How To Transition Your Beauty Products From Summer To Autumn

So I've done autumn nails, autumn fashion...and finally, autumn beauty. I'll lay off the seasonal theme after this post, I promise, but I wanted to talk about how I'm currently switching up my products now that we've said goodbye to summer. 

1. Foundation. For me it's always essential I get a new foundation after summer. I'm naturally very pale but I love fake tanning when the sun comes out so I have to use a darker foundation. Once I stop this process, I'm always shocked at how quickly my darker foundation starts to look an unsightly shade of orange on me! Not a good look. Revlon Colorstay is my favourite foundation ever, and I know that the shade Buff will suit me all through my paler months. I love the fact this foundation has skin type suitability: I have oily skin and although my skin is drier right now than it is in the summer, this foundation for Oily/Combination skin still works for me. I moisturise well beforehand to avoid it settling in any dry patches.

2. Eyes. In the summer I rarely wear any shadows other than bronze/gold/brown tones, and this time round I also avoided liquid liner completely. I feel as though the classic wing (that I love, don't get me wrong) looks a little too much during the daytime in summer. I stuck with mascara and soft brown liner this year round, but I feel as though it's finally time to get the wings back in place. This No7 Stay Perfect Liquid Liner is sensational. I reviewed it here. I'm also ready for darker shadows, particularly purples: featured in the picture above is MAC Shale.

3. Moisturise. I'm lucky in that I don't suffer from dry skin all that much, so using body lotion is usually pretty low on my list of things to do. However, when it gets colder I do like to use this Clarins lotion. I use it as a hand cream as well- my hands really do suffer in the winter- and it's a great lotion to keep skin feeling soft even when it's cold out. It's not too sticky, absorbs quickly and smells super fresh and clean.

4. Lip care. My lips are already prone to getting dry and cracked and we've barely spent a minute in September (or so it seems). I find that I'm pretty much using this Lush Lip Scrub daily and going to bed with layers of Vaseline on. The combination seems to work quite well, particularly if I use the Vaseline sparingly throughout the day- otherwise I find my lips become worse for depending on it. Dry lips are a pain but drinking lots of water is also meant to help. I would love to know your tips on keeping them at bay!

5. Lipstick. Reds, plums, purples, berries...I am so ready for Autumn lipstick! I know that matte lips are all the rage, but I like to avoid anything matte during the winter (as I have just explained!) I tend to look for shiny, moisturising lipsticks with great pigment. This Clinique Lasting Finish in Berry Freeze is an all time favourite.

How are you transitioning into autumn beauty-wise? Let me know! xo

Pinterest: Autumn Fashion Wish List

I feel like my Pinterest fashion boards went from white cotton dresses to cosy blanket capes faster than you can say Pumpkin Spice Latte. It is officially autumn and I can't wait to get some new clothing for the colder weather. Here's what I've got my eye on/can't wait to wear.

Taken from my Autumn/Winter Pinterest Board.

Image sources clockwise from top left: gurl.com, bloglovin.com, popsu.gr, urbanoutfitters.com, seasonswiththestrattons.com

Clockwise from top left:

Brown Leather Jacket- I've had to wave goodbye to my trusty Warehouse autumn jacket- it was literally falling apart- and have instead "borrowed" an Oasis dark brown leather one to see me through (thanks mum). I love the colour combination of dark brown with burnt orange, so I'm definitely going to find myself a top or jumper in this colour.

Faux Fur Gilet- I love how these gilets add some texture and warmth. I've seen lots of longer ones that I reckon are going to be 'the thang' this season, in both black and brown. I think they'd also look cute under a coat in Winter and definitely keep you warm!

Blanket Cape- When it gets cold and I'm indoors I often resort to 'wearing' my blanket as an extra layer...and apparently fashion is now saying I can do this outside?! I have a feeling owning one of these would make cold walks to 9am lectures almost half bearable and allow me to live out my 'pyjama aesthetic' to full effect.

Button-Up Black Corduroy Skirt- These button-up A-line skirts shot right back onto the shelves this summer- they're so nineties, I love them! I want a black one for autumn to wear with opaque tights and big chunky boots.

Quilted Gilet- Finally, whatever your opinion on these, I totally own one. They're so J.Crew/yummy mummy but they're super cosy and do actually keep you warm. Add a big tartan scarf and a knit jumper and I'm all in.

