Friday 31 October 2014

The Goblins attacked: Essence Rock out blusher!!!


While i love my upscale make up dearly, there is from time to times just a cutesy little piece of make up which catches my eye in the drugstore and which ends up by magic in my basket (my husband has been trying for a long time to catch those little goblins which seem to be filling up my shopping baskets). So unfortunately the shopping goblin hit again and dropped this beautiful little blush by essence into my basket. If i remember correctly it was priced around 4 euro and it is from the limited "Rock out!!" edition which essence created for the MTV EMAs.  I to be honest really like the pattern of the blush and spoiler alert, it stays that way even after several times using it. I saw the separate colours on a different blog and i was not to impressed because it looked like the colours you would expected when you banged your knee into the bedside again (we all been there, or is that just me?).  But together they create a wonderful glossy blush. It basically blusher and highlighter in one. I even already combined it with another blusher. It also has great lasting power. So while the goblin chose it mainly because it looked pretty i have found myself using it already several times especially for an evening out or to brighten up my face together with another blush.  The blush comes in a standard plastic container as you can see, however, due to the beautiful pattern i do not think it needs a lot more either. I had this blusher already several times in my handbag and it did not open by accident or anything so i would call the packaging purpose fulfilling. I apologise by the way for the extreme pink bunny but i got it from a friend and i thought it just went perfectly with the blush. This bunny has now taken residence on my otherwise white and light brown desk and i love it. Have you had a goblin attack during your shopping recently? let me know in the comments ;)

Tuesday 28 October 2014

Zoella Beauty... good for non-teenagers?


Yes i know i am late to the party again and this is probably the thousands post about those products but first of all this products took really long to arrive and second i really like to test something for a while before i speak about it. I do not want to post that a body lotion is awesome and then after a week i turn into a plague monster ;). I heard people complaining that bloggers would declare everything Zoella awesome either way because: Zoella. But well first of all i am rather sure Zoey has better things to do then reading my blog and if she would do so, i am rather sure she will be fine if some little blogger in Belgium does not love her products. So be assured this is 100% my true and tested opinion (as it always is, i like to think ;)). And well, i love it.

When Zoella released her own beauty products, i was intrigued. I do enjoy her videos and i really liked the cute packaging of the products. Plus, i just had to have this guinea pig make up bag. It has polka dots (can you tell i like those? ;)), a guinea pig, and on top of it all glasses which look a bit like mine (just wearing them for driving and conferences if you wonder why you have never seen me wearing those). 
Now after some rigorous testing, my final conclusions on this product:

1) The beauty bag: I think i have already explained in the intro sufficiently why i love that design. Designs are a matter of taste and you can see it on the photo so there is no need for me to explain it to you. The bag is made from plastic and the print is layered on top. It is nice from the point of view that this can handle the odd splash. However, i am rather sure that when i would keep carrying that around with me that the print would become odd looking and scratch probably partly off. Now i have not actually attempted it because i did not want to ruin my bag, however, this is the experience i have with this sort of material. So this little beaute will stay on my dressing table and i love it there. Obviously i might be wrong. If i am let me know in the comments.

2) The body lotion: When i ordered this i was kind of aware that Zoellas main target demographic is probably at least 10 years younger than me and mostly young teenagers. So i was not sure if this would suit me. I also read several bloggers opinions which said that this was to teenager sweet for them. However, i actually really liked the scent. It is not to overwhelming and rather flowery scent. It does not smell like cheap sweet teenager products (i was afraid of that). The body lotion contains vitamin E and is probably okay for any skin type since it is not over the top oily but does contain some fats. It moisturised my skin nicely and left a hint of scent.  So my final conclusion? It is a nice enough body lotion with a nice scent and i would purchase this again. I would say it is a really good body lotion for in the morning since it really sinks in very fast. However, this is not a wonder body lotion, but that was not to be expected. I actually just received a mail from feel unique asking me if i would like to reorder and i have to say i am tempted. At 5 british pounds, this is not breaking bank either and i just love the packaging.

I think in general Zoella has released a very nice product range good for everyone and not just die hard fans. I think when i am in Britain i might pick up also one of the bath items and maybe again the body lotion. Okay okay i admit the cute packaging and scent just has me hooked.

