Can We Trust Celebrity Endorsements? | Part Three

Welcome back!

Over the past few years, the influence that bloggers and You Tuber’s have on society has increased dramatically. The rising success that a lot of them have seen could be viewed as not only overwhelming but also slightly frightening. Many of them went from blogging and making videos as a hobby, to now viewing it as their full time job, collaborating with multiple big name brands on a daily basis. As a person who runs a fairly new blog, I am of course envious of these people who have hit a point where they can make huge sums of money through simply writing and talking about their interests. I do feel though, that honesty becomes a rarity when people hit this level of Internet fame. If you’re being offered a lot of money to discuss lets say a new skincare range from a particularly well-known brand, you’re naturally going to be expected to speak positively about them. In reality though, these influencers could rave about said products and then never use them, but that is a side of it we as viewers will never know the truth about. Very rarely will a brand collaborate with a blogger or You Tuber and not tell them certain things that have to be mentioned such as any offers the brand is running at that time. Due to this, I feel there is a definite lack of passion, sometimes almost coming across as robotic, like they can’t actually express their own honest opinion. As a result, whenever I watch a brand orientated video or read a blog post, I take whatever that particular influencer is saying with a pinch of salt which is unnerving as so many people go to their channels or websites for supposedly honest opinions. 

An example of influencer dishonesty that I have noticed recently became apparent through British blogger and You Tuber Tanya Burr. She frequently films haul videos for various well-known brands – two recent ones being ASOS and LUSH Cosmetics. In the title of the ASOS haul Tanya specifies that the products within the video are endorsed through the inclusion of the word ‘ad’ but in the LUSH Cosmetics one she does not. Alarm bells ring immediately here as it displays that there is a massive inconsistency within her videos. This is again extremely misleading for her viewers, because although she may genuinely love the products she is talking about, she has still failed to specify that a monetary transaction has taken place. That being said, I was very surprised to discover that a lot of bloggers feel their engagement ratings are lower on posts that include information regarding endorsements. It’s as though viewers want influencers to be honest but in a less point blank way as it taints the façade of their perfect lifestyles.

Love, Lana Skye x 

Source Credit: Refinery29, The New York Times. 
Photo Credit: Tanya Burr Instagram. 

Can We Trust Celebrity Endorsements? | Part Two

Welcome back!

Hash tags on social media. Everyone uses them or has used them to a certain extent. Influencers across any social platform however, have to be very careful in terms of what hash tags they include on their posts. A huge trend I’ve come to notice recently, particularly on Instagram, is a whole host of celebrities posting pictures of themselves endorsing various different beauty and health products. One that I see almost every day is Sugar Bear Hair Vitamins that claim to result in faster hair growth, increased hair shine and reduced hair breakage. To most who follow said celebrities, posts such as these are obvious paid endorsements, not just innocent promotions that they have decided to do out of the kindness of their hearts. That being said, a lot of the people who follow celebrities such as Kim Kardashian perhaps wont process the fact that she has essentially been paid to be nice about the brand, instead thinking that they need to buy the hair vitamins just because she uses them. This is the exact reaction that brands want as their ultimate goal through paying a celebrity a large sum of money is that it will result in thousands of sales – meaning they’ll make the endorsement fee back and then some. This is clearly a successful strategy due to the high volume of brands that implement it into their marketing plan, but a lot of the time rules are broken and guidelines aren’t followed. More often than not, celebrities forget to address the fact that they have been paid to post. Hash tags such as #spon and #ad should always be apparent but sadly this isn’t the case, resulting in consumers and followers being mislead and drawn into purchasing something they don’t necessarily need. 

An example of how the issue surrounding hash tag usage is being combatted comes through an organization called ‘truthinadvertising.org’. They fight deceptive advertising on a daily basis and feel that the use of short hash tags such as #spon and #ad is still too ambiguous for consumers. Their passion regarding this subject was made clear when Kylie Jenner was forced to edit an Instagram caption to state she was gifted a birthday home from online marketplace Airbnb instead of just saying ‘thank you’ to the brand. I do feel for celebrities in a situation like Kylie’s, as it isn’t necessarily her fault if a brand wishes to gift her something for exposure in return. That being said, I also feel that it is so important for people to know the difference between when somebody has actually bought a product or service for themselves and when they have been offered money to promote it. 

