Month: May 2016

Avon Nutra Effects Active Seed Complex Skincare Review

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Hello my little buttons!

I’ve been eying up some of Avon skincare lately, as I love a few of their products I thought I’d take the delve and try their Nutra Effects Active Seed Complex self foaming face wash and gentle 3 in 1 scrub. The face wash is currently priced at £3.50 for 150ml and the scrub is £3 for 100ml. Super affordable and really generous in size.

Changing your skin routine can be pretty scary, you never know how it’s going to effect your skin and as it’s on your face for all to see the thought can be quite daunting. Especially for a beauty blogger who’s face is always on show.

Both the face wash and face scrub are:
Soap free
Suitable for sensitive skin
Allergy tested
Free of parabens or dyes

On paper they looked great, really affordable, clean looking and easily replenishable. The first time I used the face wash it was quite disappointing, you pump out the product which is already foamy and apply directly to the skin. I found I needed to use quite a few pumps for there to be enough product to really lather it up. I also didn’t get that fresh clean feeling afterwards, I actually felt a tad greasy which I couldn’t figure out if it was an hydrating product within the wash or if my face wasn’t actually clean. Not a good start.

The scrub did feel like it did a good job, it wasn’t harsh on my skin and I felt nice and smooth afterwards. The products have a light fresh snell which was quite pleasant and wasn’t over powering.

After using these products for around 4 days I woke up to the worst break out I have had in forever, on my forehead were teeny tiny under the skin pimples but on my chin were 3 gigantic beasts that are impossible to cover up and are currently building their own town on my face. I’m not hormonal or due on and the only difference was using the face wash and scrub. Soooo disappointing, I could take or leave the self foaming wash but i really liked the face scrub.

I now had the dialema of, do I continue to use these products and hope nothing else erupts or do I quit before it gets worse?! After discussing out my options with a close friend (hey tanya I know you’ll be reading this!!!) I think I answered my own question, I know this is what caused the end of my months and months of balanced skin so why would I continue to use it?! Skin care is such a personal thing as what can be someone holy grail cleaner can be someone else’s face demon magnet. Sadly I have not continued to test out these product as I don’t want to risk any more spots, they are driving me crazy already and adding to the collection is not my idea of fun. It feels like such as waste as there is still so much product left so I will be passing them on to a friend, hopefully they’ll work better with her skin than they did with mine!

Have you tried out these products?! How did your skin react?! I’d love to hear in the comments below!

Becca xxx

Rimmel Renew Sheer and Shine Lipstick Review

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Hello my little buttons!

In the summer I love tinted lip balms and sheer lipstick, well I love them all year round really, but especially in the summer! They’re a great way to keep your lips moisturised with a pop of colour,  they’re quick and easy to apply too, the ultimate lazy lip colour.

When I saw rimmel had released Renew Sheen and Shine lipstick I just had to pick one up. On the boots website they’re described as:

“Rimmel London Moisture Renew Sheer & Shine Lipstick, a moisturising lipstick with a translucent, luminous, vitamin-enriched colour.
This gloss-in-a-stick moisturises lips, giving a radiant touch of juicy colour and energising shine.
Added SPF 20 helps protect your luscious lips from the harmful effects of the sun.”

Sounds right up my alley! They are priced at £6.49 and currently Boots are doing buy one rimmel product get another half price. It is avalible in 6 shades, I ordered mine online and went for the bright pink shade “pink rules.” I tend to go for calmer shades but was interested in how pigmented and “luminous” a brighter sheer lipstick would look so I stepped out of my comfort zone. The packaging is so cute, the bright pink see through lid almost glows and against the silver base it’s visually appealing.

I was not expecting the pigmentation and colour this lipstick gives off!!! Here’s a swatch on the back of my hand, it stained after I wiped it off too which I was pleased at as I love products that stain. It means even if I don’t have time to reapply my lipstick they’ll still be some colour there.

