no.2 top 5; beauty - skin, hair, tan

for me make-up makes a look complete, but it is undeniable that without certain essential beauty products flawlessness could never be achieved. i am equally obsessed with beauty products as i am with make-up, i may own zillions more lipsticks than i do moisturisers, but i do still understand and value the importance of products for the skin, hair and tanning needs.

similar to my make-up top 5, this following top 5 also consists of fairly basic products. but there is no chance i could even think of living without these essentials.

1.) this first product is fairly new to the market, but i am oh so thankful for its arrival - garnier's miracle skin bb cream - light. BB creams in general seem like a little heaven sent miracle and i have tried out various other branded BB creams, including no.7's version however, garnier is the BB winner in my eyes.

it is a light, slightly tinted moisturiser which i use daily, perhaps once, sometimes twice, depending on whether i'm going out at night or not. i apply my primer first and then it glides smoothly over the top, leaving no unwanted streaks (which i found the no.7 version did). it is an instant skin brightener and the glow is not too shiny, it is a dewy finish which makes a perfect base for make-up or just a generally nice base for days when you dont want to wear any foundation at all. it covers both blemishes and dark spots and lightens under the eye area dramatically. overall, garnier describe it perfectly themselves, it is a miracle cream which is not simply a moisturiser but also not heavy enough to be a tinted moisturiser, it is the perfect balance and i honestly could not live without it.

no.2) my choice for no.2 could arguably fit into the make-up category but for me it is more of a skincare product so it slots into this top5. st. tropez skin illuminator - gold - a christmas present from a best friend and now a staple in my beauty routine.

a slightly similar product to the BB cream, this skin illuminator is a lightweight and sparkly liquid which increases that dewy sheen which i love. in general i am a fan of all st.tropez products, but for me this is a stand out product which is different from their usual focus on tanning. it comes in several shades including blue and violet, (which seems slightly odd), but my favourite is gold. i don't neccessarily use this product everyday but when i do i mix it in with my foundation and the result is so pretty. it is a very pretty night look, and it is the golden glimmer which i love, especially when it is topped by bronzer or my favourite sunbeam. overall, it is in my top5 because it really is a pretty skin product which i think every girl would fall for, and although it is not a daily usage product it is a very beneficial night-time essential.

no.3) this product is my summer must-have, i am an official palmers cocoa butter slave. i cocoa buttered up daily before holiday and then every single day on holiday it was my essential after-shower product.

i have tried out nearly every single gradual tanner available on the market and i have never generally been a fan of any (dove being a slight exception but still not suitable for daily use). but then cocoa butter came along and i fell instantly in love. it isnt a sticky moisturiser, it is smooth and absorbs quickly leaving your skin amazingly soft - which is especially good on holiday (when it rarely dropped from 40-45 degrees even at night). and aside from its moisturizing qualities, it really is a superb gradual tanner. before i left for holiday it had made my skin slightly bronzed and i let my natural tan develop for the first few days on holiday using aftersun as my moisturiser but on perhaps the 4th or 5th day i started to use cocoa butter as my main after-shower moisturiser. firstly, it smells delicious, leaves you smelling like a sexy version of cadburys. and secondly, it really does not only enhance your tan but also prolongs your tan, so when you return from holiday (or if youre just always in england) it keeps your tan fresh and golden. i highly recommend.

no.4) now this product really is a basic, and i really have been using it since i was a baby, which means it completely deserves this place in my top 5. sudocrem, what an absolute miracle worker.

i dont have too much to say about this product, but for me it really is a little life-saver in a pot. my main use for sudocrem is to kill off spots. as soon as i feel a spot coming, i whack on the sudocrem and leave it overnight and it doesnt dry out the spot it actually makes it disappear and it has worked for me for years and i wouldnt ever choose to use any other kind of spot zapper, be it clearasil or dermalogica! secondly, it has recently helped with dry skin and in particular peeling. when i returned from holiday my hip was peeling (weird, i know) and also my shoulders slightly, and so i slapped on the sudocrem (after a nice little exfoliation sesh) and it worked a treat. no peel in sight. it is definitely not a pretty, nor an elegant product but it does the job and definitely deserves its no.4 position!

no.5) this product was again a christmas present, from my sister, and again has become a very important little essential! morrocan oil is a well known hair treatment which i swear by.

morrocan oil is such a little treat. i am not paticularly a hair person, i dont really go for any crazy hairstyles, or colours. i like hair looking as natural as possible, a little messy even. but i do love hair to look shiny and healthy and that is exactly what morrocan oil achieves. firstly, it smells really sweet, not overbearing but (as i like to describe things) it has a pretty smell which doesnt overpower the smell of freshly shampooed hair but just adds a nice little floral hint. and secondly it leaves blowdried hair with a much more smooth finish and controls frizz. but most importantly for me, it takes a minute amount to leave your hair looking beautifully shiny, which for me (with light brown/blonde highlighted hair) is often hard to achieve. in general, hair products rarely excite me, but this little bottle does impress me and i recommend it to every girl, especially those who love pretty hair.

so that is my top 5 beauty products summed up, again they are my basics but it is important to highlight the basics because they are undeniably incredibly important to all beauty routines.

i hope you have enjoyed reading through the list! thank you for reading,
many, many kisses. as always,
lucyx