A monthly collection of five of our favourite things done, seen, tasted, heard, smelt, worn, bought, savoured, enjoyed, touched, liked or loved.
The first few months of this year have been a crazy whirlwind of unexpected events, and although this blog is one of my most treasured things, it seems to have been pushed to the side these last few weeks. However, sitting down to write this Favourite Five has certainly made me realise just how many things (and people) make my life amazing! Here you go…
1. Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara
Hands down, the best mascara I have used to date! I have tried many drug store brands (I have yet to test most high-end ones, so this verdict might change once I do) and this one seems to really stay true to what it promises! So much so that I have, on numerous occasions, been asked “are those your real lashes” #winningatlife
The magic lies in the clever design of the brush; one side consists of short, densely packed bristles to make sure the roots of your lashes get deposited with the good stuff while the other side is made up of longer bristles to sweep through the rest of the lashes for the “full fan effect”.
I’ve found that many other mascara’s tend to clump and not last the entire day; flakes end up on my cheeks and there are dark smudges under my eyes – this one stays put the entire day – it’s amazing! I can’t think of anything that I do not like about this product – it’s affordable, effective and you don’t need to apply multiple layers for the desired look. I give it the very big thumbs UP!
The top left picture show my eyelashes with just one layer of mascara
2. Mungo Flat Weave Towels
I discovered Mungo this past December in Plettenberg Bay, and I was so impressed with their range of products that I DID NOT leave empty handed, like I had initially promised I would. Mungo was founded in 1998 by Stuart Holding, a master weaver with a very interesting story behind him. The company weaves and produces a wide range of linens, throws, blankets and towelling apparel – all products are 100% locally manufactured where the utilisation of natural fibres is key; they do not mass produce their range and the products are much more hardwearing than usual. I indulged in their flat weave range of cotton towels, specifically the 100% cotton Tawalu range. I absolutely love their texture, their colours, their patterns, the humongous size of the bath sheet and most of all – I love that they retain their shape and softness after washing. I would highly recommend a squiz at their website – even though they are based in Plett, they ship across the country and even internationally! To top it off – you will be supporting local manufacturers and job creation which always feels good 🙂
3. Thunderstorm Sounds
Falling asleep lately has become a bit of a battle for me. Add social media trawls and candy crush (don’t judge me) to the mix before bed and it doesn’t help the matter; my brain seems to stay active long after the lights go out. I have however discovered an AMAZING cure to this problem – thunderstorm sounds! After discovering the many benefits of Apple Music (a whole other post which I need to write) I realised that I could listen to calming rain sounds without ever having to take up space on my phone. Every night I hit play, and for an hour and 20 minutes, I fall asleep to the most soothing, calming rain sounds that transport me into the deepest of sleeps. It’s something I also suggested to Steph when he had to share a room with a very heavy snorer and it worked like a charm. It is definitely worth a try, and if you are anything like me – you will be hooked from the first night. It’s a pleasure.
4. Joy
The 8th March (last week Monday) marked International Woman’s Day; a celebration of woman across the globe. I thought it quite fitting that one of my favourites for the month, and actually the first ever movie I went to watch at the cinema by myself, was this powerful film. I don’t want to detail the story line in case anyone hasn’t yet seen it, but what I will say is the following: it’s powerful, it’s motivating and it’s incredibly well acted. I have heard mixed reviews on the film, but personally I absolutely loved it. I firmly believe that you can do anything if you want it bad enough – and this is a story about that, and about never giving up. It may also help that I am mildly obsessed with J Law (Jennifer Lawrence)!
5. The Makery
Another proudly South African favourite this month is The Makery, and their signature beaded heart-string necklaces. Two weeks ago, we visited the awesome pop-up shop hosted by Johannesburg based stylist and personal shopper, Pippa J. Amongst the gorgeous clothing were a number of jewellery pieces on display from The Makery. Again, Ilaria could not walk out empty handed (hence why I avoided the no-shop challenge). I bought myself two stunning necklaces which are a really great addition to my accessories collection. They are handmade, colourful and have a bit of a ‘boho’ feel to them; a perfect match to a plain white tee and jeans. If you are based in JHB, you can find their items at the Five Fish gift boutique in Greenside, or you can hop onto their website and purchase online.
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