Four Novels Read In Lockdown
Saturday, May 30, 2020
As mentioned in my recent book haul, I have been enjoying reading again, now that we are on lockdown and I have much more time. While I enjoy reading a variety of different books, from history, memoirs to classic fiction, over the past two months I have read four novels that are worth sharing with you all.
The first two of the books I read, I used the app BorrowBox, an app that connects to your local library - you need a library card for this, but that's very easy to get if you don't have one, even from the comfort of your own home. It works in the exact same way a library does, reserving, borrowing, renewing and returning books, and there is such a great selection of books; both featured in today's post are relatively new and popular. It is even more useful with libraries not currently open - the perfect way to save money and read some good books!
The Giver of Stars - Jojo Moyes
While Jojo Moyes has plenty of best-selling books, before The Giver of Stars I had never read any of her work, so wasn't sure what to expect. From my knowledge, I believe this was her first based on a true story, set in 1930s Kentucky about a group called the packhorse librarians. Her protagonist, Alice, is from England, swept away to the states after marrying an American husband. However, this exciting new life she was promised didn't live up to her expectations - until she volunteered to join the librarians who deliver books on horses to families across the area.
The strongest themes in this book are friendship, empowerment and freedom; Moyes raises brilliant points about attitudes towards gender and race in 1930s America through the diverse range of characters. I absolutely loved this one - you will find yourself rooting for the main characters through their struggles and hoping for a happy ending for them all.
City of Girls - Elizabeth Gilbert
Largely set in 1940s Manhattan, City of Girls is just as glamorous as it sounds. After dropping out of college, Vivian Morris' life changes when her parents send her to live with her theatre-loving Aunt in New York. The narrative comes from Vivian at ninety-five years old, reciting the story of her life to 'Angela', whose father Vivian had a connection to.
The first page of the novel sets out that it will explain who Angela's father was to Vivian, however I felt disappointed that they only "officially" meet 80% of the way through the book - I felt like I was waiting for something for so long and couldn't work out what direction the book was taking. For me, it was worth reading for that final twenty percent of the novel, the life of Angela's father was far more compelling than Vivian, who spent a lot of time frolicking around the city, oblivious to world war. The book explores feminism, friendship and the many different kinds of love and I did enjoy it, but it didn't stand out to me.
Expectation - Anna Hope
This novel had been sitting on my shelf for a few months and yet I hadn't picked it up, because I had high hopes and was so scared it wasn't going to live up to my expectations. However, I'm so glad I finally read it this month, because I loved it just as much as I hoped I would.
Anna Hope's story focuses on three women, Hannah, Cate and Lissa, who were the best of friends living together in their twenties, yet ten years later all three of them find their lives to be not as they expected. Through flashbacks to parts of their life as young as twelve years old, as well as their uni years, you really get to know the characters and everything they have been through. Hope manages to create three women who are such three dimensional characters - they wear their flaws on their sleeve, and yet they are so relatable and lovable. Of course, I absolutely loved the London setting - the author goes into great detail describing the area making me miss my uni city even more.
The Flat Share - Beth O'Leary
After seeing this novel all over Instagram over the past few months, I finally gave in to the hype. The Flat Share's narrative alternates between two characters, Tiffy and Leon, who share a flat and a bed but have never met. Described as the perfect rom-com novel, the book is on the whole very light-hearted and provides plenty of laughter, but also delves into some more serious topics including the effects of a gaslighting ex-boyfriend, and a wrongly imprisoned brother.
I read this in a day and a half, undoubtedly the sort of novel that I couldn't put down no matter how hard I tried. I loved the technique of the two characters writing post-it note letters between themselves as they got to know each other better. The side characters are equally as endearing; friends, family and patients, I found myself caring about them just as much as the main characters. Instagram is right - this book is brilliant and I can't wait to read more from the author (I have The Switch on my shelf, and I'm excited!).
Overall, all four of these books are worth reading, but I particularly recommend The Giver of Stars for someone interested in historical fiction, and The Flat Share for a feel-good that is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Make sure to follow me on goodreads to keep up with all the books I read!
Have you read any good novels lately? I've got a few more to get through on my shelf, but welcome all recommendations!
EG x
Rimmel Magnif'Eyes - The Perfect Naked Heat Dupe?!
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
Rimmel's Magnif'eyes palette in Spice - a gorgeous, twelve shade blend of eyeshadows that happens to remind me of something else in my collection...
