I’m so proud of myself and my journey from a trend-led shopaholic to instead aiming for and curating a small but perfect sustainable wardrobe. 

I’m excited to be able to combine two of my biggest interest – sustainability and fashion.

I’m at the point in my life when I can afford to buy quality and I’m also wise enough to want the world to still be a lovely place to live in for my great-grandkids.

As an influencer, I get contacted by hundreds of brands a month. However, most of them don’t fit in with my ethos and the direction I’m going with my own wardrobe. So out of frustration, I did a shout-out on my Instagram trying to find the best small sustainable brands to show you guys. I shoot loads of content all the time, why not make sure I only pick the cream of the cream?

And it worked! A whole bunch of fantastic brands got in contact and I brought a few of them with on our trip to South Africa.

I believe in building the perfect sustainable capsule wardrobe from 3 key sources;

1. Sustainable brands with environmentally friendly ethos, transparency of production and fair working conditions. 
2. Pre-loved and second-hand items.
3. Sustainability through quality and timelessness. To buy clothing that will last us for years and years and have a good second-hand value. 

It’s actually a lot easier than I thought. And for you, well I will do all the work for you here on the blog. Just pick and choose what you like and I will make sure it’s both sustainable and useful.

One area I have been struggling a bit in is sustainable homewear.

Since I’m a mom and work from home I end up spending a lot of time wearing “comfy stuff”. This has not always been the most attractive clothes though…I’m ashamed to even tell you this. We are talking old sportswear, Garth’s t-shirts and all kinds of items with holes and stains on them.

I decided I needed to up my game and to make sure I find some lovely sustainable homewear that are not only comfy enough to play with Ace in, but I also feel decent in if someone knocks on the door.

I’m so happy I came across Theo + George (or rather that they came across my little shout-out) – affiliate link. They have a great sustainable and transparent ethos and make the most fantastic basics in great quality. Jumpers and leggings in cashmere, cotton t-shirts and lots more. Exactly what I need!

I have been looking for the perfect cashmere leggings for a while and these from Theo + George – affiliate link, ticks all the boxes.

I brought them with me to South Africa and except for my swimwear, it was the item I wore the most. Every night after Ace had gone to bed and I had my shower I would put them on, ready to eat dinner under the stars.

And most mornings we would walk down the beach watching the sunrise, drink coffee and throw balls in the waves for John and Debbie’s dog, Buddy. It is actually winter down there at the moment, so the days are warm but the nights are pretty chilly. To be covered in cashmere from head-to-toe was gorgeous.

The lifestyle in that place is just magical, I could easily move there tomorrow.

And btw I’m not walking around with an empty cup, there is a small but strong dash of coffee in there, I promise haha.

Another great find at Theo + George is THE perfect white v-neck t-shirt. – affiliate link

We all know how hard it is to find good t-shirts that aren’t see-through, has good length sleeve and aren’t too wide or too slim. Add sustainability to the equation and you got quite the challenge. I only got one of these, but I’m going to get a few more. (If you buy 2 you get a 3rd for free!)

My top tip is to always buy a bunch when you find a t-shirt you really like. It sounds like it would be an easy purchase, but this simple piece of clothing can be hard to get right. The perfect white t-shirt is a bit of a holy grail in a capsule wardrobe.

I’m so happy to have found a great brand for luxury sustainable homewear. I will never again dress like a slob at home. It’s so important for creativity to get up and “get ready” for my day even though I work from home. I’m also fed up with the “mom look” and deserve some nice outfits even when I’m not out and about.

I have thrown out all my stained old “comfy stuff” and from now on I will only wear things that make me feel and look nice.

Ok, confession time. What do you wear at home?

You can find more sustainable homewear at Theo + George – And if you like my perfect grey cashmere leggings , get them here, my gorgeous pink cashmere jumper here and the perfect v-neck t-shirt here. – affiliate links

This post contains gifts.

Hi guys, how are you?

You have to excuse a Mindful Monday post on a Tuesday. I had a photoshoot yesterday, left the house at 05.30 and didn’t come back until 11 at night. But I still think it’s such an important post, so I decided to write it today instead.

We shot in this gorgeous old barn and for once I was actually neither too hot or too cold. You see, catalogs shoot a season ahead. So we freeze our butts off in bikinis on beaches in January and sweat our tits off in winter coats in July. You learn how to get rid of goosebumps for enough time to take a few snaps. The glamorous life of a model huh?

