September Favourites ’17

I’m currently on holiday when this post will go live on my blog and although I’ve only really been in the UK for just over 2 weeks for the month of September, I can still write what products I loved throughout that time… Right? 😛

I do apologise for poor image quality… I took this the night before we left and was rushing to get so much done. 😦

• Garnier PureActive Intensive 3in1 Charcoal Anti-Blackhead.

This is a product I bought on a whim. I love any facial cleansing products that contain charcoal, as it’s great for oily skin and can really help pull any crap out of your pores. As the title suggests this is a 3in1 product which means you can use it as a facial wash, scrub and as a mask. This isn’t the BEST product in the world but it’s done some wonders for my skin so far! It’s not as scrubby as I was hoping it would be, but my skin has been having some sensitive days recently so this has really helped when I want to use a scrub but nothing too harsh. I definitely recommend giving this a go! I haven’t tried it as a mask to be honest, but it’s an amazing facial wash for sure.

• Lush Sugar Plum Fairy Lip Tint.

This is my tube of Sugar Plum Fairy lip tint from last Christmas and it’s a lip product I randomly just started using again this month. I think with all the excitement of the Lush Creative Showcase and the Christmas goodies of 2017 being announced, it jogged my memory of this lip tint. It smells amazing, leaves a lovely magenta pink shade on my lips and moisturises at the same time! I’ll definitely be buying more Lush lip tints this year, including Black Rose for Halloween and Santa Baby for Christmas.

• Paco Rabanne Lady Million EDP.

I’ve owned for a while and when I was first given it by my mom (it was originally a gift she had been given but didn’t like it, so gave it to me! :P) and at first I REALLY hated it, but after using it for a while I’ve grown to love it. The scent reminds me of Yankee Candle’s Fluffy Towels scent and I love it so much. I feel fresh and clean when I wear it and whilst ages ago I couldn’t wait to get rid of it, I now want to buy a new bottle as soon as it runs out. For ages it was my go to scent for work, which to be honest it was for the 2 weeks of September.

• Mandarin Spa Amber Heaven Gentle Hand Wash.

My mom recently gave me this hand wash after noticing I was running low on hand wash in my bathroom. I had a back up ready to pop next to the sink, but how cute is that??? When I lived at home I would often use this hand wash if either me or my mom had bought any. I love the scent of this hand wash so much as it smells so posh! I can’t really describe how it smells to be honest… Sort of musky but a floral musk… If that makes sense? Even though I really like this hand wash at the moment, I do have a hate/love relationship with this stuff. Before now this hand wash has flared up my eczema and I don’t really know why. I has flared up slightly the past month BUT it hasn’t been as bad as it has been in the past.

• Dove Pistachio and Magnolia Shower Foam.

Whilst I love this shower foam, I highly doubt I’ll be buying it again unless it’s on a special offer. I picked this up in Boots for £2.00 and even then I think this was expensive, FYI it’s usually £2.99. There are three different ones you can pick but I love pistachios so I had to pick this one. I have found that this softens my skin after use and will leave me smelling yummy for a while after use, but I just feel like you have to use loads of it to get a good lather going in a sponge or shower scrunch and that in itself is a con for me. This being said this was something new and fun to try and due to the scent I picked it’s also lovely to use as we go into the colder months. The pistachio has a lovely warming scent to it. As I said, when this is on offer again I’ll definitely pick one up!

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

Image taken from weheartit.com

Image taken from weheartit.com

Favourite TV Show – American Horror Story.

First of all, I know I don’t usually include 2 images when talking about my non beauty favourites, but I had to for this. I just want to get this out there that 1. I have a new favourite actor – Evan Peters and 2. The way he acted when playing Tate in season 1 of AHS was amazing and beautiful. I love the first gif I attached but the second one, oh my! Whenever he cried in that season I just wanted to cry with him. He’s one of those actors who nails crying scenes perfectly and those are some of my favourite to watch. Due to studying acting (as well as writing scripts) I love when an actor can be emotional and he’s just perfect at it (and may I add a perfect human being? :P).

ANYWAY… American Horror Story! Me and Dane have heard loads of good things about this, including from his own parents and we’re a little late onto the AHS wagon but it’s better to be late than never at all, eh? We are currently halfway through season 2 and we are loving it. I loved season 1 so much and his parents both said it’s their favourite to date! I have a feeling it’ll be mine too. If you don’t know much about AHS, every season pretty much has the same actors/actresses but each season has a different story behind it. BUT they’re all supernatural themed. They’re currently all on Netflix so I recommend going to watch it if you haven’t already. To be honest I’m really excited to see more of Evan Peters acting. He’s amazing. :’)

Favourite Film – The Girl On The Train.

