Melody Jacob

Fashion and Lifestyle Blogger

Thought for the day: Just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day.

Trending Koroba Braids with Brazilian Wool & Beads

I love culture—the hairstyles, our traditional attire, the food, the music it's all so beautiful. Today, I'm sharing a long-standing hairstyle, the Koroba style, that predates me by many years. It's now trending on TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, and other social media platforms. Oh my, it truly represents tradition. I love braids; they're simple yet a beautiful representation of culture. I did this hair a while ago but didn't post it because it looked so good on me that I was hoarding the photos. I do that sometimes.

In the vibrant world of African hairstyles, some trends emerge, capture hearts, and swiftly ascend to iconic status. The Koroba hairstyle is undeniably one such phenomenon. Far more than just a fleeting fad, this captivating braided style is steeped in history, cultural significance, and boasts a unique aesthetic that has seen it explode in popularity, becoming a top trending choice for natural hair enthusiasts and protective style advocates across the globe in 2024 and 2025.

If you’ve seen the stunning "inverted basket" braids making waves on social media, adorning celebrities, and turning heads on the streets, you've witnessed the allure of Koroba. This comprehensive guide will take you on a deep dive into everything you need to know about this magnificent hairstyle – from its ancestral roots to how to achieve and maintain its flawless look.



Do you know that a lot of lounges and properties where you book for vacations have faulty or non-working detectors? Do you know there are items you should travel with, but there's one most important item everyone should always travel with, and most people don't? Some folks just have smoke detectors in their houses but don't have a carbon monoxide detector. I heard a story of a couple who noticed they were feeling dizzy and called emergency only for them to find out there was a carbon monoxide leak in their house. They were told if they had spent one more second inside that house, they would not have made it alive. They got a carbon monoxide detector, and it hit me how many times we travel to unfamiliar properties, sleep, and just trust. Man, God is indeed in control.

If for anything, whether you're doing a road trip or staying in an unfamiliar environment, you should pack along a carbon monoxide detector and not just any one – get a good, recommended, and tested brand. This is a vital healthy travel tip for safe travel.

What is Carbon Monoxide (CO)? The Invisible Threat

So, what exactly is this invisible killer? Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas. You literally cannot see, smell, or taste it. It's produced when fuels (like gas, oil, kerosene, wood, or charcoal) don't burn completely. Common sources in homes or travel accommodations include:
  • Furnaces or boilers
  • Water heaters
  • Gas stoves or ovens
  • Fireplaces
  • Clothes dryers
  • Portable generators (especially dangerous if used indoors or too close to windows)
  • Car exhausts (if a vehicle is running in an attached garage, for instance)
This gas is so dangerous precisely because it's undetectable by human senses. That's why having a carbon monoxide detector is non-negotiable.

How CO Kills: The Silent Takeover

The scary part is that carbon monoxide kills you by suffocating you from the inside out. When you breathe in carbon monoxide, it gets into your blood and sticks to the hemoglobin in your red blood cells. What is the problem? Hemoglobin, which is the portion of your blood that carries oxygen, actually likes carbon monoxide more than oxygen. It sticks to CO roughly 200 to 250 times more easily than it does to oxygen.

This means that even small amounts of CO can quickly fill up your red blood cells, leaving no room for oxygen. Your body's vital organs—like your brain and heart—become starved of oxygen, leading to cell damage and, ultimately, death. This happens silently, often while people are sleeping, which is terrifying when you think about vacation safety and travel health.

Recognizing the Signs: Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Symptoms

The symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning can be tricky because they often mimic common illnesses like the flu, food poisoning, or fatigue, especially when you're traveling and might be tired or exposed to new environments. That's why people often dismiss early signs.

Common symptoms include:
  • Mild headache
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Fatigue or tiredness
  • Shortness of breath
  • Confusion or disorientation
  • Blurred vision
  • As CO levels increase or exposure time lengthens, symptoms worsen to include:
  • Severe headache
  • Vertigo
  • Weakness
  • Loss of consciousness
  • Collapse
  • Brain damage
  • Coma and death
Notice how easily these could be mistaken for jet lag or a bad meal, especially in an unfamiliar property. That's why you can't rely on your body to warn you.

