Month: January 2017

Beauty

My 2017 updated skin care routine

by alyssahotrumLeave a Comment on My 2017 updated skin care routine
My 2017 updated skin care routine

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Hey my beauts! I hope you all are having a wonderful and relaxing weekend!  I am currently off for like ten days from work so I have been constantly brainstorming different blogging ideas!  Please let me know if you guys are interested or have certain blog suggestions as I am open to ideas! I decided to write this blog post on an updated skin care routine as I am pretty sure I have only updated one skin care routine on this channel. Since then, my skin care routine has changed obviously as I have been more cautious and caring towards my face and cleansing it. Obviously, if you are in a rush out the door, or you are super tired and do not want to take the time to fully cleanse and treat your skin you are pretty much going to say f*** it . That is usually what I did back then and I really did not care too much towards treating my skin. I have always had acne prone skin all my life and I know that that will never really go away ever. This new updated routine is by far the best routine that I have come up with for using on a daily basis. I am not saying by any means that I never get pimples and my skin is absolutely flawless… I literally wish this but that just is not logical. However, this skin care routine has cleared up my face tremendously over the past few months, even friends have noticed the improvement. If you guys are interested in what kinds of products I use then please keep on reading!

What I use in the morning time

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So as you can already see… Lush is a big deal in this blog post. I literally love Lush. I really do not have anything bad or negative to say about this company whatsoever. I have tried out numerous products from this brand and have loved a lot of them. When I get up in the morning, I go straight to the bathroom and start cleansing my face. By doing this right away, it helps me wake up and feel refreshed. I like to take my ” Angels on Bare Skin” which I purchased from Lush for around $16.00 and apply only a dime size amount all over my face. I lightly rub this all over my face ensuring I focus on my problem areas such as my chin and my nose. After scrubbing this for about 10-20 seconds I wash it off with warm water. I love this cleanser as it is extremely gentle and is excellent for your skin. I also love the cleanser called “Herbalism” by Lush which retails for around $16.00 as well. After using this product on my face I sometimes go in with my “Dark Angels” cleanser which is a sugar cleanser, and apply a dime size amount all over my face. I only use this cleanser every few days just to get a really deep clean. I think this on top of the Angels on Bare Skin is extremely effective together.

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After fully cleansing my face I then like to take my “Tea Tree Water” which I purchased from Lush for around $11.00 which is pretty good! This water is super refreshing as you can spray a bit onto a cotton pad and apply it to your face or literally spray on right on your face like I do. This is a balancing toner that helps to even out your skin tone. I know that my face naturally has red pigmentation blotches on my cheeks, so I always ensure that I am using a toner.

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Ladies… ladies…ladies… moisturize. Always make sure that you have a good moisturizer to apply to your face after it is fully cleaned, especially in the cold weather. It is not cute to walk around with flakes of skin falling off your face left right and centre… no thank you. Also moisturizing your face before applying your makeup will allow your makeup to sit better on your face and it will not have the “cakey” effect. Finding the right moisturizer may be difficult and time-consuming. I have extremely sensitive skin so it was a lot of trial and error for me. Since having sensitive skin, I make sure my daily moisturizer has no perfume in it and is scent free or my skin will automatically break out badly. I purchased my moisturizer at Shoppers for around $14.00. My lotion is called, “Nivea pure & natural soothing day care“, which has been perfect for my sensitive skin. I literally apply this every morning to my face before applying any makeup.

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Honestly guys… this is probably my most expensive skin care product that I use in the morning as well as apply this at night time before I head to bed. Earlier on, I never really saw the need and importance to use an eye cream.. I mean come on… isn’t a moisturizer good enough!?  I received a sample of this product from Sephora after I purchased some makeup from there about a month or so ago and decided to try it out around my eye area. Guys…. GUYS…. literally… this was the softest, nicest feeling in the whole world. As soon as I applied this around my eye area I swear the skin around my eyes had a mini orgasm.  This was so gentle and felt wonderful when applied. I apply only a tiny amount as it goes a long way in the morning to my eye area as well as when I go to bed. I have noticed a huge difference in this area as the wrinkles have pretty much faded away and I am not just saying that.  I am not too worried about wrinkles at my age as I am only 23… but hey…. you are never too young to start early! I purchased my full container at Sephora about a month ago and have been loving it. The only downfall I have to say about this product is the container size. I finally found this on the shelf and was surprised at how small the product was for how expensive it retails for. However, you do only need a small amount each time you use it. I bought it for around $55.00, and it is called, “Youth Lotus Preserve Eye Cream by Fresh“. Highly, highly recommend trying this out for yourself. Even if you ask for a sample of this first just to try it out before going full out.

