Spring Ready

Spring has most certainly sprung here in Sydney, Australia. We have been graced with the return of the harsh Aussie sun over the weekend and it is expected to shine down on us for the rest of the week, signalling the end of the cold months (hurrah!) As much as I love the Autumn/Winter months, it feels fantastic to be able to go outside without five layers of clothing, wooly socks, and a thick scarf. Aussie culture is beach culture, and with that comes short shorts, thongs (or flip flops), and tank tops. 

In an attempt to shield everyone from my blindingly pale legs, I have been using the Bondi Sands Everyday Gradual Tanning Milk. It's a very subtle gradual tanner and in two days I my legs and arms have turned into a deeper, sun kissed colour.  I found that the tanning milk was a bit drying, especially on my legs, so in the evenings I applied the Body Shop's Vitamin E Body Butter. 

I have this week off from uni and so yesterday I went to my local shopping centre and got a bit excited about getting ready for Spring! My first stop was to get my body looking ready for Spring. This meant going to the beauty salon and getting waxed (TMI?). I get really bad shaving rash on my thighs whenever I attempt to shave that area, and seeing as that area will be exposed quite a bit while wearing shorts and dresses, I figured that the easiest and most convenient thing to do would be to get it waxed. The beauty therapist who waxed my legs and bikini area was fantastic and it did not hurt a bit!  

My next stop was Priceline Pharmacies, where I picked up the Gillette Satin Care with a Touch of Olay Shaving Gel, the Garnier Body Beauty Oil Scrub, and the Yes to Cucumbers Facial Towelettes. I thought I'd get back into using a shaving gel after going off it for almost three years, seeing as I've been getting more prone to shaving rash, and I was almost out of my Body Shop Brazil Nut Body Scrub.  

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Getting ready for the change in seasons is always very exciting and with it comes a change in wardrobe and skincare & make-up routines. I've been excited to wear my One Teaspoon shorts out; it's something that I would not normally go for, but when I tried it on I felt amazing in them and bought them without hesitation (plus they were on sale from $100+ to $50!). I packed away my black lace-up boots and swapped them for leather sandals, and I moved my heavy jackets to the spare room and brought out my cardigans. 

It is very important to add a high SPF sunscreen into your routine at this time of year (well, you should be using one all year round), and I recommend La Roche-Posay's liquid sunscreens for your face as they are perfect for sensitive skin, dry to a matte finish, and are in no way sticky. In fact, once they sink into the skin, it's easy to forget that you don't have any sunscreen on at all! For the body, I recommend Neutrogena's spray sunscreens as they are light and non-sticky, plus they provide high SPF. I also recommend the Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel  for those of you with combination-oily skin; it's lightweight, dries matte, and keeps the shine at bay. I also found that it's a great base for makeup. 

I will definitely be doing a post on my Spring makeup look once I've figured out what I want, so you can expect that in the coming weeks! 

Overall, I am extremely excited for Spring and the October month. A lot is happening in October, and you can bet that I will keep you all updated. So for those of you living in Australia, step outside and embrace the heat! I think of Spring as the beginning of the time where we can go out and freely do what we want without being dragged down by the lousy weather. Enjoy it, but be safe (and sun safe). For those of you in the northern hemisphere, I wish you a great Autumn/Winter; snuggle up and stay warm!

What are your favourite Spring essentials? Got any plans for Spring? Let me know in the comments below.