Still getting back into the swing of things after spending three weeks in New Zealand, in this post I share not only my favourite beauty products of the month, but also some bits and bobs I actually picked up there. (Also, given that October is also the month of Thanksgiving, some thoughts about being thankful.) Let’s jump right into my Beauty favourites in October!
Smith & Co. New Zealand Restore Handbalm
Oh, how revolutionary, a handcream, you’ll say, and you’ll be wrong. Dead wrong. I discovered the Restore Hand Balm in New Zealand, and it’s the best thing for dry hands and cuticles since forever. Travelling leaves my skin always dry, but New Zealand was something else. I just couldn’t make that sandpaper feeling of my hands go away, and both Weleda and L’Occitane weren’t up to the task. I tried this one, just because it was an open tester in a little gift shop when I came back from the pool. Instant! relief. Plus, the rather thick balm smells wonderfully like Christmas. (It does take a while to sink in, though.)
The company is from New Zealand, and does body care products and candles. They’re intent on using only ‘natural’ ingredients. There aren’t any parabens, mineral oil and SLS in their products. Their products are not animal tested and are made in New Zealand. They’re also quite pricey (I paid about 15€ for 80ml).
But whatever, when my hands are really dry, that’s the cream that’s going to relieve it. Bummer, though, that you can’t get it outside of New Zealand and Australia, because it’s a great product, and I’d like to test their range.
Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in Cruel (Metallized)
After running around New Zealand for three weeks basically without any makeup, I was happy to see Mecca Maxima in Auckland just a day before flying back. I had serious makeup withdrawals by then and threw myself into the store. (That sounds a bit more dramatic like it actually was, but I was happy to see some makeup, ok?) I’ve been wanting to dabble around with metallic lipsticks forever, and then I came across Cruel, a nice neutral red with metallic shimmer. It wears fine (meaning the metal bits don’t feel gritty), isn’t as longwearing as a matte lipstick but holds up ok (if you eat though, it’s gone), but isn’t as bone-sucking dry as a matte lipstick either.
Nevertheless, it’s not the texture or formula that made me like it. It’s the colour. This is a red that makes people look at you, and it’s nothing like a sophisticated satin formula. No, this one screams fun, screams cocktails and dancing and (maybe) Christmas and ruby red slippers. That’s the kind of lipstick it is, and I love it for that.
Fun Lacquer Incredible
I’m an indie polish girl. Lately, I’ve been bored by most indie polishes, though, but this little bottle changed that. Incredible is part of their anniversary trio, and it’s limited edition. But if you want to have one unusual polish, make it one of the three versions. They’re duochrome (yeah, they’ve been around for a bit), which isn’t particularly exciting. But they’re magnetic duochromes, meaning if you come close to the wet polish with a magnet, you’ll be able to create a cool ‘cat’s eye’ effect.
Maybe you remember magnetic polishes from way back when all they did was getting a pale pattern when you went in with the magnet. But these ones? They come alive in different colours, they shimmer, they shift, they’re magical. I’ve used them over a dark base each time I painted my nails, because they’re on the sheerer side. There’ll be a restock on Fun Lacquer’s own site in the middle of November, and right now you can pre-order them at Hypnotic Polish as well. I got all three, and I think they’re truly something special.
What I’m thankful for
October is Thanksgiving month, plus we’ve just started that little tradition at Twindly that you’ll name one thing you’ve been thankful for in our weekly meetings. Which works out great, because you always start things on a really positive note that kind of sets the vibe. This month was total shit for me, and I was incredibly thankful for my friends and colleagues who were there for me. My oldest friend made sure we could talk for a few minutes, just to cheer me up, between her bringing the kiddies to kindergarden and her leaving for work. Astrid made sure I had time for myself and kept the blog and IG running. They were, simply, the best, and I couldn’t have made it out alive if it wasn’t for them.
If you’re missing Astrid’s favourites have a peek at our Instagram, where she’s been sharing some of the products she loved recently. Next month it’ll be both of us again!
