20 Beauty Shortcuts for Hot Days

1. The hands-down prettiest lacquer for the new elongated oval nail shape: a neutral, like OPI Infinite Shine Lacquer in No Stopping Zone. The flattering shade goes with everything, and chips are hardly noticeable, which means more style, less maintenance.

2. For instant polish, define your brows with a pencil (like Benefit Goof Proof Brow Pencil) the same color as the lightest tone in your hair, filling in sparse areas with short strokes.

3. Quickly add a dash of nighttime drama: After your last eye makeup step, trace your top and bottom waterline with a nude pencil (such as Urban Decay 24/7 Waterline Eye Pencil in Walk of Shame)—it'll make the whites of your eyes appear brighter. Then use a flat brush dipped in brown gel liner to lightly outline your lower lashes.

4. The new moisturizing matte lipsticks (try Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick) are the surest route to chic, even if you're not wearing any other makeup. And the formulas are so creamy and light, you can apply the deepest shades without a mirror.

5. Find your most natural-looking pink effortlessly with a super-hydrating lip balm, like 3Lab Healthy Glow Lip Balm, or one containing pigments that react to your skin's pH, giving you a custom shade. Try Clarins Daily Energizer Lovely Lip Balm (front).

6. Lighten up! Swap your usual foundation for a sheer formula that does double duty: Clinique Super City Block BB Cushion Compact provides just enough coverage and contains ultraprotective broad-spectrum SPF 50.

Beauty Master Class
Makeup artist Sonia Kashuk's five-minute, five-step routine

I start with my tinted moisturizer (Radiant+ Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15) to even out skin tone.

Then I apply a dab of my Crème Blush to the apples of my cheeks for a subtle flush.

I groom my brows quickly with my Tinted Brow Gel to fill in sparseness and keep hairs in place.

After that I line my eyes with my Longwear Eye Definer in Dark Chocolate, applying it close to the upper lashline.

I finish with my Satin Luxe Lip Color in Roseberry, a flattering neutral. That's it!

7. For a quick touch of glitz, pump up your mascara game with gold: After one coat of blackest black, apply the gold starting midway from the root of the lashes and rolling the brush to the tip. (We like YSL Mascara Vinyl Couture in I'm the Clash and I'm the Fire.)

8. Want to make a bolder lip statement without leaving your comfort zone? Switch to a vivid rose, like the one in L'Oréal Paris Colour Riche La Palette in Pink.

9. You can skip the separate lotions for your neck, chest, and hands if you get one luscious cream. Look for hyaluronic acid or glycerin near the top of the ingredients list (try Sephora Collection Whipped Cream Body Moisturizer).

10. Don't worry about washing your face in the a.m. Just give yourself a few splashes of tepid water; if your face feels oily, try an alcohol-free toner (like Perricone MD Pre:Empt Series Exfoliating Pore Refiner) to create a fresh canvas for your serum or moisturizer.

11. Instead of sudsing up with soap in the shower—which can strip the skin of natural oils and proteins, leaving it tight and parched—try a hydrating body wash, such as Dove Dry Oil Moisture Body Wash, to restore lipids.

12. Shorten your blow-drying routine with two ingenious products: A blow-dry primer, like Redken Pillow Proof Blow Dry Express Treatment Primer, also provides heat protection; a dryer with a brushless motor, like the Varis Dryer, produces faster airflow to reduce drying time (and heat damage).

13. The ultimate smart, no-fuss haircut: a shoulder-grazing bob. It's short enough to style quickly, but long enough to pull back into an elegant low ponytail when you're short on time.

14. Keep your color looking fresh with a shampoo and conditioner with UV protection (try Rita Hazan True Color Shampoo and Conditioner). Check the label for the terms paraben-free, sulfate-free, or hydrating, which mean the formula will help prevent fading and repair damage caused by dyes. Once a week, use an at-home gloss, such as John Frieda Colour Refreshing Gloss.

15. Style your hair as you sleep: Before bed, apply antifrizz cream on damp hair. Divide it into braids (six for thinner hair, two for thicker), making sure to secure each one as close to the tip as possible to avoid dents and creases. In the morning, undo the braids and break them up with a wide-tooth comb or a quick shot of cool air from your blow-dryer.

16. Two minutes to a cute, casual hairstyle: After making a deep side part, grab a one-inch piece of hair from the front, closest to the part, twisting it away from your face toward the opposite temple. Secure it with a bobby pin placed at a diagonal (try Sephora Collection Quick Fix: Bobby Pins in Pastel Pin Ups).

17. Get more mileage out of your blow-out by using dry shampoo (like Dove Refresh + Care Detox & Purify Dry Shampoo). Here's how: Separate hair into one- to two-inch sections and spray only at the roots, holding the can six to eight inches from the scalp. Allow the powder to sit for two to three minutes, then quickly blow-dry to loosen the shampoo particles.

18. When you start to notice regrowth, temporarily camouflage it with a root cover-up, like Temptu Airbrush 24-Hour Root Touch-Up & Hair Color.
Bonus: You can also use it to make your brows look fuller. Just spray the pigmented formula onto a spoolie brush and draw it through.

19. While you're frolicking on the beach, give your hair a conditioning mask, such as Kérastase Nutritive Masque Magistral. Work a quarter-size dollop through your hair from roots to ends, then pull it back into a bun or a braid.

20. The fastest summer routine of all: Just throw on a pair of colorful, stylish sunglasses—and go.
From top: Diane von Furstenberg, Toms, and SEE.