Friday 6 July 2012

My Top 5 Summer Essentials

Heya cuties! I've had a few products i've been meaning to talk about on here for a while, things that have been major life savers for me (especially since i live in the ever dreary south of England). These products always go travelling with me and i honestly don't think i could live without them now, they're fab for hot weather but also for keeping you looking healthy and sun kissed in not so hot weather *cough* English girls *cough*
Okay so number 1 on my list is Solait Tinted Bronze Foam I am quite lucky in that i tan easily and don't burn but unfortunately it's hard to get any sun where i live. I was actually introduced to this product by a friend 'cos I needed a really quick tan without the worry of it going patchy or taking 100 years to develop.
The best bits:
Because it's a foam it dries instantly and you can see the full colour within 30 mins
It doesn't streak because you can see where the colour is going
It's waaayyyy cheaper than most of the other fake tan products.
It doesn't stain your hands because it's so easy to wash off.
Unlike many other fake tan products you can easily 'top it up' without the worry of going orange.
Things to note:
It washes off VERY easily, i don't mind this as it's so quick to apply that you can basically do it everyday but bare this in mind when you first apply it as i have on occasion spilled water on my legs after applying and had to watch as it caused a little streak on my leg. DON'T WORRY IF THIS HAPPENS the product is so simple to use that you can just apply a little bit more over the area.
Where to buy: Super Drug
Number 2 is Kerastase Heat-activated Reconstruction Milk. Oh lord! where do i even start with this product. Some of you may know that I attempted to go platinum blonde myself....from black. The result was an orangey, chewing gummy mess. Luckily my hair had been in good enough condition at the start that my hairdresser managed to get it to the desired colour, after 7 hours over a basin and 4 applications of bleach you can imagine my hair was feeling a little under the weather. My wonderful hairdresser Stef gave me this product (for free because I had already paid so much for the treatment)and told me to 'Apply to wet hair and massage it in, then dry your hair as usual, DO NOT BRUSH' So I did and by the end of the month my hair was already coming to life again. I honestly think that without this product i would be balding, it is truly a work of the gods.
The best bits:
Although it gives you best results when used with a hair dryer, the reason I put it in my 'summer essentials' is because it works just as well in summer heat. If you go swimming or whatever and don't feel like drying your hair, just apply some of this and sit out in the sun. It'll still repair some damage without any effort.
IT LASTS A REALLY LONG TIME, you barely need any, i've had my bottle for just under a year now and it still works wonders.
It smells amazing, really fresh.
Things to note:
It's not cheap, but seeing as it lasts so long i think it's a great investment.
I wouldn't bother with it if your hair isn't damaged, this is strictly for those of you with porous and damaged hair.
Don't brush it in, brushing hair when wet is a bad idea on its own but this product works best if you just gently run it through with your fingers.
Where to buy: On Amazon or most professional hair dressers stock it
Number 3, and a personal fav, is Doctor Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips! Please don't be put off by the name. This product was originally intended for use by breast feeding women to keep their nipples lubricated, somehow, don't ask me why, someone discovered that it's a miracle cure for dry lips. I received it as a gift for my 18th and oh boy does it do the job, there's really nothing like it, I used to suffer from awful dry lips to the point where i couldn't wear lip stick but those days ar long gone, this product is A MUST HAVE.
The best bits:
A little goes a lonnngggg way, you barely need any and it lasts ages.
It doubles as a lip primer so it's like owning a two in one.
It's in a small enough container that you can take it on a plane.
It's multi-purpose, if you have any dry or uncomfortable skin, just stick a bit of this on and it'll be lovely and smooth in no time.
It's not sticky at all, no more getting your hair stuck to your lips.
Things to note:
Like the former, it is not cheap, but again remember that a little lasts a long time.
It melts so be careful when squeezing it out that you don't get too much.
It's very glossy and i know that some people don't like that.
Where to buy: Amazon, Sephora, High end drug stores, Most department stores
Okay so these are pretty much all year round essentials but number 4 is, Benefit's You Rebel Tinted Moisturiser I am not particularly keen on foundation, i find it claustrophobic and gross and usually it causes more harm than good but these lovely's are so light that I'm barely aware of their presence. I have them in both shades, one for winter and a darker one for summer, it blends really well so don't worry if you think it won't match your skin tone, it always does.
The best bits:
It's impossible to cake which makes it perfect for summer as it's not too hot.
It blends really well so goes with almost every skin tone
It gives you this lovely glow like you've been out in the sun all day (which us religious bloggers are in desperate need of)
They pretty much sell it everywhere.
Things to note
The covers are gonna come off, you can see from mine how worn out they are, I like to think of it as a testament to how much I use them.
If you squeeze too hard it's common to find it will continuously poor out, I have sometimes had to depot it to avoid this problem but other people don't seem to be bothered by it.
Where to buy: Anywhere that stocks Benefit
Last but definitely not least, number 5 is MAC Fix+! I LOVE THIS PRODUCT. If there is one thing i cannot stand it's feeling dehydrated and tired eyed. A few squirts of this, with or without make up will have you looking refreshed and energized. It's not just to wake you up though, it's also great for setting your make up. You just hold it about 20-30 centimetres from your face and do a couple squirts, it creates a mist which really cools you down and is so refreshing.
The best bits:
It also helps if you have dry itchy eyes, spraying it with your eyes closed makes them feel alive again.
It's very cooling so it's lovely in hot weather.
Some of these kinds of product are polluted with funny fragrance but this one is fragrance free.
If you use it correctly it should last you a very long time.
Things to note:
Don't go overboard, it's very refreshing so it can be tempting to just spray, spray, spray away but you really don't need to.
It's NOT CHEAP but I really think it's worth the money, especially if you're gonna be in very hot, dry climates.
Where to buy: Anywhere that stocks MAC
Ok guys, I hope this has been helpful, feel free to leave comments and if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask. Later cuties xoxo

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