Granola, sleep and weekend-eating!

This post is one day late - sorry about that :)

This week's challenge: Get 6 to 7 hours of sleep every night.

Ough, this one is going to be tough for me! I can easily get away with 4 hours of sleep... but I know it's not good for me. This week, I'm going to try to change my sleeping habits a bit... I'm not really picking the best week, though, it's going to be crazy, and I will be needing those extra few hours to get work done... but I'm going to try to think like Garfield... well, no, not really, then I wouldn't get any work done at all!

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This week's recipe:

Granola (Bars) - slightly adapted from a recipe by Seventeen Magazine (they sometimes have surprisingly good recipes!)

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*0.5 cup butter

*3/4 cup oats

*1 T semolina flour or cornmeal

*1/3 cup packed soft brown sugar

*Nuts and/or dried fruit, if you wish

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Preheat your oven to 190°C or 375°F.

Mix together the dry ingredients, then pour melted butter over them and mix well. Press into a greased baking pan, about 11*7 inches, and bake for at least 15 minutes.

Now, you can either leave to set in the pan, and then cut into bars (about 12 pieces), or you can leave it to set, and then crumble it up for granola. I personally favour the latter option :)

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I know this isn't terribly healthy, and you probably shouldn't be eating tons of this every day (butter and sugar are sadly not good for you... but oats are, however!), but every now and then, this is a great way of getting your fibre!

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Now, I'm pretty sure that we all recognize the following situation: You've been eating healthy all week, then it's Friday... and all of your good intentions seem to fly out the window, never to be seen again. Here are a few tips for dealing with those weekends!

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*Work out - the harder you work out, the less likely you will be to spoil your hard efforts!

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*It's ok to indulge a little - If you constantly tell yourself that you can't have this or that, it will only make you want it more. Allow yourself a little splurge every now and then, and you won't be as likely to binge.

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*Prepare healthy food before - If you already have sliced fruit and veggies, nuts or a vegetable soup just waiting to be heated, then you won't be as likely (I feel like "won't be as likely" is all I'm saying in this post...) to go and buy unhealthy food, or prepare them.

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*When going to parties - Eat healthy a breakfast and lunch, but scale things back a little. And when you get to the party, keep your hands full! If you're holding a low-cal (preferably water) drink, you can't reach for more food so easily ;)

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That's it for this week, hope you liked it and stay healthy!

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Love,

Miss Diorista

Clean and Clear - Dual Action Moisturiser

First, I'm so sorry that I didn't get today's health post up - it's just been a superbusy day (busy but amazing :). However, I plan on publishing it tomorrow - so you're getting a review today instead!

This moisturizer is supposed to both moisturize and help prevent spots and blemishes. I have to say, that I don't really notice a huge difference with acne or spots of some kind... I've been using this moisturizer daily for 3 weeks now, and I have found it... well, it's one of those products, they're not great, they're not horrible... just somewhere in between.
As a moisturizer, it is rather light, and I personally think that this would suit me better in summer, since I need something a bit more moisturizing for winter. And of course, if you have any problems with spots or acne, then you probably would want more moisture, to prevent flakyness.

Product (65%) - 6.5/10
Value (10%) - 8.5/10
Would I repurchase? (15%) - 6/10
Packaging (10%) - 8/10

Overall - 7/10

Love,
Miss Diorista

Clean and Clear - Advantage Quick Clear Spot Treatment Gel

This product has a long name, I have to say! But it's worth it. Definitely!
This is basically supposed to be used as spot treatment, and it comes in a gel form, as you could probably make out from this post's title :) They claim that it reduces spots in 4 hours, which has to be considered pretty good.

I do find the tube a little small, but 0ther than that, I really love this product. I use it morning and evening, and after just one day or two, I could already see a dramatic difference on my forehead! After about a week, my forehead was almost back to normal again. No, the spots are not completely gone, but the difference those first few days was really amazing.

The gel is light white, but goes on clear. You can use it under or over your makeup, but if you plan on using it over (or during the day at all), then make sure you powder on top, since the gel adds a bit of shine to things, as well as some slight redness while it's working its wonders.

So, does it do what it claims to do? Yes. And it performs even better than I expected, really. Overall I am very happy with this product.

Application tip: I pat this on any problem areas (after cleansing my face, before moisturizing) with my clean fingertip, kind of like I would a concealer. Remember to wash your hands thoroughly before and after!


Product (65%) - 9/10
Value (10%) - 8/10
Would I repurchase? (15%) - 10/10
Packaging (10%) - 7.5/10

Overall - 9/10

Love,
Miss Diorista

The Bloggy Award!

