During warm-weather months, give your face a natural, summery look with these tips.

While you're reorganizing your closet to make room for those summer clothes, take a look at your makeup bag as well: Cosmetics only last so long, and if you've had yours for longer than you can remember, they could be harboring harmful bacteria or irritating chemicals.

Bronzer is the quickest way to wake up your skin after a long winter's nap. For a sun-kissed glow, swipe it on your cheekbones, forehead, chin, down your nose, and along your jawline, says Jessica Blades, a makeup artist in Brooklyn, New York.

Two to try: Almay Powder Bronzer and Jane Iredale Brush-Me Bronze Bronzing Powder.

An essential beauty aid, eye-makeup remover helps erase stubborn traces of shadow, liner, and waterproof mascara. We tested paraben-free brands and found three that wiped up the competition.

All cosmetics brushes work, but only some do a standout job. A high-quality brush gives you a believable application and lasts indefinitely, says Maria Verel, a makeup artist in New York City.

Inferior brushes distribute makeup unevenly, shed bristles, and may need to be replaced more often. Before you buy a brush, inspect the handle and the bristles, using the guidelines below.

Hot temperatures can melt even meticulously applied makeup. These tips from Martha Stewart Weddings were written with brides in mind, but they're sure to come in handy for anyone attending an outdoor event in warm weather.

When blackberry picking stained the fingertips of cosmetics formulator and organic gardening enthusiast Susie Wang, she had a light-bulb moment. Why not use antioxidant fruit pigments as all-natural dyes for makeup? Thus, her new 100 Percent Pure cosmetics line was born.

Although most makeup gets its color from synthetics or mineral-based pigments, Wang uses apricots and peaches in pressed powder; blackberries, blueberries, and black tea in mascara; and cocoa bean and strawberries for Cocoa Berry, a sheer, rosy-brown lip tint. If that doesn't make a red-hot summer statement, we don't know what does.

Once found mainly in health-food stores, mineral makeup -- made from pulverized rocks like mica, titanium dioxide, and silica -- has acquired a modern polish, with updated, skin-friendly formulas.

Mineral makeup's bright pigments, light-reflecting properties, acne-fighting ingredients, and mattifying benefits (no sweaty shine!) make it a perfect addition to your summer beauty routine.