5 Low-Key Summer Makeup Looks

The clothes on the recent runways may have said fall, but the makeup screamed summer. Models sported perfectly bare skin and played up one feature — eyes, lips, brows, lashes — exuding a laid-back and non-committal attitude to beauty. And the best part is, it's as easy to achieve at home as it looks, says Grace Lee, Maybelline New York lead makeup artist for Canada. "The idea with this look is to flaunt what you've got by choosing to play up one feature," she says. "But it also works as a nice introduction to makeup for women who are daunted by it because it's approachable."

The bottom line? You simply can't get this look wrong.

Also see: 5 Best Waterproof Makeup Picks

BROWS

Runway inspiration: Proenza Schouler

The triumphant return of brows means we can all give our tweezers a break. Instead, Lee says, invest in a good brow pencil and brush. "You want to go with your natural shape and fill in sparse areas to create a thicker, more groomed version of your natural brows," she says. Feel free to keep layering the pencil but remember to brush it through to help blend the colour. If your brows are already thick, run a brow brush through them to keep them upright and in place. Lee's favourite trick is to use clear mascara to keep brows neat and styled.

FLARE picks: Chanel Crayon Sourcils Sculpting Eyebrow Pencil, $28 at Chanel beauty counters.
Maybelline Great Lash Clear Mascara, $7 at mass-market retailers.

Also see: Celebrity Beauty Crush: Julianne Hough

SKIN

Runway inspiration: Roland Mouret

Unlike past seasons where skin was in, this time around it's not about looking overly matte or too dewy. To achieve a natural-looking luminous glow, Lee suggests prepping skin by exfoliating before applying moisturizer — she's partial to BB creams — then use concealer only where needed, like under the eyes, around the corners of the nose and on any blemishes.  "Contouring really helps with this look as it can make you look younger and thinner," Lee says. She advises looking at your face in the mirror and sucking in your cheeks, then follow the hollow of the cheeks with a bronzer with warm undertones. Go easy on the application, though, and avoid colours with pink or purple undertones, as they will make you look like an extra from the set of Dynasty.

FLARE picks: Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector, $17 at mass market retailers. Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat Radiant Touch, $50 at Holt Renfrew. Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Coffee Cake, $9 at mass market retailers.

Also see: Looks We Love: Matchy Lips

EYES

Runway inspiration: Burberry Prorsum

Lee calls this a modern take on a smoky brown eye, and the key to keeping it everyday wearable is to use translucent formulations of shadows or eye gels. Sweep the colour all over the eye following your natural eye shape and use your comfort level as a guide to determine how high toward the brow bone you want to go. Lee says that brown is a universally flattering colour, although blue-eyed beauties would benefit from a brown shade with orange undertones, green-eyed gals should opt for a gray-based brown, while African-American women look good in a rich reddish brown.

FLARE pick: Stila In The Light palette, $50, murale.ca

Also see: Perfect Your Self-Tan Technique: Step-by-Step Tips For Best Faux Glow

LASHES

Runway inspiration: Valentino

When it comes to lashes, Lee says, "every little bit counts." To achieve the look of lush lashes without having to resort to fakes, be sure to coat every single hair with mascara including the tiny ones in the inner and outer corners of the eye: "Most women tend to only swipe mascara on the centre lashes, but by getting the little ones in the corners it'll give you a wide-eyed look." Lee advises mixing and matching mascaras to get this job done. Use a lengthening mascara as a guide to help coat all lashes then follow up with a thickening formulation to help fill them out.

FLARE picks: Rimmel Lash Accelerator, $10 at mass market retailers. L'Oreal Paris Voluminous Million Lashes, $11 at mass market retailers.

Also see: Beauty Lesson: How To Banish Ingrown Hairs

LIPS

Runway inspiration: Jil Sander

While vibrant lips have taken centre stage for the past few seasons, this summer's lightly saturated tones are more universally wearable. "The lips at Jil Sander were a perfect rose colour that wasn't too red or too pink," Lee says. "It's a colour that works on everyone." For this to look fresh and pulled together, she advises paying attention to the lip contour and using a clear or neutral-toned pencil to line lips — if you want more staying power from your lipstick fill them in too. Then use a brush to apply lipstick as this will help the colour penetrate the lip lines.

FLARE picks: M.A.C Lipstick in Bombshell, $18 at maccosmetics.com. Smashbox The Nude Lip Pencil, $19 at sephora.com.