[BEAUTY] Resolutions

So I've been AWOL again .. sorry!! Life has been a lil hectic at the mo, but I do have some good news! I found out this week that I won a scholarship to do a PhD while I carry on working! The pros: I am doing a supermegawickedAWESOME project of my choosing, don't get a drop in salary, get to be Dr Tali and do what I've always wanted to do :) The cons: It's going to take SIX YEARS, which for some reason terrifies me haha

Other than that I've been ceilidh-ing, working, stable-ing, snowboarding, house-shopping and doing plenty of sleeping! And I've also been thinking about my current beauty/skincare regime a LOT.

The good old days 3 years ago (all I was wearing on my complexion was High Beam!)

See, I used to have amazing skin.  Not sure if it was the glowing radiance of youth that waned (come back!), or the abuse I put my face through a couple years ago.. either way I want it back!!  Currently, and I don't want this to turn into a whinelist, I currently have rosacea, broken capillaries, contact dermatitis, discoid ezcema and just generally dry and dull skin that is highly breakout prone! I mean, c'mon, this is not a fair deal is it! Thing is, all this only started within the last couple years...I was writing up my masters thesis and under a lot of stress, and that's when my rosacea made its guest appearance.  I retaliated by using AHAs, BHAs, retinol and vitamin C serums daily.  I got waay too much into skincare, and any new-release products when straight on my face.  Needless to say my skin didn't really appreciate that and has since been dull, very sensitive and blemish prone.  I have yoyo-ed between high end expensive products and cheap/basic drugstore items.  Nothing I have tried has really helped.

Well that's the past.  Now to my future - my resolutions.  

I want to get my skin back to the glowy flawless state it was once in.  For Christmas I have asked Mike to buy me a Digital Skin Analysis session, which "captures multi-spectral photos of the face, examining the complexion for wrinkles, spots, pores, texture, bacteria, sun damage, pigmented spots and acne".  I want to use this session to find out what my skin is really like, and why it is so finicky at the moment, and then get recommendations for what products to use.

Another plan of mine is to spend the next 12 months not wearing any makeup on my complexion!!! Terrifying I know. I will wear mascara and eyeliner, and go back to wearing eyeshadows when my eyelids stop being so flakey (ew I know).  And. That's. It.  *gulp* No blusher, primer, foundation, powder ... nada.  I want my skin to look good by itself again, and I'm not going to do that by clogging up my pores etc.

I know that using too many products make my skin sensitive and sore.  But I also know that just cleansing and moisturising and nothing else makes my skin dull and breakout prone! Currently I'm just using Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish and Amie Skin Shield and my skin is still not happy. I want to find a happy medium!

So that's my three-phase plan (wow I've been writing too many formal applications lately...).  I'm going to give myself a year from today, keep you all informed of any progress and see where I'm at on 23rd November 2013! Hopefully my skin will be a lot calmer and clearer by then..

Wish me luck!

Tali xxx

LIFE: Four years ago today....

Mike and I went on our first date..  He was one of my managers at my part time retail job, and I used to joke that he was "the guy I was in love with at work" to my friends.  Not wanting to sound big headed or anything, but I always got every guy I ever liked, but Mike never gave away how he felt about me, which kept me guessing!! At the time I was dating 5 guys simultaneously, but broke it off with all of them because I didn't feel the way about them that I felt about Mike!! Then we both started spending a lot more time together - I introduced him to tapas; he introduced me to action movies.  

Then one night - November 5th 2008 in fact - I couldn't take it any longer, I looked at him one evening and said "Mike...do you like me?".  And the rest was history!! Our first 9 months was a whirlwind - we were both living at our parents houses due to circumstances so we had $$ to burn.  I swear we lived off popcorn and La Tasca those first few months, as well as £3 pizza from Pizzaland in Selly Oak, where they knew our order before we even had chance to open our mouths.  It was love, we just drank up each others company - didn't need anyone else, didn't want anyone to intrude on our bubble.  

