Current favorites.

So, long time no blogging! But here we go! Maybe I`ll start blogging more this year, who knows… I thought I`d start by presenting a few of my current favorite products.

I loooove the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua foundation. I have the shade 20, and I think it`s a pretty good match. Not too pink, not too yellow. I have combination skin, with a pretty oily t-zone, but with a little bit of powder i think it works fine. It does`t get me through a whole day at work or school, but I still love it. It has that wonderful Chanel scent, and I love that it feels so luxurious.

A new everyday staple is the Kanebo Sensai 38 mascara. I use the shade brown. This has fibers in it, and makes my lashes perfect for everyday wonderfulness. The best thing about it is that it`s waterproof, up till 38 degrees Celsius. I find waterproof mascaras too much of a hassle, but regular mascaras don`t cut it for me. I tend to cry happy or sad tears a lot, and also the weather here in Norway is solo unpredictable, and don`t wanna worry about my mascara running. I used to use the Clinique ones that work the same way, but I find that they smudge on me. All in all, love this one, and will be using it for years and years to come.

Another everyday must for me is the Kiehl`s ultra light UV defense. I use this every day, even in the winter. It`s light weight, and works great under make-up. It does not brake me out, and doesn`t smell of anything. Love it.

I have recently bought this Max Factor Miracle Touch Creamy Blush, in the shade soft pink. This is a great natural flush color, and I use it with a Real Techniques stippling brush. It`s inexpensive and lovely =)

The last thing is actually something I bought as a present for myself today, as a reward for getting an A on my exams =) It`s the Laura Mercier Brow Powder Duo in the shade Soft Blonde. So, I haven`t actually used it yet, but I used my moms during christmas, and I loved it. I love that it has two shades, so that I can mix them to make the perfect shade. I`ve never had a high end brow product before, so I`m really excited! Ah, the joy money can buy… Seriously…

So, that`s that. I have a lot more favorites, but I think I`ll keep it short and sweet this time. But I`ll be back =)

-M-

Clarins Natural Lip Perfector.

Today I saved some money by buying dining room chairs on sale, so I decided to treat myself to a little something something… (Makes sense, no?) I got the Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector, nr 02, which is the peachy one. I`ve seen this on so many blogs over the last few months, and decided to give it a go.

I`ve read in a blog that this is life changing. Well, it`s not… However, it is pretty wonderful! It smells like vanilla, and the scent is pretty strong. (It`s nice though, but if you don`t like vanilla/coco scents, you won`t like this.)

It`s really moisturizing, and feels more like a lipbalm than a lipgloss. It looks like a lipgloss, but it`s not sticky at all. I also like the packaging, and the applicator. It shows up clear on the lips, I really don`t think there`s any trace of color, but that`s fine. You can see some color when you swatch it, but not a lot.

All in all, I really like this product. It`s on the expensive side though, so if I decide to buy another one, I`ll be doing that at the Tax-Free shop at the airport. I do recommend to give it a go, but don`t expect it to change your life. It wont. But it`s nice =)

-M-

 

Project: Growing my hair out.I

First, a little bit of background info on my hair. I`ve had a pixie cut for the last few years, and I really like how it looks on me. Obviously, this is not me, but the actress Emma Watson. My hair looked a lot like this.

However, I`ve grown tired of having to have it cut so often. It looks good when it`s the right length, and not good at all when it`s grown a bit too long. My task at hand; growing it out. I tried to do this maybe a year ago, but gave up a few months into it, and cut it again. This time I will not give up. I will grow my hair all day and all night, every day, until it`s loooong =) (I`m hoping my hair will do most of the work for me, though…)

My goal length would be something in the line of this;

My hair is naturally wavy, and I like my hair at this length. (This is obviously not me either, but Alexa Chung.) I used to have healthy, wavy hair down below my shoulders, but years of dying it almost black, and then going blonde again took it`s toll on my hair. Now however, I think my hair is healthy enough for me to start growing it out again. I`m going to try to keep it healthy, and for this I`ve gotten a few things to help me on my way to long luscious locks.

• Good quality shampoo and conditioner. I bought the TIGI Bed Head Urban Antidotes Recovery Tween Shampoo & Conditioner Duo. My hairdresser recommended these for my hair, and I`ve actually used them up until recently. (The ones I had, ran out, and I bought shampoo and conditioner at my grocery store, from the brand Define. I could really tell the difference, and I ordered the ones from TIGI again. The Define shampoo and conditioner really made my hair feel heavy, greasy and not at all nice.) I got my TIGIs from feelunique.com.

