My 2013 Favourites

Let me get straight into it! These are my favourites for make-up, beauty and anything else that I loved last year!

MAKE-UP
I have absolutely loved the 'Essence Pureskin Anti-spot Compact Powder'. I just use it as a matte powder to put over base and/or concealer, and it always just leaves such a nice glow and makes the concealer last so much longer. My colour is 'sand 02' which I have found perfect because it works when I am pale and when I get a bit tanned. Also, Essence is a very cheap brand, so this was just such a bargain and very affordable. 

I have also really enjoyed the 'Yardley Oatmeal 2-in-1 Blemish Stick Concealer'. It is just so easy to use in a stick form like this and it also helps to heal the spots and stuff, so it is very good. My only complaint is that the coverage is quite weak, so when I am having a 'bad skin day' its a little light, but otherwise I have really liked it. 

My favourite 'eye product' from 2013, was undoubtedly the 'Maybelline, The Falsies Mascara' . I have just never come across a mascara that has made my lashes look as nice, and also one that lasts as long as this one. You're literally set for the whole day when you put it on in the morning. 

BEAUTY PRODUCTS
I had to really think about this one because I love to use beauty products like body scrubs, creams, bath bombs and all that, which all fall into this category. So I decided that my 2013 favourite beauty product is the Body Shop's new 'Honeymania Cream Body Scrub'. I got given a small tub of this before Christmas and I have just fallen in love with it, and am most certainly going back to buy the bigger version when this one runs out. What I like about it, is that it is a scrub, so it is super super good for your skin, and exfoliates it, but because its a cream scrub, its also very smooth and silky when you wash it off, and it just looks all buttery and amazing and moisturising. And then there's the smell. I can't even describe exactly how it smells (surprisingly, not really like honey) but its delicious and sweet but not fruity, I don't know, definitely go take a whiff next time you're at the Body Shop. 

It's so funny because I very very rarely go to The Body Shop anymore, and this year, the few times I've walked in, I have found amazing beauty products. I got a bit sick of them for a while, but I really forgot what good quality stuff they have! My second favourite beauty product is the 'Body Shop Hemp Lip Conditioner'. It is designed for very very dry lips, and it really does its job brilliantly. It never fails to help my lips when they are chapped and dry, especially in winter, and it lasts for a long time before you need to reapply it.

The other beauty products I've just loved this year are from Lush, but I'm not going to post pictures or products yet cause I am planning on posting about my huge Lush haul very soon!

SKIN PRODUCTS
There wasn't actually one specific skin product that I loved this year. I mixed and matched a lot of the time, and wasn't blown away by anything. Although, I have really been enjoying the 'Environ Original Pre-Cleanser' as an eye make-up remover, as it is super oily, so just wipes off all heavy eye make-up.

FRAGRANCE
To anyone who knows me, this will come as no surprise, as I have worn the same perfume since about 2011, but I just really love it. I also have pretty bad allergies and hay fever, etc... so I struggle to find a perfume that doesn't make me sneeze whenever I smell it, and this one doesn't. It's the 'Brittany Spears Fantasy Perfume in Pink'. It was given to me as a gift when I first got it and I was really sceptical of a perfume by Brittany Spears called Fanatsy, with a pretty kitch bottle, but the smell has really impressed me. Although, on that note, she released it in a pink and blue bottle, and I think the blue smells horrible (personally), and so that's a bit odd, but they smell very different, and I love the pink. I do want to try to look for a new fragrance this year though, just because I feel I'm being a bit boring. 

SHOPS
This year, I have absolutely loved an Australian clothing store that opened here called Cotton On, they just make really nice, yet every-day type clothes and are very good quality. Yeah, I have just found a lot of
pretty things there. Another shop that I've loved (it's actually a branch of Cotton On) is a stationary and 'bits-and-bobs' shop called Typo. They just have the coolest decor and little odds and ends to decorate your room with, as well as really nice diaries, note books, pens, that type of thing. The last shop that I really completely fell in love with last year is Lush.  I think it's originally British, but it opened here in 2012, and I properly discovered it last year and have practically tried every product. They make the best and most exciting bath products and everything just smells so so so amazing!



FASHION ITEM
I really loved high-waisted shorts. People only really started wearing them last year, so I bought myself a pair from Topshop, and have just absolutely loved them. They are so comfortable, but also very pretty with little crop tops, and I've just really liked them. 

MOVIE
I couldn't decide, because I saw so many good movies last year. But I think I can tie it down to either 'The Great Gatsby' or 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower'. They are both so different, but I loved both. For The Great Gatsby, it helped that I'd just read the book as well, but I loove Leo DiCaprio and paired with a great director, I just loved it. It was very showy but I just thought that it was so well done, and all the actor/resses did a truly amazing job. For The Perks of Being a Wallflower, the acting was also amazing! But it was the story line and plot that really caught me off-guard. I hadn't read the book and so I didn't know what happened before, and I just loved it and it was just a really different and inspirational movie. 


MUSIC

Oh where to begin? I definitely can't just narrow it down to one artist or one song, so here are some of my favourite artists from 2013 and in brackets, the songs I liked the most (although I've only included songs they released from 2013, there are loads of others I love form other years): Bastille (Daniel in the Den, Flaws, Oblivion, Things We Lost in the Fire, Laura Palmer, Icarus, These Streets, Pompeii), Glee did some amazing covers in 2013 too (Mine, Wide Awake, Seasons of Love, Make You Feel My Love, Here Comes The Sun, Whistle, Love Song), Matthew Mole (You and Your Crown, It's Simple Child, Take Yours Take Mine, Have I Told You), One Direction (The Story of My Life, Best Song Ever, One Way or Another), Alex and Sierra (They won XFactor USA, and all their covers are brilliant), MKTO (Classic, Goodbye Song, Thank You, Summer Paradise) and Macklemore and Ryan Lewis (Thrift Shop and Same Love). 


