Rimmel’s Fresher Skin Foundation review

 Hello Friends,

Last week I got sent a foundation to review from Evoke.  It’s the Rimmel Fresher Skin Foundation and I am in the shade 100 Ivory.  I love this product!  During the day I love a “no make-up” make up look and want a foundation that still makes me look like myself,just on a really good day. 

The product is very lightweight,allowing your skin to breath and also contains SPF to protect the skin and to also combat premature aging of the skin.  The coverage was pretty even,it was easy to apply and only a small amount was needed on the brush (I use the real techniques stipler brush)  I didn’t feel caked in makeup but still felt all my imperfections were covered. 

(None of the photos in this post have been edited)

I got compliments from my friends saying how fresh and glowing my skin looked.  It’s not oily and I didn’t have to reapply powder at all throughout the day which is always a bonus! 

The only slight con of this foundation I noticed was that by the end of the day the product did crease at my laughter lines around my mouth causing them to become more visible.  I am a smiley person (in case you haven’t noticed)so I noticed this but it didn’t outweigh how much I enjoyed wearing  this foundation 

9/10 from me!  I would deffo recommend it as the perfect natural daytime foundation and it’s very affordable at less the 10 euro per jar.

In dim light^

In natural light^

-K 

Stressed but well dressed

 

Hello Friends,

Firsts are hard.  This week I unofficially started college (Nursing Students have a lot to do during Freshers week e.g Garda vetting,Vaccines,general orenitation chit chat,Hospital visits,Uniform fittings)  Tomorrow  is my first official day of lectures. 

To be honest I was nervous,worried and stressed at the start of the week.  Everything was so new.  Thankfully everyone I have met so far have all been fabulous,I managed to find every new place and all the logistics have been sorted out.  

I love clothes and was looking forward to being able to wear ‘proper clothes’ instead of the hoodies and trackies that I have lived in for the past 3 acedemic years. 

Monday 

 

Top:French Connection

Jeans: Topshop Joni (my favourite brand of jeans)

Watch:Tommy Hilfiger (worn everyday)

Nails: Rimmel 855 too cool to tango( it’s a really pretty bright blue)

Shoes: White converse 

Rucksack: Pennys (worn on Wednesday and Thursday too)

Tuesday 

(I was up at 5 for the hospital visit hence the melancholic face)

Top: Pennys(the shirt and collar are attached to the jumper)

Jeans:River Island super skinny 

Scrunchie: Topshop

Star necklace: BT2

Shoes: trusty white Converse    

Wednesday 

Top: Mango

Jeans: Kate Moss for Topshop

Jacket: Zara

Runners: Adidas Superstars

Thursday

Jeans : Topshop high waisted 

T-shirt: logo top from a brand called brave soul.  

Hoodie : Hollister 

Jacket: Pennys

Runners: Adidas Superstars

Friday 

( I only had to go to my parent Hospital for vaccines and bloods in the morning,so it was comfy all the way with a make-up free face to end the week)

Jumper: Topshop

Bottoms: Abercrombie and Fitch 

Shoes: Uggs Classic (mini style)

Bags: Michael Kors Jet Set Travel in Navy (I worn this on Tuesday too)

Hat: From this lovely little local boutique called Elysha’s bedroom.

^We love you^

-K

The 14 people you find on Tinder

Hello Friends,

My friend suggested I do this post as we both agree Tinder is both a weird and wonderful place.  ***Disclaimer I have been all of the following Tinderers so I am basically just laughing at myself.  So without further adieu I present to you the 14 people you will meet on Tinder.

1. The where’s wally wannabe 

Not to be trusted.  Do not produce a single photo of themselves. They be like”I’m the one in the red”

2.The last photo let down 

Last photo usually evolves them passed out somewhere. Red flag. Not a drunken mess I want to handle.

3.The one you know 

I usually super like someone I know.  Usually end up having a flirty,plutonic chat.

