SPF is very important in our lives. Regardless of being gloomy in London or scorching in the Caribbean, winter or summer, we know sun protection should always be in our minds – and most importantly, in our skins!
It is great to find sunscreens that take little space and you can take away with you on a daily basis, for all those important and often neglected top ups.
As the sun is gracing my balcony today, I felt inspired to put together a small selection of sun creams I have been wearing that offer a great protection and can be carried around for all day long wear. And they are pretty affordable too!
I fell in love with the Bioderma Photoderm Max Aquafluide SPF 50+ during my last holiday. What a delight to apply; its fluid water-like texture is great. It dries quickly and matte, is water resistant and behaves very well under makeup.
Plus, apart from high UVA/UVB protection, it has the patented Cellular Bioprotection which activates the skin’s natural defences at cellular levels, protecting our cells and combating premature skin ageing.
And probably the best thing? Extremely well priced at around £13 for 40ml.
Moving on to one from my favourite sunscreen brands, very affordable and easy to find, the Nivea Sun Caring Roll-on SPF 30 is super easy to apply, it is water resistant, protects agains UVA and UVB rays and offers long lasting moisturisation too.
The formula is great, dries quickly and is non-sticky, the smell so familiar and lovely, and the price is also extremely friendly at around £7 for 50ml.
I raved soooo much about the Garnier Ambre Solaire Sensitive Advanced Protecting and Hydrating Face Mist SPF 50 when it launched and after almost using it all since, I will maintain my review: it is the most practical SPF around and perfect for us city folks as it can be applied on top of makeup.
For me, that is priceless but you can get it for an affordable £10. And I just found for £6 at Boots. Going to stock up.
Finally, a little gem from Eucerin, the Tinted Sun Creme SPF 50+. Ideal for those who wear little or no makeup but want a natural flash of colour, it is oil-free, non-comedogenic with UVA and UVB protection. It costs £16 for 50ml.
These are the little heroes keeping me safe all year round!
What are you favourite “portable and affordable” SPF?
Hands up if you’re guilty of, at some point in your life, not re-applying SPF as often as you should not to ruin your makeup? o/
So we get it: sunscreen is very important. Even in the city, and all year around.
It also creates an anti-pollution barrier that can be reinforced throughout the day, effortlessly.
Here we are again at that time of the year when I can no longer look at my coats, when all I want is to ditch them and the 85 layers (including the fat ones amassed over the winter) and see the sun shining in the sky.
The Wilkinson Sword has repackaged and changed the colours on their razors and the 
As everyday gradual tanning moisturisers go, the 
Top it off with the 
This 
At this time of the year my hair (and skin) are very tired: the wind is brutal, central heating has been acting on it for months… what better than some natural healing power to help restore my locks?
I discovered the range (and got my personalised bottle) at their fabulous The Blends’ Room pop-up in London. And if you are around Soho today and want to be amongst the first to try, pop down to 15 Bateman Street (W1D 3AQ) before 6pm to get free samples and other treats. Hurry, it’s the last day!
All addressing different hair needs and the even better, with a price tag that won’t break the bank.
A small amount of conditioner is very effective and the mask is thick and powerful. Hair feels clean and soft after use.
Now, a little away from hair… the Intense Repairer body lotion is divine, perfect for winter skin. It is rich but absorbs amazingly well; my skin cannot have enough of it.
We’ve all been there: great party straight out of a stressful day in the office. And now with the end of year parties in full swing, it is likely you are finding yourself in that situation more often than not.
For skin that has been in the office (and in party mode) the 
To refresh your makeup, invest in a little multi-tasking palette which doesn’t take much space and will go a long way.
For you lips, my newest obsession, liquid lipsticks are just perfect as they are quick to apply. At the moment, Kat Von D Vampira is my autumn go-to shade and scream edgy party look.
A small deodorant goes a long way – I love the little 
Sore feet? Carnation has a fabulous range to maximise your heel-wearing span and I love this Anti-Blister Stick, which minimises the party-busting shoe rubbing.
Make sure you always carry flats; I love these 
For extra hair oomph use a good dry shampoo. I love the 
I always carry a good brush with me, and this mini 
Has barely made it home for a shower? This tiny Gillette Venus razor is perfect for shaving on the go. Showers in the office or the gym? Done! Just make sure you rinse the floor well :)!
Finally, to smell good, nothing better than a roller ball fragrance. The 
Today we get to the final instalment of the So Many Lovely Things retrospective 2015. What a fantastic year it has been!
The 
With the coconut bonus, the 
The 
The 
The 
A great duo: 
I am in love with the whole 
This is undisputed: The 
My styling tool discovery was the 
The 
Been totally in love with 
Definitely 
Of course, the fabulous 
The Dove DermaSpa range is just fantastic and the DermaSpa Goodness³ Body Lotion and cream are just great!
The 
I love a good scrub, especially pre-tan. The 
Hands down my favourite tan, the 
There is no competition: the 
The 
Again, it’s a Dove item. I love their 
How in love am I with the 
Sass was a great discovery this year. Their 
After hearing wonders about BB creams, I decided I needed to get hold of one. Who doesn’t want to sport skin as they promise? I mean, who wouldn’t kill “to reveal the magic of flawless skin with this all-in-one foundation plus skincare wonder product”?
So Many Lovely Things 