Summer Beauty Essentials

When it comes to summer, we all have different ideas about which products are absolute essentials, but there are some things which we can all agree on. Today I thought I'd share with you my most reached-for products over the summer months, and it wasn't easy narrowing them down!

I definitely have to have a tinted moisturiser on hand in the summer, as when the weather heats up there is nothing I like less than the feeling of a heavy foundation on my skin. My current weapon of choice is the Caudalie Teint Divin Tinted Moisturiser in Light-Medium, as it blends easily, gives a healthy, dewy finish and adds a bit of colour without looking artificial. On my cheeks, I love a bright cream blush, and my favourite of all is the Topshop Cream Blush in Flush (yep, that old chestnut). I got this a couple of months ago and have been pretty much in love with the vibrant coral pink shade ever since. You may have noticed, since I have mentioned it a fair few times before! 

Bright lips and nails are an absolute must for me in the summer time, as I'm all for using cosmetics to reflect the current season. Vibrant shades tend to perk me up and leave me feeling energised, so I've been going for Revlon Posh and Make Mine Mango on my nails, and Mac Impassioned on my lips. Saying that, I do seem to have a plethora of orange, coral and pink lip colours on hand to see me through this time of year - other favourites include Topshop Infrared, and Mac Coral Bliss, Vegas Volt and Lady Danger.

Skincare-wise, I like to keep things light, and the Antipodes Aura Manuka Honey Mask is just the ticket when it comes to weekly treatments. The manuka honey intensely moisturises the skin, and helps combat blemishes with it's antibacterial properties all in one go. The Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner will also help to keep things running smoothly, aiding the skin's natural exfoliating process by sloughing away any debris and dead skin cells. The result? Soft, smooth skin. Do make sure you use a really high SPF on your face if you are going out in the sun after using this though - the AHAs it contains can make you more susceptible to sunburn, and nobody wants that.

In terms of moisture, I often struggle to find a cream that will keep everything balanced and hydrated without being too rich or heavy, but the Ren T-Zone Balancing Day Fluid does a great job.

I like to go for fruity-scented body products and fragrances when the sun is shining, so the Nip & Fab Mango Smoothie Body Butter and Nina Ricci Eau de Toilette make the perfect finishing touches. The former smells exactly as you'd expect, while the latter has a gorgeous aroma of deliciously sweet apples, and has been a favourite of mine for some years now.

What are your Summer essentials?

xx

On My Nails This Week: Revlon Nail Enamel in Posh

This week saw my first foray into Revlon nail polishes. I don't know why I hadn't gone there before, as I'm a big fan of Revlon as a brand and love their makeup, but for some reason I had never thought to try out their nail-related offerings. However, while on the hunt for a dupe of Essie Mojito Madness, I stumbled across this beaut, which is called Posh (Shade 571). As well as this being a first for Revlon nails, it's also the first time I've welcomed such a shade to my collection. You'll often find me wearing mint and pastel greens, but emerald and forest greens were lacking in my collection until I saw the lovely Helen from The Lovecats Inc (if you don't already read her blog then get yourself over there after reading this post - Helen posts daily outfit posts and always has the most wonderful selection of beauty products to talk about - her hauls are second to none.) post an image on Instagram of various different green Essie nail polishes. It was a bit of a no-brainer really - I love emerald green, so why hadn't I thought about popping it on my nails?

I have to say, I'm really quite impressed with the formula of this nail polish. It goes on so smoothly without the merest hint of a streak, and it seems to dry pretty quickly too. (I used the Post Trauma Nail Treatment  - also Revlon as a base coat, but we'll talk more about that one later.) In terms of chipping, the tips of my nails did need a bit of retouching after a couple of days, but I have to take responsibility for that one as I didn't use a top coat.

These polishes come it at £6.49, which is a pretty mid-range price, and considering how high-end I think the sturdy packaging looks I think it's pretty good. You get 14ml for your money, which is more than you would with some of the more expensive brands, which is another bonus.

Have you tried any of the Revlon nail polishes? Which are your favourites?

xx