My daily skincare routine

Yes, I'm in badly need of a brow wax and
the failed attempt at dry shampoo.

Something I have begin to take very serious in life is my skin, at the end of the day it's your canvas and the way you take care of your skin as a teenager will have a huge impact when you're older. Like most girls there are days (okay 5/7 days) when my skin looks terrible and I've no choice but to cover it in make up not to benefit anyone else but to make myself feel better. I always have blemishes with my skin and no matter what I do it seems they're here to stay but if I stop with my daily routine, even for two days my skin is three times worse than it is now which is why I feel so strongly about taking care of my skin the way it is now. On my recent night out in Limerick, my skin routine suffered for 3 days and I had one of the worst breakouts ever so now I'm back to the grindstone and putting the routine back into action.
 I used to be very unconfident when it came to my skin, I would rarely leave the house without makeup, I mean I would literally have to be forced to leave without makeup but these days, I refuse to wear makeup on the weekdays unless there's something on but I mainly just have grinds so there's literally no point.
I won't lie I love putting on makeup and I 100% think making the effort is important but I think if you've come to a stage where you can't leave the house without makeup, then that's not okay! and that's how I once was. As a matter of fact when those 'bare faced selfies' came around I almost had a heart attack and could barely bring myself to do my own, but now once you take care of your skin and you feel comfortable that's all that matters and I could take a bare faced selfie everyday and not even flinch!!
I use very cheap products that you can find in any chemist across the country and I've decided to talk you through what I do everyday including the products everything I use on a daily basis.

1. Firstly if I have any make up on I remove it with a wet wipe, Johnston baby wipes are what I use but any wet wipe I can get my hands on is perfect. When I come home from a night out I always try get my makeup off they say it's vital but there are some nights I just...I can't even, but it's usually just a baby wipe and it works perfect to remove the excess makeup.

2.Next I use a foam wash from clean and clear and it is amazing!! It's the one product I would recommend to everyone with any kind of skin. I first used this as prep for the Debs last August, I began using it two weeks before the debs and it was amazing stuff. I use it first thing in the morning and it wakes me straight up and makes my skin feel better straight away, not to mention it smells amazing!! I get mine in Sam Mccauley's chemist for €6.90 and use it religiously twice a day.

You simply use one pump and rub it into a damp face then you wash it off, simple as.

3. Next comes the cleanser and toner and the ones I use are cheap as chips and I get them from Aldi supermarket and they come in at around €2 for each. I love the Aldi brand mainly for the smell, it's the nicest scent I've ever smelt but unfortunately the cleanser ran out on me so I'm just using one from the chemist. No 7 are also a great brand for cleanser but as toners stand, I wouldn't pass Aldi.

I also tend to go for the Boots brand now and then, both the cleanser and the toner smell of cucumber and they're really light on the skin , it's also part of the 3 for €4 range so I pick it up with an eye gel and where would you be going wrong with €4!! 

With a cleanser it's a moisturiser like substance that you apply to your skin with a cotton pad and you then wipe off with a cotton pad, then with a toner you use a cotton pad and just apply to the face and down the neck.

4.Next is the serum, I'm back to Aldi again for this one comes in at around €4.99 and it's fantastic. A serum is packed with vitamins and nutrients which is great for your skin and immediately makes skin softer and more nourished. A serum is usually for people from twenties and upwards but I've been using it all year and I can't go without it. If your skin is any bit dry a serum is the perfect thing for you.

With a serum you just apply it to your face and neck and leave it soak in exactly like you'd do with a moisturiser.

5. NEXT is the moisturiser and I'm sure I don't need to explain how to use this product. I'm currently on the hunt for my new perfect moisturiser since my old favourite OXY isn't made any more but I recently got a sample of Avenno and fell in love from the second it touched my skin. I just bought a big bottle in Boots for €5.99 and it's lasting a while. I don't just use it on my face either, down my neck, on my arms and on the hands!!!

Everything I've listed above I do twice a day, first thing in the morning and last thing in the evening. All together it takes about 10 minutes but it really is worth it.

