BON Weekend! (Off with the girls, again:)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OUTER BEAUTY

Happy weekend! What are your plans this weekend? I am off to a much longed-for girlfriends weekend in Stockholm city. This is a year when many of my friends turn 40. What is better to give than a weekend away with only your girlfriends? Instead of presents we treat the birthday person to a fabulous weekend. And we get to be included for some real quality time:) This time we´re checking in at a hotel in Stockholm. The weekend is packed with a 40th Cocktail, dinners out, maybe even some clubbing (three kids later, it´s been a while:), bubbles as in Champagne, great brunches with Eggs Benedict (love it and must always order it if it´s on the menu...), shopping at the beloved department store NK (the best for Christmas inspiration) and of course a visit to the spa with endless talks and laughters in bathrobes. I couldn´t wish for more.

 

I hope you have

a beautiful WEEKEND!

 

 

{Images from Pinterest via 1 enjoyimage.tumblr.com 2thefashioncraze.tumblr.com 3pinterest 4amieweitzman.prosite.com 5Google 6thecurvycarrot.com 7simplyseleta.com 83.bp.blogspot.com}

Glitter & glamour for this seasons outfits

 

 

 

OUTER BEAUTY

I´ve been totally smitten with the glitter trend in clothes. I now want it on everything. A Wednesday gets a little more glamorous when adding glitter, it´s a fact. This season Malene Birger has made a great collection, full of glitter and glamour. Look at those sequin pants, that black glitter jacket and the simple but elegant knitted top in silver (also available in gold, puh:). I had a huge dose of glitter at department store Illum in Copenhagen the other day, as you can see...Have you also been smitten with glitter?

 

Makeup according to the Clarins heiresses

 

OUTER BEAUTY
It´s time to look natural. Of course that is a natural look with makeup. And a lot of prepping. There are four gorgeous heiresses to the famous French Clarins brand and they seem to be everywhere nowadays. Two of them, Claire (to the left) and Virginie Cortin-Clarins let us know which products they use for creating their natural look at the CFDA Awards, as told to the Clarins heiresses own makeup blog beautyflashblog.com. Needless to say, of course it´s all Clarins. But since it´s a great makeup and skincare brand I´m curious what they personally choose to use of all the products they can choose from. Many of these are classics, and two of my favourites are the Beauty Flash Balm and the primer Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch which gives velvety skin and a makeup that stay on all night. Do you have any of these as your favourites? What´s definitely coming onto my wish list is that new Eye shadow quartet, all shades looking lovely and weareable...

Claire uses:
Beauty Flash Balm mixed with Skin Illusion Foundation
Instant Sun Light Instant Smooth Compact Highlighter in Natural (as blush)
Bronzing Duo Mineral Compact (to give a sun-kissed glow to shoulders)
Instant Light Brush-On Perfector (to highlight cheekbones and eye’s outer corners)
Instant Definition Mascara
Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector Lip Gloss

Virginie uses:
Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch (as a primer)
Skin Illusion Foundation
Eye Quartet Mineral Palette in Odyssey
Instant Definition Mascara
Double Fix’ Mascara (for brows)
Gloss Prodige lip gloss

{Images from Clarins at Pinterest via beautyflashblog.com}

Shall we escape to...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OUTER BEAUTY

Let´s dream away today. Let´s check in at hotel Kivotos at Mykonos in Greece. The pools are just to die for. We can assume the SPA is beyond fabulous, offering a wide range of treatments. Except from belonging to Leading Hotels of the World Kivotos also has received awards like Tripadvisors "Travelers' choice 2012" and made the list of "1000 places to see before you die". I have no problem seeing myself checking in here and probably you won´t either:)

 

 

 

{Press photos from LHW}

Starting the Christmas season with...

OUTER BEAUTY
A long, hot bubble bath. Maybe a facial masque. And this. Most important issue of the year of Red Magazine, the December issue. It´s just so cozy and lovely, and this issue has become a tradition. Sort of sparks the holiday spirits. After that I am ready to start thinking about Christmas and really look forward to it. And be amazed that it´s soon Christmas, again.

The Monday Peptalk

 

INNER BEAUTY

Choose your tribe, wiseley. And if you only do one thing this Monday, remember that you are greatness.

{Image from Pinterest via kushandwizdom}

If could be seen from above...

