A monthly favourites post written by me and posted on time in 2016? Quelle horreur. Joking aside, I’ve been getting my beauty mojo back in the last month or so and I’m quite excited to share the standout products here. For the first time ever, the list isn’t even that long.

OPI Nail Lacquer in Squeaker of the House: OPI’s fall collection, “Washington DC” has been one of the most exciting ones in years and I’ve ended up buying three of the shades and enjoying them all, however, this slightly warm medium taupe has made me fall in love. I love these taupe kind of shades but this one is unique because it has that touch of warm brown that most of these shades like, which can be much more flattering to a neutral or warm complexion. It’s so close to being opaque in a single coat but I suppose its more of an effortless two coater that almost applies itself, drying even and glossy on the nails.

KB Shimmer Don’t Play Koi: Back in September, I ordered my first indie nail polishes from Harlow & Co and while I’ve enjoyed them as a whole, this crelly and glitter mix has been my favourite and most worn. It has a sheerer white base that does not become even or opaque until two or three coats and is filled with matte grey and coral hex glitters and iridescent turquoise glitters of various sizes. On the nails, it has an interesting effect where the glitters peek through underneath the white base. Getting used to apply these formulas has been quite a learning curve – having to focus on evening out the base, while making sure to fish out the glitters and apply the across the nail.

Paula’s Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner: Ever since Fall has hit and the humidity has died off, the weather has gotten chilly and we’ve been cranking up the heat, I’ve been obsessively patting on this milky toner after cleansing. It’s been a saviour, adding back barrier repairing and hydrating ingredients after cleansing – including antioxidant rich plant oils, hyaluronic acid and vitamins A and C – that you typically would find in a serum product, in the toner stage. Layering this milky toner feels like a breath of fresh air to my finicky skin and it definitely helps with keeping my skin soothed and hydrated throughout the day.

Aveeno Ultra Calming Makeup Removing Wipes: While I’ve been into indulging in a full-on skincare routine throughout the month, I do admit that at other times I’ve been quite lazy, just wanting to remove my makeup without the effort of going to the sink. These wipes are my favourite for this because they do remove makeup effectively but they do so without drying out my skin or causing any sort of irritation. The cloths are saturated with a  liquid that not only is formulated without alcohol or detergents but also are slightly hydrating and milky on the skin. I’m really not a fan of fragrance in skincare, but I do enjoy the calming spa-like scent.

L’Oreal Infallible Pro-Glow Foundation: I easily (and happily) wore this more recently released drugstore face offering five out of every six times that I wore makeup throughout October. More than that, I think that I can happily now add this to my roster of favourite foundations. It has nice medium buildable coverage but what’s truly impressive about the formula is that it reads like naturally luminous skin and has that light and weightless texture typically reserved for higher end offerings. I don’t love that denatured alcohol is one of the first ingredients but I’m willing to accept it on account of how nicely the formula sits over dry patches and how it makes my skin look and feel. I’m shocked that more people don’t speak highly of this foundation.

Clinique Cheek Pop in Rosy Pop: Despite being a self-professed blush addict, I hadn’t really been reaching for blushes throughout the summer and, instead, I had been on a strict bronzer kick. However, I once I pulled out this slightly warm toned rosy shade, I was back into that whole blush thing. The shade is bright but I like how it can be easily sheered out for that flattering flush on the cheeks. I’m normally into ultra-glowy blushes but the satin finish on this one is flattering as well.

Have you tried any of these? Do you have any favourites to share?

Maggie, x.