My Easy Go To Self-Care Routine For Autumn

I know you're probably sick of every blogger and influencer going on about how important self-care is, and sometimes self-care almost feels unattainable when placed in the context of your own life. "Where in the week will I have time to put three different serums on my face, run a bath with rose petals in, do daily yoga and meditate while drinking herbal tea?"

A good self-care routine can really change your whole perspective on how your week is going and my honest self-care routine is super easy and not too time consuming. I do this routine about once every 3 weeks, like a little treat to help me keep my sanity. I obviously do some of these things everyday or every other day, but I do like to accumulate them all into one day for the ultimate self-care day.

Tidy My Immediate Area

Where do you spend the most time when you're not working? Or is your workspace now home? I swear tidying my immediate area up does wonders. Personally, I see my dressing room get the messiest when things are getting on top of me, so the first thing I like to do on a self-care day is try my best to have a quick tidy, it doesn't have to be a massive thing but just put things back in their place. Give the place a quick hoover and pick up clothes and bags from the floor (I have a terrible habit of just chucking my bag on the floor of my dressing room when coming in from work). I sometimes like to add a quick change of bed sheets into the mix too if I haven't already changed them because this is the perfect time to do that, knowing that once you've finished tidying and sorting your life out you can curl back up into clean sheets.

Baths, Shaving and Relaxation 

Baths honestly solve all of my problems... ok, maybe that's an overstatement but you get the idea. 

This post wan't supposed to be in the exact order of what I do on a self-care day but I ALWAYS bath after cleaning and changing my bed, maybe it's because even a small tidy up and changing sheets is a full body workout, nevertheless a good bath with a hair mask, shaved legs and Radox or some form of bubble bath never goes amiss! I also like to add a face mask into the groove if I can be bothered, I opt for the Charlotte Tilbury Clay Mask because it stays on for 10 minutes just like the Bed Head hair mask I use. 

I've actively been getting into moisturising my body more often because *Jon Snow voice* WINTER IS COMING! Anyone who suffers from eczema knows the pain of dry skin in Winter, I've been using Palmers Coco Butter to give myself a good amount of moisture. If any of you have tattoos take this post as a reminder to moisturise, even if you're tattoos are healed!

Sometimes the whole bath procedure lasts longer than it needs to but just remind yourself of that feeling when your freshly shaved legs hit the new bedding, is there any better feeling? 

Fresh Nails, Trash TV And A Good Cuppa 

I feel like a criminal writing this while my nails look the worst they have in a loooong time, but let's put that aside for now because one of my favourite routines on a self-care day is paining my nails while sipping a hot beverage, it will most likely be green tea or good old fashioned english breakfast tea. As for choice of TV, I actually don't mean 'TV' I mean watching Trisha Paytas vlogs while I reassure myself that my life is actually okay and could never compare to Trisha crying on her kitchen floor. 

Sissy That Walk!

Going on a walk really helps my mental health, whenever I feel like everything is getting a bit much I just pop my headphones in and listen to a good Spotify playlist or one of my favourite Podcasts.

I sometimes wish I lived in a  bustling city but then when I go out on one of my walks I realise that it wouldn't be half as beneficial to me if there was traffic and loud city noises to disturb me. I'll stick to squirrels and woodpeckers for now! Sometimes I don't really have time to go on a long walk, or maybe I've got to go somewhere but in instances like that I decide just to hop off the bus a stop earlier and walk the 5 minutes to my actual stop, just to get in some peace and quiet time for myself, or even just take a short 5 minute walk around where I live.

Hot Water Bottle And Bed

Obviously between this last self-care step and the others I get on with whatever needs doing, but to finish off the day as I started it, what better way to relax than to get a hot water bottle and settle down for the night. I tend to find myself in bed earlier when i'm not at work with the dark nights. On days where I want to look after my mind I tend to switch off from all socials and put my phone far away from myself so I can't just reach for it whenever I want. 

My favourite type of programme to watch is anything true crime, although sometimes it can be heavy so I relay a lot on my comfort shows like New Girl, Parks and Recreation and Friends. And yes, I do find Friends funny.

