Empties (July 2013)

I already have a second Empties post for you all! (check out the first one!) I'm just really enjoying using up stuff and replacing it with new products :)

• I'll start at the top: The little blue bits in the left hand corner are the remains of my favorite solid shampoo from Lush, Seanik. I figured that if I wait until it's completely gone I can't show you anymore... I like this so much that I already bought a new one (probably for the third or forth time by now).
• A jar of Virgin Organic Coconut Oil from Fushi, which I ordered from Feelunique. I use this for a lot of different things but particularly to take off my make up at night.
• Rituals Himalaya Wisdom body scrub, but only a sample package. I have a whole gift set of this line but the scrub is the first thing I used up because it only had enough for 3 or 4 uses. I'm thinking about buying the full size, mostly because I love the scent (it smells like a spa in my own bathroom), but first I'm going to use up scrubs I already have at home.
• A deodorant from Dove, very exciting! ;) Off course, I bought a new one already.
• A sample sized Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve, which I got for free when purchasing other Kiehls products. I kept this on my bed side table and applied it before going to bed. It's very rich but not greasy, which I like. I'm not sure if I will purchase it myself, maybe in winter when my hands get dry again?
• A tube of Nutribronze from L'Oréal, a body moisturizer with a little bit of self tanner. I use this on my legs to give them a hint of color because I have very fair skin. I have a second tube at home at the moment.
• A lip balm with Cocoa Butter from The Body Shop. I also kept this next to my bed to apply before going to bed. I liked it but I'm using another lip balm at the moment and it does the job too...
• And last but not least... Ultra Facial Cleanser, also from Kiehl's. This is also a sample size and in fact the second one I used up. It is a good standard cleanser for sensitive (or just normal) skin, plus it can be used on the eyes as well! Just like with some of the previous products I'm trying another cleanser at the moment but I may buy a full size in the future...

That's it! 

More stuff to throw away and replace ;)

Deauty Box July 2013

I have yet another Deauty box post for you all! I know it hasn't been long since I wrote about the previous Deauty Box but I wanted to put this up tonight as you can still order it.* 

That being said, I'm also pretty exited about this month's edition! Deauty did their first themed box and they choose to do a "Respect box". You may have noticed a difference in the packaging (to compare: the "normal" may and june boxes) but the content is also different! All the products are either natural, fair trade or good for the environment.

• An eyeliner by Avril, made from all natural ingredients. 
• A mini nail polish, also by Avril. I'm not crazy about the color but it doesn't contain any harmful chemicals, not bad if you ask me!
• Savon Noir (black soap) from Alepia. This soap is especially good for opening and cleansing pores and can be used for face and body.
• In the little green bag are a hair mask and leave in conditioner with shea butter from René Furterer.
• The last product is a mini Shea Body Scrub from The Body Shop.

I love that Deauty decided to do themed boxes! This one has a lot of products and brands that I normally wouldn't buy or know about but now I get to try them. I'm curious to see what they come up with next!

If you are interested in this box and live in Belgium, you can still order until tomorrow night (21st July).*


* UPDATE: you can't order this box anymore, but you can still subscribe for the following months!

Recipe: Sweet Potato Wedges

I made these sweet potato wedges a few times already and they were a success every time! Sweet potatoes are known to be a very healthy vegetable so why not add them to your diet? They have the same amount of carbohydrates as normal potatoes but more other nutritional benefits. I did some research and found that they contain a lot of fiber, vitamins and minerals. 

Let's get to the recipe!

1. Take the desired amount of sweet potato (I used half of a big potato for one generous serving)
2. I like to leave the skin on because it gets very crispy and most of the nutrients are just under the skin. If you choose to leave it on like me, you have to give the potato a good scrub and rinse to take off all the dirt. You can also peel it if you want ;)
3. Cut the potato into wedges (or something that looks like it, I'm not very precise). Just make sure the pieces are roughly the same size!
4. Season the wedges: I used a tablespoon of paprika, half a tablespoon of cajun spice and a sprinkle of salt. You can use any seasoning you like!
5. Drizzle with some olive oil. I don't measure this but I think it's about 1 tablespoon.
6. Mix the wedges, seasoning and oil until every piece is coated evenly.
7. Put them on a lined baking sheet, in one single layer, and bake at 200°C for 20-30 minutes. Flip them half way. 
8. Check if they are cooked (soft all the way through) and dig in!

