Author Archives: sophiemarie x

STYLE OF LIFE

NOURISH YOUR TEMPLE

Our bodies. They house so much that we cannot see, cannot grasp. A system so utterly complex and yet so simple. Sometimes maybe too simple; so that we find ourselves seeking complicated answers to simple and plain questions. What is good for our bodies? Sometimes the simpler is the better, sometimes less is more. 

My body is my temple- it is a complex network of systems, allowing me to pursue my everyday activities and so much more. To ensure the health, longevity and upkeep of these systems I am continuously trying improve my own behavior. Yes, it is a long and most likely eternal journey of evolution, however, an accumulation of small steps and actions are necessary to get the ball rolling. One of these steps, other than curating and using my green make up collection, is what products I use for the upkeep of my exterior shell. For my body care I opt for organic, healthy and sustainable options that are ideally vegan, plastic free and produce zero waste. Let me take you through my five essential body care products and regimens: DSC_0651.jpg

P. Jentschura face brush

DRY BRUSHING
An organ often disregarded and not given enough credits to, despite it being the largest. It is one of the main players when it comes to detoxifying- our skin. If however, our skin is flooded with toxins and dead skin cells, it cannot do its job properly and rid ourselves from all the waste and toxicity housed within. We always take good care of our faces- masks, exfoliants, face wash, moisturizer…the list goes on and on, but we often neglect the rest of our skin. Dry brushing, ideally in the morning and 3-5 times a week, has a multitude of benefits for your inner and outer beauty. Let’s start on the inside, because that is where real beauty comes from, right? Dry brushing improves your vascular blood circulation and lymphatic drainage (make sure to brush along those lymph nodes) and thus the skin is able to detox and discharge metabolic waste more effectively and it stimulates your metabolism and digestion- a healthy gut is always something to strive for. Also, it reduces cellulite and is an effective method of exfoliation, allowing your skin to rejuvenate and “breathe“ properly by clearing clogged pores.

When picking out a dry brush, make sure it is kept very minimal and natural- ideally wood without any plastic! Also, the linked dry brush is NOT VEGAN, as I owned it before going vegan. This Agronauti or Aromatherapy Associates brush are, however! 

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Bar Soap

BODY WASH SOAP
Despite the fact that I opted for organic and natural body washes, I still couldn’t get around some ingredients I did not necessarily want to put onto my skin; therefore I switched to a bar soap for my face and body. The soaps I use are cold process soaps that consist of natural oils only, do not clog your pores and are lipid regulating. Despite the amazing ingredients I had some tribulations at the beginning- my skin was always very dry and itchy after usage. This made me realize that my skin’s natural oils must have been partially removed. Now, after my natural oils have been restored and not washed away with every shower I take, my skin is in perfect condition again and feels moisturized and hydrated.

These soaps can become very slippery and dissolve quite easily, due to the gentle cold process. Therefore it is advisable to keep them in a travel soap box or a cotton soap bag to get the most out of your bar soap. Even though a very natural bar soap first seems to be very expensive it is actually cheaper in the long run as it lasts you longer than a regular shower gel would AND you reduce your waste!

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Razor // Blades

RAZOR
Only very late have I realized the immense plastic consumption and waste production when it comes to razors. Re-purchasing the 5-blade razors is a very expensive and also environmentally unfriendly business in the long run. So I made a one time investment into a proper razor, with actual blades (that can be collected and then discarded at a special recycling facility). Even though you might have to spend more money at once, it actually is cheaper seen over a longer time period. Yes, adjustments are necessary- the razor can be very weird in your hands at the beginning and the sharpness of the blades can be underestimated at times, leading to some cuts here and there. But hey…practice makes perfect, right?

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Organic Lifestyle Products

SHAMPOO
For roughly three years now I have been using Organic Lifestyle products exclusively. Ever since my hair has been as healthy as never before- I do not get split ends as fast as I used to, the structure of my hair feels much better and they are voluminous. It feels free of which is also the slogan of the brand:“If you love it, free it. You hair.“ Free of parabens, sulfates or anything else that weighs down your hair. The products are mainly made of vegetable and plant extracts, nothing unnecessary is added. The only ingredient that I would criticize is palm oil, but maybe they will find a way around that as well…or even a bar soap shampoo? Nonetheless I would never let any other products touch my hair!

