Photography is one of the only activities that stills the mind. I think that’s because you get into the zone trying to capture the best shot you can. It takes focus and precision, especially when concentrating on the main subject.
First three attempts at object photography:
Taken and edited by me
Chanda D
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Hello,
Welcome, I’ll be talking about my experience with Beauty Formulas’ Activated detox cleanser and facial scrub.
I’ve been hearing about charcoal based products for a while now. It’s been advertised on various outlets, so I decided to satisfy my curiosity. I researched checking out other blogs/platforms and saw it had mainly recieved positive reviews, so this encouraged me to see what all the hype was about.
Likewise, you go into stores like PAKS, Superdrug or Boots and it’s hard not to resist wanting to browse and see what they have to offer. Unless you know what you want, then you’ll be in and out to do your business and go home.
Here are some qualities activated charcoal has:
It is recommended to prepare and complete all skincare routines:
Step 1: starting with a slightly wet surface (preferably damp)
Step 2: applying the product to your face
Step 3: using the necessary toner, followed by your selected lotions/creams/serums etc.
Overall, I concluded the facial scrub was better than the detox cleanser. The three reasons for this statement are:
Firstly, the texture is thicker, so it resembles massaging cream in your face. You can work with that type of motion, using your hands. You’ll find the detox cleanser slips through your fingers.
Secondly, it makes your skin feeling cleaner and appear more radiant. If you use a toner, you’ll realise there is hardly any residue on the cotton wool pad. Rather, the detox cleanser is more of just one quick wash. In contrast, the toner, in this circumstance, will work to complete the jobs the cleanser didn’t do.
Now on to my last point, it’s less messier to use. Therefore, you’ll need a smaller amount and it will save you time (especially in the morning if you’ve got a busy work schedule) and money. Whereas, the detox cleanser will have you using more, so you’ll be expected to go back and keep on purchasing to make up for the losses.
The Beauty Formula range is priced from £1.99 – £3.00 in established retailers.
Feel free to leave a comment/questions or share this article using the buttons below.
Thank you for your time 🙂
Chanda D
The songs effortlessly flow into one another and to bridge them together, they have used interludes at the beginning of most tracks. It involves a prepared speech to ease you in the next song. They have explored different themes: one theme I admired was Noel Clarke giving us an inspirational pep talk, on how to manage yourself in the music industry. I’ve noticed the length of the tracks are not too long and I think that’s what contributed to river flowing mood of the album.
Let’s get into it, I’m going to individually talk about a couple of tracks:
Rude Boy Flex is a perfect song for Lethal Bizzle, even the title is so signature to him. He’s known for catchy dynamic songs, which highlights the listeners to hear what he’s talking about on his music. This was definitely a good artist to feature on that tune. It has that unexpected punch-in-your-face vibe. You would listen to it and get pumped in the gym. This song features Ghetts and Face, who also know how to get the crowd hype, because they seem to project that loud energy in their lyrics. It makes you want to just let loose and get lost in the song, as you’re enjoying it so much.
Control features JME, P-Money & Donaeo. This song has to be one of my favourite songs on the album. The song is very well put together , as it includes melodic singing from Kurt and promotes a self-confident airwaves. It starts with JME (who also flexes his singing abilities on the track) , then P-Money slots in with his verse, MCing live and direct. Finally, Donaeo complete his minor verse with “We’ll be victorious”. Overall, the song has a calming but superior tone. You’ll listen to it and feel amped up to keep pursuing your goals.
Survivor features Doctor, Inch from Section Boyz and Joe Grind. We hear Inch’s signature Jamaican accent on this track and is accompanied by Doctor and rapper Joe Grind. The song discusses being a survivor and not everyone realising the types of battles you face every day. Similarly, In The Air featuring Alika and Lady Chann has a urban touch to it. It would get your body moving in a club, because it has a sway-your-body from side to side type of vibe. Also, the end of the song has the skank out beat, similar to Skream’s material.