This was recently on Amazon Prime to watch and I had heard SO MUCH about both the book when it came out, as well as the film. I wanted to watch it in the cinema but Dane wasn’t keen for it at the time. I’m glad I waited to watch it in the comfort of our own home but bloody hell, it’s good! I haven’t read the book so I can’t compare that to the film but even if you haven’t read the book like myself then I recommend you give it a watch. It definitely reminded me of Gone Girl, but in a different way.

Image taken from readeroffictions.com

Favourite Book – Erm…

Yeah I’m shit. I haven’t been reading anything AGAIN! To be honest I’ve been saving all my reading for my holiday. I do have shit loads of reading to catch up on though. I have all the K-ON! manga to catch up on, as well as many other manga books. I also have normal books to read and intend on taking 2 Bridget Jones books with me on holiday (as you’ve probably guessed I’m writing this JUST before I go on holiday…) as well as some manga, but we shall see. I’m sure I’ll do a post about what books I took at some point.

Favourite Song/Album – Porter Robinson & Madeon – Shelter and Rihanna – Te Amo.

These are both songs I discovered this month and ones I know I’ll continue to listen to loads, especially during and even after my holiday. Shelter was brought to my attention by Dane who mentioned that someone had used an anime in their music video. It’s an amazing song and the anime music video that accompanies it is lovely and sad all the same.

As well as that I also discovered this Rihanna song thanks to a beauty video on Instagram. I didn’t know of this songs existence, even though it’s been around for just over 7 years now. Bloody hell! I know my usual music genre tastes are in rock music as well as some electronic but I do have a soft spot for Rihanna. She just writes some catchy as fuck tracks and this is one.

Favourite Game – Life Is Strange: Before The Storm.

I completed this game in a day (including unlocking all the specials in each level of the episode) and I loved it, but at the same time I’m unsure what to think right now. I will elaborate without giving away any spoilers! This is a prequel to Life Is Strange where you play as Chloe, sadly she doesn’t have Max’s power but she has her own speciality. In this game you get to find out what happens with Rachel including how her and Chloe become friends and what happens before Max comes into the picture and Rachel goes missing. You get to be a little more rebellious with Chloe than you ever could be with Max and whilst I like this, I do find that both Chloe and Rachel are bratty. I’m not the only one who thought this either. THIS BEING SAID I can’t really say they’re acting bratty when Chloe’s dad recently died and Rachel has some stuff going on herself, which you find out about somewhat in the first episode. Overall it was really fun to play and I already can’t wait for episode 2 to come out soon! I bought the limited edition bundle so that I can get the bonus Max level, as well as all the episodes for Before The Storm.

So those are my favourites from the 2 weeks I was in the UK in September! It went by really quick and I already can’t believe I’m going away in just a couple of days (as I write this) and I’ll be back in 3 days when this post goes live on my blog (FYI hello future Nat! :P)

What were your favourites throughout September? Make sure to let me know in the comments down below!

Until next time all, take care! I hope you’re all well, I miss all my lovely readers! :’)

May Favourites 2015

Wow, where have the past five months gone? It’s now June and that means we’re also halfway through the year. Roll on Christmas huh? But before then, I want some nice sunshine!

I found my favourites for this month a little hard to choose, but that’s mostly because I’ve been so busy and such with my assignments this month that I haven’t had much thought about what I have been using a lot. But when I walk around my bathroom and bedroom, I soon found some beauty bits I loved throughout the  month.

• Paul Smith Rose EDP.

This is an old favourite of mine and something I love using throughout the year. I’ve recently started to use it again and I really did miss it. I can’t remember the last time I used it to be fair! This is my second bottle of this after receiving another for my 24th birthday last year. It’s a gorgeous strong scent that will last ages! I always get complimented when I wear this and due to that it reminds me of my gran. Whenever I wore this she always commented how lovely I smelt. So whenever I wear it, I instantly think of her. For how nice this perfume is, you can pick it up super cheap as a 100ml size! Less than £30 in some shops, one being Asda.

• Balance Me Tinted Lip Salve in Ruby Red.

I actually received this as a free sample in a copy of Glamour a couple of months ago and at first I used it loads as it was a nice product to apply if I just wanted a bit of a tint. However I didn’t touch it for ages until a few weeks ago. I love using this for work as it’s a multiple use lip product. It hydrates and tints the lips and is also petroleum free, which I really like! I got a full sized tube, which is worth £12! These come in other shades too, but I do really like the red shade. It isn’t a bright red when applied to the lips, sort of like a tomato red, but I really like it if I’m not in the mood for anything heavy.

• OPI Nail Lacquer in This Color’s Making Waves (from the Hawaii Collection).

