Topshop Glow Highlighter

Topshop's Glow highlighter in Polished had been on my wishlist for quite some time, yet it was forever out of stock in my local store. I finally got my hands on it in Oxford Street and ever since, it has made all of my other highlighters practically redundant. Its just so beautiful, seriously if you haven't swatched it, you need to! For me, this is the perfect glamorous evening highlighter as it really delivers on shimmer and is not exactly subtle. Its the perfect champagne colour with hints of pink shimmer, yet it is by no means glittery. It just creates the most beautiful and radiant glow, exactly as the name suggests. I love the cream formula, especially this season as it works beautiful with dewy skin and other cream products such as the Bourjois Bronzing Primer I have been loving which is below. You can build this up as much as you want without it looking too Edward Cullen, and it really creates a gorgeous radiance which looks healthy and glowy. To apply this I just use my ring finger and tap the product gently onto the tops of the cheekbones, and down the bridge of the nose. If you don't like super glowy highlighters this might not be for you, although I want to stress that even though it is shimmery it is not by any means heavy. You only need a tiny amount as it is really pigmented, and can apply as little or as much as you want. It's £9 from Topshop and is definitely worth a try if you're a big highlighter fan like me. The photos do not do this product justice, so go check it out in store if you're in need of a new highlighter.

Have you tried this highlighter? What are your favourites?

xox

Bourjois Bronzing Primer

Having been without a beach holiday this summer and with the British weather being typically British, my face has been lacking that sun kissed glow. That is, of course, until I discovered this wonder of a product from Bourjois which I absolutely adore as it is essentially, summer in a pot.

 First things first, the smell is incredible. Its got that chocolate smell which is familiar with Bourjois bronzing products, yet there is also something undeniably summery about it which just reminds me of holidays. My favourite way to apply this is to layer it underneath my foundation all over. The colour at first might seem quite dark and somewhat orange, yet as you blend it in it gives the appearance of a healthy natural tan. You can skip primer as well as this serves as both bronzer, and also something that will smooth out and matify your skin. After my base is done I also like to go back in with this on my forehead, around my hairline, and cheekbones to really bronze up the contours of my face.

Another reason why I was drawn to this was because of its cream formula which I can't get enough of in summer to create a really fresh and glowy look. Its texture is also very gel-like which makes it really easy to work with. I have also began to contour my nose slightly which is much easier with cream products, and I find that this works well for that. I simply use a small brush and draw two lines down the bridge of my nose to crease a slimmer effect, and then blend in until the lines disappear. This can be really transformative if you blend enough, giving you the illusion of a smaller nose. To further illustrate this, I use a highlighter in between these lines to make it even slimmer. This is slightly more orange for contouring as your best with something more ash toned, yet I find it works amazingly for a tanned healthy glow all over the face. I have heard people compare this product to Chanel's extremely sought after Soleil Tan De Chanel bronze universal bronzing makeup base, which retails at £32. I have never tried this myself as I have opted for cheaper alternatives, but I find it hard to believe that it can do something radically more impressive than this much cheaper one from Bourjois, retailing at just £9.99. In my opinion this is a must have in my summer make-up bag as it gives me both a realistic tan, and is great for contouring.

Let me know what you guys think of this product/ what else are your summer staples?

xox

The Summer Playlist #2

Seen as I am luckily going on holiday this week, I thought I would put together another summer playlist of all the jams I am loving and will be listening to in the sun this month. Most of these are current releases that you will no doubt have heard already, but there are a few old gems in there that I can't get enough of. I recently worked V festival and ever since I have rediscovered The Killers and Justin Timberlake. You can see my previous playlist here. 

Hope you are all having a wonderful summer, enjoy this playlist and feel free to give me more suggestions! 

What's In My Summer Make-Up Bag?

Base:
In summer a primer for me is essential to make things last as long as possible in the summer heat. I have been using Maybelline's Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser for a while now and, although I don't find it as good as Benefit's Porefessional, it does a fairly good job of evening out my skin. It has a lovely silky texture and does provide a nice base for foundation, but as for making the make up last a super long time I'm not as convinced. My foundation of choice this season is L'Oreal True Match which is just wonderful, my favourite foundation as of yet. I find the texture perfect, it goes over dry patches and lasts a long time, and what's more they have a great colour range. Of course, I do get oily throughout the day but I keep this under control with Maybelline's The Matte Maker which is a really nice solid translucent pressed powder. As for concealer, I use Collection Lasting Perfection no matter what season as it is my all time favourite. I use the lightest shade for concealing under my eye area, and the medium shade works brilliantly at covering blemishes and scars. 



