Dinosaurs in Stilettos

 

Like many excited film lovers I rushed to the cinema to see Jurassic World the weekend it was released. My childhood was filled with the prequels, and I remember being obsessed with dinosaurs when I was a kid. 

As predicted, the new film was all kinds of epic. From the pack of (mostly) loyal Velociraptors, to the T-Rex saving the day, it's safe to say that I felt like a giddy child again the entire time. And I can't really avoid mentioning Chris Pratt. I won't lie, he was definitely one of the reasons I was so excited to see the movie, and I was pretty much swooning over him everytime he was on screen (so, all the time then? Yeah...)

But one thing that really stuck with me after I left the cinema was nothing to do with dinosaurs or hunky men. Not at all. It's about shoes. A pair of nude stiletto heels to be exact.

Recently I've read articles and posts online talking about how ridiculous it is that Bryce Dallas Howard's character successfully runs away from dinosaurs while wearing such an inconvenient pair of shoes. People have claimed that this makes her character seem ridiculous throughout the movie.

I respectfully disagree.

Heels are deemed as appropriate footwear for a woman in the workplace. Claire, Howard's character, is a woman in the workplace. I highly doubt that she based her choice of footwear on a potential dino-style prison break that morning and I can't imagine that a change of shoes was feasible given the circumstances. After all, the woman has priorities. As a character, she is portrayed as uptight and a little work obsessed, and at the same time takes pride in her appearance. To me, her outward appearance makes perfect sense.

The reason that I was so struck by this female character traipsing through the jungle and running frnatically away from a pre-historic nightmare in her best heels is because, well, how often do we see that in the film industry? Plenty of Hollywood films feed the public images of women clad in combat boots, practical trousers and their hair scraped back - a decidedly masculine take on what it means to be a powerful woman. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Lara Crofts and the Ripleys of the world, but it's so refreshing to see a strong woman, who is saving the day by the way, displaying traits which are stereotypically seen as feminine. 

Howard's character takes on the challenge of rescuing her nephews and getting rid of the Indominous Rex. She's not used as a comic plot device like so many films have done in the past. She's a woman I can relate to, because in that situation there's no way I'd be wearing the appropriate clothing either!

Yes, she can be badass in a skirt. Yes, she can wear a white suit and still be the heroine. Yes, she can run from that bloody dinosaur in heels.

~ C xxx

My Skincare Routine!

I'm lucky to have been blessed with healthy, problem free skin throughout my life (with the exception of suffering from a little dryness and the obvious occasional blemish every now and again). I'll be totally honest and say that I've never really invested my time in a proper skincare routine, but after a spa day with my mum last year my motivation was kicked in!

I'd say that my skin type is probably combination - the area under and around my eyebrows is dry and my t-zone & around my nose are both quite oily. Usually, on a day to day basis I would just wash my face with Simple face wash, moisturise, and that's it. But after having a facial treatment from the spa (which was so relaxing byt the way, and I need to go back again), the lovely lady who had carried out my treatment suggested that I maybe switch up my normal routine for something else.

Because I have patches of dryness and redness around my eyebrow area, she suggested opting for a cream or milk based facial cleanser. Water based cleansers tend to dehydrate the skin, leaving it feeling quite tight and slightly uncomfortable, obviously not at all useful if you suffer from any sort of dryness. At the time I think she suggested an Elemis face wash, but that was a little out of my price range! 

Needless to say, I took her advice and went on the hunt for a cream based cleanser, something that I had never considered using ever before. There are so many different brands that are incredibly affordable, and I picked out a product from one of my most trusted brands - L'Oreal. The Micellar Water, Cleansing & Perfecting Milk, and Velvety-Soft Toner are all from their Skin Perfection range. All three work brilliantly together for removing all of my make up and ensuring that my skin is completely cleansed and moisturised. 

I have to say, I've definitely noticed a difference with my skin over the past few months. Of course, like I said, I am incredibly lucky to have very few problems with my skin. My one piece of advice to anyone who is suffering from any kind of skin problem is to get a second opinion, be that from a doctor, or a beautician, or even a spa therapist like I did! Remember, stress can cause a lot of issues with your skin as well, so that's always a factor to consider if you're having a particuarly rough time.

That's enough of my rambling for now though!

~ C xxx