I don't usually do Monthly Love Lists as I can be inconsistent with my blog but with today being a Leap Day I thought why not. January and February I have found some things that are worth the mention. I have been updating my routine and trying to get myself feeling happier and healthier. So here goes...
Beauty
MAC Soft & Gentle Highlighter - I never really jumped on the band wagon of this highlighter as I was already obsessed with the Sleek Highlighter Palette in shade Solstice. I have re-bought this many times and get many compliments from it. So I thought why pay the price for 1 highlighter when I can pay half the price for 4 beautiful highlighters. But my friends got me a voucher for MAC and when I seen the sales for Boxing Day I thought why not. Omg I love it! I tend to use this on my night out and use my Sleek for day use.
NYX Butter Lip Gloss - Omg I love this collection. I had some of the NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream's and although I do love the shades I find they can be quite drying on my lips. However, the butter glosses are unreal. I have the shades Tiramisu and Praline and definitely need to purchase some more. They are super creamy and glossy. They are not as sticky as other glosses which is a bonus.
Superdrug Vitamin E Collection - I used to use The Body Shop Vitamin E collection but I found that I was going through them so quickly, especially the eye cream. I seen that Superdrug themselves have their own Vitamin E range and decided I would try these out. Omg... I found that the products were basically the same but Superdrug's were not even half the price of the Body Shop products. I do love The Body Shop especially their different ranges such as; Drops of Light, Drops of Youth, Camomile and Tea Tree. I have found using the Superdrug Vitamin E range religiously has helped my skin get into a routine and clear up a lot more.
TRESemmé Pro Collection Biotin & Repair +7 Shampoo & Conditioner - OMG where do I start? Do you know that feeling when the hairdresser is washing your hair and you get the whiff of the divine shampoo and conditioner they use? Well this is the scent!! Honestly, it makes my hair feel so fresh like I've just come out the hairdressers and it smells amazing. I needed to restock some of my cleaning and skincare products and I seen that these were on offer for about £2.99 each and they are 700ml bottles so thought why not give it a try. It protects 7 types of styling damage in 1 use including; blow-drying, bleaching, brushing, straightening, colouring, braiding and curling. This is going to be my go to haircare products.
Entertainment
The Stranger (Series) - This is the most recent series everyone is talking about at the moment. If you haven't watched it yet, watch it! It is a British mystery thriller on Netflix which sees a young mysterious girl telling a man a secret about his wife, which then has a devastating impact on his 'perfect' life. There are 8 episodes in total and is so easy to binge watch. To be honest, at first it is confusing as it jumps from different people and their secrets but it soon shows that the people are all interlinked with one another. Plus, if you've ever watched Benidorm, well Janice Garvey is the main detective in the series. Amazing actress and such an amazing series.
Not Going Out (Series) - I feel bad for saying this and I apologise in advance but my Grandad loves to talk (and when he's passionate about something, I mean he can talk) and when I wasn't very well in December he decided to pop over. Not to ask how I was but to talk about some show that he had been watching. I tried to fob him off and be like 'Yeah Grandad I'll add it to the last', but he made me turn off a series I was watching and search for this show and put it on. This show was Not Going Out. Omg now I am so grateful. Lee Mack is hilarious! There are currently 10 seasons and is based on on this 'unambitious' lodger who is very lazy and spends most of the time in the pub or in his flat. He is very flirty with his flatmate who is also his best friend's sister. It shows how Lee evolves from this 'unambitious' man to a family man.
Sex Education (Series) - One of my friends got me into this at the beginning of the month as I need something new to binge watch. I had heard of this being talked about quite a lot but never appealed to me but of my friends was constantly going on about it so thought why not. I finished both seasons within the week. Mental. It's actually very educational. Is it actually possible that the main character annoys me though?! The programme is very self-explanatory from the title and is a comedy that tackles big issues people often come across in the sexuality and expressions department. And what is quite funny is the main guy who is the 'sex expert' and therapist is also an awkward virgin. 100& worth the watch.
