Ready for Autumn | Make-up & hair inspiration

So now we're officially at the back-end of summer, people are bound to be in that itchy end-of-season phase where they want to start looking ready for the autumn months. Autumn fashion is pretty simple - start layering up with woolly jumpers, donning your thick tights and ankle boots, wearing your favourite hat and scarf and you're good to go. 

Source: Alpha 2008, Flickr.

Hair and make-up however is a little different. And by different I meant difficult. Which is why I've devised a list of things that should help you get through this next season easily.

1. Bronze eyeshadow - there have been plenty of looks over the years featuring shimmery silver and gold eyes for autumn, but for me the most autumnal shade out there has to be bronze. You don't even have to buy a new eyeshadow for this - just use a bronzer you already have, sweep it all across the lid and then dab some highlighter over the top to give a lovely shimmery bronze eye look.

2. Dark lips - I doubt this autumn trend will ever truly go away, so you might as well embrace it. A cherry red or deep purple would look lovely on all skin tones, but if you're not confident enough to go for a full-on look - then you could always get tinted lip balm, which would help you stay on trend all the same.

3. Flushed cheeks - create that subtle, caught-in-the-wind-but-I-still-look-great look with pink and orange toned blush concentrated on the apples of your cheeks.

4. Braids/plaits - plaited and braided hair is starting to surface everywhere at the minute, and I can tell that it's going to end up being one of the more popular hairstyles this autumn. Not only does it make the person wearing it look super-cute, it also helps keep hair out of your face during the autumn wind and is great for hiding bad hair days.

5. Accessories - hair accessories, to be more specific. Elegant gold clips, dark red flowers and headbands are all in fashion this autumn. Combine them with messy plaits/braids to help give off that extra autumn vibe.

Rimmel BB Cream Matte | Review

Now that it's summer beauty bloggers everywhere have been raving on about how it's the ample time to start using tinted moisturisers/CC creams/BB creams because they're not as heavy on your skin.

As someone who suffers from oily skin, I'm very wary of these types of products because I know that two hours after putting one on I look like I've been for a 5 mile jog - not a good look.

However when I was in Boots a few weeks ago I came across this and decided to try it out. I've always been a big fan of Rimmel's Stay Matte range - I love the primer, foundation and concealer. And luckily their BB Cream is no different.

The coverage is great, it reduces blemishes and uneven skin tone really well at the same time as having a lightweight feel. My skin feels so much more natural and like it can breathe in the hot weather. I also love that because there isn't the same amount of coverage as a full-on foundation, you can see the freckles that have come out on my nose because of the sun.

You don't have to squeeze loads out of the bottle to get a good look, meaning it's great value for money. And the fact it has an SPF is great too as sun protection is an absolute must now that summer is here.

Summer beauty basics

Source: open-arms, Flickr.

Summer is the worst kind of year to be a make-up wearer. Not only are magazines filled with women that look positively glowing despite being pretty much make-up free (not taking into account all the editing the photographs undergo of course), but putting make-up on in the morning only results in it being sweated off under the sun, leaving a lovely patchy look for the rest of the day. And don't even get me started on the whole 'my face has tanned and now my foundation is too light for my skin' fandango.

After tackling these problems for the best part of 5 years, I've managed to find a few things that help me and my make-up cope with the warmer weather just that little bit easier.

1. Tinted moisturiser - using this rather than a thick foundation will mean that you won't sweat it off as the product will be properly moisturised into your skin, and the thinner coverage also means you'll avoid the caked-on look. If you can't find one to suit your skin tone, buy a normal moisturiser and mix it with your regular foundation as this basically creates the same effect.

2. Waterproof mascara - whether you're on holiday and are about to go swimming in the pool, or you're going to go for a long walk in the heat, wearing non-waterproof mascara will end in one thing and one thing only - it being halfway down your cheeks by the end of the day. Using a waterproof one means it will stay on for longer, no matter what you're doing with your day.

3. Long-lasting concealer - my favourite concealer to wear during the summer is the Collection Lasting Perfection concealer, which stays on all day no matter how hot it is outside and helps cover all those annoying blemishes/red patches.

4. Blotting sheets - I could rave on forever about how amazing blotting paper is for oily skin, but in summer when everyone is basically in the same boat - they're a must have for everyone. I always make sure to keep a pack in my bag for whenever I'm out and about and find my face getting greasy, and they always do the trick.

5. Lip balm - I find it really difficult to wear lipstick in the summer, just because I already feel quite greasy/sticky anyway, and wearing lipstick as well just contributes to this. Wearing lip balm also means that you can keep with the natural trend that comes along every summer without fail.

