A Dash of Iruoma

Category: Monthly Favorites

6 Simple Ways I’m Recapping September With My Monthly Favorites
Hey beauty,

Happy new month! It’s safe to say this year has been moving fast and sometimes I wonder what it would have looked like if I was done with school already, but oh well!

Welcome back here! If it’s your first time reading my blog- I do a monthly recap of some of my favorite things aka monthly favorites. The goal is to enjoy things that seem ordinary, but sparked joy or made me enjoy the moments and I hope they inspire you too.

I’ll be recapping September in the following ways:

My favorite memory

Picking a favorite memory wasn’t easy because I had more than one good moment last month. Some of them were:
- Getting to do my makeup after I was sick for a few days. It felt therapeutic in a way. That day was also sweet because I finally wore my contacts in less than a minute. I use a prescribed pair for the days I don’t want to wear my glasses. Putting them on myself was always such a chore. It just made me relish how far I’ve come with wearing them myself now.
I shared a GRWM with the makeup look on IG here.
- Getting a notification from WordPress on the blog reaching 10,000 views! Focusing on numbers is not ideal but if I’m being honest, you need the numbers as proof that something is going well (or not) and that felt rewarding for me!
- Visiting my friends- I’m part of a group of family friends who attended the same secondary school and we try to stay in touch, especially during the holidays. My friend organized a meetup and I’m glad I didn’t chicken out. That day was beautiful because we were 3 pairs of sisters and bonded over food and lots of talking.
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That is not to say September didn’t suck at some point, but I'm getting used to how life can't always be filled with perfect moments.
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My biggest challenge

I would say living what I “preached” every day in terms of trusting God in my current season. Last month caught me knee-deep in exhaustion and just wondering when this phase would be over. Earlier this week, I shared something with my newsletter community on waiting.

Sunday was a mess for me and just reminded me of why I did not like being stuck by this whole strike situation. By that same night, I read a mail about waiting.

On Monday I wrote about learning while waiting.

On Tuesday I got another mail about waiting. It was as if God in His providence was reassuring my heart with words of encouragement. My biggest challenge in September (and actually this whole year) has been staying still, but I keep on learning.

I am so proud of myself for…

The blog’s growth! Lately, I have been giving my time and attention to my little baby.

I’m also proud of myself for showing up even when I didn’t feel like it. This is my building season and I’m not ashamed of that! Knowing I have people that care about the things I share here, pushes me to show up even when compensation is taking its precious time.

Speaking of showing up, I have created monthly minimalist and inspirational wallpapers since January, plus a digital book that my mailing list gets.

October’s Monthly Wallpapers shared in the newsletter

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I favorited some of the messages, DMs, and emails from people last month. Those made me thankful for how far I’ve come and also for the community I have. You make it worth it, no cap!

PS: If you love words of affirmation as I do, try keeping a praise file. It’s just a collection of messages and encouragement that you can look back at on days you feel overwhelmed. You can also do this for a friend or partner as a gift.

What do I need to let go from September?

I think it would be second-guessing myself when reaching out to brands I want to work with. This month, I intend to just do so anyways. The worst that would happen is getting no or no response. But the best could be getting them- who knows?

What do I want to really happen this month?

I want to create more content and take pictures. I hate that my phone’s storage limits me in terms of the quantity of content I can create at once. Please pray for my camera dream to come true, okay?

Also, I really want to see more of my friends! It’s been so long and I miss wholesome conversations, games, and food.

Favorite Media (TV show, Movie, Book, Song, or Podcast)

My favorite movie last month was Labour Day. It was an unconventional story of a convict, depressed single mother, and her teenage son, that makes you want to be gracious to people no matter their background and I enjoyed it!

Ps-I do not own the rights to this image

This is a new quarter and in the digital space, there’s a lot of motivation to get things done, finish the year well, etc. My friend, life is more nuanced than that and your growth shouldn’t be tied to pressure or metrics.

I pray that you have a good quarter filled with joy, peace, growth, and trust in God.

What was last month like for you? Do you have any plans for the new month or taking it one day at a time?

Share with me in the comments!

