Draining The Smoke From The City | The Body Shop New Masks

Hey!

Welcome to a brand new blog post! The Body Shop have released two brand new masks and I thought that today I would tell you guys what I thought about them both.

The Body Shop have released quite a few items this Summer including the Spa Of The World Firming range, their new hair care products (you can read about both in my post via clicking here), re-releasing their infamous cocktail influenced ranges (Virgin Mojito and Pinita Colada) and even bringing out two new brilliant masks for people such as you and I to enjoy.

The first product that I am going to talk to you all about is the brand new Expert Facial Mask. This mask is called Japanese Matcha Tea Pollution Clearing Mask which might sound like a bit of a mouthful but it promises to do amazing things to your skin if you're submerged in air pollution such as living in the hustle and bustle City Of London.

This mask is infused with Matcha Green Tea from Kakegawa in Japan. The product also contains Dandelion Extract and soul-soothing Aloe Vera from Mexico. This mask is 100% Vegan. It also deeply purifies and gently exfoliates your skin to remove the weekly build-up of city pollutants,.dirt and grime.

This mask has a scent of freshly cut grass mixed with a deep musky hint of Tea which I quite like as it makes it a grea smelling mask to use in the morning due to the freshness of the freshly cut grass element but also a great mask to use at night due to the hint of musk that you get when using this mask. The texture of this mask is very creamy due to Shea Butter being in the mask which also makes this quite a nourishing mask. I like the creaminess but I normally use creamier masks at night time before I use a Night Cream so if you're wanting something slightly more tightening for when you're using a mask in the morning then I'd suggest the Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask and then for when using a mask at night I'd suggest this as it definitely purifies the skin without stripping too much of the natural moisture that is in the skin.

I would definitely suggest this to anyone that lives in a very busy city or for someone who wants something to help purify their skin.

The second mask that I shall be talking to you about is Tea Tree Anti-Imperfection Night Mask.

Wake up to clearer-looking skin! This mask is specifically formulated to care for oily skin and imperfections while you sleep. It is infused with Salicylic Acid and Tea Tree Oil, This mask is 100% Vegan! It will reduce the size and number of imperfections and achieve clearer, smoother, and healthier-looking skin.

The scent of this is well Tea Tree... You will know exactly what I mean when you smell anything that contains pure Tea Tree Oil. It just has a Medicinal scent to it. I think that this is a good thing though when it comes to applying a Night Mask as I don't want anything too overstimulating scent before going to bed.

The texture is slightly more gel than anything which sounds weird but if you've tried the Drops Of Youth Sleepy Bouncing Mask then you will exactly know what I mean. Its a gel that turns into a bit more of a watery texture but the fun thing about this is that it slightly sets which means that it;s definitely working!

This mask does definitely reduce any imperfections and ask my face is full of them due to enjoying dairy with a body that cant even tolerate it means that I breakout as soon as I say the word lactose but this mask reduced the size of my spots and calmed any scars that I had from acne right down.

I would definitely recommend this if you have a few imperfections and you wanted them to be reduced in a humane way.

Make sure that you're checking out The Body Shop as at the minute you can get a voucher for three free face masks including the new Japanese Matcha Tea Pollution Clearing Mask and a couple of others.

Check The Body Shop out via clicking here. 

I hope that you've enjoyed this beauty based blog post and that you come back next time for another blog post.

Thanks for reading!
Jamie x

This blog post was out of my own pocket and wasn't in return of free products or services. All views, opinions and ramblings are my own. 

Is It Safe To Be Gay In The UK

Hey!

Welcome to a brand new blog post! I think the title says it all really but I thought that today I would talk to you guys about why I believe that it's not completely safe to be gay in 2017.

I know that within the UK, we have some rights that ensure that we can be ourselves and we have things such as a legal same sex marriage now compared to things in countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Russia where being gay endures harsher punishments such as jail and concerntration camps but not everything within the UK is rose tinted spectacles.

Let's take going on a date for example... You have to awkwardly seem like you're just two friends catching up in case a staff member catches you and they chuck you out due to the news stories such as the Bakery denying a same sex couple to have a cake made for them. You then can't really show any affection and you're always scared on the actions that you make whilst you're on said date because in public, someone might cause harm to you... The lightest harm might be name calling and the hardest harm that might happen might be physical harm such as being beaten up for being something that you can't control. You end up realising that it's just easier to invite them to a date at home due to the amount of hate that happens...

