It was very warm in Croatia. Temperatures for most days ranged between 27 - 32 degrees.  Due to the change of temperature from being out in the sun & then indoors with the cold air con , my face felt slightly dry. This spring water from La Roche Posey is a godsend. It refreshes & cools my face. It adds moisture to the skin and takes away the tightness you get when being in the sun all day.

I spent weeks leading up to my holiday to find a perfect bikini and then I found one with just a few days to spare in John Lewis. I didn't want a bikini that showed too much. This bikini is comfortable & fits in all the right places.  The top is very flattering and can be worn strapless if you are looking for a tan without those annoying white strap marks. The briefs fitted over the bum nicely.

This powder blush from BareMinerals is in the shade Pink Me Up. It is the most flattering swash of pink on the cheeks that's looks really natural. It glides over the skin like silk & I would say it is suitable for all colour skin tones. It is buildable if you want a more in depth colour. Its looks so good on the skin. I find it really brightens my face up & makes me look healthy.

Now something for hair.  My hairdresser actually recommended this for me. I have bleached highlights in my hair so it can get very dry on the ends, especially in summer in the sun & heat. My hairdresser said when I am on holiday put a few pumps of this oil on the ends of your hair then tie it up. Trust me she said it will help enormously. And it did. Days at the beach or going in to the pool I did just that & my ends were still soft at the end of the day.

Best liquid lipstick ever!! A strong statement I know but this is the one! You know when you are continually searching for the perfect lip shade, well for me I think I have found it. It's in the shade 'Double Dare' which is a beautiful deep dusty pink colour. Perfect for holidays. It stays on for a long time and the sun & heat won't make it slide off.

I love everything about this summer dress. It is the perfect length, falls a few inches above the knee. The front chest area is not gaping & covers all your bits.  I love the colour yellow, this a pale yellow with a bright floral pattern. Feels really lightweight on. Sometimes summer dresses don't look quite right or fit properly on me This one was perfect & I am so glad I found it. My photo doesn't do it justice. Click on the stock photos underneath for a better look. You can find this dress at ASOS.

I have been using this after sun for years. A  great moisturiser for when you skin has gone dry after being in the sun all  day. If you have sunbathed a bit too much & have gone red or burnt yourself, this after sun is really good for that, soothing on the skin. I pretty much use this all year round. Even in winter. When my face feels dry I put a bit of this on.

I've spent years trying to find the best strapless bra. More often then not most are really bulky or make your bust look enormous or they give you a double boob! (Four boobs anyone!!) Or you have to keep yanking them up, all day long. Then I found this Wacoal one. The most comfortable strapless bra. Does not fall down at all. It's really thin & lightweight.

The bottle in the picture is the 10ml, the 50ml is the £21 priced one. I got this oil in an advent calendar last year. Didn't think about using it until I just threw in my makeup bag I took on holiday. I'm glad I did. It leaves your skin feeling silky smooth & the shimmer makes your tan look fantastic.  It's not greasy &  a little goes a long way. A bit of a luxury this one.

I always take an eye cream with me on holiday. My under eyes gets dry on the plane, dry from the sun, puffy from tiredness. I also find if I haven't been wearing my sunglasses, the sun actually makes my dark circles worse. This eye cream worked wonders. Hence the name of it. Lol! Gives just the right amount of moisture for the eye area, not at all greasy.  No eye cream is ever going to take away dark circles but this helped tremendously. You only need to use a little of the product & tap it gently under the eye area. It sinks in quickly so is great under makeup. Key ingredients - Hyaluronic Acid to hydrate, Cucumber Oil to calm & brighten, Witch Hazel to reduce inflammation & puffiness and it's 99% natural, so ideal for sensitive eyes.

Products Mentioned

L'Oreal Expert Pro-Keratin Refill Protective Cream For Damaged Hair DISCONTINUED ALERT! I have bleach dye in my hair which makes it very dry and prone to breaking. I always blowdry my hair so I have hunted around for the best products to protect my hair against the heat. I am so sad this product has discontinued. It contains Pro-Keratin and In cell to reinforce hair and is a cream that protects hair against heat & other external aggressors. This product made my hair shiny & healthy, nourished & stronger.   This was the best heat protector around. You might be able to find it on eBay or Amazon. Only one other product did the same, Botanics Heat Protection Shine Serum, but this has been discontinued too :(

Ole Henriksen Clean Truth Cleansing Cloths I don't use cleansing cloths/wipes everyday, only when I am feeling lazy, this is the easiest option to remove my makeup at the end of the day. I don't like using wipes as the ones I've tried have always dried my skin out. Until, that is, when I discovered these from Ole Henriksen. Formulated with vitamin C to brighten skin  and contains green tea to stop collagen breakdown. I not sure about that but   they did not irritate my skin or give me breakouts and it removed most of the makeup. Might need extra help with mascara. Made my skin soft & glowing which makes this product stand out from the high street/drugstore versions. Readily available in the US but I am now struggling to find them in the UK :(

