February Favourites | 2016

I have some beauty favourites this month! Normally my favourites consist of YouTuber's and TV programmes because I spend most of the hours of my day watching them. There is still a TV show and a YouTube favourite (there just has to be!) but there is some skincare and random favourites too so there is a bit more variety this month.

Skincare

I have five skincare favourites this month thanks to all the breakouts I've been having. This month just hasn't been a good skin month at all, maybe its the cold weather. I guess I am lucky to rarely have breakouts but when I do, they are bad and always on my chin. One product that I do tend to use on a regular basis but have been using a lot more of recently is the Nivea Daily Essentials Gentle Exfoliating Scrub. I have been using this product for well over a year and because my skin is usually quite good, I normally only use it once a week and use other products in between. Lately, I've been using it three times a week to try and clear my skin. I could definitely feel and see a difference pretty quickly; my breakouts calmed down within a week of increasing my usage of the product. I have been pairing the Exfoliating Scrub with the Nivea 2 in 1 Cleansing Toner just to cleanse my skin that little bit more. I've been using the toner on a daily basis in the morning after I wash my face and after I exfoliate with the scrub, it leaves my skin feeling so clean and nourished. At night, I apply a little bit of the T Zone Spot Zapping Gel and I leave it to work on my spots overnight. 

To cover up the breakouts I've been applying the Dr J's Skin Revive Spot Treatment to my skin before my make up to reduce and balance any redness I may have and to keep my breakout area as clean as possible throughout the day. Once I've applied that, it's time to cover those problem areas. I have recently changed my foundation to the Rimmel Match Perfection Light Perfecting Radiance Foundation (the one with the blue lid) and I am never looking back. This foundation is incredible, it doesn't turn cakey or fade throughout the day, it doesn't dry up and it provides a medium to high coverage; what more could you ask for?! I don't feel like I'm wearing any foundation when I have it on, it blends nicely into the skin and it's been doing a great job at hiding my breakouts this month. I will definitely be keeping this foundation around for a good while.

Television

Surprisingly, I only have one TV favourite this month and that is The 100. If you haven't heard of or started watching The 100 then rearrange your priorities and get watching because it is an amazing, gripping show. To me it is like The Walking Dead meets The Hunger Games with a little bit of The Vampire Diaries thrown in there too; hence why I love it. The 100 is a post-apocalyptic drama set 97 years after a nuclear war supposedly killed off Earth's entire population. The show follows a group of teenagers who become the first humans to return to Earth having lived amongst the 2400 other survivors in a space station known as The Ark. When they arrive on Earth they face numerous challenges to survive and soon discover that they were not the only survivors. The 100 grips you from the very first episode and has very strong lead characters that are very likable. I guarantee if you give The 100 a chance, you will not regret it. 

YouTube

My YouTube favourite this month has without a doubt got to be Ingrid Nilsen. I have been watching her videos constantly. Whether they are new videos or three years old, I've been watching and re-watching them all month long. Ingrid was actually one of the first ever YouTuber's I started watching years and years ago. I just love Ingrid's personality and how honest she is in her videos, she films what she wants and doesn't care what people think and I admire that.

Random

I have three completely random favourites for February which include porridge, P!nk and Pugs. What can I say, I told you they were random. Every single morning I've been having the same breakfast: Oats So Simple Maple and Pecan Porridge and it tastes amazing. It has just the right amount of sweetness and when combined with Coconut and Almond milk, it's mouth watering and perfect to have when it's a cold morning. I would go as far to say that I'd happily live off the stuff. Unfortunately I finished all the packets and have four other boxes of porridge to eat before I can go back to the Maple and Pecan. So, it'll be a while until I have it back in my life.

When I was younger I listened to a lot P!nk. Recently I have found myself listening to her again. Her songs are just so catchy, timeless and remind me of my childhood, so she has made her way into my monthly favourites. The songs I've been listening to mostly are 'Who Knew', 'Funhouse', 'Raise Your Glass', 'Leave me Alone I'm Lonely' and 'Just Like a Pill' (one of my all time favourite songs in general). P!nk songs bring back all the good memories of singing 'Just Like a Pill' constantly on SingStar Party on the PS2 (showing my age) at After-School Care or giggling with my brother at the fact that 'Leave me Alone I'm Lonely' swears and how rebellious we felt singing it.

Pugs. They are adorable little dogs and I would love to have one, two actually, I have it all planned out. Unfortunately I don't think two Labradors and two Pugs would get on very well so I'll make do with Pug pyjamas, Pug bedding, a microwavable Beanie Pug and more. It may be a bit over the top but I don't care because I love it and I think my bedding looks adorable.

