Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do - Music - Your Nostalgic (and a bit Cheesy) 90s and 00s Irish Pop Playlist.

Hi!!!

As today is St Patrick's Day, I wanted to share a post with an Irish theme. After mapping out a few ideas, I've settled on this - a collection of the best (fact, not opinion) 90s and 00s pop songs by Irish bands and singers. Let's face it, Irish bands dominated the 90s/00s pop scene, especially on this side of the world, and this seemed like the most 'me' way of sharing the celebrations with you today. It is all a bit cheesy, super catchy and so nostalgic - what else could you want from a playlist, especially a St Patrick's Day playlist.

Love Me For A Reason by Boyzone.

C'est La Vie by B*Witched.

A classic girl band jam, which I still remember the dance moves to (and yes, there are proper Irish dance steps in there). So catchy, so fun.

No Matter What by Boyzone.

This is such a great song. It's more ballad like, and yet it's so uplifting. I love it.

Uptown Girl by Westlife.

I know that this is a cover of the Billy Joel original, but my gosh it is so good. This will be in your head for days. Not sorry. I loved this when I was younger and still do.

Picture of You by Boyzone.

So catchy, such fantastic lyrics and the kind of music you can really dance around to. One of my favourites on this list.

You Raise Me Up by Westlife.

A classic ballad that I never tire of listening to. It is a beautiful song.

When You Say Nothing At All by Ronan Keating.

This is also a beautiful track. And it was featured in the Notting Hill soundtrack. What's not to like?

What Can I Do by The Corrs.

Another super catchy girl band track. Lovely vocals, great music, a bit cheesy but a good listen.

Flying Without Wings by Westlife.

Goodness me, I love this song. I dare you not to sing along dramatically and/or grab the air - it's impossible.

When The Going Gets Tough by Boyzone.

This one is also a cover (of Billy Ocean), but it is so good. This is so catchy, and you'll be signing it for days.

I think what we've learned here is that I am a huge Boyzone fan, and also that the 90s/00s Irish pop library is an absolute treasure trove of brilliant songs.

I had thought about doing a post like this over all the genres and all the years, from Van Morrison to Two Door Cinema Club, but when I struck on this, I was so excited to write it - it's been so much fun to go back through all my favourite tunes from years ago and share them with you. I love pop music, even/especially if it's a bit cheesy, and playing these songs all day will put the biggest smile on my face.

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy listening to these songs today.

What are your favourite pop songs? Got any comments or suggestions for future posts? Drop me a comment and let me know. 

Speak soon.

I hope your day is magical!

GingerSnaps xxx

Makeup Your Mind - Makeup and Beauty Inspiration and Tips - Where to Spend and Where to Save.

Hi!!!

Good afternoon, everyone. I hope you've enjoyed your weekend. Today I have a beauty related post for you. I find posts like this really interesting and useful, and hopefully you'll agree once you've read this one. I've gone through each makeup category and after careful consideration, have come up with some recomendations for you. Enjoy.

Primer: Save

Having used primers from Nars and Rimmel, I honestly think that there isn't all that much difference between high end and high street primers. The consistency of the high end ones may be a little bit nicer to apply, but in terms of staying power, which is what you're using a primer for, I think the Rimmel one is just as effective.

Product recomendations: Rimmel London Match Perfection Fix & Perfect Primer, £6.99

Foundation: Spend

I personally prefer high end foundations - high end brands tend to have a better colour range, much nicer consistencies, last longer, and have a much better finish overall. I think it is definitely worth spending on foundation, and my skin certainly prefers slightly more expensive foundations.

Product recomendations: Nars Sheer Glow Foundation, £32.

Concealer: Save

I haven't really got any experience with high end concealers because I've always liked the high street offerings so much that I've never really been fussed by them. I think that the high street has plenty of good offerings and you'll be able to find a range of consistencies and application methods in your local Boots store. The only thing is that the colour range might not be as broad, which will obviously be an issue for some more than others.

Product recommendations: Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer, £4.19.

Powder: Save

I've only ever used high street powders, although I would like to branch out and try high end versions at some point. I've always been able to find a range of pressed and loose powders on the high street, and so I've always been content saving my money.

 

Product recommendations: Rimmel London Match Perfection Silky Loose Powder, £6.99, Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder, £3.99, Maybelline Fit Me Powder, £5.99.

Eye Shadow: Save or Spend

I have a lot of eye shadow in my makeup collection and it ranges from MAC and Lancôme to Sleek and Maybelline. I think that deciding to save or spend on eye shadow depends on the colour and finish you want. I rate eye shadows from both ends of the price spectrum, and so I would recommend choosing based on your own preferences.

