Hey guys!

Today I thought I would do a quick lil' life update, all about my February! February has actually been pretty darn good. I have seen lots of people, stayed on top of school work, watched a hella' lotta' Greys Anatomy (I don't regret a thing), worn shoes other than snow boots, achieved all my February goals, been on several walks by the lake in dare I say, warmer weather? And started some new routines in order to become healthier (ooh look at me, they weren't even on my goals list!).

SO at the beginning of the month I made a 5 Goals For February post, all about my goals for the month (duh, hence the title).  Which is why today I want to reflect on that, and see how far I have come with those goals! For once I have been regularly checking that list, in order to keep on track and make sure I am still working towards them.

1. Finish reading The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A F*ck and start reading You're A Badass

I can confidently say I finished TSAONGAF, and am halfway through You're A Badass! So far SOO GOOD. I seriously love this one, I honestly couldn't pick a favourite so far! In fact, once I finished reading TSAOFGAF I wrote a post all about my favourite life lessons I learnt from the book (which you can read right here!).  OH and if you have any self-help book recommendations, make sure to leave them in the comments for me, as I would highly appreciate that!

2. Bake Something

One day me and Darcy were discussing what to do, which is when I remembered one of my goals was to bake something, and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity. We ended up making chocolate Oreo cupcakes, which are literally the best things ever. You seriously need to make them if you haven't already! I really want to start baking more again...

3. Have another photoshoot

Check! It was a chilly Saturday afternoon, and snowing as usual, so the photos are super cute! (they are on my insta now!) I am taking photography in school and recently finished a two day assignment to take 250 photos (with certain guidelines to follow as well, eek!). So it's safe to say I definitely managed to take my fair share of photos!

4. Hustle with blogging and filming

Ahh this one makes me so excited! I have had so many readers on this blog, and hearing from all of you consistently makes me the happiest person in the world! But also..... I REACHED 4K ON YOUTUBE. Ahhhh, I have been close for a while, but this month I really pushed for it! So many people have been commenting on all of my videos, and it honestly makes me the happiest person in the world :) I have managed to pre-film some pretty good videos in my opinion, and the same goes for the blog. I am V excited!

5. Focus more on self care

I was in a bad place for a while, but I think it was the self help books I have been reading that pulled me out of my misery, and made me want to change that. I have managed to paint my nails, had about a million baths, lit a billion candles, and hundreds of face masks. Plus February seemed to be the month of self care blog posts, so I have been reading lots of my favourite blogs! 

Hustle Hard Girl,

Hey guys!

I love doing these playlist posts because I feel like I find so many songs, that constantly change and evolve. If you know me, you know I listen to songs on repeat. And I mean on REPEAT. So once I do get fed up with them, I look back at old playlist posts to see what I was loving then, and start listening to them again.

During January I went to the cinema and saw The Greatest Showman, and it was amazing! I instantly downloaded their playlist, and have been loving their songs!



Guess what? Not only did I see The Greatest Showman, but I have also seen Pitch Perfect 3. And not only did I see it once. No. I went twice, that is how good it was! Literally the most amazing movie, and definitely my favourite of all the Pitch Perfect's! I have also downloaded their playlist and am seriously obsessed with their album!!



My current playlist has some new favourites, and some old classics of mine (perhaps from previous playlists?) My music taste is pop, dance, country, and of course musicals! Let me know what your favourite songs currently are down below!                                        

                                               Playlist

What are some of your current favourite songs?

I am completely obsessed with self help books. I think they are full of all sorts of snippets of knowledge and wisdom you won't find anywhere else. They have opened up my mind, and literally changed the way I view life. One of my best friends (who also suffers depression) was having a hard time the other day, and she was asking for my advice. Literally without thinking, it was like word vomit. It made me so happy that I had been able to help her, because I know I could have used someone like that when I was going through the same thing!

I think there are so many things you can learn from self help books, but having only read two, I thought I would share my favourite lessons I have learnt on here. So far I have read The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A F*ck, and part of You're a Badass. This post focusses more on The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A F*ck, since I have not finished the other book yet!

How many of you think that having the best car,  house, clothes, phone, laptop etc. makes you happier? How about having the hottest girlfriend or boyfriend? The best job, or making lots of money? While it might all make you happy in the moment, it is not going to lead to any deep enrichment or fulfillment. These are all superficial, material things, and in the end believing that they are going to make you   happier, actually makes you more depressed. You end up wanting more, and more, just to fill the empty space inside of you. Learn to appreciate the little things life has to offer, that is the secret to happiness.

