Midsummer Newbies

Summer is still blooming around...perhaps it is more drying to skin than you anticipated. Or, when going city-tripping you can find your pores going congested like nothing else.

• For the occasional bout of dryness I gotten myself this cute Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin pill mask. I've been sheetmasking before K-beauty gotten mainstream and it's fun they have gotten easier available. 
• I've already gotten the Boscia Detoxing Black Cleanser in a sample size, and absolutely loved the warming effect on the skin. I love this liquid form of charcoal cleansing and I noticed it really helped getting to those pesky blackheads. Something not many products are effective off with my skin.

I also went on the bandwagon with Son & Park's Beauty water...

Ohh, I really love how the air in the water is looking in the bottle.

I had to decorate it with my Luxdivine (etsy) armband and the scarf is D&G summer collection.

I rediscovered cheeks with NARS Nars-issist Dual intensity blush palette.

 It is certainly a fantastic blending blush texture...I'm smitten. My cheeks glowwwww...

I have been upping up my foundation game with an oldie and a newbie:

• Mac Face & Body is and oldie but still high in the ranks of makeupartists. I've picked a darker colour for my body as I have some white spots that I need to even out.
• Nars Velvet Matte Skin tint is new on the market. I was not enterely sure as the colours tend to look a bit too yellow for my colouring, but they look velvety and real on (self-)tan skin. I still think the gap between Cusco and Annapurna is too large in colour dept.

One of the Sephora Beauty reward boxes contained Alterna. I love their Caviar Protein line but feel (and can see) that my hair might be healthy enough to alternate with moisture. So bring on the moisture with the CaviarAnti Ageing Replenishing Moisture line.

Ok, I say I'm team Alterna but I also have team Christophe Robin and I've been enjoying some other shampoos lately as well. But in the end Alterna would be my desert island brand!

Last but not least, nails. Since everybody and their grandma have been into nailart, gellnails everything etc, I have been neglecting my mani with a simple coat of strenghtener. Very sheer, kinda blah.

• I thought some Chanel could bring back my colour game: Turban looks bright enough for summer and classic enough for always.

• Another pretty one is the Damask Rose from & Other Stories. It looks so foiled on nails, incredible.

These have been some of my midsummer hauls. I'm already eyeing up some of the Autumn lines. Kose Addiction by Ayako has released these amazing new eyeshadows with names like Dancer in the Dark, Hazy Night, Volcano & Modern Nostalgia. The colours are as awesome to boot with their names and instagram is not holding too many secrets when recently renewed (just browse on the Japanese names). 

As for skincare, I think I will hold on on some new finds that I will review soon for it. I'm kinda behind my reviews: being stuck into the instagram picturing mode makes me kind of lazy on the writing front...It does make me attempt to make prettier photos : )

Déjà-Buy: Asian Skincare trending...

That is soooo 8 years ago....

Or, for bloggers like myself who have been buying  and liking Asian skincare for a longer time now...

I still bought this skincare set from Sephora 

a. there have been new innovations and brands 

b. I liked it 8 years ago 

c. cute, travel size skincare!

Dr. Jart + has been one of my frequent gmarket hauls. Erborian has been available in our perfume/makeup stores and I tried a Belif sample too.

I have been most interested in the SK-II facial treatment Essence:

I like Asian skincare trending, but I also feel like I miss the fact that it is not a niche anymore. There is something about sampling up your goods and trying to translate Korean:

From this post in 2010

 However, I guess the people in Asia probably feel more that nothing is new about it.

So how do you feel about Asian skincare trending?

Garden of Wisdom: natural skincare haul

I've hauled from an old favourite in skincare:

Garden of Wisdom is an artisian American webshop that has been selling simple but potent products for skin. They have a mixture of well balanced serums, cleansers, and all types of facial care. You can also purchase some raw ingredients to mix up your own, or to keep it to one simple but potent oil when dealing with oversensitive skin.

