Summer Favourites!

Hi there lovely people! How are you today?

Given that I was out at the beginning of August I didn't do a July Favourites, so I'll try to fit them all into a Summer Favourites post! I'll try to narrow it down because otherwise it will get too long!

-Herbalism face cleanser from LUSH
I wrote a review on this product and I'm seriously in love with it. It's really hard for me to keep a routine, to be honest, and since I started using this cleanser I've noticed a change so big that it has motivated me to use a cleanser, toner and moisturiser every morning and evening on my face (which I have NEVER managed to do.) It's even more perfect now that it's really hot (honestly, how are we at 35ºC on September?) and my face gets oily really quickly. I really, really recommend it!

-Evolu Protective Day Cream SPF15
Another part of my daily routine and I absolutely love it! I've talked about this one as well because it's the face cream I received from Rosie for her giveaway. A little goes a long way and it doesn't leave your skin feeling greasy at all! I use both these products along with the LUSH Tea Tree Water toner and my face looks honestly better than ever.

-Bonté Spring Water body mist
Refreshing, affordable, long-lasting... there's nothing to complain about. I have to go to the store to find a new scent when Autumn comes!

-Bonté Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover
I always had trouble with taking away my mascara with Bonté's Cleansing Milk and I honestly found the solution with this product. My mascara goes away SO quickly and it doesn't hurt my eyes at all!

-Essence Lash Princess volume mascara 
Loving Essence as much as I do, it was about time I bought this mascara, which is pretty much everyone's favourite from Essence. The brush is a little weird and at the beginning I didn't use it well so it didn't work that much, but when I got the hang of it looked great on me and left my lashes with a lot more volume. Also... the packaging is stunning!


-Essence All About Matt! Oil Control Paper
As I said, it has been a really hot Summer, and these have helped a lot when my face was feeling too oily and I was wearing makeup. You only have to pat them on your face and they absorbe the excess oil without messing up your makeup!

-All The Bright Places, by Jennifer Niven
I have read a good amount of books this Summer, and this one definitely stands out from the others. As someone who's dealt with mental illness for many years, I can say this is one of the best pictures of teenage depression I've found in a book. I strongly recommend it to everybody and I can't be grateful enough for Zoella to have recommended it!

-Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen
I love me some Jane Austen and, funnily enough, I hadn't read her most famous work in the original version. It's still tricky to read a 200-year-old non-native language, but I've managed way better than I did when I read Emma last January! There's definitely a reason these books keep being published and printed and they have an undeniable quality.

-Sara Bareilles (especially her musical, Waitress) 
I've gotten into her music a lot recently, and it's weird because Gravity is one of my favourite songs and still I hadn't heard more music from hers! I discovered Waitress some months ago and I loved it the first listen (you NEED to listen to She Used To Be Mine, it's brilliant). Recently I've been listening to it non-stop! She has such a gift and the concert she did, which is fully uploaded on youtube, is the funniest one I've ever seen.


That's it! I hope you have a lovely day and your September isn't too tough!

A big big hug,


Acqua

Best Youtubers (less than 100k subscribers)

Hi guys! I've been trying to subscribe to more, lesser known youtubers recently and I'm really enjoying it! I've discovered different people that I like a lot and I wanted to share my favourites with you :) So without any further ado, here are my favourite youtubers with less than 100k subscribers!

1- Meg Says
51k subscribers - Meg is one of my favourite beauty youtubers ever. The best word I think there is to describe her is nice. She just is. I discovered her because she always reviews Zoella Beauty's products, and I really liked her videos, so I subscribed to her and she's become one of the only people whose videos I always watch! She was kind of too serious at the beginning but she's getting way more expressive and I'm really, really enjoying her videos right now. If you like Zoella I think you'll love her too!

2- BostonTom
63k subscribers - I love The Fine Bros and Tom has always been one of my favourite reactors, so when he started his own channel I just had to subscribe! I love his personality and I love being able to follow him outside of the TFB channel, also because he's one of the reactors who is exactly my age (he's barely a month older than me) and I've just followed him while him (and I) grow up. He has a really varied content as well! He's very funny, genuine and down-to-earth while daring to do the weirdest things and I really love that about him :)

3- Faye Singleton
16k subscribers - I discovered Faye recently and I enjoy her videos a lot. She is a beauty youtuber as well and she is way younger than all the others. She is such a fun, carefree spirit! Besides that, I absolutely adore her accent, which always adds to it. I truly believe she'll grow to be a big youtuber some day!

