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