Guest Post: 4 Beauty Choices You Might Regret in the Future

It seems like wherever we look, there are new ways we can improve our bodies and take them one step closer to perfection. And while we all know very well that perfection is unattainable, we still like to feel like we are doing all we can to look as good as possible. But what happens when a procedure that was supposed to make us beautiful goes wrong? Well, instances aren’t that common, but there are some procedures that we might just regret doing down the line, even if we are satisfied with the results that we see at the moment.

Over-dyed hair

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Who doesn’t love playing around with different colors and trends with a body part so expendable as hair? There’s always the good old “It will grow back!”, as if we are really ready to wait for years to get our hair to a decent state. The biggest problem with hair dyeing is the bleaching part. A lot of colors require hair to be bleached before they are applied, and bleaching is just about the worst thing you can do to your hair. This especially goes for Australian girls and other women that spend a lot of time in sunny weather, as direct sunlight will make the hair even lighter, dryer and more brittle. Do yourself a favor and try to stick to colors that don’t require bleaching, and if you absolutely don’t want to miss out on it, use a lot of nourishing masks when you wash your hair and sun protection when you go out.

Tanning to oblivion

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Everyone likes to have a bit of a tan going on. It makes the body look more toned, gives us a healthy glow and overall makes us look like we’ve just stepped off a beach. But getting the tan is a whole different story. Let’s first start with fake tans. Whether you spray, smear or drop, artificial tans that you apply over your skin can end up going off in blotches, leaving you with a patchy tan. Secondly, they can permanently stain your skin – but not in a good way. Next, if you are going the natural route and tanning on the beach, you will get a healthy tan – but only if you’re careful. Overexposure to constant sun, like it happens in Australia, leaves girls with sun spots all over their bodies and pigmentation removal is definitely sought after. To avoid this, always put on sunscreen and only spend time in the direct sun during mornings and evenings. Try to completely avoid tanning beds, because they have continuously been proven to increase risks of melanoma and different types of skin cancer.

Eyebrow tattoos

Before we had microblading – which is a lighter version of makeup tattooing – we had full-on eyebrow tattooing, which is still used today. There is no need to mention that tattoos are permanent, and one little mistake on an obvious spot like the middle of your face can be quite disastrous. So if you really want to permanently fill in your eyebrows, wear the look drawn on with a pencil for a few days first and see how you like it before committing to it, and then go for microblading, which is only semi-permanent and will fade over time.

Face fillers

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Everything from your lips to your cheekbones can now be poked and filled with a variety of solutions to make them look full, plump and symmetrical. But with the rise in demand, there have been more and more places popping up where people who are very far from professionals administer these fillers – which can be very dangerous if not handled properly. After all, botox is the most deadly chemical in the world. So if you don’t want to end up with lips that burst open, cheeks that run down your face and a forehead that looks like you got stung by a bee, make sure you visit professionals and ask for other options to get your desired look. There are plenty more ways to look young than filling your face with chemicals.

Guest Post was written by Brigitte Evans Cosmetic Skin Care Consultant and an editor for highstylife.com

New Skincare Products

That time when you run out of your favorite skincare products always comes. Sooner or later we need to re-buy them or in my case, sometimes I like to take that opportunity to try something new. 

A few weeks ago I ran out of my day and night creams (which I have bought back when I was traveling) so there wasn't a chance I could find the same exact products here in Argentina. So, I went to the drugstore in the search for some new and affordable skincare products to add to my routine and this is what I have found!

