July Favourites ’19

It’s August and only one more month now until my favourite of the year, September. I’m shocked at how quickly 2019 is going by, as well as the fact I have now been in my new (well not so much new anymore!) job for 4 months now. It’s flown, I still feel like I’ve only been here for five minutes.

Either way, summer is officially here and we had some glorious sunny days in July. It was amazing and me and Dane even got the BBQ out after work one of the days! I’m rather excited for this month and what it holds as I feel there will be plenty more BBQ days and pub garden evenings to be spent. 😛

July also brought along some blogger events in Birmingham, which I haven’t done/attended for YEARS! So I was really happy for that. I hope I am able to attend more Birmingham blog events in the future. This month I hope to be attending a couple of Coventry Blogger events too, so keep eyes peeled for that.

For now though, I’m back (even if it’s 2 days late!) to talk about my monthly favourites! 😀

  • SBC Honey & Almond Bath & Shower Creme.

This is something my mom recently gifted to me, as she’d bought it in a set and due to the size worried she may not get around to using it alongside her other SBC shower creme. This is amazing and I honestly love it so much right now! I use it daily and I’ve noticed a dramatic difference to my skin. It doesn’t feel or look dry and tight, but looks and feels softer. Not baby soft, but definitely softer. It smells amazing too! I honestly cannot get enough of it right now! It reminds me of times away in Fuerteventura as I often use honey scented shower gels and cremes whilst I’m there. This bottle will last me ages! I plan to try it as a bath creme next month when the cooler weather is upon us.

  • Cath Kidston Hand Cream.

I didn’t realise I had SO MANY of these little hand creams from my advent calendar from Christmas time. I found about three in one of my drawers recently and decided to take them all to work to use up. I actually forgot how amazing this hand cream is and when all of my hand creams are used up and gone, I plan to stick with Cath Kidston in the future. The hand creams are rich and a little bit of it goes a long way. The scent isn’t really my thing as it’s very “old lady” scented. I love my fruity and unique smells when it comes to perfume. However, I can live with it if it helps my eczema along the way, which I have recently noticed is rearing it’s dry, ugly head.

  • MUA Pro Base Soothe & Cool Primer Stick.

This has been so perfect during July due to the warm weather. I usually only apply this under my eyes as I tend to find if I apply it all over my face it has a tendency of making me feel oilier and that’s not something I wish to be! However, I did use it all over my face on lazy days off work to try and cool down my face a little. Alongside powder it works okay, but on its own it’s so much better for me. I do love this primer stick, but whether or not I’ll repurchase it, is another story.

  • Barry M Unicorn Primer Drops (review here).

I wrote a review about these primer drops towards the end of 2018 and you know what? I wasn’t very kind to these primer drops at all! If anything, I feel like I need to review these because I’ve changed my mind dramatically since then in so many different ways. I love these, they’re my go to these days whenever I wear a primer and whenever I go to buy a new one too. They just always do me good and never let me down. They leave my face feeling cooled, soft and plump looking, with a bit of shimmer to brighten the skin. I also use these on my lips to soften them too, as it works really well before product, even if it’s just a bit of lip balm. Would you guys like me to re review these in the future? Let me know in the comments!

  • Taya Copaiba Resin Volumising Shampoo.

This is something else my mom kindly gifted me recently and it’s such a gorgeous shampoo. My mom is honestly the best when it comes down to beauty and I always go to her for suggestions on new brands and products to try and use. She gave me this as she’d given it a go and wasn’t sure if it was for her. Well, it’s definitely for me! This really does leave my hair feeling and looking healthy, shiny and thicker! Not that my hair needs to be any thicker… 😛 It smells gorgeous too and has a lovely honey smell to it, which works perfectly alongside the SBC shower creme mentioned here too. A little of this goes a long way, which is great because my hair always craves ALL the shampoo when it comes to cleaning it!

So now my beauty favourites are done, time to talk about the miscellaneous favourites of the month!

