Beauty Picks of the month*

So today's a little bit of a different post with more of a beauty theme. It's to share some of my favourite beauty picks from this month. I was sent both of these and have genuinely loved using them both. 

1. LIQ C Serum

After finding this serum via Twitter I was really keen to try it for myself! I rarely used serum but after this I think I will definitely be using it a lot more. The vitamins within the serum definitely made my skin look healthier and I noticed a difference in the softness of my skin too, it's definitely something I would recommend and also use again myself!

2. Spieza Organics 

This is a lovely little set from Spieza Organics who overall are such a lovely company to work with. One of the main highlights of this product is that they are organic which gives a more natural feel. The packaging is also lovely and the products again are definitely noticeable on the skin with very obvious benefits! 

This is just a little bonus post and I will be posting my regular lifestyle themed post tomorrow. 

J x

Exams are over! What now?

So Yesterday marked the day of my last a level exam. It was in Sociology, a subject that I probably couldn't hate more if I tried, which made it even more satisfying when after 2 hours of staring at a clock, it was over. I'd never have to set foot in school again. Well, only for results day. 

So after around 13 years of eduction, what exactly have I learnt? Not much actually. I could probably tell you about Merton's Strain Theory or Porter's 5 Competitve forces, but could I show you how to pay a bill? Could I explain how tax works? Understand a financial statement? Networking? Saving properly? There are so many essential life skills that are not taught in school and they should be. I feel that most of the things that school taught me I will never use again and that's the same for most people.

With A-Levels we cram everything we have learnt in the past year, into an exam that at most will last a couple hours. It's not pratical and is merely just a memory test. How many people? How many theories? How many dates? It is not just about what you know, it's about how much. It doesn't matter if you've been an A* student in every mock exam you've done, if you've got an F in the actual exam then you're classed as an F grade student. Is it fair? I wouldn't say so. 

Now that exams have finished this has made me so much more relaxed and it's only now I realise how stressful school was. It's a very pressurised environment and from a young age we're forced to make a decision on the rest of our lives. It's not that I don't appreciate the education I've had, I just believe the system should be different. 

Life isn't about finding yourself, life is about creating yourself 

J x

50 Followers Giveaway!!!

I am so happy that this little blog has reached 50 followers already that I am launching a little giveaway to say thank you! The giveaway is to win a collection of some of my favourite facemasks. It will last for a month and the winner will have their prize posted to them the week that the winner is announced. This is my first giveaway on this blog and I'm very excited to launch more giveaways in the future too! a Rafflecopter giveaway J x

The relevance of dreams

It amazes me that I've actually managed to blog for three weeks running now without forgetting or having some sort of block. 

I wanted to talk about something different today and something which isn't often openly talked about in public, although I believe it should be. Dreams, we all have them whether we decide to share them or not. 

It's hard to define what exactly a dream is. A place, a moment, a person, something we wish would happen or something that maybe already has. It's something we crave, something we long for, maybe we're born with pre-existing dreams to build us as a person, they make up who we are. 

Phrases such as "life's too short" and "follow your dreams" are throwaway cliche phrases that are used far too often. Despite this, they carry a very significant message and that is that dreams are important and that if anything, you must believe that they are possible. 

They act as a source of hope, a source of achievement, something that we can measure success by. It may never happen, but there is always hope that one day it will. 

My dream is to open an event planning business and I have worked for that from a young age and am still now continuity to work for it. I know it will take time, it's a long process but I refuse to give up on what I define as a dream. 

To dream is to live 

To be happy you need to allow yourself to be happy

This is something I've been learning a lot recently, that to be happy you must first allow yourself to be happy. You must accept that you do deserve this, that it has happened for a reason and you are entitled to it, you must learn to know and recognise you're own worth. 

Recently, things have been great. I have a fantastic boyfriend, a job that I love, a supportive set of friends, I'm learning to drive and have recently bought a car. Yet, at first I wanted to run away from it all, I felt that I didn't deserve any of that, like it wasn't supposed to be happening to me. 

I guess a lot of this has come from a lack of self believe from a young age. Always being shocked when I achieved something or got a good result, waiting for something bad to happen again as soon as things turned good, being scared of the good. I've slowly had to accept that good things do happen, rewards do exist and they happen due to determination and hard work. 

With an attitude like this it's probably natural to wonder if I can ever be truly happy and I have wondered this myself. If I feel on edge at the best of times, can true happiness exist? I believe it can , I believe that I am truly happy but before happiness there has to be acceptance. 

Accept the good with open arms and deal with the bad as it comes, accept that there is nothing to be afraid of and that in every life there will be a sequence of good and bad events that need to be embraced. 

"To live would be an awfully big adventure " - Peter Pan

J x

A week in Filey!

Earlier this month I left school a week early and went to Filey with my boyfriend and his family whist my parents went to Gran a Canaria for the week I was away. 

I was dropped off at my boyfriends house on the Saturday and over the weekend learnt how to make pancakes (kind of) as I am not the best of cooks, my very tragic attempt at a pancake is seen below, although Alan was still good enough to eat it bless him😂

On our way to the Blue Dolphin caravan park in Filey where we were stopping we stopped off at the Humber Bridge for a few photos, I hadn't stopped there before but it was a really good place to get some good photos along with some great views of the bridge and I would definitely encourage anyone to make a short stop there if they are passing. 

We was lucky that it was a sunny day on the day we set of which made the photos even better! 

We had a little trip out during our stay to get some fish and chips by the coast and whilst it was a little chilly it didn't matter to us in that moment as we was on holiday and having a good time. 

As well as this we also went on a cliff top walk which is something I've never done before but definitely a unique experience. From the caravan park you could climb up a grassy hill until reaching a fence, when climbing over there was a muddy path where you could walk along the cliff. As it was quite windy that day this probably wasn't the most sensible idea but some of the best ideas are the most crazy ones. 

And just incase you're wondering, yes I did steal his coat, I'm sorry🙈

We also visited the Sealife Sanctuary in Scarborough which is probably where a lot of my photos came from!

We also bought a keyring and photo that we had taken as we went into the sanctuary which is now pinned up on my bedroom wall along with all the other memories! 

Overall it was definitely an amazing trip and such a great experience to have! 

J x

Last day at school!

Today was my last day at school. After 7 years I suppose a normal person would feel some sort of sadness at this departure but for me I  cannot help but feel almost numb. Leaving school is just another stepping stone and I can't help feeling that this is just all part of a journey. I'll start work soon as I've got an apprenticeship so really it feels like all I'm doing is moving from one institution to another, although the new role will bring with it many new opportunities and experiences and I am looking forward to it, there's no doubt about that. 

I don't know what it is about school but I've always felt a bit fed up there. Of course it's had its good days but there's also been days where I've felt that everyone around me is somewhat immature and I suppose that's come from being forced to grow up and focused from an early age. I've always been focused on doing well and having a career. When I was thinking about starting a business others were going out or playing computer games. I suppose there's nothing wrong with that, it's their choice and it may be the reason why I've also felt comfortable more around older people, considering people within my own age group to be just slightly immature and to an extent, fake. 

I cannot doubt though that I have some amazing friends and boyfriend within my own age group who have supported me on all my ambitions and I am very thankful to them for being in my life. 

I look forward to the new opportunities and adventures that the future brings 

J x

"Life is an art form to be lived beyond boundaries"