Summer Beauty Picks

As a new Mum I think it’s really important to try and keep up some kind of beauty regime if that is what you were used to before babies. Even if your regime is lot quicker than it was previously it’s important to just to keep some sort of identity and also to ensure you are feeling at your best, so you can be the best Mum you can be at all times. When Violet was a newborn I spent weeks in my PJs, with my hair in a bun (usually stuck together with baby sick) and no make-up. I soon realised that was part of the reason I stopped feeling like me – I’d forgotten to care for myself. I personally feel like I make a better Mum if I care for myself too, so I wanted to share a few of my favourite Summer Beauty products that have given me a boost in the last few months and helped me to feel like me again! As I don’t often post beauty posts, this will be a bit of a ‘bumper post‘ but bear with me, there are some great products here worth talking about!

SKINCARE

When it comes to skincare, my normal day-to-day cleanse, tone, moisturise routine is pretty samey so I won’t bore you with that here – instead I wanted to talk about the additional products I use on my skin that have that extra wow-factor and leave my skin feeling super pampered….

Heaven New Edition Cleansing Cream | Heaven Chamomile Densitising Hydrogel | Bio-Essence 24k Bio-Gold

So, first up I wanted to talk about the Heaven Skincare range. This is a brand I’ve only just discovered as I was recently invited to a blog event at The Grand Hotel in Brighton, where Heaven Skincare is now the range of products they use within their spa for treatments. The event was to try out some of the products and meet the owner and creator of the brand Deborah Mitchell, who was a super creative, inspiring lady who has been in the industry years, eventually creating her own brand -She even does beauty treatments for the Royal Family so we enjoyed hearing some of the stories about that! We were given a goodie bag of treats to take home, so here are my two favourites from that – the New Edition Cleansing Cream and Chamomile Desensitising Hydrogel. One of the things I really love about the Heaven Skincare range is that all of the products are totally natural, with no preservatives, so when you read the ingredients you aren’t slathering your skin with chemicals. She also has come up with some rather radical ideas too – such as Prism technology that reacts to light, even the light from your computer or smart phone – this comes with a rainbow-light app that visibly plumps the skin and adds a radiant glow within seconds. I know, you have to see it to believe it! I look forward to giving more of the range a go soon.

Second on my list of slightly unusual but awesome skincare products is the 24k Bio-Essence Gold Water – If slapping gold on your face doesn’t make you feel like a princess in the mornings, I don’t know what will! Bio-Essence Gold Water is applied like a serum after cleansing and quickly absorbs into the skin. I was particularly excited about this one as it genuinely has shimmering gold pieces within the product, making it feel just that little bit extra special. Apart from the bling-factor, I’ve now learned that using gold on your skin is said to be a superior anti-oxidant which effectively blocks away free radicals to help skin defy signs of ageing. Bio-Essence Gold water helps to tighten pores, boost firmness and suppleness, plump wrinkles, balance sebum and give a luminous radiance. I’ve been using this product around a month and have certainly noticed softer, more radiant skin – so in my opinion this one is a win!

Image Biomolecular Anti-Ageing Radiance Mask

I’ve always been one for face masks – especially in the bath, with a good book – that is my idea of heaven. Before baby I tried to apply a mask to my skin at least once a week, now it’s more like once a month if I’m lucky as I just don’t get the time. However, just recently I’ve found that I can save time by using a sheet mask. Although I think it makes me look like a crazy about to rob a bank (they look like balaclavas!) they are so quick to just peel out of the packaging and pop on and then peel off again, rather than slathering on a traditional mask, usually making a mess along the way (if you are like me). One of my favourites has got to be the Image Skincare range, especially the Biomolecular Anti-Ageing Radiance Mask. It’s so cooling and refreshing to apply, you can literally feel the goodness sinking into your skin from the word go. This always leaves my skin feeling so rehydrated and silky smooth, even a few days on.

Necta Perfecta Beautifying Mask by Bee Good

The Necta Nerfecta Beautifying Mask is a product I’ve been wanting to try for SO LONG and I finally got my hands on this little beauty and I haven’t been disappointed at all. if anything I’ve been more wow-ed than I expected! I’m not sure what I was expecting to be honest, probably a standard face mask with a honey twist, but this isn’t like anything I’ve tried before. The blend is thick and balmy, literally like applying a sweet honey bees wax to your face. It’s just gorgeous and so luxurious. I also love that this is a 4-in-1 mask which means I can just go to town in lots of different areas at once, again a luxury product that is a time saver too (can you see the pattern here!). This handy mask is not just for the face but also can be used as a weekly scalp treatment, an SOS mask on dry and ‘challenged’ areas or a hand rescue remedy too. I also love Bee Good as a brand, I’ve used their products for a few years now and love supporting a British company that is so kind to our friends, the bee!

