How to get Soft Summer Skin in 2 Easy Steps

Everyone likes to look their best during summer when clothes are less and legs are out. Getting soft, glowing skin ready for summer is easy with these 2 simple steps:

Step 1: Exfoliate - This step is essential to having soft skin. There is no point slathering the moisturiser on without exfoliating as this will most likely be moisturising dead skin which sounds disgusting, but is true. My top picks for exfoliators are Soap and Glory's Sugar Body Scrub or The Body Shop's Virgin Mojito Body Scrub. Pick something with sugar as this will remove dead skin without aggravating the skin. It's also nice to use scented scrubs so they leave your skin smelling extra lovely.

Step 2: Moisturise - After exfoliating, it's time to moisturise your skin. It's up to you how you go about this, whether you use a light cream, a thick lotion or a fruity body butter. One of my favourites is Butter Yourself Moisture Lotion from Soap and Glory. Their Righteous Butter is also a fantastic alternative as it's so buttery which moisturises your skin to leave it feel soft and hydrated ready for the summer months. It also smells amazing! I also love the Body Shop Satsuma Body Butter and Dove's Body Lotions from the drug store are also excellent and really affordable. 

What are your favourite products to use to get soft summer skin?

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NEW | BELL COSMETICS

I was recently contacted to review some new products by 'Bell Cosmetics'* to test out and review. I am always excited to explore new products on the market so when these landed on my doorstep I was excited to give them a try. 'Bell Cosmetics' is a Polish make up company with over 30 years of experience in the beauty industry. They have recently launched a new hypo-allergenic range for sensitive skin exclusively in BeautyCrowd in the UK. The brand can be found in Beauty Crowd, (previously E.L.F store) in the Royal Arcade in Cardiff and at www.beautycrowd.com.

I was sent a number of products including foundation, pressed powder, concealer, primer and mascara to test out. My first impression of the products were pleasing. The packaging was aesthetically pleasing - boxes are white and clean looking with clear writing stating what each product was. They all stated that they were hypo-allergenic and dermatologist approved so are ideal for sensitive skin types.

Bell Hypo-allergenic Matte and Smooth Make up Base - £7.95

This is essentially a primer which aims to smooth finish to your face in preparation to apply foundation. It also aims to create a smoother finish to your make up and improves durability of your make up. The product itself leaves a matte effect so you don't look oily. It is unscented and is suitable for all skin types. I really enjoy using primers especially if I know I have a long day ahead and I want my foundation to last. This primer seems to have a pink glowy look to it which makes your skin look radiant and glowing under foundation which is lovely for summertime.

Bell Hypo-allergenic Matte and Soft Make up - £7.95

Next up is the foundation. I was sent this in the shade '02 Natural', which is a really good shade for me - it's not too light so matches me when I have a tan but it's not too dark making it difficult to blend. The foundation's consistency is creamy and light so ideal for summer because it's not too heavy. It provides a smooth finish to the skin and isn't too dewy but also isn't totally matte which is what I look for in a foundation. You can use it like a light BB cream or build it up to create a more flawless full coverage look. 

Bell Hypo-allergenic Matte Powder - £4.95

The powder - delivered in a black compact case with a fluffy pad.The compact includes a mirror which is handy if you're taking it on the go. The compact opens up to reveal a fairly light powder - I think I have the shade '02' and it is embossed with the words 'Hypo-allergenic' which is a nice added detail. The powder is a lovely silky texture and feels velvety when applied to the face. Powders for me are quite hit and miss because I feel that they can cause your foundation to look patchy if not applied well or aren't high quality. However, this powder by Bell Cosmetics provides a matte finish all day without the need to touch up every hour throughout the day whilst making my skin look flawless!

Bell Hypo-allergenic Liquid Eye Concealer - £3.95

I usually like a heavy duty concealer to cover up my blemishes or dark circles and this one is fantastic. The consistency is quite thick so you don't need much. It is presented in a clear bottle with a doe foot applicator. The concealer aims to adapt to your skin tone which I'm not entirely sure it does, but coverage-wise this concealer is ideal for those who love a flawless base. However, it isn't overly heavy that it looks cakey. It provides a radiant layer of make up to cover up any imperfections.

