August Favorites - Lazy Summer Beauty

I don't know about you, but I get awfully lazy when it comes to beauty in the summer. A hint of sun on the skin and some healthy outdoor living, and I can just about forgo all the fuss so required in greyer months. Hair is left easy and undone - a spritzing of Surf Spray through damp locks leaves my straight, fine locks wavy and tousled with minimum effort. NARS brilliant new tinted moisturizer somehow covers imperfections thoroughly while leaving skin sheer and glowy - with a good helping of SPF included. A slick of juicy, pink Beach Tint dabbed on cheek bones leaves a healthy looking flush, and several lashings of Dr Hauschka's soft and simple mascara is the perfect natural-looking definition for my sensitive eyes. I love the deep shine and Aegean teal hue of Butter London's Slapper on toes - and accept that the name is alarmingly fitting, though somewhat accusatory. Shins and shoulders on show get a golden sheen from a few drops of Huile Prodigieuse, and a dab of Philosykos solid perfume on wrists and neck leave a light, fresh cloud of tart, green fig in your wake. 

How do you pare down your makeup routine in the dog days of summer? Any hero products? Share them below!

Becca Halcyon Days Palette

I had a fabulous and unexpected little suprise this month - I recently joined a the IFabbo organization for bloggers, and was entered in a drawing for a $100 Dermstore giftcard - which I won! I was probably disproportionately thrilled, I actually did a little dance, and spent far too much time choosing what I would spend it on. The sensible part of me kept saying "be reasonable - stock up on your skincare basics". But the impulsive side kept telling me to live a little and enjoy these halcyon days. So that's what I did.

I'd been lusting after Becca's Halcyon Days palette for almost a year - a gorgeous blend of three tawny, golden eyeshadows, a brilliant coral lip and cheek cream and a sheer gloss. I was eyeing it jealously after seeing the lovely Ruth at A Model Recommends do a beautiful sunset smokey eye look with it - she has similar coloring to me, and it looked so easy, effortless and glowing. So when Dermstore offered a free Becca Beach Tint with the purchase (which I adore), just I threw caution to the wind and pushed the purchase button.

Happily, I couldn't be more thrilled with it.

I almost never wear eyeshadow - I feel like I never can get the hang of making it look natural and flattering - these three shades are all I may ever need - they add a bit of beachy, summer glam without looking too made up. Muslin and Chamois are a pale ivory and soft brown, both in a velvety matte, and the particularly gorgeous Faille is a shimmering coppery apricot, really flattering to my pale but warm-toned (aka sallow) toned skin. The formulas are like silk - smooth, fine, and a dream to blend, and together they create a beautiful, soft eye with a hint of shimmer and depth.

The clear star of the palette is the lip and cheek cream in Bougainvillea - a bright, orangey coral, it looks a bit scary in the pan, but blends out dewy and gorgeous on skin - a dab on the apples of cheeks and a slick on lips looks so ridiculously pretty that I'm afraid I'll use it up immediately. I'm already looking at other shades of the formula in full sizes - it's my favorite cream blush so far, much creamier and more pigmented than anything else I've tried.

The last character in the charming little quintet is a lip gloss in the shade Mai Tai - which at first I thought was a bit of a disappointment - an almost clear gloss didn't seem like much of an addition. Well, it wouldn't be if it were a normal gloss, but of course this is Becca, so it's not. Not sticky or plastic-feeling, it doesn't sit on top of lips but hydrates and plumps them, leaving them looking healthy and luscious, and is the perfect pairing for the lip cream. Even the little double-ended brush that's included is beautiful quality - it's nicer than most of my full sizes.

I used to never buy palettes - it's rare to find the perfect blend of colors and formulas - but that may change now, especially if Becca keeps releasing beauties like this. The pretty little brown rectangle box is now among my travel neccessities - a bit of glossy mascara, a hint of brown liner, a sweep of bronzer, and that's my daily makeup sorted for the next six months.

If you haven't already ordered from Dermstore, go check out their selection - I tend to get most of my skincare basics there year after year. It meets all my requirements for a favorite store - free shipping (I HATE paying shipping!), great discounts and coupons (usually 15% or 20% - which is a huge help on a $100 face cream) and fabulous customer service. I had a coupon for $25 that had long since expired without me realizing it - I was hoping they could apply it to my order, but really didn't expect them to. Instead, they were wonderful about it, said they were happy to honor it, and I got my order two days later with a handwritten note. Take note online retailers - that's how you keep your customers happy:) Thank you Dermstore! And of course a big thank you to IFabbo too...

I'm going to have to start featuring some products I hate soon, just because it's getting bit boring with all these glowing reviews, isn't it? Until then, what's your favorite makeup buy ever - the item that you cherish and can't live without out? Since I made you listen to mine for ages, now it's your turn!

Cult Classics - Becca Beach Tints

I don't know how I've managed until now without one of these little beauties about my person at all times. They're ridiculously minute and alarmingly expensive, so it's understandable if you've shied away before now - but if you like your makeup natural, glossy and idiot-proof like me, these are tiny little holy grails of juicy color that can take you from pallid consumptive to healthy glow with just a few pats of your fingertips.

The Beach Tint formula is quite sheer and runny, and I love how it blends right into skin,

leaving a beautifully fresh hit of punchy color and enough moisture to leave a hint of healthy sheen without any fake iridescence. My favorite is Grapefruit, a bright pinkish coral, the color of a square of bright, translucent Turkish Delight. It leaves my cheeks and lips a healthy, summery hue and smells like a freshly squeezed sweet grapefruit cocktail. Just a slick of glossy, dark brown mascara (Dr Hauschka's at the moment) and a dab of this on my cheeks and lips is my favorite minimal makeup look - no brushes, no blending, just sunny, sheer color that seems to come from within. I can attest that it can even be done with one hand, on the highway, while drinking your morning coffee, though of course I don't recommend that application technique.

The tints come in a range of sheer, buildable shades, all very nature inspired - I love Watermelon and Guava as well, though Grapefruit remains my favorite for what it does with my pale but warm coloring. These aren't thick, bright statement color that people like me find terrifying - they're hints of luscious, natural flush that look like you, but better.

Nobody does natural, glowing skin like Becca - if I could use only one brand of makeup, they win hands down - their cream blushes and eye shadows are peerless. The products are all geared towards highlighting your best features and looking healthy, fresh and radiant. I think it's because they're an Australian brand - those Aussies are just so damn robust and outdoorsy, they assume we must all want to look that way. Which of course if we have any sense, we do. It's lived-in, sun dappled glamour, which I think is the very best kind.

Have you tried any Becca? Do you have a multitasking wonder product that you can't do without? Tell us all about it below!