May is my favourite month, not just because my birthday falls in this month, but everything is just so much brighter and fresher - clothes, weather, makeup and even people. Long gone are the dark, dreary evenings and helllooo sunshine.
There's just been so many products that I've been loving so far this month, so I thought why not do my monthly faves now - especially since my birthday is coming up and I will be doing a lot of blogging around then. I have used all the products featured for quite some time now so I feel I can give you quite an honest review...
So I've been on the lookout for a light day foundation for a while now and last month after testing out the popular Estee Lauder Double Wear and the Double Wear Light I went for the latter. I tend to stray away from heavy matte looking foundations and love products that give me fresh dewy looking skin. Like the DW the DWL has a 15-hour wear and this is definitely the case. It leaves you with a natural finish and compared to the DW, which feels much heavier on the skin, the lighter version is just that. It is so comfortable to wear and apply. It blends into the skin so easy - I use a damp beauty blender - and I just can't express enough how natural looking it is while still giving you good coverage. I would say this foundation is definitely for the day and perhaps if you wanted something more matte than DW would be more suitable. I have the shade intensity 2 which is a light to medium creamy beige, but I think there are about 6 different shades to choose from. So if you're looking for something light for the summer - you have to give this a go.
I've always been a fan of the Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector - its non-sticky formula, pretty smell and the way it made my lips feel so moisturised. Well if you haven't tried the new-ish Clarins Natural Lip Perfector Balms then you have to. The stick form balms have the same sheer colour and truly feel so nice to use. They have nourishing mango, vitamin e and natural peptide to help boost hydration - perfect. I think the packaging is also so sleek and pretty I just love getting it out. It comes in 6 shades - getting more pigmented as the range foes along. I have the shade 03 My Pink, which you can see in the picture above.
For some reason I just can't get enough of Clarins this month. I was given this Bronzing Duo Mineral Powder Compact in the shade 02 medium as a freebie when I was bought some other products. I normally use Nars Laguna as my bronzer, but it was nice to try something different for a change. You have a darker bronze colour on the right and a lighter shader on the left for a highlighter. I just sweep my brush in both colours and apply. What I do like about this is the natural sun-kissed look it gives you. While it may not be as pigmented as Nars Laguna on days when you want an effortless bronzed look this is perfect. It does make the skin look dewy which I love. However, I would say if you want something to contour with than this doesn't give you as much definition.
Since my brother's wedding last summer I have been growing my nails. Before that I was a serial nail-biter since I can remember. I still think my nails could be a lot stronger and less brittle, but boy do I love painting my nails. At Christmas I was given the Ciate Manor advent calendar and this Cupcake Queen colour was one of the 24 minis included. It's perfect for the summer and I must say it looks wicked with a tan. It also looks great with gold rings.
It takes a lot for me to move away from my dear St Tropez tan, but when I was in boots recently I was looking for a moisturiser and noticed this Dove Summer Glow Self Tan Nourishing Lotion. So while this lotion is infused with intense moisturisers to pamper and nourish dry skin, it also provides a subtle self-tanning agent. When I first applied it I made sure I had exfoliated, and my skin just absorbed it really quickly. It does give an instant sheen to the skin, you know that look when it looks like you're wearing tights. However, it was not until the next morning that I really noticed the results. I had a lovely glowing bronzed look which was subtle and really made me look healthy, I was really impressed. It obviously wasn't as intense as fake tan, but in a sense, that's great because it's a much more natural look. However, one thing I would say is you have to make sure you wash your hands after application because otherwise you will have orange hands. Also I would pay particular attention to dry areas like elbows and ankles, because if you don't exfoliate properly the colour tends to build up. This lotion is available in fair-to-medium and medium-to-dark, which I have and you can also get it without the shimmer.
Lastly, perhaps not a scent for summer but still one I have been loving - Chanel Coco Mademoiselle. It has a sexy, fresh and oriental fragrance made up of orange blossom, rose, jasmine and mimosa. I must say at first spray it can be quite strong but I love it and have had so many compliments when I wear it. So if you're near a Chanel counter make sure to give this a smell.
Has anyone tried these products? If so, let me know I would love to know what you think of them.
Love Nic
x
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