Solving your skincare issues...

The first post of its kind! HOW EXHILARATING.

Likelihood is, the #StudentLyf was going fabulously until your insomniac, ethanol-based, frantic, new-found lifestyle (I say "new-found", but I shouldn't be assumptive - maybe you came out of the womb constantly awake and sipping a cocktail) took its toll on your skin.

One of these factors alone would be enough to tip it over the edge; a lack of sleep, an unbalanced diet, more alcohol than usual, stress or a change of environment could all happily cause problems individually. So it makes sense that when you likely had a bit of all of them, havoc was officially wreaked.

I almost typed haddock. Haddock is not relevant here.

Here are some key factors to get your skincare back on track:

1. That stuff you put on your skin? Take it off.
• Makeup, neon #rave paint, chip grease from when your bestie had a strop and through her 3am snack in your face... None of this is healthy. Unclog your pores before you go to sleep. If it's makeup you're scraping away, drink a glass of water per section of your face you clean. Hangover diminished and skin cleaned - skilled multi-tasking right there. 
• Micellar Water is a sneaky genius for this. Better for your skin than makeup wipes, some say. Marie Claire has a great round-up of its benefits, and some of the best on the market.
  

  

  So make like Mulan and chisel that stuff off.

2. That stuff you put on your skin? ...Don't put it there in the first place.
• Possibly more challenging: try to limit what you slap on to that face of yours. A full face of foundation for a night in with the flat could be considered unnecessary. Likewise, the self-checkout assistant in Tesco's isn't going to judge you if your under-eye circles are out in force. In fact, neither will any other member of the public. Or your friendship group. Try to have a few days a week where you don't jam anything into your pores. Your poor, poor pores. Poor pore. Isn't that a fruit? 

  

  Loading on that mascara like...

3. Clean dem brushes.
• Makeup brushes are hoarders of bacteria. If your skin was acting up in the first place, any receptacle used in the makeup process is going to be germ-y. Which is gross.  
• You can go all out and use a proper brush cleaner, if you have about £15 to spare - like Clinique's. But a mild shampoo (like Herbal Essences), and a gentle but thorough rinse afterwards will do the job. Add a few drops of Tea Tree Oil (available from The Body Shop) when you wash them, as it has impressive anti-bacterial abilities. 
4. ...Tea Tree Oil does actually have divine powers. 
• I will reiterate: nothing kills germs like this stuff. For use direct on the skin, mixing with water and spraying on makeup or brushes, adding to shampoo - it's pretty incredible stuff... 
  
5. Water.
• Try to drink more. Absolute classic tip - fixes everything, really. Hydrate yourself. Simple. 
  

There you have it, some key ways of preserving some skincare health. No haddock required.

~ The Sassy Fox

A Month Without Alcohol: Dry 'JanuaReport'

We vowed not to drink.

We didn't drink.

So first, a round of applause for our accomplishments.

So what has a month of sobriety brought to our lives? What unfolds when you hit a party-renowned city with each and every one of your wits about you? We've picked two contrasting nights our from our experiences to recount...

1) Hifi #edginess

We had a low start, hitting a small club when we weren't keen to go out in the first place. This fact took its toll, and by the time pre-drinks were drawing to a close, we were slumped on the sofa ready to get into our pyjamas. However, some tactical snacks aided us in persevering - despite horrific weather conditions en route (much more noticeable without alcohol), and a ridiculously long queue.

... Definitely a rocky start, but once 'Uptown Funk' was blasting, it was difficult to sulk. Dancing, it would appear, is always fun, regardless of the volume of ethanol in your bloodstream. Shocking, isn't it? Apparently, endorphins are released either way. Madness.

... Or not.

We turned in a lot earlier than usual: 2:00am and I was already waving my hand around in Saskia's face as our "flagging" signal until she relented ("I was loving it! I could have stayed until the end!"). The next morning, we had a smug feeling of satisfaction as our comrades from the night before swayed and groaned in the lift on the way to lectures. Haaaa!

2) Bierkeller

After a shaky experience the night before, we were still very reluctant to leave our warm sofa-cocoons. The problems were halved, though, because the venue's pub-ish atmosphere meant pre-drinks seemed less necessary. Unlike the previous evening, we were not required to sit down for three hours watching friends sip (inhale) wine from glasses the size of my face.



The queuing was appalling: with the snow and sleet whipping us, I had to question exactly why I picked a Northern university. We were left squatting and huddling like penguins to regulate body temperatures. Not fun ("I thought the squatting was quite fun, actually...").

Once inside (and thoroughly defrosted)? The notable difference in the experience was our lack of patience for the drunkards. People falling on us, in front of us, off benches, harassing our friends, swearing when Sas tried to help said friends... We were having none of it.

We were self-conscious too: what would I normally do? Would I act differently? Probably not, is the answer, but even dancing felt a little odd: if your super-cool grooving starts to verge on a Dad-Dancing special, you can't blame it on "that one last double-vodka-lemonade".

Saskia knows she definitely "would have been more forward" in one certain situation, but I think we'll leave that to the imagination.


Lastly, and to the extreme jubilation of my Facebook friends, we did not take any photos. None. There is no photographic evidence of our nights sans alcool (hence our blatant overuse of internet GIFs)... Because astonishingly, it would seem that taking selfies is utterly degrading and just cannot be done when sober. A true lesson learnt.

Our evaluation?

What really is the downside? It's a heck of a lot cheaper. You can't help but feel buzzed when you're dancing on a table surrounded by inebriated flatmates. You don't stay until 6am and regret it. You wake up the next day feeling human. You're even fighting those all-important national statistics about British teenagers binge-drinking themselves to an early death! All of the mems, in HD clarity, less of the headache.



You might feel a little out of touch with your fellow party-goers, or not want to go out as often. Perhaps in the club, you will realise more quickly that the music is absolutely appalling... But this means you're more picky with your choice of nights out, venues and experiences. You go out to enjoy the event, not to arrive somewhere abysmal and hope you are drunk enough to pass the time. Almost sounds like a good thing, doesn't it?





Saskia's overall comment: 

Dry January has taught me to ask an all-important q in life…

“If it is minus a gazillion degrees outside, then why oh why am I leaving the cosy warmth of my woolen poncho, a captivating read and a nice cuppa in order for my

body to endure extreme temperatures, deafening music and sweaty people (the horror!!!!)?”  
Yeah, the buzz of booze helps you to lose your inhibitions and enter into the partay spirit; but nothing quite beats the feeling of actually wanting to be there.


Louisa's overall comment;
I am the person who is constantly asked, "Wow, how much have you had to drink?" ("No no, nothing, I'm always this loud..."), so I can testify from previous experience that being sober for a night out is not a problem as long as you pick to go somewhere you actually like.
I can't pretend I want to remain sober forever, but it has been no problem giving it up. Let's face it - I'll be outgoing, opinionated and dancing on the tables regardless.

Dry January? Quite the success.

~ The Sassy Fox