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.

the me-time tag

It's never too late for the me-time tag.

1. What do you like to watch or read during me-time?
I usually start with cuddling up on my couch and watching Netflix and here and there some YouTube videos to catch up. Watching YouTube videos also makes me feel like I’ve done something else than binge watching Netflix all day long. I know it’s pretty much the exact same thing but tell that my brain.
Right now I am currently only listening to books because I have to do so much reading for University. But “Girl Online” arrived a few days ago. So I will be reading it as soon as I can. I am also waiting for my boyfriends mother to finish “Edge of Eternity” so I can borrow it. So there will be plenty of reading during the holydays and beyond.

2. What do you wear during me-time?
My favorite fleece pants from H&Mm (until I finally go to Primark and get some extra Christmassy ones), any very soft shirt and my teddy fur sweater if I am extra cold. Oh, and super soft socks. Basically I want to feel like I am floating a warm cloud of softness.

3. What are your favorite me-time beauty products?
Me-time means no make up. So it usually doesn’t go any further than chap stick. Also applying a facemask or peeling would mean I have to get up from the couch, go to the bathroom, put the mask on my face, get my face wet TWICE (before and after) and so on. So I hardly ever feel like doing that.
I do like to paint my nails, though. I don’t know why or what it is but for me doing my nails is very relaxing. I also enjoy having the time to try to do some nail art. If I succeed awesome! And if I fail, I have the time to take it all off and paint them again. This time penguins made it on my nails. :)

4. Current favorite nail polish?
I am loving Essie nail polish right now. But I have to restrict myself a little because they are so expensive.. I have been wearing "cashmere bathrobe" a lot recently.

5. What do you eat or drink during me-time?
Right now I could eat pears and plums all day long. I also love Häagen Dazs’ vanilla caramel brownie. And popcorn! I could eat popcorn all day every day! Especially the popcorn you get at the movie theater. Not like I would ever have that during me-time because it would require me leaving the house, watch a movie and not eat all the popcorn there. Not going to happen!

6. Current favorite candle?
Yankee Candle – soft blanket
I would love to try some bath and bodyworks candles - which is impossible because I don’t live in the US. I like Yankee Candle a lot but no store near me has a large variety and none of them are ever on sale so it’s an expensive love.

7. Do you ever have outdoor me-time?
Not specifically. But when its sunny outside I love to take a walk or walk part of my way home from work or stroll the inner city of Vienna. Beautyful!

8. Would you ever go and watch a film alone?
No. I have never visited a movie theater by myself. I don’t think I would enjoy myself being there alone. Even if it was a movie I desperately want to watch. I would rather stay home and try to stream it online or convince a friend to join me to go see it.

9. Favorite online shop?
I probably would have to say Amazon, because I don’t shop for clothes online and Amazon pretty much has anything else I need. I konw I shouldn't but I haven't found anything comparable yet.
I also like Douglas and Feelunique a lot. Douglas because I always want to read the comments on products and Feelunique because they have so much stuff I can’t get anywhere else without having to pay loads for shipping.

10. Anything to add? What else do you do during me-time?
I like to bake because a) it makes my apartment smell delicious and b) I like to eat. I also like to start a me-time day with a big breakfast. I’ll make anything that a) my boyfriend would only complain about b) is really unhealthy c) something I have never tried before or d) anything I can use lots of cinnamon on.

What do you do during me-time? Any suggestions of what I shoudl try next time?