September Favourites

So it's that time again. September is over and we are getting ready for the Winter months. Although I haven't been particularly loving the colder and wetter weather this month, I've had a whole load of beauty, fashion, food and random favourites that I am about to share.


Food/Drink:

Coffee-mate by Nestle & Nescafe Gold Blend Coffee

During the colder months I tend to start drinking more hot drinks and I'm a huge coffee lover. I featured an iced frappe in my August favourites, but this month I've been loving the classic cup of coffee. In particular I've loved the Nescafe gold blend as it is so rich and full of flavour. It also smells and tastes delicious, and can be brought from most supermarkets.
  Alongside my coffee I have been loving this little gem from Nestle. It is called Coffee-mate and you put two heaped teaspoons of this into your coffee instead of milk and it gives you a lovely creamy coffee. Absolutely beautiful. Again, you can buy this from most supermarkets although I think it's pretty pricey.



Nature Valley Granola Bar
This isn't so much a new favourite, but I have rediscovered these granola bars over the past month. They come in loads of different flavours, with my favourite being the Canadian maple syrup. They are brilliant for just chucking into your handbag and enjoying as a snack if your out and about and I admit that I've naughtily had one of these for breakfast on some occasions. You get 6 of these packets in a box, and each packet includes two bars and you buy these individually as well.

Mexican Food

Throughout the past month I have been addicted and craving Mexican styled food. This has included everything from burritos to fajitas to nachos and I've loved cooking this type of food as much as I have eating it. My particular favourite has been to cook up a beef chilli with kidney beans and then add it to some peppers, rice, sour cream and guacamole in a tortilla wrap. I've found if I go out for a meal I have been looking straight for any type of Mexican food as well, so it has been a bit of an obsession this month.



Makeup/Beauty Products:

Benefit make-up bag
In my September wishlist I wrote about how I was in need of a new makeup bag. Whilst I was tidying my bedroom a few weeks ago, I found this makeup bag from Benefit which I've had for a few years but never used. It is much bigger than my old makeup bag and I can now do it up which makes it much easier for when I take it in my bag with me. I wasn't sure whether I would like the fact that it is clear but I've found as you can see all the products through the bag you can find your products much quicker and easier and I now really love it. I'm sure you can still buy similar products from Benefit and eBay could be a happy hunting ground if you are looking for something similar.

Sleek Blush in Flamingo

 This has probably been my best purchase throughout the month of September. After eyeing the collection of blushes on the Sleek website for the past couple of months I finally brought one and I have loved using it. I've got the shade called 'Flamingo' and it is really natural looking pink once applied to the cheeks. However it is important to remember that these blushes are super pigmented so you don't need a lot of product and a little goes a long way. A huge bonus to this blush it that it only cost me £4.49 so I can imagine myself expanding my collection. Depending on where you live, you can pick these up in Superdrug or alternatively from their website.



Kate Moss for Rimmel Lipstick in 08

I have really been loving the Kate Moss lipsticks by Rimmel and although I am rather late with jumping on the bandwagon, I am glad that I've brought these. In particular I have regularly wearing the shade 08, which is a lovely pinky/nude colour. I've found these lipsticks to be really hydrating and although I'm still not sure whether or not I like the scent of them, they are so affordable at around the £5.49 mark. 

Games:

Candy Crush

I was a huge fan of Candy Crush when it was first released. At one stage I was literally obsessed with it and both myself and my friends would play it continuously. Then after a few months the novelty wore off and after being stuck on one level for a ridiculous amount of time I stopped playing the game.
  However, one day at the beginning of the month I was going through the apps on my iPad and rediscovered the game. I thought to myself I would have one quick game to waste some time and this has turned out to be a huge mistake. I am now once again addicted to the game and I am determined to catch up to the levels my friends are on. I'm only on something like level 126 and there are about 400 levels now so I don't think I will ever be able to finish it. The best thing about this game is that it is totally free, apart from you have to wait for extra lives when you run out of the initial 5. You can also purchase special power-ups to use during gameplay but I've never used this feature.

                                            

Dots

Another game that I've been addicted to this month is called dots. This game is very simple in that you are given a grid of different colour dots and you have to join them together by colour without moving diagonally. The more dots you connect, the more points you score. You earn 'trophies' after achieving certain things such as 100 points or by making a square out of the dots, amongst other things. There are two main game modes that you can play. The first is a timed mode where you have 60 seconds to get as many points as possible. You can also play a moves mode where you have 30 moves to get as many points as possible. The game itself is very simple, yet strangely addicting and when I first started playing it I didn't think I would become obsessed, but there is just something about the game which makes it appealing. This is a free game as well which is an added bonus. You earn points which allows you to purchase power-ups just from playing the game, but you can also purchase these as well.

