How Chic Is a Natural Skin Routine This Summer?
5 June 2016
Ilkley, West Yorkshire, UK
Don’t you feel like days you spent on the beach last summer
actually happened a million years ago? It’s June already and we can’t wait to
show off our new bikinis at the beach! Besides our thirst for salty waves, cold
lemonade, and the heat of summer, another feeling waking up is our desire to
implement natural ways into our daily routine. Natural skin care is very chic
these past few years, and for good reason – it is the best thing you can do for
yourself.
Soak in the real nature
There is no way you are going to have beautiful, healthy,
and glowing skin if you apply expensive serums and oils and barely ever leave
your apartment save from going to and from work. Your skin needs the sun and
wind, these are natural elements that remind us that we are alive, and add
plenty of essential vitamin D into our bodies. Of
course, you should always use sunscreen and limit the time you spend on the
beach, but exposing your skin to the sun will give you a nice tan and feed you
with vitamins, which means that you will be healthier and your skin will look
beautiful. If you are worried about not getting enough vitamin D in your
system, do not hesitate to use vitamin supplements and add more fish oil to
your diet.
Wash the toxins out
You know that you should drink at least six glasses of water
through the day to stay hydrated and health. This does not mean that you should
drink water when you’re thirsty (by that time your body is already dehydrated),
but try drinking a glass every few hours instead. There is only a certain
amount of water our bodies can absorb in an hour, so keep a steady flow instead
of drinking four glasses all at once. Making sure you are well hydrated from
the inside does not exclude the need of moisturizing, though. Applying rich
moisturizer every morning or evening will ensure that your skin keeps its glow,
especially the skin on your face. In addition, you should use vitamin C serum, which will
help your skin to keep its firmness and elasticity, especially when exposed to
the summer sun.
Exfoliate and cleanse regularly
Exfoliating is incredibly important because we should rid
our skin from those rough, dry layers which build up every day. Make your own
gentle but powerful body scrub using coffee, brown sugar, and coconut oil, and
use it at least once a week (better twice, though). However, exfoliating too
often can strip your skin from its protective layers too, so don’t do it every
day. On the other hand, unlike with exfoliating, you should cleanse your face
at least once a day; but since you are doing it on a daily basis make sure you
use a mild natural cleanser which will keep your skin soft and not strip it of
its natural oils.
Natural masks
It is best to avoid ‘shady’ chemicals that can be found in
pretty much any skincare product, and start making our own face and hair masks using
ingredients from our fridges and kitchens. Use ingredients rich with oil for
dry skin, for example avocado, honey, and coconut oil, and to soothe acne
breakouts mix oatmeal, warm water, unsweetened yoghurt, and a bit of honey. If
you would like to lighten your skin, simply use fresh lemon juice, honey, and a
bit of papaya. In addition to being completely natural and safe, these masks
are also delicious!
Remember, blindly following trends has never brought anyone
anything good, and just because everyone is talking about something, it doesn’t
mean that it is a good thing. Do your research, find out as much as you can
about products you intend to use, and don’t hesitate to give up using a product
if you notice side effects you don’t like. After all, your health should always
come first, not just this season, but always.
This post is a guest post by Zara from highstylife.com!
Images source: Flickr
21 Ways to Speed up a Work Day
3 June 2016
Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK
We’ve all been there. You’re at work, it’s around 9.05am
and the day feels like it has already been three hours. Everything is dragging
and it seems like the office clock is broken because the seconds and minutes
are lasting way longer than they’re support to be. Sometimes, the entire week
can drag along; and after a few years of walking in different offices and a few
locations, I have worked out many ways to help the work day fly by.
Social media
Write for fun
Getting blogposts done seems like a blast when you’re
avoiding the secular work.
Finish your
grocery list
It’s so much easier to complete the weekly shop when
you’re not in the food store and trying to remember 30 items at once.
Play online games
Remember Stardoll? Yeah it’s still a thing. There are
thousands of online games to get distracted by, the help the day pass by.
Create a new
Pinterest board
Whenever I create a new board, I love to fill it as much
as possible before the next one.
Work on your
posture
I know my posture needs a lot of work, and why not use an
office chair to practise?
Google baby animal
pictures
Aren’t they just the cutest? I can’t pick a favourite. No
wait, I can: tiger cubs.
Find funny memes
Twitter is the perfect place to find memes, but there are
other sites like Reddit, Memebase and memes.com too!
Go to the bathroom
There’s nothing weird about 10 bathroom breaks right?
Perfect your cuppa
At one office job, I spent 20 minutes making each cup of
tea. It was not only one of the most entertaining moments of the day, but now I
can make a smashing cup of tea.
Snack break!
There’s always time for a snack – time to work on
building up that secret drawer.
