My New Favourite Bronzer by The Body Shop

Are you enjoying the heatwave we have been having in the UK lately?  I do feel that I should be making the most of it & sunbathing in my garden but I just can't.  I'm not going away on a summer holiday this year, so I should be getting a British tan but as I don't have a swimming pool nearby to stop myself combusting in the heat, I'm retreating inside & grabbing my Palmers Natural Bronze body lotion (see post here) & my new bronzing powder to give me a summer glow!

I've been very faithful to the Bourjois chocolate scented bronzer for a few years now, but I decided to branch out recently & I tried out the Body Shop's Honey Bronzing Powder.  Having heard good things about this bronzer, I was keen to try it out.

I went for the 01 light matte shade, as I'm naturally pretty fair.

On first glance the product looks great.  The packaging has a honeycomb pattern on the lid (a great mirror inside too!), with this pattern continuing on the actual bronzer.  The bronzer comes in 5 shades & contains community trade honey.  In fact, The Body Shop have a whole 'honey bronze' range.  Must check it out.

I was really pleased straight away with the colour payoff - the shade was perfect for me & gave a really nice matte glow.  Not at all glittery.  Perfect for either contouring or an all over bronze-y look! (Great if you are in a rush & want to look 'put together' quick!)

It costs £14, which is more than my Bourjois bronzer but I must say....I think I slightly prefer this Body Shop one!  Sorry Bourjois! It's very close.  I love both!  

So, I definitely think that once I come to the end of this product, I will be repurchasing.  

A great glow without having to sweat it out in the sun!  

(Although, if anyone does want me to come on holiday with them, I won't say no!!)

Bee x 

The Contents of my Face: My Summer Look

I've recently come back from a lovely holiday on the Greek island of Rhodes & I'm loving having a bit of a tan.  So, I thought I'd share with you how I changed up my makeup on holiday & how I've kept up this look while I still have my tan! 

Having a more sunkissed look means you need to change your base & make the most of that 'glow'.  So, I went for a gorgeous radiant primer by Studio 10 called 'Glow2Go'.  

It says it's a 'youth lift glow-plexion', which gives such a boost to your skin.  It can be worn on it's own or as a highlighter, but it can also be mixed with your foundation.  It has such a lovely light bronzy colour - not at all glittery - & the texture is creamy & feels really comfortable on your skin.  It contains anti-aging properties (that's always great!), hyaluronic acid & vitamins C & E.  It is a really great product. I definitely recommend you try it!

Now, as I say, 'Glow2Go' can be mixed with a foundation & as it's summer, I wanted a lighter base, so I used Rimmel's 'Instaflawless'. 

 I used this product last summer too & find it great to even out my skintone.  It isn't too heavy either, so no chance of covering up your tan.  Rather, it adds to it, giving you a natural glow - yes, I'm all about that 'glow'!!

'Instaflawless' contains SPF 15, provides 24hr moisturisation & really brightens your skin.  I played it safe & chose the shade light-medium & at only £6.99, it really is a bargain! (And a little goes a long way too!) 

Finally, to give my summer face a really bronzed look, I went for another product by Rimmel.  It's their 'Radiance Brick'. 

 As you can probably tell by the photos, this bronzing powder is getting a lot of love right now! 

It's a multi-tone powder graduating from a light highlighter shade down to a deep bronze.  It is so easy to use, without going overboard.  The colours are so lovely that you definitely don't look orange, just gorgeously tanned! 

It comes in 2 shades, but as I'm quite fair naturally, I went again for 001 light.  That way, once my tan has faded, I will still be able to use it without looking 'false'.  Perfect! 

How do you change up your makeup for the summer? 

Right, anyone fancy taking me on holiday?  My tan is fading!

Bee x 

For more 'Contents of my Face', see here & here   

The Contents of my Face: My Daily Makeup Routine (Or 'Dash Out the Door' Look!)

So, you go to bed with good intentions; you will wake up early, so you can spend more time on your makeup, right?  And what happens?  You either oversleep or spend too much time checking the internet or eating breakfast!

I seem to do all of the above!  Therefore, I thought I would share my makeup routine if I'm dashing off to work.  I must say it varies slightly depending on what products I use, but I've managed to get it down to 11 minutes - & that is quick for me! 

So, here goes...

