Hi everyone, I was tagged by the lovely Leanne to do the Summer Lovin’
Tag so here it is J
Favourite Perfume
I have the tiniest perfume collection because I am so picky with scents
but a firm favourite of mine is DKNY Be Delicious. I wear this all year round but it’s perfect in summer because
it’s so fresh and light! It lasts all day on me and I love pairing it with the
matching body lotion which I’ve just ran out of! This isn’t in the photo
because it’s impossible to photograph!
Favourite Lip Colour
This is a tough one for me because I love lip products! Revlon Super Lustrous lipstick in Lovers Coralis an old favourite and fail safe for me because it’s sheer enough to
apply without a mirror but just makes me look done and I love the coral colour
and shine for summer! A close second is Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk which I have become obsessed with since I
got it, I love the shade and it’s so long lasting!
Favourite Drink
If I’m out it’s a gin and tonic but I drink water constantly throughout
the day at work and I’m also partial to a Coke!
Favourite Blush
This is too hard, blush is probably my favourite makeup item and I own
so many! I do love Hourglass Luminous Flush though, it’s so brightening and makes me look really healthy! Well I
think so anyway!
I’m a jeans and t-shirt kinda girl but on holidays I lived in my
Topshop denim skirt and my ASOS denim pinafore in the evenings!
Favourite Movie
I do have films I like to watch at certain times of the year (Prince of
Egypt at Easter and Hocus Pocus at Halloween to name a few) but none that I can
think of in summer! I did use to set aside a day during the summer holidays to
watch all three Mighty Ducks movies though and D2 will forever be my favourite!
Can’t wait to see Suicide Squad this summer!
Favourite TV Show
All my TV shows seem to have come to an end now it’s the summer but I love
Blindspot, Peaky Blinders, Game of Thrones and The Vampire Diaries!
Favourite Food
Pizza for life but also anything with chicken involved! I feel like I
eat bigger portions in winter but the heat in summer seems to make me fuller
quicker ha! Oh and ice lolly’s are a must in summer!
Thanks to Leanne for tagging me! I find it hard to keep on top of who
has done these tags but if you haven’t already done it I tag Velvet Blush,
Aisha and Ela!
Tell me some of your favourites in the comments below!
Hi everyone, I have another bumper empties post to share with you today!
Will try to get through the products as quickly as possible!
Haircare
VO5 Plump it Up Dry Shampoo
This is my favourite dry shampoo in the world! It smells amazing and
there is no white cast! I do already have a backup that I’m using but it’s my
last one as it seems to have disappeared from the shops again – sort it out
VO5!
Makeup
No7 Perfect Light Pressed Powder in
Translucent
I won’t bang on too much about this as it crops up a lot on here but
it’s my absolute favourite powder as it’s so lightweight and mattifying without
looking cakey! Already have two backups of this!
Max Factor Lipfinity Top Coat (Clear Balm)
I got this as part of a Lipfinity set but got rid of the first step
colour ages ago because I didn’t like it! I love the clear balm though! It has
a slanted tip in slim black packaging and it feels nice and hydrating and lasts
a long time on my lips. It’s not too glossy and is perfect to put over matte
lipsticks to keep the colour but make them feel a bit more comfortable! Won’t
be repurchasing as my house is coming down with lip balms and I probably won’t
in the future because the other half of the set is wasted on me!
Beauty Blender
This should maybe be in the miscellaneous section but it’s a big part
of my makeup so I thought I’d include it here! Before I got this I was using
the Real Techniques Miracle Sponge or my fingers to apply my foundation but
this is so much better! It applies my foundation flawlessly and blends it so
easily. This one is looking worse for wear now but lasted me ages and was well
worth the money! I think the RT version is good if you don’t want to spend so
much on a Beauty Blender but I prefer it and already have my backup out and in
use!
Skincare
Nivea Lotion
I won’t spend too much time on this because you are all probably sick
of hearing about it by now but it’s my favourite first cleanse as it’s so
creamy and hydrating and does a fantastic job of removing the bulk of my
makeup! Constant repurchase and I already have a backup open!
Eucerin Aquporin Active Revitalising Eye
Cream*
I’m so sad to be finished this! It’s a gorgeous lightweight gel/creme
texture with a metal tip applicator that instantly depuffs my eye bags and
makes me feel more awake! Will be repurchasing as soon as I finish the eye
creams I’m currently using! Full review here!