If you or someone else has these symptoms, you should consult a doctor right away. If your symptoms are bad or getting worse, call 999 and tell them you could have been exposed to carbon monoxide.
Front cover of 'The Cheese Cure: How Comté and Camembert Fed My Soul' by Michael Finnerty, featuring an illustration of cheese.

I recently received this book that I have to tell you about, especially if you're like me and always looking for that "something more" in life. Michael Finnerty wrote a book called "The Cheese Cure." In a lot of ways, it felt like it was designed particularly for me and you.

You know how I often talk about feeling that "flatness," that nagging unrest even when things are going well? That relentless question, "What can I do?" – even now, as I'm pouring my energy into learning about building wealth from every angle. Well, Michael Finnerty, the author of this memoir, perfectly articulates that exact feeling at the start of his story. He was a highly successful journalist, working for big names like The Guardian, seemingly living the dream. But beneath the surface, he was hollowed out, disconnected from anything tangible, and utterly drained by the abstract, often cynical world of media. He felt like his life was moving too slowly and empty and just left him wanting more – exactly how I've often felt, especially when my own wealth-building ventures feel like they're not making headway.

Then, one day, something significant happened that changed everything for him. He was at Borough Market in London, drawn in by its vibrant energy, the genuine buzz of real people doing real things. He found himself utterly captivated by a particular cheese stall, mesmerized by the passionate cheesemongers and the sheer physicality of their work. In a move that truly resonated with my own desire for significant change, he took a radical leap: he applied for a job as an apprentice cheesemonger. Can you imagine?! Leaving behind a prestigious career for... cheese.

The bulk of the book is about his fascinating journey into this entirely new world, and honestly, it’s where the "cure" really takes hold. He dives headfirst into the very real, often pungent, world of artisanal cheese. He describes the incredibly hard, physical work – the long hours on his feet, the bone-chilling cold of the cheese room, the sheer weight of lifting those massive wheels of cheese. It’s a complete contrast to his old desk job, and he finds a strange, profound therapy in this physical reconnection with his body.

What really got me, though, was his sensory awakening. He learns to truly smell the complex aromas of different cheeses, to feel their textures, and to taste the myriad of flavors – from the nutty sweetness of a perfectly aged Comté to the earthy bloom of a creamy Camembert. He details how cheese is a living thing, constantly evolving. I remember a part, perhaps around page 78, where he meticulously describes turning a wheel of Comté, the precise humidity, the patient waiting. It's all about respect for the craft. As someone who appreciates the story behind food, like my love for tasting Jollof rice from different African countries – each with its unique flavor, but all part of the same delicious heritage – his deep dive into the world of cheese just clicked with me. He makes you understand why, for him, cheese became "soul food." And you know me, if the food isn't sweet (and by "sweet" I mean tasty and authentic, not just sugar), no matter how good it looks, I'm not eating it.

Close-up of a large, golden wheel of Comté cheese with a piece freshly cut, showing its rich texture and depth." (Or "A creamy, white Camembert cheese with a delicate bloomy rind, resting on a wooden board.


While we were waiting for the lady who was on duty in Newark castle to finish her break and open the castle doors, we decided to go to greggs and grab a bite, but even after that there was still time left, so we stopped by the Port Glasgow seaside, where we show the Skelpies
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Standing proudly at Coronation Park, Port Glasgow, are the magnificent 10-meter statues by artist John McKenna, affectionately known by locals as The Skelpies. These imposing figures, officially titled "The Shipbuilders of Port Glasgow," are a powerful homage to the town's rich shipbuilding heritage.

McKenna's work, completed in 2009, captures the essence of the countless local men and women who dedicated their lives to the bustling shipyards. More than just steel and concrete, these statues embody the spirit, hard work, and legacy of a community that shaped maritime history. Next time you're near Glasgow, make sure to visit Port Glasgow and witness these incredible testaments to a bygone era.


250ml of Oriflame Milk and Honey Gold Nourishing Hand and Body Cream—packaging

I recently got some Oriflame products, and I’ll be sharing my thoughts on them with you over time. This is not a paid collaboration; as always, I share my honest opinions about products I use on my blog.

Today, I’m reviewing the Oriflame Milk  and Honey Gold Nourishing Hand and Body Cream (250 ml).

