Birthday Beach

So for my birthday this year, I actually caught a glimpse of sunshine. Ok, I will be honest, actually it was a mini-heatwave of a weekend. I went to Hastings for a bbq on the beach and packed Avene Sunscreen for the body and Ole Henriksen SPF 50 for the face. I am secretly hoping that all those Imedeen Tan Optimiser tablets are going to help me come back golden brown though…

Liner Super Star

Having reported on how much I loved the Sisley Khol Star pencils at the airport Duty Free a couple of weeks ago, you can imagine my excitement when the said pencils landed in the Beauty Mole studios this week.

For anyone who is a fan of a lined eye, I would solidly recommend these pencils. They are worth the splashout. They are soft and blendible and contain a hint of sparkle (just enough for day time) to jazz up the eye. Plus, they come with a little Swarovski cyrstal on the tip and their very own little velvet pouch. Imagine that touch up on a night out.

I am now sparkly eyed and bushy tailed. Picture here are my favourites Black Diamond and Sparkling Bronze.

Sisley Phyto Khol Star Eye Pencil, £29.50

Golden Treasure

In the last couple of weeks, I have noticed my skin becoming a bit drier. I usually do a few hydrating masks, switch to a slightly richer cream and layer on the serum, but it hasn't helped.

It was time to bring out the big boys. I needed an oil. Oil is a fantastic hydrator for skin and actually can even help to balance out an already oily complexion. Dr Hauschka's Normalising Day Oil is great for that.

In this case though, I needed something super nourishing and rich. I turned to Nuxe.

This is a brand that I have often smelt and sampled in a store, but never really tried. Huile Prodigieuse is one of Nuxe's bestsellers. It can be used on body, face and hair (multi-tasking you say?!) and the beauty of it is that it sinks in to your skin immediately. And it smells heavenly. It reminds me of Russian springtime.

The potent mix of 6 Precious Plant Oils (Borage, St Johnswort, Sweet Almond, Camellia, Hazelnut, Macadamia) within the formula is what makes it so special. Plus, at 100ml, you can take it on a flight for up-to-the-minute hydration. Plus, most unusually but most welcome, the oil has a spray nozzle, so you'll never waste any.

A big non-greasy thumbs up from me.

Berry Polished

With the onset of summer now, I am really getting more and more into painting my nails. And I have really come to love the Leighton Denny polishes. When I went to Barcelona, they stayed put despite me going in the sea, the pool, showering three times a day and being out in the sunshine.
My new crush is Berry Nice. A sweet shade of strawberry/raspberry pink. It could almost count towards my five a day.
Leighton Denny Nail Colours, £11 each

Duty Free Style-ee

Whenever I am at the airport, of course, like any girl probably, I savour my time in Duty Free. I always look forward to flying from Heathrow, though, because they have Cocoon - which is a beauty mecca of some of my favourite brands.

Today, I made a beeline to Sisley, as I always think of them for summer makeup. I fell in love withe their Phyto-Khol Star sparkly eye crayons in Purple, Blue and Green that I know would create the most amazing sultry eye post-beach bar-hopping.
I also loved their Rouge à Lèvres Lipsticks in L15 (shimmery pink, 80s frost) and L9 (creamy creamy candy pink).
With the crayons and lipsticks, and perfect skin after a holiday, this is summer in the bag. And I wouldn't even have to get any liquids past security.

Wedding Princess

I totally forgot to mention that I went to the most beautiful wedding recently.
Two friends. One gorgeous venue. One beautiful bride. It made me dream about my own wedding one day. My boyfriend made them a card himself (above is one of his early sketches) and apart from the obvious (dress, makeup, shoes...) scent is underrated at weddings. What better way to remember your big day than with a perfume that will forever bring back sweet memories.
Vera Wang's Preppy Princess is a perfect example of a delicate, summery scent that is ideal for weddings. Aaaahhh

Vera Wang's Preppy Princess from The Perfume Shop, from £33.50

Spanish Dreamin'

So my holiday has been and gone. And I have been burnt and tanned at the same time – but not in the same locations – ouch! My hair has turned the colour of very pale gold and it’s amazing how many colours go with ‘sunkissed’.

The thing I loved most about Spain were the colours. I loved all the colours of the food, the clothes, the shop signs and interiors. The little coffee cup above was an homage to Pedro Almodovar films, which happen to be some of my favourites. It’s a functional bit of inspiration.

My second favourite thing were the botanical gardens in Madrid. I actually spent so long in here they almost gave me a shovel and said to start working. The sheer variety of plants on display were simply magic and I could have continued smelling, touching, photographing them all day.

For now: back to reality.

Ice Cream Colour Scheme

There is something about being in a hot country that makes you feel extra fruity. You want lighter meals and you want to wear more colour. That’s how I feel in Barcelona. I feel inspired by the foreign pick’n’mix. I am wearing Leighton Denny’s Inside Scoop (a vanillary-mint-green) on my hands and then Lolly Pop (a delicious watermelon pink) on my feet. From the latest Gelato Collection no less.

Then, I am of course looking after my skin. Hot weather, humidity, beach plays havoc with my dry piel (that’s skin in Spanish). Darphin’s Hydraskin Serum is light yet brilliantly moisturising. Plus, it fits perfectly with my ice-cream colour scheme. I don’t really fancy anything thick and heavy in the heat. My suitcase is quite enough.

Fruits, ice creams and cold coconuts on the menu for the rest of the trip

Darphin’s Hydraskin Serum, £41 
Leighton Denny Nail Colours, £11 each

Handbag Heroes

This weather is simply divine. And while I am waiting patiently for my wounds to heal (although I really do wish they would hurry up and heal quickly), I am taking pleasure from the little things. Sunshine on the windowsill, fresh fruit and the smell of summer in the air. And this painting by my boyfriend’s little sister always makes me feel so happy. The colours are immensely radiant.

And while I cannot really wear a lot of makeup while I skin is healing, I have to say these little aromatherapy roller-balls from Tisserand are fast becoming my favourite handbag heroes. They help to invigorate, energize and also calm and de-stress if a headache kicks in. Let the summer season begin.
Tisserand Roller Balls are only £5.25 each!

Fly Me to the Moon

Tomorrow, i board a flight to Athens. Summer holiday has truly arrived for me.
One of my favourite things about travelling is going through the Duty Free beauty aisle. I spritz on perfume, my favourite at the moment is Givenchy Angle Demon. I find that perfume really calms me down and reassured me throughout the flight, as I am a bundle of nerves when I fly.

On the beach, I will be channeling a retro beauty and be trying some bright lipsticks, which is not something I usually dabble in. But, with colour on my face, and my hair white-blonde from the sun, a slick of lipstick will be a striking contrast. Pictures to follow...