How the weather can change in a short space of time. I took these photos just over 2 weeks ago, it was so warm and sunny. I have been in Scotland for the past 11 days & I think we have gone straight to winter. I am hoping that like last year in Cornwall October is beautiful and warm, like an Indian Summer, fingers crossed because I’m not prepared for it to be this wet & windy.
Cornwall is really beautiful in Autumn as the leaves change colour and the sunsets are more intense, so it’s not all bad news. There is something I find romantic about having a walk along the beach when the weather is rotten, getting all wrapped up and braving the cold.
As I said a couple of weeks ago we were in the middle of a heatwave, our local village is beautiful and when the weather is good we very rarely venture any further afield. I am sad to say that the beach bar has closed now for another year, which is sad but it was so much fun whilst it was there.
I did discover the cutest farm shop in the back of a horse box, they are over in Porth most Sunday’s and have a great selection of fruit & veg, I also bought some artisan bread (I couldn’t resist that warm bread scent).
Are you excited for the change in seasons, are you more of an Autumnal person? I think I am, but that might be because my birthday is in October and I’m excited to be heading to Amsterdam to celebrate this year.
ESPA recently released their Naturally Radiant Tinted Moisturiser & I knew it would be right up my street. Incase you don’t know, ESPA have over 450 spas in 50 countries and have developed a range of spa quality products, which they use in all their spas. Their products are also available online and in high street stores like Harvey Nichols and John Lewis. So you can use their spa quality products at home.
This new Tinted Moisturiser is available in four shades and has SPF15.
I’ve been trying out the two lightest shades and I can get away with both of them but at the moment I prefer the lightest shade which is 01 Nude*. It has cool undertones and is quite a fair colour, I think it is the perfect match for me. The shade 02 Blush* has peachy pink undertones is slightly too dark for me right now but come July this will be a really good match.
For my everyday makeup I like to keep it simple and for want of a better expression go for the ‘no makeup makeup look’. I like my skin to look as natural as possible and find that tinted moisturisers & BB creams are my go to base. They’re a nice alternative to foundation and this new release from ESPA is just perfect. Not only does it provide sheer coverage but it also includes these skin benefits too,
Sunflower Seed Concentrate to hydrate and strengthen the skin
White Lupin to powerfully increase elasticity and skin firmness
Spruce Knot Extract helps to prevent the skin from free radical damage
Shea Butter and Hyaluronic acid helps to lock in moisture for all day hydration
UVA and UVB sun filters are enhanced with Argan, Vitamin E and Chamomile Extract to provide SPF 15 protection
The product feels lightweight, moisturising, silky and easy to blend into the skin, I used a pea sized amount for my whole face & that was enough product. It give my skin a lovely fresh natural glow, it has a radiant dewy finish and would be gorgeous for the warmer months. I found I needed to use a concealer around my nose and on a few stubborn blemishes just for a little extra coverage. I do like how the tinted moisturiser let my freckles show through and just gave me that added glow and warmed up my complexion. I didn’t have to powder but I think as the weather gets a little warmer I would have to add that step just to stop my forehead & chin area getting shiny (as I would with any base product).
If you’re looking for a tinted moisturiser which will give you a natural, radiant glow to the skin then this is for you. It wears well and doesn’t oxidise throughout the day and is also fragrance free and like I said has SPF15.
Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own.
If you didn’t know, You Beauty Discovery offer Limited Edition Boxes throughout the year & they tend to have a theme. I have tried a few now & loved everyone of them. The one I am reviewing today is aimed at getting your body Summer Ready, so ideal if you’re heading off somewhere beachy on your summer holiday. These boxes are always jam packed full to the brim with products, food, and lifestyle extras such as vouchers. Its a great mix of new things to discover and inspire you. With this box You Beauty Discovery have teamed up with Mio Beauty for the Big Beach Countdown & In this box you get,
–Mio QuickStart (200ml)
–Mio The A Cream (150ml)
–Mio Fitness Band
–Mio Exfoliating Glove (1 per box)
–Mio Gym Bag
–Mio voucher £10 off your first online Mio purchase
–Bodyism Clean & Lean – 1 Day Body Brilliance Supplement Sachet (10g sachet)
–The Chia Co. – Black Chia Pouch (150g)
–Nuffield Health Fitness & Wellbeing – Exclusive 3-Day Gym Pass for you and a friend
–Champneys Health Spa – Exclusive Mio Treatment voucher entitling the holder to a 55 minute treatment for just £39 (RRP £65)
Mio is a new brand to me but once I did a little research about it I quickly discovered its a very popular and highly recommend brand. You get two Mio products in this box & they’re both really good, I have been using them in the morning & they make the perfect duo.
