Essen(c)tial Battle

Lol, get it?

Hi everyone!

Been struggling to find a title for this post and it literally just came to me now so I also got a chuckle out of it. This is the last weekend before my last week working out of town and I just couldn’t be more excited! I just missed being in my own space so much! I couldn’t take my camera with me which was such torture.

So living out of my bag creates opportunity to forget stuff at home. The one week I forgot my mascara and had to get a new one. The one I normally use is really clumpy which I love and the one I got was very accurate and had more spaced out ‘flares’ and I thought it would be cool to compare them. They’re both from Essence and I just love how affordable and attractive they are in packaging.

So with the All Eyes on me option I found it to be effective but extremely subtle which I really love when I’m not all dolled up. It’s not at all messy or difficult.

The I heart Extreme crazy volume mascara does just that. I’ve found myself wiping it off and applying concealer on my eyelids to ‘correct’ the wrong ‘lift’. You definitely can’t apply it in a car and without a mirror. And I just love the crazy volume it gives you. You just look glam instantly. 

Through comparing the two I’ve found that I love volume so I’ll always go for a darker voluminous look than a more ‘structural’ look. I’ve forgone the whole winged eyeliner look (because I just can’t yet) so mascara is very important for me have an effortless and yet minimal glam look.

Which mascara is your do or die? Which one should I try next?  

10 things I would want in a DAD!

Hi everyone!

So for Father’s day this year instead of doing a wish list (omw, dads are so hard to shop for) I’m compiling elements of what I think would make the perfect dad. So to give you some background – My relationship with my father is very strained because he’s a father and not a dad. He just takes care of the basics like education and health but lacks everything else. So I’ve always craved for a father daughter relationship all my life.

So I would want the following in a perfect Dad:

1.       He’s protective

I feel like I’ve always had to protect myself because my Dad would not come and get me. I’ve always wanted that feeling that my Dad’s got my back so whenever there was trouble I would have to sort it out or ask my mom as a last resort.

2.       Teach me how to do man stuff

My mom taught me how to change a light bulb and put super glue on my broken shoes and once I helped my mom change her own flat tyre instead of calling my dad(who was close by) to fix it. I would have been nice to have a dad teach me all this stuff so that I won’t need another man to do it!

3.       Well being

My Dad will check in with you when he feels like he hasn’t spoken to you in a long time. It would be nice to have a Dad who is concerned about how school is going and how working out of town is going, who I’m driving with and when I got back home.

4.       Take me hiking

Look, I HATE all outdoor things but I would give my left wing (if I had wings) to do outdoor stuff with my Dad. I like all bonding methods and if this was my Dad’s way of catching up with me I would definitely take off my press-on nails to go camping with him.

5.       I want him to scare off all my boyfriends

This is so Hollywood but I love that scene in Bad Boys 2 when Will Smith and Martin Lawrence gang up on the daughter’s date! Lol! I would have to do that myself because my father couldn’t care less who I see or end up marrying. That concerns me so much!

6.       A father’s pride

When I was younger I used to seek admiration/sense of pride from my Dad a lot. I even got jealous the one time when my friend was freaked out about his father finding out what his marks were in 1^st year of being at varsity. I remember thinking that there was nothing I could do that would make my Dad proud of me. I still feel that way today.

7.       Teach me how to drive

I had a friend once who told me that her Dad yelled at her so much while he taught her how to drive. And I was just green with envy because I had to go to a driving school because my father wouldn’t teach me. What was important was that he saw it as his job as her dad to teach her how to drive.

8.       Take daughter to work day

I wouldn’t want to be there all the time but I would’ve loved to have seen where my Dad works like for him to show me where he spends the majority of his time. It’s not a big thing but I always wanted to see it!

9.       Call him in the case of an emergency

You know it would be nice for my Dad to be the first person that I would call in the case of an emergency! So when I’m sick or I need some products I would have liked to call Dad instead of mom.

10.   For him to say he loves me

I’m 24 now and in my life my father has probably told me that he loves me twice. In my whole life. So an ideal Dad would say it all the time.

So for Father’s Day I would love the above-mentioned unicorn. If anybody has seen one, please send me an e-mail!!

Haha!!

I hope this post will help you guys appreciate your dads and if your Dad is like mine – you’re not the only one going through this struggle.

Love!

10 reasons why I HATE my job

Hi Everyone!

You heard all the complaints but never knew why, so today is that day! Working out of town really makes you appreciate time. It’s winter now so it’s darker much earlier and we’re always stuck in traffic (I just can’t get used to that) and we’re a team so we have to accommodate each other. So by the time you try to squeeze in a few shots it’s already 9:30pm and now you have to plan for a new day.

