not my photo

Everybody always says that the smallest decisions are the ones that affect your life the most, and even though that's often true, we also can't deny the fact that sometimes you make such a big decision that your life is bound to change drastically. This is my case. 

For this post to make much sense you should probably head over here and read a bit of background information. For those of you who don't know, I applied to a program which allows students to travel abroad and experience a new culture, and I have been accepted in. I'm going to be living in China for 11 months! This is super exciting but super duper fricking scary. 

I've never been to China, or even Asia, and I really don't know what to expect. I've never studied Chinese, don't know much about its culture or its people. I don't even know where in China I'm going to stay yet! All I know is that this is going to be a life changing experience and that I'm going to be taking you guys along. For now, this is all. I'm sorry, I'll get in more detail soon, but I'm really tired now. 

Recently I hit my local drugstore (and a cheeky Sephora) to replace some empties and to just generally have a little look around. I came out with a variety of different products, which I'm very excited to try, and so I thought I would share some.



I was mostly on the hunt for makeup remover. I picked up the L'Oreal 'skin perfection cleansing&perfecting milk', which I've already started using and I'm already loving. It's really gentle on the skin, it melts off all my makeup, and keeps my skin feeling soft and moisturized. For my lazy days I also bought some makeup wipes. The ones I got are from 'sensure' which I think is only an Italian brand, but to be honest I've never heard of it nor tried it. Last but not least I also got two eye makeup removers. The first one is the Garnier 'simply essentials 2 in 1 makeup remover', and it seems like such a cool concept. The liquid in the bottle is divided in two, and according to the description, it's a mixture of makeup remover (the blue liquid) and cleansing water (to leave your skin feeling fresh). I haven't tried it yet, but I'm super excited to see how it works out. I also bought a more 'normal' makeup remover from Rimmel, which I still haven't tried either. 



One of the products I'm most excited for in this haul is my new Pantene 'defined curls mousse'. I've been wanting to try a mousse for a very long time, and for some reason I haven't bought one until now. I'll surely let you know how I get on with this beauty. Also exciting, at least for me, is my new Dove body wash. It's super creamy and moisturizing, which is exactly what I like in my body wash, and it also smells lovely. 

I wasn't sure if to include this next product in the haul because it's a bit awkward, but you know what? It shouldn't be! Body hair is natural and we shouldn't feel obliged to remove it in the first place, but nonetheless, I bought some facial waxing strips. The ones I got are from Veet, and, though it wasn't a pleasant experience, it wasn't too bad and they did the job. 



I saved the two most exciting products, at least in my opinion, for last. First off we have two face masks from Nivea. I got the 'refreshing moisture mask' and the 'purifying mask'. I only tried the first one between the two and I absolutely loved it. Lately I feel as though my skin has been lacking moisture, and this mask hydrated my skin and left it feeling soft and fresh. And now, onto the most exciting purchase probably ever, I did it. I caved in. I bought into the hype. I got the Too Faced 'better than sex' mascara. I've only used it once so far, so it seems a bit early to give out a good opinion, but so far I like it. 

I have a huge sweet tooth, and it often seems as if only a piece of double chocolate cake can satisfy it. However, though delicious, cake isn't really the "healthiest" option and you can't exactly make a cake in a couple of minutes. So, unless you have a super healthy but satisfying cake already made, when that sugar craving sets in you're probably going to reach in your hidden junk food stash, and that's something we want to avoid. 

Today I have this super simple snack to satisfy all your cravings. It honestly takes just a couple of minutes to make and it's super delicious and pretty healthy. All you have to do is melt some dark chocolate, cut up a banana, cover it in chocolate and then sprinkle on top a topping of your choice. I put on some ground almonds, ground pistachio, and even some sea salt. They turn out super cute and tasty, and they're perfect for any small get togethers with your friends. 

So next time you feel like reaching into your secret stash, instead of indulging in a snickers bar that you'll regret later on, try getting out of bed and heading to the kitchen. I promise you won't regret it. I hope you guys try this out, and I also wanted to thank you for 1000 views! I can't believe it, thank you all. 

Tucked away between the pages of one of my old notebooks I found a heading labeled "TO-DO". Though the title may fool you, the list that followed was not full of chores; on the contrary, it was my bucket list. I'm guessing that most people have a bucket list, even if it's not written down anywhere. It's that little voice in the back of your mind that tells you "one day I'll do it". Personally, I'm always curious to know what other people are dying to try, and so (in the hope that some of you are nosey) I've decided to share my "must-dos".

