iLoveToBeFAB

Spring Summer 2015 Trends

2015-04-30T14:45:00.000+02:00

Spring and Summer are the easiest seasons for pairing pieces and putting outfits together. You simply throw on a dress and a pair of sandals, and you are good to go. One can have fun mixing prints and wearing brighter colours than usual. However, the less structured and flowy materials can sometimes look unfinished. And, showing too much skin can be not only unflattering but also inappropriate. Some balance must therefore be sought. We are lucky to have a broad source of inspiration, coming from the Runway and including not only the famous designers but also the up and coming ones. Below are my favourite looks from the runway, which summarize the trends I love the most for the current season.

Alberta Ferretti

Burberry

Chanel Ready to Wear

Fendi

Lanvin

Les Copains

Valentino

Zero & Maria Cornejo

Celine

Chalayan

Chloe

Dior Cruise

Ermanno Scervino

Jill Stuart

Les Copains

Porsche

Valentino

Antonio Berardi

Chanel

Dior Cruise

Elie Saab

Fendi

Lanvin

Burberry

Navy blues, icey pinks, blues and greys, white, creams, sandy colours, and black are the colours which are featured in the above looks. Most of them happen to be also the colours for the Spring and Summer 2015 according to Pantone's Colours' Report.

From the looks above it emerges that I am going for an elegant, classic with a modern twist, at times effortless style with colours and fabrics that feel breezy and relaxed, thus perfect for the hot Maltese Summer.

Share with us your favourite trends for this Spring and Summer.

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Short hair

2014-11-22T13:02:00.001+01:00

Putting outfits together and doing my makeup are things I really enjoy doing. However, when it comes to doing my hair it always seems I don't have the time. It might be that I don't like doing it or simply that I am not good at it. After all we cannot be good at everything. However, we all know that like our eyebrows, our hair is the frame to our face. And very often your hairstyle can make you look great even if you are wearing a simple outfit and minimal makeup. Whereas bad hair can make you look like you stepped out your house without finishing getting ready. And that's how I have been feeling lately. I was ending up putting my hair up in a ponytail or in a messy low bun. My favourite style was a simple braid but that can look too youthful at times. So now that Summer is officially over and that the weather is cooling down, I finally decided to get a shorter hair cut. I am sure you can agree that it is very short for what I am used to. I think the only time I had my hair this short I was under 5 years old.

Because of my myopia I can never see myself properly in the mirror when the hairdresser is cutting my hair, so each time I am having my hair cut I spend all the time hoping the end result will look good. This time I was quiet scared I would regret going for a short cut, instead I am very happy with my decision. It takes half the time to wash and dry it, and I seem to be more willing to style it since I don't have as much hair as before. Also change is always a great thing in my opinion. It gives you a way to reinvent yourself, and when you change your hair, your whole style changes. I think shorter hair can look more edgy and modern. And that's exactly the kind of style I like to go for during Winter. During the colder months I like mixing classic, edgy and casual modern pieces for an effortless New York inspired style.

Enough talking and here go the pictures....

Now we all know a new haircut can look amazing with the hair styler blow dry but not necessarily look as great once you wash it and style it yourself. Well in this case I must say it still looks good after styling it myself. And on a plus side my husband loves short hair.

What about you, how do you like your hair - long or short?

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Hydration

2014-10-19T09:22:00.002+02:00

One thing my face demands, be it Summer or Winter, is hydration. I just know it because my skin feels the best when I apply products rich in water. On the other hand it doesn't appreciate products with a high content of oil. Is it just me, or you too really hate that greasy feeling on the top layer of your facial skin, while still knowing the cream you have just applied is doing nothing for the lower layers? The key to striking a balance between moisture and hydration is to find the right hydrating cream. However, good hydration creams are expensive and I personally do not want to spend hundreds of euros on something I am going to use dayly and use up in a few weeks. Because I have tried many lower end hydrating products which didn't do nothing for my dehydrated skin, I became quiet skeptycal about the suggestions I received in stores and pharmacies.

While shopping in Mariahilferstrasse in Vienna, and after going inside every beauty store I found along the very long shopping Street, I happened to wonder inside a very small apotheke and while paying for a mask I picked (which I will tell you about very soon) the lady at the counter suggested I pair that mask with a very hydrating face cream. So she went along showing me a new hydration gel which is supposed to last 24 hrs on your face, and it is by a brand which is part of the Estee Lauder Group, but is being sold at a very good price. She also had me try the cream on my hand. And there and there I didn't really pay much attention because I had already determined it was another upselling attempt. Later though, I felt my hand and it was still hydrated. So on the last day in Vienna, having found no other hydrating option at a reasonable price, I ran to the shop and bought the True Hydration 24 hr Gel Cream by GoodSkin Labs.

Ever since I started using it each night before going to bed, I wake up in morning with my face still hydrated and if I touch my skin I can still feel the cream on my face. The hydration goes on and on, since even after washing my face, my skin feels smooth and no longer dehydrated. What I mostly love about this cream is that while it is very thick, it doesn't feel the least bit greasy, blends well into the skin and you can feel it penetrating your skin and doing all the great things it is supposed to do underneath the top layer. I am sure the effects would be even more evident if I would use this gel cream also in the morning, but having a problem with my makeup slipping off my face after two or three hours, I avoid applying any cream under my makeup at least until December. So if you have been looking for a great hydration cream that lasts long, makes your skin feel amazingly smooth, and is also well priced (29 euro if I remember correctly) you just found it. Go buy it and let me know what you think...

STAY FAB

#CosmopolitanChic challenge: 2 great looks for the perfect Las Vegas hotel

2014-10-11T09:46:00.000+02:00

Las Vegas might not be at the top of my list of places to visit. However, that doesn't mean I cannot appreciate a great hotel and share it with all of you who love partying, great food and shopping, luxurious surroundings and casinos. If you want all of this under one roof and you are planning a holiday to Las Vegas you should definitely check out the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas hotel.

Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas

In this post I am going to share 4 looks, based on pairings you can take from day to night, which I would wear if staying at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas Hotel. While all the restaurants and pools look amazing, I have decided to style my day looks around the Wicked spoon restaurant while the night looks are inspired by a casual dinner at D.O.C.G followed by a drink outdoors at the Marquee Night club.

Terrace Suite

Imagine waking up with no rush on a Friday morning in this beautiful room, and being able to take all the time you want to get ready, while still knowing a great brunch awaits you until 2 in the afternoon at the Wicked Spoon. Below is what I would wear knowing that I might want to transition my outfits from day to night.

Wicked Spoon

After enjoying your late brunch, relaxing in the hotel, doing some early evening shopping you will definitely be in the mood for a chilled out dinner at the D.O.C.G enjoying delicious Italian antipasti, pasta, pizza accompanied by the right wine and followed by chillaxing outside by the pool with view of the skyscrapers and good music. Below is how I would take my day pairings and dress them up for the night.

D.O.C.G Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas

With such great outfits inspiration and the opportunity of getting ready in a luxurious room, the question is who wouldn't want to be at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas? So if you are looking for the perfect hotel in Las Vegas, look no further...

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Vienna restaurants

2014-09-19T16:28:00.001+02:00

During our second visit to Vienna we didn't miss our favourite lunch spot, Anker. We actually had it 4 times - twice for lunch, once for breakfast and once for a late dinner. Anker is the best in delivering fresh and tasty panini which do not only look good but are also much healthier than a fast food option. Nordsee, which was my favourite spot for lunch and dinner during our first visit to the city of music, dropped out of the best places to eat in Vienna. It might have been that I have been eating so many salads lately that I have lost the appetite for fast food. However, I do crave McDonalds every now and then. My favourite Anker shop is found at the beginning of Mariahilferstrabe, not far from the Museumsquartier.

Aubergine, feta cheese and lettuce inside an olives panino.

I couldn't not have this panino given that aubergines, lettuce and feta cheese are among my top favourite foods.

Breaded chicken and lettuce panino. Not my favoruite but still good enough.

Ravioli alla norma. Best norma pasta I ate out.

Eggplant again, and pasta and mozzarella. It was the perfect pasta dish and it was so good that I didn't want to share it with my husband but we were sharing also a pizza which was so good that I forgot to take a picture...It had prosciutto crudo and brie. So if you are looking for the perfect Italian restaurant with a modern vibe then Pesco is the right choice.

If you are looking for a more fine dining experience and you don't mind paying a little bit more, you should try the Nemtoi restaurant at the Levante Parliament Hotel. The Nemtoi burger was simply divine.

