ootdfashion
I’m getting back into the groove with beauty content, although I had a mishap trying to film a video today—I realized 14 minutes in that I wasn’t even recording! Anyway, I’ve got loads of new products to test and a stack of reviews to write, but before diving into that, I wanted to discuss what I’ve been calling my Beauty Brain Freeze.
Last year was a bit bumpy. After having my baby, Ted, I rushed back to work too soon. I was sleep-deprived and thought I was ready to handle it all, so by the time Ted was about a month old, I was back to working at full speed. Not my brightest idea.
On top of that, we decided to move house. When our first attempt at buying fell through, we still went ahead and sold our home to rent until we found another. That was quite the misstep! Eventually, we relocated to Bath and spent a stressful few months finding our dream house before finally moving in right before Christmas.
Amidst all this chaos, I experienced what I can only describe as Beauty Brain Freeze. Passionate about beauty as I am, it shocked me that by the end of last year, I had almost no interest in skincare, makeup, or new beauty releases. Understandably, life was chaotic, and beauty was the last thing on my mind. But typically, even when life is hectic, beauty is my safe haven—sorting through bottles, jotting down notes, and losing myself in ingredients.
But suddenly, I couldn’t focus on beauty because my mind associated it with work, and I was burnt out. I’m now trying to be kinder to myself, avoid setting unrealistic goals, and choose projects selectively. I’m rediscovering the joy of testing products, reading press releases, and experimenting with new beauty launches. The passion is back, and I’m ready to dive in fully.
I’ve rambled more than I’d planned, and I don’t want to be someone who’s always apologizing for not posting or sticking to certain plans, like the feature on retinols (it’s coming!). When I see others apologizing for taking breaks due to personal reasons, I find it unnecessary. I enjoy their content regardless of when it appears, so I figure you’d feel the same about mine.
Regarding my Beauty Brain Freeze, there were signs last year that I needed a break:
1. Repeated Reviews: I spent ages researching and writing about a product only to realize I’d already reviewed it recently. While it was nice to know I genuinely liked it enough to write about it again, it was also clear my brain wasn’t functioning optimally.
2. Taking Unnecessary Photos: I’d spend hours photographing products I hadn’t tried, just to capture them in pristine condition. This was a waste, especially since I feature such a small percentage of what I test. From now on, I’ll write the review first and take photos only if the product makes the cut. This will save me around 300 hours a year.
I’ve kind of spilled my thoughts here, which might call for starting a personal journal again. But every once in a while, it’s healthy to share a peek behind the scenes. It’s just me here, typing away, a bit like a disheveled version of Carrie Bradshaw, albeit one in comfy sweatpants with baby monitors by the bed. And honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
