How I Motivate Myself

This year has not been my best year for staying motivated which stopped me from posting reguarly on here and on social media. This all left me feeling rather down in the dumps and a little like a failure, something I've found hard to shake off. But as we start the last quater of the year; the four months of the year that sets my soul alight, I find myself coming out the slump I seem to have been in for the last few months. So today I wanted to share with you a few things I've been doing to motivate myself and to keep myself motivated.

Stop Trying To Be Like Everyone Else 
I started blogging because I was feeling unfufilled in my job in the beauty industry and wanted to share my passion with others. And that was all well and good until I started panicking each month on what I was going to write about and if I could afford to buy all the new releases to review. I tried too hard to be liked by everyone and to fit into a hierarchy of bloggers that didn't actually exsist but that I believed did as they always had the most likes on Instagram and Twitter. And it stayed like that until the beginning of this year when I decided to start posting more about more than just beauty, other passions of mine like baking, lifestyle and surprisngly fashion. And it was the best thing I did. For me, blogging and posting on social media has become a lot easier since I stopped trying to please everyone and stopped trying to be like everyone else. Not all my pictures are stunning, not all my captions are witty and not all my posts people are going to like but my blog, instagram and twitter are mine and I've learnt it's more about what I want to post than what's going to garner me the most attention. And all of this combined has really made thinking of, planning and writing blog posts so much easier which in turn means I'm producing better content. 

Plan Ahead
Now this may sound more stressful and less than the best way to motivate yourself but for me it's been a real help, especially when combined with my previous point. Incorporating my other passions into my blog ideas has really helped me take the blog in a different direction, one that I'll continue to go down in 2019 with the possibilites of new ideas along the way. It also helps that I've cut out the worry of having to have the newest releases to review as well as cutting out the bullshit of wanting to please everyone which combined has made planning out posts a piece of cake. Autumn/Winter is when I really find myself inspired to create the best content possible and by the middle of July, I had a good idea of where I wanted to take the blog come September 1st. And as I write this, I already have the next few months planned out apart from a few spaces, including a few ideas for January jotted down so I don't forget them. Now before when I worried about pleasing everyone and having the latest releases to feature, I would be extremely stressed about having that much planned out but now that I've stopped worrying so much about what people like and posting what I'd be happy reading, the schedule makes me happy and I'm really looking forward to sharing every post with you from here on out.

Not Forcing Myself To Work 
As I write this, I'm doing the exact opposite of what I'm advicing. I've spent many a day and evening sat in front of my laptop, watching the cursor blink repeateadly against a blank screen. And the longer I stared at it the harder I found it to find the right words to start a post. Then came the frustration, the loss of motivation to write the post and then went my schedule and I was back to square one of feeling let down. Recently however I've really changed how I go about writing a post and when I settle down and focus on that particular post. Now I spend an hour to an hour a half a day working on posts, inbetween watching YouTube and catching up on shows I want to watch apart from Wednesdays when I dedicate my whole evening to working on posts and planning out ideas that I have. I find that this way of working on posts makes me more productive as I'm not forcing out a post ten minutes before midnight the night before it's posted and I create better content that doesn't just seem like verbal diarreha or ramblings of a mad woman. Working in this way also means that if I'm feeling it a particular day, I don't feel so bad about not doing it and when I do come back to the post at hand, I write better and in a more coherent manner.

Music, lots of it 
It's all well and good planning ahead, creating a space to work and setting aside a set amount of time each day to work but without music, I'm absolutely useless. There are not many thing I can do without music to motivate me or to accompany the job. And writing posts, baking or even making an effort getting ready are things that require copious amounts of music to get it done. And there are only two artists that put me in that headspace to work, focus and not get distracted by Instagram or Pinterest. For me as long as I've got either Johnny Strong or Carrie Underwood playing, I can easily write a good two or three posts in a row without getting sidetrack by social media. Music doesn't always work a motivator for everyone but if it works for you, I highly recommend using it to get shit done. It makes the task at hand seem less like work and you get to enjoy the work of your favourite artists at the same time.