I’m not complaining though. I love my job and I’m really happy to be back modeling again. I’m not doing as many jobs as before I was pregnant, but the ones I do are bigger. So it evens out. I have slightly different priorities now, so to be able to still model, but not do loads of castings really work for me.

This is my goal, mantra, focus, and vision this week; 

My mantra this week – “Close a door, open a window”. Sometimes you have to close the door to something old, to be able to open up a window and let something new in. It can be scary to let go of something that used to work really well, but might not be the best fit anymore. We can’t do everything all the time, so it’s important to dare to change things up and choose a new path.

My affirmation this week – “I know who I am and what I stand for”. Sometimes other people try to put words in our mouths and want to define who we are. Then it’s really important to know what we actually want and not to let people project their own ideas onto us. If we listen to everything other people are telling us about ourselves, then we will only end up confused about our own identity. So the affirmation “I know who I am and what I stand for” is one of the most important ones.

My goal this week – To relate back to the mantra of the week. In my case, this is about blog representation. I have been represented by United Influencers in Scandinavia for a few years now. However, I have lately had a lot of interest from UK brands and UI don’t really know the market here well enough to manage me here. So I’m now looking for new representation as an influencer for the UK market. I will still stay with United Influencers for Scandinavia but will have a second agent here. It’s all very exciting!

My dream of the week – Haha you must be bored with reading about my dream of living somewhere warm. But this is what visualization is all about. Repeat the impossible over and over again. Until it all of a sudden feel possible. That’s how a dream becomes a goal. It can take a while, but it does work.

My vision this week – “A morning playing with Ace on the beach and the afternoon on my laptop realizing all my work-related dreams and goals.” Before I had a baby, my job was the most important thing in my life. I worked constantly in one way or another and I was very happy about being busy. But since I had Ace my priorities have changed. I still want to work, but I also want to see my beautiful little boy grow up. Now it’s all about finding the perfect balance.

My focus this week – This week I’m focusing on finding a UK agent. I had a meeting with a network today and I will talk to another agent tomorrow. It has to be the perfect fit or it won’t work.

The event of the week  – This Saturday is midsummer and we are celebrating at my friend Josefina’s house. I’m looking forward to singing songs, dancing silly dances and let the boys roam in the garden.

My lesson from last week – Ace loves coming with us to CrossFit competitions. We took him with us to Turf Games this weekend and he had loads of fun. He ran around talking to everyone and tried to lift all the weights. Garth is always excited to compete, but since we had Ace he has been a bit worried about spending time apart from him on the weekends. Now we can all come and watch and that will make it a lot easier.

My everyday-luxury this week– I have finally finished “21 lessons for the 21st century” (adlink) and I’m looking to treat myself to a new great book. I’m thinking I might buy another one of  Yuval Noah Hariri’s books? Since I love this one so much. Have anyone of you read Sapiens or Homo Deus? (adlinks)

My inspiration this week – Have you read the book “4 hour work week“? (adlink). I read it a while ago and I have ever since used a few of Tim Ferriss principles. Especially when it comes to saving time around meetings/phone calls and emails. I am a lot better at not wasting my time after reading this book. I highly recommend it.

What is your goal, mantra, focus, and vision this week?

Photo – Ida Zander. You can find my Blank NYC biker here and skirt here. (both are on sale) My Golden Goose sneakers are available here.  (adlinks)

You know when a dream come true? When you have manifested and hoped for something for a really long time and all of a sudden it happens. 

It just happened.

My absolute favorite Swedish designer got in contact with me and asked if I was interested in becoming a brand ambassador. Mind blown!!

Ida Sjöstedt is THE name you need to know in Swedish fashion. Not only does she makes the most gorgeous clothing, but she is also the designer of Princess Sofia of Sweden’s wedding dress and she throws the best fashion shows of all of  Stockholm fashion week. It’s the one ticket every fashionista covet.

And I’m now a brand ambassador for them. It’s such an honor and I couldn’t be more excited. I have been fangirling over this brand for so long and now I get to work with her.

So first out in our collaboration is this amazing dress.

