Tag Archives: hot

Jul27

How To Beat The Summer Heat At Night

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How To Beat The Summer Heat At Night

Many of us find it hard to sleep in the heat. However, you don’t have to suffer through the extreme temperatures. Below are just a few different ways to keep cool on a hot summer’s night so that you can catch some Zs comfortably:

Leave windows open:

An obvious way to deal with the heat is to leave windows open. To encourage a breeze through your home, consider keeping interior doors open on a hot summer’s night (you may want to use doorstops to stop them slamming). If you get bugs coming in through your windows at night, consider installing bug screens that will allow air through while keeping bugs out.

Place fans in the right locations:

Fans can help keep you cool as you sleep. The best place to put a small fan in a bedroom is in an open doorway on the ground facing up into your bedroom. Most hallways are cooler because they have less windows, while air is typically cooler at ground level than up high. If hot air is still coming in through a window, do not place a fan by your window as it will just help blow hot air in. Some people place fans near windows facing outside to help blow hot air out, however this is typically more effective during the day.

Install air conditioning:

The most effective solution against heat in your home is air conditioning. Most homes already have AC, although it can vary a lot in quality. Consider whether you need to upgrade your air conditioning. Older units typically start to become less effective at cooling the temperature over time. In other cases, homes may have systems that are too weak for the size of the home (particularly if additions have been made to a home, but no added vents have been installed).

Use breathable bedding:

Summer is definitely not the time for thick duvets and flannel bed sheets. Ideally, you want light and breathable bedding. Cotton and linen sheets are a good choice. You could even try bamboo sheets. Consider sleeping with nothing but a sheet over you or use a light quilt.

Take a cool shower before bed:

You’re likely to find it harder to go to sleep if you’re already hot and sweaty. Taking a shower or bath in some cold water could help to clean off the sweat and bring your body temperature down. It doesn’t have to be freezing cold water – lukewarm water is fine.

Cool down your bedding:

You could also consider cooling your bedding before you go to sleep. Some people place their bed sheets in the freezer or fridge for five minutes before going to bed. This could stop you from getting hot while trying to get to sleep. Of course, some people may find this to be too much effort (you’ll need to have a spare fridge/freezer drawer, plus it means making your bed before you go to sleep, so bear this in mind).

Summer is a joyous time, albeit a hot one! Use the tips above to beat the heat when trying to sleep.

Featured Image By: Pexels

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Aug10

Keeping Safe At Home During A Heatwave

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Keeping Safe At Home During A Heatwave

When a heatwave strikes, everything becomes more dangerous. Spending too much time outdoors can lead to an array of serious issues, and many activities become off limits as a result of high temperatures or water limitations. It can be hard to figure out how to stay safe during a heatwave, especially if you haven’t had much experience with extreme weather in the past. Thankfully, there are a few key tips and tricks that you can make the most of to protect yourself despite the unrelenting sunshine. Read on to uncover some of the most effective steps that you can follow to keep cool and calm this summer:

Protect Your Property:

Your home should act as a safe sanctuary during a heatwave and there are many different ways that you can create a cool, refreshing environment in which you and your family can stay refreshed and healthy. The color of your home’s exterior can contribute massively towards its overall temperature as dark colors are more likely to absorb the heat whereas light colors like white can reflect it.

It’s a good idea to invest in a set of shutters that you can install outside of your windows because once closed this will act as a barrier between your home and the intense sun outside. You will be able to keep your windows open to benefit from a breeze without filling the room with sunshine, so it’s the perfect solution for a hot day. Installing an air conditioning unit may be something that you want to consider, but it’s important to note that the unit itself will emit a lot of heat which can intensify under the harsh summer sun. Stick with a simple fan if you want a cooler breeze, which is also far more environmentally conscious.

Adapt Your Garden:

It’s absolutely vital that you make an effort to adapt your garden to better suit the heatwave and its risks, as there are certain features that can pose a serious danger in the event of severe sunshine. For example, leaving piles of old branches, leaves, and grass cuttings out to dry may have been an acceptable activity during the winter, but this can easily lead to a fire if you make such a mistake during a heatwave. You don’t need to read a property damage restoration FAQ page to know that a fire in your garden could spread to your house in less than a couple of seconds, so you must be vigilant and adapt your outside space to suit the extreme weather that’s headed your way.