Everyone remembers Shola Ama right? Well she linked up with the duo to star on Lights. Her voice sounds so elegant on the track, that it will make you want to start singing along to it yourself. The beat definitely was well suited to match her. It’s one of them tunes you would listen to in your car, whilst on a long drive or on your way to a motive (party, club, showcase). You can picture yourself listening to it whilst driving across Tower Bridge, in a fancy car. The song explains her transition and position in music, as she well-sought after by industry labels, but she won’t give in, as she is willing to stand strong within her own right.
In Black Widow, after the instrumental and chorus is left to run, it immediately goes straight into Capo Lee’s verse, followed by President T and Double S. This song talks about females playing hard to get, whilst being admired by many. Capo Lee touches on his history with high expectations, because he wants to stay simple and concentrate on his career, rather than be over-the-top with it. President T discusses the invisible resistance he places between himself and girls, preferring to remain being a serial independent male. Finally, Double S talks about factors he doesn’t want in the opposite sex, because he wouldn’t want to indulge in past experiences in new situations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMNt0_DsTNU
Last but not least, we have Manga St. Hilare, who’s known for the honesty within his lyrics. He has a flow that doesn’t beat around the bush, rather he says it as he sees it and is not afraid to stand up for what he believes in. I believe this is what helps his delivery and contributes to how he sounds on the instrumentals he chooses. It’s simple and easy for him to just flow over. You understand everything word for word. For example, in Kore Wa Odessei Desu, he talks about his current status in Grime and how he is still standing, without having to involve any unnecessary gimmicks to prop himself up; everything he does is authentic.
Overall, well done to The HeavyTrackerz and the participating artists for providing us with a solid album project. It gave us listeners the variety we needed, because it had a song for every theme or mood you’re in. They didn’t stick to consistency, rather ironically they explored all avenues. Hence the title “The Odyssey: A Musical Journey”.. I think they’ve completed their destination, whilst enjoying every aspect on the route there😅
The album is available for purchase/stream on all major music platforms: Apple Music, Spotify, Deezer etc. Also, there have been video releases for a couple of tracks. Check them out on The HeavyTrackerz’s YouTube channel.
Twitter : HeavyTrackerz
Instagram: theheavytrackerz
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Chanda D
http://vevo.ly/EyppyV – (the link to the video on VEVO)
Mabel McVey is a singer, who was raised in Stockholm but now spends the majority of her time in London, England. Recently, she has built a following due to her smooth easy-flowing attitude that can be felt through the approach in her vocals and heard in her songs. She has released Bedroom, Thinking Of You, My Boy My Town , Finders Keepers Remix and last but least, Finders Keepers (the original) featuring AfroSwing artist Kojo Funds. She released two remixes of Finders Keepers, since the original came to light.
In this post, I will be focusing closely on Finders Keepers, because it describes the infamous situationships that occur in today’s society.
The song talks about the impossibility of being able to get someone ‘special’ off your mind. So, the consequence of this situation is the magnetic attraction it creates between two people. It’s the battle of feelings for and against each other, as the song represents the desire to become one. This is because they have the parts that each other is looking for.
As the song goes on, it explains them coming to an agreement about how to deal with the circumstance they have found themselves in, even though both/either parties don’t particularly appreciate the attempts to advance the progress. There is a wish for all the indirect digital communication to stop, because the status quo is fine how it is. However, they are willing to compromise so they can enjoy time together as a duo, to explore the chemistry between them.
From the male perspective, he’s already got his mind made up and is waiting to be approached. He’s determined to share an intimate encounter with his lady, away from everyone in their own bubble. Similarly from the female perspective, she’s ready to be embraced by him, as she is all that he needs. She proclaims she’s all for him, because of his ability to have found her, so therefore the relationship between them can get started in full effect.
