beautyandlifestylebyhan-blog

[beautyandlifestylebyhan-blog]

Loved this post! I feel like so many if not all people, girls and boys can relate on some level. Self love is so important and along with that I feel like surrounding yourself with people who are positive, loving and supportive is so important in the journey of self love.

Beauty is when you can appreciate yourself. When you love yourself, that's when you're most beautiful. Zoe Kravitz

I’ve struggled with body image for almost my entire life. I’ve always viewed myself as not being enough. When I was growing up, I was constantly changing sizes. I was trying to eat as much as I could, but I would grow taller and then grow wider. It was hard looking at myself and loving who I saw in the mirror.

In high school, it got worse. You see all the thin girls and when you look at yourself, you only see the imperfections. I started hating myself and I would avoid mirrors and photos at all costs. As I grew older, any photos of myself would be deleted. I couldn’t stand to see what everyone else must have been seeing.

Finally, I had enough of hating myself. I started going to a gym and wanted to love myself. I had spent years of not looking in the mirror and refusing photos of myself. Starting to go to a gym was hard. Everyone is looking at you and you feel extremely self conscious. You feel judged and after years of thinking everyone is staring at you, you feel like it’s too much. You have to push through and ignore everyone else. Once you get into the routine, the entire world just washes away.

Fitness became a passion of mine, I loved new routines and finding different ways to exercise. Hiking became one of my favorites. You got to see the world in a new light and you were able to workout while doing it.

I still struggle with my body image, but it definitely is a lot better than when I was younger. Learning to love yourself is a difficult process, but it has been very eye opening.

Kravitz hits the target with this quote. When you love yourself, when you’re most confident, is when you are the most beautiful. Being yourself is the most beautiful person you can be. As I learn to love myself, I learn to believe that I am beautiful in my own way.

#PRLN1090

[beautyandlifestylebyhan-blog]

Great post! Although I haven’t ever been a server, my best friend was for quite some time and many of her stories were similar to yours. I hear the good, the bad and the ugly. You definitely need to be a people person to be a good server and I always make sure to tip and really empathize with servers and relate because working in the service industry is tough. Thanks for sharing!

The Little Things

For anyone that’s been in the service industry we know there are always the moments where you do not feel appreciated. Why would you? To many customers you are seen as the help, and that is it.

I currently work in a small town restaurant that is extremely fast paced. There’s usually only 3 servers and a manager on the floor, working a total of 31 tables. If you do your math correctly each server has about 10 tables to themselves

There are times that I literally feel like a chicken with my head cut off, running, ACTUALLY running through the restaurant to ensure that everyone gets the experience that they came for.

There are many times that customers get frustrated for waiting that extra 2 minutes for their coffee or for their breakfast. Sadly those are the people who don’t stop to look around them and notice that I’m working 9 other tables.

I’m the type of person where I take EVERYTHING personally. So when a customer is upset me with me, I’m upset with myself.

The other day I was working alone, when I got bombarded with tables. I had 5 tables that all came in at the same time, on top of answering the phone for 3 takeout orders, and trying to work the till. Let’s just say I was at the point of feeling like that chicken again. I finally made it over to the 5th table that I had neglected,apologized for not getting to them sooner. They reassured me that I was doing a great job, and this was exactly the boost of confidence that I needed.

After the storm had settled, I was back into my groove. Was able to give my customers the attention they needed. I’m the type of waitress that I want my customers to know they have my full attention from the moment they walk in that door to the moment they step out.

I make it my duty to say goodbye and have a great day to all my customers, even if they were rude to me.

The couple that had reassured me had left their money on the table, and like always I told them to have a great day, which they returned with a smile.

As I walked over to the table to collect the money and the receipt, I noticed that they had written on the receipt “you are awesome @ what you do :)” along with that they had also left me a 20 dollar tip. Not going to lie I was quite happy about the tip, but it was the note that they left me that brightened my day. I wish I could have gotten the name of the couple, so I could thank them for how happy they made me.

Customers don’t realize that it is sometimes the little things. Sure any waitress would be happy with a nice tip, but sometimes a compliment is priceless.

#PRLN1090

[beautyandlifestylebyhan-blog]

Once again, I’m hungry just reading this! I want to do some travelling with my  best friend soon and Spain is always recommended to us. I feel like it has the perfect combination of beach, city, shopping, sight seeing and of course amazing food. Thanks for sharing!

