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Sunday, March 23, 2014

My Spring Perfumes


Happy Sunday, fellow beauties!



Ignore the fact that I write this post wrapped up in a cosy sweater with a cup of tea next to me and a mixture of rain and snowflakes pouring down outside. I'm going to tell you of my favourite perfumes for spring today and no weather god is screwing that up!




These are the three beauties I picked out of my collection for this season. Left to right, it's Marc Jacobs Daisy, DKNY Be Delicious Fresh Blossom and last but not least Chanel Coco Mademoiselle.
All three are flowery scents. Coco Mademoiselle is described as woody-oriental, but I don't quite agree with that, I still think it's flowery with a teeny tiny hint of woody. My taste in scents changed pretty much over the last year. Two years ago I could stand nothing but fresh scents and perhaps a little bit of fruity smells but last year helped me grow a lot as a person and consequently my taste altered. I still prefer fresh scents but especially in a season like spring where flowers dominate everything and we try to shake off the gloom and lethargy of spring I feel flowery scents are more appropriate than sporty and fresh perfumes.




Daisy by Marc Jacobs is the most springy favourite I own by far. It is so flowery and smells of nature awakening that I don't even wear it in summer, it is reserved purely for spring time. According to the description it is supposed to smell of wild strawberries, jasmine, grapefruit and vanilla but having the insensitive nose that I have I think the clue's in the name and it smells of daisies. Daisies are small but radiate a certain happiness that is pure and simple and this is what the smell evokes in me.
I like to pick my perfume to complement the outfit I'm wearing. This smell is really feminine so I tend to wear it when my outfit is girly and I'm feeling happy and the sun is shining brightly.




On to DKNY Be Delicious Fresh Blossom. Forget all the cassis, grapefruits and apricots, the main smell of this baby is lily of the valley which makes if perfect for spring when those flowers are literally everywhere. But all the fresh and fruity undertones, which make it 'younger' than for example Daisy by Marc Jacobs, make it perfect to complement outfits that are more casual and relaxed, which is basically almost all my outfits. It's wonderful on sunny days when the smell of flowers is rich in the air because it strengthens that giddy, springy feeling that always gets hold of me on those kind of days.




Coco Mademoiselle by Chanel is the most elegant and mature of my spring perfumes. Because of the elegancy the brand naturally brings I used it as a winter perfume until I noticed how flowery it actually smells. It contains jasmine and rose  and has a slightly woody undertone. I don't think it smells oriental at all but that might just be me. 
I love to wear this when the sun isn't shining because it works whether the sun's out or not which is not as much the case with the other ones. Also it's my scent of choice when I go out for dinner in the evening or any other situation which requires some elegance. Whenever I wear it I feel like it is elevating me, making me feel like an elegant lady who is above everything and sometimes this is just what you need to calm down and let the matters of the day wash over you.


So here you are, lovelies! These are my top 3 spring perfumes. I love the flowery notes they bring me and a smell of them at the beginning of the day puts me in the perfect mood to meet my daily battles the day brings with joy and grace. Even though it's snowing really hard right now, I still feel the warmth of the sun on my face and smell the scent of the flowers in my garden just because I put a bit of perfume on in the morning. I really wouldn't want to miss it.

Tell me, what are your favourite perfumes? Do you do seasonal perfumes or do you have a favourite scent that you wear all year round?


Have a wonderful day and enjoy the sun if you have some!

xx

Friday, February 21, 2014

Review: essence colour&go nail polish in English Rose



Hey, fellow beauties!



Today I wanted to talk to you about something that featured in my January favourites some two weeks or so ago. It's the essence nail polish in the colour English Rose.



To me, English rose is two things: Firstly, it is a perfect spring colour. And secondly, it is something I wouldn't usually go for if I moved within my comfort zone. As a new year's resolution, I solemnly pledged to myself to step out of my comfort zone more often and take more 'risks'. Of course to most of you a dusky pink might not look overly daring but being drawn to very dark and strong colours it definitely is for me.
I'm sure this resolution will bring me some teeth grinding and misspent money in the course of the year, but luckily not with this one.





English Rose is a colour that looks pretty much exactly like you would imagine a colour when you heard the name. It's a dusky pink that goes into a berry / violet colour in the right light that reminds me strongly of cherries. Usually, the colour 'cherry' is a screaming red, but I mean actual cherries, for example like how they look if you buy them in tins and mix them into your yoghurt. That's an odd description but I pondered long on it and I do think it suits the colour in natural light perfectly.
When wearing it under artificial light, like lamps or some such, the colour deepens a little bit which reminds me of blackberries. This is why I'm pretty sure I'll get a lot of wear of this coming autumn as well.




