The HAPPY HOLIDAYS-Look

I've uploaded a new tutorial to my YouTube-Channel and as I've promissed I'm going to list all the products I've used for my HAPPY HOLIDAY-Look.


If you have'nt seen the video yet, just click here.

Let's come to the most important part, the products I've used:

URBAN DECAY

• Eyeshadow Primer Potion as my base (not mentioned in video)

MAC

• Cream Color Base in PEARL


• Eyeshadows in GOLDMINE, WOODWINKED, ANTIQUED, CARBON


• Lash Duo Adhesive


• Select Moisturecover Concealer in NW 15 (not mentioned in the video)

CLINIQUE

• Brush-On Cream Liner in TRUE BLACK


• Lash Doubling Mascara in BLACK


• Vitamin C Lip Smoothie in MANGO THON


• Moisturizing Foundation in FRESH BEIGE (not mentioned in the video)

BOBBI BROWN

• Bronzing Powder in GOLDEN LIGHT

RED CHERRY

• False Lashes no. 46 (I've shortened them in length & width)

For my shown HAIRSTYLE you also need:

• Clear Elastic


• Bobbi Pins


• Hairband


• Brush


• Hairspray (not used in the video and is just optional)

To give you and idea of the amount of time this entire look requires, I would say you should plan to invest one hour to recreate this look (if you are used to applying make-up and false lashes).

I hope you enjoy your HOLIDAYS and have fun by doing your make-up and pimping your hair.

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! (If you don't celebrate Christmas I still hope you will have a great time)

SOS-HELP: Redness Solution Urgent Relief Cream

I think you can tell, that I love Clinique because of their skincare treatments and this cream is one of the reasons!

I have constantly reddish cheeks, but the intensity of the redness changes day by day.
If I think that it’s impossible to cover the redness with my foundation, I will always put this cream underneath. In a couple of minutes my skintone is even looking, without a lot of afford!
I use a pea-size amount and dab it onto the areas where my skin needs some extra help and then I’m blending it to the sides.

Not just that I can see that my skin is in a better condition, it also feels so much better. My skin gets a soft touch and that is great if you want to apply foundation afterwards. Even if I normally do not use any kind of base, I think this product somehow works like a base!

It’s said that this can be used for every skintype, but I’m not sure if I would use this on oily skin.
My logical reasoning tells me, when this suits my dry skin, then probably it’s not made for the opposite. BUT you can always try!
It smells very neutral, maybe a little like cucumber and the consistency is comparable to yoghurt and one note for the sensitive skintypes: It’s suitable for highly reactive skintypes!

I wish you “Happy Non-Redness Days”...

MAC-Mineral Skinfinish Natural

I think that there are already enough reviews about these powders, but I wanted to write one for a specific reason.

This should help all the people out there who have really dry skin and normally have to stay away from powders in general.
When you have dry skin, then powder can sometimes cause patchy areas on your skin. This is not looking nice and definitely this is far away from the glowy skin we are all trying to reach for.

Sometimes I hear people say: “Why do you want to use powder, you are not going to have any shine on your face?!” Well, probably that’s true. Normally (as long as I’m not sweating) I won’t have shiny parts, but preventing this is not the only purpose of powder. Powder is also used to sat your foundation, to make it last longer.
AND I know that some people (and I’m also talking about men), do not want to use liquid foundation for several reasons, but they still want to have something to put on their skin!

If you are struggling with powder because of your dry skin, then please try a mineralized powder! You don’t have to use this MAC version (e.g. the Laura Mercier one is also great).
Powders based on minerals are working regardless which skintype you have, but it’s especially great for the dryer ones.

Let me say one important thing: This powder is not giving you high coverage. However it is able to make your skin look nice! If you have very problematic skin, you probably won’t feel satisfied by just using this powder, but it will make your skin look better.
I for one, will still have the redness on my cheeks showing through (that’s why I use my foundation underneath), but my skin is somehow looking very even! I don’t know exactly how this works, but it gives me this healthy look…

I’ve heard a couple of times, that the mineralized powders by MAC are not really mineral based. The minerals included would represent just a little portion of the powder, but I can’t check if that is true!

I can say that this is the powder I’ve been using for a couple of month and I really like the quality of it.

Thumbs up for minerals ;o)

KATY PERRY INSPIRED- Everyday Makeup II

As I've promissed I would show the picture that inspired me to do my latest Makeup-Tutorial right here on my Blog.

Here it is...

I think Katy Perry is always looking gorgeous, but her looks are not easy to wear, unless you are a celebrity and perform at the VMAs. This look really is one of her neutral looks, yet still somehow special.

The key to this look obviously is the lip colour, which is looking amazing. I couldn't find any color that was exacly looking like Katys lipstick, but I think Jade Maybelline-Fresh Peach (which is the color I used) is a close version.

If you haven't seen this video, you just have to click HERE!


NOTE:
I don't own the copyright of the picture.

Want soft & kissable lips? Bobbi Brown can help you!