Struggling To Keep Up Blogging Because I Hate Rejection

 Blogging is a hobby that I keep falling in and out of love with. The past week I've been dying to log onto blogger and get typing, but sometimes I feel like I really could just delete my blog and never look back, change my name on all my platforms and pretend something I've been doing since I was 13 just never existed. 

I think a lot of what I struggle with about blogging is being pigeonholed into one category and then being stuck, when in reality everyone who blogs is more complex than just 'a beauty and fashion blogger'. I really fear rejection, in everything I do in life and it's definitely a reason why I find blogging so difficult. It's almost like I don't want to put myself in a particular group to then be rejected from it because I don't stick to that topic 24/7. Now, I do realise that a lot of bloggers aren't just blogging about one thing nowadays but I do feel like i'm still stuck in that really old blogger mindset.

I am also struggling to grapple with trying to stay relevant because truth be told, I don't really care about being 'relevant' but to be successful in blogging you need to be relevant, right? Honestly I just love writing, blogging about anything I want to and living a care free existence. Without worrying about what is trending on TikTok and how I can convert that into more content over different platforms. I almost feel like I've missed my opportunity to make anything out of my blog and that's why I've been backing off a little. 

In a blogosphere where the market is saturated with so many different types of blogger and influencers it's hard not to feel rejected by the community and struggle to find your place within it. On top of all these feelings about blogging, it's no secret that I have a very rocky relationship with my mental health, and sometimes keeping up a blog is impossible while simultaneously trying to keep your mind from falling apart. 

Surely I can't be the only blogger feeling this way though?! 

Megan x

Mourning Summer 2020

 

Summer 2020, where do we even start? This is one for the books. 

I've got my seasonal cold, which can only mean one thing, Summer is over and Autumn is here. Every season without fail I get a cold, even from Spring to Summer you can always catch me with tissues and cold & flu tablets in my bag. 

While laying in bed struggling to breathe through my nose, I feel reflective. Autumn always makes me feel that way though, it must be seeing everything change around me, the leaves starting to brown and the darker nights, makes me feel as though I've got to reflect on the past few months before I can start to move on with my life. 

2020 was supposed to be 'the' year, like I'm sure it was for many of you reading. This summer especially, was supposed to be something special. I had a lot of plans, It was my 21st in June, quite an important one, but I spent it inside, with just my close family and boyfriend. Not that I'm complaining about that though because in retrospect it saved me money that I would have probably spent on a night out. I was due to have a busy few months over summer, with This Is Tomorrow, tickets to see Queen with Adam Lambert (I know, I'm gutted) and a weekend away in London, The Killers, plans to go away on holiday with my boyfriend (sort of a last minute, cheap but cheerful plan) and more that would have popped up along the way as often summer plans do. 

While Summer was cancelled I still got a little glimpse of what I love about the season. Hot summer days, BBQ's, beach walks, tan lines, ice cream and the smell of SPF.  

It wouldn't be a balanced reflection if I didn't also mention all the experiences and memories I gained this summer. While I spent months apart from my boyfriend which isn't something that I'm sure most couples would opt to do in the first year of the relationship, we obviously had no choice as we don't live together. While this was a major struggle at times, for the most part we were okay, and I'd even go as far as to say we worked well with what we were given, and I'm so glad I had him to rant and cry to when I found isolation getting on top of me. I'm honestly quite proud of us for being strong and trying to make the best out of a horrible situation! 

As soon as we were able to see each other we did, we went on a lot of beach walks and more recently went away for the week in a caravan, which was exactly the quintessential British holiday that I needed. I want to write up a separate post all about it soon, so I won't say too much other than it was gorgeous and you can see A LOTTT of snaps of the week over on my Instagram. 

Being alone for an extended period of time taught me a lot about myself, most importantly how much I love and need people around me. Friendship and creating memories is what I love the most about summer, and what I've missed this year so much, I will literally never take it for granted again! 

Here's to summer 2021, lets hope we can at least have a good boogie at a festival. 