4- Jolien Nathalie
6k subscribers - She also has a blog called www.joliennathalie.com, which I recommend to you first and foremost because I really enjoy it! She also does beauty videos and posts as well as thoughts and lifestlyle. She has tried every single Essence product as well, so before buying anything, I always go to her channel and blog to see if she has done a video or post about it! And she's never wrong about the quality of the products.

5- Petesjams
77k subscribers - This last spot was hard to fill because I had several youtubers in mind but none of them stood out from the others... but I finally decided I'd give it to Pete! You know my favourite youtuber (and one of my favourite people in the world) is Carrie Hope Fletcher, and Pete is her boyfriend. They're the cutest couple in the world! I really like Pete's personality too. He mainly does music covers and vlogs!

Shoutout: Sophie Louise (111k) Okay, when I first planned this post she had less than 100 subscribers! I really recommend her as well :)

That's all for today! I hope you have a nice weekend!

A big big hug,


Acqua

Top 10 Places I Want To Visit

If you know me, you'll know I love traveling (for instance, I plan on visiting Tuscany, Prague and Latvia these following months), and I can't have enough. I do get nervous before and think "maybe I should stay and not get in trouble", but once I'm away I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. It's hard to narrow down the places I want to visit to my top ten, but I think everywhere is worth visiting! In no particular order, here are the 10 places I'd love to visit.

1- Greece
I'm a huge fan of the Ancient Greek culture and I would be delighted to visit Greece. I went to the British Museum the first time I visited London and it all led to the Parthenon statues. I just stood there as if someone had cast a spell on me! I'd visit them all: Athens, Delfos, the islands... and I know it's technically in Turkey, but I have a fascination for Troy as my final project for high school which I spent a year working on was about the Iliad, so I'd love to visit it as well.

2- Israel
I want to learn Hebrew and I'd love to visit Israel as religion is something very important in my life and I would be able to go back to the roots, which I think religion really needs because it has gone off the rails in some cases. I think Israel, although dangerous right now, would be beautiful.

3- Scotland
I LOVE SCOTLAND! I want to see everything: the cities, the green wilderness, the smallest islands, the lakes and, of course, all the Harry Potter nerdy stuff. Being from an area quite different than the rest of its country myself, Scotland does hold a special appeal because I feel identified with them, it has this similarity which I think would make me feel even more comfortable.

4- Ireland
Okay, admission done: I want to see everything in the British Islands! I just love everything there. Ireland seems such an amazing place to visit because of the beautiful nature and beautiful people. Just bring it on!

5- Tuscany
I love Italy. I've seen Rome and I've been to the Piamonte area four or five times. And as a big lover of art, Tuscany just sounds like the perfect place. The landscapes are beautiful and the culture is too. I just can't wait to see it this Summer!

6- Versailles
Here is a place I really, really want to visit. I can't fathom how large that place is. It sounds like such an interesting spot, most importantly, with a lot of stories to tell; and, as you know, stories have always been my weakness! I'd love to see how it's organised and witness how big it is.

7- The Philippines
My love for Lea Salonga brought me to love the Philippines. I plan on learning Tagalog and visiting it one day! The landscapes are among the most beautiful in the world in my opinion, and the people and mixture of cultures add that cultural spice that you need when you visit something. I just can't wait until I can put a foot in there!

8- China 
I've studied Chinese for three years now, and I've had the opportunity to learn about China's culture and the most beautiful spots to visit. Contrarily to most of my classmates, I can't see myself living there, but I'd love to spend some weeks discovering as many things as I can. China is such a gem with so much to offer!

9- India
This is the one I've been the most hesitant about. I have a friend working with children in the streets of Bombay and she's really excited about it, and this is something I'd love to do. Moreover, I think India's art and culture are absolutely stunning, and its diversity mindblowing and really interesting. As with China, I feel like this huge country has a lot of hidden gems I'd love to discover.

10- New York
Musical geek, Broadway bound. You know me. You know Broadway would be a dream come true. I love musical theatre with a passion and now that I've seen three West End shows, it's time to get bigger. And, of course, who wouldn't like to visit New York? For this girl living in a corner of the Mediterranean Sea it would be unbelievably cool. Just you wait, NYC!

