May Favourites 2017♡

I've been kicking myself that I keep putting my favourites posts so late but I kind of just write these for me anyway so I suppose it doesn't matter, I am trying to put more time into this but for now, I'm happy just doing it my way.

With the warmer weather I've been preferring using the Urban Decay Naked Skin One & Done, it's described as a hybrid complexion perfector which I'm not entirely sure the meaning of but it's got a lighter coverage and isn't heavy on the skin, it's been really nice not having the cakey foundation feeling. Where I'm using a lighter coverage on my face I do sometimes need a bit of help in some areas where I do need more coverage and the Nars Soft Matte Concealer has been perfect for that, it isn't heavy on the skin but adds more coverage where I need it.
The new Too Faces Blinded by the Light highlight is so pretty it was basically the only one I used in May, it gives a really pretty glow but has a soft finish which was great for Summery looks.

I had to get the Sleek Vintage Romance palette after seeing Gabby from Velvet Ghost using it in a tutorial, I love the pinky purple colours, initially I thought this wouldn't work well in the Summer but after using it for a while I think it might just be one of those palettes that could work all of the time.
The Jeffree Star Androgyny liquid lipstick has been a huge favourite recently, the colour is so pretty and the formula is so much better than the other shades that I've used.

top-bottom: Sleek eyeshadows, Too Faced Gloss & Jeffree Star lipstick

Other than Androgyny I've actually gone off of liquid lipsticks lately, they are so drying on the lips that I've actually started wearing lip gloss a lot more and my favourite is definitely the Too Faced Sweet Peach gloss in Papa Don't Peach, I usually can't wear peach tones on my lips but this one leans more nude so looks really pretty alone or layered over nude/ pink lipsticks.

I got a new tattoo done in May and Lush's Dream Cream was a lifesaver, I don't really like using the nappy cream people say to use as it's so thick and sticky but Dream Cream is a really good alternative, it sinks in much quicker and is really refreshing, it contains oat milk which is great for dry skin, it's also really good for eczema as well.
As I can't wear bright or bold nail polish for work these two China Glaze polishes have been my go-to nail look, They are Beach Beige and Fairy Dust and together they look so cute, you really can't see it in these photos but Fairy Dust is a really pretty sparkly silver based glitter but it reflects almost holographic but over the top of Beach Beige it just adds a nice sparkle.

I still haven't actually finished Into the Water by Paula Hawkins but I have really enjoyed what I've read so far, like Girl on the Train it keeps you hooked and I find it really interesting seeing the story and the characters develop.
The adorable Baby Groot had to make this favourites, I saw both Guardian's of the Galaxy for the first time in May and while I loved the second one Baby Groot was my favourite part of both of them, he's so funny and adorable and he just makes me so happy..is that strange? Whether it is or not I now have a keyring and a pop funky figure of him and I don't think the love is going anytime soon.
It's slightly annoying me that I can't remember whether I saw Fast and Furious 8 in May or June but I'm going to mention it now just in case, I never in a million years thought I'd like these films but they are such a non-guilty pleasure of mine, this one was so cool and I loved everything about it!
With TV Pretty Little Liars has made a comeback and while a lot of people are tired of but I'm actually really liking the new series, it's a bit annoying in places but I'm going to be so gutted when it's finally finished.
I started to watch The Vampire Diaries again last month and am obsessed again, I used to watch it years ago but now it's on Netflix it's so much easier to watch and it's so good!
 The last thing I wanted to talk about is the crystals in the last photo, in May I was travelling to Bath to work quite a bit but there's a really cool crystal stall that's been there quite a few times and I've picked up these in a few visits, I'm not entirely sure what they all are so I need to do some research but I absolutely love them.
I've said it before but the quality of my photos is really annoying me lately and I do really want to try a new camera but for now, this will have to do, sorry if it's annoying.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this post
Thanks for reading♡

April Favourites 2017 ♡

April was quite a good month but I can't get over how fast this year is going, hopefully Summer is on it's way 'cause I'm a bit tired of being cold all the time! I have quite a few favourites this month so I'm going to try not to ramble too much.

I've been loving the Makeup Geek Contour powder in Bad Habit, it's designed for warm, fair skin I really like that they have so many shades and they tell you what skin tone they are best for, it's so helpful if you're unsure of what colour to go for. It is really pigmented but blends really well.

The Soap and Glory Rosy Chic blush is such a pretty, easy to wear colour, it's great for Spring and probably the nicest "drugstore" blush I've used.

I've heard great things about the Jeffree Star skin frosts but hadn't seen one I thought would work on my skin, then I saw his collab with Manny MUA the colour Eclipse looked perfect, it is a little difficult to work with so I tend to use the Spectrum Contour brush to buff it on and then use the Sigma Tapered Highlight brush to blend it out and it works great, I know there's controversy around Jeffree and Manny and I'm not a fan of either but this is a really pretty highlight.

L-R S&G Rosy Chic, MUG Bad Habit, JS Eclipse, UD Roach, ABH eyeshadows 

I'd been eyeing up the Urban Decay eyeshadow in Roach for a while and it is everything I'd hoped it would be! It works really well with the Naked one palette and the Too Faced Sweet Peach palette but I also find that it works well by itself if I'm in a rush (overslept and have no time to do my makeup)
I've also really been into orange toned eyeshadows lately, I know I've mentioned the Anastasia Modern Renaissance palette before but this time it's the shades Burnt Orange and Realgar that have really been in use for this month.