I have been a great fan of them around 2008 when I gotten into late 20s preventing-wrinkles stage. Well-known commercial brands were often too fraganced and too expensive: Garden of Wisdom singles out a couple of power ingredients in a uncomplicated blend that my skin tolerated and loved.

Since the organic skincare boom I've stopped buying from them for a while. Until I ran out of my favourite pimple buster: the Manuka Tea trea essential oil. Tea trea mixed with a dash of Manuka extract is even more potent and healing when pimples threaten to pop up.

Manuka tea trea essential oil, Wine Cabernet mask, Lightening serum, Yarrow healing facemist

I added some new serums and a wine mask to make my haul more interesting. How fun do do a Cabernet wine mask while taking care of your inner Cabernet needs as well?

Most of their skincare is available in dinky sample sizes. You can check them out over here: their site is artisan [read: a bit difficult to navigate] but even Makeupalley agrees there are some real gems out there. Ofcourse, I will keep you updated when I find a personal gem again.

Korean Soap *star* Allure

I jumped on the Korean Soap-wagon and gotten myself the Innisfree no 6 Maple Burgundy lippy.

Actually, it's the lip Laquer instead of the lipstick but let me explain further: Korean Soap? For washing?

Nope, Koreans have been quite the comedians for a couple of years. I really adored My Sassy Girl and Miss Korea is the most anti-botox in facial expressions:

And the way the main character,  Oh Ji-yeong, slightly dominates her male opposers by her gestures, demeanor, etc:

All underlined by her fierce lipstick(s). Which proves, you can be as chaotic/human/imperfect as Oh Ji-yeong, as long as the lipstick looks fierce. 

BTW, DrivellerKate has a a fab image of her not being so immaculately lipsticked so head over to hers for the real goop on the show.

Oh, a review on the Innisfree Glossy LipLaquer: I actually think it is quite watery. It doesn't stay on as long as my last generations of liplaquer-ish products (see here [Gosh] & these [YSL]). But the colour is cute in an Autumn kind of way so it's a nice addition. 

I did love the webshop I bought it from: Jolse.com. They've given me 3 freebies when I only got the lipgloss. I used to be such a fan of Korean webstore Gmarket but ordering from them could be such a hassle for one or two things. This webshop is less complicated.

I'll leave you with a fragment of the older My Sassy Girl to show you the bizarre/funny type of humour:

And have a fantastic sunday!

French Haul

A couple of weeks ago I was in Paris and I got some cute things...

 There is no way you can go to Paris and skip on the best Macarons in the world: Laduree.

And I went for the special edition of Les Marquis, only sold by the shop at 14 rue de Castiglione.

how could I resist this shopwindow?

Ofcourse, I digested one of them with my cute-as-a-button tea-set from La Chaise Longue

 To add, some funky candles from cultshop Colette:

Also limited editions. Hurray!

*artistic (Basquiat & Keith Haring)
*Funny drawings
*limited Editions
*they smell quite good too
(the candles can also be found on their website)

I went to the Keith Haring exhibition and it was really lively, although you might question if it is really art (but that's often the question around art)

I finally bought the quintessential French Shoe, the ballerina: Repetto ofcourse.

Window Repetto Rue St. Honore (they have several shops in the city)

A shoe that really looks like a ballerina shoe makes you feel like a little girl again.

 

 Talking about feeling like a little girl, I couldn't resist Pink Panther:

For the grown-up girl in me: the Japanese Vogue (Holland hardly sell these anymore, they used to)

So Paris gave me a funky smile (and three eyes) as Mr. Haring is burning smilingly...

spreading heady florals around the room.

 Overal, a cute city with a taste for sweet decadence.

little bit of Gmarket

I had a little Gmarket haul:

I went for the Lovely Faceline Set from Lotree. 

 Lotree is one of my favourite Korean cosmetic brands. I still enjoy one of their face powders the most when being on the road (listed here as a summer-favourite). Even more than my latest La Prairie compact foundation.

The set contains a primer/foundation compact, a blush that turned out to be a bronzer (initially the wrong colour but I adore it as a shader/bronzer), a lip/cheek tint in orange, a blue/black eyepencil & an eyelash growth serum.

