Yay's and Nay's #1

Yay: I ordered again with MUA!! I told myself not to, but MUA kept making that harder and harder by bringing out such nice products lately. 
So I finally caved in ;-)
                               



Yay: I posted my first ever Youtube video, I concurred my shyness and just did it!

         



Yay: The first spring day was here, 15 degrees and sun, loved it!!


                           


Yay: I got 1.199 views on my blog!! Thanks everybody for checking out my blog, I am so happy and grateful for every single viewer. Please subscribe to bloglovin and make my day!

Yay: I FINALLY saw Skyfall, after several attempts of going to see it in the theater, I decided to buy the DVD and yesterday we finally came around to it. 

             

Yay: My Catrice camouflage cream, have bin using this for the last couple of weeks and am still loving it! Without setting this will crease a little around the eyes, but with a bit of powder it will stay put. This is the first concealer I actually like. Surely recommend this! Check my review HERE.

    

Nay: Hardly a week later the temperature plummeted to minus -3! A 18 degrees difference in a week brrrrrr , funny how in the beginning of winter you can have joy with every fresh flake of snow, but now I can't stand it anymore, GIVE ME SUN PLEASE, enough already with the snow ;-)

                      

                                           

Nay: Sickbay at DIY Mama's house, my kiddies both suffer the effects of chicken- pox, so sad to see them all covered in spots :-( But it does gives me the opportunity to try out my home remedies. More on that in a other blog-post. 

                                         

So what are your Yay's and Nay's? Let me know in the comment section below!

Hugs and Kisses,

DIY Mama

DIY Mama goes on Youtube!

Hi lovelies, 
I jumped my biggest internet hurdle yet; Posting on youtube. I always resented my own voice on camera, but here it is my first DIY post in film form. Hope you enjoy!

As for the tutorial being Dutch, here is the description in English:

I'm making Flax seed Rosemary.

Ingredients:

• 500 ml water.
• 4 tablespoons flax seed.
• 1 tablespoon rosemary.

Put the water, flax seed and rosemary in a saucepan and bring up to a boil. Make sure to keep stirring to prevent the flax seed from sticking to the pan.

After approximately 10 minutes of stirring and cooking the gel phase of the flax seed will start.

When the substance is gloopy as shown in the film, strain the liquid and pour in your container.

Your done!

Flax seed is know for it's hydrating properties, it's loaded with omega 3 fatty acids which will help making the hair fuller and shiny. Rosemary is known for promoting blood circulation and hair growth, it leaves your hair silky smooth and even combats dandruff. I cant vow for that, because I'm not having any.

So are you looking for a light fixing gel, that wont make your hair dry and brittle? Give this a chance. I use it as a anti frizz gel, in wet hair, comb it through and let my hair dry. I personally don't care for the wet hair look, so like to comb it through after it is completely dry.

Let me know what you think!

Love and kisses DIY Mama.

Argan Oil first impressions

Hi Lovelies, today I'm reviewing Argan oil, I thought I'd jump on that band wagon and see what all the fuss is all about. 
They say about Argan oil aka Moroccan Oil that it's good for hair, skin and nails. It moisturizes and nourishes, contains vitamin E. It also contains Carotenoids that have a anti oxidating effect. 

I got my Argan Oil from a drugstore that's selling the brand Erica for € 18,95 it is bio organic and cold pressed and contains only one ingredient : Argania Spinoza.
I made sure to pick one up with no additives like silicones, parabens, I wanted to test the " real deal" .

Now for the review of the oil itself;

it is a clear light golden green oil that is kind of viscous. So the oil isn't extremely runny or anything.
Its smell reminds me of olives but not olive oil, kind of nutty. The smell is there when you apply it, but doesn't linger around.

I've tested it in my hair and on my skin. I do have to say my hair looks greasy extremely fast, it has to do with the type of hair I have. It is called ribbon hair, I'm very "blessed with this, perms, heated rollers, anything! It wont hold. It is very fine hair and tends to look greasy when I just think of anything oily. 
So using it as a leave inn serum is not really a option for me, even with a mini drop and a light hand it looks like I haven't washed my hair for weeks. ( wash it every morning because of that).

But as a pre-poo it is useful, I lathered my hair with the Argan oil before going to bed, and washed it the next morning. My hair felt really soft and full! So far so good.

