The Body Shop Skin Defence Multi-Protection Lotion SPF 50+ PA++++

Whether it is sunny or not, SPF is an absolute essential must-have product, its as important as your lip balm or your highlighter and it is one conversation I always with friends and colleagues as to just how important it is.  From the Body Shop comes a product you all absolutely need and that is Skin Defence Multi-Protection Lotion SPF 50+ PA++++

I am really picky with sun cream, especially for the face, like all creams, I don't like to use anything that is too thick and looks as though you have covered yourself from head to toe in white emulsion that never sinks in, sticks to everything and makes you all sweaty.

Ready for a new addition to your fave Skin Defence range? Meet our best protection ever. We’ve created a new facial moisturising lotion that combines high SPF 50+ PA++++, 24hr moisturisation and anti-pollution protection. Fast-absorbing and non-greasy, this new multitasker has an improved matrix of UV filters – that’s a fancy way of saying it helps protect skin against UV rays. That includes UVA, which penetrates deeper and causes the appearance of pigmentation and discolouration.

As you can see, this SPF is not only weightless, it is fast-absorbing with an invisible finish and it leaves no white cast on the skin.  I love the formula, it has a super-fluid texture that doesn't give you that feeling of clogged pores or that dreaded greasy feeling that some SPF's leave behind.  Instead, this feels lighter than a serum on the skin.

As all SPF's should have and do, this one not only feels moisturising, it also offers a high level broad spectrum daily coverage against UVA and UVB rays. It is enriched with hyaluronic acid, red algae extract and vitamin C, so not only does it moisturise your skin, it also helps to protect it from multiple aggressors both indoors and outdoors. It’s going to help your skin look brighter and healthier too.

Benefits

• It has SPF 50+ PA++++ UVA/UVB protection 
• Helps protect against the appearance of pigmentation and premature ageing 
• Helps protect skin against indoor and outdoor pollution  
• Suitable for sensitive skin 
• Dermatologically tested 
• Non-comedogenic 
• Vegan

I have become a huge fan of this Multi-Protection Lotion and have been to my local store to re-fill my bottles which I wrote about here, but to also buy another one of these tubes, which you can get a 40ml for £16 or a 60ml tube for £22 and it is worth every single penny, it slots into my handbag so I can re-apply as and when I need to and the fact it is so easy to wear and apply gives me everything I need with those added benefits mentioned above.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Must-have summer beauty products

Summer is well and truly here and it's time to make the most of it! One way you can celebrate summer is to try some of the brilliant beauty products that are suited to this season. Here are some must-have products to have in your handbag.

   by  Idhren 

A bright lipstick

Whilst autumn and winter catwalks are always full of deep plum shades, summer is the time to break free from dark make up and try a pop of colour. A bright lipstick is a great way to dress up a summer outfit or just celebrate the fact that it's bright and sunny outside.

Perfect for: a summer barbecue or celebration. For extra impact, play down the rest of your make up to make the lips pop.

   by  danielmviero.com 

Skin illuminator

To give yourself that dewy, healthy glow this summer, try one of the many skin illuminating products on the market. St Tropez have one for £12.26 that comes in gold, rose or violet to match different skin tones.

Perfect for: summer sports events, whether you're watching the football with your other half or betting on the cricket with your friends. When your skin is going to be in the sunshine you want to make sure it has a healthy sheen to it.

   by  Paeonia* 

Tinted moisturiser

On long, summer days the last thing you want to be worrying about is whether you are sweating off your make up. Tinted moisturiser is the solution! It's lightweight and doesn't seep into creases, leaving you with a lovely light coverage that doesn't look cakey or overdone. Laura Mercier does a great tinted moisturiser for £33 which is worth investing in.

Perfect for: family days out with the kids, when you definitely don't have time to re-touch your make up or worry about your foundation.

   by  danielmviero.com 

Sun protection factor

No summer beauty queen is going to be without sun protection this summer, whether you're jetting off to a package holiday or chilling at the British seaside. Your skin needs protection from harmful summer rays. Choose something specifically designed for the face and avoid heavy, pore-clogging body lotions. Boots has a product called Soltan Once 8 Hour Sun Care Cream for the face which is ideal, and comes in SPF30. It costs £9.99.

Perfect for: the beach, of course! Make sure you bring a wide brimmed hat and shades to protect yourself from the heat of the midday sun.

