April Favourites 2016

April Favourites 2016

Sunday, 8 May 2016

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So another month of 2016 has disappeared in the blink of an eye. I'm a month older but none the wiser but I do have loads of favourites to talk about so let's get down to it.

Beauty Blender - £16.00 from Beauty Blender

Until recently I didn't really understand the hype surrounding the beauty blender, I just thought it was an overpriced make up sponge, nothing really remarkable about it other than it's shape. But I have since seen the error of my ways. The beauty blender is a make up application game changer and I LOVE it. If you google beauty blender there are literally thousands of ways to use it, but my favourite is for concealer and as the final step when applying foundation. It blends everything in so seamlessly and when damp sheers out really heavy and cakey looking foundation. It also adds a ton of glow to the skin, which my complexion desperately needs. I also like to use it for blending out my contour as it makes it look so natural and non-Kardashian-esque.

Look Good Feel Better Finishing Brush - part of The Makeover Brush Set £24.99 from Boots

I picked up LGFB's Makeover Brush Set at the beginning of the month (read more about it here) and have been using them pretty much constantly ever since. The finishing brush is my favourite, I've been using it for my foundation because it's really soft, gives flawless coverage and because the bristles are synthetic it doesn't soak up too much product, minimising wastage. It's a great little brush.

Avon Big & False Lash Volume Mascara - £8.50 from Avon

The Big & False Lash Volume mascara is Avon's answer to Benefit's They're Real mascara, and if truth be told I actually prefer Avon's offering. It has a blacker than black 'fibre infused' formula and a big, fluffy brush that lifts, separates, defines and packs some serious wallop when it comes to volume.  Love it.

YSL's Rouge Volupté Shine in Corail A Porter - £26.00 from YSL

I really upped my fancy pants lipstick game when this bad boy made it's way into my collection. Everything about it screams premium! From the weighted gold packaging - that is so beautiful I could eat it -, to the incredibly satisfying click closure and the dreamy peach scented formula. High gloss lipsticks aren't usually my cup of tea, however after seeing how beautiful this one was, an exception had to be made. Corail A Porter is a deep pink-y coral with a super glossy finish. It also has a really nice formula, it's moisturising, it smells amazing and is very pigmented with a reasonable wear time. I like it a lot, and it is super fancy.

MAC Cremesheen Lipstick in Brave Red - £15.50 from MAC

This was a birthday present from a particularly lovely work friend of mind, and it's as if she read my mind. Brave Red is a classic pillar box shade, a bit more yellow than I'm used to, but a really gorgeous bright, bold red. It's another one with a glossy finish, but it actually looks quite dewy on the lips and is very comfortable to wear. I like it, and the sweetheart who bought it for me, a lot.

Blogosphere - £40 for Issues 1 - 8 at Blogosphere

I hadn't really heard of blogosphere until quite recently, but after seeing that 4 of my favourite bloggers had already been featured on the cover (Esteé Lalonde, Fleur De Force, Samantha Maria & Lily Pebbles) getting a subscription was a complete no brainer. Written for and by bloggers Blogosphere is a gorgeous magazine, full of insider tips and tricks for up and coming bloggers - like myself... she said wishful thinkingly - it's quickly become my go to bedtime read and I've read all 8 issues cover to cover, I can't wait for the next issue to come out.

Buzzfeed Video - Subscribe here

I've been talking about Buzzfeed non-stop lately (read more about it here and  here) because the content they create is brilliant and so addictive. Whether it's funny, informative or even a little bit gross, it's always interesting and very well executed. I dare you to watch just one, because in my experience it isn't possible!

The Bones of You by Debbie Howells - Paperback/Kindle Edition £3.55/£3.37 from Amazon

Lately I've been really getting into thrillers,  I blame Gone Girl, and The Bones of You is one of the best I've read. The book is about Rosie Anderson, an 18 year old girl who goes missing, throwing the tiny village she lives in into turmoil. When Rosie is found dead a few days later Kate, a friend of Rosie's mother, becomes obsessed with solving the mystery surrounding her death, revealing some dark secrets along the way. The story is a multi-narrative told from the points of view of Kate and Rosie herself, working backwards from her death, it's beautifully written, tense, suspenseful and the story has more twists and turns than a corkscrew. Think Broadchurch but even more shocking. I can't wait for Howell's next book, if it's anything like her first it's bound to be a good 'un.

Landline by Rainbow Rowell - Paperback/Kindle Edition£3.85/£4.99 from Amazon

Rainbow Rowell is one of my favourite authors because her writing is incredible, the best way I can think to describe it is kinda like a really good piece of cake  - or chocolate... insert applicable food here - you want to savour it because it is delicious. Landline is about tv writer Georgie McCool whose family and married life suffers the more successful she becomes. When she has to work over Christmas her husband Neal takes their daughters to back home to Omaha leaving Georgie alone in California. Unable to face her home and the problems in her marriage she goes to stay with her mother. In her teenaged bedroom, surrounded by pictures of pugs, Georgie discovers she has a direct line to 1998 and a young Neal who loved her, by using her ancient yellow rotary phone. I won't give away the ending but it is amazing! It's really funny and sweet and manages to be both completely realistic and a little bit magical. I loved it, definitely worth a read if you liked Eleanor and Park.

