Currently Loving - Random Favourites

Hello Lovelies

I have another "currently loving" post for you today and it's another random favourites post, including all the things shown in the image above plus some more. I am thinking of writing a currently loving post for beauty favourites so if that's something you would be interested in, please let me know in the comments. But without further ado, here are my current random favourites. 

Film

I have actually been the cinema a couple of times over the last few weeks which is a first for me, I've not been for 2 years and then I went twice in one month! The first film I saw was The Conjuring 2 (cert 15) and what an amazing film it was, I loved it! If you enjoy horror films I highly recommend you see this, you don't have to have seen the first Conjuring film to watch it either which is a bonus, it is excellent, the Conjuring films are based on true events and this film is set in England in the 1970's it is really good, I won't speak about it because I don't want to spoil it for those who might see it but all I can say is, if you have seen the first Conjuring and you loved it or if you just love horror films, this will certainly not disappoint, it's incredible. The second film I saw at the cinema is Me Before You (cert 12a) I read the book in 2012 on holiday in Greece and loved it, it is the only book that has ever had a massive impact on me and I couldn't speak about it without crying for months afterwards and I have been waiting for the film to be released ever since I found out it was being made and it didn't disappoint at all, there was a lot of the book cut out but there always is when a book is made into a film isn't there? Again I won't spoil it for those who haven't seen it, but it is a nice love story with laughter but also lots of sadness, you'll need your tissues for this one. 

TV

I'm sure that those of you who know me well are already shouting at your laptops because you know what's coming, Big Brother (channel 5), did you guess right? I am a huge Big Brother fan and wanted to apply for the 2nd series but my parents talked me out of it, ever since I have wanted to go on the show but now there is no way I could. I love big brother, it brings out the nosey me ha ha, I find other people fascinating, I love it and every summer it is my guilty pleasure, Simon on the other hand hates it! I have been loving Coronation Street (ITV) as always, and this week sees Kylie Platt leave which I am really sorry about, I love her character, on the other hand, I cannot stand Phelan and am looking forward to Eileen finally coming to her senses, I hope it's soon! Pretty Little Liars is back on Netflix too, I binge watched all 6 series' over last October/November and really enjoyed it and am really pleased it's back on, although I have to admit I have found it quite slow so far. Another thing we watched recently was the Oscar Pistorius interview (channel 4), I am not going to say much about it in my post as I feel it would be disrespectful to Reeva Steenkamp and her family but it was a very eye opening interview indeed, I can't say I enjoyed it as that is the wrong word entirely but it was compelling viewing and something that made me shout at the TV a lot! 

Music

This really comes under the TV and music category but we absolutely loved watching Glastonbury, I would love to go and it's something I have wanted to do for years and is definitely a bucket list item, obviously I couldn't camp and it probably won't ever happen but I would love it if it were possible. My favourites were Adele, Madness and Coldplay with Coldplay being my favourite, I loved it all though it was so good this year, I was a little disappointed with New Order and James but they were ok, overall though it was brilliant and since then I have been singing away to Adventure of a lifetime by Coldplay. 

Another song I am in love with at the moment and nothing to do with Glastonbury, I just like it is Justin Timberlake, Can't Stop The Feeling. It is so catchy and I love it. 

Books

I haven't read for a long time, it takes me such a long time now as I have to re read sentences and get mixed up easily but after seeing me before you at the cinema I picked the book up again to re read and have started that, it feels like putting on an old pair of comfy slippers reading it again and I am thoroughly enjoying it. My eldest daughter Cole has kindly bought me After You to read once I have finished it so I am really looking forward to that too. If you haven't read me before you but would like to, you can find it on Amazon for £3.85 here. 

Apps

I am loving Snapchat at the moment, I love the funny filters with the Bee one being my favourite of the last few weeks, it was fabulous! Simon and I are so childish and take so many silly pics of us using the Snapchat filters. I post little video's on there almost vlog type things and a lot of my old you tube watchers have said it's a bit like I'm on you tube again which is nice, if you would like to add me on Snapchat and follow my ramblings and see stupid photos of me and Simon being thoroughly mature with the filters, my Snap chat name is simply, Mammafulzo.

Websites

A website I discovered recently is Firebox and I came across them when I was looking for birthday gifts for my eldest daughter, I have ordered her a Unicorn mobile phone charger (buy here) which is basically the Unicorn emoji but a portable phone charger, and whilst on their site, I found so many amazing things. It's a great site for gifts and other things like home items and garden items, I love it. Keep your eyes peeled for a wishlist post coming soon. 

