September Favourites! ♡

Hey guys!

So, I told myself I'd upload a new post at least once every two weeks, yet here I am a month after the last post I uploaded. Oops.

As you can probably tell from the title, this post is all about my favourite things I've used over this past month!

I'll start with my beauty favourites:

1. Mac lipstick in Modesty.

This was the first Mac product I ever purchased. When I initially looked at buying a nude lipstick from Mac, I was intending on getting the much loved 'Velvet Teddy'; however, it was out of stock and found this as the next best thing and boy, am I glad I did! In my opinion, this is a seriously underrated lipstick. The browny-pinky nude is a gorgeous shade, even for my ridiculously pale skin tone, which proves this lipstick could suit pretty much anyone. The cremesheen formula is very moisturising, creamy and smooth, and it lasts for so long which is always a bonus! Overall, this is my go-to lipstick and I cannot fault it.

(Price: £15.50)

2. Mac lipstick in Russian Red.

I got this lipstick as a birthday present from my mum back in April and have just rediscovered it! Especially now its Autumn and I finally have the courage to wear red lips during the day!

This lipstick is a beautiful classic red shade which again, surprisingly goes very well with my pale skin which I really wasn't expecting. This also lasts an extremely long time; for example, I wore this for a day out in London for my birthday and it literally lasted all day with only one top up.

The only downside of this lipstick is that due to the matte finish, it accentuates dry, flaky lips so I would recommend wearing this with moisturised lips or with lip balm underneath but other than that, this is an amazing lipstick that I'd definitely recommend to a friend.

(Price: £15.50)

3. Kate Nude Collection in shade 45 by Rimmel.

This is another beautiful nude shade which suits me perfectly. Although it looks very similar to the Mac lipstick in Modesty, its a lot more of a pinky/peachy shade which is perfect for a day to day neutral makeup look. Although it doesn't last as long as a Mac lipstick, you definitely can't go wrong with this as it's just as good for a fraction of the price.

(Price: £5.49)

4. Daisy by Marc Jacobs

I received this perfume from my grandma last Christmas and used to use it every day, but then worried about running out and not being able to afford a new one so I stopped using it for months and just rediscovered it and I am in LOVE all over again! I am very keen to buy all the perfumes in the Daisy collection, they're all gorgeous if I'm honest!

(50ml bottle: £52)

MUSIC:

1. That's The Spirit - Bring Me The Horizon.

If I'm honest, I've never really been a fan of BMTH apart from the odd song, but this album has really grown on me. I'm not really a fan of metalcore which is why I've never really listened to them but after seeing so many great reviews on twitter I thought I'd give it a listen, and I'm so glad I did. It's taken a step back from their usual sound and to me, it has a more Linkin Park-y vibe and I find it a lot easier to listen to and enjoy. If you haven't given this album a listen and are into this genre of music, I'd 100% recommend you to listen to it.

Favourite songs: Follow You, Blasphemy and Throne.

2. Light Up The Dark - Gabrielle Aplin.

Where do I start with this?! I remember her sitting in her bathroom recording covers back in 2008 and falling in love with her voice and look how far she's come. (I'd also recommend going back and watching her covers, she was so cute back then). As a fan that's stuck by her since then, seeing her going from recording covers in her bathroom, to releasing EP's with 4 songs on to now releasing albums and being so successful in her dream job makes me so happy! This is one of those albums that you just want to be sat in bed on a rainy day with a cup of tea while listening to it. (Definitely what I'm doing right now). I don't even need to convince you to go and listen to it, it's just an all round incredible album and I ensure you that you'll instantly fall in love with it.

Favourite songs: Sweet Nothing, Coming Home and Together.

ACCESSORIES: 

1. Pandora rings.

Gosh, aren't they pretty?

I purchased these back in July when I went to visit my sister who lives in Southampton (and who also works at Pandora) when there was a 3 for the price of 2 promotion on rings there and I honestly couldn't say no... you know how it is..

After much deliberation, I decided on these three rings and if I do say so myself, they are absolutely gorgeous.

With the promotion that was on at the time, it came to £105 altogether which, for 3 rings, I think is really good. 

(Left: Droplets ring - £45, middle: dazzling daisy ring - £45, right: band of shimmering leaves ring - £60)

2. Skinny Dip phone case.

I've always loved llamas. How can you not though, they're weirdly adorable!

Although it was a bit late ordering a phone case as I dropped and smashed my phone screen about a month ago but seeing as I can't afford to break it even more, and a phone case is a lot cheaper, I thought I'd take look Skinny Dip.

There's not really much to say about it other than the fact it's an adorable phone case.

(Skinny Dip: £12)

TV SHOWS:

1. The U.S. Office.

If you don't already watch this then go and watch it. Right now.

This is honestly one of the best TV shows I've ever watched on Netflix, so much so that I'm rewatching it for the 3rd time and I have literally no regrets. Every single time I watch it again, I get just as emotional as I do as the first time I watched it. 

Seriously, all I can tell you to do is go and watch it, you won't regret it. I promise.

BOOKS:

1. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard.

