May Favourites

31 May 2014

As May is Invisible Illness Awareness Month, the past four weeks have been spent increasing recognition of the simple fact that looking healthy doesn't equal being healthy

However, as a chronically ill person with a penchant for products, I managed to squeeze in a shopping trip and a few makeup applications in between writing campaign posts for ME Awareness Week. The result? Pastel polish, a voluminous 'do and stained cherry lips.

I included the Revlon ColourBurst Lacquer Balm in 'Provocateur' (7.99) in my March Favourites, but sometimes you love a lipstick so much that you've gotta mention it again, ya feel? I described it as "glossy cerise perfection", and I'm standing by that - it's a 'looks scary but isn't' shade that can be applied directly from the bullet stick and with a lipliner for a bolder, punchier pout or - and this is what I opt for - dabbed on, patted in and blended out with a lip brush. Sheer red lips in the daytime when you're bored of Benetint? Done.

Let's talk about the curtains to the windows of our souls. I've always had full brows and been a 'quick swipe of gel and go' kinda gal as a result, but with a new habit of pulling the hairs out when I'm stressed - anyone else? - things are looking a little... patchy. Cue eyebrow products, stat. MAC Omega eye shadow, as a result of watching Pixiwoo, has been in my collection for years and I'm only just falling in love with this cool-toned, natural and undetectable gem - if you're a blonde (and you have eyebrows) you need Omega

The search for a pastel blue nail polish has almost ended after the discovery of Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine nail paint in 'Huckleberry' (£3.99). It's pretty close to perfection - my eyes are on Essie Something Borrowed and Blue, but this will suffice in the meantime.

This month I switched my regular balm cleanser - Emma Hardie Amazing Face Moringa fyi - for something more purifying, as my skin has been rather problematic. Enter REN ClearCalm 3 Clarifying Clay Cleanser (£18). Formulated for those of us with a less than desirable complexion, it targets the three main causes of breakouts head on and there's nothing in my skincare collection that combats oiliness quite as effectively. Relatively affordable and in the most convenient packaging ever, I'm struggling to find any cons.

Naturally my hair is poker straight; great for never having to worry about blow-drying or styling, not so great for the swish-ability factor - I could tease the roots all day and my hair would still fall flat within an hour, which leaves me wishing for thicker locks. Recently I've been going to town with Aussie Dual Personality Aussome Texturising & Conditioning gel spray (£4.99) on both damp and dry hair, which gives me some much needed body and bounce without the 'crisp' that some sprays leave. The hold isn't anything to write home about, but it'll do until I get my hands on something with better staying power.

What were your favourite products in May?

Meg

The Fortnightly One #4

29 May 2014

I'll just say what everyone's thinking - I'm really bad at these posts. Originally I planned to do them every other Saturday, but that hasn't quite worked out and they've been going up with no real rhyme or reason. 'The Infrequent Third-Weekly One' doesn't quite have the same ring to it however, so I'm going to try my hardest to get these published on time.

"Apply" - The Products
Pink lipstick has always been my 'thing' and I've concluded that the perfect everyday subtle pink is MAC Lovelorn. I mentioned it recently in my April Favourites post and have been wearing it non-stop since, MAC describe the shade as an "emotive blue pink" and it's my preferred finish of their lipsticks - 'lustre' - making it my ideal lipstick. Mine sadly melted in my bag and isn't the nicest shape anymore, but it looks just as pretty on so I'm happy.

Bottom: MAC Lovelorn | Top: MAC Saint Germain
"Watch" - The Films, Series & YouTube
As I'm going through a bit of a Matt Damon phase at the moment, I watched The Rainmaker recently and loved it. I'm a sucker for a courtroom drama and this story of the underdog vs. the corporate giant, cancer vs. a family and a wife vs. an abusive husband was so memorable, gritty and emotional. I wept at some points and at others I did this...