 

Product recommendations: Maybelline Color Tattoo 24hr Cream Gel Eyeshadow, £4.99, Sleek Makeup I-Divine Eye Shadow Palettes, £8.99, MAC Cosmetics Eye Shadow, £13.99, Lancôme Hypnôse Doll Eyes Eye Shadow Palette, £38.

 

 

Mascara: Spend

I have to say spend because my favourite mascara is high end, and because I find the difference between cheap and more expensive mascaras to be very noticeable, more so than with most other products. For colour, texture and consistency, and definition and volume, I'd say high end all the way.

 

Product recommendations: Lancôme 'Hypnôse Doll Eyes' Mascara, £24.50.

 

Eyeliner: Save

I'm talking about eyeliner pencils and Kohl pencils here, because I don't like liquid liner and struggle with it anyway. I have found a lot of high street eyeliner pencils have a really fantastic consistency and don't drag along your eye. I have a Kevin Aucoin pencil that I like, but I certainly rate Max Factors offerings and would recommend saving before spending.

 

Product recommendations: Max Factor Kohl Eye Liner Pencil, £4.99.

Blusher: Save

This is because my absolute favourite blush is from Sleek Makeup, a high street beauty brand. I love the Sleek blushers for their colour range, staying power and pigmentation - you only need the tiniest bit to get a strong colour pay off. They are incredible value and I can't see a reason to spend when these are available.

Product recommendations: Sleek Makeup Blush, £4.99.

Lipstick: Save or Spend

I am a lipstick lover. Lipstick is my most used and probably most loved makeup item. My collection ranges from high street to high end and I like them all for different reasons. Ultimately I look for nice colours, a comfortable texture, a quality finish and staying power. I have found this at both ends of the price spectrum and I think it depends on what colour you want, quite how much you fancy treating yourself.

Product recommendations: Max Factor Colour Elixir Lipstick, £7.99, Chanel Rouge Coco Shine, £28, MAC Cosmetics Lipstick, £16.50, Rimmel London Colour Rush Balm, £5.99, Revlon Colorburst Balm Stain, £7.99., Collection Lasting Colour Lipstick, £2.99.

Setting Spray: Spend

I think that you get what you pay for with setting spray. I think it's worth spending a bit more because it really does make a difference to the staying power and finish of your makeup. I find it so useful, and it means you can go out without worrying about your makeup moving it's way down your face.

Product recommendations: Urban Decay 'Chill' Setting Spray, £23.50.

 

I hope you've enjoyed reading this.

What are your favourite beauty products? Do you have any other comments or suggestions for future posts? Let me know in the comments. I'd love to hear from you.

Thanks for reading. Speak soon.

 

Have a beautiful day!

 

GingerSnaps xxx



I've Been Thinking... - Snapshots of Winter.

Hi!!!

Hello everyone. As February draws to a close, and everyone begins looking forward to Spring, I wanted to share some photos I've taken this Winter. Winter is my favourite seasons, for so many reasons, and this winter has been a wonderful one. So, without further ado, I present Snapshots of Winter, a mini photo essay of works taken from November last year, to the present day.

The first photo was taken in December on my way home on a particularly drizzly day. The second was also from a journey home, but one earlier this month - views of canals are as staple of life in Birmingham. The third is from January, when I woke up to flurries of snow, which sadly soon melted, but that kept my half asleep self entertained for a good half an hour or so.  The fourth was taken at about quater to nine one morning in January. The fifth and sixth were taken in November, on the day we went to Chatsworth to see the Christmas decorations - the sixth is the view from the passenger seat as the car heaters and an ice scraper worked their magic on the windscreen. The seventh was taken on Thursday, while I was staying at my Auntie's house. I was watching the TV and then looked out of the window, saw the view and abandoned my TV show for my camera. Storm Doris might have caused a bit of trouble but it enhanced the view ten fold. I chose the blue sky for the final photograph because I think it is rather symbolic of where we are seasonally, and was taken last week.

 I hope you enjoyed these snapshots of winter. I've taken approximately seven billion photos since Winter began (OK, maybe not quite seven billion... but close), but I chose these ones because I think they go nicely together as a little collection.

What are your favourite things about Winter? Do you have any other comments or suggestions for future posts? Let me know in the comments.

Thanks for reading.

I hope you have an incredible day!

GingerSnaps xxx

Style It Out - Fashion, Style and Get Ready With Me's - The Baby Pink Band Tee of Dreams

Hi!!!

I was in Coventry recently and accidently fell into Primark - but in my defense, I only bought one thing, and it is a glorious thing which I thought I'd write a little post about.