What were you loving in April? Let me know by commenting below, on twitter, or dropping me an email at lolarocknroses@gmail.com. Also check out my instagram, facebook, bloglovin', snapchat -search lolarocknroses - & pinterest for regular updates.

Love love love xxx

April Favourites 2015

April Favourites 2015

Tuesday, 12 May 2015

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Okay I don't want to panic anyone but it's May. I'm not even sure how that's possible but  it's May! We're over a third of the way through the year people! Where on earth does the time go?! 

Now that the mad May panic is over let's talk about April shall we?April is my favourite month! It (usually) has Easter, the days are finally getting longer and warmer and most importantly it's my birthday month! I was utterly spoilt and got some fabulous beauty bits (read more about that here) but enough about that. Let's talk favourites. 

Haymarket by Nails Inc 

Spring has finally sprung here in the UK and that means pastels! I have been utterly obsessed with this gorgeous mint blue. It's one of those shades where you don't know if it's green or if it's blue but it's so beautiful that it doesn't even matter. I am so in love with the colour that I've been taking it off to put it straight back on again. It is so beautiful and because it's Nails Inc the formulas good too! I love it. 

Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque  

I am so obsessed with this mask (read more about that here), it is my go to mask for when my skin is looking crap (which is a way more regular occurrence than I care to admit) because it is awesome. It's a bright green clay mask that smells and kinda looks a bit like toothpaste but works wonders. It's as close to perfect as a clay mask can get. It's ridiculously cheap, it clears up any superficial blackheads, dries out whiteheads and leaves the skin looking so much clearer. The only thing I will say is that it does take some time to work it's magic, but it's so worth it. Just whack it on and leave it for half an hour and voila better skin. Obsessed!

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water 

Honestly I've never been a major fan of micellar waters, they're okay I guess, but I've found that some of them can be quite drying. I have super sensitive skin that tends to lean towards the drier side of things so I normally prefer a cream cleanser because they're more moisturising. But this one seems to be designed for us sensitive skinned lasses and removes all my make up really gently without causing any irritation or dryness.  It's super affordable and lasts a really long time, 1 x 400 ml bottle works out to be about 200 uses so it's really good value too. It's just a really nice and effective cleanser. 

Real Techniques Expert Facebrush 

When I first got this brush I didn't like it very much, I thought that it gave really patchy coverage and it was just a bit meh but lately I've been absolutely loving it. I think I didn't like it initially because I'd been using it with the wrong formulas, but lately I've cracked it and my poor beloved Real Techniques Buffing Brush has been left all alone and lonely.  It just applies so easily, blending in effortlessly and when used with the right formula leaves a flawless base. Love it. 

Barry M Speedy Quick Dry in Road Rage

I have been obsessed with this gorgeous mint blue offering from Barry M's latest collection (read my review here). The colour is beautiful, the formula is awesome: thick, creamy and dries in seconds and the new brush is amazing too. On the days where I haven't been wearing Haymarket  I've been wearing this.  It's just so pretty. 

Glass Sweetie Jar by Tesco 

I have been buying so much homeware stuff lately. It's become quite the obsession. I think it's because I've recently moved back to my mum's and I'm already anticipating moving out again. I'll be honest it's not been the easiest of transitions. I spend a lot of time at my mum's anyway but still it's quite an adjustment being here full time. Anyway I spotted this pretty glass jar in the kitchen section of my local Tesco and I just couldn't resist adding it to my basket. It now lives in pride of place on my bedside table because I've been keeping cotton pads in it and I just think it looks so pretty. The best part though was the price, only cost me £4! Which is such a bargain. Loving it. 

 Awake  (Limeleaf and Grapefruit) Reed Diffuser  by Tesco

This is another Tesco find, they've been really upping their game lately! I've always been a bit wary of reed diffusers for 2 reasons. 1. I am the clumsiest person in the whole entire world and I'd definitely knock it over and 2. when I do  knock it over (it's inevitable) then the oil would definitely stain something but more importantly it's quite harmful to animals and I have a dog who I adore and I'd never want him to get hurt, especially over something so avoidable. Having said that I realised that my concerns can all be avoided. I only have to make sure that  the diffuser is kept well out of the way, which it is.  So once I'd accepted this I just had to pick this one up. Again it was ridiculously cheap - only £3! Whoop Whoop! - and has the most incredible scent! It's citrus based, and is so refreshing and zingy, I just love it. It completely fills my room  with this beautiful fragrance yet isn't overpowering at all. Not only does it smell incredible  but the bottle it comes in is really sleek and pretty too. I love it. 

Millie Marotta's Animal Kingdom

Those of you who read this post will know that I, and the rest of the world, have been having a bit of a moment with adult colouring books lately. Colouring in is so relaxing and just ridiculously fun. This book is so lovely to colour in. It's beautifully illustrated and I can just lose myself for hours in it. 

What are your April Favourites? Let me know on twitter, by commenting below or dropping me an email at lolarocknroses@gmail.com. Also check me out on instagram, facebook, bloglovin & pinterest for daily updates. 

I hope you guys are having a lovely week. I'll be back on Thursday.

Until then...

Love love love xxx