Love, Lana Skye x 

Source Credit: Refinery29, The New York Times. 

Photo Credit: Kim Kardashian Instagram, Kylie Jenner Instagram. 

Can We Trust Celebrity Endorsements? | Part One

Welcome back!

Now more than ever it appears to have become standard practice for brands, ranging in size and status, to recruit well known faces in order to boost their profile within the competitive industry that is fashion. For the most part this isn’t an issue as brands are merely using a particular technique to promote themselves, but I’m beginning to notice that there is a certain slyness surrounding how these transactions take place. 

The ‘pay for play’ model is something I have only recently become aware of. It essentially consists of celebrities being paid a large sum of money to wear a particular outfit whilst going about their daily business. Depending on the person a brand wishes to dress, the payment is said to range between $5,000 and $10,000 according to a source found on Refinery29. Before I discovered the model and how it works, I would see pictures in magazines of supermodels walking the streets wearing particularly beautiful outfits, thinking only that they have an incredible wardrobe and sense of style. It never once crossed my mind that doing something as simple as getting dressed in the morning resulted in them making a significant amount of money. I can understand why high profile models and celebrities in particular are on board with ‘pay for play’ as it seems like the easiest possible way to earn. In reality, who would ever turn down a few thousand dollars if all they had to do was wear an outfit for a few hours? That being said, I feel this form of promotion is unfair as it misleads consumers massively. As a result, my trust in luxury level brands particularly has decreased. If money has been exchanged, why shouldn’t we as customers and loyal fans of brands be made aware? This strategy is a clever one as it isn’t obvious in the slightest, at least initially, that a product is being endorsed. Photographs captured by the paparazzi are then posted on Instagram accounts with millions of followers, exposing every single one of them to that particular brand. It isn’t a surprise then, that the ‘pay for play’ model its being heavily used as it clearly has a high success rate.

A recent example I have seen of the ‘pay for play’ model being utilized involves model of the moment Gigi Hadid. She recently posted a candid shot of herself on her Instagram account sitting in the back of a car, most likely taken by paparazzi. In the photograph she is seen sporting a gorgeous pearl embellished dress. Her caption states nothing about what or who she is wearing, merely saying “midnite in Paris.” It wasn’t until I checked to see who was tagged in the image that I was introduced to designer Adam Selman. After visiting his Instagram account, the product placement became inexplicably obvious. The caption on one of his posts, again of Gigi in his dress, exclaims that it’s available to pre order. Due to Gigi’s current status within the fashion world, dressing her will come with a serious price tag, but it’s a gamble pretty much guaranteed to pay off due to the instant and extreme level of exposure Selman will have received.

Love, Lana Skye x 

Source Credit: Refinery29, The New York Times. 

Photo Credit: Gigi Hadid Instagram, Adam Selman Instagram. 

3 Weeks In Heaven

Welcome back everyone!

If you follow me on Instagram, you'll know that I went on a three week holiday to Spain with my family. We had the most incredible time and were so unbelievably lucky with the weather. I think there was only 2 slightly cloudy days out of 21, not too shabby! We've been coming to Mallorca for quite a few years now, always staying in and around the same area.

Pollença.

I've become really fond of the place due to how much time we have spent there, so I thought I would do a little post on some of my favourite places/things to do! If it's your first time visiting Pollença then you'll probably spend a lot of your time in the Old Town. It's honestly like something out of a movie. The side streets are filled with little independent shops and restaurants that I happily spend hours browsing and eating in. Here goes...

1. Calvari Steps

The steps really are a must, but I'd definitely recommend going up them on a cloudy day as in the blazing heat it can get a little unbearable. That being said, the struggle always becomes worth it the second you reach the top. The view of the town and the mountains surrounding it are stunning. Once you're up there you're greeted by a lovely little church and a shop that sells cold drinks and ice cream, the perfect reward after sweating your way up 365 steps!

