Well hello to you my reader chums! There's nothing I love more than trying out new beauty products and those products turning into one of my everyday staples. I've always seen beauty boxes floating around on my Instagram feed and still remember the days when Birchbox was all the rave. When I saw about Roccabox and they got in touch and gifted me a box, I couldn't have been more excited to see what was going to come through the door.

Roccabox's founder came up with the idea of the box as a purse-friendly way for women alike to enjoy a variety of luxury products every month on their doorstep. I love the premise behind it and feel grateful to have the opportunity to sample the box.

 Well hello to you my reader chums! When I picture self-care, I imagine luxury bath products, candles, and endless amounts of yoga, but self-care is more than a beauty regime and taking the time to meditate, it's something you should be putting in place to look after number one - yourself.

Self-care is all about taking care of yourself, and that includes your mind, body, and soul. It's all about not forgetting to put your needs first and doing everything you can to keep positive and live life to the full. Whether you've had a bit of a life blip lately or looking to practice self-care more, here are my top tips on how to do just that.

Listen to your body intuitively 

This has to be my number one tip when it comes to self-care and something I've learnt and practiced more as I've got older. Naturally, I'm a busy person, I like to be doing something 24/7 and always have more than one task on the go as I feel like if I'm not productive with my day, then I'm a failure. However, over time, I realised that's not good for my mental health and it's bad for me to be that busy all the time. With lockdown, I've taken a huge step back and listened to my body more. What I mean by this is on the days I'm in a productive mood, I'll whizz through work, and on the days where work gets too much or I'm overwhelmed, I'll spend the evening sitting watching Netflix and doing nothing. Resting is just as important as being productive - listen to what your body needs. If you feel like you need to exercise, go for a walk, if you're hungry for a big meal, eat, if you're tired, have a nap; utilise your own intuition.

Setting boundaries

This tip can fall into lots of different life categories. But what I mean by this is setting boundaries for yourself and being okay with them. For instance, a lot of us feel the pressure of socialising or doing something we're not 100% into, just to fit in with the group or a certain person. But that's not what life is about and sometimes you have to be a little selfish. Learn to say no when you don't want to do something and being okay with that, put your energy into the things you enjoy, and stop when you need to stop. It's okay to have boundaries and sticking to them - and the people who don't respect that shouldn't be in your life.

Regular social media detoxes

Social media fills our days more than it probably should and it consumes our life in more ways than one. A lot of us share our lives online, whether that's on Instagram stories or updating your Facebook status, and we thrive from online attention and think it's the validation we need. But, it's not in any sense. Social media isn't real, it's a highlight reel of people's lives and a lot of us forget that, constantly comparing ourselves to the biggest influencers or celebrities.  I'm an avid social media user and don't often take breaks but the days when I'm working lots or out with friends socialising, I tend to not look at my phone and I feel happier for it. Try and take breaks as much as possible and utilise that time you're spending scrolling by reading, calling a friend, or going for a walk - something that'll help your mental health.

Daily affirmations

Affirmations have become one of my favourite things and something I wish I knew more about in my younger years. Affirmations vary in so many ways but it's dependant on what's personal to you and what you need to boost yourself up about. They're something that you should say to yourself every morning as part of your routine to give you a pick me up for the day. If you're looking for affirmations, here are my top five affirmations.

Having 'you' time

Having time for yourself is so important. This could be having an evening to yourself to watch your favourite TV show, reading a book, or simply chilling with a podcast. It's good to sit with your thoughts and being on your own, and learning to love the time to yourself. We shouldn't have to rely on others to make us happy or give us reassurance in life, we have to be able to that ourselves before we rely on someone else. Always look after yourself first.

I hope you enjoyed this post. What are your tips for practicing self-care?

Thank you for reading <3

 Well hello to you my reader chums! If you've been following me for a while then you'd know I've been actively trying to make more eco-friendly choices in my day to day life. Beauty products are something I undoubtedly use every day and over these past few months, I've been researching and trialling which products are eco-friendly - and how I can implement them in my routine.

I've not changed everything and I'm nowhere near perfecting being the perfect eco-friendly blogger in any way, however, here are a few products I now use and am absolutely obsessed with.

Shampoo and conditioner bars

Out of the whole list, these are something I've used for over a year and really don't see myself going back to normal shampoo any time soon. Shampoo and conditioner bars are revolutionary and probably my favourite thing in my bathroom product-wise. I use the ones from Lush cosmetics but I'm pretty sure many eco-friendly sites sell other alternatives.

