WRITTEN IN THE STARS | Musings on my latest hobby

What’s your star sign? Yes, really, what is it? The phrase well known for inducing eye rolls around the bar in practically every cheesy sitcom ever made suddenly has a brand new meaning. Cut to social media in the year 2018, where a small but ever-growing group of people has evolved into an online community who ask exactly that question and more. 

Long gone are the days when astrology equalled tacky horoscopes on the last page of a trashy magazine or tabloid; today, the art of astrology brings hope, clarity and a strong self-identity to all who venture into its complexities. Best summarised as the alignment of celestial movements and our own personal transformation, this ancient study – which has defined the belief systems of human beings for millennia worldwide – is currently undergoing a huge transformation of its own. 

Faith in the stars has survived since the earliest recorded civilisation, when cavemen traced the lunar phases in drawings on cave walls in 30,000 B.C. What transpired from then to present day has been a culmination of cultural influences and collaboration, guided by the advancement of mathematics, science, geometry and philosophy.

The Babylonians spent thousands of years perfecting the first astrological system which would ultimately result in the invention of the zodiac wheel in 700 B.C., divided into the twelve zodiacs which we are still familiar with today. Greek influence then presented humanity with modern names for the planets and zodiac signs until the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5 th century A.D. The rule of religion and – later on – the dedication to a belief exclusively invested in science, both silenced the exploration of astrology until the 19^th century when a renewed interest in spirituality slowly began to revive the ancient lore.

So why now, in the 21^st century, where facts, figures and scientific reasoning are in instant abundance, have we started to look for meaning in the unimaginable again? For thousands of years, human beings have looked to the sky to make sense of the world around us, particularly in times of danger from natural phenomenon and disasters. Are we looking for answers to modern day disaster in the same way that early civilisation sought to understand a tsunami or a meteor shower?

The turbulence of life in the modern age often feels exhausting; the staggering rates of increasing stress and mental health illness nationwide can attest to its demands. A study conducted by the Mental Health Foundation found that 74% of people have felt so stressed that they have been overwhelmed or unable to cope. The fear of conflict, financial crisis, pollution and politics aren’t new concepts, but the tone of the conversation that we generate online about these topics is urgent, extreme, or tinged with a fear of uncertainty about the future.

In response, one small section of the internet is seeking to regain certainty about what is to come in our lives. When Mercury infamously enters retrograde a few times throughout the year, thousands of social media users with accounts dedicated to the exploration of astrology commit themselves to offering advice and guidance to millions of strangers online about how best to tackle any consequent adversity. There is definitely something very reassuring about following an ancient tradition in the modern age, especially when that ancient tradition creates a forecast of sorts which seeks to lessen the unpredictability of our

lives.

Astrology itself is regarded as a ‘pseudo-science’, defined as a method, theory or system with no scientific basis. This means that astrology is likened by its sceptics to beliefs in the ‘inexplicable’ mysteries that occur within the Bermuda Triangle or the controversial ‘Flat Earth Theory’ which has also generated a new wave of online discussion surrounding the notion of Earth as being flat and disk-shaped.

The idea of crediting an individual’s behavioural traits to the position of the planets at the time and place they were born is certainly rather farfetched. Considering the company that astrology keeps among pseudo-sciences, you could be forgiven for dismissing the concept all together. It is worth noting, however, that beside astrology there also lies the notions of feng shui, acupuncture and a hoard of alternative medicines such as reflexology and reiki. These penchants – while considered ‘unscientific’ – are steeped in cultural history and represent personal significance to many who rely on them for the same ‘feel-good factor’ that astrology presents.

This ‘feel-good factor’ is a hobby for some and a way of life for others. Bringing this ancient conversation online has made it inclusive; whether it acts as a simple distraction or a higher purpose to the individual, the ritual of introspection is a huge reassurance done with ease thanks to the wealth of information at our fingertips. In a lot of ways, astrology is matched perfectly to the age of the internet; beginners can start anywhere with a wealth of endless results to utilise. Anyone who merely scratches the surface has the potential to tap into its powers, all it takes is the desire for self-improvement and a curiosity about the universe around us.

