Beauty, Books and Babble

After a year of lockdown restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic, populations across the globe have found themselves adapting by making staying home the new going out. And sure, relaxing at home in your comfiest pants with no make-up on might be quite the treat for some of us, but it's safe to say that there have been a bunch of single folk out there who found themselves missing the big wide world of free dating.

And that's where virtual dating came into the mix.

No longer could singletons meet Oxfordshire singles down at a bar or plan a date in a swanky restaurant, and so they soon began planning dates of FaceTime, Zoom and other virtual methods. And while a virtual date isn't quite as ideal as meeting someone in real life, it's a great way to see if you have a connection with someone ahead of more normality returning.

So, here's how you should prepare for that virtual date...

Sh*t, shower, shave... Yes, you still need to make an effort.

Get ready for your virtual date exactly as you would if it were to be a face-to-face date. Sure, it might be tempting to skip the shower - your date can't smell you through the camera, right?! - but it'll make you feel a whole lot better if you're feeling fresh. Wear an outfit that makes you feel great, even if most of it isn't visible on camera, and finish it off with some hair and makeup if you'd like. Whatever makes you feel good - do it.

Figure out your most flattering camera set-up.

Give yourself plenty of time before your virtual date to figure out how and where you're going to set up your camera. Are you going to use your phone or laptop? Are you wanting natural light or a sexy lamp glow? A plain wall backdrop or something a bit busier? There's so much to consider when positioning your camera, and the last thing you wanna do is scramble around at the last minute for a good spot.

Virtual doesn't have to be boring - plan an activity!

One major thing you'll be missing on a virtual date is a conversation starter in your surroundings. At a bar, you might discuss the drinks. A restaurant - the food. A zoo - the animals. On a virtual date, you're gonna start off with nothing but each other. So start things off by planning an activity. Maybe you could cook together, share a virtual drink, or plan a pub style quiz!

Connect with a bit of virtual nookie...

Yes - virtual sex can be just as good as the real deal. Whether you're a few dates and wanting to get intimate, or are simply virtual dating for a bit of fun, a bit of virtual fun over FaceTime can be a huge amount of fun for both parties. Not to mention you know exactly what your own body likes, right...?

All done? Give yourself a pat on the back!

Having an entire date from the comfort of your own home without physical touch or a change of surroundings can make it feel like you haven't actually been on a date. But you bloody well have! Much like a face-to-face date, you've been through the pre-date panic, got yourself ready, gone out of our comfort zone, and met someone new. So give yourself some credit and a good ol' pat on the back,

May is just around the corner, and after a whole year of lockdowns and social distancing, normality is starting to return slowly and surely - we can meet outdoors socially, drink in beer gardens, and even head to the zoo if we wanted.

But for some people, heading out and about to mingle can still feel quite daunting - even with their long terms partners - and instead they'd like to stick to some social distancing just a little bit longer.

So, while a virtual date might not quite feel the same as a date in person, if you're looking to get on free dating sites and step back into dating without having to actually meet up, it could be the perfect solution. So, I've compiled five simple and fun virtual date activities to keep you going…

1. Get together for a movie night... in your own homes!

Whether you're well into a relationship or have just met someone on a Norfolk dating site, movie night is always an ol' faithful date idea, and you don't even have to be together to do it. You can get cosied on your own sofas - complete with pyjamas if you wish! - decide on a film you'd boh like to watch, and then time it right by pressing that play button in unison. Finish of the night by chatting about the film over the phone.

2. Go old school and chat on the phone

If you're anything like me, you crave a date you can gab and gab to without ever getting bored. And there's not better way to test that with a new potential romance than by chatting over the phone. Just you, them and a phoneline with no distractions. If things go really well, you might even slip into a bit of phone nookie... wink, wink, nudge, nudge!

3. Get hot in the kitchen and cook "together"

Not only does a virtual cooking date provide a fun evening getting messy in the kitchen, but you can settle down afterwards with the end result, and indulge in (hopefully!) good grub together. So get on FaceTime, choose a recipe, and cook together... You might even get competitive about who has the most Instagram-worthy dish!

4. Choose a book and start a book club for two

If you and your date/partner both love getting your nose stuck in a good book, why not decide on a title together and both start reading it. Every so often, you can call each other up to discuss the book so far... fingers crossed you both like it!

5. Release your inner geek and play video games

Got a games console? Fab. Channel your inner geek, find out what mutual games you and your date have, and get your controller ready for a night or fierce gaming. There's only one choice you have to make: do you want to team up and head into a co-op campaign, or unleash your competitive side and go head-to-head?

There you have it. Nine easy date ideas to get you through lockdown or add some spice to a long distance relationship. What are your favourite virtual date ideas?

When it comes to the world of modern dating, it seems we've passed the time of asking for people's numbers in bars, or locking eyes with a stranger in a supermarket and asking them if they'd like to grab a coffee.

