Autumn Lip Edit

Happy Saturday! Autumn if you haven't already worked out is my favourite time of the year. I can wear all the cosy clothes, eat the super yummy food and Halloween, my birthday and Christmas are just that one step closer. But one of my favourite things about Autumn is that I can dig all my darker lip shades out and wear them on rotation until March when Spring dawns. So today I'm sharing with you just a few of my favourite shades to wear this Autumn and even later on in the Winter. 

My first and possibly my favourite lipstick of all time is the Smashbox Always On Liquid Lipstick in Out Loud. It is the perfect shade for Autumn/Winter and I've lost count of the amount of compliments I recieve when I wear this. It's a deep orange almost pumpkin shade that suits my fair tone stunngingly but would also suit more medium/deep tones beautifully. It's your standard matte liquid lipstick formula which means it can be drying if your lips are properly prepared beforehand but a bit of lip balm before and it wears comfortably for an amazingly long period of time. I've eaten and drunk whilst wearing this and the transfer is minimal. It's usually on the very inside of your lip that your lose anything if you do get any transfer at all. It's easy to top up/redo and if applied in thin layers, it can easily be layered up to make it last that little bit longer. 

If you don't fancy paying Smashbox prices, a good high street dupe for Out Loud is Groundbreaker from Maybelline. From their amazing SuperStay Matte Ink Range, Groundbreaker is a slightly more red toned burnt orange shade that will suit so many skin tones beautifully. On me the orange tones in it are more noticeable but I think on more medium to dark skin tones the red undertones are going to shine through and make it pop. These Matte Inks have the weirdest formula but they work well for people like me who have a tendency to forget lip balm on the regular. Long lasting, comfortable to wear, transferproof but no the normal powdery formula of a matte liquid lipstick. These still have a slight sheen to them and they don't completely dry down. There is always a slight tackiness to them that would make you believe they'd transfer easily but they don't. I've eaten burgers, roasts, KFC and more with them on and they haven't budged. If you're looking for something that's a little bit bougee but won't embarress you on date night, these are perfect for you. 

The second shade of the Maybelline SuperStay Matte Inks that I'm going to recommend to you is Founder. It's a deliciously dark berry shade that gives any look a vampy twist but isn't unwearable like a darker shade that they have in the range. I love pairing this shade with tops in black, white and grey as each colour gives this shade a different tone and it's amazing how it works. If I'm not feeling burnt orange shades during Autumn, this is the shade that I go to. It reminds me slightly of the infamous Rimmel/Kate Moss Shade 107 which was everyone's ride or die shade when I first joined the beauty community but without the drying, powdery matte formula. 

A more neutral shade from the Matte Ink Range that is still suitable around this time of the year is Soloist. This is actually one of four new shades that they released at the beginning of Autumn. It is a lovely greyish, lilac shade that doesn't look as bad as it sounds on the lips. It is a nice twist on a neutral or a berry shade during this time of the year and depending on your skin tone, depends on how much of the pink undertone shows through it. I seriously can not get enough of these liquid lipsticks, their so low maintenance whilst having such a high maintenance pop of colour that just makes any look. 

And the final lipstick and the final shade of Matte Ink I want to recommend in this Lip Edit is Pathfinder. Now as you can see it's more a pink shade but it's not a bubblegum pink but infact a raspberry pink. It's deeper pink tone means that fairer skin tones like mine can actually wear it without worrying about looking like Barbie. The tear shaped doe foot applicator distributes just the right amount of products onto the lips and it's pointed tip gives you a sharp line that not even some lip liners can get.

Halloween Book Recommendations

 

There's nothing I love more than curling up with a good book. If you've been keeping track of my What I Read posts this year then you'll already know that. But as Halloween draws nearer and we enter Spooky Season I've been wanting to read the more creepy, thriller types that work so well within this season. So today I thought I'd share with you a Halloween TBR that is a mixture of what I plan on reading, what I'm hoping to read and books that just scream Spooky to me.