Faultless acting, gripping storyline, Matt Damon in the 90s - know what I mean, ladies - safe to say, it got five out of five stars on my Netflix account. A true sign of greatness.

"I'm alone in this trial. I'm seriously outgunned and scared. But I'm right."
My dad and I watched Year of the Dog (as it was in the 'Critically Acclaimed Quirky Comedies' section and you're always in for a treat with those) and found it really funny and loveable. It took me half an hour to work out where I knew Molly Shannon from - Cindy Lou Who's mum in The Grinch - of course I had to do another Phoebe-style air punch when that lightbulb moment happened. Definitely worth a watch but I must warn you: be prepared to weep within the first five minutes. I think I even let out one of those little chokey sobs.

"Animals are like people, they live for love."
Will and I saw About Time - bit cute, isn't it. I loved Domhnall Gleeson, and whilst I usually love Rachel McAdams, I didn't entirely believe their relationship and that had a knock-on effect to the rest of the film. Anything with Bill Nighy is a winner in my eyes though, and I'm sure many people will adore it. I also now want to go to Cornwall really badly.

"I just try to live every day as if it was the final day of my ordinary, extraordinary life."
Prey, a miniseries on ITV was a crime thriller that I got quite into, it was nothing groundbreaking but the overall story was engrossing and fast-paced. If you're into high-octane dramas, it's still available to watch here. Next on my 'to watch' list: Fargo



"Eat" - The Food
Melon. Of any variety, but particularly honeydew or watermelon - it's the heat, I tell ya.

Visit Meg Says Eat for daily healthy eating ideas!






"Read" - The Books, Blogs & Magazines
I'm currently reading This Book Will Save Your Life by A.M. Holmes, and find it refreshingly different and thought-provoking. It sounds like a self-help book - and in some ways, it is - but it's a fictional account of Richard Novak, who embarks on a journey of self-discovery after a near-death experience. The blurb describes the novel as "[revealing] what can happen if you are willing to open up to the world around you", and I'd happily second that. Quite a 'quiet' read and with no chapters - perhaps exemplifying how Novak's 'emotional thaw' is unfolding - I'm enjoying it immensely and find it fresh and unique.

Sammi aka Beauty Crush has been seriously bringing it in the blog department recently and I've loved keeping up with her recent travels to Australia. Her photography is simply stunning and if you haven't already checked out her YouTube channel you really must, I've been watching her for years and her little family with Jason and Riley is just the sweetest.

You can also find Sammi on Twitter & Instagram
"Wear" - The Style, Sleepwear & Loungewear
Apart from the whole Jay-Z and Solange elevator fiasco, it's kind of old news now - but I'm still poring over photos of the 2014 Met Gala Ball and swooning over some of the dresses. It was difficult to narrow it down, but here are my three 'best dressed' ladies.

Gisele Bundchen in Balenciaga
Diane Kruger in Jason Wu for Hugo Boss
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley in Balmain
Also, special mentions have to go to this pair who are quite possibly the most gorgeous couple on the face of the Earth... 

Blake Lively & Ryan Reynolds, both in Gucci
... and this group of women, who are most definitely the coolest.


"Listen" - The Music
AM by Arctic Monkeys. Addictive.


"Inspire" - The Quotes
A little (sweet vs. bitter) food for thought...


Meg

A Day in the Life of an ME Sufferer

12 May 2014



Up until now, all of my health posts have been written with fellow sufferers in mind, people who are also chronically ill with ME. Today, I chose to write directly to the fortunately healthy. It's International ME Awareness Day and to help people better understand what it's really like to live with this illness, I've described a day in the life. 

If you don't suffer from chronic illness and would consider yourself healthy, please read the following and answer the questions at the end imagining that it is happening to you - you're an ME sufferer and this is just a typical day in your life

---

1am: Your 'nightly routine' began at 8pm, you did everything your occupational therapist recommends to improve your dysfunctional sleep - you had a warm bath, you turned off your phone, you read a chapter of your book, you meditated and you listened to a relaxation tape. But ME doesn't care that you've followed all of the rules, sleep disturbance is a major symptom and so you're wide awake. Your mind races uncontrollably and the adrenaline that got you through your day as your body couldn't produce energy is coursing through your veins, making your skin buzz and your head pound. You're an insomniac, and have been for years. The sleepless nights make your already disabled body feel broken.

