I have a confession to make. Even though I'm an avid traveller, staying in a hostel is something I'd never even considered. I'm far from being a princess, but the thought of spending my nights in an environment where hygiene is questionable and sleeping in a room with complete strangers never tickled my fancy. As you can tell by now, my perception of hostels wasn't the best, but all that changed a few weeks ago, when I spent the weekend at ClinkNOORD. When they invited me to come over to explore Amsterdam with a group of fellow bloggers, I quickly said yes without giving it a second thought. I've been dying to go back to Amsterdam since April when I first fell in love with it, and the last few years of my life have been all about stepping out of my comfort zone anyway, so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to finally give hostel life a go.

And I'm glad I did - ClinkNOORD was nothing what I expected a hostel to be. It was spotless, comfortable and stylish, with modern interiors and super cool 1920's features like these beautiful stained glass windows of the original building, which used to be a laboratory! Perfect combo for the hip area the hostel is located in - in Amsterdam Noord, just north of the city centre, but not far at all. It took me only 40 minutes all together to get from the airport to the hostel! The easiest way is to catch a train to the Amsterdam Centraal Station, then jump on a super quick fairy from the outside of the station to Veer Buiksloterweg, and once you come off, the hostel is right around the corner. By the way, the ferry is free and runs 24/7, just like ClinkNOORD's reception - super convenient if you're arriving late at night or leaving early in the morning like I did. 

ClinkNOORD is quite a large hostel and there's plenty of different accommodations to choose from. You can book a private en-suite room (single, twin, double or quad) or get a bed in a 4-6 bedded en-suite dorm or a larger 8-16 bed one. The latter comes with en-suite as well as shared facilities options. If you're a female traveling on her own, you'll also be happy to hear they even have en-suite dorms for girls only! I stayed in a 4-bed en-suite dorm with three other cool blogging chicks, and I have to say it exceeded my expectations. We had two sets of bunk beds with our own reading lights, overhead shelves and USB slots; four lockers to store our belongings in; a bathroom with a shower and a sink, as well as a separate toilet with another sink, which made the getting ready process a whole lot quicker. Plus we had a big mirror on the wall in the main room too, so we could spread out and do our makeup all at the same time! A very important piece of information, right ladies, haha?! I actually filmed a quick tour of the room we were staying at, so click over here to give it a watch. Oh, and in case you're wondering, the bed linen is provided, so no need to bring it along, but do bring your own towel (unless you want to hire it for a fee) and a padlock for the locker. 

What I liked most about the hostel are all the social spaces they have on offer to relax in and hang out with other travellers. There's a library/work/general chill area, a spacious atrium, a cafe and even a bar! But that's not all. To keep the guests entertained, the events team also organises plenty of fun activities on a daily basis - quiz nights, karaoke, live music, beer pong contests, movie nights, yoga, cocktail workshops... you name it! I've never experienced such an amazing atmosphere in any of the places I've stayed at before. It felt strangely homey, and if this is how most hostels are like, please sign me up for more! One last thing I also need to mention is the food. There's a self-catering kitchen open from 12:30pm to 12am, but you can also get pastries and sandwiches from their CatalystCAFE or order pizzas, burgers, etc. from ZincBAR. In the morning, they also serve breakfast for EUR 6,90 which I'd say is great value for money, because they have everything from cheese, salami and jams to muesli, sausages and eggs. Oh, the eggs! The scrambled eggs are not to be missed. I don't know what their secret is, but they were the best I've ever had, so definitely give them a try, and if you're coming over for Christmas, I can tell you you're in for a treat too! We were lucky enough to be the test bunnies for their all-vegan Christmas dinner menu, and oh my gosh, every single dish was de-li-cious!

I already put up a recipe for these yummy cookies years ago here on my blog, but since these are the most delicious cookies on planet Earth and are also perfect for Christmas, I decided to make a video version of the recipe this year and share it with my YouTube viewers as well! 