Shampoo bars last incredibly longer than regular shampoo, they're easy to use, reusable and simple to travel with (ideal for me.) And of course, they're massively eco-friendly as they have no waste to them whatsoever. Lush offer a whole range of different flavours and only a little lather of the bar can go a long way.

Reusable cotton pads

Since using these, it makes me question why I didn't start sooner. I've got the Bambaw bamboo reusable cotton pads but they're a whole range of different reusable ones out there. They do what's in the name, you can use them time and time again. After use, I pop them in the washing bag provided with the cotton pads and once the bag is full, I put it in with my regular washing to make them like new to use again.

It's simple and easy - and even though it's a bit of a long process to clean cotton pads, I know what I'm putting on my skin is soft, eco-friendly and that the pads will last for a long time. The pads do the job as effectively as disposable cotton pads and they're super cute.

Wild Deodorant

I recently was gifted a Wild deodorant and wrote a full review of my experience with it. I do absolutely love it to say the least. It's a refillable deodorant with decomposable pods and it's super easy to use.

The deodorant itself is gentle on the skin and doesn't contain any aluminium which gives me the assurance that I'm putting the right products onto my skin. As it comes with its own case, everything you buy additionally to that is eco-friendly and decomposable - and you can sign up to the monthly service to make it easier for yourself to buy. You can use my code 'DELLA10' for 10% off.

Organicup

I have also now become a menstrual cup convert which is a sentence I never thought I would write. I was an avid sanitary pad user for years and the thought of using a menstrual cup terrified me. However, after trialling the Organicup for a few months, I don't know how or why I lived without one for so long.

Once I got comfortable with the process of putting it in and taking it out, I fell in love with the idea of using it. I'm able to keep it in for up to 12 hours, I can't feel it when it's in and I have the assurance of knowing it's made of organic materials. Also, even though it's a little pricier than your typical pads and tampons, over the course of a few months, it's a lot more cost-effective as I use it over and over again.

Callaly period products

Before I dabbled into the world of the Organicup, I religiously used the Callaly period subscription service. I began looking for other eco-friendly options and this was one of them, offering products made of organic and compostable materials.

If you don't want to convert to the menstrual cup or find it's not for you then services like Callay are the perfect alternative. Each month you're able to customise which sanitary products your monthly box includes depending on your flow and you can set it for the same date tor receive it every month. Plus, when I used these products, they honestly felt so much more natural than over perfumed pads I've used prior.

Estrid razor

I had never heard of a vegan razor before Estrid got in touch, however, I'm so glad I now have it in my hands. The Estrid razor glides like a dream when I shave and is honestly the softest shave I've ever experienced. It comes with a super cute wall stand for the razor, I love the mantra behind the brand and it's vegan - so really, the perfect step to dabble into eco-conscious razors. And, you can pick the colour!

LastSwab

One weird thing about me is I love cotton swabs and cleaning out my ears even though I know you're not meant to do it often. However, I'm fully aware that cotton buds are one of the worst things for the environment like wipes as they do not decompose. With that in mind, when I saw the LastSwab advertised I had to give it a go.

Now, I'm able to use the swab for all its needs, give it a wash and reuse it over and over again.

Magnitone wipeout cloth 

The last product is something I have been gifted years ago but still love to this day. The Magnitone wipeout cloth is designed to wipe off makeup with only water and the best thing about it: it's the softest cloth to do so. And, you can rewash it as many times as possible like a flannel.

I hope you enjoyed this post. What other eco-friendly beauty products would you recommend?

Thank you for reading <3

 Well hello to you my reader chums! It's been a while since I've sat down and written a book review. At the beginning of lockdown, I seem to delve back into my love of reading and it was my number one priority, however, as time moved on, life got busy and reading took a backstep, unfortunately.

But, a book I've just finished and really enjoyed in so many ways was The Five. It had a combination of history, a beautiful way of storytelling, and the raw honest element of these ladies' lives - and here are my overall thoughts on the book.

Storyline

The whole idea behind the novel which I think is so important is to give the women back their stories and back a voice. Jack the Ripper is known as one of the most famous killers of all time but his victims are merely known as just that, especially in the headlines at that time. However, they weren't just victims, they were women, they were mothers, daughters, wives, workers and so much more.