Another month done already?! That was quick! I hope you enjoyed reading my February Favourites and maybe I've persuaded you to try a new product or to watch a new show. What have been some of your favourites this month? I'd love to know what you have been loving or even if you have anything exciting planned for next month. March has a couple of exciting things planned for me and they cannot come soon enough, there will be blog posts about all of them so just wait and see what I get up too.

xxx

I Got a Job!

Sorry I haven't been as active with my blog lately but I promise there is a reason. After at least a couple of years of applying for jobs and being rejected from numerous employers, I finally have a job!

From supermarkets to clothing stores to restaurants, I applied everywhere and made no progress beyond one interview. I now work in a small, local cafe called 'The Bluebird Cafe'. It is a short fifteen minute walk from my house and ideal for my first job. My aunt's best friend lives next door to the woman who owns the cafe and mentioned me during a conversation with her; the next thing I know, I have a trial shift.

Walking down to begin my trial shift, I was extremely nervous. The weather was dry but very cold so I wasn't expecting the day to be very busy. I could not have been more wrong! Shortly after my arrival, the sun surfaced and so did all the customers. I barely had an hour to learn everything from the layout of the cafe and names of other employees to the cash register and coffee machine. It was hectic and stressful but I enjoyed myself. Despite the chaotic atmosphere, the owner thought I did well and offered me the job. I was absolutely delighted! The other employee's are lovely, helpful and always making jokes. The cash register and the coffee machine were the two things I was most nervous about but after a couple of tries, I got the hang of it and picked it up quite quickly.

Finding an employer who was willing to work around my university life and my First Aiding proved to be difficult but the ladies at The Bluebird are more than willing. They think my First Aiding is an amazing thing to have and they don't want to hinder it in any way. This attitude was a complete bonus for me, I am both glad and grateful to be able to work and earn my own money and continue my First Aid voluntary work.

Now that I am an employed woman, it was only sensible for me to go out and purchase some suitable work clothes, at least that is what I told myself. The only guideline I was given from my boss (feels weird to say) was that in work, we wear black. Black is a terrible colour to try and photograph, especially when it is clothing so now, description is the key.

First, I went to Primark. I picked up two pairs of simple, black trousers and a couple of long sleeved, black tops. I then moved on to a couple of lightweight, black jumpers that have a slight batwing effect and can be layered if it's cold, a black knitted skirt and a black scarf. 

With my clothing sorted I had to pick up some suitable shoes, Primark had none that I liked so I ventured a little further and went to Topshop. I found a pair of black, slip on, snake print shoes that were my size and also happened to be on sale! Originally £35, I paid a very respectable £8 for them. The second place I checked was ASOS. I was looking for a pair of flat, paten, T bar shoes and that is exactly what I found and they were also on sale for £8. With the work uniform sorted, now it's just a matter of getting more shifts.

I have only had a couple of shifts so far but they have all been great and I can't wait to get my shift schedule for March. Everyone is welcoming and helpful, which makes me less anxious and more solicitous to work and learn.

xxx

Snow, Sun and Getting Closer to Spring

Having frost, hail, snow, rain, and sun all in one day isn't all that unusual for Scottish weather. In fact, it happens pretty often. Normally on one of those days we start off with frost and freezing temperatures. Then we move onto hail and snow, followed by rain and then sunshine. We even had snow in May last year! It's bizarre but it does allow me to capture some pretty good photographs!

As soon as the snow begins to fall, I grab the first opportunity I can to walk my dogs. It's a win, win situation since they absolutely adore the snow and I can take some pretty decent pictures if I do say so myself. My dogs go crazy for the snow, they roll about in it, eat it, accidentally sniff some up their noses (which is hilarious) and they expect me to throw snowball for them to catch. They just don't seem to figure out that when they catch the snowball in their mouth, it melts and disappears. Maybe one day they won't be as shocked when it magically vanishes.

I definitely believe the scenery around me is taken for granted. I have lived in the same place for nearly twenty one years and you forget how pretty and scenic it can actually be, unless the weather highlights it. I can get some really nice photo's by walking around a reservoir two minutes from my house that I have walked around thousands of times. Even something as simple as walking to the top of a nearby hill can provide some beautiful view's of the River Clyde. I definitely do not take these things for granted anymore, especially because of how much I love taking photographs, even more so when they actually turn out good.

 I would like to take advantage of the scenic views that surround me more often, whether that be wandering up one of the nearby hills to catch the sun setting or walking around a bit more when Spring finally arrives. I cannot wait for Spring, all the flowers and trees always look so pretty (even though I do have hay fever). Hopefully Spring comes sooner rather than later so I can take more pictures of all the flowers in bloom and of the sun as it rises and sets and share them with you all. The temperatures outside will still be freezing but at least it will look pretty.

xxx