Life Update: Where I've Been

Over the past month, I've definitely been a bit MIA from both my blog and all my social media. I don't want to be that person that tries to make excuses for themselves and I'm disappointed in myself that I've been away for so long. 

I don't have a specific reason of why I've not been blogging. I haven't been on holiday, I haven't been ill (except one day last week) I got stuck in a rut, with writers block being a massive problem for me. I tried everything I could to find inspiration for new posts, I tried changing up my desk area and clearing it out but nothing seemed to work.

Blogging has never been about the numbers or followers to me, but it was nice to see that people were reading what I was writing and actually liked my blog. I was so proud of how well my little blog was doing, and of course I had a long way to go to compete with the big names in the blogosphere, but I was happy with how well my blog was doing and it was something I enjoyed doing. 

I put a lot of pressure on myself to stick to a Monday/Thursday upload schedule, being very strict on myself with what posts to upload on certain days. There's obviously nothing wrong with having a schedule or a blog post planner and it was working for me to start with but then something went wrong and I just ended up forcing content, repeating the same kind of posts over and over. I've only been blogging since October of last year so I probably don't have any rights to be complaining about writers block or the struggles it comes with in such a short amount of time but it definitely affected me.

When I noticed I was struggling with my content, instead of announcing a break or just changing things up a bit, I dropped off the radar. There's so many bloggers out there who are absolutely killing it right now and I take my hat off to each and every one of you, you're doing a great job! I really wish I could be one of those people who is super organised with posts planned a month ahead, but I'm not. 

I really liked the schedule and structure I had with my blog but it was really getting me down, to the point where I thought about just stopping altogether. I've decided instead of sticking to a schedule that quite clearly wasn't working for me, I'm just going to write and upload whenever I feel like it. 

So from now on, you'll hear from me when I have something (half) decent to write about, but I won't restrict myself to certain days or a specific schedule.

Thanks for reading

Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Blogging

As much as I love blogging, there are definitely some things I wish I knew before I started blogging. I always see people on social media saying stuff like 'bloggers have it easy' 'it can't be that hard' 'it's easy money' But I have to say, it's a lot harder and more time consuming than you think! It's basically a full time job! I spend most days blogging, whether it be actually writing a post or just scheduling tweets or taking part in Twitter chats with other bloggers. It might look like I spend my days doing nothing of substance, but I'm constantly planning new content on my blog, or taking photos for posts. I wish I could call this my job, but as of right now I don't get paid for it so it's only a hobby. These are just a few things that I wish I'd known when I started out.

How much time you actually need

I already touched on this but I wanted to talk about it a little more. When I first started blogging, I had no idea what I was doing and would just write a blog post to be uploaded that same evening. Then I learnt a few things about post promotion and put a bit more effort in, and realised I couldn't keep to my normal writing routine. No one told me that I'd spend most of my time planning posts, writing them and taking photos. I spend nearly every minute of my day thinking about blogging, even if its just finding post ideas. 

Your phone battery is literally the worst

I always thought iPhones had a pretty good battery life before I became a blogger, but that all changed when I started scheduling tweets and spending every waking minute on social media, either posting or catching up with other people's posts. I had to charge it atleast twice a day but now I have a portable charger and I wouldn't be without it!

The British weather is rubbish

We all know by now that the British weather is usually unpredictable. This obviously annoys most people, bloggers more so than others. If like me you rely on natural lighting for blog and Instagram photos, you're gonna have a hard time getting perfect photos if the weather decides to change randomly. I'm dreading when winter comes and the short nights are back because I'll probably never get any photos taken! I've been very tempted to invest in some studio lighting, just to make my life easier but I'm managing well so far with natural lighting.

Bloggers block happens more often than you think

I've only ever seen a handful of bloggers talk about it but I've suffered from bloggers block quite often. I very regularly read other blogs and get inspiration, but when I run out of ideas I feel useless. It was hard enough at school when I had to write an essay but couldn't find the words to write it, but this is something else! Sometimes it's easier to take a little break and get your mojo back instead of forcing content that people will see is not really what you want to write about. 

Bloggers can be bitches too

I'm sure most bloggers will know this but if you don't, there's bitches everywhere. I personally haven't had to deal with any, but I've seen plenty of arguments on Twitter over petty shit. At first glance the blogosphere looks like a wonderful place filled with unicorns and marble backgrounds with rose gold accessories. While it is filled with some amazing people, who create some amazing content and deserve more recognition for their hard work, there are the odd few who will get on your last nerve. 

As much as I've complained about these things, I wouldn't change it for the world! I absolutely love blogging, regardless of the rubbish things it brings because it also has so many great perks! 

Blogging Made Me Buy It

Something I've seen quite a lot recently is 'YouTube made me buy it' videos, so I thought I'd change it up a bit and do a 'Blogging made me buy it'. Now obviously no one made me buy any of these products, but the hype of them did. I've also included a couple of things that YouTube made me buy, because I watch quite a lot of beauty YouTubers.

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer

Every blogger and YouTuber has this concealer, and they all rave about it. I heard nothing but good things about it for months so obviously I had to have it. I have this concealer in 3 different shades, none of which match my skin correctly so I can't use it. When I did use it, I found that it was a little cakey when worn on it's own so be prepared to set it with a face powder! For £3.99 I don't think it's a bad product, but I haven't got on with it as well as I thought I would which is disappointing.

