Monthly Favourites: August 2013

So summer has swiftly made an appearance this year and I am so excited that we're finally heading into Autumn (probably much to everyone else's dismay). For me it's my favourite time of year and I can't wait to buy some warmer clothes to wear in the colder months to come. Throughout the month I re-discovered some products that had been un-touched for months and also fell in love with some new products!

Bourjois Paris Healthy Mix Serum

As it has been fairly hot throughout the month I found that I wanted to wear a foundation with medium coverage. Shockingly, despite the hype, I have never bought this foundation before but I so wish I had bought it sooner as I love it!

I find that because of it's gel consistency, on application it glides beautifully over the skin and is easy to blend which leaves me with an even skin tone and a semi-matte finish. On the skin it feels very lightweight and is really comfortable to wear without making me look oily/shiny even on hotter days. At times when I was suffering with blemishes and redness in areas, I found that I did need some extra coverage from a concealer.

   You can buy this foundation from Boots or Superdrug for £10.99/30ml

MAC Powder Blush in Margin

I purchased this Blusher a couple of months back as it instantly jumped out at me in store but throughout the month it has been my  everyday go-to summer blush. It's a lovely peachy/apricot shade with a gold shimmer which leaves a flattering frost finish on the cheeks. I've kept the cheeks fairly natural and found that this blusher gave me a really healthy glow which blended perfectly with a contour.  

This blusher retails for £18.00 and can be purchased at MAC stores or online.

Maybelline The Rocket Volum' Express Mascara

I've always loved thick and full lashes and I have to say that I am a huge fan of Maybelline mascaras with 'The Falsies' being my favourite. I purchased this a while back but only really discovered how great it was this month.

Although the wand looks like it would be really difficult to coat the lashes without making a mess, I actually found the mascara really easily to apply. The plastic bristles lengthens and adds volume to the lashes but most of all I loved the fact that with one coat the mascara gives a natural look to the lashes but with 2-3 coats you can achieve a more dramatic false lash effect.

You can pick this mascara up from Boots or Superdrug for around £7.99

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush

This is a recent addition to my collection of Real Techniques brushes and I have previously used the Stippling Brush and Buffing Brush to apply foundation but this brush is a winner hands down.

Compared to the other two, the Expert Face Brush is wider and more dense which beautifully blends and buffs my foundation seamlessly in no time at all and leaves me with a flawless finish. It also works well with cream blush too.  

I wish that I had discovered this brush sooner!

You can find the Real Techniques brushes in Boots or Superdrug and the Face Brush retails at £9.99

Revlon Colourburst Lip Butter in Sugar Frosting

I've worn this lip butter pretty much everyday of the whole month as it is so quick and easy to apply without the need for a mirror, is not at all sticky and feels really hydrating.

Sugar Frosting is a pale pink shade with a shimmer finish and is perfect on days where I just wanted a wash of colour on the lips. I found that the colour went well with different make-up looks and  the wear time is around the 2 hour mark which is to be expected from a lip balm.

You can pick the Revlon Lip Butters up from Boots or Superdrug for £7.99

The Body Shop Coconut Hand Cleanse Gel

I know I know, this is only a hand gel and it's not exciting, but I don't take much liking to the normal anti-bacterial gels which have a harsh scent. This one however, smells divine and leaves a beautiful sweet smell which isn't sickly! I found that it really came in handy throughout the month especially on those hotter days where I wanted to freshen up my hands.

You can purchase this from The Body Shop for £2.50/60ml

Simple Kind to Skin Purifying Cleansing Lotion and Soothing Facial Toner

I suffer from really sensitive and blemish prone skin and find it really difficult to use skincare products that wont irritate or break me out.

I have been using these products together and have found that over the last month these have worked wonders for my face and have changed my daily skin routine.

The Cleansing Lotion does exactly what it says, it made my skin feel really clean! There is no fragrance and when I use it all over my face including the eye area it did not sting in the slightest.

The Toner was also just as good and removed traces of make-up residue after using the Cleanser. I love that this product is alcohol free and doesn't strip away any natural oils but still tightens and refreshes the skin.

You can pick Simple products near enough everywhere but in Boots and Superdrug they retail for around £2.99/200ml

Bronze Goddess by Estee Lauder

Without a shadow of a doubt this perfume was my all time favourite of the month. I found myself spritzing this at every opportunity just so I could fall in love with it that little bit more, if that was even possible!

The scent just reminds you of summer and I have to say there is nothing else quite like it, it's pretty much holiday in a bottle. It has a very sweet smell of vanilla and coconut which I love in a perfume and because I love it that much I even purchased another bottle for when I run out!

This perfume is limited edition and is available every May retailing at £45/100ml

So there it is, a round-up of all my monthly favourites, hoped you enjoyed!

Thanks for reading!

Louise 

xxx