Summer Fashion Haul (July 2013)

I went shopping a few times since my exams ended and I want to show you the results (aka damage?). Some of the items were on sale, which is always a good thing ;)

Black skirt (America Today - €10) - Striped T-shirt (C&A - €3,95) - Pink maxi dress (C&A - €14,90) - Neon shorts (America Today - €34,95) - Green bralette (Gilly Hicks at Hollister - €13,99) - Nike tight fit workout capris (Decathlon - €39,95 ) - Floral skirt (America Today - €15)

I love how a few new pieces make my closet feel up to date and ready for summer! <3

Organizing 101: My beauty drawer + Top 3 tips

Something I wanted to do for weeks is organizing my beauty "stuff". I accumulated a lot of products, especially sample sizes, over the last few months. I was storing them in a small drawer, originally divided between full size products and samples but there was just too much stuff in it. On top of that I had perfume samples on another cabinet and some Deauty boxes (may and june) I still hadn't unpacked. Obviously, I lost track of what I already had and where it was.

Before (almost too embarrassing to share!)

I started by emptying the bigger drawer I wanted to use and divided the products into categories (hair, skin, body wash, etc.). Fast forward to the result:

After :)

This was long overdue but I'm very happy I finally did it! It's like a small drugstore in my own room! I'm not using these products (regularly) at the moment but when I run out of something I will have something new on hand and be able to find it ;)
Can you spot the empty Deauty boxes I used for storage? They look so neat!

I'm in no way an organization expert but here are my top 3 tips:

1. Collect storage boxes of all shapes and sizes you already have at home (mine are mostly from Ikea and empty Deauty boxes). This allows you to try and fit the right combination in the space you want to organize. 
2. Keep cleaning supplies on hand. That way the newly organized spaces are clean as well.
3. Decide which things you want to keep, throw away (keep a trash can on hand) and give to someone else. Make sure you get rid of these last two as fast as possible!

I've been tackling some other cluttered spaces in the house, let me know if you're interested in more blog posts about that! I know it motivates me when I read about other people's organization...

Deauty Box June 2013

I know it's a bit late but I want to share my June Deauty box with you! (Deauty is a Belgian beauty subscription service)

From left to right, first to third row:

• Absolute NUDE eyeshadow palette from Catrice. I like it when my box has make up products but I was a little disappointed to be honest. Catrice is a relatively cheap drugstore brand that's very easily accessible here. My sister even has the exact same palette.
• The most interesting product this time is from Etat Pur. Not every box has the same product but mine is a serum for skin that tans difficultly (product A83). It contains tyrosine, an amino acid extracted from soybeans. I can't wait to try it and I hope it does what it promises!
• Revitalizing Supreme moisturizing cream from Estee Lauder. It is an anti-aging cream but the explanation says it can work for everyone so I think I'm going to try it.
• This box smelled very good when I opened it, courtesy of a natural soap from Lamazuna. It's a traditional soap from Syria with olive oil and roses.
• Even more make up, also from Catrice! A matte lipstick in "It's a Matte world", which is a bright coral-red color.
• The last product is a travel sized shave cream for men from Eucerin, which I gave to my boyfriend ;)

If you want to know what was in my May box, click here.

Manicure Monday: Bond with whomever

Essie - Bond with whomever (2 coats, natural light)

I'm totally in love with this pastel lilac color! It's not too pale but not too bright either and it doesn't make my hands look dead. I feel like it's different from your usual reds and pinks but still goes with almost anything.

It's yet again an Essie polish from the spring 2013 line. I don't know if you can still get it but I would definitely recommend checking it out!

You know how much I love Essie polishes so I'm not going to talk about the formula any more ;)

Drugstore Haul (July 2013)

A few new goodies I picked up from the drugstore recently :)

I accumulated some new beauty stuff over the last couple of weeks, so it's time for a drugstore haul! 

I bought: 

• Nail files
• A Burt's Bees lip balm
• A clarifying face mask by Formula 10.0.6. Hopefully it works better than the last one I tried.
• A BB cream from Rimmel. Maybe I'll have more luck than with the Garnier one?
• Deodorant, a regular sized one and a mini for my handbag 
• Dry shampoo from Batiste. I've written a lot about my love for dry shampoo (here, here and here), but never used Batiste before, so I'm curious!
• The most exciting part: two Maybelline Super Stay 14h Lipsticks! They were on sale so my sister and I picked the two colors we liked the most.

