Friday, February 27, 2015

5 Healthy Recipes You Have To Try

Today I want to talk about one of my favourite topics ever; FOOD! Who doesn't love food after all! I love eating, but I am and always have been worried about my weight. I swear that just by looking at something fatty and delicious I put on weight. We should all be able to enjoy what we are munching on without worrying about those few extra pounds. So...why not combine tasty with healthy? I know it's nearly the weekend, but don't go food crazy, instead try a few of these, you won't be disappointed!

1. Egg-In-The-Hole 
Photo by: thehealthyfoodie.com 

At only 198 calories per serving, this is perfect for breakfast time (or lunch or dinner or whenever you feel like it), plus it's a real beauty to look at. Check the recipe here. Anyone hungry? No? Just me? Ok! Moving on...

2. Skinny Omelette
Photo by: 101cookbooks.com 

You can literally get this done in 10 mins and you will have endless combinations to try. Breakfast time has never been easier! Recipe here

3. BLT Lettuce Wraps
Photo by: theskinnyfork.com 

Less carbs, more veggies! I love the idea of lettuce wraps and surprisingly enough these will leave you very satisfied without that guilt feeling. Check them out here.

4. Zucchini Eggplant Lasagne
Photo by: myrecipes.com 

Being Italian is not easy! Carbs, carbs, carbs! Whilst I love eating a traditional lasagne this recipe is my perfect healthy alternative AND my mom does a pretty killer version of this, if I may say so. Go Mommy! Recipe available here.

5. Skinny Caesar Salad
Photo by: health.com 

You think "oh it's a salad, it must be healthy", NOPE! I know for a fact that a Caesar salad can be very high in calories (yes, Nandos I'm talking about you) but they don't have to be. Why not do yourself a favour and try this skinny version which tastes just as good! Instructions here.

If you are watching your weight just like me but still want something delish, try a few of these and let me know what you think!

Thanks for reading beauties and bon apetit! 

xoxo

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Sunday, February 22, 2015

My (Very Extensive) Make-Up Wishlist

If my dad saw me writing this, he would be very confused as to why I want more make-up. To him, the "collection" I have now is more than enough to last me my whole life. BUT I am girl and you simply can never have too much (sorry daddy). There are TOO many new products coming out every year, too many shades and texture to choose from...AHHH it just becomes hard to resist and I can't even keep up. Don't get me wrong, I am not a compulsive buyer. Before I buy something, I make sure I do thorough research and probably read over 100 different reviews. When I am convinced it's worth my money, I add it to this list and here a few things I have been dying to get my hands on. 

1. Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade £15

This! This, in my opinion, is by far the best eyebrow product in the market and the first on this list I intend to buy. I have tried multiple pencils and eyebrow filling kits and they are good......ish. But to up my brow game, I NEED this! It comes in a few different colours and mine is Medium Brown. Sadly, this product is only available online so you need to be 100% certain of your colour. If you click on the price above, you will see where this is available.

2. Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer Pore Minimizing £28

I got a sample of this primer and let me tell you something, 2 words: A-MAZING! It left my skin feeling great, no visible pores and just so so smooth. My makeup was intact for 12 hours but I have a feeling it lasts a lot longer. It is a bit pricey, but well worth the investment.

3.Sigma Spa Brush Cleaning Mat £34.99

I don't know about you, but washing my brushes takes so much time and it's so boring, my least favourite thing about make-up. I wash them every week (hygiene is very important you guys!) and this would make my life a lot easier. The price though....yikes! I love the idea so I will be on the look out for a cheaper dupe.

4. Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner £18

Been after a good gel eyeliner for some time now. I'm not very confident with liquid liners nor pencil ones, so gel works best for me. Plus, I have oily eye lids and have considered many brands such as Mac, Kiko, L'oreall, Urban Decay but this award winning product has won me over! Come to mama!

5. Too Faced Melted Lipstick - Violet £19

The colour is so beautiful and very "in" right now. It's all about purple lipstick nowadays! I have a cheapy dupe from LA Girl, the colour is great but it does not even come close to the real thing in terms of quality. Spring is coming up and this colour is a must have!

