May Favourites

Lace back sweater in pale pink - Miss Selfridge, £11.00 (on sale):
I am in love with this sweater! It's become my favourite and probably most worn wardrobe piece because it's both adorable and super comfortable. I also really like the lace-up back as it adds a little something extra to the sweater. Pale pink has been my go-to colour this season as well so this fitted seamlessly into my wardrobe. (I've linked the grey version as pink is out of stock)

Warm Cookies Shower/Bath Gel, Treaclemoon - Tesco £3.00:

Normally I wouldn't rave about a shower gel purely because they aren't something I tend to have particularly strong feelings about, generally I like them all. However, this one is in my favourites because it smells AMAZING! It smells like cookie dough but isn't too sweet and overpowering, I think it smells a little bit like the Vanilla Cake Mix products from Philosophy. I've been using it as a shower gel only, but my mum has been loving it as a bubble bath also. And at £3 for a big bottle, it's a bargain!

Whitworth's Fruit Shots - The Supermarket:

Bit of an odd thing to include in a favourites but I can't get enough of these! I like the Toffee & Pecan ones but my favourite flavour is the Berry & White Chocolate one or the Chocolate Orange flavour (with orange flavoured cranberries. Who knew that was a thing?!) which I discovered this month. Each shot is a mix of raisins, dried fruit such as dates or cranberries and something sweet like chocolate or toffee. I've been taking these in my bag to college as they're perfect for a snack.

Barry M Super Natural Eyeshadow Palette - Superdrug, £6.49:

I picked this up in Superdrug because of how pretty the packaging was and bought it because of the gorgeous colours. The palette has 8 shades, 5 shimmer and 3 matte, and has been my go-to palette for a couple months now. The shades are quite pigmented and blend out nicely, the only issue I have with this palette is that glitter in the shimmery pink shade (second from the left) doesn't stay on my eyelid. After a few minutes the glitter seems to disappear and the eyeshadow looks quite matte, although I'm going to invest in a good primer and see if that helps at all. Other than that, this palette is amazing!

No. 9 Wild Orchid & Honey Scented Candle - Primark, £1.00:

Its no surprise that a candle has made its way into this post as I am obsessed with them. Primark offer a range of different scents in their, I think redesigned, candle collection which I've tried a few of, but this is my favourite. The scent of this is sweet but also really fresh which is great as I'm not a fan of overly sweet anything to be honest and is easily on of my favourite scents of all time. In fact, I loved it some much that when I repurchased this I also bought the large version and the room diffuser. I love that the scent is quite subtle and added a freshness to my room.

Just Tattoo of Us - MTV:

My favourite show of last month has been MTV's new show Just Tattoo of Us. If you've not seen it the basic idea is that pairs go on having designed a tattoo for one another and it's a complete surprise until it has been tattooed on their bodies. It's hosted by Charlotte Crosby and Bear and the two make hilarious presenters. I haven't found a show this funny but also this tense and dramatic in a while. I can't wait for season 2!

So these have been my favourites of May, let me know what you've been loving as I'm always looking for nee stuff to try and love seeing what others have been enjoying!

Also, I've been absent on here for a few months due to exams but should hopefully be posting regularly now so be sure to come back and read next week's post. Hope you have a great weekend. :)

                                                           Love, Grace x <3

January Favourites

This post is pretty much what it says on the tin: a few of my favourite bits and pieces from last month. These are just a few things I thought I'd share that have been getting a whole lotta lovin' from me through January.

Fluffy Mouse Slippers - George @ ASDA, £6

Despite my house always being like a thousand degrees, my feet are constantly freeeezing! So its no surprise that these haven't left my feet since I got them. I'm not normally a huge fan of slippers and am more of a bed sock kinda gal buuutt these slippers have to be the comfiest things ever! They're so soft and fluffy on the inside and have been great at keeping my icy toes toasty.

Collection Eyes Uncovered Eyeshadow Palette in Nude - Boots/Superdrug, £3.99

First of all, total bargain! I'm a fan of Collection in general (their Lasting Perfection concealer has been a makeup staple of mine for ) so I expected to love this palette and I was not disappointed. As a lover of a good nude shadow, these shades were right up my street. All the shadows look gorgeous on and the pigmentation is great too. I also think the palette is a really good size too and it hasn't taken up too much room in my makeup bag. Definitely recommend!