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When applied on the lips it felt slick, smooth and balmy, the colour pay off is crazy, really bright and very noticable. I was worried it would slip about and stray onto my face and teeth but I was suprised after application when it stayed put. As I’m not a really bright lipstick person I was still very aware it was on my lips which wasn’t the best feeling but is definatly an issue within myself lol. Here is what the lipstick looked like on.

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As you can see for a sheer lipstick it’s not overly sheer. One thing I found rather annoying was trying to get the line neat and tidy around my lips, it was impossible, where it is so glossy and balmy it wasn’t playing the game!! I don’t think it would be hugely noticable to the average person but it felt very noticable to me.

I think people will either love or hate this product, on the plus side it’s bright and summery, colourful, so comfy on the lips and it still does have a ‘sheer’ look to it and leaves an awesome stain. On the downsides you still need a mirror to apply it even though it’s technically a tinted lip balm, you cant do a nice crisp lip line with it and because it’s sheer it’s more patchy and wears off ever so slightly patchy through the day. I will continue to use this product as do like the colour pay off and it leaves lips feeling soft and hydrated but I’m finding it hard to decide how much I actually like it, I think I can see both the pros and cons and hopefully over time i can make a full on decision!! I’d love to hear in the comments below what you think of this product?!

Becca xxx

Younique ‘Addiction Moodstruck 1’ Eyeshadow Palette Review

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Hello my little buttons!

As a palette junkie I’m always interested in new eyeshadow palettes, I have seen the younique palettes online but to be honest as the price is £38 and I know nothing of the quality I’ve not taken the leap. A close friend recently won the addiction 1 palette in an online competition, she was telling me how much she loves it and offered to lend it to me for review purposes (bless her) I jumped at the chance!

The packaging is nice and sturdy, I think it would get dirty quick but although it’s matte black cardboard, if you were careful it would wipe clean. It is a Nude palette so I was hoping for a nice selection of mattes and shimmers for day time as well as evening looks. The palette contains 7 shades ranging from a matte cream, to a deep rich brown, everything you need for a full eye look. The pans are pretty large compared to other palettes too which justifies the price slightly.

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I’m being super honest here, I was not expecting the quality of the shadows to be this high! They swatched beautifully, really pigmented and super soft to the touch. In the pan the shimmers looked lovely but on the skin they were really something special, cool and warm tones with a micro glitter shimmer and very little fall out.

If your a real neutrals girl who wears makeup most days this palette could be your best friend. Even though there’s only 7 shades, there’s so many combinations. On application they blended absolutely beautifully, they were quick and easy to apply and each look was so pretty I was really impressed, they lasted really well with an eye primer too.

On the theme of being honest, which is what my blog is all about, I really didn’t want to like this palette (I know I’m so mean.) There are sooo many other palette options for the same price and cheaper I thought it was pretty ballsy for younique to charge nearly 40 quid for 7 shadows, bearing in mine they’re a reiltivly new brand, I did think the prices are more up there so the people that sell the products make a profit too, as it’s a multi level marketing company. Here’s some looks I achieved with the palette.

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But as much as it pains me to say it….I love this palette! The shadows are a wonderful quality, pigmented, they blend like a dream, nice big pans and a great colour selection. Would I personally buy it? Hmm I’m not sure as there are many other palettes I’d pick over this this one for the price, such as urban decay shadows which are also fabulous and actually work out cheaper. But if you have a friend or family member that sells younique and you want to support them I would definatly recommend the eyeshadows. If you have any of the younique palettes I’d love to hear down below in the comments what you think!

Becca xxx

4 ways to save money when buying makeup!!

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Hello my little buttons!

As a makeup junkie and makeup blogger, let’s face it, I buy a lot of makeup! Over time i have learnt a few tips and tricks how to save money when buying beauty products which I thought I’d share with you, some of them might b quite obvious but I like reading money saving blogs so hopefully you will too.