3am: You're still awake, and have spent the last two hours tossing and turning. As a result of your ME you also now suffer from fibromyalgia, a pain syndrome that increases your sensitivity and decreases your tolerance. Things that shouldn't be painful are extremely painful. The duvet on top of you feels suffocating, the heaviness is too much for your body, it hurts, and so you lie on top. Your weight on the mattress feels as if you have weights on your chest, pressing you down. The pain of it is so intense that it's close to unbearable, but you have to bear it. You can't take any more medication for another hour.

5am: You manage to fall asleep. It's broken and you wake up three times an hour, sometimes freezing cold and shivering and others boiling hot and sweating. Your temperature control doesn't work properly like a healthy person's. You have restless leg syndrome which feels as if hot, fiery ants are crawling around inside your legs. There's nothing you can do to help ease the awful sensation, so you try to sleep despite the pain.

9am: You wake up, having had four hours of sleep. Most nights, you aren't lucky enough to get that many. Anyway, it doesn't matter how much sleep you get as it's always unrefreshing, your doctor calls it 'non-restorative sleep'. It doesn't matter if you sleep for four, eight, twelve or sixteen hours, you feel as if you haven't slept at all. 

10am: You lie in bed, trying to muster the strength to sit up in bed. You've been trying for an hour now. Your body feels three times its real weight, as if you have sandbags attached to every limb or they've been filled with concrete. You're exhausted, and you've been awake for sixty minutes. It's the start of your day, and you're ready for it to be the end.

10.30am: You manage to sit up in bed, but it makes you feel woozy and sick. Your pillows aren't comfortable, but you can't rearrange them as your arms are paralysed. You want to move them, but physically can't - the only feeling you have in them is in your fingertips, and even those feel numb and tingly. Your back is agony from so much bedrest and you worry that your legs will give out too due to lack of movement, but there's nothing you can do.

12pm: After an hour and a half, you can move your arms. Slowly and carefully, you sit on the edge of your bed and attempt to stand up. Your stomach lurches, your vision blurs and as you lean against your wall, a wave of nausea crashes over you. You black out, faint and injure yourself by falling and hitting your head often, but today you've been lucky. Sitting back on your bed, it's clear that getting up isn't an option. It doesn't matter how much you want to, ME has decided that you're staying in bed for now and that's the end of it - you don't get to choose how your day goes, ME controls every second.

2pm: You're hungry. You haven't eaten yet, but you don't have the energy to roll from one side of the bed to the other let alone get up and make a meal. You stay hungry.

4pm: You check your phone. The light makes your head throb and feels migraine-inducingly bright. Your eyes are too sensitive for natural light, so your blackout blinds are drawn and your bedroom is dark. You wish you could watch a film on your laptop, but the screen would feel blinding. You're bored. You aren't allowed to watch films that are too stimulating or that you haven't seen before, as the brain power needed may use a lot of energy. You wish you could call your friends, but it'd be too loud for you to bear and besides, you'd probably end up with a migraine due to over-exertion.

6pm: Your family return home from work, but even though you've been alone all day, they can't come and sit with you as you're far too sensitive to noise, sound and smell. You wouldn't be able to have a proper conversation anyway, as your thoughts are muddled by 'brain fog'. You can't think straight or form a coherent sentence, and besides, you've used the energy needed for speaking just by existing today. Talking is a privilege.

7pm: You're brought dinner and you try to eat, but a normal fork feels like a gardening fork to you. You don't have enough strength to pick it up, or cut your food. You manage a few small bites, but it only makes you feel worse. You want to eat more, but can't.

