Holding onto Summer

Much as I love autumn I do love warm summer days. Here are the products which will help me hold onto the summertime feeling going into autumn:

A little bit of bronzer keeps me going into autumn days. This one by Bobbi Brown in Golden Light adds a light glow to the skin.

Olivine Among the Waves Lotion transports you back to the beach and summer living. It smells simply of the beach - salt air, coconut oil, tropical flowers and sea breeze. 72% organic with a cute little wooden reusable tag. It's just summer holidays in a bottle for me. 

Innovative Sun Drops* (£22) by Tropic Skincare are just perfect for holding onto summer skin and a light tan (all through winter!) Add a few drops to Skin Revive Moisturiser* for a tailor made tan with this gradual build up serum. The colour will develop leaving your skin lightly tanned and healthy looking.

Yes to Coconuts Ultra Moisture Conditioner which smells instantly of summer! The conditioner deeply nourishes the hair leaving it smelling of coconuts.

Do you use any products to help you hold onto summer?

*complimentary

Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar - the first 8 days

The Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar has been one of the most luxurious gifts I've ever had! It sold out the same day it went on sale! I couldn't decide whether I should get it or not (£165) as it wasn't cheap. I was over the moon when hubby said he'd buy it for me! I did have delivery issues and customer services were useless so because of this it'll be my one and only online purchase from Liberty....(oh and they also cancelled everyone's TopCashback)

The calendar itself is exquisite and well made. I'll be using it to store bits-n-bobs. Inside each drawer with the product is rose gold crunchy paper - it's the little things..

Day 1: Aveda Hand Relief Moisturizing Creme 40ml - this is a good size and a product I've used before and loved. It deeply nourishes the hands and has a minty-herbal aroma.

Day 2: Aurelia Probiotic Skincare Refine & Polish Miracle Balm 20ml - again a product I've tried before (and which I'll enjoy using again!) It has a very gentle exfoliating action.

Day 3: Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge for Lips & Cheeks 3.7g in shade Powder Pink which is worth £20!  This is a really pretty shade which I'll enjoy using.

Day 4: Kiehl's Amino Acid Shampoo 30ml - again a shampoo I've used before & enjoyed.

Day 5: Jin Soon Nail Lacquer (full size) - I'm not really a polish fan so I'll gift this on. Pretty shade though.

Day 6: Laura Mercier Hydrating Foundation Primer 30ml - I'm always looking for the perfect primer. Again, I've used this before but not for a while. Happy to have it back in my stash.

Day 7: Co Bigelow Rose Salve 14g - I love anything rose scented so I'll give this a try.

Day 8: Malin+Goetz Vitamin E Face Moisturiser 29ml - I've again tried this before. It's great size for travel so I'll pop it in my holidays bag.

What do you think of the Calendar so far?

Shopping my Stash - Spending Ban Week 5

These are the products I've been using this week:

Lancome Effet Miracle Bare Skin Perfection Primer 15ml - Porcelain Effect shade 01. A great mattifying primer. I've also been using it alone without foundation while just staying home.  You can see it in my current primers review here.

Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge for Lips & Cheeks - in shade 11 Pale Pink. I tend to just use it on my cheeks as I find it a bit drying on my lips.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil - in Demolition - a dark brown shade. It lasts well but not quite as well as YSL Long Lasting Waterproof Eye Pencil.

Jane Iredale Just Kissed Lip & Cheek Stain - this came in last February's Joliebox.  A stain which adjusts to your body chemistry.  I tend to use this on lips only.

Estee Lauder Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia EDP 30ml - simply adore this beautiful scent.  You can read my review here.

Murad Body Firming Cream 100ml - this came in February's Beautylishous Bag.  I am enjoying using this orange scented cream.

Pure Papaya Ointment 25g - a lovely rich and natural balm which can be used all over the body.  See my review here.

ClearZal Foot Food Nutritional Cream 100g - one of the best foot creams I've used.  You can see my review here.

MuLondon Organic White Chocolate Truffle Moisturiser 60ml* - A deliciously scented (just like chocolate) moisturiser which is natural, organic, vegan, cruelty free and made without preservatives.  It is packed full of shea butter, jojoba oil, cocoa and pure bourbon vanilla.  It is a highly concentrated product (no water is used in production) and a little goes a long way.  Full review to follow.

What products have you been using this week?


*complimentary - sent for review

Eyes and Cheeks

Another stash post!  These are my current eyes and cheeks products.  I seem to have an addiction to eyeliners!

Eyeliners:

Avon Supershock Gel Eyeliner - a great dupe for YSL Waterproof Eyeliner.  I have several of these Avon eyeliners - Cobalt, Black x 2, Blackberry x 2.  Big Colour Eye Pencil in Green Mint - got this free from my rep.  YSL Waterproof Eyeliner - in shades Black and Amazon Green.  I've just finished my favourite in Simmering Burgundy.

Chanel Long Lasting Eyeliner in Jade - I've had this one a couple of years now,  gives a great bright pop of colour.  Giorgio Armani Smooth Silk Eye Pencil  in grey - its got a really nice texture and staying power and also includes a smudger at the opposite end.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay in Place Eyeliner in graphite - I've got two of these both nearly finished.  Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner - in black - this is my favourite gel eyeliner, a great price, product and fab for doing a dramatic eye.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on eye pencil - in demolition - a brown shade.  Nice texture and colour, great staying power.  Eyeko Skinny Eyeliner  - from beauty boxes - in grey and plum - not really used these much to be honest.