I am a big fan of Nirvana, as you may or may not know, and I already have one Nirvana t-shirt in my wardrobe. It is a classic black tee with the traditional yellow smile logo, and Nirvana written in the same colour. Coincidentally, it was also a Primark purchase, but from a few years ago and from the men's section.

This one is completely different. It's baby pink, which instantly made my heart soar - I LOVE the colour pink - and it has the spiral logo, which is quite hard to find in merchandise at the moment. The logo and the band name are in black.

 I just love this top so much.

I love band tees for many reasons. I love that they show my likes and the kind of things that mean a lot to me, I love how wearable they are, I love the way they make me feel when I wear them. And this one is definitely a contender for favourite in my collection, partly because it is one of the most 'me' band tees that I own.

Oh and did I mention it was only £8?

Available in store at Primark.

And to end this Nirvana heavy post, I'd just like to make a point of saying - Rest in Peace, Kurt Cobain, who would have been 50 years old today but who the world tragically lost.

Thanks for reading, hope you found my ramblings about a tee shirt enjoyable.

What are your favourite recent purchases? Do you have any questions, other comments or suggestions for future posts? Drop me a comment and I'll get back to you.

Speak soon.

I hope your day is epic!

GingerSnaps xxx

Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do - Music - Five Love Songs That Won't Make You Nauseous.

Hi!!!

As it's Valentine's Day soon, I thought I should write some kind of post. And I thought that one about love songs would be fun to put together, and could be enjoyed by everyone. I am a huge fan of a good love song but I do have very specific requirements for what I like. Therefore, this is a list of the kind of love songs that are beautiful and meaningful, and won't make you do a little sick in your own mouth (lol).

Stuck on the Puzzle by Alex Turner

This song is stunning. It's taken from the soundtrack from Submarine, which I personally think is amazing, and this is one of my personal favourite songs from it. There's a beautiful contrast between how delicate most of the music on the track is and then the percussion that guide it. The lyrics are, as we've come to expect from Turner, poetic and yet simple. It has a chilled, almost psychedelic vibe to it, which I'm naturally drawn to. It has both youthful and classic qualities, resulting in something beautiful that you can really fall in love with.

Me and You by Jake Bugg

Me and You is a track from the album Shangri-La. It was supposedly written when Jake was still at school, and while I can't say whether or not this is true, it certainly possesses youthful and innocent qualities. The lyrics are sweet - but not saccharine, it's never saccharine with Jake's lyrics. They are thoughtful. It's a track played on acoustic guitar, which adds to the appeal for me (I'm a massive fan of acoustic guitars), and it's played in a slightly faster, more upbeat way than some of the others. It is one of my favourite songs, not only of Jake's but ever.

If I Had a Gun... by Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds

If I Had a Gun is very artistic and poetic. The lyrics are Romantic in all senses of the word - slightly dramatic, captivating and meaningful. Noel's voice is somewhat softer than his brother's but it still has those familiar Mancunian tones which Oasis fans will be fond of. The way Noel sings this is interesting, and makes you listen - for instance, he sings 'up' at the end of a lot of the lines - and I think this is really cool. This song is mainly guitar based, which I again love.

Hey There Delilah by The Plain White T's

Hey There Delilah has been one of my favourite songs for years and years. This is an acoustic guitar piece from the 00s, and the gentle, melodic picking of this tune is memorable and iconic. The lyrics are youthful and romantic and automatically involve the listener. The vocals are soft and simple, which is perfect for this song. It seems a simple piece, but it has many layers, and has come to mean so much to so many people, including me.

Grow Old With Me by Tom Odell

Grow Old With Me is a single from Tom's first album, A Long Way Down, which was awesome. Grow Old With Me is an uplifting song, played on the piano (as all of Tom's songs are). He has a great command of the piano, and you can see that here. Lyrically, the song is hopeful and sweet, with little moments and feelings at the centre of it all. The combination of all these elements, and the power of Tom's voice create a piece that is delicate and pretty and yet packed with power and feeling. 

Thank you for reading.

What are your favourite songs? Do you have anything else you'd like to say, or maybe suggestions for posts you'd like to see? Let me know in the comments.

Happy Valentine's Day, guys. Speak soon.

I hope you have a LOVE-ly day!

GingerSnaps xxx

All Things Bright and Beauty-Ful - Beauty Reviews - My Perfume Collection.

Hi!!!

I have spoken about all kinds of beauty products on this blog over the years, from lipstick to nail polish, and yet I haven't ever written about one of my favourite, and most used items - perfume. So I'm now sat watching The Royle Family, ready to talk you through some of my current collection.

