"What is Pretty?" - Final Day

It's been a lovely week altogether. I've been so busy trying to balance school work, part time job, a social life AND taking care of myself with some "me" time. I started doing the "What is Pretty?" challenge in order to train myself to love myself just the way I am. I also wanted to understand exactly why some girls simply cannot step out with no make up on. During the past few days when I've been trying hard to sleep on time but also do my assignments, I realised that sometimes one simply doesn't have enough time to sleep if they're chasing their dreams, so they wake up looking like a panda. Some people simply cannot casually stroll past hundreds of students looking like that, but I decided to brave it and just go with it, because this is exactly who I am. And I'm happy because not once, not twice, but three times I got hit on at work when I thought I looked my worst, with bags slightly showing under my eyes. I'm happy because I never hexperrerit :P Not getting big-headed or anything, it just felt good and boosted my self-confidence, even if it was only by a tiny fraction. But still, you get my point.

I have also learnt that there's nothing wrong with wearing make up. Make up is fun and it's fun to play around with different shades, different looks and try out different brands! However, the whole point of this was to show somebody out there, anybody reading, that you shouldn't wear make up because of the pressure around you. You shouldn't wear make up to please somebody else. If there are insecurities that you're concerned about, fair enough, but my message to you is "embrace yourself!" If you do wear make up, make sure you wash your face thoroughly but gently before going to bed to avoid spotty, blotchy skin. Eat well and drink at the very least 1 litre of water every day.

I've also realised that my skin was getting too attached to make up that it no longer has that smooth feeling it used to have only a few months back. Even my eyebrows, they're shedding because of manipulation with them brushes and eyebrow kits. Make up actually ruins my skin and makes me become more reliant on it, buying more and more products in an effort to "look good". (Swear these manufacturers are smart, aye? Get you addicted and hooked for the rest of your life. Business will ALWAYS be there.) Therefore, I have come to the conclusion that I should start taking greater care of myself, take in more and more water for that smooth skin and try to leave my eyebrows alone whenver possible. I plan to only wear make up when I feel it's necessary i.e. when I'm dressed up or when I look like a Halloween mask, or maybe just for bants. My final look for today is this:

Do I feel good about myself now? Heck Yeah!

I'm wearing a smile because I know that at the end of the day, somebody out there somewhere is going to have to take me as I am, and I'm going to have to embrace myself and love myself even more without feeling less of a woman or less "glamorous" simply because I have no make up on. Make up is a mask; I'm choosing not to wear mine every single day of my life. Hope you've all had a lovely weekend and I do hope somebody is even the slightest bit motivated to look after themselves better! The problem isn't make up; the problem is society making us feel as if we're inadequate if we don't have make up on; the problem is the photoshopped model in the magazine setting unrealistic standards of "beauty"; the problem is that we're not taking care of ourselves enough hence we do feel inadequate at times! :D

xoxo

How To Look Good Naked - "What is Pretty?" - Day 5

Today is the fifth day of the challenge and, well, same old story. I'm feeling great and taking better care of myself. I do miss make up sometimes, especially when I wake up in the morning looking like  panda! But that teaches me to try and sleep on time and not waste my time idly, doing nothing useful. 2 more days to go and I will nominate someone else to try this for a week!

Do I feel good today? Take a guess :P

xoxo

How To Look Good Naked - "What is Pretty?" - Day 4

Today is the 4th day and I'm really happy! Not once have I succumbed to the temptation to at least fill my eyebrows in as they carry on looking all patchy! As for the healthy-eating part, I need to up my water game because at the moment I'm only consuming 1ltr a day, which isn't enough. I'm going to push it to 2ltrs a day, that's 4 bottles. Last night I washed and cleansed my face and I feel alright today :D

Do I feel good today? Yup

How To Look Good Naked - "What is Pretty?" - Day 3

It's the third day of my "How to look good naked" challenge today. Once again, last night I didn't do anything to my face before going to bed *sigh*. However, I did get enough sleep and drank some water before bed. Yesterday I resisted the urge to eat chocolate late at night before going to bed, since I'd had my dinner of mixed leaf salad (rocket, watercress and spinach), balsamic vinegar, a sliced mini frankfurter, cherry tomatoes and a sliced boiled egg. I ignored the urge to stuff my face off and drank plenty of water instead to stay hydrated through the night. This is what I look like today:

Do I feel good today? You bet I do!