L'Oréal Hidra-Total 5

I have been loving a lot of L'Oréal products lately (like their concealer, mascaras, and BB Cream) so I thought I could give them a chance and try one of their skincare products. I choose the Hidra-Total 5 daily moisturizing cream because it looked quite interesting. It's supposed to provide 24-hour hydration to the skin, while also nourishing, brightening and toning it. What I also like about this product is that it has UV protection which is very important for a daytime cream. 
This product is designed for normal skin and it's working very well on my face. I feel that my skin is hydrated throughout the day. What I also love about this cream is that it has a very light texture and it absorbs very quickly, so I can complete my morning skincare routine within minutes :)

Tortulan Nourishing Night Cream 

I'm still in love with this Argentinian brand and so far I haven't found a product from them that I didn't like. After I also ran out of my night cream and decided to try something from their range of products and I'm very satisfied with it.
Their nourishing night cream is very simple but effective, it contains vitamin A and E which help the skin to recover their natural nutrition and contribute to regenerate the skin overnight. The texture of this cream is also quite light and it absorbs very quickly as well. It doesn't have a particular scent, it's very neutral and soft. 
Plus, the price of this product is very affordable and you get 110ml, that's like twice the amount of some other creams on the market. So you do get a lot of value for your money here.

Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Gel Cleanser

I have been using Neutrogena products for many many years now and I always like to try something more from this brand. I think it was last month that I bought this cleansing gel and I have been using it every day. Again this product has a very good price and you are getting a massive amount (354ml)!
This cleansing gel is very delicate with the skin but it does a great job with taking out all of the dirt and impurities from the day. I normally use it every morning when I wake up and then in the evenings after I removed my make up. My face feels completely clean and refreshed after using this product so I'm very happy with the results right now!

Well, these have been the new skincare products that I have bought recently and that I have added to my routine. I hope you find this post useful and I would love to know if you have tried any new skincare products lately? Tell me in the comments!! :)

A Coffee Date at Nucha

You may remember from one of my last posts that I went to have a coffee date with one of my blogger friends Maggie from Ohmagblog recently, but I never showed you all the pictures from that day!

We went to have some coffee and sweets in a place I like a lot but I didn't have the chance to go in a long time. The place is called Nucha and it has some really delicious cakes and pastries.

I normally don't go to this place because it's a little bit expensive and also because it's located in Palermo and I don't visit that area that often. But, as I needed to get some good photos for my blog that day we decided to go somewhere special.

The truth is that during weekends all the nice coffee places in Palermo are all packed with people so we ended up going to Nucha because they have a couple of seats available so I decided to stay there. It was a great choice because I remembered how much I love this place! 

Nucha has a very beautiful decoration, very clean and bright. It's one of those places that you feel cozy and comfortable to be there. Also, the food is delicious, they have many great options to have lunch but my favorite time to go there is in the afternoon for some coffee and tea because I love their cakes and pastries. 

On that day, I chose to have some organic green tea along with a cinnamon roll which was absolutely delicious. Maggie chose a coffee and some waffles with yogurt and fruits. Not only they looked great for pictures but I can imagine they were also delicious. 

Anyway, I hope you like these pictures and I invite you all to check out Maggie's blog because she has a great style and I love her content :) Also, let me know what is your favorite thing to order when you go for a coffee date with your friends? I'm very curious to know! :)

Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Tencel Sheet Mask Review

My latest beauty obsession has been, without a doubt, sheet masks! They seem to be everywhere and it looks like there is a sheet mask for each and every single need your skin may have. 

So, I have been trying a few sheet masks I was able to find here in Buenos Aires, but I was really looking forward to testing a real Korean sheet mask because I feel like this was a thing that they have invented so they probably are the best in this topic and also because I have been really into Korean beauty lately. 

Anyway, I was really lucky because I was sent these Klairs sheet masks from the Korean beauty store Wishtrend and I got super excited to try them out! The Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Tencel Sheet Mask is designed to moisturize and soothe the skin and to also help to strengthen the protective barrier of the skin. 

I have already tried their Rich Moist Soothing Serum which I like a lot (you can read my full review of this product here) and I continue to use every day on my skincare routine so I was hoping that this mask also gave me the same good results. 

What I like about this sheet mask is that is very gentle and it has very basic and natural ingredients, such as, aloe vera leaf extract, hyaluronic acid, and Centella Asiatica extract along with 5 different types of ceramides which work together to strengthen the skin barrier. 