4.The girl 

Sometimes there’s a glitch in tinder and you get a girl match.  It’s always so interesting to see how the girlos decorate their pages.  Gowan the Huns.  I’d totes be your friend.  Why isn’t there a tinder for friends?!  Like I won’t kiss you but I’ll hang out,talk about makeup and order dominos with you?

5.The catfish 

So so beautiful,yet so so fake.  Typically have only airbrushed selfies.

6. The one that got away

You get caught up in this handsome profile and in the heat of things accidentally hit the X button.  It’s the adult equivalent of letting go of a ballon.  You can only hope that faith will bring you two together in Coppers one day.

7. The accidental super like

Like I said I only super like friends as I try to remain somewhat coy in this dating game. If you happen to super like by mistake simply delete your account, burn your phone,  move house, change names and restart your life.

8.  The one you’re pretty sure has a girlfriend

Interesting.

9. The one who comes back 

You eagerly liked them and were slightly let down that you didn’t get an instant match. However,2 days later you match them and they message you #score

10.the ex

 

You knew this moment would eventually come.  Your finger may hover over the like button for a little longer than usual but ultimately you’ll decline.  You are a strong independent women who don’t need no man.  You seek some comfort in seeing that you’re in one of their photos.  You probably take a screenshot too just for good measure.

11.The funny one 

These are my favourite people to match with. Don’t take themselves or tinder too serious #craic

12. The mysterious one 

They give very little away and answer ever question with a question e.g Me: how are you ? Him:How are you? Me:What you up to? Him:nothing what are you up to? Jog on mate

13. The snapchat one

No you can’t have my Snapchat name man with only ab selfies. Have you ever matched with someone and thought to yourself  “This is the reason tinder made the  unmatch for no reason feature?

14. The one

 

I have heard many stories of people finding their boyfriend / girlfriend on tinder so I guess it is possible.  We salute you.  Teach us your ways.  Until then Tinderella over and out.

-K

”She’s asking for it”

Hello Friends,

I debated on whether or not to write about this but then y’know yolo and what not. I recently went with a group of girls to Galway.

One night, as with every other night, we went out.  I love going out and having a few drinks and letting loose.  Alcohol is a great thing,to a point.  I can only conclude that people must have been day drinking at the races and then going out at night which maybe was the reason for the following .  Usually I drink at pre drinks,get buzzed and then I usually stop at around 2am that night as I know I’ve reached my limit,I have a weak stomach and also I detest hangovers.  I am a rather a conscience person when I go out especially when alcohol is involved. This isn’t to say that I haven’t had messy,regretful nights but I hope as I’m getting abit older that I have a good grasp on how much I can drink to get buzzed but not be out of control.  Keeping that in mind by about 2 am on this particular night I stopped drinking and switched to water.

Throughout the night I couldn’t help but notice the difference in people’s attitudes towards me as we all got progressively drunker.  I was wearing a black bodysuit that was relatively low-cut ,white jeans,a shirt around my waist(to make me look cool) and flats.  Nothing too scandalous I thought.  However I couldn’t believe the comments that I was receiving many not suitable to write here.  You can use your own imagination but a lot of them had to do with my boobs.  These were not compliments.  They were creepy and downright scary.  I felt so uncomfortable.  I can honestly say at least every second person had something derogatory to say to me that night.  Also I noticed that every man seemed to think they had a right to touch me.  I totally get being in a packed club/bar and brushing of people but this was ridiculous and was definitely intentional.  When we left and I felt so uncomfortable in myslef.  My friend and I were wreaked so we decided to try to call a taxi instead of us walking(the town was packed with few taxis). While she was on the phone and walking up and down the pavement, a man in his 40s approached me.  Giving a polite yet stern ”Yes?” he replied ” oh nothing I’m just waiting for you to wander into that dark corner so I can do you in the back of my car”.

