July: The Love List

It's already the end of July (I know, I know) and it's time once again to talk through all of the things I've been loving this past month, beauty-wise. It's mainly makeup-based this time round, but there are a couple of nail lacquers that I've also been obsessing over so without any further ado, should we just get started?

LOTTIE LONDON 'READY, SET! GO' TRANSLUCENT FINISHING POWDER - Makeup-wise, I tried this loose powder out this past month and I am loving it so far. Usually, when it comes to loose powders, Rimmel's Match Perfection is where it's at for me, but with my current pot of that one running low, I decided to pick this one from Lottie London up to try out, after hearing so many people raving about it and let's just say, I think I've found a new favourite. I mainly utilise a translucent loose powder for 'baking' certain areas of the face - by taking some on a dampened beauty sponge on places such as the under-eyes, leaving to 'bake' for as couple of minutes before swiping away the excess - and this one works for that perfectly. It's super finely-milled, locks things into place effectively and yet doesn't look heavy or cakey on the skin. Winner!

I HEART REVOLUTION GLOW HEARTS HIGHLIGHTERS IN 'RAYS OF RADIANCE' AND 'LUMINOUS LIGHTENING' - I also found these two lovely highlighters this month, after trying them out in that very same 'First Impressions'-style post here. I'd thought about trying these out ever since they were first released a few moths back and finally picked them up when placing a Revolution Beauty order of some other items and let's just say - I'm very glad I did. Not only is their metallic, love heart-shaped packaging super-cute; what's inside is just as brilliant too. 'Luminous Lightening' is a pretty icy, pearlescent glow; whilst 'Rays Of Radiance' is a slightly warmer, rosey hue and both are so pretty on the skin and also suit my paler skin-tone perfectly. If I had to pick a favourite, favourite, it would perhaps have to be 'Rays Of Radiance' as it's completely different to anything else in my collection - yes, really - and also the texture is a tad less smoother and less 'glittery' (though 'Luminous Lightening' is still pretty finely-milled, there are a few more specks of glitter in there) and especially so with the recent super-warm weather, it's been the colour I just cannot stop reaching for...

CYO 'WHEN THE SUN DON'T SHINE' BRONZING POWDER IN 'FAIR' - It's not often I find, and love, a new bronzer. I like matte formulas and also, being a naturally paler-gal, most of the time I require a slightly lighter, less orangey colour than most and usually those types of bronzers can be difficult to find. However, occasionally I do come across a good'un and recently, I definitely did that by finding this one from CYO. Not only is the formula completely shimmer-free (yay!), perfectly pigmented - in that it allows to build gradually, yet still packs a punch - and blends out effortlessly, the colour is spot-on  for my skin-tone It's warm, but not too warm and is deep enough, but not too deep - yanno? Basically, this is my new favourite bronzer and considering it also comes in at just £4, I certainly ain't complaining...

LOTTIE LONDON EYE FOIL EYESHADOW TOPPER IN 'SAVAGE' - Now, onto possibly the one thing I'm most excited about in this post. I mean, I love everything (of course), but as soon as I used this product for the first time, I fell in love and it's stayed that way ever since. I love a good cream/liquid eyeshadow and this one I adore even more so as it's almost like a liquid glitter/shimmer - hence the titling as an eyeshadow 'topper'. You know the Stila ones which everyone raves on and on about (that I myself have also wanted to try for ages)? Well, whilst I've never tried those myself (yet), I'd say these are kinda similar. A liquid shadow that's packed full of glitter/shimmer and can be used alone, or layered over the top of powder shadow as a 'topper' - that's exactly how these work. This was super easy to apply (I personally took some on the back of my hand and used a flat shadow brush to apply) and gave such a pretty effect to the lids. This colour in particular, 'Savage', is a super-gorgeous, pinky-gold and whether built up alone, or used over the top of a complementing eye look - it. looks. stunning. As I said, it builds easily, but also doesn't disrupt anything that may be underneath and once on and dried down, lasts all day without fading, cracking or crumbling off. I feel like I may have to pick up some more shades of these...

