Source

Before I write this I will say that beauty bloggers are very important; or at least, they represent an important element of female voices in today's media. Indeed, I myself have dabbled. Beauty bloggers celebrate stereotypical femininity as something that is not only professional and skilled but also interesting. It is OK to be a girly-girl. It's also OK to not be a girly-girl. We must celebrate femininity. Something that is traditionally female-dominated, or cultivated for a female audience, is often seen as shallow, unimportant and, frankly, a joke. The success of beauty bloggers, such as Zoella, not only show a prioritisation of a young female audience but also lets women be proud to be female. To summarise, beauty bloggers remove the shame of traditional femininity (which, obviously, not all women feel themselves in. I just mean that there's a stigma around being 'girly' and beauty bloggers help get rid of that).

Recently Zoella took a step away from her usual interests in beauty and fashion and released a novel. I myself have not read it. But I have seen bits from it. And it's not that good. And also she didn't even write it, or most of it. And we should have known, really, because she frequently vlogged during 2014 and never mentioned hours of writing, in contrast to other YouTubers like Fleur DeForce who often speaks about deadlines she has to meet for her writing in her vlogs. Obviously ghost writers aren't anything new and most celebrities who 'write books' use them, but as YouTube is often considered a breeding ground for 'normal' or 'home-grown' famous people it's understandable that some of Zoe's fans are a little peeved. Zoe said she wrote a book - she didn't.

This whole discussion led me to consider the thing about YouTubers and books these days. To date, I can name Shay Carl, Grace Helbig, Michelle Phan, Zoella, Tanya Burr, Mamrie Hart and Fleur DeForce as some of the many YouTubers who are becoming authors. It does remind me of the days where Disney actors would suddenly announce singing careers. However, I haven't read any of the books that YouTubers are putting out (I own Grace Helbig's, but I've been too busy to read it this semester), so I can't really say that they're probably all awful. But Zoella's has set a standard.

I think it's the mechanics of it all that I want to discuss. Essentially, book deals for YouTubers could spell an end to original, home-grown content. Of course YouTubers rely on advertising and brand deals to stay afloat, but only recently have they had to explicitly state when their content is sponsored (see Oreo debacle). This is where the insincerity begins - YouTubers sneakily including links to free Audible downloads that they know their followers will utilise. These companies that approach YouTubers assume (correctly) that the fan culture will guarantee them fast money. Zoella's book broke debut sales records - she has over 6 million YouTube subscribers and she only needed 80,000 of them to buy her book to do so. Companies like Penguin rely on devoted fanbases just like hers to get them their money.

And YouTubers let them.

There's a manipulation here, and in the case of Girl Online there's a manipulation of teenage girls. Zoella's book is not well-written - it is quite literally a self-insert of differently named characters into Zoe's life with an added GBF and a best-friend-turned-mean-girl to boot. The book ticks every young adult fiction cliché box. With Zoe's very honest approach to her own anxiety and her eagerness to help others suffering with it (she works with charity Mind), I was disappointed to hear that the main character repeatedly calls herself 'demented' when she has an anxiety attack; if there was a fight to understand and improve her mental health, rather than the depressingly repetitive motif of teenage girls' lives revolving around the possibility of a boyfriend I wouldn't mind. To be fair - there's a sequel lined up. Maybe that's explored more there.

As someone who has considered the publishing industry a potential career, this whole thing is really quite tedious. I would hope that publishing companies would hope to make money via talented writers, rather than approaching famous people who may or may not be good writers to ensure high sales. It's all very deceptive and depressing.

I also think this is where the lines between celebrities and YouTubers blur. With book deals YouTubers stop being just YouTubers and they become famous individuals. The appeal of YouTube is innovative individuals who spend hours filming and editing original and creative content. Viewers associate them with their content - that's why they found them in the first place. If YouTubers really are talented writers - great! Of course many YouTubers are gifted singers and actors, and they get well-deserved record deals and cameos in films. But when they move into a field that they physically can't (and don't) navigate, there are problems. Girl Online is not Zoe's content, but she's trying to present it as hers.

