An August Recap And Favourites

Happy almost-end of August everyone!

I hope in the midst of the ongoing pandemic, everyone is trying their best to social distance, sanitize their hands and wear a mask wherever possible.

Here are also some important, self-explanatory links for August.

Black Lives Matter (US)

Black Lives Matter (UK, Ireland)

Justice for Elijah McCLain

Justice for Jacob Blake

Recap and Reflection –

I never thought I’d be one to get used to wearing a mask. Because of it being compulsory in Singapore, I have sort of been forced to get used to it, and I’m not finding it that horrible anymore! Never trust anyone who doesn’t have a legit medical problem who says that they ‘can’t breathe’ when they wear a mask. If I, as an asthmatic, unfit person, can wear a mask for over 11 hours a day in 36 degree weather, you can too.

It would be my 2nd full month on accutane and I’m happy to say I am seeing results. My skin is no longer as oily and my active breakouts are, well, not so active anymore! I also went for a blood test to check if my body was reacting well to the medication, and I passed – which is great news for a needlephobe like me.

Additionally, I learned from my dermatologist that I have ‘vasovagal syncope’ which is a condition where “you faint because your body overreacts to certain triggers, such as the sight of blood or extreme emotional distress. It may also be called neurocardiogenic syncope.

Over the past 10 years and multiple blood tests I’ve taken, I’ve always fainted (even when I don’t see the needle or the blood) and I never knew why but I’m glad I know now!

August Favourites –

My 2013 Kindle

I dug out my old 2013 Kindle Paperwhite because I missed reading properly. I used to be such a massive bookworm at university and I ordered books from Book Depository soooo often, but when I started my current job 2 years ago, my reading habits flew out of the window.

As I don’t have a lot of space in my room, I decided to scavenge for my old 2013 Kindle that I bought in the UK, charged it and started to download book samples. The first book I got was The Midnight Library by Matt Haig and I’m loving it so much so far! I’m glad my Kindle still works, although it is extremely slow. I do think I should upgrade to the newest paperwhite soon but, money, you know. It literally takes about 15 seconds for a page to load which drives me nuts!

Kindle, if you’re reading this, PLEASE SPONSOR ME! (lol)

Neutrogena Rain Bath Shower Gel

Many many people have raved about this particular shower gel and I’ve seen it everywhere – so when I saw it on discount at a beauty store I frequented, I had to give it a try!

And I really do love it! It feels like a high-end luxury shower gel and smells like a spa which I looooove. I usually use this in the day time as I always use a lavender-scented shower gel at night to help me relax. The bottle is HUGE and I’ll definitely be reusing it instead of buying a new bottle as it is made of plastic.

Prickly Heat Powder

If you’re Asian, you know this product all too well!

I personally love the red classic the best.

What this product is is a ‘cooling’ powder’ which is soooo great for hot weather and boy oh boy it has been warm in Singapore the past couple of weeks. One bottle cost me about $1.45 which is SO cheap for the amount that you get and I’ve been using it everyday on my underarms, arms and legs before heading out and it keeps me feeling cool for a good amount of time!

It also smells very menthol-like which I really love as it gives me a sense of freshness. I love anything minty – yes, even mint choc chip ice cream which I know many people hate.

Eleanor Neale Videos

I love true crime videos and one of the my favourite books when I was a young adult was The World’s Greatest Serial Killers by Nigel Cawthorne. Eleanor Neale is a familiar face to many people who watch YouTube regularly and I found myself binge-watching a lot of her content recently.

She covers a lot of cases, new and old, and explains everything in great detail. Her latest video was about Jerry Brudos, who was also mentioned in The World’s Greatest Serial Killers. I would highly recommend her channel! I’m also open to hearing about new crime commentary channels that you enjoy so do leave them in the comments below.

My Flowery Purple Phone Case

It aint’ a new month without a new phone case!

I got this beautiful matte flowery phone case for less than $2 on AliExpress and I love it! I really really like that it covers the camera of my iPhone as it does have a tendency to feel fragile. I am still on the side of preferring silicone cases but this case is really nice as well, although more slippery than I’d like!

