July Favourites

 I felt like some monthly favourite posts were definitely in need on this blog and July was a pretty good month to start. After being in America for a month and having a birthday in July, there were some new products to be tested out throughout the summer and these were the finalists that I have been using constantly throughout the month of July.

  Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush, Dim Infusion

For my birthday I received a Space NK gift card, so as you can probably imagine my excitement, I straight away made quite a hefty order of everything I have wanted but couldn't quite bring myself to spend the money on. I have heard a lot of amazing things about this blush so of course I wanted to give it a little go as well, and I was so glad I did. Lets start with the packaging and the look of the blush. The luxurious gold mirrored case and the stunning marbled blush that lies inside of it already sold it to me before even reading the reviews. Well the picture speaks for it's self. Once you apply this onto the skin it gives a lovely fresh peachy glow to the cheeks. This product has great colour payoff and is the perfect amount of pigmented for a blush. 

MAC Eyeshadow, Naked Lunch
In the summer I will usually opt for a shimmery champagne colour all over the lid. It's simple and takes no time at all, plus with a tan it looks even better.

Nars Bronzing Powder, Laguna

In the summer time my face always ends up being lighter than the rest of my body, as a result bronzer is one of my favourite products in the summer to add a little more colour to my face. After reading many blog posts and watching many YouTube videos of favourite bronzers, I found this one to be the most loved out of the lot. Alas, I added this one to the Space NK order and definitely have not regretted it. It has a slight shimmer but nothing that is too recognisable on the face if you're a fan of the matt bronzers. The colour just right by not being too orange or muddy, the perfect brown bronzer that enhances or creates a summer glow. 

Nars Radient Creamy Concealer, Vanilla

This is my favourite concealer I have tired so far, it is super creamy and blends to perfection. I use this for both under my eyes and on any blemishes, it does the job and never creases so a massive thumbs up from me.

Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara
This has come in so useful since I purchased this. I like to use very large brushes for my top lashes for extra volume, however on the bottom lashes it is a pain to apply as I always find it smudges underneath my eyes and I can never get to the outer corner lashes without making a massive mess of it. This mascara has a tiny brush that gets to the outer corner bottom lashes without smudging when you're applying.

Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Powder

This adds such a lovely finish to your makeup without adding any colour. It is simply a setting powder to eliminate any shine and make your makeup last all day and works amazingly.

Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray

This is literally volume in a can. If you are like me and have very lifeless hair this is perfect for you. I just spray it in my roots and a little into the ends, it adds the right amount of texture without it being sticky in your hair (and smells great too).

Serge Normant Dry Shampoo

I was on the look out for a new dry shampoo, but with volume. This is just what I was looking for, it smells good, adds volume and gives your hair that freshly washed look. Ticks all the boxes.

    

xoxo

Summer Beauty Guide

For messy, relaxed beachy waves

In the summer, its all about messy, wavy hair for me. Something I can wear for a few days with a little extra help from some dry shampoo, because I think everyone can agree that washing hair is such an effort. 

If you are blessed with naturally wavy hair...

~ Towel dry your hair until damp.

~ Apply a texture gel or cream from roots to ends // Bumble and Bumble Texture Creme

~ Spray sea salt spray throughout the hair focusing on the ends // Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray or Toni and Guy Sea Salt Spray

~ After applying the products blow dry the hair upside down and scrunch the ends while blow drying, use a diffuser to create even more volume and waves. 

~ Once hair is dry, depending on how wavy your hair is naturally and how wavy you want the end result you can add a few more waves throughout your hair with a 1-1 1/2 inch curling iron. 

~ Then spritz a little more sea salt spray in the ends and scrunch. 

If you have straight hair...

~ Go through the same steps above but you will need to curl your whole head. When curling your hair use a 1- 1 1/12 inch curling iron and leave around 2 inches uncurled at the end. When curling swap directions for every curl you do, this will result in a more natural, messy look and won't look too overdone. 

