Go get this give away

Check out this super giveaway from the lovely Ashley of all of your beauty

xoxo

Steff

Kill two birds with one stone

Today I want to give one beauty and one fashion tip.

Fashion

Have you noticed that when wearing boots over the time they get "saggy" and start to hang on the side? Well I got the perfect inexpensive solution. For those who love magazines and spend way to much money every month on them (me including). I have good news! Now you can recycle your magazines and keep those booties straight!

Yes you can! Usually when buying boots you tend to throw away all those darn brown papers that are so ugly and messy leaving the boots with no inside protection which makes them hang on the side over the time. Now you can as soon as getting home with those booties role up your fave magazine and stick them into the boots or organize the ones you have standing in your closet. This will keep them straight which makes them last longer and you have a fun way of recycling your mags. Hey whenever you want a recap on last seasons fashions just take the magazine out of your boots and read away!!!!! This is a fashionable way of storing your magazines and conserve those special shoes you so much love.

before

after

Beauty

Remember my post about cheap nail polishes? Well now I have found the perfect solution to keep them lasting a whole week!! The fact is that if you buff your nails with the 3/4 step buffers it will make them last much longer and still keep the shine on them. Cheaper then this you cannot get. I cannot explain how this works but I know for SURE that it really works.



This is my 3 step buffer. I paid €2,00 for and they work just fine

My nails all buffed up and ready to be painted; 4 days ago

And now still there, sorry that it's a nude but you get the idea

So now you know, go go go and try these tips out in the comfort of your own home/fashion/beauty boutique!!!

xoxo

Steff


p.s: I tried editing this post for like 10 times and it is just so screwed up I cannot fix it no mather what I do...so you have to do with it!! ;(

Scary

Today I was driving home from some shopping in the city center and heard on the local radio (Den Haag fm) that they discovered carcinogenic stuff in mascara's and eye liners. WOW this is huge!!!! There was a research on 103 and 19 seamed to have this stuff in it, called nitrosamine!!! The fact is that it can develop (cause it is a special formula) when certain ingredients of those two are in contact with each other. Also they claim that this will not happen if the product has pure raw minerals in them. (From a dutch website)
I was tottaly shocked on this and went straight on the net to check it out. Seems it is in food we eat, cosmetics we use and pesticides. Qoute from Wikipedia: " Nitrosamines are produced from nitrites and secondary amines, which often occur in the form of proteins. Their formation can occur only under certain conditions, including strongly acidic conditions such as that of the human stomach. High temperatures, as in frying, can also enhance the formation of nitrosamines. These cooking styles may be responsible for thousands of cases of colon cancer per year across the world."

This is a big deal because if you keep on reading you can see that this stuff can cause cancer.

Now for the past years a lot has been done to improve the food we eat and process them as natural as possible. The food you eat you have in the hand by choosing organic or non processed food. But my mascara I cannot develop my own!! So I went on a little research and the following mascara's and eye liners are nitrosamine FREE.

1. e.l.f cosmetics/mineral line: eyeliner
2. purminerals: mineral mascara
3. clinique: all mascara’s are natural based (my favorite)
4. L’Oreal Bare Natural Mineral-Enriched mascara
5. After glow (you will find everything organic) Super



These are a few I have chosen and searched for but please start using only mineral based mascara, well not only mascara but all make up you use that way you are sure your beauty does not disadvantage your health.

This is a reality check for us users and our favorite cosmetic lines to take that step in using only natural ingeredients in beauty products.

Take care!

Xoxo Steff

Highlites and Downlites for 2009

Hope everyone had a wonderful christmas and are still enjoying this day. Did you get everything you asked for? I got money which I am really happy with and going to spend it really good!

I made a list of high and low lites in fashion and beauty for me in the year 2009.

Hope you enjoy! Feel free to make your own list.

Highlites

1. Flip-flops and sandals in January

I lived in Dubai for 6 months and well the weather is pretty warm there, even in the winter. As I already mentioned I grew up in a warm place and ofcourse my all time favorite footwear are flip-flops.
On a casual day I would wear my Havaianas, which I have in every color of the rainbow


On a more "formal" day I would wear fancy ones. In Dubai they had the most beautiful ones and several of them looked like these.


