Latest In Beauty: The Glamour Summer Edit

I’ve spoke briefly about my thoughts on beauty boxes before but basically I am not the biggest fan. Particularly subscription services were you pay a set amount each month to receive a box full of surprise goodies that end up being repeated products or from brands that even beauty bloggers haven’t heard of. Even though they might be decent value, the cost adds up each month and I would rather spend the money on a product I actually wanted! Putting my moaning aside, there is some beauty boxes I can handle. Those that offer one-off buy boxes full of desirable goodies are well up my street and Latest In Beauty always deliver in that. In fact, I mentioned one of their previous boxes before here and now I am going to share my thoughts on their Summer box in collaboration with Glamour. Lets just say this is a beauty box to get excited about.

The box itself retails for £20 which is a complete bargain considering the range of brands available and the price of some of the products individually. Overall the box is also worth £104 which means you make an incredible saving! Inside is a variety of skincare, haircare and makeup items all appropriate for the Summer weather. Starting with haircare and makeup since there is only one product in each category but nevertheless both of which are super exciting additions to the box. Everyone’s favourite Dry Texturizing Spray from Oribe is included in a handy 75ml travel size. This alone is worth £19 so nearly the entire cost of the box which is pretty amazing. I have always wanted to give this cult product a go but the price has always been off-putting so I am looking forward to putting this to the test.

In the makeup category, they have included one of the new-ish Matte Lip colours from Revlon in the shade Devotion. This is another popular product that I have had my eye on for a while so I am very glad that this is included. I haven’t gave it a go yet but the raspberry pink shade looks gorgeous and it even smells delicious too.

Moving onto the skincare/bodycare bits included in the box. I was super excited to see a little mini of the Aurelia Miracle Cleanser and a little Muslin Cloth. I have heard a lot of positives about this brand but never tried any of their products until now. I have gave this cleanser a go and it is beautifully creamy with a lovely scent, it might not be as luxurious as my Oskia cleanser but I think I will like this one! Also included is a sheet mask from WOW, I love a good face mask but I’ve never gave into the whole sheet mask thing so I am looking forward to giving this a go. It’s a brand I’ve never came across before but the claims are pretty strong so hopefully it delivers on its promises!

On to the more body targeted products, I’ve not tried much from the brand Nuxe except their cult lip balm so I was happy to see one of their products included. Their Prodigieux Shower Oil sounds perfect for Summer as it leaves you with a beautiful golden shimmer. I am definitely looking forward to trying this! As well as that, if you are looking to getting your limbs in tip top shape for the Summer, coffee scrubs seem to be all the rage at the moment so obviously one was included! This is from the brand Grounded Body Scrub and is in a Chocolate Orange scent, yummy! It seems a bit messy but I look forward to seeing what all the hype is about!

Lastly, is two very summer appropriate items to keep you looking tanned and protected in the sun. The first is from cult tanning brand St Tropez and is their Bronzing Mist. I am not a huge tanning person so this is the first product I will be trying from the brand but I am loving the sound of it. Being a mist, I am assuming this will be a much lighter tan and it is also appears to be super easy to use so I can’t wait to give this a go to keep on top of my Summer tan. Finally, what is Summer without a good SPF. The box includes a 150ml size of the Ladival Sun Protection Spray in SPF30 so offers good protection and is something we all need come Summer! If only I had this in time for my holidays!

Have you tried any of these products?

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Two Summer Scents

When it comes to fragrances, I usually go for something quite dark and musky. Basically my fragrance wardrobe is overloaded with overpowering heavy night-time appropriate scents which don’t really suit the Summer season too well. In Summer, I do love a light and fresh fragrance that isn’t too in your face and heavy. Recently I have picked up two newbies that fit the bill perfectly and I couldn’t be more obsessed with light airy scents!

First up is a real summer scent, Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess. This is essentially Summer in a bottle, in fact it is also a Summer exclusive as this scent is only available during the Summer so act quick if you are interested in this one! This scent is an Eau Fraiche so is pretty weak in perfume terms however comes in a hefty 100ml bottle at pretty good value. I picked this up when I was away so got it a good bit cheaper but it retails around the £50 mark. Moving onto the best bit however, the actual scent itself. With notes of Coconut, Vanilla and Mandarin, it’s not hard to get the Summer vibes from it! Basically, if you love something sweet and summery then you will love this!

