#gosh infinity eyeliner review

[talonted]

Highstreet Gems: Affordable Beauty Favourites

Highstreet Gems: Affordable Beauty Favourites

Boots and Superdrug are my happy places and I could spend hours wandering around them, swatching products, seeing what’s new, phone in hand to read reviews as I go. Although I’m just as much of a sucker for the expensive, luxury products as the next person, there is a certain giddy excitement when I find some highstreet gems. So this blog post is dedicated to the products I use a lot that can be…

[fadeoftheinternet]

Fall Out Boy Mania, 1 Listen Review

Guys, I’m not gonna lie, I was a little worried about Fall Out Boy after Champion came out last year. I didn’t think the album was sounding as good as it could be. When they announced it was being pushed back to make a better product, it was as though my heart could beat again. I’ve heard the singles and was a little bummed when the album was only 10 songs. That’s short and to the point without a lot of room for error. So how did they do? 

Below is my Mania 1 listen Review!

Young and Menace. I understand why it’s so divisive in the fanbase, but I freaking LOVE THIS SONG. It’s a jam. Patrick Stump definitely is beginning the album with the same opening pomp as the last two fall out boy offerings. As an opener, it makes total sense. The placement gives you the feeling that this album is going to be a journey. For a song that’s nearly a year old, it sounds fresh. It’s not dated even though it probably should be. The Patrifications during the last minute of the song sound even better with the context that this is a palette cleansing album while also giving you vintage fall out boy. Plus, I love Andy’s drums!

Next up is Champion. Now, those of you who heard my first reaction know that I wasn’t a really big fan of Champion when it first came out. I felt like it was an easy ESPN pick up. I understand it’s place. It sounds natural coming after YAM. It keeps the energy. I still love the champion for the people who don’t believe in champions line. I can’t listen to the song without imagining it being retroactively added to a Rocky montage. Sylvester Stallone, this is the Balboa anthem you’ve been waiting for. For all you gym junkies and those that are just trying to reach 30 steps without breaking into a sweat, Champion is for you

Third song and first non single. Stay Frosty Royal Milk Tea. Now that’s a title. I was like, am I missing something? Is this like a Sugar Honey Iced Tea situation? I was like SFRMT doesn’t mean anything. Oh well, lemme listen to the song. WHOA!!! I wasn’t ready for that intro. Holy crap. Early favorite. The vocals sound like Brendon Urie was in the studio and Patrick was trying to show him who’s boss. ARE YOU SMELLIN THE ——. Okay this chorus meant to be screamed by fresh faced teenagers who still believe in emo. “ALL MY CHILDHOOD HEROES HAVE FALLEN OFF OR DIED!” GFD PETE YOU KILLT EM THAT’S A DISS TRACK. This nigga Pat is singing in French. oh shoot. This song feels like, OH SHOOT BREAKDOWN, it feels like what I imagine elevator music on Planet Cybertron sounds like. Man, don’t let Michael Bay hear this song or it’ll be in the next ill fated Transformers movie. Dang, freaking jam.

Hold Me Tight or Don’t. OK. By far my favorite of the music videos released. Oh wait, Wilson is dope AF though. I like the bounce to this album. Initial reactions are I was right about this album sounding like Infinity on High mixed with ABAP. OF YOUUUUUU OF YOUUUUU. Dang, thats a freaking chorus. I imagine white girls everywhere singing to their friends, heads bobbing side to side, “Hold me tight….or don’t.” Yeah this song feels like the one that made the label believe again. BUT WE ALWAYS BELIEVED BECAUSE BELIEVERS NEVER DIE! Dang I took too many hits off this memory is a bar. Pete you haven’t lost your pen game. Nigga out here penning Drake songs nowadays. This song is anthemic. These dudes just know how to craft a sing a long. PATRICK IS THERE NO NOTE OUTSIDE OF YOUR RANGE GFD DUDE. Andy, you are a star with the drums, but let me not sleep on Joe’s guitar work. This song has you singing the chorus before you’re even done with the first listen. Definition of an ear worm. I imagine this is going to be a bonus song on Pixar’s Coco

Halfway through and FOB drops my favorite of the pre album singles. This song makes me feel like I’m driving in Las Vegas with college friends and making memories we’ll look back on. Dang. Windows are definitely down. That bass. Pete’s not just a writer, he’s got the groove on this song. CAUSE YOU’RE THE LAST OF A DYING BREED I WONDER IF YOUR THERAPIST KNOWS EVERYTHING ABOUT ME. Oh man, is this a love song in the most FOB kind of way? Don’t let anyone tell them they don’t use real instruments anymore. I am a collapsing star with tunnel vision, but only for you. What does that even mean? No one knows what it means but it’s provocative. Patrick, you can’t expect to be singing all of these live right? Like your voice will be shot. That guitar riff has me like, “nananananaaaaa” The bridges on this album have me like, “ooh issa bop.” I can’t even sing a long to fall out boy songs anymore. I just gotta shut up and hear Pat wail.

