Don't be a Resenter As a Renter

Unlike the baby boomer generation who could buy a house on just one wage, nowadays, the younger generations are finding it increasingly harder to get themselves onto the property ladder. Renting is at an all time high, especially in inner-city locations such as London, where the chances are that unless you’ve won the lottery or have held down a very well-paying job for a long while, you won’t be looking at buying a property outright any time soon. I know that this is certainly true for me and I don't even live in London!

This can make putting our stamp on things tricky, as well as our care for what we are meant to be keeping safe. There are certain limitations to being in let accommodation, including decorating styles, holes in walls to hang pictures and other decorations, and even hanging wallpaper ( I have also talked about large scale wall murals a few weeks ago), but there are some things to exude your personality that you may never even have considered.

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Plants For All Occasions

There is a whole lot that plants can give to a space that you may never have previously considered. Looking at your rental contract, they’re probably just about the only other living thing apart from yourself that you’re allowed to keep. Not a pet of sorts, but they still need attention and looking after. There are the obvious succulents, which have seen a massive rise in popularity over the past few years, and these are generally a good go-to plant for first-time plant owners as they require little watering and attention but still provide great results. If you’re looking for something a tad more dramatic, the Philodendron plant is one that heavily culturally referenced in prints on clothing, books and wallpaper currently, so you can’t go wrong with plonking one of these in a space that needs brightening up.

Picture Credit

Showing Off The Fancy

You may not have the space to specifically dedicate to what you’ve got to display, but that doesn’t mean that they need to hide away. You can get portable display cabinets from http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/storage-furniture/cabinets-sideboards/display-cabinets/ which don’t have to be fitted or fixed against walls, and ones that are specific for the item that you intend to have on show, such as bespoke wine racks from wineracks.co.uk. Instead of getting annoyed that you can’t do as much as you are able to do in terms of decorating and attached furniture to walls, simply look for the more free-standing option!

via Pexels

Stick On, Peel Off

With the boom of the rental generation come businesses who know that what these people are looking for are temporary alternatives to what would otherwise be long-term measures. This sounds complicated, but it’s really not. Want different tiles to go in the bathroom? No worries, stick-on ones to temporarily cover the ones that have already been laid down are available. Want/need a new carpet but aren’t allowed to put in your own? That’s fine - rugs are being made bigger and more affordable to cover this. You just have to have a hunt around for something that you may think is a permanent fixture that you can get charged for. Chances are that somebody has already thought of a rent-friendly alternative!

*A collaborative piece 

Moringa Oil Review

Hey everyone!  I have a review today of a product called Moringa Oil.

Moringa Oil comes from the seeds of the Moringa Oleifera Tree. Moringa Oil is well known in the beauty and skin care industry for the many benefits that it offers.  The oil is a great moisturizer for the skin and also works as a disinfectant.  

The oil can also be used to treat acne and improve the overall condition of your skin, getting rid of blackheads and improving the look of scars.  It also works great as an anti-inflammatory so is great for massaging swollen ankles and knees.

I have been trying out the oil for two weeks now, using primarily on my face (although I have lent it to my mother on a few occasions also to massage her knees which suffer from arthritis).  In my mum's case, the oil helped with the swelling that she sometimes experiences and she said that oil sunk well into her skin without becoming greasy.

I decided to incorporate the oil into my daily skincare routine to see what differences it made.  I used my normal moisturizer in the morning (Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel) and then in the evening when I had taken my make up off, I applied a small amount of the oil to my face before I went to bed.

I have to say, I have been very impressed.  You need a minimal amount and once the product has been applied and massaged in which takes only seconds, your skin has a lovely feel to it and is not greasy as I would have expected. 

I have combination skin which can be dry as a bone in places when I first wake up in the morning to then later in the day the same areas of skin turn greasy.  I cannot win!  In addition, at my ripe old age of 38, the area around my eyes is usually puffy in the morning, creating wrinkles which (as yet haha) disappear after an hour.

I noticed the difference after the second day of application.  The puffiness was reduced, the patchy dryness which previously would mess with my foundation was gone.  It also seems to be helping to heal the burn scar I have on my face from being a little too over excited with my hair straightners.