A big thank-you to Hebridean Sprite (please check out her blog - she does great NOTD posts, as well as in-depth reviews and more - and I love that she only uses cruelty-free products!), who gave me this award the other day! It's the third blog award I receive in a short time - I'm really grateful :)

The rules for this award are:

*Post about the award and copy the rules
*Link to the person who gave you the award
*Choose 3-5 blogs you would like to give the award to and link to them as well. Leave a comment on their blog to let them know!
*Important: The award is for unknown and/or new blogs only!

Here are the 3 awsome blogs that I have chosen to give the award to!

Cute and Mundane: I love how passionate she is about rescuing animals. Great beauty posts, too!

My Lyfe; My Story: This girl does great OOTD posts!

Matryoshka Doll Beauty: A fab beauty blog, and I love the name!

Please go and check out those amazing blogs - you won't regret it ;)

Love,
Miss Diorista

P.S. The picture is from Hebridean Sprite - but originally from The Unknown Beauty Blog, I believe... don't quote me on that, though!

Pancakes, Veggies and How to Get Better Sleep!

I can't believe how fast the past week flew by - I didn't get any posts up and all of a sudden it's Friday again... well, it's technically Saturday, but we'll call it a Friday, ok?
Sure ;)

This week's challenge!
Every day this week (and of course, keep going!), you are going to eat 2.5 cups of veggies.
I actually started this today, and it feels great. One cup is simply one cup, except with leafy veggies, like lettuce, but 1 cup of that counts as 0.5 cup, so 2 cups of lettuce count as 1 cup. Other than that, it's pretty simple!

This week's recipe:
Whole Grain Pancakes with Fruits!
*1 packet pancake mix, OR your favourite pancake recipe. (Remember to use whole grain flour if baking from scratch. To make your mix healthier: Add a bit of whole grain flour, then thin your batter with milk until it is the right consistency.
*Fresh fruits of your choice (I love strawberries and bananas for this!)
*Agave syrup, maple syrup or honey - just make sure it doesn't have anything added to it!
*Fruit spread, if you wish.

Now, simply bake your pancakes, spread some fruit spread on it if you feel like it, fill it with good-for-you sliced fruits, and drizzle a few drops of sweetness over the whole thing - yummy!
And this week's "bits of this and that": Sleep!
I know perfectly well that I should sleep 7 to 8 hours each night... yet somehow, I always end up getting way to little sleep... which is not good. Sleep is so important. Did you know, that once we get into a deep state of sleep, our brains start solving the problems we are dealing with? That is why it is somehow easier to make difficult decisions when you've slept well - your brain has been working on the answer while you were sleeping! So instead of worrying and staying up all night - just go to sleep!
Also, women who get five hours or less of sleep every night, are 32% more likely to gain weight than women who get 7 hours or more - that's a fact that wakes most of us up!
But what if you want to go to sleep... but just can't? We've all been there, just lying and staring at the ceiling... it's not fun. What can you do? Well, try those tips!

*Skip caffeine for at least 4 hours before you go to bed.

*Form your habits and rituals. Always doing the same things before you go to sleep can train your brain into falling asleep faster and more comfortably (the same things applies to your children!).

*Avoid distractions. Things like TVs and computers do not belong in your bedroom, especially not if you are having trouble sleeping.

*If you're stressed out during the day, that stress will stand in your way when you're trying to fall asleep later. Try doing yoga or relaxing breathing exercises during the day (lunchtime is perfect - you don't even have to leave your desk!). You will be more relaxed, which will definitely help you when it comes to sleeping.

*Not too chilly, not too warm. If your bedroom is too warm, you will probably encounter some problems falling asleep. However, make sure that your feet stay warm - it's very difficult to fall asleep when your feet are cold (scientifically proven!). Try some soft and cosy socks!

*Eat carbs! No, not a whole truckload. Sorry :) Just about a half cup of dry cereal, eaten about two hours before you go to bed, will help your brain release serotonin and tryptophan, which will aid when it comes to sleeping.


That's it for this week, I hope you all stay happy and well!
Yours, Miss Diorista

P.S. Please take a minute to vote on the poll, it would mean the world to me ;)

Vitamin D, Tortillas and "The Plank"!

It's Friday again!

How did the last week go for you all? Mine could have gone worse :) I managed to get 1.5 cup fruits a day almost the whole week, but now it's time for a new week, new challenge and a new recipe!

Challenge: The Plank

What you want to do, every day this week (if you're beginning exercising for the first time, or after a long break, you might want to choose every other day), is to get in this position here:

Keep your back straight and squeeze your abs! Stay up like that, on your elbows, for 30 seconds the first two days, then one minute the next three days, and for the last two days, you will try 90 seconds. It's harder than it seems ;) However, if you find this too easy or too hard, simply adjust the time to what you can handle - be careful not to overdo it!

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Recipe of the week: Tortillas!

