Kyle Britton is an indie folk singer, who enlisted the help of some of LA's finest musicians to play on the album and create a powerful, raw EP called, 'Riddle'. Full of surprises, this EP is authentic to it's core and it was a delight to listen to.
The opening track on the EP, 'Sleepover' eases the audience into a stylish, acoustic track with a lot of 'swag' (I can't believe I've just typed that but honestly that's how it sounds) and flare to it which we can see a lot more of throughout the EP. A lighthearted track about spending the night with someone, it's sexy but not crude, it's edgier and everything you would want from this kind of track.
The next track on the EP is 'Riddle' which is the first of two singles from the EP. Now, this is a lot edgier which is demonstrated a lot more throughout the rest of the EP. The use of acoustic and strings adds to the atmosphere of the song. You can hear the pain within Britton's voice towards the end of the track which shows real and raw emotion. A song about a poisonous love affair and the enduring pain that follows, it's still sounds edgy with a sexiness and mystery too it. The track has been incredibly crafted together and shows true talent. 'Villain' for me is very theatrical. You can almost see the movie or scene from a play being acted out in front of you, I really love this aspect of the song and how it strings up such strong images. Repeatedly singing 'I'm a bad boy' we hear the gravally and darker tone to Kyle Britton's voice which draws the audience in deeper. Again, it's sexy and makes you want to know more about this 'bad boy'. With lyrics such as 'the chill in your spine when your lips touch mine is not love', just sound so dark and makes you want to tame the 'villain'.
The final two tracks 'Shade of Grey' and 'Fire Walker' are very similar again, with rock edge to the tracks but still keeping with the acoustic side the entire EP just feels very natural and organically created. His raspy voice is captivating and it's definitely worth checking out. It's a darker take on acoustic music to what I'm used to. But it's also very theatrical and image provoking. Dark, sexy lyrics and melody with a raspy voice, what more could you want?
The indie pop song, Shenna has recently released her single, 'So Low' off of her upcoming album 'Made of Gold' set to be released later this year and if there's one thing this track will do, its get you up on the dance floor dancing along to it.
With infectious beats, there is a great bounce to the track and Shenna's unique voice reminds me a little of Lady Gaga meets Demi Lovato on the track. The track, for me has an almost futuristic sound to it which stems from the beats that have been created. A track that is destined to be a club hit, there's a little bit of everything with techno bass beats and synthesised vocals mixed with parts of rap, it's mixed incredibly well. Shenna also has an incredible voice that's very varied. She can easily switch from a pop sound to her R&B nature. 'So Low' is a track that tells a story of an individual gaining independence and acknowledging the fact that they can make it on their own in the world by letting go of everything holding them back from success. The track was also produced by Austin Bello from Forever the Sickest Kids, his work is also shown throughout the rest of her upcoming album.
If there's something missing from the music world at the moment, for me, it's a classic rock sound. These days, I find that rock music either falls into being heavy 'metal' music or falls between the lines of pop/rock but we never have that classic sound. That's where Love Ghost comes into action with their new single 'Friday Afternoon'.
Love Ghost, surprisingly, is made up of five incredibly talented teenagers, the frontman, Finn Bell is only 15 but that's hard to believe as his lyrics and musical arrangements are mature and beyond his years. They have a raw musical style inspired by the 90's grunge mixing with alternative rock to create their modern sound of rock music whilst still keeping it classic and timeless.
'Friday Afternoon' itself is about standing up for yourself particularly in your teenage years, where I feel a lot of people struggle. The mix of strings with the typical rock sound of guitars and drums adds a unique take. With the soft voice from Finn Bell it's a captivating track with a lot of depth to it. Bell's voice sounds incredibly mature throughout the track and is very impressive to have that amount of grit and emotion in his voice at such a young age. The chorus becomes that of a classic rock tracks that I would listen to when I was younger with that more echoing sound. It's clear to see influences from Nirvana, Alice In Chains and Smashing Pumpkins.
It's a brilliant debut from such a young band who've been together just over a year. They've also had some great success already opening for artists such as The Tubes and Berlin as well as playing festivals including Make Music Pasadena and Echo Park Rising. It'll be surprising if these don't make some noise coming into the world of rock music.
From the first trackLaura Roy had captured my attention and had me tapping away at my keyboard. That for me, is how I know it's a great release. Sometimes I'm sat at my keyboard wandering what to type about artists, though I might like the song they don't necessarily get me excited. Whereas Laura Roy's self titled EP wasn't one of those occasions for me. I couldn't wait to share her music with you.