Overall, I would highly recommended.  Moringa Oil costs £16.95 for a 100ml bottle that I would estimate would last you 2-3 months.  You can buy the product here  

*This product was gifted to me but all opinions are my own.

Beauty Trends 2017

I recently wrote a blog about 5 Tips for Healthy Hair in your 30s.  This year I am on a bit of mission to change up and improve my hair care, my skin care routine and also my makeup and nail routines.

I recently came across the below e-book called Experts in Beauty which provides some tips for the new makeup trends and how skincare is improving and changing up.  There is some really interesting information in there which I will talk about further in the post.

You can enlarge the e-book by clicking on the top right arrow and scroll through the right slider.

When it comes to makeup, the matte look is gone.  Dewy skin and glossy lips are now coming forward, along with smudged eyeliner (which I am happy about being an eyeliner addict with a not too precise hand application!).

Eyebrows are still a fascination for many.  Going for a brow definition treatment is a great way of finding the right brow for you and microblading is becoming a go to for those who want long lasting perfect brows. 

I have always bitten my nails, right up to a couple of years ago.  Having finally gotten my nails to a decent length and getting some strength into them, I really want to play with different colours and techniques.

I have been getting my nail salon supplies from Ellisons to strengthen up my nails and get some good quality accessories to do my manicures and pedicures.  It has really helped in getting my previously ravaged nails back into shape.

Spring trends from the catwalks have had patterned nails, abstract art and using glitter but in an adult, classy way of just a small line along the cuticles which makes it look like jewellery for the nails.  I can't wait to try it all out!

What beauty plans do you have for 2017?

How Do You Say I Love You?

I love you.  Three small, tiny words that mean so much.  But how do you say I love you?

Sometimes it is a small thing that making someone that first cup of coffee in the morning. Sometimes it is giving someone a hug when they don't know that they need one.  Sometimes it is creating a gift for someone that costs nothing, but means the world.

One my most treasured possessions is a photo album that my mum made for me a couple of years ago with pictures of when I was young with my dad.  Having photographic memories of him, especially having lost him at such a young age is more precious that you can imagine.

Sometimes I think that the best ways of telling someone you love them is when they least expect it.  I love to bring my mum flowers, just because.  It does not have to be expensive, a couple of bunches of daffodils makes her so happy.  They also my favourite flower.

Flying Flowers recently commissioned a survey on how people show their love.  Unsurprisingly, 76% of people said that they would buy flowers to show their love on Mother's Day.

You can check out the survey below.

 

5 Tips for a Blog & Work Life Balance

I love to blog,  It is a way of putting a small piece of yourself out into the world.  Whether it be your thoughts on a subject, your personal style aesthetic or just a window to crawl out of your daily life; blogging is wonderful way for those who love to write to put their words out to a wider audience.

The trouble with blogging, is finding the time to do it.  Whether you are a full time worker, trying to fit in your writing with a 9-5 job and your after work life or a full time mum, running after children and organising a household; trying to add hours into your weeks to encompass blogging can be a challenge. 

You know those memes that go around the internet?  What my friends think I do, what my parents think I do, what society thinks I do?  The idea of blogging to many looks a lot like this.  

Calm, organised, scheduled.  The reality is more than often more like this.

The reality is jotting notes down on the bus to work, writing bits and pieces in your lunch hour; formulating a blog post on your journey home; writing it at 11pm when the house is finally quiet enough to write (it is 10.45pm when I am writing this).

But when it comes down to it, we love to blog.  So here are some tips for working a blog into your life.

Data on the Go

The majority of people have broadband in their homes.   Working from home is the ideal, but when you need to blog, jot down ideas and research issues on the hop, you are going to need a good and reliable internet connection that is not going to run out.  

My phone package include mobile broadband with a portable MiFi device so that I can easily get onto the internet anywhere I am, on my tablet or laptop, without having to worry about the security of public WiFi.  This is particularly useful in the summer months when you can go and sit in the sunshine while you blog!

