DAY THREE BUDAPEST CITY TRIPPIN' - SHOPPING TIME

Last day of my trip in Budapest was basically a shopping day! I had walked by so many nice stores the past two days I wanted to get in some shopping before returning to Belgium. 

We walked towards Vaci Street, the main shopping street in Budapest, and shopped for some hours. There were many stores (like Zara, Mango, H&M, Bershka...) you find in every European city, but also some unique boutiques that were very affordable. The prices in Budapest are also a bit lower than in Belgium, so I didn't have to feel guilty to splurge, hehe.

On our way to the shopping street we walked by an old gate and decided to go in. To our surprise a beautiful interior was hidden behind it. I'm still not sure what it was, but I think it's an abandoned shopping center.

Very nice surprise.

Happy to go shopping!

Almond - blueberry cake in one of the many coffee houses Budapest has.

Two bracelets I found in a shop close to our hotel. 

After shopping we returned to our hotel and got ready to go to the airport. An "I bought to many extra stuff, we're gonna have to much luggage" panic moment later, we got to the airport and checked in without any problems or extra costs. 

A couple of hours later we landed in Brussel and drove home to Antwerp. 

It was an amazing trip in an amazingly beautiful city. I hope to return in the near future again to this magical place and discover even more of what Budapest has to offer! 

x x x

DAY TWO BUDAPEST CITY TRIPPIN' - LIFE IS A JOKE

My second day in Budapest started off with a filling breakfast at our hotel, Courtyard Mariott Hotel. There was a lot of variation in hot options, such as eggs, potatos, vegetables, meat and cold ones, such as fruit, yogurt, bread, muesli and so on. I served myself to a large plate so I was energized for a full day of sightseeing!

Budapest has the biggest Parliament of Europe and it is also the biggest building of Hungary. The gorgeous unique shape and colors make it a real eyecatcher and one of the prettiest buildings I have ever seen.

These are the Shoes on the Danube Promenade. It is a memorial concept created to honor the Jews who were killed by Arrow Cross militiamen in Budapest during WWII. They were ordered to take off their shoes, since leather was expensive, and were shot at the edge of the water so their bodies would fall into the river. A breathtaking moment, to think that this mass murder happened where I was standing only 70 years ago...

Just Chillin'

Matthias Church, it kind of looks like a Disney castle.

  

Leather jacket - Zara

"Beyonce Life is a joke" T-shirt - Eleven Paris

Jeans - Zara

Shoes - Converse

Bag - market in Sardinia

Scarf - H&M

A well deserved veggie burger after walking for hours. 

The Fisherman's Bastion. Again I find this a very magical building that could be an inspiration to many fairytales. 

After a long day out we took a nap at our hotel and went for dinner at Rosé Restaurant. Very nice simple food at great prices, and you get a live violin music session accompanied with your meal for free! We had some drinks at a bar after dinner, but were pretty excited to go to bed and sleep! You know you're an adult when bedtime becomes a reward and isn't a punishment anymore... :) 

Check back tomorrow for my last day in Budapest! 

x x x

DAY ONE BUDAPEST CITY TRIPPIN' - NUMBER 9

Hi everyone! Or should I say Hello mindenkinek! I just came back from a three day trip to Budapest, Hungary.

 I went with my boyfriend who planned the trip for my birthday (back in november). We only went now because we wanted to enjoy the city with nice weather and it suited best in our vacation calendars! The trip couldn't have gone better, there were no problems with cabs or flights and we were very lucky with the weather. 

I'm showing you a glimpse of our trip in the next three posts, so I hope you enjoy and maybe you'll get some inspiration if you're planning a citytrip in Europe soon!

If I can't decide what to order, I always go for a delicious fresh caesar salad. 

Leather jacket - Zara

Top - H&M

Pants - Zara

Shoes - Converse

Bag - from a market in Sardinia

I bought new white converse shoes the day before we left to Budapest and this is how they looked like after half a day. My feet were killing me, but the city was worth it! 

The Buda Castle in Buda, an historical castle and palace complex of the Hungarian kings in Budapest. It was completed in 1265. We visited it the next day.

I love this top from H&M.

This was taken on a two hour cruise on the Danube river. A very relaxing way to see the city and a moment to rest your feet.

Not saying no to a free glass of champagne.

The first night we treated ourselves with a three course dinner at Araz restaurant, part of the Continental Hotel Budapest. Delicious food at very reasonable prices, I would certainly recommend it! The highlight for me was the dessert though, a raspberry - vanilla layered cake with a white chocolate mousse on the side. Yummy! 

Tomorrow more from my trip to Budapest!

x x x

MY EVERYDAY SMOOTHIE RECIPE

Smoothies are an essential element of my diet, I consume one everyday after working out to provide my body with  the vitamins and minerals it needs. While pre-made smoothies can be a little tricky, you don't know how fresh the ingredients are and how much additional ingredients -like sugar and syrup- are added, homemade smoothies are as healthy as you want them to be. You can basically add any type of fruit or veggie you want, and make as much as you like to turn it into a healthy snack or lunch.

So what exactly is so healthy about a smoothie? First off the water in the fruit hydrates your body. Especially after a workout your body needs lots of water, besides drinking water during and after your workout, you can also get it out of fruit and vegetables.
Also the yoghurt has some benefits. It helps absorb protein and promotes the digestion, which makes it great for a faster metabolism and will give you an energy boost. 

My standard smoothie recipe:

1 banana

frozen mixed red fruit

frozen blueberries

250 gr of low fat cottage cheese

almond milk

orange juice

light grenadine (stevia based)

muesli

This is the order I put everything in my blender:

First the 250 grams of cottage cheese, then almond milk, orange juice, banana, frozen fruit and finally the light grenadine. 

