Pleasureful

Tag: Lifestyle

  • Social Media: The Good, The Bad and The Unfiltered.

    I recently finished reading a book written by one of my favourite authors, Matt Haig. The book, titled ‘Notes on a Nervous Planet’, focuses on living life in the modern, digital world, and how we as humans are coping (or rather, trying to cope) with the changes that our endless advances within technology and society are making to our lives. Matt touches greatly on his own past experiences with mental health issues, and how the online world contributed to his struggles. The book got me thinking – and I mean really thinking – about the time that I take away from my own life to be more present in my life online. The hours I spend scrolling through Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, the time I spend with my friends trying to get that not-so-candid shot with the perfect lighting and the sleep I lose editing and uploading that picture, waiting in anticipation for the likes to start pouring in.

    Now, social media is not by any means the root of all evil. In fact, it can actually bring some Good into people’s lives. For instance, I know that plenty of people have met lifelong friends and even partners through the use of social media apps such as Instagram and Twitter, and dating apps and sites like Tinder. Yes, you should always be careful with people you meet online, and must never share out personal information such as your home address or bank details. That being said, not all internet meet ups end in people’s organs being sold on the black market after being brutally murdered. As well as giving us the chance to meet new people, social media allows us to stay in touch with everyone in our lives at all times, even if they are on the other side of the world. We can follow and engage easily with those who motivate and inspire us, use it as a platform to grow our brands and businesses, or even just to scroll through our Twitter feeds when we’re in need of a good laugh. Social media provides a kind of escapism. We can so easily forget about the world around us, and delve into the digital universe filled with tweets and memes and filters and likes and…

    The Bad stuff. Now, dare I say this outweighs the good? I guess that’s for us as individuals to decide for ourselves. I think each one of us has our own limit when it comes to all things social, and that includes digital. The thing with social media is that it isn’t really true to it’s name. We interact with people online all the time, yes, but with this has come less and less real life communication. Why travel to someones house to spend time with them when you can pick up your phone and Snapchat them right there and then? Something I personally find very difficult and anxiety inducing with messaging someone is that it inhibits me from being able to read their facial expressions, listen to their tone of voice or analyse their body language. This often results in me convincing myself that a friend is angry or upset with me, when in reality I have just read their message completely wrong and overthought every tiny detail. It all just leads to one big misunderstanding. Social media gives us the ability to talk to whoever whenever we please, post whatever we desire and to share each detail of our lives with the world. Not only is this an unhealthy habit that the majority of us have had at some point in our lives, (I mean c’mon, did you really need to send that tweet about how bad your date went last night, informing perhaps hundreds of people who probably do not care?), but it is starting to take away from the limited time we have to enjoy real life memories and experiences. But if you didn’t post it on the ‘gram, did it really happen?

    That brings me to the Unfiltered. Ah, the internet. A wondrous place made even better with the use of photoshop and VSCO. We’re all guilty of spending hours of our lives scrolling through pictures of celebrities and influencers sporting skimpy swimwear, showing off their socially acceptable beach bods whilst enjoying a dream vacation paid for by their most recent brand deal. We’ve all said, or at least thought to ourselves, ‘I wish that was me’. You’ve probably even thought that after seeing ‘regular’ people’s posts. Maybe that girl you knew from school is always posting about having the most perfect boyfriend, or that guy from work is constantly uploading post-workout pictures to his story, making you feel like a bum for opting to eat a pizza rather than hit the gym. What we seem to fail to remember is that everyone chooses the best bits of their life to post online. That girl from school has a great boyfriend, but she’s currently watching her parents go through a difficult divorce. That guy from work has got the six-pack you’ve always wanted, but he’s recently been diagnosed with clinical depression. We can’t always control our lives, but we can control how they appear to others online. We can filter them. Edit them. Maybe make our stomachs a little flatter and our smiles a little wider.

    I am not saying by any means that if you want to post a vacation bikini picture, you should not do so. In fact, that’s the opposite of the point I am trying to get across. Post what you want to post, whether that’s a sunny photo of you on the Caribbean cruise you went on or a Twitter thread featuring each individual house plant you own. Your social media accounts are your own little corner of the internet for you to enjoy, so don’t feel the pressure or need prove to everyone that your life is as perfect and Instagram-able as the Kardashian’s. Because let’s face it, even Kylie Jenner has her off-days.