7.30pm: Something is wrong. Your energy levels are depleted. You did next to nothing, but it was still too much for your body. You curl into a ball on your bed. At least you aren't having a seizure, but it feels like you don't have the energy to live. Like your heart doesn't have enough energy to beat and your lungs don't have enough energy to breathe. This has happened every day this month. You think, "how can I be so ill and not be dying". 

8pm: It's time to start your 'nightly routine' again, so you try your best to do everything you can in the hopes that tomorrow will be kinder to you, tomorrow will be better.

---

Your Day
aDo you feel good about your day, or bad?
bOn a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your day?
c) How do you cope when every day of your life is like this?
d) How do you feel knowing that every day for the rest of your life could be like this?

Your Illness
eWould you be hurt if someone said that you were 'just lazy and workshy'?
fHow would you feel if your family and friends didn't believe that you were really ill?
g) Would you try to raise awareness for ME, with the hope that more people will be able to understand your illness and how life changing it can be?

---

You can be yourself again now. Congratulations, you are no longer an ME sufferer! 
Sadly, sufferers don't have that option and for then, there is no easy way out. Many ME sufferers have lived every day like this for years - some two, some thirty. They wake up every morning not knowing if their days will always be like this, if they'll ever get better.

Bear in mind that this is just one day. Levels of disability and hundreds of symptoms vary with each sufferer. Thank you for taking the time to read and answer some of the questions that ME sufferers ask themselves daily for yourself. Many people don't know what ME is or don't understand it - thank you for helping to change that.

ME Awareness Week: How Can YOU Help?

9 May 2014

If you're reading this post, my best guess would be that you have a family member, friend, co-worker, neighbour (etc, etc) who suffers from ME. Whoever they may be, let's call them 'your spoonie'. A spoonie is a chronically ill person - find out why here. Being the lovely, compassionate person that you are, you'd like to help. You've come to the right place! From Sunday 11th May until Saturday 17th May, it's ME Awareness Week, and Monday 12th May is International ME Awareness Day. Here's where you come in...


"Retweet, retweet, retweet"
The more the merrier, although one retweet will suffice! Easy as pie and takes only but a second of your day, retweeting gets the ball rolling and people talking. Not sure what to retweet? Click here and RT this. If your spoonie has tweeted saying something along the lines of: "Today is #MEAwarenessDay, please RT to raise awareness for this devastating illness", then you can go right ahead and click that button. Every little helps.

"Share and Like"
If your spoonie has the gonads to be 'openly chronically ill' on Facebook, lend them a hand and share their post on ME Awareness Day. Whether they've posted an awareness photo, linked to their blog or written a status - show your support by sharing. It's caring, you know. Don't want to share? Just click like. It wasn't easy for that person to tell all of their Facebook friends that they're chronically ill with an incurable, widely unknown illness, but it is easy for you hit the Like button. 


"Give"
If you'd like to donate, I wrote an overview of the various fundraising efforts going on in ME Awareness Week here - pick your favourite idea and give as much or as little as you like. Donations will go towards charities for ME, including;



If you prefer, you can donate directly to the charities. Not rolling in cash at the moment? Not to worry. Skip the donations and move onto the next thing that Meg says you can do to help out your spoonie (and their fellow spoonies, whilst you're at it).

"Take part"
Anyone and everyone is welcome to join in and take part in raising awareness for ME, and it's totally free. If you don't know of any local events, I'd highly recommend jumping aboard the Blue Sunday train. On Sunday 11th, myself and my wonderful friend Hayley will be getting together for a tea party, as will many other ME sufferers - spoonie sisters are doin' it for themselves! If you'd like to channel Cara D and learn more about Blue Sunday, you can read Hayley's post here. Created by our brilliant Anna, all you need to do is take a photo of your tea or cake (or both!) and upload it to the social media platform of your choice (I'll be using Twitter and Instagram) with the hashtag #BlueSunday. Could it get any easier? I hope to metaphorically clink my teacup to yours this weekend - chin chin.
