Taking A Break Every Now And Again 
This last piece of advise is crucial and something I apply to all aspects of life, not just blogging. Breaks are a great way of refreshing both your mind and body. It's all well and good sitting in front of a screen staring at a blank screen or half written post but it's going to stay that way if you continue to force yourself to work on it. Taking a ten minute break from it will refresh any ideas you had, will refresh your mind and allow you to relax instead of getting wound up over the pressure of getting it finished. Going away, doing something different, then coming back to something is always the best way to move past anything that's stopping it's progress. For me if the words aren't coming, I switch over to YouTube and catch up on my watch later list for a while to just switch my brain off from what I'm working on and enjoying something others have put work into. Plus as I predominantly watch beauty videos on YouTube, I find it works as a gentle reminder as to why I'm staring at an open blog post in the first place. Breaks are also great for grabbing a snack or two and I for one am a big supporter of having a snack nearby when working on a post. 

Recipe: Pumpkin Spice Cookies

                                           

Tis the season for Pumpkin spice and everything nice. Yes I am that girl who enjoys nothing more than a pumpkin spice latte or six throughout it's limited run at Starbucks. And last year it got me thinking about how I could incorporate it into a cake or cookie of some sort. However the lovely Jane from Jane's Patisserie had already created the perfect pumpkin spice cupcake and I didn't think there would be any way to top it. But againt this year as I started to plan out my Autumn recipes, my thoughts turned back to how to incorporate my favourite autumnal drink into a baked good. 

And that's when today's recipe was born. These were literally an experiment, I didn't expect them to work or taste good but to my surprise they turned out brilliantly and have become a firm favourite within my family. In fact as you read this, I'm making another batch for my step-dad's mum as she adores them as well. 

Recipe 

150g Salted Butter, softened

80g Light Brown Muscavado Sugar

80g Granulated Sugar 

2Tsp Vanilla Extract 

1 Egg 

225g Plain Flour 

1/2 Tsp Bicarbonate Of Soda

1/4 Tsp Salt 

1Tsp Pumpkin Spice Mix 

Method 

1- Pre heat your oven to 180C. Line several baking trays with greaseproof paper/baking parchment. 

2- In a mixing bowl place the softened salted butter, granulated and muscavado sugar and beat until smooth and creamy. This may take a while as you don't want any lumps of sugar left in your mixture. 

3- Add the vanilla extract and the egg and beat again. This is where I take the opportunity to scrape around the sides of the bowl so that everything gets fully incorporated into the mixture. 

4- Sieve the salt, bicarbonate of soda and flour into the mixture. I advise either using a pre sieved flour to save time or if your using a stand mixture, taking the bowl off the base and sieving it that way. It's a lot less messy, something you'll be grateful for later. 

5- Beat until everything is combined and you have the makings of cookie dough in your bowl. It may take a few minutes to start looking like something but the patience is worth it. 

6- Add your pumpkin spice mix and beat again until combined. I usually start adding it to the mixture with my stand mixer then taking it off the base and giving it a final mix with a silicone spatula so that everything is combined and nothing is left sitting up the sides of the bowl. 

7- Now it comes to making your cookies. You can easily use your hands to roll little balls of dough together but it can be messy and more likely to make a smaller batch of cookies. I like to use a batter scoop to make my cookies, they just come out more even and you'll be able to create a larger batch of cookies as each ball of dough will be the same size. 

8- Bake in the oven for 10-15 mins or until the edges of the cookies are firm to the touch. Don't worry if the centres are still a little wobbly, they'll soon firm up once they're out of the oven. 

9- Leave to cool on the tray for a few minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Allowing them to firm up on the tray means that each cookie is less likely to break when you transfer them to the cooling rack. 

10- Then all that's left to do is enjoy them. I quite like a couple of these with a cuppa whilst I catch up on my social media.

