October 2021 Beauty Favourites

Hi everyone! It’s time to share my October 2021 Beauty Favourites with you all. I haven’t been able to try quite as much as I usually would since I’ve been resting up a lot. However, I have still been using some products and I’ve got back into my skincare again. When I was at my worst, I wasn’t thinking about my hair or skin, but I now enjoy getting ready for bed again. I take my time double cleansing and trying new skincare. I also relied on dry shampoo a lot as I didn’t always have the energy or ability to get out of bed and wash my hair.

In the last couple of weeks, I’ve been able to do the food shopping at the weekend, so have been able to wear and try makeup again. To begin with, I would just do quick makeup while in bed. However, about three weeks ago, I managed to sit at my dressing table for the first time and I actually got excited about makeup again!

It’s been such a painful ordeal, but I’m so glad I’m getting my love back for things. Hopefully as we head towards the festive season, I’ll continue getting better and there will be lots of exciting launches for me to test and review! Anyway, let’s get into my October 2021 Beauty Favourites!

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Chantecaille Just Skin Tinted Moisturiser SPF 15 – £72 from Cult Beauty

I held off buying this for ages as it’s so expensive! Now, I like high end makeup, but I have my limits haha! I did wait until there was a 20% off code before buying it. So, I would advise you do the same. I’ve heard a lot about how amazing this tinted moisturiser is and… It really is glorious! It makes your skin look like you have a filter on, it’s blurring and blends effortlessly. You can use hands or a brush to apply and, for a tinted moisturiser, it lasts really well.

I wouldn’t use this just for my SPF as it’s only SPF15 an you would need A LOT of product to even get the full protection. Always add your own SPF below, but this product it gorgeous and every little helps sunscreen wise.

You don’t need to use much product to cover your face, it’s a thicker, creamy formula that spreads well and looks seamless on the skin.

I would say the finish is a natural matte. It’s not drying on the skin even though it is slightly matte. It’s very skin like and I find that I don’t need to set it with any powder. It takes a good 8 hours before I get a little shiny through the t-zone.

Cream blush, powder blush, liquid and powder highlighters all sit beautifully on top of this. It isn’t transfer proof with masks, but it’s not the worst I’ve had at transfer. The way it wears away is beautiful too, it doesn’t become cakey or heavy. Even after a 14 hour day, there’s still product there to remove, but some will have worn away. All in all, it’s a beautiful tinted moisturiser. I can wear it alone or make it into a proper face of makeup, it’s so easy to wear!

Biossance Squalane and Marine Algae Eye Cream – £43 from Cult Beauty

I’ve recently bought the full size of this eye cream after using up a deluxe sized one I got in a set. My under eyes can be really annoying. Anything too rich will give me tiny white bumps, anything not moisturising enough will result in peeling dry patches. This cream sits right in the middle for me. I’ve found my Goldilocks cream!

It’s a lightweight cream that is hydrating enough that I no longer get dry under eyes, but it doesn’t give me milia either! It’s fragrance free and doesn’t have anything likely to irritate my sensitive skin. My skin also seems to get on really well with squalane.

This product is more expensive. However, you need a tiny amount each night, so it will last ages. Even the small pot I got in a kit lasted months. You can also do what I did and buy this kit. It has a full size Omega Repair Cream and this eye cream for £58. I love the moisturiser too. I’ve gone through a couple of small pots of that before buying the full size. This kit is a great saving, separately these two would cost £86.

They both calm my skin down, keep it hydrated and leave me with no dry flakes. The texture of them both is lovely. The face cream feels whipped and luxurious and the eye cream lightweight and hydrating.

Lacura Multi-Peptide Moisturiser – £6.99 from Aldi

At the opposite end of the price spectrum is this moisturiser from Aldi. Now, I’m sure you notice as much as I do that this looks more than a little similar to the Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream. At the time of buying the Aldi cream, I hadn’t tried the Drunk Elephant, so couldn’t compare. I have since received a sample of the DE, so I can compare, but more on that in a bit.

I’m a fairly recent convert to Aldi, but I love it now. We still go to Sainsbury’s for my dairy free bits, but most of our food comes from Aldi and their middle aisle gets me almost every week!

