BETTER THAN A RED LIP

There’s all these red lipstick quotes, Coco Chanel apparently said ‘If you’re sad, add some more red lipstick and attack’ but I  just don’t really get it. I think red lipstick is great at making me look a little more put together or like I’ve actually made an effort, but no beauty items has such a big affect on my mood and appearance as fake tan.

When I’m feeling a little down, it’s cold outside or I just want to feel and look a little better I always reach for a bottle of fake tan. It’s something I really look forward to and it changes my mood massively. It makes my skin more event, adds a great glow and even makes me look a little slimmer.

I think fake tan is potentially even scarier for people than a red lip is, which is saying something as I know a red lip can be very scary, and although I understand I think it’s an unnecessary fear. Once upon a time tan use to be orange and often result in a patchy applications but now with just a little practice and the right fake tan I think it can be mood changing and potentially life changing. I know that’s such a big claim but it totally changes my mood and even my outlook on life!

I’ve tried lots and lots of fake tans, found some really good ones that I reach for on different occasions but absolute favourite and the one I reach for a few times a week is Bondi Sands Lotion. I switch between the dark and light although I am currently using the light as I find it adds a lovely light glow.

This seems like a slightly pointless post but what I’m trying to say is that fake tan shouldn’t be scary. If you are missing your summer tan give it a go, I think the positives massively outweigh the negatives. I mentioned earlier last month my real struggle with grey winters in London and I really feel fake tan helps combat that, since London doesn’t seem to be hitting 20C anytime soon, I will be staying quite attached to my bottle of tan.

Don’t get me wrong a real tan makes me even happier but that’s currently not an option and at least this way I’m not exposing myself to sun damage

Golden Autumn

The chilly weather has made the leaves turn colour – but it doesn’t mean you need to put away the warm summer hues for good in your makeup routine. In a (probably too-routine) trip into Sephora I decided to take a look at what they had to keep a bronzed and warm complexion for the next season and I was happy to stumble upon a few products. Here’s what I found:

The first: Smash Box’s Photo Finish light foundation primer – a staple in my makeup routine. The reason I point this one out on this post (and ended up picking up a new bottle) was because I feel this formula really helps my skin during this cool time of year. Naturally, I have dry skin and am prone to blemishes and flakes. Using the primer before applying my foundation helps create a smooth and even palette to work with – ultimately keeping my make up on all day without needing to reapply. On the pricey side ($44) but a real winner in my books.

Benefit’s Instant Brow Pencil was a new purchase I surprisingly never tried. I love their Gimme Browfiber gel to help all a bit of volume and tame stray hairs, but still I was looking for a product to help fill in any spars areas. I find the pencil is super easy to use and – the best part, is super buildable. Having tried powders and gels, I’m happy with the amount that comes off the tip and the high level of control you have using it. Bonus – there’s a spoolie on the end to help comb and tame as you go! Using the two in tandem makes for the best combination for full brows.

Trying to go for a softer look – I’ve opted to using brown eye makeup as opposed to black. By swapping out my usual liner and mascara with Benefit’s They’re Real! in beyond brown and Kat Von D’s Tattoo Liner in Mad Max brown I find you achieve a much more neutral look while still framing your eyes and making your lashes stand out.

Now to the golden tones – how to add a little shine without too much shimmer. Being a fan of Urban Decay’s Naked line I was excited to see they had a face addition out. Simple enough – a bronzer, highligher, and blush. The colours are beautiful, neutral, and very adaptable for all skin tones. The rosy blush adds a nice pop of colour while the bronzer and illuminator build a nice warm glow.

Lastly, a real pop of gold! I decided on Sephora’s Sunday Brunch #81 eye shadow as a little fun splurge. Surprisingly, I found this colour to be super adaptable – being able to incorporate it with my eye makeup at night, but also during the day at work. Paired and blended with a soft cream colour, this hue adds a little sparkle and a lot of warmth to your eyes.

What are your go-to’s for the fall? Do you still try to incorporate sun-inspired colours? I’d love to hear!

GETTING A GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP

I’ve never been a huge fan of sleep, generally finding it a bit of a nusicance but recently I just can’t get enough of it – it’s the best feeling! I’m sleeping better than ever; going to bed early and getting up early, I’m loving it so I thought I would share a few of my tips

1.Get tired

This may sound silly but my biggest recommendation has to be to do exercise. I’ve recently joined the gym and, since your muscles repair whilst you sleep, I’ve found that as soon as I hit my mattress, I fall straight asleep.

2. Get a good mattress

Theres nothing worse than laying for hours on an uncomfortable mattress. I recently upgraded my slightly older one for a brand new, memory foam one from Leesa and I am so happy with it! It took me a couple of weeks to get use to the memory foam but I now love it! It arrived in a small box and I did have to let it sit for a little while, to expand and take shape but it was really easy to order and set up.