Wilson. Okay, have ya’ll seen the video? It’s great. such a meme. now honestly, i hate the way that this song begins. I just hate the vocal melody. But after the second talkin about i’m all in. This song was meant to be put in a California Hot Topic, you know the kind where it’s all emo but everyone is West Coast beautiful? That darker color line is going to be some angsty teen’s senior quote. Do people still need to find someone to teach them how to Dougie? Because this song has that level of groove to it. It’s the same type of style as like an America’s Suitehearts, in the sense of a dense chorus with a great rock to it. Man, after this album, i gotta say, it might be time to bust out the black eyeliner again. Man, i gotta find my skiniest jeans and shrink them again. This album, upon the first 6 songs, is better than ABAP. Wow. HITS. And then the ending is gorgeous

Church. TAKE ME TO CHURCH MAKE ME CATCH THAT HOLY GHOST. They got the organs. Ooh is this a love song? WHOA OKAY PAT. Okay, this song is big but probably my least favorite of the ones so far, however that may be due to the familiarity i have with the previous 6. Just not a lot of lyrical change. But this is Patrick pushing his voice to it’s limits. Okay the second half isbetter OH MY FREAKING GOSH THE INSTURMENTS JUST WENT OUT AND PATRICK SNAPPED AND SINGLE HANDEDLY SAVED THIS SONG I WILL COME BACK TO THIS SONG WOW. PATRIFICATION CONFIRMED THE FALL OUT BOY MACHINE AIN’T BROKE IF YOU WERE CHURCH I’D GET ON MY KNEES CONFIRMED

Heaven’s Gate? Hmm….they must have ran into some of them LDS missionaries. Ooh we got ourselves a what a catch slow jams patrick soul song. have ya’ll seen the meme of the woman jammin? imagine Leslie Knope jamming at a black church. That describes how i feel about this song. This song could have been on the end of a SUPER strong episode of One Tree Hill. Like it’s a coda where a bunch of stuff happens. I like the guitar pan to the right ear. It’s good. I’m not really sure what pat is singing, but I am enjoying it. Patrick sings like a baptist confirmed. PATRICK WHAT DO YOU NEED LET ME GIVE YOU THE BOOST. Oh man, is this a choir coming??? Oh yes, ya’ll are going to be listening to Heaven’s Gate for a while. This is the one that is gonna get you through hard days in the future. This is a song to save someone’s life.

Sunshine Riptide (feat. Burna Boy). Rap feature? Maybe? Lol the opening line made me laugh. Nigga hit a missy elliot. you’ll get it. There’s a lot of things going on auditory wise. Okay, this song was made during the same time as Hold Me Tight or Don’t. Actually it also gives me the same vibes as Champion too? Whoa, it’s a rasta feature. Oh man, YA’LL NEED TO GET CHANCE THE RAPPER ON THE REMIX GOOD GOD THAT FEATURE JUST PUT ME IN THAT MOOD I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD SAY THAT OH SHOOT, THESE NIGGAS TRY BE FALL OUT THE BOYS. I’m a fan of this one. Ya’ll tryna get a nigga to find his XD emoticons and band tees for the last warped tour. Too bad all the singles have been released because this song feels like it’s begging to be put on a CW show like 90210 or Arrow trailer. HIT.

Bishops Knife Trick. Okay Fetzer, what you got for us? It’s the final song and I feel like I’ve been on a nonstop ride the whole time. Soulful pat? Wasn’t ready for it. It’s also the longest song on the album, clocking in at 4:23. This song sounds like, I can’t believe I’m gonna say what i’m gonna say, it sounds like the album that would have been made in between IOH and SRAR if the others didn’t exist. It’s like both. You won’t get it until you hear it. This is a thoughtful song. I need to listen to the album again with the lyrics so i can appreciate this song more. Patrick’s voice is an instrument. He’s not a singer in the conventional sense. Sometimes his words don’t sound like words. Dang, don’t let this album end. Don’t let it end. Don’t let it end. The last song flows into Young and Menace. Wow, ya’ll did you fast. Fall out boy, is the knife trick ya’ll revitalizing your sound and your fanbase? Because you most certainly have.

8/10 album. Church was the weakest song on the album, Heaven’s gate was the most meaningful and arguably the strongest

[whentaniatalks]

GOSH Infinity Eyeliner Review

[talonted]

As a beauty blogger I try out a *lot* of make up, receiving exciting new launches and getting to play with products is one of the best parts of my job. As I constantly have new and interesting things arriving all the time, I tend to be a bit of a floozy with my products, jumping from one to the next fairly regularly. But as I looked back over blog posts and instagram selfies from the past year, I noticed a few products that cropped up time an again. There were some products that I tended to reach for more than others, ones that found a permanent place on my dressing table. So here, for your reading pleasure, are my 2017 Beauty Favourites.

I’ll work through my 2017 Beauty Favourites in order of application, rather than preference as I can’t rank them. I’ve also added some ‘highly commended’ products at the end of the post so don’t forget to check them out, as well as letting me know your 2017 favourites in the comments.

