Too Faced Bronzers

Pick up your perfect bronzer from Too Faced (£21) | available online

 

Choosing the perfect bronzer for you is a beauty dilemma that many face time and time again. With so, so many different bronzing powders on the market, promising you that sun-kissed glow in one easy sweep, it can be a minefield to navigate and find that one perfect product that suits all your needs. Do I want matte or shimmery? Do I need warm tones or cooler tones for my skin? What if I want a pop of colour too or the ability to contour and highlight as well? With so many questions begging to be answered Too Faced seem to have got this bronzer business sorted with their extensive collection of eight, yes eight, different compacts that will hopefully satisfy everyone whilst encouraging you to build your own bronzer wardrobe, as easy and interchangeable as your favourite outfits.

The Too Faced bronzers cover all bases so whether you want natural, matte, luminous, blushing, light or dark, there is definitely something here for you. The extensive collection is organised into three little ranges; the Bunnies, the Chocolate Soleil and those other special ones such as Pink Leopard and Endless Summer. Let's look at the three Bunny Bronzers first - Sun Bunny, Beach Bunny and Snow Bunny. Aside from their adorable names and sweet, young packaging the Bunny range offers you a great choice of bronzing with added shimmer and colour. Snow Bunny helps to emulate that just-off-the-mountain-top glow for the ultimate winter look without leaving the lodge! It has four shades including white and pale pink shimmer powders to give you an illuminating, soft finish. Sun Bunny is a half and half bronzer with pink undertones to mimic that natural flush you get from being in the sun. Perfect for swirling together or using sperately for a subtle glow and shimmer. Finally we have Beach Bunny which contains four shades ranging from a deep bronzer to a light, golden shimmer. It is illuminating, great for contouring and is ideal for darker skinned girls looking for a warm, deep colour.

The next trio of bronzers fall into the Chocolate Soleil category. They are basic, matte and probably the most easy to use from the entire collection, with one to suit every skin tone. They are made from real cocoa which you can detect in their scent and are smooth and silky to apply - perfect to add colour or to contour. Milk Chocolate Soleil is the lightest shade, great for those fairer ladies, followed by Chocolate Soleil which will give a medium to deep tan to your skin. Finally, the newest addition to their range, is the Dark Chocolate Soleil which offers the ultimate rich, deep matte bronze to sculpt those cheekbones or sweep all over. It has some subtle red undertones to it too which emulate that true outdoor-sy glow.

Finally we have two special additions to the range; the fancy looking Pink Leopard Blushing Bronzer and Endless Summer 16 hour Bronzer. Pink Leopard is described as a blushing bronzer due to its pattern of gilded pinks and natural fawns which brighten the complexion and work best applied onto the apples of your cheeks, rather than all over. The toned-down golden bronze shades give you an illuminating finish and this is super pretty for the Summertime. Endless Summer 16 Hour Bronzer is made with a double bond formula that promises a longer lasting colour on the skin, to take you from beach to beach party! If you love the medium tones of Chocolate Soleil but crave a bit of shimmer then this is the pefect pick for you!

Which bronzer have you got your eye on?

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Kate Spade Gold Glitter iPhone 6+ Case

Kate Spade Gold Glitter and White iPhone Case | £29 from Apple stores

Ever since I picked up the new iPhone 6+ in New York a few months ago I have been searching for the perfect phone case - a task that was a lot harder than I first anticipated. I spent ages trawling the Kate Spade website looking at their offerings of phone covers and even though they have a dreamy selection of case for the iPhone 5, 5s and 6 - there was nothing that would fit my new Apple addition. The moment they release that Watermelon case in the iPhone 6+ size though, it will be mine!

I was at Westfield Stratford the other week so decided to pop into the Apple store to buy just a boring, regular phone cover to tie me over until I found something a little more garish when I saw a selection of Kate Spade cases that were the perfect fit for my new phone. Leopard print, polka dots, gold and glitter - I was in heaven! I opted for this sweet white and glittery gold striped hard back cover for a fairly reasonable £29. Great quality and adds a lovely splash of sparkle to my phone - so fun and ideal when trying to locate it at the bottom of my handbag!

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The Self Tans To Get You Summer Ready

Clarins Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster for Body & He-Shi Overnight Ageless Tanning Balm for a Summer-ready glow!

So the sun is shining, Summer is just around the corner and suddenly our tees are being swapped for crop tops, our skirts are getting shorter and skin is on show left, right and centre. For the last few weeks the realisation that I am going to have to get my legs out and cast aside my skinny jeans has finally hit me so I have been reaching for a few new self-tanning products to ensure I am ready Summer-ready, with a golden glow, from head to toe.