430 Stay with me coral - 110 Neverending pink

First impressions: Garnier Ambre Solaire BB Cream

I received this BB cream in my May Deauty Box about a month ago and I promised to keep you updated. Without further ado: my first impressions of this product...

If you read the post linked above you may remember that I actually never used a BB Cream before! One of the reasons being that I love my foundations. I prefer a medium to high coverage because I have a lot of little imperfections and pigmentation.
My mom and sister on the other hand are big fans of tinted moisturizers and BB creams. So after receiving one in the mail I had to try it!

Excuse the bad photos but I had to add some, I hope I get better at this ;)

First thing I noticed is that the cream is very dark and orange for my fair skin (as you can see in the photos above). However, I have this problem all the time, especially with products that come in a limited number of shades...


About the formula: it promises five results

• UVA-UVB protection (SPF 30)
• Illuminates and evens skin tone
• Hydrates skin
• Protects against sun-induced skin damage
• Anti-dark spots

It does have a high SPF, which is always a good thing! However, I think promises 4 and 5 are only a result of this, which makes only three main results in my opinion!

I did not really notice the illumination and evening part of the claims. I thought it made my blemishes even more noticeable. Maybe because the product was just to dark for me? If it had been the right color I would have applied a second layer and maybe my skin would have been more even.

To me it did not feel very hydrating. In fact, I thought it just felt and looked a bit oily. I have combination skin that tends to get a oilier in summer so if you have dry skin you might like this part better.

Overall, it just didn't work for me because of the color. In addition to that I'm not 100% in love with the formula. The result: I'm giving it to my mom, she has a darker complexion and drier skin.

Would I recommend it to you? This is a difficult one but I believe some people would like it. If you are looking for a light coverage BB cream with a high SPF, have dry to dry combination skin and a normal to dark complexion you might like it more than I do ;)

My Summer Bucket List

It's SUMMERTIME! I know it technically has been for more than a week, but my exams are finally over so my summer break has officially started!


In honor of long summer nights, nice weather and the best time of the year I'm going to share with you my Summer Bucket List (inspired by Lauren Conrad and the Tone It Up girls).

1. Read A LOT! (preferably in the sun with a nice drink)
2. Go on a spontaneous weekend (road) trip
3. Try out new recipes
4. Go on holiday with my boyfriend (beach and/or pool are required!)
5. Have as much FUN as possible with my family, girlfriends, BF, etc.


And off course I will be sharing all of these summer adventures with you ;)

Healthy habits: 5 healthy breakfast ideas

As mentioned in my latest food related post, I've recently been trying to eat healthier. The most important meal to me is my breakfast. I've found that if I start my day right it makes a world of a difference! 

In this post I will be sharing my top 5 healthy breakfasts with you:

1. Smoothies

One of the easiest and fastest breakfasts out there are smoothies. The one you see in the photo is a mixture of fruit to which I added a handful of spinach.

I actually never follow recipes, I just use different fruits I have at home at the moment. I also like to add one or two spoonfuls of oats to make it more filling.

This is an ideal breakfast to eat (or drink?) while getting ready in the morning, or even on the go.


2. Oatmeal

One of the more filling breakfasts out there is oatmeal. 

For this photo I used a prepackaged one serving packet by Quaker. The only thing you have to do is put it in a bowl, add liquid and pop it in the microwave for 2 minutes. (I do make oatmeal from scratch too, but this is just so easy...)

I like to top it off with fruit, a dollop of greek yoghurt and some walnuts.

This is definitely more of a "treat" breakfast, it almost tastes like dessert ;)


3. Overnight oats

Another variety on oatmeal is overnight oats (I know you can't really see it but it looks like regular oatmeal). I got this idea from Lauren Conrad's website and I made it a lot ever since!

The reason being that it's just SO easy! You put it together at night, pop it in the fridge, take it out in the morning and add any fruit you like. That's it!

The only thing is you have to try a few times to find the right proportions... Btw, I like to add raisins ;)


4. Yoghurt with fruit and granola

Yet another very easy and fast one! 

