And just like that the month of April came and went, and something tells me the next couple of months with summer fast approaching, are going to speed by, and before you know it… Christmas!
In today’s Made It Monthly post [a monthly round up where I take some time to reflect, give thanks for making it through the month, and share some favourite items that I couldn’t get enough of], I’ll be talking all things:
the algorithm, the product that made me start using lip gloss after one year, gut health, my new favourite earrings, and more…
Let’s get into it!
I’m thankful for
So, I was going to start by saying ‘word on the street is’, but I think it’s fair to say that this isn’t ‘word on the street’ but an official situation! And I’m talking about homegirl the algorithm!
Whatever Instagram is doing right now, we’re all experiencing it: record low engagement rates, reduced story views, reduced reach, and let’s be honest, for an everyday content creator who puts a lot into their work, this can be very disheartening.
But, I also want you to know that when you continue to do the work, push past the resistance, and keep on trying, even when it feels like no one is clapping, God has a way of opening doors for you all the same.
Despite experiencing some of my lowest metrics to date, I had four amazing brand partnership opportunities come through for me in the month of April.
You see brands know what’s going on too, so this is a reminder to continue to be as consistent as possible, show up more on video [major key], and get acquainted and friendly with features that are being favoured at the moment e.g. Reels.
And that goes without saying, this truly only works in your favour when at the forefront of what you do, you create content that serves and adds value.
Beautiful Jewellery without the price tag
The award for the serial pearl stud earring wearer no longer goes to me!
For the longest time I’ve been wanting to upgrade my jewellery collection, and the month of April was where I got off to a pretty good start. To everyone that’s helped me choose which earrings to wear during my weekly live GRWM Monday [over on Instagram] – thank you.
These star earrings and diamanté hoops got a lot of love during the month of April (from me and you), and all for good reason… they are gorgeous! All I need now is the perfect jewellery organiser for my new found obsession, which will likely be bought from Stackers who have some gorgeous options.
Books I loved
During the month of April I was gifted with two books: Professional Troublemaker by Luvvie Ajayi and Happy Sexy Millionaire by Steven Bartlett. I personally felt attacked by these books, in a good way. They were honest, raw, and spoke to three topics that are of particular importance to me, and likely you too: Social Media, the pursuit of happiness, and being a woman in the working world. These books are SO good and definitely worth reading.
A Matte or Gloss Girl
Had you asked me in March if I preferred a matte or gloss lip, the answer would have been a resounding … Matte, and whilst this is still the case, April was the month when I fell in love with the Fenty gloss bomb in shade: Honeywaffles. You can see me wearing it here and here.
Eating For Health
I recently shared that my daughter has really bad Eczema. It’s been a tough ride trying to identify her triggers and what works well on her skin, however during our time spent researching its become clear that gut health plays a huge role in skin issues like Eczema.
This leads me to the fact that I now drink – and love Kombucha. A fermented drink made from good bacteria to strengthen your gut health and similar to foods like Kimchi and Sauerkraut.
I plan on trying out several brands, but so far really enjoyed the quality and taste of my first batch by a small UK business called Hip Pop (kindly recommended by one of you, thank you!)
I noticed that I felt a lot less bloated in the mornings when drinking Kombucha over the space of a week, time will truly tell but for now I’m a fan.
New in Skincare
The ‘take care of my skin so that I look great at 40 and beyond’ saga continues!
Besides my everyday go to skin care products, I am always on the look out for new and better products, especially if they come highly recommended by aestheticians or celebrities with gorgeous skin, like the Ole Henriksen Sauna facial scrub that Halle Berry shared here.
I’ll admit, prior to using this I hadn’t used a facial scrub in at least 3 years because several aestheticians have spoken about how harsh most scrubs are on our face. However, this scrub is made from very small particles of volcanic sand and not the chunkier and larger beads in most facial scrubs, making them gentler on the skin.
My first time using this I was floored at how smooth and supple my skin felt in the morning, and the best part, a few friends purchased this shortly after me sharing it and the voice notes on how much they love this and are glad they picked it up are hilarious!
I’m also loving this rest and restore skin balm by ESPA which usually goes on top of any moisturiser I use to bed at night. It also doubles up as a great makeup remover and oil cleanser. You can catch a quick video of me using it and the Ole Henriksen face scrub here.
Whew, okay, if you made it to the end of this post, I see you sis and appreciate you. I’ll be back with another Made It Monthly scoop at the end of May, and till then I pray this is a joy filled month for you.
See you over on the gram or in some upcoming blog posts.
With Love,
Fi