Next is another new-ish release from Calvin Klein in the form of ck2, the second edition to their genderless fragrance.  A scent I have been desperate to get my hands on since it was released as this is just so beautiful! First of all, shout out to the unique minimalistic bottle design which is rather quirky. I picked up this scent in the biggest size being 100ml but there are smaller editions too. This size retails for £53 however I picked it up 40% off at Urban Outfitters when they had a deal on! That deal is sadly over but there are a lot of discounts around to be found! Again this is another beautifully fresh and airy scent with notes of Mandarin (similar to BG), violet leaf and sandalwood. I find this scent pretty long wearing which is good for an Eau de Toilette and it is isn’t overly sweet in scent probably because it is genderless but instead quite woody and crisp. I think this is going to be a fragrance I will love for a long time to come!

What is your favourite Summer scent?

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The Summer Lip Edit

When it comes to lip products I am always more of a neutral kinda gal. I have my go-to shades which usually consist of every variation of nude going (I swear they are different, really!). However when Summer comes around I am all for something that little bit bolder. Bright corals and fuchsia shades are all that I crave in Summer time and just look great alongside a tan and my Summer attire. I left out my lip choices in my Travel Makeup Bag post so I thought today I would share my go-to lip picks for the sunny season. I did have a couple more shades however they are very similar to a few that I am going to mention anyway!

Starting with the lightest shades from the bunch. I got my first use out of the Illamasqua Matte Lip Liquid in Surrender. I picked this up way back at the start of the year and mentioned it in this haul. The shade is a bright pink-y peach that basically has Summer all over it. This is the first I’ve tried one of these Illamasqua liquid lipsticks however the formula applied quite streaky on me at first and the colour looked a bit odd on my appearance. However when I patted it down, it revealed a nice softer nude peach colour, perfect for a more toned down look. The formula ovbiously requires a bit of work but the finished result is worth it!

Keeping with the lighter options but moving on to the coral-y shades, I love Charlotte Tilbury Sexy Sienna. This is a beautiful peachy coral shade which can be worn toned down or more vibrantly. The CT formula is also worth a shout for being super creamy and comfortable to wear. To amp it up even more, Mac Tropic Tonic is pretty much like the bolder sister with a vivid pink-y coral colour that is definitely one for the tanned.

To the more bolder picks now, Relentlessly Red is much like a more pinker toned Tropic Tonic. The name is rather misleading, it is definitely not red but more of a bright fuchsia pink. The Retro Matte formula is also super long wearing. Moving on to a more redder toned option, I have also got my first wear out of the Illamasqua Glamore Lipstick in Soaked which is a gorgeous orange-y red shade. I love these kind of shades, more summery than a typical red with the orange undertones yet still so wearable. Lastly, is my latest new lip addition that I picked up at duty free, Mac Flat Out Fabulous. I had wanted this shade for so long and I am so glad I picked it up! It’s a beautiful plum-y fuchsia shade that looks so flattering and such a wearable way to venture into purple tones. Love it!

What is your top Summer lip pick?

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Summer Beauty Essentials

When a sight of sun is in the sky, my beauty priorities take a change from fuller coverage bases and sculpted, neutral looks to embrace the Summer vibes with bronzed skin and bright shades. As well as my makeup choices, my skincare also changes up slightly. With Summer in full swing, I thought I would share my top beauty essentials for dealing with the summer heat.

MAKEUP/NAILS

In terms of base, I love a lightweight glowy base for Summer. When the sun is shining, the last thing I want is a fuller coverage thick foundation so instead I love a light and comfortable tinted moisturiser/bb cream. My favourite is the BareMinerals Complexion Rescue which gives enough coverage for a light base and also provides a fresh glowy look to the skin all whilst remaining comfortable and moisturising on the skin. To add some extra glow to my skin, I love the look of liquid highlighters. They look soft and natural on the skin and can be worked in with foundation too. I am currently loving the Nars illuminator in Copacabana which blends into the skin beautifully.

To amp up the warmth in my skin, bronzer is such a must in Summer. It helps add a little definition to my face whilst giving me a little colour too. I am currently all for shimmery bronzers to add even more glow in my skin such as the Soap and Glory Wonderbronze which I have been loving. To add even more colour, I love bright lip shades at this time of year. There is nothing better than a bright coral or orange-y red to brighten things up. I will share some of my favourites later but I am loving Mac Relentlessly Red.

I also love bright nails as well, something I will also cover in another post. They look summery and great for enhancing a tan. I have so many Essie shades that I am loving but I am currently all for their new Summer shade Sunshine State of Mind.

SKINCARE

Obviously when the sun is out in full force, it is important to protect your skin. Having light skin, I need high protection for my skin in the sun so SPF is so important. I am currently using the Clarins Sun Cream for Very High Protection which offers UVB/UVA 50+ to help my skin stay safe in the sun. So having light skin means that tanning just doesn’t happen for me and I have to turn to self-tanning products. I am not much a tanning person anyway so a gradual tanner is all I need for a subtle bronzed glow. I am currently using the Clarins Golden Glow Booster to add in to my moisturiser for an extra glow.

