The Top Shelf | August Beauty Favourites

It would appear that since this blog's conception I have been remiss in sharing a favourites post. The months just fly by, and my new month resolutions do as well, and I seem to see no light at the end of the procrastination tunnel.

Righto then, enough self deprecation, on with some things that I have been loving, monthly favourites, current favourites, duck's nuts...or as I like to call mine, The Top Shelf.

Kate Somerville Goat Milk Creme - one of the many times that Caroline Hirons spoke, and I listened. Goat Milk Creme is my go-to night cream. It is hydrating and nourishing without being heavy or greasy. On application you will noticed quite a glow...it does take a good five minutes to absorb properly. With the added benefit of a dash of lactic acid, this white pillowy goodness gets the job done. This is my second jar...thanks Kate...love your work.

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye - I can't actually remember where I got this deluxe sample size from, but it has lasted me for ages! It has a velvety, silicone texture and feels very lightweight. Rich emollient eye creams tend to cause me to wake up with extremely puffy eyes, so this one fits the bill nicely. I use it both morning and night, and it has the added bonus of smoothing those pesky fine lines around my eyes. I haven't dared look to see how much the full size is...

NARS Light Reflecting Pressed Powder and his handy companion the elf Kabuki brush have been my daily duo for setting my makeup. The kabuki's bristles are not too densely packed, and very soft. It picks up and deposits this gorgeous powder perfectly. I tap it in the pan and press it gently over my face. It sets my foundation beautifully, and I love the subtle blurring, and illuminating effect it gives my tired old face. Big thanks to Jodi from Goo Roo Beauty who warmly recommended this lovely powder. I would certainly repurchase.

A recent newcomer to the Australian hair care market is the brand Fuente, Glamourous By Nature. Well known and loved internationally, the brand uses natural and organic ingredients in both its Salon colouring, and hair care products, fusing luxury with sustainability. I was recently gifted these three products for consideration, at a time when my hair was driving me nuts. It was frizzy, unmanageable and I had a very dry, irritated scalp. The Moisture Wellness Shampoo, and the Moisture Wellness Care ( conditioner ) are very nourishing, and have made a huge difference to the condition of both my hair and scalp. Designed to restore 'bounce and shine', I noticed a big improvement after 2-3 uses. If your hair and scalp need a hydrating kick, these two will do the job nicely. My hair feels so nice after I use the shampoo, I almost think I could get away without using the conditioner. They both have a pleasant, clean subtle scent, not at all overpowering.

Soft Ice is certainly not your 90's style sticky hair mousse. Far from it. This is your leave-in conditioner and volumiser in one. A multi-tasking mousse!! I work it through my hair evenly prior to blow drying, and crikey it gives you some volume! If I choose to let my hair dry naturally, I am never left with crunchy sticky hair, it just feels soft and conditioned. The only beef I have with this product is the dispenser. a light squeeze will deliver a rather large amount, and too much product just weighs my hair down, so to avoid wastage, I recommend a light hand on the nozzle! Oh, and by the way, it smells really good...like really really good. A little bit sweet, a little bit coconutty...need I say more?

I though I would include a favourite nail combo from a manicure I posted on instagram recently. I used OPI Don't Bossa Nova Me Around for my base and L'Oreal Sequin Explosion for my glitter gradient. I wasn't sure about it at first, but it grew on me, and I got so many compliments! Here it is below.

Oh the curse of dry, itchy winter skin! These two body oils have absolutely been my skin saviours this winter.  The Monoi Tiki Tahiti Vanilla Coconut oil...ugh... words cannot describe how good this smells!! As you can see it is solidified in the bottle at present due to our cold temperatures, but doesn't take much to soften up enough to squeeze out a blob. I typically use this in the shower, after cleansing, just before I hop out. Any body product with a high oil content will serve this purpose nicely, even plain coconut oil. You don't need a specific in-shower moisturiser. I can safely say that I will always have a bottle of this vanilla/coconut loveliness in my stash. Highly recommend.

Antipodes Heavenly Body Oil is absolutely heavenly in every sense of the word. A base of avocado and macadamia oil with Jasmine, Lavender and Ylang Ylang, this oil's fragrance is stunning. If you love lavender, and I mean really love lavender, then you will adore this body oil as much as I do. As nourishing and nutrient rich as the oils are, it is suprisingly lightweight and absorbs quickly and easily. I was gifted this body oil by Antipodes a few months ago, and when it runs out I will be purchasing another. If you suffer from stress, have trouble sleeping or difficulty quietening a busy mind, this indulgent oil will do wonders. Gorgeously glowing, fragrant skin on your list? It's on mine.

I discovered Benefit's fakeup under eye concealer in January of this year, and have used it almost daily since then. You can read my full review of it here to find out more. The elf High Definition Undereye Setting Powder is a fairly recent purchase, but I had to include it in this post, because I love it so much! It manages to set my concealer without looking powdery or dry, whilst cleverly brightening the undereye area beautifully. The Real Techniques setting brush applies it perfectly. I have found these two products to work really well together, and I would not hesitate to warmly recommend both.

NYX Butter Gloss in Vanilla Cream Pie, and CHI CHI Dramatic Lip Laquer in the shade Bombshell have been my choice for a quick, easy wash of neutral pink. They look a little intense in this picture, but are definitely more muted and subtle in real life. Both offer a nice bit of colour and shine, and feel comfortable on the lips. 

Lanolips Banana Balm is my evening, and sometimes daytime, sometimes anytime lip treatment. It has an almost moussy fluffy texture, a tiny bit of shimmer, smells like a banana and feels amazing on your lips. The perfect antidote for a dry, chapped winter kisser. I am quietly obsessed with it, and was very excited to hear the news that there are three new flavours launching next month. Peach, Apple and Strawberry will be released in late September at Mecca Maxima for all you Aussie girls. I'm smacking my lips in anticipation...

Do leave a comment below if you have tried any of these products! What are the current beauty bits that have made it to your Top Shelf? I would love to hear from you as always!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Blessings,

Lou xo

Disclaimer: I have purposefully mentioned the products that have been gifted to me in the body of this post. As always, my opinions are my own, and always honest. I am not aware if anyone else uses the term The Top Shelf for their favourites...if you do, then be completely flattered that I unknowingly borrowed the phrase! Cheers! xo