Guest post by Courtney: Drugstore favorites

Hey everyone,

Today I have an exciting new post, a guest post by Courtney Shepler. I hope you enjoy it but first A short introduction: With a touch of simplicity is a beauty and lifestyle blog hoping to inspire readers! It began with a 20 year old Navy Wife who started the blog to share all her life's tips, tricks, and the journey's she will encounter. The blog hopes to make a relationship with it's readers and provide a positive energy throughout! 

Makeup is so expensive now that it makes you want the best deal for your dollar. Drugstores are definitely the way to go! These are my go-to drugstore items that are higher quality than some of the high quality makeup out there!

In my last post about makeup (which you can find here: My favorite beauty products I talked about the Urban Decay setting spray. Well, I hate to say it but more than often I will go with the L'orealmakeup extending spray just because it really does work just as good, if not better (shhh, don't tell). My other favorite L'oreal product is the voluminous mascara! This is in black, but normally I like the darker black color which I believe is called carbon black. Total falsies look! 

I also love NYX cosmetics just because the products that they produce are such good quality, and because of that they are very well known in the makeup industry. I love the NYX cosmetics liquid illuminator, it is literally perfect for all skintones! The illuminator gives your skin the perfect glow. You can use it as a highlighter, or put it on before your foundation to give that under-glow (if you have oily skin, do not do this). The other favorite NYX beauty product I have is the concealer. This concealer does not crease, and it is full coverage. The only difference in this and the Maybelline concealer is that it is creamier,  and the application of the product is much easier. 

Maybe it's Maybelline (sorry that jingle is stuck in your head now)! Maybelline has been around for years and still constantly continues to amaze me. They have managed to gear all their makeup products to a variety of people rather than just teens and young adults. Maybelline has the best nude lipstick that lasts all day long. This color lipstick is called Blushing Beige (number 915). My other favorite Maybelline product that I just briefly mentioned is the concealer. This concealer is an extreme full coverage concealer, and it does not leave a tint under your eyes for pictures. But, this is just a squeeze tube and the concealer itself is rather thick so it does crease. I tend to use this and the NYX combined so this can be placed lower than my eye creases.

Lastly, is Revlon. Revlon has the best contour pallete! It is in the color Bronze Glow (number 030). This is more of a compact pallete that I like to use for bronzer and highlighter combined and I can fit it easily into my purse. It's less of a pallete and looks more like an eyeshadow kit, even though it is actually meant for highlighting.

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Thank you so much for reading the guest post by Courtney! I hope you enjoyed her post. Don't forget to visit her blog and her other social media accounts above! 

What is your drugstore favorite? 

Have a lovely day,

Isabella ❤

Victoria Emerson wrap bracelet

I was not compensated for this post, however I did receive a sample for my review. All opinions are my own and not influenced in any way. 

Hey everyone,

Can't believe it's already the last week of my summer holiday! I wish it could be summer the whole year. I already went shopping for some back to school supplies and we're planning our last trip before the holiday is over. Right now the weather in the Netherlands is really cold, in the morning it was raining and ten degrees can you imagine that!? I felt like drinking hot chocolate milk and watching a movie all day haha. But now over to something else fashion related that I would love to share with you. 

A few weeks ago I came across a very nice jewelry brand called Victoria Emerson. I've never heard of the brand before but I am glad I discovered it. The jewelry is classic but unique and not like any other brands. What I also really like is that the jewelry pieces are all very colorful and can be worn even from day to a night out in town. 

I was lucky enough to review a wrap bracelet from the Spring/Summer collection and I'm absolutely in love with it. It's a five wrap bracelet with alloy metal beads on natural brown leather. I was so excited when my bracelet arrived and it came with a pouch and engraved nickel free clasp. Even though I have very small wrist the bracelet fits perfectly, it's very light and the natural brown color matches almost every outfit. VictoriaEmerson

Overall I'm very happy with my new bracelet. The brand is has really cool Jewelry and the designs are fashionable and easy to wear. If you havent checked out her website you should definitely take a look! 

What do you think of Victoria Emerson Jewelry? 