To compensate the packaging I always buy the biggest bottle possible and then refill the smaller ones I already have at home. 

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African Botanics |Marula Body Oil

BODY OIL
I have always been one to battle dry skin, especially in the colder seasons. Usually I turned to body lotions, sometimes the ones that come with perfumes, which were seemingly luxurious and good. After checking the ingredients online it turns out it is especially these lotions that have carcinogenic ingredients. I definitely do not want to put that on my skin! So…I invested in a very luxurious and admittedly expensive body oil. If there is one thing I do not mind investing in it is my health and my body. The oil is entirely made from cold pressed oils, its main ingredient being marula oil. Marula oil „contains powerful antioxidants, high concentrations of nutrients and essential fatty acids that protect against environmental aggressors, help reverse photo-damage, boost cellular activity, hydrate at the deepest levels and repair the skin“ (africanbotanics.com). Also, the brand African Botanics supports a fair trade production, ensuring a synonymous support  for land and people, providing remote areas of the country with economic opportunities and permitting women to support their families.

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Toothpaste // Floss

TOOTHPASTE AND FLOSS
I have this pet peeve (one of them)- when I go over my teeth with my tongue I need my teeth to feel smooth. To achieve this finish I do not want to sacrifice the health of my body and teeth, therefore I always go for a natural toothpaste. My favorite is the“Weleda Sole“ toothpaste, where salt acts as a natural defense against cavities and preventing the formation of plaque. It does not contain foaming agents or fluoride, which has been proven to damage the central nervous system.

In case my teeth decided to save some food reserves in case of starvation, I always use floss. It comes in a refillable glass container and is 100% biodegradable and compostable. The floss itself can be refilled. It is unfortunately made of silk and coated with beeswax, so the ideal floss for me would be made of cotton and soy wax. Nonetheless, it is already a one step in the right direction of producing as little waste as possible.

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Shot by Sarah Johanna

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CREATIVE MIND, LET'S TALK

BOLDNESS

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Where did it come from, all of a sudden? From within? From outside? From me? From them? Could it have been this city, that granted me this ability, this trait? Possibly…no Im certain of it. A side of me that  hasn’t received any light, water and hope, a side that couldn’t grow or flourish. A flower that hasn’t been given the environment it needed, to grow, flourish and blossom. But here- this environment- it gave it all that: light to shine, water to grow, air to breathe and hope to be bold.

There must have been something about this place, that made the conditions just right.  It only took a week, seven days- I felt it in my heart, I saw it in the sky, how the stars align. No more! I quit, I’m done- with being timid to undermine my capabilities, biting my tongue to keep me from saying what I want to, being in denial of who I really am. Bold.

I see it everywhere; boldness I mean. I see it in myself, I see it in others, bust most importantly I believe in it; this world. A world of making bold choices, choices that might scare me, be outside of my comfort zone- but this is merely a limitation I placed on myself, I am boundless, I can be bold- I need to be, for me to be me. To dare and float in waters unknown, unnamed, undefined. Risk the step, confidently,  on shaking grounds. There is no coming back from this, awakened, it erupts, breaks free. Only forward, always bold.

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For a while however, when the circumstances changed, once again. It vanished. It was gone. I couldn’t find it anywhere. I was determined, nonetheless, to return to this state of boldness, my true self- where I was permitted to be confident, risk, fall and stand up again- with arms waiting for me to grasp them. It cannot be, I couldn’t accept it- that all of this, all of this stirring and shaking up was bound to this once place.

Boldness means independence, detachment from place and circumstance. But what kind of flower can be unrooted from the grounds where it prospered? None that I knew. But…a flower that can grow without light, water and air is one that can never be disheartened, dried or suffocated. One that will prevail eternally and live boldly, always.