I know that name calling might not sound like a big deal but when it happens time and time again, it slowly chips away the foundations of your self confidence when out and about.

Sadly, I've had some of the above thrown at me whilst being out in the public and it just makes you feel like you should be like you shouldn't be who you are because then you'd feel safer

Obviously, it doesn't happen everytime but it happens the majority of the time which is the sickening thing.

Sadly, media has helped to socialise the general public and reinforce hegemonic ideas into their minds via using minorities such as homosexual people as scapegoats to ensure that the general public steer their minds away from the truth and put their anger and frustration into something/somebody else. The general sort of lines include the fact that homosexuals are the epicentre and vessel of HIV or AIDS and if we didn't have them then the count for that would be lower when in fact the passing of HIV/AIDS can happen via sharing things such as needles which can be used by anyone not just homosexual people or they write some spiel about how something can ensure that someone is homosexual such as smoking marijuana. I'm not promoting marijuana but how can smoking something once make you instantly be sexually interested in the same sex as yourself. It's ridiculous... I know the nature/nurture debate about topics such as sexuality is a massive thing within society but I honestly doubt the nurture side can happen via partaking in something once...

I know that we have rules and laws in pace such as the Equality Act which ensures that no discrimination against people who are disabled, different sexualities, ages etc but does everyone actually know of this act and do they abide by it because if so then would we really have this much hate which has even gone to murder before because I honestly doubt it if we did... I know that some wouldn't abide by it but not as many that do in today's society.

People aren't safe in the UK but if we gave a little more tolerance and acceptance then we can make society a better place for minorities such as people of colour and the LGBT+ community. Just please take that into account.

What's your opinion? Let me know down below! 

I hope that you've enjoyed this little rambly LGBT+ based blog post and I hope that I've made some sense. I hope that you come back next time for another blog post!

Thanks for reading! 
Jamie x 

Spinning The Record Right Round | House Of Vinyls

Hey!

Welcome to a brand new post! I've been checking out a brand new website that is made for all you music lovers out there and I thought that today I would tell you guys all about it!

Provided by www.pexels.com 

House Of Vinyl was started by Keith Matthews after he left his job suddenly and needed a quick way to pay the bills. Keith has always been in and out of the music industry and had quite an impressive record collection. He decided to start selling some of his more expensive pieces and get lots of less expensive items. This proved instantly successful so as well as paying the bills. Keith reinvested some of the money he earned into buying more vinyl. This turned into the business he is running today which is known as House Of Vinyl. 

HOV (House Of Vinyl) is a website that focuses on items such as Vinyls, CD's and much much more. They offer these musical discs at different prices and are a great website as Vinyls are coming back into the limelight within society so if you want a Vinyl, you normally have to participate in a race to find the one that you're looking for. 

HOV also create amazing pieces of merchandise in the form of comfy clothing such as tshirts and comfy sweatshirts which could be worn listening to music around the house, whilst you're out and about or whilst you're at a gig/festival. 

Click here if you want to find out more about House Of Vinyl. 

Do you like Vinyls? Let me know down below! 

I hope that you've enjoyed this little music based blog post and I hope that you come back next time for another great blog post! 

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x

This blog post was in return of goods/services. All views, opinions and ramblings are my own. 

Tasting The Fruits Of Summer | Bubbleology Leeds

Hey! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post! A couple of weeks ago, I was invited to Bubbleology within Trinity Leeds to try their amazing bubble teas and to find out more about the background of their cimpany and I thought that today I will talk to you guys about it all.

Bubbleology is a tea based beverage business that sells Bubble Teas which can include fruit infusions, creamy concoctions and ckassic cocktails (that are only available at Trinity Leeds and Soho branches.) If you haven't heard of Bubble Tea then the best way to describe is imagine a brewed tea (it can be hot or cold as Bubbleology serve some hot and some cold) and then add small gummy bears in the shape of little marbles (also known as Tapioca Pearls) and then add juicy smaller balls of popping fruit such as Mango, Passionfruit and many more (Popping Boba.) Bubbleology have a variety of stores in England including Notting Hill, Meadowhall and many more. ]

We arrived in Leeds and made our way around to the infamous Trinity Leeds. We headed towards the Bubbleology store and was greeted by the manager of the branch. We talked about many things including the background of Bubbleology which started within Taiwan within the 80's. We also talked about things such as the managers favourite drink, what's the best thing about Leeds and how does the staff cope when Bubbleology is at it's most busiest time of the day. Her answers included Peach Berry, the people of Leeds and that everything (machinery wise) in the line of creating a product so the staff can easily get drinks made when its busy.