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1. Sign up for news letters

This is my biggest tip which over time has saved me a lot of pennies, the vast majority of companies will have somewhere on their website to sign up for newsletter, offers and new product emails. If you keep on top of your emails you can get a real bargin. I love being in the loop for new product releases as well as sales and free shipping! Some companies do free gifts if you spend over a certain amount which is a fab way to double your order, Elf Cosmetics do some fantastic free gifts worth up to £25 so keep ur eye out.

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2. Shop “membership” cards

Boots and Superdrug have their own store cards which as you spend money you collect points, over time these will really add up which equals free makeup. Another way I get free makeup is through doing my weekly food shop, tesco and sainsburies also have their own cards to collect points. There might not be as big of a makeup selection but they always stock at least a couple of brands as well as tonnes of hair and skincare.

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3. Outlets

If you don’t mind not having the latest products then outlets are a good way to go, you can get up to 70% off highend brands. The colour selections might not be as vast either but if your willing to have a good look through all the products you can save a lotta money.

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4. Deals in store

Last but not least is keep up to date with offers in store, boots have some amazing offers such as buy two get one free which from what I have noticed is on most of the time. Lots of brands also have deals in store such as buy one get another half price or buy one get one free. This is a great way to save money as your buying what you would of bought anyway and not compromising because of the price.

I hope this tips and tricks were helpful on saving you some money, I’d love to hear if you have any more tips in the comments below!

Becca xxx

B.pure sensitive micellar cleansing wipes review

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Hello my little buttons!

I received these B.pure sensitive micellar cleansing wipes in a goodie bag from Makeup Revolutions 2nd birthday party. B.Pure is superdrugs fairly new affordable skincare line, it reminds me a lot of the Simple range as it’s advertised as gentle fuss free skincare. Sometimes it good to step back from the over saturated skincare market and get back to basics with very reasonably priced items that do the job.

I’m not a huge Cleansing wipe user, but it’s always handy to have a pack for quick makeup removal or to wipe over my face before starting my day of school runs and errands. These wipes claim to be a 3-in-1 to cleanse tone and moisturise, enriched with hazel, vitamin E, aloe and Cucumber there’s lots of ingredients your skin will soak up and adore.

In regards to makeup removal the wipes took off the main bulk of product from my skin although I did still need a good cleanse after as there was still residue left. It removed most of my eye makeup but I found if I had a heavy eye look and had to really get in there the wipes did start burning my eyes which is a shame as they are a ‘sensitive’ product. That being said my eyes are incredibly sensitive so it’s not hard to set them off.

My skin felt quite hydrated after using the wipes but long term it wouldn’t be enough to keep away my dry patches. I did notice I didn’t have any breakouts while using the wipes which is fantastic as I find if I use wipes too often this tends to happen.

Overall I think if you were in a pinch these wipes are handy to have or if you were traveling and couldn’t take all your normal skin care with you they’re a good solution. They aren’t the best wipes I’ve ever used as I still need to cleanse to remove makeup but they definatly aren’t the worse. They cost £1.73 which is a really good price for 25 wipes.
What are your favourite cleansing wipes? I’d love to hear in the comments below!
Becca xxx

Revlon Ultra Volume Mascara Review

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Hello my little buttons!

I received this mascara is my glossy box, I love big dramatic lashes so was really pleased I was given the Volume mascara as there were several in the line that other people had received. The mascara is worth £9.99 and as I paid £10 for the glossy box and received 5 other items I felt it was a good deal.

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The packaging is sleek, simple but pretty. The wand itself is a big chunky bristle brush, it doesnt seem to be over loaded with product either which is a nice change as most new mascaras with big brushes can have way too much on causing your lashes to really clump up.