The Body Shop Tea Tree range has really been saving my skin lately, the 3in1 wash, scrub and mask has been useful to use a few times a week to keep my skin from breaking out, and then I've been using the anti-imperfection daily solution twice a day and have really been noticing a difference. I've also been loving the facial mask brush to apply facemasks, it makes applying facemasks so easy, they go on evenly and it means it doesn't irritate the eczema on my hands.
I'm only supposed to wear nude nail polish at work so this Essie colour in Spin the Bottle is perfect, I thought it was cruelty free but I now don't think it is, I wanted to mention it anyway as it has literally been the only nail polish I wore all month.
My lips have been really sore and dry lately and this First Aid Beauty lip balm has really helped to make a huge difference, I think as long as I keep wearing liquid lipstick my lips will never be great but this has really helped a lot.
I've been looking to try the Lush Ro's Argan Body Conditioner for a while and it has lived up to all of my hopes, it makes your skin so soft but also leaves a beautiful scent that lingers.
I think I mentioned in my February favourites that I loved Broadchurch, as it ended in April I figured I could talk about it again, it was such a well thought out story and I really felt like it did the show proud, I am sad it's all ended now but it ended so well and really did the first season justice.
After seeing everyone go on about Line of Duty on twitter I decided that we needed to give it a go, we could only watch the first two series online as the third isn't out on netlflix yet but we both absolutely loved it. It's such an interesting side to police dramas and so addictive, I'm really hoping series 3 comes onto netflix soon.
The last TV show I wanted to mention is one I never thought I'd watch, Hollyoaks, it's so over the top it's quite funny but as it's only about half an hour long it's so easy to watch and I've been getting hooked on all of the different characters.
That's it for my April favourites, again I'm so annoyed about the quality of the pictures but I'm not really sure how to change that for now, I hope it isn't too bad.
Thankyou for reading ♡

March Favourites 2017 ♡

Not quite as late as all the other's but still later than hoped, I'm finally getting round to doing my March favourites, I don't have as many as I thought initially but I do love everything in here a lot, also I mentioned in my last post that I'm kinda annoyed with the quality of my photos, I would love to get a camera but I'm not sure I can justify £££, if anyone has any recommendations I'd love to hear them, I have no idea when it comes to tech.

I'd been wanting a Jurassic Park t-shirt for ages and found this one on etsy, I decided to get a medium as I wanted it slightly baggy, it is a bit big but I love this tucked into shorts and skirts, I actually wore this when we went out for a few drinks for Greg's birthday and so many people came up and said they liked it, in a bar full of girls in dresses so I thought that was kind of cool, slightly geeky but I love it, I'm actually tempted to get a smaller size so I can wear it with jeans as well.

I mentioned all of these makeup products in my last, what's in my makeup bag post so I've already spoken about them on here, I'll try not to ramble on about them but can't make any promises.

As I mentioned in my last post I've been using the Lottie London Selfie Ready foundation to lighten the colour of my Too Faced foundation, it stops it from going too orangey on my skin but doesn't sheer the coverage out at all, I really like that it's in a squeezey bottle as it gives more control over how much you add. This was the first Lottie London product I've tried and now I'm definitely wanting to try more. 

I've already mentioned the Too Faced Sweet Peach palette in a monthly favourites but another product from the range that I've been loving is the Papa Don't Peach blush, I usually layer this over other blushes to add a nice glow but it is also great on it's own as a less intense coloured blush, I'm planning on doing a blush collection post soon so I'll probably talk more about this then.

The Anastasia Nicole Guerrero palette has been my go to highlight of choice lately, they are so pigmented and look stunning on the skin, I usually mix a few of them together but especially love forever young and kitty kat, after using this I know I would love more of the Anastasia highlights in future, again I'm planning a highlight collection soon so will go into this more then but it is really stunning.

I switched over to using the Urban Decay Brow Box a little while ago as I was finding pomades were too heavy and unnatural looking, the two shades in this work really well to blend together to make natural, full looking brows and I've even been enjoying using the wax to set them, it isn't heavy or stick at all and I'm loving having lighter, less heavy brows.

TV wise I have to mention Broadchurch, the third and final series started in March and is now nearly over, if you haven't seen or heard of Broadchurch before you need to go and watch it! This new season is just as well executed as the last two, I love that it's talking about really important topics and highlighting the way that society handles them, the acting is amazing and I really wish there were more shows like this on TV as I feel like it portrays difficult topics really well.

Very different to Broadchurch but I don't think I mentioned it before, Greg and I have been watching The Big Bang Theory on Netflix and been loving it, he isn't usually one to watch those sorts of shows but I'd been watching it as a quick watch and he ended up catching up and watching it with me, I love that the episodes are quite short so they are perfect for fitting in a few after work, we've finished all of the episodes on Netflix now so need to find a way of watching the more recent ones. 

That's all for my March favourites, sorry if it's been a bit rambly, I got into the mood to write at 2am and have just sat and babbled it all out onto the screen. I do have a few ideas for new blog posts but as I mentioned before my photo quality is really irritating me so if you do have any recommendations I'd be really grateful. Thankyou so much for reading ♡

February Favourites 2017 ♡

The Too Faced Sweet Peach palette wasn't really something I'd thought about before but after hearing a few people rave about it I gave in and bought it, I love the shades in this palette, they seem to have everything you need and the colours work beautifully together, I actually think this palette has a better layout and colour range than the Chocolate Bar palette which is such a relief as I wasn't sure I'd like it as much.
Urban Decay eyeshadows are some of my absolute favourites and I seem to be building a little collection of the single pans, my latest addition is Blackout, I actually have this in a couple of my UD palettes but it's such a useful shade I had to have it in pan form, it's so handy to have as a lot of palettes don't tend to have black/very dark shades so this is perfect to have on hand when I want to add a deeper, smokey edge to my eyeshadows.
The RCMA No Colour Powder is the perfect loose powder, it doesn't leave a powdery cast on the face, it sets makeup well and isn't too heavy on the skin. I've been struggling to find a good loose powder to use all over and this one is exactly what I wanted, my only problem with it is the packaging as I don't like the fact that you have to shake it out of the holes in the lid as it makes a mess and goes everywhere which is a shame.

