Chit Chat/Life Update #6- Goodbyes and Hellos

I can't believe how many updates I have written in the past year but I only write them when significant things or changes have happened. The past few months have been more than a roller coaster journey and I am trying hard to achieve a proper balance to my life. Anyways, I am almost there so I thought I should update everyone on what I have been up to.




School Update and Graduation
I mentioned in these posts here and here that I was back in school for an extra academic year to further my career. It was a compulsory one year course in Pharmacy so I could move into the career direction I wanted. I have to say it was one of my toughest years yet because I tried my best to balance everything and it was still difficult. Studying and working full time is no joke and when you add a commute to school which involves 6 train and 2 bus journeys, things could go a little crazy. Thank God I only had to attend school (University of Brighton) twice a week but it was enough to keep me exhausted. I just thank God for seeing me through the entire year. I passed all my exams which filled me with delight  and I was ready to move over to the next stage of my career. I remember when I first started this course, I told myself I won't bother attending the graduation as I already attended other graduations from my two other degrees (including a Master's Degree) and three professional qualifications/certificates. I had no idea how tough it was going to be and I told myself when it was all over, I will definitely be getting my butt to the Graduation ceremony. I was very proud of myself because this particular course meant a lot to me even more so than some of my previous ones. It was a bright and sunny day in July and I happily marched down the podium to receive my certificate.


Goodbyes
I am sure I must have mentioned that I worked (up until recently) in the public sector as a Project Manager around policy, welfare reforms and legislation. It was an amazing role and I felt so blessed to be working in such an incredible organisation and surrounded by the best team ever. Sadly, I had to make a really difficult decision to leave so I could get back into Hospital/Clinical Pharmacy. It was a super tough call for many reasons but everyone in my team were so supportive even when I had to study. My last month was in July and it was a very emotional one for me because I was rounding off all my precious projects and saying goodbye to my amazing colleagues. I had worked there for almost 3 years which is a long time for me. During my last week, my team organised two leaving do lunches- one where I made some Nigerian meals which they loved and the other at a restaurant. My manager gave such a beautiful speech and my entire team presented me the most thoughtful gifts ever. It was a very emotional day for me and my eyes teared up many times when people came over to say goodbye. When I got home, I bawled my eyes out. I know it's so silly, right!! I just missed (and still miss) all my lovely colleagues and reading the cards and admiring the gifts makes me really happy.


One of the gifts they gave me was a House of Fraser Gift Card (actually they gave me 2) because they know how much I love shopping. There was quite a significant amount in these cards so I decided to treat myself to a new handbag because why not. I finished my old job on a Friday, went shopping on Saturday and started my new job on Monday and I wished I had a little break!! Anyway back to my bag, I knew I wanted a new bag but I didn't know which one. I originally wanted a Michael Kors Bag but I didn't realise House of Fraser only sold them online and I am the kind of person that needs to see a bag in real life before I purchase it. My friend/flatmate told me to check out DKNY and thank God I did because they had such amazing bags. I fell in love with the DKNY Bryant Park Medium Bag in Saffiano Leather and I can't even put into words how obsessed I am with it. I paid a paltry sum on top of my gift card and it was mine to go home and play with. I am hoping to do a video pretty soon showing its content and possibly a mini review of the bag.


Hello, Hospital Pharmacy
I started my new job in a Teaching Hospital this month(apparently it is one of the largest in the UK; I only learned this during induction so I am very impressed). I actually got the job offer earlier this year which felt so amazing because I could make all my plans knowing I had another job waiting for me. It's only 5-7 minutes on the bus from my house so it's very convenient. I take a bus to work and then walk back which is ever so relaxing for me. The walk back home keeps my head clear and gets me in the right frame of mind for the next day. It's totally different from my previous job and it's been a large learning curve with a lot of adjustments to do. We have several rotations that involve patient services, working in the dispensary, ward rounds, specialist departments, etc. I absolutely enjoy it even though it was challenging in the beginning I am learning so much and slowly but surely easing myself into my schedule.





Blogging Update
As you would imagine, I am still trying to adjust to a new blogging routine. I am not even sure what it will be yet but I will try my best to be as regular as I can. Blogging is my escape and a form of relaxation for me and I always look forward to it but sometimes life gets in the way. Slowly, I am getting back into my schedule and I hope it is one that can last for a good while. I have so many posts in my draft and gazillion of photos to edit which I am getting through so do bear with me. I promise it will all be worth it. If you love events, do check out the ILIA Beauty Masterclass Event with MMCL, OUAI Event with Jen Atkin, La Roche Posay Unifiant Launch Event and Inside Wella Event. I recently attended the Sachajuan Blow Out Hair Event and the Roger & Gallet Aura Mirabilis Launch as well and they were all incredible!! More event photos will follow shortly. I usually post more on Instagram and even Insta Stories which I am absolutely obsessed with. I definitely prefer Insta story to Snap Chat (yeah, I said it!!!). If you are not following me on Instagram, you should!!