I'm not usually a big fan of 'dupes', partly because I find it a bit cheeky, also because you can never get as good as the actual product itself. Right? But when I realised how similar the Rimmel palette is to my much-loved Naked Heat palette, my perception of dupes changed ever so slightly, because here's a palette that actually deserves some praise of its own.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
I've owned the Naked Heat palette for ages now, getting it not long after it launched and loving it tremendously, as the introduction to warm-toned shadows that I am still totally obsessed with. Gifted the Rimmel palette a few months ago, I couldn't believe how high quality the shades were when I tried them out. They were really easy to blend and lasted all day, and that really surprised me - I expected it to have disappeared by lunch time! But I still doubted it could live up to my beloved Naked Heat surely?
It wasn't until I had the palettes side by side that I noticed how ridiculously alike they are. The reason why these palettes look so similar is because like the Naked Heat, Rimmel's palette also has twelve shades, ranging from beige to reds to plums in the same order. Because of this, it is quite easy to compare the shades like-for-like. However, one key difference is that the Urban Decay eyeshadows all have names, whereas the Rimmel ones don't. I guess this is due to the detail put into the palette by the brand, hence Urban Decay has the higher price point.
SHADE COMPARISON
Let's talk about the shades! My up close photos of the palettes are totally unfiltered so you can truly see the similarities and differences between them. The first shade in the Naked Heat is Ounce, a gorgeous champagne-toned highlighting shimmer. The corresponding shade in the Rimmel palette is a fair bit more white toned; I prefer the more subtle highlight, but this isn't a huge difference. The second and fourth shades in both palettes are neutral mattes and they are both very similar to each other, both in terms of colour and pigmentation.
The third shade of the Rimmel palette is where it differs from the Naked Heat the most. Instead of an orange-toned transitional matte like Chaser, we have a really pretty brown toned shimmer. This is a welcome difference, because the shimmer is really pretty.
The fifth shade in the Naked Heat is Lumbre, a red shimmer with gold reflects. It looks very similar to the corresponding Rimmel shade in the pan, however the amount of pay off on the eye is very different, and not in the way you would expect. Lumbre has always been the shade that disappointed me in the Naked Heat, because it was never quite pigmented enough. However, Rimmel's shadow shows up exactly how it should and is super pretty - point to Rimmel on this one!
Carrying on through the palette we can see some very subtle differences; the mattes corresponding with He Devil and Cayenne are more orange toned - I think I would miss that true red He Devil offers, as one of my favourites in the Naked Heat. The plum similar to Ashes also doesn't have quite the same depth. However, the three remaining shimmers are all very similar to each other, and the burgundy matte similar to En Fuego is basically a carbon copy.
SWATCHES
Unusually for me, I decided to pop some swatches into the post so you can get a feel for the pigmentation of the shadows. The fifth shade of the Rimmel palette is on top, followed by UD's Lumbre - you can really see how disappointing it is compared to the Rimmel version, can't you? It's the exact opposite of what you would expect! However, the bottom two shadows are almost indistinguishable - this goes to show how similar the palettes are.
PACKAGING
Comparing the packaging, Urban Decay's is much more sturdy and durable - it certainly feels like the luxury palette you're paying for. On the other hand, Rimmel's is not too bulky making it perfect for travel. It's also worth bearing in mind that the brush that comes with UD's palette is incredibly good quality whereas Rimmel's is a flimsy little thing. But, that is what you would expect and at the end of the day, it's the eyeshadows we're paying for here!
FINAL THOUGHTS
So, is it worth paying over £40 for Urban Decay's Naked Heat, or should you go for Rimmel's Magnif'Eyes Spice for a fraction of the price? Comparing the eyeshadows like-for-like, I have to be honest - Urban Decay's are really not that much better. Rimmel have really surprised me with this one, although I do find it a bit cheeky that they seemed to have copied Urban Decay's cult favourite!
Have you ever found a product very similar to one of your favourites? Or perhaps tried either of these? I would love to hear!
EG x
Book Haul
Wednesday, May 20, 2020
Lockdown has been the perfect opportunity for me to renew my love of books and reading - one of my goals for this year was to read more books, and although it was already going well before lockdown, I obviously have even more time now. However, I do miss the days where I could pop into a Waterstones and explore all the new-in books; if I'm honest, it's probably one of my normal life aspects that I miss the most. Instead, the book discovering void has been filled by the likes of Instagram so the list of what I want to read has been really influenced by bloggers' favourites.
One of my favourite places to find books is BorrowBox, the app equivalent of your local library. I've spoken about it a lot before, and will do again soon when I write about a few books I've currently read on there, but for today I will be talking about some books I decided to buy in physical form. BorrowBox has a very good selection, but it doesn't have everything, and I prefer a proper book when wanting to read outside on a sunny day.
I picked up five books from my local big Tesco, that came to £21 in total which is an unbeatable price. I had a look at these books on Amazon and it would have cost me almost double, plus this was an experience almost as good as browsing books in Waterstones. I definitely recommend having a quick look down the book aisle while doing your supermarket shop because there are some really good bargains to be found.
