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Style Diaries | Balcony Chills With The Perfect Maxi Dress For Summer

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  • Wednesday, 25 July 2018


The heat this summer is practically unbearable. I know I sound very typically ‘English’ saying this, but us Brits like to moan right?! Don’t get me wrong; it’s lovely to have a bit of sunshine, but living and working in this heat it kinda horrible. I cleaned the bathroom yesterday and literally had sweat running down my back and beads on my forehead…

The weekends are a little more fun though, and it’s nice to walk outside and feel like you’re on holiday.


I do miss having a little garden though… it’s lovely to be outside, enjoying this weather, but to know that you can nip inside for a fresh glass of water… walk around bare foot… have a bit of privacy… go to the loo… I miss these sorts of things living in a block of flats.


We do have a little balcony however, (although I feel like I want to invest a bit of time into making it into a little extension of our flat.) Our view isn’t the best and it isn’t the biggest of spaces, but I sat out there at the weekend and created a cute little reading corner. It’s a pretty tranquil spot that is bright but has the benefit of no direct sunlight shining on it for the majority of the day.


The space looked really cute and so I thought that it would be the perfect excuse to showcase the latest addition to my summer wardrobe.



I’m not usually one for maxi dresses, mainly because I’m fairly short (5ft2) and often feel as though they make me look even shorter. I fell in love with this shirt-style maxi from Boohoo however and think that it is a perfect summer piece. I love the float-y, casual fit of the dress and it gives me complete hippy/vintage/70s vibes. What’s more, it cuts off at my ankle, meaning that I can wear it with flats.

The print of the dress is pretty bold so I decided to pair it with simple and subtle accessories. I am in love with these chunky, gold, hooped earrings from New Look and they have barely left my side since I bought them a few weeks ago.


What I also love about this outfit is that it is completely versatile and perfect for lots of occasions over summer. I’m thinking, a Sunday morning brunch, lunch dates in town, afternoon cocktails with the girls, family BBQs or evening meals out. I feel like the accessories, how you style your hair and the way you do your make up can really change the feel of the dress, making it really adaptable.


Madolyn
xxx

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This post contains PR samples from Boohoo, but all thoughts and opinions are my own. 
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Beauty Cabinet | A Few Vegan Products For Summer

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  • Monday, 23 July 2018


Intentional living is becoming something that I am more and more invested in, and I as I apply it to certain aspects of my life, I find that it is naturally spilling over onto others. I am focusing on being more intentional with my time, my spending habits, things I welcome into my home and what I put into my body.


I have been attempting to have more of a plant-based diet, however over the last couple of weeks this has now developed into veganism. I don’t want to go into too much detail just now, as I feel as though there is a blog post on the horizon all about my ‘vegan journey’ if you will, and why I will no longer be consuming animal products.

The basic take away, is that through my diet and thinking more about the bigger picture, when I buy things now, I try to do so with intent. I want to pick healthy products that are natural, good for the environment and good for me, without sacrifice…

Lush Shampoo Bar | Link – I have wanted to try one of these shampoo bars ever since they hit the shelves in Lush. I never took the leap however as they cost around £7 a pop and I knew I could buy cheaper alternatives. I also didn’t believe that a little round, soap like product, would be able to wash my hair properly (hello thick, four day old, dry shampooed tresses!) However, I got talking to one of the staff in store the other week and when she demonstrated it, and showed me how a tiny amount could froth up like mad, I was sold! Lush claims they can last up to eighty washes, all from this tiny bar! So seven quid didn’t seem so bad after all… I’ve used it about five times now and my hair feels super clean and still lasts its usual five day cycle – winning!!


Lush Scrubee Exfoliator & Moisturiser | Link – I have used this little two-in-one exfoliator/body butter before and was itching to get my hands on it again. I think that it is a great product not only because you can exfoliate and moisturise At. The. Same. Time. – In. The Shower. !!! But it is also great for summer, because who can be arsed to moisturise in this bloody heat?! I mean seriously. I’ve tried. But as soon as I’m done I feel like I need to leap straight back in the shower again! The exfoliator is ground up coconut shell, which is embedded in a honey (ok so not 100 per cent vegan), body butter. So you can rub the product all over, whist in the shower, rinse, and feel completely rejuvenated and hydrated when you get out.

Lush Coffee Scrub | Link – This is another product that I have used before and was desperate to get back in my life. It is a perfectly wonderful coffee based scrub, which can be used as a mask both on your body and your face. What I love about it is the fact that my skin feels completely wide-awake afterwards. It’s a great one to use on a morning and I also love to use it before a night out. It is perfect for the summer months as I always feel like I have extra congestion on my skin when the weather is a little warmer. It really lifts away dull skin and my complexion always looks instantly better after using it.


