For David

On July 20th this year, I did the 5k Race for Life with my best friend and ran it (well, jogged and walked it) in honour of my sister-in-law’s father. He was diagnosed with liver cancer nearly 3 years ago, when my sister-in-law was pregnant with her daughter, who is now 2 1/2.

Due to the placement of the tumour they were unable to remove it, they discovered that during surgery and had to close him up and wake him up to tell him. He was given a pessimistic prognosis but offered a new, very expensive drug (think £10,000 per cycle). The difference in him was amazing – his appetite came back, he put on weight and while he was never able to return to work, he had more energy and was able to do jobs around the house and around my brothers house (completely re-did their garden). They’ve been monitoring him regularly and he went for the results of his latest scan yesterday.

They told him it has now spread to his stomach and that they feel there is nothing more than can do. They told him they are stopping treatment, but that’s basically a death sentence – he’s going back next week to tell them that he wants more treatment, he’s not ready to give up yet. Without it he might not see Christmas. If he does, we don’t know what sort of state he’s going to be in.

I know this isn’t my usual type of post, but I didn’t have the heart to publish the post I planned to today. It just seemed silly. So I wanted to write about him. David, who is 56 years old. He’s been on borrowed time for nearly 3 years, but he’s seen his two grandchildren be born. His grandson has been named after him. Before he was diagnosed he walked his daughter down the aisle. It’s too early, it’s always too early, but he is an incredibly brave and strong man who will keep fighting until the end.

Here’s to you, David ❤

The Little Things – TeaPigs

Gooooood afternoon, Internet! Hope that you’re all having a smashing weekend, wherever on the planet you may be. My stats page tells me that today, we’ve had a visitor from Ukraine – привіт! (God bless Google translate)

Today is the first in a little series that we’re going to go, called The Little Things. As in, it’s the little things this week that have brought a smile to our face that we want to share. These little things will be everything and anything and today – it’s the turn of the TeaPigs.

TeaPigs are a UK-based tea company (who also ship internationally) who make a wide range of tea. This is not tea as you know it. They have a massive range with pretty much every flavour and combination you can think of. Even if you may not consider yourself a tea person (heathen!), this stuff will make you change your mind. My personal favourite is the one pictured above – liquorice and peppermint. It’s got a cool, sweet taste – but not too sweet. I have my eye on the popcorn tea and the chocolate & mint. Mmmmm. They also do a Spiced Winter Red Tea, with rooibos with orange, cloves & cinnamon – perfect for autumn evenings curled up on the sofa with the wind howling outside.

What’s caught your eye and your fancy this week?

– R

World Mental Health Day

I’ve written a little previously about my mental illness, my advice for trying to get better and little tips and tricks. I’m going to try not to write reams and reams today, but because this is such an important subject and today is World Mental Health Day, I do just want to touch on the subject a little. I know this isn’t the “standard” blog post for what’s probably considered a beauty blog, but back when we started it Jaime and I stated we didn’t want this to be just beauty-orientated – this really is a life blog. With a lot of beauty, admittedly!

(The above image is of a little red button, in recognition of a campaign by the mental health charity MIND and YouTuber/blogger Zoella – the #DontPanicButton campaign. It’s aimed at reversing the negative image of a red panic button and turning into something positive for sufferers of anxiety, as well as their friends and family. People are wearing them and tweeting the hashtag to show support for anxiety disorder sufferers).

Mini Essie Haul

Because I apparently don’t have nearly enough nail polish in my life (nor can I resist a good bargain), I recently picked up a few beauties from LookFantastic.com as part of their multi-buy offer. Let’s take a little peek…

In The Light

So, let me tell you a little story. A few weeks ago, a good friend of mine got married and I was one of the bridesmaids. We were told a couple of weeks before the wedding that the make-up artist was very ill and we’d have to do our own make-up. No worries, I just figured I’d splurge a little on a new eyeshadow palette, as I was happy with the rest of the face products I had and knew what I’d be using.

Then, a few days before the wedding, my palette arrived. I was so happy! And then I opened it…

The Darker Shades of Autumn

The last time I wrote for a blog it was a music blog I kept a few years back during the height of the gig going days, so please forgive how rusty I am and bear with me. “Beauty” and “Lifestyle” themed posts are a far cry from my days of hashing out my often intense thoughts on my latest musical obsession, but I have every intention of putting just as much effort and thought into these posts as I did on those of the past.

That all being said, hello, I’m Jaime, and I’ll be your host for the next few paragraphs (don’t worry, they’re be brief…ish). Aw, yes. Autumn. My favorite season of the year. It just so happens that the nail colors featured above are also my favorite shades, regardless of season. I know, I know, I’m already breaking the rules and bucking the tradition of rotating colors out according to which seasonal quarter we’re in, but I’m a rebel like that.

OPI Avoplex Cuticle Oil To Go – The Review

Earlier this week, I had a wee little package from Birchbox that I was quite pleased with, so thought I’d review and report back.

Drugstore starter make-up

If you’re anything like me, you may be a late-starter when it comes to make-up. I used make-up over the years, since I was a teenager – but not very often and not very well. I simply felt overwhelmed by the vast make-up (and also skin-care) landscape. Over the last few months I’ve dived head-first into the land of make-up, purchasing high-end and drugstore items, mostly from reviews and recommendations. Some worked, some didn’t, and I’m now at a point where I use a happy mix of expensive and cheaper products. Despite what some make-up mavens may tell you, you can buy excellent products at a lower cost. For those who may also be on a tight budget and need some ideas where to start, I’ll discuss some of the great stuff I’ve found (mostly from Boots!).

September Favourites

Happy Sunday, all! Well, today is the last Sunday of the month, so it’s time for the round-up of my favourite things of September. Let’s see what tickled my fancy over these last 4 weeks!

SkinPep Brightening Enzyme & Acid Peel – The Review

Happy Friday, Internet! It’s the end of the working week and what better way to celebrate than with a cheeky little review. Today I’ll be reviewing the SkinPep Brightening Enzyme & Acid Peel that I got sent in my September GlossyBox.