6. Sun cream - I cannot stress how important protecting yourself from sunburn is, and those who burn and say "Oh well it'll go brown eventually" make me genuinely mad, especially now that the dangers of skin cancer are so well known. Please remember to put sun cream on when the sun is out, and remember that it doesn't stop you from tanning - it just makes tanning safer!

Blonde hair care

I've always had problems when it comes to choosing shampoo and conditioner that suits my hair, as some dry out my scalp and others mean that my hair becomes greasy more quickly, however I've had none of these problems when using this John Frieda collection. 

My hair feels soft, lighter and a lot more vibrant than when I use my regular Herbal Essences shampoo, and the leave-in conditioner helps protect my hair from heat (which is great for me, considering I use heat on my hair most days of the week). Although it's slightly more expensive than regular shampoo, it's not ridiculously out of my price range.

But when I have those days that I can't be bothered to wash my hair (don't lie, we all have them), I tend to use the Batiste dry shampoo in order to get my hair looking somewhat presentable again. The one that I use is designed specifically for blondes, and reduces the amount of white mist I often struggle to get rid of when rubbing in the normal dry shampoo, as well as giving my hair a bit of a lift. It's great for taking with me if I'm staying at a friend's house, or going away for a night, where I'm not going to be having a shower or washing my hair, and it's even good to use for if I just want my hair to feel a little bit blonder and brighter than usual.

When I do get up earlier enough to be able to curl my hair in the morning (it doesn't happen a lot, I must admit), I didn't always use hairspray because I hated the hard and straw-like quality it gave to my hair, however this huge tin of Silhouette hairspray from Schwarzkopf has completely changed that. It sits in my hair nicely, meaning that it doesn't look like I've got any hairspray in at all, and allows my hair to still have the soft bounce to it that I've always tried to maintain, and for under £5 it's definitely the best quality for money in my opinion.

Boots Oil-Absorbing Sheets | Review

I've recently been having a lot of problem with my skin as the weather's been getting warmer. I have oily skin anyway, but now that summer is here it's worsened a noticeable amount. I love the warmer weather for a lot of reasons, but not being able to make it to lunch time without looking like I've dunked my head in a vat of oil is not one of them. 

Something that I've heard a lot about to help counteract this is blotting sheets or paper, so I bought two packets of these Oil-Absorbing Sheets from Boots. So say that they're an own brand product does not mean to say that they're not effective - they've been such a great product to have that they're becoming a necessity that I keep with me at all times. 

The papery texture isn't the nicest thing to rub on my face, but the amount of oil that comes off without removing my make-up is incredible, and the small layer of powder helps to make my face look as matte as it does when I apply my powder in the morning. At an offer of only £1.99 a packet (normally £3.99) they're going to be an absolute must-have in the upcoming warmer months.

Witch Oil Control Foaming Face Wash | Review

After a while, say three or four months, of using a product, my skin starts to get used to it and it no longer does the job it's supposed to do. It's kind of annoying, because when you've used almost every product available within your price range, it gets quite difficult to find something that will do the job you want it to.
Because of this, I've recently stopped using my everyday face wash, which is the Clean & Clear All in 1 Wash and Mask, and during a panic buy I ended up purchasing the Witch Oil Control Foaming Face Wash. I have used stuff from Witch before, their blemish stick is something that I can't go without, but I've never really found their face washes to be of much help. A lot of the time my skin has reacted really badly to them, for example producing more spots or more oil.
However, this product has proved that you should never judge a whole brand by one or two products, because after about a week of using this product my skin is looking great. I suffer from oily skin and blemishes, so the foam texture is fantastic as it doesn't irritate or dry out my skin, and the amount that you get in the bottle is so much more than other cream-based substances.  

Also, it smells amazing. I don't think I've ever had a face wash that has smelt so refreshing and non-chemical based.

Touch wood that writing this review doesn't mean my luck with this product will run out and I'll have to purchase something entirely different, because I really have fallen in love with it and hope to be using it for quite some time.

Rimmel Stay Matte Primer | Review

As somebody with a very oily t-zone, I often struggle in the summer to keep my skin looking matte by just powdering and using blotting paper, so when the weather started to get really warm I decided that I needed to change what I was doing to keep myself oil-free.

I've always been a big fan of primer, and the Rimmel Stay Matte range, so I thought the best option would be to combine my two loves and purchase the Rimmel Stay Matte primer. I used to use the Rimmel Fix & Perfect, but I'm so glad I've decided to switch product slightly and go for this one instead. It doesn't feel too heavy on my face, doesn't dry my face out too much, and it's great to just put on in places that I feel I need it (normally just my forehead, nose and chin). 

Because I don't make a lot of money and I'm currently in the process of saving up for my second year of university, the price of this is just right for me and is great value for money. If you're like me, and warmer weather is bound to bring out the worst case scenario oil-wise for you, then I would definitely recommend picking this up and trying it next time you're out shopping.