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Image taken from GIPHY

Orange Is The New Black Shade GIF by NETFLIX

Image taken from GIPHY

Favourite TV Show – Strangers Things 3 and Orange Is the New Black.

Fuck me, Netflix brought out the big guns in July and they did bloody good too! Not one, but TWO new seasons of shows that made Netflix what it is today, sadly with one leaving us for good. Me and Dane both made sure to binge Stranger Things 3 before any spoilers leaked out and ruined it for us. I honestly LOVED season 3 as I found it brought back the action of the whole gang that we missed out on in season 2. Season 2 was okay but it was meh at the same time. It focused too much on Eleven for my liking and this whole rebellion she seemed to go on. Season 3 definitely covered more of what was happening with the town and the shit that was about to hit (I totally rhymed on purpose)! I’m not saying too much due to spoilers, but it was amazing and I nearly cried at the end.

Orange Is the New Black is over. Like so over, that we need a new word for it (Sex & The City quote right there :P). I LOVED Orange Is the New Black so much and I’m glad it’s a season I invested time into because it’s been worth it. This season went too quickly and the end was shocking, so much so I don’t feel like the show has come to an end due to it. There’s no happy endings all around and there’s moments where you can’t believe it’s happened or happening for that matter. I can’t say much without spoiling. The one thing I will say is, Piper is her usual annoying as fuck self! I honestly hope the real Piper isn’t that annoying in real life… That’s the only good thing about the show coming to an end, no more annoying Piper. 😛 OH and who the hell calls their kid Piper?! Just me who thinks that, or?..

Spider-Man Far From Home GIF by Spider-Man

Image taken from GIPHY

Favourite Movie – Spider-Man: Far From Home.

This film was amazing. Absolutely amazing. I was on the edge of my seat throughout and stayed well until the end to see what was happening next! If you didn’t stay until the end then shame on you! 😛 Without saying too much (because apparently this IS spoilers) I LOVED Jake Gyllenhaal as Mysterion. He was one of my favourite baddies back in the day as a kid of spending my every waking moment playing the original Spider-Man PlayStation game. The movie overall with Mysterion’s scenes were done so well and I also loved the story of Peter Parker wanting to be a normal teenager, but needing to be Spider-Man at the same time. It was great and I definitely enjoyed it more than the first film.

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Image taken from GIPHY

Favourite Book – Persona 4

Although I picked up the Elfen Lied omnibus in June – I didn’t actually get around to reading it in July… Which I am really pissed off about. It’s my favourite manga of all time (to date) and I don’t seem to want to read it again… Yet. To be honest, I will probably just prioritise series I need to catch up on and then start on Elfen Lied. So, as I had an Amazon discount code recently, I decided to pick up some more volumes for Persona 4, two in total (volumes 2 and 3). I haven’t finished the game, but I am loving and enjoying reading the manga. I feel like the story of P5 and P4 are both completely different and due to that I enjoy them both so damn much. I really do need to finish playing the game though…

Favourite Music – Litany 4 Track EP.

This is an EP I adore and I wish it had more tracks due to that. This is the song that introduced me to the band, which you may recognise from the Extra gum advert from TV… Where the zombie girl and the guy kiss. Yes, that advert. This song is just so chill and perfect for those summer vibes, as is the rest of the album. I recommend you go and check out Litany if you fancy something new to listen to! I recommend “Bedroom” which I have linked about and “Work It Out”, which isn’t on the 4 track EP.

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Image taken from GIPHY

Favourite Game – Pokemon Edition Monopoly.

Completely random game for me to mention here this month but me and Dane recently had a little game date night in and we played this. It was actually really fun to play and we had a laugh during it, for a change! Monopoly can take forever (which this did) and be boring towards the end due to that reason. This was just fun. I find if you play Monopoly with the right people you can have an amazing time. Especially when it’s Pokemon themed too. 😛

So those are my favourites from July! I cannot believe how quickly the month flew by, it’s pretty crazy to be honest.

