Blogmas 11: Police Brutality

*Disclaimer - I am a white person living in England, and as such my voice and opinions on this do not matter as much as a black person (particularly living in America). I have not been negatively affected by racism, and thus can never understand how people of colour must be feeling. There are many black voices on the internet speaking about this (I link one video which has a collection of eloquent young black women speaking at the bottom of this page) and I urge you to find them and listen*

If you spend any time on the internet, you won't have been able to escape the things that have been going on in America over the past year.

Police brutality and the thuggification of black men has been going on for centuries, but after the murder of Mike Brown (an unarmed eighteen year old who was shot 6 times by police officer Darren Wilson whilst he had his hands in the air and running away), and more recently the murder of Eric Garner (a man who was stopped by the police for selling cigarettes and was put in an illegal chokehold - he died from a heart attack as a result of asphyxiation) the general public are taking notice.

This isn't even mentioning the shooting of Tamir Rice, a twelve year old boy who was shot for holding a BB gun in Ohio - which is an open carry state.

Or the shooting of seventeen year old Trayvon Martin in 2012.

There are some people who will claim that the police were just doing their job, and things got a little out of hand, and that these crimes are not racially motivated.

I would disagree.

In all of these cases the mainstream media have fed us information as to why these men and children were killed. We are told that Mike Brown robbed a store (the store owner denies this) and then physically assaulted Darren Wilson (I couldn't see the bruising on his face from where he was punched twice so hard that he thought a third punch would kill him as he so claims). We are told that his stepfather is a criminal, as if that makes it okay for him to be murdered. Mike Brown has been turned into a thug by the mainstream media, despite the fact that all of his friends and family have described him as a gentle giant, a kind sweet boy. (Interestingly, Darren Wilson's mother has also been criminally charged, but that is a fact glossed over by the media). It was decided at the end of last month that there was not enough evidence to put him to trial (despite numerous eyewitness statements and some seriously suspicious excuses for various police staff not following procedure) and the prosecutor directly benefited from a fund set up to support Darren Wilson (the man he was supposed to be proving was guilty).

In the case of Eric Garner, once again the police officer involved wasn't even put to trial. This is despite the fact that when a police officer performed the same chokehold on a white student he was fired the next day.

There is no doubt that these crimes were racially motivated. Why else would a twelve year old boy get shot in state where it is legal to carry guns than for the colour of his skin?

I also think we cannot ignore the lynching of Lennon Lacy - a promising young student who was a day away from starting his college football career

And the fact that black Americans are being incarcerated at the same rate of black South Africans during apartheid.

So what can we do about this?

The first thing to do is to speak up, to protest, and to make our voices heard. As a white person, I have to be careful with this. I can be disgusted by what's happening, and speak up about it - use my white privilege to try and get this cause heard. But, I cannot speak for black people. I cannot speak for the communities involved in this. I have no idea about the pain of institutionalised racism.

The best thing white people can do is educate themselves. Go on Tumblr, look through social media, take everything the mainstream media says with a pinch (or handful) of salt. And know when to shut up, stand down, and listen to those who know more than us. It's #blacklivesmatter and #theycantbreathe (not #icantbreathe - that is reserved for people of colour).

I hope I've made myself clear on this. I've been quite vocal about this on tumblr, but it felt wrong not to talk about it on here too, and I'm sorry it has taken me so long to write a post about it (admittedly it is part of my white privilege that I am able to 'ignore' the events and not talk about them for so long). Thank you for reading.

As I promised, if you want to hear black voices on the matter, there is a great video. I urge you to watch it.

Blogmas 10: #LibraryLooks

This the what I wore when I went to work in the library on Sunday. It had been miserable all morning, but it brightened up after lunch so I put some face on and cycled onto campus.

Face -  B. Illuminating Primer, B. Under-eye Concealer in Light/Medium, ELF Pressed Powder in Sand  (all over face). Buff (Contour), M&M Limited Collection Blush in Cinnamon
Brows - B. Eyebrow Kit in Brown,
Lips - Barry M Lip Liner Pencil in 119 Mullberry, Hema Longer Lasting Lipstick in 06
Eyes - Avon Nocturnal Pallet [no shade listed] (all over lid),  ELF Liquid Eyeliner in Black, ELF Waterproof Volumizing and Lengthening Mascara in Black

This is about as natural as my eye make-up gets. I really like this nude shadow from Avon, it is only slightly darker than my skin tone so it looks very natural. Avon is not cruelty free though, so I won't be re-purchasing when I hit pad. I had to wear my red lips - loving the red lipped look this season!

Shirt - BooHoo.Com

 I was a bit skeptical when I got this shirt through, but today I've tucked it into a full length black skirt (from Miss Selfridge last year, sorry I didn't get a picture of it my my room isn't wide enough to get a full length shot from this angle. Because it was past midday and sunny, I decided to take pictures standing under my window rather than standing against my wardrobe). As you can see, this is my 'TS: 1989' pose!

Glasses - Asos
Scarf - H&M (similar here)
Jacket - TopShop

I fell in love with these sunglasses when I saw Estee wear them in a video. I decided to throw on a scarf because it looked a bit chilly out, and I paired it with my biker jacket that I got in last years January sales from TopShop.

So that was my Sunday #LibraryLook. What's yours? Tweet me @VickiMaitland or leave a comment below!

#reviewsdaytuesday: I Love My Kanken

A couple of weeks or so ago, as you may have seen on my twitter, I took the plunge and bought myself a Kanken. For those of you who don’t know, a Kanken is a rucksack made by Swedish brand Fjallraven and it was originally developed to help the backs of schoolchildren. I have suffered from back problems ever since highschool when I had to carry around up to five exercise books, a P.E kit, my lunchbox, my water, pencil case and any additional textbooks my classes might need every single day. Now at university some of the books I have to lug to and from campus are massive, and more often than not I want to take my laptop onto campus too.

My old River Island rucksack has seen me through the last two years relatively successfully, but it is starting to look more than a little disheleved and, as the ties are pulling away from the fabric, I really wouldn’t trust it with my laptop anymore. No to mention that the style of the bag (it sits really low on my back) means that it wasn’t really helping my back problems at all.

I had heard so much hype around the Kanken, but I was really wary of spending so much money on a bag. I spoke to a friend who has the Kanken Classic and she told me it was definitely worth getting. She also confirmed for me that I was going to have to splash out a little extra and get the laptop specific bags, as her biggest problem with the bag is that her laptop doesn’t quite fit in.

So, eventually, I went for it. The bag I got – the 15” KankenLaptop – retails at £85, but luckily for me I timed it right and managed to get 20% off. Ultimately the bag set me back £68, which is more than twice the price of any bag I have ever bought before. However, I can happily say this has been money very well spent.

The bag is made more really durable, waterproof material. The straps feel really solidly attached to the body of the bag and there is a decent amount of padding on the shoulder. It has two water bottle pouches on either side, a front pocket with a zip for little bits and pieces, as well a pouch inside for A4 paper. The rear compartment for the laptop is padded and reinforced at the corners, so I’ve got no worries about it carrying my laptop safely. The label on the front is reflective too – which my mum loves!

I think my only criticism is that there isn’t a smaller pouch inside the bag for my phone. I don’t know how safe it would be to keep in the outside pocket.

Other than that it is perfect. I went for the Forest Green colour – which is a really deep grey-green. I really wanted a dark grey bag, but the only grey option they had was far too light for me, so this colour was the perfect compromise, and I’m really pleased with it. It sits really nicely – and quite high – on my back, so it’s really comfortable to wear. I always used to think my laptop was really heavy, but carrying it in the right place on my back has made me realise that it really isn’t.

