Summer Nails Edit | Beauty

Summer came shining in (pun well and truly intended) at the weekend and I just love this time of year because it means I can break out some of my 'reserved solely for summer' nail polishes. Now I do mix up my nail colour a lot all year round but in the Autumn/Winter months darker, berry hues are what I reach for most so now summer is here, I'm finally able to reach for the bolder, almost neon shades and of course, pastels.

As mentioned, I'm really loving pastel shades at the moment as they give my nails a much softer, more girly look that is perfect for the warmer months. Two of my favourites have been from the Rita Ora for Rimmel collection in the shades Pillow Talk - a pale powder blue - and Lose Your Lingerie - a soft pearly pink. both of these shades have a slight shimmer to them in the bottle but this doesn't really translate on the nails, which I'm quite happy about. They are the perfect pastel shades in my eyes and the formula is also really great, they have a large brush for easy application and I find they become opaque after just two coats.

Sticking along the pastel lines (sort of), I've also been really enjoy the L'Oreal Color Riche nail polishes, in particular the shade Lemon Meringue, which as the name would suggest, is a pale, almost white lemon colour. This ones great if you want a more subtle n ail colour. I also really like the Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine polishes as I love my nails to be as shiny as possible. The pastel shade I like is Prickly Pear, a slightly darker than pastel, lilac shade. I'm really wanting to try the new spring/summer collection though, there's so many lovely pastels. Again, these both have a wide brush and also only require two coats.

Also from Barry M, I've found myself reaching for a bolder shade, Guava, if I'm feel like pastels just aren't cutting it. I love how this applies and the shade is so bold that it really stands out. I always get so many compliments when I wear this nail polish. Last, but certainly not least, is an old favourite, Models Own Beach Party from the Hed Kandi range. This was a huge favourite of mine last year and it's back this year, it's one of those shades that unfortunately is only reserved for summer due to its neon brightness. And when I say neon, I mean get out the sunglasses, neon! The only issue I have with this polish is that it dries semi-matte so does require a good topcoat, a step that I try to avoid if I can!

So they are all my summer nail polish picks. I think I'm off to paint my nails in Beach Party now as it's a beautiful sunny day outside. What are your favourite summer nail shades? Do you go bold or pastel?

Spring/Summer Lips | Beauty

The weather seems to be turning around as of late and it has been rather sunny in the UK amidst all the rain that is to be expected all year round here. Because of this, I've been digging through my make-up stash for my favourite spring/summer lipstick shades, as well as a lip balm (or two) to help combat the dreaded chapped lips that I seem to get in both winter and summer!

To start with, I've been reaching for my favourite scrub, LUSH Bubblegum Lip Scrub. It smells divine and it really works well for my lips to get rid of any dry patches. Plus it tastes good too! I've had this little pot now for maybe a year (do lip scrubs even have an expiry date?!) and it's still going strong and works perfectly at night or just after a shower. Alongside a lip scrub, I'll sometimes use a regular lip balm and my favourites at the moment: Korres Lip Butter in Jasmine and Dior Creme de Rose. I've tried plenty of lip balms in my time and these two are definitely the best for me personally, they both work to smooth my lips right before applying my lipstick/gloss of choice.

Following what I like to call the 'lip prep stage', I then apply my favourite lip product of the moment and lately I've been switching between three. The first is my favourite nude and it's the very popular L'Oreal Collection Privee lipstick in Cheryl's Nude. This is the perfect nude for me, even though I don't feel I have the same skin tone as Cheryl Cole whatsoever. Either way, the formula is just so creamy and the colour is great for everyday wear and it's quite subtle. I even like the old school play-doh smell that these lipsticks have, is that weird? Next is a higher end option, but again, a very wearable everyday shade and it's YSL Rouge Volupte Shine in number 13. First lets address the obvious, isn't YSL packaging just to die for, it looks and feels so luxurious and the lipstick itself really reflects this. This is a much pinker shade and although it;'s from the shine range, the colour pay-off is great. I've been reaching for this a lot over the past few weeks.

The final lip product is the boldest of the lot and one that was very much out of my comfort zone before I bought it and it is Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in 06 Pink Pong. This is one of those lip products that definitely requires super smooth lips beforehand so that's where the scrub will work wonders. I just love the colour of this lip product and the lasting power is incredible, it does not budge at all! It's also a matte finish, which worried me at first but it's not drying in the slightest. These lip creams (is that what you'd call them?) are definitely worth checking out, even despite the very limited shade range.

Hair Heroes #1

I don't know about any of you, but I find myself constantly changing up my haircare routine in the hopes of one day finding the perfect set of products that work for me and my hair. When it comes to shampoo, I do often just buy whichever is on offer in Boots or Superdrug and then decide after using it a few times whether I'd like to repurchase it or not (mostly that ends up being not). Lately though I've been on the hunt for the perfect shampoo and conditioner combination that I can actually stick with and I think I may have finally found it. L'Oreal EverRiche Nourishing & Taming Shampoo and Conditioner found themselves in my Superdrug basket last week and having used them three times already, I am now fully prepared to make the bold statement of including them in my first 'hair heroes' post. 

I found they left my hair feeling super soft and so much less frizzy than it usually is with other shampoos and conditioners. As for the nourishing element, as my hair is coloured it's often quite dry at the ends and I definitely saw a slight difference, my hair doesn't look as straw-like so that's always a plus! And an added bonus, they smell divine; whether it's the added apricot seed or just a rich blend of oils, whatever it is I'm more than happy to lather my locks with these every time I wash my hair. 

The next in my hair heroes line-up is the Tangle Teezer and mine is in a bright orange colour. This is great as an everyday hair brush but where it really comes into its own is when your hair is wet and  most tangled. My hair is usually a nightmare to brush through after a shower but with this I find it to be a pleasant and painless experience. This is actually the second Tangle Teezer I've owned (I retired the first after it started to look rather sorry for itself), and I also have the compact version, which is great for in my handbag when I'm on the go. I couldn't be without this in my hair routine and it's definitely worthy of its place in this post. 

The final part of this hair heroes post is Moroccan Oil. I have always wanted to try this hair oil as I've heard so many rave reviews about it but I've been extremely reluctant to splurge on it's massive price tag. Thankfully, with my subscription to Company mag last year I got this little sample size, along with a bigger size and a shampoo, conditioner and hair spray. I've only actually tried the hair oil so far but I can honestly say that it is the best hair oil I've ever used and I've used my fair share. It leaves my hair feel soft, smelling good and frizz-free, without making it greasy like some oils do; I couldn't really ask for more. I'll definitely be repurchasing the full size when my two little bottles run out as I feel it's totally worth the money and it surpasses the hype! 

I hope you enjoyed my first hair heroes post. I thought this would be a good little series for my blog to show you some of my favourite hair products over time. Let me know what your current hair heroes are!

L'Oreal Elnet Satin Heat Protect Styling Spray | Waves

I've been meaning to try the Elnett styling spray for some time now since getting my hair rollers but I've just never gotten round to it until recently. I picked up the waves version from my local Boots for the bargain price of £3.99 (I think this is a limited time offer?) as I felt this one would best suit what I was wanting to achieve more than the alternative straight or volume versions. 

Since using my hair rollers I've found that although they produce really big, bouncy curls, as my hair is so long and thick the curls only really last an hour or so depending on the weather etc before my hair just looks wavy. I wanted a spray that would protect my hair from heat damage as well as help to keep the curls in before I use hairspray. With that in mind I can only conclude that this spray is absolutely amazing! I curled my hair like normal and afterward found that I was left with beautifully defined curls that actually lasted such a long time. I actually can't believe how good this product actually is and why I haven't bought it sooner! 

One other thing I like about this product is the spray itself. Nothings worse than a hair product that has a tiny, super direct spray because all you're left with is various wet patches and no real results. With this however, the spray is very fine and it actually allows you to cover all your hair really easily. If you're looking for the perfect styling spray that's also a heat defence then I'd highly recommend this one. I've never found anything quite as good as this and for me it works wonders! 

L'Oreal Elnett Satin Heat Protect Spray is available in waves, straight and volume and can be found at Boots and Superdrug. 

Emma xo

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