Heatwaves can come with a few benefits, as it’s a great time to grow a variety of fruits and vegetables that thrive on the intense sunlight. Extra spicy chilies, sweet melons, and juicy tomatoes will be great in your garden, so you may as well make the most of the opportunity to get some home grown vitamins to power you through the heatwave!

Stay cool this summer by adapting your property to the extreme heat!

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Jun8

Summer Makeup: Application Tips For Extreme Heat

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Summer Makeup: Application Tips For Extreme Heat

Hello everyone and welcome to a very special guest post from my friend, Kiki, over at From Vanity To Sanity. Today, Kiki is going to share with us some makeup tips for the hot hot heat, which she knows all about as she lives in Cyprus. But, we can certainly all benefit from it with summer weather officially upon us! And, when you’re done, please make sure to give Kiki’s page some love – I’m sure you’ll all adore it as much as I do. Enjoy!

Summer Makeup: Application Tips For Extreme Heat

Ever since returning to my country, Cyprus, from rainy Manchester in the UK in the peak of summer (end of July) in 2017, I’ve been thinking of writing a blog post about the difficulties of applying makeup in hot weather as this is a daily struggle for me. I never had such issues when I lived in the UK or even when I lived in Greece.

For those not familiar with Cyprus, the small European country in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, summers here are hot and humid with temperatures rising well above 44 degrees Celsius usually in July and August. But, with climate change, recent years are seeing a bigger and bigger extension of these heatwaves in Cyprus with summer weather lasting from the beginning of May to the end of October. Just this year we had a 42+ degrees Celsius day in May! I don’t even dare think what the rest of the summer will be like.

So, when Sarah of lifewithlilred gave a shout out for a collaboration with anyone wanting to write about a summer topic as a guest on her blog, I thought this is it, I HAVE to finally write this post because who likes dripping makeup, right?

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Wearing makeup for me is very important. Unless I’m going swimming (And, even when I go to the beach, I usually put on an under-eye concealer and tinted sunscreen for minimum coverage.) I like to look good wherever I go. No longer a spring chicken, this unfortunately for me means not just wearing a nice lipstick to brighten up my face. (Oh! To be young again, able to get away with bare skin and just a bright colored lipstick!). I now need the full works: foundation, concealer, mascara, lipstick, and blusher. But, if you’re a makeup addict like me, then you know those products make the bare minimum of a made-up look.

“But heat and humidity are makeup’s enemies. So, what are makeup’s friends in hot weather then? In my case, it’s tissues, sunscreen, face powder, setting spray, blotting paper, and the coolness from a powerful air-conditioner. Without them, applying makeup in extreme hot weather would just be impossible”

First things first, to be able to even start the process of applying makeup in a hot and humid environment, I personally need to be in a cool place. So, I make sure to have the aircon on full blast before I sit in front of my vanity mirror. Then, I dry my face to avoid any wetness from the humid climate using tissue paper and I’m set to go with the following products in step order:

  • Under-eye concealer: As I’ve always had dark circles under my eyes this is an absolute must for me and it’s always my first step.
  • Sunscreen: If I’m not going for a heavy made-up look, I’ll use a 50+ SPF tinted one and skip the foundation. Two good tinted options of mine are LA ROCHE-POSAY’s ANTHELIOS XL and SUN SENSE. I make sure to cover my face well with the sunscreen, especially the bridge of my nose and cheeks which are my features that get the most sun exposure and are prone to sun damage.
  • Foundation: If I’m going for full coverage, then I’ll use a non-tinted sunscreen in the previous step followed by a good foundation. An all-time favorite of mine is the Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation but I recently discovered a good alternative from SHISEIDO, the UV Protective Stick Foundation with 30 SPF. As it’s in stick form it’s very easy to apply and doesn’t need particular blending.
  • Powder: Preferably in loose form, face powder is essential in setting the creamy products applied to the face before potentially adding any others such as blusher, eyeshadow, brow liner, mascara, and lipstick.
  • Setting spray: This is the last step in ensuring the look stays intact. By spraying the face from a distance of about 25 cms you help everything stay put and not melt away when the temperature rises.
  • Blotting paper: Essential to blot out sweat throughout the day and/or night, this product is handy to be kept in your handbag to avoid looking oily when the temperature and, more importantly, the humidity levels rise.

