Friday 29 July 2011

July Favourites

Eeeee has it really been a MONTH since my last favourites post?! Doesn't time fly when you're having fun!
Had to have a real think about this months favourites. Last month I had so many things I was just dying to tell you about (it ended up being quite an EPIC faves post) but this month I've been quite reserved.
My June favourites have continued to be favourites but with a few choice new items thrown in. 
So here goes....


I left body products until last in June so for the sake of diversity i will start with them for July....

Soap&Glory Flake Away Body Polish: I purchased this product because I was looking for a better scrub to use with my Xen Tan Dark Lotion (will get to that in a second). The cheapo own-brand one i was using before just didn't seem to get my skin smooth enough and my tan was coming out patchy as a result. After using this I found it applied much smoother and gave a better finish. This product smells AMAZING, even though it takes quite a bit of rinsing (as does the bathtub after using it), and leaves the skin silky smooth and feeling moisturised before you've even reached for the body butter. See my full review here....
Xen Tan Dark Lotion: I bought this at the beginning of June as I'd heard so many girls raving about it in blog reviews and i really wanted a longer lasting tanner which showed up a good colour on me. It's only just made it into the favourites this month as I've had a bit of trial and error with it to get it right (see above scrub dilemma). I'd totally recommend this tan and urge you not to be put off if you get a few patches when you first start using it. You WILL get the hang of it and its so worth persevering with! Again I have done a full review here...


Here's what I've been LOVING to smother my face in this July...

MAC Semi Precious MSF in Goldstone: This month has been ALL about the MAC Semi-Precious collection. I have to say my haul was TINY compared to a lot of people's and I only ordered ONE item. But I thought so long and hard about it before deciding which item i wanted and I chose SPOT ON because if it were possible to marry an item of make up i would say I DO to Goldstone! Just a wash of this over ANY make up i have on just lights my face up like a lightbulb! And used like a bronzer it makes me look like I've just returned from a fortnight in the Caribbean! The great thing is that you don't need a lot. A little really does go a long way! See the swatch and the results of my first play-around with it here... 
Sleek Blush in Life's a Peach: I was in 2 minds as whether to feature this blush or the Aruba blush from the Caribbean collection for this favourites post. I reasoned that i have ONLY just bought Aruba AND I really have been using this a LOT on a day to day basis and it would be a shame for it to be outshone just because Aruba is so.... RAWR. This blush really does give just the most PERFECT peachy summer glow and is bang on trend for summer 2011 with all those peaches and corals around. Just an all round lovely shade and I'd totally recommend it for any skin tone. See a swatch and more on this product here...


Special mention this month has to go to MUA Professional who came up with the STUNNING and now uber-famous Heaven&Earth palette. I hear this item was the star of the show at TOWIB (even though i bought mine the day BEFORE the event, therefore i WIN... Nerr nerr). These are just the most stunning shades for everyday wear that can also be glammed up for evening wear. I've seen it compared to the UD Naked Palette with a few MAC dupes thrown in there so for £4 is totally worth snapping up while you can!! See the swatches and an eye look i came up with using the palette here...


Next item worthy of a mention is my Sleek Contour Kit in Medium. I'd heard mixed reviews about this and wasn't sure if i NEEDED it that much as I have been successfully contouring my face for a while using my Bourjois Delice de Poudre up until now. However, a couple of my blogger besties whose opinion i trust were really taken with this product so i just HAD to pick it up and try it out. I noticed  the difference immediately!! Basically, for those who aren't familiar with the art of contouring (if there are any left) the dark powder is applied under the cheeks to slim the face and the lighter powder is used to highlight the cheekbones. It really does work! I'm still experimenting but i don't think it will be long before i consider myself qualified enough to do a 'Contouring for Dummies' type post. Watch this space!


Last couple of random items i'd like to include are as follows...

OPI Pirates of the Caribbean Mini Collection: These were a little eBay bargain i picked up purely on impulse. And I'm sooooo glad i did!! They are lovely shades for summer. My set included Stranger Tides (a pale khaki green that looks AMAZING with a tan), Sparrow Me the Drama (a pale dusky pink), Planks a Lot (a blue toned lilac/purple) and Skull&Glossbones (a greenish-grey shade, not totally dissimilar to Stranger Tides). Throughout the last month i have done a NOTD series for these. The only one i have yet to post is Skull&Glossbones but watch out for that one soon as its a lovely colour. 
Batiste Tropical Dry Shampoo: This is a cheeky addition to my faves for July as i actually only bought it YESTERDAY! However, for someone who never felt the need for dry shampoo and really never thought it was something i NEEDED, I am so impressed with it and am really eating my words on this one. I picked it up purely because it was (and probably still is) on offer in the Co Op and I've heard it mentioned here, there and everywhere lately. This particular one smells like HOLIDAYS and really picked my hair up when i sprayed it on yesterday (really didn't have the energy for a wash/blowdry last night). Totally worth the bargain price any day of the week (offer or no offer). I do suspect I'm preaching to the converted on this one so I'll shut up and finish off the post now ;P

Hope you enjoyed looking through my favourites. I'm still trying to find a video camera that works so i can do these on youtube instead of picture heavy blog posts but neither of my webcams are up to the job and my normal camera has TERRIBLE memory so no joy there. Will keep trying! 

What were your favourites for July? Feel free to link me to your posts as I'm a nosey cow haha  
SHARE:

9 comments

  1. I want you to marry goldstone irl!!!! :) xxxx

    ReplyDelete
  2. I've been using the flake away before tanning aswell and it's also working a treat for me!

    xx

    ReplyDelete
  3. I just bought Flake Away in mini size so I can try/bring it back to Japan! Really excited to try it :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. You and I clearly have some of the same tastes lovely!

    I use Flake away as well before using my xen tan and I totally adore it! A lot of people have ommented the same thing :D

    Love all the Pirates of the Carribean collection :D they are just uber pretty! Think I need to get my hands on the MUA palette :)xxx

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oooh the Pirates minis look gorgeous! X

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love my Pearl msf from this collection :)
    xx

    ReplyDelete
  7. I really wanted to try Life's a Peach but our superdrug never has them in stock! :( xxx

    ReplyDelete
  8. I need Flake Away in my life, but Soap & Glory products always break me out :( Maybe as it's for your body it won't break me out.. too scared to waste my money if it does though! xx

    ReplyDelete

© That Lisa Clare | Derbyshire Lifestyle and Travel Blog. All rights reserved.
Blogger Templates by pipdig