The Flat Share - Beth O'Leary
Instagram's favourite novel was the first into my basket - after all, it was the book I had come to look for! The novel is about two characters, Tiffy & Leon, who share a flat but have never actually met. I don't think I have ever read a bad review of this one, instead plenty of praise! It has been hailed as the perfect modern rom-com story so I can't wait to dive straight in.
Never Greener - Ruth Jones
All paperbacks were on a 2 for £8 deal, so of course this began the difficult decision of which other one to get. I had picked up Ruth Jones' debut novel, Never Greener, on a table inside the Waterstones at Trafalgar Square a few months ago and it sounded so interesting that I never forgot it. This is a 'one that got away' tale which I have high-hopes for, since we already know from Gavin & Stacey that write loveable and hilarious characters.
Wolf Hall - Hilary Mantel
It seems very out of character for me to buy a book set in Tudor England, of all things. But after begrudgingly studying a module about the subject all year and then the work being futile because my exams were cancelled, I want a reason to put that knowledge to good use, and this will be reading the best-seller Wolf Hall. It has had raving reviews and even a tv series made out of it (which I wish I could watch just because Claire Foy stars in it) so I look forward to reading it, and you never know, I may actually end up enjoying the Tudors for once!
Half A World Away - Mike Gayle
I've seen some great reviews about this novel on blogs and Instagram, but for some reason I didn't feel too compelled to read it until I saw it in person. The novel is about two siblings who were separated at childhood - one adopted and enjoying a successful life, the other went into care and struggling. Everything changes when one gets in contact with the other. This sounded really interesting, especially because one character lives in Primrose Hill, so perhaps the novel will transport me back to the London I miss.
The Switch - Beth O'Leary
Initially I wasn't going to purchase this until I had read her debut, The Flat Share, but a hardback for £5 was too difficult to resist. In The Switch, a grandmother from Yorkshire trades lives with her granddaughter living in London. This sounded like a really fun idea and again, is a novel with lots of buzz about it right now, so I can't wait to give it a read.
Have you picked up any new books recently? I would love to hear what you're about to start reading, and can't wait to update you about how I find these!
EG x
Sitcom Style Icons
Wednesday, May 13, 2020
Here's two things I love: sitcoms, and fashion. It often surprises me how much the two actually overlap, and how often I get a little distracted when watching a show by their amazing outfits! Their wardrobe departments often pull out all the stops, and I've even been so inspired by some characters to even purchase similar pieces before. Here are a few of my sitcom style icons.
Eleanor Shellstrop - The Good Place
Whenever I watch The Good Place, it is unbelievable how often I find myself wanting the wardrobe of Kristen Bell's character Eleanor. I am obsessed with some of her smarter looks in the later seasons, featuring blazers and a gorgeous light blue suit - I love how she also casuals them up with trainers. I purchased this stripy, short-sleeved shirt pretty much because the one she can be spotted wearing in a couple of episodes, and I've also brought back out my old Adidas Stan Smiths that she wears very often. She even has a lovely collection of dresses, such as the black floral day-dress worn at the end of the season 1 finale. Such a style icon!
Shirt - New Look
Dress - New Look
Trainers - Adidas
Blazer - Warehouse
Rachel Green - Friends
Friends is full of amazing nineties style, and it's no wonder that Rachel, working in fashion and all, would become a style icon not just for me, but for many. It's hard to narrow down Rachel's best outfits because there are simply so many hits. The beige trousers Rachel wears in season 2 would easily fit right into any wardrobe right now, for maximum style and comfort. I absolutely love the black and white mini dress from season 1, and it's super easy to replicate, twenty-five years later! A Rachel Green statement piece has to be some dungarees, which you will find her wearing a ton in the early seasons, and I have to say that her short dungarees are just the cutest!
Dungarees - Monki
Gingham Dress - Miss Selfridge
Gingham Skirt - Topshop
Beige Trousers - Gap
Monica Geller - Friends
You thought Rachel is the only style icon on Friends? Think again! Monica might not work in fashion like Rachel, but she often gives her a run for her money in the wardrobe department. My favourite thing about Monica's style will always be her use of denim, the straight leg jeans that we often see her wear throughout the show are a staple in my own wardrobe.
White shirt -
Ripped jeans (left) - Mango
Light jeans (right) - Topshop
Trainers - Converse
Gina Linetti & Amy Santiago - Brooklyn Nine Nine
Gina's brash personality means she's not my favourite of the B99 clan, but her fashion, particularly in the show's third season, almost makes up for it. I absolutely adore the long camel coat she wears that it was part of the reason I had to get my own. Brooklyn Nine Nine's character Amy is more often than not seen on duty in the precinct so we don't really get to see her have much fun with fashion, however at a 90s themed event in season 6, the orange tea dress she wears is so similar to much of our high street's dress section today.
