August Favourites

Helloooo! Today I'm writing about my favourite products/items throughout the month of August, from clothes to beauty to books. Sadly, the end of August means that I'll be going back to school tomorrow, but hopefully because I'm in transition year I'll have enough free time to still get a blog post up every weekend!

  

My first favourites are these comfortable black slip on shoes. They're just like the Vans slip-ons, but at a much more affordable price! I love them because they're so easy to throw on if you're running out the door, so they'd make great shoes to wear to school for people that don't have a uniform.

buy here

Next I have this navy sweatshirt from Stradivarius which I featured in my recent haul. This is a staple piece that I'd been looking for for such a long time, and now that I have it I can't stop wearing it! It's really simple and casual and I'm really glad I found it.

I've been loving strobing lately (I have a tutorial here!) and the That Gal illuminating primer from Benefit is wonderful for getting that glowing look. I've even worn it without any other makeup on occasion, and it looks great every time!

buy here

 Another favourite of mine for bright skin is the Wake Me Up concealer from Rimmel. I only bought this a week ago after having used (and loved) the foundation for two years, and I already know that I'll be repurchasing once I run out!

buy here

 Another Rimmel item, their Brow This Way brow gel has been fantastic at adding thickness and colour to my otherwise non-existant eyebrows!

buy here

To keep my skin feeling smooth and smelling all citrus-y, I've used the Soap&Glory Sugar Crush body butter. I'm obsessed with this scent! I know that there's people who won't like it, as it's a really sickly sweet lime fragrance, but I for one absolutely love it.

buy here

 For nails, this month I wanted to stick with classic block colours, rather than trying out new nail art, and what's a more classic nail polish colour than red? This mini Dior polish is a true red, and when paired with the topcoat to match, the colour lasts without chipping for at least five days!

Finally, the book I've been reading for most of this month is All I Know Now by YouTuber and Les Mis star Carrie Hope Fletcher. I've been watching Carrie's videos for quite some time now, even since before she was Eponine, and I truly think she is one of the best and most down-to-earth YouTubers in the game. Last August, I had the opportunity to see her in Les Mis, and was blown away by the performance she gave!

But enough about that, lets get to the book. Heartwarming, funny, and insightful, Carrie's guide to "growing up gracefully" is the perfect book for teenagers in need of some advice or just some funny stories to read. She writes with very relaxed language, as if she's just having a chat with a friend, and has tips on everything on 'Internetiquette' to dealing with love and heartbreak. I would definitely recommend this book to people from ages 12 to 18, but I think there's something to take away from it no matter what age you read it at!

buy here

Thank you for reading my August favourites!

                                                                                                    Sarah-Rose xx

Healthy Granola Bar Recipe

I haven't written a recipe on here for a long time, so I thought I'd share this delicious granola bar recipe that I've adapted from one the wonderful Natalie posted on her Instagram! The recipes are a little different, so make sure to check out both!

You Will Need:

1. 2 bananas
2. 2 eggs
3. 1 tsp of vanilla extract
4. 1 tbsp of honey
5. 2 tbsp smooth peanut butter
6. Handful of granola
7. 2 1/2 cups of oats
8. Dark chocolate chips

Firstly, mash the two bananas. For this I just use a fork, but if you've got easier, quicker method, let me know! Whisk the two eggs, and combine all of the ingredients (other than the dark chocolate chips) in a large mixing bowl.

Spread the mixture into a baking tray lined with grease-proof paper, and pop it into the oven for half an hour, or until it's golden brown.

Once it was cooked, I sprinkled on some dark chocolate chips (optional, but they add some extra sweetness!) and sliced it into 16 little bars, perfect for a quick and filling snack!

I hope you enjoyed reading,

                                                                      Sarah-Rose x

Haul - Penneys, Stradivarius, Topshop

 I always find that it's very difficult to create outfits at this time of year. In Ireland it never really gets very warm for more than a week or two, so most of my summer clothes stay in the back of the closet until I go abroad. Having said this, I can't resist shopping, and while I was in Tenerife in mid July, and in Dublin last week, I picked up some practical pieces that I know I'll wear continuously, whatever the weather.