I strive, every day, to seek these unknown, unnamed and undefined waters, the shaking grounds. I want to swim, float, bathe in them. I want to walk, jump, dance on them. And whenever my gaze moves up, my head rests in my neck and looks up, into the sky- I know that this, boldness, the feeling it evokes, is what I need- to grow, develop and flourish. That this is the path I need to follow, that here, the daring, bold and untested, is where I need to be. I will not settle for the ordinary, I will trust, I will not emote, I will not fabricate, I will be. Bold.

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OUTFIT DETAILS

Pants- I am Gia The Label

Sweater- Céline

Ankle Boots- Saint Laurent

Boots- Mou

Shot by Sarah Johanna

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STYLE OF LIFE

DENIM & SWEATERS

Transitioning into the colder months of the year just after leaving the warm and long summer nights behind us can sometimes be quite hard- the days become shorter, the temperatures colder and the choice of clothes becomes warmer. I always struggle a little at the beginning of the autumn/winter season to find the right pieces of clothing to combine, even though I am a huge fan of cozy knit sweaters. It takes some time to get accustomed to look at a bundled up fluff ball in the reflection of the mirror- coat, scarf, sweater, tights…you know the drill. What a luxurious struggle it can be to spend a good 15 minutes in front of your closet, desperately trying to find something for the new season that are not shorts or flowy tops.

I am striving to curate my closet to a somewhat minimal collection of staple pieces I can almost wear year round and combine and match as I please. This means that when shopping for new pieces, I always keep my current wardrobe in mind, what I could wear and combine the piece in question with and if I can wear it for many seasons to come. For these three looks, I took my favorite pair of jeans, my WoodWood denim (which are great for summer, but also, as I just recently found out, look great with sweaters) and styled it with three different sweaters. So that the outfits do not look as boring as it sounds – sweater and denim – I added a few accessories here and there such as using a silk scarf as a belt, a minimal golden necklace, a hat or nothing at all (but my favorite book). Knowing that a basic outfit can be made more playful and interesting with some accessories or a different hairstyle, makes the decision-making a lot easier and once again shows that nothing beats a good pair of denim. In actuality, there is nothing more you need for the colder months than one or two pairs of jeans and some sweaters and accessories you can mix and match with.

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Uzwei Cashmere – Rag & Bone fedora – Are You Am I necklace

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Sister’s Kokon zwo knit sweater – Dior mitzah- Are You Am I necklace

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second hand Strenesse turtleneck 

 

accessories: dior silk scarf, Are You Am I “Lira” necklace, Rag & Bone “Floppy Brim fedora”

Shot by Sarah Johanna 

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STYLE OF LIFE

V GUIDE | COPENHAGEN

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VEGAN FOOD GUIDE | COPENHAGEN

To me, traveling and discovering new places would not be the same without simultaneously checking out new restaurants, coffee shops or bars. I feel as though you get to know the atmosphere of the location more with each Cappuccino you savor, Açai bowl you spoon or drink you sip. Therefore, whenever I travel to a new city or area, I love to inquire beforehand where I can drink and dine. I might spend hours searching the internet for “best vegan food“, “açai bowls“, “best coffee shop“ at that specific location. This brings me the greatest joy and gives me something extra to look forward to, amazing food and drinks! As I love to invest time in this food-hunt I thought I would share my inquired spots with you and save you the time to do so.

When deciding on what search result to click, I always opt for local pages, even though that might restrict me with the language. However, pictures can speak more than a thousand words, so I do eventually find my way around things. Reading up on what locals like and where they go is always advisable, since they know their city best. In case you have friends at that specific destination or have a friendly Airbnb host or a helpful concierge why not ask them too. As a vegan you are somewhat limited when it comes to going out, but even though the restaurant might not advertise itself as vegan, they might still offer a vegan dish or you can always tweak and change things around to MAKE them vegan. This might occupy a little more time when ordering, however, also allows you to have a nice chat with your waiter or waitress. Without much further ado, let’s get into it:

Souls

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At Souls you “eat like you give a fork“ about what you fuel your body with. As if the mantra of the restaurant (printed onto the backs of the employee’s T-Shirts)  wouldn’t be convincing enough, the interior is everything you would expect of a consciously-minded, danish restaurant. Small, squared wooden tables placed near the windows which flood the inside with light. Pillows are scattered around the window ledges, inviting you to succumb to the hyggelig atmosphere ( I hope I am using this danish word correctly, danglish is a thing now, trust me) and sit for a few hours over the delicious food served at Souls. I went to Souls two times, once for breakfast and once for dinner. It seems to be a very popular place amongst locals, as we did not get a seat inside at first and spent some minutes at a table outside, cuddled in blankets. Thus, I recommend to make a reservation just in case.