Is YouTube the same with brands? Is it just TV but on a smaller screen? Is this YouTubers' faults at all? Has old media found a way to jump on the back of new media like YouTube?

I do think that Zoe Sugg is a genuinely lovely lady, and up until now I never would have doubted her integrity. And this isn't meant to be hurtful towards her or attacking her personally. But this whole thing has made me a little wary of her and her content, and that makes me very sad.

Hi lovelies! I recently treated myself to some pricey beauty/home things on feelunique and they finally arrived. After my essays I wanted something as a reward, and I also had some money from a relative. The best situation ever, in my opinion.

I've wanted to try the Emma Hardie cleansing balm for absolutely ages and lately it had gone up in price on feelunique by £4 which was putting me off even more. However, with this money I was able to afford it and one of their cleansing cloths too. I have used the famous Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish in the past, which is obviously lovely (thanks Mum for buying their shampoo and getting free samples of it!), and I think I prefer the EH cloth as it's more of a flannel texture. Both are a nightmare to keep clean though! That's definitely one of the reasons I've stuck to face washes in a tube for the last few months.


The product itself has a lovely spa smell and feels lovely on the skin. One of the things that I read repeatedly about the balm was that it feels luxurious, and it really does. It is absolutely a treat for your skin. I used it for the first time yesterday afternoon after I realised I was going to be inside for the rest of the day and I could no longer resist the temptation to break the smooth finish on top of the pot. My skin felt different after I used it - unfortunately I still have various bumps, spots, hyperpigmentation and redness that stopped it from having a full effect, but my skin felt very soft. This morning I woke up with minimal redness - I am using the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo + at the moment which is definitely helping in terms of redness and hyperpigmentation. However, after washing my face this morning (Simple's Moisturising Face Wash) the normal redness from drying it with a towel instantly vanished. I'm planning to use it in the evenings to remove makeup for the foreseeable future and I will let you know how it goes.


I also ordered the ThisWorks Deep Sleep Pillow Talk, which is a duo product featuring the original spray and a 'Stress Less' rollerball. I've found myself extremely exhausted the last few days (cold coming on!) and I wanted to try and get a better night's sleep. Although this has a lovely smell I definitely need to spray it closer to my actual bedtime because I find it doesn't last too long. I felt a little more refreshed this morning, which is what I was looking for! I will definitely keep using this. The 'Stress Less' rollerball has a similar scent  - you apply it to wrists or a tissue and inhale. I definitely find myself in a stressball often so this is great to inhale for a few seconds.


With such an expensive feelunique order (I did find a 10% off code) I could choose to receive two free samples with my order. I chose a Laura Geller Spackle Tinted Under-Makeup Primer in Champagne. I also chose a Caudalie detox serum but unfortunately I haven't been able to use it yet. The primer is quite shimmery, which would make me want to use it more in summer, but I also think it's a lovely Christmassy primer. I did find that my makeup stayed all day yesterday, but after I've used up the sample I will be returning to my beloved Benefit Porefessional.


Of course I will update you all on how successful these products are, but so far so good! Let me know what you've bought or enjoyed recently.

Thanks for reading!
Catherine xxx

This is a little depressing to write and also probably to read; for that I apologise.

Hello! It's been a while since I've written a blog post. I do apologise; I've been up to my eyeballs in essays and since they've finally been submitted (argh!!) I want to post on my blog a lot more regularly. End Admin Bit.

Some of you reading this may be about to embark on your first year at university. First of all - well done!! The application process is very tricky and tiresome, as well as those exams and those long weeks of waiting for your results. This time last year I really didn't know what to expect from my first week at Leeds and the following months. I like to think this post would have been helpful to 18-year-old me.

 Prior to arrival there are things to sort out. I like to find out my timetable and write it down in various forms - phone calendar, diary, front of notebook, a table on Microsoft Word. It's also important to ensure you have insurance and that it covers you from home to university and maybe even on holiday. You may not be prone to hazy nights out where your phone takes a jaunt, or live in a dodgy area, but just in case. Also, do your reading. Even if it's just a bit of it. Please try and read the set texts/textbooks. My first year involved me frantically and unsuccessfully skimming Great Expectations two hours before the seminar I needed to have read it for, and many other similar examples. Remember the Future Self I was talking about in my last post? Think about your Future Self. Give them a break.