Take yoghurt (I like natural greek yoghurt), add fruit and top it off with granola!






5. Healthy pancakes

This is probably the most decadent of them all, but don't fear! They are healthy! Say what?? 

It's not just regular pancakes, they are made with protein powder instead of flour. All credits to the Tone It Up girls for the recipe ;) The only adaption I make is using a whole egg instead of egg whites.

To put it out there, I don't eat them on a daily basis! They are a special treat, especially after a morning workout!  

I hope this gives you some inspiration to start your day the right way!

Loving: Burberry kisses

Tonight I'm writing a short extra blog post for you all! Subject: the newest campaign from British beauty and fashion brand Burberry. 

I received their newsletter yesterday afternoon, it only said "Burberry kisses". I was a little intrigued but ignored it at first. Then I started to see more and more about it on my social media, so I had to check out what all the hype was about!

I watched this short clip about the campaign, it explains it perfectly:

As the clip shows you can send an e-card with your own kiss to someone you love. The only thing you need is a device with a touch screen, which makes a print of your lips. Then you choose a lip color, from actual Burberry lipstick shades, and add a personal message.

I think it's a very cute idea, so I immediately sent one to my boyfriend! He even thought it was cool ;) Off course you can also send them to your friends, family, etc.

Besides, I'm all about big brands that look at the bigger picture. I think it's very admiring when they start campaigns that aren't aimed at selling products.

Face Mask: Montagne Jeunesse White Chocolate

In my opinion there is nothing better to relax after a long day then pampering yourself. Enter a hot bath, an at home manicure or... a face mask! 

Last week I used an ultra deep cleansing White Chocolate mask from Montagne Jeunesse. Chocolate on my face? Yes please! ;) 

The pros:
+ It feels nice and creamy on the skin
+ My skin felt clean afterwards but not dry at all

The cons:
- It smells nice but more like dark chocolate, which I found a bit odd
- About the ultra deep cleansing claim: my skin felt clean but I didn't see a noticeable  difference in my skin 

Overall, I liked this mask. However, I won't buy it again as I'm still looking for a good cleansing one. Recommendations are always welcome in the comments!

If you like the idea of a chocolate mask, check out my DIY mask for blemished skin!

Manicure Monday: Essie Hip-anema

If you read the blog post on my first Essie experience, you'll know I'm a big fan of the brand. In fact, I haven't bought any other polishes since! 

One of the newest additions to my collection is this bright orangy red from the spring line. It's a fun color for spring and summer but also classic enough to wear all year round. Although I do believe there are a lot of similar colors available, so there is no need to rush to the stores ;)

As far as the formula goes, it compares to the other Essie polishes I own. It is opaque in one layer, however I always prefer to use two.

Recipe: Red Lentil Risotto (carb free)

I've been on a real healthy eating kick lately. Don't get me wrong, I still love me some fries and desserts! But I try to make healthier choices throughout the day.

One of the things I do is trying to avoid carbs for dinner. This is a pretty difficult one, as I still live at home. Soups and salads are a pretty easy way but can get boring too. So I like to try out recipes that substitute regular carb loaded products by healthier options.

Recently I made a Red Lentil Risotto, a recipe from Sorted (if you don't know about them, you should check out their videos!). 

I did change the recipe slightly: I added some courgette and topped the risotto with watercress in stead of rocket. It tasted just like a regular risotto and satisfied all my Italian comfort food cravings! 

I will definitely make this again and maybe even experiment with other flavors... 

I recommend you give this one a try. Either if you avoid carbs too, or just because you're curious ;) 

Let me know what you think!

Deauty Box May 2013

Yesterday I received my May Deauty box (Deauty is a Belgian beauty subscription service). I've been subscribed since the very first box, which was 9 months ago. Their boxes get better every month and this one got me particularly excited! 

Some of you won't be able to subscribe but you might be interested nonetheless...

First of all, the packaging is always amazing! It feels like getting a present every month :)

• The first product that caught my eye was the full size Garnier Ambre Solaire BB Cream. I've wanted to try a BB cream for a while but I think I'm more of a foundation girl... You can expect a review of this one soon!
• The second product is a shampoo from Klorane, a French brand that's available from the pharmacy. It's a 100 ml sample so I think I will keep this one for traveling.
• The next sample is an After-sun Repair Lotion by Avène, also a French pharmaceutical brand. Not something I will use right away either because of the absence of sunny weather. Hopefully it will come in handy during summer or on holiday. 
• The product I'm the most intrigued about are two reusable makeup removing wipes by Lamazuna. You only need water, they can be washed out and reused up to 3OO times.