I’m talking (writing) about the by far best lipbalm I’ve used (trust me I’ve tried lots) and it’s by far the most expensive.
It cost € 19,- and probably I wouldn’t even have thought about trying this, when I would have noticed the price earlier.
I met my lovely lip moisturizer, during a makeup session at my favored Beauty-Store.
I had really badly dry lips by that time, but I wanted a look with reddish lips.
Since red lips are not looking attractive in combination with chappy lips, my makeup girl put something on my lips. I decided it probably was regular Vaseline.
My makeup was done and my lips looked perfect!
On the next day my lips were still looking & feeling super moisturized, even though I brushed my teeth; washed my face and so on…
I know that Vaseline is doing a good job on my lips, but it’s not that good.
Therefore I’ve been to the Beauty-Store again and asked my makeup girl what she used.

Here you can see what she gave me…

From this day on, I’ve used this constantly each morning.
Within 3 month I just used a tiny amount, I guess you can tell that it’s still nearly full.
As much as I really love this, I have to mention one negativity.
It smells like roses and everything fragranced is a risk for people with sensitive lips/skin.
I haven’t had any problems, but the potential breakout is given.

As far as I know Bobbi Brown does not offer different colors and even though if it looks slightly rosish it goes on neutral.

The consistency is very thick, I figured out, that it’s the best to use the warmth of my fingers to apply it evenly.

That’s it for now and I wish you a lot of “smoothed lips”-days.

I've uploaded another tutorial based on a Halloween-Look to my YouTube Channel.

This time it's a fantasy inspired look: A Fairy!!!

And here you have a little sneek peek of my flowery fairy:

As promised in the video I'm giving you a list of the products I've used:

NYX

JUMBO EYE PENCIL in Milk

FALSE LASHES called Breeze

ARTDECO

MINERAL KAJAL LINER no.98

EYESHADOWS no. 046, 034, 527, 059, 038

JADE MAYBELLINE

LIQUID LINE DEFINER in Black

MOISTURE EXTREME LIPSTICK in Satin Sunrise

BOBBI BROWN

SHIMMERR BLUSH in Candy Sugar

CLINIQUE

LASH DOUBLING MASCARA in Black

Let's invite some Fairy-Spirit to our lifes...HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

My Makeup & Beauty Books

I was actually going to film my third tutorial for Halloween inspired looks, but I have sore throat like never before and therefore it’s almost impossible for me to speak today. But I’m not going to have a lazy day, instead of filming I’m going to write this post and it’s going to be about make-up books, I have bought over the past years.

I know that a lot of women are thinking about buying those books, because they want some key informations, which are normally reserved to the make-up artists. Especially when you are very new to make-up, these books can be of great help!
I hope that I can help you at least a little bit, by giving you an idea of the content of the make-up related books on my bookshelf.

Let’s start with the first book I’ve bought: SCOTT BARNES-ABOUT FACE

I’m a bit disappointed when it comes to this book, yet I really like it! I’m disappointed because of the overall amazing reviews, which have built to high expectations with me. However I really like it on the other hand.
If I would have to describe the content of this book with just one sentence it would be this one: “It’s all about contouring!”
Creating an entire book based on that is a little too much in my opinion. You will see the same thing over and over, just on different women of different age and skin.
Don’t get me wrong. I think that being able to understand & use contouring can do wonders to a face, but I think it would have been enough to give 3-5 examples to describe contouring. You are not really going to learn anything new after the first 15 pages, in my opinion.
But what you can learn is great and easy to understand. The pictures included in this book are awesome.
If you are pretty new to make-up and you want to learn the basics for a nice look, then I would not recommend to decide for this one. I’m not even sure if this is what I would recommend to a person with solid skills. I think this book is just helpful, if you want to create perfect makeup for photos and so on. If you just want to improve your daily make-up routine this is not the right thing for you.
But if you are really into make-up and want to get to know how the make-up, you can see on the red carpet is done, then you should have a look. And even though if I’m not a make-up artist, I think that this would be useful for those who work in that branch.
But I have to make one thing clear, I really do like this book. I love to do the make-up of friends/family members and to show them what kind of transformation is possible, with the help of the right techniques, which you can learn by following the steps shown in this book, is amazing.

Let’s have a look inside…

I think this is truly the most amazing before and after look!

And here you can see a few of the steps needed to create those beautiful results...

There is one thing that really confuses me, each attendant who gets done the make-up, is giving an interview based on their private life. I don’t know what the idea behind that is. Truly you should relate to those women and think by reading something about their personal situation, that this also could be you. To be honest, no one is doing something so time consuming, before they go to work, bring the kids to school or keep the house clean! But that’s just my opinion. The quality of the shown content is great, but maybe just useful for a few women.

The second book I’ve got was this one: SEPHORA-THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO MAKEUP, SKIN AND HAIR

Besides the fact that it seems to be a little unorganized, I have nothing bad to say about this book. You will get information on little secrets, instructions to certain looks, healthy living advices, skincare tips and so much more! Sure it’s a little self-advertisingly with all the mentioned products and beauty tools, but this is also helpful. There is also included a huge brush guide and I know that this is something often requested. What I found really interesting was the look inside the “beauty-bag” of a make-up artist. Normally I’m not such a curious person, but getting this inside view is something always mystical to me.
This book is nice if you want to get to know something about everything beauty related. The product informations in my opinion are helpful, if you like to get to know in general, what the huge range of beauty products is offering, cause this can be overwhelming sometimes and you just don’t know where to start!

