Summer Beauty and Fashion Essentials - Collaboration with Katie

I have done a collaboration with the lovely Katie over at http://katielou99.blogspot.co.uk/ on what our summer essentials are. 

I love Summer, and especially love the bright colours and patterns that come out during the summer months as it really puts a smile on my face and makes me feel happy. Usually because during the rest of the year I mainly wear monochrome or darker colours so it is nice to want to wear brighter colours, whether that be shown through my fashion items or my beauty picks. I thought I would give you the run down on my favourite items that are essential for summer. 

Sandals -  My first summer essential item is a pair of comfy sandals!  I bought these last summer from Primark and wore them a lot and decided to include them in this collaboration as they are just so comfy! I wore these to the beach, on shopping days out and even took them on holiday with me earlier in the year where I wore them on a few touristy days out. They are still in good condition so I look forward to wearing them again during the summer months. 

Statement Necklace | Silver Coin Necklace - A silver or gold statement necklace is perfect for summer and I especially love these coin necklaces. I think they look great at festivals and really bring an outfit alive. They are elegant and sophisticated looking making an outfit look effortlessly well put together. 

Glowy Skin - A good bronzer, blusher or highlighter that gives a lovely, healthy glow looks great in Summer. They are perfect for putting on over a light base product or on their own - I definitely prefer wearing less make up during the summer days if I can help it. I particularly love the Make Up Revolution Ultra Blush Palette in Golden Sugar. 

Moisturiser with SPF - A good moisturiser is important for healthy skin, and in the summer I like using one with an SPF to protect my skin from the sun when I choose to wear minimal make up or no make up at all. In the summer I also like to use a lighter foundation, and many I own do not have an SPF, and so I always make sure I use a moisturiser with SPF to make up for it. I particularly like the Garnier Moisture Match Protect and Glow (Superdrug/Boots) as it is a light lotion that smells lemony and fresh and contains light reflecting pearls to give a healthy looking glow to the skin. This one contains SPF 20. 

Bright Lipstick - A bright lipstick is great in the summer if you like to wear minimal make up on your skin. I like to wear peachy, coral or pink colours on my lips with only a basic eye make up look, and a light coverage on the skin. Barry M do a great range of bright, summer colour lipsticks. 

Pretty Nail Polish - I like to wear bright colours on my nails in the summer as well as I love a good pair of sandals and so it is important that my toes look pretty! I particularly love similar colours on my nails as the lipstick shades I wear. Peachy, corals and pinks look really lovely in the summer months. I also really like the pretty, shiny colours in the Aquarium collection from Barry M. 

BB Cream - As I like to wear less make up in the summer, I find a BB cream is a great alternative to a foundation. A really good one can provide enough coverage to cover up imperfections but also give the no make up make up look. I enjoy using ones without SPF and prefer to use a moisturiser with an SPF to protect my skin. The All-In-One BB Cream from The Body Shop is my perfect bb cream, it transforms on the skin to suit your skin tone, whilst providing hydration and light to medium coverage. 

Sunglasses - A good pair of sunglasses which actually do the job is essential for Summer. Even though I wear mine all year round, as it is brighter in the summer it is important to protect your eyes. These are from Primark and only cost me £2 so I was curious as to how well they would work, but they are great and really do keep my eyes protected. Also, they are super cute. 

These are my beauty and fashion summer essentials. Go and check out Katie's post here to find out what her essentials are. I'd love to know what yours are! 

Laura Elizabeth xo 

Review - AA Skincare

AA Skincare is a natural skincare range from Amphora Aromatics that combines natural ingredients with essential oils to create effective products for your skin at affordable prices. Their range covers all skin types and caters for young skin to more mature skin, so there is a product suited to everyone. 

Amphora Aromatics were kind enough to send me the Seaweed and Aloe Refreshing Eye Gel (Link), a cool and refreshing multi purpose product, that removes make up and provides rehydration for the very delicate skin around your eyes. 