3. Get some cute pyjamas

Okay so you might not really need these for a good nights sleep but looking cute always helps, right? My newfavourite pair are from Nine by Savannah Miller. The whole range is super beautiful, vintage silhouettes of both nightwear and lingerie. I have been wearing mine loads now that the weather is a little warmer and it’s really comfortable!

4. Try some tea

Another little extra I have been trying are teas just before bed. Clippers have a whole range of night time teas which taste delicious and I find that the whole ritual of drinking tea before bed is very relaxing. If the tea itself helps me fall asleep then that’s a plus!

Getting a Tan in the Shower

Yes, you read that right.

St. Tropez has become my tried and true favorite self tanner – and the product I’ve blogged on which I’ve received the most questions about. So naturally, I was thrilled to hear about their latest development.

St. Tropez’s new In Shower Gradual Tan ($30 at Shoppers) made it’s debut last month and there has been a ton of buzz circulating over this first-ever self-tanning product that is to be used with your regular shower routine.

How to:

• Shave and exfoliate any rough patches before you apply.
• Just as if you were lathering up with body wash, take a generous amount and apply it in circular motions over your entire body.
• Leave on for three minutes and rinse off.
• You’ll notice a nice glow the next morning, and it gradually builds into a deeper tan with each application.

The pros:

• No-fuss, super easy application.
•  After 3 uses, I still haven’t noticed any splotches or streaks whatsoever and am happy with the colour.
• It leaves your skin super soft and hydrated.
• A great product to help accelerate your tan.

The cons:

• Waiting for the product to set can be boring/pretty chilly since you have to stay out of the shower for a few minutes. I used this time to let a deep-conditioning treatment sit – two birds with one stone!

Overall, I’m very impressed with this product. It doesn’t give you the same instant colour that you get with the Express Bronzing Mousse, however it’s super low maintenance and an easy way to boost your colour.

Questions, comments? I’d love to hear!

NEW LAUNCHES FROM GLO AND RAY

The new launches from Glo and Ray are seriously good. I’ve been testing these out for a while (you may recognise the nails below that I had done in Japan back in February!) and they have stood up very well throughout that time. Let’s have a nosey at the range…

La Amo Creamy Matte Lipstick (£12) – You know me, I see the word ‘matte’ and I’m a happy girl. This is a bright peach pink shade called ‘Valentino’ and I’m not sure I would describe it as matte. It’s a very creamy formula that stays quite moveable on the lips but definitely isn’t shiny.

Mirage Longwear Mousse Eye Shadow (£11)– These are probably my favourite products in the newer range. I love cream eyeshadows as they are so easy to work with – you stick your finger into a pot (or a brush if, like me, your nails are too long!) and you just blend away. These are great because they are super sheer with one swipe but can be built up to be more intense. The top one below is called Clematis: a beautiful silvery lilac that is really pretty as a simple wash of colour.

Shown below are: Maroon Earth (a chocolate-y cranberry colour with a slight silver shimmer); Olive Garden (a forest green with blue/green shimmer); and Egyptian Ocean (a vibrant blue with silver shimmer).

These swatches below are a few swipes of colour, to show you how you can build them up.

Eternity eyeliner (£9.00) – These are retractable eyeliners which I much prefer, I hate sharpening pencils so much! You can never get them as smooth or as pointed as they were originally. The shade below is ‘Houston’, a gunmetal grey with very fine silver glitter (which I can’t see on the website at the moment).

Sky Breaker eyeliner (£5.50) – These eyeliners are fantastic and I cannot believe they are only £5.50, that’s such good value for a product that has great colour pay off, is long lasting and applies really well (even if you do have to sharpen them every so often…) The colour below is ‘Orchid’, a bright purple shade with strong blue undertones. This has multicoloured very fine shimmer. In the picture below, the swatches on the left are one swipe, the block on the right is 3 swipes, to show the buildable colour.

Mariposa Quartet Eye Shadows (£12.50) – How stunning are these eyeshadow palettes? Seriously swoon-worthy.

The purple toned palette is called ‘Violet Emotion’. As you can see from the swatches below, the colour pay-off isn’t quite as bright as it is in the pan. But they are very pretty shades. My only slight criticism is that I think two silvery shades is unnecessary, they’re both too silver toned to use as a highlighting shade on the brow bone so I would’ve preferred a more pinky lilac. The darker purple is a very pretty mauve-tone that is so flattering, especially with my blue-green eyes.

This palette is ‘Aegean Blue’ and has a much better colour range. Only one silver highlighting shade, a baby blue with shimmer, the very pretty teal and the much-more-complex-looking-out-of-the-pan navy blue. The purple-y sheen to the darker shade isn’t visible when in the pan but as you can see from the swatch below, it’s got a lot more depth.

