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Beauty

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Notice anything weird about this photo? No, I don'

Notice anything weird about this photo? No, I don't have a black eye 😂, I just decided to put @collectionlove Lasting Perfection Concealer on half my face to see what difference it actually made.

As we can see, half of me looks like I haven't slept or drank water in 2 days (guys, I definitely have, I was just blessed with v significant under eye shadow genes but I'm cool with it) or am seriously ill (I'm fine ok) (my Nan literally asks me if I'm anaemic everyone I go round without this product on, ffs)..... and half of me looks pretty fresh. So yes, this concealer is the one, I'm telling ya.

This wasn't just random, I'm currently writing a review of this product cause I DAMN WELL LOVE IT and have used it since I was like, uh, 14. It's my holy grail concealer, only costs £4.19 and used to cover up THE LITERAL ANGRIEST OF SPOTS and last alllllllllll day. AND AND AND it's vegan and cruelty-free 🐇. Is anyone else as obsessed with it as me, because I've literally never ever found a concealer quite as effective at such a good price?! Anyways, I'll upload my full review soon - I'm waiting on a delivery, as they've just released their new packaging and I'm buzzingggg. I consider myself a good concealer reviewer (😂), since my face has given me a hell of a hard time over the years.

Also 👉🏻 half of me feels weird uploading such insignificant make-up stuff during a pandemic, but half of me feels like a lil bit of normality is needed.... I'm not ignoring it and I really hope you're all doing well and keeping safe 💜🌼

I’m convinced that social media negatively affec

I’m convinced that social media negatively affects my mental health. On a bad day, Instagram, in particular, sends my anxiety levels skyrocketing.

But considering the average British person checks their phone 28 times a day, paired with the fact that the average amount of screen time per day adds up to an insane 3 hours and 23 minutes, I know I’m not alone on this one.

The world is more connected than ever. And while seeing happy snaps from our friend’s and family’s daily lives makes us smile, an endless barrage of flawless influencer photos, seemingly forever-perfect lives and the pressure to post can sometimes cause the opposite.

So, does social media affect mental health and — more importantly — what can we do to stop it from doing so? Here’s my take on social media and mental health, how I’m dealing with Instagram anxiety, as well as a few tips and tricks to help any of you who feel the same! 👉🏻 Click the link on my bio to read it, and let me know what you think or if you've experienced anything similar 💜

Poem: Not You are not your age, nor the size of t

Poem: Not

You are not your age, nor the size of the clothes you wear,
You are not a weight, or the color of your hair.
You are not your skin, or the rolling scars on your cheeks.
You are all the books you read, and all the words you speak.
You are your croaky morning voice, and the smiles you try to hide.
You’re the sweetness in your laughter, and every tear you’ve cried.
You’re the songs you sing so loudly when you know you’re all alone.
You’re the places that you’ve been to, and the one that you call home.
You’re the things that you believe in, and the people whom you love.
You’re the photos in your bedroom, and the future you dream of.
You’re made of so much beauty, but it seems that you forgot
When you decided that you were defined by all the things you’re not.

I've been unsure of what to post these past few days... everything is a little uncertain and scary and posting about skincare or makeup seems so irrelevant and unimportant. So here's one my favourite poems of all time, which I've adapted very slightly with my thoughts. The original is by the amazing @thepoeticunderground. I hope you are all keeping safe and well? 💜🌼

🌼 Little things to be happy about 👉🏻 With

🌼 Little things to be happy about 👉🏻 With the global coronavirus pandemic unfolding right before our very eyes, it's hard not to feel overwhelmed. But even in times of stress and anxiety, there ARE little things to be happy about. I thought I'd make a list of them.

1. The amazing things people and communities are doing to help each other 👉🏻 Sometimes, it's easy to feel like the world is full of bad people. But it's times like these that proves there are so many amazing, kind and selfless people out there! 💜 Young people are rallying together to help the elderly and vulnerable in their communities, people are making a genuine effort to support small businesses in their area, teachers, NHS, care and emergency services workers are giving it their all to help those in need, and even profit-driven supermarkets are closing their doors to the general public to look after the vulnerable. While it's a sad and worrying time, it's genuinely uplifting to see how selfless and giving the vast majority of people (and even big businesses) are.

2. It's officially spring! 👉🏻 Today is the first day of spring. I've been noticing the evenings are longer and I haven't seen a sunset as pretty as the one I saw last night for a long time. 🌅 It's not quite so chilly and flowers are blooming 🌸. I LOVE spring, and while we're all avoiding bars, cafes, clubs and crowded places, there's no better time to drive into the countryside and enjoy the outdoors.