Who is it suitable for? Everyone! The great thing about this particular product is that it is suitable for every skin type but especially sensitive skin, leaving behind soothed and calmed skin as well as making you feel refreshed. 

The packaging is cute and small, making the product easy to use with the pump allowing a small amount of the gel to be released. I applied the gel with cotton wool and held it in place on my eyes for a little while before gently rubbing the make up away. I found this was the most effective way to remove the majority of my eye make up, and did not need to use so much of the product or go through as many cotton wool pads by using this method. 

Ingredients Extracts of eyebright and cornflower to soothe, cucumber adds to the hydrating and refreshing aspect of the gel. Seaweed is a natural anti-inflammatory which calms the skin, it also promotes healthy cell growth. Aloe Vera also helps cell growth, as well as calming and soothing the skin. 

After using this for a few days, I found that it made the routine of removing my make up much simpler and way more efficient. It effectively removes the majority of eye make up with one pump of the gel, removing even the toughest eye liner and mascara. The product is definitely worth a purchase due to it's two in one nature; removing make up and giving your skin a pick me up whilst soothing and cooling it at the same time. For £6.96 this product is a steal! 

Visit their website Link or find them on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram

I think I will definitely be purchasing more products from them in the future. 

Laura Elizabeth xo

Review - LVBT Accessories

LVBT is a company based in the UK which offers a range of different accessories from everyday items to statement pieces with an affordable price tag. The accessories are stylish, beautiful and of high quality, and here are some of the lovely pieces they recently and very kindly sent me. 

I received:

Layla Orange Posh Purse, 

Michelle Ivory and Neon Pink Clutch Bag

Fern Silver Coin Necklace

I was so excited to style the 'Michelle Ivory and Neon Pink Clutch Bag' and have a number of different outfits that it goes really nicely with, but I had to narrow it down to just a few outfits else we would be here all day! 

I love an all black outfit, with either a statement/colourful necklace or clutch bag, and I think the clutch compliments this outfit perfectly. I added the same colour to my toes and and would also wear a pinky coloured lip to complete. 

My second outfit choice is one I would wear on a night out, and the clutch is big enough for holding all the essentials! A big clutch is not for everyone, but I love them, and this one is easy to hold. For £28 you really do get what you pay for, a really well made, decent sized beautiful clutch, that adds a pop of colour to an outfit. 

The clutch is an ivory colour with a neon pink and black cut out and is faux leather style. The bag also comes in a range of different colours to choose from. 

The clutch comes with a long, changeable length strap. 

I've wanted a necklace like this for a while now, a big coin statement necklace, that adds elegance to any outfit as well as bringing an outfit together. I personally think the silver ones look really good against monochrome colours, especially greys and I think they look great with a Summer outfit at festivals. I've gotten compliments on this 'Fern Silver Coin Necklace' every time I've worn it, and I find that it sits in place really well. 

The coins don't make much noise when you move, considering there are a fair few on the necklace and it has intricate detailing on the coins giving the necklace an antique effect. I'm really looking forward to wearing this throughout the summer, and for £15 you could not get better for your money. It is also available in Gold. 

This is the 'Layla Orange Posh Purse' one of a few other colours to choose from. It is the perfect size for holding any spare change you might have, but I have been using it to hold the small things that end up at the bottom of my handbag when I just throw them in, which also makes them harder to find, and why is it that when you need a particular item you can never find it?! This purse solves that problem - I keep a mirror, hand-gel, any lip product I have on that day, my keys, gum and spare change in there, and that is about all I can fit in there. It's quilted design is cute, and this could also be used on a night out, if you prefer smaller bags to carry as it is big enough to hold the necessities. 

LVBT is the perfect place to go to if you need a statement accessory or an everyday item for great quality items and an even better price tag. Another plus is that they ship internationally! Visit their website http://lvbt.co.uk/ or find them on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. 