To All The Boys: PS I Still Love You (Film) - I loved the first film and I absolutely love Noah Centineo. I'm a big fan of Noah's, he is beautiful and such an amazing teen actor. But I also love this film. This is the sequel to the To All The Boys I've Loved Before. It is on Netflix and is a romance type of film. The first films follows a young girl who's non-existent love life gets out of control when she wrote 5 love letters to the boys she fancied, in which they mysteriously gets sent out. The sequel follows on from this and shows the impact the letters had and how she has grown. I'm a sucker for a romance film.
The Guilty One (Book) - This book is honestly up there with the top books I've read. I bought this book for 99p in a charity shop but can be found on places such as; Amazon. Can you believe?! People who know me, know that I don't really read books as I'm more of blogging or watching TV if I'm not on a night out or I'm not sleeping. But this book, I could not put down. I took it on holiday with me back in August but I was so busy occupying my 4 year old goddaughter and just drinking and playing in the pool that the 2 weeks flew by. I read it on the plane there and really got into it so was looking forward to reading it. On the way back, I just slept. Then I have been too busy since that I forgot all about this book. As I did Dry January I thought why not get back into reading so I picked this book back up.
Food
Fibre One Chocolate Fudge Brownie - I am obsessed with chocolate and there is no way of me giving it up. But this year I have been quite good and limiting myself to just the one a day. I seen these in Home Bargains and thought you know what they are actually healthier yet I'd still class this as chocolate. You get about 5 in a box which is perfect when you work Monday to Friday and cost around £2.90, no more. They are absolutely delicious, low in calories and full of fibre. They have quite the range of products if you don't want the Chocolate Brownies. They have Lemon Drizzle, Carrot Cake, Limited Birthday Cake, Salted Caramel Squares and Red Velvet Cake Bars.
Terry's Chocolate Orange - These will be in my monthly love lists until I die. Who doesn't love Terry's Chocolate Orange. I mean?!... No more words.
Life
The Script - I always go to their tours with my mum and they were in Liverpool 20th February. They get better and better each time. It was a stressful time for me as I bought them back in October and didn't realise that I had actually purchased Manchester. I then went back on and purchased another standing ticket as the Manchester concert was a Saturday so thought my Dad would love to join. Make a day of it. But my dad not realising the dates had bought my mum surprise Amsterdam tickets for that weekend. My friends aren't really fans of The Script so had to sell them. They weren't selling though. 2 weeks before the concert my cousin messaged and said that he was giving with his sister and that we could swap so I could go with my other cousin and he would go to Manchester. He only wanted the 2 tickets out of 3 but least thats better than the tickets not selling and I would still be able to see them. Such a stressful sad time. Worth it all in the end as The Script and Becky Hill (The support act) were amazing. We got as close as we could and it was insane. The atmosphere gets better and better and they are worth going to see, even if you only know the odd song.
Beauty
MAC Soft & Gentle Highlighter - I never really jumped on the band wagon of this highlighter as I was already obsessed with the Sleek Highlighter Palette in shade Solstice. I have re-bought this many times and get many compliments from it. So I thought why pay the price for 1 highlighter when I can pay half the price for 4 beautiful highlighters. But my friends got me a voucher for MAC and when I seen the sales for Boxing Day I thought why not. Omg I love it! I tend to use this on my night out and use my Sleek for day use.
NYX Butter Lip Gloss - Omg I love this collection. I had some of the NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream's and although I do love the shades I find they can be quite drying on my lips. However, the butter glosses are unreal. I have the shades Tiramisu and Praline and definitely need to purchase some more. They are super creamy and glossy. They are not as sticky as other glosses which is a bonus.
Superdrug Vitamin E Collection - I used to use The Body Shop Vitamin E collection but I found that I was going through them so quickly, especially the eye cream. I seen that Superdrug themselves have their own Vitamin E range and decided I would try these out. Omg... I found that the products were basically the same but Superdrug's were not even half the price of the Body Shop products. I do love The Body Shop especially their different ranges such as; Drops of Light, Drops of Youth, Camomile and Tea Tree. I have found using the Superdrug Vitamin E range religiously has helped my skin get into a routine and clear up a lot more.
TRESemmé Pro Collection Biotin & Repair +7 Shampoo & Conditioner - OMG where do I start? Do you know that feeling when the hairdresser is washing your hair and you get the whiff of the divine shampoo and conditioner they use? Well this is the scent!! Honestly, it makes my hair feel so fresh like I've just come out the hairdressers and it smells amazing. I needed to restock some of my cleaning and skincare products and I seen that these were on offer for about £2.99 each and they are 700ml bottles so thought why not give it a try. It protects 7 types of styling damage in 1 use including; blow-drying, bleaching, brushing, straightening, colouring, braiding and curling. This is going to be my go to haircare products.