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For breakfast I got the açai bowl, which was topped with fresh strawberries, blueberries, bananas, granola and coconut shavings. Additionally we ordered the Avocado smash, which was the typical avocado on toast, only that the toast was rugbrød, which is danish rye bread- very delicious. To make sure we are not missing out on anything, we also ordered the brunch plate, which encompassed all the other brunch/breakfast dishes on the menu, such as the pancakes, hummus and guacamole, avocado smash and cashew yogurt. I absolutely loved the breakfast and savored every bite. The only thing that did not strike my fancy as much was the cashew yogurt, but that of course is a matter of taste. When we went for dinner I went for the Viking Salad, with “meat balls“, cashews, broccoli, olives, lentils, a mix of leafy greens and truffle dressing. As soon as I read truffle the decision-making wasn’t too hard after all. The coffee was also absolutely amazing with an amazing selection of milk alternatives such as almond, oat, coconut (my three personal favorites) or soy. The hot chocolate was the perfect treat for after dinner: it tasted a little like liquid bounty because they make it with coconut milk, so good! To conclude my ravings, I can only recommend Souls. They have a variety of offers, which I am sure any non-vegan will fancy as well!

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Location: Melchiors Pl. 3

42 Raw 

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“…is a celebration of food and drink served in their natural state. Naked, nutrient rich and delicious just as nature intended“ is what covers the walls of the hip and vegan-heaven of 42 raw. I received this as a recommendation of being similar to Daluma in Berlin, which I absolutely love. However, what places 42 raw over Daluma in the ranking is that absolutely everything is vegan and they couldn’t out-do themselves any more. The menu is absolutely amazing and has a huge variation from sweet to savory to small bites and bars. There are four bowls you can choose from for breakfast (Açai, Chia, Matcha and Granola) and pancakes. I tried the pancakes, which I believe are made from some kind of nut flour (like almond) topped with bananas, coconut shavings and chocolate sauce…heaven. I also had the açai bowl, again…I know. What stuck out to me was the granola! I loved it so much that I purchased a bag of it and took it home with me, at least that was the plan…it didn’t even survive the day. There’s also an array of sandwiches, smoothies and hot drinks you can choose from such as a matcha latte, golden latte (turmeric) or beet latte. I absolutely regret not trying one of these, as I opted for coffee again, but here I have one more reason to return to Copenhagen and eat my way through my second stay as well. 42 Raw has three locations in different parts of Copenhagen, but judging from my single visit I could tell that this is where the cool kids of the city meets and dines and I didn’t mind gathering some new style inspirations while enjoying my delicious breakfast.

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Location(s): Pilestraede 32 / Waterfront- Tuborg Havnevej 4-8 / Falkoner Allé 21

Yellow Rose 

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It was raining buckets outside that day and Yellow Rose was the perfect shelter to keep us from getting wet. You had to go up a small staircase,  which led you to the restaurant that is located on the first floor above the shops on the ground floor. This is definitely something I was not used to, but absolutely fascinated me, making it even more of a place to retreat to. The interior was very hyggelig, in fact, this is where I first laid my hands on The Little Book of Hygge and was instantly fascinated by hygge and how the Yellow Rose implemented its ideas into they interior. The colors were kept very warm, white and yellow, and the materials used natural, such as wood. The offer differed a lot from what we had in the other two restaurants, but not less tasty. I am unsure if they serve lunch and dinner as well, however, for breakfast they offer “breakfast“ buns with a variety of spreads, such as avocado/hummus or peanut butter/banana, which are the two options we chose. The buns were very delicious and fluffy themselves, which filled up my belly quite quickly. I also, once again, had a coffee with oat milk. At the yellow rose they use the Oatly barista edition for their oat milk, which is one of my favorites I like to have my coffee (made) with. Across from the counter, there is a selection of vegan danish sweets and snacks, such as chocolate and cookies. This was definitely more of a “soul food“ type of place than the other two, but that was exactly what we needed on that rainy day.

