5 ways to overcome a tough day

Photo Credit: Jaydee Kelly (me)

What do you consider a hard day? How do you unwind?

These are the questions I ask myself when I have had an unsettling day. Whether that's at work, shopping or spending the day at home. A hard day can also just be suffering from mental health which happened to me quite a lot in the last couple of months. 

1. Step away from social media

Whether you're watching Snapchat stories, reading on Twitter/Facebook or scrolling endlessly on Instagram, put your phone down and step away from any aspect of social media. I recently found myself on social media after a hard day and all I did was tear myself apart, comparing my "crap" life to other people's and to be honest, it's just not worth it. Nobodies life is perfect and social media is a false representation of what people live like. So step back, put your phone or laptop away and find other ways to focus your mind. 

2. Listen to your favourite music 

A song that has really helped make a hard day more bearable is Move you by Kelly Clarkson as the lyrics are just... comforting. As sad as the song is when you're singing you just forget everything. This song has helped me recently through the transition of leaving a job which destroyed me as a person, took away the excitement from my life and just drained me mentally. My boyfriend introduced me to this song & now I am obsessed. Highly recommend it to anyone who is finding it difficult to unwind after a tough day.

3. Read a book 

The best books to read are the ones you can get lost in, those that leave you in awe. I am a HUGE Nicholas Sparks fan and his writing just makes me feel so happy especially dealing with a difficult day. One of my all-time favourites is "A walk to remember" - read it and you'll see why :) 

4. Take a very long shower/bath

Washing the stress you feel away is the best feeling in the world. Spend those extra 10 minutes washing your hair, or singing so badly your housemates/neighbours bang on the walls to shout "shut up" to you, give yourself a nice soak in the bath and throw as many bath bombs in as you can. Just have that time to bring yourself back to normality and relax. 

5. Write it all down 

If you have a journal, great... write in it. Or if you have a blog, then write it down. Personally, I put all my stresses into scriptwriting. I turn my "hard day" into a story and expand on it for the characters I have created. I explore my creative side and use it to my advantage to make myself feel better & to dramatise some plots for my scripts. It's definitely a good way to focus your mind creatively and to spend time doing something you love. 

Thanks for reading!

Find me here: 

Instagram: @jaydeekelly 

Twitter: @crashl0nelystar 

xo

Strawberry Shower Gel | The Body Shop Review

Photo credit: Jaydee Kelly (me)

The Body Shop is one of my favourite shops, ever. Recently I was in here with my boyfriends mum when we saw the Strawberry shower gel. The best products for me personally, is the strawberry range, it smells so nice & well, who doesn't want to smell like a juicy strawberry? 

I have never used this product before, hence the title... so let's get reviewing. Although, reviewing things isn't my strongest point, oh well, here goes. 

Anything fruity, chocolatey or something that just signifies freshness is what has my vote. I'm easy to buy for when it comes to shower/bath toiletries, most of the time. Usually, I just use what I'm used to which is Soap and Glory but it's nice to branch out your comfort zone here and there to find what works for your skin type. Pushing the scent to the side, what's in the products is also a high factor as having skin that is more temperamental than you on a monthly period, is hard to keep up with occasionally. I wish that was a joke but unfortunately, it's the truth. I make sure the ingredients are suitable for my skin as it's important to know whats flowing over your body... or is it just me? ha, anyways. It is weird, yes, BUT if it's going to help nourish and aid your skin helping it look great then why not check on these types of things? :) Soap-free products, like this shower gel, are like heaven for my skin. Keeping it as PG as I can without sounding like a creep, if my skin could you know, scream with pure joy... it would! hahaha.

A few questions to answer: 

Is it tested on animals? 
No. I know most products for different brands are, which is sad really and these days its unavoidable to get products without them being tested in that manner, but the body shop are strict on what they test their products on, which makes my love for them a lot stronger. Visit TheBodyshop.com to read their "Against animal testing" campaign page :)

Does it aid your skin?
Yes. Well, it does with mine... it has, in fact, helped my skin stay clear and soft every time I use it, accompanied by my moisturiser (any moisturiser is ideal). It cleanses the skin leaving it feeling so so soft! I like how it's soap-free as soap does irritate my skin if used too much, I found this out the hard way and have never looked back since!

