October favourites

It's almost the end of October and even though it's been a beautiful autumn so far and you still don't really need to wear warm jackets and coats, the colder times are definitely here. Just like most people my skin reacts in all sorts of ways to the changes in weather, but this year I'm taking a more pro-active approach. So instead of treating dryness and any sensitive areas when they occur come December time when it's really cold, I've started to plump my skin with as much moisture as possible to prepare, and this is also why all of my favourites this month are related to skin care in one form or another.

Moisture, moisture and moisture is the key to keeping your skin soft and supple. However it's not just a question of adding moisture - drinking water by the buckets, and moisturising your skin properly, your skin also needs to retain it. To help with that I use the Gatineau Aquamemory Moisture Replenish Eye Roll On. This eye cream uses seaweed extract which is well known for its water retaining qualities to not only drip feed the skin with moisture throughout the day, but also to lock it into the sensitive eye area. It's a very light cream which comes with a nifty little roller ball applicator to massage it into the eye area. It feels very soothing on the skin and also helps to get rid of puffiness or dark circles and I actually keep mine in the fridge for an extra cooling sensation in the morning. The packaging is very slim and lightweight so it's easy to take with you in your handbag and you can re-apply it during the day, even on top of your makeup to refresh your skin.

Another product which is perfect to carry with you for a boost to your skin and your mood during the day is the Caudalie Beauty Elixir - Limited Edition. It's exactly the same formula as before, but this one has a pretty design from L'Wren Scott on the bottle. This is an old time favourite of mine since with just  a couple of sprays, a wonderful fine mist adds moisture and radiance to your skin, as well as refreshes you with it's herbal aromatic scent of invigorating mint and warming rosemary. I always have one of these in my handbag, and when you're out and about it's a quick and easy way to maintain moisture levels, and your spirits too - accompanied with a skinny decaffeinated latte of course...

The next product that I have truly loved this month is the YSL Forever Youth Liberator Serum Foundation and it's also perfect for this time of year since not only does it give amazing coverage, it also cares for your skin at the same time, helping the skin cells to renew themselves. I'm not going to go into too much detail on this product since I've recently done a detailed review of it, but having used this product now for more than a month I am - if possible, even more happy with it than I was then. Despite being fairly full coverage it's so light to wear that it's not even noticeable, the longevity of it is great and I no longer worry about having to retouch my foundation throughout the day. I also think that its nourishing qualities are showing on my skin e.g. after removing my make up in the evening, my skin feels just as moisturised and smooth as it did after my morning routine. That is the sign of a quality product!

Since the YSL serum foundation is high coverage already I don't need much concealer, and my Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer is just perfect. I have used it previously to get good coverage on blemishes, but for me the best bit now is the illuminating effect it has. It's brilliant to use under the eyes to make you look wide awake and energised, and perhaps also around the nose to brighten that area a little. The concealer also has moisturising qualities and at least for now it's an excellent and a more budget friendly option to the YSL illuminating concealer which is on my list of things to try.

Since my beloved Rimmel Stay Matte Powder broke during my travels last month, I had a real reason (for once) to go and get a new powder and I already new what I was going to get. I'd read raving reviews of the Soap & Glory One Heck of a Blot and am very happy to say that it fully met my expectations. It's an incredibly fine and light mattifying powder that absorbs oil and creates a perfect matte look. Just like my previous Rimmel powder it's transparent so it would work with any skin type or tone. What I particularly like about it is that unlike some powders it doesn't feel like a masque - not even after having re-applied it a few times throughout the day and evening, and it sits lightly and evenly on the skin. I was already a fan of the Soap & Glory body care range but this was the first make up product I'd tried, and now I will definitely try other things from their make up range and fingers crossed those products will be as great as this one.

Since I had to buy a new powder I thought I would also invest in a proper brush for it. I went straight to the isle where my new found love - the Real Techniques is, to find a new member for my brush family. I ended up getting the Powder Brush 1401 and I'm happy to say that the new family member fits right in and gets along really well with the others. The brush is so soft and supple and it's perfect to get a light and smooth coverage with just a simple sweep.

With all this focus on skin care products, I feel quite well prepared to combat the effects of any cold or snowy weather that might eventually hit us and actually I'm kind of looking forward to December - particularly since my Ciaté advent calendar arrived today!