Dear Old Friend

So, we haven't spoken lately and I seem to have disappeared for a while. There are few excuses for my absence but I suppose the main reason is that life has simply got in the way. Since Christmas, everything has picked up a pace and life just feels a little more hectic than what I would usually like.

What do I mean by that? Well, let's get into. I have grown up as an only-child, in a single-parent household. Now, as I write this, my mom has a partner and I now have step siblings; which is something I never thought would happen. My house has been sold and we will be moving into a new home, and combining our two families. I'm currently living out of my moms' partners' conservatory and sleeping between my stepsisters' bed, the sofa and the spare bedroom of my grandparents' house. Yup, I'm a nomad right now but it's only temporary and it's worth it. I was the type of kid who always asked Santa for a family so now, 15+ years later, I'm glad that the bearded guy finally came through with the goods.

Talking of bearded guys, there's one of those in my life too. I don't want to mention too much about him here as it's still very new but he's become a very special person in my life; one of which I'm not ready to share with my little corner of the internet just yet, but stay tuned.

In terms of studying with the Open University, I really enjoyed my creative writing module which I completed a couple of weeks ago. It feels bittersweet but I also look back at my first few pieces and feel a huge sense of achievement at how far I've come with my writing. Going into this module I was dreading the sections on poetry and life writing, as well as the idea of someone potentially ripping my writing to shreds. However, it's been an enormous help having like-minded people commenting and giving their own input on my writing; and in terms of poetry and life writing, they have earned me amazing feedback and compliments as well as high scores.

As April has come (and now gone), it is finally beach hut season again which has my sea-loving heart doing somersaults! I have managed to get down there a few times so far, however, I'm hoping that I'll get to spend more time there and fill my lungs with as much sea air as possible within the next few weeks.

Oh, and obviously, I died my hair (well -some of it). Truth be told, I have been wanting a change for a while now and when I was browsing Pinterest a few months back I saw a photo of a young girl with hair like Cruella DeVille. Now, I am not confident to rock that half and half look all over, but I definitely wanted to recreate it with my own little twist. It's not as white as I'd like it yet but it is getting there (Yes, I'm a twenty-one year old who wants white hair).

So as you can see, a lot has been going on. I'm not sure what the next few months will bring this space but I'm hoping to get back into a posting schedule and get some fresh content on here throughout the summer.

Cheerio for now!
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Soothe the senses with Tropic

It's getting to that time of the year when things become a little stressful for us students. Whether it be the finishing off coursework, sitting final exams or merely packing your dorm and trying to decide where to move for the next year. Some of us are way ahead of our workload, eagerly awaiting Summer to jet off traveling, while others' are pulling all-nighters, living off red bull and hibernating under a fort made out of textbooks. I'll admit more often than not I fall into the latter -though I survive off tea rather than a red bull. I don't know about others', but when this happens the only thing that will calm my stresses and ease the knots in my hunch back is a warm shower and a luxurious pamper. what can I say? -it's what we skincare junkies do!

If you hadn't guessed by now, my favourite brand is Tropic (who you can read more about here). I find their products so luxurious so naturally, they make for the perfect pamper. Within the past few months, my pamper routine has had some new additions, two of which I wanted to share with you today.

Soothe the Senses, body wash
I was super excited to finally try this body wash and it didn't disappoint by any means. The body wash is a velvety, creamy texture, with a heavenly vanilla scent. The consistency is more runny and thinner than other shower gels so a little goes a long way. Having said this, it lathers up just as well as any other body wash and within a few scrubs, you feel fresh as a daisy!

Soothe the Senses, luxury body oil
Now, my mom has been pretty obsessed with this oil for over a year now. It is a vital part of her post-shower ritual and as such, she can't live without it. I, on the other hand, had never really been brave enough to try it. I'm one of those people who has always feared oils (that's a story for another post) though the alluring floral scent and the pretty flower enticed me and soon I was hooked.