In short I can proudly proclaim that I LOVE MY KANKEN! I would really recommend it for anyone who has to carry large amounts on a regular basis, and even though it is a little bit pricey I would even suggest parents buying it for their children to stop them from having the back problems I (and most of my friends) developed over our school careers.

Just as a little disclaimer, this isn't a sponsored post (none of the posts on my blog are), so I don't get anything by linking to the site and recommending it to you guys. I just really love this rucksack.

Blogmas 8: University #12: Dissertation?

I realised that I haven't uploaded a #University post in a while - mostly because I've been so busy with it! - so I thought I'd rectify that today.

Dissertations are a huge part of most university degrees - particularly in Humanities but other subjects have extended research projects which fulfill the same criteria. Also, as far as I'm aware, most degrees allow to you to pick whether or not you want to do a dissertation. It can be a pretty intimidating decision to make. When I was deciding whether or not I should do a dissertation, a huge part of it was the money - will I be paying £9,000 for a essentially a glorified library pass and three hours of contact time?

Now, 12/16 weeks into the dissertation, I am pretty confident to say that I made the right decision in choosing to do one.

My dissertation has taught me so so much about the way I work, as well as my creative style as a writer. I am very much one of those people who can 'bang out' words, and I find it very easy to hit word counts for my essays etc. However, all of my work is in the editing process. Over the course of my dissertation I have written well over 10,000 words of content - 2/3rds of extra material is sitting on my hard drive (my story is meant to be 6,000 words). I am currently at the 6,100 mark, which I am more than happy with, and I still need to do a little more editing so that number should fluctuate (and hopefully drop) a little more.

As a writer I have learnt that I have a very minimalist, distant style and I find it hard to get into the minds of my characters - I prefer to show their actions than tell their thoughts. I also work best when I focus on 'action' scenes. My story is a series of vignettes (short scenes which don't follow a traditional story arc), which means that each scene is specifically working to move my story along. I have found out that I find it hard to write a full story plot (I struggle with narrative arc), but am actually very realistic with my dialogue (something that I always hated writing as it feels very fake to me).

I've also learnt that I need small goals. I get so much encouragement out of hitting a word count. At the start, when it was literally a matter of creating content, I told myself I had to write 500 words on my dissertation each day.

I learnt that I find it so much easier to hand write in the initial stages of story development, but once I've found my voice I can type directly onto the document. Keeping each scene as a separate document worked well in the early stages, but hindered me later on.

This all might sound really boring to you, but for me it is fascinating.

The best thing about a dissertation is it gives you a glimpse into your own mind. It allows you the time to explore your own way of working. And that is what you are really paying the money for. My supervisor is great and her feedback is helpful, but what's most valuable about this experience is spending time letting myself write about what I want to write about.

All this said and done a dissertation is not for everyone.

It requires a lot of self control and time management. If you're not good at working alone without motivation from others this won't be the right move for you.

It also requires a passion. I am lucky that my passion is writing, so I could say 'Yes, I want to spend four months writing a short story' and not know what that story was going to be about. If you're doing a more academic dissertation you need to have an interest in what you want to study and have an angle on what you want to write about. Do research your area of study and make sure what you want to do hasn't been done before.

If you do want to do a dissertation, research ahead of time and figure out which lecturers would be good for you - and if you're unsure ask around. Your favourite tutor might not have a specialty in the area you're looking to study, or if they are popular their slots might fill up quickly. I asked my supervisor this time last year - if you know what you want to do its never too early to ask!

The long and short of it is: if you want to learn more about yourself and know you have the motivation and interest, do a dissertation. If you know you don't have that self control or don't know what you'd study, stick to programmed modules.

I hope that's been helpful! Let me know if you're doing you dissertation and what you're doing it on - you can tweet me @VickiMaitland or leave a comment below.

Tomorrow's post is my #reviewsdaytuesday of my Kanken!

Blogmas 7: Beauty: My Beauty Rules

As promised, ever Sunday will be a beauty post. Today, I thought I'd share with you my top beauty rules. These are things I practice every day I wear make-up, so are completely personal to me.

1) Blend. Blend everything. You can apply your make-up terribly, but with a little bit (or a lot) of blending it can always end up looking really professional and flawless. When it comes to foundation always blend it down onto your neck. If you apply too much blush you can blend it out with your powder brush. I always keep a 'clean' brush for blending out eyeshaddow - never use the one you've used to apply your darkest colour as that'll just put more product on. I even blend out my eyebrows by using a spooly brush to re-distribute the product!

2) Hydrate. Water is the most important part of any beauty routine. It keeps your skin and hair in really good check, as well as keeping your concentration levels up throughout the day.

3) Wash your hands. Always, always, always wash your hands before you put them on your face - whether that's to apply make-up or take it off. Your hands ave so much grime on them, and you don't want that to be transferred directly onto your face.

4) Lip liner. I never used to use lip liner, but as I've been wearing bright red lipstick more regularly I thought I would pick one up and see if it made a difference. And it does! Not only does it make it about ten times easier to apply the lipstick, but it also makes your lipstick last so much longer. I found it also makes my lips look bigger as it gives me a clear line outside of my lips. Before lip liner, I would line my lips using a lipstick brush and the lipstick itself, but a proper lip liner is so much better. I can't imagine applying a bold lipstick without it now!

5) Fill your brows. It makes so much difference to the shape of your face to have well defined brows - and thick brows are very in at the moment. I have quite dark brows, but they have areas of patchiness so it can look like I have shaved stripes in my brow at the arch. I also don't have that much of an arch - my brows are very flat - so I like to fill them to give them a little more definition of shape. When I started plucking my brows it was in fashion to have a very rounded inner brow (ie, the bits towards the middle of your face) so I plucked my brows quite far back to find the place where the hairs naturally curve outwards. Now it's much more in fashion to have brows which are closer together and more squared off (what I would call a more natural look) so I try to achieve this by filling my brows. I'd really like to try and grow out my inner brow again, but after almost a decade of plucking I'm not sure how successful that would be!

Those are my top five beauty rules. What are yours? Tweet me @VickiMaitland or leave a comment below!

Blogmas 6: Why I Need Feminism

The other day my university's Feminist Society were doing a whiteboard campaign where you had to write why you need feminism. I spent most of my morning trying to figure out what I wanted to write, and came up with a tonne of ideas.

I Need Feminism Because...
My body, my choice.
Cat Calling =/= Compliment.
My smile is not your possession. 
I deserve the same opportunities as my male friends.
I deserve the same pay as my male colleagues.
No never means Yes.
Men shouldn't be taught that the worst thing they can be is a girl.
My gender is not an insult.
It's 2014, so I shouldn't need feminsim.


The list could go on. And, as I said, it shouldn't have to. Who'd have thought that in 2014 we would still be fighting for gender equality?

This all feels particularly important considering that this month ElleUK released their Feminism Issue. Although it is actually pretty good as far as what it is saying - lots of powerful women and relatively inter-sectional (albeit majority white, with very little disability and 'plus-size' representation) - it got me wondering: why isn't every issue of ElleUK a feminism issue? Elle is a magazine written for a female audience - surely every issue should be promoting feminist causes? I was also somewhat confused by the number of (specifically straight white male) voices in the issue. I am all for male allies to the feminist cause, and I'm a huge supporter of the #HeForShe campaign, but in an issue that claims to privilege women it uses a lot of male opinion.

Next month is their Body Confidence Issue, and I'm curious too see how they go about tackling it, considering how prescriptive the fashion industry is about body image.

Here is the final slogan I decided on:

I need feminism because when I wear make-up I wear it for me.