6. Anastasia Beverly Hills Pro Series Contour Kit Medium £39

I know the price is scary and I do have 2 contouring kits already BUT we will all agree that this is on a different level completely! Anything Anastasia does is perfect after all.

7. Nars Cosmetics Sheer Glow Foundation £31

Bought a pretty similar foundation from No 7; gives me a nice glow and makes me look fresh all day. But when it finishes this is the one I will be getting. My shade is Siberia (the lightest).

8.Mac Glitter Reflects in Pearl, Stepmother and Pretty It Up, each £18.50

Can we pause for a second? Mac + Cinderella! I was very tempted to put the entire MAC Cinderella collection on this list, but must.control.myself. These pigments are so beautiful I may cry. I really should start saving now for this collection because I don't want it, I NEED it! (comes out March in the UK).

9. Sigma Beauty Essential Kit Set of 12 Brushes CK001 £102.94

I confess, I have way too many brushes already but this is Sigma we are talking about. The price isn't pretty but the quality is amazing and a must have for every beauty lover out there.

10. Nars Blush Deep Throat £23 

I am completely obsessed with Nars products at the moment! This blush is so highly pigmented and this shade is gorgeous. Will definitely be my go-to blush for this spring. 

11. Nyx Soft Matte Lip Cream Prague £6.50

The cheapest on this list, yet the hardest to find; always "Sold out". I have heard great things about this lip cream and every swatch I see is more beautiful than the next. Will keep checking until it's back in stock. Fingers crossed!

12. Benefit High Beam Luminescent Complexion Enhancer £19.50

I recently started using a highlighter on my cheek bones and if applied correctly, it can give you a beautiful glowing look. I purchased a few (Chanel, Bourjois and Sleek) and they are very nice but this product is liquid and provides a more natural finish than powder; perfect for daylight make-up! 

13.Mac Lip Pencil Soar £12.50

To recreate Kylie Jenner's famous lips, why else! This and some lip balm=Job done! And Marsala is the colour of the year so this is perfect to create very much "in" lips!

In short, I need more monies! I hope you like this wishlist and if you buy any of this stuff, do tell me what you think, I would love to hear your opinion.

Thanks for reading beauties and see you soon!

xoxo

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Monday, February 16, 2015

Curling My Hair With BaByliss Curl Secret Hair Curler (aka MiraCurl®)

Today I want to talk about the famous and much loved Curl Secret Hair Curler from BaByliss. I was in Brazil when I first laid eyes on this baby and it was love at first sight! But the price was just absurd there that I had my cousin do my entire hair before we left the shop, empty handed #Scalfistyle. Finally got my hands on it here in the UK a few weeks back (after being sold out literally everywhere!) and now I wanna tell you all about it. In short: was it expensive? Yep! Do I have any regrets? None, and here is why.


I have used this a few times now and I can say that it does exactly what it says on the box. It "effortlessly creates beautiful, free-flowing curls with long-lasting effect". It works by automatically drawing the hair into the ceramic curl chamber, where it is held for a period of time gently heating the hair to form your curls. Once done, it beeps and all you have to do is release the styler for the perfect curl. Easy Peezy! If I can do it, so can you!

Steps:
1. Make sure hair is completely dry and thoroughly brushed. The curler fails to work if hair is not tangle-free. Be warned: it will get stuck and possibly even burn your hair-not good!
2. Place a section of hair no longer than 3 cm wide in the “V” section. Make sure that the “open” side is always positioned facing your head (this is clearly marked on the curler). 
3. Close the handles and the hair will be automatically drawn into the chamber.
4. The curler will start beeping at regular intervals depending on the time settings you have chosen (8, 10, or 12 seconds). You will need to keep the handles closed until the machine signals four beeps in quick succession. This is to let you know that your curl is done. If you let the handles open the curler will stop working and you will need to begin again.

