Although crazy, exciting and bursting with joy, Christmas can be a really stressful time. And by really I mean really really. Last-minute scrambles in charity shops for gifts to present to loved ones the very next morn, burning parsnips and Brussels sprouts and ovens exploding in billows of steam. And that's only a little bit of an exaggeration. One of the most comforting feelings in the world is being able to sink into a hot bath brimming with bubbles and wash away the grime, sweat and stress of the day. If you're ready to kick-start 2K16 on a high just keep reading. Enjoy!
music
There is food to feed your body, books to grow your mind and music to nourish your soul. Cheesy, I know, but it's very, very true. If I could have a soundtrack in the background of my everyday life I would - music is one of the things that can cheer me up on any rainy day. Put together a playlist on your phone of all of your favourite toons and let it play as you sink lower into the cauldron of bubbles that is your bath. One song I've been chilling with during the holidays is 'Magnets' by Disclosure ft. Lorde. It's kind of unsettling but it has really classy vibes and I absolutely love it.
skincare
Take this as the perfect opportunity to pamper your skin with all the sweet loving it needs (ie it's time to whip out those face masks, spells and potions and lather them on without fear!). I personally love to use coconut oil as a makeup remover and moisturizer for both my face and body because not only does it smell like heaven, it's 100% natural and has so many benefits for your complexion! Some other bits n bobs I've been experimenting with recently are the Shiseido (please don't ask me to pronounce that) Hydro-Nourishing Softener moisturizer and Eye-Soother eye cream as well as a rich clay face mask from Argiletz (yeah, I can't say that without stumbling either), all of which work wonders at cleaning and strengthening your skin.
diy mani-pedi
What could be more fun than messing around with miniature bottles filled with all the colours of the rainbow? Start by gently warming a small bowl of olive/coconut oil and dipping your fingertips in it for 5 - 10 minutes. This will soften your cuticles and any tough skin around the nail bed, making it easier for you to push it back. Next, take a damp, heated cloth and begin softly massaging your hands with it before going on to push back any dead skin and clean underneath the nails. Clip, cut and file, and you're ready to apply the first coat of polish (I prefer to spread a clear base coat on first, but that step isn't vital). Finish off by topping your freshly-painted nails with a glistening top coat and you're ready to rumble!
bath bombs/ salts
Throw 'em in your bath and watch the magic happen.
Hey all you Upper East Siders, Gossip Girl here.
First of all here is a fashionably late but very merry Christmas to all ye filthy animals out there! I hope that all of you who celebrate Christmas had a very pleasant day filled with food, love, and yet more food (did I mention food?). Second of all, it's story time, so make yourself as comfortable as you can and get ready to find out about my adventures in wonderland/ the big apple/ the city that never sleeps . . . otherwise known as New York. Enjoy!
So, over
the fall mid-term break, instead of lolling around the house in
pyjamas, a bowl of chocolates in one hand, the TV remote in the other, I
was strutting through the hectic streets of Manhattan, purse in one
hand, Starbucks (PSL, what else?) in the other, breathing in the
chilly, over-poluted, magical air of New York City. And, of course, I
decided that this experience was in dying need of a blogpost, so here
you have it: a day in the life of GG and co (yes, I actually went with
five of my closest friends to visit another friend who had moved to the
good ole US of A around two years before). I hope you like this blogpost!
XOXO - Gossip Girl
Transitioning from summer to fall is never one of my favourite yearly events. Early mornings with a midnight sky, the school bell bringing me to my senses, mugs of milky hot chocolate, a dribble of froth oozing down the side of the- well, OK, scratch that, not everything about the fall season is vile and repulsive! However, I do know that it can be a struggle to let go of the warmth and amiability of the year and dip into the unknown months ahead.
