Autumn Favourites

It's that time of the year when the clocks go back, the trees are decorated with oranges and reds and the perfect evening is one snuggled under a warm blanket with a cup of tea (I'm an 80 year old at heart). I think we've all been clinging onto the last remnants of a summer we never had, but I'm ready to embrace the fact that it's well and truly over and start looking forward to everything the next couple of months have to offer (hello Halloween and Bonfire Night!). Although, as someone who is cold all the time, the change in temperature that Autumn brings isn't my favourite, I can't help but love the cosiness and colours this season offers. As we eek further into Autumn, I wanted to share a few things I've been loving the recently- both fashion pieces and beauty bits.

Burgundy shoes

One thing that I'm really excited about with the new season is the fact that I can whip out all the berry/burgundy tones yet again. It's one of my favourite colours, but I feel as though it's a bit dark and moody to wear throughout the summertime. These burgundy pumps are from Primark and were a little bit of a bargain that made my day. I struggle to find shoes that don't make me feel as though my feet are falling off, but these are surprisingly soft. The buckle detail makes them a little bit unique, and the fact that I snapped them up for £3 makes me very happy.

E45 DermaProtect Moisturising Spray

I've recently declared my love for moisturising sprays in this post; they're such a handy way to ensure you're taking care of your skin without turning into a chore. I'm all about fast, efficient beauty, and this new E45 product fits the bill. It's been a brand that my family have used for absolutely ages, and whilst this won't be appropriate for those who's skin is in need of a thicker lotion, the spray offers much more hydration than the other spray moisturisers out there. My skin gets slightly drier with the change of seasons, so switching to this product is giving it that moisture hit it needs without me having to spend ages slathering a cream over my limbs.

Merumaya Melting Cleansing Balm

The first time I tried this product was as a 'hand-me-down' from my Mum. She's quite particular about her skincare and this was sitting un-used, so got passed to me to try out (she knows I love cleansing balms!). Although the brand is aimed at those with more mature skin, I'm not using this for any kind of anti-ageing qualities (if the balm has them). Instead, the beautiful, silky texture is just a pleasure to use and is one of the best cleansers I own for ensuring every last bit of make-up is removed at the end of the day. The scent is unusual but I warmed to it very quickly to the point where I now love it! The balm is also great at nourishing skin too- as soon as it started getting colder, I switched to using this balm and I haven't experienced any dry patches on my face yet (touch wood)!

Berry lipsticks

Whilst I'm still trying to hold off slightly on full-on rocking a dark lip, I have started to sort through my lipstick collection and pick out some of my favourite shades that are the perfect tone for stepping into Autumn. This delightful shade from Kiko has proved to be the perfect choice recently; it's still got those berry tones without being too purple. I'm seeing it as a slightly Autumnal version of a red lip; still an awesome statement lipstick without being too vampy and dark. Kiko lipsticks are both affordable and really fab quality- I wore this all day and barely needed to touch it up despite it having a more moisturising texture!

Black Opium

I wore this perfume pretty much non-stop last Autumn/Winter, but ditched it in favour of lighter, fresher scents as soon as we stepped into Spring. I'm so excited to start wearing this again (what I have left of it anyway!) as it is just such a perfect Autumnal fragrance. It is quite sweet (vanilla tones) and heavier than most other ones I own, but the black coffee hit gives this perfume a really unusual edge that somehow brings it all together. Dark, mysterious and sensual, this has it all going on for the upcoming months. (You can read my original review here).

Big cosy jumpers

Ah, who can't resist a big snuggly jumper?! To be perfectly honest, I usually slouch around in oversized jumpers throughout the year at home, but now it's getting colder I can start to wear them out and about without looking like a melting weirdo. High necks, loose fits and cable knit styles are my kinda thing- perfect for chucking on with a pair of jeans and finished off with a killer pair of boots. This grey beauty was a H&M purchase, who always have a great selection of cosy jumpers that have lovely thick materials. Stylish and they keep you warm- win win.

Body balms

I've mentioned before on this blog that as well as trichotillomania, I also suffer from its sister disorder called dermatillomania. This skin-picking disorder is focused around my fingers, leaving me with really dry, red, sore and flaky skin around my nails and cuticles. As it starts to get colder, the change in temperature just makes this self-inflicted dryness worse. Whilst I still love my original Dr PawPaw tube for use on these patches during the day, I've been applying this Saaf balm in the evenings to help moisturise and soften that damaged skin. It's got quite a light, silky texture that almost melts into a thin oil once applied to skin; as a result, it makes such a good cuticle treatment. In helping to soften and repair the skin, it's also giving me less temptation to pick at it. The balm is also organic, vegetarian, halal and don't test on animals, for those who are wondering. I just wish they did a smaller version that I can pop in my handbag!