July Favourites

As I’ve recently returned from a lovely summer getaway to Majorca, unsurprisingly my July Favourites have taken a bit of a sunny twist. Now I’d be lying if I didn’t say my ultimate favourite this month was the cocktail menu (Banana Margarita’s, Pina Colada’s, Hugo’s, the list goes on…), but here’s another few things that I’ve been loving:

I’m a massive fan of lobster, to eat that is, not look like. Blisters, red raw back and shoulders, skin peeling off my nose and forehead…I’ve been there before, and I assure you, it isn’t my best look. So I’m big on sun protection. I love the light formula of the La Roche Posay Anthelios XL SPF 50+ to wear on an everyday basis on my face, underneath or instead of foundation. I teamed it with the Ladival Lotion SPF 30, which helps protect against both UVA and UVB rays as well as harmful IR-A rays, whilst on holiday. Admittedly, I only turned a nicer shade of pale, but I still looked better than my crustacean friend.

Not only do I worry about my skin’s exposure to the sun, I also worry about my hair’s. I treated my locks to an Aussie Moisturise Miracle Mask every evening instead of my usual conditioner for a little extra hydration. 

And whilst during the day I omitted the full face of make-up routine, of an evening I do like to get dressed up. I loved the Clinique Beyond Perfecting 2-in-1 Foundation and Concealer to give me the most amazing, flawless finish that even a barbie doll might be jealous of.

In-between lounging around in the sun in this gorgeous bikini from the Kendall & Kylie Swim Collection for Topshop bikini, and taking the odd cheeky mid-morning nap, I had plenty of time to read. I finally finished And The Mountains Echoed which was every bit as beautiful as Khaled Hosseini’s other novels, and got my teeth stuck into the 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People.

And lastly, and possibly the only thing better than Banana Margaritas this month, are the new Nakd Bar flavours that I arrived home to. So far my favourite is the Carrot Cake flavour, but I can just tell the Peanut Delight won’t be too far behind…

What were your favourites this month?

K

July Top 5

And here are my July Top 5...

1. Peaky Blinders, Season 1 (available to watch on Netflix).

For those who haven't heard about this show, it's a period drama set in 1919, following the infamous Birmingham gang, the Peaky Blinders. Although I cover my eyes when the gory fight scenes come on, I became absolutely obsessed and finished season 1 in a week. Also give props to whoever created the soundtrack, because it's awesome. Eagerly awaiting season 2 to come to Netflix.

2. Sweaty Betty, Shorts & Sports Bra Co-ord. 

I picked this cool running co-ord up in the Sweaty Betty sale and haven't wanted to run in anything else since. Usually with shorts I find there's too much material and they come up a little big, but these are lightweight and there's no riding up-or-down or needing to readjust (and of course, you can't not get the matching bra). The sale is now over but their new season collection is now in stores. I’m currently obsessed with this print here.

3. Clinique, Liquid Facial Wash Mild (£16.50) and Clinique Mild Clarifying Lotion (£16.50).

These were my absolute skin saviours. A combination of stress and then laziness on the skincare front (listen to your Mother when she tells you to take your make up off after a night out) made my skin erupt in July. These Clinque Mild products were recommended by a friend who has amazing skin, so I didn't need much convincing, and are great on sensitive skin. I use the facial wash in the morning, and then the mild clarifying lotion, which is an alcohol-free acid toner, after cleansing to gently exfoliate the face without irritating break-outs. 

4. L’oreal Paris Color Riche Lipliner (£3.99) and Lipstick (£8.19) in 302 ‘Bois De Rose’.

Usually I like to rock more of a statement lip, but I've been loving this duo for a beautiful everyday pinky nude.

5. Raw Vegan Carrot Cake.

And lastly this month, I've been reminiscing this raw vegan carrot cake. It was my first attempt at a raw cake but it went down a storm with my whole family, including my Dad who gladly swapped a Saturday afternoon slice of chocolate cake for this instead. It was more of a cheesecake consistency so we all agreed it would be a great dessert. Find the recipe here.

K