Fudge in Vanilla, Peanut and Salted Caramel - Fudge Kitchen

My mum actually brought me this back when she and my dad visited a Christmas market in bath as she knows how much I love fudge. Safe to say I love it! I honestly don't think I have words to describe how delicious this fudge is. I've devoured the peanut and vanilla squares and still have the salted caramel to go which I saved 'til last cos salted caramel anything is my favourite! I can't find this particular box online but the company's website has literally everything fudge related on it - including drinking fudge which really intrigues me aha. #

Ted Baker Pink body spray - Boots, £3 (50ml)/ £7 (150ml)

As far as I'm concerned, you can't go wrong with Ted Baker. Everything from the gorgeous packaging to the scents is always spot on and this spray is no different. It's both girly, floral and fruity without being too sweet and it's the perfect size for your bag! Plus, at £3 it's a complete bargain! I'll definitely be picking up the larger size next time I'm in Boots.

Soap&Glory The Greatest Scrub of All Instant Radiance Foaming Face Polish (what a mouthful haha!) - Boots, £9

Fortunately, I don't have to put up with a lot of grief from my skin but last month the blackheads decided to break in dozens. So, as I do for most things, I turned to the internet and found rave reviews about this little beauty. This is a really gentle exfoliator that's not at all harsh on my skin and it leaves my face feeling super soft and smooth after use. Plus, it contains salicylic acid which is supposed to be super good for your pores and I can honestly say it's definitely worked on mine. I can see how much its improved my skin over the last few weeks! It's my new holy grail skin product and has been a staple part of my night time skin routine, 2-3 nights a week, for weeks now.

So those were my January favourites, let me know if you've tried any of these out and what you think as well as something you're currently loving! Also, small life update thing-y, I've got a 12 hour drive back to Disneyland Paris tomorrow, so wish me luck please haha. Nah, I'm super excited! Hope you've had a lovely evening!

                                                              Love, Grace x <3

Winter Reads

Happy New Year! I know, I know, it's wayyyyyyy too late in the year to say that but this is my first post of 2017 and it kind of felt appropriate.

Anyway, I'm back with a quick little post on some of my favourite books. I'm a huge book worm and reading is definitely one of my favourite things to do. Especially in winter when it gets dark so quickly, I find there's nothing better to do than curl up with a good book. So here, in no particular order since it's impossible to choose the best, are some of my faves.

1) The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky:

I don't think I could write about my favourite books and not include this! I've read this a few times  now yet everytime I love it even more. The story centres on Charlie, who is a teenage boy struggling to fit in. Until he meets Patrick and Sam, who quickly become his best friends and pull him out into this new, fun world. A wide range of teen issues are covered throughout the book such as love, sexuality, loss and mental health. It's such an amazing read and Charlie is such a loveable character!


2) The Book Thief - Markus Zusak:

I devoured this in about 2 days. I was hooked on Liesel Meminger's story from the very start. Her story is set in Germany during WWII and follows her life as an evacuee. The title comes from Liesel's fascination with books, and her tendency to steal them. Again, Leisel, along with a lot of other characters in this book, is very easy to love. The book is structured quite different to most as the narrator, Death, tells you what's going to be happening later in the book a the start sort of. It's hard to explain as you get spoilers that don't really take away any of the emotional impact. Overall, a real page turner.

3) Harry Potter 1-7 - J.K. Rowling:

I feel like there are few people who haven't read the Harry Potter books and even fewer who haven't seen the films. In my opinion, the books top the films, hands down! There are so many more amazing characters and plot lines and whole heap of extra magic. If you haven't read the books, especially if you're a HP fan, you're definitely missing out! I don't think I can pick a definite favourite but, I think I might be just, a tiny little bit more, in love with the Philosopher's Stone as its where all the magic starts.

4) The Sky is Everywhere - Jandy Nelson:

My favourite thing about this book, about this author in fact, is the writing style. There's just something about the way she writes that I can't get enough of. This story follows Lennie who has just suffered a traumatic loss and is struggling to come to terms with everything that's happened and is happening around her. Then along comes Joe and also Toby and suddenly Lennie is thrust into an epic love triangle. Another addictive book that I just didn't want to end!