In July 2009 (I don't know the date as we were on holiday ha) he got down on one knee in my favourite place in the whole world - a valley that nobody else seems to know about in Andalucía, rural Spain.  We were going to run away together, back to Australia where I had spent the previous year.  Mike has a severe flying phobia, but we were going to go via the Trans Siberian railway, and then travel through Asia. 

Then reality hit - I didn't get the grades I had hoped for at Uni, so my parents offered to pay for a Masters to compensate.  We didn't move to Australia, but we moved to Nottingham instead where we got our first flat together.  One year later, and my Masters was over and we found ourselves further north up still - Scotland, where I got a 5 year contract and my dream job.  Two years down the line and we are making a home for ourselves up here, but haven't lost the desire to leave the UK - although I think we have now settled on Canada.  Logically, although perhaps less romantically, we are getting ourselves and our careers sorted - Mike's at college and preparing to apply to Uni; I'm working in an amazing field and about to sort out my part time PhD application.  

Our dreams are still alive though - we still aim high and want the world and nothing less.  And although after four years things sometimes get tough, we still want to spend the rest of our lives together.  And I know that seems like a simple thing to say, I really mean it - he is more than my boyfriend/fiancé - he is my best friend and knows me better than I know myself.  We have come a long way - not just 'us' but also individually.  

I'll stop writing now, because this mush could potentially go on forever, but here some pictures:

 2008

 2009

 2010

 2010

2011

2012

Tali xxx

MEMEME: Life etc

Hey! Ok so I had a little bloggerlife crisis and made a new blog which I wanted to be purely lifestyle, and therefore separate from this blog.  I wasn't sure if I would ever come back to this blog again, as I was getting tired/bored of the whole f/bblogging world.

And yet here I am, typing this out!

I have now come to realise I do still like being a girly girl (albeit with a gritty edge!).  I like clothes and makeup and dyeing my hair and talking about all of the above.  I also like blogging about more personal things - what's going on in my life, what are my thoughts etc etc.  I realise this isn't for everyone - a lot of bloggers are quite hesitant to "reveal their true identity", or on the other hand, don't really get anything from people blabbering on about their real lives! So if you fall in the latter group, you may as well leave because I want to incorporate ALL aspects of my life and interest into this blog!

Still here? ;)

Weeell now, let's have a mini life update!

(1) It's mine and Mike's 4 year anniversary on Monday!!!! It's hard to believe that we've spent half of that time living in Scotland (was my 2 year workaversary on the 1st November) - things are going past too quickly!!  For our anniversary, instead of the usual dinner date/flowers kinda thing, we decided to do something we've been talking about for months.  That's right kids, I booked us in for a 3 hour intensive snowboarding course at Snowfactor in Braehead!! I am so psyched.  
We are so excited that we went to the snow/xtreme sports exhibition event in Glasgow a couple weekends ago to find out a bit more about the related culture/community and to get a bit more info.  I am both nervous and mega-enthusiastic about Monday now - I really want to be good at it, but I'm always lame at new things hahaha.... I'll keep you posted!!

(2)  Works been full-on the last 6 weeks or so - had a massive project on, and I won't bore you with all the lab/molecular genetics talk but it's been quite intense! Glad to have it out of the way now.  Oh yeah and BIG NEWS - I'm going to apply for a PhD!!!! As a member of staff at my university, I can get a part-time PhD funded while I carry on working!
I have a great boss who is really happy and supportive of anything I can do, and by doing a PhD I will get rid of the glass ceiling I have been concerned about in my career.  The scary side is that as it's part time its 6 years long, which is a massive commitment!!! But it'll be worth it and I'm mega excited :)

I guess those are the only things going on in my life which can be classified as major news, but life in general is going really well.  
Starting to get my life back in gear; more of a social life (which has been an issue for a while thanks to me moving around the UK too much and being too far from my friends!), being more active (hot yoga = amaaaazeballs), loving helping out at the stables still and am looking to get riding lessons which is something I've wanted since I could talk pretty much! 
I went shopping last weekend as you'll know if you follow my twitter/instagram, which was fun :) 
Mike is doing Movember this year - 3 days in and he's already getting a 'stache!! His donation page is here if you want to help him kick prostate and testicular cancers' ass! My grandfather is in the later stages of prostate cancer so I full-heartedly support Mike in looking like a douche for a month!