The album sounds incredibly fun, it's the kind of EP that will get you up dancing just from the melodies alone. The R&B pop singer is incredible! It's not surprising that she has shared the stage with artists such as Jully Black, JRDN, Ludacris, Rakik and Freddy Gibbs and attended the prestigious Gordie Sampson Songcamp put on by the Grammy-winning writer in Nova Scotia for four years as well as being invited to participate in songwriting camps via The Songwriter's Association of Canada in Montreal and Toronto in 2015. It was here that Laura had the chance to write and connect with producers and writers like Rob Wells (Justin Bieber), Alex Greggs (Lady Gaga) Caitlyn Smith (Meghan Trainor, John Legend) and Gordie Sampson himself (Carrie Underwood, Faith Hill). Reading her background it's not surprising that she had managed to create a fantastic self titled EP.
The six track EP is filled with potential hits which is why it got me so excited. The R&B singers music has synth pop sounds mixed with soulful melodies and catchy hooks. Her songs are incredibly catchy and makes you feel like getting up and dance and have fun. The opening track, 'Don't Chase The Feeling' is a prime example of this. The verses are understated but incredibly well written building to this crescendo of a chorus which is so catchy and playful. The bridge shows Laura Roy's more soulful and powerhouse of a voice. It's a brilliant opening track for the EP.
'Looking the Other Way' is next which is a bit more soulful and reminds me of 90s R&B. A song about a broken relationship with lyrics such as 'because you had it, then you lost it, now you're mad that I'm okay' something that most of us have experienced in our lives. Her songs are easy to relate to as well as positive and encouraging for you to get on with your own life. It's clear that she's taken everything she's learnt to create this brilliantly put together EP.
'Bright Lights' is definitely my favourite track off the EP. A song about 'trying to make it on my own' and chasing after your own dreams. I can imagine this in a movie - you know about a team or a star that lost their opportunity and by the end of the movie they get it all back a little bit like Disney movie Ice Princess(just me?). I just think it's so optimistic and encouraging. Laura's voice sounds incredible and you can see her music taking over the charts with this track.
'Full Moon' is a lot softer and definitely exploring her more soulful side whilst still keeping her pop and synth sounds. Again it's a beautiful track about love and 'holding it together'. A song about soul mates and 'finding our way through the dark'. It's romantic about holding on to the people you love through anything. It reminds me a little of Carly Rae Jepson with a little more soul in her voice.
'Take Me Down' has more fight to it, especially melody driven. Her voice takes a bit more of a blues tone to it, particularly in the beginning. It's a little bit more alluring and sultry. Again, Laura uses her powerful soulful voice at the beginning of the chorus. She's managed to find an amazing balance between her soul and R&B influence with a current pop and synth sound, which makes her incredibly unique.
'Plastic' is a little more darker. Definitely more of her soulful sound is coming out in this track, reminding me a little of Rihana's 'Unfaithful'. It definitely has that moody edge to it like that track had too. This track definitely shows off her vocal range and abilities, she's not hiding behind anything. Especially when you listen to her acoustic version you can hear what an incredible artist Laura Roy is. The EP is full of potential and I can't wait to see what Laura Roy has up her sleeve next. Incredibly underrated she is a rising star and one to watch out for. You can download her EP on iTunes now or listen on Spotify.
Check out Laura Roy's acoustic version of 'Plastic' below:
I was rummaging around my makeup collection the other day when I stumbled across a lip product I had never tried before. I think it must've been a free sample in a beauty box or something and the colour terrified me a little which is probably why I never even tested it but, when I found it the other day it got me a little curious to try it. The lip product in question is from Too Faced a brand I've heard so much about but only ever tried one eyeshadow palette from before and it was there Melted Fuchsia Lipstick that caught my attention.
I've been wanting a new lipstick for a while something light and creamy on the lips, I'm not a big fan of lipglosses as I find them too sticky unless they are the liquid lipsticks, but lately I've wanted a bit more of a sheen to my lips so I thought I'd give this a go. It's a sponge applicator and as you squeeze the tube the product sinks through. I'm not going to lie I thought this would be a nightmare to apply especially because the colour seems so bright but it actually applied really easily. The sponge sticks to your lips a little making it easier to apply instead of just slipping all over the place. Although the product is really well pigmented it's not quite as vibrant as I was expecting but I quite like this as I'm not really into bright and bold lips at the moment. It's much more muted down.
The Melted Lipstick feels really nice on the lips. It does feel quite moisturising especially compared to liquid lipsticks at the moment and considering it's colour pay off. It doesn't feel tacky on your lips at all, in fact it feels like you're wearing nothing more than lip balm. I feel like you'd get better results if you did line your lips first however. I will definitely be trying out different shades as I'm surprised by how much I like the product and the colour of it too. I might have to have a cheeky Too Faced splurge soon, I saw their chocolate palette in person for the first time the other day and it looked amazing. Also everyone always raves about the brand so I might need to invest in a few pieces.
