My Summer Basics

Here are some of my summer basics picks, obviously there are a lot of products I have missed out like SPF (I didn't include SPF because I can react to spf and it can irritate my eczema sometimes). Also I missed out my beloved Caudalie Beauty Elixir and foundation but these are just basics that I use on a daily basis during the summer in England. I might make a holiday/travel basics as I am going away from the beginning of August to the end of August. 

1. Simple Rich Moisturiser: this product is just a staple from me at all times of the year, I don't know what I would do without it! I have been using this facial moisturiser for about three years now and I love it, even during the summer because your skin always needs a moisturiser after cleansing.

2. Revlon Nearly Naked Pressed Powder: I have the shade '01 fair' which is the lightest shade unfortunately because it is still a little bit too dark for me but during the summer when my skin isn't as ghostly pale as it is during the colder months then I can use it. The powder is almost invisible on the skin, it leave the skin matte but not really flat and it doesn't look caky, powdery or heavy at all!

3. Bioderma Sebium Micellaire Solution: I bought two bottles of this (2 X 500ml for €15) in Corsica and I love this stuff! It is the one of normal/combination skin and I have dry skin but it was the only bioderma micellaire water in the Corsican pharmacy I went to and I had been searching around Italy and Corsica for Bioderma! Anyway even through it is for normal/combination skin is works fine for my dry skin, it doesn't strip my skin and it removes makeup like nothing else!

4. Bliss Blood Orange and White Pepper Body Butter: I know that during the summer you don't want to use a thick body butter but this one smells divine, I love it! This body butter is quite light and it doesn't feel heavy and it absorbs quickly too.

5. Free People Mr. Cleaver Sunglasses: I bought these sunglasses about a week ago and I love them. I have fairly sensitive eyes and I wear contacts so sunglasses are a must and these look great! They fit really well, they don't look really big and they are comfortable. They are also in the sale for less than £7!

6. Ciate 'Red Hot Chili' Nail Polish: I bought this polish at the end of last month when it was on sale for £4.50. The shade is just gorgeous, it is a bright chili red which is perfect for summer. It applies like a dream and I can get away with one coat.

7. Twistbands: I love Twistbands, I received mine in a beauty box a while ago (I think it was Jolie Box) and I have been using the since. They don't pull on my hair, they don't give me a headache and they are great for just keep my hair away from my face while I am out and about in the sun. If you can't find Twistbands then H&M and Dorothy Perkins (and some brands in Boots) are making them now!

8. Korres Tinted Lip Balm, Rose: I love Korres products and this one is no exception. The lip balm is great on its own and the fact that it is tinted is great too because in the summer you don't want lots of makeup on or full on lipstick so a tinted lip balm is a great 2 in1 product for summer!

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Makeup Collection: Bronzer, Blush, Powder...

Here is the third part of my makeup collection (there will be a couple more), this one features all of my blushes (all three of them!), powder and bronzer/contour. 

Firstly, tinted moisturisers: I have tried quite a few tinted moisturisers and I have been using them for years. I did use the Natural Collection tinted moisturiser for a year or two while in secondary school. My favourite tinted moisturiser is probably the Nivea Young Be Beautiful Tinted Moisturiser as it is really smooth and it applies well - it is also moisturising enough for my very dry skin. However, the only problem with this product is the shade - there is only one and it is too dark/orange for my very pale skin. I also have the Origins Vita-zing which I received as part of a set but I don't really see the results of this - it just makes my skin darker (I may have to sell this as it just doesn't work for my very pale skin).

Illuminators/highlighters: I have a mini of the Nars Orgasm Illuminator, Benefit Sunbeam sample (from a glamour magazine a while ago), I have a Kiko powder highlight, Benefit Watts Up, the new Revlon Photoready skinlights pink face illuminator and finally the Soap and Glory Hocus Focus lotion. My favourite has to be the S&G Hocus Focus as I love the packaging, the lotion is very easy to apply and blend, it doesn't look obvious and it gives a gorgeous iridescent glow to the skin. 

Powders: I have the Rimmel Stay Matte powder, Loreal True Match powder, the new Revlon Nearly Naked powder, Smashbox hydrating powder (which is a bit too dark for me), Kiko Mineral compact powder and the Estee Lauder Lucidity powder which is in a set I bought at duty free. My favourite powder for not looking heavy or cakey is the revlon nearly naked or the Estee Lauder Lucidity powder. I also love my Kiko powder - well I love all Kiko products! 