That's about everything I can think of right now.  What's new in your life? :)

Tali xxx

My blog's midlife crisis

I haven't posted in a couple weeks, partly because I've been super mega wicked busy, and partly because I have had a bit of a bloggerlife crisis!

I guess, for a while at least, I felt like I didn't know where I fit in the bloggersphere - I refer to my blog as a fashion/beauty blog, but unlike a lot of f/bbloggers, I don't have the dollar to go out and spend my salary/hypothetical student loan on goodies to review! I am supporting my partner through his studies, which is the most selfless and rewarding thing I have ever done for anyone and I am so grateful (yes really!) to have this opportunity to help someone else! However, it does mean that my salary gets stretched across 2 people and there's not a lot left over for Chanel and Nars.  Unfortunately!  I wouldn't have it any other way right now, I really wouldn't, but at the same time I feel like a fake, saying I'm a f/bblogger, when I don't much to blog about!

On another level, I don't like people thinking that I'm vapid and obsessed with cosmetics.  I have been, sure, aren't we all (at least everyone who's reading this can empathise!)? I got obsessed about active skin care until I ruined my face and made my skin ridiculously sensitive, so I transferred to haircare.  Now my scalp is really sensitive (sigh) I have turned my attention to makeup ... which is making me break out!!.  It got to the stage where the weekend before last I tried a new foundation and it oxidised and turned me orange.  I didn't have time to reapply my usual, but I decided I would rather look like an oompa loompa rather than taking 30secs to remove my makeup and go out barefaced! Don't get me wrong -  I love makeup, I love fashion, I love changing up my look and being able to express myself through appearance.  But...I feel like all these perfect-looking bbloggers that wear 300 high-end products on their face before they leave the house, are making me feel like I should be doing that too.  And I don't think I want to!

I suppose my point is that I love blogging, I love the community and I love all of you guys reading this.  But I want my blog to be MORE than just a bblog.  I want to write out pensive, exploratory posts (much like this one ha) that bore everybody else.  One of the main reasons I started blogging was to meet new people - I've moved around so much the last few years that I have lost touch with most of my friends, and although this is now changing, I don't want to lose the bblogger community that I am just beginning to become part of.

Anyway, I just needed to get it out there, and maybe get some feedback? I don't really have a point to this post.  I know I want to post more, but I often feel that, as I don't have anything new to review,  I don't have any motivation/inspiration for posts!  I guess I want this blog to convey ME and lots of personality etc; I don't want it to be a faceless, nameless bblog.  I just don't know how to go about it!

Thoughts?!

Tali xxxxxxxxxxxxx

FASHION: A/W12-13 Trend#2: Pretty Grunge

Have I mentioned how much I'm loving all the new season clothes coming into the stores right now? Summer with it's floral dresses and ice cream pastels are all very well and good, but give me A/W any day of the week purely for the fashion!

Grunge has been coming back bit by bit - first with Charlotte Free and other hot chicks with alternative style, then with the pastel grunge movement of S/S12.  Now it is full blown gritty urban hawtness and I adore it!

I find it really hard not to just put a million pics of Topshop clothes up right now, because I love pretty much every single thing that Topshop have released so far! I have managed to branch out though and show some pics of non-Topshop clothes, well done me ;)

Black PU Skirt with Studded Waistband (Fashion Union); Camo Army Jacket (Topshop); Cross Stitch Hat (Topshop); Black Biker Boots (River Island); Lace Cross Open Shoulder Sweat (Topshop)

Ok I've kinda gone overboard on the Topshop, but I need need need need need that open shoulder burgandy sweater like now!!

Can I be Charlotte Free please?

Tali xxx

Exercise IS fun (and good for you I hear...)

For about six months, I had done no exercise other than walking and the (very) occasional zumba class.  Don't get me wrong, I wasn't unhealthy or overweight, I was just lazy and very unfit!  I never thought I was a running person, after I tried to jog a couple years ago and ended up collapsing in my shower as soon as I got home (true story!).  However, getting out of breath when you've walked up a flight of stairs is generally not a indicator of good health, and nor is it very attractive, so I decided to change my lifestyle up a bit.  