Have you tried the Melted Lipsticks from Too Faced, or any other product? Let me know your favourite below.
Whilst I was recently watching YouTube I noticed that a lot of people were using a water bottle with a gauge on the side that informed them how much water they needed to drink at certain times of the day. I'm one of those people who does actually like drinking water but I could never keep track on how much I was actually drinking so I wanted one of these bottles so I could be sure I was drinking enough water in the day and doing it properly. The brand is called HydrateM8 and I love my bottle.
HydrateM8's are a clear bottle with different coloured lids and straws, I picked myself up the orange bottle and I got Scott the blue bottle. Each of the bottles have a slogan printed on them too with a little bit of motivation, such as 'carpe diem' or 'summer mode' which I thought was a nice touch. Down the back of the bottle is where the gauge is printed on informing you how much water you should've drunk by a certain time. There is also some motivation down the side too such as 'keep drinking' 'nearly there' and 'good job' so if you don't really like drinking water I feel like this helps to encourage you.
They're brilliant for taking around with you too. The lid is very sturdy and the straws folds away so you don't have to worry about it leaking all in your bag or anything. They're brilliant for if you have to do a lot of driving. Whether that's your job entails you to drive a lot of if you're just going out for the day and it's a long drive as you don't have to worry about unscrewing any lids you just pull the straw up. I've had mine for a week now and have used it every single day. Both myself and Scott are a little obsessed with using them at the moment. I also prefer using the bottle than having to go out and keep buying bottles of water each day. This way I can keep a jug of water in the fridge and fill my own HydrateM8 up and I'm good to go.
I would highly recommend. Especially if you're someone who does need to drink more water. They're not too cheap at £13.99 but they're definitely worth it and the quality of the bottle seems amazing. HydrateM8 also Children's bottles. Obviously these are a little smaller but they're perfect for your child to take to school with them. Finally the brand also does Fruit Infusers, so if you like your water to have a little more flavour to it, you can use these to help them taste a little sweeter.
Since Christmas I've been really trying to focus on when to spend money and where to save it. For me, this hasn't always been easy. I love shopping, in particular I loved online shopping but I found that I was buying things and then never wearing them. When Anna from ViviannaDoesMakeup started her capsule wardrobe I really started to question more about my own shopping habits. Though I'm never going to be as strict with myself as some people I feel like I've come along way from where I was and I actually have some savings now.
(these were definitely not purchased in one go)
Anybody who knows me knows I love to shop. In fact when I was leaving school and you get everyone to sign your shirts, one teacher wrote on mine 'SHOPPING TIME' because he used to see me walking into town most days after school. Lately, I've been trying to only buy things when I really need something. I've also been trying to buy more investment pieces. So instead of buying a cheaper pair of black trousers for work, recently, I went to River Island and got a pair that I knew fit me well and that looked stylish because I knew I would wear them a lot more than any old pair of trousers. I feel like this is the key. With some items I feel like it's okay to spend a little more if you know you're going to get a lot of wear out of them, such as black skinny jeans, black trousers and a leather jacket to name a few. I feel like for your staple items in your wardrobe it's better to invest and spend that little more if it's going to last you longer.
Also in recent months I've been shopping in places that I know fit me well, sometimes I'd buy things because I really liked the pattern or style but when I actually put them on I either didn't feel comfortable in it or it didn't fit me very well. I've still got too many items in my wardrobe but I feel like they are things that I tend to wear over and over.
As well as my shopping habits, I've been trying to spend money on less takeaways (why I was eating so many, I'm not quite sure) and using that money for myself and Scott to do things. I much prefer us actually going somewhere for the day or just going out to a restaurant rather than eating fast food all the time. I feel like it's important to do things as a couple whether that's go to the cinema, or out for a meal or if you want to go to the zoo. There's an endless amount of activities you can do as a couple and I feel like you get to a stage where you become really comfortable with each other that you forget to actually have fun. Me and Scott got to that point where we were just coming home from work cooking dinner and watching a film and it got boring so lately we're we've both been saving money we've decided to actually go out to different places. Try different pubs around us or go a little bit further away from home (my tapping in postcodes into the satnav could be better) but it's definitely been a lot more fun.
Again, this has been one of those rambly posts from me today, but isn't that what my Tuesday posts all about? Just to get my thoughts out there. Let me know you're own thoughts on spending your money more wisely.
Today's music post comes in the form of cinematic dirt rock band, Forebear with their latest single 'Delroy Lindo'. I had no idea what to expect when I started listening to the band I was expecting something quite heavy with the description of 'dirt rock band' but was pleasantly surprised that the track was much more meaningful and thought provoking. The track showcases the bands signature sound of brooding vocal hooks, clashing guitars and mournful strings.