They smell really nice, and helps bring moisture back into hair that has been dyed and fried with blowdryers and straighteners. Plus they are HUUUUGE, (750ml) and last forever!

• Next on my shopping list was a good hair mask. I had head so many good things about the Joico K-Pak Deep Penetrating Reconstructor Treatment for Damaged Hair. The bottle says to leave it on for 15 minutes, but I usually try to leave it on for as long as I can. I put it on towel-dried hair, and put a shower cap over it. Sometimes I put a towel around as well, just because it looks a bit better =) If you want you can sleep with it in over night, but I usually have all the time in the world when I get home from work, and find these hours are enough. My hair feels so nice and hydrated after using this, and I feel I`m doing something good for my hair.

• A big part of my healthy hair project is trying to cut down on the amount of heat I`m putting on it. I let it air dry almost every day now, and try to use my straighteners with caution. I have to admit I don`t really use a heat protectant on my hair, but I`ve ordered one online, and can`t wait to use it. It`s just stupid to fry my hair while trying to keep it healthy. I ordered the TIGI S-Factor Silky smooth Moisture Serum with Sunflower Seed Extracts, as my hairdresser recommended. Looking forward to trying it. It`s a serum that protects and moisturizes. Just what I need =) I found this as well on feelunique.com.

• I also realize I need to stay away from the hairdresser. Now, I try to just cut it at the back every once in a while to stop it from growing into a mullet, ala MacGyver. Other than that, I just leave it to grow. Patience, M. Patience.

• Diet. I try to eat more protein, and generally healthy. I don`t really eat a lot of meat, but I`ve amped up my egg intake, and hope that will help.

So, that`s my tips on growing out your hair. I`ll let you know how my hair-growing goes =)

-M-

Bare Minerals skincare.

I`ve used the Bare Minerals Mineral Foundation on an off for a few years, but I`ve never tried their skincare until now. I needed (read: wanted) a new cleanser and a new nighttime treatment, so I decided to give these two babies a go!

The pictures are not the best quality, but hey ho.

The cleanser is a “purifying facial cleanser, with RareMinerals ActiveSoil Complex” it says on the bottle…  I really like it for both removing makeup and cleansing my face. I use two pumps for round one, and it really does a great job at removing my makeup, including eye makeup. (I haven`t tried to remove waterproof mascara yet, but I`ll let you know how that goes when I`ve tried it.) I then use one pump to really cleanse my skin afterwards. The amount that comes out with each pump is really small, so I think this will last me a long time! Yey! I use this morning and night, and it feels really gentle and not at all harsh on my skin. Like!

I got mine of feelunique.com, and you can find more about this cleanser here.

The next Bare Minerals skincare product I got from feelunique was their Pure transformation night treatment. You can find it here. I got mine in the shade “clear“.

I really like the natural feel of the Bare Minerals mineral foundation, so when I found this mineral powder nighttime treatment, I wanted to try it. There is something weird about putting on a powder at  night, but you kinda get used to it. Almost. It`s a powder that you`re supposed to put on with the integrated brush that is in the lid. The brush is actually quite soft for being a Bare Minerals brush, and it applies the powder fine. The thing I don`t like about this product is the fact that there is no way of controlling the amount of product that comes onto the brush. I once put it in my bag to bring to my parents house, as I was spending the night, and the shaking had made waaay to much powder come on to the brush. (Difficult to explain, hope you get what I mean.)

There is no way to get it back down, so you end up using too much, and this is not a cheap product, so wasting feels so wrong. I wish this came with a lockable compartment, like the foundations do. That would fix the problem =)

As for the difference it has made to my skin, I can`t say that I really see much of a difference. It promises to tighten pores, give a radiant,  improved skin tone and better skin texture. I will definitely use it up, and hopefully see more results as time goes. I really wish it smelled better though, as I really like the luxurious feeling of putting on a cream or mask that smells great. But I guess this one is kinda like some medicine. It smells bad, but does good things…?

-M-

 

 

The Unii palette.

I first saw the Unii palette in a few random You Tube videos, and really liked the look of it. I was planning on getting a MAC palette, but figured this one would be so much better for my needs. I only have one MAC eyeshadow, so a palette that would fit other eyeshadows as well makes so much more sense. I got my palette from this web cite. (If you`re in the US you can order it here.) It cost £15 plus delivery. It comes in 5 nice colors, and is really well made. I also like that it kinda looks like something Apple could make. It`s the iPalette =) LoL! It`s a bit smaller than MAC palettes, but thicker. It is also sturdier and feels like it`s better quality.