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As you can see in this photo I have mascara on my right eye and nothing on my left eye. WOW this mascara is amazing! Separated my lashes beautifully and was so easy to layer up. The formula is a super dark black and it held my curl up all day long which on my straight lashes is impressive. It did add some volume but what I found most impressive is the crazy length it’s given me, the wand fanned out my lashes really opening my eyes up making me look bright eyed and awake.

Highly recommend this mascara it’s worked wonders for me, for £9.99 you really can’t go wrong. What’s your favourite mascara? I’d love to hear in the comments below!

Becca xxx

L’oreal Nude Magique Cushion Foundation Review

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Hello my little buttons!

I have been dying to get my hands on a cushion foundation since Lancome started the trend over here in the UK. I was tickled pink when I heard l’oreal were jumping on the band wagon as I really like their foundations so I had high expectations. The price of this foundation ranges between £9.99 – £19.99 depending on where you buy it from and is avalible in 7 shades. I bought mine online and chose the shade 04 Rose Vanilla, bit of a gamble but I was relieved to see on arrival that it was my perfect shade. Another huge selling point for me is that it contains Spf 25 which is really good for a foundation and means I can skip on the sun cream on ‘makeup days.’

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The packaging is simply adorable, pretty and pink with a metalic pink lid. Once opened there is a good sized mirror and a compartment for the little sponge applicator pad. Underneath is the foundation soaked sponge, it says in the instuctions once opened make sure you pop the top down tightly which I assume is to stop it drying out quickly.

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I was worried the foundation might feel slightly watery or dried out but I was wrong! It has the consistency of a normal creamy foundation and i was suprised how much product was soaked into the sponge, one dab with the applicator went a long way. The foundation is advertised as a summer glowy foundation, glowy foundations aren’t usually my thing. I tend to lean towards matte foundation formulas and add some highlight but in the summer this can feel a tad heavy and look fairly unnatural. On first application of the Nude Magique Cushion I decided to tap it on as specificity in the Instructions for a natural light coverage, I was slightly freaked out as I starting applying the product as it looked pretty shiney but as I built up more coverage and left it to dry I was pleased with the results, it had evened out my skin tone and given the skin a radiant healthy looking glow. I used a light dust of powder to set the foundation and after applying my usual makeup I was incredibly happy with the results, it’s looks natural and sat really well over my primer. (Freedom Makeup London priming water)

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Through the day the foundation wore really well, even after my natural oils started flowing it didn’t look crazy greasy. I took a photo after about two hours wear in the sunlight to show how it had settled into my skin and trying to capture the summer glow the foundation gives. Not sure if I achieved that but I did try lol!

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Maybe I do like this glowy skin thing after all?! I feel like I’ve had a really good skin day which is 100% down to the Nude Magique Cushion Foundation, here is a photo after 8 hours of wear, two of those hours were doing hardcore sweaty house work. As you can see it has moved about a little bit, but for a light coverage summer foundation I’m more than happy with that!

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The only thing I haven’t mentioned which I feel I must touch on is how the product is applied. Yes I love the formula, the package speaks for itself and I love the novelty and convenience ….but hygienically I’m not sure how I’m going to feel after using it several times. It’s going to be a pain having to wash the sponge after every application, even though my face is clean when I put my makeup on dipping the applicator in and out of the sponge it’s still mixing up product with my face germs lol. Im sure I’ll be able to get over this by keeping the applicator clean and only using it when I first apply my makeup, not dabbing in and out throughout the day. I had to mention this as I know it would be a real deal breaker for some people whereas other people wouldn’t even think of it like that.

Overall I think this is a great product I’d highly recommend, even with the applicator washing!!! The final result is so pretty and summery, it quick and easy to apply and you have great control over the coverage. I’d love to hear what you think of this product in the comments below.

Becca xxx

Glossy Box May 2016 First Impressions

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Hello my little buttons!

