Category Archives: Favourites

Favourites, Modern Life

Sometimes All You Need Is A New Hairdo

I’ve been following Scarlett Curtis for a while now.

She is the daughter of the man who directed Love Actually, Notting Hill and Bridget Jones for one thing.

It would be assumed that her life is therefore a walking-talking rom-com. But actually, she is very open and honest about the fact that it isn’t.

She suffers from mental health issues and has shared a lot of her experiences online and in her books.

She is passionate about feminism and her first curated and authored book, ‘Feminists Don’t Wear Pink (and other lies)‘ shares the voices and opinions of many women from all different walks of life. They speak about what it means to be a woman and it is so refreshing and game-changing in a lot of way. (Highly recommend)

Her second book is ‘It’s Not Okay To Feel Blue (and other lies)‘ shares the experiences of people with mental health issues. Actresses, singers, comedians, celebrities, and everyone else in between.

Often people feel too awkward to share their mental health struggles because there is a stigma around this a lot of the time.

However, bit by bit, this sharing and caring is proving to be really powerful and makes these topics feel less grotesque (because they are not grotesque at all… in fact, they’re very, very normal).

I thought I would share this recent post from Scarlett Curtis that made me feel a bit better this week.

Scarlett has been open about the fact that lockdown has played a big role in her mental health. With the latest lockdown news coming our of the UK, she posted:

‘Imagine your hair looking this good and having just come out of a depressive episode just in time for lockdown #2… IMAGINE.’

She says, ‘In all seriousness. This week I saw a psychiatrist, a therapist, a GP, an acupuncturist and went to @bleachlondon and I think the hair might have helped most (don’t take this advice seriously. I’m not a doctor).’

We couldn’t agree more. Sometimes all you need is a good wash, cut, colour and blow-dry. It can really do wonders for your happiness and bring about those tiny sparks of joy that you might have been missing.

So book a haircut in. Oh and watch Love Actually. That will also help A LOT.

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Favourites, Modern Life

Instagrammer Beck Reminds Us There Is No Wrong Way To Have A Body

Beck from Cheshire, UK, is normalising bodies one honest instagram post at a time.

Known as ‘The Bag Life of Beck‘ on instagram, the young mother has been an ostomate since 2011 when she had lifesaving surgery called an ‘ostomy’ to create an opening in her body for the discharge of body wastes.

This means she now has to wear a Stoma bag every day.

While changes to our bodies cause many of us to feel a little insecure, Beck reminds us that, ‘there is no wrong way to have a body’

“It took me a long time to realise this. I thought because I have my ileostomy I should hide my body because its not what is deemed as “normal” by society,” she says.

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We are FLAWSOME ✨💙

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“Some days I’ll quite happily wear my bag on show and others I’m happy to cover it up.”

“Just because I have my Stoma bag it doesn’t mean my value as a human decreases. It doesn’t mean I’m no longer worthy in this world. It doesn’t mean I should be ashamed. I doesn’t mean I should hide away.”

Beck says that if anything, it means the opposite. She sees it a chance to educate people and create some change so that others accept their new lives and bodies as they are.

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All Bodies are good Bodies ✨ . . This statement stands even when our bodies change. Whether that be growing bigger or smaller. Changing due to surviving something that once tried to beat us, by gaining scars that tell an incredible story. Our bodies are meant to change shape, our skin is meant to stretch and if we all looked the same the world would be a pretty boring place. I always say different is beautiful and we are all different which means we are all beautiful. Never forget that your body is a GOOD BODY 💙 . . This is one of my most favourite sets from @figleavesofficial it's so soft and makes me feel incredible. They come in so many colours and I honestly think I have every colour. Everybody needs a Juliette lace bra in their life 😍 . . P.S I ACTUALLY SHAVED MY ARMPITS TODAY 🎉 . . Sending love and light lovelies ✨❤️ . . #gifted #friendsoffigleaves #loveyou #beyou #normalbodies #normalizenormalbodies #changetheworld #discoverunder10k #ileostomy #bodyconfidence #bodyacceptance

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“A stoma bag doesn’t have to be a negative, as so many positives have come from having my stoma bag for me,” says Beck.

“This surgery saved my life, there’s a high chance that I wouldn’t be here today without it.”

“Imagine if we looked in our mirrors and our imperfections were shining back at us. Glistening in the mirror reminding us how beautiful they are and how beautiful we are with them.”

“Normal is different for everyone and I’ve realised that just because my body looks different doesn’t mean it’s wrong.”

If we can take anything from Beck, it is that: all bodies are good bodies and all bodies are worthy.

Check out her instagram here.

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Favourites

Hilary Duff’s Dewy, Bronzy Everyday Makeup Routine

Hilary Duff is absolutely timeless. We loved her awkward, relatable vibes in Lizzie McGuire and we now love her boss queen attitude in Younger.

Her instagram is always filled with inspo – from her cosy family life to her style posts.

We watched one of her recent Instagram TV’s which showed her daily makeup routine and immediately knew we needed a makeup update.

The video was made to showcase her makeup collaboration with Nudestix. The makeup is dewy, fresh, completely lovely and do-able.

If you haven’t seen the video you can watch it here. We thought we would break it down for you anyway.

Here is Lizzie McGuire’s… I mean Hilary Duff’s…. daily makeup routine.

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#hilaryxnudestix #hilaryduff

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Hilary first adds calendula oil to her face. This oil has antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties and she says her makeup artists recommended it to her. She also applies the Wild Carrot Eye Stick by Evan Healy under her eyes.

Using a beauty blender, she puts Nudestix’ Tinted Cover all over her face. It’s only a very light coating as she thinks it’s still nice to see your freckles. She adds more foundation with the Westman Atelier Foundation Stick.

She then adds Nudestix Nudies Tinted Blur Stick across her eyelids and down her nose and then uses it to contour her cheeks and blends.

It’s then time for blush. Using the colour Body Language from her range with Nudestix, she pops the blush stick on her lips, cheeks and eyes.

She adds her shades Bright Eyes and Night Dweller over her lids and blends them, before adding them underneath her eyes as well.

For brows, she uses Wunderbrow and to set, Boy Brow from Glossier. Her mascara choice is Sisley.

Her highlight is goals. She uses her shade Halfmoon from her Nudestix collaboration to highlight her cheeks, lips, tip of the nose and bottom of the chin before adding Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow to her cheeks.

Add a little powder and voila, you’re a dewy, bronzy queen just like Hilary Duff.

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