Summer Holiday Skincare

One of the things I love doing before I go on holiday is shopping for toiletries and this year I went a bit crazy in Boots and Superdrug (and online). I took full advantage of both their 3 for 2's and left with everything I could ever need while I'm in Portugal. My favourite thing about going on holiday is sunbathing and getting a tan and I like to keep my skin looking and feeling good as the sun and sun cream doesn't exactly do wonders for my skin. I thought I'd share a few things I picked up that will keep me looking (hopefully) half decent in the heat.

Garnier Ambre Solaire After Sun: While I was reading Beth's blog I came across this after sun in her May favourites post and loved the sound of it. I always use and after sun on holiday to soothe my skin and hydrate it after hours of lying at the pool/beach trying to get the darkest tan possible. The thing I love about this is that it deepens and prolongs your tan as it contains a subtle self tanning ingredient. I always lust after the Lancaster Tan Maximiser After sun but at a fraction of the price I'm hoping this works just as well. It was on offer in Superdrug and I paid about £3.50 for it.

La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water Spray: I was drawn to this little spray when I was looking for a 3rd item to pick up in Boots 3 for 2. It contains natural anti-oxidants to soothe and soften skin that has been irritated by the sun and also helps prevent skin ageing, perfect for going abroad. I know this will come in handy when I'm lying at the pool and needing something to refresh my skin and cool me down. It's actually on offer on Escentual for £2.33 at the moment - bargain!

Bioderma Photoderm AKN Mat SPF 30: I hate putting sun cream on my face, it always stings my eyes and skin and breaks me out - you can just feel it clogging up your pores! I also use oil on my body and there's no point in buying a big bottle of sun cream just for my face so I searched the internet looking for a face cream with a high SPF. I am so happy I came across this little beauty as it's mattifying formula sounds perfect for a hot climate (no greasy looking face for me this year). It's UVB and UVA protection prevents sunburn and premature ageing while the balancing Fluidactiv complex helps to keep your skin looking clear and prevents spots. What more could you ask for? Again, this is on offer on Escentual and you can pick it up for £9.13 which is pretty decent for this 40ml bottle.

So these are some of the products that I'll be using every day on holiday - less than 2 weeks to go!! I'll also do a post on what's in my holiday makeup bag and some other beauty essentials that I'll be packing. I hope everyone has a good weekend!

Getting My Faux Glow Back

Throughout the Winter I kind of neglected my fake tan unless I was going on a night out, but now it's Spring time I decided I need to up my game and get my glow back. I was looking back at photos from my holiday in Ibiza last summer and I was SO tanned it upset me at how pale I am right now so here are some of the fake tans that I rely on...

• The Instant Tan: My favourite instant tan has to be Soap and Glory Glow Getter. This is just an instant tan, sort of a body makeup that I like to put on my legs if I'm wearing a dress or skirt on a night out. I discovered this tan about a year ago and have used it ever since. I like using this when I've already got a bit of tan on so it gives me a gorgeous airbrushed look. I actually did a post of this way back when I first started my blog, (cringe) If you'd like to read it (don't laugh) you can here.

• The Gradual Tan: I used this gradual tan a few years ago but when the lovely Christine who I work with mentioned it again I decided to pick one up. I went for the deep one as I'm not that pale to begin with and I do love a dark tan. I apply this when I get out the shower and it has a lovely apricot smell that reminds me of summer. I've only used this twice and I already have a gorgeous, sun-kissed glow. I also love that its a two in one - moisturiser and tan (since you know I always neglect my body moisturising) and it's under a fiver! This is definitely a tan I'll continue to use every day during the Spring and Summer months. 

• The Weekly Tan: If I've got a night out or special occasion planned I like my tan to be that little bit darker. I usually use St Moritz which is a really cheap tan that gives me an amazing colour but right now I'm loving Sienna X Dark Glowing Self Tan. I love the colour this tan give me, a deep golden brown colour and not orange at all. I apply this with my tanning mitt before I go to bed because you need to have it on for 8 hours before you wash off the guide tan. It lasts about 5 days which is really good and doesn't come off patchy if I exfoliate every couple of days. It also has a lovely scent which is always a bonus - none of that biscuit fake tan smell! 

I've also decided I'm going to buy the Clarins Liquid Bronze facial tanner when I get paid on Friday and will definitely be doing a review on that once I've tried it out. What are some of your favourite fake tans?

March Favourites

• Soap & Glory The Breakfast Scrub - I love all of the Soap & Glory products, but my favourite is 100% this one (closely followed by the Glow Getter tan), a body scrub that consists of little beads that give you silky smooth skin. It contains oat, Shea butter and sugar along with other lovely ingredients like almond and honey which makes it a must have skin care product for me. I use this a couple of times a week to buff off my tan and exfoliate my skin ready for another layer, it also has an amazing maple scent (smells good enough to eat). This is one product I always repurchase and if you haven't tried it I definitely recommend that you do.

• Garnier Ultimate Beauty Oil - I did a review on this body oil at the start of March and have still been using it (almost) everyday. It's extra moisturising and has a lovely subtle scent, not to mention its so much more convenient than a lotion if you're lazy like me. If you want to read my full review on it you can here.