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Location(s): Peder Hvitfeldts Straede 17

Original Coffee 

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It wouldn’t be a food guide made by me if I didn’t mention coffee. I believe I have done so in all three of the restaurants, but you know, you can never have enough coffee (with a glass of water on the side of course), unless you cannot fall asleep at night anymore. Original Coffee is a very cool coffee chain I discovered by just walking around the city. They have multiple shops all over the city, among them a rooftop location in the ILLUM mall, which treats you with an amazing view of the city. Original Coffee has their own roasted coffee as well, which I always- to try new, small and different roasteries. The coffee was amazing, they had a delicious vegan date bar and some danish magazines to flip through. In conclusion, I was happy.

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Location(s): Bredgade 36 / ILLUM Østergade 52 / Nordre Frihavnsgade 2

I hope that this vegan food guide will be an inspiration to you on your next visit to the Danish capital!

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CREATIVE MIND

MOTHER OF PEARL

Sitting at the bottom of the sea,
And yet she is the queen
Of waters: shaking, splashing surrounding
Her outer shell. Irrefutably treasured
The greatest treasure, however,

She houses within
Untouched and unseen it is
To the waving waters
The moving molluscs
Hers alone it has been.
Has. Been.
Was.

Irrupted has the pebble
The silence, comfort, harmony
She was so acquainted with
But no more
No more

Pandemonium. Riot. Tumult.
All within the shell, the guard
She held so true to her heart.
Pebble-damaged.

What damage?
Nothing as such is known
Because she always has been her own
True to herself. True to her heart.

However small, however big.
Coated with a careful layer of nacre
Saving the heart that is so sacred
Is it hers to keep for eternity?

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Shot by Sarah Johanna

 

 

 

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STYLE OF LIFE

GREEN MAKE UP

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Beauty. It is individual, it is subjective – to place, culture, influences, the individual. We all perceive different things as being beautiful; our opinions – shaped by our surroundings, what we read, look at. All these influence our perception. Women often feel a certain pressure to concur with societal standards, promoted through the world of social media, fashion and especially advertisement. To me beauty and individuality are synonymous- beauty can lie in our biggest insecurities, flaws but also best features. They make me, me. And you, you.

Approximately one year ago I made the decision to completely live off a plant based diet and not jump between being vegan or not anymore. With this decision I developed an increasing awareness of what I put INTO my body. What kind of foods I consume, how my body reacts to them, what changes I need to make to my diet and lifestyle. It is fascinating how impactful our diet is; not only to ensure we are at our healthiest possible in terms of diseases, but also how energetic we feel. Ensuring the inside of your body is healthy and clean ultimately effects your “looks“ on the outside. Because, as commonly known, true beauty lies within. Double entendre right there.

With that increasing consciousness of what goes INTO my body, I eventually started to look at what I put ONTO my body, ranging from shampoo, body wash, facial soaps, creams to make up. The skin is our biggest organ, so I believe that what I put onto it will eventually also end up inside. Thus, I began a quest, searching for some of the best green make up brands and their products, always keeping my concerns in mind to “enhance“ my exterior beauty. It was astonishing how many make up brands there were I have never heard of, usually always staying on top of the game when it came to new make up releases. The issue is: magazines and advertisements concentrate on the “normal“ products more, as there is a higher demand for them. However, now, slowly but surely the green beauty products find their way into the mainstream as well.

