Not Vicarious

Hey lovelies!

I started off 2025 with a mental list of things that I wanted to learn throughout the year, one of which related to styling my hair more. I feel like this is something that I should've learnt a long time ago but I kept telling myself that I just wouldn't be any good at it. I've never really been one to style my hair on a regular basis and even though I know how to straighten and curl it, I'm not exactly clued up on how to style it with a blow dryer...

I know that in today's day and age you can easily watch a tutorial at the click of a button but when it came to learning the art of the perfect blowout/blowdry I was craving something more. I opted for a real life tutorial instead by kindly asking my hairdresser to add on a blow dry at the end of my last haircut. Thankfully she had the time so I made use of both her expertise and the process going on in front of me to learn as much as I possibly could. It proved to be incredibly useful!

Fast forward to me attempting it for the very first time, alone, in front of my mirror a few days later though and I was daunted. The last thing I wanted to do was fry my hair off by going over each section one too many times and drying it out! So there I sat, blow dryer in one hand and a round brush in the other staring wide eyed at my reflection, haha.

I worked out that the key for me was to take my time and that way I could get to understand the drying and styling process when it was my own hands doing the work. Overall it can be an incredibly repetitive process especially when you've got wavy/curly hair like me and you need to get it straight before you can even think about doing any real styling.

After I finished my first attempt, I felt such a sense of pride. Once you learn how to do a blowdry/blowout it becomes more of a tedious process than a difficult one. I was personally thrilled that I could finally do it and actually do it relatively well! The way it made me feel was similar to that of a really good makeup day. Not only did it boost my confidence and make me feel beautiful, but it also left me feeling stylish and put together. What more could I want?

Looking ahead, it might not be something that I do after every hairwash since it probably won't do my hair any good, but it's a great option for when I'm going somewhere special or I just want to feel like my best self.

How do you find styling your hair with a blow dryer? Did it take you a few tries to get it looking somewhat professionally done?

Until next time...

Love always, Stephanie

xoxo

Until next time...

Love always, Stephanie

xoxo

Hey lovelies!

1. Berczy Park & the surrounding area

2. Toronto Harbour

4. Niagara on the Lake

5. Niagara Falls & the Skylon Tower

Love always, Stephanie

xoxo

Hey lovelies!

I've been accumulating a whole bunch of new makeup over the last few months and I finally got a chance to try it all. I honestly don't think that there's anything better than just playing around with makeup, taking your time to apply it, and fully slowing down to enjoy the moment; it's like a reward!

I've got to say, I'm really happy with the way that this look turned out. I feel like it would be perfect to wear during the warmer seasons or whenever you want a little soft glam in your day to day life. It definitely channels that glowy vibe that a lot of us love and I think that the pink and pearly champagne colours really make it feel fresh and girly.

Funnily enough, this was the first time in a long time that I had actually made an effort to stray from my usual products and try new ones for practically every step of my routine. I made sure to film the whole process which you can watch here!

It's amazing just how good trying a new routine makes you feel and I thoroughly enjoyed exploring different ways of applying my makeup, especially my blusher. I've never been someone with blush blindness but on this day, I felt like applying a lot more than I usually would and I also extended it further up my cheekbones and ended up loving how it looked!

I hope you try out this makeup routine too and if you need any of the product details, just scroll down to the bottom of this post!

PRODUCT DETAILS:

Saie Beauty Glowy Super Gel - Starglow

E.l.f Cosmetics Power Grip Primer

Maybelline Instant Anti-Age Eraser Multi-Use Concealer - 05

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer - 05

L'Oréal Infallible 32hr Freshwear Liquid Foundation - 130 Cool Rose

E.l.f Cosmetics Halo Glow Setting Powder

E.l.f Cosmetics Halo Glow Powder Puff

Milani Cosmetics Cheek Kiss Cream Bronzer - 110 Hey Honey

Ciaté London Illuminating Blusher - Sweet Kiss

Dear Dahlia Blooming Edition Paradise Jelly Single Eyeshadow - Glitter Vanilla

NYX Cosmetics The Brow Glue

Lancôme Monsieur Big Mascara - Black

Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat Lip Liner - Pillow Talk

Glow Hub Beauty Gen Gleam Collagen Up Lip Glow - Thirsty

Iconic London Prep-Set-Glow - Original

Until next time...

Love always, Stephanie

xoxo

 
Hey lovelies!

In all honesty, I'm not sure if anyone even remembers this mini series I did over on my Instagram and TikTok back in 2023, but for me, it was a time where I could really show off my style and the types of pieces that I gravitated towards.

