Recipe for the Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

I already broke half of my resolutions as you may have noticed. Sticking to my schedule has proven to be difficult when I can't get rid of the flu.  So if you're currently trying to lose some weight as part of your 2016 resolutions I suggest you only take a look at the yummy picture. But feel free to try the recipe for the worlds best chocolate chip cookies, you won't be disappointed!

Ingredients:

250g salted butter, softened

200g brown sugar

150g sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

375g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

150g dark chocolate chips

150g milk chocolate chips

100g chopped almonds

100g chopped hazelnuts

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven at 175°C and prepare one or two baking trays with baking-paper.

2. Put the butter and two different sugars in a bowl and beat until creamy. Add the two eggs and vanilla extract. After mixing the flour and baking powder slowly add them to the creamy butter mix. Finally add the chocolate and nuts and stir well.

3. Using a teaspoon place a small amounts of batter well apart on the baking tray. Bake for 10-12 minutes depending on your oven until the edges of your cookies turn light brown while the inside is still soft and chewy.

4. Place your cookies on a cooling rack and enjoy!

Happy baking!

Step by Step Contouring with Smashbox

Over the Holiday season, also known as the party season, I've been reaching for my Smashbox contouring kit over and over again. This small and compact palette has been my go to product for almost perfect cheekbones over the past couple of months.

The contour powder is the star of this trio. The color is perfect: not too orange and not too ashy either. It can be quite dark on my skin but applied with a light hand and blended in it's everything I hoped for. The bronzer is a deeper tan color than what I'm used too. In the summer however I'll be able to use it and not need to carry around a seperate bronzer. The highlight doesn't show up too much on my skin which I appreciate as I'm only getting into the glowy/dewy look. I feel like all three are a bit on the powdery side but that is something I can work with as I like the pigmentation and blendability (is that even a word?). The included angled brush is great for laying down the contour but I always use a fluffier brush to blend and apply the bronzer.

Let's talk packaging: The three powders come in a hand-sized thin shiny black compact that's perfect for travelling. You will get fingerprints all over it but they are super easy to wipe away compared to the rubber packaging of a certain high-end brand (Yes - I'm talking about you, NARS!) There is no space reserved for useless sponges or mini brushes that we would throw out. Also for all of us newbies to contouring Smashbox have included a sticker with easy to follow instructions!

Which is your favorite contouring palette?

P.S. This is a recycled post that long time readers may have already come across. 
Unfortunately I'm currently fighting the flu, hope to be back soon.

My 2016 Blogging Resolutions

The end of 2015 marked my return to the blogging world and I'm excited to continue my journey. This year is still young and there is so much more to learn and to improve. Maybe I shouldn't call these resolutions as most of them don't make it to February.  Fingers crossed!

• I want to stick to my schedule this year and maybe, if it's manageable with work, even post more frequently. Let's not jinx it, so I won't make promises.
• 2016 is the year of accepting that I have a "little bit of everything" blog. I want to feel more confident about my content. No more deleting of posts that don't fit into a specific category, no more doubting!
• Sometimes I feel like I'm a 90-year-old granny because I can't figure social media out. Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, Facebook? Social media I'm coming for you!
• Finally I just want to have fun with my blog, enjoy the writing process, interact with readers. I need to stop worrying about my stats because I'm not blogging for numbers. I'm doing it for myself (we're allowed to be selfish, right?) and for anyone who enjoys reading my ramblings.

What are some your 2016 resolutions?

Happy New Year

We made it! We survived the Holiday season, the gift buying and opening, the cookies and chocolate, the family gatherings and New Years Eve. I hope you had a great break and were able to relax a little bit and spend time with family and friends. With Christmas and NYE in the past it's time for new beginnings. I can't believe it's 2016 already, this year literally flew by (yes, I said it -sorry)...

I wish you all the best for the upcoming year! May this year be even better than the last, full of opportunities, happiness, health and success!

I won't ramble on too much because there are a couple of reminiscing posts coming up in January where I'm going to get all sorts of emotional.

Have a great start to the new year

What I love about the Holiday Season

I can’t actually believe that it’s Christmas Eve. I don’t think I’m ready for it yet. My Christmas tree is up, cards are sent out, the house is decorated, even my office is. But I think that’s the problem: I’m working. For all these years I’ve been off school at least a couple of days before Christmas and I’ve been able to fully enjoy the season. It’s calm at the office and I’m not drowning in work so I can’t complain. But I can’t exactly light candles, eat cookies and watch movies all day.