Finally if you like Mexican, I am not a huge fan, my husband suggests Mas Mexican. Cheesy nacios, chicken fajitas and a regular beef burger are the dishes we chose. I don't like spicy food so I wanted to stick with simpler dishes, hence the burger choice. While good, the burger was not as good as the Nemtoi burger.

What about you, which are your favourite restaurants in Vienna?

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Film festival

2014-09-13T17:05:00.000+02:00

Vienna weather might not allow for many outdoor festivals and activities. Yet the Viennese still know how to enjoy their beautiful city. And when the weather is at its best, between end of June and end of August, a Film Festival is held throughout July and August in the Rathaus City Hall. With free entry and more than 30 food stalls offering specialities from various countries, a big screen, free seating, tables and chairs, and a magical atmosphere there is no better way to spend your evening in Vienna. As the location of the festival was just 5 minutes away from our hotel we went 3 nights out of 7 and we had a great time each time.

We didn't really watch the movies they were streaming but we got to enjoy the bubbly yet nice atmosphere and the delicious food. I really recommend you check the Film Festival next year and we loved it so much we might go again next Summer. Below are a few images taken on the 3 nights we were there...

Film Festival Vienna

Thai Food Stall

Persian Food Stall

Traditional Viennese Food Stall

Crepes Stall

Lily Crepe

Banana and caramel waffles

From the Indian food stall

From the portuguese food stall

Magical setting

My favourites were definitely the Indian samosas, the Thai gyoza, Lily's crepe and the Portuguese egg tarts with cinnamon....yummm.

Have you ever been to Vienna's Film Festival? If yes, which was your favourite food stall?

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End of Summer

2014-09-07T10:50:00.000+02:00

I was expecting end of August to be cool in Vienna, but it turned to be often cold. I was wearing shorts when we arrived, and when the pilot said the temperature would be around 13 degrees Celsius while landing it freaked me a little bit. I had obviously checked the weather an infinite number of times before packing, but because the weather was very variable - at times saying it would be sunny and warm and at times rainy and slightly cold- I just packed the outfits I really wanted to wear, that is mostly dresses, shorts and sandals. Thankfully I took one pair of jeans and one pair of trainers along with a cardigan and long sleeves top. I knew I would buy a few jackets, leggings, trousers and closed shoes while shopping in Vienna. Notwithstanding this I was not expecting it to be so cold especially in the evenings. During our visit last October the temperatures would be lower in the morning than late at night. Whereas this time it seemed to me it was the opposite. I am not surprised though since Vienna is famous for having a very unpredictable weather, along with being famous for its culture, Mozart and Sacher torte.

At times I felt everyone would be looking at my bare white legs while on the underground as I was among the few ones wearing shorts or a dress. I didn't mind though as I got to wear my favourite outfits and I am thankful for having found a white parka and a few great scarfs from H&M which kept me warm throughout the days. In the evenings I would change into trousers and layer one of the sweaters I bought under the parka. So all in all, I am pretty happy with what I packed, because by packing less on my way to Vienna I got to have more space to put all the goodies I bought myself while shopping there. Vienna is amazing when it comes to fashion. And it's not only because of the many great stores, but you can feel fashion in the air and see it in the streets with all the people walking dressed in completely different styles.

After a long intro here are the outfits I wore in Vienna during the last week of August. I have also decided to feature a few 'His & Hers' outfits.

Let me know whether you liked the new 'His & Hers' feature.

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Sacher torte

2014-09-04T19:24:00.002+02:00

Tasting a sacher torte is definitely a must when in Vienna. That's exactly what we did during our first visit last October. My husband and I shared a sacher torte at Cafe Aida in Stephansplatz, and regretfully I must say we were not impressed with how the cake compared to the Aida's Mozart cake. You may want to read more about this here.

During our recent trip to Vienna last August we were looking forward to find a Sacher torte which was as good as history behind this cake suggests. I cannot say whether we found the best Sacher cake, as I have only tasted 3 in total but I can definitely say the cake was delicious, so delicious that it ranks at the top of all the chocolate cakes I have eaten so far. If you are wondering where you can eat this cake, I can tell you this small cute cafe' is located right in the centre of the old city, in one of the most famous shopping strees, few metres away from Steffl department store. If you have not guessed it yet, I am talking about the L. Heiner Kartnerstrabe cafe'. Below are few pictures of the cafe and the desserts we got to try.

Entrance of the ground floor level at L. Heiner Cafe'

Truffle cake at L.Heiner Cafe in Kartnerstrabe Vienna

Best sacher torte I ever ate. Cafe' L. Heiner in Kartnerstrabe, Vienna

If you would like to try more sacher tortes, I have heard that the best one is made at the famous Demel cafe' in Kohlmarkt. The Cafe Sacher in Kartnerstrabe seems to make a great sacher torte too, and is also a very elegant cafe'.

Speaking of Cafe' Demel, I am shy to say that I only discovered this cafe' thanks to the blog Merisi Vienna for Beginners. The author states that this cafe' is the oldest cafe' in Vienna and is thus a must attraction to visit. So while I did not get to try the cafe' during my first visit to Vienna, I made sure to go on the last day during my recent trip there. I actually went twice, the first time my husband and I just looked around through the shop selling hand made chocolates. We also had a look at the cakes and didn't end up staying because there was no outdoor seating. The second time we spotted the big chocolate cake in the cake window called Anna cake, which is one of Demel's signature cakes, and we knew we had to try it. So we waited in line to be seated on the second floor. Yes, this cafe' is so popular that you have to wait to be seated at least 15 minutes. We had 2 cappuccinos and 2 Anna tortes. The bill came 19 euros, including the glass of water each which all cafes in Vienna provide like it's done in Italy. It was definitely the most expensive cake and cappuccino I ever had but it was worth the price. As you can see in the pictures below, there is a section of the kitchen where cakes get prepared which can be seen by the public through the glass partition.

Demel's menu

Anna torte in Demel cafe Vienna

Second floor at Demel Cafe'

Demel Cafe' kitchen

Demel Cafe' own chocolate delicacies for sale.

First floor at Demel Cafe in Vienna

Vienna is not however only about the sacher torte. The many cafes scattered throughout the city offer different sorts of chocolate cakes, and a must try in my opinion is the Mozart cake at cafe' Aida. Below are some pictures taken during our recent visit to cafe' Aida inside the Donauzentrum shopping mall.

Mozart cake at Cafe' Aida, in Donauzentrum (also located in Stephansplatz) Vienna

Cake and coffee is part of the Viennese culture. In my opinion this ritual blends perfectly with the cold weather and the many sightseeing options as it is the perfect treat to have during an afternoon spent shopping, or sightseeing or even as a break from working or to shelter oneself during a cold and rainy day. One thing I keep asking myself is what is the secret of the Viennese women, which makes them be so tall and slim while enjoying all these chocolate cakes. Who knows....it might be all the walking done since a great percentage of the population uses public transport instead of the car, the sports practices at the Green Prater on Sunday morning or simply lucky genes. And while I am not blessed with these genes myself, I look forward to eating more chocolate cakes during my next visit in Vienna. There are so many nice cafes we didn't get to try including Sperl cafe', Cafe' Central, Cafe' Landtmann, Cafe' Leopold Hawelka, Burgring 1, Cafe' Le Bol and Kleines Cafe.'

What about you do you love a chocolate cake and cappuccino?

Which is your favourite cafe' in Vienna? Share it in the comments below.

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Salzburg

2014-09-01T19:16:00.000+02:00

Salzburg has always been in my destinations to visit list, and getting to actually experience this picturesque small town immersed in such a wonderful backdrop was a great experience. Sharing this with my husband made it even better.

We reached Salzburg by train from Vienna. We took a Westbahn train from Vienna Westbahnhof departing at 7.40 in the morning and came back with a Westbahn train departing from Salzburg hauptbahnhof at 6.50 in the evening. It takes about 2 hours and 30 minutes each way. The train, as you can see below is very comfortable and clean. There are many restrooms across the train and you get sections with a table, great if you want to have a snack or do some work. The train is pretty smooth but you get some ears popping when it goes under tunnels, usually during the first hour from Vienna to Salzburg and the last hour on the way back. I suggest you buy some gums to help with the ear pressure. The cost of a ticket per person for one way is around EUR24, so the cost for 2 people for both ways was just under EUR100.

