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Monday, November 27, 2023

Careers for People Who Love Beauty



According to a recent study, almost 60% of employees in the US are planning to switch careers in 2024, with many intending to start their own business when doing so. After all, this will not only provide them with financial freedom and a better work-life balance but also the chance to pursue a career they are truly passionate about. 


Beauty lovers will be pleased to hear that there are many different career avenues to explore within the sector, all of which are surprisingly fun and profitable. After all, the “global beauty industry is a $532 billion business.



Photo by rashid khreiss on Unsplash


With that in mind, here are four career options for beauty lovers.


NAIL TECHNICIAN. 


Working as a nail technician can be a lot of fun, especially when you get to experiment with different forms of nail art. Furthermore, as there’s always a demand for this kind of service, it's easy to build up a loyal customer base who will stop by each time they need a new manicure or pedicure. 


However, you’ll need to complete some training ahead of time, such as a gel nail training course. This will further refine your skills and add to the list of services you can offer to your clients. It also ensures that you appear more professional. 


DERMATOLOGIST. 


If you’re a skincare lover, and your friends are always asking for tips on how to achieve your youthful glow, you may want to consider working as a dermatologist. While this is an incredibly rewarding career and one that can help you become more financially stable, it also requires a significant investment of your time and energy. This is because it requires you to study medicine and earn the relevant qualifications, which typically takes around four years (and a lot of studying).



BLOGGER.


If you’re a lover of beauty who wants to share makeup, skincare, and style tips with others without needing to take on any further qualifications, consider starting your own blog. This way, you can build your own platform designed around your interests and focus on topics that you are really passionate about.


However, this is not a career choice through which you’ll see an immediate return on investment. While you can earn money for blogging, this is only once you’ve established your readership and gained a suitable amount of online traction. 


MAKE-UP ARTIST. 


Working as a make-up artist is another excellent career choice for beauty lovers. Again, you’ll need to complete some training ahead of time to ensure you are fully qualified and prepared for the industry, but once you’ve obtained these qualifications, there are many different avenues to pursue. For example, you may want to focus on a specialty, such as bridal or special occasion make-up, or even pursue work in the film and TV industry by working with special effects make-up.


Either way, this is the perfect opportunity to turn your love of beauty and the hours you’ve spent in front of the mirror perfecting your smokey eye into a profitable and fulfilling career! 





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Buying Used Cars


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When it comes to looking for a car, there are so many different options. Every single person is different and we all have different situations. You have to make sure you stick to a budget and do things that align with your goals. Buying a car through Edmunds or elsewhere is a big responsibility and you have to make sure you pick the right thing. There have been many instances in the past in which people have immediately regretted the purchase due to the lack of oversight. Fortunately, picking the right car doesn’t have to be too difficult and it’s just a case of taking a few fundamental things into account. 


In this post, we are going to be talking about used cars and how they can be extremely beneficial for somebody looking for a new ride. When you initially think of a used car, typically think of something that isn’t exactly the most fancy thing in the world. This couldn’t be further from the truth, however, because used cars can be just as valuable. For now, here are a few benefits of going through with this kind of idea: 


Depreciation Awareness And Cost-Efficiency 


It sounds like a very boring topic and something that you probably don’t want to deal with in the present, but you do have to think about the resale value. A car may depreciate in terms of its value and its functionality very quickly if you’re not careful. Getting a used car is something that can help you with this. Of course, it may drop off sooner than some new cars, but you’ll know exactly what you’ll be getting for it and how reliable it has been in the past. 


More Extensive Model And A Larger Array 


If you only look at new cars, you will only be able to see so much. There are more used cars around and this gives you more of an array of options. The kind of car you are looking for may not be available if you are exclusively looking for newer models. A used car will obviously have been around for a lot longer, but it might be the one you were looking for. You shouldn’t ever close off the idea of getting a used car. You can head to sites like edmunds and get all kinds of amazing deals on pre-owned vehicles. This kind of thing is a very good idea as there is a wide range of options for you. 


You’ll Get To See The History And Reliability


Of course, there may be a few details that you are being kept in the dark about, but you’ll get to see what the car has been through and what it can typically handle. This is because the car has quite literally been on the road and displayed what it is capable of. Somebody will have used it extensively in the past and viewed it as a reliable transportation source. This should tell you enough about how good it is and how well it will operate for you. 


Lower Insurance And More Sustainable Choices


A used car may not typically seem like a more sustainable choice, there are so many ways in which it is so. In terms of insurance, your premium will not be through the roof like it would with a new car. This has to be taken into account because insurance premiums can really sting you if you’re not careful. A lot of people pay them - thinking that they aren’t that much of a big deal -  when they could’ve done so much better themselves elsewhere. 