6.This is the very last step and I only do it in the night before bed and that is the very old trusty sudocrem.You will not come to my house and not see sudocrem somewhere it's my God sent for me just put a small blob on any spot or blemish and in the morning it's gone..well, at least gone down in size at least.

So that is my step by step daily routine, of course there are times I skip some, and sometimes I might wash/moisturize my face up to four times a day but it's all up to yourself. I also know you're supposed to wear sunscreen everyday without fail BUT that makes my skin look extremely oily but come May it'll be constantly on my face.

As Vanessa Hudgens once said:
 ''I've learned to be okay with myself without wearing makeup. I started taking care of my skin and realized I didn't need as much as I thought I did''

Introduction To Broadcast Journalism, Radio and presenting course week 1/12

Like I mentioned before I've just been accepted into a twelve week evening course in association with Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT), WRL fm and BEAT 102 103. It's a twelve week course in radio, broadcast journalism and presenting and lastWednesday was my very first week in the course.
As part of the course we have to keep a weekly account of what we got up to that week so I decided I would also keep it going on my blog and let all of you follow in the course too.
 The course itself is a level 6 and is directed by Rob O'Connor and Orla Rapple, two Beat presenters so we're really getting some amazing advice from them already, they're both incredible presenters so I'm delighted to be taught by both of them.
Orla presents the 'Sunday Grill' on Beat which is actually one of my most favourite shows on air so I can't believe she's actually teaching us.

I was actually quite nervous going into the course, I Can't imagine why you wouldn't be though on your first day of 'college' but it was actually quite good. We didn't have the opportunity to bond as a group yet but I've no doubt when we get into the studio we'll all start mixing quite well. Everyone is really interested in radio in general so when you've 16 people all into the same thing there's bound to be a good laugh.
As it was our first night it was quite introductory so I don't have too much to tell you. We really looked into radio and what it meant to people and of course the different mediums of radio. Then we did a quiz, uhh ohh... 'there's no wrong answers' says Rob and Orla that's until mine we're called out. I thought I knew a fair bit about radio but when it came to RTÉ and the shows they have on air I was lost, not a clue.
I'm very into my commercial radio stations like Beat and Spin South West  but not so much other ones so my task this week is to begin listening to other stations.

Next week we're moving onto news and news bulletins which truthfully I'm quite nervous about. If you know me, you'll know I don't have the poshest voice and to be honest if I was reading out the news I'd turn myself off. I'm not really interested in ever being a newsreader so I am quite nervous to start that BUT we're out in the broadcast centre next week so I'm equally as excited.

By the end of the course we're expected to have made our very own show which is ridiculously exciting but I have to admit I am dreading the editing side of things. Anything technology based does not agree with me! and that is a promise but the show itself is an amazing idea, I can't wait.
We really have to think about the show we wish to create and for me I'm thinking of a breakfast show/magazine programme which are really lighthearted nothing serious and that's the route I'd love to go down but by the end of this course you never know I might want to be a editor?!!
Other people could do music shows, political shows there seems like a good mix of us so I can't wait to see how it goes next week out in the studios.
I'll keep weekly posts to inform  you on the course so check back next week where I'll be here again, and any questions just let me know :)

Lá Naomh Pádraig i Luimneach

Limerick Forever

I LOVE Saint Patrick's day I always have and I always will, I mean how can't you love Saint Patricks day if you're Irish? It's a whole day to celebrate us, yes I really do love Paddy's day and this year I tried something different.
I usually like to stay at home for Paddy's day, there's just something about the buzz around my small town this time of the year, there's a small parade and it's the perfect opportunity to meet up with the lads, but this year I tried something different and I went to see what my favourite city, Limerick had to show for itself.. and to also see what the Limerick night life had to show for itself and lets just say I wasn't disappointed ;-)

I couldn't wait for my day in Limerick, I got up on Tuesday at the regular 6am, the bus not leaving until 9:10 but I've said it before and I'll say it again.. I need my tea in the morning and if I'm not relaxed with my tea for at least 40 minutes before getting ready then quite frankly, I will crack.
After deciding anyway we were probably going to miss the bus, myself and Carrie sprinted over the town with our extremely large suitcases and dry slice of toast, but we made it.. and with tonnes of time to spare...I know bus Eireann late, who'd have thought it!!

