My Top 5 Podcast Recommendations

During this weird and wild time where we're all on lockdown, if you're blessed enough to be safe and well and finding yourself at a loose end, you'll be looking for some great content to pass (and make the most of) the time. 

Whether it's Youtube videos, blog posts or articles, I'm always on the lookout for something new and inspiring to become obsessed with. Podcasts are no different. Over the last year I've listened to these on the commute, before I go to sleep, as I do housework and as I walk to the gym. Now, they're my go-to for my daily walk. 

I thought I'd share my all-time favourite podcasts in case you're looking for a fabulous new listen. There's an eclectic mix of educational, entertaining, spiritual and just plain fascinating. 

The High Low
The High Low provides my weekly injection of culture, pop culture, news, intellectual happenings and general silliness. I happily stumbled upon it after reading the brilliant 'Everything I Know About Love' by Dolly Alderton and stalking looking for more of her work online. She co-hosts the show with Pandora Sykes, a journalist who has written for ELLE and The Sunday Times.

The High Low balances a light-hearted take on current affairs with a multi-faceted examination of every angle, interpretation and consequence. I'm a critical thinker, and the style of this podcast is the very definition of 'Yes, but...' that is right up my street. Their manner of speaking about the world is so refreshingly self aware and socially aware. 

It's also hilarious.

Self-care Sats

I've always been a bit sceptical about the term 'self-care' as when it first became a thing when I was in uni it always seemed a bit self-indulgent and well, shallow. 'Feeling blue? Paint your nails and put on a face mask.' I got where people were coming from but thought the whole thing was a bit naff.

However, fast-forward a couple of years where I'm now working a hectic job Monday to Friday, self-care is essential. I've got a much better insight into the need to recharge and come back to yourself. If nothing else, when you have limited free time you realise the need to make the most of it.

With the motivation of a new year wearing off, and Valentine's Day just around the corner, there's no better time to regroup, celebrate yourself and spread the love to everyone around you - family, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends...

'Everything I Never Told You' by Celeste Ng

This is a no spoiler book review

In October I got a fanta-bulous book haul from a local annual jumble sale, including Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng. In jumble sale situations there's not much you can do except judge a book by its cover unless you spot one you have wanted to read for a while. In the case of Everything I Never Told You, I read the blurb, thought it sounded a bit like Riverdale (dead body of teenager found in lake in small American town, whodunit vibes) and would therefore be a decent read. Besides, you can't go wrong at 3 for £1.

What I thought would be a semi-good book completely surpassed my expectations. Not only was it a fantastic story, well thought out and well written, it was also complex in its handling of various themes. Also, it avoided the over-dramatic, thriller/ whodunit angle in favour of a much more sophisticated yet simple explanation.

Everything I Never Told You is about an underrepresented mixed race family (Chinese American) in an underrepresented setting - small town America in the 60s and 70s. I'm saying underrepresented because I personally have never encountered this genre of identity story, which either says a lot about my own limited reading perimeters, the school/ university curriculum, or both.

'You Are A Badass' by Jen Sincero Book Review

I always feel a bit deflated after Christmas. It's my favourite time of year and I build up to it from October, so it all seems to go by in a flash and come Boxing Day normality slaps me in the face like a big dry turkey. 

I'm never quite sure what to do with myself in the days between Christmas and New Year and I'm definitely not someone who gets hyped up about Hogmanay (what's the big deal?) BUT there is something extremely inspiring and energising about the first of January. I always reflect back on what I've done in the previous year and plan out what I want the coming year to have in store.

It seems like the stars aligned because I stumbled upon the perfect new year book. I had wanted to read 'You Are a Badass' by Jen Sincero for a while but I didn't want to pay full price from Waterstones because I'm trying to restrict my spending so you can imagine my delight when I found a copy in a charity shop for £1.50.

You Are a Badass has the subtitle 'How to stop doubting your greatness and start living an awesome life'. While there is a tiny part of me that felt a bit cringe reading this i.e. with people on the train looking over and thinking 'Woah she must think a lot of herself reading a book like that'... I also can't help but think its exactly what our generation of over-thinking, self-conscious social media addicts need - a bit of positive affirmation. And let's face it, besides everything else it's a pretty attention grabbing title.

Liz Earle Skincare Review, Routine and My Top Tips

The background

Throughout my late teens and into my twenties, the condition of my skin was a source of constant frustration for me. I had mild acne when I was about 16 then pretty frequent break outs and scarring. As you'll know if you've been following me for a while, I've tried pretty much everything over the years to clear it up - Soap & Glory, La Roche Posay, Sudocream, Simple, Clinique... the list goes on. I wouldn't say I was on the confidence lowering or extreme end of the bad skin scale. Because I discovered blogging and makeup tutorials around this time, I did a pretty good job of covering it up over the years. Also, I came round to the belief that it wasn't so much external factors (skincare, makeup) which affected my skin but internal (hormones, diet, stress etc). 

Fast forward to about a year ago, my skin was alright but I'd still get breakouts on a weekly basis. My friend who had been working at Liz Earle at the time told me while I was moaning that I should give it a go as it had transformed her skin. A lot of my other friends piped up at the same time saying its what they used and loved it.

To be honest, I was a bit sceptical.

I had tried Liz Earle when it first became a thing years ago when I was young. I can't remember exactly when, but to give some perspective, it was when it was all the rage among my mum's friends and she let me try hers. It stung my eyes. Because of this I then swerved the blogger blow up of 2012ish when everyone seemed to be raving about it. I just wrote the whole range off as overpriced and overhyped. Also, I didn't really understand the whole cloth thing. I mean, wasn't that really unhygienic?

So what happened?

I reasoned that if everyone was raving about it maybe it was worth another go. 

Basically, since I bought my first cleanse & polish in November 2018, I haven't looked back.