Hello there! Today I thought I'd share with you what I'm currently slapping on my face during the Summer months (although, I'm using the word Summer pretty lightly because, well, the UK hasn't exactly been blessed with much sun this year has it...). However, I went to Greece recently and got a bit of a tan, so I have transitioned my base makeup into some sort of bronzey, glowy goodness. Heres what I've been loving!...
FOUNDATION/PRIMER - In terms of foundation, when I have a natural tan I don't bother too much with it, I just stick to some concealer & bronzer and thats it really. However, when I've wanted more coverage I've been reaching for this Healthy Mix Serum foundation from Bourjois, as its light and gives a dewy finish. For nights out I've been using my trusty Estee Lauder Double Wear as it stays on all night & gives flawless coverage. Primer wise - I'll always use the L'oreal Blur Cream as I have hideous pores on my nose and this does the job in smoothing them over. I've also added the L'oreal Lumi Magique base primer to my routine as its really glowy & I'll sometimes mix it into my foundation as well. For powder, I tend to just put a little bit in the T zone and leave it at that as I don't want my skin to look too matte, I've been using the L'oreal Nude Magique BB powder.
BRONZER/CONTOUR/BLUSH - This is quickly becoming one of my favourite products! L'oreal recently came out with their cushion foundation & alongside it came the bronzer version. As you can see, its a sponge filled with cream product and I've been wearing it none stop. The colour is so beautiful, even if you haven't got a tan, this will give you such a natural colour that it looks like you have one anyway! I've heard its a dupe for the Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel Bronze Universal, which I've been dying to try but this is amazing and a third of the price! I've been using it with a buffing brush or a beauty blender, both work really well. It's packed full of product so a little goes a long way, but even if you do end up going over board, it blends out seamlessly so any mistakes can just be blended away!
I've also been using the L.A. Girl Pro Conceal in Beautiful Bronze to carve out my non existent cheekbones and for powder bronzer, my holy grail Hoola by Benefit and The Balms Bahama Mama, this is more cool toned and is good for creating that contour shadow! Oh and for blusher I've been using the Max Factor Cream Puff blusher in "Lavish Mauve", this has a tiny bit of sparkle to it and gives a nice flush of colour to the cheeks.
CONCEALER - I've been using the Maybelline Fit Me concealer, another high end dupe I sought out after hearing it compares to the Nars Radiant Creamy concealer which I love. It gives great coverage without being cakey, the consistency is so light but blends and covers amazingly! I've also been using a lighter concealer to highlight with, and this one is actually from Aldi! Not somewhere I would think of for makeup, but I remember reading about it being similar to YSL Touche Eclat (this is turning into an unintentional "dupe for high end products" post!). Its light and brings a nice radiance to your under eyes/high points of the face.
HIGHLIGHT - I've been using either The Balm Mary Lou Manizer or a highlighting stick from Topshop, or for an even more intense glow, both together! Using a cream highlight under a powder one intensifies it, as does spraying setting spray and then applying your powder highlight just before it sets into your face and is a little bit dewy on the skin still. Topshop have some amazing highlighters and I've used this one for years! It looks sooo beautiful on, with it being a cream product it makes you just look like you're glowing from within. Mary Lou is more on the I-want-you-to-see-my-highlighter-from-space side, but I'm okay with that, because its so gorgeous.
So, thats pretty much it! Obviously, I don't wear all these products at once but these are what I've been using for the past couple of months since I've not been my usual pale self. I feel like when Summer comes around I'm much more into cream products and all that glowy goodness.
My tan is fading now *le cry* but I'm off to Greece again on Friday so I get to top it up!
Corina X
