July Favourites

Sleek Precious Metals Highlighting Palette*
Highlighting is my favourite step in the makeup application process. It instantly brings life to dull, tired skin & generally makes your face look more beautiful. I don't think anything will ever come close to theBalm's Mary-Lou Manizer but I have been loving the Precious Metals Highlighting Palette from Sleek. I received this in my Cohorted Beauty Box & I think it's a fantastic piece of kit. It contains three cream highlighting shades & golden shimmery powder bronzer. Creams tend to look a bit more natural than powders so they're a better choice if you're after that 'lit from within' look. The creams blend in beautifully & add a gorgeous sheen to the skin. I'm a little bit obsessed with the Renaissance Gold shade, it's just so pretty!

Nivea Men Sensitive Post Shave Balm
This might seem like an odd product for a woman to like but hear me out. One of my favourite YouTubers to watch is NikkieTutorials & she mentioned that she uses this aftershave balm as a primer. It has a high glycerin content which is something that is often used as the main ingredient in many primers. Glycerin is a humectant meaning that it draws moisture from the air onto your skin. It is also makes whatever you apply on top of it stay in place all day long. My makeup tends to slide off my face in the Summer so I needed something that could make it stick around longer. A lot of the primers I already own are pore filling or smoothing ones & don't make a huge difference to the longevity of my makeup. I tried this stuff out & I think it's utterly fantastic as a primer! The product itself is a very thin & watery liquid but it dries down quite quickly. It feels cooling & refreshing on the skin. It does have a strong manly scent but this soon goes away after application so you don't have to worry about smelling like a guy. Since I started using this as a primer I've noticed that my foundation goes on a lot smoother & looks really seamless on the skin. My base actually stays put in the heat & looks flawless for hours on end. It gets extra points for being incredibly cheap too!

Bioré UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel SPF 50+ PA++++
At long last I have finally found my holy grail sunscreen! I'm a bit of a Japanophile so it was only a matter of time before I started using Asian beauty products. Although we do have Bioré in the UK, we only get a select few of their products. Over here they're probably best known for those godawful nose pore strips that you should avoid like the plague. This sunscreen is part of a line made specifically for their Japanese market. Asian sunscreens are generally acknowledged to be superior to the ones we get over here. They're lower in price & better in quality. They tend to have higher SPF & PA ratings without the greasiness or white cast. After reading many glowing reviews on /r/AsianBeauty I decided to order the Aqua Rich Watery Gel from eBay. I've linked the seller I used as I had no problems at all with my order. Delivery from Japan took two weeks but it was totally worth the wait! This sunscreen is simply amazing. It uses a combination of chemical & physical UV filters to provide unrivalled daily UVA & UVB protection. The milky liquid feels so light & comfortable to wear. This product is ideal to use under your makeup as it gives a silky feel to the skin & doesn't pill at all. It absorbs super fast & dries to an invisible finish without any shine or white cast. Alcohol is one of the main ingredients but the addition of royal jelly & hyaluronic acid prevent it from drying out the skin. It's not heavy, greasy or sticky plus it has a lovely fresh lemony scent. It's perfection in a bottle!

Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipstick in Celebrity Skin
I've been wanting to try the Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipsticks for so long! A little while ago Cocktail Cosmetics starting stocking them in the UK so I'm glad that I waited patiently instead of ordering them from America. These liquid lipsticks are extremely pigmented & matte but they don't dry out your lips. They're so long lasting & you can even eat or kiss with them on without wrecking your lippie. The colour range is definitely a little more out there than most lipsticks but they're such good quality that they make it easy to pull off such bold shades. I kinda want to buy them all, even the black & blue ones! The shade that I was most looking forward to trying is Celebrity Skin & I really love this colour even though it looks very different to what I was expecting. On most people this looks like a nude lipstick but because I'm so pale it leans very brown & dark. It literally looks different on everyone! The lipstick formula is everything I could've hoped for & I definitely need to add a few more of these to my collection.