That's pretty much my update. I have tons of reviews to write up on many products I have been enjoying. I will try my best and whip them all out so they are still relevant and helpful to everyone. I usually show my Blogger Mail in Insta stories so it's a good place to see what's new.  I hope everyone had an amazing weekend...xx

Chit Chat and Life Update #5

I have been the worst blogger ever!! I took off without a word  but I honestly needed the break before I had a breakdown. I thought I might as well just give a little update of what I have been up to.  P.S. Most of the pictures have nothing to do with this post but I love pictures so I always include them in blog posts..hehehe

Education Update

I mentioned in this post that I was starting a pharmacy conversion course. I have been a pharmacist for the past 8 years but my qualification is an international one which requires me to complete an academic year of study. It is the same for many countries and other professions like Medicine and Law. I opted for University of Brighton because it was the best choice for my lifestyle and work. I started in September and I finished in June and believe me, it was one of the toughest years ever. I was still working full time but compressed hours so it was a little bit crazy but I thank God for seeing me through. I am awaiting my final two exam results but I am positive I will scale through.

Career Update

Now that I am done with my course, I will be moving into Hospital Pharmacy in August 2016 and I am super excited. Hospital Pharmacy is my favourite part of pharmacy and that’s the section where I have worked for the most part of my pharmacy career even back in Nigeria. It just genuinely makes me happy to make a difference in someone’s life and although it can be tough, I absolutely enjoyed it and I know I will continue enjoying it. The shift means I will be leaving my current job at the end of July and I don’t know how I will make it through on that last day with a dry eye. My current organisation is one of the best I have ever worked in and my team and manager are just incredibly loving and supportive. I have grown the most and developed skills and a rare confidence that I thought I could only achieve in my dreams. So, I have mixed feelings; I am happy to go back to hospital pharmacy but super sad to leave my organisation and team mates. It’s always a tough call but I know it’s for the best.

Blogging Update

From the end of May, I had to take a little break so I could study for my final exams and when I was done, I went on holiday. I missed my blog and reading all the lovely comments from you lot. I was not even active on social media as such but in a way, it was amazing. I feel much energised to get back to blogging on a proper schedule. I have backlogs of blog posts, photos and products to talk about. So, do bear with me for a couple of days while I sort out my schedule and create new content in a more consistent way. I shot two videos before I left for my holidays but I have not got around to editing them yet but they will be up soon.

Holiday in Nigeria

I already mentioned that I whisked myself away for a much needed holiday and R&R back in Nigeria (my country). The last time was exactly two years ago (May 2014) since I was back home so I was sorely missing home. I had such a beautiful time seeing my family and friends and just enjoying my country. It was a short visit so I am still feeling slightly homesick as you do when you come back from such an amazing time. I did not really take photos or even blog because I just wanted a proper break so I am so sorry there are no photos per say. Well, I took a few photos with my DSLR camera but I am not sure if I want to share them on here as they are family photos. However, I do have some iPhone photos of my cornrows and braids which I cannot get enough of. I wish there were not so expensive to make here in London as I would totally stick to them. They were super affordable in Nigeria  so I made my hair twice in two weeks. Woop Woop!!

Events and Product Reviews

While I was away, I received tons of emails to attend events and products to try out so you can imagine that there will be quite a few posts on them soon. I think June/July and the end of the year have so many events and launches lined up and I am super excited to attend. I have also been trying out some products which have been absolute gems in the past months and I will be talking about them.  That’s pretty much my update and I hope it was not too boring. I just wanted to have a little chat and let you know what I have been up to. See you in my next post…xx

ChitChat/Update- Why I haven't been blogging regularly

I have rewritten this update post a couple of times because things keep changing. Right, where do I start? Let's just say so many things have happened especially towards the end of August up until October and it's still ongoing. I have to say September was not my favourite month but on the flip side, I learnt a whole lot of new things. Most importantly, it made me appreciate my family and BF even more and be very grateful for many things I take for granted. I would not say September was absolutely bad because I also had so many amazing experiences. I cannot even begin to describe how blessed I feel right now and I owe everything to God as he has been my rock. Anyway, let's not get too deep and get right into my update.

