Pleasureful

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  • Things I Like a Lot

    Things I Like a Lot

    I don’t often do these kinds of posts; once upon a time I did do a list of my favourite beauty products, which you can search for on my site, but since then I haven’t really shared much about things I enjoy in my day to day life. I love watching favourites videos on youtube and reading peoples masterlists on a blog post. It’s a great way to end up spending a bunch of money on stuff that strangers on the internet have recommended to you! But for real, I’ve found a lot of my favourite stuff this way, so why not share my own list with you guys in the hopes that I help at least one of you find a new favourite product! I’m going to go through everything from makeup and skincare to technology, lifestyle and books. Grab a hot drink and get comfy, because this may take a while.

    Beauty

    • Better Than Sex Mascara by Too Faced – The name says it all, because it’s kinda true. I’ve tried an array of different mascaras over the years from drugstore to high-end, such as Benefits Roller Lash and Climax by NARS, but I always come back to Better Than Sex. It gives me the perfect amount of volume and fantastic length. I love the shape of the wand and it never makes my lashes super clumpy. Its staying power is also insanely impressive – I can wear this all day long and my lashes will look just as great before I get ready for bed as they did that morning. Too Faced really slayed with this one.
    • Conceal and Define Concealer by Makeup Revolution – Revolution is by far my favourite drugstore makeup brand. Their range of products and shades is insane; they really have everything you could ever need and for the best prices too. The conceal and define concealer is lightweight, buildable and neither too matte nor oily. I use it for both concealer and to cut my crease when doing eyeshadow and it’s perfect for both. Pair it with the conceal and define foundation for the most perfect base!
    • Hoola Matte Powder Bronzer by Benefit Cosmetics – An OG bronzer that has stuck with me through and through. I can’t part with this product. It’s just the perfect shade for both contouring and giving myself a bit more colour after I’ve applied my foundation and concealer. Not to mention this stuff lasts me FOREVER, making it more than worth the price! I believe Benefit have also come out with lighter and darker shades to suit an even wider range of skin tones.

    Books

    • ‘Reasons to Stay Alive’ by Matt Haig – There’s not a single person on earth who has described depression as well for me as Matt Haig does in this book. He gives an account of what his day to day life was like suffering from a mental illness and how he overcame it to get to where he is today. He is inspiring, funny and real; Matt reminds us to find hope in the little joys that life gives us, letting those things give us the encouragement to push forward. I don’t only recommend this for those who have suffered from mental illness, but for those who wish to understand more about what it is like for those going through it. It will give you more understanding than a psychology textbook ever could.
    • ‘You Are a Badass’ by Jen Sincero – I really felt like I could do, have and achieve anything I wanted after reading this book. This is what made me really believe in the act of manifestation and letting the universe know exactly what your plans are. If you read any self-help book this year, make it this one. Jen shares her inspiring stories, gives advice based on what she has learnt and experienced and gives the reader exercises to help get us started on unleashing our inner badass. Want to learn how to stop holding yourself back and live a life you actually love? The first step is to read this book.
    • ‘This is Going to Hurt’ by Adam Kay – Possibly the funniest book I’ve ever read. Adam has documented his years working the medical field and it’s golden. If you’re fascinated by medical professionals and what they experience on a day to day basis like me, this is the book for you. If you just want to laugh, cry and say ‘what the f**k’ every 5 minutes, then this is also the book for you. Trust me. I know people always say ‘I never wanted it to end’ but I REALLY never wanted it to end.

    Hair/Body

    • Mario Badescu AHA Botanical Body Soap – Whilst I’ve never really struggled with acne on my face, I have been blessed with the joys of bacne for years now. It’s no longer as bad as it was in my early teen years, but I do still get small breakouts and have scarring on my back from the particularly aggressive spots. I’ve never found anything that really worked to help clear any of this up – until now. Since using this in the shower every day I can already see a difference in the skin on my back. Pair it with exfoliating gloves or a body brush for even better results!
    • Coconut Oil – Yeah, just coconut oil – the substance sent from the GODS. I use it to shave, moisturise and on damp hair to keep it hydrated. I couldn’t be without it. Buy a jar from your local supermarket and it’ll last you months – a way cheaper option than some fancy branded hair oil that’ll run out after one use.
    • Diva Professional Styling Universal Diffuser XXL Pro – A diffuser is basically just a scary looking hairdryer attachment that prevents curly hair from getting awfully frizzy when drying, by distributing the air more evenly (I think). I have tried and tested a number of different diffusers with my curls. Every time my hairdresser dries my hair, she always manages to get it perfectly big and bouncy, so I asked her what it was she was doing. She recommended this diffuser to me, which is the one she uses on my hair, and I immediately went online and bought it. I did have some trouble finding it in stock anywhere, but after some research I got it. And my god is it worth it. It’s extra big, so encases the majority of my hair and dries quickly. The even distribution of air stops my hair going frizzy and leaves me with a perfect, big body of curls.

