October Favourites

They're a bit late, but better late than never. Not much makeup this time, because I feel like most of my picks were covered in my How Much Is My Face Worth? post (namely, Benefit They're Real mascara, Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow/Liner in Busy Signal and NARS Sheer Glow). A good chunk of my favourites for October overlap with products I purchased and first started using while vacationing in New York. I didn't get around to making a favourites post for September, so I've carried them over to October.

The Body Shop Vineyard Peach Shower Gel
One whiff of the Vineyard Peach Body Butter at the shop next to Radio City, and I was hooked. I've been using the shower gel more than the body butter, only because I rarely moisturise. The peach scent of this range is absolutely scrumptious and so intensely fruity, but not in a cloying, artificial way. It's like concentrated peach nectar. The shower gel lathers up a storm and leaves the skin delicately fragranced.

Lady Gaga Fame EDP 1.2ml sample
A freebie given out by promotional people on a street near the Empire State Building. Definitely no blood or semen in this, as mentioned in initial reports of Lady Gaga coming out with a perfume. It's actually a fairly inoffensive, slightly musky fruity floral. There's a hint of spice and the oriental. It smells a bit more grown up than the usual overwhelmingly fruity and sweet celebrity fragrances out there. I'm kind of regretting not buying a 50ml bottle when I was in the US, since it's the same price as the 30ml here.

Real Techniques Stippling Brush
I wanted to include this in my October favourites basically to right a wrong and detail how I've done a complete 180 when it comes to this brush. At the beginning of the year, I was very underwhelmed with it. It was probably my least favourite of the Real Techniques brushes I bought. It didn't work for me in applying the foundation I was using, as it felt spiky on my skin and left streaks on my face. The bristles seemed much sparser, pricklier and less plush than my beloved Real Techniques Buffing Brush, so for the longest time the primary use I had for it was to wipe away eyeshadow fallout. Recently, I randomly tried it with my Make Up For Ever HD foundation after exhausting all other possibilities, and it worked like a charm. Now it's become the exclusive brush I use when I want to wear that foundation. It's a versatile all-rounder brush that seamlessly blends a variety of products, both powder and cream, into the skin.

Neutrogena Ultimate Sport Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30+
Best sunscreen I've used. This was included in the free Priceline skin care bag, but I am definitely looking to repurchase when my tube runs out (which shouldn't be for a long time, since it is a very generous 115ml and I only use it on my face). I put this over a moisturiser that doesn't contain SPF in the morning, and it sinks into the skin without any chalkiness or hint of white residue. When it's absorbed, it's weightless and non-sticky. The sunscreen lotion is quite moisturising in itself, without being greasy or feeling heavy on the skin.

Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil 15ml
I wrote a little about this already in a recent skin care post, but felt it still deserves another mention here. I still haven't used this directly on my face, or on my hair or body, but I'm convinced that it does make a difference when I add two drops of it to my Nivea Soft at night. It gives my moisturiser a boost. My skin has become noticeably less dry and the texture of it looks smoother and clearer when I wake up in the morning.

Benefit High Beam 4ml
High Beam really exceeded my expectations. I've read that Revlon Age Defying Spa Face Illuminator in Pink Light is a dupe, but now I can confidently say that High Beam is superior. The truly remarkable thing about it is that it provides illumination with absolutely no sparkle. It just gives a luminous sheen to the skin without any glitter or visible shimmer particles. Even though it's a liquid highlighter, I find it relatively creamy in texture and easy to blend into the skin. You need only a small amount, dotted on the cheekbones, to highlight the face with a pearly glow.