I was looking for natural and predominantly vegan products, such as: mascara, concealer and a foundation/ BB cream. On my journey I discovered a heap of amazing brands offering much more than what one might imagine green make up brands offer. Yes, they have heard of contour and highlight, translucent setting powder and and and…As a first I only purchased a mascara, concealer, foundation and BB cream, as I still have a contour palette and highlighter from non-green brands and also do not want to waste it and throw it away. However, I was never SO amazed by any make up products, since all of these were the first to satisfy my needs and expectations. Let me give you the walk through:

giphy1As a foundation I picked the ilia vivid foundation. Reading the description made me exclaim some oh’s and ah’s! I have very dry and sensitive skin, which is why I always look for moisturizing products that leave a rather dewy than matte finish. This foundation is said to have „medium to full coverage and leaves a natural radiance to the skin“, due to many amazing natural ingredients like coconut, rosehip and cranberry seed oils. I was utterly amazed by this foundation the first time I put it on my skin was moisturized, it had a natural glow to it and covered everything I wanted if I was going for a more full-faced look. The ONLY thing I do not like as much is that after it has dried it feels a bit tacky on the skin, but other than that I am in love.

For those days when I feel lazy or do not want to wear a heavier make up, I turn to my juice beauty stem cellular cc cream. This saves me the step of putting on an SPF and moisturizer. Like the vivid foundation it leaves the skin very moisturized and also glowing, however only has minimal coverage, which I personally prefer for a daily use.

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To conceal the dark circles under my eyes, which never seem to fade (my sister, however says they will eventually fade by improving my kindey’s ability to filter toxins out of my body through the power of a raw vegan diet & fruits), I use the rms beauty “un” cover-up. This is the first concealer I have ever owned that satisfies all my needs. Finding the perfect concealer has been somewhat of an ordeal. Either they were moisturizing and did not cover enough or they covered it all and were not moisturizing or even oxidized and changed color over the course of the day. The rms concealer, however, does all of the above all at once. The list of ingredients is very minimal and promising, with a ton of amazing oils and extracts to nourish the skin in such a sensitive area and make the eyes look fresh and awake.

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If I had to choose one make up product it would definitely be mascara. I love how it makes your eyes look bigger and awake. The nudestix mascara lengthens and nourishes the lashes, leaving no clumps and the lashes remain soft after applying. I have re-purchased this mascara already, since I am very pleased with the results and therefore do not feel the need to look any further. My sister has previously purchased the ilia mascara, which did not coat the lashes as much as the nudestix and therefore created a very soft and natural look, which can also be really nice for hot summer days.

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All these products are rather on the high end side of the spectrum and price-wise are probably in the same range as MAC and some of the fashion brand make up products. However, I feel as though these products last much longer. I have been using the concealer for three or four months now and there is still plenty of product in it. Thus far I only had to re purchase the mascara, because as I mentioned I love mascara.

Even though make up is fun and great, there truly is nothing better than having a bare face, where you can rub your eyes at any time, cry at the movies and splash some water on your skin when it is hot. I am a make up enthusiast, but also like to step out without it on some days. It really depends on the mood and what I am up to. If you want to enjoy some make up some day, I can only recommend to turn the other way and browse through the wide selection of green make up products there are!  They are fun and do not do any harm to anyone.

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This is not a sponsored post. All the products are available on Niche Beauty,a great beauty online shop for everything natural and green! 

Shot by Sarah Johanna

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STYLE OF LIFE

NEW YORK CITY

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I have been to New York City three times now, with each time a little bit longer and with each time I grew to love it even more. You board a plane at a location you usually are highly familiar with, spend a few hours in a cabin, after going through an ordeal of luggage claim, customs and borders you arrive at an entirely and potentially unknown destination. With some of them you leave the airport and fall in love at first sight, with others it takes time. Personally, I fell in love with this city from day one on; it felt homey. I know for a fact that I am not the only person in this world who thinks this way, so many people visit this city every day, some love it others hate it. What makes you love it, what makes you hate it? The list is long, very long. However, after doing the checks and balances I end up loving it so much, for a multi facet of reasons.