It’s called Eden and you could wear it on your wedding day if you fancy. I, however, chose to take it to the beach in South Africa. I’m also hoping to be invited to a fancy event in the near future. Wouldn’t it look stunning on the red carpet?!

It has the most gorgeous 3d print flowers and the fit is unreal. It got a bit of weight to it, so the fall of the fabric makes it look even more flattering. I can’t think of one body shape this dress wouldn’t look great on. I’m a massive fan of spaghetti straps that shows off collarbones. Just dab a bit of highlighter on the top of the bone and they will pop louder than your favorite champagne.

What I love about Ida Sjöstedt is that she creates from a true passion for beautiful things. Her signature style is romantic and dreamy. Her clothing is not trend-led but made to last you a lifetime. The pieces are timeless and in the best quality you can imagine. She wants all women to feel the best about themselves, but at the same time “challenge society’s common ideas about good taste”. And she succeeds.

It’s amazing to see such a feminine design rooted in a country known for its minimalism. It makes her clothes truly stand out.

And you guys know how much sustainability matters to me. So it makes me very happy that Ida Sjöstedt has such a great sustainable ethos. Every part of the process in creating these wonderful items of beauty has been carefully thought about from an environmental perspective.

I wish every brand would be as transparent with these things as Ida Sjöstedt is. It’s not about being perfect, it’s about doing your best. Even brands that might not be able to be as sustainably conscious would benefit from showing their customers exactly what they do to try to be better. And it’s up to us as consumers to push for it.

My dear hubby always stands in as my photographer when we shoot abroad and to be honest I always love the photos he takes. However we both like to be the art director, so for our marriage’s sake, we limit us working together only for trips.

For these shots, we got up before sunrise and headed to Thompson beach and “The hole in the rock”. I love how the white floral fabric contrasts the black hard rock. Sweet and salt. Whit the furious waves crashing in and creating the most wonderful white foamy droplets in the air. Isn’t the setting just amazing?

I tell you, the first morning light is magical. Nothing beats it when it comes to photography in my opinion. That’s why us models always are up super early when we are doing shoots abroad. To catch those precious first rays.

Since I’m a very proud brand ambassador, you will see more of this fantastic designer in my feed from now on. I can’t wait to show you what Ida Sjöstedt got to offer and I hope you will love it as much as I do. 

I find scents and perfumes really interesting.

You can capture so many different moments and emotions in a specific scent. Nothing stirs as many old childhood memories as a whiff of a familiar smell.

My grandmother’s lipstick with that powdery dry floras scent, windy beaches, and certain laundry detergents. I particularly like when a smell reminds me of a person I know and love.

Perfumes are very personal. Those with a signature scent becomes one with that fragrance and if you know them well, you will remember their scent forever. My Mom always wears a Jean Paul Gaultier perfume. The one with the bottle shaped as a female body. My first boyfriend overdosed on Aqua di Gio and I myself lived in a cloud of DKNY Woman during my teenage years. Even now I always keep a bottle on my bathroom shelf, just in case I feel like reliving my wilder years for a night.

I love having a scent wardrobe at home. It’s nice with a bit of variation. One perfume for daytime, one for going out, a power-fragrance, a soft and sweet smell for when I’m just at home hanging out with Ace and my Jo Malone “French lime blossom” that I wore to our wedding. I always have a bottle of this very special perfume at home and only wear it to date nights and other special occasions with Garth. It will always remind me of that special day in the bush in Zimbabwe.

*I tried to find it on Jo Malone’s website and just realized it has been discontinued!! IIIK! I could only find it on Amazon here (adlink)…so I will quickly have to buy as many as I can. I can’t believe it!

What I’m missing in my fragrance-wardrobe is a true signature scent. A perfume to wear most days. I want people to remember it as “Tess scent” if they catch a fleeting whiff.

My challenge is that I want it not only to be perfect but also to be slightly rare. I selfishly don’t want too many other people to wear it. The smell should be light and fresh, a bit of floral and maybe a hint of honey?

I love the idea of heavy earthy fragrances, but for some strange reason, they don’t suit me at all. They smell stuffy and weird on my skin, almost like I’m trying too hard. It’s really interesting how perfumes develop on different types of skin. Something that smells amazing on one person can be awful on someone else. It’s what makes perfumes so interesting. It’s all about finding the perfect match for us.

