Tattoos : My Experience And Aftercare Advise

Hey guys,

So this post is something a little different, as I will be talking about tattoos, and my experience and some advise and tips on aftercare.

The reason I am doing this post is because, yesterday I had a new one. And although I'm not covered (I have 2), I enjoy them. And in case some of you lovely lot are interested in getting on or maybe you have a few, I'm just sharing some tips and my experience of having them. 

So to start of I want to talk about my experience. I will insert pictures of both of mine, you will see my older one is quite terrible compared to my new one but I still love it. 

So my first tattoo, I had it done a couple of years ago, I went with one of my best friends and we had them done together. We both went for different designs. We were asked many questions just that we were of age (you must be 18+ in most places). 

As you can see from the photo I have posted below, it's very patch. It wasn't done well at all. I was sat in a chair with my leg in a really uncomfortable position. Half way through the outline my leg was numb. The artist I didn't find very professional, but at the time I loved the finished artwork. 

During this, I went very light headed and hot. I had to have a break, which is totally fine. If you need a break then you need a break or your at risk of passing out. 

I had a phobia of needles before this. Of course having a tattoo hurts. But it's  more afterwards once it is completed. It throbs and stings. One thing you have to remember is that it is an open surface wound. So with that in mind of course it will sting. 

So yesterday, I went for my second tattoo. It was a completely different experience. I had to fill in a medical type form, and sign a declaration. Once I had completed that my artist continued to ask me more health questions. Such as if I'm a smoker, blood pressure. Once all of that the real business started. 

My artist used at least 6 pairs of gloves in my 3 hour sitting. Although I felt totally fine during this tattoo (no dizzy spells, not light headed feeling not hotness) I was made to have a 5 minute break. This was so I could have a sugary drink. I didn't need this break, but my artist insisted.

She talked me through everything she was doing, which parts may hurt and described the type of pain. Advised if it was to much to stop for a break. I didn't. 

She made me feel comfortable, and I was confident that she would do a great job. And I was not disappointed.

While I was having it done I asked her opinion on other parts of the body and the pains. I thought this may help some of you or may be nervous but really want one. 

I was told that, thighs, tops of arms, back of the neck are the least painful. This are just uncomfortable. The hip area is a tickley area along with the side/ribs. 

Anything on the bone, so, feet, hands, shoulders, back, also the throat are the most painful and most uncomfortable ones to have. 

She also stated that the refuse to complete throat tatoosunless they are 100% that the client have thought about it and the design. If they feel it to thought through, then they will refuse to tattoo. 

Like any tattoo, you must think long and hard about what you want. These are very expensive, and last the rest of your life. Along with the design you must also be sure on the location of the body. 

Once you are 100% sure and your of age, and it's what you want, then go for it. In you'll be surprised how confident they can make you feel. 

But always go with your gut. If you are not sure then don't go with it. Wait. Draw it on before hand so you get a feel. But just remember this is a lifetime commitment.

So, aftercare. This is THE most important part of having a tattoo. Once you have paid all that money, you don't want to then ruin your new ink by not taking care of it. As I've said, this is an open wound. They can get infected. They will go funky and that can cause colour loss.

The tattoo will scab over, DO NOT pick it. Don't even think about it unless you want a patchy tattoo. 

Make sure you clean it, and use a good cream. A number of things are recommended. And there are loads of ways to care for your new tattoo. 

Some say to leave it uncovered, let it dry out and scab up. Makin sure you use cream to keep it clean. Try not to get clothes on the area. And once it's scabs do not pick. 

Your new tattoo will start to get itchy... DO NOT scratch that itch. If you scratch that throbbing beast then you are risking taking the scab off. You sat through a tattoo. You can get over the niggling itch. I know you can!

These are the instructions I followed. And my tattoo got stuck to EVERYTHING!

So with my new one I'm trying another option. I'm not letting it dry up. I'm keeping it covered with cling film. Creaming it regularly. 

It will get sweaty doing this. That is fine. It will form a wet scab. This isn't bad. It means you won't get a patchy tattoo. It will still itch. But you won't get stuck on clothing or bedding. It will also be protected from infection as it will be covered up. 

They advise you not to soak the tattoo and to pay the tattoo dry when you do clean it. Once it is clean, then you must keep the artwork creamed. 

Now, the creams that are recommend are, savlon, coco butter or bepanthen. But not to use Vaseline or sudecrem.

I've chosen bepanthen. But you use what you feel. Also some say that dream cream from Lush also works wonders.

I must also point out, tattoos are personal preference. The aftercare is also personal preference. Some people love them. Some people hate them. I tried to get lots of into from my artist to share with you. 

I hope this can be some what helpful for you all. And I hope you enjoy the post.

Until next time!

X 

Cleansing Routine

Hey guys!

