Hoots of a Night Al

5 Shows to Watch if You Miss Downton Abbey

June 7, 2016 No Comments

Remember the good old days of sitting down with your tea and biscuits to watch Downton Abbey every week? Sadly, those days are long gone.

Fortunately for you, I’ve rounded up a few shows you can watch to try and fill the void left by our favorite British household.

Home Fires

Home Fires

Home Fires follows the lives of women in a rural community in Cheshire at the start of World War II. It is dramatic, emotional, and cheeky. With many of the town’s men leaving for war, the viewers get to see how the women deal with supporting the town, themselves, and their soldiers. Unfortunately, after two seasons, the show is rumored to have been dropped, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed it will return! Important side note: It has one of the most amazing intro songs I’ve never heard!

Mr. Selfridge

Mr. Selfridge

Mr. Selfridge tells the story of Mr. Selfridge. Shocking, right? This real-life story follows Mr. Selfridge as he opens Selfridge’s in London, which is still open today. It is set in the 1910s, and has a very similar feel to Downton Abbey with much of the drama taking place both within the Selfridge home and within Selfridge’s store. It also has the same witty character types that make you laugh one minute and bring you to tears the next minute when they suffer misfortune. With four fabulous seasons, this is a MUST watch.

Pride & Prejudice

Pride and Prejudice

This six-part Pride & Prejudice series recreates Jane Austen’s classic love story wonderfully. While it is set roughly a century before Downton Abbey, Downton-lovers will appreciate the refined romance, multi-layered characters, and Elizabeth Bennet’s quick wit.

Upstairs Downstairs

Upstairs Downstairs

Upstairs Downstairs is possibly the series that most resembles Downton Abbey on my list. It follows the lives of the Hollands and their servants in the heart of London in 1936. With forbidden romances, servants dreaming of raising their ranks, and drama every episode, it will easily draw in Downton fans. It unfortunately only has two seasons, but it is a remake of a 1970s version. Perhaps you can try the original if you enjoy it!

Doctor Thorne

Doctor Thorne

Doctor Thorne is a 3-part love story that follows the book of the same name, and was written and produced by Julian Fellowes (who also wrote and produced Downton Abbey!). He bookends each episode with a fireside chat discussing the characters, original author, and plot points, which I really enjoyed! Set in the 1800s, this story is short and (mostly) sweet, and will therefore be enjoyed by almost anyone.

BONUS: DOWNTON ABBEY

title

Okay, I’m not cheating by including this on the list, because it’s the sixth on a list of “five.” I re-watched the first five seasons before season six, and I had forgotten so many wonderful little moments and interesting storylines. Just because we won’t be getting any new episodes of Downton Abbey (tear.), doesn’t mean you should write it off forever! Start the journey over again with our dear Granthams, because can we ever really part with them? No.

Another bonus is that all of these shows are on Amazon Prime, which means they’re super easy to access! We watch Amazon Prime eligible shows on our TV with a Fire TV Stick, and we love it!

I hope these shows fill a small part of the giant void Downton Abbey left in all of our hearts. If I missed any of your favorite 1900s British dramas (surely that isn’t too narrow of a category, right??), let me know in the comments!

Retro Siggy

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you click on these links or make a purchase using these links, I may receive a small percentage of the profit at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Hoots of a Night Al!

Beauty

Covergirl The Super Sizer by LashBlast Mascara

June 3, 2016 No Comments

I’m breaking out of my Maybelline bubble, to blog about Covergirl’s New The Super Sizer by LashBlast Mascara in Very Black. I have been seeing this promoted everywhere lately, so I picked up a tube to try myself.

As you can see the wand is pretty unique. It is slender and the bristles are relatively short. The are attached in a sort of swirl, so you’re supposed to twirl the brush as you apply the mascara. I found the wand pretty easy to work with. It does take a little getting used to though.

It comes in 3 colors: Black Brown, Black, and Very Black. I always reach for the blackest mascara possible because I think it provides the most impact.

