Instagram Roundup | March

What a colourful month March has been, according to these pictures anyway. April for me means two things, exams, which is probably the worst thing in the world, and the end of exams which is probably the best thing in the world. So the next month is looking like a cloud of revision and last minute assignments but, that also means that I am all the more close to being free from all college commitment for the Summer, which makes me very excited. 

What are you plans for April?

Adele x

The Life Post | A Basic White Girl's Guide To Unwinding

 Whether you work, run a household or anything else inbetween, most of us encounter stress during everyday life. If you're a student like me your life will be looking a little something like hell right now, as we all know March and April are filled with nothing but deadlines, mental breakdowns and exams. So writing this post probably couldn't have come at a better time. 

Whatever it is that may have you stressed it is important to switch off from whatever that is eventually and these are some of my completely generic ways to relax. Que the common white girl advice.

Cut Off Point

Every evening there must be a cut off point that you establish which separates you from work, whether that be school/college work or your job. There must be a time that that ends and relaxation begins. Not doing so will lead to a sleepless night, resulting in less productivity the following day. 

Chocolate

Okay maybe this should not be on the list, but it is on mine, so don't judge. Nothing calms me down more than one or two (or twenty) squares of chocolate. If you are a chocoholic like me you can relate to the experiencing that feeling of euphoria when eating some chocolate after a stressful day. I recommend always having a stash hidden somewhere for particularly hectic times. With this, you could also try baking. I love melting some chocolate together and making rocky road if I get the chance - it doesn't involve too much messing about and it tastes amazing.

Ambiance

Creating a place of comfort and relaxation is key to being able to feel that way. I tend to light candles and dim the lights in my bedroom to create a stress free area. Meditate or play relaxing sounds while you get ready for bed, do whatever it takes to get you into the zooone.

Pamper

When I am feeling stressed out it is likely that my skin will tell that tale. Sleepless nights and constant anxiety are part and parcel of being under pressure and this will result in my skin looking dull and spotty, which will only make you feel even worse, leading to more stress - you can see the viscous cycle emerging here. So to eradicate that it is important to pamper yourself, painting your nails and applying a face mask can be all your moral needs for a little boost. On a sidenote, I have been loving this sheet mask from Jivesse.. and can confirm that I am now sheet mask convert!

Reading

Reading does not always have to be reading a book. If you are not into literature, read a magazine or blog posts. Whatever it is, reading allows your brain to disconnect from any current worries it is holding and transport to a different stress free land filled with happiness. Maybe that is a bit much, but reading is still fun. 

Hopefully you found these somewhat helpful and didn't fall asleep with how basic this post is. However, stress is a real issue and much like a cut, it must be tended to in order to prevent it from developing into anything bigger. 

Adele x 

Girl Talk | Let's Talk About Body Hair

So, I am about to begin my regular rant on why being a girl is damn hard. Grab a drink, we could be here a while.

Okay i'll keep the ranting to a minimum, but in this girl talk post I thought I would talk about body hair- and more specifically body hair on females. I am not going to start the whole debate on whether anyone who identifies as a girl should or should not shave - because although society may say that we do have to be smooth hairless goddesses, we don't, and what you do with your body and the hair on it is your choice. 

For me, I like to remove body hair, and when I say remove I mean majority of the time i'm a bit prickly and couldn't be bothered with the whole shaving malarkey until an event comes along and gives me the incentive to become smooth and hairless. So, realistically I am somewhere in between the shaver/non shaver spectrum. 

If you are a bit like me and enjoy the feeling of being hairless but don't like effort that has to be put into being like that, I introduce to you the 'epilator'. This is a new word in my vocabulary and it may just be for you too. As a part of my girl talk series I am testing out various different devices that aid with being a female, and oh my god I found a good one. The device looks like a normal lady shaver that comes with detachable heads for you to use it in different ways. The head I most often use it for hair removal, and man does the epilator remove dem tings. It works by mechanically grasping multiple hairs and simultaneously pulling them out. Before you go running away at how traumatizing that sounds remember, we are women, we are strong and a little bit of hair being pulled out of our body is no big deal - we push humans out of our special places for god's sake.

So now the important bit, is it painful and does it work? a little and yes! The sensation is somewhat similar to being stung by a bee and is completely bearable. As far as longevity goes, although the hair cell is not removed as it is with waxing, making it not last quite as long as being waxed does, it is still revolutionary. You get about two weeks of smooth legs, armpits and whatever else, which is every lazy girls dream.

If you are someone who chooses to shave this may be an economic and convenient option for you, and I am happy to have been the guinea pig for that. Here is a link to the website I got mine from.

