Halloween Skin & Makeup Treats and the magic of pumpkin!

MEOWWWW

Waterloo…..

I love a bit of fancy dress whether it's strutting my stuff as an Abba chick (here's the proof), or last years Halloween outfit that thanks to the cat mask didn't give my age away, and so every year I join in with the kiddies and take them trick or treating.  It's just a bit of fun and a nice way to actually nose into other people’s front hallways and judge if I should let my kids play with their kids.  It's also a great way to gauge the neighbours to see which ones are game and frankly which ones are miserable old sods.

I also have to admit that I do like decorating the outside of the house, although this year I won't be leaving a bowl of candied delights on the doorstep, whilst we venture off around the roads. Yes, I spied the teenage idiot that ignored the 'please pick one and leave some for others' note, I had thoughtfully placed on the bowl.  I wouldn't have mind so much but he took the friggin bowl too.  I also won't be buying any spiders this year as I really don't need the anxiety attacks of seeing any 8 legged creature fake or not, hovering by my front door.

So this year I've been looking at products that sound scary, have the odd pumpkin ingredient but can be used all year round.  The great thing about these products is they make a great gift for your hostess if you've been invited to any Halloween parties, that's if you don't decide to keep for yourself!

Lush Halloween 2016 collection prices from £3.50 www.lush.co.uk

Every time I feature Lush I have a strange dejavu occurrence. It could be as I always repeat myself on how fun the products are, how cheap they are and how my kids both end up in fisticuffs (well almost), over who has what bath bomb. This year they've spoilt the whole family rotten with something for everyone. My favourite is the Goth Fairy Shimmer Bar that acts as nourishing body moisture that leaves delicate shimmering sprinkles wherever you want to sparkle.  It’s packed full of gorgeous essential oils such as uplifting grapefruit and bergamot and leaves your skin soft and gently fragranced.

For my son the Monsters Ball Bath Bomb was his favourite, whilst it's supposed to emulate the Abominable Snowman it actually looks like Mike from Monsters Inc. However, it was me that used it, as I couldn't resist the abyss of fruit salad with revitalizing lime and neroli.  Also the Himalayan rock salt, known for its skin soothing and healing properties removed the irritation from my itchy skin (caused by recent stress).  He also loved the Boo Bath melt that smelt in his words like ‘donuts’!

For my daughter, she loved the Autumn Leaf’s woody scent and the fun factor as we all watched the colourful change mimicking autumn colours, as the bomb fizzed green, yellow and red! (Didn't catch on camera as last time it fell into the water - lesson learnt). 

Too Faced Melted Matte Stain Evil Twin £16 www.toofaced.com

The must have colour not just for Halloween but for this Autumn/Winter is the dark, red claret as seen on nearly every model from runway to magazines. 

Evil Twin is the perfect shade for a deep, mystic look and can be worn in a multiple of ways. For a daytime look, lightly tap the colour to the centre of the lips and spread out for a hint of a deep berry stain. Or apply all over and then wipe off with a baby wipe to leave lips with a stain just slightly darker than your natural lip colour.  For evening vamp it up with full on coverage and if you dare, apply gloss over the top for pure glamour. It contains Vollulip, which helps prepare lips plump and smooth the lips for the matte texture and also treats lips with nourishing Avocado oil and Vitamin E.  Best of all it lasts all night! Tip - use a lip pencil in a neutral shade or same shade to stop any bleeding, as dark colours can do this! Or use a wet wipe to remove any slight excess that may seep into fine lines around the mouth. 


Pur Hydrating Lip Lacquer £16 www.lookfantastic.com

The opposite end to a matte this hydrating lip colour is full of glossy shine and is like a drink for parched, dry lips.  I tested Mystic, a rich berry shade that made my lips glisten.  The applicator itself is unique as the sponge head contains 14 tiny holes, giving a ‘showerhead’ effect to ensure even coverage upon application.  To get the colour to the sponge tip you do need to twist the applicator quite a few times, so don’t panic as it the colour does push up!  I love the texture as it leaves lips with light reflecting shimmer, giving the illusion of plump and youthful lips and as for the colour - it's like a bite into a juicy punnet of raspberries. 

