Lightweight Summer Base

I've been switching up my base products a lot more recently, with lightweight, tinted moisturisers coming into the rotation a bit more in favour of my usual foundations. It's as a result of two things, the weather, which has finally warmed up properly, meaning the last thing I want is a face caked in foundation. Secondly, my skin has been looking a lot better recently (fingers crossed it stays that way!) I haven't had a breakout in quite a while and the pigmentation I have from old ones are fading rapidly thanks to my arsenal of skincare products.

I mentioned the Laura Mercier Radiance Primer in my Everyday Spring Makeup Video but since then I've switched to their Radiance Bronze version, which is a much better fit for my skintone as well as giving me a sun kissed summery glow. I've been applying it all over with my fingers and then following with the Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser in Annapurna which gives a decent amount of coverage, enough to even out the skin. It does still leave the darker pigmentation marks and the dark circles under my eyes visible so to conceal those I go in with the MAC Select Cover Up in NC45 which looks very natural and skin-like. Not the highest coverage concealer in town but it definitely packs enough pigment to cover my everyday needs! 

What base products have you been using recently?

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Laura Mercier Face Illuminator - Indiscretion

Considering how much I love highlighters, I really don't have that many. I struggle to find ones that work well on my skintone, they're often too pink, too light or both. So on the rare occasion that I do spot one I like the look of, I snap it up at record speed.

That's exactly what happened with the Laura Mercier Face Illuminator in Indiscretion, which is by far the stand out product from their limited edition summer collection. It's warm and golden in tone and is just pigmented enough to give a sheer wash of glow to the skin. The shimmer particles are very fine, not at all chunky and glittery, which is another box ticked of my highlighter criteria checklist!

I already foresee this becoming a summer makeup favourite! I'm currently working on a FOTD post so make sure you check back next week if you want to see it in action! 

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Ireland - Part 2

Day 3 was spent mostly recovering from the sea sickness of day 2, so apart from a nice dinner and a quick wander around a pretty town called Kinsale, there isn't much to report. Day 4 however was one of my favourites, we went to The Rock of Cashel in County Tipperary which was the half way point on our drive from Cork back up towards Dublin. 

The site has a vast amount of history and is breathtakingly beautiful, far too much to try and explain in this blogpost! If you go to one heritage site while you're in Ireland, make sure it's this one! 

After a bit more driving we reached our next destination, The Royal Marine Hotel in Dun Lougahaire, near Dublin. The building was beautiful, both inside and out and the food was fantastic. The rooms weren't as spacious or luxurious as I was hoping but I guess that's what you get being nearer the city. 

Day 5 was spent wandering around Dublin on a self guided tour, we followed the one in Rick Steve's book and it was fantastic. We also went on a live music pub crawl in the evening which was probably the highlight of the entire trip!

Our final day was spent leisurely wandering around Dalkey, taking in more beautiful views and enjoying some lunch al fresco.

I throughly enjoyed the trip which was full of great food, history, natural beauty and of course good company! I'd definitely recommend a trip to anyone, particularly from London as it's just a short 55 minute flight away! 

Ireland - Part 1

I went on holiday to Ireland a few weeks ago and was blown away by how beautiful everything was so I thought I'd share a few of the pictures (taken by my lovely friend Maggie) here on the blog. We arrived at Dublin airport, rented a car and started driving south. 

When we got to a beautiful little town called Midleton in County Cork we stopped off at the Jameson & Son Whiskey Distillery for a tour and lunch.

We then drove a bit further, to Cork and checked into The Maryborough Hotel, which was absolutely stunning. The grounds were beautiful, the rooms were luxurious and the food was delicious. They have a great spa too, we managed to sneak in a couple of hours of relaxation into our packed schedule! 

We woke bright and early the next day and headed to the seaside town of Baltimore.

Hopped onto a boat, 

 and were blown away by the stunning scenery. 

We also spotted some dolphins and seals!

But unfortunately couldn't fully enjoy the experience as the sea was very choppy that day and we got extremely sea sick! By the time the boat trip finished I was glad to have my legs back on dry land! 

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August Favourites

I really can't believe it's the end of august already! Where has the summer gone? Here are the products I've been loving this month.