Nova Icaria Beach - Barcelona, Spain

Two years ago, I was lucky enough to travel to Spain as a part of a high school trip. I had never travelled outside of North America before, and definitely had not been on such a long plane ride over the ocean before. The trip was absolutely incredible; we visited Barcelona, Madrid and Toledo over ten days. 

My favourite part of this trip was the day we spent on Nova Icaria Beach in Barcelona. Our days were often filled with scheduled tours and meals, but this was a day that we were free to do as we pleased. The weather so far on the trip had been drizzly and overcast, but the sky cleared up for our beach day and the temperature was much more pleasant. The first thing I did when I got to the seashore was wade into the cool water of the Mediterranean sea. We spent a few hours of our morning strolling down the beach and the port, enjoying the view. 

When it was time for lunch, we decided to browse the strip for a popular restaurant. The strip was bustling with people enjoying the warm air and sunshine, popping in and out of small shops and cafes.  There was a mix of older stone buildings and new ones with walls of concrete and glass, all built on the cobblestone-paved road. We found a cool burger joint called “Maka” with outdoor seating and decided to try it out. The restaurant was very appealing and had a tropical vibe: smoothies served in coconuts, walls lined with tiki torches, windows pained vibrant colours and palm fronds used as shutters. The menus were brought out by a bilingual server, who encouraged us to try and order in Spanish. The menu was colourful and fun, attached to a cork clipboard, and almost every item on it was accompanied an English translation.

I ordered a burger with a beef patty, brie and goat cheese, smoked red peppers and a balsamic glaze, along with a smoothie of blended mango, papaya, pineapple, coconut water and rum. I remember this so well because the meal was so exquisite; I wouldn’t change anything about it. My friends all had the same experience with their food. I wish I could find a burger joint as good as this one somewhere in Canada, but I have not had any luck yet. We left the joint pleasantly full and a little bit buzzed, off to explore the rest of the beach until sundown. If you ever happen to find yourself in Barcelona, definitely swing by.

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[beautyandlifestylebyhan-blog]

If someone asked me what one product I swear by, I will always, hands down say COCONUT OIL. Coconut oil is literally a miracle worker and has so many uses and benefits, there is honestly nothing it can't do. My roommate and I are both obsessed with it and our friends are always a little concerned with how much we use it and try to get them to start using it! Here are some of the ways I personally use it.

Hair -  Coconut oil is my favorite deep conditioner for my hair. Most oils just coat your hair providing minimal moisturizing and repair. But not coconut oil. Coconut oil penetrates the hair shaft to moisturize from within, repair damaged hair, and protect your hair from future damage from hair products & heat.

Skin - Coconut oil contains properties that feed and moisturize the skin. Coconut oil melts on the skin as soon as you apply it, without leaving any kind of residues. It easily seeps into the skin pores, moisturizing deeply and thoroughly. Apply coconut oil to your face after washing and drying it lightly with a towel. You need only a small amount since the oil spreads well. Take just ¼ teaspoon oil in the palm of one hand rub it with the other. Apply it on the face with both palms, gently massaging it in. Wait for 5-10 minutes for the oil to absorb into the skin, and wipe away any excess with a soft cotton towel. A thin layer is all you need to prevent moisture loss through evaporation from the skin surface. I also love using it as a makeup remover, it works better than any makeup wipe from the store I’ve ever tried!

Teeth Whitening - It seems strange, but I love using it to whiten my teeth. It’s natural and effective and a great and east alternative to bleach whiteners, also much cheaper.

Start with a teaspoon of coconut oil. Place it in your mouth and allow it to warm until it liquefies Swish the oil in your mouth for 15-20 minutes making sure it covers all the areas of your teeth and gums. DO NOT gargle Spit out the oil in the toiler or trash can not in the sink- it can clog drains Rinse out your mouth with warm water and brush as usual

One jar of coconut oil lasts me SO long, it’s an amazing investment and makes such a difference in my beauty routine.

