Music Monday: Music I've Been Loving #1.

Hey everyone, so I thought I'd do a post on what music I've been really getting into recently and becoming obsessed with. Some of the artists you'll probably know and some you may not know so it's my job to explain to you who they are and what songs I think you should check out.

So let's get into it:

George Ezra

  George Ezra is an English singer-songwriter and he's released two EPs Did You Hear The Rain? in 2013 and Cassy O' in 2014 before bringing out his debut studio album, Wanted On Voyage, mid-2014 which reached number one in the UK. 

Favourite songs: Listen To The Man (which has the wondeful Ian Mckellen in its video!) and Blind Man In Amsterdam.

Sam Smith

 

 

Sam Smith is an English singer and songwriter and he appeared on a number of hit singles before his own debut album like Disclosure's Latch and Naughty Boy's La La La. He released his incredible In The Lonely Hour album in 2014 and it had many major hits. He has since been nominated for SIX Grammy Awards.

Favourite songs: Restart, Stay With Me and I've Told You Now.

Royal Blood

 This rock band is composed of bassist/singer Mike Kerr and drummer Ben Thatcher and they only formed very recently in 2013. They caught my eye after putting on an incredible performance for the 2014 EMA's. They are yet to release a full album but they are set to be a supporting act for the Foo Fighters on their 2015 tour and they said they're to start writing their album while on tour, I can't wait!

Favourite song: Figure It Out.

Beyoncé

 Queen B doesn't need any introduction, everyone knows her and how amazing she is. I am obsessed with this single recently and can't stop playing it. It's very different to anything Beyoncé's ever done before but I love how pretty she looks with minimal, if any, make-up on and the simplicity of the video which was all filmed on an iPhone. Looks like a pyjama party with B would be so much fun!

Favourite song: 7/11. 

What are some of your favourite songs at the moment?
Are there any albums you're looking forward to listening to?

If you have any comments or recommendations for me, please let me know!

Thankyou for reading.
Laura.

Perfume Review/Favourites: Next, Beyoncé and Marc Jacobs.

Hey everyone! Sorry I haven't been posting much, it's exam season so I've been revising and working hard for these upcoming exams for uni. I'm stressed out so I need a bit of time to chill and just mooch about around my favourite blogs. Also I have a review of my all time favourite perfumes for you today.

 

 From left to right we have: Next - Femme Eau De Parfum, Beyoncé - Heat and Marc Jacobs - Daisy. 

I have been lucky to receive all of these as presents for my birthdays and Christmas and I literally cannot get enough of them. These all my all time favourites and I can't recommend these enough. 

Next - Femme Eau De Parfum

 

I received this one from my brother for Christmas and I have absolutely fallen in love with it! It's a 75ml  bottle and you definitely don't need a lot for it to work. I think too much can certainly overpower you and whoever else can smell it. The shop Next say that it is "an elegant oriental fragrance with dazzling fruits offet by golden amber" and it sounds amazing when they put it like that! The packaging is simple and cute and as purple is my favourite colour it looks so pretty on my table.

Every time I've worn this since Christmas, I have had nothing but compliments from everyone who could smell it. I absolutely love the smell of it, it's gorgeous and light with hints of fruit. When I've worn it on a night out, I've had compliments left right and centre from strangers and even one person asked me where I got it from so she could buy it too. Definitely a new favourite of mine.

75ml for £14 from Next.

Beyoncé - Heat

This one is just incredible, I cannot even emphasis how much I love this fragrance. For the past few years I've always asked for this for my birthday and being the blessed girl I am, I've always received it because everyone literally knows how much I love it. This bottle is a 100ml from Queen B herself. It is no secret how much I adore Beyoncé and it is also no secret how much I love her perfumes. I love the design because I feel like Beyoncé made it look curvy on purpose to emphasise the fact it's for a woman and for a woman to smell and feel sexy.

