Today’s ‘Seoulfull Conversation with…’ features Farwa @scienceandskincare. I have been following Farwa for quite some time on Instagram and always had an appreciation for her artistically taken photographs and her play with shadows. Her blog is fantastic and she reviews all skincare products under the sun, ranging from Skinceuticals to Pixie to Kiehl’s to Boots own brand in a very informative and structured manner. She’s the go to girl if you want to hear about the newest releases and has really got her finger on the pulse when it comes to knowing what’s new in the skincare realm. Her blog is also a wealth of information if you are interested in well written and well research skin-education. I especially love her interview section with skincare and beauty industry experts such as Sonia Deasy, co founder of Pestle and Mortar, Jennifer Goldstein, co host of the Fat Mascara podcast and Beauty Director at Marie Claire and even Elsie Rutterford, co founder of BYBI Beauty. Speaking of Bybi Beauty, Farwa scored an internship there after completing her degree in Biochemistry and she is now a full-time beauty blogger/writer. This is something she takes very diligently as exemplified by one of her recent posts which caught my attention. In an world where everyone seems to in constant race for PR gifts and showcasing them on their beautifully curated page, Farwa makes a valid point for those truly interested in beauty blogging as a career, that “it is a job where you’re providing the service of honest, helpful advice”. I love how she treats testing products as an experiment, taking thorough notes and realistically points out that “some joy can often taken out of skincare” when being a beauty blogger. Her most valuable advice to those wanting to start a beauty blog or Instagram account in an oversaturated platform? “You may very well gain a lot of followers but the likelihood is that without passion and some knowledge, you’ll burn out and gain very little from the experience”. Couldn’t have said it better myself.

Today, Farwa talks about her life in lockdown in London, about being grateful to live in a city with Deliveroo, her love for the Real Housewives franchise, Luneia’s Radiance Ritual mask making her glow, her appreciation for celebrity Food chef Alison roman and how’s she’s replicated her famous white bean recipe (Farwa is clearly a girl after my own heart!)

Enjoy!

The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is…my skincare routine and make a coffee. Then, I check Instagram, LinkedIn and my emails. I have also made a conscious effort to AVOID the news at all costs.  

My morning skincare routine is…really simple now. I think my skin does not like to be overloaded. I wash my face with water, apply some of the Ordinary’s Glycolic Acid toner. Next, I apply a dot of Kiehl’s Kiehl’s Powerful Strength Line-Reducing & Dark Circle-Diminishing Vitamin C Eye Serum and the YSL Perfect Plumper Cream and I finish off with some Revitabrow and SPF.

How my day looks like right now…I have something that resembles a routine. I start by tidying and working until about 2 pm, then I go for a walk. After I come back, I tend to read or watch something interesting and then I spend a few hours prepping and cooking dinner! By 8 pm, I am normally exhausted and force myself to have a shower and get ready for bed.

How I’m keeping fit…I do yoga once a week, ‘Yoga with Adriene’ makes great YouTube videos. They are super easy to follow along with. I also try to go for a walk every day.

How I’m dressing at home…I absolutely do not put any effort in. I love not wearing make-up. I mean sometimes I love experimenting but if it’s not necessary, then I don’t bother. It saves so much time that I’d rather use for researching and writing. I also stay casual and go between gym kits and jumpers with jeans. 

How I’m really feeling…very determined to make the most out of the situation and determined to be grateful for all the things I do have.  

Currently binge watching…Brooklyn 99 and The Real Housewives Franchise but honestly, I haven’t been watching too much TV.

 My favourite podcasts to listen to are…Fat Mascara and Bon Appetit. They are both very knowledgable in their fields and so share some great advice and interesting stories. 

Everyday I look forward to…cooking!

My guilty pleasure right now is…YouTube. 

I’m grateful for…living a city that had Deliveroo. 

My favourite ways to connect with friends or family I’m not seeing right now…WhatsApp to video call my parents, I’ve always used it. Also, Zoom and House Party are great to stay in connect with friends but my really close friends I talk over the phone for a few hours. It’s actually a great way to keep yourself level headed and make sure everyone is ok.

When it comes to food…I love homemade curry, to the point where I refuse to eat takeaway curries unless it’s from a good Indian restaurant. They are also super easy to make. Last night I made saag with feta from Priya Krishna’s Indian-Ish cookbook. The great thing about homemade curries is that they really don’t require many ingredients. I also love Alison Roman’s White Bean Stew. You just fry up some Butter Beans (or any white beans) with onions, garlic and harissa paste. Add some stock and broccoli and let it simmer for 20 mins. It’s so delicious! 

My night time skincare routine is…again super simple, I normally wash my face with Pixi’s Milky cleanser and toner. Then, I use a fragrant oil like Kiehl’s Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil. I’m looking for something with lavender in it to add to this routine too but haven’t found anything yet!

One skincare product I’m totally digging right now is…Luneia’s Radiance Ritual. It’s a nice weekly treat and is so gentle on the skin. It’s great if your skin’s feeling sensitive and because I’m indoors more dead skin tends to build up. This just refreshes the skin perfectly!

One luxury item I cannot live without at the moment is…my coffee machine!

I’m currently coveting...some new gym clothes. I think they’re gonna come in handy over the next few weeks. Not to work out in of course, but just a comfy cross between PJ’s and regular clothes. 

After isolation, I cannot wait to…dressed up and going out for dinner!

The one thing keeping me sane right now is…cooking. I’ve always loved cooking and now when it’s time for dinner, I just shut myself off in the kitchen with my laptop and watch a good T.V show whilst cooking and that’s my little bit of the day that’s normal.

One piece of advice I’d like to share with everyone…is use this time to be introspective and learn to enjoy being alone. Once you enjoy that, you inevitably become less reliant on other people to have fun which, pandemic or not, you should be able to do!