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This is my favourite way of eating Mexican food - it's yummy, healthy and quick. Plus, you can adjust it to what you like. Enjoy ;)

*Whole Wheat Tortillas, as many as needed (about 1-3 per person)

*1 T olive oil

*500 g ground beef

*Mushrooms - I used about 15 of them

*A teeny tiny bit of butter

*Oregano (didn't measure, sorry! Just add little by little, you can always add but you can't take out!)

*Salt - just a little bit!

*Mexican spice blend, if you like

*Veggies of your choice - I love cucumbers and bell peppers for this

*Salsa Sauce

*Beans - any kind, I used pinto beans

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Heat up the olive oil in a frying pan, and cook the beef. When slightly brown, add your spices, stir and cook until ready.

Chop your mushrooms, and fry them in the butter. Mix those in your beef.

Chop the veggies. You can cook those too, but I prefer them raw.

Now, it's time to put your dinner together :) There are a few ways for folding a tortilla, but I like to gather the filling in the middle (top picture). Then I fold two opposite sides of the tortilla over the filling:

And finally, I fold the other two sides.

It's really easy to hold the tortilla in your hands when you fold it this way.

Yummy!

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And finally, a few words on Vitamin D:

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Why do you need Vitamin D?

Vitamin D helps your body use calcium, which is hugely important for your bones. It also helps your heart muscle perform at its best, thus keeping your heart healthy.

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Where do I get Vitamin D?

Well, Vitamin D isn't called "The Sunshine Vitamin" for nothing. One way of getting this vitamin into your system, is by exposing yourself to sunshine for a short time. However, you don't want too much sunshine because of risk of skin cancer, so you should make sure that you include food like eggs, oatmeal, milk, tuna and sweet potatoes in your diet. You can also take a supplement.

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So, that's it for this week! Good luck with the challenge, and getting your vitamin D!

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Yours,

Miss Diorista

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P.S. The Plank picture is from http://www.runningintherealworld.worldpress.com/. Other pictures are my own (I know because I ate that tortilla myself - it tasted amazing!)

Mascara - Tips and Tricks!

Mascara is something simple, yes?

Well, girl, no! Have you thought about all those different types of mascaras out there? There are differently shaped brushes, vibrating brushes, different mascara formulas, different colours... not to mention different methods of putting all those different mascaras on!

In this post, I'll be sharing some of what I've picked up about mascaras through my own experience. Please enjoy!

Different Brushes

In general, I have found that the thinner the brush, the more length you get, and the thicker and bigger the brush, the more thickness you get, but less length. There are of course some exceptions from this, and those who both lengthen and thicken do exist (try L'Oréal Voluminous - supposed to just thicken but adds great length too!).

The last few years, more and more "rubber" mascara brushes have been showing up. Those rubber brushes can reduce clumping. An example of this kind of a mascara would be Dior's Diorshow Iconic. Really like that one.

Then there are the bent brushes, as well as those small, ball shaped ones. The latter kind often have spikes sticking out of the "ball" wand (for example Gosh's Irresistible Mascara). I personally don't really like this kind of brushes. The upside to them is that reaching all of your lashes is a breeze, but since you can only coat a few at a time, I feel that my lashes get a strange look from this.

Bent brushes, however, can be of great help when you need a little extra something for curving your lashes. And I almost forgot about vibrating brushes - those can help when you want your lashes to be better separated but still full and long.

Different Formulas

There are basically two general mascara formulas - those who lengthen, and those who thicken. Those two then come in many variations - they can be waterproof or not, for example, and some mascaras have small particles of fibres in them, which make your lashes look fuller.

Quick tip: Some people find that waterproof mascara holds curl better than regular one. However, the waterproof formula can be very drying for your lashes, so don't use it on a daily basis.

Different Colours

Some of the most popular mascara colours are listed below. Of course you can find crazy colours (my friend has pink... not sure how she pulls it off!), but those are the ones you can wear and still look natural - yes, including blue!

Black - The classic and most popular colour for mascara. Looks great on brunettes and those with darker hair and skin.

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Brown - Often recommended for blondes, as well as those with red hair. Can also be prettier than black on younger women, as well as if you are going for a very natural look.

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Clear - Not really a colour, I know, by some like it. Clear mascara basically just holds your lashes the way you want them, as well as giving them a bit of shine. So if you have dark, full, long lashes, and just want to curl them, then this could be what you need for holding that curl. Can sometimes also be used for holding brows.

Quick tip: You can keep baby hairs and flyaways at bay by using clear mascara!

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Blue - Using blue mascara can really open up your eyes. There are many shades of blue, though, so pick wisely.

Quick tip: If using blue mascara sounds intense, then try putting just a bit of it on the very tip of your upper lashes, on top of your regular mascara. You will still get the eye-opening effect.

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Plum/Purple - Some people swear by this colour. It is said to compliment and bring out each and every eye colour there is out there. On the picture above you see Benefit's BADgal Mascara in Plum, which is a very popular mascara.

