It's been such a long time since I've done a favourites post so I thought I'd share with you some of the things that have been making me happy lately :)



01. Tilda Garden Vegetable and Quinoa Wholegrain Rice.
I know this is kind of a weird one, and I have no idea if it's any good for you or not, but damn is it delicious. I got a bunch of these on offer and they just make for a really easy meal with some grilled chicken or my absolute favourite: falafel!

02. Maybelline SuperStay nail varnish in 'Pink in the Park'.
I went on holiday in June (more on that below), and I wanted to paint my nails with something that would last the week so I dug out this Maybelline nail varnish that I got last year. It's a lovely pastel pink and it lasted the whole week with barely any chipping - which is pretty impressive! I've been reapplying it ever since because 1) it makes my hands look more tanned *smirk* and 2) it's the perfect summery colour. I think there's quite a few colours in the SuperStay range now so I'm definitely going to be checking out some more!

03. NYX soft matte lip cream in 'Abu Dhabi'.
Last month I finally managed to get to a NYX counter, the awesome one in Selfridge's no less, and picked up the soft matte lip cream in 'Abu Dhabi'. I was hovering around the counter for ages trying to decide between this and 'Stockholm' but eventually went for 'Abu Dhabi' because it's more of a brown-nude and less peachy. I have quite dark lips anyway so darker nudes just look better on me than pale ones. The formula is AWESOME, it lasts pretty much all day - through eating and drinking - with minimal fading, and it feels really comfortable on the lips. I now need every single other shade *sigh*.

04. Primark lip liner.
This lip liner cost me £1. One. Pound. Whaaaaaaaaaaaat?! And it's actually really nice! It's creamy and pretty long lasting and did I mention that its only a quid?!
I don't know the exact shade of this, but there are only a few and they're all really nice so go and check them out!

05. Menorca.
Last month I went on a long awaited and much needed holiday to Menorca with my family and my boyfriend and boy was it amazing. We stayed in an apartment with a sea view and a lovely, blissfully quiet pool and my days were spent lounging in the shade, drinking Fanta Limon and reading all the books. I read five books in 6 days and it was the happiest week I've had in a long time. It already feels like it was years ago and I'm craving another break in the sun!

06. Meridian Cashew Butter.
For twenty four years, for some unknown reason, I'd convinced myself that I didn't like nuts - in any shape or form. Then 2016 came around and I decided, you know what, I should probably actually try some nut products and see if I'm making this whole thing up. And guess what? I was. I actually do like nuts, especially cashews, and especially Meridian Cashew Butter. It's made of 100% organic cashew nuts and I adore it, on toast, with strawberries (sounds weird but it's awesome) and just on a spoon. YUM.

07. Witch Please.
Last but certainly not least is Witch Please. How can I explain this podcast and how much I love it?!
Witch Please is a fortnightly podcast about the Harry Potter world by two lady scholars. At least that's how their website describes it. BUT IT'S SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT! It's about Granger Danger, print culture, the inexplicable terribleness of the fourth film and DESTROYING THE PATRIARCHY! And magic, of course, you can't forget the magic.
The hosts of the podcast, Marcelle Kosman and Hannah McGregor, decided that they wanted to re-read the Harry Potter books and watch the accompanying films and then discuss them in a wonderful mix of literary criticism, hilarity, feminism and awesome sound effects. Have I convinced you yet? Go and listen to it now on your podcast app of choice! You'll be addicted in no time.

Those are the things that have been making me happy lately, what about you? Let me know your favourite thing about June in the comments!

We're half way through April but it's never too late for monthly favourites, right? Today I'm going to be sharing the things that I was loving in March!


01. Galaxy Golden Eggs.
I blame Alice Anne of Annie Writes Beauty for this as she encouraged everyone on Twitter to try these little golden eggs of deliciousness. I don't even want to think about how many packets of these I consumed in March and then my sister went and bought me the giant Galaxy golden eggs Easter egg and my obsession is still lingering!

