TOP 10: BEACH ESSENTIALS

As I'm going on holiday to Marbella in a few days I thought that this would be the perfect opportunity to blog about my top beach essentials. I've bought a HUGE beach bag this year (link!) as I like to overpack and be prepared for every occasion. However I have managed to narrow down my top 10 favourite items that I would recommend to anyone going on a beach holiday! Here they are...

1. Beauty Bay Lighted Mirror (link)

A portable mirror is a must for me. Even if I'm going to look like a sweaty hot mess I want to know to know about it. This is a great buy at £5 and has a magnified side as well as a normal side. Okay, so the lights aren't essential for the beach, but as a portable makeup mirror, this is a great option. You can just throw it in your clutch on a night out and reapply your lipgloss where ever, even in the back seat of a taxi! 

2. The Body Shop Hand Sanitiser (link)

This is a great option from The Body Shop! It comes in lots of gorgeous scents, such as this one (my personal favourite) the coconut variety. 

3. Garnier Ambre Solaire SPF 30 Dry Mist Sun Screen (link)

I always apply my SPF 30 Piz Buin Once-A-Day suncream in the mornings on holiday, but whatever the manufacturer's claims, you should reapply sunscreen throughout the day. I like the Garnie Ambre Solaire SPF 30 Dry Mist. Its so easy to apply and especially useful for the beach as you don't have to wait around for it to dry or worry about sand getting stuck to you!

4. Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer (link)

A concealer is one of the only items of makeup I wear on a day-to-day basis on holiday- especially when I'm sunbathing. I don't mind going bare-faced but I like to cover my pesky eye bags (although sunglasses are also helpful for this!). 

5. Nars Mutiple in South Beach (link)

A gorgeous bronze coloured cream stick product. This Multiple is perfect to swipe on your cheeks, nose and forehead (anywhere that the sun would catch naturally!) for a gorgeous, healthy glow. You can also use it on your lips and eyes too, a clear winner for me.

6. Clarins Aftersun Moisturiser Self Tanning (link)

Okay so I not it's not technically a beach product but I love it for holidays! This aftersun is so soothing and creaming- and makes your skin feel so soft! It also contains a tiny amount of fake tan which really enhances your natural glow and speeds things up a bit. A must have.

7. La Roche-Posay ANTHELIOS STICK SPF50+ 9g (link)

I love the La Roche-Posay SPF50 stick for reapplying to areas I'm more likely to burn. The high SPF is great to use it on my nose, hair-parting and on my feet! 

8. La Roche-Posay ANTHELIOS FACE COMFORT CREAM SPF50+ 50ml (link)

A high SPF is essential for you face. So you might want a tanned visage but you'll be left with pigmentation marks and wrinkles when you're older. I use this every day on holiday and use a face self tan in the evenings to ensure my face matches with my body.

9. Mini Deodorant (link)

This is my favourite deodorant but in miniature form. Beaches get HOT, need I say more?

10. No7 Anti-Ageing Shimmering Lip & Eye Screen SPF 30 (link)

This is a gorgeous product from No7. Its an SPF lip balm with a subtle shimmer, thus eliminating the need for lipgloss or lipstick on the beach (no more hair-lipgloss moments!). It's SPF 30 so will protect your lips whilst nourishing them. 

I hope you enjoyed reading what I'm going to be taking to the beach this year! What are your beach essentials?

Back to School Makeup

A quick post for the 'Back-to-School' season. I thought I would share my everyday makeup with you all as it's so simple and would make the perfect 'Back-to-School' look. 

Base

For my base I used my Clinique Super City Block in SPF 40. I like to wear an SPF on my face everyday, even in the Winter as it really is going to help prevent wrinkles forming and this is my favourite one. It's also available in a lower SPF which I might buy for the colder months. To give my skin a healthy, glowy complexion I used a tiny amount of the Laura Mercier Radiance Primer on my cheeks. Although I think this is a good primer, something like Strobe Cream from Mac would work just as well- it's all about giving your skin that glow under your makeup. I used Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer under my eyes and the Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation lightly on the face, working it in well with a Real Techniques Face Brush for a natural finish. They have light reflecting particles for added illumination and last well. 