I mean how was I suppose to react to that? How many times can you give dagger eyes, laugh it off or give a f you? I think society finds it easy to blame women for being drunk and getting themselves into these situations but what happens when they’re not drunk? Wolf whistles and sexual comments are not compliments they are threats.  I stood there in slight disbelief at what he just said and felt his hand firmly grab my waist, pulling me in to him.  I quickly brushed it off and bombed past the man and made my way up the more populated street to my friend. This was when another group of 4/5 men shouted ”she’s asking for it” and proceeded to grope me .  Ew.  Even when I waited with a security guard for a taxi I asked him if he knew any other local taxi numbers/where to go to get one and he replied ” You don’t need a taxi you’re coming back to mine tonight”.  I decided to put on my shirt that I had tied around my waist just to stop his creepy glances.

When I finally got home I felt exhausted and absolutely shocked by people’s behaviour.  I have never come across slut shaming on that scale before in my entire life.  I was just out with my friends,having a good time,minding my own business. I have met hundreds of kind,decent men in my life so this is in no way an indication of the male gender it is only my experience with afew of them.  We need to stop calling women sluts,whores,bitches…because they’re not. I know alcohol played a huge part in these events and most likely these men would not have treated me the way they did if they were sober.  How strange though that often society ,in more serious cases ,blames the victim for being drunk but excuses the perpetrator because they were drunk.

I mean who raised these people to think that they can say those things to people? That they can grab someone’s ass and try to pull down their top  at a bar without their permission.That they can grab their waist and pull them away after they’ve already told them to stop. That you can treat a 20 year old like a sex object who is merely there to satisfy their own needs.  I promise you that if I want to be treated like that I’ll be the first to let you know but until then shame on you.

-K

The HPAT

Hello Friends,

Unfortunately the Hpat exam didn’t go as well as I needed it to, so next year I will not be studying medicine. For those that don’t know, anyone that wants to study medicine has to sit a supplementary exam known as the  Hpat or as I like to refer to it as agaubsgsidnkmoshnao.  That score is then added to your leaving certificate points. 
 I went into my  Hpat preparation with determination and a positive mindset.  I decided to dedicate every Saturday morning to do a full 3 hour practice exam to desensitise myself to them and used Tuesdays and Thursdays  to correct the test and to do other sample questions.  I wanted a high grade so badly.  I wanted it more than a Saturday lie in.  I wanted it more than going home Friday nights. I wanted it more than I wanted to see my friends.  I gave it everything.  By the time the official test day came I had completed over 12 full tests and numerous other sample questions.  I felt so ready for it.  I had my timings down,my mental maths was improved and my head was clear.  I walked into the exam centre nervous yet eager feeling somewhat excited to finally get this test done and to have my Saturdays back.  I knew what to expect and sought great comfort in that.  I had amazing family support and all my friends had candels lit and wished me well.   I really thought this was my year.

When I opened the results I immediately knew it wasn’t going to be enough. Even if I got the full 600 points, I still wouldn’t be where I needed to be to get medicine on the CAO.  I didn’t know how to feel.

 Waves of sadness,frustration, anger,confusion and disbelief washed over me.   I guess over the pasts few years I have attached a lot of my self esteem to grades and percentages. I think overall I was gutted.  I was genuinely devastated.  I was mad at myself for getting my own hopes up.  It started an awful chained reaction in my head.  My new fear is now I will get lower points in the Leaving Certiticate than last year.  This thought literally manifested itself inside my head from a place of self pity and self loathing.  My mum has a background in psychotherapy and speaks often about how everyone’s  sub personalities can rear their head in times of great stress or vulnerability.  The happy, cheerful Kate was gone and in her place stood a sub personalities who was out for blood.  I felt useless, worthless and so let down by myself.  

I gave myself 2/3 days of lying around feeling terribly sorry for myself and then I dusted myself off and moved forward. I suppose what stunned me the most was that I literally gave it everything and it still wasn’t enough.  This in my temporality disturbed brain translated into I was not enough.  The awful thoughts eroded away at me.  Often as Human beings what we think about the most we talk about the least.  I can honestly say that at least once a day I think about the Hpat,College and bleedin’ CAO points. I can’t talk about it all, it hurts too much. 

I am a very firm believer that time really does heal.  Once I got over the initial impact I simply devised a new game plan.  No biggie.  I looked into other courses and now my CAO is a colourful mixture of many courses that I think I would enjoy.  