Smartsun UV indicator wristbands

Summer is on the horizon (looks hopeful) and whilst we are all looking forward to the much warmer weather or may even be lucky enough to have booked a Summer holiday to somewhere nice and exotic, taking care of our skin is paramount, not that you should just be using SPF when it is sunny.  I have really pale skin and don't tan that well, so when I am out in the sun, I always ensure my head is covered during peak times and if I am walking around, especially on holiday, having been in the pool or sea, I ensure that I am covered up, usually in a Kaftan which I find comfortable to wear.

Cancer Research statistics show that rates of skin cancer are increasing faster than any other cancer in the UK, and it is now the second most common cancer in young adults aged 15-34, with 6 in 10 of people who die from malignant melanoma being under 75 years old. Although the risk of developing skin cancer is dependent on many factors including age and genetics, UV radiation is the main risk factor for skin cancers cases – with 86% of diagnosed cases linked to back to this. So if a £1 wristband can make you stop, think and be more careful then it is something we should all be investing in right?

Smartsun have invented a wristband is a really simple idea which acts as a reminder to re-apply your sun cream or that you have been in the sun for too long by changing colour. I am sure some of you will remember those hypercolour tshirts back in the 90's which used to change colour when you got a bit hot and sweaty (whoever though they were a good idea?). Well the wristband works in a similar way. 

The wristband works by measuring the amount of UV radiation you have been exposed to and will change colour accordingly. Each band is one wear only, and starts out as yellow, changing to beige and pink to alert you when it is time to top up on sun lotion, or when it is time to avoid the sun for the rest of the day.

The bands are also tailored to different skin types to reflect the different tolerance levels that people have to the sun. For example, a band for someone with fair hair and light skin will change colour quicker than a band for someone with dark hair and dark skin.

The wristbands themselves are also waterproof, discreet and reliable and will alert you before you notice any damage to your skin plus they can be worn by people of all ages.  

The Smartsun wristbands are available in packs of 5 priced at £4.99 from www.smartsunuk.co.uk and are available now.

Do you think this is something you need to use? Have you bought some?

{Guestpost} - Top 3 Summer Foundation and SPF Cream Essentials

Hello everyone, I'm Maria and I'll be taking over Rachel's blog today! Before I get into my top 3 summer foundation and SPF cream essentials, I'd like to thank our kind, lovely Rachel for letting me guest post on her blog. You are a doll!

Since we're already in summer, rain or no rain, we should highly consider stepping up on our solar protection, the damaging sun rays cause nothing but wrinkles, spots and pain and no matter what age you are, you still need a great sunscreen cream.

As a person with sun allergies and sensitivity, I live in SPF creams all year around, I've tested many of them so today I?m here to talk about what worked best from my point of view.

If you never leave the house without foundation, like me, here are my top 3 picks for foundation with a high solar protection factor added:

Adding layers of sunscreen followed by foundation can feel pretty heavy on your skin, but luckily Shiseido makes an amazing sun protection liquid foundation that keeps your face flawless and protects it from the damaging sun. This is my all time favourite as it worked great and had a pretty good coverage.

Le Blanc by Chanel also has a good level of sunscreen and a bit of coverage, it?s just perfect if you are going for a natural, dewy look.

Clinique's Moisture Surge CC cream is also a great pick, somewhere in between the two previous ones as far as coverage goes, and it comes with SPF 30, which is just perfect for your face.

Now if you don't care much about coverage, or foundation at all for that matter, it's ok, you don't need to wear it. But you do need to protect yourself with a good sunscreen.

The best sunscreen for sun allergies that I have tried is the La Roche Posay Anthelios SPF 50. It protects you from the sun even in the middle of the day, but I must admit I don't love the smell of it too much. It doesn?t remain on the skin though, so don't worry.'

Even if it?s just SPF 30, Dermalogica?s sunscreen is a very effective one. I enjoy the refreshing feel and the clean scent of it also.

Another good liquid SPF 50 sunscreen is the Pure & Free liquid daily sunblock by Neutrogena. Liquid sunscreen is perfect if you have oily/combination skin, but if your face tends to get very dry in the summer, you can go for the cream version of the ones I mentioned.

I hope you found this helpful, thank you beautiful people for reading and thank you Rachel again for having me. Never forget your sunscreen!

Love, Maria.

Murad Essential-C Sun Balm

We all know the importance of sunscreen and for me it is just as important to apply it as it is moisturiser. You dont have to wait for the sun to come out, a common misnomer and I am one of those people who always looks for a product that has a high enough SPF that I am comfortable with to protect my skin.