This is a nail lacquer I have lusting over for a couple of months now and I finally have it! I already know I’ll be buying a bigger bottle of this before it’s discontinued as I just adore it. When I first wore it I fell in love, not just as the gorgeous turquoise shade, but also how nice it made my nails look! I’m not a huge fan of my nails as they’re rather stubby and boyish looking, but when I apply certain polishes they can look gorgeous. This lacquer is one of those. The formula is great to work with too which I really liked. I can see me rocking this throughout summer, hell even autumn, winter, and spring. It’s probably one of my favourite nail lacquers already!

• Makeup Revolution Iconic Pro Lipstick in Liberty.

I mentioned recently in a haul (here) about picking up two of the shades from the Iconic Pro collection, this being one of them. It’s a gorgeous blue toned purple that reminds me of MAC’s Violetta lipstick. Although I also picked up another purple shade (Liberty Matte) I found that this one is a little more wearable when it come to work. I love wearing bright lip colours, and the braver I get, the bolder the lip colours have become. Next I’ll be trying black! 😉 Anyway, this is a gorgeous purple lipstick and although it doesn’t last as long as I’d hoped, it still looks and feels gorgeous when I wear it. The only thing I haven’t been liking about these lipsticks are the smell. It reminds me of PlayDoh which we can all agree, isn’t very nice.

• Garnier Pure Active 3-in-1 Wash Scrub & Mask.

I wouldn’t say I would replace my Clinique face wash for this, but I am pretty hooked on this! As the title of the product states, it’s a wash, scrub, and a mask. What more can you ask for? I will say, I don’t understand how this works as a wash and a scrub but meh it does I guess. I use this once or twice a week as a scrub and once or twice a week as a mask. The mask works really well as getting rid of my oily t-zone and leaves my dry cheeks feeling moisturised and soft. I’ve always struggled when it comes to face masks, but I think I’m onto a winner with this one. As a scrub, it doesn’t scrub as much as I’d have hoped, but it does the job alright for me, so I can’t complain. I don’t know if I’ll repurchase this one yet, as I like to shop around for the perfect product. We shall see though.

So those were my favourites for May. Have you tried any of the products I mentioned? Also, what are your favourites for this month? Let me know in the comments.

Until next time, take care all.

September Favourites 2014

I know this post is a week late, but as they say, better late than never!

It’s late because I’ve honestly just been too busy to do any writing, although I managed to get my wish list written okay… I put that down to picture-taking though!

So finally my favourites post is here and I really have loved September. It wasn’t so bad and even involved a fresh start that I’ve needed for a long time! I’ve been at university for three weeks now and whilst I am extremely nervous, I am really enjoying it.

Without further delay, my favourites!

• N SPA Cherry Body Scrub.

After using up my body scrub I decided it was time to buy a replacement and whilst I wanted to buy a nice one for myself (The Body Shop, or Soap & Glory) I opted for this one by N Spa, to try and save myself a few pennies. I bought this one and a Raspberry one, which I am yet to try. This body scrub I at first thought would be rubbish but alas I was wrong and it’s turned out better than I thought it would be! There’s a few things I really like about this, first of all the fact it lathers up when applied to the skin! I use it with my sponge and it really does leave me feeling soft after use, but what else is great about this is how it smells delicious! Although I do sway more towards citrus and strawberry scents, I am a total sucker for cherry too and this is a nice black cherry scent that any cherry scent fan will fall in love with. N Spa is a great and affordable brand and I recommend it to anyone fancying trying something new.

• Simple Anti-Bacterial Hand Wash.

I know I used to say last year and the start of this year how after finding Dettol’s hand wash I would NEVER use another hand wash due to my eczema, but I have broadened my horizons lately, as regular readers will know and this is a hand wash I HAVE used in the past and had problems with. This is a mint scented hand wash and due to that I was already sold, the anti-bacterial  side of it was just a bonus really! However when I used this about a year ago my hands were left tight, dry, and extremely sore and due to it my eczema was worse than it needed to be! I vowed never to use it again, but I didn’t keep it. Recently my mom decided to bring this into the kitchen for us to use and as I thought it would be better for my hands than fairy liquid, I reluctantly started to use it. My hands have been nothing but soft and not exactly perfect, but not as bad as they originally were with previous uses of this hand wash and I was pleasantly surprised! So I decided to pick one up for myself and I am glad I did, especially for a £1! I recommend it, especially in the run up to Christmas as the mint scent really does remind me of the time of year.

• Dolly Mixtures Shower Gel in Pina Colada.

Dolly Mixtures is a new brand that Asda have brought into their stores and I have wanted to buy all the shower gels they sell, but as I don’t have the room, nor the money to buy them all I decided to just pick up one instead, which is Pina Colada. I’m a sucker for the drink, as it’s my favourite cocktail and I love pineapple and coconut scents, especially together. I wanted a bog standard shower gel to use before work and this one was the perfect choice! The scent really uplifts me and wakes me up in the mornings before I head to work, and the way this leaves my skin feeling and smelling is divine! At the time of buying this it was on offer at £1, but it retails for £2, which is definitely worth the money! As soon as this runs out I’m going to buy another scent to try! I can see me buying these for friends this Christmas as they’re really nice and for the price, a real sweet treat!

