Top 10 Summer Time Essentials

Are you planning a summer holiday? or city break? Are you on the search for your new summer time make up collection? Then look no further. I have put together a top 10 list of summer essentials all tried and tested by me:

1. Clarins Beauty Flash Balm- Mix in with foundation to create a flawless face with a radiant glow.
2. Clinique True Bronzed pressed powder- Creates a natural looking bronzed glow.
3. Nails Inc I Can't Paint a Rainbow- I love the colours in this set, bright and perfect for summer time fun.
4. BareMinerals Get Started Kit- Contains:
5. 2 Foundation shades
6. Mineral veil/tinted mineral veil
7. Warmth
8. Full flawless face brush
9. Flawless application face brush
10. Maximum coverage concealer brush/ light stroke brush
11. Bisque multi-tasking concealer
12. Get started DVD
13. Benefit Big Beautiful Eyes Palette- enhance your eyes with this eye shadow set, in natural shades of brown
14. Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm Tin- refreshes lips and gives a lovely natural daytime look.
15. Smashbox Photo Finish Color Correcting Foundation Primer- glides on easily and evens skin tone whilst ensuring make up stays in place all day long
16. Benefit High Beam- for cheek and brow bones to create a radiant glow
17. Benefit Coralista Face Powder- perfect for summer- not too pink or too orange. A warm coral pink tone brightens up cheeks for a summery glow
18. Lancome Flash Bronzer for Face- I have blogged about this product before, I love it and use it all over the body for a natural looking tan.

TWIL

This week I'm loving Debenhams Beauty Club. This is fantastic and I encourage everyone to get down to Debenhams and sign up to the Beauty Club cards. They are similar to Boots advantage card and Superdrugs Beauty Card: you spend money in store and receive points on your card which can be used as payment for products in store. You get 3 points per pound you spend in store when you spend over £25 and 5 points per pound when shopping online. Not only this you also get free beauty make overs and insiders tips and advice on make up!!! I love it and have already earned lots of points to spend on new make up!!

Less is PWHOAR

So if I'm being completely honest I am not the most natural of girls. I'm a fake tan addict and never leave the house without double layer foundation, bronzer, blusher, eye liner, mascara and lip gloss, but saying that I think the most beautiful girls in the world are: Caggie Dunlop, Kate & Pippa Middleton and surprisingly these girls don't wear much make up. I love there look but I always think that I need to plaster my face with make up to make myself look good.

This week I've been working on a photoshoot and on the first day of shooting the photographer and stylist both commented on the level of make up I wear and the fake tan so I decided that today I would tone it down a little to see if I could pull of the au naturale look.

Taking inspiration from the likes of Caggie, Pippa and Kate I wore: Clinique Superbalanced foundation (instead of my usual Estee Lauder Double Wear) Clinique blusher in Iced Lotus (I usually wear a much darker colour), and a really small amount of Maybelline Falsies Volume Express mascara (as apposed to my usual 100 layers of it).

The Results:


I really liked my new look. Less is definitely pwhoar. I looked really fresh faced and the make up simply enhanced my natural beauty rather than creating a mask for my face and turning me into someone that is not me. Don't get me wrong: I am not completely ditching the bronzed heavy make up look. I think for nights out I will stick to using bronzer, eye shadow, gel eyeliner, and spidery lashes created by YSL or Maybelline Falsies mascara but I am really going to tone it down to a more natural look for day time.

TWIL

54 Boy

Ok so I'm usually all about the lip gloss and love a bit of Lancome Juicy Tubes and Dior Addict, but this week I have been trying out some good old fashioned lipstick and I have to say- I'm kinda in love with Chanel Rouge Coco Shine. I got it in a nude pink colour (54 Boy) and it has a lovely subtle shimmer perfect for daytime wear.

I love the fact that it feels really nourishing on the lips (more like a lip balm than a lipstick- but obviously with more colour). I even think I might be purchasing it in a few different colours for autumn as I would definately say that this colour is more of a summery tone- maybe I'll brave it and go for a bright red?

What to wear?!?

Why is deciding what to wear to go out one of the hardest desicions a girl can make? I'm usually a dress girl but recently I have found the shops to be pretty rubbish- either that or I've out shopped them and already have all the good stuff (I wish).