02. The return of Rupaul's Drag Race.
Last month the iconic Rupaul's Drag Race returned for season eight and I was in my absolute element! My boyfriend and I have loved this show for a long time now and we have a tradition of each picking a queen who we think is going to win each season and the one who goes out first has to buy the other a present. Ah, the little things. Anyway, I'm absolutely loving this season and my pick is Thorgy Thor (only because my boyfriend got to pick first and picked Bob the Drag Queen - the clear winner, but we'll see). We're about half way through now and I'm going to be so sad when it's over for another year.

03. Catching up on How to Get Away With Murder.
My boyfriend got some annual leave last month and we spent an awesome few days snuggled up under the duvet reading and catching up on our favourite shows, including How to Get Away With Murder. Season two was just as good as season one and if you haven't watched this show yet then you're seriously missing out!

04. Reading in the sun.
Spring is started to peek it's head out and we've had a sprinkling of sunny days here and there and a couple of times it's even been warm enough for me to sit outside and read! Reading outside in the sun is one of my favourite things ever and I'm so glad that we're getting to that time of year again.

05. Front Lines by Michael Grant.
I only read four books last month and Front Lines was my stand-out favourite of the bunch. You know when you've read so many pretty-good books for months and then you read one that's fantastic and you remember what great writing really is? That's what it was like reading Front Lines. I was like 'yes, this is what I've been looking for!'. It's a really great alternative historical fiction set in a WW2 where women are called up to fight alongside men in the US army. The characterisation is excellent and I'm so glad that this is the first in a series - I can't wait to read more!

06. Rimmel Kate Moss lipstick in '05'.
Just like the last few months, I didn't wear a lot of makeup in March, but when I did I found myself reaching for the Rimmel Kate Moss lipstick in '05'. I did a big makeup clearout last month and vowed to wear what I have more instead of just reaching for the same thing over and over, and that led to me rediscovering this lipstick. It's kind of a bright-but-not-too-bright berry-ish pink and it's just super flattering and long-lasting.

07. Easter eggs.
Need I say more? Towards the end of last month and well into this month my diet consisted of a lot of Easter eggs. For some reason I seemed to get quite a lot of eggs from various people and I've been loving every single bite. Why does chocolate taste so much better in egg form?!

What were some of your favourites last month?

Okay so we're already over half way through March but who says I can't still talk about February?! I didn't get a chance to do my February favourites at the end of last month but I figure it's never too late to tell you about things I've been loving right?

01. Casey Neistat.
I know all the YouTube purists out there are going to be annoyed with me for this but I only really discovered Casey Neistat last month, when his 'Snowboarding with the NYPD' video went viral. In case you haven't heard of him, Casey is a filmmaker based in New York who makes daily vlogs along with short films. I'd heard a lot of people talking about him before but I didn't start regularly watching him until last month, and now I'm addicted. Casey's vlogs are incredible in terms of quality and style, his shots and editing are flawless and he's just so damn likeable. If you haven't already, go and subscribe.

02. Beauty and the Geek.
Do you guys remember this show? Such a classic, trashy reality show. Well, recently my boyfriend and I have been rewatching all the seasons on YouTube. Sure, it's super problematic in a myriad of ways but it's great for some mindless entertainment. We're kind of addicted to reality tv at the moment so I'm not sure what we'll do when we've finished this! Leave me a comment with your favourite reality show!

03. The first signs of spring.
I didn't realise how fed up I was with Winter until the days started getting a little brighter and the first flowers started peeping their heads through. I'm relishing every second of the oncoming season and we've already had some warm enough days to sit outside and read, hooray!

04. Primark 'duvet day' top.
I've been getting really cold at night lately, which is strange because I usually get really warm at night if anything. I'm not really sure why, it might be a side effect of some altered medication I'm on but nonetheless I wanted something a little warmer to snuggle up in at bedtime and this primark top is perfect. It's probably the softest piece of clothing I've ever owned and pulling it on after a warm bath might just be the best feeling in the world.

05. Spotlight.
Last month it was my six year anniversary with my boyfriend so we had a little cinema and dinner date and went to see Spotlight. Spotlight is the true story of the Boston Globe's investigative journalist team's investigation into the many cases of systemic child abuse committed by the Roman Catholic church in the Boston area. It doesn't feel quite right to say that I enjoyed the film because it left me feeling indescribably upset and angry, but it really was an incredible film. When the credits rolled I think I sat there for a full five minutes with my head in my hands just taking in everything I'd seen and processing the fact that this is a true story, and a recurring worldwide problem and that was kind of overwhelming. If you haven't seen it, then you really should.

06. Bullet journalling.
Bullet journalling was in my January favourites but I'm including it again here because February was the month that I really got into it. I won't go into it too much because I've done a whole post about it here, which has actually been my most successful post ever! It's basically my perfect planner/journalling system and I've been really enjoying it. I'll probably do another post about my bullet journal when I've been using it for a few more months just to reflect on how it's been working for me, but right now, I'm officially converted.

What was your favourite thing about last month?

With a new year comes a fresh batch of monthly favourites posts. These have become one of my favourite kinds of posts because it gives me a chance to reflect on the month and really think about the little things that have been making me happy.

This month's favourites is a bit of an odd collection. I haven't really been wearing makeup or doing a lot of things apart from resting after the hectic festive period and going about my usual daily life. But there have been a few things that I've been enjoying and I thought I'd share them with you today.

01. Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm.
In December my lovely friend Emma gave me this travel sized pot of the Emma Hardie cleansing balm to try, along with a whole bunch of things I haven't got around to yet. I was insanely grateful when she gave me this wondrous box of goodies, whispering 'are you sure? I couldn't possibly...' whilst clutching the box for dear life in my greedy little hands. Anyway, a few weeks later and I'm so completely smitten with this painfully expensive cleansing balm that I'm pretty sure I'm going to cry when it runs out.

It works really well as either a first cleanse to remove makeup or as a follow-up to cleanse and moisturise the skin. It leaves me skin feeling silky smooth and it's not stripping or irritating at all. I'm in love!

02. Buying random crap on eBay.
I got really bored one day and started browsing eBay for random little things to use as photo props and the next thing you know I've got 17 rolls of washi tape, endless little silk flowers and 3 lots of fairy lights on their way to me. All for less than a fiver. I really need to stop but who can resist 5 rolls of washi tape for 37p?! Not me.

03. My new phone case.
This was another eBay purchase and cost a whopping, *drum roll*, £1.47. That's right folks, a beautiful phone case for just over a quid with free delivery. I don't mind if I do. It's actually really good quality too.

04. H&M spotty jumper.
I have basically been wearing this jumper non-stop since I bought it in December. It's loose-fitting but flattering, ridiculously comfy and warm and goes with EVERYTHING. I'm not sure it's still in stores but I'm pretty sure it was crazy cheap so grab one if you see it.

05. Mac 'Syrup'.
After going crazy over bold lipsticks last year I'm ready to embrace the nudes once again (*wink wink, nudge nudge* hahaaa. I'm not even sure what joke I'm making, but I'm laughing.) 'Syrup' is kind of a plummy nude and it's just the perfect everyday colour. I love the Mac lustre lipsticks because you don't have to worry about them fading awkwardly, or reapplying without a mirror. Back to basics feels great sometimes.

06. Bullet journalling.
This is my new found obsession. I'd been aware of the term 'bullet journalling' for a while but hadn't really looked into it until I saw Lily Pebbles instagram last week, which made me want to find out everything about it. It's basically my perfect journalling/planner system. I won't try to explain it because it's kind of difficult but this video explains it all perfectly. I love it so much I'm thinking about doing a whole post on the concept sometime soon, and showing you all my bullet journal so far. Let me know in the comments if this is something you'd be interested in seeing!

