review: Dyson Supersonic hair dryer

This is hands down the Bentley of hair dryers. I can't believe I actually own this beauty.

When I opened my boyfriend's Christmas present I couldn't believe my eyes. What in the world had he done?? I could barely contain my excitement. The next minute a million questions popped into my head. Why did he spend so much money on me? What if there is nothing special about this hair dryer? Will I have to lie about it from now on? What if I hate it? You see my excitement quickly gave way to panic. ;)

beginner's guide to make up brushes

Every artist needs the right tools to work with. Consider your face your canvas and so far you have drawn on it with your fingers or whatever came in your powder container. It might be time for an upgrade!

Before I go into detail: This is a guide not a shopping list. You don’t need the exact brushes I am using. But there may be one or two handy tips in here for you to consider if you are thinking about buying a brush in the future.

review: brow pomades Anastasia vs. NYX

Two products of my desire and neither are available in Austria. Lucky me!

I already mentioned the Anastasia Beverly Hillf brow pomade (taupe) in my US make up haul. The NXY tame & frame tinted brow pomade (blonde) was ordered from feelunique.

Ever since I purchased the Anastasia Beverly Hills brow pomade I was scared I would run out of it although it will probably last for ages anyway. Well my troubled mind made me buy the NYX brow pomade just in case I needed a cheaper alternative. You might ask why find an alternative if I haven’t even come close to running out of my expensive one? Well a) because now I can compare the products side by side without one being old and dried out and more importantly b) I can justify my purchases by blogging about them.

US make up haul

Being a European I have to admit I slightly lost it when I first walked into Sephora. It was like heaven's doors opened and gave me access to everything I can never have. It was quite the effort to limit myself to what I really “needed” instead of buying everything I wanted. I did make a list of the absolute necessary in advance so I wouldn’t black out and spend all my traveling budget in one store.

2014 skin care favorites

Last but not least I am showing you my skin care favorites because who would we be without skin? That sounds really gross.. Wow...

1. Clinique moisture surge

Yes, it is on the pricier side, but ever since I received a sample of it I’ve been in love. It feels like the smoothest, most velvety goodness of all times when you put it on and it also keeps its promise to moisturize your skin without being greasy or too heavy. Actually it feels very light on your skin. Ever since I first got it I haven’t bought anything else. I have repurchased it twice in 2014 and will continue to do so in the future.

 

2. Khiel's Midnight Recovery Concentrate

When I was looking for a make up removing oil I stumbled across this wonderful thing and remembered all the great reviews I’ve read on it. After doing some more research I gave in and bought it. At first I was very nervous to put oil on my already oily skin so I only used one drop at the time and worked it into my skin really well. And this is pretty much what I’ve been doing ever since. Three drops is all it takes to cover my entire face with this excellent smelling goodness. It absorbs into my skin and gives it some extra moisture over night during the colder months. It also has a wonderful smell that calms me down before going to bed.

3. Clarins, Gentle Foaming Cleanser

I through the empty packaging out yesterday so I couldn't take a picture of it and got this one from google.

Like I already said, I got really into Clarins make up and skin care in 2014. I have never tried the brand but what I tried so far impressed me.

short story: One day I ran out of my usual Payot skin care stuff and went to get some more. They didn’t have what I needed at the store and a woman told me that Clarins was just as good but slightly cheaper. That sold me and ever since I have never used a Payot product (on which I used to swear) again. Dob't get me wrong, Payot products are still great and you pretty much can't go wrong with them. But for now I'll keep using Clarins.

4. The Body Shop Vineyard Peach line

I did a full blog post on the line and I am still in love with the scent!

5. The Body Shop Vitamin E Night Cream

I used to use whatever day cream I had at night as well. It was easier that way and I didn't have to think about another product. That all changed when I received a pretty decent sample size of The Body Shop Vitamin E Night Cream. It is a thicker in consistency than the Clinique moisture surge and feels more nourishing on my skin. Also it didn’t break me out which a lot of heavier creams do. I got my first sample size in the summer and managed to get my hands on another one during autumn and they lasted me until this day. But when I soon run out of it I will purchase the full size.