INNER BEAUTY
Love this photo with the touching story behind:
"A heart-shaped meadow, created by a farmer as a tribute to his late wife, can be seen from the air near Wickwar, South Gloucestershire. The point of the heart points towards Wotton Hill, where his wife was born."
True love and an uplifting story. This big and perfectly shaped heart simply must be visible from above...

Have a beautiful

SUNDAY evening!

 

 

{Image from Pinterest via brittanickel.tumblr.com}

BON Weekend!

 

 

ELIE SAAB FW 2012-2013

 

 

 

OUTER BEAUTY

The weekend! I intend to fill mine with both inner and outer beauty, since I´m in the need for both. What are your plans, and do you also try to nurture all your needs during the weekend, which most of us know is impossible...? When Sunday evening come I can almost always note that I didn´t get to do that, and that...and that. But it can still be a great weekend!

Have a SPARKLING weekend!

 

 

{Images from Pinterest via 1hwtm.com 2Pinterest 3eliesaab.com 4slimpaley.com} 

Can we also have a day of appreciation and thanksgiving?

Tory Burch's Thanksgiving table setting from Toryburch.com

INNER BEAUTY
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! This is actually not a traditional holiday in Sweden, but if there is any American holiday I think we should take inspiration from it is this one. And I am not talking about any religious Thanksgiving, only a simple holiday of gratitude and appreciation. A day to stop the clock for a while, sit back and actually feel thankful for life and the people we have in it. To remind ourselves what we appreciate in our lives and ask what can we change if not? And eat a lot of good food to that. Last year this time my husband and I threw a Swedish Thanksgiving dinner party for 18 close friends, my husband giving a (totally unpretentious) speech (he loooves it:) about friendship and the importance of having fun, which we really had that night. I can highly recommend for anyone to arrange Thanksgiving dinner and make it your own tradition. Anything goes!

A favourite designer is Tory Burch, who says about Thanksgiving on her own blog:
"The day revolves around our whole family gathering for a big family meal. It’s the kind of chaos I love — a lot of talking, laughing and eating. We’re at the table for hours, so it has to be something we feel comfortable around. And since I’m not a big cook, I’m happy to take over décor duty. I like a lot of tea lights and use my favorite pieces, like monogrammed linens I’ve had for a while and Imari vases filled with fresh flowers and berries (keeping the arrangement low so we can see each other across the table). I mix up fall oranges and purples with a little hot pink."

Have a wonderful day!

I´m THANKFUL

for all you readers,

you make my day,

every day.

xo

{The photo shows Tory Burch's Thanksgiving table setting and I lent it from Toryburch.com}

12 Ways to look younger with makeup

OUTER BEAUTY
I´ve found a list, and I had to share it, since it promises to deliver how to look younger with makeup. As a beauty junkie, and also being all for natural beauty trying my best to keep it up with just makeup and skincare, I couldn´t ignore these tips from the beauty pros at Allure Magazine (where you can read the whole list, I edited this one). Read the professional comment from Allure, and then (in italic) I added my personal comment for a perspective from an ordinary beauty junkie being 40:). I´d love to hear your thoughts on this one and if you have any other tricks!

1. Moisturize
Well of course, nobody can get away without moisturizer.
IOB: But remember to massage it in thoroughly, as I recently wrote about here:)

2. Choose a liquid concealer
"As you age, you have more to conceal, but concealer can draw attention to lines and crepiness. You want a product that hides redness and circles without getting cakey, and that means you want a liquid cover-up in a click pen."
My favourite, which is also hydrating and illuminating, is Estée Lauder Ideal Light Brush On Illuminator.

3. Buy a yellow(ish) foundation
"Yellow warms up the skin," says makeup artist Sandy Linter. "And the warmer your skin looks, the younger it looks".
Try the new YSL Touche Eclat Teinted foundation - it´s haussed by beauty editors for a reason. 

4. Keep piling on the moisture
"Nothing, nothing, nothing makes you look older than heavy powder formulas. Makeup artists recommend stocking your bag with creams, gels, liquids, and products that generally don't require the use of a brush. "The more hydrated your skin, the younger it looks," says makeup artist Birgitte Reiss-­Andersen.
Loving the Breezy Cheeks creme blush from UNE in colour Blush Grand Air for that dewy, pink girlie glow on the cheeks.

