Relaxation Tips

As someone who has suffered from her fair share of anxiety disorders and panic attacks over the years I believe that finding time in your day to day life to relax and de-stress is extremely important for your physical, mental and emotional well being. What with it now being exam season for many people I thought it would be the perfect time to share some of my favourite and most successful ways that I have used over the years to unwind and de-stress...

1. Digital Detox

I always find that turning off all of my gadgets and stepping away from technology and social media, even for an hour or two, is a great way to unwind. As it has been proven that constant connections to the online world causes increased stress in your daily life, taking a digital detox is one of the most beneficial ways to relax and take a break, as well as focus more on the real world, which in turn leads to lowered anxiety and stress levels. 

2. Pamper Yourself

For me, I don't think there is anything more relaxing than treating yourself to a pamper evening, especially in extremely stressful or anxious times. I would quite often try to take a little bit more time on a Sunday night to have a long soak in the bath, complete with my favourite bath bomb, before cleansing and steaming my face, as well as popping on a face mask which made me truly relaxed before the start of the week.

3. Read a Book

As a massive bookworm one of my favourite ways to take a breather was to curl up in bed with a good book, especially after suffering from particularly bad panic attacks. I always found that reading helped take my mind off whatever was causing me to feel stressed or tense as I could escape to the fictional world I was reading about and take a break from my own worries for a while. My favourite was definitely Harry Potter, however non-fictional books, magazines or even audio books worked just as well!

4. Listen to Music

Listening to music was mostly an accompaniment to one of my other relaxation techniques, particularly my pamper evenings, yet it also worked pretty well on it's own to help me de-stress. Classical music and movie scores were always my go-to choices, and I created and followed a number of playlists on Spotify of all my favourites. I always found that listening to classical music helped me to focus so much more on my schoolwork, especially when working towards a deadline, as well as being the perfect background noise for my A-Level revision last year. 

5. Download an App 

Although it kind of goes against my first tip, there are some great apps available that are really helpful when it comes to trying to relax. There are some specific meditation apps, such as Headspace, which is a great way to have an easy and guided meditation session, whether it be 2 minutes or 60 minutes, however, my favourite app is definitely Relax Melodies. You select sounds and melodies that you like and combine them to create a relaxing soundtrack and although it is targeted to help you sleep, I swore by this during the height of my anxiety and depended on it in stressful times to help me stay calm and relaxed. 

How do you like to relax?

Megan

Review | Nars Sheer Glow Foundation & Radiant Creamy Concealer

If there is one beauty product that I have coveted more than any other it is probably Nars Sheer Glow. Having read numerous reviews and seen it in action in countless Youtube videos it has sat at the top of my beauty wishlist for a good couple of years until the other day when I finally bit the bullet in Space NK and purchased it, along with the Radiant Creamy Concealer, leaving a considerable dent in my bank balance. 

I was originally planning to order the products online, yet I was hesitant as I was unsure of which shade would be right for me and didn't want to waste £30+ on the wrong shade, so I put it off until I could visit the nearest Nars counter. The guy in the store was extremely helpful, offering suggestions for the best products for my skin type as well as matching me to the shades "Deauville" (light with neutral balance of pink and yellow undertones) in the foundation and "Vanilla" in the concealer, which are perfect colours for me. 

In terms of coverage, both the foundation and concealer are spot on, giving medium-full coverage that is definitely buildable, due to the extremely light and weightless texture of the two products. Unlike previous foundations and concealers I have used, I cannot feel either of these on the skin at all after application, and they are also pretty invisible on the skin too, giving a flawless, yet natural, look. One of my favourite things about the foundation in particular is that it doesn't look dry and cakey on the skin, which I have experienced a fair few times in the past, rather, it glides on smoothly leaving a radiant, satiny finish. The concealer is also pretty perfect too, covering any blemishes and redness I have on my face as well as concealing dark circles and brightening the undereye area expertly. Both products are really easy to apply, and whilst the concealer does have a slightly thicker consistency than the foundation, they both blend like a dream, especially when using a buffing brush.  

