Monthly Favourites: November

Where has November gone? Like literally the month has flown by and I feel like I've barely managed to accomplish half of what I wanted to. Yet I did manage to club together a good selection of favourites this month. Most of them are non beauty favourites but there are a couple of beauty favourites that have managed to sneak their way in.

The first favourite of the month is something I actually watched in October. The new remake of The Addams Family was my mine and mumma's way of spending Halloween together and it was really good. It did lack the cheesy, old school vibe of the original but it had a quirkiness that worked and didn't make it feel boring or overdone. It also doesn't hurt that Christina Aguilera has a song on the soundtrack that gives me major throwback vibes.

My second favourite this month is Murder Mystery on Netflix. It's not the most high class offering that Netflix has but it was funny and was brilliant to watch as an unwind at the end of a day. Starring Adam Sandler and Jennifer Anniston as a married couple who happen to be invited onto a billionares yacht as a gesture of good will which quickly turns into a murder investigation as everyone they talk to or are seen with dies. I've made it sound better than it probably is but I loved the slightly cheesy humour, the combination of Aniston and Sandler working together again and Luke Evans looked particuarly good in all those well tailored suits his character wears.

Last month I talked about how much I was enjoying the return of Chicago Fire and this month I've thoroughly enjoyed catching up on Chicago P.D. Now into it's seventh season, P.D has already seen one of the original characters leave, a new arrival arrive with a bang, some shocking yet sensational storylines and one the most anxiety ridden fall finales ever. As you read this I will know the outcome of the fall finale but as I write this, I have proper low key anxiety about it. I'm just really hoping they don't kill of this main and well loved character for a cliffhanger or shock value.

You may have seen in My What I Got For Birthday post that I went to the Harry Potter Tour this month and it as phenomenal. I noticed so many small details that I didn't in my original visit last year and it was great to get a closer look at their Dark Arts props and costumes as part of their Dark Arts/Halloween season. I also finally got to see Gringotts in all it's glory, my favourite part being the Dragon's escape just past the vaults. If you haven't got chance to see Gringotts yet, I highly recommend going, it's worth every second.

Novemeber has been the month for music. It started with Lady Antebellum's new album Ocean and has just gotten better since. Ocean has been one of the albums I've been looking forward to since it was announced. It has an extremely old school Lady A sound and I can honestly say that whilst I have my favourites there isn't a single song on there that I dislike. Ocean, Boots, Alright and Be Patient With My Love are my absolute favourites as they are moving, nostalgic and give me all the feels. If you haven't seen the In The Rounds rendition of Be Patient With My Love, go and watch it. It will hit you in the feels and you'll find yourself watching it repeatedly. It's become the perfect accompaniment on an evening when I've got my nose buried in a book.

Another album I've been impatiently waiting for and am mad about is Luke Evan's debut album At Last. I adored him as Gaston in Beauty And The Beast and when it was announced he was releasing an album, it was like all my dreams were coming true. Packed full of new imaginings of many musical and well loved classics, At Last is like the gift that just keeps on giving. From Les Mis to 80's hair ballads, Evans turns each number on it's head, his stunning voice giving them a completely new sound. At Last, If I Could Turn Back Time, First Time I Ever Saw Your Face and Bring Him Home are my absolute favourites from the album, the reimaginings of each one absolutely stunning. It's definitely going to be hard to stop me from listening to both this and Ocean on repeat over the Christmas period.

The last music favourite I have this month was a surprising one as I didn't know she was even releasing new music. Munroe who's better know as Kathleen Munroe released a new song this Wednesday just gone and it's been on repeat ever since. Wreak Havoc is a beautiful folksy number that has moving lyrics and a stunning saxophone underbeat. Written about her time split between Paris and New York the song has a stunning slow rythmn that works wonders with her light and airy voice that is nothing like anything you hear on records these days. I'm so glad that she's released new music, even if it was a surprise.

Now let's move onto my only beauty favourites of the month. The first was a splurge/treat yoself purchase I made last month but I'm so glad I did. The Fenty Beauty Stunna Lip Paint in Uncensored is the most stunning red liquid lipstick I've ever owned. Now that may sound dramatic but I've only worn this liquid lipstick whenever I've worn lipstick this month. A true classic blue toned red, this colour not only flatters my skintone and makes my teeth look whiter but stays in place all day and doesn't feel dry or uncomfortable at all. It's more mousse like formula drys instantly on the lips but doesn't suck all the moisture out of your lips like other liquid lipstick formulas do. Sure it transfers slightly but it isn't obvious and you can easily eat and not need to immediately reapply it. All I will say though is check your teeth before you leave the house. Because it's so liquidy in formula it does quickly transfer onto your teeth when your applying it. I always spend a good half an hour religiously checking my teeth but once it's fully dried you'll be fine.

And my last favourite of the month is one I didn't expect to be including but I've been happily surprised by them. When I went to Harry Potter earlier this month I painted my nails and was happily surprised when I went on to paint them again the week after and again this week. And it's all down to the Barry M Green Origins Nail Paints. One of the newer releases from Barry M, these Green Origin Nail Paints contain less chemicals than other nail paints but still are highly pigmented and have amazing staying power. I've worn the shades Butterscotch, Boysenberry and Rock Pool. All three are highly pigmented and once paired with Green Origins Top Coat don't chip or budge for a good five days at a time. And I've actually really enjoyed painting my nails again, something that used to be more of a chore than a practice of self care.