Sunday 26 October 2014

My perfect little make up corner (on a budget)


Hello my wonderful readers, i hope you are having a sunday as wonderful as i am having. After spending the day yesterday shopping in Liège and cooking since we had family over in the evening, i have today a bit of a relaxed day. On top of that, the best husband in the world went shopping for me and bought everything to install me a wonderful little make up space.
We have moved recently into our first own house and we were finally able to create a space which is 100% us. So we have been busy bees painting, buying furniture and decorating. In the bathroom we finally got two sinks and a huuuge mirror. I even had the builder install a little stone shelf in front of our mirror where i can display all my lovely perfumes and beautiful flacons. Now one thing i did not have taken into account, is that this mirror is now rather far away from myself. It is perfect for getting my hair done and all skin care etc. However, for make up, i just sometimes really need the close up if you know what i mean.  I had been dreaming of getting a dressing table for quite a while but we never had the space and i do not like my make up on my desk since it is already messy enough. 
So now in the new house i decided to just go for it. I have been spending a lot this year on furniture, renovation, travelling and well quite some clothes and make up and i do have a London shopping trip coming up, so it did not feel right to now spend a huge amount on a make up table. So i came up with  a plan for a little budget corner.
Yesterday while i went shopping in Primark (which my husband is not a fan off) he went to IKEA and he came back with all ingredients for my perfect little make up corner (i told you he is perfect). He just installed it and i am loving it. I can finally sit down while doing my make up and get all my products spread out without worrying that they will fall into the sink. It also makes a wonderful space for taking photos of products.
So now i proudly introduce to you, my perfect little make up corner on a budget:
We just got a white desk top from Ikea (9,90EUR) and 4 table legs (ours where still left over from our old desks but you can get them new for 2,50 each). Under the desk i put a old file cabinet i still had left over to store my make up. I prefer a white one but since that was a bit pricier it will be on the wish list for the coming month. On top i needed of cause a mirror. This one is also from IKEA and came at a mere 5 euro. It has one normal side and one enlarging side (the horror.... but good for eye brow sculpting ;) ). For my brushes i got a bloggers favourite. An ikea flower pot for 2,99EUR. So my whole make up table set up came in for me at around 18 euro. I then added my new make up bag which i got in primark and i used one of my old glossy boxes for all my nail polishes.
So what do you think of my new little make up space? Do you have a dressing table? Let me know in the comments.

xxx
Mica (Sciencekoekje)

Saturday 25 October 2014

Sample Saturday: Guerlain, Louis Widmer, Clarins


So sorry for skipping last weeks sample saturday but therefore i have this week extra nice samples i finally tried.
I recently picked up a new perfume for my husband and the nice lady behind the counter packed me in some samples. Obviously as soon as i was out of the store i checked what goodies she had dropped in my bag and oh my was i happy. I received a Guerlain Royal Albeille Royale mask and a clarions night creme. I decided there and then that those would be used in the upcoming weekend sunday pamper time.
So after a relaxing bath and a good scrub with my LUSH ocean salt sea scrub (review here), i applied the Guerlain Albeille royal face mask. The mask is really creamy and feels nearly more like a moisturiser but i put a good bit on my face and went to sit in the couch. About 2 minutes in i suddenly started to feel like my skin would start to relax (in a good way). I had this most amazing feel on my skin i can not even describe. Even without touching it, it just felt soft and cooling and relaxing. No burning, no itching, quite the opposite. I looooved it. Perfect for my sunday pamper time. I cannot tell anything about the long term effects since i guess it needs more then one time use for that but i can tell you that short term my skin was super soft and i felt like i just came from a facial. Will i be repurchasing this. Yes yes yes... but... sniff, the full size product costs a whopping 101,30 EUR for 50ml. So it will go for now on my wish list. But if you can afford it, go for it, like NOW.

Then a day later i applied in the evening the Clarins Multi active Night Youth Recovery comfort cream. I cannot tell you if it recovered my youth, i hope i am not looking that old yet that there is a lot to be recovered ;). However, it is a very nice cream. It feels very good on my skin, i had no breakouts and my skin was very soft the next day. However, i think it is a bit to oily for me and my oily skin given that is is meant for normal to dry skin. Will i be purchasing that. No probably not but i would love to try some other clarins products. (full size around 56 EUR).

The next sample was the Louis Widmer Skin Appeal moisturiser. Louis Widmer is a pharmacy brand and i received a sample when i last visited my favourite pharmacy. I actually really enjoyed this product. I have to say i have a thing for pharmacy brands since they are usually not to heavily perfumed and they really usually do the job quite well. This one was really nice and left my skin not greasy at all but super soft and moisturised. I am currently using the La Roche Posay Mate moisturiser but to be honest i could imagine picking this one up too. (full size around 10 euro).
So that was the samples for this week and i can tell you that i have some really nice perfume ones lined up for next week. Are you using any of these products? Did you pick up any nice samples recently? Let me know in the comments.