What I use at night time

image2-2So when it comes to night time, there are different products that I use when cleansing my face. I like to go for products that help ensure I receive that deep clean after wearing so much makeup throughout the day. When choosing a cleanser I personally like to use one that is foamy and lathers well. This is just a personal preference as I feel like this works better and reassures me that it is getting the job done. I first like to go in with my makeup remover and remove all my eye makeup as well as my face makeup. I have been hooked on the “Micellar water” from Garnier which retails for about $9.00 at Walmart or Shoppers. I just take a cotton pad and wipe this product all over my eyes and face, ensuring that everything is all off. I always ensure that I am gentle around my eye area… no one wants those extra bags from being too rough! Once I know that the makeup has all been removed, I go in with my cleanser.

image1-16I have been using the “Neutrogena Pre Refining Cleanser” which I purchased at Walmart for around $8.00. I have always had larger pores on my face, especially on my cheeks and nose area. I like to scrub this all over my face as it lathers quite nicely. I have noticed a difference in my pore size once I have used this a couple times and I am quite happy with the results. This is my go to night time cleanser and I highly recommend trying this product out if you do have larger pores like myself. Once my face has been fully cleaned, I then go in with my night time toner which is the “Nivea Refreshing Toner for Normal Skin“, which I purchased at Walmart for around $10.00, and apply this with a cotton pad all over my face. Again, this helps to balance out your skin as well as tightens up your pores. I always trust Nivea when it comes to finding the right skin products. I love the variety of products they offer to their customers whether someone has oily, sensitive, normal or dry skin… there is always something which is wonderful.

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Two words… face masks. Ladies, face masks are life. I have been using face masks on a weekly basis now and they always make my skin feel absolutely amazing. I have not tried a variety of face masks from Lush however, but these two are my absolute favourite by far. I have always loved “Mask of Mags” from Lush which retails for about $15.00 for the smaller container which is what I always purchase. I always purchase the smaller containers because honestly they literally last forever, and I can also get more than one face mask and try the others out as well. I love the mask of mags, as I am pretty sure I mentioned this mask in my previous skin care routine. This mask leaves your skin feeling minty and fresh as you can feel it start to work as soon as you apply it, which I absolutely love. I also have recently purchased the “Cup O’Coffee mask” from Lush for around $11.00 again for the smaller container. I find that this mask does not really get hard on your face when left for the 15 minutes, but it leaves your skin feeling so smooth. Coffee grinds are great for your skin. However, the coffee smell is extremely strong… I mean obviously… coffee is chilling on your face. I think that is the only downfall I have about the product, I am not the fondest of the smell but hey if it works I am down. Highly recommend trying these two face masks out, I know for sure you will not be disappointed. I usually apply face masks once or twice a week. If I go out at night and I am all dolled up with lots of makeup, I always apply a face mask the next morning, just to revive my skin from the night before.

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I usually go in with an exfoliator maybe once a week or every few days. I love using my Lush “Ocean Salt”, which I purchased for around $21.00 for the smaller container. I like to use this every once in a while to get rid of any dead skin cells that are on my face, especially with this cold weather.

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Again, I of course, go in with a night time moisturizer. I apply my “Nivea Nourishing Night Care” cream which I purchased from Shoppers for around $12.00. I only take a small amount and rub this all over my face after I have used all my other night time products. I love this moisturizer, it does not irritate my skin at all and allows my skin to be fully hydrated when it comes to the morning. I also take my eye cream that I mentioned up above and apply this to my eye area as well. Now I am ready for a good night sleep!