Have a lovely day,

Isabella ❤

Justine Brooks ear rings

I was not compensated for this post, however I did receive a sample for my review. All opinions are my own and not influenced in any way. 

Hey everyone,

I hope you're having a great day today!? I can't believe it's already August and the fall collections are already in the shops. Where did the time go? A quick life update: In two weeks my school starts again and I'm finally a senior in high school. I'm so happy that next year i can start a new exciting chapter in my life. There are still so many dreams and things I want to let come true and accomplish. This summer I wanted to have a summer job and after a few weeks I can already see how a job can change you and tell you so much. Basically my job is to help older people who need help for cleaning the house, need somebody to talk to or to do the groceries for. One old woman told me that she remembered the day she was eighteen years old and she told me that you have to follow your dreams when it's still possible. That really touched my heart and since then I started looking differently into the world and appreciating a the little things in life more. At first I thought why do I need a job, but looking back it's a great decision I've made. Well enough life lessons for now and on to my review!

About the brand

There is a jewelry store online where I came across that I instantly loved very much. The jewelry brand is called Justine Brooks and is based in Canada. It al began when Justine showed her love and passion for design and researching stones and metal techniques. She travels the world to learn and discover new jewelry from different countries. In 2005 Justine studied traditional jewellery techniques in India which was her first real experience. 

The jewelry of Justine Brooks is inspired by all her trips around the world, creating a mix between east and west. Designer Justine believes that the ability to discover other countries and cultures is the greatest gift in life. After she worked with ceramic pendants at the Emily Carr Imstitue of Art and Design, she wanted to work with jewelry. She then became a student at the Vancouver Community College Jewellery Art and Design program to learn more about metal smithing techniques. During her studies Justine Brooks already had her very own brand which was showcased at the Vancouver Fashion Week and she won Livings Design of the Year Award in 2010. 

Justine Brooks has always believed in never giving up. She believes in a healthy work/life balance which for her means playing sports, spending time with family and of course traveling. Her favorite sport activity is scuba diving. Her love for the ocean is can be seen in her new collection called the Silver Earth Collection.

Ear studs 

I was lucky enough to choose a jewelry piece from her collection. Her jewelry is very colorful and I love that all the items are very stylish but unique too. I just got my ears pierced a few months ago and I thought it was a nice idea to choose a pair of earrings. I picked the Aqua Chalcedony Triangle Studs which a perfect to wear daily. The delivery was very fast from Canada and I'm absolutely in love with my earrings they're so cute!! Each stone is 9 mm and the metal is made of sterling silver. 

Justine Brooks ear studs

Overall I'm very happy I discovered Justine Brooks jewelry shop. The jewelry is very natural, unique and stylish and not like other brands. I definitely recommend checking out her webshop and take a look at her new collections for this fall. 

Have a lovely day,

Isabella ❤

Drugstore beauty buys

Hey everyone,

I hope you're having a great day today?! The holiday is going so fast weeks are flying by. Before you know it's September. I really love just relaxing and doing things you normally don't have time for. I feel like every holiday I become a stronger person, because I spend more time with family and friends and having a summer job that's very useful. Last week I went to a drugstore in my neighborhood for some shopping. Sometimes after working hard you have to give yourself a little reward and the best way to do that is by buying makeup! If you love makeup than you're in the right place and I'll let you show my mini makeup haul. 

BLUE EYELINER BUDGET BUY

The two drugstores I went to are my favorite shops to buy makeup that's not too expensive. The first shop is called the Hema and it's comparable to a Target or Walmart in the US. The Hema has everything from fashion to beauty to food and I sometimes love to have breakfast there too. I really wanted to buy an eyeliner for a really long time. After my trip to Rome I read some Italian magazines and I saw that colored eyeliner was a big beauty trend and I absolutely love it! I was thinking of buying a bright pink eyeliner but when I tested it it didn't look very good. Than I tested the blue eyeliner and that looked very cute. I normally don't wear a lot of makeup, just some mascara, lipgloss and when I feel like it I wear a brlnzing powder or foundation too. Because it's summer and I bought a blue bikini which If you haven't seen it yet in my other blog post matches really well. So I think my go. To color of summer 2016 is blue. I heard good reviews of Hema makeup. The eyeliner is very easy to apply and the pencil is very handy too. Applying eyeliner has never been my strongest thing haha but I think I didn't do to bad!? The color is very nice and it really stays for almost a whole day. 