  The three power-ups consist of stopping the clock for 5 seconds (in timed mode), removing one dot of your choice and removing dots of a specific colour. These can only be used once a game though.



Fashion:

Over-sized/Baggy tops
At some time in August I went on a shopping trip and got two tops from H&M. One was a plain white rolled short sleeved t-shirt and one was a burgundy and grey marl baseball type top. Both of these are oversized and I have been absolutely loving these two tops this month. I've been wearing them alot with leggings and so now I'm trying to go back to wearing different things. They were £7.99 and £6.99 and are so comfortable that I will be getting some more in different colours as they are so easy to wear and incorporate into an autumn or winter wardrobe. 

Purple Converse
A few weeks ago I was going through my shoe collection and realised that I had been rather neglecting my purple converse. I do sometimes find these shoes hard to wear because of the colour and whilst I have been wearing more plain white tops I've embraced my converse. I probalby won't wear them as much when the weather gets colder though as they don't keep my feet very warm, but I'm still wearing them as much as I can. 

Hollister Hoodie
During the summer, all my jackets and hoodies go into my wardrobe and are rather forgotten about. You know when it is autumn/winter when these come out of the wardrobe and this month they have reappeared in my life. I had totally forgotten that I brought a hoodie from Hollister last winter and so I've been wearing it a lot this month. It is so warm and because it is a zip-up I can still wear it when it is slightly warmer yet still a bit chilly. They are expensive at about £50 each, but they are a good investment and keep you really warm!

Music:

The Vamps
Having been subscribed to this band on Youtube for quite some time, I am always listening to any new covers of songs that they upload. The Vamps are a band consisting of four boys, and I have been particularly loving their cover of Miley Cyrus' 'We Can't Stop.' I actually prefer this version to the original and would highly recommend people checking it out. They've also released their first ever single called 'Can We Dance' which I have also been listening to on repeat this month. It is a really fun and energetic song, and just makes me feel happy whenever I listen to it. 
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtGdOn3XSNWVK54P13jDoCg

OneRepublic: Native
Who would've thought that OneRepublic brought out a new album in March?! I cannot believe that it has taken me until September to realise that they've released a new album and I regret not discovering it sooner. It all started when I was watching a friend's uni tour video on Youtube and she used their single 'If I Lose Myself.' I then found the entire album on Youtube and I was hooked. I then ordered my own copy from play.com and since then it's followed me everywhere. I've listened to it in the car, in my room, on my iPod; everywhere! 
   This album is completely different to some of their old music such as 'Apologize' and 'Stop and Stare' but in a good way. The album has a mixture of slow and upbeat songs and I can honestly say I love almost every single song. I highly recommend if nothing else you give this album a listen and you will not regret it!
Films/TV:
Rush:
By far this has been the best thing I've watched this month. I patiently waited until the film was being shown in my local cinema (which is much later than the release dates of films) and absolutely loved the film. The film was sold to me once it was announced it would be based on the rivalry between two of F1's greatest drivers and World Champions, Niki Lauda and James Hunt. However, you I don't believe you have to be the biggest fan of F1 in order to enjoy the film. Everything about it was simply amazing, from the way the movie has been directed, to the storyline and the brilliant acting from Chris Hemsworth (James Hunt) and Daniel Bruhl (Niki Lauda.) I seriously recommend this film!

One Direction: This Is Us
I have to admit that I do listen to One Direction's music and they are a bit of a guilty pleasure for me. Along with 2 of my other friends we went along and saw the movie and we all loved it. I'm not a hardcore One Direction fan, but I did think the film was good. The quality was amazing and it just shows you their story and how they've got to where they are now. We also see bits that fans wouldn't usually see and it is a good insight into their lives. Without giving too much away in case anybody hasn't seen it yet, they show you parts of concerts and the quality is so good that it feels as though you are actually there at the concert. Overall I was really impressed.

Through the Keyhole
Saturday night TV has a new addition. Keith Lemon is back on our screens not only with a new series of Celebrity Juice but also a new show called 'Through the Keyhole.' Basically he hosts a programme where a panel of celebrity guests try to guess whose house Lemon has visited. As viewers we are shown round celebrity houses and its really interesting to see what they look like. Some celebrity houses have included Olympic medallists Greg Rutherford and Louis Smith as well as other celebs such as Kerry Katona and members of boyband Blue.   


August Favourites!

I honestly cannot believe how quickly the month of August has gone. It is one of my favourite months, not only because my birthday falls within it, but also because it is the peak of Summer and it is meant to be hot and sunny. 
  Now that it is the end of the summer, we will be preparing for the Autumn; cooler weather, shorter days and warmer clothing. 
   However, these have been my favourite things throughout this month!

Summer Sun
I love the summer, and we've been quite lucky in the UK to have had a decent summer with a good amount of sun and I've enjoyed just being outside in the sunshine whether it be walking the dog or having a BBQ.