Today, following the above steps but also adding mascara, bronzer, and lip-gloss I created this everyday, natural look (the frizzy stray hairs are testament to the humidity):

Here’s a snapshot of the products I used:

I’d be interested to hear of any other tips for applying and maintaining makeup in extremely hot weather as, frankly, I am finding it a challenge!

Thank you so much again to Kiki for treating us to a guest post here on lifewithlilred! What are your summer time makeup tips? How do you stay cool in the warm weather? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May28

New Zac & Rachel Skort

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New Zac & Rachel Skort

Hellooo! As far as I’m concerned, summer is here. And, with each changing of the season, I usually have a big TJMaxx haul to refresh my wardrobe with some fun new pieces. I’m not going to lie, summer is my least favorite season to dress for. It is not like me to just throw on a tank top and shorts and call it a day, which is so easy to do when it’s hot out. So, despite the heat, I still like putting together outfits that make a statement. And, that shouldn’t be hard to do with this new Zac & Rachel skort! Check it out:

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Before I purchased my first skort from TJ’s a few months ago, I always associated that type of clothing with childhood. But, I now know that the skort is a-okay for GROWN ASS WOMEN, too! The skort is a wonderful invention because you don’t have to worry about anyone sneaking a peek up your skirt throughout the day and you also don’t have to deal with the shorts riding up into a denim wedgie as if you were wearing shorts. #winning

This Zac & Rachel skort just screams “fun in the sun” to me and I love the pattern of oranges, sunflowers, and polka dots. Such a sweet combination! What’s great about this skort, is that it’s going to look dressed up with a black crop top and some espadrilles thanks to the stark white and flattering fit. Bye bye, basic summer OOTDs and hello to an ensemble that will still help you beat the heat but look oh so chic.

How do you avoid the basic summer OOTD blues? What is one of your summer wardrobe staples? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov20

Risk Assessments To Consider When Working Outdoors

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Risk Assessments To Consider When Working Outdoors

Working outdoors presents its own unique set of challenges. No matter what type of work is being carried out, appropriate risk assessments are required. Otherwise, not only are you putting the safety of your workers at risk, but you could find yourself facing an unwanted legal battle, too. With that in mind, read on to discover some appropriate risk assessments you should consider when working outdoors:

What is a risk assessment?

A risk assessment is a systematic approach to assessing work activities. Business owners need to look at everything that could go wrong and determine suitable control measures for preventing injury, damage, and loss in the workplace. The assessment should include the controls needed to minimize, reduce, or eradicate the risks.

Working in hot environments:

The weather can be erratic at the best of times; one minute it is raining, the next minute we are welcoming a heat wave. When employees are working outside all day, it is important that they are protected from the weather. There are a number of administrative controls that can be used to protect workers when in hot environments. This includes:

  • Talk to workers about the early symptoms of heat stress.
  • Encourage the removal of personal protective equipment whenever a person is resting to help encourage heat loss.
  • Introduce shaded areas where people are working.
  • Supply free access to cool drinking water.
  • Provide more frequent rest breaks.
  • Reschedule work to cooler periods of the day.

Working in cold environments:

If your employees work outside all of the time, it is likely that they are going to need to work in cold weather. You will need to carry out a risk assessment so that you can reduce the risks associated with cold weather working. Some of the controls you can use to achieve this include:

* Talk to workers about the early symptoms of cold stress.
* Consider delaying the work. Is it possible to reschedule the work to a warmer time of the year that will not compromise safety?
*  Introduce more frequent rest breaks.
*  Encourage the drinking of warm fluids, such as hot drinks or soup.
*  Provide mobile facilities for warming up.
*  Make sure the personal protective equipment issued is suitable.

