Seasonal beauty changeover has begun; opting for heavier scents, deeper lipsticks, and increasingly luscious creams (to combat winter dryness). Which gives you an insight into my three favourites of the month, which I’ve been using on repeat. Let’s dive in.
Commodity Paper EDP (expressive)
It’s during the winter that my bolder, headier fragrances really shine. Colder, darker days seem to call for warming scents, so anything that is earthy or woody tends to be my pick. I’ve been enjoying Commodity’s Paper (expressive), which works well as a unisex scent. Very musky, with key notes of Iso E Super, Cedarwood and Sandalwood. Fragrance can be tricky to describe even at the best of times, but what I like about Commodity’s recent brand overhaul is that each fragrance comes in three iterations; personal, expressive, and bold, depending on how “loud” you want your fragrance to be.
Merit Beauty Signature Lip Lightweight Lipstick in ‘Tiger’
My everyday lipstick of choice, is this brown-leaning brick red from Merit Beauty. The formula is in my eyes, perfection. Very reminiscent of Bobbi Brown’s Crushed Lip Colour, but with a much more unique colour range. I have the shades Slip, 1990 and Tiger, and it’s the latter that I’ve found myself wearing the most. Described on their site as a brick red, it’s got this grungy quality to it that doesn’t feel to stark or high contrast, even when I’m at my palest. Not as heavy as a traditional lipstick, this can be worn more as a wash of colour over the lips, or layered up if you want more pigment (it layers well, FYI). Creamy and nourishing when applied, which I put down to the inclusion of my favourite skincare ingredient – squalane. Because of hydrating nature, it does tend to wear down relatively fast, so I’ll typically reapply a few times over the course of the day.
Go-To Very Luxe Face Cream
I like how on the website this is described as a best mate for thirsty skin. Because I couldn’t have put it better myself. In my mid-thirties now, I’m noticing my complexion changing. And more specifically, which products my skin loves (and which it prefers I’d remove from rotation…). My skin drinks this up; despite being quite rich and thick (but creamy!), it sinks in quickly and doesn’t leave an oily residue. I tend to use this at night, applying a generous amount that I also take down my neck. What I’ve noticed is plumper-feeling skin, and less of that “dry” feeling in the morning post-shower. This is all thanks to the formulation, which includes three types of ceramides to combat dehydration, as well as vegan collagen to improve skin elasticity. I’m yet to notice any major changes to the quality of my skin otherwise (like reduced appearance of wrinkles and pigmentation etc), but will keep you posted. At any rate, it’s beyond pleasant to use, feeling like a little touch of luxury in my evening skincare routine (without the luxury price point!).