    Clothes

    • Victoria’s Secret PINK T-Shirt Bra – I don’t really wear a bra unless I have to; I find most of them uncomfortable or they fit weirdly. Not this one. Probably the only ‘proper’ bra that I could wear on a day to day basis. It’s super soft, gives the perfect shape, great support and just fits amazingly on me. I honestly forget I’m wearing a bra with this one. Not to mention it won’t completely break the bank, as they always have a deal on where you can buy any 2 t-shirt bras for just £49.99. Considering that you’re getting a good quality bra, that’s a hell of a bargain!
    • Pretty Little Thing Mom Jeans in Mid Wash/Washed Black – Comfortable jeans that fit perfectly and don’t cost a whole sacrifice to the gods? Um, yes please! Firstly, it’s gotta be a mom jean for me. I just can’t hack wearing skinny jeans on a day to day basis like I used to – let my legs be free! Secondly, I used to spend a good £40 on a single pair of Topshop jeans but honestly I find my £25 PLT ones a whole lot better. They’re more flattering, fit better, softer and they haven’t shrunk in the wash or lost their colour AT ALL. Can I get a round of applause for these bad boys?
    • Gymshark Dreamy Leggings 2.0 – Usually I don’t like to spend too much money on my workout clothes, but this collection by Gymshark is worth it for me. The leggings fit like a glove, are the perfect thickness and you can just feel the amazing quality of the material. I have faith that these won’t split in the bum area, like my cheaper leggings often do after about a month or so of squats and lunges. They’re also high-waisted, sucking everything in and giving me confidence when I’m at the gym. I’d buy a pair in every one of their cute colours if I could, along with the matching Dreamy Sports Bra (also amazing).

    Technology/Lifestyle

    • Fitbit Charge 3 – My lovely dad ever so generously got me this as a gift when I started getting really into health and fitness. It’s really helped keep me motivated, and I literally never take it off (except to shower). One of my favourite features is the sleep tracker; download the free Fitbit app, connect it to your watch and it’ll analyse your sleep. It’s made me really see how irregular my sleeping can be, and as a result I’ve started getting into a better routine, which thanks to the Fitbit is easy to keep track of!
    • Calm app – I downloaded this app when I was having some real trouble getting to sleep at night. Sometimes my mind just won’t shut off, and it’s going 100mph when all I want to do is go to bed. So, I thought I would give sleep meditation a try. That’s when I got this app and it changed my sleeping game for good. It’s so good, I pay around £30 a year to have access to all the apps features. When I am really struggling to sleep, I’ll pop on a 15-minute-deep-sleep body scan to calm my brain. On a normal night, I listen to the relaxing sound of rain (on a window, if we’re getting into specifics) which I can set to play for an hour – perfect to help drown out any lingering thoughts threatening to keep me awake. I’m also a big fan of the guided meditations specifically aimed to tackle various problems such as anxiety and stress. An easy way to add a bit of Zen to your life.
    • Simple Modern Water Bottle (with straw lid) – You’ve probably seen the water bottles by the brand Hydroflask. You know, the one all the VSCO girls own? Well I wanted one – badly. Thing is, it’s an American brand and there’s no way I’m paying that much for a water bottle PLUS the shipping costs to the UK, so I started looking for an alternative and I came across this one on Amazon. It’s near enough identical to the Hydroflask and comes in an array of colours and sizes. It’s the best bottle I’ve ever had. The straw lid just automatically makes it better than any other water bottles out there. It keeps my water cold and fresh throughout the whole day; I swear water just tastes better when I’m drinking from this bottle. Plus, it sounds like I’m drawing a sword when I take it out of my bag.

    So, that was a lot and I don’t blame you if you only scrolled to read the sections that interest you most. But I love this kind of thing and always end up finding the best holy grail products through people sharing their favourites online; I hope that at least one person discovers their next best purchase through this list. Thanks for reading!

  • Physical Effects of Mental Illness

    You might think that spreading awareness on mental health in today’s world is overdone.

