Advent is upon us! The countdown beings to the big day, but here I will look back over the month of November and see what beauty items I have been enjoying, as well as a few bonus non-beauty faves!

Fudge URBAN Texture Spray

This stuff is amazing! I already used this pre-vegan so I was SO HAPPY to find that Fudge URBAN do not test on animals. My hair is really fine and there’s not a whole lot of it, so this just adds some much needed volume at the root and it is really good when doing plaits or up-dos to add texture and grit. As a bonus it smells so good – Pear and Sweet Vanilla. I always get it when it’s on offer, which it conveniently is now, better than half price at Superdrug. Perfect for the upcoming Christmas party hair requirements!

Kat Von D Studded Kiss Lolita lipstick

I mentioned this lipstick in a previous post and I sung it’s praises there, so I won’t waffle on. The formula is non-drying and very long lasting, and I have been wearing this colour a lot recently. It’s just LOVELY, OKAY. There, I said it.

B. Nourished Eye Cream

This cold weather has been playing havoc with my skin and I have been getting a dryness around my eyes, particularly on the upper right eyelid (way to go with the precision, thanks Face Skin). So I was on the look out for a new eye cream that packed a punch, and so far I am enjoying this. It is marketed for people in the age range of 50 plus, which I am not, but I just thought a super nourishing eye cream with anti-wrinkle properties can’t hurt at any age, right? It’s super soothing and absorbs quickly, and definitely helps with the dryness. I’m hoping with continued use my weird dry patch will be gone! See ya! Also, another on-offer item, better than half price AND free face wipes?! Worth motioning that all of B. skincare and make up range is vegan friendly and cruelty free.

Hurraw Almond Lip Balm

Forget your Christmas lights and Pumpkin Spiced goods, the chapped lip is actually the real sign that the colder days are here. This lip balm is highly spoken of across many blogs I have read, and I have to add to the recommendations! This scent is amazing for me as I love almond, and there are many other deliciously fragranced options that Hurraw offer. It soothes the lips, feels great and smells incredible, what more do you want? PS. The actual lip balm is in an oval tube, so it doesn’t roll off your desk. #witchcraft

H&M Boots

Okay, time for a couple of non-beauty favourites. I bought some good ol’ black boots from H&M. I seem to buy an affordable pair of black ankle boots each winter, mainly to wear for work, so they tend to be on the ‘smart’ side of things. These are so comfy and keep my feet nice and warm, and they perfect for disguising an extra pair of socks when the weather is actually freezing, as it has been this week. I like the slight heel, nothing too much, and of course, they are made form a man made ‘faux suede’ fabric. I’m sure there are more ethical places to buy shoes, but for the time being these do the job as being animal-product-free, and they were only £25.

 

Westworld

I just watched the finale of Westworld and it was SO GOOD and the whole show has blew my mind MULTIPLE TIMES. It has had me gripped since it started. Definitely worth a watch, no spoilers here, but a basic outline is that the story follows the artificial robotic ‘hosts’ and the human ‘guests’ of a futuristic theme park styled like the Wild West.

Westworld is so well put together, is visually stunning, and I really loved that it addressed many deep and thoughtful issues around compassion and what does it actually mean to be human?

Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them

Yes, huge Harry Potter fan, guilty as charged. I must admit I am a whole lot more comfortable with the film since I found out that JK Rowling was heavily involved in the making of and wrote the script for the film. Because, well, JK Rowling is a queen and we should all worship her. I thoroughly enjoyed this, the creatures were amazing and Eddie Redmayne was great in the lead role.

Oryx & Crake by Margaret Atwood

Reading is something I always try to do more of – I currently have my Goodreads challenge set at 28 books to read by the end of the year. I’m on 20 books currently, and with only literally DAYS left of the year I feel I will not reach my target. I am still pleased with my total whatever it is, as reading is something I love to do, I always have a book on the go, and finding time to read is difficult when life is so busy. I was reading Oryx & Crake during November, and it’s definitely up there as one of my favourite books of the year. Now, its not for everybody, but if you like dystopian-last-man-alive type fiction, you should give this a go. I loved it so much that I picked up ‘The Blind Assassin’, another Atwood novel to read soon. She writes so beautifully and I was well and truly suckered in with this one, I couldn’t put it down. Click here to read more about the book on Goodreads.

Thats it for this month, let me know if any of my favourites are your favourites, and let’s see what December brings! Happy advent.