The mask is very easy to use, it's divided into two pieces, one for the forehead and eye area and then another part for the mouth area. I think that this makes it a lot easier for me to apply. After you apply it, you have to wait for 15-20 minutes and then you can remove the mask and pat the remaining product so that your skin can absorb it. 

During the 20 minutes, I left the mask on, it didn't move or fell from my face and it felt very refreshing, cooling and soft. It doesn't have a strong scent and to me, that is a plus because it feels more natural.

After I removed the mask, I could tell that my skin felt great, a lot more hydrated and recovered from all the stress I was carrying on from the week. These masks became a new weekend ritual for me now because since I have started working again I feel like my skin is suffering those fewer hours of sleep and maybe not eating as well as I was doing before. 

So they are really helping my skin to be at a better condition and I totally consider getting them again in the near future. I really hope you find this review helpful and let me know if you are using any other sheet masks at the moment? Which ones are your favorites?

4 Lessons I have Learned from Being Unemployed

Today I have a little more personal post to share with you because I feel like that from every single situation we face in life we have the opportunity to learn some lessons. Even those moments when the circumstances are not so easy we can always change our perspective and still get something positive from this experience. 

We can't always control the things that happen to us, but we always have the power to choose our mindset so today I would like to tell you a little bit more about how I have changed my perspective during my year of being unemployed and the lessons I have learned from this experience. 

But first, I would like to give some more context, last year I have left my office job, the one I had for the last 7 years of my life. And although this was my decision, it still felt kind of difficult in the beginning. I'm a person that started working very early when I was 18 so until that point in time, I had no idea of what it was like not having a job. 

During the first months, I felt lost, out of place, and I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and my time. I started to desperately look for a new job because I couldn't stand the idea of not having my life organized by that 9-5 schedule. I went to a couple of interviews but nothing happened. The months went by and I was still unemployed. 

It was really hard because at this point I have started to question my skills and started to think that maybe I wasn't going to find another job. I had that believe inside of me that my value was related to my job and position. And not having any job at that moment led me to think I had no value. That was really wrong. 

After 6 months of this situation, I have decided to change my thoughts on my unemployment situation, I stopped the desperate job hunting, relaxed and that's when everything started to change. I focused on the positive and now I can see that my year of unemployment gave some really valuable life lessons that I have learned:

1- To take some rest

As I previously said, I have worked since I was 18 and I grew up in a family where working was very important and something that the people around me seemed to valued. Therefore, in the beginning, I didn't allow myself to rest. I wanted to go back as quickly as possible to being productive again. Therefore, I see it as a hidden blessing that I didn't find a job right away because I had to learn to allow myself to rest, to recover, to recharge my batteries during that time. I have learned that it's OK to have some time off because I had many years of working full time so it was just a natural balance that I had the opportunity to rest then.

2- To appreciate the time

In the same line with the last point, when I was unemployed, I realized all the time I had available and I started to think about what I could do with that time. I decided to focus on my blog and use my time to make it grow, to practice a little bit more with my photography and editing, to learn how to use a new software, to interact more with other bloggers, etc. 
I also took the opportunity to do some courses, learn new skills and to explore my career options and alternatives. I realized that this was the time I have to really think about what I wanted to do in the future, what kind of job I wanted to have and what I needed to do in order to get there. 
In addition, with all that extra time, I tried to see my friends more often and spend more time with my family, which also gave me a lot of support during those times. 

3- To stay positive and motivated

This is definitely one of the biggest lessons I have learned because sometimes is really hard to stay positive when things don't go the way you want them to. When you go to an interview and you don't get the job is very easy to feel sad and defeated but I came to understand that it's all part of a bigger process. I learned to accept the present situation and to trust myself, to trust in my knowledge and skills and to stay positive knowing that at some point things would change for the better. Also, when you are not at your best situation you have to find the motivation yourself to get up every day and do something valuable.