Previous posts in my girl talk series:
Things I Learned When I Stopped Waring Bras
The Menstrual Cup
11 Thoughts Every Girl Has On Her Period
Here's To The Girls That Don't Wear Makeup

Happy Sunday!
Adele x

The Fashion Post | Cosy Knits and Straight Leg Denim

High Neck Jumper  | Straight Leg Jeans  (similar) | White Boots  (similar) 

It may be Spring but I am still most definitely staying wrapped up for the foreseeable future, and this high neck jumper is perfect for that. As I have mentioned in a previous post I am one happy lady having nabbed myself these ahhhmazing Topshop jeans the other week, and this is their outfit post debut. Being realistic there is not very much attractive about a pair of straight leg jeans to most people, but I just happen to be in the minority who find them crazy attractive - and comfortable - and stylish.. I could go on but I won't. 

I hope you all have a lovely week!

Adele x

The Life Post | A Little Galway Adventure

Last Sunday myself and my boyfriend went on a small trip to Galway for a couple of days. The title of the post may read 'adventure' but to be honest there wasn't too much adventuring going on, we left the hotel maybe twice. The rest of the time was spent in our pajamas drinking alcohol and debating what to order for room service. Neither of us had ever been to a proper spa, so we decided to grab ourselves the best groupon deal we could find and escape the city for a few days. 

To make the weekend as relaxing as possible we both agreed to leave our phones in a drawer, only checking them now and then in case of any emergencies. Although I stuck to my side of the deal I most definitely caught Robby having a sneaky look on Facebook once or twice, which I doubt was too much of an emergency. So that meant no phones were brought to dinner or the spa and it was our job to actually come up with conversation to fill the time, something us millennials are not all that familiar with. 

During our second day there we made full use of the spa and room service facilities and spent the day lounging around in white robes until we were hungry enough to stuff our faces with lots of deliciousness. 

All in all the weekend was the perfect break and my lack of pictures probably illustrate that. I am hoping that this is just the first of many more weekend getaways to come. 

I hope you're all having a lovely Sunday!

Adele x

Instagram Roundup | February

Emm how is February over? I don't know if it's just me but I feel a little sad that Winter is soon leaving us, don't get me wrong I love Spring and Summer but I have really enjoyed snuggling up with a book and my electric blanket these past few months, but on the bright side I can probably start wearing less layers in the upcoming weeks.

I will probably start making posts once a week starting in March as college work is slowly creeping up on me and it's probably best to focus on that for a while. The past while I haven't been too happy with my posts and I know a lot of them have been slightly thrown together so, I have decided that every Sunday I will have a new post up and it will be one that is well thought out and put together.

 I really appreciate all my regular readers and I have a lot of interesting posts planned for the next few weeks.

How has your February been?

Adele x

The Fashion Post | Treat yo' self

It is no secret that I am a staunch believer in treating yourself from time to time, and from time to time I mean on a weekly basis. 

 Sometimes I am in super saver mode and go months without buying anything I don't need and sometimes I spend every cent I own on pointless things and end up hating myself, then buying myself more pointless to make myself feel better and in turn hating myself even more than I did in the first place (please tell me i'm not the only one who does this!?) I have been in this phase for the past week so I thought that I would make a post out of the bits I have bought in a bid to justify my actions. 

Along with every other basic white girl on this planet, one of my new years resolutions is to read more. So it is now my mission to buy lots of shiny new books for my mind to ingest and these are the first two to my collection. I am probably the last person to jump on The Girl on the Train bandwagon, but better late than never eh? I am pretty keen to read Hidden Figures before I see the film so hopefully it won't take me too long to get through. 

Also if anybody has any book suggestions please leave them below!

If you have seen any of my recent wish lists you will have seen chunky jumpers and straight leg jeans are regularly featured.. and I have finally quenched my thirst for both. 

New Look Jumper

I have been on the hunt for a comfy high neck jumper for months and this New Look one is perfect. It is not too heavy so it was transition well into Spring and the dusty pink colour is a perfect addition to my already colourful wardrobe. 

Topshop Jeans (similar)

I have never been a believer in miracles, but I can confirm that they really do happen and these miracles come in the form of light denim straight leg Topshop jeans. I never thought I would find the perfect pair but I finally have, and it was by sheer chance that I popped into Topshop and came across them. 

Fear not, this is not the last you have seen of them, they will be certainly making many an appearance in upcoming outfit posts. 

Please share with me in the comments what you have been buying lately, and make me feel slightly less guilt ridden about spending all my money.

Adele x

The Life Post | Five Instagrams You Should Follow

Recently I shared my gal love on my favourite blogs post and with the wonderful response that it got I thought I would make another post, but this time sharing some of my favourite instagram pages that are so lovely you might just want to follow too.

