What I Enjoyed in 2017.

I know, I know, this is old news and I might've published it in June as well... but, if you'll believe me, I have also enjoyed these things (or at least those I could have!) in these two months as well.


Who do you believe when they recommend things online?

Many people complain about bloggers and youtubers who start cooperating with brands and then lose their own integrity. I don't think that's the case with everyone. Some people I trust, some I don't; and I believe that's the case with most of you. For me sponsored content does not equal dishonest content. Almost everything (or everything!) Joanna Goddard mentions on her blog is sponsored; but if she advertised the most obscure thing (nothing comes to my mind right now), and I had the money, I would be like—yeah, let's try this, because if Joanna says it's good, it has to be good. 

My point here being: this post of mine is in no way sponsored by any of the brands I will be mentioning, but even if it were, it would be the same. Basically, I think it comes down to a person and whether they are able to communicate their message in a way that is appealing and sincere at the same time, and I also think a clever reader can tell if something is sincere or done for the dolla dolla bills. So anyway... here are things I enjoyed in 2017. that I will definitely continue enjoying in 2018, and that I recommend to all of you!

Allbirds Runners

When I bought my first pair of running shoes, I remember my running friend telling me all running shoes were ugly. Well, that was before Allbirds. Allbirds Runners are not my running shoes though, I wear them everywhere and I would have worn them in my day job if I could have. (Unfortunately, they are not a part of the business smart style!) Allbirds are two little private clouds you get to walk on.

Allbirds is a New Zealand company that makes just two types of footwear: Runners and Loafers. Both are made of New Zealand merino wool and I assume both are equally comfortable. When I say comfortable, I mean the most comfortable in the world! 

I first heard of these from Joanna (who else). Back then I bookmarked the page and waited patiently for my move to New Zealand. Oh, yes, that's the bummer: the shoes are only shipped to New Zealand and the United States. There are many unfair phenomena in the world, and I think this is one of them. Okay, okay, I know, first world problems—but I just find it silly that only the two countries are able to enjoy these wonderful shoes. If you want some bliss for your feet and will be traveling to either NZ or US, keep that in mind. 

Natacha Oceane

OK, Natacha is obviously not a thing. Maybe her YT channel is? Natacha is the most positive person I have ever come across in the online world. She is a fitness youtuber, and this very sentence may lower your interest if you're not into that, but I urge you to watch at least one of her videos for an instant mood boost. Maybe this one on how she ate 10.000 kcal in a day? Or this one where she just got out of the house and was like "today I'm going to run 42 kilometers"?

Natacha is a genuine and honest person who trains hard, works hard and eats hard, and does not shy away from her past struggles, such as having lost her period for 6 years and being obsessed with working out and her body image. In addition, she is just a sweet and lovely soul who is so supportive of her fans and who, as far as I've seen, replies to the comments and adds smiley faces and yes, you can tell I'm head over heels for her. She is somewhat of a best friend you may never meet. She's also basically the only person I listen to when she says "if you liked this video, please give it a thumbs up". I sure did like the video Natacha and here's a thumbs up for you. May your following grow and you never stop creating content with that big smile of yours. 😊
(Also, if this ain't a look of pure love above, I don't know what is!)

Uniqlo T-shirts

I discovered this brand sometime after my Shopping Ban ended, as I was looking for high-quality clothes that wouldn't really break the bank. And I found it in Uniqlo! The materials and stitches are very well made, and most of their clothes could be described as basics—monochrome T-shirts and sweaters, no crazy one-season shapes, no witty drawings or messages. And I might have entered the age where I want my clothes to last more than a year, both in terms of quality and fashion. :)

However, I do have a problem with Uniqlo—and that is in regards to where they produce their garments. Namely, it's South East Asia, and you know what that means. A quick Google search discovered that my concerns are not unfounded: the situation was bad in 2015, and there was still a lot of room for improvement in 2017. Hopefully they will do something about it...

Essie Nail Polishes

These are not a 2017. discovery, but remain a favorite. I like their consistency and their range of colors. I even found a solution to their price—take notes if you live in NZ or somewhere in the neighborhood. This website offers original Essie polishes for about half of what they cost in Farmers or other stores; and this one offers them for even less! They can sometimes even be found on NZ Sale for as little as $3.40, though, truth be told, the choice of colors is not that rich, and that is a euphemism. But for those who like their nails black and orange and blue, this is a score!

Scholl Heel Repair

I feel that our feet don't get the attention they deserve, be it in the traditional media or blogs and beauty channels. Well, I do know firsthand how much it sucks to have dry feet and how much you can try to make them smoother and more moisturized to no avail. Enter this magical cream! This is probably the only thing in the market, like, in the whole world, that really does what it says it does. Okay, I obviously haven't tried all beauty products in the world, but this is just me speaking from experience. "Smoother, shinier hair"—meh. "Reduces pimples"—meh, not that much. "Brightens and detoxifies skin"—what does that even mean?! And then this cream says "visible results in three days" and it really is true. Of course I didn't expect that! I thought it would be like any moisturizer, which does... well, not much if your feet are in that bad of a shape mine were. But as I said, this is magic. Get one now even if your feet are fine. You will need it at some point and then you'll be happy you got it. This thing is just amazing.

Handmaid's Tale

If you saw it, you know why I included it here. If not... well, high time you did. I cannot really write about this TV series because its issues are too emotional for me. The show is set in a near dystopian future, in the country of Gillead, somewhere in present day America, which does not exist anymore. The new country has said goodbye to modern technologies and women being able to have their say about anything. The only way women are seen as worthy of attention is them being able to conceive and basically be walking incubators for wealthy couples who are unable to have children of their own. The show is based on the Margaret Atwood novel, and you know what makes it the scariest? The glooming fear that it doesn't seem entirely impossible. I cannot wait for the Season #2, and hopefully women will kick some asses.

Aioli

Food, yay! I don't know how come I hadn't known of aioli before, especially since Wikipedia claims it is a Mediterranean dip. It's not like I lived in Europe my whole life. :eyeroll: If there's anyone like me here, who doesn't know what aioli is, think love child of mayonnaise and garlic. The most amazing one I have had so far (and I've had my share) is the one in a restaurant in Rotorua that I hope to be able to come back to at some point. The city is smelly, not in a good way, but ooooh the aioli! Sometimes you just have to dip all your fries in it. Je regrette rien. 

What did you enjoy in 2017? I would love to see your recommendations!

Love,

Tihana