How was July for you guys? What were your favourites of the month, both beauty and in general. Make sure to let me know in the comments below.

Until next time all, take care and I hope you have a lovely weekend upon you all!

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January Favourites ’19

It’s officially the first monthly favourites post of 2019! Woohoo! Of course with that comes me talking about all the things I loved throughout the previous month, which of course was January.

I usually talk about beauty and lifestyle and it’s something I really enjoy talking about overall. I wanted to think of more things to add to my monthly favourites, what with there being a New Year and all but honestly, I couldn’t think of anything else worth adding! I thought about maybe adding like a favourite fashion piece, but my fashion sense isn’t everyone’s cup of tea… So I think I’ll leave that for now. 😛

As always I’ll talk about beauty first and lifestyle after! I hope you enjoy the first favourites post of 2019!

  • Lush Christingle Naked Body Conditioner.

This was something I picked up in the sales just after Christmas. Lush in Birmingham had LOADS of these in stock still and for half of the price they retailed for originally. I’m not as big a fan of Lush as I used to be, but as I had some Christmas/birthday money I decided to treat myself to some of the Valentine’s Day Lush goodies! I use this twice a week at the moment and to be honest with you it’s such a fab little product. I do find it to be incredibly greasy and I have to actually wipe off the excess body conditioner with a flannel as it’s just far too greasy feeling for me. I won’t be repurchasing any of the body conditioners again due to this, but it’s nice to give a go for the money. It makes me feel soft and smell of gorgeous peppermint, so I can’t complain. 😛

  • MUA Luxe Inked Lip Stain in Sangria.

If there is a lip trend I have been loving lately it’s the bitten lip look that has come over from Korean Beauty over to us! It’s been around for ages to be honest and is something I have done on and off over the years, but more so lately than ever before. I love these MUA lip stains as they’re super cheap, come in a nice selection of shades and are long lasting! I love to apply it into the inside of my lips to give that bitten look. It’s flattering too if I don’t want to have a heavy lip colour on and as it wear away quiet naturally, I don’t feel like I need to constantly top up. If you guys would like me to show you how I get the “bitten” look, please let me know and I’ll do a post about it!

  • Cath Kidston Hand Cream.

I got so many of these hand creams in my advent calendar at Christmas and I LOVE them all so damn much! The Cath Kidston hand creams are really thick, which are a blessing for my eczema prone hands. I use them at work mostly to be fair and always keep a tube on my desk now to use on my hands as soon as they feel dry and sore. I do have some at home too, but I have other hand creams I tend to use here. I don’t know if you can buy the tubes that I have, but you can buy all sorts of versions from Cath Kidston in their permanent range, so if you’re after a luxurious hand cream but don’t want to spend a fortune, I definitely recommend giving theirs a go! The one thing I dislike the most about them is some of their scents. They remind me of scents that your gran would have on her vanity. They’re lovely, don’t get me wrong but they aren’t ALWAYS for me. 🙂

  • The Body Shop Drops of Youthâ„¢ Youth Liquid Peel.

This is a product I LOVE so damn much and keep meaning to reveal since I bought it before Christmas. I’ll definitely get around to it sooner rather than later. This is a liquid you apply to the face and rub constantly all over your face to remove deal skin. It comes off in balls and chunks, which is gross to admit is your dead skin! 😛 I love using this liquid peel before my tea tree skin wash on my face, as well as before face masks. I use it once maybe twice a week if I feel the need to and it really does help my skin out! 😀

  • Rio Sonicleanse Glo Silicone Facial Cleansing Tool.

My final favourite beauty product of this month definitely has to be this facial cleansing brush that my mom bought me for Christmas (which you can see here alongside all the other goodies I was gifted in 2018! I use this facial cleansing brush everyday and I can tell it’s made a massive improvement to my skin. It makes me feel like I’m getting deep into my pores and giving my skin a good clean, alongside getting rid of old and dead skin cells to reveal fresh skin. I’ve been using this for well over a month now too and haven’t needed to recharge the batteries which is amazing! I probably will over this weekend. Again, if you would like me to review this facial cleansing brush please let me know!