So while I’m here I’ve been thinking a lot about why I don’t like my 9-5. And I can already tell that writing this will be an emotional rollercoaster but I live and die by the power of the written word so let’s hope that by the end of this, there will be magical feel better powder in the air.

1.       I’m more creative than numerical

I don’t know much about design and the whole explosion of the digital world of blogging but I know it’s a world I want to get lost in and wouldn’t mind working my way up but in my line of work you need to be sure and accurate and you need to solve everything mathematically or through legislation.

2.       You never stop studying

It creates super tunnel vision because you have no time for anything else until you qualify. You can tell by the time you graduate (for the first time) if it’s for you or not. And I could tell much earlier on and that’s what’s making this more gruelling for me. When you stay, you stay because you have passion or it’s a stepping stone for something better.

3.       It doesn’t come as advertised.

I think 99% of my friends can tell you that what we do is not what we thought we’d be doing after varsity.

4.       The travelling is exhausting

This is totally subjective because my colleagues love the travelling aspect. Living out of a bag strips me from the freedom of having my own space and expressing myself. I’m willing to move anywhere but I’d like to stay put as much as possible (except when I’m going away on holiday of course). I’m really hoping this will change once I start doing the job of my soul’s dream.

5.       It’s ruining Morning Person-ISM

Ever since I took the plunge and turned into a morning person I really add value to my mornings because I have to think about what I’m grateful for. TRUST ME nothing is worse than waking up to a passionless job.

6.       You become a grumpy gremlin

I’m a happy person. Generally. So spending 8 hours not happy really takes a toll on your mojo. I find myself so mean and self-destructive. I complain and cry forever. I spend even more time in isolation. I don’t return calls/e-mails. I ruin my blog schedule and never make time to make an effort.

7.       You wish it was 3 years later

I’m like legit scared of aging (working on it) but I’ve never wished for time to go faster as much as I do now. It makes me realize how unhappy I am. I always feel tense like something bad is about to happen. I’m always glad when the month is over rather than savouring the moment and really living in it.

8.       If your heart doesn’t tell you, your body will.

When I’m sad/heartbroken I experience a lot of heartburn. I don’t know why. So then now that I’ve just been going through months and months of confusion, I’ve seen my body change so much. When I look in the mirror now, the accumulated result of my self-destruction makes me really sad.

9.       I’m always happier on my way home than to work

Literally, when I’m on my way home I will sing in the car and start making plans and just be generally happy. It’s like a trigger. Like a high. It doesn’t even matter if it’s a weekend filled with me establishing myself on the couch with a bucket of popcorn. That would be the highlight of the week.

10.   Your Spirit is in turmoil.

I legit have never been at such crossroads. And being here while adulting has been the hardest thing ever. You just can’t make choices at a whim. You need to think about the consequences that it would cause you (wouldn’t mind dealing with those) but also of your family (who are each facing their own challenges).

You know I’m so glad I got through this without crying. Or, I could be all dried up. Lol! Either way I feel a little more air going through my chest after releasing this so I truly hope it will do the same for you if we have some things in common or even if it helps you understand a friend or family member!

All the best!

Love,

Inside Out

Hi everyone!

You know at this point it's really hard to be both adulting and trying to maintain your independence. You can't just be robust about things that concern your future. You have to think about it. Over a cup of coffee, over 'wine', blow off some steam, maybe fit in a yoga session and most of all, pray a lot about it! During this process it can be so easy to let yourself go. You start to not eat that healthy and you just become numb about things.

And then one day you wake up to no abs, huge thighs and your face is crying out for help. I really believe that what you put inside of you, will eventually show. Either you'll be extremely bloated or you get a lot of break outs. During this time I would recommend 2 quick fixes : an everlasting hairstyle(braids/wigs) and neutral make-up products. The whole contour and highlighting thing becomes way too ridiculous and your natural hair and a weave is way too much effort!

So with my braids I just made sure they were long because I like how they look with dresses and they can be easily styled. The longer you have them, the more your natural hair can suffer because it's not receiving proper care. But for your face I would recommend: concealer, liquid foundation, mascara and a blusher of your choice. I prefer a goldish shade because it's not too glamorous for work!

Even if everything looks bad, always make an effort because this life is just not worth living if you can't look the way you feel or want to feel when everything is working out. To be unhappy is so exhausting because your energy is limited and your outlook is blurred and everyone has to hang out with your gloomy look and listen to all your complaints. One day just find the courage to STOP!

Know your limits and deal breakers. Also know what would make your heart happy and live in pursuit of that everyday or always keep seeking it!

Love your life!
xx