summer

Let’s face it, the combination of heat, sun, sea water and humidity can lead to a Summer of bad hair days. We dream of beach waves and sun-kissed highlights…but it never quite ends up that way does it? Never fear, take a look at these Summer hair hacks to make sure your hair is looking stunning all Summer long.

Fight the fringe fatigue:

Fringes and hot weather…never a good combo. Top tip: Keep a dry shampoo in your handbag and lightly spritz the roots throughout the day, making sure to brush the product up and into your hair to absorb excess oil. I love Catwalk Session Series Transforming Dry Shampoo 250ml

To smooth a frizzy fringe:

Forget your hairdryer and instead use a medium sized Velcro roller, strong enough to smooth out your hair when rolled in firmly lifting up at the roots. Spritz a light mist of hairspray and leave in whilst doing your makeup. Gently remove the roller and dress into place.

Taming frizz:

The secret to this is all in the preparation. Make sure you use a moisturising, smoothing balm or oil through freshly washed hair and comb through evenly from the mid lengths to ends. Blow-dry smooth or leave to dry naturally for controlled waves. I reach for Moroccanoil Oil Treatment 100ml

Remember, hair becomes instantly drier in heat. A heavier conditioner or treatment such as Kevin Murphy LUXURY.RINSE 250ml will help to ease frizz. If you are blow-drying your hair make sure it is 100% dry before a day in the heat. Any moisture left in the hair will be prone to frizz. Look for a light hair oil like Moroccanoil Light Oil Treatment 100ml - it’s a saviour in humid weather. Work one drop through the mid-lengths and ends to smooth and nourish the hair.”

Keeping cool:

Up-dos don’t just look good but they help keep necklines fresh and cool. Braids are the go-to style of the moment. I absolutely love a fishtail plait and it’s the easiest braid to do yourself as there are only two sections to work with. The biggest mistake people make is not dishevelling it at the end. Once plaited and secured with a hairband, put your thumbs to the centre of the braid (where it crosses) and pull out, work up and down the braid using this technique until you have a wider loose braid. Use a light serum like Tecni Art Liss Control + Serum 50ml to smooth flyaway hairs.

Improvising new hair heroes: 

It’s amazing how the contents of your handbag can be used in an emergency! Vaseline is great for slicking back stray hairs, just be sure not to overuse it and wash it out at the end of the day. Talcum powder is also great around the hairline and also great for removing excess oils. Who knew?!

xoxo

Time to dust off those wellies and dig out that tent…Summer festival season has arrived! Whether you’re off to the muddy fields of Glastonbury or the more chilled vibe of Secret Garden Party, festivals can spell danger for your oh so precious skincare routine. With just a few small changes to your product arsenal you can make sure that your summer glow stays intact.

Step 1. Cleanser

This is not the time to go to bed with your make-up still on people. I do appreciate though that hot water and clean flannels are at a premium while you're stuck in a field, so here’s my secret (not so secret) weapon; Garnier Micellar Water. Make sure to pack a small bottle of rinse-free Micellar Water and some cotton wool pads so you’ll be able to cleanse your face and remove makeup every night, even if there’s no running water available. Micellar waters actively cleanse your skin as well as freshening it. They contain micelles – tiny ball-shaped structures formed from cleansing molecules that start working when they make contact with your skin. Garnier Mini Micellar BB Gift Set is the perfect addition to your backpack.

Step 2. Sun Protection

I realise that our good old British Summer might not always produce glorious sunshine, but you’ll be spending 90% of your time outside at a festival, so you need make sure your sun protection is working hard to offset any sun exposure (yes even if it’s cloudy. See my last blog post here). Choose a product with a high SPF rating and re-apply it as needed during the day on all areas of exposed skin. Bring a hat to shade your face and neck from the sun, too (this comes with the added bonus of looking festival “chic”). I say you can’t go wrong with Dermalogica Protection 50 Sport.