2. Numero Ocho

This is a restaurant located right slap bang in the centre of Pollença square and I am quite frankly obsessed with it. As a family we tend to only eat out in the evenings and this place has the perfect vibe for that time of day. They have loads of tables on the square so it's nice and cool and the people watching is always incredible. Oh and the food? Something else entirely. If you ever go there then PLEASE get the blackened tiger prawns to start, you won't regret it! Oh and they also do a mean Aperol Spritz. It's actually owned by a lovely Scottish guy called Paco and he has a very good knack at remembering faces because he always comes over to our table and asks how we're doing (even if he isn't working and is enjoying a family meal himself). The staff are so lovely too, most of them are also Scottish as Paco has a restaurant up north in the U.K. so he uses the same staff during peak seasons which I think is such an amazing opportunity for them!

3. Finca 49

This year was actually the first year we visited Finca 49 because it isn't in central Pollença or Puerto Pollença, but on the main road between the two. It's a gorgeous traditional farmhouse that has been refurbished beautifully and makes for a perfect dinner spot. We found out that it's actually owned and run by a lovely family from the U.K. who recently made the brave decision to uproot their lives and try something different. I can honestly say the two hours we spent there were nothing short of magical. Seated in the lovely court yard area surrounded by stunning plants and lanterns - I  felt like I was on a film set. The nachos and chicken enchilada's were to die for, so i'd definitely recommend those if you ever pay this place a visit. 

4. Puerto Pollensa Beach

Now, I won't lie, it seems whenever we go on our family holiday we spend 80% of our time in the villa by the pool. But there will be the odd days that we manage to drag ourselves out to the beach - and we always have a lovely time. The beach in Puerto Pollença has become our go to as it's the closest to where we stay and has everything you could possibly need. There's a ton of small shops and restaurants a long the beach front for whenever you get hungry/thirsty. We normally head down relatively early in the morning and don't leave until like 7/8pm at night. You'd think it would get boring but surprisingly it really doesn't seem to phase us. I always find too that I tan way better on days that I spend at the beach over days at the villa. It's definitely something to do with having the constant breeze hitting you from the sea - it's like being fanned constantly!

5. Cappuccino 

This place has been a favourite of mine for soooooo many years now. Until this year we only ever went to the Cappuccino restaurant in Puerto Pollença but we managed to give the one in Palma a go and they're both as amazing as each other. The vibe is always unbelievably chilled, they always have Café del Mar playing and the food/drink is divine. My favourite cocktails have to be the frozen strawberry daiquiri and the Aperol Spritz! In terms of food, I'm obsessed with their California sushi rolls - they're so filling so don't ever be fooled into thinking you could stomach a side too because I tried twice and failed miserably.

6. Tudor Dawn Sunset Boat Trip 

There genuinely isn't a word good enough to describe how amazing this boat trip was. My dad actually booked it last year as a surprise for my mam's birthday but sadly the weather ended up being pretty grim so we decided to give it a miss. Luckily this year though, the weather was perfect and I can honestly say the experience was nothing short of a dream. We sailed out of the port for a good 40 minutes which was so much fun before anchoring right beside La Fortaleza which is this gigantic luxurious estate. We knew before arriving that parts of ITV series The Night Manager were actually filmed there which made looking at it even more intriguing. The boat owners, Simon and Susie made for amazing hosts, providing us with paddle boards and snorkel kits for when we were out in the water, followed by some amazing tapas food. Sailing back into the port made for a perfect ending too because we were directly facing the sunset. I honestly could not recommend doing this enough if you're in or around Puerto Pollença, it was definitely a highlight for my entire family.

7. Barbara Backenköhler 

Some of you might agree with me, some of you might not, but whenever I'm up and about early whilst on holiday, breakfast always seem to be a bit of a let down. In most restaurants in Pollença the only thing on offer in the early hours is an array of pastries (not that pastries are a bad thing, but they do get kinda boring after a while). I think it was last year that I stumbled across this adorable little cafe, I only stopped to look into the window because they have a really lovely blue bike that sits outside whenever they're open. It's really small inside with a little patio at the back which is lovely to sit in on days when its not too hot. And guess what they do? AMAZING BREAKFASTS. We're talking pancakes, granola, smoothie bowls, avocado toast and everything in-between. What more could you want!? The staff are also really lovely, I got such a shock when we walked in this year to be greeted by a lady with a strong Scottish accent! They also bake the most amazing cakes - they really do look too good to eat.

I hope you enjoyed this post!

Love, Lana Skye x 

Photo Credit: Lana Skye Caven. 

