6 Summer Essentials: Fashion

The next part of my summer essentials is back, but this time focusing on fashion. There have been so many trends this summer, including fedora hats, coloured sunglasses and patterned shorts and I have tried to condense it down to six for you.

These are my 6 fashion summer essentials...

         

1. Pink Floral Print Frill Bandeau Bikini Top - River Island - £16

    Pink Floral Tie Side Bikini Bottoms - River Island - £12

2. Hayden Coin Trim Tie Dye Playsuit - Boohoo.com - £15

3. HAVAY Flat Sandals - Topshop - £24

4. Petite Red Tile Print Pom Pom Trim Shorts - New Look - £14.99

5. Silver Round Dip Pilot Sunglasses - New Look - £5.99

6. Blanket Woven Backpack - Accessorize - £37

A definite summer essential is a good bikini. This is every woman's essential for the summer time. It is time to get rid of the layers and start to show more skin in order to get that gorgeous summer glow. I love wearing bikinis during the summer time, especially patterned bikinis. So, when I found this bikini from River Island, I instantly fell in love. However, you don't have to wear a bikini for summer, swimsuits have made a massive revival this S/S15 as well as high-waisted bikinis. Whatever makes you feel comfortable, then go out and rock it!

My next essential is a playsuit. Again, the one I picked is patterned as I am instantly attracted to anything with colour. I loved this tie-dye playsuit with the coins dangling from the top half. This screams out festival fashion to me. However, for a safer option, a plain white playsuit can look great with a tan, or a simple black playsuit can be layered up with accessories and a statement bag. I think the great thing about playsuits is they are an outfit on their own, without any hassle. The only problem is when you need to go to the toilet, that's when they become a pain!

A pair of simple black sandals are a must this season. They go with any outfit and look effortlessly chic. 

A pair of statement shorts will spice up any outfit. Pair them with a plain top for a simple, yet stylish outfit. I actually own these shorts are they are super comfortable as they are made of a jersey material so they feel like you are walking around in your PJ's, which is amazing. They are also a lightweight material so don't make you feel hot. 

A pair of sunglasses to complete any outfit, as well as keeping your eyes protected from the sun.

Why not change your regular handbag for a backpack this summer? They are comfortable, practical and stylish at the same time. Perfect for festivals or for hand luggage on holiday. 

Hope you enjoyed this post. Let me know your fashion essentials in the comments below. 

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/14284009/?claim=ag4w7jgu8va">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a> 

My Pamper Routine (The Products I Like To Use)

Sometimes I like to give my skin a good-old pampering, especially if I am having a stressful day and my skin has suddenly erupted in spots. Although this thankfully has not happened for a long time (quickly goes to touch some wood nearest to me) I really needed to give my face, hair and legs some TLC.

So, I thought I would share with you some of the products I like to use when I decide to have one of these rare pamper days. I tend to pick and choose the products depending on the state of my skin and hair. But, on this particular day, I needed to shave my legs, wash my hair and scrub my face squeaky clean.

(Starting from left to right)
1. Simple Kind To Skin Soothing Facial Toner - £3.39
2. Burts Bees Milk and Honey Body Lotion - £9.99
3. Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Cleanser - £14
4. Tangle Teezer - £10.99
5. Soap And Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub - £8
6. Burts Bees Beeswax Lip Balm - £3.69
7. Spotless Nose Pore Strips
8. Cotton Pad
9. Clean & Clear Foaming Wash - £4.99
10. Super Facialist Salicylic Acid Anti Blemish Clay Mask - £6.66
11. Aussie Leave In Conditioner - £4.69

To start off my pamper routine, I use the Liz Earle cleanser with a hot muslin cloth (which comes with the cleanser) to remove all of the make-up and dirt that has been on my face during the day. Although this cleanser is expensive at £14, I think it is well worth the money. I read so many reviews on this product before purchasing it myself and I did not read one bad review on this product. It removes make-up so easily, no hassle needed. It smells incredible as well, so fresh and soothing. Plus, your skin already feels so clean after using this product. 

