Pre-Order Paradise

Last week, a few days before it’s official release, my pre-ordered copy of Bon Iver’s self-titled album arrived. As you might have guessed, I am a massive fan of the guy/group/project (never quite sure which!) and the new album did not disappoint.

Bon Iver’s second album is 40 minutes of pure, unadulterated bliss. I think so anyway. Admittedly, the album is quite repetitive but, to be honest, I wouldn’t want anything different so I’m not going to complain!

One thing that sets it apart from For Emma Forever Ago is that we get to hear Justin’s bass tones in both Minnesota, WI and Hinnom, TX. Luckily, the man’s lower register rings just as sweetly as the higher notes we know and love.

Another interesting change comes in the form of the final track, Beth/Rest. The way this track starts sounds like Phil Collins is writing another Disney soundtrack, but stick with it and you might start to enjoy the inherent eighties feel despite its somewhat odd placing in the album.

The same amount of emotion has been poured into the sound of this album as For Emma… although the lyrics are a bit more ambiguous. And if all that isn’t swaying you, check out the beautiful artwork by Gregory Euclide.

               

I am going to shut up now because I can’t think of anymore ways to say ‘this album is fantastic and you should buy it’.

Best track: Hinnom, TX
Worst track:  I’m sorry, I just can’t pick!

Bling without a ring

You would have to live under a rock (or any other object that would make it difficult to stay in contact with the rest of civilisation) not to have noticed the massive beauty trend of… Nail Art!

Made popular by such celebrities as Beyonce, Katy Perry and Rihanna; I personally think that having well looked after nails is a necessity. Hands are one of the first things I notice when sitting next to someone or shaking hands and well let’s be honest, dirty, yellow, uneven nails are disgusting! So; I’m going to show you a surprisingly easy way to tap into the nail art trend. So now everyone who sees your hands will be wowed!

This is a gradient design and can be done any colour you choose. I chose purple as that’s the colour I have most of.

Firstly you need to apply a base coat. This gives a smoother surface to paint on and prevents staining your nail.






I eventually chose these three

Next, choose three different shades of the same/similar colours. Trust me, this is the hardest part!

Paint the whole of your nail in the lightest shade first. I needed to apply two coats to get a greater opacity of colour as my nail varnish was quite thin. Though if your nail varnish is of better consistency then it’s not necessary to apply two coats as most of it will be covered later with the two other colours.

The next bit is where it gets fun! Take a makeup sponge, I used  a round one, as that’s all I’d got but I prefer using the more triangular ones.  If you’re using a round makeup sponge simply fold it in half to give you a more definite point.

Using the nail varnish brush, paint the next darkest colour onto the edge of the sponge. Then, dab the painted sponge onto your nail starting at the top of the nail and working down towards your finger as you want the colour to gradually fade.

  TopTip: apply less pressure the further down the nail you are. Also, if you’ve painted too much colour on, simply dab off any excess on a spare piece of paper or tissue.   

Once you’ve got something similar to above, repaint the edge of the sponge in your last and darkest colour. Repeat the dabbing action with the sponge onto your nail but don’t go as far down, concentrating on the tip of the nail

Finally, if you want to add a bit more pizzazz to your nail add a coat of glitter nail varnish. Again, apply the majority to the tip of the nail. I find adding a coat of glitter helps merge the colours, giving a more seamless gradient effect.

Last but not least seal with a topcoat.

Toptip: Clean up any mistakes with a cotton bud dipped in nail varnish remover

TopTip: You can reapply topcoat every couple of days to increase the longevity of your manicure and keep it looking fresh.

Ode to a Cleanser...

I have a feeling this may become more of a product rave than a product review.

It’s fair to say I have problematic skin and often struggle finding suitable skincare. But first, before I reveal the star product, let me tell you a bit more about my skin type.

Since I was born I’ve suffered with eczema. Also, last year I developed acne. Therefore there’s a pretty good mixture of things going on with my face; dryness due to eczema yet oiliness too as you would typically associate with acne, sensitivity - any harsh chemicals (often found in facial washes treating acne) aggravate my eczema and many products will cause me to breakout merely making my acne even worse.

Now it’s unreasonable to expect one product to miraculously solve all of my many skin issues. Although, I have found a product that at least doesn’t worsen any of them.
Ok so I guess I have kept you waiting long enough now; the product that I am in love with is: Liz Earle’s ‘cleanse and polish’. This is a favourite among beauty editors and I can completely understand why.