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Friday, November 10, 2023

Freelance Business

I have spent my whole career working for a non-profit. I will likely spend many more years there. It is a great job and a great company. I have never created a formal business, but I have from time to time done some freelance or private work to make a little extra money. 

Having a freelance career can be really rewarding and even exciting at times, and one of those times is when you are actually in the position of being able to grow it into a fully-fledged business. If you are indeed keen to grow your freelance business in this way, then there are a few things that you might need to know in order to make a success of it. As long as you are aware of these, you should find that it is a lot easier to make it work for you, so let’s take a look right





Pic Credit - CCO License

Hiring Help


For one thing, you might find that you get to appoint where you actually need to have someone helping you. If you think that this might be the case, then you are going to need to learn how to hire people, and what to do to make this work for you and your business as well as possible. In particular, it is going to be important for you to know what you are looking for in an employee, so that you can start to really find the right people, and then you need to develop a recruitment process that is going to work.



Setting Up Online


You may well be thinking about getting set up online too, and if so then this is something that you are going to need to think about in order to ensure you can do it right. Setting up online means having a website that people can come to, and through which you can hopefully do the bulk of your business. You should look into using online payment processing services from this website and make sure that you are trying to get your site promoted as well. If you do all that, you should find it really helps.


Pic Credit - CCO License

Having A Plan


It’s also really important that you have some kind of plan about where you intend to go and how you intend to get there. This is the kind of thing that can prove very important and which is going to help you to know how you are actually going to approach your business, so it’s vital that you do this as well as you can. As a necessary part of that plan, you should make sure that you have a particular vision of what you want to ultimately achieve, so certainly make sure that you are doing that too.



Take It Easy


That being said, it is very common for people to rush into this sort of thing, and the result of that is often that they end up disappointed or stressed out. You should instead try to remember the importance of keeping it slow and taking it fairly easy, because that is something that is going to help a lot with keeping on with it as best as you can. As long as you are doing that, you should find it helps a great deal.


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Monday, November 6, 2023

Recent Empties


I have been slowly working my way through my products. I haven’t been trying as many new things lately. I have mostly been trying to use up what I have and only buy more when I run out. A few of these are tried and true products and some are newer. 
With the recent lawsuit involving aerosol dry shampoo I am looking to eliminate some of my old favorite brands. The plan is to use up what I have and replace them with cleaner options. 
Kate Somerville cleanser-I got this in my FabFitFun box. I liked it fine but not enough to switch permanently. 
Lancôme cleanser-My face didn’t really love this cleanser. It is not harsh, but it felt a little harsh on my face. I didn’t care for the smell either. 
Kristin Ess dry shampoo-I have used this line quite a few times and liked it. I know there are some cleaner options so I will probably look into those. 
Not Your Mother’s Clean Freak dry shampoo-I didn’t really love this and will not buy it again. 
Equate dry shampoo-This was fine, but I am going to switch to cleaner brands. 
Batiste dry shampoo-I have used and liked this brand a lot. I don’t plan to buy it again right now. 
Bath and Body Works body spray-I like to keep a spray on hand for before or after the gym or on days when I am only going to the grocery store. 
Tarte lights camera lashes mascara-This is a favorite mascara and one I will buy again and again. 
Just Ingredients serum-I love this serum. I buy the vanilla mint scent and it smells so good. It feels great on my face, and I love how clean it is. 
Ouai scalp and body scrub-With all of the products I use, it is really nice to use a scalp scrub. I have also tried the clarifying shampoo. This has so much grit and texture. I will probably buy the shampoo again in the future. 

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Tuesday, October 24, 2023

Events



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It’s perfectly reasonable to be nervous about an event that you’re unsure of, that might be out of your usual wheelhouse, or that expects you to perform in some way. All of those avenues can combine into one when referring to your prom. After all, a large-scale celebration filled with members of your peer group dressing their best and arriving in style doesn’t always feel like something we have experience in, especially at a younger age.


Nerves are absolutely normal. But remember that you’re about to have a wonderful time, and you get to do so on your own terms. Moreover, if the nerves turn into chronic anxiety, you can always reach out for help, while some turn to certain helpers like herbal supplements such as valerian root for the management of mild anxiety symptoms, at least for one evening. However, make certain to speak with your physician before taking actions like this.


In this post, we’d prefer to give you advice for reducing that sense of worry and nervousness through practical and helpful tips you can follow. Let’s get started then:


You Define Who You Go With


Proms are often tied to the idea of a date, most often from your peer group of course. Now, a prom date doesn’t have to be someone you’re actually romantically involved with, it can be a friend, an acquaintance, or someone you appreciate. Moreover, you don’t even have to go on a date if you’d prefer to go alone or go in with a whole friend group.