Why so many infrequent Blog Posts?

I am sure many bloggers would agree with me that it is easiest to blog when you are in a good place and have time. My blog is mainly my only hobby (well, it is three hobbies in one-photography, writing and chatting about beauty) so I can only do it when I am happy, relaxed and delighted. I would never put up a blog post for the sake of it.  As I already mentioned, it was a tough and busy month for me in September so I had no time, mojo and energy publish posts. Would you believe I had several blog posts including photos and write ups already to publish but I could not bring myself to click the publish button? However, it was really surprising to see that my page views and other stats still sustained themselves and for that, I want to say thank you to everyone who reads my blog. It means the whole world to me and I love to read your comments more than anything. Thank you so much!!

Going back to University

I have always been and I still am a very academic person. I won't classify myself as a nerd but I love to study, exams and all the academic stuff. I know it's crazy but the adrenaline rush I feel just before exams makes me so happy and the joy of opening exam question papers makes me delighted (well, only  if I know the answers). I have always been like this since I was a kid and my Mum even told me thatI would cry if I was told there was no school. I even wanted to go to school on Saturday and Sunday (I must have been a crazy kid). Anyway, I am doing a top up course  (more like a qualification than a course) for my profession. I may have mentioned this already but I am a Pharmacist and I have been for the past 7 years (yep, I am super old). However, I need an extra top up course as a UK Pharmacist because I got my degree in Nigeria, my home country. There are only 5 universities that offer this  course in the UK which makes things slightly tricky. 


I have been putting it off for a long time because I can't bear to leave my current job in the Health and Social Care sector which I absolutely enjoy and the course is very expensive (just under £12k). However, I was lucky to find that I could actually attend Uni for two days and still retain my job for three days. I started my application last year which was such a  looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong winded process because you have to apply to the General Pharmaceutical Council UK, etc. They ask for a tonnes of documents which has to be supplied from your home country's Pharmaceutical Council and University. Once they are all satisfied, a panel makes a decision, sends your details to the 5 universities who then invite you to apply for the course.Thank goodness,  it is all done and dusted and I have started my course. I started at the end of September and I am enjoying every single minute of it.  When I enrolled for my M.Sc degree, about four years ago, I was so delighted to be a student and get all the student discounts. Right now, I have got all the student discount cards you can ever think of. Now, I know I can #feelspendy without the guilt. 

New Blogging Schedule

With my new schedule at work and academics, I am not sure I would be posting 5 times a week like I used to. I would aim for 3 times a week and perhaps a bonus post during the weekend.  Once I am well settled into these new changes, I would increase the frequency and who knows I may be back to 5 times a week. I would always value quality over quantity any day and any time so I want you to still enjoy my posts (with the ridiculous amount of photos I take, I know, I know but I know you like them). I miss blogging so much and I am so glad I am trying to get back into it . I always value your support because it keeps me very motivated.

City Break

By the time you read this, I should be enjoying a lovely City Break!!! I and the BF planned a lovely City break which was so needed especially for me. I have never felt I deserve a holiday as much as I feel right now. It's been such a busy year all through and it may not even slow down per say. We decided to go to three Cities we love- Brussels, Milan and Barcelona. I am so thrilled!! Expect to see some Photo Diaries of these places. Last year, we went to Switzerland and Paris and I have the Photo diaries here, here ,here and here if you want to check them out.  I know that was a super long update but it was long overdue. I hope you enjoyed this post and I would be back tomorrow with another post. I have two more events posts left so look out for them this week- London Fashion Week and the spectacular Laura Geller Launch in House of Fraser. Have a lovely week ahead,...xx

ChitChat #4 and Update +Exciting Announcement!!

I love reading update and chitchat posts on other blogs and I hope you enjoy mine. I just wanted a little check in to say what I have been up to. First off, I have been so busy at work lately and it has been a bit manic. I am not by any means complaining in fact I do love the challenges that come with my full time job every now and then. It means I have a chance to challenge myself out of my comfort zone. The only sad thing is I am unable to blog as much as I would have loved to. All the posts I have had (except the Body Shop one) were already scheduled. 

You may have also seen I also attended the Body Shop Virgin Mojito Event last week Thursday which was amazing. There were lovely presentations delivered by professionals and I learned a lot. I am currently testing out some products so I will let you know which to purchase or which to miss.I hope I can relax and create better content from next week by utilising the bank holiday (Hurray!!!). Since April, I finally had a chance to attend some blogger events which I am always delighted to go to because I get to meet other bloggers and just have a nice chat about life, blogs, beauty and silly things. It’s just so therapeutic. I always enjoy meeting people in real life especially if you have been reading their blogs.








