Empties February (& January)

The last two months have been in the line of winter survival. 

I don't know about you guys, but somewhat the fun in cosmetics gets out of it and everything is more about necessity. Shortly, I'm looking forward for a warm spring so my skin can behave normal again, and I can have fun with my cosmetic goodies again.

Again, I'll have quite some used-ups and hygienic bye-bye's to show...

I'm gonna start with two of my favourites:

• The NIOD Copper Amino Insulate Serum 1.00 % has been that wonderfully blue liquid that smells so neutral and layers on like a calming liquid. You mix the 2 bottles up and store it in the fridge: how fresh is that? I saw an improve in the quality of my skin: repurchased already!
• May Lindstrom The Blue Cocoon has been a nicely soothing balm, but too expensive and not entirely healing on disturbed skin so I've been looking for alternatives (see here).

• Alterna Caviar repair Fill & Fix treatment Mask is a staple, abeit a pricy one. It packs up proteins for damaged hairs which has an instant effect, but also improves hairs in the long run
• Fountain The Monecule in Happiness: I already shared my like for Fountain's hyaluronacid infused liquid concoctions and I could use some more positive feelings last months.
• Glonaturals Bodylotion: It smells like chemical coconut but it packs in a good amount of moisture into winterskin. I mixed it with pure oils like St. Johnsworth to get extra hydration.
• OlivineLove + Roses hydrating mist: Lovely and so natural smelling rose water infusion.

• Aromantic Camellia Seed Oil: Aka Japanese Tsusaki oil works wonders on hair and is lovely on skin as well
• De Tuinen Prickly Seed Oil: Prickly seed oil is a powerhouse that often sells really expensive, think La Bella Figura's version. I loved this affordable version.
• Andalou Naturals Luminous Eye Serum: I order this in one of my Vitacost hauls and it moisturizes wonderfully without too much fragrance. As for anti-ageing? I'd prefer Pai.
• Alterna Re-texturizing Protein Cream: This is such a favourite of mine! It smoothes in frizzies wonderfully and builds up hair in the long run.
• Givenchy Eclat Matissime: This one is still full: it was not suitable for my sensitive skin.

• Bliss FatGirlSlim has been a freebie in some box. I like it, but I'm a firm (pun intended) fan of my French line of anti-cellulite treatments (see a heap of mentions here). 
• Mario Badescu Super Collagen Mask was another freebie. I feel nostalgic for anything Mario Badescu as it reminds me of my 1st couple of online cosmetic purchases around 2000. Then again, it only adds some moisture so I would not repurchase.
• Givenchy Acti'mine Wake up skin Base: another full tube I have to abandon as I am too oversensitive for it.
• Andalou Naturals Argan Stem Cells Scalp intensive Lotion is targetted for hairgrowth. I have not seen dramatic results but it might have helped.
• Kinvaria 24hr Rosehip Face Serum was a serum I bought on a rave review being best thing ever for sensitive skin. Another case of not liking the fragance: household cleaning stuff. Blerg.

•  Cinema Secret makes some awesome makeup for professional use. Their concealer palette has been fab for covering imperfections, but I have this palette for many years so bye bye!
• Fasio Eyebrow Gel has been perfect for colouring the hairs of my eyebrow when they lightened in the sun. 
• Jadilla J BB Concealer still originates from my Gmarket Haul days. Funnily, now everyone seems to go K-beauty I find it soo 2008! The colour is too light for me these days but coverage was wonderful.
• Another hygiene/older concealer I had to bin is Models Prefer concealer duo. Somewhat it did not blend wonderfully either (green and a beigy colour) so I haven't used it much.
• This Le Metier the Beaute eyebrow pencil in blonde has been a perfect colour, but the pigment-hold was not spectacular on skin. Now it dried out...
• Clarins Eclat Minute...yes, fab coverage for under eyes but hygiene disposal again.

• Tigi BedHead After Party is one of those raved about haircreams that make your blowdry last beautifully. I liked it but prefer my organics and Alterna ranges over this one.
• Tatcha Indigo Soothing cream is another staple. Must-have for me.
• Trevarno Eye cream smelled like herbs gone wild...Also, a bit too thick for eyes.
• Nails Inc make some fab 3free nailpolishes that last and look superb. I loved this neutral pink.
• NVey Eco compact foundation was the most unblendable foundation ever. No likey.
•  I already discussed my Herbivore Lapis oil over here and I liked it a lot. 

• WLL3People Expressionist bio Extreme Mascara is one of the mascaras the natural bloggers rave about. Nice, but they have not reached similar hold/volume over the chemical mascaras.
• Bourjois Rouge Velvet in Fuschia has a gorgeous hold and superb matte appearance before this matte-lip thingy has been going on. 
• Marc Jacobs Enamored Hi-Shine Gloss Lip Lacquer Lipgloss in Love Drunk has been a sample I have been scraping the last bit out. Perfect mauvy shimmer! Adore...
• Another Marc Jacobs winner has been his O!Mega Lash Volumizing Mascara I bought in Marseille, France. I would like to try his newer version but the reviews have been mixed.
• Benefit Tinted Primer Hey, They're Real does not live up to my beloved Kate Kanebo version (here).
• Oh, and the tiny oil on the left has been Kiss the Moon Midnight oil. Soo, gorgeous...on par with my new fascination with Herbivore oils.

