What I loved in February

 

The end of another month, and the season of hope is upon us! My January was a bit of a washout - I wasn't ready for it, and was still in Christmas mode until half way through, so I decided to press re-set on the year on February 1st, only to be greeted by Covid...... again! It meant plenty of rest and meds, watching feel good films and shows, plus a few great beauty products thrown in for good measure, which I'm going to share with you today. It would be very remiss of me to continue posting about beauty/tv/life in general, without mentioning what is happening in Ukraine. My husband and I talk about it daily, saying how blessed we are that we live a life where we have freedom to choose so much - we feel guilty that we even discuss what we might eat for dinner, when there are people losing their lives on a daily basis, for no valid reason. We've seen the Russian Ambassador to Ireland on tv trying to justify the actions of his country, but there is no justification and he just tells lie after lie, so much so, the news anchor just cut him off when he'd heard enough and realised that interviewing him served no purpose. What the people in Ukraine are going through barely leaves my mind for a moment, and I hope that the response is very strong and united, despite Putin's threats. I hope that Europe will take Ukranian refugees, yet they should not have to leave their homes. I cannot imagine the distress of those waiting for their loved ones to arrive back, for those who have used somebody in the country to have their surrogate baby, and of those living there every day. My heart is with each and every one of them, and I wish there was a way to help (apart from donating to charities, which I have done). I also want to add that I admire the protestors on the streets of Russia, who are taking huge risks to show their disgust and abhorrence for what their leader is doing. I hope that people will separate the actions of Putin from Russian people, in general - we don't need any further hate in this world. 

Beauty:

Essie Hard To Resist Nail Strengthener*: This is a new product from Essie, and it arrived through my letterbox at the perfect time. I take care of my hands and nails, but the medication I was on just dried out  every part of me - skin, hair, lips, nails etc. My, usually strong nails, broke (and they broke very low down, which was painful), and I also noticed that despite using a base coat, my nails were a little discoloured from the deeper colours I wore over the pre-Christmas period. This product is used by applying two layers on clean nails, and I could honestly feel a difference in the strength of my nails within a few days. I have been using it for a few weeks now and my nails are now getting back to themselves, plus the staining is less visible. If you have weak or brittle nails, I'd highly recommend using this, which is now on offer in Boots.

Erborian Skin Hero Bare Skin Perfector*: I've barely worn any makeup this month, but I've been loving this product because it blurs the appearance of pores, makes the skin look even in tone, but also smooth - basically, my skin, but a lot better!! It also has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties, which are very welcome. I've basically only been wearing this over my skincare on a daily basis.

Spotlight Teeth Whitening Strips: I use these once a year as a top up, and seeing as I was in bed anyway, I figured I may as well do a top up and emerge with whiter teeth! The active ingredient is Hydrogen Peroxide, which is at the highest safe level that can be used within the EU. There is no sensitivity associated with using them (and I have very sensitive teeth), and my teeth are definitely brighter after using them for a week. Don't get me wrong - they don't look like veneers, but definitely whiter than at the beginning.

This Works Sleep Plus+ Pillow Spray: You will have seen this mentioned many times before, but I've relied on it so much in the past month, as I really needed quality sleep, and a lot of it, to help my body to repair. I use a lot of different brands, but with this one, I find that I drop off to sleep very quickly and sleep undisturbed for longer.

Omorovicza Queen Cleanser*: This is not in the photo above, but will be in my empties on Instastories very soon. I did a full review on this cleanser in this post, and you can save 15% on anything from the brand, with the code SIOBHAN, which is non-affiliated. The reason I have used and loved this so much recently, is because my skin felt very sore and tender, with being so ill, so a cream cleanser was the perfect product to use. It is a really gentle, comforting cleanser - perfect for when your skin needs to be nourished and comforted. 

TV/Cinema:

This Way Up (Netflix/More4): I'm late to the party on this one, as apparently it was on Channel 4 in 2020 and 2021, but we only recently discovered it on Netflix. The two main characters are sisters, one of whom is trying to get her life back on track with her mental heath after a short rehab stay. It's very honest, yet oh so humorous ((I'm biased, as the two main characters are Irish and their turn of phrase, witty behaviour and very honest "love you/you're bothering me, but don't do anything stupid" relationship is very Irish, but also relatable to so many who are worried about someone close to them who has mental heath problems. Áine is the main character and she is so endearing, that you just to be friends with her as she's funny, kind, honest, great company, and completely human in how she makes mistakes, but has a huge heart. Her older sister, Shona, feels a huge amount of responsibility and worry for Áine, yet not in a pity-party way, just as the big sister. Their relationship is fantastic - honest, erratic at times, and full of fun. Their mother is a typical Irish Mammy - full of praise for her daughters, yet with the odd dig or cutting remark, which they say they mean no harm by (and probably don't, but can get away with it as the good outweighs the bad! Shona's fiancé is Indian and his family are in some episodes too, where you can see that both families get along so well. There are other relationships/potential relationships in the series too, but there's no doubt that Áine & Shona are the stars of the show. If you enjoy Irish humour and want a good laugh, I would highly recommend this and I really hope we get a third series!

Inventing Anna (Netflix): I had read an article about Anna Sorokin (Delvey) a few years ago, and was intrigued by the whole scenario. How on earth did this person with no money, manage to immerse herself into the middle of New York's socialite scene, live in hotels, dine at all of the finest restaurants etc etc, without a dime to her name? Yet, at the same time, it showed how gullible these 'elite' people were. Also, I couldn't help but wonder if she had been male, with the same idea for a top class nightclub/experience, if she would have received investments rather than having to try for loans. Don't get me wrong, I don't agree with what she did (running up unpaid bills, lying on her loan applications etc), but I also didn't agree with what her 'friend' Rachel did. I certainly wouldn't go out for a meal, let alone to a 5 star resort on another continent, and expect somebody else to pick up the tab - everything is cheap when somebody else is paying for it. At first, I thought that nine episodes would be too many, but I think that it was the right amount in the end, to get enough detail and give a well-rounded account of events.

Mass (Sky): This was a tough watch, and I felt so drained afterwards. The film is about the meeting of two sets of parents; one set are the parents of a child who was murdered in a school bomb/shooting by the child of the second pair. It is so raw, and you can't help but feel for both sides. It covers mental health, gaming, gun laws, heartbreak (on both sides), blame, guilt, anger, and the desire for healing and forgiveness. I think that any parent watching it, would have shivers down their spine. It's such a complex subject and my heart went out to all of them. It isn't based on any particular story, but there have been so many of these incidences, that a lot of people will be able to relate to it, and so many will also learn from it - possible signs to watch out for (not that you ever think your child would be capable of such an atrocity). Like I said, it's raw, and not the easiest watch, but it's so real and I think that it does justice to the parents involved in situations such as this.

So, that's everything I loved in February. I'm hoping that March will be a much better month (peace, no more Covid, no storms, and more blue skies, please!),  in so many ways. I'd love to hear what you enjoyed in February and if you have any TV shows or films that you think I'd enjoy?

Thanks for reading!

Follow Beautylymin on Bloglovin and Instagram for regular updates!

All products are bought by me, unless otherwise stated. Anything marked with a * has been kindly gifted, without obligation. I don't do sponsored posts. Opinion is always my own. Affiliate links may be used.