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!

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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Good To Glow

Summer is all about glowy skin. Not all of us are blessed with having that delightful natural radiance, but here's some tips on how to be good to glow -

Drink plenty of water. Health inside the body reflects on how you look on the outside. If you don't drink enough water it will show on your skin, hair and nails. Try to drink 2 litres a day, it may sound like a lot but once you get into the habit it's so easy and you will notice a difference. Hydration is key!
Exfoliate 2-3 times a week. If you have blemish prone skin don't use those nasty exfoliators with large beads in as they'll spread infection and irritate the skin, acidic exfoliating toners, like this one from Clarins, are much better. They will remove dead skin cells and help your skin to look fresh and a lot less dull.
Make sure you moisturise too, using a serum before moisturising will help lock in the goodness and you'll have baby soft skin in no time. I love Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate.
Fake it with makeup! Stay away from the full coverage foundation, yes it may be good at hiding blemishes but you don't need it smothered all over your skin, especially in the warmer months. Let your skin breathe! Let your natural skin shine through and cover any imperfections you're more self conscious of with concealer, but try and embrace how you are naturally…honestly, no-one cares and if they do then they're not worth your time or energy.
Liquid highlighters or illuminators work the best for getting that summertime glow. NARS 413 BLKR is my current obsession. You can just dab a bit where you'd like to highlight (cheekbones, down the nose, on the brow bone), or mix a little in with your foundation for an all over dewy look. Another amazing tip is to mix a bit in with body moisturiser, or dab some down the centre of your leg to create the illusion of slimmer legs…thank me later, ladies!

What's your favourite product

to help you achieve

glowing skin?

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InStyle Freebie - June 2014

Who doesn't love a magazine freebie? There's often some really great ones out there, especially at this time of year. I recently got the June issue of InStyle magazine, and with it you get a FREE nails inc. nail varnish, which normally retail for £11…the magazine is £3.90, what a bargain!

Nails Inc always do really amazing link ups with magazine, and this is no exception. With your InStyle magazine you can get 1 of 3 new and limited edition Nails Inc. shades from their Brazilian Collection, there's Sao Paulo Streets which is a light grey/beige shade, Sugarloaf Sunset which is a gorgeous bright pink and then there's the one I opted for, Copacabana Coral which is the most beautiful orangey red.

Copacabana Coral is a perfect colour for summer, it's bright and cheerful and also goes with a lot of different colours, which I always take into consideration as I hate painting my nails all the time.
I'm quite fussy when it comes to nail varnish, you'll know that if you read this post, but Nails Inc. have really impressed me. The consistency of the polish isn't running, but isn't gloopy either - you could get away with one coat, but I always like to do two. The brush is a nice size, and the colour lasts a long time on the nails before it chips. The only downside is it's not the fattest drying, but I can get over that. Oh, one more bonus, it's so shiny! Ahhhh, pretty.
This shade really is stunning, I adore it and feel like I'll be sporting it all Summer.

I would highly recommend going to the shops to pick up InStyle with one of the three Nails Inc. polishes. InStyle is a great magazine too, the June issue has got some good interviews in it, great fashion features, beauty tips for summer and more.

What's the best magazine freebie

you've ever got?

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No.7 Pop & Glow Cream Blush Stick in Classic Rose | Review

I think I've mentioned before I don't often try cream blushes, I'm not sure why because the ones I do have I really like and I think they're particularly great for Spring and Summer but I always seem to opt for powder. However, I recently tried the new No.7 Pop & Glow Blush Stick in Classic Rose and it's pretty darn good.

Firstly, I really do adore the packaging of this blush, it's in a stick form (much like Nars multiples) so you can just twist it up, dab it onto your check, smudge with your fingers or a brush and you're good to go! The application of this product is really great, it's easy to get a sheer wash of colour when blended or you can build it up to a more intense look if you wish, which still would only take a couple of swipes as the colour payoff is outstanding (swatches above).
The shade I have is Classic Rose which is a gorgeous hot pink, I think this is beautiful for Spring and Summer! I had my doubts that the colour would suit me, but I find it warms up my complexion and gives me a healthy glow - the fact it has a sheen helps with that.
Often cream blushes can be very sticky, but this blush stick is far from it - it almost feels powder like once it's dried. It's creamy, easy to blend and sets into the skin really well. But as it's that cream formula it hasn't got the longest staying power  -  I'd say it lasted about 5 hours maximum before it faded on me, however if you put powder over the top it will make it last longer and you can always carry this around in your bag for touchups during the day!
Overall I would definitely recommend this chubby stick style blush if you're new to cream blushes, or perhaps you're not keen on them because of the stickiness or difficult application but like the look they give, this will ease you in. They do 2 more blush shades and 1 highlighter in the same packaging and formulation which I must pick up! The price (£9.95) is definitely a bit much for a high street brand, I would say it shouldn't be more than £7…but if you'd like to treat yourself it's worth it for a lovely product.