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Application Tips

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Before using your mascara, rub it quickly between your hands. The centrifugal force will get most of the product to the middle of the tube, thus making it easier to get it on your brush.

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Instead of popping the wand in and out of the tube like many people do, try swirling it inside the tube a bit instead. This will pick up more product, without letting air into the tube (which will dry out your mascara).

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If you have problems with clumping, try wiping a bit of product off the wand with a paper towel.

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For better application, try wiggling the wand while you're applying it.

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After application, use a comb for combing your lashes. This will separate them, and they will look way better. You can buy a lash comb, but you can also "make" one yourself:

Quick tip: For a "homemade" lash comb, simply wash a mascara wand from a mascara that you've used up, and use for combing your lashes. I prefer not to use rubber mascaras for this, but just pick what you think works best for you.

So, I believe that's it... I'm so sure that I am forgetting something, but this post is long enough already!

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I hope you enjoyed this post and maybe learned something - if you know some tricks for me, then please leave them in the comments, I love reading your comments! And last but not least, please vote in my little poll to the right ;)

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Yours,

Miss Diorista

P.S. First picture from http://www.the-cosmetics-campus.com/, the second one is from http://www.primped.com.au/. Also, sorry about the commas in this post - Blogger was giving me a hard time ;)

Nivea - Refreshing Moisture Mask

If you are looking for an inexpensive mask for locking in moisture, then this could be what you are looking for. You get enough for two applications (one application per sachet).

The product is light blue in colour, and basically feels like thick moisturizer. You put it all over your face (but avoid eyes and lips, obviously) and let it sit there for about ten or fifteen minutes. Afterwards, you rinse anything that's left off with water (they say that you should just "wipe" any remains off, but I don't feel that's enough, so I use a bit of water).
This mask feels good and very refreshing, both while you have it on and also afterwards. You skin feels very moisturized, and I can clearly feel the difference for a few days after I use this. During the cold winter months, this mask is a stand-by for me.

Product (65%) - 8/10
Value (10%) - 10/10
Would I repurchase? (15%) - 10/10
Packaging (10%) - 7/10

Overall - 8.5/10

Yours,
Miss Diorista

P.S. Please take a minute to vote in the poll to the right - it will help me write posts that you enjoy reading!

Sally Hansen - Insta-Dri in Jumpin' Jade

Going all dark for January, I guess :) I recently reviewed a nail polish by Sally Hansen in Blue Streak (read my review here), and I loved the colour and formula so much that I went back and got myself another one. I was actually on the hunt for a more poison-green colour, but didn't find any (know some great ones?) so I settled for this.
It is a really dark, green jade colour - so dark that you sometimes can't figure out the green tone to it. It has a lot of shimmer, but not of the obvious kind - you can wear this even though you don't like shimmer a whole lot.

The brush is much bigger than one is used to (see a comparison between this one and the OPI ones in my Blue Streak post), so you have to be careful, or you'll get too much product on your nails.
I do like the colour, though it's not my everyday thing, and the polish dries extremely quickly, which is good if you're in a hurry.
One big flaw, though, is that this is actually rather hard to get off. Just cleaning around my cuticles (I mess everything up when doing my nails, so I always have to clean the mess up ;) was a huge task. However, this is something which often comes with darker polishes.

Product (65%) - 7.5/10
Value (10%) - 9/10
Would I repurchase? (15%) - 6.5/10
Packaging (10%) - 8/10

Overall - 7.5/10

Yours,
Miss Diorista

A Small Haul - Bits of This and That

This is just a quick and small haul, just three things I picked up today. Can't wait to try them out, you can expect reviews sometime during the next two weeks.

L-R: This Dual Action Moisturiser from Clean and Clear is oil-free, and as well as moisturizing, it is also supposed to prevent spots. A few weeks ago, some acne started showing up on my forehead, and the last week I've been trying out an acne-fighting product which I will review for you in a week. Well, it's working, so I picked this up so that I can keep the acne at bay after it's gone. We'll see how it works, I'll probably review it in two weeks or so (I always test skin products for at least 2 weeks before reviewing them).

In the middle is a Lip Inflation Extreme by Sally Hansen. I have been wanting to try one of those by Sally Hansen for a long time. I do really like my lips, it's not that :) I just wanted to try and see if those really worked. I picked it in the colour Sheer Berry, which is a beautiful, pink shade.

And last but not least, you see a Colour Boost, or a Hint of a Tint. It's basically a shampoo which is supposed to give your hair a hint of colour... or a hint of a tint, if you prefer :) I picked mine in Chocolate, which is probably a bit darker than my natural hair colour (I guess I´m closer to Mocha) but I don't mind going slightly darker - look forward to seeing how it turns out!

Love, Miss Diorista

P.S. Does anyone know what's wrong with Twitter? I can sign in, but then just nothing shows up? Anyone else having this problem?

Dior - Diorskin Nude Foundation

I got this beautiful foundation for Christmas (see here what else I got ;)
Short review? I love it! If you want something a bit more in-depth, then read on ;)

I am shade 010, which is pretty much as close to my skin colour as I have ever gotten with a foundation.
What I love about this foundation, is how radiant and hydrated it makes my skin look. Made out of approximately 40% water, this foundation is really hydrating and does not dry me out at all.
The consistency is nice, a bit runny but that just makes the foundation easier to work with. The coverage is light to medium, but it can be built a bit. However, if you prefer full coverage, then this is not for you. You should also know, that the weartime of this foundation is not as long as with many others. After about four hours I can see that the coverage is starting to fade a bit. This does not make me love the foundation any less, though! Just grab your powder with you, and you'll be good to go.
The foundation also has SPF10, which is a plus, and the packaging is super-pretty, with a great pump, and choosing the amount of product you want is very easy.
However, the best thing about the foundation is that with continual use, your skin will look more radiant and beautiful than before, even without makeup. I've only had the foundation since Christmas, but I believe I can already see some difference with my skin.
Last but not least, I can't feel the foundation on my face at all - I don't look or feel "made up".

I decided to try using this "two-pic" layout. Let me know if you like it or not. Maybe not quite clear enough? Anyways, the upper left picture is without foundation, the lower right picture has one "layer". You can see that the tone of my hand has been evened out, yet not completely covered. Very natural.

Product (65%) - 8.5/10

Value (10%) - 8/10

Would I repurchase? (15%) - 10/10

Packaging (10%) - 9,5/10

Overall - 9/10

Love, Miss Diorista

P.S. I've made some of the most important facts from the review bold for those who just want to take a quick look - tell me if you like it or not!

Some Upcoming MAC Collections

What do you think of some of those upcoming collections over at MAC's? Here in Iceland we are still waiting for Cham-pale and Stylishly Yours, and from what I've seen online, they look nice. Especially the Chez Chez Lame highlighting powder from Cham-pale, I love it!

But they also have some pretty collections coming up. Of course Peacocky, but also the MAC and Mickey Contractor collection (spring 2011 - those fluidlines, oh my!), as well as the Jeanius collection (spring 2011). I am simply in love with the Jeanius one. First of all, the name! Jeans, and genius. Now that's completely genius!

The eyeshadows from the Jeanius collection look amazing - really no way to describe them, so I'm leaving you a pic from http://www.temptalia.com/. For all further information, head over there!

This little darling is called Motorhead. He will be mine one day :)

Love, Miss Diorista

Getting started!

It's the first post of our journey towards better health in 2011! I'm so excited, and I really hope that you are going to be doing this with me - it's so much easier (not to mention way more fun!) to do it together!
In this post we will be discussing how to get started. But first of all, this week's challenge! Drumrolls, please...

Challenge: Eat at least 1.5 cup fruit every day!

One average fruit (1 apple, 1 orange, 1 pear, etc.) is one cup - but if dealing with for example berries or melons, simply fill up one cup. 0.5 cup of dried fruit equals one cup of fresh fruit, and if you like 100% fruit juice, then 8 ounces count as one cup.

Why is this good for me? Well, first of all, we all know that we should eat more fruits and veggies - for most of us, it is somehow easier to fit in the fruits, so that is why we are starting with that one. But when you look at the nutrients, then fruits are packed with good-for-you fibres (fibres help keep you full for longer) and vitamins. Last but not least, when you have to fit this into your diet, you won't have as much room left for the unhealthy stuff!

So of course, this week's recipe compliments the diet challenge. It's nothing too complicated, but I hope you like it. It's perfect for breakfast (I ate the one above for breakfast), since you get in a good load of fruit, calcium and whole grains!

Fruit Salad (for one person)
*About 1 to 1.5 cup of chopped-fruit. I like apples, strawberries, blueberries, bananas, plums and pears. Just use what you have, or use the opportunity to try out something new!
*3 T yogurt (preferably low in fat and sugar - and organic if you like)
*1 T granola - make sure you buy good stuff. Many brands of granola are not so healthy once you look closely!

Simply mix the fruits together in a bowl, put the yogurt on top, and sprinkle your granola over the whole thing. Don't forget to eat up ;)

A quick smoothie: Fruits can be a great snack on the go, and smoothies are a fab way to dress them up a bit. My favourite smoothie is simple: 1 cup blueberry yogurt and 1 chopped up, frozen banana. Mix together in a blender - it's so yummy!

Quick tip: If fruits are getting slightly too mushy for eating them plain (but are still ok), chop them up and put them in the freezer. They'll be great for smoothies!


So, then. We've covered the recipe and the challenge, now it's the rest:

Getting started!