It is described as a "modern, feminine scent with floral, fruity and woody notes". My friends literally say this is my signature scent as I always wear this on nights out and I'm always complimented on it. It has such an exotic and musky smell. At first I thought it'd be quite a mature smell for my age but I don't think it matters what age you are, I think it works for everyone. I never thought I'd say this about a perfume but it smells... well, sexy and full of passion. You only need a couple of sprays of this otherwise it's too overwhelming. You can also get smaller versions of the bottle which are handy to carry round with you on a night out to top up.

100ml for £20 from Superdrug. 

Marc Jacobs - Daisy

 

This is my all time favourite perfume out of the three. This is a 50ml bottle and I always ask for this as well for my birthdays because it is my ultimate perfume. I've always loved Marc Jacobs' perfumes, they're always light and lovely to wear for daytime or for an important event. The packaging is absolutely stunning, the flowery lid is so pretty and girly and although there isn't much more to the bottle but the simple imprinting of the designer's name is just very sophisticated and cool to me. 

The scent is so fresh, flowery and feminine. It is so light and pretty to wear. Again I'm always complimented on it every time I wear it. I don't tend to wear this one as much for nights out because it isn't as mature as the others so I save it for days out somewhere just because it's so light. It's perfect and just stunning to have on my table, I love it.

50ml for £52 from Debenhams.

So those are my favourite perfumes, have you tried any of them?
What are some of your favourites one?

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Thankyou for reading.

Laura.

Film Review: The Woman in Black 2 - Angel of Death

Hi everyone. So I finally took a break from revising and the overload of uni work and went to see The Woman in Black: Angel of Death with my brother. I have a little mixture of emotions for this sequel so let's get into it straight away.

The plot:

So The Woman in Black: Angel of Death is a sequel to the popular 2012 film The Woman in Black which starred Daniel Radcliffe. Directed by Tom Harper, this film takes place during the Blitz of World War II and caretakers Eve Parkins and Jean Hogg are taking a group of schoolchildren to the eerie Eel Marsh House which seems to be peculiar and run-down but safe. Of course it isn't long before Eve starts to sense that there is something very wrong about the house and the children begin to disappear. Eventually the house becomes a terrifying place to live in so Eve gets help from an attractive pilot to find out what is happening. Soon it becomes obvious that it isn't a coincidence that Eve has come to live in the house that is inhabited by the Woman in Black.

My review:

So obviously the first film was such a hit that they just couldn't resist making another one, running it dry of its money. I must credit The Angel of Death as it is actually little bit more original than I thought following the first one but it does pay homage to the first film a few times if you look carefully. From the beginning, to me the storyline was pretty predictable - I mean, two women taking a group of CHILDREN to the only apparently safe place in London. Of course it's an instant recipe for disaster as the Woman in Black is well known for being hell-bent on taking the lives of children to get revenge for her own loss of her son but obviously the film has to go somewhere for it to work.

I don't know if I'm just growing up or I'm just used to horror movies using the same old tricks over and over again but most scenes fell a little flat for me. The jump scares get repetitive after a while because as usual it's the same old 'noise ... silence ... SCARY MOMENT!' every 10 minutes and I could pretty much gauge what was going to happen almost every single time. It'd be a nice change if they didn't always use dolls, creaky doors or rusty pipes to do the scaring for them. I've seen it over a 100 times in many other scary films. 

Mind you, a few moments did get my heart racing so it is still creepy at times definitely. I have to admire the camera work as it slowly creeps around the house which really increases the tension of the scene and leaves you watching through your fingers at times. The ending was, again, too predictable for me and you can tell what is about to happen about five seconds before it even does.

I can't say that I'm too disappointed because I sort of went into the theatre expecting it to be rubbish, just another sequel to make more money and to try to follow the first film's success. But I will say it holds its own as a sequel but most of the time I wasn't really that scared but I'd also say it's worth a watch, especially if you liked the first one.

Trailer:

Thankyou for reading.

Laura.

Golden Globes 2015: Red Carpet Review.

So time for another review of my favourite dresses and suits from the red carpet and this time we're looking at the fashion of the Golden Globes 2015! Held at The Beverly Hilton Hotel, the 72nd Golden Globe Awards were hosted by the fantastic Tina Fey and Amy Poehler whose monologue was so hilarious I had to watch it over and over again.