• VO5 Plump It Up Dry Backcomb Spray - I'm forever trying to get volume in my flat, limp hair and have tried loads of products that just don't seem to work. A couple of months ago I bought some products from the VO5 Plump It Up range and this one stood out to me the most. After using my Aussie Aussome Volume shampoo and conditioner and my Plump It Up mousse, I spray this onto my roots and backcomb my hair slightly to give it some extra volume. I've seen some negative reviews on this but it works fine for me, it's by no means a miracle product but it does give my hair a little more volume and texture than usual and I use it every day. 

• MAC Pink Nouveau - So far I have 12 MAC lipsticks in my collection and the one I've been reaching for the most this month is Pink Nouveau. It's a lovely medium pink with blue undertones and has a satin finish. It's not too bright so it's perfect for everyday wear and I've been loving pairing it with my Revlon ColorBurst lipgloss in Pink Ice. 

• Barry M Gelly Nail Paint Lychee - I'm a massive fan of nude nail polish and even dedicated a whole post to them here. Now I have a new favourite to add to my collection - Barry M Lychee. I already have a couple of the Gelly polishes, I love the finish of them and they are one of my favourites (Essie is still in the lead though). Lychee is a gorgeous Spring nude, a really pale creamy coffee colour and I've been wearing it constantly on my nails this month. I'll definitely buy it again when this one runs out - and it will!

• L'Oreal Super Liner - Another product I've been wearing every day is this pen liner. I posted about this in February and have been using it almost every day since then. It's so easy to use and the thin tip makes appplication super quick, especially when I'm running about for work in the morning. For now this has even replaced my beloved Maybelline gel liner but maybe I'll rekindle my love for it this month.

Have you tried any of these products? What are your March Favourites?

Garnier Ultimate Beauty Oil

I don't know about you, but one of the steps I neglect the most in my beauty regime is body moisturising. It's only since I've became a beauty blogger that I've started taking an interest in what I use on my face, although I'm still not quite there yet (some lazy nights I still reach for the face wipes, I'm sorry). So I thought it was about time I became a good beauty blogger and start moisturising my whole body daily.

At first I started using my Soap and Glory body butter but it still seemed too much of a hassle for me (I really am that lazy). However, last week while I was reading Kate's blog I noticed a product that looked like it could solve my problem - Garnier Ultimate Beauty Oil. A spray that moisturises and doesn't need much rubbing in? Yes please! So while I was in Boots last Saturday I picked up a bottle.

I've seen a few body oils on blogs in the past but they were always a bit out of my price range and I never really thought about using them. However, at just £7.99 it seemed reasonable (I think you can actually get it cheaper than this other places). This light weight oil is 5 times more concentrated in nutrients than any of Garnier's regular body lotions and enriched with 4 precious oils - Argan, Macadamia, Almond and Rose, a dream for your skin. These ingredients work together to not only moisturise your skin, but illuminate and perfect it. It also has a really subtle scent which I love as it isn't too over powering.

I've been using this product twice a day for a week now and have already noticed a difference in my skin (before I'd only moisturise every few days when I could be bothered). My skin is feeling much softer and definitely looks a lot better. It's also so easy to use, just a couple of sprays covers a large area and only needs rubbed in a little bit. I was worried I'd be feeling greasy all day (flashbacks of using oil on my summer holidays) but it isn't greasy at all, it dries in and leaves my skin feeling silky smooth.

Overall, I'm really impressed with this product and think i'll be sticking with oils instead of lotions from now on. Are there any body oils you recommended?

June Empties

(sorry about the bad quality pic)

1. Clarins Eye Makeup Remover Lotion - I wear a lot of dark eye makeup, which is a pain to get it off, but this eye makeup remover is great as it helps it come off really easily. Also, it doesn't sting my eyes like a lot of others.

2. Benefit 'They're Real!' Mascara - This is one of the best mascaras I've used. I got it as a birthday present when it was new out and was really impressed with the results. The brush is a thick comb that coats all the eyelashes and it gives amazing length without looking clumpy. After my Dior has ran out I'd probably repurchase this.

3. MAC Matte Bronzing Powder  - One of only bronzer's I've ever fully used up (three times). I don't like my bronzer's to have a shimmer in them, so this is perfect as it's completely matte. It is also a lovely brown colour and doesn't make you look orange. I'd like to try Nars - Laguna next as I've hear its quite similar.

4. Lauren's Way Glam Tan - After so many great reviews about Glam Tan, I purchased it. It has lasted me a good few months and gives me an amazing colour. My new favourite tan! I usually use St Moritz as it's cheap but when I want to treat myself I buy this. A must have.

5. Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Intensive Daily Moisturizer - Eight Hour Cream is a necessity in my makeup bag. It's definitely my favourite skin care range. This moisturizer doesn't make my skin oily and keeps it hydrated all day. I also love the smell of eight hour cream, which is unusual as most people don't (that's why there's now a fragrance free version).

6. Garnier B.B Cream - There has been a lot of reviews on this particular B.B cream (mostly negative) and many people find it too oily. I personally like it as a makeup base but wouldn't wear it on it's own. Garnier have now brought out an oil free version so I think I'll have a try at that.

Have you tried any of these products?

Melissa

xxx

What I Wear Everyday

Just a small post on what I use on my face every day at the moment!

Garnier B.B Cream - Medium

MAC Studio Fix Fluid - NC30

Soap & Glory Kick Ass Concealer - Medium

Chanel Universal Powder - 03

MAC Matte Bronze

MAC Blusher - Dolly Mix

Benefit High Beam

Maybelline Gel Liner - 01 Black

Dior Show New Look Mascara - Black

Melissa

xxx