Kat Von D Makeup www.debenhams.com

I was so excited to see this brand come through my post, as it’s only just been launched in the UK.  The brand itself is 100% animal-cruelty free and many of the items are vegan, (note the company are working towards all the products becoming vegan), and has a huge following in the States and it’s easy to see why.

The Studded Kiss lipstick £16 is multi-purpose product insofar as it’s infused with antioxidants and vitamins to treat the lips and keep them in top condition, whilst at the same time delivering a highly pigmented colour.  Vampire is the deepest, blood red ideal for Halloween and Christmas parties.

Everlasting Liquid Lipstick Damned £16 lasts for 24 hours and passed my drink, eat and kiss test, without transferring onto the boyfriend! The formula is applied like a gloss but finishes to a very soft matte and leaves lip with almost a veil of the softest powder. Best of all it didn’t highlight the tiny cracks on my dry lips, which other matte products often do. I have to say this is one of my favourite textures as it's so wearable for day or night!


Innerstellar Eyeshadow Palette £36

The only palette you will need this Autumn/Winter to take you through day to night, is the Innerstellar.  The names of the colours speak for themselves such as Nightcrawler, 3am, Moonshine, Killing Moon and Astrological. Think shimmering, night-time shadows oozing mystery and glamour, whilst day-time go for the neutral, nude base shades. The palette contains 3 base shades with complimentary matte and shimmer shades underneath, and so you can play and create many different looks, and the colours suit all skin tones and eye shades. My favourite is the lilac, which really accentuates brown eyes and the silver, which makes blue eyes appear icy. The quality of the pigments ensures no creasing and most importantly are a doodle to blend - note that I have literally just used my finger to apply the lilac shade to my eyelid - without blending or using any brushes or base colour.

Angela Langford Rest & Regenerate £39 www.angelalangford.com

If you’re finding the cold weather and long drawn evenings are leaving your skin looking dull, then this wonder cream is your perfect pick me up. The magical ingredient is Pumpkin, which is rich in omegas 3, 6 and 9 as well as zinc, magnesium, vitamins A & B, betacarotene and potassium! Phew! This cocktail of active ingredients, alongside oils of argan, jojoba, rosehip, evening primrose and macadamia, will help regenerate your skin, whilst giving a lifting effect and is ideal for mature skin types or those who need a little bit of oomph.

I loved testing this as the texture is completely luxurious. A rich, semi-solidified balm packed full of oils, but just a tiny amount warmed in the palms of my hands and then pressed across my face, left my skin glowing.  It’s used as a night cream as this is when your cells regenerate and make the most of the ingredients, so when you wake up your skin feels sooth and rested. It smells utterly divine and was just the tonic my dehydrated skin needed however, I would avoid if you have oily skin.

Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel £29.50 / Renaissance Bright Light £85  www.oskiaskincare.com

I've been using Oskia for the last month but not these specific products, and judging by how my skin is looking and feeling I was very excited to test the above.


Oskia only use the highest quality of ingredients and have included pumpkin enzymes in both these products.  However, the process of transforming this ingredient to the skin is achieved by fermenting the fruit with lactobacillus lactis (good bacteria) which breaks down other biomolecules in the fruit.  For us readers this basically means that the enzymes which are left, focus on exfoliating the dead layers of the skin, the dull layers and the ones that leave us with that dreary complexion.  Added to this potion are other fruit extracts such as papaya again known for it's exfoliation properties however, unlike harsh synthetic exfoliators these are all natural fruit extracts and so ideal for sensitive skin. Both these products used alone or in conjunction with each other, are perfect for achieving a bright, clear complexion and especially for those who suffer from pigmentation. The cleansing gel is lightweight and perfect for both myself who has dehydrated skin and also my daughter who suffers with hormonal, teenage stressed skin. It didn't leave skin feeling tight, like some cleansers do and so I would recommend it for sensitive, dry skins.

The Renaissance Bright Light contains an abundance of active ingredients such as Hyaluronic Acid, which aids in plumping and adding hydration to the skin. A fermented mineral complex, which includes magnesium, iron, zinc and silicon to heal and boost the skins cell turnover. Most importantly it really targets brown patches caused by sun, general ageing and hormones with a cocktail of Bearberry Leaf Extract, Swiss Cress Liposomes and vitamins proven to combat future pigmentation.