blog everyday in May - things that make you uncomfortable

Day 3 of the blog everyday in May challenge; so far so good.

Today, things that make me feel uncomfortable....wow thats going to be a weird list of stuff.
Apologies in advance; don't judge me.

1. Awkward silences
2. Beauty pageants
3. The sound of a mosquito
4. Stilettos or any high heels in fact (im tall and they make me taller)
5. Loneliness - I can handle being on my own, but extended periods of loneliness make my nervous
6. Talking on the phone, to strangers particularly
7. Super hot summer nights without air con
8. Flying
9. Bunny rabbits in the supermarket meet section
10. Public arguments

beauty: the battle of the make-up removers

Recently me and my skin have had a rather turbulent relationship. For some reason my skin is violently swaying between sensitive and oily; I keep getting sensitive skin round my eyes, but suffer from breakouts on my cheeks while my nose seems to be a base camp for blackheads! 

Im putting this whole situation down to a change in weather. Its warming up here and the air is filled with dust and pollens and I think a combination of this, allergies and an itsy bitsy bit of stress may be contributing factors for my difficult skin. 

So it seemed like the perfect time to start using something a bit more gentle on my face, especially when it comes to removing make up, a task I dislike at the best of times. 

Simple eye make up remover + Nuxe micellar cleansing water

The Simple range is not one I had really used before and I actually picked this up in the airport last time I was leaving England; you know what it's like, you have hours to wait for your plane and out of the corner of your eye you can hear Boots calling your name. 

I have always heard and read really good things about Simple and I am starting to believe them. For a hight street product, the eye make up remover is a great buy. It is super gentle yet removes every scrap of mascara with one cotton pad. Plus it's a totally affordable option if the Nuxe or Bioderma are a bit out of your price range. 

[purchase here]

The Nuxe Micellar Cleansing Water is a little more luxurious in terms of make up removers. It is also for sensitive skin, but has a soft rose fragrance, which is not too overpowering or irritating. It gets your make up off super quickly, however it was a little harsher on my skin than the Simple brand. 

Im not sure why but my eyes reacted a little to the Nuxe cleanser and while it was efficient at removing my make up, this point brings it down a notch, especially since its definitely at the higher end in terms of price point. 

[purchase here]

I would have to say, the Simple eye make up remover wins for me; the price is affordable and its perfect for sensitive or combination skin like mine, there was no irritation and it did its job as it said it would.

blog everyday in May - Educate

Its day two of blog everyday in May with Story of My Life and today I am meant to educate you on something I know a lot about. Well I know about food but that was too obvious for me to talk about because mainly I know about the eating side and who wants to read about how to eat....I think you all know how to do it. 

So instead I am going to educate you about expat life.

from the beach

to the mountains

and even the view from my balcony isnt bad. 

I left London over 2 years ago and have been through all the ups and downs and filled in all the forms, done the legwork looking for a job in a foreign country and embraced a totally different culture so I thought I would tell you about some of the pitfalls and pleasures of being an expat. 

1. Be prepared. I mean expat life is not for the faint hearted and you should be prepared for some difficult times no matter how strong you are. The day where everything falls apart will be the day that you realise how far from familiar faces you are and those tears will easily fall, momentarily blinding you to the reasons why you became an expat. 

2. Do your research. Where ever you are going, learn about it before you go. Especially if it is somewhere you have never been. Yes expat life is all about the adventure and excitement but if you have a totally unrealistic picture of the country you headed toward you may be in for a shock. Read about the culture, the language, the food, the local areas etc etc. It will also help you settle when you arrive. 

3. Learn the language. Although I didn't really take my own advice on this one, since my Greek speaking after 2 years is somewhat limited. But as soon as I started understanding Greek and learning the basics, I felt a lot more confident with everyday life in a foreign country.

4. Embrace the culture.You don't have to forget where you have come from but enjoying aspects of your new home can really help you settle into life much quicker. In Cyprus that means going for coffee late at night and enjoying huge family feasts on special occasions, something I obviously don't have any issue with.

5. Be open. Open to new ideas, new activities and new people. You were brave enough to make that leap and leave everything behind for a new country, so take what it has to offer with a clear head and talk to everyone. You never know where you will meet your new best friends. And having some good people around you will really support you mentally and emotionally.

blog everyday in May - life in 250 words.

Today is the start of the blog everyday in May challenge Jenni over at Story of My Life is running. And I am going to do my best to follow along (although with an upcoming trip to the UK, I may have to do some cheating).  So todays post is the story of your life in 250 words or less. 

I was born 25 years ago today. The youngest of the family, I sometimes got my way and mostly got into arguments with my big brother, regularly throwing tantrums I am sure (these memories seem to have been removed from my brain).

I always had fantastic birthday cakes, handmade by my mother depending on each years requirements; princess castle, hedgehog, the list goes on. 

Sometime around the age of 9 I lost my mother to a quick but aggressive battle with cancer. A pretty defining moment in my life. My father was a trooper and raised us well and can be blamed for all my sarcastic qualities I have acquired.

I met the boy at the tender age of 15, and entered into a teenage romance; a boy who has now grown into a wonderful man that I love more than words can express. After school I studied for bachelors degree in Writing Fashion and Culture and spent the majority of my uni years carving out fantastic friendships.

I lived in London my whole life, but after graduating the boy and I packed our bags and begun expat life in Cyprus. Some 2 and half years later, I am still here, we picked up a dog and the boy has just embarked on a new job in Germany.

We have done long distance relationships before and our relationship is stronger than most after 8 years together.

25 years truly has flown by. Am I classed as an adult now?

*249 words thank you very much*

25 years ago today...

... I was born. 

There is a whole great story of my life that I really cannot be bothered to write about right now, needless to say many events have shaped who I am today. 

I think these wise words will be followed for the next 25 years.