Everyone seems to have fallen in love with the Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk lipstick and for good reason. It's the perfect partner to the lipliner and looks beautiful, Charlotte Tilbury lipsticks are probably my favourite at the moment and I kind of hope they make this one permanent as I'd hate to run out of it.
Another popular product lately has been the Pixi and Caroline Hirons Double Cleanse, not only does this leave my skin entirely makeup free but it's quick to use as well so even when I can't really be bothered to properly take my makeup off this makes it really easy.
What Would Love Do? came out around Valentines time in the Lush kitchen, it contains benzoin resinoid, tangerine and lavender and smells sweet but fresh as well, the best thing about Lush perfumes is that they smell so different to more popular, regular brand perfumes and tend to last longer as well.

Back in January I lightened my hair from brown to what was supposed to be a dark blonde/rose gold, years of dye abuse however left me with a lighter, coral blonde shade which I wasn't a fan of, the Maria Nila Colour Refresh in Pearl Silver has really saved my hair a lot, it's still now how I'd like it but it has cooled down a lot, it's a toner mask that I use about once a week and it's been working perfectly, I also use the Pink Pop colour every now and again to put a rosy tone in and they work really well, not to mention they smell amazing and leave your hair feeling great.
I actually feel kind of guilty about this one, but it happened, I'm cheating on my Tangle Teezer with the Wet Brush. I'd been hearing rave reviews about it for so long I caved and bought it and it's so good! I feel like it's softer on my hair both wet and dry, but I also love the fact that it has a handle, it's probably my clumsiness but I frequently found myself dropping the Tangle Teezer..or throwing it across the room by accident..I feel bad but I think this is definitely my new favourite hair brush, definitely worth a try.
I love Coconut Lane's laptop accessories and added this one to my collection in February, it's the Rose Gold Marble laptop case and it looks so pretty! They have so many different styles to choose from and also do this rose gold marble in phone cases and other products, the prices are reasonable and the quality is really good too, this definitely isn't sponsored but I do have a 20% discount code if you're looking for anything on the site, just enter ditsy20, I'm definitely excited to see what new products they come up with for this year.

I've been looking for a zodiac coin necklace like this for quite a while and found the perfect one on Simply Different, I love the style of this pendant, especially it's antique silver effect as I think they look much better when they're more worn looking. I've work this nearly every day and love it.
A movie favourite for Feb was definitely Hidden Figures, I loved this film so much, the entire cast was brilliant, it made me laugh, cry but most importantly it really made me really think. I can't wait for it to come out on DVD so I can watch it again.
I'm so annoyed that this months favourites is really late again, life seems to continuously get in the way and working full time awkward hours definitely doesn't help. Hopefully March's favourites won't be quite as late. I do have some really exciting favourites in mind though so it shouldn't be too difficult.
I do have someone very exciting to introduce though which I thought I'd do at the end of this post seeing as she is part of the reason this post is so late (she's very distracting)

This is Luna, our new kitten, she's adorable but can be very mischevious, hence why I've been a bit more distracted, but she's incredibly cute and cuddly. Technically I got her in March but we'll class her as a favourite anyway. 

Thankyou for reading, I hope your month is going well, hopefully it won't be so late next time! 

♡

January Favourites 2017 ♡

Last year I set myself the goal of writing a favourites post every month..and failed after August, this year I'm going to try again but I guess we'll see. Because of that I have a few things in this months favourites that I've been loving for longer but had to mention them anyway.

Skincare has been a huge favourite for January, I got my nose pierced and using salt water to clean it left me with a really dried out nose (lovely I know) so using the Lush Eau Roma Water and Enzymion moisturiser I managed to get my skin to settle, Eau Roma Water is described as a kind aromatherapy water. It helps to moisturise while toning, and contains rose and lavender water which are soothing and great for sensitive skin, you can mist it onto your face under and over water but I prefer to spritz it onto a cotton pad and wipe it on. 

One problem I tend to have with moisturisers is that they can be too heavy for my skin, Enzymion has been a great way to avoid this problem, it's gentle and isn't overly oily so sinks in quickly, it's quite pricey for a small pot but you only need the tiniest amount so it should last ages.

The Nip + Fab Dragon's Blood Fix Cleansing Pads have been a favourite for a couple of years now but I recently found out that they're cruelty free so have recently repurchased them, these pads are my saviours when my skin's misbehaving, I've been getting strange small bumps on my skin, like spots that won't form properly, but these help clear them up faster than any other product I've tried. Nip + Fab can be pricey but Boots and Superdrug usually have offers on for them.

Primer is something I've struggled to get on with in the past, I hate the silicone/oily feel of most of them but the Kat Von D Lock-it Featherweight Primer is silicone and oil free so feels much nicer on the skin. You don't need a lot and it creates a great base for foundation. It's hydrating as well so I do tend to use it in place of moisturiser some mornings if I'm feeling lazy.

After hearing so many good things about the Too Faced Born This Way foundation I thought I'd give it a go, it's oil free, contains coconut water and is beautiful, it sits really nicely on the skin, it lasts really well as well so I don't need to worry about it disappearing from my skin throughout a day at work which is exactly what I need in a foundation.
Nars Sin has pretty much been the only blush I've been wearing throughout January. It's a pretty berry  plum shade with a subtle gold shimmer, I apply it very lightly for a healthy looking glow, and I love the fact that it's buildable so it isn't too intense.
The Makeup Obsession highlighters are really beautiful and affordable and I've been loving the shade Moon in January, it's got a lilac tone to it but doesn't look overly intense unless you want it to be. You can put these in palettes but they also work really nicely as individual products, I'm not sure if they are cruelty free or not as the brand is so new but I'm hoping they are so I can look at more products of theirs.