The most important tip I can give you (although of course I am no expert!), is to take care not to go too fast. When we are beginning to make our lifestyles healthier, we sometimes get so excited that we go all out for one week - and then end up quitting because we're already burned out. Start slowly, not only in exercise but also with diet. For example, don't cut out all your sugar at once - you'll just get cranky and end up eating way more than you otherwise would have.

Also, a key factor for beginners is to have some good knowledge about where you're heading. You wouldn't sail across the Atlantic without a map, would you? So here are some of my favourite websites for information and support on healthy lifestyle:

Shape: A great website which gives you information on both diet and exercise.

Prevention: This one also covers diet and exercise :)

SparkPeople: A great website where you can keep track of all kinds of goals, as well your diet and exercise plan. They have a galore of exercises and a huge database of food for you to log. Find out how much you burn when you jog for an hour, read interesting articles and chat with people who have similar goals to yours.

SparkTeens: A version of SparkPeople, but designed to fit teenagers' needs. If you are younger, you might like this one better than the original.


I hope you check out those websites, they are all really great. Also, join the challenge! I will be updating you in the comments on how I will be doing, hope you will do the same!

Love, Miss Diorista

Versatile Blogger Award!

If you haven't checked out the Matryoshka Doll Beauty blog yet, then seriously, you need to head over there right now! Her blog is amazing, and she was also kind enough to pass the "Versatile Blogger Award" on to me! Yay! Thank you so much!

There are a few rules for this award:

1) Thank and link back to who gave you the award

2) Share 7 things about yourself

3) Answer 10 questions

4) Pass it along to 7 beauty blogs you've recently discovered and enjoy

5) Leave your recipient a note telling them about the award

That's it for the rules, so let's get started!

7 Things About Me

1) If someone had told me one year ago that I was to become so very interested in makeup as I am today, I would have laughed pretty hard!

2) I really do believe that chocolate can cure almost anything :)

3) I can never resist buying a cute-looking teddy bear. No, I'm not too old yet!

4) I deliberately do not try to make sense out of everything - I don't think Life makes sense. That is why it is so beautiful.

5) I love looking at old photos. They don't even have to be of people I know - I love imagining what their life was maybe like. What is their story? What did they do, whom did they love?

6) I love the eyelashes on my right eye, but I think the left ones look kind of funny... what's up with that?!

7) I love to just think. Sometimes I get so caught up in it that I completely forget where I am, stop listening to what people are saying around me and even though my eyes are open, I can't really see what is right in front of me... which is unlike me, because I'm usually a very focused person!

10 questions

1) Why did you create this blog?

I guess because I believe that I have something to share with the world. I decided to just give it a try, and now I really love it, so I'm glad I tried it!

2) What kinds of blogs do you follow?

Mainly beauty blogs. But they have to have character to them!

3) Favourite makeup brand?

Now that's an easy one :) Yup, you guessed it. Christian Dior :)

4) Favourite clothing brand?

Not really... if I see a cute store I'll wander in and see if there's something I like there. I also like vintage. I rather shop according to my style than to some particular brands.

5) Your indispensable makeup product?

You want me to choose just one?! Geez! *headache* I would have to say my pinkish red lipstick from Dior - it always makes me feel so good when wearing it.

6) Favourite colour?

Green. All shades of it!

7) Favourite perfume?

I love Dior's Miss Dior, as well as the one by Dolce & Gabbana with the red cap on it.

8) Favourite film?

I really like The Guardian, starring, amongst others, Kevin Costner. But I do like many kinds of films, so I'm not saying it is my absolute favourite - just an example of one that I like :)

9) What country would you like to visit?

I would love to see as many places in the world as I possibly can - I can't pick just one!

10) Would you rather forget to put mascara on one eye or forget blush on one side of your face?

I would definitely forget the mascara but remember the blush - looking blushed on one side only sounds horrifying :) Besides, I'm a brunette and my lashes are dark, so I doubt that many would notice the lack of mascara on one eye.

7 Amazing Blogs to Check Out!

Hebridean Sprite Beauty

Blush is the New Black

The Stash Archives

Bella Make Up

Oh Bella

Starberry Sugar

Varnish Vixen

Thanks again for passing this award on to me, it was superfun! And I look forward to seeing what my seven victims will make out of it ;)

Love, Miss Diorista

P.S. If you would like to see my answers to questions similar to those, then check this post out :)

Happiness Boosting Makeup?

Chances are, if you're reading my blog, makeup makes you happy. But is it possible for makeup to produce a true, deep feeling of happiness, every time you use it?
Well, Physicians Formula is giving it a shot. I have neither tried nor seen (in real life, that is!) those two products from their "Happy Booster" line, but I am very intrested in those products. But what about it makes you happy, except for the supercute look of it?

