Summer Romance: Tips

In this article want to talk about summer flings and romances. According to the international sociological surveys, almost half of adults have flirted or had more intimate contacts during their summer vacations. Only one-third of them cherish the hope of bumping into their true love at some beach bar. Others think of a summer romance as a great way to spend time with pleasure. What should you do to get the most out of your summer affair? There are certain rules to keep in mind.

Image Credit - Goodreads

1. Be different but be yourself

Your vacation is a perfect occasion to finally let your hair down and do the things you like. If you are fond of museums and theatres, there is no point in suffering in the company of the man who calls it boring. And vice versa. On the other hand, it’s not necessary to run to an extreme. Revealing outfit, such as minis, and bright makeup is possible but optional. If you don’t feel comfortable, it will be difficult for you to enjoy anything including flirting. So, don’t try to impress, but be yourself.

2. Leave your worries at home

It’s unreasonable to go on a vacation and hope to meet a prince charming if you are depressed and have a baggage of negative thoughts. You should be psychologically ready even for such casual affair. You should decide what will be better for you. Perhaps, you just need to rest and recreate and focus on yourself. 

3. Seduce and allow yourself to be seduced

There are many restrictions and conventions in our everyday life. A lack of time often prevents us from listening to our desires and trying to fulfill them. Take advantage of freedom your vacation gives you. Don’t be afraid of meeting men and taking the initiative if you feel like it.

4. Don’t be too picky

Of course, you have a set of requirements for your long-term partner. But the advantage of a summer romance is that you can have it even with anyone you feel attracted to without thinking about any perspectives. If you used to date serious and successful men, you can meet a local guy who can offer you nothing but his charisma and home-made wine.

5. Focus on the present

If you meet a guy, don’t picture your future with him immediately and don’t use him to recover from a bad previous relationship. The beauty of a summer romance lies in that you can live in the now without looking back or ahead. It’s easy not to think where it may lead you. Just liberate yourself from expectations and obsessions.

6. Fulfil your fantasy or dream

A summer romance is not a regular affair. It’s a kind of improved reality otherwise it wouldn’t be considered as a special type of relations. That is why it should be a different experience that you’ll remember or be proud of. Focus on your desires and dreams. Maybe, you want to have a romantic date night with a sea captain on a yacht. 

7. Let it develop gradually

Even though it’s a short romance, it should go through all stages of a regular romance. The first stage is flirting. The second step is a kiss inspired by a beautiful landscape. The first physical contact (touching) will happen when he’ll apply sunscreen on your back. The main question whether to have or not to go further should be left for you to answer. Remember that spontaneity is the main rule of a summer romance. Relax and go with the current.

8. Part easily

You should realise that your summer romance has its time limits. You’ll miss that adventure but you need to understand that you will miss not your admirer but the way you felt during your romance. So, keep those memories and draw conclusions but wave goodbye with ease.

Thanks to BridesBay for providing this article.

Roccabox July Edition - The Sunday Girl

My July Roccabox has arrived and this month the collaboration is with Adrienne, whom many of you will know as The Sunday Girl. Adrienne was one of the first handful of bloggers whose blogs I read religiously for all the latest information and now here we are with this collaboration.

If you have never come across Roccabox before, it is a Beauty Box which comes together by collaborating with bloggers who then create a box of products which they love. For me, in a world saturated with Beauty boxes, Roccabox it makes it a little bit different to any other beauty box I have subscribed too and it is an intriguing concept that has introduced me to some amazing products, brands and some new bloggers!

This month Adrienne (The Sunday Girl) has come up with a box which features six products and all of which she personally rates. Starting with Soap and Glory Mini Rushower Dry Shampoo (50ml). I am quite pleased to see this as I've been wanting to give it a try. Described as having Friction-activated TOUCH-RELEASE™ technology which gives your hair a gorgeous burst of mandarin rose and bergamot and in true Soap and Glory style, it smells just incredible. RRP £2.50 here.

Burts Bees Cleansing Oil comes next and this is a product I already know and love. Formulated with a unique blend of natural moisturisers, including Coconut and Argan Oils they not only gently remove dirt, grime and makeup, it also helps to keep your skin soft, clean, and beautifully nourished without leaving an oily residue.