House Of Salt And Sorrows- Erin A Craig 
Let's kick it off with the books I already own and one in particular that I've already read. House Of Salt And Sorrow is an enticing tale of learning to live again paired with the creepiness of the recently departed haunting the family home with a decieving and cunning trick running throughout. Follow the eight remaining sisters of the Thamaus Dozen, the story follows as they try to regain their footing in life after loosing four of their older sisters to untimely and somewhat horrific deaths. Oh and don't forget their much younger and still relatively new stepmother who is pregnant with what she believes to be the next heir to the family name as well as a handsome new stranger that catches one sisters' eye in particular. I knew I had to read this as soon as I stumbled across it on GoodReads and it really didn't disappoint. It's setting in a small sea faring town made it's creepy atmosphere that little bit creepier and at times the language used to describe the youngest sister's drawings sent a shiver down my spine. The perfect Halloween read for those who want creepy but still want to be able to sleep at night.

The Dreadful Tale Of Prosper Redding- Alexandra Bracken
I intially picked this next book up during the Summer months but quickly put it down until Autumn once I had read the first two chapters. The Dreadful Tale Of Prosper Redding follows a young boy called Prosper who believes himself to be the least extraordinary person in his family of remarkable people. That's until it comes to light that he is in fact hosting a demon that his great, great grandfather made and broke a pact with. Leaving him just days to break the curse now bestowed upon him, Propser also has to fight with all his might to stop himself for a agreeing on a new deal with his very convincing new body roommate. As I said I picked this up originally in August but the heavy Salem, Founding Father vibes the description of both the town and the characters gave me, meant that I had to put this book down until I wasn't sat reading in a 30C meltdown.

The Deathless Girls- Kiran Millwood Hargrave
This is the latest addition to my ever growing book collection and I'm not ashamed to say I've already devoured this book (excuse the pun). Advertised as a reimagining of the tale of Dracula's brides, this follows a set of traveller twins, Lil and Kizzy who's lives are turned upside down one horrific night. Now orphaned and seperate from the rest of their surviving traveller family, the pair are set to work as kitchen slaves under Boyar Valcar who's going out of his way to impress The Dragon, a hushed whispered name that sends fear shooting down everyone's spine. It's an amazing reimagining of the tale Dracula's Brides with a twist at the end I didn't even see coming. Even though I've just finished, I would happily read it again.

The Night Circus- Erin Morgenstern
This next book isn't spooky or chilling in the slightest but the premise just screams a cold October night that could lend itself to adding a chilling twist to this book. The Night Circus follows a mysterious travelling circus that appears for one night and one night only. And within it's ranks are two dueling magicians where only one can live but against their will they fall in love. Yet the game they're entangled in still needs to play out, with the fates of everyone involved. This book screams this time of year to me and if I have enough time this month I'm planning on definitely making a start on it.

The Haunting Of James Hastings- Christopher Ransom 
Now this next book isn't one of the literay world's finest but it definitely has a spooky/chilling vibe about it that is perfect for this time of year. The Haunting Of James Hastings follows James as he struggles to come to terms with the death of his wife. He's fallen into a habit of drinking himself into a stupor, sleeping with his neighbour to ease the loneliness and hearing his dead wifes voice. And that's where the creepiness comes into play. I'm not going to give much more away about the plot as it does get quite complex but trust me the part where he starts to not only hear but see his dead wife around their marital home is the part where I stopped reading it at night. It's not that I'm a wimp (I am) but because the way the scenes were written made it feel like you actually in them and there was a sensation of being watched but by whom a mystery.

Dracula- Bram Stoker
Dracula is one of those books I've always wanted to read but have always been a little put off at the same time after being forced to read it at school. I think that's a statement that stands with a lot of classics, especially when it comes to rereading them as an adult. Yet every Halloween I get the urge to read it but for some reason I never do. I'm not even going to bore you with the plot that everyone already knows and most love. Maybe if I have time this year, I'll finally get round to actually picking it up but it's definitely a brilliant Halloween read.