As soon as we arrived in Salzburg we got a little bit confused about how to reach the centre. I suggest you go inside the buses information centre and ask for direction. Or else you can look at the map in the bus station in front of the hauptbahnhof and take any bus which goes to the centre. Buy a day ticket for each person at EUR3.40 and you will be able to go to the centre and come back later that day to catch your train back to Vienna or any other city you are coming from. We took bus 6, stopped close to the Mirabelle gardens and walked forward until we saw the Salzach river. I am sure you can agree the views are pretty amazing. So stopping for a few pictures is a must.

We walked across the bridge over the Salzach and reached the old town. I was really amazed at how you can reach different streets through small passages in between buildings. Most of these passages have local shops selling jewellery, sweets, souvenirs, fancy clothes and much more.

We were starving and needed to use the restroom so we went around the old town looking for a nice cafe. I didn't want to miss the Salzburg strudel and after going inside Cafe Tomaselli, which didn't look very appealing on the inside, we came across the beutiful Cafe Altstadt and that's where we had our cappuccinos, strudel and sacher torte. If you want to know where to have the best sacher torte in Vienna read this post. The strudel was divine and for being in Salzburg the price was very reasonable too.

After a small break we headed towards the Salzburg fortress through the funicular. You can buy your ticket for the fortress including a two way funicular ride for under EUR12. The fortress is definitely a must if you are in Salzburg. From its top you can admire the most amazing views and take great pictures. You can easily see the fortress in around 90 minutes. I would also suggest you stop for lunch in one of the restaurants/cafes surrounding the fortress since the views are so spectacular.

After getting off the funicular we just wondered across the town, looking for a nice spot to eat and also doing some window shopping. We walked by the Cathedral, the University, the open market, and Mozart house. We bought some chocolates from the Braun shop and also some Mozartkugeln from the train station.

But before leaving to catch the train we had a delicious early dinner at Gasthof Goldgasse. Both my husband and I ordered veal schnitzel which came with parsley potatoes, cranberries sauce and a cucumber salad. It wasn't cheap, but considering we had meat and we were in Salzburg it was definitely worth it.

And just before catching the train I did some last minute shopping inside H&M. We made it just in time to catch the train and we got in Vienna at around 9.20 pm. We spent a really nice day in Salzburg and I would definitely consider going for an entire weekend.

Have you been to Salzburg? If yes what did you like most about this picturesque town?

STAY FAB

Best primer

2014-07-30T16:20:00.000+02:00

After trying out 6 of the best high end primers out there, along with other 3 less well known face primers, I am now ready to share my opinions and my journey to finding the best makeup primer for combination to oily skin.

While I wouldn't say I have oily skin, my skin can look oily after applying certain lotions and creams, and my makeup starts melting after only few hours. Because I don't like blotting my face or re-applying powder during the day, both I cannot seem to find the time and because I don't like the powdery look I get when re applying my powder for the second time, I have been on the search for that primer which is able to lengthen the staying power of makeup on my face. While I haven't found one that makes my makeup last all day, I can definitely recommend two that can make your makeup last longer than what it would usually last.

But before let's start with a list of all the primers I have tried. The list includes the following:

1. Body shop, both the one for oily and dry skin

2. Stage primer

3. Sisley instant perfect

4. Smash box photo finish colour correcting primer

5. Smashbox photo finish oil free primer

6. Makeup Forever HD Green primer

7. Benefit the Porefessional

8. MAC Matte Primer

Primers 3 and 5 did not do an amazing job in covering my redness. And I am still on the lookout for a great anti redness primer to use during the Winter. The Smash box oil free primer was good but I feel I need to try it again before being able to compare it to the Benefit and Mac ones, which are my favourite ones for lasting properties. I have tried determining which is the best but I love them both equally. In terms of size they are practically the same, but while I bought the MAC one in Santorini while the Hondos shpping centre was having a 25% sale, the Benefit one was much more expensive. I would repurchase both, and I usually alternate them. In terms of pores coverage, I have not noticed a difference either.

If you know me a little, you also know I never stop looking for something better. In fact, I look forward to trying out the following primers:

the Nars skin smoothing face prep

the Nanoblur optical skin cream

the Hourglass veil mineral primer

the Bourjous Happy Light Matite'

the Dr. Brandt Pores no more

the Benefit Stay Flawless Primer

the Too Faced Primed and Poreless Skin Smoothing face primer

the Face Stockholm Primer for perfect skin

Have you tried any of the above primers? If yes, let me know which you suggest me to try first.

And also don't forget to share which is your favourite primer.

STAY FAB

Santorini

2014-07-24T19:54:00.000+02:00

Unbelievably beautiful views, romantic yet casual atmosphere, relaxed and friendly surroundings, great food, good shopping and the perfect place to unwind and make unique memories. This is how I would describe Santorini in just a sentence. And if the words were not enough I am sure the following images will remove any doubt.

Best time to go to Santorini is in my opinion May and June. Winds can be very strong so going in Spring and Autumn might not be the best option. Moreover, most hotels are closed during Winter. July and August. AJuly and August can on the other hand too busy, which means lower chances of finding a great restaurant and more crowded pool area and streets.

How to go: you can either go by plane; so you would have to take a flight to Athens and then a second one from Athens to Santorini. You might want to take a cruise which stops in Santorini and then take a plane on the way back home.

Where to stay: if you are not too fussy like I am, then you might want to check out Angels & Stars Suites and Spa.

Where to eat: without doubt at Argo, Archipelagos, Fanari, Yiaourtaki and il Gelato D'oro in Fira, Galini Cafe in Firostefani and Floga in Oia. From my research I would also recommend Penelope's Taverna in Pyrgos, Mousiko Kouti in Megalachori, Red Bycicle Cafe and Skala in Oia,

Where to shop: Hondos centre, Imerovigli pharmacy and Fira streets

What to do: relax in your hotel, take the time to read, write, draw or do any other hobby you might have; spend quality time with your significant other or with your friends; try local food and wine; browse the streets of Fira both in the morning and at night; walk from Fira to Imerovigli; visit Oia.

Have you been to Santorini? If yes, would you return? And if no, would you go?

STAY FAB

Korres review

2014-07-19T11:30:00.000+02:00

If you follow my blog, you might have already read my Santorini shopping post in which I shared a few tips on where to shop for good skincare products while in Santorini. Today I want to review Korres, since this is a brand I have rarely heard of before visiting Greece. And I am so impressed with the quality of the products I got, that I cannot but share them with you, so that if you get the chance to buy these you do so because they are really good products at affordable prices and made with natural ingredients.

Let's start with the Korres Milk Proteins 3 in 1 Cleansing Emulsion......After trying various milk and creamy eye makeup removers/cleansers, I can easily say this is my favourite so far. First of all I love the brand name, the packaging and the prices - just under 14 euros for 200 ml. And Korres claims to be a natural skincare brand, which is always a plus for me - since I am sensitive to chemical and very strong scents. The back of the bottle states that .....'Korres Milk Proteins emulsion gently cleanses, tones and moisturizes: it removes face and eye make-up, sebum and dirt, allowing the skin to breathe.' While I totally agree with the fact that this product is a great eye and face make-up remover and can double as a cleanser, if you like your cleanser to have a creamy consistency (I prefer a gel consistency), and I also agree with the fact that it leaves your skin moisturized but not greasy, I am not sure about the toning properties. It might however be that the ingredients used in this emulsion promote skin toning. While this product is not fragrance free, its scent is not too strong and doesn't bother me at all.

Korres Fluid Gel Cleanser with White tea......I have tried to love this product, but unfortunately I don't. While I like its scent, every time I have been using it I felt the need to re-wash my face with the Dr. Organic Tea Tree Face Wash. You might know by now that I love cleansers that give me that squeaky clean feel, leave my skin refreshed and remove all the oil which might have formed during the day or night. And that feeling I am talking about I only get it with the Dr. Organic Tea Tree face wash. However, if you are looking for a cleanser which is not creamy and not too liquid, but which foams just a little and if you have more of a dry than combination to oily skin like mine, this product might be perfect for you. It is not however the perfect cleanser for me, although I will give it a try during the colder months and see how it performs.

