September Empties

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Aveda Rosemary & Mint Purifying Shampoo & Conditioner – I have become a big fan of the Aveda hair care range, and this duo is one of my new favourites. I saw a noticeable different in how shiny my hair was when I used this, and it felt properly “clean” without feeling stripped or dry. I love the combination of rosemary and mint scents too, so this was a lovely product overall. I will definitely be repurchasing these in the future.
 
The Body Shop Drops of Youth Serum – A good friend of mine recommended this serum, and her skin was GLOWING when I asked her what she was using on her skin so I picked up a bottle straight away. This was a lovely serum, inexpensive and something that worked well with my sensitive skin. I felt that it plumped up my skin and did give me a bit of extra glow (which I needed). I have a few other serums to make my way through, but I will be repurchasing this for sure.
 
Moroccanoil – I have so many half-empty beauty products sitting in my cupboard, and I am making a conscious effort to use a lot of them up. This was something I had been meaning to finish off for a while, and I’m glad that it’s done. I do like Moroccanoil, and I can definitely notice a difference in how sleek and shiny my hair is after I use it in combination with blow drying my hair. Having said that I have started to find it to be a bit too heavy for my fine hair, and I prefer to use a more lightweight option like a cream.
 
Glasshouse Candle in Montego Bay – This is one of my favourite home fragrances, and I have been through so many of these candles throughout the years. I only had a little bit of this one left so I decided to burn it in our living space and finish it off. If you like the sound of a lime / coconut fragrance blend, this could be the perfect candle for you.
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Audio Book Haul

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Why We Sleep: The New Science of Sleep and Dreams – “Sleep is one of the most important aspects of our life, health and longevity and yet it is increasingly neglected in 21st century society, with devastating consequences: every major disease in the developed world – Alzheimer’s, cancer, obesity, diabetes – has very strong causal links to deficient sleep. Until very recently, science had no answer to the question of why we sleep, or what good it served, or why its absence is so damaging to our health. Compared to the other basic drives in life – eating, drinking and reproducing – the purpose of sleep remained elusive. Now, in this audiobook, the first of its kind written by a scientific expert, Professor Matthew Walker explores 20 years of cutting-edge research to solve the mystery of why sleep matters. Looking at creatures from across the animal kingdom as well as major human studies, Why We Sleep delves in to everything from what really happens during REM sleep to how caffeine and alcohol affect sleep and why our sleep patterns change across a lifetime, transforming our appreciation of the extraordinary phenomenon that safeguards our existence.”
 
Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art – “There is nothing more essential to our health and wellbeing than breathing: take air in, let it out, repeat 25,000 times a day. Yet, as a species, humans have lost the ability to breathe correctly, with grave consequences. Journalist James Nestor travels the world to figure out what went wrong and how to fix it. The answers aren’t found in pulmonology labs, as we might expect, but in the muddy digs of ancient burial sites, secret Soviet facilities, New Jersey choir schools, and the smoggy streets of São Paulo, Brazil. Nestor tracks down men and women exploring the hidden science behind ancient breathing practices like Pranayama, Sudarshan Kriya and Tummo and teams up with pulmonary tinkerers to scientifically test long-held beliefs about how we breathe. Modern research is showing us that making even slight adjustments to the way we inhale and exhale can jump-start athletic performance, rejuvenate internal organs, halt snoring, allergies, asthma and autoimmune disease, and even straighten scoliotic spines. None of this should be possible, and yet it is. Drawing on thousands of years of medical texts and recent cutting-edge studies in pulmonology, psychology, biochemistry and human physiology, Breath turns the conventional wisdom of what we thought we knew about our most basic biological function on its head. You will never breathe the same again.”
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September TBR (Nostalgic Reads)

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Sweet Valley University #13 – SS Heartbreak – “When Elizabeth Wakefield catches Tom Watts kissing another woman on the Lido Deck, she can’t believe her eyes. Elizabeth tells Tom to get out of her life forever. But can she get him out of her heart? Todd Wilkins is confused. He thought he was still in love with Elizabeth, but now that she’s giving him a chance to rekindle their romance, he finds himself fantasizing about another woman. Jessica Wakefield is running out of patience. She’s desperate to find the dashing stranger who saved her life, but he refuses to come forward. Is he just shy – or does he have something to hide?”
 