I've been planning to put together several Christmas gift guides throughout the month of December, but as it seems to be a common theme here on my blog this year, I ran out of time. It's been a very busy month with a lot of failed plans, actually. Another one of them was getting my Christmas shopping done on time, before the frenzy began, yet here I am, still running around like a crazy person, looking for some last-minute bits and pieces. If you're the same as me, you might appreciate today's post! I gathered some of my favourite items I like to receive or give for Christmas, so fingers crossed I can help you get some ideas!

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1) FASHION
Unless you manage to find the absolute perfect outfit for someone and get the size right as well, cozy pajamas, loungewear, underwear and cute slippers are the way to go in my opinion! Primark and Victoria's Secret are my usual destinations for such items. Primark always carries adorable and fuzzy PJs which don't break the bank, while Victoria's Secret is on the pricier side, but their PINK panties and leggings are definitely worth the occasional splurge.

If you're looking for something more basic, but still of high quality, though, check out Boody. I was introduced to this brand earlier this year, and I'm sure their eco garments would be the perfect gift for any Earth conscious person in your life. They are made from organic bamboo, are super soft and have a whole bunch of other amazing properties you can read more about here. If you do end up making a purchase, don't forget to use the code PUZZLE15 to get 15% off!

On another note, jewellery could be an amazing present as well. My sister and I love wearing dainty necklaces and you can never have too many of those. They go well with casual as well as fancy outfits and are great for layering!

2) ENTERTAINMENT
Books, movies, music... you can never go wrong with that! You just have to know the person's taste and you're good. If you know any makeup addicts, consider getting them Lisa Eldridge's Facepaint. It's a highly sought after book about the history of makeup, and I'm pretty sure it's brilliant, even though I haven't started reading it yet. Lisa Eldridge is my biggest inspiration when it comes to makeup artistry, and I've been trying to get my hands on her book since its release in August! I'm glad I can finally call it mine, and I can't wait to read it from the first to the last page.

When it comes to movies and music, there's obviously more than plenty to choose from, but my personal recommendations would be Adele's 25 (no explanation needed) and Whiplash, by far the best film I've seen this year. Everything about it is brilliant.

3) FOOD
Everyone likes food. Need I say more? To make it a little more special, I always try to hunt down some items that are not available where a person lives (yes, buying presents for my family is a lot easier now that I live in England) or just something with a twist. One of the things I brought home last year was a set of differently flavoured hot chocolates, which I wouldn't mind receiving myself to be honest. I secretly hope my family didn't drink it all, because I would love to try the vanilla one. And the cinnamon one. And the hazelnut one. And the orange one. And the white one as well. Maybe I should just go buy my own set?!

4) STATIONERY & HOME ACCESSORIES
My school days are long gone now, but shopping for cute stationery is still something I do on a regular basis. Here in England we have a store called Paperchase that makes me feel like I'm in stationery heaven every time I step inside. They always have cute notebooks, list pads, desk accessories and yearly diaries, which can be super convenient gifts to receive right before the beginning of a new year.

They also carry lots of little home accessories, which is another category worth exploring when you're looking for gifts. Mugs, phone cases and candles are all great choices! If you're looking for delicious Christmassy scents, check out these. Not only do they smell amazing and last for ages, but they also look cute! Think glitters and mini crystal stones. Very festive.

5) BEAUTY
I know this category doesn't apply to every single person out there (hey, not everyone is crazy about makeup), but since this is a partially beauty blog, I thought you guys might appreciate my suggestions, especially if you're not a make-up adddict yourself and have no idea what to get one!

I personally am happy with any beauty item I get, because I love trying out anything and everything, but the products I think are especially appropriate to give as gifts are eyeshadow palettes, high end lipsticks, perfumes, nail polish and hand creams, the last two being safer and more affordable options. With plenty of shades and scents on offer, they're the perfect stocking stuffers!

However, if you're looking for the 'main gift', the first three options are better choices, as they're slightly more expensive and usually considered a treat. Some of the most popular eyeshadow palettes out there are Urban Decay's Naked Palettes, the Lorac Pro Palette and theBalm's Nude 'Tude Palette, each costing around €40. But don't worry if that's over your budget. Some companies offer high quality make-up for much lower prices. These Wet'n'Wild palettes are just as good as the high end ones! The packaging doesn't look as sleek, but it's what's on the inside that counts, right?