Admittedly yes, this book did take me a while to get in to but in my defence, I haven't properly read a book for like a year, but I am so so glad I picked this up. I've always been a fantasy/YA book lover so this was a definite must-buy! Plus, it's a really pretty book cover. What more could you want?! Basically (without ruining the whole story for you), it's about a 17 year old girl, Mare Barrow, who lives in a world which is divided by the colour of your blood; the Reds (the commoners) and the Silvers (the royals). Mare and her family are Reds and live in the Stilts but is suddenly taken to serve for the king and the Silvers where she learns that she possesses a silver power of her own, despite being a Red.

The amount of plot twists in this book is enough to keep anyone on the edge of their seat and although I only just finished this book last night, I cannot stop thinking about it and am very eagerly awaiting the sequel.

This book is so unique and so incredibly written, I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantasy and YA books.

(RRP: £7.99)

2. All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven.

I don't even know where to start with this book. It immediately caught my eye when I walked into Waterstones and after the amount of people that have recommended it to me, I didn't even hesitate to pick it up. 

I found this book literally impossible to put down which admittedly, isn't an unusual thing for me, but I literally didn't put this book down for ANYTHING until I finished it. (Apart from having to get a tissue from crying so much which again, isn't an unusual thing when I read.)

This is another YA fiction book, which is about two suicidal teenagers from troubled backgrounds, Violet Markey and Theodore Finch, who meet on the ledge of their high school bell tower, six storeys above the ground, and they are both about to commit suicide when Theodore stops and saves her, in turn stopping himself. They end up spending more and more time together and inevitably fall in love.

Admittedly yes, this book does have a very John Green-esque feel to it and did remind me of The Fault In Our Stars but there are just as many differences as similarities.

This book will make you laugh, smile and cry like any amazing book would and again, I would 100000% recommend this to literally any and every person who needs a good book to read.

(I also found out last night that it's being made into a film which I am SO excited for!)

(RRP: £7.99)

*****

So what were some of your favourites of this month? I'd love to know and would love to hear any other book recommendations you guys may have!

(I would also like to say a massive thank you to my wonderful friend Gemma who recommended both books to me, without her I'd have never gotten out of my year-long reading slump. Go check out her YouTube/BookTube channel here - ANovelYouth!)

*****

Thanks for reading, see you soon!

♡♡♡♡♡

My first Glossybox(es)! ♡

So, it's been a while. Almost a year in fact...

But I thought I'd make a comeback to the blogging scene in the best way possible, by talking about beauty!

I took inspiration from Marzia (CutiePieMarzia), one of my all time favourite YouTubers, and signed up to a monthly subscription box! After much research, I found Glossybox; however I didn't have the money at the time to afford it every month. After months and months of receiving emails from them and months and months of being so sad I couldn't order one, I finally received the holy grail email reading "get two boxes for £10" and "free box for new subscribers" and decided to go for it and treat myself. I don't do all this overtime at work for nothing!
I went through all the free extra boxes they were offering and chose the July 2015 box, along with the August box.
I was extremely impressed with how quickly my boxes were delivered, they were with me within 6 days of ordering it! (And that's really saying something, considering I'm the most impatient thing ever when it come to deliveries...)
And what better way to come home from a completely awful day to these beauties!

As soon as I opened the boxes, I was so glad I ordered them due to the absolutely adorable packaging, just look at them! 

*major heart eyes emoji*

I decided to open the July box first, the one on the left. The theme for this box was "Vive La France" and only included French products, and the box was covered in beautiful little drawings by Jamie Lee Reardin. Seriously, how gorgeous is this box?!

I'll definitely be keeping this box to store makeup or jewellery!

In this box, there were four beauty products within this adorable travel pouch which I will definitely find a use for! There were three miniature products and one full size product:

The first product I tried from the box was the only full sized item, the 'Lollipops lip balm déliciuse' (full size £4.15). It is described as a "rich and creamy balm that immediately soothes and softens with antioxidants". It also contains vitamin E to protect your lips from sun and UV damage, which is a massive bonus for me and my super sensitive skin! As an avid user of lip balms, I usually tend to stick with my trusty Nivea or Vaseline but this lip balm has crept up to a very close second! It has a very sweet scent and I've found it to be very moisturising. One of the only downsides of this product is that it's quite a heavy lip balm, so I wouldn't recommend wearing it under lipstick; however it can be worn as a simple lip gloss if you're not feeling a bold lip for the day! Also due to the fact it's a heavy lip balm, I prefer to put it on before bed so my lips can be moisturised while I'm sleeping. Overall, a very nice product that I'd definitely recommend to a friend.

The second product I tried was the 'Yves Rocher Comme Une Evidence eau de parfum' (full size £24.50) which is described as a "musky floral scent" which is "light, feminine and airy". This perfume has notes of violet leaves, rose, lily of the valley and pachouli and personally, I find this to be one of the prettiest smelling perfumes I now own! Now, I'm not the best at explaining scents but it is so classy and chic (which probably makes no sense, it sounded better in my head). With its beautiful packaging and gorgeous scent, it has definitely earned a place up the front of my perfume shelf and I will definitely be wanting to repurchase a full sized bottle when I run out!

