The First October Favourites

Lush Bubble Bar - The Comforter

This bubble bar contains cassis absolute, which gives it a powerful berry scent, as well as bergamot oil (a common top note in perfumes) to uplift and cleanse.  The scent reminds me of Parma Violets and is top of my list as far as Lush scents go. Crumbled under running water, this bubble bar creates giant fluffy bubbles whilst filling your bath with a fruity fragrance. Upon stepping out of the bath, I'm greeted with silky smooth skin and a feeling of indulgence.

I've also been loving the 'Brightside' bubble bar which has mandarin, tangerine (basically your bath smells like oranges) and, again, bergamot extracts for an invigorating and vitalising bath. This is a great 'wake-you-up' bubble bar but I wish I'd discovered it in summer!

 Garnier Ultimate Blends Silky Smoother Shampoo and Conditioner
I've never been really impressed with a shampoo and conditioner until now. I've always used shampoos/conditioners which claim to moisturise/revitalise/repair damaged hair, but I never noticed any immediate effect, keeping my fingers crossed instead for a benefit somewhere down the line. This shampoo and conditioner has completed changed my view on what hair products should actually be doing to my hair.

The duo, aimed at mid-long hair and split ends, works to untangle my hair while I'm still in the shower - making it a thousand times easier to brush my hair after. The product contains Madagascar vanilla milk and Brazilian papaya extract giving your hair a long lasting scent. Just a little amount of the shampoo lathers up extremely well, although the conditioner is a milky consistency which means I use a lot in one go. The next thing on my list is the 1 minute polishing scrub from the same range!

Illamasqua Lipstick - Howl

When I want to look a little more put together, this has been the lipstick I've been reaching for. This is perfect from Autumn/Winter as it's slightly deeper than a typical red, being described by Illamasqua as a deep, terracotta red. The formula is matt and whilst it is slightly drying on the lips, your lips don't look dry with the lipstick on. Also, the formula has the best longevity of any lipstick I've tried.

I also have another Illasmasqua matt lipstick in a deep purple with red undertones which I haven't used since last winter and I'm looking forward to bringing it out again. I'm sure it'll have it's place on this blog this season!

Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick - 705 Let's Get Naked 

For the past few months, this has been my ultimate daytime lipstick. True nudes make me uncomfortable as I feel like they wash me out because I'm pale. This nude is a rose-peach colour (swatch below is more accurate) which brings a subtle streak of colour to your lips. As the name would suggest, the formula is extremely creamy and very moisturising on the lips - no drying here. This is a great go-to lipstick for a minimal make-up day or with a smoky eye.

(swatches of illamasqua - howl and rimmel moisture renew - let's get naked)

Ruby & Millie - Fine Line Baked Powder Bronzer 
Ruby & Millie were hailed as one of the biggest UK cosmetics brands to launch in 30 years, however, I recently discovered that they had discontinued a few years ago. My mum bought me this bronzer when I was younger but I put it aside as I never knew how to use it. Now that my beauty knowledge has grown a little, this has quickly become one of my favourite bronzers. It's pigmented but not so strong that you have to be careful with how you apply it. It comes off as a beautiful shimmery (bonus - no need for a highlighter) but definitely not glittery.

(swatch of ruby&millie - fine line baked powder bronzer)

Grey's AnatomyI'm always looking for new series to watch but Grey's Anatomy wasn't something that even crossed my mind, but I was scrolling through the numerous box sets that Sky had added and thought I'd give it ago. Fast forward to 6 days later and I'm nearing the end of series 2. As I write this, it's actually on in the background. The plus side is I've got another 7 series to work my way through! It has the perfect balance of witty humour and tear-filled moments in each episode while maintaining great characters that you'll love or hate. I'd definitely recommend it - especially if you like House!

Music
Check out the Spotify playlist below that shows the songs I've been listening to this month. There's quite the variety there - there's some old songs I've pulled out (sweater weather - v. appropriate) and some new ones that I've stumbled across. Look out in November for a playlist featuring my favourite 'under-the-covers-with-your-headphones-autumn-songs',

                                              

   Not a huge number of favourites this month but I've been quite lazy with exploring new products! What were your favourites this October? Let me know in the comments below!

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Hollie