anastasia beverly hillsbeach readybenefitbikini readybondi sandsbourjoischanelmodels ownnarsSoap and Glorysummer readyveet
Are You Summer Ready?
The Summer months are rapidly creeping up on us, as are those fabulous vacations we've booked. As most girls will know it takes a fair amount of preparation to get ready for any holiday so I thought I'd share with you the steps I go through to get ready for the beach beauty wise.
For me, preparation is everything. No matter what season I make sure to exfoliate and moisturise my skin as needed so it's always in tip top condition. For moisturiser I'm generally not at all picky, just something hydrating and generally more on the heavy side. As those of you who read my blog will know, I'm a huge fan of the Body Shop's Body Butters. Exfoliant wise I'm a huge fan of Soap and Glory's Smoothie Star body scrub. From the scent to the actual texture it's the perfect scrub in my opinion.
While it's all good and well keeping our skin looking great we all have the dreaded issue of body hair. Like it or not, it's there and sometimes you have to take action. Through the winter months I prefer to shave but during the transition from winter into spring I tend to reach for hot wax to get the job done. My wax of choice is Veets Oriental Wax. It's super easy to use; relatively inexpensive and does a damn good job of removing hair from all the usual problem areas. I think it's particularly good for beginners as it's fuss free and the spatulas even have an indicator to tell you when the wax is the best temperature to use.
By this point I'm fuzz free and baby skinned, but still pasty white. To correct this I've been using an Instagram favourite lately, the Bondi Sands tanning lotion in Dark. The first thing I will say is that the results aren't quite as dark as you see in the Instagram shots so bear that in mind if you fancy purchasing it. I'm deathly pale and it gives me a warm-ish glow. Nothing too alarming but it's not as subtle as other dark tans I've used previously. A nice happy medium really. I apply one layer on my face and body with a tanning mitt and leave it for 6-8 hours for best results.
You might be thinking why would you use self-tan if you're going on holiday but I'm really not one for sunbathing and I'm quite self-aware of the damage the sun can do so I try to avoid being out in it for too long. Plus I avoid that awkward pasty phase when you've just arrived from the UK.
The next item isn't really a necessity but it's a product that definitely adds a little something something to the look. A liquid illuminator (Nars Hot Sand) applied to the limbs and collarbone really gives a pretty glow to the skin and emphasises the structure in such a lovely way. A few blobs well blended and you'll be looking like J-Lo as you take your place by the pool. And lets face it who doesn't love J-Lo's look?
For the face you want products that are going to last in the heat and look natural. As you can see I avoid any kind of base make-up as the Bondi Sands evens out my complexion as it adds colour so there's never really much I like to correct. The only products I'd tend to use on my face are a cream bronzer and a liquid illuminator. The Soleil Tan De Chanel adds a natural looking contour on my face or bronzes it up if I'm looking paler than my body. After that I'd apply Nars Hot Sand on the high points of my face to add a healthy sheen and enhance the high points of my face.
I feel naked without my brows and this Summer I'll finally have bulletproof brows thanks to the Anastastia Beverly Hills Dip Brow Pomade. A light application of this to shape and define and I should be good to go. Brows defined it's time to pay attention to lashes. When I have a minimal face I find it's really important to emphasise my lashes as otherwise my face looks incomplete. The most trusty mascara for the job has to be Benefit's They're Real. While it might not be expressly waterproof, this stuff just does not budge.
To finish off I'll be reaching for the Bourjois Color Boost Lip Crayon in Peach on the Beach. I purchased this just before I left for Barcelona last year and I wore it solidly. It has the prettiest peach/pink colour and provides SPF15 too. Pretty and protected - double win. And that's it for the face.
Hands up if your hands and feet are a bit of an after thought when it comes to holiday prep... I used to be like that but ever since I bought these pretty polishes I can't wait to whack them on when I've got a tan going on. I am of course talking about the Models Own Polish for Tans collection which I believe has been expanded since last year. They're highlighter bright shades that might look scary to all your neutral lovers but with a golden glow, these shades are everything. If I had to pick two to own I'd highly recommend Shades and Beach Bag. Both are in the peach/pink family but are gorgeous in two completely different ways.
Beauty prep done, it's time to hit the beach. Who's with me?
Kirstie x
0 comments