 

Five Things I’m Looking Forward To In Autumn/Winter

It’s September and for me that means one thing. Autumn and the season that sets my soul alight is quickly approaching. I’m not going to lie there are going to be quite a few Autumn related posts this month but there’s just something about the colder months that just bring out the productive side of me. However back to today’s agenda, today I’ll be sharing with you five things I’m looking forward to in the upcoming months. And I’ve challenged myself to not include Christmas or Halloween in those five things but they are two of my biggest favourites for the Autumn/Winter months, 

1- My Birthday 

Not every year do I look forward to turning a year older but this year I’m actually looking forward to turning 26 (that’s scary). I’ve got two days with my favourite people doing things that may not seem huge or exciting to some but to me is exactly the kind of way I like to celebrate my birthday as I’ve gotten older. One day I’ll be spending with Jasmin and the other I’ll be spending with my mum. Mine and Jasmin’s plans aren't finalised yet but me and mum have a day of shopping, lunch and a cinema trip planned, my favourite relaxing way to spend a day. 

2- Whitney Houston Show 

The next thing I’m looking forward to and actually have a countdown for is happening a week after my birthday. Growing up my mum listened to a lot of Whitney Houston, something that rubbed off on me and now I love a good sing along to her myself. So when we saw that there was a show coming to our local theatre remembering her and her music, including a world famous tribute artist, we just had to book tickets. I literally can not wait for this show, I’ve already started planning out an outfit in my head and what make up/lip colour I’ll be wearing. I do somewhat feel sorry for the person sitting next to me though as I intend on singing a lot, whether I’m in key or not. 

3- Pumpkin Spice Lattes 

‘‘Tis the season of Pumpkin Spice. Yes I am that basic bitch who loves a Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte in the Autumn but I’m not sorry and if you’ve ever tasted one, you’ll completely understand why. I never completely understood the hype until a couple of years ago but I now I do and I’m constantly checking to see when they’ll be gracing my local Starbucks. As I write this the US, Mexico and Canada can already get their hands on a PSL but we here in the UK seem to still have a wait on our hands. 

4- Autumnal Dressing

Sweater/Jumper season is rapidly approaching and I for one could not be happier. Dressing during Autumn/Winter is so much easier than dressing throughout the warmer months. Raining? Jumper! Windy? Jumper! Snowing? Jumper! There is not a single weather that a jumper can’t work with from September to February. The same can be said for a good pair of boots, unless they’re suede then I don’t advise wearing them in the rain or the snow. A flashy jumper or a statement boot can easily dress up a pair of simple jeans for a night out or make you stand out during the cold grey days (my favourite kind). And the best bit! For women who are self conscious of their bodies (like me), they don’t have to spend the next six months staring at minuscule crop tops or t-shirts that weren’t cut properly for women who have both boobs and a bit of a tummy. Jumpers make it socially acceptable to look like the Michelin man and that’s one fashion trend I can truly jump on board. I may have already brought several and plan on buying more due to Primark's amazing range of knitwear that's slowly starting to filter it's way into stores.

5- Seasonal Decorating

Now this last one is slightly cheating but it's something I do thoroughly enjoy about Autumn/Winter. Decorating the house for Halloween and Christmas are some of my favourite times during the colder months. To me there's nothing more relaxing than throwing on some pjs, making a hot chocolate and popping in a seasonal film to play in the background as I decorate my room and house to the point of taking it too far. I've already planned out how I want the house to look for Halloween and have brought several items to get it on it's way. And for Christmas I've already brought a new light that I think is going to look amazing when it's paired with everything else I have and all the new bits I do plan on buying because yes I have no self control when it comes to buying decorations for two of my favourite holidays.

What I Read: August

August is coming to an end and alongside that it's time to share what books I've finished or in this case not finished. This month has been a busy month work wise so reading sort of was the last thing I was thinking of but also the two books I did start, I found extremely difficult to really get into. One I've managed to read more of than the other but I'm thinking I could have chosen other books that would have really hooked me in and given me more to work with for this post.

Th1rt3en- Steve Cavanagh
The first book I started this month was one that caught my attention immediately in the shop but in fact is extremely difficult to get into. Or so I found. I don't think I could even describe the plot to you as it switches between perspectives every chapter with no connection between each chapter. I don't know if perservering with it would make it make more sense but I spent a good part of the month trying to get into this and it just wasn't happening. Maybe one to put back into my TBR pile and come back to at a later date. It's such a shame though as the bylines under the title really gripped and made me finish my previous book quicker so I could start this one.