Bubbleology also offer samples of their drinks at certain times of the day every day which is great for those who are tempted to try Bubbleology and aren't sure on what flavour of Bubble Tea they would like or for the regular customer who is in a rut with their choices and isn't sure what new drink they want.

I ordered a Pina Colada Bubble Tea which is available as an non-alcoholic drink or an alcoholic drink at the Soho and Trinity Leeds branches via the addition of Malibu which sounds amazing especially on a warm Summers evening. I love the taste of Pina Coladas so I already knew that it was going to be great but it was excellent due to the texture contrasts of smooth liquid and gummy Tapioca Pearls. I also love the addition of the Popping Boba due to them instantly popping your mouth. I would definitely have this again whether it's non-alcoholic or alcoholic!

We then talked about the new Summer Drinks before Luke ordered his drink. The new Summer Drinks are Strawberry and Banana which reminds me instantly of a Summer Smoothie especially when Banana can be used as dairy free cream/ice cubes when frozen and put into a blender when creating a zombie. I was hesitant on the sound of Passion Fruit and Cucumber mainly because the majority of Cucumber is well water but the manager reassured that it actually adds a freshness to the Passionfruit which I think sounds like a great drink for a Summer's picnic or a drink to have whilst catching up with friends in the Sunshine.

Luke ordered a Peach Berry drink which as I stated earlier in the post is the managers favourite drink. Luke loves Berries and Peach so he instantly knew that he would love it and compared it to a take on a strong Liptons Peach Iced Tea which he loved.

Bubbleology are also available to deliver to your door via UberEATS.

What's your favourite drink flavour? Let me know down below! 

Thanks to the staff at Bubbleology for inviting me along to their Trinity Leeds store to find out more about Bubbleology and their amazing drinks.

I hope that you've enjoyed this bubble tea based blog post and I hope that you come back next time for another blog post!

Thanks for reading! 
Jamie x

This blog post was in return of a review of this establishment. All opinions, views and ramblings are my own. 

Sliding Into Summer Like Theres No Other | Club Trinity Leeds

Hey!

Welcome to a brand new blog post! I was invited to the preview of Club Trinity Leeds within the prestigious shopping centre Trinity Leds and I thought that today I would talk to you guys all about it.

If you've never heard of Trinity Leeds before then let me fill you in! Trinity Leeds is a state of the art shopping and leisure centre which is located in the heart of Leeds' shopping district and is next to Briggate which in the list of Top 10 busiest streets within the UK. It's also next to streets such as Commercial Street which is known for shpps such as Lush Cosmetics and Thorntons. Trinity Leeds has over 120 shops, restaurants and much more therefore it brings big well known brands and the best of things such as food and culture together. Trinity includes brands such as Apple, Hollister, Victoria Secrets, D&D London, Marks & Spencer, Superdry, Everyman and much more! 

A helter-skelter yellow slide that goes from one floor to the next in Trinity Leeds.

I arrived in Leeds, had a little wander around some of the stores that are in Trinity Leeds such as Boots and Topman and then made my way around to the beautiful beach area where the slide is situated (which is on the ground floor but the best way to get to it to come through via the entrance to Commercial Street which contains Pintura and Marks and Spencer.)

I met the lovely PR staff that were putting on the event and was told to make my way upstars on the top floor of Trinity Leeds where I found the other bloggers that were invited to the event which included the lovely Lucinda, Kellie, Lizi, Lucy and many more. We all chatted for a while and then made our way to the slide where we went down one by one.

It was my turn to go down the slide and I instantly felt like a child again. It reminded me of those child play centres which contained things like trampolines and ball pits but also a playarea which contained tunnels, stairs and a helter-skelter slide. I absolutely loved this and if Trinity could introduce a slide version of all the escalators in their shopping centre then that would be amazing because I would definitely be down for that!

