Flare-Up Plan: Chronic Illness Strategies

Are you ever in so much pain that you can't even begin to comprehend what to do to help yourself?  I know I get to the point where the pain is so consuming that my brain simply won't work and I have no answers to pull out of my bag. Where do I start? What do I do? I can't move. I can't speak. I just want to cry.

Toddler Life #2

KP - Bonjour, cheeky monkey
Welcome to the second post in my Toddler Life series.  If you follow me on Twitter, you'll be familiar with my #toddlerlife tweets, featuring my three year old nephew, Kaine (KP). Carry on reading for the funny things he says...

Jewellery Box Black Friday Reveal

How cute are they? *heart eyes emoji*

When this adorable little box landed, I was having such a bad day and it instantly cheered me up, so thank you so much to Gemma at Jewellery Box, I really appreciate it.

Skincare Haul: Antipodes, Bioderma, Ole Henriksen, Origins

Obviously, one of the best things about Christmas is all the gift sets brands come out with. I've wanted to try a few of these products before but the price tag on individual items put me off. However, I found some amazing deals on high-end skincare that you need to get your hands on.

Assertiveness: Passive, Aggressive and Assertive Communication

Are you confident enough to express your feelings and opinions whilst respecting those of others? Are you able to say 'no'? Do you think your opinion matters? Can you recognise unhealthy communication styles?
There are three main types of communication, Passive, Aggressive and Assertive. My communication style changes depending on the situation but I know I'm not as assertive as I should be.

Why I love Autumn/Winter

I've read quite a few Autumnal posts and I've loved each one, so I thought I'd share a few reasons why Autumn and Winter are my favourite seasons.

Stigma and Chronic Illness

Do you know how difficult it is to live with a chronic condition? I don't just mean the pain (physical and/or emotional), the fatigue, the lack of sleep or concentration; I mean the judgement, the discrimination from other people, the constant questioning. That look you get from someone when you're out in public and you think that they're making an assessment on everything you are. 
But how do you actually know what they're thinking?

Flying Without Fear

Let me introduce my younger brother, Darren. Since the age of nine, he’s been terrified of flying but last weekend he went on a Flying Without Fear course with Virgin Atlantic. 

Mac Prep + Prime 24-Hour Extend Eye Base Review

Mac Prep + Prime 24-Hour Extend Eye Base | £16 | Mac |

Not only does this eye primer by Mac have the longest name ever, it's also wizardry in a tube. I've tried various eyelid primers, Urban Decay Primer Potion (too wet), Too Faced Shadow Insurance (did nothing), Mac Painterly (still a fan), and this is hands down my favourite, I'll tell you why...

Much Needed Family Time

Two weeks ago I headed back up north to spend a couple of weeks with my family and friends. My boyfriend and I moved to the village he grew up in at the beginning of the year, and that means I'm three hours away from the people I love most. I decided to spend two weeks back home as my two (now three) year old nephew was having a Halloween party, and a tea party the week after for his third birthday. 

To Wing or Not To Wing: High End Eyeliners

As a beauty lover, I like to try out a variety of different products as I'm forever searching for the Holy Grail item; this is why there's quite a few eyeliners in the above pic. I'm a fan of lining my eyes, I don't profess to be the greatest at it because as soon as I remove my glasses, I'm met with a ghostly blur in the mirror but I still have a damn good go.

You're Suffering but Family and Friends Can't Read Your Mind

You're in pain, you're dealing with emotional issues, you're falling apart, and you desperately want someone to help you but you haven't asked anyone...how can they know? The luckiest of us have people in our lives that can read our facial expressions and know we're not being honest about pain or distress, but even they sometimes need an explanation.

October Favourites

Let's get right into my October favourites...