So July has rolled around and brought with it a crazy heatwave here in London. I’m currently off work with a stinking summer cold so the crazy temperatures are not helping! But it’s time for one of my favourite blog posts: monthly favourites! What have I been loving this month…
June ’15 Beauty And Lifestyle Favourites
Maybelline ‘Master Conceal Camouflaging Concealer’ in 10 Fair – I bought this in New York (you can see my haul videos HERE and HERE) and it has became my go-to everyday concealer. It’s high coverage without being too heavy for the undereye area and doesn’t crease, even in high humidity. I’m not sure if this is coming to the UK but keep your fingers crossed!
Oskia ‘Super 16 Pro-Collagen Super Serum’* – This has quickly become my favourite serum which pains me as it’s expensive but the thought of it running out has me panicking already! It’s designed to hydrate, plump and firm skin and contains an ingredient being hailed as ‘the new Retinol for sensitive skin’ which is plant-based, so you can see why I like it. This deserves it’s own blog post so I won’t ramble too much! This size bottle is £80 and you can take a look HERE.
TheBalm ‘Cindy-Lou Manizer’ – I had some vouchers to use in Debenhams and, as though the stars were aligning, the day I went TheBalm section opened there! I picked up a few bits but this one had been on my list for a while. It’s a bronzey/pink toned highlighter that is quite pigmented so you only need a tiny amount. It looks really lovely on slightly sunkissed skin so I’ve been sweeping it onto my cheekbones, nose, shoulders and collarbones. This is £17.50 and you can get it HERE.
Bourjois Cream Blush in ‘02 Healthy Glow’ – I bought this to try to force myself out of my baby pink blush rut and every time I rediscover it in my stash I fall in love with it all over again. The formula is a cream but it changes to a powder on the face, so it applies perfectly. These are £7.99, available HERE.
Rimmel Sun Shimmer Instant Tan in ‘Light Matte’ – I am a pale creature. My skin is pretty much translucent and people have been known to be blinded by my pasty pins in summers past. So this year I decided to try out a wash-off tan. I’ve heard a lot about this Rimmel one (I think it’s been around for a long time) so I thought I’d give it a go. It’s brilliant! It looks very dark when you dispense the product (imagine applying treacle to your skin) but I used a tanning mitt and it buffs down to a very natural light tan. I was dubious at how it would hold up to sweat, spilled drinks and general walking around but it lasted really well in New York and only came off when I showered at the end of the day. The only area it looked a bit weird was my feet as it was hard to blend around the heels and toes – any tips welcome! This is currently on offer for £4.66 HERE.
Glo & Ray Skybreaker Eyeliner in ‘307 Summer Sky’* – I’ve spoken about these eyeliners from Glo & Ray before – I LOVE THEM. Now that we’re experiencing real life sun and heat in the UK this has been my favourite eyeliner as it’s just so summery and lasts all day without transferring. They are also only £5.50 which is brilliant.
TheBalm ‘Meet Matt(e) Nude’ Eyeshadow Palette – This was another of my Debenhams voucher purchases. I have an obsession with nude palettes and I’m not ashamed to admit it. This one is beautiful and was the only palette I took to New York. If you like your neutrals then I would highly recommend. It is £37.50 HERE.
Models Own ‘Utopia’ nail varnish – One of my constants in my ever-growing nail varnish collection. Even with hundreds of polishes there are some that I always go back to (potential blog post?) and this is definitely one. A light pink nudey neutral that goes with everything and always looks chic. I chose this to wear on my holiday as I knew it would look classic and I wouldn’t get bored with it after 3 days! Models Own polishes are wonderful and only £4.99, HOWEVER this colour has apparently been discontinued. THE HORROR. You can see the rest of their range HERE.
Too Faced Melted Liquid Lipstick in ‘Melted Violet’ – This was high on my wishlist for New York beauty shopping and I now wish I’d got more colours. This is a liquid lipstick that you apply with a sponge-tip applicator that dries down to a matte finish (not as fully matte as I’d like but I’m still experimenting). The colour is just perfection, bright and summery. These are £19 HERE.
‘The End of the World Running Club’ by Adrian J Walker – I had a bit of an accidental apocalypse/end of the world theme this month and this was the first one. An asteroid shower decimates the UK and forces an unlikely hero to emerge to save his family. This is beautifully written with some incredible characters – I really hope this is turned into a film at some point!
‘The Girl With All The Gifts’ by M.J. Carey – Another ‘end of the world’ book but from a very different perspective, this book is a captivating look at what makes us human and how much that is affected when the world changes around you.
‘The Humans’ by Matt Haig – This is a hilarious and poignant outsider’s look at the human race in all its baffling and, ultimately endearing, glory. The ‘alien trying to comprehend humans’ storyline is a really powerful metaphor for mental illness (something Matt Haig has written about at length in his bestselling ‘Reasons To Stay Alive’).
Did you enjoy my June ’15 beauty and lifestyle favourites? Any book and beauty recommendations always welcomed! What have you been loving this month?
Lex
