Everyday Makeup | Summer Edition

After a lot of trial and error testing out products to achieve the perfect, dewy, glowing and long lasting summer makeup I thought I would share with you which products have made the final cut. 

I start by applying my everyday moisturiser (which happens to be the Aloe Soothing Day Cream from The Body Shop).

To follow I apply the No' 7 Youthful CC cream in shade medium - this is the perfect base for the summer months, it really is your skin but better. It adds a gorgeous, fresh glow with just enough coverage and staying power. 

To add some extra bronzey glow I use a dabbing of the Bourjois Bronzing Primer on my cheeks, across my hairline and on my temples. This is great by itself to add a really natural warmth to the face, whilst it also works fantastically underneath a powder bronzer to add some extra staying power. 

I have been loving the L'Oreal Perfection True Match blush in shade peach (160). It adds a really pretty warmth to the face which is perfect for this time of year. It is also super flattering on both bronzed and pale skin tones. 

Finally to set my base I have found Maybelline's Matte Maker pressed powder to be the only thing up to the job. Things can get a bit slippy down the t-zone region at this time of year and so for me a setting powder is crucial. I wanted something that kept any shine at bay and my makeup in place, without completely dulling down my complexion and this does exactly that. 

Urban Decay's original Naked palette comes into play when I shape my eyebrows. I have found Buck to be the perfect shade for me and it applies beautifully to achieve a natural looking brow. 

To brighten my eyes and achieve a more awake appearance I have been using the DIorshow Iconic Overcurl mascara. This is hands down my number one mascara of all time. I was unfortunately not blessed with naturally curled eyelashes and this is the only mascara I have come across that really does add some curl to my ever straight lashes. It opens up the eyes and adds a volumised flirty flick. 

To finish the look off and add a little shine to my lips I have been loving the Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector. This is perfect if you want a low maintenance product that still adds a little something. It adds a warm shine to the lips which really brings a summer bronzed look together. 

If you want a full review of any of the products featured in this post please comment below 

Paige x 

The Skincare | Exfoliating Toners

If you're a follower of the wonderful Caroline Hirons, you'll be all to familiar with these three products. All of which are skin exfoliants in the form of a toner which means no more abrasive bead exfoliators! Hooray! 

Just over a year ago I hit crisis point with my skin. I never had what I would consider 'bad' skin and to me it was just fine but once I left school it deteriorated into outbreak galore. Having gone from 'good skin' to a face full of outbreaks I started to panic and tried untold of rubbish products to try and miraculously clear up my face. Nothing worked and I was actually left feeling quite low and self conscious about my appearance. 

And then I found Caroline.. 

Across her blog Exfoliating Toners kept cropping up so I began to look into a few of the ones she had specifically mentioned. The first one I tried was the Ren Clarimatte Clarifying Lotion (formerly known as the Clarifying Toning Lotion). Within a few weeks of using it twice daily the breakouts I had been experiencing had already started to clear up and by the time I had finished the bottle, my skin had returned to its (mostly) blemish free state. Once I had used up every drop of the stuff, I left it a few weeks before repurchasing and sure enough my skin began to play up again. Instead of ordering the same Ren toner, I popped to my nearest Clarins counter and picked up their version of an exfoliating toner, the Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Lotion. 

The Brightening Lotion from Clarins is also another recommendation from Caroline, so I had every faith it would do the job just as well as the Ren lotion had. Although I didn't see the results as quickly as I had previously whilst using Ren Clarifying Lotion, it did sort my breakouts out and by the time I was half way through the bottle my skin had began to clear up again. 

I have since repurchased,and used up, another bottle of Ren toner and I'm now half way through the Pixi Glow Beauty Elixir. This again is another product the fantastic Caroline Hirons has recommended and out of the three it's my favourite. It was by far the quickest at producing noticeable results and i'm absolutely loving it. 

In terms of price they're all relatively affordable -
Clarins £20 - £25
Ren £18 (however I have seen it for about £12 on some websites!)
Pixi £16

Do let me know if you've tried a similar product and have seen great results!