Thursday 23 October 2014

A lazy fast and healthy pumpkin soup


As some of you already know, i have been trying to loose weight recently. One of the hardest parts of being on a diet is that i just love my  seasonal treats, so to make this diet work, i had to make sure that i still had things i could treat myself too. So what better treat when its getting cold outside than a hot creamy soup. And well this soups are so low calories, you may as well eat as much as you like.
Since i am rather lazy after a long day of work, it is also not supposed to be too much work, so here we go, my lazy, fast and healthy pumpkin soup.

Ingredients:
1 onion 
1 handful of chopped frozen carrots ( i froze some from my garden early this year)
2-3 good handful of frozen pumpkin (homegrown or store bought)
2 vegetable stock cubes
pepper
nutmeg
some butter or alternative to bake (i used alpro soya for frying)
ham cubes or pumpkin seeds to roast as garnish (optional)

Roughly chop the onion and add it alongside with a little butter to a cooking pot. Keep frying them until they turn lightly brown. Add the carrots and let that roast a bit alongside the onions until you get this delicious smell of sweet carrots in your nose. Then you add the pumpkin and let it roast for just a tiny bit longer. You then add about a litre of water (depending on how thin you like your soup) and the two stock cubes and let it simmer until all the veg is nice and soft. Take it off the heat and blend the soup (i have such a staff blender i can hold into the pot for that). After blending make sure that you boil up the soup at least briefly (otherwise it will spoil fast) and add the spices according to taste. Optional: Roast some  low fat ham cubes or/and pumpkin seeds and drizzle on the soup. Enjoy your healthy lazy autumn treat.

xxx
Mica

Tuesday 21 October 2014

The first Belgian Birchbox


One reason i started reading beautyblogs is that i love trying out new products. So by nature, beautyboxes appeal to me. For a relatively small amount of money i get to try out a lot of new brands and products i probably would have never gotten to know otherwise. I have a Glossybox subscription, but since they do not deliver to Belgium, i get it delivered to my family in Germany and i usually get than 3 month in one go and looong after everyone else. So when i heard that the Birchbox would come to Belgium i signed up immediately. After fighting myself through the french only website, my first box finally arrived. Unwrapping a new box alwys feels a bit like christmas to me, so i thought i share this moment with all of you. I have to say, the first box for sure was no dissapointment.
I will show you in a bit more detail what goodies i got.


Number 4 super comb Prep and Protect (original size 200ml-23EUR, here 30ml)
Not a big fan of the packaging. It comes over as a bit cheap (which it apparently isn't) Other then that, i guess its functional. The spray promises to protect my hair against the daily damaging influences (i am bad at translations). I do use a similar spray already by Schwarzkopf Gliss kur but i am more than curious to try this one (beautyboxes are there for trying new things no?)
Verveine d'Huygens Bodymilk (original size 250ml -22,40EUR, here 37ml)
A  natural french bodymilk. Apparently this one is an exclusive for Birchbox and contains apparently verbena (i guess i am vampire proof then?) and a cocktail of three peppermints (that is if my french is halfway correct) and is made to 99% of natural ingredients. 
Well when there is one thing i am always up for than it is bodymilks so i am curious to try out this one.


Natura Brasil Ekos Hand lotion Casthana (full size 75g -15EUR, i got the full size yaaay) According to the advertisment, this is a number 1 cosmetics brand in Brasil (i will ask my brasilian friends about that later). Also this lotion is made of natural ingredients and is supposed to hydrate my hands and fortify my nails. Where other girls collect their lip balms, i am a huge fan of handlotions (lab work really dries out hands), so this is a very welcome addition.
Update: I just talked to my brazilian friend and she said it is indeed the number one in brazil and she says its amazing, in fact she has been searching for it here like crazy cause its harder to get. So yes, now i am even more exited.

One sample which could have been a bit bigger for my liking is the staniac-beauty queen by the balm (full size 8,5g -13,50EUR, here 1,2 ml). This stain doubles as lipgloss and as blush. I heard great things about the balm and i am super exited to try this. 

The last product is the Lollipops nail polish by Voyage à Paris (full size 12ml - 8,90EUR, no indication on the package but the size tells me that this is the full size i got). I love the color. It might appear a bit orange on the picture but let me assure you that it is a beautiful deep red.

So in total i am really happy with my first box and i am eager to try out all of this. Let me know if you would like a review of any of those products.
Did you subscribe to birchbox? What did you get in yours (also eager to hear about other countries birchboxes). Let me know in the comments.

