AUTUMN LIP MENU

I don't know how many times I've said this in the past two weeks but I love autumnal shades. I was recently applying my favourite plum lipstick and thought admirably about my collection of A/W shades. I have recently become slightly obsessed with swatching makeup, theres something so satisfying about seeing all the colours lined up all neat and pretty. 

I tend to wear nude shades all year round, I'm not much of a bright summer girl and so I usually keep it simple. As autumn approaches I tend to find myself steering towards more dusky pinks and plums with the occasional red lip if I'm going out somewhere extra special. I always go for matte lipsticks, I just find they look best on me and I don't really like sheens or glosses on my lip shape. 

LIPSTICKS LEFT TO RIGHT

1. Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet lipstick | 07 Nude-ist | £8.99
2. Primark Matte Long Lasting Lipstick | No Shade! | £1.50
3. Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet lipstick | 08 Grand Cru | £8.99
4. Gerard Cosmetics Hydra Matte Liquid Lipstick | Invasion | £10.50
5. MUA Lipstick | Shade 11 | £1
6. MAC Matte Lipstick | Diva | £15.50
7. Collection Cream Puff Lip Cream | Angel Delight | £2.99
8. NYX Lip Lingerie | 01 Corset | £6.50

I absolutely love both the NYX Lip Lingerie and the Gerard Cosmetics Hydra Matte Liquid Lipstick - both are amazing and they last for hours without budging. I love how quickly they dry and the definition you can achieve with them is unbeatable. Surprisingly, the Primark Matte Long Lasting Lipstick is one of my favourites and I find myself grabbing it most days, it's a lovely shade and it's so affordable! 

Let me know if you have a favourite autumn shade, I am always on the look out to add to my collection!

GOODBYE OIL - THE TONER WE'VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR

ZERO OIL™ PORE PURIFYING TONER WITH SAW PALMETTO & MINT | £16.50

To me, toner is one of those products that I put on the "meh, I don't need it" shelf. I was very wrong about this and have discovered so after using the Origins Zero Oil Pore Purifying Toner with Saw Palmetto & Mint. The product retails at £16.50 which is not too bad considering the brand have a wide range of variously priced products.

I began using this product both in the morning and at night time between cleansing and moisturising. I saw my first initial improvement after the second day of using whereby I began to notice my makeup was staying put and skin was less oily during the day - a miracle. I apply the product with a cotton pad and brush it over my skin with a slight pressure, it's so refreshing and the smell is lovely.

I have noticed a number of changes in my skin since using the product over the past few months. Firstly, my skin is less oily and there is definitely less of an oily sheen. This means my makeup applies much better and stays put for longer which is convenient during a long day. Secondly, I have noticed my skin tone has become more even and my blemishes have been  much less aggressive and painful, my face feels cleaner when using the product and gives me faith that it's working wonders. Lastly, I have seen my skin become brighter and more healthier looking which is always a bonus, especially when the months are becoming colder and skin is becoming drier.

If you're looking for a product to reduce oil and boost the feel and look of your skin, this ones for you. I really have enjoyed using the product and will definitely be repurchasing once it becomes low. Let me know if you have tried it, i'd love to know what you think about it!

THE ONLY PALETTE YOU NEED THIS AUTUMN

|| AMARETTO || SALTED CARAMEL || CRÈME BRULEE || CHERRY CORDIAL ||

|| MILK CHOCOLATE || GLIDED GANACHE || WHITE CHOCOLATE ||

We all love the dark rouges and deep purples of autumn, it's a love that I believe all bloggers have been born with - seriously someone needs to research this stuff. I always love doing a smokey eye with dar, warm colours, it makes me feel all autumnal and cosy, I feel it also suits me better than any other look.

The Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette is one of my go to palettes, it's wonderful and of course you can't resist the smell of chocolate when you open it up. I received this palette as a gift last year for christmas and it has served me well, the colour pay off and longevity is so impressive, seriously, I had to scrub to remove these swatches from my arm!

There's such a lovely range of autumnal shades to choose from, browns, plums, pinks and reds. My go-to every day shade has to be Salted Caramel, most days I wear this in the crease with a winged liner and it looks so lovely and effortless whilst still giving me a hint of colour and contour. White Chocolate is the perfect base and all over lid shade, it is so smooth and pigmented, it has a somewhat vintage feel and makes your eye pop when contrasted with the darker shades. The palette consists of both shimmers and mattes so whether you want to create a glam night time look or a day to day casual look, this palette has it all. I swatched my favourite colours from the palette, these all work so well together and they really are beautiful in both texture and colour.

The palette retails at £39, however, I have seen it discounted recently so make sure to grab it at it's lower price. You may feel that this is steep for eyeshadow yet at £2.44 per shade, it really is value for money and the product is well worth it - these shades do their job. I have used all of the shades which can be a rare sight with most palettes these days donning colours which nobody could wear in the light of day - I really love that nothing is wasted.

Let me know if you've tried this palette! I'm hoping to invest in some more Too Faced cosmetics over the coming months so please do leave your suggestions!

Did I mention it smells of chocolate?

BACK TO BASICS

I often get swirled up into the beauty blogger world, moving from product to product like there's no tomorrow. I love trying new things and experimenting with different routines, however, my skin just can't hack it at the moment. I have always treated my skin well, always taken makeup off and made sure to cleanse and moisturise morning and night. My acne has hit rock bottom again and so I have decided to take a step back from all expensive skincare and tens of products. 