 Frankenstein- Mary Shelley 
As is this next book which again I was forced to read in school so have always had a copy but never reached for as an adult. Now I've always been fascinated by the story of Frankenstein not only by the monster he creates but what drives the young Victor Frankenstein to steal numerous and various body parts to create his creature. Sure this book has spanned a ton of films, tv series and books around the monster alone but it's an extremly diverse book that has you questioning your very exsistence after reading of the monsters poor isolated life of which he exacts his revenge for. Again if I have time this year I'll attempt to pick it up but it's more than likely this will be one that ends up waiting another year to be unearthed.

 The Strange Case Of Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde- Robert Louis Stevenson
Again another classic that I've been meaning to read for years is a tale as old as time. Jekyll and Hyde follows the tale of a London lawyer called John Utterson as he investigates and studies the strange and somewhat horrific occurrences between his old friend Dr Jekyll and his evil alter ego Mr Hyde. Again this has been portrayed throughout various types of media but I've always wanted to read it's original tale.

A Curse So Dark And Lonely- Brigid Kemmerer
And the last book I want to recommend for you this Halloween is another I've read recently. It's the least spooky of the bunch but has a darkness throughout that will keep you gripped to the very end. A Beauty And The Beast reimagining, this tale follows Harper who is transported to the beautiful yet cursed Emberfall as she attempts to save someone from being attacked in the street. There she meets Prince Rehn who's spent the last five years reliving the same season of his eighteenth birthday thanks to a curse bestowed upon him by Lilith. And he believes that Harper could be the one to break the curse before the creature cursed upon Emberfall returns at the end of the season. This book is amazing, Harper is an amazingly written female protaganist who doesn't let her disability (cerebal palsy) stop her from standing up for what she believes in, even if it means risking her own life. Not spooky at all but it has that darkness that the original tale of The Beauty And The Beast has. I'm already dying to get my hands on the sequel, especially after how this first book ended. 

Seasonal Skincare Switch Up

The temperature's has dropped, the wind has picked up and my skin has gone into a meltdown. Autumn is definitely here and that means it's time to take a minute to reassess what's in my daily skincare rotation. It's time to put away what worked for me during the sweltering Summer months and pull out some old favourites from last Autumn as well as adding in some new additions that are going to work well now the cold weather has arrived.

When it comes to changing my skincare to match the season, I go the whole hog. And that includes cleansers. During the warmer months I tend to go for more lightweight gel consistency cleansers but when it turns cold I reach for the oil cleansers straight away. Not only are they great for breaking down make up, they're also really good at nourishing the skin without leaving it greasy or weighed down. My absolute all time favourite comes from Superfacialist but lately I've been trying a new one from Superdrug and it works just as well but at half the price. Both contain Vitamin C which helps to brighten skin and leaves skin feeling soft to the touch.

And alongside oil cleansers I love a good rich balm cleanser. They leave my skin feeling so soft yet work to break down make up and cut through grime and dirt perfectly. I've tried a ton of different balm cleansers but none of them stand up to both the Clinique Take The Day Off Balm and Emma Hardie's Moringa Cleansing Balm. Both are balm to oily milky consistencies that break down make up; including mascara, without stinging the eyes whilst nourishing the skin without leaving it feeling greasy. I'd love to be able to say that the more inexpensive high street brands do amazing balm cleansers but they don't which is both surprising and unfortunate.

Now something that's great to keep in your handbag or on hand during the colder months is a facial spritz of some kind. With weather conditions such as cold, wind, rain and snow in some extremes, skin takes a real battering when we're outside. And that transition from the cold outdoors to a warmer temperature; mostly central heating related, inside doesn't help either. So a facial spritz is great for giving your skin a quick pick me up, even over the top of your make up. My personal go to sptritz is the Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic Spritzer as it contains a blend of Vitamin E, Calendula and Camomile which helps to nourish skin that dries out quicker during the colder months but also keeps any sensitivity at bay from things such as harsh wind and central heating. It's also a great refreshed over make up and won't cause your make to slide or smudge if you apply over top. Sure the full size is a little too large to be carrying around in your handbag but they also do an adorable travel sized bottle that'll be just what you need. However if you don't want to spend out on Liz Earle, Superdrug have just released a brilliant and inexpensive facial spritz. Their Vitamin C Energising Facial Spritz contains Vitamin C and Kakuda Plum Extract that work together to hydrate, brighten and soften skin. It smells divine, is a very fine mist that won't disrupt make up and gives skin a glow that can sometimes be lacking after a day battling Winter weather. And the best bit, it only costs a fiver.