My skin tends to be really dry, dehydrated, sensitive, and " hormonal" on certain area's, so I'm always looking for skincare that can take care of my skin but not irritate it more than it already is. Perfumes  parabens the whole shabam, my skin wont take it. 
I tried the Argan oil pure on my skin without moisturizer, but that's not enough for my skin. It keeps feeling dehydrated but with a oily "topcoat" .
But when I add a few drops to my regular moisturizer... My skin feels plump, hydrated, no dry patches, so I really like it as a additive to my moisturizer.


I haven't used it on my nails yet but will start that swiftly, my nails and cuticles are so very dry in this wintery weather.


So have you used Argan oil or products with Argan oil? What do you think.



Hugs and Kisses DIY Mama

Calendula Shea Baby Salve DIY

Hi Lovelies,
once in a while I get that urge of brewing a new concoction. And today I came up with this, a Calendula Shea Butter baby salve. I chose my ingredients carefully; mild nourishing ingredients suitable for baby's sensitive skin. 

Ingredients;

• Grapeseed oil, approximately 120 ml after sifting there is about 100 ml left; this is a nutrient-rich oil derived from grape seeds ( name says it all lol) The benefits of grapeseed oil include anti aging benefits and supple skin. Grape seed oil is full of antioxidants which combats the free radicals.

• Calendula/ Marigold petals, 2 table spoons: Has bin used for centuries, to treat eczema, minor burns like sunburn, reducing inflammation and promoting wound healing. Ideal for those sore baby bottoms ;-)

• Thym, 1 teaspoon: Thyme is used because of its antimicrobial, antioxidant, antiseptic and fungicidal properties. 

• Chamomile, 2 tea bags: Used for numerous reasons, like inflammations, skin disease. It's antibacterial, antiseptic, anti allergenic and so on and so on ;-) 
• Beeswax, 15 grams grated.Acts as a barrier but allows the skin to breathe. I got mine from a local beekeeper, I like the thought of knowing where my ingredients came from.
• Lanoline, 5 grams. Also referred as wool wax, acts as a strong moisturizer, it mimics the properties of sebum.
• Shea butter, 30 grams, excellent moisturizer, helps with dry skin, eczema ( haven't tested that out my self, no eczema) I'm totally in love with shea butter, I use it pure, unrefined or deodorized. The smell on unrefined shea can be overwhelming so I used deodorized for this recipe.
• Almond oil, 10 grams,  contains vitamins E and B, overall goof for the skin. Mild not to greasy oil.
• Tea tree oil and lavender oil, I used 5 drops of each, to not over scent it, because of it being for a baby. Tea tree oil is a strong antiseptic, anti fungal oil that is beneficiary for the skin as well the salve it self. Lavender is soothing to the skin, and the smell tends to calm the nerves.

Start by putting the herbs; calendula, chamomile, thyme and put them in a crockpot, pour your grapeseed oil until all herbs are under. Heat the oil and herbs very gently, I used keep warm setting. Until oil is infused with the herbs, about half an hour. 

Then sift and strain the herbs out of the oil.

Take a stainless steel bowl and a little saucepan for " au bain marie" and bring water to a boil and place the bowl on top of the pan. In the bowl place the beeswax, almond oil, lanolin, and shea butter and let it melt.

Then combine the two oils and stir.

Add the essential oils when the mixture isn't scorching hot any more, to prevent the properties of the oils evaporate.

Mix for one more time, then pour in a jar and let it cool, settle.

And your done, enjoy!

It isn't just for baby bottoms, can be used for chapped lips, dry cracked skin etc.

Hugs and kisses,

DIY Mama

Disclaimer: all information on the benefits of the ingredients I used are found through Google, and tested by/ on me. So no medical or scientific research! 

• www.herbwisdom.com  
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lanolin
• http://www.ehow.com/about_6707301_information-lanolin-
• http://www.naturepurity.com/holistic/sheabutter.html
• http://www.livestrong.com/article/97593-almond-oil-benefits-skin/

MUA Brushes review.

Hi Lovelies, 
today I want to share with you my lovely brushes from MUA. Let me tell you I LOVE THEM !!
First of all they are so incredibly soft my daughter keeps on "cuddling" with them when mommy applies her make up. 
I ordered these in their massive 50 % off deal, let me state: they aren't that expensive to begin with, but in this deal, I can imagine why these were the first to go out of stock!

