4 Incredible Drugstore Beauty Buys

L'Oreal Color Riche Matte Lipstick in Mon Jules (430)

Is It Really a Makeup Revolution?

An Easy to Wear Everyday Lip Combo

Easy Ways to Fake a Golden Glow

Personally, I'm not big on tanning. I have naturally fair skin that gets burnt in hardly any time at all, and that's during May! So in the summer I tend to layer on the SPF and cover up as much as possible. But when it comes to glamming up during the summer months, from pretty sun dresses to shorts, I do sometimes like to fake a bit of a tan. I'm not talking about anything drastic, just a bit of extra colour - especially in the form of gradual tan and bronze highlighters. Recently, I've been road testing some very summer appropriate beauty products and today I thought I'd share my thoughts on them all.

Cocoa Brown Gentle Bronze Gradual Tan* | rrp £6.99

I've tried quite a few affordable gradual tanners and I think that the best ones offer a natural looking bronze shade (that's certainly not at all orange) and when they fade they do so subtly, not leaving you looking really patchy and undignified. Although I wouldn't describe Cocoa Brown's Gentle Bronze as my ideal gradual tanning product, it's probably the best one that I've tried so far. At £6.99 it does a terribly good job of giving me a natural looking bronze shade that doesn't fade really awkwardly. I would say that it gives you noticeable colour much more quickly than some gradual tans but personally I quite liked this as it means that I don't have to reach for it so often, making the product go further. I'd always recommend applying even gradual tanning products with a tanning mitt, to avoid staining your hands - there's nothing worse than orange knuckles or wrists. I found that applying it with a tanning mitt gave a really even colour without any streaks. All in all, I don't think you can do better for the money and I'd definitely like to use this again during the warmer months.

He-Shi Overnight Ageless Tanning Balm Light* | rrp £22.50

This gradual tanning balm from He-Shi is a similar product to the Cocoa Brown Gentle Bronze but it's specifically designed for use on the face. I found that it gave a gradual dose of natural looking colour and it didn't break my skin out. You apply it at night and in the morning you can see a difference in the colour of your skin - it's the perfect product for using before parties or going on holiday! The colour fades incredibly naturally so you won't look weird or patchy, and when applied with a tanning mitt you can get a really even and believable finish. He-Shi is an incredibly trustworthy brand when it comes to tanning products and I wouldn't trust facial fake tanning to anyone less qualified! You might be able to cover your arms if fake tan goes wrong, but there's no hiding your face. But thankfully He-Shi have it totally covered and there won't be any fake tan disasters for me this summer.

Rimmel Good to Glow Highlighter in Soho Glow 003 | rrp £4.99

If the concept of fake tan - even gradual tan - totally isn't for you, then you should try using a bronze highlighter like Rimmel's Good to Glow in the shade Soho Glow. Last summer I used Revlon's PhotoReady Skin Lights Illuminator in Bare Light, but Soho Glow offers a very similar colour and finish for less than half the price. I apply a reasonable sized amount of the product onto my fingers and then before applying any other makeup I blend it across my entire face. Not only does it add some colour to your complexion but it also adds a radiance that will still be visible once you apply foundation. Alternatively, you can mix some of the highlighter into your foundation and apply it like that. The finished look is a slightly warmer complexion with added radiance, an attempt at faking a naturally sunkissed glow that you can wear year-round. 

What fake tanning products do you like to reach for?

Are there makeup products that you use to fake a golden glow?

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Rimmel Lasting Finish Full Coverage Foundation in True Ivory

I picked up Rimmel's Lasting Finish Full Coverage Foundation on a bit of a whim. I saw it in one of EssieButton's videos and I always think that her skin looks flawless so I thought I'd give something other than my trusty Revlon Colorstay Foundation a try. I picked mine up in a little superdrug haul at the very reasonable price of £7.99 and I've been wearing it pretty much every day since I bought it.

Rimmel offer two kinds of Lasting Finish Foundations, a medium and a full coverage option. I thought I'd opt for a fuller coverage because I already have some lighter coverage options I'm really happy with (ESPA's Tinted Moisturiser and Balance Me BB Perfecting Cream, for instance). When I wasnt a really flawless finish, I like to apply my foundations with the Real Techniques Beauty Sponge, and when I want a slightly more natural looking finish I prefer to use Japonesque's Pro Stippling Brush, as well as the Point Foundation Brush to add a bit of extra coverage around my nose and under my eyes. In the photo below I used my Real Techniques Beauty Sponge and I think it does a really good job of apply the foundation lightly and evenly.

Rimmel's Full Coverage Lasting Finish Foundation first applies with quite a light consistency and then when you blend the product into your skin it begins to feel a little bit more creamy, before finally "setting" on the skin. Once it's blended and set it really doesn't budge, it lasts tremendously well throughout the day without excentuating dry spots or pores. I find it incredibly comfortable to wear, even without a primer, and this more than anything is what keeps me reaching for it over my other foundations. True Ivory is a relatively good colour match for me, it leans towards yellow-tones rather than pink and I did buy it with summer in mind so it is just a little bit darker than my skin-tone. Overall, I'm really happy with this particular purchase and I'm considering checking out the Medium Coverage option now too!

Have you tried any of Rimmel's foundations before?

Do you wear a drugstore foundation?

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