Food:

Strawberries/Raspberries
At the beginning of the month me and my sister went to a local farm shop and picked our own raspberries and strawberries. They are two of my favourite fruit and I find I've eaten a lot more of these throughout the summer. A simple favourite but one I probably won't be enjoying as much throughout the cooler months. 

McDonald's Mocha Frappé
When McDonald's released some new drinks as part of a summer menu, I was excited to try them. My favourite is the Mocha Frappé because it tastes so delicious and is a nice alternative to normal coffee. These are so reasonably priced too at only £2.19. Bargain!

TV Shows: 

Cake Boss (TLC)
This month my sister has introduced me to the channel TLC and the program Cake Boss. (Channel 125 on Sky.) Basically this program is about a man called Buddy who runs a family bakery in America and along with his team they made the most extraordinary cakes and pastries. In one episode they make a life-size car cake and in another they've made a space shuttle cake which takes off! Cake Boss is usually shown every weekday between 7pm and 8pm, but is also on at random times throughout the day as well. 

Storage Hunters (Dave)
Another program that I've loved watching throughout July and August is Storage Hunters, shown on the channel Dave. (Sky 111, Freeview 12.) This show follows a group of bidders at storage auctions, where if the rent has not been paid on storage units for a certain period of time, they go up for auction. At the beginning of each auction, the auctioneer opens up the unit and bidders are able to look at the stuff inside, but are not allowed to touch anything or go inside the unit. Once everyone has had an initial look the unit is auctioned off right there and then. The highest bidder wins the unit and then is able to go inside and see what they've won. The aim is to pay low prices for units and make as much profit on them as possible. There is also rivalries between bidders which makes the program a bit more entertaining.  


Fashion:

Sunglasses
In this lovely weather this month sunglasses have been absolutely essential and out of all the sunglasses I own, this pair from New Look have been the ones I've worn the most. A bargain at £4.99, this is my second pair after my first pair broke and I've worn them most days. I love the studs around the frames and I really love the shape of them as well. 

Sunglasses: New Look £4.99

Maxi Skirts
This summer I have been experimenting with a lot of different clothes. Looking back now I cannot believe that before this summer I did not own a single maxi skirt. Now I have 3! I brought a coral and pink one at the beginning of the summer and last week brought a black one which is a bit more versatile. I have been constantly wearing these throughout the summer and I will be trying to get them into my autumn wardrobe as well. They are so easy to wear, both for everyday wear and during the evening, whilst not being too hot either. Again from New Look, these have been a bargain at £14.99 and I even got the black one in the sale for £8!

Maxi Skirts L-R: Coral, Pink & Black. All New Look £14.99

Espadrilles
I've found espadrilles a very versatile and essential shoe to have in my collection. Although sandals are a good shoe to have during the summer, they are not always the most practical and so I've found these shoes to be a good alternative. I brought myself two pairs of these plimsol type shoes, one in navy and one in this lovely aztec pattern and found myself to be wearing them on a regular basis. They are so comfortable and can be worn with just about anything, leggings, maxi skirts, shorts etc and were so affordable at £7.99 or two pairs for £10 at New Look. I've worn this aztec pair the most as they've added a bit more to a simple outfit on a night out and they've been great for everyday use as well. I've worn these with leggings and peplum tops in the evening and I've paired them with my maxi skirts as well. 

Espadrilles, New Look £7.99

Makeup/Beauty:

Natural Hair
I've found that throughout the summer my hair has needed a break from heat-styling and so I've hardly used my straighteners this month. From this I've learnt how to love my natural slightly wavy hair and it has saved me 10 minutes when I'm getting ready. I've also had my hair up a lot because of the heat so it has seemed rather pointless straightening my hair. I've noticed that giving up the straighteners has dramatically improved my hair and its condition.

Coral Nail Polishes
I've had a slight obsession with everything coral this summer. I've brought a coral maxi AND skater skirt and numerous coral nail polishes. Yet I've loved all of these products and each one is a slightly different shade of coral or orange so that's been my excuse! I've loved wearing these colours on my nails as they've complimented the summer tan that I've had and cannot see myself packing them away for the winter.

Coral Nail Polishes: L-R. Barry M Hi-Shine in Passionfruit £3.99
Rimmel 60 Seconds in Coralicious £3.69
Both from Superdrug

Lip Tints
I've had a couple of lip tints for a while now but this month I've starting to use them a bit more. In particular I've used 'Timeless Tango' from the Rimmel 1000 Kisses range a lot more than when I first brought it and although I wasn't sure if I liked the colour when I first got it, I've really loved it this month. It is quite a bright colour, so I've kept the rest of my makeup quite simple when I've worn it, but it's great.