SMOONSTYLE : October 2015

My baby is now a 2-year-old boy. I'm going to sound like an old lady now but, boy did the time fly by! Sometimes I swear that he grew tall over night. They really do.

Everybody tells you that they grow up so fast and you know they are all right. Oliver jokes around saying that Vincent is half my size. It is truly incredible.

Such a sweet, bright, happy and funny guy. He loves tractors and chocolate. The chocolate part he gets from me, the tractor I don't know. Oliver prefers pianos, but we both started to appreciate tractors. I think our next car has to be a tractor, even if it would mean that we would never reach the Netherlands on the same day. Tractors will definitely handle my suitcases which are chronically overweight.

The baking went smooth. The non-bake chocolate pie was not that great. I failed twice resulting in me waking up on the 2nd of October at 4 am to find that my non-bake chocolate pie was still a pudding. I checked for all the ingredients in my house and make some easy chocolate cakes. They were for Vincent to treat his friends. It had to be chocolate because that is his favorite. None of the kids had allergies for dairy and such, so it was a success. I checked beforehand if there were any children that had allergies.

The pie for the party of the grown ups was a huge success! I made a marzipan cherry pie. It was divine and super delicious. I will make this very soon for Oliver because we are true marzipan fans.

My savior in many baking occasions has to be Sally. I've baked a lot of her recipes and love her and Murat's Schwaebisches Geschwaetz. They also have a webshop with excellent service. I've ordered there before and the shipping and handling was fantastic.

The chocolate muffins/cakes were also from Sally, I added some extra chocolate pieces to fit Vincent's 'Locolat' wish.

Thank you Sally for your wonderful recipes and dedication! I wish you a wonderful birth of your second daughter, Ela.

If you are interested and have some time to spare, please read my hypo birthing article: Beautiful Birth

Happy Birth(d)Hay ;)

💋 Simone

6.10.15 No comments

4.10.15 No comments

Hi Everyone!

I'm always on the hunt for new skincare products and today I'd like to share some recent face product purchases with you. I'm absolutely in love with all these items, so much in fact that they are part of my weekly skincare routine. :)

Let's have a look!

1. Pacifica Sea Foam Complete Face Wash

To help keep my face fresh and clean, I recently switched to a gel cleanser as it removes more dirt and oil that I unfortunately accumulate more of in warmer weather. This product utilizes Papaya Extract to soften skin and subtly exfoliate, Coconut Water to tone and balance, and Sea Algae Extract to aid in moisturizing and promote brightness. My skin felt deep cleansed but balanced after use and it's amazing at removing makeup. I don't wear a lot of makeup, but this cleanser took my mascara and concealer off in one wash. If any readers wear full makeup and use this wash, I'd love to know how it worked for you!

This face wash perfectly cleanses, is cruelty- and sulfate-free, made for all skin types, plus removes makeup like a champion. How much better does it get?

2. Acure Brightening Face Scrub

My holy grail of exfoliation... this is a rare gem and one of my all-time favorites. I've used exfoliators for a long time and no other products, besides professional-grade spa formulas, have left my skin so refined, bright and smooth. Organic Sea Kelp and Lemon Peel are the main exfoliators and French Green Clay removes any impurities. As a bonus, Organic Chlorella and Argan Stems promote new cell growth and skin repair while Madonna Lilly Stem Cells brighten. I particularly like the brightening benefit of this product as it makes the rinse and reveal more satisfying.

To top it off, this exfoliator is vegan, Fair Trade Certified Organic, the packaging is 100% biodegradable, and the formula is free of sulfate, PEG, petroleum, phthalate, silicone, gluten, and synthetic fragrance – all of these bonuses are a major win for those concerned with animal testing and healthy ingredients.

3. Lush Eau Roma Water

A total splurge but absolutely worth it, the Eau Roma Water by Lush is heaven in a bottle and a must-have if your skin is sensitive. This product is a blend of Rose and Lavender Water that helps hydrate skin without causing it to overreact – especially helpful in hotter weather when skin might have imbalance and be prone to breakouts. A perfect skin refresher, this toner is great to incorporate into your morning and night skincare routines. If applied before face lotion it quickly absorbs your day cream and perfectly primes skin for makeup. When my under eye is a bit dry, I'll apply this to my face to instantly hydrate the area and allow a smoother concealer application.

In regards to aromatherapy, the scent of Lavender (one of my favorite scents) aids in mood balancing and promotes calm and relaxation. This multi-functional product feels, smells, and looks good, plus has extra mind and body benefits, so it will always be in my skincare regiment.

4. Yes To Grapefruit Even Skin Tone Moisturizer with SPF 15

The newest addition to my skincare collection, this face lotion found its way into my beauty arsenal because it's cruelty-free, has SPF and helps even skin tone. I swear by a daily SPF moisturizer to protect my skin from sun damage so it was a pleasant surprise to see and feel how quickly this product absorbs into the skin – other lotions I've used tend to leave a greasy residue which isn't great for makeup application and seems to fall off the face if you go outside on a hot day.

As for diminishing dark spots, I have noticed an improvement in the overall tone of my skin. The promoted ingredients used in the formula are Grapefruit (high in antioxidants Vitamin C and Lycopene) and Moringa Oil (moisturizing fatty acids plus Vitamins A and C) – a great combination that my skin loves. When I first applied this product I had major skin discoloration from a recent breakout and was thrilled to see that after just one week of use, the dark spots disappeared nicely. Fantastic product, love it a lot and highly recommend!

Have you recently fallen in love with a new skincare product? If so, list your face product favs in the comments below! It's always fun to share beauty secrets and try out new brands. :)

❤ Rebecca

Rebecca Brayman is a graphic designer and digital consultant with clientele ranging from renowned heavy metal bands (EPICA, Kamelot, Nightwish) to well-known female entrepreneurs and professionals. She is also passionate about skin care and believes that revealing and celebrating one's natural beauty inspires self-confidence and empowerment.

Website | Instagram | Twitter

2.10.15 No comments

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1. Pacifica Sea Foam Complete Face Wash

2. Acure Brightening Face Scrub

3. Lush Eau Roma Water

4. Yes To Grapefruit Even Skin Tone Moisturizer with SPF 15

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