Goosebumps #3 – Monster Blood – “While staying with his weird great-aunt Kathryn, Evan visits a funky old toy store and buys a dusty can of monster blood, It’s fun to play with at first. And Evan’s dog, Trigger, likes it so much, he eats some! But then Evan notices something weird about the green slimy stuff it seems to be growing. And growing. And growing. And all that growing has given the monster blood a monstrous appetite…”
 
Sweet Valley High #16 – Rags to Riches – “No one would have guessed that Roger Barrett, the poorest boy in Sweet Valley, was really one of the Patmans, the wealthiest family in town. But when Roger’s mother dies, the secret of his birth is revealed, and overnight he becomes a millionaire! Immediately Jessica Wakefield sets her sights on Roger and his newfound wealth. Only one thing stands in her way – Olivia Davidson, Roger’s longtime girlfriend. But not for long. Jessica has a surefire plan to take care of her!”
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Spring Beauty Haul (part 2)

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Ultra Violette Supreme Sunscreen – I have been faithful to my Paula’s Choice SPF for a few years now, but I decided to branch out and try something different this season. I’ve heard many great things about the Ultra Violette range, so I’m excited to try this out and see what I think.
 
L’Occitane Almond Shower Oil – I haven’t used this shower oil in years, but when I was thinking about what I wanted to stock my beauty cupboard with this season, this instantly came to mind. It’s a beautiful lightweight oil that lathers up slightly, and leaves my skin feeling silky soft. The smell is also lovely, light and fresh with just a hint of almond.
 
Glasshouse Montego Bay Hand Cream – I keep a tube of hand cream on my desk at work, and thanks to the amount of hand washing and hand sanitising I’ve been doing lately, I’ve been using a lot of it up. I love the Montego Bay scent range from Glasshouse, it’s a warm-weather fragrance for me so I thought it would be a good choice to use for Spring and Summer this year.
 
L’Occitane Cleansing and Exfoliating Shower Scrub with Flaked Almonds – I wanted to pick up a body scrub that would compliment the shower gel I was using, and as this was in the same range as the Almond Shower Oil I felt like it would be a good fit. As soon as I opened this to use it in the shower I was instantly transported back to my last trip to Singapore. The smell of this reminds me so much of the Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt fragrance (which I wore on that trip to Singapore). I’m officially obsessed.
Posted in: haul, spring/summer

Nostalgic Book Haul (September)

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Sweet Valley High #44 – Pretenses – “Cara Walker feels that her boyfriend, Steven Wakefield, isn’t paying enough attention to her. Suddenly he’s acting aloof and withdrawn. Cara’s good friend Jessica, Steven’s sister, suggests that Cara add some mystery to the relationship. When Cara takes Jessica’s advice, it backfires. Steven starts to act even more distant, and Cara is sure he’s hiding something. He used to confide in her, but now it seems he’s tuming to his sister Elizabeth’s friend Abbie Richardson. Will Cara discover Steven’s secret before she’s replaced by someone new?”
 
Goosebumps #19 – Deep Trouble – “Billy and his sister, Sheena, are visiting their uncle Dr. Deep on a tiny Caribbean island. It’s the perfect place to go exploring underwater… and Billy’s ready for an adventure. There’s only one rule to remember: Stay away from the coral reefs. Still, the reefs are so beautiful. So peaceful. Billy can’t resist. But he’s not alone in the water. Something’s lurking deep below the surface. Something dark and scaly. Something that’s half-human, half-fish…”
 
Sweet Valley University #44 – Love Me Always – “Nick Fox is leaving Sweet Valley–forever. In exchange for his testimony against Clay DiPalma, the government is sending him away with a new identity, and not even his beloved Jessica Wakefield can know where–or who–he’ll be. Nick and Jessica can hardly stand the pain of saying good-bye. And there’s a shocking twist of fate in store for them both… Elizabeth Wakefield can’t deny her heartbreaking suspicions about what really happened between Tom Watts and Dana Upshaw… and she’s about to hear the awful truth from Dana herself. Will Elizabeth write it off as one of Dana’s wicked games? Or will she find the strength to confront the real liar–the man she loves?”
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