Some of these girls definitely don't have the following that they deserve, so if ya like em' give em' a follow! 

inspiremecosy

 I am obsessed with minimal feeds and this is possibly the ultimate minimal page. Cosima's page has the perfect blend of fashion and architecture, which comes together nicely to be unbelievably aesthetically pleasing.


simply_kenna

 Some of you may already follow McKenna, she also has a youtube channel which is well worth checking out too. Her instagram feed is so simple but still so gorgeous, she always shares my love for Disney so why wouldn't I follow her.


Kjelsvig

 I found Sara's instagram not so long ago and I only wish I had stumbled across it sooner. Her vintage style is beyond perfect and she is definitely the one to follow if you are looking for some style inspiration.


Giftofgabblog

 Gabby's instagram is the perfect little ray of sunshine my feed needs. Her retro style and pretty red hair is forever catching my eye, she can literally do no wrong.

Petitepayton

Payton's page is one I also only came across recently and I am so in love. Her cute retro style gives me all the feels and her photography skills are insaaane. Be sure to give her a follow and brighten up your feed!

I hope you have found some new instagrams that you can follow, these are just a very small handful of my favourites and I would love to share even more kindness and make more posts like this.

Who are your favourite instagrammers?
Adele x

The Fashion Post | The Yellow Trend

Does a happier colour than yellow exist in the world? I will answer that for you now and say, no. If I could I would paint my entire existence yellow. On a regular basis I have to refrain myself from wanting to wear head to toe yellow with the knowledge that I would probably end up looking like a little banana, but a happy banana, wearing her favourite colour. 

With Spring kind of, almost right around the corner (i've probably jinxed it now) it might be time to ditch those 50 shades of black you have been sporting all Winter and start introducing some colour into your wardrobe, and what better way to do than emulating the sun. 

Velvet Bralette  | Mini Skirt  | Daisy Blouse  | Midi Heels  | Silk Blouse  | Backpack | Frill Crop Top | Swing Dress  | Choker Blouse  | Yellow Sportswear | Socks | Rain Jacket  | Cropped Jumper  | Long Sleeve Top  | Oversized Coat  | Pencil Skirt

Hopefully the above items will ignite your inner yellow fire and give you all the inspiration you need to bring colour into your wardrobe.

How do you feel about yellow clothing?

Adele x

The Life Post | Valentines On A Budget

Valentines day can be a stressful time, whether you are single or in a relationship it is easy to get caught up in the idea that Valentines Day is nothing more than a money making scheme and probably best to be avoided. This Valentines day will be my fourth year in a relationship, and it is safe to say the creative juices are most definitely running dry. The pressure of choosing the perfect present kicks in every February and the efforts to make the day perfect ends up being unnecessary stress on top of college, assignments and everything else we have going on. 

   This year myself and my boyfriend decided to set a 20 euro budget and stick to that. As two broke students we feel that we have more important things to save our money towards rather than wasting it on expensive jewelry and overpriced meals. This idea inspired me to make a post on how other couples can save some $$$ this Valentines Day and avoiding the unnecessary hype that surrounds it. 

Here are my tips.

Diy 

Whether it be the card or the present itself, you can save yourself a tonne of money by agreeing to make each other gifts for Valentines Day. Every year myself and my boyfriend make each other cards for certain occasions, and I genuinely look forward to seeing what he comes up with each year. There are so many cute ideas you can find online, so there is no excuse to not doing it. 

Stay In 

The past few years I have gone out for nice meals and drinks with my boyfriend but this year we are definitely going to avoid all of that. Each year we go out and end up waiting in a cold que for half an hour in the hopes of getting a decent table among every other couple in Dublin who is also out celebrating the day. Nothing says romance to me more than a large Dominos pizza and an episode of First Dates, so that is exactly what we will be doing this year. 

Set A Budget 

As an attempt to spend less, agree on a budget with your partner. This way you are guaranteed to save money and neither person will be spending more money than the other.  The budget could be anywhere between a fiver or 100 euro, that is completely up to you and how much money you want to spend. 

Food 

Food is usually the way to most people hearts, and the best part about this is a packet of doughnuts will usually cost you a lot less than a fancy ring or PlayStation game. So buy or make them their favourite treat and you are sure to save yourself some dough, while earning some brownies points at the same time ( that pun was definitely intended).

How will you be spending this Valentines day?

Adele x

The Beauty Post | Blackhead Charcoal Mask Review

Unless you have been living under a rock the past while, you will know that blackhead remover peel off masks are most definitely a thing, and a thing you probably need in your life. 

Recently I tried out this charcoal face mask from Bang Good and I am completely sold on this whole concept. I think we are all low key obsessed with popping and squeezing blackheads and there is probably nothing more satisfying than peeling off a pore strip. So now take that level of satisfaction and multiply it by ten with this magical little thing. 