Overall, this song is very pleasant on the ears, because of the chill vibe it has to it and most people will be able to seriously relate to the lyrics in this song. It tackles the implications of real life situationships, which is why I believe the song is popular. Mabel’s vocals combined with Kojo Funds’ AfroSwing twist produces a great harmony between the both. They are both in sync with each other, so everything runs smoothly and you can feel that when you listen to the track.
Once you’ve heard it, it’s “Finders Keepers” to the listener😉
Finally, her music is available on all major music platforms- buy/stream on Apple Music , Spotify, Deezer etc.
Twitter & Instagram : MabelMcVey
Thank you for taking time to read the analysis and I hope you’ve understood the interpretation on it.
Feel free to leave a comment or share (using the buttons below).
Chanda D
I think it’s nice to watch as the sun set in, because the sky tends to display a variation of colours, which blends to create a rainbow (despite there being no rain). I managed to capture the sky, right before it turned dark.
I’ll demonstrate the before and after pictures below:
I decided add a silhouette effect to the photo, to emphasise the difference between the sky and the objects around it. The shades that appear give the sky a dynamic appearance, because it paints blends of colour. The idea was to focus on promoting the lower end of the colour spectrum, with a hint of brightness.
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You’re never too busy to take a moment and notice your surroundings #VisualAwareness 😂.
Chanda D
The sky caught my eye last night, whilst I was on my travels. It was blue but the clouds had a warm pinkish tone to it. Also, it displayed a streak of orange. So, I decided to capture the moment, before the sun went down. It was also raining as well, as I thought that would add to the effect too.
I’ll show you a before and after picture of the images:
The aim was to bring out the warmer tone, to give it a subtle calmness.
Rainy days aren’t always so bad.
Feel free to leave a comment or share on social media (the links are below).
Hello, welcome to the #TheHerbalTea discussion
I’ve been testing out different tea brands for the past couple of weeks and I’ll be sharing and reviewing the ones I’ve tried below:
Overall, I liked this one because you have an assorted choice in the box, so you’re not limited to what you can drink. It isn’t one constant taste either, you can switch up it whenever you like it, to suit your desires at that moment.
It’s priced roughly between £2-3 in local supermarkets, such as Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
Now on to the second choice:
I’ve also tried out Twinings Pure Green Tea. This one is useful for daily usage.
Green tea has good all-rounder benefits. One of it’s main functions is it’s an antioxidant, which is one of the positives about it, as it detoxes the body of it’s toxins and waste accumulated from daily eating and drinking routines. Furthermore, it is alternative choice to caffeine intake, such as coffee. It is nicer when you mix it with honey, because it gives a sweet twang. Otherwise, it can taste quite bland but you and your tastebuds can decide. It has a calming effect, as it tends to slow you down, so you can concentrate on yourself. The feeling of how it runs through your system, allows you to take a moment out of your schedule and/or just to relax at the end of the day, with a nice cup of tea.
Both teas can be used to assist with maintaining/losing weight, alongside good meals.
It is priced at no more than £1.50 from supermarkets and they have wide range of choices to pick from.
Don’t hesitate to go check it out, it’s like participating in the adult version of choosing pick ‘n’ mix sweets LOL. Remember back in the day when you use to go Woolworths to test out the sweets. Anyways, you’ll have all these boxes in front of you, so deciding the right one to satisfy you will be the fun part. This will encourage you to go home willing and ready to try it out!
Chanda D
It works the same for both males and females, who are subconsciously misled to believe they must live up to societal standard. They will eventually become self-conscious about their body. This is manufactured by institutions to help keep their businesses running. How would the economy survive, if there was shortage of people failing to buy into their consumer demands. Furthermore, it would erode away the brainwashing techniques that has held society stuck within the way it runs now. There are so many homemade methods giving us ways to improve our appearance. As well as, there being a range of non/cosmetics procedure that are available to enhance your features. I don’t think people should be judged for using either methods, as long it makes you feel better.
