Summer is here – although I don’t think anyone has told the weather – which means a change in beauty routines for many of us. More focus on the prep and protection, and a little lighter on the make up. We want glowing summer skin which is allowed to breathe, rather than being caked in make up – especially if we get another heatwave this year… I’m crossing my fingers and hoping we get one soon.
I got to choose a few lovely things from Boots to help me switch up my skincare & beauty for summer. They have some beautiful stuff for this season, including some amazing glitter make up if you are heading to a festival. I decided to only select cruelty free make up and skincare, as I’m trying to gradually change out all my beauty bits for less harmful things.
1. Ole Henriksen Face Primer
First up, a bit of prep and care. The No7 goodies were thrown in as an extra, but an SPF for your face is always needed and incredibly important. This face primer from Ole Henriksen is amazing – it smells lovely and gives your face a fresh glow. I’m still feeling like I’m not tanned enough to go completely bare faced in public, but I’m sure that once I am, a little bit of this will be all I need.
2. Sanctuary Body Spray
I don’t know about you, but as well as lighter make up, I also like to wear a lighter scent in summer – luckily, Boots have so much choice in perfume. This Sanctuary body Spray is lovely – the scent is floral and sweet, and lasts really well. The heady vanilla scent reminds me of my teenage years, before I discovered my favourite perfume, and I love a bit of nostalgia.
3. bareMinerals Original Loose Mineral Foundation
Next up, for my face I went for the Loose Mineral Foundation from bareMinerals. I’m not sure I’ve ever used a powder foundation before, but I love how light this feels on the skin – it almost feels like you’re wearing nothing at all, which is perfect for summer make up.
4. Elf Contouring Blush Bronzing Powder
The powder bronzer works really well alongside the loose mineral foundation – having the paler shades in the palette is really working for my skin right now, and I can see this being a versatile cruelty free make up item for me well into the summer months, when I will eventually get a little more colour on my face.
5. No7 Sculpting Eyebrow Pencil
I like to keep my make up pretty simple in the summer. A bit of definition in my eyebrows is always needed, as you can see from the photo of my face without make up, they disappear a little without a little attention – thanks to the 90s-00s beauty trend of pencil-thin eyebrows. I love a brow gel, but this No7 eyebrow pencil gives a soft and natural look. One end is the pencil, and the other end has a spoolie to brush and blend to a natural finish.
6. No7 Extreme Length Waterproof Mascara
Waterproof mascara is a must for your cruelty free summer make up bag – whether you’re jumping in a body of water, or just simply getting a little hot day-to-day, you want to know that you’re not going to end up with smudgy mascara all around your eyes. This one is great because it also gives good length to your lashes.
7. No7 Stay Perfect Eyeliner Pencil
The slight shimmer of the bronze Stay Perfect Eyeliner makes it really lovely to use along the lower lash line, giving an extra something-something and drawing attention to those baby blues.
8. Barry M In The Buff Eyeshadow Palette
A simple sweep of eyeshadow to make your eyes pop is the perfect finishing touch. This Barry M palette of nudes is lovely – a couple of light, shimmery shades, and a bunch of different pinks and browns. I went for a mixture of a couple of the more golden shades, to complement my blue eyes.
As you can see through the progression below, these few cruelty free make up and skincare products give me that glowy, sun-kissed skin, without overdoing it. And that’s what a summer make up look is all about for me – no fuss.
What’s your go to for a summer make up look? What cruelty free products are you excited to use this summer?