I thought this was particularly appropriate because of the high content on beauty posts on this blog. I love make-up, and over the last year it has become a real passion of mine. I've had a number of discussions with various people who have said to me that 'boys prefer girls who wear less make-up' and I've found this really insulting. Not only does it reduce me to the value men place on my looks, but it also devalues my autonomy. When I apply make-up in the morning, I do it because it gives me peace and the confidence to face the day. I used to be concerned about going out without make-up, and if I have the choice I'll always put a little mascara, concealer and fill my brows, but I don't mind leaving the house without any on. I'm also very aware that I don't need the amount of make-up I put on my face to make me 'conventionally attractive' - I'm already white, of average height and weight so I tick all of those boxes. I apply make-up because it's a process I get a lot of enjoyment out of, and because I like the way I look with it on, regardless of what men might think of me.

Sorry if that got a little ranty at the end, but its something I feel very passionately about.

Tomorrow's post will be a beauty one as promised.

Let me know why you need feminism by tweeting me @VickiMaitland or leaving a comment below.

Christmas Present Book Reccomendations

As I've said a number of times over recent posts, I love getting and giving books as presents but sometimes its difficult to decide what to get and for whom. Hopefully, by the end of this post, you will have loads of ideas for really great books to get for all your friends and family. As a quick disclaimer, I'm going to try and avoid the big hitters (The Fault In Our Stars, Harry Potter, Twilight, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, anything by Dan Brown etc).

I'll structure them by age up till 16, then genre. Most of them will be suitable for reluctant readers (particularly in the age restricted sections) but I'll make it clear if there's a book which is slightly more 'literary' - if there's such a thing!


(Ages 8/9+)

Skullduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy - With a kick-ass female protagonist and a walking, talking, fire-slinging skeleton this book has just about everything you could want: murder, mystery, magic and some hilarious one liners. Plus, there's a whole series of them, so once you've got your younger family member hooked they can keep on reading to their little hearts content. I think I read this series aged 12-14 and I still really enjoyed them.

(Ages 10+) 

Ally's World 'The Past, The Present and The Loud Loud Girl' by Karen McCombie - This series was one of my favourites growing up. It is slightly on the more typically 'girly' side, set in London near Alexandra Palace it is the diary of 13 year old Ally who regales us with tales of her slightly mad family.

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke - For the lover of fantasy. I adored this book, with its sometimes very lyrical language and magical world construction. There is also a very bad film adaptation whose only redeeming feature is its excellent cast.

(Ages 12+)

Cirque du Freak by Darren Shan - Dark, funny, and just a little bit gory, this is the story of a young boy who discovers what its like to get bitten by a vampire. This is on the more 'manly' side, but it was a series I loved growing up, so anyone can enjoy them. Again, another one with a bad film adaptation.

A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket - Another dark, funny book but for a completely different reason. The Baudelaire siblings are left orphaned and in the care of their suspicious Uncle Olaf after a terrible fire at their family home. This one has a rather good film adaptation which would make an excellent companion present for the book.

(Ages 14+) 

The Princess Diaries by Cathy Hopkins - I really enjoyed this series, but I think I read them slightly too young. The later books get a bit 'sexy' as far as I can remember, but all of them should be suitable for 14-15 year olds. It's about 15 year old Mia who suddenly finds out that she is the heir to the throne of (fictional) Genovia.  Another book with a good film adaptation.

The Chaos Walking Trilogy by Patrick Ness - As you know I read and loved these books over the summer, and I'm twenty! These books have no age limit on them, really, but I think 14 would be the perfect age to read them. If you haven't seen my review, you can check it out here.

(Ages 16+/YA)

Looking For Alaska by John Green - This is John Green's first novel, and his most mature, so I would definitely recommend being 16 before giving this one a read. Pudge goes away to college, armed with last words, to search for The Great Perhaps, and instead finds friends in The Colonel and Alaska. With humour, romance and great depth this novel is more than just a light read.

Mr Penumbra's Twenty Four Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan - Another book I read at the start of the summer and loved. This book feels very mysterious and little magical. My review is here.

The Lovers Dictionary by David Levithan - This is actually found on the adult shelves of the book shop, but think it is really suitable for a YA audience. I have done a review but the link for it is broken, so that will be up as soon as I've managed to sort out the niggles! This is a book for people who like unconventional narratives. It's a bit of a gateway for poets too, as the style of writing is very lyrical.

Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson - Again this is technically an adult book but since it is concerned with a coming of age narrative I think its a great read for young adults. I read it as part of my A level course and adored it.

Adult

NW by Zadie Smith - This is a book for people who love books. It is a very 'writerly' and a pleasure to read. I'd avoid this for non-readers/reluctant readers. This book feels like London to me, it speaks with the voice of a city, so I'd recommend it for any Londoners/city folk!

The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out Of The Window And Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson -  What can I say about this book? It is hilarious, really easy to read and suitable for anyone - mum's, dad's, grandparents, siblings, friends. I read it whilst bored in a rainy mobile home in France adn I couldn't stop reading sections aloud to my mates. I also reviewed this book back in the early days of this blog, so if you want a little more information you can check that out.

The Hare With Amber Eyes: A Hidden Inheritance by Edmund de Waal - This is definitely a book off the beaten track for me. My Papa (Granddad) lent it to me a few years ago and, although it was slow going, I ended up loving it! It follows a collection of Japanese netsuke, so it's a great book for people interested in history but delivered in a slightly unconventional way.

Bastard Out Of Carolina by Dorothy Allison - As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I had to read this book for my module and I loved it. It does have some hard hitting content, but I think young women would enjoy this just as much as adults. It would also be a great book to give a young man to teach him about male violence and sexual assault. In both circumstances I'd say this book is for confident readers who are emotionally mature enough to cope with hard topics, which is why I'm keeping it in the adult section rather than moving into YA.

Hopefully that has given you a couple of ideas. Let me know if you have any suggestions of your own! Tweet me @VickiMaitland or leave a comment below.

Blogmas 4: Semester Wrap-Up and Holiday TBR

I realised today that I haven't done a reading wrap-up or TBR for almost 3 months - so I thought I'd give you a quick catch up of what I've been reading over the past semester.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer - I actually did a book-to-film review of this in September. It was before my seminar on the book though, and I think I have somewhat different thoughts on it now that I've studied it in more depth. I still really recommend it - both as a book and as a film.

If This Is A Man/The Truce by Primo Levi - I had to read both of these books for my course. Primo Levi was an Italian Jew who was sent to Auschwitz during the end of the Second World War. If This Is A Man documents his life inside Auschwitz and The Truce documents his long return home from Poland back to Italy. Both are very enlightening texts, although I much preferred If This Is A Man as I felt like The Truce wasn't giving me what I wanted from it (as problematic as that is considering the autobiographical nature of the novel). I gave it 3/5 on Goodreads.

Fugitive Pieces by Anne Michaels - Another book I had to read for my trauma module. This is a story in two parts. The first follows a young boy Jakob who escaped Germany after seeing his mother and father killed and his sister taken by the Nazis, and who grows up under the care of a kind Greek stranger. The second begins after Jakob's death, and follows Ben - a young man who admired Jakob - go on a journey of self-discovery, confronting his own relationship with The Holocaust. This book is very lyrical and metaphorical - which was both beautiful and distracting at times. I gave it 4/5 on Goodreads.

Bastard Out Of Carolina by Dorothy Allison - This is a harrowing story of a young girl growing up in the Deep South of America who gets sexually and emotionally abused by her step-father. As you may have guessed, this was another book I had to read for my trauma module. I adored this book - and I am currently doing my end of year project on it. I really recommend reading this - particularly if you're a young woman. I gave it 5/5.