I got the original Naked palette for Christmas and I'm so surprised with how much I fell in love with it, I've been unsure about this palette for years but now I have it I regret waiting so long. The colours are stunning but as I'm probably the last to the party on this one there's probably not much point going on about it...but it's definitely worth all the hype.
In January I gave in to a complete impulse buy and got the Anastasia Modern Renaissance palette. It's very pricey but I found myself loving the shades, even the ones I thought would scare me, I need to play around with it a bit more but it is beautiful and has a nice variety of colours.
I basically used the Anastasia Dusty Rose Liquid Lipstick for the whole of January, especially at work where I wanted an easy to wear, simple colour. It's a beautiful colour that is basically exactly what the name suggests but I find that the creamy formula of the Anastasia Liquid Lipsticks is one of the best formulas that I've tried.

I completely forgot to put this in the makeup photos but at the end of 2016 I gave in and bought the actual Beauty Blender sponge (instead of using other brand's alternatives) and I love it so much, it feels so much softer than the other's I've tried, it blends foundation and concealer so well and cleans better than other ones as well.
Also at the end of 2016 M.J Arlidge brought out the next book in his Helen Grace series, Hide and Seek, it's quite different to the other books in his series but it's so good! I always find that I get through these books so quickly because they're so addictive but I also struggle to pick up other books after finishing them because I just want to know what happens next but have to wait for the next books to come out, It's a real bookworm problem.
My last post was all about my Odeon Limitless subscription  and in this months favourites I have to mention my favourite films I saw in January. Passengers was definitely a favourite, Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt could never disappoint and it was such a cool film, I also loved Split despite it scaring me slightly. It's such an interesting film, especially if you're into psychology and psychological thrillers. I also surprised myself and really enjoyed Star Wars Rogue One, if you're not that into Star Wars and have avoided the last few new ones I'd definitely recommend giving them a chance as I usually avoid Star Wars at all costs but liked these new ones.
It couldn't be a January favourites without mentioning the fact that I am absolutely in LOVE with Ed Sheehan's new music, I've already preordered his album on CD and vinyl and am so stupidly excited to hear the whole thing!
Also TV wise I've really been getting into watching the Big Bang Theory, I like that the episodes are quite short, I started watching it from the beginning on Netflix and now Greg's started watching it with me too.
That's it for my January favourites, it ended up being much longer than I'd planned and also a lot later too, life definitely got in the way but I'm hoping that February's won't be quite so late.
Thankyou for reading ♡ 

August Favourites 2016 ♡

I was really struggling with this month's favourites post, August felt like the longest month ever and it really wasn't the easiest. I've been in a bit of a rut all round so don't have many things to talk about, it's mostly TV shows so I'll try not to harp on for too long but I have a feeling this month is going to be a bit brighter than last.

I've been really liking using two Illamasqua blushes, both separately and together, Dixie is a warm corally rosey pink cream blush that looks so beautiful and natural on the cheeks, it blends nicely and works really well underneath Tremble, Tremble is a soft pastel pink, it's a matte powder blush which I wouldn't usually go for but it looks so healthy and glowy without being garish and in your face. 

I got back into wearing Lime Crime's Teddy Bear Velvetine again this month and it reminded me just how much I love it, it's definitely quite Autumnal so has been a good transition lip colour, if you are looking into trying a Lime Crime lip product I'd definitely recommend this one.

Another liquid lipstick type product that I'm pretty sure I've mentioned before is the Tanya Burr lip cream in Martha Moo, it's a really easy day time lip colour perfect for work, mine seems more peachy pink on my lips compared to what I was expecting but it is a really easy colour and formula to wear.

L-R- Tremble, Dixie, both layered, Teddy Bear & Martha Moo

I mentioned in my last favourites post that I read and loved the very popular book Me Before You and in August I read the sequel, After You and it was just as incredible. Without giving either book (or the film) away, After You follows Louisa Clarke into the next chapter of her life and honestly I would love to read even more of these books if Jojo Moyes ever brings out more, Lousia is such a funny, relatable character and I can't wait to watch the film of Me Before You as soon as I can (I'm also hoping for a film of After You)

I've watched Casualty for as long as I can remember and August marked the shows 30th anniversary and they celebrated it so well I had to mention it in this post, the special anniversary episode is still on iplayer at the moment and I'd definitely recommend you check it out whether you usually watch the show or not. The acting was amazing and the whole episode was shot really well, I also really liked that they included old characters from the show, it was such a good trip down memory lane, not to mention some of my old favourites were in there. I loved every minute of it and am kind of hoping they'll do another special episode soon.

From an old favourite show to a new one, I really got into Crazy Ex Girlfriend on netflix after hearing Gemma from hellogemma talking about it on her snapchat, I gave it a go and during the parts of the month when I was feeling down the most it really helped to lift my spirits, it's a comedy that contains musical moments that I love so much, I love musicals and the songs in this are hilarious, it's just a really easy to watch show that really cheered me up so I had to mention it.

Gotham season 2 finally came out on netflix and myself and Greg both loved it, in all honesty I got a little tired of the second half of the first season so was a little sceptical but I loved every single episode of this season, I love the way they've developed the characters and the storyline and my only complaint is that they wait so long to put it on netflix, season 3 comes out next month but I think we're going to have to wait a year to watch it which is so annoying! That aside I really love the show, I'm not overly into superheroes but Batman is definitely my favourite and I love the concept of Gotham, it's so gritty and tells the origins stories of so many characters, I'd recommend it to anyone, whether you like comics or not.

I do have more shows to mention but I don't want this post to be all TV shows so I'm going to mention one last one and then the other two can wait until next month, but I can't not mention Pretty Little Liars. Again I loved every episode from this season and am gutted that there are only ten episodes left ever, I am of course excited to see how it all ends and how they wrap it up but it will be so sad to see it end. I've really enjoyed the whole 5 years later concept and seeing them all after the events of the earlier seasons and how it's affected their lives, of course this season contained just the right amount of twists and turns and if you haven't watched this show yet then what have you been doing?! I'm pretty sure it's something I'll re-watch over and over for years to come, just to get my head around everything that's happened in the crazy six years that the show has been on.