Let me show you what’s inside…

My favorite book is this one: BOBBI BROWN-MAKEUP MANUAL

This book is meant to be “For Everyone from Beginner to Pro”. I can totally support that! A lot of looks are shown and I love the fact, that Bobbi Brown always tried to use the fewest products possible. You will find everything starting with a teen look up to a bridal makeup. In addition this book helps you to find the right foundation, determine your skintype, get healthy skin…
If you are a makeup-artist you can see what you need to have with you in your kit and how to get into the business.
There is nothing negative I could mention and I can’t imagine how someone would not love this book.

Here you have an example…

The last book I’m going to introduce today is: LINDA MASON-EYE CANDY

This book shows 55 makeup looks. BUT you need to have some sense of artistry in your veins to like these looks or better say the style of photography.

Let me show you what I mean…

I’m sure this is not described as a typical beautiful makeup. I don’t think that there are a lot of wearable daily-looks included either, but I think this book can be an inspiration and is really meant to be art.

Of course there are so much more beauty/makeup related books on the market and I’m probably getting to call some of them my own in the future, but maybe you have found a book that seems to be worth it to have a closer look on.

I hope you enjoy browsing through the books…

NOTE: I don't own the copyright of the content of the photos, the copyright belongs to the authors and makeup artists!

Halloween-Tutorial: Alexis "The Beast" Carrington

I’ve uploaded a new Video to my YouTube-Channel and this is the very first of my planned “Halloween”-Tutorials. I don’t know how many additional Tutorials I’m able to create, because of a constant lack of time. I hope there are going to be at least 2 more “Halloween”-Looks, since I have a couple of nice ideas made up in my mind…

Since I’m a huge fan of old “soap-operas” I wanted to do a Halloween-Tutorial inspired by one of the television legends and my pick was Alexis Carrington from Dynasty. You know the good old “Beast”, that basically every soap opera somehow includes to their cast, but in my opinion there was never a “Beast” as good as Alexis.
Even though no one really likes the mean and teasing characters, they always have their fans and are still unforgotten.

Make-up wise this Tutorial is showing the typical 80’s look. I would like to describe it as “TOO MUCH OF EVERYTHING” and definitely not wearable anymore for everyday, but fun to wear for special occasion like a Costume-Party and Halloween.

Here you have the pictures I used as an inspirational help…




And here you have the sneak peek of the video, showing you how to do the “Alexis-look”… (if you want to see the entire video, please visit my YouTube-Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/PreciousLilies?feature=mhum )

As I have promised in the video I’m giving you the list of products used for this look and a little summary of its purpose:

EYES:
• Artdeco-Eyeshadows:
o No 46 (for highlighting underneath the eyebrows + inner half of lid + tear duck)
o No 287 (all over the lid + crease + lower lash line)
o No 288 (upper & lower lash line)
o No 503 (thin line on upper & lower lash line)
• Artdeco-Mineral Kajal Liner no 98 (waterline)
• Clinique-Cream Shaper For Eyes no 1/black (upper & lower lash line)
• Clinique-Lash Doubling Mascara no 1/black (upper & lower lashes)

LIPS:
• Jade Maybelline-Moisturizing Lip Liner no 54/bordeaux (contour of lips)
• Esprit-Moisture Color Lipstick no 208/bohemian pink (all over lip color)
• Esprit- Moisture Color Lipstick no 200/cute rose (centre of lips)

BLUSH:
• Bobbi Brown-Bronzing Powder no 1/golden light (first blush color + contouring)
• Bobbi Brown-Blush in no 10/blushed (top blush color)


That’s it for now…have fun with this look…:)

NOTE: I do not own the copy right of the picture from Joan Collins.

For those "Nighttime-Nailpainters"...

I think a lot of girls will feel related to me, when I’m saying: “I like to paint my nails right before I go to bed or (even worth) 5 min before I have to leave the house!”
If you can’t understand this situation, let me explain: It’s not that I forget to paint my nails, during the day. My planned time management, just always gets destroyed by random things and then those less important things are waiting at the end of the long “to-do list”. Therefore I regularly get into situations, where I do not have enough time to do my nails…but I will try to organize my time schedule a little better ;)

Till I have reached the perfect “Nail-Painting-Behavior”, I’m sticking to a super time saving method with the help of this little assistant!

This is the “P2-Quick Dry Spray” and by knowing the name, you will immediately get the idea of its purpose.

Dry nails in 1 minute and I’m talking about really dry. Dry in such a way, that you can do all the work you have to do!
Let me mention something additionally positive. Not only that it smells completely neutral like “fresh air” it also neutralizes the typical (potential) nailpolish smell.

Since I don’t know how those sprays work, I was a little worried that they contain some really harsh ingredients, which could actually irritate the skin, but I haven’t noticed anything like this (nor with one of the other sprays I’ve tried before).

Now to the practical part, with the help of a self-made instruction:

1. Paint your nails with some nice color.
2. Remove the cap of the spray-bottle (of course).
3. Locate the spray-bottle in a distance of 10 cm to your nails.
4. Spray once for each nail (oriented to the centre of the nail).
5. Wait one minute and you are good to go.
6. If you have to apply a second coat of nailpolish, now would be the time to do so. In this case start again with position no 1.