For more instructions, you can check the official video by BaByliss here.
I chose the lowest temperature, 190°C and 12 seconds for tighter curls which last me all night and Auto direction for a more natural finish.


A few of its features:

✿ Ceramic curl chamber which minimizes hair damage

✿ 3 timer settings with audio beep indicator

✿ 3 heat settings; 190°C, 210°C and 230°C

✿ Ready to use in 30 seconds

✿ Curl direction control. Choose uniform or natural finish.

✿ Heat ready indicator

✿ Auto shut off

Remember: It is VERY important to follow the manufacturer's instructions. I did (and still do) get my hair stuck a few times but that's because I am either working with too much hair or the hair is not brushed properly, a big no-no...silly me.

As you can see I have very long hair (and lots of it), and yet it works like a charm. It is perfect, easy to use and gets my hair done in literally 10 minutes. Totally worth every penny!


For a more natural finish, I run my fingers through my hair, whip it back and forth a few times, add a little hairspray....


It is by far the best beauty "investment" I have made in a while. Even my mother enjoys using it. It is THAT simple! If you want gorgeous curls and the latest gadget in the market, this is definitely the right curler for you! You can get it here (On Sale!!!). I love it, and if you are willing to pay the price I think you will too! Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Thanks for reading once again!

xoxo

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Friday, February 13, 2015

10 DIY Valentine's Day Gift Ideas

Love is in the air, everywhere I look around ♬ 

Valentine's day is coming up and if you haven't got your other half a gift yet or you left it till last minute shhhhhh! DON'T PANIC! Why not try something different, and do it yourself? I am sure your loved one will appreciate the time you spend creating these beautiful things.

1. Cupcakes for Dinner & Dessert
Photo by: www.thecookingmom.com 

Who doesn't love cupcakes (or just food in general)? If you are thinking of staying in, cooking a nice meal and having a little romantic dinner followed by some alone time, this is perfect. Recipe for Dinner CupcakesRecipe for Dessert Cupcakes.Cupcakes scream romance and I particularly would enjoy very much a romantic dinner cooked my loved one (yes, a hint to you Philipe :p)!

2. Heart-Shaped Chocolate Cake
Photo: Pinterest 

I am not a domestic goddess but even I could pull this off! You can choose any cake/frosting recipe really, but to make it even easier for you click here for an easy peezy chocolate cake recipe. Make sure you use a square and round baking tray to make a beautiful looking heart cake.

3. Paper Flowers
Photo: Pinterest 

Flowers? I am glad you asked! Why not make these lovely roses yourself with a bit coloured paper. These will last way longer than real flowers and will probably cost you a lot less too. I'd make many of them, some in red, some in white and arrange them in a nice looking bouquet. 

4. Clock Photo Frame

I got this beautiful frame from "Le boyf" and all you gotta do is print some memorable pictures and boom job done. "Because all the time, I am thinking of you" can be your catchphrase which sounds cheesy as hell but the hopeless romantics (like me ) are sure to enjoy this one. This can be purchased here and it comes in 2 different styles.

5. Soda Can Candy Bouquet
Photo by: misskopykat.blogspot.co.uk 

For the sweet tooth out there (and if money is a little tight at the moment), there is no reason for not giving your other half a little something. This is cool and original I want one. Get their favourite candy and place in something different like an empty Coca Cola can for example. And whilst this is awesome for valentine's day, I think it would go down also well for birthdays and as party favours. Instructions here.

6. Printable Love Coupon Book
Photo by: iheartnaptime.net 

This Printable Love Coupon Book pretty much does all the hard work for you. It includes things like "Date night","Back rub","Foot massages", "breakie in bed", and many many more creative treats to give to your sweetheart! All you have to do is print (in high quality paper I must add), add a nice little ribbon to make a little book and done! You download it here.

7. Kisses on Canvas
Photo by: www.casaandcompany.com 

For the artist in you. Just be creative and have lots of lipstick in hand. You might look a little mad kissing a canvas but look at how beautiful the end result is. Plus I have many old lipsticks laying around and these will be perfect to get the job done. I think can also be used to create a nice looking picture to decorate your room or as a gift for your family/friends. Think outside of the box and have fun! 