Eyes

I use a tiny bit of Mac 'Omega' Eyeshadow on an angled brush through my brows for a tiny bit of definition- nothing too 'Scouse Brow'! I washed a small amount of the shimmery shades from my Nars Alhambra Eyeshadow Palette over my eyelids and added a small amount of Bobbi Brown Bronzer into the crease of my eye for added definition with a fluffy brush. I line my eyes with the Maybelline Gel Eye Liner in Brown which is a great dupe for Bobbi Brown's Gel Eyeliner in Chocolate Shimmer Ink at a fraction of the price (and you get a handy brush with the Maybelline one too!). I used Make Up Forever Smoky Lash Mascara on my top lashes only for a more feline effect. I love this mascara, it's honestly the best I've tried- it adds so much volume and length!

Lips

On my lips I've kept it simple as this could be a school or everyday look so I don't think a lipstick is necessary. Instead I opted for a Clarins Instant Light Lip Perfector which combines all the benefits of a fabulous vanilla scented lip balm with the pale, milky pinkness of a lip gloss. These are perfect to throw in your handbag or school bag and have a nifty squeeze applicator so you don't ever need a mirror to apply it!

Final Touches...

Finally I bronzed the hollows of my cheeks, my temples and my jawline with the Bobbi Brown Bronzer (I have the lightest shade!) and added a tiny amount of Mac Dainty Blush to the apples of my cheeks, for a pretty yet natural pink flush. If you want to highlight your face, you could dust a small amount of the light Nars Eyeshadows on your cheekbones, bridge of your nose and cupids bow for a pretty finish.  I don't powder until the very end, and I only powder my T-zone to stop my face looking oily- for this I use Maybelline Stay Matte in Translucent. It's amazing and super cheap too! 

So that's my everyday/ natural/ back-to-school makeup look for you all! If you like it I might photograph my usual smoky eye look and explain how I achieve that :)

xxx

Review: BaByliss Waving Wand (& mini FOTD)

I've debated getting this hair tool for a while now as I must own every kind of waving/ curling tool out there! From hot rollers, to conical wands to traditional barrel curlers- you name it, I've tried it!- but I just can't seem to stop myself getting caught up in 'new product' hype. I know this has been out for a little while now but I wanted to wait and get it with my Christmas money and since I was ill so soon after Christmas, I haven't had a chance to have a proper go with it until now. 

The features:

1. Unique oval shape barrel

2. Professional Styler with no clamp

3. Up to 200°C

4. Includes a heat resistant glove (especially good for clumsy people like me, I always burn myself!)

What I like about the Waving Wand:

Firstly, I really like that the temperature goes up to 200°C as I often have to resort to my straighteners to create a curl (or wave!) that actually lasts the whole day. The high temperature means that not only to my curls stay in tact (providing it's not too windy) but they last the next day as well. This is a first for any curling iron I've tried until now, and it means I get soft effortless waves the next day in my hair as well! The temperature can be adjusted and there is also a flashing light to tell you when the wand has reached the correct temperature which takes literally seconds. I always use the highest temperature even though I don't have the thickest of hair- naughty me!

The shape of the wand is also very nice. It stops your waves becoming to spirally and 'done' looking which is what I like. I find it easier to use than conical wands as my hair doesn't seem to slip off the barrel as easily. 

I find the waving wand extremely quick and easy to use. I was pleasantly surprised because it often takes me a few attempts to get the right technique when I buy a new hair tool but the first time I used this it worked out great!

Would I recommend this?

Yes definitely! I bought this with my own money from boots for about £20 on offer (it normally retails for about £30)- Link! For the money I think the waving wand is worth it, I get waves that last two days and I think the style it produces is so pretty. I can't really fault it. I've had many BaByliss products over the years and I think they are all exceptional quality- including my straighteners which I think rival GHD's!

To achieve the look I did, I took random pieces of hair and wrapped them around the wand for about 10 seconds each. I then waited 5 minutes for my hair to completely cool before brushing it out very gently and spraying my hair with hairspray. I twisted the front sections of my hair and secured them behind my head with grips.

What are your favourite hair tools? I'd loved to know!

Also if anyone has any suggestions for blog posts I'd love to hear them. I've got exams over the next few weeks so I might not be able to do as many OOTD's (I'll be comfy clothes revising most days!) but I'll try and continue posting for you all. As soon as my exams are over posts will go back to normal :)

In case you're wondering, here is the make up I'm wearing:

MAC- Studio Sculpt Foundation

Collection 2000 lasting perfection concealer

Nars- Laguna Bronzer

Nars Deep- Throat Blush

Dior- Diorskin Poudre Shimmer Amber Diamond

MAC- Zoom lash Mascara

MAC- Sheen Supreme Lipstick- Behave Yourself

Eye shadows from the Urban Decay Naked Palette 

Top- Jack Wills

xxx