#PRLN1090

[beautyandlifestylebyhan-blog]

THE TWO MOST SPECIAL THINGS COLLEGE HAS GIVEN ME

So I thought I'd branch off of the subject of beauty for this post and write more about my experience at Conestoga, or more specifically, the people I’ve experienced. Being in PR, I am a very social person and I put a HUGE amount of importance and focus on my relationships and friendships. I wasn't in the best place when I started college in September as I was coming out of a bad breakup and other issues. I was hoping for a fresh start and new beginnings and wanted so much to meet new people. I quickly met so many amazing people that have made my college experience so far one to remember. I know these people will all be life long friends and I have so much appreciation for every one of them. Although all of them are special, there are two girls who I’ve met during first year who have changed my life so much for the better and I can't believe I went almost 19 years of my life without them.

The first beautiful human being is Ashley North. I honestly don’t remember very clearly how we met but we are both in the PR program together and began talking and sitting together in class very early in the semester. Sitting together in class quickly became getting food in between classes and before you know it I was at her place at least once a week, just hanging out, or getting into trouble on weekends with other friends. Ashley (Brooke, or vice versa) has biggest heart and is one of the sweetest girls I’ve ever met, I always go to her when I have a problem and one thing I appreciate most about her is that she is always real and honest with me no matter what, everyone needs someone like that in their life. She is also crazy, fun and so adventurous. She’s always texting me wanting to do fun things and picks me up and we do the silliest things. I could not have survived early morning classes and late night homework without Ashley and can't wait to see what next year brings both of us.

I could probably write a million paragraphs about my roommate, Megan, since we have 10 years worth of memories crammed into seven months. I made the decision to move into residence in the beginning of October, I was so nervous before I got there but it ended up being hands down the best decision I have ever made and is the reason why first year was so amazing. I have met SO many amazing friends, but I was mainly nervous to get a roommate and live with someone else. I lucked out so much getting Megan as my roommate. Her and I are honestly the exact same person, we are crazy together and we get comments from other people all the time how similar we are and how good we are as roommates. She is my best friend and the crazy memories we have from first year (mostly ones while under the influence HAHA) are ones I'll cherish forever. I couldn’t have imagined living with anyone else and I’m going to miss her so much when she goes to Ottawa for school next year, although we will definitely be face timing every day since we can’t go a day without talking.

I would go into more detail about these two lovely people but I’m afraid I would go on forever if I did. Although my advice for first year college students is pretty cheesy and typical, your year is truly 100000000% better if you have good friends to share it with. Also, if you have the opportunity to move into residence, take the leap and I promise you will be so happy you did. My year would have been SO boring if I had chosen to live at home, I can’t even imagine not meeting everyone I did at residence. I was so nervous before hand because I had no idea who I'd be living with, but it was the best risk I’ve ever taken and it definitely will encourage me to take more risks in the future, because that’s what life is all about.

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[beautyandlifestylebyhan-blog]

SO cute! I loved the cat gif too. I can tell even just from this post how much you love your kitties. They will definitely always be your first “children”! One of my friends just adopted a kitten and she is already obsessed with him. I also love your cats’ names they are so original and adorable :)

Turtle vs Maple... Who am I kidding they both have my heart.

This is my very first blog post. Inspired by my two furry friends, I just love them so much; no matter how troubling they can be.

It’s hard when you adopt a pet, it takes a while for them to warm up. But truth be told they do come around…eventually.

I welcomed Maple into to my life first. She was a farm kitten, a friend of mine couldn’t take her in but I was in the right spot to take care of her. She is ADORABLE… ask anyone. The colours of her fur are incredible and she is as sweet as can be. I homed her at 8 weeks, she is my baby.

She can be a handful, and she definitely has sass when it comes to being heard. But I wouldn’t trade her for the world.

Now, this is Turtle (AKA Miss). She was one and a half when I adopted her from someone off of Facebook who could no longer care for her. She is my long haired beauty, so soft and so kind. She took a lot longer then Maple to warm up; she has been re-homed more then four times in her life. But I can assure you, this is her forever home! I adopted her in May of 2016, and she deserves a family that will care for her for her whole life.

#PRLN1090

[beautyandlifestylebyhan-blog]

I got hungry just reading this! It sounded like such a good date. It must have been nice to escape the stress of school for a while. I could honestly visualize what the experience was like with the way you described it.  One of my favourite things myself is finding a new amazing restaurant with good food because I am quite a "foodie". Being one of the first more “fancy dates” that you and your boyfriend have gone on, you guys definitely will never forget it. It’s always so nice making memories with the people you love. Thanks for sharing!