Mio – The A Cream 150ml – this is a firming body cream that you apply it to damp skin so I use it after I shower in the morning. I have been focusing this on my legs & bust (yes that needs firming too). Its in a very handy pump bottle & I use a few pumps for each leg & one pump everywhere else. The cream itself is quite light and absorbs quickly in to my skin leaving it feeling cool, smooth and very hydrated. Thats one thing I really noticed is that this is very moisturising and my legs have never felt as soft & smooth.
This cream has lots of skin benefits ‘The A Cream is packed with antioxidants and vitamins, organic Shea Butter, Hyaluronic Acid, organic Avocado, Sweet Almond, Coconut and Blueberry Seed Oils. Your skin will be soft, balanced, deeply moisturised and strong.’
So this cream is perfect if you need to give your body a boost of hydration whilst leaving it looking radiant and restoring skins elasticity and firmness. I’m seeing improvements and hope by the time I go on my holidays my legs are looking their best. I also noticed that Mio suggests using this as an aftersun lotion as it is naturally cooling & in this heat I have been taking full advantage of that.
Mio Quick Start Exhilarating Shower Gel 200ml – The first thing you notice about this shower gel is its spearmint scent, its minty, zingy and exhilarating and the perfect way to kick start your day. ‘This multitasking motivator cleanses, stimulates, brightens and nourishes in one healthy hit. It’s the surefire way to kickstart your day – with fresh Spearmint and Caffeine’. This is a very nice shower gel & does leave my skin feeling clean, soft and there are no nasties such a sulphates, or harsh chemicals.
If you have been wanting to try Mio Skincare for a while then this box is a good excuse as the Mio products alone are worth more than double what you pay for the entire box & you will get all the extras too.
The Chia Co Black Chia 150g – I am no stranger to Chia Seeds & have them in my juices & often on my porridge. They’re are a rich source of Omega 3, fibre and proteins. They’re also a good source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidents. Its suggested that you eat a table spoon of Chia everyday – adding it to salads, yoghurt, porridge or whatever you desire. They have virtually no taste & are a great supplement to a healthy diet. Chia is a complete plant based protein containing all eight essential amino acids & if like me you are Vegan then this can be hard to find & Chia Seeds are an easy efficient way of getting your amino acids.
You also get a Mio Exfoliating Glove which is great to use with the Mio Shower Gel & a very good way of getting the circulation going in the morning and exfoliate away all the dead skin to keep your skin looking bright, smooth and Summer ready. They suggest that you use this on dry skin, but that just feels a little weird to me & I much prefer to use it in the shower.
Mio Fit Band – I must admit, I haven’t used this much yet, but as I said I am on the 4 week countdown to my holiday so I do plan on using it & getting a little more toned. Mio have printed suggested exercises on the band so thats very helpful. This is bright orange & would be ideal to take away with you if you wanted to exercise whilst away from home but you were limited on space. So I look forward to tightening my stomach & lifting my butt ready for my holiday.
Mio Gym Bag – This is bright orange & pink & would be great for the gym but my niece pinched it from me & is using it for her swimming kit. So she is one happy 6 year old.
Body Brilliance – The Clean & Lean 10g sachet – With high-quality, well-being and a happy life in mind, this burst of protein, fibre, minerals, greens, herbs, fruits and vegetables comes in a deceivingly delicious chocolate flavour to curb any sweet cravings, whilst injecting the body with pure goodness. Im yet to try this yet but it says it has a chocolate taste so I am sure I will enjoy it.