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Guys…. I can not express how important it is to drink water. I absolutely hate water… I think it is the nastiest thing in the world to be quite honest. But recently, I have purchased a cute water bottle from PINK which encourages me to drink more water as sad as that sounds haha! But hey… whatever works right? I always add a slice of lemon to it as well because let’s face it… ain’t nobody got time for plain boring ass water! Water is so crucial when it comes to the complexion of your skin, water does wonders. It literally helps aid in digestion, circulation, absorption and excretion. I know what you’re thinking… what the f*** does that even mean? Basically, your skin is an organ that is made up of a bunch of cells. These cells require water in order to function properly just like every other organ in your body.

(There’s your science for the day)

I hope you guys enjoyed this updated skin care routine that I have been using for a few months now! I highly recommend using this routine or even just trying some of these products out for yourself you won’t be disappointed! Let me know what you guys think!

Be sure to follow my other social media accounts for more updates and blogs in the near future:

snap chat– alyssahotrum

main Instagram page- alyssahotrum_xo

blogging Instagram page-  thatothertwin_xo

 

much love xo.

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Anxiety, Inspiring Articles, Mental Health

Where have I been? Touching on life updates & mental health

by alyssahotrumLeave a Comment on Where have I been? Touching on life updates & mental health
Where have I been? Touching on life updates & mental health

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Hello my beauts, yes I know what you are all thinking.. where the hell have I been? I will admit first hand, I am not the greatest at keeping up with the whole blogging thing, mostly because this is not my full-time job or hobby as one may say. I am not a profesh YouTuber where I can dedicate all my time towards writing and uploading blogs all the time as much as I would love to do that. First things first, it’s a new year…. you know what that means? A fresh new start, and a time to create new goals and stick to them. You always want to keep in mind that in order to achieve certain goals they need to be realistic or else you will never get to where you want. Within this blog post today, I wanted to share with you guys some life updates and basically the trouble I have been getting myself into lately… just kidding ! But really though, I honestly wanted to share this with you guys, more for the fact of providing more insight on different topics and really giving you guys an up close and personal sight towards these “issues” that have been going on within my life.  So where to begin?? In 2016, it really was not that bad of a year for myself. I am not one to say, “omg I am so happy it’s 2017 now and that 2016 is history“. I will admit however, that in 2016 a lot of things really did open my eyes. One of those topics including finding who I really am as an individual. Honestly, if you were to pull me aside one day and ask me to tell you a bit about myself , I probably would not really know what to say.Sure I can say I am a twin, I am 23 years old and I graduated from Brock University but what does that really say about myself as an individual and my personality?

The past few months have been both ups and downs for me, and a lot of doctors appointments coming out my asshole, and literally out my asshole. I honestly have never had so many back to back appointments in my life, I literally have one every two weeks or two within the same week…. and no I am not dying. A lot of these doctors appointments have been geared towards mental health issues and underlying issues that have been kind of suppressed to the side. I think I knew I had to figure something out and do something about these issues when I woke up one day realising I literally have zero energy. I had no motivation to do anything, and my job seemed so exhausting each and every day. I just was not feeling myself whatsoever, really not too happy as well.  Looking back on this feeling, I am so glad it finally just hit me square in the face, and literally yelled “you need to f***ing do something or you are going to feel deprived of life“. It was like someone was looking down on me and told me to wake up. When discussing mental health, I am really open to this topic. If you were to ask me 3 or 4 years ago to share my life I would say no way in hell. In reality though, there are so many people who have mental health problems, and you know what? That is okay. It is okay to not be normal, in fact what is normal? I am not embarrassed of these issues nor am I ashamed to share them with others. In fact I am hoping that these discussions spread and share some light towards this highly controversial topic to let others know that it is okay to talk about mental health. Anyways aside from my little rant, I kind of knew that my eating habits were getting worse which resulted in low energy levels. One might state, “well then eat better“, but in reality, someone who suffers from an eating disorder thinks this is nearly impossible to do unless help is there. It’s strange how you view yourself and how others view you. We are so harsh on our bodies and yet I am one to talk. I am probably my worst enemy when it comes to body image and accepting who you are as a person and as an individual. Instead of days where I would purge a couple times, it became a daily routine. If I ate too much simply because I would starve myself all day, I would purge as well, keeping the constant routine or binging and purging. It really is a vicious cycle, especially when you become sucked up into it. I honestly knew deep down I had to do something about it and asap.

