Books Of The Month

My mum recommended this months book to me-The Little stranger by Sarah Waters. It's not something I would normally read because I'm a bit of a wimp when it comes to reading and anything scarier than Paddington is likely to give me nightmares (Okay, I'm not that bad, but it's pretty close.) I really enjoyed it however and literally couldn't put it down. Its set post war and is focused on a large country hall in which there's some spooky goings on...

What I found really interesting however is the observations about social class that are scattered throughout this novel and the idea of changing classes, or belonging to more than one. The momentum builds up until the very clever ending which took me completely by surprise

Sarah Waters written quite a few books, which I'm now going to have to borrow (steal) from mum.

Helen x

Beauty Bargain Of The Month

I never tried anything from the Skincare brand Witch before, but recently picked up this Blemish stick.

As the name suggests, it contains Witch hazel which is a natural ingredient that soothes and tones the skin. It also has alcohol, to target and prevent blemishes, as well as Glycerin which calms the skin. It claims to break down excess oil and prevent the recurrence of pesky spots. Although its a slightly alarming colour, it applies clear and isn't sticky at all, so could probably be worn under makeup. 

I've only been using this for a week or so, but can already see an improvement in my skin.

What I'm Currently Loving

Firstly, sorry I've been neglecting my blog recently. I started sixth form recently so haven't had much spare time.

Recently I've really got back into using this cute Lorac Pro eyeshadow pallette. It has two shimmer shades: Nude and Pewter, and one matte shade aptly named Espresso. The pigmentation of all three is great, and even for someone with fairly oily eyelids like me (eww) it lasts all day without creasing. The packaging is really good as it has a little mirror so is handy to have in your makeup bag.

Next is TV. There's lots of crime dramas on at the moment, but the one I'm loyal to is Lewis. It's now on it's eighth series and still perfect to snuggle on the sofa and watch. The storylines are always very clever and complicated and keep you guessing till the end. It's on ITV 1 on Fridays at 9.

I don't own many pairs of leggings, but recently I've been wishing I did. They're great for days when you open the wardrobe and realize actually all you want to do is stay in your pjs. The Topshop patterned leggings are my favourites, as they're a bit thicker than normal leggings and the bright patterns mean you don't have to try too hard with the rest of your outfit.

Helen x

P.S I promise I'll try and post more regularly from now on!

Books that make you think

Occasionally what you fancy is a book that has a nice easy plot and doesn't require much concentration. Sometimes however it's good to read a book that leaves you feeling a little less secure in what you take for granted. These are my favourite books that do just that:

Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell

This is a classic, and rather well loved in my family as you can see from the well worn cover! This was first published in 1950, but still feels relevant. The book is centred around Winston Smith, who lives in a country governed by Big Brother-a dictator like figure who is never actually seen but drives fear into everyone. Every aspect of peoples lives is controlled, and this becomes quite scary in places as it is so shocking. More worryingly, however, is that when reading it you start to recognise elements of the book in actual countries and it does not seem so unimaginable that parts of the Big Brother regime could at some point happen in real life.

Uglies by Scott Westerfield

This book is clearly written to appeal to the 'hunger games/divergent/gone' audience, but the idea it contains is very interesting. Set in a future world, it talks about how the 'rusties' i.e. the current human race died out as they failed to adapt and create new technologies and so experienced a crisis. It also explores the idea of the obsession for perfection in society, and what happens when people reject this idea.

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

I have just finished reading this and whilst I wouldn't say I liked it, due to the really quite sinister plot, I know I'll be re-reading it. The American government uses extremely low birth rate and an increase in sexual assaults as an excuse to radically change the way society functions-people are ascribed a role and are effectively brain washed into believing this is their duty. Out of all these books, this one left me questioning things more, and the warning it carries really affected me.

Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman

This book looks at racism but flips it so that to be black is to be considered right, and desirable. It's very fast paced and leaves you looking at things a little differently to how you might have previously. 

Quick, Fast Drying Polishes

My favourite polishes are the ones that you can wear without a base coat and dry quickly but still look great after a few days. A hard task? Not for these polishes, the ones I come back to when I want a pretty nail without the effort.

Nude or pale pink polishes are great when you're in a hurry as they can be worn without a base coat and it isn't obvious if they chip a little. The gold looks very different when on; it seems to have a pink undertone and needs only two coats to get a colour that will last for days. 

I love Rimmel Polishes as they have wide brushes which cover your nail in two strokes. Their '60 Seconds Dry' range is great-lots of colours to choose from that really do dry in 60 seconds. This one is
 a slightly metallic, shimmery pink. The blue is in '503 Mind The Gap, Victoria' a lovely powder blue.

This Maybelline 40 seconds dry is in 'Turquiose Lagoon' and really does dry in 40 seconds. 

Helen x

A Shamefaced Post

I did it again. I bought more Nail Polish-three more bottles to be exact. There's no more room in my storage now but they were so pretty, I couldn't resist. I'm blaming this one on my friend. She posted a photo on Instagram a couple of weeks ago of a trio of Nails Inc polish which she said she'd picked up in Savers for under £5. I was impressed, to say the least, so when I saw a Savers recently on holiday I went straight to the makeup. 

There was a couple of different sets but I was drawn straight to this eye catching one. It contains 3 polishes-Kensington Park Road, Connaught Square and Hyde Park. Kensington Park Road is a 'neon' polish in a lovely blue. I don't have any polishes in this vibrant shade of blue so I was excited to try it. It's definitely not for those who like something more sophisticated or subtle on their fingers. I went for three coats to build up a really intense colour but it would have looked good with just the two coats as well. 

I tried to use the 'crackle' polish over the top but couldn't get it to work. I used it as a topcoat after the blue had dried but couldn't see any effect. I'll try again but this time putting it on top of a wet layer of polish to see whether that works. Has anyone tried crackle polishes. What's the best way to use them? 

My mum went for the '3-D glitter' in Connaught Square. This is a really lovely glitter polish with blue, purple and green glitter. She used a couple of coats on bare nails which was perhaps a little too glittery (is there such a thing?) so I tried layering it on top of Kensington Park Road which looked really good.

This is my first time trying Nails Inc and I'm really impressed. When I used them with a base and topcoat the staying power was good and they lasted around 5 days before I had to remove them due to chipping. For £4.99 these sets are amazing so if there's a Savers near you I'd recommend having a look!

Helen x

Books of the month

I recently picked up a few books for just a pound each at a charity book shop, and started reading them straight away, despite the fact I was meant to be reading Jane Eyre in preperation for next year. 

My first Book of the Month is The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs. This book follows Georgia who runs a knitting shop in New York and daughter and friends. A knitting club gradually forms, and so draws all different types of people together. Their stories are cleverly interwoven as they become closer. The ending is not a typical 'happily ever after' as I expected, but many of the characters stories are nicely tied up in a fairly un-imaginative way. I enjoyed this, in a nice, easy, comforting way but will not necessarily be re-reading it. 

                                

My next book is Handle with Care by Jodi Piccoult. Jodi Piccoult's books are, I think, very similar to the well loved James Bond books. They are fairly predictable, hugely popular and almost impossible to put down. They all follow a similar pattern-the introduction of the characters; the development of whatever 'issue' this particular book is about; and then a large proportion of the book spent on the court case. Handle With Care is no different, but I liked it nonetheless. Piccoult's books may be something of a blockbuster but they are all very well written, heart wrenching and with well developed characters. What I like most about them is the often controversial issues which they explore, and so get the reader to think more about. 

Helen x