As you may notice, I de-potted my Urban Decay Naked Palette and put the shadows in the Unii palette. I was so nervous depotting my shadows, as I hadn`t done it before, and frankly, they are quite expensive. As you can see, my ONLY MAC shadow was a victim of my inexperience. So sad. My nail poked into it as i was taking it out. Other than that, I thought it went really well, and I use the different eyeshadows so much more now that they are all together in on place. I put the three most glittery ones in the top right corner to stop them from spreading glitter on to the more matte and shimmery shades.

The palette is magnetized, and comes with a magnetic sheet that you can cut to fit all different pan sizes. On the back of the magnet you can wright the name of the eyeshadow.

There are lots and lots of videos on You Tube on how to depot eyeshadows, so if you want to know how to do it yourself, just have a look there. Here is one that`s easy to follow. And I really recommend the Unii palette for keeping the depotted shadows in. I`s amazing, and really cute =)

-M-

Cleaning makeup brushes.

There was a time when I didn`t really clean my brushes. Yes, I said it… I didn`t really use brushes that much, and when I did, they were cheap and horrible. This was maybe five years ago, at least. Now that I use more quality brushes, I found myself taking better care of them. (Plus there`s the whole hygienic part of it…) I find it works really well to use Natusan baby shampoo to clean brushes, both synthetic and the ones with natural hair.

The last few years I`ve used the same shampoo I use for my hair, to clean my brushes. But then I read on a blog (can`t remember what blog) that normal shampoo could be a bit harsh on brushes, and that it was better for them to be cleaned with baby shampoo. So, now I do! It is really cheap, very mild and gentle, and very easy to get a hold of. I really appreciate all beauty related things I use, that I can get at the same place I get groceries. 

I just put a pea-sized amount of this in the palm of my hand, and swirl each brush in it with some water. Then I rinse them in luke warm water. Make sure you don`t use really hot water, this is not good for them. I then lay them to dry on a towel on the sink area. So easy! I do this about once a week, and then spot clean them a few times in between to prevent build up of makeup. I use the E.L.F one. You can find it here. It`s so cheap, and smells really good! (The packaging looks different on their page, but I assume the product is the same as before.) I`ve also got the brush shampoo, but this is no good, and I don`t recommend it…

So, happy brush cleaning =)

-M-

My first Dior nail polish!

This is my first time bloging from my iPhone, can’t wait to see if it looks ok! I’m at my parents house right now, and my mom just gave me this nail polish. She had gotten it for herself, but didn’t like the colour on her, so she gave it to me. I like the colour alot, and I don’t have anything like it in my collection. It’s the Dior Vernis in shade 219 Beige Safari. The color is a pinky beige, nude color, and very work apropriate. It’s nice to apply, and has a wide brush, much like the new Essie brushes, but even better! It`s the best brush I`ve ever used, actually. Me like! – M-

My first MAC eyeshadow!

I can`t believe I´ve never owned a MAC eyeshadow before, but then again, I`ve never been as much into makeup as I am now. I wanted to get just a pan, but it turns out they only have the boxed ones at the MAC department where I live. (I`ve ordered a NICE looking empty palette online, and will blog it when it arrives…It`s not a MAC palette.) I researched long and hard what would be a good choice for my first MAC eyeshadow, and landed on Satin Taupe.

I love it, and think I will get much use out of it. It reminds me a lot of Urban Decays Hustle from the Naked palette. 

Now that I see them together, I kind of struggle to justify owning both, but oh, well. What `ya gonna do… UD`s Hustle on the left, Satin Taupe on the right. As you can see, Satin Taupe is a tad less shiny, and has a bit less gold to it. It is a Frost finish. I think S.T. is a bit better for work and daytime wear for me. Cant wait to put it in my palette when it arrives! (I am actually thinking about de-potting the Naked palette as well, `cause I think I would actually use the wonderful colors more that way. Is this crazy and just plain stupid? I can`t decide…)

-M-

So, I picked up a few new things =) Part 2.

