A new month, a new season and a new reason to go shopping! Or, out with the old and in with the new, as people say. But before I talk about October and all the new things I want to try, I want to write a quick recap of the amazing beauty and skincare products that occupied my bathroom in September.
September Beauty Favourite #1 – Green People Organics Fruit Scrub Exfoliator
You may have seen our series of product reviews for Organic September, and most of those products were new to me. Some I didn’t like, some I did like, and some will forever be part of my skincare routine.
My absolute favourite would have to be the Fruit Scrub Exfoliator with apricot and mandarin. Having moved from Belgium to London this summer Green People, like many other natural and organic beauty and skincare brands, was a new brand for me. Some of the brands you see at As Nature Intended or Holland & Barrett don’t look very appealing and a bit too ‘green’ to me, if you know what I mean. However, all the Green People products look so cute and I could not wait to try them. The Fruit Scrub Exfoliator smells so fresh and fruity. The combination of apricot, marshmallow, mandarin and bergamot is absolutely divine.
Another great thing is that you can really feel the scrub working its magic, without being too harsh on your skin. It’s a gentle, but very effective exfoliator. This product is also perfect for my skin type and I will definitely continue to use this product. Witch hazel and salicylic acid are two great skincare ingredients for treating acne and skin prone to breakouts. And at £13.50 it is very reasonably priced for an organic skincare product!
Read our Organic September post here.
September Beauty Favourite #2 Mallow+White Restore Facial Oil
Another one of my September Favourites is the Mallow+White Restore Facial Oil. Again, there is apricot in this product, along with rosehip, jojoba and geranium, which makes this facial oil very fresh and uplifting. After only a couple of uses, my skin was noticeably clearer and brighter. And although I do still prefer creams over oils, I’m definitely adding this one to my skincare routine. You can use the Mallow + White Facial Oil in the morning and at night time just as it is, but you can also add some drops to your daily moisturiser. I love that I can combine the soft texture of my moisturiser with the healing benefits of this oil!
Read our Organic September post here.
September Beauty Favourite #3 Yves Rocher Gel Effect Lacquer in Orange Sanguine (no° 56)
We tried out many skincare and haircare products for Organic September, but I would have also loved to review a couple of makeup products. For example, I’ve been so fascinated by the Zoya Nail Polish PixieDust collection all summer, but still haven’t gotten around to actually trying them. However, it just looks so promising and even though glittery nail polish can be a drag to remove, this nail polish apparently comes over very easily.
Another brand that I really love for its nail polishes is Yves Rocher. I already mentioned them in my Top 3 Nail Polish for Autumn blog post. They recently introduced their Gel Effect nail polishes and one colour that’s perfect for September – or the transition from summer to autumn – is Orange Sanguine. It’s still vibrant enough for summer but a few shades darker than an actual orange, which means it also goes well with autumn colours like browns and leafy greens. No more dull forest walks!
I bought this colour before summer and it is no longer available, but this orange comes pretty close.
September Beauty Favourite #4 Formula 10.0.6 Pores Be Pure Skin-Clarifying Mud Mask
If you’ve never tried it a mud mask might seem a bit scary, but if you enjoy trying out new products as much as I do then you’ll definitely want to give this one a go.
Kaolin, a key ingredient in mud masks, does wonders for your skin in terms of soothing the skin and clearing pores. But it also absorbs excess moisture, so be careful if you already have dry skin. The anti-inflammatory properties of kaolin in combination with yarrow and salicylic acid, which help restore damaged skin, make this Formula 10.0.6 mud mask a great product for acne- and breakout-prone skin.
This mask is not only good for your skin, but also fun to use. When applying to your face and neck the mask might cause a slight tingly feeling, but that’s nothing you should worry about and it’s actually quite a pleasant feeling. I like to think this is the product working its magic, opening my pores and healing my skin. You leave this mask on for about 10-15 minutes in which time it will completely dry. Not that I’ve ever used botox, but when the mask is set, you can’t really move your face anymore, which is how I think botox feels like. However, in this case you can just remove the mask with warm water and it will leave you with instant soft and clear skin.
I would definitely recommend this product, but don’t use it when having a girls night or sleepover, because mud mask and giggles don’t exactly go well together!
September Beauty Favourite #5 S.W. Basics of Brooklyn Toner
As I’ve said before during Organic September, the smell of this product is somewhat off-putting. Apple cider vinegar (ACV), which is one of the five ingredients used in this toner, has quite a strong smell and I’m certainly not a big fan of it.
Then why, you might ask, have I included this S.W. Basics of Brooklyn Toner in my September Favourites? Well, because whatever the smell, it is still quite an amazing skincare product. One of the other ingredients in this toner is witch hazel, a.k.a. one of the most effective natural treatments for acne and the main reason why this product is now an essential part of my evening skincare routine. When I wake up my skin is a lot less oily, without being dry. This toner effectively rids you of those nasty breakouts and after only a couple of days using the toner, my face was visibly clearer.
And very appropriately, the tagline on the bottle says ‘Blemishes Schlemishes’, which is now my skincare mantra! Thank you, S.W. Basics!