What have you been loving this month?

Instead of doing my usual monthly favourites post in December, I thought it'd be nice to say goodbye to 2015 by wrapping up my non-bookish favourites of last year! I just wanted to talk about the beauty, skincare and lifestyle bits that I really enjoyed last year, and hopefully you might find some good recommendations in there!

BEAUTY AND SKINCARE

Foundation: Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 hour nude in 'Ivory'.
I discovered this foundation about half way through the year and have been wearing it pretty much constantly since, it's a really good medium coverage that stays on all day.

Concealer: Maybelline The Eraser Eye in 'Light'.
A lot of people were going on about this on Youtube so I picked it up part way through the year and haven't looked back. It's the only concealer I use now and the only one that will brighten my intensely dark circles.

Bronzer: The Body Shop Honey Bronzer in '02'.
I've been using this for quite a long time now (as you can see by the picture, it's almost finished!) and it's basically my holy grail bronzer. I'm super pale so most bronzers look ridiculous on me, but this is perfect. Pale people: this is your bronzer!

Blush: Rimmel Lasting Finish Soft Colour blush in 'Santa Rose'.
This is the best neutral blush I've ever used, it's a little bit pink but not too much and just gives a nice healthy glow, and it lasts all day, perfect!

Brow product: Mac matte eyeshadow in 'charcoal brown'.
I've been using this non-stop for my brows for a couple of years, I've hit pan on it but there's still so much left! It's just the perfect subtle but buildable brow product.

Eye primer: Mac Pro Longwear Paint Pot in 'Painterly'.
This has been my go-to eye primer since 2014 as I have such dark eyelids so this creates such a good base for eyeshadows and just generally brightens my eyes, you could definitely wear this on it's own for a neutral look.

Cream eyeshadow: Maybelline Colour Tattoo in 'Creamy Beige'.
I've always loved the Maybelline Colour Tattoo's as they're ridiculously quick and simple, you literally just stick your finger in it (or a brush if you're super hygienic and fancy) and blend it out. It looks like you've made much more effort than you actually have. I particularly like the 'creamy beige' shade as it's a great neutral.

Eyeshadow palette: Urban Decay Naked Basics 2.
I'm so boring with these neutral eyeshadows aren't I? I love a glittery/smokey eye as much as the next girl but let's be honest, most of the time I want to stick to my lovely warm neutrals. The Naked Basics 2 is a little cooler than the original and I think the shades are just more wearable for me.

Eyeliner: Soap and Glory Supercat.
This is the best liquid eyeliner that I've ever used, it's ridiculously easy to apply and is a pretty bargain price. If you don't already have this then go and get it immediately.

Mascara: Benefit Roller Lash.
The one pictured is a sample size but I've managed to make it last a damn long time. This mascara is great for separation and lengthening and although I love it there are plenty of great drugstore mascaras so I won't be buying the full size when this runs out.

Lipstick: Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in 'Frambourjoise' and 'Plum Plum Girl'.
2015 was the year that I became brave enough to wear bold lipstick, and it's all down to the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvets. I'd tried quite a few bold lipsticks before that but I often thought I looked ridiculous and I was always worried about them smudging or having to reapply them, but none of those things are a problem with these lipsticks. Unlike most liquid lipsticks they're not drying on the lips at all and they last all day, through eating and drinking, without smudging or fading at all. I love these two shades in particular and wear them all the time now! I just feel a lot more 'put together' with a bold lipstick on, and even better that I don't have to think about it at all.

Lip pencil: Rimmel Exaggerate in 'Eastend Snob'.
Before 2015 I'd never used a lip pencil but then I saw a lot of people recommending 'eastend snob' as an all-over lip colour and an alternative to Charlotte Tilbury's lip cheat pencil in 'pillowtalk'. So I picked it up and ended up wearing it so much throughout the year. It's just really easy and quick to apply and looks neutral but polished. I'm on my second one now so that speaks volumes as I never use up makeup!

