April 2019 - Monthly Favourites!

Hi everyone!

I know I'm a little late with this post but I thought I'd do a round up of some of my favourite things I either acquired or started using often during the month of April 😀

Also, brilliant little thing to point out... everything in this list is cruelty-free!!! 😍

Favourite Album

Outer Peace by Toro Y Moi

Toro Y Moi is a recent discovery for me but, after being gifted a copy of his latest album for my birthday at the start of the month, I've fallen in love with Chaz's music and I'm keen to delve into his previous records. Outer Peace is straight-up futuristic electropop that's just funky as hell! You can definitely hear inspiration from bands like LCD Soundsystem and Daft Punk. Outer Peace is a very fun record with few slower R&B influenced tracks thrown in the mix, but it never takes itself too seriously and that's what makes it so enjoyable.

It also needs to be pointed out that Chaz Bear is a fashion icon! The king of looking cozy whilst still looking stylish AF! 👌👌👌

Fashion Favourites

WIK Belt Bag in Grey by Matt & Nat

Yaaaasss!!! The 90's are back, henny! I'd been on the hunt for the perfect cruelty free bum bag/fanny pack (whatever you wanna call it) when the trend started to rub off on me and I knew when I saw Matt & Nat's nylon WIK belt bag that I had found the one. Admittedly, this purchase has been met with polarising opinions from my family and friends hahaha, but I love it so who cares?! 🙌

I was initially intending to purchase a faux leather bag but Matt & Nat's new Oam collection is made from a really interesting textured nylon that's incredibly lightweight, making it a great choice for the upcoming summer months. In this selfie, I've teamed it with my beloved Ernie & Bert sweatshirt from Uniqlo's KAWS X SESAME STREET collection.

This is also my first nylon fabric Matt & Nat bag and I'm very impressed with the quality of it so far, feels like it will be just as hard-wearing as their faux leather items and, just like those, this bag also features a lining made from 100% recycled plastic bottles. I would presume that the outer nylon material is also recycled, however, I can't seem to find anything to confirm this. If you have any info, please let me know!

DUKE Boots in Black  Veg.Leather by Good Guys Don't Wear Leather

Probably including these a little prematurely considering I only bought these towards the end of the month (and I have no outfit pictures with them yet)... but I just loooovveee these!!! 

I've been lusting over these boots for literally years, finally decided to take the plunge on them and now I want them in every colour! These are my first pair of Good Guys and I'm extremely impressed with the quality so far. The vegan leather feels very realistic The pointed toe with the wooden sole and 2 inch heel makes these boots look and feel incredibly elegant to wear. I'm looking forward to dressing these up for nights out, as well as wearing them in the day when I feel like going for a "smart but keeping it fashion" lewk with the very on-trend cowboy boot detail 😎

These boots are proving to be even more versatile than expected and I'm looking to putting together some outfits with them. 

Leaf Leather Wallet by Thamon

A lovely birthday gift from my grandparents, this vegan 100% leaf leather wallet is absolutely beautiful! Just look at the detail on it! It's so classy yet quirky and unusual. Everybody I've shown this to so far has been amazed! It's so unique and the quality seems to be really great too. This is my first item from Thamon and I'm so impressed! I've since been looking at their notebooks and bags and I'm keen to add more to my collection in the future. 

Skincare Favourites

Vetiver & Black Pepper Shower Gel by Bulldog

I've been trying out various Bulldog skincare products over the years but, I'm particularly impressed with their new shower gel range! I also have the Peppermint & Eucalyptus Shower Gel (which is great) but this one really caught my attention because this smells absolutely nothing like any other men's high street shower gel that I've tried! I swear if this shower gel was branded Tom Ford (for example), came in a bottle half the size and sold at a Tom Ford price tag then people would probably pay it!  

I'm not gonna lie, I can imagine this scent being an acquired taste, it's very earthy and kinda smoky with a slight liquorice-esque undertone. If you enjoy a shower gel with a scent that makes you feel/smell very bright and fresh then I wouldn't recommend it (the Peppermint one would be much better for you). However, if you like a rich, woodsy scent or you're a bit of a fragrance connoisseur, then I can imagine you would love this!

Something that makes this shower gel so great is that it retails at only £4.50 for a 500ml bottle... not only that but it's 100% vegan, sulfate free and eco-friendly! You just can't go wrong and I'm extremely keen to try the other two scents in their range!     

Ethiopian Green Coffee Cream by The Body Shop

A birthday gift from my cousin, Helen, this is easily one of the best body moisturisers I've ever tried! The main thing that sets this cream apart from other body moisturisers and The Body Shop's famous body butters is that this can greatly help to firm and smooth your skin. I don't have any before & after shots but I've primarily been using this cream on some stretch marks I have on my lower back (caused by losing some weight I carried in my early teens) and I have definitely noticed a reduction in their appearance. 

I've also discovered that, while something that The Body Shop hasn't suggested, this cream can work well as a soothing balm after shaving on your body. Going off my cousin's suggestion, I've even been trying the cream to smooth fine lines around my neck, as this is one of the first signs of ageing... I've just turned twenty-six and hopefully this cream will allow me to pass for a twink well into my thirties! 😂😂😂

*Please note: This product is 100% vegetarian, but not vegan.
 

And there's just some of my favourite things from my birthday month! Thank you so much for reading! I'm looking forward to writing more of these in the future.

Josh :-)

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. All items mentioned in this post are either birthday gifts from loved ones or have been purchased with my own money. All of the images used in this article are my own except for the 'Outer Peace' by Toro Y Moi album artwork, which has been used solely for the purposes of review. No copyright infringement intended