5. Tweeze, but only if you absolutely must
"If you tweeze at all, just clean up the most obvious errant hairs. If you need more shaping than that, go to a pro."
Don´t tweeze too much at once. Get used to the look before going further. It may never grow back... 

6. Curl your lashes
"If you're over 35, you need to be curling your lashes," says Reiss-Andersen. "Eyelashes flatten as you age, and you need to keep everything going upward, against gravity. Even if you skip mascara, curling your lashes makes your eyes look bigger and brighter."
Try the award winning curler from Shu Uemura. "They sell themselves" as the sales representative told me in Harvey Nichols a few years ago. I still use mine daily though I often think to myself, I wonder if this is bad for my eyelashes, but the impact of curling them is bigger, so I end up doing it every day...

7. Apply eyeshadow base
"Patting the tiniest dab of eye-shadow base or primer on the lids before your shadow will keep it in place," says Linter. "This is especially important if your lids have even the slightest wrinkles. Fine lines can exacerbate creasing, and creasing exacerbates the appearance of lines."
I totally swear by a primer, at least for parties and long nights but also for long days in front of the computer. My best tip is the award winning Urban Decay Eyeshadow primer potion. It does the trick. Google it for reviews, it´s the best. 

8. Wear brown eyeliner
 "Deep brown has the impact of black, but looks less jarring," says Reiss-Andersen. "It gives you all the intensity, but in a more sophisticated, subtle way." 
I saw a photo of myself with a lot of black eyeliner and could actually see that it made me look a bit older and wasn´t flattering. I switched to brown colours...

9. Don´t shy away from shimmer
"A bit of soft shimmer is flattering as you get older because it brings light to the face," 
Bobbi Brown does the best. Try Longwear cream shadow in colours with some shimmer like Stone or Sandy gold.

10. Choose a lengthening mascara
"Lashes get thinner as you age, so conventional wisdom says you need a thickening mascara to bulk them up, but common wisdom is wrong. Your lashes can't support the extra weight, Heavy formulas flatten the lashes."
This was actually new to me. Allure recommend to try Lancome Définicils High Definition Mascara.

11. Switch to nude lips
"As we age, our lips get smaller, especially the upper lip. The best approach is to stick to shades that enhance your natural lip tone, rather than bringing attention to the area. Look for something between your natural lip color and a berry shade, that will just boost your natural tone. And go for a stain instead of a creamy lipstick to prevent the color from bleeding." 
I wouldn´t do fully nude lips, but totally agree on the berry shades. Couldn´t be more flattering, and I love a stain that stays on. The best lip colour that actually do stay on the whole day is Max Factor Lip Finity, who does some nice berry and nude colours. 

12. Try highlighter and show off your bone structure
"Dab a very sheer formula just on the cheekbones, it adds a very subtle, youthful, and pretty dimension to your features."
Try Bobbi Brown shimmer brick, it´s super easy to apply. 

Have a beautiful 

WEDNESDAY!

{Image from Pinterest via thealternativewife.tumblr.com}

It was a weekend of friends and laughter

The Lodge's entrance

Beautiful exteriors all in grey and white

Details everywhere

The rooms are located in varios smaller buildings
connected via footbridges...

...or in the main building.

Love Airon Deck chairs.

The big veranda.

The big eating at the tea and scones buffet...

...with the typical delicious sweets, we tried them all.

The breathtaking surroundings whereever you look.

The view from the outside hot tub...tranquillity.

OUTER BEAUTY
Since I am lucky to have many readers from many different countries I figured it could be nice to show a Swedish weekend hotel. Welcome to The Lodge, located in Skåne in the south of Sweden. The Lodge is a pittoresque hotel, in New England style, known for its utterly gorgeous surroundings and great food. I can only agree. As I told you before, me and four girlfriends checked in here for a weekend of laughter, friendship quality time and just to relax. We´re all mothers so the ultimate luxury for us were to indulge in an Irish Coffee at the veranda, in the unexpected gorgeous sunshine, not being interrupted when talking actually finishing the sentences, head down to the spa and its outside hot tub, eat enormous amounts of scones and drink our own brought Champagne in the room in plastic glasses before the four course dinner  (the Champagne cooled very well in the zink for hours, you can never be to old for that:). All in all, a fantastic weekend with fantastic friends. Soon, the same friends are checking in at a fabulous hotel in Stockholm for a bussy city weekend and a 40th celebration...Stay tuned!

{All photos by myself}