Let’s ignore the fact that I’m freaking out about June already being over, that 2016 is going so quickly, that so many changes, good and bad, have occurred, and I’ve still got so much more to look forward to. I’m currently working on my blog a fair bit, experimenting with layouts and what not, so bear with me while I try to figure out ‘the look’. Anyway here’s my favourite bits from June!
Garbage – Strange Little Birds
I have listened to Garbage for most of my life, not necessarily intentionally, and not particularly consistently, but they’ve always been there. So when I was given the opportunity to review their latest album, I snapped it up right away. As I first streamed Strange Little Birds, I enjoyed the general sound of it, however my motivation levels were low and I just could not put pen to paper for the review. So I left it a little while, but instead of panicking, I decided to just keep listening to the album as much as I could until some ideas came to mind. On a late night just two days before its release something lit up inside of me. This album embraces the power of emotions and being open about your feelings; I guess it came to me at just the right time. With feelings all over the place, I felt a true connection to the album and ended up really enjoying writing about it. In a way it was like a little release of my own mind, and though the album comes across a little dark, there’s a sense of validation and acceptance of our emotions, something that really touched me.
Urban Outfitters Bowls
YEAH I LOVE MY BOWLS… No but seriously, I’ve wanted to get some items that are as functional as they are pretty – best of both worlds. I like how they’re speckled, kind of go with the plates I already own, and have a rough cut look to them. They’re the ideal shape for pasta dishes, stir fries, anything with noodles – but really I use them for just about anything because I love them perhaps a little too much. If I could go back to my younger self and tell her that one day, she’d be in love with a pair of bowls, she’d probably scoot away from the crazy crockery lady, thinking what a bloomin’ nutter. Anyhooo, I love me thems bowls I do.
‘Beauty School’ bag
This is one of the latest items to have come from ‘The Pied Piper’, a.k.a Gemma, a friend of mine who’s work is just oh so pleasing to the eye, making it very easy for me to support her by buying like, all of her products. (Aside from the prints that I ended up nabbing in an Instagram giveaway a little while back.) The latest run of Pied Piper products feature a few nods to Deftones, but before I even realised this, I was already head over heels in love with this make-up bag. I just love the darkness of it all, a beauty bag (or pencil case, or wash bag, or whatever) with knives, razors and pills among all the lipstick and blusher printed all over it. It’s something a little different and added bonus – it’s extra spacious! Right now it’s holding the components of my current regular make-up routine, but I think with all the space in there I’m going to start using it for when I stay somewhere overnight or go visit home for a bit – either a bag for a little bit of everything, or a huge make-up stash for longer trips away. The possibilities are endless!
Nars ‘Purple Rain’ Nail Varnish
Okay, are you done crying about Prince now? Me neither. For a nail varnish with a name like Purple Rain, I was expecting good results, and I sure as hell got them. I’ve even fully committed and used this on my toe nails and we all know toes get done like, once a year, right? This is the most beautiful metallic purple nail varnish I’ve owned, ever. My only sorrow is that the light undertone that appears in the bottle does not transfer to the nail, but I can forgive it, just. Hey, at least I nabbed this for a fraction of the retail price – cheers TKMaxx, you’re a star. Every pay day (and the days following after) I pop into my local TKMaxx to raid their make-up stash. Now, sometimes it’s a dyer mess of smudged creams and smashed powders, but persevere this carnage and you might just find something beautiful. Bear in mind it’s here for a reason, it might not be perfect, but that’s just the price you pay (or rather the price you don’t) for a bargain.
Body Shop Pinita Colada Shower Gel
Oh my gosh how dare I buy from Body Shop when I work at Lush. THE SCANDAL. Oh shut up. Now, Lush kinda has me covered for a pina colada-esque shower product, in fact their Yuzu and Cocoa shower cream has got to be one of my most favourite products ever. However, being the pineapple fanatic I am, this Pinita Colada shower gel from Body Shop just had to come home with me. It gives off a much fruitier vibe – more pineapple, less coconut cream. It’s just that typical Summer scent, bright and zesty, evoking a feeling of being down at the beach, soaking up all the sun by the sea. I have since purchased the Pinita Colada ‘Fresh Body Sorbet’ as well – a light moisturiser with aloe vera making it a great after-sun product which should be good for whenever the sun decides to grace us with her presence, right? Where Yuzu and Cocoa is sweet and creamy, this is light and fruity and I mean, I am just a sucker for anything with a cocktail type scent to it, one look at this shower gel and I knew it was going to be in my bathroom in no time.
LUSH Elbow Grease
This product has been knocking around all Lush shops for just over a year, and only now am I realising how much I love it. Initially I wasn’t too keen on how oily Elbow Grease is rather than creamy but now I can’t stop picking it up. With orange flower absolute and neroli oil this is the ultimate pick me up, great as a quick morning moisturiser to get you going for the day. This bar can be used all over the body and also happens to be great for tattoos – new and old! It acts as a great layer of protection for fresh tattoos and helps to keep them looking bright and vibrant. Of course I have no tattoos to test this on but I’ve dealt with a lot of customers coming in for Elbow Grease after their tattoo artist has personally tried and tested it, to then go on and recommend it. All in all, this is a great product, whether you’re looking for soft skin or vibrant tattoos, it’s definitely worth a go. (Top Tip: In hot weather it may be a good idea to store this in the fridge, making sure it won’t melt – but also imagine how amazing it will feel, nice and cool on your skin…)
x
In case you missed it, here’s the link to Gemma’s (The Pied Piper) website where you can browse all her lovely work – http://www.thepiedpiper.online/
Thanks for being sweet and reading this, check out my Twitter and Instagram (@samaanthamae) for quick updates of my nonsense.
SAMANTHA MAE 