Proms can sometimes seem too bound to the conventional social hierarchy of who might be connected to whom, but there’s no need to limit yourself to that, nor will everyone follow it. In fact, if this is a primary source of your nerves, remember that you get to define who you attend with, and who you spend your time near. You have nothing to prove to anyone, just enjoy yourself with the fun time ahead of you. It can make a great deal of difference to how you approach the event.


You Get To Express Your Best Style


You’ll also find that many proms are a fantastic excuse to dress up and have fun. Having your outfit selected from a range of prom dresses and coats beforehand means you don’t have to worry about how you look. You can also plan out having your hair and nails done, or perhaps makeup worked on by a private service, helping you feel your best and nail the kind of style you’d like to show.


Remember that schools or colleges rarely have hard and fast rules as long as you wear formal dress. So for example, if you’d prefer to wear a cultural dress more authentic to your ethnicity, that can add a wonderful sense of diversity to the occasion, and many others will be doing the same thing. The prom is a fun justification to express yourself, so don’t feel like you have to ask for permission to do so.


When you have this planned out and are confident in your choice, the nerves surrounding the event can fall away more easily.


Enjoy The Itinerary


It’s also worth enjoying the itinerary of the event itself. Luckily, your school and prom committee will have organized the entire event for you, and all you have to do is attend and enjoy yourself.


That might involve selecting from a pre-arranged catered meal, dancing in a specific area and hall, and spending time talking in the informal areas. There may be speeches, awards, and other segments on the schedule, and knowing which room to be in at what time can be helpful. 


When you’re nervous about an event, it often means you’re unsure what to expect. In this context, you know exactly how the event will go, and for that reason, you can just follow whatever is set out to soothe those nerves more easily.


Prepare & Self-Care In Advance


Self-care is a wonderful practice before a big event. A week before the event, you can focus on going to bed at the same time and getting good sleep, so that the night before nerves won’t keep you up as easily. Feeling fully rested the next day can do wonders for your emotional health.


In addition, you may take a long soak in the bath before getting dressed for the event, exercise to help deal with your nerves through physical expression, and perhaps meditate a little. These practices, put together, will work wonders for your sense of comfort.


With this advice, we’re sure that you’ll soothe those nerves before prom, and enjoy a fantastic event to cap off your college or school year.


*collaborative post 

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Thursday, October 19, 2023

Being Kind to Yourself

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Overcoming mental health issues, working through their symptoms, and finding the help you may need will usually take more than a week to sort out. This is important to recognize, because many people feel as though the “timeline of mental recovery” should be quick, easy and provide solid closure, but that’s not always the case.


It’s important to recognize this, because it’s very easy to place artificial limits on our recovery and healing journey which can only cause us to feel even worse than we did before. Mental health rarely plays by the convenient rules of day-to-day life, and it’s important to be aware of that.


The secret? Being kinder and gentler with yourself, and also carrying that attitude to how you treat others, as well. But how might you achieve such an approach? In this post, we’ll discuss a few measures you can take to be kinder to yourself, the utility of doing that, and what such an approach can look like in the long run. Being kind to myself is something I am constantly working on. It is easier to extend grace to others, but it is not always as easy with myself. These tips are things I can do to help myself and I hope they help you too.


Write Your Honest Thoughts In Your Journal


It’s important to mind your self-talk, but it can also be wise to know exactly what the harsh thoughts you have might be outside of your mind. If you have a faulty impression like this, write it down. When you can look at the words in front of you instead of floating around in your mind, you may realize, on a tangible level, just how unkind they are. Sometimes, to be aware of bad habits, you have to bring them into the light.


Treat Yourself Without Having “Earned It”


In life, we tend to grade our comforts on how well we might have earned them. In some cases, that can be healthy. For instance, you might not head for that tasty morning coffee layed with cream and sugar unless you’ve had a good couple of workouts that week. But sometimes, it’s healthy to treat yourself despite not having “earned it.” Putting a smile on your face can be a lovely use of your time. Buying a book and reading it with a warm mug of tea, purchasing a vinyl of zen music and letting it play throughout your home, these little things are what give us joy. You deserve that kind of joy.


Focus On Wellbeing, One Day At A Time


Self-care is self-love, although it’s important to note that self-care can be different for different people. For some, it might involve supplementing fish oil in their diet or CBD oil to help with anxiety, or perhaps switch out their sugar for sweetener substitutes for a healthier habit.

Perhaps you’ll just go on morning walks that feel comforting and relaxing to you. It’s most often these little things that help us grow and feel more like ourselves, giving us the permission to grow and feel better about ourselves. 


With this advice, you’re sure to be kinder to yourself through a soft, gentle and welcoming set of methods. Never let anyone tell you that this is indulgent or inappropriate. After all, if you can’t be kind to yourself, who can you be kind to?