Laura Elizabeth xo

Review - jewellerybox.co.uk

Jewellerybox.co.uk is a London based brand, which offers cute, simple and fashionable pieces that are essential to any jewellery collection. The great thing about this brand is that they sell pretty gold and silver jewellery for the same price as high street fashion pieces, and so you are not breaking the bank! There are lots of beautiful jewellery pieces to choose from, you can find them over at http://www.jewellerybox.co.uk/

Within this very sweetly wrapped box I received a Petit Bird Earring Stand, Andralok 9ct Yellow Gold Music Note Stud Earrings and a 18ct Rose Gold Dipped Sterling Silver Arrow Bracelet. 

The earring stand is a perfect way for storing your earrings or even a few other pieces of jewellery such as rings or small bracelets. The stand is made up of metal and wire and painted a distressed ivory white, which gives a really vintage and chic look that would look perfect on your dressing table or on display. 

These earrings are so elegant and dainty, and sit perfectly in the ear lobe due to the andralok style fastening, which means no need for a butterfly back to keep the earring in place. I love this as I don't have to worry about losing the earring as the locking back hugs closely to the ear lobe and doesn't come loose easily. 

It's hard to tell in this photo but this dainty bracelet is rose gold, with a pretty chain and easy to fasten clip. This is minimalistic but sits lovely on the wrist and looks really pretty either on its on, or when worn with a few other bracelets. 

So these are just a few of the pieces that jewellerybox.co.uk offer over on their website link

Follow them on Twitter or like them on Facebook. So if you are looking to update your jewellery look or looking for a perfect dainty piece to add to an outfit then do go have a look at the website, the prices are great and the jewellery is definitely good quality! 

Laura Elizabeth xo

May Favourites

Magnitone Pulsar - I was very generously sent this product by Magnitone to test and review, which I have written a whole blog post about here, so I won't go into too much detail, but this product is so great for cleaning and cleansing your face of any make up or dirt. You can choose your own cleanser to use with it, and it can also be used for full body use, or to soothe skin after shaving. The pulsar uses a sweeping motion and glides across the skin as you guide it. I use this twice a day and is now my favourite step in my skincare routine. 

Garnier Moisture Match Protect and Glow - I was recommended this range from someone on Instagram and for some reason I had no idea about it! There are a number of different moisturisers in this range for different skin types. I picked up two on my last visit to Boots but wanted to include this one in my favourites as I have been loving using this one daily. This is a light lotion that smells lemony and fresh which contains light reflecting pearls to give a healthy looking glow to the skin. I like to put this one on in the morning before my foundation, I find that it helps my foundation to sit better on the skin. Plus, this lotion contains SPF20. 

Seventeen Wow Skin Highlighter - This is another product that I have reviewed on my blog before, but for some reason I stopped using it, until recently when I picked it up again and now it has become a part of my make up routine. The highlighter has three different uses, to prime, to use as a stand alone highlight, or to mix with your foundation. I enjoy using it mixed with my foundation the most as it adds a healthy glow to my skin.

Nars Sheer Glow Foundation -  Again, a product I have recently reviewed on my blog, but it is still new to me, and after finally parting with my pennies last month, I am so pleased it is in my make up collection. I wouldn't describe this foundation as dewy, but it does give a glow to the skin, with a more satin finish, making the skin look healthy and natural. The foundation does stick to dry patches and so ex-foliating regularly and applying a moisturiser, one with spf as this foundation doesn't have one, helps it to blend nicely and sit on the skin well. 

Flat Contour Cosmetic Brush - This is my favourite buy of the last month! From Ebay this brush was only £1.89 and if you love contouring then this cheap, but great quality brush is one you definitely need in your collection. I find that this brush picks up just the right amount of product and is an ideal shape/size to add good definition to your cheeks before blending it in with a soft brush to get rid of any harsh lines. 