CaseApp Giveaway

Welcome back!

If you've been a reader of my blog for a while now, you'll know that I've built up a really lovely relationship with the wonderful brand that is CaseApp. If you didn't know already, CaseApp produce a wide range of high quality phone cases and laptop skins. They have very kindly (yet again) gifted me custom versions of each!

I created both designs myself using Adobe InDesign before uploading them to the CaseApp website (which is so easy to navigate, by the way!) If however you're in need of a quick fix, they also offer you the option of selecting one of their pre-made designs! 

I'm so happy with how mine have turned out.

I decided to go for the combination of pastel pink and red which is very on trend at the moment! That paired with some unique, statement girl boss phrases = perfection.  

You know the drill guys, if you're in need of a refresh and want your phone and laptop looking as good as mine then head to caseapp.co.uk. If you see or create something that is to your liking then use my code 'LANA20' for 20% of your order! 

P.S. If you're a fan of the exact designs I have created above I will be more than happy to send them over to you in a high quality format for a super small fee! Trust me, they look even better in real life. I have also launched a giveaway so head over to my Instagram account (@lanaskyecaven) and see my latest post for your chance to win a FREE CaseApp product!

Love, Lana Skye x 

Photo Credit: Lana Skye Caven. 

5 Places I'm Desperate To Visit

Welcome back!

Summer has officially begun, not that the weather is doing it any justice. This year I'm spending three whole weeks in Mallorca with my beautiful family. We've just started our second week and were having the most amazing time ever! It has become a sort of tradition for us to come here in recent years, mainly due to it being just a short flight away and we've really fallen in love with the place. 

Like any other person, my list of locations that I'd like to travel to both in and outside of Europe just keeps on growing by the minute, mostly fuelled by the amazing photography I see on Instagram. I thought I would share with you all my Top 5 (you have no idea how long it has taken me to filter this list down).

Here goes...

1. Oahu, Hawaii

My obsession with Hawaii sparked mainly through me following Amber Fillerup Clark on Instagram. Until very recently, her and her amazing little family moved from New York City to Oahu (talk about change!) I'm not exaggerating when I say that every single picture she uploaded during her time there looked as though it belonged in a look book or high end catalogue. The way of life over there comes across as so chilled out and peaceful - afternoons and weekends always being spent at the beach. I also adore the fact that everyone seems to walk around bare foot! The thought of having salty skin and messy waved hair 24/7 sounds like heaven to me. If you haven't checked out Amber on Instagram before then please do, her  username is @amberfillerup. I'll include a few of my favourite pictures of hers below just to entice you even more! Oh and also, if you haven't seen the Disney movie Moana then you really should, if anything that secured my Hawaii obsession. 

2. Australia 

Yes this might be a tad generic and I probably couldn't be much further away but whenever I think about Australia I feel all warm and fuzzy. My dad spent a lot of his childhood living over there and I always love it when he tells me about the funny memories he has. I'm so fascinated by the fact that everything appears so different. It's all literally flipped upside down due to the weather timings being the exact opposite. I'm particularly interested to find out more about how this factor effects the fashion industry in that part of the world - I bet its major! A couple of Australia based influencers that I follow are Shani Grimmond and Tammy Hembrow, so definitely check them out if you haven't already! I'll leave some of their pictures below.

3. Tokyo

After living in New York, I've fallen in love with places that are always busy, constant opportunities forever being available to grasp. Tokyo is definitely one of those places! I'm so excited to be able to say that I will actually be going to Japan's busy capital city next year. Its always been one of those places that I've been aware of but until fairly recently I was never that motivated to go. But after reading up on it, I've become exposed to just how ultra-modern things are over there. They seem so overly advanced it's actually slightly scary! Even though it's a while away I have already started thinking about things I'd like to do whilst there. When do you ever hear anyone say "I'm going to Tokyo for a couple of weeks"? Its not exactly a standard destination to travel to so I really want to make sure I do as much as possible. Growing up I watched a lot of Studio Ghibli movies (if you have no idea what that is, give 'Spirited Away' a watch - one of my all time favourites!) and I recently discovered that theres a museum dedicated to them all so thats definitely on the agenda. I also discovered through Pinterest that there are loads of random super long slides located in parks in and around Tokyo which is so strange but I'm going to make it my mission to find one! I know I have already raved about Amber Fillerup, but I'll mention her again because she recently went on a trip with her family to Tokyo so I'll include some of her pictures below!

