My Summer Beauty Essentials!





Summer has to be my favourite time of year! I just love being out in the sunshine wearing pretty summer clothes and enjoying life. However when it comes to wearing your summer wardrobe and getting out having fun in the sun, us girls know that whether it be beautifying ourselves or damage control, a few preps need to be undertaken first. So without further ado – here are my beauty essentials that prepare me for the warmer weather!

A high SPF for the face – because nobody wants to have a face full of wrinkles when they’re older do they?! I like to wear SPF 50 when it’s sunny outside even if I’m just in the UK, not because I burn easily, which I don’t as I have an olive skin tone, but just because I want to prevent the sun’s harmful rays from making me look like a prune in years to come and more importantly to help prevent more serious effects such as skin cancer. I like to use an SPF specifically formulated for use on the face as I am prone to spots and I find that normal sun cream clogs my pores.

A gradual tan body moisturiser – I love Garnier Summer Body as it has a lovely fruity scent and not the stale biscuit smell that fake tan usually has. Now don’t get me wrong – I love my fake tan for nights out, however this product gives me a lovely sun kissed glow and it’s really moisturising too, perfect for everyday use and in case the pins make an appearance!

Frizz control – Being out in the sun, swimming in the sea, humidity – they all take their toll on our locks. I love Aussie’s three minute miracle frizz remedy to deeply condition my hair, followed by their miracle hair insurance leave in conditioner to keep my barnet silky smooth and ready to fight the elements.

Bright or pastel nail colours – Pretty nails are a must in summer, time invested in doing a mani pedi is well spent in my opinion! Two nail polishes that I have been loving this season are China Glaze’s Orange Knockout and Essie’s Lilacism. I think Summer is the perfect time to experiment with nail art and different colour polishes. I’ve also been enjoying painting my nails in multicoloured pastels recently.

Lip Products – When the weather is really hot (not all that often in the UK although I can’t complain this year) or when I’m on holiday, I will usually opt for a gloss or a matte lip cream due to the fact that there’s no chance of them melting in my handbag. Collection’s Cream Puff in Fairy Cake is my favourite lip cream of the moment, it’s such a pretty coral shade – very apt for summer. If the weather isn’t too hot I will usually go for a bright lipstick, I’ve been wearing MAC’s Viva Glam Nicki a lot recently – a gorgeous flamingo pink.

So these are the products that I couldn’t be without during the summer! I love being nosy and reading about other people’s holy grail beauty products so do feel free to let me know yours too!

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FOTD



Hi ladies! Here’s one of my current go to looks, I love a bright lip with a simple cat flick for summertime!

Face - MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation - NC30

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer - Shade 3 Medium

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural – Medium Dark

Bare Minerals Ready Bronzer – The High Dive

MAC Blush – Fleur Power

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish – Soft and Gentle

Eyes – MAC Paintpot – Painterly

MAC E/S – Amber Lights (lid)

MAC E/S – Handwritten (crease & brows)

Urban Decay E/S – Sin (highlight)

Avon Super Shock Gel Eyeliner – Black

No7 Exquisite Curl Mascara

Lips – MAC Lipstick Viva Glam Nicki

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My Top 5 MAC Lipsticks | Summer



  L-R:  Candy Yum Yum              Viva Glam Nicki                  Ravishing                     Costa Chic                    Vegas Volt

Where do I begin with MAC lipsticks, they’re just my favourite. Nearly all the lipsticks that I own are from MAC. They have such a wide range of colours and finishes and although at £15 a pop they are slightly on the expensive side, I still can’t resist. So in no particular order, here are my top 5 shades that I like to wear during the summer months.

Candy Yum – Yum. Matte - The brightest pink lipstick I have ever seen, for all the girly girls out there – you will love this. As you can see this one is definitely a statement colour, however I find that it works for day and night. During the day I wear this with simple eye makeup – just a cat flick and a bit of mascara does the job, and for a night time I love this colour with big lashes and a neutral eye shadow, bringing a hint of retro back while rocking this season’s neon trend. If you’re slightly dubious about trying such a bright shade, Barry M’s lipstick in shade #62 is a great dupe and at £4.49 is a fraction of the cost. As with all matte lipsticks well moisturised lips are a must.

Viva Glam Nicki. Satin – A bright flamingo pink which is just perfect for summer, this lipstick looks gorgeous with a tan however it’s a great one for all skin tones. I love this shade for when I’m in a rush getting ready, it really stands out and makes me look like I’ve made an effort with my makeup when in reality I’ve just shoved some face makeup and mascara on, topped off with this lippy. MAC’s satin finish lipsticks have to be my favourite as the colour payoff is amazing and lasts hours while still being moisturising on the lips.

Ravishing. Cremesheen – This lipstick is a gorgeous light golden peachy colour, I find this shade on my skin tone (NC30-35) to be quite neutral and I love wearing it with a brown smoky eye. I wear this shade with MAC’s Stripdown lip liner and if I’m going for the full works I’ll stick a bit of MAC’s tinted lipglass in Florabundance (also a light peach) over the top and what can I say - its love! I wonder if you’ve guessed that I like MAC by any chance?!

Costa Chic. Frost – This is my idea of the perfect coral lipstick, such a pretty colour for spring and summertime. This is one of those lipsticks that can either be worn with minimal eye makeup or with the full works as it looks amazing with both. It’s a bright peachy orange with a slight pink undertone, however certainly not a loud colour which therefore makes it perfect for so many different occasions. A perfect one if you just want a ‘pop of colour’.

Vegas Volt. Amplified – I originally bought this shade a couple of summers ago and at the time I was obsessed with Costa Chic, however I was looking for a lipstick that was similar yet slightly different so that I wasn’t wearing the same lipstick everyday and that’s when I discovered Vegas Volt! This lipstick is a bright coral just like Costa Chic, however it has more red undertones and is an amplified finish which gives it a creamier appearance on the lips. It’s also brighter than Costa Chic yet still fabulous for either day or night time. This is another one that looks amazing with a tan.

So there you have it – my top five MAC lipsticks for summertime! What are your favourite lipsticks to wear during the warmer months? Let me know as I’m always on the lookout for new shades to add to my collection!

You can also check out my Top 5 MAC Lipsticks for Summer Video!

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