July Favourites 2015

This is my list of things that I have been loving for the month of July, let me know what other products that you LOVE that I should try. Word of warning: this one is kind of a long post because I went full on in writing about why these things are my FAVOURITES so grab a drink, settle in and enjoy.
 

Makeup products:
Maybelline Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner 24H in 01 Black: you've probably heard me talk about this before but honestly, it is my 'go-to' gel eyeliner. It is the only eyeliner that I constantly go back to because I love it so much. I've had the same one for literally years and I know people say you should replace your makeup after a certain amount of time but I don't really believe that. The gel eyeliner was so cheap and I'm only about halfway through the pot. I always recommend this one to my friends but they always say that gel eyeliner is difficult to use yet this one really isn't. The brush they give you works so well and as long as you press the Brussels down into a fine point, you can draw the thinnest line of eyeliner. I've also for the first time in forever starting doing winged eyeliner which this gel works so well for. It's just perfect for everything and will always be my absolute favourite.

 

The links below are to previous blog posts over the years where this gel eyeliner has been in my monthly favourites and as you can see, I always return to the same one which proves how GOOD it is.
 

November Favourites 2013

April Favourites 2014

My Favourite Eyeliners 2014

Maybelline Lash Sensational Lash Multiplying Mascara: I can't remember specifically why I bought this mascara; I know I needed a new one and my friend was getting another one of the BRAND ones so I just thought I would get this one. I don't really look for much when it comes to mascara yet I was really impressed with this one. It really makes a difference to my lashes which is actually really rare. I don't tend to use a lot because I don't like when my eyelashes get crunchy but this mascara is actually really good, and relatively cheap if I remember correctly.

 

 

Music:

My Summer Playlist: I've actually added more music to my Spotify playlist as well as taking certain songs off because I'm constantly changing my mind about things. Music is supposed to reflect your mood and right now, its very 'pop' inspired. Like I said before, I never listen to music that is necessarily current, I like listening to songs that mean something to me, whether that's because it reminds me of a particular time in my life or whether I just like the song. I thought I would include this in my music favourites because my playlist is just fab right now.

'X' by Ed Sheeran: I have just got rid of all my music on my iPod because there was over 500 songs on there and it was just becoming way to difficult to find what songs I wanted. Half of them had no titles plus there was about 40 songs that I had multiple versions of from different compilation albums so I decided to just start over. So right now, I only have songs on my iPod and iPhone from albums that I physically have and I will be adding more songs once I get the time. Anyway, I bought my mom the Ed Sheeran album either for Christmas or her birthday last year but I put it onto my iPod as well so I have been listening to that on repeat. I usually listen to it on my walk to work and I'm OBSESSED. I've heard all the songs hundreds of times individually because my mom plays the album in her car but I've never just listened to the entire album as a whole. I would definitely recommend it to anyone because you can really tell listening to it how real and personal the lyrics are to him.

Other:
Psychobabble with Tyler Oakley and Korey Kuhl: I've been watching Tyler's videos on YouTube for literally years because I think he's such an incredible person. He uses his platform to raise awareness towards issues that the LGBT+ community face and I think that is just amazing. I've always supported what he stands for because I think that not only does he do that but he has been the driving force for more tolerance of all sexualities within both YouTube and just wider society in general. I particularly love his videos with his best friend Korey and so I was super excited when they announced that they were starting a podcast late last year. I've listened to every podcast MORE than once because they make me laugh from start to end with their random chats about pop culture as well as other weird things they talk about along the way. I would definitely recommend the podcast to anyone who has half an hour a week to spend just LAUGHING. I listen to it on SoundCloud on my phone because its easier for me that way but its also available on iTunes if that works for you.