I started running properly about, hmm, three months ago I think.  I do interval training (basically where you alternate running with walking in short bursts, which is supposed to be better for your heart) using an iPhone app called '5k runner'.  You can get a free version of this app called '5k free' which gives you 4 different running options - week 1 day 1, week 1 day 2, week 1 day 3, week 2 day 1.  I can't recommend this app enough!! It tells you when to run and when to walk, building the times up slowly for each run, and lets you listen to your music at the same time!

Anyway, technicalities aside, I found that I CAN RUN!! And more importantly, I freaking love it!! I exclusively listen to cheese, RnB, dance and hip hop while I run (makes a change from my usual pop punk and emo) as I find it gives me so much energy and enthusiasm.  I try and go 2-3 times a week, and sometimes it's mega easy, sometimes I hit the wall within 30 seconds haha, but the important thing is persevering.

And check out the gorgeous countryside I get to run through (there's a 30mile trail that goes past my house that I normally run on):

Another thing I've been doing, every night that I don't run, is yoga! I never used to be able to touch my knees let alone my toes (slight exaggeration, but you get the idea.. the perils of having 3ft legs!), but now I can nearly nearly touch the floor.  I find yoga really good for stress levels, as well as just unwinding and tuning in to your body after a hard day at work.

So yes, I'm back to being an exercise fanatic, but it really makes so much difference to my fatigue levels and my general happiness :)

What exercise, if any, do you do?

Xxxx

MEMEME: Week in Pictures 4

She's sleeping on mah face - cutey kitties; me stuck outside in torrential rain for 2 hours while the bus never turned up; Sparrow sleeping under the duvet; Finished GoT#3; Mike sitting on his humongous pile of new clothes; me with Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lip Balm Stain in Lovesick; again; cutey kitties again; kitteh lovers; Frankie and Benny's breakfast; Mike showcasing some new clothes; me with Lovesick again again lol

Other than me getting massively ill after the getting stuck outside in the previously-mentioned storm, it's been a good week! I had to take Thursday and Friday off cos I felt so ill - thought I had a cold coming but I'm totally fine now?! Not complaining anyway!! Was ok to have those two days off really - I just slept and chilled out with the kittehcats so I almost enjoyed being ill :)

Finally finished Game of Thrones book 3, and started book 4.  However, book 4 actually made me angry haha, I can't believe what's happened and it's annoyed me, so I'm currently refusing to read any more on principle! Sure I'll get over it and pick the book up soon but for now I'm just mad...you'll know what I mean if you've read it!

I was Mike's personal stylist yesterday (Saturday) - he only buys the odd bits of clothing here and there, and has been feeling a bit crap about himself for a while, so we decided to spend some of his student loan injection on shopping! Woo! I'm normally such a bad person to go shopping with him - he's totally patient and even makes suggestions whenever we're in girlie shops (I know right?!), but when we normally go into any man shop, I'm tutting and looking at my watch etc... so I thought I owed him one! He got his hair done, and bought some beautiful Superdry trawler/workman boots, and lots and lots of other things for *cough* £400! He said he'll do the same for me too soon, woohoo! Haha, but seriously, it's nice to see him with a whole new wardrobe and feeling good about himself.

As a 'thanks for your help and I'm shocked at your patience' treat, I got to go to boots, and bought Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lip Balm Stain in Lovesick, which has amazing colour payoff and pigmentation, sticks around for EVER (I woke up this morning and my lips were still a little pinker than usual! and YES I had taken my makeup off last night) and isn't drying my lips yet! I also got a Max Factor False Lash Effect mascara - it is so good to have eyelashes again, unlike with my ruined Dior mascara wand! And, although I was looking for the Dove Hair Nourishing Oil Leave in Conditioning&Care Spray, it was nowhere to be seen so I settled with Aussie Dual Personality Anti-Frizz Conditioning Milk.  I'll let you know how it is!

Tali xxx