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One Year as a Veggie

“I could easily be a vegetarian” were the six words that I repeated again and again for years before one day in early January 2017, spurred on by that new year motivation, I made the commitment to cut out meat and fish from my diet for one whole month. Finally making this decision was a huge step, made much easier by the timing that marked the end of the Christmas holidays and the start of a new university term away from home. There were plenty of things that always held me back from pursuing vegetarianism as a teenager, like my total lack of cooking skills, my parents’ reluctance to change their eating habits and my own comfortable ignorance to the impact that my diet had on the world. Living away from home at university ultimately stripped away all of these excuses, so after spending my first year learning how to cook chicken, boil eggs and fry vegetables – and hang my head in shame for the fact that I had never done any of these things before – I started to consider the idea that finally, trialling a vegetarian diet didn’t seem like such an impossible task.

I used that first month to completely immerse myself in vegetarian cooking by buying just about every kind of meat-alternative quorn out there and packing my meals full of vegetables. It was really important to me to keep the trial-month positive by not having to sacrifice my usual meals and favourite foods, so I kept it simple by sticking to meals like chilli, fajitas and pasta bakes. As well as going back to basics with my cooking, I made it my mission to watch just about every documentary available to me about vegetarianism and veganism, the food industry and the environment. I’d always been vaguely aware that eating meat had a negative effect on the planet but I’d quite happily avoided finding out the facts, feeling much more comfortable about living in ignorance than having to change such a big part of how I lived my life. Cowspiracy, Vegucated and Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead were huge game changers for the way I saw the meat, fish and dairy industries and really opened my eyes to the damage our diets can cause. I started to find that it was much more difficult to ignore the hundreds of legitimate and proven facts thrown at me by the documentaries than it was to actually make a change for the better.

And so, my trial-month of vegetarianism never ended.

Eating out was challenging at first; it was a difficult change to suddenly only have 20% of a restaurant menu to choose from when I had been so used to having my pick of everything there was to offer. It was made harder still by the fact that I had always been anything but a fussy eater – a lover of seafood and smoked salmon and chorizo and fried chicken, always up for trying the strangest of things from boar to venison, to snails or to veal. My only saving grace was that I had never especially loved red meat which definitely made the transition a lot easier. This past year has really opened my eyes to which restaurants make a deliberate effort to cater for all dietary requirements and made me wonder why some just don’t bother at all. Back at home in the North, Ezra & Gil and Fig & Sparrow have been firm favourites for a mid-Manchester-shopping lunch break. I’m also hoping to make many more visits to Humblest of Pleasures, in Hebden Bridge, for their delish all-day breakfasts with major insta-appeal once I go back to university in September. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by a lot of chain restaurants like Leon, Pret a Manger, Wagamama, Wahaca, Turtle Bay and Wetherspoons – just to name a few! Just this weekend, I visited By Chloe, London's latest addition to vegan dining, for a dirty burger and fries sent from heaven. It makes my heart so happy to see these chains announcing their brand new vegan/vegetarian menus; the demand is clearly worth the investment and it’s so impressive that such huge corporations are taking note and accepting that they have a responsibility to offer an alternative.

It’s so rewarding to know that I contribute to the rising statistics in demand of vegetarian food – just this week it was announced that almost a third of evening meals sold so far in 2018 have been vegetarian! It makes me feel very fulfilled to know that I’m doing my bit for the world too; in just one year I’ve saved thousands of pounds in CO2 emissions and avoided eating hundreds of animals. I’d like to think that by choosing not to eat fish or meat, I’m playing an important role in normalising the vegetarian lifestyle. Since I’d never been especially clued up on the environmental benefits of vegetarianism before this past year, I’d also never given much thought to the moral or social benefits of it either. Being a vegetarian has made me a much more compassionate human being. I’ve never considered myself to be an animal lover – my love of animals pretty much starts and ends with my infatuation for cats – but over the course of the year, the treatment and welfare of animals has started to make me particularly angry. What I’ve been finding most baffling are the double standards; where the death and consumption of one animal can be justified while the death and consumption of another animal is considered absolutely abhorrent. My perspective has taken a total 180 degree turn – the way I see it, if the consumption of dog meat offends you, so should the consumption of lamb. If the mistreatment of orcas in captivity makes you mad, think also about the hundreds of thousands of turtles and dolphins that die each year as a result of bycatching, the term used to describe the unintentional catching of unwanted species in fishing nets that are often thrown back into the sea either dead or fatally injured.