How To Look Good Naked - "What is Pretty?" - Day 2

Today is the second day of my "How to look good naked" challenge. Last night I didn't do anything to my face before going to bed, which is bad. I also slept with my face pressed against the pillow, so I was really expecting to see dark circles and crinkles on my face. I didn't get enough sleep either (only about 5 hours), but I did drink some water before bed. This is what I look like today:

Do I feel good today? Oh yes :)

I don't see changes in my skin because it's early days yet, but I'll try to stick to my meal plan, drink plenty of water and get enough sleep! I've fought the temptation to eat chocolate or spread nutella on my bread this morning, which was such a challenge as chocolate is one of my weaknesses. I'm proud of myself so far, although last night I'd almost forgotten about the healthy-eating part and nearly ordered a takeaway. I ended up having a mixed leaf salad (rocket, watercress and spinach) with balsamic vinegar as dressing and slices of roast pork chops to add flavour. I quite enjoyed that meal :)

xoxo

How To Look Good Naked - "What is Pretty?" - Day 1

So, last night I set myself a challenge to go a week with no make up on. Today is the first day. Last night I cleansed my face and moisturised before going to bed. I got my 8 hours of undisturbed sleep and drank water before I slept. This is what I look like today:

Do I feel good today? A little bit. Slightly concerned about my eyebrows, but oh well :)

How To Look Good Naked

You must be very curious as to why I chose this title for this post. Well, read on... When people hear or read "someone was walking down the road naked", they immediately imagine embarrassment, shame, people mocking said naked person, they even try to put themselves in said person's shoes and their faces screw up in horror! Nowadays, it's such a shame that a lot of us feel "naked" when we walk around with no make up on. It's almost the same kind of notion that comes up with people literally walking naked in the streets. Heck, I've met girls who REFUSED point blank to come out of the house with not a bit of make up on, let alone venture into town! (*gasp* God forbid!) I'm still uncertain of the root cause of this, but what I do know is that society plays a vital part in this catastrophe. Which brings me to the first and possibly main point of this post. What is pretty?

Is "pretty" being covered with layers upon layers of makeup? Is "pretty" painting yourself into an unrecognisable individual just so society can accept you as a normal human being? Is "pretty" what you see in magazines, those airbrushed models photoshopped to perfection? What, really, is pretty? I know plenty of people have very low self-esteem when it comes to how they naturally look. We all have insecurities. Those who know me well know how insecure I am sometimes about my bra-size and how much I wish I was different, but one thing that keeps me going is knowing that nobody is perfect. Everybody, even the Angelina Jolies and the Lauren Londons of this world have their insecurities and plenty of things they'd like to change about themselves. How then, you may ask, can you look good naked? It's psychological.

The way you project yourself to the rest of the world is exactly how they view you (kind of like a reverse self-fulfilling prophecy). Those people who just automatically become confident around new people tend to find it easier to settle in with others than those who shy away at first. When you walk with your head high, people admire that confidence that they look past your "flaws" and embrace you just the way you embrace yourself. I mean, who's going to want to love you when you don't even want to love yourself? Ponder over that. This week, I'm going to challenge myself to spend the whole week with no make up on, and FEEL good about it. I wasn't born wearing make up and make up is now distorting what I was naturally blessed with. It's all about taking good care of yourself! I do understand that some people have major self-esteem issues which date back to maybe their childhood or some traumatic unfortunate event or the other. However, I believe in rising above it rather than admitting defeat. Society will always have an opinion, so, I suppose, do what makes YOU feel good. And I hope you don't feel "good" when society feels good, when those "likes" keep rolling in as you're hiding behind that mask. MAKE THEM see you the way you truly are. Make them accept you as you are, don't let them change you into what THEY want you to be. Just be you, BEaUtiful.