Let me know if this was helpful, but I think (when you are as nailpolish addicted like I am) you’ll love it!

I wish you happy colorful nailpainting :)

CLINIQUE - 3 Step Skincare System (skin type 1)

I know that this is a skincare line, which is very famous. However I haven’t found many reviews about it, but I think it’s worth it to write one.
This is the very first “product” I’ve bought in general from Clinique and the first after a very long time of “make-up abstinence”, too!

First of all, let me tell you how I got into loving this skincare system…
Due to my allergies and bad health condition I had to stay away from all those beautylishes things. I was forced to only use “prescription-cremes” for over a year and after that phase I had certain options to try from the pharmacy, by advice of my dermatologist. Long story short: Non of them worked!
Different problems occurred, with all the different pharmacy-brands. E.g.: They didn’t provide the needed moisture for my neurodermatitis affected skin; they invited my allergies to show up; they caused blackheads & pimples and so on…
I was more or less hopeless to find something that would be right for me & could handle my problems.
One day (I think it as in InSTyle-Magazine) there was an advertise of the skincare system by Clinique and I’ve noticed that you can find one version for each skin type. Some research on their homepage showed me that they are offering ONLY fragrance free & allergy tested products.
I have to admit, that this sounded pretty good to me, but I was still skeptical.
In my local beauty department store, they offered me the option to try the skincare system and if I will notice anything displeasing I could return it. That was making me think: “Just give it a try, it can’t get any worse!”
I’ve used the skincare system for about one week, when I noticed that my skin is not in a good condition. It just didn’t look clean, because of some new spots (which weren’t looking like my normal allergy spots). I was about to take the stuff back to the beauty store, but the beauty-lady told me that this is a common reaction. Since I haven’t used anything to nourish my skin for a couple of month by that time, there were basically a lot of dirtyish things stored in the depth of my skin. The soap and the cleanser just worked on getting rid of all the dirt and deliver it to the surface, where it can be removed while washing my face. I followed her advice and continued using the skincare products.
Surprisingly after another week, my skin looked amazingly flawless. The only thing that stuck to me was the redness on my cheeks, but this is something that I’ve always had and probably will always have.
Flawless means in my case: No pimples, no blackheads, even & soft & healthy looking skin and no feeling of dryness. AND ready to leave the house, with no foundation on.
Doesn’t that sound nice? Yes, it does!

Therefore I will continue with the three individual products of this skincare system, which I’m using for over a year right now…

As mentioned before I have very dry skin, therefore I’m using the products for skin type 1, which means very dry - dry skin! In addition my skin is hyper sensitive. And this is not just related to breakouts. It’s also sensitive in a way, that I cannot use a peeling. This is too harsh for my skin and I will have a reddish head afterwards. Therefore I’m happy, that Clinique offers the option of products, which are made for dry skin AND sensitive skin as well.

Liquid Facial Soap/ Clarifying Lotion/ Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion

Liquid Facial Soap (extra mild/type 1): You can also get a cake of this soap, instead of the fluid version. And you do not need to go for the “extra mild” formulation, if you are not dealing with sensitive skin. What could be weird at the beginning is the fact, that the soap will not build nice foamy bubbles (Somehow this is what I expect soap is doing).

Clarifying Lotion (mild/type 1):
This product is made for exfoliation and it works like a peeling on a very gentle way. Again you can chose between the “normal” version for very dry – dry skin and a mild version. Honestly I think that the normal formulation for skin type 1, gives you a more refreshing feeling on your skin. And somehow the “extra mild” version smells more intense, which shouldn’t be the case, when thinking about using this for very sensitive skin. But the effectiveness is the same, in my opinion. There is one noticeable difference: The mild version has a thicker consistency and you have to shake it before usage.

Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion (type 1):
I can’t think of words, which would express how much I love this cream. Even if this wouldn’t be part of the skincare system, I would still use this lotion. I haven’t found any other moisturizer doing such great things to dry skin!
If you have dry skin, then you will know how unpleasing the feeling of tight skin is. And probably you will know how unattractive flakey skin can look, especially with some foundation on top. This lotion gives you so soft and moistured skin.

Now I will introduce you to my daily skincare routine…

Step 1: I’m damping my face and neck with tepid water.
Step 2: I’m rubbing two pumps of the liquid facial soap between my wet hands.
Step 3: I’m massaging the soap in circular motions into my skin for about 30 sec.
Step 4: I’m cleaning my face with tepid water, till the soap has been removed (this can take a little while).
Step 5: I’m going to towel my face and neck.
Step 6: I’m using a cotton pad and damp it with the clarifying lotion.
Step 7: I run all over my face and neck with the cotton pad.
Step 8: I wait till my skin is dry.
Step 9: I use three pumps of the lotion and rub it between my hands till a white creaminess shows up. I found out that it goes on to the skin much nicer, once the lotion has been warmed up. Step 10: I massage the lotion into my skin. The rest of the remaining cream is meant to be used on the eye area.

