July Pay Day Haul

Okay so I said I wouldn’t be spending any money due to a voluntary spending ban, but I ended up spending… But this being said I don’t feel I spent much when I was out and I wrote my wish list post a day before pay day, so I didn’t know I would earn as much as I actually did.

So with a few extra pounds burning a hole in my pocket I bought a few things on a shopping trip with my boyfriend and our friend Sophie (hello!). My mom also owed me some money and offered to pay me back in a few items I wanted to pick up, so she kindly ordered said items for me. Oh and a couple of things my boyfriend kindly bought me. So I did save some money in that sense.

Before we went on our shopping adventure, I received the goodies my mom ordered for me in the post, the first one being Neal & Wolf’s Daily Cleansing Shampoo in a huge 950ml tub! I remembered testing this shampoo out two years ago and I loved it. I just can’t believe it has taken me that long to order a bottle to finally use. I’m also really impressed with how quick Neal & Wolf shipped my shampoo as well. I ordered it Thursday late morning/early afternoon and it arrived first thing Friday morning! I was so happy that I would get the chance to use it Friday (as that’s a regular wash day for my hair), so happy in fact that I dropped Neal & Wolf an email to thank them on their awesome customer service. It was packaged really well too, which I was glad about. I’ve used this a couple of times now and after use my hair feels smooth and looks fresh and clean. I’m so happy that I finally have this shampoo, but now I’m just wanting to try out more of their range.

The next thing my mom offered to order for me was some Lush goodies as she knew I was after a new body scrub, as well as a new face scrub. I knew I wanted Rub Rub Rub Shower Scrub, but was umming and ahhing over Ocean Salt Face And Body Scrub. I tried a sample of it from Lush the last time I visited one of their stores, and I did really like it. So I ended up caving in and told my mom to order both.

Since having these I’ve of course used both and I have never loved a product as much as I love Rub Rub Rub. I used it on wet skin and it has left my rougher parts (top of arms and thighs) gorgeously smooth! I don’t want to talk too much about it as I really want to review it soon. As for Ocean Salt I can’t really praise it as much as Rub Rub Rub, not because it’s a bad product but just because I don’t feel I’ve used it to it’s full potential yet. That being said I used it on my face as a scrub, at the time I was suffering with some bad breakouts, but a day or two after using Ocean Salt, they appeared to go away. I put this down to the vodka ingredient in Ocean Salt. I didn’t find this too rough on my skin, which is strange considering I have sensitive skin. However, due to this I’ll only use this as a once as week treat.

Our first stop on our shopping trip was IKEA, mainly because we wanted to get it out of the way. My friend needed to pick up some frames, whilst me and my boyfriend just wanted to have a quick mooch around. Whilst in the frame section my boyfriend suggested I pick one up for a picture we had drawn of us at Hyper Japan (you can read all about that here and here) and I was worried it wouldn’t fit in the frame, but alas as you can see it fits perfect. It was only £2 as well, which was a complete bargain!

A couple of other things I decided to pick up were some small candles. I picked up some scented candles… Which I now regret because 1. I forgot that there is a Yankee Candle store where we went shopping, and 2. IKEA candles are bloody awful! I picked up a pack of chocolate fudge and peppermint candy. These came in three packs of each, but I gave three to my boyfriend, two chocolate and one peppermint. I’ve so far only burnt the peppermint ones (which is why one is missing from the picture above) and as I said, these just aren’t very good. They’re great if I don’t wish to light a Yankee Candle, or have anything with a strong throw burning, but I expected SOME scent. So IKEA, very disappointed.

Whenever I go to the shopping centre we visited, I ALWAYS go into the Yankee Candle there, and more often then not I leave with something, usually something big. This time, like always I left with a large jar candle. This store are amazing when it comes down to Yankee Candle exclusives and they always stock them, and even more of a range than the official store which I think is great. Oh and can I mention that they don’t charge £21.99 for large candles either? I’m disgusted that Yankee Candle have put the prices up on their large jars. It isn’t right!… Mini rant over… So I made sure to sniff every exclusive jar they had in store and I wasn’t going to buy one and to be honest, if I had a lot of money I probably would have left the store with at least five candles… Oh yeah! I was tied between Blueberry Scone, Cotton Candy, and Hazelnut Coffee. My boyfriend was asking me which I liked the most, as well as which I didn’t have a scent similar to already, which was definitely Hazelnut Coffee. So with that choice made he took it off of me and made his way to the till. It was really lovely that he bought me a candle, as he was the one who said, “you should save your money Nat.” but alas, it was so sweet of him to buy this for me. I’m not burning it until I have used up all the IKEA candles I bought. It smells so rich and delicious that I cannot wait to use this in the autumn. Roll on September!

