Recent Favourites.

Monday 30 July 2018


Usually, I post my monthly favourites on my Youtube Channel, however, I've decided I want to dedicate a little more time to this blog, so my Youtube has taken a bit of a back burner, so this month you've got my favourites in the form of writing and photographs. So, here are the things I've found myself enjoying the last few months.

She Must Be Mad by Charly Cox 

I have been obsessed with Charly's poetry since discovering her. It was reading her work that inspired me to start writing my own poetry, again. Still, She Must Be Mad has exceeded my expectations. It's broken down into 4 sections: she must in love,  she must be mad, she must be fat and she must be an adult. The pieces are about relationships, mental health, body image, and growing up. To put it simply, I relate so much to this book, to the themes and to Charly's words. Here's what I wrote about it on my Instagram: "I’ve never related so much to another person's writing. Charly is a wizard with words, she creates beauty from the cruel inner workings of the mind. I feel hypnotised by her ability to string sentences together. Since I’ve had this book, I’ve read it every day, I’ve carried it everywhere I went and I’ve never found pages so worth the weight in my handbag."

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

The story lives up to the hype. From the very first page, I felt desperate to know more about Eleanor's character. The story is eye-opening, funny and heartbreaking. The characters are intriguing, strange lovely and terrifying. It touches on loneliness, on trauma, on friendship. It hooking, and clever. The ending is completely unexpected.


My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie  Kinsella 

I didn't expect to love this 'chick flick' style book as much as I did, once I started reading it, I could not put it down. This book is based around the character Kat, who has a life which looks perfect on Instagram, from afar, but up close it's falling apart. It's about keeping up appearance.s Kat soon moves home and becomes Katie again. She's entangled in a web of lies, as she doesn't want to admit she lost her 'perfect' job and is hungry from revenge when her seemingly terrible old boss comes back into her life with no idea who she is. It's an easy read, the story is interesting and it's super relatable.  


Glossier You Solid Perfume

When I wear this, I constantly find myself bringing my wrist to my nose to get a whiff because I love the scent, it probably makes me look crazy, but it's so worth it. I was unsure when I finish purchased it whether I'd enjoy the solid perfume format, but it seems I love it. It makes it handbag friendly, and still, it's easy enough to pop on - plus the packaging is cute and feels kinda luxurious. It's a fresh scent, which almost smells unisex.


Reason Cap (similar linked)

This cap first caught my eye when I was browsing Urban Outfitters months ago, and it seemed weeks later I found myself still thinking about it, so I treated myself. I love the vibrant, on-trend yellow. I think a cap suits me and adds a casual finishing touch to any outfit. Plus with this bizarre heatwave and my habit of fainting, having a hat to keep the sun from the head has been quite practical.

Pink Vans

Since buying myself these pastel pink vans I'm finding myself wearing them constantly, with everything. Not only do they work with any outfit, but they're comfy. Plus they're subtle way for me to add a touch of pink to my outfits because unlike everyone else, I'm still not over this whole millennial pink thing.

Beach Instax

This may be a strange thing to add to my favourites, but I felt it was worthy of a place. I took the black and white Instax photo on the beach in Portugal, mainly because I wanted to use the remainder of the black and white film. I, however, love the image so much - it's stuck beside my bed, and I keep finding myself admiring it. It's a little reminder to start playing with film photography, even if it just with my Instax because the results can be surprising and beautiful.

Zoella Drench Me

Yet again, I'm impressed with another Zoella Beauty Product. This product effortlessly creates amazing bubbles, it's lightly scented but not overly so. It only takes a small amount of product for a large number of bubbles. Plus, the packaging is really something isn't it? Zoe's design and marketing team need to give themselves a pat on the backs.


ASOS Face Necklace

To put it simply, I think this abstract face necklace looks really freaking cool, and I've been wearing it constantly. 

Glossier Invisible Shield SPF 30 

I love everything about this SPF, I spoke about it a lot here so I won't say too much now. Just know, it's completely invisible, easy to apply, and refreshing to use.



