Blogger of the Week: Hello October

Suzie Bonaldi, the beauty and brains behind blog and YouTube channel Hello October, has won the hearts of us Glossies. With a love for skincare, fashion and big brows, Suzie spoke to us about her current beauty regime and how she balances HO with a full time job.

So what made you decide to start blogging?

I was 19, in my first full time job and very bored! So I decided to turn my shopping habit (my one and only hobby at the time) in to something productive!

You also create YouTube tutorials and vlogs and hit 100K subscribers last month – congrats! How did you begin doing YouTube videos?

Thank you! I started YouTube around the same time I started my blog. I fell in and out of love with it a few times over the course of two years, but last summer I bought a DSLR that I could also film with and fell back in love with vlogging.

How did you decide upon naming your blog and YouTube channel Hello October?

I had a tumblr account before I started up my blog, and that was the name of it. When I started my blog in June 2011 I decided to take the name over to my blog as it would never tie me down to just beauty or fashion content.

You work full-time as well as run a blog and YouTube channel. How do you balance all of this along with other interests?

It really is one of the toughest balancing acts, but I've found utilising my weekends is the most effective way of getting everything done. I still go out with my friends as I normally would, but whilst others might be having a lay in on a Saturday morning or be curled up watching Netflix, I'm normally filming, editing and photographing for posts. It takes a little sacrifice sometimes but I love it.

What is your favourite type of video to film?

Normally I would have said an "Everyday Makeup Routine" video, but I recently filmed a sibling tag video with my brother and I think that might have been my favourite ever! Filming with other people is always more fun.

What beauty products and fashion brands make you part with cold hard cash?

For skincare - Sarah Chapman is my current favourite , the Hydrating Booster, £57 , is just the bomb. Benefit has also been impressing me recently in terms of skincare and makeup! But my number one for makeup always has to be Nars - from their Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser, £29 , to their Velvet Matte Lip Pencils, £18 , I love pretty much everything. When it comes to shopping for clothes I'm a real high street lover - Topshop and Zara are my all time favourites, but I also love the likes of Whistles and Cos. Oh and of course there's ASOS - I think the majority of my pay cheque goes there...

What's your skincare regime? Could you talk us through the products you currently love?

My current skincare regime has been the same for well over a month now, day and night (a very rare occurrence for me)! I use the Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel, £28 , to cleanse, morning and night (unless I have a lazy morning, then I reach for a cleansing water), followed by the La Roche Posay Serozinc Solution, it clears any little under the skin bumps up so quickly. I then apply a few drops of the Sarah Chapman Hydrating Booster, £57 , it plumps out the skin and helps hide any dehydration lines (I love water, I just forget to drink it) and gives my skin a glow that makeup just can't match. I finish everything up with my Origins Make A Difference Plus Moisturiser, £34 . It's so hydrating but light at the same time and smells delicious! If I'm going to be outside for a while during the day I apply the Benefit SPF, £21.50  - hands down one of the best I've tried this summer!

Down to the nitty gritty, what’s in your makeup bag currently?

*Spills contents everywhere* The Keihl's Micro Blur Skin Perfector, £23 , my current favourite primer - my base goes nowhere and it masks dry skin and spots like a dream. The Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser, £29  - works with Keihl's to give the most flawless base I've ever seen. All the concealers - Origins Plantscription, £17 , Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer, £22 , and YSL Touche Eclat, £25 . I have serious under eye darkness issues. Benefit's Hoola Bronzer, £23.50 , I tried this for the first time in May (late to the party much?) and fell in love. My Muji bronzer draw might just be made redundant soon. The Bobbi Brow Brow Kit, £35 , has just wormed its way back in to my makeup bag and I think it's there to stay now, I fell out of love with it and I can't even remember why now  because it's perfect!