The New He-Shi Overnight Ageless Tanning Balm (£22.50) is specifically designed for the face and combines anti-ageing properties with the beauty of a skin firming gradual tan that is delicate enough for the face. The velvety lotion can be applied before bed to un-moisturised skin, just simply smooth over 2-3 pumps of the balm ensuring you blend carefully around the hairline and down your neck. This tanning lotion contains jojoba protein to repair and condition the skin along with hyaluronic acid which reinforces the skin's ability to attract and retain moisture, giving the skin a hydrated appearance. I love the fact you can use this balm as your night time moisturiser and face tanner all in one and it is pretty fool-proof meaning you won't awake with any tell tale tan lines, streaks, that fake tan smell or orange-tinge. It just gives you a really nice bronzed base that can be topped up during the week if you wanted to maximise your glow and minimise the need for heavy foundation or powder bronzer.

The Clarins Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster (£26) is a great new product for the body based on the huge success of the face Glow Booster launched last year. I loved this revolutionary made-to-measure self tan that allows you to add a few drops of liquid gold to your regular face cream to create your own bespoke facial tanner whilst still ensuring you get all the benefits from your ordinary skincare. Well Clarins have taken it one step further and created the new Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster for the body which gives you a concentrated self tan that delivers a gorgeous glow, head to toe, all year round. Presented in the same, sleek, dropper bottle, this glow booster is easy to mix with your favourite body moisturiser to add radiance and a healthy glow alongside all the other added benefits of your regular body cream. Simply take your cream, gel or serum in the palm of your hand and add 4-6 drops of the self tan, combine together and apply all over your body. I love that this tanner is odourless and has a formula enriched with aloe vera extract to maintain the skin's softness. Unlike some fake tan lotions, liquids or mousses, this glow booster ensures you are streak free with no dry patchiness and you can really tweak your tan depending on how beautifully bronzed you want to go!

Which self tan products do you reach for as the Summer creeps in?

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Jo Malone Incense & Cedrat Cologne Intense

Jo Malone Incense & Cedrat Cologne | available from Jo Malone London

You may have noticed over the last year or so that Jo Malone have added a scattering of scents to their fragrance line that could definitely be described as unisex. Particularly noticeable within their Cologne Intense range the latest releases have steered away from those characteristic sweet, floral and fruity notes featured in many of Jo Malone’s classic scents and have delved into a richer, deeper, and all over more masculine world, with powerful, hearty notes. 

Jo Malone’s latest launch to hit the stores this month is possibly the most guy-friendly fragrance to date with the addition of Omani incense at the heart of the cologne giving it a wonderfully, rich sensual aroma. Jo Malone’s Incense and Cedrat Cologne Intense is aptly described as mystical, magical and precious and is available in the standard blackened bottle (£105) or as a treasured, limited edition fragrance encased in an opulent black and gold designed bottle echoing the intricacy and beauty of this scent – a dark, empowering base with a luminous, zesty brightness. Incense & Cedrat is a combination of rich and rare ingredients, maybe most importantly the Omani incense which is the most precious in the world. It is harvested from the Boswellia sacra tree, found in a land between ocean and desert, Dhofar. The sap is dried and crystalline to obtain this magical fragrance but in recent years the tree has become threatened so for the first time in perfumery, Jo Malone have used NaturePrint technology to recreate the Omani incense scent. Basically the clever perfumery guys have taken the resinous incense tears to analyse and thus recreate the perfect scent using natural ingredients whilst keeping the Boswellia sacra and the environment protected. This dark, characterful cologne takes the richness of the Omani scent and combines it with a radiant freshness of lemon and pepper notes, an elegant, woody intensity of Vetyver finished off with a citrus twist of the Cedrat fruit. 

At the heart of Jo Malone's philosophy is the concept of fragrance combining giving you the chance to create a bespoke, individual scent that reflects your mood, suits an occasion and expresses your individuality. Incense & Cedrat Cologne Intense is the perfect example where a fragrance could stand alone or be layered with another scent for a unique signature. For example I could really picture my husband spritzing this new fragrance as it stands but I would probably want to soften the scent a little and therefore could imagine layering it with Jo Malone Red Roses for example. for a luxurious sensual finish. Do you like the sound of this latest launch?

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Bourjois Rouge Edition Aqua Laque Liquid Lipsticks

NEW Bourjois Rouge Edition Aqua Laque for the lips* (£8.99) | available from Boots

Last year Bourjois treated us to their Rouge Edition Velvet Lipsticks – an incredible range of liquid lip products that offer an intense jolt of colour with an amazing, velvety-matte finish on the lips. They were probably some of my favourite products from 2014 and I continue to sling one of them into my makeup bag day after day when I want a fun, easy-to-wear lip colour that will last! Based on the huge success of the Rouge Edition Velvets those clever beans at Bourjois have updated the collection somewhat and have released the new Rouge Edition Aqua Laque lipsticks range for Spring/Summer, which gives you the same liquid lipstick concept but with a very different result. 