 The week before going on holidays, I popped into Penneys (Primark) to get some crop tops. These are great to have, as they can be thrown on over a pair of denim cutoffs, or dressed up with a skirt and some jewellery. I bought them in neutral colours to bring me into autumn, and they're something I can see myself wearing all year round. Plus, they were all under five euro!

buy here 

 Sticking with the crop top trend, I was in Stradivarius in Tenerife and bought two of the same top in different colours. These are just simple cropped tank tops, and really remind me of styles found in Brandy Melville. 

I had only ever been in Stradivarius in Dublin once, and the store was nothing special. This is why I was pleasantly surprised when I visited the chain in Tenerife, and it was completely different - clean, bright, organised and, most importantly, with beautiful clothes! It's amazing how much a shop can improve based on layout alone, while selling the same products.

Possibly my favourite item that I've purchased in a long time, these shorts are so beautiful that I wish I had the weather to wear them properly! Nonetheless, I've persevered and worn them despite our climate, and I'm in love. They are so easily paired with a simple white tee tucked in, or a pop of pink, or dressed up with a breezy silk shirt and some cleverly selected jewellery. The downside for any readers is that I didn't buy them at a chain store, but at a small pop-up boutique. I'm trying to find something similar to link, but they're very unique! 

 Back to Stradivarius, I got this simple navy hoodless sweatshirt. I've been looking for something like this for so long, as all of the sweatshirts like this that I've found have giant logos or slogans on them, and I really wanted something simple. Not only did I find exactly the style of sweatshirt I was looking for, but it was on sale, too - from twenty six euro, down to six!

 Another staple I was looking for was this cream knit cardigan, which will be perfect for when I want to re-wear summer outfits in autumn, but want to fight the chill.

 My last Stradivarius item (I didn't realise I'd bought this much!) is this loose fitting flannel shirt, perfect for tying around your waist or as a cover-up over sleeveless tops/dresses. Again, a great piece to transfer into your autumn wardrobe.

buy here

Last but not least are these black skinny Joni jeans from Topshop. I had been eyeing these for quite a while, as I have no black jeans, and I keep wanting to pair them with outfits. Lucky for me, I received a One4All gift voucher last week, so I could finally justify buying them! They're so comfortable and easy to wear, and I'm so glad that I know have them.

Sadly a lot of these items were on sale, or aren't on their websites, so the links to buy them are only under the clothes that I could find online!

Thank you so much for reading!

                                                                          Sarah-Rose

My Haircare Routine

  During the summer, my hair always becomes dry. Even if we aren't getting that much sun in Ireland this year (and by that I mean we're getting absolutely none) my hair still feels the humidity and I wind up with brittle ends. I have quite thick, long hair, so taking good care of it is a must, as I have so much of it! Read on for how I keep my hair smooth and shiny in summer.

Coconut oil is my holy grail haircare product. Honestly, I don't want to know how much frizzier my hair would be without it. The night before I wash my hair, I take a grape sized amount and rub it between my hands until it melts. I then massage it into my hair, starting at the bottom and working my way up to my scalp. I find that coconut oil makes my hair smoother, shinier and much easier to work with. It also doesn't leave my hair greasy or heavy after I've washed it out!

When I wash my hair, I've been using the OGX Renewing Argan Oil of Morocco shampoo and conditioner. Both of these products are very thick and lather easily, which is brilliant because it means a little goes a very long way. Although I like using them, in my opinion I don't think they are worth the cost, as I've tried other shampoo/conditioner combos that work just as well for much cheaper!

While my hair is still wet, I smooth a small amount of the Garnier Ultimate Blends Sleek Perfector Oil into it so that my hair detangles more easily and I can brush it out without it breaking. To brush it out, I use a Tangle Teezer which, again, won't break my hair. Seeing a trend here?

Usually I let my hair dry naturally, but if I blowdry it, the heat protectant I use is by VO5. I spray this all over my hair and then brush it through so that it's evenly distributed. 

I have no special way of blowdrying my hair, I usually just tip my head upside down and don't hold it in one place for too long.

Thank you for reading!

                                               Sarah-Rose x