Oskia Renaissance 360 Anti-Aging and
Brightening Supreme Cream
This was a deluxe sample I got in a GWP at Cult Beauty and I really
liked it (although I wasn’t fussed on the scent), it was lightweight, hydrating
and sank in quickly ready for me to apply my makeup. It ran out a bit
unexpectedly so I can see now why people get annoyed at the cleanser as you can’t
see how much product is left and the bottle is weighty! I don’t think I used it
long enough to see any noticeable difference in my skin and it’s a little
expensive for me to commit to repurchasing!
Maple Holistics Vitamin C Anti-Aging
Serum*
I really enjoyed using up this serum and found it helped add more
hydration to my face especially round my nose and chin area. I loved the
texture of it too, it felt quite slippy yet sank in quickly. I probably won’t
repurchase as it’s more difficult to get your hands on in the UK and I’m
already using other products with hyaluronic acid but if it’s easier to get a
hold of for you I really recommend it! Full review here!
Caudalie Polyphenol Anti-Wrinkle Defence Serum
This little dropper bottle actually lasted me quite a
long time and I really liked it! It was very lightweight and sank in quickly
leaving my face feeling hydrated and refreshed! Would repurchase!
Soap and Glory Off Your Face wipes
I much prefer Soap and Glory makeup and bodycare to some of their
skincare, these wipes being a prime example! I used these exclusively for
wiping makeup swatches off my arms after taking photos for my blog as I hate
the smell of them – it reminds me a little of toilet cleaner? I’ve had them for
so long they started to dry up a little but that’s more my fault than the
wipes! Will not be repurchasing and I probably got them in a set rather than
purchasing them on their own in the first place! This is also probably the only
negative review of a Soap and Glory product you will see on my blog and I
generally love everything else!
Nivea Daily Essentials 3 in 1 Facial
Cleansing wipes
I bought these at the airport for a trip to Amsterdam ages ago and they
came in so handy for a quick cleanse while I was away. I’m not a massive user
of wipes so they generally take me ages to finish but these stayed moist the
whole time I had them and had a lovely scent! Would definitely repurchase for
another trip away!
Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels
I think I got these in a beauty box quite a while back and finally got
round to using them after an awful day with hay fever where my eyes were
standing on me and I couldn’t stop rubbing them! These felt so cooling and
relaxing and were really easy to apply. I had no issues with them sliding down
my face or anything, in fact they were stuck nearly a little too tight to my
bags and I had to move them a little further down to make them more comfortable
makes sense? Overall, a nice treat but I find one use things like these such a
waste of money so wouldn’t repurchase!
Eve Lom Cleanser
Again, I don’t normally put sachet samples in my empties as I don’t get
too many uses out of them but as this is such a hyped product I thought I would
include it! I got about three evening cleanses out of this as to be honest I
don’t see what the fuss is about, it did a good job of cleansing my skin but it
doesn’t smell great (I read someone ages ago describing it like old curry and I
have to agree!) and it would be too harsh for me to use every night as it has
little exfoliating particles in it! Wouldn’t repurchase it and will be sticking
to my other balm cleansers like Emma Hardie Moringa!
Bodycare
Nivea Powerfruit Fresh Shower Gel
I am obsessed with the acai berry scent of this! It’s obviously not
your average Nivea creme scent that I love but it’s amazing, it’s so fresh and
not overly fruity! You need to pick this up and give it a sniff! Will
definitely repurchase!
Nivea Sun Moisturising After Sun Lotion
I bought this a few weeks ago to take on holiday and literally finished
it yesterday so it has snuck into this already overloaded post! It’s not my
favourite Nivea product by a long shot as it doesn’t have the usual scent that
I love but it felt lovely and cooling on the few patches of sunburn I managed
to get on holiday (and felt even better as I had kept it in the fridge!) It
didn’t manage to help with the prickly heat I got on holiday though so I would
probably try something else next time!
Soap and Glory Hand Food Hand Wash
I got this in the Christmas sale along with the big hand cream pump
which it still full because I keep forgetting about it in the kitchen! I love
the scent of this but probably won’t get it again to Christmas time!
Yes to Carrots Moisturising Hand Cream
for Normal to Dry Skin
I absolutely hated this! I was determined to finish it though and I’m
so glad I did! It’s a really runny cream that makes my hands somehow feel more
dry and while it doesn’t have a strong scent, it doesn’t have a good scent!
Worst hand cream I’ve ever tried, will definitely not be repurchasing!
Ladival Sun Protection SPF 30
I got this quite recently in the Latest in Beauty Glamour Summer Edit beauty box (what a mouthful!) and it was the perfect size for a week away! It’s
not my favourite sun lotion as I found it never really sank or dried in even
though it was meant to be non-greasy. I also found the spray quite messy so
sprayed in into my hand to apply instead of directly on the skin. For those
reasons I wouldn’t repurchase, however, it did offer great protection from the
sun and kept me from getting burnt so if you can get past the tacky/sticky
feeling it might be one for you! Full review here!