It is a known fact that people that have less than everyone else actually end up being happier. They are more grateful for what they DO have, while people who have & want, more and more are generally not as happy. Throw away the useless crap that clutters up your life, and be grateful for the small things you have. You will feel better off for it, I promise!

Everyone tries to fit in, and become a part of the crowd. We want nothing more than for people to accept us, and to become one of them. But what if you didn't? What if you embraced your awkwardness? Your clumsiness? Outspoken personality? YOU? There are over 7 billion people in this world, and you weren't made to be the second version of anyone else. Average is boring and depressing. Embrace yourself, and happiness will follow :)

There will one day be a day that not a single of the 7 billion of us currently alive, will be alive. Although it is depressing to think, it is true. Stop focussing on other people, and live your life for you. One day we will all be dead anyway, and it will no longer matter, so do whatever the f*ck you want.

Hustle Hard Girl,

I love reading, especially during the summer time, when I can lay on the beach with a cold drink in hand. However during the school year I struggle to find the time with school work, youtube and now blogging, ontop of other activities like photography and dancing. However recently I have picked up a few new books and have been loving them! 

The type of books I am into are more realistic fiction, however recently I have found myself picking up more self help books. Addictive to say the least. So those are the two categories of books I am the most into. Although I was forced to read a biography for an English project, Unbearable Lightness, by Portia De Rossi, and it actually wasn't so bad...

1. Everything, Everything By Nicola Yoon - Literally one of THE BEST books I have ever read. I bought it while I was in Hawaii (after finishing another ridiculously good book) and read it in a day flat. Ooops. There is also a film based on the book, but it is no where near as good. Definitely read the book first! It was so captivating, and I could not put this one down. I don't want to give any spoilers, so Ill give a quick overview. It is about a girl, Maddie, who is allergic to the world. The only friends she has are online, and her nurse. She lives with her mum, who does everything possible to keep her safe. Maddie has not been outside in over a decade, she is only 17. However her whole world changes when a boy moves in next door. He wins over her heart, but she suffers for it. I won't say anymore as I don't want to give it away, but seriously. READ IT.
Everything Everything - Nicola Yoon

2. The Sun is Also a Star By Nicola Yoon - The second book ever written by Nicola Yoon, and just as good. Everything Everything will always be my favourite, but this one is a really good read too! When I was in Hawaii last summer I bought one book with me (don't ask why, a moment of weakness perhaps?) and read it within the first day or so. I then strolled down to the nearest Barnes and Noble, and picked up Everything Everything. Then I finished reading that. The next day I went back down to the book shop and picked up two more books. This one, and my next favourite. I read this book in a day, which is the best decision I ever made, and Ill tell you why in a minute. This book is about a girl and boy, with different beliefs. They try to change each others way of thinking. Now what I did not realize, was that this whole book is one day. From morning to night when the book finishes, it is based on a 24 hour period. Literally this book is so good, and reading it in a day is a must!
The Sun is Also a Star - Nicola Yoon

3. The One Memory of Flora Banks By Emily Barr - This book made me fall in love with the name Flora, don't ask why, it is just literally my favourite name. This was the second book I picked up in Hawaii, as I mentioned above, and I seriously loved it. It is about a girl, Flora, who has short term memory loss. She remembers everything up until her accident, but anything after that gets lost. Her parents are extremely protective of her, until they have to go somewhere. I won't say anything else as I don't want to give it away, but I fell in love with this book, and it is my second favourite after Everything Everything!
The One Memory of Flora Banks - Emily Barr

4. Wild Like Me By Louise Pentland - This was the one book I bought to Hawaii with me! Now don't get me wrong, I love Louise (AKA Sprinkleofglitter), but that is not why I bought this book. I actually wasn't going to get it, until she started talking about it in a video on her youtube channel. It was then that it sounded like a seriously good book I had to get my hands on. For right reasons too. Throughout Wild Like Me you can really feel Louise in the book. It is about a single mum called Robin Wilde, and her daughter Lila. Robin goes through many ups and downs, and the story is about how she overcomes all her life problems, and literally slays life. Ill leave it there, but this book is definitely one of my favourites!
Wilde Like Me - Louise Pentland

5. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck By Mark Manson - Now this is the self help book I was talking about. I have no clue who the author is, but he seems to be a fellow blogger. His humour in the book is just like mine, and he is not afraid to tell you the truth. Literally a must read if you are interested in this sort of book. My mum got this book for Christmas, but while she was out I stole it and started reading it myself. I have now finished the book, and really loved it! It honestly changed my way of thinking, and how I see the world and our lives. I want to get some more books like this, but this one was a great start! Literally amazing!
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck - Mark Manson

I recently bought the self help book You're a Badass, which was recommended by my dance teacher, and so far SO GOOD. I wish I had more time throughout the year to read, but unfortunately school takes up too much time. When I do start reading though I find it difficult to stop! Feel free to share your favourite books down below :)

Hustle Hard Girl,

Happy Valentines day! With chocolate being a big thing during Valentines day, I thought a DIY chocolate lip scrub would be perfect.

My lips have been so insanely dry recently, that no amount of lip balm is helping. I went to grab my Lush lip scrub, but couldn't find it anywhere! It is like it has just disappeared into thin air (or dry lips). Either way I figured why not make my own? I have made them before, and there are thousands of recipes out there, so I figured I would try a new one today! A chocolate lip scrub! Who else is excited? Just me? probably.

The container is up to you, I personally re-used a tester of the Clinique take the day off cleansing balm, because it was the perfect size! There are plenty of containers you can buy at Dollarama though!

- 3 parts sugar

- 1 part olive oil

- 1 part unsweetened cocoa powder

- a squirt of honey

Let me know if you try it out! Whats your favourite lip scrub?

Hustle Hard Girl,

Hey guys!

I have seen a lot of these posts floating around, and I don't know if I have missed something in the blogging world, or what, but this seems to be a thing (?). I have seen both 5/10 things I love Sunday/Saturday (I have also seen 5 links I love etc.) So I thought I would do one too. I constantly have so many loves, that change and evolve through the months, so I thought this would be perfect!

1. Scrunchies - Ah I don't know why (a blast from the past perhaps?) but I have been loving scrunchies, for years actually. When I had really long hair last year, I use to live in scrunchies. My hair was so heavy it hurt to wear it in a normal elastic. In textiles I started making my own though, and now my favourite scrunchies are ones I have made myself. Although the first one I made, I accidentally left in the spa (damnit that was my favourite). I then left my second favourite at dance over Christmas break, thank the lord dancers don't steal scrunchies! 

2. Saje Diffuser - This is literally my most favourite thing in the world at the moment. Since it is the beginning of a new semester, life has been very stressful and anxiety ridden lately. I just stick this on before bed, pop in some "stress relief" oil, and hey presto. Aromatherapy-the stress away!

3. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck By Mark Manson - This is the first self-help book I have ever read, and I love it! Seriously his sense of humour, and straight to the point personality is amazing! Love, love LOVE.

4. Hot Chocolate - Okay so I have always loved hot chocolate, but in this bitter cold weather I love it that little bit more. My current favourite is the "Winter Spice" from Hotel Chocolat!

5. Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream - What can I say? Everyone needs a bit of ice cream in their life. My favourite is the half baked! I swear I could just eat a whole tub in one sitting. But I won't...

Make sure you are following me on Bloglovin' to stay up to date! What have been your favourites recently?

Hustle Hard Girl,

Valentines day is well on its way. January flew by, and it's that time of year again where couples go all out for Valentines day (and us singles enjoy the chocolate sales afterwards). Anyway I figured I would do a quick gift guide for us girls, whether these are things you are planning on getting in the sale after Valentines day (my Valentines sale Wishlist TBH), or you want to share this list with your significant other! 

These are really affordable, but adaptable if you do have a little bit more money! Let me know down below what you would add to this list!

Don't forget to follow me on Bloglovin' here :)

Hey guys!

I am a Lush addict. There I said it. I am obsessed with their huge, heavenly, bath bombs, their cooling fresh face masks, the soft moisturizing bath melts, and foamy bubble bars. Just say the word "Lush" and I'll be there. At this point I have tried pretty much everything from the store, and love 99.9% of their products. The fresh face masks will always be my all time favourite though! For years I have been obsessed with their Love Lettuce face mask, and it has been my holy grail since I found it. 

The other day however, I went shopping (lush was there, money was spent, enough said.) and picked up a new mask. I have had problems with my skin for years; acne, lots of scars, and redness. My acne has been clearing up a lot though, and I thought I would treat myself to a new mask. This time I wanted one specifically for scars, to help with the pigmentation. Since I have always looked for a mask to help with acne, I didn't know where to start, so I asked for help. She recommended Ayesha, so I figured I would give it a go!