One of the highlights of the month is when my glossy box arrives, it’s like receiving a present as I never know what’s inside. Glossy Box costs £10 per month plus P&P and the items inside are always worth far more than what you pay, you also get to try brands and products you wouldn’t come across every day in Boots or Superdrug. Since receiving glossy box I have found some real treasures which keeps me comming back for more! Here’s my first impressions of what I received and how I feel about this month’s box.

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Firstly the packaging, so adorable i actually want to colour it in!!! Each box was designed with a “city break” theme, London, New York or Berlin were the chosen cities. My box is Berlin, it was designed by Omg Studios. I really appreciate when so much thought has gone into the packaging, as the boxes are so sturdy I reuse them for other things so the design makes it a tad cooler.

The first thing I noticed about the products inside was the packet of popcorn, hmm bit of a ‘filler’ product but my kids were happy to munch on it so not the end of the world. I don’t think I’ve ever received food in a box before, i hope Glossy box don’t make this a regular occurrence as if I wanted food in my beauty box I would subscribe to a food box!!!

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Next in the box was Hairon Zero Crease Hair ties, a pack of 3 for £3.99. I have received these in Glossy Box before so sadly not a new product but they are really handy to have and saves me buying them so quite happy about these.

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I was really excited to see this next product, a velvet lippie worth £4.93 from the brand “Absolute New York” a product and brand I had never heard of, woohooo!! The colour is gorgeous, of course I instantly applied it and was really pleased with the results. It was very comfortable on the lips and unlike a lot of matte cream lipsticks it wasn’t drying and didn’t flake off. Result.

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Wasn’t overly pleased about this next product, Hawiaiian Topic Protective dry Oil SFP 15. I don’t use under factor 30 and I never use oil, I rubbed some on my arm it did smell nice but it isn’t something I am ever going to use. I do have a friend I could pass it on too so at least it’s not going to waste. The bottle I received is 100ml, the full size is 200ml for £13.99 although I have found it cheaper online.

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I love love love skin care, so I’m very pleased with this next item. Bee Youth Good Enhancing Plump & Firm Moisturising, it also says on the packaging “Made With Real Bees” I have noticed a real big trend in bee ingredients such as honey in skin care and makeup which is fantastic as saving the bees is so important right now. The tube is 15ml worth £9 and the full size is 50ml costing £23.50. I am yet to have tried this enough to fully review it but first impressions, wow!!! It’s given me silky smooth skin and smells devine, I think it’s going to be a winner.

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Last but not least, a Revlon Ultra Volume Mascara worth £9.99. Another favourite product for me to receive in a beauty box! I’m bit of a mascara junkie and as they dry out so fast I’m always open to getting more. The wand has a lovely chunky bristle brush which is right up my street, looking forward to testing it out tomorrow.

Overall I’m happy with this months box, my favourite items are the velvet lippie, moisturiser and mascara. All of which I will happily use and review. I’d love to hear in the comments below if you subscribe to any beauty boxes?

Becca xxx

Makeup trends – Eyebrow wigs?!

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Hello my little buttons!

Yes you read that correctly, there is such a product as eyebrow wigs! I saw a video on YouTube by the lovely Stephenie Lange where she tried out stick on eye brows. It was rather hilarious, the colour of the brows were wrong and were a cheapy set off amazon so look pretty fake, clearly it was an entertaining disaster!

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Although stick on brows are quite an interesting concept, drawing your brows on day in day out can become a little tedious. Especially if you’ve not been blessed with big beautiful brows naturally, could this be the solution? There appears to be a large range of stick on brows avalible ranging from £6.99 to around £65 depending on the quality and type of hair. There’s also a huge choice of colours and shapes to suit all hair colours and face shapes. To begin with I did find this quite a funny idea as I can imagine glueing brows to your face would feel….well, like glueing brows to your face!

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I then thought for people who don’t have eyebrows this could be an amazing solution. For example if you’ve had chemo or suffer from alopecia stick on brows could make you feel that little bit more ‘normal’. From the look of the better quality human hair brows they look incredibly realistic and if used with the correct glue stay in place all day long and are reusable for 6 months, which if you think how much you might spend on brow products in 6 months they’re not that bad a price.

