7 Things I've Loved Lately
It’s been a good few months since I’ve done a round-up of favourites! Maybe because it’s been such a dreary winter and I’ve not felt crazy inspired to do anything new but now the sun is shining I FEEL ALIVE. Now obviously, if you’re a regular reader of this blog then you will know that I’m very much a creature of habit so nothing in this roundup will be that much of a shock but anyway, here is everything I’m loving at the moment.
ELEANOR OLIPHANT IS ABSOLUTELY FINE - GAIL HONEYMAN
I finally finished this book and I absolutely loved it like so many other people. When I put the feelers out on Instagram there were some mixed reviews and so many people said it was overhyped, now I don’t think it was the most life-changing book I’ve ever read (it’s no Donna Tartt) but I still thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It follows the main character Eleanor and her seemingly very dull and structured life but you quickly realise she is anything from fine. It’s a pretty easy read and you get so sucked into the friendship between her & Raymond which is such a beautiful thing and for me, the biggest take away from this book is that’s it’s a serious lesson in self-love. Which wasn’t something I was expecting at all, it’s quite a difficult book to pin down in terms of genre that’s for sure. The one thing I wish was explained more was Eleanor’s past, I don’t feel like it was given the words it maybe deserved. If you’re thinking about giving this a read then I highly recommend it!
HOUSEPLANTS
I’ve been a lover and collector of houseplants for years but after watching Jenna Marble’s video all about hers it made me seriously excited about what I owned as well as wanting to add a few more to my collection. As we’re entering Spring and things are starting to wake up from winter I’ve been pottering around doing some plant maintenance and getting maybe a little too much enjoyment from it. Something that I need to do now is look into repotting as some are outgrowing their pots and need a little more space so they can flourish. I wrote a post a few days ago all about my favourite houseplants as well as a little care guide to them all if you fancy giving that a read, it’s probably my loved post of the month.
PALMERS RAW SHEA BODY Lotion (GIFTED)
Bodycare is something that I take quite seriously in the winter months, I hate when Spring rolls around and I feel like a lizard so I make sure to moisturise throughout all the colder months to keep on top of hydration levels. The Palmers original Cocoa Butter is something that I used to use religiously in my younger years as it’s brilliant on sunburn, obviously, I don’t recommend getting sunburn but if it does happen then it’s incredibly soothing on that. Anyway, this is the Raw Shea Body Lotion and it smells absolutely divine, it’s very sweet but it’s not so sweet it makes your head ache. It’s a thick rich lotion (not the best packaging for something so thick) but it doesn’t feel heavy on the skin at all and just leaves you feeling so silky smooth for a good 24 hours.
ZOELLA X COLOUR OG Supernova EYESHADOW (GIFTED)
I’ve never used anything from Colourpop before so I was very excited to give something a go from this beautiful collaboration with Zoe Sugg. Naturally, I gravitated towards the champagne eye kit and this is so beautiful on the lid. I will say if you do not like glitter than you will not like this but if you want a champagne shimmer all over the lid then this is one you might be interested in. As it’s a liquid and has a doe foot applicator it’s very easy to apply and you could blend it in with either your finger or a brush, I like to use a brush personally as I find I get more of a precise finish that way. It lasts amazingly well on the eye and for the amount of shimmer in it it’s surprisingly comfortable to wear throughout the day which isn’t always the case with liquid eyeshadows.
CLARINS HYDRA ESSENTIAL BI-PHASE SERUM (GIFTED)
I’ve had this serum in my skincare stash for a while but as I’m using up my skincare in order it’s taken me a while to get round to it. Hydration is something that I’m very conscious of right now as I can struggle quite a lot dehydration but I don’t want to use something that then turns my skin into an oil slick, during the day at least. I find this injects my skin with just the right amount of moisture to keep things feeling fresh and plump but the formulation is quite unusual. You have to shake this up and be very careful when applying (I use a patting motion rather than a massaging one) as it’s incredibly watery which makes it slightly difficult to apply. It’s not impossible by any means but it’s more difficult that the majority of the skincare I use and I’m not into faffy products that’s for sure. However, due to that slightly tricky to use formula, it means my skin quite literally drinks it up within seconds which I love as I don’t have to wait around before applying my moisturiser. As it’s from Clarins it’s pricey and if you’ve got the money and combination skin I highly suggest having a look at it but otherwise you can find similar products (with an easier to use formula).
ORIGINS ORIGINAL SKIN RETEXTURIZING MASK (GIFTED)
Masks, in general, are something that I’m utterly obsessed with right now and I’ve been using one every few days and my skin is looking pretty great because of it. In the past, I’ve been pretty forgetful with them but now I’m in the habit of using them and I’m falling back in love with them all. And one that I mentioned in a recent skincare post is this mask from Origins. It’s a clay and exfoliating mask all rolled into one but I don’t find it settles down to a really uncomfortable finish which makes any mask a complete nightmare to remove. This is a great option to go for if you want your skin to instantly look refreshed as well as getting all the crap out your pores plus a comfortable exfoliation. If you’re not someone who wants a plethora of masks in your collection then I would say this is a great one to pick up as it does a bit of everything and coming from Origins it’s not too expensive as out of everything from the brand I find the masks are one of the more affordable options.
valspar paint
If you caught up with my post all about my office refresh then you will know that I painted the walls this beautiful sage greenish shade. And the colour is Teresa’s Green from Farrow & Ball but I used a Valspar Paint. If you didn’t know you can match any colour of paint you want to be mixed with the Valspar formula (colour can’t be trademarked but formula can, I believe that’s how they’re able to do that anyway). My budget certainly doesn’t stretch to F&B as lovely as it is but it did stretch to Valspar and I was so surprised that I only needed one coat to do the entire room. For as long as I’ve been painting rooms by myself I’ve used builders matt white paint as you know how much I love a white room so not only was painting on a colour incredibly fun but using a paint that was better quality made the job so much easier.