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*collaborative post 

Sunday, October 15, 2023

Avoid Winter Mistakes

Winter is coming! Even though I have lived in Utah for many many years, I am never really ready for winter. This year is no exception. I am not ready. Ready or not, it is coming..soon. Maybe this will be the year that I am finally able to handle winter a little better.

CC0 Licensed Image Courtesy of Pexels

There are several winter mistakes you will probably make in the upcoming season. These can make your life a little more unbearable during a miserable time. But you can avoid most of them if you are aware of what they are and how to spot them. So, here are a few hand suggestions.

Steaming Hot Showers and Baths

Winter is, of course, cold, and it's only normal to want to get warm. For some of us, this means taking longer showers and baths at higher temperatures. But this is a terrible mistake for your skin. One of the most effective tips for healthier skin through winter is to keep your showers short and at a moderate temperature. This is because the natural oils will be removed by heat, and you need these to provide protection through the cold and to keep your skin moisturized.

Winter Mistakes Include Food

There are actually biological reasons why we eat more in the winter, and they mainly relate to providing ourselves with more energy. But as we have evolved, we don't really need to do this, but we still overeat anyway. Christmas and other holidays don't help, as we are aggressively exposed to commercial ads. Still, the average person puts on around 0.5 kgs during winter. The weather can also make you feel like you need to eat more as you feel colder even when warm.

Also, What You Drink

Drinking also comes into it and can contribute to seasonal issues throughout winter. You can crave high-calorie drinks as you do food because of biological urges. But alcohol consumption also increases during winter. This is higher during high-stress periods like Christmas and New Year but never really has a positive effect. Be kind to yourself this year, and try to drink less alcohol. You never need a drink to have fun, and you may even find you have a much better time.

Staying Inside for the Season

You need to get outside in winter. Of course, it's much harder to motivate yourself to do this when there is no sun and the wind is outrageous. But as long as it is safe to do so, you should take a few minutes to take in some nature. Walking the dog is always a good motivator. But it helps to force yourself to take a walk. Doing so will help increase your vitamin D production, and some fresh air and UV rays can help get the blood circulating as it should to stay warmer.

Not Protecting Yourself from UV Rays

Further to exposure to UV rays, you still need to be careful. Summer might be long gone, but the sun can still be dangerous. To protect yourself in winter with the following handy tips:

  • You still need to wear sunscreen even when it is cloudy during winter.

  • Be aware of the different types of sunscreen, such as UVA, UVB, and SPF.

  • Wear clothing that UV rays cannot easily penetrate, such as dark and thick fabrics.

  • A hat with a brim will protect your head, neck, and nose from excess UV radiation.

  • Sunglasses may look silly in winter, but they will protect your eyes on a high UV day.

  • Stay inside and out of the sun if possible, which is easier in winter anyway.

Even a cloudy day can be high in UV exposure, and sunscreen is a great protector. This is for your skin, of course, so a hat and sunglasses can provide further protection when UV is high.

Ditching the Exercise Routine

You may be prone to less energy when the sun says its goodbyes. And this means not exercising as you usually would. But this is a costly mistake, and it is made worse if you overeat and drink too much during winter. This could lead to substantial weight gain, making all your previous efforts worthless and even harder when the sun comes back next year. And you know you won't stick to the New Year's resolution to exercise more after buying unused gym stuff.

Staying in Bed for Too Long

There's nothing quite like a warm blanket on a chilly night and a cooler room when you are deep into sleep. But the cold gets colder in winter, and this can make it much harder to spring out of bed. However, sleeping for too long has effects like fatigue, brain fog, and decreased focus. It can also contribute to weight gain. Fortunately, all you need to do is set a timer for your heating to warm up the home for getting up in the morning. And Alexa can even start some appliances.

Winter Mistakes Include the Home

You need to look after yourself during winter. And this includes taking care of your property. It can be a disaster if anything goes wrong with your home during winter, especially the heating, plumbing, or drainage. These can all be dangerous under the right (or wrong) conditions, so prepare your home for the season ahead. Check the gutters once a week when it is safe, bleed the radiators and, reset the boiler pressure, and have an expert inspect your home's pipes.

Not Addressing Your Well-being

Of course, there might be genuine medical reasons why you find it harder to get up in winter. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is now a recognized condition where the lack of sun has a physiological effect on your well-being. It affects around 3% of the general population and up to 25% of people with previously diagnosed depressive disorders, including bipolar. There are ways to combat SAD, including using a SAD lamp that mimics the rising of the morning sun.

Summary

Taking steamy showers and baths is one of the worst winter mistakes you must avoid for skincare. And even though it is less sunny in winter, UV rays can still have an impact on your health. Also, you must take steps to make sure your home is as safe as it can be for winter.

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*collaborative post