3. PETS. 👉🏻 Okay, pets aren't a new thing 😂, but why not use your down time to spend even more quality time with them? 🐶🐹🐰 I don't know about you, but my dog Buddy makes me smile every single day and I'm going to spend most of this weekend walking, playing and cuddling him. My boyfriend and I always joke about how blissfully unaware Buddy is of all the bad stuff going on in the world 🧘🏼‍♀️. But I've come to realise how lovely that is. He's just living life a day at a time and he gets SO excited about the tiniest things, like a walk on the beach or a good cuddle. That's all he needs to feel content. I think we can all learn from that sometimes.

4. Friends and family 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦👭👭 Continued in comments...

🌼 First dates. Getting to know him. Spontaneous

🌼 First dates. Getting to know him. Spontaneous plans. Late night chats. Goodnight texts. Omg-It’s-Only-Been-A-Minute-But-I-Miss-Him. YES I want to see you again. And again. And again. Did he actually just ask me to be his girlfriend? Omg. I’ve found my person.

But wait. What about my skin? He hasn’t seen my skin. What will he think if he sees me without makeup? Am I catfishing him? I’ll have to take my make-up off at some point. But he might think I’m disgusting. My skin might ruin everything. I’m terrified of showing him my acne. What if he doesn’t want to see me anymore?

Who can relate? 😩 Dating with acne, or entering into a new relationship with acne, can be weird. On one hand, you’re head over heels for someone, but on the other, you’re constantly hyper-aware of your skin and terrified of any situation that could lead to them seeing your bare face.

Since so many people related to the post I wrote on Valentines Day about dating with acne, I decided to write up a blog about it. As well as sharing my personal experience, I've listed a few tips for those of you who are experiencing it now. The link is in my bio.

I really hope it helps someone! If you've gone through a similar issue, it'd be great if you could leave your tips/advice in the comments as I know I probably haven't covered the subject entirely, and every little tip could help the people who're struggling with this now! Alllllllll the love to you all 💜

I attempted to take a no-makeup selfie this mornin

I attempted to take a no-makeup selfie this morning, to show you all that despite being acne-free for now, I still have far from perfect skin... but my dog, Buddy 🐶, wanted in on the shot. PS my hair is just wet, not insanely greasy lool

Anyway, the point still stands 🤷🏻‍♀️ I might not have acne anymore but I'm definitely not #InstaFlawless and probably never will be. I've got lovely bags and shadows under my eyes constantly (not ill, tired or dehydrated, just got some really strong undereye bag genes, thanks Mum and Dad) and, without makeup, I'm pale AF with an insanely pink nose. I still get regular hormonal breakouts, too. But it's fine, right? 🌼 Because in reality, it's hard to live up to Instagram's 'beauty' standards, and none of us should be scared of showing our real skin to the world. I used to be so scared of showing anyone except my parents, sister or boyfriend my face without makeup. Tbh, it's still a bit of a challenge now, but I'm forcing myself to do more without it 🧘🏻‍♀️. I personally find that the simple act of doing things outside of your comfort zone can do amazing things for your confidence. And, at the end of the day, why should anyone be ashamed of being themselves?

Anyway, I think Buddy still loves me, dark shadows and all 🐶💜 I'm curious, has anyone else struggled with the no makeup thaaang?

Should you moisturise if you have oily skin and ar

New blog at NotesbyAlice.co.uk 🌼 The link is in

New blog at NotesbyAlice.co.uk 🌼 The link is in my bio! As someone who’s experienced acne for 10 years straight, some of the Google results for the term ‘how to get rid of acne’ made me feel a little — well — underwhelmed.

Put apple cider vinegar on your face — tried it, it stings. Wash your face every night — are you insinuating we don’t? Drink more water — wow, revolutionary. Toothpaste will do the trick — dude, if that was true, my life would be a whole lot easier. Don't wear make-up — have YOU tried going to high school with 20 actual cysts on your face? Thought not.

Sarcasm aside, I wanted to offer my tips and advice on how to get rid of acne (if you want to, because it's totally your choice). Sure, I’m no dermatologist, but I’ve been through the entire process myself and know that getting rid of acne (I’m talking long-term, red, uncomfortable, painful, I-can’t-remember-the-last-time-my-skin-was-clear kinda acne) is not an overnight, quick-fix process or something that can be fixed with toothpaste treatments. But on the bright side, there is an end in sight and there are plenty of things you can do to speed up the process.

If you’re at your wit’s end, are feeling a little bit crappy (I’ve been there) and are wondering how to clear acne in a realistic way, I’ve got you covered. With that said, the blog contains my 9 essential tips for getting rid of acne - and it's only 5k (🙈) words. I share my favourite skincare and makeup products for acne prone skin, including @deciem, @scienceofskinuk, @baremineralsuk, @collectionlove and @dotsforspots, as well as a few other tips and tricks that might help you. I have to point out, though, that the single most important tip in there is to realise that you're more than your skin.

If you had to give a single tip to someone who's struggling with their skin, what would it be? 🤔 And let me know what you think of the blog 💜