How I Grew My Natural Nails

A year later and my nails are as strong as ever. 

When I first had my acrylics removed this time last year, I knew they would grow long but not necessarily healthy. Even if they did, it would be well over year before they start looking good. 

I was wrong, after about 6 -8 months my nails were strong and growing longer than ever.

The 6 months post-acrylic removal was the hardest, my nails were splitting, very thin and very, very brittle, I hated polishing them but that was the only way to keep them from breaking. They were very bumpy when I polished them because my nails kept splitting.

I used a DIY Cuticle Oil (will do a separate post on how to make it!) and it's worked wonders, it has wheatgerm and lavender essential oil in it, which strengthens the cuticles and nails and keeps them moisturised. I was very religious with the cuticle oil, every time I put my hands in water, I applied it straight after, in the morning when I woke up and at night before I slept. Also, I made sure to use it every time I polished or removed polished from my nails.

Another thing that helped a lot, is the Collection 2in1 Longer and Stronger Nails Base Coat, I use it by itself or underneath a polish. It's kept my nails from breaking and the versatility means I don't have to use a million and one products on my nails.

I didn't actually do much to get my nails healthy, I think less is more however my nails grow very fast anyway so the damaged parts of my nail grew out fast enough for me to be able to treat it.

I'm so glad I don't wear acrylics anymore, I'm not even tempted to get them done again because my nails are as long as they would be if I were to get them done. Also, I'm saving myself a lot of money by not regularly having them done.

Have you gone from fake nails to natural? Are you planning to?

I'd love to know!

Take care, Jess x

5 Fashion Student Survival Hacks

photo credit

I'm sure you're excited for this next chapter of life, university.

I remember being uber excited about starting my degree in fashion design, I didn't really know what to expect, all I knew was, it was a very important step of my life, I had to work hard and my whole depends on the success of the next 3 years. Or so I thought!

I remember searching 'What do I need in my fashion design student tool box' or 'fashion design student essentials' in Google or watching countless 'Day in the life of a fashion student' vlogs on Youtube and to me at the time, they were what I deemed, 'helpful'.

However, on completing my degree, none of that research I did beforehand was realistically helpful. A shock to the system was what I received and I wish I had a post like this to refer to back then.

Here are 6 realistic hacks/tips to get you through a fashion degree:

Become familiar with your equipment and tools

You've bought a fresh new pair of scissors and you've set up your sewing machine in the corner of your room. On getting a new design brief, you're excited and can't wait to get going unfortunately for you, everything's going wrong. Your scissors are to heavy for you and you're unable to cut straight. The tension on your sewing machine is spoiling your fabric etc. You thought it was going to be a breeze right? Wrong!

It's all well and good getting shiny new tools but are you comfortable using them? Can you work quick with them? As cliche as it sounds, practice makes perfect, use your equipment and tools as often as you can on ALL types of fabric. If there's a particular machine you prefer to use at uni, get there early and claim that ish. It's cutthroat out here!

Suitcase

Invest in the best suitcase. I held this off until I physically couldn't anymore and when I eventually did, I couldn't understand why I let myself suffer for so long.

You WILL be lugging heavy fabric, patterns, portfolios, cameras, YOUR TOOLS on an daily basis and believe me when I say, you will feel it in your body after a week.

Invest a good suitcase, you'll hate yourself on public transport but your body will love you when get into bed at night.

Buy in bulk

Calico and spot and cross paper are two things you'll need throughout your course so buy it in bulk at the start. A 30m roll could cost you £20 but because you didn't want to commit to buying a whole roll you spent £5 on 5m when you could have saved money.

If you don't feel you want to commit, go halves with a classmate, you will still save!

Save money for final year

You don't even realise how much your graduate collection will cost you. You want the best fabrics, trimmings and components, even essential stuff like having your fabric delivered or dyed can all add up. You can easily spend hundreds on a six piece collection! Crazy right? (Side note: Support independent and upcoming designers!)
Whenever you can, put money aside for your final collection, it will soften the blow on your account when the time comes.