Ugly Shy Girl by Laura Dockrill - I got this book because it was 99p on Kindle. It is a super short, very light read about a girl who is bullied at school before finding her friendship niche. I enjoyed it for the most part, but the ending confused me, so I gave it 3/5. It was also the first book I read which wasn't for my course.

Beloved  by Toni Morrison - I went into this book having already tried to read it three/four years ago. I was not looking forward to the experience at all, but I actually ended up really enjoying it. It is very hard to get into, but as soon as you become accustomed to the narrative style it is very rewarding. I ended up giving it 4/5.

We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie  - This is a short essay on feminism. I really enjoyed this, although I did find it somewhat problematic in places. I am planning on putting up a review at some point this month once I've had time for a re-read to collate my thoughts.

In The Heart Of The Country by J M Coetzee - The final book I had to read for my trauma module, and possibly my least favourite. It follows a young woman called Magda who repeatedly acts out the death of her father and his new wife, as well as her own rape by her servant. Magda is very aware of her own insanity, making this a very confusing book to read with no real sense of truth and fiction or even right or wrong.

They were all the books I've read over the semester. I probably won't be able to do anymore reading until after my essay deadline on the 15th, as all my reading will be focused around that. However, I do have a couple of books in mind for when I finish my project.

To Rise Again At A Decent Hour by Joshua Ferris - I got a copy to review from my university newspaper, so I need to get on with this book as soon as possible. I'm currently 50 pages in and really enjoying it so far. This book was also Booker nominated.

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith - My sister got this book from my grandparents earlier this year, and although crime fiction isn't really my scene I really want to read this outing from J K Rowling.

Do you have any recommendations for me? Or have you got any opinions on any of the books I've mentioned? Tweet me @VickiMaitland or leave a comment below! Tomorrow is my Christmas Present Book Guide - so I'll see you then!

Blogmas 3: OOTD #LibraryLooks

So for you guys it is the third day of Blogmas, but for me it feels like its only the first as its the first time I'll be writing and posting on the same day! Today's post is part of an outfit of the day (OOTD) series that I'd like to start called #LibraryLooks. As a student I spend a lot of time in the library - particularly towards the end of term when it almost becomes a second home to me (and that's not just because its warmer than my house). I like to look smart when I work in the library as I always feel like I work harder if I look like I'm ready to work hard - if that makes sense! I'll try to link everything I can, but some stuff is from last years stock, or was a gift.

Shirt - H&M, Jumper H&M, Locket -Gift, Jeans - Miss Sefridge, Boots Clarks.

I am absolutely in love with this jumper - it is so soft and cuddly, so it brings a little bit of home comfort to a library trip. I only got it this season, but I couldn't find it on the H&M website. These jeans are from last years Miss Selfridge sale, and are really soft and stretchy. My boots have lasted me the past two winters, and although I had to replace the laces this year I fully expect them to last for a few more years yet!

Brows - B. Eyebrow Kit in Brown,
Eyes - Estee Lauder Shadow in Ivory Box (Highlighter), Honey Drop (Lid), ELF shadow in Natural [no specific shade listed] (Crease), ELF Liquid Eyeliner in Black, ELF Waterproof Volumizing and Lengthening Mascara in Black
Face- B. Illuminating Primer, B. Under-eye Concealer in Light/Medium, ELF Pressed Powder in Sand  (all over face). Buff (Contour), M&M Limited Collection Blush in Cinnamon
Lips - Barry M Lip Liner Pencil in 119 Mullberry, Hema Longer Lasting Lipstick in 06

You might think this is a lot of make-up for your average day at the library - and I have put a little more on than usual so it would show up on camera - but I love the process of applying make-up and for me it really gets me in the right mind frame for the day. I've been loving the bold red lip - it's super festive. Apart from the Estee Lauder all of this make-up is cruelty free.

Shirt, Jumper and Jeans as before, Coat - Zara.

I've had this coat a couple of years too. I love how shapeless and baggy it is, and I can put loads of layers underneath it if I need too.

Everything as before, Bag - Kanken Forest Green 15" Laptop

And what would a trip to the library be without my rucksack! I love this bag, and my review of it will be up later this month. It fits everything in it - and I can't forget a nice bottle of water to keep my hydrated during my studies.

Show me your library wear using the #LibraryLooks on twitter, or tweet me @VickiMaitland!

On Presents, Generosity and Christmas

I have always liked to think of myself as a generous person. I give people a lot of slack, I'm not quick to judge, and I like to think I'm quite generous with my time. As soon as I was in control of my own finances I think my monetary generosity began to change a bit. Suddenly I realised the value of money, specifically the value of money to me, and I began to see giving gifts as an exchange value (ie, they will probably spend X amount on me, so I will spend X amount on them).

Whilst this may be a 'fair' way to think about things, its not exactly a generous way to think.

My whole philosophy on generosity has changed the closer I've become to my best friend, Katie (who actually wrote an excellent blog post about generosity (and how it doesn't always have to involve money) at the start of November). Not only is she a loving and kind person, but she is hands down the most generous person I know - perhaps with the exception of my Grandma (although their generosity is expressed in different ways). I like to think she's not only made me a more generous, and more thankful, person, which I will be eternally grateful for.

All this sentimentality leads me onto Christmas presents. Its the first week of December, so I suspect that a lot of you will be beginning to buy your Christmas presents - or at least you'll certainly be beginning thinking about what you want to buy for who, and how much you want to spend. Normally, I umm and ahh for ages trying to decide what to buy my nearest and dearest. This year I've decided to do things differently, and I've already got the majority of my Christmas presents almost completely by accident through impulsively buying things I thought other people would like.

I had a plan to write all my closest friends letters throughout the academic year and include little gifts with them. I bought a load of small presents... and then realised how expensive postage would be, even for tiny items. So by the start of October I already had Christmas gifts for them. A couple of weeks ago (for you, for me it was today) there was a stall up in my University's Student Union, and as I was browsing I saw more gifts I thought those same friends would like... so I bought them. Yes it added more onto my Christmas bill, but I thought why not? They are fun things I think/hope my friends will appreciate, so why not be a bit generous with my money and go for it. It felt so good to be buying something that wasn't for me, and knowing that I'm not going to be getting an equivalent gift back doesn't bother me in the slightest.

I know not everyone will be able to do this - I'm very lucky that I have the spare cash to spend a little extra on my friends without it hurting my bank account too much. And if I add up all the little 'gifts' I buy for myself throughout the year and how good they make me feel as opposed to the amount I've spent on my friends recently and how good that has made me feel, there's no competition.

My next 'proper' post will be a book recommendations post - as they are my favourite gifts both to give and receive. Let me know your thoughts on gift giving, generosity and Christmas presents in the comments below, or tweet me @VickiMaitland.

Blogmas 1: Admin

Happy Blogmas everybody! I mentioned in my last post that I was thinking about taking part, and as you can see I've taken the plunge. This first post is going to be a bit admin-y, just to let you know what to expect from me over the coming month.

For those of you who don't know, Blogmas (or Vlogmas if you're on YouTube) is a month of daily blogs. I'm not going to make any promises that I will be able to keep this up, as I've got a pretty huge deadline at the start of the month and I've got my dissertation due at the start of January.

Over the course of the month (well till Christmas at least) you can expect a huge variety of posts: tid-bits about my life, some deleted scenes from my dissertation (which is a short story, in case I haven't mentioned it before), maybe a day which will be reserved for a topic and my thoughts on whatever is going on in the news - this is all on top of my regular Tuesday and Friday content.

So, to clarify:

- You will be getting one post every single day leading up to Christmas.

