The Most AMAZING Shower Gel?!

Hello there! For Christmas I was lucky enough to receive an amazing gift box from LUSH! Inside it was:

♥ Green Fun 
♥ The Comforter Shower Cream
♥ Bubblegum Lip Scrub
♥ Rock Star Soap
♥ Refresher Shower Jelly

The aim of this post was just to take a few photos to document how pretty the packaging of these products is, but I kind of used up the green Fun before I had a chance to take any photos, so I guess this is kind of a review post too.
So, the box these (full size!) products came in was the cutest, made of recycled cardboard and covered in cute smiley faces, wrapped up in a pretty dotty ribbon. I thought that was a nice touch. 

I'll start by talking about Fun because I've used that one much more than the other products. It makes the most amazing bubbles when you crumble it under the hot tap of your bath; it smells so subtle, yet it's also really in your face, which doesn't make much sense, but you need to smell it to believe it. When I get out of the bath, my skin always feels really soft, and it doesn't leave a greasy residue like some other bubble baths can. I've not yet used it to wash my hair, but I want to so will definitely be buying this again! 

The Comforter shower cream smells so lovely. It reminds me of blackcurrant squash, and blackcurrant Soothers, which when I'm ill, always make me feel better. I guess that's the aim of this shower gel, too? I like that it's really easy to pour from the bottle (some shower gels are so difficult to get onto the bath poof/loofah/sponge), and it has the slightest hint of glitter. It doesn't lather amazingly, but the fact that it smells just so goddamn gorgeous really makes up for that. (Unfortunately it has almond oil in, so I probably can't buy again as I'm allergic...)

Ahh, the Bubblegum lip scrub... It's just so sweet (pun intended...) I'd been meaning to purchase/make a lip scrub for ages, as my lips get very dry and chapped, especially during the winter months. I use this lip scrub with The Body Shop's Frosted Berries lip balm, and it really does leave my lips soft and kissably smooth! (just ask my boyf). I'd definitely buy a Lush lip scrub again, perhaps the Popcorn one which I tried out in-store and it was salty and sweet at the same time, which kinda blew my mind...

As someone who really loves vanilla, the Rock Star soap is perfect for me. It's a creamy bar soap that doesn't leave your hands feeling dry after use, and it smells so soft and gentle, I really love it. There's not a lot that can be said about a bar of soap, but it does smell nice, so pro points for that, Lush.

Finally, I haven't used the Refresher shower jelly (party because I have no clue how), but the scent is so zingy and tangy that I really am excited to try it! 

So there we go, five lush Lush products (hah...). I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing and taking photos for this, let me know if you want to see more stuff like this!

Thank you,
- Dottie x

This was too cute not to post

Self Care and You

Image from Pinterest

We are part of a society, part of a lifestyle that tries to tell us that so many things matter, and so much is important to us; we see mundane, everyday things as the be-all-and-end-all of our lives and sometimes we forget that the most important thing is us. We are here, breathing and living and sometimes, we really just need to be nice to ourselves. 

I'm writing this post on Thursday 12th January, and it's due to be published on the 19th. Today I phoned my workplace to tell them that I'm sick. This is true. I feel awful for calling in, but I really couldn't face spending eight hours surrounded by people, when I've not had a day off in almost nine days. I completely know that it was wrong of me to take a day off, but I was so scared of having a panic attack, I just knew it was better for me to spend a day at home in peace. 
It's also sort of condescending of me to be writing about being nice to yourself when I don't do this. I honestly thought I could cope with working/going to college for thirteen, perhaps fourteen days straight. But I realise now, no one is invincible, and this is a mean feat for even those who are used to working long hours, or a lot. The first part of self care is realising that you are not invincible, and you cannot survive the world without a break. 

Next, you need to know how you best relax, and what times you have to do so. For example, a thirty minute lunch break is the perfect time to treat yourself to some yummy food, an hour's bus ride could perhaps mean reading a few chapters of your favourite book. If you have an evening every other week, turn it into a nice pamper evening; run a bubble bath, have a nice drink, then put on some nice pyjamas and watch a movie. Treat yourself. 

