September Favourites [2020]

My September 2020 beauty favourites are here. I’m late. September was nearly done by the time I got this posted and honestly I almost didn’t do it at all because I kept thinking it wasn’t the right time. Then I decided that was ridiculous and I should just do it.

September favourites covering the products I kept reaching for that month – scalp care, hair products, skincare. All purchased by me unless stated otherwise. September is also Alopecia Awareness Month, which feels relevant since a lot of my favourite products that month were things that genuinely help with managing hair loss day-to-day.

I’ve watched other people’s monthly favourites videos for years. They’re my favourite kind to watch, so I figured I’d try one myself, even if only one person ever sees it.

Skincare

COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patches

Since everyone started wearing face masks I’ve been getting a lot of acne along my chin, which I’m fairly sure is down to the mask. I’ve changed my skincare around it and I’ve been sticking these over anything that appears.

I’ll wear one under the mask during the day or put one on before bed, and they’ve been really helping. I keep them in permanently now for the bad chin breakouts.

I got mine off eBay but you can get them on Amazon UK, and I think LookFantastic stock them too.

Dermatica

A skincare subscription I’ve been on for a few months. If you know Curology in the US, this is roughly the UK equivalent. You fill in a questionnaire about your skin and what you want to work on, and a dermatologist prescribes you a formula.

Mine is 0.05% tretinoin with 4% niacinamide. I use it every night before bed, never in the morning, because everything I’ve read says keep your retinoids for the evening. I’ve got mine set to arrive every two to three months because I use so little of it that it lasts.

I’m using it for acne and anti-ageing, and I like having the niacinamide in there for the anti-inflammatory and brightening side.

Being honest about the start of it: I got irritation and a lot of peeling. Redness too. That happens with any prescription strength tretinoin or Retin-A and you have to keep going while your skin acclimates. I’ve been on a retinoid of some kind for several years now, and I’ve stayed at 0.05 rather than moving up, because my skin is sensitive and this strength does the job.

The other thing I like is that it’s a lot safer than ordering tretinoin off eBay, where you’ve no idea whether what turns up is even active. I’ve written much more about it since in my Dermatica review, and the current codes are on my Dermatica discount code page.

Erborian Milk & Peel Mask

I had a sample of this, used it up in September, and liked it enough that it made the list.

About once a week. It leaves my face smooth and bright, and here’s the part that matters for me: it didn’t leave me red. I’ve got sensitive skin and mild rosacea, and I usually find glycolic acid and that family of ingredients far too harsh, so anything in this category that doesn’t set my face off is worth noting.

I’ve carried on using it into October. I’d want longer with it before I say anything definitive though, because I don’t think a month is enough to judge any skincare product properly.

Makeup

IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better Foundation

Bought this the month it launched here in the UK, from the IT Cosmetics site, though Cult Beauty carry it as well. I’m in the very lightest shade, which I think is Warm Ivory, and it might actually be slightly too pale on me.

It’s very lightweight. I can’t feel it on my skin and I don’t need much of it.

The comparison worth making is against their CC cream, which I do like, but it’s thick. Really thick, to the point it feels like a foundation and the coverage is very high. This one is more medium coverage, which suits me better, and I’ve been wearing it non-stop for a month or two.

YSL lip stain

This is the mask solution. You put lipstick on, you go out, you take the mask off and it’s either smeared everywhere or completely gone. Everyone’s been dealing with it.

A stain doesn’t do that. Even when it rubs, it leaves colour behind, so I’ve been reaching for this when I want something to survive the day.

It’s glossy rather than matte, which matters to me because I don’t get on with matte lips or liquid lipsticks. Just a preference, but it rules a lot of long-wear products out for me, so finding a glossy one that stains has been genuinely useful. It stains your hand too, for the record. Took a makeup wipe to shift the swatch.

Bobbi Brown Crushed Oil-Infused Gloss in Slow Jam

I’ve got several of these in different shades.

