My Holiday Hero Products

'My suitcase shrunk?'

Oh how I love a sun-drenched holiday. The sand, the sea, the sangria... it's just all rather glorious isn't it?
So next week I'm jumping on a big plane and swapping the sodden cobbles of Manchester for the twinkling shores of Cyprus! Needless to say, I cannot wait.

After a long weekend in culture-swathed Barcelona and a fleeting romance with wild Ibiza earlier this summer, I have learnt to select my precious luggage allowance with the meticulousness of a neurosurgeon. And then there's the soaring heat to contend with... As I'm sure you know, my amigos, make-up meltdown is a very real danger. Preventative measures are nothing but a necessity.

Moisturiser:  Clarins HydraQuench SPF15, £34
My gorgeous aunty Jeanie, who lives in Spain, swears by this moisturiser for the warmer climes. It soaks in fast and is a melt-free zone all day.

Primer: Dermalogica Skin Perfect Primer SPF30, £29.95
I'm not a huge primer advocate, but this slim number was AMAZING in Ibiza. It helped keep my foundation in place well into the early hours.

Foundation: MAC Cosmetics Studio Sculpt Foundation (SPF 15) £24 with a bit of Laura Mercier Illuminated Tinted Moisturiser (SPF20) £33 to thin the consistency
I've tried so many different foundations, but for me MAC Studio Sculpt is just the one. When my skin is slightly dry I have to use a bit of tinted moisturiser to thin it out, but I love how it sets so flawlessly. The coverage is medium and buildable to full, so nice and versatile for holiday evenings, but I tend not to use it during the day - I just use the tinted moisturiser on its own for a really light coverage (with added SPF, bonus!)

Eyeshadow Primer: Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion, £17
This genius product is amazing for keeping shadow exactly where it should be. I wore really heavy eye make up to go to Zoo Project in Ibiza (complete with leopard body paint... yes really!) and this tube of magic worked an absolute treat, despite the hot temps.

Lippy: Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Bang £14, with Glide-on Lip Pencil also in Bang £12
Outline the lip and shade with the pencil before applying the lipstick, blot and re-apply. I guarantee this fierce shade (my favourite accessory for a goddess-bronze tan) will stay put for HOURS.

Bronzer: ArtDeco Bronzing Compact Powder, £25
There's no long-lasting hocus-pocus going on with this bronzer, I just think it's really good. The beautiful palette is huge, so ideal for adding a bit of body shimmer.

Eye-Liner: Dior Waterproof Eyeliner Long-Wear Pencil, £18
It does not budge. Hallelujah!

Blush: Benefit Sugarbomb, £23.50
This peachy coral blush palette goes so well with a tan, and there's just the right amount of shimmer to add a sexy glow too.

Posh After-Sun: Lancôme Nutrix Royal £39
For slightly scorched skin this intense repair lipid-enriched lotion is the ultimate soother. If, however, you're a bit on the strapped side Soltan Aftersun with insect repellent £4.49 is pretty good. It really does keep the pesky mosquitos at bay too.

Hair Serum: Liss Unlimited SOS Smoothing Double Serum by L'Oreal Professionnel, £13.25
Holidays may be generally delicious, but they're also rather harsh on the tresses. I use this serum by L'Oreal to banish frizz even in humid climates. It smells rather nice too.

Burn Balance: If you're prone to pink after lounging in the sun try using a colour corrector with a green base, like Smashbox Photo Finish Color Corrector Foundation Primer in Green, £12.50 (travel size) before you put on your foundation. This will counterbalance the redness for a perfect finish.

Let me know your holiday hero products by commenting below, or by writing on the Pout Out Proud Facebook page, or tweeting @PoutOutProud.

xx

Top Beauty Products for Yummy Mums-To-Be

Pregnancy may be a time of joy and excitement, but let’s face it, it’s not all youthful glow and ample bosom. Nine months of having a little life-form somersaulting at 3am, adding anything between 10 to a million pounds to your body, it’s exhausting. The days of negotiating an aisle with dexterity and grace are a distant memory.  But fear not, there are beauty products out there to help…

Illustration by Rose Sturdy

Combat stretch marks with… Clarins Stretch Mark Control, £37

Every mum-to-be needs a helping hand when it comes to stretch marks, no matter how supple their skin. Clarins Stretch Mark Control is a perfume-free lotion which contains a number of plant extracts to help fight the cause. Upon application you can feel a slight soothing tingle as the product stimulates the skin. It helps to protect the skin’s elastin, reduces redness of existing stretch marks and stimulates the repair of new ones – perfect! A top tip is to start applying before marks appear. 

Kick the cankles with…  Cowshed Udderly Gorgeous Leg and Foot treatment, £18.50

‘My feet look like pig’s trotters…’ Oh the joys of pregnancy. Hot weather and a big bump is a one-way ticket to the chunkiest ankles in town. Soothe swollen legs with Cowshed’s Udderly Gorgeous Leg and Foot Treatment, which is wonderfully cooling after a long day of being significantly rounder than before. 

Banish dark spots with… Clinique Even Better Dark Spot Corrector, £29

A common by-product of pregnancy is Melasma, the discolouration of skin, thanks to all those lovely hormones. Discolouration usually lessens several months after giving birth, but for the interim this serum by Clinique helps to even skin tone and prevents the appearance of new dark spots. In true Clinique style, this ‘damage eraser’ has a gentle formula, so it’s suitable for use on the face too.

Pamper and restore dry skin with… Lancôme Nutrix Royal £39 for 400ml 

This super nourishing body lotion by Lancôme is the ultimate pamper product if your skin is dull and tired. It smells like a holiday to Mauritius, and leaves skin seriously soft thanks to its intense lipid repair formula.

Cleanse and re-energise with… Champneys Blissful Bump Shower Cream, £6

The Champneys Blissful Bump range has a powerful punch of ginger, and their moisturising shower cream is a great way for tired yummy mummies to re-energise. It might not quite make up for a whole sleepless night, but every little helps!

What are your hero pregnancy products? Comment below, tweet @PoutOutProud on Twitter or write a message on the Pout Out Proud Facebook page xx

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