Monday 6 July 2015

7 Summer Essentials

Hi blog viewers!
 So summer has started and the sun is (occasionally) shining, the birds are singing, the people are laughing and this post is getting cheesier by the letter. In all seriousness, I love summer- I feel like my favourite "time periods" rotate between Christmas and summer, the rest of my time is spent craving those periods- just me? Anyways, the surprisingly warm weather has me looking forwards to my holiday to France which is coming up in a couple of weeks. I am a perfectionist (just saying, that doesn't mean the things I do resemble anything close to "perfect") so I tend to overthink every tiny little thing, which got me started on what I absolutely need for the holidays. So here we go!


  1. A denim jacket- it's not always warm enough to go out without an extra layer, but cardigans can be too warm. Denim jackets are easy, suit most outfits and aren't too warm. Perfect!
  2. Playsuit/dress- most people have an outfit that makes them feel extra special. Personally, dresses and playsuits keep me coolest (as in temperature!) and make me feel pretty (I'm sure everyone else thinks I just look like an idiot swishing down the street), so they're definitely an essential for me. Plus they're so easy! Why bother coordinating an outfit when you can throw on a dress and BOOM- you're done.
  3. BB/CC cream- I don't know if it's just me, but when it gets really hot I don't like to wear much makeup. Plus, I'm not as lucky as some people who just don't sweat (HOW?!) so if I did wear some, it would probably just sweat off. However, my skin is pretty bad right now so I don't feel extremely confident. BB or CC cream is the perfect compromise- not too heavy on the skin while still providing some coverage. I'd recommend the BB cream from Origins, but even the cheap ones provide some coverage.
  4. Perfume/scent- I always like wearing one particular scent when I go away on holiday, so when I smell it later on it brings back good memories. Usually I use a perfume, but this year I've found a scent which I have fallen in love with! The virgin mojito range from the Body Shop is divine- it smells fresh (strong lime scent) but isn't too overpowering. It's not the usual scent that I like, but the smell reminds me of a cocktail (as it says in the title...) and something about that makes me really happy haha.
  5. Sandals- or flip-flops, but sandals look prettier (in my opinion). Any other shoes tend to make my feet too hot. I've seen quite a few pairs I like, especially from Miss Selfridge.
  6. A good book- I'm a really fast reader. It's not unheard of for me to read three thick books in one day; I can't help it, I get so sucked in! But I always like bringing a beauty book or something like that along on holiday, so you can spend days pawning over each page and it will last you all holiday. One I enjoyed was Lauren Conrad's Beauty book: you don't have to like her to admit that her book is the beauty bible.
  7. Notebook- If you have read any of my previous blogs, you might have heard this recommendation before. I can't leave the house without a notebook, in case I'm struck with a great song idea, book plotline, recipe idea or something like that, which I know I'd forget if I didn't write it down immediately. Plus, you never know when you might need a bit of paper.
 Obviously there are a lot more things to remember (sunglasses, sun cream, shorts etc...) which are incredibly important, but these are a few things that I cannot go on holiday without. If you have any suggestions for me of any good, cheap playsuits, sandals or beauty books, I'd love to hear from you. Or if you have any other things you think I should include in my list, then please leave a comment!
I hope you all have a lovely summer! Love Nicole x