8. Vintage Style Letter

The above was used by my fiancée to propose ❤. He wrote the letter AND made a video which you can see it here. I know! I am so lucky! :) He used white paper, the kit pictured, which is available here, and fire to make it look like a this was an old letter. And if you are curious, the letter says how much he loves me (describing a few of my qualities lol) and that when he first met me he knew it was love at first sight. I love you baby!

9. Deck Photo Album
Photo: Pinterest 

I came acrross this idea when we decided that for our 6th month anniversary we would only make DIY presents (I considered this one but ended up giving him a knitted sweater instead). This is beyond simple and you will probably have a deck of old cards laying around in the house. You can cover the "number side" (or however it is called) with pictures of yourselves and write nice little messages on the other side. You can call it "52 things I love about you" as per above picture I found on Pinterest or call it "52 reasons why I love you". You are welcome!

10. Key to my Heart
Photo: Pinterest 

In my opinion, the simplest of them all. Do you know that key that does not open any doors in your house? Yup, that's the one you want to get your hands on and make this simple, yet sooo romantic gift. I think of myself as a very romantic person and if ever I got this, I would literally melt!

That's all I have for today! Leave me a comment, links, ideas and anything else below. Do tell me what you think of these ideas and if you have any others I would love to hear from you! I hope you all have a wonderful Valentine's Day with your loved one and if you have't found your other half quite yet, don't lose faith! God has someone prepared for you and when the right time comes, you will be glad you waited for them! 

Thanks for reading again! 

xoxo

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Thursday, February 12, 2015

Nail Lacquer Dior Tie & Dye 858: Worth the Splurge?

I know what you are thinking: a girl talking about fashion, hair styling and make up; typical. I also know that the "blogging world" is very saturated, with a lot of bloggers out there just trying to find a niche to fit in. BUT what I know is that for a very long time I've been wanting to put myself out there and share a little bit of what I have learned and my opinions and write about stuff I really care about, aka beauty! So I hope from the bottom of my heart you truly like what I have to say in this not-so-secret diary of mine and that you come back to check out all the great ideas I have in store, Stay Tuned!

So, enough about me... today I wanted to bring you my first review of a product I am simply in love with, not just because it was a gift from my wonderful fiancée ❤, but also because it is so beautiful I may cry (ok, drama over).


Magical, beautiful, traffic-stopping, the perfect-red-summer colour: these are just a few adjectives I could think of to describe this divine nail polish- oh there is another one. Really easy application and great coverage with just one coat + it dries very quickly, what else could you want! It gives your nails a lasting shine and even with two coats, the nail polish doesn't look too thick (or too thin); it's perfectly sleek. 

But (there always is a but), the only no-no for me was the durability of this product, even when I used a top coat. My expectations were very high given this is a DIOR nail polish after all. Yes the colour is perfection and all that, but sadly it lasted exactly 2 days until it first chipped and then, we went downhill from there, *cries". Maybe it's just me?! Apart from this tiny detail, just take a look at the beautiful bag it came in, pure glam!

Did a little research and the price is a little higher than what I would usually pay on nail varnish. It can be yours for £17.50 and can be purchased here. Truth is, if you want to invest , have gorgeous looking nails and receive lots of compliments on your nails like I do everytime I have it on, do it, treat yourself! But if you are like me and wants to save money money, (because it doesn't grow on trees and it doesn't fall from the sky, and quite frankly would rather spend it in clothes, make up, jewels,etc Ha!), I have found the perfect dupe. It is less than half of the price compared to Dior, chip-free for about a week and looks just as beautiful, here it is. You are welcome!

Essie Fifth Avenue - £7.99 Dior Tie & Dye 858 - £17.50

Tell me, have you tried any of these? I would love to hear from you! Leave your comments, links, reviews and anything else below! This is all I have for today girlies! 

See you all soon and don't forget to follow me!

xoxo

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