~ Spritz a little hairspray at the roots and ends // Tresemme Volume & Lift Firm Hold Hairspray  

To make this style last for a few days, in the morning lightly brush through the hair then add some dry shampoo and a little sea salt spray for more texture. People with naturally straight hair may need to add a few more curls in the morning after two days.

For glowy, bronzed skin

~ Use a tinted moisturiser or a BB Cream with SPF instead of a heavy foundation. This will give you a healthy, natural glow and feels light on the skin in the hot summer weather // Origins Vita Zing or Dr Jart+ Water Fuse BB Cream

~ Add a matt bronzer on under the cheekbones and temples and using the rest to dust over your nose and forehead. This will contour and add colour to your face // Nars Bronzing Powder or Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzing Powder

~ Use a peachy cream blush and apply with your fingers onto the apples of your cheeks and work the rest up to your temples // Maybelline Dream Soft Blush

For natural, bronzed eyes

~ Dust a bronzed, champagne colour over the lids and work into the crease // MAC All That Glitters

~ Use a lighter colour to highlight the inner corners and brow bone // MAC Naked Lunch or Urban Decay Virgin

~ Curl your lashes and use a waterproof mascara on the top and bottom lashes to make sure the mascara doesn't budge // Maybelline Volume Express The Colossal Waterproof Mascara

xoxo 

Left image // Found via Pinterest

Right image // Found via Pinterest  

The Daily Makeup Routine

The Face

I have been more into BB creams lately instead of foundation, foundation just makes my skin look a bit of a 'nothingness' and 'dull'. This Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream gives a nice dewy, natural finish. BB creams don't tend to be very high coverage, hence the natural finish so I go over any blemishes and dark circles with the Make up For Ever Full Cover Concealer. This concealer is one of the best in the market, it's waterproof so it literally doesn't budge one bit... not to mention neither does it crease under the eyes which is a big bonus. When my face is looking a bit colourless I like to bronze it up with the Bourjois Chocolate Bronzing Powder, yes you heard right... chocolate. Basically imagine putting hot chocolate powder on your face, it smells like a dream. Don't worry though you don't go around smelling like a bakery all day though (however, not necessarily a bad thing), the smell doesn't linger. Then for a rosy glow to the cheeks I add a bit of Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Rose Petal. 

The Eyes and Lips

For days when I have enough time for eyeshadow, I like to keep it pretty natural. I always reach for my Urban Decay Naked 2 palette with my Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion (which is amazing, my eyeshadow stays on all day). I put 'Bootycall' from the palette all over the lid with 'Tease' in the crease and 'Busted' as eyeliner. Then I curl my lashes with my eyelash curler (from boots but not too sure on the brand) and apply a few coats of Maybelline The Rocket Volume Mascara. This mascara looks like you have false eyelashes but in a nice, natural way (I am not aspiring to rock the look of a Geordie Shore girl, don't worry). For the lips I keep it really natural with the Maybelline Baby Lips in Peach Kiss, this just adds a neutral peach sheen to the look.  

The Tools
I use these brushes everyday so as you can see, I am a big fan. From left to right, I use the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush for blending in the BB cream and any concealer I don't blend with my finger. This brush gives a natural, airbrushed look to your foundation/BB cream. For the bronzer I use the Real Techniques Blush Brush as it has a tapered end, it's easy to work into the cheekbones and down the side of the face. I will also use this brush for blush as well but the Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush I apply with my fingers. Next I use the spooly to comb through my eyebrows (makeup tip: spray hairspray on the spooly before you comb to set the eyebrows), I can't remember where I got this but probably just a cheap basic Boots Drugstore one. In the crease for my eyeshadow I use my favourite eyeshadow brush which is the the MAC 217 Blending Brush, a little on the pricey side but it has lasted forever and its still in amazing condition. All over the lid eyeshadow colour I use the MAC 239 Eye Shader Brush. Last but not least, I use the Bobbie Brown Eye Liner Brush on my top and bottom lash line to apply the eyeshadow for a natural, blended out eyeliner look.

xoxo