Emma Kidd Make Up School Eyeliner - in black from Red magazine.  Stila Smudge Waterproof Eyeliner - in Moray a olive green and gold shade.  This was from Glossybox.  Really love this.  MAC Powerpoint Eyeliner in Tealo - a pretty green shade.  Waterproof and stays put.  

Eyeshadows:

I won the fab MUA Glitterball Palette a while back in a giveaway from Sam at Honey Go-Lightly - these were my first MUA eyeshadows.  Gorgeous shades and really long lasting and sparkly.  I also won a purple single eyeshadow.  The Art Net Sparkling Shine Eyes quad was from Maria in my Asian box.  I got the Rimmel London sun Safari Glam Eyes Quad in my surprise Easter Bunny Swap also from Maria.

Clinique Lid Smoothie Eye Colour - in Sassy fras and Ginger-ly - not really used these much yet.  bareMinerals Eyecolour in Vanilla Sugar and Renew - love these neutrals, so easy to apply.  Want to get some of their pressed powder eyeshadows - the colours look great.

NYX Ultra Pearl - Oro Pearl - super-shimmery - not used this yet.  Got it in my April Amitee box.  Wet n Wild Ultimate Minerals Eyes - I got this from Sarah in my Easter Bunny Swap.

Mascaras:

My ultimate mascara is YSL Luminous Mascara Shocking Volume - I'm currently using a mini in black - I'd definitely buy full size.  I also love Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Mascara.

I got the 17 Va va Voom Volume Mascara in my Easter Swap box, Bellapierre Lash Building Mascara in April Joliebox, Soap & Glory thick & fast Supervolume as a magazine freebie.  The L'Oreal Voluminous I picked up after reading a review about it.  I have several Lancome mini mascaras - Hypnose Doll Eyes, Hypnose and Hypnose Drama.

Blushers:

I've only got three blushers at the moment - MUA blusher which I won in Sam's giveaway, Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge for Lips & Cheeks in pale pink and a sample pot of Giorgio Armani Blushing Fabric - a fabulous light cream blusher.  

I really want to get a non-shimmery bronzer - can anyone recommend one?  Do you use any of these products?

5 wants

Here are five current wants!

Willow Soap n Loofah in Jasmine & Geranium

Bobbi Brown Beach Body Oil

Karin Herzog Rose Face Cream

Aveda Stress-Fix Body Lotion

Illamasqua Freak

What are your currently wanting to buy?

What's in my Make Up Bag

I've not done one of these posts before but love seeing what's in someone's make up bag.

My bag is from L'Occitane it was part of a free gift.

I don't carry the primer or the large size BareMinerals (I've got a small one of this).

My current primer is Lancome Effet Miracle which I am really enjoying using but I'm not sure I'd buy it again as it is expensive at £26 for 15ml.

I am using BareMinerals Light Foundation (carry about a travel size pot and brush) and BareMinerals Tinted Hydrating Mineral Veil.

I have also been using the Estee Lauder Daywear BB Cream 5ml sample bought from Latest in Beauty. It's really nice but expensive at £32 for 30ml.

On my cheeks I am using Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge for Lips and Cheeks in Pale Pink.

On eyes, BareMinerals eyecolour in Vanilla Sugar and Renew, YSL Waterproof Eyeliner in Black or Purple (or Green, not shown) and Armani Eyes to Kill Mascara in Black.

Armani Lip Liner and Top Ford Lipstick in Indian Rose or Clinique Chubby Stick in Mega Melon.  I also carry two atomizers with Chanel Sycomore and Tom Ford Santal Blush.

Beauty Bible Testing - My Buy Again Products - Part 1

Out of my first batch of products these are the ones I would buy again.  I still have testing to do for the rest (shampoo & conditioner, cleanser, anti-ageing serum and neck cream - a longer period was set for testing these). You can see all the products I got here.

Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge for Lips & Cheeks (pale pink) - Loved the colour and texture, how easy it was to apply and how well it lasted and the fact you could use it on lips too.  This pot will last for ages as I've barely made a dent in it - would purchase.  Retails at £18 for 11ml.

Clinique Chubby Stick - Mega Melon - absolutely love this lip product, super moisturising and leaves lips with a beautiful hint of colour.  Retails at £16 for 2g.

Avene Eau Thermal Avene Gentle Purifying Scrub - amazing and effective product, gentle gel scrub, could be used on wet/dry skin.  Soft floral scent.  Felt like it was being really kind to the skin but also removing dead skin cells.  I also love the Thermal Water Spray from this brand.  Retails at £9.50 for 50ml.

The ones I wouldn't purchase are -

W7 Flirty Eyes False Lash Effect Mascara Black (£1.99) and Nuture Protect Day Cream SPF15 (£9.95).

Beauty Bible Testing - The Products

I was so excited when hubby phoned me at work to tell me that my Beauty Bible Testing Panel package had arrived!  You can read more about this on my original post.

Here are the goodies! (All full size products!)

If you want more info about anything let me know - I was so excited to share the photo of the products! x