Korres Pomegranate Moisturizing Cream-Gel...This is the star of the show in my opinion. It gives the perfect blend of creamy moisturizing and cooling and toning effect/feeling when applied. For 18 euros, although it comes in a 40 ml container, I think it is relatively cheap for how good it is. And you only need a tiny amount on each area of the face. I use this only at night, and as the lady in the Imerovigli's pharmacy said, it's the perfect moisturizer for the Summer months. I usually rarely moisturize in Summers, or use a very light lotion, because my skin can feel very oily. But this cream-gel is perfect because it is cooling while moisturizing, and doesn't leave any greasy feeling. If you are slightly dry, you might want to use this in the morning as well. And if you are oily you might want to use this in Winter too. In fact the back of the container says 'Oily to combination skin'. The scent, while stronger than the milk proteins emulsion, is very nice and I also like the pink glass packaging. Usually creams like this would start at a price of 30 euros and go way up to hundreds of euros.

Korres moisturizing hand cream with organic almond oil & calendula....Because I like calendula and I know almond is very moisturizing I was immediately attracted to this hand cream.When I travel I am always looking for a new hand cream to try, since my hands are constantly dry. The packaging is so cute that it won me over. However, I must say that I am not very impressed with this hand cream. I don't love the scent and I do not think it is very moisturizing. If you are looking into buying a calendula hand cream you should go for the Dr. Scheller Calendula hand balm.

Finally but certainly not least is the Korres lip butter in Jasmine scent. While I am never attracted to floral scents, when I smelled this in the Imerovigli's pharmacy I knew I had to have it. It was the perfect scent, not too rich and sweet but yet resembling caramel. And the texture was so creamy and smooth, without being too sticky, that I couldn't wait to try it on my lips. Unfortunately, they only had a tester as the product is no longer being stocked in Santorini. So you can imagine my sad reaction, and even better my delightedness when I came across the same lip butter at the airport in Athens, just before boarding. So I immediately grabbed it and now I can enjoy it every day. The back of the product says...'A buttery lip balm that melts on the lips and offers a shiny, tinted finish.' I totally agree with this. And I think this is perfect for Summer, as it is not very thick. However, I thought it would be more moisturizing. I have yet to find a lip butter that stays on for hours at night. So if you have one product to suggest, please do so in the comments below.

With most of these products being huge hits for me, I cannot but recommend the Korres brand to anyone looking for inexpensive natural skincare products, which are also good for sensitive skin. I am definitely looking forward to trying out more Korres products, including an eye cream/gel and another face cream or serum.

Have you tried Korres? Which is your favourite product?

STAY FAB

Makeup 2014

2014-07-13T12:11:00.000+02:00

2014 has been a great year for makeup. I got to try several products, bought while on vacation or abroad for work. And I also bought a few bits and pieces while shopping in Malta. To the side is most of my makeup (I have a few more primers, powders, lip products, eye pencils and many nail polishes). For some of you might be a lot and for many others might be a little. Few weeks ago I decided to purge all the makeup which was either old or I was not using. Some of it I threw away and other pieces I gave to my mum and sister, most of them eye shadows. I have been wanting a naked palette for so long, that when I finally got one (I got the Naked 1), I stopped using anything else. My favourite shades, on which I have almost hit pan, are Virgin, Naked and Buck. I love a neutral eye with just some countouring in the crease and a bright lip for Summer or a darker one for Winter. Above you can see all my makeup packed and that's in fact all the makeup I took with me on Holiday in Santorini last June. So this makeup is perfect for the Summer months, for work, the weekend and for vacation too.

My makeup favourites at the moment are the Bioderma tinted face lotion with SPF 50, the pore fessional primer, the bobbi brown concealer duo (which I completely used up). My favourite mascara is still the Deborah Milano Definitive Volume & Curl. For powder I like both the Sephora 8hr wear mattifying compact foundation and the Max Factor Creme Puff in 05 translucent. My favourite lip products for Summer are the L'Oreal Paris Caresse in 401 Rebel red and in 07 Cheeky magenta and the Revlon Colourburst lip gloss in 006 Strawberry . This Summer I have been wearing the Revlon scented nail polish in 060 African tea rose. During the past month I have also been loving the Makeup Forever Mist & Fix under my MAC Matte primer. The two together make my makeup last longer.

Here is me wearing most of the above makeup.
The sun washed it out a little. But you can still see that is a very natural - almost no makeup look.
This is exactly my kind of makeup look - something fresh, young, easy and quick.

Since I have been using most of the bove products for so long, I am ready to share my opinions on them. So get ready for a few reviews. Also feel free to ask me questions about any product you might be interesting in trying out.

Share in the comments below which are your favourite makeup products for 2014 so far...

STAY FAB

Santorini Shopping

2014-07-12T09:47:00.000+02:00

If you like me love shopping, you can agree that shopping can even be ten times better in a picturesque location. Santorini might not have the high Street shops we are used to, or all of the popular designer brands, but it definitely has the charm which you are not going to find anywhere else. I am sure all those husbands who hate shopping will love it here because of the views, especially those who are into photography. And while you are not going to find Forever 21 or Sephora, there are many boutique shops selling very sophisticated and Island appropriate clothing and shoes, as well as many shops selling handbags and jewellery. If you are into makeup then you will love Hondos center, which is a small shopping mall in the heart of Fira. Here you can also find high end brands like MAC, Estee Lauder, Dior and much more. And if you want to get your hands on the skincare goodies below, including amazing products like Korres, Caudalie and Apivita, you should head to the pharmacy located in Imerovigli's main road close to a few supermakets and bus stops.

To reach the pharmacy in Imerovigli you can either walk up the main road on the right side of the Island, or walk up the caldera side and admire the views and take a few pictures. The path is not the easiest, with loads of stairs, but is so worth the effort - especially since you get to see several hotels, villas and apartments and a few restaurants and cafes, all ofering great views. This is the path we took on a Sunday morning, right after breakfast, as we wanted to wonder around our hotel Angels & Stars. And little we knew we would step into this small pharmacy stocked with the most amazing products. I think we spent an hour inside it. And the best part of this little shopping haul, is that I got to take pictures on my beautiful patio with one of a kind background.

What about you? Which was the best location you shopped at in terms of views and charm? Share it in the comments below.

STAY FAB

Oia

2014-07-03T19:31:00.001+02:00

After writing about Fira, Imerovigli and Firostefani, is now the time to tell you about Oia.

Oia is the highest city on the Island of Santorini. Hence it is well known for the best views and sunsets. And while I loved Imerovigli, Firostefani and Fira and would return, I cannot but agree with the fact that Oia is very picturesque. First of all it feels more touristy than Firostefani and Imerovigli, but is definitely less busy than Fira. Moreover, as Fira it has many streets with shops, cafes and restaurants. Here, however, the prices are higher both in restaurants and boutiques.

And here is where you find the most expensive hotels.So unless you have a higher budget, although Santorini as a whole is a relatively expensive destination, you might want to stay somewhere else. But you must go to Oia at least once. I wished we had the time to go a second time. And if you go you should eat at Floga. I had the salmon ravioli and they were divine. The crispy prawns looked scrumptious too, and as you can see from the picture above the views are spectacular.

You might wonder why I haven't written yet about Amoudi bay, since Oia and Amoudi bay are usually visited together. We had planned to go around Oia and then go down the 300 stairs which lead to Amoudi Bay. But when we started the stairs, I told my husband I prefered not to go down because they were very slanted and slippery and I didn't want to break my leg the day before my birthday. Plus it was already late and we were both very hungry. So next time we go to Santorini, we will definitely take a taxi to Amoudi bay. And you should too since the restaurants there are well renowned for their fresh fish.

The journey to Oia was really interesting. On the way there we saw many new developments of hotels and villas being built. The roads were also very narrow and the bus was full, so we had to stand all the time each way. So you might prefer catching a taxi, which should cost you around 20 euros each way for 2.

One last thing I would like to say is that Oia would be the perfect place for those looking to relax in a hotel, and going out at night around the hotel without having to walk a lot or take a taxi. Also this is the best option for people who don't like crowds, as Fira gets very crowded. But if you prefer being closer to Fira, then staying here is not advisable in my opinion since it takes about 3 hours to walk to Fira.

Have you visited Oia? Did you prefer it to Fira? And if you stayed in Oia would you recommend it?

STAY FAB

Firostefani

2014-07-02T19:28:00.000+02:00

Firostefani was one of the towns I had planned to visit as soon as we would get in Santorini.

Since I knew we were getting to the hotel before 8 in the morning, and with the check in being in the early afternoon I had researched places to go not far from our hotel. And because Cafe' Galini was the place I wanted to had breakfast at, being located in Firostefani, which is about 10 minutes walk down from Imerovigli and 20 minutes up from Fira, Firostefani was the first place we visited right after going through all the check in paper procedures and leaving the luggages at the reception.