So let's get into my favourite looks from the red carpet:

Amy Adams looked striking in a single-shouldered Versace gown in a lovely dusty blue colour and she finishes it all off with lovely Tiffany jewels.

How incredible does Rosamund Pike look? Just a month after giving birth to her little baby, she looks stunning in a floor-length Vera Wang gown accompanied with Fred Leighton jewellery. She also paired the gown with Brian Atwood shoes and a sleek bob haircut.

Helen Mirren proves that age is just a number as she dazzles everyone in this gorgeous red Dolce & Gabbana and what's more, she pays tribute to the victims of the Charlie Hebdo tragedy by placing a pen as a brooch. What a woman!

 I am in love with this Giambattista Valli Couture gown that Lupita Nyong'o wore last night. It fits her style so perfectly and the purple floral appliqués are just beautiful. She also wore Chopard jewellery and paired everything with a Judith Leiber clutch.

Actress Jessica Chastain looked elegant and unreal in this Versace dress with a plunging neckline, Paiget earrings and cuff with Jimmy Choo sandals. Her flaming hair is lovely and flowing in waves down her shoulder.

Emily Blunt wows everyone in a Michael Kors dress paired with Nicholas Kirkwood heels with a Judith Leiber clutch and Lorraine Schwartz jewels for accessories.

    This is probably my most loved look of the night. Kelly Osbourne's hair looks fantastic as she walks the red carpet in a Christian Siriano dress, Stuart Weitzman shoes and a Judith Leiber clutch. 

Kate Beckinsale kills it again! She looks unreal in an Elie Saab dress with Salvatore Ferragamo shoes, a Rauwolf cluch and Lorraine Schwartz jewellery. Her make up is stunning as well as she opts for a classic smoky eye.

The hosts Tina Fey (left) and Amy Poehler (right) dazzled everyone as well! I didn't really like Tina's dress on the red carpet but instantly loved Amy's. She wore a gorgeous blue Stella McCartney dress with Platinum by Beladora jewellery.
If you want to know, Tina wore an Antonio Berardi custom dress with Fred Leighton earrings and ring.

And of course it wouldn't be fair to leave out the lads.
So here's my favourites from the men this year:

David Oyelowo

George Clooney.

Matt Bomer.

Jared Leto.

Photos: source | source | source

So those were my favourite outfits from the Golden Globes this year.
Do you have any favourites yourself? Did you enjoy the show?

Let me know what you think in the comments below!

Thanks for reading.
Laura.

Skin Product Review: Superdrug's Tropical Cocktail and Purifying Cucumber Peel-Off Face Masks.

Hello! Today I'm going to be reviewing two face masks from Superdrug that are perfect for oily skin or break outs, especially in the winter season. I have started to use these a lot more often as I do have oily skin and constantly have break outs so I need something to calm my skin down.

So let's get into the review:

   Tropical Cocktail

This was the first time I've ever used this one and it contains a lovely blend of fresh mango fruit and Noni Fruit (which I've never heard of!). Superdrug claim that it will 'revitalise your skin and leave you with a healthy looking glow'. It is paraben free and BUAV approved! It's a sort of orangey colour and quite thick but also watery enough so you can spread it evenly around your face.

How to use

First of all, remove all your make-up and thoroughly cleanse your skin so it's ready for application and make sure it's dry otherwise the mask won't stick. Using your fingertips, gently massage the substance onto your face (avoiding the eye and lip area) and leave until completely dry. The packaging does say to leave for 10-15 minutes but for me, this definitely isn't long enough to start peeling it off and it's still pretty wet so it roughly takes about 20 to 30 minutes in my opinion. Once it's completely dry, peel the mask off gently but don't pull just in case you damage your skin. If there's any dry excess mask still there, just wash off with warm water and pat dry.