I am yet to try the last two products from the box, but I will share my initial thoughts on them! The first being the 'Noxidoxi enhancing serum base' (full size £33.46). The description says it has a 'CRC6 moisturising complex, which hydrates the skin's surface as well as the deeper layers, while a cocktail of antioxidants and anti-inflammatories protect the skin'. It's also supposed to help protect your skin if you smoke or if you live in a polluted area, and although I don't smoke, I hang around with people that do and I definitely live in a polluted area, so that is a massive bonus for me.

The final product in the box is the 'Teoxane Cosmeceuticals perfect skin refiner' (full price £70), which I am also yet to try. The description of this product reads "with hyaluronic acid to plump and hydrate skin, 10% glycolic acid to help resurface the skin and calming ingredients to reduce irritation". If I'm honest, I am slightly skeptical to try this product due to my incredibly sensitive skin (I've tried so many different moisturisers, and only found one that works for me in about three/four years); however it says it has calming ingredients to reduce irritation so maybe it will work! I'll wait for a day I'm not going out or wearing makeup to test it out in case anything goes wrong. Who knows, at that price for a full size bottle it must be quite good!

(left: Noxidoxi enhancing serum base, top middle: Lollipops lip balm déliciuse, bottom middle: Yves Rocher Comme Une Evidence eau de parfum, right: Teoxane Cosmeceuticals perfect skin refiner)

* * * * *

Next up, I opened this month's box (August 2015). This box doesn't have a particular theme, and the products included are from all around the world, ranging from Spain and th US. Also, it's the fourth birthday of Glossybox so to celebrate, they included four full sized products so it's a good job I subscribed to this box this month!

This box is a lot more simple compared to the July box; however, I personally like sweet and simple! Not only that, I'm a sucker for pastel pink so I personally think the packaging is adorable.

Like I said, there are four full sized products and one miniature product in this box. 

The first thing I tried from this month's box was the 'MeMeMe lip glide in playful peach' (full size £6.95), which came in full size. The description says "the coral hue of this matte-velvet chubby lip crayon suits everyone and it's an ideal travel companion. Easy to apply on-the-go, it offers a hydrating, high-pigmented colour that lasts all day". Although this lip crayon is easy to apply and very pigmented, I can't agree that it suits everyone as I didn't feel it suited me too well! Whether it's because I'm not used to particularly bright lips or because I'm abnormally pale, I don't know. I will keep it if I feel like venturing out my nude-lip comfort zone or feel like tryin out new makeup looks, but I can't guarantee I'll be using as much as I'd like to!

The second product I tried from this box was the 'Emite artist colour powder blush' (full size £20.59), which is described as a blush/bronzer hybrid that "adds warmth to your complexion and lightly contours". Again, due to my extremely pale skin, I tend to avoid bronzer like the plague as it just makes me look muddy and washed out. If I'm honest, I like to stick to my subtle peachy blush and this is WAY too dark for my skin tone. I'd be happy to give if to my mum or sister as they're a lot more tanned than me, and I don't want to see such a nice product go to waste! 

Next, I tried the 'Manna Kadar lash primer' (full size: £14.55) which "works to nourish your lashes thanks to the inclusion of vitamin B12, in turn to leaving them conditioned and voluminous". I 100% agree with this! As someone who unfortunately has short, stumpy lashes, I feel this product was made for me! It makes my lashes look so much fuller and would definitely recommend this to anyone who also has very underwhelming eyelashes and I cannot wait to repurchase this!

I am still yet to try the 'Naobay calming face toner' (full size: £10.65), again due to my extremely sensitive skin and not wanting to irritate my skin with having so many shifts at work. The description of this product reads "this citrus-scented liquid toner. Ticks four requirements, removing traces of makeup while also cleansing, calming and hydrating skin thanks to chamomile and gotu kola extracts". Although it says it's 99.13% natural and that its is supposed to calm the skin, you'd be surprised at what will irritate my skin, it sucks. Much like the skincare products in the July box, I will definitely be trying this product when I have nothing important coming up!

I also still haven't tried the last product in the box, the 'Sass purifying cleanser' (full size: £7), as I have been staying at my mums looking after her dogs for the past two weeks and her shower's been broken, so I've been treating myself to plenty of luxurious baths while I'm here! The description says "the gentle formula ensures you stay shower-fresh all day, and it works as a probiotic to balance the skins pH levels, all while cleansing and energising", so I am looking forward to trying this the next time I get a chance to shower! Especially with all this overtime at work, I'm going to need a proper cleansing, refreshing shower!

(left: Naobay calming face toner, middle left: Sass purifying cleanser, middle right: Emite artist colour powder blush, top right: MeMeMe lipglide in playful peach, bottom right: Manna Kadar lash primer)

* * * * *

Overall, I am extremely pleased with both boxes that I recieved from Glossybox and I'm incredibly eager to see what's in store for next month's box!

Thanks for reading, see you soon!

♡♡♡♡♡