October has been a jam packed month full of products, some old, some new, but all in all incredible beauty stars that you should be aware of. The month consisted of a real mix of skincare, body and make-up mainly because I have now made that change into my autumn wardrobe. Hydration has been stepped up, textures have become richer, makeup tones has become warmer and basically, I needed full body pampering due to the cold/flu season being ever so present and TLC was high on my agenda.
Here are my S-T-A-R-S of October that I honestly am head over heels in love with and shall continue to carry on loving!!
I loved Sali's first book,
Pretty Honest and she has not disappointed with a follow up read, Pretty Iconic. If like me you are a beauty addict and love to also read about all things beauty related then this is a book you should indeed pick up. Sali talks about the iconic beauty products that changed the beauty game for ever. Even though I only just bought this book, I had to include it because I love it already. Another new book purchase of mine which I am yet to start comes from those fabulous Pixiwoo sisters, Sam and Nic. Their new book 'Face' is a must read, full of personal writings, makeup looks, advice and a great book to have as reference on your shelf. Highly recommend both of these and a perfect gift for any beauty/make-up lover too!
2. Charlotte Tilbury Dolce Vita Eye Quad & Bond Girl Matte Revolution Lipstick
The Dolce Vita Eyeshadow quad screams Autumn/Winter as it could not be any more perfect for this season and it is one of CT's top selling eye quads as it just works on everyone. I have owned this for a while but have obviously been using it more of late and have fallen head over heels in love all over again. The warm cranberry, golden bronze tones are stunning and it is great for day or night because with the 'pop' gold glitter shade, it takes you from day to night in a flash! I have found the perfect partner to this quad in the form of Bond Girl, Matte Revolution Lipstick as it is the perfect dark red-brown shade that is not too vampy, yet not too bright. It has been on my lips all month. The texture is beautiful and even though it is a matte, the super creamy formula stops it from ever feeling dry. You all know I adore Charlotte Tilbury products as I feel her products really get you excited about doing your make-up and I guarantee with these in your collection, you shall be wearing them all season [Stay tuned for some looks coming soon!].
I am a big lover of cream eyeshadows and Laura Mercier's Caviar eyesticks are simply stunning. They are super creamy, so easy to blend, long wearing and very simple to apply, literally taking seconds and they look flawless. To compliment the above eyeshadow quad, the shade Burnished Bronze is the best combo. This really enhances the cranberry shade to make it pop and makes bronze shades come to life. I have my good friend Yolanda to thank for this 'enabled' purchase because (true story) after seeing this on her eyes in a photograph, I was in store buying it. I highly reccomend checking out this line as they have so many beautiful shades, I feel I shall be adding many more into my collection.
A new launch from By Terry that had me clicking through all the shades as there are so many beautiful colours to choose from in this collection. This is a 3 in 1 hybrid lipstick that feels like a rich balm, is precise like a lip pencil and is intense as a highly pigmented lipstick. It has this really unique tear drop shaped tip that instantly outlines and fills in the lips at the same time, giving you the perfect cupids bow! The coverage is super full and they glide on the lips like velvet feeling super comfortable. I chose shade #4 Rose Ease , a rosy pink with a velvet matte finish. Applying it from the bullet with this tip does feel strange at first but it really does apply very precisely I have to say. They last really well on the lips, not as long wearing as a liquid lip obviously but they do wear off very naturally without any patchiness or dryness. The packaging is gorgeous, so chic and feminine making them a joy to carry in your make-up bag and the clicky-ness shall have you addicted.
This isn't the first time that this product has been on my blog because this is a long term love of mine but I seem to use it more in the colder months when my skin is in need of a real glow and with the cold weather and illness sucking out every bit of hydration, my skin is loving the effect of this primer. This is a primer that gives the most stunning finish to your skin without making it look shiny, glittery or oily but literally like you are 'naturally glowing' as well as making your foundation last and look better. I absolutely love it and know that I have to back it up because this is one of those makeup items that you know you have to have in stock at all time. If you want to know more about it then check out my review [].
