What I got for Christmas!

Hello guys! Did you all have a good Christmas? I definitely did, and it was one of the best, enjoyable Christmases that I have ever had, (or can remember for that matter). 

I thought I would write a blogpost about a few gifts that I received at Christmas/review different items, as I thought it would be quite fun and some people might be interested, or maybe consider buying these as a future gift for someone else.  However, this is just a pre-warning that I am by no means bragging or spoilt, I am extremely appreciative and grateful for everything I received this Christmas and I am also really happy with everything I got!

1. MAC Makeup.
Although I wear makeup, I don't particularly take any great interest in the different makeup styles that begin to trend or take the world by storm - I mean yes, I do like makeup and enjoy taking care of my appearance, but I can't do anything fancy like winged eyeliner, eyeshadow, contour, etc. I find it a bit unnecessary but, everyone to their own!
This present actually came as quite a surprise to me because I received it from my older sister and I didn't expect such a gift, however, I am a fan of lip products at the moment so I am really grateful for this!

The first product that I am starting with is the MAC matte lipstick in the colour 'Mehr'. This colour has a natural and subtle tone which is appropriate for any occasion and is suited to any outfit! Its cross between a nude and pink is very beautifully balanced and looks extremelly stunning on the lips! As soon as my eyes set on this product, I fell in love instantly and of course I had to try it on Christmas Day!

 
The second product that I received was the MAC cremesheen glass, in the colour 'Deelight'. Again, this colour is a gentle cross between a nude and subtle pink, which pairs amazingly with the matte lipstick in 'Mehr', and is just as effective with a plain lip liner! This colour has a perfect elegant and delicate tone which is guaranteed to add a glamorous touch to your look! 


The last product that I received from my sister isn't actually MAC makeup, but it is still really good quality and I love it just as much! This lip liner is by KIKO Milano, (admittedly, I haven't heard of his brand before), in the colour 'Tea Rose'. I paired this with the matte lipstick 'Mehr' and they matched really well together! Although the lip liner is slightly darker than the lipstick when applied, the contrast between the edge and inner areas create an illusion of defined and larger looking lips!

2. The Body Shop - Body Butter.
Recently I have been *a little over* obsessed with The Body Shop and all of their products! I have never really taken an interest into bath and body products, mainly because I have sensitive and irritable skin which makes buying creams/shower gels/shampoo etc really difficult! However, in June, I purchased my first product from The Body Shop which was the 'Mango Body Butter', and after the first use I fell in love! Not only does it release an absolutely outstanding fragrance, but it is hydrating, soothing and deeply moisturising for my skin! These products look amazing, feel amazing, smell amazing and ARE amazing! They don't irritate my skin whatsoever (and I have the worst skin in the world), and are full of natural ingredients! I strongly recommend any of their products  as they are produced of very high quality, but are definitely worth their price!
 
The two products which I got for Christmas are; the 200ml 'Coconut Body Butter', and 200ml Limited Edition 'Raspberry Body Butter' - both of which smell incredible and I cannot wait to use them!

3. Nike Trainers.
I have been nagging at my Mam for such a long time that my trainers are all worn out, and I finally got some new ones! These are the 'Women's Nike Flex Fury 2', in black and pink, as you can see; I haven't yet worn them properly outside, but I have tried them on around the house, and what I can say so far is that they are extremely comfortable and cushioning! The sole of the shoe is flexible and supportive of the foot, which also adds a little bounce to your run/walk/jog and is very satisfying for your feet! I also love the colours as they are both bold and intense which creates a contrast between each other and ultimately enhances both of their different tones!

 
4. Golightme Candle.
Similarly to body butter, I am also obsessed with candles, as they spread a lovely aroma around the house and intensify the festive feelings! This candle was actually part of a gift that I received from my friend at gymnastics, and wow, I am SO glad she got me this because it is one of the BEST candles that I have ever smelled in my entire life, (yes, it's THAT good!). This candle is scented, 'Cherry Bomb', and is basically a representation of a cherry bakewell tart and marizpan mushed up together in candle form; this candle is so so amazing and very satifying to my senses, it smells extremely delicious and I cannot wait to light this up and release the beautiful fragrance into the air! 
 
 5. Hot Water Bottle.
If you know me, you would know that there is rarely a time when I am not injured, and therefore hot water bottles are my go-to item for trying to heal and soothe the pain. Recently, hot water bottles have been my most used item out of everything I own, due to a leg and shoulder injury which have both not recovered fully since October of this year; prior to receiving this hot water bottle, the one is had been using was getting old and raggy, and therefore this gift was really lovely from my parents! (and super cute too!). This hot water bottle is perfect because it is soft and cushioning, and also stays warm for the entire night! On the back there is also a cushion section which supports the injured area, or can be used for comfort whilst in use for general heating purposes. 