Everyday life is overwhelming, and if you are anything like me then you'll tend to focus on all that is overwhelming you, rather than the things you can do to keep these negative emotions at bay. I really can't stress enough just how important it is for you to take some time to yourself. Please. 

Mental health, and promoting good mental health are becoming much more of a focus now, and it's important to be aware of just how you're feeling. If you're overwhelmed, or stressed, anxious, or really sad, it's completely okay, and so many people will be feeling, or have felt the same as you. I want you to understand that you can make it through whatever it is you're struggling with, you just need to give yourself time, and be kind to yourself. 

 I want to explain to you that at the end of the day, you're the one that's going to carry yourself through thick and thin, and life has a way of throwing some pretty nasty things at us. You need to take care of yourself, so that you can cope. No one can keep going forever; we're only human and emotions get to us. It's okay. Let yourself feel, let yourself cry/laugh/sleep. Do whatever you need to do in order to feel more like the you that you're used to. 

Self care, and taking some 'me-time' isn't selfish, you aren't letting anyone down if you can't make it to work/school/that meeting/whatever. 

Be kind to yourself. 

- Dottie x

Help a Gal Out?! (Music Related Survey)

For part of my college course, I have to complete an independent study topic, which involves researching and completing a report on a topic of my own choice. 

I've chosen to look into how sales of music have changed, from vinyl to CD to streaming, and decided to gather information from those who listen to music the most, so the youth around me. I want this to be as accurate as possible, so I need as many people as possible to respond. 

I have chosen to take to you, the internet to help me out!

My survey is literally only four questions long, it'll take you two minutes and help me to get a good grade. 

So, if you've got a good, kind heart, please click here to complete my music survey! 

Thank you so much, and enjoy the rest of your day!

- Dottie x

(just in case you missed it, here's the link in full: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/XNMV7G9) 

Thank You, Vanessa!

Hello my lovelies! A few of you may have noticed a change came to Teenage Dirtbag a few months ago, and that is because the wonderful Vanessa Best (who's blog you can view by clicking here) crafted this wonderful blog that you are seeing right before your very eyes. 

Vanessa is a blogger who creates the most stunning posts; everything is thought out and well-planned, her words are beautiful, interesting, and meaningful, and her photography is simply stunning. I honestly aspire to be as good at this whole blogging thing as V is. 

Just to show you more of her beautiful work, here are snapshots of her blog, and some that she has designed...

Quills in the Inkwell 

Simply Me

Totally Graced

So, once again I'd like to say such a massive thank you Vanessa for not only designing a blog more beautiful that I could have imagined, but for inspiring me to try my best and keep learning how to better myself in blogging, because it's honestly the one thing I really enjoy. 

Thanks again.
- Dottie x

All for the Sake of "Wonder"

Early January 2017: Granny, the world's oldest Orca (killer whale) died, aged around 107. She lived in the northeast Pacific ocean, where she was observed by the Centre for Whale Research. 

January 6th 2017: Tilikum a 36-year-old Orca living at Sea World has died, presumably of a bacterial lung infection. Sea World said in their official statement (which you can read by clicking here) claimed that Tilikum was an "older animal", when in fact Orcas in their natural environment have approximately the same life span as a human - 75 years for a male, and 80 for a female. Tilikum didn't even live half of this. 

Image Source: Dawn Brancheau - Riders on the Storm (Shamu the whale)

Tilikum was captured at the age of around two, in seas near Iceland. This beautiful young creature was torn away from his family and ocean home and kept in a cement tank for almost a year, at the Marine Zoo near Reykjavik. He was later transferred to the Sealand park in British Columbia, Canada, where he was kept in a pool measuring 50 foot by 50 foot, and was just 35 feet deep. Withholding food was the main training technique used by his keepers, and he was forced to perform eight times a day, seven days a week. The stress and exhaustion from this gave him stomach ulcers, and at night he was locked into a tiny rounded metal module with two female orcas who often subjected him to painful attacks to show their dominance. 
In 1991, the Sealand trainer Keltie Byrne fell into the pool containing all three orcas, who tossed her around underwater, causing her to drown. Later, Tilikum was sold to SeaWorld, who planned to involve the largest killer whale in captivity in their breeding program, and now 54% of ocras at SeaWorld have Tilikum's genes. 
Since being transferred to SeaWorld, two more people died due to Tilikum. Despite this, it can be said that the park's treatment of him, forcing this beautiful, intelligent creature to perform tricks for entertainment like a lesser being led to this. 

