1. Boots’ recycling scheme

Hot from the girl chat: Boots have a recycling scheme where you get £1 worth of Advantage Points per item you bring in. Items have to be ‘hard to recycle’ but can be any kind of beauty item — toothpaste counts! You can drop in 5 items per day, you just need the ‘Recycle at Boots’ app. You upload photos of the items you want to recycle in the app, they get reviewed and approved (or denied - for example, you can’t recycle aerosol bottles). You can submit as many items as you like and, once approved, you bring five to your local Boots and scan the QR code on their recycling box using your app, select the items you’re recycling, drop them in, and you’re done! Such a good way to recycle items and get some £ in return.

2. teetotal finds

Marathon training throws my IBS into high gear, plus I’m running every weekend morning, so just I don’t drink during my training block. This year, I’ve found so many good drinks I can have on the odd chance I’m at a pub on the weekend, and little bevvies for home too. Favourites include:

• Trip (elderflower CBD and their strawberry magnesium are my fav)

• Caffeine free fizzy drinks

• Alc free lager - Tennents zero is… not my fav

• Guinness zero

With all my options, I foresee far fewer drinks in my future. Plus: teetotal is such a fun word. Would consider not drinking again just to keep saying it.

3. I’m on the Korean skincare train

Yes, I’m off to Paris , yes, I have a few French skincare items on my shopping list. But! On the recommendation of the girlies, I’m finally hopping on the Korean skincare train. As you’ll know from last week’s favourites, I have recently binged XO Kitty. As a first stop I had to buy these lip glosses Ryu Han-bi wears in the show bc it is just the perfect lollipop stain lip look. I spotted her makeup artist’s post on ig and immediately bought it (will let you know what I think when it arrives). Then, bought this cleanser on a whim and love it, and was recommended this spf as one that doesnt smell, sting, or cause breakouts and it ticks all the boxes! I’m also using the Beauty of Joseon spf and loving it. I’ve made an order for some more bits that you can’t really find over here — one of which promises to get rid of the milia under my eyes. Will report back!!

4. Regular IRL girl time

Around a month ago I was on a long run and just started crying uncontrollably (🤠) and immediately texted my girl group chat to see if they could come over sometime soon. Nothing was immediately wrong in a massive way, I didn’t have a huge life update that needed unpacking, it was just that there were a lot of smaller rubbish life things starting to pile on top of each other. Mostly things that don’t really make sense for a text blast — and also — texting and talking are just not the same.

My mom’s friend coming over for Sunday tea (actual tea) and fresh bakes was a staple growing up. After I moved out, I thought that was just a style of catch up that suited them where they were at in life. Well girlies, call me middle aged because it suits me now too! There are some life updates you just don’t want to share at the pub or a house party. We need down time to lounge and chat together. My friends showed up for me that week (obv), but we’ve also kept a regularly chill catch up in the diary too. Every few weeks we meet up, rotating between each other’s flats, and we have snacks, and we chat shite. It’s good for the soul.

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my favourites this week

1. beauty of joseon sunscreen; this was a hot tip from one of the run club girlies. a sun cream that doesn’t feel too much like sun cream!!

2. 500 miles by peter paul and mary; move over noah kahan, peter paul and mary did it first. tiktok brought this song back into my life right when it’s been far far far too long since i’ve gone home (nearly 3 years). then leaving on a jet plane came on shuffle. mom: imagine how i sobbed (it was hard). great tunes tho hey

3. magazines; i’m currently sat on a flight to paris with a copy of cyclist and vogue tucked in the seat in front of me. you just cant beat a magazine for travelling!

4. m&s pink satin ballet flats; these are new and i’m hoping they dont wreck my feet because they’re SO cute and will be in heavy rotation on this paris trip

5. sephora is back in the uk baby!!!!; i created my uk sephora account (sad i had points in canada) and bought some of those sparkly freckles for my marathon. if u still have to set up an account pls use my referral link so i get free money here 🤑

6. trip magnesium drinks (see above!!!); i love the strawberry and the elderflower, but i’m currently sipping the raspberry and orange one on the plane. how have i never thought to do this before?

7. aerie clothes; sorry to the uk girlies. we don’t get aerie. it’s a brand owned by american eagle and it basically makes similar stuff to the actually cool (and not too weird) fp movement stuff. i placed an order to my mom’s house so she will bring it when she sees me next month. aerie, if you’re reading this, come to the uk. we’ll love u.

8. my new iphone wristlet/charm; i finally hopped on that train. mine is from next, and i’m hoping it’ll stop me from losing my phone in paris (knock on wood, i am a liability)

9. my new next top; while we’re at it, why tf not. i’ve been on the hunt for a broderie blouse that gives french, effortless, chic (and not too granny or too tight). i got this one. i am currently wearing it. i LOVE the little satin blue bow, i honestly might get the green too.

10. tirtir glow tint in lovable; bought this with the freckles in my sephora order bc it was a classic “costs as much as shipping and will get me free shipping” — it’s actually great? big win for me

11. my new and other stories ring (unfortunately sold out online); it is chunky and fits perfectly on my pointer finger. i think i might be converting back to silver?

enemies list:

• work. i am officially too frazzled to function. but it’s ok! i’m on holiday!

• sleep. probably bc of the frazzled thing, i keep waking up at 3am and obsessing over things ive not done yet at work. a sure sign that i am mentally ok.