MAY FAVOURITES!

Heya, so I know it has been a while since I last posted. I've had my final exams during the whole month of May so I had to concentrate on revision rather than blog posts (sorry, priorities right?). Anyway, it is now June so I thought I would share some of my favourite products of May!

I've always had a problem with my legs being ridiculously dry but ever since I purchased Soap and Glory's Sugar Crush body butter I am a changed woman. I have never experienced such smooth, hydrated and deliciously smelling legs- ever?! It smells like key lime pie IMO and doesn't leave any yucky residue after you apply it. This has become my holy grail moisturizer, its recommended to apply this after you've taken a shower when your skin is still a bit damp. It works wonders and has brought life back to my skin! Seriously try it out if you get the chance. 

Okay so I obviously gave in to the Oral B hype. But let me tell you, THE HYPE IS REAL! My boyfriend purchased this before me and told me how brill it was at whitening and cleaning his teeth. I was pretty skeptical at first but he told me to get it when it was on a deal because it would be SO worth it, AND IT WAS! This has changed my dental hygiene life you guys. My teeth have never looked or felt so clean and over time this baby has helped whiten them too. One day it ran out of battery and I had to revert to my old school toothbrush and let me tell you it just wasn't the same. Boots often have great deals (up to 50% off) on these toothbrushes so its a great value for money. Highly recommended. 

So yeah I've finished my L'Oreal micellar solution and decided to try out the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water. I have to say that I much prefer this to the L'Oreal one because I personally find it much stronger and better at removing my makeup. I also felt like the L'Oreal solution had a scent which bothered me quite a bit whereas the Garnier one doesn't. However, Alex once mentioned she felt the opposite about the smell so I guess it depends on what you consider a strong scent. 

Also, as a result of exam stress and womanly pains my skin has been, well, shit. My usual routine was no longer working and I was breaking out like crazy. I recently purchased the Body Shop tea tree Cool and Creamy face wash. Firstly, its great for those who suffer from dry skin/patches, like myself. Its hydrating and is really great at keeping zits at bay and calming them down. My skin is already clearing up after a few days of using it. (Ok I bought this like 3 days ago so I kinda cheated but whatever)

Finally, I know this isn't beauty related but its a favourite. I've only started to read this and I'm sucked in. I'm already such a fan of Murakami (okay I love him) and so far I'm really enjoying this book. I've heard mixed reviews about this book (1Q84) but so far I think its beautifully written and stays true to his style. His writings are so vivid and clear and are definitely great reads. This book comes in a 3 and to not give much away I'll just repeat what it says on the back of my copy:

"A love story, a mystery, a fantasy, a novel of self-discovery, a dystopia to rival George Orwell's-1Q84 is a tremendous feat of imagination from one of our most revered contemporary writers"

I hope you enjoyed this post and I've convinced you to get some of the things I've been loving!

-Yaz

What's On My Shelf?

This post is part of our two-part series, ‘What’s on our Shelves?’ There are three of us girls who share one bathroom, but luckily there is quite a lot of storage space in there so we can each have a shelf for our bath/skin products. Mine is the bottom because... well, I’m the shortest. Today is my turn to share what I keep on my shelf. I’m really excited to share this as I have recently been trying out some new skincare products which I would love to rave about here. All these products are also from the drugstore or highstreet and therefore, affordable.

I have not included every single item that is on my shelf, because frankly you don’t really need to see my more intimate, generic products, if you know what I mean. I’d also like to highlight that I don’t keep all of my products on this shelf. I have other items which may be permanently  in my shower or on my dressing table, for example hair care products, my exfoliating face wash, my  moisturiser and deodorant etc...

My Everyday Makeup

I thought it would be cool to talk about my favourite pieces of make-up. For me, this goes hand in hand with my everyday look, because I tend to use the same pieces daily as I like them so much. Sometimes I change a few things up so I will mention those products too, as honourable runners up. I have pale skin which is combination, more on the dry side. 

I always begin the day by cleansing and moisturising. I use L’Oreal 3 in 1 Micellar Solution and Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser. If I am wearing my makeup for an extra long time, I also use a small amount over the Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser on my T-Zone.

I have two drugstore foundations which I like to use on a daily basis when I’m just going into town or to Uni. Usually I grab my Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum. This foundation has a medium coverage, and because of its yellowy undertone, it cancels out any redness. I wear this foundation when I am having quite a good skin day. If I am looking for slightly more coverage I wear my Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation. The only downside is that it does have a slight shimmer. I hardly notice it when I first apply it, but sometimes when I catch my reflection in the sunlight in glass it looks a bit glittery, which is why I would wear it more in summer. I apply both foundations with a Real Techniques Expert Face Brush. I prefer this to my hands as it feels less greasy and doesn’t clog up pores as much.

Oops

I know that I said just a few posts ago that I was resisting the Naked 3 palette but... IT’S BEEN A TOUGH WEEK, ok?! ‘They’ say we should never have any regrets, and because I truly believe that, I do not regret my most recent splurge (Ok, splurges. A quick mention to the Body Shop Bronzer I also bought – you’re gorgeous too). Sometimes I sit here and think, my word I should not have paid that for some eyeshadows, but right now, whilst I’m sitting here infatuated, I’ll explain why I don’t think I’ve been taken for a fool here.

I am referring to Urban Decay’s best selling eyeshadow palettes here - Naked 1, 2 and the most recent 3. In the UK, they retail for £37. Yes, ok, but that’s the only negative thing, and there’s no judging in this blogspot, thanks very much. I’ll also take this moment to help a sister out and suggest purchasing this product from Debenhams, online or in-store, and waiting until a cheeky discount voucher becomes available online. I did this and saved 10% and still qualified for free delivery, and seriously, saving that £3.70 made me feel so much better in those moments of doubt.

Wrap Up

So I'm just putting together a quick post of what we've been doing this week. Started it off with a trip to Wagamamas which is our favourite pick-me-up restaurant. I had the yasai pad thai and Alex had the yaki soba. 

We've been quite bad this week and have been doing some shopping! I wont even go in to what Alex has purchased this week, I'll let her make her own confession but lets just say its along the...urban...decay...lines. I've not been that disciplined either, its hard being a student when you need SO much. Want. Need. Potato, potahto. 

The Checklist

I understand the experience of those who are finally leaving the nest to move in to university halls can be extremely stressful. When I was packing and preparing to move in to my accommodation, I literally had no clue what to bring or what to prepare for. Everything was so last minute and it was really difficult for me to fit everything I needed for my new home in to my suitcase. So I searched online for checklists, advice and posts for what I needed to bring to university. With hindsight I realised that the majority of the lists included way too many unnecessary items for one girl to purchase all on her own. So I've decided to compile my own list of items that helped make my first year in halls so much easier. 

Ok, so I was quite unlucky when it came to the state of my accommodation. Let me explain. I lived with SIX other people and we had to share ONE toilet. Yes. ONE toilet. Although it was quite a traumatizing experience and our loo would tend to be destroyed after a night out, my room was quite big and I was able to settle in really quickly. Well, my room was my haven, my safe place. So I have put together the  essential things that helped make my experience and living conditions as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.