I was sent the Murad Essential-C Sun Balm** which is essentially a sunscreen stick with Vitamin-C to prevent and combat sun damage. Now when I say sunscreen stick, think of a roll on deodorant and it is very similar. Whats more is that it is the perfect size for putting into your handbag to carry around to use as and when you need too.

As a balm this product is still designed to protect and shield your skin from UVA/UVB rays, free radicals and dehydration. With an SPF35 it uses

• Broccoli Extract which stimulates skin’s natural defense against UV damage
• Tangerine Butter which locks in moisture and leaves skin silky smooth
• Antioxidant Vitamins A, C and E defend and protect skin’s health

What I love about this balm, other than the fact it is perfectly portable is that it doesn't come with that sunscreen smell and when on the skin, it isn't greasy, it doesn't leave behind any marks or stains and in all honesty it doesn't feel as though you are wearing anything at all, which of course I really like. To use, you simply apply liberally to your face, neck and chest 15 minutes before exposing yourself to the sun and re-apply every two hours. I have used it on my face, ears, behind my ears, back of my neck, my chest and on both shoulders to great effect when the sun has been shining.

The Murad Essential-C Sun Balm costs £19.50 and can be bought here.

La Roche-Posay Rosaliac CC cream

Over the last few weeks, I have been lucky enough to try out La Roche-Posay Rosaliac CC Cream and I have to admit then I read 'one shade fits all' claim, I was quite sceptical, more so because I have quite pale skin and some of the BB Creams I have tried have looked a tad orange on me and having yet not found my perfect foundation for that very reason, I was slightly apprehensive about trying it.

I am not overly familiar with La Roche-Posay and to date have only used their Thermal Spring Water which I have to admit, I do adore and reviewed HERE and I hoped that I would love the CC cream too.  The one reason I wanted to love it is because of its claims to cover redness and those of you who read my blog will probably have noticed that I tend to suffer with flare ups of Rosacea which can be more than annoying and rather than slap on a lot of make-up to cover it, I like to try and find something else that works just as good with minimal coverage.

So, as soon as I squeezed the tube onto my fingertip I was surprised to find that the CC cream wasn't orange looking, it looks much like a tinted moisturiser, quite average.  Having applied it with my fingertips I immediately hated the look, the coverage for me was far too heavy and that orange tint looked certain to appear, so not wanting to be too put off, I grabbed my buffing brush and began to blend it, starting with my cheeks.  Having done so, I was surprised at how different the CC Cream looked on my skin, it was nowhere near as orangey as it was before I started buffing and instead it gave really good coverage and something I would happily wear on its own without anything else on top.

Hopefully you can see the difference it has made.  The top photo showing the redness on my cheek, the second is just having applied it with my fingers and the final photo shows the finished look having used my Buffing Brush.

This CC Cream has worked wonders on covering my redness and it doesn't cling to any dry patches that I have by the side of my nose which I am really happy about and it also works wonders to conceal those under-eye shadows when you have had a restless night.  It is definitely something I would feel comfortable wearing on its own, which for those hot summer days is ideal and as an added bonus this CC cream also has SPF30.

For me, this is a fabulous product and one I am enjoying using, it currently retails for £19.50 in Boots and is widely available online.

Have you tried is CC Cream? Did you like it? 

Do you have a favourite CC cream?

Balance Me Natural Protection Moisturiser SPF25

When Balance Me invited me to a sneak preview of their new product The Stellar Balm, due out in May, I also got the chance to have my skin analysed and try out one of their other new products which is the Balance Me Natural Protection Moisturiser with SPF25.

Described as follows:

A 99% natural protection moisturiser SPF25 which contains a unique blend of natural ingredients to give you the best possible holistic protection from the sun and environmental damage, while also working as a skin nourishing anti-ageing moisturiser.

This is no ordinary product, it took the Balance Me team two years of extensive research to come up with their pioneering formula and within it are five key elements which all work harmoniously together and they are:

• Innovative SPF - What makes it so special is the use of an innovative sun filter, using titanium dioxide as a physical mineral filter.  It works on both UVA and UVB rays, offering great protection against sun damage and makes it suitable for those who suffer from things like prickly heat.  It is also suitable for all skin types.
• Antioxidents - These are vital in protecting the skin against environmental factors that can damage the skin,  The antioxidents, one of which is blackberry seed extract, neutralise the free radicals and also encourages collagen production.
• Essential Fatty Acids and Vitamins - The carrier oils are rich in essential fatty acids and vitamins which help to nourish and replenish your skin.  These oils include Abyssinian which is radiance enhancing, Camellia which is softening and Rosehip which protects.
• Essential Oils - Bergamot, Frankincense, Roman Chamomile and Lavender are all used together to calm, soothe and brighten the skin.  All these elements together also help to treat any symptoms of environmental damage such as redness, inflammation and sensitivity.
• Hyaluronic Acid - This is used to deeply hydrate and plump the skin making it beautifully soft as well as helping to restore the skins natural moisture balance.