Also pictured at the top of this blog are two bases. Unfortunately they were both two dark for my pale skin, which is a shame as both were great formulas. The rectangular bottles is Nebulae Fluid Foundation (£23) which is medium coverage with a glowy finish that dries down to semi-matte so still suitable for us oily gals. I do think the price is a bit steep but it depends how much you usually spend on foundation I guess! The tube base is the Colour Correction Luminous Base (£15). I really like the idea of CC creams but they often let me down. The ones I got in Japan are ‘real’ CC creams, high coverage but lightweight and long-lasting, none of this watered-down tinted moisturiser nonsense. The Glo & Ray CC Cream is probably halfway between the two: good coverage that can easily be built up to cover my redness, but feels a little heavy the more you build it up. You can tell it’s on your face, but I can handle that for good coverage. I think this price is a lot better, it’s a pretty big tube and you don’t need to use much so it’ll last a while.

Aromatherapy Associates Soothing Face Oil

“Fine lines and wrinkles I can live with, but what nobody warned me about were the lesser known effects of ageing on my skin.  Increased sensitivity,  rosacea, dryness, itching and eczema can all take a hold and even adult onset acne thanks to hormonal changes. For me, I’ve been struck with redness, dryness and acne. What a winning combination.

I chopped and changed products for several months trying to find products that could tackle all of those issues, but it wasn’t easy. Acne ranges were too drying and products for dry skin were too heavy and exacerbated my spots. Then, I stumbled across the Aromatherapy Associates Soothing range.  I don’t use the complete range but these products are amazing, and perfect for all ages, thanks to their ability to tackle most skin issues.

My personal top picks are the the Soothing Cleansing Balm and the Soothing Face Oil, both of which I credit with solving my dryness issues as well as helping to heal spots fast and ease redness.

Soothing Cleansing Balm melts make up and rinses away leaving no trace on your skin other than leaving it calmer. However, if you are going to treat yourself to one item from the Soothing range, I’d have to recommend the Soothing Face Oil. Far from aggravating or creating blemishes, this oil tackles skin concerns in one nightly treatment. Made with Evening Primrose and German Camomile, this blend hydrates, tackles redness and soothes all manner of conditions. Dry patches are gone, spots are less inflamed and redness reduced. 

It’s recommended you use this after serum but before moisturiser, but I must confess, I do tend to skip my evening moisturiser. There’s no reason for that other than this seems to moisturise my skin well enough, without feeling oily, and using this in the evenings and my normal moisturiser in the mornings seems to provide me with enough hydration.”

Marlenha Flourish Moisturiser – The Perfect Antidote To Dry Skin

I love skincare products that work in both the short and long term. Flourish Moisturiser byMarlenha firmly falls into that category. It makes my skin feel and look soft, smooth and plump immediately but also contains ingredients that improves its condition over time when applied regularly.

When I want to really put a moisturiser through its paces I use if after I’ve been swimming. Being immersed in chlorine is extremely harsh on my skin and makes it uncomfortably tight and dry. Flourish instantly makes my skin feel better which is something a lot of creams don’t manage to do.

Another big tick for me is that though Flourish is rich in texture and deeply hydrating, it doesn’t leave skin feeling greasy or even slightly tacky. It absorbs quickly and leaves skin feeling firm and bouncy but with no surface slick. It felt almost like a hydrating mesh on my face and when I looked at the ingredients I saw that it contained something called Lipomoist which is a molecular film that offers immediate and long term hydration. It also acts as a delivery system to help other ingredients penetrate the skin.

Another ingredient of note is Cactus Fruit Extract otherwise known as Prickly Pear Cactus. This was touted as being the ingredient of 2015 by influential beauty site Byrdie and has generally been getting a lot of attention stateside. It’s one of those ingredients that has multiple benefits (hydrating, anti-inflammatory, stimulates collagen production) that I think we’re going to be hearing about it a lot more.

The Marlenha website provides full lists of ingredients for each product which I think shows openness and respect for their customers.  Also on the Marlenha site is a more detailed breakdown of the main beneficial ingredients. All the big players that you want in in a moisturiser are there such as Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamin E and Peptides along with some bonus ones too like Rosehip Oil and Soy Protein.

A final big plus in that Flourish has the most gorgeous scent. It’s kind of a fruity floral with a slight powdery touch but it’s not heavy by any means. I can’t imagine anyone objecting to it and suspect most people will love it.

Just a quick word on Marlenha. It’s an Italian skincare brand that has a tight edit of products that have been specially formulated for older women. It’s obvious a lot of the love and thought has gone into creating the products and I’m impressed by the ingredients that have been avoided (see the list HERE) as much as the ones that have been included.

GOING BANANAS FOR BANANA NAIL ART

I wanted this to be a bright and vibrant manicure so I chose essie ‘madison ave-hue’ for the base coat (a lively sugary pink), Kiko ‘279′ for the yellow (the most obnoxious yellow polish I own), and Kiko ‘275′ for the detailing (probably the best black nail varnish in the world).

I’m really pleased with how these turned out, I tried to make them kind of imprecise in a pop art-y way. They’ve certainly cheered me up!

Are you going bananas for banana nail art? Let me know your thoughts for future Mani Mondays… I am open to suggestions!