Everything Erin

As it's nearing the end of the month, today I'll be rounding up all the songs I've been listening to this month! May has been a pretty full on and hectic month for me but I've still managed to discover a few amazing tunes this month.

The first songs on my playlist from this month are the songs Sign Of The Times and Sweet Creature by Harry Styles. Harry's new music has dominated this whole month for me as his album came out on 12th May, but he released these two songs early which is why they ended up on my Spotify playlist before I got the album.
Sign Of The Times and Sweet Creature are two amazing songs off it, although not my favourites - but you'll hear more about that in my review of this album going up next week! I cannot begin to tell you how much I love his new music though.

Another One Direction solo single on my playlist is Niall Horan's Slow Hands. As I've heard it more and more it has definitely grown on me; it's very different to This Town so was unlike what I was expecting but I do like it and can't wait to hear what else Niall comes out with.

A song I mentioned on my last monthly mixtape but I decided it's so good I have to share it again is Shawn Mendes' There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back. This has been one of my favourite songs lately because it was really good live and is such a feel good tune. I'm so proud of how well it has been doing in the charts lately as well!

You may remember that I went to see The Vamps this month and at the end of last month, their single Middle Of The Night was released. Personally, I don't like their newer sound with the collaborations with DJs as much as their older music but Middle Of The Night has grown on me a lot since I first heard it.


Ellie Goulding is one of my favourite artists and therefore I was intrigued to listen to her new single with Kygo, First Time. I have to admit that I prefer her other music more and even previous collaborations with people like Calvin Harris, but since it is Ellie I do like it regardless. Perhaps I'm just not the biggest fan of the lyrics? I'm not sure but it isn't my favourite song she has ever brought out.

Another collaboration with Kygo on this playlist is It Ain't Me with Selena Gomez. I surprisingly prefer this song than his collab with Ellie which I wish I didn't but I guess I like the lyrics a lot more and it's a really nice chilled out song for this time of year.

The final song of my mixtape for May is the song I am currently obsessed with, Hard Times by Paramore. I've never liked any of their music before but I just love how summery and catchy this song feels and it is just my favourite sort of music. The vocals really aren't the best but I ignore that because the music itself is really good.

It's very rare I get that excited about a new mascara launch, but Maybelline's latest, The Falsies Push Up Angel Mascara, caught my attention as it was floating around the internet.

I was awestruck by its unique wand, thinner and curvier than one I've ever used before. Taken aback by the also gorgeous packaging in metallic purple shades, I headed to my nearest Maybelline counter and picked one up to see for myself if this affordable mascara is really worth the hype.


At first try I was very intrigued as the wand brushed through my lashes. It's much more 'comb' like than your standard mascara, a feature that allows me to pick up every last lash. The thinness of the wand also allows you to apply closer to the root of your lashes and work your way forward, adding curl and length as you go.


I love how this mascara still allows my lashes to look natural yet fluttery because it doesn't clump at all. Having so many thin individual bristles is so effective at preventing clumps on my lashes.

The only downside to the mascara is that it doesn't provide as much volume as I may have liked, perhaps because I've also been using Benefit's They're Real lately which is renowned for its volume.


As I mentioned before I love how beautiful and photogenic the Push Up Angel mascara is, Maybelline have really outdone themselves with their packaging on this one! I definitely think this mascara is worth the hype particularly because of its price at only £7.99! Maybelline always wins on the drugstore mascara front and this product is no exception.

When I was getting tickets for The Vamps current tour, the Middle Of The Night tour, a few months ago, I was torn whether to get seats as usual or go for their Wow Pit, a standing section right in front of the stage. I left it to which ever tickets the site gave me and ended up very happy about the fact I was going to be doing Wow Pit for the first time.

As usual, I went to their Manchester date, on Saturday 6th May 2017. It was the fifth time I had seen them and so I was really excited; The Vamps never fail to impress as a live band.

After queuing for several hours to be within the chance of getting a good spot at Wow Pit, we were let into the arena at 6 pm.  This year Wow Pit was like it was in 2015, unlike last year with a big runway splitting it into two sections. I much preferred it this way because it definitely makes it more spacious.


As I entered the Wow Pit there was already plenty of people in there since the VIPs get in first (I didn't do VIP this tour, but I did last time if you would like to hear about the VIP experience). I managed to get a spot second from the barrier, at the right side, directly in front of Connor. I was so excited because I think this is the closest I've been at any concert ever due to the distance between the stage and the barrier.

The downside to Wow Pit - having to stand up for hours on end in the same spot! However, there was no one right behind me unlike you would expect when doing standing. The wow pit was so spacious and comfortable - people generally went around the outside of the wow pit - towards the barrier like me and also towards the back, yet the middle was empty allowing people who aren't as bothered as keeping a spot to move to and fro when the acts move around the arena.


Then after waiting a while, we had to endure the support acts in the form of The Tide, New Hope Club and Sabrina Carpenter. The Tide have supported The Vamps their past three tours and I'm pretty much sick to death of them now. The pretentious American band are 'part of The Vamps tour' now being on their label, and I can't say I've ever enjoyed them. Other support acts, New Hope Club, also on The Vamps record label, and Sabrina Carpenter off of Disney Channel were nothing on last year's support act, Connor Maynard, the best support I've ever seen. Let's just say I was quite happy when the support acts were all over and done with.



