My Summer Face 2012

So I thought I'd create a post of the products I've been using the most this Summer and just a little bit about them. I hate any sort of warm weather so when it's a cold day I'm perfectly happy! The problem with the 'Great British Summer' is that when it's rubbish it's rubbish and when it's hot... it's really hot. These products have generally catered for both of these situations... so what's your Summer face??

1. Maybelline pure cover mineral Concealer in Nude Beige

I don't generally use concealer but in the Summer I prefer to use this under around my eyes rather than a foundation. I also don't use this dark a colour normally but in Summer I go for something darker to reflect the season.

2. Collection 2000 colour match foundation in Ivory
This Summer I've been using two foundations. This first one has a sheen that makes my face look moisturised without being greasy and is quite a light formula. This is also perfect for if I catch any colour because it adapts to whatever colour my skin is.

3. Avon Eyebrow pencil in dark brown

Shamefully I've only been pencilling my eyebrows in for the past 6 months or so and now I'd be lost without them. My face looks so much more 'finished' with this on. I use a dark brown because I like my brows to stand out. There's a blonde option but it just washes me out completely.

4. Avon Colour Trend mascara

Although this is from an old line this mascara is perfect. It's subtle but has enough oomph to make my lashes stand out without feeling like they're going to melt in the heat.

5. Natural Collection Blusher in dusky pink

I very rarely wear blusher in the Summer but when I do I go for this pink that comes out very light and again is subtle which I think is key for a daytime Summer look. 

6. Rose Otto Lip Salve

I got this free in a magazine near the beginning of Summer and initially I hated it but I got used to the scent/taste and can say it's a gloss that isn't sticky or shiny and my hair doesn't get stuck in it at all which is good when you're walking along and a gust of wind gets you.

7. Maybelline Falsies mascara

This is one of my favourite mascaras of all time. It makes my lashes look great and long and adds extra volume. There's not much left of this so I use this as a 'top up' to my Colour Trend mascara.

8. Avon SuperShock Eyeliner in Black

I'm a big fan of eyeliner and find this one of the easiest to put on compared to eyeliner pencils or liquid eyeliners. It's easy to distribute and isn't too bold a colour (it comes out as a light glitter-black rather than strong) which is good for a more natural take.

9. MUA Matte Foundation in Soft Sand
I've spent most of my Summer at work or out when it's quite hot and I hate the feeling of a sticky foundation some times which is where this foundation is perfect as it keeps my skin dry and stops me looking too greasy/shiny. 

10. Natural Collection pressed powder in Cool

This is my saviour! One swipe of this around my cheeks/nose and I'm good for the day without having to worry about looking shiny. My ultimate make-up fave!

11. Maybelline Eye Studio Mono in Gold Sands

I love a bronze/gold eyeshadow under eyeliner and I think it completes a look by making eyes pop without being too much.

AVON daily hair refresher

(RRP from Avon for £2.50)

Avon have described this product to be used to leave hair smelling clean and looking fresh. It's suitable for all hair types and should be used on dry hair. Obviously dry shampoo is the ideal product for those wanting to freshen up their hair but this is a different way of making your hair feel fresher - by spraying a wet fragrance, essentially 'washing' your hair without the shampoo/conditioner elements.

The packaging is a really generic looking clinical bottle, not helped by its see through look which I think really makes the product look cheap. However, I like the pink accents which reflects the 'theme' of cherry blossom.

The product itself smells quite like a typical hair product - it has a sort of musty scent which the 'cherry blossom' doesn't really cover. The cherry smell is too dull to really be overpowering enough but it does freshen hair a little.

The nozzle means it's easy to distribute on hair and only a few sprays are needed (see below). It refreshes hair as another option to dry shampoo and makes my hair actually feel more 'awake' than shampoo which instead keeps it dry. This is a sort of 'wash between washes' and I use it when I'm not going out for the day to boost my hair a little. It's good for a change to the likes of dry shampoos but the smell is no different than any other hair product.

AVON Final Touch Pressed Powder

(RRP is £4 from Avon, however they regularly have special offers on certain products)

This product claims to leave a 'flawless matt finish' which is absolutely perfect for my skin which has a tendency to be oily and shiny, especially on nights out. The packaging is black with a hint of pink - the pink being very hot and bright, but it does look a little cheap and tacky. I tend to find with AVON that certain products of theirs look really classic and classy but the Colour Trend ranges let the side down, they may be cheaper but they do look it too!

