Tuesday 23 July 2013

5 Products to Help You Beat the Heat

In case you hadn't noticed, it's been pretty warm recently. Although this beautiful weather has many, many advantages, it can take its toll on your makeup. The humidity in particular, combined with the extra sweat we produce in hot weather (ew), means that makeup isn't as likely to last in this weather. So with this in mind, here are a few of my favourite products to help you thrive during the heatwave!

e.l.f Eyeshadow Primer in 'Sheer' (£1.50)

If you're a fan of wearing eyeshadow on a day-to-day basis, then I cannot recommend this little gem of a product enough. One sweep across the eyelid will dramatically increase the staying power of even cheapo eyeshadows, even in sweltering heat. This product is an absolute steal at £1.50 - if you haven't ever tried e.l.f products then get over to eyeslipsface.co.uk and treat yourself.

Kleenex Shine Absorbing Sheets (£2.99)

I mentioned these sheets in my Holiday Checklist post, but figured they were worth mentioning again here because they really are a beauty essential when it comes to beating the heat. These sheets are a cheaper alternative to MAC Blot Film, and cost just £2.99 for 50 sheets. Dab the sheets against your face to soak up excess oils from your face for an easy matte look, instead of that nasty shine that tends to accompany hot weather. Keep some of these sheets in your bag at all times when attended a big event in the heat, particularly when there are likely to be cameras involved. These sheets were a godsend at my graduation last month.

 Revlon Colorstay Ultimate Liquid Lipstick (£8.99)



 I've been wanting to talk about these lipsticks for ages, so I'm glad I've finally found an opportunity to squeeze them in. If you've never used one of these, then you will not believe how long lasting they are. I can put one of these lipsticks on in the morning, and by the evening it will still be there. Seriously. In fact, one of the downsides of these lipsticks is that when you do want to get them off, you'll probably struggle - they can survive showers, cleansers and scrubbing with cotton wool pads. In this heat, however, they are ideal, as you can rest assured that you don't need to be constantly topping up your lipstick to achieve a bold, bright, summery colour. The other downside is that these lipsticks to tend to be quite drying, so keep a stick of chapstick or topcoat on you to apply on top of the Revlon product.
 e.l.f Makeup Mist & Set (£3.75)



I know I did mention this product in my last post as part of my e.l.f haul entry, but there is no way I could write a post on products to combat the heatwave without giving it another mention. I've been using this product religiously since the weather turned ridiculous, and it's been fantastic. The product does exactly what it says on the tin, it keeps your makeup in place for a prolonged period of time, and definitely prevents it from melting off in the sun. If you're a fan of liquid eyeliner, particularly feline flicks, I cannot recommend this product enough - it really will keep your makeup in place all day. Again, this is another brilliant buy from e.l.f, and something that I will definitely be repurchasing.

Little White Lie Tanning Mousse (£17.49)

If you're a regular reader of my blog then you may recall that this was a product I received as part of my goodie bag from a Cosmo Magazine event, and I've been really chuffed with it since I've started using it. Whilst I will admit that the mousse isn't quite as much of a steal as the other 4 products featured in this post, I do find it to be very good value for money, particularly for tanorexics who regularly splurge on sunbeds or spray tans. The mousse feels very luxurious against the skin, probably thanks to the argan oil it contains, and creates a lovely tan that appears very natural and lasts for ages - I find that I only need to use this product once a week to stay bronzed, whereas cheaper brands such as St.Moritz will require reapplication after every shower. When the weather is this hot and you want to appear constantly tanned, I would argue that this product is worth the money for the hassle free and time saving solution it provides. My one bugbear about this product is the fact that the mousse is clear and gradually develops into a golden tan, so application requires a lot of attention to detail to make sure you're getting an even coverage. Other than this one hangup, I think this product is perfect for use during the heatwave.


I hope you find these recommendations handy. What are your favourite beat-the-heat products?



Friday 12 July 2013

My e.l.f Haul

As a little graduation present to myself, I recently decided to take advantage of a generous offer from cult makeup brand Eyes Lips Face (e.l.f). The offer was spend £20, and receive a mystery goodie bag made up from the 'e.l.f loves' collection as a free gift. As I'd been dying to try out some of the most raved about elf products for some time, I thought it would be rude not to have a bit of a splurge.

Below is a picture of all of the products I received. Looking at them all now, I can barely remember which I ordered and which came as part of the free gift!



I thought I'd feature a few of the first impression stand out products in more detail, so here are a few of my favourites so far....

1. e.l.f Lipstick in 'Fantasy'
This was one of the products I received in the mystery bag, and when I first unwrapped it I wasn't too sold on the colour - it's a brick-brown colour and I just wasn't sure. However, when applied to my lips it comes out a beautiful nudey colour, smells and tastes delicious, is moisturising AND long lasting - winning!

2. e.l.f All Over Colour Stick
Again, this was a mystery bag gem. My first impression was pretty much...why? It seemed to me to be a messier alternative to bronzer, I couldn't be bothered to even try it. I can't remember what it was that made me eventually pick it up and give it a go, but I'm SO glad I did - this is a beaut little product! I use it mostly for contouring my face, by running it over my cheekbones, temples and jawline. It's absolutely perfect for this cause as it can be easily applied with precision and is very blendable. It's not too dark, not too shimmery and easier to use on the go than bronzer as there's no need to use a brush...I love it.

3. e.l.f Makeup Mist & Set
This was a product that I chose myself when placing my order. I'd been after a fixing spray for some time and found myself tempted my MUA's offering until I decided to do a haul with e.l.f. This spray does what it says on the tin - I've definitely noticed a difference in the staying power of my makeup since using this spray, perfect for all day events like my graduation last week. It feels a little wet when you first spray it, but it dries quickly and you can't feel it once it's dried. I would definitely repurchase this product.



4. e.l.f Liquid Eyeliner in 'Navy'
Not a particularly revolutionary product, but it does the job and does it well. I'd been after a navy eyeliner for a while so jumped at the opportunity to include one in my haul, and I've been pretty addicted to it ever since. I find it easy to create feline flicks with the applicator, it stays put all day, what more could you want?

Have you tried any e.l.f products? Are you a fan of the brand, and if so which amazing products am I missing out on?

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