Saying NO and the price of peace.

 

Image from www.dreamstime.com

I have always been a people pleaser. I would go out of my way to make sure no one would ever accuse me of being inconsiderate. I think part of the reason I was always so accommodating no matter what was because I wanted to steer clear of conflict at all costs. But, I have come to realize something. While I was making sure everyone else was pleased, I was unhappy. And severely so. It never occurred to me that conflict was not only necessary at times but, also crucial to my inner peace and ultimately my happiness.

As a mother, putting your own needs last come effortlessly: second nature. And that is very well when it comes to your child or children, but what about everyone else? Should I really be putting everyone else’s needs before my own? There’s this myth that women should always be ready to sacrifice and I have witnessed this multiple times. We don’t always do what we want to; we do what we HAVE to. We have been fashioned to think that women should be willing and able to give easily, without any question and to any degree. And, if we don’t, we end up feeling guilt ridden.  “Identify a need or want, and you will probably find a woman willing to take responsibility for it.” (Vermeulen,S. 2011. ELLE). I say be a little selfish from time to time.  Say no to this favour or to that thing you have to do for your cousin’s friend. If it is not making you happy or making you feel even vaguely good, feel free to refuse.

It’s been a very difficult thing for me to do; saying no. People tend to treat you differently when you finally muster up the courage to say no and, as someone who suffers from depression, sudden changes in behavior towards me is very triggering. I have experienced this a ton especially when it comes to family and friends. I've noticed that the less I care about pleasing everyone, the more people have started to accuse me of being distant, unbothered or even a bad friend.   But, I can tell you it has been both liberating and eye opening at the same time. Now I am not saying you should suddenly run around saying no to everyone. You don't have to be reckless with people's feelings, just more mindful of your own. Just be aware that you do have the option to say no and to not feel any kind of shame for it. Real friends will stick around whether you are able to do things for them or not.  And the rest...well who needs the excess baggage? 

 TILL LATER, LAUREN!

#NiveaDelightYourSenses

I was thoroughly delighted when I received a cute little Nivea drop recently. Like I have mentioned in the past, I prefer oils over lotions simply because they seem to save me time. Needless to say the fact that this particular lotion contains oil intrigued me. I received the Orange Blossom & Avocado oil scent to try and I adore it.

Let's just say the scent puts you in a good mood and I could always use more of that. I promise you it is like happiness captured in a bottle. As you can imagine, the addition of oils add intense moisture, which has been a bonus for my skin. I seem to take a beating when it comes to winter time and dry skin. It is not a pretty sight. 

Another major factor for me when deciding on how to moisturise is the consistency of a product. I absolutely loathe spending more time than I need to rubbing in a product. Now you would expect a product this nourishing to be thick and impossible but, it is certainly not.  The formula is light and makes for an easy application. Consider me converted!

No doubt I will be repurchasing the lotion once I have finished this one. Perhaps I will even try another variant. How about you? Have you used any of the #NiveaDelightYourSenses lotions? I would love to hear from you.

TILL LATER, LAUREN! 

Sartorial Corner: Jeans in winter

 I battle with getting dressed for winter. If you read my blog often you might have figured this out by now. The countless posts on how to wear the winter skirt, the winter beanie and the winter coat has simply been a way to help myself cope with dressing for winter.

Look, as much as I want to be trendy and stylish, my style is mostly dictated by the fact that I’m a mother. I need to be able to run after my son all the time. Needless to say I spend a lot of time in jeans and Converse (or boots). Yes, we can’t all be Victoria Beckham. The same goes for my style during the winter months. It needs to be cosy and comfortable; yet something I wouldn’t mind being seen in by the fashion police.  Jeans is always my item of choice but, it does not always guarantee warmth.

This post is dedicated to finding ways to accessorise old faithful so you can show the cold a thing or two. If you have any tips on making your wardrobe more winter appropriate, please share them with me. Goodness knows I need them. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy the pictures.  

A statement coat will make even the dullest of jeans look polished. 

You can wear jeans top to bottom and add your own pieces for comfort. 

Add a stunning pair of boots. 

Layer up! 

* I do not take credit for the images in this post.

TILL LATER, LAUREN! 

Life lately :Instagram Round Up

It has been quite some time since I have done one of these Instagram round up posts. Let's just say life hasn't been very Instagram-able this year. Between mourning the loss of the year I thought it would have been and every one else seemingly returning back to normal: I was uninspired. And that's putting it mildly.

