Last night I went out wearing a short-sleeved overcoat. No jumper did I wear underneath, no shawl did I wrap around my shoulders for warmth. At no point during the evening did I regret this decision; London was as balmy as can be.
This is an odd turn of events in a country where autumn is usually a slow but steady descent into icy temperatures and I was rather expecting October to be the month during which I cracked out my cold weather products. As I didn’t, here are the things I enjoyed using during the month.
JASON ALOE VERA BODY WASH £9.50 here //
This one has a permanent home in the shower. It is exceedingly popular in my household as it gently cleanses the skin without leaving behind any redness on those of a sensitive persuasion. We now don’t bother buying smaller bottles than this.
CLINIQUE AIRBRUSH CONCEALER £19 here //
For a few bleak months I didn’t have this concealer in my make-up bag. I muddled along with others, pining for this one because it’s lightweight, looks like skin when on, isn’t drying and yet conceals a fairly considerable amount of under eye darkness. Also, it doesn’t slip around under the eye at all if lightly powdered.
BOURJOIS COLOR EDITION 24H in Marron Givre, £6.99 here //
Part of the new Christmas collection, this creamy eyeshadow surprised me. I was expecting a slushy brown with a little glitter and instead was treated to an eye that was defined with a warm, subtly-reflective hazy brown. And the 24 hour thing? All true: this stuff doesn’t budge without an oil-based cleanser.
GREEN PEOPLE CONTOUR & SCULPT BODY LOTION £31.46 here //
Body moisturising products have come on leaps and bounds in recent years. It is a movement I am delighted to see – why should the body not also be given help from the vast advances in the skincare field? This one is organic and contains lemon, ylang ylang and rosewood to pamper skin while increasing microcirculation to encourage drainage and combat puffiness. I use it every morning, sweeping it across my skin quickly to manually assist the process.
SEPAI PEEL MUD MASK £91 here //
£91 is crazily expensive for a mask. But if you have it to spare and are plagued by oily skin prone to spottiness, this is the one for you. An organic, gentle exfoliating mask (that is satisfying to use thanks to little granules, but is at heart an enzyme exfoliant) that leaves skin slightly matte and a little clearer, I’ve been using this when spots crop up.
PURE & LIGHT ORGANIC ESSENTIAL FLORAL TONER £35 here //
Another luxe organic product with a price tag to match, this is the ideal spritz if your skin tends to suffer from redness or spots. I pop this on after cleansing to bind in moisture and calm any inflammation and it has made my skin a happier place.
PERCY & REED WONDER BALM £18 here //
I got my hands on this one towards the beginning of the year and really didn’t like – it didn’t seem to do anything in particular and I didn’t understand when to put it in my hair. After a hair cut in early October, I was looking for a product with which to ruffle my hair so it would sit looking a little beachy and yet product-free. I was at a loss so gave this one another go. I’m mighty glad I did – mussy, shiny hair was mine. For those of you who like me aren’t quite sure of how to use this, pop a small dollop into the palm of your hand and distribute through mid-lengths and ends of hair when damp, then do the same once blow-dried. It makes easy work of pretty dishevelment.
MURAD SKIN PERFECTING PRIMER £26.10 here //
Lots of primers promise skincare benefits. This one delivers them. I rediscovered this recently (I reviewed it more thoroughly here) and have been using it daily since. A note on the colour: they make it in one shade, which happens to be extremely close to my skin tone. I’d recommend testing in a shop if you can before buying.
CAUDALIE OVERNIGHT DETOX OIL £29 here // I made the mistake of raving about this Caudalie newbie so much at home that my husband requisitioned it. It is truly a loss – he is now benefitting from its anti-oxidants, healing and purifying benefits. I have meanwhile just cracked open its sister (the Overnight Recovery Oil, £26 here) but will be keeping schtum at home…
GUERLAIN KISS KISS LIP LIFT, £23.50 here (& LIPSTICK IN EXCESSIVE ROSE, £26 here)
The lipstick: beautiful. It’s enriched with hyaluronic acid spheres to plump and Commiphora oil to smooth and rehydrate. My real hero of the month was, however, the Lip Lift. The matte lipstick primer leaves a light film on the lips to make lipstick slide on more uniformly and last longer – I use it almost every time I wear a bright lipstick. (If you have small lips and prefer gloss, a lick of this first reduces the appearance of cracks and adds a little fullness).