PASTEL BLUE NAIL POLISH BUDGET BUY

Next I also bought a pastel blue nailpolish at the Hema store which is probably my favorite item for the three things. A few years ago I was collecting nailpolishes and I had to have every color possible, with sprinkles, sparkles or black or white. Now I have a huge nailpolish box up stairs and I only use a few colors.. I bought the long lasting nailpolish because I wanted to swim with it as well and it really does stay for a few days. 

ESSENCE LIPGLOSS BUDGET BUY

On to my last beauty buy, it's my Essence lipgloss. I've never had any makeup from this brand until a friend of me wore a really beautiful lipgloss shade and I had to have it too! I love to pick the same shade every time over and over because it's one that I know looks good. It's usually the pink with glitter in them that I wear. Now I wanted to go to a more beige/gold shade and I really like it. It's defentily a shade that I would buy again and it's easy to apply and stays for a few hours hours. 

Drugstore beauty buys

I hope you enjoyed reading about my recent drugstore beauty buys! Thank you so much for reading as well! What do you think of my eyeliner look?

Have a lovely day,

Isabella ❤

Hey everyone,

I hope you're having a great day today!? I just got back from my vacation in Rome and I really wish I could have stayed a little longer. Away from all the stress at home and just enjoying the weather, the food and the beach. Because my father is Italian I go to Rome quite often with my brother to visit my family. Rome is such a beautiful city and it would really be my dream to study in Rome in the future. The people I met were really nice and friendly. We went to the beach, swimming pool and of course don't forget the shopping outlets! Check out my other posts with tips about Rome here. In today's post I want to share with you the best places to shop in Rome + a mini Rome shopping haul! Grab your favorite cookie and let's get started!

BEST PLACES TO SHOP IN ROME

EUROMA 2

This is my favorite shopping mall in Rome. It's a very big mall with many different brands and there's always something cute you can find. Shops like Pandora, Hollister, Promod and Apiarium. The last brand is actually one that I discoverd why walking in the mall. It's comparable to the brand Lush and has handmade products like bath bombs or shampoo and it's really nice.You should defenitely check it out. I also went to Douglas and wanted to try something different so I bought myself makeup from Douglas itself, two nailpolishes and a pink glitter lipgloss. Next we went to a candle store from the US called Yankee candle I think you've heard from it before. At the top floor they have many different sorts of restaurants. If you love eating a hamburger than Old Wild West is the place to eat! 

CASTEL ROMANO

This is a designer outlet in Rome that has many different brands too and always with discount. There are shops like Furla, Tommy Hilfiger and GStar Raw. Furla is my favorite brand, it has so many nice things and the Candy bags are so cute too! In this shop I bought a cute key chain to match my candy bag. Not to forget we also ate an Icecream at Lindt. It's the best place to eat an icecream and the chocolates are so good too! 

VALMONTONE

This designer outlet has more than 180 brand stores and sale all year long until 70% off the outlet price. In this outlet my favorite brand Twin-Set has a big store. I didn't really know the brand until recently when somebody said it was a really nice brand. It's classic but with a feminine touch. I bought two sweater because in Holland it's better to think a head the summer is quite short. One sweater has very cute flowers on top and one sleeve is shorter than the other because it's a one shoulder sweater. I think it looks nice with a pair of leggings in combination. The other sweater is with black studs on top and buttons in the back. Besides Twin-Set there are also shops like Calvin Klein, Coccinelle and Yamamay. This outlet is comparable to Castel Romano, both very nice to visit. 

DIFFUSIONE TESSILE

These three were the top outlets which I always love to visit when I'm in Rome. For the absolute fashion lovers if you're going to Rome, there is another outlet brand called Diffusione Tessile which sells clothes from Max Mara but are a lot cheaper. They cut all the labels out of the clothes so they can sell them for the outlet price. It's really worth it to visit the store. They have everything from shoes to wallets to coats and it's all so cute!! 

