Products I have been loving #1

Hello everyone!

Here in London the weather is getting  chilly and even though I love summer, I also love autumn. I love all the colours associated to that season. We are finally allowed to wear those beautiful dark colours!

Some of these products I had for a year, some were purchased recently and some were presents. Still, all these products have been my best friends and I am absolutely adoring each one of them.

1. Piz Buin moisturising lipstick

2. MAC lipstick - Diva

3. Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Moss - 01

4. Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipstick - 590 Burgundy

Let's start with the lips. My lips are very chapped and dry and this has been my salvation. The weather might be cold, but we can sometimes see the sun peeking, so a good moisturiser with SPF protection is definitely needed.

The three red lipsticks are absolutely my all time favourites. I always loved a good red lipstick, but darker colours always attracted me.

1. La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water

2. Vichy Purete Thermale Waterproof eye make-up remover for sensitive eyes

I saw the portuguese youtuber 'A Maria Vaidosa' using the La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water and I have to say that I fell in love with it and I really wanted to buy this. Lucky me, I got it from a friend! This product has so many advantages and you can use it for hydration of the skin and even to set up your make-up! I am definitely buying more when this runs out.

It has been raining quite a lot here in London, and one of the products that I have been loving and using a lot - but I forgot to include in the picture, oops! - is Maybelline Lash Sensational mascara. I love this so much that I even bought the waterproof one. With that said, a good eye make-up remover is needed, because we all know how difficult it is to get everything off.  This really does the trick!

 

1. TRESemmé Get Sleek Creation hairspray

2. TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Beautifying Oil

I am a huge fan of the TRESemmé products. Even my shampoo and conditioner are from this brand.

Since I left most of my products in Portugal, I had to buy a new hair spray. The Get Sleek hasn't disappointed me.

My serum was almost finishing and I couldn't find it anywhere. Since my boyfriend went to Portugal in August, I asked my mom if she could buy it for me and send it through him. The product was sold out, so she bought me this one instead and I have to say, I prefer this one to the other that I had been using. My hair can be quite complicated to brush sometimes, but with this keratin smooth oil, my life is much easier now!

Nails Inc Alice and Olivia by Stacey Bennet nail polish - Midnight Merlot

Ok, this is the only nail polish I have here in London. Still, I believe this is perfect for this upcoming season. It's such a dark colour that I know I will be using this constantly!

These are my currently favourites at the moment. What are yours?

Life update

Hello everyone! Long time no see.

A lot happened this last month. I finally got a job! I'm still getting used to the schedules and routines, but I really like what I do. I can honestly say that I am happy with my life right now.

I will try to update this blog more frequently, but for now it has been quite impossible, I really feel that I don't have the time to do everything I need to do.

I hope you have a nice day, and see you soon!

What's on my Phone? Tag

Hello everyone!

Besides Hauls, make up room/house tours, "what's in my purse" videos, I always liked to see what apps the youtubers that I follow use the most. It's a great way to discover new apps and, well, I am a curious person.

So I decided to do a "what's in my cellphone" photo report. I tried to do a video, but since I don't have a good camera, I tried to record it with my iPad... and I failed miserably. Youtube videos are definitely not for me. And what better way to do this? Taking screenshots!

My phone is an iPhone 4S (nope, not rich). It only has 8GB of memory, which is not that much, but I only use my phone for the apps and to make calls/send texts.

When I turn on my iPhone, the main screensaver in a photo of me and my boyfriend. If you read the About Me page, you will know that I decided to keep my identity anonymous, so for privacy reasons I decided that I wouldn't post that print screen. I tried to blur, but it would still be visible. Moving on, when I unlock my iPhone, the wallpaper is this beautiful skull. I absolutely love skulls, especially the ones decorated with roses.

I won't go around every single app I have on my iPhone, I'll just show you the ones I use the most. For example, the ones that are in the Extras folder are the ones that I rarely use... or don't use at all, but can't delete because they came with the phone.

Let's go by order!

Alarm - My best and worst friend. And you might not believe it, but I only set one alarm to wake up (ok, I click in the snooze button sometimes...)!

The Weather Channel - I could use the one that comes with the phone, but I don't really like it. I like this one because it's very accurate and interactive! As you can see, the weather wasn't that great today.

Instagram - I usually have my personal account on, I don't use the blog instagram that much, but I wanted to show you anyway. I post mostly food photos and print screens of my blog whenever I post something new.

Whatsapp - This is the best way for me to connect with my friends and family. I also use Messenger and Skype, but this is the one I use the most. And yes, the background is a skull with flowers... again.

