summer favourites

Over the Summer I've found lots of great products perfect for the hot weather (cough) and I thought I'd share them all with you guys. I've done a fair few mini reviews down below so as not to clog the post up too much I just briefly mentioned most products.

Radox Hand Gel - £1.35, Transformulas Teeth Whitening Pen - £29.99, Environ Mositurising Toner, Sun Shots - £9.95 Ciate Cuticle Oil £10, Acqua D'alfresco Anti-Bug Bite Fragrance - £30 (pack of 4), Muard Pomegranate Lip Protector - £12.00, Optrex Eyedew Dazzling Eye Drops - £4.49, Thalgo Energizing Cream - £33.20, Avene Eau Thermale Protection Spray - £15.98, Liz Earle Foot Spritzer - £7.50.

Summer isn't the same without a bright lipstick or two and over the years I've found a load of favourites that I even wear to the beach on holiday.

Mac Impassioned - Nars Heat Wave - Mac St Germain - Mac Show Orchid - Illamasqua Blaze - Mac Morange
 

Nars multiples are a must have for Summer in my opinion, the give your cheeks a lovely glow that goes perfect with a tan. Given they are a tad pricey but on average a stick will last you about 5 years so definitely a great investment.

Nars Tuomota Multiple and Nars Orgasm Multiple - £29.00

If you aren't a fan of cream blush products then the Rituals Sunglow compacts are a perfect alternative for a hint of shimmer, and the bronze colour will take you through to Autumn with the warm shades of coral.

Sunglow Bronze and Sunglow Pink - £22.90

Tinted moisturisers are also a must as no one wants to be faffing around with foundation in hot weather. If you are after great coverage then the Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer is perfect for that but to give your skin a quick glow then Ahava light foundation or Witch anti-blemish tinted moisturiser are also great options.

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser - £33, Ahava Light Foundation - £18.75, Witch Tinted Moisturiser - £5.99

I've also been loving the new Nars Illumintaors for the past few months patted onto my cheeks in the daytime. Click here for an in depth review.

Nars Laguna & Copacabana Illuminator - £21.50 each

A good moisturiser is another essential in the Summer months as the sunshine can really dry out your skin but equally you don't want anything too heavy on making it feel greasy. On my holiday in Greece I used the Thalgo Energizing Cream every day and swear by it. The cream is lightweight and sinks straight into the skin and has a lovely refreshing scent. Up to +52% hydration one hour after application, sounds good to me!

Thalgo Energizing Cream - £33.20

Obviously you can't go on holiday without sun cream and I personally never go lower than a factor 20 to protect my skin properly. Sun shots are a great idea if you are going away on any trips while abroad or to pop in your handbag on a hot day in England, a lot easier than carrying a big bottle around with you.

Sun shots - £9.95

Hair wise I always find my hair goes frizzy and can be such a pain to maintain in the hot months, Fekkai Silky Straight Serum is absolutely amazing for that problem and doesn't feel like the usual sticky serums as it's high quality it sinks straight into my hair. The Beach Waves spray also by Fekkai creates beautiful beachy waves, but unfortunately they both come with a hefty price tag. At the other end of the price scale there is Batiste Dry Shampoo which I'm sure you've all tried and know about but I found it great after a day at the beach to refresh my hair.

Fekkai Beach Waves - £20, Fekkai Silky Straight Serum - £20, Batiste Mini Dry Shampoo - £1.25

While keeping my suitcase weight in mind I decided to take the Orly mini polishes with me as the size makes them ideal for travelling. They launched in larger Boots stores not long ago now and come in loads of different shades including bright Summer colours.

Orly Mini Polishes - £5 from Boots

And finally after that essay of a blog post last but not least is Strobe Cream by Mac. If I could recommend that you get one thing for beautiful glowing skin then it would definitely be this product. You can either mix it with foundation to create a tinted moisturiser or just apply it straight to your cheek bones. The forumla also comes in a liquid version if you like to steer away from cream products.