British Association of Dermatologist (BAD) Sun Awareness Roadshow 
Around two weeks ago, I attended the British Association of Dermatologists (BAD) Sun Awareness Road Show sponsored by La Roche Posay which was held in Westfield’s, Shepherd’s Bush. The BAD had a booth with dermatologists offering free mole checks. There was also a photo booth with special in-built UV wood lamp so people could pose for photos and also see their UV damage. It was a free event and open to everyone who wished to attend. People had a chance to speak to the Dermatologists about their UV damage and were given free samples of La Roche Posay Anthelios XL Sunscreen to try. I had a lovely time there meeting with the very friendly La Roche Posay team and of course, I checked out my face for any UV damage. The resulting photo from the photo booth showed that I had a little UV damage on my forehead and near my nose and lips. I was pleased to learn that my skin was in great condition and the damage was very minimal. I am pretty sure it’s mainly because I started using La Roche Posay's Anthelios Sunscreen (review here) consistently about two years ago and other lifestyle changes I made. I am not sure there are any more road shows in London for now but I would let you know. Meanwhile, if you live in Hampshire or Birmingham, you have a chance to check your mole and UV damage in the following venues so save the dates and venues.
Birmingham:  10-14 June 2015: BBC Good Food and Gardener’s World Live, Birmingham (NEC Birmingham, West Midlands B40 1NT)
Hampshire: 28-29 July 2015: New Forest Show, Hampshire (The Show ground, New Park, Brockenhurst, Hampshire SO42 7QH)

I did a little window shopping around Westfield's but I only picked up two items which I would show you later. It was such a busy day as you would imagine that Sundays could be very manic especially if the sun is out. Before I headed home, I made a quick dash to the Dunkers and Co stand where I got the most delicious mini pancakes and ice cream ever. It was an absolutely delicious and naughty treat but it’s always good to treat yourself every now and then. Not one ounce of guilt felt!!

I also have a drug store skin care haul coming up soon and I figure I would do both a blog post and a video (Fingers and Toes crossed). I find that there are not many videos and blog posts on drug store skin care products and I love reading them to see what I can purchase next. I have tried a few of them already so I would have mini reviews in the mix as well. An amazing little package arrived from the States in the post about a week ago and I have been loving it to the moon and back. I know I am being such a tease by not showing the entire product but can you guess what it is and details about it? Clue: It’s a popular accessory which many people have but it is made from an unconventional material. I am planning a review soon but one that is very different. I hope you all like it and it turns out well so keep an eye peeled for it.

What else? Ohhhh, if you are in London you may be interested in this. Roger and Gallet are launching their first ever Eau de Parfum called Fleur de Figuier so they are spending the next three days starting from today-Thursday 21st May to 23rd May 2015 distilling happiness through their #distillinghappiness campaign. There would be beautiful botanical bikes circling High Street Kensington Tube Station between 11am-6pm where they would be handing out free floral bouquets and fragrance samples to everyone in need of a pick me up. I definitely need one of these because the weather this past week has been a serious downer. Sadly, I am nowhere near High Street Kensington during this period but I thought it would be nice to share this with anyone who can make it. If you do make it, you can Facebook, Tweet or Instagram your picture with the hashtag #distillinghappiness and you stand a chance of winning fantastic prizes including gift cards. You can check Roger and Gallet out on their Facebook page and Twitter. I feel so sad I will miss all this fun however I popped into Marks and Spencer today after work and I sampled it. It smells amazing and it's made from fresh notes of Fig, Patchouli and Musk. I absolutely love it and it lasts a really long time on the skin.

I saved the best news for last- Fashstyleliv now has its very own App in the Apple App Store *drumrolls*. I only found out it was now available in the App store last week Saturday and I have been playing around with it to fine tune it. It's not perfect yet but I love how simple it is. You can download it here from the App Store and it works on both iPhones and iPads (It is free to download). It is now available in Android/Google Play Store, so go ahead and download it and leave me some feedback to improve it. I am so excited and I would welcome any feedback on improving it. I just thought it was a nice little thing to do although I will save the story of how it was developed for another day. So, go, go, go.................

I am off to Scotland to spend the bank holiday weekend and just have a proper chilled time away from the chaos in London. I totally look forward to it and I may even make some cheeky purchases in Duty Free if I get there early. That’s pretty much my update. How are you spending your weekend and/or Bank Holiday weekend (if you live in the UK)?