The band is made up of four musicians each who have worked with incredibly artists in the past such as Bastille, Randy Jackson, Keith Urban and more. The four of them met in early 2014 before forming the band. Each of the band members bring something different to the band Scott Goldbaum's vocals are gorgeous, and incredibly haunting on this track which I think helps to draw you in as well as playing the lead guitar. Molly Rogers plays the viola which adds to the atmosphere of the song, giving them that brooding sound which is a unique in this genre of music. Whilst Mike Mussleman and Nick Chamian pull the band together with their methodical rhythm sections of drum and bass.
'Delroy Lindo' itself is quite a dark track about broken promises and romanticising situations. It starts quite soft and reminds of Josh Record debut album (which we all know I loved) before the drums and viola come into play. The track is incredibly atmospheric and makes you feel a lot of emotion that you can imagine the characters going through. With lyrics such as 'pack your boxes before one us changes their mind again' and 'it won't do you're the loneliest of nations I have ever served' it emphasises the breaking down of what they were hoping would be perfect. To me, it's a very sad track facing disappointment of what they hoped California would be. Scott Goldbaum's vocals are incredibly, his tone is so beautiful and perfect for this track. Quickly shifting from his chest voice to falsetto. It's beautifully unique just like Forebear themselves. Good God is set to be released August 26th.
When summer comes back around I always find myself reaching for a couple of perfumes that sit on my shelf through the cooler months. This year there's been three that I've been gravitating towards more than the rest. Whilst my normal go to perfumes are the YSL Black Opium or the Vera Wang Lovestruck perfume there's been three others that have been stealing the lime light lately.
First up, I love Vera Wang Be Jeweled for spring and summer and I always whip this one out in the warmer months. It's very girly and light, I feel like it's a younger girls perfume so late teens and 20's - that's my personal opinion. I find it very floral with a little bit of a musk to it, the perfume is described as 'top not of Be Jeweled seduce us with an irresistible blend of red currant, pomegranate and champagne. The heart adds fruity zests of passion fruit combined with pink honeysuckle and pink peony. Base notes complete the pink feeling with accords of pink crystal-sugar accompanied with a a sensual trail of musk and Australian sandalwood'. I simply love it for spring summer as it's fresh and light, I don't like wearing anything too heavy especially when it is warmer outside or I find it to heady. If you're a little bit younger I would definitely recommend checking this perfume out. The packaging is really cute too shaped like a jewel with embellishments around the neck of the bottle.
Next up is Marc Jacobs Honey again every spring I pull this one back out. I find it's a little heavier than the previous but a little sweeter too. It's a lot more fruity than the previous as well in my opinion and I feel like anyone can wear this. It's described as 'Marc Jacobs Honey opens with the instantly catchy medley of pear and juicy mandarin. A sultry white floral heart of orange blossom and honeysuckle is brightened with luscious peach and apricot, before a melting honey, golden vanilla and smooth woods dry down mesmerises with blissful warmth'. I love this perfume, it takes me back to the summer where me and Scott became friends again before we started seeing each other so it's full of good memories for me.
Finally, the last fragrance is a lot cheaper but the one I've been reaching for the most this year at the moment and its the Zoella Beauty Sweet Inspirations Body Mist. I've been loving this product. It's very sweet and light and every time I wear Scott says I smell like white chocolate. It smells a little bit like baking but it inspired by macaroons so what do you expect. I love it though and I've been non-stop wearing it lately. I would highly recommend this body mist.
I've recently been using the Clinique Smart Night Moisturiser just before I go to bed and I've been loving the product. I've been taking all my make up off and then applying this before I go to sleep and I've been enjoying how my skin looks and feels afterwards.
The product is quite thick and heavier than other moisturisers I've used from the brand however I tend to find that night creams are a lot thicker anyway. The product sinks into the skin really quickly and doesn't feel sticky or tacky on the skin at all. My skin also feels super soft after applying it. I've also found that with a combination of using the Smart Night Moisturiserand the Moisture Surge in the day that any dry patches that I usually get are non-existent. My skin is also looking a lot brighter and glowing. One thing I don't like about the moisturiser is the smell. I do find it quite strong and a little like antiseptic cream but I can ignore that fact if its making a difference in my skin.
The product isn't the cheapest. Mine was in a Bonus Time Gift so I've just been testing it out, but at £48 I do think it's expensive. I'm going to keep testing it out over the next month or so and I'll get back to you on whether I would repurchase it. I do think it's been amazing but I'm not sure if I'd part with that much money for it yet.
Have you tested the Clinique Smart Night Moisturiser before? Let me know what you think?