More often than not, it’s fake plants I end up buying, but sometimes it’s skincare. We all know Aldi are famous for duping more expensive products and this moisturiser is no exception. But, I’ve actually been super impressed with this dupe! Some of their skincare has fragrance in, so I haven’t bought it. This cream’s ingredients looked decent, so I decided to give it a go. It’s lovely and lightweight, more of a gel cream consistency.

I’ve been using this as my daytime moisturiser and my skin seems to love it! I’ve noticed less dry flakes recently with the products I’ve introduced as the weather has changed. It absorbs quickly and isn’t tacky at all. It feels so refreshing on the skin, like you’re giving your skin a burst of hydration. Now I’ve used the DE as well, I think the Aldi one is more lightweight and the DE is more of a true cream. The Aldi version has 7 peptides to Drunk Elephant’s 9. There are quite a few similarities in the formulas, but equally there are some differences. There are also a few differences in where the same ingredients are on the list. Ingredients are listed in quantity, from most to least on products and a few of these amounts are different between the two formulas.

Drunk Elephant’s cream is £57, Aldi’s is £7. You need to work out for yourself if it’s worth losing 2 peptides for a £50 saving. I love this cream, but the DE is definitely richer. for my skin, I don’t need a rich day cream, so the Aldi one is more than enough.

Youth To The People Superfoods Cleanser – £31 from Cult Beauty

I got this as part of a gift with purchase from Cult Beauty. I’ve heard a lot about this cleanser over the last year or so. It seems to be a bit of a marmite product, people either love it or hate it!

At first use, this is a jelly like cleanser that smells quite herbal. It’s not the greatest smell, but also not too offensive. I’ve been using this as a morning or second cleanse and my skin seems to really like it. It foams up a little, rinses easily and doesn’t leave any residue on your skin. It says it’s able to remove makeup, but I am a double cleanser and always use a balm as my first cleanse to remove makeup.

My skin can be very temperamental, so I only ever introduce one new product at a time. After smelling this, I thought “hmmm I wonder if this will flare my skin” but actually I think my skin looks a little better since I started using this! It doesn’t strip my skin, but is still effective at cleansing. It’s gentle, it doesn’t sting or burn. I’m really enjoying using this cleanser! The pump dispenses quite a lot of product and you don’t need that much, so I do about 2/3 of a pump to clean my face. Even though this is a little pricey, you need so little this will last for months!

Glossier Balmdotcom in Cookie Butter – £10 from Glossier

I’ve been a fan of the Glossier Balmdotcom for years. I have the original, birthday and coconut ones already, but when I saw that they had released a cookie butter version, I KNEW I had to buy it. One thing about me. I adore cookie butter. I’ll eat it by the spoonful, on biscuits, on brioche, on oatmeal, with slices of apple to dip, in baking etc. I always have a jar in my cupboard. It’s delicious.

What could possibly be better for a cookie butter addict than a cookie butter lip balm? When this arrived and I tried it for the first time, I knew I’d be mentioning it in my October 2021 Beauty Favourites. It’s divine. It leaves a slightly beige tint to your lips, so I wouldn’t wear this one to bed. It’s not super opaque, just a slight hint of colour. I use the non tinted ones for bedtime.

I love how the balmdotcom makes my lips feel, hydrated, healthy and smooth. This cookie butter version is no different to all the other scents. It lasts pretty well and is quite thick. Bearing in mind this one is tinted, it also wears away nicely and doesn’t spread from your lips onto your face. All in all, I’ve fallen head over heels for this new scent and hope they keep it!

Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo – £20 from Living Proof

I’ve never really been one for dry shampoo. I’ve always washed my hair every other day and that’s right for my hair type in terms of it getting greasy looking. However, when I was looking at tutorials to use the Dyson Air Wrap, someone mentioned they used this to help with body and keeping the curls in place (along with hairspray of course).

So, I bought a travel size of this dry shampoo to try. It definitely works super well with the air wrap. My hair struggles to hold a curl, but this makes it full of volume and also helps them, along with some other products, to stay in place.

