Current Favourites #3: Crime, Curls & Chai

I really enjoyed pulling together this current favourites post: it’s a mix of Christmas gifts, some old favourites and some lifestyle bits too. I would love to hear what you’d say are your current favourites at the moment – I’m so nosey I love checking out your recommendations – so don’t forget to leave a comment with your ideas for me!

I’m so close to finishing Z: A novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler and I’m really going to miss reading it. I love the 1920s/30s era and this book focuses on arguably the most famous (or infamous) couple of that era: Zelda and F.Scott Fitzgerald. This is a novelised biography and is such a pleasure to read. It’s sad, clever, infuriating and so interesting. Apparently it has been made into an Amazon original series with Christina Ricci as Zelda which I may have to hunt down. I got a lot of books for Christmas (as you can see HERE) and I’ve started actually taking a 30 minute lunch break away from screens so that I can get back into reading. I’m really enjoying it, although the guilt of not working is still a struggle! What books have you been reading recently?

I never really got into podcasts until the end of last year. I would listen to a few episodes here and there but get bored quickly… until I found Sword and Scale. If you have an interest in true crime then I would really really this podcast. Obviously this comes with the biggest trigger warning possible: every awful crime you can imagine is covered in a LOT of detail, including phone calls to 911, court transcripts and very detailed descriptions of crime scenes. There were some episodes I had to pause because I felt a bit ill or was crying, so please don’t take that warning lightly! However it’s such an interesting podcast and has resulted in me binging on 82 episodes and I feel a bit bereft now that I have to wait for new episodes. I’d recommend starting from the beginning as the quality, editing and pace gets better as you go along, so it’s better to start with the oldest and appreciate the change over the 3 years of shows. You can listen HERE. If you just want a taster of what the podcast is about, maybe start with episode 3 which absolutely NEEDS to be made into a film at some point!

The SkinCeuticals Mineral Radiance UV Defense SPF 50* featured in November’s Skincare Shake Up but I needed to pop it in my current favourites as well. This is probably the lightest SPF I have ever used, which my rosacea appreciates as anything heavy or sticky can result in a flare up. It also has a tint to it so it’d be great for those of you who want a tiny bit of coverage in the summer or on holiday. It’s a perfect choice for those with rosacea or sensitive skin as not only is it broad spectrum (protecting from UVA and UVB rays) but it also has 100% mineral filters which tends to be better for us sensitive types than chemical as it sits on your skin, reflecting the sun’s rays, rather than being absorbed. It’s pricier than my previous favourite SPF (which features in this blog post) but I’m willing to pay more for something if my skin loves it.

I have a thing for bold, statement necklaces. I’m not much of a jewellery-wearer elsewhere on my body: my engagement and wedding ring are the only permanent pieces. But I feel a bit naked without a necklace of some sort so I’ve always got my eye out for some unusual items. And this grey, angled necklace from Oliver Bonas – a Christmas present from my parents – is flipping gorgeous. It looks like it’s sold out, but their whole range is so lovely and a lot are currently in the sale as well!

In an attempt to actually wear more jewellery, I asked for some bracelets for Christmas and I had been looking for a simple knot bracelet for AGES. This one from Accessorize is perfect and – sorry – also sold out! But, as with the Oliver Bonas website above, the sale is still on so treat yourself to something else HERE.

If you follow my Unwearable Lex series on Instagram, you may have already seen this lipstick in action. NYX Liquid Suede ‘Brooklyn Thorn’* is such a beautiful grey/brown lipstick and I immediately fell in love with it. The formula of these lipsticks is wonderful – not at all drying and the opacity is incredible. They’re not the most long-lasting that I’ve tried but for they are really good for the price.

I’ve been searching for a grey-toned lip liner for ages to wear with colours like the NYX shade above and I’ve finally found The One: Gerard Cosmetics lip liner in ‘Underground’*. The formula is really creamy and easy to apply, it doesn’t feather into fine lines and the colour is perfection. I definitely need to pick up some more shades soon!

Until fairly recently I was a total bareMinerals newbie but after going for a make over with them in store I am an official convert. The product that stands out the most for me is the bareMinerals READY bronzer in ‘Skinny Dip’*. If you’re fair or pale then you will know the struggle to find natural-looking bronzers that aren’t orange, sparkly or too grey. This one is the perfect shade for me and isn’t over-the-top intense so there’s no danger of ending up stripy!

It took me a while to get used to the Nicky Clarke SuperShine Steam Conditioning Tong* as I am used to curling my hair with straighteners. The clamp section of the tongs threw me completely but after a little bit of practice I absolutely love this curling tong, especially since I’ve cut my hair. I get such a natural and effortless effect that seems to last longer than my straightener curls. These particular tongs are great as they have a well at the top that you fill with water and then press as you curl the hair. The tongs then emit steam which rehydrates and nourishes the hair while you style – so clever!

If you haven’t caught a whiff of the Vanilla Chai body lotion from The Body Shop you absolutely NEED to. I have been sniffing myself non-stop since I got this and it’s just gorgeous. Plus, it’s in the sale so stock up before it disappears. Along with the candle. And the bath soak. And the body scrub. And while you’re there, the Spiced Apple range is also in the sale. You know, just saying…

We all know that I am a highlighter obsessive. I don’t really know what I did before I discovered highlighters, but I must have done it looking flat and dull. The Make Up Revolution highlighter palette in ‘Radiance’ is unbelievably good value for money and has been the only product I’ve used over the past month to give myself a glow. It’s obviously heavily inspired by the Hourglass ‘Ambient Lighting’ palette, with three shades: Breathe (the most intense shade, with a slight lilac/frosty tone), Exhale (my absolute favourite, a pink-toned beige shade), and Glow (a gold toned, but still natural-looking, shade). Love, love, love!

I think this edit of my Current Favourites is the best yet, there are so many incredible products here. Have you tried any of these? What are the products you’re loving at the moment? Any book recommendations are very welcome, my Amazon wishlist is huge but I still need more!

Lex

*PR sample. Links may be affiliate. For more information please see the Disclaimer tab at the top of the page.

=PIN ME!=