• The product I was most impressed with is a bronzer by Bo-ho Green Revolution*. I have never heard about this brand before but I'm very curious now. The bronzer itself is very beautiful, not to orange and with a nice amount of shimmer. Some much needed summer feeling in Belgium!

That's it for my May box! 

If you want to see reviews of these products, please let me know in the comments!

*I did some research on the brand and found out that this product exists in multiple shades. Mine is TC 06 - Terre d'outre mer.

Empties (May 2013)

One of my favorite kinds of videos on Youtube lately are the Empties or Products I’ve Used Up ones. I actually like them better than Monthly Favorites! I feel like you can really tell if something works for you after using it for a while.  And I don’t know about you, but I only repurchase products I REALLY like…

So after this short introduction, I have some Empties for you! :)

I’ll start with hair:

• First is my Lush Retread Conditioner. As you can probably tell from the pot, it has been in my shower for ages… I liked it but I stopped using it when it almost ran out (I tend to do that a lot, I don’t know why?). As I said, I liked it but I was a bit disappointed. It is sold as a super strong conditioner, whereas I think it compares to most richer drugstore conditioners. Also, I don’t really like the smell, it’s quite herbal and stays in my hair for a while. Conclusion: I won’t repurchase this product.
• The second is a Dry Shampoo (which you may have seen in my Most Worn Things tag last summer or this Haul). Of course, this isn’t the same bottle! I go through these like nothing else because I can’t live without it! I use it on second or third day hair but also to give my hair some texture and hold. Needless to say I always have a back up ;)

Next are skincare products:

• The first is Tea Tree Oil from The Body Shop. My sister and I use this as a spot treatment. I don’t think it makes the spots disappear faster but I do find they heal nicer. I already bought a new bottle, because I like to have one at home whenever I need it.
• Another treatment type product I used up is a package of nose strips (I also hauled them here). They are budget proof and I will definitely be buying another set.
• The next skincare product is an eye makeup remover from Bourjois. I bought it while on holiday in Austria last year because I didn’t take a water based makeup remover with me. It does its job but I have a lot of similar things lying around so I will use those instead.
• The last skincare item is my everyday moisturizer by Clinique, Superdefense with SPF 25 for dry combination skin. As this is one of my skincare staples I already bought a new one.

The last product is not really empty but I hit pan on it, which is the first time this ever happened to me! Honestly, I didn’t understand what the fuss was about before but I was actually very excited when I saw the first bit of metal coming through. 

On to the product itself: It is the MAC Beauty Powder in Pretty Baby. I know it looks very pink but I use it as a powder to take away the shine on my T-zone, as it isn’t to pigmented and I’m very fair.

That’s a LOT of empties!

But this means less clutter and trying new products, YAYYY!

Haul: Jewelry

Good morning everyone!

As promised yesterday, I have a little haul for you!

I went to Antwerp almost two weeks ago because my mom got me and my sister tickets to the SYTYCD theatre tour. The show didn't start until 8.30 PM so we decided to hit the shops! Unfortunately, we didn't have a lot of time before the shops closed, so we both didn't buy that much. It was only afterwards that I realized I had only bought jewelry...

Enough said, here are some pictures:

As you can see, I kind of went crazy on the stud earrings :) 
I couldn't take a clear picture of the gold bangle but it says "Love makes the world go around" all around, which I think is very cute!

That's it for today!

XOXO Jorien

Update: New year, new blog posts...

Hi everyone!

I want to start by apologizing for being MIA for a while... I started studying a new subject at a new school in October, so I spent some time adjusting to all these changes. And to be honest, I kind of fell of the blogging band wagon :(

At the beginning of this year I felt the urge to start blogging again, and I want to keep doing it this time around. As my January exams are now finally over, you can expect a lot of new blog posts!

For now, I will leave you with this short update... 
You can expect a real post tomorrow (Hint: I did a little bit of shopping!!)

I think this picture sums it up quite nicely :)

XOXO Jorien