For eyes I deviate from my usual high end loves and always use my Collection Fast Stroke Liquid Liner, £2.99 , and L'Oreal False Lash Teloscopic Mascara, £10.99 , however if I'm going for a little more definition then my two MAC favourites are always in there too - Patina and Soba, £12.50 each , are just the perfect every day eyeshadow duo. For lips I'm currently loving MAC's Boldly Bare lip liner, £12 , and the Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Nottinghill Nude, £6.49 .  Not a lot really…

Who do you rely on in a beauty and fashion crisis?

For a beauty crisis, it's always my best friend Lucy from  Bonjourluce.com . She's great with makeup and skincare ideas. When it comes to fashion, I head straight for blogs and YT channels like Lily Melrose , Pages by Megan , Beauty Crush  and Cocochic , they all style themselves in the most put together but casual way. I can take inspiration from them without ever feeling uncomfortable.

What’s your personal favourite hair and beauty look?

I'm a huge fan of straight hair, I always feel like I'm going against the grain saying that as it seems everyone wants wavy/curly hair, but I'm happy to wear mine straight and loose most days. Although I am a massive fan of the milkmaid braid at the moment! For beauty looks it's always bold eyes and strong brows with a nude lip. Occasionally I break the cycle and pick up a coral/red lipstick, but nude lips are my all time favourite.

What’s your ultimate favourite beauty treatment?

I very rarely go for professional treatments, I'm definitely more of a DIY at home kind of girl. But my favourite skincare treatment at the moment is the  Aesop Parsley Seed Cleansing Masque. £27 . It clears my skin up without being too drying and in the summer months it's actually really soothing and cooling on the skin. We're currently having a little mini heat wave in Brighton so I'm really loving that!

What is your top fashion and beauty tip for the summer?

Beauty tip: Don't forget to drink lots of water, in the summer months you lose a lot more water and I'm especially guilty of not topping up. It's not only good to keep hydrated for your skin but for your whole body too.

Fashion tip: There are always so many amazing dresses available in the summer, but make sure at least one of the dresses you buy looks good with tights - it can then be your dress you wear on unpredictable weather days and can potentially still be worn next season.

Which fashion trend do you love for this season?

There's a lot of pastel blue around at the moment. Whistles have a range of purses and card holders in the most beautiful blue shade and I just picked up a lovely little bag from ASOS in the same colour. I love it. I also love the tropical print trend too!

Can you tell us about any hair and beauty blunders that you’ve experienced?

For years I cut my own hair, so there are too many hair disasters! My favourite (or least favourite) was going from blonde to brown when I was 14. A few streaks of hair went green (school was really fun that week). I'm also quite guilty of missing patches when applying self tan too...

What beauty products and fashion items do you like to take with you when you go away?

My skincare routine is so simple so pretty much everything comes with me. In terms of makeup, I keep it simple and stick to tinted moisturiser, concealer, mascara, a brow pencil and lip gloss. A five product face!

Who is your favourite blogger/vlogger?

My favourite for everything is definitely Lily Melrose , her outfit posts are always beautiful and she is a video editing whiz! I also love Kate from Gh0st Parties , her blog always has the best products and everything is beautifully shot. Essiebuttonvlogs  is another blog channel I'm obsessed with at the moment. My boyfriend and I are loving watching Vlune! I totally cheated here as there's not just one favourite, but it's so hard to not mention all of them.

What would be your advice to aspiring bloggers and vloggers?

I always think it's a good idea to get involved in the community - even if you haven't started a blog yet. You learn a lot by watching others and you'll enjoy blogging so much more if you get to know others!

If you could invite anyone dead or alive to guest blog/vlog on your site who would it be?

Without a shadow of a doubt - the Olsen Twins. They are my obsession and I would love nothing more than to know what's in their handbags/makeup bags/wardrobes. In an ideal world they'd do a series! If they wanted to be in my vlogs with me I'd totally be okay with that too.

What does the future hold for your blog/ vlog? Are there any exciting developments in the pipeline?

I've got a few summer events in the works this year which I'm so excited for. I haven't been given the green light to talk about it yet though which is killing me. I'm going to be starting up The Summer Series again which I do every year and always enjoy so much and there might also be a new furry little addition to my vlogs too - that's probably what I'm most excited about!