When you come out of the slide, there is a hammock. If you take a selfie on the hammock and upload it to social media using the hashtag #ClubTrinityLeeds then you get entered into a prize draw to win £1000

Whilst lounging around on beach furniture, myself and the other bloggers were handed several delicous drinks from the amazing guys at Cielo Blanco including a wonderful Ting served with Crushed Ice and Citrus Fruits, a superb frozen Strawberry and Maple Margarita which contained Herradura Blanco Tequila, Maple Syrup,
strawberries and a good old Salt rim and a drink that I didn't hear but it tasted delicious. I don't think any of us heard exactly what the drink was called due to us all having an amazing time so I decided to pluck up the courage and take the first one for the team. When have I ever turned down a drink?! Cielo Blanco also created some amazing food for us which included some very tasty Tacos and their Superfood Salads which contains a salad of Quinoa, Oaxacan-style grilled Cheese, Avocado,
Pomegranate & Herb Agave Dressing which was amazing due to the taste of the sweet Pomegranate against the Cheese and the texture contrast of the smooth Avocado against the grainy Quinoa.

I drank another cocktail and then decided that it was time to go. As I said my goodbyes, I was handed a goodie bag which I shared on my Instagram Stories which contained some great goodies such a wonderful can of Pina Colada from Marks & Spencer which I will drink whilst imagining that I'm on a beach and a wonderful highlighter from Models Own which I might play about with as I'm into Highlighters at the minute as they give you the perfect Summer glow!

Have you been to #ClubTrinityLeeds? Whats your favourite part about going to the beach? Let me know down below! 

Please do go and check out Club Trinity Leeds which is available at Trinity Leeds from now until the 3rd of September.

Click here if you want to find out more details about Club Trinity Leeds 

Thank you to the amazing people that invited me to this event and who set up and ran this event. Thank you to Cielo Blanco for creating amazing food and letting me try it. Thank you to the guys who were playng the live music for us,

I hope that you have enjoyed this Summery blog post. I hope that you come back next time for another blog post.

Thanks for reading! 
Jamie x

Talking About The Last Few Years | Education

Hey!

Welcome to another blog post! As results day was last week, I thought that it would be a good idea to talk to you guys today about my experience with the education that is available to all citizens within the United Kingdom.

A stock image from Pexels.com containing small white square Scrabble tiles spelling out the word Teach on a light wooden table with stacks of different coloured books behind it on a light background. 

Education is a weird thing in my opinion due to the fact that we go through it without any choice, we learn things that have been written into the history of mankind such as Kings and Queens, Sciences and social skills (that's just via primary education, when it comes to secondary education we're socialised to be submissive and behave like little puppets via things such as sanctions in the form of detentions) but then as soon as we've left, we forget everything that has been kept under lock and key in our minds via the summer holidays and then the cycle is repeated until instead of education, its a workplace.

I decided once that I was done with secondary education, that I would go straight into catering due to loving everything food based such as creating a dish from another chef all the way to messing about with different components to create a completely different dish for someone who has an allergy or an intolerance... I also definitely liked eating it too but who doesn't? Sadly after a while, I had to leave the kitchen due to the heat of it especially as I was having frequent anxiety attacks due to a plethora of things. Unfortantely, all of the above slowly made me lose my love of food and cooking and that is something that I'm still getting back in touch with to this day. After all the things that happened that year, I now dub it the year that I spent in the cubicles due to amount of attacks that I ended up having over everything.

After that I decided to brush up on my skills to ensure that I had everything ready for my life which I did, Within this year, I learnt quite a lot about myself and this is when the platform that I am talking to you on was created.

After that, I decided to do A Levels within Media, Film and Sociology where even though hurdles came up, I managed to jump over them. I also learnt that its good to sometimes be outspoken and sometimes be yourself. Within these two years, I learnt a plethora of things but the main thing that I have learnt is that people aren't always ignorant due to wanting to be ignorant but because society and socialisation have not taught them the information that they should know about the matter whether this be about sexuality, gender, mental health and much more.

I've jumped through many personal and unpredictable problems within the time that I have been in education but I have trumped through them all and I'm now going to University where I hope to carry on jumping through hurdles, smashing the glass ceilings of society and teaching other students about culture that they might not know of.

I hope that you've enjoyed this slightly rambly education post and I hope that you come back next time for another blog post.

Thanks for reading! 
Jamie x 

Whats In My Everyday Bag

Hey!

Welcome to another blog post! I know that this seems like such a cliche blog post to publish but I thought that some of you might want to fin out what I carry on a day to day basis.

