Wow!
July is here and the school holidays beckon, signalling the start of summer! The weather has been improving, thus heralding in what will hopefully be a spectacular summer season!
Over the past 6 months I have been trying and testing a number of products and services and here is my short list of my top 5 ‘must haves’ for the impending summer months:
1. ‘Grapsicle’ lipstick from the Fashion Fair Carnival Collection.
Fashion Fair UK launched the delightfully titled ‘Carnival Collection*’ earlier this year. It received a rapturous reception and was featured in the mainstream press and was reviewed by many bloggers and vloggers, including the YouTube sensational duo that is PixiWoo!
The collection consists of six luxurious eye shadows created with high-intensity pigments and six fabulous lipsticks (which are named above), that are enriched with vitamins and emollients to soften lips. Out of all of the items in the collection, I have fallen in love with the Grapsicle lipstick…maybe because it reminds me of sunny days drinking a Jamaican staple..
…if you know, you know!! #teamJA
…I love this vibrant plum shade, which is bright enough for a sunnier climate and works well with my skin tone! Who says plums have to be relegated to Autumn/Winter??!! I add a slick of the Maybelline Color Elixir in Raspberry Rhapsody* on top to make the colour really pop!
2. Special Edition Virgin Mojito Body Care* range by The Body Shop When the press release for this range landed in my inbox, I was more intrigued that anything else…does anyone REALLY want to smell like a cocktail?? But as the old adage goes, you can’t knock something until you have tried it, so I was sent the range to give it a whirl! I tested the shower gel, the body sorbet – a light moisturiser and the body splash – a refreshing scent. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised – yes, it does smell authentic like the famous cocktail but no, one does not end up smelling like a boozy bar in Ibiza at 6 am in the morning! This range is actually perfect for a holiday, as depicted by the fun graphic featuring a bronzed #brownbeauty with her beautiful kinks! Get ready for your vacation with a course of laser hair removal sessions suitable for all skin tones (find out more here) and be sure to pack this range in your suitcase!
3. The perfect summer mani/pedi at Nails & Brows After collaborating with Sherrille Riley and the fabulous Nails &Brows salon for the March Keziah CONNECTIONS event, I decided to bite the bullet and remove my acrylic nails after wearing them for over 4 years! As stated in a previous post, Sherille is a champion for the natural nail and I felt that if anyone could make this transition as smooth as possible, it would be the Nails & Brows team! I had several treatments* to make the transition. Firstly, the acrylic was removed using the foil method, which is kinder to the nail and nail bed…
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…my nails were not in too bad a condition, however they were quite thin as a result of the continuous acrylic application process, so Sherille suggested that I have the IBX system treatment before the application of the colour.
The IBX system is a two-step process, in which a strengthening solution is applied to clean nails, encouraged to penetrate with heat, then the application is repeated and cured with UV light. It’s completely invisible afterwards, but continues to work inside the nail to create a ‘supportive scaffolding’.
My nails were then topped off with the CND Shellac polish in Electric Orange!
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I visited the salon again after the initial soak off, where the IBX system treatment was repeated and I can definitely see that the new growth of my nail is regaining its thickness and strength. I cannot recommend this treatment and the service a Nail & Brows more highly!
4. Upping the protection with Ultrasun I have written on many an occasion about the need for us #brownbeauties to protect our skin from the sun and UV rays but I have recently upped my protection game by wearing nothing less that an SPF 30 on a daily basis! I was sent a selection of products from the Ultrasun collection to try and I do recommend the Face* protection cream. Made in Switzerland, the product is light and easily absorbed, it is fragrance free and most importantly it does not leave a white film on my brown skin! Ultrasun’s USP is that the company specifically formulates the products to be suitable for sensitive skin types, so if you have had problems using other high protection SPF creams in the past, this product maybe just for you!
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5. IDAN Oil* by LIHA Beauty
Created by two friends Abi and Liha, this boutique brand fuses African inspiration with a medley of natural ingredients and a dash of British panache.
I won’t go into too much of what the company is about just yet – as I will be featuring the dynamic duo in my MYOB series very soon…but I couldn’t compile my summer short list with the inclusion of this brand!
The IDAN oil (Idan is Youraba for ‘magic’) is an absolutely sublime product. Wild crafted, cold pressed coconut oil is infused with Tuberose (of which I am a massive fan), the main flower used to scent this product.
The oil can be used on the hair, face, nails and body and as it is solid at room temperature, must be warmed in the shower to liquefy. The heat of the oil on your skin upon application adds an additional level of pleasure when using this product! Slather this all over before an evening out on a balmy summers night!
*pr samples
