Smoon'Style

Prussian Sights

2012-01-28T05:37:00.000-08:00

Hello Sweets,

On the 15th of January, we decided to do some sight seeing with our family.

The South of Germany has many greats sights to offer and I am working really hard on getting to know my new 'home town' a bit better.

Here you can see 'Burg Hohenzollern'. It was build in the 19th Century for King Friedrich Wilhelm the 4th from Prussia. The castle lies on a mountain which is 855 meters high. You have a wonderful view over the mountains. It feels like you are in a fairy tale.

If you ever come to the South of Germany, I can totally recommend paying a visit to the Castle.

The entrance is 5 euros for walking around the castle, if you want to enter and join a tour through the castle (which I totally recommend), the price lies at 10 euros.

I do want to warn you that even if you go in summer, the castle is extremely cold inside.

Take a sweater with you and wear closed shoes.

Castle kisses,

Simone

Little Red Riding Hoodie

2012-01-24T10:05:00.000-08:00

Hi sweets,

Who doesn't like fairytales? Some of my all time favorites is Little Red Riding Hood.

Some of my favorite actresses is Amanda Seyfried. She has a face I could look at for hours. Lovely lady.

She has something extraterrestrial. When I heard about the movie Red Riding Hood, I immediately ordered it.

Here is a make up look inspired by Amanda's look in the movie and also by Lisa Eldridge.

I think I look a bit between a mix of Red Riding Hood, 'Those we do not speak of' and a boxer... I'm not wearing a cape, but my ever so soft bathing robe, which happens to have the perfect color.

What I'm wearing;

MAC studio fix in NW20

MAC Raizin blush as eyeshadow and blush

MAC Dubonnet as a lip stain

Urban Decay Dark Horse as an eye liner

Chanel Inimitable Intense mascara

MAC Black Track as a tight line (upper water line)

Astor Eyebrow pencil in Gold Brown

Hope you like it!

Red Hoodie

Sunny Shades for Sale

2012-01-19T10:37:00.000-08:00

Hello sweets,

Below the photo you will find the link to Ebay.

Here we have a Ray Ban Clubmaster RB 3016 with fun colors. It's a size 51.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320834009410#ht_500wt_1204

Here we have the New Wayfarer RB 2132 in Cream/Brown size 52.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320834015637&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123#ht_500wt_1204

These are Ray Ban Jackie Ohh II RB 4098 in Cream/Brown with purple glasses (very hard to find)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320834014083&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123#ht_500wt_1204

The classic Wayfarer in Black size 50

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320834016918&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123#ht_500wt_1156

Again the classic Wayfarer RB 2140 in Gradient Brown size 50

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320834019110&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123#ht_500wt_1204

A neon Yellow with blue glasses Classic Wayfarer in size 47

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320834020576&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123#ht_500wt_1204

Ray Ban 2143 size 50

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320834021159&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123

Ray Ban Aviators in Gold Mirror size 55

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320834012123&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123

Ray Ban Cats 100 4126 in Light Brown

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320834019931&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123#ht_500wt_1204

A classic Rodenstock

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320834017983&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123#ht_500wt_1156

Love,

Simone

Prodige Pout

2012-01-18T11:00:00.000-08:00

Hello sweets,

If you'd ask me of which make up item I would have the biggest collection, it would be lipsticks.

I recently fell in love with a brand I haven't been that familiar with. It is Clarins.

Many years ago I bought a lipgloss (non sticky) from Clarins and that was about it. I loved it for many years until it was empty. I had it 'till recently. My cosmetic's closet was too full and needed a cleaning session. I dug up some treasures that had gone lost between the masses. Lots of products ended in the dust bin.

Behold one of my new lipstick loves from end 2011 and now 2012:

Rouge Prodige 105 Peach Sorbet

I have purchased two shades from the Prodige Pout collection. Besides Peach sorbet I also own 'Paprika' which you can see in this video; Paprika

Lipstick Love,

Simone

Bottoms Up!

2012-01-10T11:05:00.000-08:00

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Here's my latest liquid addiction; David Rio's Power Chai (tea).

I have my neighbor to thank for my latest drinking habits. She introduced me to the 'Chai Latte' about a year ago. It didn't take long for me to buy my own 'little' (400gram) container which was empty in no time.

Since I like it so much, I bought the 1,4 kilo package, which is now proudly standing in the kitchen.

I bought it at Amazon.de Here is the American link: Amazon.com

How I fix my drink;

3 tea spoons of powder

Hot water

Shot of milk (can be cold or hot)

It can be made with only milk, but I prefer the lighter version. It can also be enjoyed cold. Whatever is to your liking.

Enjoy!

Love, S

Mattly in Love

2012-01-07T14:15:00.000-08:00

Hi BB's,

After all the Christmas glitter I was ready for a nice matt look.
In this look I am wearing nada glitter, glimmer or shimmer. The only thing glossy are my eyeballs ;)
My cheeks are a bit dry from the weather and are a bit irritated. Wearing shimmer will only emphasize it more. Matt make up is definitely better suited.

On the lips; Essence lip pencil 01 Soft Rose, blotted with a translucent powder.

On the lips Essence lip pencil in 01 Soft Rose

MAC Eyeshadow in Blanc Type (3) and Malt (2) and Clinique's hyped 'Black Honey'.

I put the MAC eyeshadows in the Inglot palette since it comes with a mirror.

Matt kisses,

S

Nail of Thursday

2012-01-05T11:36:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone,

Here's what I'm currently wearing on my nails; China Glaze 'Lubu Heels'. I believe I got this one in the US some tours ago. It was supposed to be my Christmas nail polish, but I couldn't find it anywhere.

After cleaning up my nail polish collection, I finally found it again and smeared it on.

Don't you think that this nail polish looks like a sky filled with red stars? I certainly do.

Love, S

My New Baby-liss

2012-01-02T07:08:00.000-08:00

An Epica New Year everybody!

I hope that you entered 2012 safe and sound.

We had a low key celebration at home with our friends and C.Schwarzkopf.

For some time I have promised to post more about my hair and now I finally have some time to talk more about hair care. I've tested several products over a long time so that I could inform you about them.

First to start with is my new blow dryer, the BaByliss 2735E. It is a blow dryer and rotating brush in one.

I bought it on Amazon.de

I have been using it for over a month now and am really happy with it. I have rounded brushes and blow dryers, but was searching for a device that would replace both and would make the process a lot faster.

The whole process of styling my hair has been reduced to 15 minutes as to 30 minutes

At first I couldn't handle it due to it's unusual size. I actually had muscle ache in my hand for some days. With the second use it went much better and the results became better as well. If I have enough time, I part my hair in three sections to have the best result. When I am in a rush or just lazy, I'll only do the ends of my hair so that they won't jump in different directions and stay in place, nicely rounded to the inside. I am not much of an Abba girl, so I won't blow them to the outside.

The device comes with the main blowdryer and 4 parts;

- Two brushes. I have used the bigger one. The small one is for shorter hair, I suppose.

- Normal blow dryer top. I've tried it once, but the device is not as powerful as a normal hair dryer.

I first dry my hair a bit with a normal hair dryer and then style it with the Babyliss styler.

- Flattening top (haven't tried it out yet)

I bought the device for the brushes and won't use the other parts that came with it.

It does the job really well and I will continue to use it to style my hair.

Here are some before and after pictures;

Before

After

Love,

Smoon

Forever Kissing

2011-12-26T02:52:00.000-08:00

Good morning!

Here's a new post of my 'Best of' series and it concerns lip balm. Next up will be Tinted Lip Balm.
Winter time isn't particularly nice for our lips. Some people suffer from severely chapped lips. I myself can't live without a good lip balm. I'm always on the look out for the perfect formula that feels great, tastes and smells good.
Yesterday I split my lip for the very first time. I was too rough with rubbing my foundation off with a dry tissue. Luckily I have found the best lip balm for me. It is a lip balm from 'Forever Living', called Aloe Lips. Here is the link to the Dutch version; Forever Living Dutch
It was a present from Elise and I am forever grateful to her. The formula is just perfect, the scent is not to strong. It leaves my lips smooth, soft and shiny and even boyfriends/girlfriends will love this. You'll be forever kissable when you use this product. My split lip healed in no time, thanks to the healing power of Aloe.

Aloe Kisses,

Simone

I wish you an Epic Christmas

2011-12-24T02:46:00.000-08:00

Good morning!

Smoonie Claus is coming to town!
Christmas is finally here and I'm really excited! I get to see my whole family again, sit at the fire place and give away presents. Cozy times!
I hope that all of you are going to have a great time and that we will see each other again in 2012.
I will post some more from now on. The last couple of months where very hectic and left not much time for blogging. Our 5th CD 'Requiem for the Indifferent' is finally finished and will hit the stores on March 9th.
Until then we will have two shows in the Netherlands on the 12th and 13th of January, where we will play one new song.

I've put together a video message from Epica for all of you; EpiChristmas

Stay healthy and happy!

Love,

Smoon Claus

Amsterdam

2011-12-12T07:11:00.000-08:00

Hello BB's,

Last Thursday Epica had a secret acoustic show at the Backstage hotel in Amsterdam. We were there to celebrate their unique Jagermeister room (202) which was designed by Mardien Vink. She is the very first fan to get my autograph tattooed. We played three Epica songs, drank some Jagermeister, ate bitter ballen and went to bed.

On the next day Oliver and me did some sightseeing and shopping in Amsterdam. I had to get my haring from Frens (always go there) and had a tea at one of the beautiful cafe's.