- Tuesdays and Fridays will be more along the lines of what you would expect from my blog posts (400-700 words long, up at 9:30am, written up to three weeks in advance, about beauty, books and lifestyle).

- Sundays will be beauty posts, so if there's anything specific you want me to talk about let me know!

- Every other day will be a miss-match of whatever I feel like, probably nearer the 300 word mark, and may go live at any point before midnight due to the fact it will be written on the day.

Sound like a plan?

See you tomorrow for a post on present giving and generosity.

On Going Cruelty Free

I'd never really though about the process that took place to check that my make-up and skin care products were safe to go on my face until Lex brought it up her videos. After that, I began to view make up differently.

If you don't already know, and I certainly didn't, but many high street and high end make-up and skin care companies either a) test their products on animals or b) use ingredients in their products which have been tested on animals. There are some who don't, but a surprising number do. Sometimes, even if the company themselves don't test on animals its parent company will do (ie. The Body Shop, who are against animal testing, are owned by makeup giants L'Oreal, who definitely do test on animals) . Also, if a company sells it products in China and states that it 'does not test on animal except where required by law' that means it tests on animals, as China requires them to do so by law.

With all that said and done, there are multiple lines in the sand for how far you want to go with supporting cruelty free/ vegetarian/ vegan make-up, hair-care and skin-care. 

Personally, I make an effort to only buy totally cruelty free make-up, preferably vegan. I see it as when you buy a cruelty free product where the parent company tests on animals you are ultimately giving money to that company.

However, when it comes to skin care and hair care I have a slightly different stance.

With skin care, cruelty free products are often out of my price bracket, however I've recently tried out some B. skincare products and have been loving them (there will be a review up at the end of next month), so hopefully that has sorted out my cruelty free skin care.

Hair care, I'm slightly more precious about. My hair is a huge part of my identity - if anyone talks about me I'm always referred to as 'the curly one', and the other day my housemate said I had the most interesting hair out of any one she knew - so I'm very nervous about doing anything that might damage it. It took me five years to dye my hair, and I spent most of my life using the exact same hair products. I've started to change things up a bit now, but so far every cruelty free hair product I've used has left my hair feeling dry and flat. I would love to use Lush products, but on my student budget I can't really warrant spending £10 on 250ml of shampoo, so I'm a bit stuck for affordable options. I also mousse my hair daily, and even though I intend to pick up a Superdrug own brand mousse, so far every mousse I've tried (both c/f and not) haven't been up to the standard of my Wella Shockwaves mousse.

Ultimately, its up to each individual how they choose to live their life. I see make-up as a non-essential part of my life, so I'm willing to sacrifice using certain products in order to live my life in a way that I'm morally comfortable with. I see skin care as semi-essential, and provided I can find cruelty free dupes for my favourite products I will happily make the switch, even if it means paying a pound or so extra. Hair care is essential for me, so I'm reluctant to spend lots of money on a product which might not work for me.

Like I said, I also try not to buy from companies whose parent company tests on animals, however when it comes to skin and hair care I'm more lenient again and would buy from companies who are against animal testing but their parent company is not.

For me its all about searching around before I buy, and whilst it might seem confusing or a lot of effort here is a great list of brands who do not test on animals, and this is the BUAV website - home of the flying bunny logo - where you can search for companies who have been legally proven not to test on animals.

All of the decisions I make are purely personal ethical and moral choices, so please don't think I'm trying to persuade you to act in the same way as me. I'm fully aware that living an 'ethical' lifestyle is more expensive (unfortunately) and many people (especially young people) don't have the kind of expendable income to be able to live the way they would want.

If you are interested in changing to cruelty free (not suggesting you throw out all your non-cruelty free make-up), here are some links to brands:

E.L.F, Barry M, GOSH , B., Sleek and Superdrug Own Brand are all relatively reasonably priced and cruelty free. Soap and Glory is slightly more expensive but also cruelty free.

Let me know your opinions on going cruelty free by leaving a comment below or tweeting me @VickiMaitland. I'm contemplating doing Blogmas, so there may be a post on December 1st (Monday!), but if not there will be a standard post on Tuesday - On Presents, Generosity and Christmas.

Fifteen Festive Favourites Tag

It's the last week of November, so I think I'm allowed to get a little festive, especially considering Tom created this tag at the beginning of the month! So sit back, take a sip of Mulled Wine or Nog, and join in the Christmas Cheer!

1) Festive Food - Brandy Butter. I love it on everything - especially a warmed mince pie or Christmas pud!

2) Reindeer - I always liked Vixen, mostly because its the nearest sounding to my own name!

3) Day of Christmas - I like the four calling birds, but only after the long five gold rings, and when I was little I would sing it as quickly as I could.

4) Christmas Song - Mine is a tie between White Wine in the Sun by Tim Minchin (which I weirdly identify with even though my Christmas is more like 'Mulled Wine in the Cold'), Parade of the Wooden Soldiers by Harry Connick Jr. (which I have loved from the Disney Christmas Sing A-Long VCR (that is really taking me back!)) and It Feels Like Christmas from The Muppets Christmas Carol. As a rule I prefer the classics (The Christmas Song, Deck the Halls, Winter Wonderland) to the new tunes, although I have a strange place in my heart for Only You by The Flying Pickets. Controversially, I cannot stand All I Want For Christmas Is You - it is so overplayed.

5) Christmas Present - Even though I love getting socks, books are always my favourite gifts to give and receive.

6) Film - The Muppet's Christmas Carol! My family watch it every year and it never gets old, and, as I've mentioned, It Feels Like Christmas is up there with my favourite Christmas songs! It has to be the English VCR version though, as the DVD copy cuts out The Love Is Gone - which is a sad but beautiful song. The Polar Express is a close second though.

7) Cracker Toy - Like, Tom, I love getting the screwdrivers. They always come in handy!

8) Cracker Joke - What do you call a cat in the desert? Sandy Claws!

9) Decoration - BAUBLES EVERYWHERE. My mum hangs them from gold string off curtain rails and piles them into glass vases. It makes everywhere look so festive, and I love them in classic gold and red.

10) Candle Scent - I love Yankee Candle's Christmas Memories and Candy Cane Lane scents. Anything with cinnamon and nutmeg - and a hint of peppermint - works for me though.

11) TV ad - I loved the M&S one with Antonio Banderas in it - even though its a bit sexist I loved the production value and it has stayed with me for the last 7 years!!  John Lewis never fail to disappoint either.

12) Tradition - For me its watching The Polar Express and The Muppet's Christmas Carol on Christmas Eve with my family.

13) Place to spend Christmas - At home with the family. Boring, I know, but its my favourite thing to do! Even spending it at my relatives doesn't feel quite right!

14) Christmas Fact - I don't think I have a Christmas fact, let alone a favouite one!

15) Snowman Accessory - The scarf. I love the snowman film, and his scarf is the classic symbol of Christmas.

There we go! I tag Katie-Kins Duncan to do this, along with anyone else who wants to join me in the festive spirit. Let me know if you take part by leaving a comment or tweeting me @VickiMaitland. My next post will be on going cruelty free, as I promised after my Herbal Essence Review.

How to: Defeat a Cold

I am writing this post from my sick bed today as I have a cold - although hopefully by the time this post goes live I'll have made a full recovery thanks in part to some of these tips and tricks that I'm going to share with you today. Theses are a mixture of home remedies and old fashioned common sense. If you have any of your own tips to share, you can tweet me @VickiMaitland or leave a comment below!

1) Recognise the signs. A cold rarely arrives without warning, so as soon as you start to feel the start of a tickley throat or a running nose take precautions.

