Well, the first month of 2019 has ended. I have to say, I quite enjoyed January, it felt refreshing. I was a little worried that I'd be clinging onto the festivities of Christmas but after my trip to London on the 2nd, I felt like I had managed to escape that jolly season and truly begin the new year. Saying that, we can't totally ignore Christmas, because it's what provided me with a lot of the content for this blog post. I hope you'll enjoy reading this and seeing what products I've been using and loving over the last four weeks!
BATH & BODY
First of all, I'd just like to say that one of my January favourites has been getting a shower! As crazy as that sound, since moving home from Uni I have tended to get baths every evening, but soon found that I wasn't really enjoying them so much. I don't think you're really supposed to get a bath every day, I reckon it should be more of a treat, so one evening I opted for a shower instead and I was pleasantly surprised with just how much better I felt for it! I'd associated showering with quick 5 minute dips in the morning, when it's freezing cold and I'm in a rush, so I'd never really favoured them. It turns out that a shower in the evening, particularly after some sort of physical activity, is so refreshing!
I absolutely love shower sets and I received a lovely one from my parents this Christmas, which provided me with two of my new favourites.
Soap & Glory Clean On Me Shower Creme and their Scrub of your Life sugar scrub. I've been a fan of Soap & Glory for the longest time now, I like their body sprays and their moisturisers, and they have so many different ranges that I have tried and tested through the years. Last year I really liked their Sugar Crush range, which was citrus themed and made me smell like lemons! I also used to have a range of theirs that literally smelt liked biscuits... that one was GOOD but I can't remember it's name, please let me know if you can? Anyway, this year I am sticking with what I think is their original range and I really like it. I use the shower creme every single day, so much so that I don't think it's going to last me all the way through February, which is a bit upsetting. The sugar scrub is more of a treat to be honest, I'll use it if I'm indulging in a particularly long bath or shower, but it's not an essential part of my routine. I would recommend these products to anyone in search of some good shower supplies! They just feel a little more luxurious than your basic £1 body wash from the supermarket. They come in huge bottles and I really like the fact that the scrub comes in a squeeze tube actually, and not a pot like most do - it just makes it that much easier to use! Once I run out of these I will most definitely re-purchase the body wash, however, I have another sugar scrub to keep me going for a while longer...
The Miami Muse Body Scrub, and I actually like this one even more than the product by Soap & Glory! It smells absolutely incredible and more importantly, it feels amazing on your skin - while Scrub of your Life has a more grainy texture, this one lathers up and not only exfoliates but also moisturises your skin. I got this from Christmas from my Auntie Pam, I'm not actually sure where you can purchase it, but if you have a search online i'm sure you'll find it!
Now, as I said, I have been LOVING showers lately, but there are still instances when all I need is a long, hot bath. During those instances, my next favourite comes in very handy!
Avon's Gingerbread Bubble Bath! This stuff smells absolutely incredible, just like gingerbread. It was perfect for my Christmas Day bath and has continued to keep me feeling warm and cosy throughout January, though I did use the last of it just before the month was out. I would definitely re-order, although I think this was a special edition product out specifically for Christmas - I don't know why because gingerbread isn't a scent specifically assigned to December 25th and I would love to have some more of this, I think you could use it right through until Spring time. Which brings me onto my next category...
CANDLES
Who doesn't love that warm glow?
My brother bought me an absolute beauty of a candle as a Christmas gift. It's a small white candle in a huge jar, surrounded by cinnamon sticks, red berries and little pinecones! I'd spotted it in the Sainsbury's home section when we were in there once for groceries and I just mentioned how nice I thought it was, the next thing I knew, I was opening it on Christmas morning! I burn it on alongside my cinnamon sticks Yankee candle because on it's own it doesn't have much of a scent. Combined with the Yankee Candle it gives off a really lovely festive aroma and it looks the part too! We kept it in the lounge over Christmas and throughout January but I've packed it away into my chest of drawers now so I can save it for next year!
Matthew went to town on my Christmas presents this year and bought me a CHEST of Yankee Candles - yes, that's right, a chest! In there was this huge 411g Angel Wing's scented candle, which I have kept in my bedroom as my evening scent. It's a really light and sweet scent that I love, especially when I'm laid in my bed planning lessons and I can hear the rain outside. I also love the fact that it's white. I feel like a coloured candle would stick out like a sore thumb in my bedroom because I'm all about cool pastel tones, so this one works perfectly for me and isn't obnoxiously obvious. Instead, it just creates a subtle glow. In the chest I received lots of lovely scents, which I'll list below in the order I intend to use them:
Cinnamon Sticks - As I previously detailed, this has been burning in my lounge since Christmas day.
Icy Blue Spruce - This is going to be my February scent. February is often a dark and dreary month, and I think that this sweet scent will make it seem a little brighter and should make me feel a lot more cosy!
Black Cherry - This candle is a little bigger than the rest so I'm hoping it'll last me throughout March and April. It smells like a Bakewell Tart and I think that'll be so comforting during the April showers. It's also not specifically festive, which is good because I think by March I should probably be embracing Spring rather than lusting over Christmas.