According to Covergirl, this mascara is supposed to provide “400% more corner-to-corner volume for full, fanned out lashes.” I think it mostly delivers.

My lashes definitely have more volume and length when I’m wearing this, BUT AT WHAT COST!? Hah, kidding. Drama aside, my lashes definitely clump when I’m applying The Super Sizer mascara, and the short-bristled, swirled brush isn’t the best tool for separating my lashes. Of course, if I work with it long enough, I can get it to work. However, other mascaras make clump-free lashes much more attainable.

Maybe to some people clumps equal volume? I much prefer separated lashes that are somehow volumized while remaining clump-free, but who am I to know what everyone wants?

The Super Sizer mascara is mostly flake-free, which is a plus. It doesn’t smear at all even in the heat, which is nice as well.

I have noticed a little bit of eye irritation when wearing this mascara, even though it is ophthalmologist tested. However, that could be due to allergies or another factor, I just wanted to mention it in case anyone reading has super sensitive eyes. You may want to avoid this one.

Another pro of this mascara is the price. From what I’ve seen it runs around $2 cheaper than many other drugstore mascaras…usually around $5-$6 depending on the store.

Overall, I’d give this mascara about a 7/10. Is it fabulous enough to make me abandon being a Maybelline Babebelline and try to be a Covergirl? Nope, probably not. (Also Maybelline Babelline was gross, I’m sorry.)

If you’re in the market for a new drugstore mascara though, I’d feel comfortable recommending it!

Covergirl’s The Super Sizer Mascara is available online, at drugstores, and at many big box retailers. If you decide to try it, let me know what you think!

As always, thanks so much for reading!

*FACE MAKEUP: Maybelline Fit Me Foundation & Concealer

*LIPSTICK: Maybelline Lipstick in Vivid Rose

*EYELINER: Maybelline Unstoppable Eyeliner

*BRONZER: NYX Matte Bronzer

*This post contains some affiliate links, which means if you click on them or make a purchase using them, I may receive a small percentage. Thank you for supporting Hoots of a Night Al!

Beauty

Maybelline Fit Me Matte and Poreless Foundation and Concealer

May 13, 2016 6 Comments

I have been seeing the Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation and Maybelline Fit Me Concealer praised all over the place lately. From people who love high end makeup to drugstore fans, these seem to be pleasing everyone!

I decided to jump on the bandwagon, so I purchased both of these products last week. I feel like I have finally used them enough to write a review.

No surprise, I’M A FAN! I purchased the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in Fair 15. There is another light shade, Light 10, but it seemed to have more yellow undertones. Fair had pink undertones, which suits my skin better.

It comes in sleek packaging with a doe foot applicator. I have been using it as both an under-eye concealer and to cover blemishes and redness.

The formula is great! It’s so creamy and smooth, without being greasy or looking too thick. It easily blends out with either my finger or Beauty Blender and provides enough lightness without making me look like a raccoon.

In fact, my mom has been on the quest for a good under-eye concealer for years and has tried every high-end product around, and she recently tried this and loves it, too!

I think the concealer adds brightness, while blending seamlessly into my foundation, which is everything I look for in a concealer. Oh, and coverage, duh. It does a great job of that, too. 🙂

For the foundation, I picked up the shade Natural Ivory 112. It is the second lightest shade, and seemed to have similar coloring and undertones to the concealer.

I LOVE THIS FOUNDATION. It seemed slightly drying when I first put it on, but I decided to wear it regardless, and give it a chance. I’m so happy I did! I’ve always wanted to have that porcelain skin look, but I feel like I can’t ever achieve it with my freckles. This foundation got me the closest I’ve ever been!

It comes in a bottle with no pump, so I simply dot it around my face with my fingers and blend it in with a foundation brush.

It definitely diminishes the look of my pores (I think anyway, based on the photo below!), and gives my face a flawless finish without looking like I have tons of makeup caked. It supposedly contains micro-powders that help absorb oils throughout the day, but I still get shiny after a few hours of wear.