Bronzer & Blush: I am putting these two together as I don't have many of either. I have a mini Benefit Hoola bronzer and a mini Nars Laguna Bronzer. I also have the ELF 'Cool' Bronzer which I love and I definitely recommend. I only have a few blushes and I am just not that in to them as my skin is naturally quite pink so I don't need blushes. I have the Kyrolan for Glossy Box blush (which I really like, it looks really natural), I have the By Terry Light Expert Compact (which I think is supposed to be a powder or foundation but I use it as a blush as it is far too pink for a full on face powder). I also have a mini Cha Cha tint from Benefit which is ok. 

Contour: I have been using my ELF 'Cool' Bronzer as a contour as the ELF compact comes with four shades (white, light brown, dark brown and a reddish brown) and I love it for contour and the shades are all matte. I also have a cream pigment from Illamasqua in the shade 'hollow' as a contour cream product which I really like as it isn't warm toned at all - it is grey. 


I'm selling my Smashbox Photofinish Primer (full size, only used once) on ebay now - auction ends in a couple of hours!

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Wish List #1

Here is my current wish list, with clothing, accessories, makeup and games that I have been obsessing over for the past couple of weeks and I really want to buy them all!

Above images from: Urban outfitters, New Look, Superdrug and Play.com

1. Urban Outfitters Cobalt Persian Eternity Scarf: I have wanted this snood for at least two weeks and I haven't bought it yet but I think I will have to...look how gorgeous it is! It is £16 with my student discount. I think it would look great with a plain white or grey top and jeans. 

2. New Look Stripe Jumper: This is a sale item and it has been in stock for about a week, I keep almost buying it but I have a lot of stripy tops already...but whats one more! I think I am going to get this, especially as it is on sale and..gorgeous.

3. New Look Charcoal Over sized Knitted Top: again another new look sale jumper, I love it! I think I'm going to Newlook tomorrow so I will have to look out for this. 

4. Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation: At first I didn't want this as I read a review that said it clung to dry patches but this product has been in so my peoples favourites videos and posts recently so I think I will have to get it - in Superdrug it is on offer for £6.99. 

5. Tomb Radier, Xbox 360: I loved the original Tomb Raider PC games which I had when I was a teenager. This game was being released it did excite the geeky gamer in me - its an origins game, so how Lara became the way she is. It has received a lot of good reviews but I will have to wait for the price to go down before I buy it as it is around the £35 mark.

What is on your wish list?

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Boots Haul...I have no regrets...

On Saturday (16th Feb) I went to Boots, there was my first mistake I know! Boots is a honey trap for beauty lovers! If you are not familiar with Boots, it is a drugstore/high street store that sells a whole range of beauty, hair, body, fragrance and health products, its amazing! Anyway, I went in with the purpose of spending my £13 of Boots points only...that didn't happen. I spend my Boots points and then some...someone stop me!

The first things I bought where not very interesting, just a shampoo and conditioner duo (which are massive!) as they were on offer for 2 for £6. I also bought a permanent hair dye in the shade 'medium dark brown' just to even out my hair colour. I also bought a new product that I saw online and it is the Pearl Drops Beauty Sleep Tooth Serum...yes that's right a tooth serum! Whatever will they think of next, I was very sceptical when I heard about this but it has some very positive reviews going for it and it was less than £4 so I thought I would give it a go. 

Now, the important buys - makeup. I bought the New Revlon Nearly Naked Pressed Powder in the shade 01 fair. I have heard a lot of good things about this powder, like it isn't cakey or powdery on the skin. This was released in America a month or two before the UK (as it always the way) so there are quite a few reviews on it. I bought another newly released product, the Nivea Vanilla & Macadamia Lip Butter which I have also heard really good things about. Unfortunately mine had a fingerprint in it so I had to use a cotton bud to wipe that area! Lastly, I bought the Bourjois 10 hour sleep effect foundation in the shade 71 with my Boots points. I have wanted to try this foundation for a while but I haven't been able to find my shade online. I have only tried this on my hand but so far so good! 

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