4- To appreciate the things I had

Last but not the least, when I was unemployed for such a long period of time, I learned to really appreciate the things I already had because I didn't have a salary to be buying new stuff every month. I needed to feel satisfied and happy with what I had and I think that is very important because if you don't feel satisfied with what you already have, what
makes you think that you will be when you have more? It doesn't work that way.
I have also learned to manage my finances more responsibly and to really evaluate my needs and desires when buying something. 

Anyway, I really wanted to share these thoughts because as I said, I think that even in difficult times there is room for learning and growth. Being unemployed is hard but it's up to you to make this situation something that you can benefit from in some way. And that goes for everything else in life. I hope you find this post interesting and let me know in the comments if you have had a difficult situation in which you have grown? What were the lessons you have learned?

Monthly Favorites: May

This month I have some new products I have been trying and loving so I thought it was time for a new Monthly Favorites post! I don't have too many products to talk about this time but the ones I'm going to show you in this post were really useful during this last month. So, let's go straight to my favorites! 

1- Herbal Essences Pure Renew Argan Oil Shampoo

I have mentioned in a previous post that I have tried the conditioner from this same line and as I had amazing results with it, I decided to get the shampoo too and try the complete treatment. Both of them are designed to repair the hair and I have to say I'm getting exactly what I was looking for! My hair is a lot more hydrated and soft. The frizz is being controlled and my hair doesn't feel dry anymore. It was exactly what I was needing. 
This complete Pure Renew line is crafted with antioxidants, aloe and sea kelp and it doesn't contain any parabens or colorants, which is great. This product is also very affordable and that is always a plus! 
So, if you are looking for some good products for your hair that contain argan oil and that have a good price, I highly recommend this line from Herbal Essences! 

2- Tortulan Physiologyque Eye Treatment

Tortulan is an Argentinian brand that I'm loving more and more every day. Their products are very affordable and they have an excellent quality for their price. Also, they don't test in animals and that is something very important to have in mind as well.
Anyway, I have been loving their cleanser and toner so when I ran out of my other eye cream, I decided to try some other products from this brand. 
Their eye cream has collagen and hyaluronic acid and it's designed to hydrate the eye area and prevent wrinkles. The texture is lightweight and creamy, it has a soft scent and it gets absorbed very quickly. 
I really enjoy applying this product and I'm seeing some good results so far, nothing crazy but it does what it says, my eye area feels quite hydrated so I'm very pleased with this new treatment. 

3- WAV Nail Polish Removing Wipes

It's been a few years now since I have started to only use wipes to remove my nail polish. I found them a lot more practical than using any other liquid nail polish remover because you can carry them in your purse for example or take them with you while traveling. Another thing I love about this kind of wipes is that most of the times they don't contain acetone, which makes my nails very weak. 
I find these wipes to be very gentle with my nails but at the same time, they are very powerful to remove the nail polish. 
In particular, this package contains 8 wipes which are super big ( they have the size of a makeup removing wipe) so you can easily remove the nail polish of both hands with just one of them. They are also very affordable and if you are like me and you do your nails once a week, this product can last you two months at least. That's why I find them very convenient and a good product to feature here on my Monthly Favorites.

That would be all, I hope you find this post helpful and please let me know which are the products that you are loving at the moment! I would love to know! :)

3 Ways to Have More Fun During the FIFA World Cup

I know, I know this is a little bit off-topic but I really can't hide my excitement about the FIFA World Cup starting this week!!! If you have been reading Seize your Style for a while and maybe following me through Social Media, you may already know that I'm a huge (and I mean HUGE) football fan. In fact, when I was younger I wanted to become a sports journalist so I really enjoy writing about sports, and especially football, whenever I can. 

Anyway, for any football fan, the World Cup is a big highlight and a very exciting month, full of great matches to watch every single day. It's the opportunity to see all of the most amazing players and teams from all over the world competing together. But even if you are not that much into football, it doesn't mean that you can't enjoy and have fun during this time. That's why I thought about putting together this post and sharing 3 simple ways to enjoy and have more fun during the World Cup! Let's get started!!! 