Twitter - If you follow me on twitter, you can see that whenever I tweet something, it's because it's monday (or MOONday!!) and Teen Wolf is on. Otherwise, most of the tweets are sent from my blog or instagram automatically. But I do rant about things from time to time.

Snapchat - I don't have a blog account for Snapchat, and I have to be honest, I don't use this app that much. Only when someone sends me something, then I reply... sometimes. I might create one someday. Who knows?!

UK Folder - This folder contains the apps that I use mostly every day. Costa for discounts, Tube Map so I can see the London transports map offline, Lloyds to manage my bank account and Citymapper so I don't get lost and schedule my trips by time and place (I'm obsessed with this app).

Youtube - Okay, I admit, I don't use it that much on my phone. I use my iPad whenever I want to watch something. But when I don't have my iPad around, the iPhone comes to rescue.

Layout - The name says it all, it creates layouts. Only that. But I quite like it! It's really simple, fast to use and you can adjust the way you want the photos to display.

Pinterest - I am addicted to this app! I often spend hours browsing every categories, and I even created boards to be more organised!

Bloglovin' - I really like this app, I can follow my favourite bloggers and never miss a post!

Facebook Page - I use facebook for my personal account and this one... well, I honestly don't know why I have it on my phone. The only post there are the ones from the blog, twitter, instagram, and not a single like. But if you want to give some meaning to it, you can always like my Facebook page *wink wink*.

In my daily life, I also use Dropbox to store the photos I take with my phone, Womanlog to control the fact that I am a woman,  LinkedIn for job search, and Spotify to listen to my playlists.

This is what I have on my phone. What about you, what are the apps that you use the most?

I hope you have a lovely day! ♥

Brigadeiro and Lemon Cream in a cup - Eat with me!

Hello everyone!

If you follow my Instagram, you know I recently made some delicious desserts. I said I might share the recipes, so here they are!

Brigadeiro is a Brazilian recipe that is really popular in Portugal too. I remember being a kid and always having this sweet in every birthday party. Even now, I absolutely love it. Normally, brigadeiro is really thick and consistent, in a ball shape, but what I made comes with a little twist: you eat it from a cup! On to the recipe!

Ingredients:

• 1 can of sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder
• 3 tablespoons of non fat natural yoghurt

Preparation:

Gently mix all the ingredients in a saucepan and stir in a low heat for about five minutes. Let it boil and lower the heat. Stir for about 5-8 minutes so it doesn't form lumps. When you see it doesn't stick to the bottom of  the pan, turn off the heat. It must have a creamy appearance, not a thick one, because when it cools down, it will be more consistent. Pour it into tiny cups or jars like I did and if you want, you can add some sprinklers.

I don't think lemon cream has a "background" like brigadeiro has, at least I never heard of it. My sister's boyfriend doesn't fancy chocolate that much, so I searched for a recipe that I knew he would like, and this was the winner! I changed a little bit, but nothing important.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon of butter
• Juice from three lemons
• 3 tablespoons of non fat natural yoghurt

Preparation:

Mix the condensed milk with the lemon juice and let it "react" for an hour, the lemon acidity will leave the cream consistent. Afterwards, mix the yoghurt and put it the fridge for another hour. Then, serve in the tiny cups or jars and add some sprinklers!

Note 1: I put both of the sweets in the fridge. You don't have to, but I believe it tastes better when it's a bit cold.

Note 2: If you like the combination of chocolate and lemon, you can add both to the same cup/jar. It tastes amazing!

I hope you have a lovely day! ♥

Moving to another country

We all have that dream, in some point of our lives, to move to another country... or at least to be able to travel around the world. Who wouldn't like the idea of starting a new life?

The first time I travelled to the UK, I was only seven years old. It was a family trip, I'm pretty sure I enjoyed it, but I was so little that I didn't absorb all the beauty London has to offer. By the time I was thirteen, I went on my first adventure: I travelled to the UK again, for three years in a row, stayed two weeks each year in a summer course. This was the moment I fell in love with this country and I decided that this would be where I wanted to spend my days, my life. I met so many people, so many cultures, so many cities! I have to admit, London wasn't my first love, Cheltenham was (I am eager for the possibility of going there, even if it is just visiting!).

After one month in this beautiful country, I can see why it is so difficult to leave all behind. We never start over, that's just a mere illusion. And I have to admit, not all days are easy. Even though I have my sister and my boyfriend here, I miss Portugal a lot, more than I ever imagined. I miss my family, my friends, my dog... I miss waking up in my bedroom, I miss eating the typical dishes of my city, I miss living two minutes from the beach. I even miss college.

