Birchbox Favourites

I recently signed back up to Birchbox and vowed that I would start using the products instead of letting them build up in a drawer and then throwing them all away. I have a few favourites that I've found myself using most days, which is unusual for me!

May Favourites

I feel like May didn't even happen, anyone else? However, here is what I've been loving over the last month. I was brought Not That Kinda Girl by a friend of mine for my birthday, after finally getting round to reading it, I read it in the space of two days. Lena Dunham is one of my favourite woman and everything that comes out her mouth has me creasing with laughter, give it a read! 

January Favourites

So, after showing you my January Empties I thought I'd carry on and show you my January Favourites. January was pretty boring for me, so I don't have too many favourites to share but I am loving these guys.

September Favourites

My first ever 'favourites' post! I must be getting good at blogging to be doing something like this. I decided to jump on the 'favourites' bandwagon as I realised I do actually have a few products that I am loving lately and obviously I need to tell you all about it. Let's get on with it. 

Currently // 03

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Reading // Bobbi Brown's Make-up Manual - I got this for my birthday off of a friend of mine and I literally haven't put it down. I now want to own every single item from that book, not caring how it affects my bank balance. I'm rubbish at make-up, yet I have a beauty blog (what on Earth it wrong with me?) but this is so inspiring and as most of the book is for beginners, it is just what I need! Amazon

Listening to // Jason Derulo, Taylor Swift, Christina Perri & Katy Perry - Cannot get enough of these guys! Well, I can never get enough of Taylor Swift, she is of course, my idol. But the other 3 are releasing some excellent songs at the moment. I love Dark Horse, Humans and Stupid Love - they will soon be on my iPhone so I can have them on constant repeat! 

Thinking about // Finishing Uni - I finish Uni on the 6 May and I cannot wait. However, I have so much work to get done in the next few weeks that the finish line seems further away than it ever has. I need to sit myself down, write up a plan and stick to it. But how hard is it to stick to something that you hate doing?! I need a miracle. 

Loving // Decorating and chocolate - I got enough chocolate for my birthday to last me forever (a week). Lindt, Cadburys, Nestle and Galaxy. I enjoy surrounding myself chocolate and rolling around in it (not) (maybe). I'm also loving decorating the spare bedroom. It's coming along nicely, the walls are painted and the wardrobes are up. We're just waiting on a sofa bed and my vanity table now!

Watching // Desperate Housewives, My Mad Fat Diary - Again, Desperate Housewives. I think I'm on Season 5 now, just starting. It's still my favourite programme of all time and I'm in love with every single character. It will never bore me. Also, My Mad Fat Diary is back! It's back since the beginning of March but still, I adore it. I am way too in love with Nico Mirallegro, he is to die for. Sorry Bear.

Looking forward to // This month I'm going to Hit The Deck with Bear and a few others, I've never been before, but I'm really looking forward to it! A day of friends, cheap beer and some of my favourite bands! What out Summer Set, I'm coming for you! Also this month, wait for it - MCBUSTED. Damn I am excited. Sian and I will be seeing these boys on 29th April and I way too excited. Two of my favourite bands, under one roof, together, as one, near me, in the same room. Woah.

What are your currents?

- Charli, xo

Home Wishlist

Morning cuties;

So this month, seeing as our housemate has moved out, me and Bear have decided to completely sort the house out. This weekend we went to IKEA and purchased a huge TV uni and an open wardrobe, and seeing as we now have a spare room, Bear is pretty much letting me do what I want with it. So I have decided, to of course, turn it into a dressing room. That poor boy really needs to think before he speaks. I've done nothing but browse the Internet looking for cute, affordable things to put in my new favourite room and here are a few of my favourite necessities.

Cath Kidston Wallpaper - £25 per roll 

Wilko's Heart Bowls - Medium Sized - £4

Dunhelm Mill Vanity Table - £149.99

Cranberry Ice Yankee Candle - £8.71 on Amazon currently

Matalan Print Cushion - £6 - One of many that I fallen for

IKEA Sofa Bed - £180

We'll actually be purchasing the sofa bed (that I have well and truly fallen in love with) just after my birthday and everything else I'm hoping to pick up over the next few weeks.

When you start lusting over kitchen appliances and pillows, you know you're an adult! Interiors are exciting! 

What's on your home wish list?

Any good sites to recommend me?

- Charli, xo

The MAC Lipstick

Morning beauties;

I'm not sure if I've talked much about my addiction to MAC lipsticks, so I thought I'd do a little (long) post for you guys about the ones I'm currently loving. I could have easily picked too many but I narrowed it down to 4, man, that was hard. Before we begin, I'd like to apologise for the awful photos, these were all taken on my iPhone as I currently have no camera. Also, this is the first time I've used myself in a blog post to show you swatches so please ignore the repulsiveness! 

(Russian Red | Viva Glam Gaga 2 | Saint Germain | Viva Glam Rihanna)

Russian Red was, until recently, my go-to red lipstick. I think I've featured this in a previous post, maybe last year? Where I talked about how it's a beautiful colour, but it's extremely thick. I do feel like I can't re-apply this because I then feel like I'm walking round with the world on my lips, which is never a good thing. It also sticks to the dry bits of your lips so a scrub and a balm before is essential! 

I don't wear Viva Glam Gaga so much anymore but it's still one of my favourites. I used to wear this all the time when I thought 'foundation lips' were trendy. They weren't and they never will be. Lesson learnt. However, worn in the right way, maybe on a natural face day, this actually looks quite nice, as long as it isn't slapped on like paint. I always put it on and then pretty much dab it all off again, just to get the nude kinda lip. 