Monday 20 October 2014

My lips but better by Rimmel London


I recently learned what the abbreviation MLBB stands for (after excluding that it stand for Middle Limburg Billiard Bond) and i noticed that this was exactly what i had been looking for for a while. Especially for the work environment i prefer sometimes a look which does not look to made up. So make up in the way my mother explained it to me when i was a kid (bless her): A look which makes you look like you but well put together. 
So while i was out in the city recently i stopped in front of the shelve of Rimmel London and the Kate Moss lipstick line. I have heard great things about this line from many bloggers, so i did some swatches and noticed that i really loved the shade 08 (no name sadly). Of cause, my luck, it was completely sold out. But well i returned a week later and there is was. Exactly one left. So i bought it. And well i have not regretted it. 
It has a really nice pigmentation and i just love the colour which is very close to my natural colour just more intense (so pretty much the definition of MLBB). The consistency is creamy and applies well and evenly. What i really like is that it makes my lips feel soft and moisturised even comparable to a lip balm.
Now as far as staying power is concerned, this lipstick lasts well but does not survive eating and drinking for me the same way my mac lipsticks do. However, it is that easily reapplied that i do not mind that much. Also, due to being that close to my natural lip colour, the fading is not very obvious. I just reapply after eating. 
So yes i am very happy with this lipstick and will probably even repurchase it once its used up. I will still hit the Mac store soon to check what they have in store for me though but this one is for sure a great drugstore alternative. I paid for the lipstick about 9,50 Euro but i have seen them on Feelunique already for less. If you haven't given those a shot and you are looking for a great MLBB for a drugstore price, you should give this a go.


What is your favourite MLBB? Let me know in the comments!

xxx
Love
Mica (Sciencekoekje)



Sunday 19 October 2014

A little autumn yankee candle haul!


With autumn fully going, i really started to yearn for some new autumn scented candles for cuddly evenings on the sofa. I wanted to give yankee candles a shot for the longest time and since i found out that they ship to Belgium, i thought why not now and bought a few candles to try it out. I really like the sampler sizes. They are rather inexpensive and really let you try out a scent before you move on to buy a big candle. I actually purchased a little indian summer themed gift set containing six samplers. It contains the scents Ginger Dusk, Honey Glow, Lake Sunset, Amber Moon and Wild Fig. I think they go perfect with this late summer, early autumn mood. Alongside the set i purchased two sampler holders, so i could actually burn my candles. I love this little halloween themed orange candleholder with a witch and night sky. Actually the blackglas is see-through, so when you light your candle, the light will glow through the witch and the night sky. The second sampler i chose is a bit more all season, yet with its natural look i think it also goes with the autumn theme very well.
I can tell you so far that all of them smell very delicious. I already lighted the wild fig one, which is why it is not in the picture anymore. Actually this candles burn really really long for how small they are. I had them lighted for nearly a week every evening and it is not burned down yet. I think i will try some more samplers before i decide to purchase some big sized ones. I think before i am done with those, it will be time already for christmas scented candles. So i guess samplers are perfect for seasonal scents.
Do you have any yankee candles or other scented candles? What is your favourite seasonal scent?



Saturday 18 October 2014

Rimmel vs. Lancôme: The battle of the foundations





I have a very pale complexion, yet it seems to be different from most friends of mine which have a pale skin. For example i have no freckles. I do not burn easy in the sun though i do not tan either. I actually need to spend several week outside in southern sun to gain even a tiny bit of tan. My skin is not really white but more slightly olive while been very pale, if that makes sense.
As a teenager i hated my pale complexion and yearned for the more tanned looked of my friends. Luckily i grew out of my insecurities and learned to embrace my pale skin. However, foundation brands do not embraced my skin tone quite as much. Most foundations are either to dark or just the wrong tone. 
When i got my first job and had a bit more money on my hand, i decided to finally find a decent foundation. So  i purchased my first Lancôme foundation at 40 euro per bottle (back then my most expensive make up product by far). And well suffice to say, i never looked back. This has been my favourite foundation. It perfectly matches my skin tone, is easy to apply and i do not even feel its presence on my skin. at the same time, it perfectly covers, evens out my skin and gives it a glow. 