To get in the spirit I want to share with you what I love about Christmas:

Movies - This is going to be quite an unusual choice for a favorite: Little Lord Fauntleroy, a British movie from 1980. I wouldn't say that it is christmassy but it’s definitely one of the classics that is aired on German TV around this time of the year. Since I was a kid I've seen the movie about 15 times and I'll probably watch it next year and the year after that and so on. But I also love to cuddle up on the sofa in my onesie to watch The Holiday or Love Actually.

Decorations – Why can’t we hang fairy lights all year round or at least all winter? Driving to work in the dark is much less painful when the streets are lit up with fairy lights in trees, shop windows, everywhere. Also the smell of a fresh Christmas tree when you walk into someone’s home is one of my favorite scents.

Food – I’m talking chocolate and cookies. To be honest I’m not a fan of all the special editions for this season. Even a plain bar of milk chocolate tastes better and less guilty in December. And adding a bit of cinnamon to any drink makes it festive!

Make Up – This may sound very superficial but I love how I can layer on the make up without being judged. I wear minimal and neutral make up all year round but with all the Christmas parties and New Years Eve I have an excuse to go all out and experiment with glitter and color.

The most important thing about the Holidays though is spending quality time with your family and friends!

Merry Christmas!

Last Minute Gift Guide

Some of you may have had the time to get all your Christmas shopping done before this weekend. But if like me you only got off work late these past couple of days you may be in desperate need of some last minute gift ideas. Online shopping might be less stressful but this close to Christmas I'm scared that my orders don't get in in time to put under the tree.

Here are some quick ideas that will hopefully make your shopping a bit easier:

Personally I love to receive PJ's for Christmas and it has been a tradition in our household. Find the most festive and cosy set and accessorize with a pair of socks or a snuggly blanket. If you're shopping for a kid in your family you could always add a cute teddy bear.

Scents are quite personal and difficult to shop for so if you don't want to risk buying the wrong perfume for somebody, go for candles. You can choose a theme (spicy, fruity, floral) and put together your own little set of candles.

Everybody has that friend or family member that likes to cuddle up on the sofa every once in a while to have a movie marathon. Find out their favorite genre and select a couple of DVDs, add some unhealthy snacks to the collection and gift the perfect movie night.

For the make-up lover among your friends and family you can choose to splurge on one of the amazing limited edition sets from a high end brand or put together your own set. Go to the drugstore and pick up your own favorites from lipstick to mascara to put them in a nice make up bag under the Christmas tree. You could also to do these personalized sets with skincare items, shower gels, bath oils, etc.

Every girl loves to open a little velvet box to find a nice piece of jewellery. Go for something simple and classic or something a bit more edgy depending on the personality and your budget. When it comes to jewellery I'd say go for a necklace or earrings to be safe in case you're not sure about sizes.

As girls we find it a bit tricky to find a gift for the males in our lives. Something practical and tech-y would be a portable battery charger or high quality headphones.

Gender neutral are gift vouchers although they are a bit controversial. Try to add a personal touch to a voucher, create a whole experience around it. Maybe embed the voucher in a trip.

You could also do the same with concert tickets or tickets to any sports event!

To me it's important that you add a personal touch to any gift or at least have a story to go with it that you write down on a Christmas card!

Did you leave your shopping until the last minute?

Charlotte Tilbury Mini Lipstick Charms

Isn't it the dream of every girl to have a christmas tree decorated with beauty and skincare? I certainly wouldn't mind but I don't know if I'd be able to resist using them before christmas. 

This year I treated myself to a little pre-christmas present. And it's a special one. I've been eyeing up the Charlotte Tilbury lipsticks for a while now. Unfortunately I have to rely on ordering online but despite looking at swatches and reading reviews I couldn't choose a color. So instead of choosing just one color I picked out this cute set of mini charms. I'll be able to try Penelope Pink, So Marilyn and Bitch Perfect. 

The Charlotte Tilbury charms come in a box as small as a match box. The lipsticks are actually much smaller than I expected and I'm sure these will be the first lipsticks that I'll completely use up (within a couple of months). Penelope Pink, a beige nude, and Bitch Perfect, a pinky/peachy nude, are very wearable everyday colours. So Marilyn is a classic red that is perfect for this time of the year and comes in very handy as I don't actually own a true red.

Despite the pretty packaging and the shade variety I think that these little/tiny lipsticks charms are a bit too pricey. However they make a great present for a special lady among your family or friends.