I’d love to hear what you think about stick on brows in the comments below!!

Becca xxx

Photos from: eyebrowz
                         head covers
                         you tube

Summer survival favourites

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Hello my little buttons!

As the weathers heating up here in the UK I thought I’d share with you a few key items that help me survive the summer. It’s quite a random selection of makeup and general things that make my life that bit easier in the heat!

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1. Boots Soltan Once Face 8 hour moisturising suncare cream spf 30 with gradual tan

This is my favourite face spf, priced at £9 for 50ml a little goes a long way and it lasts for most of the summer. I love products that combine several essentials in one. As well as being a suncream, in the summer this replaces my day moisturiser too. I find that even with spf on my body I will still catch the sun and build up some colour, although on my face under my huge sunglasses it stays pretty pale. As this product contains a gradual tan it helps my face catch up with the rest of my body! It also soaks in relatively quickly, I tend to apply it half an hour or so before I leave the house by which point I no longer look a creamy mess. I will say it does have that suncream feel when you apply it, but it’s more light weight. It ticks all the boxes for me and is my number one summer product as skin protection is very important to me.

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2. Sunglasses.

If you know me in ‘real life’ this won’t be a suprise, I LIVE in my sunglasses, even in the winter but especially in the summer. My favourite pair at the moment are also from boots, the brand is Miss Kj and they cost £30. I normally buy a cheapy pair from Primark but they never last very long and don’t really protect my eyes. This pair is awesome, my eyes never ache with the sun shine anymore, they are sturdy and I adore the 50’s design.

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3. Maxi dresses. (or summer dresses)

I’m a real dress kind of girl, no matter what the weather I’ll be in some sort of dress and leggings. But, my favourite of them all is the maxi dresses! I patiently wait all year long until it’s hot enough to get them out of their box and I will live in them until it’s too cold to pull it off. I tend to wear mainly black but for the summer I’m crazy patterned and colourful. They are super comfy and floaty to wear, they hide a multitude of sins and I always feel summery in them. A few of my favourites I actually got from Swindon Outlet they’re really unique and a total steal with huge reductions, outlooks can be a great place to go for clothes full stop.

4. Waterproof mascara.

Sweat sweat and more sweat. In the heat walking to parks and friends houses, days out, sitting in the sun, you know your going to get sweaty. There really is nothing worse than going indoors, removing your sunglasses, and your mascara being all under your eyes like a little baby panda. Not a good look for anyone! I don’t tend to wear make up if we’re going to the pool swimming or the beach but if you simply can’t live without mascara I would highly recommend a water proof version to save the panda embarrassment. It is slightly harder to remove but I feel the benefits out weigh the extra removal time.

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5. BB creams.

Nothing feels worse in the summer than having heavy makeup on, everytime you touch your face it transfers off and in the heat it’s moves about creating a patchy and generally unflattering look. If I want makeup on a bbcream is my best friend. As well as acting as a moisturiser it gives me just enough coverage to even out my skin tone and cover light imperfections. If I want a bit more coverage I’ll also use a light dusting of a powder foundation which also sets the bb cream helping it last far longer. I have a few favourites, one being the L’oreal Skin perfection which has skincare ingredients helping keep my breakouts to a minium. The rimmel bb cream is a really good one as well, it has more coverage and with powder can really cover up those face demonds while still feeling light weight on your skin.

6. Water.

Last but not least is water, it is so important to hydrate through the day. I bring a bottle of water everywhere with me so there’s no excess not to drink. Your body is around 60% water and in the heat you need more liquids than normal. Dehydration can make your skin dry causing more wrinkles so keeping on top of your liquids every day can vastly help improve your skin.

So there were my top summer essentials, I’d love to hear your down in the comments below!

Becca xxx