Perfumes I love are Clean “warm cotton,” “Womanity” by Thierry Mugler, “L’eau par Kenzo”, “DKNY Woman” and of course “French Lime Blossom” by Jo Malone. My favorite fragrance ever is Diptyque’s candle in  “Baies”, I would love to wear it as a perfume.

Ok, so now I want all your best recommendations of slightly obscure and unusual perfume brands that might have something suitable for me. Or maybe you have a similar taste in perfumes and have a favorite to recommend?

Do you have a signature scent? 

Hi my lovelies, how are you?

I’m back again after 2 weeks of holiday in the very sunny South Africa. As you probably noticed I took a bit of time off blogging to spend with my family, so the blog was a bit quiet for a while.

However, I did shoot quite a bit of content, and I hope you will like the photos as much as I do.

I always find that a little break gives me time to re-set and time to get inspired. I always feel much more motivated when I come back and I personally think I produce much better blog posts when I have a clear head (and a tan, ha!).

As I’m back to normal London life again I’m also back to the regular routine of my Mindful Monday posts. I know I say it every time, but it’s by far my favorite post to write since it allows me to really have a good think about my week ahead. If we don’t know where we are going, how can we expect to get there?

This is my affirmation, focus, mantra, and lesson this week;

My mantra this week – “You cannot please everyone” And honestly we shouldn’t even try. I have always struggled with this in the past. I like to make people happy and often on the expense of myself, my vision or my time and energy. But lately, I have decided enough is enough. If people like what I do, great, if they don’t, well that’s not my problem. I want to create things I’m proud of and that is in the end what counts.

Of course, this is way easier said than done. But it’s a great goal to work towards.

My affirmation this week– “I love my job” Holiday and creativity is just such a great match. We had a blast in Durban and I really feel well-rested and motivated coming back. Funny what a bit of warm weather, sea, nature, and relaxation can do.

My goal this week – My goal this week is to catch up on both the blogs, get the home organized, wash our holiday clothes and just get back into routines again. I always have to have a dedicated “reset-week” after traveling.

My dream of the week – After this amazing holiday, I dream of a house in Salt rock/Ballito. The lifestyle down there is like nothing I have seen before. It’s incredibly healthy and child-friendly, I know I would absolutely love it there.

Garth and I already decided we would like to retire in Africa.

But until then the choices are to buy a house and use as our permanent holiday spot or to move down full-time. If we go for the first option, we can rent out the house when we are not there. But it comes with long flights and an environmental impact to consider. The second option is more like me, to be honest. I have lived in 3 different countries and every time it was a shotgun move based on my gut feeling.

My gut feeling is saying that I want Ace to grow up down there. Children don’t belong cooped up in houses for most of the day.

My vision this week  – I want to spend at least 9h hours every day outside. Eat only locally sourced and organic food. Take long walks on a beach, explore nature and do lots of sports.

My focus this week  – My challenge this week to keep a fresh mindset. It’s always good for our objective to go away and zoom out from our every-day situations. But it’s really hard to keep that enlightened view when we are back in the swing of things focusing on the details again. I want to keep a wide vision of my world and not get lost in the hamster wheel of normality.

The event of the week – I’m quite happy to have a very calm week ahead of me. Garth has a CrossFit competition coming up next weekend. So we will go and watch him on Saturday. He trained a bit in a CrossFit box in South Africa, but I know he isn’t as prepared as he would like to be.

But on the other hand, he is Garth. The most naturally athletic man I have ever met. So I bet he will be awesome anyway.

My lesson from last week – The world is a big place. Just because we are living in London at the moment, doesn’t mean we will stay here forever.

My everyday-luxury this week– I have a tan! It is so nice to look in the mirror and see a healthy face looking back. I always dunk myself in a tub of SPF 50 whenever I’m in the sun, so it takes a bit for me to go any darker than off-white. But 2 weeks in the African sun seems to have done the trick.

My inspiration this week – This time I would like to recommend a really great movie. I saw the documentary about Queen and Freddie Mercury on the plane (My screen was broken, so I actually got to sit first class and watch it whilst Ace was sleeping. How lucky am I?!). I saw “A star is born” on the way there and even though I absolutely adore Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga, Rami Malek just blew my mind. I had goosebumps on top of my goosebumps. If you haven’t already seen Bohemian Rhapsody, you have to see it now!

