Women Empowered: Beth Louise

Beth Louise is a Welsh travel, beauty, lifestyle and fashion blogger. Often found in her pj’s, Beth loves nothing more than one of her Insta girl chat stories to blow off steam in between working with huge brands like Boohoo, PrettyLittleThing and GlamGlow. 

What gets you out of bed in the morning?

I’m not a morning person at all which most of my family will know as they can’t speak to me properly until a few hours after I have woken up! I also think it’s harder to get up in general in the winter as it’s still dark and cold outside. In the summer I find it easier. 

What gets you through tougher moments in the day?

Honestly if I’m having a bit of a rubbish day, the thought of being home in my pyjamas at the end of the day fills me with so much joy so usually that thought keeps me going. I don’t understand how some people can chill in their house in jeans. If I don’t have to leave the house I’ll have my comfy clothes on!

Do you have a motivational mantra? What is it and when do you use it?

My mum has drilled the saying “everything happens for a reason” into me for years so it’s definitely a quote I live by. I firmly believe things happen in life that put you on a different path for a reason, sometimes you won’t always know what that reason is but you’ll always end up where you’re meant to be. If something happens I’ll try and remind myself of this quote.

You’re a busy woman - how do you make sure you find time for self care?

Self-care to me can be many things... sometimes it’s as simple as just putting my pyjamas on at the end of a busy day because that brings me so much happiness. It’s the little things! I regularly get my nails done so I enjoy having them done (although choosing a colour is always a struggle as I’m so indecisive!). I also fake tan and I love having a bath in the evenings. 

What is your top self-care advice for busy women, like you?

My main self-care advice would be ditch the face wipes and invest in some good skincare. Years ago I used to use face wipes to remove my makeup and then realised you’re just moving the makeup around your face and never actually cleaning it properly. There’s nothing better than using a good cleanser and your skin feeling so soft and cleanser afterwards. It really does make a difference and will help your skin in the long run! Plus, it makes you feel good knowing you’re looking after your skin. You only get one face and trust me, your skin will thank you for it.

How does beauty factor in to your self-care?

I rarely leave the house without makeup on unless I’m just popping out then I won’t bother. At least once a week I’ll have an evening where I scrub off my old fake tan and apply new. I literally feel like a new person when I fake tan it makes a huge difference to my confidence. It’s confidence in a bottle! 

What are your beauty routine non-negotiables?

I have so many! Recently I’ve started using concealer under my brows to  highlight them after filling them in and it makes such a difference. I bought the Collection concealer in the lightest shade available and I use a little brush to underline my brows. Another tip - if you’re a fake tan lover like me the Garnier gradual tan is amazing as it’s a moisturiser and a gradual tan in one so I apply it in the morning and night to keep my tan looking good. It prevents streaks and makes it last longer.

What does your morning skincare routine look like?

I love using the Dermalogica cleanser with the moisture balance moisturiser. I also love the Superdrug own skincare range. It’s cheap and my skin loves it. I use the glycolic pads, hot cloth cleanser, moisturiser and there’s also day creams and SPF in the range. 

How does your make-up routine affect the way you feel? 

If I have a bad make-up day, I’ll instantly feel rubbish. We’ve all been there! I always say if my eyeliner or brows go wrong, it’s game over. There’s also nothing worse than rushing doing your makeup and it going wrong. I like to make sure I have enough time to get ready otherwise it doesn’t put me in a good mood!

Which body-care products do you turn to in order to transform the way you feel? 

A few years ago my mum bought me a pack of Aromatherapy Bath and Shower Oils for Christmas and since then I’ve purchased more myself too. There were a few different ones inside such as Deep Relax, Revive Morning, De-Stress Mind, Support Breathe and Revive Evening. You run them under running water if you’re having a bath and I can’t tell you how good the smell was! I got everyone hooked in my house to the point I had to start hiding them from my brother because he was just throwing them in his bath (not the cheapest!). They really helped me relax and I had a better sleep whilst using them.

Do any particular make up items help to boost your self esteem, make you feel more confident or give you a feeling of being more powerful? 

There is nothing a red lip can’t fix! The NYX Suede Matte Lipstick in Kitten Heel is the perfect red shade. Usually with red lipstick you sometimes worry if it’ll smudge when eating and drinking but with this one it doesn’t move for hours. It doesn’t look dry on the lips either. It’s by far the best red lipstick and always makes me feel confident. 

How do you treat yourself?

I’ve started booking myself in for acrylics every month or so and I love getting them done. For the hour and a half I’m there, I sit and do no work, just have a catch-up with the woman who does my nails and I find it’s a really enjoyable experience. 

What is your top tip for boosting confidence?

In the world we live in now, everything is technology based and social media is huge. My job is on social media which means just like anyone else, I even compare myself to people online and it can be a really toxic circle. I recommend muting or unfollowing anyone who makes you feel rubbish about yourself. You are in charge of your own space on the internet and if someone is making you feel rubbish about your own self, you don’t have to look at it. Create a space that lifts you up, not one that brings you down. 

How does the way you look affect the way you feel?

Recently I was feeling a bit down as my skin was breaking out and I just didn’t feel myself but then it was ‘that time of the month’ so during that time I try and not be so hard on myself and I always remind my friends they shouldn’t either. It’s normal for your skin to break out or crave all the junk food around that time. I can’t expect to feel my usual self with no makeup or no tan on either so I try and do the things that make me feel my best like fake tanning, having my nails done regularly and just looking after myself. If I do feel down about myself, it can impact my job in some aspects as I won’t really want to do Instagram stories speaking or take photos of myself in outfits but whenever I feel like this, I do try and document it as I think it’s important for more people to show ‘real life’ behind Instagram. On social media people can appear happy and look like they have their whole life figured out, but that isn’t always the case.

How do you unwind at the end of the day?

I love having a bath in the evenings and using new products. I’ve also recently started learning to drive and I find driving really relaxing and I always look forward to it which sounds strange as it’s meant to be a scary experience but I can’t wait to pass my test. I live near a lot of beaches so another thing I sometimes like to do is go down the beach for a walk.

We love your blog - what has been the highlight of running it for you so far?

Thank you! Two things that stand out the most are the people I’ve met through my blog and I love working with brands I’ve always looked up to and bought from for years. PrettyLittleThing and Boohoo were really exciting collaborations for me as I have always worn their clothes and bought from their websites. I literally squealed with excitement when they emailed me. In terms of the people I’ve met, two of my closest friends I met through blogging and I talk to them every single day. I also love answering my DM’s and chatting to girls I’ve never met but feel like I know. I feel like I’ve built up a really supportive community over the years and I love it.