It's astounding, time is fleeting-can you tell I'm in a bit of a spooky mood today? I'm not usually a huge celebrator of Halloween but my office has been decked out to look like a creepy haunted space/asylum so I'm feeling the mood. That and all going to plan I will have a major red eye+bloody lip situation going on today. Anyway, spookiness aside, today I have my October Favourites to share. It's a little sparse on the beauty front as in all honesty I haven't been changing things up much at all here. There are a couple of newbies in that department though, as well as what I've been watching, reading and listening to this month... 

YSL All Hours Foundation*-Let's get this out of the way first, yes the price tag is weepingly expensive. I recommend trying it first and then waiting for things like reward vouchers, discount days or just a plain old excuse to treat yo'face. I don't know if this foundation lasts all hours, I'm not one to wear my makeup for a hideously long time but I can vouch for its almost minimal need to powder and touch up. As someone with combination-oily skin, this is seriously impressive. The finish leans more on the matte side of things so if you've got drier skin, this mightn't be for you. I really freakin' love it and think this'll be a godsend come Summer when makeup all but evaporates from my face.

Stila Magnificent Metals Glitter & Glow Liquid Eyeshadow(s)-These eyeshadows are the business. Liquid shadows drenched in so much sparkle. I love 'em. Then again I do love glittery eyelids so it's not like I'd hate these really but I digress. They're unlike any other eyeshadow out there. My favourite of the two I own is probably Bronzed Bell but Kitten Karma is a close second. The only qualm I have is when you remove these, the glitter tends to go everywhere. Otherwise, I can't fault these liquid delights. 

Hourglass Girl Lip Stylo-I've already touched on these once this month so I will keep it brief. Pigment that packs a punch and longevity to boot. I have the shade Leader, a vibrant fuschia which looks stunning. There's some gorgeous nudes in the range too and I seriously recommend a swatchathon when it comes to these.

Will and Grace-I'm not sure why it took me, bedridden to finally watch this show properly. Props to 2 for having an all-day Will and Grace marathon at the end of last month. I am now hooked, alternating between older episodes and the new revival currently on TV. Hilarious, hilarious comedy and brilliant character writing. It's so good. Karen Walker is my favourite character-god love her but really the four main leads are all amazing. Well worth the watch if you're like me and somehow missed it. 

Paperboy Magazine-If you're in Auckland you'll probably be familiar with Paperboy. It's a magazine, published weekly and free to get your mitts on from many locations around the city. It contains a mix of everything; food, culture, fashion, to name a few and also contains extra content from the New York Times. Long story short, it's worth a peruse on your train trips/coffee outings each week. I love unwinding with it on my Thursday/Friday journeys home. So good.

Younger Now x Miley Cyrus-Miley is certainly no stranger to reinvention but with Younger Now she's going back to her country-pop roots. The album opens with the titular track and then we're taken on a journey of wondrousness for the next forty minutes. It's a great driving soundtrack and is really upbeat+mood raising. Even if you're a Miley cynic, it is worth a listen. 

Feeling Sorry for Celia x Jaclyn Moriarty-A bit of a reading throwback if ever there was one, as I first read this book back in high school. After I posted about it on my bookstagram, it seemed a lot of you were familiar with it as well. For some reason I thought this book was niche? Anyway, told through letters received and sent, this book is the story of teenaged Elizabeth Clarry. Also known as Liz or Lizzie, depending on who is writing. She deals with the usual teenage struggles but also has to deal with a mix of eclectic characters. From her eccentric Mum to her scatty best friend Celia. It also looks at mental illness in a way that doesn't romanticise the issue or try to make it seem glamorous. In fact, I feel like this is one of the first young adult books in this part of the world at least that probably did address the issue. Well worth a read, or a re-read if you're feeling nostalgic. 

-What have you liked during October?

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Ever since starting my new job I've kinda shaken things up beauty-wise. I'm not suddenly wearing smokey eyes on the regular, or bold lipstick for days but I am keeping things a lot more pared back. That's partly because I am not an early morning person but also because sometimes I just can't be bothered. Now I feel like a fraudulent beauty blogger. Anyway, today I thought I'd talk you through some of my essentials for workplace makeup. Note: a lot of what's pictured has been in and out of my makeup bag all month and has been used and enjoyed, for the most part...

Lightweight Base: I don't think I've ever been one for the heavy, full coverage foundation, unless it's something I have completely blanked from my memory. Lately I've been using and loving the MAC Next To Nothing Face Colour*. It evens out the complexion and just leaves things looking like you've at least made a bit of an effort. It won't conceal but hey, there's this revolutionary product you mightn't know about called concealer for that. It's lightweight, lovely and super quick to apply. 