So, because room decor is one of the most simple yet effective ways to brighten your mood, this is my way of spreading a little positivity and magic to help you cope with cold nights in and the beginning of the end of a year. Enjoy!
little patchwork hearts
These little babies are fabulous for bringing a hearty (get it, get it?!), festive vibe to any empty room. Think Santa Clause chic and pumpkin spice latte with a little hint of rustic grunge thrown in. Mmm Tumblr.
rearrange your makeup collection
Make it neat, make it stylish, spice it up to the max or just remove a few lonely dried-up mascara tubes and way-too-sticky lipglosses that you'd never touch in a million years, yet somehow managed to have stashed away with the rest of your collection. I just find that moving things around really helps me feel more organised, productive and ready to take on the world. For real though.
burn, baby, burn
And no, I do not mean this in a literal sense, I mean it in a 'it's finally candle season!' sense. Yes, grab a candle (or two or three), light it up and get ready for the vanilla and cinnamon to wrap you up in a big bear hug. Best. Hug. Ever.
posters
As strange and 90's as it sounds, posters are a really great way of adding a subtle kick to your room. Just make sure they're classy rather than trashy and you are good to go!
polaroids
You cannot get more retro than this, m'dear. Not only do they look super cute hung up around your room, they're also a great excuse to pull the strangest faces and fall into heaps of giggles with your friends. Try it, you won't regret it!
WHAT
TIME IS IT? SUMME- scratch that, it's back-to-school time. Hell yes. School lunches, oversized jumpers that smell like mould, headaches and low energy levels. And although coffee has magical powers
that keep you awake during those crummy maths classes, it's just not
enough to help you survive. But hey, there has to be some way of going through the next few years of life without collapsing into a pile of books never to be found again, no?
Well, with a lot of personal experiences, coffee and multiple ingenious moments in the shower, I have managed to gather together the five wonderful bundles of advice I speak about below. You are about to be shown the life changing secrets of a highschool master. Enjoy!
energy
Whether you're up against a life altering exam or just facing into yet another day at the office, you're not going to last the day if you're not packed full of positive thoughts, confidence and energy. To keep my energy levels sky high, I like to start my day with an antioxidant-packed green tea or a scrumptiously healthy breakfast smoothie (like this one here) and if I'm ever in need of a nutritional boost between classes I like to nibble on a TREK bar (preferable peanut flavoured!). These awesome bars are not only gluten, wheat and dairy free, making them 100% vegan, but they also have (wait for it) a grand total of 10g of protein per bar. WHAT?! Perfection.
friends
OK, I know this one's a given, but you can never have too many friends, right? The more the merrier. Smiles all 'round. Whoop-de-whoop. Sadly, however, making friends can be harder for some than it is for others, and that can be really tough if you're heading into a completely new year (let alone a new school). One piece of advice that I have for you, though, is to branch out. Burst from your comfort zone. This may be doing something as simple as saying hi to someone in Physics class or even talking to that girl with the freckles and plump nose who sits beside you in Spanish, but once you do it you will feel 100 times better.
Don't stick with the same person/ group all of the time. Although they might be the sweetest people you've ever met, they can change. So make friends with lots of different people, spread out, be confident. Smile. And I promise you, everything will be fine.
be organised
This does not mean you have to run around as chairman of each and every club of your school, do everyone else' homework and wake up early every Thursday to bake teacakes for tomorrow's fundraiser (unless, of course, you want to). Being organised and on top of your game is one of the key factors to staying positive and stress free and, overall, happy. You can do this by keeping a sharp eye on time (to hand in projects, go to class, finish assignments) and making lists (this pushes you to be more productive in general, and once you've ticked off all that you've planned to do the satisfaction and relief feel amazing!). I also have a blogpost about being more productive, so why not check that out?
take photos
Purely for good times, memories and the joys of being young!
take time off
Relax. School is not all about study, books and snotty-nosed teachers. Make time in your day to chill out and forget about any stress that comes with the highschool package. Read a book, listen to your favourite toonz, take a break, and come back with a fresh mind, ready to fight again.
