I've gone many years as a blogger joining in with the 'product advent calendar' craze. Opening the cardboard door on Instagram stories, googling my eyes at the minature bottles in my hand, and being very tempted to open the next door a day early. This year, however, I'm not going to follow the Piper and I'm finally going to give into my judgements and say 'no' to the advent calendars. Here's 3 reasons why:
Do I really need all that stuff?
Opening a door everyday for 25 days means that you're highly likely to be presented with something that won't quite be as useful as the rest (unless it's cheese, of course). I remeber opening doors over the past few Christmases to things such as bright blue glitter lip-liner or minature hand creams that, quite frankly, smell more like the plastic they're kept in that the 'strawberry' they're supposed to smell like. After the Zoella-Christmas gate of last year, we all know well enough now that a lot of the big companies will search high and low for their cheapest products to put into these advent calendars before slapping a big price tag on. And, to be honest, it's stuff that we just don't need and half the time, didn't even want. Of course, I'm speaking for myself here, but I'm sure I'd rather have useful gifts from my family than 25 minature gifts that will be stashed away and never really be used.
They cost an arm and a leg.
Carrying on from that point, these advent calendars come with some pretty heafty price tags. While almost everything in calendars such as the Lacome and The Body Shop ones are minatures, they're still both priced at around £80-85. Nevertheless, I'm sure a great deal of these advent calendars do have a lot of value for their price but, when it comes to spending £320 on a Diptyque Advent calendar or a mindblowing £999 on a Whisky Advent Calendar, I certainly won't be queing at the doors. If the whisky advent calendar flies off the shelves, I might just be Michael Jackson.
There's a LOT of waste materials.
Seeing as though there's been an influx in awareness of waste, specifically plastic waste over the past year, I thought it was extremely revelvant to pick up on the sheer amount waste created from these advent calendars. Not only do the huge plastic boards - those used for creating the structure of the calendars - make it difficult when it comes to recycling (if they're recylable, that is), but usually, by the time your all done with it, you're left with a bunch of celephane wrap, tiny plastic tubes, bottles, and whatnot. This christmas, I'm going to save the space in my recycling bin and give the sea a rest by stepping back from the advent calendars.
Despite the fact that I've just moaned on about these advent calendars for a short while, I can't deny that they are super cool and I do understand how exciting they can be for others. If you're going to be grabbing an advent calendar this year, do make sure to giveaway anything you don't need to someone else who may find it of better use and don't forget to do your best when it comes to organising waste.
Otherwise, you could just grab a minature stocking and get your friends and family to fill it with a chocolate treat once a day. I reckon that might be what I go for this year.
What are your advent calendar plans this year?
As a creature of habit, it's actually quite a rare occasion that I find new favourites. I've always been the kind of girl to get through a full tub of moisturiser and repurchase the same concealer but, every now and then, I live life on the wild side and pick up a new item.
Funnily enough, the 4 items in my Favourites this month are mostly those that have been sat in my draws for a little while and generally gone untouched. In a way, I've kind of rekindled a fondness with them and definitely enough to boost them right into my favourites this month. So, here's what I've been loving:
La Roche Posay Effaclar Clarifying Toner
After suffering my a mighty-fine blackhead on my nose for the past few months, I finally managed to remove the monstrosity recently. After removing it, though, I was left with a stretched pore that needed closing quickly and safely in order to prevent any dirt or dead skin from building back up in there. This toner, designed for tightening pores and mattifying the skin was a saviour for helping me close that pore efficiently. Nevertheless, this stuff also sorts me out on 'oily-days' - those long days that leave you feeling a bit greasy and in need of a good 'strip' (an 'oil-from-the-skin' strip, of course; get your head out of the gutter).
'Men's' deodorant
This one is quite random and, although I've captured pictures of the Cien Invisible 48hr Deodorant for Men, it was actually just the first one I picked up; so, I can't quite claim to be the expert in Men's Deodorant brands just yet. Nevertheless, this deodorant has fulfilled my expectation that Men's hygiene products are better, and often more effective, than women's. Don't get me started on the whole 'Men's' products, 'Women's' products gate - that's a topic for another time. This time, it's worth mentioning that this deodorant smells strong, fresh and definitely lasts all day. I'll definitely be sticking to these roll-ons.
KIKO Glitter Eyeliner 01
Not only did this glitter eyeliner serve me well for my Haloween Outfit as a Mermaid, but I just adore applying it over eyeshadow or eyeliner for a little bit of a pop. In a club, well-lit area, or anywhere the party goes, I really enjoy seeing my eyes sparkle all the multicolours. And, best of all, after the liner has dried, you can't even feel it or tell it's there. As someone who suffers from sensitive eyes, I've had no reactions whatsoever from this, so I'm over the moon.
Revolution HD Pro Brows Palette
It's certainly one that surprised me when it came into my makeup routine. I'm always the one to simply pencil my eyebrows in with the same old little brow pencil but, this month, I ventured out. I've got to be honest, this HD Brow palette is definitely something that I reach for when I have a little bit more time and less when I'm up at the crack of dawn. If I'm going out someone special, I'll definitely spend more time perfecting my brows with this palette - I use the gel for the basic shape and to add fine-lines (as hairs) throughout, then finish filling with a mixture of a few of the powder colours.