    I know it’s hard, it’s something I am still working on myself, but life was not intended to be lived through a screen. So try to remember every now and then to put down the phone, look away from the computer and put the tablet away. Go for a walk, get coffee with a friend or spend time with your family. We’ve only got a limited amount of time on this Earth; that tweet can wait.

    Thanks for reading!

    – S x

  • Hello, 2019

    So, I have kind of abandoned blogging and my general love for writing during the last few months. I’m not entirely sure why, I guess I just haven’t had time and it hasn’t been a priority. Thing is, I love writing and creating posts for people to read and enjoy online, even only a handful of people are actually reading them. So I am determined to let my love of writing back into my life, and that starts with taking better care of this here blog.

    I thought what better post to upload to mark the start of a new year (and more consistent blogging) than explaining to you what my goals are for 2019. I’m not usually one to jump on the resolution band wagon. I mean, how many people actually manage to complete their new years resolutions by the end of the year? Maybe I’m being pessimistic, but I always seem to see people setting unrealistic goals and expectations for themselves in the upcoming year, then getting fed up with them and forgetting about them or dropping them only a month or two down the line.

    But I needed some motivation for this year. So I’ve created a list of goals (realistic ones at that) which I would love to achieve by the end of 2019. I am yet to have that one great year in my life, and I would really love for this one to be it. So, without further ado, these are my top goals for 2019…

    1. Travel somewhere new 
    • A weekend away in Amsterdam has been on my bucket list for-freaking-ever and I am going to get on that plane and visit that city this year if it kills me.
    • In terms of a sunny beach holiday, I am really loving the look of Croatia. I’ve never been and I just think it looks absolutely stunning for a relaxing week or two in the sun sipping cocktails.

          2. Read more 

    • Ever since I was younger I have had a huge love for books, but recently I just haven’t made the time to read. I am determined to make time to read more, both fiction and non-fiction. 

          3. Write more 

    • As explained at the beginning of the post, I would love to focus more on blogging and getting my writing out into the world this way. 
    • Ever since I was little I have had a passion for creative writing. I find it very therapeutic. I may even try and see if I can enter some creative writing competitions online.
    • In order to earn a bit of money on the side of my current job, I am going to look into doing some freelance writing jobs online, such as writing blog posts for other people etc. 

          4. Get down to my goal weight 

    • Something that I started doing mid-2018 was losing some weight that I have gained gradually over the past year. I managed to get myself into a really good gym routine and started eating the right foods and I felt so much better because of it. So far I have lost a stone, but there’s still some more weight I would love to lose to get down to my ideal weight. 

          5. Complete my apprenticeship 

    • In case you didn’t know, I am currently working for a company doing a level 3 business administration apprenticeship. I have gained a lot of experience doing my job, and I would love to have the course finished and passed by the end of March 2019.

          6. Get a new job

    • While I do enjoy the work I do now, once my apprenticeship is over I would love to find a job that includes me being able to be a bit more creative, such as marketing.

           7. Save more money 

    • This one I know for sure is going to be rough. I really need to start restricting my bad habits such as online shopping and eating out. 

           8. Get a new skill/hobby/interest

    • This one is a bit random, but I just wish there was something I was very knowledgeable on or skilled at. I would love to build more on my makeup skills and teach myself how to do more complicated looks. I have also been thinking about starting a new fitness class such as pole fitness or boxing. I’m honestly not sure. I think I’ll just have to try some things out and see what I like. 

    So that’s it. Not very exciting I know, but I think I’m okay with having a not too exciting year. I hope this year brings all of us health, love and happiness. Happy New Year loves.

    – S x

  • My Go-To Beauty Products

    I am most definitely not the kind of girl to wear a full face of makeup everyday; if I did, I’d constantly be late for work and my skin would hate me. However, on that rare occasion when I do decide to transform my face into a contoured and glowing masterpiece, I like to use products that I trust, sit well on my face, last throughout the whole night and help me to create the best look I can. So, here is a list of some of my all time favourite go-to beauty products, enjoy!