I’d like to start this blog by talking about some of the favourite places I’ve visited while travelling.

About one month ago, I got to go to a beautiful, unique and truly Canadian restaurant in downtown Huntsville, Ontario. I was on a small vacation with my boyfriend, our first one together, to celebrate both of our birthdays. While getting ready, we decided to try a local restaurant, and chose “The Mill on Main”. I’m a pretty anxious person, so I was nervous about trying a new restaurant and also about getting fancily dressed up for dinner. As college students, we rarely splurge on expensive dates, so this was the first “fancy” dinner date we had been on.

When we arrived, I could tell right away that we were going to love the place. The walls were exposed brick, the ceilings had exposed wooden beams, and the decor on the walls consisted of Canadian sports equipment, old farm tools and black and white historic photographs of Huntsville. We were seated by a tall waiter with a goofy smile, who asked us about how our trip was going and immediately gave us a food recommendation. Our waitress arrived shortly after, with a genuine smile on her face and a “How is your night going, sweeties?”

I decided to treat myself to a steak dinner and a drink, and my boyfriend decided we would share some nachos for the appetizer. My drink ended up being one of the best drinks I have tasted in my life. It was fruity, but not too sweet, and strong enough to taste the liquor but not for the liquor to burn. I immediately asked for the recipe: 1 oz. raspberry vodka, 1 oz. gin, mixed with pink lemonade and 7Up. Then came the nachos. These were something special; they were fresh-cut potato chips with a seasoning that was spicy, sweet and salty at once, covered in layers of cheese, bacon and peppers. I really didn’t think this restaurant could get ANY better.

We were surprised to see a performer setting up on the stage across the room from us. He was a middle-aged man with a guitar, a harmonica and a microphone. As soon as he started playing, we were blown away. My boyfriend plays guitar himself, and he was so impressed he took a video of the performance to show his family. We were already having such an amazing time when our food was brought to the table, and we knew we wouldn’t be disappointed. My steak came with a red wine glaze, sauteed vegetables and seasoned potato wedges. My boyfriend had a bacon cheeseburger that he likes to describe as “straight from heaven itself.” Both our meals were so perfect, the music was entertaining and enjoyable, and our waitress kept telling us stories about all the performers they’ve hosted. Long story short: we never wanted to leave.

http://www.themillonmain.ca

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[beautyandlifestylebyhan-blog]

A crazy story but I wouldn’t expect anything less from my crazy friend! I love having crazy stories to share with friends and I’m sure all your friends tell this one over and over again.

Friday the 13th Curse is REAL

It was your typical trip with friends; staying up late, eating a bunch of food that really isn’t good for you, and just making so many great memories… Until it becomes the worst time of your lives. 

I was 13 years old when I first thought I was going to die on a cursed day. I had just travelled to Milwaukee with my Junior Optimist group for our convention and it was a blast. We had so much fun on our way to the convention and during it, but getting home.. That was a whole different story! 

First we knew that day was going to be a crazy one, when before we even made it to our bus stop from our hotel, one of our members was already getting sick from being dehydrated. I really only blame her for that one, she did it to herself by not drinking enough water. But at the time, we had no idea what was wrong with her, she just started fainting and we had to take her to the hospital, but of course because we were in the states, it was going to cost us $$. 

After that, when we made it to our bus stop, one of my good friends almost got hit by a fast moving work van, literally right in front of me. Luckily my other friend pulled him off the street fast enough, and if that wasn’t the worst part, the bus was delayed by at least an hour and a half, which meant, sitting on the side of the hot side walk, waiting for a bus to show up. I almost wish it hadn’t. 

Driving to the where we had parked our vehicles for the time being, this bus ride was the bus ride from hell. Despite meeting a really great guy whom I was forced to sit beside because there was minimal space on the bus, everything that could go wrong, did. We at first were headed the wrong way on the highway and almost cause an accident trying to get off to turn around. Once finally heading the right way, we got going at a really fast speed, and popped a tire on the bus. If you have ever been in a vehicle when a tire pops, imagine that but multiply it by 100000000 being in a fast moving double decker bus. So that meant, sitting on the side of a busy highway, waiting for either another bus to come get us, or a maintenance person to fix the tire for us. Worst bus ride, ever. 