Claudia Louch Concealer Trio*
Sometimes concealer alone just isn't enough to cover all of my imperfections. If you struggle with hyperpigmentation or dark circles underneath your eyes then colour correcting those areas beforehand can make all the difference. This concealer palette is a fab little product that allows you to mix & match the shades to create your own custom colour. By layering the different shades you can hide a multitude of sins. I really struggle with dark circles & no amount of eye cream or beauty sleep will ever work quite as well as correcting & concealing. The medium shade is slightly orange toned & works well to correct any discolouration. Then I like to apply the lightest shade over the top to match the rest of my foundation. They also cover any active spots or post-blemish scarring really well. The creamy consistency of these concealers makes them easy to blend & layer without looking cakey. This product is very similar to the Bobbi Brown Corrector & Concealer but this palette works out to be much better value for money.

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British Summer Essentials

There's nothing quite as unpredictable as the Great British Summer. One day the sun will be shining brighter than ever before... then the next day we'll get non-stop wind & rain. If you're having a UK staycation this year then it's best to be prepared for every eventuality. I've teamed up with luxury accessories brand Folli Follie to give you a few ideas of which things to take with you, whatever the weather. Last month they sent me the most amazing selection of goodies & I'm over the moon with everything I received. Here are my British Summer Essentials...





First of all you'll need a bag to carry around all of your belongings. You'd be hard pressed to find a more beautiful one than the Heart4Heart Shoulder Bag*. I was so excited when this arrived in the post, this bag is just incredibly stunning! It is available in five different colours but I think the red looks best. It's so bright & Summery but will look stylish all year round. I love pairing monochrome outfits with colourful accessories like this. I adore the rose gold hardware, especially that clover shaped lock. Everything about the bag just screams quality. Not only does it look gorgeous but there is tons of room inside & plenty of compartments to keep everything organised. It feels sturdy yet lightweight so it's a brilliant choice for your travels.






I was also sent these awesome tortoiseshell effect wayfarer sunglasses. How cute is the little orange case they came with?! The attention to detail is phenomenal. I really like how the four leaf clover theme is carried through their designs. The glasses feel very comfortable to wear & the lenses offer 100% UV ray protection. The wayfarer style is a classic & again the quality is top notch. Something else I've loved wearing this Summer is my black straw fedora hat from River Island. It's helped to protect my bleached hair from the sun & provide some shade for my face. I think it finishes off an outfit rather nicely too!



BRONZE
Although the UK weather is capable of doling out some wicked sunburn, we often don't see enough sun to develop a real tan. Even if you want to catch some rays you still need to wear some form of protection. Shiseido make some truly lovely sun protection products. I really like their Protective Tanning Cream N SPF 10*. It offers light protection & imparts a beautiful glow to the skin. The formula is very lightweight so it absorbs quickly & the tanner gives you a healthy looking natural golden colour. In a similar vein the Nivea Sun Protect & Bronze Spray SPF 10 contains a natural plant extract which helps support the production of melanin. Using this spray lotion will help to protect your skin & boost your ability to get a tan. If you're too busy for sunbathing then you can't beat a bit of fake tan. Admittedly I'm not a self tanning connoisseur but I've been very impressed with Lauren's Way Glam Tan*. The thought of tanning my whole body is quite scary to me but I've been using it on my legs to give them a bit of colour. The spray makes it very easy to apply & the colour is deep yet natural looking - not orange!



PROTECT
If you're incredibly pale like me then you should probably stick to using products with a high SPF. Most people seem to forget that your lips can actually get sunburned so it's important to use a lip balm that can protect your lips. I love this strawberry lip balm from EOS*. This flavour doesn't have sun protection but their lemon drop lip balm boasts SPF 15 so make sure you get that one! The formula is deeply hydrating & feels lovely on the lips. My favourite facial sunscreen is Soap & Glory's Sunshield Superfluid SPF 50. I use chemical exfoliants all year round so I always wear SPF 50 but it's especially important to protect your face during the Summer. I like this one because it doesn't leave a white cast, it doesn't feel greasy & it doesn't break me out. Check out my full review here. I always use this Nivea Sun Protect & Refresh Spray on my body. It offers SPF 50 & the spray is invisible so it won't leave horrid marks all over your clothes. It's easy to apply & feels cooling on the skin. I highly recommend it!



