Friday 31 January 2014

HOW TO DEAL WITH SKIN PROBLEMS STEP SYSTEM

 
In many of my posts I always moan on about my skin ect ect so I thought I'd share some of my expertise on this situation. There are two ends of the scale, super spot prone/acne skin and then super dry/eczema like skin. I'm definitely towards the first. So I've had quite bad skin since I was in year 6 even and I've tried everything, creams, tablets literally nothing and it's not even like I use bad foundation or makeup as everything I use is designed for breakouts. I even cleanse tone and moisturise twice a day, but these damn spots won't let up. If you're like me, then it sucks. Big time. It means not being able to go out of the house without makeup on like other girls can because people stare or make comments or both and it's literally the worst thing. If you're the same, then I understand. Seriously I've had six years of this and beside everyone insisting they can't see anything it's not going to change your mind.  So after a while I went to the doctors and got creams and med's and things and none of them really worked for me, I'm really bad at taking tablets I forget all the time so they weren't the best and the creams worked for a little and then my face would just fight back. What's also really annoying is that it's oily combo. This means that not only is it spot prone but it can also be really really dry meaning that I can't use super spot buster creams ect because it dries my face up to a crisp so I can't put makeup on as it flakes. Basically the worst of both worlds. Anyway, since about august I've been trying cinique three step system, a cleanser a toner and a moisturise, I have the clenser and toner anti blemish range but the dramatically different moisteriser because the anti blemish one dried my face up so much I couldn't smile without it stinging it was ridiculous. I'm going to do a post on the range probably about May time so that will be coming to see how much difference it makes. So if you are prone to breakouts I've made a little step system for you to follow if you like.
1) Get into a cleanse tone and moisturise system twice a day and exfoliate twice a week if the toner doesn't include an exfoliation. It doesn't have to be Clinique because I know it's so expensive but things like Clearasil or the body shop tea tree oil range would be good.
2) Change your makeup. It could be that your makeup is causing you to have breakouts if it's oily. Try using makeup like BB foundations and lose powder or Rimmel  clear complexion powder as they are made for stopping breakouts.
3) Use drugstore creams. Again, Clearasil, Freederm ect.
4) Go to the doctors. If you have tried loads of other things it might be worth seeing what they can do. Remember to look into a certain drug called Accutane or Roacctuane if you are offered it, the side effects include depression and weak muscles, dry lips, hair loss and more and is considered to be the nuclear option for acne. It works well but is the skin worth all that?
 
Hope these tips have helped!
 
This week I am reading: City of lost souls by Cassandra Clare
 
See you soon,
Eleanor x


Wednesday 22 January 2014

Weight Insecurities


I think one of the main causes of unhappiness in people and something which effects people is their views on their weight. We see all the time in media we need to be a certain weight and anything above is 'fat' and anything below is 'too skinny' when in reality these are pretences and society created standards that don't really exist and we don't need to live up to. People are starting to watch what they say however calling people 'fat' seems to slip in to conversations as if it has no consequence. That needs to be stopped. Some people however are in the danger of thinking calling people fat is bad but having a go at slimmer people and accusing them of being 'too skinny' is okay. Commenting on people's weight in a negative light is not okay. At all. There is no problem with wanting to be healthy or even lose weight, swapping a crisp snack to an apple or joining a gym or trying a new sport. The problem comes when the idea of losing weight becomes all you can think about and becomes the thing you're fixated on, when it's no longer cutting out the amount of times you have a pudding after a meal but rather cutting out a meal completely. The media shows us so much bull everyday and photo shopping and 'trimming' the celebrities they show in magazines and on T.V is really becoming a problem. Even Barbie the much loved doll is an unreal expectation. If Barbie looked like an average teenager this is what she'd look like.


It's kind of shocking when you think about it actually. Another thing that is around at the moment is the wearing of leggings. Someone can't wear leggings if they're 'too fat' or if they 'don't have a bum' like what does it even matter what you wear were all naked underneath anyway why is their certain guidelines and criteria you have to meet to be able to wear a particular item? These kind of things are affecting us and making some people seriously upset about themselves. And then you get people who go on about how confidence is key and sexy, like first you drag people down and tell them they're too fat or too thin and then they wonder why you're insecure? Not everyone is the same build. Not everyone can be a size 10, some people are smaller some are bigger, so? What does it even matter? Why should we have to change because some magazine tells us we should? Everything is a façade. There is no right or wrong weight to be, how can there be? Animals don't pick on each other for their weight so clearly it is something that is made up by people that a certain look or figure is 'better' than another. Don't let yourself be influenced or feel bad by some ignorant jerk at school or college or a magazine tell you what you're supposed to look like because the right size does not exist .  