MAKE-UP

Onto make-up now. I mainly wear the same daily make-up that I can now apply in about 2-3 minutes. I’ve even  learned to do it one handed too (the things we do!) However, like with skincare I’ve learned that a little extra goes a long way – a bold lip for example can totally change a look and makes me feel great too. I feel like you can’t have a bad day if you have a bold lipstick on or glitter eyes, so I’m rolling with that and it seems to be working. So, with that in mind, here are a few additions to my makeup bag….

Carrying on my theme of timesaving – I’ve been loving bold lip shades that last. Honestly, if you don’t have much time for makeup in the morning, my tip is to apply a bold colour in a lasting formula, like these 12 hour Timeless “kissproof” lipsticks by Lord & Berry. They stay on no matter how much cold tea you sip and you can actually fool people that you put some effort into your makeup. Perfect!

This one was a naughty treat to myself. I’ve been looking for a bold metallic eye shadow forever (honestly, for years) that actually pops with a bright shimmer when you use it and THIS IS IT. I’ve finally found my dream glitter eye! This is the Stila Magnificent Metals Foil Finish Eyeshadow in Metallic Dusty Rose it is so, so beautiful! It comes with this super cute little primer with a tray and dropper (that are so mini you’d think they were for borrowers) so you can blend it and create different looks. I love using this for a sweep of shimmer using an eyeliner brush or a bolder more dazzling look all over the lid.

Last on my list is this gorgeous eyeshadow palette – it’s the Estée Lauder Smoky Nights palette. I realised not so long ago that I’ve been wearing the same eyeshadow blends for nearly 4 years now (!). My go-to palette is the Urban Decay Naked 3, I’m on my second one as I wore my favourite shades out on the first one, but I think now it’s time to try some new looks. I love a smoky eye, so the Smoky Nights palette was perfect for creating a slightly bolder look with some lovely purples and blues – my favourite!

 

So, if you’ve read this far – thanks for sticking around through a MASSIVE beauty update post – I hope you found some fab product recommendations here. Let me know what you thought of my favourite summer products and if you have any favourites at the moment, share them in the comments below! 🙂 

 

Post contains PR samples – words and opinions are my own

7 Time-Saving Beauty Products

Everyone keeps telling me ‘when you have a baby, you won’t have time for makeup‘ some Mums even say they don’t have enough time in the day for a shower! Eek! I know this sounds terribly vain, but if I’m totally honest – whether I’m rushed off my feet or not, I just wouldn’t feel confident going about my day-to-day without a drop of make-up or a quick freshen up – busy Mum or not! So finding that elusive balance between the two is really important to me. If I feel myself, I’ll have a brighter, happier day, so in preparation – I’ve been trying to streamline my routine into a few easy steps I could do in just seconds, so I can leave the house looking at least like I’ve put a tiny bit of effort into my appearance!

Here is my little collection of some of my favourite beauty products and make-up essentials that are going to save me that extra precious time, but keep me sane, once baby arrives:

 

Hair: My hair is probably the easiest, most manageable to look after – I’ve practically mastered the ‘Mum Bun’ throughout pregnancy and am happy to sweep my hair up into a hairband at the drop of a hat! To ease things along, it’s always good to have a great hairbrush to hand – my Tangle Angel is perfect as it detangles so quickly and easily (plus it’s SO PRETTY!) and a bottle of Dry Shampoo for those days where washing and blow drying are just not an option. I love Bumble & Bumble Prêt-à-powder for adding a touch of volume and bounce to flat hair too.

Face:  My go-to product for skincare when time is tight is always Micellar Water – my favourite being my trusty Bioderma Sensibio H2O that always comes away with me on trips and in my weekend bag. It’s just so quick and easy at the end of the day, removing makeup and cleansing the skin way more thoroughly than so many I’ve tried – a must have product!