The featured ingredient in this face mask is Kiwi. Personally I am not a massive fan of Kiwi, so it is definitely not my favourite smelling mask. However, smell's do not bother me if I am just slapping it on my face, hence why Cosmetic Warrior (garlic) does not bother me too much. On the other hand, face masks for me are supposed to be relaxing, and pampering, so the face mask has to be pretty good for me to keep re-buying a smelly mask!

This face mask says it is best for reducing the appearance of wrinkles, so I wonder if actually the Lush employee got it mixed up. Either way, I was still recommended this one. Personally I do not think this one should have been recommended for acne prone skin. As far as acne went, I noticed a few more spots. I have nothing against a mask bringing the gunk out of my face, thats what they are for right? However I get cystic acne, and that does not go away on its own (anytime soon at least). Unfortunately I noticed this mask started to bring some cysts back. Its the cystic acne that I draw the line at, as it takes a lot of time to get rid of them, and I had only just managed to clear them up (damn!). 

The second problem I had was pigmentation. The Witch Hazel and rosemary oil should have been good ingredients for pigmentation, but unfortunately that was not the case for me. Usually the cysts I get are colourless, or slightly red, however after using this mask I noticed the new cysts I was getting were bright red. The other spots were also very red, and almost irritated (which is odd as I don't generally have sensitive skin). Overall this mask is was not good for my pigmentation personally.

After using this mask I did not notice much difference in my skin. According to the Lush website, "leave skin taut, tight and looking fresh, giving dull, tired faces, a bright, youthful glow". I would say my skin was tighter, but I would not say it was less dull & tired, brighter, and youthful. Generally I prefer my face masks to leave my skin feeling soft, and deeply cleansed. The honey in this mask left my skin feeling a little bit dewier, and kind of dirty. It did not help with the oil in my skin, or the dryness.

Personally I was not a massive fan of this mask, I really wanted to like it, I just didn't unfortunately. I definitely would not recommend it for acne prone, oily skin, or skin with pigmentation, but that was just my experience with it. I think this mask would be better for aging skin, or dry skin. 

For my skin type I would not recommend this face mask, and would give it more like 2/5 stars. However I do think this mask is supposed to be for a specific skin type (which was not mine), and would therefore give it 3. 5 /5 stars.

Love Lettuce still remains my favourite face mask! Definitely give this one a try, this mask just wasn't for me! Let me know what your favourite Lush mask is below!

Hustle Hard Girl,

This year I have seen a lot of people doing monthly goals (whether this has always been a thing, and I have just been living under a rock, or not, I don't know). I love this idea, because I have always been a really organized person, and by setting new goals monthly I know I am more able to achieve them! I'm going to be honest I have already forgotten my new years resolutions, so at the end of February I'm going to check in and see if I achieved everything I wanted to do for the month. Let me know down below what goals you have set yourself for February!

1. Finish reading The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, and start reading You're a Badass. 

I began reading The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck at the beginning of January, but I have been so busy studying for the end of January exams something had to slip. I have almost finished it, so I want to make sure I do, and then start reading another book!

2. Bake something.

I absolutely LOVE baking, but I haven't been able to properly get out my ingredients and baking books since December (some gingerbread, yum). But even then I feel like that wasn't proper baking, or at least didn't satisfy my baking needs. I'm thinking maybe cupcakes...

3. Have another Photoshoot.

If you have been reading this blog for a while, or know anything about me, then you will know I am a photography addict! I am taking photography this semester too, so no excuses. I'm grabbing my coat, mittens, scarf and camera, calling a friend, and going out to take some photos!

4. Hustle with blogging & filming.

I am OBSESSED with blogging and filming, and I really want to work harder than ever this month on both of them. I have been doing a lot of filming and editing for youtube lately, and have had unbelievable feedback from everyone, which just warms my heart! I want to try and make the best content possible and really focus on it!

5. Focus more on self care.

I want everyone in my life to be as happy as possible, simply because I am not. When things go wrong, and I feel like my life is a mess I just ignore it, and focus on others because I never want them to feel how I feel. This month I want to focus more on myself. Paint my nails, have pamper evenings full of bubble baths and face masks, and just have some alone time to re-evaluate. 

Hustle Hard Girl,