I am a massive Charlotte Crosby fan. I'm not going to lie this time last year I hadn't a clue who she was but a late night Geordie Shore marathon when nothing else was on made me fall in love with her personality. She just seems so genuine and is incredibly funny. I asked Scott for her book (Me, Me, Me) for my birthday and he managed to pick me up the paperback version with an added chapter in the back (woo-hoo).
Firstly, I couldn't put the book down. I'm not one to read autobiographies or memoirs normally. I've only read a handful before from women that I really look up to and admire. With Charlotte Crosby's book I just wanted to know more and I knew it would be an hilarious read. If one thing is for sure I wasn't disappointed. The book is broken up into sections of her life, or incidents that have happened in her life. The chapter titles really make you want to keep reading. Every time I finished a chapter I'd read the name of the next and I'd be like, 'oh god, what did she do next'. I just couldn't put the book down.
You learn more about her family life and I think it's amazing how supportive her family has been about her career choices and lifestyle choices. I know if I passed out on my roof, my parents would probably kill me. I love that we learn more about her friends growing up as well as her Geordie Shore friends. But the main thing I liked about the book is the way its written. It's literally like you're sat with her and she's just chatting away and telling you all these stories. I think that's what made me keep reading. She comes across as a down to earth - if not eccentric when drunk - person and I guess that's from how she's been raised. Fame just doesn't seem to have faced her especially when you read the sections about her being star struck over meeting celebrities.
If you're a fan of Charlotte Crosby's or you're looking for a down to earth book that will keep you laughing, I would definitely check out her Me. Me, Me book. It's now available in paperback with an extra chapter in there too. Have you guys read her book? What did you think? Also, have you tried out her workout DVD's and are they any good, I'm really tempted to give them a go.
I was recently introduced by LA based singer REL and her latest single 'Factory' which I think sounds like a summer anthem, especially for clubs and parties. I had never heard of the artist before but was surprised by how she managed to capture my attention and keep my interest. With a genre of music I don't usually listen to, it definitely stood out to me as having the potential to be a massive success.
There's a unique sound to the track that I think works incredibly well, it sounds like there's a party going off which I can imagine it being played in clubs an awful lot. It's a song that definitely gets you up on your feet and moving. REL's music radiates passion and emotion embodying what she calls 'evoca-pop' - music which makes you think and feel.
The song itself is about a young feminist in the 21st century, throughout the chorus she's constantly asking questions such as 'what's your thing? What you do? What's your brand? Who are you?' it's almost like she's talking directly to her audience. However my favourite lyric and the one that got me thinking the most is the very opening lines of, 'the choice is yours if you know its yours, you wear pink to be that girl, was that your choice or the world's?' I just think these are amazing lyrics that are very thought provoking.
REL has an amazing style to her music, it's very pop/alternative/R&B, like I've said very much a club song, I like the mix of the genres. I also like how she almost raps the song but she also has a very sultry beautiful voice. I really loved the track and I can't wait to hear more from the artist.
Seeing as the weather has been rubbish where I live at the moment, I haven't fancied venturing outside for half an hour to try and get some shots of an outfit this week. But instead of missing my fashion post this week I thought I'd share with you some bits that I've been lusting after in the shops lately. Whilst I've been eyeing up a lot of gym clothes lately I'm going to keep this strictly to what I would wear everyday and maybe put up the gym wish list next week. So here goes.
Anybody who knows me, will also know I am a shoe person. I don't mind bags and I have got a fair few but I love shoes. Whether they hurt me or not I can't help picking up a pair of shoes. Sometimes I stick them in the wardrobe and never wear them because they're uncomfortable but that doesn't bother me because I just adore them. I've been after some brogues or loafers in a pale blue almost grey shade for awhile now and saw these on ASOS. I really like the look of them from the pictures and I've been so tempted to purchase them for a while now. I just think they're so pretty and are great for dressing up an outfit but still looking really casual at the same time.
I've been looking at this playsuit from Topshop for a couple of weeks now. I was hunting for an outfit for a night out and I became obsessed with this playsuit but at the time they only had it in Petite which would've been way too short. But now that it's in the regular length I am incredibly tempted to pick it up. I love the pattern on the playsuit and the cut out detailing, however I am unsure whether the colours would suit me.
I saw a girl in a pair of trousers similar to these from River Island the other day and they looked so nice on. She looked effortlessly put together. I thought they looked incredibly smart on but like you weren't in a power suit either because of the tie around the waist. I've got a pair similar in Navy and wore them so much for work last summer so I'm thinking these may need to be bought.
The final thing that I'm lusting after is this black floral dress from Urban Outfitters. I love the racer back with a lattice lace up detailing, and the wrap around skirt. I think it's just perfect for summer and going on holiday. I'm all about black floral dresses in the summer if I'm going to wear dresses. I also found v-necks are really flattering on me lately too and it looks like a light material to keep you nice and cool in summer.