I hope this has helped if you were worried about your weight, I also hope it's help some of you be reminded of how you shouldn't slate people for their weight.

If I have time I'll upload a review this weekend, if not I'll see you next week!
 Love you all,
 Eleanor x

Thursday 16 January 2014

Review #2- Gallagher girls




Hey guys, today I'm doing a book review on a series I finished before Christmas. The series is called the Gallagher girls and there's six books in the series. They're written by Ally Carter who is an American writer. As well as this series she also has another called Heist Society which I never got into as much. Both series are based on a girl who lives a very different life to most girls. Cammie in Gallagher girls, is a spy and goes to a school for spies where her mum is the head teacher. I enjoyed the series as it went on, not being too impressed with the first two books as they were a bit of a let down plot wise I think but the last two books in the series were amazing and often had me on edge. In the first few books Cammie was having adventures with her friends, Liz and Bex and former enemy Macey. I actually loved the characters and the idea on a whole, it made me wish the Gallagher academy was real like Harry potter made me whish Hogwarts was real and any book that can do that is powerful. Throughout books one and two Cammie is torn between two boys, even spy's in training who can speak 14 different languages have boy trouble too! Then in three and four they go on other exciting assignments. Book five and six are a lot darker than the rest of the series. Cammie loses her memory and spends the year trying to piece it back together bit by bit and as she gets older the mystery of her father dying and who can she trust and who cant she trust becomes really exciting. Book six is climactic throughout the whole book and had me gasping as some points I couldn't put it down at all. Even though I said the plot was a little disappointing at the beginning, it gives a lot of chance for character building and makes us fall more in love with Cammie and her friends and the gorgeous mysterious Mr. Joe Soloman. I bought the first two books when I went camping one time and realised I hadn't anything to read and then I bought the next two after and 5&6 when they came out. When I had finished the last book I was actually sad that it had finished. I didn't realise quite how much I had got into the series until it was finished. They're fast moving, fun, glamorous, mysterious, and a downright good read. I'd probably say the series was aimed at girls more so than boys and between the ages of about 12-17 but I think anyone could give them a read and fall in love with them like I did. I'd give them 4/5 altogether and I'm still holding onto the dream I'll one day be a Gallagher girl, should definitely be made into a film! *hint hint*

This week I am reading to Kill A mockingbird by Harper Lee

Next week I'll be doing a post on weight issues so I'll see you then!

Eleanor x

Wednesday 8 January 2014

Relationship #3 -abuse

Hey guys, so this is carrying on from the series I started last year. I've noticed there have been an increasing amount of awareness adverts for domestic violence, which is amazing. I have wanted to make a post on this for like ages but I always got distracted by another but luckily it ties in quite nicely with all the awareness that's going on at the moment and this little series. If you haven't seen them here are the kind of adverts I'm talking about.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ylznk6GvhwE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AegdywmDZ60

I think the second one with Keira knightly is really powerful but also the first which you might have seen recently reminds people about the different types of abuse, physical, mental, financial, sexual and more. If you're going through this I know it must be so hard for you and feel like there is no escape but I can honestly promise you there is so much help. Even typing the words into Google 'domestic violence' there s instantly so many websites and links of charities and centres and numbers that can help. There's different ones for different cases like if you're in a homosexual relationship or if the abuse is from a parent or a sibling.  You might be worried that because your abuse isn't obvious abuse like physical that it doesn't count but it does. Things like putting you down constantly or being extremely jealous and not letting you go out with friends any more, are they excessively checking up on you so much so you feel like you're being suffocated or putting limits on how much money you spend. You yourself might not class it as 'abuse' but when things that are starting to make you uncomfortable it's time to have a word with them or call of the relationship. All relationships have their ups and downs but there is literally no excuse for violence. Ever. Don't even tell yourself that it was just the once or they'll never do it again because they said so and they made it up to you and all this stuff, it's unacceptable and you need to get out of there. Fast. It may feel like because you have children you can't or because they're controlling your money you can't but do you want you children growing up in that situation? Also you may feel reluctant to come forward if you are a male and you don't think you'll be taken as seriously but there are websites just for male's and it is not shamfull to admit it, that goes for everyone. It's not your fault. If you're being psychologically abused you can be made to feel so bad about yourself that you think it's your fault this is happening. I assure you it is not and you should never feel like you deserve to be hurt.  I hope this information makes you think more about coming forward and here are some links I've collected that I hope will help.

Recognising the signs:
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/domestic_violence_abuse_types_signs_causes_effects.htm

This website is fantastic, this is a link to a page full of links when you can get help,  including broken rainbow (hetrosexual relationship abuse) woman's aid and mans aid .
 http://thisisabuse.direct.gov.uk/need-help

Domestic violent myths:
http://thisisabuse.direct.gov.uk/faq/view/6/worried-about-abuse

I will be back next week with a book series review. I hope you're all okay and I know you're strong enough to do this.