Face:
For bronzer, I've tried to switch things up from my usual Body Shop Honey bronzer (which is unbelievable!) and I have found a new love with L'Oreal Glam Bronze. Although the picture above looks slightly orange, that is due to slight editing in saturation it is actually a really natural tan colour. I love using this all around my face for a tanned glow. I use the lightest shade in 00 Blond Sun which I think would be a great shade for pale-medium skin tones as it looks most natural. A long with this I like to switch up to cream blush in summer for a nice dewy and long lasting finish. Max Factor Miracle Touch cream blush in the shade Soft Pink is divine. It blends out really easily and creates a nice sheen on the skin. I finish this combination off with a dash of Soap & Glory's Glow All Out Luminizing Radiance Face Powder for a soft, really gentle highlight.

Eyes:
For summer, Urban Decay's Naked 2 Palette is simply gorgeous. It has all the bronze shades you could possibly want, and I have not used another palette at all this season, even Naked 3 has been neglected. I have been particularly obsessed with the beautiful golden shade,everyone's favourite, Half Baked,as well as Bootycall for an inner corner highlight, and Foxy across the browbone. The staying power and pigment of these shadows is brilliant but I still use a base to last all day, using either my fail safe Maybelline Colour Tattoo in On and on Bronze, or Rimmel ScandalEyes Shadowstick in 002 Bulletproof Beige. For eyeliner I've been enjoying using Eyeko's Skinny liquid liner which I received in Glamour magazine. It is super intense in colour and I find the felt tip applicator really easy to use. As for mascara, I need waterproof in the summer and I particularly love using Max Factor's Clump Defy, and then Maybelline's The Rocket to create super volumised lashes that will last all day. 

Brows:
For brows, my routine has stayed the same for a while now and I'm planning a new brow guide as I am really happy with this High Brow kit from Beauty UK. This kit has everything needed to achieve a perfect brow, wax to shape and then three shadows. I follow this up with Maybelline's Brow Drama Mascara to keep everything in place and find that this lasts all day and creates a perfectly shaped brow.

Lips:
For lips I have been loving red this summer. I think it looks great with bronzed skin and golden eye make-up, which is pretty much been my standard look. For a casual day I will wear Maybelline Baby Lips in the shade Cherry Me for a natural tint, or Revlon's Lip Butter in the shade Wild Watermelon. Both leave a lovely hint of colour in a slightly pinky red shade, with a nice glossy effect which I adore for summer. For an evening look I will pair Max Factor's gloss in the shade 30 Captivating Ruby. This is seriously pigmented alone but when paired a colour underneath it gives a lovely rich effect with lasting colour. 

Hope your all having a wonderful summer!

xox

Summer Lipstick Picks

Now I am a fan of a bold lip pretty much all year round, but summer is certainly the best time to try a more adventurous bright lip as it is always on trend. These are my pick of the best daring shades to really make you stand out this season. The Revlon colorburst lip butters are pretty much a firm favourite with most beauty junkies. They are the perfect combination of a lipstick and balm; good enough colour pay off yet still moisturizing which is why they are perfect for summer. My favourite summer shade is 063 Wild Watermelon, a really nice muted red that borderlines the pink shade of things. It is really easy to apply, just like a balm and has fairly good staying power too, leaving your lips with a glossy finish which I love for summer. Another winner from Revlon is a firm love of mine, Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in the shade 020 Lovesick. This is one of the best staying lip products I have ever came across,(there is still a mark on my arm where I struggled to get all this swatch off). I wore this non stop on holiday of an evening and didn't even have to take it out with me to top up. The bright fuchsia is just perfect for this season, not to mention how great it compliments a tan. Next is a shade that I am only brave enough to wear this season, Maybelline's colorsensational in 902 Fuchsia Flash. It is the brightest of pinks, much more Barbie than lovesick which is why I find it less wearable. It is super pigmented however and lasts a long time too, not to mention how amazing these lipsticks smell! Another favourite again comes from Revlon, and it is their lip gloss in the shade 046 Sizzle, a great orange shade which is still quite wearable as it verges on the red side of things. I love wearing this over the top of a bright coral or red shade to really make it stand out. These lip glosses from Revlon have amazing pigment for a lip gloss, albeit they are slightly sticky. Next is Max Factor in the shade 830 Dusky Rose, a muted pink with shimmer which again, looks wonderful with tanned skin. I adore Max Factor lipsticks because they are extremely creamy in formula, not at all drying and they last a long time with a finish that is not at all matte which I quite like for summer. Finally is a super bold shade from Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate, in the shade 110. This is a shockingly bright coral red, which again I find looks at its best with a tanned glow. I wore this non stop on my holiday as I feel it brightens up any look, even if you have fairly downplayed makeup this will make you stand out. These matte lipsticks also have unbelievable staying power which i find to be one of the most important factors of a summer lipstick. This shade looks beautiful paired with the lip gloss in Sizzle. 

xox

The Summer Playlist

Needless to say, I am a major music fan and I thought it would be a good idea to share all the songs that I cannot stop listening to this summer. I recently went on a gals holiday to Malia and these songs compiled my holiday playlist; some of my favourite current songs which really remind me of being on holiday, or just that feel good summer feeling in general. I defy anybody to listen to this playlist and not feel in a good summer mood- especially cruise which is my all time favourite feel good jam! Hope you enjoy, and are having a wonderful summer.

xox

My Top Five Beauty Tips for Vacation

Courtesy of Pinterest

Hey guys! 

