Summer beach-inspired make-up

Swatches: Top left to right: Topshop Head Over Heels cream blush,   Mac Dressmaker, Dressmaker lipstick, Gosh Blue Grass eyeliner                      Bottom left to right: Urban Decay Naked matte eyeshadow, Mac Woodwinked eyeshadow

Inspired by the heatwave here in the UK, I decided to opt for some appropriately beachy colours today.

Walking to Wickham

Today I ache. I ache because I took my legs on a seven mile walk yesterday evening! It was a walk from the Hampshire town of Fareham to the quaint village of Wickham. We drive this route every day to get to work, but walking it was a whole different experience. Stopping and looking at the fascinating range of houses and the countryside made it actually really pleasant. 

Of course I took some snaps:

I'm going to see Bellowhead in August! I can't wait.

Review: L'oreal Volume Million Lashes Excess Mascara

I have tried Volume Million Lashes mascara in its original format some time ago and found it, from my memory, to be a decent high street choice.

A Spot of Reflection and Running

The sun was shining today, so it seemed rude not to wear an appropriately cheerful lipstick. Betty Bright by Mac was my weapon of choice. It is a jolly, muted neon pink which actually looks surprisingly good on. It is a limited edition shade which I picked up from the Archie's Girls collection some time ago now. It looks a lot more vibrant in person, but is not too outrageous that you get unwanted stares.

South Downs Walk

Today was the start of 'Get Active for Summer' aka the school holidays. 

Hampshire has some spectacular countryside and today we did a 3k walk around Old Winchester Hill. 

Skincare Brand Review: La Roche-Posay

French brand, La Roche-Posay, is now widely available in the UK and in many countries around the world. French skincare is well-renowned for being superior to our 'chemist' or drugstore brands due to the expertise behind it and the ingredients used.

How to Banish Shiny Skin Without Powder

I am prone to having some unwanted shine on my T-Zone, even though my skin is dry. I wanted to share a few products that I use to mattify these areas, without drying them out with powder:

Left to right: Garnier Perfect Blur; Mac Matte; Nars Instant Line and Pore Perfector

Review: Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupté Lipstick in Nude Beige

Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupté Lipstick in Nude Beige 01 is a cool, pale pink colour that feels like a lip balm on the lips. It is a higher end purchase which I thought a lot about before parting with my hard-earned cash.

A Few of My Favourite Things #4 (June 2014)

Currently wearing

  American Apparel Interlock Pencil Skirts

I adore these skirts and wear them to work a lot. The fabric is soft, thick jersey material and on me, they fall to just above the knee (I'm very short). They are fitted and look really smart and stylish with any top. It saddens me that American Apparel don't seem to re-stock the colours very often because I really want a blue and grey version; I have just purchased a stripey one and can't wait to wear it! 

 

The Body Shop Haul

The Body Shop, for the longest time, were a brand I had long left behind. I had fond memories of the bath pearls that burst in the bath and the fruit-shaped novelty soaps, but I didn't shop there at all until a year or so ago. 

How to keep blonde highlights bright, featuring Bleach London products

 

I had my hair subtly highlighted about a year ago, and recently I had it re-done to go a bit blonder for Summer. I wanted it to look 'grown-in' and not put bleach on my roots, so my hairdresser did a full head of randomly placed highlights through the lengths. This what it looked like after I got it done.

Review: Charlotte Tilbury Brow Lift Eyebrow Pencil

Charlotte Tilbury is a renowned UK make-up artist who came out with her own make-up line last year. It is a well thought out and luxurious collection which appealed to me because her products are beautiful and often unique.

I reviewed one of her blushes here.

5 Disappointing Products

Batiste Dry Conditioner:
I liked the concept of this being a dry spray, like the dry shampoos (which I find are ok). I will use this up over time, but it just doesn't really feel like it nourishes or conditions my hair very well.