Mix the ingredients until all chunks are gone and you are left with a smooth substance.

Top it off with some muesli and decorate with some fruit. 

Sometimes I change up the ingredients. Depending on which fruits are in store, I will add mango, pineapple, oranges or strawberries. Some days I will add some greens like spinach or cale to create a green smoothie. The green color might not be as appetizing as a yellow or pink smoothie, well don't let it scare you! You barely taste the veggies since the taste of the fruit and grenadine are overpowering. 

I eat this smoothie everyday as a lunch and it's about 370 calories, it varies of which brands you use and how much muesli you add.

Do you include smoothies in your daily diet? If so, what's your favorite recipe? I always like to learn (and taste) more smoothie recipes! 

x x x

EASY TRICK TO LONG AND NATURAL EYELASHES

If you have naturally short eyelashes like me, you are probably looking out for tips and tricks to make your lashes appear longer and bigger as well. Of course you can always go for falsies or eyelash extensions, but for an everyday look to go to school or work you probably prefer a quicker and more effortless option. Mascara is definitely a must to achieve that elongated and thick lashes look. Some mascaras work better than others, so you have to do some trial and error until you find the brand that works best for you! I've been using the L'oréal False Lash Wings/ False Lash Flutter Mascara for some months now and I've really gotten a grip on how to make it work best. If you're still searching for a great mascara I would certainly recommend it (you can find my review here: http://beautiesmoothie.blogspot.be/2013/09/loreal-false-lash-wings-false-lash.html).

Now on to my little trick to achieve long and natural looking lashes. 

These are my lashes without any mascara. As you can see they are pretty short.

Here you can see my lashes with mascara (L'oréal Fasle Lash Wings). My lashes look longer and thicker, but still a bit clumpy and messy.

Now here's the trick to get the most out of your mascara.

After applying a layer of mascara you need to curl your lashes using your finger. Press your finger to the roots of your lashes so they curl upwards, hold this for ten seconds. 

Then repeat the step of pressing your finger on the roots of your outer lashes, hold it again for ten seconds. 

Lastly I put my finger on the ends of my lashes and fold them towards my upper eyelid, to get a very curly effect. Hold it again for about ten seconds.

Because your holding each step for ten seconds, your mascara and lashes will dry in a curly form. Your finger will also have taken off the excess of mascara, all the clumps are gone!

This is the result.

As you can see my lashes look long, curled and natural. They're even and the clumps are gone. 

Before and After

Full face after

I do this trick everytime I apply mascara. It's basically the same technique as when you're using a lash curler, but it's less damaging since you're finger doesn't have a sharp edge like a curler. 

I hope you will try this trick, it works great for me and it will only take 30 seconds of your time! 

x x x

NYC EXPERT LAST LIP COLOR - REVIEW

 

Some time ago I bumped into a huge sale at the drugstore, mmm.. love when that happens! I bought some of my favorite everyday products but I also went for a couple of new items. Just for fun, to experiment and to try something new. These Expert Last Lip Colors from NYC are an example of it. 

I've actually never been a big fan of lipsticks, as I usually go for a natural or nude lip. But after seeing many celebs wearing bold lips, I decided to jump on the wagon as well. 

I chose two very different, but both bright and striking shades. 

The first one is number 405, Blue Rose.

 

It has a blue undertone which is always flattering for your teeth since it makes them look more white. 

The next one is number 444, Chocolate Chip.

It's a pretty dark shade, with brown and plum pigments mixed together. 

This is how they look on.

 

I love both of the shades. Blue Rose is ideal for spring and summer, I can already imagine wearing it with a tan and a white top or floral dress. Chocolate Chip I would probably wear at night for a dinner or for drinks. The color kind of reminds me of something Khloe Kardashian would wear, and since I've been loving her looks lately I might get some inspiration from her on how to style it.

If you cross these lipsticks at the store I would certainly recommend picking one up. They cover easily and leave a beautiful pigmented color plus healthy shine on your lips.

I bought these two for €5,00, but normally they're each €2,99. 

x x x

KRUIDVAT CLEANSING STRIPS (REINIGENDE NEUSSTRIPS) - REVIEW

Today I'm reviewing the Kruidvat Cleansing Nose Strips. The packaging includes six strips for the nose, and are meant to remove blackheads and to cleanse your pores. I had only used the Nivea cleansing strips before, and they didn't really make a difference so I was a bit sceptical using these... but here we go! 

This is one of the six strips.

On the back of each strip there's a small manual, this is what it says:

First you need to cleanse the skin and wet your nose with your fingertips. Dry your hands and remove the plastic of the strip. Place the strip on your nose with the shiny side onto the skin. 

Leave the strip on for 10 to 15 minutes and let it dry until it gets hard. Once the strip is completely dry remove it carefully. 

This is how the strip looks like with the plastic still on.

The shiny side that goes onto the skin.

Matte side.

Recently I've been having problems with my pores, they are very noticeable even with foundation over it!  I've been trying a lot of things to help my little problem like scrubbing and steaming regularly, but haven't noticed big results. 

The pore strips from Kruidvat were so cheap I couldn't walk passed them. 

This is the result. As you can see my pores were pretty big in the before picture. My nose in the after pic looks a bit red, but I am pretty excited about the result! The redness went away after 10 minutes and my pores had noticeably gotten smaller.

I would definitely recommend this product to people who want to reduce their pores, it might not give you perfect skin but it will bring you closer to smoother skin! I will definitely keep using these strips twice a week and hopefully the results will get even better! 

You can find the Kruidvat Cleansing strips at Kruidvat for €1,99 (so only about 33 cent a strip!).

x x x