I have to believe that for whatever reason this was meant to happen. There has to be some reason that life is creating all these roadblocks for  me and medicine.  I’m trying to gain perceptive.  It’s a hard thing to do. To me none of it seems fair or right . Surely if you work hard and put in the required effort you will get what you want.  In this situation though that wasn’t the case.  Nothing is making any sense to me at the moment.  I hope that one day I will look back and realise that this was for the best and that medicine was not for me( well atleast not for now).  I am hoping that there is some higher force at play that is  wreaking my plans because my plans might just wreak me.  And you know what,in searching for that hope, there is  hope.

 Even the biggest failure, even the worst facepalm,beats the hell out of not trying.  As the notorious Conor McGregor once said “I took a chance , I put it all out on the line and lost, I’ll never apologise for taking a chance.  As I myself am know as the McGregor of Bettystown I think his words are ones to live by. Live boldly and have courage to try and to fail.  As Gandhi,Dumbledore and that talking tree from Pocahontas have all said  “yolo hun”.

-K 

Things I love

Hello Friends,

I’ve decided to gather together all of the things that I’m loving at the moment and share them with you.  I hope that some of my favourite things become your favourite things and we can all bake a cake full of rainbows and smiles and everyone would eat and be happy( Mean girls ref,I haven’t lost the plot…yet)

1.EOS Lip Balm 

Hi, I’m Kate and I’m addicted to EOS lip balms.  I have used some sort of lip balm multiple times a day since I was about 8 or 9.  My lips just get very dry and I think I’ve reached the stage of no return as now my lips depend on them. I can confidently say that I have tried 95%+ of all the lip products on the Irish market so I decided to go international and try this popular American brand.  I usually get someone to get them for me when they go to the States as they have just started to filter into the Irish shops at double the price( Topshop retail at 8.99 for 1) They are organic,vegan and not tested on animals as well as smelling great and doing wonders for you lips. WE LOVE YOU EOS.

2.Cocoa Brown

I wouldn’t be a true hun if I didn’t give a mention to the ultimate self tanner.  It suits my skin very well and I love the way it continues to gets darker after application.  The  only slight problem is bed sheets across the nation are brown and smell like a strange apricot curry after a night of this tanner but I guess it’s the price one pays to look like an actual Snapchat filter IRL. God bless you Marissa Carter.

3.Cetaphil

As mentioned in my acne saga post I use the Cetaphil moisturiser and cleanser in the morning and evenings.  It is very gentle and the bottles last a long time.  I trust the formula not to upset my sensitive skin and as of yet they have not.

4. Real techniques

Again, these brushes are most likely a standard in most people’s makeup bag.  The thing I like most about the brushes is that they don’t shed like some other cheaper alternatives.  I would not be the greatest at doing makeup but I finds these brushes fool-proof and easy to use.

5. Scents

I love to wear a body mist if I’m just out and about for the day and always have one in my bag to keep me fresh.  The Victoria secrets body mists have my heart.  They are fun,fresh and flirty without smelling too sickly or cheap.  For nighttime/going out I usually opt for a big girl perfume.  At the moment I use the Abercrombie Woman 8 (even though we can all admit the Abercrombie male signature cologne is defiantly one of the all time greatest scents) or  Lovestruck by Vera Wang.

6. Tangle Teezer Hairbrush

I discovered this brush through watching a YouTube video about Cara Delevingne talking about her favourite beauty products.  It’s amazing and unlike other brushes it doesn’t rip or pull your hair it simply glides like a unicorn. I got one 2 years ago and have bought 2 more since. I have been converted.  For anyone that struggles with knotty,unruly hair I’d totally recommended giving the Tangle Teezer a go.

7. Hair Oil

On the topic of hair care, hair oil is where it’s at.  If anyone ever asks me what I do to keep my hair in good condition I tell them that  I use  hair oil in the tips of my  wet hair. It makes such a difference. I thought it would make my newly washed hair greasy but for me it makes my hair shiny and less prone to heat damage.