This isn’t beauty or fashion related, I know but meh not everything can be! I’ve been after this game for years and with my and my boyfriend playing Lego Jurassic World at his house recently it’s made me realise just how much I miss playing the Lego games. So I decided (if it was the right money) to pick up Lego The Hobbit. I loved the trilogy and I especially loved playing Lego The Lord of The Rings. Plus I’ve wanted this game ever since it came out. Since buying it I’ve been playing it loads, and it’s a definite chill out treat after work, as well as for lazy days in bed.

I didn’t buy anything from Lush whilst I was out shopping, as I had already picked up what I wanted a few days prior, but I did know that I wanted to grab a sample of one of their coal facial cleansers. I gave Dark Angels Facial Cleanser a go in store and it was really nice! With Lush I always try before I buy if I can, as I’m allergic to some of the ingredients they use and I don’t wish to spend a lot of money to find out not long after I’m allergic to said product. This felt lovely after I used it in the store on the back of my hand, and as of yet I haven’t tried it out on my skin, but I will soon and will make sure to update.

I do just want to say the staff at the store I visited were lovely! We had a good natter about all the new products that will be hitting all the Lush stores and online for Summer tomorrow! A huge majority of these new products will be from the Oxford Store (can read about my experience there and see my haul here) too! I will be making a small order of products I didn’t manage to pick up in London. I cannot wait.

Finally when I popped to Asda to grab some dinner for me and my boyfriend, I decided to pick up a new album for my car, as quite frankly my music at the moment is really boring me. Plus I wanted something relaxing. I listened to most of this on Spotify before I picked it up to make sure I liked it, and I loved it. Very chilled music that I can listen to whilst I write for university, for my blog, or if I just want something mellow in the background whilst I chill out. It was only a tenner and when we got to the till my boyfriend was lovely enough to buy it for me. Total sweetheart! I now have this album on my iPod, as well as in the car and it’s a definite must have if you like chill out music.

At the moment of writing this post, I haven’t been able to take pictures of the actual products yet due to them not arriving, but as you can see I’ve edited a lovely image of the two things I bought from eBay. The first one being a new case for my iPhone 6, which I should be getting today! I like to have a wrap around case for my phone whilst I’m at work to protect it that little more. It was only 99p with free postage so I’m pleased at that. It’s The Fault in Our Stars themed, which is a book/film I adore.

The second thing I bought was something I wasn’t even sure I would bother bidding on. But alas I bid on the last 10 seconds and won! I’ve been after a new piece from Black Milk Clothing for quite a while now. I bought my mermaid leggings about a year ago and they weren’t cheap at £35, but I was content with that, considering they cost a hell of a lot more from Black Milk Clothing themselves, not to mention how much the shipping costs! So every week I had a good look through eBay to see what I can snag for a bargain in my size, and I found this dress. It’s a thermal dress and will be perfect for autumn and winter when it’s chilly outside. I managed to snag this beauty brand new with tags for just under £30! I’m so pleased with how much I got it for and I know I’ll enjoy wearing it when it arrives. I already have the idea to team this up with my Jake Dr Martens boots (can read about those here) and depending on what happens, I may even wear this dress to my graduation. But we shall see. I can’t wait to do a look book with this dress though already.

So that is my haul from pay day! I didn’t spend much and I’m really pleased about that. I won’t buy much more this month now and although I should really save money, I don’t feel like I made any ridiculous purchases, which I’m pleased about.

Has anyone else bought some lovely little bits and pieces for themselves since pay day? Let me know in the comments!

Until next time, take care all.