CONNECT WITH ME: TIKTOK // BLOGLOVIN’ // PINTEREST

If you enjoyed this post, check out my previous monthly favorites for recommendations and things that sparked joy:
October 5, 2022
Monthly Favourites for August 2022- Little Moments & Things That Sparked Joy
Some of my favorite things to share are highlights from the week or month. That’s how the monthly favorites posts were born on the blog. It makes me look back on some of the little things that have happened in my life and share them with you so you can be inspired to enjoy your moments too.

How is it September already?

Happy new month!

Here are 5 favorites things I enjoyed in August;

Blog Wins

August was the month I got a lot of feedback on the blog. Do you know what I find funny? I had looked forward to replying more human comments and seeing my blog posts rank higher on google, but I didn’t know how happy I would be when these moments finally arrived.

This past month, a few people also shared their skincare journey that was influenced by me. It may not be a big deal to others but knowing that someone trusts my words enough to spend their money on the products I recommend means so much to me.

It’s tempting to hide your work from others, but you’ll be robbing them of the good work God has given you the grace to do. Please share what you do with others.

Coming back on Twitter

Social media and I are in a love-hate relationship. I love the impact you can have, the bridges you can set up, and even the experiences you get by interacting with people all over the world.

That said, social media sometimes overwhelms me. If there was any app I would point to that topped the list of apps that stressed me, it was Twitter.

Coming back on Twitter was one of my month’s favorites because I was going in “afraid”. I’m less anxious now that I have some clarity on what I want to share there, but it’s one step at a time so it deserves a special mention.

Find me here and let me know you’re from the blog!

Skin

It’s safe to say that skin would be a constant factor in these posts because I can’t help it.

I’ve noticed my facial skin breaks out a week or two before my period and now I’m less agitated anytime I see those pimples. Perfect skin is an illusion, but healthy skin is the goal!

I’m now left with some dark spots where the breakouts were and while that is annoying, I have to wait till I can afford products targeted at hyperpigmentation. Some of my products ran out and I already have some replacements to try out so currently, your girl is broke!
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PS-  I've tried the good molecules discolouration correcting serum and eyeing their toner, but let me know in the comments if you have tried any products targeted at dark spots! 
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RELATED: August Skincare Empties Ft Face Facts Hyaluronic facial serum and Beauty Of Joseon Essence water

Watched

There was some normalcy this past month as I resumed watching movies. All is well with the world again, lol. I barely saw a movie last month due to the deadlines of my writing internship but things are a bit calmer now and I’m back to relaxing with Netflix.

I saw Purple hearts, Look Both Ways, Day Shift, Persuasion, and Lockdown. It’s hard to pick the best between Lockdown and Day Shift.

Day Shift was hilarious and action-filled. It shows how much a man is willing to fight for the ones he loves (how much more God). The main character is a vampire slayer and before you roll your eyes at yet another vampire movie, this one had some good vibes. Imagine classifying vampires and knowing their age based on their fangs or having a whole union assigned to fighting vampires. It was a cool take on an over-flogged theme that and I enjoyed it.

Lockdown is a Nollywood movie that made me proud. I had some issues with the way the doctor relayed important information, but other than that, they did a good job of paying attention to details! I laughed so much that balanced the serious themes the movie shared.

This is turning into movie reviews so I’ll end by saying these movies made me happy and I recommend them for a good laugh and stress relief!

Listened

My top podcast listens for August were on sexuality and bible study.

For sexuality: Does God forgive sexual sin? by Verity & What we wish we knew about sex by Thirty Minutes With the Perrys.

Anything that involves Christians talking about biblical sexuality, count me in! I love the candid discussions lately in Christian communities and I can’t wait for more people to be unashamed in talking about these real topics.

For Bible study: Building a sustainable bible routine by Verity was what I needed on the day I listened. She talked about how different seasons of our lives can impact our study of the Bible , the origin of “quiet time” and what intimacy with God looks like.

As usual, I won’t tell you that August was perfect because there were moments I hated. Overall it was a good month and that’s because I got to see some of the things I’ve been praying for happening. I look forward to the rest of the year and more highlights.

I just want to know- Is it okay if I start singing Christmas songs? We’re officially in the -ember months and I’ve been humming them.

