Sometimes it just so happens that you are in need of a serious exfoliation, particularly your feet and hands in the change of season. This is my little trick for soft, silky skin!

For a quick hand exfoliation:

1 TBSP Raw Sugar
1 TBSP Coconut Oil

1. Scoop raw sugar into the palm of your hand, add melted coconut oil (if oil is hardened, scoop some out and rub between your palms to melt). Once ingredients are combined in the palm of your hand, rub hands together, swapping palms over tops of the opposite hand to fully exfoliate the entire hand. If you like, you can go up the wrist slightly to remove dead skin cells from this area as well. Once you're happy with the exfoliation, run hands under warm water to remove sugar. Once hands are rinsed and dried, add a super moisturising hand-cream and let it sink into the skin. Voila! Super soft, silky hands!

You can do the same thing for a foot or full body exfoliation as well, just add extra sugar and oil and mix in a bowl before applying to parts of the body and/or feet and exfoliating.

Always make sure you moisturise afterwards with a nourishing moisturiser. I LOVE the Mecca Cosmetica Hand Cream - it has a super gentle scent, and is very nourishing, I highly recommend.


Where to purchase?

Mecca Cosmetica - AUD$40.00

I am a pale girl.. I basically have a "moon tan" (it's a sweet description?!) all year round, no matter if it is summer or winter, which is both unfortunate but also not that big-a-deal. I love my pale skin, even if it is slightly red and blotchy when I have been out in the sunshine. Occasionally you may have a special event coming up, or you just want to have some bronzed up skin to make yourself feel fresh and summer-y and that's where sunless tanning comes in! I highly recommend never going out in the sunshine without suncream slathered all over you, it's just not good for you or your skin and the pain when you're burnt is just not worth it, I've done it enough times to learn this!! If you're the lucky type who still tans even when slathered in suncream, well, I am just so jealous and you should let me know in the comments below just to rub it in (pardon the pun)!! 

There are so many sunless tanners out there; I was a bit overwhelmed when looking for one to be honest, the shelf was packed full and they all claim the exact same thing, if you're stuck just ask someone for assistance - it's their job to help after-all! Otherwise, before you even head to the store (or buy online) just google the brands because there are so many reviews/videos out there! I decided to go through with buying "St Tropez" in the white bottle, not the black bottle. I am not used to being super dark and don't want THAT much of a change, so I wanted something lighter and more 'natural' for me! 

First things first, as basically every review and / or video about how to apply fake tan mentions, skin preparation is the most important step in this process - and confidence if you're a first-timer! I suggest starting a few days before you want to apply the tan, so you can exfoliate and moisturise your skin as much as possible before tanning which means you have a soft, supple canvas for the tan to glide on and sink into seamlessly! I also suggest shaving your legs the day beforehand so the pores can close back up so the tan doesn't go spotty! Okay, having said that, let's say, one day before, exfoliate, shave and moisturise your entire body, I love using this "Clean Slate" coffee scrub (which you can purchase here) I got this for my birthday from one of my best friends, and it's similar to the Frank Body Scrub. It also has the best coffee smell (if you like that sort of thing!) and leaves your skin so, so smooth! I then shave with any regular razor, and I shower as normal. Then, before I get dressed I put on some moisturiser, I love this Vaseline spray, it is so easy to use and has no scent (this is important!) and really sinks into your skin rather than leaving a 'film' ontop of your skin. 

The day of tanning, I get back in the shower first, wash off any perfume, soaps, moisturisers etc with water - this will help the tan stick better on your skin, and not be patchy or blotchy. You can also exfoliate again if you feel like it! Then, hop out the shower, pat your skin dry and let it air dry for a little bit. Grab your moisturiser, put some on your hands, knuckles, wrists, elbows, knees, feet, ankles and anywhere else you don't want the tan to be too 'strong'. Once you've done that, you're ready to go! Take your tanner bottle, shake it up slightly and spray some onto your mitt (this is something that I think is an absolute must to get a seamless finish!). Make sure you use the same number of pumps / amount of product each time you spray it out, otherwise you could look uneven. Then, just buff (or rub / spread) it into your skin in circular motions - this tanner has a colour, so you can see where you have put it, ensuring you don't miss any spots. You can also let it dry and then apply some more if you feel like you want to be darker in any areas, like your legs for example. 

