Mental Health Awareness Month

Hi everybody! Planning, preparing, writing and publishing blog posts is proving difficult this month as I have exams in the coming weeks, so currently revision and preparing for them are my main priority. However, May is an important month for another reason. May is Mental Health Awareness month. Every year, this goes unnoticed by many, but in my opinion, it should get just as much recognition as awareness months for cancer and other illnesses.

Why is it okay for somebody with a mental disorder to not receive the same standard of care and support as somebody who is diabetic? Fair enough, they require different types of care and treatment, but there is no reason why it should be less accessible for one disease than it is another. It is vitally important that there is a push for the government to increase the budget for treatment of mental illnesses.

Many people automatically assume that a person is "crazy", "psycho" or just simply "overreacting". These are all terms used too loosely when it comes to mental illness. What a lot of people do not realise is that a person's condition does not define who they are, it's just a small part of them. Therefore, there is no reason why anybody else should judge them because of their conditions. A lot of people run in the opposite direction when mental illness rears its ugly head, and that's the sad part. It doesn't have to be that way.

In the UK, it is estimated that 1 in 4 people will experience some kind of mental health problem in the course of a year, yet why is mental illness still such a taboo topic?

I can tell you why. People are uneducated. In this day and age, people should be learning about mental illness just like they would learn about other diseases. Teachers in schools should be thoroughly taught about the subject of mental health. Managers in workplaces should be provided with information of the importance of mental wellbeing. Pupils and parents in every school should be exposed to lessons covering the crucial facts of conditions such as schizophrenia, depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder. Until this happens, there will be a constant stigma attached to mental illness and those affected by it. 

So, this month, I'm making it my mission to increase the awareness of mental illness, and I'm asking all of you reading to make it yours too! A world where people can relate, empathise and understand is a happier one. Raising awareness and banishing the stigma surrounding mental health conditions can only be achieved by learning and teaching the facts. Take time to educate yourself. Knowledge is power!

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The Movies Tag!

Well, hello thereee! Today has probably been the least productive day of my life. Like ever. So to temporarily stall my boredom, and also do something that qualifies as a partially worthwhile way to spend my time, I decided to do The Movies Tag. While I was on a YouTube video marathon I watched Samantha Maria's version of this tag, and it seemed like a fun idea. I do have a more planned out and better quality blog post coming in the next few days, so please stay tuned. But for now, here's my answers to The Movies Tag!

1- Favorite movie of all time? Saving Mr Banks

2- Favorite scene from that movie? Umm, probably any of the scenes with Ralph in them!
3- Favorite actors /actresses? Hugh Grant is my all time favourite, he's amazing!
4- Most annoying actor/actress? Drew Barrymore.. idk why, I just haven't liked her in any of the films she has starred in.
5- Best director? Tim Burton, all the way. His work is incredible. 
6- Favorite guilty pleasure film? The Back-up Plan 
7- Favorite tear jerker? Bridge to Terabithia
8- Character from a movie that scared you the most? Without a doubt, Peter Pettigrew from the Harry Potter films. So creepy.
9- Movie you love everyone hates? I don't think there actually is one tbh. 
10- Movie you hate everyone loves? It's got to be If I Stay. I heard loads of people raving about how amazing it was, so I decided to watch it. It wasn't that I hated it, it was just a complete let down. It was boring and although obviously sad in some parts, it was kind of a bit one-dimensional.
11- Favorite movie duo? Maybe Danny and Eddie in Just Go With It (aka Adam Sandler and Nick Swardson), they are so funny together. 
12- Favorite animated movie? The Little Mermaid
13- Actor/actress crush? Ansel Elgort 
14- Favorite movie villain? I just came to this realisation the other day, but I'd definitely say it was the Fairy Godmother from Shrek hahaha
15- What movie surprised you the most? I've got two here. The first is Ride Along. I went to see this film with low expectations as it was kind of a comedy/action film, and that's not really my thing. However, I was impressed, and I actually really enjoyed it. Kevin Hart is a comedy genius. The second one is The Shining. I can't stand horror films, so when my English teacher revealed to us that the film we would be studying was The Shining, I died a little bit inside. We watched it all the way through before we started to pull it apart and analyse it, and I was so surprised. It was quite good, and when we got further into the underlying themes, and the method behind Stanley Kubrick's madness, I was intrigued. However, I can pretty much guarantee that I'll never want to watch it again by the time my exam comes around.
16- If you could only keep one movie what would it be? Probably Dirty Dancing because I'd be killing two birds with one stone. It's one of my favourite films, and also my favourite soundtrack. I could never get bored of it. 
17- Movie recommendation and for whom? I'm gonna recommend Saving Mr Banks or About A Boy to anyone who reads this!
18- If you could go back in time and marry actor/actress from back when (now old) who would it be? Patrick Swayze. Bless his soul. 
19- One remake you wish had never been made? Fame. I went to the cinema to see it when it came out and was so disappointed.
20- About to die but could only watch one more movie what would it be? Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone because it's just so happy and lovely (most of it). 
21- Favorite movie genre/favorite movie from that genre? I would probably have to say romantic comedies, you can't go far wrong with them. My favourite typical romcom might actually be Made of Honour
22- What's the first movie you remember watching in theaters? Finding Nemo

I'd like to hear what your favourite films are! Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and I promise a proper one will be up in the next few days. Have a safe weekend! 