Clothing break down;

Jacket from Zara

Scarf from New Yorker

Bag from Modalu London

Love, S

a Cranberry Christmas

2011-12-06T08:37:00.000-08:00

Hello Blog Babes,

Here is another look with one of my favorite MAC eyeshadows; Cranberry. A shade which is unique and a must have if you are a fan of bold colors. My Cranberry is part of a limited edition palette, but rest assured, it is part of the regular collection.

The Look Products;

MAC studio fix foundation in NW20

Essence eyebrow pencil 03 Light Brown

MAC Blurr, Gleam, Cranberry eyeshadow and a simple black eyeshadow for smoked eye liner effect from Sleek.

Bobbi Brown Black Inc gel eyeliner for tight lining the eyes

Burts Bees tinted lip balm in Tiger Lilly

The Balm Big Mama blush

MAC Soft and Gentle MSF

Lancome Hypnose Drama mascara

Hope you like it!

Love, S

Smoon's Shade

2011-12-04T08:40:00.000-08:00

Hello Blog babes,

Here's my latest purchase. I got these Armani Exchange sun glasses at Sao Paulo airport right before taking off to Germany. The number is AX193/s. They are my first AX and I must say that I love the look and quality. They feel more sturdy and are more comfortable than my RB Cats 1000, which are also on my head. The AX shades are only $85. I know that for some of you it is still a lot of money, but I rather invest in a good pair of sunglasses. I never lose or break them. I always religiously put them back in their cases.

Do you like them?

Love,

Design Your Epica

2011-11-30T08:25:00.000-08:00

Hi guys,

I've arrived home safe, after an 11-hour -flight back to Germany. I didn't have an entertainment center, unfortunately. I was afraid that it would be a really long, tedious flight. Then I started to talk to my neighbor and she turned out to be really lovely. We chatted for over 6 hours!

We've all had a great time in Latin America and received so many presents and cool artwork from you guys! Thanks for your creativity! Here is a piece which we all loved. Mark couldn't tell me who it was, so if you recognize your art, please let me know and you will be named.

Love,

Simone

Copper Peach

2011-11-27T20:34:00.000-08:00

Hi Guys,

Here you see one of my favorite MAC eyeshadows ever. This time I've used it as an eyeliner.

It's MAC's Coppering. I've used this eyeshadow mainly for EPICA shows, but I wanted to include it in a day make up. On my lips I'm wearing, once again, Freckletone with a Shiseido lipgloss on top; G26 Peach Melba. MAC Peachtwist on the cheeks.

Hope everything is peachy in your life too!

Love, S

Smile

2011-11-24T07:18:00.000-08:00

I saw this beautiful painting in a restaurant in Costa Rica. It made me smile instantly. I had to take a picture of it. Hope you like it.

Love from Buenos Aires,

Simone

Naked Face

2011-11-18T18:45:00.000-08:00

Hi Guys,

Here's a very neutral make up that I wore yesterday.

I'm wearing from the UD Naked palette sin and naked on the lid with whiskey pencil on the outer corner of the eyes. Lancome Hypnose drama mascara. Dior Forever 010 Ivory foundation. Bobbi Brown Cabo Coral on the cheeks and MAC's Freckletone on the lips.

Kisses,

S

Color Me Blue

2011-11-17T13:00:00.000-08:00

Helly Smoon babies,

Here's my nail of a couple of hours ago. I changed it today because it was not looking that decent anymore. It is the color 'Swimsuit Nailed It', by OPI. I ordered it on Ebay a while ago and took it with me on tour to try it out. It is a beautiful color but a pain in the but to take it off again. I lost 10 nail polish remover wipes trying to get it off. That is the disadvantage of these glitter nail polishes.

Still the color is amazing and a real eye catcher!

Love,

S

Such Chiq Lips

2011-11-14T18:55:00.000-08:00

Hello lovelies,

Smoonstyle looks a little different now, but I must say that I really like it!

It's easier now to browse through older posts so that they won't disappear and go in to hiding.

To celebrate the new look, I thought it would be nice to post something about my favorite make up item; Lipstick.

When I was watching a tutorial from pixi2woo, I found a new interesting product that I would love to try out. It is about the 'Chantecaille' Lip Chiq lipstick. The color she used was 'Geranium' and I was sold.

Chantecaille is kind of hard to come by when you do not live in England or America and it is insanely expensive. That did scare me a bit, but after seeing swatches online, I still couldn't forget about it.

Now I can say that I own two Lip Chiq's in the color 'Geranium' and 'Sari Rose'.

Here are some pics or me wearing 'Sari Rose';

The finish of the lipstick is very shiny, almost like a gloss. It is slightly sticky, but does stay and doesn't stray on the lips. Although it looks so glossy, you won't eat up the lipstick like with the MAC slim shine's, which are now the sheen supreme or the Dior Addict lipsticks.

It is very moisturizing and smells a bit like vanilla sugar, much stronger than with the MAC lipsticks.

The packaging is totally up my alley; slim, simple and classic. No unnecessary decorations which can break off.

This is one of my new favorites.

Love,

Autumnal Mood

2011-11-08T03:04:00.000-08:00

Hi guys,

In between my recording sessions in the studio I went home to recharge my battery and get some fresh air.

These photographs were taken close to my home town. I live really close to nature and enjoy the fresh air every day. I love cities, for shopping and sight seeing, but could never live in a city center.

I love autumn when the leaves are still displaying different moods. When the sun is shining you can encounter gorgeous sceneries.

Sunny kisses,

Simone

a Scary Smoon

2011-11-04T17:25:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

On the 31st of October, me and my friends were celebrating 'Dia de los Muertos' in the Rohre in Stuttgart.

I have never worn this much make up all at once. We spend about 4 hours getting ready. I've surfed the internet for tutorials and images. It was very difficult to choose a design, so I kind of did my own except for the eyes. They are inspired by:

Made by Heilemania.de

This was my first try at creating a 'Sugar Skull'. I didn't have any practice before and also didn't glue my eyebrows because I forgot to buy a 'Pritt Stick'. I do would like to erase my eyebrows one day. That I will save for next year.

Make Up used;

BH Cosmetics 120 palette (lots of green)

MAC Chili lipstick

MAC Blackground (underneath the green e/s)

MAC Black Black chromagraphic eye liner

White face paint by unidentified make up brand

Dress by Asos.com

Fake bird from Mulberry

A Good Cause

2011-10-21T13:02:00.000-07:00

Hello to all loyal Epica fans,

October is the month of Breast Cancer Awareness. I wanted to make my contribution, because it is important to keep on fighting cancer and keep those wonderful female assets intact.

I hereby want to auction off this kind of iconic top that I wore during the early days of Epica.

The money will be donated to Pink Ribbon

When you place your bid please keep in mind that they money goes to a good cause.

I thank you for all your loyalty and support throughout the years and hope that you are willing to help me raise a lot of money.

Here is the link to the beautiful butterfly top which is waiting for you on Ebay;

Simone's Style

Love,

Simone

Picture by Heilemania

Amarillo

2011-10-19T15:44:00.000-07:00

Jacket from Zara and bag from Fiorelli

More Orange Please

2011-10-16T02:35:00.000-07:00

A very good Sunday to all of you,

Over here the sun is shining in to my bed room. Lovely to wake up like this.

From my room I can see the forrest clearly and all it's leaves changing colors.

I wish that the autumn leaves would not fall so fast. The colors are beautiful and they are also my favorite colors.

Luckily we have fashion and all it's colors. You can wear the autumn yourself and have a little color therapy.

The lipstick that I am wearing on the header picture is from MAC 'So Chaud'. It is a bright red orange with a matte finish.

MAC Lipstick in 'Morange'

Reni and me wearing 'Morange' as a joke because this color scared us the most.

The true essence of the color is closest on the second photo. It is a bright, in-your-face orange. This color would look great on blonds with blue or green eyes, on light skin tones, on dark skin tones. I would say that you should try it out and see if you like it. It suits everybody. If the color is too strong for you, you can also blot it a bit. Lisa Eldridge has made a great video on how to wear one lipstick in many different ways. Check it out, it helped me a lot.

Orange Kisses,

Simone

Shooting At Home

2011-10-13T12:42:00.000-07:00

Here is a little, tiny- whiny preview of my make up from the second photo shoot that I had with Heile.
He came to my house since we live pretty close to each other now.
Like always, we had a good time and came up with some great images. I can't wait to see the end result!

The camera focused on Heile since he is definitely the more beautiful person in the room ;)

Black kisses,

Simone

New York Blisters

2011-10-11T11:33:00.000-07:00

Hello lovelies,

During my stay in the States with Kamelot, I spend one day with Elise in New York.

We took the bus from Secaucus into NY which was only 6 dollars for a round trip! 30 Minutes later we were in the center and ready to walk for hours to come.

Stupid me wore ballerina shoes, which are not the best for lots of walking.

I had to go to the Sephora on Times Square and Elise had to find some shoes. Sephora and me spend 3 hours together. My wallet asked for a divorce. I ended up buying only one item and that was a eyeshadow palette from Stila. I didn't make too many pictures because I only had my Nikkor 50 mm lense. Another mistake and bad preparation for New York. My bad. It is an amazing lens, though.

Enjoy the larger pictures!

Taken with a Nikon 50 mm lens. Hard to make duo portraits when holding the camera yourself ;)

Can you find us?

World Animal Day

2011-10-04T12:37:00.000-07:00

Captain Schwarzkopf enjoying our balcony

Love, S

Circadian Rhythms

2011-10-02T14:26:00.000-07:00

Hi guys,

Circa what?
Since one week today I've returned home from the Kamelot tour through the USA and Canada.
In my career I've experienced very little jet lags, but this time I got it bad.
We arrived in Germany at 9 am, which was 3 am for us in America. Time to go to bed and not to start a new day. I slept 3 hours in the plane and felt somewhat refreshed.

