Suicide Prevention Day.

 Hellooo!

This blog post I have typed about a gazillion times... each time re-wording things or changing it. This is because there is no real way to start talking about this. I guess I just have to go into it. I’m no professional and all of what I’ve included are my own opinions but, all I want to do is help.

Mental Health and Mental Illnesses are both very close to my heart. My best friend has a mental illness, which tears me apart. There is not a day that goes past when I don't think about her. She seemed always so happy to me but I guess she just wasn't enjoying her life. I don't want to talk about this too much because not only is this breaking my heart... but also it’s her story not mine.      

There are many forms of mental illnesses but the most common is depression closely followed by Anxiety and panic attacks. I’m going to focus on Depression. Depression for some people however is just the beginning. Depression can lead to many more things... like suicide.

I am going to talk about suicide because today is world suicide prevention day.

Suicide doesn't seem real to anyone until it comes and hits them. They may lose someone they know, or someone close to them may attempt it. Suicide doesn't hit us all until it’s put into statistics... so I did just that. 

Over 800,000 people die by suicide every year.

There is one death by suicide every 40 seconds.

Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death in the world for people aged 15-44years old.

This just shows you how much people are affected. Some people just need assistance, reassurance that someone is there for them. It is brave to speak out… seeking help shows your courage. If you are feeling suicidal you can call the numbers below:

UK: 08457909090

USA (Trevor project): 866-488-7386

Or in effect you want to learn more about different illnesses you can go to the Mind website or Trevor Project.

If you know someone who is having a tough time or you are worried, just channel your thoughts and think positive. The more you think positively about something the more likely it is to happen. Whereas if you are very negative towards something then it is less likely to happen. Therefore you need to believe in those with a mental illness and never give up. Your positivity and belief in them may be the nudge they need. Knowing that someone is still there for them after what may have been a long time can help. I like to think of this in terms of the something being a person. Meaning... don't give up on someone with mental health. One day just one day they may come back and be fighting. Better than ever. This is my one hope.

Never give up on something that you can’t go a day without thinking about...This was said by Winston Churchill. I’m not giving up on my best friend. No matter what happens I’m always here for her, I’ll always believe in her... that's what you need to do. Love everyone around you... even yourself. If it’s the hardest thing you do today I will be proud. For many people getting out of bed is a struggle. If you did that today I am proud of you. Everywhere around the world people struggle every day to do such simple tasks that I may take for granted. I believe in all of you.

Don't give up on your loved ones.

 

If you want to just have a chat, you can click the contact me above and email me or drop me a message on twitter.

 

Lots of love x

 

<3

 

The City Girls UK Blogging Event!*

The City Girls UK is a blogging event that was created by Holly and Lorna, both whom are beauty bloggers. They created the event to connect bloggers with brands, bloggers with bloggers all while raising money for a certain charity. The events so far have been held in Sheffield, Leeds and soon Manchester! I live no-where near any of these events because I live near London, in Surrey! So when I was scrolling through Holly's blog one afternoon and saw she was hosting a giveaway to win a goody bag from the event. Seeing as I was dying to go to the events I entered... Well I guess I won!! I thought then I would share with you all what I thought of the products I had received!

 

The first item that I pulled out of the box was the Raspberry scented Balmi. I have never tried a Balmi before however since trying it; I think it is the “British” version of the E.O.S lip balms. I found that the balm itself was very moisturizing with a thick consistency, as well as the raspberry smell being absolutely divine. One of my favourite things about lip balm is the packaging. This is weird I know (Matches me!!) but it is such a dinky little square I think it is adorable! One bonus thing is that it has a handy clip on it, meaning it can never get lost in your bag! Mine is now attached to my student lanyard! You can buy a Balmi Here.

 

The second item in the box was two Packets of Urban Fruit. Urban Fruit is dried food in snack sized bags! I love dried fruit but find that sometimes the prices are quite high, just because it is dried. However these not only taste amazing but are also quite cheap! When trying the fruit I shared the bags with my friend Georgia who said that the mango was her favourite because it wasn’t excessively dry like some normal dried mango. We both loved trying the dried strawberries because it was something we’d never tried before but will defiantly be trying again! You can get them in your supermarket like here!

