Midnight strolls, beach weekends and driving with the top down...who doesn't love all the perks of summer? If only our skin and makeup could be on the same page. Here are five essential products we believe every elfette must have to be prepared for this hot and humid season. 

1. e.l.f. Essential Shine Eraser

When it's this hot, your face is bound to get a little (or a lot, if you're anything like me) shiny. Keep your shine in check with these sheets that quickly absorbs oil and minimizes pores so you look gorgeous. They are small and lightweight so you can throw them in your bag, no matter where you're headed!

2. e.l.f. Studio Waterproof Lengthening & Volumizing Mascara 

Whether you're cooling your heels on the beach, sweating it out in the city or lounging around the pool, you need a mascara that can keep up and stay strong the whole day. It's waterproof so it'll stay on through any activity and it makes your eyes pop by adding volume and length. You won't be afraid to bat your lashes at any lifeguard while this mascara is on duty. 

3. e.l.f. Mineral Foundation SPF 15

Ditch the liquid foundation for the summer and pick up some mineral foundation. It's lighter, so it won't sweat off, and it has SPF 15 built into it so you can kill two steps in one and keep your skin out of harm's way. 

4. e.l.f. Essential Nail Polish 

In New York, we believe in manis and pedis year-round (the curse of not-so-glamorous public transportation), but in the summer it's even more essential. We love bright shades to match the bright colors of the season like Flirty Fuchsia, Party Peach and Mango Madness. And if you're really feeling adventurous, learn how to get the Ombre look!

5. e.l.f. Studio Lip Stain

Whether you're sipping lemonade or an iced tea from Long Island, you need some lip color that will stick. We can't get enough of our studio lip stain, with enough colors for night and day looks. Put it on once, smooth it over with some gloss, and you'll look like a babe all day. No need to make the kissy face with this stuff, you'll have suitors coming to you from every direction. Mwah!

What are your personal summer beauty must-haves? 

e.l.f. Staff Newbie, 

Elle 

July 4th means that Summer is truly here and it’s hotter than ever!  This summer is filled with concerts and festivals that’ll rock. For all of your country music fans, the talented and beautiful Whitney Duncan kicks off her summer tour on July 8th in Fort Loramie, Ohio. She started singing at the little age of six, playing shows by 13, and learned the guitar at 19.  Aside from singing and performing, Whitney loves softball, snowboarding and reading. She is also a makeup enthusiast and will be wearing e.l.f. cosmetics for her summer 2010 tour. Her CD “Right Road Now” includes the singles “Skinny Dippin” and “Bed that You Made”.  For all you country music fans definitely check out Whitney’s summer schedule below:

One of the hardest or time consuming things to do is changing our winter wardrobe into our summer wardrobe.  Derek Warburton of DerekLovesShopping gave us his top tips on making our summer wardrobe pop!

Firstly, color is a must. One of the biggest transitions is to start incorporating color back into our clothing. Mixing color with the perfect basics will definitely look clean, fun and polished! Another fun accessory idea that is “in” if done properly is studs! Studs are starting to be seen on belts, shoes, bags…everywhere! Ofcourse we can’t talk of summer fashion without mentioning shoes! Platforms are the way to go this summer, and high ones at that!

The key word is edit! Looking put together is the most important element for this summer season. Although new trends are out we don’t want to look like we threw things together.

What will be your favorite summer accesory?

  ~Andrea~

Andrea is a current college student and marketing intern at e.l.f. cosmetics. She is an avid fashion lover and is always up to date on the most fabulous trends and stories. 

We had the chance to sit down and discuss hair color with Ala Israel of Amoy Couture Salon. Ala states that in order to have a perfect summer color set in properly, we must first start healthy from the basics. Deep conditioning is key to restoring moisture and shine to colored hair and this will allow from the natural hair color to blend in.  Ala also states that the water we use on our hair is just as important as the products we use. Installing a water filter in our shower will keep our hair from becoming dull with the rust that is found in water pipes.

Also, for the summer, wetting out hair with bottled spring water helps us shield it from all of the harsh chemicals found in swimming pools. Starting from the basics is very important in having perfect color and hair for the summer. We need to keep the shine in our hair without over-drying it. 

What is your summer hair look? Share any tips you may have for maintaining that perfect summer look.

  ~Andrea~

Andrea is a current college student and marketing intern at e.l.f. cosmetics. She is an avid fashion lover and is always up to date on the most fabulous trends and stories.