5 Beauty Tasks to Conquer this Autumn

Are you fed up of hearing about the Autumn we've yet to slink into? I'm not but then again I am that annoying person who burns cinnamon tinged candles all year around, dreams of bundling up in layers and living solely on soup. I am however fully aware that others enjoy the last days of Summer, and don't quite welcome the darker and crisper days with open arms. Hopefully one thing we can all agree on is a new start; a chance to finally do all those things we promised ourselves while lapping up a little Vitamin D a few weeks ago? Perhaps you promised to downsize your beauty stash and let go of all those half used and dried up tubes of mascara, or maybe you are looking for a little inspiration on what to tackle?


1, The quarterly check - I have no idea if this a concept that I have invented, or something that has nestled in my subconscious due to numerous YouTube Videos; either way every four months I clear the time and space to check all is well with my beauty stash. I typically start with my skincare items: sniffing, looking for signs of texture change, and generally ensuring that anything that may have become neglected over the Summer months is still fit for use. Next I move on to make-up and deploy a similar tactic - I check that lipsticks do not smell foul and let go of any open mascaras that are older than three months. It is time consuming but so worth it, if you find "beauty best before" dates a little confusing, I have an in-depth article here that explains what to look for and when.

2, Create a new capsule beauty bag - Understandably not everyone adheres to seasonal trends, i.e coral lips and bronzed skin in the days of Summer and luxe, vampy shades when the cooler months arrive, however I do urge you to "shop your stash" and use the change of season as a chance to rotate your day to day beauty basics.

Dig out the foundation you once deemed the wrong shade or consistency and see if it works for you now, ditto shades of lipstick and blush that perhaps didn't suit you in the warmer season.

I also suggest taking the time to empty out all your handbags (and in my case coat pockets), your desk at work and general other make-up hiding places (under the sofa, your car, the fridge...don't judge I don't sleep well) and see what once neglected pieces you happen to re-discover - trust me it is a cheaper alternative to a mad dash down the beauty aisles of Superdrug.

5 Beauty Tasks to Conquer this Autumn

3, Buy one new thing - Restraint is not a word I am often associated with but I'm going to try my upmost to practise what I preach...

So you've created a new day to day capsule beauty bag but feel there is something missing? Maybe you didn't find the matte lip shade you could've sworn you owned, or perhaps you simply want to try something new and exciting? Well I'm going to suggest rather than purchasing five new lip shades in the hope one will turn out to be your new signature shade, you only purchase one and commit to it. Yes one thing.

With endless beauty blogs, sites and opinions with a little research you should be able to source the very shade and/or product you want, rather than going out on a limb with a random item you spotted on sale. Dig a little deeper, Google shades and only purchase what you love - you'll use it more and save money too.

4, Try one new thing - So you haven't mustered up the courage to slick on a deep, shade of lipstick yet but admire all those that pull of the trend effortlessly, maybe you've yet to master the feline flick of liner that so many do with ease; whatever it is that tops your beauty to-do list make it a priority this Autumn. In my opinion YouTube is a wealth of knowledge for such dilemmas, what ever technique you are trying to nail, you can all but bet there is at least 10 wonderfully education tutorials available to get you where you need to be.

5, Make your routine work for you - Are you vigilant with daily SPF protection? Do you always remember to apply night and eye cream? Perhaps your hands need a little extra T.L.C? We all have an area we neglect. The easiest method I have found is to a, keep the product in plain view - i.e place your hand-cream beside the hand-wash in your bathroom and night products beside your bed so they are a constant reminder; and b, leave a post-it note on your mirror. Yes the latter sounds bizarre but if it is something you apply facially, chances are you will have to glance in the mirror and there said note will be, to gently nag you into applying whatever it is you don't naturally reach for.

What changes, if any, will you be making?