The walk to Firostefani was one of the most beautiful walks in my life. You know how the first time you see a place or a view it is always the best because you get amazed and also get to compare it against your expectations. At least that's what I do.

This is another place I would consider staying in Santorini, along with Imerovigli and Oia. It still offers great views but is slightly closer to Fira. There are a few hotels, and many apartments and villas to rent in this area. Hotel Galini is one of them. There is also a nice square from where you get to enjoy the view on a bench or while eating out on a table overlooking the sea.....Here you can find a few shops, a place which sells gyros (kebabs) and on the other side of the Island, along the main road, there are more restaurants and stores. But the prettier ones are those overlooking the Aegean sea.

Have you been to Firostefani? Did you love it?

STAY FAB

Imerovigli

2014-07-01T20:06:00.002+02:00

If you are looking for the perfect place to relax while in Santorini, admire the breathtaking views any time of the day and still be within walking distance from restaurants and shops - Imerovigli is the location for you.

With only 10 minutes walking distance from Firostefani and 30 minutes from Fira, staying in Imerovigli will enable you to enjoy your hotel during the day relaxing by the pool after breakfast and may be shredding the extra calories at the gym, and dining and walking to Fira at night. If you prefer you can however, easily reach Oia by bus or taxi, wonder through Imerovigli, or visit the many villages by taking a bus to Fira and then a bus to your town of choice departing from the capital.

While there are many restaurants in Imerovigli, I wasn't attracted by one in particular. So my husband and I preferred walking to Fira every night to have dinner and simply walk while admiring the views - which needless to say are spectacular at night. However, if you are looking for some snacks, drinks and ice cream there are many small stores and supermarkets in Imerovigli. There is also a pharmacy which stocks really goos skincare products like Korres and Apivita. And you can also get your hands on Caudalie here.

If you are looking for a place to stay, and you are not too needy like me, then you might want to check Angels & Stars Suites and Spa in Imerovigli. Otherwise, I am sure you will find another accomodation option in the beautiful Imerovigli.

Have you been to Imerovigli? Share your experience with us in the comments.

STAY FAB

Angels and Stars Santorini

2014-06-28T15:31:00.002+02:00

The name itself stands for relaxation. And that's exactly what you will get from this hotel. First of all I must say that when we arrived at the location my eyes dropped staring at the view from Imerovigli. The location of this hotel is not only breathtaking but also within walking distance from Firostefani and Fira (30 minutes maximum down to Fira if you stop to rest and take pictures also considering the cobbled slippery streets). While it is surrounded by many restaurants and a few cafes, I would much rather walk to Fira and have a higher quality variety of restaurants to choose from.

I was very pleased we got checked into our room around 13.00 pm, although check in is really at 15.00 pm. And when we were showed our room, I was a little disappointed as I was expecting a less outdated decor, considering the images you find on the hotel website. However, the view from our room and the little patio made me forget about the decor, the smelly bathroom, cabinets and closet. I always keep my clothes into hanging cases and plastic bags when staying in hotels, and I only used the small closet and one drawer to store them since they were the least smelly ones. I obviously cleaned them before with my wipes, which is something I always do when I first get into a hotel room. Another great aspect of standard rooms are that apart from the small patio, you get another loungin area in front of the room with reclining chairs and a table overlooking the pool which allows you to suntan without going to the pool, which is especially great when all the deckchairs around the pool are taken.

Angels & Stars Santorini Standard Suite

Area in front the standard suites at Angels & Stars in Santorini

Breakfast is good but could be better. The fruit, greek yougurt, eggs, honey, orange juice, biscuits, chocolate cake, and wholewheat bread are great. The coffee was really bad however. And only at the end they added a few more options, like croissants which were really good. All in all you can definitely enjoy a good breakfast, although it might not be the best breakfast you will ever have, especially by considering the view you will be staring at while eating it.

Breakfast at Angels & Stars Suites Santorini

Pool bar service is good, and considering the location and hotel rating prices are not that high. The pool is a little small, and I was hoping for the main pool to be an infinity pool, but considering that I am not really into swimming it was fine, as I preferred sunbathing while admiring the view. You don't really need books, magazines or your ipad when you have got a great view.

While several things could be improved, and while there might be better hotels although at higher prices, considering the price we paid, the size of the room and the view we got I cannot really complain that much. However, being a person who is very hard to please, I cannot but point out those aspects of this hotel which should be improved. First of all the gym was full of clutter when we first arrived and only on our last day it was cleared out. The equipment is limited. I would suggest them to at least add a few weights. One thing which I hated is that the treadmill only worked the first time I used it, and while we pointed out it wasn't working on our second visit to the gym, it hadn't fixed yet by the time we checked out.

All in all location and views are what make this hotel a great one. The staff is very friendly and helpful, and the service, while lacking a few attentions (like reminding to wish your guests a happy birthday), is also good. One thing which really impressed me is how the cleaners clean all day long from early morning to late evening. I could hear them clean my balcony just before breakfast so that we could enjoy our morning meal in a super clean environment. Being a clean freak, however, I have to say that the furniture could have been dusted better.

If you ask me whether I would return again, I would reply I would rather find a better option.

This doesn't mean I didn't enjoy my stay.

If you have stayed here feel free to share your opinions in the comments below.

STAY FAB

Fira

2014-06-26T19:44:00.000+02:00

Fira, not to be confused with Thira, which is the official name of the beautiful Island of Santorini, is a stunning place to visit and not to be missed both if you are travelling to Santorini or just passing by on a cruise ship. The images below should help you understand why this place is so magical. The different coloured lights, especially when seen from a higher point on the Island like Firostefani or Imerovigli, make you wonder how the Earth can be such a beautiful place and definitely appreciate how lucky we are to live on this planet.

While in my opinion there are nicer towns to stay in, which have a great view with 4 and 5 stars resorts that are set in a more relaxed and peaceful location, I also think that Fira is the perfect town to spend both your mornings and your evenings. You can simply walk around and get lost through the many small cobbled streets, do some shopping, have an ice cream or better yet some greek frozen yougurt, pick up few souvenirs, browse through the restaurants' menus so as to pick your favourite spots for dinner time, seat in a cafe overlooking the caldera just admiring the view or seat on a bench in the main square and engage in people watching and finally but not least you can spend hours and hours taking pictures of the amazing views you want to capture and take home with you.

The main square at night, very close to Archipelagos.

Very close to Argo Restaurant
and a great spot for pictures
and souvenirs shopping.

And if you are looking for a great dining experience there is no better place to be in than Fira. Here are located my favourite 2 restaurants on the Island, which are Argo and Archipelagos. While the first is more relaxed but offers great views and tasty local food at reasonable prices, the second is more of a fine dining restaurant with gourmet food, great views but slightly higher prices.

Fira from far away.

The donkeys going up the stairs linking the capital of the Island and the ferry port (over 600 stairs).

Something cute you will come across is a herd of donkeys going up or down the stairs to the port below Fira where all the cruise ships stop. You might also want to go on the cable car, but you should be warned that you might have to wait several hours both ways due to the long queues.

A view of Fira from a higher point on the walk in between Firostefani and Fira

Here is one of my favourite pictures of me in Fira.

Have you been to Fira? Let me know what your favourite spot, restaurant and shop was.

STAY FAB

Summer outfits

2014-06-25T18:56:00.000+02:00

Looking online for clothes, planning my outfits, making a list of pieces to buy, going shopping, pairing different items, and deciding in advance what to wear each day throughout my holiday is something I really enjoy. It might sound crazy, I know, but I also try my outfits in advance and take pictures on my mobile so that I can scroll through them and know exactly what my outfits options are while on vacation. And while I don't do this when I am at home, except for special occasions and celebrations, I think this is a really good way to ensure you are not overpacking and neither forgetting key items like your favourite clutch, or that belt that goes perfectly with that black dress. Moreover, it saves you time while on your vacation, and that's great so you get to spend more time sunbathing or shopping rather than looking in your hotel room closet to decide what to wear. Planning my outfits before doesn't however make getting ready for the day or the evening less fun. Actually it leaves me with more time for doing my makeup, hair and taking outfit pictures. I have been really looking forward to wearing dresses, shorts and skirts on vacation, especially after the Winter, and I couldn't imagine a better place to wear these outfits than in Santorini. So, after a long introduction, here are the outfits I wore during my 6 nights stay in the amazing Island of Santorini...They are the great Summer outfits and I can't wait to wear them again this Summer.