4. Finland 

I think it was about a year ago that I saw a video on Facebook of glass igloo's that act as hotel rooms, so when people lie in their beds at night they're fully immersed in a snowy forest. What really sold it for me though was the fact that if you're lucky, you'll be able to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights! I'd probably end up staying up the entire night too excited! I haven't visited a country during a proper snowy season in so long. The last time will have been back when I was in high school on a ski trip in Italy so a trip like this is long overdue. I love the thought of getting all wrapped up every day - sometimes the heat does get a little boring, not that we see much of it here in the U.K. 

5. California

I mean, who in their right mind doesn't want to go to California, even if it is just once? Of course, I would want to make the most of the incredible shopping that they have over there (a picture in front of the pink Paul Smith wall is a must!) That being said, I feel so much more excited by other areas like Napa Valley. The scenery looks incredible and the weather is meant to be gorgeous most of the time. It's a region known for its wine too, which instantly makes me even more desperate to go! I won't lie, the Lindsay Lohan version of Parent Trap had a huge influence on my longing to visit this particular destination. (It's where Hallie and her dad Nick Parker live if you need your memory refreshing). 

I hope you enjoyed this post!

Love, Lana Skye x

Photo Credit: Amber Fillerup, Shani Grimmond, Tammy Hembrow, Kakslauttanen.fi, Paul Smith Website.

Ladies, Please Check Your Boobs!

Welcome back!

I know that a lot of you guys love my more personal posts, so I thought I would share something I had experienced recently that has not only had a massive impact on the last seven and a half months of my life, but has also changed my outlook on life massively. As most of you reading this will know, last year I spent the months August-December studying in the greatest city on earth, New York. I will forever cherish every moment that I spent there. There was one day in particular during my trip when my daily routine resulted in a pretty scary realisation. I was taking a shower and came across a prominent lump in my right boob. 

My mind went into complete overdrive. 

All I could think about was the fact that I was so far away from home and it was still quite a few weeks before I would leave the city. It was almost my time of the month when I noticed the lump and after a quick Google (I know, not the best health resource) I discovered that lumps sometimes appear around that time. I noticed however that it didn't disappear or even reduce in size meaning something was definitely up. I'm embarrassed to say that I kept it to myself for a little while as I didn't want to scare other people and part of me also thought if I didn't talk about it I could pretend it wasn't there. This of course now seems silly as finding a lump doesn't automatically mean a person has cancer, but I was convinced that this was the case (stupid I know). What I find worrying is that before that one day, I never made a point of checking myself and I know I wont be alone when saying that. 

I began to realise that the longer I dwelled on it the more worked up I was getting and I think it started to show in how I was acting. I eventually confided in one of the girls that I have become really close friends with from the trip. I'm so unbelievably glad I did as she was the person who kick started the process of me actually dealing with the situation rather than just thinking about it. Thank you so much Lucy you little star! There were tears and obviously nerves as neither of us could say I was 100% fine until I got checked. The next task was calling my mam and telling her which I found so difficult, not because I can't tell her things (I literally tell her everything and I'm so thankful for how close we are). It was more that I didn't want to upset and scare her which I know now was silly. I just didn't want her to feel helpless seeing as I was over 3000 miles away. 

I could definitely breath easier after that phone call. My mam was strong for me even though I know inside she was freaking out but it was just what I needed. Due to me still having weeks left in New York, both of my parents thought it would be wise for me to try and get things checked out while I was over there just to see if I could find out anything more/put my mind at rest a little bit. At first I completely dismissed this idea as I hated the thought of having to go through something so personal on my own. I was also thinking about how much it might cost to see a doctor which on reflection is so terrifying. Up until that point I had never properly thought about how amazing and precious the NHS is. Luckily I had paid for health insurance meaning I had certain levels of access to the health services on campus at The Fashion Institute of Technology. I must have psyched myself up to go for a consultation six times before actually going through with it. There were even occasions when I sat filling a form out in the reception and I'd get myself so worked up that I'd leave in a panic. 