When I moved into my first year room I was greeted with a double bed. Gasp. How exciting. Buy yourself some new duvet covers no matter what. Keep them folded, NOT crumpled up. Also make sure you have a drying rack for clothes. Laundry at university is expensive and it's good to have another option when the machines are in use. Extra hooks for the doors, extra storage in the bathroom (especially when you share). I brought two lamps with me - one for my desk and one for my bedside cabinet.

Pack for a move, not a hotel stay.

I know - packing is a nightmare. The flat I moved into lacked a toaster (really weird) so we had to buy that on the way. On top of that you need three different types of pans, plates and bowls, mugs, so on and so on. I would say take more than you might need. There's nothing worse than realising you don't have any teaspoons an hour after your parents or guardians have left. You should have your own cupboard (or two) and fridge/freezer space. I can't guarantee you'll have a spacious kitchen - I've seen an entire living space that can't have been bigger than 3x3 metres. I also really, really can't guarantee that you'll be eating anything other than pasta, frozen chicken nuggets (Birdseye, so not that bad) and if you're really gross, Pot Noodle. Sorry, I judge you.

Unless you're super chummy with your flat and cook together all the time prepare yourself for this and stock up on frozen veg. Your room needs to feel homely. You will be homesick no matter what (day 2 was pretty hard for me) so bring photos to stick up on your wall (white tack only, if my halls last year were anything to go by), bring some cushions from home for your bed and always take your favourite mugs. The fact is, in first year you're shoved into a small space with five, six or even seven other strangers and you just have to pray they're not rude, weird or a party animal. Take stuff from home so that your room can be a haven when the communal space is hell.

Okay. You're all moved in. Now we embark on Freshers Week.

You don't have to drink. You probably will. I managed not to do anything stupid (granted even after I stopped drinking four months ago I call myself a Beginner Drinker) but I imagine some of you will fall over, make bad decisions, be ill. It's okay. I personally would advise you to get it out of your system and be more sensible for the rest of your lives, but you are all faceless strangers and your business is no business of mine. I would say if you are drinking most nights of that week, have one night off. It's allowed, I promise!! It doesn't make you a Bad Student if you don't go out every night of Freshers. Drink water when you get to the club one night, or even take a night off entirely and drink hot chocolate and chat into the early hours of the morning. Basically, it's up to you.

One thing I do insist on is that you go to your Freshers Fair. PLEASE for the love of GOD go to your Freshers Fair. Can you tell I didn't do this? I think you can. To be fair, I lived downhill from campus for first year (I hated it but it probably stopped me from gaining a lot of weight, so) and none of my flatmates expressed an interest in going. Go with your flatmates and sign up for things (though don't go too crazy as membership fees are very expensive). I'd say stick to your subject's society and two or three other groups. Get involved, but make it manageable. Also go to your class inductions. The reason I suggest going up to campus a lot during Freshers is that you have no classes and time to get to know your way around. Running between classes is harder when you're lost, and those of you with lots of contact hours will definitely need to know their way around and maybe even discover some shortcuts.

By the end of Freshers Week, depending on how you used it, you may have vowed to never drink again three times or simply be exhausted. Prepare yourself emotionally for classes and go to all of them in your first week. In fact, aim to go to all of them for the entirety of your term. Attendance warnings are closer than you may think. Like I said - Future Self is cross with you because they're missing notes from five separate lectures and two seminars for each module and they're trying to revise. Give them a break.

I'll leave you with a myth-buster. All year you will hear 'first year doesn't count'. And no, it doesn't. Personally, I kind of wish it did. I scraped my second semester exams due to personal issues and the fact that towards the end I kind of gave up. If you don't try in your first year you may fail, for one thing, but you will also have a very, very nasty wake up call in your second year. Learn the skills now (at least try to) and it won't be quite as hard later.

Enjoy your first year!! Try and clean out your fridge occasionally, too.