As almost always with the colour&go range of this brand, the texture and quality of this nail polish are fabulous. When I painted my nails with it the first time, I thought it might be on the runnier side, but this turned out to be wrong, I just forgot to shake it the first time I used it. Haha, whoopsie!
The texture is actually of a medium thickness, which is my favourite, because if you're doing it well you can get away with only one coat of colour. But if you're like me and a little bit OCD and can't stand only one coat, it's no problem because the range sticks true to its name and dries really fast. Because I mainly use nail polishes by essence I have never felt the urge to purchase a quick dryer for the nails, I was always completely happy with the things I had in my little (or not so little) manicure box.

I'm sure you're sick and tired of my praising the nail polishes of catrice and essence, but as a fact you won't get this quality at this price (between 2 € and 3 €, depending where you are) again. They are real gems of the drugstore milieu and if you should stumble across them, don't hesitate to give them a go, at this price you can't really get much wrong.


What do you think of this brand? Or what are your favourite drugstore brands for nail polishes? Let me know in the comments, lovelies!


xx







Sunday, February 16, 2014

Review: Lancôme Hypnose Doll Eyes Mascara



Hello, fellow beauties!



Today I want to talk about the Hypnose Eyes Mascara by Lancôme which a very good friend ever so kindly gave to me for my birthday in December (thanks again so much, Katie!).



This gorgeous mascara has immediately become a staple for me on days, when I know I won't be wearing make up for long. If it's only three or four hours until I take everything off again, I don't like going all in with waterproof mascara which can be a real chore to remove.
This one here is not waterproof but still supports the lashes and the curve really well, giving them a wonderful length and volume. Taking it off is super easy as well, one swipe with a decent make up remover and it's all gone.




No make up
With Hypnose Doll Eyes Mascara

As you can see, it would completely do to leave the house with this mascara only.
However, it wouldn't be my mascara of choice if I had to be on and about for a whole day as I noticed that it starts moving quite a bit. You can easily wipe it away but it's annoying if you have to check again and again whether you have black smudges under your eyes or not.
Another thing that might put you off is the signature rose smell that all Lancôme products have. It's really quite strong and sweet and although I don't really mind, I can imagine that people who have a sensitive nose could get a headache whilst applying it.  So perhaps you should give it a smell before you buy it.


To put it all in a nutshell, this mascara is amazing. I wouldn't have bought it myself because at about 30 € it's a super expensive product that has its matches in the drugstore section, but still I'm so grateful my friend got me this. It's my favourite mascara to be worn all on its own and easy to apply, which makes it perfect for when you're in a hurry.


What do you think of this mascara? And what do you prefer, high end or high street?


xx

Sunday, February 2, 2014

January Favourites



Hello, fellow beauties!



Oh my, that's it, the first month of 2014 is over just like that. Can you believe how fast January came and went? I still don't think I'm really 'into' the new year yet.




But with January also came and went the big new year's sales and I do have to admit, I splurged a teeny tiny little bit but I did find some real gems that made it into my favourites this month.




To begin with skin care, I finally managed to jump on the cleansing balm band wagon. One of the main problems with this kind of product is that there aren't too many available in Germany and those you can buy are rather expensive. But I was so curious about them and when Caroline Hirons, who is my personal skin care goddess, recommended Clinique's Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm and I saw this in stores I wanted it so badly.  Retailing at about 30 €, however, I hesitated to buy it until my parents gave me a voucher for my favourite beauty store for Christmas, yay! And I'm so glad I invested, this baby literally annihilates any traces of make up and you need so little of it for your whole face to get thoroughly clean. I took a little bit too much when I used it the first time so it stung in my eyes but after I figured out how to use it properly that problem was solved as well and I'm as happy as I could be.

The other thing my voucher brought me was this 250 mL edition of Soap&Glory's Hand Food. I'd heard wonders about this product before and the fact that it was reduced to 10 € and had a pump on it (which you can't see in the second picture) absolutely sold me. The texture is very light but nourishing and sinks in very quickly but the best thing about it is its smell which is so lovely and sweet and reminds me of whipped cream somehow. After putting it on, I can't stop smelling my hands, it's that good.