Unfortunately it took me a long time to get back in to European time. Waking up at 3 am in the morning, even though I went to sleep at 22.00 is quite unpleasant. Imagine that 3 nights in a row and add up two sleepless nights before that. I was once again Smoon Zombie. I've tried to fall asleep again and waited many hours, counted millions of sea horses ( I prefer those to sheep), but I was wide awake and deeply frustrated, which also doesn't help you to fall back asleep again.

The weather is amazing, but also confusing. The leaves are turning red and falling down, but the temperature feels more like we're in the middle of summer. The only thing autumn like is my mind which is still foggy from the jet lag.

Speaking about sleeping, it is time for me to go to bed!

Sleep well,

S

Universal Studios

2011-09-19T21:25:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

Before the Kamelot tour kicked off, Oliver and me spend two days at Universal Studios in Orlando.
The first day we went to Universal Studios and the second to The Islands of Adventure.
The weather was insanely hot and humid. Lots of sweating and swollen feet where awaiting me.
At the end of the day the weather changed and the roller coaster which we saved for the last was closed down because of the rain.
The second day we decided to go to the Islands of Adventure. With many of the attractions you have to leave your bags inside a locker. The side where my locker was located crashed, so we had to wait for 45 minutes for the technician to fix it.
One of the most wanted attractions had to be Harry Potter. When we arrived, all the lockers where occupied. All the people that went to Islands of Adventure where at the Harry Potter section. It was packed! I couldn't wait any longer between all the perspiring people and had to walk away. So no Harry Potter for us.
My favorite attractions were the Mummy roller coaster and Spider Man.
All in all we didn't enter many attractions due to long waiting lines and me being half as fast because of the heat and humidity.

Here are some pics from our first day at Universal. The second day I somehow forgot that I had a camera or the pictures that I took, are not worth showing. The last picture is actually for the second day, though ;)

A Taste of the Past

2011-09-14T18:47:00.000-07:00

Hi sweet peas,

This Blistex lip balm in the flavour 'Lemon and Rasperries' reminds me of the candy lipsticks which I loved to eat when I was little. I got this lip balm in the USA last year. I think it was a limited edition.

Does anybody know these candy lipsticks? Do they still make these?

The taste of it takes me back to the days that I spend on the play ground. I use it only for the flavor since the quality is not that great. Blistex has better products, but the taste of this one is just amazing.

I recently found a body spray by Bath and Body Works which smells like my very first perfume. More about that in another post.

Candy Kisses,

Simone

Anniversary

2011-09-03T10:35:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

Wow, already one year has passed since my first post on Smoonstyle.
I never thought that I would have over 2000 subscribers. Thank you!
It's always lovely to meet Epica fans that also follow my blog. It is a lot of fun to update the blog and even more when people appreciate it.
I shall continue to keep you all informed with Smoonstyle material.

Here is an exhibit of when it all began. I must have been about 2 years old on this photo. My dad was always carrying a camera around and I guess that I got inspired by him. Hi is very talented and very creative. His current camera is the Nikon D7000.

Me at work at only 2 years old

Flashing kisses,

Simone

Heile-Smoonia

2011-08-31T14:12:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

Here are two amazing pictures created by the talented Stefan Heilemann.

You might know him from the last two Epica records (Classical Conspiracy, DYU) and Sons of Seasons. I've worked with him several times and am always excited to see the outcome.

If you'd like to check out Heile's work then go to; http://heilemania.de/

Enjoy, there will be more to come.

'Statue of Ice'

'Swallow the Pain'

Love,

Smoonia

Simone Solitude

2011-08-28T15:52:00.000-07:00

Hello everybody,

Before the American tour started, Oliver and I took some time to visit Castle Solitude in Stuttgart.

It was a hot day, so the fan that I took with me that day came in handy.

The dress that I'm wearing is from Warehouse and the handbag from Picard.

Love,

Simone

Son of a Tooth Brush

2011-08-23T06:12:00.000-07:00

Hi Blog babes,

Oliver and me have reached Orlando safely on the 21st of August.
We decided to go a to the US a couple of days before the tour, so we could go to Universal Studios.
For our first flight we had to be at the airport at 8 am. That meant almost no sleep, because the night before the flight your mind is processing what you need to take with you and what you think you might forget.
I normally never sleep well on a plane, but since I have one of these CLOUDZ neck pillows, I sleep like a baby.
Many hours later we arrived in Orlando. We were waiting for the shuttle to come pick us up and were trying not to pass out in the heat. It's around 32 degrees Celsius over here and very humid. It feels like you're hitting a wall when you get out of air conditioned buildings. For me it feels like your walking from the fridge to the oven, like a deep frozen pizza to a ready to eat pizza.
All the hotels you could possibly think of had regular shuttles, except for ours. Turned out that you had to make a call to get a shuttle. Luckily there was a very nice English gentlemen that borrowed me his phone.
I was so ready for a shower, teethe cleaning session and a bed. At home I use an electric tooth brush, but I left it there since I can't really charge it here and it's quite heavy. Oliver got me a tooth brush from the hotel and that's where the horror began.
At the end of my cleaning session with a horrible weak tooth brush, I felt an awful pain in my throat. I thought I hurt a nerve by my too enthusiastic cleaning habits. Every time I moved my tongue side ways or forward, I felt an agonizing pain. It was a pain I never felt before and was very worried. I looked for minutes in my mouth to find something. If I poked myself, I should be bleeding, but there was no blood.
I decided to go to bed with a throat pastille and was hoping for waking up the next morning pain free.
Little did I know that I was up for another night of no sleep.
On the next morning I took my Nokia, turned on the flash and gave myself an appointment with 'Throat-Nose- and Ear' Doctor Simons. After some poking around I saw that in the side of my 'back throat' there was a tooth brush hair stuck in there. That son of a cheap hotel tooth brush was poking me all night long.
When I tried to get it out, it jumped in my throat. It's not a pleasant feeling knowing that you have plastic in your body, but I was relieved that it was no longer hurting me. What a relief it was to get it out!

I am hereby sentencing this tooth brush to Dental Prison for life!

Kisses from a soar mouth,

Simone

Three Times a Charm

2011-08-20T12:29:00.000-07:00

Hi Blogbabes,

One of my favorite make up items is definitely lipstick. I have a lot of colors and brands to choose and experiment with. I like to wear natural and bang-in-your-face colors. These three shades I'm showing you here are the ones where your boyfriend doesn't want to kiss you. Boyfriends don't like bright lipstick in general. I see lipsticks more as mood sticks. I wear whatever I feel like. When I wear bright lips, I mostly never do more on the eyes than some mascara, skin toned eyeshadow and some eye liner.

What are your favorite lipstick colors? If you like this pictures, I might show you some more natural lipsticks some time soon.

Rouge Dior 066

Rouge Dior Mazette 028

Rouge Dior Rouge Blossom 644

Beautiful Bright Kisses,

Simone

Smoon's Summer Style

2011-08-16T06:24:00.000-07:00

Hi Smoon Babies,

Here are two outfits which I wore during the summer.
Both dresses are from Asos. Jasmin from Tea and Twigs told me about Asos a while ago and ever since I've been ordering quite a lot of clothing from their site. Their service is really great. The send out the packages really quickly and you can send it back without any extra costs. All is taken care off. I find it very relaxed to shop on their site. I find their clothing really afforable. Sometimes I find something which I really like and them am shocked to find out that it's a designer brand and costs 400 euros...

Shoes from H&M

Love,

Simone

BLOG SALE: MORE MAC

2011-08-08T07:03:00.000-07:00

Hi ho,

Here are some more MAC products which I would like to sell. Some are brand new, some barely used.
I've received so many mails and couldn't help everybody. I've made a second selection of products which are too pretty to keep and not use. All lipsticks are sanitized.
Have a look, there might be something interesting for you.
The prizes depend on how often I've used them and how much product is left.

Rules:
- Payment only via PayPal.
- Product will be shipped 1/2 days after payment.
- If payment is not in after 3 to 4 days, the item will go back on sale.
- Ship worldwide.
- Shipping cost will be added. Cost depends on country.
- Do not take back the items.
- When items are sold; the pictures disappears.
- If you are interested, please send a mail to; smoonstyle@googlemail.com

Happy shopping!

Love,

Simone

Summer Blues

2011-08-07T08:07:00.000-07:00

Hi Ho,

Oliver and me had to do some shopping for the house yesterday.
I was walking around in an old H&M dress, but didn't want to change in to something else.
That's why I decided to add some things instead:

- Jacket and dress are from H&M
- Necklace from Bijoux Brigitte
- Nailpolish Espirit 101 Lavendar
- Eyes; MAC Gold Mode pigment
- MAC Stereo Rose on the cheeks
- Lips MAC Freckletone
- Sunglasses Ray Ban
- Hand bag: Essentuals Casual

My hand bag is so old, it even has some chewing gum in it, but I won't throw it away. It holds my purse, phones, keys, make up and keys. It has the perfect size for a day of shopping. No shoulder or neck pain in the evening.

I wish you all a lovely Sunday filled with Sundays :) (ice cream)

Love,

Simone

Grilling Away

2011-08-04T11:54:00.000-07:00

Hello to all the blog babies,

This summer has had beautiful and more autumn-like days.
Today however, was a lovely day were all of us needed a little more deodorant than usual.
In case you are wondering; my deodorant is a deo roller from Dusch Das in the scent; Golden Cashmere. It does the job pretty well.
One of my favorite smells of summer is definitely BBQ. I never eat a lot of meat, but I eat a lot of the side dishes. My favorite is garlic yoghurt with baguette. Can survive on that alone. Unfortunately, my job would be in danger if I would reek of garlic all the time.
For the last two BBQ parties I've added:

-Tangerines

-Cucumber

- Paprika

- Sylter salad dressing

The usual tomato mozzarella basil with black pepper

Meet Captain Schwarzkopf. He is the cat of our neighbors, but also a friend of ours. He pays daily visits to our house.