What else is there to say? I’m a believer! This foundation and concealer combination is my current favorite, and at around $10 for both, I think it will be for quite awhile!

Beauty

Aveeno Ultra-Calming Foaming Cleanser and Nourishing Night Cream

May 11, 2016 2 Comments

I have always had issues with redness on my face, but a few weeks ago, it looked even worse than usual. I set out to find some new skincare products to try and help. I get so overwhelmed when it comes to picking out a new face wash, so I tried to narrow it down and specifically look for one that helped with redness.

Right away the Aveeno Ultra-Calming Foaming Cleanser jumped out at me. In its description it specifically says it helps reduce the appearance of redness through their trademarked ingredient “calming feverfew.”

I started using the cleanser that day, and I’ve been washing my face with it everyday for about two weeks. I must say, I’m super impressed! It helped reduce the redness on my cheeks within just a few days, and it’s gentle enough to use every night when I wash my face.

It’s good, not great, at removing my makeup. It gets off all of my face makeup easily, but I have to use a makeup remove to help get off my eye makeup most of the time. However, since I purchased it more for the redness calming property, I’m not complaining!

In conjunction with the cleanser, I purchased the Aveeno Ultra-Calming Nourishing Night Cream to use as my nightly moisturizer. I have used this every night as well, and I love it! It is smooth and creamy and soaks into my skin without leaving a greasy residue.

It hasn’t clogged my pores at all, and I think it has definitely aided the cleanser in reducing the redness on my cheeks and nose. Speaking of my nose, if you’re sensitive to smells, you may want to avoid this moisturizer. It claims to be fragrance free, but the Active Naturals Oat ingredient definitely gives it a yeast-like smell. It kind of makes me feel like a Sandwich Artist at Subway. (I ignorantly assume they all smell like bread all the time.) It’s pretty strong at first, but I think it does fade relatively quickly.

The ultra-calming line also has make-up removing wipes and a daily moisturizer. I have used the makeup-up wipes before, and they’re also great!

If you struggle with facial redness, you should consider purchasing some products from the Aveeno Ultra-Calming line. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed!

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase using these links, I may receive a small percentage of the profit at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Hoots of a Night Al!

Beauty, DIY

Easy Minimal Nail Art

May 6, 2016 No Comments

I’m no artist. Let me get that out of the way up front! My handwriting isn’t great, I can’t draw worth a poot, and in general, I’m not super artistic. However, I love painting my nails (okay…that’s a lie, but I love having painted nails), and I’ve always wanted to add a fun accent to them. I’m not big on the different color accent nail trend, but I still love a fun pop of nail art, and this is the perfect compromise!

All you need for this minimal nail art look is Scotch tape and two colors of polish. I used Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Naked Ambition (previous review here) and Revlon Nail Polish in Minted. For an even more minimalist look, you could paint the nail art on your naked nail, which would only require one polish (duh.).

Paint your nails whatever base color you choose. Once they are completely dry, tear off two pieces of Scotch tape. I usually stick the tape on my hand and peel it off once to ~~pick up some dead skin cells~~ make it slightly less sticky. It needs to be sticky enough to stick onto your nail, but not so sticky it will pull off your base polish.

Stick the tape to your nails to form a triangle shape however large or small you’d like.

Use your secondary color to paint over the tape and fill in the triangle shape you created. As soon as you’re done painting, peel off the tape to reveal your perfect triangle! Make sure you peel off the tape while the polish is wet, so you don’t accidentally pull up the dry polish with the tape. You can also add a top coat afterwards, if that’s your jam.

Voilà! You’re done! I think this look is so fun, and I love that you can create so many looks with different colors and without any special nail art tools.

You could paint the triangles on every nail or just one finger, like I did. The tape is fun to play around with as well because you could use it to make any number of shapes or designs on your nails.

If you try this nail art, share a picture of it on Instagram and tag me! I’d love to see! 🙂 Feel free to pin the image below to help you remember the simple steps in the future!

As always, thanks for reading!

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