All around me are the sounds of a spring storm. The wind elicits groans out of winter-weary tree limbs and throws raindrops against the glass like a desperate lover tossing pebbles at the window to signal his arrival. This is no gentle spring shower, this is a storm.

With all this grey surrounding me, I had to write of something sunnier and I found something gold and gorgeous to light up this dreary day.

L’Oreal’s Wear Infinite Eyeshadow Quartets contain the perfect bronze, gold, amber, copper and cocoa shades to make eyes shimmer and highlight them against the bronze glow we all plan to have this summer. I like the Golden Sunshine quad. For deeper tones there is the Bronze Sunset shade collection.

Rage as it will, the storm will soon give over to warmer, sunnier summer and I may just hurry it along by giving my eyes that summer shimmer today.

Max Factor introduces MAXwear for Lips, combining rich shades of color with a luminescent top coat of shine all in one wand. They encourage you to mix and match the colors for your own unique blend. At $7.99 retail one could easily purchase two or three shades to get that perfect blend of color that suits best. Then apply the highlight layer from the other end of the lip color wand for an iridescent shine. What a great look for summer! There are 26 colors available; each comes in a wand with a highlight shine at the other end. Available in department and drugstores everywhere.

Summer means longer and brighter days and more time spent out of doors. Your look should be a healthy glow. You want to accent eyes and lips to draw attention but you needn’t spend too much time applying your make-up and you don’t have to tote around pounds of products. A simple four items tucked into your bag are all you need for that care-free summer look.

1. Care for your face:

The first item in your essential summer make-up bag should be a light face cream with built-in sunscreen. Apply often throughout the day. Wrinkles appear less noticeable when the skin is moisturized and you will reduce the damage from heat and sun. If you want to wear foundation, choose a minimum cover foundation (unless you are blending freckled or uneven skin tones). Use one that has an added sunscreen.

2. Be Cheeky:

Too much blush can look like stage make-up in natural sunlight. How about brushing lightly over the face with a bronzing powder? Applying a light dusting of a rosy blush on your cheeks over the bronzer will give cheeks a natural glow.

3. Give ‘em the eye:

Eyeliner on the top lid only to make the eyes appear larger and define them. Use a natural brown or brown/black. Waterproof mascara for lashes, as humidity can melt make-up and leave dark circles under your eyes. Use natural colors for eyeshadow; earth tones in sand, gold and shades of tan or brown work well.

4. Kissable Lips:

Start with a moisturizing lip balm that contains a sunscreen. Lip gloss with sheer color is great for daylight hours. If you have a tan, you can go brighter, richer, deeper with color without looking “made up”. Stay away from pale frosts, but a bit of shine is always in fashion.

Pack these four items and look naturally fabulous all summer!

Help! You applied a self-tanner and now your legs are streaked and your face is orange! What can you do?

To lessen the appearance of streaks in your self-tan, use a cotton ball soaked in a 2% alpha-hydroxy solution. Your “tan” is only in the top dead layer of skin cells, so exfoliating will remove some of the color. Use a loofah or a body scrub, but don’t be too harsh. For your face, a bronzing powder can help reduce the orange and even out the color, but don’t use too much.

Most importantly, relax. Your “tan” will naturally fade in three to four days.