You have to follow this routine two times each day. And there’s the rub: You have to show discipline, while using this skincare system. It will not work, when you are just using it here and there. If you are a little lazy skincare wise and use your products just when needed, you will probably not like this skin care routine. Even if it just means 5 min in the morning and evening in addition, it can become pretty annoying!
But once you have seen, what your skin can look like, you will love going through this routine and it will become something so ordinary like brushing your teeth.

I hope this is giving you a good overview on what you have to know, when you have thought about trying this for your skin.
Of course you can have this skincare system for combination and oily/acne prone skin as well. But I tried to avoid going into detail about these offerings, because I haven’t made any experiences with them.

Let me know what you prefer skincare related or what you think about these products…

Let’s come to an end and let me wish you a happy skin-pampering day 

My Concealer-Lovers !

I know that nearly everyone has to try a bunch of different concealers, till the perfect covering friend has been found. And I promise I know what I am talking about! First of all my skincolor is super fair and you should find a concealer that is one or two shades lighter than your foundation (when you want to use it for your eye area). But if you already are such a fair person like me, it’s nearly impossible to find a lighter tone. The truth is, you may won’t even find a shade that would match your foundation, not thinking about a lighter shade.

Besides that I’m not just confronted with a color/shade problem. In addition I also have very dry skin, especially around my eyes. That means I also have to find a concealer offering somehow a moisturizing characteristic.

And the most common problem is the coverage. It’s hard to find a concealer, that really covers the imperfections. Maybe you do not really know, what undertone you should go for to neutralize the bluish shadows underneath your eyes or what shade is right for red spots and rosacea. Maybe you know what you have to get for yourself, but you just can’t find it. Honestly I had a lot of problems and it took me years to find a solution. Which is quite embarrassing as a make-up interested person, thinking that I know a lot about the products on the market enhancing your beauty. Shame on me, but I really had to ask my make-up artist.

Before I show you, what works best for me, I want to give you a few informations, which could help you to find the right product for you.

- What has worked best for me so far, is the corrector & concealer combination. That is what I apply when I’m going to a special occasion, where pictures will be taken. Because on photos your shadows can be visible, even though you are not seeing them in natural lighting. Basically you just have to know, that the corrector, should have a rose/pink or orange undertone and the concealer a yellow undertone, when you are going for this combination. But this looks too heavy for everyday in my opinion.
- Use your fingers to work concealer into your skin and not just the brush. The warms of your fingers will help to get the perfect result.
- Apply the concealer in several layers if you need to. But wait a couple of minutes, after you have applied the first coat. Sometimes it’s looking better after some time and you do not have to go over that area again.
- Keep two different shades of concealer. One that matches your foundation exactly to provide extra coverage, where your foundation is not strong enough. And a second one that is meant to be used on your eyearea, which should be 1 or 2 shades lighter than your foundation. The lighter shade is also good for contouring.
- If you want to cover red parts then you should go for a concealer with green undertones. But put the foundation on top, because you don’t want to walk around with green areas on your skin.
- If you have brownish areas (e.g. age marks), you should go for something yellow based.

I hope that these tips, were somehow helpful and your long journey of trying to find the right concealer is now close to an end.

As I said you should keep, two different shades of concealer. On the picture you can see my two shades next two each other.

The yellowish color on top/(slightly) right side is the matching color to my foundation. The color underneath/(slightly) left is my version of the undereye concealer, which is more of a pinkish shade.



Let’s start with the Bobby Brown-Creamy Concealer in porcelain, which you can see on the left side. I love this concealer, because it provides the best coverage I could find. But it’s not looking as heavy as camouflage products, therefore it’s not looking unnatural. And even though the consistency is very thick, it’s not going to make my skin dry. This is also what I’m using on top of my corrector. But it has the tendency to run into wrinkles (when you use it around the eyes), that’s why you have to put some powder on top. I think I can easily say, everyone will find the right color in the huge range that Bobbi Brown offers. If you already have found the right foundation color, you will immediately have the right color of your concealer as well, because both product categories offer the same color range.



For my eye area I have to use something different, that provides a moisturizing effect, therefore I’ve decided for the Moisturizing Concealer by MAC in NW 15 (but I could also go for NC15/NW20/NC20). I found this concealer over a year ago and I’m not going to give up using this one ever in my life. The flakeyness around my eyes is gone, which always was a huge problem in my case. I have to say, that this concelaer is not giving me full coverage, but with some foundation underneath, I’m perfectly fine.
Both concealer have never irritated my eyes and that’s why I’m saying that these ones are also perfect for people with sensitive eyes.

40 Beauty Questions-TAG

If you are a YouTube-Fan and subscribed to Beauty-Channels you might have heard of this Tag. Since my Videos on YouTube are limited to max. 10 min, I thought that it would be tricky to answer all the 40 Questions in one video and I’m not such a big fan of uploading Part 1, Part 2 & maybe Part 3 separately.

My idea was to write a Blog-Post instead of filming a video, to answer the questions. I just don’t think it’s entertaining enough to listen to my voice for (round about) 30 min, but reading this post could be your evening literature before you go to bed. Wouldn’t that be nice?! ;)

If you don’t know this Tag, here is a little description. Basically you have to answer 40 questions, which are beauty related and fit either to the skincare or make-up category.

Let’s get started…


SKINCARE

How many times do you wash your face daily?
I wash my face twice each day.
In the morning & evening according to my skincare routine.