When we finally arrived in Limerick Niamh brought us out to her apartment in Mary Immaculate college, and it was odd.I don't want to offend anyone but it wasn't really my cup of tea. All 80 students share the same kitchen and sitting room and as much as I'd like that, in a way..I know I really wouldn't.
All of Niamh's housemates are lovely though and I suppose it doesn't matter where you're living once you've great company but as far as Mary I is... not for me.
The time had FINALLY come for me to see the Paddy's day parade in a big city and I couldn't wait. I love the parade, there's nothing better than a parade and oh guess what...we didn't get to see it. My 'lovely' - I'm joking I love them friends decided we'd get food our food before the parade as to avoid the rush afterwards and so to my relecuntacy I missed the entire thing...

Angel Lane

Even with all that excitement I could not wait until the time had come to spend my first night out in Limerick, and more importantly!! ANGEL LANE!!!!!

I had never been out in Limerick nor had I ever been out in a city before so I was expecting a huge difference and you know what?, there really wasn't much! It's the same craic everywhere you go really except you don't know every single person in the building, which yes I do thoroughly enjoy. 

We had our pre-drinks and began getting ready which was so much fun, because the rooms are so close everyone can just wander from room to room so getting ready is some craic, until of course it came to getting dressed and I realised I had no dress- 'That's it, I'm not going out now, I've no clothes. I lost my bloody dress, it fell out of my case' I was like a raging bull and so I had no choice but to wear the clothes I wore all day.. I know, classy.

Emma <3

Angel Lane, although it doesn't look much from the outside is one of the most loved nightclubs in Limerick, it has three floors, five bars, a massive dance floor, it's just definitely not the disco in town.

It wasn't even as packed as I imagined it would be, but that being said you could probably have four times the population of Carrick inside there it was amazing!! 

Even though I was in Limerick, and I know a total of nine people actually in Limerick (yeah I'm including Conor Murray and Mike Sherry in that.... because I can;)) I still made friends and they're some craic.

My fave, Sarah <3

Like I said Niamh's housemates, I knew most of the girls because I went to school with them, but Sarah and Aoife were so nice and so friendly and even in Angel Lane I met Emma.. Girls are fab!!

I can honestly say I've never experienced anything like my trip to Mary I and Angel Lane, as much as I loved growing up in a small town I can't wait to move to a big city for college.

Next on my Limerick city bucket list is 'The Icon' and 'Molly's' two places I'm dying to try out!!

Is breá liom Luimneach agus ní féidir liom fanacht go dtí gur féidir liom bogadh ann. Tá súil agam go raibh tú iontach lá Saint Pádraig  ♥

Well, Well, Well...Look who's revamped

By now you've probably noticed that LPL has experienced a little bit of a makeover and received a new header. I decided to dedicate a whole blog post to my new header and explain to you the concept behind it and really explain it to you... pretty isn't it ;)
Firstly I just want to give a big shout out to 'Perfect Pixels by Lolli' - an incredibly talented woman who designed my header for me you can check out her page on facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/Perfectpixelsbylolli She did such an amazing job didn't she?? I'm so happy with it so a huge thanks to Lolli :)

Now onto the actual design, obviously it's an extremely personal picture as it was made just for me so no one in the whole world will ever have this header which I love, also my blog actually on the screen of the laptop but my favourite parts are in the little detail. If you look out the window that's not just some random place no, that is my home town Carrick On Suir which obviously makes it much more special for me. In the night sky you have the moon which for me is so special then if you look closer you'll notice stars in the sky and then finally a shooting star. The shooting star is probably my favourite part about this header, mainly because I'm obsessed with stars and space but it's just perfect for me.