8.Red lips

I do love a aul red lip. I think it’s so feminine and sexy and fun. It really kicks your outfit up a notch. Although I do find it difficult to wear I usually apply it  with a lip liner, then use the MAC Ruby Woo as a base and then the Seventeen Stay Pout in Rule Breaker on top and just hope for the best.

9. Teeth

After having braces for 19 months 2 years ago I’ve become quite into teeth and dental hygiene.  I swear by this tooth paste.  I also was told to only ever use a soft toothbrush and have got into the habit of brushing 3 times a day.  Another brand I use is White Glo and I get the Actor’s choice formula (it comes with a toothbrush too).  Maybe it’s just me but I really think that whitening toothpaste can do wonders for your teeth and I defiantly notice the deference when using them.

10.Books

Books will always have a special place in my heart.  At the moment I’m almost finished After You, the sequel to Me Before You.  I’ve been taking my time with this one as with most good books I really don’t want it to end.  For light browsing I’m also reading Front Roe by the Stylist and TV personality Louise Roe.  She writes about fashion and self confidence and all things in between. I usually flip through a few pages each morning for some tips and inspiration.

-K

 

Lazy girl smoothies

Hello Friends,

Anyone that knows me knows my love for smoothies. It would be very unusual for a day to go by that I didn’t chug some sort of liquid fruit goodness. As it’s the end of a bank holiday weekend and I have just returned from a break away where I drank lots of lemonade and coca cola(wink) I thought I’d share some of my favourite smoothies to help the hangovers.I found them the perfect studying snack and really noticed the sugar hit that follows. Your brian runs exclusively on sugars so it’s important to consume healthy sugars throughout the day and fruit is a great source of that.For me personally I prefer blending and drinking my fruit rather than eating it,it just works better for me. On a side note, I hate cooking and find it really challenging so if I can successfully make these smoothies I am absolutely positive that you can too

1.Lean Green Fighting Machine

Green drinks have become very popular in the past few years. Personally I think a lot of them taste like grass so I tend to steer clear of them . However through constant taste test and some advice from the internet I have created one that is not only delicious and refreshing af it also doesn’t taste like your typical green smoothie . It’s packed with vitamins and healthy fats and leaves you feeling full and revitalised. Everybody wins.

You will need: A blender ( I use the Nutribullet,a bit on the pricey side but it works very well and is still doing its thing excellently after almost three years),pure apple juice ( cartoon should say not/never from concentrate), One ripe avocado,one whole pineapple, half a bag of organic spinach and 2 cups of ice.

To make: Destone the avocado and add to blender. Add about half a bag of spinach also.Add a whole pineapple (tip: to check if the pineapple is ripe/ready to eat see if you can pull off the inner leaf, if it detaches easily the pineapple is good to go) . Fill with apple juice until avocado and spinach are submerged in liquid. Add a generous quantity of ice(it really help with the flavour). I usually add half a tablespoon of flax seeds which have been proven to improve your heart health and improve your skin and hair quality. I always blend my smoothies until they are of a very liquid consistency as I find them easier to drink that way. Also I always use a straw,again I find them easier to drink that way. Usually provides enough for 2 large glasses. Drink immediately as ingredients tend to separate if left out too long.

2. Pink power 

I have to admit I’m partial to all things pink in life so I’m always thrilled by the colour that this smoothies becomes. It’s quick and easy and filled with protein and antioxidants.

You will need: Good quality blender,a punnet of strawberries,A whole chopped pineapple,2 bananas( bananas are bests eaten when they are spotty, green bananas are not easily digested by the body and can cause gut problems) sweetened soy milk( I try to stay away from milk as much as possible because I find diary can cause havoc to my skin and stomach)A sprinkle of flax seeds. A handful of ice.

How to make: Chuck all the ingredients listed above into your blender ( I usually buy the pineapple pre-chopped as cutting one yourself is messy and time-consuming) Blend for 1 minute.Pour into a pretty glass,add some garnish for the craic and enjoy.