2014 hair care favorites

Talking about beauty I could never forget about hair products I loved during 2014. I am very picky about what I use on my hair and have gone through a long jurney this year to find things I like.

1. Wella Professionals Enriche, volumizing shampoo for fine and normal hair

This year I tested my way through shampoo. I also did a post on which shampoos I tested. But now I found my new favorite shampoo! The Wella Professionals Enriche shampoo gives volume and body to my hair, keeps my roots fresh and doesn’t dry out my ends. Now I can go two full days without washing my hair. How great is that?! It also smells amazing! It smells like a salon product, which I guess it is and I always feel like my hair has just been done by a hairdresser.

2. Batiste Dry Shampoo

It was a long journey until I found a dry shampoo that I didn’t hate. The worst one I ever used was from Garnier Fructis. I am sorry, I am mentioning this here but it smelled so bad and so strong that it brings dreadful memories back whenever I think of it. But to get back on topic, Batiste dry shampoo works like no other I’ve tried. It keeps your hair clean, doesn’t weigh it down and has a subtle fresh scent. If you work it into your hair well there won't be any white residue. At least not on strawberry blonde hair. Also it is not very expensive which is always a plus.

3. Wellaflex 2 days volume

When it comes to my hair I am all about volume which is not an easy task because my hair is very long. Lot’s of volumizing mousses, hair sprays and what not just made my hair greasy, sticky or just overall gross. Trusting a Youtuber’s recommendation I tried Wellaflex 2 days volume and fell in love. After washing my hair I put it on my roots and dry my hair like always. It works slightly better when I blowdry my hair than when I let it air dry. The first time I tried it I was a little worried because it made my roots feel very sticky at the beginning. But when my hair was dry it felt completely normal with definitely more volume and body.

4. Schwarzkopf, essence ultîme – omega repair beauty balm

I have no idea why the beauty industry came out with beauty balms for your hair. Aren’t BB creams supposed to be in between a tinted moisturizer and a foundation or your face? I don’t know how that has anything to do with hair. When I bought this I missed the “BB” on the label and thought I bought a repair crème, which I guess it is anyway. It doesn’t work wonders but it helped me when my ends were completely dry and need some moisture. I haven’t found anything like it yet within that price range.

5. Kerastase Nutritive - nectar thermique

This I have owned and loved for many years now. It is on the pricy side so I only use it on special occasions or as an emergency treatment. This leave in conditioner is activated by heat so it does not only protect my hair from heat styling but also activates its magic when I for example blow dry my hair. How great is that? It hydrates and smoothes my hair like no other.

I am still looking for a great conditioner and hair mask that will keep my dry and dyed ends smooth, silky and healthy. So if you have any suggestions/secret weapons, please let me know! :)

 

2014 beauty favorites

I have never done a favorites post so when I started this I got a little overwhelmed by all the things I wanted to mention. 2014 was a year of trying lots and lots of new products. And today I want to share the ones I loved with you.

I will split my posts up into categories so I will be able to keep it short. This post will be all about the beauty products I loved in 2014. 

1. Labello Lip Butter – blueberry blush
I admit it, I am a chapstick kind of girl.. When I came across the Labello lip butter I was very skeptical because I hate to dip my finger into a lip product, apply it and then being left with the access product with nowhere to put it. Gross and annoying! But magically I love this product so much that I manage to deal with the "inconvenience" that comes with it.

2. Clarins, Ever Matte Foundation, 108 sand
In 2014 I disvovered Clarins. Not that I didn't know it existed, I just never cared. After trying their skincare, I took a look at their make up products and fell in love with this foundation. It is semi mattifying and matches my skintone perfectly. The only weird thing was that 108 sand was lighter than 107 light... Or maybe it is more yellow toned what suits me better.. It is light to medium coverage, looks beautyful on the skind and doesn't go anywhere during the day. I do get a little oily at the end of the day but that is due to my oily skin. I haven't found a foundation that kept me matt all day long yet.