For me it's perfect and it defines me as a person so much so I'm over the moon with it. I'm not the best with computers as you well know so from my last attempt this is a huge step up. Let me know what you think of the new layout/header and welcome back to LPL. Hope you enjoy :)

Lynda xx 

I'M BACKKKKKKKK

Guess who's back back back...back again gain...Lynda's back back back...tell a friend.

HI EVERYONE!!!

I'm delighted to announce to you all that I am back and for good, after what has felt like years I'm finally  back and oh yes it feels good.

If this is your first time reading Little Piece Of Lynda... then I've been writing LPL since 2013 and I'm just back from a 3 week break as I took time off from writing to try concentrate on my career and what career path I want to follow.I decided I wasn't coming back until I had my career plan and well, long story short I'm still as confused as I was 3 weeks ago but I've decided to fill you all in and explain to you why I left in the first place.

As many people know It's been a dream of mine for years now to study journalism and media and then go onto become a radio presenter but recently something clicked in me and made me question whether this really was the career path for me? and the answer is, I still don't know? I felt as if I was beginning to hate writing and loosing all the passion I had towards it, it felt more like a chore for me and not enjoyable at all. When it came to my blog it broke my heart giving it up I gave it a break on the Friday and by Sunday I was beginning to miss it, by the Monday I was already drafting posts to publish but I just knew I needed to see my life without the blog since it had been such a huge part since I was seventeen and trust me, it was strange.
When I was recently reading back over the blog I realised I used to love writing the funny stories especially when they were personal and that's what I enjoyed the most but then I felt like my blog, my little blog which I made for fun was becoming so stereotypical and common that I just didn't enjoy it anymore. It became stressful, I would be constantly on the laptop, replying to and sending about 20 emails a day, everything was based around the writing which I thought I was going to love but it actually made it less enjoyable and made me question a career where I'm constantly writing so I took the step back and took the break from the blog and I definitely don't regret doing it.

When I realised that I didn't think the career was for me anymore I freaked out, I couldn't handle it. I knew exactly what I wanted to do all my life, I had my plan and I always need a plan. I understand when most girls are 16-18 they have no idea what they want to do with their life but I did, I was the lucky one that knew exactly what I wanted to do and how I was going to get there so when I got to nineteen and realised oh crap, I'm running out of time and now I didn't know what I want to do with my life, I couldn't handle it and I freaked. Not to mention I spoke about it so publicly that when I realised it might not for me I was embarrassed. I appeared on the radio telling hundreds of listeners how much I wanted this career and now to not know, it was embarrassing.

I turned to my friend Aoibhe Devlin of thesecretobsession.com and had a big chat with her about what I was feeling and my confusion and it helped me so much. Aoibhe sent me some amazing quotes and I just think by chatting to a friend who has been through what you're going through can really help so if you're in a similar position as to what I was then the first thing I'd recommend is chatting to a friend about it.
 I then set up an appointment with my career guidance teacher and chatted about other options with her which also helped me a lot. I bounced off different ideas but I am genuinely consider secondary teaching at the moment, it really is an option which I didn't ever think would be even a possibility but once you open your mind to things anything can be an option.

So as of now I'm as confused as I always was but I'm still really considering a career in the media, I can never forget the feeling I get whenever I walk into a radio station but a career in writing probably isn't on the top of my agenda and as I never fully wanted to be a journalist anyway I don't really think studying journalism is the best option for me.
However when I was away something very exciting did happen for me and that's, that I am now a student in Waterford Institute of Technology studying broadcast journalism and radio presenting so It's very exciting. It's a 12 week course to break me into the career and I'll see if it's for me, I'm excited to see if it helps me make a better decision on my career.I'm starting on Wednesday so I'll keep you posted on it.
Really the possibilities are endless so I'm just looking forward to the adventure ahead for me. I've never not known where I want to go in life and it feels weird but there is a sense of excitement to it also.
For the time being anyway I'm continuing with the blog but just taking it one step at a time! I've some very exciting posts on the arising too so keep an eye out and even some competitions to ease you back in and what do you think of my new header??? Let me know ...
But for the mean time....

♥WELCOME BACK TO LPL EVERYONE!!♥