Burt's Bees Soap Bark & Chamomile Deep Cleansing Cream You cannot go wrong with Burt's Bees. Their products are 100% natural and gentle on the skin.  I found this cleanser made my skin clean, reduced my oiliness  & improved breakouts. It contains menthol, which left my skin feeling fresh. If the tingly affect is not for you, then apply a moisturiser afterwards  and this will stop.  It's quite a big bottle too so it lasts longer & is value for money. I have already used up two bottles of this.

The Body Shop Honeymania Hand Cream DISCONTINUED ALERT! The Body Shop & Crabtree & Evelyn do the best hand creams. This Honeymania one from The Body Shop was my favourite. Absorbs quickly and leaves my skin feeling soft. The smell was really nice & not overpowering.  It's now discontinued and looks like it has been replaced with the Almond Milk & Honey range,  which I have yet to try. All of The Body Shops hand creams are really nice but this was the one for me.

The Body shop Cocoa Butter Cream Body scrub DISCONTINUED ALERT!  Y'know when you get those little tiny bumps on the back of your arms? This scrub, everybody, took all that alway. My arms were so smooth and silky after using this product as did the rest of my skin. A real winner. This is the type of scrub that contains tiny beads. These type of scrubs/exfoliators are now banned as the tiny beads (which I did not realise by the way) can be harmful to marine life. So, even though this was a great product I am happy it is no longer on sell as I am always up for saving the planet. If you want to read more about the plastic microbead ban there is a good article here.

T-Zone Face Pore Strips I'm gonna be bold here. I find face/nose strips do remove some blackheads/dirt but actually make your pores bigger! I have nothing against T-Zone, they have better pore strips then other brands. They have a new charcoal range out which I am interested to try & compare with the original strips.  I just personally prefer to use a gentle face mask or exfoliator instead.

Bio-Oil Hmmm. the jury is out on this one. I didn't use Bio-Oil for stretch marks or scars so I cannot advise on that but I used it mainly for pigmentation.  Maybe I didn't use it as regularly as I should have. I used it once a week rather than everyday. I found it did not reduce pigmentation or correct uneven skin tone. This bottle lasts a very very long time so I have been using it a while.

Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream This does refresh my tired eyes and makes them feel less dry. I purchased this especially for my dark circles but it did little in reducing them. It was moisturising but I feel the Kiehl's  creamy eye treatment moistures better. I still would use this one again especially after a long day travelling.  It does give a good highlight, I have even used it above my cheekbones. It does seem a little pricy for the little pot but  it does last for a long time.

Max Factor Xperience Weightless Foundation DISCONTINUED ALERT!  I loved this foundation. It was light, silky and made my face look flawless.  I used the shade 40 Light Ivory which matched my skintone perfectly. It covered my red patches around my nose & chin. It never clogged or went dry and I truly believed it helped in a big way preventing any breakouts. I'm sorry to see it discontinued :(

L'Oreal Lumi Magique Stylo Touche De Lumiere Concealer This is a highlighting concealer, so I wouldn't use this over blemishes or around the nose. I use this over another concealer. It instantly brightens around my eyes & does make my dark circles less noticeable. I like that it has a soft brush/pen style applicator that makes it easy to apply. I have repurchased this a couple of times now. I am finding it a little difficult to find in shops but it is readily available online.

Maybelline Eraser Eye Concealer I use this as a base around my eye area. Again, this is another concealer I do not use on blemishes or other areas around my face as it is a little heavy. I love how the product glides on with the soft , cushiony applicator. Not sure about the anti-age aspect of it, but it does slightly conceal my dark circles. Although the shade is in light I would like a shade lighter. I use this as a base first, then use a little Nars Creamy Concealer over the top, finishing with L'Oreal's Lumi Magique Concealer.

Where To find

 NYX Professional Makeup Lip Lingerie Vault, £65

Ready Player One By Ernest Cline, £4
Before The Fall By Noah Hawley, £6.29

Ready Player One

Before the Fall: The year's best suspense novel

Stranger Things Cap Logo, £18 & Lunch Box, £20
Stranger Things Action Figure 3 Pack, £19.99

Hobbs Eleanor Check Scarf, £49
Miss Selfridge Embellished Rib Hat, £14

John Lewis Lizzie Leather Slim Continental Purse, £39
Mulberry Darley Small Classic Grain Leather Medium Wallet, £295

WoodWick Dancing Hourglass Jar-Jolly Gingerbread, £23.99
WoodWick Dancing Hourglass Jar-Crimson Berries, £23.99

Harry Potter Collection at Primark

reputation

NARS Man Ray The Veil Cheek Palette, £35

Kiehl's Holiday Limited Edition Creme de Corps Whipped Body Butter, £37

Sainsbury's Home Ochre & Mulberry Check Throw, £15

Monsters' Ball, £4.50 This bath bomb fizzes away in a warm bath releasing beneficial oils that help you wind down after a long day. It has a sweet scent but not one that is too overpowering. It releases a pink colour then swirls of blue and purple. Makes your skin super soft. It also really cute too!