Since this post might be useful for those of you who are going on holiday in Santorini, or are planning a holiday for next June, I want to take the time and tell you a little about what you should pack based on the weather and the activities you are likely to do.....Santorini in June was just perfect in terms of the weather. It was warm, and when walking in the early afternoon it was pretty hot, but not too hot. And in the morning and evenings it would get breezy and a little cool. So I would suggest you pack a cardigan or a pashmina with every outfit. To avoid overpacking you should pack a few options which can be worn with more than one outfit. In terms of comfort forget and I repeat forget your heels at home. Santorini is no place for heels. And believe me when I say that you can feel and look glamourous even without the heels. Just opt for sparkly and bejewelled sandals. Although you are warned that the sandals might get ruined after walking few days in them on this island. The reason is that, unless you stay in Fira and avoid visiting other towns, you are likely to walk a lot on this holiday and the streets are cobbled, at times steep and at others a little slippery. However, don't worry, just hold hands with your hubby or partner and you will be fine, provided you are wearing the right shoes. Finally in terms of attire, the Island is very relaxed and even in the nicest restaurants you can wear casual clothes. I do however suggest you to dress up while being comfortable, especially if you are on your honeymoon or a romantic break.

Feel free to ask me questions, or comment which is your favourite outfit as well as share tips for what to wear in Santorini.

STAY FAB

Beach body diet

2014-06-11T19:28:00.002+02:00

With the right attitude and a strong will power you can get ready for the beach in just 6 weeks. It obviously depends on your eating, your workout routine, the treatments and creams you apply and also your body rythm. I am not saying you will turn into a size 0, or that your cellulite will finally disappear, but you will definitely look and feel better. Here is how!

1. You know those carbs we all love and crave, forget they even exist. STOP EATING CARBS like pasta, rice, bread, cereal, cakes, crackers, potatoes and starchy veggies. I also suggest you try to limit the intake of vegetables and fruits, especially bananas, melons and grapes. I would suggest you stick with berries and apples. As for vegetables go with loads of lettuce, and some green beans, tomatoes and brussel sprouts. I also love eggplant with my main meal and I like cucumbers in my juices.

2. SAY NO TO any kind of SUGAR (hence any sweets and pastries and chocolates). You also have to cut the honey and any natural syrup you might be using. Fructose, that is fruit sugar, is definitely better than sucrose, but is still sugar and it will thus make your insulin levels spike and make it more difficult for you to burn stored fat, and so will carbs. You can read about the effect of carbs on insulin here.

3. Reduce the portions of your meals. I am not saying you have to starve yourself but EAT REASONABLY and stop before you are completely full. That feeling of satiety will neither lead to productivity and nor to reaching your weight loss goal.

4. DRINK AT LEAST 2 LITRES OF WATER. And cut caffeine, or limit it to one every morning without sugar. You can also drink green tea and freshly squeezed orange juice in moderation. And do not forget to have one green juice a day. I have this as my lunch and it is usually made with lettuce, cucumber, an apple, parsley, water and sometimes some fresh orange juice. Other times I might throw in some beets and others a peach, or some berries.

5. You should turn into a salad by the end of the 6th week, meaning that you will EAT SALADS DAILY as your main meal. You can add lean ham, liver pate, simmental, low fat cheeses, olive oil, nuts and seeds, any herbs you like and also lean meats, fish and chicken in your salads. So even though you will be eating a salad a day as your main meal, it doesn't have to get boring. I actually crave my salad each day prooving that I really enoy it.

6. ADD NUTS TO YOUR MEALS OR HEALTHY TREATS. My favourite breakfast and treat is berries topped with low fat plain yougurt, cashew nuts, almonds and peanuts and lots of ground cinnamon powder.

7. In terms of healthy snacks you can eat an apple with one teaspoon pure peanut butter (must have only peanuts under ingredients), sugar snap peas with 30g light Philadelphia cheese or light cottage cheese or the snack I mentioned above with berries and yougurt.

8. GET USED TO FASTING FOR 14 HOURS. As scary as this might sound, it is actually very easy to master. If you are able to have your dinner before 6 pm and you have your breakfast the next day around 8 am, then you have gone through 14 hrs fasting. Obviously you have to refrain from eating any snacks in between, just drink water. Once you are ready from your dinner, get away from the kitchen and have your breakfast ready in the morning so that you can grab it just before you are having it or before going out the door for work or school.

9. PLAN YOUR MEALS & PREPARE YOUR WORK/SCHOOL MEALS. I usually have my favourite berries treat as breakfast or a no carb pancake, a green juice for lunch and some snap peas to snack on. I will also sometimes drink orange juice and obviously loads of water. When I go out shopping, I take some nuts with me and I either buy a healthy juice or a yougurt so that I avoid any temptation. That way I can avoid fainting due to hunger.

10. EXERCISE AT LEAST 30 MINUTES, 5 TIMES A WEEK & DRY BODY BRUSH. If you are able to add a walk or some cleaning here in there, it will definitely be an added bonus.

The way you will look at the end of this 6 weeks diet obviously depends on your initial dress size and body frame. The size is irrelevant though. What matters is that you will feel great in your own skin.

STAY FAB

Dry brushing

2014-06-08T11:40:00.001+02:00

Researching new topics related to either health, fashion and beauty is among my hobbies. That's how I came across the topic of dry brushing way back in 2013. Because it was winter, I procrastinated starting brushing my body, telling myself I would wait for Spring to arrive. Once we got in the second month of Spring, which meant my special summer vacation was approaching, I felt I really needed to give dry body brushing a go. I must admit that the main reason why I tried this is that I was hoping it could help reduce my cellulite and make me feel more confident in my swimsuit. However, I am also looking forward to keep dry body brushing all year so as to help my circulation and may be reduce the chillblains/Raynaud's problems I suffer from during the Winter months. So you might be all wondering whether dry brushing reduced or not my cellulite, and whether it made me look and feel better in my swimsuit. Well I am going to answer that in a second. First I want you to know my initial reactions to dry body brushing, and my thoughts week after week until my special vacation.......

After the first time body brushing I really enjoyed it and I felt it already worked a little by smoothing my skin and just making it look a tiny bit better (even if just to my eyes). I loved the feeling of dry brushing on my stomach, so much that I would have wanted to dry brush all day long.

After the second time body brushing I was a little sad and angry to myself. Because I dry brushed twice on the first day, once in the morning and once in the evening, the second time dry brushing slightly scratched my skin. So I realized this might have been because my skin was still moist from my morning after shower lotion. This helped me understanding the best way to dry brushing for my skin. I will share this with you in a moment.

My tips for dry brushing your body are the following:

1. If you are a beginner, only dry brush once a day. And if your skin is fairly sensitive like mine keep dry brushing only once a day.

2. Start with applying less pressure, and gradually built up pressure.

3. For me the best way to dry brushing, and avoiding scratches, is to dry brush after my shower (usually evening since I don't have enough time in the morning). I wait a little to make sure my skin is dry and dry brush before applying my lotion. The suggested way is however to dry brush before showering so that all the dead skin is washed off and doesn't clog your pores.

4. I use a cellutlite cream after dry brushing, and sometimes I also apply my regular moisturizer on top

5. I suggest wet brushing too, to see better results.

6. Eat as healthy and clean as you can. Since dry brushing is known for promoting lymphatic drainage, that is getting rid of the extra toxins which are trapped in your skin, and because many of these are metabolic related toxins eating junk food really goes against the scope of dry body brushing. That doesn't mean you cannot eat junk food once in a while, but I suggest you eat healthy and exercise on a daily basis.

Which body brush to use....I started dry brushing with the Body Shop round body brush and it worked well for me. However, I am looking into buing a second brush before the end of Summer. And I think a long handle one will make it easier to reach my rear legs.

Does it work?.....YES it does work. Not only your skin feels amazing to the touch, and your circulation is improved, and after only 2 applications you start seeing the lymphatic mucus in your stools - meaning that lymphatic drainage has started and you are actually detoxifying your body with an easy routine - but dry body brushing also helps your skin look better. My cellulite is visible reduced, my skin looks more toned and those lumps of fat under the skin and dumples are less evident. So yes in just 4 weeks of dry brushing, along with a super healthy diet and a 5 days exercise routine weekly, I was able to get ready to be in my swimsuit.