BOOK

My favourite book last year was 'The Great Gatsby'. I must admit that I read very few books, if you saw my New Year's resolutions post, you'll see that I am going to try and read more this year, but yeah, The Great Gatsby is famous for a reason, it really is so so brilliantly written and makes a comment on The American Dream that, when it comes down to it, is so true. 

TV SHOWS
It would probably be easier just to refer you to my post on this that I did a few months back. But the shows I loved last year (brace yourself, these are my favourite, I'd pick a tv show over movies any day, so there are a lot) are New Girl, Hawaii Five-O, NCIS LA, America's Next Top Model, Australia's Next Top Model, The Big Bang Theory, Grey's Anatomy, Pretty Little Liars, Cougar Town, Glee, The Bachelor/The Bachelorette, Modern Family, The Mentalist, 90210 and there are more, but I've either forgotten them, or they aren't classified as my 'favourites'. 

HOLIDAY
My favourite holiday in 2013 was absolutely undoubtedly when my family and I went to Mauritius in June. It was the perfect beach holiday and I got to do amazing things like parasail, snorkel, swim with dolphins, waterski and just had a really relaxing time there. 

And so those are my 2013 favourites! If you'd like to do this tag, it's not mine, so feel free to do it on your own blog or Youtube channel, let me know in the comments if you do, I'd love to see what everyone else enjoyed last year. 

PINTEREST- Vintage Dreams

This is a board I created with a whole lot of vintage(y) black and white/ old fashioned pictures that I liked. You can see more here if you liked these. 

MAY FAVOURITES

So I looked up at my calendar and saw today is the last day of the month, how crazy that we are already in out 6th month of the year, I actually cannot believe how fast it has gone. I say this every year though, and I think that as we get older, it seems to go faster; which is actually a rather daunting thought...

So instead of doing beauty favourites because as lame as this sounds, I don't think I have bought any new/exciting products for a couple of months because I've been pretty busy at school so just sticking with what products I know, etc...

But I thought I'd do my TOP FIVES for movies, songs, tv series and books this month... This does seem a bit random but I decided to do it because especially with the movies and books, I really do recommend that if you haven't watched/read them, you should do so straight away :)

MOVIES:
- The Great Gatsby (ohmyword, this was beyond incredible!!!!)
- The Perks of Being a Wallflower (one of those brilliant movies that leaves you inspired after)
- What to Expect When You're Expecting (one of those mixed-up good old chick flicks ish)
- The Life of Pi (let's just say it won so many awards for a reason!)
- Pitch Perfect (I have not enjoyed the humour in a movie like I did for this one for ages, not to  mention the absolutely incredible singing!)

BOOKS:
- The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald (yes, I am not a little obsessed) 
- The Sky is Everywhere- Jandy Nelson (This is probably my favourite book in a long time)
- Things I Want My Daughters To Know- Elizabeth Noble (a light read but a beautiful story)
- The Language of Flowers- Vanessa Diffenbaugh (a really different story, I loved it!)
- I have just started 'The Fault in Our Stars' - John Green and it so touching, I can't put it down...

TV: 
- NCIS LA (just finished the 4th season and it is so good, I am practically bursting trying to find out what happens next season!) 
- Pretty Little Liars ( I am rewatching from season 1 while I wait for more episodes in the current screening to come out- I guess that is show of how much I love it) 
- Grey's Anatomy ( I am half way through the 9th ad final season. I have been watching since season 1, I absolutely love it and am so sad to see it going soon!)
- Revenge (Late on the bandwaggon for this, so only just finished season 1, but loving it too!)
- The Bachelorette ( I am watching Emily's season now and it is down to the final 6! Ahh, I love Sean, Arrie and Jef- don't tell me who wins pleeease :) ) 

SONGS: 
-  Red and White and Blue and Gold- Aoife O'Donovan (not pop-py at all, but very much my taste and I listen to it on repeat for hours)
- Tip Toes - Jayme Dee (I don't even know what to say, have a listen- she is an incredible singer!)
- Just My Love - Katherine Hughes (also a fantastic singer)
- The Weight of Living Part 1- Bastille (this is just too beautiful for words)
- People Help The People- Birdy (I love her voice too, such a beautiful song)

Enjoy the entertainment

Gatsby, what Gatsby?

My English class's current set work book is The Great Gatsby, and it is conveniently paired with the new release of the more updated movie, featuring Leonardo DiCaprio. It is being released this week and I don't know about the rest of the world, but there has been a big hype about its release, so everyone is looking forward to seeing it. Including me, I love the book and so I am sure that the movie is going to be just as good. 

It is set in the 20s and so everyone is caught up in the "american dream" and the rich dress extravagantly, with huge ball gowns, lots of jewellery and fancy, posh accessories. 

Anyway, so in the spirit of Gatsby, I have been looking at some pictures on We Heart It and thought to share them with you, so enjoy :)
Oh and if you've not read the book yet, the name of this post is a quote from it...

One of my favourite quotes in the book is in the closing lines:

"Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter- tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther... So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."