What are you excited to wear this Autumn? Let me know and check out my Pinterest for more autumn style inspo xo

My Favourite Nail Polishes For Autumn

'Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.' The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald

If you haven't yet wiped off your electric blue nail varnish and replaced it with a vampish oxblood, it's time to take ol'Fitzy's advice and embrace the crisp newness that comes with the best season of all. Yes, of course he intended that line to be applied to nail varnish choices! (I just really love Gatsby and this particular quote- I can't help but think of it whenever the season is mentioned, so it had to feature). Hello Autumn nails!

As you can see, there's a bit of a theme with my seasonal picks... dark and moody with a little bit of glitter and a heavy dose of purple. All of my favourite things! Make sure you check out the names of the polishes mentioned: I think some of them suit the season so well.

From left to right...

Barry M Nail Paint- Vintage Violet
This shade seems to be very 'in' right now. I keep seeing this gentle mauve for lips, eyes and nails on Instagram (therefore it must be trend, right?) It's not too vampy, so a great shade for the autumn transition time.

Revlon Nail Enamel-Vixen
One of my all time favourite nail polishes- as you can see, the bottle is looking rather well loved! Vixen is the perfect oxblood shade and I honestly think everyone should own it. Revlon enamels are some of the best; this stuff has a beautiful finish.

Maybelline Colour Show 'Brocades'- Woven Skyline
I had to have a little bit of sparkle in my picks. I rarely wear glitter nail varnish at the start of the year, but in my mind post-summer = the run-up to Christmas = the arrival of sparkly nails. Yeah, I'm one of those people. This blend of gold and black flecks is still a super sophisticated choice. Save the red sparkle for December (I'm as excited as you are, my Christmas lovers).

Makeup Gallery Nail Colour- Mushroom Magic
This lil beauty of a shade is spot on for Autumn. This colour comes out a beautiful deep chestnut. It's from Poundland's own makeup line (pretty random I know)- trust me when I say it will pleasantly surprise you!

No7 Stay Perfect- Grey Skies
People always look at my strangely when I tell them that grey is my favourite colour. I certainly prefer a pale grey but this 'angry sky' kinda grey is very fitting for the season. Grey nails go with everything and look beautiful around this time of year.

Let me know what your favourite hues are for the season. I'm currently on the hunt for a burnt orange to add to this collection. I'm so glad Autumn is here! xo

Cleansing Lotion VS Micellar Water

I feel a bit sorry for makeup wipes at the minute. According to skincare experts/snobs/whatever you choose to call them, wipes are 'oh-so-out'...or something to that degree. They have essentially been proven to smear makeup/dirt around your face and dry out your skin in the process. I really don't want to be a skincare snob, but I must admit- I hate that 'tacky' feeling left after using a makeup wipe- how people sleep easy after just 'removing' makeup with a wipe is beyond me!

Enough talk of makeup wipes! (gosh, they're 'out'. remember?) These lotions and waters claim to do the entire job so you don't have to slave away washing your face, but I really wouldn't trust myself to remove all my makeup with just a cotton pad. Washing away the grime of the day now ought to be done via a bottle- if we're following 'trends'- but please, this girl's gotta make sure her face is properly clean.  

So today I'm putting these two Garnier cleansers to the test: the Micellar Water and the Fresh Cleansing Lotion. I'm judging them on how well they remove makeup and how they make your skin feel post removal. Would I ever trust myself to use these alone and not cleanse my face afterwards? Let's see shall we...

Micellar Water

The hot product of the year, Micellar Water contains molecules that capture and lift dirt away from the skin. I tried to research the science behind it since I still wasn't sure and Google threw 'an aggregate of surfactant molecules dispersed in a liquid colloid' at me. Thank you for nothing Google old pal. Lab Muffin has done a great post on the science here if you want to know more- it's interesting, but it's throwing me back to my Chemistry GCSE knowledge and I've recycled most of that for other, less intelligent purposes. So anyways...

Claims: Cleanses and removes makeup in one easy step. Suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin.

Smells: Like nothing, really. Maybe a little bit soapy. Maybe that's me wishfully thinking it's gonna do some real cleansing. 

On the skin it feels literally like water. I guess the main ingredient in this bottle is water, so it's not surprising! 