That's all for my August favourites, I'm sorry that it was mostly me rambling about TV shows but I'm pretty sure my next favourites post will be more makeup based, I hope you enjoyed anyway and maybe found a new show to watch.
Thankyou so much for reading ♡

July Favourites 2016 ♡

July has been such a long month, I moved down to Southampton a few weeks ago and have been finding my feet since, I have a few ideas for home decor posts so I'll be working on those but for now, it's July favourites time.

I tried the Urban Decay Naked Skin foundation (CF) this month and despite being underwhelmed at first (I have a bad habit of expecting perfection from foundations and concealers) I have grown to love it, it's buildable so that you can get the coverage you want. I find that when I use this foundation my skin looks fresh but not cakey, it looks lovely and I'm really tempted to try the Naked Skin concealer now as well. 

In my last post I reviewed the Sleek Solstice Highlight palette (CF?) and I love it,  particularly the shades Equinox and Hemisphere, they both look stunning on the cheek bones, and Equinox looks amazing on other highlight areas too, they are nicely pigmented so you don't need a lot, they definitely pack a punch and I actually haven't used my beloved champagne pop since I've had this palette, and to make it even better it's really affordable.

I just realised that I actually mentioned the Lime Crime Venus palette (CF) in my June favourites..oops..but I guess it shows I really like it? For the first week or so after I moved I just used whatever palette I could grab but wasn't really happy with any of the makeup looks, so I went back to using this and my eyelids are now happy again, I love the looks you can put together with this palette and am planning a review of it soon.

I've been liking this NYX Matte Liquid Liner (CF) despite usually struggling with this type of applicator, this one is more sturdy than others I've tried, it stays put all day and is really affordable.

Another two liquid lipstick favourites this month, I'm kind of obsessed with them and lately it's been these two in particular. Tanya Burr released her new soft luxe line recently and this Martha Moo Matte Lip (CF?)  really stood out to me, the colour is really pretty and the formula is creamy and lasts really well, I hope she brings more shades out in this line because I'd love to try more. 

For a darker shade I've been really liking the Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Lolita (CF), I've been wanting this shade for so long and finally bought it on depop, they are releasing Kat Von D products in Debenhams soon so I'm so excited for that! I don't really know what else there is to say about liquid lipsticks, I always seem to repeat myself but this one is definitely one to look out for when it comes to the UK.

top to bottom- NYX liner, Lolita, Martha Moo-sleek equinox on right
venus palette-muse venus &aura,sleek ecliptic& hemisphere 

While I was packing to move I got into watching Cuckoo on netflix and iPlayer, it's another BBC British comedy which I've really been getting into lately, I love Greg Davies and Tyger Drew Honey but to be honest I got to love all of the actors, if you're looking for something new to watch I'd definitely give it a go. 

Once I moved we didn't have any internet for a couple of weeks so I bought a few seasons of CSI quite cheap and have been addicted, I've loved watching the show since I was younger and really want to watch the New York ones too, is is bad that the whole murder/CSI thing really interests me? I think if I were to train to do anything it would be to be a crime scene detective..or a makeup artist, possibly weird..

I've had Me Before You for at least a year but never got a chance to read it, then I heard all the hype when the film came out so gave it a a go and I'd definitely recommend you read it if you haven't. I still need to see the film but the book was so beautifully mundane and frustrating..in a good way, I fell for the characters and after seeing which actors are playing them I'm now so excited to see the film, even though I'm secretly hoping the ending changes in the film. 

I forgot to take a picture of it but while we had no internet I really got into playing Rise of the Tomb Raider, I've never really been a games console person but this game was really fun, I've played Tomb Raider in the past but this game is so much better than the older ones, I'm so excited for the next one to come out, I am playing the game that came before this one and it's not as addictive but it's nice to do something that isn't on the internet.

So that's it for my July favourites, it's been a pretty crazy month and I'm still getting settled in in the new flat, hopefully soon I'll have a new job..mostly because there are a few releases coming up that I really want..but I'm also bored out of my mind.

Thankyou for reading ♡

June Favourites 2016 ♡

How is it July already?! I know everyone says it but it's so crazy how fast the year is going! I actually  just moved into my new flat today and won't have internet for a few weeks so I'm hopefully just going to get some posts ready as and when I can but for now I have my June favourites, before I start though I just wanted to say that I'm starting to try to go cruelty free, I still have and use some non cruelty free products but I will be putting (CF) after any products that to my knowledge are cruelty free, if I make a mistake please let me know but I am referencing various blogs and bloggers to check as much as I can.

The Benefit They're Real Push Up Liner has been an actual saviour this month, this eyeliner stays put so well that I have been relying on it to withstand my leaky hay fever eyes, I find that the applicator makes it easy to get a nice eyeliner shape and while it's a bit pricy for an eyeliner it does last quite a while as you don't need to use a lot of it.

I've also been loving the Rosie by Autograph loose powder (CF), it looks really nice on your skin but the packaging is kinda genius, it has a net that dispenses the product and a stopper that stops it from spilling out into the top section, I always make such a mess with loose powder but this one is really mess proof!

I've also been in love with the Lime Crime Venus Grunge palette (CF), I love the tone of the palette and think the shades look stunning in smokey eye looks, I really want to try posting some looks with this palette but I don't know how it could work.

I know I've been on a liquid lipstick hype lately but I've been hooked on them so much lately, I like the Lime Crime ones, specifically Saint (CF)  and Anastasia Beverly Hill's Crush (CF), I'm thinking about making post comparing all of the different brands and formulas but I just heard that colour pop are shipping to the UK so I might wait to try those..not that I need anymore, anyway, Saint is a really pretty deep almost brown red, perfect for vampy looks, while Crush is a nude pink colour that looks really nice for just everyday normal looks.