Maybelline Fit Me Foundation

I can't tell you how many YouTube videos I watched of beauty gurus telling me that this was the only foundation I needed in my life. I'm not sure if they were just paid to say it but either way, I believed them. Priced at £7.99, I thought this foundation was a decent price. It matched my skin well, but did leave me looking a bit oily at the end of the day. If you suffer with oily skin, I'd recommend the Matte & Poreless version of this foundation!

Maybelline Eraser Eye Concealer

I have a love/hate relationship with this concealer. Sometimes it applies really nicely, then other times it looks a mess. I'm not sure if it's the way I'm applying it or if it's just a temperamental product. I definitely prefer this concealer to the Collection one, purely because there's more shade range. It's a bit more expensive than the Collection one at £7.99 but I think it's worth the extra money!

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder

Ah, my good old faithful Stay Matte! After realising how oily my skin actually gets during the day, I scoured the Internet high and low for reviews on face powders. The Rimmel Stay Matte has been a staple in my makeup routine ever since. It does exactly what it says on the tin, and is only £3.99! I don't think I have anything bad to say about this product, maybe that the packaging needs to change since I've probably smashed about 10 'cause the lid doesn't stay on!

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara

This is a recent purchase of mine, after seeing literally everyone talk about it. I bought the waterproof one by accident and I'm not sure if that effects the actual mascara itself but I'm not sure if I like this! Yet again I had high expectations since I'd seen so many people rave about it, so I think that's maybe ruined it for me. I can't lie, it's a good mascara and gives me the length and curl I need. I just feel like it was over-hyped and there are other mascaras that are miles better!

Soap & Glory Supercat Liner

"How-To Winged Eyeliner" was a frequent YouTube search for me, since I epically fail every time. So many girls used this eyeliner and made it look so easy to get the perfect wing with their first attempt. It's super black and has quite a thick nib which is perfect for a big wing! It absolutely doesn't budge either which I really like! I lack the patience to learn how to achieve a winged liner everyday, which might be why I don't love this product but practise makes perfect and I know I'll get there eventually!

MAC Velvet Teddy Lipstick

I remember when I first tried to buy this lipstick and realised it was sold out, and had been for a number of weeks. I'm not quite sure where I first saw this lipstick, or what started the hype but I'm so glad I actually own it! It's the perfect nude and lasts all day. The only thing I've found is that it's a matte finish and is quite drying on the lips. I can obviously see past it's flaws after all the time I spent waiting for it to be back in stock though!

Kylie Cosmetics Lip Kit

I'm really undecided on whether I like this product. The Lip Kits obviously only got the hype they did because they're from Kylie Jenner's brand, but I feel like for the price you don't get anything amazing. These are also a pain to get hold of! I love the formula of the lip pencil, and sometimes wear it alone. The liquid lipstick is nice but gets a bit drying after a while and needs retouching after a few hours. You definitely pay for the Kylie name with these, and I'm sure there are cheaper products that are practically the same!

ABH Modern Renaissance Eyeshadow Palette

I cannot express my love for this palette, I wish it was acceptable for me to sit and stare at it. It's just so pretty! This was my first product from ABH and I'm so happy I bought it because I'm a sucker for warm shades. I probably wouldn't have bought this if it wasn't for literally everyone posting about it, there was just no escape! The price made me wince a little as it was a whopping £41 on Beauty Bay and although I don't think it's worth the price, it's a gorgeous palette!

There were a few other things I bought because of YouTube and blogging, but I've thrown them out 'cause I just really didn't like them! I hope you enjoyed reading, let me know what blogging or YouTube made you buy!

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Top 5 Apps For Bloggers

Hey everyone! Today I'm going to be talking you through some of the apps I've been using that are perfect for bloggers.

Pinterest

This is sort of a new discovery for me, I'd usually use it for pinning stuff like fashion and beauty, but then I made a board specifically for blogging and it's gave me so much inspiration for my future posts and is perfect for anyone just starting out that isn't really sure on what they want to write about.

Twitter

This is hands down the best app for bloggers. It's usually where I get most of my traffic from and the only trick to Twitter is to stay active. Taking part in blogger chats is a great way to get noticed and I've met some of the nicest people on Twitter so it's also good for making new blogger friends!

Buffer

An app that I've only just discovered myself, Buffer is used for scheduling posts to your social media. For example, you could have a blog post scheduled for 5pm but you've made plans with friends. You can also schedule tweets to remind everyone on Twitter that your new post just went up! You can also check the analytics of posts and re-buffer things so you can always stay on top of your social media posts.

Instagram

I am completely obsessed with Instagram, but I definitely need to work on my posting game. I love checking up on friends and other bloggers to see what they're getting up to and when their next post might be up. It's a great way to promote your blog and other social media accounts, but what's also good is you can check the 'explore' page which is tailored to what you've recently liked and will show you more of that, so if you liked a photo of some blog inspo, you'll see more of that!

Notes

As much as I love writing things down in my notebook/diary, sometimes I don't have room in my handbag to be carrying them round with me. I've only recently started using Notes to jot down any blog post ideas I might have while I'm out and about, but it's perfect! It's just the bog standard notes app that comes with the iPhone but I find it's ideal for all those times when I need to jot something down but don't have a notebook with me. Plus, I've usually always got my phone in my hand anyway!

So that's my top 5 apps, I imagine there's probably a few good ones I've missed. Let me know in the comments what some of your faves are!