First of all, the blush and the face powder (this line currently has only two products, to the best of my knowledge) both include the anti-depressant Euphoryl (which by the way has omega-3 in it). In this way, the product is supposed to mimick the effect of endorphin, which is what our bodies release when we are happy (for example after a workout!).
Second, the products have a sweet smell of lavender, which supposedly has positive effects on your mood.
And last but not least, the products use texture therapy - those are supposed to be very soft and silky.
And as I mentioned before, those beautiful, bright colours and shapes are also sure to make you smile.
Above is the face powder. I might need this one...

... and the blush is very pretty, too.

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So, what do you think about this? Do you think makeup can really make you happy? Tell me in the comments ;)

'

Love, Miss Diorista

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P.S. Both pictures from http://www.physiciansformula.com/.

Dior - Dior Manicure La Collection

I hauled this beautiful set of three "polishes" last summer, in one of the "hauls from Germany" (check this particular part out here), and always meant to review it. Here we go :)

The set of three comes in this very elegant box. A small paper nail filer is included.

The set comes with those three pictured above. Going from the left to right:

Basecoat - This is a very nice basecoat. It has a light beige colour in the jar but goes on clear. Dries fairly quickly.

Diorlisse - Now, this is many things... yes, it is a polish of a very light, pink colour, but it is also a "ridge filler". It smoothes out the surface of your nails, evens out the tone of them and is also supposed to strengthen your nails. You can use this as a base coat, a middle coat between your base and the polish, or simply as the polish itself, which is what I did (last picture in the post). However, you have to remember two things when working with this product. One is, that you should never do two coats of it if you're going to were it as polish. Two coats result in overly pale, sick-looking nails, whereas one coat simply evens out your natural nail colour beautifully. The second thing you should remember, is to always top the Diorlisse of with a top coat if wearing as polish. Otherwise, it wears off too fast and becomes patchy.

Top Coat - So far, this is definitely one of my favourite top coats. Why? Incredibly shiny, and unbelievably fast-drying. Like, super fast... Magically fast!

My nails with nothing on them. You can clearly see some ridges, as well as a slight alteration in colour.

On my nails: One coat of the basecoat, one of the Diorlisse and one of the top coat. All ridges have been smoothed out, the colour of my nails is even and beautiful - and you can still see the white part of my nails, which I personally think gives this a bit of a "French" touch.

And now, according to the new rating system:

Product (65%) - 8.5/10

Value (10%) - 9/10

Versatility (15%) - 7/10

Packaging (10%) - 10/10

Overall - 8.5/10

Love, Miss Diorista

P.S. Sorry about the huge "gaps" at the end of this post - blogger was giving me some problems. How do you like this rating system? I've been thinking about the "versatility" feature, would you rather like to see a "would I repurchase" there (which would then account for those 15%)? Would that be more helpful? Please tell me what you think, those reviews should be as clear and helpful as possible :)

Chocolate Pudding Cookies!

I finally had the time to try out the Gingerbread Boy Mold that I got for Christmas (you can see my post about it here). I decided to make cookies, and bake them in the mold. Yum! They turned out to be so good, and well as so cute! Give them a try, this is my favourite cookie recipe so far!

Chocolate Pudding Cookies

150 g soft butter
200 g brown sugar
50 g white sugar
1 packet pudding mix - chocolate or caramel flavour
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
270 g flour (if using cocoa, use a bit less flour)
Cocoa, optional
1 tsp soda
150 g chocolate

Heat your oven up to 180°C or 360°F.
Mix together butter, both sugars, pudding mix and vanilla. Then add the eggs, one at a time, and stir in between.
Mix together flour, soda and cocoa (if using). Mix into the butter-mixture, slowly.
Chop the chocolate (you can use white or regular) and mix into the dough.
Form cookies with tablespoons (or make them into gingerbread boys!) and bake on a baking plate with baking paper on it. Bake for 10-14 minutes, less is more here, you want them chewy, ooey and gooey!

Oops... looks like somebody had an accident...

Love, Miss Diorista

Get Pretty Brows!

Our eyebrows are something which really shapes and literally makes our face. Therefore, it is very important not to forget them in your daily beauty routine. It only takes about one or two minutes every morning to dramatically change your whole look by paying a bit of attention to your brows!

1) Tweezing
In order to be able to spend just two minutes on your brows every morning, you need to have them in the correct shape. Now there are many ways to achieve this. You can tweeze yourself, or have it done by a professional. Many women prefer going to a professional at first, and then they keep their brows in shape by themselves. Some go to a salon every now and then, others just for the first time. Personally, I always tweeze my brows myself.

Quick tip: At first, I just tweezed a little bit every night, until my brows had the shape that I wanted. This way, I avoided the pitfall of overplucking, since I had a day in between tweezing session, which I could use to decide where I wanted to tweeze. After this, I just made it a routine to check my brows when I take off my makeup at night. If I see any hairs where I don't want them, I just pluck them, and that's how I keep my brows looking like I want them to look.