I think I've mentioned the M.J Arlidge Helen Grace series before but his newest book came out last month and I was so excited, the book was really good, it had me hooked and I love that the story twists and surprises you, it's called Little Boy Blue and I'm so excited to read the next one which I think it out in a couple of months, if you like crime/murder detective books I'd really recommend this series, I've actually got my boyfriend hooked on them now and it's set in Southampton as well which is where we are both now living, I know I've mentioned quite a lot of posts I want to try and do but I also want to write a review for the whole series but I don't want to miss any upcoming books out, but I also never want the series to end, oh the struggles, I know..
I've actually been meaning to put this in a favourites for a while now but I've finally remembered, it's the new (ish) Tangle Teezer for thick & curly hair, I love normal Tangle Teezers but this one is amazing, I have quite thick hair that gets the most impossible tangles in it but this helps so much, if you have slightly longer more difficult hair I'd really recommend these.

It couldn't be a June favourites video without mentioning Orange is the New Black..I know lots of people watch it but if you haven't you need to! This for me was the best season by far and I am already really excited for the next one, I feel like everything intensified a lot the season and is really boiling up ready for the next few, the season finale was incredible (I cried so much!) but I also feel like there wasn't a single weak episode or story line. I can't rave about it enough, just watch it, I'm ready to re-watch it already.
Another TV show I've been enjoying is Outnumbered, I'm really getting into re-watching TV shows on netflx and this one is so funny, I don't know how to explain it without making it sound rubbish but if you want a light heartened entertaining show to watch (perfect for after the heartbreak of OITNB) try this one.

I don't think I have any more favourites, my month was basically finishing work and packing to work,  I hope it wasn't too rambly (why do I end every post like this...I clearly ramble far too much..sorry)
Hopefully I can get a post or two up before the end of the month but if not I definitely will once I've got internet in the flat.

Thankyou for reading ♡ 

May Favourites 2016 ♡

I'm sorry that this post is late (again) but time seems to be escaping me lately and I actually struggled to pick out enough favourites for this month, it just didn't seem like enough but I'm determined to get one up each month so I forced myself to make the most of the few favourites I had.

I'll start with food..in an attempt to make myself eat and enjoy breakfast I started eating one of these New York Bakery Co Sesame Bagels with butter in the morning and I have actually started to look forward to breakfast which never happens! On a slightly less healthy note (if bagels and butter count as healthy) I've also had a slight obsession with crispy m&m's this month, as in I think I'm verging slightly on addiction with these, I really don't know what to say about them aside from that I love them and could eat them practically all day..no shame here!

I tried the Too Faced Hangover primer last month and have been really liking it, some primers tend to sit heavily on my skin and cause it to breakout but this one is lightweight and sits really nicely on my skin, meaning that my skin actually likes this one, I also find that the pump always gives the right amount of product so I don't waste any.
Another lightweight base product I've been loving has been the Maybelline Dream Flawless Nude foundation, it has a beautiful look on the skin, you can build the coverage but it doesn't feel heavy or thick on the skin at all, perfect for Summer when you don't want too much makeup on your face.
Mac's pigment in Tan has been another favourite this month, it's a really pretty pinky bronze pigment that looks beautiful with a smoky eye, especially in the inner corner.
I had two lip favourites last month, I tried my first Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick in the shade Kathryn, liquid lipsticks can sometimes be really drying but the formula of this one is really creamy and the colour is beautiful, I think it's actually the easiest to apply out of all my liquid lipsticks and I really wish they were easier to get hold of in the UK. My other lip favourite is the very popular Whirl lipstick by Mac, I hadn't even really looked at this before but when Tanya Burr wore it in one of her videos I fell in love with it, it's a beautiful colour, described as a dirty rose and looks really pretty, I really like the Mac mate formula, it's not too drying and tends to look flattering on the lips, it's probably not the right season for this sort of colour but I don't really mind, it's not like we get much of a Summer here in the UK anyway.

Tan, Kathryn & Whirl

Barry M came out with their new Molten Metals polish and the colour Copper Mine is the prettiest rose gold nail colour, Barry M are by far my favourite nail polish brand and this one definitely does not disappoint.
I also discovered the Garnier Skin active Oil Infused Micellar water, it makes removing eye makeup and liquid lipsticks so easy, and doesn't dry your skin like some other micellar waters can, I'd definitely recommend this if you tend to wear heavier eye makeup or makeup that can be more difficult to remove.
For a TV favourite I've actually really been enjoying watching Loose Women clips on youtube, they can be really interesting and I've become slightly addicted to watching them all the time, I've never been one for day time TV (Jeremy Kyle when revising for A levels not included) but I'm starting to think I've been missing out!
That's it for my May favourites, not too rambly I hope, I now officially have one week until I leave work and start to pack to move but let's face it, I don't really post regularly on here anyway so probably won't be missing much when I move, I'll hopefully be back soon though, thanks for reading!
♡

April Favourites 2016 ♡

I struggled to pick things to put in my April favourites at first, but I think I have a nice little selection of things to show, it's a little late but never late than never right?

April absolutely flew by and my makeup didn't really change much so there isn't much to talk about..so maybe that will stop me rambling so much?

I really got into using my Mac Blue Brown pigment with smokey eye looks and love the way it can change a look and make it so much prettier, it's a gorgeous brown with blue and green pearl and looks amazing with a brown smokey eye. On my days off I really got into a simpler eye look using the Maybelline colour tattoo in Pink Gold with the Top Shop Chameleon Glow in Wax and Wane and it makes a really pretty simple look, perfect for if you don't want to spend ages on your makeup or if you're in a rush.

Teddy Bear, Blue Brown, Pink Gold, Wax & Wane, eyeshadows combined, 1995

I've been really into liquid lipsticks lately and Limecrime's Teddy Bear and Gerard Cosmetics 1995 have been alternating on my lips all month, they are similar but I feel like they're different enough to justify me wearing both of them, they are pretty nudes, they might be better for autumn and winter but I love them so much!

