I was sent Oz Natural's Hyaluronic Acid Serum* to give a go, and see how I got on with it, and so this week's 'Happier & Healthier' post is a review of it. I'm always on the look out for products that improve my skin, so jumped at the chance to try this organic serum.

Co-founder Angela Irish created this product to look after and promote healthy skin. What really drew me to this product was the fact that it is cruelty free and organic, something which is very important to me.



When the package arrived, I was impressed with the packaging and the bottle, and very excited to try it out. The hyaluronic acid serum is an effective against ageing and wrinkles, and helps to plump and soften skin. As my skin is still young- and I haven't got wrinkles yet - my mum decided to try it out alongside me, so we could compare the effects.

It's really simple to use, each night I carried out my normal skincare routine and add in this step after cleansing, but before moisturising. Using the applicator, I dab a small amount of the serum to my cheeks and around my eyes in a thin layer. The serum dries quickly, and once it has I carry on with my regular moisturising regime.



I've used it for a week and I already notice a difference. My skin feels so much softer in the areas that I've been using it, and I swear there's even a difference in my dark circles too. My mum has also said that she feels her skin feels softer and rejuvenated.

I don't have any complaints about this product, if after one week I've felt a difference in my skin, then I'm excited to see how my skin looks and feels after regularly using it for longer. I'd definitely recommend this - if you're interested, here's the amazon link.

Let me know if you've used this product, and what you think of it.

Love,
Emily
xxx

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*This post was sponsored by Oz Natural's through Brand Backer, however all thoughts and opinions are my own.

As this week's instalment for my 'Happier and Healthier' series is a little post about one of the things that makes me feel happy, relaxed and refreshed.




Many of you will see over my instagram pictures of beach walks with my little doggy Alfie, or perhaps have seen some blog posts about Aberdeen's beach. Nothing makes me happier than getting the opportunity to walk along the beach. Despite the weather making it less appealing at some points, timing it right can lead to a beautiful walk. Often I'll get up in the morning with my dad, and go on a walk at 8 in the morning. When the sun is coming up, its beautiful seeing the shadows cast across the waves, and often can be the only time that we see the sun that day.



Despite the sand giving your legs a fair work out to walk in, its lovely to walk along the shore line, hoping along the groynes as they appear. I often collect sea glass as I walk, trying to find the most unique fragment or a rare colour.



It makes me happy to hear the waves crash, and the gulls over head. Which is why I love being able to get out of the house and be in this peaceful surroundings. Walks by myself helps to get my head together, and gives me time to think things through. Walks with my mum, dad or sister are always fun, and help me to get my mind off of anything that's worrying me.





Having time away from your work space, or where you feel stressed is important, and I've found that being able to get out of the house and breathing in the fresh air helps to relax me, as well as giving myself some gentle exercise.

 What's your place that you love to go to when you want to relax? I think its important for everyone to have a place that they can walk to and get out of the house and have some fresh air.

Love,
Emily
xxx

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Just because I have been loving experimenting with what I'm cooking - and actually trying to cook healthy, substantial meals unlike the typical student meals I lived off of in 1st year - I've got another recipe to share for my 'Happier and Healthier' series.

Spag Bol has always been one of my all time favourite meals, so trying my hand at it made me a little sceptical - could I really beat my mum's home made meal?






Although I would never say I beat my mum at a meal, I've got to admit that I've come gey close to it.

Ingredients :

• Mince Meat - 500g
• A Jar Bolognese Sauce 
• A Tin of Chopped Tomatoes
• One Onion
• Extra Veg- such as Mushrooms
• Spaghetti Pasta

This last week has been a tough one; 2 essays and 2 reports due all in a 7 day period. Stressed is an understatement for how I felt. Why do all subjects chose the same deadline dates? It harsh, and horrible, but we're expected to deal with it, and hand everything in on time. Right now, I'm just praying for passes in them all.

It seems food is the theme of the blog this week, and if you haven't already then check out my last post about my visit to Steak, where I tried Steak on Stones.

This week's Happier and Healthier blog post is another recipe, as I do love trying my hand at being a chef, and having people over gives the perfect excuse to don the chef hat once again. And another opportunity to post about a delicious meal.


What you will need:

• Olive Oil
• 1 Onion
• Tablespoon of Paprika
• Paella or Risotto Rice
• Can of Chopped Tomatoes
• 900ml of Chicken Stock
• 400g of Frozen Seafood Mix
• 1 Lemon

As this weeks 'Happier and Healthier' post, I thought I'd talk about the routines I've in placed in my week.

One of the best things I've found to help with the running of my week is getting into a routine. Ever feel like you've got so much on your plate, not enough time to deal with it all and no idea where to start? That's how a lot of my days and weeks go, and it leaves me stressed out, flustered and quite often a little emotional.



To try and combat the stress, I've been trying my hand at a bit of time management. Now I wouldn't say I'm as bad as some uni students and I have always  woken up at a reasonable time, but I've tried to become somewhat more organised.

My alarm is now set for 8 o'clock every morning. Okay that's not the best time, and at school I was used to getting up at 7, but I'd say that 8 is alright to start off with. This means I have plenty of time to waken up, get ready and feel ready for the day. I also have been going to bed by 10.30. Now I know this is lame, but it helps me a lot. I get a full night's sleep so that I feel fairly refreshed for the day ahead. Just being in this routine has got me into a good sleeping schedule so I'm getting enough sleep.

Day wise, I like to have a sort of timetable in mind when I'm setting to work. I like to have a rough idea of what work I have to do and how much I want to have completed by the end of the day. This has helped me become a lot more productive, and stay on track makes me feel happy at the end of the day. Also, I'm a lot less stressed if I have a nice little schedule to keep to, which helps me get through all the work set. A tip my mum has always said is to "chunk things down". Looking at the big picture and seeing the deadlines draw nearer is quite frightening. Breaking it down in manageable pieces helps to get through the work without becoming overwhelmed. And having a little schedule really helps to get through it.

Other then these little routines, I also have set aside a time each week to get across to the gym and have a workout. This is great to fit into my week, as the exercise really helps me feel better, and its great to relieve a bit of tension and stress by running it out.

Do you have a routine that you follow each week? Share how you cope with stress / deadlines, and any schedules that you feel help your week down in the comments or over on twitter. I'd love to know if you have suggestions!

Love,
Emily
xxx

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Here's 5 little things that you can do each day which will help you feel overall better. I've been making sure I do these things every day in order to make me feel healthier and ready for the day. Its truly simple to do these five easy steps and you'll definitely feel a difference. 

One thing that makes me happy is going to church, I love seeing the people that I've grown up knowing, I love singing the hymns and being involved in prayer. Although this may not be your belief, or what the majority of my readers agree with, I wanted to share something I learnt from the service I attended while I was at home.

My Church