Last night I was invited to attend the H&M VIP shopping evening so I’m sure you guys can all guess I almost passed out with excitement. I’ve been waiting for this store to open in Johannesburg forever AND to make everything even more exciting – the Balmain collection was being launched as well!
H&M honestly has something for everyone. Dapper clothing for men, adorable clothing for kids, and for us girls there is everything from those perfect tumblr like clothing to the really fancy (I look like I go to a lot of dinner parties) kind of dresses.
As for the Balmain collection – everything got sold out literally a couple of hours after the launching! And for good reason. I’m sure you’ve seen models like Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid represent Balmain. The clothing just looks like that perfect combination of elegance, luxuriousnes and sexiness.
As for the event itself, it was so much fun! On arriving we got to take pictures on the red carpet, shop while snacking on cotton candy and macaroons. At the end of the night we got to take home a super cute gift and all the pretty things from our shopping expedition (and a lot of things were taken because the prices are unbelievable).
PS H&M will be open to the public on Saturday for all those wondering.
I know that nobody wants to see, hear or talk about it but exams are coming up soon! And obviously I needed a way to procrastinate so here I am with a new DIY idea. After trolling pintrest for ages I decided that I really need to give my desk a makeover. This will also of course help me with exam organization and studying. Also, now that I’ve completed a year of psychology and consider myself totally insightful regarding matters of the brain (lol jk) I decided that whatever I do to make my desk look amazing should also be mentally beneficial in some way.
One of the best ways to make your desk look aesthetically fabulous but is also great for you mentally is…. FLOWERS! Apparently flowers with bright colors create a more positive working mood, reduces your stress levels and promotes creativity.
I had a beautiful bunch of flowers that my boyfriend had given me and added some of my own to create my perfect bouquet. Then after I arranged and trimmed them, I went on the internet and printed out a Chanel label and stuck it on the vase to make it look super chic and cute. I’ve attached a picture of the label if you want to print it out 🙂 Finally I added a tiny bit of pink food coloring to the water.
I’m super happy with the end result and I’m actually looking forward to spending more time studying at my improved and prettier desk, even if it’s just because I can fake being a super accomplished busy person in life.
This Summer I really wanted to try something new with my hair. Not only do I want to try and give my hair a sort of detox, but I also want to have more volume and a more wavy texture. It feels so amazing whenever you’re at the beach and your hair is just super moisturized and naturally wavy by itself. Almost all the YouTube wavy hair tutorials I watch involves a sea salt spray. The problem is that most of the tutorials tell you to curl your hair first with a curling iron and then use a store bought spray. I researched one of these sprays that were highly recommended and it had so many chemicals in it I couldn’t deal. Because my goal is to stop using heat tools as well as chemicals in my hair I decided to create my own sea salt spray! 🙂
Find a spray bottle and rinse it out thoroughly and then fill it 3/4 way to the top with warm water.
I found a basic formula on the internet which basically said all you need are Epsom salts and water.
I then added my own touches to it by putting some V05 curl scrunching spray so that they waves will hold for longer.
After that I figured that everyday hair therapy is never a bad thing and decided to add some essential oils. You can use any that you love and suit you. I used coconut oil, olive oil and some Moroccan oil. Obviously you don’t want to put too much of these in because you don’t want your hair to be oily so only a couple drops of each will do. Also, on that note, measurements are very flexible so according to your spray bottle size just go with your gut.
Finally once all the ingredients are in your bottle, go ahead and shake it up (queue Taylor Swift).
When you apply your sea salt spray, scrunch your hair simultaneously.
In this last picture I tried out my concoction on dirty hair just in case it didn’t work out too well (and there is honestly nothing worse than ruining clean hair). The results were amaaaazing! As you can see on the left side: my hair had way more volume and waves and it was defined. It smells great and is super natural.