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42 Beauty Questions Tag

I'm no beauty expert, but in the past year I've really come to enjoy buying, trying and applying makeup. So I decided it would be fun to do this tag. I'm not quite sure where this originally came from but here it is anywayyy! 

SKINCARE

1. How many times do you wash your face daily? Twice. Morning and night..

2. What skin type do you have? (dry,oily,combo) Oily, it's a nightmare:-(

3. What is your current facial wash? Beauty Formulas Oil Control Facial Cleanser. It contains grapefruit extract, so is really refreshing (especially in the morning) and it smells amazing!

4. Do you exfoliate? Nope, the little grainy bits freak me out a bit haha.

5. What brand do you use? Umm..none.

6. What moisturizer do you use? Simple Clear Skin Oil Balancing Moisturiser.

7. Do you have freckles? Not really, I have a few that come out in the summer, but other than that, I don't.

8. Do you use eye cream? Nah.

9. Do you or did you have acne prone skin? YES. My acne used to be really bad, but in recent months it's been slightly better. I'm on prescribed steroid cream for it, and used to have courses of antibiotics to take to treat acne. 

10. Did you ever have to use Pro-activ? Nope, I've never tried it.

MAKE-UP

11. What foundation do you use? At the moment I'm using Rimmel Stay Matte foundation, in the shade Ivory. I've wrote a bit about it in my January favourites, but overall it's a good foundation. 

12. How about concealer? Currently, I'm not using a concealer and I have never really found one that I like, so if you know any good ones then let me know.

13. Do you know your undertone color? I think I've got a blueish undertone colour, but idk. 

14. What do you think of fake eyelashes? I've only worn them once and I hated them. I have naturally long eyelashes anyway, so I don't really have a reason to wear them.  

15. Did you know that you are suppose to change your mascara every 3 months? No, I didn't. But I usually finish a bottle before then anyways. 

16. What brand of mascara do you use? I really like Max Factor MasterpieceMax, but just now I've been wearing Barry M Show Girl Extra Volume Black Mascara because when I read the reviews it said it was was good if you only wear light mascara, which is what I prefer for regular day to day wear since I have really long eyelashes. 

17. Sephora or MAC? Well, we don't have Sephora here in the UK, so I'm gonna have to say Mac.

18. Do you have a MAC Pro-card? Nooooope.

19. What makeup tools do you use in make up application? Umm, well I use E.L.F brushes. They're so soft and lovely. 

20. Do you use make-up base/primer for the eyes? Nah, I'm under a strict time schedule in the morning haha. 

21. For the face? Again, no. But I probably should 

22. What is your favorite eyeshadow (color or shade)? Clinique colour surge duo in Blackberry Frost. One of the shades is a shimmery lilac with a hint of silver, and the other is a purple toned, dark, shimmery grey. They go amazingly together, or individually, and are perfect for special occasions.

23. Do you use pencil or liquid eyeliner? Just now I'm using Mac Kohl eye pencil in Smolder.

24. How often do you poke your eyes with an eyeliner pencil? Far too often, I always do it with the mascara brush too haha. 

25. What do you think of pigment eyeshadows? I'm not really a fan, I prefer subtle eyeshadow compared to a really pigmented shade.

26. Do you use mineral makeup? Nah.

27. What is your favorite lipstick? My favourite is my Mac lipstick in the shade Living Legend, but I also recently purchased a lip stain from E.L.F. The colour is Crimson Crush, it's really bright, but it is so pretty and makes my teeth look whiter. It's also a bonus that it's really long lasting. 

28. How about lipgloss? I hate lipgloss. It's so sticky and I'm not really about getting my hair stuck to my face.  

29. What is your favorite blush to use? Max Factor Miracle Touch creamy blush (14 soft pink)

30. Do you buy your makeup on ebay? Not usually. 

31. Do you like drugstore makeup? Yeah, I'm broke 84% of the time and usually spend my money on food instead of makeup. 

32. Do you go to CCO's? (cosmetic company outlets) Ummm..nope.

33. Did you ever consider taking make-up classes? Nah, I'm not patient enough for that.

34. Are you clumsy in putting on makeup? It takes me about 5 minutes to slap my makeup on in the morning on weekdays. But usually I'm quite good at making sure it looks somewhat decent before leaving my house. 

