Hey everyone, I hope you are all well. Today for my April favourites I decided to post something a little bit different than my usual beauty favourites content. I’ve been quite happily mostly ignoring all things coronavirus and lockdown here on my blog, but I want to share the things I’ve been doing a lot of during lockdown, specially considering I don’t really have many beauty favourites to discuss!
BOOKS
I would definitely consider myself a book lover, though I rarely discuss books here on my blog and instead just enjoy them in my spare time. I don’t read loads, so I don’t get through masses of books, but I do enjoy reading a chapter or two before bed. During lockdown I have read a bit faster than usual since I have more time.
The first book I finished during lockdown was a classic – Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier. Classics always seem to take me a bit longer to finish, but I have been wanting to read this one for a while, and I really ended up enjoying it! This is the story of a young girl who marries a wealthy widowed man. Her world is completely difference when she moves to his home, and discovered many secrets from his past marriage and wife.
After finishing Rebecca I started on Tell Me Your Secret by Dorothy Koomson. Koomson has been my favourite author ever since I can remember, so if you haven’t read any of her books I really recommend them! Most of her books are super easy reading. I finished Tell Me Your Secret not too long ago at all, and I *think* this one has become one of my all time faves! It is much more thriller and crime in genre than her usual novels, which I LOVE. Her amazing character writing as well as a thriller story line? A dream come true.
I’ve just started on The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio Iturbe. I can’t say too much about this one as I haven’t read much of it, but so far so good. It is based on the experiences of Dita Kraus – a real life Auschwitz prisoner. It was highly recommended by so many people, and after reading The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris, and finding it absolutely heartbreaking yet incredible to read (and also important to learn of true stories from Auschwitz and other camps in my opinion), I definitely wanted to pick up Iturbe’s book too.
ANIMAL CROSSING NEW HORIZONS
I know I mentioned this in my March Favourites, but I had to include this game in this post too as I have been playing it SO much during lockdown… I’m talking over an hour every single day. I am a little bit addicted. I played a lot of Animal Crossing on the Nintendo DS when I was younger, so when the new versions was released for Nintendo Switch, I just HAD to get it (and a Switch lite to play it on…). I have no regrets. I am enjoying it a lot. It’s the perfect escape to lockdown. I’m sure you’ve heard a lot about this game on social media recently, but in New Horizons, you are able to create your own amazing island, and make your way to a 5 star island (which I finally did!). Along the way you can enjoy island life, fishing, digging fossils, talking to your villagers.. It’s just so fun!
As well as playing the game daily, I have been watching lots of content of the game too. On Youtube I have been watching ZackScottGames 5 star island tours. It’s incredible what some people have done with their islands and I love having a look around them! On Twitch I have been watching Ardenrose live streams – she is so funny and I love her streams. She streamed for 13 hours a couple of days ago trying to find a specific villager on the Nook Miles Islands. Lastly on Twitch more recently Alfie Deyes has started to stream gameplay too, and since I enjoy Alfie’s vlog I have been giving them a watch too!
WORKOUTS
Of course I have been trying to get in some exercise whilst in lockdown, so I do try to do a few workouts a week. Sometimes I just make my own up with exercises I know I like, but other times I have been doing Youtube workouts. I often just search 30 minute workout, or cardio workout and choose a new one, but I do have a couple faves I go back to…
One workout I have been doing over and over for quite a long time now is Bipasha Basu Unleash full body routine. I discovered this one sometime last year and found that it is perfect level of workout for me. It isn’t TOO much that it puts me off doing it, but I definitely feel good afterwards. I usually do a few of my own ab exercises afterwards as it doesn’t have too many ab exercises in the routine so bare that in mind.
Another one I love if I want something a little bit longer is one by Popsugar Fitness. The trainer Jeanette Jenkins is great and this one includes a few more boxing type moves.
SELF CARE
During lockdown self care is so important to stay sane, so even though I am not leaving the house, I still lather myself in body butter and slap on a face mask. I do this way more than I apply makeup, though I do still like to put on my makeup a couple days a week.
The Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask is one of my favourites at the moment. It gives my skin intense hydration and in the morning my skin is so soft and supple.
My current go to Body Butter is the Champneys Citrus Blush. I use Champneys body butters a lot and I have had this particular one in the past too. It’s so hydrating for the skin and smells incredible.
& that’s pretty much it for my April / Lockdown Favourites! What have you been doing?
Jazmin xx
What a lovely post. It sounds as if you’re definitely managing to make the most of it at the moment and using the time to increase your reading is always a great thing. I like the sound of those workouts – I definitely need to increase my exercise more, I’ve been missing the gym far too much at the moment. That clinique face mask also sounds lovely. Thanks for sharing.
Author
thanks for stopping by – definitely try out the workouts if you’re missing the gym, they may help! x