October Favourites: Finding a Balance

Anyone that is a blogger will understand that running a blog can take up a lot of time – is it worth it? – of course. However if you’re not a full time blogger like myself, it can be difficult to fit a blog into the chaos which we call life. As with everything in life it’s so important to find a balance. The last few months have been crazy for me. I’m working at a PR agency which I LOVE but it’s longer hours and a longer commute which has meant less time blogging. But today I Nicole Louis, solemnly swear to post more frequently and find a balance! I turned 23 at the end of September and my October Favourites illustrate my sheer panic to prevent ageing, my attempts to buy beauty products on a budget, and the need to engage in sensible books. In other words, my October Favourites each help me to find a balance and embrace the chaos of life!

Maybeline – Baby Skin Primer

Primers are one of the beauty products which are quite pricey…think Benefit Porefessional, or Smashbox Photo Finish Primer, both around £20. They get us hooked and they drain our bank account and all because we long for that silky smooth feeling. However as the popularity of primers have grown in the last year or so, this Maybeline Baby Skin Pore Eraser has been a life saver (not exaggerating) at £7.99. It’s the ultimate cheap and cheerful alternative!

Dirty Works – The Ultimate Detox Mud Mask

As of late my skin has been suffering with a bad case of late nights, junk food and an absence of any deep cleansing ritual! I came across this Dirty Works face mask in Sainsbury’s of all places! It’s a pretty sweet bargain at £5 and you don’t need to use much of it for results. I only ever buy clay masks because I’ve tried a few and I think they’re the best. PLUS they go hard and you have to really try not to laugh and crack it – cause everyone knows that face masks are actually more hilarious than relaxing. ANYWAY this contains green clay and Kaolin (a white clay) with blueberry and willow bark which clears the skin and draws out impurities. TOP TIP – for best results don’t look at funny memes whilst wearing the face mask…

Dirty Works – Banish the Bags Eye Cream

I’ve been using an eye cream for a couple of years now and I believe it’s really important – mainly because I don’t sleep an awful lot. The skin around your eye is different to the rest of your face so you can’t just slap on your usual face cream there. When browsing the shops, eye creams can be £20 and upwards which isn’t an option on a budget, or if you’re young and just annoyed that you’re having to prevent ageing already…This Dirty Works eye cream was also £5 and does the trick. It contains tightening peptides which improve circulation and light reflectors to help brighten dark circles. It’s an absolute saviour after a sleepless night!

Nivea – Essential Care Lip Balm

I’m usually distracted by the jazzy lip balms in exotic flavours that smell great but that you end up just eating... This Nivea lip balm however is fairly basic, no scent, no fancy colours but it’s oh so dreamyyy. Jojoba oil and shea butter are what makes it so luxurious. I’m about to stop typing in a sec to go and fish it out from my bag cause it’s actually bliss! Sometimes all you really need are the basics!

Aliza Licht – Leave Your Mark

This book is just fab – I’ve been reading it on my commute and it’s very insightful for anyone working in Media/PR/Fashion, or anyone just starting out in their career.

Aliza Licht is the PR girl for DKNY and she’s written about her career while also giving lots of amazing advice for people just starting out. I don’t work in the fashion industry, but everything she discusses about her career is relevant, and will be to most people at the bottom of the career ladder. What’s brilliant is that she tells you how to conduct yourself in particular circumstances, and how to deal with office politics. There is a chapter on being savvy at social media which is applicable for a lot of people today working within the media sector. Let’s face it, even if you don’t work in that sector everyone pretty much wants to rock social media!

You can follow Aliza’s Twitter on @AlizaLicht and find out more about her!