Best described as a hybrid product featuring all the wonders of a lip gloss, lipstick and lip balm combined, the Aqua Laques are topped with a high-shine chrome cap which reveals the same cushiony doe-foot applicator as its original predecessor. The butter and wax-free formula is very unique and creates the ultimate wet look on the lips with a water-like sensation without the uncomfortable stickiness of your favourite gloss. It is smooth and easy to apply and delivers a decent level of colour for a natural, glossy look – perfect to match with a smoky eye to balance our your makeup. The consistency is light and moisturising and you can easily forget you are wearing anything more than a lip balm. The staying power of these newbies was never going to match the incredible longevity and intensity of the Rouge Edition Velvets but if you prefer something lighter on your lips that is going to hydrate and add instant mirror-like shine whilst you are on the go then you will love these, and with eight shades to pick from there is definitely a shade to suit everyone. Peachy-pink, natural rose, classic red or daring fuchsia! 

Here we have, from top to bottom, left to right: 01. Appechissant, 02. Rose on the Rocks, 04. Vines si tu Roses 05. Red my Lips 07. Fuchsia Perche 08. Babe Idole. What is your favourite pick for an easy breezy Spring/Summer makeup look?

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Zoeva Cocoa Blend Eyeshadow Palette

Zoeva Cocoa Blend Eyeshadow Palette* | available online

There is nothing quite as tempting or delicious-looking as a box of luxury chocolates neatly tied up with a silk ribbon. Well, equally sumptuous yet guilt-free is the new Zoeva Cocoa Blend eyeshadow palette that is as sweet and smooth as your favourite box of pralines – offering us ten beautiful eyeshadows in a variety of finishes for a truly versatile look.

As you lift the simple gold and brown lid you are met with an array of delectable shades inspired by the forbidden tastes and flavours of those forbidden sweet treats – warm truffles, delicate nougat, decadent ganache and shimmering marzipan hues. Each shadow is rich and highly pigmented and complement each other perfectly. I adore warm copper, brown and golden shadows so this palette is the perfect addition to my collection and helps you create a variety of looks for the daytime or evening. Zoeva pride themselves on creating makeup that is kind to the skin so all these eyeshadows are paraben, perfume and oil free as well as being enriched with vitamin E which gives them a soft easy-to-blend texture. As well as boosting an array of colours as appealing as that first layer of Milk Tray, this palette also offers us a mix of finishes which is great if you enjoy pairing matte with a sprinkle of sparkle or satin with a pearlescent or glitter finish. 

I particularly love Warm Notes – an intense cranberry shade (much like MAC’s Cranberry e/s) and also Pure Ganache (very similar to MAC's All That Glitters) which makes a pretty all over shadow colour when you want a quick, easy look.

Are you tempted by this Cocoa Blend eyeshadow palette from Zoeva?

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bareMinerals Complexion Rescue

bareMinerals Complexion Rescue* (£26) – free from silicone, oil, parabens and fragrance | available from Boots

 

When it comes to seasonal makeup there is one thing that I switch up the most depending on the weather outside – my base. I always favour a satin liquid foundation with medium to high coverage but the moment the Summer hits and everything feels a little ‘sweatier’ I love to reach for a lighter consistency. There is nothing worse than your skin feeling cakey and heavy when out for that family picnic or frantically running your errands around town. In previous years this lighter-base-role would have been filled by a mix of BB and CC creams and tinted moisturisers. This year however I have been testing and loving a new product from bareMinerals that claims to contain all the best of BBs, CCs and TMs in one fantastic formula – the Complexion Rescue, a tinted hydrating gel cream available in nine different shades.

 

This new release from bareMinerals is one of those favoured multi-tasking base products that combines skin benefits with a glowing, radiant coverage and a barely-there feel. The finish is sheer to medium but very buildable and could easily be mixed with a blob of your favourite foundation if you wanted something a little heavier but still with a hydrating radiance. The marine botanicals help replenish thirsty skin whilst the mineral electrolytes and antioxidants energise your complexion and protect against environmental stressors. This combined with the smooth tint it gives to your face means you don’t have to slather on your morning moisturiser and therefore keeps your skin from feeling over-greasy on those balmy Summer mornings. It contains a SPF 30 which will keep your skin safe from the sun, but probably best you avoid any flash photography selfies whilst wearing this, and despite the suggestion to use your fingertips a brush really is the best way to apply this gel cream.

 

I am always a little wary of gel formulas that promise dewy results as I have too often been caught with an overly-shiny t zone half way through the day and have been left feeling more greasy than glowing. But the Complexion Rescue is very different and although it is dewy, the effects are lovely on the skin and it really perks the complexion up with a healthy dose of skin-neutralising colour. Ladies with dry or dehydrated skin will love this, those with already quite oily skin might want to approach with caution but for the rest of us this is a great little product to have on standby during the Summer and it does exactly what it says on the tube – rescues an uneven, tired complexion and really gives it a Summer-ready glow!

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