Once all make-up has been removed, I pop in the shower and wash my hair with only shampoo. I only put shampoo in my hair once and rinse it out, as I am going to be giving my hair some treatment. I get out of the shower and brush out all of my hair with my Tangle Teezer. I suffer from very dry and knotty hair, which is a right pain to brush when it is wet, let alone without any conditioner in it. However, the Tangle Teezer is such a lifesaver when it does come to brushing my hair, it is super easy and does such an amazing job as well. I don't think I could ever go back to using a normal hairbrush after experiencing this product. I would recommend it to anybody as it is so good and so worth the money as well. 

Once all of the knots are out of my hair, I put some leave in conditioner (not the spray shown above). I use a Tresemme one which comes in a massive pot. I have had this product for months and it looks like it hasn't been used at all. It is so amazing for my hair. I coat my entire head in this conditioner and clip my hair up. I leave it like this in order to give my hair a good-old drink for about 30 mins.

While my leave-in conditioner is doing its job, I return to my skin and put a nose strip over my nose. I do this once I have come out of the shower as my pores are open and this is the perfect time to get those black heads. I put this over my nose and leave it on for about 5-10 mins.

Next up is my legs, which were in a desperate need of shaving. While I was in the shower, I exfoliated my legs with a body scrub (shown above) to remove any dead skin. Then, I cover my legs in shaving foam and start to shave my legs with a razor. Once I have done both legs I moisturise them with my Burts Bees Body Cream. This is my favourite body cream I have ever owned. This is my second bottle and it has recently ran out. I definitely need to buy another one soon. It is super moisturising, smells incredible (very strong scent, quite fruity) and is made from natural ingredients.

Now that my legs are done, I return to my skin and remove my nose strip. Then, I coat my cotton pad with my Simple Toner (which has nearly ran out) and I cover my entire face with the cotton pad. This toner is super refreshing and makes your skin feel more awake and alive. I really need to buy another one of these soon. After toning my skin, I apply some lip balm in order to moisturise my lips. I use my Burts Bees Lip Balm which is made from Beeswax. This may sound disgusting but is smells super minty and leaves your lips feeling very refreshed and tingly. The final part of my skincare is to moisturise my face.

With skincare completed, I finally need to finish off my hair. I rinse out all the conditioner, dry my hair with a towel and then brush through once more. Then, I leave it to air dry.

And we have finished. As you can see, I haven't used all the products listed above. I do a face mask when I have had a massive break-out which helps remove all the impurities and oil from my skin. I also use a spray in leave-in conditioner when I wash my hair normally.

As I have said before, I only do this when my skin needs refreshing and I do a treatment to my hair once every month, purely due to the nature of my hair.

I hope you enjoyed this blog post. Let me know your go-to products for a pamper day and I will see you for another post on Monday.

6 Summer Essentials: Beauty

        

1. Essie Nail Lacquer 99 Mint Candy Apple - £7.99

2. Rimmel BB Cream - £6.99

3. L'Oreal Paris Lumi Magique Primer - £9.99

4. Soap and Glory Solar Powder Bronzer - £11

5. Maybelline Super Stay 14 Hour Lipstick - £6.99

6. Maybelline Colossal Black Waterproof Mascara - £7.19

As summer has finally arrived (although the weather in the UK begs to differ) I thought I would share my 6 Summer Beauty Essentials with you. During the summer, no one likes to apply heaps and heaps of make-up onto their faces due to the hot weather and it can start to feel cakey on the face. However, most people don't like to leave the house without any make-up whatsoever. Therefore, by using simple and key products, you can create a natural and summer ready look. 

Above, I have picked out my key beauty items from the drugstore, but you can easily switch and choose your 6 beauty products that suits you. 

Personally, a nail polish is key as this is my favourite beauty item. I love experimenting with my nails and I love picking more pastel shades for the spring/summer time. I think a mint green is perfect for the summer as it is simple, cute and adds a splash of colour to any outfit. 

