Face of the Day

This is the kind of make up that I like to wear everyday when I don't really have anything special planned.

Foundation - Nars Sheer Glow Foundation (Gobi) 

Contour - Maybelline Fit Me Foundation Stick (355 Coconut Mokka)

Blush - Mac Blush (Something Special)

Eyebrows - Catrice Eyebrow Pencil (020 Date with Asthon) and Catrice Eyebrow Filler (010)

Eyes - L'oreal Miss Manga Punky Mascara

Lips - EOS Lipbalm

- Julia xxx

 

Nars Sheer Glow Foundation Review

I finally caved in and bought myself the Nars Sheer Glow foundation a couple of weeks ago. It is a little bit more difficult to get your hands on here in Germany, so my only option was ordering it online, which is always a bit tricky with foundations, since you can't try them out on your face. After a little bit of research I decided on the shade Light 3 Gobi, which has a yellow undertone, and, surprisingly, matches me perfectly.

 I like to apply this foundation with a beauty sponge since this sheers it out a little and also makes it go an easier. I would say that this foundation has a medium coverage, but can definitely be sheered out or build up. When applied with a brush, I noticed that it can get quite streaky and it emphasises all the little hairs on my face. When I have really dry skin, and dry patches on my face, it also likes to cling to them.

 As you can see, it really does a good job at evening out my skin tone and I can also use it as a concealer under my eyes. One thing that I have noticed is that it doesn't work well with primers, on my skin, anyway. It just slides around the face and never seems to settle. When set with a powder, it does last the whole day, though.

Pro

looks like skin 

colour range (+undertones)

buildable coverage

Con

sticks to dry patches and facial hair 

takes some time to work in

price (43€) 

All in all this is a decent foundation, but I do think that there are better ones out there on the market, especially in that price category. I enjoy wearing it and will definitely use it up, but I probably won't repurchase it.  

For any of you interested, this is where I purchased my foundation.


- Julia xxx

 

September Favorites

I am so excited for fall.  
I'm excited for golden and red leaves dancing in the wind and collecting chestnuts.
I'm excited for big oversized sweaters and scarfs, fluffy blankets and hot tea. 
I'm excited for candles and fairy lights and long nights by the fire place watching TV. 

Make up wise I am looking forward to smoky eyes, dark red lips and just being able to get away with wearing more make up and experimenting with bold colors. 

Bath and Body Works - Leaves Candle

Laura Mercier - Hydrating Primer

p2 - Sophisticated Volume + Stretch Mascara

Precision Beauty - Angled Blush Brush

  Dolce & Gabbana - The One

OPI Nail Lacquer - Red

 Maybelline - Instant Age Rewind Concealer 01 Light

Argania Spinosa - Argan Oil

- Julia xxx


 

Product Empties #2

Over the last couple of months I have been collecting the products I have used up, so you know what's coming.

 I love Lavera. Everything they do. There has not been one product that disappointed me. The shower gel is not drying, the body lotion is nourishing but not sticky and the smell is just divine.

CD is my favourite brand for deodorant, because the don't use aluminium as an ingredient and it works best out of all the products I have tried without aluminium. It is not the best deodorant I have tried, it has probably a 4- 6 hour protection, but it is the safest.

Surprise! Lavera again. Lavera GALORE! Like I said, they can do no wrong in my book. 

The hand creme is very moisturising, yet sinks in very quickly. 

Both the "Foam" Cleanser (which doesn't foam at all and isn't stripping) and the Cleansing Milk are amazing. I repurchased the cleansing milk and use it as a second cleanse in the evening and in the morning. 

And on the right- hand side we have two samples but they still count, right?! After I have used them both up I had to get the full size one.

Lush is one of my favourite brands for moisturisers because they use natural ingredients and my skin does not react badly to them. The Celestial one is great for the winter, since it is so nourishing. The Cosmetic Warrior was a face mask with garlic as an ingredient. Don't ask. Not my favourite.

Balea Shower Gel. A bit to drying for me. Won't repurchase. The same goes for the self tanning spray by Ganier. It was too orangy and it only tanned by legs?!