 

Next was an adorable card as well as a postcard. These have the most adorable little animals on them. These can be bought from the Plewsy website at such a reasonable price! The lets party card I sent to my best friend for her birthday and she loved it! I secretly wanted to put the card on my wall because the fox is super cute but I resisted!

I loved the caption inside the box: Directions:
'Pout out lous and apply a thin layer evenly over lips for dewy, shimmering lips!'

Next is a Dusty Girls Lip-gloss. The lip-gloss is in the shade “Pacific Ocean shimmer”. I am in love with the name of this product because its talking about how when the sun hits the sea it glistens… just like the gloss#1 I was quite glad that I received a clear gloss because I love to wear it over lipstick to add  a shinier effect. The gloss isn’t sticky and is quite long lasting. The gloss is made by `Moo Goo’ and can be bought here!

 

 

Moreover there was also a collection of Derma V10creams. The four that I received were: Coconut Body Butter, Rejuvenating NightCream, Multi Radiance Cream and Hand and nail cream. The Body butter smells exactly like a Cadbury bounty, one of my favourite chocolate bars. I have been using this moisturiser since I returned from my holiday in Barcelona and it has done a better job than after-sun preventing me from peeling! The Hand and nail cream has worked amazing wonders in strengthening my nails while helping them grow. I have a bad habit of biting my nails, yet the stronger and longer they are the less I bite them, so this is helping! The cream also doesn’t leave your hands feeling greasy or sticky. The moistening face cream has made my skin feel healthier and look more radiant. I believe this is because of the pomegranate extract that is inside. Finally the night cream is a slightly thicker consistency to the other creams, however is helping with my spotty teenage skin. The smell of the cream reminds me of my grandma (in a good way) it has a natural yet floral smell, I can’t quite pin point the exact smell but it is so nice!

 

Next was something I have used before and it was a 7^th Heaven face mask in Pineapple peel-off. The face masks are made for all skin types, to help remove dead cells and black heads. I like the fact the mask is like a cream but as it starts to dry it transforms into one mask over your face. You leave it on for 20-25 minutes then peel-off! I love these masks and can always notice a difference in my skin when I use them! You can get one here!

 

Now you may be like me and have always used disposable razors for shaving my legs, which you throw away after multiple uses. Well after years of hacking my legs to bits I’ve finally been converted! I have now got a ‘proper’ razor to do my legs! Now I advise you take the change, because I seriously notice a difference. My legs are a lot smoother and I’m not always cutting them! Also it works out a lot cheaper in the long run because you replace the head a lot less than getting a new disposable razor! Get one here!

 

The Sugru was something that completely baffled me. It looks just like playdo yet sets like gorilla glue! You simply mould it around something then 24 hours later it is set yet flexible! Now if you have an iPhone you will understand this next bit… I’m on my 100^th apple charger by now for my iPhone 5s, so I wrapped the Sugru around the top near the head of the charger to stop myself from bending it as much, and it has really helped! My iPhone charger looks brand new still, just with a red touch!! You can get some Sugru here in all sorts of colours!

 

One thing I love to do at weekends or as soon as I have time off school is paint my nails. This is why I loved the next product. It was an Angelica nail colour. The colour is like a fire engine red in my eyes. I love this colour as we are leading up to Christmas, so I can’t wait to paint my nails! I also love the fact that once coat is enough. The Nail varnish also doesn’t chip easily so it lasts a long time! You can check out their website here!

 

Next is a candle from Twig + Dot. The candle is in the scent Marshmallow, Vanilla and cream. It smells like the inside of a smore. It is quite a strong scent, yet is not over powering. I have been burning this in the evenings for an hour or so while reading a book and drinking tea. It manages to keep a room smelling even once it has burnt out! You can check out the website here!

