Hello everyone,

As you know I posted about my first ASOS haul a while back (http://mandy-s-heart.blogspot.com/2015/05/may-favorites-mini-asos-haul.html) and I loved everything I got from ASOS. Since then my 'saved items'  list had been becoming more and more extensive and with that I grew more and more restless until I decided to relieve some tension by purchasing some more items. That does sound reasonable, right? I was starting to get really anxious because my parcels didn't arrive until a month later (that is, a month from when the parcel was to be delivered). This is also the reason why there wasn't a July favorites post as I was hoping to show you some new favorites/ additions. I do have to say though, that their customer service is really good and they responded fast on Twitter about my then 'missing parcels'. I still am to receive one more but I couldn't wait any longer to write the post. Okay, so here's my long-awaited ASOS haul.




The first thing that I ordered was this beautiful skirt from New Look. It is a button-through skirt with pockets. I love skirts but I don't wear them that often, but since this one came with pockets, I knew had to get it. There was only one remaining in my size, as it was on sale for $ 10.87. I love how it has that faux-denim look and absolutely adore the crotchet detailing at the bottom. I initially thought of going for a summer look with this skirt but I think with a cute sweater and a pair of tights this could be styled for fall as well.


The next thing I picked up was this short sleeve jacquard top by Vero Moda. I thought this top was a very versatile piece because it could be dressed up, say with a tulle skirt or dressed down with a pair of white pants or distressed skinny jeans. I love the color which is a pale pink which I think is really flattering and I cannot get over the detailing on the front with lots of intricate leaf and stem designs. It's very pretty and I don't think the photos does it justice. This was on sale too for $14.50.



Another product I've been eyeing for so long is this rose petal lip salve tube by Rose & Co. It has been shortlisted or won awards because of what seems to be its limitless uses. It can not only moisturize dry lips, but could also be used on cuticles and rough skin. This was $5.44 and I think I'm going to get my money's worth out of this product. Besides just look at the packaging. I'm known to love vintage items and this looks so charming. The company itself is the creation of a mother and daughter team- Patricia and Caroline Rose. I'm yet to try out the other products in their range which includes several bath and body items. But stay tuned for a complete review on this one!

I also ordered a multi ring pack with triangle stones which was $5.44. I love rings and I think they are the perfect accessories for me because the bracelets/ bangles out there do not fit me well as I've got quite thin wrists. I thought these were midi-rings but I actually went back and checked the website and they are not. For a second, I was starting to think that my fingers were tiny too. The stones came in mint, peach and grey and basically I can wear these with any outfit.

I also got this pair of trousers from New Look in black. These are peg tailored trousers and they are high waisted which is pretty much the reason why I got them. I don't own a lot of trousers that look tailored and official so I thought I need to get these especially since they were on sale for just $18.12. They actually went for an even lesser price a couple of days later.



The item I'm most excited about is this beautiful dress by New Look. It is a tunic dress and I got it in the color black. There was another in a khaki green color. This dress was out of stock when I first saw it and it was back in stock a couple of days later. To me, this was a sign telling me that this dress belonged to me. According to The Alchemist written by Paulo Coehlo “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” So yeah, the universe is the reason I got the dress, not because I'm obsessed with pretty clothing items or anything like that. Jokes aside, the dress is absolutely perfect and I think the shape really compliments me as well.

As you know I did a review of the Rimmel Kate Moss matte lipstick and basically fell in love with Rimmel just by that one product. (http://mandy-s-heart.blogspot.com/2015/07/review-rimmel-kate-moss-matte-lipstick.html) So I decided to try out this Scandaleyes Shadow Stick by Kate in the color Rose Gold. I got this because there are days when I get lazy with applying eye shadow, matching colors and blending it properly. There are days when I can't even bother spending 5 minutes on makeup and I just want to whack on the product and get on with my day. I thought this was the perfect solution for such days. This was $8.14 and I will be reviewing this later on as well. 

So as I mentioned before I haven't received my last package just yet so I'll update you guys on Instagram when I do receive them. But for now I will have to resort to just mentioning what I got. I got the soft kohl kajal eye pencil by Rimmel in jet black which was $5.42. I also got the kind to eyes, eye makeup remover by Simple. I have been loving their face wash which I bought during my previous haul. The remover was $5.42 which I thought was a very decent price for a makeup remover. I also got a backpack in Aztec neon print by Mi-Pac for my friend because she absolutely loves prints. (The image below is from the ASOS website.)


That's it for my haul guys. I hope you enjoyed this post and stay tuned for reviews and check out my Instagram page for the updates and the looks I will be creating with what I got. 
Also there is a 70% off sale on ASOS, if you want to check it out: http://www.asos.com/women/sale/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MandySHeartBlog
Instagram: https://instagram.com/sakuamanda

Much love,

Hello everybody,

This post is going to be something different as apparent from the title itself. Having experienced the symptoms of burnout a couple of days ago, I decided to put the experience in black and white and to share with you some tips on how to deal with it. Another reason that prompted me to write this post, is the fact that I've seen a lot of students go through the experience of burnout without being able to fully comprehend what it is and how to deal with it. Students in general have to endure a lot of pressure to do well in school. As university students there is added pressure, not only from the requirement to master the learned material but also several other external factors such as managing jobs, personal relationships and other activities like for example, blogging. Having to juggle all of this is not easy and this is where a lot of problems arise. Often we place greater emphasis on outside influences and blame it on everyone else when we are under stress. However it is important to recognize that it is partly certain behavioral patterns in ourselves that adds to the feeling of being burnt-out.