3. Great Grape

This last smoothie happened by accident. We had no fruit in the house so I had to make do of random pieces. It is so sweet and satisfying. If I have a smoothie in the morning not only do I feel healthy I have also noticed that I tend to binge less later on in the day on crap food.

What you need: A punnet of red grapes,not from concentrate cranberry juice, blueberries blackberries and raspberries. A handful of ice, A Powerful blender.

How to make: Add the solid ingredients first then add a generous helping of cranberry juice and fill the rest of the blender with ice. Blend until smooth. I absolutely adored the color of this one and the taste was equally as amazing.

I hope that you find one of these lazy girl smoothies that you like. Happy drinking!

 

-K

My acne saga

Hello Friends,

Acne has been something I’ve been dealing with for the guts of 8 years. I started getting the occasional spot in sixth class and since then it has been a fairly regular thing. Thankfully when I was 14 I was put on the pill (Dianette) and it really helped. I had great skin for about 2 years. Then again in fifth year I decided to go back onto Dianette and all hell broke loose. I reacted to it very badly and for lack of a better word went a bit psycho. Because it is one of the highest dose of hormonal contraceptive pills available it really messed with my head and caused my skin to become anger and break out. So here is where I began my long journey with acne treatments, I used dab on spot treatments that didn’t work for me and scarred my skin,I used topical creams that made the area so sensitive and dry and didn’t affect the spot, I did a 6 month course of Tetralysal (antibiotic) that worked slightly but didn’t cause any significant clear up and also made me feel sickly all the time,I went on another 6 months of Erythromycin (antibiotic) which was an absolute disaster,my skin once again erupted continously.I tryed a Low GI diets-did nothing ,Cut out diary – nada. So many facials and over the counter lotions and potions and nothing would touch it.So after all that I decided to tackle different types of contraceptive pills again. I was on  Microlite for 3 months-got my period randomly throughout the months which wasn’t exactly desirable , Ovranette-I didn’t notice any difference in my skin but lost my period for 2 months which freaked me out and isn’t particularly healthy so I came off that too. We did a hormone test and ruled out the acne being hormone related so I came off all hormonal treatment for a while.

After roughly 2 years of very little success at the G.P and dermatologist offices, I decided to do my own bit of research and came across a drug called Roaccutane (Isotretinoin). I had heard of it before from a few friends and knew it was not something that is taken lightly by health professionals. It is illegal in some countries because high dosages have been documented to cause depression and sadly there have been some suicides linked to the taking of this drug in young people particularly. I discussed it with my dermatologist who firmly refused to put me on it and wanted to try me on yet another dab on cream which I politely decline with a lump in my throat having lost my faith in topical acne treatments a long time ago. So we found another doctor in my local area by absolute luck and within the first appointment and telling him about my endless struggle and different medications he agreed to put me on the treatment.

Roaccutane:

You can imagine my surprise when the dermatologist asked me if I have a boyfriend. I had to fight my inner urge to answer with a “It’s complicated’ and launch into a big rant about the boy as if we were 2 girls at a sleepover.By law any woman taking Roaccutane must be on 2 forms of birth control(i.e the pill and a condom). If you were to get pregnant while taking this drug it will cause severe birth defects,facial abnormalities and heart and brain deformities in the baby.My doctor said he had only seen one Roaccutane baby born and it was horrific. Suffice to say, I solemnly swore I would not get pregnant. Nevertheless, I am only giving a month supply of the drug at a time and have to return each month for a blood test and a pregnancy test. Let me tell you there’s nothing quite like the small talk that occurs between you and a nurse when you’re waiting around a pregancy dip stick to turn negative so that you can get your next months supply,that talk gets real deep real quick.