The next item that I pulled out is something that I rely on everyday... TEA! I am a big tea drinker whether it is green tea, peppermint tea or just ordinary tea I will drink it! Now I have always been a PG tips kind of girl but once again I’ve been challenged and now I much prefer the Yorkshire Gold! In these boxes you get 10 tea bags which lasts me a week! The taste is so pure and just makes a good relaxing cup of tea!! You can buy the Yorkshire tea from here.

My hair is naturally curly so brushing it is not an option…until it is straight. I often straighten my hair in the mornings for school however it results in me carrying a hair brush around all day which gets heavy mixed in with all my textbooks! So this mini Tangle Angel is a life savour. You can brush through your hair and it just leaves it feeling so silky and soft! The brush is also so dinky that it weighs next to nothing so I don’t mind carrying it around! You can visit the website here!

As well as all of the above I also received three samples from Manuka Doctor. These are skincare products which all include Bee Venom and Honey. One is a skin treatment to improve blemishes in 3 weeks! The next is a wrinkle reducer, which claims to fill them in! The final one is a rejuvenating face mask which helps with the skins elasticity. I haven’t tried any of these yet, but having read reviews of the product I can tell you that they clearly work. I will do a further blog post in the future so watch this space! Buy them here!

 

One of my favourite snacks is olives. Never before have I had Basil and Garlic, but they tasted divine! Yes the next day I woke up with garlic breath, but it was all worth it! I couldn't believe this bag was full, yet only 50 calories! Get yourself some here!

 

 

The final item was a Colouring book. I received the ‘The Can’t Sleep Colouring Book’! I have enjoyed having to use my creativity to create colour combinations while colouring in the intricate designs. It has helped me put aside my thoughts of exams and the stress, giving me time to relax in the evenings. If you are taking exams this year I advise you get one as just calm down in the evenings before sleeping! Buy one here.

 

I also received the tote bag in the background of all these picture and a lot of Leaflets from different brands some including discount codes which are listed below!

Scribbler 20% off (valid until 11/11/2015) use: CITYGIRL2O

Beauty Crowd 10% off (Valid until 1/11/15) use: WELCOME15

Stress Free Prints! 15% off use: MAKEANIMPRESSION15

I would just like to say a massive thank you to Holly and Lorna for not only sending me a box of goodies, but also for creating such amazing events that I have seen a lot of different blog posts or photos on from social media! You can find out more about the city girls below!

Twitter: @thecitygirlsuk

Instagram: @thecitygirlsuk

<3

 

 

The Dairy Promise.

Equality. I believe that everybody should be treated fairly and given the respect that they deserve. I’m helping towards this by taking the dairy promise. Now to you this may seem a little confusing as to why I’m writing about this and not my normal lifestyle or beauty post well let me explain what The Dairy Promise is.
 

 There are many challenges facing the dairy industry at the moment, one major issue being that farmers are not getting the right value in return for the dairy produce they provide us. By signing the Dairy Promise you are agreeing that you take responsibility that you care that your food is safe to consume. You care that the food has been produced responsibly. You care that these farmers are treated as equal not only in the work place but also to you and I.
 

I care that these farmers are treated equally because they deserve this for all their hard work. Without them collecting the produce from the cows we would have no milk, no butter; no cream even no ice-cream and no-one can live without ice-cream!
 

The next time you are sat eating your breakfast or making a cup of tea, check your milk carton and see if you can find the red tractor logo. This logo shows that the milk is safe and that the farmers are paid a decent price for their quality produce.

 

 

 I've taken the #DairyPromise now why don't you? Over 2,500 people have already taken the pledge...Now it's your turn!  You have until the 14th September!

 

Not only are you helping the Dairy Farmers but also you will be entered into a draw to win a fantastic overnight farm stay at a dairy farm for you and three friends/family!
 

You can pledge to follow the #DairyPromise by clicking this link and entering your email:

 

 

http://www.thisisdairyfarming.com/get-involved/its-in-our-hands/
 

For more information about the #DairyPromise Click Here!

