Here’s what’s made me tick during the past month and a half…

B E A U T Y ::

Urban Decay Nakd Basics 2 palette – £23

Like I said a couple of weeks ago, I basically only bought this palette after becoming totally and completely obsessed with the incredible matte eye makeup looks worn by Julianna Margulies in The Good Wife. I’d bought the Urban Decay Nakd I palette about two or three years ago and have ‘hit pan’ (as say those who actually know what they’re talking about when it comes to beauty) on the two matte nude colours, whilst the rest are practically untouched. Enter the Basics II palette! The colours in this palette are all super creamy, cool-toned mattes (bar the palest highlighter shade, which does have a slight sheen), and create the most dreamy, barely-there eye makeup looks. I’m totally in love. And basically a clone of Alicia Florrick too now, right?! ;)

L’Oreal Skin Perfection 15 Second Cleansing Oil – £7.99

I ran out of my usual cleanser one evening a few weeks ago, and so in a moment of desperation, dug out the bottle of L’Oreal cleansing oil I knew I had lingering at the back of the cupboard. And then I used it, and choruses of angels began to sing and a ray of light shone down from the heavens. Okay, not quite, but it still was pretty sublime! I’m not sure what’s changed in the past year or so since I bought this cleanser, used it a couple of times, then pushed it aside in favourite of micellar water, but all of a sudden it’s working a treat for my skin. You rub the oil into dry skin (and all over your eyes, too), then wash it off with warm water to get rid of every last scrap of makeup in a single go. It’s been leaving my skin feeling so soft and moisturised, the texture of the dryer skin on my cheeks is 100x better, and my makeup’s going on smoother each morning. Total miracle product!

W E A R ::

French Sole India nude ballet pumps – £85

Say hello to the world’s most impractical shoe choice for a woman who lives with a perpetually slightly-muddy spaniel!

Impracticality aside, nude ballet flats are my forever favourites, especially during spring. I’ve got a couple of pairs on the go right now, plus a pair of nude LK Bennett wedges that’re my staple ‘I bought a new dress for this wedding/party/event and forgot to get shoes to go with it and now I’ve got to leave the house in thirty seconds’ saviours! The ballet pink tone of the French Sole pair pictured couldn’t be more perfect if you ask me, and the leg-lengthening magic of a good pair of nude shoes can’t be sniffed at. Now, if only I could find a way of making them scuff-proof…

D R I N K ::

Peanut butter & banana protein smoothies

Remember when I took that class at Barry’s Bootcamp a few weeks ago? The one so hard I thought my head might explode? Yep? Well, at Barry’s, they run this great system that allows you to place an order for a protein shake of your choice on your way in to class, and they’ll have it ready and waiting for you to start sipping on as soon as you’re done with your workout. The shakes they make are so delicious, full of good ingredients, and the added protein is supposed to feed and help nourish the growth of your muscles. All good stuff! I’ve been having a go at recreating the ‘Simply Peanut Butter’ shake I’d drunk at Barry’s, and think I’m pretty much there with the recipe.

Just put one ripe banana into a blender, add in teaspoon of whole peanut butter (not the kind with added sugar/salt), a scoop of vanilla protein powder (I use one of Jason’s, I think the brand is Nutritia?), cover over with almond milk, blend, and serve over ice! I’ve been drinking it after morning workouts, and also sans-protein powder just for quick breakfasts too!

 D O ::

Crossword puzzles

I’ve mentioned this a couple of times before, but recently we (my equally dorky and total soulmate finance and I) have been doing crosswords in place of reading before lights-out during the past couple of months, and I’d forgotten how much I love it as a pastime. I inherited a love for those giant, simple crosswords you find in puzzle books from my Grandma, and Jason and I have done them on and off for years. It’s not the coolest or most fashionable of activities, granted, but as a way of switching off your inner monologue right before bed, it can’t be beaten. I also think it’s so much more sociable than lying side by side reading books…and you get to be competitive, which is always a bonus if you ask Jason and I ;)

And that’s a wrap! What’ve you been loving throughout the past few weeks?

I can already tell that the temptation to begin each of these monthly posts by saying ‘where on earth has the past month gone?!’ is going to be strong. But it’s true though, where *has* February disappeared to? I can’t say I’m sorry the past four weeks have zipped by, since it surely must be a universal truth that February is the lamest of months. January might be longer and darker, but at least we’ve got memories of Christmas and hopeful New Year’s resolutions to keep us going through it. That’s why the little things- a new pair of shoes, great coffee in the mornings, a stack of brightly coloured bowls- are so important in these rather grey months.