Instead of a heavy-duty foundation, I prefer to use a BB cream in the summer time. It isn't as cakey and heavy on the skin, like a foundation can be, but it also covers and gives the skin a summer glow. 

A primer is also very important for the summer-time. No one wants their make-up falling down their faces by the end of the day due to the hot, humid weather. 

If you are not going away on holiday this year, you may not be getting a serious tan, so by adding a little bit of bronzer and highlighter to the skin can really lift your face and add some colour onto those cheekbones, giving the illusion of a sun-kissed tan. 

Add a pop of colour onto the lips with a summery coral or pink!

Finally, swapping your normal, everyday mascara for a waterproof. This means your lashes can still look defined and long without transfer or the risk of your mascara sweating off. 

So, these are some of my summer beauty essentials. Hope you enjoyed this blog post. Let me know your summer beauty essentials in the comments as well. 

I will be doing a summer hair and fashion essentials soon, so keep your eyes peeled for those coming soon! 

LIFE UPDATE!

So, I haven't written a blog post in a while, and for that I apologise! I am going to be frank. I don't think I will be writing any blog posts for a while. Don't panic though, I am not quitting my blog at all. The main reason for not writing any posts for a while is because my A2 exams are coming up in a matter of weeks and I need to prepare and revise for these exams so much, and that means no blog posts. These exams are important as they determine whether I get into my first choice university and what direction my life takes (slight exaggeration!), so I don't really want to mess them up!

Source: authorlindsaypaige.blogspot.com

I will be resuming my blog after exams though and as I won't have anything else to do, this will be my main priority, so hopefully, I will have many more posts to write and will have much longer to take pictures, come up with new, fresh ideas and take my time writing them as well. My last exam is on the 17th June, so expect to see many more posts being uploaded then.

Apart from exams, I have lots of other bits planned for the summer so far, so I thought I would share them with you. Next week is my official last week of secondary school and I go on study leave. It is super scary to think that I will be leaving mainstream education after nearly my entire life has been the same routine of going to school. I will be leaving behind my school of 7 years, where I have had the most memories, met amazing friends (who hopefully will stay with me for a very long time!) but also has been very stressful at times as well. So, next week we get to dress up for two days with a dedicated theme. On Monday, the theme is 90s rave, but I am so undecided about what to wear, so if you have any suggestions, please leave them in the comments, and on Friday, the theme is cops and robbers. I still have to attend revision classes that may be put on and obviously my exams, but after that I am free.

I haven't mentioned this on my blog, but I have decided to take a gap year between A-Levels and University. This was an easy decision for me and I have made this choice for a very long time. Both of my elder brothers took gap years, one of them went travelling and the other worked, and so I wanted to do the same. I will most likely work during my gap year as university is so expensive and so I want to save as much money as possible, for rent, food, social life etc. This will also give me plenty of time to get myself together in terms of provisions for uni as well. I also wanted to take a gap year to give myself a breather from education for a year. I have been constantly going to school all my life virtually and this is the first time I get to relax and not have to study or write essays.

I have made a few plans for over the summer though which are making me very excited and makes me want exams to be over soon. This weekend is one of my friend's 18th so I am going to her house for a BBQ which will be really nice. Next Friday, it is also my best friend's joint 18th birthday party which is going to be so much fun and I am super excited for this. I haven't got anything planned for half term yet, which will probably be spent revising for these exams, which is so depressing, especially if it is nice weather in the UK.

Other plans consist of a wedding in July, more gatherings with friends over the summer for birthdays, a 5 day trip to Devon with my friends, my 18th birthday which will be spent on a plane flying to Turkey which will be a 11 day holiday with my family at the end of August. Finally, saying goodbye to some of my clostest friends who are going to uni and probably many visits throughout this year and next year visiting them.

So, lots to look forward to after exams. I hope you enjoyed a more relaxed post from me. I just thought I would fill you in on what is happening in my life and to warn you that there won't be anymore blog posts until after the 17th June.