Food & Drink

I met my lovely friend Khila a couple of weeks ago and we spent the day together, we had a fantastic time and whilst we were out she introduced me to Taco Bell, I had no idea they had a Taco Bell in Manchester and when we found it, Khila said she loved it and she went to order us a variety of things to try, well for me to try since she already loves it and I have to say I did really like it and would definitely go again. In terms of food at home, Simon goes to a local butcher once every 3 weeks and gets all our meat for a 3 week period, he started to do this after the chicken in Asda became so expensive and the chicken breasts were that small we were spending a fortune. The local butcher we discovered is a lot better value for money, and whilst Simon was in the butcher he noticed they sold lamb kofta's, we have these when we are on holiday in Greece and love them so Simon picked some up for us to try at home and they are delicious, he serves them with warm pitta bread and tzatziki and salad, they really are yummy! 

Blogger

My favourite blogger is the lovely Beautylymin, her blog is amazing, she is a beauty blogger and her posts are brilliant and very informative, I really enjoy reading her blog, she is also a really lovely person too. Her hauls always leave me with a huge wishlist, especially her recent huge Sephora haul! If you love beauty, you'll love Beautylymin, she is a lovely lady and her blog is fabulous, go and check her out, you won't be disappointed. 

You Tuber

A YouTuber I have really been enjoying is Bryony Blake, you may know Bryony as the makeup artist on This Morning but she also has a youtube channel, she posts tutorials, favourites, how-to video's and more and she is a lovely lady, easy to watch and her tutorials are easy to follow too. I really like her video and if you love makeup and beauty and watching youtube, I think you might too, go and check her out here.

So those are all the random favourites I am currently loving, do you love some of the same things as me? Let me know in the comments and let me know if you watch Big Brother who you like and dislike, I love chatting about all things big brother and please also let me know if you would like me to write a currently loving beauty post too. 

Thank you for reading, much love as always

Zoe x

* Images used for TV and film were taken from google image search. 

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NOTD - Maybelline Superstay 7 Days Gel Polish in Rose Rapture

Hello Lovelies

Today I have a NOTD (nail of the day) post, as always I will share with you the products I used for my notd and then how they applied and how long they lasted etc etc. The polish I used for todays notd is the Maybelline Superstay 7 Days Gel Polish in the shade Rose Rapture. 

I didn't use a base coat before applying the polish as I have run out and still not decided on a base coat to try, I know this isn't good for my nails but I didn't experience any staining at all and my nails are healthy at the moment so there wasn't any harm done by not using a base coat. I used 3 coats of the Rose Rapture polish allowing each coat to dry fully in between, I found that using 2 coats left some of my nails looking streaky. Once my nails were fully dry, I applied my Orly Glosser top coat to get a nice glossy finish. 

I really like the brush, it is a nice wide brush making application much easier, I found the polish easy to apply, drying time is average and once dry the finish is a lovely glossy finish that although doesn't look exactly like I've had a gel manicure does look lovely.

I really like the polish and will definitely be purchasing more shades in the range, as I said I don't think the shade I have gives an exact gel manicure look but it does give a really nice finish with a lovely shine. The polish lasted for 6 days on my nails before chipping, I do give some credit to my top coat though, the Orly Glosser as it is a brilliant top coat and I find my polishes do last well when I use it but Maybelline claim 7 days wear time from the polish too so maybe it's a good combination of both products?

Overall I really like the polish, it applies well and with ease and gives a lovely finish to the nails, I definitely want to pick up some more shades in the range and if they are all as good as Rose Rapture, I'll be very happy. 

If you would like to try Rose Rapture, you can find it on the Superdrug website HERE for £4.49 currently on a 3 for 2 offer.

Have you tried the Maybelline 7 day gel polishes? What shades do you recommend? 

Thank you for reading, much love as always

Zoe x

L'Oreal Sexy Balm - Never Stop

Hello Lovelies 

You may have seen in my great big beauty haul post that I picked up one of the L'Oreal Sexy Balms in the shade Never Stop. I don't usually go for balm type lip products but after seeing Never Stop on one of Carly's video's, I thought it looked lovely and like my kind of lipstick shade. I've used the sexy balm a few times now so I thought I'd let you know my thoughts on it. 

I like the packaging of the sexy balm, with the colourful lid in a similar shade to the lipstick and the twist up applicator. The lipstick has a pointed tip making it easy to apply and the scent of the lipstick is lovely too, not that that's a game changer but worth mentioning all the same. 