Would I recommend this product?
Of course. I would recommend anyone looking for a skincare product to go to The Body Shop. They have a range of products that are good for all different skin types. I have dry skin & eczema so it's hard to find a good product which I am not used to that will aid my skin, but since using this product there have been fewer irritations.

Is this post sponsored?
I wish... but no it's not :)

Since using this shower gel, I have noticed a HUGE difference in my skin. It's been a lot more manageable and the bumps I had on my arms are more or less fading. It's helped my eczema as well, which I am so pleased about as most products help it then all hell breaks loose, but this time around that problem hasn't occurred just yet *touch wood*. I'd like to try a few more scented body butter/gels from The Body Shop in the near future. If you have any to recommend feel free to leave me a comment below :)

Thanks for reading!

Find me here: 

Instagram: @jaydeekelly 

Twitter: @crashl0nelystar 

xo

OOTD | November 2016

* This post is not an AD, all opinions are my own. All photo's are my own unless stated otherwise *

So I have a lot of outstanding posts to upload from November, so thought I'd start with this! As I've been ill all week and only had the chance to post now. 

I'm not really one to focus on my outfit but on 21st November, I was meeting a friend for some drinks and this outfit has been my go-to recently. It's nothing special but it is really comfy and trendy for the winter months! 

Jumper: From boohoo.com - Maria Soft Knit Jumper Dress £20. I've had this jumper since the beginning of the year, and it has been my go to recently with it being baggy on me and really cold outdoors. I chose the black one because it just compliments my figure a lot better which I like and it's super soft! It's still in stock so I'll definitely have to buy some more soon!!

Jeans: From Primark.com - Mid Blue Power Stretch Skinny Jeans £13. I'm so fussy when it comes to jeans so finding these saved me, literally. I got mine in a size 12 and they are so so big on me! I definitely think I need a smaller size, but I like them being a bit baggy around my waist, as weird as that sounds, as having a tight fit would strain my stomach area. A nice colour that goes with anything too!!

Phone case: From Amazon.co.uk - I've actually mentioned this in a favourites from 2015 and I've had it on my phone ever since! It has protected my phone from my mood swings (not even joking) and survived the most deadly of drops. If you're looking for a sturdy phone case, give this company a try!!

That's it for my OOTD, if you have any outfit recommendations then feel free to leave them in the comments! Love, Jaydee xo

What's in my November Birchbox? | 2016

* This post is not an AD, all opinions are my own. All photos are my own unless stated otherwise *

This month's Birchbox was actually a lot more different than last months. I've seen a lot of people complain recently about how they were disappointed that they weren't getting enough in their box or wasn't adapting to their products. I personally thought this box was pretty awesome, yes, there weren't many products but you still get your monies worth. After all, it's not about how much you get, it's about what you get and if you like it... right?

The first product I tried was the Nuxe crème Prodigieuse (RRP £21*)
After a sleepless night, I reached for this. It refreshes your complexion to boost the skin's antioxidant levels, restores hydration and boosts tired skin. Just by applying it to your face and neck in circular motions, you begin to feel more alert and awake, which at 6am in the morning is great! The only downside for me was the scent of it, it became a bit too strong at one point and gave me a headache. I think I may have used too much but it is an amazing product to use!

When it comes to looking after your hair, it can be stressful. A few days ago I washed my hair after feeling crappy that day and reached for the Beauty Protector - Protect and Detangle (RRP £18.50*) 
My hair is like mermaid hair on a good day, but it becomes greasy and dry so quickly, which I hate. The bottle smells so frickin' good it's unreal. I just sit there on my bed occasionally and smell it, is that weird...? ha. After washing my hair, I sprayed this in my hair. As it's a leave in conditioner, I was a bit scared. BUT, it has kept my hair from getting greasy, dry and icky. In fact, it has made my hair more vibrant and smell fantastic. As a first impression, I absolutely love this product. It has made my hair so much healthier. I would definitely recommend this to everyone especially those who have dry hair, it is a miracle worker! Thumbs up to Birchbox :) 

Hairbrushes can be hard to find, especially ones suited for your hair type. Wet Brush (RRP £11.99*) leaves your hair looking elegant, that's for sure. 
Start by brushing your hair from the bottom and work your way up to the top on wet or dry hair, it will make it so nice and soft. I was apprehensive about trying this as my hair falls out all the time whenever I brush it. It even did so when I used this but it hurt less. 