I will test & swatch some of them and will keep you updated -**-

Newbies

Goodie, I haven't planned any no-buy so I am glad I could stock up on some beauty items

1. Fairydrops Mascara in Long & Curl Always a good excuse to buy mascara as you have to replace them oftenly in order to keep the lashes fresh

2. L'oréal Professional hairmasks: Left is the Nature Re-Naitre and the turquoise one is their latest Pro-Keratin refill.

I will keep you updated how it works. I hope I don't chat too much about hairstuff but it's my thing at the time being ;-)

3. SpaceNK Sale haul:
WOWEEEEE,  the first surpise it that they deliver to Europe again and the sale was superduper excellent. I bought a Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited in PK 375 based on Driveller's Kate swatches (here). And a Laura Mercier mini Palette from the Christmas 2012 range in Smokey Taupes.

Small Haul: Kose Addiction & Majolica Majorca

The new colours of the Kose Addiction line really got me interested, so I ordered another one.

Also, I talked about winter-prepping and preventing in this post. I bought myself another handcream to try out: I have always been really expressive so the cuteness of Pantonime handcream got me...:)

Armani-fied

I have been abandoning a part of my beauty-frugalism for the exceptional quality of Armani's Cosmetics.

I am eager to try their even-more exceptional new concealer: the Maestro Erasor in 4 (I really like their older one). A simple, but according to the raves really exceptional, eyepencil in black, and their delicious Rouge d' Armani Sheer in Bitten 600.

I received these samples and I've been wearing the Giorgio Armani Prive in Cuir Noir today: it's slightly masculine but also quite sexy: like coming into a warm cabin after skiing and finding a terrifically gorgeous and slightly muscular man waiting for you with some warm cocoa before the fireplace.

(I got my haul from parfuma.com and have no affiliations with them, just an eagerness for Armani cosmetics these days. I also have an eagerness for skiing since wearing the Armani Privee in Cuir Noir, but that's a whole different story (see above))

Skin Haul Colette

Colette Haul
(predominantly skincare and a bracelet from Momo & Me)

I hauled from Colette.fr. It has been more than a year since I ordered from them but it was the lure of another gift with purchase again in the month June.

Eventually, the shipping took a longer time because the bracelet was OOS and they forgotten my freebies: maybe they were finished or because of the delay in shipping they didn't find it necessary to list me under the freebie-action of the June-month anymore.

However, most of my curiosity and the reason I ordered it is for skincare: I had read a couple of raves on Joelle Ciocco, but this one is available in Holland as well so that is not why I ordered from Colette (besides of the beautybox I didn't get). My biggest curiosity goes to My Codage Summertime. Similar as the Springbreak they released this spring, it is a limited edition targeted for skins in (duh) Summertime.

This actually brings me back to when Will Smith was still the "Fresh Prince of Bell Air" 

I like the laidback-ness & happiness of this song.

Last Week's Newbies

Last week I had two sort of hauls: Makeup & Skincare.

• The Makeup came from Zuneta.com. They had a fab deal on the Rouge Bunny Rouge and I look advantage of that.

• The skincare is from Naturisimo.com: Naturisimo specialises on natural and organic skincare.

From Naturisimo I got the Akin Refreshing & soothing toner with some delightful orange blossom. I also added a natural-based Eau Micellaire or a cleansing water from Melvita. The Melvita handcream (left) is a freebie.

I also bought the small Caudalia Beauty Elixir: also such a fragance boost.

Caudalia B.E & freebies

From Rouge Bunny Rouge I bought another blush in Orpheline & the eyeliner pencil in Selene. Buying two RBR product got me a lipgloss free: Crips Sorbet 005

It's a beautiful deeper peach with pink flecks & a reddish glow: quite complex. It's sheer enough to layer over your lipstick without altering the base colour. Also quite beautiful on it's own.

G-Market Haul twenty-something?