The pressed powder comes with a little black leather-esque puff pad which is really soft on my skin and is good to have such a lovely applicator. The issue though is that it drags and after a very short while can get 'destroyed' and roughened.

The colour looks quite dark in the palette but on my skin comes out a tone which suits me well. The powder also smells absolutely gorgeous - perfumey and powdery without the expected 'old woman' type smell. It's flowery and smooth on my skin. I use this over the top of my make-up to essentially 'seal' it as well as prevent shine on my skin. It does work really well and finishes off my make-up wonderfully. I've read from the website reviews that some people simply where this as foundation - for me the coverage would be too little as it is just a powder but if you're confident and fancy something to stop shine for 3 - 4 hours this is perfect. Again, the price reflects the product and it's what I'd expect for £4 - I'd go as far to say it's better than expected.

AVON Perfect Eyebrow Pencil

(£6.50 from AVON although they regularly have offers)

What use is an eyebrow pencil without having a brush to fashion eyebrows into shape? Carrying both around is  a bit of a pain so AVON decided to cut out the problem and have a double ended pencil that features both. The design fits in with the rest of their make-up theme. Black with a hint of silver to add a sleek feel to the make-up range. They stated that the 'dual-ended liner and brush helps shape and sculpt'. The pencil is also described as 'soft' and 'powdery' to give a 'natural-looking finish'.

The brush itself follows a usual pattern which allows me to shape my eyebrows and make sure that the pencil itself can go on in the shape I personally would like. The bristles aren't too hard on my eyebrows and I'm pleased with its delivery although to be fair, I'm not sure too much could go wrong with a brush!

The pencil itself is only currently available in blonde or dark brown. I purchased dark brown although, compared to my other AVON brow definer, I can definitely say this is much more of a light brown. I suppose the explanation is that this is designed to give a more 'natural' look. Nevertheless I'd like it a little darker. My only other disappointment is that previous eyebrow pencils from AVON have come with a twist up style rather than the pencil meaning I then have to hunt around for a sharpener to use.

The pencil itself is soft and minimal pressure is needed in order to obtain a lovely natural looking result. As claimed it leaves my eyebrows looking natural and giving it a subtle look perfect for daytime. I wouldn't pay £6.50 for this product, partially because I'm on a tight budget, but I'm happy to pay the £4 I did. It's a lovely little product and perfect for topping up in make-up bags - although a sharpener would be handy!

AVON Arabian Glow in Golden Sands

(currently unavailable from AVON although it may be back in stock if considered popular. I bought this in the sale for £3)

This is simply described on AVON's website as 'four beautiful shades of creamy shimmery eyeshadow' which is perfect as the different shadings that go from a shimmery pearl to a dark glittery metallic silver mean that a smoky eye effect is a lot easier to create. As pictured, the glow cremes are in 4 segments and come with a double ended brush, allowing for each colour to have its own 'part' of the brush to use.

I've mentioned in previous posts how AVON lack much information displayed on their product which is very annoying as I don't generally bother to keep the packaging and become cluttered with it. Luckily this product comes with a handy guide to show you which shades are recommended where on the eye to make your own golden sands smoky eye. This is a brilliant idea and adds a unique twist. The packaging itself also reflects the product so it's eye catching for me personally.

Me being me of course did not check the product properly before buying it though and did not realise that it came as 'cremes' rather than shadows. I personally cannot stand eye cremes as I feel like they glide over my eyelid and leave a very uneven texture and rub off easily. But, armed with primer, I gave it a go anyway.

The colours themselves are surprisingly pigmented considering the texture and glitteryness of the cremes but on the eye they pick up any crease and cling to it. This is a major issue for eyeshadows of this kind as the smoky eye effect is far too subtle with this product. This is a good look for holidays or a day time look with minimal effort but for the evening I'd definitely say that eyeshadows are far more longlasting.

Considering my view of cremes this product has served its purpose rather well although on its own wearability  factor was only around 3 hours - less on a particularly warm day. I have, however, slicked a thin layer of pearly gold eyeshadow over the top - this then clings to the creme and makes my eyes pop. This is much better than using the creme on its own and I'm actually very impressed with that outcome. But just the creme itself? It's a no go for me!

AVON Glimmerstick Brow Definer

(£6 from AVON however special offers may make this price cheaper depending on the brochure)

I've never particularly been into the heavy eyeliner look until recently when I've started shaping my eyebrows properly and started using eyebrow pencils. I find that most pencils are generally quite heavy or inconsistent with their production of colour - application is either too light or not pigmented enough so I've found you have to press quite hard to get a stronger colour making them more difficult to shape.