Granted my style has changed so much over the years, as it does with everyone, and I found that by posting daily outfits for 31 days I was able to somewhat develop my style further.

Little did I know, it would do a whole lot more than that. Let's delve a little deeper:

1. It forced me to be creative with what I had: Often, we get into a rut when putting together an outfit and we resort to buying new clothes just because we're constantly telling ourselves, "I have nothing to wear", which is a total lie. I realised that if I just stopped and looked at my wardrobe, I could definitely find pieces that worked well together.

2. I realised that my style was quite inconsistent: Factors like where I was going, what I was doing, and who I was seeing heavily determined what kind of pieces I ended up wearing. I don't think that I've ever been able to pin down what my style is because when you combine the factors I mentioned before with my mood on the day, I could be anything from girly to tomboy to tomboy femme to business casual, to name but a few! I guess there's beauty in that though.

3. It pushed me to be consistent in posting: I was so proud of this one! I tend to struggle to post if I am not in a great place mentally or when I'm just too busy enjoying life. I distinctly remember being so excited to start this mini challenge because I could finally provide good content after months of feeling 'meh'. Daily content for 31 days straight was a challenge but I loved every second!

4. I created a whole bunch of new outfits: I think this part was the most fun! When I actually took the time to think about the looks that I wanted to create, I ended up wanting to make more of an effort rather than mindlessly shoving clothes on and thinking "that will do". Convenience overrides a lot of things for me and as a consequence my style suffers. With this challenge, I could carefully curate some new looks and use my socials as a lookbook once I had posted my outfit videos.

5. I might have too much of a good thing: It's not hard to take a look at your wardrobe and see what types of pieces you have too much of and for me that is t-shirts. I love graphic t-shirts with a passion, so much so that the lower half of my wardrobe is packed with them! The quantity is high and the quality of them are great but I don't feel like they offer me much variety when it comes to creating an outfit. There are only so many times that you can put t-shirts with jeans, cargo trousers or other types of bottoms before it gets boring. I found that they ended up becoming a roadblock for me and one that I still struggle with on a day to day basis. I am definitely working on finding other tops that I can pair with my staple jeans or trousers to diversify my looks!

Until next time...

Love always, Stephanie

xoxo

Hey lovelies!

It was about time wasn't it? We needed a rebrand or a revamp of some sort after having the same look for almost 9 years, and here it is! I love it!

In a time where short form content dominates, attention spans are increasingly shorter, and the ever popular TikTok app gets our fingers scrolling for hours multiple times a day, it's not hard to think that blogs are more than likely a thing of the past. A part of me still hopes that there are some stubborn blog readers out there who are holding onto the lost art that is blog content creation.

I certainly debated on whether or not I should bother coming back to post on here, but I thought: "What have I got to lose? If I enjoy it, who cares if less people choose to read it? Do something because you love it!"

With that in mind, I'll begin to feed this blog and any potential readers with new content and enjoy the process once again. I'll be sure to fill you in on everything, what an exciting feeling! 😊

See you soon...

Love always, Stephanie

xoxo

Hey lovelies!!

It's almost October and I just know my skin is going to start hating me if I don't maintain some proper hydration over the next few months. Thankfully I've tried out all sorts of products and I'm wise enough to know that my skin often needs a little more hyaluronic acid than usual in the Autumn and Winter months. Failing that, I often reach for some of my favourite makeup products that give me a temporary glow when I'm in a rush or need a little pick me up on duller days.

Whether you want some glow inducing skincare product recommendations (glow getter), or maybe you've got those locked in and you just want some glowy makeup basics (glow get her), I've listed a few of my favourites below to help give you a head start! 

Skincare/Before Makeup:

- SPF: They weren't kidding when they said this was a must! I use a SPF 50+ sunscreen on my face because I want to protect my skin as much as possible and prevent it ageing from the sun. I highly recommend investing in one that fully protects your skin because you will really see the benefits both in the texture of your skin and, as a result, the way your makeup sits on your face.

- Hyaluronic Acid Serum: I mean kind of a no brainer but it really does give your skin a little extra boost when you add it into your skincare routine.

- Plant Derived Squalane: Makes your face super shiny afterwards but it sure does give you some serious hydration. Definitely a night serum if you're looking to wake up with dewy skin and a more youthful complexion.

- Essence: Very popular in Korean skincare and I've absolutely loved what it has done for my skin, especially this one from Cosrx. It is such a good brand and their essence has really made a difference in the way my skin looks!