Learn to take criticism and learn which criticism to take note off

This was a major issue for me throughout my degree, having someone judging my creative process and outcomes was very difficult. I always used to take it to heart and become very defensive instead of defending my work and agreeing to disagree if I felt my lecturers were wrong.
After getting over the hurdle of not taking criticism to heart, I had to learn what criticism was useful and which to dismiss. Knowing what parts of your creative process you are genuinely happy with is very important, it makes creating easier and keeps you certain about what you want your outcome to be. Criticism can muddle your mind so it's essential to filter what's useful and what's not.



So those are my fashion student hacks, knowing what I know now, I would've been less stressed and more efficient throughout my degree. The thing I regret the most is not saving more money in general, which is why I encourage all students to save, even if it's only £10 a month.
Also, knowing where to get all your fashion equipment and tools is important as it gets quite expensive to build your kit. You can download this free ebook to get the lowdown on the best pattern cutting books, websites, links and haberdasheries that will help you get started on your student journey.

Take care, Jess x

I LOVE Cosmetics Home Fragrance Range*

*This post contains gifted items, all views/opinions/experiences expressed within the post are all my own.

Home Fragrance Range

I'm a happy woman when my bedroom is filled with amazing scents, I live for candles and reed diffusers because they calm the atmosphere and for me, a calm atmosphere means a calm and clear mind.

I LOVE Cosmetics is a brand that offers a wide range of beauty and skincare products, they decided to expand and launch a home fragrance range which I think is a great addition. When I was asked if I'd like to try out the new range, I most definitely couldn't say no. I can never say no to a candle! 

However that wasn't the only thing that made me want to try them. On looking into the brand, I discovered that they're against animal testing, vegan friendly, their products don't contain any chemicals and are also made in the UK which is amazing.

When I opened the package, it honestly felt like Christmas day, they have amazing packaging, would be great for gifting, I didn't even want to take anything out because it looked so precious!

Straight away I lit the Violet Dreams candle and my bedroom was filled with a strong but sweet, floral scent. I quickly opened the diffuser to enhance the 'experience' and it complimented the candle very well, it was't overpowering at all. I could definitely smell the rose scent, usually when you're body is lacking vitamins or healing agents, it usually responds well to scents you need, in my case, it was the rose. Rose has anti-inflammatory properties so I'm not surprised that was the scent that my body called for.

I had a quick smell of the English Rose reed diffuser, again, I loved it and saved it for when the Violet Dreams one eventually finishes, it's quite a big diffuser in comparison to ones I usually buy, so I can see it lasting ages.It's been a few days since having it in my bedroom and I love how it's settling in.

I LOVE Cosmetics is a new brand to me, I was impressed to know they were shortlisted for two Pure Beauty Awards which gives me a lot of confidence in terms of wanting to try more from them.

They offer so many products, I'd love to try their bath salts and exfoliators next, there's so many scents to choose from, I have my eye on the Vanilla Milk bath salt though!

Definitely check out their website and social channels, you might find something you like, whether it be for yourself or as a gift for someone. Have you tried anything from I Love Cosmetics, I'd love to know what you've tried and how you got on!

I LOVE Cosmetics social channels:

Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

Take care, Jess x

My Diagnosis Story | Living With Lupus (SLE)

If you know me personally or follow me on Instagram, you know I've shared that I was diagnosed with Lupus (SLE) and have been struggling to manage my illness for years. 

I was recently admitted into hospital after catching pneumonia and then discovering I had a blood clot on my lung. On being discharged, I slowly worked on being motivated to get back into everyday life but it was hard and still is. I thought 'There must be loads of people going through this, I should share my story because it could help someone or inspire them.'

Which is why I want to share my Lupus story with my readers.

What is Lupus?

In short, it is an systemic autoimmune disease that occurs when the body's immune system attacks your own tissue and organs. It can affect different parts of your body including your joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, brain, heart and lungs.

The main symptoms are fatigue, joint pain, stiffness and swelling, rashes, headaches, chest pain and hair loss. These are the main symptoms although there are many more!

There is currently no cure for Lupus, there are a lot of medications that can keep you from flaring and they say you are able to live your life normally, if the illness is managed correctly.

The beginning

Back in 2011, I was a Year 11 student just finishing up my work placement at the start of September. On completing my 2 week placement as a retail assistant in Bon Marche, I caught a viral throat infection which I fought off with lemon, ginger and honey tea, the doctor said I should be fine without antibiotics.