2) The upper brow-line

For steps two and three, you are going to need a product similar to the one you see pictured above. I mentioned it in the post about my favourite products of 2010 (read about it here), and it is the Tri Brow Color by Make Up Store. I love this product, because it has all three colours that I need for my brows, and those colours last on my brows all day. So much easier than using three eyeshadows!

All right, now onto the actual step! You can see this in a video on YouTube from MakeupByTiffanyD, but basically, you brush your eyebrows down, dip an angled brush like the one above (love it, by The Body Shop) in the two lighter colours (mix them to get your correct colour - it should be lighter than your true brow colour) and just run it on the upper brow-liner. This gives them fullness. Now brush your eyebrows back into their regular shape.

3) The lower brow-line

Blonde hair: Using the same angled brush, mix the same colours as in step two, and run them across the lower brow-line. You can fill in any gaps, make your brows fuller and create a bit of a tail. Be careful, though, to stay more or less roughly within your natural brow shape, otherwise your brows will look fake. This is why step one is so important.

Brunette hair: Using the same angled brush, mix the two darker colours, but be careful with the darkest one - it is almost black. Run this across your lower brow-line, but focus on areas where you need more fullness - for most people, this is the tail, but if you have any gaps, you want to fill those in too. Take care to stay more or less rougly within your natural brow shape, though, otherwise your brows will look fake. This is why step one is so important.

And you're done! Your brows should look pretty, full and defined. Step one and two are the steps I do each morning. If you wish to, you can add the extra step of using a brow gel to hold your brows in place.

For more definition: If you want even more definition, you can conceal around your brows, using a flat, stiff concealer brush (I love The Body Shop's lip brush for this) and a concealer in the colour of your skin. This makes brows stand out even more.

Did you know? Fuller brows make your face look slimmer, whereas thinner or overtweezed brows tend to make your face look fuller.

Love, Miss Diorista

P.S. First picture is from www.weddingssource.com. The second one is mine.

Get Healthy in 2011!

Hi everybody!

I mentioned in my post about my new year's resolutions for this year (read them here), that I wanted to get healthier this year.

And why am I telling you this? Well, because I want you to do it with me!

I will post about this, but only on Fridays, since I don't want to flood you with health-related stuff. After all, Miss Diorista does and will always love her lipsticks and chocolate... not to forget the blushes!

So every Friday this year, I will write a post on this journey. And I would absolutely love for you to join me :) I have chosen Fridays, since most of us are prone to leaving our healthy-eating and exercise scetchual during weekends... maybe a reminder before you plunge into your weekend will help. At least I'm hoping that it will help me :)

Each Friday-post will include:

A challenge - It can be diet or exercise related, but it will always be fun!

A healthy recipe - This can be anything from healthy pizza to healthy cookies (yes, those do exist and they can actually be quite yummy!)

Bits of this and that - This could be an article on something health-related, a few tips and tricks, a possible pitfall, just simply anything that can help us on our journey.

But the most important thing is that you take part in this too. Let's do it together. When we hit a brick wall, we'll talk together. We'll use the comments. We'll use twitter. We can do this!

So, are you ready? I sure am. See you next Friday :)

Love, Miss Diorista

P.S. Picture from www.thesunblog.com

My New Year's Resolutions!

Do you write down your New Year's Resolutions? I haven't, until now, but I really feel like sharing them with you, so enjoy! Also, I'm going to ask you to help me keep them, by telling me if I'm straying off track! Believe me, I will need the support when life whirls up in front of me!

But let's dive right into it, I have a few :)


1) Get Healthier
Isn't this on top of everyone's list? As for me, I want to eat healthier and exercise more. I'm not going to go to a gym, but just find ways to exercise in my daily life. I'll do a separate blog post on it later today :)

2) Get involved in charity
I haven't quite decided what kind of charity yet, but I've been on my way to do some charity work for years. This year, I'm going to actually do it.

3) Read more!
I love reading, and I always have. However, when I'm busy with my day-to-day life (which is pretty much always), then I don't find the time to read. To keep me on track with this one, I have added the "What I'm reading" to my blog (to the right).

4) Never let more than a week pass between blog posts
I love blogging, and I'm not going to let months pass between my visits here. I want to keep my blog alive!

5) Keep my makeup collection organized
You know how the deal goes, you organize everything, then you start using your makeup... and a week later, everything is back to where it started! I'm not going to let that happen this year.

6) Host at least 2 give-aways for my lovely followers
This one pretty much explaines itself, I think. I've never hosted a give-away, so I'm thinking that my first one will be in summer when the blog will celebrate it's first birthday!


So, are you going to help me keep those? I need your support!
What are your New Year's Resolutions? Please tell me in the comments ;)

Love, Miss Diorista