August Favourites

Favourites posts seem to happen fairly sporadically around these parts, but I was feeling it this month, so I though I would write one. As usual I've been selective, and included a mixture of different things. As far as the makeup goes, though, there's definitely a theme - mid-pink was obviously my preferred colour this month! 

1. Topshop Bomber Jacket - Is it weird to include a jacket in an August Favourites? Probably. But the summer has been so changeable - sweltering one day and chucking it down the next - that I've found myself reaching for this quite a lot. It's just so easy to throw on over a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt and is a really useful mid-weight, with just enough padding to keep me warm should the weather take a sudden turn for the worse. I find the khaki colour super-flattering, particularly combined with the gold hardware, plus it makes me feel like I'm channeling some uber cool nineties vibes every time I wear it!

2. Too Faced La Creme Color Drenched Lip Cream in Nude Beach - Quite apart from the very Instagram-worthy packaging, this is absolutely gorgeous. Buttery soft and with a beautiful sheen, it feels so comfortable on the lips that it might as well be a lip balm. It gives a decent colour pay-off too, and as I mentioned, I've been loving this mid-pink shade this month! The only negative about this is that it's not particularly long-lasting, but it's so effortless to apply that it doesn't really bother me.

3. Illamasqua Lipstick in Bare* - Very similar in colour to the Too Faced lip cream, but completely different in formula, this Illamasqua lipstick is fabulously pigmented and gives a perfect matte finish. This has a lot more staying power than the Too Faced product, but it does dry the lips out a little. Still, it's worth it for the finished result, which is a really striking, velvety matte lip. If that sounds like your cup of tea, you will love this.

Illamasqua on the left, Too Faced on the right

4. Avene Cleansing Foam* - Anyone who's followed my blog for a while might be aware that my skin has been been on a bit of a roller coaster lately. I've never been blessed with a particularly clear or radiant complexion, but generally speaking, so long as I gave it a good cleanse twice a day and moisturised diligently, it's always been OK. I'd slap on good old Estee Lauder Double Wear and I'd be good to go. But then something happened - possibly the stress and upheaval of moving house twice within as many years - and all of a sudden, my skin was dry and patchy and Double Wear started to look like rubbish on me. I changed skincare products, I changed foundations, and before I knew it, my T-zone was like an oil slick and there wasn't a makeup base in the world that wouldn't simply slide off my face after a couple of hours' wear. I had no idea what to do about it, but when I got the opportunity to try this cleanser from Avene, I decided to go for it in the hope that it might help.

It's a mattifying cleansing foam designed for normal to combination sensitive skin, and comes with a pump dispenser. The consistency is very light - it literally feels like the foamy bubbles you might scoop up in your hands while in the bathtub. It's a fairly strong cleanser, so if you don't have an issue with excess oil I probably wouldn't recommend it as I imagine it would be too drying. If you do, however, I urge you to try it. Avene claims that the skin balance will be restored within days. Mine was restored after a single use. I'm always wary of making dramatic statements when reviewing skincare, but that's what happened. It was obviously exactly what my skin needed. I could see almost immediately that my complexion looked a lot more even, and since I've been using this cleanser, Double Wear looks good on me again and lasts all day just the way it used to. Thank you Avene!

5. Maybelline Super Stay 7 Days Gel Nail Color in Nude Rose - This was a sneaky purchase made with the intention of spicing up my weekly grocery shop. I only got it a week or so ago but it's been on my nails ever since, so firmly deserves its spot among my favourites. Again it's this pretty mid-pink shade. I always seem to have plenty of white-pink nail polishes, and sheer pinks, and hot pinks. This has clearly filled a void in my life. #firstworldproblems

6. Home Decor - My final favourite of the month is somewhat abstract, so I'm using this catalogue to represent it! We moved into our new home earlier this year, but other than the odd purchase here and there, haven't done much so far in the way of redecoration. This month, Mike's parents spent a week with us and re-painted pretty much the whole downstairs, which was so sweet of them to do for us. They did a fantastic job too, and now I've got the home decor bug! Having new paint on the walls has got me thinking about all the other things I want, like new carpets, curtains, furniture... it could get expensive!

What have you been loving this month?

Kate x

*PR Samples. All opinions, as always, are my own