Netflix: I know, I KNOW that I am obviously the last one to realise how incredible Netflix is but I have a reason for this I promise. I'm the type of person that gets obsessed with things easily as you've already probably noticed, but I knew that if I started an account that I would just watch shows all day long which is EXACTLY what I've been doing. I waited until I finished Sixth Form so that I wasn't wasting my time watching episodes when I was supposed to be revising so let's hope that worked out. Anyway, I've already binged watched 3 seasons of Orange Is The New Black which I liked but didn't necessarily LOVE. The last season was so much better because I feel like the story was just starting to go somewhere but I will obviously be watching the next season to see what happens to Piper and the gang. Anyway, the show I really wanted to talk about is Pretty Little Liars. Now don't tell me any spoilers because I've only just got onto season 4 but I am HOOKED. My friend has been telling me to watch it for months and now we can finally have conversations about it which is so exciting. I've literally been watching about 10 episodes a day which is so incredibly unhealthy but honestly, what else do I have to do? I know its summer and all but here where I live, its raining right now so I'm using that as an excuse to get through as many episodes as I can.

 

I have no clue why I wrote so much for each product; I guess it just provides how much I've been loving these things. Anyway, I promise I will see you on Friday with another blog post and I know I say that every week but I do TRY. Life is just crazy now but trust me, I do still enjoy blogging and wish I could have more time to do it.

 

Tayla xx

 

Strawberry Smoothie Recipe

Strawberry Smoothie Recipe

I want to apologise for the fact that I haven't blogged for two weeks; I know that I said I would post every Monday and Friday and I did plan to write during those times but I've been given loads of extra hours at work, meaning that I've hardly had any time to do anything other than sleep, and trust me, I've definitely needed it.

 

Anyway, I thought I would dedicate my entire day to writing a few blog posts, starting with one that I've wanted to write for literally months. As you probably remember, I was given a blender for Christmas last year and so today, FINALLY, I am going to write a strawberry smoothie recipe blog post. I will say before I officially start that I did try to work out the exact measurements a few times but honestly, it just doesn't matter. The more smoothies you make, the easier it becomes to make what you like.

 

Now because this recipe is strawberry based, I would say make sure the strawberries you have are fresh because it really does effect the overall taste of the smoothie; it just tastes so much better. I tend to quickly wash them with water and then freeze them before I use them. That way they are both fresh and can be used instead of ice to make sure your smoothie is super cold for a warm summer's day. I'd say about a handful or so of strawberries is fine enough, you'll always be able to add more if you need to.
 

This is when you should add the juice you've chosen because it means that you can actually blend the strawberries you've just added. I would recommend again another juice that is berry-based because it doesn't change the overall taste of the smoothie. The first few times I tried making this, I used a tropical orange juice and while I still liked the final taste, my mom did say it tasted a bit sour because of the contrast between the fruit and the juice. Adding the juice to the blender can be kind of a guessing game because it really depends on the amount of strawberries you've used. It should kind of be a bit thinner than you want it at this point because there are a few final ingredients that are added right to the end.

 

At this point, I also recommend adding some extra berries to your mixture, just to really increase the amount of vitamins in your smoothie. Blueberries are a really good source of vitamin K and C, just like the strawberries. This helps to protect your cells and increases wound healing.

I tend to just put about half a handful in because it very quickly changes the colour of the smoothie from a bright red to a deep purple. I've often used raspberries as well because they have many health benefits too. This is also where you can add more ice if you need to, I usually add 4 or 5 ice cubes because I like my smoothies to be freezing cold because I do really only make them on really warm days. This might also be where you have to separate your mixture in order to blend the ice completely; I usually have to do this because my blender is completely full by this point and its the best way to make sure that there are no pieces of fruit or ice left at the bottom.

The last step is to add a banana to your smoothie. Now, I do this because it thickens up your mixture and makes it super creamy and delicious. And that's pretty much it. You can change parts up yourself or not include certain ingredients, its entirely up to you. I hope you enjoy your smoothie, however you decide to make it.

 

Tayla xx

 

My Summer Playlist

 

 



My Summer Playlist

Every now and then in my monthly favourites, I write about certain songs that I have been loving so I thought I would write an entire post about music that I have been listening to recently. Most of the time I listen to my playlist on Spotify because it's easier for me yet there are certain songs that are only on YouTube and so I listen to them there as well. My playlist is about 3 hours long so I thought I would narrow it down to only the best songs that I am DEFINITELY going to be listening to over this summer.