I purchased this brow definer in dark brown (a selection from three is available) and must say that it is very soft and colour is easy to build up without going too overboard with heavy eyebrows. My only qualm with this product is the packaging itself. It's not on a pencil so you have to twist it up - whilst this makes it easier to carry around without the need of a pencil sharpener on travel - it feels like product gets used up more quickly and it's already snapped off several times due to the twisting motion. This would be much more beneficial in pencil form where it can stay solidly within the confines of the pencil shape.

Good for: A well pigmented eyebrow pencil that allows for different levels of shading to make brows seem more defined

Bad for: Those who are in a rush or don't take care of the tip of the product's casing

AVON Liquid Freeze Quick Dry Spray

(available from AVON for £6 although pricing differs due to special offers in specific brochures)

AVON describe this product as spraying 'nails dry in a flash' and 'a convenient, fast-drying top coat in an easy to use spray.' After the success I had from the OPI drip dry solution I didn't know if any product could match it. Nevertheless I gave this AVON spray a go to see if it too could be one of my top formulas for helping nails dry more quickly.

My first issue is with the nozzle. This is the kind of spray seen on hair products and body sprays to find this on a nail product where nails are so much smaller in comparison puts me off. The amount it dispenses ends up all over my hands and fingers rather than just my nails making it feel rather wasteful and also leaving my hands very wet. Not so much Freeze Spray but just wet and soggy! It seemed to be washing the nail varnish out rather than drying it. I can't really comment on the dryness itself as my hand was quite wet but it didn't feel much different to drying them without the aid of any additional products. In fact, it was a bit of a nuisance with wet hands when the initial idea seemed to be to have the opposite effect - to dry nails so that I can get on with doing things using my hand rather than waiting for them to dry again.

This is not a product I'd recommend although it has had good reviews on its website so perhaps I just got a duff formula or my nails are too small to use effectively!

Good for: Those on a budget
Bad for: A solution to help nails dry longer - check out the OPI Drip Dry or just do it the natural way

Avon Magix Face Perfector

I came across this Primer after my number 7 one began running low and by the off chance AVON had an offer on their face perfector primer. According to AVON it is a 'light gel-powder' that gives a 'flawless, matte finish for up to 10 hours' and 'brightens and softens skin'.

(RRP of £10.50 from AVON however I bought mine on a special offer for £7) 

The consistency of this product itself is quite thick and on the face feels rather chalky. Although it does make my skin feel quite soft, when I apply foundation over the top it seems to 'stick' to this product showing me that it doesn't sink into the skin effectively as I first thought. Although it glides on nicely I haven't seen any real signs of my foundation lasting longer or my skin feeling any smoother than usual. It smells quite powdery itself which is quite unpleasant. 

Whilst it does soften my skin slightly I cannot say it lasts up to 10 hours or feels or smells very pleasant. It is very 'stodgy' on my skin but it's a good product. I wouldn't repurchase this, especially at its full price.

Good for: Smoother skin used on its own and its ability to glide over skin
Bad for: Unpleasant smell & its poor ability to co-operate with mixing foundation over the top

AVON ultra colour rich lipstick : Carnation

(available from AVON for £7, however prices differ depending on their offers)

I permanently find myself buying AVON lipsticks in the hope of finding my perfect shade. It does make it so difficult that the colours from the catalogue and online shop look different to real life depending on the quality of the pictures. I generally find that colours look a lot darker in the magazine and come out several shades lighter or shinier in real life. 

I cannot stand any glosses or glittery lipsticks as they feel too sticky and heavy on my lips and I find myself wiping them off in disgust. However, this lipstick is heavenly. It's a dark pink shade but isn't too bright or loud, it just adds a nice pink shading to my lips. It doesn't feel gloopy or too shiny, it glides on with easy and feels soft and silky. It states it 'hydrates lips' and gives a 'voluptuous look to lips' and I must say I agree. I'm nearly out of it and I'm desperate to get my hands on some more. It also lasts a long time regardless of how many drinks I've had it stays on throughout and only fades slightly after around 6 hours. Considering it doesn't claim it's long-lasting and isn't specifically made for that purpose it does very well.

Good for: Moisturising, pink lipstick that is long-lasting
Bad for: Being able to know which shade you're purchasing - AVON lipsticks generally seem like a bit of a 'lucky dip'