    1. Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray 

    Okay, so there is not another setting spray in this world that I will use over this one. It’s oil and paraben free, meaning it is perfect for my skin. I used to have a massive issue with my makeup just melting off halfway through the day/night due to my oily skin, but since using this my makeup has had no issues with staying on my face. I’ve tried other matte setting sprays, but always come back to this one, nothing compares!

    2. Revolution Bake and Finish Luxury Baking Powder

    I used to avoid baking my face at all costs. I would only lightly swipe the tiniest layer of setting powder across my face due to fear of terrible flashback making me look like a ghost every time someone took my picture. But let me tell you, this powder is a god send. It leaves no flashback whatsoever when taking those all important pictures at pre-drinks, meaning I can bake my face to my hearts content! It helps massively to keep my under eye concealer from creasing and is so soft and light on the skin.

    3. Jaclyn Hill x Morphe Eyeshadow Palette

    Let me start off by saying I just love all Morphe eyeshadow palettes. They’re affordable, you get so many amazing colours ranging from matte to glittery and they are always so pigmented. But this palette in particular completely stole my heart. Every single shadow in this palette is beautiful, there are so many different looks you can create with just this one palette! I will say that the fallout you get from this palette isn’t brilliant, but despite that tiny flaw I still find myself reaching for this palette more than any other!

    4. Jeffree Star Cosmetics Peach Goddess Skin Frost

    If there’s one thing I love, it’s a great highlighter, and this is it. When it comes to other products by Jeffree Star, I can’t comment as I admit I’ve never tried anything but this highlighter. But it’s one of the best ones I’ve ever used! The colour is perfect on my skin tone, and you can either build it up for a strong glow or dust it on for a subtle shimmer. The pink isn’t too strong, so it doesn’t leave me looking like a clown. It’s the right mix of colour and icy highlight, and goes with most of the makeup looks that I love to create. I would definitely try the other shades of this highlighter!

    5. Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Original

    So a while back I didn’t even know primer was a thing, let alone eyeshadow primer. This is the first and only eyeshadow primer I’ve ever used, and I see no reason for me to look for another one. Since using this, my eyeshadow hasn’t creased ONCE (which says a lot, as due to my oily skin having my eyeshadow crease towards the end of the day was always inevitable). My eyeshadow in general just seems so much nicer to apply, and the colour seems so much more pigmented after using this first. And the best part is this lasts forever! I will not do my eye makeup without it.

    6. Benefit Hoola Powder Bronzer

    This is the only bronzer I’ve ever used that has the most perfect shade of bronze for my face. I’m not a fan of liquid contouring, especially in the summer, as it leaves my face feeling way too cakey and heavy. With this bronzer, I can leave my cheekbones looking sculpted and my face looking tan and healthy without over doing it!

    7. Urban Decay Optical Illusion Complexion Primer

    Okay so I don’t know what Urban Decay are doing to make their primers this damn good but whatever it is I am grateful for it. I’ve tried a few primers before (that’s after I discovered primer was a thing I should be using), both high-end and drug store, and nothing compares to this one. It feels so soft and satiny when applying it to your face, but it’s not overly oily. My foundation glides on perfectly over this primer and it makes my pores almost non existent, giving me the most flawless base for my makeup! It also lasts for such a long time. It may be slightly pricey but it’s definitely good value for money.

    8. Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara

    This mascara is hands down the best mascara I have ever owned. I am obsessed. I’ve been using it for a couple of years now, and I’ve tried to branch out and try out other mascaras from different brands but I always come back to this one. It gives you the perfect amount of both volume and length, isn’t too watery or too clumpy, isn’t so heavy that it weighs your lashes down after curling and lasts all day with very minimal smudging. Honestly I’ve cried wearing this a fair amount of times and my mascara has kept it together even when I haven’t. Trust me, you need this.

    So, that’s that. My go-to beauty products. There are probably a couple more I could have added to this list but I didn’t want to bore you all, so let me know if you want to hear more reviews/opinions from me on beauty products or if you want to know more about my favourite products and brands! I’m thinking of doing a skin routine/favourite skin products post so keep an eye out for that. That’s all from me for now, thanks for reading!

    – S x