Weeks later, I was continuously waking up with a swollen face, lips and stomach, this went on for about 2-3 months before I saw a doctor.

I was sent to A&E as a matter of urgency and was told I have a condition called Nephrotic Syndrome. My heart sank, I hate being in medical environments as I'm sure many people do however, my phobia of needles means I'll do anything (anything I tell ya!) to avoid going to the doctors let alone the hospital. All I could think was 'I'm going to die, I'm only 15, why me?'

I was admitted and in hospital for a week, on a drip, numerous medications and constant monitoring. 

I lost so much weight and was off school for 3 weeks because I couldn't be around people for fear of catching infections.

I was put on a series of medication including steroids and that's how it was for next few years. I had endless hospital appointments, put on many medications that didn't work or made me worse. I was convinced, I would just slip away one day.

Fast forward.

Diagnosis

October 2015

I remember getting my hair done in Summer of 2015, it was a jumbo cornrow style, I loved it. My head was very tender the next day and itched non stop (I concluded I was allergic to the hair extensions). I decided to take the hairstyle out after a week and discovered a bald patch the size of 2 pence coin, my heart nearly burst. I was so upset and angry, thinking that the hairstyle caused the hair loss. However, throughout the Summer, the bald patch grew until it was the size of my hand and it was obvious I was having a flare up. I had just started my 2nd year of uni and I was already tired, joints were stiff, swollen and painful, my skin (mainly arms and nape/upper back) was flaring up in red, itchy blotches and overall, I felt like crap. I saw my consultant (suggested by GP after complaining about my symptoms) and he said my blood test showed it was Lupus months ago but they were waiting on physical symptoms to show before confirm it was in fact Lupus.
What?
I was so annoyed that I'd been left in the dark but also relieved that I could finally get the correct treatment.
It's been a rollercoaster since being diagnosed, the consultants and I struggled to manage my illness because my body would not respond to any of the medications prescribed (except steroids).


Present

I am currently on a low dosage of steroids, doctors are not sure what medication to have me on long term. I am also on blood thinners to break down the clot in my lung and to prevent me clotting again in the future.
I'm working on being mentally and physically healthy, I know my diet, how I exercise and my everyday activities has a major impact on when and why I flare up so I have to manage each day accordingly.

So that is my Lupus story. It's been extremely hard living with a chronic illness, especially one that isn't managed well but I'm pushing through and not letting it get me down. I will share how manage my symptoms on a daily basis and what steps I take to prevent a flare up.

I may have Lupus but Lupus most certainly does not have me.

Take care, Jess x

It's Time for a Change | Hello Jesslyn's Journal

I never thought this day would come, me, wanting to change the name of my blog.

As the years have gone by, I've grown and so has the content here on FashionSquash. I remember being a 16 year old college student starting a blog full of OOTD's and £3 mascara reviews, that's all that interested me at that point. 6 years later, I am a graduate, business owner and a teacher, I've grown and experienced a lot and documenting on this blog is still super important to me.

Changing the name means my blog is growing with me, it's not getting left behind, there's so much more I want to share on here and revamping is the best way of kick starting the comeback.

Not much will change, in terms of content, I'll still being posting my favourite outfits and products but I'll definitely be opening up more and sharing my knowledge too!

As one chapter finishes, another one starts.

Goodbye FashionSquash, Hello Jesslyn's Journal!

Take care, Jesslyn x

First Impressions | Creme of Nature Flexible Styling Snot*

*This post contains gifted items, all views/opinions/experiences expressed within the post are all my own.

I asked my Instagram via poll if they'd like me to review my bunch of PR hair or skincare products and the majority voted hair. They asked, so they shall receive!

I'm starting off with the Creme of Nature Flexible Styling Snot.

On the packaging, it claims to 'Control Edges, Smooth Hair, Tame Frizz, Provide Exotic Shine, Hold Twist Outs and Updos and Hold Flake-Free'. It also says it is formulated without 'Alcohol, Sulfates, Silicone, Mineral Oil and Petrolatum.'

It's describe as a 'maximum hold gel' and that it's 'putty like texture' will hold hairstyles in place all day.