Neutrogena Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Oil-Free Moisturiser 

I bought this moisturizer as a bit of a throwback, I used to use it when I was around 18, seeing it in a store filled me with nostalgia, so I decided to give it ago all over again. Now, 100% don't have the target skin type for this, but still, it does the job. Plus, I'm in love with the scent, it's super refreshing and really wakes me up in the mornings. 






What have you been enjoying lately?


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Holiday Pics and Tips.

Monday 23 July 2018

A few weeks back I was spending my days lying on a beach in Alberferia, and my evenings sipping cocktails with friends. It was the first beach holiday I've been on in years and little did I know, it was very much needed. It was a holiday full of routine. It was about the chilling on the beach with a book day after day so a diary post would probably be very repetitive and a little boring. 


All you really need to know is that listening to the waves, feeling the warmth of the sun, laughing with friends and thinking of both everything and nothing at the same time, is good for the soul. 



Rather than a traditional holiday diary post (you can see pasts ones here) I wanted to accompany my holiday snaps with some thoughts and tips on beach holidaying.

So here we go, 10 post-holiday thoughts and tips on beach holidays: 


1) Everyone has a body, and no one is looking at yours. 

However, if you know you feel self-conscious in your bikini eat a little healthier and work out before you go. I felt so much more confident on holiday knowing I'd be having personal training sessions, and eating well for a few weeks before boarding the plane. Although it made no difference to anyone else, it made a difference to me.

2) A good book or two is essential, but don't worry if you don't read as much as you expected.

 I took two books with me, the first being Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine,  I wrote some of my thought when I first started reading it on this Instagram post. All that needs to be said about it, is that it truly is as good as people say.

My second holiday book choice was My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella, which is also great, it's a chick flick which makes it a perfect beach book, yet I didn't start reading it until the plane ride home, but the story kept me company while in the sky, and books should be read without thinking about finishing them. If it takes a little longer to take in the words, to enjoy them and make the most out of the story, there's no need to squeeze in as many pages as you can into your week in the sun.
3) Turn the email notifications off on your phone 
On my first day, I couldn't relax. My phone kept pinging with emails, I was thinking about work, about blogging, about job hunting. After a while, I switched off the notification and found myself able to forget my to-do lists and leave my worries in the UK.

4) SPF face spray is great for sandy feet
I took the Bioderma Hydrabio Eau de Soin SPF30 with me, I thought it would be refreshing and practical, and it is indeed great, I'll be picking up a bottle for my next holiday. However surprisingly, I most liked using it on my feet. You know when your feet a little burnt, and sand keeps sticking to them, putting suncream on them is both painful a messy? Well a couple of sprays of this on my feet and the problem is solved (I know, I'm genius)


5) Take a padlock, the hotel safe might not be working
Ours wasn't, luckily my friend had a padlock so it wasn't an issue.

6) Give your pillows a spritz of Deep Sleep pillow spray if you struggle to sleep in a different bed
I slept so much better on this holiday than I usually do when I'm away from home, I believe my pillow spray is to thank.

7) If you want a picture, just ask someone to take it
 A girl approached my friend and asked for a picture, of just her, and boy oh boy do I admire that girls confidence (and want the link to her Instagram). No one will judge you for wanting a photo.

8) Be aware of what you're drinking
Don't drink as much as you would at home. You don't want to feel vulnerable in an unfamiliar place

9) You don't actually need an entire new wardrobe for your holiday.
Don't overspend on clothes which are only going to be worn on the beach. Having said that, treating yourself to one or two new things is nice.

10) Take a little more money than you think you might need out with you. 
You don't want to have to miss out because your cash in is the hotel safe.

I'd love to know if you have any beach holiday tips!

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Friends and Fainting.