• Garnier Pure Active Wasabi Fresh Face Scrub.

This was a spontaneous purchase as my Soap & Glory face scrub finally saw its last day and I threw the rest of it away, I think I’d have it nearly 2 years and with a shelf life of just a year, I wasn’t going to risk using it anymore! I had a look at loads of face scrubs during a visit to Tesco and this one was half price so I had a look and decided to buy it. The day after buying I decided to give it a go and it was amazing! It foamed up, which I really like in a face scrub and just felt like it was really working to cleanse my skin, as well as wash away any dead skin, as well as clear my blackheads. After using it I decided to read the back of the tube a little more than I had done in the shop and as I read  more I read how it is formulated for men. YES, MEN! I bought a man’s face scrub and you’re probably shaking your heads at me or laughing, but does it really matter who it’s made for? I don’t think so and since using it my skin has really improved and even my boyfriends has too! I really want to try the face wash next as if the scrub has left my skin looking good, then I’m sure the wash will too.

• Maybelline Color Elixir in Fuchsia Flourish (review here).

I have never loved a lip product as much as I love Maybelline’s Color Elixir’s! I want to get more shades yet but out of the three I bought this one has been the most worn and therefore most loved. It’s a gorgeous dark pink and is wearable day-to-night and leaves a lovely subtle stain behind. I have really enjoyed wearing this for work but I’ve also loved wearing it for university too as it’s easy to apply, leaves your lips feeling soft and nourished as well as giving your lips a pop of colour. If you want to know more about it, go and read my review, it’s been linked in the title.

• Chapstick in Apple.

I LOVE apple Chapstick and when I spied 4 of these for a £1 in Pound World I decided to get myself some! This is probably my favourite lip balm ever as it smells and tastes delicious, just like fresh apples and keeps your lips soft and smooth, can’t really complain with that! I have really enjoyed using this at university as traveling to and from uni, as well as to and from lectures I sometimes just want to keep my lips hydrated instead of looking colourful so the days that I don’t wear lipstick/gloss there this lip balm comes in handy. Plus I love wearing it at work too!

• Simple Moisture Boost Hydro Mist Spray.

I bought this for uni and it’s really been a savior to use after work whilst I make my way to university! It really does refresh my face and I even use it throughout the day and after work even if I don’t have uni. I’ve never used it before and whilst it was half price I thought I would pick it up, as I have wanted to try it since it came out. I really like Simple’s products as they’re perfect for my sensitive skin and never break me out or cause any issues on my skin. With the moisture boost it really does help bring some moisture into the skin and refresh your skin after a long day. It’s really nice to use after a hot bath because of that too, as well as after using a face scrub or face mask. I recommend it if you’re busy like me and want something to freshen the skin up whilst on the go!

• The Body Shop Strawberry Hand Cream.

I had the coconut hand cream on my favourites last month and now I have the strawberry one this month! All I’ve been using is the strawberry hand cream as it’s kept my hands lovely and soft, as well as smelling delicious! This isn’t a huge tube either so it fits perfectly into my handbag. It’s just a gorgeous light hand cream that absorbs quickly and leaves my hands feeling soft and smooth! I really need to review these in the future so keep your eyes peeled! I recommend these if you’re like me and don’t like thick, greasy hand creams.

• Viktor & Rolf BonBon EDP.

Oh my life I have been lusting after this perfume ever since it was announced late January and I finally got my hands on it in September! I didn’t have to pay for this 30ml bottle and it was worth £55. It wasn’t a gift and it did cost me something, but not cash. If I explain where I got it from and how I’ll also be talking about my job and where I work, which I don’t wish to do on my blog… ANYWAY I have it now and it’s one of my favourite perfumes! It’s such a gorgeous sweet scent and not only does my Mom love it, but my boyfriend really does too. I’ve already asked for one of these in a 50ml or 100ml for Christmas! I WILL be writing a post about this soon!

• The Body Shop Pink Grapefruit Hand Cleanse Gel.

As regular readers will know, I’m a total sucker for The Body Shop’s hand sanitizers and I love to use them for work and keep them in my bag for on the go. I think I’ve tried them all apart from Mango now and this is one of my favourites out of the all! It’s really strong citrus wise and when I use this at work it really does perk me up and wake me up. Like all the hand cleanse gels, it’s a strong scent and as soon as I use it I get comments, positive of course. As usual, I recommend these to everyone to try at least once!

So those were my favourites for September… FINALLY!

I’m sorry for the wait, but sadly my studies for university come first at the moment.

I shall have my empties post up tomorrow though, so don’t worry.

I hope everyone’s week has gone off to a good start and until next time, take care all.