The Silver Shampoo by Schauma was my saviour in dark times. A couple of months ago I bleached my hair myself, as I do, and my hair turned out yellow. Enough said. This shampoo really made a difference, though.


Now that I am done with Roaccutane, I have also finished my Aquaphor. I love this stuff, even though it caused a little dilemma at the end of my course. 

Rituals body cream for dry skin. Nothing that has impressed me too much. 

Unfortunately I also wasn't too impressed with the Dr. Hauschka Ice Plant Face Cream. It just wasn't rich enough for me, as opposed to it's big brother the Ice Plant body lotion, which is one of my holy grail products.

I also finished some eye drops, which very fine and two make up products. My favourite drugstore concealer, Maybelline Fit Me, and a mascara.

Hopefully next time there will be more make up products because that's always more exciting. Thanks for reading!

- Julia xxx
 

 

Benefit Gimme Brow Dupe?!

 
 I may or may not have found a dupe for the Benefit's Gimme Brow eyebrow gel. Check out this Catrice Eyebrow Filler Perfecting and Shaping Gel.
 It is a "naturally tinted Eyebrow gel, suitable for all eyebrow colours. The fibres fill in small gaps - for dense and perfectly shaped eyebrows within seconds!". 

I would say it's suitable for all eyebrow colours except really dark ones. 
The tinted gel colours your eyebrows, making them look more defined and the fibres help fill them in and make them look three dimensional. After a few seconds it dries and sets, so it lasts throughout the whole day. This is a great alternative to the Benefit eyebrow gel and for only 2,95€ it doesn't break the bank. 

 - Julia xxx


 

Shop My Stash

I am finally back at Uni, not living with my parents anymore but on my own in a tiny little dorm room not-so-near campus and that means: having access to the whole of my make up collection ... Amongst other things, like noisy neighbours or having to do my own laundry again, but it's all good!
So after two months of living out of a small make up bag, small for me, excessive for 'normal' people, I had a little look through my make up yesterday evening and 'discovered' a few items I have totally forgotten about. How exciting! (It's the little things in life people, don't judge me!)

Here we have them all. Aren't they beautiful. And on some of them I have even hit pan, which is even more exciting (oh gosh) and motivates me to use them up, put them in an 'Empties' blogpost, or even video (?) and throw them out. Nothing more satisfying than finishing make up products, am I right?

Ok, for the products we have:

L'Oreal True Match Foundation soft ivory n1 - And even two of them! Back when I lived in the USA for a few months I was obsessed with this foundation and because we don't have it in Germany (at least no that light of a shade), I panicked and bought two. Back home again, I just wasn't interested in it anymore. Story of my life.

NYX Blush Taupe - Great contour shade for fair skinned people like me. I really don't know what else to say about it, really. It's inexpensive (at least in the US) and it works. But ever since the Lancome subtile palette, I have stopped using it, because that's just a whole nother league. That being said, I will probably repurchase it.

Make Up Factory Matte Eyeshadow 08 - It's matte. It's brown. It's a nice contour- crease shade. But ain't nobody got time for single eyeshadows, anymore. I really find myself reaching for eyeshadow palettes these days. So the single eyesahdow needs to go. Nice quality, though. 

NYX EyeshadowTrio Nude/ Taupe/ Dark Brown - Back in the day when I started getting into make up, this was my very first eyeshadow- palette- love. And you know how they say you will always remember your first love. It's true ... at least with this trio. Muhahah. (I think the lack of sleep is getting to my head already?!) But seriously, these eyeshadows are amazing. Super pigmented, no fall out, very creamy. I only have nice things to say about it. I especially love the shimmery nude shade in the summer.

Maybelline Fit Me Pressed Powder 125 - Now that I have really dry skin, I don't want my powder to completely mattify my face but instead just setting my make up and leaving my skin look like skin, if that makes sense. I find that this powder really does the trick. You probably won't like it if you have oily skin and are looking for something to mattify your face. In that case I would recommend the Rimmel Stay Matte powder. 