Moving to another country is a lonely and difficult process. Fortunately we have internet nowadays, we have skype, so it's easier to keep the heart a little warm. Still, it's complicated to abandon everything we knew, even if moving to another country is a life time dream. I don't have my closest friends with me, so I can't meet up with them whenever I feel the need. I can't have a simple meal with my parents because we are all far away. I can't cook some typical dishes because not all the ingredients exist here (and it is definitely not the same!). What's really hard for me is not having my own place. I'm still living with my sister and even though she is family, this isn't my home, it's hers and her boyfriend's home. I don't have a place where I can feel truly comfortable, with all my things. I still don't have my home, sweet home. I am really thankful for the privacy sacrifices they are making so I have where to live, but we all need our space, and I feel really bad for stealing that from them. 

Not everything is bad, of course. It's always fun to meet new people, to visit new places. Don't get me wrong, I'm absolutely adoring living here, but it's safe to say that you really need to have an adventurous spirit and willingness to change your whole life when it comes to these decisions. My advice to everyone who plans on moving is to make a list of pros and cons, if that's what you really want and if you're willing to leave all behind and endure it. I know people who moved back to their native countries because it was too hard for them to be apart from their families and friends.

I really needed to take this out of my chest and writing is the best way for me. To sum up, here is a portuguese word that sums up everything that I feel since I moved: saudade.

Stay strong!  ♥

Around London #1

Hello, hello!
My computer is finally working (had to give up Windows for Ubuntu, still getting used to it)! Whoop whoop!
Since I moved to London, everything has been a bit of a chaos. I'm still getting used to the idea of living here, and not just passing by to visit. Still, I have to admit that every time I can, I let my tourist side free and wander off - and how I miss my camera in those moments. Fortunately, nowadays, cellphones have pretty decent cameras and I wanted to share with you some of the pictures I've taken.

Moving to the UK: good and bad news.

Hi everyone!
So I moved to the UK last week. Yep, that happened, and I couldn't be more thrilled! Everything has been so crazy since my last post that I didn't have time to come here! Unfortunately, I can't post as often as I would like. I brought my notebook and it is incredibly slow, I couldn't bring my camera... the two main things I used to work on this blog had to stay in Portugal. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to find a way.
I just wanted to check in with the few of you who read my blog, haha. I am loving this and I can't wait to start working.

Home Decor Inspiration #2

The moving day is getting closer! In two weeks I am finally moving to England. Even though I won't have my own place right away, I like to go to Pinterest to find some inspiration for when the time comes.

Let me show you some pictures that caught my eye!

Long distance relationships - Five tips for the first days

Hi everyone!

I'm sorry for my absence, but some things happened this last weeks and I've been focused on that. My boyfriend moved to England last Wednesday and it's been quite difficult to cope with all of this. Even though I am moving too in 20th of may, I'm not used to being apart from him for this long. The longest we've been without each other was two days! I am a very sensitive person, so this has been quite hard. One month without him seems like eternity.

For all of those who are in a long distance relationship, a big hug to all of you. I imagine how painful it can be sometimes, and I know there are people in this situations who have to endure long periods of time without seeing their loved ones!

I can't consider my relationship a long distance one, so I will try to give some tips I found useful about the first days being apart.

I believe this is the most important one. You should always say how you feel, but in these situations, expressing your soul gives strength. I wrote a letter and gave it to my boyfriend with a photo of us, so he could read when he was on the air plane and I wrote how much I loved him and admired him for going on this journey alone. We Skype and text each other everyday and I always tell him how I feel about him.

Thank God for internet. Distance is hard, but Skype helps to settle a worried heart. You can see the other person, and I believe this is fundamental on the first days. You are always worried if your loved one is ok, if he's eating well... the list is endless. 

For someone who is initiating a long distance relationship, I think all the doubts come to mind. If your love is strong, you will overcome every barrier, but you have to trust each other for the relationship to work.

The first days are always hard. Time seems to stop. You get so sad that you don't even feel like doing anything. Go out with your friends, go for a walk, do everything you can to keep you mind busy, so time goes by faster.

This is what makes me happy, to know that one more day apart from him is one day closer to being with him. Hold on to that. Believe me, you will get anxious, but also happy.

Have a lovely day! ♥

Strawberry and Biscuit Delight - Eat with me!

My boyfriend is coming over tonight for dinner and since he received a really good news today, I thought I would do a dessert to celebrate.