Instead, we're signing up to dating apps and getting our swipe on. Why? Because there are so many perks to the online dating sites UK based or further afield, and finally people are realising it...

1. It's convenient

Chances you you find yourself either on a phone or laptop daily, right? And much like you can find apps for almost anything nowadays, you'll be able to find apps and websites for dating too. And with such an array of them our there, you're bound to find the perfect one for you. The best part? You can log on whenever is convenient for you with ease.

2. It saves time and money

Going out partying every weekend on a hunt to meet Dorset singles can definitely be fun, but it can also leave your purse feeling rather light, and will certainly eat up some of your precious free time... especially if you lose a day nursing a hangover! Sometimes it's nicer to just stay home, put your feet up with some good TV, and casually check out your new matches and messages on your dating apps.

3. You can cut to the chase

There's no denying that once we've got somewhat of a crush on someone, we like to have a little social media creep to find out about them - we're all guilty of it! How old are they? What school did they go to? Do they have any hobbies? Thanks to all the things a dating profile can offer, you can find out a potential love interest's age, location, interests and more, all in a mere matter of seconds. And they can find out all about you too! So make sure to bulk out your dating profile with all your good bits, and bring on the matches.

4. It's perfect if you're shy

Online dating is also great for those of you that are a little more shy. The awkward element of talking to someone for the first time is taken away, and you can message people you perhaps normally wouldn’t have the confidence to approach in real life. The worst that can happen is that they don’t respond to you, right? And no one has to know! It stays between you and the dating app.

5. It's a chance to find love

C'mon... there's nothing to lose, right?

Whether you've been single a while or have been newly thrust into single life, the world of dating is a big wide one for everyone, and organising a winning first date with someone new can feel like a daunting and difficult task. Of course, you want to make a good first impression, but more importantly, you want both parties to have fun and feel comfortable.

And sometimes, when entering the world of single disabled dating, you may have extra things to think about - accessibility, extra help or specialist facilities. To get you off to a goo head start, I've compiled a list of wonderful first date ideas that are not only wheelchair friendly, but are sure to wow your date too... and hopefully lead to a second, and a third, and maybe even more...

Fun and trivia at a pub quiz night

A pub quiz provides a friendly way to get to know each other, show off what you know, and maybe even introduce some flirty competitiveness to your date. Not all pubs are accessible, so make sure to do a bit of research and make sure there are ramps available and tables low enough for wheelchairs - then you're good to go!

Learn something new as you make your way around a museum

I've always found most museums are accessible, and so they make a perfect place for a first date when single disabled dating. Wander round with a potential new love interest, learn something new, and perhaps even get a bit silly with interactive parts of the museum... even if they are meant for children!

Picnic together as you enjoy a sunset

Watching the sunset is a romantic and budget-friendly way to spend an evening with a date or a significant other. Get a yummy picnic together, find an accessible (and preferably paved!) spot with a good view, and get ready to spend an evening chatting the night away as the sun dips into the horizon. Beautiful!

Indulge in a classic movie night together

It may will be a cliché, but a classic movie night always works a treat for date night. It even has the added bonus of alleviating any initial conversation pressures, and you'll have plenty to discuss when the movie is over! If movies aren't your thing, why not binge some fun YouTube videos together?

Do some animal watching at a zoo or aquarium

Much like museums, zoos and aquariums usually provide great accessibility and a wide open space to comfortably explore, not to mention you'll have plenty to talk about on your way round!

There you have it. Five incredibly fun and accessible date ideas that are sure to make for a great first date. If you're still feeling unsure on where to take someone on a wheelchair friendly date, the best way to go about it is to have an open and honest conversation with them!

As you all know, the day of love is just around the corner. A day when red rose sales are at an ultimate high, jewellery is flying off the shelves, and restaurants are overflowing with happy couples. But what if you’re alone this Valentine’s? Your partner might not believe in the holiday, or you could live apart. Maybe you’re happily married with children and time together seems an impossibility, or maybe you’ve just not found the special one yet. Then what? Then you have a date with yourself for the night, and here are some fabulous ways to do it…

Grab yourself a book (a girly romance will be perfect!), get some candles lit, whip on a snuggly jumper and settle down on the sofa for a long, warm night with some book boyfriends or in magical place a world away from your living room sofa.
Love isn’t just about partners! Why not settle down with a cocktail and some cute stationery? Write a note to your besties telling them just why you love them, or reminisce on some good times in a greetings card for them.
Whether we like to admit it or not, we all have an ultimate celebrity crush. For me it’s always going to be Bradley Cooper or Sam Claflin. Maybe you’re more of a Johnny Depp or a Channing Tatum kind of woman? Either way, rent or download a few of their movies and treat yourself to cosy night in with tonnes of on-screen eye-candy.
Get crafty! I find nothing more relaxing than adult colouring books, and I can also spend hours doing cross stitch. Find a craft you enjoy and spend your night getting creative. Tonnes of fun, and you’ll have something pretty to show for it at the end.
Since you’re not going to be spending your hard-earned cash on someone else this Valentine’s, you might as well spend it on yourself. Whether it’s a spa day, some jewellery, a salon splurge or a massive online clothes haul, treat yourself to something special – and don’t feel guilty about it!