The charcoal mask has the same purpose as the usual pore strips that you more than likely have tried using during your adolescence, but without all the fuss of wetting your nose and placing the strip on very strategically. It claims to alleviate oily skin and clogged pores, while leaving your skin with a healthy glow. It can be applied all over your face or just to your problem areas such as the nose and chin, that is up to you. 

To truly put this mask to the test I used it not only on myself but also on my brother and boyfriend.. and it did not fail. I spent a good ten minutes in awe looking at the grossness left on the mask once it was peeled off, and there was a lot. It actually worked so well that my brother asked if he could use it again a week later, which was a bit of a shock when it can be a struggle to get him to wash his face sometimes. 

So, in conclusion, this shit works.

 I am unsure how I have come this far without owning one of these and since giving it a try it will most definitely become one of my skincare staples. Gone be with the days of faffing around with flimsy pore strips, I have found the solution to clearing pores and banishing blackheads. 

Have you tried peel off masks before?

Adele x

Girl Talk | Here's To The Girls Who Don't Wear Make up

In 2017 it is easy to get caught up in the world of Kim K contouring and perfectly carved out eyebrows. Make up is something a lot of girls enjoy, including myself, but I sometimes can't help but feel that somewhere along the line of enjoyment, make up has become something far from fun. Of course transforming into a much more confident version of yourself is amazing, but what about the girls who lack the ability to do a perfect cut crease or who simply don't want to. Where do they stand in this world of cloned perfection?

In no way is this a bash at girls (and boys) that do wear heavy make up on a daily basis, you do what makes you happy. But a lot of the time that phrase only applies to the people who do wear make up, because how could you possibly be happy not wearing make up!? If you're not wearing a blinding highlighter then you go unnoticed, on instagram more make up equals more likes and followers, but that is not me. I detest the feeling of heavy foundation sitting on my face, I am far more interested in investing in good skincare than a Kylie lip kit, and I feel completely comfortable with my little wormy makeup less face. So if that means I go unnoticed, then so be it.

A lot of the time it is not myself that has a problem with me not wearing make up, it is the people around me.  We have all been there, you skip wearing make up one day and get asked by five different people if you are 'feeling unwell', or if there is 'something wrong'. On the flip side of that, I have also had people comment on how 'stunning' I looked on a particular day that I was wearing make up, implying that I don't look too great any other no make up day. These may seem like harmless comments, but they are exactly the kind of negativity that surrounds not wearing make up, leading to someone throwing on a full face just in order to avoid that dreaded 'are you sick?' remark.

A woman who feels completely comfortable in her own skin is a powerful thing. In the society that we live in today, liking yourself both inside and out is more than just that, it is a political statement. Once you realise that what your mind has to offer is more important than over lined lips, you can achieve wonderful things.
Of course it is possible to do both, but it is important not to measure your self worth based on your looks and that alone.

So the next time you feel that having to put on a full face of make up in the morning is a chore, don't. Not only will it give your skin a chance to detoxify, it will give your mind a chance to also. Slowly we can change the way society views it's women and respect the amount of make up she chooses to and to not put on her face.

You can read my other 'Girl Talk' posts here:
Things I learned when I stopped wearing bras
The menstrual cup
11 thoughts every girl has on her period

Adele x

The Beauty Post | My Boyfriend Guesses Makeup Prices

I have been seeing a lot of these 'boyfriend guesses the price of make up' youtube videos cropping up everywhere and I have to admit I find them so hilarious. It is too amusing to watch boys completely under or over estimate the price of make up and then seeing how shocked they are when they find out the real price. 

So, I thought for something different on my blog I would pick out a few of my favourite make up items and ask my boyfriend, Robby, to guess the prices of them. I chose a selection of both high end and drug store products so that there was some range in the prices. 

Soap and Glory lipstick 

Robby's guess: €9 

Answer: €12.50

Collection concealer

Robby's guess: €6 

Answer: €5.79

Naked Palette 

Robby's guess: €23

Answer: €47

Clinique Chubby stick

Robby's guess: €14

Answer: €23

Mary Lou Manizer highlighter

Robby's guess: €25

Answer: €22.45

Benefit They're Real mascara

Robby's guess: €21

Answer: €26

As you can see he surprisingly wasn't too far off with a lot of the prices, which was both simultaneously impressive and concerning to me. I would really like to know why he knows this much about make up prices, because it certainly isn't from buying any for me.

On an end note, When asked what he thinks about the actual prices of the make up he replied "make up is ridiculously over priced" aaand I probably agree but hey ho.

Let me know what you think of this post and if you would like to see any more like it!

Adele x