Eleanor x



Sunday 5 January 2014

my 2013!

Hey guys, so as promised here's what happened to me and some of my memories of 2013!

So lets start at the end of 2012 it was new years eve and Lucy came round and we made promises to keep diaries of the year that we could then look back on. We completely and utterly forgot about this deal.
The next big moment was January the third, this was when me and Luke got together finally. I had got some doc martins for Christmas and hadn't warn them in yet so my feet were in agony the whole time and I got massive blisters and had to go to the nurse the next morning but apart from that it was honestly a very good day.
Then it was February and the fifth was my 16th birthday which was such a lovely day. I had the nicest cake ever it was from Thorntans and we went for a Chinese buffet. I remember when I came down my parents had laid all my presents out in the dining room table with a sweet 16 banner around them and I didn't want to touch or unwrap any of the presents because they looked so pretty. I wasn't bothered that I didn't have a big sweet 16 party or anything I just loved being with my family and I remember smiling for the whole day it was definitely one of my favourite days ever.
Later of in February I went on a ski trip with school. Me and Lucy had wanted to try get out of it having decided we didn't actually want to go and it got off to a bad start as I was sick on the coach on the way there which wasn't great and poor lucy had to suffer with me complaining for the most of it but later on in the week I cheered up a bit and it was actually really fun. Skiing definitely isn't my thing at all but I had a lot of laughs falling over! This is a picture of me and Lucy and my ski instructors and also one of me in a bull hat I had to wear because I knocked everyone over!

 
Then on the 12th of march I did my first blog post on this blog! I wasn't really sure where I wanted to take the blog but I'm so glad I did do it it's so much fun!
At the beginning of May, Luke had a party and I got a bit too drunk and ending up being really sick for 24 hours which was not great but I had a good time when I was there it was so much fun and I definitely have learned limits now! Here's a picture of me and Luke taken on that night.
Near the end of may it was my Granddad's 80th and loads of my family went to Barnard Castle and stayed this massive house for a few days. The house had I think 8 bedrooms and my most vivid memory is this shower that was huge and had like ten different shower heads coming from all directions and a radio that was build in so I just danced about in it for like half an hour. I want that shower!! It was really lovely being with family especially my cousins who I don't see that often ect even if I was revising for my exams it was good! Heres a picture of me my sister and my cousin and also one of me my sister both my cousins and my granddad (it was sunny on the first picture which is why we all look like were dying and none of us look our best, also i'm not sure I had makeup on sos not sos )

Then It was leavers and I said goodbye to some people that I may never see again, this was a sad day but it was kinda happy too it was a super fun day even though there were tears for a lot of people. I have so many pictures of leavers like so so so many so I've tried to pick the best ones! The first one is of me and luke photobombing some of our friends photos we look like were part of it but they didn't even realise we were there! the second one is me being picked but my andy jesse and Liam in science and the third is of me having a piggy back from Andy and being told off my mr fell haha! The last is of me sitting on Lucy in ICT.



 
 
Then it was exams and we were all slaving away working hard and things and then when that was finished it was time for prom! again I had so many pictures from prom it was one of the best days of my life so I've picked a few!


 
Then it was the summer holiday and we went to Carcassonne which is in the South of France. It is a walled city and we were right in the centre of it in an apartment. Before we got to Carcassonne we stayed in little farm houses on the way down which were so lovely. It was boiling throughout but I had plenty of time to read the seven or so books I brought with me, including the fault in our stars and perks of being a wall flower which I read and sobbed my way through for the first time (serious must reads!). Sorry ill go back to the holiday I always get side-tracked by books! Here are the only two pictures I could find unfortunately!  They are both of me and my sister Heather.

 
 
Then it was back for results which didn't go as horrifically as I anticipated actually!
Starting year 12 was difficult, its so much more work and so much difficult than last year and I'm really maturing...
 
...Or not.
I've also met my good friend Ena who lives in Croatia and is a very good friend of mine now I just wanted to add her in because I'm not sure whereabouts I'd put it but yay thank you Ena!
Now Christmas and New year have passed and I've had a lovely time. This years had its up's and downs (and quite a bit of sick it seems) but the good moments have been amazing and I couldn't include everything and everyone which I wish I could have.
 
Bring on 2014!
Eleanor x



Thursday 2 January 2014

New years relolutions- My challenge to everyone!