Working outdoors in specialist environments:

There are also a number of specialist workplace environments that require thorough risk assessments. This includes working outdoors under high air pollution levels. Factors to be considered throughout your risk assessment include workload, work arrangement, general/roadside AQHI category, workers’ health condition, and exposure to other air contaminants. Preventative measures include the likes of reducing the weight of loads being handled at one time, arranging for job rotation between indoor and outdoor work, and minimizing outdoor work in areas with heavy traffic.

When something goes wrong:

If you work outdoors and the correct safety measures are not taken, you could end up being involved in an accident and suffering an injury. If this does occur, it is important to find injury lawyers you can rely on. You should not merely sit back and accept what has happened to you. If it was not your fault because risk assessments were not carried out or the proper provisions were not put in place, you will be entitled to compensation.

There is a lot that needs to be considered when it comes to outdoor work. This is why thorough risk assessments are a necessity. Hopefully, you now feel like you have a better understanding regarding the steps that need to be taken in order to ensure that risks are minimized and workers are protected. If you are worried about the conditions you are working in, speak up!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Jan8

January Jams

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January Jams

Heyy everyone and happy Monday! Today we are going to rock out to the music that has been on repeat on the ol’ iPod. The icy cold winter weather is about to warm up with some flaming hot January Jams. Take a listen (And, as always, I have no rights to any of these songs or videos!):

I have been SUPER obsessed with Modest Mouse as of late and have been having a blast playing all of their albums on shuffle. I also recently got back into Purity Ring after a chance encounter with them on Serius XM, which brought me back to one of my favorite Danny Brown remixes on “Belispeak”. I am super pumped to get their latest album, Another Eternity, from the library because it has been far too long since I have heard anything new by them!

Another band that I have really been feeling lately is The New Pornographers and, like Modest Mouse, I have been playing their albums on shuffle, as well. Twin Cinema will always be the jam, though! And, as always, trust and believe that hella Marilyn Manson has been peppered into my selection, he just didn’t make an appearance on this month’s list. 😀

What are your favorite songs right now? What is your go to genre of music? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov7

Hot Jams For A Cold Day

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Hot Jams For A Cold Day

Hi everyone and happy Tuesday! As all of you know, I have a deep love for my iPod and my beloved music collection. Recently, I solidified this passion by purchasing a hot pink 128 gig iPod so that I never have to worry about running out of memory space ever again. I’ve been so happy to add new music onto my iPod after a long hiatus of not doing so because of the memory issue. I even treated my mom to my old iPod so that she can rock out to all of her funky time favorites. And, best believe that I’m rocking out to all of my funky time favorites, too! Check it out:

As you can see, I’ve been really feeling Marilyn Manson lately, but then again – when am I not? His two most recent albums, The Pale Emperor and Heaven Upside Down, are so fantastic to me and although I do love old school Manson, his new music has me swooning. And, I know I’m a little late to the party, but I am so enjoying Glass Animal’s most recent album, How To Be A Human Being. We’ll blame that on not having enough memory on my iPod.

I have had the pleasure of seeing both Marilyn Manson and Glass Animals in concert, so any chance that I get to binge listen to either or is one that I take gladly. It’s nice to listen to a band that you have seen live before, because you get to relive the concert in your head every time you hear them in your car or while you’re getting ready for the day. So, if you happen to be around me and are sick of hearing my main man Marilyn Manson or one of my fave bands, Glass Animals, THEN SORRY NOT SORRY, because I don’t think that my binge listening fix will be ending any time soon!!

So there you have it, some Hot Jams For A Cold Day! Which artists are you loving right now? Who should I add to my must listen list? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

PS: As always, I have no rights to any of the songs or videos seen above.

Apr10

Things To Fix Ahead of Summer

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Things To Fix Ahead of Summer

Summer is such an amazing season. The weather gets warmer, people get happier, things are generally a lot more relaxing and laid back. There’s not a lot to grumble about – unless you haven’t made the preparations to enjoy this time of the year as much as you could have done. The more dormant months that make up winter into spring are the ones that need to be utilized in order to get everything ready and raring to go to make this year a summer to remember!