So now my beauty favourites are done, time to talk about the miscellaneous favourites of the month!

Favourite TV Show – Inside No. 9.

This is a show I was told about back in the day when the first series came out. I watched some of the second episode and liked what I saw, but never watched anymore of it. During my Christmas holiday time from work I watched ALL of The League of Gentlemen and fell in love. I always found it to be a “creepy” show but after watching it, it’s right up my street. When I wanted to watch more from Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton I stumbled across Inside No. 9 on BBC iPlayer and decided to give it a go. It has fast turned into one of my favourite TV series and I love it! It’s a dark comedy/horror series with episodes about what’s happening to people behind a door, house, room etc with the number 9 on it. It reminds me of Black Mirror but different. It’s not all technology based like Black Mirror is and I like that. Definitely give it a watch if you like this sort of thing though, you won’t be disappointed!

Favourite Film – Mary and the Witch’s Flower.

This is probably the only new film I’ve watched this month and in all honesty it’s the only film that I can think that I’ve watched at all this month! I picked it up on my birthday to watch as it was in the sale for £9.99 for the Blu-ray so I used some of my birthday money to treat myself (you can see what else I got for my birthday here). It’s about Mary, a girl who seems to have moved to live with her aunt and is due to start a new school soon. She doesn’t really seem to have any friends yet, is clumsy and doesn’t like her bushy red hair. One day she discovers a special flower and from there her life changes rather quickly! This is by Studio Ponoc, who are pretty much a sister company to Studio Ghibli. This is their first feature film and it did really well! I love it so much and really enjoyed watching it with Dane on one of our weekends off together.

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Image taken from Wikipedia

Favourite Book – I Am a Hero.

This is a manga Dane randomly discovered quite a while ago and every birthday, Christmas and anniversary I’ll buy him as many copies of the manga as I can! Not only doe she read this manga, but so do I. I read a couple of he volumes throughout last month and it’s just getting better and better! I’m up to volume 6 at the moment and the story line is getting really juicy now! It’s about a zombie apocalypse in Japan and we follow Hideo Suzuki as he tries to make his way through it, meeting people as he goes. The art style is amazing as it’s so realistic and gives the zombies something a little different. I definitely recommend you giving it a go if you like zombie related films, shows, books, etc.

Favourite Song – “Promises” Calvin Harris Feat. Sam Smith.

Oh man I love this song so much, so much so whenever I hear it on the radio at work it just cheers me up so damn much! I only recently popped it onto my YouTube to listen to whilst I get ready in the mornings, do blog work, as well as any other tasks throughout each day. Sam Smith has a lovely singing voice and Calvin Harris is an artist I’ve loved since back in the day when he made that song and sang about the 80’s and what was acceptable. 😛 Yes Mr Harris I still dig the stuff you made back in the day! 😛

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Image taken from GIPHY

Favourite Game – Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp.

I was going to talk about Style Boutique 3 this month and although I’ve played it loads, I feel like I’ve played Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp almost daily to be honest since I got my iPhone XR but over the Christmas period and the odd days off I played this game loooooads. I find I play it most before bedtime as I find it relaxes me. I mentioned it a post last month about games I find help anxiety (which you can read here). They’ve just added some new updates too, one which makes playing the game so much easier than it used to be! I also love playing this in the car at the moment as it deices, you know with how crap and cold the weather has been lately. 😛

So those are all of my favourites from January!

What do you have on your favourites list from last month? Make sure to let me know in the comments down below and even let me know what your favourite fashion pieces too. I know mine has for sure been my Lazy Oaf rainbow “boring” cardigan. 😛

Until next time, take care all and I hope you’re ready for a relaxed weekend.