REN Clarimatte Clarifying Toner

I've been using this all month and so far I love it. It's an exfoliating toner that contains glycolic acid but is still gentle enough to use everyday. Plus it smells like lavender so it's a pleasure to use.

Dior Lip Glow

By far my favourite lip balm, for the actual product as well as the pretty packaging! It leaves lips feeling incredibly soft, isn't at all sticky and gives lips a flattering pink tint.

The Body Shop Aloe Eye Defence

I went back to using this eye cream after finishing off another one and I'm so glad I did. It's really lightweight, sinks into the skin easily and works well under makeup. It's also particularly great for those with sensitive skin around the eyes. Full review here.

Delarom Acquaconfort Cream

Although it can be used day or night, I've been using this just in the daytime. It's light yet moisturising and sinks into the skin quickly. A great no-fuss face cream. Full review here.

The Body Shop Vineyard Peach Body Butter

My favourite TBS body butter to date, and that's saying something as I've tried a lot of them. It's very thick, almost solid in consistency and does take a bit of working into the skin but the results are well worth it. Plus it smells delicious!

What products have you been loving this month?

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Delarom Acquaconfort Creme

In the evenings, I'm all for rich, nourishing creams and oils but in the daytime I prefer something that sinks in quickly, leaves skin feeling comfortable and isn't too visible. The Delarom Acquaconfort Creme, which I've been using for just over a month now, does exactly that. 

The formula is really lightweight but still moisturises really well, thanks to the lovely ingredients it contains. Aloe vera, sweet almond oil, apricot kernel oil, hyaluronic acid and peppermint leaf water just to name a few. To me it's the perfect no-fuss moisturiser, it doesn't have any outrageous claims and just does what it says on the tin. It can also be used in the morning or evening so it's a great option for those who like to keep their skincare streamlined. 

After trying this creme I definitely want to try out a few other Delarom products. Any recommendations?

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Travel Skincare

I've always been one to stash away any samples or minis I get my hands on so come holiday packing time I can do some serious downsizing. If I didn't do this I'd probably need a whole suitcase just for my beauty stuff! I also find it's a great way to try out new things and decided wether or not I'd want to buy the full size in the future. 

On the cleansing front I'm taking 3 options, some of the Garnier Miceallar Water decanted into a little Muji Bottle, a travel size Vitamin E Cream Cleanser from The Body Shop, which I've used on and off for years and love, and a sample of Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel, which I'm really looking forward to trying. 

For toner I'm taking 2 options, an exfoliating one and a hydrating one, the former is a sample of Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner and the latter is Anatomicals Spray Misty For Me decanted into a Muji Mini Spray Bottle. 

To moisturise eyes I'm taking a sample of Ren Vita Mineral Active 7 Eye Gel which cools, refreshes and moisturises. For the rest of the face I'm taking the Clarins HydraQuench Cream for night and HydraQuench Lotion SPF15 for day. I've had a full size of the cream before and will definitely buy it again, it's such a nourishing but easily absorbed moisturiser.

I'm taking a few serums and treatments, some of which I'm sure I won't get round to using but it will be nice to have them just incase! Clinique Turnaround Concentrate is an overnight exfoliating serum and The Body Shop Vitamin E Serum in Oil is supposed to plump and hydrate. I'll also be taking the Clarins Pure and Radiant Mask to use incase I have any breakouts or if my skin just looks a bit lacklustre. Late nights and long lie-ins on holiday usually mean my eyes can get a bit puffy so I'll be taking the Wei Correcting Eye Treatment Pads, I've never tried anything like these so I'll be interested to see if they work! 

What skincare products do you take away with you?

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Summer Makeup Bag

Every season I like to put a post together featuring all the makeup products I've been getting the most use out of. Here's what has been in my makeup bag as of late.

MUA Undressed Palette

I won't go into too much detail on this one as I just did a full review on it, you can see that here. It's a great, versatile palette that can be used to create lots of different looks. I've been using shade 6 (top row, right) and 7 (bottom row, left) the most.

Avon Ideal Flawless CC Cream - Nutmeg

This has been my everyday base for the last couple of months, I don't really need a full on foundation everyday and this feels so much more comfortable on the skin. It's really lightweight and contains SPF 50!