The sexy balm feels lovely on the lips and does feel exactly like a lip balm as the name suggests, I'm not sure there's anything sexy about it but it feels lovely and very nourishing on the lips. The lipstick does dry and the balm feeling does fade after a while but it doesn't fade and feel dry it still feels hydrating but doesn't look as glossy as when first applied. Never Stop is a lovely bright coral/orange shade and if you have been reading my blog for a while, won't shock you since coral is my favourite shade of lip product for the summer months. 

I like to wear a bright lip especially over the summer months and feel I can apply minimal eye makeup if I am wearing a bright lip and do do quite regularly. The sexy balm lasts really well on the lips and I get around 4 hours wear time from it when eating and drinking and longer if I haven't eaten and just drank, I'd say around 6 hours which is really good and especially for a balm type lip product as I usually find they don't last as long on me. The balm wears off nicely leaving a stain of the colour on the lips and doesn't leave an unsightly ring of colour around the lips where it has worn away. 

There are 3 shades of the bold sexy balms, Never stop, Adventure a bright pink and Yala Yolo an orangey red. There are also the sheer sexy balms if bright lips aren't your thing, they also look lovely but I prefer a bright lip but if you prefer something more subtle the sheer ones maybe better for you. I really like the sexy balm and if you haven't tried them, I would definitely recommend them, they are easy to apply, feel very nourishing on the lips and the shade Never Stop has a great wear time. 

If you would like to try the L'Oreal Sexy Balm lipsticks, they are available on the Boots website HERE where they are currently 3 for 2 or the Superdrug website HERE where they are on 3 for 2 plus a free bag. 

Have you tried the Sexy Balms? Which shade is your favourite? 

Thank you for reading, much love as always 

Zoe x

BRYT Skincare

Hello Lovelies

As you are probably already aware, I am a bit of lot of a skin care geek, I started to have very bad problems with my skin around 4/5 years ago, I think because of my medical conditions and/or medication and it got to the point where my skin was absolutely horrendous, then I got chatting via email to the lovely Caroline and she really helped me, and I became very interested in skincare and since then have become a real skincare geek, so having the opportunity to try out new brands always excites me and recently I have been trying out some products from the brand BRYT Skincare and today I am going to tell you about the company and the products I have been using over the last few weeks and what I think of them. 

About BRYT Skincare

BRYT Skincare promotes skincare as part of a healthy lifestyle choice, nurturing through adolescence and embracing the young adult, while being an honest trustworthy brand for the more mature customer. BRYT skincare caters for both sexes within the boundaries of a strong ethical policy. 

BRYT aim to use only ingredients which are kind to the planet, ethically sourced from Fair Trade partners and sustainable projects, and organic where relevant. BRYT products are tested on humans not animals and BRYT do not do business with countries where animal testing is accepted. 

BRYT products are free from parabens, sulphates, silicones, petrochemicals, phthalates and GM ingredients, they combine the ancient powers of essential oils with the most advanced methods of Phytoscience. The purest of plant ingredients are extracted to treat, nourish and protect the skin. 

If you would like to find out more about BRYT, you can read their "about BRYT" section on their website here and also find out about their ethical policy here and find out about the founder of BRYT Catkin Wemyss-Bodmer here. 

The Products

The products I have been trying out over the last few weeks are the BRYT Remove eye and makeup remover, the BRYT Essential Serum for normal to sensitive skin and the BRYT Night night cream. The first thing I noticed about the BRYT products was the packaging, it is lovely and bright and really eye catching and appealing without being over the top.

BRYT Remove

The BRYT Remove eyes and makeup remover comes in a spray bottle and is the first eye and makeup remover I have ever used that has a spray bottle, but I found it incredibly easy to use and also found that I don't waste the product because when spraying onto a cotton pad, I can't spray too much product onto the cotton pad as I find I often do with a pour bottle. 

BRYT claim the remove is an extremely gentle makeup remover and cleanser, and I would agree with that 100%, my skin is very sensitive and I can be allergic to a lot of products and also suffer from severe eczema but I was absolutely fine using the remove, I didn't experience any stinging after use. The remove also claims to detoxify, exfoliate and improve the appearance of skin while toning and balancing and is suitable for all skin types. I found the remove to be excellent at removing all my makeup including my waterproof mascara, it feels nice and fresh on the skin and doesn't leave any kind of residue and my skin is left feeling soft and fresh, my makeup removes effortlessly without the need for scrubbing, I am really pleased with the BRYT remove, it is an excellent product and despite never using a spray bottle makeup remover before, I really like it and now wish all makeup removers had a spray bottle application. The remove is available on the BRYT website here and is 99% natural and vegan formula. 

BRYT Essential Serum

I use the BRYT essential serum after cleansing and toning my skin and applying my eye cream. The serum has a pump applicator and I apply 2-3 pumps to my face and neck morning and evening.