More recently i have been hearing more and more about the Rimmel wake me up foundation and how it is supposedly a perfect drugstore dupe for pricey foundations. At about 10 euro it is  about a quarter of the price of my Lancôme foundation. I was intrigued. Unfortunately i could not find it in the store here, so i ordered the lightest shade available online at feel unique. 
I have been using this foundation since several weeks and feel ready to make a comparison:

To begin with, the Rimmel foundation does not fit my skin tone perfectly i admit though that i do have a difficult tone to match.  However, this foundation works for me. It is not really a lot lighter then my actual skin tone but it is a bit more rosy in the undertone than my skin tone and the  Lancome foundation. So instead of imitating my skin tone, it rather changes it but in a way which is not to obvious.
Both have had no negative effect on my sensitive skin and are hardly noticeable on the skin. Also both have SPF15 which i love. Even though i do not burn easily, does not mean that my skin cannot get long term damage from the sun.
As far as the lasting power goes, i have to say that i am impressed by the Rimmel wake me up foundation since i could not find any difference to the Lancome foundation and that at a fraction of the price.
Consistency wise the Rimmel foundation is a bit more creamy than the Lancôme one and is a bit more difficult to apply evenly. However, with a bit extra buffing, this is easily fixed. The Rimmel foundation does give a nice even complexion and a a healthy hue, however, it does not give the magical glow i achieve with the Lancome foundation.

So my final conclusion: I will keep buying my Lancôme foundations since it is just the best match  far and because of this magical glow i looove. Saying that, i do not regret buying the Rimmel Wake me up foundation. It is a very good foundation and can easily hold up with higher priced foundations. Actually i now switch a bit between both since it also makes my Lancôme foundation last longer. 

What is your favourite foundation?

XXX
Mica (Sciencekoekje)



Wednesday 15 October 2014

Review: The Catrice eyebrow set


Recently i had half an hour to kill between a course and the next train so i ended up in a drugstore browsing through their shelves for new discoveries. I really love my more expensive make up but sometimes there is real bargains to make in the local drugstore and some of this products work equally as good or even better than their expensive counter parts. Problem is of cause which? But when i saw this cute little black box for just 3 EUR i could not resist to give it a shot. And bingo, we have a winner. 
First of all the packaging is perfect. This little box is really small and fits into every handbag or even jacket pocket. It contains a small mirror and even a little drawer with forceps and a small brush. the small brush has one end which is an applicator brush and the other side looks a bit like a mini mascara wand. They look tiny but they are more then sufficient to get your eyebrows back into shape. Now to the colours. You have one lighter brown and one darker brown. Both are beautiful colours. On the photo they seem to have a green tone but that is really the photo. I tried both colours and they both work great for me. I use the lighter brown just to add some definition and i use the darker brown when i want to have a bit more of a statement brow.The small brush works perfectly for this for me. Both colours have a really good staying power. When i applied it in the morning i could still find it back in the evening. 
I have quite a long commute in the morning and on top of that very long working hours, so anything i can take with me is a bonus for me. I have carried this little kit now around to one conference and every day on the train. It is perfect. The little drawer does not open on its own nor does the mirror (something i was worried about). In fact it is holding up perfectly. I also have to admit that i just love having the tiny pair of forceps with me since i can get quite obsessed when i notice a hair in the wrong place and cannot get rid of it immediately (TMI i know). And well it is for sure a big bonus that this little treasure came to me for just 3 euro. A real bargain. I can imagine that i will purchase this again should it run out. Do you use any eyebrow products on the go? Have you made recently a really good budget make up purchase? Let me know in the comments. 


Tuesday 14 October 2014

I looooove.... my new Wintercoat by "Only"


And again a post from work due to time constraints. I yesterday finally got in the mail my new winter coat and i am looooving it. Not only is it super fluffy, but it is also perfectly warming and comfy and above all perfect to wear on a bicycle (i go with a bicycle from the train station to work every day). I paid 69 euro for this wonderful coat and i think that was a bargain. The outer material is cotton, the inner one is polyester. The hoodie is lined with sheep wool and the collar is obviously faux fur (no real one in my house). The collar can be also taken off though i am not planning to do that at the moment ;). Which winter coat are you guys going with this year?

Wintercoat by "only", 69 euro, purchased via Zalando.

Love 
XXX
Mica (Sciencekoekje)

Sunday 12 October 2014

Autumn Lazy Sunday


I loooove autumn sundays. Its getting colder outside, the trees outside the window turn into a beautiful collage of autumnal colours. Inside it smells like cinnamon and tangerines. It is the time for pumpkin soup . Its the time for eating tonnes of tangerines (or is that just me). Its the time for lighting candles, brewing hot tea and cuddle into the couch with your favourite book and the cat on your feet wrapped in warm socks (the feet, not the cat ;) ).
Since i am still a bit moody after my tooth removal on friday, this was the perfect day for a lazy autumn sunday. I started the day with a wonderful fry up (low calorie version) and a hot autumn tea. I then decided to take a looong soak in the bath. I decided to use the Lush "Rise of the phoenix" bath bomb which smells amazing like cinnamon and spicy apple (has there ever been a more perfect autumn scent). Additionally, it turned my bath into a wonderful pink. So i spend a long time just relaxing. I also applied a sea salt scrub from lush which i reviewed before (here). The oils in the bath bomb made my skin super soft. I love oily baths since they ensure that every inch of your skin gets moisturised and smooth.