The first time I made this was for Valentines day for my parents as a surprise. I prepared a romantic dinner for both without them knowing and this was a huge success. Because of that, I want to share it with you, hoping you will make it some day and love it as much as I do!

Ingredients (6 portions):

• 200g of marie biscuits (or rich tea biscuits)
• 200ml of fresh cream
• Strawberries
• Hot coffee (I usually fill up a measuring cup)
• 3 spoons of sugar
• Chocolate syrup:
• 1/2 cup of water
• 2 spoons of cocoa powder
• 1 spoon of butter
• 1 cup of sugar

Preparation:

Start by grinding all of the biscuits so that is as thin as possible. Divide it in two equal portions and set aside one of them for later. The other portion, pour the hot coffee until it gets creamy.

Whisk the cream with the sugar until it thickens. That way, if you turn the bowl upside down, it won't fall.

Cut the strawberries into tiny cubes.

Now the chocolate syrup. Add all the ingredients into the pan and stir it until it begins to boil over low heat. Let it rest for five minutes.

To layer everything, just go by the measure of your cup. This is the order: grinded biscuits drenched in coffee, whisked cream, grinded biscuits, strawberries, chocolate syrup, grinded biscuits, whisked cream, grinded biscuits. You can add chocolate rasps in the end like I did.

Put the cups in the fridge, wait a few hours and then you can eat!

Sugestion: if you have leftovers, just mix it all together and eat. Believe me, it will taste amazing!

I hope this is well explained. Part of this recipe is invented by me and the other part is a portuguese recipe, so I had to translate everything. If there's anything you find troubling to understand, please, do ask, I will try to explain!

My health problem - Asthma

First of all, happy easter, everyone!

Now, I want to talk about something serious and personal that has affected my life since I was born - asthma.

I've had asthma all my life. I'm sure everyone knows what it is, but to give a quick explanation, it's a chronic disease involving the airways in the lungs. Basically, when you have an asthma attack, you can't breathe, which is pretty scary. For most of the people that have asthma, allergies are what triggers it. For me... well, honestly, I don't know exactly what triggers. I was tested for all types of allergies and I have none. My 'experience' with this tells me that what triggers is when the climate changes abruptly. One day is really cold, but in the other it's a summer day, and that's not really good for my health.

I'm talking about this today, because yesterday I went to the urgencies with a severe asthma attack. Fortunately for me, I'm so used to it, I was calm, but I felt horrible. I was always coughing (my chest hurts a lot because of that), gasping for air some times... horrible, I'm telling you. The doctors were amazing, super nice and treated me as soon as I got in.

Thankfully, I don't have attacks frequently. When I was little, I had one every week or every month. There was one time that the school bus had to stop so my parents could pick me up and take me to the hospital because I was having one. Other time, when I was around seven, I went to the urgencies at night and just got out in the morning... and saw a man dying in front of me. Not the best scenario. I was always in and out of the hospital, so believe me when I tell you I have A LOT of stories.

I don't think people know how serious asthma can be. The desperation when you're coughing and you can't breathe because of it, but you can't stop the cough... I can't even describe what I feel. And when I try to take a deep breath, it hurts so bad that I start coughing again.

I have every type of treatment, here in my house.An inhaler, a nebulizer machine, antihistamines... Name it, I have it.

What about you? Do you have asthma or know anyone that has it? Do you have any health problem that disturbs you?

I hope you're having a lovely day! ♥

Cute Girls Hairstyles: My favourites

I've always had long hair. Well, except that time in elementary school, when I thought that having REALLY short hair, like a boy, was super cool and edgy. I really regret those times, sight. Anyway, my hair is super long now, I think it's the longest I've ever had! And oh, the infinite possibilities for hairstyles! There is only one itty-bitty problem: I am too lazy and I have no skills. The best I can do is a ponytail and then braid it, just so it's not just a simple ponytail.

I've been following Cute Girls Hairstyles on Youtube for at least two years and they always inspired me on trying new hairstyles. They explain it very well and the final result is always astonishing! Even though I failed in most of them, I do have some favourite ones that I would like to share with you. Oh, and I promise I will keep trying until I master the techniques.

I selected the easy to medium ones and for long hair. If you want more info about the hairstyles, the link to each one will be under the photo.

4 Strand Waterfall Braid

Dutch Accent Ponytail

(I know this one is for short hair, but it would still look stunning with long hair!)

Faux Waterfall Hairband

Katniss' Mockingjay Braid

Mermaid Half Braid

Rope Twisted Bun

Waterfall Twist Rope Braid

Chain Link Braid

I hope you have a lovely day! ♥

*All credits go to Cute Girls Hairstyles