The brushes that I got are:

• E1 Eyeshadow brush £1.95
• E3 Eyeshadow blending brush 
• E7 Angled eyebrow brush 
• F2 Stippling Brush £3.00
• F6 Blusher & Contouring brush £3.00

The eyeshadow brush is a rounded flat brush, dense enough to pack on colour and precise enough to even line under the eye.

The blending brush is a soft quit dense brush, you have to use a light hand with blending otherwise you might wipe the shade right of. But I really like it, I use this brush as a highlighter brush as well on the cheekbones, just big enough and because of it's shape applies in a fluffy way so you don't end up with involuntary striping (we don't want to look like the car of our younger brother now do we ;-).

The Angled eyebrow brush I use for my MUA eyebrow kit (more on that later on), it is ideal to create that sculpted brow. It's very precise, with the point of the brush start at the biggest inner part of the brow and " sharpen" the edge. Then line the upper line of the brow, and fill in the " tail" of the brow. Love it!

The stippling brush is very nice for applying liquid foundations, haven't tried cream blushers, but you could use it for that to. I really like to buff in my foundation, I firstly stipple the foundation then work it in with more buffing motions.

The angled blusher and contouring brush is ideal for just that! Because of the angle and shape I tend to really get in the hollow of my cheek for the contouring. Getting repetitive here: I Love these brushes.

None of the brushes shed a hair, even after several wash sessions. I tend to wash my brushes almost after every use due to the eyeshadows of MUA being SO pigmented. 




Pro's : 

• Good quality
• Good price
• Soft
• Does its job
• No shedding, mine haven't, some might though.
• Even with shipping they cost less then the brushes that I can buy in store, and better quality to. I tried MAC 217, my MUA E3 one is less "prickly" .

Con's:

• Only sold online here .
• I can't run to the store and buy more!

Final verdict:
Definitively go get some if you can!

Hugs and Kisses,
DIY Mama

Catrice Camouflage cream, first impressions

Hi Lovelies,
I've been searching for a good concealer for a while now. I couldn't find one that had the right amount of coverage, didn't clumped up in the creases, nooks and crannies of my blemishes and wrinkle's and had the right shade. But today I believe I finally found one that might check all the boxes above. 

It's the Catrice Camouflage cream in shade 010 Ivory.

I picked this one up at the Kruidvat for €2,99. For this price you get 3 grams/ 0.10 oz of product. It comes in a round black plastic container with clear screw on lid.

So up to the swatches. Catrice promises a cream concealer with full coverage.

Swatched: left 1 swipe , right blended.

So far so good, the colour is good, my face is just a fraction darker then my arm, it matches good. I apply it with my finger to melt the product on my skin, it covers really well, and blends good.
Usually I have problems with one or the other; if it blends well, I usually end up wiping the coverage off, or if it covers well I'm left with a dot of concealer on my face because it doesn't blend well on my skin.

Here a little experiment:

My freckles uncovered.

My freckles, 1 covered.

                                                   

As you can see it even covers freckles, it leaves a slightly darker spot, but hardly visible. 

I will properly test this concealer for a few weeks, but my first impressions:
looks really promising, and for that price!

Have you tried this concealer from Catrice?

Hugs and kisses, DIY Mama

My MUA Lippies, swatches and reviews.

Hi Lovelies, as you might figured by now I'm in love with MUA lately. And these lipsticks are one of the many reasons why.

My MUA beauties, shades 1,3,5,6,7,8,9,14.

Shade 1

Shade 3

Shade 5

Shade 6

Shade 7

Shade 8

Shade 9

Shade 14

Swatches

Check out the pigmentation! This is after removal.

Shades 1, 3 and 9 are my favorites at the moment, I find it really hard to make shade 14 work on me. But with a smokey eye I think I can pull it off, but on its own it makes me look a bit ill ;-)

Shade 1 is such a mind blowing red, the MAC lady even thought it was one of theirs hihi.

So what's your favorite shade?


Hugs and Kisses DIY mama.

