Going insane?

As the title of this post suggests, I literally felt like I was going insane at the start of the year. I found life pretty overwhelming, I didn't know what I was doing and (now I know) that is okay, it is totally normal to feel this way!

Without going into too much detail, I was diagnosed with a mental health condition; an anxiety disorder to be exact which provided me with a logical explanation as to why I was I finding daily activities so exhausting - more on this can be found here.

Having an anxiety disorder affects everything, your social life, your circle of friends and for me, finding the motivation to do the littlest of things like going to uni everyday was an absolute challenge. I can happily say now that I have managed to complete the second year of my degree after many hours of crying and stressing myself out - I did it, I survived!

It has taken a couple of months to feel like me again but slow progress is better than none. I can now concentrate and focus my time on things I have neglected; like my blog 😬.  This is my first post since January but I am excited to get back into writing 😌.

I have learnt that life is all about balance - it is important to take breaks for your own sanity.

One of my favourite quotes is "comparison is the thief of joy" and this could not be more true! I would spend hours on my phone scrolling through social media constantly wondering why my life was not like everyone else's but now I have realised social media is just an illusion - people obviously only post the best parts of their life and what they want people to see, it's not their real day-to-day life. Every so often, I have a "digital detox" and it is one of the best things I have ever done - it really helps to clear the mind - the less time I spend on my phone, the better I feel!

I don't really know where I am going with this but I am so proud of how far I have come despite everything.

The present situation is not the final destination.

X

How Skin Accumax Changed My Life

The title of my post seems a bit dramatic but it's true. I've mentioned my acne problem countless times on this blog purely because it's the one area of my life that I thought I couldn't change...until one day I discovered Skin Accumax (thanks to a family friend - *ily so much for this*) 🙌!

My skin was relatively clear as a child but as soon as I hit my late teens (16 onwards) my spots became the bane of my life. I can guarantee you I've tried every spot treatment in Boots and Superdrug and when that didn't work I decided to consult my doctor who prescribed with some tablets that did absolutely NOTHING to help the situation.

I'm not someone who has a problem with the way they look but my acne was definitely doing a good job of making me feel self-conscious. 😒

August 2015.

Within the space of a year was looking the worse I'd ever seen it. I was breaking out mostly along my t-zone as well as my cheeks, my pigmentation was becoming more visible and the pain was pretty much intolerable. Going out without makeup on definitely not an option either.

August 2016.

By chance, a family friend recommended Skin Accumax from the Advanced Nutrition Programme. In all honesty, I'd never even heard of the company and knew nothing about them but by this time I was becoming so desperate that I was willing to do anything. At first, I was sceptical about trying another treatment due to the lack of results I was getting but I was easily persuaded after hearing that the product was a supplement containing natural ingredients.  

The iiaa is a distributer of the Advanced Nutrition Programme Skin Supplements, Environ Skin Care  and Jane Iredale Mineral Makeup. Their simple philosophy of "Feed, Fortify and Finish" works in conjunction with iiaa brands to improve the appearance of acne and maintain healthy looking skin.

I started off by using the 60 capsule Skin Accumax pack twice a day (retailing at £39.95) and gradually moved onto the Starter pack containing 120 capsules (£69.95). It's now been six months and I am still continuing my Skin Accumax journey by taking the 180 capsule Supersize pack priced at £89.95. More on the range of products can be found here!

Obviously, Skin Accumax isn't the most budget friendly but it's a small price to pay for the result it gives! I have never been happier! I wasn't expecting my skin to change overnight but within a week there was clearly a difference. I wasn't breaking out daily and my skin was beginning to look and feel a lot smoother. Skin Accumax has boosted my self esteem to the point where I can actually confidently leave the house without makeup and I no longer use 30590504 filters before uploading a selfie on social media!

The last few selfies on my Instagram have not been altered or blurred at all - (I use VSCO to edit my images cos you know, I try to upkeep a theme) 😁.

This is what my skin looks like from November 2016 - January 2017.