Step 3. Change up your base

Time to switch up your foundation for more of a multi-tasker. A good quality BB cream will do most things your foundation does, i.e. covering blemishes and evening out skin-tone, but with the addition of sun protection and skincare benefits too. When choosing a BB cream, look for one that suits your skin type, especially if you have sensitive skin, or want to target specific skin concerns like signs of ageing, pigmentation spots or blemishes. I reach for Ambre Solaire BB Cream Sun Protection SPF50+ 50ml.

Step 4. Hydration

Sun exposure, camping (why?!) and late nights can add up to skin that looks dull and dehydrated. Cue a lightweight serum to hydrate your skin comfortably. I always go with one that contains light-reflecting properties, as it helps to restore the skin’s healthy glow. I LOVE Dermalogica HydraBlur Primer. A serum and hydrating primer in one, this product is a staple for me.

Step 5. Refresh and Revive

Feeling a bit groggy after a night in a tent? (let’s face it, who wouldn’t be?!) Refreshing facial mists are your friend as they help give energy to tired a devitalized skin. Try Thalgo Reviving Marine Mist for radiant, festival ready skin.

Send me your pics of your festival skincare kits and let me know how you find your new routine! #festivalskincaresurvival

xoxo

Sun skin safety. It’s not the most glamorous of subjects and granted, it does have the similar dull ring to it as the dreaded ‘health and safety’. That said, it is really something that we need to think seriously about. Obviously I don’t want to start sounding like your Mum here, making you wear a t-shirt in the pool; so instead I’m going to talk you through all the key things you need to look out for with your suncare products.

Most of us will only start thinking about suncare in the weeks leading up to our summer getaway to sunnier climates. However, regardless of whether you are sunning yourself on a yacht in St Tropez (I wish) or just sitting in the park in cloudy Britain, everyone is exposed to the sun in some way. Up to 40% of the sun’s ultraviolet radiation reaches the earth on a completely cloudy day, leaving us exposed to the sun even when we don’t realise it. That’s why we should be putting sun protection in place on a daily basis to help protect our skin. After all, the sun’s rays may be invisible to the naked eye, but the effects on the skin are clear.

So, what should you be looking for when it comes to skin protection? Most of the time, it feels like suncare brands are just throwing acronyms at us left, right and centre. So let’s cut through the jargon and break it down.

You should be looking for two different levels of protection. SPF is the level of protection given against UVB rays (these can alter your skin cells’ DNA and cause sun burn). In simple terms, if your skin usually takes around 20 minutes to redden when unprotected, an SPF15 lotion will extend this time by 15, providing coverage for up to 5 hours.

Meanwhile, UVA protection levels (UVA rays cause allergies, ageing, dark spots and wrinkles) can be recognised by star ratings on the bottle. Five stars is what you’re after here of course. Products with both UVA and UVB coverage are known as ‘broad spectrum protection’.

Regardless of how long your protection claims to last, no suncream should be expected to keep skin protected for longer than 2 hours without reapplication. Plus of course, your suncream is only good as your application technique, so be generous people.

With suncare, I truly believe you get what you pay for. I’ve tried them all, from budget to premium brands, and it’s clear that the professional brands have got it right. In fact, cheaper high street brand suncreams can include sunscreen chemicals that are harmful to the skin. Very often, they are actually the cause of the dreaded prickly heat. So I urge you, invest in your suncare and you’ll never look back. Let me share 2 of my favourites with you:

Dermalogica Protection 50 Sport. This is a sheer cream that has enhanced SPF performance and counteracts moisture loss triggered by extended daylight exposure. I love this one because it doesn’t feel greasy and also doesn’t stain your white tops as so many creams tend to.

Thalgo Age Defence Sun Lotion SPF30. This rich cream provides optimum sun protection from the first days of exposure. It’s a really creamy, velvety lotion with a fine and ultra-light texture that allows you to develop a lasting tan safely.

So, no excuses. Make sure you’re #sunsafe this summer.

xoxo