July Beauty Favourites

Happy first of August! "July went so fast!"..."I can't believe it's August already!" 

It's safe to say the surprising British weather we've been having has shaped my monthly favourites as I've been trying my best to keep my clean clear and shine free! Here are my monthly picks.

L'Oreal Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution: Hands down the best makeup remover, for both face and eyes, I have found. It's really cheap, you can get it anywhere, is an amazing dupe for Bioderma, removes all traces of makeup and I mean everything and is really fresh and hydrating for the skin. It does run out pretty quickly though - pictured is my third bottle and I only discovered it not even a month ago. Damn.

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss in Snow Pink: I've been using this mostly everyday either on it's on or layered on top of a lipstick (red, pink, coral, nude - they all work) and it's really lovely. It isn't sticky and lasts a decent amount of time! I also love their coral shade, Kiss Me Coral.

Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream: This stuff is holy-grail material for me. It has been an absolute summer essential for me this month and hasn't let me down. Read my review for my thoughts as well as swatches etc. Basically, you need to try it.

Tarte Amazionian Clay Blush in Exposed: In the pan, it's pretty boring looking, but is so natural on the skin and just looks great. It's comparable to NARS Douceur blush. Unfortunately this isn't available in the UK so if you're next in the States, UAE etc definitely pick one of them up!

Soap and Glory One Heck of a Blot: I didn't know whether to mention this or the Rimmel Stay Matte. To be honest, I've used the Rimmel one for longer yet thought Soap and Glory deserved a mention. If you want seriously looking matte skin, this is the item you need. It's super matte and is amazing at removing an oily appearance. You do need to be carefully when applying not to layer it up as it can go really cakey and noticeable.

Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Paint in Papaya: I wore this non stop on my holiday and despite being in the pool and sea everyday, the colour didn't come off or chip which is super impressive. All of the gelly nail paints are equally as great and are priced well.

Thank you for reading! And have a great month. Xoxo

PS. I've been really bad at posting recently! Before, I used to post on average 12 a month. Some months I'm really on track yet others I just manage one or two! This month I'm gonna be away for 3 weeks meaning I don't really have that much time to take the pictures and write the posts. Even though I could schedule them I really like checking them as I go before publishing and updating if necessary. Plus, when I get back I have to get ready for the start of college which is a massive stress, plus I have to get my results from school as I'll be away when they are officially released. So bare with my in the next two-ish months, thank you! :)

Effortless Summer Bronzed Look

Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette, MAC Blush in Harmony, NARS Laguna Bronzer, Maybelline Dream Lumi Concealer 02, MAC Lipglass in Underage, Sleek Blush in Pixie Pink, MAC Paint Pot in Vintage Selection, MAC Eyeliner in Stubborn Brown, St Tropz Medium/Dark Gradual Tan for Face

We all love and thrive to have that effortlessly bronzed look we seem to get on holiday. If, stuck in England (or wherever home is for you), there are ways to cheat the summer look.

Italian adventures

Considering I've never been to Italy before, and my mum has only ever been to Florence, we decided to go to the tourist city of Rome for a few days. Originally we weren't planning to go anywhere during the summer as we've already got a holiday booked for late October. Yet, we booked our flights/hotel to Rome a week before jetting off and I'm so glad we did. Here's a couple pictures:

Italian flag

Colosseum

Catholic church inside The Vatican City

Trevi Fountain

Visiting and going inside all of the landmarks was incredible! The weather was in the 100's and this made the days very long and tiring. We woke up extremely early, saw various sights and then came back to the hotel at mid-day. Then we would go out at about 5pm and stay out till midnight. It's so much easier to walk around at night - perhaps because of the climate change. Of course, we ate Italian food every night which was awesome. I ate pasta for dinner every night as I'm not a fan of pizza and every restaurant we went too was amazing! The holiday went really fast, unfortunately. Yet I was glad when we landed back in Heathrow to cold, windy weather despite the fact I was wearing shorts with no tights. I felt sorry for the Italians visiting London who didn't look prepared for the weather!

Hope your summer has been good. Back to school for me in a weeks' time :'(

Suzanna xoxo

What's in my travel make-up bag?

This time tomorrow, I'll be boarding the plane to go to Rome! I am so excited as I've wanted to go to Italy ever since my dad came back from a business trip and told stories of how wonderful the atmosphere is there. Plus, we're going for my mum's birthday which makes it extra special.

Considering I've never done any "what's in my ___" posts, I thought I'd start with showing you what I am taking in my make-up bag for Rome. The make-up bag that I am taking with me is see-through so I can use the products on the plane if needed. It also makes it easier for me as I know where everything is!

This is everything I'm taking...

Maybelline Illegal Length Mascara, Maybelline One by One Mascara, Clinique High Impact Mascara, Garnier Eye Roll On, MAC Eye Kohl in Smolder, MAC Eye Kohl in Fascinating, Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Perversion, Maybelline Master Precise Liquid Eyeliner, Clinique Eyeshadow Duo in Victorian Pink, Avon Glimmersticks Brow Definer in Dark Brown and Blonde, MAC Brow Set in Clear, MAC Paint Pots in Bare Study, Nubile and Rubenesque, Benefit High Beam, Benefit The Porefessional, MAC Mineralise Skinfinish in Semi-Precious Crystal Pink, Nars Bronzer in Laguna, Urban Decay De-Slick Translucent Powder, MAC Powder Blush in Harmony, Revlon Lip Butter in Strawberry Shortcake and Carmex!

