The Menu - Monthly Favourites - September 2013

 It's the end of September and I really wanted to write about my favourites this month before the end of the month (unlike my August post!) so I am chuffed to be meeting my goal. This month I have been loving lots of new things, so should be an interesting read.

Lets start with the two brushes I have been loving and to be honest I use them every single month but found that I hadn't talked at length about them before. They are the E.L.F (Eyes Lips Face) brushes, the ones I have here are the Studio Small Stipple Brush ($3) and the Studio Flawless Concealer Brush ($3). Mine are in need of a good wash, but here's what I love about these. They are darn affordable, synthetic bristled brushes that are of decent quality. I have had mine for over 6 months and neither have shed or splayed or anything like that. They dry really quickly too which is a huge bonus. I use the stippling brush for my cream blushes and this does an amazing job of applying just the right amount. But it's the concealer brush that I use every single day without fail and has never let me down, I apply my Maybelline Fit Me Concealer or my YSL Touche Eclat directly onto my skin and then blend out with the concealer brush using small taping motion. I couldn't live without this brush.

I used to really dislike my YSL Touche Eclat ($40 for 2.5 ml), I know that many other bloggers love it and quite a few hate it. So I just counted myself as one of the latter group. Then I decided that it was time for me to use it up so I can include it in my empties, but I am really surprised by how much I like it now! I think the difference is because of the technique I now use to apply my concealer. I use my Studio Flawless Concealer Brush (mentioned above) to gently tap the concealer to blend it into my skin. This method gets me the best coverage possible, and addresses my biggest gripe with the Touche Eclat. Love it now!

My love affair with the Benefit They're Real mascara ($23 for 8.5g) continues. It's a wonderfully lengthening and I feel like it does volumize my lashes but in a very natural way. I also love that the colour is so dark as it gives the illusion of fuller lashes. Wish this was cheaper though, so won't buy it again, but loving it while it lasts.

The past month I have been going for a natural blushed look as opposed to piling on my blush as I usually do. I have been loving my Bourjois Blush in 40 Rose Tea (£5.99 for 2.5g), it's the most wonderful soft dusty rose colour. I just have to touch my Dior Blush Brush and it picks up enough product for one cheek. I love how affordable this is, how compact and what great pigmentation this has. I feel like I need to re-apply this every 4 hours as this does fade on me. I also am majorly sad that these are really only available in Europe but Asos do sell a few shades - here, so that's some consolation.

I recently reviewed Jouer's Creme Eyeshadow Crayons ($24 for 2g) here and I really have been loving these all month and feel like I am going to be using them next month too.

My last makeup product is an amazing amazing find for me. I love the idea of a BB cream but had given up the cause to find one that was tinted enough to work on my skintone as a standalone base product. Then I found the Diorskin Nude Tan BB Creme in 001 ($44 for 30 ml). I am in love people, completely adore this tube of goodness. It's very pricey, and I probably wont purchase again unless I can find a good deal somewhere but I know that I will always want this in my makeup bag. The colour is perfect for my skin tone (I think these come in 5 different shades) and the coverage is phenomenal for a BB cream. I am going to write a seperate blog post where I will be going into more detail about this amazing BB cream so look out for that.

I have included my Dermologica Special Cleansing Gel ($35 for 250 ml) in this post but really I have loved this product for many months. It's an amazing value as you need the tiniest amount. It lathers up just right and cleans so well. I have no issues with it drying my face at all. It's changed my skin forever. Love this product.

Now onto the last of this month's favourites, it's the Molton Brown Shower Gel in Warming Eucalyptus ($30 for 300 ml). Molton Brown is one of my favourite bath products brand. It symbolises luxury in the shower for me. The brand has many varied scents and they are all amazing and alluring. The shower gels lather up so well and if you use a loofah (you really should use a loofah) you only need a little product, so they are great value as well. The one I have may seem like it's on it's last legs but I bet I will probably get another month's washing out of it. The smell, oh lord, soooooo wonderful, it transports me to the lush forests of Bali. I feel like I should do a seperate post on my MB shower gels, would you like that? Let me know.

So there we have it folks, another month gone and 2013 is flying past as always. How was September for you? Talk to me! xx