And what about the negative effects? ....When pairing dry body brushing with a good workout routine, something you should be doing to achieve better results, you might feel your legs are really sore and tired as if you had done a major workout. I also experienced some nausea and a decrease in my appetite during the first week of dry body brushing. Massaging your legs helps relieve these symptoms. Dry brushing made my arms made my Keratosis Pilaris worst , while wet brushing causes bruises around my knees.

My thoughts after 1 week of dry brushing once every day.....The one positive effect which is certainly evident, is how smooth my skin feels. I have a feeling it will make waxing less painful and might also contribute to less ingrown hair. I obviously cannot tell you that one week dry brushing made my cellulite go away. But I can see certain areas having improved, and I am sure that after one month the result will be even more evident. One thing I noticed is that the area which is the larger on my body, and the one which has the highest concentration of excess fat - being the outer part of my thighs - is the area where I have seen less improvement. I think that reducing the size of that area will make it more likely for the cellulite in that area to be reduced. You all know, however, that spot weight loss is very difficult if not impossible to achieve. In fact, after losing several kilos, my thighs are still the larger part of my body. For the past week I have been following a very low carb high protein diet (higher than usual but not too high) and also low in fat and sugar obviously. The aim is to help melt that fat by having my body use it as energy, rather than use the carbs I eat since I am not eating them. I share more about this diet here.

My thoughts after 2 weeks dry brushing and 10 days using the Nivea Cellulite Gel Cream......I really wish I has started doing this before because it definitely makes a difference. After 2 weeks dry brushing I can see an improvement in the areas which have most cellulite like my thighs. I am not saying the cellulite is gone, but the fat under the skin has diminished and the skin over that area looks more toned. This might also be thanks to the Nivea gel cream. One thing I have noticed, however, is that this cream is not moisturizing enough for my skin. In fact, my skin is a little dry and I am therefore following the cellulite cream with my usual moisturizer.

My thoughts after 3 weeks dry brushing and 1 week using the Palmer's tighten and tone moisturizer.......While I love the scent of this moisturizer, I think the Nivea gel cream works better both for toning and for cooling the skin after dry brushing. Unfortunately, this week I do not have any improvements to report since my body has retained fluids and I have been very bloated as usual during the period following my ovulation. This obviously made the cellulite more evident, but I am hoping by the end of week 4, the effects will start showing again. I have also started wet brushing, using the spa fit body massager I bought from the Body Shop last weekend. Again, this made my Keratosis Pilaris worst on both arms and legs but I have read that it can get worst before its gets better. So I am sticking with it on my legs while I have stopped any kind of brushing on my arms since I have started wearing sleeveless tops and I hate them being red. I am wet brushing in the morning while showering, and dry brushing in the evening. I follow wet brushing by applying the Nivea cellulite cream and dry brushing by applying the Nivea gel cream and the Palmer's Cocoa Firming Butter on top.

My thoughts after 4 weeks dry brushing .......At the end of week 3 I had already mentioned I was experienced redness on my arms and legs. It got so bad that I decided to stop dry brushing my arms and because wet brushing was actually as bad as dry brushing on my arms, I decided to stop that too. So I only wet massaged my upper legs in the morning and dry brushed them in the late afternoon during week 4. During that week I started seeing my skin getting worst than after the first 2 weeks of dry brushing. It was looking almost wrinkled and dry and very red, so red that on my left outer thigh area I got some purple and red big dots. I am not sure whether these are broken capillaries or small bruises. And wet brushing bruised my knees so badly that I felt it was time to stop any kind of brushing. I am not saying I will never brush or wet brush again. In fact I will definitely continue doing both, but I will do it twice to three times a week maximum and only when I think my skin is ready to go through that again. I have sensitive skin so that is why I need to be careful, and I also bruise very easily. And since my holiday is in less than 10 days from when I am writing this, by the time I post this it will be few days before departure, I don't want to have my legs all red and bruised. This is why I stopped 10 days before my holiday, to give my skin the time to return to normal - at least I hope. In terms of the best cellulite product between the Nivea and the Palmer's one, I definitely think the Nivea gel works better to tone the skin and I believe it does help with reducing the appearance of cellulite after few weeks. The Palmer's toning butter on the other hand is better to moisturize the skin but I do not think it is as great as the Nivea gel in terms of cellulite reducing properties. I guess a gel works better on the cellulite, but the Nivea on its own can be a little drying. So the two are great combined together; you first apply the gel and then top the dry areas with the butter.

My final thoughts before my Holiday .......I definitely think dry brushing was worth the try, and also the effort and time. I would do it again, but I would start earlier. From my 1 month experience with dry brushing and my 10 days wet brushing, I would say that the wet brushing using the spa fit body massager from Body Shop is more harsh on the skin and also on the underlying tissues than dry brushing. So if you are thinking of trying either of those methods, go for dry brushing first. If you are a beginner you might want to dry brush for a week or two and then stop to give your skin a break. That's in my opinion the time necessary to get some initial benefits without putting too much pressure on your skin. Also make sure to start brushing gently, and add more pressure as you progress. Finally, dry brushing is great when combined with healthy eating and a good workout routine to get your body more toned and slowly reduce cellulite.

What about you? Have you tried dry body brushing? Did it work? If not what are you waiting for?.....

STAY FAB

Packing tips

2014-05-26T18:11:00.002+02:00

For many people packing is not fun. For me on the other hand it's something I look forward to. Apart from the excitement of travelling - especially when it is a leisure vacation - I love packing because it involves a lot of planning and organizing. And by now, I am sure you all know that I really enjoy doing both.

While most people tend to leave packing to the last minute, I actually start thinking about packing for my trip very early on. I believe packing the right clothing, not only the type of clothing but also the right amount, and by that I mean avoiding over packing - since I am not the kind of person who would ever under pack - definitely contributes to making your holiday a great one. After all looking good makes you feel good, and if you feel good you are likely to enjoy yourself more while you are abroad. And while many people think their holiday is the right time to be relaxed and not spend a lot of time getting ready, for me and I am sure for many other women too, getting ready while on holiday is something I enjoy - especially if I love my hotel room. So showering, getting dressed, doing my makeup and hair are something I look forward too while on a vacation and for that to be possible I need to pack all the essentials. That's where packing right and in advance comes handy; you are less likely to forget something, especially if you use a checklist.

In order to pack the right clothes and accessories I think one must have the following information:

1. vacation location

2. period of vacation

3. destination weather

4. number of nights and days you will be on holiday

5. your activities during day and night

6. type of transport to use

7. hotel class and style

8. events you will be celebrating

9. items which your hotel might not provide

10. whether it will be that time of the month (hopefully not!)

11. destination culture

Knowing the above will help you figure out what you need in terms of the type of clothing, the amount and also all the other items which need to be packed. Obviously if you are going on a safari or on a camping trip you will pack the opposite of what you would pack if going on a cruise or on a resort vacation. The same holds for opposite weathers, for 3 or 5 stars hotels, and for countries with different cultures.

Another great way I plan my packing is by thinking about my holiday from start to end, and by thinking about which things I will be needing. So for example what would I need as soon as I get out of my home door? The answer is keys. Then I make sure to write keys in my list, but I write it under my handbag list since that's where my keys will be (in reality I never carry keys on holiday). Another example is asking myself what would I need when I arrive at the hotel. If it is night the answer will be my showering products, makeup removers, bags to put dirty laundry in, pyjama. So I will make sure to write all of this stuff in my luggage list. And that goes on and on until I have written all I need and some extra things. I would usually go through this process several times until I am sure there is nothing missing, and whenever I remember of something that needs to be on one of my lists and is not, I will make sure to write it down. Out of the things which are in my lists, there will be items I will need to purchase. In this case I will make a list of things to purchase and go shopping in advance.

Another tip is to take out your luggages at least one week before you start packing, take the time to clean them well (at least I like to do this even though I always clean my luggages before storing them) and it's good to leave them open so that any plastic or fabric smells will have time to disappear.

About 7 to 5 days before my departure date I start organizing clothing which are foldable or items which needs to be stored in separate packaging, like shoes or accessories, and I place them on the bed in my spare room. I might also start to layer shoes, tissues, packs of wipes, belts and other things at the bottom of my luggage. I will then continue with clothes which can be folded like pyjamas, underwear, socks, bikinis, jeans. And I will leave the nicer clothes which needs to be hung for the day of departure. However, I like to place the clothes to hang in garment storage hanging bags. That way as soon as I get in my hotel, I will quickly clean the wardrobe with some wipes and hang my hanging garment bags.