Megan x

Why I Love Animal Crossing (265 Hours of Gameplay)

265 hours of gameplay is 11 full days...erm, I think it's time to admit I have an issue. 

But who doesn't love cute little animals with their own personalities and a game that gives you daily tasks to complete? Animal Crossing has well and truly taken over my lockdown life, and to be honest THANK GOD I had something to do with the hours I spent playing the game because I've been off work 5 months now (I know... long time) and I was starting to go insane! 

I had been debating getting a switch since the game came out, but it took me till lockdown to get one, and even then I went for the least expensive option because Switched don't run cheap! I opted for the SwitchLite in Grey, and it does the job, although I do wish I had just took the plunge and bought the original switch as I would have loved to connect to my TV and played on a bigger screen with all the hours I've put in. 

The biggest reason I love AC and why I purchased it in the first place is that it's sooo good for my mental health, If i've had a crap day I can always turn on the game and be filled with pretty things and Animals that actually relay on me to play and do daily tasks, plus there's a great online community for this game so It's an amazing way to connect with others. I've made a few friends on AC twitter which has been great, it means I can travel to their island when i'm super bored and trade items with them too. Plus with Miss Rona, we're all kind of in the same boat so we're all feeling the same type of way, it just gives you a lovely sense of community. 

With the latest updates to the game such as Dream Suite I've been really enjoying visiting themed islands, my favourites include spooky themed islands and I even visited an asylum themed island which was honestly really creepy! It had Raymond walking around in his little lab coat looking all suspicious.

Another aspect of the game I've been loving is the ability to create bomb outfits. Not even just with the standard items in game but using creative codes too. I have an amazing Brewster dress that I've put on a mannequin outside of a coffee shop on my island to make it look like Brewster is serving up some great coffee (because I really miss him... if you played New Leaf, you know!). 

I think the main reason why I've ended up with so many hours is thanks to terraforming, a new aspect of AC that I think really changed the whole aspect of the game. I've actually flattened my island twice and had so many island maps and set ups I probably couldn't even count! 

My favourite villager at the moment has to be Pekoe, she's a cute little cub with a 'normal' personality type. she was one of my first three villagers, so while her house exterior is gorge, the inside has all the wooden furniture which makes me so so sad! Once I've been given her villager picture I think I'll be asking her to leave my island, but I really want her back at some point, plus that way I can get her back with all her cute stuff. 

Do you play AC? How many hours have you ranked up? 

Megan x

My First Salon Visit Post-Lockdown | Fruit Salad Realness

So, It's been a while, but I thought the best way to come back to my blog would be to show you all what I've been doing to my hair. For the last few years I had been growing out my natural colour, which is a darker brown with blonde tones. I destroyed the colour of my hair when I was in school with red's and purples so I needed a good while to sort out my hair.

I had been craving some change for a while, I was sick of my brown and wanted to be a little extra so obviously I did the exact thing hairdressers everywhere told us not to during lockdown- I bleached my hair and dyed it pink! I did love the outcome, however after a while it started to go patchy and my roots were just not looking cute, so I booked the first salon appointment I could.

I looked around a lot before booking and decided to visit Salon M on Pilgrim Street in Newcastle, I went there because their page is full with gorgeous blondes and that's eventually what I would like to be able to pull off. However with my hair in the state it was in, I knew I'd need a lot of TLC.

So from this appointment I was able to go from a coppery, pink patchy mess to a gorgeous Purple to orange. We decided to go this colour because parts of my hair that didn't want to let go of the pink yet, plus I really couldn't go from a pink to blonde in one appointment in the state I was in so this is the first step in the start of my journey to becoming a blonde (I've heard they have more fun).

I am so in love with how the turned out and I'm even more excited to go back for my next appointment to see what colour I can achieve next, I do think it's going to take another two appointments to get my hair the blonde I would love however I'm more than willing to put in the money and time considering how well the first appointment turned out!

If you want to check out Salon M you can visit their Facebook page HERE.
The super talented stylist who worked on my hair is called Jordan, and you can follow him on Instagram at @hair.by.jords

Megan x

A Travel Bucket List For When Lockdown Ends

The only thing that is getting me through staying inside is knowing that we will be able to go out again, light at the end of the tunnel I would say. I'm using this time to really think about where I want to travel. Since going on my first solo trip to Paris at the start of the year (you can read all about it here) I am obsessed with seeing more of the world.