I really like the serum, it applies well and sinks into my skin nicely, it has what I would describe as a herbal scent to it, the scent isn't overpowering and doesn't linger. I have extremely dry and dehydrated skin and I think my skin would be more suited to the BRYT Nourish Serum because it is so dry and dehydrated, the essential serum is nice but I don't feel it is hydrating enough for my super dry/dehydrated skin, the serum would be amazing for someone with normal or sensitive skin as I didn't experience any discomfort when using the serum despite my very sensitive skin, it is a lovely product and feels lovely on the skin and applies well but unfortunately it wasn't hydrating enough for my skin, but please bear in mind my skin is extremely dry/dehydrated. There are BRYT serums for all skin types including the Essential serum for normal/sensitive skin, there is the Nourish serum for dry/dehydrated skin, Calm serum for combination/oily skin and Boost serum for tired/dehydrated skin, so there is something for all skin types. You can find the full range of BRYT serums on their website here. 

BRYT Night

The BRYT night cream has a pump applicator, I really like pump applicators on skin care, especially moisturisers, it's much more hygienic and also easier to get out than me sticking my fingers in a pot of cream. 

I apply around 3-4 pumps of the night cream to my face and neck as part of my evening skin care routine and I have also been using the night cream as my day cream when my skin is very dry. As I said I do have extremely dry skin and this makes a great day cream for me too and is brilliant for me to use when my skin is at it's worst. I like to use the night cream as a night cream, using it with a facial oil or night treatment before bed, leaving my skin lovely and soft in the morning.  I don't feel the night cream would be hydrating enough for my skin on it's own when my skin is very very dry but when my skin is what I would say "normal" well normal for me, meaning it isn't flaking off at every opportunity and feels like sandpaper, this is a lovely night cream and leaves my skin feeling lovely.

The night cream doesn't have a really thick consistency and doesn't feel like I'm slathering goose fat on my face but considering the nice light feeling consistency it has,  it is nice and nourishing and leaves my skin feeling lovely and soft when my skin isn't at it worst. When my skin is at it's worst, this is lovely as a day cream and my makeup applies beautifully over the top. I would say if you have extremely dry skin you may need to use this with a facial oil or night treatment if using as a night cream but it's lovely to use during the day too and if your skin is dry but not extremely dry this is a great night cream or if you just have the odd dry patch it would be great, it's a lovely product. 

One thing I did find is the night cream calmed my eczema down which is brilliant, it has been bad lately and I have really suffered and had a sore patch around my hair line on my forehead and the night cream really calmed it down.

Overall Thoughts

My overall thoughts on the BRYT skincare products I have been using are that I adore the packaging, it is bright without being over the top and looks nice and sleek on the dressing table. The makeup remover is fantastic, it does a brilliant job of removing a full face of makeup including water proof mascara, I love the spray bottle and wish all my makeup removers had a spray bottle, I don't use too much product meaning it lasts longer. 

I really liked the serum but it just isn't hydrating for my extremely dry skin, but that isn't the fault of the product, it just isn't the right product for my skin, had I used the serum for dry and dehydrated skin I can only assume from using the Essential serum that I would love it, the Essential serum is lovely and does feel lovely it just isn't enough for my extremely dry skin. 

The night cream is lovely and when my skin is behaving and not at it's worst, I love to use it with a facial oil or on top of one of my over night treatments, my skin feels lovely and soft in the morning and looks nice and plumped up, it is also fantastic for my eczema and doesn't affect my very sensitive skin at all. When my skin is at it's worst, I use the night cream as a day cream and it is wonderful, it isn't quite enough for my skin as a night cream when my skin is at it's worst but again that isn't the fault of the night cream, it is just that my skin is super super dry. I do like the night cream, it is a great product and leaves my skin feeling lovely and soft and looking great the day after using it and my makeup applies well too. 

The products are all really nice, they all feel lovely on the skin and perform as well as some skin care products I have used with a much higher price tag, if you're on the market for some new skincare I would definitely recommend giving BRYT skincare a go, they have a fantastic ethical policy and I love that their products use fair trade and organic ingredients and that there are no nasties in them, all the products have their ingredients listed on the website which is great for people with allergies or who are sensitive to certain ingredients, more companies should do this, it's fantastic. 

I would recommend you give BRYT a try, they're great products and do what they claim whilst containing great ingredients that don't contain any nasties and have a fantastic company ethical policy. You can find all the products mentioned in today's post on the BRYT website here.

Thank you for reading, much love as always

Zoe x

✿ Post contains PR Samples or Gifted Items

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