September Favourites

Where on earth has September gone?! I know everyone says this every month, but wow, that one has just flown by. Honestly, this has been a really hard favourites to write, as I have settled into a good skincare routine and haven't overly experimented with my makeup. But here are a few things I have been loving throughout the month of September.

First up is the The Body Shop Honey Bronzer in 01 because it may be Autumn but I am not ready to give up the summer glow/not-quite-a-tan-but-an-extra-bit-of-colour just yet. It comes in 5 or 6 shades, so it doesn't look too dark on my pale skin, and there will be one to suit everybody. The powder itself is finely milled and buttery and an all round good product. I use it with the Real Techniques Blush Brush as it is tapered enough to apply product into the hollows of my cheeks, but large and fluffy enough to really blend the bronzer well. I would definitely recommend this one if you struggle to find a bronzer that suits your skin tone.

Makeup Brush Cleaning: Tips and Tools

The idea of cleaning my makeup brushes is one that really divides me. On one hand, they will last longer and won't spread bacteria if kept clean, and using freshly washed brushes in the morning is one of the best feelings. But on the other hand, it's really boring. I know, I know, no contest right. So I thought I would compile some tips and the tools I use to make brush cleaning a little easier. 

Firstly I'll grab all the brushes that need washing, as I don't wash all of my every time, and round up the tools I use. For a deep clean I like to use Johnson's Baby Shampoo as it is gentle on the bristles but still removes all traces of makeup and doesn't leave a lingering smell. I spot clean my brushes regularly using The Pro Hygiene Collection Makeup Brush Cleaning Spray which is antibacterial, so I don't mind that the shampoo isn't. I also use the Soap and Glory Massage Glove to rub in the shampoo and the Benjabelle Daisy Brush Tree to aid the drying process. Once I have collected these items I'll put on some music to make it a little less boring, and get cracking.

The Essentials: Best Beauty Tools

Today's post is a roundup of the unsung heroes of beauty, the unglamorous necessities. Makeup brushes aside, beauty tools are the boring side of any collection and are often overlooked, but finding the right ones can make a huge difference to your beauty routines.

Fist up has got to be haircare as finding the right hair brush is a real life saver (okay, not literally but you get the gist). Before I tried the Tangle Teaser I didn't understand how one brush could be different to another, but I was so wrong. I don't know what kind of sorcery it is but it makes taming the beast much easier and pain free. However, I have a new favourite, The Wet Brush. Where have you been all my life? It has the painless detangling power of the Tangle Teaser, but in an easy to  use, paddle brush form.

Shop My Stash

I am not quite on a spending ban, but with less money than I can shake a stick at I am just not spending. As a beauty addict who thrives off trying new products this is so hard, but after watching this Lily Pebbles video I decided to 'shop my stash' and rediscover some old favourites. And it's almost as good as going to Boots, right?

First up has to be the Avon True Colour Eyeshadow Quad in Mocha Latte which I rediscovered when collected eyeshadow palettes for my Weekend Road Trips post. This is such a beautiful quad and at only £9 you can't go wrong. The quality rivals some of my high-end eyeshadows as they are so creamy and buttery they can be easily built up and blended in. Shade 3 is the most beautiful coppery bronze shade which looks stunning as a one-wash-wonder but can be easily turned into a neutral smoky eye using the matte shades 2 and 4.

Weekend Road Trips: Travel Eyeshadow Palettes

Finishing the sad goodbyes with friends going back to uni is the one and only time of year I seriously regret not going. It always feels so strange in my hometown with all my friends scattered across the country. But on the plus side, it means weekend road trips are back on, yay! So I thought would take you through the eyeshadow palettes that are small enough to justify packing for a weekend.

Splurge or Save: Berry Lip Crayons

It may only be the start of September, but in my eyes that is 100% Autumn. And I am so excited! Being able to wear a coat again is definitely the best thing about the colder weather, but the second best is berry lipsticks. Nothing says Autumn more than a good plum-toned lip and nail combo, but when it comes to lip crayons, should you splurge or save?

The Review: John Frieda Air-Dry Waves

Although I have a pretty hefty hair product collection, I am a leave to air-dry and throw up in a bun kind of girl, so the John Frieda Air-Dry Waves seemed like the perfect one to give me a salon level blowdry with minimal effort and cost. But is it too good to be true? 

The Review: Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue

It took me aaagggeessss to finally cave and buy the bareMinerals Complexion Rescue (£26), despit the shear amount of rave reviews this product was getting I still wasn't convinced. Maybe it was the fact I had never tried anything from the brand before and always subconsciously linked them with the type of powder foundation that disagrees with my skin. Or maybe it was just that I really didn't need another base. But I finally succumbed and I am so so glad I did, this has definitely knocked the Bobbi Brown BB Cream off it's top spot for lightweight bases.

Interview Makeup Tips

As some of you may know I am currently job hunting and have been to a couple of interviews lately. One where the job wasn't right for me, and the other I wasn't right for the job, and that is absolutely fine! Trying to keep a positive outlook is definitely making the whole thing a lot easier, Anyway, I digress, I thought I would share with you a few of my interview makeup tips in case any of you were in the same position. Obviously these are not rules, there is no right or wrong, just a few things I like to follow.

Build Your Own - Bobbi Brown Palette

For years I have wanted to build my own eyeshadow palette, a travel friendly, do-it-all palette filled with shades that all suit my skin tone. Not much to ask for. After a lot of deliberation I decided to go for a Bobbi Brown 6 Pan Palette as I am a huge fan of all of the range and the formulation is so buttery and easy to blend. Also, I felt like the MAC quads weren't enough shades to be versatile and the 15 pan would get too expensive.

As a quick run down of the prices before I get into the shades, the palette was £7 and the shades I chose were £17.50 each, however Bobbi Brown does have Sparkle Eye Shadows which are £23.50 each. Until now I hadn't realised how expensive it was to actually build this palette as I did it slowly and used vouchers I received for Christmas and my Birthday to cover some of it, however I still love this palette and for me it is totally worth it as it has some really unique shades that I love and get a lot of use out of. This being said I am definitely not rushing to build another one.

Dealing With Dry Skin

I am very fortunate in that my skin is fairly 'normal' at the moment, yes it still gets dry patches and yes it is pretty spot-prone. But it is generally normal. This was not the case 2/3 years ago. My skin was painfully dry, it was tight and sore after washing and flaky throughout the day. At that time I wasn't hugely into skincare and definitely wouldn't buy expensive products for it, so I thought I would talk through the products that really helped me deal with my dry skin from the drugstore. 

August Favourites

This is a little over-due, but seriously, where did August go?! One day I was sunning myself in July and now it is a rainy afternoon in September. I found it really difficult to chose just beauty favourites this month as I haven't been switching products up much, so there's a few random ones in there too.

bareMinerals Complexion Rescue

It took a while for me to be persuaded to jump on this bandwagon, but after so many positive reviews I couldn't resist, and I am so glad I picked one up. This is such a light-weight dewy product which can be built up when used with a brush, or sheered out with fingers whilst still giving a decent amount of coverage. This is my perfect light base as it packs some serious glow and sticks around all day. Be prepared for a serious rave review coming soon.

Autumnal Lip Duo

It feels like summer is basically over now, so I thought I would share with you my favourite MAC lip duo for the Autumn months. I have so missed berry lips season!