After my bath i put a lot of lotion on my feet and put some cuddly socks on (routine you can see here). I then cuddled myself into my couch and watched the last episode of The great british bake off (my guilty pleasure since it make me really want to eat cake). As you can see, Eddy decided to be lazy with me. So actually we are still on the couch as i am writing that. In Eddys defense, he spend the whole morning hunting bouncy balls. So he had his work out. In my defense... okay i have none :P


 I also ended up having some snacks on the couch. Decidedly not low calories, but ooooh so tasty. My two favourite autumn treats, stroop waffles (dutch sirup waffles) and tangerines. And one piece of  my stash of my all year round favourite, dark truffle chocolate (yuuuum). I also lit some scented candles. Unfortunately my package from Yankee candles is stuck in the post, so i could not use one of my autumnal scented candles yet, however, i won't let that ruin this perfect moment.


This evening we will prepare out first "stoemp" of the year. "Stoemp" is the flammish word for mash. However, this mash can contain anything. Ours this evening will be with spring onions, mushrooms and a bit of minced meat. My ultimate autumn comfort food. I hope you are enjoying your Sunday as much as i do. What have you been up too?

Love
XXX
Mica (Sciencekoekje)




Saturday 11 October 2014

Sample Saturday: SVR, BE primer, Yves Rocher perfume

This post nearly did not happen. I got on Friday a tooth removed and have been then a permanent inhabitant of couch ville. But well by now the pain meds kicked in better and now i feel like i am up to do cheer myself up with some samples. 
So here we go, my second Sample Saturday:

 


Todays samples include the SVR spiral anti transpirant creme; the BE photo perfecting primer (Ici Paris house brand) and Yves Rocher Evidence perfume.

The first sample, i have to admit, is not my own. But i decided to feature it after talking last week to a girl which experienced skin problems due to excessive sweating and i think its nothing to be ashamed about. There are products these days for about every need, so i think its always worth it to ask your trusted pharmacist for beauty solutions for your needs. So well this is one of this products. The SVR Sprilial creme with 24 hour anti transpirante efficiency. Think deodorant for face or hands. It keeps excessive sweating in check to a certain degree and prevents infections of the pores due to excessive sweating. I did not try it since i do not experience this and wasn't sure what it would do to my skin. But i heard that its pretty good. Also, this product is unisex, which i like. (full size product around 12EUR)

The second sample is one of mine and it is the photo perfecting primer from BE. BE is the house brand of Ici Paris and so far i have really liked their products. So when i went to buy their eye primer, the lady at the counter gave me several of those samples to try as well. I can say that i am very happy with this product. I do not wear primer every time i wear make up since my make up usually does not need it to last well, however when i know that its going to be a hot day or when i am going to a conference all day, i like to make sure with a primer.  The product promises a light reflecting technology, micro mineral pearls, a light spreading diamond core complex and that it is fit for every skin. My skin does very well with this product and i do definitely feel that my makeup stays longer in place and fresh. It also already evens out my skin, though since i am wearing foundation over it, it does not really matter to much. I like that it does not give me a stuffy feeling on the skin; Add to this the attractive price tag. So yes, i will definitely purchase the full size product (full size product 14,99 EUR)

The last sample is a perfume sample by Yves Rocher "comme une evidence". When i was a teenager i was wearing Yves Rocher perfumes a lot, however as i grew up i ended up wearing more designer scents. I do still believe though that Yves Rocher does make the one or other nice perfume. I did not like this one so much though. The scent is pleasant enough but very flowery and to be honest, in my opinion maybe something rather for the older generation. One tip by the way, perfume sample bags can be nicely placed in closets with linen (same for old perfume bottles). It gives your linen a nice scent. You can even put old bottles of your favourite perfumes old bottles between your scarfs. Well but i am digressing, i won't purchase the full size product for this one. However, scents are such a objective thing, that i think its always worth it to give it a sniff yourself. (full size product 31,80 EUR for 100ml)

Which samples have you used recently? Have you tried any of the shown products? What was your experience? Let me know in the comments.












Thursday 9 October 2014

Fast and healthy treat: A strawberry creamy delight



I have been spending today all day sitting at my desk working, when i started to really feel the need for a sweet treat. Now i have been trying to loose weight since quite some time so i try to stay away from to much sugar. However, i do have a sweet tooth. So i opted for this super fast, lazy but healthy treat. And it was yuuuummmy.
I took a handful of frozen strawberries and popped them for 3 minutes at 800W into the microwave. They come out nicely hot and very mushy. I then mushed them up a bit more with a fork and then added cold unsweetened soy yoghurt (i am a bit lactose intolerant so you can use regular yoghurt too). I then finished it off with some granola (just a bit for the texture). Et voila. It is rather tangy, so you can add a bit of sweetener to it if you prefer that. I however like it all natural and tangy and soooo creamy. What is your favourite healthy treat?