Red Queen- Victoria Aveyard 
The second book I started this month I've managed to get through a little more but am still finding this hard to devour like I would other books. This is set in a dsytopian future with the population seperated into the Reds and Silvers with Silvers harnassing great powers that make them the elite of the population. It centres around a Red girl who whilst in service of the Silver King, discovers she may not be as much of a Red as she thinks. And that's kind of where I've gotten to in the book. There's a lot of different elements to this novel and whilst I'm enjoying it, I'm finding it hard to keep up with everything, something I think has be exacerbated by the long breaks I've taken between reading snippets of this. I think for now I'll again put this back in my TBR pile and go back and start it from the beginning when everything is less hectic and I can really focus on it. I also have the two sequels that follow onto this and really want to read them but I think this is a novel I have to really concentrate on and this month I've had the attention span of a goldfish. 

Monthly Favourites: August

It's the end of the month and frankly, I'm quite happy to say goodbye to August. September is shaping up to be a good month for me and I have tons of new content that I can't wait to share with you all. It also means Autumn is one step closer and my Autumn/Winter baby heart is going into overdrive. This month has been a weird month for favourites, I've spent most of it make up free because of the weather and haven't really deviated from usual skin products. I have however added a couple of new additions into my routine but the majority of my favourites have been more lifestyle related this month.

I'm going to start with the beauty bits as they're what I have less off. The first favourite is a bit of a problematic favourite. I absolutely adore it but it doesn't always seem to agree with me. It's the newly released Nip And Fab Glycolic Fix Extreme 6% Scrub. This makes my skin feel so so soft, it's unbelivable. It doesn't dry my skin out or leave it feeling tight and any texture I have is pretty much non exsistent. However everytime I've used it, the day after I wake up to find a new friend on my face. Which is where my dilemma lies. I love how it makes my skin but I don't want to have to fight a blemish or two every time I use it. I thought my skin would get used to it like it did with their 6% liquid toner but I don't think it's going to get better with time and I don't really feel like putting my skin through that repeatedly when I could easily just use another scrub that agrees with my skin.

My next two beauty favourites both centre around the eye. The first is the Garnier Moisture Bomb Under Eye Masks. These are fantastic under eye patches/masks that have changed how my under eye area look completely, well these and my next favourite. Both eye masks leave my under eye area looking hydrated, puff free, with a great reduction in the appearence in my dark circles which as a combination makes my whole eye area look more awake and alert. I've gone through numerous packets of these already and have a good two or three packs as back ups. I haven't repurchased my holy grail Rodial under eye patches since I started using these and that's saying something as normally I'd need at least one pack of those in my possession at all times.

My last beauty favourite is again focused on my under eye area but is definitely less budget friendly than the Garnier. I recently recieved a sample of the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Cream to try and I instantly fell in love. From the first use, my under eye area looked smoother, hydrated and my dark circles look/ed reduced but not completely eradicated. I had a feeling I'd like this as I love the Advanced Night Repair Complex from them and I wasn't wrong. It's extremely thick for an eye cream but I find that it doesn't leave my under eye area feeling greasy and actually sinks into skin quite quickly but obviously works a lot longer than you'd think. I'll happily buy a full size when this runs out.

Now for the non beauty favourites I don't even know where to start. Actually as I type this and look at my notes for this post, I have a good idea of where to start. BAKE OFF IS BACK! Now I know it hasn't actually started tonight (Channel 4 8pm, if you've forgotten) but I don't even need to watch it for it to be a favourite this month. Bake Off is one of my absolute favourite programs of all time and I always find myself waiting impatiently for it every year. It is the only show that will get me to put my iPad down for an hour and fifteen, I won't even reply to Jasmin's texts until afterwards, and that's saying something as she's one of the only people I reply to quickly. Ir's what inspires me to continue baking and one day I'd like to maybe even apply even though a lot of my friends and family think I should apply for next year. So for the next twelve weeks I'll be curled up in my pjs at 8pm with a snack and a hot drink, enjoying Bake Off to it's fullest.

