Review: Piz Buin Tan & Protect

Being very pale, I burn like no tomorrow. Normally I just embrace my paleness and slap on the factor 40, however, I've decided to try and get some sort of tan this year, if only to avoid my nan telling me I look like I've been living in a cave all summer.

I'd never tried Piz Buin before but I've heard some good things about them, so when I saw that Boots were offering 1/3 off their products I decided to give this a try. It's a spray which contains special ingredients to speed up the body's production of melanin, which is what causes you to tan.

After using this for a few days I did notice that my skin had a little bit more colour in it, however, the spray doesn't absorb into the skin very well and leaves it feeling a bit greasy, having said that it's not really noticeable unless you touch it so it's something I can live with. You also need to apply it fairly regularly throughout the day.

Overall, this product is pretty good but it could be better. I like the idea of being protected from the sun and still being able to tan, but I'd prefer it if it absorbed quicker into the skin. It's also quite expensive so I'm saving it for the really sunny days.

Hope everyone's enjoying the sudden arrival of summer!

Comfy

Top: Monki
Neckace: River Island
Trousers: River Island
Sandals: Urban Outfitters 

 These trousers may not be the most flattering I've ever worn and they're definitely a far step away from my usual skinny jeans, but they are so damn comfy that I don't really care. Today has been extremely unproductive, I popped to town to return a few things and have spent the afternoon biting my nails watching Andy Murray at Wimbledon. I don't usually like tennis but I've become obsessed with Andy Murray in particular, I'd highly recommend watching the celebrity tennis match that was shown after he won at Queen's.

I've also bought the latest issue of Cosmopolitan which comes with a free Nip + Fab sample. I chose the self-tanning sample as I'm determined to perfect my tanning skills, I don't mind having pale skin but sometimes I like to fool people into thinking I can afford to hop onto a flight to Barbados.

My Experiences With Grief

                                         

On the 5th December 2012 I lost my dad. He had been battling liver cirrhosis and contracted an infection known as peritonitis. After two days of strong antibiotics and dialysis we realised that we were going to lose him, we decided to switch off his life support and let him go painlessly. In the months that followed I went through a whole spectrum of emotions and feelings, I always knew that I would lose my parents at some stage, but never did I think that I would lose them at 20. Over time I've become more comfortable explaining  how I felt and how my dad's death has changed me, so I've decided to document them here. Hopefully they'll be useful to anyone going through the same thing, obviously I'm not a doctor or a psychiatrist in any way!

It's okay to cry. It doesn't matter where you are, never feel ashamed to express your emotions, so what if people stare? Chances are you'll never see them again.

Put yourself first. Live each day as it comes and only think about the present, if you want to stay in bed all day then do it, if you want to go for a walk then do it.

Take time out. Let your school/college/university know and take some time off, they will understand. If you have any work or exams coming up then make sure you fill in extenuating circumstances forms as soon as you're ready. If you work then most employers will allow you to take some time off.

Don't rush into anything. I made the mistake of rushing back to uni shortly after my dad died, which I really regret, it was too much and I became overwhelmed with stress.

Get help. It's alright to feel overwhelmed, but if things become too much, please get help. Brilliant charities such as Cruse provide expert help. Remember there is no shame in getting help if you need it.

So, what's new?

                                              

It's nearly two years (two years!) since I started this blog, back then I was 19, just starting my second year at university and inspired by the surge in popularity for blogging, but inevitably university work took hold and the poor blog took a backseat.

Now things have changed, I've reached the grand old age of 21 and I currently nervously waiting for my final university results. Everything has come around so quickly and in a strange way when I started university I never thought about the end. Becoming a graduate is both scary and exciting at the same time, I still see myself as a 9-year-old and not as an adult! I started a part-time job in retail to keep my afloat whilst I figure out what I want to do with the rest of my life.

I've also learnt that life can be extremely unpredictable and cruel. In early December 2012 I lost my dad very suddenly and I'm still feeling the effects today. Losing a parent is not something I ever thought I'd experience in my early 20's and I'm thinking of writing a post about my experiences.

So this is blog 2.0 if you will. I started BITNY as a 'fashion' blog but I'm not sure if that's the direction I want to stick with, I like to be flexible and keep my options open, if I want to write a post about my favourite type of lampshade then I will damn it!