How am I going to achieve this, walk around naked and actually feel good about it? Well, I am going to drink plenty of water as I know it helps your skin to become smoother. I am going to eat clean and healthy (so, no chocolate, no crisps, no junk food) and best of all, I'm going to sleep on time. Sleep is vital because if one doesn't get enough sleep, one wakes up looking like a panda (I know how that feels). However, please please please don't get me wrong. There's nothing wrong with wanting to look "pretty" or wearing make up. I'm going to carry on wearing make up once in a while when I feel like it. I just don't want it to dominate my life to the point where I cannot allow anybody to see me "naked". I'll be posting a photo daily showing how I look "naked". I shall groom myself, of course, and that always makes me feel good on the inside, which in turn makes me feel like I look good on the outside. This is a challenge as I have patchy eyebrows, but I am going to learn to deal with them, brush them well and present them well so they look "half-decent". Let's do this!

#WhatIsPretty

#JustShannersChallenge

xoxo

How to Look after Your hair

I've become somewhat obsessed with hair ever since I made the decision to go natural 2 years ago. Back then, I had very little knowledge on how to go about this whole "natural hair" business, but I was surprised to discover that for years, there's been a lot of blogs, vlogs and websites dedicated to natural hair enthusiasts and curious individuals like I was. I've gathered so much information that my brain could burst (more on that in another blog), and sometime I amuse myself by just how many little "tips and tricks" I know when it comes to taking care of my hair.

When I big-chopped, April 2013

Let's be honest, everybody wants to look good. Some prefer being a full-time weave type of girl, while others (like me) like to change our look constantly. I had decided to go natural initially because I wanted to get dreadlocks (more on that later), but decided against it because that would practically be my permanent and only hairstyle! *yawn*. I've been experimenting along the way with different protective styles and discovering what best suits my hair. Here are a number of ways I protect my hair and encourage growth:

1. Braids

box braids

Anybody who really knows me well knows that lately I've become a big fan of braids. Braids make life so much easier for me because I just wake up, shake up, tie up and go. I moisturise my scalp regularly with my own concoction of water, cantu shea butter leave-in conditioner  and a drop of tea tree oiltea tree oil to soothe my scalp, and then seal in the moisture with either coconut oil or jojoba oil. I can do box braids then twists or marley hair twists which are more like my natural hair texture. I can styles it up however I want to unlike weave which I usually cannot tie up into a bun without exposing my tracks from the back (the struggle is real!). However, like anything related to styling your hair or generally trying to improve your appearance, braids have their own pros and cons.

Pros:

• You can keep them in for a long time, between 4-6 weeks
• You can style them in so many ways
• They're relatively easy to maintain and do not require too much attention

Cons:

• Braids are notorious for damaging hairlines due to tightness. I've personally struggled for a while with thinning edges due to braids that are too tight. We've all seen many people whose hairlines now seem to begin int he middle of their head by the soft-spot due to hairstyles that are too tight. You don't want to be that girl. *shakes head*
• Braids, especially chunky box braids, tend to be too heavy on your hair, thus hair falls or thins out due to being stretched too much. 

How to look after braids and to avoid the cons:

• Avoid tying your hair too tight in a ponytail or bun as this actually increases the chances of a receding hairline.
• Don't forget your actual hair is also still attached to your scalp, therefore moisturise your hair daily to avoid a dry, flaky scalp (nobody likes a dry, flaky scalp. Eurgh)
• Make sure you wash your hair! Many people believe that washing your hair in braids will loosen them, therefore they shouldn't. True, the braid becomes a little loose at the root, depending on how you handled the hair during shampooing. However, products, sweat, dust and dead skin cells build up on your scalp, and the resulting smell is a little bit hideous. I'd encourage you to wash your hair about weekly or fortnightly to unclog your pores so your scalp can actually breathe, and also to get rid of any "subtle" smells. I personally wash it once a week and sometimes once a fortnight, depending on how busy I am.