I have them in different heights, with or without jewels, different colors to match my outfit and most important comfy. Ok I can handle some nice killerheels but when I go flat it has to be comfortable and fashionable. In that exact order.

2. Jimmy choo for H&M
The biggest shoe addict is right here. Yep me! I remember when I was a teenager whenever I bought a new shoe again (after buying one yesterday and my mom going crazy with my addiction) I would trow the box away and secretly put them in my closet. Whenever my mom asked: where did you get these shoes? I would say: Mom, I have those for years now!!!HAHA yeah I love shoes and now getting older I want to invest more and more in designer shoes. But my wallet still doesn't allow it so oh happy was I when I heard my favorite designer is doing a co-op with H&M.

This is the one I got. I absolutelty love it and my debut with it is on New year!!


3. Fashion in Paris
Last october my boyfriend and I made a little trip to Paris. Well I must say that since I have been to Paris in 1999 a lot has changed and it is now so touristy. But oh I enjoyed the fashion. A lot of stores I had in Dubai I found again here and absolutely loved it. I bought some dresses, really cute for work or just a formal thing, a very nice and warm winter coat, a bag and a shoe.
Paris is after New York def on my shoppinglist for the coming year.

4. Long beautiful hair finally after a really bad haircut
When I returned from my middle east advanture I wanted to cut my edges and put some more layers. There was one problem because my hairdresser is in the south and after moving back I had so many changes to do to my appartment and had no time to sit in the train for 4 hours only to cut my hair. But I desperately wanted to style cut it. So one day I was shopping in my neighbourhood and saw a nice (fancy) hairdresser. So I went inside and asked for the price and made an appointment. All looked great until the lady started cutting my hair. I specific said only a few centimeters cause my hair is not dead and I want layers. (when in the sun my hair tends to get really light but still look healthy and natural, I guess its cause I'm mixed). So the first thing I see is like 10 centimeters of my hair flying on the floor. Ok to make a long story short; She cut my hair really short and not the perfect layers I wanted and the worst part she couldn't even blowdry my hair!!!! Turned out I was her first client...argggg I cried a lot. I never cry over my hair cause it grows back on but this time I was so mad and sad...
Well it has been 8 months now and my hair is really long, almost to my hipbone. But I need a cut. I want some layers and a sideswept midlong bang.

Stay tuned for a before and after picture of my haircut) I discovered a very good local hairdresser.

Downlites

1. None of my good jeans fitting me
When living in Dubai I used to eat so unhealthy which made me gain at least 4 kilo (9 pounds). I am short and i know 9 pounds is not a lot but for me it is. I am also blessed with a natural big frontside so whenever I gain weight it seems I gained 20 pounds. Still 9 months later I have not managed to lose that extra weight and all my favorite jeans don't fit me anymore. I am so bummed cause I love wearing jeans and now I can only wear 5 of them.
My new years resolution is to lose that extra weight and I'm starting with the fruit diet.

When I'm starting I want YOU to join me, that way it is much easier and we will support each other. I will make a blog dedicated to the diet and after I will blog every day on my proces.




2. Wearing way too many layers
This winter was cold really cold and it just started. Everyday when I leave my house I need to check out the window' is it raining, snowing, how cold, what are others wearing etc.
Then I start dressing. First the basics; bra/underwear then undershirt (ussualy a tanktop) then my shirt/sweather and jeans. Even when it is minus degrees I refuse to wear a legging under my jeans. Whenever it is raining or snowing I wear two socks and then the boots.
Then I put on my scarf and coat. Whenever I look in the mirror I look like a bear...I mean hello already with those extra pounds and all these clothes??? People will think I am a little sealion walking on dry land. I think if I die in the near future is because of clothes suffocation.

3. Change of daily routine skin care
After 11 years of using clinique 3 steps skin care system I have noticed that my skin has become immune for it. 5 years ago a dermatologist said I have been using it way to long and had to change but it was working just fine and I was leading a break out free life. But now my soap is not doing the right job anymore and I think I am even getting break outs because of the product. Well it is time to change my skin care routine because I am getting crazy with these little bumps on my face. So I decided that upcoming week I need to go and shop for a new skin care formula. If you have any reccomendations feel free to tip me about.

Well this was my list and hoped you enjoyed it. As I said feel free to make your own list.

xoxo Steff!!