Sheer Red For Summer

Revlon Lip Butters are on of my all time favourite lip products, and definitely my favourite for Summer time. They're moisturising, not heavy, have a good colour pay off and the range of shades is fantastic.
For my birthday, back in March, I got the shade Wild Watermelon, which I've wanted for such a long time.

Sheer swatch
Built up swatch

Wild Watermelon is going to be my must have lip product for Summer, it's a beautiful bright red with pink undertones, it can be sheered out or built up to look rather intense. I quite like wearing it sheered out slightly, just so it's not so full on for an everyday look. However, I am going on holiday to Menorca in just over 2 weeks (eeeeek, prepare for an envy filling blogpost when I get back) and I reckon this shade will look oh so beautiful with a tan, especially when it's built up to a gorgeously bold colour.

When the weather is hot I really don't like wearing 'proper' lipsticks, you know the heavy ones, that can be quite matte, or have a thick constancy. They feel too much like they're suffocating my lips and I always have the urge to get a tissue and get rid! I always opt for the sheerer or more creamy products. Revlon Lip Butters fit the bill perfectly!

Percy & Reed - Wonder Balm | REVIEW

Whenever I get free hair products with a magazine I have this pre-judgment that they're not going to be very good, I don't know why, but I do. So when I got the Percy & Reed Wonder Balm (£18) free with the April issue of ELLE I didn't think much of  it, and kind of forgot about it. However recently my hair has been feeling quite dry, and none of my products seem to be working as well as they used to, so I dug out the Wonder Balm and I really like it.

The 'Perfectly Perfecting Wonder Balm' is a leave in balm that you apply to damp hair, either on it's own or before your normal products to act as a primer. The balm claims to give you moisture, shine, smoothness, definition, softness, light hold, high humidity protection and manageability…that's a lot of things to promise! I personally like to apply a small amount before my TRESemme Oil Elixir (which is great if you have dry/frizzy hair), the balm doesn't have a particular scent but it's just quite fresh, it's a fairly runny consistency and it doesn't weigh my hair down at all.
I have noticed that it seems to make the oil elixir work better than it normally does - my hair seems to feel smoother, softer and stay that way for a longer time. I feel like it does prime my hair well, as the TRESemme product now doesn't feel so oily or weigh my hair down. It's no miracle product, but it has helped to tame my hair as it can go a little bit crazy.
I'm yet to try about the 'high humidity protection' promise, but I'm off to Menorca in just under 3 weeks, so I'll be popping the Wonder Balm in my suitcase to test it out, I'm hoping it works otherwise I will resemble Monica from Friends when they went to Barbados (not a good look).

All in all I would recommend this product if your hair is feeling a bit limp and lifeless, it will certainly give it a kickstart back to smooth, soft, manageable hair.

Summer Holiday Reads

Long time no speak, I know. I'm sorry! There are a few reasons why I've been very inactive in the blogging world recently, but I won't bore you with them, just know that I'm back and very happy about it.

As we're now in a Summer month and I'm sure a lot of you are going away on holiday soon I thought I'd do a bit of a different post, but one that's been requested quite a lot.
I love a good 'chick-lit', an easy read, a book that I can relate too, that'll make me laugh and warm my heart on holiday - in my opinion they're the best to read whilst laying by the pool or at the beach. I've read quite a few over the years, so I thought I'd share some of my favourites so you can go and grab them before you jet off to somewhere hot.

1. Remember Me? By Sophie Kinsella. If you haven't read any of Sophie's books you're seriously missing out, they're my absolute favourite. Her style of writing is brilliant, very witty, funny, clever and easy to digest. Remember Me? is probably my favourite of hers, it's about a woman called Lexi who wakes up in a hospital, thinking she's 25 with crooked teeth, bad hair and a disastrous love life. But actually it's 3 years later than she thought - she's 28 years old, got an amazing figure, great teeth, a brilliant job and she's married to a millionaire. The story is about her getting to know her life again after her accident, and realising it's not as perfect as it first seemed.
It's very funny, interesting, the character's are easy to relate to and you really get to know them. You become very invested in the story and it's definitely one I couldn't put down.

2. The Wish List by Jane Costello. This is a book I only read recently, and it was the first book of Jane's I've read…I adore it. The Wish List is about a woman called Emma who's only got 6 months left of her 20's - she finds a list her and her friends wrote when they were 15 years old of things they wanted to achieve before they were 30. Emma realises she's hardly done any of them, so she sets out to achieve them all before she hits the big 3 0. She wants to sleep under the stars, jump out of a plane, see the northern lights, snog someone famous, and even find the man she's going to marry. Her mission to complete the list is trickier than she thought! This book actually made me laugh out loud, it made me go 'awww' and it made me cringe of embarrassment for Emma. I can't wait to read more Jane Costello books!

3. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. This book is definitely a heavier read, but it's utterly brilliant. The story is of Lou Clark, a young woman who's been stuck living in her little town, she was working in a local tea shop, living at home with her parents, wears quite out there clothes, and has a boyfriend she's not sure if she loves. But one day she loses her job, which sees her having to apply to be the care assistant for Will Traynor. Will is young man who had everything to live for - the great job, beautiful girlfriend, adventurous lifestyle, before he was involved in a motorbike accident which took away his desire to live. Lou bursts into Will's life and they both change each other forever.
This book is heartbreaking, emotional, beautiful, funny, compelling and really is one you won't be able to put down - you'll be too interested in what happens next.

4. Billy & Me by Giovanna Fletcher. This was a much anticipated book for me, as I love reading Giovanna's blog and her tumblr posts. If any of you don't know she is married to Tom Fletcher from McFly, and she's a very lovely and talented lady. Billy & Me is her debut novel and it's about a girl called Sophie May who has a secret, which has made her give up all her dreams of travelling, going to university and living the life she would have liked to stay in her tiny village, working in the local teashop and living at home with her mum. One day a film crew come to the village, which causes a lot of hysteria, and Sophie meets the gorgeous Billy - a famous actor with high ambitions. They fall in love and Sophie is taken out of her comfort zone and into a world of glamour, showbiz and ruthlessness. Can Sophie handle being in the spotlight and the constant scrutiny that comes with being with Billy Buskin?
I feel like this book could appeal to so many people, it's romantic, funny, charming, heartwarming, heartbreaking, intriguing and has an emotional twist. It's also very honest, real and believable. I love it and I can't wait to read Giovanna's second book on my holiday next month!

There you go, 3 must-reads for this Summer! 

What's your favourite book?

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