The Stranger (Series) - This is the most recent series everyone is talking about at the moment. If you haven't watched it yet, watch it! It is a British mystery thriller on Netflix which sees a young mysterious girl telling a man a secret about his wife, which then has a devastating impact on his 'perfect' life. There are 8 episodes in total and is so easy to binge watch. To be honest, at first it is confusing as it jumps from different people and their secrets but it soon shows that the people are all interlinked with one another. Plus, if you've ever watched Benidorm, well Janice Garvey is the main detective in the series. Amazing actress and such an amazing series.
Not Going Out (Series) - I feel bad for saying this and I apologise in advance but my Grandad loves to talk (and when he's passionate about something, I mean he can talk) and when I wasn't very well in December he decided to pop over. Not to ask how I was but to talk about some show that he had been watching. I tried to fob him off and be like 'Yeah Grandad I'll add it to the last', but he made me turn off a series I was watching and search for this show and put it on. This show was Not Going Out. Omg now I am so grateful. Lee Mack is hilarious! There are currently 10 seasons and is based on on this 'unambitious' lodger who is very lazy and spends most of the time in the pub or in his flat. He is very flirty with his flatmate who is also his best friend's sister. It shows how Lee evolves from this 'unambitious' man to a family man.
Sex Education (Series) - One of my friends got me into this at the beginning of the month as I need something new to binge watch. I had heard of this being talked about quite a lot but never appealed to me but of my friends was constantly going on about it so thought why not. I finished both seasons within the week. Mental. It's actually very educational. Is it actually possible that the main character annoys me though?! The programme is very self-explanatory from the title and is a comedy that tackles big issues people often come across in the sexuality and expressions department. And what is quite funny is the main guy who is the 'sex expert' and therapist is also an awkward virgin. 100& worth the watch.
To All The Boys: PS I Still Love You (Film) - I loved the first film and I absolutely love Noah Centineo. I'm a big fan of Noah's, he is beautiful and such an amazing teen actor. But I also love this film. This is the sequel to the To All The Boys I've Loved Before. It is on Netflix and is a romance type of film. The first films follows a young girl who's non-existent love life gets out of control when she wrote 5 love letters to the boys she fancied, in which they mysteriously gets sent out. The sequel follows on from this and shows the impact the letters had and how she has grown. I'm a sucker for a romance film.
The Guilty One (Book) - This book is honestly up there with the top books I've read. I bought this book for 99p in a charity shop but can be found on places such as; Amazon. Can you believe?! People who know me, know that I don't really read books as I'm more of blogging or watching TV if I'm not on a night out or I'm not sleeping. But this book, I could not put down. I took it on holiday with me back in August but I was so busy occupying my 4 year old goddaughter and just drinking and playing in the pool that the 2 weeks flew by. I read it on the plane there and really got into it so was looking forward to reading it. On the way back, I just slept. Then I have been too busy since that I forgot all about this book. As I did Dry January I thought why not get back into reading so I picked this book back up.
"Daniel Hunter has spent years defending lost causes as a solicitor in London. But his life changes when is introduced to Sebastian, an eleven-year-old accused of murdering an innocent young boy."
This book explores into this case as well as how Daniel was brought up and became a solicitor. It is psychological, thriller kind of book that is easy to get into. I was so shocked to find that this was the author, Lisa Ballantyne, first ever novel. The style of writing was beautiful. The whole storyline was so gripping and thought provoking, I could hardly put it down.
Fibre One Chocolate Fudge Brownie - I am obsessed with chocolate and there is no way of me giving it up. But this year I have been quite good and limiting myself to just the one a day. I seen these in Home Bargains and thought you know what they are actually healthier yet I'd still class this as chocolate. You get about 5 in a box which is perfect when you work Monday to Friday and cost around £2.90, no more. They are absolutely delicious, low in calories and full of fibre. They have quite the range of products if you don't want the Chocolate Brownies. They have Lemon Drizzle, Carrot Cake, Limited Birthday Cake, Salted Caramel Squares and Red Velvet Cake Bars.
