Guest Post | Top 5 Summer Products

Hey guys, I am still sunning myself on the beach somewhere in Majorca and today I have the lovely Sonia from Casualyetchic as a guest blogger for me today.  Thank you Sonia.

Before, I get onto the post I thought I should introduce myself. My name's Sonia, I'm 17 from the UK and I write a blog called casualyetchic.blogspot.com (quick plug you can follow it here if you like). The lovely Rachel has kindly let me guest post while she is on holiday, so thanks for that.

Today's post is all about my top 5 summer products which I go to every summer without fail. 

 Topshop cream blusher - head over heels - £7.00 - here

Cream blush is my favourite thing to add into my make-up routine in the summer as it make my face look a lot more brighter and healthier. I prefer to use a cream product over a powder because it prevents my make-up from looking cakey as in the summer I love a dewy look. This cream blush is a lovely coral colour which I think looks perfect in the summer because it is not too pink or rosy just the perfect shade.

Rimmel stay matte powder - translucent - £3.99 - here

Even though, I don't use a powder blush I do need a face powder in the summer as I don't really like looking shiny. I use a translucent powder as it doesn't add any colour to my face, I let my bronzer do that but it just sets everything perfectly. This is a great powder from Rimmel as it is really cheap and matte but it doesn't cover your foundation so you lose the dewy look. My tip for using this is a little goes a long way. 

Models own - bubblegum - here

Neon nail polish is a must for me in the summer as it makes my (little) tan stand out that bit more. I love this shade from models own as it is a really vibrant pink. I also love to use the gelly nails paints from Barry M as they last a lot longer and don't chip as much as I hate having to repaint my nails all the time in the summer.

Dove summer glow - normally £4.99 - here

Speaking of tans I normally fake tan in the summer as I hate having to sit in the garden waiting for a tan which is never even. So, to keep my tan topped up (fake or real) I use the Dove summer glow lotion as this is a gradual tanner, I put this on every time I have had a shower as it adds a glow to my skin, keeps my tan topped up and leaves my skin feeling soft. If you are like me an don't like to sit in the garden then you should definitely pick this up.

ELF setting spray - £3.95 - here

Even though I set my make up with the powder, in the summer I want some extra make-up falling off face protection so I use a setting spray. I have been wanting the Mac fix plus for a while but for now I am using a much cheaper option from ELF. This does help my make-up last all day and when I spray this on my face it feels very refreshing and hydrating. Sometimes if it's a really hot day and I am going out I will just pop this in my bag because it's small enough and cool myself down with it.

I hope you enjoyed this post and I would like to thank Rachel again for letting me guest post.

Here is where you can find me:-
Blog - casualyetchic.blogspot.com
Bloglovin - follow here
Google+ - here
Twitter - @casualyetchic
Instagram - @casualyetchic

Konjac Puff Sponge

The Konjac sponge is one of those products that I have had for a long time in my bathroom but until now it has never featured on my blog. I got in my abw beauty box quite some time ago and have only recently got round to using it.

There is more than one sponge I recently discovered, quite a few in fact such as face sponge, baby sponge, bath sponge, man sponge and even travel versions! The one I have is the Pink Clay Sponge which can found in the face sponges section right HERE.

The sponge is described as being: 

"The ideal Konjac Sponge for those suffering from the weather extremes of air conditioning, excess sun exposure and central heating. Pure French Pink Clay gently purifies even the most sensitive skin and has a softening and plumping effect to improve elasticity and refresh your skin’s appearance".

It is a sort of sponge ball cut in half shape which fits perfectly into the palm of my hand. It is a 100% natural vegetable fibre sponge with nourishing rich french pink clay and is designed for those of us with tired or devitalized skin. Reputed for its health giving properties it has been and it has been used in Japan for over 1500 years. 

So why do you need a Konjac sponge? Well the list of benefits for one, they include:

• Ideal for easily irritated, sensitive and dehydrated skin
• pH balancing
• Gently Exfoliates
• Deeply Cleanses
• Cleanses and Exfoliates the Delicate Eye Area
• Refines Pores
• Use With or Without Cleanser
• Suitable for Sensitive Skin
• 100% Natural, Colouring & Additive Free
• Silky Soft When Wet

The natural alkalinity within the sponge is said to balance the acidity of the skins oil and because of its unique structure, when used on the skin it gently massages to stimulate blood flow and the growth of new skin cells. When I first used my sponge, I was surprised at how soft it was, for some reason I was convinced it was going to be a little bit rough so that when I used it, I would be able to feel some sort of exfoliation process taking place - wrong! It does however leave your skin feeling soft, smooth and incredibly clean after using it. It is said that you can use the sponge to remove make-up, not something I have tried, I use mine whilst in the shower after using a face wash/exfoliator to ensure I have removed every possibly trace of any lotion or potion that I have had on my skin, even if it was a facemask.

To use the sponge, all you need to do is, run it under running water and gently squeeze out any excess but do not wring out your sponge! Then all you do is massage the skin in circular movements with the damp sponge. Once finishing, simply rinse the sponge thoroughly and again gently squeeze out the excess water.  As you can see with my sponge there is a white string in the middle, this is so that you can hang your sponge somewhere to allow it to dry, you are told not to leave it in your shower.

The shelf life of these Konjac sponges is around 1-3 months, it obviously depends on how often you use it and how you look after it.  Once you start to notice changes such as the colour fading or it not doing as good a job on your skin anymore, then it is time to change it. 

Have you got, used or owned a Konjac sponge?

Guest Post | My Recent MAC Purchase!

Hiya sweet peas, 

It's Siobhan here from the beauty baker and I'm lucky enough to be able to guest post for the lovely Rachel.

Mac lipsticks are my favourite as many of you might know and I'm pretty sure that they're most of your guys favourite lipsticks too. Recently I bought the famous Creme Cup lipstick from Mac which seems to be a bloggers favourite. I don't really know anyone who doesn't own this lipstick so obviously I needed to be a little sheep and follow the heard no matter how late I am.

Creme Cup is a Cremesheen finish lipstick and has a vanilla smell like all the Mac lipsticks have, as I always mention the scent of the lipsticks is one of my favourite things and whenever I smell vanilla now it reminds me of Mac and sometimes it even makes me feel a bit fancy. The lipstick itself is a nude lipstick with a pink undertone plus since it's a cremesheen finish it isn't drying in the slightest and feels so nice and hydrating on my lips. When on my lips I say it looks cute natural as if I'm wearing just a tinted lip balm or gloss on my lips, it makes my lips look quite glossy but not too much like a gloss does so it's suitable for a day look while you can also wear it for more of an evening look.

I also find with this lipstick is that it makes me look like I have a real good tan and brings out the olive tone in my skin a lot more which lets be honest I don't think is every a bad thing! But I find compared to other lipsticks it does make my teeth a bit yellow, not so much that it's a problem but compared to other where my teeth look like super pearly whites it's a bit disappointment, plus the staying power isn't as long as other Mac lipsticks I have so you'll need to keep reapplying this throughout the day!

What's your favourite Mac lipstick?

*Guestpost