My next favourite is somewhere I went at the beginning of the month and loved every second of the day, even if I didn't manage to stay awake past half nine that night. At the beginning of the month me and my mumma had a week off together and one of the days we went to the zoo. Marwell Zoo to be more precise. And it was beautiful. I went last year with my friend Lauren and her little girls but I'd completely forgotten how beautiful it was until I got there. The big cats were my favourites (crazy cat lady in the making) but every animal we saw was beautiful to see in the flesh rather than on a TV screen. I took over three hundred pictures that day and still to this day can not whittle it down to a favourite. I post ten of the best over on my instagram so I'd suggest going over and checking them out.

I have a new favourite YouTuber and her name is Brogan Tate. She is an amazing lifestyle, beauty, Disney vlogger who I discovered when I stumbled across her Florida Disney vlogs and I've been hooked ever since. Not only is she a lover of Disney but she's extremely down to earth and shows exactly what day to day life even if it's not the greatest. There's something extremely calming about her videos and I love watching them after a long day at work. She creates amazing content and I find myself prioritising her videos over anyone else's new uploads and I'm excited for her next batch of Florida Vlogs. If you haven't watched any of her videos, I highly recommend you do. I can guarantee you'll be hooked just like me.

A song I've been hooked on this month is God Is A Woman from Ariana Grande. I wasn't too sure about it when I first heard it but then I watched her perform it live and I found myself listening to it over and over again. After Carrie Underwood, it's one of my most played songs this month. I love everything about it. Her vocals kill it, the beat is amazing and I love the message she's putting through the lyrics. I'm not a big fan of what I've heard of Sweetner so far but I think if I listen to it again, I could be hooked on the rest of the album as I am on this song.

My last favourite this month will not be to everyone's taste but I absolutely adore it and that's all that matters. I'm a huge fan of the Disney film The Nightmare Before Christmas. I've loved it from a young age, with one of my earliest memories is of me sat in front of the TV watching this on repeat, literally rewinding the video (I'm a child of the nineties) back to the beginning as soon as the credits started rolling. I apparently did it that much, my mum had to hide the video. But even twenty odd years later I'm still a huge fan of it so when I saw what Disney had released to comemorate the twenthy-five year anniversary of it's release, I just had to have it. This beautiful purse with Lock, Shock and Barrel on the front was one of the easiest purchases I've ever made. I absolutely adore it, it's the type of purse I like, it has plenty of room inside for cards, cash and coins and is just the softest material I've ever felt. It was definitely the best twenty quid I ever spent. 

GRWM: Minimal Make Up

 

The Summer months always mean lighter bases and barely there make up. This year has been no exception, especially considering some of the temperatures the UK has had during the last couple of months. For the most part I've been going bare faced but the times I have dared to put make up on, it's been extremely minimal and doused liberally in a setting spray or two.

Primer
For primer I have several that I use to really create the perfect base for make up. Yes I know it's rather excessive but it works and that's all that matters. Two of them will be no surprise if you've read any of my previous GRWM's, the first being the Barry M Hydro Fix Primer Water. It really hydrates skin and leaves it feeling plump and ready for any base product you apply over top. The second is the Maybelline SuperStay Primer which again is an old favourite. Normally I'd apply them and go in with foundation but lately I've been adding in the Maybelline Master Primer Anti Redness Primer to help tone down some of the redness in my cheeks. The two of them combined creates a flawless looking base that reduces any redness in my skin and leaves skin feeling perfectly tacky so it'll grab and hold onto any base product you apply over top.

Foundation
Now during the warmer months I like to keep bases light so I don't have to worry about touching it up during the day. Normally my choice of base is the Rosie For Autograph Sheer Finish Complexion Enhancer but today I wanted something light but with a little more coverage to cover the fading dark marks from a couple of blemishes I've had. So I went with the Gosh Foundation Drops instead. It's a water based foundation so it feels extremely light on the skin with an easy to build coverage. I used three drops for a light coverage that allowed my skin to look perfected but still like skin. A damp beauty blender is my go to for blending this in as it gives its a beautiful finish that looks and feels like skin.

