SUMMER ESSENTIALS

Summer has to be one of my favourite times of the year, the warmer weather, sunshine and longer days all help to uplift my mood, particularly the longer days which means there is more time to take blogpost photos. During the Summer I tend to stick to light products that don't feel too heavy on my skin, the same way you opt for lighter clothes and generally I change up my routine, so I thought this called for a blogpost, I warn you, it's a lengthy one!

SKIN PREPARATION:

During the warmer months I much prefer having showers over baths and I like to use the oh so famous Soap and Glory Sugar Crush Body Wash. I adore the scent, a sugary sweet lime aroma fills the bathroom and makes me feel refreshed and ready to start my day. 

As we start to reveal more skin at this time of year therefore having a good exfoliate helps to remove any dead skin cells and will make your skin nice and smooth for the gorgeous weather. One of my current favourites is The Body Shop Honeymania Body Scrub as it is very gentle on the skin and doesn't leave behind any residue. I love the scent too, it's subtle and sweet but not too overpowering. I aim to use this once or twice a week and follow up by moisturising with the Vaseline Cocoa Butter Moisture Spray. This is a great alternative thick body moisturiser for example the Soap and Glory Righteous Butter which has a very rich consistency and takes a while to sink into the skin, and as much as I enjoy using the Righteous Butter, the Vaseline Spray is much better for this time of year. The 'Spray and Go' element makes the product simple and easy to use, spray it on dry skin, rub in with your hands and it sinks in easily with no fuss.

MAKE-UP PRODUCTS:

When it's humid there is nothing worse than the feeling of your foundation melting off your face, particularly when you're not at home and forgot to bring make-up wipes with you to work... If like me you are close to giving up on wearing foundation at this time of year, then look no further, meet the Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation*. A medium coverage foundation which feels lightweight and looks effortless on the skin. I apply half a pump onto the back of my hand and blend using my Real Techniques Buffing Brush. If you're not in the market for a new foundation, I would recommend halving the amount you use on a daily basis and although the coverage may not be as good, it may not feel as heavy on the skin.

The Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick Pink Quartz is my new favourite highlighter. One of the reasons I love it is because of the gorgeous glow it creates on the cheekbones, but also due to how versatile it is. In the pan there are strips of both pink and bronze, that can be used as blush, bronzer, highlighter or eyeshadows.  

One of my all time favourite products is the Soap and Glory Solar Powder and you can tell by looking at it, a huge dip in the middle of the pan. I love the glow and warmth it gives to my pale complexion and for just over a ten pounds you can't go wrong. I swirl my brush in both sides and apply it just under my cheekbones, around my hairline and under my jawbone. 

You've got to have a peach lipgloss by your side at this time of year and mine will be the Accessorize Light Me Up Lipgloss in the shade 'Nude'. If you missed it, a few weeks ago Accessorize launched their new cosmetics collection and in my opinion, it rocks. You can find a blogpost all about the launch here. What I love about their new Lipgloss range is not only the gorgeous shades, but the packaging. Each lipgloss has a screw able lid and when opened lights up. Perfect if you're in a night club and can't see what you're doing as there is a mirror on the side of the lipgloss too, bonus! 

ON THE NAILS:

It's safe to say I own way too many nail polishes thanks to a phase I went through last summer when I got into nail art, most of which now never get used and I should probably re-home. I do have a few favourites though that sit on my windowsill, from Barry M, Essie and Accessorize*. Barry M's Gelly High Shine Nail Polishes have great longevity on the nails, I absolutely despise painting my toe nails, so anything that lasts longer on my nails than a week is a winner in my eyes. My favourite shade is 'Rosehip' a muted pink. 

Another nail polish I will be rotating this Summer is 'Bikini So Teeny' by Essie, a gorgeous blue shade with purple undertones and who can forget about the slight shimmer in the formula. 

Last but not least, if you read my Accessorize launch blogpost you will know that I came home with many products to try, including a handful of their nail polishes, two of which I adore. The shades 'In the Nude' a pretty pale peach and a blue, green and orange glitter 'Mermaid'. When paired together they look stunning and I have never seen a glitter like that before!

This post is a collaboration with my good friend Emma who has also written a post outlining her Summer Essentials-link over on her blog, Have a Cup Of Tea. I adore her blog as it is a place where you can find advice, beauty posts, music features and so much more!

What are your Summer Essentials?

Lauren

*This post contains products that were given to me for review purposes, to view my full disclaimer, click here.

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