Review : Make Up Studio 18 colour palette

Hi Honnies, today I have for you a beautiful matte eyeshadow palette from Make up Studio.
                                                           

I'm privileged to own this beautifull palette for a while now. I got it when I was in training of becoming a beautician, and that was before I had my son, so a have bin a while now;-). First of all, Make Up Studio is a professional make up brand developed for make up artists that has it's origin here in The Netherlands. So the quality is outstanding, pigmentation is really good. There products are hypo allergenic and not tested on animals. They have stores in several countries in Europe, Asia and Africa, but there are some web shops that sell their products too like   

• Het cosmetica huis
• Studio make up
• Visagie pro 

Now on to the actually review of the palette, it's a very versatile palette, with mostly matte shades, very blendable and you can use them dry and wet. I often use it as a eyeliner, just wet your eye-shadow brush pick up some colour, and you can apply it as a colour eyeliner. The colour is very vibrant, and especially when applied wet it has great staying power.

Swatches: all colours paired up left dry, right wet application ( I had a fight with layout today, blogger made the pic's up side down, side ways etc, but cant find out how to fix it argh, but I'll talk you trough it ;-)

                                         

First row, 3 matte shade's; dark blue, red, white.

Second row, 2 metallic greens, 1 bright dark blue.

This is the 3th row, upside down; the baby pink and blue are metallic, the brown is a matte shade.

Fourth row, a light gold/green shimmery shade, a rusty orange and a matte hot pink.

Fifth row; A really pigmented black, I swatched a bit to wet, but if applied with brush it's definitely BLACK ;-), the red is a matte red with a rusty undertone, and lastly a moss green with golden shimmer.

Sixth row; A rusty red, metallic light brown and yellow, big bird yellow ;-)

My son wanted to swatch as well, he picked his favourites  blue , white and yellow.

• Pro's: It's a very well pigmented eyeshadow palette, versatile, a wide assortment of colour and application options ( wet and dry, as eyeliner or shade)
• Cons: It is a bit pricey, it retails for €49.90/$66,68

Will I recommend this palette? Definitely! 

Are you familiar yet with this great brand? 

Want to see a look with this palette, leave a comment below ;-)

Hugs and kisses DIY Mama

Nail art " News of the day"

Hi Hunnies, today a nail art tutorial. 

* Start with clean nails, take off all old nailpolish you might have on. 
* Grab a old newspaper or magazine with fine printing. And cut out 10 rectangular pieces, about 1 by 2 cm, at least big enough to cover your nail.
* Apply a clear base coat, and let it dry.
* Apply 1 or 2 coats of a light shade nail polish to get a opaque finish, I used a babyblue, but Pistachio from MUA is great to. And let fully dry.
* Then, when you made sure the nail polish is fully dry, take rubbing alcohol and drip a drop on 1 nail.
* Take your newspaper rectangle and place it with the letters facing the polish, on the drop of rubbing alcohol, and let it evaporate.
* Then gently peel the paper off.
* Finish this look with a clear top coat to make sure the print stays on.
                                             
You'll need:
* Base coat
* Light shade nail polish
* Top coat
* Rubbing alcohol
* News paper or magazine.

Enjoy!
And Hugs and Kisses DIY Mama.

The " QUEST" , my search for the right shade foundation

Hi Dearies,

FINALLY I found a foundation light enough for my complexion, well all most that is. It's TO light can you imagine that? But no worries I have enough foundations that are to dark to blend it with. Because for so far I wasnt able to find a light enough shade for my very pale complexion, especially now in winter time, its crazy! Even my beloved MUA's Matte Perfect foundation in the shade fair was to dark and yellow in undertone for me. But mixed with this one from L'oreal ( R1-C1 Ivoire Rose/ Rose Ivory).

L'Oreal True Match Foundation R1-C1

Swatch on my hand by daylight, unblended.

Swatch on hand, blended in daylight.

The foundation is liquid when you pump it out, I apply it with my stippling brush start distributing it on my face, a dab on my nose, forehead, chin, cheeks, and then work it in with my stippling brush for a even coverage. The foundation dries up to a kind of powdery finish, it dries quite quick, so you do have to hurry a little to work it in or your left with the blotches you started with ;-P

The middle is my Matte perfect foundation from MUA in shade " Fair" , wich I use to blend with the L'Oreal one for the perfect shade. In my case about 3/2 L'Oreal 1/3 MUA.

