Monthly Favourites | October

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,

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Monthly Favourites // October

Hi everyone! I hope you're all well and having a lovely weekend. I'm having a nice chilled weekend so far - I managed to get some blog photos taken today and I'm now chilling on the sofa writing this post and waiting for The X Factor to start. My boyfriend and I are going shopping tomorrow which I'm very excited about - I plan on spending some money at Space NK and I'm also desperate to try one of the new Salted Caramel hot chocolates from Starbucks - yum! I love this time of year and the build up to Christmas so much, I'm such a big kid sometimes. Anyway, before I start rambling, I'll get back to the reason you're reading this post. Here's the products I've been loving lately ...

Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation | Soft Beige | Link

I bought this foundation a good few months ago now but I've only just started using it on a regular basis over the past month. I think the reason this foundation took a back seat is because over Summer I like to use the Rimmel Wake Me up foundation for its illuminating properties. However, now the colder weather has arrived, I don't feel like the Wake Me Up foundation is as suitable anymore. Thats when I decided I'd start using this and after giving it a proper go, I absolutely love it. Unlike the Wake Me Up which adds a very obvious 'glow' to the skin, the Match Perfection foundation adds more of a satin like finish. It isn't overly glowy but it isn't matte either - it actually reminds me of one of my favourite high end foundations, NARS Sheer Glow. The coverage is medium but its definitely buildable and I love wearing it on an everyday basis for work. It looks very natural whilst still covering any imperfections and gives my skin a nice 'lit from within' type finish.

Omorozicza Queen of Hungary Mist* | Link

A little while ago I was sent an Omorozicza travel kit to try and although I'd never heard of the brand before, I loved the sound of the products and have since discovered its a pretty luxurious brand. Although I've enjoyed using all the products (I'll review the little set I received soon), this 'Queen of Hungary' mist has definitely been the one I've reached for most. I've been using this almost every day between cleansing and moisturising as the toning stage of my skincare routine and I've totally fallen in love with it. Not only does it smell amazing but its so refreshing on the skin and it leaves my face looking much more awake, fresh and plump. I also love that its a very fine spritz and not one that leaves my face looking wet after application. This makes it brilliant for spritzing over makeup to create a natural dewy finish. Its a pretty pricey product and not a necessity but its definitely a nice luxury if you feel like treating yourself.

Garnier 'Illuminating' Moisture Match | Link

I bought this on a random trip to Boots a little while ago as it had a couple of quid knocked off the usual price. I was originally drawn to the range of moisture match moisturisers because of the colourful packaging (each moisturiser is a different colour) and the fact they were all designed to target different problem areas. My skin was looking a bit lacklustre and dull at the time so I decided the illuminating option would be best for me. As soon as I took one sniff of it and swatched it on the back of my hand, I was sold. I kid you not - this moisturiser has the most amazing scent I've ever come across and for that reason alone I'll definitely repurchase. Its a total joy to apply to my face each morning. I also find it sinks in exceptionally easily, gives me a bit of moisture (it isn't exceptionally moisturising so if you have dry skin I'd recommend getting the one specifically designed for dry skin) and as the product claims, it brightens and illuminates my complexion. I LOVE it.

Modelco Lipstick | Peony* | Link

When an email landed in my inbox asking if I'd like to try some new limited edition Modelco lipsticks, I immediately said yes. Modelco have teamed up with Birchbox to create two sets of three lipsticks - the 'classics' set and the 'Naturals' set. I decided to try the Classics range as all three colours appealed to me (a peach, a red and a berry pink). I've been using all three lipsticks since the set arrived and I love them all but 'Peony' the berry pink shade has been the stand out for me. I find its a perfect colour for every day wear as it isn't too bright and it has a beautiful moisturising formula and satin finish. Modelco claim these lipsticks are matte but they're definitely not - I've got no idea where they got that idea from. I'll do a full review of the 'classics' set including swatches soon as I think it'd be a great Christmas gift for beauty lovers.

Loreal Skin Perfection Moisturiser | Link

I bought this moisturiser from Boots after reading lots of rave reviews and I have to say I'm really impressed. I wasn't expecting anything amazing from a drugstore moisturiser but it hydrates my skin well and creates a lovely base for my makeup. It definitely helps smooth my skin out and reduce the appearance of pores. I've even been applying this in the morning and thinking my skin looks pretty good without makeup. That's a first for me, trust me. I won't say too much more as I'll be reviewing this in full soon.

Maybelline Colour Tattoo | On & On Bronze | Link

The problem with having a lot of makeup is the fact that some things you once loved can get lost amongst everything else and you forget to use it. That's what happened with this product - I loved it when I first got it and then it got forgotten about amongst my other eye products. However, its well and truly back now and I've been using it all the time. Its a great shade (it really reminds me of MAC Satin Taupe) and the high metallic finish is stunning. Its a great product to sweep on when I'm in a rush as I can pop it on with my finger and be done with it as it looks so great on its own. Its also great for popping under powder eyeshadows as a base as it really helps to intensify the colour. Overall a great all rounder and something everyone should have in their makeup stash!

NEOM 'Real Luxury' Candle* | Link

There's nothing I love more than getting home from work and snuggling up on the sofa with a cup of tea in hand and some candles lit to create a relaxing atmosphere. As someone who suffers with anxiety, I like to do anything I can to create a serene and calming atmosphere and for me, candles are a great way to do that. Especially if they have lovely relaxing scents too like this NEOM beauty. I was sent this just over a week ago so its fairly new to me but I've lit it every night since and have become a little bit obsessed. It has a gorgeous scent of Lavender, Jasmine & Brazilian Rosewood and I find the fragrance is gently distributed around the whole room creating a relaxing enviroment. I also love that it has three wicks (the simple things) as it looks so pretty flickering away in its glass vase. It also has 50 hours of burning time which is pretty damn impressive!

So there we have it, the products that have stood out to me over the past month. Have you tried any of them? What have you been loving this month?

Lots of Love,

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