It’s been a while since I last posted about a few beauty favorites, but I’ve gotten some really good ones since then. I always look for items that are easy to use and will only buy things that have genuinely impressed me.

It takes a lot of searching for products that fit the bill, so I thought I’d share my most-loved ones with you each month.

Here are my picks for September:

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick Compact in Bronze

Now that summer is over, my skin looks a tad too ghostly, so a few swipes of this leave me feeling a little more radiant (and looking more alive). Depending on how much color I want, I can swipe my brush over different sections of the palette, making it easy to apply and easy to build.

I’ve got a few of these shimmer bricks now, but this one’s become a firm favorite.

NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dragon Girl

With that name, how could I not love this lip pencil? Isn’t it funny how a name can affect how we feel about a product? I’ll never choose a paint color if I don’t love its moniker—I still remember choosing ‘Verona Pink’ for my bedroom growing up because the name was so enchanting. But sometimes, you want to be less fair Verona and a bit more Mother of Dragons.

The shape of this pencil also makes it simple to apply with precision—much less intimidating than a normal lipstick bullet!

Aēsop Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm

Little known fact about me: I almost never wear hand lotion. I simply can’t stand the greasy feeling after I’ve put it on and I seem leave a mark on anything I touch! Even after manicures, I usually rinse my hands to remove any lotion that’s been applied.

Then I found this. (Well, actually Lindsay recommended it!). First off, the smell is beautiful but delicate. Second, it doesn’t leave any of that dreaded greasy residue whatsoever. My hands are left feeling perfectly moisturized!

Aēsop Ginger Flight Therapy

Flying. It’s a terrifying thought.

For me, not the time spent in the actual airplane, but everything surrounding it: lugging my bags on a bus and tube, hoping the security line isn’t too long (and that the airport employees aren’t in a bad mood), making my way through the crowded and unbearably loud airport in search of water and snacks, then arriving to my gate to participate in what feels more like a cattle call than a boarding procedure. Frankly, it’s a relief to finally get on that plane!

For the stressful bits, I apply this calming roller scent to my wrists and neck, and it makes it all feel just that much more bearable.

Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Eyeshadow Palette in The Sophisticate

Another name I love! Who doesn’t want to feel a tad more sophisticated from time to time?

And the colors look sophisticated too—nothing too dark or shimmery! Plus I love that Charlotte Tilbury products always have accompanying videos (and instructions) so that even a novice like me can apply the shades like a pro. Each color has a different purpose and place—the cream for the inner corners and base, the medium brown for the lids and so on.

Beauty made simple.

Until next time,

Brenda