Balance Me Congested Skin Serum also makes an appearance and again it is a product that I have used in the past and one I like. Described as being a powerful serum that treats stubborn skin complaints. On the skin, this serum not only cools and soothes but it works to fight blemishes without drying out your skin. Formulated with a blend of Roman chamomile, anti-bacterial may chang, calming lavender and eucalyptus all of which provide stressed skin with comfortable, non-greasy relief.

Ellis Faas is a brand I know very little about, so this Concealer, which is described as being a cult product that the celebrities didn't want us to know about. I have shades S202 which is described as being Fair and whilst I think it is slightly too dark for my skin tone it does offer a really high coverage which helps to reduce the appearance of blemishes, pigmentation spots and dark circles and in order for me to get the best out of it, I do mix it with my moisturising cream.Texture wise it is really creamy and soft and is infused with a unique blend of Karité Oil and Rice Wax as well as Vitamins C & E which hydrate the skin and protect against free radical damage. Impressively there are 8 different shades to choose from and a brief explanation as to which skin type they are for. At £22 it isn't the most expensive concealer that I have tried, but it works as well as those I have.

Finally, there are these two little sample pots from Evolve Organic Beauty and MOA. I am familiar with MOA as a brand and the product The Green Balm which is described as having miraculous healing powers to soothe, nourish and renew dry, itchy skin conditions, bumps, bites and grazes and it is said to work wonders as an aftershave balm and facial cleanser. With a pot this small you aren't really going to get much use from it, but already being well acquainted with it, I have used it as on my lips and around my nose when I've had a cold and I give Rudolph a run for his money.  

Evolve isn't a brand I have come across and this product is a Radiant Glow Face Mask which uses raw cacao and coconut. Described as follows "an organic chocolate face mask with a vanilla fragrance this rich mask blended with raw cacao powder and clay revitalises and purifies, whilst coconut granules buff the skin to silky perfection. Organic Baobab seed oil smoothes and nourishes. Natural sugar extracts turn the exfoliating mask into a creamy milk on contact with water that rinses off easily, leaving skin smooth, moisturised and calm". I love the sound of this mask and again given the size of the pot, I am only likely to get just the one use out of it, so for me to be able to judge whether or not I need a bigger pot, it is going to have to wow me - so watch this space.

So this month brings an intriguing box of products that I have either used, want to try or have never come across. You can subscribe to Roccabox for just £10 per month (plus £3.95 p&p) and can cancel it at any time. For more information and to sign up, everything you need to know is here.

The post contains PR samples/affiliate links unless indicated otherwise

NEW Rimmel #Insta Makeup Collection : Review & Swatches

Rimmel Have done some amazing things recently it and if you are a regular reader of my blog you will have seen the Brow Boutique and the Super Gel Beach Ready Nail Polish Collection. Today I am sharing the love with the extended #Insta Makeup Collection which features some new selfie-ready items.

The first item I was drawn to is the #Insta Conceal & Correct. Now I am a user of Colour-correcting products and have a good selection of products in my stash, but none of them are on an easy to carry palette like this. This little trio palette has three colour correction shades.

A trio palette that contains the 3 ultimate shades for colour correction on the skin and if you use colour correcting shade then you will know that Peach is for dark circles, Green is for redness and blemishes and Violet is used on those dull and sallow tones. I use this palette after primer but before foundation and if im not wearing foundation then it works just as well with tinted moisturiser.

Staying with the trio palettes for the #Insta Conceal & Contour which is available in three shades - Light, Medium or dark. The three cream shades are then one highlighter, one concealer and one contour shade. 

I wasn't expecting to find the textures of these shades as nice as they are, but they do apply really nicely, for me the only downside is that the highlighter on the lightest palette, the one which suits my skintone the most, isn't as glowy as I am used to, infact it is more like a concealer, which is how I use it.

I love a good setting spray or a powder, im not fussy as to which it is as long as ive got one and it does the job. So #Insta Fix & Go 2 in 1 Primer and Setting Spray is essentially described within its name and does exactly what it is called. 

This is an oil-free formula that can be sprayed on underneath or over makeup to perfect and set, which is quite clever. If used prior to makeup application, the solution works to prime your complexion and if it is used to set makeup, it is a transparent spray which doesn't effect your makeup.  I haven't found this drying on the skin and my preferred method of use is after makeup as I think it has better staying power.