Bell Hypo-allergenic Thickening Mascara in 'Black' - £4.95

I'm not one for changing up my mascara so when I find a good one I stick with it. However, this could possibly be my new favourite. I really liked this mascara mainly due to it's applicator as its quite thin so its easily to apply without getting it all over my eyelids, which often happens when the brush is too big. It builds up product to make your eyelashes look fuller without looking clumpy. It creates just the right amount of volume and length whilst separating your lashes. This mascara also helped lessen the irritation I sometimes experience with my eyes at the end of the day when I've had mascara on a long time which was a lovely plus. 

All these wonderful products are are available at www.beautycrowd.com and if you're near Cardiff any time soon, pop into BeautyCrowd in Royal Arcade (previously E.L.F) to check out Bell Cosmetics and lots of other new and exciting make-up brands.

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The Sunday Post | Spa Day & Afternoon Tea at The Newbridge on USK

Last Thursday I turned the grand old age of 22 and this year I decided to spend my birthday being pampered. My friend Katy booked us both in for a luxury spa day at the Celtic Manor Hotel. The Re-energiser spa deal included two treatments of your choice - we chose the Jessica GELeration express pedicure and signature back, neck and shoulder massage. It also included full use of all the facilities including the pool, steam room, sauna and jacuzzi which we used to our full advantage as well as complimentary use of slippers and robes. We were booked in for our treatments at 2.00pm so we decided to have a swim before and then arrived ready for our treatments 5 minutes prior. I had my pedicure first whereby I chose a pink glitter colour to be painted on my toes. I then enjoyed a massage, which was my first ever and it was wonderful. I felt so relaxed and sleepy afterwards. Each treatment lasted 25 minutes. The deal is running from the 1st-30th June, costing only £39.00 Monday to Thursday which is a great price considering it includes use of all facilities and two lovely treatments.

After we'd been pampered for few hours at the spa, we had booked ourselves in for afternoon tea at the New Bridge on USK - a quaint pub which overlooks the river USK. We enjoyed a spot of afternoon tea as we sat outside on the riverside and admired the beautiful view. The afternoon tea costs £10.00 each and included a pot of tea of your choice and a selection of cakes, which included welsh cakes, walnut cakes, mini Victoria sponges, chocolate cones and a scone with jam and clotted cream. We enjoyed our cakes and tea whilst we watched the salmon jumping about in the river and soaked up the glorious sunshine. A perfect way to spend my 22nd Birthday!

What I wore:

Black chiffon top - New Look

Blue Floral Kimono - New Look (Not longer Available)

Indigo Joni Jeans - Topshop

Sunglasses - Primark 

Pandora June Birth Stone Ring - Pandora

Pandora Bracelet with charms - Pandora

Marc Jacobs Watch - Marc Jacobs

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Why Every Woman Needs MAC Rebel

It's not often that I state that a product is a 'need'. However MAC lipstick in 'Rebel' is an exception. 

For those who own Rebel will understand how amazing it is, for those who don't, listen up!

Rebel is one of those lipsticks that suits everyone. You may be wondering how it that possible? Well Rebel is a satin finish so it provides the right amount of moisture but with amazing pigmentation. It looks pretty scary in the bullet as it looks extremely dark, quite 'vampy', which is definitely not my sort of shade. However when it's applied to the lips it provides a beautiful purple berry colour. It has the right amount of blue toned pink to purple and so it suits almost all skin tones. It is such a versatile lipstick as you can apply it straight from the bullet making it a dark berry colour when layered or with a brush to make it a sort of stain on the lips. Onto the lasting power...I can't comprehend the longevity of this lipstick. Applied mid evening, I still wake up with it on my lips the next morning even after removing my make up. Definitely a good lippy for a night out seen as there is no need to keep re-applying. An absolute favourite of mine. If you don't own it already, get yourself to MAC asap and swatch it!!

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New Release | The Body Shop Vitamin C Line

I'd seen some reviews online about the new Vitamin C line recently launched in The Body Shop and after reading about their new Vitamin C Glow Boosting Moisturiser, I really fancied giving it a try. The moisturiser is aimed at fighting the look of fatigued, dull skin and boosting radiance. It aims to moisturise the skin and give dull, tired skin a new glow. I often find that after wearing weeks of make-up to work my face can feel dull and unhappy so I thought this would be a great product to try and see whether my skin felt and looked more radiant. I suffer from oily skin and so when I tested this product in the shop I was happy to find than rather it being a heavy lotion formula, it was very much a lightweight gel/serum which wouldn't leave a greasy residue when applied. It smells faintly of mandarin which is a nice added touch and the packaging is very aesthetically pleasing - very similar to the famous Origins Gin Zing Moisturiser packaging but for half the price.

In addition to the Moisturiser (£16), I picked up their Energising Face Spritz, also from the same line. This was reduced down for some reason and I got it for the bargain price of just £5. I mainly picked this up due to the fact I am going abroad in the coming months and I thought it would be an ideal product to spritz on my face in the hot weather and make my skin feel refreshed after being in the sun.

Have you tried any of the products from The Body Shop's Vitamin C Line? If so, let me know what you thought below.

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What I've been buying lately | New Purchases

In this post I thought I'd share a few things that I have been after for a few months and eventually given in and purchased as well as some essentials and others are just treats.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Blemish Fade Night Lotion

It's no shock that I have repurchased another product from The Body Shops' Tea Tree line after I have fallen in love with their foaming cleanser and Pore Minimiser I thought it was about time I tried another product from their line. This product is dispensed by pump and is a sort of serum/gel product. You are encouraged to apply it to your face and neck every evening before bed primarily on the areas which are prone to blemishes. The gel is aimed at fading/minimising the appearance of post-blemish marks and discolouration of the skin to give you clearer looking skin. I have yet to try this product but if its anything like the other products in the line I am going to love it.

Rimmel Brow This Way Brow Sculpting Kit in 'Medium Brown'

I'd been using Maybelline's Brow Satin for a while but got sick of it snapping after a few uses so when I went to Boots to look for something else, I came across this Wax and Powder combination. The little set it so handy and small. It contains a little square of wax and another of brown powder. It also contains two little brushes, one for defining the brows and another to blend. It's something a little bit different for me as I am used to pencils so hopefully I'll fall in love with powder brows.

MAC Lip liner in 'Soar'

Also known as 'The Kylie Jenner Lip', MAC's Lip liner in 'Soar'  has been one of this year's most popular products and has constantly been out of stock but luckily just by chance it had just been re-stocked in Bath. I knew it was time to purchase it before it sold out again. I can see why this is such a sort-after liner. It's a lovely soft rose/nude colour and like I have said before, MAC lip liners are very creamy which makes them a dream to apply and they don't dry out your lips. This liner would be an ideal shade for a matte look applied over the entire lip or as a base colour for another lipstick.

MAC Lipstick in 'Crosswires'

I have previously wrote a blog post specifically about this lipstick so I won't go into much detail. However, it is a beautiful pink/orange colour lipstick (it's hard to describe), and it is a cremesheen formula so it isn't too glossy but provides great colour pay off and like all MAC lipsticks last a heck of a long time. Definitely a must have if your flying off on holiday this summer and need a new lippy for those warm summer evenings.

 MAC x4 Eyeshadow Pro Palette and pan Eyeshadow in 'Naked Lunch'

I had previously bought a pro pan eyeshadow in the 'All That Glitters' with the intention of building up my own eyeshadow quad, so when I popped into MAC in Bath last weekend I took the opportunity to buy the palette which fits 4 eyeshadows inside. I also wanted to buy a shade that was similar to Naked 2 Palette's 'Bootycall' shade - a shade I have nearly used up as I love it for an all over the lid shade. The lovely girl in MAC showed me a few colours and recommended a lovely light beige shimmer shade called 'Naked Lunch'. I have been absolutely loving this shade since I bought it and I aim to buy a browny, taupe colour next to add to my palette.

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The Perfect Holiday Scent | Estee Lauder

It was a few weeks ago that I passed the Estee Lauder counter in House of Fraser and just by chance picked up a tester of Estee Lauder's Bronze Goddess eau Fraiche Skinscent. After a spritz I was in love. I picked up another tester in Debenhams the following week and knew I needed it for summer. I can only describe this scent as smelling of holidays. It has an underlying scent of coconut and fruitiness (if that is a word). I'd say it reminds me of pina coladas and mandarin. It's a summery and sensual scent which perfect for warm summer evenings. I was pleasantly surprised at the scent's lasting power considering it is a skin scent and not a parfum. The scent isn't overpowering but has that lovely undertone of coconut that people smell when they pass you. The packaging also adds to the holiday feel. This year's bottle is a yellow-orange ombre colour with glitter and the lid is gold. I can't believe I haven't purchased this scent before as it is the perfect scent for summer holidays. Go and get it before it sells out as it will be this summer's hottest scent!

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