Starting with my base, I fell in love with The Ordinary High-Adherence Silicone Primer*. Some people don’t like the slippery, silky feeling of silicone primers but I don’t mind it. This is a lightweight primer that helps smooth out my skin and improves the longevity of my foundation. If you follow me on YouTube or instagram, the inclusion of The Ordinary Serum Foundation* will come as no surprise. This little bottle of joy took me completely by surprise and I have been recommending it to everyone. You can see it in action in my review HERE.

My Sephora High Coverage concealer has now run out and I feel a bit panicky – is it wrong to plan a trip to Paris just to stock up…? It somehow manages to be high coverage enough to deal with my intense blue eyebags but light enough not to settle into fine lines and look crepey. The dream!

The Too Faced Born This Way setting powder* has featured in a lot of selfies this year. It’s very finely milled so you don’t end up looking dusty, it has illuminating properties so it’s great under the eyes, and it comes in this huge pot that will last ages.

Two incredibly affordable products to finish off my base: the Freedom Radiance highlighter palette is absolutely incredible, containing three flattering highlighter shades. If you prefer a subtle glow, you need to have a light hand as these products have an intense pay off but for me (the human glitter ball), they are perfect. The Make Up Revolution Matte Blushes are pigmented, long-lasting, and come in a large pan. I love them!

Without my eyebrows I look like a potato so I’m always on the hunt for affordable high street offerings that cater to blondes. The GOSH Brow Shape ‘n’ Fill* is flipping great: it has an angled pencil at one end and a powder at the other (which I don’t use), and comes in a lovely ashy blonde that suits me perfectly. I am yet to find something that has outlasted the GOSH Infinity eyeliner pencil in ‘Carbon Black’* on my watery, sensitive eyes. I use this for tight-lining and it stays put for hours, something much pricier products struggle with!

Oh, Urban Decay Naked Heat palette* how do I love you? Let me count the ways! It’s the only palette I have brought with me on my current Japan trip which definitely Says Something. I’m a huge fan of warm-toned eye make up and this palette has it all: a range of shades, shimmers and mattes, and the pigmentation is great. I wasn’t sold on the Naked palettes but this is just dreamy. I did a post dedicated to it HERE where I showed three different looks you can achieve with the palette, whether you’re a subtle or intense eye make up person.

Lip products are my ultimate weakness so I hope you will forgive me for picking two liquid lipsticks for this entry in my 2017 beauty favourites. The Sephora Cream Lip Stains are just wonderful – they are affordable, have a huge colour range, feel comfortable on the lips, and last ages (you can see lip swatches of my collection HERE). The Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks have some seriously unique shades and I am always guaranteed to get comments from people wanting to know what I’m wearing. There are some inconsistencies with longevity within the range, but they are easy to layer/reapply so I don’t mind that too much.

I can’t remember when I first started using Maybelline Lash Sensational mascara but I can’t be without it now. I’ve tried so many others and this is still the one that gives me volume, separation and (a rare find for me) doesn’t end up printing all over my brow bone by midday.

I think you could have all guessed that Essie nail polish would be in here. The formula, the colours, the longevity, the names… I love them all and they are easily my favourite nail brand. My favourite colour to wear this year has probably been ‘playing koi’*, a gorgeous rusty orange with a strong 70s vibe (which actually came out in 2016 but is still a favourite). You can see it swatched HERE.

And that’s your lot! The products I used and loved this most this year. It was really hard to whittle down this list, there have been so many great products. So I wanted to quickly mention some that were highly commended…

Pixi Flawless Primer* (if you’re looking for a hydrating primer to add radiance and glow to grey wintery skin, this is DREAMY); Amazing Cosmetics Amazing Concealer* (you need the tiniest, TINIEST dot to do both eyes and it will cover even the most intense eye-bags); 3INA highlighter* (subtle, glowy, and just gives really healthy looking skin) and Make Up Revolution Baked Highlights (so affordable and gives an intense highlight glow if you’re a sparkle-loving magpie like me); NYX ‘Brights’ Ultimate Shadow palette (such an incredible palette but probably not for everyone. If you want to use more colour in your make up in 2018 then this is a great place to start) and the Too Faced Sweet Peach palette* (this palette is so wearable and can easily be taken from subtle to dramatic thanks to the range of shades. Love love love!); KIKO Cream Crush eyeshadow in ‘Pearly Silver Rose’ (cream eyeshadows are foolproof and so quick. This is my go-to if I want something glitzy and eye-catching with no effort); Sephora V For Volume coloured mascara (I have the light blue, royal blue, green, and pink…and want more! Really pigmented, not flaky, and don’t smudge even on my weepy eyes. So, so good!); and finally Gerard Cosmetics HydraMatte liquid lipsticks (wonderful colours – including beautiful metallics – that last ages and don’t cost a fortune). Phew! It has been a flipping good year for my make up bag. What were your 2017 Beauty Favourites? As always, let me know in the comments below.

Lex

*PR samples. Links may be affiliate. For more information please see the Disclaimer tab at the top of the page.

2017 Beauty Favourites: My Most Used Products Of The Year As a beauty blogger I try out a *lot* of make up, receiving exciting new launches and getting to play with products is one of the best parts of my job.