Eventually we got moving on the road again, and finally made it back to our vehicles. By this time we were all exhausted from all the crazy hectic things we had to go through to get there. Eventually, we had all given up on being angry about the situation in which we were stuck in, and instead tried to make the best of what we could. 

The trip home may have been one of the most scariest experiences of my life, but I will never forget the memories and friendships made on the way. 

#PRLN1090

[beautyandlifestylebyhan-blog]

College Student Skincare: My Must Haves

So, before I get into talking about all things makeup I thought I’d start with a post of something that should ALWAYS happen before makeup: skincare. I am obsessed with taking care of my skin and finding amazing products that work for me. As I’m getting older I’m really starting to learn the importance of taking the steps to care for your skin and how taking preventative measures now will help immensely in the future years. I have a list of essentials that I think all college students should keep in their bathroom to keep their skin looking their best, plus they’re super fun to use. I’m also including the specific products that I use and swear by.

1. CLEASNER AND CLEANSING BRUSH

The obvious step to maintaining good skin and preventing breakouts is washing your face. Along with using makeup wipes at night to remove my makeup, I think finding the right cleanser for your skin type is so important. A cleanser that works well for very oily and acne prone skin might not work well on someone with more dry and sensitive skin. I love wearing makeup but one of the best things after a long day is washing my face and feeling fresh. It’s not a necessity but I invested in a battery powered cleansing brush and I love it. I feel like it gets dirt and makeup off much better than just using your hands. I have breakouts once in a while but generally I have more normal to combination skin.  My favorite cleanser is the Soap and Glory Vitamin C Facial Wash http://www.soapandglory.com/ca/face-soap-and-claritytm

2. MOISTURIZER

Personally, I can’t live without a good face moisturizer. It serves so many purposes. It hydrates and replenishes skin after cleansing and also prepare the skin for makeup so it has a smooth surface to apply to. If your face tends to feel tight and dry after cleansing, using a good moisturizer in the morning and at night will help with that and make your skin feel more hydrated and comfortable. Some people with oily skin think they don’t need a moisturizer because they think it’ll make their skin more oily, that’s completely false. If skin is overly dry, it’ll go into overdrive and produce more oil, so properly moisturizing will help balance all skin types. I use the Aveeno Daily Moisturizer with SPF during the day under makeup and the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream at night fore intense hydration. http://www.aveeno.com/product/aveeno-+positively+radiant-+daily+moisturizer+broad+spectrum+spf+15.do              

https://www.firstaidbeauty.com/skin-care/product/body/ultra-repair-skin-cream

3. MASK

Who doesn’t love a good face mask? Masks are great because you can get one that tends to your specific skin needs, there are so many on the market. I love doing pamper nights with my roommate and using face masks. They feel so luxurious on the skin and can really make a difference in your skin. I love so many masks, my favorite sheet masks are the SEPHORA brand ones and they come in over 10 varieties for different skin types.

http://www.sephora.com/face-mask-P407006?skuId=1764943&icid2=products grid:p407006

4. EXFOLIATOR

Exfoliating is something that I think makes the biggest difference in my skin . Exfoliators are usually also cleansers, but have little microbeads or are more gritty to really scrub the skin and get dirt and dead skin off. The grittiness gently scrubs off dead skin cells that you can’t see with your eyes and I am always amazed of how soft and smooth my skin is after exfoliating as opposed to just cleansing. I usually exfoliate 2-3 time a week or depending if my skin is acting up or not. There are countless exfoliators on the market but I like to use one that has a little bit of acne medication in it because my cleanser doesn’t, so it works to fight breakouts but I don't need to use it everyday. I love the smell of the Neutrogena pink grapefruit scrub.

http://www.neutrogena.com/product/oil-free+acne+wash+pink+grapefruit+foaming+scrub.do

[beautyandlifestylebyhan-blog]

Hello everyone and welcome to my beauty blog! My name is Hannah and I’m a public relations student at Conestoga College. I love PR but my other passion that I had even before PR was beauty and lifestyle. I love watching beauty vloggers on YouTube and keep up with multiple beauty influencers’ blogs. I love makeup and skincare and learning about all of the new trends and trying them out. Being a college student I also love “hacks”, techniques and products that can make all girls’ lives easier as students. I think both my passions of public relations and beauty go extremely well together and I hope to live out both of them one day by working in public relations for a beauty or lifestyle brand.

#beauty #lifestyle #college