Write It On Your Skin by Newton Faulkner Album Review

This album was most certainly released in the perfect time of year, well if it was sunny that is. Instantly this album gives off a great feelgood summery vibe that uplifted me from the start and kept me hooked the whole may through. Quite a tall order to hold my attention for that long but it almost felt rude not to give this album the full attention it deserves.

 

1. Pulling Teeth
2. Soon
3. Brick by Brick
4. Clouds
5. Pick Up Your Broken Heart
6. Longshot
7. Write it on Your Skin
8. In the Morning
9. Against the Grain
10. Sugar in the Snow

 I have already reviewed both his previous albums positively and this one did not disappoint either. It still has the excellent quality, rousing melodies and acoustic simplicity that the previous two albums did contain.

As with his previous albums it is very difficult for me to pick out my favourite tracks. If I had to, for the sheer upbeat vibe, I would select the instantly likable Pulling Teeth and Brick by Brick for brightening up your day. For a more mellow relaxed vibe I would select musically epic Pick Up Your Broken Heart and In the Morning. My other personal favourites that I just loved instantly were Soon,the beautifully acoustic Longshot and the title track Write it on Your Skin.

All in all no matter what you're looking for you will find it in this album. In particular if you need a summer pick me up then Write it On Your Skin will be prefect for you.


9/10
  
Thanks for reading! We'd love to know what you think of our blog.

Emma x

My Everyday Makeup

On this gloomy Monday I thought I would look out my favourite makeup products which I use on a daily basis and hardly ever change.

I'm just going to go through the products as they appear above (left to right; top to bottom) so here we go:


Elf Makeup Mist & Set - This product is £3.75 from Elf and is the final step in applying my make up, which I never miss out. Although there are much more expensive variations on this product from Mac and Urban Decay this ELF product does the job just as well and is much kinder on the bank account! I do not have particularly oily skin, apart from my chin in the summer, so i don't know how well this would work on more oily skin but for my dry skin it works great. All I need is a couple of mists to set my makeup for the rest of my day. It can also be used through out the day to refreshen your makeup but I tend to use my REN Tonic Moisture Mist for that purpose.

Urban Decay Naked Palette 1 - Love, love, love this but I have a more detail opinion here.One of my favourite daily looks consists of Toasted all over the lid and sometimes on the bottom lash line, Naked in the crease and Virgin as a highlight

L'Oreal Rouge Caresse Lipstick - This costs about £7.99 but I got it as part of a 3 for 2 offer in Boots a couple of months ago. I got the shade Aphrodite Scarlet which looks a little scary until you apply it on your lips. This shade is just a more subtle brightish pink which is perfect for summer. I got this because I'd heard the product was similar to the Revlon Lip Butters. I would say that it is quite different from the Butters because it has much more of a colour pay off and is not as moisturising. I think it is more like a lipstick, as the title implies, but not quite the finish you would expect from a lipstick, if you not what I mean!


VIVO Ultimate Base Concealer - Again I love this and have already reviewed it here.


Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer - This was £4.19 from Boots and I have it in the shade Light.  This product is excellent and is one I have been using religiously for years. The price is great, it covers blemishes really well and it has a lovely thick creamy consistency which allows the product to last for ages.


POP Beauty Beam Base Primer - Reviewed here.

L'oreal Paris Infallible Lasting Perfection Foundation - Also reviewed here.

Soap and Glory It's About Prime Eyeshadow Base - This retails for £8 at Boots but again I got it cheaper as part of a 3 for 2 promotion. There are 2 shades so I got the shade Bright Light which is a lovely pearly white shade. This product keeps my shadows on all day without any creasing. I have dry eyelids so I cannot comment on whether it would work as well for those with more oily ones. Basically it has a fun name and really eye catching packaging, like all Soap and Glory products, and has lasted me for months, though I am now sadly running out.


Max Factor Liquid Effect Pencil - I purchased this in the shade Brown Blaze for £6.99. I love brown eyeliner as it really brings out the green in my eyes. I love the soft creamy texture of this product and it reminds me of the Urban Decay Glide On eyeliners. I normally use it to line my upper and lower lash lines and it gives a much less dramatic effect than black eyeliner which is much more appropriate for the daytime.

Korres Lip Butter - This retails for £4 and I have it in the shade pomegranate. I alternate this with the L'Oreal lip product mentioned above for days when I want a slightly more red toned lip colour. The shade is very subtle which is again perfect for daytime and work. The butter feels very nourishing and moisturising, much more so than some of the Revlon Lip Butters.


