My Favourite Shades To Reach For In A/W That Aren't Red

It's probably fair to say that the blogging world is rife with transitional beauty posts right now and typically we all gravitate towards the same things when the season rolls around. And don't be fooled, I love a good sparkly eye and red lip as much as the next girl but realistically for day to day I'm not going to be slicking on that powerful red hue. But when the cooler seasons do roll around I do like to switch things up a little, of course, you don't have to and if you want to go into the season still wearing all the peach shades you can lay your hands on then be my guest. However, if you do want to switch things up but not go down that traditional red and berry route here are some of my favourite shades right now.

LIPS

LANOLIPS LIP OINTMENT RHUBARB*: The Lanolips lip ointments have been a staple in my lip balm collection for a long time. For a somewhat budget option, they are absolutely incredible for repairing and adding hydration to the lips. The original will always be one of my favourites to reach for as an overnight option but during the day when I want a light wash of colour all over the lips, I like to reach for the shade Rhubarb. It's a very pretty darkish pink that is quite sheer on the lips so if you're a lover of very minimal makeup then this may be something you love. As in this season, we all probably want a little bit more hydration and protection as well as the touch of colour.

NARS AUDACIOUS BARBARA*: This has been my favourite lip colour to go for lately. It's nothing out of the ordinary by any means, it's a very pretty pinky nude that leans on the more dusky side of proceedings. I love to reach for shades like this all year around but in A/W they really come into their own I think as they're so simple but they allow you to have free reign with the rest of your makeup. The Nars Audacious lipstick formulations are absolutely beautiful, I thought they might have been a little overhyped but that wasn't the case at all they are stunning. Opaque in one swipe and so long-lasting, they wear so comfortably but they don't slip and slide around and when they do fade away they do so evenly. As a high-end lip option, they are probably the best that I've found in a really long time.

FRESH SUGAR LIPBALM IN ROSE*: The Fresh Sugar Lip Balms are always a product that I love to reach for as they bridge the gap so well from lipstick to balm. I'll keep this short as they're a product that I've mentioned time and time again but to keep it short basically, they're a beautiful rich buttery balm that gives off the same pigment as a lipstick but behaves exactly like you expect a balm to and they're truly wonderful. The shade Rose is such a pretty, well you guessed it rose colour which is somewhat of a red with somewhat pinky tone to it. You can either build this up to an opaque finish or wear it a little sheerer and if you've not used the Fresh Sugar Lip Balms then I highly recommend them. They're the only beauty product that I suggest everybody give a go as they're just so good.

CHEEKS

NARS UNLAWFUL*: This is the latest blush to join my beauty stash and it's the available answer to my beloved Nars Douceur which is sadly no longer made. This is very similar in terms of shade to that which is a dirty brown toned nude pink but this has shimmer running through it. And of course during the winter months are skin is always bound to be a little lackluster so that little bit shimmer running through adds a slight highlight to the skin without reaching for a separate product. The Nars blushers are absolutely incredible, there is a reason why they're so well loved in the beauty community. The buttery soft formula and the strong pigment are a match made in beauty heaven.

STILA CONVERTIBLE COLOUR IN PEONY*: Cream blushers can be a little scary to use, I know for a long time I feared them in case they made my skin feel or look greasy. And if you have that same fear as me then I can't recommend the Stila Convertible Colour's enough. They're such a wonderful product, they're a breeze to apply as all you need to do is lightly warm the product up with your fingers, dab onto the cheek and blend upwards and out. The shade Peony is such a pretty pink, it's the perfect winter pink in my eyes and the lovely formulation adds a stunning sheen almost gloss to the cheek. You could set this down with a translucent powder incase you were worried about staying power but that's never something I've had a problem with even in the height of summer.

HOURGLASS AMBIENT LIGHTING BLUSH IN MOOD EXPOSURE: If you are feeling a little more of a berry tone then I can't recommend the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Mood Exposure enough [if you want a more budget option then Maxfactor do something pretty much identical]. It's a baked blush so it's got a lot of different tones running through it and it looks truly beautiful on fair skin, especially if you have green eyes. Wearing a berry like this is a little more unusual than most of the options out there and it's another way to add light and life to the skin without reaching for a highlight. The Hourglass blushes are ridiculously expensive there is no denying it but they're so worth it as I've had this for a couple of years now, over infact and it looks like it's barely been used. The formulation isn't the most incredible thing in the world but they're lovely and soft as well as of course pigmented.

EYES

BURBERRY PALE BARELY*: I could have bored you with my usual spiel about how many amazing champagne shades I love to use but they're too obvious. And I wrote an entire ode about my favourite palette the other day so if you fancy a product with a little more choice then do check out that post. But a shade that I know I will be reaching for a lot this A/W in combination with the Hourglass blush is Pale Barley from Burberry. It's such a beautiful shimmery taupe shade that is simple enough to wear day to day but still, makes a statement and is so flattering against fair skin. And the way that these shadows look on the lid is absolutely beautiful, so soft and shimmery but really stay put all day. They're a pricey single shadow but if it's going to be the only thing that you reach for on a daily basis they're well worth the investment.

NAILS

SIENNA NAILPOLISHES*: I've been trying out a new polish brand recently called Sienna, born in Australia and they're a 7 free brand. Meaning that the polishes are free from the toxins that typical nail polishes contain. And I've always questioned polishes like this and wondered whether they would still have the staying power and the pigmentation but these polishes from Sienna are absolutely wonderful. I've been using the shades Muse & Shadow*, both such beautiful options for the season and are so wearable. I'm a sucker for a dusky pink and a dirty purple, they're my fail safe shades in my nail polish stash.