Venice 

Venice is the ultimate romantic location and I would love nothing more than to explore the canals and city. Everything about Venice just makes it seem like its on another planet, worlds away from Northern England where I live, I really want to go because I know I'll never go anywhere else like it again.

Paris (Again)

After going to Paris solo this year I absolutely fell in love with the city and would like to go back with my boyfriend and really explore everything Paris has to offer. I've been learning a little French to help me on my travels! Next time, I would love to go up the Eiffel Tower and visit Montmartre for the amazing view of Paris at the top of the hill.

Morocco

The bright colours of Morocco look unbelievable, plus I've heard the hotels in Morocco are to die for, big and luxurious all the way! I love how you can really see the culture in Morocco, it's really unapologetic. The city of Marrakesh looks incredible and I think I've watched about 10 vlogs of people visiting the city because I am just so in love with it.

Ibiza

I've never been a huge partier but I feel like one thing I really need to do is Ibiza in the summer, the music and scenes are really my cup of tea. Plus some of the hotels in Ibiza are straight out of Instagram. I was hoping I would get to go this year but It looks like that's off the cards :(

Megan x

Keeping A Positive Mindset While Stuck Inside

I thought I'd dedicate todays post to things I am doing to keep a positive attitude while being stuck in the house. For people like me who struggle with anxiety on 'normal' days, the past few weeks/days have probably been challenging. Personally, my anxiety manifests when I am doing nothing, when I stop my brain overthinks, something this means I end up burning myself out, but I'm hoping by sharing what steps I'm taking while inside It will help a few of you who also struggle.

Keep your alarm on

I know what you're thinking...why?

You don't want to end up sleeping in till 9am every morning and feeling like your day is going to slip away from you. I normally wake up around 6-7AM without an alarm because I'm so used to having to get up at 5AM for work as I have for around 2 years, so 7AM is really a good sleep for me, but maybe for you 8:30 seems like a good time to make sure you catch up on a little sleep but also don't waste away your morning. Take some time to make yourself a good breakfast or have a cuppa!

Getting ready in the morning

I don't mean put on your office power suit to sit watching Netflix, even just something as minimum as joggers and a t-shirt will do, just not your PJ's! This just makes you feel like your day has started, and you can wake up properly.

Put some makeup on

I don't usually wear makeup to work but doing my makeup has been really therapeutic to me at the moment, mostly because I am just sat in sweatpants so I don't feel that great about my appearance but once I've got a bit of liner and foundation on, even in my sweatpants I start to feel more human.

Make a daily task list

What to you want to do today? Write it down!

Go Outside

soak up all that nature has to offer, luckily for me I live in a more rural setting so I can just go on a little walk and not bump into anyone, but If there's people kicking about make sure you're keeping a safe distance from them (2 Meters). If you have a garden now would be a good time to grab a book or a nice cold drink and sit outside for half an hour, let that vitamin D soak up into your skin.

Pick up a book or start a series

Now is a good time to get stuck into a new book or series, I think i'm going to start watching Sex In The City from the start or even re-watch Ugly Betty (a classic, iconic show). I've also got two books on my shelf that I should really start to read soon!

Megan x

A Love Letter To Florence Pugh (I'm Obsessed)

Help! I'm obsessed with Florence Pugh!

I was first introduced to her while watching Little Women, I instantly fell in love with her character Amy. On top of Florence's flawless acting, Amy's costumes were to die for. From her artist scrubs to that gorgeous gown she wears to paint in the park (how fancy).

I started following her on Instagram, and I literally live for her cooking videos, she's always trying to bring a little joy into the world through cooking, not to mention I could listen to her sweet traditional English accent all day long.

Can we please talk about her flawless red carpet looks too, from her clothing, hair and makeup everything is just presented so well. My favourite look of hers by far was the Louis Vuitton Oscars dress, paired with a cute crystal necklace and matching shoes, woooowww, it fit like a glove!