Monday 16 July 2018

You may have noticed, I've been a little slack with my weekly blog posts recently, the reason for that being, that since returning from my holiday (more on that next week), I have finally been told why I've spent the past year or more feeling lightheaded pretty regularly. Although it wonderful to know that I'm not going insane, since being diagnosed (I'm not going to go into details of what's wrong, there's no need to share the ins and outs of my health, but is nothing serious, just something which needs managing), the lightheadedness, has escalated and I've begun fainting, a lot  (ironically it took so long to diagnose because I wasn't fainting). It's not nice. Although fainting moments after a bouncer called me dramatic for trying to sit down, made me thank my body for its impeccable timing, I've felt, to put it bluntly, like shit.

Last week was one incredibly challenging for me, both mentally and physically. To feel the world slip away, while knowing that all eyes are on you, and not having the energy to say or do a thing. To lose complete control over your body, and feel helpless knowing that's your only option until it passes. Fainting is it the strangest mixture of being unaware and aware at the very same time. You feel your eyes rolling, your head dropping. You feel it, but you can't stop it. You become aware of your blood, you can almost feel it washing down towards your toes in waves. Sometimes you've got no choice but to give in to your stubborn and say goodbye to the world for a moment. Fainting is terrifying but temporary, and when it's happening, there's no stopping it. 


The timing of this has been awful, my sisters recently moved out and my mum and stepdad are away, so I'm home alone, and yet I've never felt less capable of being independent.

It's isolating. This week has felt lonely. I was sent home from work on two days and called in sick on two other days. The people who care, have been worrying about me, rightly so. However, there is this weird line, where your friends and family begin to feel more like your babysitters as they're constantly (and kindly) checking up on you. The two-way streets of relationships can move away from their usual give and take when one person is more vulnerable.


I've also felt haunted by the fear of fainting. It's easy to cancel plans and stay at home in bed because of 1. it's scary to faint 2. it's scarier to faint in public 3. I don't want to be a liability. As much as staying home in bed can often be a wonderful thing, when overdone, it can lead to mind spirals, it can pull you into a state of sadness. when your home has become your base after being off work sick, the four walls that you live in can become kind of evil, you feel both like a prison in your home and in your head, if your mind is that way inclined. I know myself well enough to say, my mental health is very up and down. I'm either high or low, and that is the highest highs and the lowest lows. So a week of feeling poorly and alone in my own home was more than likely to send my mind on the eeriest wild goose chase with the destination being the hell of my own head.


Of course, the easy option is to accept that I'm not well, I can't do anything, and because there's a possibility of fainting I could stay home, where I'm living with sadness. But the easy option isn't always the best route.

My sister asked me about my plans for the weekend, I told her I was going to cancel my plans because I didn't feel like it and... what if I faint?!

She told me I had to keep my plans or see her, she wasn't allowing me to be home and sad (she knows me well it seems)

So after sending my friend's several stroppy texts (sorry guys) saying I couldn't make the Bristol Food Tour which had been planned and paid for, for months, I finally owned up let them know I was worried about fainting and asked if they were they okay with me going knowing it's a possibility I could faint. Of course, they wanted me to go, they're my friends, after all.



So went, stocked up on Lucozade and water, and dressed in a rainbow dress, anything to convince myself I felt colourful (and perfectly timed with Pride), and I had a great time. I did faint. In a dumpling restaurant, I woke up to a sky of paper cranes, which was surreal, but also as nice as fainting can be. What I feared came true, yet nothing bad really happened, once the fainting part was over. Everyone I was with looked after me but didn't fuss too much, and the day carried on.


That was yesterday. Today, I still feel weak, but I feel like myself. I had forgotten how that feels over the past few weeks. Sometimes a day with friends is what you need to escape the prison of your own mind, and to find yourself. Mental Health is, of course as important as physical health, and they often walk hand in hand, but yesterday was my reminder that they don't always have to.



Outfit Details:

Dress: New Look (on sale now)
Shoes: Vans (similar linked)
Hat: Urban Outfitters (no longer available in yellow)
Glasses: Tom Ford (similar linked)




*affiliate links are used in the blog post.


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