How I Cleared My Skin

As someone who had a TERRIBLE experience with acne growing up, there's no surprise I want to be a dermatologist.  I tried a million different things from drugstore products, prescriptions, you name it.  When I think about the amount of chemicals I have exposed my skin to I cringe and can only imagine the damage they've done, but as a teenager I didn't care as long as my skin was clear.

A lot of people can be very dramatic when it comes to having bad skin, they think having one massive pimple between their eyebrows is the end of the world, but when you have oily skin and severe cystic acne covering your whole face, it really does start to feel that way.  When I was 11 or 12 I started getting zits and at first I thought it was something that would be temporary because everyone deals with acne at some point in their life.  But after two years had gone by I was starting to worry that I would never have clear skin and it reached a point where it was becoming detrimental to my self esteem.  My mom noticed how much it effected me and so she took me to the doctors to see if they could do anything about it.

I would tell you all the things I have been prescribed for my skin but I really don't remember the names as they were all long and complicated, however, the one I do remember is the one that cleared my skin for good.  Accutane.  It wasn't until my doctor referred me to a dermatologist that I was finally given what I consider to be my holy grail.  It was a 6-month treatment that came with many side effects (sensitivity to the sun, extremely dry skin) but I just wanted to start ASAP.  My treatment began in August of 2012, and at the time I was someone who was obsessed with tanning (something I completely regret now) and so I didn't exactly where a lot of sunscreen and that resulted in very very bad sun burns, and I'm not someone who burns easily, but on this medication I was.  The only side effect I really suffered from was super dry skin, and I promise you I'm not exaggerating, my face was constantly red and flaking to the point where in the middle of winter people would ask if I had a sun burn.  My lips were always chapped no matter how much vaseline I used, it was not fun.  But the acne was subsiding so I was willing to suck it up.

By about the fourth month of being on accutane people began to compliment me on how fantastic my skin looked, something I had never been told before, and by the end of the treatment my skin was 100 percent clear, I couldn't believe it.  The side effects lasted for about 8 months after the treatment had ended, but eventually I stopped getting sun burnt so easily, the redness went away, and my skin was no longer dry.  I had such a good experience with Accutane and I would recommend it to anyone in heartbeat, I just wish my doctor had suggested it sooner so I could have avoided the acne scars that now cover my face.  I still breakout every now and then but it's nowhere near as bad as when i was 12-16.  If you have severe cystic acne I highly recommend talking your doctor about Accutane or at least visiting a dermatologist to discuss other treatment options.  However, DO NOT just take it because you get bad breakouts, it is very strong drug and is not something you want be taking if you don't need to, I only chose to proceed with the treatment as a last resort.  I now stick to mostly natural face products to try and minimize the damage that chemicals will do to my skin in the future.  If you have an questions about Accutane don't hesitate to ask.  I will be making a post about my skin care routine soon so check back often!


♡Emma

The Perfect Coat

So now that it's November and freaking cold outside (well not that cold, but my university is on a mountain so there is a noticeable temperature difference) i'm finding myself piling on jackets, sweaters, scarves, and occasionally gloves.  Everyone knows it always rains in Vancouver so I basically live in my wellies, and yes you guessed it I own Hunters, to be honest I sometimes wished I owned the shorter ones I find the tall ones to be so clunky and restricting.  Last week I made the mistake of trying to survive in my runners only to end up with cold and wet feet by the end of the day...bad idea.

The fall and winter are seasons where you have no choice but to layer, so why not make the most of it when it comes to how you dress.  For months I have been searching for the perfect coat but I wasn't sure exactly what I wanted, all I knew was that it had to be grey or black (typical) and wool.  After looking online at the usual, Forever 21, H & M, Zara etc, I saw a few that caught my eye, but nothing that made a lasting impression.  I knew I was going to have to search further to find exactly what I was looking for, realistically I should have been studying instead of online shopping, but I hadn't been to a mall in ages so I had to get my fix.

I'm obsessed with Kendall Jenner's style, she always looks flawless, and during NYFW her outfits were to die for, unfortunately the only thing I could afford that she owns is most likely a hair tie, yes that is a massive exaggeration but you get the point.  The one outfit of hers I think I've stared at more than my textbooks (just kidding i'm working my ass off) is this all black ensemble consisting of this AllSaints coat, these Helmut Lang leggings, and these Celine boots.