You can find loads of cheap and cute cases on AliExpress or Shopee (Asia), which is where I get most of mine!

Did you have a good August? Let us know what you enjoyed in the comments below so we can all discover something new. 

Fingers crossed for an even better month in September!

Comments

66 responses to “An August Recap And Favourites”

  1. Teresa Avatar

    Oooh, that phone case is so beautiful! You just reminded me that I need to get a new one, thanks! 😉

    Teresa Maria | Outlandish Blog

    Like

    1. marsybun Avatar

      Glad I could remind you, I’m an avid phone case collector for sure!

      Like

  2. Jenny in Neverland Avatar

    Oooh I have a few Eleanor Neale videos in my watch list! I love those type of videos and I watch Loey Lane and Hailey Reese a lot but I’m always looking for new people in that niche to watch so thank you! xxx

    Like

    1. marsybun Avatar

      Her videos are sooo good! Belle Fiori is another true crime YouTuber I’d highly recommend! 😊

      Like

  3. Karalee Avatar

    That’s awesome your Kindle still works, but I can understand it being frustrating when it takes forever to turn the pages.
    I love true crime, but I haven’t seen any of Eleanor’s videos, so I’ll give them a go!
    Also, your new phone case is so cute!

    This month I started working on my thesis again & I’m making decent progress. I’m glad that the seminar in Decemeber is online b/c I really don’t want to be travelling to Sweden.

    Like

    1. marsybun Avatar

      In an effort to save some money, I’m happy to bear with the lag of my Kindle! Eleanor is great, I hope you’ll enjoy her videos as much as I do! 😊

      Like

  4. JoJo’s Cup of Mocha Avatar

    Awesome post! I’m in the same boat as you where in college I read so many books! But when I became “an adult” I stopped reading, but once my last class for my masters program is done I plan to do some more reading again! And I love true crime as well so that’s also a good option as well!

    Like

    1. marsybun Avatar

      I’m glad I dug my Kindle out because I forgot how much I loved reading and the Kindle does make reading seem easier 😊 thank you for reading!

      Like

      1. JoJo’s Cup of Mocha Avatar

        I have the kindle app and an iPad. It’s my favorite way to read!

        Like

  5. flhockeymomfit Avatar

    Omg, I could definitely use that cooling powder here in Florida!

    Like

    1. marsybun Avatar

      It’s such a great invention!

      Like

  6. Mish Avatar

    Yes I’ve totally been getting used to wearing a mask as well and to be honest… I kinda love it!!! Haha, no need for a full face of makeup anymore 🤪
    Love that phone case btw it’s so pretty and what a great price!

    Mish | https://latteswithmish.com

    Like

    1. marsybun Avatar

      I still stupidly wear a full face because I just love wearing and doing my makeup in general. And I love my phone case so much too!

      Like

  7. Divya Hegde Avatar
    Divya Hegde

    I loved the purple phone case, so cute!!

    Like

    1. marsybun Avatar

      Thank you! 😊

      Like

  8. The Newbury Girl Avatar

    The phone case is so adorable & that’s great that your Accutane treatment is going well! People who refuse or make excuses not to wear masks infuriate me!

    Like

    1. marsybun Avatar

      I know right! The Facebook comments section on articles about masks and the pandemic in general really frustrate me so much, don’t know why people can’t just be considerate for once!

      Like

  9. WattTheBlog Avatar

    I love that phone case! You’ve also made me wonder if my old kindle still works and where I put it 😅 also it makes me so mad when people say they can’t breathe wearing a mask, but are totally fit and healthy! Like… come on 🙄

    Like

    1. marsybun Avatar

      I literally had to DIG my Kindle out from the depths of my room as I hadn’t touched it in a few years. Thankfully it still works! And that mask thing annoys me so much, people just wanna make excuses and exaggerate 😔

      Like

  10. Vibe Inspire Avatar

    I used to be a bookworm earlier too but as life goes on, somehow the reading time has gone down. I am returning slowly back to the books right now!

    Like

    1. marsybun Avatar

      Same here, my Kindle really helped!