Have you tried this yet?

What is your thoughts on cream blushes?

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Sleek Blush - Life's A Peach | REVIEW AND SWATCH

Sleek, by far my favourite high street/drugstore brand for blushes - pigmented, great range of colours, inexpensive, nicely packaged and just brilliant. As it's now summer time I wanted a peachy coloured blush, something you can't really get away with in winter but a colour that I find suits my complexion well, so the first place I looked was Sleek as I didn't want to spend too much money and lo and behold I find the most beautiful peach blush that goes by the name of Life's a Peach (thumbs up for the name, Sleek!).

When I saw it I thought "wow, that's bright" but actually when I swatched it, even though it was highly pigmented, the colour was nowhere near as bright as it looks in the pan - it's very subtle and in my opinion the perfect summer daytime blush (as you can see in the swatch below).
It's the most gorgeous orangey peach, it's completely matte which I love, it blends beautifully, and lasts a good amount of time, and all for £4.49 - I really cannot complain!
The packaging is just like all the Sleek packaging, thin, black, sleek (hence the name) but definitely difficult to open! But that's a small price to pay, as when you do get inside the product is fabulous.

I have been wearing this every single time I've worn makeup over the last month, I adore it, so if you're looking for a good subtle, but buildable, summer blush this is definitely one to consider.
I'd recommend this for people with fairer complexions, I feel like if your skin is dark it may not show up very well.

Buy it here!

What's your go to summer blush?

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My Summer Beauty Essentials

As it was the first official day of summer yesterday, I thought I would share you with some products I think are essential for summer!

1. A light coverage foundation with an SPF, if it has no SPF then make sure you get a moisturiser with an SPF in it, BUT don't wear both an SPF foundation and an SPF moisturiser, as layering them cancels them out. My foundation of choice is Rimmel Wake Me Up (surprise surprise). I love this foundation a lot, when applied with fingers you can create such a lovely light coverage but it still makes your skin look really great, and as it creates radiance it is perfect for summer. You can buy it here for £8.99.

2. A cream blush. Cream blushes make the skin look a lot more radiant and glowy than powder blushes do, and I've found they feel lighter as well. My favourite is NYX cream blush in Natural. I did a more in depth review of this blush here in my May Favourites, and you can buy it cheapest from Amazon here for £4.99.

3. A bronzer, I think in the summer if you look pale it is more noticeable, so a bronzer to create a 'bronzed' look is essential for me. The bronzer I love most is Nars Luguna, it's amazing. I love it both for conturing, as it's only got a very very slight shimmer that doesn't really show on the face, and also just to bring a bit of colour to my complexion as the colour isn't orange at all and it lasts a long time. This is quite pricey at £26 but if you want to treat yourself then you can buy it here!

4. A brown eyeliner. I think in the summer a black eyeliner can look way too harsh, dark and wintery, so I like to use a brown, I used to hate brown eyeliner but now I think it looks so pretty - especially darker browns - it just gives a much more subtle look. The one I am currently using is Stila Smudge Stick in Damsel, which you can buy here.

5. A lighter, glossier lip colour. I don't know about you, but sometimes I find a proper lipstick too much in summer as they can often look matte or feel heavy, so I opt for either the Revlon lip butters (the one in the photo is strawberry shortcake, but I adore them all) or a lipgloss, this one is Revlon colour burst in Pink Ice which is a lovely light pink with shimmer. You can buy these both from here.

6. A summer colour nail varnish, summer is not the time for dark colours on the nails like black, dark blue or purple, etc. Although I HATE Barry M nail varnish this colour has to be one of my favourite summer shades, it's a lovely light, kind of duck egg, blue called Blue Moon, which you can buy here for £2.99.

7. My last summer beauty essential is a summery scented body moisturiser. I love this spray on one from Soap & Glory, it is called Girligo Body Moisturising Mist, it smells so lovely, of peach, strawberry, jasmine, mandarin and musk. It is such a summery, light scent and it works so well at making the skin softer, it also feels really refreshing when you spray it on and sinks in so fast. You can buy that here for £6.50.

That's it for my summer essentials!

What are your summer beauty must haves?

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