Bourjois Lash Liner Effect Mascara - This costs £8.99 in Boots. I have been using this mascara on and off for years now. I just love the doe eyed effect this mascara gives my eyes without making them look too dramatic for only daytime. At night I'll more often used a more volumizing mascara as this one give me a more lengthening effect. It is important to me that I use very black mascaras because my eyelashes are naturally very fair (which I hate!) and this is most certainly is that.

Sigma Round Kabuki Brush F82 - Now although this isn't makeup I use it every day to buff in my foundation and it gives me such a flawless finish that I had to mention it! This is quite difficult to find in the UK (but not in the US for example) and since I purchased it quite a while ago I can't remember exactly where I got it from.


MAC Paint Pot in Painterly - This retails at £14.50 but is well worth the price because it literally lasts forever! This shade is a perfect nude beige which I love to use after my primer as an even base of colour for my everyday looks.

NYX Blush in Angel - This retails at about £5.50 This is a lovely light peach shade which is perfect for giving my pale skin a subtle glow in the summer time. It has great pigmentation and blends easily. I do change my blusher quite a lot depending on the season but this is definitely my most used at the moment.

 Thanks for reading! We'd love to know what you think of our blog.

Emma x

June Favourites (Loz)

Music

Adien Grimshaw

The former X factor contestant has finally released his debut single Is This Love . I have to say I had long forgotten about him but with this new single I won't soon forget.

His Strong haunting vocal really make this track. I wasn't expecting this type of sound for his first track but it has left me hungry for more! Luckily his album Misty Eyes is out on the 20th of august. 

 Alex Day

Good Morning Sunshine

This may be the cheesiest cutest song on my Ipod right now... but hey who doesn't love a happy song. 

Movies

I recently went to see the new movie release at the cinema The Amazing Spiderman. Me and my friend had been excitedly waiting for the release after seeing the trailer. I was worried the movie wouldn't live up to our high expectations.

 My expectations were not reached but completely obliterated. Somehow this movie was even better than I first expected! I felt the chemistry between the leads Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone was electrifying. The movie has been dubbed the sequel of a sequel however I feel that the fresh performances and direction give this movie a completely different feel to the 2002 trilogy. The option to see the movie in 3D actually does help improve the momentum of movie as many scenes look terrific I would suggest seeing it in this form if you can. We all have different tastes but for me this was just the perfect movie, the right balance between action and drama. If you were considering going to see this at the cinema I would highly recommend it! In fact I am going a 2nd time to see the movie, I fear I may have been bitten by the spider too!

TV

Keeping Up With The Kardashians

Season 7 is now airing new episodes

 Now I know what you might be thinking "how could you like this?!" well I like you would be thinking the same. I've never really been a big fan of the generic reality shows however even though this is obnoxious stupid money making television. It is just so damn entertaining. It may be the need inside all of us to be nosey see how the other half live and the gratification that nobodys life is perfect.  Some of the scenes and plots in a episode are so ridiculous that you just have to laugh. In the newest season the plot of on episode was that momanger Kris had a 'surprise'meeting with her ex causing huge drama in the family dramatic fights were had. Scripted maybe but if you are looking for humorous light entertainment to pass the time this is the show. Be prepared to be shocked at the amount of makeup used, the sensitive feelings, the huge egos,the fake fights,realising you are poor,that these people are crazy and of course Bruce. 

Books

Nope I have still not finished the Hunger Games...*hangs head in shame*

Random

My favourite purchase has to be my real leather biker jacket from Topshop. I went to check out the sale and found  the jacket and got it for the bargain price of £20 from £65.

Going out for a Birthday Party!!

 I have to say I am in love! I have been looking for this style for so long and to get so cheap is great! I so far have had great use out of it having lots of parties to go to this month! But I can't wait to wear it casual as well! I hadn't really been as intrested in Topshop but this has put my faith back in the shop.

Thanks for reading! We'd love to know what you think of our blog.

Lauren x 

Stila 'Into the Light' Eye Shadow Palette Review

I have literally wanted to try this for ages and I'm so glad I've finally got it. The main reason I wanted to try it was because I had heard so often that it was similar to the naked palette but with more matte colours and also less expensive. It comes with a full size waterproof eyeliner (normally retails for £13 alone) and 10 eye shadows in very natural and neutral shades all for £25.

Emma's June Non-Beauty Favourites

This month, as always, I have loads of random non-beauty favourites. Some of these are recent discoveries and others I've been enjoying for a while.

 

Books

 

The Perks of being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

I finished this book in June in about 3 days. I absolutely loved it and became completely hooked almost immediately. The story was heartrenching and the main character was instantly compelling and relatable to any teen.

The book has also made me really look forward to the film adaptation starring Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller and Nina Dobrev just to name a few.

