Just as the fashionistas change their wardrobes for the four seasons, so they tailor their beauty regimens for the summer solstice. Some adjust for the city's uber heat and humidity. Others stock up on moisturizers for dry mountain climates. And each does her best to put her prettiest bronzed face forward.
With optimal summer skin care and beauty in mind, CultureMap reached out to several of the city's lovelies and asked about their June through August beauty secrets.
Having moved to Houston from LA little more than a year ago Faith Majors, wife of the Six Million Dollar Man Lee Majors, is still acclimating to Gulf Coast summers. "It has been an adjustment getting used to the humidity and heat in Houston," she emails. "So right now I'm all about keeping the shine at bay and the makeup in place!"
She recommends Elta MD UV Clear Broad Spectrum SPF 46 sunscreen to protect from the rays and Clarins Radiance Plus Self Tan- Delicious Self Tanning Cream to provide a healthy glow.
Faith is a believer in Peter Thomas Roth Glycolic Acid 3% Facial Wash and Lancer Skincare Natural Sea Minerals Polish, the latter recommended by her Beverly Hills dermatologist, Dr. Harold Lancer.
Her makeup choices extend across the makeup counter and include Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Foundation SPF 15, Make Up Forever Duo Mat powder, Makeup Forever Aqua Lip waterproof lip liner pencil (color 15C) and Bobbi Brown Rich Lipcolor in Mod Pink. Her fave moisturizer is Aromatherapy Associates Triple Rose Renewing Moisturizer.
In the mountains
Estela Cockrell of the philanthropic Crockrell clan is spending much of the summer in Aspen with a side trip to California later this month before returning to Houston and a brand new home. For Aspen's Rocky Mountain sunny days, she covers up with Epionce Ultra Shield Lotion SPF 50 , designed for high altitude and varying climates. Super Goop lip balm is her choice for keeping her lips soft and kissable.
For daytime make-up and to even out her facial tones, Estela uses Haute Protection Tinted Compact 50 from her dermatologist. For evenings, her choice is Paul & Joe shimmering power.
Another Aspen regular is Lisa Holthouse who prefers to keep her summer regimen on the simple side. "Kiehl's self-tanning cream for the face. It's the only one I would ever use because it doesn't have that horrible smell that's associated with tanning creams, " she emails from her summer aerie in the Rockies.
"Also my favorite product is a bronzer that I buy from Cal-a-vie called Julie Hewett. It's a pressed mineral bronzer that is so natural, everyone thinks I've been sun kissed!"
"It's the only one I would ever use because it doesn't have that horrible smell that's associated with tanning creams, " she emails from her summer aerie in the Rockies.
Among Lisa's other summer faves are Chanel lip gloss and Chanel Sublimage face moisturizer as well as Aqua Di Parma body lotion. And she swears by SkinCeuticals Vitamin C Serum, which, she says, works against free radicals and blocks the sun.
Keep it simple
An accomplished athlete as well as a fashionable young professional, Claire Cormier Thielke is another one who prefers to keep things simple during the summer months. "It's so melt-your-makeup off hot in Houston and then it's nice to keep things low-key when I travel."
She uses Simple Skincare moisturizer/sunscreen. "Jennie Segal is a spokesperson for them and I basically do anything that Jennie says because she's so smart and pretty," Claire emails.
She adds, "I'm a big fan of pool time so I pretty much swear by some Bonne Bell jet black eyeliner and the Burt's Bees Shimmer series. They're the best summer substitute for daytime lipstick. If we're doing dinner out, then I might do a touch of Milani Tantastic Summer Bake bronzer and bright red Mac Lady Danger lipstick."
Stylish sun defense
Just back from partying with Houston friends in the South of France and northern Italy, Amy Lee is recharging her batteries in H-Town before heading with the family to Cabo San Lucas for Pacific Ocean breezes.
For those days on the beach, her choice for sun screen is Shiseido Extra Smooth Sun Protection Lotion SPF 38. To keep her face and neck soft and supple, she uses Algenist –Regenerative Anti-Aging Moisturizer SPF 20, found at Sephora. Aveeno Daily Body Moisturizer with sunscreen SPF 15 is another fave.
When it comes to facial detailing, Amy goes for Natura Bisse Diamond Extreme Eye – Energizing lifting eye cream and Natura Bisse C+C vitamin cream, which she finds helps the face and skin recover from sun exposure. Her most important beauty ally, she emails, is "lots and lots of water."
Best Dressed honoree and busy charitable fundraiser Millette Sherman swears by Kerastase Masque Force Architecte, "a must for dry, chlorine and sun-damaged hair." And if she spends much time in the sunshine during the summer, her go-to product is SkinMedica Environmental Defense SPF 50 facial sunscreen, "the best I have ever found."
Millette also favors Dior Hydra Life skin care products that she says are "great for rejuvenating dry skin" and Dior Addict Lip Glow, color awakening lip balm.
Working on a summer glow
For DeVille Fine Jewelry owner Liz Glanville, Tonya Riner's Beauty for Real Afterglow/ Goldrush cheek tint and luminizer and Beauty for Real Sunlight Light Up lip gloss are the ticket. "Both give me a great summer glow!"
"And I am crazy about Ila Face Oil with damascena rose otto, sandalwood and wild grown argan oil all natural from the UK!"
"Keep it simple" is the makeup mantra for KHOU Channel 11 Great Day Houston host Deborah Duncan. She emails, with her signature wry humor, "I have purchased several expensive skin products over the years. The thing that derails me is . . . step 1 . . . step 2 . . . step 3 . .. step 4 every other night . . . step 5 only during a full moon!"
"I usually end up skipping all the steps and going back to the product I have used for about 15 years now. . . Johnson & Johnson Clean & Clear astringent which is about $4 from the the drug store." And I use Azfasst, a product I get online, $19 for a 6 month supply!"
"Both products have what my oily skin needs, salicylic acid," she continues. "That's the active ingredient in many prescription products but the J&J is cheaper when it's located next to the buff puff, fingernail polish and latest magazine outlining Kim Kardashian's post pregnancy fitness routine!"
KHOU Channel 11's Deborah Duncan prefers to keep her make-up regime simple.