Prada Candy Eau de Parfum.

Prada Candy is such an incredible scent. It's sweet, with base notes of Caramel, and warm, with top notes of White Musk, which matches the amber liquid in the bottle. Each scent is heavily packed in - this one is noticeable, memorable and lasts all day. The bottle itself has a stunning design with pink and black detailing, the Prada logo in gold and a rounded, Retro inspired body. It's fun, girly and bold. I can't think of another perfume quite like this, and it is perfect as both a daytime and an evening fragrance.
 

 Jean Paul Gaultier Classique Eau de Parfum.

 

This has been one of my signature fragrances for years, and I'm always complimented on it. It has base notes of Vanilla and Patchouli which root this perfume in warmth, maturity and femininity. It isn't overbearing but lasts all day, wearing well but remaining noticeable. The bottle is the classic Jean Paul Gaultier 'body', and the bottle the Eau de Parfum is housed in has lace inspired detailing over it. It comes in a tin, rather than a box, and I keep my bottle within the tin because I like the way it looks.

Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir Cologne.

Oh look, another blogger with Jo Malone perfume, who'd have ever thought? All jokes aside, I do really like this fragrance - one of my Auntie's wears this and I've always loved it on her. This is a really unique scent - it's fruity and fresh, with raspberry and plum as well as pomegranate. It has rich notes of Frankincense and Patchouli. The bottle is has that iconic elegance that Jo Malone products are famed for - glass in a cuboid shape with a white label and a round silver lid.

Chanel No. 5 Eau Première.

Chanel No 5 is one of those perfumes that has universal appeal. I like the Eau Première personally because it has a softer and powdery bouquet which I find charming and elegant. The floral notes are Ylang-Ylang, May Rose and Jasmine, which combined with the unique Aldehydes, and Vanilla create this definitive scent. I always feel good when I wear this, and it is one of my favourites for special occasions. The design of the bottle is minimalist and sophisticated - a slim glass bottle, the name in black and a transparent lid through which you can see the silver pump.

I hope you liked seeing some of my favourite perfumes. I think perfume is such a personal thing and so hopefully, this has given you a bit of an insight into me.
What is your favourite perfume? Do you have any comments or suggestions for future posts? Let me know by leaving a comment.
Thank you for reading. Speak soon.

I hope your day is super sweet!

GingerSnaps xxx

I've Been Thinking... - What I Saw at the Cinema in January: Rogue One and La La land.

Hi!!!

I've said this a lot recently, but last year I really got back into going to the cinema. I really want to continue that this year, because I really enjoy it, and I made a good start by going twice in January. Here's my thoughts on the movies I saw last month, both of which are still running at most cinemas.

The first film I saw at the cinema in 2017 was Rogue One: A Star Wars Story which is set shortly before the events of ‘A New Hope’, ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’ and reveals how the Rebellion got their hands on the designs for the Death Star with the help of former criminal Jyn Erso.
 I went with my Uncle B - we hadn't been to the cinema together in about a million years so it was lovely to spend that time together.

I love Star Wars, and this is one of my favourite films in the franchise.

I find that during most of the Star Wars films, I get bored for at least fifteen minutes or so in the middle, but that didn't happen with Rogue One. I found it engaging, entertaining and I really liked the plot and I think they have the pacing for this one spot on,

The characters were all interesting and individual and I'm really glad I went to see it. I was concerned it would take away from the actual main Star Wars films, but I think it just adds to them - its nice to see more of that universe.

When I first saw the trailer for La La Land, I very excitedly told my best friend Elf Girl about it because she loves musicals just as much as me. It follows the lives of Mia, an aspiring actress, and Sebastian, a jazz pianist, and the romance that begins between the two of them, which is threatened when they finally find success.

 I enjoyed the film a lot. I think the characters are great, I really like the songs and the score in general and I like that it features dance routines like those from old school Hollywood musicals. There are gorgeous moments in this movie.

 I wasn't keen on some elements of the cinematography -  namely the ridiculously fast, makes-your-eyes-go-out-of-focus panning - but other aspects of it I found to be really beautiful. I'm not mad about the structure - its split into seasons - and in some ways I don't think it is quite all that certain reviewers, critics and people in general say it is, but I did like it all the same and would recommend you go and see it.

There are links here and here to screening times for Rogue One and links here and here to screening times for La La Land.

I hope you enjoyed these mini reviews of two of January's biggest films.

Have you seen these movies? Do you have any comments or suggestions for future content? Please leave a comment below and I'll get back to you.

Thanks for reading, and if you go and see either of these films, I hope you enjoy them.

I hope you have an incredible day!

GingerSnaps xxx