I like to ensure that I have some essentials in my bag for when I'm on the go/doing things such as bloggers events as it means that I dont spend time frantically running around the house looking for stuff and instead I can ensure that I've got everything ready and leave the house in a calm and organised manner.

Bag:

Who can ever go out without a bag> Bags are the epitome of going out to me as they're multipurpose via being an accessory for your outfit whilst it can hold a plethora of items for things such as meetings, events and much more. At the moment, I'm loving this leather Messenger Bag from Voyager as it's great with any outfit and has an amazing strap which means that its easy to carry.

Keys:

Keys are always known for ending up at the bottom. That might be true, but if i didn't have my keys in the bottom of my bag then I'd be screwed. I always ensure that once I've unlocked/locked the door when I'm going out that I put the keys in my bag because then I know that they're in there and I've done what I've needed to. If I'm out and I want ton double check if I've locked up or if I have my keys on me then all I need to do is shake my bag until I hear the keys jingle.

Charger 

It might seem a little excessive to carry a charger everywhere you go but smartphones are so temperamental sometimes so I like to make sure that I have my charger on me just in case my phone decides to die or that I've had a busy day with things such like emails where I've needed my phone a lot, It's mainly a precaution but it's always great to ensure that its in there!

Tea Tree Wipes 

Okay, I know that this might seem a bit weird but Tea Tree Wipes are the best thing to have in your bag at all times! It refreshes the skin when its warm and it helps spot proned skin. What's not to love about these?! I keep them in my bag for many things such as after a messy meal (eg a meal including ribs etc) or for when my skin feels a bit poop and it needs a touch of refreshment and revitalisation

Hand Cream 

Again, I have these in my bag for when a meal is sticky or if I'm shopping and someones not screwed a bottle on properly. It's also helpful to have hand cream in my bag due to guiding Luke as my hands get a bit dry from doing this sometimes so I can just grab some from my bag, apply and poof my hands are soft and smelling great again! If anyone is curious, at the minute, I have Being By Sanctuary's Chilli, Mango & Tonka Bean in my bag.

Fragrance 

I like to keep a fragrance in my bag especially when I'm out for the full day because, well, fragrances don't last on your skin for the full day and normally need topping up especially if you're doing something like shopping for the day or running around doing errands. It also means that if I keep a certain fragrance in my bag then I can ensure that I can spray it when needed whereas if I'm changing what scents are going in my bag then I might forget to put one into my bag.

Whats in your bag? Let me know down below!

I hope that you enjoy this bag based blog post and I hope that you come back for another blog post!

Thanks for reading! 
Jamie x

This post was in collaboration with Voyager. All views, opinions and ramblings are my own. 

Creating Bubbles In The Factory | The Soap Factory Leeds

Hey!

Welcome to another blog post! I was invited to try out The Soap Factory a few weeks ago. I took Luke with me like I normally do... I thought that today I would talk to you guys about what I thought of the excellent establishment that is The Soap Factory. 

The Soap Factory is a cocktail bar and kitchen at Novotel Leeds Centre that creates high class cocktails and food that can be catered towards anyone. The Soap Factory also offer 2-4-1 cocktails and have started to offer an amazing afternoon tea including Prosecco and superb sweet treats such as Scones and Chocolate Cake. The wonderful cocktail bar and restaurant is located on Whitehall Road. 

We started off our day in Leeds via going on an adventure to find the restaurant which after some time, we realised that it was only a stones throw away from Leeds Train Station. Once we had reached the glorious building, we decided to have a look around before heading into the building as the street looked amazing with grand glass and wonderful white buildings.

We entered the building and made our way to a booth that consisted of two long rectangular leather couches and a long coffee table. We sat down and chatted for a minute before looking at the menus. We decided to start off with a cocktail. Luke decided to go for a Raspberry Mojito (which is available on their 2-4-1 offer) and I decided to start everything off with a good old Zombie because well I love a good Zombie! This one contained of different types of Rum, Pineapple & Citrus Juices and loads more. This cocktail is dusted with Cinnamon and is set on fire in front of you at your table! I love a Zombie but with the addition of Cinnamon, it was beyond delicious!

A white landscape business card with The Soap Factory in big font and Cocktail Lounge and Kitchen in smaller black font on a light brown wood background. 

