My friend, Shikha, told me about a special event at the Neal’s Yard Remedies store in Wimbledon last week. Guests were being offered a choice between a free mini-facial or organic makeover and a 20% discount on everything at the store. Shikha knew this would be right up my alley and sure enough, up the hill I went for some shopping and pampering to the Neal’s Yard Remedies in Wimbledon Village.

Neal’s Yard Remedies is an organic health and beauty brand passionate about finding natural solutions to improve health and well-being. I have used a few of their products over the years and always been impressed by the contents of the signature blue bottles (specifically designed to keep light out and ingredients fresh!).

Today’s blog is on an increasingly popular beauty essential – foundation primer!  There is a range of primers out in the market these days to suit all skin types, concerns and budgets.

So, what does a primer do and why do you need one?

• A good primer smooths the skin to create a ‘canvas’ for the rest of your look, very much like a mandatory primer before you paint the walls in your home!
• Helps you to disguise blemishes by making it noticeably easier for you to blend concealer/foundation evenly  into your skin

One of my favourite beauty indulgences is a spa pedicure  – and I know I am not alone. A relaxing experience ending in soft, smooth and happy feet with freshly polished toe-nails – what’s not to love?

Experts recommend getting professional pedicures once a month and every 2 weeks in the summertime when feet are more exposed to the elements and in need of extra primping and pampering.

Now, let’s get real – a pedicure every 2 weeks may not always be possible. Over exposed feet in the summertime also lead to dry skin and hardened heels making you wish you could get one every week…

Anyone else having a long streak of bad hair days?  The sunniest July in years has wreaked havoc on my hair and it is looking annoyingly dry, damaged, frizzy….you get the picture!

It is clearly time for a summer hair intervention and here is my rescue plan:

Hair Masks

A regular shampoo and conditioner is simply not enough in the heat. Summer hair requires an extra level of TLC and this is where  a deep conditioning hair mask comes in!  I am a huge fan of MoroccanOil haircare products – they come at a price but smell gorgeous and the results are absolutely amazing.Treat your hair with MoroccanOil Restorative Mask – a weekly dose of argan oil vitamins and anti-oxidants will work wonders for hair that has been overly processed and excessively fried in the sunshine!!

Everything is, literally, coming up roses for me these days…just like the popular Broadway song! 🙂 Must be the effect of the glorious English summer.

I am suddenly and insanely addicted to the gorgeous fragrance of roses…Not a surprise then that this wonderful scent is inspiration for today’s musings on some my favourite rosy beauty buys!

So, here goes…

1. Dr. Hauschka Rose Day Cream

Nothing screams ‘summer’ quite like the colour, coral. Wouldn’t you agree?

If you love peachy, coral hues as much as I do, then you will love the Go Tropicoral Lip & Cheek Kit by Benefit Cosmetics.

The Go Tropicoral Lip & Cheek Kit includes:

Cha Cha Tint – A mango tinted lip and cheek stain perfect for creating a natural, summer flush.

High Beam – Liquid shimmer for spot highlighting. Suits all skin tones.

CORALista Blush – Peachy powder blush perfect for a warm, summery look.

CORALista Lip Gloss – Sheer coral lip gloss.

My ‘June’ Glossybox arrived shortly after the recent  ‘Hello Glossybox‘ post.

This month’s theme was ‘Summer Looks’ and the box had a variety of summery treats including Paul Mitchell Ultimate Wave Cream to create sexy, tousled, beach hair and a lovely coral Nails Inc polish.

My favourite product in the June Glossybox is, without any doubt, the Figs & Rouge Tinted Lip Balm (Cherry Blossom)

Quite a claim, isn’t it? I thought the same when I first read bareMinerals bold statement! Of course, I was instantly curious!

bareMinerals was launched in the United States  in 1995. They have come a long way since and bareMinerals products are now available all over the world. Their makeup is made out of natural minerals with no chemicals, preservatives, dyes, oils or perfumes. bareMinerals boasts that their ingredients are so kind and gentle to the skin that one can even sleep with makeup on!

Who doesn’t want  clear, radiant skin? There is no doubt that besides being born blessed, the best way to a healthy, luminous complexion is drinking lots of water, eating right and exercising. But let’s get real…we all need some help, don’t we?

I wandered into my local Body Shop the other day and left with a great skincare product from their Vitamin C range that deserves a special mention on Hungry Aphrodite!