Tool: Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge.
This has actually changed my makeup-life! I'd heard about beauty blenders and sponges before and I was like 'yeah yeah I don't need one.' But then they were on offer in Boots, and I bought one, and it was incredible. It makes foundation look completely flawless and it's amazing for blending in concealer and patting over the base to blend in bronzer and blusher. I definitely think it's worth having at least one of these!

Eye cream: Ren Active 7 Eye Gel.
I have really dry, flakey skin around my eyes and I also suffer from blepharitis (a gross eye disease that usually only happens to old people - lucky me!) so using eye cream is so so important for me so I don't constantly look like a freaky puffy scaly monster. My eye area is so sensitive and I've reacted to a lot of eye creams in the past and this is the only one I've come across which actually works and doesn't burn the skin around my eyes.

Moisturiser: First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream.
This is the best moisturiser! As I said I have quite dry, sensitive skin and this is just so so hydrating and not irritating, I love it, and my skin loves it too. It's also brilliant as a body moisturiser for dry patches.

Cleanser: Body Shop Tea Tree Cool & Creamy Wash.
This isn't my everyday cleanser (that goes to the Balance Me Pure Skin Face Wash) but this is my favourite go-to cleanser for congested or spotty skin. It sorts out any issues straight away and is really gentle and hydrating unlike a lot of spot-busting products.


LIFESTYLE BITS & BOBS

TV programme: Rupaul's Drag Race.


Rupaul's Drag Race is a reality show where drag queens compete to become America's 'next drag superstar', and it's incredible. I first discovered it in 2014 whilst procrastinating from uni work and my boyfriend and I watched the first season in less than a week. Then we went quite a long time without it but for some reason started watching it again last year. Needless to say we became addicted and watched all seven seasons. I'm now desperate for season 8 and I don't know how much longer I can wait!


Podcasts: Serial, Criminal, Ear Biscuits, Dear Hank and John.
2015 was the year I discovered podcasts. I know they've been around for a REALLY long time, but I'm just late to the game okay? I started out with Rhett and Link's Ear Biscuits, where they talk to lots of different Youtubers and 'internet people', and I just love Rhett and Link so this one was always going to be a winner for me. But the others listed above are all amazing!

Youtubers: Good Mythical Morning, SunbeamsJess (+ ExtraSunBeamsJess), Lily Pebbles.
This one is pretty self-explanatory, the Youtubers listed above are my out and out favourites of the year (not including booktubers because this is supposed to be a non-bookish favourites)!

Candle: Pintail candle in the scent 'White Lily & Silk'.
Guys. GUYS. I've found my perfect candle. I know, big deal right? Well it is for me. This is my ultimate candle scent. It's fresh and awesome and fills the room and lasts a long time. I love it so much I asked for a bulk pack of them from ebay for my birthday. You need to get on this.

KitSound Mini Buddy Speaker.
I bought this from Amazon at the end of 2014 but didn't really use it much until mid-late last year. It's got such great sound quality and is awesome for playing music from my phone or watching a film on my laptop. It's USB rechargeable, ridiculous value for money and I love it.

Blogging.
My final favourite of 2015 has got to be blogging. Although this is technically bookish, as I blog about books, it still counts as it's honestly changed my life. I don't know what I would have done or how I would've coped for the last year without blogging. It's given me a purpose, opened up so many opportunities for me and best of all I've met some amazing people through it. I'm honestly so so grateful to every single person who reads or comments on a post or follows my blog, you're all incredible and I'm so thankful. I can only hope that my blog will continue to grow throughout 2016 and that I'll keep loving it throughout the year!

Bloody hell! That was A LOT of favourites. If you read this whole post then you get a medal, it's in the post. Thank you for reading and make sure to leave me a comment if you've found anything in this post helpful!

What were some of your favourites of 2015?