B E A U T Y ::

The White Company White Pompelmo hand & body balm – £20.

I was actually given this body balm at a little Christmas dinner The White Company hosted back in December, and have been so seriously impressed with it. I’d never tried any of The White Company’s skincare range before, and have loved this one so much I ended up buying a couple of others bits for my Mum for Christmas! The fragrance is to die for (of course, it’s a White Co product after all!), and it’s just the right consistency for using daily. It’s not the most easily absorbed of lotions, but the plus points of its lovely citrussy scent and the fact that it comes in a pump-bottle make up for having to leave it a minute or two to soak in before sticking my jeans on a hundred-fold!

H O M E ::

Anthropologie Latte bowls - £3.50 each.

If I’m being honest, the unbridled joy this little stack of brightly coloured bowls brings me is verging on embarrassing. The white and blue ones I’ve had for probably a year or so now, and I bought the peach and yellow right at the beginning of February during a day in town with Kathryn. They’re arguably the most reasonably priced item in the whole of Anthropologie…though maybe it’s a clever marketing move to keep us buying more bowls each time new colours are released? Well hey- it’s working! ;) But really though, the happiness that comes from eating your breakfast out of a bright yellow bowl? Priceless!

Zara Home dark amber candle – £19.99

This candle was a birthday gift from my lovely cousins back at the end of January, and has introduced me to the magical world of Zara Home! I knew the store existed before but hadn’t ever tried anything from it, and if the quality of this candle’s anything to go by, I’ll definitely be shopping there more frequently from now on. The candle itself is gorgeous- a really dark, warm and spicy fragrance, with a good even burn. It’s lasted such a long time as well, and throws off such gorgeous light thanks to the double wicks. The ‘Green Herbs’ candle is next on my list to try…

M U S I C ::

Erato ‘Pictures of Pets’ album.

Erato was a total ‘stumble upon’ group for me, back in the summer of 2013. I’d come across them via Lennon and Maisy’s cover of their ‘Call your Girlfriend’ remake, but could only find one or two of their songs online at the time. Which I listened to on repeat so much so that Jason was basically tearing his hair out, and had to ask me to stop trying to sing along to their Swedish songs in what was blatantly total gobbledegook ;) Their ‘Pictures of Pets’ album (released last year, I think) is totally amazing- really easy listening but not so much so that it fades into the background, and full of their trademark ethereal harmonies. ‘Mariestod’ is my favourite song from the album by far. Oh, and it’s available on Spotify, which is always a winner!

W E A R ::

Reebok Skyscape Harmony slip ons – £40
{though the only ones I can find online are listed as £54)

These are the most comfortable shoes in the world. Fact. Jason and I popped into Reebok the weekend we were in Guildford buying wedding rings, and I tried these on on a total whim. They were totally dreamy but I decided not to buy them at the time, and literally could not stop thinking about them the rest of the weekend. They eventually came home with me a couple of days later from Richmond, and all was well with the world! They’re insanely light and well cushioned, and feel like walking on teeny tiny clouds. And they’re machine washable! I am, in short, obsessed. Reebok- never stop making these, okay?

D R I N K ::

Waitrose Tarrazu Mountain ground coffee – £3.30, & Anthropologie Kebaya mug – £10.

Since becoming something of a coffee addict during the past couple of years, I’ve set about sampling  as many types of ground coffee as I can get my hands on trying to find the very best one. Some have been good, others have been terrible…and now I think I’ve finally found my favourite. It’s such a rich and fruity blend, and has such a beautiful flavour that I’ve been drinking it black more often than not this month. And I’m counting down the days until the warm weather arrives, bringing iced latte season with it! There’s a new bottle of vanilla syrup sitting ready and waiting in the cupboard for when the moment arrives…

And, speaking of coffee- this mug was a new addition to the getting-crowded-very-quickly mug cupboard in our kitchen this month, and I’m very much in love. It’s not horrendously heavy like some of Anthropologie’s other mugs, and, in true Goldilocks fashion, is *just* the right size!

And that, my friends, is the February round up! What silly things have been keeping you going through the past month? :)

Since it’s rare there’s ever really the right opportunity to showcase ‘stuff’ on this blog (lipsticks and music and whatnot), I decided it might be fun to start rounding off each month with a little selection of my favourite odds and ends from the previous few weeks. Beauty bloggers and YouTubers have been doing it for years, you see, and there’s always something so fascinating about finding out what little things have making someone tick, don’t you think?