That's it then! I'm really fascinated about these places and I hate that I had to leave others like Australia, California and Austria out of it.

What's the place you'd like to visit the most?

A big big hug,


Acqua

June Favourites!

Good afternoon and happy 4th of July to all my American readers! (Okay, okay, this was meant to be published yesterday... happy late 4th of July?) I hope you have a wonderful day :)

I'm a little bit late for my favourites post, I know, I'm sorry! I wanted to post it last Friday but I didn't have time because I've started my July job and it's quite stressing. But I'm extremely happy because of the acceptance of my last post, Letting Go Of What Never Was. Thank you so much for all your lovely comments! I never thought so many people would relate :)

Anyway, let's get to my favourites because I have quite a lot this month!

- Tea Tree Water liquid tonic from LUSH
I went to Lush, I bought a lot and I've loved every single thing so far. But speaking about favourites for the month, I thought this was better because I've used it every single day for the last weeks and it's worked amazingly. I have oily skin and it has been really nice and gentle to my face. It's lightweight and really, really easy to apply: you only have to spray it and let it dry! It's hard for me to keep routines, so this has been really useful. I highly recommend it!

- Anti-grease Dry Shampoo from Schwarzkopft
I had wanted to try a dry shampoo for quite a long time and I was really impressed! My hair doesn't even look a tiny bit greasy after applying it. It's amazing!

- Summer Glow Self Tan nourishing lotion from Dove
I was looking for a self tan from Nivea, but I found this one instead and I'm really happy with it! If you take your time with applying it and letting it dry, after a couple of days you'll have a very natural tan a little bit darker than your usual skin tone. I've been using it on my legs because the rest of my body gets tanned quickly while my legs stay snow white... and I love it!

- Barely there! (shade 06) lipstick from Essence
You'll know that the only cruelty-free makeup brand that sells in my village is Essence, and I really like their products. The last time I went to the store I only picked up things I had seen recommended on blogs and youtube videos, and it was the best thing I could've done! I loved them all and I actually have most of them in my favourites today. Barely there! is a favourite in the blogging world, and I can totally see why. It's the perfect nude lipstick, a little dark but not too much. I never wear lipstick if I don't have a special event, but I've been using this one on several weekdays and I love it!

- XXXL Velvet Matt lipgloss (shade 06 Soft Nude) from Essence
I also bought this the last time I went to the store and the same thing has happened: I have worn it a lot this month, even on weekdays! It's a light nude, and it goes really well with bright, corally t-shirts (and let's be honest, I wear quite a lot on Summer, it's one of my favourite colours!) The only downside is that it smells a little funny... like something being burned. But the consistence is really nice on your lips, it sits down amazingly, and it's quite hidrating too. An absolute win in my book!

- 07 Cute Pink lipliner from Essence
Essence lip liners are considered by many their best products ever, so I had to buy one. They are really affordable and now I can say they are very good! The one I own is a really nice pink shade, and you can wear it as a liner or use it to fill your lips: it looks good either way! It's easy to apply, not drying at all... I can totally see what all the buzz was about!

- The Kingkiller Chronicle saga
I told you this is one of my favourite books because I used a quote from it for a quote of the week... but it had to be here. I'm in love with this saga. The Name Of The Wind and A Wise Man's Fear are among the best fantasy books ever written. I wasn't prepared for how much I'd love to reread these. I absolutely wasn't.

That's it! Quite a lot of favourites this month... what have you been loving? Thanks and I'll see you on Friday!

A big big hug,


Acqua

QOTW #11: To Love Something Despite

“It had flaws, but what does that matter when it comes to matters of the heart? We love what we love. Reason does not enter into it. In many ways, unwise love is the truest love. Anyone can love a thing because. That's as easy as putting a penny in your pocket. But to love something despite. To know the flaws and love them too. That is rare and pure and perfect.” 
― Patrick Rothfuss, The Wise Man's Fear


I've started re-reading The Name of the Wind and Oh My God... I had completely forgotten how brilliant it was. I remembered I loved it, that I could remember. But there was no way I could remember the level of its greatness.