I use this product every day, morning and night. It has a very creamy texture but when massaged into your skin it simply feels nourishing, not heavy. Made with natural ingredients you can rest assured there aren’t any secret aggravating chemicals hiding. This cleanser is lovely as it gives a thorough cleanse without leaving my skin feeling tight afterwards.

It is meant to be used with a muslin cloth in order to remove it; something I would strongly advice! It offers gentle daily exfoliation removing dead skin cells which can clogg pores and improves skin texture. Now some people don’t understand the importance of good skin texture, after all it’s not like many people walk round all day stroking their face (I’m not judging if you do). However skin texture reflects the overall condition of your skin and its health. Also it makes it so much easier to apply makeup smoothly and for products to work more effectively.

This product isn’t the cheapest cleanser around, but for me cleansing is the most essential part of my skincare routine and I am willing to pay a little extra in order to have good skin. That said, you could pay a lot more and so overall I think it is reasonably priced and the quality of the product definitely justifies the price. Another downside is that it’s also not as easily available as some other cleansers. However as expected in the technological society we now live in, it is easy to find and order online.

After using this product I’ve found my skin is smoother and clearer and more balanced. The product is easy to use and removes all traces of makeup, even waterproof mascara. Another bonus is that it’s suitable for all skin types. Basically, this product ticks every box!
Thank you so much Liz Earle! I can honestly say that in your cleanser I have found a lifelong friend :)

Liz Earle Cleanse and polish can be purchased from John Lewis, QVC or Liz Earle's website.
RRP=£11.75 for 100ml

Un Bon Iver...

So, today my ticket to see Bon Iver in November dropped through my letterbox and it got me to thinking what an excellent winter for music I’ve had (geddit? Iver? sounds like the French for winter? No? okay…).

Over the past year I’ve managed to almost double my music catalogue and I’ve been introduced to, and fallen in love with, many new bands and artists. I’m particularly pleased with the amount of live music I’ve managed to see this year, my last concert being the wonderful Noah and the Whale at birmingham’s hmv institute.

For me, there is nothing better than live music. The thrill that comes from the lights going down, finding the attractive roadie, the unanimous yell that brings the band back on stage. There’s nothing like complaining about back ache, coldness and pins and needles for two hours while you wait for what is inevitably a disappointing support band. There’s nothing like having to yank your shoes from the beer-stained floor to sorrowfully make your way out.

Basically, I just want to use this post as a chance to reflect on the fantastic artists that I’ve managed to get to see over the past year and a bit, so here’s some photos:

Calvin Harris at the O2 Academy, Birmingham

Mumford & Sons at Wolverhampton Civic

Vampire Weekend at the Wolverhampton Civic

Brandon Flowers at the O2 Academy, Birmingham

Ben Folds at the HMV Institute, Birmingham

Noah and the Whale at the HMV Institute, Birmingham

Impulse Buy

About a month ago I made a mid-year resolution to start buying music without listening to it all on spotify or youtube first. When I was younger, before my discovery of the internet, I used to buy albums after only hearing the debut single and I absolutely loved the thrill of listening to it for the first time, knowing that I might end up not liking it. However, thanks to the (not-really-anymore) wondrous invention of spotify, recently I’ve been listening to an album numerous times before buying it, if I buy it at all.

Anyway, (back to the point, please) I stuck to my resolution and bought an album the other week after only hearing the first two singles from it. The album in question is Star of Love by Crystal Fighters, and I snapped it up after seeing the glorious pink sale sticker on it declaring that it was a mere £3.

The quintet’s first single, At Home, was exactly the sort of folk-y, catchy tune that is right up my street and I vowed to find out more about the band when I heard it. Their second single, Xtactic Truth, seemed to me to be fairly different; a lot more electronic and trance-like but I still enjoyed it, though that may just have been the Spanish accent of the singer. So, given the contrast of these two singles, I bought the album somewhat intrigued to see what I would find.

So, is it any good? Well, it’s definitely worth the small price I paid for it, but not much more. The opening track, Solar System, is a clear indicator of the rest of the album and though it’s repetitive nature might not be to everybody’s taste, I found it quite therapeutic.
The next track, their second single, is an unsurprising follow on; it has the same sort of instrumentation and feel and I really like the way they incorporated the Spanish guitar in with all the electronica.