During the Summer months, I tend to reach for lighter, gel like textures when it comes to moisturisers and serums but as soon as it turns cold, I find my skin needs something richer in texture that's going to penetrate skin deeper for a longer period of time. Last year I discovered the Liz Earle SuperSkin Moisturiser with Neroli and Cranberry Extract and this year it was the first thing I purchased when the colder weather first made it's appearence. It's rich in texture but not heavy on the skin, layers perfectly under make up, leaves skin feeling softer and helps to diminsh any redness in the skin. A little goes a long way and you'll actually feel your skin thanking you when you apply this. And if your skin is sensitive to fragrance, there is an fragrance free version which works just as well as the original. But it's not always just the daytime that your skin is going to need that richer texture when it comes to moisturiser. A rich night serum/moisturiser can easily be added to your nightly skincare routine to alleviate any dryness that being around central heating can cause. My favourite is the Simply Pure Hydrating Night Serum from Superdrug. It's rich but not heavy, doesn't leave skin feeling greasy but is extremely hydrating and is suitable for even the most sensitive of skins. Containg Hyaluronic Acid and Allantoin, this works to alleviate any dryness that your skin may be feeling without weighing down the skin or leaving it feeling overly greasy. I love applying this just before I go to bed some nights so that when I wake up the next day, I have super soft and hydrated skin which lends well to my AM routine and any make up I apply over top.

And finally I want to talk about oils. But first I'd like to bust the myth that oily skin types can't use oils. If you have an oily skin then you can certainly use oils, they aren't going to make your skin produce more oil, they're going to nourish and hydrate your skin which any and every skin type needs. Now I've got that off my chest, let's get back to why oils are an amazing addition to a Autumn.Winter routine. Oils nourish at a deeper level than most moisturisers do, with a majority of them containing ingredients such as Vitamin E, Cocoa Butter and Rosehip which all work to nourish the skin so that it stays hydrated and soft for a longer time. It also helps that all these ingredients work well with sensitive skins and can help reduce the appearence of blemishes and redness. The Palmers' Skin Therapy Face Oil is an absolute smash from the high street whilst remaining a hidden gem. It's lightweight for an oil but still works and feels like an oil when it's applied. This is the perfect oil to apply after you've removed your make up or after a pamper session. And the other that's impressed me recently is the Botanic Restoring Overnight Facial Oil. Packed full of Lavender Oil and Rosehip, this potent little number works as you sleep to help with cell turnover, hydration and diminishing any signs of fatigue. It's slightly heavier in texture but it doesn't leave horrible grease marks on your pillows and really works to give you an even complexion that's hydrated and soft to the touch the next day. I like to add a couple of drops of the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair to this when my skins being problematic. And it works, any redness flare ups, lingering blemishes or horrid under the skin bumps are long gone after one use of this concotion and my skin's back to it's best.

Recipe: Mini Spiderweb Bites With Marshmallow Buttercream

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a great weekend. Today I'm back with another Halloween themed bake that will work perfectly for any parties or nights in you may have planned over the spooky season. They may be small in size but they're packed with a mixture of melt in the mouth white and milk chocolate chips topped off with a marshmallow buttercream which will give anyone a sweet tooth.