Eleven by Mark Watson

This was a really excellent book so much so that I've already dedicated a full review to it.

 

Clothing

 

ASOS Allsort Leather Shortie Lace Up Flat Ankle Boot

 I've barely wore anything but these in June. I got them a few months ago in yet another ASOS sale for £16 down from £55.

Sadly their now out of stock but they were a great buy so I'm glad I managed to get them. The quality is great and they are a perfect fit for me which is very difficult to find because my feet are quite narrow. These were definitely one of my favourite ever buys from ASOS.

 

Music

 

Newton Faulkner

Now even though I'd heard of him before I'd never really listened to his music. This month after hearing his cover of It Must be Love in an advert on TV I decided to see what his albums were like.

His first album Hand Built by Robots (2007) is exactly the sort of simple, fairly acoustic, laid back sort of sound that I'm really into at the moment. The whole album has a really positive and feel-good vibe to it which had me hooked almost immediately but has also made it extremely difficult for me to pick out my favourite songs. If I could only pick a few I'd probably go for his mellow cover of Massive Attack's Teardrop, the really feel-good Into the Light and the slightly bass heavy Dream Catch Me.

His second album Rebuilt by Humans (2009) is very similar in style to the first with just a slight progression to a more rock sound. Even though this album came two years after the first and following some success at that, it does not have that over produced sound that a lot of other artists follow up albums have had. This album still has the catchy lyrics, amazing vocals and excellent guitar playing found in the first album. My favourite tracks are the soaring Over and Out, the fun and catchy Lets Get Together and Won't Let Go.

Overall I'd say his style is a mix of pop and rock with his extreme musical talent and unique voice stand out from the rest.

TV

 

Revenge

This is an American import (airs on ABC) which started airing in the UK on E4 this June. This show is a real guilty pleasure with its soapy dramatics and twists and turns. The acting in the show, in particular Emily Van Camp and Madeline Stowe, helps the quality remain high however. I am just really enjoying this show and I think it is prefect viewing for the rainy summer we're having.

Films

Paul

This film was even more hilarious than I expected it to be. It may not be the best comedy ever but it is certainly really enjoyable and has much more heart to the story than I expected.
It basically follows two British sci-fi obsessed friends who go to America to visit all the UFO hotspots and actually run into an alien. He takes them on a crazy journey through the desert in order for him to make his ship 'home'.

The films two lead stars are Simon Pegg and Nick Pegg. They are, often hilariously supported by Jason Bateman, Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Blythe Danner, Joe Lo Truglio, John Carroll Lynch, David Koechner and Sigourney Weaver (who has a short but terrificly executed part).
This film is perfect to and most enjoyable when watched with friends.

Super 8

It is a film created by a collaboration of  J J Abrams and Steven Spielberg. That alone made me completely confident that I would love this film... I was not wrong.
The plot had that great mix of fantasy/sci-fi with a giant heart and soul at its centre that one would expect from a J J Abrams. The characters were well developed and compelling as always with his writing.

 The film is set in the summer of 1979, when a group of friends in a small Ohio town witness a catastrophic train crash while making a super 8 movie and soon suspect that it was not an accident. Following the accident, unusual disappearances and unusual events begin to take place in town. The attempt to find the truth leads to something none of them could ever have imagined.
The conclusion of the film is heart-warming and almost speaks at being a homage to Spielberg and in particular his films such as E.T.
Though this film does not quite reach the heights of E.T it is definitely J J Abrams at his best and is a film that anyone of any age could enjoy.
I do have to also mention that the train crash scene contains some of the most epic CGI effects I've ever seen in a film before and I cannot imagine how much it must have cost!

Until next month

Thanks for reading! We'd love to know what you think of our blog.

Emma x

Emma's June Beauty Favourites

I've decided that every month I will pick out both my beauty and non-beauty favourites of that month and write a separate post about each. This post, as stated in the title will cover my beauty favourites of the month.

1. L'oreal Paris Infallible Lasting Perfection Foundation
 This is actually my most recently purchased favourite of this month but it is one I have wanted to try for ages. One of the main reasons I wanted this foundation is because of the shade range. I have fair skin so I find it really difficult to find high street/drugstore foundations which are light enough for my skin tone. Finally with this foundation's lightest shade - porcelain - I have found a great match to my skin tone. The foundation is actually moisturising as it claims to be which is perfect for my dry skin. I'm not sure whether it does fufil it's claim of 16 hour wear because I have yet to have it on that long but it certainly did not require much in the way of touch ups for me throughout the day.