What is your affirmation, focus, mantra, and lesson this week?

My amazing snow leopard jumper* is made by Keeper Tees. They are handpainted, made in organic cotton, sustainably produced and a part of the profit goes to the charity “Children on the edge”. This is exactly the kind of brand I love to highlight here on the blog. I much rather show you great options that are future friendly than fast-food fashion from big chains. 

*gift

Hello lovelies, how are you?

I’m sorry you haven’t heard from me in a while. I’m in South Africa on holiday and I’m having a great time.

We started out with a few days of safari, spotting everything from elephants and giraffe, to zebra and buffalo. We stayed in these beautiful huts that were completely freezing at night. Ace had to sleep with me in my bed to keep warm and it was pretty snug and cozy. The camp has no fences, so the animals can just come and go as they please. Very exciting, and slightly scary with a toddler in tow. But it all went well and we had such a great time.

Now we are back in Durban. Spending our days at the beach and just trying to relax as much as possible. It’s such a gorgeous place and it really raises the question of living to work or working to live. In London I often feel like the former, whilst down here it’s very obvious that people do the latter. The lifestyle is just so much better here. I honestly could live in Durban and be happy forever after.

I wanted to show you this gorgeous blue linen dress I was gifted by sustainable brand Aspiga. As we already know, linen is a great sustainable material with loads of character and charm. It’s also totally in this season.

Aspiga has it’s roots in charities here in Africa. So I thought it would a great brand to bring with and showcase here on the blog. I’m trying to focus on as much sustainable fashion as possible and Aspiga makes the most beautiful items and has a great ethos. It’s just so much nicer for me to be able to recommend beautiful things that are also sustainable.

I want to show everyone that sustainable fashion can be absolutely gorgeous and this dress is exactly that. I have already used it several times this trip. And I have a feeling you will see it on me a lot more (for years to come).

It’s a great staple item in a capsule wardrobe. It can be worn year round and will never date or go out of fashion. The fabric will only get better with time, the cut is classic and the shape will be flattering for every body type. This is a sustainable piece to invest in and love forever.

You can find the dress here (mine was gifted). 

It’s time to present my “One-item-a-month” purchase in May – My beloved Jimmy Choo sneakers!

I absolutely love what this challenge has done to my shopping habits and my wardrobe. I totally used to shop emotionally and now when I only have one single item I’m allowed to buy every month, I have to think rationally.

I can’t impulse buy in the same way I used to and I really take my time to choose what I actually need.

Now, my Jimmy Choo sneakers was a bit of an impulse buy since I was able to purchase them to a discounted price. But I still did think rationally. I put all the high heels back on the shelf again and decided that a second pair of sneakers this year is a better investment.

I already got my Golden Goose sneakers in March that I absolutely adore. But since they are white and I would like to keep them somewhat nice. A black pair to alternate with seemed like a good idea. And it was! I have used them like crazy already.

They are perfect for the days when I want to look somewhat put together for meetings or events and then have to head straight to nursery to pick Ace up after. I don’t feel like I have to be particularly careful when I wear them since they are black and quite sturdy.

I’m also a sucker for quirky details. So the little polka dots on these sneakers are perfection. I’m so glad I got these little beauties  To be fair I got these at the same sale, but they ended up being my mothers day gift from my boys. And I also have to admit I did buy them in April. But as long as I end up with 12 items over the 12 months this challenge lasts. I will call it a success.

I often match my Jimmy Choo sneakers with summery dresses. Basically, if you head to Megan’s in Clapham any given weekday, you will most likely find me looking kind of like the photo. (My dress is by Gestuz and you can find it here – affiliate link) If I have meetings or events I tend to put some makeup on. Otherwise, I just let my skin rest. BTW how amazing is it that they have a tree in the middle of Megan’s? I love that place, it’s so pretty!

So now I want to know what item you purchased this month?

I’m hoping to inspire as many of you as possible to take on this challenge with me. I promise it will change the way you look at shopping and your wardrobe forever.

I’m so excited that I 5 months in already really notice a difference in my wardrobe. I now basically just own things that I really love and use. It’s fantastic. I never feel like I don’t have anything to wear. Seriously, you need to give it a go! 

Photo at the top. Ida Zander. Location – Megan’s Clapham. 