The final tip I'd like to share is to bring as many plastic bags as you can for dirty laundry, for storing
purchases, for throwing take out boxes if you eat in your room, and for any other need. And taking the time to pack your clothes into separate bags, or cases is important to clean freaks like me but also a great way to avoid taking bed bugs home with you.

If you liked this post and would like to have a look into my short work trip luggage read my Travel Essentials post. I might also be sharing soon my Holiday packing list. And don't forget to have a look at my old but similar post How to pack your luggage.

STAY FAB

3 Day Juicing + Juice Recipes

2014-04-23T19:18:00.001+02:00

Switching from eating solids to drinking only liquids is not easy, however it may be worth trying. There seems to currently be a juicing boom out there. Everyone is talking about the benefits of green juices, and many are substituting one or two meals with a green or fruity juice. Others are also attempting to go on a juice detox by only having juices, smoothies and water for a few days. This last option is definitely the most difficult to attempt. I was tempted to try it myself. I told myself I would go on a juice detox for 3 full days, during which I would stick to drinking fruit and veggies juices as well as fresh orange juice and water. The truth is that I wasn't able to do what I planned. This is what I did instead: I started my day with a fruit smoothie for breakfast, I had some orange juice as a snack, I had a veggie juice for lunch followed by few almonds but then I wasn't able to have another juice as my dinner. So I had a feta Simmental salad with some crackers on day 1; some porridge with banana, berries and nuts on day 2; and another feta and ham salad with crackers on day 3.

After this 3 day partial juice detox, I can say that I am definitely happy about how it made me feel. First of all when you are able to stick to your plans (even if not fully in my case) you feel satisfied and proud of yourself. Switching to a healthy diet after a few days in Palermo and a weekend of McDonald's and Chinese food is what I really needed. Yes, I know I always tell you to eat healthy but I also tell you to enjoy food every now and then, and so that's what I did that week. I am a human person too! I felt I needed a change in my healthy eating patterns as I tend to have porridge, salads, fruits, nuts, veggies all the time. So switching to smoothies was a nice break while still being healthy. I definitely recommend a 3 day juice detox to whoever feel like taking a break from solids. This is also a good way to switch your eating patters, and you know what they say about how switching food and exercise can make you beat the weight loss plateau. However, if you tend to suffer from low pressure like me be careful and make sure you have at least one solid meal full of nutritious ingredients and one or two small healthy snacks throughout the day. If on the other hand you don't think you can substitute 2 meals with smoothies, try a smoothie for breakfast or one for lunch and see how you feel.

Below are the recipes for the juices I had during these 3 days. Let me know how you like them.

BREAKFAST SMOOTHIES

Day 1: 1 banana and about 150g mixed berries with as much soy milk as needed

Day 2: 1 banana and 1 pink lady apple (my favourite) with as much soy milk as needed

Day 3: 1 banana, 1 apple and about 80g mixed berries with soy milk

LUNCH JUICES

Day 1: beets, orange juice, mixed lettuce, sugar snap peas and some water

Day 2: 1 apple, celery (not too much), mixed lettuce, sugar snap peas and some lemon juice

Day 3: 1 apple, a little celery, some beets, few sugar snap peas and water

The first breakfast smoothie and also the first lunch juice are my favourites. I also suggest you try an orange juice, banana and berries smoothie for breakfast.

STAY FAB

Palermo

2014-04-18T12:31:00.002+02:00

While Palermo might not be among your top Italian holiday destinations, you might be surprised by knowing that it ranked the 9th Italian city most visited by foreigners in 2013. So I guess it must have un je ne sais quoi that attracts tourists. So whether you might be among these tourists or just happen to be there to attend a meeting or visit friends or family, here are some tips on where to stay, eat, shop and what to see.

Where to stay....

If you don't mind being not exactly in the centre of Palermo, and with that I mean being about 30 to 40 minutes walk from the most popular streets, you will love the Hotel Principe di Villafranca. It looks eleant, stylish, clean and comes with a gym.

If on the other hand you want or need to be closest to the top attractions and shops, you should stay at Quintocanto hotel & spa. The latter doesn't have a gym, but if you are going to walk a lot you are sure to burn your calories anyway. This is where I stayed while I was in Palermo to attend a project meeting for work. I loved the hotel, the staff, my room and the breakfast and the location could not have been any better. Because of the location I was able to walk to my meetings, find an hour or two to shop, and be within walking distance from a handful of great cafes and restaurants.

Where to eat......

For a great pizza and the longest pizza menu I have ever encountered you should try Pizzeria Frida located in Piazza Sant'Onofrio. If you are staying at the Quintocanto hotel you can reach it in around 5 minutes by turning right as you are exiting the hotel, taking Via Maqueda on your left, walking strait and taking the third side Street on your left. It is a very narrow slightly downhill Street and at its end you find yourself in Piazza Sant'Onofrio. Look for a restaurant on your left with outdoor seating and you will quickly spot it. I suggest you to use Google maps and print the route so as not to get lost, which is what me and my colleague did when we tried to find it without a proper map. I had the pizza alla norma and I hated it simply because it was full of fresh ricotta while I thought it would be salted ricotta. However, apart from the ricotta it was really good and I am sure all the other pizzas are Amazing since they smelled and looked so. It also very cheap and you get a huge pizza.

If you are looking for a nice place to have your lunch, or a snack or a dessert go to Bar Touring in Via Roma. The arancini and ice cream are really good, and eveything else looks delicious. I also enjoyed the old stylish but cosy atmotsphere, and even when it gets full around lunch time the service is still great. Prices are good too.

For some fine dining which is traditional, tasty and affordable and has a nice and cosy setting (also great for romantic dinners) do not miss the chance to eat at Gulu. This restaurant, located in Piazza Marina, offers fresh fish along with your usual steak and fries but most importantly delicious local food. I had the antipasto della casa which came with the famous panelle palermitane, which are fried pieces of vegetables surrounded with a batter which make them soft but crispy. And as a maincourse I had paccheri with pistacchi di bronte, fresh swordfsh and srimps. The bill was surprisingly low considered the quality and portion size.

Where to shop.....

While I only had the chance to go inside 2 shops in Via Maqueda, Sephora and Sophie's Accessories,I also suggest Via Roma and Via Ruggiero Settimo. Here you can find various designer and high Street shops including Zara, H&M, Mango, Carpisa and many more.

What to see.....

1. Cattedrale

2. Fontana Pretoria

3. La Cuba

4. Villa Bonanno

5. Giardino Inglese

6. La Zisa

7. Palazzo dei Normanni

8. San Giovanni degli Eremiti

9. Cappella Palatina

10. Teatro Massimo

Safety Tips.....

If you are never heard anything bad about Palermo, then you might not even believe it unless you are unlucky to be a victim that Palermo is very well known for Street robbery, especially bag snatching. Being Sicilian I know this very well. So before Flying out of Malta I was reading about the snatching statistics and I found out that in March 2014 there were 4 cases in the area I was staying. An old man ended with broken ribs and a young woman got punched in her face while trying to steal her mobile phone. This doesn't however mean you are going to be a victim too. You can definitely avoid it. My colleague and I both did although we walked all the time, morning and early night for a long time with bug bags. Here are my tips to avoid being robbed in the streets of Palermo:

1. Know where you are and where you are going. Do your research before you arrive in Palermo or in your hotel room so as to avoid looking too touristy and confused while searching on your mobile, ipad or map.

2. Always look around you and what is happening and who is near you

3. Be aware of motor bikes, especially with 2 men on a scooter as this is usually how they rob you. One is driving and the other grabs and snatches your bag, phone or other gadget off your arm and hand. While doing so you might get hurt.

4. Avoid taking out your technology if you can. The outdoor images in this post are not mine as the only pictures I took while in Palermo were the ones inside my hotel room.

5. Do not wear expensive jewellery, clothing, bags and other show off things as these might attract robbers.

6. Avoid walking on your own. And even if you have company be careful and try to avoid going out early, late at night or being in isolated areas.

7. Keep a copy of your passport and travel documents locked in your luggage

8. If you don't need them with you keep all your expensive belongings in your luggage locked up in your hotel room

9. Wear a shoulder bag across your body and preferably under your jacket. A great tip is to choose a bag with a metal chain so that it cannot be cut off with a knife.

10. Wear comfortable shoes so that you can quicken you pace or run if you need to.

All in all, Palermo is a nice city to visit for a short 2 or 3 days trip.

STAY FAB