So tonight I am going out with old old old school friends (I'm talking primary school here!) We fell out during high school and started talking again after a few years later but only the odd hi's. We recently met again at a christening and the 2 girls (lets call them Laura and Jodie) asked me to go out with them (probably because I'm such good fun to hang around with and they've missed me millions).

I said yes never thinking they'd call but they have and although I'm looking forward to it I am actually dreading it too. These girls are HOT I'm talking super HOT- so that means the pressures on right? And the dreaded what to wear tonight desicion is made even harder because lets face it, I know many girls don't admit this but we are all competing.

I've had a reaction to some new moisturising products recently and thus my face looks like disease. So must must must do a good make up job tonight- I'm thinking Estee Lauder Double wear foundation- nothing gets out through that beast- I love it. So now thats sorted I have the even harder descion of clothing and thought I'd share my options with the world incase any other poor girl is in the same or similiar situation:

1. The good old savior dress
You know the one you were whenever you're stuck for what else to wear. Everyone has one of these dresses. The one everyone loves and compliments you in. The one that suits your figure to a tea. The only problem is as the shops have let me down badly recently I fear the world has seen too much of this dress.

2. The PANIC buy

The one you buy when you fear there is nothing else. For me that one was this cut out dress from Lipsy. I love Lipsy dresses and although this one is nice I dont really think black is appropriate for the 'yeah you're hot but look at me look' I'm going for (again I wish) Plus I'm not feeling at my slimmest today- too much treat eating this week at work- (I swear the whole office is full of feeders) so probs not a good look with an inch of flab hanging out of the cut out section!!

3. The not really me but sould I try it?

OK so after hours and hours of searching for an outfit I finally clapped my eyes on this shorts and bodysuit combo from Miss Selfridge. I'm not 100% sure about it as it is something I've never wore before for a night out (as I say I'm very much a dress girl) but weirdly I like it- It really flatters my figure. Theres only one problem will I be out dressed by lots of fabulous dresses -(I hope not because if I couldn't find it with my hours and hours of shopping I'm hoping they couldn't either. What does everyone else think? Is this the right adobe for a night on the town? I'm wearing it with some gorgeous tan heals I got from New Look (in the sale for £14- bargain) and I'm undecided about the bra situation (do I need one or not?) My good friend suggested not but I purchased a new gorgeous one anyway just incase but also got some fabulous nipple daisies from La Senza so I'll make that call later. Or maybe the psychic I'm seeing later wil help with with this difficult decision?!?

Can't Live Withouts......

For most women there is always one 'can't live without' beauty product whether it be lipstick, foundation, mascara, cleanser- and why should we stop there? I never ever buy a new cosmetic product without reading reviews or recomendations- I invest a lot of pennies in my make up so want to get it right first time, but unfortunately this isnt how it always happens.  For the past 8 years of my life I have tried and tested many cosmetics- I've been majorly disappointed and I have been amazed by some of the products, thats one of the reasons I decided to start a Blogging frenzy! Here are my 5 can't live withouts:

1. Estee Lauder Stay in Place Double Wear Foundation.

I have only recently discovered this product and it is totally amaze!!!! I hate the shiny face look that some girls go for and this matte foundation is perfect for my skin type (oily incase your wondering). It stays in place all day and even through heat and lots of activity there is no fading- you really can look like a cover girl all day long.

2. bareMinerals Multi Tasking Concealer

An excellent concealer from bareMinerals by Bare Escentuals. This is an absolute miracle worker for anyones face- after this was recommended to me by my local beautician I have told lots of friends about it (whom all love it too). It covers all dark circles and imperfections and leaves skin looking flawless.

3. MAC Fluidline Gel Eyeliner

I have always had trouble with liquid eyeliner but I love the look it creates- this is the perfect solution, it glides on the eye so easy and lasts all day (and night too) no need for re-applying- Yippe always a winner.

4. The Body Shop Tea Tree Foaming Cleanser

LOVE LOVE LOVE this- it gently cleanses skin and is perfect for blemished skin. I have lots of trouble finding cleansers that dont irritate my delicate skin- but this works wonders.

5. Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Lip Gloss

I LOVE LOVE LOVE plumping lip gloss. If it's out there, I've tried it. This one works fantastically well, and tastes/smells absolutely terrific. I have it in every colour. Tastes too good not to have on hand!