So before you know it, it's the end November and this is only my fifth post of the month. But I'm not going to give any rubbish excuses, because sometimes life happens and that's okay. Even though I love November I'm actually a little happy that it's over because it makes way for the festive season, my favourite time of year!

But before we start decking the halls and hanging our stockings, let's take a look back at November and all the things that made it wonderful with a good old fashioned favourites post!

01. My birthday!
I'm not usually a birthday person, I don't like to make a big deal about it or have a huge party (mainly because I have a deep-rooted fear that no one will show up), but this years birthday was the best one in a long time. Last year my birthday happened to coincide with the first day at a new job so no one in the office knew and it was kind of a scary and underwhelming day. But this year I spent my birthday in my university city, Newcastle, having dinner with friends and going to see Haus of Edwards perform in a drag show. It was absolutely incredible. Haus of Edwards are three drag artists who were on RuPaul's Drag Race, one of my favourite shows ever, and they totally lived up the the hype. They looked sickening and their performances were out of this world. I highly advise you to check them out on YouTube.
I then came home to spend time with my family and as a bonus I got some wonderful presents (mostly books) which I'll be showing you in my November book haul, so keep an eye out for that.

02. 'Warm' - SG Lewis.
My addiction to this song for the last couple of months originated with SunBeamsJess' vlogtober, which featured so much great background music that it inspired the creation of my 'chill vibes' Spotify playlist, check it out for some great tunes.

03. Primark slippers.
When in Primark earlier this month, I couldn't resist a new pair of slippers especially when I saw that they have a memory foam sole! They're insanely comfortable and warm and at only £4, you're crazy if you don't go and get some right now.

04. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell.
This book has no doubt been my favourite book of the month, maybe even my favourite book of the year. I'll be talking more about this in my monthly wrap up, but for now, just go and read it, you won't regret it!

05. How to Get Away with Murder.
I'd seen a few people on Twitter talking about this series that was recently added to Netflix so I decided to give it a go. I watched the entire first season in a few days and now I'm completely caught up and have to wait until FEBRUARY for a new episode, which is devastating. Guys, this show is INSANE. Just trust me, go and watch it now.

06. Balance Me Pure Skin Face Wash.
This has to be my favourite cleanser of all time, it's definitely my most repurchased. I hadn't had it in a while due to lack of funds so I was over the moon when mum bought it for me for my birthday. I'm so glad to have it back in my life! I have super sensitive skin and this is perfect, it removes makeup so easily and it just does wonders for my skin. Holy grail product for sure.

07. Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in 'Plum Plum Girl'.
I am so obsessed with this formula. I now have three of these but I think this shade is my favourite, it's a deep red/plum shade depending on the light. It's super easy to apply, not drying at all and doesn't budge an inch, even through a several course meal. If you're looking for a fail-safe bold lip, these are the ones to go for!

08. Jacob's Cracker Crisps.
Aka my new addiction. Asos included a sample pack of the 'thai sweet chilli' flavour in an order last month and I thought 'ooh these are nice'. Flashforward to this month and I don't even want to think about how many large bags of these I've consumed. My favourite are the salt and vinegar ones and if you put a pack in front of me, it'll be gone before the day is up. It's a serious problem, but for now I really don't care. *crunch*

09. Mac 'Heroine'.
I'd been looking for a purple lipstick for a while and although I searched the drugstore high and low I couldn't find ANY true purple lipsticks. They were all pretty much pink or really dark reds, so I ended up in Mac. Now lord knows I can't afford Mac right now so after uhming and ahing for ages, thankfully my wonderful boyfriend swept in and insisted on buying me 'Heroine' for my birthday. I absolutely love it! Although it looks scary in the bullet it's actually really wearable and I think it really suits my colouring. It's a matte formula so it lasts really well and I can see myself wearing it all year round.

So those are the things that have been making me happy this month! I'm so so excited for December 1st as it means I can finally get out the decorations and start playing my Christmas playlist non-stop! Bring on the festive season!

What have you been loving this month?