MONTHLY BEAUTY + LIFESTYLE FAVOURITES: JUNE 2017

Beauty products I’ve been loving in the month of June…

Eyes: It’s a pretty revolutionary moment when you find a mascara that just works for you. My monthly favourites wouldn’t be complete without an honorary mention for the Maybelline ‘Great Lash’ mascara. It lengthens my lashes, makes them fluttery and voluminous and is totally clump free. I love the wand too, it’s the perfect for size, especially for people like me with especially small eyes. It’s an absolute icon – give it a whirl.

Base: I’ve long since been a fan of pretty much all of the Pixi by Petra range. There was a time in the bloggersphere when everyone went mad for Pixi and I certainly joined in on the hype. My favourite product from the brand is the ‘Flawless and Poreless’ primer*. The smooth, creamy formula blends effortlessly into the skin and creates an even canvas on which you can apply foundation. The primer also blurs any uneven tones such as dark circles or redness which again saves time in the morning which would be spend on extra concealing or colour correcting.

Application: I must admit, I never quite got on with the original beauty blender sponges. I just can’t seem to get my hand eye co-ordination right with the whole ‘bouncing motion’ – though anybody who knows me in real life will know I have absolutely no rhythm in anything. When I was introduced to the MakeupDrop* I was hugely skeptical and the thought of bouncing a piece of silicone over my face to apply foundation kinda weirded me out.

The MakeupDrop is designed to eliminate wastage as only half a drop of foundation is needed in comparison to how much you need to use with a brush. I have to say I am absolutely blown away by it. I use it to blend my foundation in and build coverage – the finish is incredibly flawless. By using the curve of the MakeupDrop you can also create a killer contour. Not bad to say you’re essentially using a breast implant to put your slap on!

Face: A dewy glow isn’t just reserved for summer anymore, it is all about that 24-7 radiance. My favourite highlighter at the moment as the be the MUA ‘Undress Your Skin’ highlighter. The icy, pearl finish looks gorgeous when applied on top of the cheekbones for a ‘lit from within’ vibe without looking Instagram OTT.

This month has been hot, hot, hot and whilst I love a lil’ glow – I don’t love a shiny forehead quite as much. To tackle this, I have been calling upon the #Insta Fix + Matte translucent powder from Rimmel*. This is part of a new collection Rimmel have launched that I’ll be talking about in more detail next week. I use a fluffy, domed brush to apply the powder to my T-zone to make sure my skin stays matte.

Also from the range, is the 2-in-1 primer and setting spray* which I use as a setting mist after applying make-up. It gives it that dewy look whilst keeping your make-up look in place for a little longer than without using the setting spray. It’s also hella cooling -especially on hot days.

Life. TV. Music + More…

Netflix: I am around 2 years late on the hype, but Adam recently got me into watching Making A Murderer. It has been such a frustrating watch from start to finish and I find myself empathising greatly with Steven Avery. Whether he murdered Teresa Halbach, or not, there are so many problems with corrupt policing and the authorities that, the poor young woman’s stolen life becomes almost put irrelevant. I know a lot of extraneous factors were missed out of the film and it is heavily biased towards Steven’s side of the case, however, I personal don’t think that Steven Avery murdered Teresa – I think he was set up. Have you watched Making a Murderer? What do you think?

Reading: I am currently reading, ‘Lean In’ by Sheryl Sandberg. The book, which is written by the chief operating officer of Facebook, illustrates what women can do in the workplace to help their careers and personal development. It fell into my reading list after the director of the division I work in lent it to me to read following my promotion – I have found myself nodding along with it profusely – especially at the parts where Sheryl talks about women’s confidence in the workplace and how women who are driven and passionate tend to be positioned as ‘bossy’ or ‘not a nice person.’ If you’re a self confessed or aspiring #girlboss definitely pick it up and give it a read.

I also found this piece from the original Girl Boss about intuitive eating, very interesting. I don’t have the right mindset for the gym and I pretty much eat what I want, with the detriment to my hips and lower stomach I should add. The article highlights how above all else, listen to your body for what it needs. Looking and feeling good doesn’t have to mean a restrictive diet or a forcefully unhealthy relationship with food.

Listening: I was listening to Zadie Smith’s desert island discs episode one rainy afternoon when I was crawling along the motorway. There is something about Zadie’s voice that I find very calming. I like what she had to say about her parents and her adolescent self. For anybody who hasn’t heard of Zadie, she is a writer, probably best known for her award-winning novel ‘White Teeth’ which she penned at the tender age of 19. Throughout the programme Zadie also picked out some banging tunes for her playlist – including ‘Pop Life’ by Prince which made its way onto my June playlist.

June in reflection: Like most people, I have been truly horrified and shocked at recent events in the UK including the horrific Grenfell Tower disaster and the barbaric London Bridge terror attacks. I am also genuinely baffled by the outcome of the general election (Though elated at the turn out for young people) and slightly terrified at the repercussions of Teresa May forming a government with the DUP who are anti abortion and anti LGBT rights. However, out of darkness, came Ariana Grande’s ‘One Love’ concert which was an absolute triumph, not only for the city of Manchester – but for the nation…Still think Noel should have done his bit though. #justsayin’.

What have you been loving this month?

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*Post contains gifted items