Your Beauty Forecast, June 2016

Turn on your love light! Solstice season is in full swing as June 20 marks the longest, brightest day of 2016. This illuminating energy gives us a clear view on everything, including love. Was it just a fling, or could it be the real thing? Is it a temporary relationship or happily ever after? If you're having trouble categorizing, don't worry. Clarity is the gift of this light-filled celestial moment. The summer solstice is also the day each year when the sultry sun moves from flirty, no-strings-attached Gemini into caring, sentimental Cancer. The rush of spring fever is swept away, replaced by a craving for closeness, comfort, and companionship. And the 2016 solstice is extra special because it arrives with a glowing full moon in Sagittarius, the sign of the adventurer, truth-bearer, and ambassador. Love knows no limits on this magical day — not geographical, cultural, or conversational. Sagittarius is a fire sign, so this full moon will definitely bring some passion and heat. Or if it's time to break free from that same old (unfulfilling) love, this indie-spirited moon gives us all the courage to do what's best for ourselves, even if that means moving on to better things.

There's more than one way to usher in the summer solstice. While you're making moves in your love life, why not welcome in a new beauty look, too? Embrace hot nights ahead with warm bronzes, smoky shadows, and colorful liner. Summertime Smoky Eyes

You're moving on to bigger and better things this month — in love, yes, but also in your beauty routine. Whether you're a cosmetics novice or you've already mastered the ins and outs of the most buzzed-about trends du jour, you're going to want to take a look at the video above. We're breaking down a quick and easy take on the smoky eye, pairing it with peachy accents for a summer-apropos twist. Watch, love, commit to memory. Color Craving

When you're getting ready for a night on the town, how often do you reach for that trusty black eyeliner as if on autopilot? With June's unrushed energy, opt for something new. That doesn't mean we're telling you to give up your go-to. (We would never do that.) We are, however, challenging you to add in a dose of color. After drawing a black cat-eye along each upper lashline, switch to an angled brush. Wet the brush, dip it into a colorful powder shadow of your choice, and trace along your cat-eye several times to create a thick line of color. Complete your look with subtle contour and highlighting, a glossy lip, and bright white nails.

White Hot

Once you've mastered the colorful liner look, feed off the month's illuminating energy and take it a step further with this sparkly version. Line each upper lashline all the way across with a glittery white cream shadow. Define your lashes with multiple coats of mascara. Then, softly contour your cheeks. Use an angled blush brush to dust bronzer just beneath your cheekbones, and sweep pink blush over the apples of your cheeks. You can get matchy-matchy with a matte pink lip color similar in hue to your blush. Or opt for a hotter pink to contrast your icy eyes. (Another way to add contrast to your look: bold nails. The brighter, the better.) Pro Tip:
Run semi-dry nails under cold running water to get them to dry faster.

Bronze Babe

Since summer vacays never outnumber hours spent in the office devoid of sunshine, at least there's makeup that fakes it. As in, a bronze, glowy look that lets you appear refreshed and vibrant (even if you're not). To start, apply bronzer just under your cheekbones, using a brush to softly blend in the product. Next, use a stick highlighter to amp up your glow, drawing down the bridge of your nose, atop your cheekbones, and on your browbones. Create a monochromatic look by choosing similar shades of eye makeup. Sweep deep-bronze shadow across each eyelid, all the way up to your browbone. (You can also blend together gold and brown shadows, depending on what's in your arsenal.) Drag that same shade along your lower lashline. Apply mascara, then fill in your brows with pencil and set with brow gel. Finish with a matte, peach-colored lip. Final step: Pretend you're in the tropics.