Wednesday 8 October 2014

Review: False Lash Wings Mascara by L'oréal


For the last year i have been using my Maybelline Collosal Volume waterproof Mascara which i really enjoyed. However, i thought it was now really the time to try something new and i would love something which adds a bit more Volume and length to my lashes. And after all, i do not really require a lot of convincing when trying out new make up.
So when i was today already at 17:00 out of work due to a course, i wandered into the city and into the Lookiss. This is a relatively new beauty store by DI beauty and i am loving it. All my favourite drugstore make up brands (at least the ones available in Belgium) displayed beautifully and skilled make up artists to help you with your purchases. One more advantage, its just make up, so i do not have to press myself past kids buying sweets and people buying toilet paper.

This is the wand. I apologise for the crappy image but i guess you get the idea

So well, i am drifting off. I have been meaning to try once the new wands of L'oréal. So i ended up buying the False Lash Butterfly Mascara. Compared to the brush of my previous Mascara, this wand looks  completely different. It has short silicone bristles and is winged. The wings are supposed to give a curl to the lashes. It also is conically shaped to make it easier to reach all your lashes. I have to say it looks rather interesting. So here are some before and after pictures for how it looked on my lashes.
before application. Just wearing liquid eyeliner

after application: I think they definitely look longer and more voluminous


after application, eyes open
I am really happy with this Mascara, my lashes seem to be lengthen and more voluminous. The best part was that after a whole day of attending a conference, in the evening it still was were it belonged and had not run under my eyes. They also claim to curl your lashes. I do actually think that is the case. What do you think. I definitely really liked the look. It was very easy to apply and to reach all the lashes? I just went once over them at the bottom lashes though and did not catch all. But i think that was more lack of experience with the new brush. However, i did not want to go over the bottom lashes to much since i do not like to strong bottom lashes during day time.
Well to sum up. I really do not regret this purchase and at 17,99 EUR i do think you get great value for the money. Have you tried this product? Which one is your favourite mascara?

I loove... my retro style Geox flats

Geox flats. No this is not my floor, this is the flooring at the Starbucks. I literally did not have even 5 min at home in daylight, so a blogger gotta do what a blogger gotta do.
If you are a busy woman and not one of this miracle people which can walk miles and miles in heals without wanting to tear your feet off, chances are high, you love, like me, some decent flats. Now obviously there are beautiful classic ballerinas and i own several of those too. But from time to times i want something more exiting on my feet. In come my new retro style flats from Geox. I have to admit upon first time wearing them, i wasn't convinced. I got some blisters and was pretty disappointed since especially Geox is supposed to be so nice to your feet. However, the prettiness drew me back in so i wore them again and by now they are super comfortable. Their special air sole as well as the shoe design really prevents the dreaded sweaty feet and at the same time, i do not get cold feet either. Ideal. I like to wear them in warmer weather just barefoot or even in colder weather together with some black tights. They go perfect obviously with some retro style dresses but they also can be a bit of an eye catcher on jeans. So yes, in short i have been looooving those. Unfortunately i can not give you a price since they were on sale and i cannot find them anymore on the website.
And yes, busy woman means sometimes you are doing your photos in the local starbucks and get stared at strangely by people which are wondering why this women is making photos of her feet. But well as somebody famous said: People are gonna look, why not make sure they have something to see ;).

Saturday 4 October 2014

Sample Saturday: Avènè, Clinique, Dermatologica


Small part of my sample collection
If you are like me, regular shopping for beauty products, you might have a similar issue. You get this nice little samples, you are exited about them, and then they vanish into the nooks and cranies of your cosmetics closet. Or maybe you are better than me and use them up directly and do not make a mess out of your closet. In that case, congratulations, you are better than me.