2) Rest. I cannot stress this one enough, but taking the time out to do nothing is the best way to allow your body to recover. This might means missing the odd night out, calling in sick from work or school, and spending an inordinate amount of time in your bed/on the sofa. I didn't listen to this advice, and even though I knew I was getting a cold I still went out for the weekend - and have been suffering badly ever since.

3) Fresh air. This might appear contradictory to what I've just said, but taking a few deep breaths of lovely fresh air can really help you feel better - even as a placebo.

4) Vitamins. I'm not suggesting taking supplements, but make sure you're packing yourself full of leafy greens and citrus fruits. I tend to go into what I call 'scurvy mode' and eat endless oranges in search of a vitamin C kick.

5) Water. Keeping on top if your fluid intake is essential at any time of the year, but its even more important when you've got a cold. I've found that drinking thyme water (infusing a couple of sprigs of fresh thyme or a teaspoon of dried thyme into hot water) is a great way to aid recovery. Thyme is full of vitamin C, and you know how I love my VitC!

6) Honey, Lemon and Ginger. Perfect for a sore throat and with a ginger kick to clear out a blocked nose, this is a perfect mixture. You can mix these wonderful fresh ingredients and (weirdly for honey, I know) store this in the fridge ready to be stirred into hot water for your own makeshift tea. Lovely.

7) Steam inhalation. Pour a kettle full of freshly boiled water into a heat-proof bowl and sit over it, tking deep breaths in through your nose and out your mouth (with a tea towel over your head to trap all that lovely steam). Be careful not to sit with your head too close to the water at first, as the steam can burn. This is my mum's tried and tested way to help clear out a blocked nose or loosen phlegm on the chest and throat. Just make sure to have a box of tissues nearby!

8) Balsam tissues. This won't help your cold get better quicker (although frequently clearing out your sinuses will help - as disgusting as this sounds always blow rather than swallow!!) but using a tissues with built in balm will protect your poor nose and stave off the Rudolph look for as long as possible.

9) Shower or bath. This might sound odd, but having a shower always makes me feel a little healthier. The hot water warms the bodies extremities, and the steam it produces is like a mini steam inhalation and helps clear out your blocked sinuses.

10) Food. Whenever I get a cold I lose my appetite immediately, and as my blood sugar drops I feel more and more poorly. To stop this from happening, eat little and often. You may not be able to manage big meals (although I'm always surprised about how hungry I really am) but keep up your blood sugar.

11) Drugs. Don't be afraid of taking paracetamol or ibuprofen. They can be taken at the same time, so I normally take one, wait two hours, then take the other as they both have four hour turn around so I'm always topped up. Don't rely on these, but, if you have a busy day that you can't get out of, these can really take the edge off your illness. You might still be snuffling and coughing but at least you won't feel so disgusting.

12) Salt Water. If you think you've got some kind of throat related illness, try gargling some warm salt water two or three times a day. It has antibacterial properties, so is a great way to ward off illness.

I hope this helps some of you! As for me, this has tuckered me out, so I'm going to go have a nap. Tuesday's post will be my answers to Tom Fletcher's Fifteen Festive Favouite's Tag, so you can check that out whilst you wait.

Night-Time Routine

One of the most important things you can do for your body is to get a full nights sleep. However, if you're like me and your brain just won't stop whirring this is easier said than done, so getting into a good night time routine is vital.

I always try and give myself one hour of wind-down time before I go to bed. This means I must stay away from the laptop (or any other bright screens) and let my eyes chill out. This isn't always possible, particularly if I'm going on a night out or have evening plans, but I always try.

Even if I don't manage to get the full hour to wind down, I always give myself the amount of time it takes to make and drink a cup of tea - specifically Pukka Night Time tea. It's made with lavender and chamomile, so as well as being caffeine free it is the perfect way to settle down. I give it a big sniff whilst I drink as it smells as delicious and as soothing as it tastes. Its also great to make sure you're fully hydrated before bed, and a warm drink is the best way to do this. Warm drink naturally relax you as they are closer to your body temperature so are less of a shock on your system. That's why you're given warmed milk as a baby!

If I do have the whole hour, I usually start of by washing my face and taking off any make-up I might have put on. It would be awful to feel really sleepy only to have to wake myself up by splashing water all over my face!

Having to entertain myself for an hour without a laptop or phone can be tricky - particularly as my laptop is usually my down time zone. There are a number of different things I like to do to keep myself occupied:

- Tidy my room. I'm a firm believer in the phrase 'a cluttered room is a cluttered mind', and living in a student house means that my room is the only real space I have any control over. As you'll have seen from my Home Hygiene post a few days ago, I don't always manage to keep my space clean (although, I did write that post three weeks or so in advance, and my room has stayed pretty tidy ever since). Waking up to a clean room is much less stressful than waking to a messy one.

- Paint my nails. I'm really bad at my nail upkeep. They're either splintering, cracked and stubby or huge great talons. I also bite the skin around my nails (disgusting, I know!) so they always look a bit of a state. I love it when other people wear nail polish but I rarely bother with my own. I'm trying to change that. A bit like wearing matching underwear, having painted nails also tricks me into thinking that I've got my life sorted!

- Write up a to do list. As you probably would have seen in my 'On Honesty' post, I am a firm believer in to do lists. It's so nice to go to sleepy knowing that you've got at least part of your day planned out, with achievable goals. Living a self-motivated life (like all students) its really helpful to plan things and set goals, however small, as it stops me from wasting days.

- Do any non-laptop based writing. This might sound ridiculous, but I find it so much easier to start writing with a pen and a blank sheet of paper in front of me rather than a huge white wall of screen. I think something about the word count freaks me out - and I'm much more likely to want to self-edit if I can backspace and shift words around rather than handwriting. I actually wrote this post up by hand in one of my hour chill out sessions. It can often take me between half and hour and an hour to get a post up, especially if it is particularly text heavy like this one! Its a great and productive way to fill my free time.

I always listen to podcasts to get to sleep with. Despite all of this wind-down, 9/10 my mind is still too awake to drop off, and I get frustrated lying down with my eyes shut not sleeping, which wakes me up even more! I can stress out about how long it is taking me to get to sleep, so knowing my podcasts are a set length takes that worry off my shoulders. I can't listen to music as I mentally sing or hum along, so background chatter is perfect for me. My current favourites are:

- Welcome to Night Vale. Set in the fictional town of Night Vale, this is a 20-30 minute long radio show. Its a bit like listening to one chapter of an audio book, and the narrator/main characters voice is really soothing. It is a little strange though, and gave me weird dreams for a while!

- BBC Radio 4's Friday Night Comedy. This series switches between The Now Show and The News Quiz, both of which are topical comedy shows about the weeks news.

- BBC Radios 3's Arts and Ideas/Free Thinking. They keep yo-yo-ing between what they call this programme, but basically it a discussion show which covers anything from political ideologies, plays, novels, art, and any bog concept. For example recently they had a show discussing the nature of Jewish identity, and previously they have had interviews with Sheryl Sandberg about her book Lean In. Sometimes the subjects are really interesting and I go back and listen to them while I'm awake, other times they're dull, but either way they send me to sleep!

Finally, I've started sleeping with my blind only 3/4 drawn. Waking up with natural light is so much healthier than being jolted awake by an alarm in the dark. At home I have thin curtains and an east facing window so I'm used to being woken by the sun. At Uni I have a small west facing Velux window with a blackout blind, so I've really missed out on the sun.

That's all from me! For more night-time tips and tricks, check out Emma Blackery's video (which was the inspiration for this post). Let me know if you have any tricks, either tweet me @VickiMaitland or leave a comment below. My next post will be tips and tricks for defeating a cold - I hope none of you have come down with the snuffles yet - and will be up at 9:30 am on Friday.