The blood test is to check all your counts are the same throughout the treatment. Roaccutane can cause liver damage and diabetes so you have to be mindful of your diet and alcohol consumption during treatment as to not place any further stress on you system.Roaccutane belongs to a group of medicines called retinoids, which are similar to vitamin A. Retinoids work by reducing the amount of the oily substance (i.e. sebum) made by glands in your skin, reducing bacteria and inflammation and opening clogged pores(yes I goggled that, it could explain it better than I could,long live google). The list of side effects are endless. I got my fair share of them mainly dryness…EVERYWHERE. At times it was almost unbearable. Especially my lips and around my months would become so dry and flaky which added to my self conscienceness, I just lashed on the moisturizer and did my best to get on with it( the only thing I now use on my skin is the Cetaphil cleanser and mosturiser , its perfect and gentle and won’t irritate). I developed meibomian gland dysfunction from the drug which makes you eyes constantly dry and starchy(god bless you eye drops),my nails would break all the time,I became very thermo sensitive which would make me very sweaty and hot. My joints ached even from the slightest excercise and if I sat for too long I would become all stiff. I can’t possibly leave out my emotions… ALL THE EMOTIONS. This aside from the dryness was defiantly the most interesting side effect. I would cry at everything. Movies, dogs,cute quotes, if someone said something nice to me, it something good happened to someone else..etc,it set me off. I was just a very emotional person and was unable to hide a single emotion (even more so than my usual self)

Thankfully I have almost reached the end of this story with my skin. Yes the drugs did vastly improve my acne. It got very bad the end of last year,September 2015. I think stress really triggered it off. I am quite a confident person but when I had bad skin I literally couldn’t look at people. I didn’t want them to look at my erupting face and I felt judge. Anyone with cystic acne know that it hurts too and causes scarring which I was also worried about.I looked at other girls with perfect glowing skin and would feel so upset and hard done by. Of course I know they are way bigger things in this word then your skin but I reached a stage where I felt ugly and not like the usual outgoing,bubbley Kate and even though I got good at hiding it with makeup I wanted it gone( allow me to be vain just this once)However, from having bad skin I’ve learned to become very empathetic towards others and their insecurties as I know how it feels to literlly feel like people are talking to your spots and not to you.

Would I recommend Roaccutane to others? The answer is maybe. If you are prepared to go to the doctors ever month and if you are in a pretty good place mentally that you can cope with all the side effects for a short time then I say go for it. But for some people all it takes is a six months stint of antibiotics and they’re all good to go so perhaps if you’re a little younger and new to skin problems try that first. And yes I am quite aware that my skin was not as bad as acne can get but it was all day everyday and I was losing my mind trying to make it better so in the end I’m glad Roaccutane worked for me. Now 7 months later and almost at the end of my 8 month treatment I still get the rare spot but in general I am happy with the results. I’m at peace with my skin.

~Now for some photos:(quality is not great but y’all get the idea)

BEFORE ROACCTUATANE:

 

DURING TREATMENT:

 

 

AT THE END OF 7 MONTHS: DRUMROLL…

-K

 

 

The F word

 

Hello friends,

I think what compelled me to write on this particular  F word(because there are so many) was the recent controversy surrounding the 2015 Playmate of the Year,Dani Mathers. She took a photo of a naked women showering at the gym titling it “If I can’t unsee this then you can’t either”.First of all taking a naked photo of someone without their consent and distributing it is not only a crappy thing to do but it’s also illegal and this chick could possibly become a registered sex offender.

Beside this gross abuse of a person’s privacy what really grinds my gears is the fact that Mathers was fat shaming someone who was in a gym trying to improve their health. In my opinion,I believe it is one of the most damaging words,the real F word,F A T . Fat has such negative connotations and is seen as something to be hated and disgusted by. Now I’m not talking about obesity which as we all know is a completely different issue altogether. Once a person’s weight is affecting their health, it is up to them to do something about it and lose the weight/keep it off to improve their quality of life.This is not obesity that I’m referring to.I personally love going to the gym and place a healthy lifestyle high on my list of priorities. I believe that when you eat well and work out as often as you can it really improves your mental health and of coarse tones up you body. To think that someone in my gym would do what Mathers did is so disturbing and downright unacceptable. Everyone that goes to the gym is at a different of their fitness journey and I truly admire anyone that takes the time out of their day to sweat it out.