What I really like about this product is that it comes in this handy to carry around 40ml tube which is really slim and sleek.  It features a screw on and off lid and you only need the smallest squeeze of the tube to release enough cream to cover your entire face.

To use, you are directed to apply a light layer of cream onto a cleansed face in the morning, it can be used on is own, over your regular moisturiser or under foundation.  You should also apply to your neck and decolletage.  The cream itself is white in colour and it absorbs quickly into the skin without blocking your pores or leaving a greasy film behind and as always with Balance Me, the scent is absolutely stunning not to mention how hydrating it is for my skin, which upon application is lovely and smooth to the touch.

For me this type of product is perfect because I have a real issue with putting suncream on my face from your normal bottle, spray or pump, I don't like the texture of feel of those creams on my face, so I am always looking for an alternative and this is exactly that.  As it is oil based it gives a very light barely there feeling on the skin instead of feeling as though it has clogged every pore on your face, which is how normal sunscreen makes me feel.  Then at the end of the day, again rather than having horrible feeling skin, I have soft, smooth skin.

This product is available now as you can see HERE and it has an RRP of £26 for a 40ml tube.

Are you a fab of Balance Me?  What SPF do you use on your face?

Balance Me BB Natural Perfection SPF 25

I am yet to find my Holy Grail BB Cream, I have tried 3 or 4 and they were alright, but would I repurchase them, I am not too sure. When this box from Balance Me dropped through my letterbox I was quite excited when I saw what was inside. Allow me to introduce you to their very own BB Cream*, a product which sold out as soon as it became available and one I have been itching to get my paws on. I am a huge fan of the Balance Me range and I first came across the BB Cream when I got a sneak preview at the Debenhams beauty event that I was lucky to attend and which you can read about HERE.

The Balance Me BB Natural Perfection SPF 25 to give it, its proper title is described as being

"A high-tech formula designed to create a naturally active daily skin perfector that leaves skin radiant and glowing, thanks to our sophisticated mineral-based tint. To support the structure of your skin and to smooth away signs of daily wear and tear, our SPF 25 BB cream contains an innovative natural titanium dioxide-based sun filter to block out both UVA and UVB rays. Our hand-picked ingredients were chosen to both enhance the activity of our sun filter and boost complexions. We’ve blended Abyssinian and rosehip oils with anti-oxidant rich, collagen and elastin-boosting blackberry leaf extract to help firm and smooth the surface of the skin; the purest grade of hyaluronic acid to help plump and bind in moisture; spruce knot, lotus flower and violet seed extracts to help calm any redness to give you a beautifully even skin tone"

Now I am more than impressed that it has an SPF 25, the one thing I want from and in my products these days is an SPF and something around 20-25 is perfect for my face. What's more with this BB Cream is that it has, what is referred to as a five-fold action to nurture and enhance your skin and they are:

1. Prime
2. Moisturise
3. Smooth skin
4. Protect with an SPF of 25
5. Deeply hydrate

Now this cream smells incredible, as soon as you squeeze some onto your hand all of those essential oils rushing to your senses making them coming alive and it smells absolutely wonderful.

When it comes to application, it couldn't be simpler.  It can be applied directly onto your freshly cleansed skin or over a moisturiser and using your fingertips, you simply blend it to give that natural, radiant and dewy glow.  What i love about this product is that the coverage is lovely and light, it doesn't make me look orange and it does make my skin feel lovely and nourished specially given that it contains high grade natural hyaluronic acid which we know is brilliant for our skin, camellia and jojoba oils which help with moisturising your skin, rosehip oil to help calm and then Abyssian oil for smoothing and anti-ageing, add that to the SPF 25 and your skin is getting some serious protection and TLC.

I use this BB cream daily with Benefit Hello Flawless over the top and my make-up lasts all day, so on a normal working day that can be anything from 8-10 hours depending on how busy I am, again I found the staying power quite impressive.

This product hit the shelves in November and a 40ml tube retails for £26 which you can see HERE and since this product came through my letterbox I have worn it almost everyday, it is just brilliant and it leaves my skin feeling soft, smooth and moisturised not to mention looking lovely.

Have you tried this product? Would you like to try it?