I don't have any super specific recommendations as far as lipsticks go. They're so many different formulas and shades out there, it's hard not to find the perfect match, but if I'd be treating myself to one this Christmas, I'd probably look into Charlotte Tilbury's Matte Revolution and YSL's Rouge Volupte lipsticks. The packaging of both is drop dead gorgeous, while the formulas couldn't be more different. Bold, matte look is what you'll get with Charlotte Tilburry, whereas the YSL ones are on the shinier, buttery side. Oh, and I have one more lip product recommendation - the famous OCC Lip Tar liquid lipsticks! Most suitable for my fellow make-up artist or vegans, they come in every shade imaginable and have the strongest pigmentation!

Last but not least... perfumes. I only have one advice when it comes to fragrances. If you know the exact scent/perfume a person wants to add to their collection, go for it. Otherwise, don't bother. I'm very picky when it comes to scents, so most of the ones that were given to me or bought with my own money just because the bottle looked cute unfortunately have a decorative purpose only now. I need to give them away, really. Free perfume, anyone? My actual collection of the perfumes I use on a daily basis is tiny, and so is my perfume wishlist. The only one I have on my to-buy list right now is Jo Malone's English Pear & Freesia. I've been wanting it for a year now, but I'm not allowing myself to buy it before I use up all the others! Or at least one of them... 

In my book, no Christmas is complete without a festive shade on my nails. I only have two requirements: red and glitter. The nail polish I've been wearing this season combines both in one bottle. And guess what? The quality doesn't disappoint either. 

'Rhubarb and Custard' is the first Models Own polish I've tried and also the first scented nail polish that touched the surface of my nails. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. If you're a fan of sparkle yourself, but don't enjoy the dreadful process of removing chunky glitter from your nails, this might be the nail polish you've been looking for. With its almost jelly-like consistency, it nicely distributes tiny slivery glitters between the red base and makes your nails look festive in a nice, subtle way, without making you pull out your hair once it's time for the shade to say goodbye.

The formula requires standard two coats for opacity, leaves no streaks behind and makes sure your nails are chip-free for at least a couple of days. As for the scent goes, the polish truly does smell like the sour candy you can see on the cap. And while I have to admit that I don't see much point in scented nail polish, I still think it's kind of cool. In case you're wondering, the scent lingered on my nails for two days, even when I applied my Seche Vite top coat over it. 

What are your thoughts on scented nail polish? Yay or nay? Have you tried any yourself? I don't think I'll be the first in line once new scented releases come out, but I'll definitely be picking up some more Models Own nail polishes, scented or not. 

Hey beauties! I just wanted to wish you all a very merry Christmas and let you know that I published a bit of a late Christmassy get ready with me video today in case you want to go take a look. :)

This post is going to be really short, as I just wanted to show you my Christmas mani. I'm wearing Miss T. from Alessandro. I expected this nail polish to be more opaque, like China Glaze's Tinsel Town for example, but I had to apply four coats to get it look like this. From now on, I'm definitely going to wear it only as a top coat. It looks perfect for Christmas, though, doesn't it? :)

I bought this nail polish a few wees ago because the color seemed perfect for Christmas, but I was quite disappointed when I applied it on my nails. It looks so much better in the bottle! The silver glitters are not really noticable and it looks like you're wearing just a normal red colour. Having said that, it's still a nice nail polish. It stays on for about 3 or 4 days and two coats make it comletely opaque. It's also really easy to get it off even though it has some glitters, so if you're looking for a red nail polish with subtle glitters, this is the one for you. 

I've mentioned these cookies a couple of times already this month and today, I'm finally going to share the recipe with you! :)

It's really easy to do these cookies, so the recipe is perfect for the beginners. You just cut all the nuts and the chocolate into small pieces; mix all the ingredients together (make sure you have a big bowl); shape the dough into cookie-like forms; put them on a baking paper covered baking tray; and bake on 200°C for about 12 minutes. Voilà!