The product most people on my timelines seem to be talking about, myself included, is the #Insta Fix & Matte. This product is essentially a lightweight, pressed, translucent powder and it can be used to set foundation as a finishing step and for quick touch ups during the day. 

This isn't a powder which leaves my skin looking clogged and nor does it leave any white colour on the face, infact it actually contains a Doesn’t leave my skin feeling micro-fine pigment which gives a barely there finish.

The final items within the #Insta Makeup Collection are the Duo Contour Sticks and again these come in three shades - Light, dark and medium but until the palettes, I actually have used all three of these, mainly because I prefer the highlighter on both the dark and medium sticks. 

The sticks use a double-ended format and have the highlighter on one end and the contour on the other and for someone like me who has taken a while to grasp the whole contour concept, these sticks have helped me no end.

I have absolutely loved using these products, they work so well as a collection and are much better than I had originally given them credit for. If you want to get your hands on them, then they are currently on a 3 for 2 offer in Boots (here) and are so purse friendly they won't annoy your bank manager.

*this post contains PR samples/affiliate links unless indicated otherwise

24K BIO-GOLD CAPSULE COLLECTION FROM BIO- ESSENCE

The one thing I really enjoy about being a beauty blogger is getting the opportunity to try some brands and products that I might never have come across. This is exactly what has happened with Bio-Essence. Bio-Essence is exclusive to Superdrug and having had a few products from the range for a good few weeks, I feel that I am ready to share them with you.

The entire collection is infused with gold, flakes of 24K gold, and when absorbed by the skin, it releases active gold ions which are rich in trace minerals. This goes on to promote blood and oxygen circulation which improves skin’s metabolism, This also stimulates the production of collagen and elastin present in skin, which in turn, increases the skin’s collagen fibres, keeping skin firm and youthful. It also has a high antioxidant power and the entire range works to protect the skin from those harmful free radicals and helps to defy signs of ageing such as dry and dull skin, wrinkles and fine lines!

There are 4 steps to follow with this range and they are 1. Cleanse 2. Gold Water 3. Moisturise 4. Miracle Finisher. I have steps 2 and 4 which I have been using and I expected to really dislike both products but actually found them both incredible to use for very different reasons and here is why.

24K Bio-Gold Gold Water (£16.99): Infused with unique Japanese rose extract called Eijitsu, it helps to quench skin with much-needed hydration and refine pores so that skin feels petal-soft and hydrated. It also claims to improves the skin's elasticity to prevent sagging, regulates moisture and sebum balance, restores a naturally glowing complexion and plumps up the skin to defy wrinkles and fine lines. 

As you can see through the bottle, floating within the water are some small gold flakes, quite mesmerising to watch them move around as you swirl the bottle from side to side. Far from being heavy on the skin, it is a really lightweight texture and to use, you firstly need to ensure your skin has been freshly cleansed and then, if like me, you are now well acquainted with using as Essence as part of your routine, this forms that part of your process. So you can either use your hands to apply or something else of your choice like a cotton wool pad, my preference is to pour a few drops into the palm of my hand and then  simply pat it onto the skin and allow it to absorb, which it does incredibly quickly. Once it has absorbed, you are left with just incredibly hydrated feeling skin.

Then we have the 24K Bio- Gold Miracle Finisher (£29.99): Given its name, it is the final step to follow from the 4 step routine and it is enriched with 24K Bio-Gold, Bio Mineral Amino Acid and Bio Energy Fluid and it essentially helps to seal in nutrients, protect against harmful pollutants such as free radicals and leave your skin with a smooth, matte canvas.

So protecting the skin from within and from the outside, you are also being given a perfect base for the application of makeup, something we all desire to achieve. Again, I use my fingers to apply this to my face and you only really need a small amount and light pat onto the skin. What I like about this product is again the lightweight texture on the skin, it isn't heavy, tacky or sticky and better than that for me is that because I have combination/oily skin it helps to ensure I am not overly shiny before my day has even started. 

Overall I like what I have tried from the Bio Essence Range and I especially like the Gold Water. I am a convert to using an Essence within my skincare routine and I have really enjoyed using this, I was drawn to the idea of the gold particles and I can see that it does hydrate my skin incredibly well. 

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise