My Summer Make-Up Must Haves

I've recently revamped my makeup collection to create a sunnier look for summer. I'm all about a fresh faced inner glow lately, I think it's youthful and easy to maintain in the heat, but sometimes a girl needs a little help getting there! I constantly reach for these five items, my hero products if you will, so I thought I'd share their brilliance with you guys. 

• Vita Liberata Body Blur (about £30) is an instant HD makeup/tan that masks blemishes and reflects light. You can literally put it anywhere (it looks amazing on shoulders and shins) which makes it great value for money, and a little goes a very long way. I mix it into my staple Garnier BB cream for a colour adjustment and some extra pow. The colour lasts all day (it actually states 24 hours and I do believe it but have yet to test it!) and everyone comments on how good my skin looks, which is always nice to hear because I'm not massively confident about it, so yey!
• Illamasqua Beyond Powder in Epic (£32) is a baked highlighter. I honestly don't know how I lived without this in my kit, it is quite simply the best highlighter/bronzer I have ever used. Just a touch on my cheekbones and the bridge of my nose completely ups my game and I wouldn't be without it!
• Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Fireball (£14) is my new signature shade. I stumbled across it whilst searching for a new rose gold shadow. Fireball is a luminous shimmer shadow but without glitter (important!), in the most beautiful orange/pink/gold flip colour on the lids. It's SO difficult to catch on camera so I do urge you to go try it at a counter or seek out some good swatches online, but I don't think I want to wear another eyeshadow ever again!
• Illamasqua Sculpting Palette (£44) has everything you need to contour your mush. I was lucky and nabbed it for £18 in the Beauty Bay sale (now out of stock I'm afraid), and I'm so glad I did! Not gonna lie, the grey shade did have me a bit, whaaaaaat?! at first, but after a bit of research on how to use it, I totally get it now. 100% more effective and professional looking than the Maybelline product I was previously using. Fine holiday fun, two thumbs up.
• Urban Decay Alice Through The Looking Glass Lipstick in Alice (£16) is just beaaaaauuuuuuut! I indulged in the previous Alice x UD palette but couldn't justify it this time around but that was not going to stop me nabbing a piece from the range, so I chose a lippy. Alice is a sheer nude with a pink shift, and I wish I'd bought 2 or 3 of them because it's just the most gorgeous summer shade. Got me again UD, you bloody big heads.

I have my bridal makeup trial in 2 weeks and I'm super excited! I have a firm idea of what I want to look like (Jessica Alba, haha) and high hopes that my much celebrated MUA will have a few of these goodies in her kit, though I might just be super cheeky and pop the highlighter and eyeshadow in my bag jusssssssst in case! It's important to still look like yourself on your big day right? 

Ladies, if you have any summer makeup recs for me please do tell! My kit is undergoing a mini overhaul and I'm trying to make investment purchases rather than just going head first into Boots 3 for 2 and then simply not using half of my spontaneous purchases. Yup, I may or may not (MAY) have just given a Paperchase bag full of unused unopened makeup in the most bizarre and duplicated colours to a very excited 13 year old daughter of a friend! Things like that really make you question what you are doing with your life you know? ;)

J xoxo