So without further ado, here are my favourite, most-loved ‘things’ from the month of January….

H O M E ::

Anthropologie grey + bright striped blanket – {sold out}.

If there’s one rule I live by, it’s that a home can never have too many blankets and throws furnishing it. I’ve added so many to our bed over the past year or so that Jason’s begun to question the logic, especially since we never sleep with them actually *on* the bed, even in the depths of winter! I kind of see his point…

But! This throw was a gift to us both from my Mum for Christmas, and is just about the warmest blanket I’ve ever come across. During the Christmas break, I spent many an hour curled up underneath it with a book in one hand and a cup of tea in the other. It was blissful beyond belief, and the quickest path to happiness I can imagine during the long winter days.

M U S I C ::

‘Fleet Foxes’ + Pure AirPlay speaker system.

‘Mykonos’ by Fleet Foxes came up on Spotify radio the other evening whilst I was pottering around in the kitchen, and immediately transported me back to 2008. I listened to that song, as well as ‘Winter White Hymnal’ from the same album, over and over again whilst journeying to and fro from college during the first few months I could drive. I didn’t even have the whole album- I just had those two songs jumbled in on a mix CD I’d burnt myself! (Do you reckon children of the noughties will ever do this, fellow children of the nineties/eighties/etc.? I wonder if they’ll ever know the frustrations of trying to write the whole tracklist on the CD cover sleeve, and then making a mistake with the order right at the end!)

I’ve been listening to the album (the whole thing this time, thank you Spotify!) lots this month, and it’s been so fun reconnecting with the music of my teenage years. Also, I must talk about that little sound system! That was a gift from Jason, a total surprise gift! I’d mentioned in passing months and months ago how I really wanted a decent sound system for the house, and then totally forgot about I’d said anything until I unwrapped this one Christmas morning! It’s such a clever little thing- it connects with your phone via AirPlay, and can be switched on and controlled remotely from anywhere in the house. Which is great, since it means I don’t have to go running downstairs in just a towel after I’ve decided, halfway through getting ready in the morning, that a little Beyonce is in order to kick start the day!

B E A U T Y ::

L’oreal Paris Colour Riche Julianne’s Nude – £6.99.

Earlier in the month, I decided to give my makeup wardrobe a little freshen up in the form of lipsticks. I’d got into a bit of a rut, and was wearing the same couple of shades over and over (and over and over and over…!) These two new ones from L’oreal have been such good purchases, I’ve hardly worn anything else on my lips throughout the rest of January. The nude is just beautifully peachy and brightening, and the red is matte enough that it won’t smudge every time a gust of wind blows hair across your face, but not so matte you’re crying for lip balm by midday. I’ve got my eyes on a couple more from the collection now, that might just wind up coming home with me sometime in February…

L’oreal Colour Riche Blake’s Red – £6.99.

 C O O K ::

Yotam Ottolenghi’s Plenty – £17.99.

‘Plenty’ has been the recipe book I’ve turned to time and again in January, whilst planning each week’s meals. It’s a vegetarian cookbook, and whilst we do eat meat of course, I think something about the carnivorous indulgences of December have made me crave more vegetable, and fewer meat-based meals throughout this month.

The majority of recipes in the book have a Middle Eastern edge to them, which makes such a lovely change from the Mediterranean style of most of my other recipe books. Think fragrant spices, citrus zest, tahini, and smoked flavours. Fellow hummus/Comptoir Libanais/aubergine-in-all-forms obsessives- this is one for you!

W E A R ::

Barbour Jarrow wellingtons – £69.95.

After going through three pairs of Hunters in two years between us, Jason and I decided it was time to switch allegiance with our dog-walking footwear. The lovely folks at Barbour sent us over a pair each from their range to try out, and the verdict has been a unanimously good one from us both. They’re so much thicker and sturdier than the Hunters, and the soles more supportive too. We’ve only been wearing them a few weeks (not that you’d know to look at them- if you can believe it, mine are actually clean in comparison with Jason’s!) so can’t comment on the longevity, but I’m pretty certain they’re built to last as well as looking pretty fancy too. Big thanks to our friends at Barbour for saving us from the misery that is damp socks!

And that’s the lot for January! Tell me, what’s made you tick this past month?