May Favourites | First Half Of The Year Review

As if it's June already? It feels like this year is flying by and soon I'll be doing an end of year review again, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. Here are my favourite things from the first half of 2016 so far.

Burt's Bees Hand Salve - £10.99

If you've been following my blog for a while then you'll know that I get dry hands often so I'm always searching for good quality hand treatments and Burt's Bees did not disappoint. I've only been applying it at night time (mostly because it's a bit pricey and I don't want to use it up really quickly) but within 3 days my very flaky hands became smooth and hydrated. 

Since, my hands have gone through phases of getting a bit drier but they have never once been as bad as they have been.

Nivea Lip Fruity Shine Watermelon - £1.99

I had been searching for a lip balm that didn't have too much colour in it and I came across this one and it's perfect! I like to wear it on top of a lip tint during the day to add a bit more colour to it. This is the second one in the Nivea Fruity Shine range I have bought so go and have a look at the other colours they have to offer too.

Simple Spotless Skin Rapid Action Spot Zapper - £5.49

For a few months, my skin started to break out in small white head spots and I tried a few spot treatments that did absolutely nothing so when I used this and it worked I was super happy. It initially reduces the inflammation of your spot and within a day it's dramatically reduced. I am usually left with a small mark where the spot was for a few days but that's fine with me. And since my breakouts keep happening, I'm very glad I have this.

Soap and Glory The Fab Pore 2-In-1 Mask and Peel - £10

I have done a review on this which you can read here. Though I found it isn't actually a peeling mask, it is a refreshing mask that truly makes your pores feel like they are breathing! I love using it once a week to help keep my face as clear as I can. 

Great Modern Artists by Andy Tuohy

I bought this from my trip to Liverpool where I visited Tate Modern. I love the design on it and I've been using it for all the pens and pencils I had laying around my bedroom. I would love to take this to college to show it off but everything I take there looses it's quality somehow, but I'm happy enough with it fitting in with the aesthetics in my bedroom.

Singing in the Rain

My grandparents lent me this DVD and it is such a good feel good and entertaining film. It's great to watch on a rainy afternoon when you're bored. The talent the actors have is on a completely different level to how it is nowadays and I was shocked at how actual humans could do some of the dances that they did. Because it's quite an old film, it's not very expensive so I would recommend going to buy it.

BABOSARANG Katcha and Chandy in Wonderland Diary

Unfortunately, this diary is no longer available but BABOSARANG (you can look at their range on YesStyle.com) have loads of great stationary items so have a look at their other diaries. I have loved the art and cuteness that the diary has and I would seriously be lost without it because I am using it daily.

Posh Pocket Left Brain/Right Brain : 50 Puzzles to Change the Way You Think - £5.99

My college course means that I'm not doing a lot of brain work and, for some odd reason, I missed my high school days where I was challenged in a range of subjects. I'm sure I can't be the only one who has thought this... Nonetheless, I bought this pocket puzzle book which has really challenged me and helped me to think in ways that I haven't done for a while.

Akdong Musician - Spring Vol.1

One of my favourite South Korean artists, Akdong Musician, have finally come back with a new album and it certainly has not disappointed me. As usual, they have brought a range of different styles and moods making it perfect to listen to at this time of year. I love listening to music that matches the weather. "Haughty Girl" is good for listening to in the rain whilst "How People Move" is a really upbeat song that I like dancing to alone in my room. Seriously, have a listen to their album.

What have your favourites been for the first six months of 2016? Let me know.

100th Post! My Ultimate Favourite 9 Books To Read

Hello everyone! This is my 100th post!! It's been just over two years since I started this blog so today I'm going to do something that I don't usually do and tell you all about my 9 ultimate favourite books to get cosy and get lost in. 

Fiction

The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly by Sun-Mi Hwang

Books that make you question your aspirations are very important and even more so when they are metaphorical - which is how I read this one. The poor hen, who is constantly under threat from predators, only has one simple wish and she is challenged in her attempt to fulfil it. 

The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling

With the new film coming out TOMORROW(!) I have quickly read this book and it is so much more than what the original film portrayed the story as. Mowgli's hardships of being a 'man-cub' within the animals of the jungle lead to him creating friendships with Bhageera the panther and Baloo the bear who protect him from the animals who see him as prey. 

Kensuke's Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo

Michael gets ship wrecked on an island with his dog Stella but they're not alone. This is another 'chidren's' book that is also a great read for adults (in fact, my Dad is currently reading it) and this is probably my favourite book in this category. 

A Song for Issy Bradley by Carys Bray

The Bradley's go on a journey of discovering themselves and one another. When an event brings many emotions including confusion, sadness and hope, each member of the family's life is changed forever. Though this is a pretty dull read, I was interested to see different perspectives from the different family members after the event happened because I have experienced a similar situation.

Science

The Compact Cosmos by Matt Tweed

A compact and easy to go to guide of the cosmos. Understand more about the universe from auric objects to zones that are habitable away from our planet with both cute and complicated illustrations.

The Martian by Andy Weir

Mark Watney is stranded on Mars after the rest of the crew from his mission had to make an emergency evacuation and thought he had died in the process. This sci-fi novel is one of the best books I've ever read and is also an incredible film staring Matt Damon (though I prefer the book).

An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth by Chris Hadfield

If you know me then you'll have heard me mention Chris Hadfield a couple thousand of times. All time cool guy and three time space go-er, Chris Hadfield's rocket ride of how he became an astronaut (with helpful healthy life tips) makes this my favourite book ever.

Autobiography

A Work In Progress by Connor Franta

With almost five and a half million subscribers on YouTube, Connor Franta shares how his childhood and teenage years have made him who he is today. I love reading about how people who make their own careers get to where they are in life. Be aware: this book has been written with great aesthetics.

I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai with Christina Lamb

Who is Malala? More like who is she not and what hasn't she done?! She was shot by the Taliban for wanting girls across the world to be educated equally and this is her story from before the event that changed her life and afterwards. I don't think I will ever get over the fact she is only a few months older than me and has achieved what she has already and here I am watching kids TV shows (All Over The Place if you're interested).

Have you read any of these book? If so, did you enjoy them as much as me? Do you have any books that you would put on your favourites list that you think I should read? Let me know in the comments.