"Read and Forward"
Blogging about your health is challenging, especially when it's poor. It's extremely daunting (and brave!) to put yourself out there, so lend a helping hand and have a little browse through some ME-related blogs. If you like what you see, please forward it to your friends and spread the word. A lot of time, effort and hard work goes into posts that are written, often solely, to help raise awareness and it'd be great if they could reach as wide an audience as possible. Here are a few of my personal favourites to get you started;



"Vote"
Click here to vote for ME charity The ME Association to win up to £2000 in The Big Break 2014. If you can't afford to donate, this is a free and quick way to potentially give ME sufferers the answers that we desperately need. Pretty please!

"If the MEA wins this contest, ALL the money will be ring-fenced for biomedical research into either: a clinical trial of Rituximab, a study of neuroinflammation, or the exploration of immune system abnormalities. We also produce valued information, advice and support to sufferers and their families. We believe those affected by ME deserve a better future."















So, the reason you're here is because you know someone with ME - they may be your little brother, your boss, your aunt, your flatmate, your best friend - and they need you. Have you ever spoken to them about their illness, checked how they're coping, offered any assistance? "Speak, check, offer". Have you got any questions that you'd like to ask, is there anything you're curious or confused about, do you think you can help in any way? "Ask, confirm, help". Have you always wanted to tell them something - that you're proud, that you're there for them and that you love them? "Encourage, support, love".

There's no better time than now, in ME Awareness Week.
ME isn't recognised as the life changing illness that it is. Many think that ME is 'just tiredness', and others deny it exists. In 2014, sufferers (who experience a level of disability equal to patients undergoing chemotherapy) having to fund their own medical research when they're too sick to work, study or sit up in bed is wrong, and it's time for change.

"ME patients feel effectively the same every day as an AIDS patient feels two months before death" - CFS/AIDS research, Mark Loveless, MD

Whichever verb you choose from those I've suggested, please do help in some way. 
Every ME sufferer needs you - myself included!


Meg

M.E. Awareness Week: One Week To Go!

4 May 2014

International ME Awareness Day: Monday 12th May
ME Awareness WeekSunday 11th May - Saturday 17th May
Blue Sunday: Sunday 11th May
Invisible Illness Awareness Month: May

ME sufferers all around the world, as well as their families, friends and co-workers have been fundraising, donating, supporting, giving, encouraging, advocating, promoting and championing. As a community that battles every day with this chronic, incurable, untreatable and disabling illness that often renders us too weak and sick to lift our heads from our pillows, I'm incredibly proud and in utter awe of those who have raised money and awareness, registered to take part in fundraising efforts and even started their own events. 

Blue Sunday
Anna over at her wonderful blog M.E. Myself & I is holding a charity tea party - both 'physically' (offline, with friends in person) and 'virtually' (online, with friends on the interwebs) - called Blue Sunday. As you can see here, last year's Blue Sunday was a roaring success and everything was raised, from cups of tea in the air to awareness, understanding, funds and spirits. To make all of our lives easier, Anna has been super and created a Facebook event as well as keeping us up to date with the preparation and planning via Twitter. For more information there's a handy post here and 'The Final Countdown' here, if you fancy joining us then the more the merrier - "all you need is an Internet connection and cake" - and if you'd like to donate, Anna has a Just Giving page that is very close to reaching its target. Those who donate will be entered into a prize draw, as will those who join in via social media - be sure to use the #BlueSunday hashtag so that Anna and us fellow tea partiers can see your submissions. Bring on Sunday 11th!


The Big Sleep For ME
The Big Sleep For ME, in association with the Let's Do It For ME campaign, is a brilliant event that promotes inclusive fundraising to support Invest In ME, which raises awareness and funds to find a cure for ME. Click here for more information about The Big Sleep For MEhere to learn about the Sleepathon - which caters to every ME sufferer - here to take part and here to hold your very own 'sleep inspired' event, e.g. a pyjama party.