3. MAC eye shadow – blanc type
This is the most used and loved basic color I own. I've had it for years now but in 2014 I started using blanc type not only as an eye shadow base but also as a sort of highlighter/concealer. Don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t set a sparkly or even shiny highlight, but it is the perfect shade for highlighting and concealing darker areas around my eyes. I put it in the inner corner, all over my lid, up to my brow bone, under my lower lash line and especially on the dark spots underneath my eyes that other people highlight with concealer. The difference is that it never ever creases. WIN!

4. Diorshow Maximizer, lash plumping Serum
I got this as a very fancy birthday gift in April and really liked it ever since. It makes my lashes thicker, seperates them perfectly and they ready for mascara. I don’t let it dry too long because than it’s very hard to apply mascara on top. Also it probably doesn’t need to be Dior. ;) But I have to say the quality of the product is amazing! It works just as it did when I got it and didn’t go dry or clumpy or anything at all.

5. Max Factor Master Piece, High Definition Mascara – rich black
After doing a post on disappointing mascaras I found one that I love. At the moment I even like it better than The Rocket from Maybelline because the brush is smaller and reaches every little lash. It also is the only mascara I repurchased this year, I believe. 

6. So Susan, universal blush
When I first got this blush in my Glossybox I didn’t like it at all. Well, I did like the beautyful rosy color but the slight sheen it gives made me very uncomfortable putting it on my cheeks. I am all about a matt finish, so I was scared that it would look weird on me, make my pores look huge and my face look oily. After not touching it for weeks, I finally did end up trying it as an eye shadow and started to like it more. Than I got over myself and tried it as a blush and I have to admit now I really really like it. It is a gorgeous color and gives me a slight and subtle glow which now I love.

This were all my favorite beauty products for 2014. What were yours? Let me know and maybe you'll lead me to my favorite beauty product of 2015.

review: Zoella Beauty

I really like Zoe Sugg and therefore couldn’t resist buying almost everything her Zoella Beauty collection has to offer.

I placed two separate orders on Feelunique and they both took forever to arrive. But I am not complaining since shipping was free. It also took me a while to work my way through testing all the products before doing a proper review on them.

Soak Opera Bath Soak & Shower Cream
I had a very hard time opening the bottle which is sealed with some aluminum foil thing that is very hard to get off... But when you come to the actual produkt it is worth the struggle. This is the first shower cream I ever had looks beautiful itself. The actual gel/cream has a very pale pink color with a slight shimmer. Thankfully the shimmer doesn’t stay on your body when you shower. The smell is very fresh and maybe even bloomy. I like it a lot because it is not too overwhelming and not sweet. Also the name “soak opera” hello!? Winner!

Fizz Bar
As expected from Zoe (the Lush addict) there are more bathing products. Again same smell as the rest of the line. I have never used a fizz bar before so I didn’t know what to expect. What made me laugh though was the “do not eat” sticker on the fizz bar itself. Yes it smells really good but not like something I would want to eat. Not like pretty much any Lush product I own… But I guess you can never be too careful.
  

Blissful Mistful Fragranced Body Mist
Again cute name! Well done, Zoe (and her team)! The fragrance smells exactly like the shower cream. Well, the entire line smells the same. But can we talk about the bottle? I have to admit I bought this one just to have the bottle. The only thing that would have kept me from buying it would have been an awful smell. But I bought the shower cream before the body mist, so I knew what it would smell like. It is, as I already said, a very light and fresh smell that would also be ok for young teenagers to wear. Who I guess they are the main audience.

"Eyes" Beauty Bag
LOVE! I am thinking about getting the guinea pig beauty bag as well, because I am so in love with this one. I really like the color and the polka dots. And who doesn’t love those beautiful eyes? The size is pretty big actually so you can fit lots of make up in it. Unfortunately my make up brushes don’t fit.. But I am thinking of using it to organize my purse.