Everyone need's a bit of Florence in their lives!

Megan x

Writing For Myself And Not For The Approval Of Others

I've been blogging since the early years of my teens, with that means Ive seen the change of the blogosphere locally, nationally and globally. At the ripe age of 20 I've realised that If I really want to achieve anything good with my blog I've got to do it for myself and nobody else.

Of course my blog originally started off for myself but after a year of so I got wrapped up in the fun and attention of it all- making myself know as the 'blogger' to be different from my peers. Not really sure why I thought being so different from everyone was cool, I think I just wanted to grow up quicker.

After blogging for a few years, I got invited to events and started to meet local bloggers who for the most part are really lovely people. But I got hooked on blogging trends and what was 'in' and forgot to be myself along the way. I used to write spontaneously and literally not give a fuck, but I quickly stopped doing that because I wanted a curated feed that would be easier to look at, essentially easier to market, as by that time people had started making money from blogging. That in turn made it all boring and I stopped blogging altogether.

After time I realised that my mind wasn't marketable, I am weird, have racing thoughts and really not curate-able in the slightest, although I admire people who find it easy to pluck parts of their personality- all the good, happy parts and sell it to an audience.

Writing a blog about anything should be for the fun of it, because you LOVE what you are writing about, not for the clicks likes and attention it brings. I think I realised this when I started reading last year, obviously I'm not going to read a book that I don't enjoy, and I'm sure the Author wouldn't write a whole big ass book if they didn't enjoy it but funny enough I did find myself writing blog posts I didn't even care about simply because I knew it would get more clicks. Now I don't bother with writing anything I don't find stimulating, I would often buzz about the numbers next to my blog but now even if I get zero views I literally couldn't care less! As long as I am enjoying the content I am producing.

Megan x

What My First Solo Trip Taught Me About Myself

I recently travelled to Paris, this was my first trip outside of the UK by myself, armed with the milescule French I learned at secondary school here are some things I learned about myself while away.

I travelled to Paris via Eurostar, probably the easiest way to get into Europe from the UK. I already knew I needed to reduce any stresses when travelling solo, so I knew travelling by plane was not for me (I'm deathly afraid of them). The whole process was easy and straight forward however it was just a pain to get to London itself... If you're from the north of England you'll understand! 

I decided to stay in an AirBnB, not only was it cheaper than most hotels, it also offered an authentic Paris feel which I really wanted for a solo trip. Since I was by myself I didn't mind that the shower room was small etc. The flat itself was situated in République 10th arrondissement, not too far from the train station and if you don't mind walking for an hour or so, next to the main attractions. I personally didn't mind the walk so it worked perfectly for me. Inside it was a Parisian fashion paradise... okay, maybe that's a slight overreaction but you get the idea. Marble tables, dried flowers, loads of coffee table books, lovely art and I think I could carry on for about another 5 minutes. Situated on the corner next to a florist, coffee shop and food shop I knew I'd made the right choice over staying in a hotel. 

I chose to get £200 exchanged into Euros and I ended up with €210 which served me well. I came back with €40. The idea is to not be too ambitious with that you think you'll be doing. I knew I'd be going to the touristy places so I set aside about €40 to do anything from an open top bus to a river cruise. I ended up going for the river cruise, which was lowkey a let down because the river was too high to go and see the main attractions so we went down the opposite end of the river, although I guess it leaves more to explore next time *trying to think positive*. 

If there's one major thing I learned while in Paris it is to learn more of the language. Of course most people speak English but honestly I think if I had learned more before going I would have been able to enjoy the whole experience more, from ordering food to chatting to locals in shops (I don't know if it's just me but the French seem very welcoming, even if the streets are filled with protests and political unrest). 

I would love to go back to Paris, even if it's solo! I had such a good time resting and keeping the pace my own. Sometimes going away with others ends up too focused on what everyone else wants to do, and not what you want. One morning I left the house at 7:30 just to wander around and found a coffee shop, I really managed to explore Paris and go places I wouldn't have otherwise. 

Megan x