A nail polish I put on twice this month, which is a lot for me, is essence's English Rose. I love essence nail polishes because they are cheap and most of the time great quality with a nice texture and a fast drying formula. Although this one is a little bit runnier than what I'm used to it still dries fast and the colour is so gorgeous! Depending on the light, it goes from a light berry colour that reminds me of cherries to blackberry in a darker light. 




Now this lipstick range is one my most beloved range ever and ever and ever. I'm talking Chanel's Rouge Coco Shine and its characteristics are a glossy finish, nourishing qualities and a rather sheer colour. From left to right the colours are 69 Flirt, which is the oldest of the three and a coralline orange, 81 Fiction, such a gorgeous deep berry colour and 54 Boy, a very natural my-lips-but-better pink. Chanel lipsticks are expensive but I can really recommend them if you're looking for a range to invest in, this one is one of the very best I know!



Last but not least we have a classic. Because I was very busy this month and had to get up early, I didn't wear contact lenses but my glasses and one of my favourite looks with them is accentuated brows and natural eyes which is why I opted for Maybelline the Falsies Mascara. This baby gives an incredible length and volume to the lashes and stays put the entire day without being rubbish to remove in the evening. Being a drugstore mascara it isn't even that expensive, though it depends on the country in which you buy it. Mine is from the Netherlands where I paid 15 € but I've seen it here for 10 € as well.


So these are the products I loved last month. If you have any questions about one of those products or want to hear more about one thing in particular, do not hesitate to leave me a comment, I'm always grateful for ideas on what to write. Also, tell me what your favourite products were in January or if you have done a blog post on them, leave me the link!



Have a wonderful day!
xx

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Review: Essence Express Dry Spray



Hello, fellow beauties!


I bet every single of you has experienced that maddening situation when you're in a hurry and just want  to get your nails done as fast as possible. You all know the boredom that sets in as soon as the nail polish is on the nails and you just can't do anything if you didn't think about turning your TV on. 
I'm no exception to that and therefore I was thrilled when I spotted this the other day.





The express dry spray by essence promises to let your nail polish dry within seconds and give it a beautiful extra shine. 

I was really sceptical in the beginning because I've seen a lot of fast-drying products that don't work so far and I'm afraid to say, this one is no exception.

To be fair, the nail polish does dry fast, but not thoroughly. The drying process seems to stop in that state where the nail polish is almost dry but dents very badly if you so much as look at it. And it doesn't seem to pass that state, I could only make it wearable by adding another coat to my nails and let that one dry normally.

Another big, fat minus is what it does the skin. As you need to spray it on from a distance you can't avoid getting some product on your fingers and it makes them feel ever so weird! They feel slightly wet and cold and sticky, much like when you spray them with spray dressing. And once you got it off, which isn't easy, the skin is utterly dry. This is an absolute no-go!


As you can see, I'm yet to find something that makes my nails dry faster. I wish I could recommend this to you as it was a real bargain, but if it doesn't do the job you really shouldn't buy it only because it is cheap!


It would be super nice if you told me in the comments what your favourite products to speed-dry your nail polish ares because I'm always on the hunt for new things to try!

Have a wonderful day, my lovelies!


xx


Friday, January 10, 2014

Review: Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask



Hi, fellow beauties!


Now that half of the winter is over and the exhausting days of Christmas and New Year are over as well, my skin is in dire need of some extra pampering and moisture. My absolute life saver on that area is Origin's Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask. 




The title really says it all, it's an mask left on overnight which is supposed to skin into your skin give it that extra kick of moisture it needs. My skin feels tighter and more nourished just minutes after I applied it. In the morning it feels incredibly soft and wonderful to the touch.




A thing some of you might not like is the smell. It's very fresh and lemon like and it reminds me strongly of the vitamin c drops my mother made me take when I was younger. You do get used to it, however, and I don't really notice it anymore as soon as it's on my face.

At first I was a little bit put off by the thought of applying such a rich mask overnight because I have oily skin and was scared that it might promote clogged pores and blemished but that wasn't the case. Especially if used after a face mask which is exhausting for the skin, it always felt wonderfully soothing to apply it and I didn't notice any negative effects.





Although it's a rather pricey product retailing at around 30 €, a little goes a long way and even though I've used it twice a week for a  few months now, it shows no sign of running out.

So if you think your skin lacks moisture or you want to give it some extra care after a night of celebrating or you just feel that the constant heating that surrounds us these days does your skin no good, I would totally recommend this mask to you as it helps solving those problems absolutely fuss free and literally overnight.


Please, tell me your thoughts about this if you've tried this or know other products of its like and have a wonderful day!

xx