When Oliver and I first took a look at our new home, he came and welcomed us. Felt a bit like a scene out of 'Coraline'. We are very happy that due to our profession we can still enjoy having an animal around every once in a while. I love animals, but can't really take care of them because we are on the road half of the year. This is the perfect solution.

Garlic Kisses,

Simone

Ps. Due to privacy reasons I changed his name :) Cat's preferences ;)

a Star's Make Up

2011-07-28T10:15:00.000-07:00

Hello everybody,

When I was in Helsinki with Epica, I had the pleasure to do Anneke van Giersbergen's make up!

It was fun to hang out with her and talk about all girly stuff. I find her extremely charismatic. She simply radiates a lovely energy. She's such a sweet heart!

I also managed to have a quick talk with Devin Townsend and shot some pics while at it.

Anneke asked for a nice smokey eye. I showed her the make up that I brought with me and she really liked my 'Good Girl' palette from Sleek, which is full of pinks. After some swatching we decided to use a lovely pink from MAC.

If you're interested in the products which I used for Anneke's look, please scroll down.

Two Dutch ladies

With Devin Townsend

For the eyes;

MAC pigment in 'Bright Fuschia'

MAC Copperplate e/s

MAC Print e/s

Black e/s from Sleek (you can find this in almost all the Sleep palettes)

Urban Decay Sin as highlighter

Clinique 02 True Black eyeliner (also on the water line)

On the cheeks:

MAC Springsheen blush

MAC Silver Dusk highlighter

On the lips:

MAC 'Cherish' l/s

NYX lipliner pecil in 819 'Soft Brown'

Anneke was very pleased with her black and pink smokey eye, so was I.
Hope you like it!

Love,

S

Purple Gaze

2011-07-22T11:33:00.000-07:00

Hello to all my blog readers,

Here's a little make up look I like to wear a lot lately. Whenever I'm in the mood to invest more time in a good eye make up, I grab my purples and paint away.

Purples and burgundy's really do bring out my blue eyes. Purple is a versatile color which will look good on everybody. These pictures I've made quite some time ago, so I can't remember all the products that I've used. The main ingredient for this purple candy look was MAC's pain pot in 'Artifact' and an Inglot eyeshadow trio which has a purple, a burgundy and a pink color. On the lips I'm wearing Revlon 'Peach' lipstick. Eyeliner is from Bobbi Brown in Black Inc.

Hope you like my purple gaze.

Love,

Simone

Little Balls of Luxury

2011-07-13T12:08:00.000-07:00

Hi Guys,

Lately I was visiting Sea of Shoes and found a post about make up.
When I saw the Guerlain Meteorites, I immediately wanted to know more about them.
Normally I care more for practical make up, but something in me really wanted to see if this was something for me. Of course the packaging lured me to the shops.

Number 1 (Teint Rose) ended up in my bag, after I paid for it, of course. This little balls of luxury cost 45 euros. In Muller you can also have them for 39 euros. According to the sales lady, these last for 2 years, if used every single day.

I'm not sure if I like the perfume. It reminds me a bit of an older lady's perfume. I like to sniff it because it smells a bit of my grandma's make up, but to have that smell in my face is not my thing. Luckily the smell dies quickly.

How does it work; each ball has it's own function and that is not eating them. I know they look yummy, but they are too expensive to eat, and probably give you a bad stomach ache. You will shine from the inside, but look horrible on the outside from feeling ill.

The white ones are for highlighting, the yellow one adds more radiance, the green cancels yellowness, mauve reflects light, the pink ones evens out the complexion.

I'm using it now since a couple of days for my whole face and can tell you one thing; if you look closely, you can see the glitter. That is a bit disappointing. I can't really tell if it even's out my complexion, I'll have to play with it a little more.

For me, this is just a piece of luxury and fun to play with. It is not a holy grail. As I wrote on Twitter before, the balls are literally flying through my room when I am trying to apply these. You are supposed to swirl your brush in there, but when I do, some of these little meteorites are flying back to outer space.

What's your luxury product that doesn't do much for you, but you just like to own?

Love,

Pretty Pastel

2011-07-11T03:46:00.000-07:00

Hi Guys,

Here's an easy make up look.

I'm wearing;

On the eyes; MAC e/s 'Juxt'

On the cheeks; The Body Shop blush in 'Coral'

On the lips: Manhattan lipstick 53H Rosewood (limited edition)

Love,

Something Sweet for the Soul

2011-07-07T15:22:00.000-07:00

Hi Guys,

When you know that I am the Candy Queen of Metal, you know that you can expect something sweet every once in a while on my blog.

Today we are talking about Macaroons. I recently had my very first macaroon when I was in Stuttgart. They always appealed to me because of their color, but the taste is even greater. These are again stones for the stomach, so don't eat too many of them. Your wallet might hurt after buying a couple of these, they are 1 euro a piece, but they are little bombs of heaven. My favorite is the pistachio and mango. My sister also tried her first macaroon and was not sure how they would taste like, by looking at them. She was a little skeptical at the beginning but changed her mind quickly after tasting it.

If you'd like to know a bit more about the history of Macaroons you could visit this page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macaron

Next time when I am in Paris, I shall pay a visit to Laduree

Bon Appetit!

Love,

Simone

Please leave a message after the beep

2011-07-06T10:22:00.000-07:00

An Orang Oetan playing hide and seek at the Wilhelma Zoo in Stuttgart.

Fields of Gold

2011-07-03T14:00:00.000-07:00

Hi Guys,

Here's a little souvenir from a sunny day in the fields of gold.

Pictures are made with my Canon Powershot S95. I'm very pleased with the results of this sturdy compact. Hope you like them!

You'll remember me, when the west wind moves.....

Love,

Simone

Freckle Toned

2011-06-28T12:31:00.000-07:00

Hello there,

If I was to pick only one MAC lipstick, it would be 'Freckletone'. I got 'Freckletone' in New York, last year along with 'Cherish'. Freckletone has a lustre finish and Cherish a satin finish. Cherish I like to wear during shows when I have a really heavy smokey eye. Freckletone is my go to lipstick.
Sadly, my second Freckle is about to die. Luckily, I got a back up in the house. On to the third one and many more.

Love,

Alien Hair

2011-06-27T11:56:00.000-07:00

Hey Guys,

Finally a hairy post.

Underneath my semi straight hair, lie a couple of strange curls.

I've never seen them before, and was quite surprised when I saw them.

My natural hair is semi straight/slightly wavy. Whenever I want really straight hair, I blow dry it with or without a round hair brush. These curls are very resistant, only the GHD can get rid of them. I must say that I kind of like them and leave them in peace.

Lipstick is from Shu Uemura nr. OR 572.

Love, S

Nikon Peacock

2011-06-20T13:39:00.000-07:00

Hi Smoonies,

Yesterday I went to a Medieval Market in Horb, Germany. We had sun and rain and lots to drink.

In a nutshell; we had a great time!

Here are two pics taken with my new lens; Nikkor 50 mm

On my lips I am wearing MAC Redd lip pencil. It last much longer than a lipstick, but it does dry out the lips a bit.

Love,

Smoonie Peacock

Best of: Hand Lotion

2011-06-18T02:31:00.000-07:00

Hi guys,

This is my secret for soft hands;

My hands are very sensitive and dry out pretty fast, but with this lotion, my hands don't suffer that much anymore.

This must be about my 20th tube that I bought. I have been using this lotion for over 4 years, and I still love it. Nothing makes me hands feel softer and nourished as this hand lotion from Eubos.

I think that it was for a reason that ,'Stiftung Warentest' rated this lotion with a 1,5 (very good).

The lotion gets absorbed by the skin really fast and doesn't leave this weird layer on the skin like some other intensive hand lotions do. It smells divine. I've tried other hand cremes, but no other product has even come close to Eubos.

I use it during the whole year. Normally I have about 3 tubes lying around, but this is my last one. That reminds me; I have to stock up again.

You can buy this lotion in Germany in pharmacies and in online pharmacies. It contains 75 ml and costs about 6 euros. You can also buy this in other sizes as well.

More 'Best Of' to come, so stay tuned!

Love,

U Must Have/See This

2011-06-15T12:41:00.000-07:00

Hi ho,

Here's a face/nail of the day for you blog readers.

This H&M nail polish is already a year old, unfortunately. I agree with H&M which has given it the name; 'U Must Have This'. It is my favorite summer blue.
The eye pencil is from NYX, number 926 Electric Blue. I bought this at Douglas in Germany.

Smurf Greetings,

S

Give us a Kissy Wissy

2011-06-14T14:35:00.000-07:00

Hello lovely mortals,

Here's me trying to seduce a skeleton during my photo shoot with Marie for Seventh Circle Artwork in London. Had loads of props on the set to play with as you can see.

Make up by me, hair by Nina Kate. The top I'm wearing is from Jane Doe, by Nina Kate; http://janedoelatex.com

Here's the finished result. Jane Doe Collection

Kissy Wiggins,

Best Of; Body Lotions

2011-06-09T15:37:00.000-07:00

Hi Smoon Babies,

I thought that it would be nice to do a 'Best of' Series where I will show a couple of my favorite products from head to toe.
First episode from 'Best of' is; body lotion.

