Makeup Essentials for Glowing Summer Skin

Kevyn Aucoin Creamy Glow Duo Sculpting /Candlelight  //  Kevyn Aucoin Celestial Bronzing Veil  //  Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Powder  //  Benefit blush in Rockateur*

Some products are notoriously difficult to photograph, aren't they!? Kevyn Aucoin's offerings definitely take the biscuit on that score - reflective casing and cameras do not mix!

That aside...

Glowing skin is an absolute must for me in summer, and I am forever hunting down the best beauty products to help me achieve that. Just the right shade of bronzer to give me that sun-kissed look without going overboard, the perfect peach or coral blush, a subtle highlighter that won't make me look like a glitterball in the sun, and something to sculpt my cheeks for that chiselled effect.

This summer, it seems I have found all four.

This particular Kevyn Aucoin Creamy Glow Duo consists of two of his most iconic products - the Sculpting Powder and The Celestial Powder in Candlelight - but in cream formula. When I first ordered this compact, I wasn't sure what to expect, and it's fair to say that the size when it arrived on my doorstep was initially a little bit disappointing - but then again, for the price, and compared to the full-size items, it certainly isn't bad. Thankfully, the products themselves are entirely redeeming. The sculpting powder is just perfect for the purpose, a taupe shade without too many red or orange tones and leaning ever so slightly grey. I dot onto the hollows of my cheeks and then blend using my Real Techniques Stippling Brush for perfectly sculpted cheekbones, and I have to say, although subtle, it somehow makes all the difference, creating that perfectly natural shadow. I tend to keep it for special occasions and evenings out, as while I'd like to use it daily, I like to keep something back, a secret weapon for when I really need it. Plus I'm scared I'll run out!

For a healthy, golden glow all over, I dust some Kevyn Aucoin Celestial Bronzing Veil lightly over my cheekbones, down my nose and across my forehead and chin. Again, it is subtle, but adds so much warmth to my face. I no longer look pale, but nor do I look 'overdone' -  it appears completely natural on the skin, and would suit the majority of tones. I wear Tropical Days, but you can always go for Tropical Nights if you are that bit darker.

As I mentioned before, it's a good blush that I feel makes any look, particularly at this time of year, and for me, Benefit Rockateur* (now available from QVC as well as all the usual haunts) more than ticks all the right boxes. It's a rose gold powder, reminiscent of Nars Orgasm and Sleek Rose Gold, but in my eyes it manages to top both. A light dusting on the apples of the cheeks provides a sheer but buildable wash of colour, once again incredibly natural-looking but with added sheen. Rockateur blends fantastically and has great staying power - not much more I could ask for in a cheek product.

To finish, I sway between Kevyn Aucoin's Candlelight cream and  the Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Powder in 01. I find that the perfect combination is a dusting of  the Baked Powder across the tops of my cheekbones, and a smidgen of the Candlelight cream blended down the centre of my nose, beneath the eyebrows and just on top of the cupid's bow.

Between the four of them, they've got all my summer skin makeup needs covered, and I can see myself reaching for them time and again across the coming months (fingers crossed the sunshine lasts!).

Which products do you rely on to give you that summer glow?

xx

The Weekly Selection

There hasn't really been anything to write home about this week in terms of new loves - I did go out and buy a few new beauty bits a couple of days ago, but I haven't had the chance to try anything more than once or twice, which means that my most reached-for products of late have definitely been the known and loved.

One product which has stood out to me, however is definitely the Balance Me Radiance Face Oil*, which has been lurking at the back of my collection for some time now, just begging to be loved. When I first received it, my skin was an absolute nightmare, and I had really scaled back my routine to the absolute basics as I was so afraid of making it worse. However, now that things are on a bit more of an even keel, I've been really enjoying slapping on a light layer of this before I turn in for the night. It's the nicest smelling facial oil I've ever had the pleasure of using, and leaves my skin feeling plump and nourished come morning. It also gives me a bit of an extra glow, which is something I'm always in the market for.

Next up is my beloved Mac Lipstick in Vegas Volt. This was my first ever Mac purchase many moons ago, and the vibrant coral shade still wows me as much now as it did back then. I actually went through a phase where I no longer thought this suited me, but when I found it at the bottom of my makeup bag last week and slicked some on, it was love - again. It's one of your typically perfect summer shades, and the creamy Amplified finish is an added bonus.
I've been enjoying using the Dove Summer Glow in light - medium to keep my limbs looking naturally bronzed of late (I know it has a different name in the picture, but that's because it's a foreign version!). I don't often go for this type of product, as I've had plenty of sunshine at my disposal for quite some time now. However, you do start to take it for granted after a while and before you know it you're looking a bit pale again as you haven't been out in it for a week.

Last but not least, it's the Redken Extreme Anti-Snap Leave-In Treatment, which has been a godsend following the DIY re-ombre-ing of my hair earlier this week. I first had my hair done some time ago now, and some of you might remember that my locks were left in a very sorry state afterwards, with weeks of complaining and attempting to nurse them back to help in the aftermath. Over time, I'd trimmed and trimmed the ends to the point where there really wasn't much of the ombre effect left, so this time I decided to take matters into my own hands, and do it myself. I have to say, I'm really pleased with the results - more so than when I paid to have it done professionally. And this time, I am determined to do right by my locks and give them all the strength and nourishment they need from the off.

Which products have been floating your boat this week?

xx