Zombie Cockt

A close up of the Zombie Cocktail

Raspberry ,Mojito

The starters come on a wooden slab and are served just like tapas. We ordered quite a few starters to share. We ordered a Stack Of Onion Rings which were amazing as the batter had a slight spice to them but it was still very crispy. They'd definitely be great alongside a cold drink. The next starter was Thai Fishcakes with a Thai Sweet Chilli Mayo. The fishcakes were crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Weirdly, the filling wasn't overly fishy. The Mayo was spicy but sweet which went well with the Zesty Fishcakes. Next on the board was Sweetcorn Fritters, the best way to thinkof these little beauties are like sweetcorn studded pancakes. I love Sweetcorn so I instantly loved these. The contrast between the smooth batter and the slight crunch from the corn was fantastic! These fritters came with a Saffron Yoghurt which I adored as the dip wasn't too creamy nor spicy. Just a wonderful hit of both! We then ate Garam Garam Pakoras which came with a wonderful Raita. I love Pakoras no matter what and I loved these! The crunchy outside agaiinst the slightly spiced insides was fabulous especially when paired with the cool Raita. These on their own with a cold Beer would be amazing. Last but definitely not least were the Sweet & Sticky Baby Sausages which were coated in Honey and Wholegrain Mustard. I could eat a billion of these over and over again. I loved the taste of these slightly spiced sausages and as they were small you could pop a lot of them in your mouth without realising or counting how many you actually ate. The Honey and Wholegrain Mustard glaze ensured that the Sausages were sticky but at the same time had a warm heat to it.

Onion Rings

A mixture of starters dotted about on a wooden board. 

We then ordered another drink to cleanse the palate. Luke had another Mojito whilst I tried a Jack Daniels based cocktail with Maple Syrup. I love Jack Daniels and the addition of Maple Syrup just made it that little bit sweeter. I'd love to drink this on a warm Summers day.

Jack Daniels Cocktail

We then ordered a few mains to try out. The first one that I tried was Posh Pot Noodles which are a glass jar filled with noodles and other goodies and a vessel containing Miso Broth. When it comes to the table, you get to pour the broth into the noodles to create your own dish. I chose Beef and Mushroom. I know that Mushrooms have a controversia reputation but I like them sometimes! I loved the texture of Steak against the soft Noodes. I also loved the slight heat from the Miso Broth. Luke had a Chicken one and loved it but wasn't completely keen of the noodles.

We then tried a Steak Bomb Sandwich which contains Grilled Steak, Caramelised Onions and Mustard Mayo served on a rustic Ciabatta. I loved the soft Steak against the crunchy Ciabatta. I love Mustard and Steak. I think that this would be amazing for a lunch with friends.

We then got another drink. This time, myself and Luke decided to try a Lychee Mojito which reminded me of a Mojito with a floral undertone. I love Lychee in many different forms so I instantly loved this cocktail. I think that it would be a great drink to sit outside with when the sun is going down.

We then tried The Soap Factory's Burgers. I tried their signature burger which is dubbed Soapy Joe. Soapy Joe contains two Beef Burgers, Smoked Bacon, Mature Yorkshire Cheddar, Fried Onions, Gherkins, a Fried Hens Egg, Lettuce, Tomato, Onion and House Relish in a Brioche Bun. I loved this burger! The patties were juicy and were spiked with Black Pepper. I loved the texture of the oozing yok against the beef patties. I also got Sweet Potato Fries with these which were amazing! Sweet but crunchy!

Both Burgers, fries, pickles and sandwich on a rectangular light wooden board. 

Close up/birds eye shot of the Burger

Close Up Of The Egg

Shot of Sweet Potato Fries 

Birds Eye Shot Of Pickles 

Luke had a East Coast Burger which I had a taste of. This dish contained a Thai Fish Burger with Coriander, Chili and Lime with Mayo in a Brioche Bun. I loved this one as it screamed Summer in a bun! I loved the Fish Burger with the acidity of the Lime and the freshness of the Coriander. So good!

East Coast Burger

We looked at the desserts but due to being so full, we thought that it would be best to not have a dessert and come back in our own time if we wanted to try a dessert!

We drank up and decided to head back to the train station.

Have you been to The Soap Factory before? Let me know down below! 

Thanks to the staff at The Soap Factory for inviting us down and making amazing food for us to enjoy and talk about.