Baby Powder - This really does smell JUST like baby powder. It's a light and delicate sort of powdery scent (baby powder, not the other sort), so is absolutely perfect for May when the weather is fairing and summer is approaching.
Winter Wonderland - Now, it's called Winter Wonderland, but it doesn't smell or look festive at all... so it's a great scent for June! It's a very sweet scent, it almost smells like my kitchen does when my mum is baking cake or cookies, which I think is lovely for any time of year.
For July and August I'm going to go back to Angel's Wings! It's a huge candle and I have so much of it left that it'll definitely do me for those two months, and probably more! It will hopefully feel nostalgic and remind me of those warm January nights!
Glittering Star - Come September I'm going to whack this bad boy out and slowly transition into Autumn with this scent.
Frosty Gingerbread - Last, but of course not least, is this very festive looking little miniature. It smells like cinnamon, cloves and actually a little bit like walnuts too - so it's going to be just perfect for November and December when I'm ready to start feeling festive again.
Thank you Matt for all of these gorgeous candles, as you can tell from the organised list above, I'm super excited to use them all!
FOOD AND DRINK
One Saturday morning after a boozy night out in Sheffield, Chloe, Kyle and I went along to Bills for a hearty brunch. I had never been before but was familiar with it because a lot of my friends go and post photos to Instagram (I did the same, it's very aesthetically pleasing) so I was looking forward to giving it a go. I got a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice and Eggs Benedict, and oh my goodness, I was in white girl heaven.
SPACE RADERS
Yes, you read that right, one of my monthly favourites is Space Raders! For a week or so now I've been trying to consume less calories and be more proactive in making better choices... but I'm still human and I still love my crisps! Space Raders have 58 calories per pack and so are a better alternative to my usual packet of Ready Salted. I like the Pickled Onion flavour and usually have them in my packed lunch at work!
Above you can see the Hotel Chocolat Orange Tangs that I bought for my mum while in Sheffield, but I ended up snacking on them with her - oops! I don't usually like dark chocolates but these taste really fruity and not so bitter! They're ridiculously tangy and strangely addictive, if you like intense flavours then you'll like these! The only downside is that they cost £9 ... it's a big steep for such a tiny pot! Worth it though if you're someone who likes to invest in their snacks.
HALO TOP ICE-CREAM
Another God send if you're looking for lower calorie alternatives! Halo Top are a relatively new brand but word is spreading about their products, and for good reason too, they're really yummy! My favourite flavours are mint chocolate chip and chocolate chip cookie dough. Try them out if you get the chance to, they're not as creamy as a tub of Ben & Jerry's but the flavours are fab and for just 90 calories per serving (and sometimes even less) they're well worth it.
PHOTOGRAPHY
How adorable is this little photo frame!? I love showing off my Polaroids but I don't really have anywhere suitable in my bedroom to hang a string of them without it looking out of place... so my little frames have come to the rescue! I have one on my bedside table and one on my desk,they give my room more character and remind me of those I love, even when they're far away.
SKIN CARE
Yep, I got a No.7 set for Christmas. I have to admit, during university and before, I did not have a skincare routine. So basically, I have never taken care of my skin. It honestly just wasn't something I prioritised when I was younger and in all fairness, I didn't really have the money to go buying all these different products, but now that I do I will definitely be re-purchasing these once they run out. I've stuck to a skincare routine now for almost the whole month and my skin is the softest it has ever been! Let me talk you through the products...
So, first we have the Radiant Results Micellar Water. I use this every evening to ensure that the very last remnants of make-up are out of my pores and my skin is squeaky clean!
Then we have the Nourishing Hydration Mask. I use this three times a week (on a Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday). It's not really a face mask, it doesn't stiffen on your face, instead it nourishes your skin makes it really soft. You keep it on for a couple of minutes and then you wipe it away with hot water. I usually put it on ahead of my shower and then remove it while I'm under the water. I love it!
Next to this you can see the Radiant Results Facial Polish. I use this while in the shower again and wash it away under the warm water.
Last but by no means least we have the Beautiful Skin Night Cream, which I use in combination with the Beautiful Skin Day Cream!
I'm a bit funny with applying moisturisers, I hate oily textures on my hands (I don't know why, it's just my thing) but this one isn't so greasy or heavy! I think that all of the products are helping my skin, but especially the two creams, and especially with it being so cold out.
These under-eye masks are SO refreshing. They're another Soap & Glory product that I got for Christmas, I actually used them in the middle of the month so I really need to get some more! You just sit them beneath both of your eyes and they add moisture the skin there and work on any dark circles or bags that you might have. They feel really nice, I love to feel pampered anyway so these were always going to be good for me, but I'm convinced that my under eyes did look and feel lighter after using them too! When I'm next in Boots I'm definitely going to make another purchase.
Okay so I'm not sure if a lip balm passes as skin care? We'll just pretend it does. This is the Nivea pearly shine lip balm, and as you can probably tell, it gives your lips a little bit of a pearly shine! There's a slight pigment in it which shines through your lipstick but it isn't overpowering or too obvious. I get super dry lips, especially after I've been asleep, so I always put this on first thing in the morning.
THAT'S A WRAP
I hope you liked looking through all the products I have loved this last month, here's hoping I have some more new and exciting bits to present to you at the end of January! Thank you for readin