Carolien is jealous of Jon

I can hardly say it out loud, but it has been eight years since I graduated from drama school. Now I think you are never done learning and it is always good to keep developing yourself, but unlike America, there are few workshops available here that you can take after your education. Three cheers for actress and director Terence Schreurs, who started the Wolf‘Qademy out of her extreme love for the profession. With healthy excitement, I started the two-day masterclass, to be extremely inspired and almost enlightened after the weekend. Note to self and to you all: keep challenging, developing, and inspiring yourself. Life is too short to stand still.

With that warm weather, I have no desire to hang those beautiful leather bags around my neck: the fabric needs to be airy and light, but I still need to be able to carry all my stuff (read: it keeps increasing, since Otis brings more and more items and toys along). I was already a fan of the mom bags from Studio Noos, which you can perfectly hang on your stroller. The new eco linen line is perfect for those hot summer days. My new favorite: the ‘burned orange’.

‘I can't wait until Otis enters his daddy phase…’ I still hear Jon say. Well, he has certainly changed his mind about that. I must honestly admit: I gladly hold the position of favorite parent. Running towards you with open arms and shouting ‘mama’ ten times in a row because I need to come see his self-built tower, I enjoy that immensely. But for the past week, that favorite name has changed a bit: at night, ’papa‘ is shouted quite loudly and sharply, when he is sad he runs directly to Jon with those open arms, and I get the idea that the hugs with papa are just a bit more intense than with yours truly. Jealous? Okay, maybe a little. But I have the best excuse to kick Jon out of bed in the middle of the night and let him take the shift early in the morning, because yes, ’he's calling you, darling…’ Ah, that mama phase will never really disappear with boys, so I might as well enjoy that peace for a while.

In winter, I prefer to apply the thickest creams on my face: the greasier, the better. But with that scorching hot weather, everything drips off almost immediately. And so I began my search for a light cream that still provides enough nourishment. I ended up back at Dermalogica, where Jon and I were already fans and where we shared the products together. I spray the Antioxidant Hydramist several times a day: it is extremely nourishing but without feeling greasy or ‘thick’. And what I especially notice with that heat: keeping your skin clean is the most important thing. So I dutifully start and end the day with the Intensive Moisture Cleanser and a Daily Microfoliant and have less trouble with imperfections. Sometimes you don’t have to search long and you’ve had the answer for a while.