Nivea Creme Tin*
I love this little tin of Nivea creme! The texture is so different to
anything I’ve tried before, at first it reminds me of Sudocrem but once you
start rubbing it in it goes a little more watery. It’s hard to explain but I
love this for the back of my arms and find it really helps with any Keratosis
Pilaris I have although I usually only apply it at night as it doesn’t sink in
quickly! I got sent two of these so have already opened the second! Full review here!
Nivea Sun SPF 30 Caring Roll On*
Another product that featured in my Poolside Essentials post a few weeks ago,
this was a life saver down by the pool! I used it to reapply on areas where I
felt the lotion I had applied before coming down was starting to sweat or rub
off so my feet and round my bikini were replied regularly with this! It smells
amazing, sank in quickly and kept my skin protected! Would repurchase!
DNKY Be Delicious Body Lotion
I love layering up this body lotion with the perfume and it lasts all
day on me! It’s quite a creamy, runny consistency that’s lovely and
moisturising! Be Delicious is such a fresh scent, I wear it all year round but
it’s perfect for summer! I don’t have a backup of this but I will definitely
buy it again in the future (usually get it in gift sets!)
Sure Maximum Protection Anti-Perspirant
I don’t think I’ve actually ever included an anti-perspirant/deodorant
in my empties before but I finished this just before I was taking photos so
threw it in! This is a constant repurchase for me and I actually use it at night
more than during the day. The instructions say it’s more of a treatment and
works best if you apply at night then I’ll just use a standard deodorant during
the day. It helps protect against armpit sweat and I’d say it does a pretty
good job so may be one for you if you are a Sweaty Betty like me!
Prismologie Pink O’ Clock Hand Cream and
Indigo Interlude Foot Cream
I got these minis with a Space NK order a while back and really enjoyed
using them! They are very strongly perfumed and I particularly liked the scent
of the foot cream which has quite an aftershave scent to it! Both were lovely
and hydrating and sank in quickly but I probably won’t purchase the full sizes
because I have other hand and foot creams that do the same job and are much more
affordable!
Misc
Lush Magic Wand Reusable Bubble Bar
I got this in a Christmas gift set and couldn’t believe how many baths
it lasted me – it was originally in the shape of a pink star! I generally find
Lush overpriced and refuse to buy anything unless it’s in the sale or in a gift
set but this I would repurchase tomorrow! You just wave it under a running
tap and it creates so many bubbles and is scented of Snow Fairy! My skin always
felt so soft after having a bath with this too! It’s limited edition at
Christmas but they do a flamingo one all year round!
Congratulations if you made it to the end of that! See my last empties
post here!Have you tried any of these products? What did you think of them?
*denotes
a PR sample that was sent to me. All opinions are my own.
Morning everyone! Today I thought I’d talk through a few SEVENTEEN
products I think are perfect for creating a long lasting summer makeup look!
Long lasting makeup is something I look for all year round but especially in
the summer when it’s hot and my makeup has a tendency to melt or transfer!
SEVENTEEN Stay Time Foundation with SPF 25 in Soft Ivory*
First up is foundation and after hearing so much hype about this
recently I just had to try it – a foundation that promises full cover and up to
25 hours wear has my name written all over it! I’m happy to say that this doesn’t
disappoint! It’s quite a thick formulation so I like to use a damp Beauty
Blender to make sure it spreads evenly over my face and the coverage is so good
I don’t even feel the need to use a separate concealer for spots! Almost
unheard of with me! I've been wearing this to work on really hot days and can’t
get over how well it lasts on my oily skin, I do set it but find with other foundations
they can separate round my nose very quickly, something that this doesn’t do,
hurrah! From what I can tell, the shade range in this is very pale so if you
are darker skinned you may struggle to find a match. I have the shade Soft
Ivory which is perfect for me when I don’t have any fake tan on but I will be
hoping my nearest Boots sorts out their testers soon so I can find a darker
shade for when I tan!
SEVENTEEN Stay Time Pressed Powder in Fair
I’ve had this for a while now and am happy with how well it works to
mattify my skin. The powder itself feels super smooth and has lasted me ages! I
do wish it came in a translucent shade though, I have the shade Fair and it can
look a little patchy if not careful, it could be my overzealous application of
powder though!