The Princess and ME
The lovely Sian, aka Chief Princess, and many other ME sufferers will be becoming princesses for the day on May 12th (or the 11th, due to work - it's 2014, princesses don't need Prince Charming anymore - sisters are doing it for themselves!) In association with The Big Sleep For ME, Sian explains the in's and out's of The Princess and ME here, and you can donate to the ME Princesses on their Just Giving page - amazingly, the combined efforts of these beautiful, brave ladies has already smashed their target of £2,000. With the proceeds going to Invest In ME, every penny counts towards biomedical research for myalgic encephalomyelitis. Be sure to keep an eye out on Facebook, and on Sian's Twitter for updates. T-shirts and other Team Princess merchandise is available here. Anyone is welcome to join in, and we'd love to see your submissions - use the hashtag #theprincessandME and this great cause as an opportunity to wear a tiara.


This Is ME - Blog Chain
Louise, the Get Up and Go Guru, has started a fantastic idea in aid of raising awareness for ME and fibromyalgia sufferers worldwide - a blog chain focusing on what it's really like to live with these chronic illnesses. Ever so helpfully, Louise has made it easy as pie to join in by creating the questions for you, or you can take a look at her post here which explains how you can participate even if you aren't a blogger, and how to support others if you choose not to publicly share your story but still want to help. I'll be continuing the blog chain on Meg Says next week in ME Awareness Week, will you?



#May12BlogBomb
If every health - or lack of it, in our case - blogger wrote a post dedicated to their story of illness and how it has affected their life and published it on May 12th, how huge of an impact would it make on the International ME Awareness Day? The genius behind this this idea is Sally from Just ME, and you can view her post here to read more about the May 12th Blog Bomb and how you can take part. I'll be participating, and if you decide that you'd like to as well, make sure you use the hashtag #May12BlobBomb at the end of your post. Even if you're not a blogger, Sally is willing to publish your post (check this post for T&C), or do your bit by retweeting, sharing, liking, commenting - every little helps!


If you know of other events, fundraising efforts or any fantastic people who are raising awareness, please let me know in the comments as I'd love to support them, too. 


Meg

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The Fortnightly One #3

3 May 2014

"Apply" - The Products
Something that I use every day and night, pretty much without fail, has to be worth mentioning and so without further ado let's talk the best cleanser ever; the Emma Hardie Amazing Face Moringa Cleansing Balm (£34). Mentioned in my April Favourites, I originally bought it a few months ago on Caroline Hirons' recommendation - does anyone else take her word as gospel? - and never looked back, it ticks every box and almost justifies the hefty price tag. Without a doubt I'd repurchase, but begrudgingly. 

In the spoonie world, Tuesday used to mean one thing: Lipstick Tuesdays. Now it means two - as not everyone wishes to wear lipstick or is a product junkie like myself - and so Anna and Cara have increased inclusivity by creating Chipper Tuesdays. On my first submission I donned both a kimono and Revlon Just Bitten Kissable balm stain in 'Lovesick' (£7.99), and remembered why I wore it constantly in Freshers at university. It's the nicest hot pink since MAC 'Impassioned' and is sitting pretty in my makeup bag again.

Wearing 'Lovesick' on a social in December 2012
"Watch" - The Films, Series & YouTube
As mentioned in The Fortnightly One #2, Netflix has been bringing it in terms of series. I'm still in love with The Office, I've said it a hundred times and I'll say it again: it is completely, utterly brilliant. And the 'Prison Mike' scene will always be my favourite thing. Forever

"The worst thing about prison was the Dementors."
As if I haven't already got enough series on the go, I've also started Orange Is The New Black, Grimm, Fry's Planet Word and have my eye on Homeland, House Of Cards and Arrested Development. Not forgetting that Derek is back for its second series on Channel 4 - so far it's good, but not as funny as Series One. Maybe it's just me, but something seems a little 'off' with the acting this time around.