What do I love about New York City? What can’t you find in any other city? Well, there is the skyline of Manhattan- breathtaking. It truly is a concrete jungle, from every angle different. Just when you thought you do not need to rely on google maps any more, because by now you know your basics, you exit a different not so familiar subway station and are lost again, but it is a good kind of lost, you get to see something new every day. Walking around, which I loved to do, I decided to take a different street and way to get to see a different angle, another facet, another color of this city. Despite your eyes being glued on google maps so you turn the right way, take the right subway into the right direction „downtown or uptown“ you need to remind yourself to look up, an by up I truly mean up so your head lies in your neck. When the sky is painted with a spotless blue, the contrast between it and the glass and concrete simply makes you smile. Manhattan in itself is humongous, it might look tiny on the map at first, but then you realize there are a dozen districts each with its own flair, style and uniqueness. The change might just be around the corner, or on the next street, between this and the next avenue. But then there is also the multi-mishmash in Williamsburg. A totally different life, once again. Almost a different culture…with different people.

This is probably the primary reason why you love New York City; the people make the city, the city IS the people. You “meet“ so many people each day, you’re so close to them: sharing seats in the subway and bus, standing in line for New York’s one and only fuel – coffee, preferably iced. There are a million windows in this city, each houses its own story and wonders, the walls and ceilings are usually not as isolated, so you get a glimpse of that other window’s life. However, as soon as you decide to step onto the streets, “which will make you feel brand new“, each and everyone more or less decides to share a glimpse of their personal lives, stories that they unconsciously tell the 8 million around them. New Yorkers usually say New Yorkers are not friendly, however, I have only had experiences of the opposite. The tumult on the streets every day motivates you, gives you drive, ambition, the willingness to really do something today, make the best of this day…usually you do not even want to go to sleep because there are so many things to do and so little time. When you are rushing to get to an appointment and awkwardly move from side to side with another person, performing this funny dance, you both kind of laugh and then go separate ways again. Bumping into someone is a daily task, and inevitable if you’re rather short grown as I am. Yet, there is always a kind hearted apology and if not I am truly stunned. Most importantly however, if you strut down the streets as if you own them, which for one also makes you feel good about yourself, people might actually notice you and make some space…wow! Ordering a coffee, ideally bringing a reusable coffee cup, as the rest of New York City already uses enough disposable plastic cups (literally every other if not each person) turns out to be a very fun thing. You get to say what you desire, what your name is, potentially have a little chit chat…and then you need to draw that credit card which is less fun, but whatever.

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You meet so many people every day, lead so many conversations you can’t possibly recount every one of them…all these impressions accumulate over the day and do not end, because this city truly does not sleep. After breakfast- work, after work- lunch, then cocktails. There is just always SOMETHING to do that it really is hard to say no and go home. The good thing is though, if your plan A of weekend activities does not work out there is always an option B, C, D…and basically one for every letter in the alphabet. Nonetheless, you do need this time at home, I especially needed it at the beginning, to handle this overflow of impressions day in and day out. Yet they enrich you so much, open your eyes and allow you to see things from a new perspective, wearing a different color of sunglasses. What is the most important thing i have learnt these past 10 weeks? You learn something every day and it is important to be aware of your surroundings without judgement. One of the many conceptual ideas I apprehended in my summer classes.

This city inspires you to prosper, forces you to ground yourself in who you are, helps you discover and uncover who you want to be, work on it each and every day, create, live, experience and come one step closer to your dreams. There is endless possibility.  This is why i would now call New York a home. It allows you to realize yourself in an environment where all or at least most of the conditions are ideal for you to grow, as a human. It definitely did all these things for me. A home should make you feel safe, provide these conditions- where you can be you, without judgement and without limits.

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LET'S TALK, STYLE OF LIFE

WONDER AGAIN

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The both of us sit in the metro, looking around. I am looking at the people crowded around us, the surroundings we pass…I catch him doing the same, carrying a facial expression as if he were in deep, complicated thoughts- my 5 year old brother.

I ask him, out of the blue and after a few minutes of silence: “What are you thinking about?“
The answer is: “About nothing“

Thinking about nothing, when have I last thought about nothing? Where I was still present, still absorbed the impressions of my surroundings, where my mind, however, was free of cloudiness and clutter? It must have been a long time ago, as I cannot recall…

When I think, my thoughts circle around memories, which are in the past, or what I will do once we get off of the metro and are home, how my plan is for the upcoming day or week. Though I exist in the present, my thoughts are generally in the past or future. What about the present and no thoughts at all?

