If August had a soundtrack, it would be an unapologetic mash-up of sprinkles hitting the cone, the jangle of oversized earrings, and the quiet hum of a woman realising her bare face is, shockingly, just fine. Basically, it’s been a month of little rebellions and simple joys, so let’s talk about it – in full chatty overshare mode, obviously.
Hello lovelies – welcome to another episode of This Month I Loved, otherwise known as “Rebecca waxes lyrical about things that make her happy, while also mildly oversharing and hoping you find it vaguely interesting.” And honestly? August was a mood. It was loud, creamy, slightly sticky, and a bit rebellious – let’s break it down, in all the deliciously chatty detail you didn’t ask for but are getting anyway.
First up: Ice Cream.
When the world feels like it’s spinning a little too fast, there’s something gloriously uncomplicated about a tub of cold sugar-fat hybrid, isn’t there? This month, I abandoned any pretense of being the woman who eats “just a few frozen berries and natural yogurt” and instead went full child-on-a-seaside-holiday mode. We’re talking cones, cups, sundaes, the works. Pistachio (because it makes me feel fancy), chocolate (because life is too short not to), and salted caramel (because I’m predictable like that). I even went rogue and tried a mango sorbet that could probably double as a personality test – refreshing but just tart enough to raise an eyebrow.
What struck me this month was how ice cream is never just ice cream. It’s an event. It’s a tiny rebellion against all the “clean eating” noise. It’s standing there with sticky fingers, grinning like a five-year-old, and realising that joy can be as simple as something cold and sweet on a warm day. I even discovered a tiny independent gelato place when we were out one day – no sterile, white-tiled chain store here, just a smiling owner, flavours you can’t pronounce, and a queue of people who clearly understand that this is serious business. And yes, I licked the spoon clean. Zero regrets.
Pro tip: Always get the extra toppings. Life’s too short to be stingy with sprinkles.
Next: Loud Earrings.
If ice cream was my food rebellion, earrings were my fashion declaration. I’ve always had this slightly odd relationship with accessories – I either forget they exist or I want them to be bold enough to cause concern if I nod too enthusiastically. This month I leaned fully into the latter. My ears were basically a one-woman carnival. Think tassels that could double as dusters, hoops large enough to signal distant planets, and colours that made me look like a human confetti cannon.
Why? Because loud earrings do something magical – they take the most average outfit (jeans, T-shirt, hair vaguely resembling a haystack) and suddenly, you’re making a statement. They say, “Yes, I have 47 tabs open in my brain and possibly pasta sauce on my sleeve, but I am also a woman of flair.” There’s an audacity to them. They draw attention to your face, they sway when you walk, and they jingle just enough to remind you that you’re alive and mildly fabulous.
My current obsession? Oversized gold hoops that could double as tiny bangles. Pair them with a ponytail and a slick of lip balm, and suddenly I look like I tried. Even if my reality is that I’ve just sprinted out of the door because I underestimated how long it takes to find keys. Earrings, I’ve decided, are wearable confidence – tiny metal pep talks hanging off your lobes.
Pro tip: If you think they’re too much, they’re probably just right.
Finally: Bare-Faced (Sort Of).
Here’s the thing – I’m not a huge makeup wearer anyway, but I do love having options. My bathroom drawer still looks like a small Boots store exploded – mascaras, lip colours, powders, the works. Most days I’m a BB cream and mascara kind of girl; SPF is always a must but usually built into my moisturiser because, well, efficiency.
But August was hot. And when it’s sweaty and busy, even the light stuff sometimes feels like too much. So there were plenty of days when I just skipped it all – no BB cream, no mascara, just SPF and vibes. And it was actually really nice. At first, I thought I’d feel undone, like my face was missing its usual quick fix, but nope – people barely noticed. And the best bit? I felt lighter. There’s a weird freedom in realising your face can just exist as it is and no one’s world crumbles.
So yes, I still love my little makeup routines, but I’m now firmly pro-bare-face when the sun’s blazing and time’s short. It’s the quickest, easiest beauty swap, and it feels a bit like giving yourself permission to just be.
Pro tip: BB cream and SPF are enough most days – but when the heat hits, ditching everything can feel like the best skin treat.
August in a nutshell – sticky fingers, jangly lobes, and naked skin.
This month reminded me that sometimes the best joys are the simplest. They’re not complicated or expensive; they’re ice cream eaten before dinner, earrings that swing like tiny disco balls, and the bare face you didn’t think you could show but did anyway. They’re the little acts of mischief and self-kindness that make you feel alive.
August was sweet, sparkly, and a little rebellious. I ditched the yogurt-for-dessert pretence and went full cone-and-sprinkles mode, gave my ears a personality with earrings that could probably pick up Wi-Fi, and embraced the joy of SPF-and-go days.
Now I want to know: what’s YOUR thing this month? Are you a pistachio-ice-cream-and-don’t-care kind of person, a loud-accessories-all-the-way person, or an SPF-only-and-run-out-the-door person? Or something else entirely?
Tell me over here:
Facebook – Mylifeandstyleover40
Take care, stay safe.
Becks xo
My life and style over 40 