The directions were pretty simple:

Apply to wet or dry hair. Work desired amount through hair to style.

With a styling tip: 

Apply to edges and smooth with fingertips, small toothbrush or brush for desired look and hold.

My first impressions when applying it to my edges were, it holds very well, smells great and smooths hair nicely.

I took it a step further and continued to style my hair in flat twists just to see how the snot would react with being played with. I noticed a bit of flaking as the snot was drying nothing major but enough to be annoying.

I also noticed that my edges were rock hard by the time I had started styling the other side of my hair.

I'm someone that doesn't like my hair being rock hard when styled with gels mainly because of the aftermath and not being able to restyle my hair because of flaking or 'stiffness'.

The snot is quite sticky, I had to keep washing my hands to style my hair but that is a personal thing. I felt that that keeping my hands clean as I styled made it easier for me. I'm not sure if an yone else that has used the styling snot felt the same?

I kept the style for about 3 days and my edges didn't need re-styling at all, they were 'rock hard' in place, which to some would be a blessing, I loved it at first but washing it out was difficult.

My hair felt very dehydrated and needed serious deep conditioning. I'm not sure if it was because I kept the style in for 3 days.

The toughest part of the the entire application was washing it out, my hair felt like it needed 'soaking' before being conditioned or shampooed. This in itself was a major turn off for future use, I do need to use it more to figure whether having it inyour hair for less time impacts on this.

Overall, if you're looking for something that will guarentee a fast and strong hold, the Styling Snot is for you, I'd recommend it. However, be wary of keeping it in your hair for long periods of time as I found it very difficult to wash out but definitely feel free to style your hair in small areas and see how you get on with it.

Have you tried Creme of Nature's Flexible Styling Snot? What were your thoughts on it, is it a holy grail product for you? Let me know!

Take care, Jess x

Life Happens - Back To The Old Me

The last month of the first quarter of 2018 is coming to an end and I'm sure many of us are losing our heads at how fast the year is moving. I can't believe it (I can but I can't, ya zimmi?), every time I plan my months out and set goals, I'm always shocked at how little time there is to do everything.

This post is mainly update on my life and what I've been up to the past couple of months.

If you follow me on Instagram (@jez_slyn), I said I'd talk about how overcame a recent mental and physical breakdown. I mentioned that I'd had viral infection which had triggered a Lupus flare (I had symptoms of joint pain, nausea, migraine, blurred vision, anxiety and clinical depression), resulting in me deciding to leave my job and focus on mentally and physically getting better.

I am someone that doesn't like to complain, I just get on with it which could be perceived as me not really being unwell. This is something I know I need to work on, making people understand that actually, I'm not feeling too good and I'm going to hibernate.

When you're working for someone, hibernating is not really an option and that's when it can take a toll on your body.

This is exactly what happened to me.

Back in August 2017, I was at my mental and physical best, I had a great appetite, I was at a healthy weight (58kg), going to the gym, my skin was healing (Lupus shenanigans) and overall I felt great. I had fully recovered from the stress of uni. At this point, a job seemed okay for me to embark on, something light but mentally challenging (I love a challenge!)

For the past 6-7months, I'd been working back to back, no days off (even when I felt like absolute shite). Many a time, I felt guilty taking a day off because of illness which is why I didn't or I felt I would perk up during the day, many times I didn't but I pushed through. I ignored the people closest to me telling me to rest, take a break.

Big, big mistake.

I caught a viral infection and I couldn't fight it off, I take steroids for Lupus and they supress the immune system so I struggled to fight off the infection along with being too exhausted to. My temperature was through the roof, I couldn't talk or come out from under the covers without my head pounding. I hadn't felt this unwell since uni and it started to affect my mental state. I was anxious about telling work that I was unfit to work, guilt was kicking in for taking too many days off, I didn't want to talk to anyone, I wasn't eating anything, I felt stressed out and helpless. This went on for nearly 2 weeks before I felt that I needed to do something, doctors had given me the help, my family had looked after me and given me advice and now it was all on me to sort myself out.

How I overcame, yet another flare.

PROCESS OF ELIMINATION

For me, this is the only thing that helps me overcome a flare, eliminating everything, I mean everythingggggg, that could be causing stress, anxiety or general illness.