Lastly, to keep hydrated I love hydrating mists. In the heat there is nothing better than a boost of hydration to stay refreshed and cool in the heat. I am all for the Body Shop Vitamin E Face Mist which is a bargain and super hydrating on the skin.

What are your Summer beauty essentials?

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My Travel Makeup Bag

I like to have options when it comes to makeup and I am regularly changing up my everyday makeup. However when it comes to travelling, I like to keep things convenient and easy. I wish I could transport my makeup collection easily without the hassle but sadly that’s not the case. When it comes to travelling, I have to downsize for obvious reasons in that I only have a certain amount of space to travel with. Call me weird but I also get a little nervous travelling with beauty products in case they break or get damaged since some products are packaged to be a little more fragile. How materialistic eh! So anyway I thought I would share my convenient travel easy products that I will be using away from home.

In terms of base, I have gave myself two options. The BareMinerals Complexion Rescue and the Topshop BB cream will be my bases of choice this Summer with both offering decent coverage yet a lightweight formula. They also both offer a soft dewy look too especially the BareMinerals offering. To perfect my complexion, I’ve also got my go-to concealer of the moment from NYX which is decent enough at covering any blemishes. Also, to add a little light under my eyes, I have the Mac Prep + Prime Highlighter in Light Boost which has also been my go to for brightening my under eyes. I’m not the biggest powder lover but I have the Soap and Glory One Heck of a Blot in case I need to mattify my skin and set my makeup in place.

In give my skin a little more warmth, I am also loving the Soap and Glory Wonderbronze to add a nice bit of bronze-y glow to my complexion. In terms of blush, I have two options. The Clinique Cheek Pop in Melon Pop is a great pick for Summer to add a nice coral-y flush to the cheeks! I also have my trusty Max Factor Creme Puff Blush in Lavish Mauve if I am going for a more neutral look. To finish off, the Topshop Glow Stick in Play up is perfect for adding more glow to the skin and is also super easy to travel with in a convenient crayon style packaging.

In terms of eyes, I am going simple with brows and mascara. My Benefit Gimme Brow is on its last legs however it is super easy to travel with and I am all about the natural look when on holiday. I also have a miniature of the Benefit They’re Real, my go-to mascara and who doesn’t love a little beauty mini for travelling! In terms of eyeshadow, I am going for the minimal approach. The BareMinerals Colour Extravaganza Convertible Eyeshadow Palette (longest name ever) is perfect for travelling as it has a pop-out trio palette so I have selected three shades from that to take away. I am also going to add in some Makeup Geek shadows (not pictured) to give myself a little more choice! Lastly, I have not included lip products in this as I will be doing a seperate post and I have a lot! However I do want to mention the Clarins Instant Light Lip Perfecting Base which is my go-to lip balm for under lipstick which I just couldn’t go without!

What beauty products do you take when travelling?

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Summer Beauty Prep

When Summer comes around, I feel like I there is a lot of beauty prep going on to sort myself out after hibernating through the colds of Winter. My beauty routine always seems to be more important in Summer time since it’s bare legs weather, oh no! In Winter since I like to stay wrapped up in hundreds of layers, I basically need to get my head in gear come Summer. Today I thought I would share some of my go-to products and how I use them to prep for the Summer season!

EXFOLIATE/MOISTURISE 

One thing in my beauty routine that I am pretty lazy with is keeping my body exfoliated and moisturised. Particularly in Summer, I like to make sure I am on top of this. When legs out weather is in, I gotta be prepared. Exfoliating is so important and helps get rid of any dead skin great for tanning. I am currently using one from The Body Shop, in fact one from their Christmas collection! Very summery, I know! As well as exfoliating, like with any skincare routine it is also important to moisturise. Whilst I’ve got my eye on the new Body Shop Pinata Colada range, I am currently loving the ease and convenience of the Vaseline Spray Moisturiser.

TANNING

I am not much of a tanning person, I kinda just accept the fact that I am a milk bottle and embrace it. Whilst I don’t see myself going for a full fake tan anytime soon, I do like to have a light subtle glow. A gradual tanner is basically perfect for me and this year I am looking forward to using the Clarins Radiance Plus Golden Booster. The idea is super simple and appealing, basically you just add a few drops of this to your moisturiser and mix it together and apply for a subtle glow.

NAILS 

I am more of a neutral nail shade lover but when it comes to Summer there is nothing better than bright corals and tropical shades. Great for enhancing a tan, I am looking forward to getting my nails ready for the Summer season. I am currently loving the new Essie shade Sunshine State of Mind from the Summer collection.

How do you prep for Summer?

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