REFRESH
I love spending time in the sun but sometimes the heat can make you feel gross & uncomfortable. To make things a little more bearable during the recent heatwave I relied on these few products. The most important thing to carry with you is a bottle of water. It'll keep you hydrated and stocking up on them at home will save you a few pennies when you're out & about. It's a good idea to carry a dry shampoo with you during the Summer months. Sweaty hair is never a good look. I always buy Batiste products because they're cheap & get the job done. I hadn't tried their Pretty & Delicate Floral Dry Shampoo* before but the scent is really sweet & feminine - a new fave! I love the packaging too. I couldn't live without a bottle of Caudalie Beauty Elixir in my handbag. It's the perfect facial refresher with an addictive herbal scent. I use it throughout the day to perk up my skin & clear my mind. After a few hours in the sun my body starts to feel overly hot & sticky. Arran Aromatics have come up with the best solution for this short of taking a cold shower. Their Aloe Vera Energising Gel* is a wonderful quick reinvigorator for the body. It instantly cools down the skin & works well on sunburn. I always carry a bottle of hand sanitiser with me. If you're eating on the go or having a picnic then you don't want mucky hands. I really like the ones from The Body Shop. They come in loads of different scents but I'm currently using the Pink Grapefruit Hand Cleanse Gel. It smells so nice! A little pocket fan like this one can feel terrific when you're getting hot & bothered. Spray the Beauty Elixir or rub on some of the body gel first then use the fan on those areas. Say hello to instantly cooler skin.



Of course if everything goes wrong & the rest of the Summer is a washout then you'll need a good umbrella. I really like cute bubble ones like this as they seem to keep the rain out much better than your average brolly. Even if it doesn't rain then an umbrella can double up as a parasol so you can chill out in the shade no matter where you are.

What are your British Summer essentials?

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In-Shower Moisturisers

L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil / Nivea In-Shower Body Moisturiser* / Lush African Paradise

When you're as lazy as I am, an in-shower moisturiser can be a complete godsend. I always spend ages in the shower so when I'm finished I like to get dried off & dressed as soon as possible. Moisturising my body just never comes to mind when I've got a million other things to be getting on with. I am prone to patches of eczema though so it is quite important for me to keep my skin hydrated. That's why I prefer getting my moisturising done while I'm still in the bathroom. Luckily there are quite a few products out there now that can get the job done quick sticks.

If you're looking for a multi-purpose shower product you won't find anything better than L'Occitane's utterly gorgeous Almond Shower Oil. This does it all & smells amazing to boot! That beautiful almond scent lingers on the skin for hours. It works as a shower gel & body moisturiser in one so this is the best one to use if you're short on time. Despite being an oil it lathers up quite well and cleanses the skin without drying it out whatsoever. This shower oil is a real miracle worker if you suffer from eczema or psoriasis. It deeply nourishes those dry & irritated patches to reveal calmer, softer skin post-wash. I also love using this to shave with. It gives just the right amount of slip & helps me to get a closer shave around trickier areas like my knees. It is an expensive shower product but a little goes a very long way with this stuff. Each bottle lasts months & months for me so it's a worthy investment.

I always hear plenty of praise for the Nivea In-Shower Body Moisturisers. Nivea make several different versions of this product but I was sent the sea minerals one for normal skin. Unlike the L'Occitane one this product is only meant to condition the skin so you still have to use a shower gel or scrub beforehand. When you're done with everything else in the shower you simply massage some of this all over your body then rinse it off. The formula absorbs instantly so you're left with lovely soft skin after drying and get can get on with getting dressed right away. Although it isn't quite as luxurious as the other products it definitely does help to rehydrate any dry areas & smooth my skin. It's a brilliant budget buy that works surprisingly well. The sea minerals one doesn't smell that great though so I really want to try the pampering honey, nourishing cocoa & almond oil versions.