Worth It by Fifth Harmony ft. Kid Ink

This song has been the song that I have been listening to pretty much on REPEAT. I first heard the song when they performed at the Capital FM Summertime Ball which I watched online. It was really catchy and since then it's been stuck in my head; I also saw them on the Jimmy Kimmel show where I think their performance was much better.

 

Bad Blood by Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar

I wrote a review on this song a few weeks ago but its still definitely one I'm LOVING. I just think its one of Taylor's best songs yet and like I said before, the music video is so good. It really is. I saw her perform the song as she wrote it, without Kendrick Lamar but to be honest, I don't think its as good. I like his rap in the song because it makes the song a bit edgier which is a bit different to other Taylor Swift songs that are very strictly 'pop'.

 

Black Magic by Little Mix

I saw the countdown on Twitter for this music video but if I'm being honest, it wasn't that impressive which is why I didn't review it when it came out. But I do REALLY love the song; I again watched the song first performed at the Capital FM Summertime Ball and they were incredible. I have liked them since they were on the X Factor and they've only gotten better since then, which this song proves.

 

Black Widow by Iggy Azalea ft. Rita Ora

This song isn't a new release but I've only just started listening to it now. I tend to do that with many songs because I don't listen to chart music so it takes me a while to get into current music, and by the time I do, it's no longer relevant. Anyway, I like this song because again I saw Rita Ora perform it at the Capital FM Summertime Ball and I just really like it. I think that Iggy Azalea is a really good rap artist and many songs that she's released herself or has been featured on, I tend to like so I thought I would put this on my playlist.

 

One Last Time by Ariana Grande

This song is old as well (i.e. about a year old) but again I have only just discovered it. I remember hearing little parts of it a while ago but I'd never listened to the entire song altogether. I've only just watched the music video for it and I really like it because of how incredibly simple it is. I'm always completely blown away by Ariana's voice and I think this song definitely caters to her.

 

Clouds by One Direction

This was the first song I saw performed without Zayn and I genuinely think that they were AMAZING. I didn't even notice the fact that Zayn wasn't there because they put on such an incredible performance of the song. I was a bit worried about how they would cover Zayn's voice because as you know I am an dedicated One Direction fan but honestly, they sound great and I would encourage you all to look at some of their performances without him cause they are so good.

 

Bills by Lunchmoney Lewis

I hadn't even heard of this song until my friend recommended it to me and I'm obsessed. It always reminds me of her because its so carefree and relaxed. The lyrics always make me laugh and so does the music video because its so ridiculous but I really love the song. It was also the first time in years I've listened to a song that has been on its way up the charts which just shows how GREAT the song is.

Biscuits by Kacey Musgraves

Now this song is a country song and I've never really been into country before yet I heard someone recommend this on a podcast and I have to say, I LOVE it. If you listen to the lyrics, they sort of just sum up everything I feel. The song is just about being yourself and not interfering with the way other people choose to live their lives which I think is a pretty good sentiment.

 

Blank Space by Taylor Swift

I've written a review on this song which I will link because I still love the song in exactly the same way as I did when I wrote that blog post, so you can read all of my thoughts on the music video if you want right HERE.

 

18 by One Direction

The last song I wanted to write about is again from One Direction. Again, I am a huge fan of theirs and I absolutely LOVE their latest album 'FOUR'. I would have loved to have included all of their songs from the album on this list but it would have been way too long. I would definitely recommend the album because all of the songs are so well written and produced that I think people who aren't even fans of One Direction would enjoy it. I think '18' is one of their best; every time I listen to it, I just want to cry because it is so incredibly beautiful. I particularly like it because Harry sings the entire first chorus and as you know, he is my absolute favourite.

 

So that's it from me; like I said, I did have many MANY more songs I could have included but the post would just be way too long. Now that I've finished Sixth Form, I am trying to get onto a schedule of posting every Monday and Friday at 6pm so if you would like to follow my blog post then you can.

 

Tayla xx

 

UPDATE JUNE 2015