Empties: The good, bad and ugly #1

 I love a good empties post. To me it says that the blogger actually loved the product enough to finish it. I am also not a fan of wasting anything which is why I use all my products up until the last drop. Granted, if it irritates your skin or your foundation is oxidizing I can definitely see why you would stop. I would too.

Like I said I tend to finish all my products so this post will be relatively short and I will most likely not be doing an "empties" post too often. Nevertheless, I have recently finished a few products and I would like to share them with you. Let's start with Tresemme's Botanic moisture & replenish shampoo. I initially bought this shampoo when I started to transition from relaxed hair to natural hair. The fact that it contains coconut milk and aloe vera made it seem like it would be really gentle on my hair. It smells amazing and while it did a great job of cleansing and softening my hair, I wont be repurchasing it. I just want to try a few other products first and who knows, I might circle back to it. 

Dark & Lovely's Au Naturale Moisture Right deep nourishing hair mask really blew me away. Apart from the delicious smell, I was really pleased with the results. The mask contains African Shea butter and almond oil so I was left with soft, hydrated, beautifully defined curls. No doubt that this one will stay part of my hair care routine for a long time. This is perfect for my new hair journey.

This Isabella Garcia 3 in 1 nourishing night cream was a gift from my mom. It's suitable for all skin types so, if you are looking for a luxurious night cream, this one is for you. It leaves my skin looking supple and cared for. Like I said I was gifted this product and with the pricing being a little too steep for my liking (and my purse) I dont think I am going to repurchase it. Nevertheless, if you can afford to splurge a bit you should definitely consider this night cream.

Lastly, this is probably the best lipstick I have ever used. You can read my full review Here . I really struggle to find single thing wrong with Maybelline's Super Stay Matte Ink lipstick. The colour pay off is amazing and it stays on forever but, you won't be found stiff lipped throughout the day. I can't wait to get it in every single colour. This is shade #15 Lover. 

So there you have it. The end of my first "empties" post. I sincerely hope you enjoyed it. Do you see any of your favourites in this post? Please share your comments and blog links with me. I look forward to hearing from you. 

TILL LATER, LAUREN! 

Perspective: small victories

An article in one of the Glamour S.A. magazines titled "11 accomplishments that are bigger than they may seem" had me thinking. Why is it that we (and by we I mean me) emphasize our minor failures so much but, hardly celebrate the small victories? Are we hardwired to focus on what we lack so much so that we neglect to recognize accomplishments if they are not colossal? I have always had this thing where I silently compare my own victories to those of others. It's not something that I do on purpose, it's just human nature I guess. I suppose this makes my accomplishments feel slightly less significant.

Celebrating small victories is good for the soul. At least that is what I think. With everyone on social media living their best lives (and making sure we know), its almost impossible not to feel like you constantly have to prove yourself. Like you have to keep up with everyone and everything. This is exactly why giving yourself a pat on the back is essential. The pandemic made me realize that any victory is in fact a very big one. While people were losing their incomes, family members and sanity, I became more grateful for not only the small pleasures but, also the small victories. Getting out of bed felt like a victory. Getting through a day without hearing bad news felt like a victory. Being able to have a meal everyday felt like a victory. The things that I believed to be small and mundane turned out to be the big things after all. 

Celebrating the many things I achieve every day (no matter how small) makes me feel less depressed overall. This is something I know very well. To cope with my depression I started making lists of the things I was doing right. While this is no instant cure for depression, it helped me to take a step back and look at my problems from a different perspective. When I did fail at something, it didn't feel so major anymore. Instead it became learning opportunities. 

Look I'm not saying a habitual optimistic attitude will instantly fix all my problems but, at this point, what have I got to lose. I dare you to be more intentional about celebrating these small victories. You never know, they might actually turn out to be the BIG ones. 

TILL LATER, LAUREN! 

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

 

New in: AVON edition

We have just started a new month and I am particularly excited to be adding new products to my beauty and skincare regime. This month the theme I had in mind was "luxury". Let's face it, the year had been more horrendous than anyone could have anticipated so a little luxury in my life was certainly welcome. I recently picked up two products from Avon and I thought I would do a quick review just to share my initial thoughts.

Let's start with this amazing shower cream. I really jumped at the chance to use this because I am obsessed with everything that is coconut scented. In addition to the coconut it also has Tiare Flower (This is the national flower of the islands of Tahiti and the name tiare is derived from the word tiara suggesting that the tiare flower is the queen of all flowers in French Polynesia). Apart from the fact that it made me feel like royalty (see what I did there) every time I used it, I could not get over the smell. There is something so calming about these two ingredients together that it feels like I just got back from a vacation after using it. I got it in the 720 ml and I am definitely going to repurchase. It retails for R 84.90

 The second product that caught my eye was this ageless protecting day cream with spf 30 and green tea extract. According to the packaging this day cream is packed with vitamins and antioxidants to help hydrate (thank you) and protect skin against signs of premature aging. I have to admit, I am pretty set in my ways when it comes to day cream and I insist on having a cream that hydrates. I'm also really happy that the cream contains spf30 because I don't always remember to put sunscreen on (yikes). Especially when the weather is cooler. While I drink green tea religiously, I had never considered incorporating it into my skin care routine. As an added bonus the green tea extract does not only diminish signs of aging it also calms irritation, evens out skin discoloration and protects the skin against UV radiation : to name  a few  a benefits. The cream is lightweight yet, super luxurious and, just like the shower cream, has a super calming smell. This 50ml retails for R209. 

I absolutely love when I am right about products and I was spot on with picking these two. With the seasons changing and the weather heating up I think it's the perfect time for you to also give these products a try. I know for sure they will be staying in my routine for the rest of the year.

If you are keen on trying Avon products you can also shop at my online store here or find an Avon representative near you.

TILL LATER, LAUREN!

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!