My official 2020 birthday photo.
I’m not sure what to do with those feelings, so I’m just letting them be, like I do all uncomfortable things, such as wearing wigs and looking decent in them like EVERY OTHER WOMAN apparently can.
Ah, money. After many many years of tears, dreams and hardwork, it still eludes me. This is not about to be a pity-party (though you will feel my pain) but guys, I’ve truly hit rock-bottom and I cannot see a way out from here, le me be honest. But I have to keep faith, right? When will it be over? Will it ever be over?
It was my birthday last Thursday (34th! omgwheredidthetimegoooo) and like a perfectly-socially-conditioned weakling, I fell into the trap of regret and harsh introspection, where the blows of my many failures punched me repeatedly in the gut all day long. And boy are the failures many.
My saving grace was my predetermination to kill myself with obscene amounts of ice-cream cake from ColdStone on said birthday. So I got my cake, enjoyed it along with some delicious Ajoke rice &chicken plus fish from Tastee Fried Chicken with my friends and even got some gifts too, which was quite lovely and I'm thankful.
I’m not an optimistic person at all so this ‘manifesting’ thing will be a struggle but I want and need to save my whole life quickly. Expeditiously.
As for changes, I sincerely just want to do better going forward. Career wise, I have more or less consolidated on the paths I want to settle in asap; media production, particularly photography and film editing, and fashion/beauty business. I have started these journeys already but I just need to start seeing results already, because I’m getting tired!
I'd also like to get a new hobby. I'm yet to decide what it'll be but I know I want it to be fun, easy, mentally stimulating but soothing, and potentially life-changing.
Tall order right? Hobby >>> therapy.
Also, I’ve been having a strong urge to take content for my own blog here more seriously. Instagram and other social media has not worked out for me, except for my YouTube which is looking up. I’ve even gotten 5k views on one particular video! It’s my 1st hair relaxer video and was quite fun to film (watch it here and SUBSCRIBE while you're there please).
I just feel like there are probably going to be problems with some of our more popular social media platforms, any day now. The ever crazy algorithms and programing are killing these platforms. New additions like TikTok, Clubhouse, Fleet on Twitter, etc, will also most likely stir some chaos in the coming future.
My goodness I sound like some Tech Crunch/Tech-bro hybrid right now so I’m stopping, sorry.
Oddly, I’ve been thinking of also posting some of my photography and film work here, integrating that part of my work with this one.
I had opened a wordpress site for my photography/film work but just never posted anything there, and I have the option of just maintaining my portfolio on a page of this blog.
Or should I keep it separate and just keep the content here to minimalist style and beauty?
Re: love and relationship, hmn watch this space..😜
That’s it from me guys. I hate that I’ve neglected writing here but I have had the best time writing and reading this not-so-short ‘check-in’ note.
Next we’ll be back to regular programing for style, beauty and minimalism!
The last review I did of The Ordinary products here (Read the review here) was about two years ago but this brand has since gone on to become my oily skin's best friend, because not only are their products very effective for me, they're relatively affordable and quite accessible as a lot of skincare retailers here carry it (I don't care for brands/products that i can't easily get when i need them).
In this post, I will be sharing my experience with the Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% formula, so please keep reading!
A little skin profile:
My face is oily/combination, acne-prone, with large pores, lots of texture and hyperpigmentation, quite the sandpaper..
Pure Niacinamide and 1% Zinc \ A High-strength vitamin and mineral blemish formula that visibly regulates sebum (oil) production, minimizes the appearance of pores and congestion of the skin.
Review -
So I first used this product earlier this year after having seen lots of positive review on its benefits for oily skin and pores. It worked well but unfortunately i couldn't repurchase it as all the skincare stores here were out of stock and not restocking due to covid.
Fast forward to last month and i was able to get my hands on it, albeit at a higher cost than the N6,000 vicinity that it normally is (for the 30ml size).
It comes in their signature frosted glass bottle with a droplet for easy extraction of the product. The serum itself is clear and light, applies and absorbs easily and has a very mild, almost undetectable smell. If you have any tearing or open scars on your skin though, then you can expect some short sharp stinging that goes away after a few seconds.
This product does exactly as it says and immediately too! Excess oil production is stopped, pores look instantly smaller and way decongested!
I apply it everyday, morning and night as recommended, which leaves my face smoother and more impressively, brighter.
It's literally the most effective product for my skin type and issues (even more than the AHA/BHA peeling solution).
Pros -
- Lightweight, alcohol, gluten and silicon free.
- Instantly minimizes the appearance of pores, congestion & blemishes.
- Controls excess sebum (oil) production.
- Affordable compared to other similar brands.
- Non-irritating and non-drying.
Cons -
- Apart from the brightening, results are not permanent, so this is to be a regular product in your skincare routine. My pores and congestion return after a couple of days of not using the product.
That's about it. My experience with this Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% has been positive and it's definitely earned a permanent place in my heart and skin care regimen, so if you have similar skin type or issues as i do, consider trying it out.
If you have tried this product, what was your experience with it? let's chat in the comments!
Jeans are in the top 2 of favorite type of clothing that I love to wear (only second to a white button-down shirt) but it’s usually quite the challenge getting a pair that fits my curvy body properly, while being of a great quality.
Apart from Levi's and J Brand, who i think make the most awesome jeans, the better quality jeans are usually found in Vintage/thrift shops and markets, based on my experience.
New jeans from our open/mass markets here (Lagos) just have too much elastin, bad color washes and weird cuts, which might fit okay at first but those jeans are often not durable and begin to slacken and lose form after a few washes.
'Cheap' but neither classy nor sustainable.
As a curvy person, you want jeans that are flexible but with structure.
[In a subsequent post, I’ll be going in-depth about jeans and what qualities to look out for when buying them, such as fabric mixes, cut & style, etc.].
Anyway, I wanted & needed a new pair of jeans, one that is high-waisted, classic blue wash, a little loose-fitting, straight cut and almost floor-length. I used to be a skinny jeans gal but recently I’ve become more into the vintage-y, straight cut fit.
I knew I wouldn’t easily get that cut and fit in the open markets here in Lagos and buying from abroad like on Asos or Fashionova was not also a viable option, so I thrifted a pair.
The color, fabric and sizing/measurements of the jeans I got were close to perfect, except for some gaping and the too-long length.
I went ahead to do a little D.I.Y to take-in the gaping at the waist and also take up the hem a little bit.
To see the whole process of how I did this, watch the video on my YouTube channel here (please SUBSCRIBE too).
Now, I’ve styled it here for a simple casual classic look, with a plain white long-sleeve top, clear heels to add even more height and some minimal gold accessories.
This is such a classic outfit that works every time and for a reason! Simple enough for anyone to wear, flattering on almost every body type, especially curvy bodies.


As far as accessories go, I kept it simple as usual with gold jewelry, my day silver wristwatch and small a black purse.
The other amazing thing about this simple outfit is how easy and clean it makes me look, especially with the dark lipstick which I've found is a quick way to amp up a white or monochromatic look.
One of the most efficient ways to be minimalist in your style is to decide what colors and cut of outfits best suits your body, personality, lifestyle and general aesthetic.

Easy outfits like this are flattering and can be worn by almost anyone.
I am enjoying gradually curating my wardrobe with intentional pieces that suit my personal style, so look out for my wardrobe makeover video:).
What's your personal style? Let me know in the comments!