I met with some friends for the first time in months, and over lunch, we mused over what a blur the first half of the year has been. I said that as far as I’m concerned, 4 months of 2020 are a write-off.
We’ve entered August 2020, and I’m still struggling to figure out what I’ve been doing from March to June! LOL! I have been busy, that much I know.
Now that July 2020 is past, I’m looking back to see how the month has been, and to pick out 5 of the high spots of the month.
With most of life going back to normal for many of us this past month, I’m sure you too are seeing bright spots in your months so feel free to share with me too! 😀
WHAT I LOVE: Skincare
It’s been a while, but I have found a skincare product that I have loved over the past month, and which I’m almost through with!
It’s the Mamonde Blue Chamomile Soothing Repair Cream and I have been quite impressed with it.
RELATED READING: Read why I love the Mamonde Blue Chamomile Soothing Repair Cream READ HERE
I have been washing my face a little more often than I should, so I like applying a thin layer first thing in the morning, before I go out for my morning walk with the dog. When I get home, I shower and wash my face, and apply a slightly more generous layer of the cream.
I like how it’s kept my skin calm all this time, despite the more frequent washing. I don’t experience much redness nor sensitivity, but it feels gentle on my skin, it keeps my skin hydrated, and more importantly, it makes my skin feel protected and well moisturized.
I’m already well through my tube, as you can see from these photos LOL! I’ll have to cut through it soon to make sure I get every last bit of it.
WHAT I LOVE: Fragrance
I haven’t been wearing a lot of makeup, and am only now slowly easing back into wearing some. So, there isn’t much for me to love, as I’m wearing all my old faithfuls, and it’s just too boring seeing the same things over and over (like the Chanel Les Beiges Water Fresh Tint)
Instead, what I’ve been wearing a little more of, is fragrance.
I’ve probably told you this before, but I keep falling back in love with the Jo Malone Amber & Lavender cologne. It appears that I may not have told you about it before! I must rectify that.
The reason I love the Amber & Lavender scent is because it smells fresh, like I’ve stepped out of the shower. It has that slight ‘ocean fresh’ scent to it, but due to the warmth of the amber, I’m not sure if it’s a scent that many people will enjoy.
I like that it smells a little different, and that it’s light. As I’ve shared, my current lifestyle has resulted in my fragrance preference shifting from the bold, spicy and warm, to the light. I don’t mind wearing a cologne now, because I don’t often need it to last.
But I like that the scent is light enough that I know it’s there, and that it keeps me fresh, without being overwhelming.
My little pup on the other hand, was quite disgusted at the smell of perfume LOL! He smelled some on me for the first time, and backed away in disgust. I think he was wondering why I no longer smelled like me anymore 😛
WHAT I LOVE: Life
Life in the past year for me, has not been what I thought it would be, but better than I expected it to be.
There’s been little things to get used to, some bigger changes that I never thought I’d make, but it’s been comfortable, and it’s been pleasant. And when I reviewed how the past July has been, it reminded me that it’s been a whole year since I had a rather surreal interaction that’s led me to today.
Wouldn’t have it any other way – sometimes life just needs to take the scenic route 😀
WHAT I LOVE: Dog Treats
Well, ok I don’t necessarily love dog treats – it’s my pup that does LOL! But it’s been a month since we launched Quan Dog Treats, and I’ve been kept on my toes all that time!
It’s been a fairly steep learning curve for me, being on the other side of the counter, but it has been fulfilling.
We’ve had incredible support from dog owners (many of you too, thank you!) and it is rewarding to hear that dogs enjoy our treats selection. We take a lot of care to source our meats, and food is the only time I treat my dog as a human – he doesn’t eat what I won’t eat. So, he gets very little to no processed food, and I sometimes steal meat from his supply to cook my meals with, if I’m running low LOL! 😛
It’s been an interesting one month learning the ropes of a small business, and trying to get the word out there – please tell a friend, I’d love you for it! – but it is ultimately rewarding to see happy pups enjoying healthy, tasty treats! 🙂
We have also finalised our own little way of giving back, and we’re starting by supporting an adoption shelter, My Pets Haven. For every dog adopted from My Pets Haven, we’re gifting a RM25 Gift Card to the new parents to purchase any treats from our store.
While this isn’t and shouldn’t be the deciding factor to adopt a pet, it serves as a thank you to those adopting for helping give these abandoned dogs a better life 🙂
We’ve also had many many MANY requests to do cat treats (I didn’t even know it’s a thing haha!) so let me just say this : Watch this space 😉
WHAT I LOVE : Cordless Vacuum
It’s taken me a while to jump on the cordless vacuum bandwagon, but jump on it I have!
Unlike most people who own a Dyson (that was my first pick), I have ended up with a Karcher cordless vacuum cleaner, and I love it! Due to numerous requests, I will write a proper review for it very soon (as usual, getting the photos is the hardest part!) so wait for that.
For now though, I can safely say, I’m happy with my choice. It picks up hair and dust easily, leaving the floor feeling clean between mopping. It is also fairly powerful, and not too heavy.
I don’t have to hold any button down for it to operate, as it operates on a touch-button system, so my hands don’t get tired. It does everything the Dyson does, except it doesn’t look like one HAHA! 😛
It is however, a sleek black, and doesn’t look out of place at all in any household. I highly recommend it! Oh and it’s about 1/3 the price of a Dyson too 😉
On a sombre note, I have heard from more than a handful of people who’ve experienced job cuts, pay cuts and even retrenchment since we were hit by the Covid pandemic. It is for this reason that I shy a little from wanting to talk too much about what I deem frivolities, in the form of new makeup or skincare. While I know it’s a distraction, I personally find it a struggle to ‘push’ people to spend money.
What’s most important now is that we get through this intact, mentally and health-wise. The rest is a bonus 🙂
How did July 2020 treat you?
Did you have any high points? Or maybe even low points? Do share, we can talk about it 🙂
Paris B
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