On my nails I've been loving Barry M's Sunset polish in All The Things She Red, it's a gorgeous orange/red/tomato colour, which is probably one of my favourite colours ever! I've also been loving the L'Oreal Colour Riche nail polish in Rose Ballet, I've heard a lot about these polishes but this was the only colour that really stood out to me and I've been wearing it a lot, it's a really pretty colour and I think it has a perfume scent when it dries (I could be wrong..but it smells nice when it's dried)
I discovered Spectrum brushes this month and became slightly obsessed with them, I've got lots of them now but these are just some of my favourites, they are really affordable and lovely quality.
Lastly I've still been loving my YSL Black Opium but when I've been wanting something lighter I've been reaching for my Victoria's Secret Pure Daydream body spray, it smells so nice and summery.

I read and loved two books this month, the first is the sequel to The Rosie Project, The Rosie Effect. This book is really amusing and funny but kept me hooked still, it's been a nice break from reading heavier, darker books and I would love for there to be more of these! I think they're making a film of the first book and honestly I could really get into seeing more of these characters!
Speaking of darker books..I've absolutely been loving reading Burnt Paper Sky by Gilly Macmillan, I love that this book is set in Bristol and the storyline is really gripping. I really really (really) think that this book would make an amazing second season of Thirteen (the TV show that was in my favourites last month)
I've basically just been watching Buffy again all month but I've also been really getting into watching the Saccone Joly vlogs again, I've developed a routine of watching the night before's vlog while getting ready for work in the morning and have been loving it! I've been watching them for a while on and off but since watching Anna's snapchats I've started watching them more, I just wanted to say, even though they will likely never see this, that I wish them all the best and am sending my love to them after what they have been through. ♡

That's it this month, I have a feeling I'll have more to talk about next month but I'll likely also be a lot more disorganised and stressed as I am now less than two months away from moving and I'm getting nervous.

My  last post was a Coconut Lane Giveaway that ends soon so go and check that out and enter!

Thanks for reading♡

March Favourites 2016 ♡

This is probably a little bit late for a monthly favourites but I wanted to post it anyway, I've set myself an unofficial resolution to post a favourites post every month, for me March dragged slightly but I did have a few things I really enjoyed that I wanted to share.

At the start of this month I was considering getting rid of my Urban Decay Naked 3 palette so I decided to try to use it for a bit to decide...and fell back in love with it..I don't know why I go through phases of not using my Urban Decay palettes but when I do use them I remember how much I love them, I've specifically been using the shades Liar, Darkside and Buzz, and of course Nooner to blend, it's such a pretty palette!

Also at the start of this month I was in Holland with my mum, and while we were in Amsterdam I found this contour powder by Etos which I think is like the Dutch equivalent of boots or superdrug? I've been looking for a contour shade like this for so long, it's the perfect colour for contouring, and only cost about €5 and I'm really dreading running out of this, it's so good!

I also got my first ever Limecrime product this month, their Velvetine lip colour in Pumpkin, I used to love orange lip colours and decided to try this one to get back into them, and love it so much! It's really long lasting and isn't crazily drying, I love the formula so much that I actually don't like wearing regular lip formulas anymore, I've actually just ordered their new colour and am so excited for it to arrive.

More orange now, but this time on my nails, I got this Miss Sporty nail polish from my work the other week and have been loving wearing it with Rimmels It's a Scorcher on top, I wouldn't say these in particular are my favourites, but more just the colour in general, I love orange all year round but having it on my nails makes me feel all summery. The other polish I've been loving has been Urban Outfitters Oilslick, I love stalking the nail polish rack in Urban Outfitters, and can't wait 'til I move so I can live near one, I got this last time I went and love it so much, it's a beautiful colour shifting polish that lasts a while on your nails too, I've found a few interesting nail polishes from their before and while they are slightly pricey I do think they are worth it.
Lastly for nails I've been loving Seche Restore, I love the Seche Vite Dry Fast topcoat but it does go very thick about halfway through the bottle, Seche Restore isn't a nail polish thinner, it doesn't break down the formula it replenishes what is lost when the polish drys out, so it won't lose it's consistency, you only need a few drops so the bottle will last a while, and it works in normal polishes too.

While in duty free I caved in and bought YSL's Black Opium, I've been lusting after this for so long and I'm so happy I finally have it, it smells very deep and spicy and probably isn't quite appropriate for the season but I love it regardless.
Carrie Fletcher is one of my absolute favourite people ever, her youtube channel never fails to make me smile so obviously I had to get her book All I Know Now, I don't know why I put off reading this but I'm so glad I finally got round to reading it. It's aimed at a younger audience than myself, designed to be a sort of guidebook to growing up, but for me I love hearing stories so it was like having a sort of one sided chat with Carrie..if that makes any sense whatsoever..moving on..
Also this month I read The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion, it's a bit different to the other fictional books I've read lately, it's more lighthearted but is still a really interesting read, I'm currently reading the sequel so might do a review of both of them when I finish that one but they are so good!

TV wise this month I've been loving Buffy The Vampire Slayer on netflix, I used to like this when I was younger but didn't really watch it properly but I've been addicted to watching it lately, once you get over the 90's style it's so good! My favourite characters at the moment are Angel, Cordelia, Willow and of course Buffy.
I also really loved watching Thirteen, it's a BBC drama and was so interesting, it's about a girl called Ivy who escapes her kidnapper after thirteen years and it follows her relationships with her family and friends, and also the police in their investigation to find her captor, I do wish they had put a little more back story into the final episode but it was a really gripping show and is only five episodes long so is a really quick watch if you don't have much time.
My last TV favourite was Pretty Little Liars, I did mention this when it came back but I decided I'm allowed to put it in a favourites again now that it's finished, I know the five years on thing has divided opinions but I really like it, I love that the storyline feels fresh and I mostly like how the characters have developed, Hanna is still my favourite but I feel like I appreciate Spencer a lot more now  than I did before, I really want to rematch the entire show at some point but I don't think I'm prepared for how confusing that could be, I am dreading when they decide to end the show though, it's definitely one of my favourite shows ever.
Finally I have a music favourite and it has to be Adele's album 25, I don't know why it took me so long to download this but I am in love with it! I actually listened to it on repeat while reading The Rosie Project so it reminds me a lot of that book, but the songs are so beautiful, as of course is Adeles voice, she's another one of my favourite people! It's hard to pick specific favourite songs but I do love  When We Were Young, River Lea, Love in the Dark, Water Under the Bridge...I could list all of them to be honest but I'll behave and leave it there.