Letting go of all these thoughts that circle our heads has been forgotten. Being a child again. They do not have this sense of time we have, so the only option available is living in the moment. Living in the moment to me means enjoying the little things, embrace the bad equally as the good and most importantly open up one’s heart to wonder. This sense of wonder dies within us with every year we become more “mature“, “grown up“…more socially accepted as “adult“. We are taught to think about our future, who we aspire to be, with whom or not we want to be, what we want to become and accordingly our thoughts are shaped, not solely by us, however. It is also not wrong to spare some thoughts on these subjects, but they should not control our existence, being in the present and limit our capability to live in the moment and merely BE.

I, for my part, want to save this little piece of wonder within me and stay a child in this aspect, the typical Peter Pan syndrome you might think, but no! Maturity is important, but so is wondering and living in the moment- we need a healthy balance. Some of us will need to learn to wonder again, but the more you wonder the more you learn- about yourself, the world and people around you.

Sometimes we just need to declutter ourselves, let go, dance and finally live.

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Shot by Sarah Johanna

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CREATIVE MIND, STYLE OF LIFE

New and Unknown

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STYLE OF LIFE

ON THE GO

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When out and about, we are always in a rush, heading from one place to the other in the hopes of cramming as much activity as possible into one hour or day- it is only limited to 24 hours and we need a minimum of 8 of these to sleep; at least I do. This leaves us with 16 hours to complete our daily duties- work, cook, eat, commute from one place to the next…We have the urge to complete tasks faster, get more done and thus rush ourselves. Living in a city strengthens this “rush“, which I find sometimes very motivating and enlivening; being amongst a crowd, though strangers, pursuing different goals and destinations and yet sharing a space. I think this is why many are attracted to life in cities- being amongst a crowd, surrounded by vibrancy, movement, life and yet being to yourself, living in your own bubble.

Despite the fact that I might be on the go, or have to be somewhere at a given time, I like to take some time for myself to re-energize and have a little down time before going back into the storm. For that reason I like to carry my On-The-Go coffee and tea cup with me. It allows me to treat myself, such as purchasing a coffee with oat milk or a nice fresh green tea, and still take it on the go. Also, I am contributing or rather alleviating some stress from the environment by reducing my waste production and carbon footprint.

We are let to believe that the cardboard coffee cups we purchase at all the main coffee shops are being recycled, we even throw them into recycling bins. However…

  • most on the go coffee cups are lined with polyethylene to make them waterproof- this aggravates the recycling process, since there are only few facilities with the capabilitity of separating this layer 
  • fewer than 1/400 cups are sent for recycling; even though you might have decided to recyle this does not imply they will actually be recycled in the end, some don’t even get to see a recycling facility 
  • 50% (150 million) of the American population drink coffee in its various forms, in the UK 10,000 cups are used in 2 minutes, making 7 million a day and 2.5 billion a year. This underpins the vast coffee community and the impact it can have when making sustainable and conscious choices 
  • coffee cups are also not made from recycled materials in the first place, enlarging the carbon footprint one leaves 

The facts were new to myself as well, yet have supported my choice of turning to re-usable on-the-go coffee cups instead. If the line “CAUTION! CONTENTS HOT“ is why you rather turn to the disposable, non-recyclable and non-reusable coffee cups I can assure you, my silicone lid has the same line written on it AND it is environmentally friendly. The only real drawback is that my lipstick is really hard to get off of the silicone lid, but this is something I am willing to accept for the many, many benefits my ceramic cup brings along. I do not only use it for on-the-go beverages, but also as a usual cup for tea at home. The rounded off top is just so nice to drink from, and the black hearts instantly make any drink look more appealing to me.

At home or on the go, I love drinking from my ceramic cup. I can enjoy my “hot contents“ with delight and a good conscience. What other thoughts would you wish for when enjoying the first coffee or tea of the day?! I wouldn’t know any better. See some cute options below!

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Ecoffee Cup

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Shot by Sarah Johanna 

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