Using an SEO expert can also really assist you in how to maximise your blog publicity and ensures that it reaches the right audiences.

Making Time for Yourself
Whether you are a full time worker or a full time mum, finding time for yourself is not easy at the best of times.  Add blogging into the mix and that time is cut down even further.  But it is important to set some time aside for yourself, even if it is just half an hour soaking the bath or a walk in the park.  If you burn yourself out, both you and your blog will suffer as a result.

My go to is a Lush bath bomb, a couple of candles and a glass of wine at the end of a busy day.  45 minutes later and I am refreshed and relaxed.

Blog Ideas
I often have several blog posts in draft.  When I get an idea for a post, I write down the bare bones in a notepad or my tablet, in time moving those ideas into a draft post; ready for writing properly when I have time.

When you have notes written down for a post and some key words and paragraphs ready for you, it is much easier to write and formulate your blog post when you have some time.  Having several in draft form at the same time gives you options of what to write when the mood springs and time allows.  I often find my opinion pieces decide to come out of me late at night so it helps to have a basic starter to work from.

Scheduling
Because I write most of my blog posts later at night when I have a little time, by the time I am finished I am often too tired to think about sharing on social networks and promoting the piece as I wish.  This is where scheduling comes into play.

The last thing I do when I finish a piece is schedule it to be published just when I am getting onto the bus for work in the morning.  Then during my journey I use the Buffer app to schedule publication on Twitter and Facebook throughout the day, as well as sharing on Linkedin and Google+.

Finally....

Don't be Afraid To Write What You Want & Be Visible
Ever had an idea come into your head that you wanted to write about but didn't, because you thought you shouldn't?  If you have as many opinions as me, the answer to that question is probably yes.  It might be an opinion piece on a hot topic (I write a piece about the Grand National every year which always gets flack).

Perhaps you have a political leaning or a social justice cause that you want to share.  Goodness knows there is enough to talk about on that front at the moment!  I have written about everything from prisoners on death row, to feminism and police violence against black people.

The point is, if you do not write what you want for fear of others opinions, your passion for writing is not going to be there.  In the end, you are writing for yourself and sharing a piece of yourself with the world.

So put yourself out into the world.  Find your blog name, decide what you want to write, create a logo for your brand, be loud and be vocal.  If people want to read your blog, they want to read who you are, so share it with them.

Gone in a Puff of Smoke

I turned 38 last week.  Although I have luckily inherited my mum's genes and tend to look younger than I am (except first thing in the morning when I look 70 haha), I am more conscious as I get older than I need to take better care of my skin and my health.

The grey hairs that start to appear, quickly vanished by the hair dye.  That wrinkle under your eye that appeared overnight that you pray will disappear when you wake up properly.  Not having as much energy.  Slowly and surely, they all start to come into play.  The sands of time never stop moving.

There are of course ways that you can role back some of those effects.  One of them is taking better care of your skin, not relying on face wipes (I know, I know) and pale soap and water instead of a regular cleanse, tone and moisturiser routine.  When you treat skin well, it repays you.  I can practically hear it saying thank you when I apply my Clinique moisturiser.

Another way to keep your skin and hair looking as youthful as you can is by watching what you are putting into your body.  In this case, it is the toxins of cigarettes.

Turning 38 is only two years away from being 40.  An age where I never thought that I would still smoke.  Having quit for two years before, I know that I can do it.  I remember the benefits gained from quitting smoking that was not just my bank balance.

Food was tastier.  A fresher complexion.  My hair looked shinier.  I woke up earlier and felt like I had so much more energy.

So this week, I am going to bite the bullet again.  

Last time I used the cold turkey method but my life is different now.  I am pulled in many different directions and have many more things that want my time and my attention.  I do not have the energy to commit to the hell of cold turkey.  This needs to be a slower process.

So this time, I am going to go down the vaping route. 

As I have an upcoming holiday, I thought it wise to check out whether vaping is allowed in the two countries that I can going to this year.  This guide to vaping and travelling has proved very helpful and I urge follow vape travellers to check it out.