Autumn Came Around Fast

So it's Autumn now. You may have noticed.

For a lot of people this means pumpkin spice (honestly never tasted it), artisanal coffee and knitwear. For me, and the rest of the university universe, this means the period where course introductions are all over and the deadlines begin creeping up. Days get darker; the library gets colder, and my TV intake ups by 20 hours a week, since there's no sun in the park any more.

That being said, there's really something beautiful about Autumn. A go-between to start layering clothes without loosing extremities to the cold. To darken up your makeup, whilst still clinging to the summer bronzer. To turn your abode into a candle-cave and hole up with movies, whilst that is still an optional choice. And its the last bastion of peace before the dreaded C word swaggers into view next month.

So here's a brain-dump of all the things I've been loving and will continue to love over the season, anything to stop thinking of the genetics essay I still have to write.

Leisure

GBBO

Because obviously.

Gogglebox

Yes I know its 'meta' or whatever the critics like to write, but it completes my life.

Black Mirror

I love Charlie Brooker, I used to hang on to his weekly Screenburn columns in the Guardian, although sadly these are long retired. He rarely writes for them any more actually, but I can forgive him since the last column he wrote he called David Cameron a 'toe in a suit', and I am a child. But Black Mirror is serious gold. His columns were always filled with the craziest ideas, pushing reality TV and technology to its most morbid; 'DONT FORGET THE LYRICS' always stands out for me. Its always so incredibly well-cast too.

Knitting
I took up knitting again, and I'm making myself a cable-knit scarf! I can't lie, I'm a shocking knitter. Tension all over the place, dropping stitches, forgetting what the pattern is supposed to look like. But nevertheless it's relaxing. I'm hoping if I manage to mash this scarf together I might be competent enough to make a couples of gifts. 

Makeup

The autumn makeup stereotype is obviously to go for dark burgundy tones, berry lips, rusted red eyeshadow, deep reds and browns all over the place. Normally I would be first on the bandwagon, and yet at the moment I'm just not feeling it. The look I'm loving the most at the moment is pure dewy, nude skin, as natural as possible; the 'no-makeup makeup' look. 

Base

My three favourites that I can't get enough of at the moment are Chanel Vita Lumiere Aqua, Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick and Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation. None of which are really on the light side of coverage, but I have so much love for them because they wear so well throughout the day. Especially the Magic Foundation, which looks better and better as the day goes on. Also, the BB Foundation stick is absolutely perfect to take out with you, so it travels in my bag every single day.

Base Additions

The Naked Skin Concealer, as most people will probably know is really, really great. If you're in the market for a new concealer its one of the best I've ever used, second probably only to my Double Wear Concealer by Estee Lauder. The Benefit Dew The Hoola bronzer I actually got free in a magazine a while ago, but in the last two weeks ago I truly discovered it, and I'm in love! I will definitely go out and buy the full size, it's a truly beautiful bronzer that gives you such a natural dewy glow. 

The Charlotte Tilbury Face Powder is without a doubt the best powder I've ever used, and I recently discovered (late to the party as per) the Wayne Goss technique to powder your face before applying foundation: he's absolutely right. I can't explain the difference it makes to longevity, as well as the way that foundation sits on the complexion. It just makes it inexplicably better. Try it.

Also the CT Colour of Youth blusher is beautiful, and so, so dewy and healthy looking. I'm very glad I splurged on this, I was worried it would be a regretful submission to hype. But this is yet another product I love to carry with me. 

Everything Else

For my brows I've been using the CT Brow Pencil in Cara, and the Maybelline Brow Gel (I've gone through three already). I do very much like the brow pencil formulation, however it does contain a brow highlight that I'm not all that keen on. I'm also not sure I prefer it to the Smashbox Fine Brow Pencil, although it definitely lasts a lot longer. Swings and roundabouts I guess. I also just discovered the merits of brushing upwards. 

My favourite highlight right now is just Vaseline. It takes five seconds and there's no way to over-apply it! Makes your skin look extra dewy and healthy without a fake-looking sparkle on the cheeks. Its about as natural as highlight can get. 

When I'm not putting Vaseline on my lips too I've really enjoyed the NYX Soft Matte Lip Creme in Athens and the Rimmel London Lasting Finish Lipstick in 43. Both very similar nudes, but with different textures. I love the look of the NYX lipstick, but honestly, several times I've bitten my lip, in what is a very bad habit and; yep, I've eaten it. And I'm not crazy about how it dries either. 

Clothing

Jumpers, suede, cashmere, merino, wool, and a muted, warm-toned colour palette. My trench coat came back out and I'm starting to layer up with scarves, long sleeve t's and boots. I also just got my thick oversized wool trousers back out which is very exciting, and I'm wearing my knitted wool socks, lovingly handmade my auntie, snuggled inside my Ugg slippers!

Yes to this time of year after all.

Xxxx

Bobbi Brown Surf and Sand Eyeliner | Bronze

As soon as I saw the Bobbi Brown Surf and Sand collection I just wanted it all, however funds are precious in the Bank of Olivia right now, so I had to just pick one thing (preferably one of the cheaper options too).

I knew the new Longwear Eyeliner shades would be just what I was looking for and although the chocolate brown shade was gorgeous, I couldn't resist that glittery, deep bronze; I know I made the right choice...

 I did mean to take some pictures when it was all shiny and new, but as soon as it came out of the box I wanted it on my face... Apologies!

