Desi Diva

By Shweta Jha

Lighten Up - It's Summer!

Plus, ways to look perfectly pretty when the heat is on

Q: I love wearing make-up but now my cosmetics bag is bulging at the seams! I haul around so many products I could supply the girls on Top Model. How can I carry what I need and still sport a purse as teeny as my tank?

A: Summer’s no time for a big bag! Or a face full of make-up! When the heat is on, minimize everything, and that includes the size and contents of your pouch. Ditch bulky bags for streamlined purses that fit only your essentials – mojito not included. Remember, when the heat is on, all you need is a sexy sheen. Try toting a combination set – cute palettes that aren’t too much bigger than a deck of cards that contain just enough make-up to crank up the natural beauty of unadorned summer skin. And don’t fret if you’re loyal to one brand – you can find these adorable sets at every cosmetics counter in an array of styles. For getting your glow on, we love Cargo’s Bronzing Kit, a quartet of products (bronzer, blush, bronzing eye shadow and waterproof mascara) that you can wear all together or individually to make the sunshine last – even when it’s gone.

Anthropologie’s Warm Breeze Dress

Q: Living in the city is great – but hoofing it to the office in the dog days of summer means I’m a hot mess when I arrive – so much so that I can’t possibly pull myself together for the usual after-work soiree. Can I ever look neat in the summer heat or should I fall back until fall?

A: There’s a reason it’s called a summer dress. The sweltering days of August – and your office dress code – call for tossing aside those saggy skirts and heavy trousers; nothing says “the day’s ablaze but I’m not fazed” like a well-tailored dress. Seek out natural fibers like cotton that allow your skin to breathe and look for cuts with a little structure so your dress won’t do much shifting around, even when you’re racing your gal pal to grab the last bagel from the morning meeting. Sleeveless styles with rounded necks are a safe choice – a slight V-neck will carry your look from day to night – and add a jewel toned belt in ruby or emerald hues for pizzazz. We love Anthropologie’s Warm Breeze Dress paired with peep toes for sweet and easy summer style.

Q: Now that summer's here I've gone to about a dozen weddings – but I'm so over the sweat stains that form in the armpits of my sari blouses after a few turns around the dance floor! Can I ever stay dry? I just want to be free to raise my arms and balle balle!

A: It’s not summer until letters start pouring in wondering how to pull the plug on those overactive sweat glands. Fact is, sweating is a natural function of the human body and everyone’s different when it comes to where and how much. But if excessive sweating, a condition known as hyperhidrosis, is making you go through several changes of clothing, stronger fixes exist. Underarm Botox injections have been shown to stem sweat, while a surgical procedure actually removes the glands responsible for sweating. But if needles and knives aren't for you, try fabric guards that adhere to the inside of your clothing and absorb sweat – and help you wave bye-bye to those style-cramping damp circles.

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