HOLIDAY BEAUTY ESSENTIALS

When you read this post, I'll be on holiday, hopefully basking in the sun and catching a nice tan to show off when I go back to sixth form, and of course that means it is warranted a dedicated post to the beauty products coming in my bag this year.

Of course, this is honestly in nearly all holiday posts I do, but it is the La Roche Posay Anthelios XL SPF50, a facial SPF I have used for the past year and a half above any others. Although my family don't tend to be as bothered about the world of skincare, I much prefer to buy myself a bottle of this to prevent breakouts and get a much more facially targeted protective base. The Burts Bees Lip Balm might be coming with me if I don't get the chance to get an SPF lip balm before we go away, but this will do if not, because I genuinely cannot stand the feeling of burnt lips. I don't think I've ever been sunburnt apart from on my lips, and I plan to keep it that way whilst minimising the latter too.

I've also got the Bourjois Bronzing Primer because my face is always slightly paler than the rest of my body when tanned, so this'll help even everything out for that. The last base item is the Benefit High Beam mini - not only the best for travelling, but also a super glowy and natural looking highlighter that'll look so nice in the evenings with a light base and some mascara, and the Rimmel Scandaleyes Shadow Paint in Golden Bronze - something a little more gold than I would usually go for but with a tan (you see how I've actually factored in a tan to each item?!)

Of course, I thought it'd be nice to have the option of a bright lip, and I chose the Wet n Wild Lipstick in Purty Persimmon. I mainly chose this because it is seriously long wearing - we are talking 8 hours or so, and I'll probably be eating at an almost constant rate on holiday, and paired with the summery coral red shade, this is the perfect option to take with me. On the theme of colour, I've also got the Illamasqua Nail Lacquer in Lament, a nearing neon pink but not too stand out, and one that'll be coveted on the fingers and toes this holiday.

What are your holiday essentials?

KIKO SMART LIPSTICKS

KIKO is a brand I don't own very much from, as I don't live in London, and I often don't want to make a full on order online, so KIKO products are very few and far between my ever growing makeup collection. I do own three of the Smart Lipsticks though, and I do love them.

The formula is quite creamy, and by no means matte on the lips, so not majorly long lasting, although for a slightly sheen-y product they do have pretty good staying power. I seem to have accumulated colours across the spectrum, and I'm fairly sure they are cheap (I'm talking around the £3 mark from what I remember).

908 is the true red, and surprisingly one of the only reds I have ever found to suit me. It's so so pigmented, and one coat has the lips ready to go almost, and I think the fact that it's slightly more glossy than a matte means I find it a little less 'bold' if you will.

912 is a medium pink, that has a slight red tone to it, so it isn't anything fuchsia here, and is one of the first bold lip colours I actually felt comfortable wearing. I'll also add, these smell pretty good, as I find a lot of lipsticks to smell too plasticy, whereas these are slightly sweet.

Finally 901, that I'd describe as a brown nude that is slightly peachy (quite a throwback shade I guess) and I really enjoy wearing this one on a daily basis, as the consistency and the colour is so wearable.

I hope to grow my collection of the KIKO Smart Lipsticks, but I don't know where to start! Do you have any colours from the collection?

WET N WILD LIP PRODUCTS

If there's one thing I have way too many of, make it lipsticks. In a recent trip to Florida I took advantage of the non-UK products and got myself a quartet from Wet n Wild, the majority of which I love.

I'll start with the one I don't wear very much, which is Think Pink (3rd Clockwise). It's too pale for me and just washes me out and looks too barbie, but it is a stunning colour for those who can pull it off.

Starting back from the top is my absolute favourite of them all, Purty Persimmon. A punchy orange red that I never would have guessed would suit me, but boy does it. This has quicky become my favourite bright lipstick and I often even reach for it more often than my nudes at the weekends - it really is a 'feel good' colour for me.

Another nice one from the same line is Mauve Outta Here, a subtle pink purple that appears slightly more plummy on the lips, but still everyday, neither too bright or dark. I really like the formula of these too, they are really thick and almost matte, and although it takes some work for application, the finish and lasting time as well as gorgeous colour wins me over time and time again.