The body oil has a combination of oils including rosehip and argan oils so it is perfect to give your body a dose of hydration and a silky finish post-shower. It is also multi-functional and can be used in your bath, as a conditioning mask for your hair and to tame split ends. Ideal, huh? 

What is produces are essential for your pamper sessions? 

Cheerio for now! 
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You can check more Tropic products featured in this space here. 

Book Review: Bloom

Bloom: navigating life and style, Estée Lalonde  

As a subscriber to Estée's channel, I all but climbed on my desk and shimmy-danced when she announced her book in this video. As a subscriber to Estée's channel, I all but climbed on my desk and shimmy-danced when she announced her book in this video. I know there is often a lot of mixed opinion about YouTubers writing books but I knew her book would be amazing, and I wasn't wrong.

Bloom is centered around what and how Estée became who she is today. She discusses everything, and I mean everything -there's no holding back, which is so refreshing. The book kinda revolves around the idea of blooming into the person you are meant to be and if our souls were flowers, Estée's would be the most beautiful out of the bunch!

With eight sections, Bloom covers life, people, work, beauty, fashion, home, travel and food and is almost wrote as though she is talking to you over a cup of tea which makes the experience even more personal. I found the sections about her childhood and her past relationships with food incredibly emotional purely because of how much I resonated with her experiences. I'm not one to judge a book by its' cover, or appearance, but I found the layout, quality of pictures and general aesthetic of the book really pleasing. I know that may sound odd to some people, but the font, page colours, page number layouts, etc are all things a bookworm like myself appreciates in a book (imagine trying to read font you can't stand or that is too small).

End thoughts: I loved this book. It's almost like a survival/motivational guide that resonated with so many aspects of my life growing up as well as giving me wise words and strength to continue on and to always listen to my heart. Bloom is the book I wished I had growing up, and the book I am probably going to gift all the young girls and women in my life. It is a must-read.

Have you ever read Bloom? What did you think? 

Cheerio for now! 
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Studies | 16

I have been studying with the Open University since October 2014. This year I am studying module A215 Creative Writing, which will be my third year with the OU and my third module towards an open degree. Due to my health, I am a part-time student which means it will take twice as long as a full-time student but I will get there eventually. 

The A215 Creative Writing module was actually the module which attracted me toward studying with the Open University so in many ways my first two years of study weren't just towards my degree but they were almost stepping stones to get to this module. The module is divided into five sections with it covering the creative process, writing fiction, poetry, life writing, and the final section is centered around going public with your writing. 

So far I have really enjoyed the module, and feel my writing has really improved in the short time I have been studying and practising certain techniques. I think a lot of people have this notion that writing is easy; that you sit, pour out a couple of sentences and then simply string them together. It doesn't work quite like that. There is a lot that goes into it behind the scenes; such as freewriting, clustering, character creation, developing your style and voice, etc. 

While I have really enjoyed the module so far, that's not to say that it has come without its' difficulties. Through the writing process I have noticed that writing is subjective, and while I may think it is perfect at that moment in time I may go back to it a few days later and be appalled at myself for not picking up on certain mistakes or decide that I dislike the entire piece. Writing is something that happens within a moment in time and when you return, you may not necessarily like what you read. Another thing I have noticed is I make a lot of silly/simple mistakes like mistyping/writing words (using the wrong words, leaving out words, etc) and so reading aloud has become my best friend; which is also a great tool for testing punctuation and sentence lengths. 

I have really enjoyed this academic year so far. I can't wait to look back to compare my first few pieces of work with my last few pieces when I complete this module. 

What do/did you study? 

Cheerio for now! 

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Physical Photographs

I love photos. They never change, even when the people inside them do. They just stay frozen with the characters stuck in time. 

As much as technology is great these days (-borderline 'scary-great') I miss the beauty of physical photographs. As a child, I remember my mom collecting film reels to take to the local photo shop to have developed. Weeks later we would go back and she'd come back to the car with stacks of photo packets. She'd spend so many evenings sorting them into photo albums and writing notes on the back about the occasion within the photo. What do we do now? We post them to facebook or Instagram, get some likes and comments and then that's it, they are forgotten forever. *sad

In 2015, I got a polaroid camera and fell back in love with physical photographs. Sure the quality isn't as defined but it is still a nostalgic luxury to hold your photographs -instantly, might I add. This process has spurred me to make an effort to print out my photographs and organise my own photo albums. Something to look back on, just like my mom is able to do. 