Burnout is characterized by exhaustion which surface due to excessive demands placed on a person by himself/ herself or by any external factor which overrides the person's resources. This essentially results in a depletion of energy within the person and could be discerned from the drastic decline in performance of that person. I noticed that I was feeling tired all the time and didn't have the energy nor the motivation to get things done. Needless to say that I was astounded because I was still very much in love with what I was studying, with my work and blogging. The bottom line is that anyone can experience burnout even if they were 'living their dreams'. At that time having to read yet another paragraph of a text was harrowing. Another symptom is starting to feel more cynical or pessimistic about aspects of life. It can cause strains in personal relationships and affects an individual's physical health as in my case, when I started to feel physically ill more often than usual. Few other symptoms (which I didn't personally experience) are identified as insomnia, loss of appetite and withdrawal from relationships.

The silver lining is that a change in lifestyle is all that is required to reverse the condition. So here's what you can do if you're experiencing symptoms of burn-out.

1. Recognize the problem


Spoken like a true counselor, the first step to recovery is to recognize the problem and identify the symptoms early on before it starts to take a toll on your life. This could be the easiest or the hardest thing to do depending on the circumstances. Either way it is necessary to keep in mind that pushing beyond limits by disregarding the problem can cause serious harm.

2. Know your limits


As I mentioned above it is absolutely necessary to know yourself and your capabilities. When you become aware that you are crossing over certain limits make sure you restrain yourself from exerting more pressure on yourself. Slowing down is the best thing you can do when you're starting to feel increasingly tired and demotivated, in other words, when you're starting to experience the symptoms of burnout.

3. Give yourself a break


Taking breaks while studying can be really helpful. For me taking a 15 minute break after studying used to be watching a TV show and we all know how it ends- binge watching an entire season of Pretty Little Liars. More recently I've come to notice how unhealthy it is. By studying for extended periods of time we are straining our eyes as well and by watching television we are further straining them. Listening to music on my new record player or baking a weird looking cake have since become my favorite ways to spend my breaks. At the end of a semester taking a relaxing vacation can help reduce your worries and calm your nerves. Having time for yourself is key to a healthy lifestyle.

4. Prioritize

Calendars and task manager apps are available for a reason, so use them wisely. This was a lesson learned the hard way after experiencing the results from procrastinating for too long. When given an assignment and you say to yourself "I'll do it tomorrow" know that it will never be completed until the day before. So what you end up doing is harming the chance of getting a good grade, forgetting you need food to stay alive, working on the assignment until the next morning and submitting it all at the same time while throwing your health in the bin. So be kind to your future self and start early. It is also important to be realistic when you assign a time duration to study. It is practically impossible for a person to concentrate on a subject for hours and still have the capacity to retain all what was learned/ read. Study smarter not longer.

5.  Re-evaluate your goals

It is important to take time and re-evaluate your goals and dreams. Make sure that you are on track to achieving your long-term goals by breaking them down into sub-goals to make them more attainable and less overwhelming. Take some time to re-discover your true passions and make necessary changes, like for example changing a course. In general, make sure you have a positive attitude towards accomplishing your goals. Never lose hope!

6. Talk to a counselor


There may be other reasons that are contributing to your symptoms of burnout like for example having depression or anxiety. Whether it is personal counseling or career counseling, it would be beneficial to seek help. Through counseling the problem and all its related factors could be explored in depth, so that the roots of the issue could be understood better. Writing in a journal can help assess progress and is a great form of therapy in itself.

While student burnout is not something that is taken seriously by most, it's effects are rather significant. Recognizing the problem and making relevant changes will help you recover easily but more importantly, will help you recognize the symptoms of burn-out if it ever emerges again. While it may seem like an end to a problem it is only sensible to be aware of the possibility of experiencing it again by gathering the resources to cope with it better.

Hope you guys liked this post. If you have any questions or have experiences that you would like to share, make sure you comment down below.

Much love,








[DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the above images.]

Hello everybody,

Today I'm going to review the Essence I love Volume Mascara. I reviewed the Essence superfine eyeliner pen earlier (http://mandy-s-heart.blogspot.com/2015/07/review-essence-superfine-eyeliner-pen.html ) and I bought this mascara along with it while I was shopping at Odel. As I mentioned before I did not know about Essence products back then. Essence has a range of mascaras you can chose from and at the time I wasn't looking for a specific kind. However I did and still do have an affinity for mascaras that give my lashes extra volume, so I picked this one up for a trial. This one costs around Rs. 860-870 (I'm really sorry I don't know the exact amount as the label has come off) and the color is ultra black.

Packaging:
It comes in a black tube with the name of the mascara in pink. The packaging itself is sturdy and the letters haven't worn off despite frequent use. It is mentioned that the mascara is ophthalmologically tested and the ingredients are given in their website, which I will link down below. It is important to bear in mind that it is not a waterproof mascara.

Wear:
The mascara has a distinct smell, and while it is not unbearable, it might not be everyone's cup of tea. The pigmentation is great and the wand itself is amazing. I say this because I love the pattern of bristles, as there is a separate portion which I like to use on my bottom lashes. The wand is not too long and not too short which is kind of perfect. The consistency of the mascara is not too dry and not too runny either which makes the application process much more convenient. Generally it lasts about 7 to 8 hours, and I would say it lasts at least 6 hours on a sunny day. One problem I have with most mascaras is fallout and I have next to no tolerance for them. In my experience with this mascara there's no fallout and if there is, it's minimum, in that it is barely visible.


The mascara can clump easily therefore it is important to wait til the first coat dries to apply a second one. Owning a lash comb also helps. I can see some lengthening of my lashes, but in terms of  what it claims about volume, it is not EXTREME. However it does give my eyes a more fuller look and it is wearable for both day and night. It's both easy to use and easy to remove.


Rating (out of 5): ❤❤❤❤



Also check out the Facebook page for the blog: https://www.facebook.com/MandySHeartBlog