Best Of My Current Skincare Routine

@robertonickson

I will be putting up an in-depth post soon of my entire skincare routine, morning & evening but for the mean time I wanted to put together a post that mentions all the new standout favourites in my routine. The majority of these products fall under two categories, either face masks & eye creams/gels but if you have any recommendations of products for dehydrated skin I'd love to hear about them! 

byNature Brightening Pink Clay Mask w/ Witch Hazel & Kawakawa Extract 

"Minimise pores & restore a more radiant skin tone with the brightening & purifying goodness of natural Pink Clay & Witch Hazel. Gently draws out all the dirt & trapped oils in the skin, combined with nourishing Native New Zealand Kawakawa Extract - renowned for its calming & cleansing effects." 

It's a pretty basic face mask but it does the job really well. I love how smooth & soft my skin is after using this product. It helps to dry up any active blemishes & leaves skin feeling clean but not dehydrated. It's really affordable & great if you're looking to try something new! 

byNature Hydrating Eye Serum w/ Collagen, Hyaluronic Acid & Vitamin E 

"This light eye serum melts into the skin helping to soften & firm dull stressed skin, adding a boost of radiance with our nourishing formula. Although the name appears a bit sciency, Hyaluronic Acid is a natural, highly active ingredient that fights dullness, fine lines & uneven tone & texture caused by daily UV exposure, stress & ageing." 

Again, a pretty simple & straightforward product but I find it to be relatively effective. I've found that it has helped soften & hydrate under my eyes which is exactly want I need in an eye cream. I use this product in conjunction with another eye cream which will be motioned below but I don't have any complaints about this product. 

Essano Vitamin C Brightening Eye Gel

"The lightweight gel formula helps to brighten dark circles & visibly smooths the precious skin around the eyes, using Vitamin C sourced from exotic fruits such as Mango, Papaya & Pineapple." 

A really gorgeous lightweight eye gel with a pleasant scent. It's cooling & refreshing under the eyes & I find works really well along side the byNature Hydrating Eye Serum. 

Simple Skincare Protect N Glow Detox & Brighten Clay Mask

"Simple Protect 'n' Glow Detox & Brighten Clay Mask draws out impurities & pollutants like a magnet. Formulated with organic, ginger, natural clays, vitamins C & E, it inspires micro-circulation for revived & revitalised skin. Like all Simple products, it's 100% free from artificial colour & perfume & has no harsh chemical that can upset your skin." 

I'm really loving this product & I'd say currently, it's being used more than the mask I mentioned above. This mask leaves my skin feeling revitalised & fresh but not stripped of hydration. I've used Simple skincare products for awhile now & they impress me every single time. I'm looking forward to adding & trying a few more products from this Protect 'n' Glow range from Simple. 

What are some of the standout skincare products currently in your routine? 

B x 

Feeling Exhausted & Unmotivated? Me Too!

@conunaese

 

For the past couple of weeks I've been feeling extremely exhausted & unmotivated hence why there were no uploads last week but I think the big question is how do we recover from that? How do we bounce back? It can be difficult. We all have these ambitious goals & hefty to-do list but in between all of it, are we making time to look after ourselves? 

We've all learnt the hard way at least once, that you can't perform & deliver your best work when you're tired & stressed. So if you feel that overwhelming exhaustion creep in, try asking yourself these questions. 

When Was The Last Time You Said No To Something? 

Learning to set yourself boundaries & saying no is crucial. You need to protect yourself by taking on a realistic workload & learning how to say no when you're feeling overwhelmed & overworked. It applies to social commitments & personal goals too. It's not just about saying no but you need to do what you feel is right to protect yourself & your energy. 

Am I Getting Enough Sleep? 

It's not just about the amount of sleep you're getting, but the quality of the sleep too. Make your bedroom a stress-free place & don't bring work into the bedroom. Working from home has meant that my office space is within my bedroom. To ensure work is left behind at my desk, I end my day with writing a list of what I need to do the next working day & then make sure everything is tidy & in place for the next day. 

Who Can I Talk To About This? 