Let me know if anyone tries this out or you want to know about my full Summer hair routine 🙂
After a stressful week, I always need one day to tap out and do productive nothings on a Sunday. The art of being productive but doing nothing is basically becoming a professional at relaxing. It sounds silly but how often can you retire from all stressful things, not just physically but mentally as well. A lot of people find themselves trying to relax but still find themselves worrying and over-thinking issues from the week. I think getting into a meditative vibe at least once a week is super important, healthy, and should maximize your productivity for the week to come because you will find that your body will feel relaxed and your mind will be clear and ready to make sensible decisions.
These are the things I enjoy doing to achieve a fully pampered state:
Start your morning with some yoga – This really helps you to transcend into a meditative state by making you focus on your breathing and body movements. By becoming more aware of your body you start to appreciate it more. Also, the endorphins put you in a really good mood.
Get into a bubble bath- Become a bubble bath artist! Get creative with your combinations of bath salts, oils and foams. I’m obsessed with the bath bombs from Lush and recently tried out the “sex bomb” one. Scintillating jasmine, clary sage and ylang ylang are powerful aphrodisiacs that are known to relax you as they warm your heart. Soya milk makes the water milky which softens your entire body. I also love lighting a candle or two. I love Cotton On’s new range of scented candles and became obsessed with the coconut and vanilla one (because anything coconut and anything vanilla is a YES).
I also take the time to make sure I moisturize my body, face and hair intensely so it looks amazing for the rest of the week. The bath bombs takes care of my entire body. While I soak in the bath I apply a face mask made of honey and oats to my face and Lush R&B hair moisturizer to my scalp and length of my hair. Guaranteed glowing skin and luscious hair for the rest of the week.
These three things make me feel beautiful on the outside but also make me feel healthy and relaxed on the inside as well.
As for the Lush products, I’m super excited because Lush is opening down the road from me in Johannesburg this month!
I hope you all take the time to pamper yourselves. You deserve it. And have a magical Sunday
While I was preparing a presentation for my seminar on postcoloniality today, one of the issues struck me profoundly, only because it is so spot on regarding our lives today. In the novel I was analyzing (Waiting for The Rain by Charles Mungoshi) one of the main differences between characters embedded in the traditional way of living and the characters moving towards a more “progressive” western way of living was the movement away from “Ubuntu”. The Ubuntu philosophy in Africa is the concept that sharing brings people together and encourages unity amongst people while selfishness promotes individualism. This made me reflect on my own life. Everything is always very rushed. I have a degree to complete, a part-time job and other day-to-day missions. Being so entirely focused on myself all the time honestly drove me to become miserable. Then one day in my tutorial group, a girl I’d never spoken to looked beyond upset and I took a break from calculating how long it will take me to get home and then to work, and I asked her what was wrong. Turns out she was really stressed and needed someone to vent to and then to be reassured that everything was going to be okay. She hugged me afterwards and told me I had prevented her from having an anxiety attack. I felt so happy and content for the rest of the day, and taking a break from being so absorbed in myself to make someone else happy made me feel light and de stressed as well.
A chain of random acts of kindness followed which inspired to write this post. I’ve compiled a list of 20 acts of kindness you can do any day, everyday. I cannot express how living by this has changed my life. And I promise you that making an effort to do some of these things will make your day a bit brighter as well.
10 Random Acts of Kindness:
Give affirmation– All it takes for some people to achieve what they want to is a bit of encouragement. Spreading positive outlooks is contagious and you can think of believing in someone a step in making the world a better place.
Donate used clothes– Every time you buy something new, give something old away if you need the space. Or collect a pile of clothes you don’t wear anymore and donate it to your nearest homeless shelter.
Give someone a book you think they would like– there is no better form of escapism than a book you can throw yourself into.
Plant a tree– Give the earth a helping hand by giving it a new lung to breathe better.
Smile at random people– It’s refreshing.
Call your grandparents– Nothing will make them happier.
Put sticky notes with positive slogans on mirrors in restrooms– This is designed to make someone smile and have a better day.
