Emily's Anthology - a Malaysian beauty blog: Urban Rituelle

Christmas Gift Ideas Video 2012

, by Emily Quak

Summer Handbag Essentials

Are you the kind of person who changes out her makeup or skincare routine with the change of weather? Some people don't realise that they need to do this in order to keep their skin in tip top condition.

I know beauty needs change from person to person, but here are some fail-proof recommendations for almost all skin types. If you tote these around in your handbag, I guarantee you a fabulous summer, beauty-wise anyway ;)

Sunglasses

A lot of people don't realise this, but shade can eliminate a majority of UV rays, and it is always recommended that you find shade from the sun as often as you can. Larger shades are ideal because they cover more of your face. Another great thing about sunglasses is that when you wear them, you tend to squint a lot less, which means less frown lines!

Mini Perfumes

These are an absolute must in the summer! Whether you just need to freshen your fragrance or you really need to mask certain smells (C'mon, walking around in that summer heat? You know what I'm talking about!), mini fragrance bottles are perfect. Some I'm really loving? The Lancôme Poême fragrance - very strong and long-lasting. All you need is a couple of dots on your décolletage and you're set.

The Balenciaga Paris fragrance is a little lighter and more breezy compared to the Poême, so if you want a slightly younger, more edgy-smelling scent, this is the one for you.

The House of Chloé also has the purse-sized perfume department locked down! A while back, they released the famous Love, Chloé fragrance in a rose-gold covered purse spray, pictured below. You can buy refills for this, so you won't have to repurchase the whole canister. So pretty :)

And as if that wasn't genius enough, Chloé also released a brand new Chloé Solid Perfume fragrance. It is a gorgeous locket filled with solid perfume, silver on one side, and a pretty magnolia yellow on the other. This would make such a fabulous Christmas gift, but move fast, because it is limited edition.

BB Cream

If you're looking for a lighter, less skin-clogging version of your foundation, look no farther than BB creams. They are so easy to apply - no need for brushes, just dab the product onto your face and smooth out with your clean fingers - and almost always come in handy squeezy tubes so that they are easy to transport. For a lightweight, quite watery version, I highly recommend the Luview Aqua Essence Whitening BB Cream. It is light and quite sheer, and gives you the most insanely dewy complexion.

If you want something more readily available (and super affordable - only AUD 12.95), look no further than the Rimmel BB Cream. Containing SPF25, this is a multi-tasker so you don't have to cake another product onto your probably already-melting face. This has fabulous coverage and has pretty decent oil control, so the finished result is a kind of silky matte, perfect skin. I should warn you that the colours run a little dark (I am a MAC NW20 and the 'Light' shade is a tad too dark for me) but if you're anywhere between a light-medium to dark coloured skin, this BB cream will match.

Hand Cream

I love repeating this - the backs of your hands and your neck are the first places to show signs of ageing. Always protect these areas by applying plenty of sunscreen as well as locking in moisture. These hand creams are both moisturising and non-greasy, and one reason why I love them so much is that they smell absolutely amazing!

The Urban Rituelle Hibiscus and Cranberry hand cream comes in a beautiful gift-packed trio that you can gift for Christmas, and the L'Occitane Cherry Princess hand cream comes from an entire range of Cherry Princess products, which undoubtedly will also be included in some beautiful gift packs for the holiday season.

Lip Balms

Lips are sensitive and need constant protection and hydration - they become dry and chapped in almost any kind of weather, and at the slightest sign of dehydration. Some of my favourites are:

Simplicité Angelica Lip Care Balm - by far the most effective of the three. It gets rid of chapped lips and helps plump the lips without that overly creamy feeling, so it almost feels like there's nothing on your lips.

L'Occitane Pivoine Delicate Lip Balm - Great if you want a non-greasy texture and a little tint to your lips. This tints your lips a light, rosy pink colour. Beware though, if you lean too warm in your skin tone then this colour might look a little unnatural on you.

Kiehl's Lip Balm - this is another star product that really gets rid of chapped lips and helps lock in the moisture, but has a little bit more of a creamy texture than the Simplicité lip balm. The great thing about this is that it comes in a number of different flavours and you can get one that contains SPF.

Spritz

When it comes to face spritzes, be careful which one you pick. If you get one that isn't formulated properly, it can actually lead to more moisture being sucked from your skin. The Uriage thermal water is formulated in such a way that it actually encourages the absorption of the moisture into your skin when spritzed on, which is absoultely perfect for the summer. In addition, it makes your makeup settle into your skin and helps it look more natural, as well as a little bit more comfortable to wear. PLUS, I mean, a little spritz or two is always so refreshing in that summer heat.

Compact Powder

Compact powders are great for a quick touch-up to keep your skin matte. For something with more coverage, try the Dior Diorskin Nude Compact. It comes with a dual-sided brush depending on what coverage you are going for, and the compact is lovely, luxe, and comes with a handy mirror.

Another great powder is the Luview Crystal Mineral Pact, which has a little sponge that is in a separate compartment. This also provides great coverage, but is quite light, so it will only suit more fair skins.

So that about sums up my handbag essentials for summer! Do you have any handbag must-haves for summer?