This has been high on my 'must try' beauty list for some time because the hype around this product is phenomenal, so I was curious to know what all the fuss was about. Renaissance Cleansing gel is a new generation non-foaming gel-to-oil cleansing wash that works to restore radiance and give you super soft skin. It contains a potent blend of vitamins and fruit enzymes to lift make-up and impurities, deeply cleanse and remove dead skin without any irritation thanks to the Vit C and E and also helps to improve pigmentation and collagen production. Suitable for all skin types this really is no average cleansing wash. So after having decided to try it out for myself, I have to say, the hype is very much real. This is a beauty gem and with the delicate scent of rose, it had me sold from the first use. I adore the unique texture of this cleanser and once you try it you shall never go back to a facal wash. As you warm the gel between your fingers, it slowly turns into a very light velvety oil that makes your skin feel so nourished and soft. I use this as my morning cleanser (and my Elemis Pro Collagen Balm at night) and my skin instantly looks so much brighter and more awake so it really does 'illuminate' your skin! The packaging is perfect as the pump dispenser gives you exactly the right amount of cleansing gel so you don't waste any and it is so much bigger in size than I thought so I think it shall last a good amount of time. If like me you like to wash your face with water in the morning/evening, I cannot recommend this cleanser enough because the reasons why this is such a top seller are all there - it works, making it a real star product.
For the past few months I have been trialling out the very exciting skincare brand NIOD and rather than use each new product all at once, I have been gradually introducing them one by one into my skincare routine as and where I need them so I can see what results occur and how I feel about them being completely new to the brand. NIOD is one of those brands that I kept seeing all over Instagram and with the very exact scientific names given to each of their products, I knew it was a brand that needed my full attention with time to get to know it better. MMHC (in short) is a serum combining 12 forms of hyaluronic compounds in a peptide charged delivery system to offer hydration and to help the skins surface look plumped and comfortable. This serum literally feels like water being super lightweight and I absolutely LOVE it. I believe this is one of the reasons why my skin has not felt tight and sensitive at all over the Autumn period and from being ill too. I use this every day, under my moisturiser and to be honest, it doesn't feel anything special when you apply it, but it does indeed pack a punch with all those hydrating compounds! I always use a hydrating serum in my skincare routine and this one has to be one of my favourites as it is such a simple step that makes a massive difference. I feel the benefits and see them in my skin. Every skin type needs hydration, more so in the colder months of course so this, I highly recommend to all. I was surprised how affordable it was as serums are always an investment so if you are in need of hydration, then this is your guy! Stay tuned for a post to come all about the NIOD products that I have been using.
I plan on doing a full blog post all about this beauty star because I have briefly mentioned it before on my Instagram as it has saved my skin so many times now and it's one of those products that not many of us know about and we all should. SOS cream is an intense moisturiser designed to help soothe sensitive, dry, blemish prone skin while replenishing hydration. It basically is an anti-stress miracle worker for the skin and with it's gorgeous scent of lavender, it shall de-stress your mind too. The rich balm instantly helps your skin and when I had my hormonal health issues and my massive allergic reaction to a face mask, this saved me. For that I shall forever worship this product. It works so well when you get any kind of break out believe it or not as the ingredients just calm the whole skin situation down. I even use if after I have plucked my eyebrows to calm any redness down! This seriously is my secret weapon in any skin emergency. It is a true Star.
Rituals is a brand that I truly adore. Whenever I am in a Rituals store, I spend ages taking it all in, drinking my complimentary cup of jasmine tea, feeling like I am at the spa. They really do make such wonderful, affordable, luxurious body products. Whilst I was away in Scotland this month, I had the most horrendous cold so I wanted something nice and pampering to bathe in so I bought this Rituals Heavenly Hamman bath oil as the description alone had me sold. It is designed to calm, soothe and relax tired weary bodies (tick!) with its vitamin rich Organic Argan Oil and Eucalyptus the bath oil softens and hydrates to purify the body and soul. They certainly got the name right because the smell of this is indeed 'heavenly' and the whole bathroom is scented with the gorgeous aroma as your bath runs. Now I am not a bath person at all and a total shower fan, in fact I only have baths when I am sick or need some warmth in the winter so when I do have a bath, I need products that shall make me want to stay in it and this is one of them. This bath oil left my skin feeling amazingly soft and the Eucalyptus was so comforting and soothing, just a beautiful bath product to have in your stocks. I highly recommend trying this range out and with Christmas looming, it would make a great gift for someone who loves a good pampering bath session!
With Christmas just around the corner, we are constantly being inundated with many new launches and limited editions so I hope to bring you many more next month as well as some gift ideas ...
for those "to me from me" gifts 😉