There you have it! Five ways to spend your Valentine’s if you’re alone this year. I’d love to hear what you’re up to this Valentine’s in the comments below. ツ

You know you're growing up when the time comes to leave your parents' place and get a house of your very own, right? I mean, I don't think I've ever felt as adult as I did when I got my very own mortgage. And when I bought my sofas, well, I felt pretty darn grown up. And when I picked out curtains and paint colours for my living room... gawddd, I'm so mature now.

I've lived on my own for a few years now. And in that time, I've discovered that living on my own comes with a number of pros and cons. Let me fill you in...

Pros

You can slob about the house in your finest - or most grim - underwear if you really want. I once sat and played my piano in my bra and pants because, well, why not? Just gets a bit awks when someone knocks at the door.
Music can be played loudly without having to worry your disturbing someone else in the house. There's the added bonus of being able to sing and dance along, somewhat like a lunatic, without embarrassment.
You can have your friends round whenever the hell you want. Maybe even throw house parties as and when you wish, if your friends are trustworthy enough...
Sharing your bed, or being stuck in a single, is a thing of the past. Yes, that's right - you can fully sprawl out across a lovely double bed. Find yourself some beaut bedding and top quality duvet for plenty of nights of starfishing to come.

Cons

You're screwed when there's a spider lurking around. And you'll have to relocate to a different room, or ask your dad to come round and get it for you...
It is entirely your responsibility to clean the bathroom. And you're the only one to suffer the consequences if you don't.
You have no one to remind you when food in your fridge is about to go out of date. And sometimes you don't even realise until it's way too late and a peculiar smell wafts into the kitchen every time you open the fridge door.
There's no one to convince you that you should probably get to bed. And so you stay up for one more episode of whatever Netflix series you're watching. And one more after that. And another...
It gets kinda lonely sometimes. But then again, you can't just let anyone come along and ruin your spider-evading, Netflix-binging, underwear-clad routine.

What would you say the pros and cons of living on your own are?

I first discovered hair dye back in primary school when my mum started using semi-permanent boxes on her hair, and so, of course, I wanted a go as well. Since then I've been through a lot of the rainbow - blonde, red, blue, pink, brown, black, purple, highlights, ombré - but one I stuck to for a long, long time was a vivid red (all done professionally nowadays, of course), and I started to notice a number of things...

1. Wearing red on red is scary. I mean, red is an awesome colour to rock, especially on a night out, but now that my hair is red, I'm worried I end up looking a bit obsessed. Or maybe I'll look like I'm in fancy dress as a giant tomato? I dunno.

2. Evo Fabuloso is my best friend. If you don't know what this is, it's a coloured conditioner which enhances your colour (or can change your colour for about three or four washes - I used it for dip dyes when I was blonde!). I can't live without it now because my hair looks so fabulous after being washed with this - hence the name!

3. My shower sometimes looks like a murder scene. I'm quite a clumsy and messy person naturally, I seriously can't help it. So when I'm using my Fabuloso conditioner (which is very red by the way), I manage to splash it every where from the shower doors, the tiles, and even sometimes the ceiling. When I forget to clean it up (okay, when I'm maybe too lazy), my shower may look like a murder scene to whoever goes in next.

4. I don't need a Lush bath bomb to turn the water pink. My hair does that job just fine, though obviously without the glorious smell and skin conditioning benefits. Whether it be a bath or a shower, the water is guaranteed to have a tinge of pink to it. And I like it. It's kinda cute.

5. Wrapping white towels on my head isn't a good idea. Yes, not only does the water turn pink, but my towels do too. And it drives my mum batty. So much so, in fact, that she has bought me my very own special red towel to wrap around my head. She's a good'un!

6. What I thought was red is no longer red enough. When I first went to red, it was from blonde, and so I went for a subtle kind of red. My hairdresser was adamant that I would end up wanting it more vibrant, and lo and behold, I wanted it redder when I went for a top colour. And then redder. And now? I want it redder again.

7. My hairdressers are the best. No matter what colour I get, my hairdressers do an amaaaazing job. I seriously would trust them to do anything and everything to my hair, and know it's going to look fabulous. Going to get my hair done is no longer a chore, and I could happily stay in the salon all day with them. (I think my record so far is about 8 hours?)

Have you been a redhead before and experienced any of this? Let me know!