SEVENTEEN Skin Wow! Concealer in Fair*
I’m so impressed with this and have become a little obsessed over the
last few weeks! I used it every night on holiday as I didn’t sleep well so this
faked a bright eyed look for me! When I first swatched it I didn’t think it
would be brightening enough for under my eyes but how wrong I was! I usually do
a triangle under my eyes and sometimes down my nose and on my cupids bow then
go in with my Beauty Blender and love the effect it has! I usually just use
concealers under my eyes but see much more of a difference with this! I love
the packaging too, it’s so eye-catching but I suppose it will be hard to tell when
it runs out!
SEVENTEEN Stay Time Foundation in Soft Ivory and Skin Wow Concealer in Fair swatch
SEVENTEEN Define and Conquer Contour Kit in Medium*
I love the packaging of this, it’s so NARS-esque! The product inside is
brilliant too, the powders are so soft and easy to blend! The highlight shade
is matte – perfect for setting under eyes and although the contour shade always
looks very warm in my swatches, once it’s on my face it’s a really natural shade
that I like to apply under my cheekbones and up towards my temples to give my
skin a little extra colour!
SEVENTEEN Blush Powder in China Pink
This is probably the one product I don’t love the packaging of! It’s
very ColourPop in that it’s a screw top but as it’s a powder formulation I
don’t see why it can’t be a click and close, it would save more time! However,
I am so impressed with the pigmentation it offers and how long lasting it is!
It still looks as fresh at the end of the day as it did at the start! There is
also a great shade range and best of all – it’s only £2.99!
SEVENTEEN Define and Conquer contour kit in Medium and Powder Blush in China Pink swatch
SEVENTEEN Powder and Blush Brush
This was a free gift with the powder and blush mentioned earlier which
you might have seen in this haul (SEVENTEEN do great offers!) and it’s
such an underrated product! It doesn’t necessarily make my makeup last any
longer but its super soft and the perfect size for applying either blush or
contour!
SEVENTEEN Brow’s That! Brow Kit
This was the first brow kit I think I got from the drugstore, and it’s
still one of the best in my opinion! It contains a wax, brow powder and
highlighter as well as a pencil and mini brush to define your brows. The brow
shade is the perfect cool toned brown that works perfectly with my colouring and
the highlight shade does have a shimmer to it but it’s really subtle! The wax
is slightly tinted and helps to set the brows making them last all day!
SEVENTEEN Falsifeye HD! Mascara in Blackest Black*
To make my makeup extra-long lasting I would have picked a waterproof
mascara because that’s what I usually go for but I love how lengthening and
separating this is! It also doesn’t flake or wear off (unless I rub at my eyes
but then whose doesn’t after that!). This wouldn’t be one for anyone who likes
lots of drama from their mascara but if you are going for a natural look and
want to look wide awake with lots of length, this is gorgeous and not clumpy at
all!
SEVENTEEN Eye Shadow Mono in Brown
I am the first to admit that I am a bit of a snob when it comes to eye
shadows and I usually go for higher end formulations but at £3.89 I had to
check out SEVENTEEN’S range! I went for the shade Brown which is a gorgeous
metallic - you guessed it - brown shade! It’s lovely and pigmented, applies
easily and lasts all day (though I do use the NARS Smudgeproof primer)!
Definitely worth a try!
SEVENTEEN Lip Crayon in Bold*
This is such a gorgeous bright coral perfect for summer! I find that it
gives a nice shine but it’s not overly glossy so it’s more long-lasting than
other lip crayons I’ve tried!
SEVENTEEN Mono Eyeshadow in Brown and Lip Crayon in Bold swatch
See my last posts featuring SEVENTEEN here and here!
What’s your favourite SEVENTEEN product? Is there anything here you’d
like to try?
*denotes
a PR sample that was sent to me. All opinions are my own.
Hi everyone! I got back from my holiday last week so I thought now
would be a perfect time to share my poolside essentials! These were the
products I had by my side all week long for sunbathing and I couldn’t have
done without them! If you want to see the makeup and skincare I took with me, have a
look at my Instagram here!
Nivea Sun Caring Roll On SPF 30*
I got sent this and its SPF 50 version a few days before I left and it
was so useful! At 50ml its really compact so perfect for throwing in your beach
bag for touch ups throughout the day and I found myself reaching for it to make
sure I was protected from the sun especially round areas where my bikini or
flip flops touched my skin in case any cream I had applied in my apartment had
sweated or rubbed off! When I saw the words “roll on” I thought it might be a
little gimmicky but the roller ball is so smooth and applied the cream really
evenly! The scent of this is summer in a bottle to me, Nivea mixed with SPF,
you know you are on holiday! Anytime I got my mum or aunt to apply this to my
back they commented on the scent too! The only thing I would say is that obviously
if you are using the rollerball to apply directly to your body and anyone else
wants to use it, it may be a little unhygienic! Kids versions are also
available and it has UVA and UBV protection and is water resistant!