The storyline is broken up into each woman and every stage in their life. It starts with a general background of who they are, where they're from, and then goes onto their whole lives essentially. The book takes you through the journey chronologically of what the women went through, the successes and the hardships, and how they, unfortunately, ended up in the wrong place. It gives a bit of humanity to the women's story and that really, they are just like us. 

I learnt about the places they were born, their relationships, the many kids they had, their loves, and what unfortunately went wrong for them to fall out of love with themselves. I also learnt about the history at that time and how the way of life was so much harder for women. They'd have to be married in order to fit into society and were simply just a homemaker or a mother, they couldn't be who they wanted. It was frowned upon for women to pursue their dreams, to do things for themselves, or even enjoy sex. It was a man world's back then and honestly, it makes me so grateful for a lot of the changes that have been made today.

The five women

Polly, Annie, Elizabeth, Catherine, and Mary Jane were the names of the five women. Say their names louder for the people at the back, as they were women and humans, and deserve to be remembered in that way. I've empathised with each of the women's tales and really wanted to give them a hug and tell them it's going to be okay. So many issues were involved in their lives such as the battle with addiction, the loss of their children, divorce, death, poverty, mental health, and many other things which are still prominent issues today. These issues often led them down a bad path as the support and help weren't available like what is now and these women really did suffer.

But the main issue is the fact that they were women and how women were deemed as a second class citizen. Before these women were even born, they were regarded as less important than their brothers or male counterparts. They weren't going to be given the same leg up in life like their brothers, and unfortunately, even though time and progress have been made, the level of inequality between the sexes still stands.

Overall thoughts 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and it was such an insightful read in so many ways. It opened my eyes to the level of poverty in the 1800s and what life really was like then, even down to their way of living, the workplace, and everyday life. It taught me so much history about that century as a whole. It also opened my eyes to the lack of rights and say there was for women. Don't get me wrong, I'm fully aware that women have been treated badly for centries but this novel goes more in-depth to each point of how they were treated unfairly - and what went on.

I felt privileged to be able to learn more about these five women and their life stories, and everything which made them so unique, and the hardships they went through. I really empathised with their stories and wanted to know more. I think this book is so important and a must-read for everyone. It's got a huge feminist voice to it, showing the reader that a woman's life is incredibly important and who she is, isn't dependant on her marital status, or who she's associated with. The book is an eye-opener, insightful read, and generally an incredible history book.

Ending

The ending offers an interesting round up to the whole book and gives a conclusion chapter, titled 'just prostitutes.' This is one of my favourite parts of the book as it fully explains how in the 1800s, a women's sole purpose was to support men in their life choices, whether that was being a mother, a wife, or basically assisting them in any way. Women were supposed to be homemakers then, they lived for their husbands and weren't allowed their own life, their own drive - or they were shunned by society. There were a lot of double standards and the fact that Jack the Ripper is glorified for what he did rather than be shunned, highlights that point even more. This book gives the voices back to the women that suffered as it's the least they deserved and hopefully, it can aid in silencing the ripper and supporting women instead. Let's smash the patriarchy together!

I hope you enjoyed this review. Have you read this book?

Thank you for reading <3

 Well hello to you my reader chums! Going out to eat is one of my favourite things to do and I love it when I discover new, independent restaurants. In Thanet, there's a hub of family-run and independent eateries and many that I absolutely adore visiting on a regular basis. I'm lucky to say most of these places are on my doorstep or near enough to be local restaurants to me.

If you live near Thanet or are stopping by for a day at the beach, here are a look at my favourite restaurants.

Bottega Caruso

If you know me, you would know that I'm obsessed with Italian food (which probably goes down to my Italian heritage.) And Bottega in Margate has to hands down be the best Italian around these parts. The restaurant serves up produce straight from Italy and provides some of the most traditional Italian grub you can get your hands on. I fell in love with all the food here and the family who runs it are also so lovely. Not only is it a restaurant, but also a deli and you can buy the fresh Italian produce and enjoy it in your home.

Archive Homestore & Kitchen

I'm a huge brunch lover so any restaurant that serves it up all day is for me. The Archive is located under the arches on Ramsgate Harbour and serves up the widest, and most delicious brunch menu ever. They have everything for sweet to savoury lovers, and a selection of superb cakes too. And, to top it all off, they sell a range of eco-friendly products, the cutest cards and books. The Archive is somewhere I take all my pals as it's the perfect location with the yummiest brunch (and iced chocolate.)