Some people (girls), use body lotion after every shower. When I would go to the gym, half of the women which were just freshly washed, were lathering on the lotion. I never had the patience nor persistence to keep up with this kind of ritual. Besides the whole smearing, which is a work out by itself, you also can't get your pants back on. Whenever I use body lotion, I would put it on before going to sleep, so that the lotion could really sink into my skin, and not my pants.
That was the case until I ran in to the best body lotion ever. May I present to you:

On the left you find my ultimate favorite 'lather-me- on-lotion'; Balea. Balea is the house brand from the german drugstore called DM. www.dm-drogeriemarkt.de/ I use a lot of Balea products. You get great value for money.
I love everything about this lotion, the scent (very important), the skin absorbs is really fast. No other lotion has made my skin this soft. This lotion, which contains 200 ml, only costs 1.75 euro. Simply unbeatable.
The only little disadvantage is that it does leave oil stains on the ground or car in my case. I once used it on my feet and then put my feet up, leaving two footprints on the dashboard... My car was all soft and smooth.
I mainly use it for my arms and legs, there you'll be safe from leaving prints.

The second lotion is from www.obeyyourbody.com I found this brand while shopping in a mall in America. The smell just brings back good memories of touring through the USA. This is the second time that I bought this kiwi lotion. When I went back to buy it a second time, I didn't know how it was called. Luckily the lady was very helpful with finding the right one. She offered me two for a very good price, but I decided to only take one because of my poor suitcase, which was already stuffed to the max.

Next time when I'm in the US, I'll definitely get me a third one!

Happy lathering!

Love,

Simone

Self Portrait

2011-06-04T08:40:00.001-07:00

Made with my Nikon D300s

Your Questioned Answered

2011-06-03T04:53:00.000-07:00

Hi Smoonbabies,

Here it is; the video with the answers:

Questions Answered

Thanks for sending in your questions and have a lovely day!

Love, S

Maxi Me

2011-06-01T14:17:00.000-07:00

Hello people,

Have you also been enjoying the lovely weather lately? I surely did. Not today, today's grim.

Here's a picture of me, wearing Ray Ban sunglasses and a maxi dress from H&M.

I love maxi dresses. If you decide to go camping somewhere, you'll always have a tent with you ;)

Got a Question?

2011-06-01T11:45:00.000-07:00

Hello Smoonbabies,

Ever wanted to ask me a question?
Send your question to smoonstyle and I will collect 15/20 of the most unique questions and make a video about it.
Looking forward to reading your questions!
I'm going to make a video one of these upcoming days once I've collected enough questions.

Have a lovely evening,

S

A Very Tasty Budapest

2011-05-24T14:02:00.000-07:00

Good evening to all the readers!

I've been traveling a lot lately and finally found some time to upload my blog with some nice touring pictures. When I was touring with Kamelot, we had a day off in Budapest, Hungary.
We were walking our feet off and ate until we almost burst ;) We had a lovely day. The sun was shining and the wind was blowing. I had to wear two jackets because it was kind of cold.

Supporting the local musicians

Searching for something sweet in the famous Gerbeaud

Found it :)

Baileys pie. Delicious, but deadly heavy for the stomach :)

St. Istvan

Please click on link if you're a sweet tooth like me: Kürtőskalács

Yes, I ate the whole thing!

Enjoying a private concert

Love, S

Touring like crazy!

2011-05-10T05:50:00.000-07:00

Hi ho surfers,

Yesterday I was home to repack my suitcase for a new tour with Sons of Seasons and Mark's second band MaYaN. The last couple of months have been quite hectic, but a lot of fun. I've been touring with Kamelot and Epica. I am seeing so many nice places and meeting lovely people.

Today I am in Cologne, where I will sing the Haunting for the last time. I cannot join for the other shows because they are overlapping with the SoS and MaYaN shows.

I will be performing with both bands on stage. Will be something different compared to Epica.
SoS' new record; Magnisphyricon has already been out since a couple of weeks. I made a little trailer on my youtube channel: SoStrailer
The debut from MaYaN Quarterpast will be released on the 29th of May, but you can hear the music before that already.

Here are the dates for the new tour. It would be great to see you at the shows.
You'll have an evening filled with lovely tunes.

Date	Venue	City	Country
13-05-2011	Baroeg *	Rotterdam	The Netherlands
14-05-2011	Escape *	Veenendaal	The Netherlands
19-05-2011	Paradiso	Amsterdam	The Netherlands
20-05-2011	Atak	Enschede	The Netherlands
21-05-2011	Romein	Leeuwarden	The Netherlands
25-05-2011	Café Nachtleben	Frankfurt	Germany
26-05-2011	Effenaar	Eindhoven	The Netherlands
27-05-2011	Doornroosje	Nijmegen	The Netherlands
28-05-2011	CCRM	Lessines	Belgium
31-05-2011	Backstage	Munich	Germany
16-07-2011	Zwarte Cross	Lichtenvoorde	The Netherlands

* Are try out shows. Zwarte Cross and Paradiso are without SoS

Suitcase Kisses,

S

Mila-no Mila-yes

2011-05-06T11:49:00.000-07:00

Hi sweets,

The Kamelotties and Smoontje had a great time in Milano.
We were taken out for lunch by some Italian friends.
So where do you go to; Piazza del Duomo!

Love, S

Clubbing Away

2011-05-05T07:00:00.000-07:00

Hi fellowship of the Internet,

Here's a look I've been sporting a lot lately. It's fun, super fast and looks good on everybody.

I've worn it many times and also did this look for Elise, she loves it!

Products used:

MAC paintpot in Blackground

MAC eyeshadow in Club

MAC Reflects Glitter in Antique Gold

Clinique Eyeliner in black

MAC #44 eyelashes

MAC Harmony blush

MAC Taupe lipstick

Love, S

Luzern

2011-04-30T10:08:00.000-07:00

Hi guys!

Being on tour with Kamelot means that I do have more time than usual to go out and do some sight seeing.
Most of the clubs where we're playing are often in the outskirts of the cities, but today we are close to the city center. The sun was shining and the mood was good. Luzern is very beautiful, but very expensive. Switzerland is the most wealthy country in Europe. Norway is second. I was in the mood for an ice cream, but it was 2.47 euros a scoop! So no ice cream for me, at least today.

Some pictures;

Love,

S

Everybody loves the Sun

2011-04-29T08:55:00.000-07:00

Good day to all!

We have survived the London Royalness/mess and are now in Luxembourg.
The day started with sunshine but soon after we had a heavy rainstorm.
I myself am don't bathe too much in the sun, but still love the sun. Waking up and seeing the sun fills me with positive energy. I prefer light to darkness.

While browsing through my pictures, I found some cute ones of the baby geese who live in our village. They also enjoy the sun. As cute as they look, they are extremely aggressive and wake us up in the morning. I often don't want to come too close, since they are extremely protective of their babies.
The pictures that I took were taken from our balcony.
While the babies were taken in the sunshine, they were blocking the street. On both sides there were a lot of people waiting. They didn't dare to come too close. It was a funny scene.

Mama or daddy looking out for danger.

Mommy offering her warmth to her babies.

Sunny greetings,

S

My Mimosa

2011-04-27T05:27:00.000-07:00

Heya,

Yellow is one of my favorite colors. From as long as I can remember, yellow was my first pick.

Even with candy, I somehow favor yellow. I know, it's weird.

Yellow makes me happy. It is a warm and fun color.

So when Chanel comes out with a yellow nail polish, I'd like to have it.

My good friend Casey (Kamelot) brought me one from the States. You can see me wearing it on the previous post with the Lindt chocolate.

I kind of forgot that I had asked him to bring it for me, so when he showed me the nail polish I squeaked a bit. This color is highly hyped and will be difficult to get your hands on.

Here are some more pictures:

Here you can see the shimmer a bit better.

I put on three coats, but they were too thick. It was a bubbly mess, but that was because of my messiness. I will give it another try some other time. The color is lovely and will definitely join me during these sunny days.

Yellow Love,

Simone

Paris et Simone

2011-04-25T08:41:00.000-07:00

Hi guys,

We are having a lovely time here in Paris. The weather couldn't be better!
Earlier today, Oliver and me went out to get some brunch:

When we came back we got a lovely surprise from a French fan: Easter Eggs!

Merci beaucoup! Looking forward to the show tonight.

Bisous,

Simone

Black Metal Easter Bunny

2011-04-24T11:35:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter everybody!

I'm currently on tour with Kamelot and today we are in Antwerpen.
Yesterday we had a great gig in Amsterdam and tomorrow we're in Paris. Life's good!
We're celebrating Easter with our metal fans and some bunnies, which hid the eggs too well.
After a long search, I finally found my easter egg:

I also met the Easter Bunny:

This cute bunny was wandering around the back yard of the venue. He thought he could hide those Ferrero Roche's for me, but I found them anyway.
Enjoy the holidays!

Love,

S

Scenery

2011-04-21T00:26:00.000-07:00

My family, Oliver and me went to Epen yesterday to take a walk and of course eat an ice cream to cool down a bit. The weather is so lovely these days. It almost feels like summer. I love waking up in the morning to see that the sun is sharing it's rays with us.

Have a wonderful day!

Love, S

The Black Knight

2011-04-18T09:37:00.000-07:00

Hi,

As promised earlier, here a picture with black lipstick.
This is look I created when I was alone in my hotel room. Black lipstick is not so suitable for grocery shopping. I would also not wear it onstage, but more for photo shoots.

This picture is over one year old and I cannot remember which MAC eyeshadow I've used. I am not sure, but it could be 'Cobalt'.

The lipstick is MAC's Style Black limited edition in 'Black Knight'. The blue highlight on my on my lips is MAC 'Freshwater'.

Before MAC released their 'Style Black' limited edition, I went to a MAC in Amsterdam where a make up artist gave me a 'black lip'. Style Black wasn't out yet, so he used black kohl.

