Summer Beauty

Winter and high summer are the two times a year I invest in a few new products to try and stave off the inevitable straw-like, discoloured hair and parched skin that both seasons tend to bring. Plus, having a bit of tan or even just the odd freckle after a winter of pale, grey skin calls for a welcome makeup bag update too.

I find dealing with partially coloured hair a constant battle as you have two different textures to deal with (anyone with ballyage or ombre hair will know what I'm talking about!) and after my recent trip to Mexico with salt showers for a week, the ends of my hair are in need of some serious of TLC. I've heard great things about Living Proof and this Restore mask is meant to work miracles. I'm also tempted to go for the Restore Recovery Regimen programme for an intensive 5 week blitz.  I've always avoided Bumble & Bumble's surf spray for fear of it drying out my flyaway hair completely but the shampoo and conditioner take on it sound much more doable and just right in terms on the end result. I learnt the hard way many years ago about the perils of not looking after blonde hair in the sun (and spent the next year trying to rebuild my quite literally broken locks) so a protective spray is always a must for me and this one by Phyto is pretty good value compared to lots of other boutique brands. 

In terms of make up, the summer for me means much less makeup and pretty much only at night so just a couple of new additions are on my radar. I bought Bobbi Brown shimmer bricks for my mum and sister as presents recently and have been hankering after one for myself ever since and Charlie of My Little Eye recently got me onto these Nars lip pencils. This shade would totally wash me out in the winter but looks just the right shade of 90s on holiday. 

And last but not least, the most indulgent want on the list is Estee Lauder's Bronze Goddess Body Oil which is basically summer in a bottle. Working as both a fragrance and moisturizer in the evening, it smells amazing and succeeds in making anywhere feel like an exotic escape.  But be warned, the entire Bronze Goddess range seems to sell out by July every year so get in there sooner rather than later.

Lost Coastlines

 

A little post-holiday inspiration starting with a happy memory from my trip to L.A last year. Weird how some places really get under your skin and a year later, you still get nostalgic pangs to be back there again. 

As promised, the Fashion Me Now Summer '13 Mixtape is now ready on spotify. It's a bit of a work in progress, so I'll be adding more to it over the next few months as and when I get hooked on new songs. You can subsribe to it by clicking the link below. 

Fashion Me Now Summer '13 Mixtape

Summer Flats

Summer sandals are always a tricky one for me. I never quite find 'the' pair and, always believing the perfect ones are out there somewhere, I somehow wind up in September still without said sandals,  kicking around in my threadbare espadrilles once again.

So I may have found the perfect solution in these pointed summer flats; simple, versatile, no-need for fussing around with pedicures and no potential pitfalls with the likes of unflattering ankle straps. I've been coveting the infamous Jenni Kayne D'Orsay flats for months but this suede version by Chinese Laundry are a budget-friendly option I'll be testing the water with.

Get them from Javari here.

Tulum Holiday Photo Diary #2

 Breakfast at La Luna wearing Zimmerman bikini

Hartwood: 100% worth the wait

Still missing that view.... Charlotte Taylor bikini

Zara shirt, Mango shorts, Larson and Jennings resurgence watch and one red nose.  

 Mango shorts (old but similar here)and Undrest bikini

Caught in the act! 

New friend we adopted for the day

Casa Blanca at La Luna

Delicious cocktails at Posada Margherita

Insane seafood linguine at Hemingways 

So from the beautiful Casa Violeta, we moved slightly north up the coast to the equally stunning but very different Cabanas La Luna. Brightly-painted cabanas with multi-coloured hammocks and wooden decks nestled amongst palm trees meant the simple act of eating breakfast every morning on our private deck was a treat. 

We missed the food and restaurant from Casa Violeta (La Luna's felt a bit more resort-y and the menu was a bit tired) but the set-up of La Luna couldn't be beaten. You can probably tell an abundance of hammocks went down well too! 

So as promised,I've compiled a list of our favourite places we discovered while out there. I loved stumbling across people's personal hints and tips for Tulum before I went so hopefully this will help others in the future. I'd love to hear any of your Tulum suggestions too if anyone has any to add.

Sleeping

Casa Violeta - Mellow, beautiful, cool. Ticks all the boxes

Cabanas La Luna - Multi-coloured, castaway dream

Hemingway - We went for dinner here (see eating below) and the cabanas looked really nice. The stretch of beach isn't quite as dreamy as other places but a good option. 

Uno - Really sweet eco huts and camping right on the beach. Lit by candlelight at night and heard good things about the food, juices and yoga.

Eating

Hartwood - You might have to wait over an hour for a table at this ridiculosuly popular haunt but who cares when you have a freshly-made fruit cocktail in hand. And the delicious food definitely lives up to the hype. Make sure to check out the buzzing open-plan kitchen at the back laden with fresh ingredients too. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

Posada Margherita - Who knew Italian food in Mexico would be so good. Balmy beach setting, fresh pasta and great cocktails.

El Tabano - Mexican home cooking with a menu written entirely on two enormous blackboards and a fun bar for before and after dinner. 

Casa Jaguar - Asian-inspired food in intimate, romantic jungle setting. Experimental cocktails come in massive stone tumblers too which is always fun. Apparently good for breakfast too. 

Hemingway - a bit of a secret gem. There's only 4 or 5 tables in this super sweet restaurant on the beach. Really small, fresh Italian menu that they can basically adapt to suit you.

All the Rest

The ruins- get there early to avoid the bus loads of tourists from Cancun that descend around 9.30. A.M which turns the whole experience into a bit of a theme park. We got there at 9 but 8 would have been better. 

Cenotes - We didn't end up doing one as we loved hanging on the beach so much with our books but next time I'll be sure to check one out. 

Shopping - Tulum town has lots of little shops with all the usual suspects; dream-catchers, pottery, embroidered dresses and textiles. Haggling is o.k and expected so definitely don't just go with the first price offered but equally bear in mind that Tulum isn't super cheap. There are also some smaller shops around Mateo's on the beach road.

Papaya Playa or Zamas for late nights drinks, live music and beach parties.

Tulum, you were great, already looking forward to our next rendez-vous....

All photos by myself and James Wright