<3

Opal Plumstead by Jaqueline Wilson review*

Hellooo! 

For some reason now, I've gotten into the habit of reading a lot more, resulting in a lot of finished books that I have loved and want to tell so many people about... this means that I am getting into writing many more book reviews. Due to my un-denying love for reading I'm going to aim to do a review once a month!  
 

The book that I am writing about for august is called Opal Plumstead by Jaqueline Wilson, one of my childhood heroes. When I was growing up I started reading Jaqueline’s simple books such as 'The Worry Website' and 'The mum minder'  which if you are of a younger age I would recommended reading because they are so easy to get you into reading. Then as I got older I started reading books such as 'Sapphire Battersea' and 'Cookie'. I have pretty much every book from Jaqueline Wilson. However one book I had never read was 'Opal Plumstead'.
 

Having always loved Jaqueline Wilson due to her being the person to create my undesiring love for reading, I couldn't believe I haven't read this book. After researching the book I found that it is classes in the 10+ genre. However after reading the book myself I believe that anyone could read this book in the way that it focuses on feminism and the suffragettes, what I would class as a subject for older children to learn about. The book educates you about Mrs Pankhurst and the journey that these suffragettes have to go on to make their points heard. I found the book very inspirational in the way that it makes me want to stand up and say what I believe in more often instead of hiding away.
 

The book however doesn't start of like this. It starts of showing Opal and her family living in poverty you could say. They have a rundown house, hardly able to eat enough food every day. Opals mother doesn't work however her father is a writer. He writes books, yet none have ever been published. Until now... The father comes home saying his book needs a few changes then it will become published. His family knowing that this means a big pay out, start buying things thinking that they can soon pay it all off with the new money. Opal's sister buys new dresses however Opal doesn't care how she looks, she cares more about painting. This is why she goes and buys a new set of paints against her mother’s wishes.

 

 

Opals mother feels as though she has failed in bringing up Opal up because she doesn't care about how she looks. This is because of the image her sister created. Opal's mother favourites her sister because she is the 'perfect image' as I would call it in society. She is a skinny tall girl with beautiful hair.
 

When the police come knocking at the door... the family have their world turned around. Opals father had been stealing money from the company he works for, due to the book not being published, resulting in not wanting to let his family down. This results in two big changes in Opals life. She loses her father as well as her best friend. This is because the girl, Olivia’s family believe this was completely wrong so they are banned from seeing each other.
 

Opal and her family are distraught, now living off no money trying to scrape by. To try and survive this tough time Opals mother pulls opal out of her scholarship at school into a working job. This didn’t start of very well. Opal faced many issues that teens do in society today. She was bullied by fellow workers because she was young and from another town. However when called in to the bosses office (Mrs. Roberts) Opals world is turned around. Not only is she moved into the design room, Opal also gets a leaflet to a suffragette meeting. This is Opal’s ultimate dream, finally applying her skills of art in some way.
 

Opal attended many a meetings then often returning home to Mrs. Roberts for tea. This is where she meets Morgan. Opal and Morgan become very close, until his mother intervenes not liking them together. Due to Opal becoming upset of a silly thing she speaks out at a meeting finally with her own opinion. However this is the wrong thing to do. Not only is she banned from seeing Morgan but also attending meetings. At this stage in the book I felt proud of Opal even though she thought she’d done the wrong thing, I never have the courage to stand up in front of people and say... “You know what I disagree I think this and that”.  Later into the book Opal goes on secret dates with Morgan... until the war breaks out. I’m not going to spoil the ending but I will leave you with this... I cried.
 

I loved this book. I'm quite different from Opal, but through the book I could really relate to her. I loved that sometimes Opal was wrong, or that she often changed her mind on tings because this shows how we aren't all perfect in this world. There was also a family like that chopped and changed. As did some of the relationships with friends/acquaintances'. I like that the book shows everyone isn't living a perfect life and behind closed doors, who knows what is going on in peoples lives.
 

You can buy the book here!

 

 

<3