For those who don't know, The Name of the Wind is the first book of the saga The Kingkiller's Chronicle, written by Patrick Rothfuss. I can honestly say that, even though it's not my favourite book, it's the best fantasy book I've ever read and it's going to take something reaaaaaaaally good to top it. It's situated in a world similar to The Lord Of The Rings, and it follows the story of the main character, Kvothe. I won't give anything else away, I'll just pray to every single bookworm reading this post: PLEASE go read it. Please. If you like fantasy books, this is a must. I swear. I've never seen anything like it.

Given my newfound love for the saga, it only felt right to dedicate a post to my favourite quote on the books, particularly from the second one, The Wise Man's Fear. I think it's one of the most beautiful quotes I've ever read. Although I'm quite a rational and logical person when it's necessary, the most important things to me are the ones that come from within.

When you love someone or something, it's never perfect. There are mistakes and we fall down, because we're unstoppable, stupid, messy, beautiful humans. And it's so easy to love something loveable. The good things about someone. Everyone could fall in love with them. But when we love the whole package, filled with good and bad... that's when we really love. And it's something that can never be calculated.

The fact that "unwise love is the truest love" is so interesting, though. When you don't think about it, when you cannot regulate it and make it logical... that's when it's true. There is nothing logical about love. You either love or don't. And you can't choose it.

I love this quote and I love this book. I hope that, if you read it, you'll love it as much as I do.

A big big hug!


Acqua

May Favourites!

Hi there! May is about to finish (which means exams are about to finish and I approve) so as always, I've gathered the things I've been loving this month and I'm sharing them with you! Let's go!

1- The Endgame novels
This is the book discovery of the year! I was talking to a new friend from Uni about what books I like, and she immediately recommended this saga because she knew I'd fall in love with it. If you like Divergent, The Hunger Games and/or The Maze Runner, please check it out. The writing style is quite different from anything I've ever read, and it's really interesting. There are a lot of characters, but once you get used to it, it's not complicated to follow. You become invested with their stories. The writing could be better, I have to say, as with Divergent and The Maze Runner, but the story is so interesting and the plot so finely schemed that you don't mind at all.

2- Bonté's hair masks: Satin Liss and Repair and Protect
You know I love Bonté! I decided to try out their hair masks this month and I can see a HUGE difference on my hair. The Satin Liss one is for rebel hair, and it's quite thick. The Repair and Protect one is for damaged hair, and it's lighter. They both smell amazing and work wonders on your hair. They moisturise it without making it greasy (which tends to happen with my hair), so I'm definitely sticking with them for a loooong time!

3- Essence's Coverstick in the shade 04 True Nude
I bought this stick concealer because I was looking for something I could use without foundation, which I don't feel comfortable wearing, and I found exactly what I needed. It works really well with my spots and imperfections. It doesn't completely hide my eye bags, but it tones them down and you can't even see I'm wearing something, which I feel would happen if it covered them completely. What surprised me was to see it had a creamy texture. It's not drying at all! But at the same time, it works amazingly with greasy skin and you don't need any powder because it's not shiny. It won't last the whole day though, just for some hours.

4- Essence's LongLasting eye pencil in the shade 01 Black Fever
If you remember, on my Top Essence Products post I talked about Essence's Longlasting eye pencils because I had one in the shade 09 Cool Down, and I really liked the product although it didn't look good on me. I was trying to find a black one, and I finally did! I think it cost me less than €2, which is a complete bargain, and it just works well. It's easy to apply, even on your waterline, it lasts quite a lot, it doesn't spread all over the skin around your eye... Great!

5- Sara Bareilles' Waitress
As you know, Gravity by Sara Bareilles is one of my favourite songs, but some weeks ago I found out Sara Bareilles had written a musical! What? It has a song that speaks to me so much. It's called She Used To Be Mine, and the character singing it talks about herself when she was younger, how different she was and what huge dreams she had. It's just gorgeous.

6- Chester See
I already talked about it, but Chester See (youtuber and singer) has just come back! I decided to check out his content and he's amazing. And his songs... they're gorgeous! If you're into the youtuber world, you need to check him out. And if you're not... this could be your doorway! You can thank me later ^^

That's all for this month! I'll leave it here and I'll see you on Monday!

A big big hug,


Acqua

The Happiness Tag

Things that make me happy:

(Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens...)