      Like

  11. bethanymca Avatar
    bethanymca

    My august favourites have got to be
    ▪︎my copy of Dracula
    ▪︎my minnie mouse face mask
    ▪︎ lush bath bombs
    ▪︎binge watching This country on BBC iplayer

    Great post. I love these wrap ups!! Xxx

    Like

    1. marsybun Avatar

      Awesome favourites! A Minnie Mouse face mask sounds amazing (I love Disney!) and Lush is also part of my skincare routine 😊

      Like

  12. Daisy Avatar
    Daisy

    I so could have done with the Prickly Heat during the UK heatwave! My everything hates being too hot and my skin reacts like crazy! I also love Eleanor Neale! Her videos have so incredible detail and she has a great voice too!

    Daisy xoxo | AccordingToDaisy

    Like

    1. marsybun Avatar

      I see that it’s available on UK Amazon for a good price (considering it’s an imported product), you could buy it off there! It’s also good for soothing skin 😊

      Like

  13. Kelly Diane Avatar

    Such a lovely, reflection post. I love that phone case, its so pretty.

    Like

    1. Marissa Belle Avatar

      It is one of the best ones I’ve got 😊

      Like

  14. sarah Avatar

    That phone case is gorgeous! I’ve watched a few of Eleanor Neale’s vids and I definitely need to watch some more!
    Sarah x

    Like

    1. Marissa Belle Avatar

      I love it too! Thank you for reading x

      Like

  15. sapphireroses Avatar

    Those phone cases look so pretty, and don’t reflect their cheap price point 👍

    Like

    1. Marissa Belle Avatar

      They are really high quality – would really recommend 😊

      Like

  16. Fadima Mooneira Avatar

    I also used the Prickly Heat Powder now. I’m having skin rash trouble. Huhuhu. Btw, I liked your iPhone chase. So lovey!

    Like

    1. Marissa Belle Avatar

      Hi-five, I love the powder for its cooling effect! And thank you 😊

      Like

  17. littlelionbooks (amy) Avatar

    I loved reading this! I went to Singapore last year and was totally unprepared for the humidity, so I can only image how hot it must get wearing a mask over there! Glad you rediscovered your kindle – I’ll be interested to see what you think of Matt Haig’s new book! (Also – that phone case is so cute!) xx

    Amy / http://www.littlelionbooks.com

    Like

    1. Marissa Belle Avatar

      Oof, my boyfriend was the same the first time he visited Singapore, he almost passed out at Universal Studios while we were in the sun! And I’m LOVING The Midnight Library so much, I’m sure the last 20% of the book won’t disappoint! 😊

      Like

  18. Chris - CJ Attractions Guide Avatar

    I’ve had some blood tests recently and they made me really nervous as I haven’t had one in so long. I’ve started work too where I need to wear a mask all day and it isn’t as bad as I thought, you kind of forget its there. Great read, thanks for sharing! Hope September brings you happiness!

    Like

    1. Marissa Belle Avatar

      Masks really aren’t as bad as people claim it to be! Of course they can get a little uncomfortable as we’re not used to it, but it’s not that awful. Same to you Chris, happy September!

      Like

  19. Kate Avatar

    I love your new phone case it’s so pretty!

    Like

    1. Marissa Belle Avatar

      Isn’t it! 😊

      Like

  20. Sarah Avatar

    I’m in love with the phone case too! So pretty!!

    Like

    1. Marissa Belle Avatar

      Eeee thank you! I love it so much too 😊

      Like

  21. Amber Avatar

    Great list! August sure was an eventful month! Looking for to what the month of September brings ✨🧡

    Like

    1. Marissa Belle Avatar

      I wish you all the best for the new month 😊

      Like

  22. Vinn Avatar

    Cheers! I also love the Neutrogena rainbath gel! I had an awesome August having reach my target of
    more than a thousand blog views and a golden bloggerz award! The only thing I didn’t manage to accomplish is finishing the book by Amos Oz since I was glued with K- drama, its ok not to be ok. By the way its an epic series. Check it out!

    Like

    1. Marissa Belle Avatar

      Congratulations on the blog view goal that you reached – that’s a whole lot of views!

