Holiday Sun Protection Favourites

You may know I just got back from my holiday in sunny Spain just last week.

Let me tell you, reality kicks straight back in! haha

But my weeks break in the sun really was what I needed, just to clear my head, relax and think about NOTHING! Yes we all need it.

I knew I needed that break just before wedding season really kicks in at the end of May!

I thought the perfect post to kick start back into May for you all was my 'Holiday Sun Protection Favourite' 

To be quite honest we all just go to our closest Boots store and grab our usual sun protection from 8-50+ but we don't really think about the other factors of what a suncream really does for our skin for every minute of that sun exposure.

Yes protection in NUMBER 1 on the list to why we need this but this year I decided to really put more focus into what I wanted from my tan and the feel of my skin.

LANCASTER!

Have you heard of this sun care brand?

'Prepare, protect and prolong your tan, with or without the sun' 

Doesn't that sound too good to be true!

Well my first usage of this was a face cream which I purchased for my holidays last year as I don't like using the same cream for my face and body just due to the ingredients in a body cream is very different to one focused for the face only.

I used to break out horribly from these body creams on my face, and a mix of sweat of course.

So i brought Lancaster Face Protection learning from my beauty experience that this brand is focussed on - 

- Overall Sun Protection 

- Gaining a sun kissed, healthy, even tan by helping release the melanin to a higher surface of the skin

- UVA (Prevention of lines and wrinkles - A is for Ageing)

- UVB (Prevention to burning rays - B is for Burning)

- Infrared Technology (Goes deeper than UVA & UVB as it helps keep the skins firmness and elasticity - which is proven that to much sun exposure makes skin feel and appear loose as time goes on)

I have literally never found a brand with such beneficial factors, so I knew I needed to experiment with more!

I want to explain to you what factor i used and how the products felt on my skin throughout my holiday.

Lancaster Sun Beauty 

Velvet Touch Cream - Radiant Tan for the Face 

SPF 30

From using this cream last year it never failed me a second time around! 

In fact I hadn't brought a new tube this was purely half full from last year so I may as well use it again.

For a SPF 30 this face cream is not as thick as you may expect, as soon as its applied and worked into the skin it soon sinks in leaving a smooth, non-sticky finish.

This product is a silky texture which glides on and thoroughly protects this skin as I have not had any Burning issues when using this face protector as I used to always seem to burn my forehead where I pull my hair up out of the face and a popular nose burn like lots of people seem to get. 

Which does not look nice with ANY makeup over the top!! haha

Lancaster Sun Beauty 

Melting Tanning Milk 

SPF 15 

Now this one was a new-be, I have never used a Lancaster body cream before now and let me just say, i will NEVER by any other!

My skin was constantly smooth, silky and baby soft throughout my whole holiday!

Usually i can get quite dry with the sun drying out on my legs and elbows always seem to harden up when i go away, but using this beauty my skin contained so much moisture and hydration it makes me want to wear its everyday!

Infact I really am tempted to moisturise in this haha! 

The texture was finer than the face cream but thick enough to feel protected and moisturised.

I had the 400ml bottle just because it was a better price than buying a small one, when i know I'm going on holiday again in a few months so i knew it would last me.

I would say i used around 100ml so I have plenty left and proves i didnt need to use so much.

I on average applied suncream over my whole body 3x in a day.

Which really may be recommend 3-4 time a day to keep the highest protection, but I sure am a sun goddess, and was soaking it up every minute of the day.

And again i didnt burn ANYWHERE in the whole week i was there!!!

I would highly recommend this amazing sun cream to anyone going away.

Lancaster Sun Beauty 

After Sun Tan Maximiser 

For Face and Body

This product I have brought for the past year every time I've been a way.

After a shower in the evening there is nothing worse than no aftersun and leaving your body to feel dry and dehydrated so of course I purchased a new bottle of this as I really did want to buy all the products so that I could reap the benefits of this brand.

Yes it worked!

I came home with a lovely warm, sun kissed tan with my healthy yellow undertones leaving my skin nicely tanned and even.

This product is described to be used after sun exposure and when you get back from your holidays to pro-long  your sun tan and keep it long lasting even when back in rainy england.

I think I read or heard around a month of prolonged tan when sticking to using it, so I'm still applying this after every shower.

The aftersun, is a lightweight texture so it does not feel thick when you apply or after it has soaked in which can be a hit or miss for some people depending on what they prefer.

I actually really like it as i do love apply body oils on my skin throughout the week so they really went hand in hand.

One thing i will say is the smell of this product is quite a sting, prominent, musky smell in my opinion but once it has soaked into the skin the smell does fade, so you can easily apply fragrance over.

But again I have always seen a difference with my tan and how long it lasts when using this is the past.

Im just hoping it will be even better now i used the suncream with it on my holidays too.

Last but not least

BURTS BEES LIP WAX 

Ok so this one does not contain any SPF but i grabbed this last minute for my packing as my lips were so dry and chapped before i went away and I do love a lip balm or crayon around the pool in the day to keep them moisturised.

I absolublty LOVED this lip wax, it was honey and peppermint, which was so refreshing and my lips became smooth and hydrated through the holiday.  Im still using this now, although i do love a good lipstick everyday back at home but it still works under or over any lip colour.
You can also get this in different types such as Coconut, Pomegranate, Strawberry and many more.

Have you tried any of these products on your holidays?

Or are you now curious to try these products yourself?