2. Weave

Purple-ish Brazilian weave with lace closure

Sometimes you just get tired of having the same hairstyle, same texture, same look for a long time! When those times come, change is needed! My second favourite protective style is weave, because I get to have a different texture of hair without compromising my own natural texture. I can have straight hair without having to straighten my natural hair and ruining my beautiful curl-pattern. Weaves are also perfect for winter when the winds are cold and the weather is too harsh on your hair. But, as with braids, weave has its own pros and cons, and here are some of the ones I usually weigh out to decide whether or not to have a weave sewn in.

Pros

• You can choose ANY hairstyle you want when it comes to weave; short, long, straight, curly, experiment with colour, pixie cut without cutting your actual hair? What's not to love about that!
• You can keep them in for as long as you like (between 4-6 weeks recommended)##
• Your hair gets to rest and hide away from the harsh weather conditions.

Cons

• Weave tends to make my scalp itchy. Last time I got a weave done, I developed some bumps resulting from the tightness of the cornrows, which are still hard to get rid of. 
• It is very bad during summer when it's just too hot and you get all sweaty and that
• If the weave is installed too tightly, it can damage your hairline.

3. Wigs

Lace-front wig

I believe that this is an absolute essential for me - a wig! Although I usually just wear a wig once or twice in a year, (maybe more, depending on the crisis at hand), I love wigs because they are my saving-grace when I'm having a bad-hair-day! Sometimes tying a headscarf just won't do it, and sometimes it clashes with what I'm wearing. The perfect wig is what I need to not panic too much when I haven't sorted out my own natural hair. Like every other hairstyle, wigs have their pros and cons, more so cons, hence why I rarely wear them.

Pros

• Very easy to maintain and you can let your hair breathe once you get home and take it off
• You can keep an eye on your hair and moisturise it very easily compared to weave
• You can choose whatever style, colour and length you want
• Great when you're trying to hide hair loss

Cons

• Wigs are notorious for causing alopecia (hair loss). Many women who frequently wear wigs now have receding hairlines.
• Wigs tend to encourage laziness as the user feels no need to bother with their natural hair
• Like weave, wigs are a pain in the butt during summer, with all the heat and the sweat. Eurgh
• A good wig is usually expensive, but it's up to you to decide whether it's worth the cost or not.

To be honest, protective styles in themselves, be it braids, weave, wigs etc, tend to encourage laziness as people leave their hair alone for a month plus. Having the idea that your hair is now safe and sound underneath the protective style is dangerous and could lead to damage to hair. Remember to moisturise and seal your hair with an oil or leave-in conditioner to ensure it grows. Also, it's not just about what you put on the outside but also what you consume. Eat clean, drink plenty of water and your hair will show you its appreciation by not breaking easily, growing steadily and generally looking good appearance-wise! Have a fabulous weekend and remember, hard work pays off.

The beginning of the rest of my life

My new home <3

Last week saw me beginning a new chapter in my life as I moved away from home to start a new life acquiring higher education at university. Many people who know me well would remember that last year I made a decision NOT to go to university but pursue a career in Accounting through apprenticeships. My parents, as ever supportive as they are, were backing me up and supporting my decision. However, at just 18 at that time, I knew I didn't really know what I wanted to do for the rest (or for most) of my life to come. I decided to take a gap year. Again, my parents supported me and encouraged me to work hard and make plans that will actually benefit me in the future rather than waste the year away. The year wasn't wasted at all, in fact, taking a gap year was perhaps one of the best decisions I've ever made. During that gap year, I moved out and lived on my own for three months, working and saving up for my volunteering trip to Tanzania and also buying myself things. I became independent, which was the first step towards growing up into a responsible adult. A few months in, I decided to apply for university, having decided that the university experience would help me to be even more independent and responsible as I'd be managing my time for studying, social life and work. I'd also learn to budget my money and plan ahead for my goals. I told myself that if things didn't work out well for me at uni, I could always drop out and carry on with the apprenticeship idea. So I applied and here I am now.

