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5 of My Spring Beauty Essentials

May 10th, 2016 by Carolina Braina 17 Comments

Spring Beauty Essentials
These are some of my spring beauty essentials! On my lips I’m wearing the Dior Addict Fluid Stick in 872 Mona Lisette.

I always say that summer is without a doubt my favorite season.

But then spring comes around, and I’m not so sure anymore… I mean, I love the endless possibilities that come with long summer days, but the feeling of rebirth that spring brings is pretty hard to beat.

It’s so invigorating.

I love it when the freezing wintery air shifts into that warm spring breeze. You know, just taking a walk and soaking in the sun puts me in a better mood. The smell of freshly cut grass and new flowers is mildly intoxicating… In spring, I feel like I’m on a constant high.

I think that what makes me like spring so much is that it’s a big moment of change. As human beings, it’s usually the moments when (good) changes happen that give us that utter sense of joy. Later on, most of us tend to get used to what we have and lose that feeling of ecstatic excitement.

Besides the changes in the scenery and weather, spring also brings along changes in my beauty routine. There are a few products I always rediscover at this time of the year, and today I’m sharing them with you.

The Fake Tan: Clarins Liquid Bronze Self Tanning ($38)

Clarins Liquid Bronze Self Tanning

Aside from the occasional dusting of bronzer here and there, most of the time in winter I tend to embrace my corpse-like complexion, but once the sun comes out of the clouds and the leaves grow back on the trees, I’m all about that healthy, sunkissed look. Since my face and neck are usually a shade lighter than the rest of my body, in the spring and summer I like to use a self tanner to make sure everything matches.

The best one I’ve tried so far is the Clarins Liquid Bronze Self Tanning lotion, a lightweight lotion that gives me a nice glow in two or three applications. The effect is pretty gradual and not too dramatic, so I think it’s well suited for fair/light complexions.

The Sunscreen: La Roche-Posay Anthelios Dry Touch Gel-Cream SPF 30 ($19.99)

La Roche-Posay Anthelios Dry Touch Gel-Cream SPF 30
The US version of the La Roche-Posay dry touch sunscreen has SPF 60

Being an oily-skinned gal, I can’t just grab any random SPF and slather it on my face… Some of them tend to feel pretty heavy and greasy, you know? But luckily, these days, there are quite a few options for us shiny girls in the sunscreen department! My current favorite is La Roche-Posay Anthelios Dry Touch Gel-Cream SPF 30, because besides looking perfectly matte upon application, it doesn’t make me oilier over time.

The Juicy Lip: Dior Addict Fluid Stick in 872 Mona Lisette ($35)

Dior Addict Fluid Stick 872 Mona Lisette

I’m definitely more of a lipstick person than a gloss person, but in the warmer seasons I do appreciate adding a bit of juiciness to my pout. I tend to prefer pigmented formulas over the sheerer ones, and, while I really like the Lancôme Lip Lover in 336 Orange Manège, my favorite favorite has to be Dior Addict Fluid Stick in 872 Mona Lisette. Non-sticky and moisturizing, it feels as good on the lips as it looks in the tube. And it’s long-lasting, too!

The Lightweight Base: KIKO Wanderlust Sunshine DD Cream

KIKO Wanderlust Sunshine DD Cream

I’m a fan of lightweight bases all year round, but when temperatures peak, I feel like they really become a necessity. One I’ve been loving lately is KIKO Sunshine DD Cream (not available on the US website, oops!) in Very Light from the new Wanderlust Summer Collection, which I reviewed here on my blog. It is an SPF 30 tinted moisturizer that I think would suit a pretty wide range of skin types, from moderately dry to moderately oily.

The Bright Nail Polish: Essie Nail Polish in Fifth Avenue ($8.59)

Essie Nail Polish Fifth Avenue

Smith and Cult recently made me rediscover my love for nail polish after months of bare nails (you may read a detailed account of our love story on my blog here), and now that sandal-weather is just around the corner, I can’t wait to paint my toes with Essie Fifth Avenue, a beautifully bright red-orange.

What about you? Are there any products you use mainly in the warmer months?

Carolina Braina


Hey, ladies (and gents), it’s Carolina here, reporting live from Bologna, Italy, to bring you the latest and greatest in beauty from the good ol’ continent! For an extra dose of that timeless Italian glam with a touch of humor and self-irony (because, you know, laughter is the best makeup), come say hi at carolinapage.eu and Instagram.

5 of My Spring Beauty Essentials / Originally published May 10th, 2016

There are 17 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Clarins, Dior, Essie, Guest Post, KIKO Milano

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Comments

  1. hanna says

    May 10th, 2016 at 7:19 am

    That essie color looks fantastic
    hanna recently posted … Review: Billion Dollar Brows Micropencils + Swatches!