Here are a few more things I got on my trip abroad =)

First and most amazingly it`s the Bourjois Magic Nail polish remover. This is an AMAZING product! I had heard so many wonderful things about this one, but I don`t think we have it in Norway. At least I haven`t seen it anywhere… So I had to pick up a couple when I found it in Palma. And I put it to the test with a red nail polish. I usually look like I have been eating strawberries after removing red polish, with pink fingertips. I had a lot of faith in this pink pot, but I was really surprised when my fingers came out looking perfect after just a couple of seconds in this thing! Wow! I soooo recommend this! It will save me…well…minutes and minutes! =)

Next up is my La Roche-Posay Toleriane Soothing protecting skincare. I got this to use it after long days in the sun. I have quite a few moisturizers, but none of them are just soothing. They all do something in the lines of resurfacing or treating blemishes. I`m super happy with this one, as it really just soothes and calms the skin. I think this is one I`ll always have in my skincare regime, as I feel it`s really good for my skin. I`m beginning to really love this brand! I continue to be pleasantly surprised by it =)

Then there`s the Korres Yoghurt moisturizing mask for normal to combination skin. I had actually only heard about this mask once, but when I saw it at the airport on my way home I thought I`d get it, as it wasn`t that expensive. (It`s only 16 ml/ 0,54 fl.oz though…) I tried it the same night, after a good and much needed scrub. It`s only supposed to be left on for 15 minutes, but I actually just kept it on. (After 15 minutes there wash`t really anything to rinse away anyway.) Maybe I put on too thin of a layer, I don`t know. My skin loved this mask! It felt so good, and very natural. A little goes a long way as well, and it`s quite liquidi, so I thin this little tube will last a while. I look forward to trying more of their products in the future!

The Biotherm lip balm is actually the one thing I didn`t like out of the things I bought. I tastes so bad! It kinda tastes like body lotion or something. I don`t care if it does great things, you just can`t make a lip balm taste bad. End of story. Blah.

The lipstick in the picture is Lancome Rouge in Love, shade 146B. It`s a bright coral, great for summer. This is actually my first high-end lipstick, and I`m really happy with it. I don`t have all that many lipsticks, and the ones I have are either really “wearable” pinks or bright reds. I really wanted something a bit different for summer, and one that didn`t have any glitters or shimmer at all. This one was perfect! (Although, it of course is not the most flattering of colors when it comes to your teeth. The do look a bit yellow…) Still, very happy with this one!

I always buy a new perfume when I travel, and this time it was the Jimmy Choo eau de toilette. I actually kind of regret not getting the eau de parfum, but oh well… I love it. It`s nice. (Said in a Borat manner.)

Yesterday I mentioned some shoes that I got. Here they are! I got them at Zara, and I love them! I haven`t worn them yet, that`s why I even let them up on my bathroom sink area. Aren`t they just glorious?! 

So, I think that`s kinda it for this time. Hope you liked looking at my new stuff =) I`d really like it if you left a comment, saying if you liked these two posts or not. Still kinda new to this blogging, and it takes me forever to write a post, so it would be nice to hear what you think =)

-M-

So, I picked up a few new things =) Part 1.

It`s been a while since my last post. Mainly because I had my “no buy month” of June, and then because I knew I was going to be buying some more stuff when I was traveling in my holiday. Sooo, I`m back, and I brought stuff back with me! I`m going to split this post into two parts, as I don`t want it to be too long.

I was in Palma, Mallorca in Spain, and the have Sephora there… Oh, Lord have mercy, I loved it! I have never been to a Sephora before, so you can believe I was excited! I didn`t actually have too much money to spend in there, as the trip itself was kind of expensive, but here are the things I did get.

I had really been looking forward to getting the Sephora Professional mineral powder brush, number 45. I had read some great things about it, so I bought two. (Remembering how I regretted only buying one of the Real techniques stippling brush when I was in London in May.) I bought it mainly to use with the Bare minerals original foundation. I used to use this foundation a while back, and liked it. I didn`t love it however. Then I read a blog post saying that it was a whole other product when used with this Sephora brush. And I must say, it really is! The brush that came with the Bare Minerals set I got way back, sucks! It`s so rough! I really recommend you try this combo, as it is truly great. Loving it! I definitely think the mineral foundation is doing great things for my skin. I have combination skin, prone to breakouts, and at the moment my skin is looking really good and healthy. I think a lot of that has to do with the Bare Minerals =)

At Sephora I also picked up three small Sephora Eau de toilettes; one with green tea, one with peony, and one with cotton flower. Love them all. I`m a bit scared to use them, tough, as I don`t know where I could get new ones when they`d run out. Oh, well. Not exactly a real problem tough, is it…? Hehe.

I also got the Too Faced Shadow Insurance. I have seen this in so many blogs and YouTube videos, I just had to get it. Plus, I only have a sample size of the Urban Decay Primer Potion, and that won`t last me very long, now will it..? So, I actually needed this one! Yay! I haven’t really tested it yet, but I`m sure it will be great. I`ll let you know if I don`t get on with it.

So, that`s the end of part one. This is all stuff I got from Sephora. In the next part are the things I got at the airport and a couple of other places. I`m actually going to show you some shoes as well, `cause they`re AWSOME! Hihi.

-M-