Bring your partner/mom/dad coffee or tea in bed– it’s a great feeling to know that you’ve made someone’s day as soon as they’ve just woken up.
Make and give out a care package– you can easily make a parcel containing things like soap, toothbrushes and toothpaste, tissues, a loaf of bread, peanut butter and a bottle of juice. It’s an inexpensive blessing for homeless people.
Be kind to yourself– whenever you feel really stressed out, relax. Whenever you have negative thoughts, dismiss them. You’re amazing and deserve kindness towards yourself too.
Simple things like this can bring a million tons of happiness, content and gratitude into your life. When we stop obsessing over ourselves and our problems, we realize that there is so much more to life.
Let me know if you have any ways or ideas of spreading random acts of kindness.
In a world where the media is constantly telling us to improve ourselves by buying products and striving towards what society dictates the ideal size to be, this amazing girl that took a stand towards eating disorders and self-esteem issues is overwhelmingly refreshing.
It makes me so sad that not a single girl I speak to is completely happy with themselves. Imperfect ideals are striven towards every day. One of the biggest eye-openers towards how ridiculous this entire phenomenon is was when one of my favorite models, Cara Delvingne, quit the modelling industry because she felt that it was making her develop a really low self-esteem and the constant requirement for her to lose weight was making her ill. Cara freakin’ Delvigne was made to feel ugly. In that moment I tapped out of striving towards having the “model” image forever, because that image is not real and it is not healthy.
Honestly, the road to self-acceptance is not easy. That’s why it’s so important to help every person you meet along the way. We can only achieve it together. Next time you see a girl who obviously made an effort to wing her eyeliner or curl her hair, tell her she looks pretty. Every time you see a person who has made no effort at all, tell them that they are beautiful anyway.
Here is the video of the girl who captured the attention of millions around the world:
You can do exactly what she did just by being kind to yourself and others.
Here is Jae West’s full story:
“As I stepped onto the streets of Piccadilly Circus with white board and markers in one hand and blindfold in the other, I couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of vulnerability at what I was about to do. Observing the members of the public on a casual Sunday lunchtime, oblivious to the fear-ridden chatter that was going on in my head. I’d seen a large number of families and individuals of different cultures in the area and was worried about offending them with exposing my body in the act of freedom that I was about to embark on.
As my clothes fell to the ground and I placed the blindfold over my eyes I could feel a shift of attention and confusion stirring in the air. My heart was racing while all the worst case scenarios were going through my head. I was scared that no one was going to draw a love heart on my body and I was going to be left out there in the open in my underwear on show to be ridiculed.
As the minutes passed it felt like hours. Usually during public experiments we have a couple of people planted in the crowd to act like onlookers and step in if nothing happens, however I knew that Elliot and Pete were the only ones out there and both of them were on camera’s so I really was putting full trust in the public to step up to the plate. All of a sudden I felt one of the pens in my left hand slip out of my grasp. The feeling of the felt pen was on my skin was one of the most overwhelming feelings of relief, gratitude and love that I’ve ever felt. I just burst into tears. I don’t know who that first person was but I am so thankful for their contribution. After that first love heart was drawn it felt like others were liberated to follow suit because soon all the pens were leaving my hands at a rapid pace!
One of the most moving and inspiring moments for me was listening to a Father explain to his children what I was doing. He was acknowledging the fact that everyone should love themselves exactly as they are and appreciate the bodies that they are given. It warmed my heart to know that his children and others would grow up understanding the impact of this global issue and have a feeling of contribution after drawing a love heart on my body. If everyone could know and appreciate how beautiful they are from childhood I think this world would be a very different place.
With the growing prevalence of eating-disorders and self-esteem issues around the world, this public act of self-acceptance aims to get people to question the true relationship that they have to themselves and body-image”.
Personally, I’ve always hated eating oats. I used to feel that it was only useful as an exfoliator in organic masks but couldn’t imagine eating it if I had the choice to have something else.