What skin type do you have? (dry,oily,combo)
I have very dry and sensitive skin.

What is your current facial wash?
As a part of the Clinique-3 Step Skincare System, I’m using the liquid facial soap in extra mild for skin type 1.

Do you exfoliate?
Not in the meaning of doing a peeling. I use the Mild Clarifying Lotion by Clinique for very dry to dry skin, which is made for exfoliation.

What brand do you use?
Skincare related I’m just using products by Clinique. I am very limited, because of my allergies.

What moisturizer do you use?
I ‘m in love with the Clinique-Dramatically Different Moisturizer Lotion and if my skin is extremely dry I’m using Physiogel Intensive Crème for my face.
As a body lotion I’m using the Repair Lotion by Eucerin, which is made for Neurodermatitis affected skin and that is something I have to deal with.

Do you have freckles?
No, I don’t have freckles.

Do you use eye cream?
I got a sample recently by Bobbi Brown. I’ve used this sample a couple of times, but I’m not so sure what to think about it. But I have never used a cream especially made for the eye area before.

Do you or did you have acne prone skin?
No , I wouldn’t say that I had or have acne prone skin. I just have to deal with one pimple here and there from time to time.

Did you ever had to use Pro-activ?
No, but I know that proactive can help. I have to admit that I have no experiences with these products made on my own, but I know that it helped my friend. She hasn’t got rid of her acne, but pro-active helped her skin a lot. I still don’t know if I would decide for these products, because often acne is caused by hormonal reasons and in that case pro active is not going to work. Therefore I would recommend consulting a dermatologist first.

MAKE-UP

What foundation do you use?
For over a year I used Clinique-Supermoisture Makeup in combination with Maximum Cover Foundation by Estee Lauder for my reddish cheeks, where I need higher coverage.
A couple of month ago I bought the Moisture Rich Foundation by Bobbi Brown.
I’m constantly switching between these Foundations, depending on my skin condition.

How about concealer?
I'm using Mac-Select Moisturecover in NW 15 or NC20, that depends on how tan I am. That’s what I’m using for my undereye area. If I need to cover blemishs I’m using Bobbi Brown-Creamy Concealer.

Do you know your undertone color?
I’m not so sure honestly. I know how to find out what undertone color appears on your skin theoretically. You have to turn your wrist under side up and look at the color of your veins.
When they look bluish then you are supposed to have a cool undertone. When you are a warm undertone type then your veins are showing up green. If it’s hard to see your veins in general, that means that you are somehow a neutral undertone color type.
In my case I can see the veins, but they are a mixture of blue & green, so I have no idea what that means. But I think I’m more of a cool type.

What do you think of fake eyelashes?
I like seeing them worn by others, rather than on my own. I prefer the individual single lashes, when I put on some fake ones, because they are still looking a little more natural. If that makes any sense.

Did you know that you are supposed to change your mascara every 3 months?
I’ve heard about that theory, but honestly I use my mascara till I have the feeling, that it’s not doing a good job anymore. It would be a waste of money in my case, because I’m applying mascara max. 2-3 time per week and that means there would be too much product left in the container, if I would throw it away after 3 month.

What brand of mascara do you use?
I’m using mainly Clinique. But I also use Helena Rubinstein.

Sephora or MAC?
That’s so hard to say. I love all my MAC-Baby’s and I have never been to a Sephora-Store, so you might think that’s an easy decision. But when it comes to MAC products I just like their decorative cosmetic! There are so many things I really can’t/don’t want to life without, which are not by MAC. Therefore I think I would go for “my Sephora-Version” called Douglas, where you can nearly get everything beauty related.

Do you have a MAC Pro-card?
No, I don’t have one of these cards. I’m not a professional make-up artist, therefore it’s not possible for me. But I would love to have one, of course.

What makeup tools do you use in makeup application?
I’m using brushes, fingers & eyelash curler.
And when I do the makeup of another person, then I’m also using a card or something like that, to make the mascara applications a lot easier. But I don’t have to use that for myself.

Do you use make-up base/primer for the eyes?
I do use an eyeshadow base, I’m using the one by Artdeco or the Urban Decay-Primer Potion. I’m a big fan of these bases.

For the face?
No and I never have tried one until yet.

What is your favorite eyeshadow (color or shade)?
I love the colour no 288 (aubergine) by Artdeco, which is a duochrome color. That’s surprising to me, because in general I prefer matte colors.

Do you use pencil or liquid eyeliner?
I use both, but the liquid liner is something that I use very rarely.

How often do you poke your eyes with an eyeliner pencil?
I would say never.

What do you think of pigment eyeshadows?
I like them because of their luminance, but they are not working for me in combination with my sensitive eyes. No matter what kind of brand I’ve tried, pigments are always irritating my eyes in just a few minutes.

Do you use mineral makeup?
Yes, I do. I use a mineral powder by MAC and mineral kajal- & lipliner by Artdeco.

What is your favorite lipstick?
I can only say what brand I prefer and that would be ESPRIT. Because they offer so far the best lipsticks for dry lips in my opinion.

How about lipgloss?
I think I’m going to decide for NYX-Lip Lacquer Pot in sweetpea.