One thing I despise about winter is when my lips get split and chapped. I used the Lip Tar (RRP £15*) 
Which is a primer for your lips. Cruelty-free also, which is a bonus. However, I haven't reached for this as often as I have with my vaseline as I forgot. When I did use it, it felt great sending my lips so soft. It has actually nourished my lips so much that they aren't that rough compared to last week. I would definitely recommend this lip product if you're looking for something cruelty-free and a product that actually works for dry lips, use this! you won't look back. 

Last but not least, Marcelle Golden Glow Illuminator (RRP £25.50*)
I've never used an illuminator before so this was a total risk. After applying it, I noticed a difference straight away. You can wear it on its own or with a foundation. I decided to apply a foundation over it and immediately I saw the glow it gave my skin underneath. I would definitely be purchasing this again, but the bigger version... it's left my skin feeling clear and less rough. I couldn't be more pleased. If you want to try it out then, by all means, do. It is a great cover up especially with tiredness underneath the eyes. 

My favourite product out of the box has to be the Beauty Protector leave in conditioner. It has catered my hair nicely and I can't wait to buy the bigger bottle and use it in my everyday routines. 

Thanks for reading, see you soon :) 

Love Jaydee xo 

5 ways to improve your life | 2016

Firstly I am no expert nor am I portraying myself to be one, but throughout October I struggled with a lot of things within myself, mentally, physically, financially etc. & It was a draining month hence why I've objected to doing an October Favourites post, as I wasn't loving very much.
If you're open to change then continue reading as this is what worked for me, it may not work for everyone but I'm hopeful that it could impact someone's life at least.

1) Look after yourself 
It's very important to look after yourself, starting with you. Paint your nails, dye your hair or spend 3 hours in the bath until you look like a shrivelled prune lol, either way, do something that makes you feel good. I sometimes do my makeup different or position my hair a different way to boost my confidence if I'm having a bad day. Go running or walking for 2 hours a day to clear your mind, create a playlist on your phone of all the best songs you listen to and just lose yourself in it. Eat the correct foods that your body requires but also have a little cheat day to balance it out. I'm not food god, but it's what keeps your body going. Put yourself first and look after YOU. 

2) Cut toxic people out of your life
Why am I saying that? Because negativity is a strong and powerful drainer which consumes 99.9% of your energy and quite frankly it's horrible. Having people who are negative and toxic in your life changes the way you look at things and how you choose to live your life. Having a more positive mindset will help you achieve more goals and targets that you set yourself, rather than pushing good things away with a negative approach. Toxic people target the most vulnerable people and take advantage of them being in a low mindset, so making sure you're clear of them types of people is what will make your life more happy and free. 

3) Do what makes you happy 
Stop trying to please everybody, because you're not here for them. Ever heard of the saying, "You're here for a reason, find your own path" ? well, do exactly that and you can't go wrong. Find something that makes you happy, like blogging, exercising, dancing etc. Anything that makes you feel some sort of release and brings a smile to your face. You only have one life, so live it the way YOU want and make fantastic memories. 

4) Be a kind person
Whether it's helping a little old lady over the road or donating spare money to charity. Do something nice for someone else by being a kind person. This world lacks kind hearted people as there is so much hate surrounding it at the moment. So when you wake up be positive within yourself and make someone else smile that day. Even if you say good morning, it will make their entire day. OR better yet, be kind to yourself. Treat yourself to something you've wanted for a long time, take yourself for a lovely chilled out run/walk or surround yourself with good friends and family. It helps, trust me. :) 

5) Love who you are 
Before anyone else can love you, you need to learn to love yourself. Accept your flaws, your imperfections and embrace them. They don't make you a bad person, they make you unique. Loving who you are is NOT vain, it's appreciating that you're happy with yourself and comfortable in being who you are, especially when around other people. Love your personality, body, mind and creativeness because one day you'll look back and wonder why you didn't. 

I hope this helps at least one person. It is a long process but absolutely worth it. These points have helped me take a step back from my life and remember the importance of it. Even if you include at least one into your life, it will make a great difference :)

Love Jaydee xo