I have to continue packing for the the upcoming Epica shows and the Kamelot tour.

Love,

Downgrade

2011-04-17T13:21:00.000-07:00

Hello guys,

A little story from my side for you to read.
On our flight back from Mexico to Germany, Oliver and me were sitting at the 'three seater' at the window. The bigger airplanes are divided in three sections; on the outer sides there are three seats and in the middle there are 5 seats.
The window seat was still empty and we were both anxiously awaiting our travel partner.
We both have had nasty experiences with people not using any deodorant, making weird sounds (snoring, farting etc.) or talking to you continuously.
When our guy approached us, we were relieved. No weird smells and he looked quite decent.
It turned out to be a continuous complainer. He was downgraded from first class to second class. Nothing was good enough for him. We were sitting at a compartment without chairs in front of us. Oliver was happy that he had enough leg room. I was happy that nobody in front of me would put their chair in my face. But our lovely friend was complaining about everything and kind of spoiled it for us.
I tried to be nice to him by helping him where ever I could. The stewardess was afraid of him and was doing everything possible to help him. Luckily I was sleeping most of the time so I didn't have to put up with his bad mood all the time.
He did give me the feeling that nothing in the second class was good enough for him and that he was better than us and deserved more attention. In a way he was right to be angry since he probably paid for an expensive ticket and got downgraded to the second class, but it wasn't our fault nor the stewardess'.

Love,

S

Black Copper

2011-04-14T10:55:00.000-07:00

Hi Guys,

One of my new stage make up looks is inspired by a make up guru on YouTube.
JlovesMac

The only thing that I did the same are the eyes. I toned down the lips, contoured and 'blushed' the cheeks, so that I wouldn't look like the undead. I adore this dark smokey eye because it looks amazing and doesn't take that much time or products. This make up takes only 10 minutes and it really easy to do.

Products used:

MAC Paintpot in Blackground

Sleek Graphite palette, the black eyeshadow

MAC Coppering eyeshadow

MAC Feline kohl power

MAC Nylon eyeshadow for inner corner of the eye

MAC False lashes in number 44

MAC Taupe lipstick

MAC Harmony blush to contour the cheeks

Illamasqua Lover blush

MAC highlighter in Silver Dusk

Hope you like it!

Love,

Nude Nails

2011-04-12T12:27:00.000-07:00

Hi guys,

Whenever I don't want a bright color on my nails, I go for a nice nude. It's a very flattering look that makes the fingers look slimmer and longer.
One of my favorite colors is 'Beige' from H&M.

H&M has two series of nail polishes in their current collection. One is with pinks and purples and the other with white, dark blue, brown and a nude. The pink set are creamy with a little shine to them, the nude set are all creams. Cream nail polishes are my favorite finish.
I got both sets, but the one with the nude twice. They are very tiny and won't last that long. I know for sure that I will finish them. They beige is half empty and this is only my third time that I use it.
I also brought the blue and the brown with me on tour. Because they are so small, they don't weigh too much. When I have a tour where I have to fly a lot, I mostly only take small sizes with me. OPI's Midnight in Moscow is always with me, despite it's seize.

The quality from the H&M polishes is ok, unfortunately the beige dries out fast and the finish is getting a bit too creamy which makes it hard to work with. Still, it is a beautiful nude.

Love,

S

Push the Butt-On

2011-04-08T19:38:00.000-07:00

Hi guys,

Lately something funny happened to me, and I thought it would be something that I'd want to share with you. Actually, a lot of funny things happen to me, especially on the road. Some are too embarrassing to share with you.

Kamelot asked me to join them on tour. Oliver and me left to Frankfurt on the 5th of April.
I sometimes get into really awkward positions, because I try to carry all my bags and not hit people around me.

When Oliver, me and all my bags tried to squeeze into a small elevator, the alarm suddenly went off.
We didn't know how it happened and told the lady on the speaker that it was a false alarm.
I started to think how it could have happened. Then it occurred to me; to fit Oliver, me and my bags in the elevator, I was standing on the tip of my toes. As I was reconstructing the scene, I noticed that my butt was touching the alarm.
I wonder how many other people have pushed the Butt-On by accident and set off the alarm.

It's good to know that, in case I ever have no hand available, my butt can always set off the alarm in case of a real emergency.

Off to bed, tomorrow we fly to Sao Paulo!

Good night,

S

Bitter Red

2011-04-07T08:25:00.000-07:00

Hello,

I just came back from another successful tour yesterday evening.
We had a blast this tour and are really thankful for all the fans that came to see us!

When we were in Turkey, I was wearing another colorful canary look to fit my red jacket
I find that the combination with my blue eyes fit very well. Green and red don't always fit together well, but this look works. I'm ready for spring and ready for colors!

On my header you can see me with a black and a red mouth. The picture was taken at the Ritter Sport museum in Germany. Here you have me with a red lip, later on there will also be a black one coming up.
Bright colors are so lovely and can really brighten up the day. In case of using bright colors for day time, make sure that you don't look like you've just taken a shower in a glitter rainbow. I find that two powerful colors are most of the time enough.

Products used:

MAC eyeshadow in Bitter
MAC lustre lipstick in Cockney
Illamasqua blush in Lover

Love,

Simone

In love with London

2011-03-21T09:08:00.000-07:00

Hi guys,

On our last day in London, Floor and me did our final shopping.
We both had our shops where we wanted to go to. Floor wanted to go to 'Irregular Choice' and I wanted to go to the Illamasqua shop on Beak street.
We started our shopping spree in Camden. I am a sucker for leather jackets, and Camden is like leather jackets heaven. We both found some lovely jackets, for lovely prices. I do have to say that some of the salesmen in those shops are very pushy. We did get a good deal in the end, though.

On our way to the Illamasqua shop, I almost got run over by a motor cyclist. It was both our fault. Me being a Dutchie and looking to the wrong side of the street, and him driving way too fast. My heart needed to calm down a bit. Quite a shock!

I'l make a separate post about the Illamasqua treasures that I found/bought.

Illamasqua l/s in 'Drench'

Floor's favorite shop

Very colourful

The lighting of the staircase changed every second. Disco baby!

Although the shoes didn't appeal to me, I must say that the shop itself was decorated lovely.

We had an amazing time in London. We were there 3 days in total and are looking forward to come back again.

Cheers,

Simone

Shooting in London

2011-03-17T11:05:00.000-07:00

Hi guys (meaning everybody, girls and boys),

During our stay in London, I've had one show with Epica and two photo shoots. Besides that, we were also roaming the streets of London, searching for little treasures. Well, we found too many treasures....
One of the two photo shoots was for the English Metal Hammer. The photographer was Mick Hutson and the location was to die for! Floor and I were both flabbergasted.

Here are some pics:

In a cab

Warming up by the fire place

Make up check

Floor and I had a good time during the photo shoot and are looking forward to the end result.

Love,

Rocking the UK

2011-03-13T10:05:00.000-07:00

Hello,

Epica has been on the road since a couple of days now.
We are starting the tour in the UK. ReVamp is touring with us, which means that Floor and me are roaming the streets for shops together.

With Sjakie and Floor at Starbucks

Yesterday we bought the same yellow sweater. I think that my yellowness has gotten to her as well.
Floor loves her pinks and I my yellows. Now she is wearing yellow herself and looking really lovely!
Trying out a blond wig;

This black one I tried out in NY last tour

Besides the red, I prefer the Snow white look. I don't think that the Barbie look fits me that well...

The shows are going well. We haven't been to the UK since quite a while. It's nice to be back!
Tomorrow we have a day off in London, then a show in London and after that another day off in London. I think that we are all going to have a good time there.
Tomorrow I will have another photo shoot with Marie GC, which you might know from the Dolls 'N' Divas calendar. Looking forward to that as well. Last time we had a lot of fun.
Here is the video of my last shoot with her; Dolls 'n' Divas

Wishing you all a nice day!

Love, S

My Ring

2011-03-01T14:18:00.000-08:00

Howdy,

So many people have asked me many questions about my ring.

I decided to make a little video about it.

You can find the video here:

The Ring

Love, S

EpiCato

2011-02-27T09:01:00.000-08:00

Dear Smoon surfers,

Coen and his wife Linda Janssen, welcomed a perfectly healthy baby girl on the 28th of January.
She is the first Epica baby and she is such a precious little girl.

We've all seen the photo on the Epica main page, but it is almost impossible to capture the sweetness on camera. In real life, babies smell so good, their skin is like silk and all their little sounds are sweet music to the ears.

On Saturday the 26th of February, I met Cato Dianne Janssen.

Cato is pronounced with the emphasis on the second syllable.

I am very proud of Coen and Linda, they did an amazing job. I wish them all the luck, happiness and health. I feel privileged to know her, and look forward to witness her growing up.

Love,

Oil Stained-Not Like The Movies

2011-02-20T13:21:00.000-08:00

Hi guys!

OPI is one of my favorite nail polishes. However, I do think that they are highly over priced in Europe.

In the US they retail for about $8/9 dollars and in Germany they cost 16 euros.

I buy most of my nail polishes on Ebay, but for 'Not like the Movies' I was willing to pay a bit more.

This nail polish reminds me a bit if an oil stain.

Here are some swatches:

I do like this movie, a lot ;)

Love, S

Smoon's Snoepjes (Smoon's Candies)

2011-02-19T08:31:00.000-08:00

Hello Smoonsmurfs,

It has never been a secret that I love candy. Call me Candy Queen.
What I'm about to tell you, is a story that my dad has told me many times.
My sister, Janneke, was born on my second birthday in '87.
When we were in the hospital, he asked me what I wanted to have for my birthday present.
Where as many little children would pick out a big fluffy teddy bear, I wanted to have the biggest Smarty box they had. That is where it all started. People around me are always shocked when they see how much candy I eat. I am happy that it doesn't affect my weight. My dentist is not so happy...