That overwhelming exhausted feeling is never great but sometime talking to someone about it can make you feel a lot better. It feels great to be able to offload feelings & work through your thought processes. Sometimes we just need to see things from another perspective. 

These are always the first three things I ask myself when I can feel that overwhelming exhaustion feeling creeping in. These questions don't always give me the exact answers I want but it does help me work through how I'm feeling & the next steps I need to take so that I don't reach a complete burnout. 

B x 

Current Fav Nude Lipsticks

@damirspanic

I'm a sucker for a nude lippy & I'll be the first to admit that I own way to many but they're so easy to wear & look good with everything! My collection of nude lipstick & glosses seems to be ever growing so why not share my current favourites with you? 

Maybelline Colour Sensational Lip Matte - 655 Daringly Nude

Maybelline Colour Drama Intense Velvet Lip Pencil - 639 Nude Perfection
Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturising Lip Colour Balm - Whole Lotta Honey 
The Body Shop Matte Liquid Lip - 032 Windsor Rose
Mecca Max A-Lipster Liquid Lip - Birthday Suit

What are some of you favourite nude lipsticks? Am I missing something from my collection? 

B x 

Top Tips For Working From Home

@andrewneel

Working from home feels perfect until your favourite show flashes on TV & you've lost tracker of time. It's opening your laptop in bed & realising you fell asleep & have a little time left. Working from home is comfortable but how can you stay focused & productive from all the distractions that working from home has? 

I have been working/studying from home on & off for multiple years now so I feel that I very much know what works for me & what doesn't but with that being said, things are changing on a regular basis. Here are my top five tips that I've curated that will help you stay productive & finish all your work. 

Set A Comfortable Workspace 

Yes, it's great to stay in bed & be wrapped up in your blankets all day but in reality, you aren't going to achieve much that way. To have the feeling of wanting to start the task so it can be done, you need to set a comfortable space. Organise a space in your house to be set up as an office. Have an organised desk, comfortable chair & light that doesn't hurt your eyes. Designate the space you've created as an office only for work activities. If you are in this area, you are only to be working therefore the people in your house will also have the proper expectations. They will know that you are working & you shouldn't be distracted. 

Make A Schedule & Set Deadlines 

When working at home, you're on your own. No one will come to check on what you are doing. You are essentially your own boss. You are in control of your own work & this is why some get lost track of their work leading to an unproductive day. If you want to work from the comfort of your own home & still have a productive work day, you should aim to make a schedule & stick to it. Plan a daily schedule & create your short-term & long-term goals. Start with a list of tasks you need to accomplish by the end of the day. Setting a schedule & deadlines provides yourself a decent guideline for what needs to get done. 

Take Schedule Breaks 

While you already have your schedule, it's important you also have break time scheduled. Just because we are working from home doesn't mean we don't deserve breaks. Go for a walk, grab something to eat or have some coffee. Relax your mind so it can then contribute fully to the productive day you want to achieve. Breaks are said to improve your health & well-being & can increase your creativity but also productivity. 

Keep Away From Social Media

Social media can distract you from working. If your work doesn't involve using social media or connecting with people on social media, try keep away from all social media accounts. Rest assure, checking your accounts every time a notification pop up will result in continuous scrolling until you didn't notice that you already ran out of time to do your work. I thing I have found very helpful is to have all notifications turned off or sometimes I'll pop on 'do not disturb' which means I also won't receive any notifications including phone calls & messages which is great for when I'm in meetings. 

Try Working From Somewhere Else

This is one of my favourite things about working from home & that is the ability to work from essentially anywhere. If you're comfortable working at a local coffee shop then go for it! You could also try the library for a quiet place to work. I find that getting out of the house every now & then can help freshen up your mind & help generate new creative ideas. Working somewhere else can also be of benefit if you're finding working from home a struggle. Sometimes I find it's a change of scenery is exactly what I need to get the ball rolling again. 

Working from home isn't always easy & naturally, some days are more productive than others. I think it's about finding what works for you & find ways to work around what doesn't work for you. Working from home is a great experience & it's taught me a lot about myself. 

B x