Beach Bag Essentials

You might be noticing a bit of a pattern going on in my little corner of the internet this week and that is that I'm well and truly in the holiday mood! By the time you read this I should hopefully be very relaxed, full of cocktails and have a nice tan developing but I'm currently in the midst of packing and between making sure I stick to my 15kg luggage limit and that I have enough clean pants I've been thinking about what I'm going to be chucking in my beach bag and here are my essentials.

Sunglasses

My eyes are in bad enough shape as it is so protecting what's left of my eyesight is top priority and from a more vain point of view when I'm by the pool or at the beach I am as make up free as the day I was born so the bigger the sunnies, and the more they cover my face the better!

Sun Cream

I get a bit obsessive with applying sun cream when I'm away, I've been burnt before and it's enough to ruin a couple of days of your holiday which is not what you want! Your poor skin doesn't know what's hit it when it goes from the temperamental English summer to the heat of another country and it's so important to keep it protected, I always start with a factor 30 so my pale skin can get adjusted and then drop to a 20 for the last couple of days.

Bobbles and Grips

I need my hair out of my face when it's warm, there is nothing I hate more than sweaty hair that's flat, limp and stuck to the back of your neck so I always make sure that I have spare bobbles and grips just in case one decides to snap or more often than not my grips go walk about.

A Good Book

I'm one of those people that just read and read on holiday, there's nothing more relaxing to me than sitting in the sun with a book on the go. I don't want to read anything too serious on holiday, I need something I can pick up and put down between dips in the pool and trips to the bar!

Water

As much as I always want it to be cocktail o'clock I always make sure I've got a bottle of water to hand to keep me hydrated.

Lip Balm

My lips tend to get really sore in the sun so I try to have something to put on them and my Bourjois Colour Boost lip pencil has made the cut this holiday, it contains SPF 15 as well as adding a bit of colour to my otherwise naked face.

Caudalie Beauty Elixer

If you don't need refreshing when it's 30 degrees then I don't know when you do! This is going to be perfect to spray on my face when I need a refresher and cooling down and the fact this also does wonders for my skin and gives me a lovely glow is just a bonus!

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What's in My Holiday Make Up Bag?

I love warm weather but my make up doesn't seem to feel the same way and ends up sliding down my face so when I'm off on my jollies I try and keep my face as simple and stripped back as I can which is a good job seeing as my make up collection could fill my whole suitcase and I've only got a 15kg limit to stick too!

I usually go for an illuminating primer but in a hot country I don't need any more shine to my face so I'm taking a tiny Porefessional which when applied is pretty matte and gives a nice smooth base to keep my make up in place which is what I need! I'd have to be having a very good skin day to just go out in tinted moisturizer in this country but when you're on holiday the lighter base the better. The Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer has pretty good coverage considering with a really nice luminous finish and also because it's not too heavy and full on when you've got a bit of colour to your face it isn't going to look stupid because it's sheer enough to not look a completely different colour. I've also got a healthy mix concealer for those bits that need some more help which I haven't used yet but I love the foundation so I've got high hopes and something else that is untouched in my holiday pile is the Bourjois bronzing primer that I've got as a contouring product and depending how dark I get I may use it as a base. I've gone for a powder highlighter because it seems to stay put better than any cream products I've tried and the Mary-Loumanizer is the perfect golden shade to compliment sun kissed skin. I've got a selection of blushers, two being the Daniel Sandler Watercolour blushers in a bright orange and bright pink, these give more of a natural flush and once they're on they ain't budging and I couldn't leave behind my ever faithful MAC Royal Sunset which is perfect for a softer look and more peachy cheeks.

My MAC palette is a nice multitasker to save a bit of room and it's got all my neutral eyeshadow as well as brow needs covered and my seemingly ever lasting teeny tiny Stay Don't Stray will be keeping that all in place. I could be in the burning depths of hell and you still wouldn't be able to tear me away from my eyeliner, I've got my beloved L'oreal Super Liner and also a mini pencil liner to fill in any of those pesky gaps between my eyelashes but I have faith in my Super Liner, if it can stay put during a messy night out it can withstand the heat in Turkey! Another small Benefit product (Thank you Birchbox!) is the They're Real Mascara to give me some luscious holiday lashes and then to finish it all off the choice of a few MAC lippies, I've got 2 neon shades packed (Morange and Candy Yum Yum) which I think look amazing with a tan and then a more toned down shade (Coral Bliss) but a couple more may just sneak their way in to my make up bag - a week is a long time with only 3 lipsticks to your name!!

And there you have my holiday make up bag, I just need to get there and put this all into action now!

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MAC 190 Foundation Brush

MAC 190 Foundation Brush

I went into mourning when my Real Techniques foundation brush was shedding too much it was no longer usable without making me look like I had a beard but it just so happened to coincide with a Debenhams beauty club offer so out of mourning I came and my MAC make up brush cherry was officially popped!