Concealer: Aka the love of my makeup life. Some days I actually just throw concealer on as a base. Wasteful I am sure but *insert shrug emoji here*. My go-to's are the Maybelline Age Rewind concealer-sadly not ranged in NZ but amazing for under eyes, Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer in Custard-I've repurchased this countless times and keep the mini, which I think was limited edition in my bag and the YSL Touche Eclat* for brightening-nonessential but it does make a difference. I use the shade 1.5.

Powder: Now this is one area where there's a few products used. I alternate between the Bourjois powder above-side note, if anyone knows where I can get the shade Vanilla in NZ please sing out and an Hourglass one in a palette I have for setting makeup down. The Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder in Medium-I use this every day to make my face look like it's got something at least slightly resembling cheekbones. Blush-wise, if I'm not time pressed I use this-it's amazingly long lasting too. Otherwise I often reach for this Too Faced Gem in the shade I Will Always Love You. Lately I've been using bronzer too, Sunlit Skin Bronzing Powder x Mecca Max is my current favourite. It's showing up much darker online, I have the shade light so don't let that photo fool you. When I feel like it, I've been loving Blinded By The Light x Too Faced for highlighter. 

Eyes: Mascara I tend to rotate so I won't go into great detail other than to say the Wet N Wild mascara above really disappointed me. Mascaras smudging is not usually an issue for me but this one smudges like crazy. I regularly come home to find I look like Taylor Momsen at the height of her grunge phase. As for eyeshadow, I'm all about the light shimmers. I alternate between some Colourpop shadows, my By Terry Ombre Blackstars and this ride or die palette. 

Lips: Last but not least, as you can see from the above photo, I like my lip products. I mainly wear either Balm Dotcom-which also doubles as a quick glossy eyelid product, or nude lipsticks. Modesty x Mac or Brave (also Mac) are my favourites. When I'm after something a touch bolder, I love the Lancome Matte Shaker* in Pink or the L'Absolu Rouge lipstick in Idole. The latter is a shade Lisa Eldridge designed for herself and you know if Lisa's behind it, it will not disappoint.

So I think that covers everything for the makeup I gravitate towards for work. Let me know if you have any questions in the comments and what your work makeup essentials are. Enable/inspire me.

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Come December 1st, or if we are being honest here, November, I enter the festive mode. Things look a bit twinklier, I get old-school and write actual Christmas cards on actual paper, I start buying gifts for my loved ones, accumulating far too many of those vanilla-filled Cadbury chocolates (mmm) and compiling gift guides. The latter may just be one of my favourite tasks and while attempting to streamline these lists is a struggle, just wait until you see Friday's book offering, it's something I really enjoy. Today we have what I have deemed the Luxe Beauty guide. I'm sure some of these inclusions mightn't be so luxe elsewhere in the world so just as a general guideline, all the products featured here are $50 (NZ) or more. If you want to spoil a makeup loving friend or family member, I am sure one of these would go down a treat. Hey, maybe you want to treat yourself to one of these too. After all, it is Christmas...

YSL Mon Paris* Fragrance-If you really, really want to indulge then a new perfume is the best way to go about it. I am absolutely loving YSL's Mon Paris for this time of year. It is a sweet scent with a bit of a sexy vibe to it and unlike most perfumes I wear in Summer, it does not evaporate into oblivion within seconds of application. If we are talking aesthetics, the bottle is super pretty too and not too showy which I love. 

Lancome Les Petits Tresors eyeshadow* and Le Duo Khol liner*, limited edition-My photos really aren't doing the packaging of these eyeshadows justice but they're super glossy and super sparkly. The Les Petits Tresors shadows are really more of a pressed pigment, at least the one pictured is. This means they work best when applied with a dampened brush or worn over the top of cream products where they really shine. As this colour, which irritatingly doesn't have a name, is on the sheerer side of things, it adds a touch of iridescence without going too overboard. These liners make the perfect stocking stuffer as well. On one side you get a darker colour; pictured is the black liner and the other you have a more pearlescent shade, ideal for inner corner highlighting and eye brightening. I love two-in-one products like these, especially for traveling and throwing into my handbag to reapply during the day. 

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit in Surreal Light, limited edition-This palette is truly one for the beauty fanatics and I am sure many a girl would be ecstatic to receive this. Whilst the price tag may make you wince, you really do get your money's worth with this one as these palettes last ages. It is best suited to fairer skintones which is a rarity in the beauty world but that is why I have personally been getting a lot of use out of it. Who can resist that sleek, marble packaging as well. Swoon...

MAC Extra Dimension Skinfinish in Beaming Blush*-Each Christmas MAC usually bring an Extra Dimension collection out and they are always in high demand due to their limited status. This year, they have made the Extra Dimension skinfinishes permanent. The formula seems to have been jazzed up in the best way and now more than ever you can achieve that 'lit from within', Kendall Jenner/all the Victoria's Secret Angels glow. Beaming Blush is absolutely beautiful and may just about rival my love for Champagne Pop. This powder is one for the MAC lover and highlighting enthusiast. 