I am absolutely obsessed with this coat and I've been searching high and low for a look alike that's affordable.  The funnel neck and asymmetric hem make it so unique and the contrast of the wool body and leather levees is simply stunning.  This coat would look gorgeous with anything, the colour is so versatile.  I don't think i've ever been on a brands website and loved every single item they sell,  I would buy one of everything, but my name isn't Kendall Jenner and I was not born into a multi million dollar family called the Kardashians.

I knew this coat was out of my price range and I was having such a hard time finding something even remotely similar to it. But on Friday afternoon I went shopping with my mom and came across this beauty in Danier Leather.  I had just walked out of Sephora and was not expecting to spend a ton of money that day but as soon as I saw this coat I knew I had to try it on.  It came in black and grey and both colours looked amazing but you can never go wrong with black it will always be classy.  I've never been one to spend so much on a single article of clothing, but it was on sale, 100 percent wool, and the sleeves were lamb leather (I know, i'm a terrible person).  I couldn't believe how soft it felt and I knew it would keep me warm.  At first I felt guilty about buying it but then I realized you have to treat yourself every now and then,  I usually save my money and i've been working so hard at school so I thought, why not? The girl helping me said the jacket was one of their best sellers and she was even going to buy it for herself before they were all gone.

As I get older i've learned that you get what you pay for.  If you're going to spend $50 dollars on a coat, chances are it will only last you a season or two before it starts pilling or threads start coming loose, the same goes for shoes and jeans.  But it's also important to realize that you should be selective when choosing what you're going to spend the most on, ensuring that it's something that will never go out of style.


♡Emma

Basics

As usual I am writing this because I am sick to death of studying...Anyways, I was looking for something to wear yesterday in the rather small closet in my dorm, and I was looking at my clothes and realized I have like two things that are colourful...

Believe it or not I do own more colourful things, except I left them at home because I never wear them!  I'm always searching for neutral coloured clothes, I'm pretty sure people think I wear the same thing every day because all of my clothes look that similar.  I have about a million plain white, black, and grey t-shirts and the only reason I buy new ones is because they're longer or a nicer kind of fabric (not the gross cotton that stretches and pills).  I am obsessed with long t-shirts, the more I have the better.  There's nothing worse than a girl wearing a short top with yoga pants or leggings (unless she has a perfect butt, then I can make an exception), and being someone who wears those kinds of pants basically everyday because I hate jeans...long shirts are a necessity.  Unfortunately, I find I go through so many shirts because the fabric gets worn out so quickly, probably because I machine wash everything even though 75% of my clothing is supposed to be hand washed, I don't have time for that.  So if anyone knows of a place to get basic tees that last a long time let me know! I've had my eye on some at Brandy Melville, but that's gonna have to wait until I go there in Hawaii.  But surely there's more places than that!  Occasionally Forever 21 has some nice ones but they're usually short which makes me want to rip my hair out.  I'm constantly online shopping (procrastination at its finest) because it's so hard to find basic clothing items in stores that don't have some hideous zipper in the back or #YOLO on the front.  I really don't understand what goes through designer's heads these days...

♡Emma

Care Package

So I was informed by my lovely cousin Sarah in England that I would be receiving a "care package" in the mail.  I wasn't sure exactly what it would contain but I was excited and it gave me something to look forward to.  So on Thursday while I was studying biology and it was pouring rain outside I got an email that a packaged had arrived for me at my university's mail room.  So I went and picked it up and this is what was inside...

Soap and Glory lotion, body wash, and hand sanitizer.  Nakd granola bars (all natural ingredients and SO good).  A mint dark chocolate bar, my favourite (that will help me get through studying all weekend).  Playing cards.  Magazines. Some other snacks and stationary.

It's so nice knowing I have such a huge support system of friends and family behind while I'm adjusting to university life and these goodies definitely made my day!  The smell of the Soap and Glory products strangely remind me of England, I don't know why but they do, I'm so obsessed with them they have become my new go-to products, especially the hand sanitizer because there are SO many germs in university, it grosses me out!  I was sick on the first week and I don't want it to happen again!  This package also reminded me of how much I miss England, I was there last summer and I dying to go back and see my family and SHOP.  They're fashion sense is a million times better than it is in Canada, if you ever get the chance to visit there you will know what I mean.

My cousin said she will be sending me some more goodies to get me through uni next month and I cannot wait!