Finally, The Vamps made their entrance at five to nine, beginning with Wake Up. I couldn't believe how close up they were, being in the Wow Pit. The setlist of The Vamps was amazing, playing old classics such as Somebody To You and Wild Heart, but also new tracks. I really loved Paper Hearts and Time Is Not On Our Side, which they performed on the other side of the arena. I also really loved Shades On; even though I had been slating the lyrics ever since they performed it on the first night of the tour in Sheffield, it proved to be a really fun song live.


We were also treated to Brad playing piano in two songs, a performance of their new single Middle Of The Night and old favourite Risk It All. One highlight of the night was the drum battle between Brad and Tristan - the video they played beforehand was so funny, making fun of Brad as the 'underdog'.


Would I do Wow Pit again? 100% yes! I will definitely be trying to get Wow Pit again for the next tour and can't tell you how much I recommend doing it if you are a fan of The Vamps. I wasn't at all squished because the Wow Pit isn't overly full. It was so much fun to be so close to them and had to be one of the best concert experiences I have had.

I am so excited to be doing a collab today with LifeInKateish, one of my lovely blogger friends! Since we are both so busy at the moment preparing for GCSEs we have decided to both share what is in our school bags during the exam season. Let's have a peek into mine and make sure you check out Kate's when you're done here!

My bag is a burgundy Superdry rucksack. It's my second SuperDry rucksack - the first I used for two years in Years 9 and 10 - and I really like them because they ate really durable while fitting all kinds of folders and books in. So... what is in it?

My Pencil Case

Although I'll be using a clear plastic pencil case when the time comes, I'm currently using my normal copper pencil case from New Look. I just have the essentials in here such as BIC biros, a ruler, pencil and highlighters.

Coloured Pens

My Stabilo fineliners have always been an essential for my school bag, but most important now. They are so useful to jazz up your notes and highlight important information. I use fineliners day to day at school to writing key words in my class notes but I find them even more useful when revising.

 My Pukka Pad

When we were first given Pukka Pads at school I wasn't sure how much I was going to use it. However now GCSEs are looming I have been using it constantly. I particularly find it useful to create mind maps for English literature or pages on the poems we have studied. I also really like how all my subjects are in one place.

Record Cards

I began using these in History when we started making revision notes and found them so useful I purchased some more for other subjects like the sciences. I'll keep a few of these in my bag if we are revising in class and I would prefer to make notes on cards than in my pad. They were super affordable as well from Amazon.

Books

Of course as well as my school books for the lessons I have that day I also have with me a book I am studying for English, in this case, A Christmas Carol. I have this with me just to refer to when preparing quotes in revision.

Revision Guides

I don't have revision guides for all subjects because I find it easier to revise from class books, however science ones I tend to have with me a lot because it means I have all three science units in one book so it doesn't matter which our teacher decides to go through with us on that day.

Hand Gel

On the photo it looks pretty much empty (probably should get a new one!) but I find having my Soap & Glory Hand Maid hand gel in my bag really useful. I popped it in when I had my art exam because I would get graphite pencil all over my hands but I've kept it in for now just in case.

Calculator

In the front pocket I have my calculator; a standard Casio so I'm ready for maths lessons and when it comes down to it - the maths calculator exams!

French Vocabulary Book

I also have in my front pocket my French vocab book, it's small enough that I just keep it in the front all the time so I don't forget because it's really good to make notes in class.

On Friday, 28th April 2017, Shawn Mendes brought his Illuminate World Tour for a concert at Manchester Arena and I was lucky enough to manage to get tickets to the show. I got these on his pre-sale for pre-ordering his album last September, therefore ended up getting good tickets - Block 102, Row K.


I was so excited to see Shawn Mendes live because I have liked his music for a really long time, I remember being a fan of the song Stitches well before it got famous in the UK! I went with two of my friends see him and this concert was their first so that made it really special as well.

Doors opened at 6 but we went into the arena closer to 7 and headed to our seats after checking out the merch stand. I was very disappointed Shawn wasn't selling programmes as part of his tour merch because I like to collect them from every concert I have been to. Instead, I just picked up a wristband to have some kind of memorabilia from the event.


He only had one support act, James TW, who played for half an hour between 7:30 and 8 pm. I had never heard any of his music before but was actually really impressed, I particularly liked 'When You Love Someone'.


After waiting a bit longer Shawn Mendes took to the stage at half 8 and was on until just after 10, so just over an hour and a half. He began with his wonderful new single 'There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back', one of his most upbeat songs to date and I really enjoyed it live. He continued with 'A Little Too Much' which made me cry a little because it is such a touching song with really relatable lyrics - I'm sure you know what I mean if you've ever listened to it.


The set up of the arena was so stunning throughout. There was a huge planet-like sphere above the b-stage which turned a really pretty blue when he was underneath it and towards the end of the night during Never Be Alone it turned to look like the moon. Alongside the phone lights resembling stars, the arena looked beautiful.


My favourite parts of the night were, of course, him performing my favourite songs off his albums, including Lights On, Patience and Mercy. However, I have to say that my highlight of the whole concert was the song Bad Reputation. The guitar solos and the passion in the song were indescribable live and by far my favourite part.


I also loved when he picked up on how we're a British crowd, at the end of Never Be Alone he said he can "hear the British accent" which I thought was so cute (Shawn is Canadian however, his mum is British and so mentioned this in the concert).

I definitely think NYX's pigments are a hit and recommend them if you feel like something different than an eyeshadow palette! I'd love to hear your thoughts if you've tried them, or if you've tried MAC pigments because I also would love to try those now too!