All of these come highly recommended by friends or I’ve used them myself so in honour of sunny September days (and it looks like we might be getting some!) this six will help your summer glow last quite a bit longer.
L to R, clockwise we have:
BECCA
Shimmering Skin Perfector (for people who don’t like glitter), this finely-milled pressed illuminator is like “soft focus lighting in a compact” as Cult Beauty calls it.
Various shades and it’s £32 from Cult Beauty.
OMOROVICZA
Glam Glow Self-Tanner (Face)
This tube has lasted for an eternity. It’s huge. A travel or try-me size would be great for short escapes, but it’s big and worth every penny. Builds up gradually, with absolutely zero fake tan scent, I like everything about it – how a little goes a long way, the natural glow (I can’t quite pin it down but it gives such a natural tan but with a sort of GLOW factor, too). This product also went down well in the Awards back in March, it won Best Self-Tanner (FACE) and it’s designed for the body too (hence the big tube).
Note: It goes beyond a mere self-tan product, with plum almond oil and apple pectins and you’ll feel like you’re applying a light moisturiser, with moisturising properties in there, too.
£35 from Omorovicza (if you’re feeling nostalgic about summer fading away day by day, this would be my go-to pick for a feel-good, look healthy autumn product if you are so NOT ready to wave goodbye to summer).
SAMPAR
Mine d’Or/Golden Glow
A spontaneous purchase on a plane on my way to Paris in July, this has been quite the little staple for me over summer as I sit in the shade in cafes and wear big hats on the beach, much as I love the sun so much I only walk in it, slathered in Murad’s daily anti-aging SPF30. I never sit in the sun longer than 30 minutes. This product claims to gradually tan the skin by activating the melanin in skin, but I didn’t really notice that and I’ve been using it for 2 months already. It’s glowy, bronze and light to apply, a little goes a long way. There’s no sparkle/shimmer, but it does a very decent job as an instant bronzer.
Tip: Mix a little in with your day moisturiser to pump up the glow factor. Would I buy it again? Probably yes.
£22/30ml
URBAN DECAY 24/7 GLIDE-ON EYE PENCIL
Shade: Underground £15.50
Creamy, but ultimately waterproof, these are so easy to apply.
Tip: Pop it in the fridge for ten minutes in hot climates and keep it well sharpened. Great for older women, the tip never drags across your eyelid, these are “moisturising” eye pencils which means nothing to me, even though they do have a touch of jojoba in them. But I know what UD are trying to convey. Moisturising = non-drag, glide-on, super easy to wear and mine doesn’t smudge either, so lots of ticks in lots of boxes and a boat load of shades to choose from – including lots of lust-have metallics in earthy and jewel-lustre shades.
JANE IREDALE
Golden Shimmer Face & Body Lotion
Jane Iredale’s mineral makeup offering is going from strength to strength at the moment, and this body lotion is the one you’ll want if subtle shimmer is your thing. It’s jammed with plant and fruit extracts like (the rather autumnal sounding) apple and blackberry, as well as white and green tea, honeysuckle, aloe and loads more.
Gluten free, vegan and just under £30.
ILIA
Tinted Lip Conditioner in shade These Days
The first ILIA lipstick I ever tried, years ago, was a Tinted Lip Conditioner in an easy to wear nude (which looks fab if you have very fair skin) called Nobody’s Baby.
But now there’s an updated take on Nobody’s Baby with a hint of bronze (see pic) called These Days, and it’s perfect for summer-into-autumn wear when you’re going semi-fresh faced.
Ilia has led the breakthrough in natural lipsticks although in my view, some don’t have the best staying power. But as a tinted lip (balm/lip colour) fan, the Lip Conditioner range, specifically, works for me. Around £22.
Gosh is that it? It is!
So as we all head back to work, back to school, back to life after the wild (?), carefree days of the holidays, we’re at that turning point between nostalgia for summer and the anticipation of a brand new season. (Although we’ve still, officially, got at least 2 weeks of summer left!)
Autumn is my favourite season, with its promise of clear blue sky days, crisp fresh air days, I love the way the light changes when summer tries to hang in but gets nudged out by autumn, in the end. Mornings with that definite change of seasons tinge of autumn chill that you notice….when popping downstairs for the first coffee of the day without slippers is no longer an option.
Goodbye crisp linens and floaty tunics, hello soft woollens and cashmeres. The full fruitiness of a new season… Blackberries, crisp orchard apples, butternut squash lasagnas and teatime mugs of chai tea. Goodbye sandals and tanned legs, we’ll miss you, but hello boots and new season lipsticks, we love you!
Happy September! X