What is your favorite blush to use?
BOBBI BROWN-Bronzing Powder in golden light, even if it is not considered as a blush.

Do you buy your makeup on ebay?
No. I’m too afraid of buying an imitation.

Do you like drugstore makeup?
I don’t think that there is anything wrong with drugstore brands. But as I said before I have really sensitive skin & eyes as well. And I have to be really careful, with what I put on my face. The past has shown me that my skin somehow does not really like what the drugstore is offering. Therefore I’m concentrating on lipstick or nailpolish, when I look through the drugstore range.

Do you go to CCO's? (cosmetic company outlets)
No. I have never heard about that before, but after some research I’ve decided to go there, if I would find something like that in my region.

Did you ever consider taking make-up classes?
Yes, I already have.

Are you clumsy in putting on makeup?
No, I don’t think so. At least I hope I’m not clumsy.

Name a makeup crime that you hate.
Normally I would say: “Do what you like to do”.
But there is one thing, I don’t like to see. I don’t like to see woman wearing black lipliner, with red lipstick. I don’t even know if that was common in other countries as well, but that was kind of a trend here in Germany, when I was little.

Do you like colorful shades of makeup (lipstick,eyeshadow) or neutral ones?
That depends on my mood and the occasion.

Which celebrity always has great make up?
I love the style of Tyra Banks, Debra Messing, Jessica Simpson, Beyonce, Kate Hudson, Demi Moore & Holly Madison (even if I don’t know if you really can call her a celebrity). But there is one celebrity I cannot look at because of her makeup and that’s Katie Price, she is looking always so overdone.

If you could leave the house using just ONE make up item, what would you use?
Most of the time I’m leaving the house without any make up on. But if I would have to pick one, it would be lipstick in a colorful shade to add some fresh color to my face.

Could you ever leave the house without any makeup on?
Yes. I do that nearly every day, because I do not really have another choice. Even if I already use products made for sensitive skin, I will have breakout problems, when I use foundation (and all the other things) more than 2-3 times a week.

Do you think you look good even without any makeup on?
I do not feel confident, without any makeup on. But I think I still look somehow presentable.

In your opinion, what is the BEST makeup line?
I really can’t decide. Skincare related it would be Clinique. When it comes to decorative cosmetic it’s probably MAC or Bobbi Brown or Artdeco. So you see, I obviously can’t decide.

What do you think of Makeup??
For me it’s major important, when I want to win some self-confidence. For example, when I have a huge presentation in front of hundreds of people, makeup is able to give me the strength that I need. Even if that might sound weird.
And I always have been a creative person, and playing with makeup is a nice way to show your creativity in my opinion.

Holy Grail Foundation: Moisture Rich Foundation by Bobbi Brown

This has been my absolute favorite foundation since I got to try this about 3 month ago.
My make-up artist told me to try it, because it is especially made for dry skin and offers high coverage. The coverage was always a problem with my Supermoisture-Makeup by Clinique, so I was happy to find a better solution.
So far I love my Bobbi Brown foundation. But even if this foundation is made for dry skin and most of the time it’s working, it sometimes still is not dry skin friendly enough for me.
On some days my skin is just so horrible dry, therefore I will have patchy areas on my face and my skin starts to look flakey. But this shouldn’t say anything bad about this foundation. It just means that this one is not made for neurodermatitis prone skin.


Here you have a picture of me wearing the Bobbi Brown Moisture Rich Foundation in porcelaine.

I still consider the Moisture Rich Foundation being my holy grail, because it’s the first foundation ever, which provides the exact match to my super fair skin color and covers all the redness on my cheeks.
The finish is a very matt version and this is something you have to like and I do like that. But you have to keep in mind that this is probably not giving a glowing Beyonce skin.
It is easy to apply, it will always look even and not streaky at all. I like to describe it that way, that the foundation is going to marry your skin, cause you cannot even tell that you are wearing something on your face.

One note regarding the package/bottle: You need to get a pump, otherwise it’s just too annoying to get the right amount of product out of the container. But as far as I know Bobbi Brown is not producing these special pumps any longer. Before I got one of these pumps from my make-up artist (thank you Stef), I tried the ones from MAC. Believe me the MAC ones will not fit, even though it might be just because of one or two millimeters :(…so don’t even try!

I hope this helped if you already were thinking about trying this foundation to decide whether to go for it or not. And if you are struggling with your dry skin, I hope I could show you another option to deal with that problem.

My Artdeco-Eyeshadow Palette

I’ve been asked a couple of weeks ago, if I could show my Artdeco-Eyeshadows. Since these eyeshadows are the ones I mostly work with for my tutorials, I thought that this would be a good idea. That would make it easier for me and you as well.
During my upcoming videos I could indicate, that you can see swatches and everything you need to know about the colors, on my blog. I don’t know if I’m going to make a video in addition to this post, I think photos are maybe the better option.
(If you really want to see my MAC-Eyeshadows as well, then let me know. I’m trying to avoid tutorials, which are based on MAC-Eyeshadows so far, but if you want to see those make-up ideas as well, then I will start doing them.)