University #11: Home Hygiene

By this point in the university semester the crazy freshers parties are long over, the work load has kicked in, and your room is probably looking a bit like mine:

Looking at all that mess not only makes me feel very annoyed at myself, but it also makes me feel very apathetic. It's not a space I want to do work in. Uni rooms are small and easy to make messy - although my mess is taking the biscuit slightly! - but they can be spruced up really quickly. There are also another couple of things you can do to keep your whole house looking and feeling fresh - so here are my top tips for keeping your uni house feeling homely.

1) Towels. Change tea towels every couple of days, bath towels once a week, and bed sheets every fortnight. Not only does this keep things smelling nice and fresh, but it will keep your skin clean too -there is nothing worse for it than drying off with an old towel and sleeping in a sweaty or oily bed. If you're not changing and cleaning tea towels regularly you can also get food poisoning from drying up with a manky towel. Not nice at all! Wash all of these on a high heat to kill any germs.

2) Hoover. You should really be hovering your room once a week, but if that's too much effort then try for at least once a fortnight. Not only will it deter spiders and other creepy crawlies, but its also not good for your lungs to be breathing in dusty air. Remember to hoover any stairs or landings too - they are often forgotten spaces as you only pass through them - and change the hoover bag if you notice things getting smelly.

3) Washing. Try to use the correct washing up liquid for your clothes. My rule is purple top for colours/darks, green top for lights/whites. It will really help your clothes last, When you can, dry them outside on a line. Not only does it give them a lovely fresh smell, but it stops your house getting manky and damp too. It doesn't have to be super sunny for them to dry, so long as its not raining you should be fine. Remember to take them in before it gets dark though, as they'll just get damp again through the night and that isn't good for them. Use the half load setting if you need to, your wash won't take as long and you'll be more economical if you've only got a mini load.

4) Airing. Whether or not you have to dry your clothes inside, its a good idea to open your windows once a day. Uni houses are famous for their damp build up, so getting fresh air in really helps prevent this as much as possible. Always shower with the windows open, cook with the windows open, and keep your bedroom window open for a couple of hours each day. Obviously it won't do anything if its damp outside, but on a nice day open them up.

5) Life. Have living things in your room - and I don't mean mould build up from a plate you've had under your bed for the past month! A nice green plant or two will really brighten your room up and stop it from feeling dark and dingy. Just make sure you've got a plate under it to catch any excess water, and put it in a spot which gets some light.

6) Light. My uni room has very little natural light, so I put candles in my room to make it feel cosier. A lamp or two are also nice touches. I've also started sleeping with my curtains open so I wake up to natural light, but this won't be an option for some people - especially if you have a ground floor bedroom.

7) Storage. Most uni rooms have little to no storage space, so buy some boxes and tuck things under your bed where you can. It stops clutter build up on surfaces and the floor, and prevents you from loosing things too.

8) Bed. Make it every morning as soon as you've got up. Not only does this air your sheets to give them more life, but its instantly makes your whole room feel tidier. It also stops you from wanting to crawl back into it and have a nap once you've showered.

9) Drawers. They don't have to be tidy themselves, but keeping them shut leaves them dust free and also makes your room look instantly better. Putting away your clothes as soon as you take them off helps too. Either hang them back up or put them for washing so you don't have to sort through a floor-drobe every day for a crinkled top!

10) Decorate. Check with your landlord or letting agency before sticking stuff on or into the walls. Most places won't let you use blue tack or sellotape in case it stains the walls or peels off the paint. If you don't have any hooks to hang things off, ask them if they can put one in, then pop up a pin board. Now you've got somewhere to stick all your pictures up!

After an hour or so of cleaning, this is what my room looks like now:

Its still not perfect - my surfaces are pretty messy and there are a couple of things under my bed and over my bantiser which isn't great, but it is ten times better than what I started off with! I'm going to try and keep on top of it this time - wish me luck! Send me your before and after uni room pictures so I don't feel so bad. You can either tweet me @VickiMaitland or leave a comment below. My next post will be my night time routine - so look out for that on Tuesday.

#reviewsdaytuesday: Herbal Essences Naked Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner

Recently, Herbal Essences (my current go to brand) brought out a range of 'Naked' hair products. 'Naked' here means it is free of silicone, parabens and colourant - and I haven't done any research to check out why these things are bad for you or your hair, but I'm assuming that the fewer artificial chemicals the better. As you saw in my empties post, I ran out of my shampoo and conditioner and needed a new one, so I thought I'd give this one a go.

As far as a moisture giving product, it does a decent job. I don't think its any more moisturising than other herbal essences products (in fact, I think the Beautiful Ends and Tousle Me Softly products are actually more moisturing) but equally for me it doesn't need to be. As long as its not drying my hair out, I'm good with it!

This product is meant to have a minty smell, and it almost does. It smells a lot like a neutral men's shower gel (if that makes sense), so the mint isn't fresh and crisp but dull and ... I want to say itchy? It doesn't 'burn' like other mint products do, its a much more muted scent.

My biggest criticism is the packaging - and this is more of a criticism of all Herbal Essences products rather than just this specific one. I love that both the conditioner and the shampoo are in see-through (or at least transluscent) containers, but the shape of the containers themselves are awful. I get that they are meant to be sexy and curvy, but having a top heavy product means its always falling over. I used to stack shelves at a supermarket and hated doing the Herbal Essences products. Its also really hard to get any of the conditioner out of the bottle (I've found this more of a problem with this specific product). I've started taking the cap off and shaking it like a glass ketchup bottle rather than squeezing it, which is slightly inconvenient.

All in all, its a pretty decent product. I won't be rushing to buy it again, but it does the job.

As an aside, I am aware that Herbal Essences aren't cruelty free. I am still looking for an affordable, high quality, cruelty free shampoo and conditioner. I'm going to write a more expansive post about my relationship to cruelty free and my hair care, so look out for that later in the month!

If you have any suggestions for affordable cruelty free hair care then tweet me @VickiMaitland or leave a comment below. Also, let me know what you think if you've tried this product. My next blog post will be part of my University series - this time on home hygiene.

University #10: Booze and Hangovers

** Disclaimer: I am not condoning the excessive drinking of alcohol in any way, shape, or form. You can find more information about why excessive alcohol is damaging here. If you believe you have a problem with drink, please speak to a doctor and seek professional help**

If you are, or have been, a university student, then the chances are you will have drank excessively and woken up the next morning feeling like death warmed up after taking a kick to the head and been spun round for a few hours. Not a pleasant experience. So, how can you avoid feeling like this the morning after (besides not consuming the alcohol in the first place)?

1) Water. Drink as much water as you can. Whilst on your night out, order water with every drink, and when you get in have at least one pint of water.

2) Eat. Have a good meal before you start drinking and when you get in have a nice and carby snack. My housemate loves supernoodles, I always have cheese on toast, but chicken and chips from the dodgy kebab shop works just as well. Make sure you eat a good breakfast the next morning too.

3) Green tea. Rather than trying to drink water when you wake up the next morning, get some green tea in you (although you might have to sweeten it a little). The antioxidants are great for helping your body recover.

4) Banana. Not only is it a great source of sugar, the potassium in it will stop your muscles from feeling achey.

5) Dark Chocolate. Again with antioxidants, its great for a pick me up.


These aren't fool proof, and have very little medical evidence to back them up, but they are all things that I think work and have helped me out in the past. What are your top tips for beating a hangover? Tweet me @VickiMaitland or leave a comment below!