I eventually did it and I'll be honest by saying the experience was very uncomfortable. Maybe the doctor who saw me was just having a bad day but it really felt like she just wanted to get all of her appointments out of the way as soon as possible. To make things even worse when she examined me with her ice cold hands she ended up discovering two other lumps, one below the one I found in my right boob and one in my left boob too. 

So that was fun! 

I'll admit I did panic after that as she was firing so much information at me, telling me I needed to go to this clinic on this date and blah blah blah blah. I was handed so many pieces of paper but everything I was told just went right over my head. After speaking to my parents on the phone we decided it would be best for me to deal with it all properly when I was home and comfortable. I put it to the back of my mind as best as I could for the remaining time I had left in New York and I'm so glad I did!

I travelled back to the U.K. two days before Christmas which was super hectic, but thankfully managed to get a hospital appointment in a breast screening clinic the day before Christmas Eve which I am so unbelievably grateful for. I immediately noticed such a huge difference in terms of how well I was treated and looked after by all of the staff I encountered. Being examined so personally isn't fun for anyone but they all made it as easy as it could have been. After being looked at by a nurse, my doctor decided it would be best for me to have a biopsy as he couldn't be sure if my lumps were cancerous or not without one. I stopped listening when I was told it would involve various needles as they're something that really freak me out! While a second doctor worked on getting my biopsy done as quickly as possible, I spent my time staring at the nurse in the room who held my hand and kept me talking so I was distracted the entire time - she was amazing!

Samples were taken from the lumps which were then sent away to be tested. I was so pleased to hear my doctor say they were...

100% non cancerous

I have never felt such an overwhelming sense of relief in my entire life. I made the decision that I wanted to have the lumps removed following advice from my doctor. Due to me studying in Nottingham I had to postpone everything as I needed to focus on my work. I think I did a pretty good job at keeping it at the back of my mind but as soon as I handed my work in, it all really reared its head and I just wanted to get it out of the way. For me build ups are always worse than aftermaths as I'm so bad for overthinking situations and getting myself worked up. 

I'd say I didn't start getting properly nervous until the night before my operation. I knew I was in good hands and that everything was highly likely to turn out just fine but I found it really hard to accept and get my head around. It's safe to say that I wouldn't have been as brave or as strong as I was without my mam by my side. She is my absolute rock. I was told at my pre-assessment that my mam would only be able to sit with me in the reception area but after that I would be on my own. Thanks to her charm and sheer determination she ended up staying with me right up until I was put to sleep just before the operation took place. Without her I know I would've been a complete nervous wreck in the hours leading up to it, but she held my hand and talked complete rubbish (which was just what I needed) resulting in me remaining as calm as I could. Right up until I saw the needle that would be put into my hand that is, which tipped me over the edge caused me to cry like a baby (slightly embarrassing infront of three anaesthetists but oh well!)

Fast forward to now and I'm on the mend and feeling so much better. My wounds are healing nicely and the pain is bearable. Before my operation I thought I only had three lumps, but post operation my doctor told me he actually removed six lumps which is so crazy to me! I sat and worked it out and realised that throughout this whole experience right up from when I first got seen to now I have been in contact with at least 20 NHS staff members. Each and every one of them treated me incredibly and made me feel so comfortable in the circumstances. I honestly cannot fault the service I have received. 

So, moral of the story (get to the point Lana). Please please PLEASE take the time to check yourselves. It literally takes less than five minutes and can be done in the shower/in front of a mirror. Make it part of your weekly routine.  Don't be naive and wait until you stumble across something like I did. I was 18 years old and thought that breast issues were something that would only become relevant/something to be aware of five to ten years down the line. Oh boy was I wrong! 

I won't sugar coat it, it's a horrible thing to go through, but it's so so important that you look out for yourself and do what is necessary to remain healthy. There is such a massive taboo surrounding boobs in general and I'm so mad at myself for ever feeling embarrassed about the issues I have had with mine. Don't be afraid to speak up if you think something doesn't feel or look right. I'm more than happy to talk to anyone reading this that is nervous or worried, so please feel free to message me if so!

I thank my lucky stars everyday that my lumps weren't life threatening but not everyone receives such positive news. If you want more information on what signs you need to look out for then click here. 

I really hope you enjoyed reading this post, it took a lot for me to write it but I'm so glad I did. 

Love, Lana Skye x