Whilst staying at Will's last week (see what we got up to here) we watched Notes On A Scandal, which was so good. I'm a big fan of British dramas and psychological thrillers and this didn't disappoint - well paced, gripping and with a frighteningly faultless performance from Dench and the fantastic Blanchett and Nighy, it was darkly marvellous. 

"With stealth, I might secure the prize long-term; forever in my debt."


That night, we went to see The Grand Budapest Hotel and I loved it. Stylish, witty, sophisticated and with a stellar cast, Wes Anderson did a beautiful job with this one. Tilda Swinton was unrecognisable, I'm a sucker for Jude Law and Edward Norton, Saoirse Ronan shone, Adrian Brody was hilarious and Ralph Fiennes just made the film. 
















After a conversation about quirky films on the journey home, the next day we watched one of my all-time favourites - Amélie. It's whimsical, romantic, charming and well, just delightful. Every time I see it, I fall in love all over again. If you're after some feel-good viewing that's a little something different, go for Amélie.


"Without you, today's emotions would be the scurf of yesterday's."
"Eat" - The Food
Fruit, of any sort. I fell off the clean eating bandwagon over Easter - can you blame me - and am now keen to jump back on it. My main meals were fine, but I'd had so many desserts and chocolate that I began to feel unwell from the copius amounts of sugar. With a huge healthy shop done, I've got the ingredients to start eating well again and at the moment, I'm addicted to fruit - namely strawberries, mango, green apples and melon.

Visit Meg Says Eat for more clean eating - I post every day!

"Read" - The Books, Blogs & Magazines
Currently I'm reading Room by Emma Donoghue, which is interesting both in subject matter and narrative. About a mother and son held captive by an abductor, it's unique to anything I've ever read and I find it quite unsettling knowing that the story must've been inspired by true events. An extremely compelling novel, but a difficult topic to dwell on. 

My favourite blog this fortnight has been, without hesitation, ghostparties aka the babe that is Kate. I loved her review of the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour blushes here - must get my hands on those puppies - and the new YSL Babydoll Kiss & Blush products here, which look darling. 'Shade 1' is stunning on Kate and has been added to my wishlist! We've chatted a few times on Twitter and she's beyond lovely. So happy that she has started making YouTube videos again also, perfect viewing for any beauty lover. I save them up to watch on a Sunday afternoon, cat and cup of tea necessary.


























"Wear" - The Style, Sleepwear & Loungewear
Anyone else who removes their brain for an hour every Monday night for some guilty-pleasure viewing will know that Made in Chelsea is back on our screens, and as with every other series, I've been experiencing some serious style envy. She's no longer a cast member, but I follow Millie Mackintosh on Instagram and am constantly in awe of her amazing wardrobe. And banging body, but as I can't exercise with my ME I try not to lust after her figure too much as I'd drive myself up the wall! She has a style diary on her website and this look really caught my eye (as did this one and this one), and I was so pleasantly surprised to see that she posts a lot of high street looks. Of course, she makes them look expensive and designer, but I love that she's catering to us 'ordinary' gals. 


As for pyjamas, I'm currently lusting after every item I included in my 'Nightwear' post that I don't already own, and have been obsessed with Hush and their chunky waterfall cardigans. Being housebound wouldn't even both me with one of those babies on, I'd just be contently snug and warm. And I'm sure my jumper-loving kitty cats wouldn't mind getting huge cuddles whilst I'm wearing it either, just sayin'.


"Listen" - The Music
London Grammar. Just really very good, aren't they. P.S. can I have Hannah's hair?



"Inspire" - The Quotes
Don't doubt yourself. Don't be your own worst enemy. Don't worry about what people will think. Don't worry about what people will say. If you want to do it, do it. What doesn't matter is if it works out or not, and what does matter is that you tried. Doubt has killed more dreams than failure ever will. 


Let me know what you've been loving recently - films, books, a new topping on your toast?

Meg

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