• Grow Gorgeous End split ends Leave in Serum in from that Deciem line again. Ok, me and my sensitive nose but this is sooo masculine and overpowering I cannot use it.
• Arcona Chamomile balm smells amazingly soft, but it also brings in a good amount of soothing softness on par with May Lindstrom the Blue Cocoon, for a fraction the price: staple!
• Wella Colour Fresh in Silver 10/81 has been a end-of-holiday toner for my then blonde hair. This one tones gorgeously and only needs one bottle without mixing. More about it soon.
• Another case of the ageing makeup product: My gorgeous YSL palette...awww...
• Another staple is my Collistar Face Magic Drops for self-tan. Although I don't use it in winter, I use it to match my face to my body on beachy holidays.

  I have been using up a lot of staples that are suitable to calm my oversensitive skin during the winter period. I have also ventured on some new products which has been a mixed bag of winners and not-so-successful for me. And I have been able to let go of some expensive brands that will not work for me (aww Givenchy)...

So for next month I hope to cleaned out my makeup-drawer a bit more, and be as diligent as ever to finish up products that I like : )

Kanebo Kate Long & Curl mascara vs Kose Fasio Curl & Lock

I would like to discuss two mascaras I have been testing lately: Kose Fasio Curl & Lock mascara and the latest Kanebo Kate long & Curl mascara:

I was able to skip on the superduper curl-holding Asian mascaras as I'd been faking it for a while. That is, I gotten eyelash extensions and they come with their own curl...almost every mascara will do if you have them.

Only, I wanted a break from the "doll-eyes" because they left my original lashes quite sparse and thin:

And I do not have the cute face this adorable one has above...

Both mascaras have the name "curl" in their description and that was my main goal: keeping the curl in the miniature eyelashes.

Ofcourse, length is my second and perhaps a shared first place desire for me! 

And with Kate's promise to give a "lash extension" effect:

So there's the first difference in promise. Fasio promising to "lock" in your curl. Kate works on two levels for keeping your "curl" and making them "long". 

This aspect is visible in the texture of the mascara:

Fibres, you either love them or dislike them in mascaras. I sort of like them when I have natural lashes. I consider Kate's fibers to be one of the thinnest varieties I have come across.

Colour:

Kate Long & Curl has an inky blackness in it's texture. Similar to Fasio Curl & lock. Fasio dries up in a slighter glossier way whereas Kate brings out a softer and more natural opaque black.

Verdict:

• Fasio keeps the curl longer than Kate. Kate is slightly droopy after 10 hrs.
• Fasio Curl & Lock feels like a sort of superglue: perhaps too much on really thin lashes (I'll will use it with another brush soon to see if I get a finer result)
• Kate Long & Curl brings about a soft fluttery, longer lash with a beautiful curl
• Kate's fibers extend the lashes in a natural way 
• Both last the whole day until the super-removers step in 
• The colour of Kate is a soft, candlelight black: Fasio has a glossier black colour.

Conclusion:
If both would be combined it would be the best of worlds. I prefer Kanebo Kate Long & Curl for thin and short lashes: it has a natural, fluttery look, only does not keep the curl as long. I think that Fasio Curl & lock is a better choice for thicker eyelashes, when you want a glossier black, a longer-lasting  curl, and for people who do not like fibres in their mascaras.

Availability:
Both are to be found on Adambeauty: Kate Long & Curl over here and Fasio Lock & Curl over here

Newbies

Chanel 42 Seduction:
I succumbed for the new, despite my vigorous attempts to like, rediscover, swatch and sometimes diss (see my last post) the older palettes I have.
I am not the greatest Chanel eyeshadow lover but the neutral composition was totally alluring. Also the spokesmodel/face for Chanel, Giselle, embodies this natural-esque beauty I really like and relate to.

Givenchy Le Rouge:
The leather case made me buy this...the stud too.

Fasio Mascara Ultra Curl lock volume:
One word= Drivellerkate (or one image: Drivellerskate's lashes)

Fasio PU-3 swatches & Prettypanda's scarvelicious haul

What a week! I had the pleasure to celebrate my first year's anniversary as Birkinbagbeauty! I gave a giveaway and had my 200th follower as well.

I had a request from Blair to swatch my latest acquisition of eyeshadow: my lovely Purple Fasio palette PU-3 I had proudly showcased in this post. I love my readers and I think Blair is fantastic. You should check out her blog if you haven't done that yet.