I Do This Everyday has a much more disintegrated feel and is, like the first track, quite repetitive and there is no sign of the beloved guitar. The next song, Champion Song, is definitely a story telling track and is, again (much like this post), repetitive.

Then we come to my favourite song on the album; Plage. Here we have the return of my beloved Spanish guitar and the male singer takes the lead. This track has a much more traditional structure and a pretty tune (and an even prettier accent); making it a winner in my book.

The next track sees a return to the electronic, repetitive nature of much of the album. Then comes their deceiving first single, At Home, which is a lovely almost-folk track with a nice mix of electric and acoustic instruments. The final four tracks are much the same as the beginning of the album; electronic, repetitive and disintegrating towards the end.

“So, oh great fountain of musical wisdom” I hear you crying, “should I buy the damn thing?”. Honestly, if I had heard this album before buying it, I wouldn’t have. But I don’t regret my purchase and it is a good example of how electronic music is making its way to the forefront, and these guys are particularly interesting in their ability to blend acoustic instruments and soft voices with gritty, electronic accompaniment. Overall, it’s a good album, but only buy it if it’s on sale.

best track: Plage
worst track: I Love London

Fake Tan: my new accessory?

So, it’s the beginning of June which means summer has finally arrived! Well apparently. As I’m writing this post it is in fact tipping it down outside (us British really do like to talk about the weather don’t we?!)

No fear! As always there is a cheat to make it feel like summer: Fake Tan.

For me, those two are dreaded words. Just hearing the words fake tan makes me cringe, that said I always find it intriguing, browsing the isle every time I pop into Boots. I was naturally quite tanned when I was younger but recently have gone very pale and whilst I love pale complexions on me it merely highlights my redness and uneven skin tone. Obviously I’m not a fan of sunbathing as UVA/UVB sunrays are so damaging on your skin, causing premature ageing and increasing risk of skin cancer (Sunscreens are essential! Even if you don’t burn easily) and so really the only option left to give my skin a nice subtle summer glow is; fake tan. However please note the word ‘subtle’! The reason fake tan conjures up such horrid images in my head is because so many girls and guys seem to enjoy a rather luminescent orange glow. Even worse, they enjoy a streaky, patchy, uneven luminescent orange glow.

Yet where there’s a will there’s a way!

Simple: use a gradual tanning moisturiser. But... I’m far too lazy to apply everyday and far too impatient to wait for the colour to build up. However, I have found a solution which as obvious as it sounds many of you may not have thought of it. Instead of using the suggested colouring for my skin tone I simply use one shade darker, so instead of using fair I use medium, I personally have been using Dove but you can choose whatever brand you prefer. Choosing only one shade darker means that it’s not too dark especially as it’s already mixed with moisturiser, saving the hassle of doing it myself, yet after only two uses the colour builds up to a deep enough colour. The fact that it’s gradual means that you have more control of the build up of colour helping to prevent it from turning too orange. It also means that if you’re not very well practised with fake tan and tend to make mistakes at least they are less noticeable. Although, don’t be fooled by the word ‘gradual’ it’s still not fool proof and I would recommend using an exfoliator before hand concentrating on the knees and elbows and any where specific that you get dry and rough skin. Personally, my favourite body scrub is Clinique’s.

Another good point is that you don’t need to moisturise as well afterwards(I really am quite lazy)as well as the fact that it sinks in quick like a regular moisturiser. This means you don’t have to stand around (rather awkwardly) naked waiting for fake tan to dry and you won’t get orange stained bed sheets or towels. Also, I find that it doesn’t smell as strong as regular fake tans even with regular use.

Anyway, enough babbling. This is just an idea that I’ve found works for me and so thought I’d share but there’s nothing wrong with full on fake tan or pale complexions, it’s simply a matter of whatever your heart desires.

Toptip: to prevent orange palms wash hands well after application then take a cotton wall disk and run over the hole where the product is dispensed from, as there is usually some extra product sitting around the edges. Then sweep the cotton wall pad over the tops of your hands to ensure that they blend in with the rest of your body.

Introducing...

Welcome to Boo to a Goose.

So, what should you expect? We will be posting at least twice a week with a review every Thursday and a miscellaneous post on a Monday.
This blog will be about all things wonderful such as; the best fashion and beauty items, what tastes good and the latest movies and music (not about geese).
Have fun reading our posts (we hope!).