I’ve been living in England for 7 years now! Honestly, I can’t believe it’s been that long. I can still remember when I first arrived. How time flies, hey!
I published 2 posts of my life in England in 2017 (see this link for the first part and second part) and I feel like I need to write a part 3. There were a lot of changes during those years and I thought this may help a fellow Filipina.
I’ll categorise it according to seasons and I’ll start with winter. Watch out for the spring post (if I don’t forget)!
Winter
All About Skin
During winter season, you need to moisturise, moisturise and moisturise! This is a very important task.
I arrived in January 2017, winter season, in England. It took a a few weeks before I realised the lotion (aka moisturiser) I brought from Philippines didn’t work. I had to buy a new bottle of moisturiser to help my cracking skin. However, not all moisturisers worked on me. It was a trial and error.
Nivea is great brand if you want a cheap option. I’m currently using L’Occitane Shea Baby Karite Bebe moisturising milk. I know this is specifically for baby but adults can still use the product. It’s great for people who has sensitive skin and it absorbs quickly, smells lovely too! I’ve never had any dry skin issues so far with this product.
Some moisturisers can feel very sticky which is the reason I’m quite selective on what I use. So far, really happy with this.
Unfortunately, I can’t say the same thing for my hands. Since my hands are exposed and I tend to wash a few times throughout the day, it tends to easily get dry. A normal moisturiser won’t work especially during winter. I always make sure I have Kiehl’s Hand Salve stock up.
I discovered this product when I was in Selfridges desperate to find the best hand cream. A staff assisted me and recommended it. The product has a very thick consistency and she even mentioned doctors use this. All I can say it’s one of my holy grails for years! This hand salve has never let me down so far.
For my face, I’m also using a different product. If I’m at home, I’ve recently started using Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun (SPF50) and thought it’s fantastic! I used Olay day moisturiser in the past and that was another good product to try.
At night, I make sure to use a serum to ensure my face doesn’t go dry whilst I sleep. I’m currently using the Beauty of Joseon Glow Deep Serum. But before this, I’ve used L’Occitane Anti-Ageing Overnight Reset Serum for years. Both serums are great, I highly recommend either of them!
Hobby
During winter season, daylight is shorter. Some people may easily feel depress during this time and I think it is very important to find a hobby. I’ve been taking advantage to read more books after work and that helps pass the time. I always love reading books!
If you’re a book lover, don’t forget to join the Goodreads Reading Challenge.
If there is anything you’d like to do, now is the time to start doing it. When summer season comes, you will be busy doing something else like outdoor activities taking advantage of the good weather.
Winter Clothing + Others
Invest on a good quality jacket and coat that will keep you warm and will last you for a few years. I highly recommend jackets from Barbour! I’ve been using my jacket for atleast 4 years now and still looks great. House of Fraser tends to go on sale from time to time so check their website!
Get a boots with good grip. It will come in handy during icy and snowy weather. Invest in clothing and shoes that will keep you warm. Timberlands chukka boots or any brands with a Chelsea line boots are great options.
I’d also like to mention another great stuffs I recently tried – electric blanket and heated throw! I was hesitant about these but I finally succumbed and will not look back without these items. Heated throw is used in the living room, and the electric blanket on the bed. Goodbye cold bed!
Hope you are keeping warm and cosy during this season. xx