I'm not sure what I was expecting for 2021 but, it sure as hell was not this. I have been living in this limbo between preparing for the future and wondering exactly what that future would look like. To top it all off, my special birthday month (May) turned out to be bittersweet. More bitter that sweet I might add. However, it wasn't all bad. I have also been feeling a great sense of rebirth. You know when they demolish a building to put up a completely new one. That's the feeling. So in the spirit of that feeling I have decided to post about the moments that did in fact make it to Instagram. These tiny glimpses really made me smile these past few months. 

Lunch dates with my family will always make me happy.

 

An honest review on a product I adore. You can read it here

I love being a soccer mom and the kid is amazing at it. I'm ecstatic that he gets to play again.

I love impromptu beach dates and really like wearing this dress. It makes me feel sexy.

Going anywhere with this guy is fun and every now and then we remember to take a picture together.

The way to my heart :)

 I have been hesitant to do this post for a while with everything going on in the media but, having recently decided to ALWAYS put my mental health first (thank you Naomi Osaka), I felt like I needed this. I needed to be reminded to purposefully look for the little bits of magic in every day. I've dealt with depression for as long as I can remember and I can say for sure expressing myself helps a lot. With that being said, I hope you enjoyed this little glimpse into my world. Please drop your Instagram handles in the comment section below and tell me what you think about this post. 

TILL LATER, LAUREN!

Review : Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel

 I have been dying to post about this product from the moment I bought it but, I figured, in order for me to give an honest review, I needed to give it a little time to see whether it really makes a difference to my skin. I have to admit, the uncomplicated packaging really won me over but, I have been duped many a times by charming packaging. It's really important for me to spend my money on products that  make a difference in my life so I was definitely rooting for this water gel. 

According to Neutrogena, if you want hydrated skin and a healthy glow, this is the product for you. The lightweight formula contains Hyaluronic acid and also promises supple skin that lasts throughout the whole day. I have been using the water gel for about 5 weeks now, both morning and night and there are a few things that I like about the gel.

• The texture- It is super lightweight and not greasy which makes it easy to wear under your foundation. It also absorbs super quickly so you don't spend your precious time rubbing your face.
• The light blue pot with the white lid is , as I  have mentioned, quite a charming change for someone who normally prefers a pump bottle. I like that it looks pretty on my night stand.
• It has a comforting smell that is not overwhelming. This is important to me especially since we cannot escape any smells while wearing our masks.

• Even though the gel absorbs very quickly you immediately notice how it quenches your skin.  This probably stood out for me the most. While my skin is not particularly dry, the gel made a visible difference. I looked well rest and hydrated every time I used it.

I have to admit that I normally prefer a cream that has a thicker consistency, especially for night time, but this gel has really changed the way I look at gel formulas. So much so that I have recommended it to all my friends. There are a few other products in the Neutrogena Hydro Boost range and after my great experience with this gel, it goes without saying that I am eager to try some of them. You can find this product at most stores and it retails for just under R140.

Have you tried any of the Hydro Boost products? I would love to hear what you think about it.

TILL LATER, LAUREN! 

PS: Special shoutout to Xylon and Thando for helping me take these pictures.

Denim and Stripes!

I don't like doing look posts. There are numerous reasons why but, the main one would probably be that I never feel like I look quite good enough to do a look post. I follow countless fashion bloggers and their look posts always set the bar so high that I often feel discouraged to do my own. 

Lately, I have had a change of heart however. Listen, I have realised that I will never be the bloggers that I idolise but, I need to give myself a little more credit. Sometimes I can actually look very put together. This particular outfit made me feel really feminine and sexy which is why I decided to share it. 

I don't wear jeans or shirts often because most of the time I am either in uniform or in sweatpants. I instantly fell in love with this shirt from Mr Price because I could literally think of a few ways to wear it. I decided to pair it with jeans (also from Mr Price) and these cute shoes from Woolies which I got on sale. The necklace is a gift and the glasses I stole from my person :) 

I look forward to seeing what other looks I can create with this shirt. Thank you for reading this post. What is your go to item at the moment? Let me know in the comment section. 

TILL LATER, LAUREN! 

 

Look post: Xylon Kenzo

The other day I did a quick little photo shoot with my favorite person in the world. Xylon is at the age now where he wants to pick out his own clothes and I am having so much fun seeing how his style is developing. I tend to not focus to much on where I buy his clothes but, rather on the quality. I also love matching sets because its really easy to throw on. Usually we would put a denim jacket over this set depending on the weather.

I really love how these turned out especially since I took them on my phone. The kid clearly enjoys being in front of the camera 

 

*Tracksuit- PEP stores

*Shoes- Nike

TILL LATER,LAUREN!

