University: Year 2

I've found it really hard to post lately with finishing me first year at uni.. Practical courses are very stressful and pretty demanding, fashion especially. However, new year - fresh start! I've passed my first year so now I'm looking forward to working even harder and pushing myself further this year. It's a 2 year course so it's kind of my final year; scary that I'll have a degree before I'm even 20!

They very kindly gave us 2 days freedom before briefing us for year 2, so I'm already working on research for our first term back. It's a semi-tailored project, which I'm really looking forward to. 

I've started on a sketchbook, its a tad collage so far, as I'm yet to visit exhibitions around Yorkshire and London.. But it won't be long till it's filled with pencil sketches and design ideas.

Skin Care

Everyone has a different skin type, however I find to be them all. I have the worst possible skin, and it's been an issue since I was about 11. I genuinely can't remember a time when I haven't had spots. It made me so self conscious and it didn't help when the boys in secondary school started to nickname me 'mountain range'. Oh how witty.

My skin always flares up even more when I'm stressed, and these past few weeks I've been horrendously stressed. Living in London only adds to things as the air isn't exactly clean. I wish I lived in LA, as vitamin D is meant to help - and the sun is non existent in London.

I have tried and tested every single product under the bloody sun that claims to rid of spots. Heck, I've even been on flaming medication for them. And nowt. No result at all. I find a combination of different products and a brilliant cleansing brush works more than any quick fix solution I've ever used.

These products aren't all from the same company, they're not miracle workers.. But for all you beautifully unlucky people with stubborn spots; these are probably the best bets for any kind of improvement. Good luck!


Living Nature
Living Nature is an awesome skin care range from New Zealand, if you go on their website you can custom make your own skin care routine for your skin. They have loads of products for 'blemish prone skin'. It also recommends what you should do daily, and weekly. Which is pretty useful. The best products from the range are definitely the deep cleansing mask, and the purifying cleanser.

The deep cleansing mask is a weekly thing, and you get a box of ten packets of the mask. This mask is amazing, it makes your skin really soft and you feel like you have completely empty pores. It's also really good for break outs, I always tend to put a little dab on each of my spots before I go to bed and they actually look better in the morning.

The purifying cleanser is a daily thing, I use a little bit of mine on my cleansing brush. A little goes a long way, so you get your money worth. It smells really good, and doesn't leave your skin feeling sticky like some cleansers do, or like there's still product there even when you've washed it off your face.

Proactiv
Proactiv claims to rid everyone of spots with their three step solution, SPOILER - it sadly doesn't perform the miracle it claims to do. The adverts are very bloody American, shouting about all the people who swear by their products. It's not going to be an overnight fix like they sell it to you, life isn't that fair!

The cleansing exfoliator however is pretty good. I sometimes (more often than not, strangely) wake up after a night out with seriously dry skin. I blame this on not being arsed to actually take off the remainder of the clubbing make up before crawling into bed after a drunken 5am pizza.. As soon as I use this exfoliator I immediately feel so much fresher, like a weight has been lifted. Plus my skin is always amazingly soft afterwards.


Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is possibly the greatest multitasking product of all time. Low fat butter replacement for cooking, super hydrating hair mask - works a treat on split ends - and an amazing natural moisturiser for skin. I bought an about massive tub of it from a health shop in York for like £8. I bought it in November, and it looks as if it's barely been opened. It lasts for ages: complete bargain! Instead of using a bog standard moisturiser overnight I use coconut oil. It's a really good lip balm too, so just rub it all over your face! It's really hydrating so great for making under eye bags less obvious. Everyone needs to try this as a beauty product, I don't know why I wasn't told about it earlier.

Heartbreak

The worst thing about heartbreak, undeniably, is slowly having your heart ripped in two - and watching a dear friend living with the same pain. The mind numbing pain that makes your days longer and getting out of bed seem worthless. It's difficult enough to deal with a broken heart, but knowing that sadly you can't actually say anything that'll make it any easier for your friend, sucks.

As a proud Yorkshire bird, I strongly believe that a decent brew will make everything better. Sadly, this does not apply to heartbreak. Alcohol doesn't help either, it actually only fuels the abuse you'll text to the man that broke your heart - while your girlfriends aren't looking, of course. I've had countless evenings presenting pictures of 'the other woman'; in an attempt to build my self esteem back up while my friends tear every little detail about her photos to shreds. All girl power ideology is left outside in the cold, vodka-less.

Everyone has their own advice for heartbreak, whether it be a bottomless pint glass, a new hair colour, some form of anger management (boxing, anyone?) or that classic "you have to get under someone to get over someone else". The worst advice, by far, is a torturous evening spent under the duvet watching 'P.S. I love you' and crying into your Ben and Jerry's. I know this from experience. About 2 weeks ago I decided it'd be a brilliant idea to watch said film, already feeling empty and numb. Bad idea - I did not shed a single tear. Becoming emotionally dead inside is not an ideal result of heartbreak.

The only possible upside is the lack of judgement. Your friends won't judge you if you start drinking at 11am, or if you crawl out of bed at 4pm; eat some cereal for dinner and then continue to spend your days asleep. It beats the waking hours wondering how you could've been so wrong about someone after spending several years together. 

Heartbreak can't be avoided. Everyone will one day be broken into a million pieces by another that they'd fallen so madly in love with, they couldn't see it coming. But thankfully a broken heart comes with life lessons (they might take you half a year or even 10 to realise) but one day you'll be grateful for them. The ultimate lesson learnt is to always be honest, with everyone. If you're honest, hopefully you won't be the cause of someone else's heartbreak someday.

The only advice I could possibly offer, as a broken girl myself, is to roll with the punches. This sounds ridiculous, I am aware, but the pain reminds me I'm alive. Do something you've always wanted to - easier said than done - focus on something else. Your heart won't heal instantly, but one day in the future that mind numbing, energy thieving pain will eventually wash over you, and you'll be much wiser for it. 

Low Fat Pizza

I am a certified pizza queen. Whenever I go out for food there has to be a pizza option. I have tried a pizza in pretty much every restaurant, my mum always says I’ll turn into one soon. As much as I love pizza, I can’t continue to eat it cause it’s pretty calorific. 

But then came along the answer - low fat pizza!

My mum got ‘The Hairy Dieters - Eat for Life’ recipe book for Christmas, and amazingly there was a low fat pizza recipe. The trick: use a tortilla wrap instead of a thick dough base. Result.

Of course I had my doubts, as a pizza base is one of the best parts. (Deep pan pizzas being the best, of course). But it’s actually really good, you can get your pizza fix in no time at all and for way less calories - 250 per pizza.

‘The Hairy Dieters’ five minute pizza recipe gets my stamp of approval! Enjoy!

You will need:

- 1 large flour tortilla wrap
- 3 tbsp passata with basil
- 20g low fat mozzarella cheese (you can always add more if you love a cheesy pizza)
- handful of rocket
- dash of olive oil
- black pepper
- optional toppings (ham, mushrooms, etc.)

Preheat the grill to its hottest setting, put the tortilla wrap onto a baking trap with greaseproof paper underneath the wrap. Spread the passata onto the wrap leaving about 2cm round the edges for a crust.

Sprinkle on the cheese, pepper, some oregano and your chosen toppings. Toss the rocket with the olive oil and put to one side.

Place the pizza under the grill until the cheese is bubbling all over and starting to go slightly golden. If you need to, turn the pizza round so that the edges don’t burn.

Once cooked put your pizza on a plate - you can maneuver it using a spatula as you don’t want to rip the tortilla! Top with the salad, then start eating.

Love, the pizza queen.