In The Garden: There’s a lot in the back yard that we put to good use in the summer months. Things like barbecues, furniture, and the garden in general all need a good seeing to before the warmer weather hits. Ideally, barbecues should be stored inside a place like a shed or garden room in order to prevent rusting or at the least have a cover on them to protect them from the colder weather that the winter months throws at them.

If you haven’t done this, now is the time to get out the wire brushes and go to town on cleaning it down and making it safe for further use. Furniture, especially if wooden, needs to have a lick of weatherproof paint to keep it in excellent condition for the next couple of months. While plants and grass tend to get out of control once the sun starts to beat down on them, there is a time when they are dormant and more manageable. Getting on top of the garden before the garden gets on top of you is definitely the way to go!

In The House: We all know that summer, in the majority of cases, means warmer weather. This means that we need to make plans for getting ourselves cooler and back to a normal body temperature again. It is so easy to overheat without realizing it, and the chances of dehydrating yourself are greater during this period of the year. If you know that your air conditioning was giving up the ghost at the end of last year, consider getting an ac repair service done to get it back to good working order. Ensure that everything that keeps things cool is working, like your fridge and freezer. The last thing you want is for either of these things to fail in weather that the food is more likely to turn bad in. And it would be a shame for all of those delicious popsicles to melt into a sticky juice!

In The Car: Unsurprisingly, most car failures happen in extreme weathers of either hot or cold. Making sure that you are carrying a spare bottle of water around with you, should your car start to overheat, can be a lifesaver if you’re stuck out on the road without a service station nearby. Make sure that you pack extra snacks and water for yourself, too, just in case the worst happens. The last thing that you want is to be stranded with your tummy rumbling – especially in the heat! #myworstnightmare

Featured Image By: Pexels

Nov24

The Quick Guide To Getting Your Home In Great Shape, Whatever The Weather

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Whatever the weather chooses to do, we often find ourselves rushing back into the house to get away from it. We seek shade when it’s hot and we seek warmth when it’s cold. Somewhere dry when it’s raining and somewhere out of that wind! Our homes protect us from all that the weather throws at us. But without regular maintenance, and some seasonal adjustments, it can’t keep doing that forever.

Rain: Wet weather can make us so miserable. Nobody likes to be damp or find the rainwater dripping off their nose. There are several different parts of the house that prevent the rain from getting in. The first, and most important, is the roof. Roof tops like tiles have a limited lifespan. While they may stay in good shape for one hundred years, you really should check them regularly every so often. Damage can occur easily during a storm. And even just a tiny drip can leave awful water stains and mold in your home.

Check your guttering too. If it is blocked, the rainwater will over-spill. This can then penetrate your brickwork or wooden facade. Soon you’ll find the evidence of it inside the house in the form of smelly mildew! Finally, check the seals around your exterior doors and windows. If the wind is strong, it can blow the rainwater toward one side of the house. Keep the water out with good quality rubber seals.

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 Pexels Image

Wind: If you live in an area susceptible to violent wind storms, then you know how important it is to protect your glass panes, fences, and paneling. Hurricane window protection is a handy way to boost your property’s tolerance to these awful storms. If you have stormy seasons, it’s worth preparing your yard area in advance. Put loose items like trash cans, patio furniture, and garden tools way. Tying them down can help prevent them from getting moved about, too.

Checking your yard walls and fencing is something you should be doing annually. After all, if something falls on a visitor like the Postie, you could be sued. If you feel there may be a weakness, replace the faulty panel before the weather hits. Check that fascias and gutters are fully secure. And cut back excess branches of nearby trees to avoid them breaking or striking your house.

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WERK!

Hot and Cold: Whether it is sweltering or freezing, you can reduce your energy costs with careful maintenance of your home. Air conditioning can be very expensive to run if you don’t have any free solar energy to draw on. But you can reduce how much you need by preventing excess heat from getting into the house. Shutters, blinds, and anti-glare film can reduce the amount of direct sun through the windows. In the winter, thermal lined drapes and draft excluders can prevent your heat from getting out.

Loft insulation can help prevent heat loss in cooler weather, too. And through-drafts created from open doors at either end of the house can be very welcome in the heat. You can use secure screen doors to give you peace of mind while you are in the home. Stay safe from the weather, whatever the weather!