Summer Survival

I have a confession to make. I haven't been posting recently because I've felt a bit guilty...my current favourite dresses are new ones! Oh well!

Anyway, I was thinking this morning about the fact that having a nice collection of dresses is all very well, but one also needs to make sure that one looks nice in one's dresses! Especially during the summer, when we can't hide behind cardies and opaque tights. Yes, I know we haven't had much of a summer thus far (apart from those ridiculously hot days a few weeks ago) but this year I've discovered a few truly magical summer survival products, which I thought I'd tell you about.

1. St Tropez Everyday gradual tanning moisturiser
This stuff is amazing. Legs look better with a bit of a tan. It hides the cellulite and makes everything look much more toned and lovely. But, given the fact that I am ridiculously pale and my legs had barely seen any sun at all, I clung on to my black tights for ages, worried about how my milk-bottle pins would look in my summery frocks. Then a friend told me about the St Tropez gradual tanner, and I thought I'd give it a go. I'd tried other tanning moisturisers, but they'd always made me look orange, or they'd gone streaky, or they had that horrible stale biscuit smell. But the St Tropez stuff is brilliant. It gives a very subtle hint of a tan, it's really easy to use, and you don't smell like mouldy digestives.

2. Soap and Glory Slim Wear firming cream
I love Soap and Glory - their packaging is fab and their products are affordable. And they actually work. I bought some of this on a whim after seeing it on special offer - I've been using it for about two weeks, and while I'm not sure it's getting rid of my cellulite, my thighs definitely feel firmer and the skin feels lovely and toned. It has a tingly minty feel on your skin, too, so it's perfect for moisturising with on warm days!

3. Ambre Solaire Light & Silky sun cream
As previously mentioned, I am ridiculously pale, and my skin is also extremely sensitive to the sun. I once ended up looking like a lobster after a 10-minute walk down Taunton high street in spring sunshine. So sun cream is absolutely vital for me - as it should be for everyone, of course! But because I have to wear high-factor sun cream every day if it's sunny, I'm always on the lookout for a sun cream that isn't sticky and gloopy. So when I saw Ambre Solaire's Light & Silky stuff being advertised, I thought I'd give it a go, but I wasn't expecting much. I was wrong! It really is just like a moisturiser. It sinks beautifully into the skin and it isn't sticky at all. Absolute miracle product.