How to fake sun-kissed skin beautifully, according to the beauty pros

We know the frustration when you hit the beach and return with an uneven tan or worse – dry, peeling, sunburnt skin. And of course some of us are too busy to even relax under the sun.

The good news: we can now achieve sun-kissed skin in no time, and without having to worry about turning lobster red. 

Just follow these tried-and-true tips from our go-to makeup artists Larry Yeo, Lolent Lee and Sha Shamsi and you’ll be stepping out with the perfect golden glow without any fuss at all.

Photo: 123rf

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Lolent prefers a radiant primer like the Clé de Peau Beauté’s Brightening Enhancer Base, $105, to illuminate areas of the face where the sunlight doesn’t hit. “Dab the makeup base on the inverted triangle area under the eyes and below the mouth. This will help brighten up the dullness that typically appears in these areas,” says Lolent. Next, Sha suggests reaching for a for a lightweight foundation like the Giorgio Armani’s Luminous Silk Foundation, $90, to create a fresh glow.

If you just want to give a touch of colour to the complexion to look less pale, Larry recommends getting the Chanel Les Beiges Eau de Teint, $106, in a shade that’s just a touch darker than your skin tone and applying it on the entire face. “It gives a very natural result, so you don’t have to worry about looking like you’ve just spent too many hours at Tanjong Beach playing volleyball under the sun. This range however only has limited shades available so it might not suit all skin tones.”

What you should remember: Go for a shade that is the closest match to your skin tone or just half a shade darker to fake a slightly tanned look that still looks natural.

Photo: Giorgio Armani

Available at Tangs.

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For fool-proof bronzing, Sha says a powder bronzer will get the job done as it is more user-friendly than liquid or cream bronzers. Larry likes a good matte powder bronzer like the Fenty Beauty Sun Stalk’r Instant Warmth Bronzer, $46. Pick a colour that’s three to four shades darker than your skin and apply the colour on the bony parts on your face such as the temple, brow bone just above the eye socket and cheeks with the 13rushes Angled Powder Brush, $27 from 13rushes.com.

For a seamless finish, make sure you blend the powder bronzer all the way to the hairline from the cheeks.

Photo: Sephora

Available at Sephora.

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If you’re just after a soft glow, Larry suggests mixing a drop of Drunk Elephant’s D-Bronzi Anti-Pollution Sunshine Drops, $50, from Sephora (which is launching in the middle of July) with your sunscreen – this will achieve a golden, sun-kissed result. 

Alternatively, apply your regular base makeup and top it off with the liquid bronzer. Squeeze a tiny dollop on the back of your hands, pick up the liquid with a highlighter brush and dab it on higher planes of the face structure.

Photo: Drunk Elephant

Available at Sephora.

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To further warm up the skin tone, Sha favours brown eyeshadow shades with red undertones found in the Dior Backstage Eye Palette in 003 Amber Neutrals, $83. The best part? Sha contends that this palette can be a go-to for most skin tones to achieve the sun-kissed warmth. 

There’s no need to be heavy-handed on the application, advises Lolent. “Lightly shading the eyes will suffice as Asian eyes are usually not as deep set as Caucasian’s.”

Photo: Sephora

Available at Sephora.

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All three makeup artists recommend using lip gloss to complete the bronze goddess look. The Hourglass Unreal High Shine Volumizing Lip Gloss in Solar, $50, is a coral shade with soft gold pearl that will bring sunshine to the lips.

Apply the lip gloss on the entire lip to make it look super luscious and pouty.

Photo: Sephora

Available at Sephora.

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Add the perfect finishing touch to any bronzy makeup look with a shimmery, almost blinding highlight just like this Kat Von D Beauty Metal Crush Extreme Highlighter in Gammaray, $42. A good highlight adds the glam factor to an otherwise dull makeup day, so this step is always a must.

Because this highlighter is loaded with hyper-reflective glitter for amplified dimension, use a brush and gently sweep it on your cheekbones to produce a glimmering and weightless finish that will tie in any sun-kissed look.

Photo: Sephora

Available at Sephora.

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