RECENT FAVOURITES

It's been a while since I've done a favourites post and I definitely feel like I missing something I wanted to share! Just a quick disclaimer - I've shared some Amazon products which are affiliate links but as always, my opinions are completely my own!

Special Mentions

Snow

I had to mention the brief appearance of snow we had yesterday, it was so nice to see people's social media posts of them enjoying time outside! Photos of the snow are always so pretty and I mentioned on my Twitter recently about hoping to be able to take my own so was watching the weather all evening on Saturday. I had a feeling it wouldn't be that heavy and it would probably melt quickly so I got up early to take some photos! Although it was very cold, seeing a snowy sunrise was definitely worth it. Something about being outside when it's so quiet and still is also quite relaxing!

Notion

I won't say too much about Notion here as shared my thoughts about it in my last post. However, since it's in my favourites, you can probably tell I'm a fan! If you're unaware, it's a productivity tool that's useful for planning and organisation, personally I've really enjoyed using it for blog planning. I also really like the app and widget for iOS 14 which makes it easy to access any notes on the go.

Shows

 Bridgerton

Like many people, I recently watched Bridgerton - a little later than some but seeing in mentioned pretty much everywhere meant that I had to see what all of the hype was about! Now I know some people have enjoyed it for various reasons...namely the Duke and the whole period drama aesthetic but also,  the plot was pretty interesting! I have had Duomo's string version of Wildest Dreams in my head repeatedly for quite a while now too. 

Bodyguard

I was suuuper late to this and I'm annoyed at myself for not watching it earlier! I know it was so popular and that it was my sort of thing but for some reason or other I just never got round to watching it. If you're into crime dramas and like me, you haven't seen Bodyguard yet then I'd definitely recommend it - Richard Madden's performance is brilliant.

 Virgin River

I was looking forward to season 2 of Virgin River so when it came out at the end of last year I binged it all in a couple of days. If you like small town dramas then give it a go, it's a pretty easy watch but has some heavier and more emotional storylines too. If anyone has season 2 already, you'll know I'm very eager for a new season already!

 Richard Osman's House of Games

Unlike the previous shows which are all on Netflix, you can find House of Games on BBC 2 on weekdays or iPlayer. I'm a sucker for quiz/game shows and this one is probably my favourite because there are so many different types of games so each show is completely different. It's also pretty easy to join in from home so if you like to test yourself on general knowledge trivia then give this a watch!

Junior Bake Off

For any Bake Off lovers, if you're not watching the current season of Junior Bake Off then you're really missing out! It's honestly the highlight of my evenings because they're all so funny and it's great to see them helping each other out - also some of them would probably do well alongside adults and they definitely put my baking skills to shame!

Hair and Beauty 

Hair Waver

I have naturally wavy hair and sometimes it will be nicely waved (why does this happen when I'm about to shower?! However, often it will just be a little bit frizzy and so this hair waver is really helpful. I prefer the looser, beach wave look and it definitely helps to achieve this. It's really easy to use and because the barrels are a decent size, it doesn't take too long to style your hair! You can get it here.

 Nail Polish set

I was looking for some good pink/nude nail polish and was so pleased with this Nails.INC 'Nude in the Tropics' set. The bottles are a generous size and it also comes with a top coat, meaning they last much longer. I was also pleased to see that they are vegan, cruelty free and made up of a 73% plant based formula! They were easy to apply and you don't need to add too many coats to get an even colour. I think they'd make a great gift too so if you're interested, you can the set here.

 Jade Roller & Gua Sha 

So, I'm very new to using this and definitely can't prove that it's doing anything in particular to my skin - apparently there are loads of benefits so I'll see what I think after using it consistently. However, what I do know is that it feels pretty relaxing! I get headaches quite frequently and I've found that it helps ease the pressure slightly. I also get bad neck and back muscle pains so you can also use the gua sha on any knots. Please do look into the use and benefits of rollers and gua sha, as well as the various stones but if you're interested the set I have here. 

Phone 

Among Us 

I'm not a big gamer at all and rarely play mobile app games either but like lots of people, I got sucked into the hype of Among Us! I think that because each game is relatively quick and you can play with pretty much everyone, it just get's so addictive! I'm super competitive and I like anything that requires you to be some sort of detective so I like playing as both Crewmate and Imposter (sorry to anyone who hasn't played it, or doesn't care!)

 ibis Paint X

One of my goals this year is to be more creative - especially when it comes to producing sketches/art of some kind. Hand drawing and painting is pretty time consuming and messy so often I'd end up putting it off but recently I've been experimenting more with digital art. I've actually just been using the free iBis Paint X app on my phone and have been drawing with my finger so it's all pretty basic so far! You can see some of the things I've created in a previous post but I hope to share more on here in the future!

Tik Tok

Okay, so who isn't a little obsessed with Tik Tok currently and finds themselves endlessly scrolling through random videos everyday? Well, I certainly am and have also enjoyed sharing some of my own videos for a few months too! It's just a lot of fun and I love that there is so much variety of content on there that I'm always finding something different. Feel free to check my videos out if you like!

Useful Products 

 Desk Lamp

I use my laptop frequently and also prefer handwriting notes a lot of the time but the joys of many dull, grey days in England means that natural lighting can be limited. I vary where I set my laptop up (a change of scenery is pretty hard to get at the moment!) and needed a laptop that was small and easy to move. This one is very portable as it's light and not too bulky, it can also be charged up and the lamp can be used off of the mains - which is very useful if you've got limited plug sockets! There are 2 light settings (warm & cool white) which can be dimmed and it also has a small pen holder and USB socket, something that's always handy! I have a feeling I'll find this particularly useful when I start a new university degree later this year. If you're interested, you can get the lamp here.

Phone bag/wallet

I needed a new wallet as my old one was too small and the clasp was breaking and this one is a very decent size. When I go out, I tend to have a few items that I'll always bring but it's not enough for a handbag. The front pouch fits my phone (iPhone 11) or instead I'll use it for small items like lip balm and it opens up to a big section for notes and cards. Although I tend to use it more as a wallet, I like that it comes with a strap so that it can be used as a small shoulder bag too. I got it in pink but they have a various different style and colour options which you can see here.

Please do let me know what things you've been loving recently. I'm always on the look out to try new things and enjoy seeing what people are into! Also, are you a snow fan? I always look forward to snow days but I know my sister hates it so I'd be interested to know where you stand!