Then I got ill and ended up unable to get out of my hospital bed, let alone wash my hair. Once I was home, I was still struggling to get about for the first few weeks. Showering was an ordeal that left me needing an hours rest after. This is when dry shampoo became a god send. I hate my hair looking dirty, it makes me feel gross, but needs must. I was managing to wash my hair maybe twice a week? So on the third day, when my hair looked a little oily, I started using this.

It really works! It smells lovely and is easy to get through your hair. You do get a slight white cast to your hair when you first spray. However, when you rub it in with your fingers it disappears straight away and leaves your hair actually looking clean? It’s like it gives your hair life again. Dry shampoos I’d used years ago would just absorb some oil, leave a white cast, but your hair would still look limp and lifeless. With this, my hair looks like normal. All the oil is gone, it looks cleaner and has more body. This effect also lasts all day and into the next! The only thing is, you will run through this pretty quickly.

I bought a kit last year with two full sizes for the price of one I think and if I see that set again this Christmas, I’ll be buying it!

Chantecaille Cheek Gelée in Happy – £40 from Space NK

I am really loving Chantecaille right now! This liquid blush is just gorgeous, I’ve also mentioned their liquid highlighter recently and that too is stunning!

I have the shade Happy in their blush formula and it’s a true pink with a slight sheen. There are two other shades and I want both of them! There’s a peach and a raspberry on my wish list and I hope they bring out more shades! This formula is so easy to use and looks beautiful on the skin. I like to squeeze a little on my hand, spread it a bit, then dab a dense, small brush into a little colour before stippling onto my cheeks. This is a great formula to try if you are new to liquid blush. You can build it up or just have a hint of colour and it always blends easily.

With some liquid blushes, you don’t get a lot of time to work with them. That’s not the case with this one, you have time to work it into your skin before it sets down. Once set, it’s not dry or powdery and it also doesn’t leave any tacky residue. I love that you can use this on those no makeup, makeup days, or days when you’re in a full face. It makes your cheeks look so healthy and dewy.

Chantecaille is an expensive brand and I’ve held off trying their products for years, but now I’ve tried a few bits, I definitely think they’re worth the money. Everything I’ve tried has been amazing!

MAC Lustreglass Lipstick in Sellout – £19.50 from Selfridge’s

I’ve always been obsessed with MAC lipsticks and have mentioned them time and time again on my blog. There isn’t a formula I’ve tried that I haven’t liked. Their new Lustreglass formula has quickly become a favourite as well!

I think I have three shades of their new Lustreglass formula and Sellout is my most used. I mean it’s a nude pink, so who didn’t see that coming haha!! The old Lustre formula has been revamped and they’re now even more moisturising and slightly more opaque as well.

I have a few of the old lustre formula and I still love them, they were one of my favourite formulas alongside Cremesheen. However, I do think the Lustreglass is a great reformulation. Sometimes when brands reformulate products they don’t turn out the best, but happy to report MAC have done a good job!

MAC Powder Blush in Mocha – £22 from MAC Cosmetics

This shade of blush is not a new release, but it is somewhat new to me. I got into MAC powder blushes late, so all the cult favourites are new to me. I still need to get Melba!

This blush is the perfect colour for Autumn. It’s a soft mauve colour with a real earthiness to it. I often worry that products with a slight brown tone won’t suit me, but this just works. It’s buildable and easy to blend. You can really layer it to get a stronger colour, but initial application gives the cheeks a gorgeous wash of colour.

When I think of a mocha, I don’t think of mauve as a colour, I think of brown, so I was a little apprehensive when I bought this. Even though it was described as a mauve! I needn’t have worried though because it is indeed a soft mauve and I’ve been loving it recently!

Tis the season for me to get all my mauve blushes out and put away the Summery corals. Mac Mocha is top of the pile this season in terms of use. I now need to continue buying all the other shades I’ve missed over the years! It’s weird because I have lots of their Mineralize and almost all of the Glow Play blushes, but the powder ones passed me by. It’s such a classic formula that is fool proof and stands the test of time!

And, that’s it! My October 2021 Beauty Favourites – a bit more skincare heavy than normal. However, like I said, I’ve really been enjoying being able to wash my face properly again. So I’m loving trying new products and finding new favourites.