BARRY M PEPPERMINT LIP SCRUB - Lips-wise, before we go onto actual lip colours, I have actually really been enjoying a lip scrub. I know, I know. Something I've never actually tried before (I usually find a simple, light massage with a toothbrush to do the trick), but recently I've heard some good things about them and with my lips being a little more dry and cracked recently (I blame the super warm, dry weather), I fancied giving one a go and this one from Barry M got pretty rave reviews, and also came in at a super-affordable price too. What more could you want? Well, it also works wonderfully too. You need the smallest amount and taken on your ring finger over your pout every now and again, as part of either your day or night skincare routine, it does a great job of gently, but effectively buffing away all of the dead skin and just general texture on your lips, leaving them feeling and looking super-soft and smooth and ensuring whatever you place over the top looks really good too!

REVOLUTION NUDES COLLECTION MATTE LIQUID LIPSTICK IN 'BUFF' - Then, as for actual lip colours, I have been loving this one this past month quite a bit. I've wanted to try this range out basically ever since it was first launched a few months back and I'm really pleased I finally did when, again, placing that same Revolution Beauty Haul here. Both colours I picked up have gotten the thumbs-up from me, but if I had to pick a favourite, favourite that so far, I've been reaching for the most - it's this one, 'Buff'. A pale (but not too pale) pinky-nude that's super pretty and great for an everyday nude lip and with an awesome formula that goes on glossy, before quickly drying down to a powdery-matte finish - what more could you want? Once dried down, it lasts so well before needing a top-up and like I said, if I've wanted an easy nude lip this past month, this has definitely been one I've been picking up.

L'OREAL LES CHOCOLATS MATTE LIQUID LIPSTICK IN 'DOSE OF COCOA' - Another nude lip that I found in July and have been loving ever since is this one from L'Oreal. As you might have seen earlier on in the month here, I picked up 'Sweet Tooth' first off as the first colour I tried from this new range and though I love it, not too long later I picked up another colour - 'Dose Of Cocoa' - which is still very much a paler nude, but it's just a tad 'deeper' and so gives the same kind of effect, but without the need to pair it with a slightly deeper lip liner to add back some dimension. The formula is akin to the likes of the Maybelline Super Stay Matte Inks - that dry down, but retain a slightly shiny, patent-like finish - and like the Maybelline offering, L'Oreal's are also pretty robust. Despite not having that powdery-matte finish like most of my liquid lip formulas I like, they somehow are still fully transfer-proof and last all day aswell.

BARRY M UNDER THE SEA NAIL PAINT IN 'JELLYFISH' - Finally, we finish up on Nails. I tried a few nail colours this month and this one was a firm favourite of mine - hence it being featured right here! I already tried out another colour from this range last month and seeing as I loved it so much, I was pretty excited to try out the other shade and - surprise, surprise - I loved that one too. This is more of a purple-y toned lacquer, this time with a blue shift that looks incredible whenever it catches the light. It builds well and once you get there, you're left with so pretty, metallic-y, holographic-like nails that look like you put in way more effort than you actually did.

BARRY M COCONUT INFUSION NAIL PAINT IN 'FLAMINGO' - Last, but certainly by no means least - another nail polish! This time, it's from a range I've tried out many times in the past - their 'Coconut Infusion' Collection. I adore the formula of these - really creamy, thick (but not too thick) polishes with a really shiny, gel-like finish and also, supposedly hydrating for your nail beds underneath - and this colour was one I'd thought about picking up for a while, before I finally did so last month. A few weeks back, I got the chance to test it out for the first time here and have loved it ever since. A bright, peachy-orange hats super Summery and very appropriate for the current warm weather we're having, it loos amazing on the nails and I also find it to be a very easy to wear, flattering colour on my skin-tone too. Yay!

So, that's everything I've been loving in July! I hope you enjoyed that and perhaps came across some things that tickled your fancy and you might try out for yourself - as everything really is pretty darn awesome...