My Autumn beauty essentials....

It felt like Autumn began in July, where it rained so hard most days that the leaves began to fall off the tress, then came a mixed August and a mini heatwave at the beginning of September, but I think it's time to accept that Autumn is finally here. I'm not one of those people who loves Autumn - don't get me wrong, I count each day as a blessing but I'm more of a Spring person (I would say Summer but we rarely get more than a few warm days in Ireland and it drives me mad when people moan about it being too hot when we do get those few warm days!), however despite the dark mornings and evenings, I do appreciate the beautiful colours that nature provides and I love apple crumble - two things that I definitely associate with Autumn. In terms of beauty, there are a few items that I can't be without and I want to share them with you today.

Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream: A cult product for a reason! This can be used on the lips, elbows, cuticles, knees - anywhere that is dry and in need of a quick injection of moisture. It's also very soothing and is perfect for calming the skin so it really is an all rounder and a product worth having in your stash. I find that the tiniest amount goes a long way, which makes it a great value product. When I use it on my lips, I find that it doesn't need to be re-applied as frequently as a regular lip balm. If you want to buy, use the code BEAUTYLYMIN to save 21% at checkout on Lookfantastic.

L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream: I always have a hand cream from this brand on the go! I'm fortunate enough to be kindly gifted some products from the brand but I also buy just as many and have two other scent variations of this as backups in my stash. I use hand cream several times a day, every day, however in the colder months, this one is particularly welcome because it is super nourishing and soothing. My hands feel cocooned in moisture, yet it isn't greasy. If this is a brand that you've wanted to try for a while, I'd really recommend one of their Advent Calendars because the sizes of the products are enough for you to decide which ones you would like to buy in full size, plus they contain a variety of products for the hands, feet, body, face and hair.

L'Occitane Nail and Cuticle Oil*: I tend to use a cuticle oil in the evenings but can sometimes be inconsistent, however as the colder months roll in, I use it nightly. I keep it with my hand cream and lip balm as products to use at the end of the evening and having it to hand means I won't forget. I dab a little on to each cuticle and then massage into my nails as well as the cuticles and it really does make a difference in terms of moisture, but also makes pushing them back a lot easier.

Body Oil:  I add a body oil into my routine at this time of year (still use body creams/lotions too as I moisturise daily) as sometimes my skin needs that extra injection of nourishment. I love how supple my skin feels when I use an oil but I don't like anything too greasy. At the moment, I'm loving Mio Go With The Flow Body Oil, which has a light, relaxing scent and a beautiful texture that absorbs into the skin very easily, without leaving a residue or film on the skin. 

Body Scrub: I use body scrubs all year round, but use them more frequently in the winter months to keep my skin soft and smooth, to get rid of any dry skin patches and to prep skin for my weekly self tan. At the moment, my go-to is one from Coco and Eve, which smells divine (think tropical island, but fresh and fruity, rather than a warm coconut scent), is effective enough to keep my skin feeling soft and smooth, but also isn't so abrasive that it will tear the skin. Again, you can save 21% on this by using the code BEAUTYLYMIN on Look Fantastic.

Retinol Body Lotion: I have used body lotions containing lactic acid on the backs of my arms for quite a few years, and in the colder months, this would change to all over my body, but this year I've decided to try a retinol body lotion and have two for two budgets: Versed Press Restart Retinol Body Lotion (budget and reduced even further with my BEAUTYLYMIN code on Look Fantastic) and Paula's Choice Retinol Body Treatment. The reason that I've switched it up is that these lotions will not only nourish and smooth the skin, but they'll also help with uneven skin tone and help to firm the skin. The Versed one is more for evening use as it takes a little bit more effort to massage into the skin, due to the texture whereas the Paula's Choice has a very light texture that applies and absorbs easily. It glides onto the skin and sinks in immediately, which means there is no hanging around in the cold before getting dressed.

I also like to switch up my skincare as the temperature drops but will show those products in an upcoming post or this one would be the length of a book!

Have you made any changes to your beauty routine yet? Are you an Autumn fan? I'd love to hear!

Thanks for reading!

All products are bought by me, unless otherwise stated. Anything marked with a * has been kindly gifted, without obligation. I don't do sponsored posts. Opinion is always my own. Affiliate links may be used.