1. Travel to all seven continents: as you'll probably notice from this list, traveling is something I really want to do. I want to explore the world and see everything it has to offer, so hopefully I'll either find a job that allows me to travel or a rich husband to pay the plane tickets! (I'm not a gold digger, I'll settle for economic class ;))! 

2. Go backpacking through Europe: All "rich husband" jokes aside, I really want to travel away from luxury. I've been camping my whole life, and it's something I really enjoy, but I want to take it one step further. My dream is to go away with my friends, with just a backpack on our shoulders and some cash in our pockets, and travel around Europe by trains or hitch-hiking. I want to sleep in youth hostels, or in campgrounds or even on a stranger's couch!

3. Go on a road trip: This is very similar, but hey, who cares! Road trips seem extremely fun, and they're easier to organize and safer than hitch hiking. Even though, if I'm being honest, I would probably be the worst road trip companion ever, I mean I get car sick very easily! 

4. Have a kiss under the rain: Yes, I am that cheesy. Let's not get started, okay? I know that in reality it would probably be horrible because you're wet, and cold, and water is getting everywhere and the makeup is running down your face, but let me dream. It just seems like the most magical movie like moment ever.

5. Hook up with a random guy: I tricked you right? From the last statement you probably thought I was a romantic, and now I'm throwing you this curve ball. I know it's a bit controversial, but for some reason it's something I've always wanted to do. I think it's somewhat amazing how you can get so intimate with a total stranger, and never know anything about them. It's beautiful in a way. 

6. Participate in a color run: I always see people (or images of people) covered in colors with the biggest smile on their faces. I want that. Throwing colors at your friends and strangers and being part of this mass event. It's just so cheerful and beautiful. 

7. Go to a new place ALONE: I've always had trouble being alone. I suffer from the so-called "fomo" (aka fear of missing out), and I've just always had a hard time being at ease and not feeling awkward when I'm by myself. Over these past couple of years I've been getting much better, but I want to become independent and, mostly, capable of spending time with myself. I think that exploring a new place on my own is the perfect opportunity and soon I'm going to have that chance...stay tooned till next week to find out probably the BIGGEST thing that has happened in my life yet (hint hint: is 16 too young to move out?..maybe not)

8. Try weird foods: I want to travel not only to see beautiful places, but mostly to explore different cultures (again, hint hint, stay tooned until next week) and I think that that's something that can be done through food. A country's traditional food can teach us a lot about the way people live there, even though some things might sound disgusting to us. 

9. Do work with charity: Something I really want to do is give back. My dream is to travel to a place in need (like Africa) and help the population first hand. I'm not satisfied with giving money to an association, I actually want to feel as though I'm doing something. I want to meet the people that need and use the money, and learn their stories and help better their lives. 

10. Celebrate 50 years of friendship: My best friend and I have been by each other's side for 13 years now. That's already so long (I mean, I've only lived 3 years without knowing her!) and I can't wait to stay with her forever. I know that friends often argue and fall out of touch, but I really think that we're meant to last. I can't wait to celebrate our 50 years of friendship, because I'm sure we're going to make it. 

As you might have noticed I missed a whole week of uploading, and I am not happy about it. But it's not just this week, lately my posts have been late or messy, and overall I'm not satisfied with the content I've been putting out. I wanted to make this post to apologize, but mostly to try and figure out the root of this problem and how to fix it. 

Lately I've been lacking inspiration and creativity. I don't want to upload boring content. I want my posts to be original and creative, and I'm really struggling with that. So please, if you have any suggestions on how to find inspiration or you have any posts that you would like to see tell me. 

I've also been disorganized, which is a personal fault. I actually had a post ready to upload for Thursday, and because of time managing problems I didn't get around to it. This is definitely something I'm going to work on, and I'm really going to try and improve. 

I'm sorry this post was pointless and chatty, I really just wanted to write it for myself. I'm having a bit of a writer's blog and, after my unplanned break, I needed a way to ease back into blogging. Starting tomorrow I will be back on my Sunday-Tuesday-Thursday schedule. 

1. Learn to apply winged liner.
2. Learn how to define and fill in your brows. Don't be afraid. 
3. Clean your makeup brushes at least once a month (it should be more frequent, but baby steps)
4. Try new things. Don't get stuck in your everyday routine, and experiment!
5. Take a bit extra time when doing your makeup.
6. Take better care of your nails. Paint them regularly, and file them (even if you hate it).
7. Figure out your hair. Experiment with it. Spend more time on it. Find something that works and stick with it. 

Fashion Favorites:

sorry it's not my own photo (source)

Food Favorites: