Rocking my world right now...

Yeah, I'm a regular poster, I am!

Summer is almost at an end. In the Netherlands there is, unfortunately, a definitely autumnal nip in the air. So I thought I'd share some of what has made this a very enjoyable season for me.

Books: Easy holiday reads: The Cuckoo's Calling, by JK Rowling writing as Robert Galbraith; Het Gym by Karin Amatmoekrim (Dutch), IV by Arjen Lubach (Dutch).

Music: Upbeat gym music (Get lucky by Daft Punk, Try by Pink, I love it by Icona Pop) and music heard, for some reason, on repeat in Croatia (Robbie Williams, aaaaargh, and Vaya con Dios of all things!)

Film/TV: I have not been watching anything but the occasional youtube clips! Looking forward to Season 2 of GIRLS on dvd.

Magazines: Dutch Red, UK Instyle, Allure magazine. Guilty pleasure: Grazia, sometimes....

Travel: Portugal in May, Croatia in August: I have been a very lucky girl!

Perfume: Holiday perfume was Prada Infusion d' Iris (my third bottle!), currently rotating Dries van Noten, Lady Vengeance by Juliette Has a Gun and L'Eau de Chloe.

Makeup: Holiday makeup was an Edward Bess edit of cream blushes, lipstick, gloss, and an eyeshadow palette; plus a Nars edit involving the two new fall 2013 palettes Ride to the Moon and Fairy's Kiss, Lovejoy and Oasis blushes, and lipglosses/lipsticks.
My current HUGE HUGE love though: The Chanel Superstition collection!!!  Upon my return I have purchased the eyeshadow quad Mystere, Eyeliner pencil in Khaki Precieux, Creme de Blush in Affinity, Rouge Coco Shine in Esprit and both the Mysterious and Alchemie nailpolishes. I have not worn anything else since!!

Haircare: I have been transitioning to my own natural curls for 8 months now, and there has been a hair product explosion in my bathroom. Current routine involves Pureology Hydrate shampoo and conditioner, TIGI Bedhead Curls Rock leave-in conditioner and curl amplifier, and Moroccanoil. Got a bit of a trim today...short angled bob, layered in back.

Skincare: Philosophy Purity Made Simple Cleansing Gel and Microdelivery Peel, La Mer the Moisurizing Lotion, La Mer the Eye Concentrate.

Frequently worn: A collection of black clothes from Asos.com, skater skirts, pencil skirts, denim shorts, Chloe Susannah Boots, Filippa K black sandals, Hugo Boss bronze sandals, Alexander Wang Rockie bag, Balenciaga Classic City Bag, Chanel 2.55 Classic Flap Bag.

Joy: Time with my husband and healthy, happy growing boys.

Anticipation: My cousin V moving to Hamburg with her husband and two little boys soon! Family on the continent! Wearing punky, rock chick, grungy clothes this season...again!! Finding this season's perfect black boots and bag...again!! And, planning my next holiday.

Wishlist: That black Chanel Fall '13 bag with all the chains....over 3000 euros, dream on!!

Random Thoughts: I would really like to learn how to use my Canon DSLR!!!

Hi, World!

I may as well get this over with: my first blog post. Ironically, I start this just as I come off an enormous beauty binge and have resolved to simplify my life (or in any case my beauty bag) and actually use some of the gorgeous things I have.
I would like to introduce myself and share how I came to start this blog. I am over 40 (never thought that would happen!), originally South African and now live in the Netherlands. I am a paediatrician by profession and I work in a hospital part-time. I am married and the mom of two little boys.

And I am a shopaholic!

Until last summer, however, I never really had the beauty bug. I'd buy *some* makeup at the beginning of each new season, usually from Chanel and Bobbi Brown. Then last summer I got the darkest tan I have ever had (serious sun in Italy, and being of mixed race I tan easily despite factor 50) and needed some new stuff. I was cornered by the very nicest Guerlain SA EVER and spent a fortune. I was so happy with my new purchases and look, but couldn't share them with any real life friends, all of whom would have given me seriously funny looks if I'd started on about my new foundation, bronzer, eyeshadow palettes and blushes!! So I googled them, and found Temptalia. A whole new world, the world of beauty bloggers and blog followers, opened up to me!!! I couldn't and still can't stop reading and ogling and, alas, trying and buying (and sometimes trying without buying-- Nars, for example, is not available in the Netherands!).

I love Temptalia as a resource, she is seriously professional, but for a good girlie read I prefer Vivianna Does Makeup, Whatihearttoday, The Beauty Look Book, Beauty Lab, Messy Wands, Makeup and Beauty Blog and 15 steps, then a beauty blog. Among others!

My makeup collection kind of exploded. Already having a similar colour or product was no longer a contra-indication to buying something similar. There were so many must-haves. And I kind of got them all. At least once a week I told myself I'd found THE Holy Grail x (insert: mascara, eyeshadow palette, lipstick etc) and need never buy anything ever again. Until I saw the next raved-about new product!

However, the storage space in my house can only take so much, and I can only wear one "look" per day. So I've decided to stop purchasing for a while, and to share and enjoy the things I have right now.

The usual "Beauty stats": I am of mixed race, Mac NC 40-42, Bobbi Brown Warm Natural, Nars Stromboli mixed with a hint of Syracuse, though I've come to suspect that maybe Barcelona would be perfect. I have dark, hooded eyes, very dark hair and sensitive combination skin which can get a bit dehydrated in winter and oily in summer. I wear (Jill Sander) glasses!

I will hopefully not only post about beauty, but also about fashion, lifestyle/home improvements, travel, motherhood, and random ponderings. I want this blog to be about all things that make life beautiful, not only about makeup.

My other interests are reading (English and Dutch, adult and children's books), fashion, travel, photography, though I am a rank amateur, architecture and exercise.

I hope to acquire some fellow travelers on my journey; if you're out there, give me a shout!
And er...I need to figure out how to get pictures onto this thing.