Are you beach ready? - the beauty edit

To complement my beach fashion edit yesterday, today I shall share with you my top beach beauty products. To feel your best on the beach it is essential to put some pampering hours in before your departure date (and besides, which girl doesn't like to pamper herself from time to time?). The key to feeling you best on the beach is glowing skin, a good mani and pedi, and shining healthy hair. My simple top tips for glowing skin are (after a good waxing session!) 1) exfoliate 2) moisturise 3) protect in the sun. For a good mani and pedi you could pop to the beauty parlour, but if you can't afford this option or don't have the time, all you need is a good nail file and buffer, a bold bright nail polish, and gorgeously soft soles and palms. Finally for shining healthy hair head to the salon for a trim, and then make sure you use products which nourish your barnet. So read on for my tried and tested products to help you follow these top tips. 

THE EXFOLIATOR 

SANCTUARY

salt scrub

£11.25

www.sanctuary.com

THE MOISTURISER

PALMER'S

cocoa butter formula

£3.77

www.boots.com

THE PROTECTION

NIVEA SUN

invisible protection factor 30

£7.34

www.boots.com

THE NAIL POLISH

ESSIE

muchi muchi

£7.99

www.boots.com

THE FOOT LOTION

BURT'S BEES

peppermint foot lotion

£12.99

www.burtsbees.co.uk

THE HAND CREAM

L'OCCITANE

verbena cooling hand cream gel

£14

uk.loccitane.com

THE LIP BALM

BURT'S BEES

replenishing lip balm with pomegranate

£3.69

www.burtsbees.co.uk

THE HAIR CARE

AUSSIE

3 minute miracle shine

£4.99

www.boots.com

MY FINAL SECRET

VITA COCO

pure coconut water 1 litre

£3.49

www.waitrose.com

Each of these products I use regularly when preparing for the beach, but also just for summer in general. My final secret - Vita Coco - is probably my best. For the last few months I have had some almost every morning, and it really does make you feel great. It's hydrating, nourishing, and totally delicious, and is the secret skin weapon for some of our top super models such as Miranda Kerr. 

So I hope that some of my fashion and beauty tips will help you to feel your best on the beach this summer. But I would like to finish by saying that we really shouldn't put too much pressure on ourselves to feel "perfect". Sure it's nice to buy a few nice items of clothing, and to look after your body to feel pampered, but do these things for yourself, not because you feel the pressure to look "perfect". Who wants to be "perfect" anyway? Imperfections are beautiful - so try to embrace your imperfections this summer!

Love Lucy x

My Winter Beauty Secrets

The temperature in London right now is -1°c. It's cold, and it's only meant to get colder! This sort of weather is tough on your skin, hair and nails, so in the winter we need to spend that little extra time taking care of ourselves. You feel as though it's not worth it as you're constantly wrapping yourself up in coats, hats and gloves, but the more you look after yourself in the winter, the easier your routine will be to get ready for summer. Plus, if you know your skin feels nice under all those winter layers, you'll feel better in yourself on the outside. 

So here are my top 11 winter beauty secrets - all tried and tested over the years, and all ones which I totally rely on during these long winter months!

L'OCCITANE

shea butter mango flower hand cream 

£8

uk.loccitane.com

BURT'S BEES

lemon butter cuticle creme

£5.99

www.burtsbees.co.uk

CLINIQUE

deep comfort body butter

£23

www.clinique.co.uk

BURT'S BEES

tinted lip balm

£5.99

www.burtsbees.co.uk

SOAP & GLORY

flake away

£7

www.soapandglory.com

AUSSIE

take the heat 3-minute miracle

£4.95

www.boots.com

BURT'S BEES

peppermint foot lotion

£12.99

www.burtsbees.co.uk

SALLY HANSEN

hard as nails with nylon

£4.75

www.boots.com

CLINIQUE

all about eyes

£24

www.clinique.co.uk

NEUTROGENA

grapefruit facial scrub

£4.95

www.boots.com

BIO OIL

60ml

£8.99

www.boots.com

Each of these products really are fantastic for fighting those winter beauty demons. I use the L'occitane hand cream every day (it's on my desk at work!) and it's really great for keeping my hands soft, whilst smelling delicious! A new edition to my beauty regime is the Clinique body butter, and I absolutely adore it! After exfoliating with the Soap & Glory Flake Away exfoliator I love to treat myself with the Clinique body butter - it's not too thick, not too thin, and feels amazing on my winter battered skin! The grapefruit facial scrub has been part of my skincare routine for at least a year now, and is perfect for brightening dull winter skin as well as maintaining a healthy glow in the summer. To look after my nails I make sure that all nail varnish is properly removed, and then I apply the Burt's Bees lemon butter cuticle creme, which I let settle before applying a generous coating of the Sally Hansen strengthener. And Bio Oil should be a staple in any women's beauty regime - it's perfect for banishing unwanted scars and evening skin tone. 

So I hope that you manage to try some of these products, I really do recommend them all. My winter beauty regime has been tried and tested for a number of years now, and these are the products that have become my staples and life savers!

What are your top tips for staying soft and glowing over the winter months?

Love Lucy x