Please share your favorite thing from last month with me in the comments. I want to read them all!

READ ALSO-

MONTHLY FAVOURITES FOR JULY

Follow the blog for more updates:

TIKTOK // BLOGLOVIN’ // PINTEREST// TWITTER
September 1, 2022
Monthly Favorites for June 2022- a look at the past month and some of my favorite things
Happy new month guys!

I’ve been thinking about sharing a monthly favorites post because I haven’t shared anything personal on the blog in a while. It wasn’t intentional as I’ve been sharing my skincare love mostly, plus life has been happening in ways I didn’t imagine.

First is the current ASUU strike. If you’re not Nigerian, you may be wondering what that means. It just means that students in Federal universities haven’t been attending school because our lecturers are being owed their salaries. For me, that means extra time in school and plans stuck in limbo. Secondly, I’ve been sharing more personal stuff with the newsletter fam so join up if you haven’t. I promise it’s worth it!

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Now you’re caught up let me share some of my monthly favorites from June. I look forward to sharing more monthly favorites. Perhaps it could spur you to take note of the seemingly mundane things that bring you joy despite a current situation. Here are 5 of June’s Favourites for me;

Celebrations

June is my second favorite month of the year (after my birth month of course). I had a lot of celebrations this month. From my friends’ birthdays to father’s day, my partner’s birthday, and my parents’ wedding anniversary. It felt great to be part of those special days and I look forward to more, God willing.

Faith

Every Woman A Theologian by Phylicia Masonheimer is a great resource for women (and men) on the Christian faith and in her newsletter for the last week of June, she shared a 31-day prayer challenge for July from Judie Berndt where we will be encouraged to pray Scripture. I hope to go through the whole month so join me too.

Skincare haul

I restocked on some skincare products I had been saving for and shared a mini unboxing on TikTok. The best thing I’m enjoying so far is the Beauty of Joseon essence water and I’m loving my skin’s reaction to it. Make sure to stick around for my honest review of all the products. If you’re subscribed, you’ll get it straight to your inbox too.

New Skincare “babies” featuring Tiam Cleanser, CosRx Acne Patch, Tretinoin gel, Face facts facial cream, Face facts hyaluronic serum, Simple replenishing moisturiser and Beauty of Joseon Essence water.

READ ALSO: A REVIEW OF THE COSRX ACNE PATCH AND RESULTS

Watched

I’m a big movie person so June was no different. 2 particular ones stood out for me- Hustle and Gangubai Kathiawadi. Hustle was very motivational and it just reminded me that little actions are what add up to the spotlight everyone sees. Plus it was super hilarious! I love Bollywood (yes, all that running, singing mushy love songs, and being goofy make my eyes roll but I will still watch, lol). Gangubai was so emotional and showed me that life isn’t black and white sometimes, and everyone has a story. It’s worth watching!

2 movies I enjoyed seeing in June.

Listened

I believe that by now, you know I love podcasts so here are some of the ones I enjoyed last month:
1. Thirty minutes with the Perrys– Dealing with Anger
2. The Blogging millionaire– Email list growth hacks which I recommend to anyone who has a newsletter.
3. Gospel in Life by Timothy Keller: Are you the one?
3 podcast episodes I enjoyed listening to in June.

I won’t lie to you that June was all smiles and roses, but looking back at some of the mundane moments I‘m thankful for June nonetheless. Was June fine generally for you or could it have been better?

Share with me in the comments.
June 29, 2022
Trying New Things- My first Henna experience.
The first time I heard about henna was as a child. I grew up watching a lot of Bollywood, thanks to my aunty. It is an integral part of my first memories of entertainment, long before Silverbird cartoons.

It was always applied during their weddings and I found them intriguing. Fast forward to over 12 years, and in the spirit of trying new things as a young adult, I decided to get one done. The perfect opportunity came when I had an event with my classmates at a beach house.

Henna history time

Henna also called mehndi in Hindi and Urdu, has been used in Pakistan, India, Africa, and the Middle East for over 5000 years. According to this article, it was originally used for its natural cooling properties for people living in hot desert climates.

