What you don't know won't hurt you... But it might hurt somebody else.

I recently found out that a company I often buy beauty products from tests on animals. I have to admit that my stomach turned thinking about it. It made me feel sick to think that I was giving my money to a company with such low moral standards that they would test on animals when it's completely unnecessary.

This isn't just going to be me preaching because that's something I really don't appreciate but I just want people to think about the consequences of their purchases.

Obviously there aren't many companies that advertise the fact that they use these methods of testing but sadly there are very few that don't. I'm not going to turn this blog into a means of slagging off certain companies because that's their decision but I certainly don't support them and I don't understand the need for it.

For your interest Superdrug are against animal testing and none of their own brand products are tested.

Also check out this site for beauty products that are 100% suitable for vegetarians and vegans:

And if you have the time have a look at the BUAV website:

Lately I've become very tired of all the music that's on my ipod. I really need some new bands to get excited about because I never really get as excited about music as I used to. I think one of the main problems is that bands and artists lately don't seem to have all that much to say.

I've been told on several occasions that I'm a pretty opinionated person. In fact the last time someone said that to me was just a few hours ago! And I suppose I am.

I've always believed that music is an extremely powerful way to get an opinion across and I think it's an incredible way to have your say without being too forceful with your views. I miss bands that have something to say.

If you know me well enough you'll know that I'm a bit of a feminist and years ago all of my favourite bands were also of this persuasion. Bands like Bikini Kill, Bratmobile, L7 and Le Tigre all had a huge effect on my musical tastes and as a result I began reading up on feminism and other similar ideas.

And it's not just feminism that music has encouraged me to consider. A few years ago I was really into punk (and still am to an extent) and bands like NOFX, Strike Anywhere and Propagandhi also made me look at society in a different way and question the scructure and reasoning behind the way society runs.

To sum up, music has generally helped me shape my personality and beliefs. Feminism, animal rights, inequality and politics are some of the important issues I've been pointed towards in some way or another.

I think it's a shame there aren't more bands out there who are playing for a cause rather than fame and money. I'd like to see it for a change.

Yes Man

This is the kind of book that I wouldn't ordinarily go for as it's more of a diary type book than a novel and you can't beat a good novel. But from the moment I picked it up, I couldn't stop reading it and even when I wasn't reading it I was thinking about reading it.

The most appealing aspect of this book is the sheer positivity that just flows from it. It's the story of Danny who, upon finding himself in a bit of a rut, pulls himself out the only way he knows, with positive thinking.

One day Danny's train is canceled and he gets talking to a stranger on the replacement bus. In conversation the stranger tells Danny to "say Yes more" and that's exactly what he does. However, he doesn't just say yes more. He says yes to everything.

The consequences are both hilarious and heart breaking because as time goes on you really grow to love Danny and forget that he's not a character in a book, he's a real person describing real experiences.

Highlights are the conversations Danny has with his friends in the pub. I would recommend this book to anyone.

I've even started saying yes more myself!

Kick Ass

Yesterday I went to see Kick Ass which turned out to be a very good decision!
If you were a bit of a geek when you were a teenager you'll probably appreciate the premise of this movie all the more.

Dave (Aaron Johnson) is your average comic loving, "nothing special about him" teenager who starts to wonder why nobody has tried to become a super hero before. After a particularly funny conversation with his two friends he decides he's going to do it and before long he's suited and booted in a green and yellow jumpsuit and calling himself Kick Ass.

After fending off a gang of drug dealers Dave becomes an internet sensation and real life super heroes Big Daddy (Nicholas Cage) and Hit Girl (Chloe Moretz) step in to warn him of the dangers of being a super hero.

The villain of the movie is Frank D'Amico, the local drug dealer whose son, unaware of his father's real job, is desperate to get into the family business. In a bid to take down Kick Ass, D'Amico appoints his son, Chris (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) to create his own super hero identity, Red Mist.

The stand out performance without a doubt comes from Chloe Moretz as Hit Girl. In some positively Tarantino-esque scenes she truly kicks ass!

Chasing Amy

Chasing Amy is about best friends Ben Affleck and Jason Lee who together produce their own comic called Blunt Man and Chronic. Whilst promoting themselves at Comic-con in New York Holden (Affleck) meets and swiftly falls in love with Alyssa who is a fellow comic book writer.

However, there are no happily ever afters in the world of Kevin Smith movies! Alyssa turns out to be a lesbian and as their friendship becomes more and more intense, Holden realises just how much he loves her and when he finally tells her about his feelings she reciprocates.

As soppy as it sounds, this film is actually hilarious as well as emotional. Especially the relationship between Holden and best friend, Banky. Typical Kevin Smith introspection mixed with brilliant characters including favourites Jay and (a not so silent) Bob guarantees an awesome film.