Check out their Twitter here.

I hope that you've enjoyed this food based blog post and I hope that you come back next time for another blog post!

Thanks for reading!
Jamie x 

This blog post was in return of food and drinks. All opinions, views and ramblings are my own. 

I Love Myself And I Dont Need You To Say Anything

Hey!

Welcome to another blog post! I know that the title of this post is a lengthy one but I thought that I would do a post about my personal body confidence.

The mass media has reinforced most people no matter what age, sex, gender, sexiality, body size, skin colour that being yourself and natural is incorrect within the world of today and that we should be striving to be like people in the public eye that are pushed onto us on a daily basis via social media and print and digital advertisement. I believe thatn todays day and age where we are becoming more accepting things such as sexuality and gender, that we should be accepting ourselves for who we are and becoming more confident in ourselves.

I know that I might be a slightly spotty due to my lactose intolerance and hormones. I know that I wont look like the severely airbrushed celebrity models that are in top commercial magazines via a close up/head and shoulder shot with the masthead of the magazine above the picture. My face is mine and no one elses. So what, if it has a cluster of spots or scars or anything of that sort, my face is beautiful and its no one else's!

I have some flab and I know that I wont ever be like a famous male influencer who is on the front of fitness magazines but I love my flab and I think that its a part of me. I do believe though that if you're thin, fat or anything in between then thats your body and whatever you want to do with it is up to you just like whatever I do with mine is absolutely fine!

I might not have the most masculine of voices but I'm used to my voice by now and I think that it's absolutely fine. I've recorded myself many times and I'm absolutely fine with it! I don't need someone to pity me and tell me to not worry about my voice.

Basically, the point that I'm getting across is that I know that I have flaws and problems just like everybody else in this screw up of a world that we live in where everything is mainly dominated by powerful midde aged men but I don't care what you think because I love myself and tha'ts all that matters. I know this sounds like such a vain blog post and this line will sound cheesy but honestly If you can't love yourself, how in the hell are you gonna love somebody else?

Keep being amazing, yourself and accepting of others!

Thanks for reading this slightly rambly blog post! I hope that you come back for another post and have a great day!

Thanks for reading! 
Jamie x 

Why We Should Support Kesha's New Music

Hey!

Welcome to another blog post! The title really says it all but I thought that today I would talk to you about Kesha's return to the music industry.

If you have been following Kesha for a while via Social Media or the News then you will know that she has been through a lot such as legal battles and eating disorders therefore to see that a new album by Kesha is coming soon is a massive ray of sunshine on the world.

Kesha has already released tracks from the upcoming album 'Rainbow' such as Praying which talks about topics such as spirituality and finding her inner strength and getting over bad people and demons within her life. Another song 'Woman' that has been released from her soon to be released album talks about being a woman and being able to do things for yourself. It also talks about not needing anyone else. These are both amazing tracks that we need within today's society.

The fact that Kesha has spoken about being an LGBT+ ally is also amazing as especially in the world of where violence just for being openly gay means that we need more people that have a mass audience to talk about the struggles for everyone and the ability to ensure that we have a less ignorant and more tolerating world.

I know that I've kept this blog post short but I completely believe that we need more female influencers/artists within the world that are for themselves as they can show the world that you can be whoever you want to be no matter your past, present or future and to be able to conquer the world however you want to. It's amazing that Kesha is showing that its good to be tolerating therefore if we support Kesha then we can show the world and ensure that more powerful artists can make the world a better place.

Click here to listen to Kesha's music via Spotify.

I shall link Kesha's latest song Hymn at the bottom of this post.

Have you listened to Kesha? Let me know down below!

I hope that you have enjoyed this music based post! I hope that you come back next time for another blog post!

Thanks for reading! 
Jamie x

Put A Step Into Your Day | Yorkshire Soap Company Bath Bombs

Hey! 

Welcome to another blog post! I thought that today I would talk to you guys about a beauty brand that I love!

Yorkshire Soap Company are a brand that are well created within Yorkshire. The concept of Yorkshire Soap Company started within 2004, when one of the creators of the brand decided to create soap to give to friends and family as gifts. Due to his experience as a chef, both of the creators muddled and mixed various ingredients until they found a recipe that worked for them. As they didn't have a massive budget for items such as moulds, they used things that were lying around the house such as cake moulds and baking cases and voila that was the birth of Yorkshire Soap Company! 

