Random Favourites - Books and Beauty | May 2015.

I know that it's slightly early for a monthly favourites (or late, depending which way you look at it...), but there's so many things that I've been loving recently that I didn't want to wait until the end of the month to share them with you.

Misc. Beauty Favourites

Aussie Miracle Recharge Luscious Long - £4.69 from Boots (currently on 3 for £10)

Essie Prep and Protect Duo - £12.99 from Boots

Essie Nail Polish in Flowerista - £7.99 from Boots

Soap and Glory Archery in Love is Blonde - £10 from Boots (currently on 3 for 2)

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer in Ivory - £5.49 from Boots (currently on 3 for 2)

Necklace - £2.50 from Primark

While I'm working in a bookstore, my nails are never going to be beautiful, but they've been looking a lot more brittle and unhealthy than usual lately, so I picked up this Essie Prep and Protect base and top coat set, along with the bright, beautiful Flowerista nail paint to attempt to make them look presentable again. The base coat is fairly shiny, so it still looks great when you haven't painted your nails, and my nails are already feeling stronger after a week. I absolutely love the colour - it's perfect for spring/summer, especially on your toes as it looks so bright, and the colour really pops against all skin tones.

I've been a huge fan of Aussie for years, and I'm so glad they brought back the Luscious Long Miracle Recharge - it's great in between washes to just give your hair a boost, it leaves it looking and feeling healthy and refreshed, and conditions your hair without it feeling heavy or looking greasy. 

There's not much I need to say about the Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer, as I'm sure that pretty much everyone and their dog (apparently except me) has already tried this by now. It's creamy, feels like on the skin, and really does brighten dull areas, which is perfect for putting under your eyes in a morning to make you look like you got your 8 hours beauty sleep the night before, instead of staying up until 2am watching Netflix... *ahem*

I first spoke about the Archery brow pencil and tint from Soap and Glory in my latest beauty haul and I have been obsessed ever since! I've only used brow powder before, but the combination of the pencil and the felt time gives such a precise, polished finish that I can't imagine using powder again.

Book Favourites

My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga - £5.99 from Waterstones

Harry Potter: Magical Places From the Films - £20 from Waterstones

Enchanted Forest - Johanna Basford - £9.95 from Waterstones

I love it when a novel grips me immediately, and My Heart and Other Black Holes definitely did. It is an honest, heartbreaking, but strangely uplifting tale of two teenagers who plan to commit suicide together. It's well-written, compelling and engaging - I'd recommend this to anyone, and I think it's my favourite read of 2015 so far, just ahead of We Were Liars.

Anyone who knows me would be able to tell you that I'd buy anything that is remotely linked to Harry Potter, and these 'Page to Screen' style books are always a winner! Like the Creature Vault that was released just before Christmas, Magical Places is filled with beautiful illustrations and photographs from the sets that show the development of the 'magical places' in the Harry Potter-verse, and explains how they were brought to life on screen - a definite must for any Potterhead!

Colouring books for adults seems to be the latest fad, and I absolutely love it! Working in a bookstore means I've been able to flick through all of the ones in stock, and this one is by far my favourite. It's filled with such gorgeous designs for you to colour in, and it's so therapeutic! I'm going to make the effort to spend at least an hour each evening away from my phone/laptop and social media, and just loose myself in the Enchanted Forest. This is the only page I've started on so far, but as I do more I'll do a blog post showing how I've coloured them in if that's something you'd like to see?

Thanks for reading,

Tilly.

You can also find me:

Twitter: @onceuponatilly

Instagram: @onceuponatilly

Pinterest: rapunzelx