Then, the waiting begins. Depending on the product, you may have to wait 4-8 hours or if it's an express, just 2 hours. This means you shouldn't do anything that will make you sweat, you also shouldn't get in a pool or a shower or go in the rain until the tan has developed, otherwise you could end up with a streaky finish. The best time to do a tan is in the evening, before bed, that way it can develop overnight and you can jump in the shower in the morning and be ready for the day! You don't have to wait for the full 8 hours either and if you go slightly over the timing that's totally fine too! It's basically just a guide-line and you do you, as always! 

I am not a huge fan of the smell of this product, so I wouldn't go out in public without having washed off the guide colour first and getting rid of the smell. I applied my tan in the early afternoon as I was just lazing around the house and had a shower before bed and when I woke up my skin was bronzed, radiant and I felt super summer-y! 

Have you used St Tropez? What do you think? What sunless tanners do you recommend? Let me know in the comments below! 

I thought I would change up my routine and swap from my usual Stila One Step Correct Primer and try out the Bare Minerals "Prime Time" Primer as I had heard good things and seen loads of people using it. 

I decided against the neutralising formula and I semi-regret that decision as my skin does have a reddish tinge (ok, my cheeks are always flushed red, no matter what time of day it is unfortunately!) and the neutralising formula would have assisted with this issue I have but.. ANYWAY, I love this primer, the original (which I got) has a transparent colour and no real scent which I prefer in face products actually, especially as my skin is sensitive and can't handle overly perfumed products. 

The primer creates a smooth base for foundation application and it blurs out my fine lines around my eyes and forehead, excess oil and enlarged pores and really feels so soft and silky on your skin, especially to the touch. I sometimes get away with wearing this primer alone with some of my Mac Mineralise Skin Finish in light over the top, with a little bit of mascara and my eyebrows done for "no-makeup makeup days" or when I am in a rush for work / having a good skin day (will do a separate post for this).  I find when I wear this primer as a base, my foundation around my nose, cheeks and chin (t-zone) lasts so much longer than without, and as I work in an office environment from 8:30-5:30 a long-wearing foundation is an absolute must for me! 

Next time, I think I will purchase the neutralising formula as I think this will just add that extra coverage for my red cheeks for days where I don't want a full face of foundation (especially in summer). I won't and can't compare it to Stila as they are same-same but different too and I do have an absolute love of Stila products.
 

I would re-purchase though, absolutely. Bare Minerals has surprised me!

Have you used this primer or the neutralising one? What do you think?
Do you like Bare Minerals?

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below xx 

My night time essentials, the products I use every night, or almost every night. I have been blessed with fairly good skin and I rarely get breakouts, but I do have red cheeks and sensitive skin that can breakout in a red, angry, rash depending on the products I use so I have to be pretty careful when choosing products. These are fairly stock-standard when it comes to other things on the market, but I am a big fan of Nivea and Vaseline and have used these brands for almost my whole life. 

I am on my second or third pot of "Lovely Jubblies" - Lush have such beautiful products that are so nourishing and smell delicious and this is no different, I use it all over my chest and neck and it leaves me feeling warm, moisturised and relaxed. I also recently tried the Hurraw lip balms and this "moon balm" is so lovely, it leaves my lips so soft and supple! I don't just use this at night either, I use it all throughout the day and always as a lippy-prep.

I love finishing my night with Vaseline moisturiser, it is quick drying and easy to apply and soaks right into your skin, leaving you feeling soft and smooth. I try my hardest to get 8 hours of sleep at night, especially as I get pretty irritable when I am tired, but that's not always the case, even if 'beauty sleep' is really important for your skin! 

Do you use any of these products? Do you get a solid 8 hours of sleep? Let me know in the comments xoxo