From the Fergie Centre Stage collection is Ferguson Crest Cabernet. It has a more eccentric packaging and a glossier finish to the actual lipstick. This is a deep purple, reminding me slightly of MAC Rebel but a little lighter in colour (although it does show a little darker if layered on the lips) and I'm coming to terms with this one slowly but surely.

If you live in the US and want some budget friendly lipsticks, definitely go and check out the Wet n Wild stand, and have a browse among the endless colours.

ORLY VA VA VOOM

I think it's safe to say that in the summer, a lot of us enjoy a neon nail colour, whether just on the toes or the fingers as well, for that poolside looking pop of colour. When in TkMaxx recently I stumbled across the Orly Nail Lacquer in Va Va Voom for £2.99 and didn't even have to question whether or not to buy it.

It is a neon medium pink, as the picture would suggest, but isn't the most strikingly neon polish I have ever seen, so good for those who are undecided on the neon trend, but beware, it still it pretty bright. It has a semi matte finish as do the majority of neons do but with a topcoat you can't tell any difference (I find the slightly blue toned Ciaté Black Light Top Coat does the best job as it adds an intense glossy shine and the hint of blueness makes things look even more neon).

I can tell in Summers to come this will be a much loved polish in my collection, and will help me step away from the greige and pastel offerings I had been opting for beforehand...

EXPERIMENTAL EYES #2 - PINK AND GOLD

You might remember my first installment of 'experimental eyes' and today I'm here with part two, which is a bit more wearable and is a soft, almost quite romantic pink and gold look. I will add that my brows were not looking on point on the day and I can't help but gawp at them instead of focusing on the shadow, so apologies.

I started by using the Avon Eye Primer as per usual, and then took Shade 2 from the MUA Undressed Palette (a budget friendly look today) on the inner half of the lid to create a slightly pink sheen. Shade 4 (a pale brown/taupe shimmer) went over the rest of the lid with Shade 6 (quite comparable to Half Baked by Urban Decay) in the centre of the lid to add that golden sheen.

For the pink crease I began with Shade 5 as a warm matte brown base, and then took Crochet from the Sleek Lace Blush By Three, along with the pink from the H&M Spring Flowers Blush to transition it as it was a bit lighter in colour. I don't own any pink shadows so it's all about working with the products you own whether that be blushes, bronzers or something else. As usual I blended the outer edge with a touch of the Sleek Contour colour to give it a warm, seamless look and is pretty much foolproof.

I used the Barry M Blink Pen Liner to create a wing slightly less dramatic than shown in the previous look, but still fairly noticeable. I also used the same array of mascaras as the previous look, Soap and Glory Thick & Fast, followed by Sheercover Lash Fibres, then Too Faced Lashgasm - a bit of a creature of habit it seems (or maybe not considering I just put pink on my eyes). 

REVLON COLORBURST BALM STAINS

Since my early days of blogging, the Revlon Colorburst Balm Stains (previously known as the Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains) were a firm favourite of mine, with Honey even reaching a holy grail status at one point. I treated myself to a trio on my flight home from Madrid for £16 (bargain)  and so thought I would revisit them for a full review.

I have three shades; Sweetheart, Rendezvous and Honey, all of which have become staple colours for me. Sweetheart is a bright pink, one I will be getting a ton of use out of in the summer months, and Rendezvous is a classic orange colour that actually suits me really well and fulfills my wants of an orange lip colour. Honey is a classic neutral mauve pink colour, that if applied too generously can look a bit ancient but with experience you get the right balance.

The formula is what I love, they apply so easily to the lips, and I never have any trouble with bleeding or uneven fading. These really do stain, so when that slight glossiness (which can be blotted down if you aren't feeling the sheen) has faded, you are still left with the strong colour - even my holy grail eye makeup remover struggles to get this off my lips sometimes.

I am looking to get my mitts on the rest of the collection, as well as trying out the Matte and Lacquer offerings which I am leaving too late to purchase (note: must go to Boots), so that I can compare the formulas...