I love a good The Body ShopCollection and their summer collections are always something I'm drawn to. This year the collection is Pinita Colada and it smells just like summer. It smells really light and fresh with the pineapple and coconut scent you're left smelling like a tropical holiday, which I personally love.
I picked up the Pinita Colada Shower Gel and Pinita Colada Body Sorbet, both products I've tried before in different fragrances and really love. Firstly, the shower gel. You can never go wrong with the shower gel. It's really gentle on the skin and leaves you feeling incredibly fresh and clean. It's a shower gel so there's not much to say about it to be fair. I do however, really love the packaging. The bottle is slightly different to their usual shower gels and I think it looks really cute sat on your shelf.
The Pinita Colada Body Sorbet is amazing, especially if you've caught the sun a little bit. I love the sorbets if I've been sat out in the sun or been in the sun a little too much. I hate that tight feeling your skin gets if your feeling a little sun burnt or tanned, so I love to apply the sorbets. I find they help get rid of this tightness and also helps to cool the skin. Though the sorbets aren't really moisturising like the body butters I find they're perfect for the summer as a little top and boost of hydration to the skin. When you apply this product, the scent is so strong I feel like you don't have to apply perfume. I would highly recommend. I really wanted to pick up the Body Scrub in this fragrance too, but at the time I went to buy it they were all sold out. It's definitely my favourite collection since the Wild Argan Oil range.
Have you tried out The Body Shop's new Pinita Colada range yet? Let me know what you think?
So for two weeks I didn't go to the gym a single day. I realise how bad that is, especially when I finally got back in the gym I was knackered after about ten minutes. With Scott being away in Birmingham for a few days I didn't go and then when he was back I was so busy trying to have content to upload when I was away that I simply forgot to go and then I had my birthday. There was that much going off around my birthday, that again, I ended up missing another week.
Last week, we decided we needed to get back in the gym. We were both feeling a little on the stuffed side from probably eating too much whilst we were away and to be honest I did kind of miss it (I know, I must be crazy for missing the gym). Anyway, coming back to the gym hasn't been easy. Whilst I had hoped I'd be able to pick off right where I had left that wasn't the case. Any signs of my abs felt like they had disappeared so trying to do sit ups, crunches and leg raises left me feeling completely drained. Cardio left me feeling sick and I felt a little depressed when I couldn't lift weights on the same setting as what I had previously.
Despite this little downfall of getting out of going to the gym and feeling my confidence knocked a little bit by having to take it a little easier, I also feel incredibly motivated. I know that I can have abs and lift heavier weights so I feel motivated to get back and exceed what I was at. Whilst my cardio and general fitness has never been perfect I also feel motivated to make sure that I do become fitter, especially as I've been given the all clear from my doctor that my heart is working properly (long story) and I am safe to do more exercise - though I will still take it easy anyway.
What do you do to get/keep you motivated for the gym?
I was introduced to Jonny Carroll's debut album 'Leaving On The Light' set to be released on the 17th June and after listening to a single song I couldn't wait to tell you guys what I think. The US singer has created a wonderful folk album with pop hooks. The album is heart-breakingly beautiful. Written at the time when the artist was struggling with a broken engagement, you can hear in his songs the pain that he's suffered and how he's struggled.
The seven track album demonstrates Jonny Carroll opening up about his feelings whether that's at the beginning of a relationship with 'Sound of Falling' with lyrics like 'I was gone as soon as you saw it in my eyes, its the sound of falling in love' which is an incredibly romantic track. Or a slower and more tear provoking song like 'Words Unspoken' where he sings 'if you've give up hoping just let me believe'. 'February' is definitely my favourite slower track on the album, even though it's upsetting I feel like it's much more heart breaking than the rest as it's talking about the good times in their relationship and how that's now ended, 'just remember February was the best month of my life' and you realise how much pain the singer must be going through.
'Leaving on the Light' is also the name of the single from the album, this a little more upbeat in music than the rest of the album. With a more optimistic approach to lost love and not dealing with it and still wanting to stay loyal to his previous partner, 'throw away those numbers, like you through away our plans'. To me, the song is hoping that they will return with the lyrics, 'I'm staying sober and I'm leaving on the light'. But towards the end of the track it's almost as if they've come to terms with the end of the relationship, 'I'm staying sober and I'm calling it a night - wishing you goodbye'. This is probably my favourite track on the album as I just like the message of the track. The opening track, 'Painted Jars' is another upbeat track on the album with the music. In style its very typical of folk and country music with hand claps and the tone. However, again, the lyrics are still quite sad with lyrics like 'all the broken pieces on the ground'
. 'When I'm Alive' is very guitar driven, and demonstrates well, Jonny Carroll's tone. He uses a very deep and sultry tone with a lot of grit behind it before switching to a much softer and gentler tone. I really like this balance and it suits the song perfectly.
