4 For A Simple Summer Glow
The weather has been surprisingly spring-like in the UK, I think I can safely tuck away my parka, right? Or is that just tempting fate? And with the warmer weather I've been going through my beauty stash and seeing what will be good for when I want to wear makeup on the days where it's seriously balmy. And I want something that is lightweight but still gives me a little bit of a confidence boost. As much as I love sitting and applying a full face sometimes I need something quick and easy that provides coverage and glow and that is exactly what these 4 wonderful products do.
YSL LE TEINT TOUCHE ELCAT FOUNDATION*
I've lost count of how many times I've spoken about this base on the blog. Which just goes to show, when I talk about a product for nearly 6 years solid, I really, really adore it and think it is worth every penny of its high-end price tag. I adored the original formulation of this foundation but I do think that they reformulated it for the best as it's now got more coverage and stays around longer but still maintains that beautiful glow. Whenever the warmer months roll around I always find myself reaching for this, especially when the seasons are transitioning and naturally my skin freaks out and doesn't know whether it's dry or oily. It's a beautiful liquid formulation that is a good nights sleep in a bottle. It doesn't matter how tired or stressed out my skin looks when I start buffing this into my complexion it immediately glows. It's a breeze to apply with a brush and settles into the skin within seconds but can be built up to whatever level of coverage you require but it still maintains that effortless natural glow. Like I said, the formulation has changed so it stays around a little longer on the skin and I find this to stay put all day with very minimal wear. Even though this is so glowing it still maintains a very lightweight finish and feel. So if you're not somebody who loves to wear makeup but would like the coverage and glow then this might be one for you. The one downside which I always mention about this foundation is the fact that it's heavily scented, I'm fortunate enough not to have a problem with that but I know it's something that many can be sensitive to.
STILA CONVERTIBLE COLOUR IN PEONY*
For cheeks, I'm a sucker for a cream blush and I think it's all too easy to fear products like this. These dreamy products from Stila have been a staple in my beauty stash for years and if I could only use one blush then I think I would pick this as no matter what the weather it works. The formulation is not only fantastic, rich in pigment and provides a beautiful glossy sheen to the cheek with minimal effort without looking too wet and provides a really healthy glow to the skin. And even though it's a cream formula it doesn't slip and side around on the skin and when stippled in with a duo fibre brush it can stay put all day. The shade Peony is one of my favourites for a natural glow, it's a dusky pink that doesn't lean too blue or too yellow on the skin and adds a pop of colour as well as being able to define the cheek too.
IT COSMETICS BROW POWER*
My brows are certainly a labour of love, I've been growing them out for years and now they're a little wild to say the least although I do quite like my natural shape which is a bonus. But because they're still not as thick and full as I'd like them to be I'm powering through and trying to make the most of them. Day to day a brow pencil isn't something I find myself reaching for, I don't find them always the easiest to use and in general prefer a powder. But something I do very much enjoy for minimal makeup days when I just need something to fill in the sparse areas and create a small amount of definition is the IT Cosmetics Brow Power*. It's a universal brow shade, which at first I was very skeptical of because how can something be universal? But it really does work and the shape of the pencil works wonderfully and I find I get a much more natural look rather than something that is obviously drawn in. And not only is the product wonderful [not smudgey or smeary] but it also has a spoolie on the other end. So you can really achieve a natural fluffy look with this pencil which is exactly what I want when it comes to brows.
IT COSMETICS SUPERHERO MASCARA*
It's rare that I keep mini mascaras around but something really intrigued me about this one. I'd heard some really wonderful things online but when I pulled it open and saw the very straight brush I was sure it wouldn't work for me as I usually prefer things to be curved as that is what helps keep a curl in my lashes the best. But this is really, really something special it gives the perfect amount of separation, volume, lift and it doesn't smudge or smear either. It wears really well throughout the day and doesn't fall down on your cheeks by midday either which is always something I struggle with when it comes to mascara. It's really easy to remove with either a micellar water or a cleansing oil, a couple of swipes and it's gone so no need to pull and tug at your eyes. I'm always someone who says you don't need to spend a lot of money on mascara because you don't. There are so many good options on the high street, the Maybelline Lash Sensational, in particular, is incredible but there really are some fantastic options if you do have a little more money to spend.