    Aren’t we at a point now where everyone is suitably conscious of the issues surrounding mental health?

    It’s true, we’ve come a long way when it comes to acknowledging our mental health struggles and working out how we can help those who are suffering from mental illness, but we still have quite a way to go. There is still this damaging stigma around mental health, despite the fact it is something we all possess, just the same as we all have our physical health. The problem is that the two are still looked at as separate, but this is not the case. Mind and body can both have a drastic effect on each other. When one is unwell, the other feels it too. So buckle up, because we’re about to get factual.

    We can spot issues with mental health by looking for physical symptoms. These symptoms can include changes in a person’s sex drive, increase or loss of appetite, significant tiredness, low energy or problems falling asleep. Poor mental health can even lead to a weakened immune system, making it difficult for your body to fight off infections. Of course, the medication that is prescribed to treat mental illnesses can often have its own effect on our physical state. Symptoms as a result of taking medication can consist of lethargy, dehydration, nausea and flu-like symptoms.

    Multiple studies have made a connection between depression and diabetes, with one showing that people who have both conditions seem to display more severe symptoms than those who only have diabetes. Another revealed that an individual with both depression and diabetes is 85% more likely to have a heart attack, proving to us the importance of finding those most at risk to better monitor their cardiovascular health. More research is needed to fully understand how the two conditions are linked, but this is just one example of the harmful influence mental illness can have on our bodies.

    Anxiety is something that can have several different effects on our bodies. Physical symptoms include: fast breathing/hyperventilation, sweating, chest pain, shaking and a rapid heart rate. Anxiety affects our excretory and digestive systems, which can lead to nausea, diarrhea and loss of appetite. It is suspected that there is a link between anxiety disorders and IBS. Since anxiety often causes rapid and shallow breathing, it can make asthma symptoms worse.

    The King’s College London carried out a study (the biggest of its kind) in which they analysed data from over 3 million people living with severe mental illness. The research results showed that those with a mental illness such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or major depression put them at a 53% higher risk of having a cardiovascular disease opposed to those who did not suffer from a mental illness; the risk of dying from the disease was 85% higher than individuals of a similar age in the general population.

    Of course, this all works the other way around as well, as poor physical health can have a negative impact on us mentally and emotionally. Those living with chronic illnesses such as Cancer, Epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease and HIV/AIDS have a higher risk of depression, as well as illness-related anxiety and stress. Psoriasis (a condition that causes red, flaky, crusty patches of skin covered with silvery scales that can be itchy or sore) is an auto-immune condition commonly triggered by stress and can greatly impact the emotional wellbeing of those who suffer from it. About 1 in 3 people with Psoriasis experience feelings of embarrassment about their condition, one third experience anxiety and depression and 1 in 10 admit to contemplating suicide. But get this – a recent report from the British Association of Dermatologists brought to attention that only 4% of Dermatology Units have access to a counsellor.

    We need to start recognizing that good mental health and physical health come as a package deal. I know that sometimes it can be hard to get out of bed in the mornings, and sometimes eating icing straight out of the tub seems like it will fix all your problems, but we all know how shit we feel afterwards (not saying you can’t treat yourself in moderation). In order to feel as good as you can, you need to take care of yourself in every way possible. This means taking part in regular physical activity – research shows that exercise releases those feel-good chemicals called endorphins into the brain. Having a good, balanced diet and staying hydrated is crucial in managing the way that we feel, as it can influence the development, management and prevention of numerous mental health conditions. Get a good night’s sleep – I don’t think to expand on how stressed and anxious us humans can get when we’re tired. Try and develop healthy habits, and steer clear of the bad ones. The habit of smoking not only has a negative impact on our physical health, but our mental health is also affected. Although the nicotine in cigarettes temporarily increases the levels of dopamine in our brains (the chemical which influences positive feelings), it switches off the brain’s natural mechanism for making the chemical. This makes us crave more nicotine to repeat this positive sensation again and again, resulting in addiction. So, maybe rethink picking up that cigarette packet. Those with depression are twice as likely to smoke than others, and people who suffer from schizophrenia are three times more likely.

    All of us, especially those working in healthcare settings, should be taking all factors of health into account when looking out for ourselves and others. If a patient is being treated for a physical injury or illness, their mental wellbeing should never be overlooked, and vice-versa.

    Mental illness is sickness of the brain.

    The brain is a part of our body.

    It all needs taking care of, so let’s start doing that.