January favourites

Finally we get to tick off the first month of 2021. Every month I want to share on somethings that I discover during the month, so posts like these will be happening every month. The things I discover will usually be something that I think made my life easier or enjoyable and I have to share it with you guys, so I hope you enjoy it. Here are my January favourites.

1. Silicone brush cleaning mat

Ever since learning how to do make-up and the things that come with it, the one thing that can be exhausting is washing my brushes. I kept trying different ways to clean them but not until I got this baby…game changer. I simply place this in the sink, run some water, add the shampoo, scrub scrub scrub, rinse and boom... My brushes are clean. It actually makes it easier clean and quiet satisfying to see. I have two in different sizes one I use at home, the other is for travelling. The travel one is actually smaller (can fit in two fingers) but still just as good as the big.

2. Bridgerton (Warning: Small spoilers)

Keep in mind, I started writing this on Monday and the show is number 4 on Netflix. Meaning it’s STILL on the top 10. To be honest with you, I wasn’t keen on watching it at first. I just thought that this show was over hyped and after I watch it, my time would’ve been wasted.

But at the same time, it’s Shonda Rhimes and she has never disappointed me, coming from a girl who has watched Grey’s Anatomy, Station 19, How to get away with murder and Scandal (The Fixer). However, being familiar with Shondaland, the stress and emotions that come with her shows, made me nervous and question “Do I want to go through this again?” I gave in and I loved it.

The fact that it got snubbed at the Golden Globes, confuses me. The plot, the characters, the costumes, the actors and the fact that the queen is black during that era (1800s). I wanted to faint when I saw her with an afro and dreadlocks. Literally in the first episode I heard Ariana Grande's Thank You Next play on a violin as everyone danced. Regardless of it not getting the recognition it deserves, I’m glad it is coming back for season 2. Until then I’ll be listening to Lady Whistledown spill some tea.

3. Jazmine Sullivan Heaux Tales

There are a few people that give me hope that RnB is still alive, Jasmine Sullivan is one of them. This is her 4th album. Her last one came out in 2015. I went through varsity with no new music from her but now as adult, I can fully say I appreciate it especially with the gem that is Heaux Tales. There are no skips, that’s how good it is. It is a reminder that being a woman, there is so much in that, the good and the bad. The things we are cable of when it comes to relationships, life, confidence…all of it. Plus I love seeing some black girl magic.

The features are amazing, Ari Lennox, H.E.R and Anderson Paak…just amazing. So the next time you're cleaning your house, on a long drive and even getting dressed, listen to this album, you will not be disappointed. It's available on all streaming platforms

4. How to Ruin Christmas: The Wedding

This honestly made me so happy. If you know me, the one thing you should know is that I am that person who love representation, especially in media. This hit the mark. Don’t get me wrong, I love a classic Christmas movie with snow, ugly jerseys and having a lit fire place but that don’t happen in South Africa. December here in S.A is HOT and I’m not just talking about the weather.

This movie shows how we do Christmas but with a wedding. I loved seeing family traditions;

• Both the white and traditional wedding

• The uncle who is always drunk but will get stuff done

• A bit of family drama

The cast is amazing, the wardrobe especially for the traditional wedding is pure fire. The music. If you have those 3 things I am sold for anything, good cast, good wardrobe and music. Plus, with it being a South African film honestly makes me so proud and happy to see where our entertainment is heading and it’s a good place.

It’s on Netflix and I still find myself just wanting to watch clips every now and then.

5. Strawberry body butter

I have been trying to practise the art that is self-care. There are times when I don’t have time to do a full-on Self-care Sunday, so I do small things throughout the day that help me feel good about myself. One of those things is having soft hands and smelling good. This body butter does it for me. One thing when the say butter, that’s how it feels, it’s so soft, almost milky and it doesn’t leave your hands feeling sticky after it’s dries up. Not to mention the smell is just amazing. There are different ones available but my favourite is the strawberry. I smell like ice-cream. There is no other way to describe it. As soon as you open the container, 1 2 3 4 5 Boom you have entered heaven.

I got this from The Body shop and what’s great is that most of their products are vegan friendly and last long. There is the 50ml (R75) and 200ml (R200). Little hint would a nice gift for Valentine's Day