My thoughts

For the first time using this flavour, I love it! I can really smell the fresh mango scent and the quantity of the product is just perfect so I don't have to worry about storing the opened sachet afterwards. I love peel-off masks, they're so much fun to take off for some reason! It peeled off smoothly and I had no trouble getting it all off. It left my face feeling much tighter, fresher and cleaner. It effectively removed dead skin and any blackheads I had. I love it and it's perfect for oily skin like mine so I'd highly recommend this if you have the same type of skin as me.  

Purifying Cucumber

Like the Tropical one this is also paraben free and BUAV approved. It 'soothes tired dull skin and gently lifts away dirt and impurities to reveal a newly revised and radiant complexion'. It's made of cucumber as you can guess and it's really suitable for all skin types. In the packet there is 10ml of the product like the other one and this time it's a sticky lime coloured gel which is pretty cold but still nice.

How to use

Again make sure your face is cleansed and completely dry before massaging the mask all over your face using your fingertips. Always avoid the eye and lip area as these are fairly sensitive zones so any pulling can damage your skin. When dry, peel away! Remove any reside with warm water and pat your face dry afterwards.

My thoughts

This is my favourite one and I've used it quite a few times before. After peeling off the mask, I literally cannot stop feeling my face! It's so, so soft and feels so fresh and healthy. Again, it removed any dead skin cells and blackheads I had. The cucumber smell is really great and not at all overpowering, it's just light and lovely.

I got the tropical mask and two of the cucumber ones because Superdrug had an offer of 3 for 2. Their usual prices are just 99p which is brilliant if you want to achieve beautiful feeling skin at a cheap price. 

They have plenty of other flavours and other face masks like clay and deep exfoliating ones as well, so check them out here: Superdrug Facemasks. 

So have you tried any of these out? What did you think of them?

Thankyou for reading.
Laura.

Book Review: Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler.

Hey everyone!
Happy New Year!
Hope you all enjoyed bringing in the new year whatever your plans were for the night. My first post for 2015 is going to be a book review and I'll be talking about Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler.

This book is written by Daniel Handler with beautiful art by Maira Kalman. It is about a girl in high school called Min Green and a senior basketball jock, Ed Slaterton and their relationship that lasted from 5th of October to November 12th. The entire novel is in the form of a letter in the narrative of Min who is writing to Ed about why they broke up. The letter is accompanied with a box full of objects that tracks the progress of their relationship which are all returned to Ed at the end of the letter. The box contains two bottle caps, a movie ticket, a lobby ticket, matches, a pinhole camera, a folded note, a rubber band, a high school pennant, a toy truck, a book full of recipes, an egg cuber, a polaroid, a comb, a pair of earrings which are described as ugly and several other items; all of which are beautifully designed on each beginning page of every chapter by Kalman.

I really liked this book, in fact it even made my favourite books list for 2014. The illustrations are lovely and look really vintage. They accompany the story brilliantly as Min describes how each item came to be hers and how much they meant to her. Min doesn't have any real social standing but Daniel Handler really gives her a voice that makes her stand out. I do think how she speaks will put some people off but I didn't find her irritating at all.

I thought Min and Ed's relationship was pretty sweet and adorable. You can't think of any reasons why they would break up until right at the very end and you understand Min's heartbreak completely. But although they were both cute together, I did also secretly root for Min and one of her best friends, Al who is the completely opposite to Ed. Handler really did capture what a teenage girl would be thinking and feeling in this situation perfectly.

Although I do like Min and her unique personality, the only criticism I have of the book is how she neglected her original friends who were well crafted, funny and different. It rings true to my own personal experiences when friends have up and left to spend more time with her boyfriends rather than with those who have been there from the start. I'm sure it'll do the same for others who have been through the same.

But other than that, I loved the book and I don't want to spoil it too much for those who want to read it because whatever I say won't do it justice. My heart completely broke for Min as I really thought their relationship was pretty good even if it was only very short. But the ending put the pieces of my heart back together again and I felt proud of Min.

You can buy it off Amazon, used, starting from £4.00

Do you have any recommendations for me? I'd love to know!

Thankyou for reading.
Laura.