All the way from HP20 to CO4, roughly 96 miles away from home, I moved in to what will be my home for the next 3-4 years. I must admit, I was quite nervous as I'd only briefly exchanged "hello"s with my flatmates on Facebook prior to moving in, but what kept me steady was knowing that everyone else was probably as nervous as I was! My flatmates seemed nice at first glance, and we've had great fun together since the first night, We're all different in our own ways, but we get on really well together. My friends from home were there as well as new friends I made via freshers page, which made my first week at uni less daunting. Freshers' events were like something out of The Great Gatsby, however. My flatmates and I went to The Squares to join in on the freshers' fun going on that night. As we drew closer, I could hear what sounded like a water fountain/massive waterfall and got really excited. I imagined something like the Waterfall in Dubai opposite the Dubai Mall which dances along to music. However, I couldn't have been more wrong! "The Squares" - where all the shops, banks, restaurants, club and bars as well as classrooms are, were filled with hundreds of students wanting to "turn up" and have a great time. The noise that sounded like a waterfall or a buzz was the noise from the conversations going on among so many people. They all looked like tiny ants from afar, with barely any room to move around to get to the Sub Zero club where the main event was to take place. There was broken glass everywhere, empty beer cans and fizzy drink bottles all over the floor and about eighty percent of the people around us were either tipsy or very drunk. We were (or at least I was) really shocked! Of course I knew many people would be getting smashed at freshers,  but this wasn't what I expected at all. It was quite comical, though. There wasn't any violence (at least n one that I witnessed) and people seemed to be having a merry drunken time! However, my flatmates and I weren't really feeling the scene as we were quite tired from all the unpacking we'd been doing - unpacking which I'd only half finished as I went a little OTT with my shopping, oops (shoppaholic alert!)

It took me about 2-3 days to finally get my room in order, and even then, there's still too much stuff everywhere. I just thought, oh well, that'll have to do, I registered with the doctor, registered with the university, collected my free textbooks courtesy of the uni and tried to prepare for the second week when seminars commenced. Throughout the week I tried to be as friendly as possible, spoke to people, swapped numbers and snapchat IDs and went to as many events as possible. Then alas, freshers' flu caught up with me! It was bound to happen, one day or another, I suppose, But I'd hoped I'd get lucky or at least fight it off within a day or two. It's now 5 days later and I'm still struggling, feeling meh :/
Over the weekend there was the freshers' fair where societies and clubs were recruiting people to sign up. I was meant to be there recruiting people for the volunteer opportunity with the FutureSense Foundation under their Challenges Abroad programme (the same company I volunteered with earlier this year in Tanzania under their Gap Guru programme) as I decided to become a challenge leader at the University of Essex next summer. However, for some reason I'm yet to know about, our stall got cancelled, which means we missed out on a chance of attracting potentially hundreds of sing ups for the trip. However, I've been utilising social media and word of mouth to spread the word, inviting my flatmates by telling them of my own adventures, and I even bumped into one interested individual who told me about this amazing volunteer opportunity in Tanzania, not knowing I'm the one leading it! I was glad that people are inviting other people, which is good.

Yesterday, seminars commenced and they were pretty boring to be honest, but I stayed alert and took some random notes because I know that all the information is relevant. I'm actually more organised now, using separate books for separate modules and I'm proud of how mature I've become in just one week! (well, kind of). I haven't really been homesick except for once, and I've spoken to my parents twice now. This is the beginning of the rest of my life, as this chapter unfolds to open new doors for me and my future! I'm going to work hard and play hard to make my parents proud! I'm now looking forward to the next few weeks when things get deeper and more intense!