Scents

New books
Rainy days
Peach
Baking goods!
Tea


Books

Harry Potter: this just has to be the number one influence on my life since I read the first book when I was 7! I've made so many amazing friends thanks to Harry Potter and I've always been really active on the fandom. I've written fanfiction, read the books up to 7 times... I just love it!

The Fault in Our Stars: okay, I know this is supposed to be "things that make me happy" and you must be thinking TFiOS is a tear jerker... well, it makes me cry a lot, but it's also one of the things that brings the most joy to my life. I just have a connection with that book. It speaks to me on such a deep level! It's also one of my favourite films, but I've decided to put it just once so it would make room for more things :)

The Little Prince: I've said it before and I'll say it again: everybody should read this book! Adults more than children. We need to go back to the roots and see what's important in life. Sometimes we get so obsessed over the unimportant things that we get lost. To me, that book is solid ground. Is me knowing what I have to value.

All My Friends Are Superheroes: THIS IS THE CUTEST BOOK IN THE WORLD. It wasn't on my favourite books post, but I love it. It's actually Carrie Hope Fletcher's favourite book! So there's that. If there's a word that defines it is endearing. It just leaves me with a warm feeling and makes me so happy.

Malory Towers: talk about throwback! I've read these thousands of times and I love Enid Blyton. It actually inspired me to write a story when I was 10 and I still have it hahaha I still find myself going back to them every some months!


Miscellaneous

Singing
Swimming
Children
My village
Playing theatre

Music (artists, songs, musicals...)

Les Misérables: IT HAD TO BE SOMEWHERE. As with TFiOS, it's one of my favourite movies too, but I've decided to put it on the list just once. Do I really need to tell you again how much I love this musical?

Danielle Bradbery: my favourite "mainstream" singer, winner of The Voice US season 4. She has a huge voice and needs to be more promoted, because even though her first album was average, she's been getting new amazing songs out and I can't wait to see the studio versions on a new album!

Lea Salonga: my favourite musical theatre singer. If I could just listen to her live... I'd be the happiest person on the planet. I admire her so much, and her skill is undeniable. She's such a funny person too! And her daughter is the cutest! (Let me say I wanted to put Carrie Hope Fletcher here so badly but I wanted to talk about different categories and she fell on Lea's... but I love her too!)

Txarango: you probably won't know about them, but they're a Catalan band which has been touring all over the world. And to me, they are the definition of something that makes me happy. Their music can always lift my mood. There isn't a grey day when they're around. I've also heard them live a handful of times and you have such a fun time.

Haven't Met You Yet: This song is by Michael Bublé and never fails to make me smile! I love the whole feel of the song!

(Sidenote: I have my "Favourite Musical Songs" playlist on while I'm writing this post and "My Favourite Things" has just started to play! This is perfect!)


Films & TV

DOCTOR WHO.: Just freaking Doctor Who. I love how it celebrates the wonders of the smallest things human beings do, the smallest acts of kindness that make us human. It makes me cry and laugh at the same time and it's such a special show to me.

Mary Poppins: This was my favourite film growing up and it holds a special place in my heart! It's so endearing and fun and funny. I love it :)

Hercules: I wanted to say "Disney Films" in general, but I felt it was like cheating... so I decided to write my favourite one instead! But if I say it maybe that's cheating too... Oh dear! Well, I'm sure you all know how special Disney films are to our generation :)

Castle: I'm still in denial over it ending. Castle's character is a joy. A writer investigating crimes... I love his out-of-the-box way of thinking and his different abilities. The other characters and the stories are also phenomenal.

The Big Bang Theory: Just funny! The characters are so well-rounded and they have the craziest ideas. I love it!


And that's it! Thank you so much Beth for nominating me, this was so fun to do! You can go check Beth's post here ^^ I want to apoligise to whoever invented this because I know music wasn't on the original, BUT it didn't feel right to leave it out! So I just had to add it hahaha I nominate Laura, Iris and Jess! I hope you'll enjoy doing it!

A big big hug,

Acqua

QOTW #9: Short Wisdom

Hi guys! I'm back! I arrived yesterday at 11:30 pm and I'm absolutely exhausted... I have loads of posts to read and comment, so I thought today's QOTW could be a little different. That's the reason I decided to do a compilation of short quotes I really like :) I'll leave you with them and I'll see you on Friday!