Max Factor Skin Luminizer Foundation - This is the foundation that I have been enjoying mixing with the seventeen wow skin highlighter, I find that they work perfectly together to give a nice glow to my skin, and even though the foundation does this in itself, I found that when mixed with the highlighter it sat a lot better on my face. It is a very natural looking foundation with light to medium coverage and I was surprised at how well I could colour match myself as I find this quite difficult to do with drugstore foundations due my fair/pale skin. 

Soap and Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick in 'Nudist' - This is my new favourite lip product for a subtle hint of colour, I find it is my natural lip colour but better and it is moisturising but not sticky on the lips. I like the vanilla scent and I think the packaging is cute, with a twist up tube for easy application. 

Magnitone Pulsar - How It Aids The Application Of Fake Tan

Recently I very kindly received Magnitone's Pulsar - Advanced Daily Skincare Brush to use and review and share my thoughts on how it aids the application of fake tan, exfoliates and smooths natural tan and also how it helps to combat skin irritation after shaving. I've just completed the 7 day challenge and I cannot say enough good things about this product, to start, here are a few facts about the brush.

• advanced electronic exfoliating brush
• 4 modes to enhance every part of your skincare routine
• suitable for all skin types
• improvements to skin in 7 days
• comes with two brush heads - one for facial cleansing and one for rest of body
• fully waterproof - for use in the shower, bath or during your cleansing facial routine
• all over body use
• massage mode for stimulation of the skin and increase in blood circulation
• provides oxygen and vital nutrients, promoting skin metabolism and collagen snythesis

Magnitone states that the Pulsar 'is a daily skin cleansing and toning system for face & body to effectively cleanse, refresh and stimulate your skin, helping to give it a wonderful natural youthful glow.' Although the brush can also be used for cleansing the face, which I have been doing and immediately noticed the effects on my skin that Magnitone claim, my review is sorely about how it contributes to the application of tan and soothes skin after shaving. 

I have sensitive skin, and nearly always after shaving my skin becomes red and irritable. I was so excited to start using this product to see how it could help to soothe and smooth my skin and I am very happy with the results. When used with the body cleanse brush head, the pulsar removed any dry and rough skin in a more gentle way than any other ex-foliation method I had used before. I admit that I probably didn't exfoliate anywhere near as often as I should have before using this brush, but after seeing immediate differences in my skin, I don't find exfoliation as much of a chore anymore and more of an enjoyable task as the brush is so easy and simple to use. After use, my legs felt much smoother and silkier and kept the razor rashes and irritable skin at bay. A plus of the Magnitone Pulsar is that you can use a cleanser or body wash of your choice when using the product to best suit your skin. 

As the brush removed dead skin cells and any dry patches, particularly the rough skin I had on my elbows and knees, I found that my fake tan was more easily and evenly applied, and I didn't have to worry about the product sticking to any dry patches of skin. When applying my fake tan (cocoa brown tan) with a mit (also cocoa brown) I could feel an improvement on the way that it glided onto my skin. 

The pulsar uses a sweeping action, gliding across the skin, so there is no need to scrub or use harshly as the brush does all the work for you, you just have to guide the brush around the areas of your skin. It brings the impurities gently out of the pores and removes any trapped dirt. The pulsar also comes with a wireless travel charger and an instruction booklet. 

A few more benefits of using the Pulsar: 

• firmer and tighter skin texture
• reduced appearance of visible pores
• helps to diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles

I am so pleased with the results from using this product, and it has become a part of my daily facial cleansing routine and I use it every day in the shower for body exfoliation. The product is definitely worth the money in my opinion for clean and smooth skin. You can purchase the Magnitone Pulsar at https://magnitone.co.uk/shop/magnitone-pulsar/ and any other of their products on their website. The Pulsar is also available at other retail stores/sites such as Boots and Amazon. 

Thanks again to Magnitone for sending me this amazing product, my skin has improved so much since I have received it, and I cant imagine it not being a part of my skincare routine in the future. Find them at https://magnitone.co.uk/ , on Instagram , Twitter or on Facebook. 

Laura Elizabeth xo