Storytime: I remember being called fat by a boy I really liked a few years ago (he’s not around anymore for obvious reasons)and his friends.I was devastated.It perpelled  me into a scary time of self loathing and food restriction. I came across my old diary(yes I was one of those people that wrote down everything) and one line in it that broke my heart went something like this:” Maybe he’d be nicer to me if I was thinner”.To say my perception was morphed would be an understatement .On a side note I have never been overweight. My blood test,BP,BMI are all within normal ranges. I look back at photos from that time frame when this occurred and am surprised at how much thinner I was compared to how I thought I looked in my confused,hazy head. I was a perfectly healthy teenager.I had boobs and an ass and I was into running and smoothies and a vegetarian and was probably healthier than I was during the Leaving Cert years and yet this asshole(here we go again) had the absolute audacity to refer to a sixteen year old me as fat. Wonders never cease. Yes,some girls were thinner than me but sometimes due to very unhealthy methods and that’s what he was comparing me to.Being thin doesn’t always mean a person has a healthy body/mind. I look back at those times and am so annoyed that I let it get to me but thankfully now I am older and bolder and can recognise that you do not need people in your life that constantly put you down and make you feel like you are not good enough.

I guess over the past few years I’ve seen a lot of sickness and ill health and now I am so grateful for my healthy body.Everyday I wake up and can do whatever I want and am not limited by a health condition.I feel that is one of the greatest gifts in life. My goal in life is to always remain healthy and fit. I see people my age abuse their bodies with excessive alcohol,smokes,drugs and poor diet and I really think it is a great injustice and a massive middle finger towards your healthy body.You cannot take your body for granted.My ultimate outcome everytime I go to the gym is to run an extra km or to go up a weight group (gainz) and not nescessaryily to fit into a certain size of clothes.I choose to be healthy and the weight sorts itself out as a result.

So my challenge to all of you faithful readers who have made it this far in the paragraph is to stop the constant self hatred even just for one day.Yes strive for improvements but generally I really think you have to be at peace with your body and give yourself a break. My aunty told me something years ago that to this day I still refer to:There are going to be enough people in this world who will criticise you and try to put you down, do not be one of them.

Look in the mirror and feel nothing but gratitude for your functioning,healthy,strong body. And maybe have a smoothie too for good measure.

-K

Nous sommes avec toi,Nice.

Hello friends,

The first app on my phone I check every morning is the Irish Independent because I believe it is vitally important to keep up to date with current affairs and world events that you may have missed out on during the night. This morning as I awoke in my bright bedroom,in my peaceful countryside home ,I was met with the stark reality,shocking headlines and rising death toll figures.

At 11pm local time on the 14th of July,a lorry slammed through a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in the southern French city of Nice. I was so saddened to further learn that currently the number of lives lost stands at 84.My mind flashed back to all those times I myself had been outside in a large group staring up at the sky in awe watching a firework display. I can only imagine the complete and utter terror and pure fear experienced by these people.Such an amazing country filled with vibrant culture and passionate people left on it’s knees because of the actions of an evil man.As of yet no group as claimed responsibility for the attack but officals have announced that ISIS memebers have been publicly cheering about it online.Killing under the cloak of religion is nothing but an act of murder. The families of the victims have asked the public to not share/watch any first hand footage of the attack out of respect, which I completely agree with.

It’s truly unnerving to think that such heinous acts and such gross disrespect for human life exists in our world. It’s sickening to think that people who were out enjoying a country’s national day were subjected to such cruelty,such malice. In an instant the course of many people’s lives were irrevocably changed.My heart and soul truly goes out to all those affected by this tragedy.

I only hope that the next generation and my children’s children grow up in a better world populated by better people. I hope that our generation and world leaders step up to prevent racism and hate and encourage unity and tolerance for others. People my age are the parents of the future so I think it is imperative that everyday we strive to be more understanding and compassionate towards others and I hope little by little that we,globally,can create a safer,fairer and kinder place to live.

My thoughts are with you Nice, praying for healing and love,nous sommes avec toi.

 

-K