I find it hard to do but it has to be done otherwise, I don't get better.

After speaking to my family, handing in my notice at work was essential and I couldn't feel bad about it. It was a difficult decision but again, it was a must, it was affecting my mental and physical state way too much to ignore and continue. I wasn't getting proper breaks and lunch at work and there was no point going back into a situation that would trigger another flare, it was a risk not worth taking.

Another thing that had to be eliminated was eating foods or meals that made me feel unhappy or unsatisfied, is a better word to describe the feeling. I can be a very picky eater and eating foods that I wasn't excited to eat or eating repeat meals can set off a string of having no appetite. When I have no appetite, I do not eat, I can go hours without eating and not feeling hungry. This then triggers rapid weight loss.

Lastly, workload. Whether it was personal workload or 'work' workload, reducing the amount of things I needed to commit to or complete was very important and most certainly essential in recovering.

PROCESS OF RECOVERY

As cliché as this may sound, going to the gym or exercising in general, helps me a lot. People always advice that you exercise to feel better and as much as you don't want to believe it because it sounds like too much effort, it definitely improves your physical and mental state.
When I felt my body could be pushed, I'd go to the gym, do a light work, foam roll (very important! Read my post on why) and stretch. Doing this at least 2-3 times a week built up my motivation and 'appetite' to go to the gym. Going to the gym is therapy for me, it clears my head, builds my confidence and gives me a boost, overall.

Eating and appetite. Two detrimental things. Building my appetite was very important, I lose it very easily and I always try my best to maintain it. First things first, I went FOOD SHOPPING, I bought everythinggggg I felt like, bread, ritz crackers, soft cheese, grapes (I lurveee grapes), biscuits, crumpets, everything I was craving basically. This shop itself, made me WANT to cook and eat. I planned my meals and snacks for the week and before you know it, I was enjoying eating again.
My eating habits go hand in hand with exercising, going to the gym makes me very hungry so going was helping build my appetite, which I knew it would.




So that's my journey of the past 6months or so, I'm still in the recovery period, trying to gain back my body weight, keeping up with gym, controlling my stress levels etc.
It's not been easy but getting back to a state of healthy is so important to me.
I'm slowly introducing things the I love doing back into my routine (blogging included!) and I'm looking forward to a healthier, happier me!

Have you been in a rut recently, or not yourself? What did you do to get yourself back on track?
I'd love to hear your journeys!

Take care, Jess x

2018.

Happy New Year!

Another year has flown by (2017 went by ridiculously quick!) and all I can say is I hope you have a plan because before you know it, we’ll be saying the same thing, 365 days from now.

I winged 2017, I didn’t really set strict goals at the start, I knew what I wanted to achieve as the year went by and I’m proud to say I accomplished the goals I subconsciously set for myself.

A few highlights, passing my driving test first time in February 2017, a great way of starting the year. Driving was something I really wanted to do in 2017 and I was determined to be a driver throughout 2017. Which leads me to my next accomplishment, I bought my first car (will do a post later on!), in May 2017, it was definitely a huge, huge achievement and I’m very proud and grateful.

Education wise, I finished my degree, to say it was hard is an understatement but I did it. I did it!

 I graduated from the University of East London with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Fashion Design. I finished uni back in Spring 2017 but our uni doesn’t have a graduation until November so it’s still quite fresh to me. I still look at my graduation pictures (nearly every other day, I admit I’m obsessed!) and smile because it’s such a big thing for me and my family. Being the eldest, I’ve pathed the way for my younger siblings and shown them that it can be done no matter what obstacles are thrown at you.

2017 was a stepping stone for me, I overcame health struggles and I’m learning how to manage my lupus. I got 2 new jobs in the same company and I’ve started the behind the scenes of my business launching soon.

I’m really looking forward to 2018, I’ve set some crazy goals for myself but looking at what I accomplished in the past year, I know I can smash these goals with flying colours. It onwards and upwards from here on out.

I hope everyone has set goals and tasks for themselves, even if you slack along the way, don’t beat yourself up, just overcome the obstacles and keep pushing.

Happy 2018 and have a wonderful and prosperous year!

Take care, Jesslyn x