It's not your typical orange-bronze, it's such a more wearable dark brown, that glints bronze when it catches the light just right. The formula is one tough cookie, it really doesn't budge for a good few hours! It looks so lovely lining the top of your eyes and even making a small cat-eye flick. But it also really shines as part of a smokey eye, as it smudges really prettily just before it sets. I can't get enough of it! I'm loathe to sharpen it though, since it doesn't sharpen all that easily, although that's probably down to my cack-handedness.

All I can say is that I might even buy another one of these before the collection ends; that's how much I love it!

Xxxx

Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge | Hibiscus

I'm fairly sure this was a limited addition of the lovely Pot Rouge, but it's such a gorgeous colour I think I have to share it with you! It was from the Nectar and Nude collection from earlier this year, and is a beautiful coral shade!

On my lips this shade turns out far more pink looking, but on the cheeks is where it really shines. It brings a lovely coral flush with only the smallest amount of product. I find it tricky to blend sometimes as it's just so pigmented. The line between perfect and clown-cheeks can be very fine, but when you get it right it is so right. 

Xxxx

Travelling Makeup!

In two weeks, I'll be living out of a backpack for a month. I've done this once before, and I had the absolute worst skin of my life. I took barely any makeup because I assumed I wouldn't need it, but we were in India, and I hadn't counted on all the sweat, dirt and baking heat. Spots everywhere. Massive juicers visible from space... Never again.

So now I'm a careful packer, and although I have to travel very light, I don't cut corners any more - it's just not worth it. So here is what I am taking makeup-wise:

 Now I'll admit; this isn't quite everything. I'm still umming and ahhing over what concealer to take with me. I think I'm probably just going to buy a new one in a darker shade (any excuse).

Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream
Fairly standard. It doesn't give me all the coverage I need, but it's lovely and light with SPF - winner, winner.

Benefit Hoola Bronzer
Again, standard, but it's just the best bronzer I've used. I don't like to take shimmery face products as I feel they are for days when you're feeling particularly... 'Sparkly'. And that's definitely max once a week.

Topshop Lipstick in Infrared
It's orange, and honestly, I rarely leave the house without wearing it these days. It's my absolute favourite and I couldn't leave it behind - it makes me so sad to think of it alone in my drawer for so long.

Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Hibiscus

Such a lovely product, especially when you have a tan. I love it on my lips and cheeks, although it does need lip balm too since it can be quite drying.

 The Body Shop Shimmer Cubes
This is one of those lovely little eyeshadows from the shimmer cubes boxes. Its a golden/peach kind of colour and I use it all over the place; inner-corner highlight, eyeshadow wash, cheekbone highlight and sometimes on my cupid's bow too. Such a convenient little thing!

 Maybelline Expresson Kajal Eyeliner - Silver Grey
This is a slightly softer alternative to straight black. I feel like black takes effort, because if I don't get it right it makes my eyes look small and piggy. I was so satisfied with this, until I saw the new Bobbi Brown Surf and Sand bronze eyeliner... I want it so badly!

Maybelline Brow Drama - Medium Brown
Now, admittedly, this is nowhere near as good as Benefit's Gimme Brow, but it's £4.99, and so simple to use. I'd normally use pencil and then this over the top, but it does fine on it's own and pencil is such a faff when you only have a little compact mirror. Also, because it has a bigger, wider brush, it makes quite a good mascara!

So there we have it. Other than perhaps two new additions, this is what I'll be using! I hope I made good choices!

Xxxx

...May Favourites!

I have been going very fuss-free this month - exam season and all that! Here are a couple of things that have been on my head almost daily...

La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo - £15.50
When I'm stressed I get spots - humongous, juicy ones - blehh. And because I'm just so damned white they always leave red marks. I'm not going to say this is a wonder product, but I have definitely noticed a big difference in the size and quantity of blemishes and also how quickly they disappear.

Bumble and Bumble Pret-A-Powder - £21.50
Once again, exam season has meant all day library shifts, late nights and a serious reduction in giving a crap about my appearance. This lasts a million times longer than dry shampoo in a spray can and also gives a nice little bit of volume/texture, allowing me to look a little less homeless.

Benefit Gimme Brow - £17.50
I'm sure you're noticing a trend emerging here... Speed and laziness. This isn't that great by way of adding shape, but it defines brows well and makes them a bit more groomed.

E45 Cream - £2.39
A bit of a standard here, but I have been using it all over the place recently; especially to soothe the horrible flaky skin that some blemishes leave behind. I've been using it after shaving my legs and sometimes even in the place of my normal moisturiser. It soaks in quickly, is fragrance free and is such a hard worker that I think it deserves a little recognition.

Benefit Hoola Bronzer - £23.50
Every woman and her mother knows about this so I'll spare you. I've just been using it around the edges of my face to make it look as though I've been outside recently (N.B. I haven't.)

Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Hibiscus - £19
I can honestly say, I think I'll still have this exact pot usable when I'm 80 years old. You need only to touch your finger to the cream to have enough for halloween makeup. I'm also a recent embarker on the cream blusher bandwagon too, and I'm very, very happy to be so! This is a lovely colour, albeit tough to blend sometimes. It's hard to tell if the red on your cheeks is from the blusher or the increase in blood flow from the fierce dabbing. Still a big fan.

Bourjois Cream Blush in Healthy Glow - £7.99
I love this since it's far more powdery and less of a task than Bobbi's. It's a really pretty colour and is very aptly named.

Topshop Lipstick in Infrared - £8
Despite my best efforts with the pictures (in natural light, I promise) this lipstick has ended up looking far more coral than orange. However, it IS orange, and that's what I adore about it. It's very bright if you layer it on thick, but becomes quite natural if you just dab a bit on and spread it with your finger.

And that's that.

Xxxx