Hello, new week!

I just like the idea of a new beginning ever 7 days. Some people save it for January or possibly the start of every month. I’m too impatient and like to close my circles a bit quicker. I want to reflect, evaluate and tweak my course often. So 7 days it is and that’s why Monday always feels like a brand new opportunity to me.

This week is crazy cool. I got so many fun things coming up!

I’m starting off by being a guest on a panel discussing social media on a big news channel tomorrow. Then in the evening, I’m going to get to meet no one other than the amazing fashion designer Alice Temperley. I mean, what a day right?

I also have a great event on Thursday and then the hubby and I are spending the weekend at a hotel sans baby for a wedding. It’s the first time Ace will sleep at his grandparents. He is 20 months now and pretty easy going, so I’m sure he will have a blast.

And then on Monday Garth and I are going to have a little movie date-night before we take Ace and jet off to South Africa on Tuesday.

I’m so excited for all of the above. I mean I have loads to plan and to do. I haven’t even started washing clothes for the trip yet. But bring it on!

This is my affirmation, focus, vision, and lesson this week;

My mantra this week  – “Let’s go for it!” After two pretty slow weeks, I’m ready to go full steam ahead again. I have to admit I’m still kind of cold-y from the latest round of nursery bugs. But I’m bored with it and ready to kick the tempo up a notch.

My affirmation this week – “I know what I’m doing”. Or at least I know as much about what I’m doing as most other people do. It’s easy to assume everyone got their shit together, but to be honest most of us are winging it. It’s a part of challenging yourself. If things are not new and scary then we are not reaching far enough.

I have never been on a panel debate on a news channel before. But I’m used to being in front of the camera and I have a lot to say. So I feel pretty well prepared even though it is my first time.

My goal this week  – My goal this week is to keep a good balance between working hard, having fun and spending downtime with my family. When I have busy weeks I always look for little pockets of rest where I can disconnect and just recover. This week it’s Wednesday and Friday night I’m hoping to spend in bed with a book.

My dream of the week – I’m dreaming of living a whole life like mine has been this month. May has been absolutley amazing for me. Tv appearance, meeting incredibly inspiring people like Roksana Ilichic and Alice Temperley spend lots of time with my loved ones and being spoon fed inspiration almost daily. All this while still feeling on top of my work and like I have had enough time and energy to be a good mom. This month has had a really great balance, I wish the whole year would continue the same way.

My vision this week  – Garth and I have been binge watching “Tiny house nation” on Netflix. I find it totally inspiring to watch people create proper, albeit tiny homes on such a small budget. It shows how much you afford to do if you are willing to do something different. Maybe we can move our plans for a country house a bit closer in time if we decide to go for something a bit smaller? I would love to have a tiny house to spend our weekends away from London in.

My focus this week – I’m focusing on really squeezing every drop out of this power-week.

The event of the week  – What a hard choice. The panel discussion tomorrow? To get to meet Alice Temperley in person? The wedding on Saturday?

Actually the biggest thing this week is by far to leave Ace with Garth’s parents for the first time. I think he would have been ready sooner, but we took our time. So now we are going to spend two nights away from him for the first time ever. And I’m really looking forward to just being husband and wife and put the Mom and Dad hats away for a few hours. And to really enjoy the wedding on our own.

My lesson from last week – As soon as I think we must have had every germ in the world, we get sick again. I’m beginning to understand that this is our life now. We are just always going to have colds… Maybe the summer will help a bit? Or is that wishful thinking?

My everyday-luxury this week – Friday night we are staying in a hotel in Devon. Ace will be with Merrill and Owen. Garth will be away on groomsman’s duties and I’m planning on eating dinner in bed and taking a long bath whilst reading a book. I want my skin to resemble a prune before I get up.

My inspiration this week – Great Facebook groups. There are basically groups for everything. My favorite one is, of course, my own – Sustainable Sustainability. If you are looking to live a more sustainable life, one small change at the time, then I really recommend you to join us.

Do you have a great Facebook group to recommend?

What is your affirmation, focus, vision, and lesson this week?

Photo – Ida Zander. You can find all the links to my outfit here (some items are old, so I have linked similar ones). – Affiliate links. 

I have been blogging for a very long time. I started in 2007 and haven’t stopped since. In all those years I have become a bit of an expert on both blogging and the blogging industry. 

It’s a business that is constantly changing and evolving. It looks completely different depending on if you are blogging in the UK, US or Sweden. Only the difference between this blog and my Swedish blog is massive. It’s two utterly contrasting ways of blogging for two wildly different markets. Sure I can share some imagery and topics between the two blogs, but that’s about it.

So what worked for me when I started blogging in Sweden will most likely not work for new bloggers starting out now here in the UK.

However, I do know what my readers appreciate and I’m also very experienced in the industry. So these are my 10 best pieces of advice for new bloggers starting out;

1. Make sure to start on WordPress.org, and then self-host as quickly as possible.

It can be a nightmare to move a blog. Even I, who am a part of the big network United Influencers and have loads of technical help, found it stressful when I moved over from another network last year. I have done 4 blog moves in my 12 years as a blogger and unless you have proper help or are on a platform that makes it really easy, it’s a bit of a nightmare. So start where you intend to stay, at least for the foreseeable future.

2. Pick a topic you are truly passionate and know a lot about.

My blogs have always been about lifestyle. I focus mainly on fashion, beauty, travel, interiors and recently a bit of mom-life since I had Ace. I’m very fortunate to have a really wide variety of subjects to choose from. It truly makes my life a lot easier.

However, the blog market is a lot more saturated now than when I started out. So these days I would strongly recommend new bloggers to pick a particular subject and stick with it. And if you are going to spend all that time immersing yourself into a subject, it better be something you truly love. So think long and hard about your subject before you do anything else.

3. Post high quality-photos that are your own.

Ok, are you ready for some hard love?

A few years ago you could get away with a lot more quality-wise. Camera phones, badly put-together collages and stolen photos from Pinterest. Now the competition is fierce, so great photography is the key. If you are serious about blogging, it’s worth the investment to get a good camera-kit or hire a professional photographer to help you out. I have both and I still sometimes struggle. Imagery is at times harder than the actual writing.

Also, the stock photo route might look tempting, but honestly, very few blogs can get away with it. It only works if your photos don’t really matter and basically just there to break up the text. If not, you just have to suck it up. You can’t go wrong with your own high-quality imagery.

4. Find your voice.

Not every blogger need to be all “hey ya’ll gals”…

I’m Swedish, and it comes across in my writing since it makes me a more direct and a bit less girly and fluffy. My followers have come to know this as my signature style. Sure, not everyone will love it, but we are not looking to please everyone, only our target group. It’s not sustainable to try to be someone else in the long run. Just do yourself and use your own voice, even if you are a grumpy old Swede. I promise your followers will love you for it.

5. Find your own style.

Just like on Instagram, it’s really easy to look at what’s already out there and try to copy it. The problem is that it won’t ever be anything else than a slightly less great copy of something cool. So do yourself a favor and skip the whole step of “researching” other peoples photos and way of writing and find a style you love. Every time you post on your blog, think “is this me and do I love it?” before you press publish.

6. Find a rhythm and be consistent.

When I started blogging 12 years ago it was the norm to update 5 times a day. Crazy right?! It was quantity over quality, but people loved it. I actually had readers message me if I hadn’t posted in the last couple of hours.

These days it’s more about what you put up than how often. Find a schedule that works for you. If you post more often you will have more pageviews but possibly the same amount of followers than if you post less. I post 3-4 times every week on this blog and 6-7 times every week on my Swedish blog. If I only had this blog I would post every Monday-Friday, so 5 times a week. I think that’s a nice amount and very doable for me personally.

If you want to post often then you will have to learn to master the art of letting things go. Done is better than perfect. Just a little side-note form a former perfectionist who spent way too much time on each post and almost hit the wall.

7. Share your content.

Don’t just write and expect people to find you on their own. Yes, you will have readers come from Google and other search engines (if you are on top of your SEO). But honestly, if you want to have a shot at growing a blog these days, you need to push it.

I’m talking sharing on multiple platforms (Instagram/Pinterest/Twitter/Linked-in/Bloglovin’ you name it). Research the right Facebook groups for your target group, do swipe ups from Instastories to every new post you publish and make sure to pin your work on Pinterest. Use 50% of your time to produce content and 25% to share it.