Pumpkin, £4.25 My favourite bath bomb. I bought two of these. I love the smell of this one so much. Has a sweet vanilla and cinnamon scent with a hint of an orange zest. Leaves your bath water orange, this bath bomb makes me feel all Autumnal.

Bewitched, £4.25 This black cat bubble bar is so bloomin' cute. To be crumpled under the tap this bubble bar will turn your bath water black!! Trust me, it's great.  Has a fruity, blackberry scent contains Olibanum & Bergamot oil.

Sparkly Pumpkin, £4.25 Not gonna lie, but you will get the glitter from this bubble bar EVERYWHERE. Be careful. It does, however, give a really nice sparkly sheen to the skin.

Lord Of Misrule, £3.95 This bath bomb gives off great colour. Greens, swirling pinks and  a deep red. As a little surprise, some popping candy. It has a really nice scent of patchouli and vanilla. It's makes your skin really soft. Shame you cannot get this one all year round. It's a cracker of a bath bomb!

Vanilla Pumpkin Body Butter, £15 & Vanilla Pumpkin Hand Cream, £15

John Lewis Beauty Advent Calendar, £149 OUT NOW

The Body Shop 25 DAYS OF GAME-CHANGING ADVENT-URE, £45-£99 out now

lookfantastic Advent Calendar 2017, £79 Out Now

Zoella 12 Days of Christmas Advent Calendar, WAS £50 NOW £25

ASOS The Advent Calendar & The Grooming Calendar, both £55 OUT NOW

Lush 12 Days Of Christmas, £69.50 Online now

Decléor Advent Calendar, £65 Out Now

Makeup Revolution Advent Calendar 2017, Was £50 Now £30

Nyx Professional Makeup kiss and tell advent calendar, £50 OUT NOW

Sleek Makeup A Gift A Day Advent Calendar, £35 OUT NOW

Molton Brown Cabinet of Scented Luxuries Advent Calendar, £165 OUT NOW

Heathcote & Ivory Morris & Co Advent Calendar, £40 OUT NOW 

L'Occitane Advent Calendar, £49 OUT NOW

Selfridges 24 Day Beauty Advent Calendar, £120 Out Now

24 Days of Clinique advent calendar, £75.00 OUT NOW

Benefit San Francisco Winter Wonderglam advent calendar, £34.50 OUT NOW

House Of Fraser Beauty Advent Calendar, £25 OUT NOW

Soap & Glory It's a Calendar, Girls!, £40 OUT NOW

Cowshed Beauty Advent Calendar, £90 out now

bareMinerals Box Of Wonders Beauty Advent Calendar, £75 OUT NOW

OPI Love OPI XOXO Beauty Advent Calendar, £63 OUT NOW

Liz Earle The 12 Days Of Christmas Skincare Gift Set, £66 Out Now

Charlotte Tilbury 'Naughty & Nice Magic Box' Beauty Advent Calendar, £150 OUT NOW 

Rituals 'The Ritual Of Advent' Beauty Calendar, £59.50 OUT NOW

Harrods Beauty Advent Calendar 2017, £250 Out Now

Diptyque Advent Calendar, £300 Out Now

Marks & Spencer Beauty Advent Calendar, £35 when you spend £35 on clothing & Homeware From 9th november

Jo Malone London Beauty Advent Calendar , £300 OUT Now

LEGO City 60155 Advent Calendar, £19 Out Now

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lipstick The original of the Bourjois liquid lipsticks.  A matte lipstick that is light on the lips and non-drying, comfortable to wear. They have a huge colour pay off as they are very pigmented. Lasts really well. I have the shade Nude-ist, which is a pink-nude that is very flattering for all skin tones. The Shade Hot Pepper (in the picture on the left), which is an orange red. A great colour to wear if you don't want to go all out red and again very flattering for most people.  Shade Red-volution is more a  pinky red then a deep red.

Bourjois Rouge Edition AQUA Laque liquid lipstick

Bourjois Rouge Laque liquid lipstick This also has a shine formula but unlike the Aqua above it is not as intense. I have the shades  Framboiselle & Purpledelique. The first is a fluorescent pink and the latter dark pink/purple. All the liquid lipsticks mentioned are long lasting. Maybe not quite 24hrs as Bourjois states but stays on for a long time.