5) I'll Give You the Sun - Jandy Nelson:

Told you I couldn't get enough aha! This book is told from two different perspectives, twins Noah and Jude. Similar to The Sky is Everywhere, there's an element of loss in the story as well as love and identity as the twins try to find themselves while at the same time almost losing each other. again, couldn't put it down.

Well, there's a handful of my favourites. Let me know if you've read any of these and enjoyed them as much as I did. Also, tell me what your favourite book is, I'm always looking for another good read.

                                                                                  Love, Grace x <3

Oxford St. Lush & Christmas haul

Everyone knows two of my favourite things in the universe are Christmas and Lush so its no surprise that when the Lush Christmas range comes out I want (NEED) everything! Unfortunately, buying everything kind of exceeds my budget so I had to satisfy my lush needs with a few carefully chosen bits and pieces. These products are a little bit special to me too as I bought them from the Lush on Oxford Street, somewhere I'd been desperate to visit for a while.

Star Dust Bath Bomb:

This I love because its sparkly without being too over the top. I'm all for sparkles but I'd prefer not to leave the bath looking like a human disco ball so the subtlety of the glitter was something I particularly liked. I'm not really sure how to describe the scent of this, it's quite a generic lush scent but its a scent I really like; not too overwhelming but still nicely fragranced. It also has a hidden surprise as the core is blue so the water turns a really pretty colour.

Golden Wonder Bath Bomb:

A Christmas staple! A glittery present with a hidden, colourful surprise - yes please! This is another product with a sweet but fresh scent which I love, in fact, there are few Lush scents that I don't love to be honest, but this one is really good. It's also a total bargain since it's so big, it would make a perfect Christmas present!

Satsuma Bath Bomb:

For me, this super cute bomb would be a brilliant twist on the traditional satsuma in the stocking (or, if you're like me, a Terry's Chocolate Orange). The scent of this isn't that orange-y if I'm honest, its quite fresh and fruity, which is always a winning combo. The only downside to this is that it's an Oxford Street exclusive, so unless you live around the London area it might be hard to get your hands on. :(

So White Bath Bomb:

Like Star Dust, this seems to have a slight shimmer and again smells really fresh and isn't too heavily scented. It also contains a surprise centre too! While this doesn't scream Christmas it's definitely good for a relaxing bath to melt away the post-Christmas stress!

Butterbear Bath Bomb: 

This is a Christmas edition of one of my all time Lush faves (Butterball) and possibly one the cutest products they do! I love putting this in the bath as I always feel so super moisturised and silky soft afterwards! Definitely recommend, especially if you're not a lover of strong scents and prefer something a little more simple and delicate in your tub.

As I said, I bought these in the Oxford Street Lush which is 3 storeys (spa then two floors of Lush-ness!) and every Lush lover's haven! So of course I took some photos of all the piles and shelves and tables of products:

As I said, every Lush lover's dream! Let me know your favourite Christmas Lush product, I'm always looking for new stuff to try!

                                                             Love, Grace x <3

London, Baby!

For a while now London has been at the top of my list of places to visit and back in November I finally visited! So many people claim that it's their favourite city so I went with suuuuper high hopes (no pressure, London!) and I can definitely say I was not disappointed.

We - my family and I- went on a coach trip for the weekend to see the sights as well as to see the West End show Wicked (which was a-mazing!!).

I visited Covent Garden Square which was so beautiful and possibly the prettiest market I've ever been in. It was also completely unexpected as whenever I've people talk about it I'd imagined an actual square garden with flowers and benches, surrounded by shops so it was a pleasant surprise for me to see what it actually is! We also saw Big Ben, the London Eye, Trafalgar Square and Buckingham palace as well as taking a stroll through St. James' Park, the Soho area and down Oxford Street - the Lush store is mahusive!

Also, despite all the buses, which were literally everywhere, we decided we'd walk around instead which meant I got funny looks from everyone as I attempted to SatNav my way around with my Maps app, haha!

The definite highlight of the entire trip though was seeing Wicked on the West End. I love a good musical and this is easily one of my faves! I genuinely teared up during 'Defying Gravity' because Elphaba's vocals were insane! I loved it so much I'm going back in February to see it again! :)


Which cities are your favourite? Let me know where else I should try and visit.
                                                                          
                                                   Love, Grace x <3

                                                                          
                                                                                   
  

Primark makeup

Now autumn has well and truly arrived I decided it was time I made my makeup look a little more seasonal and buy some berry toned lipstick. This was definitely pushing me out of my comfort zone as normally I'd steer clear of any dark colours, convinced my pale complexion could not pull off such colours. However, I was determined to make at least one suit me but just in case my mission failed I was reluctant to spend more than a few pounds. Obviously, no one likes wasting money so when I saw these lipsticks in Primark I was extremely happy!