Cultures are beautiful. I found out that the Henna paste symbolizes good health and prosperity in marriage. It is also important to know that henna designs are not tattoos, as the paste is a temporary dye that sits on the skin’s surface.

Photo by Kumar Saurabh on Pexels.com

How long does a henna design last?

The designs generally last from 1-4 weeks on the skin surface depending on the henna, care, and skin type.

Mine was on my upper back and lasted roughly 2 weeks.

Areas that stain the darkest are the palms, soles of the feet, and the knuckles. Those on the hands tend to fade faster because of continued washing. I read here the forearms and lower legs and ankles last the longest and go up to 4 weeks, but I would estimate how long when I get another! Funny enough, henna on the hair is permanent. It will fade, but it’s hard to remove.

My experience
I have read that people react to the henna paste. I was a bit anxious about it and Henna by Hafsah was gracious to calm my fears. I also loved how she showed me designs and made sure I was comfortable while she worked. I didn’t have any reactions and that was a relief.

It took about 35 minutes to design and almost an hour to dry. Apparently, you have to wash it off to get the excess paste out and then the beautiful design emerges clearer. I found that fascinating.

One thing I’m learning to do is to not shut my mind off to new experiences that do no harm. This one is one of them and I can’t wait to try another design.

Have you ever had a henna design? Would you like to get one or not? Let me know below.
October 28, 2021
My FAVORITE Top female lifestyle bloggers So Far.

When it comes to picking my inspiration for lifestyle blogging, I don’t look too far. If you are a fellow lifestyle content creator or content lover, you probably have heard some of these names. Nothing makes me more inspired than knowing some people have done what I’m currently doing and impacted others.

Plus we should give people their flowers while they’re alive. that’s the motivation behind this post and I hope as you read through, you’re inspired to be you!

Here’s a list of my top lifestyle bloggers in no particular order.

(Ps- I do not own the rights to the pictures (except mine)

Cassie Daves

Cassie Daves

Cassie Daves is a medical doctor turned content strategist. It’s funny how I never knew her all through her stay in medical school which coincidentally is the same medical school I’m in. Her blog was one of the first resources I went to when this baby was still a thought. I love the outline of her blog, which she has been running for over 8 years.

One thing about Cassie is her adventurous life. I like the fact that she shares about her travels and how she’s learning to move past her comfort zone. She also gives reviews of places in Lagos and has a blogging journal for young and veteran bloggers. Cassie piqued my love for skincare. Like her, I suck at makeup so sticking to a good skincare routine is our best bet.

The way she wears her faith as a Christian and is unashamed of sharing that aspect of her life on the internet streets make me gush. I stan an ever-growing, risk-taking content creator and blogger.

Elizabeth T Peters

E. T Peters

Another Doctor! Trust me, this is coincidental. Dr. ETP, otherwise known as chop life minister is another favorite blogger of mine.

What I love about her is her consistency. She was one of the bloggers that made me realize I didn’t need to write a 10,000-word blog post before it was worthy of being shared. To blog is to share and that’s what she does within the boundaries of sharing.

She also shares faith-based content, modest fashion tips, and chronicles her chop life stories. I have the privilege of knowing her and she is a true sweetheart. Her writing show just a glimpse, lol.

Torera George

Torera George

When you google “how to make a scented candle” or “how to make body butter”, Torera is one of the names you’ll see on Youtube. She is a “beast” when it comes to healthy and safe DIYs.

Torera is the reason I make jars of body butter for my family. That’s one skill I’m so proud of. I even learned how to make lip balm from her and my sisters can tell you the pleasant result.

Torera shares stories of growth and challenges people to think outside the norm, both on her blog and insta. She shares her Christian worldview and shows that hard work is all you need. One thing that struck it for me with T was her Ig stories last year. She challenged her IG followers to not be afraid to dream big. She is simply herself and it shows.

Ijeoma Kola

Ijeoma Kola

A dear friend told me I give her IK’s vibes and that was a huge compliment, lol. Ijeoma Kola is another lifestyle blogger I resonate so much with. The fact that she’s in my niche and somehow grapples into every other niche with so much class is goals. She used to be a natural hair blogger and then delved into pretty much everything.