A big big hug,


Acqua

April Favourites

Hi guys! How are you! I'm really excited because today I'm going on a holiday! Well, it's actually not a normal holiday, because I'm going to a big theatre event with loads of people, you can easily see 6 plays everyday! The people there are really cool and the hotel we're staying in is too, and we're gonna be playing our play on Sunday so it's really exciting!

But before going I wanted to post this April Favourites! I've been loving a lot of things, so it's been hard to narrow it down, but without any further ado, here are my favourites!


1- Maybelline SuperStay 7 Days Gel Nail Color varnishes
I talked about the 230 Berry Stain shade on this post and you know I loved it, so I bought another shade more suited for Spring! It's the shade 130 Rose Poudré, and it's a really pretty nude pink. I think it's very elegant and it's perfect if you tend to go for warmer, more natural colours. It faded a little bit faster than the Berry Stain one, but it still lasts a lot and is really easy and quick to apply. The formula is awesome and there are more beautiful colours on this range, so I'm sure you all can find your style!


2- Essence's Nail Polish Corrector Pen
There's a lot of nails on this post, I'm sorry ^^' But you know nails are my thing! I bought this corrector pen a couple of weeks ago and it's SO useful! It's a kind of marker with nail polish remover instead of ink, so you can use it to "erase" the varnish left outside of your nails if you're clumsy like me hahaha It makes my life so much easier, I'd definitely recommend you give it a try! I bought Essence's because it's the only one I could find, but there are more brands that make them!

3- Bonté's Express Nail Polish Remover
GUYS THIS IS MY LIFE SAVER. It's the best thing I've purchased in a while. It has a sponge inside with a hole in the middle so you just put your finger inside, rub it a little bit on the sponge, take it out and voilà! No nail polish! It works so fast and so well and it saves me a lot of time and effort when I want to change the colour on my nails. I'll let you know how much it lasts, but for now it doesn't seem to dry out or stop working. I think it was like €1.50, so definitely worth the money. Again, I've found more brands with this kind of product, but I bought Bonté's because it was the cheapest and for a trial I didn't want to pay a lot if maybe I wasn't going to like it. I'm definitely repurchasing it!


4- Essence's Kajal Pencil in 21 Feel the Eclipse
This is actually my favourite Essence Eye Pencil, but I absolutely forgot about it for my "Top Essence Products" post! I used it a couple of days later and I wanted to smash my head for forgetting it, so I thought I'd put it on my favourites :) It's not completely black, it's a beautiful deep dark blue and I'm absolutely in love with it! It looks black if you don't look closely, but then you can see it's a touch away from being black. It lasts a fair amount of time for its price. It won't last you a whole day, but maybe a morning or an afternoon.





5- Pantene's Aqua Light Shampoo
I usually use the "Repair and Protect" range from Pantene and I really like it, but a friend recommended this one and I gave it a try! It's really good, it doesn't have as many components as shampoos usually do, so that's definitely a plus. It doesn't damage your hair and it leaves it feeling really smooth and clean. My hair tends to get a little bit oily quickly, and I've found this one to avoid it. Also, I think my hair is less frizzy since I started using it!

6- Danielle Bradbery's Potential
You know I love reality singing competitions and Danielle Bradbery, winner of The Voice US Season 4, is one of my favourite singers. We're being really patient because the process for her second album release has been really long, but some days ago she had a concert and dropped this new song which is SO GOOD. I wasn't in love with her last single, but if the songs that are coming are as good as this one... well, I'm sold! Please take a listen to it, I've had it on repeat for some days and I don't get tired! It's so good!


That's it! I hope you'l have an amazing weekend and I'll see you when I come back!


A big big hug,


Acqua

Day In My Life: Sant Jordi!

Good morning guys! I'm really excited about today's post because it's my first "day in the life" and because I get to share my favourite day with you! You all know that the 23rd of April is the International Book Day, but what you might not know is that this is a pretty important day in Catalonia, where I live, because it's Saint George's Day and Saint George (Sant Jordi) is our patron saint.

There is a legend that is told to every little kid at school: Once upon a time, there was a city that was threatened by a dragon. People used to give animals to feed the dragon, but soon there were no more animals to feed it and they decided that they should give a young maiden every day instead. They picked up a name from the box and it turned out to be the Princess. The King said that she should be spared, but she said that it was her turn and she would go. The King was devastated. When the dragon was about to kill the Princess, a young warrior riding a horse appeared and defeated the dragon. The warrior was Saint George. Roses grew from the dragon's blood and he gave one to the Princess. Some stories say he then went on to marry the Princess and rule the kingdom, but many more say that he then left the city to save more people that needed his help.

