelope Cruz on a siesta – or a Millennial copy of said Spanish star doing the exact same thing?

Easy. Bookmark this story – and head to our comprehensive guide on all things Spanish – for all the tips and tricks you need to transform into a sizzling summer goddess for your next vacay to oh say, Marbela or La Concha Beach:

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Orange you glad for lippie?

The single sexiest shade to slap on this Summer? Orange – an intoxicating iteration of the citrusy colour was a standout on the smackers of the sirens strutting the Jason Wu runway. Cowed by the prospect of looking clownish? Don’t be afraid of colour. One misconception about orange is that the hue can impart a sickly sallowness to your complexion. Wrong.

Here’s a general rule of thumb when it comes to shade selection: If you’re fair with cool, pink undertones, opt for an orange that skews red, as richly pigmented coral lippies with silver flecks will flatter your complexion without making you look washed-out. For darker skin with warmer undertones, choose a lighter, peachy hue with gold flecks to play up your bronzed tan and to cancel out the slight green tint of olive brown skin.

Zara poplin top with pleated sleeves, $69.90

Bottomline: When worn judiciously as an accent colour, orange lips lend an instantly brightening effect to your face – and will really pop against a jewel-toned poplin top for an easy, breezy take on beachwear.

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‘Kontour’ the Korean way

To breathe depth and dimension into flat facial features, feel free to experiment with the latest bronzing palettes on the market, which yield a sunkissed effect that’s a world away from the overdone and over-baked contouring of yesteryear.

Stradivarius satin bralette with neon trim, $29.90

But here’s the trick: Do it the Korean way by lightly buffing a brick hue into the hollows of your cheeks and along the temples. Blend well in natural light – do your makeup next to a sunlit window, if possible – to make sure you’re not overdoing things. The warm hint of a tint on your skin will look spectacular juxtaposed against the coolness of a beguiling blue bralette.

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Don’t forget the eyes – but don’t overplay them, either…

You can’t just slick on a bold lip, bronze up your skin and call it a day – your face will look bottom-heavy. Balance out your features by lining your top lash line with a slender winged tip,, but leave your lids clean – just one sweep of a taupe shadow will suffice.

… Or go along with the mania for metallics.

Makeup maestros were manic for metallics this Summer – masters running the shows for Hellessy and Pascal Millet gilded the eyes of their girls with burnished copper and antique tones, for a richly opulent eye that retained just enough airy sandiness to pull off for daytime wear.

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The trick to recreating this updated day version of the metallic smoky eye? Artful placement of colour, coupled with plenty of blending. First, give the entire socket a light wash of a glinting bronze shadow. Use a damp angled precision brush to line the lower lashes with the same intense bronze, then smudge gently.

Next, pick up a coppery red with a paddle-shaped brush and deftly press the colour into the centre of your lids, blending out right up to the brow. Finally, dab an accent of gold at the inner corners to catch the light for a multidimensional glimmer. Voila! The new metallic smoky for 2017 – perfect for pairing with an equally mesmerising metallic bikini set.

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Pull off a plait

Get out of a hairy situation with runway-ready braids that are fashionably undone and perfectly imperfect. A few loose ends, so to speak, will give your ‘do a windblown sexiness that’s very youthful, very appealing – and absolutely smashing for a sunny day out on the beach.

Work your fingers through the ends to loosen them up, and set with a blast of a medium-hold hairspray for a flexible finish you can twist and twirl at random throughout the day.

Massimo Dutti Pink Sunglasses, $125

Be shady

There’s a good reason why sunscreen isn’t marketed as “sun-proof”; there’s no such thing. No elixir on earth can ever hope to block out a full 100 percent of the sun’s rays – hence fashion!

The coolest solution to “saving face” and looking fab is to whip out your sexiest sunnies – especially crucial to curtailing the crow’s feet that may form from squinting in the sun. Select sunglasses that wrap around your face – the bigger, the better.

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Get him hot and bothered under the collar

Finally, a beach vacay is the best occasion to try your hand at clavicle contouring. When done right, collarbone contouring will make them “pop” against bare skin, lending your shoulders a lifted effect that’s very fetching, especially when you’re in swathed in a strapless shape-hugging swimsuit.

For this, you’ll need a luminising liquid-type product with a pen-type dispenser that’s perfect for “painting” directly onto your decolletage. Dab your brush on the hollow indentation in the centre, then blend outwards, using the “wings” of your collarbones as a guide.

Bershka Geometric print bikini top with corset back, $35.90

Top tip: Go one shade lighter for a 3D effect that deflects attention away from sunspots and other discolouration. Pat the product onto the edge of your collarbones and beyond, for a flirty flush that directs your admirer’s gaze towards well, where you want him to be gazing.

Done? Then step into your strappy beachwear of choice. and brace yourself for the deluge of compliments that are sure to come your way!

Want more tips and tricks to get you all set for a sojourn to Spain? Head to campaign.herworldplus.com/SpanishHighStreetGuide.

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