Happy new year guys! This post is part of two I guess, I'll be uploading the other this weekend and that one will be about my 2013! So today I wanted to talk about resolutions! I bet some of you already have a good idea about what you want to do in this year, I bet most of them are similar to mine, work harder at school, try get better grades, do more exercise, be more grateful ect. I was reading this article the other day and it was all about 'smashing your limits.'  The gist was that we fall into little habits that we don't realise and make an 'expectation ceiling'  this is what we believe our limits to be and so we don't challenge ourselves enough. It's like a safety net and we don't get over that. So this is my challenge for you all this year, my  challenge is you challenge yourselves. Maybe write this quotes down and put them somewhere you'll see them, on your ceiling, on your TV or laptop or on the back of the toilet door.
1. Do one thing every day that scares you- Eleanor Roosevelt.
Everybody knows this quote in fact I think I've talked about it before, I have it stuck on my celling. This is all about getting yourself out of your comfort zone. It doesn't have to be something massive like jumping out of a plane but even talking to someone you wouldn't normally if you don't like talking to people you don't know. Once we do these kind of things we get a sense of pride and like we've achieved something so go on, try do something everyday that scares you.
2. To hell with circumstances I create opportunities-Bruce Lee
Sometimes things happened that we didn't plan and that can change our lives completely but we should take this circumstance and use it for good. We hear stories all the time about people smashing their limits. People who are told they can never walk again and running around again within three weeks because they are so determined to get better, creating an opportunity to show people what they're capable of. So I something happens to you this year that effects you in some way try and harness it and use it somehow to create an opportunity.
3. Losers visualise the penalties of failure. Winners visualise the rewards of success- William .S. Gilbert.
Psychologists have said that if you visualise a positive outcome like getting an A on a test, can help you focus and make the goal seem more achievable. People often have quite visual ways of learning, for example in dance, it helps some people to visualise string pulling them up from toe to head and beyond and with that in mind it helps them to pull up their bodies. It's the same principle if you can see something clearly in your mind then your telling yourself you can reach that.

So there is my challenge to you, scare yourself, create opportunities and visualise success. Hopefully they will help you to smash your own ceilings and limits. Once you smash one ceiling, smash them all.

Eleanor x

Wednesday 1 January 2014

Review #1 salt spays- got2B beach matt and Loreal studio matt and messy

This is a new little section on my blog and as it sounds, I am going to review things, from books to albums to products. Although its not my usual type of post I know that it's going to be helpful to quite a lot of people and that's why I'm doing them, so look for ones that may be relevant for you. I will of course be doing my usual blogs but hopefully once or twice a month be doing a post like this. I actually have two other posts planned for this week one which I'll definitely be uploading tomorrow so you should get three posts in one week you lucky things you. Anyway I'm sure quite a lot of you have the same problem as me and recently I've been trying salt sprays for my hair, I've tried two so far and I'll be adding to it as I go probably leading to another review about them. Although my hair is quite thick, it lacks quite a lot of volume as it is naturally quite straight which is why I've been trying them, and the two I have done so far is got2B beach matt (£3.99 at Superdrug) and L'Oreal studio matt and messy(£3.75.) They are both matt texturizing salt hair sprays.
 First, the L'Oreal one I liked a little better, it had a nicer texture when it was in my hair and it brushed out a little easier. It plumped my hair up nicely although I had to keep using it as it seemed to not stay in for very long. The pump on the bottle annoyed me quite a bit I'm not sure if that was just my bottle but it seemed really hard to push down and it doesn't seem to give much out at one time so I have to use quite a lot of it on my hair as its quite long, it didn't have much of a 'spray' The smell kind of annoyed me after a while it was okay at first but I think if I used it every day I'd have a lot of headaches. It didn't weigh my hair down which was what I loved about it, my hair felt really light! If you spray too much of it in one place it can be a little sticky however! Overall I'd give it 7/10!



The second, got2B I wasn't a massive fan of I just didn't like the texture of it, it left my hair feeling quite wet and a little sticky. It definitely adds volume to curls and waves so I think I'd recommend curling your hair before of if you have naturally curly and thin hair then this would be a good product! I liked the pump so much better it had a really good spray and its a lot prettier to look at packaging wise. It didn't leave your hair feeling gritty or anything but it wasn't as light as the L'Oreal one. It didn't make my hair heavy but the L'Oreal one made it so light. It smells better too, it smells like suncream I think it definitely smells summery! Unlike the L'Oreal one this one adds waves so if that's what you were going for then I'd recommend this one! This is a summery product I think perfect for beaches but what the heck, wear it all year round. Overall I'd give it 6.5/10.

I will be back tomorrow with new years resolution post so I'll see you then my dears. If you have anything you'd like me to review no matter what it is email me my emails at the side.
Eleanor x