I have changed my blogging schedule around so it’s a little more sporadic and not as scheduled as I prefer to write more in depth posts not as often. I don’t have a set routine or time when I post new things so keep an eye out on my socials for when I post something new.

My blog is based around budget/affordable topics for those who love a good bargain, who are students (as I was one myself) and those who are working with a budget. I blog about beauty, lifestyle, music, travel, advice and any other little thing that pops into my head. I am also a newly turned Cruelty Free blogger so I will now blog about all cruelty free brands and makeup products.

No, I do not get paid for writing content. Everything featured or written about on my blog was paid for with my own money. If any post/product is sponsored or sent to me by a brand, I will disclose so in the post. My opinions on products are completely my own, whether it was purchased or sponsored.

No I am not under an agency. I am a completely independent blogger.

I set my blog up on the 24th November 2012 but my first blog post was published in January 2013.

I currently use my Canon 60D with my 50mm lens or 60-130mm lens. I also occasionally use my tri-pod depending on what I’m shooting. You can check out my photography work on my website portfolio here.

I try to feature only cruelty free brands on my blog but the odd few do slip the net. You can check out my cruelty free starter guide for my favourite brands and charities to support.

I follow quite a lot of blogs for various different reasons and topics. Some of my favourite travel bloggers are The Blonde Abroad, Where’s Mollie? and Isabella Dobozy’s Instagram. Some of my favourite beauty bloggers are  Jodie Melissa and Pint Sized Beauty.

My URL comes from my first and middle name, which is Shannon Louise. Shany always used to be my nickname when I was younger and Lou which is short for Louise; so I put them together to create shanylou and I’ve always liked the sound of it. It makes my blog more personal and from my point of view.

I am currently exploring and trying to find new ways of making my photos look better at the moment, but for now I am using as much natural lighting as possible which is difficult working full time during the week and the only time I can take photographs is at the weekend. I also use flash on my camera and some minor editing to help brighten up the photographs.

I do a little bit of editing, mainly I edit my photos in GIMP (which is a free, permanent and easier to use version of Adobe Photoshop) I also use photo collage apps such as iPiccy and Canva on the web to create collages I use in posts. If the photos I take come out too dark I will always bump up the brightness and sometimes contrast using GIMP. I’m not an editing pro! I prefer to keep my shots as natural as possible with minor tweaks here and there so nothing major.

I turned cruelty free in June 2016, after hearing so many stories in the news of animals being treated horribly and being killed for things they didn’t do it gave me a kick up the backside to finally make a change. I have always loved animals from being a little kid and I have always supported the welfare of animals. Even from watching animals being killed in movies, I have always hated it. You can read up on more reasons why here!

My blog design and features were all designed by Giada at Miel Cafe Designs. She was absolutely amazing and I couldn’t recommend her more. She was very efficient and worked really quickly but also produced high quality work for a really reasonable price. She has helped me design my blog header, 2 blog designs, business cards and media kit! Read about my latest redesign here. You can read more about what she’s done here.

In most cases, the products I use are featured in the blog post in the SHOP THIS POST section, especially if it’s beauty related but if not you can check out my SHOP page here to browse my favourite fashion, homeware and lifestyle pieces that I enjoy using daily.