A few weeks ago, I decided to pop into my local Yorkshire Soap Company store (they have stores in Hebden Bridge, Leeds, York and many more cities.) I browsed the store whilst wonderful nostalgic music from movies such as Sound Of Music and Charlie and The Chocolate Factory. After chatting with the wonderful staff that work at the store, I decided to purchase a Peppermint Cream and a Invigorating Bath Bomb.

Peppermint Cream Bath Bomb: 

This minty treat will unlock all of your senses and leave your skin feeling awake! Peppermint Cream is a bath bomb that contains Poppy Seeds which slowly disintegrate into the bath. This product also contains Rosemary Oil which gives the Bath Bomb a deep scent and Peppermint Oil which gives the bath bomb its Peppermint scent but it also invigorates the senses. I know that sometimes the visuals are what matter when it comes ton bath bombs but I honestly love Yorkshire Soap's products because the proof is in the pudding and not in the aesthetics of the pudding. The scent of this product is amazing and slightly reminds me of a slightly stronger Mint  Choc Chip but the real reason that I love these bombs is due to the power of the scent. I can always smell it from a mile away when I put one of these bath bombs intp the water.

A large white spherical bath bomb with small black Poppy Seeds embedded into the bomb on a white background. 

Invigorating Bath Bomb: 

As you can tell by the name of this product, this bath bomb is meant to invigorate you so you can crack on with the day ahead of you. Invigorating contains Lemongrass and Grapefruit Oils which help to awaken yourself but they also help to ensure that you're happy for the day. They also give a bright Citrus kick to the bath bomb. It also contains Calendula which helps to soothe the skin. I just love this product because it's so uplifting!

A white spherical bath bomb that has small yellow Calendula flowers embedded into it on a white background 

Both of the bath bombs that have been mentioned above are £3. 

If you try any of the above products and like the scents then luckily Yorkshire Soap Company do lots of other gorgeous goodies in the same ranges (Invigorating and Peppermint Cream) such as Body Lotion, Bath Salts, Shower Gel and much more!

Have you tried anything from Yorkshire Soap Company? Let me know down below! 

I hope that you have enjoyed this beauty based blog post and I hope that you come back next time for another blog post!

Thanks for reading! 
Jamie x 

Glowing In Perfection | Men & Makeup

Hey! 

Makeup has stereotybrpically been manufactured and marketed towards women within the modern society that we live in today due to the stereotypes of women only being able to wear and use makeup that is portrayed and reinforced by the media but I believe that we're slowly becoming a society that strives for equality within the cosmetics world.

Men were only known for using makeup to hide flaws and to ensure that their skin looked perfect and matte for the camera via film and TV productions as they wanted to ensure that the audience would respect them and look up to them as an role model.

The only other time that the world saw men using makeup was in the form of teenagers due to being in a 'phase' of being alternative or men who have been/are in alternative bands. They have normally been mocked for wearing said makeup in a homophobic manner which in fact what we should be doing is acknowledging that they wear makeup and letting them get on with their lives.

I'm glad that makeup brands accept all sexes and genders into their target audiences and campaigns.

Illamasqua are a British company who believe in letting their customers be whoever they want to be no matter what which is amazing within this day and age. I also love how they sgare any of the looks that are created with their products and that they create amazing collaborations with people such as Michelle Visage to further ensure that everyone knows that it's fine to wear makeup no matter who you are.

Urban Decay used stars of RuPaul's Drag Race within a campaign about their new products where the stars put the products on and went out to perform for the night. Once they had done this, the stars then reviewed the products. Even though some might say that Drag Race getting commercial success may be negative, a postivie outcome like this is great for the modern society that we live in today.

To further that men in makeup are getting commercial success is Manny MUA (a well known YouTuber) who was in a mascara advertisement for the globa makeup brand Maybelline. This shows that anyone can work their way to the top and get what they want but also that mainstream brands are working towards ensuring that everyone has an equal chance of appearing in their advertisements.

Basically, no matter what gender, everyone should be able to wear makeup and I think that ourselves as a world are slowly embracing this more and more.

I've dabbled in makeup before and I hope to develop my interest more and get into makeup.

What's your favourite makeup product? Let me know down below! 

I hope that you've enjoyed this beauty based post and I hope that you come back next time for another blog post!

Thanks for reading! 
Jamie x