Another plus is the packaging. The bottle is made of glass and has a pump applicator, which I much prefer. I purchased this for £12.29 at Boots in the UK which is a little on the expensive side for the high street/drugstore but it is well worth it.

2. Essie Lilacism 

I adore this nail polish and have barely had it off my nails this month. A full review of this polish can be found in post on my Top 5 Favourite Summer Nail Polishes. I purchased this for £7.99 at Boots in the UK but you can find it slightly cheaper on Ebay.

3. Mac Mineralize Blush in Dainty
With my fair skin tone I don't always like wearing too much blush. I love this blush because it has a yellowy pink colour running through it mixed with a gold pearl highlight so it gives a lovely glow when applied to the cheeks. The light shade allows for the product to be layered if a strong colour is desired.

I also particularly love this product because I really love having a more 'glowing' looking skin at the moment so this works well with the L'Oreal foundation reviewed above.

This can be found at Mac for £19 or possibly less if found on Ebay.

4. Urban Decay Naked Palette
This is obviously one of the most hyped about palettes of the past 2 years and was again this month, as it been since I purchased it, my most used eye shadow palette. I just think it contains many perfect neutral colours for my skin tone which are just really easy to use to create multiple looks.

I particularly like to use Naked or Buck in my crease and Virgin as a highlight. The shadows I use all over the lid, for example, vary but I probably use Sin and Toasted the most.

 

The price for this palette can vary depending where you purchase it from as I got it on sale at Debenhams last year but at the moment they are selling it for £36. It may be expensive but the use you can get out of it seems endless.

5. Vivo Ultimate Base Concealer Kit
I purchased this kit online after reading positive reviews about is in Look magazine a few months ago. I love using salmon colour under my eyes because I find it combats my dark circles really well. The other shade is quite good for covering small blemishes but it will not be taking over from my Collection 2000 concealer any time soon.

The main reason I like this product is for the salmon shade because it has a lovely creamy consistency which gives me great long lasting coverage.

The kit also contains a setting powder and a highlighter which doubles up as an eye shadow base. All that and the small size of the kit makes it great to put in your handbag for touch ups on the go.

Left to right: setting powder, salmon coloured concealer, ordinary concealer

The kit is sold for £5 on the Vivo Cosmetics website.

6. Pop Beauty Beam Base Primer
This product is exactly the sort of primer I have been looking for. It gives a great glowy finish on my skin which shines through under my foundation and definitely helps it stay on my skin longer without drying it out at the same time. For that reason I doubt it would be the best primer for those with oily skin.

I bought this from an ASOS sale a little while ago but at the moment they are selling it for £16.

7. Simple Kind to Skin Moisture Boost Hydro Cream
I love this product because it simply does as stated. It really does provide long lasting moisture for my skin and does not aggravate its sensitivity. As with all simple products it has no scent and no other unnecessary ingredients. The bottle has a pump applicator and only a little of the product is required to cover the whole face.

The Simple range is very affordable with this product retailing for £5.99 at Boots in the UK.


8. Toni&Guy Beach Curl Spray
This product is one I have been using for years and is perfect for my hair type to create natural looking beachy waves. I like to apply this product by scrunching it in my hair and then letting my hair dry naturally, whether that be at night or in the morning if it is a hot day. I prefer this product over others of a similar nature because it is not sticky and does not have a terrible smell. Also the product goes a long way so each 200ml bottle lasts quite a long time.

The main problem with this product is its availability. Toni&Guy revamped their product range and no longer sell this so the only place I can find it is on Ebay.

9. Daisy by Marc Jacobs Eau de Parfum
This is one of my favourite perfumes ever. I particularly like using it in the spring/summer months because of its fruity and fresh feminine scent. The lightness of the perfume makes it most suitable for daytime wear.
I also love the packaging, particularly the daisy design on the lid.

The bottle I have is 50ml, the price of which can be anything from £40 upwards. I got mine for £41.67 in Debenhams.

10. REN Tonic Moisture Mist
I bought this product along with the primer mentioned above at that particular ASOS sale. After reading into the product I thought it would be a great one to try out the new craze of face mists. I think I made a great choice since I have read quite a few negative reviews of the most hyped about Caudalie Beauty Elixir.
The product is in a lovely glass bottle and is a great small slim line size even though it contains 50ml. The smell of the mist is very refreshing but does not linger. When sprayed I found the effects to be instant and I only required 1-2 sprays to cool and refresh my face and neck.

All in all, when the weather has been humid this spray has been reached for a lot but I also think it is a great pick me up for the skin throughout the day under any weather conditions.
I did buy this at a sale but the product normally retails for about £18.


Until next month

Thanks for reading! We'd love to know what you think of our blog.

Emma x