Delphi Greek restaurant

Greek food has to come second to my love of Italian and the Delphi serves up some of my favourite. Located on Ramsgate Harbour, you'll experience a range of traditional Greek food and drinks with a lovely view. There's everything from gyros to souvlaki and all the salad you're able to eat. It's got the loveliest atmosphere too and some evenings, they host Greek dancing evenings too. 

Woody's 

If you're in the mood for tapas, Woody's in Margate is the place for you. Located in the Old Town, Woody's is my favourite spot for tapas. It serves up a wide range of tapas dishes, the best quesadillas you can eat and many different pizzas too. It's one of those restaurants you can go all year round, but there's no better feeling than sitting outside in the summer sun with a glass of sangria. 

Royal Harbour Brassiere

I recently discovered this restaurant a couple of week's back when my best friend and I were looking for a lush place to eat and get cocktails. It popped up on my Instagram feed and I was instantly like 'yes!' Located bang in the middle of Ramsgate Harbour, Royal Harbour Brassiere is the place to be for the best ever seafood dishes. I'm not the biggest seafood fan, however, the food here has fully converted me. It's top-quality, locally caught produce and it's delightful - and the cocktails are amazing too. Plus the outdoor seating looks over both the beach and harbour so it's a win-win really.

The Minnis Bay Bar and Brassiere

Minnis Bay beach is one of the absolute gems in Thanet and The Minnis Restaurant sits right opposite the beach. It's a beautiful restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner and an assortment of fancy and classic pub-like food. I love it there, and it's a great spot to go for a drink at sunset in the summer months.

Posilipo Broadstairs

Broadstairs is my favourite town in Thanet and probably the one I visit most. The town has many restaurants overlooking the beach and one of them is Posilipo. Posilipo is a stunning Italian restaurant that offers a wide range of pizzas, pasta and various other Italian eats. There's an outdoor terrace too which is the perfect spot in the summer for a glass of wine with your pasta. The restaurant is also a chain and has another restaurant in Canterbury and Faversham.

The Cowshed Bar and Grill

I rave about The Cowshed a lot to anybody going to Birchington or is in the mood for something really wholesome. Their menu is perfect for meat lovers (or those with big appetites.) They serve up a selection of the best steaks, burgers and a range of typical British meals - plus their dessert menu is on par too. My favourite meal there has to be the Mac and cheese beef burger - it's insane.

The Yarrow Restaurant

The Yarrow Restaurant is located in Broadstairs in the Yarrow Hotel. The Yarrow is a fancy hotel and the food matches to that stance. They offer a selective menu with the finest ingredients for both lunch and dinner. It's a little pricier than your typical restaurant but the quality of the food makes up for that. The setting is pretty chill too and there's a lovely outdoor garden you can dine in too in the summer months.

GB Pizza Co

Who doesn't love pizza? GB Pizza Co is a cool pizzeria opposite Margate beach. It's a very Instagram worthy and affordable place for a bite to eat with your pals. Plus, they offer a large range of yummy pizzas to choose from.

Peter's Fish Factory

You will never find a better fish and chip place than Peter's Fish Factory! There is a chip shop in both Ramsgate and Margate right on the beach so the perfect place to grab some chips and sit on the sands. They're really affordable too and honestly the best around.

I hope you enjoyed this post. What are your favourite restaurants in Thanet, Kent?

Thank you for reading <3

 Well hello to you my reader chums! Writing travel itineraries is one of my favourite things to do as I love researching a new place and mapping out the best things to see and do at my next destination. With the prospects of travel becoming more accessible again, I thought I would share some of my tips on how to plan the perfect travel itinerary.

Timescale

The first thing with any travel itinerary is knowing your time scale and the amount of time you have to work with. What I like to do is list all the flight times and transport that'll happen on your set days and then I'll be left with the time I have in between to organise what I want to see and do. 

When I have my section of available time, say 3 full days, for example, then I can slot in the type of activities and places to see depending on what's more suited for each day.

Research, research, research

This is my favourite part of any travel itinerary as I love dabbling into various travel blogs, travel websites and trip guides. The internet is a wonderful place and the world of travel bloggers means there is plenty of insight out there to find incredible things to do, see and hidden gems to discover.

Each city or location will have a list of 'must-see' things and as important as that is to include as you'll want to see all the tourist sights, try and go a little deeper with your research. I typically add all the 'must-see' places and then continue to research to see if there are any quieter spots, hidden beaches, great viewpoints or unique activities. Blogs are brilliant for this as they offer a personal perspective rather than a travel website which is trying to label the top things to see that you can buy into. I typically type in 'guide to x days in x' when I'm researching.