So, farewell until June.

x

My Week & Clothes Haul

I haven't blogged in a while, due to having a busy week this week, which is quite unusual for me. I am the sort of person that waits for each day to come and then decide what I am going to do on that day. However, over the last three days I have had some plans which I will now talk to you about.

Last weekend, my parents went away to Milton Keynes in order to attend an event there. They stayed at a hotel and then travelled home the next day. However, opposite the hotel was a massive Primark, River Island, H&M, New Look, etc. Before heading home, they decided to have a look around, and, when they arrived home, my parents had treated me to some items from Primark and Next. I was not expecting this one bit, and I felt like a little child at Christmas, opening up my presents.

So, I thought I would share with you guys what I got...

Kabuki Brush - £2.50 

The first thing I got was a powder brush. I really like the make-up brushes from Primark as I think they are just as good and do the same job as a high-end brush would do. I would recommend getting Primark brushes if you are new to make-up, like myself and then maybe getting a more expensive brush when you become more confident applying make-up.

Two packs of Antibacterial Hand Wipes - £1

Next up I got two packets of Antibacterial Hand Wipes, which are great to use during this sticky and humid weather we are currently getting in England at the moment.

Necklace - £6

Recently, I have been loving statement necklaces and when I saw this one in the bag I fell in love with it. I love the pastel colours used in the necklace which are great for the summer time. I wore this necklace to my brother's graduation, which I will talk about later in this post.

Owl Mirror - £2

This little, cute Owl Mirror will be perfect for my make-up bag. I think it is always useful to have a mirror on you at all times, as you never know when you might need it.

Dress

I love the colours and the material of this sun dress. I wore this to the Odney Club (which I will talk about later in this post). The material had a silky feel to it, which left me feeling cool and I think it would look great on holiday over a bikini, after you get out of the pool.

Pink Pumps - £4

These bright pink pumps would go perfectly with the sun dress above and I think I would probably get a lot of wear out of these, as I could wear them to sixth form either with trousers or a skirt in the winter.

Beige Pumps - £8

I got another pair of pumps as well. I really love the colour of these pumps as they would go with anything in my wardrobe and I could wear them all year round. I love the fact the pumps have a chain and strap which makes them a little bit different and adds a bit of colour. Again, I think I would get a lot of wear out of these.

Skirt - WAS - £22 NOW - £10

There was a sale on in Next in which I got this pastel pink skirt with beige pattern on it. I think this looks really summery and would be perfect for sixth form as well. I would pair this with the beige pumps above and for half price as well! What a bargain!

Stripy Pumps

These stripy pumps were also from the Next Sale. I'm not sure how much they cost as I took the label off. I have worn these already and they are super comfortable. I really love the colours as I don't own any black and white shoes or stripy shoes for that matter. I think these would look great with shorts and a crop top or maybe in the winter with black skinny jeans and a jumper. I think you could probably get a lot of different looks out of these one pair of shoes.

Dry Shampoo - £2.99

Another thing I wanted to share with you was this Batiste Dry Shampoo Original. Now, this year I have been testing and trying new things that I wouldn't normally do. For example, wearing make-up is something totally alien to me but I have been really enjoying it. Another thing is my hair. I never really did much to my hair except getting the occasional short cut. However, this year I have opted to grow my hair and try new hairstyles and products. Last weekend, my cousin straightened my hair, and, as I don't own a pair of straighteners myself (but I am asking for a pair for my birthday) I was so excited. I really loved my hair straight (as I do have naturally curly hair). In order, to keep my straight hair for as long as possible, I went out and bought some dry shampoo. I had heard about dry shampoo before, but never tried it out and I am so glad I did. It is like a miracle worker. It is so easy and simple to use as well. All you have to do is spray it onto your roots and massage it in and it feels like you have just washed your hair. This would be great if you don't have time in the morning to wash your hair or if you are going to a festival this summer, then this is a must-have. I also really liked the smell of the original shampoo which was a massive plus.