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I actually mentioned to my family doctor during a checkup not too long ago, that my eating disorders had come back and they are in more effect than ever. She then guided me in the right direction towards getting the proper help that I needed. I started seeing a therapist who started helping me control my anxiety better and discuss my eating habits. Although she was not too knowledgeable in the eating disorder category, she did suggest seeing a dietician as well.  She could see that my eating disorders were triggered by anxiety and my way of controlling and coping with stressful situations was to control my eating.Seeing the dietician has really helped a great deal. She helps provide me with different small baby steps that I can improve to each one of my meals to ensure I am getting enough nutrients each day. However the dietician is only temporary and she is there to provide support for me until I am accepted into an eating disorders program. Unfortunately, the only downfall to receiving help towards mental health, is the help may not always be there right away… it does take time. I was sad to hear that there was a 3-month waiting list for this program, but I am happy to have that support system with me until then. Overall, I am so proud of myself for acknowledging the fact that I really needed the extra help that I couldn’t have accomplished on my own. Sometimes, it is okay to ask for help. I feel that some people are ashamed to reach out and ask for that help. I was that person too, and really thought that I was okay on my own…. in reality… I was not.

“There is always help”

24 hour Hamilton Crisis line- 905-972-8338

 

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So this is continuing til this day even as I type this. I am seeing a therapist and dietician every few weeks to make sure I am on track. So now onto my next topic and that is anxiety….not just general anxiety but social anxiety. Honestly, I really should have expected this and seen this coming. In previous blogs I have mentioned about having anxiety all my life and always being a generally shy and nervous person. While talking to my therapist I have realised that I have been diagnosed with severe social anxiety. I was not too shocked to hear this because I hate speaking on the phone, always care what others think/how I present myself and fear speaking in front of people. I will never forget what one of my family members said to me a while back he said, “how are you going to be a teacher if you are afraid of talking to people“. That honestly dug into me like knives because he was right in a sense. I planned on becoming an elementary school teacher but hated doing presentations and just in general, speaking to people. A sense of sadness came over me as well because honestly ,it was something about myself that I really could not change that much I mean…. I am just in general a quiet and shy individual.  I did not really see myself as having that severe of social anxiety but looking back now.. I can see the red flags, I think I just tried to ignore them. I would often get so down on myself because I thought, “how am I supposed to have any kind of career if I have a fear of speaking to people?“. I knew that something had to be done, especially when my best friend suggested I take a course with her soon that would look great on a resume and be super beneficial towards my degree. I simply asked her, “what do we have to do in the one day course?“. She answered “icebreakers, some short presentations…“.By that point, I was done. Bye Felicia . See you. I can NOT do that. In fact I believe she had asked me in November about the course and I was already developing nerves for it… this course I believe is in January. I felt so down on myself and felt that I could not accomplish anything due to my social anxiety. Finally, a light switch went off and I knew that I could help myself out. My therapist recommended attending a social anxiety group which happens once a week. You know those things you see in movies where everyone sits around in a circle? Ya I am pretty sure that is it. First thing I said to her was, “you have got to be kidding me…. I hate speaking to people yet I will be in a group being forced to speak to others… you’re crazy”. She then reminded me that all of these other people within the group will be around my age, and they all have some form of social anxiety. Ok she was right. Why am I really that nervous meanwhile they are all probably shitting themselves as well? To this day I have not attended any of these sessions, but I do have an orientation coming up for the group this week. To be honest, I am nervous. I think it is fear of the unknown. I do not know what to expect and fear that the worst is going to happen.

Honestly I have to wake up and remind myself each day that you are doing something to better your life. I have accepted the fact that I have some underlying mental health problems, but I am finally doing something to cope with them to a better ability. If you are struggling with mental health problems please know you are not alone and that there is always someone to talk to and help is always there for you to grab. It may take some convincing and pushes to get out of your comfort zone but you got this. It is 2017, the acceptance of mental health and mental illnesses are growing, do not be afraid to challenge these head on.

I really hope you guys enjoyed reading this little update blog on where I have been and what has been going on! If you guys enjoy this post I will keep you guys updated on the progress and so forth. Love who you are as an individual and do not be afraid to explore.

Be sure to follow my Instagram accounts for blogs to come in the future!

Main Instagram Account- alyssahotrum_xo

Blogging page- thatothertwin_xo

Snapchat- alyssahotrum

Much love xo.

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