The final track is 'Joshua' and I think this is the perfect end to the album. It's incredibly powerful track, in my opinion, and written beautiful as well as sung wonderfully too. I love the lyric of 'we are puppets clinging to our strings' because I feel like that's how life can get you sometimes too'. I would recommend listening to Jonny Carroll's album, 'Leaving on the Light' when it's released on the 17th June. It's a powerful album, full of heartache and will leave you feel really emotionally if you're anything like me.
Check out Jonny Carroll's lyric video for 'Leaving on the Light' below:
Youtube and Blogger, Zoe Sugg, has just released her third collection for Zoella Beauty and I think it may be my favourite yet. I've only tested two of the products but the scent is by far my favourite. It's sweeter but not sickly either, Zoe, herself has said the scent is based on macaroons and sweet almond. It's perfect for this time of year as it's really light and sweet, they've definitely managed to find the balance of creating a sweet scent without it being too much.
When the products were released I picked up two products as I didn't know whether I'd like the fragrance so didn't want to invest in the entire collection. I picked up the Bath Latte and Sweet Inspirations Body Mist. So, the body mist smells amazing. Like I've said the balance of sweetness is perfect. I tend to get a little spray happy with it but I don't ever find that it smells to over powering like some perfumes or body sprays can when you apply too much. The smell lasts a long time before you have to reapply it too. Plus the packaging is amazing. I love the 1920's theme that she's gone with for the collection.
Definitely going to have to repurchase this, I'm obsessed.
I was so excited for the Bath Latte firstly, I love the name. Secondly, the packaging is amazing, I think the milk bottle look of it is so cute and you could use it after you've used it up and washed it out to put a flower or plant in it (mine would be fake because I can't keep plants alive). I pour a small amount into my bath as it's running and allow for it to create bubbles, I normally just swish my hand in the bath water to make sure that it's foaming up and creating a good amount of bubbles too. I love to have a soak in the bath with this product as my skin comes out feeling really soft. I was really impressed with this product, I know sometimes these products don't always foam up or they don't feel like they're benefiting your skin in anyway but this really does. This collection is definitely one that I've been the most excited about and I will be popping into Superdrug tomorrow to have a nosey at the other products too. I'm excited to try out the Double Creme Body Lotion and the Sugar Dip Scented Bath Salts too.
Have you tested any of the products yet? Let me know what your favourite is.
So, it's Saturday again and it's that time of the week where I roll off the things I've been loving in the last seven days.
Peaky Blinders, myself and Scott have been watching Peaky Blinders from season 1 over the last couple of weeks. My mum has watched it since it first aired and always mentioned how good it was but I'm not really into my period dramas if I'm honest. But Scott wanted to watch it and we both became a little obsessed. We've just finished season 2 and are waiting for the latest season to be released so we can buy it and stay in our room watching it all weekend. Basically, the program is set in Birmingham after the war and follows the Peaky Blinders, a criminal gang, lead by Tom Shelby (Cillian Murphy). There's a lot of violence a little bit of local politics and romance in the program, it's definitely not for the faint hearted though, if you're not good with blood, you may want to give this one a miss.
I've also been loving Zoella's 'Girl Online' & 'Girl On Tour' books. I'd been meaning to read them ages ago but never seemed to get around to it but finally started reading Girl Online about two weeks ago and couldn't put the books down. I constantly wanted to know what was going to happen to Penny Porter (the protagonist). The book is about Penny Porter trying to deal with her anxiety and challenge it. She also has an anonymous blog which she is constantly updating, I really liked this element as you were able to read her blog posts and got to know more about how she was feeling. Both books tell the story of Penny's and Noah's relationship. It also shows how in your later teen years how you start growing up and growing apart from old friends. I would definitely give this a read. It's quite light-hearted but wonderful and I can't wait for the next part.
I made Scott buy me this print whilst we were away in Blackpool from Primark. I absolutely love it. I love the 'Wild and Free' quote and I love the skeleton of it. The colours really go with my room but also helps to brighten up the wall of prints that I've got it on too. Most of them are just black and white so this really helps to make it look brighter. It was also such a bargain at £3. Primark is really good for little homeware pieces, in my opinion, I just wish my local Primark stocked more of the homeware.
Finally, myself and Scott finally got around to watching 'Dirty Grandpa' the other night and I loved it. I can be a bit funny with Zac Efron films, whilst I like him and his acting I haven't always liked all his films. The film also has Robert de Niro in and together they are brilliant. It's hilarious and heart warming and Robert Mulroney plays Zac Efron's dad in it (weirdly I have a massive crush on him). The film is about Zac Efron's character taking Robert de Niro home, and along the way they get themselves into a bit of trouble. Definitely worth watching.