This is the reason that there is a beautiful tradition for Sant Jordi: boys give girls a rose, and girls give boys a book. Nowadays, everybody gives books and roses to their loved ones, and honestly, I think it's such a beautiful tradition. I always go to Barcelona for this day because it's full of little stalls selling books and roses (and when I say full I mean it, there are thousands of them.) There are stages with people performing, writers signing books, and the spirit of the day is so festive and cheerful. I absolutely love it! I was really excited and I kept my phone out all the time to capture everything so I could show it to you guys. Allons-y!

I got on the train with a friend at 8:32 a.m. so we could be in Barcelona by 10, because being a Saturday we knew there would be too many people later. 9:45, we got to Barcelona and we got straight to La casa del llibre (The book's house), my favourite library, so we could buy before it became impossible due to the overcrowding. We met another friend there. I bought the first part of Endgame, which I'm REALLY excited to read, and Insurgent and Allegiant in Catalan so my sister could read them (she's always angry at me because I keep buying books in English and she wants to read them hahaha).

Afterwards, we stopped by the Casa Batlló, a building by Gaudí, a really important Catalan architect (he designed the Sagrada Família and Parc Güell, among other things). They covered it with (artificial, of course) roses for the occasion and it was beautiful!

We took a lot of pictures there and then went to the central square, Plaça Catalunya.

There, we stopped by the TV and radio stages, to see the shows being filmed and recorded there live. It's always fun to see TV people really close to you, even if you don't get to talk to them!

Then, we went to the Rambles, and we got to a stage where we saw a couple of nice bands last year, but unfortunately the bands were scheduled for later.

Barcelona was full of these, it says: When I read, I'm everything I want to be, and then in small: A princess in armour, a prince in love with roses and a vegetarian dragon. I absolutely loved it!

 
We walked in the Rambles for a bit, and then went to the Cathedral Square because there are always shows. We saw a lot of people dressed up (in a rose-selling stall there were a couple of guys dressed up as princesses and it was hilarious hahaha). Then, we went to see a friend of my friend's, who was working at a pharmacy shop (she actually gave us a couple of product samples, so watch out for nearby reviews ;) ).

We went back to Plaça Catalunya and stopped by the Disney Store on our way because we just couldn't help it hahaha

Then we visited FNAC, a place where they sell cultural and electronic products, to see if the had the other two parts of Endgame, but it was SO full of people we could barely walk, so we went out and I thought I would buy them on Amazon. We actually spent a lot of time to get out of there, it was late (12:30) and Barcelona was starting to be suffocatingly full, so we decided to take the train back home!

A cute bag I bought to carry the books! It's supposed to be Saint George kissed by the Princess after he saves her!

When I got home I went to the local library with my mum and sister to see what they purchased. My mum wasn't sure which book to pick up, so I told her she could choose one to buy and I gave her the other one as a gift. My sister picked up Omnia by Laura Gallego García, which I'm definitely reading when she finishes it!

In the afternoon I slept a bit because I was exhausted and I had an exciting evening ahead: my choir was singing a Sant Jordi concert, and I needed to be at my best! We had been working so hard and we were excited to show the result. Quite a lot of people came, and everybody liked it very much! Many people said they were so emotional they almost cried, so that's good hahaha In the end, they wouldn't stop clapping! I think it was one of our biggest successes and I'm really proud of me and the girls because I think we did really well and people saw it. It was amazing!

So this was my day! I figure you understand why I'm behind in commenting on your blogs hahaa I'm gonna get to it this afternoon! I hope you enjoyed this post, tell me if you've done anything exciting this weekend! Have a nice week!

A big big hug,


Acqua

Top Essence Products & 2000 views!

Hey hey hey! Today I'm reaaaally happy because I REACHED 2000 VIEWS! It's been only a month and a day since I told you I reached 1000 views and I did not in a million times think I would double it in just a month. This blog is a blessing. Thank you so much for trusting me and spending a little bit of your time in my corner of the internet ^^ I'll be forever grateful!