I really like the name Blair as well, for the odd reason that ........Blair is my favourite character in Gossip Girl...he he. I think her twisted 'relationship' with dark boy Chuck is so brilliantly portrayed in a teen-meets-adult kind of way that it appeals to women beyond the age of ...ehm...twenty as well. I could go on why the beyond-teenager-age women like me still watch the odd serie of Gossip Girl every now and then, but hey, this is a beauty blog so I will return to the beauty part ;P

I have tried to swatch and photograph my palette perfectly with the right light, etc...but I failed a bit because of the autumny weather. I will still publish them, because I should give Blair and other readers a look of how the colours are in swatched glory. So here they are.

The colour on the left is a glittery cream. The next three colours are soft, buttery powder colours. The last colour (dark) is intended for eyelining, thus suitable to use with a liquid, and a hard texture.

The next picture is made in natural, cloudy daylight. The colours are swatched in the order of the palette itself.

This picture has been made with flash-light. The far right colour is a dark eggplant colour, thus not a black colour, and contains some glitters. I am sorry for this poor picture, but my camera only seemed to focus on the lighter colours on the left, so I could not photograph this properly.

Again, sorry for the poor quality of these pictures. I hope it still gives some impression of the colours.

My personal impression of this palette is quite positive.

I love the texture of the three colours in the middle, as the quality is buttery and they hardly crease on the eyes.

The glittery cream on the left is ok, however, glittery creams are a bit useless as I hardly use them.

The darker eggplant eyeliner is such a brilliant colour for people who think that black eyeliner is a bit too harsh and brown eyeliner too soft (and colour, well, too eighties??). The eggplant hue is fantastic for making green, blue and hazel eyes pop a bit. The glitter is not obtrusive for more mature or OL makeup purposes. I would recommend using it with a wet substance, for example with Mac mixing medium, a homemade mixing medium or distillated water.

I have to show you something clotheswise as well. I purchased this scarf from etsy lately, from the sweetest seller named Prettypanda. Ulung from Prettypanda is such a dear and is excellent in the communication with the seller. She notices when you add one of her scarfs as your favourites and does her ultimate best to make the purchase as fine as possible.

I love a nicely packed present, even when I gave it to myself ;D

So many ways to tie up your scarf...amazing! These instructions are very helpful. I normally just throw on a scarf and always envy the girls who have these perfectly tied neckscarves. Now I can be one of them...yey!

I bought the Rosy Morning Scarf...a composition of colours that remind me of a perfect sunrise (often not seen in this tiny Northern country with murky weather). The scarf is thin enough to wear for the summer (I brought it with me on holiday, and it was perfect as a sarong, headscarf or protection against overzealous sunrays). I love it for unpredictable autumn weather as well.

Ulung from Prettypanda included TWO amazing freebies...a couple of hair accessories that would not look unfamiliar on Blair from Gossipgirl...sweet little ribbon clips with cherries on the fabric!

Wow, and this pink rose!!!

Her scarf and everything from her shop will not exceed the $15 price tag.

Overall, I am really enthousiastic about Prettypanda. (why else would I blog about it?)

So my dears, I hope you will have a wonderful sunday and I hope the weekend gave you the rest or excitement (or both) you wished you had.

Pearls from Jamilla and CalicoGarden's loveliness

I have an important milestone coming up:

Tomorrow is my 1st year anniversary of the blog!

I will write about that point tomorrow, because I will have to organise a GRANDE giveaway, ofcourse...beauty-bloggers tradition!

First, dear Jamilla from makeupforprofessionalasianwomen.com had a fantastic sale of her great products. I bought the Guerlain Meteorites Mythic from her, and I had it waiting for me when I came back from the hols...

Isn't the box gorgeous? It matches my flowery blouse I put under it as the background.

Pearls Mythic...indeed.

Lovely pearls from the UK. I think I am not white enough for it right now, but in the winter I often fade away a bit, so the pearls could be brilliant to give my skin a bit of sparkle (it makes a wonderful body powder for clubbing as well, however, I do not go clubbing as much as I would like to).

I also had this Kose Fasio palette waiting for me when I came home. Purples, again...The cooler variety...

The next package was so exquisitely packed, so delicate and so beautiful! I bought a hair goodie from CalicoGarden at etsy.com.

I love her banner as well...its texts attracted me instantly.

"For all kind spirits, goddesses and bellydancers".

Ok, I do not consider myself to be a goddess nor a bellydancer, although I could work on the bellydancer part, but I hope to be a kind spirit. So I love the spirituality of the shop. And look how much love she put in the packaging, the card, the handwriting, the making of the hairclip: it's exquisite!

This card is so cute

wow, I love handwritten notes...it beats emails or mobile texting everytime

Zippers are big in fashion this fall, and I am a bit creative, but not as creative as I would like to be. So I support the economy (LOL, that is my excuse for buying cute things) and bought this supercute zipper-flower from CalicoGarden.

I adore accessories: it is such a fab way to spark up any blah or humdrum or basic outfit and lift it up to something more original.

See you tomorrow and have a splendid rest of the weekend!