First time I went to see a match of my team Boca Juniors, you can see my face full of excitement

1- Organize some gatherings with your friends to watch the matches

To me, football is all about getting together, I do enjoy watching a match alone but there is nothing like watching an important match with a group! The World Cup gives you a lot of opportunities to organize some gatherings with your friends, family, co-workers, almost anyone, to enjoy the match. You will feel a lot more excited when you are surrounded by other people because the excitement is contagious and also you can prepare your favorite food and drinks to enjoy it even more! ;)

I watch a match with the Croatian crowd during the Eurocup in 2016, it was so much fun!

2- Create a betting competition with your friends

There is nothing more fun than trying to guess the match results and organizing a betting challenge or competition with your friends. You don't necessarily need to know anything about football to guess your results. It's all about intuition, because sometimes during the World Cup some of the craziest results can occur, so I recommend following your gut on this one. Also, it's a great way to get more engaged with all the football matches, because you will always have a team you are cheering for! 
In addition, it's not necessary to bet money or having any prize for this competition is just to have some extra fun with your friends. 

3- Get creative with your outfit or makeup to support your team

During the World Cup, it's the best time to get creative and put together a special outfit to support your team! Also if you like makeup you can even create a special look with the colors of your team or a special nail art, the options are endless!! 

Left: When I was supporting Croatia during the Euro 2016 because I was there. Right: Showing my love for Argentina. This picture is super old but I love it! :P

So, even if you are not a big football fan there are a lot of things to do to have fun during the World Cup. I always feel a general excitement and positive vibe around this event so that's why it's my favorite sports competition. Anyway, I would love to know if you follow any sports competition and in case you also enjoy the World Cup let me know your plans for this amazing month!! :) 

An Afternoon in Idstein, Germany

If you remember, a couple of months ago, I shared here on the blog what I did during my 10-hour layover in Frankfurt and one of the things I did after exploring the city a little bit was to meet with my German friend Claudia. She lives in the cutest little town that is very close to Frankfurt. This place is called Idstein and she had the amazing idea of taking me there during my layover. 

We went there by car and it took us a little bit more than 30 minutes to get there. I was super excited about meeting her again after many months and catching up. The plan was very simple: walking around her town, having an ice cream or a cup of coffee and then also visiting her house. 

Also, she was the one that suggested to me go to Idstein because she wanted me to see a typical German town and I'm so thankful to her because I completely fell in love with this place. 

There is something about this traditional German architecture that I found so beautiful and very much fairy-tale like, I'm sure all of you will agree when you see the pictures. In addition, this is a small town (it has 25000 inhabitants) so, there was a very relaxing vibe there that I really appreciated. 

Anyway, once we arrived, we walk around the streets in the pedestrian zone to the Old Town, which is extremely well preserved,  and I literally wanted to take a picture of every single house because they are oh-so-pretty! Most of the houses had the loveliest flowers in their balconies and everything looked so cute and sweet. 

I don't really like to compare cities and places but I have to admit that I really liked Idstein over Frankfurt but I think it is because I prefer smaller towns and I also feel like this place was a lot more special and unique. 

We ended up going for the ice cream because it was a hot day, took a few more pictures while we were walking and catching up. After that, I visited her place, met her pets, talked a little bit more and then was time to go back to the airport but I was feeling super happy for seeing my friend again and also for being able to visit such a beautiful place. 

I really hope I can go back someday to visit her again and maybe stay for a few days to enjoy more of the area. Let me know what do you think about this place? Have you heard about Idstein before? Do you prefer small towns or big cities? I hope you like the pictures!! :)

Seize your Style 4th Year Blog Anniversary

Can you believe it's been 4 years since I have started blogging? Because I can't believe it! I still remember it like yesterday, when I published my first post on the 1st of May 2014. I remember I started that day because it was my day off from work so I could use that time for blogging.

A lot of things have happened since that day, and I'm very happy to see that my little blog has grown so much! And also blogging has made me grow a lot as a person because I have discovered a creative side of me I didn't know I had. 