'Untitled' sold for $110.5 million at auction

Urban Decay Jean-Michel Basquiat Gold Griot Eyeshadow Palette

Urban Decay Jean-Michel Basquiat Gold Griot Eyeshadow Palette £35

This is  a neutral/gold palette. It has 8 eyeshadows in total. 5 are matte and 3 are more shimmery. The palette itself has a long narrow mirror in the lid and is equipped with a double ended brush. These eyeshadows are velvety, pigmented and blend really easily. Shades: Enigma, neutral pale nude matte Levitation, warm pale nude matte Not For Sale, medium sienna matte Suckerpunch, warm brown shimmer Influence, brown satin with gold shimmer BK, gray matte-satin Pseudonym, deep navy matte Crown, very metallic gold

Urban Decay Jean-Michel Basquiat Gallery Blush Palette

This gallery blush palette is a four pan face palette that holds two blush, one bronzer and one highlighter. The two blushes are really pretty on the cheeks. The bronzer is matte and very wearable even for pale skin tones. The highlighter is shimmery but don't let that put you off, this highlighter is gorgeous.  All powders are,  again like the eye palette, velvety and easy to blend. Both this and the eyeshadow palette have a cutout on the back of the product.  So you can if you wish, after you have finished the product, display it on your wall. Shades: X-Rated, medium pink Now’s The Time, gold-champagne shimmer Jawbone, medium bronze NOHO, radiant berry

Urban Decay Jean-Michel Basquiat Gallery Blush Palette £27

Urban Decay Jean-Michel Basquiat Vice Lipstick in shade Epigram

Urban Decay Jean-Michel Basquiat Vice Lipstick, Epigram £16.50

There are three lipsticks in this collection. I have the one in shade Epigram. This lipstick has a creamy but pigmented formula.  It has a warm brown/red colour and is very flattering. The lid is a little fiddly to get off, but that's just a minor issue considering  the  gorgeous canvas packaging.

URBAN DECAY JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT 1983 Cosmetic Bag

This cosmetic bag is just the right size for your everyday essentials and not too big that you wouldn't be able to fit it in your handbag. Made of coated canvas and covered inside and out of Jean-Michel's artwork. The detail is superb. It has a colourful zipper and an inside pocket for any smaller items. I love it!

1983 Cosmetic Bag £22 Coloured zip detail

Nars

Origins

Concealers  I'm still on the hunt to find my perfect concealer. I have very dark under eye circles (hereditary, thank s Dad)  and need a full coverage that's not cakey as I also have dry skin under the eye. This two concealers, Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer and Origins Plantscription Anti-aging Concealer, are the two I use pretty much on a daily basis. They are not cakey and have a medium coverage.  They are great for concealing the rest of the face and covers any redness. My only gripe with the Nars concealer is that the product itself uses up very quickly and is empty before you know it. Not sure if the Origins concealer  really does anything for anti aging but I don't mind as that's not what I bought for but hey, any little helps :)

Body Balms & Butters

The Body Shops body butters are my all time favourites for moisturising after a bath or shower. The butter absorbs quickly, no greasiness, and leaves you with smooth skin.  It smells great and not overpowering like some of the other body butters.  Some products leave me with itchy skin, I get no itchiness from these butters. I can get very dry skin on the shins of my legs, especially in winter. La Roche Posay Lipikar Baume is perfect for moisturising my legs. This is definitely an ongoing re-purchase.

The Body Shop

La Roche-Posay

                                                                                            Facial Skincare

Bioderma

No 7

Neutrogena

I use this Neutrogena moisturiser every morning & night. It's oil free so helps with my oily t-zone whilst hydrates & smoothes my skin. It doesn't break me out in spots and is great under make up.  I use the bioderma mainly to remove my eye makeup. I find this version more

Make Up

I use this L'Oreal Infallible 24h Matte Foundation basically everyday. It is so lightweight which I love in a foundation. It covers all redness and gives an even finish. I would say it has a medium coverage rather than the full coverage it states on their product.

L'Oreal Paris

Max Factor

Chapstick

Two Other Mentions...

L'Oreal

Sure

Just like the concealers, I struggle to find my perfect shampoo & conditioner. This L'Oreal conditioner is one I always go back to. It  does make your hair silky and shiny and makes my hair less tangled. Even though it's not specifically made for coloured hair I find it does no harm to mine whatsoever. I would even say it enhances your colour. I have to admit that I am not so keen on the shampoo in this range as it seems to make my hair stick to my scalp (but maybe that's me not washing it properly, ahem).

Have you finished any products any lately? Are they your favourites? Let me know in the comments below :)