      Like

  23. Lisa M. Alioto Avatar

    I wear my mask everywhere!! It’s a must for me, esp. being in the at risk group!

    Great article – love the variety

    Like

    1. Marissa Belle Avatar

      That’s really great to hear! Thank you for also being considerate of others.

      Like

  24. lifestyleseason Avatar

    Great post! Happy September! That phone case is so pretty and this has made me want to start using my kindle more!

    Like

    1. Marissa Belle Avatar

      Yayyy! Welcome back to the Kindle club 😛

      Like

  25. Luxurytraveldocs Avatar
    Luxurytraveldocs

    Wow Interesting about the cooling powder

    Like

  26. Natasha Evans Avatar

    I just bought an old secondhand Kindle a few weeks ago to start using as I’d been getting through so many paperbacks – so far I love it!

    Tash – A Girl with a View

    Like

    1. Marissa Belle Avatar

      It really does make reading so much easier for some reason – and I love it!

      Like

  27. Erika Marie Avatar

    I’ve also been into reading and I use this app called Libby that lets me read books and hear audiobooks for free. Also, that phone case is so cute!

    Like

    1. Marissa Belle Avatar

      I’ve never heard about Libby, I need to check that out, thank you! 😊

      Like

  28. Stephanie Avatar
    Stephanie

    When I first tried to wear masks, I would have panic attacks and start hyperventilating. I realized that the masks I was wearing were WAY too thick, and when I invested in some that actually don’t make me feel like I’m suffocating, I discovered that I don’t mind them at all! Now I actually kind of like wearing them, crazy enough. You’ve also made me want to try that shower gel. I haven’t heard much about it, but I already love Neutrogena, so I’m sure I’ll like it!

    Like

    1. Marissa Belle Avatar

      It’s so great that you’ve found a mask you like! I currently use washable cotton ones, and I love them, as the normal disposable surgical masks make me break out. You NEEEED to try that shower gel!

      Like

  29. Chrissy | Minimalist Maximalist Avatar

    Your August sounds like it was a great one and your phone case is so cute! I’m glad that the accutane medication has been working for you as well. x

    Like

    1. Marissa Belle Avatar

      Thank you so much for reading 😊 have a good september!

      Like

  30. Anika May Avatar

    I struggled with masks at first, just because I’m not used to feeling restricted in that way and it would make me panic. But now, I’m absolutely fine with them. I’m asthmatic too, and if I can wear them and still breathe normally, everyone else can too! Glad to hear you’re reacting well to accutane too, that’s great news!

    Anika | chaptersofmay.com

    Like

    1. Marissa Belle Avatar

      I’m glad to hear you’re doing well with the masks. And thank you, I hope accutane can work its ultimate magic in the end! 😊

      Like

  31. Megan Rae Avatar

    i really need to get back into reading! i just seemed to stop reading one day when i was right in the middle of a book i was enjoying, i’m not quite sure why😬✨

    Like

    1. Marissa Belle Avatar

      I was like that too but my problem was work – it took too much time out of my day and I stopped because I was too tired after work to do anything. But I’m trying to put aside 15-20 minutes to read before bed everyday now x

      Like

  32. bournemouthgirl Avatar

    What a good list of favourites. I like to see what other people have been loving and seeing if I can find anything I want to try or do. Thank you for sharing.

    Lauren | http://www.bournemouthgirl.com

    Like

  33. Hazel @ Places + Peonies Avatar

    I never put a case on my iPhone cause OCD. But these are so cute!! I hate how the phone is made of all glass and it slips off of things. Definitely irritates me. I have yet to find a phone case my OCD won’t flip out over lol!

    I upgraded my Kindle and my daughter jacked it from me for her kid shows. Now I’m back to reading Kindle books on my phone. Sigh lol. I have a paperwhite somewhere around here I think! But the lag between pages really was not fun compared to how fast the Kindle Fire pages load!

    Like

    1. Marissa Belle Avatar

      Aw, I hope you find a case that suits you, I love switching cases as I like the feel of holding something new everyday (which is a little weird even for me!).

      Like

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