My Favourite Podcasts

Last year I stumbled across the world of podcasts. 

Having recently switched jobs to one where I have to travel a lot further to get to, I needed something to entertain me on my daily commute. I thought about maybe bringing a book with me, but that didn't work, reading on buses and trains ensues terrible nausea, so I gave that idea a miss. Maybe listening to music? Nah, I get bored pretty easily shuffling through the same songs over and over on my iPod. That's when I discovered the wonderful world of podcasts. In today's post I'm going to share a couple of my trusty favourites with you which in turn may inspire you to give podcasts a go.

Stuff Mom Never Told You

Hosted by the hilarious duo Cristen Conger and Caroline Ervin, this is a podcast produced by How Stuff Works that discusses the business of being women from every imaginable angle, and these girls know what they are talking about! They research each topic thoroughly before trying to decode the biology, psychology and sociology of ladies and gents alike, from past times to modern day. Each podcast takes on a different topic, trying to break down gender stereotypes that arise all too often in modern day society. This podcast is funny and informative at the same time, some of my favourite episodes are Man Caves, Single by Choice and  The Basics of Bitch. Fancy checking them out? 

You can listen here

Welcome to Night Vale

Imagine you lived in a town where all conspiracy theories were real, this is the premise of the podcast Welcome to Night Vale. Imagined up by creators Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor, each podcasts brings a new bizarre and sometimes unsettling local news story from this imaginary town (rumored to be somewhere in Southwestern United States) Each podcast features news, daily announcements and advertisements from this strange little town. The weather, which is a feature in each episode, plays a piece of music by different independently published artists, which has led me onto discovering some great musicians! If you like the sound of this podcast, go and have a listen to it here

Sword and Scale

This podcast is not for the faint hearted. Sword and Scale is a podcast that explores non-fiction true crime stories, it features a variety of narrated true crime stories interwoven with interviews from criminal witnesses, victims and authors and recorded 911 calls. Some episodes take you through the actual court cases featuring trial audio, which makes for some gripping on the edge of your seat content!  Hosted by creator and Mike Boudet, this podcast has become one of the most popular podcasts in the social science category. If you like true life crime stories you may love this podcast. Give it a listen here

The Minimalists

This has been a recent discovery for me which I have been really enjoying listening to. This podcast is created by Joshua Fields Milburn and Ryan Nicodemus. The minimalist duo discuss how to live a more fulfilled life, clearing the clutter from life's path to help us make room for things that are truly important and focusing on and making room for more time, more passion, more experiences, more growth and more contentment. They discuss different topics on how to lead a more fufilled life, focusing on what you already have and breaking down the common misconception that minimalists reject all forms of materialism, instead these two discuss how just owning things that serve a purpose or give us joy helps us to lead a more fulfilled and content life instead of feeling overwhelmed by the compulsion of wanting. Think you'd be interested in what these two have to say? You can listen to them here. I have also enjoyed reading some of there essays which if you can read here.

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What are your favourite podcasts?
Carly x

Lush Haul: Boxing Day Sale

So, I may have did a sneaky online shop at Lush on Boxing Day...

I hadn't anything in mind that I particularly wanted to purchase, which was lucky as most of the goodies seemed to have been snapped up by the time I stumbled online Boxing Day evening. I was happy with the few bits that I managed to pick up, as we all know Lush sales happen once in a blue moon!

'Snow Fairy' Shower Gel

I have to confess, I have never tried nor smelt this 'famous' seasonal Lush shower gel, so I thought i'd pick up two mini bottles (they were going for so cheap, why not!) I'm a big fan of sweet, candy scented products, but wow, this smells sweet! (it reminds me of Calpol, you know the medicine we all used to get as kids?) I am a big fan of Lushs shower gels so i'm looking forward to using these!

'Dirty' Mint-Chocolate Massage Bar

I've previously tried the 'Tender is the Night' massage bar from Lush and it has become one of my all time favourite Lush products. These massage bars are great to use after a bath or shower and does a great job of moisturising dehydrated skin. They are made with a base of nourishing fair trade cocoa butter and are designed to melt at body temperature, which makes them easy to apply. I was a bit skeptical about the mint-chocolate scent, but after using it after my bath this evening, i love it! The chocolate scent is very subtle but it does leave a lovely fresh peppermint scent on the skin after..mmmm....

'The Rough With The Smooth' The Breakfast Scrub Bar

I've heard so many good reviews about this, I thought it was about time to check it out myself. First of, this smells incredible, it has a scent similar to the breakfast scrub by Soap & Glory, which is good enough to eat! You use this little bar whilst in the shower and bath over damp skin and it helps buff away any dry skin leaving you silky smooth. It does a great job of exfoliating, it is quite gritty and if not used gently may be slightly scratchy, but i'd rather has a good scrub that a gentle buffing to get the job done, am I right ladies?

'Cinders' Bath Bomb

This is a repurchase for me, as it's from the limited Christmas collection, I thought i'd treat myself to one more before they disappear for another year *sob* 

This is a sweet and spicy bath bomb that contains cinnamon leaf oil and almond oil (great for dry skin!) It is a lovely warming scent and has a fun feature of popping candy, yup, popping candy! 

I'd love to know your favourite Lush products!

Carly x

Bedroom Decor Inspiration: Chic & Minimal

December Favourites

Hi Lovelies!

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas! It's that time of the month to show you what I have been enjoying...

First up is the Tarte Amazionian Clay Eye & Cheek Palette

I have been using this palette pretty much every day since I got it, it contains 6 matte shades of eye shadow, including a liner, lid, crease and highlight shade. The shades are great for creating a natural look but can also be used to create a more dramatic evening look. In the center of the palette is a golden peachy pink blush, which leaves a subtle hint of colour and creates a healthy glow to your complexion. Tarte is hard to find in the UK (which is such a shame!) but QVC has some great offers on this brand and what i've tried so far from this range, I definitely think it's worth checking out.

Pixi Glow Tonic

This has been on my wishlist for months and I finally bit the bullet and bought myself a bottle. I use this once daily, usually in the morning after cleansing and have found a definite improvement in my skins texture, I am no longer troubled by pesky dry patches and my skin is left with a healthy glow which makes for a great base before applying my makeup for the day!

Caudalie Instant Detox Mask

I purchased this at the start of December and have been using it once or twice a week and think it's a great little mask to add to your stash. It is a clay mask that deeply cleanses, helps to minimize pores and eliminates impurities and toxins to renew the skins texture. The main ingredients are pink clay, grape marc and coffee- it smells divine! 

Yankee Candle 'Fireside Treats'

Oh boy, I think this maybe my new favourite candle scent! I have been burning this in my bedroom and it smells delicious! It is very light in fragrance (not overpowering like other sweet scents) but adds a comforting marshmallow aroma. I will be repurchasing this once it's been used up, which will probably be quite soon at this rate!

Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm

I really didn't want to like this cleanser, as it is really very pricey, but after a couple of weeks of using this in the evening, I have to admit I love it! It is a deep cleansing balm, which helps soften and nourish the skin. This is a real treat to use and melts away makeup like a dream, I also find it quite therapeutic to use as it's fragrance helps you to relax and unwind before bedtime.

What have you been loving recently?

Carly x