She shares her life as a momma, her Ph.D. struggles, fashion and hair tips, decor ideas and she is super consistent. Imagine moving between countries, starting your job as a professor, being a wife and mummy, and still consistently putting up content for brands and yourself. Currently, she has a social media manager and I watched her work ethic with her brand before then. Truly inspiring

I also love how she combines her 10 years of blogging and content creation and shares tips for younger bloggers.

Brighton Keller

Brighton Keller

Brighton Keller has to be my top fashion and lifestyle blogger and influencer. I can relate to her struggle of showing up and being anxious, but showing up nonetheless.

She is super real and I can tell she’ll be fun to hang out with from her hilarious reel videos where she dances like a kid. Her eye for details is just superb. Even down to her designs on Pinterest and how she pairs outfits. her blog is also another crisp clean corner of the internet and you can’t but love her work. BTD, as she’s known, also shares her faith and inspiration in such relatable ways.

Phylicia Masonheimer

Phylicia Masonheimer

The founder of Every Woman A Theologian, Phylicia is one of the people God has used to shape my perspective as a young Christian woman. When we talk about productivity junkies, Phy makes the list. She’s not productive in some proud manner, but in a you-can-enjoy-rest-by-being-productive kinda way.

Phy answers tough questions from feminism, to the biblical canon, to fighting temptations, to tithing. Her podcast Verity is on the list of my faves. She teaches under the leadership and her Ig page and blog are a breath of fresh air in a world where understanding theology is isolated from it translating to a holistic life.

Charaia Callabrass

Charaia Callabrass

I found Charaia (Shuh-Ray-Uh) on Ig a couple of months ago. Her Twitter posts and nicely curated IG feed caught my attention. But what held it was her content. She recently launched her blog and her main goal is to encourage “Conversations of race, healing, the Church and, most importantly, the fight to remain soft.”

I love how she curates the funniest TikToks and calls them, Made Ya laugh Monday. She inspires me to remember to share my story with those who care and not just everyone.

Amanda Dukor

Amanda Dukor

Amanda is my young friend and junior colleague in med school. That doesn’t stop her from being an inspiration to blogging! She started her blog some months before mine and frankly it was one of the pushes I needed.

From her detailed honest product reviews (as she is a skincare enthusiast as well), to her style of photography, she’s a delight to watch!

She also shares lifestyle and productivity hacks and her blog is a beautifully designed one. I cannot wait to see more of her growth.

Moya Anne

Moya Anne

I met Moya, virtually, via Amanda. Let us take a moment to thank God for the beauty that social media can be. Moya is a boss when it comes to blogging. Some of the tips I know about Pinterest are from Moya. She is also so skilled with photography that it blows my mind.

One thing I love about Moya is how she shares her stories as if they were a face-to-face conversation. She does that too on her IG stories. Moya inspires me with her work ethic. She just launched her website company where she designed templates for website owners, bloggers, and creators called Collipy.

Nqobile Mdletshe

Nqobile Mdeletshe

My South African beauty! I met Nqobile during a Table and Tide zoom call – a virtual weekly non-denominational bible study group for youths all over the world.

On the day of the meeting, it was her turn to share. I was so moved by her words and how she recalled God’s faithfulness in her life. Soon after, we connected on IG.

I later found out about her blog and of course have been enjoying her Ig content on fashion. Nqobile is very honest about her journey as a fashion content creator and shares her wins, losses, and faith. Her videos are so hilarious sometimes I wonder what goes on in her head, lol.

Mattie James

Mattie James

This lady’s consistency streak needs to be studied! I know that this practice takes a while, but I love when women keep pushing boundaries. Mattie James easily comes to mind when I think of taking my blog and brand seriously. She started the #consistency2020 challenge and that was a wake-up call for me.

I love her sense of fashion, baby pictures, and blog outline.

Iruoma Osonwa

Iruoma Osonwa

You really thought I was gonna skip me? Of course not!

One day, I’ll be part of someone’s list of favorite bloggers, but I would start with me being my cheerleader.

I’m really glad to know these women (some personally and others from a distance). They make it easy to keep doing good work.

Do you know about any of these bloggers? Let me know if you would check them out.

October 7, 2021