September Beauty Favourites

It’s time for another monthly favourites roundup – sharing the very best beauty products I’m using and loving each month.

I’m a lifelong beauty lover (I was sneaking into my mother’s dressing table and putting on her lipstick before I could even walk), and obsess over the perfect fragrance, high-tech skincare solutions, and finding the very best versions out there. I’m lucky enough to get sent a lot of products to try, but I buy a lot myself too. Either way, I would never recommend anything on here unless it really passes my (very high) standards. So rather than just telling you about the latest launches or things I’ve just bought and am excited to try (which I’m more likely to share over on my Instagram stories), this is where I share those products I’ve genuinely been using for a while and think are worth shouting about – from my fragrance of the month to the skincare solution I don’t know how I lived before discovering and think you should try to.

Below, this month’s favourite things that have saved my skin which was looking a little worse for wear after a summer of sun, sunscreen and pore-clogging humidity. And as always, please do let me know if there’s anything specific you want to see or know about – your requests are my favourites!

Caudalie Face Oil // Fresh Face Mask // La Mer Face Mist c/- // Sunday Riley Face Cream c/-

1. La Mer Face Mist // I have a confession: I was recently given a pot of La Mer face cream and it’s been sitting in my bathroom unopened ever since. Not because I’m unenthusiastic about using it, but rather because I’m so afraid that once I do, I’ll never be able to go back and will be the start of a dangerously expensive habit. In the meantime, I’ve been using the face mist version and I’m sure it’s helped balance my sun-parched skin. Mist it on as a toner after cleansing and during the day to revive + hydrate. It’s expensive for a face mist, but cheap for La Mer. And I promise to start that face cream soon…

2. Fresh Clay Cleansing Mask // My skin was seriously congested after all the summer humidity (no matter how diligent my cleansing routine, sweat + SPF + makeup = clogged pores), so needed a little extra help of late. I’ve been using this mask twice a week for a month and it’s like a vacuum for your pores. It basically sucks your face dry so be sure to moisturise well afterwards (see below).

3. Sunday Riley Tidal Moisturiser // I’m a big Good Genes devotee, but had never tried any of Sunday Riley’s moisturisers before. I started using this face cream once the summer temperatures started to cool last month, and immediately saw a difference. It is packed with hyaluronic acid so is ultra-hydrating without being heavy, and brightens dull or uneven skin tone (my post-summer sun spots have already faded).

4. Caudalie Overnight Face Oil // I’ve been using this face oil every night – either before Tidal or on its own – and combined with the Fresh mask (above), my previously congested skin is so much clearer + happier. Beautifully light, full of only good ingredients, and super-balancing. Especially good for troubled or combination skin, city-dwellers and humid climates.

Floris mouthwash // Herbivore body scrub // Slip silk hair ties c/-

5. Slip Silk Hair Ties // I’m not exaggerating when I say the Slip range has completely transformed my skin + hair. I first got one of their sleep masks before my trip to Australia earlier this year (anything to make that 27+ hour trip feel more luxurious…) and loved it so much I ordered a set of the pillowcases as soon as I got home. So when they recently released silk scrunchies and hair ties I got on board immediately. I use these to tie my hair into a topknot in the shower and a low bun at bed time and wake up with perfectly waved hair (which means for the first time ever I have completely cut out heat-styling in between washes). Combined with the pillowcases my hair is 100% healthier than before (so much less frizz and breakage and I was actually able to skip my usual trim at my last colour appointment), but even on their own these are so good. I don’t think I can ever use a regular hair tie again.

6. Herbivore Coconut Body Scrub // Another brand I only started using this year, but am now a certified fan of. This body scrub has a clean list of ingredients smells like Ottolenghi’s rose + pistachio cake (recipe here in case you’re not in London to try a slice: you’re welcome) or Cherry Ripe bars (for my fellow Australians) – or in simple terms – delicious! Once a week I like to put a hair mask in and while it’s doing it’s thing I’ll turn off the shower, scrub this all over for about 5 minutes, and then rinse everything off. You’ll smell like a box of turkish delight and have skin as soft as a baby.

7. Floris Rose Mouthwash // I am all about fancy upgrades of boring everyday necessities (dish detergent, nice tights, the aforementioned silk hair ties), and this falls firmly into that category. I have used and loved Floris’ body products for years (this is my favourite), but recently discovered this rose mouthwash on a visit to their boutique in St James (just behind Fortnum & Mason in London) and had to have it immediately. I adore anything floral flavoured, but even if you’re not so inclined, this tastes and feels pleasingly ‘clean’, is a joy to use, and unlike nearly every dental product ever – looks beautiful on your countertop. You dilute a tiny amount into a little glass of water so one bottle should last for months (I’ve been using it for 6 weeks and have barely dented it).

Chantecaille blush // Nars mascara c/- // Charlotte Tilbury concealer c/-

8. Charlotte Tilbury Magic Away Concealer // If like me you never get enough sleep and always show your stress on your face, a great concealer is the eternal beauty quest. I love the idea of YSL’s touche éclat and all those under-eye brightening pens, but never find they actually do anything to conceal dark circles, while the solid concealers thick enough to cover blemishes are too cakey for the delicate under-eye area and crease halfway through the day. But this brightening concealer is magic for the fact it’s concealer-y enough to use on spots and redness, but dewy enough to use under the eyes. I’ve been using it for over a month and it really does hide all sins (I wear shade 4 in case that helps).

9. Nars Climax Mascara // I was sent this mascara for an Instagram collaboration last month (but I’m under no obligation to say anything nice on here just FYI) and although I rarely get excited about mascara, this one is really great. It gives you serious volume + length and is the closest thing I’ve found to wearing fake lashes (without actually having to). I have been wearing less makeup lately and love that this really makes you look like you’ve made an effort, even if you wear no other eye makeup.

10. Chantecaille Blush // Chantecaille is definitely one of my favourite brands. I love their ethos (clean, cruelty-free ingredients and a long-term commitment to wildlife and environmental causes), and always have at least one of their products in my current rotation. This blush in ‘laughter’ is the most universally-flattering pinky-coral hue (with the slightest hint of shimmer that makes you look glowy, not glittery) and although it’s admittedly not cheap, it’s so pigmented that a single pot will last at least a year. But my favourite part? It’s from Chantecaille’s 2018 charitable collection, so a % of the sale price goes to marine conservation charities.

Which products are you loving at the moment? Let me know your recommendations in the comments below and I’ll try them!

Love, Briony xx