Charlotte Tilbury The Dolce Vita Palette-You cannot beat a beautiful palette at Christmas and Charlotte Tilbury's are so luxurious and stunning. There is an array of palettes, to suit a wide variety of eyeshadow needs and complement different skintones but my pick of the bunch is The Dolce Vita. Inside you have four beautiful, shimmering bronzes with, the exception of the cream-toned shadow. They all work beautifully and in honesty, this palette is worth buying for that pressed glitter alone. I'm not sure what Charlotte puts in it but it glides onto the lid like magic fairy dust and makes your eyes look stunning. 

Yves Saint Laurent Star Clash  Rouge Pur Couture lipstick in 01*, limited edition-Another luxury brand delivering on the glittery front is YSL. If I wasn't being so disciplined I would have grabbed the Touche Eclat in this packaging but it is more than likely sold out now. Boo. Hiss. Maybe next time wallet. This lipstick in the shade 01 is your true, vibrant red. Rumour has it that Alexa Chung is a fan of this shade. If you know someone who wants to channel the Chung then this is for them. There's also a beautiful nude in this packaging too. Did I mention it is embossed with stars, and in a glittery casing? Okay I will stop..

Jo Malone London Christmas Ornament, limited edition-Nothing whispers elegance in a glamorous way at Christmas time like Jo Malone. Their Christmas Crackers and Ornaments always go down a treat with their recipients and you cannot really go wrong. This year I think their ornament is rather exquisite as it contains a mini bottle of Peony and Blush suede, aka my favourite Jo Malone scent. Oh Jo Malone, so kind of you to design an ornament with me in mind. No, no, you hang up first. They have also included a Grapefruit Body Creme, another of my favourite scents when it comes to body products. Pro tip: If you are going through Auckland Duty Free you can save a little bit of cash on these, if they are still around. Otherwise they will set you back around $55. The perfect gift for the ladies in your life, or yourself if like me, treat yo'self is your philosophy. 

-What luxe beauty products are on your wishlist this year?

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I've just realised that we have a Monday-Friday lipstick wardrobe here which makes the post title all the more apt. The obsession with the youngest Jenner's cosmetics continues and there's even one or two luxe lip offerings in the mix as well. Whether you're after a statement red or a gentle introduction to the liquid lipstick world, all bases, or pouts, are covered...

The statement making red: Tom Ford beauty has recently arrived in New Zealand and I was lucky enough to be given one of their lipsticks for my birthday (shout out to you M). Everything about this lipstick screams luxury, from the sleek black and gold packaging, to the TF embossed lipstick bullet. The colour though is the real winner. I have the shade Wild Ginger, which has a MAC Lady Danger vibe to it. It's vibrant with those orange undertones but because it's a creamier formula, it's a touch less dramatic. This is such a flattering colour and it's easy to see why it's such a fan favourite. 

The low-maintenance (ish) red: I've tried and tested a few different liquid lipsticks from various brands and price points but Kylie Jenner's are still my favourite. Mary Jo K is described as a "true blue red". These are the kind of reds to wear if your skintone errs on the paler side of things. Think the red lipstick Angelina Jolie wears as Maleficent. I pair this with MAC's Redd lip pencil for a bit of extra longevity but honestly these are pretty long-lasting on their own. 

The gateway liquid lipstick: While the new YSL Lip Vinyls* aren't liquid lipsticks in the traditional sense of the word, I had to include them here. They're the product to go for if you want to ease into the idea of a liquid lipstick but aren't quite ready for the commitment. They have the longevity of a liquid lipstick combined with the staying power of a stain. The key difference is that they're a fraction glossier. I have the shades Rose Happening and Nude Pulse. Despite their names, they're both vibrant shades with amazing colour payoff. I love how comfortable they are to wear too. Being more on the glossier side of things they do need a touch up every now and again but because they act as a stain you can get away with not doing it too often. 

The experimental metallic lip aka the one to scare everybody with at Halloween: Scare might be entirely the wrong word here, I wouldn't call this colour frightening. Maybe in broad daylight it would attract a bit of unwanted attention but it's surprisingly not too difficult to wear. I'm talking about King K of course, one of Kylie's metallic liquid lipsticks. King K is described as a soft metallic gold, it definitely pulls lighter on the lips than it does in the bullet. In saying that I've seen this worn on people with deeper skintones and it seems to suit them as well. Maybe it's one of those chameleon-esque lip products that looks different on everyone. I'll be honest, given how pale I am currently this isn't the most flattering colour on me right now and I haven't had the confidence to wear it out of the house yet. Somehow though I still really like it. I just need to find the best way to wear it. If you have any suggestions, leave them below.

-What lip products are you using and liking at the moment?

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