Saint Germain is so not like me. I actually brought this last month in London when I was looking to restock my Snob that I recently lost. Snob is like, a less in your face version of Saint Germain. Bubblegum pink, such a pretty colour! I sometimes wear this to Uni if I'm feeling a little cray, or mostly just on nights out or meals out when a red isn't appropriate. This does make me look preeeeetty pale, but that's what sunbeds are for, aren't they? I do actually have the LipGlass version of this as well, which I have never worn.. Weird?

Viva Glam Rihanna is my favourite, favourite, favourite lipstick at the moment. I will warn you though, you need a good lip liner with this bad boy (which I'm not using in the picture as I don't have one at the moment, any suggestions?) as it does tend to bleed, which I find with a lot of frost MAC lipsticks. This is a lovely colour, it reminds me of ruby slippers. It looks really dark on the stick but it's a really pretty shade once on. And the packaging makes me want to die it's just so sexy. This isn't as dark as Russian Red which is why I think I'm loving it at the moment, it glides on effortlessly and I think its wearable day and night, whatever the occasion :)

So, if you've reached the end of the post, well done, treat yourself to a biscuit or seven. These are just 4 out of my collection, maybe I could do another post featuring some others? Let me know if you'd like to see that! 

What are you favourite MAC shades? 

Any recommendations for me?

- Charli, xo

Currently // 02

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Reading // The Midwife's Confession by Diane Chamberlain. This woman is one of my all-time favourite authors and I have never been left disappointed by one of her books. I've been wanting to read this for some time after a friend recommended it to me and after spending months reading fantasy based books, I thought it was about time for a bit of 'real-life'. It's not based on a true story, but it does deal with the difficult issues of suicide and I'm looking forward to getting stuck into it. 

Listening to // Nicki Minaj, my iPod on shuffle - I recently found my old iPod (my mum's old iPod that I 'borrowed') and I've been loving listening to all my old scene bands; Secondhand Serenade, 3 Doors Down, All American Rejects (who are headlining at Slam Dunk this year, can I get a squeal?) and Simple Plan.

Thinking about // Bear's housemate moved out this weekend and as sad as we are to see him go, I have not stopped thinking about decorating, cleaning, buying new furniture. We'll be turning the spare room into a storage room/dressing room/TV room and I can't wait to sit at my new vanity table and have all my pretty things around me! It's also my birthday this month, which I'm sure you'll be hearing more about over the next week or two!

Loving // 2014 - I'd just like to say, how amazing this year has been and it's only March. After such a bad 2013, I've done everything possible to make sure I spend the whole of this year smiling. And boy, has it worked! This month I'm also loving floral. I've picked some floral Cath Kidston wallpaper for the spare room, I've found several different notebooks, storage items, linen - anything with a pretty floral theme, I'm there.

Watching // The Walking Dead - It's back! After a 2/3 month break, the show is back. I'm a HUGE Walking Dead fan and I'm way, way, WAY too in love with Daryl. Literally, I'm sure Bear thinks I'm gonna go on this fan girl hunt, find his house, remove his wife and casually begin my new Daryl's wife life. He may not be wrong..

Looking forward to // March - Ooo, where to start this month! Next week I'm venturing to Centreparcs with my lady, Kerry for a joint birthday spa evening, bring on the sauna. Then a week or so after that, it's only my birthday. So clearly, you have to celebrate the whole week, which will consist of; TGIF, IKEA, a girls night in, new hair, Meadowhell with lots of food and shopping and of course, a massive night out.

What are your currents?

- Charli, xo

Currently // 01

Morning cookies;

This is going to be a regular blog feature because I thought it would be nice to give you mini life updates every now and again!

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Reading // Matched by Ally Condie - it's taking me ages to read this because I feel like it's written for really young teenagers and I like a book that you have to think about. However, the story-line is different. It reminds me of Hunger Games, where society is completely different to how it is now and every decision is pretty much made for you. I'm looking forward to seeing how this ends.

Listening to // The Summer Set - This is one of my favourite bands and I have played and played and played their 'Legendary' album. I saw these when they supported Mayday Parade last year and since then I've been hooked. I'm seeing this at the Hit The Deck festival at Rock City in April which I'm too excited about!

Thinking about // Should I jump onto the 3rd year of the Animal Biology degree or finish this year and get a full time job? This is literally all I think about the moment. I have a huge decision to make in the next couple of months, which is going to affect the rest of my life. I'm tired of education, I want to get out there and get myself a job and some experience, but at the same time a full Honours degree could eventually get me an even better job. Arghhhhh! Life is tough. 

Loving // Nandos - I'm not sure what my current obsession with Nandos is at the moment but I went so much throughout January. Which is funny because 1) I'm not a massive chicken fan and 2) I don't like spicy food. Hmm. 

Watching // Desperate Housewives - I sat and downloaded every season of Desperate Housewives on Sky the other week and have sat and watched about 3 episodes a night. Safe to say, Bear is sick of it. I'm just at the end of Season 3 (I think?) and I'm not joking, I cry at every episode. It turns me into an emotion wreck. Anyone else get this? No? Just me then.

Looking forward to // London - This month, eeeeepppppp, I'm going to London with Bear over Valentines weekend :) Our plans are a bit of shopping, Harry Potter Studio Tour and London Zoo. I'm way too excited. I've only been to London once and I adored it. It's such a big place that you can spend days getting lost in it but never being bored! 

What are your currents? :)

- Charli, xo