So, that's it for today!  I am really really thankful and grateful for everything that I was given and I love all of my presents so much - thank you to everyone who kindly and generously bought me a present! All we can do now is prepare for next Christmas! (just kidding).

If I don't see you before New Years Eve/Day, I wish you all the best of fun and great things for the new year!

Until next time, 
Asia xox 

The Christmas Tag

Hey guys! 

I feel like I haven't written a blogpost in such a long time, but it's only been a week! This week has been dragging so much, but knowing that I'm breaking up on Friday helps me get through the week. I haven't been up to much really, just gymnastics, school work and learning to sing the periodic table (yes, I'm that much of an annoying, nerdy person - so far I'm up to the 40th element, Zirconium). 

Can you believe it's only 9 days till Christmas?? (Hoorah!) This year has flown by so much! (but I guess I say that every year). I thought that I would do the Christmas Tag because I want to lighten the mood as it has been a very stressful couple of weeks, and I also want to release the festive feeling and Christmas spirits to prepare me for the big day! So, to start things off, I'm going to do the Christmas Tag so that hopefully you can learn something about me, or maybe consider doing it yourself!

1. What's your favourite holiday movie?
The answer to this question will never ever change, and for me it has to be the classic, Elf! I'm sure many will agree with me on this, mainly because it is so fantastic, festive and funny, and also a great way to gather around the telly to enjoy some precious time with your loved ones!

 2. What's your favourite Christmas colour?
I can't only choose one colour for this, simply because there are too many wonderful combinations to make! However, a simple favourite that takes a place in my heart will always be a pair of red and gold, (just like the baubles on my Christmas tree!).

3. Do you like to stay in your PJ's or dress up?
Dress up, always! Even on occasions other than Christmas, I never usually lounge in my pyjama's anyway, apart from occasions due to illness or something, which is very rare actually, (shoutout to my immune system - keep doin' what you're doin'). 

4. If you could only buy one person a present this year, who would it be?
The answer to this would have to be my Mam;  She brought me into this beautiful world, and loves me for me and a lot, too, (even if she has forgotten to pick me up after school and left me stranded a couple of times). I also love her for who she is and I will forgive her no matter what; sometimes I feel like I act ungrateful and talk with an attitude which I do apologise for a lot, but the best thing about this is that through whatever happens, she will never give up on me.

5. Do you open your presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning?
If you didn't know, my family originate from Poland and therefore, we carry out Polish traditions during festive periods, such as annual Christmas Eve gatherings featuring authentic dishes, and opening of presents too! However, the increasing demand from me and my older sister about having British traditions has gradually taken it's toll, so the tradition changes every year - sometimes we open on Christmas Eve, sometimes on the morning, and sometimes a little bit of both! 

6. Have you ever built a gingerbread house?
Sadly, no, (not from what I can remember anyway!). My Mam and I were going to buy an assembling pack from IKEA the other week, but we didn't afterall. 

7. What do you like to do on your Christmas Break?
I'm not sure really because it changes every year! I usually spend time with my family at home as it is the only real time we get to spend together for a whole day, rather than coming back from gymnastics/school/work and so on, so it's really nice to be able to do that! I also watch films, do some shopping (boxing day sales!!), maybe do a little workout, blog, read, celebrate New Year and Christmas, and spend time with friends too!   

8. Any Christmas wishes?
I don't count the desire for certain presents as a wish, so my wish for this year is for a happy, stress-free, argument-free Christmas, and to enjoy spending time with my family. I also wish everyone around the world a very Merry Christmas where they can indulge and relax and celebrate with their loved ones.

9. Favourite Christmas smell?
  CINNAMON, GINGERBREAD and VANILLA!!!!!!! (is vanilla even a Christmas smell?) Even if the occasion isn't Christmas, these are still my some of my favourite smells on a yearly basis; but when it is Christmas time, these smells are much more commonly used, and often associated with the festive period, cinnamon and vanilla especially - (I add these to absolutley everything). Other smells that I love are real Christmas trees and snow - these smells are just so crisp and intense which make a white Christmas much more effective - (although we haven't had one of those in a few years now, typical England). 

10. Favourite Christmas meal/treat?
Is it weird that the potatoes and veg are my favourite part of Christmas dinner? On Christmas Eve, my family and I also have a traditional Polish meal which consists of many authentic dishes, but my favourite has to be beetroot soup with mushroom and sauerkraut 'pierogi' - which are kind of like tortelloni but slightly different and are semi-circle shaped with a thicker and flour dough; and the best part is, this year my Mam is making the dough without egg, woo hoo! 

So, that's it! I hope you all enjoyed it - should I do more tags like this? I would appreciate if anyone commented down below or left some sort of message so I know how to improve/attract the audience/ entertain you all and know that I'm not typing away to myself, haha! 
If I don't see you next week, I wish you all an amazing and enjoyable Christmas day and holiday, making sure to appreciate and be grateful for everything and everyone around you! 