Nuffield Health, Fitness & Wellbeing 3 Day Pass for you & a friend – So if you live near a Nuffield Centre then this is a great way of testing out their facilities & seeing if its somewhere you’d like to join. Nuffield offer a huge variety of classes in every one of the 65 Fitness & Wellbeing Centres across the UK.
You also get a £10 voucher to redeem at mioskincare.co.uk
Mio Skincare is also available to purchase online at mioskincare.co.uk
Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own
I’m quite a creature of habit when it comes to my makeup. I reach for the same neutral colours and really play it quite safe, but when it comes to my nail polish thats where I like to be more bold & wear bold bright colours. Summer is the perfect season to go bright and Mavala have released their gorgeous vibrant 6 piece Techni Color Collection*. These 6 shades are a great way of introducing a little glitzy colour in to your Summer routine.
There is something for everyone in this collection, from black to the bright yellow this 6 polish collection has a good selection of colours. I think this is a good day to night collection. Ideal for holidays and giving a finishing touch to those Summer outfits. I am drawn to the darker shades like the black & that gorgeous Cobolt Blue but the brighter shades in this collection are pretty too. I’ve heard from my more fashionable friends that this season is all about the white manicure, so I may well be on trend for the first time ever!
Black Night – a deep jet black colour with tiny green flecks, they don’t always show up but in certain lights they look really pretty and just give this shade a little something special. Not the most Summery shade but this would be a good option if you weren’t feeling the brights one day. I needed 2 coats of this polish for it to look opaque.
Cobalt Blue – this is the only one of the 6 shades thats doesn’t have some form of shimmer. It is a straight up beautiful bold bright summery blue shade. I love it and have been wearing it on my toes. Its such a fun feel good shade and it looks great. This shade has a really nice cream finish. This was opaque with 2 coats.
Cyber Yellow – this isn’t your average yellow polish as it has a green undertone to it, its a very bold colour. I find it hard to wear yellow as I’m very pale, I think its a shade that looks better with a tan. This could be a good holiday polish. I did find that out of the 6 colours this was the hardest to apply as it was quite streaky and needed a good 3 coats. Let me know if yellow is a colour you can pull off & if so how do you make it work?
Orange Fusion – this looks red in some lights and more orange in others. Its a colour that screams Summer and I think it looks really pretty on the nails. It has a hint of shimmer running through & a glossy sheen finish. One for long warm summer days. Its my second favourite out of the bunch. 2 coats are opaque but a little streaky so if you have time I would apply 3 to make sure the colour really pops
Arty Pink – I’d say this is the easiest colour to wear, its a sweet girly pink and perfect for any Summer occasion. It is a pop of colour that isn’t too bold or loud and the pretty sheen finish makes your manicure look professional. 2 coats are opaque.
Antarctic – this is an ice white polish with a pretty iridescent finish, its cool and bold. My more fashion forward friend tells me white manicures are ‘in’ this year. SO for once in my life I am going to be on trend. If you’re good at doing your nails and can apply the polish neatly you will get away with this white shade. It needs to look sharp and clean for you to pull it off, a messy white manicure is a no no. I am going to practise and master the art of applying this shade because it is so pretty and I want to wear it all summer long. This frosty white will take 3 coats to look opaque so take your time. Its also the perfect base if you like to be more adventurous and do a little nail art.
This is a collection that encourages bold, standout nails so its time to ditch the more muted tones and go bright (I hope the weather catches up). I have said it before and I will say it again I love the size of Mavala bottles, they’re just the perfect size at 5ml. The brush is quite long and not too wide, they pick up a good amount of polish and are easy to work with. The formula of this collection is quite runny but the pigmentation is great & most of the colours are opaque in 2 coats.
The stand out shades for me from this collection are Cobalt Blue, Orange Fushion and Antarctic these 3 will be getting a lot of use this summer. These three are very vibrant and are all very different so I get a new look with each polish.
Mavala Nail Polish are free from parabens, formaldehydes, camphor, cellophane, animal ingredients and heavy metal. So all non toxic.
This Techni Color Colloection was released on 14th February 2014 and is available in John Lewis, Mavala website and larger Boots stores also from May Mavala are also available in Harvey Nichols Beauty Bazaar Liverpool at£4.75 each
Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own.