Ingredients 
For The Cakes 
- 100g Caster Sugar
- 100g Stork/Margarine
- 100g Self Raising Flour
- 2 Eggs
- 25g Cocoa Powder
- 50g Milk Chocolate Chips
- 50g White Chocolate Chips

For The Buttercream
- 170g Unsalted Butter, softened
- 256g Icing Sugar
- 3 Tsp Double Cream
- 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 Jar Of Fluff
- Rice Paper Spiderweb Decorations

Method 
1- Pre heat oven to 180C. Line a twelve hole muffin tin with paper cases.
2- Into a bowl place your caster sugar and stork. Using either a stand mixer or silicone spatula/wooden spoon, cream together until pale in colour and smooth in texture.
3- Add one egg and a tablespoon of flour. Beat until fully combined.
4- Repeat with the second egg and another tablespoon of flour. Beat again until combined, taking time to scrape any mixture off the sides of the bowl.
5- Fold in the rest of your flour alongside the cocoa powder. Folding in the flour helps to keep any air you've already built into the mixture. I find it helps to create a lighter, tastier cake.
6- Fold in your chocolate chips and then spoon into the paper cases.
7- Bake for 15 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Usually I bake this kind of recipe for longer but as they are smaller in size they take less time to bake. You also don't want to overbake them as the cocoa in the mixture will dry them out and make them heavy and dry when you eat them.
8- Leave to cool in the tin for five minutes and then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
9- Now it's time for the icing. I've used this recipe before and I honestly don't know why I thought it would be a good idea to use it as my frosting for this recipe. Sure it's delicious but the Fluff gets absolutely everywhere no matter how careful you are with it.
10- Place the softened unsalted butter into a bowl and beat until it's soft, light and creamy. A stand mixer or an electric hand mixer is perfect for this as it can take a while.
11- Once you've got the right consistency, sift your icing sugar into the bowl and beat until smooth. I made sure to scrape around the sides of the bowl as I did this so no lumps were left sat on the side.
12- When all of your icing sugar has been added and the mixture is smooth, add your teaspoon of vanilla extract and the three teaspoons of double cream. Beat again until the mixture is smooth and everything is fully incorporated.
13- Now comes the fun part. Spoon the entire jar of Fluff into the buttercream mix and beat until fully incorporated. Do not get this stuff over your clothes, it will dry instantly and be a right cow to get rid of.
14- Once you're happy with your buttercream, spoon into a piping bag and gently pipe it onto the top of your mini morsels. I found I needed a really steady hand for this and that I did over ice quite a few of them as I thought I was icing a bigger cupcake.
15- When you've iced all of your mini morsels, pop the rice paper cobwebs in at an angle and leave them to set. These may take a little longer to set as the Fluff makes the buttercream quite sticky but they will set in the end.
16- Then all that's left is to enjoy them. I'm sure if you make them for any spooky related gatherings, they'll go down a treat. I know mine did.

Recipe: Nightmare Before Christmas Shortbread

Happy Friday!! If you don't know or couldn't tell from previous posts or my social media accounts, one of my favourite films ever is Nightmare Before Christmas. There aren't enough words to describe just how much I love it. And this year I wanted to incorporate it into my Halloween bakes which is where Etsy came very much in handy. I managed to find these amazing and decently priced cookie cutters on there. So today we have a simple shortbread recipe with a spooky twist, a brilliant recipe for any fans of Nightmare Before Christmas or Tim Burton.

Ingredients 
115g Butter
55g Caster Sugar
A Pinch Of Salt
175g Plain Flour

Method 
1- Pre heat oven to 180C. Line a large baking tray or two small baking trays with baking parchment.
2- In a bowl place your flour, sugar and salt.
3- Add the butter and rub in with your fingers until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
4- Keep rubbing together until it starts to form a dough. Add a little water if necessary to get the dough to stick together. Don't overwork the dough though, you want it still have that slight crumbliness to it that makes the shortbread that little softer in texture.
5- Once you have your dough, place on a lightly floured surface and roll out until a 1/2inch thick. Make sure you keep your rolling pin floured as the dough may stick to it once you've rolled it a few times.