I used to use simple skincare in high school, I think it was generally the go-to brand for teens and probably still is. I grew up and so grew out of it, I discovered expensive brands and luxury products and so Simple seemed to fade into the background. I recently thought about taking my skincare back to basics and so simple seemed a good bet for me, easy and gentle for my angry skin. My partner uses simple and he has amazing skin, it's godl-like, tanned and glows like he's applied the worlds best highlighter. Yes, I am extremely jealous. I decided to pick up makeup wipes to take off my mascara and most of my makeup on top of the skin, a cream cleanser to cleanse after the wet wipes have removed my makeup and also a face wash for night time. 

I have been using these three products together for about a month and a half now and it has been so gentle on my irritated skin. I really enjoy the calming results of the products and they remove makeup so quickly, it's a 5 minute job and allows me to jump straight onto the sofa after work, fresh faced for my date with Netflix. The wet wipes work really well as an initial makeup removal, I feel that it is important to cleanse twice at night time because you need to both remove makeup and cleanse your skin to make sure you don't miss anything and clog your pores up. I really like the cleansing cream as it applies nicely and is quite hydrating too, I apply it with cotton pads and it feels super dreamy and relaxing after a long day. On the other hand it is also lovely to use in the morning and allows me to feel very fresh, stoping my anxiety of bacteria on the skin or dirt. The facial wash is perfect for days when you've had heavier makeup on or just want a deeper cleanse, it again leaves your skin feeling and looking even and super clean. 

All products are affordable and so repurchasing doesn't break the bank. I like the thought that highstreet skin care can still perform as well as high end and so I feel my views on skincare have been altered since trailing these products. I feel like I was in a mind-frame where expensive was better, I was actually becoming somewhat of a skincare snob, oh dear! I am glad to have been rekindled with these three products and hope to carry on using them for the near future, they really are brilliant for removing makeup! 

SaveSave

AUTUMN GOALS AND CHAI LATTES

I think its possible to say that everybody loves autumn - the 4 months starting from September are my favourite every year. I feel it's definitely acceptable to begin brewing large amounts of mulled wine and chai latte, both drinks I could honestly consume daily.  I thought I would start off autumn with a few goals and also include one of my favourite chai latte recipes from Alessandra over at The Foodie Teen. 

The past month has been a whirlwind and lot's of positive changes have been made. Firstly, my little stationery business, Efflorescent Ink, has been invited to join NotOnTheHighstreet.com which is absolutely amazing! I couldn't quite believe it when I received the invitation and of course I said yes 100 times over! My planners are now live on the site, you can see them by clicking here, I will be launching some new designs very soon which will feature blush pastels, stripes and gold foil!

I feel that I have grown a lot since leaving university, I have been given the time and space to pursue my creative side which had been minimised due to exams, coursework and other university commitments. I loved university, however, I can't help but wish I had pursued a graphic design degree. Never the less, I have been learning so much recently and have been growing my design skills whilst using amazing software such as Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign. I do feel there is a stigma towards the creative career routes, many think they are dead end roads and pursuing a more educational route is better. I wish someone would have told me to go for it in school because following my creative instinct has led me to wonderful opportunities. I feel so much more like myself when I am creating and designing, I love getting an idea and turning into a reality through art and design (although this usually takes place late at night with a cup of coffee and Gilmore Girls on Netflix). 

I have beent thinking of a number of goals I would like to achieve throughout the next few months and will hope to do a post reflecing on them in the New Year. Firstly, I would like to get into more of a routine when posting on my blog. The past few months have equated to little postings on the blog and this has been due to me having no time at all with my business and moving house and all that general life stuff. I have a number of posts ready to be written and so I feel confident that my posting will improve. 

I want to start sharing more cooking/food posts. I cook and bake so much, I also work in my boyfriends coffee shop once a week which as allowed me to develop some pretty latte art skills. I would love to share these passions on here along with photos and recipes, it also means I have a reason to  eat more cake, right? I am definitely going to be sharing more food related posts and in the run up to christmas, this means lot's of festive cakes and obviously lot's of chocolate orientated treats. 

I hope to finally get into a routine with my business and expand my range, I'm talking wall calendars, desk pads and wedding planners. I have so many ideas and lot's of motivation so I can't wait to put pen to paper once we have settled on NotOnTheHighstreet.com. I feel so excited at the prospect of new ideas and can't wait to see what everyone thinks of them! 

As promised, heres one of my favourite Chai Latte recipes from  Alessandra over at The Foodie Teen.  If you haven't tasted a Chai Latte before, it can only be described as autumn in a mug. It is a mix of lovely spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg, mixed together with lot's of tasty extras such as vanilla and maple syrup. It is perfect for cold days in a blanket, although, I will admit to drinking it throughout the year because it's too nice to ignore. If you can't be bothered with the recipe, I also use the Routin 1883 Chai Tea Syrup which is the best one I have found - it is not the same when using pre-made powders - trust me. 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups (500ml) unsweetened almond milk or pecan milk

• 2 chai tea bags

• 2 tbsp maple syrup

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp ground cloves

• 1 tsp ground nutmeg

• coconut whipped cream, as topping

RECIPE

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the nut milk until it just starts to simmer, then immediately remove from heat.
2. Add the chai tea bags and leave to steep for 5 minutes. Remove and discard the tea bags, then add the rest of the ingredients and whisk well to combine. Taste and adjust sweetness or spice to your liking, then pop it back over low heat for a few minutes until warmed through. Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend for 20-30 seconds, until frothy, then transfer to mugs.
3. Serve warm with a dollop of coconut whipped cream if you wish

If you love this recipe just as much as I do, please go visit The Foodie Teen blog for more amazing recipes! Leave me a comment letting me know what goals you have for the next few months, I'd love to see what everyone is aiming to achieve over the autumnal seasons.