    Reply
    • Carolina Braina says

      May 10th, 2016 at 12:28 pm

      It’s one of my favorites!
      Carolina Braina recently posted … REVIEW | KIKO Velvet Passion Matte Lipsticks and Ever Lasting Colour Precision Lip Liners

      Reply
  2. ChynnaBlue says

    May 10th, 2016 at 8:04 am

    Thank you, I’m going to check out that sunscreen.

    Reply
    • Carolina Braina says

      May 10th, 2016 at 12:28 pm

      I hope you’ll like it as much as I do!
      Carolina Braina recently posted … REVIEW | KIKO Velvet Passion Matte Lipsticks and Ever Lasting Colour Precision Lip Liners

      Reply
  3. Becky says

    May 10th, 2016 at 8:58 am

    Ah that sunscreen is one of my favourites too! And the lip colour is just so summery. Beautiful!

    Beekeyper – Latest post – 5 Tips for Blogging on the Go

    Reply
    • Carolina Braina says

      May 10th, 2016 at 12:33 pm

      If you’re ever in need of a pigmented gloss, I highly recommend checking out the Dior Addict Fluid Sticks!
      Carolina Braina recently posted … REVIEW | KIKO Velvet Passion Matte Lipsticks and Ever Lasting Colour Precision Lip Liners

      Reply
  4. Kiss & Make-up says

    May 10th, 2016 at 9:00 am

    Mona Lisette, hehehe, that made me chuckle… 🙂 What a pretty color, my oh my!
    Kiss & Make-up recently posted … Video | At-home callus removal

    Reply
    • Carolina Braina says

      May 10th, 2016 at 12:38 pm

      Haha, I would love to come up with shade names… It’s gotta be fun!
      Carolina Braina recently posted … REVIEW | KIKO Velvet Passion Matte Lipsticks and Ever Lasting Colour Precision Lip Liners

      Reply
  5. Shadowy_lady says

    May 10th, 2016 at 9:04 am

    I use the same self tanner and it’s fantastic! I wish I could get Kiko on Canada. I purchased a few things from them when vacationing in Italy and loved every item.

    Reply
    • Carolina Braina says

      May 10th, 2016 at 12:40 pm

      They’ve been expanding into more and more countries around the world, so it’s not unlikely that they’ll get to Canada, hopefully sooner rather than later!
      Carolina Braina recently posted … REVIEW | KIKO Velvet Passion Matte Lipsticks and Ever Lasting Colour Precision Lip Liners

      Reply
  6. Lauren says

    May 10th, 2016 at 12:32 pm

    Get to every Dior counter like now and buy every single Mona Lisette they have. That colour is perfection on you! Stunning!!

    Reply
    • Carolina Braina says

      May 10th, 2016 at 12:41 pm

      Haha, thank you, Lauren!
      Carolina Braina recently posted … REVIEW | KIKO Velvet Passion Matte Lipsticks and Ever Lasting Colour Precision Lip Liners

      Reply
  7. Rachel R. says

    May 10th, 2016 at 1:38 pm

    That lip color is amazing on you!

    I’m white as a ghost, but have oily skin, so Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 100+ is a must for sunny weather. I also use powder as primer and powder foundations more as the weather gets warmer. I use bronzer more in the summer, usually Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil, but sometimes Tarte Park Ave. Princess.

    Reply
  8. Chris25 says

    May 10th, 2016 at 1:55 pm

    That Dior lipstick looks really nice on you 🙂

    Reply
  9. Erin says

    May 10th, 2016 at 2:33 pm

    That Dior lip color is all the things!
    Erin recently posted … Bite Beauty Spring Fling Set

    Reply
  10. Susan says

    May 10th, 2016 at 3:06 pm

    I agree, the lipcolor is beautiful! And I am very excited – I figured out today that there is a Kiko store about 25 minutes from my house! I just happened to look and see if they had a Facebook page. From there I found they are in NJ. Planning a trip for Thursday and on my list is that double ended emerald/petrolblue eye kohl from their summer collection!

    Reply
  11. LindaLibraLoca says

    May 10th, 2016 at 6:35 pm

    Spring is my favorite season, hands down. I tend to use more delicate colors come spring, not exactly pastels, but not as vibrant as I usually do, and save the Self-tanners and orangey reds for real summer.
    LindaLibraLoca recently posted … Alpha-H Essential Hydration Cream

    Reply

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Hi there! I’m Karen, your friendly neighborhood beauty addict, and I’m a Bay Area girl who hoards brown eyeshadow and covets coral lipstick. Every morning, I wake up and say, “I’m going to do something other than a smoky eye today.” Then…I end up doing a smoky eye anyway (most days). When I’m not putting on makeup, taking pictures of makeup or writing about makeup, which I’ve been doing daily since 2007 (!), you’ll find me hanging out with my hubby (“El Hub”), my four-year-old daughter (Connor Claire) and my torbie girl cat (Pretty Girl Rosie, a.k.a. PGR).

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