Concealer
For concealer I kept it mostly under my eyes to hide the fact I spent most of the early hours scrolling Twitter in an insomniac haze. For that I went in with my trusty Make Up Revolution Conceal And Define Concealer. It may seem a little heavy for a minimal make up look but I only but apply the most miniscule amount under the eye. One dot is enough to cover my dark circles and again, I blended it out with my damp beauty blender. Then I just applied a little over my forehead and down my nose as they are areas my foundation just seems to disappear from. Again a little goes a long way and when blended/pressed in, it gives a more skin like look that lasts longer than blending with a brush would.

Powder
I've tried to stay away from powder as the weather's gotten hotter. It just seems to sit in an unflattering way on my skin and shows up, even after I've set everything with setting spray. However I find I still need a little under the eye to stop my concealer creasing. The only powder that doesn't dry my under eye area out is the MUA Ultra Fine Loose Setting Powder. It's white in colour which doesn't translate on the skin and is invisible, leaving it looking like skin, instead of powdery and dry in places. I use my damp beauty blender to press this over top of my concealer as I find it lasts longer on the skin and my concealer doesn't crease or fade throughout the day.

Eyes
Moving onto eyes, I wanted my lashes to stand out in a not overly dramatic way but in a way that made my eyes look bigger and awake to coincide with the fresh, healthy skin look I started with the base. So to start with I curled my lashes before going in with a coat of the Maybelline Lash Sensational Primer. I usually use Benefit's They're Real Tinted Primer but I couldn't find it in my stash so Maybelline had to do. This white primer base coat really helps keep any volume that the lash curlers have created and nourishes lashes as you wear it. Over the top of that I applied the Maxfactor Clumpy Defy Mascara. It's similar to the Lash Sensational mascara from Maybelline but it's brush is ever so slightly thinner. It really catches each lash and creates a volumised, defined look that makes me look more awake even when I'm not.

Setting Spray
I didn't bother with lipstick because I wanted to keep the look minimal and lipstick would make it more put together than the casual vibe I was going with. And we were also eating out so I didn't want the bother of having to reapply lipstick and make sure it was perfect when I could just pop a bit of lip balm on and be done with it. So to finish this look, all the was left to apply was setting spray. For this I went with the Make Up Revolution Rose and Guava Make Up Fixing Mist. It smells divine, feels really lightweight on the skin and locks make up in place all day long, even in the humid weather we're still experiencing.  

Review: T-Zone Charcoal Under Eye Patches

I love a good under eye patch and if you've been reading for a while then you'll know that. I also like to try every new offering the beauty world releases. So far this month I've tried the new Garnier Moisture Bomb Under Eye Patches and loved them as well as these new charcoal and bamboo patches from T-Zone, which is today's subject matter.

These intrigued me from the get go. One they contained charcoal, two they were black in colour and three they were made of  hydrogel instead of material, something unusual for more inexpensive under eye patches. Containing activated charcoal, this masks are designed to hydrate, cool and brighten tired or puffy eyes. And I have to admit they do actually do a really good job of cooling and removing signs of puffiness but I wouldn't go as far as to say these hydrated and brigthened my under eye area. A lot of this comes from the fact that they're that saturated in product they slip down your face as you wear them and readjusting them is required every few minutes. In fact I found I had to apply eye cream as soon as I'd removed them to hydrate the area whilst staring slightly horrified at how pronounced my dark circles were, something I'm not sure I can put down to using these patches and something I've never noticed after using various other eye masks.

An upside to this product is that you get four in the pack for around a fiver which is how much I sometimes pay for one pack of higher end patches. Each pair comes individually packaged in a foil pack; I assume to keep the hydrogel as fresh and saturated as possible, as nobody like a dried out eye patch. However getting into said individual pack is a pain and I find I have to cut around and as close to each patch as possible to get them out with tearing a chunk out of them. Overall I think the basis for this product is good and that T-Zone did an okay job for their first attempt but these aren't an eye patch that I'd rush out and buy again. Maybe if T-Zone took them back to the drawing board and modified them every so slightly so they were easier to get into and didn't slide down your face as soon as apply them, then they have the potential to be a great product, especially one available on the hight street at a reasonable price. For now though, I think I'm going to stick to others I like more.