In the beginning, my biggest fear was running out of content but thankfully I was able to keep the consistency in this blog for the last four years. I think this is one of my biggest accomplishments and it's something I'm very proud of. 

Blogging also brought me a lot of opportunities, not only collaboration opportunities but also, the opportunity of writing about different topics, of experimenting and improving my photography skills, of meeting new and amazing people, of discovering great brands. Blogging has given me the opportunity to be learning and evolving all the time and it's one of the things I love the most about this path.

I feel like this last year that I was able to put more time and effort to my blog, it was when I saw the biggest growth. Not so much in numbers but I feel like the overall quality has been improved and it's more professional now. I have also started to really network and participate in the blogging community last year, and that allowed me to meet some really amazing people, inside and outside of the web.

So, I would like to take this opportunity to once again thank you all for your incredible support! To everyone who has ever commented here, I'm very thankful for your words. It always makes me very happy to read your thoughts, to interact and to know that there is someone there who may be reading what I'm writing. Thank you so much for reading, commenting, liking, following and supporting me! 

I'm very excited for the future of my blog! I'm very motivated to continue working on it and continue growing and evolving! Thank you for being there and let's celebrate together today! :)

10 Hours in Frankfurt

I hope you all had a lovely Easter! I had a great time with my family but I was a little sick so I couldn't do too much during last weekend. Anyway, I'm back today with another travel post and I thought it would be great to change a little bit and talk to you about a country that I have visited last year for the first time! I'm talking about Germany.

I was able to visit a little bit of this country last summer when I was coming back from Croatia because I had a 10-hour layover in Frankfurt. As always when I'm visiting a new place I was super excited to discover this city and for this case, in particular, I had an extra motivation to go to Frankfurt because I had the chance to see one of my friends, who is now living there. 

So, I arrived in Frankfurt around 8am and my flight to go back home was at 10pm. Therefore, I had a lot of time to spend and the first thing I did was getting a 24-hour transportation ticket to move around the city. It's very easy to get to the city center from the airport, I just took the train and in about 20 minutes I was at Frankfurt Main Train Station. 

I have to say that I didn't have too much information about what to see and do in the city so I found a Tourist Info office right there at the train station and asked for a map and some suggestions about how to spend my time there. They were super helpful at the Tourist info Office and gave me all the necessary directions and recommendations to start my journey!

I first walked a few streets in the direction of the Old Town to try to sense the vibe of this city. Frankfurt is a very big city, so it has a lot of movement and life. What I also noticed is that it is a very diverse place too! It was full of different restaurants serving foods from all over the world and you could see that there were a lot of people from different cultures living together there. 

After getting a little bit lost, I'm not going to lie :P I was able to find the Euro Building by accident. This building is very modern and that was another interesting thing about Frankfurt, the city is a perfect mix of extremely new and modern offices and buildings along with those traditional old German houses. 

When I reached the Old Town, I found some very nice traditional buildings with the most beautiful colors! I stayed there for a while taking some pictures, buying souvenirs and chatting with a local lady, who also gave me more recommendations! She told me to go and check out the river and the bridge, that were just behind the Old Town so I did exactly that. The bridge was really pretty and you could get a nice view of the city from there. 

After that, I had a little lunch that I bought in one of the bakeries. I really wanted to try that because the smell from the German bakeries was absolutely delicious and the sandwich I bought was delicious indeed. Then I went to visit one street that concentrated all the stores and also there was a shopping mall there. This street has a very lively atmosphere and it was full of people walking and doing some shopping. 

Around 4pm I was really tired of all that walking and sightseeing so I left the city center and went to pick up my friend to her office. Once I met with her, we went to visit the town where she actually lives, which I'm going to show you in a different post because it's the loveliest little town I have ever seen! 

So, that was what I did during my 10-hour layover in Frankfurt! I hope you like this post and please let me know if you have ever been to Frankfurt or Germany and also I would love to know if you also take advantage of layovers to explore some cities :)