When I think 'Summer', I think BRIGHT and colourful. I recall glowy skin, fluffy brows and glossy lips. Days get longer and hair gets lighter, and so I've traded my border-line-black locks for a caramel ombre look using the L'Oreal Paris Preference Wild Ombre Intense 104 hair dye. Honestly, I've always been waaaaaay too nervous to take the plunge and go fully blonde, but I still wanted to embrace the summer vibes and go lighter, so keeping darker shades around my face which then fades to a lighter shade has transitioned me without pushing too far out of my comfort zone. The kit comes with a little plastic brush, which you apply the hair dye to and brush through the ends of your hair. I found it easy to use and, because it was a much lighter dye than what I was used to, I didn't worry as much about staining anything. After washing the dye off and drying, I was surprised to find that it didn't look blocky and that I was actually left with a smooth transition. For a first timer, this product made it so easy to experiment with ombre styles, and it was a hell of a lot cheaper than going to the hair dressers. The kit was only £7.99 from Superdrug and, even though I've got long hair, I only needed the one box as I wasn't covering my entire head.
In terms of makeup, I've been living for the Beauty Bay EYN Bright palette (the one with a few shimmers). For just £23, you get 42 vibrant shades, perfect for creating an array of rainbow-inspired looks. I opted for the palette with a few shimmers to really test out the EYN formulas, and I have to say that on the whole, I'm pretty impressed. The mattes in particular blend like butter and the pigment is just so there. The shimmers are perhaps a little dry so they take a bit more work to get the colour payoff, but it's nothing a bit of fixing spray on your makeup brush or finger tip won't fix. Thanks to the Jeffree Star Blue Blood palette, I've been seeing blue eyeshadow EVERYWHERE and I'm so here for it. I used to associate blue shadow with the kind of cheap kids makeup you'd get and swipe across your lids for a year 6 disco, but I've since rediscovered my love for the blue hues, and this palette allows me to recreate a lot of the Blue Blood looks. STEP AWAY FROM THE BROWN EYESHADOW and experiment with a pop of colour on the lash line, a bold liner or a full-blown rainbow sweep for summer 2019. Think festival makeup. Think colour in all the wrong places. A bright green inner corner? Hot orange hues on the cheeks? Neon lips? Why the hell not.
For skin, think shimmer and glow. I've been using the Technic High Lights liquid highlighter, which is such a great dupe for the Benefit High Beam. It's blinding, blendable and a little goes a long way so the product will last you all summer. For a natural look, tap onto the high points of your face with your fingers and blend with a beauty sponge for a soft glow without foundation, or for a more dramatic look, apply your foundation and powders as you like, spritz your face with a fixing mist (I've been loving the I Heart Revolution Coconut and Vanilla Fixing Spray - it doesn't quite SET your face but it's perfect to hydrate your skin and prime for liquid products) and then tap on the liquid highlighter, again blending with a sponge and set with a powder highlighter for extra impact.
Let's talk lips. I seem to have moved further and further away from a matte lip, trading it for a glossy look. I've been using the Sleek Lip Shot Lip Gloss (if you didn't already know, Sleek lip products are fiiiiiiire) in the shade Plot Twist. The lip shots are pigmented as well as glossy so they're the perfect transition from a full-coverage matte lip to a gloss and they actually last pretty well on the lips. They retail for just £4.99 on the Sleek website and in Boots so they're an absolute steal. For even more gloss, I've been using the Soap and Glory Sexy Mother Pucker lip gloss, which leaves a weird, tingly sensation on my lips but definitely makes them look juicier.
In terms of accessories, I've been experimenting more with headbands, like the burgundy knot front headband from Pretty Little Thing. It's affordable, comfortable to wear, and adds a little more to your outfit. I've also been loving the scrunchie sets from Primark in all the different colours and patterns, and they're only £2 for a 3-pack! I'm not much a of a jewellery/accessory kind of girl but these little details have added a bit more colour to my life without having to put too much thought into it.
So that's all of the beauty trends I've been loving so far this summer! Bright eyes, shimmery skin and a glossy lip is my absolute go-to, what's your favourite summer looks for 2019?
In terms of makeup, I've been living for the Beauty Bay EYN Bright palette (the one with a few shimmers). For just £23, you get 42 vibrant shades, perfect for creating an array of rainbow-inspired looks. I opted for the palette with a few shimmers to really test out the EYN formulas, and I have to say that on the whole, I'm pretty impressed. The mattes in particular blend like butter and the pigment is just so there. The shimmers are perhaps a little dry so they take a bit more work to get the colour payoff, but it's nothing a bit of fixing spray on your makeup brush or finger tip won't fix. Thanks to the Jeffree Star Blue Blood palette, I've been seeing blue eyeshadow EVERYWHERE and I'm so here for it. I used to associate blue shadow with the kind of cheap kids makeup you'd get and swipe across your lids for a year 6 disco, but I've since rediscovered my love for the blue hues, and this palette allows me to recreate a lot of the Blue Blood looks. STEP AWAY FROM THE BROWN EYESHADOW and experiment with a pop of colour on the lash line, a bold liner or a full-blown rainbow sweep for summer 2019. Think festival makeup. Think colour in all the wrong places. A bright green inner corner? Hot orange hues on the cheeks? Neon lips? Why the hell not.
For skin, think shimmer and glow. I've been using the Technic High Lights liquid highlighter, which is such a great dupe for the Benefit High Beam. It's blinding, blendable and a little goes a long way so the product will last you all summer. For a natural look, tap onto the high points of your face with your fingers and blend with a beauty sponge for a soft glow without foundation, or for a more dramatic look, apply your foundation and powders as you like, spritz your face with a fixing mist (I've been loving the I Heart Revolution Coconut and Vanilla Fixing Spray - it doesn't quite SET your face but it's perfect to hydrate your skin and prime for liquid products) and then tap on the liquid highlighter, again blending with a sponge and set with a powder highlighter for extra impact.
Let's talk lips. I seem to have moved further and further away from a matte lip, trading it for a glossy look. I've been using the Sleek Lip Shot Lip Gloss (if you didn't already know, Sleek lip products are fiiiiiiire) in the shade Plot Twist. The lip shots are pigmented as well as glossy so they're the perfect transition from a full-coverage matte lip to a gloss and they actually last pretty well on the lips. They retail for just £4.99 on the Sleek website and in Boots so they're an absolute steal. For even more gloss, I've been using the Soap and Glory Sexy Mother Pucker lip gloss, which leaves a weird, tingly sensation on my lips but definitely makes them look juicier.
In terms of accessories, I've been experimenting more with headbands, like the burgundy knot front headband from Pretty Little Thing. It's affordable, comfortable to wear, and adds a little more to your outfit. I've also been loving the scrunchie sets from Primark in all the different colours and patterns, and they're only £2 for a 3-pack! I'm not much a of a jewellery/accessory kind of girl but these little details have added a bit more colour to my life without having to put too much thought into it.
So that's all of the beauty trends I've been loving so far this summer! Bright eyes, shimmery skin and a glossy lip is my absolute go-to, what's your favourite summer looks for 2019?