I'm back after a short break, there has been so much happening lately, so to ease back into it, I've decided to do a post on the items I use when I cleanse. I do my routine twice a day, the evening is more intense then the morning, to be sure I get rid of any trace of make up from the day. 

I use a range of products, that are on both ends of the price spectrum, some are available in local stores, some are online, or in bigger department stores. 

So let's get started, to start I will explain my skin type, and these products are aimed at my skin type, however, I feel there could be products out there that are better suited to my skin type but I haven't found them yet. And obviously, not everyone has the same type of skin, so these products could be terrible for your skin. So do some research. 

My skin type is very dry and very sensitive. I extremely dry patches on my cheeks and my T-Zone. With that, my skin gets very tight and sometimes stings. I have to use really thick creams, and make sure I use as many natural products as I can, but I don't follow that as much as I should. So the chemicals/ingredients in these products do irritate my skin, hence the use of such thick creams. 

I am in no means a professional, I use it and that people would be disgraced by, and as always, I am not gonna be showing off with the items I use.

As you can see, this is everything that I use. 

To start off, I use the baby wipes (I know they are no good for your skin) this may make people think dear god no! But if they are good enough for a baby, why not on my face? As you can see, I use extra sensitive which are fragrance free. 

I stock up on these as I use a few at a time. And I use them twice a day. These are the only wipes that I have found that agree with my skin. I normally have a serious breakout/rash if I use cleansing wipes. 

One I have took off the top layer of dirt/ make up, I then use a cleansing water/cream cleanser/ cleansing balm. I use the water of a morning, and either a cream or balm on an evening. 

The cleansing water I use is the L'oreal micellar water. Again, I have tried loads, and although this makes my skin feel tight, I don't get a rash. I've used others that have caused me to have a really bad reaction. 

I just apply this to a cotton pad, and gently wipe my face, eyes and lips to get rid of any make up that may have stained. I find this really great to take off any stubborn eyeliner and mascara. It's really gently on the eyes. 

I tend to soak the cotton pad and rest it on my eyes then wipe away after a few seconds. It works wonders! 

Of an evening, I tend to use a deeper cleanser, I alternate these.. Depending on how my face feels. If I just need a gentle but deep cleans, I use Liz Earl's cleans and polish, with a muslin cloth. 

Liz Earl is beautiful, they have a wide range of products, including body was and shampoos. All of which are fantastic, and smells beautiful.

The cleans and polish is a great and easy way to give yourself a mini facial. All you need to do is apply the cleanser (a cream formula) over your face, eyes and lips. This is to be done on dry skin (not dampened). Once that has been applied, wet the cloth in warm water, and using circular motions, polish the cleanser off. Skin is left smooth. 

If I require a deeper cleans, then I go for elemis cleansing balm. You apply this the same as the Liz Earl cleans and polish, only before buffing it off you wet your hands and using circular motions just give your self a mini massage, the balm will turn to an oil consistency. After about 5 minutes just buff it off again using a Muslin cloth. 

After cleansing, I use a toner. This is to cool the skin down, and close any pores that have opened whilst cleansing. This is great, as it helps prevents spots, and any dirt enter your newly cleanser pores. 

There are many out there, and I've used a number of different ones, my favourites are the Liz Earl tonic boost, elemis apricot toner and the one that I'm currently using, which is by Lush. 

They are all used in the same way, for the same reason, to smooth skin and close pores. You apply it using a cotton pad over the face, eyes, and don't forget that neck! 

Finally, I use a face cream. I tend to use an Anti-Wrinkle cream as I'm a big believer in the day that Anti-Wrinkle products are a prevention. (I'm 24 and have been using anti-wrinkle products since I turned 21). 

However, the cream I use does change depending on the condition my skin is in. I usually go between Liz Earl's moisturiser and elemis pro collagen marine cream. Currently it's Elemis. However, for a few weeks I've been using E45 due to having server dryness. 

I apply this all over the face and neck, and it's lovely. It feels silky smooth, and leaves my face feeling soft. 

For those extra special pampers, I use a face mask, this is new to me, as I've never found one that doesn't leave me with a rash.. I've started using the quick fix facials calming clay mask for sensitive and red skin. It irritates my skin a little but it's the best one I've used yet. 

You apply a thick layer to your face, avoiding the eyes, and leave for 5 minutes and then wash off. 

As well as this, I exfoliate 2 times a week. I've been on the hunt for a great exfoliate, and I think I have finally found one. I'm currently using a tester pot. It's the Aloe Vera exfoliated from the body shop. 

It is great for sensitive skin as there is no fagrance, no colour, and the exfoliate beads are so small, but do an almighty job! I can't wait to actually purchase a full size. 

I must say, if you do have any skin issues and are looking for help, try the body shop. The staff are so lovely and so helpful. And if your unsure they supply you with free samples. 