Discover some new
blogs
I love stalking new blogs and using Bloglovin’ to fall
in love with a whole load of blog posts, collecting as many as I can.
Read the news
Most news channels and stations have apps which update
regular to keep us in the loop.
Plan your next
holiday
And plan everything down to the T! A detailed itinerary
and lists of landmarks to photograph.
Work on your
posture
A good office chair is the perfect opportunity to
rehearse a great posture.
Talk to someone
Whether it’s online or in person, engaging in some good
conversation will help time fly by.
Five minute jam
sesh
Sometimes I don’t even need headphones, when there’s a
song stuck in my head (usually a classic Disney one), it’s easy to sing through
the whole song and watch five minutes disappear.
Clean your desk
I’m a little OCD so this is more of a hobby for me, but
really helps the day seems shorter.
Ask for a new task
A new task that’s exciting and time-consuming is the most
obvious way to speed up a work day while actually getting work done!
Walk around
When working in a bigger office, I would occasionally
stretch my legs for a little while, it’s healthy.
Observe your
surroundings & daydream
People watch, stare out of the window or even inspect the
clock! Plus falling into a state of happy daydreaming is definitely one of my
favourite things to day.
Image
source: Tumblr
Back to the Office
31 May 2016
Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK
I rarely wear skirts because I find it hard to pair them
with the right tops. However, my mum’s a designer so she was able to put
together this top and skirt combo to help provide the right silhouette and make
sure I’m comfortable. I’m really fussy with the waistband of skirts, simply
because they can instantly become unflattering if too high or too low (not
cool). Since receiving my amazing necklace from Wattney Kay about a year ago in
this
post, I have loved using it to brighten up a look – still one of my
favourite pieces of jewellery!
What is your favourite work week look?
Top – homemade // Skirt – homemade // Cardigan – New Look
(similar) // Necklace – Wattney Kay // Boots – Next // Bag – Topshop (only
available in red)
PS: hope you had an awesome bank holiday weekend!
20 Things to Do This Weekend
27 May 2016
Bingley, West Yorkshire, UK
#1 Attend a cooking
class
This is something I’ve never done, but I think would be such
a fun idea with a best friend.
#2 Take a random
train to somewhere
I try to keep it local, mainly because the price of train
tickets is ridiculous – but it’s spontaneous!
#3 Bake bake bake!
Cooking isn’t one of my skills (sadly), but I do enjoy
baking. Why not make a few yummy treats?
#4 Spend a day
watching Disney movies
I recently watched this Disney Medley on
YouTube and fell in love, bring on the movies!
#5 Have a water
balloon fight
Depending on the weather, water balloon fights can turn into
harmless fun in the sun.
#6 Watch Netflix… all
day
Netflix is no longer a pastime for me, it’s a lifestyle. If
you’re alone this week, find a friend in TV!
#7 Visit the nearest
beach
I love a good beach! There’s nothing like a walk along the
sand to cheer me up.
#8 Go on a mini road
trip
The weekend is unfortunately only two days, so a mini road trip
to the nearest town or city would be fun with friends and family.
#9 Have a camp/bonfire
They’re traditionally reserved for November 5 or just camping,
but I love the idea of s'mores in the back yard.
#10 Takeaway takeover
Order from all your favourite takeaway stores and feast with
your friends.
#11 Throw a house
party
If I don’t want to head out in Leeds, a house party is an
alternative option. You just have to deal with the mess afterwards.
#12 Visit a carnival
I love the carnival setting, it’s relaxed and exciting… and
an excuse to indulge on candy floss.
#13 Attend a workout
class
Not my first choice, but always an option. It’s a lot more
fun with your mates too.
#14 Shopping spree!
Is there anything more fun? Time to start blowing those
savings.
#15 Visit a farmer’s
market
This is something I’ve always wanted to do but never had the
chance. Farmer’s markets have so much to offer and help encourage a healthy
diet.
#16 Go on a bike ride
Bike riding used to be part of my regular weekly routine and
I loved it! It’s amazing exercise and a chance to find some new scenery.
#17 Head to the zoo
Two of my favourites are Chester Zoo and Knowsley Safari
Park! I understand zoos are not for everyone, but are a great family weekend
out.
#18 Watch beauty
tutorials on YouTube
You don’t have to be eager to learn, but they’re a lot of
fun to watch and admire.
#19 Backyard pool
time
The sun is out a little more, so why not throw a pool party
with a blow up pool and floaties?!
#20 A traditional
sleepover
The Sleepover Club was one of my favourite TV shows growing
up, I’m no longer a teen, but I still love a girly night in.
What are you up to this weekend?