35. Name a makeup crime that you hate? There's two makeup crimes I hate the most. The first one is the classic foundation line that occurs when it isn't blended into their neck, it stresses me out. The second crime is when people overdo the filling in of eyebrows so they look like slugs slowly slipping off the person's face. But whatever floats their boat.

36. Do you like colorful shades of makeup (lipstick,eyeshadow) or neutral ones? I like colorful shades on the lips, but neutral on the eyes. 

37. Which celebrity always has great make up? Emma Watson, hands down. 

38. If you could leave the house using just ONE make up item,what would you use? Foundation, my skin is always quite gross, and going out without it makes me feel a lot less confident. 

39. Could you ever leave the house without any makeup on? I do sometimes, but not very often. 

40. Do you think you look good even without any makeup on? I'd like to say yes, but that's not the case haha. 

41. In your opinion, what is the BEST makeup line? My favourite drugstore brand has got to be Max Factor, it's really good quality, and is always my safest bet. I've not really tried many high-end makeup brands, but I'd have to say Mac. 

42. What do you think of Makeup? I think makeup is a really good thing that can do a lot for a person's confidence. It's fun to experiment with, and can really complete a look. However, I think it shouldn't be something that a kid rushes into using, sometimes it's more stress than it's worth. 

Hope you enjoyed reading this blog post, and let me know you're favourite make up items/brands! See ya soon with another post! X

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25 Facts About Me

Hey everyone! I haven't had much time to write a proper blog post for this week yet, so I thought I'd post something easy and fun until I get a decent post written and uploaded. So for now, here are 25 facts about me. 

1. My name is Danielle, and almost everyone calls me Dani, except for my two best friends (ironically). 

2. I live in Fife, Scotland. I have all of my life, and as much as I complain about it, I love living here.

3. I'm in my fifth year of high school. I'll be doing my Highers this summer in maths, english, human biology, chemistry and modern studies.

4. I want to be a primary teacher when I'm older. I currently volunteer at a local primary school every week and I love it!

5. I want to visit California, Hawaii and Florida so much.

6. I have eight siblings. Five brothers and three sisters. As much as it is always chaotic, it's like having eight extra best friends who will stick by you regardless.

7. I became an auntie to my niece Jessica when I was 12 years old, she's turning four in a few months and I love her so much!

8. I swallowed a battery when I was younger and it was rather traumatic.

9. I find it hard to trust people, and that makes it hard for me to make new friends etc.

10. I'd love to start a YouTube channel one day, but I'm a tad awkward.

11. As mentioned in my first fact, I have two main best friends who I love lots, but refuse to let them know that. Their names are Rachel and Shanice. Rachel has a YouTube channel where she has started posting covers of songs, and you should subscribe! Shanice also writes a blog, which is always fun to read. Check it out!

12. I'm sure I've mentioned before, but since 2010 I've been madly in love with Bruno Mars. He is just amazing. His music is incredible, and his studio recordings do his live performances no justice. If you ever have the opportunity to see him live, then please do!! I can't help but feel so proud of how far he has come in such a short time, from performing in bars and his first music releases with Travie McCoy and B.o.B, to his Grammy awards and Superbowl half time performance. The man has so much talent it's unbelievable. (Sorry, I'm getting a bit carried away haha)

13. I tried to learn guitar, but my hands are so small that they couldn't even fit around the neck of a 3/4 size guitar, so instead I'm determined to learn to play ukulele.

14. I hate rollercoasters and rides so much, I'd much rather go to a water park instead!

15. I went years thinking I had no tonsils after being told by a doctor that I must have been born without them, until one day I got tonsillitis and I became very aware of my tonsils to say the least.

16. I used to have a needle phobia, but I've kind of gotten over it. They do still creep me out though.

17. I hate maths.

18. I met former UK Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, when I was little. It was before he was Prime Minister, but he was a fairly famous politician. I met him at Forth Park Hospital just after my little brother was born in 2001.

19. I really want a golden retriever puppy, but my brother has a dog allergy. It's heartbreaking really.

20. One day I'd love to attend a YouTube event like VidCon or Playlist Live and meet all my favourite YouTubers, but I'd especially like to meet Charles Trippy.

21. Hoodies or checked shirts are my go-to wardrobe item. I have so many of them haha.

22. I have an irrational fear of sponges. I hate the feeling of them, and the sound they make when someone touches them. It freaks me out.

23. I'm the queen of procrastination. I spend way to much time tweeting about how I've got so many things to do, or how I want to try new things, rather than actually getting on with it and doing things.

24. This blog post is actually me procrastinating instead of finishing biology homework. 

25. I'm obsessed with Harry Potter.

That's about it from me. Thank you for taking the time to read this post (if you actually got this far, I've just realised how dull I am). Have a good week, and I'll get a decent post up when I can. 

Huuugs x 

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