DISCLAIMER: I am in no way a skin care expert but Skin Accumax genuinely gives better results and actually works unlike prescribed medication from the doctors. The proof is in the photo! X

2017

We're almost three weeks into January 2017 and it's been pretty much a month since I last wrote a blog post. The last couple of weeks have been crazy, I can't even describe it! Uni deadlines, Christmas and New Year's - it's been a blur.

It's probably a bit late to talk about my New Year's resolutions but I have one that I have already completed and two that I think I can achieve by the end of the year!

1. PASS MY DRIVING TEST - I'm very happy to announce that on the 11th of January 2017, I FINALLY passed my driving test after 3 failed attempts! I cannot even count the amount of times that I wanted to quit but I am so glad I kept going with it! Looking back now, I am certain that the times I failed was a sign that I just wasn't ready!

*so far so good* 👍

2. BE HAPPY - it sounds stupid but I am one of those people that overthinks absolutely everything😩. 2016 was such a busy year and I want 2017 to be the year where I focus on me - self-care is a priority.

3. SAY YES TO MORE THINGS - that includes social events, seeing my friends more often and learning to step out of my comfort zone!

2016 taught me that it is better to live life with more *ooops* moments than "what if's".

X

Clothes Show Live 2016!

Living in Birmingham means it's a bit of a no brainer to attend  The Clothes Show when it's right on my doorstep! This was my second year going and it didn't disappoint!

WHERE DO I START???

I really recommend making a full day of this event especially if it's your first time going! It usually starts around 9am and in that way you can beat the crowd later on - it also makes the experience a lot more enjoyable!

The Clothes Show is your one stop shop for all things fashion and beauty! There are a crazy amount of stalls (branded and independent) - you're going to need a couple of hours just to get through them! From Russian hats to Christmas decorations - you're bound to find something to take your fancy!

My favourite part of the day was The Alcatel Fashion Show - combining fashion, music and dance in one place whilst promoting the latest collections from the likes of Topshop and Boohoo. Lasting approximately 45 minutes, you will LITERALLY not take your eyes off the stage! 😼

I won't lie when I say that the main reason that I love going to events like this is because of the amazing line up they have every year 😇.  You can meet a range of celebs and bloggers from TOWIE's Fearne McCann to the UK's top fashion blogger at the moment - Sarah Ashcroft! (Be prepared to queue for a hell of a long time to get a photo though!)

Now at a place like this, it is impossible not to see hundreds of girls with their hands full of shopping bags. It's quite easy to be sucked into buying a goody bag from a brand for only a tenner or whatever but actually if you think logically (which I rarely do), you can buy a few different ones and give them as stocking fillers or Christmas presents - you're welcome! 😊

*A couple of hours later*  I was absolutely knackered, my legs were aching and all I wanted to do was go home and sleep. However, I would be completely happy to do this all over again! The Clothes Show is the ultimate girls day out!

X

GET TO KNOW ME: 5 facts about me!

The first blog post is always the hardest to write and I've spent at least two weeks wondering what I can post and what better way to start than talking about something I have 100% knowledge on - ME! *lol*

So this is a little introduction, five things about me:

1. My dream job would be either a farmer or an astronaut - I just love the idea of owning my own farm and as for being an astronaut, well I'm just really intrigued by space

2. I once met Jake Quickenden at The Clothes Show - this is probably the highlight of my life *lmao*

3. I'm convinced I stopped growing aged 12. I'm literally so short (5'1)! that in the words of Nicole Richie (if you've ever seen Candidly Nicole, you'll know what I'm going on about!) "there's an entire world up there that I don't know about" - tragic but true

4. If I could appear on any TV show, it would definitely be Come Dine With Me - I'm an expert on cooking potato waffles perfectly *just saying* 

5. For most people, getting braces is a traumatic ordeal however I am about that 1% that thoroughly enjoyed wearing them and would pay any amount of money to have them again. I wore them for 18 months and one of the first things I said when I had them taken out was that I felt like Donkey from Shrek *awks*. Honestly though, if you've had them then you can relate - so much surface area!

Anyway there you have it, five facts about me! Hope you enjoyed reading about how weird I am!

X