(Underlined items link to reviews)

It sounds like a lot, but trust me, it's not!

I hope you're having a great summer and I'll be back towards the end of the week!

Suzanna xoxo

PS. I've mentioned this before, but I'm going to New York in October for my birthday. I've planned to do several posts before then including what I'm taking for skincare and what I'm taking for haircare. I might also do a whats in my bag post - if interested :)

Review: Esteé Lauder Bronze Goddess Facial Sunscreen SPF 30

Everyone knows that we need to wear sunscreen in the summer to prevent sunburn, discolouration, redness and premature wrinkles. When shopping for sunscreen we look out for the all-important SPF number. The higher the number, the better - obviously. But we do know what SPF actually means? SPF (or sun protection factor) is the measurement of a sunscreen's ability to prevent UVB rays from damaging the skin. It's recommended to use a sunscreen with an SPF of over 15 to insure maximum protection from the sun.

Now the sunscreen I am going to be talking about today is a facial sunscreen by Esteé Lauder. When it comes to facial sunscreens I am much more picky about what I use. This is because my skin is extremely sensitive and prone to breakouts. As for body sunscreens I don't really care what I use - if you want to know, I use this Nivea one by mum buys. See, I don't even know what it's called! 

Esteé Lauder are one of my favourite brands, not just for make-up but for skincare too. Their facial sunscreen called Esteé Lauder Bronze Goddess is one product out of their extensive summer skincare line. I picked up the Sun Indulgence Lotion for Face which boasts a healthily SPF rating of 30. They say that "this super-luxurious lotion goes on silky-smooth and seduces skin with an instant heavenly radiance"and it definitely does. It's an extremely thick consistently which means you don't need to use much product and it dries instantly. It also doesn't leave that sticky feeling and is completely non-greasy. It also has a "light beachy sent" which, to me, smells like oatmeal. Nevertheless, it disappears instantly so I don't really care.

I purchased mine from Boots for £22 which, for a high-end skincare product, is pretty decent. Despite the fact you only get 1.7fl/50ml, you only need the tiniest bit in order to cover your face.

Overall, I absolutely love this sunscreen. It absorbs into the skin instantly, leaves the skin feeling soft and protects the skin from harmful UV for hours without having the need to reapply every ten minutes. In my opinion, sunscreen is definitely something worth investing in - especially if you have sensitive skin and need something that works best with your skin tone.

Have an amazing summer you guys.

Suzanna xoxo

Pastels

From all of the spring and summer trends I've seen so far, it seems that pastels are the most wearable and adaptable to suit any style. The most simplest outfit (i.e. jeans, t-shirt and wedges) can be transformed into a really nice, well put together ensemble. 

These are some of my favourite combos:

First row: River Island, River Island and Miss Guided
Second row: J.Crew, Topshop and River Island
Third row: H&M, River Island and Mulberry

Cute, right?! Looking at most online stores and recent fashion shows it seems that popular colours this spring and summer will be coral, pink and off-white/beige. It's obvious as too why: they're so wearable and, aside from the Mulberry bag, pretty inexpensive! I have found that River Island have a lot of pastel related trends on their website - check it out here as well as Miss Guided, here!

Thanks for reading :)

Suzanna xoxo

Ps. I've just ordered some stuff from House of Fraser, so a haul-type post will be up later this week. I normally post around 17 posts per month which, unfortunately, will decrease in June because of exams. I only have two exams this month (well, in May) so after that I'll be revising like crazy. Hope you guys understand! <3

Spring/Summer '12 at Louis Vuitton

This season there was so much to get excited about. Not just for the pieces but the whole spirit of the seasons. In all four major cities; London, Milan, Paris and New York, designers pulled out all the stops into showcasing their new trends and designs ready for the upcoming spring and summer. 

Spring/Summer 2012 is all about being pretty, being feminine and embracing your love of fashion by having lots of fun with it.

Louis Vuitton S/S '2012

Out of all the designers showcasing their pieces it was, in fact, Louis Vuitton in Paris who dedicated their show specifically to pastels. The Louis Vuitton S/S12 collection is the modern edge to the broderie anglaise and candy colours, which makes it classic and - most importantly - cool.

Florals and pastels are said to be in this S/S '12

Big laced collars were proven to be a statement trend at the Louis Vuitton S/S '12 show in Paris with most of the models showcasing a different collar trend.


Here is one of my favourite designs:
(you probably won't catch me wearing it though, mind you)

Some might say that this collection is granny-esque and something that our great great great grandparents might be caught wearing. However, I think that this collection brings a modern twist to vintage fashion - the fun, candy colours bringing a slight modern edge to fashion. Personally, I think the large, laced collars look intriguing and different which is why I think this collection is fault proof.

The icy whites and silver was injected with candy pinks, yellow and pale blue accented with touched of navy. The accessories, as always, were key and the collection had some gorgeous additions to their already world-famous collection.

Who better to walk the runaway with the latest trends other than creative director Marc Jacobs' best friend Kate Moss?

Gracefully, she walked it for a second year in Paris.

Kate looking beautiful in white

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*For more pictures and information on this years spring and summer catwalk trends go to InStyle or Vogue - they are the best.*

I hope you liked this post! More fashion-related posts will be coming soon as I find them particularly interesting to write. Thank you.

Suzanna

XOXO