Summer Favourites 2021

Call me a cynic, but I’ve never really been a big fan of monthly favourites posts. Don’t get me wrong, I love hearing about fab finds and great products, but this idea that we cycle through products on some four-week hamster wheel, only to be ‘in looovvee’ with new things at the flip of the calendar really bugs me, and has done so forever. I’ve been a loyal reader of blogs and watcher of YouTube for over a decade now, but even when my favourite people put them out I almost always scroll past.

But I do see the value in talking about favourite things at different times of the year because even my cynical self can confirm that my favourite moisturiser in January is definitely different to the one I’m reaching for in July. So, I thought I’d start a Seasonal Favourites series, and to kick it off as we wave goodbye to Summer and welcome Autumn (aka. the greatest season of them all) I wanted to share all the things that I’ve loved over the last three months.

SKINCARE:

Dr Dennis Gross Hyaluronic Marine Hydration Booster Drops – I could talk about these all day, and there’s a more in-depth review here if you’re interested, but this light-weight and Hyaluronic Acid packed serum has the consistency of water but has an incredible effect on my skin. I use a couple of drops of this mixed with my Vitamin B serum (Alpha-H Extreme B17) most mornings and some nights. Incredible combo. My skin misses it when I don’t use it.

Nuxe Lip Balm – ordinarily in the warmer weather I’d opt for something lighter, but with all the mask-wearing my lips have been crying out for hydration and this delivers every time. I wear it overnight and wake up with soft and hydrated lips or apply a really small amount during the day.

Le Tan SPF50+ Coconut Sunscreen Lotion – okay, coconut-scented body products go one of two ways for me. They either smell like bad fake tan or they give off fresh and light tropical vibes. This is definitely the latter. Light, summery, creamy fragrance in a sunscreen formula that I already love. I don’t really wear body sunscreen unless it’s Summer (because I’m generally pretty covered up) but I’m already looking forward to this again next time the weather heats up.

Bondi Sands Hydra UV Protect SPF50+ Face Lotion – this is a new find but it’s already trumped my previous favourites. A bit shinier than I would like, but that’s nothing a dusting of powder can’t fix. It wears beautifully, plays nicely with other skincare and makeup but most importantly, it doesn’t irritate my (overly sensitive) eyes.

Jordan Samuel Hydrate Facial Serum – this product deserves its own review, which is on the to-do-list, but in short, it’s a great serum. It hydrates well, has zero stickiness and absorbs beautifully.

Vaseline Invigorating Glow Skin Serum – I’ve done a whole post on my body’s dry skin, so if you’re a fellow sufferer head on over there for a full rundown, but if you’re just after a simple and light-weight lotion for after the shower and don’t suffer from any dry skin conditions this is the one I’d be recommending. Absorbs in seconds, is non-greasy, smells gorgeous (cucumber/green tea – but the fragrance doesn’t irritate my sensitive skin) and hydrates extremely well. I need something that packs a bit more punch in Winter but over Summer, this has been lush.

BOOKS AND TELEVISION:

Me by Elton John – I’d recommend this to anyone; music fans, fashion addicts, history buffs, or just people who like a bit of a pop culture read. I’d especially recommend listening to it as an audiobook because it’s read by Taron Edgerton and he does all the accents and imitations to full effect.

Where The Crawdads Sing – a truly beautiful story; part romance, part mystery and poetically written. The first half lays the foundation and the second I found un-put-downable. The perfect Summer read!

Little Fires Everywhere – this was one of those shows that opens with the final, chaotic scene and then jumps back in time to explain how everything unravelled quite so spectacularly. Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington are both incredible, but the entire cast, included the many young actors are equally mesmerising. There are lots of storylines and how they all intersect is incredibly thoughtful and heartbreaking at times, but it’s a truly great show.

PODCAST:

Life Uncut Podcast – I was super late to find this one, and so I’ve spent the last few months working my way through the backlog which is a lengthy task when my podcast listening time is at an all-time low (no commute or long car drives) but I’m up to date and glad I caught up chronologically. The podcast is mostly relationship focussed, but it really is lifestyle themed and covers such a huge range of topics, and even has a weekly ‘Agony Aunt’ style edition where listeners write in their questions anonymously to get Britt and Laura’s opinions. Big fan!

EXTRA BITS:

Satin scrunchies – I chopped off about 7 inches of (damaged and dry) hair last year and so I’m using satin scrunchies instead of hair ties and I think it’s helping keep my hair breakage to a minimum. Much cheaper than the silk variety that you see all over Instagram but so far I think they do just as good a job; less creasing and they don’t pull out nearly as much hair as normal hair ties.

Rumball recipe – I love these! I make a batch and keep them in a container in the freezer, and grab one when I feel like a little chocolate hit after dinner. I use gluten-free biscuits from Woolies and only half the condensed milk that the recipe calls for. Although these make for a perfect snack on a warm Summer night I think I’ll be making these for a while still to come.