Mac Strobe Cream - £12

Hope you're all loving the gorgeous weather xo

current make-up #7

Seems like a while since my face popped up on this blog, so here it is. Loving thick lashes, flicked liner, nude lips, statement brows, contoured cheeks and flawless foundation at the moment. If you are a lover of heavy coverage foundation then you definitely need Estee Lauder Double Wear in your life, just make sure you use plenty of moisturiser beforehand if you have dry skin. My hair has also grown a fair bit which I'm proper pleased about but I put it mainly down to avoiding the hairdressers for longer than I should have. I'm going to be messing around with the colour soon so will post on that if it goes well.

Stay classy.

sleek nude collection

Just before I jetted off for my hols last month I received the Sleek Nude Collection through my post box but unfortunately ever since then I've been such a busy bee that I haven't managed to share my thoughts on the products. I was pleased that they came out with the natural shades in the collection for daytime looks as Sleek can tend to be quite a bold brand when it comes to colour so the products make a nice change. The collection hit the shops on 31st August so if you fancy a closer look head out to Superdrug and do some swatching.

Suede Blush - £4.30

The blush from the collection is a gorgeous warm toned peach/brown shade, perfect for olive toned skin or used lightly on a paler complexion.

Bare Minimum - £4.30

I personally believe that having at least one Sleek Pout Polish is a must in any girls make up kit and you can't go wrong with this nude/clear shade. It doesn't add any colour to my lips personally but works well at moisturising them and adding a subtle sheen to the lips.

Au Naturel i-Divine Palette - £6.49

The eye shadow palette has a load of great daytime/neutral colours and some darker shades for a smoky eye. I did unfortunately find some of the lighter shades slightly too chalky and didn't show up on my skin very well as you can see. However overall it's still a decent palette and worth getting even if you only use the darker/shimmer shades.

http://www.sleekmakeup.com

london fashion week: toni & guy hair show

Last Thursday I was lucky enough to be invited along to the first ever hair show at London Fashion Week courtesy of Toni & Guy which was very surreal to say the least. We started the night with a glass of champers and then made our way to the main catwalk where none other than the legend that is Naomi Campbell presented the show. I did a bit of celeb spotting and saw Oliva Palermo, Matthew Williamson and Hilary Alexander enjoying the show, to name a few. I even sat behind the celebrity make up artist that is Lisa Eldridge, who I'm sure you are all aware of as her skills with the make up brush are beyond words. Anyhow, what I gathered from the show is that big waves, messy buns and statement hair styles is where it's at. Obviously as it's a catwalk show some of the styles aren't what I'd consider wearable but definitely something to draw inspiration from.

Wardrobe by Charlie Anderson

illamasqua theatre of nameless collection

Hi dolls. So, one of my all time fave brands Illamasqua recently launched another collection named 'Theatre of Nameless' and I was lucky enough to get sent a few pieces to review. I've also been sent their new mascara to try out..

''Infused with the essence of self-expression that transformed 1920s Berlin, this rich and indulgent collection envelops the senses. Darkly sophisticated tones are accompanied by shocks of dazzling iridescence, creating a breathtakingly modern interpretation of the most illicit nightlife in history.''

On to the products..

Cream Pigment in 'Androgen'  £17

I find the consistency and shade perfect as a cream blush and it can be used lightly for a subtle look or built up for going out. As it's a cream pigment you can also use it on the lips or eyes, I personally think it makes an amazing lip colour that turns out more pink based than orange. I've been wearing the colour on my lips and cheeks together which creates a perfect daytime and fresh faced look. If you like your coral shades then this cream pigment is definitely a must have.

Pure Pigment in 'Beguile'  £15.50

As I am basically like a seven year old kid when it comes to glitter I was so happy to get this pigment in my hands. The shade is a beautiful mix of electric pink and green brought together with a snowy white colour. As it's so finely milled the product is perfect to use on the inner corner of your eye for a night out, or even in the day time if you fancy playing around with your make up.

'Masquara'  £15

If you are a mascara junkie then this one is definitely for you, as I tend to go for full on lashes and build the mascara up like there is no tomorrow I love this one. I'd recommend layering it over another mascara though as it can be quite messy and adds no length or separation, it literally just gives your lashes thickness and makes them jet black. I'm also super impressed with the longevity, my lashes have been looking perfect all day long. If any of you have tried Bourjois clubbing mascara, 'Masquara' is basically the better version of that.

Let me know your thoughts xo