2015 Movies I Can’t Wait To See!

This is a really spontaneous post but after having a nose on what is coming soon on my local cinemas website, I felt the urge to make this post… As well as a list for myself of what films are coming out that I want to see, and when.

I have five on this list, one that I have already watched online but am desperate to watch in the cinema. I’m not going to hang about when writing this post, I’m just going to dive straight in. I’ll post pictures of the posters for each film, as well as a trailer for it.

Inside Out – Release date for UK – 24th July 2015 – Growing up can be a bumpy road, and it’s no exception for Riley, who is uprooted from her Midwest life when her father starts a new job in San Francisco. Like all of us, Riley is guided by her emotions – Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness. The emotions live in Headquarters, the control center inside Riley’s mind, where they help advise her through everyday life. As Riley and her emotions struggle to adjust to a new life in San Francisco, turmoil ensues in Headquarters. Although Joy, Riley’s main and most important emotion, tries to keep things positive, the emotions conflict on how best to navigate a new city, house and school.

This is probably the highest film I wish to see on this list… But that being said, I’ve already seen it. Yes I did the naughty thing and watched this online as soon as I found a half decent copy. Although I have seen it mind, I want to watch it again, properly. It’s officially been out a couple of days in the UK and at the time of writing this I’ll either have been to see it the day it came out, or I’ll be off to see it next week at some point. I love Pixar, so this is a must have to watch in the cinema for me. As I write this post I’m currently watching it online and it’s just such an amazing film. I hope I could write a full review for it in the future, but she shall see! It’s just a typical Pixar film that makes you think, and will make you cry too.

Max – Release date for UK – 7th August 2015 – A precision-trained military dog, Max serves on the frontlines in Afghanistan alongside his handler, U.S. Marine Kyle Wincott. But when things go terribly wrong on manoeuvres, Kyle is mortally wounded and Max, traumatised by the loss of his best friend, is unable to remain in service. Shipped stateside, the only human he seems willing to connect with is Kyle’s teenage brother, Justin, so Max is adopted by Kyle’s family, essentially saving his life. But Justin has issues of his own, such as living up to his father’s expectations for him; he isn’t interested in taking responsibility for his brother’s troubled dog. However, Max may be Justin’s only chance to discover what really happened to his brother that day on the front, and with the help of a tough-talking young teen, Carmen, who has a way with dogs, Justin begins to appreciate his canine companion. Justin’s growing trust in Max helps the four-legged veteran revert back to his heroic self, and as the pair race against time to unravel the mystery, they find more excitement – and danger – than they bargained for. But they each might also find an unlikely new best friend…in each other.

This is one I have been looking at on and off the past few weeks. It’s not something I am super excited about, but it does look like a good cheesy movie to have a cry at. I thought my boyfriend would love the look of this due to the dog being a breed he wants, but alas he isn’t that fussed either. However if we want to go watch a film and can’t think of anything we wish to watch, I could imagine us going to see this. It just reminds me of Marley & Me, which ironically shares the same producer as Max does. I don’t know if this is based off of a book, but it just looks like a good tearjerker.

The Diary of a Teenager Girl – Release date for UK – 7th August 2015 – A teenage girl begins a complex love affair with her mother’s boyfriend in this whimsical American indie drama. Minnie (Bel Powley) is a 15-year-old living with her mother in 1970’s San Francisco. With her sexuality blossoming, the teenage artist begins an affair with her mother’s boyfriend, Monroe (Alexander Skarsgard). Minnie’s mother, Charlotte (Kristen Wiig), meanwhile, is an ageing hippy, gleefully indulging in a hedonistic lifestyle with her wayward daughter. But despite all of Minnie’s misadventures, it’s the middle-aged Monroe she keeps coming back to… Adapted from an acclaimed graphic novel, this innovative indie drama bubbles with visual ingenuity and quirky characterisation. First time writer/director Marielle Heller’s movie about the hedonistic attitudes of the 1970s party scene has been wowing audiences in the States, with Indiewire calling the film “genuine, poignant and hilarious”.