I don't eat Smarties anymore. Once in 3 years I eat a couple, just for the memory. I prefer the normal M&M's.

My current obsession:

These are so tasty! They contain 6 flavors; Lemon (my favorite), Cherry, Strawberry, Raspberry, Pear and Huckleberry. I am consuming way too many of these! Be ware! These are highly addictive!

Katjes, yes yes yes!

Gone With The Wind

2011-02-14T16:44:00.000-08:00

Hi,

Here's a tiny preview of a new YouTube video which is uploading to my channel; youtube.com/smoontjes :

Love, S

The Bluest Blue

2011-02-14T00:53:00.000-08:00

Hi lovelies,

First of all, a happy Valentine's Day!

The sun is shining here today and I hope that where you guys are, it's also a lovely day!

One of my first MAC holiday's palette (Mac Eye Delights Warm Palette) contains the most beautiful blue. It is called; A Bluer Blue.

I wore it for the Divine Conspiracy shoot

I find this the most gorgeous color blue! Unfortunately, this is a limited color.

I'm almost never use it, because I want it to last for a long, long time.

When Catrice came out with their new collection, I immediately saw a possible dupe.

'190 Petrol Keeps Me Running'. After swatching it, I knew it would be a very close one;

My left finger is Bluer Blue

On the finger tips it still looks quite different, but;

Swatched on the hand they are very similar.

Left swatch is now Catrice and right MAC

I think they are pretty close. Finally I can wear this color more often.

Now that we are talking about the color blue, I might as well show an 'Alverde'

Gel-Eyeliner in the color 03 Violet;

Jasmin (Tea&Twigs) warned me that the consistency of this product is not the best, but I wanted to give it a go anyway. She was right, but after two layers, the result is nice. It takes just a bit of getting used to.

Besides 03 Violet, I'm wearing MAC e/s Woodwinked and Ploof!

Love,

From a triple-blue-eyed Simone ;)

Black Pearl in Toronto

2011-02-13T09:52:00.000-08:00

Hey all!

The digital hype around Chanel's 'Black Pearl' has also reached me.
I tried it out in Hannover, but wasn't really satisfied with the outcome.
When Reni and me were in Douglas, one of the ladies was kind enough to let me try it out, before buying.
I decided not to buy it. If you buy a nail polish from Chanel, you really have to love it.

One of my favorite nail polish brands is; Herome's W.I.C. World Inspired Colors. The quality is amazing and cost only one third of a Chanel varnish.
I found a color which comes close to Black Pearl and is even more beautiful, has a touch more green, in my opinion.
It is the color; Toronto

Here is the website of W.I.C: http://wic.herome.nl/

And here is a link to all the colors: http://cms.proracom.nl/UserFiles/25/Image/world-inspired-colours-overview.jpg

I found my Black Pearl in Toronto,

Love, S

Smoon's Little Helpers

2011-01-24T08:30:00.000-08:00

Hi girls and guys :)

While we are waiting for the hotel shuttle to bring us to the cruise ship, I decided to blog a bit.
The traffic in Miami is kind of a mess due to the ceremony which I is taking place to honor the murdered police men.

Since 2 years I've been a huge Dexter fan. Dexter takes place in Miami! Maybe I get to see his 'Slice of Life' boat if I look really closely ;)

To the main topic of the blog post:

EOS Lip balm

If seen these some time ago on YouTube and was kind of curious about them.

During our last tour in the US, I found one in Walmart and immediately grabbed one.

The first one that I bought was the red one on the left; Summer fruit. I love it! It is one of the best lip balms that I ever tried. I love the packaging and the application. It's fun!

From left to right: Summer fruit, Tangerine, Lemon, Honey lust and Sweet Mint.

My favorite ones are Summer fruit and Sweet Mint. Both of them are with me now;

I got all in the US except for Tangerine, I ordered that one on Ebay, which was a waste of money. It smells like really nasty chemicals and nothing natural at all. All the other are amazing, except for this one. I got 3 of them and all of them smell the same. At first I thought that maybe one of them went bad, but all of them smell the same.

The others are amazing! Love them!

Love,

Face of the BirthDay

2011-01-20T09:44:00.000-08:00

Hello everybody!

Thank you for your sweet messages! I've had a lovely birthday party.
On my 26th birthday, I decided to get me some curls.

My good old Remington curlers have accompanied me for years.
I originally bought a set from Carmen, but I made an exchange with someone else who needed bigger curlers. I like the Remington set more because there are more of them and they are a bit smaller.
They come with the pins and these:

I use the pins since they don't leave a dent in your hair. Only disadvantage is that they sometimes fly through the air when you try to take them out. They like to play hide and seek every once in a while.

Make up;
Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer in 'Porcelain'
BB gel eyeliner in "Black Inc.'
BB Pot Rouge in 'Cabo Coral' My favorite Pot Rouge
Lime Crime lipstick 'My Beautiful Rocket' I love orange lipsticks!
Formar Eyeshadow Quad in nr 401 (birthday present from Reni)
Urban Decay Naked Palette

Too bad that the curls didn't hold longer than 2 hours. I forgot to put 'Schaumfestiger' in it before curling them... The full can of hairspray after couldn't keep them in.

Love,

Simone

New Couch; New Make Up

2011-01-10T12:52:00.000-08:00

Hello everybody!

Happy new year!
Did you have a nice celebration?
I had kind of a low key party. I mostly fall asleep before 00.00, so my New Year's Eve's are mostly not that
interesting. I just need some good food and good company, alcohol is not needed.

A couple of days ago, my new sleeping couch arrived! It is not yellow, it is not orange, I like to call it egg yolk yellow :) I love this color, it's like having an evening sun in my room. It creates a lovely mood.

I like the color so much that I got inspired to do a make up in a somewhat similar color;

Products used:

Too Faced eyeshadow insurance

MAC Rubenesque Paint Pot

P2 090 Vibrant Sun e/s

MAC By Candlelight msf for cheeks and e/s

ELF shimmer palette

Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Calypso Coral

Benefit l/g Spiked Punch

Clarins Eclat Minute 01 Natural Lip Perfector

Chanel Inimitable mascara in Intense Black

Hope you like it!

x S

Beautiful Artwork

2010-12-26T11:49:00.000-08:00

When I checked my mail this morning, I saw this beautiful artwork that was send to me from Patrycja Szczerbaniewicz. I had to share it with you!

I love it when fans are creative and create Epica Artwork. This is a really nice Christmas present!

For those who want to use this image for further purposes, please send a mail to: Patrycja Szczerbaniewicz guardian-of-shigeru@o2.pl to ask for her permission.

Hope you like it!

Love, S

Vrolijk Kerstfeest/Merry Christmas/Frohe Weihnachten/ Feliz Navidad

2010-12-25T12:38:00.000-08:00

I hope that all of you are having a wonderful time celebrating Christmas with the ones you love.
Thanks for this amazing year and let's have an awesome new year full of wonderful things!

Love,

Simone & Oliver

Angelina Jolie Eyes

2010-12-18T22:51:00.000-08:00

Some of you might know that I like Angelina Jolie, for those who didn't; now you do :)

I find her a rare kind of beauty and very mysterious. It's her face, her eyes and glance that makes you wonder, what she is thinking about? I recently saw her in 'Salt' and got inspired to recreate one of her make up looks. My face is completely different to hers, but I gave it a try anyway.

She is known for her cat eye and cool eyeshadow colors. She is more a fan of the eyeliner.

Products used:

MAC 'Leopard Luxe' eyeshadow palette (the lighter grey with gold glitter)

MAC 'Shroom' e/s- One of my favorite highlighters

MAC 'Feline Kohl Power'

Chanel 'Inimitable Intense' mascara- I love this mascara!

MAC 'Melba' blush

Manhatten lipstick in number 95H (I got two when I finally found them somewhere)

Maybelline white eye pencil

Come to think of it, these are all favorites!

Hope you like it!

Love,

Simone

Ft. Lauderdale

2010-12-18T00:35:00.000-08:00

Hello Smoonsurfers!

During one of our last, warm and sunny days in Florida, I was walking around with my camera to document the surroundings. Here's a little photo journey of our day in Ft. Lauderdale;

Mark enjoying the sun with a book

I see a tree, I have to climb.. What do you think, can I join the circus?

You're new Christmas Card. Oh wait, we're missing something;

That's better!

Armando's shop is definitely worth checking out! He was the one who hooked us up with Sjakie's new toy :)

X S

I Do...... Like Cupcakes

2010-12-16T20:23:00.000-08:00

Hi guys,

Do you remember the cupcake picture from New York? It looks like I was enjoying it, but the first photo that was taken looks like this:

Red Velvet is not my thing as you might see.

A couple of days ago, I picked up some cupcakes from the Walmart bakery and they were delicious!

Be warned, you will walk around with a smurf tongue for the rest of the day after eathing these!

Second warning; you can't eat more than three, otherwise you'll walk around feeling like you have a stone in your stomach. Nevertheless, I think they are great!

x S

For Sale/SOLD

2010-12-14T16:30:00.000-08:00

Hi Smoonsurfers :)

Some of you might have seen me with a new hair do this tour. I owe it all to my Revlon Deep Waver;

I was searching for this styling tool since a long time. In Europe we don't sell these. unfortunately. I ordered it via Ebay from the States. I totally forgot about the 110 voltage... I couldn't use it back home, so I took it with me to the States to use it here.I did buy a converter, but it didn't survive.

