Face of the day: Summer loving

I wish I could remember the ad that inspired this look. I remember seeing it and knowing I wanted to try it because it is wearable compared to a lot of makeup you see in adverts, and it looked simple enough for me to achieve.

In my opinion this look is crying out for summer sun and I suspect I'll be sporting this more than once when the sun does decide to shine. 

I started with the Naked palette on my eyes and a very simple and subtle smokey eye using the shade Sin on the lid and Buck in the crease, finished off with black eyeliner. 

On the lower lash line I used Bourjois Contour Clubbing waterproof eyeliner in the shade blue remix. It is a beautiful bright blue shade and I have loved wearing this recently as an edgy alternative to black eyeliner. The formular is soft and being waterproof I can wear it all day without worrying about it travelling down my face. 

On my lips I used a mix of Diego Dalla Palma’s coral lipstick, which I featured in a sample session a few weeks ago, and the Mirenesse perfect kiss glossy kiss I received in my first Birchbox. I'm still not convinced the DDP lipstick suits my skin tone but by adding the glossy kiss I was able to warm the colour up a bit and I really liked the result.

On the rest of my face I kept it fairly natural, I used Hello Flawless foundation by Benefit and lightly attempted to contour with Sleeks contour and highlight kit and finally added some bronzer. 

Can you tell which ad I was inspired by? If so, please let me know!

Summer in London essentials

I may be posting this blog too late but with the amazing summer weather we finally had for a few days I wanted to share my summer essentials when at home in London.

Safety first: sunscreen

Even though my makeup contains SPF, on sunnier days I wouldn't rely on this alone for my sun protection. I really like this facial sunscreen from Simple. It has a light, non-greasy texture and absorbs into the skin quickly. I apply two thin coats — I am very conscious of the fact that if you don't apply the right amount of cream you won't get the protection stated on the bottle — which I then leave to absorb for a few minutes before applying my makeup.

Eye spy: sunglasses

I've developed a bit of a sunglasses addiction lately since I discovered the bargains that can be found at T K Maxx. In the past I always purchased cheap and cheerful glasses, which I considered almost disposable for use on holidays abroad. I wanted something more long-lasting this summer and that I would actually be careful with and after a friend suggested TK Maxx for cheap designer wear I find myself always checking out what is available.

Of course you have to look out for any scratches and you are unlikely to find the same stock at each store or a specific pair but if you aren’t fussy TK Maxx is definitely the place to look. One thing I would look out for is the highest UV protection level possible, which is graded between 1-4.

Nail power: bright nail polish

Bright and pastel coloured nail polish looks good at any time of year, but it looks particularly good when the sun can add to the shine. Summer is also the only time I bother to paint my toe nails.

Just in case: umbrella and cardigans

Well it is England after all and you have to be prepared for a sudden downfall. I carry a small umbrella in my handbag, which I picked up for £5 at Marks and Spencer.  It is not the sturdiest but does the job as long as there isn’t a strong wind too!

Finally, I always carry a cardigan or light weight blazer/jacket with me. The evenings can sometimes be on the cool side and again it's all being prepared, plus a blazer can be a nice way to dress up an outfit for an evening outing.

Let’s hope that the good weather continues and let me know in the comments what your summer essentials are.