Then I noticed that oats were the ideal breakfast in every healthy eating plan I looked at. Apparently oats are super rich in fibre and are packed with vitamins and minerals. I decided to try it and noticed that I had energy the whole day and didn’t feel as hungry later in the day. Of course, I had to make it with a bit of a twist (not just oats and skim milk) because I’m a slave to my taste buds.
So I’ve decided to share the recipe:
You will need:
1/2 a cup of rolled oats
Fresh fruit of your choice
Nutella or peanut butter
10g of butter
A pinch of salt
100ml milk
Chia seeds (optional)
Instructions:
In a saucepan, combine the oats, milk and salt and bring to a boil.
Allow to simmer, covered, for 5-10 minutes until the oats are plump and cooked to your liking.
Turn off the heat and then beat in the butter.
Serve with a generous dollop of Nutella and fresh berries/ peanut butter and bananas.
Sprinkle some chia seeds on top.
Hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Remember to be creative and have fun with your combinations.
Scientifically, during Winter our bodies are programmed to do the bare minimum so that we can save energy to generate heat and keep ourselves warm. Symbolically, throughout literature dating back to the medieval era, Spring has meant rebirth. Not just for the beautiful flowers that we’re looking forward to seeing again, but for us too. Now that we have more energy to use up on something other than trying to keep warm, it’s time to grow! And that means we’re going to have to challenge ourselves to reach new horizons.
Your challenge can be anything from being more fit to getting better grades. Whatever your personal challenge is, it’s important to accept it, firstly because stagnation is never great for the human condition, and secondly just so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory. Here are a few tips to help you to push yourself:
Go after it: Seek opportunities that will improve your knowledge and work ethic. Don’t be afraid to take chances.
Challenge yourself: Challenge yourself to always do the best you can do. Recall past challenges you were faced with and remember you can handle anything thrown at you. If you don’t push yourself to new limits, you will never explore your true potential.
Have a positive mindset: Positive thoughts attract positive actions. Once you train your brain to take on a positive mindset, you will become more enthusiastic which leads to better results.
Find your balance: Always remember that a little progress is better than no progress at all. You will have your bad days, but don’t allow that to demotivate you. Enjoy the journey towards reaching your goals, don’t stress about the results.
To be utterly cliche; you’ve got to embrace those rainy days as well as the days of sunshine in order to grow. Enjoy your Spring days of sunshine, shorts and swimming!
I’ve created this blog as a place of reflection for both myself and my readers. Often when I find myself with nothing better to do and wanting to unwind a bit, I scroll through my social media feeds. However, when I’m done with my scrolling-session, I can’t help but feeling numb and negative instead of enriched in some way. The aim of this blog is to create a sense of positivity for those people constantly looking to make today a happy day, as well as for those who just survived one of those not-so-great days, just by sharing little things that create a feeling of happiness.
My blog has five categories. The first category titled “Around the World” serves to capture my adventures regarding travel. The second category, “”In the Tummy“, can act as a recipe book of sorts, filled with my culinary pursuits. The category “In the Books” is a section where only soul-exploring literature will be discussed. “On the Outside” will contain a range of more surface beauty posts (because who doesn’t enjoy a good shopping haul or discovering a braid). and finally, “On the Inside” will discuss heart-warming stories and thoughts.
A bit about myself: My name is Ilhaam (which means “inspiration” in Arabic), but most of my friends and family call me “illy”. I live in South Africa and I am currently studying Literature and Media at the University of the Witwatersrand. There are no words to describe the love I have for my family, friends, books, food, my pets (and probably every animal on earth in general), nature and helping others. I have a passion to striving towards a world where inner-beauty is valued more over outer-beauty.
To my readers: Consider this your safe place where all your views and opinions are looked-forward to and will never be judged. I will always be available to advise, or even just listen, if ever you feel that you need it.
universillyinspired.wordpress.com 