Autumn | 16

Life:
Autumn, just like Summer, was stressful in ways but more emotionally draining than anything else. Turning 21 was a difficult stepping stone and it brought with it a few unearthed emotions I had to deal with, but regardless I had an amazing birthday and was thoroughly spoilt. My health has been steadying and, while I do still have bad days and flares, I have managed to get to a steady point where I can keep my head above water.

Feeling: Going into Autumn I was drained and hadn't really got an even balance of different areas of my life. I have definitely realized the importance of self-care, unwinding and switching off. I have come to use skincare as my 'time', as well as listening to podcasts with a hot brew.

Reading: Many Magazines. I have enjoyed discovering and reading a lot of new magazines lately (well, new to me). I love my Peppermint subscription, as well as catching up with Frankie magazine every so often, however, lately, I have discovered some new loves that I am head over heels with. The Messy heads, Popshot and Oh Comely are just a few. I will no doubt do an entire post because there is so much to say about each of them.

Watching: I marathon watched all The Gilmore Girls episodes in anticipation for the Reunion (I will probably end up doing a post on my thoughts about the reunion). This also made me finally invest in Netflix which got me hooked on Pretty Little Liars. I am currently on the season five so no spoilers, please. I also loved watching vlogtober. October is my favourite month, so having certain YouTubers creating content daily was really great. My favourites were The fashion citizen and sunbeamsjess.

Creating: A lot of writing. I'm currently working on a creative writing module towards my degree, so naturally, I have been writing constantly. I have really enjoyed it so far and have loved learning different techniques to help my writing grow and develop in new ways.

Recent Favourites: A lot of birthday related things. I received a pocket watch from my grandparents for my birthday, which I am absolutely in love with. When I opened it, my eyes nearly popped out my head like cartoon characters. It is truly something I will cherish forever. Another favourite was my cake -yes, my cake. My mom had a replica of my beach hut made, which was so pretty and well made; and yes, it was delicious.

Listening: I like to listen to movie scores or instrumental pieces when I study, so I have really enjoyed some of Spotify's playlists. I've been routinely listening to podcasts, particularly Stuff you missed in history class, Ladies who Lunch, and Myths and Legends -yup, I'm a sucker for those history and mystery vibes.

Enjoying: My current uni module, A125 Creative Writing with The Open University. I can go into my studying/uni experience a bit more in a different post, but so far have been really enjoying this module. I have also been enjoying puppy cuddles. My mom's partner got a red Labrador at the end of September, so I have been taking full advantage of cuddles whilst he is still small enough to bear hug.

What have been your highlights this Autumn? Are you looking forward to Winter? 

Cheerio for now! 

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My Skin Care Story

Having shared a few posts about Tropic Skincare (and my infinite love for the brand) I thought it was only right to let you in on my skin story, what my routine has been in the past and what I use now. 

I grew up in a stage school community, where thick and heavy makeup was necessary. This meant that skincare was, and has, always been an important element of my daily routine. I also have quite sensitive and dry skin so making sure my skin is nourished and hydrated is key.

Up until a year ago, I used a 3-step face routine from a local drug store. I had been using the particular brand for years though I didn't feel it was doing any justice to my skin. I would often feel like I needed to keep applying moisturiser to my face throughout the day and my face often felt tight and itchy. It was around this time that I started to use coconut oil on my body, and after reading about its multiple uses I decided to give it a go as a face moisturiser. I immediately saw a difference in my skins hydration and felt as though there was moisture within my skin instead of it being dry and flaky.

I then started to use rose water as a natural toner. I did make my own, to begin with, but then simply bought one from my local store. Again, within just a few days I saw results. My skin was so much clearer. I was then faced with the task of finding a cleanser or some sort of face wash to remove dirt, which is what led me to start using Dr Bronners' unscented Castille soap.

This was my 3-step routine, Castille soap as my face wash, Rosewater as a toner and then coconut oil as my moisturiser. This routine worked really well for me but I am not sure I would recommend it to anyone. I have since read that Castille soap is an alkali and so once it has been used your meant to neutralize this step with something acidic. I'm not sure how true this is but on these premises, I wouldn't openly recommend it. I should mention that I also exfoliated -using coconut oil and Himalayan fine pink sea salt. 

This was my routine before I discovered Tropic. It wasn't perfect, by no means, but it worked for me. It was also around this time I started to learn about the nasty ingredients found in drugstore products, such as Sulfates and Parabens, and how they can affect the human body. With this in mind, I became a little obsessed with making my own, pure products which I would know exactly what was inside them. I made a list of all the products I needed to replace and then that's when I stumbled upon Tropic. 

After being introduced by the brand through a friend of a friend, I have quickly become immersed in the world of Tropic and am totally obsessed with their products. I've also found some amazing green beauty brands which I can't wait to get my hands on some of their products to try. 

This past year I have really focused on skincare and now, feeling so content with the natural products I use, I think it's time to conquer makeup -stay tuned! 

If you know of any natural or mineral makeup brands, please comment below! 

Cheerio for now! 

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If you haven't already read my post about the brand, then you can do so here. 
If you would like to read about any of Tropic's products I have featured on here, you can do so here.