On Tuesday, I travelled to Swanage for the day with my mum and dad. Swanage is my childhood holiday destination, as we used to always go to Swanage and rent out an apartment and me and my two brothers spent out summer holidays, either playing on the beach, building sandcastles or splashing in the sea, or in the arcade, wasting the last few pennies we had on us or trying to sweet-talk our dad into giving us some money to play on the machines. These are some of my fondest memories and ones I will always treasure for a long time. Therefore, I could not wait to finally arrive. We got up bright and early and went out to get some breakfast. Then, we started on our journey. It took us longer than usual, due to traffic and the queue for the ferry was so long we had to go all the way round in order to get into Swanage. But, we finally arrived, and the weather was amazing!

View from the beach

The beach was packed and the sun was blaring down on the sand, which made it so hot to walk on, but it was such a nice day and I even managed to get a tan on my back, which I was quite proud of. As well as sunbathing, I went into the sea, which was so warm and lovely to dip your feet into.

Obviously, I had to make a quick visit to the arcade, to play on the 2p machines, but I didn't win anything, except gaining a few pennies out of the machine!

And another...

Then, me and my mum headed to this little knick-knacky shop called The Curiosity Shop, which has all sorts of bits and bobs, from sea ornaments for your home to bracelets and rings, but I didn't find anything I liked there, so we decided to leave.

I took this when we were on the ferry coming home. 

Recently, they have opened a tiny New Look in Swanage and I couldn't resist having a quick peek inside. This was the wrong idea, as I soon found lots of things I really liked, and ended up buying some clothes for my holiday.

Later on, we had some fish & chips for dinner (a must-have when going to the beach) and headed home.

Here is what I got from New Look...

Trousers - £19.99

I found these patterned trousers which are quite baggy and have a turned-up end. I thought these would be perfect to travel in on the plane as it is normally air-conditioned and these were so adorable. I also own a pair of harem pants and I got so much wear out of them, so I will probably do the same to these. I also love the colours and they are so bright and summery. Perfect for holiday!

Blouse - 14.99

When I saw this blouse sitting on the hanger, I knew instantly I had to have it. I think this would be perfect for sixth form in September as it can be quite warm when we return. This is me all over and I cannot wait to wear it! I am also a big sucker for a Peter Pan collar which made me want it even more!

Maxi Dress - WAS - £29.99 NOW - £15

I have never worn a maxi dress in my life, but I always wanted to try one out and it was in the sale so it was perfect. I love the deep royal blue with the bright pink aztec print incorporated in the dress. I love how the dress goes in at the top, leaving a baggy look on the top half. When I tried it on, it fitted perfectly and was very flattering. I love the silky material and it made me feel very grown up. Very pleased with this purchase!

Yellow Crop Top - £9.99

I have quite a few of this style of crop top and have already got so much wear out of them. I have one in a duck egg blue and a white one as well. I was going to get this crop top a while ago (which I have mentioned in a previous blog post) but they didn't have my size, however I have finally got it and I know I will constantly be wearing it.

Orange Vest - £9.99

My last item I got from New Look was this silky vest top. I thought this would go perfectly with the trousers and I will be wearing this to the airport. I don't normally go for these type of tops but it was very flattering on and I couldn't resist.

On Wednesday, I went to the Odney Club in Cookham as my cousin, Hannah invited me to go there so we could go swimming and rowing. It was such a great day out, and it was even better as we got beautiful weather as well. We arrived at the club (which you do need to be a member of but as Hannah worked there we didn't have to pay), and got our bands in order to go to the outdoor swimming pool. As we got in the pool, it was the perfect temperature, not too hot but not too cold either. We swam around for about an hour and a half, as they did have floats as well so we chilled on them. Then, we got changed and headed to get some food.

A view from the boat

I chose the Tomato, Pesto and Mozzarella Panini with Chips and a lemonade, while Hannah opted for a Fish Finger Sandwich with Chips. Hannah ended up sharing my lemonade in the end.