Makeup: When it comes to applying a quick face, my go-to products are always concealer (a MUST for tired Mums), blush, brows, mascara and lips. I can leave the rest. This makes my make-up routine pretty quick to be honest as all the products I’ve picked are super easy to use as they don’t require too much precision to apply. I start with concealer underneath my eyes and on any blemishes, I then use a Beauty Blender to blend this quickly into my skin, I love the mini’s as you can just pop them into your handbag to use on the run too. Next up is a sweep of blush and if there is time a little eye shadow, the Bobbi Brown Sultry Nude Eye and Cheek Palette has everything in one for this. The Estee Lauder Automatic Brow Duo is perfect for a quick sweep of colour as my natural brows are SO LIGHT, the pen style applicator means it’s easy to apply without too much effort. Lastly, a quick sweep of lip colour always brightens up any look – I absolutely love the new Crayola Chubby Sticks by Clinique, a fab collaboration and pretty colours too!

 

What are your essential time-saving beauty tips? I’d love to hear your advice and favourite products!

Collaborative Post – thoughts & opinions are my own, as always. 

Colour, Cut and Style at The Point Brighton

When an email dropped into my inbox inviting me to visit The Point Hair Salon in Brighton, I couldn’t be happier! With everything going on recently, I had totally neglected my hair and it was looking absolutely awful. With dull, drab and straggly locks, plus hideous dark roots I was in desperate need for a pampering session and for an entire hair overhaul, and The Point looked like just the place to fix it.

I’ve always spent a huge amount of time styling, blow drying, straightening or curling my hair, using only the best haircare products and treatments. However, after everything thats happened over the last few months, something just switched in me. Feeling rough everyday meant I lost all interest in my hair- a normal day now includes a burst of dry shampoo and a messy bun, at the most. Oh, how things change! I hadn’t quite realised how miserable it was making me to feel so drab about my hair, I couldn’t wait to break my bad habit and get a total refresh.

To prove how awful things had got, I have taken these embarrassing ‘before’ shots, including my ‘not impressed‘ face in the first one, ha! 🙂 As you can see my colour had totally grown out and my ends were all frizzy and split. As my hair was so shapeless, the only thing I could do was tie it up, you can see why!

The Point is one of Brighton’s most established hair salons, opened by Salon Director Ian Habben back in 1998. In Brighton, it seems a new salon pops up almost every month, so I think the fact The Point has had a loyal and longstanding customer base since 1998 speaks volumes on the consistency of the quality of their services. Located in the North Laine, just a stones throw from Brighton Station, the salon is in a super convenient location too.

Inside the salon, the space is light and airy with modern decor and a friendly vibe. I was first asked in for a skin test a couple of days before my main appointment. The skin test was the most professional I’ve ever experienced, it wasn’t just your standard blob of colour on your skin and off you go. The Point offer a short medical questionnaire, a chat with the colourist and then the skin test consists of 6 different products in different areas to fully check for any skin irritation or discomfort.

After my skin test (which was all fine), I returned to the salon a couple of days later, excited to get my hair finally fixed. Upon arrival I met Ellie, who was warm and friendly. She sat me down and offered me a drink. I was then given a full consultation with both Colourist, Ellie and Salon Director, Ian. This is the bit I’m always nervous about when I visit a new salon – I’m always worried that maybe I won’t get my vision across, or the stylist won’t listen to me. I’ve had some bad experiences of this in the past. However, both Ellie and Ian were so attentive, they both listened to exactly what I wanted, as well as suggesting ideas. They talked through what they would be doing before they started their work, which really put my mind at rest that we were all on the same page. PHEW.  There is nothing worse than sitting there, not feeling entirely sure whats going to happen. So, feeling happy after my consultation and with a nice big stack of magazines, I sat back in my comfy chair and let the work on my disastrous barnet begin.

Ellie suggested to brighten up my hair colour, whilst still keeping a natural look, she would use a mix of bleach and a golden tone to break up the colour. As I like a bright, light ‘ash’ blonde, rather than a yellower tone, she finished my colour with a toner to remove any brassiness. Usually I find it takes stylist’s a LONG time to get through all of my hair, it might be fine but I seem to have a lot of it, but Ellie sped though it all, she then used a heater to speed up the development process, so I found this part of the service so much quicker than I’ve experienced at other salons, which was really great. Although sitting under the heater on one of the warmest days of the year was rather warm, but all for a good cause!

Next up, Ian took over for my cut and style. Being the Salon Director, we chatted about how he had opened the salon back in 1998 and how things had developed and changed within the salon since then, it was really interesting to get his ‘insiders’ point of view and to learn about more about the hair industry within Brighton. He’s so passionate about what he does and such an interesting man, as we chatted away the appointment seemed to just fly by.