In general i loooove samples since it gives you the chance to decently try a product at home in its intended way (to put face moisturiser on your hands can just tell you so much, but there is no way in hell i put something out of a tester onto my face in the middle of a store). Also, it gives you the possibility to test if you are allergic to it or show unwanted reactions. If you are like me, regular shopping for beauty products, you might have a similar issue. You get this nice little samples, you are exited about them, and then they vanish into the nooks and cranies of your cosmetics closet. Or maybe you are better than me and use them up directly and do not make a mess out of your closet. In that case, congratulations, you are better than me.
Now there are samples i use pretty much right away. I am that lucky to have an amazing pharmacy which actually usually refuses to sell me anything before they haven't stuffed me before with samples so i can try if its right for me (bless them).
Any way, in an effort to finally use all the samples i have and reduce the mess i thought i introduce to you Sample Saturday. From now on i will present to you every Saturday a few samples, a review of the product and if i will repurchase them or not. (Added bonus, i can review more for you guys)
So lets get started with these 3 samples:
Avènè Micellair Water, Clinique Superdefense moisturiser, Dermatologica daily microfoliant
I have to admit, i am starting with the 3 samples which i was anyway super eager to try. In fact, one of them is already empty.

I received the Avènè Micellar water from said favourite pharmacy. It was a great sample size since it really lasted me a week and therefore i could really figure out the effects of it. What shall i say, i am a fan. I loooove this product. I am only unsure if i should try the La Roche Posay Micellar water first before i make my decision but so far there is really zero negative points to the Avènè one. I use it to get my make up off or sometimes as well in the morning. It combines well with a washing gel, but less good with a scrub. When i used this water after a scrub, my skin turned red. I guess scrubs in general clean well enough and do not really require a second cleaner afterwards. I can say that this water removes my make up really well and leaves my skin super soft. So a definite full size purchase.(around 10 euro for 200ml)

 The Clinique Superdefense SPF20 moisturiser i got in a magazine and was exited to try it. I used it after a scrub since it is actually for dry skin and i do not have dry skin whatsoever. However, it was beautiful moisturising and made my skin feel really smooth. I love that it has SPF 20. Never to much protection for your skin, as far as i am concerned. Will i purchase the full size version? Not sure, there is nothing really negative about this product, it however also did not do miracles on my skin. I think compared to my other favourite moisturisers, it really does not make a huge enough difference to justify the price for me. However, i would love to try a sample actually made for my skin type and i am also aware that i just got 3 uses out of this sample, so the long term effects might be better.(full size product retails at 52 EUR)

The dermatologica daily microfoliant i received after a skin consultation in a Douglas in Germany. I got in total 4 of this samples and each of them is good for at least 3 uses, therefore i really got the chance to test it. This is an exfoliant based on enzymes and Salicyl acid rather then scrubbing particles. It is based on rice extracts and contains papaya, salicyl acid and rice enzymes. It also contains green thee and oat extracts to calm the skin. Dermatologica products come with a price tag but i have to say they are sometimes worth it. I think i never felt my skin so clean. I do not think i would really use it every day since it seemed to be rather intense, however i would love to use this 2-3 times per week. It comes in a powder form which is mixed with water and then applied to the face (for sure nice to travel with since it does go in the hand luggage and weights less) Will i purchase the full size? I would love to. It will go on my wish list and i might purchase it after my London shopping for which i am saving right now. (full size product retails at 66EUR)

So that concludes the first Sample Saturday. If you would like to see more of this feature, let me know. Did you have any great samples lately or do you have any full size version of the displayed samples? Let me know your opinion.

Friday 3 October 2014

Benefit "It's potent" eye cream and Eddy the cat

"It's potent packaging and Eddy photo bombing
For most of you cat owners, this will be familiar to you. I can hardly do anything around the house without my lovely roommate (cats are not owned by anyone, mind you) Eddy the cat. So while I wanted to review the "It's potent" eye cream by Benefit, Eddy decided he can do that so much better and who am I to argue. So well here is the review modelled by Eddy.
They are good to play with if that should be an important factor to you when buying cosmetics :P
I have to start with admitting that I am a Benefit fan so when I got this little luxury sized sample, I was over the moon. I have been looking for a good eye cream for a while. I used to use a Nivea one, but my skin did not agree with it. So well now I tried this one.

It promises to brighten your eyes and make them look younger. It also claims to remove dark circles and fine lines. Now I can't talk to much about effects on fine lines since this is one of the few things, nature (my genes) have blessed me with, I have no lines yet. However, dark circles? Oh yes! 

The cream has no strong colour or scent as far as I can tell. It applies very well and does not leave a fatty film (good for when you want to apply make up afterwards). Indeed it seemed to immediately brighten my skin. It was very nicely cooling and soothing for my under eye skin. I do not suffer from dry skin under my eyes so I am not sure how it would be there but for my eyes it was very good. I have not noticed a long term strong reduction of dark circles but to be honest i do not expect that from a cream either. Never the less i keep you posted as I continue using it, that is when Eddy let me have it. So far, I think, I will definitely purchase the full size.

Benefit, for eyes as beautiful as Eddys