I always browse the sites that Korean auctionsite Gmarket puts up as the winners of the month. They often have a title that says: my 1st Gmarket haul, or Gmarket haul no 7.

I honestly lost count because I already had multiple hauls and didn't really count them, so that explains my title.

box no ? from gmarket

They absolutely make some sturdy boxes: my boyfriend loves them for storing purposes. That alone makes it worthwile to order from Gmarket ;P

the goodies

Ugh, sorry to be such a tease but I haven't gotten time to edit all pictures.

Maaaaybe tonight or tomorrow!

The NARS haul

I have been delightfully surprised by NARS spring range for 2012. Not that I have bought a lot, yet, but I really like the zest that comes from the colours.

Quite unexpectantly, for me at least, NARS released some other products as well. Actually, I already saw a promotion of the tinted moisturizer in some British glossy, so I wasn't completely surprised.

What did I get:

• The Pure Radiant tinted moisturizer:

• The 143 BLKR eyeshadow

•  NARS threw in the freebie with the discount code: the Blush Super Orgasm in a mini size and their latest Pro Prime Pore Defining Primer

1. Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer in St. Moritz

Clearly, I went for the tinted moisturizer: I really like their Sheer foundation but I have days that less-is-more and I do not want to go out completely barefaced but still polished.

As for the colour, I went slightly darker because I wear my tinted moisturizers the most during summer. In summer I have a slight tan (mostly from faux-tans, my dears). Actually, I got another one than I initially ordered: I'm quite sure I decided to go for Annapurna (medium with peach undertone) and gotten St. Moritz.

St. Moritz has been described as a Medium with a neutral yellow undertone

Still, it looks matching on the browner tone of my arms (the colour I will resemble most in summer).

I haven't been trying it that much because I just got it. According to NARS it "helps reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation and dark spots for a brighter natural glow".

 I'll keep an eye on that claim and hope to see the results on that one.

As for the finish: It really reminds me of my favourite Urban Decay tinted moisturizer. It smoothes down some irregularities without masking the face. I actually prefer it over Urban Decay right now, because it absorbs a bit faster into the skin.

       2. Freebie Pro Prime Pore Defining Primer

A NON-silicone emulsion that feels like a moisturizing milk. It feels really nice on the skin and I don't feel that too-present feeling that some silicone primers have.

Also, I just tested it once. I think it defines some of the larger pores and slightly contracts them. It isn't, like the silicone ones, a spackle buster (putting silicones in your pores to fill them up). I think more of it as a temporarily tightener for pores.

    3.     143 BLKR eyeshadow

NARS' compacts looks so beautiful when just out of the box

I have read tons of raves about Lhasa and it looked really good in swatches. I also had seen 143 BLKR online and seen them compared with Lhasa.  

Lhasa looked like the easiest, to go for taupe. That made it also a bit too similar to a couple of other taupes I have. Seeing the lavender undertone of 143 BKLR I decided I needed that one. Also, the fact that it is more difficult to get from other websites than the official NARS website. I'm a sucker for difficult-to-get, limited edition stuff: call it the hoarder and collecter in me :D

So beautiful, this dusty lavender

Yes, I have been trying it and I really like what it does to the greenness of my eyes. Also, as a bit of a fashion-lover, I like how it is a sort-of pastel colour without going sugar rush on me. It's like a grown-ups woman ticket to a bit of pastel on the eyelids and defining the colour.

I have read some reviews about bloggers regretting going for 143 BLKR over Lhasa and I believe it is a more complicated colour. It actually veers to the cool side and some eyecolours do not really come to live with a cooler hue. In general, I think reading a couple reviews of women who have similar colouring/eyecolour and makeup-strategies as you do can help you to decide if you need/want this shade.

I won't review the mini blush Super Orgasm. I would never use it on my cheeks because Hello Glitter but I actually like it as a peach colour on my eyes. It is pigmented as an eyeshadow too.

He he, nice one NARS. Still considering the Mexican Rose lippencil...that colour looks too good to pass away.