What are your top skincare products? Do you have a product you can recommend? As I said I'm not an expert, but we can all help one another! 

Thank you for reading!!

Until next time :) 

X

My First Opera Experience

Hey guys,

This will be something a bit different today. This post, will be about my first ever opera experience. 

Now, I have always been curious on what operas are actually like, people make them out to be old fashioned, or posh. And this maybe, but they are also beautiful and tragic, and not just for the older generations.

I was invited to watch the live showing of La Traviata, which was being shown at the Oden cinema, as it happened at the Royal Opera House in London. My lovely friend Tam, asked me if I'd like to go, as it is her favourite opera. 

The opera is a beautiful and tragic story, about Violetta and Alfredo, and the ups and down of their relationship. It's a whole whirlwind experience. 

So what is the Opera about?

So to start, it is wrietten by Gusseppi Verdi, taken from a play called La Dane Aux Camélias by Alexandre Dumas, Fils. 

La Traviata simply means the fallen woman in Italian. It is a 3 act opera, based around Violetta, Alfredo and Alfredo's father Georgio. 

Violetta has been very ill for a year, and to celebrate her wellness, she throws a party to show she's well again, or so we think. At the party one of the guests, Gaston, invites Alfredo, a stranger to Violetta. This is because in the year that Violetta has been ill, he has gone to see her every single day. And has fallen in love with her. Knowing this, Gaston tells Violetta, and Alfredo confesses. 

Now, Violetta is a courtesan, which simply is a call girl, and tells Alfredo, she cannot accept his love, because she simply wants to live her life freely. He doesn't want to take this as an answer and tells her how deeply he loves her and what it means to him. She in turn does feel the same, but cannot allow herself to be so ridiculous. But on his way out she promises to meet him, and gives him a flower and tells him to go back tomorrow. 

In the second part, Violetta and Alfredo are living together, and are madly in love, but you learn that Violetta has been selling her belongings in order to be able to afford to live in their countryside home, Alfredo does not no of this, but soon learns and feels terrible. 

He leaves the house, and while he has gone, Violetta has a visitor, Georgio. Who she learns is Alfredo's farther. The reason he has gone to visit, it to tell Violett to leave Alfredo. Alfredo should be with his family, not with her. How it was a terrible thing of Alfredo to abandon his family for her. She tells him how deeply she loves him and begs for him to not make her do it, but in time tells him she's dying, and agrees. He tells her that he understands it's a big sacrifice for her and she will be repaid, that he wants happiness for her. With this she has been invited to a party by her old friend flora. At first she was not wanting to go, as this was her past, her old life, and she did not want that life anymore. But with the news of Alfredo's Farther, she decides to go. 

At the party, Alfredo turns up after learning that she has gone there. He wins at gambolling and throws the money he wins back at Violetta after telling the party that it was Violetta that allowed them to live such a beautiful life in the country. Georgio comes in at this point saying no matter how angry you are, you are not to speak to a woman in such a manner. 

Act three, shows Violetta dying, with only hours to live. She has a letter from Georgio, confessing how sorry he was for making her leave Alfredo, how he hoped one day they could both have her forgiveness. How one day they will return to her, and they will beg her to forgive. 

You learn that she has been waiting sometime, and that if they haven't shown up now, they are far to late. They will never show. And she will die, after all the heartbreak, the happiness, the love, she will die not having any of it, just sadness. That she's too weak to even feel those feelings again. 

Finally, both men show, Georgio offers to embrace her as a daughter as she first wanted, and Alfredo wants her to love him like she loved him before. To be strong and happy, like she was before. How he loves her so, and just needs her to be strong and they can find happiness again. She claims it's too late, she wishes she could be strong, that she does love him, but she is dying. And that even he wasn't enough anymore to save her. And if he wasn't enough, nothing was, so she was just going to die. 

He begs her not to say such words, that she just needs to be strong, in which she finds strength, and advises she's feeling better, she leaps around her room into his arms, and then she's gone. 

It's a heartbreaking story, of love and loss, dealing with happiness and heartbreak. It really is an emotional roller coaster. 

Of course what I have told you is the main story line, but there are also more relationships, more stories involved. 

And, for some of those who are into those girly films, this is the Oprea Vivian is taken to see in Prettt Woman. 

It broke my heart, and brought tears to my eyes. I'm defiantly a fan of this, and I hope to see more Operas. I can understand, it isn't for everyone. It's all singing, of course, and it has sung in a different language, with subtitles. However, you do not need to read the subtitles, in order to follow the storyline. 

It's so tragic, it's beautiful. 

Are you interested in Operas? Would you ever watch one? Any suggestions? 

As always, thank you for reading, and until next time! 

P.S sorry it's such a long post this time around! 

X