So many news articles about Tilikum's death have referred to him as "the killer whale that killed his trainer", which is unfair to say; it has been SeaWorld, and SeaLand that caused all of these deaths, each and every one of them. 

What the human race has done to these creatures is reduced them to so much less of an animal, by taking them from their homes and putting them in glass bath tubs to be stared at and forced to perform tricks. I cannot even begin to image how terrified, and how helpless these animals must be feeling, and yet we continue to do it in the name of making a profit. 

There are those that claim these animals enjoy performing, and enjoy learning and yes, that may be true, but to be subjected to a lifetime of it can drive an animal to exhaustion, and extreme measures! Tilikum and other Orcas that have displayed aggressive behaviours have done so out of desperation, out of finally having had enough.

The human race is exploiting the lives of creatures because we see ourselves are better. We aren't, we really are not. The human race is the scum of the earth - we see something beautiful and we have to kill it. Flowers, these orcas, Dave the earthworm (read more about that by clicking here). All of this we do in the name of love, in the name of wonder, in the name of science, but surely it would be better if we left it all alone?! Thanks to the human race, there are going to be depleting numbers of species for future generations to wonder at, less rainforests, little or no oil, and more pollution and landfill than I can even comprehend. Furthermore, you, America, just elected a President that doesn't believe that global warming exists. The future looks bright, doesn't it?! 

I know that writing my thoughts in this little corner of the internet isn't doing much, but I am letting you, the reader, know about the awful treatment of animals in our "care", and how much of a plague we really are; look at what humans are doing to the earth, to the creatures, and to ourselves (in the past also!). We are exploiting something that is finite, and we deserve to have died a long time ago. 

I really wish there was more that I could do, but please, if you're reading this and have had thoughts on anything I've said, leave me a comment, share this, and talk about it. We can't let globally giant corporations get away with murder. 

I'm pretty sure there's a lot I've not covered in this post, but I had to write it all whilst the thoughts were still fresh in my head. 

Please, don't let another orca's death in captivity be in vain. 

- Dottie x

2017 - What's in Store?

This is my first post of the new year, yippee! 2017 is the year of the rooster... I don't know what that means, but it's interesting nonetheless. There are big things happening this year, and in the foreseeable future, which is terrifying!

Firstly, I'm working crazy hours alongside my full-time college course, which isn't bad, as it's a nice little job at a trade counter, and the pay is really good for an 18-year-old! This means that I can worry less about affording things, and can treat my wonderful friends, family, and boyfriend to things occasionally! That is something that I'm really looking forward to. 

Secondly, I'm not going to university in September. I kind of figured that I've been in education for all of my memorable life, and I want to do something a little different! My two best friends and my boyfriend are staying at home too, and I really don't want to be leaving any of them behind. I know that not going to uni seems a bad idea, as so many people who take gap years end up with a gap life, but I just didn't see the point in applying for a course I didn't really want to do. So, I'm sticking around. 
I guess now I'll be able to focus properly on my paid employment, and my little corner of the internet. That's what I really want to do with my life. 

I haven't made any resolutions for this year, as last year I didn't do anything, and my life ended up in a pretty good place. I think that sometimes it's healthy to just take a step back and see what life throws your way, and that's exactly what I'm doing. I know that there are a few things, however, that I need to do for my happiness... 

I need to take more time to practice self-care. I should call in sick if I'm not feeling up to work or college, as I'm no use to anyone if I can't really stand upright... More bubble baths, movie nights, and novels to read. It's the best way to relax, and it's important to do that. I need to leave work at work, and college at college, as that's the best way to move forward from a bad day. 
Most importantly this year, I need to open up to people more, and rant about anything that I feel the need to. It's not attention-seeking, it's perfectly healthy. 

There are lots of things that I don't know about this year, but it feels like it's going to be a good one. I'm planning on lots of adventures and spending time with my loved ones, and that's the best thing anyone can do. 

I want to wish all of you the best for this year, and hope it brings you both health and happiness. 

Until next time, 
- Dottie x