Does it remove makeup? Urm...hell yes! I'm so impressed. There's absolutely no pressure required on the skin- no tugging over the eyes to remove mascara either, with is such a nice change and super helpful seeing as the skin around our eyes is so delicate and needs extra lovin. A little goes a reasonably long way as well.

After cleansing, skin feels smooth and pretty clean. I do still want to wash my face but I can totally see how some people would be happy just to moisturise and get their beauty sleep. After cleansing with water however, I can definitely tell that my skin still feels super soft.

Verdict: Love! Works like magic. See below on liquid liner, lipstick and concealer.

Cleansing Lotion

This Start Afresh Cleansing Lotion is a more traditional method of makeup removal. Its has the texture of a cream lotion and is enriched with Lotus flower and Moringa extract.

Claims: Removes makeup and refreshes skin in one easy step. Non-greasy and suitable for normal-combination skin, as well as being gentle on sensitive skin. However, it then says on the back that it's also suitable for dry skin. Hmm?

Smells: Lovely! I'm a sucker for a scented product, I can't lie. It smells faintly floral but in a fresh way. I want a perfume that smells like this lotion!

On the skin it feels like applying a mixture of a lotion and a moisturiser. A bit strange but not unpleasant at all.

Does it remove makeup? I love this product for removing 'base' makeup. Foundation seems to melt away quickly and easily. Eye makeup however is a bit more tricky and requires some work. It also leaves smears and I'm still not so sure about the sensation of rubbing lotion over my eyes!

After cleansing, skin feels soft and smooth but there is still makeup left on the skin. I like my skin to feel properly clean, not as though a product is attempting to moisturise when it isn't a moisturiser! The aforementioned skin-suitability confusion might have something to do with this. People with dry skin might like this product as it definitely leaves some moisture... but I definitely feel like I have to wash my face after removing makeup with this. 

Verdict: Love the smell and how it works on base products, but as you can see below, it tends to do a bit more smearing than cleaning, especially when it comes to eye makeup. It's not awful by any means, but the results aren't as good as Micellar!

I really do rate both of these products- so much more than any kind of makeup wipes I've ever tried- but Micellar Water is definitely the winner! 

Let me know if you agree and what your favourite methods of makeup removal/cleansing are. Do you know of anything that beats this magic water?

Til next time xo

Scent City Perfume Review

I love trying new perfumes- life's too short for just one signature scent, right? When Scent City kindly offered to send me some samples of their Urbanites fragrances*, I was totally up for it! I'm no perfume expert and obviously scent preferences are totally subjective, but I've reviewed these as honestly as I can.

Scent City's Urbanites collection features some seriously niche brands that create beautiful luxury scents. I chose to sample Hedonist by Viktoria Minya and Annabelle by Shelley Kyle. They also included 1876 by Histoires De Parfums.

Hedonist / Viktoria Minya
The first perfume I tried and the first one I want to talk about is Hedonist, my absolute favourite of the scents I received. This perfume is seriously sexy. It reminds me of Black XS by Paco Rabanne, which is a fragrance that I love. Hedonist smells dark and luxurious though it still feels sweet enough to wear every day. It features jasmine and orange notes alongside the dark intensity of rum and tobacco... if that's not niche then I don't know what is! Can I get a full bottle asap please?

Annabelle / Shelley Kyle

I realise that summer is coming to a close, but if you want to be transported back to blue skies...right this way! This is a crisp, clean scent that seriously reminds me of summer mornings. It's slightly floral as well which is a nice touch, featuring wild lily and honeysuckle. I don't think I'd wear this all year round- it's a little too 'pretty' for me- but in the spring and summer this would be gorgeous. The full sized bottle also looks absolutely beautiful!

1876 / Histoires De Parfums
This scent is a blend of Moldavian rose, cinnamon and sandalwood. Its very dark and almost smells spicy, so it's a pretty acquired taste: if you like deep, cologne-esque perfumes then you will love this, but it wasn't really for me.

I may not have loved all of the fragrances I tried, but I'm a massive fan of Hedonist, Scent City and all its design details. I love how each perfume is categorised and described in such depth. It's also nice to see a myriad of fragrance brands that I had never even heard of before. Be sure to check out Scent City here if you fancy the sound of any of these!

Do you have any niche perfume favourites? Let me know! Til next time xo

* The products reviewed in this post were a gift from the brand or company mentioned, however all opinions are my own and I always review honestly.