I’ll wear one on its own if I’m in a hurry, but what I actually like is layering them over a matte lipstick, just in the centre of the lips, for a bit of glow and to make them look plumper. On the day I filmed this I had it over Charlotte Tilbury Bond Girl.

It’s moisturising and the colour holds for a decent while. It does not survive a mask though, so this one is for days I’m not wearing one, or it lives in my bag for touch-ups after eating. That’s why I’ve been leaning on the YSL more lately.

Hair

Philip Kingsley Flaky Itchy Scalp Toner

I have seborrhoeic dermatitis, so dandruff is an ongoing thing for me. It’s under control at the moment and I haven’t had a flare in a while, and this is part of why.

I apply it to my scalp after I’ve washed and conditioned, all over. I’m wearing a topper as I film this, so picture it going on the scalp underneath.

It’s genuinely helped with the dandruff and I’d recommend it. I bought the travel size for £10 at LookFantastic, I think Cult Beauty have it too, and I’m nearly through it. I’ve already bought the full size.

I’ve since put together everything that actually works for my scalp in the seb derm scalp and hair directory, which is the video I said I’d make and never did.

Pureology Color Fanatic spray

Heat protectant, conditioner, detangler, all of it in one bottle. I use it on my toppers, my human hair wigs and my own hair.

My routine with it matters more than the product does, so here’s the whole thing. Out of the shower, hair straight into a Turbie Twist or an Aquis towel. I don’t towel dry and I don’t brush it wet. I wait until most of the moisture has gone, and only then do I spray this through and start detangling and styling. My hair is really fine and thin so I’m trying to minimise friction and damage wherever I can.

Same process on the pieces. I use it before blow drying and before detangling, and even when I’m letting something air dry.

Olaplex No. 7 Bonding Oil

Bought at the start of September and used on my own hair and all my pieces. It’s been working brilliantly. The bottle looks untouched but I’ve used it constantly, because you only need a few drops.

I genuinely thought this was the one. And then I bought another oil at the end of the month and it got knocked off the top spot.

Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! hair oil

Same deal, tiny bottle, few drops, lasts forever. I love both of these and I want to be clear about that, but the Briogeo is a bit better and it’s the one I’ll repurchase when the Olaplex runs out.

Two reasons, and the first one is the important one if you wear hair. It’s lighter weight and it contains no silicones, so I know it isn’t going to build up in my toppers. With my own hair I can just use a stronger shampoo once a month to strip out any silicone or dimethicone buildup from whatever I’ve been using. You can’t really do that with a piece.

Second, it feels more nourishing, and it has ceramides in it. I love ceramides in my skincare. I genuinely don’t know how much they do for hair, and I’m not going to pretend I do, but everything I’ve read suggests it’s a good ingredient to have in there.

The Olaplex was my first love. The Briogeo is the one I’d take home to meet my parents. I don’t know what I’m talking about half the time.

If you’ve got fine thin hair like mine and you want one oil that works on both your own hair and your pieces, get the Briogeo. More on how I look after my pieces generally is in my hair care routine for toppers and wigs.

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FAQ

What hair products work well for thinning hair?

Lightweight volumising products, scalp serums targeting hair density, sulphate-free shampoos, and dry texture powders for root grip are the most useful categories for thinning hair. Avoid heavy oils and rich styling creams that weigh fine hair down.

What skincare is good for rosacea and sensitive skin?

For rosacea and sensitive skin, fragrance-free formulas are essential. Ingredients with evidence for rosacea include azelaic acid, niacinamide, and centella asiatica. Avoid actives that increase skin sensitivity like strong exfoliants until your barrier is stable. SPF every day without exception.

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Posts you might find useful

• The Scalp Care Routine I Actually Stick To
• Hair Topper vs Wig: Which One Do You Actually Need?
• My Current Discount Codes
• Androgenic Alopecia in Women: What It Is, What to Expect and What Helps

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