Getting Beach Ready

Whether you are planning a trip abroad somewhere hot this summer or just hanging out in your garden enjoying the British summer I have got the must haves covered...

The Bikini - There are so many different styles on the high street this summer, from high waisted vintage inspired numbers to the classic triangle style, I have picked up a few sets to last me through my trip away at the end of June. The first is a high waisted duo from River Island, the shape is very fifties with a contrasting modern pattern that gives this bikini a unique look. This shade of blue will flatter so many different skin tones and the shape really helps to create an hourglass figure. If this has too much material for you then try Boohoo, I found this adorable nautical inspired triangle bikini with tie up sides and neck, there is no denying this is for the braver gals out there as this style shows a lot of skin - but it is great for getting maximum tan! H&M have a lovely summer swimwear selection in at the moment, I chose this bronze set with rose gold beads, the top is super comfortable and gives great support, and this design comes in a range of colours so it is easy to mix and match tops and bottoms to create a more unique set.

Kimonos have been really big this year, and I think summer will see the trend continue to flourish, these are perfect for wearing with a bikini on the beach, they come in so many different patterns and fabrics it is really easy to find one that suits your style, I went for the River Island Kimono in purple, it looks wonderfully oriental and is nice and long so has a real bohemian vibe.

My beach must haves as far as products go are fairly minimal, keep hair and make up simple and be bold with nail polish, I love bright summer shades like Essie's Tart Deco and Style Hunter or anything from the Models Own Hedkandi or Polish for Tans collections. Speaking of tans I like to be a little bronzed on the beach so to give my tan a head start I use the Cocoa Brown One Hour Tan, this is super quick to apply, sinks in well and gives a lovely natural, long lasting shade.

So there are my tips on getting beach ready, what are some of yours?

The One Hour Tan

I recently posted about a few of my favourite tanning products, but you may have read it and thought 'there is nothing here for a quick fix' and I here you.. sometimes we need to tan quickly, none of this going to bed and waking up glowing. Enter the one hour tan, yes you read that right the Cocoa Brown tanning mouse takes just one hour to work its magic. After seeing several rave reviews about this and being a big tanning fan I thought I ought to try it out, I mean this could be the end of stained pajamas and bed sheets. And did I mention it retails at £7.99?

Now I have to say when the product says one hour it does depend how dark you want the tan to be. The product description advises that for a light tan leave on for one hour, two hours for a medium tan and three hours for an ultra dark tan, now I initially went for two hours but ended up leaving it on for three, after which I washed off with water, no soap allowed, and was left looking suitably bronzed. I think three hours was the right shade for me, it was natural looking and unlike other bargain tanning mouses I have tried it doesn't have a funny undertone to it, it also smells reasonably nice. As with most tanning mouses you apply this to clean dry skin using a mitt, as advised I exfoliated and moisturized before hand for optimum results. I have found this tan fades naturally too and because it is such a quick thing to apply it is so easy to top your tan up.

So how does it compare to my holy grail Xen-Tan? I think the overall colour and longevity is very similar, and it takes half the time to achieve your desired colour. I think I may have found a new favourite....

Oh I Wish I Had a Suntan, I Wish I Had a Pizza and a Bottle of Wine

Over the past few months my tanning routine has taken abit of a backseat in my beauty regime, but now the sun is back and so is the tan. After running out of Xen-Tan Dark Lotion Absolute Luxe Ultra Dark I replaced it with a St Moritz Mouse just in case I need a little extra glow for a night out, but nothing really compared to the Xen-Tan so I may have made a cheeky Feel Unique purchase. What I love about this self tan is that it is the nicest colour, not at all orange and it doesn't have the green tinge to it that St Moritz does, it's a true sun tan colour making it by far the most natural looking one I have tried. This is described as a weekly tan and as long as you have exfoliated and moisturized before hand I think it lasts a whole week, when it does eventually fade it does it gracefully and by that I mean you don't end up looking like you have some sort of skin disease.

Now you may be thinking that the Xen-Tan is just too much for you, so if you like to keep things just a little more subtle then I have the product for you, a gradual tanner like Garnier Summer Body allows you to be in control of how dark you go, just use this as a moisturiser, making sure you apply evenly and wash those hands afterwards and you will look perfectly bronzed. If after one use you have achieved your desired shade then your good to glow, not quite tanned enough? Just use again the day after to build on what you have already applied. As far as gradual tanning lotions go this is bar far the best I have tried, it leaves the skin feeling nourished and soft as well as providing a beautiful tan.

Are you more of a gradual tanning gal or is it mitts at the ready??

'He's a Rebel and he'll never ever be any good'

 

This tinted moisturiser 'You Rebel' by Benefit Cosmetics has been in my make up stash for ages! It's a product that I have used a lot but for some reason has fallen out of my daily make up routine. I think I had replaced this for something with fuller coverage, however now the weather is lovely I don't want my face to have much product on it so I've dug this back out. 

Obviously being a tinted moisturiser this does have little coverage, it is enough to even out my skin tone and adds a little sun protection with SPF 15. This product comes in only two colours, and 'You Rebel' is the darkest of the two so I'm not sure the shade range is going to suit everybody. 

This, along with a little concealer is the perfect 'no make up' make up, it does give my skin a nice glow so if you have slightly oily skin you may need a little powder. It also has great staying power so keeps you looking great all day. Compared to some other tinted moisturiser products this one is a tad more expensive at £24.50 in boots, I do think it is worth the extra pennies for the quality of the product, and as I said I have had this a while now and think I still have a third of the tube left (with a few squeezes!!!) 

Are you a fan of 'You Rebel' and Benefit?