Bobbi Brown Corrector - Dark Peach

I tap this onto my dark circles with my finger as it covers them without feeling too heavy, it also really brightens up my face and makes me look more awake. 

Kiko Glow Touch Lip & Cheeks - 102 Wave Hibiscus

This one is quite a recent purchase but I've not stopped using it since I got it, it's a very flattering peachy pink shade in a cream formula that works well on both lips and cheeks. I do love a good multitasker!

Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butter in Tutti Frutti

I've been mentioning this lipbalm/lipstick hybrid a lot recently, you can see what it looks like on here. It's been living in my handbag for when I need to add a bit of colour to my look. 

The Body Shop Mango Lip Butter

I love the taste/smell of mangoes so this lip balm was bound to go down well with me. The formula is super moisturising and it doesn't leave a pale cast on the lips.

Benefit Sun Beam

I do love a good highlighter and lately I've been going for liquid formulas over powder. This one sits somewhere in between champagne and gold and manages to bring a bit of life back into the face while still looking subtle. 

What's been in you makeup bag lately?

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Summer Nail Favourites

My seasonal nail favourites are usually very difficult to narrow down, but not this time. I've been wearing these four a lot more than anything else, pretty much on rotation!

Barry M Gelly Nail Paint Blueberry & Greenberry

These polishes are absolutely brilliant, the colours are stunning, the formula is long wearing and glossy and they're super cheap. You can see blueberry in action here. I may have to pick up a few more from this range.

Dior Tie & Dye

I've been wearing this one almost non stop since I got it. The colour sits in just the right spot between orange and red, a lovely, juicy summer bright. As always with Dior, the formula, brush and finish are spot on. See it on my nails here. 

OPI Strawberry Margarita

Another 'juicy summer bright', sensing a theme here! This one is a brilliantly bright fuchsia that manages to look cool rather than barbieish. I've been wearing it occasionally on my fingers and constantly on my toes!

What have you been wearing on your nails recently?

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The Body Shop Tea Tree Cool & Creamy Wash

I recently spoke about The Body Shop's Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil, which I use in the evenings as it's really great for removing makeup, read all about that here. In the mornings I've been using their Tea Tree Cool & Creamy Wash and I've really been loving it. 

As you'd expect it contains Tea Tree oil which in combination with menthol smells amazing and leaves skin feeling unbelievable cool, fresh and tingly with out stripping it of moisture. It's perfect for anyone who lives in a hot climate or in a country currently experiencing a heatwave! 

It's a cream cleanser so it doesn't foam, something I really like about it as I tend to avoid foaming cleansers. I massage it into my skin and then usually remove it using a warm flannel/washcloth, this leaves my skin feeling really clean and soft. If I have time I sometimes leaves it on for a couple of minutes before removing it, I'm sure there are no skincare benefits to doing this but I just love the cooling sensation it has on my skin!  

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Avon Ideal Flawless CC Cream

I've always been a die hard, heavy coverage foundation gal but ever since making a few skincare changes my skin has improved and I haven't felt the need to pile on the slap. Instead I've been going for something a little more lightweight, as I mentioned in my Everyday Coral Makeup post yesterday. 

The one I'm currently loving is the Avon Ideal Flawless CC Cream in Nutmeg, the colour is a tad too dark for me but as it's light coverage it's nothing a bit of blending can't fix (See it in action here). The formula is nice and lightweight and blends into the skin seamlessly, I usually just slap a bit on with my hands if I'm in a rush or if I have a bit more time I use a Real Techniques Buffing Brush to work it into the skin, that way it can be built up in any areas where I feel I need a bit more coverage. 

It claims to also have skincare benefits, which if I'm honest I'm not sure it does. I think of it purely as a makeup product. I do however love the fact that it contains SPF50 and still manages to be so lightweight and non greasy on the skin. It leaves a completely natural finish that just makes your skin look better rather than like you're wearing makeup.

It's a great product overall and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone on the hunt for a lightweight base. My only criticism would be that the shade range isn't great, there are a few light shades, a random dark one and nothing much in between. If you can find a good shade for you it's definitely worth a try!