Hannah's fish finger sandwich

My Tomato, Mozzarella and Pesto Panini

After we had eaten our lunch, we went to reception to get the Boat Key. You have to pay a deposit of £5 which you get back at the end, they give you a key and you get your life jackets and oars from the nearby shed. Then, you open the padlock of your numbered boat, hop inside and off you go. It was so much fun, hard work and hilarious at the same time. We managed to get into a routine, and we did survive in the end, although, some man did crash into us at one point but we just laughed it off.

Once we had locked up the boat and returned the life jackets and oars, we went to get an ice cream and cool off.

Another view from the boat

Finally, on Thursday I went to my brother, Alex's graduation. It was again such a great day and the weather was so hot that we all ended up melted by the end of it. It was held at the Festival Hall in South Bank which was such a lovely place. Unfortunately, there wasn't any air conditioning in the entrance, plus hundreds of people radiating body heat did not help the situation. Let's just say that everybody was fanning themselves.

Inside the graduation ceremony, it was much cooler and bearable. The ceremony was very long but it eventually got to Alex and we all gave a massive cheer. He also shook hands with Jacqueline Wilson which was so cool, as she is my favourite childhood author. I have read all of her books and my favourites are probably either Double Act or My Sister Jodie.

Anyway, that was my week, quite busy but very enjoyable. Hope you have all had a great week. What have you been up to?

All images in this blog post we taken by me. 

My New Beauty Buys

I know I haven't blogged a lot but this is purely because I have been back at school after my horrible exams and this means I have to do homework and work, so it has taken up much of my time, but I will try and make time to blog at the weekend. Hopefully, I will be able to blog more when the summer holidays come in just 2 weeks!!!!

Yesterday I went on a little shopping trip to Windsor with my cousin as I just really wanted to get out of the house. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't the greatest but it didn't put a downer on our day!

First we looked round the big high-street shops like Topshop, New Look and H&M. But I didn't see anything I liked, and I was trying to stop myself from buying any new clothes for holiday. I have already spent quite a bit, and I will only buy something now if I desperately need it.

After browsing the shelves, we were both hungry so we headed to Gourmet Burger Kitchen which was delicious! Their skinny fries are amazing and addictive. I could probably eat, just them, for the rest of my life!!!

Afterwards we headed to Boots where I couldn't resist buying a couple of bits. My Stay Matte Foundation had started to run out and so I knew I needed to buy a new one and FAST!!! I had always wanted to try out the Wake Me Up range but stopped myself due to the price. However, today I thought, why not treat myself? So, I bought this Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation 100 Ivory. I have just tried this out this morning, and I am so happy with it. It covers my face quickly and evenly and I don't know how I survived without it.

Next, I headed to the Simple skincare range as I had used Simple products before and found that it helped my skin a lot. It cleared up my spots and reduced blemishes on my face. Recently, I have been getting odd spots and blackheads which are so annoying (especially for teenagers, who are always in the firing line for spots!!) Therefore, I wanted to get something for my face which would reduce and maybe, stop this from happening. After scouring the shelves, I discovered this Simple Clear Skin Oil Balancing Facial Scrub.
Apparently, the scrub removes dead skin cells, dirt and impurities. Clinically proven, to reduce blackheads and blemishes in just 7 days. Well, after reading that I knew I needed to purchase it.

After looking around a few more shops, I decided to head to one last shop to buy some loom bands. I made my own loom band on Thursday at school and I never realised how easy it was to make, so I knew I had to buy my own pack. Now, if you don't know about loom bands, firstly, where have you been? And secondly, don't worry because you can find out in my previous post The Discovery Of The Loom Bands.
Plus, they were only 99p, so what a bargain.

After I got home, I painted my nails in this summery purple colour, which I thought screamed out pastels and sun. Perfect for this weather we have recently been getting in the UK.

Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Paint By Barry M in Prickly Pear 310 

Also, I really needed some nail polish remover so luckily my mum got some today. I thought it was nice to take a pic of it, for no reason at all.

Tesco Beauty Nail Polish Remover 

Hope you enjoyed this post! What have you been up to this weekend?