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Credit: Instagram @sarasampaio

We’re all for trying new beauty trends, but classics are classics for a reason, and right now nothing feels more right on the face in summer than a sexy, bronzed eye set against illuminated, sun-kissed skin. “For a beautiful sun-kissed look I love using cream bronzers, illuminators and blushers, as I find they look so much more natural on the skin,” says New York-based make-up artist, Campbell Richie who works with Toni Garrn and Aimee Mullins. “Avoid combining colours, instead stick to harmonious tones and variations of earth tones.” We asked Richie to break down her biggest rules for rocking a bronzed smoky eye this summer.

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Credit: Instagram @josephineskriver

#1 Work off your eye colour
When picking your summer smoky eyes shades, Ritchie suggests using your eye colour as a guide. “Blue eyed girls should go for oranges, apricots, golds, peaches and pinks, while variations of mauve, plums and purples pop off green eyes,” she suggests. “Hazel eyes can pull of any colour, and I love using navy blues, and dark, metallic brown on darker eyes.” Her top tip for a light-catching summer eye? “Go for metallic shadows that reflect your eyes.”

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Credit: Instagram @jourdandunn

#2 Start off simple
You don’t need dozens of eye shadows to nail a summer smoky eye – two hues and eyeliner will suffice. “There are so many amazing cream eye shadows on the market which help achieving this makeup look heaps more simplified,” she continues, counting Maybelline Eye Tattoos and MAC Paint Pots amongst her favourites. “Use a chocolate brown liner for the waterline it is a lot softer for day, but still packs a punch.”

SummerEye_Maybelline
MAYBELLINE, Colour Tattoo Eye Shadow in Bad to the Bronze and Bold Gold, $11.95 each. SHOP NOW

SummerEye_MAC
MAC, Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Indianwood, $35. SHOP NOW

SummerEye_TomFord
Tom Ford, Cream & Powder Eye Color in Golden Peach, $87. SHOP NOW

#3 Think about your lips
“There really is no right or wrong rules for which lip shade to go with, if it looks good go with it, if it doesn’t adjust,” explains Ritchie, who put these moves into practice on model Elyse Knowles for the recent Jo Mercer Spring/Summer 2016 campaign. “I always start off by making sure the lips are free of chapping or dry skin by using a lip scrub,” Ritchie continues, saying Lush’s Popcorn scrub, or simply using a toothbrush are her lip smoothing go-to’s. “Don’t over do it, just enough to feel a slight buzzing sensation and then apply a petroleum free lip balm before your colour.”

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Credit: Instagram @campbellritchie

#4 Watch your base
While many of us want to boost the bronze in the warmer months, Ritchie says your foundation isn’t the place to make it happen. “Always use foundation or tinted moisturiser that’s the exact same colour as your skin complexion, never paler or darker or you will end up with obvious lines,” she warns, saying she prefers cream illuminators, blushers and bronzes to add warmth the skin over powers as they look more natural.