I've actually found the highlighter cream pan perfect for the inner corners of my eyes when doing an eyeshadow look - there's a little hack for you!
What have been your beauty favourites lately?
Once a month, a local food market pops up and reminds me of how much I adore eating Chicken Gyros, seeing the local produce, the friendly familiar faces, and the unique wonders.
Bizarrely, the Jesmond Food Market was something that Jamie and I stumbled upon by accident one month and now we just can't get enough. We especially invite friends and family along on the days it's scheduled for, in order to show them around, show it off, and as another excuse to see and eat the brilliant food ourselves.
Despite growing up in a village, I've never ever been exposed to a market like this which creates such a high sense of community and joy. It's great tastes and great people all packed into one jar and I'm actually extremely proud to call it my local market. While I'd love to keep it a secret, I can't help but share just one of the brilliant reasons for visiting Newcastle.
Kicking it off with one of my favourites stalls, manned by a friendly beekeeper, it is, of course, The Travelling Bee Company. Alongside the astonishing array of honey types, both local and 'guest', you can even find Honey Bee Pollen, Lip Balms, and Honeycomb, and more. Everything you could possibly get from a busy little bee, this guy has got it! I adore products like these; those that are locally sourced and made with so much heart and passion - this has to bee one to visit.
I wouldn't be able to miss a stall that sold houseplants, would I?
The market is actually held on a bridge that crosses over The Jesmond Dene. Armstrong Bridge is one of the most unique bridges across the Jesmond area and is rich in history. While it was once open to motor vehicles, it's now exclusive to pedestrians and it's very proud little market. When walking across this bridge on days other than market days, there are some fantastic views over the area - you might recognise the bridge in this Insta pic of mine!
Last but not least, is the Newcastle favourite: The Acropolis Street Food. I reckon I'd happily eat their food every day for my entire life - it's just a complete fistful (or three) of indulgent goodness. My order is typically the Chicken Gyros: A Pitta bread stuffed with salad, chips and chicken, then topped off with Acropolis and tzatziki sauce! Honestly, I don't dare to describe it anymore before I start drooling.
All in all, it's not only a lovely trip out for the family, but it's an even better way to support small, local businesses and the community itself. I think I'll definitely hold this little gem in my heart for a long time.
When I was planning my posts for this month, I decided that seeing as though I've been pretty quiet lately, it was only necessary to do a little catch-up. The thing with doing a catch up is that my life is pretty much a 'Uni life' these days. Therefore, I thought it was more than necessary to make this catchup a general look at how Uni has been for me so far. So, for anyone mildly interested or any future students who just wanna get a feel for this University malarkey, continue on.
Making friends.
I've been lucky enough to make an amazing couple of friends. The gals that I 'hang around' with are all on my course and, even better, totally except me for being the loser that I am. And by that I mean, I couldn't ask for better friends to expect me as the anti-party-animal that I am. Not only that, but they make me feel so much calmer in the city, in my lectures and around everyone else because we've all clicked so well. We got to know each other before Uni started, through a Facebook group chat so, if you're going to be starting Uni in the future, I'd definitely recommend taking advantage of these group chats.
My course.
If you didn't already know, I'm at University studying English Language. It's a subject that I'm really passionate about and so far it has not disappointed. As you can imagine, there's a lot of reading that comes with my course which can sometimes make me feel really pinned down - I tend to put a lot of pressure on myself with these kinds of things so I'm still trying to find a healthy balance. Nevertheless, I am pleased that we have got right into the learning and that there are challenges to face, rather than just painstaking, too-easy work. I'm definitely enjoying learning again after a year out.
General social life.
I touched on it a little bit up there but, to be honest, I have had a lot less worry and stress about not being a big drinker than I expected. Moving up to Newcastle meant that I was scared of being judged for hating nightclubs and being fast asleep after two glasses of wine but, to be honest, it's fine. I've found myself some friends that accept me for who I am and I actually think that people just generally prefer you to be honest. I've actually begun to realise that being honest is what makes you a better person in the eyes of others and, more importantly, yourself. Other than that, I feel as though I have a nice balance of work and social right now as I've been making sure to say yes to lunch with friends and stick around Uni to work together.
Living away from home.
Since I moved away from home, I've actually felt a lot better than I expected to feel. I am typically very homesick when I'm away from home (on holiday for example) but I think that being not too far from home, being able to FaceTime home whenever I need to, and having my boyfriend (and best friend) living with me, it just seems to be so much easier. I think I'm lucky with this one though - not everyone can go to a University that's the perfect distance from home, nor can everyone move in with their best friends, but I think the most important thing to know is that it's okay to feel homesick - definitely don't let it break you apart.
A new job.
I cannot believe I'm saying this. If you'd asked me a month ago 'Are you going to get a job while you're at Uni?', I would've point blank said 'no'. I really didn't want to come home from a long day of studying only to have to go back out and paint on a smile in retail. It wasn't until the role of Digital Content Creator came up within the University's Marketing Team - I just knew that, with my love for writing, my creativity, and my experience with having a blog for god-knows-how-long, it sounded completely perfect for me. I was incredibly lucky enough to get through the long and shortlist and was employed; I literally can't believe it, especially as those on my team seem to have so much talent. Everyone within the team seems lovely and I feel so grateful to be earning money to do something that I enjoy.
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