Oh my, this definitely my sort of film! I love drama style films aimed towards young adults as these sorts of films are always ones I loved watching when I was younger and make me feel really nostalgic. This one is about a young girl who starts to think about sex and soon finds herself falling for her mother’s boyfriend, only to have sex with him (I think…) and she documents her experience with sex and how it makes her feel. It just looks like a great coming of age story and right up my street!

Absolutely Anything – Release date for UK 14th August 2015 – Absolutely Anything follows a disillusioned school teacher, Neil Clarke (Pegg) who suddenly finds he has the ability to do anything he wishes, a challende bestowed upon him by a group of power-crazed aliens (voiced by Cleese, Gillam, Jones, Palin and Idle), watching him from space. As he struggles to deal with these new found powers and the events that subsequently arise, he calls upon his loyal canine companion Dennis (voiced by Robin Williams) to help him along the way. Mishap after mishap finally leadds him to the ultimate conundrum that all men dread and at which many have failed…should he choose the girl…or the dog…?

I totally forgot about this film until I found it on the coming soon page! This is a film I have been excited for since just after Robin Williams died. Not only does it star him (I think it’s his last film role…) voicing a dog, but it also stars Simon Pegg, who is one of my favourite actors. It’s one I know me and my boyfriend will go and watch as since the first trailer came out we loved the idea behind it, and especially Robin Williams’s amazing voice acting for the dog. I cannot wait for this to come out!

Paper Towns – Release date for UK – 21st August 2015 – Adapted from the bestselling novel by author John Green (“The Fault in Our Stars”), PAPER TOWNS is a coming-of-age story centring on Quentin and his enigmatic neighbour Margo, who loved mysteries so much she became one. After taking him on an all-night adventure through their hometown, Margo suddenly disappears–leaving behind cryptic clues for Quentin to decipher. The search leads Quentin and his quick-witted friends on an exhilarating adventure that is equal parts hilarious and moving. Ultimately, to track down Margo, Quentin must find a deeper understanding of true friendship–and true love

This is a film I have been excited for since it was announced. I love John Green and after how well The Fault in Our Stars did in the cinema, I can only imagine this one will be as just a good a success! I haven’t read the book yet, but I hope to get it read in time to go and watch the film. If not then I won’t be so bothered to be honest and I can just read it when I’ve watched the movie. I won’t lie though, I’m not as hyped up for this movie as much as I was for The Fault in Our Stars… I don’t know if that’s because EVERYONE hyped up that movie. But to be honest, I’m super excited about Looking for Alaska being turned into a movie as that’s probably my favourite John Green book. I would like to go and watch this film with someone I know has read the book besides myself, but I can’t see this happening, sad to say.

Snoopy And Charlie Brown: The Peanuts Movie – Release date for UK – 25th December 2015 – Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Linus, and the rest of the beloved “Peanuts” gang make their big-screen debut, like they’ve never been seen before, in state-of-the-art 3D animation. Snoopy, the world’s most lovable beagle ­ and flying ace ­embarks upon his greatest mission as he takes to the skies to pursue his arch-nemesis The Red Baron, while his best pal, Charlie Brown, begins his own epic quest. From the imagination of Charles M. Schulz and the creators of the ICE AGE films, THE PEANUTS MOVIE will prove that every underdog has his day.

I remember my boyfriend sending me a 30 second trailer for this film months and months ago, probably around Christmas last year and I was so excited! Every time we have been to our local cinema and seen adverts and posters for it, we’ve realised it’s out soon and get even more excited about seeing it. However only prior to writing this post did I actually look up a trailer or two for it. At first I was a tad meh about the trailer and film in general, not feeling it too much, but when I watched the trailer that I’ve here and I’ve safely fallen in love. Peanuts was a huge part of my childhood and Snoopy is a big love of mine, so this movie is definitely something I need to watch when it comes out. I’m unsure about the release date, considering that’s Christmas Day… But I can work with that if that is the case!

So those are the movies I am excited about for the rest of 2015! There will probably be some more that pop up but I’m just going by what I found on my local cinema website as I stated earlier on in this post. These are just the main ones I’m looking forward to this year.

So, what movies are you wanting to watch in 2015? Make sure to let me know in the comments down below!

Until next time, take care all and I hope you’ve had a great weekend.