When it comes to travelling, some of the best things I've experienced have been free or I've discovered whilst walking off the beaten path. Be a little clever for research but also allow breathing time to simply be and explore on your trip.

Fill in the itinerary accordingly

When I've found things I like the sound of, I slot them into the days I think are appropriate on the itinerary and then keep adding until the days are full. Then, what I like to do is research where everything is distance-wise to each other and re-jig the itinerary to map everything out in the most logical way.

Then, voila, you have everything mapped to perfection.

Further research

Travel isn't about what there is to see, food and drink play a huge part in getting to know a new location and new culture. And, I'm a huge foodie so I love to dabble into a bit of research to the best places to eat and drink. Roaming around and finding places to eat is all part of the travelling fun, but there's nothing wrong about making a small list of what's out there.

Under the step-to-step guide of what to see and do, add a 'where to eat and drink list.'

Work out your budget

Once everything is listed on what you're going to do on the trip, do a little maths to how much the activities will cost as then you can figure out how much money to bring overall and what you will have left for food, drink and anything spontaneous you get up to.

Have fun!

A set itinerary will give you the basis for your trip and you can build on it when you're there, and once you've found your bearings. Enjoy the adventure and have fun!

I hope you enjoyed this post. What other tips do you have to make the perfect itinerary?

Thank you for reading <3

 Well hello to you my reader chums! Lockdown restrictions are slowly getting eased and things are going back to normal, or the 'new normal' that we're all living in right now. But as things have been going back to normal, I've been reflecting on lockdown, what I've learnt and how appreciative I am of that time. 

Lockdown gave a lot of us a chance to live a slower pace of life, spend time with our families, and appreciate our surroundings. Here are 5 things I've learnt in lockdown:

Appreciating where I live

I've lived on the Kent coast my whole entire life and I'm a beach baby to a tee. Nothing makes me happier than being on the beach, feeling the sand between my toes and hearing the sound of the waves ebb at the shore. I've always realised how lucky I was to be by the sea but with such a busy day to day life, working, running my baking business and trying to keep as social as possible, I didn't really take the time to spend days at the beach or strolling on the sands.

However, in lockdown where the only time we were meant to leave the house was for a walk, I spent a lot of my time outside walking on the beach. There are many different beaches within a 5-10 minute drive from my house and I spend a lot of my time exploring the quieter ones and finding hidden coves on the sands. I found myself falling in love with where I live over and over again. My home will forever be a happy place.

Being busy all the time isn't healthy

Something I didn't do often prior to lockdown was taken the time to relax or live at a slower pace. I was constantly busy working, doing my blog, doing my business, making plans, and really, always doing something. And, I never gave myself the right time to relax or take a step back from a busy life. But I've learnt being in lockdown and on furlough that not being busy all the time is healthy. It's good for my mental health and sanity really to have a little break.

I'm still on furlough at the minute and even though I'm trying to keep busy, I'm also trying to live a bit more intuitively and do with what feels right for my mind. This can be either having a full productive day or lying in and chilling.

Quality time is so important

Being shut in our houses for a few months really made me realise how important it is to keep myself surrounded by people I love. It was the weirdest few months not hanging out with my friends in person or seeing my work colleagues from day to day. I missed that much-needed interaction on a regular basis and when it slowly was allowed to come back, I appreciated it more and more.

Lockdown also gave me the opportunity to spend a lot more time in my house and with my family, which is something I wouldn't have got so much off in 'normal times.'

Spending excess money isn't necessary

Like any other girl my age, I love travelling, I love a day out in London, a trip to the theatre, meals out or a night out. However, something I learnt in lockdown is that even though, they are some of my favourite things to do, they aren't necessary. I was able to have fun with the simpler things; picnics on the beach, garden gatherings and just being with people, or talking over Zoom. It wasn't all about the 'fun activities', it's about who I spent my time with.

That I was one of the lucky ones

I'm fully aware that in lockdown, I was one of the lucky ones and I'm very grateful for that. I was able to move back home with my family in a house with a garden (that came in handy a lot in the first few months of lockdown.) I got furloughed so was able to keep an income during this whole period and I had people around me to keep me company. My heart went out to those who got laid off from their jobs or the many people who got and passed away from the virus. It's such a sad and unfortunate time and I cannot be more grateful for my health, my family and friends.

I hope you enjoyed this post. What did you learn from lockdown?

Thank you for reading <3