I've been requested before to talk a little about the makeup I use, and I thought I could share it! I started this post as a "Makeup Bag" post, but then I saw how much Essence there was and I decided to make it just Essence. But before starting, let me warn you that I don't use makeup that often and I'm not an expert. I haven't owned a lot of products so I can't really compare quality-wise... So forgive me if I say something that's completely wrong! What I can do, though, is share what I use and maybe you can tell me about what alternatives I can find and if you have used them as well.

Also, my makeup is bought exclusively in a place in my village, and the only brands that they have are Maybelline, Essence, Basic Cosmetics and Rimmel. I've been asked that too, so there you go! That's why I'm jealous when I see all of the cheap and awesome brands you use hahaha Now that I've told you that, let's move on to the Essence products I like the most!

 EYES

All About Bronze Eyeshadow Palette
They're quite new, but I've put them on on a couple of concerts and they work pretty well! They're not as pigmented as I would've liked them to be, but they're quite shiny and long-lasting. I think they cost me about €5, so it was definitely a good deal!

These are from left to right, first row and then second row

Multi Use Eyeshadow Brush
This is honestly perfect for me because I have everything I need in one brush: you can see in the picture there is an angled brush, a sponge and a crease brush! It doesn't have the best quality but it works the way it needs to. I don't think you should buy it if you use makeup often, but for a few occasions it's the perfect one.

All Eyes On Me Mascara
I put this mascara on my March Favourites and I stand by it. It gives that little extra and I've been putting it on everyday recently; no other makeup, just mascara. It lasts all day long and it doesn't make my lashes look too big, it just accentuates them. I really like it!

I <3 ROCK Gloss Eye Pencil
I actually rescued this one a month ago from old makeup, I think I hadn't worn it for over a year! I don't use it a lot but it's my favourite one from Essence. It tends to fade a little bit, but apart from that, it's a good eye pencil! (I don't even think they make it anymore, but whatever hahaha)

LongLasting Eye Pencil in the shade 09 Cool Down
Okay, this eye pencil is really good, but it has a problem: I'm not crazy about the shade! I messed up when I bought it hahaha But the eye pencil itself is long-lasting and precise. I'm definitely gonna but a black one if I can find it! It's kind of bittersweet, because it's good but I don't wear it because of the shade. If blue eye pencil looks good on you I totally recommend it!


LIPS


XXXL Nude Lipgloss in the shade 03 Taste The Sweets
This one was actually on my Lip Product Tag! It's my favourite lipgloss I've ever owned: it has a beautiful pink tone and it's not sticky at all. It doesn't dry your lips, which is not easy to find in drugstore lipglosses! I still have to try their matte lipglosses, which I got recommended, I'll let you know if I like them as much as this one! ^^

Lipstick in the shade 13 Love Me
I didn't like it in the beginning to be honest, but I've put it on again after some months and I'm finding myself liking it! I find it looks a lot better if you apply it over a lip balm (maybe that's obvious but I didn't know it, okay? hahaha), this one especially. It's just a simple pale nude pink, and I think it only goes along well with a certain skin tone (maybe that's why I didn't like it in the beginning, I'm paler now haha).

Lipgloss + I Feel Pretty + Love Me

Lipstick in the shade 09 I Feel Pretty
I also put this one on my Lip Product Tag and it's my favourite! I think it gives life to your whole look. It's the one I wear the most on concerts (if you haven't realised, that's when I wear makeup hahaha). I have a problem with lipsticks: I feel really weird when I wear them full-colour, to put it in some way. These two let me apply them just slightly and they look really good like that. They are pigmented enough to be noticed but not too much, and that's something I love about them.


NAILS

Hello Autumn's Nailpolish in the shade 02 Meet My Pumpkin
This is quite misplaced because it's Spring and it's an Autumn shade hahaha But you know I had to include nail products in this! This is an AWESOME nail polish because it's thermo changing. It goes from a very pretty orange shade when it's hot to a brown shade when it's cold and you can't tell me that's not the greatest thing you've ever seen hahaha Essence released this range last Autumn and I fell in love with it. It's not really long-lasting but it can't have everything!






And that's it! Have you really gotten here? I might have gone off the rails a little bit, there are a lot of products hahaha I hope you didn't get bored! Let me know if you have any Essence products or just drugstore products in general that you recommend. Thanks for reading and I'll see you on Monday!

A big big hug,


Acqua