Bamboo Toothbrush | Link – So this isn’t necessarily a ‘summer’ product, more of an all year round one… But I thought that I would throw it into the mix whilst I’m banging on about Vegan products and intentionality. I have read a few different things about bamboo toothbrushes and the main thing that stuck with me was the fact that they are vegan and that they are 100 percent biodegradable. That’s right – even the bristles! I popped into a little health food shop the other week whilst I was in Sheffield and saw them on the shelf for £3.99. Not exactly a pound shop special I guess, but still, when I think about all of the toothbrushes I’ve ever used and how they’re all just sat in landfill…


Madolyn
xxx

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A Few Ways To Remain Positive When You Have Money Troubles

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  • Friday, 20 July 2018



 Money troubles are one of the main things that seems to come up in conversation lately. I feel as though nearly everyone I talk to at the moment brings everything back to the topic of money. Forever asking how much things cost, whether or not they can afford x y & z, how little money they have or much things cost. Money issues can feel very stressful and debt can be a very worrying and scary thing. However, there are a few things to remember when it comes to money problems and I am a strong believer that things will always work out in the end, if you’re willing to put the effort it.

"Don’t Assume that you are alone – There is only one place to begin, and this is with carrying the burden of debt on your own. A lot of people are too scared to tell anyone about their situation because they are embarrassed or they are too proud and do not want to ask for help. However, you know what they say – a problem shared is a problem halved, and this is definitely the case when it comes to money matters. There is also professional assistance available to you in the form of Lexington Law Credit Repair and other companies like this. They can help you to assess your current situation so you can put together a course of action that will work for you.

Don’t Try to pay off all debts at once – This is another mistake that people make when they are trying to get out of debt. Instead, you need to focus on the most expensive debt first. This is the debt with the highest level of interest, and then move onto the next expensive debt, and so on and so forth. Needless to say, you do need to make the minimum payments on all of your accounts per month as well, though.

Don’t Close your accounts when they have been paid off – It may seem a logical move to close your credit card accounts once you have paid them off. However, when you do this, you actually have a negative impact on your credit rating. Let’s say you are £20,000 in debt. You manage to pay an amazing £10,000 off one of your credit cards. Once you have done this, you close the account. By doing this, you now owe £10,000 of £10,000 that is available to you, which is 100 per cent of your available credit, which is never good for your credit rating. If you have left the account open, you would have been using 50 per cent of the credit available to you and this would have actually had a positive impact on your score."

Remember that it will not last forever. As with most things in life, when focus, effort and time are applied, things start to become better and improve. It is easy sometimes to get transfixed on the negative, but if you can keep a positive outlook on things, everything will hopefully feel a lot better.

Madolyn
xxx

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Four Health Considerations That Can Sometimes Be Overlooked

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  • Monday, 16 July 2018


There is so much information readily available in the health and fitness world and it is no secret that regular exercise and fitness is important. We know that we need to look after our bodies in order to live a long and happy life and so it is no wonder that good health is such a popular topic of interest. Especially when we consider how unhealthy a lot of Westernised culture has become.

However, it seems as though a lot of information that is provided about health is heavily focused on loosing weight and working hard at the gym. And although many of us are aware of common health issues caused by unhealthy lifestyles, there are a couple of health considerations that I feel are sometimes overlooked…

Mental Health


Mental health is something that is extremely important but is quite often overlooked or ignored as it can sometimes be easily masked or hidden in everyday life. Looking after our mental state is just as important as taking care of our physical needs. Practicing little rituals such as meditation, or even just meeting a friend for a coffee to have a moan about things, can have a huge, positive impact on our mental state.

Eating Clean


So, anytime anyone ever mentions health, one of the first things that usually comes to mind is diet. There are so many different diets available, countless amounts of books published and 9458345 Pinterest boards dedicated to food and how to loose weight. One thing that is often overlooked however is that it is nothing difficult or complex, we just need to eat clean. By cutting out processed foods and eating fresh and natural produce we can live a much healthier lifestyle.

Keep Moving


Regular exercise, as I am sure most people will agree, is one of the main ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle. However, I think that a lot of people, myself included, fall into the trap of thinking that they can head to the gym a couple of times a week, and they’re all good. The Problem is that we need to move, exercise and get our hearts pumping, everyday so that we can be as healthy as possible. So much of our daily lives is revolved around sitting down, but by ensuing that we keep moving, even if it is just going out for a half an hour walk, will do wonders in the long run.

Caring For Others



A final health consideration that is often over looked is taking care of those around us. By being aware and helping others, we can become a healthier community and society. So rather than just focusing inward at our own health; ask a friend to come to that yoga class with you, cook your parents a really nice and healthy dinner, help family members register or sign up to anything from care homes to GPs or the gym. It is great to learn more about living a healthy lifestyle and it can be just as great to forward this knowledge onto family and friends.

Madolyn
xxx

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