Having used up my tub of Ro's Argan Body Conditioner I decided to try out another Lush skin conditioner. After having my arm washed with several products instore (anyone else find this totally awkward?!) I decided to plump for African Paradise. At the time I didn't realise it but this product is actually pricier than the L'Occitane offering! This is a really indulgent treat for the skin. African Paradise combines loads of nourishing oils together including almond oil, moringa oil & marula oil with shea butter and cocoa butter plus a healthy dose of fresh mango juice. The resulting concoction is truly divine! The tropical scent is absolutely incredible & it stays on your skin all day long. I find it hard to stop sniffing myself whenever I use it. This is definitely the most hydrating skin conditioner. Nothing makes my skin feel softer. After washing it off my skin feels exactly the same as if I'd applied a regular body moisturiser but without any greasiness, stickiness or waiting around for it to absorb properly. It also features aloe vera to cool & soothe the skin which means that it can be used to treat irritation & sunburn as well. This is such a wonderful product & if you're desperately in need of some in-shower pampering then it's worth every single penny.

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Nivea Cellular Anti-Age Skincare Range

Recently I've been testing out the new Nivea Cellular Anti-Age skincare range. The Cellular Anti-Age range is intended for those with mature skin as the products claim to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, firm the skin & aid skin renewal. All of the products in this range contain a unique combination of anti-ageing ingredients including magnolia extract, hyaluronic acid & creatine. For me Nivea are one of those failsafe brands. There's a reason why millions of women rely on their products. The Cellular Anti-Age range feels like a step up for them as the products are slightly more luxurious. I'm not hugely into drugstore skincare products as they often don't agree with my skin but the ingredients in these ones sounded just as good as some high end stuff. Ever since Hydraluron launched I've actively looked for moisturisers that contain hyaluronic acid. Not only does it increase your skin's moisture levels & plump up the skin, it helps to keep blemishes at bay as well. Obviously I'm still fairly young but fine lines are starting to creep up on me & prevention is always better than cure. I've noticed some other pleasant effects on my skin from using these products so it's well worth taking a look at them regardless of your age.



For me the surprise item of the range was the Nivea Cellular Anti-Age Eye Cream*. In general I tend to prefer eye gels as they feel much lighter & more refreshing on the skin. I didn't really expect much from this product but it is a truly lovely eye cream. You only need a tiny pinhead sized amount so this tube is gonna last for ages. The cream manages to feel lightweight & deeply hydrating at the same time so it's perfect for the delicate skin around your eyes. It has an instantaneous effect on my undereye area. My dark circles are immediately lightened. Any fine lines get plumped up and smoothed out. My eyes look brighter & healthier even without concealer. It's a really great base for your concealer too & helps to stop it from creasing as much.



My favourite out of the four products has to be the Nivea Cellular Anti-Age Concentrated Skin-Refining Serum*. This serum feels incredibly hydrating! I sometimes feel like I don't even need to use a moisturiser afterwards. The texture is very silky which is probably due to cyclomethicone being the second ingredient on the list. I did worry that this serum would break me out as I sometimes react to excess silicone but my skin has actually been loving this stuff. This product is an intensive concentrated treatment so I've found that it has really helped to accelerate the skin rejuvenating process. I tend not to get full on blemishes anymore, just loads of congestion especially on my forehead. Ever since I started using this serum my forehead has been looking really smooth & clear. The fine lines in that area have been lessened also. It's such a great treatment that would be perfect for anyone prone to dehydration or congestion. If you buy one product from the Cellular Anti-Age range, this should be it.



A Nivea day cream was one of the first moisturisers I ever bought so it's interesting to see how they've improved over the years. I absolutely love the buttery soft texture of the Nivea Cellular Anti-Age Day Cream SPF 15*. Both the day & night creams have that good old Nivea scent which is lovely & doesn't irritate my skin. I feel like this cream might be slightly too rich for my skin type though. It's really hydrating but it takes a long time to sink in & can sometimes feel a bit tacky. When it does finally sink in it does make my skin feel really silky & soft. It gives the skin a nice velvety appearance. As someone with combination skin though I need something a bit lighter during the day. I do like that it contains SPF 15 as sun protection is pretty much the only thing that can stop the signs of ageing. Anti-ageing products can reduce the effects but again prevention is better than cure.



I'm really enjoying using the Nivea Cellular Anti-Age Night Cream*. This has that same buttery texture as the day cream but it's just a little bit thicker & balmier. It simply melts into the skin & feels so lovely to apply. It actually reminds me of the Origins High Potency Night-A-Mins moisturiser which is my favourite night cream ever. The main difference is that this has that traditional Nivea scent instead of a citrus one. Both creams boast skin renewal properties & I have to say that both of them deliver. When I wake up after using the Nivea night cream my skin feels amazing. It's so much softer, smoother & plumped up. My skin tone looks even & there's no dryness or tight feeling at all. Everything feels noticeably firmer too. This is a great night cream & is another one of those products that I think a lot of people would get along with.