Payot: Masque Charbon

 Hi everyone! 

I know it's been a while since I have posted but, to be honest, this pandemic just sucked  the life out of me. I was uninspired and unmotivated and really not in the mood to blog about anything . However, with life returning to somewhat normal, I have a few beauty, fashion and lifestyle posts lined up. Let's dive in to the first product I am beyond excited to share with you! 

Now I'll be the first to admit that I am the queen of beauty on a budget but, this mask is definitely worth your coins. The mask is ultra absorbent and aids in deep cleansing and exfoliating combination to oily skin. It also rids the skin of toxins,excess sebum and impurities thanks to the charcoal and kaolin it contains.  The french brand was created in 1920 by Dr. Nadia Payot and if I'm being completely frank, it seemed a bit out of my range purely because its a bit pricey. So needless to say when I got a good deal on the mask, I jumped at the chance to use it. 

What I adored about this mask was how amazing it smelled to begin with.  You know how most charcoal masks dry to an impossibly hard cast, this one does the exact opposite. Also you don't have to scrub half of your face of to get it all of. I've seen a major change in the few weeks I've been using it. The first week however, a few pimples appeared but, I figured it was just the charcoal pulling the impurities to the surface.

Lets just say if I can, I will repurchase this mask without a doubt. I look forward to the next few weeks if masking. Do you mask? What is you favourite one at the moment? I look forward to hearing from you  

TILL LATER, LAUREN  

Black Friday

Just a little throwback look post to what I wore on Black Friday. Yes, I was working so I didn't spend much time looking for bargains. Nevertheless,  I guess  I still saved money either way.

*Bodysuit, jacket, skirt and glasses : Mr Price
*Stockings : gifted
*Shoes: Legit

TILL LATER, LAUREN!

Maybelline Super Stay matte ink - Lover

Every now and then I find a lipstick  that tick all the boxes for me. Amazing quality, great price, amazing staying power and of course a colour that looks beautiful when I wear it. This time around that lipstick  comes in the form of Maybelline's Super Stay Matte Ink.  Let me tell you, in my books, this lipstick is unmatched!

Just a quick review. It took me a while to settle on a colour because I kind of wanted them all at once but I settled on #15 Lover. This pink is absolutely stunning on my lips. Not only does it stay on (no matter what you go through) it also doesn't leave your lips feeling stiff and dry. Yes you can actually smile.

I just wanted to share how much I  adore this lipstick and I am definitely going to repurchase (in almost every colour) . They retail for R159,95 and I got mine from Dischem. Have you used the Maybelline Matte Ink Lipstick yet? I  would love to hear from you.

TILL LATER, LAUREN!

Let's get Candid! Revlon review.

My very first foundation was a Revlon one. I have a lot of fond memories of that foundation. For starters: it was the first foundation that actually fit my skin tone. I felt very sophisticated and grown up. Soon I started to venture in to other foundations and naturally other favourites arose. Which is why I was especially excited to take it back to basics for my latest review. When I saw the new Revlon Photoready CANDID foundation I had no idea that it even existed to begin with. Yes, I am not the coolest of bloggers.

Although the packaging was probably the drawing card for me ( I am only human) ,  I have to admit that the words "anti pollution foundation" was the thing that ultimately convinced my broke ass to buy the foundation. Apart from having an amazing natural finish, the foundation actually contains ingredients that protects against anti blue light aggressors. This refers to the light that emanates from digital devices such as computers and smart phones. It also leads to photo aging (aging from exposure to light) and considering the staggering amount of time we all spend on these devices; I figured it would probably do me some good to have even a little bit of protection.

There are so many things I love about the foundation. The texture is so creamy and blendable that it feels like you might be spreading butter across your face. (Not that I have ever done this but still). Just one layer gives you that barely there look. Although I like to add a little extra on my nose and underneath my eyes. The coverage is also amazing to me and all without that heavy feeling. I really hate when I am frequently aware that I am wearing foundation. I have mentioned the beautiful packaging but I want to take special moment to mention the pump/tube hybrid. It just makes life so much easier for me. No leakage and I get to control exactly how much product I use. All in all this my favourite Revlon foundation so far and I am going to keep repurchasing until Revlon decides to send me a complimentary stash. HA!

This little tube of love retails for R149,95 (22ml) and I am currently using shade 400 (Macadamia). The range also includes the Photoready Candid Concealer and Photoready Candid Setting Powder which I cannot wait to dip into. How are you liking the range?

TILL LATER, LAUREN!