Hello Everyone!

As July is coming to a close (how quick has summer 2016 gone? Right?!), I thought I'd give you guys the 411 on my favourite products (etc.) over the past month. And yes, I did just use the phrase '411'. Maybe I'm a 20 year old running this blog, maybe I'm your 50 year old neighbour Neill pretending to be young and hip by using really outdated slang. The world will never know. 

ANYWAY.

If there's anything you should know about me by now it's that I'm a sucker for anything new and trendy. I am a marketing department's dream. Just have enough hype around any product (preferably get some celebrities involved) and I will most likely buy it. If it pops up on my instagram feed enough (hey @rowanlola and @rowanlolamua), I will want it. And if there's a big group of people rolling their eyes at people spending x amount of money on a 'useless' product that can 'so easily be duped by the cheaper x', you can bet your bottom dollar I am still going to buy this product just to spite the nay sayers. 

  

So I caved and bought the Kylie lipkit. After months of every single shade being sold out in about five minutes I finally got my hands on KOKO K. What I really wanted was Candy K because it's just a tad darker, but as that one was still sold out, I had to settle for Koko. 

I really like the lipkit and (despite the fact I had to pay an extra 20 euros import fees at the door) I do think it lives up to the hype and is worth the money. I like the formulation of the liquid lipstick, all though it gets a bit dryer towards the end of the day and is generally a bit thicker and more chalky than the Jeffree Star liquid lips. However, the colour is gorgeous, the applicator is great and the staying power is incredible, so this is definitely a July Favourite!

2. The Cotton Flower scented candle by H&M Home

And pretty much every other H&M Home item. They have such cute little things to really add a feeling of homeliness and style to your room/apartment/house. I have been loving rose gold accessories lately and H&M is filled with them, and the best thing is that they are good quality yet affordable. This candle is specifically amazing because it looks pretty (I like the simplistic white/gold look) and smells like freshly washed clothes. Honestly, does it get any cozier than that?

3. The Vitamin E Sink-In Moisture Sleeping Mask by The Body Shop

I've recently completely renewed my skincare products (blogpost to follow), but my favorite product I bought by far is this mask. I love masks because they are so good for your skin, but don't like washing them off because they tend to get stuck in my hair and it all just gets a bit messy and annoying. This one sinks into your skin while you sleep so when you wake up you don't have to remove any residue! It's a lazy girl's dream, really. I've only found that when I sleep on my stomach my face will stick to my pillow a little because of the mask's thick and creamy texture but hey, that's a sacrifice I'm willing to make. 

4. The Godfather, by Mario Puzo

My favorite thing about summer is the amount of free time I have for reading. Wether it's by the pool, on the train to work, in the bath or outside in the sun, there's something about summer that just makes reading that extra bit more enjoyable. I've already read quite a few books this summer but the most recent book I've finished is also one of my favorites so far, the ultimate classic The Godfather. Two years ago in the summer my dad and I binge watched all thee Godfather films together, and I was instantly obsessed. Last year we did the same thing and I was still very much obsessed. So when I saw this book on discount in my local HMV it was an easy choice. My dad recommended the book to me in the first place saying it was the only book he's ever read twice, and even though I read all my favorites at least 2+ times,  I definitely see where he's coming from. Suspenseful, beautifully written, and guaranteed to be your next favorite book. 

5. This cute photo strip of me third wheeling

My best friend has been living in Ireland with her boyfriend over the summer, and with me having been away all winter we ended up not having seen each other for SIX MONTHS. That's the longest we've ever been apart (and the longest we'll ever be apart again, believe you me) so you can imagine how excited I was when she and her boyfriend came to visit for a week. We went out one night and even though I was a massive third wheel they never made me feel like one and we had a lovely time. Now she's gone back to Ireland (worst summer ever btw) so I look at this picture all the time waiting for her to come back again. That's not weird, right?

6. XO, Victoria, rollerball perfume by Victoria's Secret

I tend to forget about putting on perfume until I've already left the house, so when I found this deliciously smelling rollerball perfume in my mom's bag I stole it and put it in mine. It smells amazing, is compact enough to keep in your back and the rollerball makes it acceptable to apply in public (no one likes being sprayed by a stranger's perfume). Sorry, mom.

7. Vaseline

Last but not least on this surprisingly long list is a good old multi-purpose classic, vaseline. The reason I've put such a commonly used (and not at all exciting) product on this list is not for it's original purpose but for a beauty secret only some of us are in on: lashes. I recently got some semi-permanent false lashes that were not the greatest (to say the least), and after pretty much ripping them off I also lost a lot of my own lashes. Putting vaseline on them every night before bed has helped them grow back and strengthen, so if you ever damage your lashes, vaseline is the cheapest and easiest cure. 

There you have it! What have been your favorite products recently? And what kind of things would you like me to include next month? Let me know!

Love,

Rowan