These are the only 'curls' that really stay in my hair for a long time. It goes super fast to style your hair. When I normally curl/style my hair, it takes me about 1 hour. With this baby, only 20 minutes!

But I've decided to sell it. I can only use it when I am in the States and I find it a little bit a waste.

If anybody is interested, please send me a mail to; simone@epica.nl. I will sell it during our tour, which means that the people that come to; Orlando, Ft Lauderdale, Atlanta and Raleigh can come pick it up.

Love,

Simone

Sunset in El Paso, Texas

2010-12-12T19:34:00.000-08:00

Such a pretty sight;

Vintage

2010-12-10T00:01:00.000-08:00

Hi guys!

So here it is; my very first vintage hand bag! I got it for $16 in a Vintage shop in Portland.
I love it!

And here I am posing for some pictures with my bag :)

Today we played in Tempe, Arizona. Again lovely weather and lovely people!

Love, Simone

Glued To LA

2010-12-08T19:06:00.000-08:00

Hi guys!

On the 6th of December, we arrived in LA. I was really looking forward to is, because I love the city and the weather. I was really excited that we had an offday in LA to relax a bit and explore.

Some of us rented a car to drive around LA to see the Hollywood hills, Santa Monica beach etc. I woke up too late to enjoy the nice weather. Even though the weather is like summer, it still gets dark around 17.00.

Here are some pictures of the LA day :)

A nice shopping mall with Christmas decoration:

They had a Sephora.... Of course I had to go and take a look... :)

Me being part of the Christmas decoration

We ran into Spiderman!

Breakfast, at 5pm... I love a good omelette so we went to: I love it that you can get breakfast all day in the US! Thumbs up! Me loves eggs :)

I ordered a Veggie omelette and a low fat yoghurt smoothie, which was basically icecream and full with thousands of calories. Besides that, it was so frozen that I couldn't drink it :)

The omelette was good!

Here you have Micky and Minnie Mouse :)

I had a really nice time in LA. I guess you are wondering why I named my blog 'Glued to LA'.

Well, during our show, I got stuck in a chewing gum which someone put there. Every step I took was funny, because I had to pull my leg all the time to get moving.

Luckily Willem had a tool to scrape it off so I could move freely on stage. I would have liked to stay a bit longer in LA to explore more of the city, but we will be back.

Love,

Simone

Songbird at 'Bluebird' Denver

2010-12-01T01:10:00.000-08:00

Hi there!

After not sleeping too good, Isaac and me made a little trip to Starbucks to get our fix of caffeine.
I ordered, of course, the Earl Grey tea with hot milk and a panini with mozzarella cheese and tomato.
Isaac got some fancy macchiato. When I unwrapped my hot panini, I saw that it was covered in chocolate... They must have had some chocolate left over in the microwave. I showed it to the Starbucks lady and she gave me a new one plus a card which would give me a free beverage as an apology. That's great service! My second panini didn't have any chocolate on it and it was very tasty!

Sjakie made some pictures of me in the sun;

Here's some awesome artwork;

He sure did get our characteristics right!

Love, S

A Redhead at 'Blondies'

2010-11-26T16:06:00.000-08:00

Hi guys!

Today is our 8th show from our tour through the US/Canada.
Tonight's show is at 'Blondies' in Detroit. It's very cold out here. I'm happy that I brought my winter jacket, hat and gloves to keep me warm during the colder days. I've also brought a jacket for the warmer days as well.

I had a little accident earlier.... When I was walking up the stairs, my left foot got stuck in my pants and I tripped. My left foot hit the stone staircase and my big toe is in agony ever since. It's not broken (at least I hope so), but my nail is not looking so dandy anymore... At the moment I don't have any feeling in it.
I put a bandaid on it. Let's hope I can fit in to my stage shoes...

Here are some pictures that I made today:

Even though the sun was shining, it was still fr fre freezing!

We had our meet and greet in this awesome room

Willem is really happy with his balloons :)

New York, New York

2010-11-19T18:13:00.000-08:00

Today we are playing at the sold out Grammercy Theatre in New York! We played here earlier this year and had a blast. I'm really excited about the show! In fact, after writing this blog I'll be getting ready for the show.

Yesterday we had an offday in NYC. The boys and me went with the bus from Secaucus to NYC.
Since we all had different points of interest, we split up the group. Isaac and me were wandering through NY together. Around 19.00 we would meet at 'Virgil's'.

Here are some pictures for you to get a bit an impression of a great day;

My very first American cupcake. Red velvet. Didn't like it...

We even passed by at the Grammercy Theatre. Check out who's playing ;)

Time Square baby!

I want to wake up in that city that doesn't sleep and find I'm queen of the hill, top of the heap.

Hey, did you hear that Epica is playing in NY tomorrow? ;)

To finish a great day in New York, I ordered a burger at Virgil's, and it was gooooood!

Love S.

Hamsterdam

2010-11-07T03:26:00.000-08:00

Some of you might know that I wrote on my Twitter that I had the worst and funniest train ride ever.
I thought it would be worthy of a blog, since you all wanted to know more and Twitter is kind of limited.

On the 4th of November, the Epicans went to Amsterdam to apply for an American visa for our upcoming tour in the US.
The way to Amsterdam was without any delays. Mark and I were going there by car.
I had to take the train back from Amsterdam because I wanted to meet with a friend of mine. Going up and down to Amsterdam for 30 minutes at the consulate is a lot of traveling. I have three cousins living in Amsterdam and a couple of friends. Whenever I am in Amsterdam I try to meet them.

My friend and I went to 'Bagels and Beans' to get a bite to eat. We both took a bagel with omelette, an Earl Grey tea and a fruit juice. We were asked after our order if we wanted to order more, because they were closing in 30 minutes. After finishing our bagels, we went to another typical Amsterdam cafe to get a piece of apple pie and a hot chocolate. I love those real Amsterdam cafe's. They are so cozy.

After talking for 3 hours it was time for me to go back. I was planning to take the 21.08 train back but was already at the train station at 20.30. There would have been a train going back home at 20.38 but it was delayed. I still needed to buy a train ticket and unfortunately missed that train. Then all the drama started. The 21.08 train was not arriving due to 'logistic problems' in Utrecht. There were not going any trains to Utrecht for that time being. They advised us to travel to Rotterdam and change trains in Amsterdam Bijlmer. When all the travelers changed tracks they announced that there are trains going to Utrecht again from another track. I have never seen so many people squeezed together to get on a train.
We were like a big group of hamsters piled onto each other.
Around 22.00 we arrived in Utrecht Centraal. I was not sure when my connection train would be and luckily arrived at the right track. There was almost no place to stand anymore and lots of people came from Schiphol and just wanted to get home. The 22.08 train was delayed for another 20 minutes.
The people at Utrecht Centraal were waiting there since 20.00. A guy from another track across was making photos of the huge line of people.

When the train finally arrived we were all cheering. Now the real fighting for a spot in the train started. We were not sure if there was another train coming so we all wanted to get on this train. People which wanted to get off the train almost couldn't get out. I don't like these masses of total chaos which are created because everybody thinks about themselves. If we would help each other it would go faster than when we all just do what we want for ourselves.

The group of people where I was standing with was really nice. It varied from young boys to a sweet older couple around there 70's. Normally nobody would talk to each other in a train, but because we were all so close to one another we kind of bonded. We talked about so many different things and had good laughs, but also serious moments. When the topic 'someone threw himself in front of a train' started, the older woman told us that she knew how horrible it is because her sister committed suicide by throwing herself in front of a train. The mood was down for a bit. What can you say to each other when someone throws such an emotional and deeply saddening knowledge in to a group of complete strangers?
I always have some candy with me, and decided to share it with my group of travelers. Something like this does soften the mood.

There was one girl from the UK (I believe, not sure). She was on a quest to find a bath room. I needed to go since 2 hours but since I didn't know when my train would arrive I decided to wait.
She couldn't get through the mass of people and came back after one minute. I told her I really needed to pay a visit myself so we then went together. When you gotta go, you gotta go. The stairs were so crowded that we almost needed to crowd surf. I had to hold on to her because the train was shaking so badly. I didn't want to end up on other people's lap.

As we passed several cities the train was slowly getting empty. Every time the train stopped a little fresh breeze of air came inside.
In the end there were only 3 of us. A younger girl, which went to many festivals and a young Egyptian man. We exchanged also a lot of funny stories and I really had a good time. When you are in a situation like this you can get totally aggravated, or try to make the best out of it.
The younger girl asked me if I was the singer of Epica, by any chance. She recognized me, but didn't want to ask me, with a train full of people. Funny that she recognized me because my hair was a mess and I was not looking like my normal self. The rain, wind and my funny umbrella totally messed up my hair and make up, but I didn't care. I think we all just wanted to get home.

What started as one of the worst trips, ended up in a cozy gathering with total strangers, with whom we shared a little piece of ourselves with.

Love, S

A Little Piece Of Home

2010-11-02T07:43:00.000-07:00

Every woman likes her perfumes, her lotions and washing powder to smell good.

I connect certain perfumes to home, and when I travel, I take them with me to have a little piece of home with me, where ever I am.

Moringa Body Butter from 'The Bodyshop'.

I like to use this body butter before going to sleep. The scent makes me relax and makes me fall asleep.

It is a body butter, so it's very rich and takes a while for your skin to soak up. That is also a reason why I like to use it before going to sleep. The Moringa line has more than just body butter. It also has a exfoliator, shower gel (have that one as well), body milk and a bar of soap.

Since it is quite big for traveling, I bought the little sister for touring. The big one is also almost empty.

The 200 ml one costs about 15 euro's, but will last you a long time. I got the small one with a shower gel sample for 7 euro's, which is a good deal.

Happy smearing :)

Love, S