Let’s Glow Fragranced Candle
A candle fan like me couldn’t pass on this. What sense would that make? Again adorable packaging and signature smell. When you burn the candle you can smell it but it is not too overwhelming. I would have liked a slightly stronger scent though, just an notch. I also expected the candle to be bigger. Honestly I was a little disappointed when I saw it for the first time. But luckily I bought three :)

So this is all and I have to say. Well done Zoe! Also the pricing is totally acceptable with the body mist being the most expensive at  €12,35.

I don’t know if I will repurchase any of the products but they were fun to test and an eye catcher never the less.

so tiny

A short entry for extra small things.

I don’t know why but anything tiny is adorable. On Friday I received my Glossybox and with it the cutest sample size perfume I have ever seen. Not one of those small spritzer-things that you usually get but what looked like a shrunken version of the actual perfume.

I instantly went looking for other tiny product samples I had and this is what I found. I never want to use them because looking at them is so much more satisfying.

Oh and the MAC lipstick is an original one. I put it in the picture so you'll get a better idea of how little and adorable these samples are.

 

Also with this perfume I might have found my fall and winter scent. Which is something I have never had before.

 

Christmas is Lush

I might be late to the party but I finally made it into a Lush shop. Reading all the blog posts about the delicious Lush bath products made me itch to get some myself. I did try the Melting Snowman and the Butterball last year but this year I wanted to get some more. Armed with a list of products I sniffed my way through the store.

Covered from head to toe in glitter and smelling like Santa himself I left the store with half of what was on my list. I am very picky with scents and so (unfortunately or luckily for my wallet..) I didn't like them all... 

 

Butterbear

I red online that the Butterbear had the same vanilla-like fragrance as the Butterball which know I love. So this was a no brainer. And it is true. It smells like vanilla heaven with a fresh touch to it and not too sweet somehow. It is supposed to create a creamy soft bath and nourish and protect your skin. I also love the look of it! It is simple enough for every bear to look the same. Also, who wouldn’t want to bathe with a vanilla polar bear?

 

Cinders

I have two of them. One I bought myself and one I got for free with my purchase. Score! Anyway. This bath bomb is smaller than the usual one and cheaper of course. Lush sais it smells like almond, cinnamon and sweet orange. I can't really make out the different scents but it does smell very Christmassy, fresh and lovely. It is also supposed to have popping candy in it which is supposed to make crackling sounds when you put it in the water. I will definitely be listening to my water like a child when I put it in.

Holly Golightly

This is an absolute beauty! I can’t get over how pretty it is! It will probably make my entire bathroom glitter for weeks but that’s fine since I will be in the Christmas spirit pretty soon. The Lush-woman told me that I can get up to four uses out of this one bar so there will be lots of time for glitter baths. It is made out of patchouli oil, Persian lime oil, clove leave oil and sweet orange oil. I guess you – like me – have absolutely no idea what that could possibly smell like. I do smell the clove and the orange but that is pretty much it.

Melting Snowman

I was waiting for this bath melt since I bought it last year and fell in love. It smells like almond, cocoa and cinnamon. It is sweet and spicy and perfect. You will have the most relaxing oil bath you have ever had. Last year I was so tempted to lick its eyes to see if it was real chocolate. It felt and smelled so much like real eatable chocolate. But I didn’t do it. Maybe if I feel brave and childish enough I’ll try this time. I bought two so I will have plenty opportunities.

Shoot for the Stars

I can’t wait to use this bath bomb. It is supposed to paint the swirling colors of the night sky over the surface of your bathwater. Sounds like a lot of fun to watch! It smells sweet like honey and something else I can’t quite make out. It is huge but you can only use it for one bath, I was told. So I will have some special bath time with it.

I can’t wait for the weekend so I can take my first Christmassy Lush bath! *so excited*