It doesn't feel heavy on my skin, or cakey after I really buffed it in. 
The staying power of the L'Oreal foundation is impressive, I tried washing it off the back of my hand after applying it, as usual, but I had to really soap it up to get it off. I wear this one without using translucent powder, and it looks great, stays great for a long period of time, and at the end of the day I am able to get it of my face, pfew. 


So to be conclusive about it, I like it!
Still no perfect match, but very workable to blend with other shades. And as a breath of fresh air, it isn't to dark for a change.

But my plead would be to the drugstore brands pleeeeeeeeeeease look into your shades, because the really pale and the women with pretty ebony skin aren't catered with current shades.



So what's your favourite foundation?

Hugs and Kisses DIY Mama

Recipe Saturday : Garam Massala Chicken with pumpkin mash and Roti Paratha

Hi Dearies,

as you all well know by now is that besides being a "beautynista"  I'm also a mom, and I love to cook for my family. Sure most of the days it comes down to 30 minute cooking with 2 litlle children running around, and "asking" ( pulling my pants, making Yam yam noises ;-) to be fed. Gotta love Jamie O with his 30 minute meals, I surely have bin inspired more than once. But I always seem to keep "tweaking" the recipes haha. So every saturday I'll be posting a time efficiënt recipe but yet delicious, with a lot of cutting corners and making it easier on your self without giving in on taste. Enjoy!

I will post a recipe on " Recipe Saturday" so you're able to get your groceries in time to make a nice meal on Sunday.

For today I have for you one of my favourite Hindustan recipe's:

Garam Massala Chicken with pumpkin mash and Roti Paratha, will feed 4 persons.

Ingrediënts:

* About 1 kilo chicken( for instance chicken legs)

* 2 onions, finely chopped.

* garlic about 4 medium size cloves in the garlic press, or to make it easier on your self use 2 teaspoons of already pressed garlic. 

* 2 Chickenstock cubes.

* 3 tablespoons of ground Garam Massala spice mix.

* one squash/ pumpkin approx 500 gr, or the easy way, pre peeled and cubed Pumpkin.

* Roti Paratha, I used the kind that comes from the freezer and gives you fresh dough, you have to cook in your pan. So, fresh result, but no days in the kitchen ;-)

* Vegetable oil( olive/ sunflower) about 1or 2 table spoons a pan.

*Water approximately 500 ml.

Firstly start by finely chopping the onion, and if neccesary cut the chicken in portion size and peel and cut the pumpkin/ squash in dice size cubes.

Grab a casserole and add:

*1 finely cut onion.

*1 teaspoon of garlic (pressed or prechopped)

*1 tablespoon of vegetable oil

*2 tablespoons of Garam Massala spice mix.

Put the gas/ heat on medium to low, stir and simmer the onion until it's glazed. Add 1 chickenstock cube and stir until melted/ dissolved.

Now put in the chicken and try to colour at all sides.

                                         

If the skin is lightly browned add water until the chicken is under water level. Put gas on to high an bring to a slow boil/ simmer, and let simmer for at least 45 min.

You'll see when chicken is ready when the skin comes of the bone.

Now in a skillet, or frying pan add:

*1 cut onion.

*1 teaspoon of chopped garlic.

*1 chickenstock cube.

*1 tablespoon of garam massala spice mix.

*1 tablespoon of vegetable oil.

Glaze the onion slowly over medium heat.

Then add the pumpkin/ squash cubes and stir everything together. Add about 1 cup of water to speed up the "melting" process of the pumpkin. Keep stirring about every 5 minutes to prevent the pumpkin from sticking to the pan. Until the pumpkin is a soft litle chuncky pumpkin mash, this takes about 30 minutes. (If using the frozen pumpkin try defrosting it in the microwave before adding into the pan, this shaves time of preparation time ;-)

Then lastly take the roti paratha out of the freezer about 10 minutes before the chicken and pumpkin is ready, this way the roti's are hot and freshly baked before serving. Take a skillet and about a teaspoon of veg oil and preheat it over medium heat, when the oil gets runny the pan is hot enough. Than gently add the roti after taking of the protective paper.

Fry about 3 minutes on every side until both sides are golden brown.

Set a side on a kitchen towel covered plate, to take 

of exces oil, when baking the rest.

                                               

Now your done! Enjoy and " Eet smakelijk!"

Hugs and kisses DIY Mama