Overall I think this is a really strong range of products from Nivea. Even though they are intended for more mature ladies, anyone with dry or dehydrated skin would greatly benefit from using these products. Each product normally costs £14.99 but at this moment in time they're only £9.99 in Boots! This range has totally exceeded all of my expectations. It just goes to show that as long as you know which ingredients to look out for, your skincare routine needn't cost the earth. Are you a fan of Nivea products?

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The SPF Quartet

Alpha-H Daily Essential Moisturiser SPF 50+ / Nivea Sun Invisible Protection Transparent Spray SPF 50
Soltan Head & Hair Dry-Touch Transparent Suncare Spray SPF 30 / Balmi Mint Lip Balm SPF 15

Something I am very passionate about is the use of sun protection products. I don't think I've ever shared this with you before but in November 2005 my dad was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, more commonly known as skin cancer. He never wore sun tan lotion even when we went on holiday and would often sit in his room with a little tanning lamp. One day he noticed a tiny lump on the top of his head which he stupidly kept picking at. It developed into a huge scab and continued sun exposure only made it worse. After years and years of suffering he finally went to the doctors and soon after his diagnosis he started receiving treatment. He has been in remission for several years now but it still affects his life every day. The doctors treated him with too much radiation so his head has never properly healed. He still has to visit the doctor three times a week to get the dressing on his head changed and he has to wear a hat pretty much everywhere he goes. He travels to work every day in a suit and a baseball cap. So sadly this is something he will have to deal with for the rest of his life. Sorry for the horrid start to this post but I wanted to demonstrate what a horrible disease skin cancer is and how life altering it can be. I think it's pretty clear why I'm such a big advocate of products with SPF.

Skin cancer is obviously the most important reason to protect yourself from the sun but seeing as this is a beauty blog let's talk about how the sun can affect your looks. It is one of the main causes of premature ageing as it can give you liver spots and wrinkles. Too much sun exposure will give your skin a dry, leathery appearance and it increases sagging. The sun also causes the appearance of tiny blood vessels on your face. Once Summer finally rears it's head I never leave the house without slathering on the high SPF products. Don't get me wrong, I love going to the beach and sitting in the sun as much as the next person but I don't care if I never get a tan because I'd much rather be pale, look youthful and have healthy skin. There are four products that I know I can rely on to keep myself fully protected.

I first came across Alpha-H Daily Essential Moisturiser SPF 50+ when I started using Liquid Gold. AHAs found in chemical exfoliants increase your sensitivity to the sun so I decided look for face products with SPF 50. A lot of the ones I tried left my face feeling greasy, broke me out, smelled gross and gave me a white cast. I figured since Alpha-H invented Liquid Gold that their SPF moisturiser might be the perfect accompaniment to it. Luckily I was right and now I use this moisturiser every day, even during the Winter. It feels really nice on the skin, gives me the right amount of hydration and doesn't come with any of the problems of the other SPF products I've tried. The best sun protection product I've ever found for my body is the Nivea Sun Invisible Protection Transparent Spray SPF 50. I got so fed up of using messy lotions that stained all my clothes and were annoying to apply. I first heard about this product last year from a goth YouTuber called Synthetic Doll. If it's good enough for a goth, it's good enough for me! You just spray this all over and rub it in. It is quickly absorbed, non-greasy and water resistant. It's so easy to re-apply when you're out and about too. Due to my dad's problems I'm very conscious of protecting my head. If I'm not wearing a hat I use the Soltan Head & Hair Dry-Touch Transparent Suncare Spray SPF 30. I spray this liberally all over my scalp and hair. It doesn't make my hair greasy and it contains conditioner so it helps to protect my bleached hair. Finally I whack on a bit of my Balmi lip balm because it contains SPF 15 and feels fresh & minty on a hot day. These products never let me down and it's reassuring to know that I can enjoy the sun safely.

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