special costumes: Monthly Favourites

So its now November - how the heck did that happen? Since I moved to Manchester, the past two months have absolutely flown by and been a bit of a whirlwind to be honest. It only feels like two minutes ago I was leaving my old job and flat in Newcastle and two months later, here we are. Madness I tell you! Now its November, I'm officially in Christmas mode. This is the time of year when its acceptable to start getting excited about Christmas - I'm now on countdown to the 1st of December so I can put my tree up and open the first door on my advent calendar. Yay! Anyway, before I go off on a tangent, here's my top beauty picks for October ...

Garnier Ultimate Blends 1 Minute Treatment* | Link

I received this Garnier hair treatment when I went to see The Saturdays back in September and I've been absolutely it for giving my hair a quick dose of moisture. Its blended with Moroccan, Argan and Japanese Camellia Oils which are all known to nourish the hair and each time I use it, my hair is left feeling silky soft. Its also really convenient for someone like me who is always really busy and doesn't have time to leave a hair mask on for fifteen minutes. Within one minute this mask has done its job and leaves my hair feeling silky smooth.

Urban Decay Naked Basics Palettes* Link & Link

I'm going to be reviewing and comparing both of the Naked basics palettes on my blog very soon so I won't say too much about them for now other than I can't get enough of them and they've definitely been an essential part of my daily makeup bag since I got them. All six shades in each palette are matte or only have a very light sheen so they're perfect to use in the crease or as eyeliner/brow powder. Definitely an every day essential! Keep your eyes peeled for the full review.

MAC Prep & Prime Highlighter | Light Boost | Link

If you read my recent MAC haul, you'll see that I picked up MAC's Prep & Prime highlighter to help brighten my under eye area and I've been absolutely loving it. Its so handy to use because of the twist-up style applicator and because of the yellow tone it has, it does a brilliant job at brightening dark circles and creating that much coveted Kimmy K highlighted look.

Zoeva Rose Golden Luxury Brushes* | Link

Since receiving my rose gold Zoeva brush set, they've been my go-to brushes. Other than being beautiful to look at, they blend my makeup beautifully and are generally just great brushes to use as they do all the hard work for me in ensuring my makeup is blended perfectly. The two I've been using the most are the Silk Finish which is great for buffing in liquid foundation and the concealer buffer which as the name states, is great for buffing in concealer. I'd recommend this brush set to anyone, its exceptionally high quality, beautifully designed and affordable. The whole set for eight brushes and a bag is around £50 - such a bargain!

Lord & Berry Polish Eye Pencil | Mirror Black* | Link

I've tried quite a few Lord & Berry lip products in the past but I've only recently been introduced to their eye products and I'm now obsessed. No word of a lie, this is the best pencil liner I've EVER used. Its creamy without smudging everywhere, it lasts all day and its super black. I'm utterly in love with it and would urge everyone to try it!

Orofluido Shine Spray* | Link

I was recently sent this product and although I don't usually see any benefit from using shine sprays on my hair, this one has really impressed me. I spritz my hair with this after straightening or curling and it definitely makes it look a lot more glossy. I've found shine sprays have made my hair look greasy in the past but this one is a really fine mist so its hard to over-do it which is great. There's not a great deal more I can say about this other than if you're looking for a shine spray that actually works and makes the hair look shiny, this is one to try.

Elemis Advanced Brightening Serum* | Link

Elemis is definitely one of my favourite skin care brands. I've loved every single product I've tried from them so far and this skin brightening serum is no exception. I've been using it morning and night for the past four or five weeks and have seen a big improvement in my skin tone. My complexion looks brighter and there's a lot less redness than there was previously. Its an absolute pleasure to use and sinks into my skin almost instantly meaning I don't have to hang around before applying my moisturiser. It is a pricey product but if you fancy some skincare indulgence, I'd highly recommend giving this a try.

New Kid I-Glow Shimmer Powder | Coral Crush* | Link

I've never been much of a blush person but this New Kid 'I-Glow' compact may have me converted. I've got the shade 'Coral Crush' and its a beautiful peach with hints of pink and gold shimmer running through it. The marbleised effect reminds me of the MAC Mineralize Skinfinishes and I love that it adds a pop of colour to my cheeks but also a highlight too. I find that when I wear this my whole complexion looks more awake and radiant. New Kid isn't a brand I've tried much before but since trying this, I'm certainly keen to try more.

Have you tried any of these products? What have you been loving this month?

Lots of love,