06/10

Rome for the weekend

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Rome is a city that thrives on happiness. The Italians take their time to unwind, enjoy tasty food more than most other things, stop to chat in the middle of the streets and drink wine before noon. Very different from the city where I live, Amsterdam.

My weekend in Rome in September together with my mum and little sister was one of the best weekends I’ve ever had. Loads of pasta, ice cream, pizza, wine and laughter filled our days. For four days we walked along cobblestone streets exploring Trastevere – where we stayed in the cutest apartment – Fontana di Trevi (one of my favorite places to visit when in Rome) and Piazza Navona.

If you want to see some photos I took while in Rome, follow along on Instagram!

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26/09

Travel guide Ibiza

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A little while ago I hopped on a plane to the idyllic island of Ibiza together with one of my closest friends to spend a week with my feet in the sand, a clean face from make-up and covered in nothing more than sunscreen, sipping smoothies and eating way too much delicious Spanish food. I tried to unwind for a little bit as things at home are pretty hectic at the moment.

We had the most blissful time on this little island and spend the days sunbathing and swimming in the Mediterranean sea. My favorite beach was definitely Amante Beach, a small beach with the most gorgeous beach club I ever visited – Amante Beach Club, perched on a cliff overlooking the Sol Den Serra bay. We booked an early morning yoga session here followed by an healthy breakfast on the terrace with fresh squeezed juices, fresh fruit, eggs, natural yogurt and freshly baked wholegrain patisserie with ocean views. The perfect way to start the day!

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The stunning interior of Amante Beach Club

If you visit Ibiza then you cannot miss the Las Dalias Hippy Market, the perfect place for a healthy smoothie, hammam towels, tasty food, elegant beach clothing and lots more. I can highly recommend this market situated in San Carlos. Another lovely place you have to visit is La Brasa restaurant in the Old Town of Ibiza close to the idyllic harbor. This place has the cutest little garden with the most tasty food.

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Beso Beach Club on the island of Formentera is a place I highly recommend

 

When you spend a week in Ibiza make sure you hop on a boat and spend a day on the little island of Formentera, Ibiza’s ‘little sister’ and less decadent. The best thing about Formentera are the white beaches as the sea is incredibly clear. My favorite place here is definitely Beso Beach Club.

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The beaches of Formentera

 

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21/08

Weekend Reading

A homemade life August

  • When it comes to spring and the warmer months, one of the most valuable things in the beauty department is soft skin. I mean, what’s better than clear, smooth skin that gives you a healthy glow?
  • The best tips to get glowing and pretty beach hair! Since there’s nothing better than stepping out of the shower, simply spritz on some salt spray and run out the door, is there?
  • Feel like escaping the hustle and bustle of the city for a while and getting away from it all? I do! That’s why I am so happy with this little list of ten places to go to for a relaxed countryside getaway.
  • In the spirit of getting away from it all, traveling to a secluded beach somewhere, turning off my phone and trying to find a way to stay lost forever – here’s a list of the best beaches to which you should be planning an escape. I’d love to plan a visit to the Fomentera in Spain at this moment!
  • The summer is the perfect time to refresh your cozy home and treat yourself to a few home indulgences that will make every day a little bit more special and comforting. Here are a few simple ways to elevate your space and improve your everyday life.
  • Find a step-by-step guide for optimizing your skincare regimen.
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03/07