Firstly I love how sleek this brush looks with the smooth black handle which is longer than any other brushes I've got which is really comfortable to hold and you've got good control, is this anything to do with the length of the handle? I have no idea but I like it anyway! The brush itself is synthetic and so soft, it's quite flat and the tapered end makes it really easy to get around those tricky parts of your face like your nose and your eyes. The 190 applies your foundation evenly and smoothly with minimal brush marks, I still use my Real Techniques Stippling brush to blend with but if I didn't have that to hand this would do just fine on its own. I've been using this brush since December now and now one hair has shed from it's precious little head and it's been washed numerous times and is still as good as new. I admit it's a little bit pricey for a foundation brush but you're definitely paying for quality.

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ASOS Bikinis for Big Boobs

Monochrome Ditsy Floral - Red and White Striped - Yellow Floral - Blue and White Polka Dots

I wasn't blessed with a nice compact chest area, I have enough boob to share around my whole village and still not be left flat chested (well, it feels that way anyway) Holiday season is meant to be exciting but there's one part in particular that I dread and that's bikini shopping. The cheap and cheerful ones in Primark are in dress sizes and yes I might have the bust of someone who wears a size 20 but my back is a size 12 so it makes them impossible to fit properly, Topshop stop at a DD if you're lucky and when Kelly Brook launched a range with New Look I thought 'finally! Someone who shares my boob pain!' but I was still left spilling out and the thin straps couldn't hold the weight and eventually snapped. It wasn't until a couple of years ago and I was preparing for a girls holiday ASOS's DD+ Swimwear came on my radar and all those years of struggling were remedied! They have some really on trend styles which I love because usually the bigger the cup size the less pretty they are and they have so many different types from bandeau, to halterneck, padded, to long line, there really is something to suit everyone. One of my tried and tested favourite styles is the 50's style halterneck which they haven't seemed to do as many of this year but they come in so many different patterns and the thick straps give the extra support and they also don't kill the back of your neck. The sizes go from DD to GG and from a 28 to 42 back so they really do cater for all shapes and sizes. My bikini nightmare is no more and I am no longer a vision in an ill fitting bikini top thanks to ASOS, if you're another bigger busted beauty I could not recommend their bikinis more for your holiday this summer, big boobs need cute beach wear too and ASOS knows it!

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Midweek Wish List #23

1-2-3-4-5

1. I've been meaning to try GlamGlow for ages but the price keeps putting me off, I know a lot of people swear by it and their glowing complexions have this to thank but I'm going to wait for a full report from one of my friends who have just invested and if she looks radiant then I might just splash the cash!

2. I got a rather generous sample of this in a Birchbox a few months ago and it really does live up to the hype, I've never really gone for the whole tinted moisturizer thing and the thought of leaving the house without full coverage sends shivers down my spine but I love this, the coverage isn't bad at all, it highlights all the right places and doesn't tinted moisturizer just scream holiday to you?!

3. It's been raining a lot, I love stripes and I want to stay dry - do I need any more reasons for this coat to be necessity in my life?

4. I know these have been in Toshop for a while now and I've completely ignored them until I saw a picture of someone wearing this to tie up a messy bun and it looked so cute so now I need one in every pattern and colour!

6. When I went to see Katy Perry (I swear I'll stop talking about this one day) her eyes were lined with glitter underneath which looked amazing and Chanel have done it with sequins so if it's good enough for them then I want in on the action. I love that pro products are now available on the MAC website and these 3D glitters have just launched which are a perfect way to get the look.

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Monthly Favourites | May 2014

Why May, haven't you been exciting?! First I get to see Katy Perry in the flesh, a couple of days later my teeny tiny sister enters the world and we finally booked a holiday! We've had the smallest amount of sun and I'm already digging out all the bright colours I can find and making sure my legs are ready to be bared to the world.

Vaseline Cocoa Radiant

I cannot get enough of this stuff, it smells amazing and makes my skin look glowing and feel super soft, the only downside is that it's very greasy so I tend to use this at night time or well before I'm due to leave the house so it has chance to soak in.

Illamasqua Matte Lip Liquid in Surrender

Illamasqua you have answered my prayers, this has to be the most perfect peachy lip product I've seen in a long time and it's a matte finish which I much prefer over glossy. The colour pay off is amazing and the staying time is incredible, it feels a little bit heavy when it's on but it really does stick to your lips and did I mention it's the perfect peach?!

Daniel Sandler Water Colour Blushers in Acid and Trip

I've looked at these so many times but the colours have always been a bit neutral for my liking, well what can I say now?! Not anymore!! A neon pink and orange have been launched just in time for summer and it might not look it but once they're on and blended in they are really subtle and glowy. I am so glad I picked these up, they'll be the first thing I put in my make up bag when I pack for my holiday because they will definitely be able to withstand the heat and keep in place!

Katy Perry Eylure Eyelashes in Punk Princess

Eylure are my first port of call for lashes and I love feathery eyelashes that add a bit of drama to your look but they're not too in your face and these are perfect, they give some length and thickness but still look natural enough, my beloved 117's have some competition!

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