- Moisturiser: It says it in the name, it gives your skin moisture! Not only does it do that but it helps to hydrate and protect your skin thereby giving you a much healthier complexion. I have tried quite a few different moisturisers and my favourite one right now is also from Cosrx (featured below).

Makeup:

- Glossier Futuredew: I adore this product! It's an oil-serum hybrid that can be used by itself or as a base for your makeup to make your foundation look that extra bit glowy. This has always been a staple for me come rain or shine!

- Highlighters: Applied to the highest points of your face, highlighters have always been the perfect go-to when you want to make any makeup look shine.

After Makeup:

- Setting Sprays: You wouldn't think this was all that important but a dewy setting spray has done wonders for getting me that beautiful glow when my makeup has looked a bit drab or too matte for my liking.

- Face Mists: Similar to setting sprays, you can easily find a good face mist that can be applied before and after makeup to hydrate your skin and give the products on your face a quick refresh.

Be sure to check out the products I've linked below and let me know of any products you recommend!

Until next time...

Love always, Stephanie

xoxo

Hey lovelies!!

Home. Home to me can be a person, a place or even myself. I don't believe that there is just one home for me in this universe, I think people can have multiple so they feel comfortable wherever they go.

I often find myself referencing things in my head that I view as 'home' because they either make me feel safe, loved or secure or all those things combined. I can have more than one physical home, for example: my family home and my own home, just as I can feel at home with a partner, at a BTS concert (one day), in Seoul by the river or alone dancing to my favourite music.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that it doesn't have to be about a physical building in the conventional way we view a home for it to be classified as one but rather sometimes it's more about the way something feels that makes it a home to you.

I once told somebody that: I guess that home stays in your heart. When someone is no longer around (for example, a family member) they don't stop being your home because that home is now in your mind. You could revisit memories or some find comfort "talking" to that person as though they're still around. A partner can be your home and you go to them for safety, to feel comfort, etc. You can also be your own home. You simply just change which one you go to depending on what you need.

In one of my previous posts I touched on how leaving home is a shock. I know that even though it's still there and it still exists, my relationship with it has adapted slightly because I've left it, but it will always be my favourite home and where I feel most me. It was where I did all my growing up, it's where my family is and it's pretty much all I've ever known up until recently.

Over the last year, I have adapted a lot and overcome quite a few hurdles in terms of my emotional feelings about having a new home but, as time goes on, I'm learning that there should always be a balance. Things don't stay the same forever and I've learnt to both embrace and appreciate the new opportunities that have come my way. I'm bringing my sense of home into this new home and slowly but surely I've warmed up to enjoying my time here.

Now that I've let time do its thing, I feel that I can start to look inwardly and improve the relationship I have with myself so I can make my home (i.e. my mind and body) more welcoming. I'll be sure to share bits and pieces with you along the way so feel free to check back in again soon.

Until next time...

Love always, Stephanie

xoxo

Hey lovelies!!

I genuinely feel like the first two weeks of the year are just a practice run...actually the first month is a practice run because whilst I like the idea of having it all together before 1st January, it's not always possible.

Saying that, I have enjoyed being able to settle into the new year. The decision to take it slow, enjoy the smaller moments in life and learn more about myself and my habits is something I feel would better equip me for the rest of the year.

I'm hoping 2023 is all that I hope it will be - something about it feels right. I know that I'll go through things that will challenge me and push me out of my comfort zone but I'm going to channel the strength and confidence I had in 2019 when I had started a new job and somehow managed to not be terrified by all the new things that were being thrown my way. I think it's working...I mean I haven't had a breakdown yet so all in all, things are going well!

We all talk about goals and I really think they're important but not for shaming yourself into doing something but more so for the gentle push we all need sometimes to achieve the things we want most. The goals can be big or small but having them means that you can bring some purpose into your life and keep you focused to create a life that you love with the things and the people you love.

One of my goals is to read more and having challenged myself to read 23 books in 2023, I am ready to sit on my new sofa and bathe in the sunlight that streams into the room as I sink into the cushions and read the many books I have accumulated over the last two years but never got round to reading. I will get there and not out of sheer panic but more so because it is something that I genuinely enjoy even though I fell out of the habit soon after graduating from university.

Ease yourself into the year and don't worry if you haven't got it all figured out yet. It may be a new year but just take each new day as a chance for a fresh start if you need it. Please know that it is not the end if this first month of the year didn't go as planned, they rarely ever do so give yourself some grace and take it slow.

With that said, I hope you all have a great start to your new year and I look forward to seeing where 2023 takes us! Let's go!

Until next time...

Love always, Stephanie

xoxo