Weekend Reading

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  • I am in my mid-twenties and taking proper care of my body and skin has never been so important as it is now. As I travel through my 20s I feel like this is the best time to take a moment and focus on being happy and healthy. I have always been interested in anti-ageing and how beauty products and staying fit helps women to feel empowered and good about themselves. Recently, I discovered this article about how 20-somethings actually feel about ageing and I find it quite refreshing so I wanted to share it with you. Take a peek and get inspired!
  • Did you ever wonder how the most pretty women stay so effortlessly – well – flawless? I do all the time. Apparently, it’s all about the nighttime beauty rituals and skincare. Want to know their secrets? These women share their nighttime beauty tips and I am thinking I might try a few new products this evening!
  • Healthy living has become a way of life for me recently (although I still love the occasional pizza prosciutto evenings with one too many glasses of wine or indulge in some tasty white chocolate). For me, living a healthy life isn’t about following a strict regimen but more about practicing a routine that is energizing and easy to maintain. That’s why I love this article where successful women share their methods for living a healthier and balanced life.
  • Having your hair, nails, face or other spa treatments done is always a great way to treat yourself. However, do you know the proper etiquette when it comes to all of these services? I don’t either I have to admit. That’s why I am so happy Lauren Conrad shares her guide to spa etiquette on her blog.
  • My little sister and I received the best birthday present ever from my parents: we’re going to spend a weekend in Rome in September and I couldn’t be more excited! I’ve only been to Rome once but the lively and charming city completely captivated me. One of my favorite photographers, Carin Olsson, went to Rome a few weeks ago and took these amazing photos of the Italian city. Her photographs make me want to hop on a plane right away!

If you’d like follow along on Instagram!

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27/06

Sunscreen: everything you need to know

A homemade life | Bali4

When I was a teenager and growing up close to countless beaches, tanning was the mode du jour and I was so excited to get that sun-kissed ‘healthy’ glow. I felt invincible and never thought twice about the skin damage caused by UV rays. Nowadays, I’ve learned to embrace my natural skin tone in the hopes that it will mean less wrinkles and a lower risk of skin cancer as I get older.

These days, you can find me wearing a straw hat to shade my face with SPF 50 slathered all over my skin. Even when I think I’ve been extra careful about sun exposure, there have been times where I’ve found myself with rosy cheeks and pink shoulders after being too long in the sun. So here’s my simplified version of everything you need to know about beauty’s most important topic.

  • Apply your sunscreen at least 20 minutes before you go outside. Top it up throughout the day every two hours, especially when you went for a swim.
  • Apply your sunscreen indoors. If you apply it in direct sunlight the product can evaporate before it has had a chance to bond with the skin, which then makes it less effective. Take your time since it’s easy to miss bits if you’re in a hurry too.
  • Use a blob about the size of a two-pound coin for each limb and your entire front and back. Otherwise, you won’t get the full protection that’s labelled on the sunscreen bottle. Use the size of a one-pound coin on your face. My personal favorite is the La Roche-Posay invisible mist which I can highly recommend!

As I am a firm believer in living a healthy lifestyle to get that glowing skin, there are also a few foods that have been proven to help reduce the chances of sunburn. Take a peek below and make sure to get some of these tasty foods next time you’re at the market:

  • Tomatoes. Tomatoes help prevent your skin from aging. Throw a few tomatoes in your salad during lunch or dinner.
  • Green tea. I am a big fan of green tea and always drink lots of it. Besides its abilities to clear up your skin, boost your immune system and speed up your metabolism, it also helps to soothe sunburns. Drinking one or two cups of this tea a day helps to reduce the redness of sunburn.
  • Citrus. Orange and pink citrus fruits contain lots of skin-cell protective compound called limonene. These fruits actually improve the skin’s ability to recover from sun damage. Do you also feel like drinking some lemon water?
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31/05

May in Instagrams

A homemade life | May in Instagrams

I loved the month of May: the first weekend of this month I spent a weekend in Barcelona together with a few friends. I enjoyed lots of lunches and brunches with my girls at the places above: Pluk and Buffet van Odette, two of my favorite places in the city of Amsterdam and celebrated Pluk’s One Year Anniversary.

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I spent a weekend in Zeeland – the place where I’m from – to spoil my mum on Mother’s Day and to celebrate my little sister’s birthday. My mum also visited me in Amsterdam and we had the most blissful weekend, did lots of shopping (a few of my favorite shops are Skins Cosmetics, Bellerose, Anecdote and Mint) and eating way too many tasty things, like the banana bread above. Yes, it was definitely a month to remember!

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If you’d like you can follow along on Instagram!

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