When was the last time you got your photos printed off? 

Cheerio for now! 

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Review: Aztec Secret Indian Healing Facial Clay

I saw this face clay around over a year ago but steered clear thinking it was simply a gimmick product like a perfume called 'mermaid tears' or body shimmer called 'fairy dust'. It wasn't until it popped up in one of Simply_Kenna's Cruelty-Free Products video that I finally thought I'd give it a shot. The Aztec Healing Clay comes in a screw top tub, as seen above, which I paid around £9 for a 1 Lb tub from Amazon. There was a mixture of reviews on the site which made me a little hesitant but at such a cheap price I decided to go for it. 

The Aztec Secret Indian Healing Facial Clay has multiple uses and benefits, including removing dirt and impurities from pores. It's deep cleansing properties are miracle workers for the minimized appearance of pores and brightening effects on the skin. Bonus factor- it's 100% natural Calcium Bentonite (Green) Clay. 

How can you use it? 

• The tub says the clay can be used for facials, acne, bodywraps, foot soaks, baths and insect bites. Personally, I have only used it on my nose, around my lip area and on acne as those are my problem areas. 
• To use, simply add equal parts of the clay with raw apple cider vinegar or water to form a smooth paste. 
• To mix, it's required to use a non-metal bowl and utensil
• Make sure no liquid gets into your tub of product so the rest of the clay powder doesn't ruin.
• Once the mixture is smooth, apply to problem areas and let dry. For delicate skin let the mix sit for 5-10 minutes and 15-20 minutes for normal skin. It will feel tight and may even have a warming effect on your skin. 
• Once ready to remove, rinse off with warm water. 
• Once removed skin will have a redness to it for around 30 minutes but soon disappears. 
• Use once a week, or more often for problem areas. 

This product has become a must-have in my skincare regime and I use it once a week. Because you are mixing it yourself, at times it is a little tricky to get the consistency right and in the first few uses you can potentially waste quite a bit of the product. My advice to avoid this would be to start with the smallest amount and go from there, even if that means mixing up a new batch if you don't quite have enough for your use. I have to say, overall I am super impressed by this product and its' quality. I would recommend to anyone who wants to give their skin some extra TLC.

Have you ever tried Aztec Secret Indian Healing Facial Clay? What did you think?

Cheerio for now! 
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Book Review: The Miniaturist

The Miniaturist, Jessie Burton 

This book was one that had caught my eye many a time from its place of pride, on the bestseller bookshelf at my favourite bookstore. I had read the blurb a half a dozen times but for some reason never purchased it. The description was so intriguing and it made its' way onto my reading list but there were always other books that distracted me until it was gifted to me at Christmas (is there a reoccurring pattern here? -I think so). It wasn't until our summer 'uproot' that I finally cracked the spine and got sucked into the world of what happens behind the doors of a 17th-century merchant trader family home in Amsterdam. 

The story revolves around Nella Oortman who becomes Nella Brandt, the young wife of Johannes Brandt. With her husband off at sea and trading in distant lands, he gives her a miniature cabinet house to fill her time and distract herself with. After sourcing a miniaturist the cabinet quickly comes to a life in a way that unnerves Nella and so the story twists and turns in the most unexpected of ways. 

Both the story and the way Burton has produced this story was both beautiful and intensely gripping. I wish I could mention more about this novel but I do not want to give away any spoilers, especially as there are so many plot twists within. As soon as you think you have figured out why and what is happening, you are blindsided by another piece of the puzzle. Overall, I loved this book. It made for a great read, no doubt one I will return to and reread over and over. 

Have you ever read The Miniaturist? What did you think? 

Cheerio for now!

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To check out my other book reviews, click here.