Nivea Sun are also in partnership with Cancer Research UK – you can see the ad here! They recently released research revealing the extent of 2000
members of the British publics’ confusion around sun protection which are quite
interesting so I’ll dot a few throughout the post!
I got this in the Latest In Beauty Glamour Summer Edit which came in handy
and it was the perfect size for a week in the sun! I have a bit of a love/hate
relationship with sun lotion in that I want one that stops me from getting
burnt but that dries in quickly and doesn’t make me feel tacky. This
delivered on one of these so I don’t want to be too negative as not burning is
way more important than feeling greasy! It does however promise to be “non-greasy”
yet I still felt sticky after application even when I stood by a fan blowing
cool air over me! The spray is also a little messy so I tended to spray into my
hand before applying! It does protect the skin very well though and I didn’t
get burnt (didn’t get a tan either mind!) so if you don’t mind the tacky/sticky
feeling it may be for you!
20% of adults surveyed have went out in strong
sun in the UK without protecting their skin because they wanted to get a tan!
17% admitted being unsure if sunscreen
expires and 3% firmly believe it doesn’t!
I have been using this regularly for the past few months but I now have
a whole new appreciation for it! Again, offering both UVA and UVB protection,
it’s a runny yellow liquid that you have to shake well before use. I would
apply this in the morning to my face and wipe any excess onto the tops of my
ears. This is so lightweight and doesn’t feel greasy at all as well as being
water resistant. It dries in quickly and I find this to be so mattifying on my
skin while offering so much protection! While I am careful to keep my face out
of the sun as much as possible as exposure can be bad for acne scarring
sometimes it’s unavoidable and I didn’t get burnt once using this! I have a full review of this and other facial SPF’s from Eucerin here!
40% become burnt whilst gardening or
doing DIY outside in the UK and 21% have been caught out whilst watching sport
outside!
Carmex Moisture Plus Ultra Hydrating Lip Balm Peach Sheer Tint with SPF 15
This is an old favourite of mine and I remember why I loved it so much
now! It has a slant tip for easy application and the sheer colour gives a
lovely tint to the lips! It also comes in a few other shades but Peach is
definitely my favourite! I am a serial lip balm applier and this kept them
nicely hydrated while I was sunbathing!
Beach Towel
Always need at least one of these to lie on! The sun loungers were so comfortable
too; remember when they used to be hard plastic?
Hat
I booked pretty last minute to go on holiday and searched high and low
for a hat before leaving but couldn’t find an affordable one anywhere! I
resigned myself to borrowing my cousin’s, then a few days in I found a wide
brimmed hat at one of the stall type shops for €6! Perfect for keeping my face
in the shade while reading my book!
The Nivea and Cancer Research UK survey
showed that 8% of respondents failed to wear a hat "because they don’t suit
them”!
Sunglasses
These are just a pair from Miss Selfridge and they are ancient but I
love them! They are quite similar to Ray Ban Wayfarers but much more
affordable! I took these and a pair of aviators from River Island but I did
spend some time in duty free eyeing up their Ray Ban counterparts!
iPod
I could not live without my iPod on holidays (or travelling to get to holidays
for that matter!). Listening to music while sunbathing is so relaxing and I
almost fell asleep a few times - dangerous! I probably listened to Red Hot Chilli
Peppers, Catfish and the Bottlemen and The Last Shadow Puppets the most!
Book
I only read a few books on holiday and I wasn’t overly taken with
either! Definitely do your research before taking one with you! I am in the
middle of reading Me After You at home (again, not taken with it after loving
Me Before You but it’s a hardback so I didn’t want to take it as its to heavy!)
Water
An absolute essential for me! I drink so much water through the day; I
was constantly refilling this to keep myself hydrated! Sunbathing makes me
sweat (nice) so drinking water is a necessity!
Beach bag (Primark £1.50)
I was running round like a headless chicken last week looking for a
lightweight canvas bag big enough to fill with my essentials as well as my
beach towel and had almost given up until I got to the tills at Primark and saw
these! It’s exactly what I was looking for despite being so basic, I love the
print and the handles mean I can carry it under my arm comfortably! I love it!
Cancer Research UK and Nivea Sun recommend taking the following steps to
protect yourself in the sun:
C – cover up by wearing a hat, t-shirt and sunglasses
A – aim for the shade between 11am - 3pm
R – rub on sunscreen using plenty with at least SPF 15 and a 4 star UVA
rating
E – enjoy! Have fun in the sun safely!
And this is the photo I wanted to use but I took it before I got my hat! #firstworldproblems
Have you been on holiday this year? What are your pool/beachside
essentials?