With my hair, he trimmed all of my split, straggly ends, whilst keeping as much length as possible, he also added lots of layers and texture giving it plenty of shape. He added shape around my face and the blow dried my hair giving it a lovely bounce.

So, without further ado, this is the finished look….

After finishing my cut and style, Ian also talked through some products I can use to keep my hair looking and feeling fantastic, once I’ve left the salon. He told me all about a brand called Windle & Moodie, which look and sound fantastic. The Point Salon and Space NK are the only stockists of the range in Brighton so they are a bit of a hidden gem. I’ve since been using the products to look after my new hair and I just love how nourished and strong my hair now feels, plus the products smell gorgeous too! I absolutely love the thickening cream, it really does the trick to boost my hair and add volume and thickness after I blow dry. I also use the Shine & Smoothing Oil to finish my style and to smooth down flyaways. Also of note – both of these styling products include a UV filter, protecting my hair from harmful rays too.

Overall, I’ve been so impressed with my first visit to The Point hair salon. I found the team really friendly, welcoming, professional and I absolutely loved the finished result. When I walked out of the salon, I literally felt my hair swishing in the wind (instead of stuck back into a messy, greasy bun) and I couldn’t have felt more like ‘myself’ again. It’s amazing what a bit of pampering can do for the soul!

I’m really grateful for the team for looking after me and making me feel so lovely again! V was so impressed with my hair, she’s booked to visit the salon this week too!

A big THANK YOU to The Point for having me – see you again soon! 

I was kindly offered a complimentary cut and colour in return for an honest review – all thoughts, opinions, hair woes are my own. If I didn’t love it, I wouldn’t share it. 

 

 

 

Introducing The Body Shop’s new Superfood Facemask range

 

This new range of face masks from The Body Shop couldn’t have come at a better time for me. In the last few months with baby-peaches on the way, I’ve really been feeling hideously tired, frazzled and run down, my skincare routine has gone out of the window. My skin has also changed from dry to really greasy, which was a total surprise, my skin is now resembling that of my teenage years – so I’ve never needed a pamper session more than I do right now.  With face masks being super on trend in 2016, The Body Shop have done it once again by being one step ahead of the game and releasing this brand new range of five superfood face masks. The complete range has a mask to energise, nourish, illuminate, hydrate and purify the skin – meaning there is something to suit every skin type.  Interestingly, the products are also 100% vegetarian or vegan and all created from natural ingredients to enhance the skin. I wouldn’t recommend tasting them though, as good as they sound!

So, just recently, I’ve been spending my evenings taking long baths and working my way though the collection one at a time. I’ve been trying to figure out which one is my favourite and which suits my ‘new’ skin type the best, it’s a tricky one – they are all fab in their own way! As each of the masks aims to target a specific problem area, I’ve written a little description so you can find your perfect mask too!

Amazonian Acai Energising Radiance Mask (100% vegan) – designed specifically for fatigued skin, this mask looks and smells like strawberry jam! Inspired by the rituals of Amazonian tribes, the zingy blend of acai berry, guarana and babassu oil exfoliates and invigorates sleepy skin give you the boost you need to look wide awake. This is a great mask for first thing in the morning to give your skin that extra bounce during the day!

Ethiopian Honey Deep Nourishing Mask – This sweet treat of a mask is just pure luxury, the silky smooth formula glides on, melting into the skin as you relax and unwind –  giving the ultimate nourishing experience. This mask is ideal for skin that needs an intense dose of replenishing moisture to feel softer and smoother. After a long day, I’ve been using this mask to relax and unwind, it’s just pure heaven!

Chinese Ginseng & Rice Clarifying Polishing Mask – This mask is specifically designed for lacklustre, dull skin. Ginseng, rice and sesame seed oil have been blended to create a creamy but rough texture that gently polishes the skin to reveal brighter, even and supple feeling skin. This mask has a gorgeous ‘spa’ scent and is a great product to use twice a week for a brightening glow.

British Rose Fresh Plumping Mask (1oo% vegan) – This mask is bursting with floral fragrance and is a real treat to the skin leaving it petal-soft. Inspired by the European bathing rituals, this refreshing gel face mask is infused with real rose petals, rose essence, rosehip oil and organic Community Trade aloe vera. Perfect after a long day when your skin is crying out to be quenched and re-plumped with moisture to reveal its dewy glow again.

Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask (100% vegan) – This is my favourite of the collection so far, mainly as it’s keeping my new-found greasy skin at bay. This tingling clay mask is infused with bamboo charcoal, green tea leaves and organic tea tree oil, this mask leaves your skin feeling so amazingly zingy, refreshed and rejuvenated. The invigorating charcoal blend draws out impurities and refines the appearance of pores for healthy-looking skin with that gorgeous fresh-faced glow.

Overall, I’m highly impressed with the collection and they will become a firm favourite when I’m creating that at-home spa experience. You can buy The Body Shop Superfood Face Masks either in store or online from August, priced at £15.00 each.

 

 

 

Summer Beauty Favourites

Just recently, I’ve had a little skincare and beauty routine overhaul and added lots of lovely new bits to my collection. So, today I was in the mood to run through some of my top summer beauty recommendations and some products I’ve been loving recently!

Benefit Cheekathon – £44.50

I’ve always been a Hoola girl, so when my latest Hoola blush hit the pan, I popped into Benefit for a replacement and saw this beauty sitting on the shelf. It’s safe to say, I immediately fell in love. Instead of buying one blush for £23.50, this palette is amazingly good value for money with 5 full size blushes for £44.50. Having a few new shades means I can experiment with some different looks, branching out from my usual bronzed Hoola look. It’s great to experiment with and you can create so many different looks to suit every skin tone, it’s the perfect product!

The Body Shop Instaglow – £14.00 | The Body Shop Honey Bronze Drops of Sun – £12.00

With the lack of sun this summer, it’s safe to say I’m not feeling dewy, bronzed or glowing this year so I’ve had to fake it a little bit. That’s where these fab new products from The Body Shop come in handy. Marketed as CC creams for an all over glow, I’ve actually found they work better for me by either mixing them in with my current foundation or moisturiser for a little boost. I have also tried targeting certain areas – for example I use the Bright Glow across my cheekbones for a sweep of illumination, this seems to do the trick nicely!

I haven’t really got a tan this summer, so I’ve been hesitant to buy a foundation in a shade darker as I’ll just never use it. So, the Drops of Sun Holiday Glow Creator have been a godsend and the perfect middle ground. I’ve been adding a couple of drops into my usual makeup, this adds the perfect sun-kissed tint, giving an overall healthier glow. It’s also fab for no-makeup days – I add a drop to my moisturiser so I don’t look overly pale. Saves the dreaded fake tan on the face scenario which I find myself contemplating every summer!

Lancome Miracle Cushion Foundation – £30.00 | Maybelline Matte Maker – £3.99 | Benefit Gimme Brow – £18.50 | Chanel Coco Rouge Ultra Hydrating Lip Colour in Adrienne – £26.00

There are two reasons why I just had to try the Lancôme Miracle Cushion Foundation. Firstly, the idea of a cushion foundation originates from Korea. As a massive fan of Korean cosmetics, it’s been great to see this far eastern trend become more mainstream! Secondly, bloggers/vloggers far and wide have been raving about this product for months – it’s everywhere! So, I jumped on the good old blogger trend bandwagon and gave it a go. I’m glad I did as I haven’t been disappointed at all. It’s the perfect lightweight summer foundation, the cushion style pad means it’s easy to dispense evenly onto a brush making it totally buildable. I don’t often wear foundation in the summer, but given the lack of sunshine (are you noticing a theme here?) I’ve found this is the ideal product as I can use just a little bit for light coverage during the day, building this up to more of a medium – full coverage for evening looks. With my skin just slightly more on the greasy side in the summer, the Maybelline Matt Maker has been an ideal finishing powder, removing any shine.

Beauty Bloggers are going to spot the flaw in my next picture, the amazing Gimme Brow from Benefit. Annoyingly, I picked this up about 2 days before the launch of the new range, so yes it’s in the old style packaging, but it’s such a wonderful product and thankfully they’ve kept it in the new range. If you pop into Benefit now it’s looking a touch more glam these days in shiny silver packaging. Having light blonde eyebrows I never know what to do with them, HD brows are not my thing as I’m so fair but I needed just a little definition. Gimme Brow in Light is the perfect shade for me and for the first time, I look like I actually have eyebrows!

Last up, is my go-to summer lipstick. Chanel Ultra Hydrating Lip Colour in Adrienne is just beeaautiful and goes with every look, a caramel nude with a hint of summery peachiness, it looks and feels just dreamy.

These are just a few of my Summer time favourites – what have you been wearing recently?