For fear of sounding a little ‘preachy’, I’d urge anyone reading this – when the time is right for you – to explore all of the benefits that vegetarianism and veganism have to offer and make a decision that is right for you. For a multitude of reasons, restrictions to meat, fish and dairy intake aren’t a viable option for many and I would hate for anyone to feel ashamed for choosing – rightly so – to put their health and wellbeing before anything else. Nobody is perfect, and I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve had plenty of lapses in judgement and moments of weakness during this past year. There have been many a gelatine sweet, the occasional smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel and during the two one-week holidays abroad that I took last year, I ate fish every day.

This year, I have three objectives:

1. To tighten the reigns on my diet by avoiding more ‘hidden’ animal products
2. To keep exploring vegan options with the eventual aim of reaching full veganism. 
3. To have fun with food

I’m not making any promises to myself because the last thing I would want is to feel restricted in any way. I love food and ultimately, if I want to eat something then I only have myself to answer to. Nevertheless, I’m going to be much more conscious about the food I choose this year in a way that I wasn’t in 2017 by turning down the offer of marshmallows on my hot chocolate, checking the ingredients before picking up a baked camembert and saying no to the parmesan boy and his delicious sprinkling of smells-a-bit-like-feet goodness in a restaurant. I’m also going to be more mindful about dairy free options too; I’ve been buying milk alternatives like Rude Health’s almond and coconut milks for well over a year now, but on the rare occasion I do pick up a hot chocolate while I’m out and about, I’m going to be more conscious about remembering to ask for an alternative while I’m ordering! I’d also like to start experimenting with vegan cheeses this year – something I’ve avoided up to this point – by trying out different supermarket’s ranges and getting to know what works well in different recipes. Ultimately, I just want to keep enjoying food like I always have. I love eating hearty dishes full of fresh vegetables – for the first time in my life I’m actually getting my five-a-day and I feel better in so many ways for it. I don’t consider being vegetarian to be a sacrifice, but if I did then I’d still feel that the sacrifice was worth the reward.

Benefit's Brand New POREfessional Pearl Primer

I discuss the brand new Benefit POREfessional Pearl Primer and all of it's pore-shrinking, face-brightening, make-up prolonging capabilities! Read below...

When whispers of the Benefit team's visit started circling around the LOOK Magazine office where I'm currently interning, I didn't hesitate to rush upstairs and take advantage of the freebies up for grabs. I was grateful for the free pizza lunch - a very welcome break from eating yet another portion of batch-cooked, budget-friendly veggie chilli. Even more exciting was the chance to try out Benefit's brand new POREfessional Pearl Primer which was released earlier this month. 

I've long been a lover of Benefit; it was the first high-end make-up brand that I started to develop a loyalty to at aged thirteen, when I got my hands on a Dandelion finishing powder and a Benetint lip and cheek stain. While these particular products didn't stand the test of time in my make-up bag, I have always been a dedicated user of the original Benefit POREfessional face primer. Before beginning a number of medication courses to tackle my problematic acne-prone skin, I relied on POREfessional to minimise the appearance of pores and mattify my oily t-zone. I've been on quite a journey with my skin since then and have really had to overhaul the type of skin and make-up products I use. It's perfect timing then, that Benefit would release their latest POREfessional Pearl Primer just as my mission for acne-free skin is (hopefully) coming to an end. 

The Pearl Primer does everything that the original primer does, and more. A pea-sized amount is enough to instantly minimise the appearance of pores, creating a smooth base before applying your foundation or a perfected bare-faced 'just-rolled-out-bed' look on its own. While the original POREfessional Primer would stop there, this beauty takes it one step further by visibly illuminating the skin with a bright, pearlescent gleam. Its release comes at the perfect time of year; while we've almost made it through January, that radiant 'summer glow' still feels pretty unattainable, what with the constant rain, lack of daylight and freezing temperatures. The Pearl Primer is exactly what I didn't know I needed to give my tired, dehydrated skin a little boost of TLC. My only worry is that, while my skin is currently more dehydrated than most thanks to the wonder-drug that is Roaccutane, the primer has been slightly drying on my skin. There's no doubt, however, that it does exactly what it says it will do - something that is often a rarity in this over-saturated make-up industry. While a lot of brands seem to make false claims about their latest false-lash effect mascara or stay-all-day lipstick, Benefit always get it right - the brand new POREfessional Pearl Primer is no exception. 

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