There is no problem with wanting to look your best, everyone wants to appear look physically attractive. However, it becomes an issue when that is what you’re constantly striving for, because it doesn’t exist. You chase after it thinking somehow if you do this, maybe you’ll look different, or if you do that, that might tweak this. This is how you fall into a cycle with wanting to constantly improve on yourself. It’s even more challenging, when people are commenting on your body type. It can be hard not to internalise opinions, but just remember you’re the one who walks around 24/7 with it. Whether you work out, eat healthy, or even the opposite; you have a sweet tooth etc. Please don’t make yourself feel bad for wanting to eat it. You are responding to what your body wants at that time. Essentially, you’ll work out how to balance your diet to suit your needs/tastes.
Last but not least, it’s weird because you never really see in yourself, what others see in you. So it’s hard to believe a compliment given to you, as perhaps it does not align with the mental image of yourself. Although, knowing difference between compliments and flattery will help assure yourself, to know it is factual information. Nevertheless, everyone is unique and we should learn how to be comfortable with our differences.
There are no strict rules and regulations , just put in the work when it matters to you 🌻🦋
Chanda D
Disclaimer: all images were taken from Google images.
Landscape photography allows you to capture everything at once and in one photo, to create the bigger picture. You can use the buildings and objects in the camera frame, to construct shapes and dynamics, within the image. Here’s some pictures I took earlier on today: 
This book is about a young female called Flora, who has anterograde amnesia. This condition affects her everyday life, as she is required to use her memory for most things. One day she has intimate contact with a boy, on the beach and suddenly it changes her life. She remembers something and this excites her. Can you imagine what it must be like to not be able to use your short term memory and one day out of nowhere, one event just sticks?
Well, according to improvememory.org – Anterograde Amnesia is “often a permanent condition generally thought to be caused by damage to the hippocampus section of the brain. This damage can be caused by an accident, as a result of surgery, alcohol, and even an acute deficiency of thiamine known as Korsakoff’s syndrome. Whatever the cause of the trauma, the person who is affected is unable to convert their short term experiences into long-term memory”. This is reflected in the book, by Flora constantly writing down notes. Also, her parents constantly remind her of who she is. They leave letters and information around the house, in order to keep her memory activated.
She decides to embark on a journey to France, to find the guy who helped her jog her memory. She decides not to inform her parents, by telling them a white lie ( the lie is she’s going with her friend Paige, when she’s traveling solo) because they wouldn’t approve of her new-found independence. They believe she only accustom to her familiar settings, so they are apprehensive about how she will handle the outside world.
Her trip to France is definitely an experience, as her mind was opened to many different revelations about herself and overcoming obstacles she faced during the time. She meets people on her way, who assist to get to her chosen destination. In the end, she finds Drake (the boy she kissed) and they have a discussion about the night they shared on the beach. However, there is a plot twist, Drake denies the event and leaves Flora in confused manner. Also, her parents find out about her secret adventure and immediately wish she would return home. As well as, having different accounts of information coming in from various people and direction, which causes a mental overloaded sensation for her.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book, because you got to see what it was like to live with anterograde amnesia. It showed how the condition affects a person, those who they interact with and surrounded by. It also focusses on how her parents are able to cope managing her, even though they have to attend to her older brother Jacob, who has problems of his own. So, it must of felt good for Flora, to remember something, bearing in the mind the majority of the time, her mind is completely blank. You can see how it made a significant impact on her life.
Similarly, it must be like sitting in a dark room for hours, then a ray of sunlight hits you; it feels good, because the sun is blessing your skin. Another great way this book explains her condition, is by including the parts she regurgitates notes back to herself to remind her of who is she and what she’s doing. You get a snippet into how she analyses and re-centers herself, so she can proceed with her tasks. I think it was very brave of her to branch out and explore the world on her own. She took a risk, without her medication, knowing the implications it may cause but went for it anyways. That is true determination on her behalf!
The book is available at WHSmith for £7.99. Also the ebook and audio version is available too 🙂
Chanda D
chandademi.com 