6- Then comes the fun bit. Choose your first character and press the cutter firmly into the dough. I say firmly as you want it to actually imprint onto the dough but not to stick to the dough so it's ruined when you pull the cutter away.
7- Repeat with each of your characters, rerolling the dough each time until you have your desired amount. As the cutters I used are quite large I only managed to get two of each character out but that still gave me a good twelve pieces of shortbread.
8- Once you've filled your baking tray/s place them in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the edges are golden and the middles still a little soft. They'll soon firm up as they cool but you don't want to leave them in too long otherwise they'll catch and burn.
9- When they're cooked leave to cool on the tray for a few minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Or you could wait a few minutes and taste test one for yourself like I did.
10- All that's left then is to enjoy them. And trust me when I say one won't be enough and before you know it, you're entire batch will be gone.

Recipe: Easy Peasy Sugar Skull Cupcakes

Spooky Season is upon us! Yes it's finally October which means Halloween one of my favourite times of the year is drawing near. Which means not only do I get to decorate my room all spooky and cute but I get to bake as many Halloween bakes as I like and nobody can stop me.

Today we're starting with the simple, perfect for starter bakers cupcake recipe. I picked up these Sugar Skull decorations up from The Range in the Summer and have kept them safely tucked away until now. From the beginning of brainstorming what I wanted to do with these, I knew I wanted to do matching icings for each of the designs. However I originally planned to just make them all one flavour until I was sat pulling out the relevant colours and flavourings. And then I found myself picking out four different flavourings that work wonderfully with the simple but delicious vanilla sponge that sits underneath them. You don't have to do four different colours or flavourings but I love to play with colour and flavour when I'm baking so these seemed like the perfect excuse to let my creative side out a little more.

Ingredients
For The Cupcakes
- 100g Stork/Margarine
- 100g Caster Sugar
- 100g Self Raising Flour
- 2 Eggs
- 2 Tsp Vanilla Extract

For The Buttercream
- 200g Butter, softened
- 320g Icing Sugar
- Two Teaspoons Of Your Chosen Flavouring/ Flavourings
- Purple, Green, Pink And Yellow Gel or Paste Food Colouring
- A Pack Of Sugar Skull Decorations

Method
1- Pre heat oven to 180C. Line a twelve hole muffin tin with paper cases.
2- Into a bowl place your stock and caster sugar. Using a spatula, wooden spoon or stand mixer cream together until it's pale in colour and fluffy in texture.
3- Add one egg followed by a tablespoon of flour. Beat until combined.
4- Repeat with the other egg and another tablespoon of flour. Beat until well combined, scraping the edges of the bowl so nothing is left sitting on the sides.
5- Fold in the rest of your flour and the two teaspoons of vanilla extract. Take care when folding in your flour as you don't want to knock the air you've just built up out the mixture.
6- Spoon into your paper cases and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for five minutes and then transfer onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
7- Now it's time for the buttercream. Place your softened butter into a bowl and beat until smooth and soft in texture. I highly recommend using a hand mixer or stand mixer for this bit as it does have a tendency to take a while.
8- Once your butter is the right consistency, add half of your icing sugar and mix again. If you're using a hand or stand mixer be sure to start slow and build up the speed otherwise you'll be covered in icing sugar.
9- When you see buttercream starting to form, add the other half of your icing sugar and beat until fully combined. I always take time to scrape around the sides of the bowl so nothing is left sitting on the sides. And if your buttercream seems a little stiff, mix in a splash of milk and you'll have the perfect piping consistency.
10-  Now comes the fun part. As evenly as possible, split the buttercream between four separate bowls. Into each one add your different flavouring/colour combination you've chosen. I chose to flavour the pink cupcakes raspberry ripple, the purple vanilla custard, the yellow were lemon and the green were strawberry. But you can easily flavour them however you like or you can leave it as plain vanilla buttercream.
11- Once you've created your colourful masterpieces, spoon each buttercream into separate piping bags and ice your now cooled cakes. I used a variety of piping nozzles but my favourite is the Wilton 2D Flower nozzle. You'll notice that two of the colours have the same style piping as I just happen to have two of those nozzles.
12- Once you're happy with your piping, gently place a sugar skull decoration on top and leave to set.
13- Then all that's left to do once you've tackled that mountain of washing up this recipe has created is to enjoy them. These are perfect to make with the kids, for the kids or as an easy yet fun recipe if you're an amateur baker.