See you,

Asia xox 


 

Letter to my younger self

Dear Asia, my younger self,

I wish you knew things that I know now.
There's so much I have to tell you, advice, knowledge, what will be good, what will be bad, who will be there for you, who won't, what life will bring, what you will experience; the list is endless. 

I don't even now where to start; I'm sorry for everything that I'm going to put you through, I don't mean it but I guess I can't control it now, because it's done and I can't change what was in the past, or your future I suppose, but I want you to know a few things, so hopefully you can change that and have a better future than I ever did. 

First thing's first: Enjoy life. Enjoy everything, every living moment; enjoy nature, enjoy smiling, enjoy laughing, enjoy spending time with people around you, enjoy doing what you love, enjoy the fact you have free education, a roof over your head, clothes on your back and food on the table, enjoy that people love you, care about you, want to hug you, kiss you, laugh with you, and just be with you. Enjoy having free decisions, luxury, presents, books, family, friends and pets. Embrace the bad days, the loss, and stress. Embrace that you will experience bad things, bad people, and bad influences - it will make you a stronger person and make the good days even better. Don't take a second thought about anything, don't regret, don't waste time wishing that you could reverse something, don't wish about what you want to do, instead, just do what you want to do and enjoy doing it.

Secondly: Do not give a shit about other people and their opinions of you. People will be bitchy to you, forget about you, and talk about you - but you're not alone. It's just a part of life and almost everyone will experience this, but don't spend time running back to the people who left you; leave them instead. Everything will happen for a reason, but stick with the people who matter, people who remember your birthday, buy you presents, care about you, include you, invite you out, ask you over, laugh with you, hug you, smile at you, smile with you, and most importantly, love yourself  for who you are. Don't change yourself for what others want or think of you, but appreciate who you are, appreciate all your flaws, your hair colour, your eyes, your ears, your nose, your lips, your teeth, your body, your laugh, your smile, your voice, your personality, your taste in music and fashion, your interests and your hobbies; everything about you is just how it should be, so forget everyone who believes your less than you are actually worth, which leads me onto my next point...

Thirdly: The media and social media are not real life; they're experts at playing games with people's conscience, but don't fall for their tricks. As hard as it may seem, don't believe anything you see out there, don't let the media influence your self image, self worth, self importance - you are no less than the printed image of a photoshopped model. Don't change who you are in reference to society's expectations, it is 100% unrealistic and 100% NOT you! You have so many gifts and talents that you can't see; you are the only you there will ever be, and ever has been, make the most of being YOU. Don't try to be anyone else, don't wish to be anyone else, don't wish to change yourself, because you are the way you are for a reason. No one will be or ever has been the same, that's the beauty of life! We all have our own flaws but that's what makes everyone imperfectly perfect. The media make us feel like that's not real, that there are people who don't have flaws, are naturally beautiful and slim, but it's all an illusion! The poses and works of computer technology have advanced to the point where some people aren't even recognisable!

Fourthly: Your weight doesn't define you. Nor does the size of your thighs and your stomach. Your weight doesn't tell you how happy you are today, what you have achieved, your personality, your interests, your ambitions; only your relationship with gravity! You can't change the fact you don't have a thigh gap, that's not in your genes! And that's the incredible thing about life, we all have a unique set of genes, therefore no one will ever be alike. Good, honest people will always love you for who you are, no matter what you look like, so don't believe otherwise. Being skinnier does not equal happier, trust me, (although I'm not skinny shaming here). 

Lastly: YOU ARE CAPABLE OF SO MUCH. Ever since birth, you had potential, you can do what you dream, wish, hope, anything else you can call it, you CAN do it, you just have to have more confidence. As you grow older, 'you need more confidence' is a phrase that you will be sick to death of hearing - but it's true! You need to have more confidence, stop doubting, start believing! I've realised once growing older that you do have a lot of talent, but certain things, situations, will enhance those gifts and you will really see what you are capable of. Stop wishing and start doing, things will never happen if you frequently wait upon them; in life you have to go for your goals, before anyone else gets the chance to take them. Don't push people away, they are only helping you when they tell you to believe in yourself, because they too, know what you are capable of! Enjoy what you have, embrace the fact that you have so many talents and skills that you are able to show off! Not everyone is as lucky as that, but you are such a hard-working person, you deserve it! 

This isn't a life lesson, it's just a letter for future reference; I want you to know what I wish I did then, because it will help you so much in life. I'm not saying that I know it all and now life will be fine and dandy for you, because life will still be stressful and tiring some days, but that is life and you can't alter what is natural to human existence! I want you to live by the things that I've written, go for your ambitions, don't let anyone stop you, you are capable, you are everything I've told you that you are, I promise. 
 

Love from,

Asia, your future self x