Pentax K-S2 Review
24 May 2016
Harrogate, North Yorkshire, UK
I’m no camera expert, but I certainly know when I like
something and when something is of a high quality or worth buying. Since
starting my blog, one of the most important things for me has been clear photos
because blurry photos are definitely one of my biggest pet peeves. I like a
photograph to ‘wow’ someone, and I think it’s important to be able to capture a
scene accurately and easily. Sometimes blurry photos can’t be helped, but when
I can, I like to use photos that are to my
standard.
RATING: 🌟
🌟
🌟
🌟
🌟
I have always been a Canon girl, not because I knew anything about the brand or the type of cameras they produce, but because it was the most popular brand during the time I began using DSLRs. I even have a Canon printer! But the camera I previously had and have been using is the Canon 1000D which isn’t too old, but doesn’t have a live-view screen or recording feature. I decided it was finally time to upgrade, as I wanted more than just a new lens. I marched straight into Bradford Camera Exchange as asked for the newest Canon on the market, and seconds before deciding to buy it, I asked the manager if there was anything better than a Canon as I wanted to try something new. He suggested the Pentax range of cameras, a brand I’d never even heard of. After a little trial run in the store, I fell in love with the camera (and both lenses) and now can’t wait to take more photos!
PROS:
Amazing image quality (especially in RAW format)
Anti-shake actually works
Brilliant viewfinder
Live-view is accurate and fluid
Basic design and easy to use
Works for keen photographers
Weatherproof
In-camera WiFi
Compact not cramped
CONS:
Non-touch screen
A little pricey
Struggles to focus with a lot of movement in video-mode
Handgrip is small
18 – 50mm lens can jam if not released properly
Shorter battery life than my previous Canon
Approx. 678g – heavier than the 1000D
It’s fairly obvious I’m slightly obsessed with this camera.
Not only does it work for blogging photos, but I can also use it for my secular
work for the two charities I work for, Clothing Solutions and Beaneezy. The camera is
incredibly easy to carry around, and despite the small handgrip, it is quite
deep so this isn’t an enormous disadvantage. One of my favourite features is
the live-view mode, which helps me to get a much more truthful view on the
photos I’m about to take, and the spirit level aspect helps to keep my photos
straight. The live-view screen is incredibly responsive and fluid too! When
using this camera, there is very little editing needed (apart from shadows) as
it’s not heavily affected by the sun and bright artificial light. There’s no
strobing that appears, and the camera has 20 different scene modes, including
Museum, Surf & Snow, Pet and Blue Sky – just a few that weren’t available
on my previous camera. This is tremendously helpful when shooting outdoors.
Because the camera works so well with light, the flash doesn’t immediately pop-up
when shooting in Auto-mode and the K-S2 still takes phenomenal photos without
the use of flash.
I’m glad this camera is weatherproof, so there’s no need to
worry when there’s a slight drizzle out as it includes weather sealing. Although
the Pentax K-S2 is a lot heavier than the Canon 1000D, it has so much more to
offer. For example, the camera captures colour so beautifully, there’s never
any need to enhance saturation or highlights. As its summer, the green of the
trees are mesmerising to the human eye and the Pentax reflects this in its
images. I have not been disappointed with a photograph so far, which is a great
sign. Take a look below to see the difference between a scene taken with my
Canon 1000D (18-55mm) and then the Pentax K-S2 (18-50mm)! Note: the photos below were taken within two minutes of each other, to ensure they are as accurate as possible. Both lenses were also set at 18mm for a fair chance.
 |
| Canon 1000D |
 |
| Pentax K-S2 |
20.12 MP APS-C sensor with AA Filter Simulator
Pentax KAF2 bayonet mount
In-body shake reduction, up to 3.5stops
Glass pentaprism with 100% field of view
0.95x magnification viewfinder
3.0 inch LCD monitor with 921,000 dots
77 segment metering
SAFOX X AF module sensitive to -3EV
11 AF points, 9 cross type
ISO range 100 to 51,200
20 Digital filters
DNG/PEF RAW format
Flucard Compatible
Inbuilt Wi-Fi and NFC
Smartphone and tablet control available with Apps
Full HD Movie Mode
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 Movie Format
So the Pentax K-S2 will
by staying by my side for a very, very
long time. It could even be used for the day I decided to start a YouTube
channel or include videos on Anika May. I’m incredibly impressed with the brand
and very happy with this investment. I even managed to purchase a small Inov8 camera
bag (with plenty of pockets) that’s the ideal size for the K-S2 as the 18-50mm
lens has a shutter release button to collapse the lens – the camera also warns
the photographer if the lens has not been released properly.
Have you ever tried a
Pentax camera? What camera do you use now?
This post is not sponsored by Pentax, I really
like their cameras.
The photos of the Pentax K-S2 were taken with the Canon 1000D.
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