Seen as I've just got back from holiday I thought it would be a wise idea to share with you some of my ultimate holiday make-up tips to try and make your vacation less stressful! I'm lucky enough to be going on holiday again next week so these are definitely tips I will be keeping in mind during the blazing heat which just doesn't go hand in hand with make-up!

1. On holiday, less is more...

It just does not make sense to me to be wearing a ton of make-up on the beach. Personally it is just too much hassle to maintain combined with oiliness, sweat, sunscreen, and make-up? Wearing make-up in the daytime on holiday is a recipe for disaster for my oily complexion. I'm all up for wearing make-up to go out in the evenings when you want to look your best but whilst lying under the sun, is it really necessary to wear foundation and the like? I don't know about you but mine would just melt off completely hence, a complete waste. On holiday make-up should enhance your fabulous tan and natural glow, not mask it, hence less is definitely more in my opinion. Of an evening I tend to stick with a BB cream, concealer, powder (non-negotiable), blush, bronzer, mascara and lipstick. Ditch the gel liner and the lashes- who has time for this on vacation? To me there is something ultra sexy about a natural face with just a sweep of mascara for intensity and a bold lip to add something exciting to your look.

2. Powder Powder Powder...

Even if you aren't cursed with the hindrance that is oily skin, your skin will naturally go slightly oilier on holiday due to sweating, hence powder is your new best friend. Dust gently all over your face, paying particular attention to your T-zone (forehead and nose) where you sweat most, and also your chin and upper lip. If you do have oily skin, the trick is to layer your make-up to help prevent it sweating off, e.g. apply cream blush, then layer powder, then bronzer and then a dust more powder if you wish to lock your make-up tightly in place. I recommend two powders in particular; my trusty Rimmel Stay Matte, and Soap and Glory One Heck of A Blot. These will help keep you looking matte, but of course they aren't going to make you look matte forever realistically if you have oily skin, so always make sure to take your compact out with you.  

3. Opt for Cream Products...

As opposed to powder, choose cream based products instead as these have longer staying powder and will not sweat off which powder can do in the heat. This rule particularly applies for blush, for me cream blush is so much nicer in the summer instead of powder and will have much longer staying power, whilst also helping you look extra glowy and more natural looking. My favorite at the moment is Revlon's Pinched, I wore this incessantly in Zante for its natural, healthy glow to create the classic 'no make-up look'. Cream eye products are also a lot better for holiday as these will crease less and keep your make-up looking fresher for longer. I couldn't recommend Maybelline's Colour Tattoo's for staying power any higher, particularly the cult shade on-and-on bronze which is all I wore on my eyes on holiday. It is such a beautiful colour that goes with literally every outfit under the sun to create a very put together look that actually took no effort at all. Despite my excessively oily lids, these stay on my eyes all night with minimal creasing. 

4. Whip out your Brow Gel...

Especially if you fill in your brows using powder for a natural look, powder may melt down your face in the heat revealing not so natural looking brows...hence brow gel is your savior! This will keep your brows looking perfectly natural and groomed at the same time- best.invention.ever. If you don't have brow gel or forget to take one with you, a top tip is to spray a brow groomer brush with hairspray and then use this to comb through your brows. This will have the same effect of keeping your brows perfectly intact throughout the night, whilst also holding your brow product tightly in place.

5. Rock a Bold Lip...

If you can't rock a bold lip in summer then when can you? Of course you can rock a bold lip any time of year, but for summer something about a bright, daring lip adds such character and fun to a seemingly boring make-up look. If, like me, you go fairly natural on your make-up on holiday, rocking a statement lip will transform your look completely. If you rock a bright orange lip in winter I salute you, but in the summer and especially on vacation you will look bang on trend and super fun. A few of my favorite bright bold lips at the moment include Revlon's lip butter in Wild Watermelon, Rimmel's Kate Moss 110 Vibrant Coral, and Maybelline Color-sensational Vivid in 902 Fuchsia Flash. Something about glossy lips in summer is also so gorgeous that I cannot resist layering a bold gloss on top for a sultry finish, my favorite at the moment is Revlon's Sizzle, a bold orange colour that looks like a match made in heaven with wild watermelon. 

xox