Cooking For One: Two Night Chilli

This is the start of a new series called Cooking For One - few of these recipes will be revolutionary but if they help you mix up your diet, remind you of something you haven't had in a while, or even teach you a new dish then I'll be very happy. I'll write out the base recipe, then below will add serving suggestions. Let me know if you try any of the dishes in this recipe!

Ingredients:

200g Mince (usually cheapest to buy in a 400g pack)

½ Tin Beans (baked or other)

½ Tin Chopped Tomatoes (if you’re using beans without a sauce then you'll need the whole tin)

Squirt Tomato Puree

1 Small Red Onion

½ Teaspoon ‘Very Lazy’ Garlic/ 1 Clove of Garlic Chopped

½ Teaspoon ‘Very Lazy’ Chilli/ 1 Teaspoon of Chilli Powder

1 Teaspoon Agave Syrup/ Sugar / Sweetener

Slosh of Vinegar (I used Balsamic)

Handful Frozen Peas*

Handful Kale*

3 Mushrooms*

3 Broccoli Florets*
1 Carrot*

*Replace with any veg you fancy!


Base Recipe:

1) Open the packet of mince and split it in half. You can freeze or fridge the spare half depending how soon you think you may use it. Pop our half into a hot frying pan and break it up with a wooden spoon as it browns.

2) Whilst the mince is browning, chop your onion and pop it in with the mince.

3) Add the garlic and chilli. By this point most of the mince should be browned, and you can turn the temperature down as low as it can go.

4) Add the half can of chopped tomatoes and the half tin of baked beans. If you’re not using baked beans then you’ll probably need the whole can of tomato.

5) Add a squirt of tomato puree, the agave and the balsamic (or your alternative) and put the lid on the pan.

6) Chop up your carrot, mushrooms and broccoli. Dice the carrot as small as you can, but keep the mushrooms chunky. Add these in. Leave for 15 minutes.

7) Taste and season as required (adding more chilli to add heat or add a small amount of milk/yoghurt to cool).

8) Add peas and kale. Once the kale is wilted and the peas cooked the chilli is good to go!

This should make enough chilli for at least 2 main meals. I got three meals out of this as I had a lunch too.

Chilli with Rice and Pitta

Extra Ingredients:

1 Serving Brown/White Rice

1 Pitta

Grated Cheese (to top)

If you're cooking this as your first dish, add the brown rice on to cook between stages 5 and 6. I usually get the pan heating with a small amount of water whilst boiling the kettle to get the water hot quickly. You'll need to cook it for at least 25 minutes.

If you're using white rice, put this on for the last 10 minutes of cooking (just before step 8).

Toast your pitta after you've added all of the ingredients.


Spaghetti Chilli

Extra Ingredients:
1 serving spaghetti (or other pasta)
Grated Cheese (to top)

If you're cooking this as your first dish, put the pasta on just before step 8 as it needs 10 minutes to cook.


Chilli Jackets

Extra Ingredients:
1 Baking Potato
Grated Cheese (to top)

You can either microwave or oven bake your potato. If you oven bake it, it will need 40 mins - 1 hour, so put this on at least 10 minutes before starting your chilli (you'll want the oven temp to be about 180 degrees or gas mark 6). Turn the potato when you add the first of your extra ingredients.

If you microwave it, put it on just before step 8 as it needs about 10 minutes (in two 5 minute bursts, turning in between.) Mircowave needs to be on high.

Halloween 2014

Although I hate horror films, can't stand gore, and not very good with jump scares, I love Halloween. There is something about this time of year, when its starting to turn colder, the leaves falling off the trees, which is just a little magical - and its all summed up in Halloween.

For my university's newspaper I wrote up a couple of my favourite Halloween recipes - because what would Halloween be without pumpkin soup and stuffed jacket potatoes! The flavours of Autumn are really summed up in these dishes for me - sweet and smokey and delicious. I also love being able to walk into a coffee shop and pick up a huge chai latte - somehow it tastes better in the Autumn.

Never one to miss an opportunity to dress up, this year I went as Mona the Vampire! (I had a Halloween party a few days ago, and am going as her again to the party I've got tonight).

I made the cape myself and had so much fun playing with the makeup. You can't really tell in the photo, but I have a mountain of blush on my cheeks to make them super pink and rosy! 

Its a strange thing to say, but everything is feeling very festive at the moment: I think it's something to do with the hour change making the evenings so dark. It all feels very Christmas-y, warm and cozy and loved.

This has been a bit of an odd post, so sorry about that, but I just wanted to document a small section of my life - a moment of silliness and frivolity hidden away within the stress of deadlines and final year stuff!

All that's left to say is Happy Halloween!

Spooky Scary SkeleTAG/ The Halloween Tag

This tag was created by the wonderful Anna Fox (aka Annavslife) and although she didn't tag me in it as it is the week of All Hallows Eve I thought I'd give it a go!

1) What's your favourite horror movie? I am not a horror movie fan. I don't like gore, I don't like jump-scares. Just no. It doesn't appeal. However, if you add some singing in, then its fine by me, so my favourite horror-style movie is probably Sweeney Todd (the Tim Burton version).

2) If you were in a horror movie, how far do you think you'd get? I don't think I'm main character material, but nor am I unfit enough/motivation enough to be killed off early. I'd give myself a solid 15-20 minutes of running around screaming before I was offed.

3) Favourite scary video game? I'm not really a gamer, and overall prefer board games to anything else. However, I have played the odd game of Plants vs Zombies in my time... so that will have to be my choice.

4) Favourite scary story? I do enjoy the odd scary book (or perhaps tension filled book is a better way to describe it - again not good with the gore) and my favourite was this series of creepy stories that this kid was getting told by either his uncle or an old man in a house and I can never remember what it is called and I don't own it and it bugs me. But that book.

5) What's one unusual thing you are afraid of? I hate windows at night when the lights are on inside. It really creeps me out that I don't know who could be looking in but they could see everything. When I was really little I used to have nightmares that lots of people would be crowed outside my bedroom window behind the curtains waiting for me to open them. Creepy.

6) What's your first memory of Halloween? I was never raised particularly Halloween-y as Mum thought it was a stupid Americanised holiday (although she'd always let us dress up), but we would always hollow out a pumpkin and make pumpkin soup - and the taste of it always reminds me of home.

7) What's your favourite memory of Halloween? A few years ago, a group of friends and I went on a spooky walk around a water garden. There were actors dressed up to creep out of the shadows, tombstones, general Halloween decor. I remember running around giggling a screaming five or six times before we could be dragged home.

8) Best Halloween costume? When I was little mum would make these elaborate costumes and wigs and do all mine and my sisters make-up, and I remember looking very spooky in them. Recently, although not for Halloween, I dressed up as Belatrix and everyone said I looked scary!

9) Worst Halloween costume? I tired to go as Morticia Addams the other year, but a walk in the rain turned my make-up and straightened hair into a total mess!

Which is scarier...

10) Werewolves or Vampires? Probably werewolves, as I think it would be harder to appeal to their human side once they had shifted.

11) Ghosts or Zombies? Zombies for sure, although little girl ghosts are terrifying!

12) Creepy Dolls or Creepy Clowns? I always fins clowns a little bit creepy, so when a doll is scary I get more freaked out than when a clown is. So, doll.

13) Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers or Leatherface? This will show how much I don't watch horror films as I only recognise Freddy and Leatherface. And I thought Michael Myers was Austin Powers...  So after a quick google, Leatherface is visually the most intimidating, so I'll say him.

There is my (somewhat feeble) attempt at the Halloween tag. Let me know if you give this tag a go either by leaving a comment below or tweeting me @VickiMaitland.