I like scented creams, largely because of my mom—she loves them too. However, she has oily skin, and what I’ve noticed about heavily scented creams is that they often focus more on the fragrance and less on actually nourishing the skin.

With this product, the scent is lovely—pleasant and soft. The texture of the cream is smooth and feels good when applied. But the scent doesn’t last long on the skin. Also, while the cream is quickly absorbed, it tends to leave my skin feeling dry. It doesn’t moisturize deeply, and the texture is quite light. After applying it, I often find myself needing to use another cream to actually keep my skin from feeling dry.

Here’s what the website says about the product:

This rich and indulgent, delicately scented hand and body cream is formulated with luscious, organically sourced extracts of Milk and Honey. It intensively hydrates and nourishes for beautifully soft, smooth, glowing skin.

– Intensive 48h hydration
– Instantly boosts skin moisture by 59%
– Clinically, consumer, and dermatologically tested

The site also mentions that it contains beeswax, a natural wax emollient produced by bees and valued for its hydrating and protective qualities. It’s often used in skincare to relieve chapped skin and add a soothing barrier.

But based on my experience, the hydration doesn’t last more than 30 minutes. This is my personal opinion from using this product. It leaves my skin feeling dry and uncomfortable. I wouldn’t recommend it for people with dry skin. While the scent is beautiful, it fades quickly and doesn’t last.

This cream costs £12 and I will not buy it again.

Hand holding the Oriflame milk and honey gold nourishing hand and body cream
A businessman with a luggage and briefcase staring out an airport window at airplanes, with a big orange caution sign next to him. This is a picture of how to avoid business travel scams.

As a tourist, you should always be careful of your surroundings, but business travelers are also targets for travel scams. Business travelers are a very profitable target for scammers since they can use high-limit corporate credit cards and make many reservations at once.

The key to avoiding these problems is to learn how to spot them, whether they are international credit card fraud or flight fraud. We put up the most recent travel safety tips to help you recognize trouble, both at home and abroad.



How many people are impacted by travel scams?

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) are often the targets of online fraud because criminals are getting better at it, especially when they utilize AI in phishing scams. A report by UK Finance indicated that small and medium-sized businesses in the UK lost £59.2 million to fraud in 2021, which is a 35% increase from 2020. The survey also revealed that 80% of small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) have been asked for personal information and money without asking.

You might not think so, but travel scams are more widespread than you think, especially when you plan business trips online. A study by McAfee Corp found that 30% of the respondents asked said they had either been a victim of an online travel fraud or knew someone who had. The same research found that 14% made payments through fraudulent platforms, and 18% experienced identity fraud.

How do travel scams affect those who travel for work?

There are both easy and complex ways to scam someone. Phishing emails and fake booking websites could trick business travelers. One typical approach is to construct a fake website that appears like a trusted site, but the URL is slightly different.

Digital criminals are also good at making fake invoices that appear like they originate from real suppliers. These invoices have a recognizable corporate logo and a registered office.

Some criminals can pretend to be a representative from a corporate travel agency and call your team to ask for payment information for a trip that is coming soon. But your company's travel policy should make it clear what the rules and budgets are for business travel, as well as which websites and platforms are okay to use. You can prevent these frequent phishing scams by only using reputable, approved sites like Booking.com for Business.

A hand carrying a virtual credit card with "5 Reasons" on a smartphone screen. Icons show how safe, efficient, and easy it is to track business travel.

5 reasons why virtual cards are good for business travel

When it comes to business travel, virtual cards can be a lifesaver because checks and cash are no longer useful in the corporate sector. Digital payment methods have taken their place over time. These are easier for both firms and individuals who travel for work and have many benefits. Virtual cards are an exciting step toward smarter business spending.

What are cards that are not real?

A virtual card is a digital version of your real bank card that you keep on your device. Virtual cards, especially for corporations, can exist without a real card. You can use it to pay for things in stores or online without having to touch anything. A virtual card has all the same information as a real credit or debit card, such as the
  • Name of the cardholder
  • Number on the credit card
  • CVV
  • Billing address
  • Expiration date
The difference is that virtual credit cards give online stores changing information; therefore, the verification code is different every time you use a virtual credit card. The 16-digit number is only valid for a single transaction at a specified amount.

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