♡Emma

University Life

It's been a while since I've posted anything, let alone even thought about this blog. In the beginning I was so obsessed with it and I thought I'd be able to make something big out of it. Unfortunately, as I expected, school has taken over my life. I am in my first year of university as a science student and it is A LOT of work. It's hard though because none of my family or friends seem to understand just how much stress I'm under--hardly a surprise seeing as they were all arts or business students, no offence. I'd love to just make them spend a week going to all of my classes, doing all of my assignments etc etc. It can also be very hard to talk to them about my subjects as they have no idea what I mean when I refer to "angular quantum numbers" or any other typical chemistry terms. At the moment I am taking Biology, Calculus, Chemistry, and Physics, it is most definitely not easy but I'm getting through it. University has kind of been a shock, and what I mean by that is, I went from being a straight A student in high school to an average joe in university just hoping to "pass" all my exams. I've considered switching into business so I can work in fashion, but then I realize I have zero interest in marketing and all that kind of stuff and I would really prefer not to spend my whole life working my way up the "corporate ladder". For now I will stick with my goal of med school as hard as it may seem to achieve at this point in time. I am looking forward to the year where I can actually start taking courses that I'm interested in and not ones that I despise (aka calculus). Maybe if I'm lucky i'll become on of those blogs/youtube channels that gets "discovered" and make my living from that, wouldn't that be nice. Of course for that to happen I would have to devote a lot more time to blogging which quite frankly I have zero time for. This post may seem really depressing but I promise you I am happy it's just hard to show it when I spend all of my time studying. For now, all I can do is countdown the days until Hawaii at Christmas (and the 5 exams I have between now and then...). 

Well, time to study for my chemistry midterm on Monday...

Much love,

♡Emma

PS-to all you other university/college students out there who feel my pain, good luck with everything and stay focused!

Lust List

Dear Mulberry,

Why must you be so expensive?

Sincerely,

I DON'T HAVE JUST HAVE $7500 LYING AROUND

The Mulberry Alexa in Petticoat White Haircalf & Ostrich

All of my clothes and bags are black and I am in need of a white bag, of course I had to fall in love with the most expensive one out there...If anyone finds a dupe to this please let me know it would be greatly appreciated.

♡Emma

All White Everything

I am obsessed with neutral colours (I don't even know why my blog is pink). You can't go wrong when buying something in white, black, or grey because you're guaranteed that it will match basically everything. I consider my style to be very simple and minimalistic but there's always something present that adds a touch of character.

When I imagine my future home all I think of is white, white, and more white. I think it looks so polished, clean, and luxurious, like you're permanently living in a hotel room with a big, plush duvet and crisp white sheets. The colour white brings so much light into a room and contributes to the overall openness, making it seem so much bigger than it really is. My room is painted light grey with white bedding and silver accents, and every when I'm in it I feel like I'm at the spa, it gives me a sense of organization and relaxation. I like everything to be plain, and I know that may seem boring, but it allows me to concentrate on other things, instead of the bright pink walls staring me in the face.

Though I appreciate a white room, I also love a hint of character, especially something wooden because it's natural and adds an earthy texture.

  

White balances out the darkness associated with wood and together they make a room welcoming and warm.  Adding a textured material is also something I'm obsessed with especially a fur rug.  Ikea has both a faux and real sheep skin rug that you can place on the floor, over a chair, or on the end of a bed.  Another great way to add texture is a throw like this beautiful chunky cable knit throw from the Pottery Barn.  

Since I'm moving out at the end of this month to a dorm room at SFU, I tried my best to make a mini version of my room at home by purchasing this white duvet cover set, the faux sheepskin rug I mentioned above, two of these rugs in beige (all from Ikea), and a similar throw from Marshall's.  As you can probably tell Ikea has been a god send for dorm room shopping and will probably play a similar role when I move into my own place.  

The best part about the colour white is you can have pretty much any accent colour you want, this includes hardware in bathrooms and kitchens.  You can choose silver or gold and change them at any time to transform the look, going from a modern to an antique/vintage style.  Just like a purse, the colour of hardware makes all the difference.  It's also nice to have good lighting in a bathroom, especially a white one, because it will make you feel refreshed on those days where you just want to sleep forever.  Why do you think spas are white?  

A claw foot tub extends the vintage theme.

I love the varying flow of the subway tiles in the shower.

I can't wait until the day I can design my own home and I love the fact white will never go out of style, all you need to do is change up the accents every one in a while.  I find that our generation appreciates simplicity more so than our parents/grandparents, my Mom and Aunty are obsessed with bling and I really could care less for it! (I'll make an exception for the giant rock I will one day have on my ring finger)

♡Emma