Primark is pretty much known for being one of the most reasonably priced shops in Britain (and their adorable homeware, of course) so it came as no surprise that their makeup range was just as cheap. For less than £5 I bought 2 velvet matte lip crayons (£2 each) and a lipstick (90p). Bargain!

I have been wearing the lip crayons more than the lipstick as I really love the colour of them both. I purchased the shades Wine, which is a deep red and Shameless, which is a dark purple-y red shade. The pigmentation in these is very good, especially for the price and you can build the colour which gives you the option of having a subtle tint or a bold pout. Surprisingly, I prefer Shameless out of the two, which shocked me because its so far out of my makeup comfort zone. The only negative is that the staying power of this product isn't fantastic and it transfers quite easily, although for the price, these lip crayons are seriously good!

The lipstick I purchased for no other reason than the fact it was called Rosewood, which any PLL fan will understand. I won't lie, its not my favourite lipstick in the world. The formula, for me, is a little too oily and feels quite slick and slippery on the lips but the pigmentation is quite good and it is a very wearable shade. If I were to describe it, I'd say it was a nude berry (if that's a shade?).

Overall, I'm quite pleased with all three of these products and while they're unlikely to become staples in my makeup bag they've allowed me to push my own boundaries without breaking the bank. I'd fully recommend trying them out if you're looking for some new shades, like I was, because now I know which shades suit me and can find the right ones from my favourite brands.

                                           Love, Grace <3 x

Halloween Lush

As we all know Halloween is at the end of the month and that means one thing: Lush Halloween products! Being a Lush fanatic myself I couldn't resist popping in to pick up some new products. While my local Lush didn't have all of the products in, I was still spoilt for choice and definitely had to restrain myself. Still, I came away with four gorgeous goodies that will ensure a month of spooky soaks!

The first product I picked up was this Sparkly Pumpkin bubble bar which, for me is a Lush Halloween classic. I'm pretty sure I've had one of these every year for the last 2 or 3 years. As it's a bubble bar it makes insane amounts of bubbles, which I love! I also absolutely love the fact that this is sparkly; glitter makes everything a thousand times better! The only way I can think to describe the smell of this is Irn Bru (for anyone who doesn't know what that is, it's a fizzy drink with quite a weird taste and its the same colour as this bath bomb actually haha.) Personally, I quite like the smell of this though, so don't let my dodgy description put you off!

Another repurchase, this is the Lord of Misrule bath bomb. I love the colours of this as it's one of those bath bombs that has different coloured layers and is just so pretty and pleasing to watch. I really don't know how to describe the smell of this, the only thing that springs to mind is powdery, which isn't a smell at all. According to the website it smells of patchouli and black pepper oil but I'll let you decide, give it a good ol' whiff next time you're in Lush. Again though I really like the smell.

I'm pretty sure this little guy is a new addition to the Halloween range and he is just so cute! I think he is my favourite smelling bath bomb of the bunch. He smells sweet but not overly sweet which I like as I'm not into the sickly sweet scents. He's spent the last few days sitting on my desk so my room smells amazing! This bath bomb turns the bath a really vibrant orange and makes a really satisfying fizz sound. Definitely going to purchase another of these!

My final purchase was the Autumn Leaves bath bomb and this is the one I had the intention of buying when I went into Lush. I'm a lover of autumn and this definitely embodies autumn. Lush's website says this smells of grass which isn't the most appealing scent in the world, however, I'd describe the scent as quite spicy and musky. I'm not too sure about the smell of this, I think its definitely an acquired scent so if you're not a fan of unusual, musky scents then this might not be for you. Thankfully, I quite like it so I'm excited to use this. As this is another new addition I've yet to actually try this one out so I'm interested to see what colour this turns my bath as the bath bomb itself is super colourful.

Overall I'd say my trip to Lush was definitely successful and, as always, Lush have outdone themselves with all of their Halloween products! Let me know which Halloween product is your favourite and if you can describe the scent of Lord of Misrule because I swear it's impossible!

                                                     Love Grace <3 x