After my skincare, I apply my base.  Currently its a BB cream instead of foundation, as for day to day & for work I generally prefer a lighter base during these summer months.  So, at the moment I'm using Dead Sea Spa Magik Diamond Range Beauty Balm in Natural with an SPF of 15.  I apply this with my Real Techniques stippling brush & buff it in. 

Then, I apply & blend in my NYX dark circle concealer (sometimes I do this before my base) with my fingers under my eyes to hide my horrendous dark circles & scar by my left eye.  I sometimes also add & blend in some of my Maybelline Eraser Eye concealer too. 

I then run some mineral powder under my eyes to set my concealer in place.  My current fave is by Primark! (see why here)

Next, I mattify my face with good old Rimmel Stay Matte pressed powder in 001 Transparent (have used this since forever!) with my Real Techniques powder brush.

To brighten up my face a bit, I use various bronzers, but my current favourite is Bourjois bronzing powder in 51.  Perfect for contouring my cheeks & giving me a general glow.  I use, of course, (you guessed!) a fabulous Real Techniques brush to apply this.

For adding a bit of colour to my cheeks I apply a lovely blusher with (currently!) a different brush other than the wonderful Real Techniques - a very pretty brush by Spectrum!  My favourite blush (& now of all time!) & the one I tend to use more often than not is by NARS.  I received it in a beauty box & absolutely loved it, so I will definitely be purchasing a full size version.  I honestly think I won't ever need another blush....ever!!   And I'm sure you have guessed which one!!   

For highlight, I tend to use Golden Lights by Makeup Revolution, which I pop on the top of my cheekbones & under my brow bone. (see my review of this product here)  

Now, as I say, this is a 'dash out the door' look, so I don't spend much time on my eyes, but to make them look alive (other than concealer!), I firstly apply my Hi-Impact Brows brow powder to my eyebrows (I use the lighter shade), then set them with my clear Rimmel Brow This Way brow gel (which is looking truly disgusting right now!).

After that, I skip eyeshadow (no time!) & apply black eyeliner to my inner waterline & smudge.  I usually use Barry M's kohl liner.  My eyeliner I guess, is my signature look & my security blanket - I'm not 'me' if I'm not wearing it!

In the inner corner of my eyes I apply a little white eyeliner by Rimmel.  This is a trick I learnt years ago (you can use nude if you prefer) - it makes you look wide awake! And it definitely does! 

I then add a quick sweep of mascara.  At the moment I'm using a sample of Givenchy's  Noir Couture Volume Mascara in Black Taffeta (it's lovely by the way!).

Last, but by no means least, I grab a tinted lip balm or lipstick.  It could be anything!  Today, it was 'Modesty' by MAC.

And that's it!   

It may sound a lot, but it honestly takes me just a few minutes.

What do you use to make yourself look presentable if you only have minutes to spare?  I'd love to know! 

Bee x 

That 'Kissed by the Sun' Look

So, if you are a regular reader of my blog, you will know my skin is rather on the pale side, so I will do anything to make myself look more 'alive'.  And while there isn't much sun outside & I don't have enough patience (or time at the moment!) to apply fake tan, I need something to make my face look like it's been kissed by the sun! 
And what better than one of my favourite make up brands at the moment to give me that glow - Makeup Revolution! 

I'm always hearing (& reading) so many good things about their collection & slowly creating quite a collection for myself, so I had to try their vivid baked bronzer in the shade 'Golden Days'.  It's an amazing £4.00 & comes in 3 other shades - 'Ready to Go', 'Rock on World' & 'Fame'. 

 

I apply it either as a contour for the hollows of my cheeks, or I give a general dusting all over my face. And I always apply down my neck (now, that IS pale!) to give it a subtle glow.  

It really is a lovely easy shade to wear without making you look orange.  And, if you are pale like me, you don't want a dramatic orangey look & you definitely don't with this.  If you do fancy a more dramatic look though, & have the skin tone to take it, I have read that you can do this by applying the bronzer with a wet brush.

So, for me, I think this is one of the best bronzers I've tried out lately.  I've used it lots already & it still looks almost like new as my photos show.  The packaging is smart but simple, it gives a good colour pay off & at a bargain price too....what's not to love? 

Have you tried this or any other of the shade range?  Or is there another bronzer you like or even prefer?  I'd love to know! 

Thanks! 

Bee x