Stay tuned for next weeks blog post on 'May Holidays Favourite Makeup Products'

Love Sophie x

ISSUE: Preventing Your Makeup From Creasing

If you follow me on Facebook you may have seen my recent question that I asked…
'Do you struggle with one area of your makeup? If so what is it?'

Your feedback was a great, and there was a huge variety which was a good and a bad thing for me to help with haha but gives me a hell of a lot more blog posts to write up.
So I decided to start off with this issue first… Preventing you Makeup from Creasing.

Many of you have the issue with under eye creasing, especially when your wanting to keep that dewy effect.
First off, you may thing of the obvious thing… Primers and yes this is number one on my list too.

1. Prime
Be sure that with anything you do on your face/eyes that you have a primer underneath. They really do smooth out any unevenness you may have, prepare a base for following products and hold the product for longer.
(Your under eye primer will be classed as you face primer and there is no product directed to that area only)

2. Prepare your eyes with a easily absorbing eye cream.
A key tip to creating flawless under eye concealer. As many of our eyes are actually dehydrated and we don't even know it.
So by using a eye cream before applying our makeup will hydrate the area so that our makeup does not sit in any lines or dryness around the area.
(Also if you are in a rush to let the eye cream absorb, just blot the area with tissue after you apply to take away the excess)

3. Add drops of oil to your concealer
Some concealers are very drying and hard, so scraping the product our and mixing with a drop of facial oil with loosen the product and help sink into the skin more.
My favourite Facial oil…

4. Use fingers not brushes!
By all means apply the concealer with a brush if you directing at certain areas but for a setting finish and and even coverage press the product with your fingers. The warmth of your skin will help dissolve the product more smoother and prevent the creasing issue.

5. Choose lightweight formulas & less product
One we can easily get wrong is buying thick concealers just because we think it will cover better, well thats where your wrong as everything is buildable, but knowing how much we need is another issue. 
So don't over do it and 2 layers is usually enough for everybody. 
You don't want a caked under eye.

6. Avoid to much powder
Again its all about building your coverage and not going OTT too soon. 
Sweep your fluffy brushes lightly under your eyes until you have fully set the concealer

7. Blot
A underrated trick now days is blotting your skin. Most popular for oily skin types to control the oils through the day but using these little sheets under the eyes also has the same impact.

My go to under eye concealer which actually contains many of my tips is of course the Body Shop 'All in One Concealer' which comes in 5 shades.
'Our all-in-one concealer is lightweight yet hardworking, camouflaging imperfections and bags with an easy to blend formula. Infused with vitamin E and Community Trade Marula oil , choose from one of the 5 shades for long wearing, silky-smooth coverage.'

Do you have trouble with your makeup creasing?
Give these tips a go and see if I have your cure!

Love Sophie xxx 

REVIEW: Burberry 'Dusky Pink' Lip Velvet Lipstick

You may all know that I went on a mini holiday/city break to the BEAUTIFUl Barcelona.
All I can say is this was an amazing experience to what I'm used to when I go away on summer holidays.
Just due to the fact that a city is all about exploring and sight seeing such an interesting place.
5 days was just enough, we literally did and saw everything, including a bike ride and walking 25,000 steps per day!! Calves were in agony.

But I'm back to reality and was straight back to weddings on the saturday, good job i love my job :D

Of course whilst I was in Barcelona we went shopping at the Cantalunya area with all the luxury designer boutiques.
I really wanted to tray myself to some sort of accessory like new shoes or a handbag, but i didnt fall in love with any that afternoon. Then my eyes were drew to the Burberry Makeup stand in their boutique.

I couldn't help myself but to buy their latest Spring 2017 Velvet Lipstick.
In shade 'Dusky Pink - no.406'
For Spring Makeup Trends this year is big for the dusky rose shades with a grey undertone.
I had already discovered VB for Estee Lauder as her lip colour was pretty similar with the grey undertone, that I was thinking about going back for but of course Burberry pipped the post!


Look at this beauty!

You didnt think i just got a tube of lipstick in its packaging right?

Oh no, it came in its own little cylinder box, gift wrapped in a Burberry bag.

Im paying for the little things, i know, but how could I resist.

Burberrys Lip Velvet range are their most pigmented lipsticks, giving the most colour pay offs than the others.

Im one for the deep pigments as I want to see the colour on the lips and it not just look sheer and invisible, so I knew I wanted this range.

Burberry claims these lipsticks to be;

• Discover the modern way to wear matte, inspired by the most opulent of English fabrics.

• The richly pigmented lip colour glides on effortlessly, delivering a creamy, soft-matte finish with elegant and bold full coverage in one stroke. The light-as-air, comfortable-wear lipstick delivers defined shape and continuous colour with a lasting velvet finish.

• – One-stroke full coverage

• – Creamy, soft-matte texture

• – Non-drying formula

All that is bang on.
I love the creamy formula and the soft matte finish that this lipstick gives to a look.
However lots of matte lipsticks dry quite hard and dry on the lips which causes to flake throughout the day whereas this one stays creamy.

The gorgeous packaging has a magnetic seal on the lipstick top and comes with the classic burberry textured fabric printed on the lipstick and the casing.

All I can say is go out there and treat yourself! 
Im temped to get one of the 'Liquid Lip Velvets' next in the striking 'Bright Crimson' which is like a neon coral, I wish i got both now…
I can see this being my go to summer lip for sure!!