I picked up this stripe swing top from Dorothy Perkins yesterday and just think its the sweetest cami to exist. I had a few similar to this in style when I was younger and I would live in them all summer so thought that this top would be a nice staple for my summer wardrobe. It's lightweight and the peplum style of the shirt makes it really cool to wear on hot days. I paired it with some Topshop Jeans and perhaps the comfiest shoes I've ever walked in (also from Dorothy Perkins). They have what feels like a cushion under the inner sole which makes them really comfortable to walk in for flat shoes. So here's what I wore today.
I've wanted to try some Nars products for a couple of years now so when I went into Space NK about two months ago now I went in specifically to pick up a lipstick but as they didn't have the colour I wanted I came out with The Multiple in the shade 'Orgasm'.
I'd heard a few beauty bloggers talking about the product and obviously, the Nars powder blushers have always been raved about so much, so I was really intrigued. So I've been using the blusher non-stop since I picked it up and I'm obsessed with it. It's a cream blusher in a stick form which I find really easy to apply. The blusher is incredibly creamy so it's very easy to blend, it's also really pigmented but I find that it's so easy to use that you never end up looking like a clown. The product also has a bit of shimmer in it so it can also act as a highlight if your careful with how you apply it.
I absolutely adore this product, it's a perfect pinky shade that looks like a natural flush too. I keep meaning to pick up a different shade and I think they do an actual highlight so I need to get to my nearest Nars counter soon.
Have you tried Nars The Multiple yet? Let me know what you think.
I was recently introduced to the company Third Love and wanted to participate in a project they're running called 'bra-blems'. Bra-blems addresses bra problems many women face along with solutions that are quick, easy fixes. There is nothing worse than an uncomfortable bra whether its the band pinching you, the straps slipping down your shoulders, the 'quad-boob', Third Love have got you covered with some easy tips and tricks that may help. They also have an app that you can download which helps you find your perfect size fitting bra without having to be measured up by someone in the shop, which can be a little awkward. So today I thought I'd share with you some of the problems I struggle with my bras and how you can fix them.
For me, there is nothing worse than the band of your bra feeling like it's pinching you. Especially when you've got a full day at work or you're out and about and there's literally nothing you can do about it. It's probably an obvious solution but try going up a band size, remember if you go up a band size you need to go down a cup size (and vice versa). Remember that you want to be able to fasten your bra on the loosest fastener and then this way you can then make the bra tighter as you stretch the bra out.
There is literally nothing worse than your bra straps slipping down your shoulders. Sometimes I've gotten that used to it that someone else has had to point this out to me. It's not a good look for anyone and it's incredibly annoying. To avoid this try tightening your bra straps every month or so. As you wear your bra, you stretch it out this includes the straps, so tightening them every so often may help. If that doesn't help, try a different style of bra such as coverage and convertible bras, these have thinner straps that sit on your shoulders, where as balconete bras and plunge bras have wider straps that can slip off your shoulders more easily if you have narrow or sloping shoulders.
Another issue I can face with bras is cup gapping, this particularly happens when I try out a different brand of lingerie as I find brands can vary in there sizing a little. It's not attractive and if you're wearing a low cut top I always end up feeling like everything is on show especially when I'm at work bending over to do deliveries. Firstly, try tightening your straps, this can help the bra to fit a little better. If this doesn't work you may need to go down a cup size. Third Love also offers a half cup so if you don't feel like you're an entire cup size smaller you could try out their half cup options and see if these fit better.
I would seriously recommend checking out Third Love they do some incredibly pretty bras along with your normal everyday t-shirt styles. You can also receive 15% off with with the promo code 'BRABLEMS' at the moment too. Third Love also offer amazing advice and tips on their website too so click here, if you're facing any other problems that I haven't mentioned on here.
What are 'bra-blems' do you face? Let me know below.
So you might be getting sick of me posting about Blackpool now and it might be a sign of relief to hear that this is the last post about our little break. On our final night (after so much walking) myself and Scott decided to pop out for some dinner and go around the arcades a final time. We ended up at The Albert and The Lion (Weatherspoons) again, just because we like the food there.
When we were walking back to the hotel, we decided to take advantage of the gorgeous sunset. Now that Blackpool has put in steps by the beach instead of all the rocks that used to be there, as long as the sea is calm (which it was all holiday) you can walk down the steps and sit on them whilst the sea is in. The entire situation was incredibly romantic and a perfect way to end our holiday. Here's a few pictures that Scott got on my phone (we left the big camera at the hotel by accident) of what I wore for our date night.