8. Get out there.

Contact the relevant PR people for your genre. Don’t be shy, they need you as much as you need them. Make sure to get invited to events and meetings. It might feel a bit daunting to new bloggers, but it’s honestly the only way to get a foot in the door. If you want to earn money from your blogging, then people need to know you personally. This is where the last 25% of your time should be used.

Get out there and network your cute little butt off, they will love you.

9. Treat it like a job.

Even if it’s your side hustle right now, hopefully, you will one day end up blogging full-time. So be professional from day one. Block out the time you intend to spend on your blog every week and stay consistent using it to create content/promote or working on your network. Answer all emails, even if it’s only quick and always keep your promises. You don’t get a chance to change a first impression and as with any other business, reputations are important.

10. Have fun and stay creative.

After 12 years I’m a bit of an expert at staying creative. I have over 9 000 posts on my Swedish blog. That is a lot of hours of writing and just as many different headlines and takes on my subjects. If there is one thing that’s important to me, it’s to keep inspired and motivated.

I create at my best when I have a good balance in my life and it’s up to me to make sure I keep that balance. You have to find what inspires you and what gives you that new energy you need to keep going.
I find that magazines, books, yoga and spending time with inspirational people really help me keep my focus.

Find a way to re-load those creative batteries and do it often.

…and most importantly, just stick with it.

It won’t happen over a day. I have seen sooooo many new bloggers come and go. But the best blogs with the really passionate people behind them, they always do well sooner or later. So believe in yourself and keep on creating.

I believe in you!

Photo – Ida Zander. You can find similar jeans here,  a similar headband here and a similar t-shirt here – affiliate links Location – Minnow Clapham. 

Since I had Ace I have been looking for an exfoliating product that actually works. I want it to really clean out my pores and remove old dead skin, but at the same time be gentle enough for my slightly more sensitive skin. 

It might sound like I’m asking a lot. And I am.

It actually took me all of 1.5 years to find a product that fit all my criteria. And knowing what a beauty geek I am, you can only imagine how many products I indeed have tried. Everything from Dermalogicas classic – affiliate link, to different gadgets and over-night peels. Nothing worked for me.

After having a baby, my skin is so much more sensitive than it used to be. I swear I could have exfoliated with sanding paper in the past and been fine. Now my skin hates everything active enough to actually make a difference.

I however still need to deep cleanse my pores at least once a week. My skin needs it to stay content and happy.

I went to a lovely event for MZ skin, the new skincare brand by plastic surgeon and skin guru Dr Maryam Zamani a few weeks ago. We all left with a little bag of press samples and in that bag was amongst other things a lovely mask with a very long and impractical name –  “Radiance & Renewal Instant Clarity Refining Mask”. I find the name a bit much, but the mask itself is pretty perfect.

My pores get a good old clean, my skin feels soft after and all without any irritation. Halleluja!

Now I feel like can actually go back to the skincare routine I had before I got pregnant. Only with slightly gentler products.

It’s such a fine line between over and under-exfoliating. So many skin care issues could be solved by proper exfoliation. I get the feeling that people don’t exfoliate at all and don’t really see the point of it. Or the opposite, they love the feeling of exfoliated skin and over do it.

Exfoliation is as personal as it comes. A product that works for one person might not at all work for someone else. I have friends that can exfoliate 3 times a week and look radiant and for some once a month is all their skin can handle. For me, it’s once a week, or I get punished with blotchy cheeks, breakouts, and dryness.

This mask contains lactic acid, acelactic acid, glucuronic acid and papaya enzyme. All these ingredients exfoliate in a chemical way. There are physical “peelers” out there, but I would recommend you to stay away from them. Anything with small particles or granules do more damage than good. Fruit acids are a very popular and gentle ingredient in good exfoliating products, so look out for those.

You can find “Radiance & Renewal Instant Clarity Refining Mask” here – affiliate link. It’s not cheap, but it works for me.

Oh, and you should check out my Instastory today. This mask has an added little bonus that’s pretty cool. (If you are reading this post at a later date, go to my “beauty” highlight, and you will find the story there).

Don’t forget to USE SPF when you exfoliate guys. It’s always important, but especially after retinol and exfoliators.

Ok, time for the truth – Do you exfoliate? And if you do, what product do you use and how often? 

…looking for a great day cream? Check this post out!