Terry's Chocolate Orange - These will be in my monthly love lists until I die. Who doesn't love Terry's Chocolate Orange. I mean?!... No more words.
Life
The Script - I always go to their tours with my mum and they were in Liverpool 20th February. They get better and better each time. It was a stressful time for me as I bought them back in October and didn't realise that I had actually purchased Manchester. I then went back on and purchased another standing ticket as the Manchester concert was a Saturday so thought my Dad would love to join. Make a day of it. But my dad not realising the dates had bought my mum surprise Amsterdam tickets for that weekend. My friends aren't really fans of The Script so had to sell them. They weren't selling though. 2 weeks before the concert my cousin messaged and said that he was giving with his sister and that we could swap so I could go with my other cousin and he would go to Manchester. He only wanted the 2 tickets out of 3 but least thats better than the tickets not selling and I would still be able to see them. Such a stressful sad time. Worth it all in the end as The Script and Becky Hill (The support act) were amazing. We got as close as we could and it was insane. The atmosphere gets better and better and they are worth going to see, even if you only know the odd song.
Bottomless Brunch - Bottomless Brunch is lethal. I did it a few months ago in a place called Neighbourhood in Liverpool and that was my first hangover. I was that drunk that one of the bar staff who I am friends with was serving me non-alcoholic drinks and I was non of the wiser and it didn't even sober me up. That was my first ever hangover, and I am 22. So grateful that I don't get them. I always say 'Go hard or go home' and maybe I shouldn't. Anyway, on Saturday 22nd February we decided to do Bottomless Brunch again but at Liberté in Liverpool. It cost £30 which included 2 side meals and bottomless drinks. I thought I would have learnt my lesson but I didn't. I may not have had a hangover but I ended up coming home full of bruises from where I had fell on my arse and also a smashed iPhone which I had just bought in September. But what a ball it was. I got a 4oz steak with homemade chips and it was unreal. I think we worked out that I went through 2.5 bottles of prosecco. Oops...I was sick a little while on but nothing major so was able to carry my night out. We went out at 7pm and I got home in the early morning because of the Fury and Wildner fight. I was exhausted but was worth it.
Friends - In my one of recent posts I mentioned about how down I had been lately and honestly I am so thankful for my friends. Honestly, it does give you a realisation who has your interests at heart and who notices if you have been quiet and not yourself. I am so thankful for them. One of them sent me an emotional text basically saying thank you for being an amazing friend, that she is here for me whenever etc. That meant so much. My other friend then texted me separately asking if I wanted to go for a walk along the prom and get a drink and have a catch up because I have been quiet lately. That day another 2 people joined. And it just showed me who actually does notice and it doesn't matter how well or how long I've known my friends for. That walk was actually a really good. We went to a beautiful cafe for some brunch, then grabbed a milkshake and walked along the prom. We then headed for a drink in one of the local pubs and just had a proper catch up because life is busy. Adult life ay...
Hair - I love changing my hair. I never usually do crazy colours (part from when I was about 16 and dip-dyed the ends of hair bright red). I usually get caramel highlights or blonde ends. My hair colour is a dark brown hair colour. I've gone darker and gone slightly lighter. But in November I wanted a change and wanted to go into a more autumn-y colour. The hairdresser said 'Leave me to it'. She done this beautiful reddy-purple colour with a root stretch so it didn't look too drastic. The amount of compliments I got. It started to fade so I got it redone about 2 weeks ago. I decided to go a bit more redder and with the previous red still in it made a beautiful 2 toned colour.
What are your February favourites?
Hair - I love changing my hair. I never usually do crazy colours (part from when I was about 16 and dip-dyed the ends of hair bright red). I usually get caramel highlights or blonde ends. My hair colour is a dark brown hair colour. I've gone darker and gone slightly lighter. But in November I wanted a change and wanted to go into a more autumn-y colour. The hairdresser said 'Leave me to it'. She done this beautiful reddy-purple colour with a root stretch so it didn't look too drastic. The amount of compliments I got. It started to fade so I got it redone about 2 weeks ago. I decided to go a bit more redder and with the previous red still in it made a beautiful 2 toned colour.
Nadine Alex x
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