Revlon Lip Butter Strawberry Shortcake/ Sugar Frosting - Since my lips are so dry because of the Roaccutane, these are the only lipsticks I can wear these days. These shades make me feel so summery and happy that I want to wear them more often.

Sleek Blush By 3 Lace - Again, think summer. I love oranges in summer. These can be quite scary, because they are so bright and pigmented. But I really wanna make them work. We'll see how that goes.

Benefit Blush Bella Bamba - Smells ah-mazing. And it is super shimmery. It's all about the shimmer this summer. And it's more wearable and easier to pull off, in my case anyway, than the Sleek blushes.

elf Shimmering Facial Whip Lilac Petal - Going with the shimmer theme: this! Supposedly a dupe for the Nars Copacabana highlighter. I wouldn't know. Besides the usual place where one would apply highlighter, I like to apply this as an eyeshadow. Looks super glossy on the lid. Gorgeous. and the pink really brings out the green in my eyes, which is always a plus. Be warned , though, it is a metallic-y colour.

left: Sugar Frosting / right: Strawberry Shortcake

It's quite fun shopping your own stash at home every now and again. And way more justifiable and easy on the wallet. What is a product that you recently re-discovered from your make up collection? I would be interested to know!


- Julia xxx

How Much Is My Face Worth?

I JUST read a blogpost and sad as I am it really excited me, so I thought I HAVE to do the same. This is such a cool idea and I think everyone should do one of these! Basically if you wanna know how much money you have spend on your face alone, you add up the price of all the products you use on a daily basis and out comes 'How much is my face worth?'. To be honest, I am a little scarred to do this, because I already know that it will be a lot of money and I don't really know how I'll be able to justify this. But I am gonna do it anyway, because ... I'm a rebel like that ... haha

Now on some days I use more than this and on other days I use less, so the price obviously varies. But over all, this is what I use on my face on a daily basis. Let's start with the base.

Esteé Lauder Double Wear Foundation Ecru - 40€
Rimmel Stay Matte Powder Sandstorm - 5€
Maybelline Fit Me Concealer 15 - 6€
Real Techniques Stipplig Brush  - 13€
Real Techniques Buffing Brush  - 13€  

This is pretty standard in my daily routine. I apply foundation, which is always Double Wear, because it's full coverage and stays on 18+ hours, and I apply concealer to brighten my under eye area. On rare good days I can get away with only the Fit Me concealer. And to seal everything in I use a powder. My foundation I apply with the stippling brush and my powder with the buffing brush.

Maybelline Colour Tattoo On and on bronze  - 8€
Benefit High Beam (came in a kit)  - 30€
Nars Bronzer Laguna  - 36€
Sephora Eyelash Curlers  - 12€
Real Techniques Contour Brush  - 13€

The last few weeks I have really enjoyed using bronzer again. I also like to mix my foundation with a little bit of High Beam, so my complexion doesn't look dull. For a little colour on the eyelid I use a Colour Tattoo, easy. Curling my lashes is also a must. The brush I use for blush and sometimes extra contour for those puffy days.

Maybelline The Falsies Mascara  - 13€
Lancome Blush Subtile Palette Rose Flush  - 42€
Burt's Bee Lip Balm Pomegranate  - 4€
Real Techniques Deluxe Crease Brush  - 10€

Mascara, standard. For blush I like to use the one from the Lancome trio, it's so soft and velvety. Lip balm is a must for my dry and chapped lips. My concealer I like to blend with the deluxe crease brush.

Ok, are you ready?! The grant total is: 232, 13€. That would be 320 USD or 192 GBP. Oh my. I feel a little guilty but at the same time incredibly fortunate and grateful that I am able to afford things like that. I think sometimes we don't appreciate the things we surround us with everyday enough and it's easy to forget how lucky we are to be in such a position. So today I am going to be extra grateful for all the small things I usually take for granted. Showing gratitude. It's a good thing. 

What do you think? If this whole 'project' excited you as much as it excited me then...welcome to the loser team haha just kidding! But I would really like to see what you use on a daily basis and how much money you spend on your 'daily face'. 

- Julia xxx