Summer Ready - The Skincare Edit

I know what you're thinking "why on earth are you talking about summer - have you seen the weather?". The answer is yes I have seen the weather. Call me delusional but I refuse to believe that this is as good as it's going to get weather wise. I'm holding out for the clear blue skies and temperatures above 20. With that in mind I thought it would be nice to put together a little blog series all about getting summer ready. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has to literally prep myself for the warmer weather, products and routines that worked well in autumn/winter need to be tweaked. In this little series I'm hoping to cover everything from skincare, fashion, makeup, nails and a few bits in between.

As you may have guessed to kick things off I'm talking skincare. I see skincare as the foundation of great healthy looking skin. You could splash the cash on amazing high tech makeup that claims to do everything but clean the kitchen sink, but if you haven't got a good skincare routine in place it will all be for nothing. Not sure about you but my skin reacts to products differently in varying climates, with this in mind I find myself switching things up.

Superdrug Vitamin E Hot Cloth Cleanser- £4.99 I know I harp on about the Vitamin E range from Superdrug but bare with me, as I think it really is that good. It's super easy on the pocket at £4.99 it's a steal. I've not tried the Lizz Earle cleanse and polish so can't personally compare but I have heard their pretty similar. Sometimes cleansers can be really clarifying and leave my skin a little dry and squeaky. The Vitamin E Hot Cloth Cleanser seems to have the balance of cleansing the skin with out drying just right. Just a little note as this is a moisturising cleanser it may not be ideal for oily skin.

Garnier Fresh Essentials Refreshing Cleansing Lotion- £3.15 until recently this had been relegated to the back of the cupboard never to be seen again, as it gave me an awful break out. However I had run out of my usual eye make up remover and needed something to get me out of the jam I was in. After rummaging around the cupboard I spotted the Garnier Cleansing Lotion, after saying a little prayer for my skin, I popped a little product on a cotton pad swept it across my eyes, wiping a days worth of eye makeup away. Miraculously I didn't break out! What did happen however was a really soothing effect on my puffy tired eyes. Don't think I'll ever go back to using it all over my face again but I will stick with it for removing eye makeup.

Origins Modern Friction- £27 I know every blogger and her dog raves about this but that's because its simply a great exfoliator. Origins have hit the nail on the head with this one its not overly abrasive but gets the job done in rubbing away dry dead skin, while giving a healthy glow.


The Body Shop Warming Mineral Mask- £10 This is a new addition to the crew, I'm not always a huge fan of clay masks as I don't like the thought of it going hard and stiff on my face. The warming mask however is a whole different kettle of fish. It's a little bit of spa luxury at home that stays moist and naturally warms on the face. The packaging says it suitable for all skin types, I've got typical combination skin and it works well for me. This is a great weekly treatment, I like using it on Sunday evenings as I feel like I'm starting my skin off well for the week.


Superdrug Vitamin E SPF 15 Moisturising Day Cream- £2.99
Generally I use the same moisturiser all year round as I'm yet to find one that doesn't break me out. This little pot of magic works well even in high temperatures and humidity as its not a very heaving moisturiser. I've also found that my foundation doesn't move around when applied on top of the moisturiser. All round thumbs up!  

Origins Super Spot Remover- £13 This cult classic spot remover is now a firm staple of mine, I'm literally at the point of not knowing how I managed with out it. I know that may sound kind of OTT but this stuff really works. I've found like most spot treatments it does it's best if you can catch the pesky spot early on, that said I've used it on some more advanced beasts. I'm not lying a few drops (I literally mean a few drops - less is more here) on the offending area before bed and by the morning spots are on their way, out if not gone all together.

My final tip comes as standard, drink WATER and lots of it. Chances are in the warmer weather you're going to sweat more, the moisture your body is loosing will need to be replaced  to stop dehydration. I know it's obvious but sometimes it's good to be reminded.

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Getting Organised

I felt inspired to write this post, because if I'm honest I've been really disorganised and chaotic of late. I know it's weird to say but life seems to have got in the way - of well life recently. It's surprising how caught up I've been rushing around doing a million things but never actually getting anything done. I decided I had to put a stop to it and get productive. I figured seeing as I'd been doing a little self discovery in the area of getting organised I've share a few tips with you. 

1. Set a goal

It's so easy to make a list of "to do's" and never actually get through any of them. I've found when I don't have a definite goal in mind for what I want to achieve I'm less motivated. So for example this weekend my goal has been to get three blog posts done and dusted, as well as all the washing and ironing sorted for the week.  

2. Lists, lists, lists

It's sad I know, but I'm such a fan of making lists. There's a real satisfaction in ticking things off and knowing that you've got stuff done. I like to divide my list making into two general parts a "blog to do" and a "life to do". I find doing this helps me to keep a balance so I'm not over loading myself in any particular area.  

3. Time

Give your self an achievable time scale to complete things. I've discovered things usually take longer to get done than I first anticipate, I always seem to under estimate how long things will take. So I've come to the conclusion that I generally need to start with a time frame and then double it. That way if I get it done quickly I'm extra happy.  

4. Prioritise

As I just said I love a good list. It's one thing to make a list of things to do it's another perfecting the art of prioritising the order in which they need to be done. I guess its different strokes for different folks but I tend to do the most urgent and pressing things first e.g. getting to the bank before it closes. Sometimes if I find things particularly overwhelming I'll do the most difficult things first and save the easiest or most fun stuff for last, as a bit of a treat.  

5. Let Technology Help You Out 

That saying "there's an app for that" springs to mind right about now. These days there is literally an app for everything. I recently downloaded Wonder List and it's been amazing at helping me get organised on the go. Another little tip I've found is to use reminders on my phone's calendar for when important dates are coming up and when I need to do things. There are tons of apps out there I would recommend browsing the app store to see what works for you. 

6. Don't beat your self up 

If you're anything like me and have an off day and flop on the organising front, you probably start to beat your self up. I've come to realise this is the most counter productive thing I can do. I get so stuck in a rut of being cross with myself for not having stuff together that nothing actually gets done. The best thing for me when I miss the mark is to tell myself that life goes on, just dust your self off and try to do better next time. 

I hope these little tips have been helpful and maybe motivate you with getting better organised. I would love to hear your organisation tips and tricks! Have a great day x 

  

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Benefit Hervana

Benefit Hervana blush £23.50

I was a little apprehensive about splashing my cash on Benefit's Hervana as I struggle to find Benefit products (apart from mascara) that suit me. When the lady at the counter suggested I give the Hervana blush a try, I was thinking "woman this thing is going to make me look all ashy". Imagine my surprise when I looked in the mirror to discover a glowing face smiling back at me, I was even more shocked when it clicked the face was mine!

I usually go for much deeper blush tones to compliment my completion, so was surprised when the lighter hues gave a very natural looking flush to my cheeks. I also thought it gave a slight contour and highlight too. 

As nice as I think the blush looks it's the fragrance that really gets me. One sniff and I was blown away by the sweet berry scent, Benefit have managed to get the balance just right as it's not at all sickly.  

What about you, have you tried Hervana? If you have what are your thoughts on it? 

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