What I loved in August

 

If we didn't have Christmas and all of the fun that comes with it in December, August would definitely be my favourite month! It's my birthday on the 8th - I absolutely love that it's on the 8th day of the 8th month, plus our wedding anniversary is on the 30th, and my niece's birthday is on the 21st, so August definitely gives December a run for it's money in terms of favourite months! Anyway, on to what I loved this month... (one thing I didn't love was getting Covid.... AGAIN!)

Boring for many, I know, but I have to mention the weather! I adore the sun (always protected) and the heat, and we had a fantastic start to the month. I can remember so many years where August has been full of storms, only for the weather to change when the children go back to school in September, so this has been a pleasant change. That said, the year we got married, the weather was absolutely beautiful in the few days before our wedding and on the day itself, and I was so pleased because so many people travelled from Trinidad, Australia, America and the UK, most with the preconception that it always rains in Ireland, so it was definitely a pleasant surprise for them!

Where The Crawdads Sing: Technically, we saw this at the end of July, but I finished the book in August. I know that many would think I was mad to watch the film before finishing the book, but I didn't want to rush the book and knew it was more detailed, so I was happy to go ahead and see it. I really enjoyed the film, however as I expected, I enjoyed the book more. It's set in North Carolina, and the film focuses more on the death of a character as the main plot, whereas the book gives you a much more immersive experience of the main character's life. I'm sure most of you have read this book, but if not, I'd highly recommend that you curl up with this great page turner - try to give yourself at least an hour to get started as the North Carolina accent and phrases are hard to get into initially, but it's worth persevering, as then you will be taken on a wonderful journey. This book and a bar of chocolate will ensure that you have a wonderful bit of "me time" - something we all need.

The Secret (Netflix): No, this is not about the manifesting book - it's actual a 4 part mini-series, based on true events that happened in Coleraine, Northern Ireland between the years of 1991 and 2011.  A dentist and a Sunday School teacher have a passionate fling, which becomes public knowledge among the church community. They say that their affair is over and beg for forgiveness, but what follows is unbelievable - if it weren't actually true, I'd think it was a ridiculous storyline.There are devastating events and consequences. I really don't want to give too much away, but I'd recommend watching, especially as there are only 4 episodes. James Nesbitt does a fantastic job at playing the God-loving, mercenary, evil, smug dentist.

Dark Waters (Netflix): What a fantastic film, and another true story! It stars Mark Ruffalo as a lawyer for a firm that represents chemical firms, yet a case is brought to him, which he really just entertains as a favour to his grandmother, which will mean taking a case against one of the biggest chemical companies in the U.S. It turns into a passion project and one he can't turn his back on. It goes on for several years, where he uncovers the effects of chemical waste, and the use of teflon (which is/was worldwide). Again, I don't want to give too much away, but this is one of those films that has stayed with me and I've been thinking about it ever since. If you liked Erin Brockovich, you will LOVE this!

Rogue Agent (Netflix): Yes another true story! This was so bizarre! It centres around a man who pretends to be an MI5 agent. He fools people into thinking that they are on "missions" with him, and tends to focus his attention of those who come from wealthy backgrounds. Think Tindler Swindler before social media was born! His mistake is thinking that he could get away with ripping off one of the women who fell for his charms (although had some doubts), but she's a lawyer and like a dog with a bone, is relentless in her pursuit of him - not just to get her money back, but to prevent him from damaging other people. She eventually presents enough evidence to the police for them to take her seriously, and they pursue him. I may have said too much, but it is well worth watching!

YouTube: I still really love watching YouTube when I have time - I'd prefer to watch one or two videos than spend ages scrolling through Instagram, to be honest. That said, I was getting a little bored of the people I was watching, as a lot of the content is the same - "Ooh, look what I've grown in my garden" (I grew up with keen gardeners, so seeing fruit, vegetables and flowers come to life from seed is nothing new to me - there's absolutely nothing wrong with it, but it's just nothing new to me), let me show you all of the rooms in my house that I have painted green (not at all original when everyone does the same) - videos all just blended into one. I love watching Vlogmas, and other than that I generally watch luxury handbag videos (my other love), and vlogs and my two favourite people to watch are Laura Blair and Freya Killin. Both of these ladies are very down to earth, share my love of bags, show a mix of high street and high end in terms of fashion, their everyday lives - both the ups and downs. You can just tell that they are real, not putting on any show and I'd imagine that they'd be exactly the same in real life as they are on screen. I actually discovered Laura through her sharing her Long Covid story and it's so real and relatable, so I ended up binge watching her videos. If you're looking for someone new to watch, I'd highly recommend both of them!

Beauty and miscellaneous:

Jo Loves Red Truffle 21: One of my gorgeous birthday gifts! I adore Jo Loves fragrances, but hadn't tried this one before. I love it! It's very different to all of the other fragrances I have tried from the brand (I have six others), as in it isn't citrusy. The main notes that stand out to me are fig and pine (obviously there are others, but these are the ones that I smell most), and it's a beautifully fresh combination. It's definitely one that I will continue to wear in the colder months.

Dior Vernis in the shade 268 Rubin: My niece chose this for my birthday and she chose well! It's a pale pink shade with a hint of shimmer, that gives a nod towards the glazed nail trend that is in at the moment. The brush is wide, which makes application easy although it does require two coats. It is a great polish to use to create a French manicure, or if you really want to amplify the pink, using a base coat of white works well. I find that with a top coat, I'll get around 6 days chip-free with this nail polish.

Maison La Bougie Leo candle: I was lucky enough to receive this for my birthday, after having my eye on it for ages. I actually haven't lit it yet, but even with the box closed, I can smell it - notes of orange, sandalwood and musk, among others. I don't know how much I believe is horoscopes, however everybody I know says that I am a true Leo, which on the candle is described as: 

Proud, determined, willful, loyal, generous, powerful and confident, courageous, full of vitality, creative, daring, upright, charismatic, responsible, radiant, affectionate, full of humour...

I think that a candle from the Zodiac collection would make a fabulous gift for any lovers of horoscopes. It is beautifully presented and I will definitely keep the ceramic jar when the candle has been burnt.

How has your August been?

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.