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

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

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