Thankyou so much for reading, I'm getting closer to moving now so hopefully I'll be able to keep on top of posting at least once a week..maybe..probably not, I'll try my best though, If you're still reading after this rather rambly post then I hope you have the best April!
♡

February Favourites 2016 ♡

I know it's such a cliché, but how has February been and gone already? I feel as though I've blinked and missed it, but it was a pretty good month.

I have been trying to use what I have already instead of buying new things, in an effort to control my spending, so I don't really have lots of new favourites this month but I do have a few things that I've really enjoyed using.

I actually only have two bits of makeup to talk about this month, both of them being Urban Decay eyeshadows, I spent a week in Southampton visiting my boyfriend at the start of the month, but the eyeshadow palette that I took with me didn't have a very pigmented dark outer corner shade, so I went into Debenhams to look at Urban Decay (can't wait to move to the city so I can actually be near the counter) I was planning on getting Blackout as it's my favourite matte black eyeshadow, but I have it in two palettes already so went for Oil Slick (£14) instead, it's a charcoal black shade with silver micro glitter, it isn't the smoothest of shadows but it is so pretty! I have used it with so many different palettes, almost every time that I've done my makeup.

I've also been using the Urban Decay Naked 2 palette (£38.50) a lot this month, particularly the grey shades with Oil Slick to create a really smokey grey eyeshadow look, it's a little different to what I usually go for but I love it! 

In my January favourites I mentioned that I'd been struggling with my skin, especially on my forehead, and that while the products that I spoke about in that post helped with my skin at the time, it did dry my skin out a lot, the Origins Make a Difference Plus Ultra Rich Cream (£35) it is quite pricey, and I definitely fell in the trap of House of Fraser not having the prices on display, but I was so desperate for something that would help my skin that I don't even care, I literally noticed a huge difference over night-and I'm not even over-over-exagerating, I woke up after using this the night before and even my boyfriend could tell a huge difference in my skin, I was so grateful!

Another couple of skin care items I've been very grateful for this month have been Lush Dream Cream (£6.25) and Bepanthen. I got a new tattoo at the very start of the month, and I feel as though through the trial and error of my previous tattoos I have found my dream combination in these two, I found that healing my new tattoo (photo here-another favourite!) was really easy, Bepanthen is best to use for the first couple of weeks, and then when the tattoo is less dry I start to use Dream Cream during the day on it, and end up just using Dream Cream.

I mentioned Lush Twilight Shower Gel in my Lush Spring Haul and it was unfortunately limited edition but I had to mention it as I have been addicted to using it, I have quite a lot of Lush shower gels but I've been kinda ignoring them because of this one, it's so comforting, and for a lavender scent I find it really easy to get on with which I usually don't.

I've been struggling to stick to one perfume this month, but one that I've been really enjoying wearing is the DKNY Golden Delicious perfume. This was actually the first "grown up" perfume I ever bought when I got my first part time job years ago, it's a really nice fruity floral scent and I've actually finished it this month and am considering re-purchasing it at some point as it's really nicely nostalgic for me. 

I've had my Frends Layla headphones (£129.95) for a while, but I've always been a little scared to use them too often because they were so expensive, but in February I started to use them a lot more and I'm kicking myself for being so silly before, for some reason I can't use normal earphones in my right ear (I must have a weird ear shape..is this just me?) and music sounds so much better when you have both ear phone sides in so these are perfect, I love the size of them as they sit comfortably on your ears and they are so pretty! You can also get them on amazon now so they are easier to get hold of, I struggled a couple of years ago when I was buying these.

I finished two books in February (I've been loving reading so much lately!) I got The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins from Greg for my birthday and finally got round to reading it, it's been quite hyped up and I can definitely see why, it feels very modern and I love that it's set in England as not many of the books that I read have been, it's really interesting and I'd really recommend it.
I also really liked reading Dark Places by Gillian Flynn, this book is by the author of Gone Girl, and if you liked that book you would probably like this, it's told from different perspectives, and different times, it's really interesting following the story and trying to work out what's going to happen, the film goes nicely with the book, it's got a very similar feel to Gone Girl which is one of my favourite films.

For TV this month I've been loving watching Gotham, I finished the first season and think I'm going to wait for the second to go on Netflix (unless it takes too long) it's based on the Batman comics, but it set while Bruce Wayne (Batman) is a young teenager, it's really cool seeing all of the different characters and how they are portrayed, I love Cat and Ed Nygma, and I have an on off liking for The Penguin as well.
I've also really been loving Gavin & Stacey, I watched it a little bit when it was originally on TV but I flew through all three series in the last week and a bit, the first two series, and the Christmas special are on netflix, and I watched the last series online. The episodes are only half an hour long so it's really easy to watch, it's a comedy so is really light hearted and I found that it really cheered me up while I was feeling quite down in the dumps, I love Smithy and Nessa but I also love that I love all of the characters, I kind of really wish they would make more episodes.

For music I've really been liking Deaf Havana's Fools and Worthless Liars album, I wouldn't usually listen to them but my tattoo artist had this album on and I had to buy it after, I especially love the songs Anemophobia, Hunstanton Pier and Little White Lies. I've also been listening to Amy Winehouse's Back to Black album which is an old but forever favourite, and a more up beat, pick me up song favourite song has been Better When I'm Dancing by Megan Trainor..and a few more bonus favourites have been Sia's and Adele's carpool karaoke with James Corden.

Thankyou if you managed to read to the end of this, I really wasn't planning on this being so long and rambly but I'm just glad I managed to actually write something!
xx