Camel coat (above) - Monki
Camel coat (below) - New Look
Red turtleneck - Monki
Yellow dress - Miss Selfridge
Orange Dress - Boohoo (sold out - but I can't get over what a match it is!)
Erin Quinn - Derry Girls
Being set in the 90s, Derry Girls is full of nineties style and boy is it amazing. The main character, Erin's style is my favourite - I'm pretty sure she's the only character ever who could possibly pull off double denim. However, it's her red playsuit in the holiday episode that I love the most, especially paired with the denim jacket and little rounded sunglasses - I need this look in my life right now!
Playsuit - Abercrombie
Denim Jacket - New Look
Ribbed Top - Hollister
Jeans - Monki
Trainers - Converse
I would love to hear who you think the most stylish tv or movie characters are - perhaps I could do a part 2! Have any sitcom characters ever influenced your style?
EG x
Affiliate links used throughout the post. Photos sourced from the retailers' websites and Netflix.
Affordable Perfection - The Revolution Pro Palette
Wednesday, May 06, 2020
Revolution Pro - a brand found in Superdrug with a drugstore price, yet a luxurious, high-end look. But does it have high-end quality to match? I tried one of their Supreme palettes to find out!
Dermalogica: Worth the Hype?
Saturday, May 02, 2020
I've been seeing Dermalogica's skincare products all over my Instagram feed over the past few months, and really wanted to give them a go. Back when my Vogue subscription renewed, the 'Meet Dermalogica' kit was its free gift, which is honestly insane because these products are worth more than the magazine subscription itself!
The set comes with Dermalogica's four best-selling products in miniature form, as an introduction to their brand. This is such a good idea, because it provides a great opportunity to trial the products before taking the plunge and purchasing full size products, especially because this isn't the cheapest skincare brand in the world. Perhaps suggested by its price point, Dermalogica is known for its no-fuss, high quality products, so I couldn't wait to see if they live up to the hype.
DAILY MICROFOLIANT
The first product in the set is the Daily Microfoliant, an exfoliating powder. Now, I had never used anything like this before so had nothing to compare it to, but that made me even more excited to try it out. The product works by sprinkling a little bit into your hands and adding water to create a paste, which I was really impressed by how quickly and easily it forms. Then, gently smooth this into dry areas of the skin to exfoliate before rinsing away.
The Daily Microfoliant is an absolute dream in combatting dry skin - I've already written about it in my six skincare saviours because of how much it impressed me. I tend to get dry skin around my eyebrows, and saw a real improvement after using this. I'm not sure I would use it everyday, perhaps a couple of times a week, but for someone with dry skin I imagine this would be a daily essential.
SPECIAL CLEANSING GEL
Dermalogica have literally named this product 'special', so they obviously think it's worth raving about themselves. Does it live up to its name? I am very happy to announce that it does.
I've tried a few cleansers over the past year or so and generally they all seem to do what they say on the tin, neither better than the other. I did expect Dermalogica's cleanser to be the same to be honest, I expected it to work, but not particularly stand out. How I was wrong! I absolutely love the 'gel' formula, a really unique element that makes it stand out against the competition. It feels so refreshing and is a real treat to use.
SKIN SMOOTHING CREAM
Following the cleanser, I've been using the Skin Smoothing Cream, Dermalogica's moisturiser to hydrate the skin. Unlike the cleanser, I haven't seen huge benefits of this compared to my other moisturisers, be it Simple or Pixi. I like its lightweight formula and it is really easy to blend into the skin, leaving a comfortable finish.MULTIVITAMIN POWER FIRM
The name seems quite elusive, but power firm is Dermalogica's eye cream, packed with vitamins to combat aging. I expected this to be my least favourite product, simply because being nineteen, 'age smart' products don't particularly appeal to me. The texture is soft and lightweight and like the moisturiser, doesn't feel overly greasy after applying, instead blending in comfortably. This could definitely be worth checking out if you are looking for a product for combatting lines.
WOULD I PURCHASE THE FULL-SIZE?
Having tried the miniature forms of the Dermalogica products, do I believe any to be worth the splurge? The Special Cleansing Gel is, in my opinion, worth purchasing in a full-size because it feels incredible and has impressed me more than any other cleansers. The gel formula just isn't something you see from every brand, and is really high quality.
I was impressed by the Daily Microfoliant, but even the miniature size I have is worth £13.50. I am glad, however, that it has introduced me to exfoliating powders, and might have to go on the look-out for a more inexpensive option to see how they compare. I've enjoyed using the smoothing cream, but not more than moisturisers I already have, so I'm not sure it would be worth the purchase.
Have you tried Dermalogica products? I would love to hear your thoughts, and any recommendations!
EG x
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