Thank you so much for reading today's post. I hope you enjoyed it. Let me know in the comments if you've been to Rome before and if you liked it!? 

                                                                                                           

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Have a lovely day, 

Isabella ❤

OMG! The best bikini ever!

Hey everyone,

I hope you're having a great day!? I'm so happy it's finally summer! The summers in Holland aren't that consistent, there are days it's cold and days it's suddenly very hot. But but when the weather is nice it's time to have a summer proof wardrobe. I've been searching online to find a bikini that's not only cute but also good to swim in. I'm quite picky because it's important you don't loose your bikini when you take a dive in the swimming pool.. I finally decided to buy two bikinis from two different brands and would love to show them to you. Get comfy and let's get started!

H&M BIKINI

The first bikini that I bought is from H&M. I always buy my pj's or basics like a striped shirt or tank tops here. I don't really buy there a lot of other clothes. And of course I buy my bikini here every summer. This summer I'm kind of in the mood of the more brighter colors and pastel colors. Last year my bikinis were more black and navy, which is always good but I wanted something more cheerful this time. After having almost put every single bikini possible in my shopping cart, I picked the bright pink one. 

SAM FRIDAY BIKINI

Than on to my other bikini which I have to say is really my favorite. It's from Sam Friday. Maybe you've heard from the brand before. If you don't know Sam Friday sells anything from sports clothing to bikinis and pj's. It's comparable to Abercrombie, both the same style. I love to buy my tops here. They have so many bikinis but I decided to choose the pastel blue one with a charcoal bikini bottom in combination. I love the fit of this bikini and it fits very well and is easy to swim in but is also cute. I also came across this Hamam beach towel which is also very cute in combination with the bikini to make the look complete. I needed something to wear as a coverup and this towel was perfect. 

Thank you very much for reading today's post! I hope you enjoyed it and got excited as well to start shopping and to make your wardrobe summer proof! 

Which bikini is your favorite? 

Have a lovely day,

Isabella❤

Fun DIY projects to try this summer

Hey everyone,

It's officially summer now and my school is finished! Summers are for relaxing, doing fun things with friends and family and learning new skills. I love to make a bucketlist every summer with all the things I want to do. But this post is not about sharing my bucketlist but it's about sharing some fun DIY projects to try this summer that I found on Pinterest and would love to make. I hope you enjoy the fun summer DIY's and let's get started! 

DIY IRON TRANSFER TOTE

The first DIY project that I really want to try this summer is designing your own bag. Bags are a must have for every girl and designing your own one is so cool! 
THE CRAFTED LIFE

DIY MINI PHOTO MAGNETS

When I saw theses mini photo magnets on Pinterest I thought I have to make them myself. They look so cute and I'm kind of obsessed right now with taking pictures with my Fujifilm camera so these will be a good compromise too. Things you'll need are for example pictures you really like, glue, magnets, paper and a brush. To get started you can visit her blog: SUNDAESINS

DIY TULLE SKIRT

This is maybe one of the harder DIY projects to do but absolutely worth your time. I normally don't wear skirts very often because it's a lot of the time cold in the Netherlands. But I'm now telling myself that's no excuse because you can wear a legging underneath it haha! I love tulle skirts and they look very princessy and girly. 

DUITANG, For free sewing patterns: SEWINLOVE

DIY FAIRIES IN JAR

I don't know why but this DIY remind s me of Tumblr.. The fairies in the jar look so fun to make and you could do this easily with friends and family too. The more you have the better! 

PINACCURATE

DIY GLITTER LANTERN

Everybody needs some sparkle in their lives and this is the perfect way to add that. This lantern can be transformed into a big glittery lantern. Maybe you're hosting a party and these lanterns would instantly make your place look happy and it's very easy to make. 

OHHAPPYDAY

Thank you so much for reading today's post! I hope you are inspired to start a new creative DIY project this summer and stay tuned for my next post which will be about my favorite beach outfits! Don't forget to like, comment and follow me here:
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WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SUMMER DIY? 
HAVE A LOVELY DAY,
ISABELLA❤