All in all, it is definitely the best foundation and concealer duo I have ever used as it makes my skin look radiant and pretty much flawless. The only negatives are the lack of pump on the foundation bottle and also that I do need to powder a little bit more frequently throughout the day due to my combination skin, however both of these things I can easily overlook as they are such great products that certainly live up to their "holy grail" status. 

Have you tried these products? What did you think?

Megan  

Monochrome Spring

New Look Jumpsuit | New Look T-shirt | River Island Brogues | H&M Hat | Michael Kors Bag

With the sun finally making an appearance here in the UK, I thought I would embrace the sunshine and take a couple of outfit shots now that I can wear all of my Spring clothing without freezing half to death by lunchtime. Jumpsuits are one of my favourite items of clothing to wear not only in Spring, but all year round, as they are so versatile and effortless, however when the weather is warmer I love wearing them with a simple jersey t-shirt and brogues for a casual monochrome look. Today, I also paired it with a big hat and my Michael Kors tote for a super comfortable and easy to wear Spring outfit. 

What is your go-to item of clothing for Spring?

Megan

April Favourites

It always surprises me how quickly these monthly favourite posts come around and I seriously can't believe we are nearly halfway through 2016 already- I swear it was only New Year last week! Onto my April favourites and it's quite a small collection this month with a couple of exciting new favourites, as well as some rediscoveries that I have been loving throughout the past month...

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation

I have had this foundation in my collection for well over a year now yet I kind of neglected it as I didn't think it was the right shade for me. However, I recently gave it another go and realised that I can actually get away with wearing it in this shade, which I am so glad about as it is such an amazing foundation. It is such an easy foundation to apply, with a buildable coverage to give a flawless finish to the skin. It is perfect for my combination-oily skin as it lasts all day, with only one or two touch ups needed throughout the day. I am so glad I rediscovered it as it is definitely one of the best foundations out there!

The Body Shop Lip Balm- Passionberry
As someone who constantly gets dry lips, especially when the weather is still pretty chilly, I am always applying lip balm throughout the day to keep them moisturised. Whilst I have used many different ones this is definitely one of my favourites that I have tried, as it is extremely hydrating and smells amazing, as well as giving the lips a slight sheer tint of colour. I definitely want to try more of these!

11.22.63

I read and loved the Stephen King book last year, so I was extremely excited to watch the TV show, and so far it hasn't disappointed. Whilst it does differ slightly from the book, which tells the story of an American English teacher going back in time to prevent the assassination of John. F. Kennedy, the fact that it is an 8 part TV series means it is extremely detailed and accurate. All of the characters are portrayed amazingly, in particular Jake Epping, played by James Franco. It is such a compelling and suspenseful thriller and I am very excited to get to the climax of the story. 

Soap & Glory Endless Glove Hand Mask 
Another rediscovered product that I have been using lately is this hand cream/mask, which is enriched with macadamia oil and fruit acid smoothers to soothe and moisturise your hands. As I have been suffering from quite dry hands recently I have been loving using this, especially just before I go to bed, and it has made such a difference to my skin, leaving it feeling soft and smooth. 

L'Oreal Lumi Magique Highlighting Pen
Since repurchasing this concealer last month it has become a staple part of my makeup routine. Similar to offerings from YSL and Mac, it is a medium coverage, slightly shimmery highlighter that brightens the under eye area and covers dark circles. I have been loving using this to add some radiance to the face, especially under the eyes, the tops of my cheekbones and down the nose to give a pretty, luminous look.
  
The Fault In Our Stars

Despite being on my to read list for a while, I've found myself neglecting this book, partly avoiding the hype and also because I thought it might be too much of a Young Adult novel for me. However, having read it in a week, I really wish I'd read it sooner, as it is such a funny, touching and beautiful story that completely sucked me in as a reader. I love how it doesn't glorify Cancer, instead John Green presents a very real and honest tale of suffering from a terminal illness. I think everyone should read this, regardless of how old you are, and I challenge anyone not to fall in love with the crooked smiled, metaphor weaving Augustus Waters. 

What have you been loving this month?

Megan