Before I start to show you what I have collected, I thought it might be a good idea, to write a few words about the Artdeco-Eyeshadows.
First of all Artdeco offers hundreds of different shades and as far as I know they are divided into five different finishes: pearly, duochrome (iridescent), matt, glamour (glitter colors) and glam stars (metallic finish).
I love that you can search through all these different colors and every single time I look at them I recognize a new color, which I haven’t seen before (but I need this one immediately, of course).

The most interesting thing for you probably is the price. In Germany one pan costs € 4,80 ( the glamour colors cost a little more). I know that you can find them all over the world, but in Europe they are probably a little more famous. Artdeco products are available in beauty department stores and when you have access to www.douglas.de you can buy them online, too.
In my opinion the quality is amazing and even if they would cost € 5,- more, I would be still in love with them. I can’t really say anything negative about them. The only thing that comes to my mind is that some of the bright pearly colors are not having such a huge pigmentation, but this is a common problem. Once you have used an eyeshadow base, they will show up much more intense.

A few more pro’s:

+ they last all day
+ easy to blend
+ every color combination looks amazing (you can’t go wrong)
+ the colors look beautiful on taken pictures
+ you can build your own customized palette
+ no problems with irritated eyes or skin

Now I would like to start with what this post really is about: My Artdeco-Eyeshadow collection.

On the very first picture you can see my eyeshadows and the picture underneath shows a chart with all the names according to my colors stored in the palette.

And now I will continue with the swatches:

snow touch/rose skin (looks like peach in reality)/light grey beige/chocolate

brazilian coffee/dark grey mocha

iced winter rose/antique purple/red violet/aubergine

golden peach/golden olive/light pine green/moss green/green jewel/smokey blue night

mystical grey/stormy grey/anthracite/black

(I'm sorry that I can't show better pictures of "anthracite" & "black".They do not look so brownish/reddish in reality!)

One explanation is still missing. If you have asked before, what the codes in addition to the colors should tell you, then here comes the answer:
- If the code starts with a “0” then this is a pearly shade
- If the code starts with a “2” then this is a duochrome color
- If the code starts with a “5” then this is a matt color
- If the code starts with a “3” then this is a glamour color
- If the code starts with a “6” then this is a glam star color
The other numbers are just showing the individual color code, which works like an item number. If you are going to buy an eyeshadow, you will need the entire code, cause the name of the color is not shown on the pan.

I hope this was helpful and not to complicated. Maybe you already have experiences with the Artdeco-Eyeshadows, then let me know, what your favorites are.

I have to mention one more thing. The palette you can see here, is not made by Artdeco. Artdeco offers small palettes, but this was not an option for me. I’ve bought this palette from www.kosmetik-kosmo.de .

IN & OUT

I love to read these posts by Laura (lollipop26writes). I don’t really know, what is so fascinating about her In’s & Out’s. Maybe it’s just the feeling, when you read something that makes you think: “ I know exactly what you mean!”. Like those moments when you feel connected to someone, without ever getting to know each other ;)

I’m not trying to copy her by any means (don’t even know if Laura invented this?!?), it’s just something I want to attach to my blogger-routine, because I’m a big lollipop26-Fan.

So here are my (current) IN’s & OUT’s:


IN

RENOVATION
It’s so nice to see, that it does not require much time or money, to turn a boring room into a chic entrance hall. But it’s so much nicer if you do this for your loved ones and get a big love-hug in return.

PAINTING
By redecorating the room, I remembered how much I love to paint on canvas. When I was younger I was more into drawing on white paper (mostly fashion designs). The older I got the more I was enjoying the big screens. But it took me almost 10 years till I finally started to actually put them on the walls, where they belong (instead of the dark cellar).

READING UNNECESSARY BOOKS
By calling these books unnecessary, I’m not saying that there is no need for those books (I definitely feel the need, on those rainy/unhappy days). Realistically you will not learn anything about the necessary things in your life in those random novels, but you can escape to nice fictitious places, you want to have in your own life and experience things you would never get to touch. Dreaming can make life so much more fun! Current favorite: I heart New York by Lindsey Kelk.

TUNA-CREAM
Don’t dare to laugh right now, but I swear that this is making my hair and nails growing faster and my hair looks so much healthier!

TEA
I love tea! For some reason drinking tea during summer is not giving me the same comfortable feeling as is does in fall/winter time. I don’t think it’s because of the fact, that drinking hot tea is not so fun in hot summers, because I don’t mind drinking my tea cold. It just does not taste as delicious as on those cloudy days. Therefore I’m totally fine, when it’s obviously slowly getting colder again (at least here in Germany)!



OUT

EXAM RESULTS
It’s so annoying to wait for an exam result over 2 month right now. And no one cares that the marks must be released latest after 6 weeks, because the (maybe) lazy professor is also the head of our department.

UNANSWERED PHONE CALLS
How is it possible that either “All lines are busy” or you hear the free line signal, but no one is picking up (for about 4 days in the row). If this company is asking for a customer review, I bet I will be not the only one who is acting like “(for ever) currently not available”.

SHADDING BRUSHES
And this includes painting and make-up brushes as well. I don’t know what it is, but all my brushes have some serious hair loss. I hope it’s just a phase, maybe the hormones are running wild ;)

That’s it for now, but I guess this can change every day! Please let me know what you like and dislike.

All Time Favorites

A couple of days ago I have thought about, what I would do if certain things would not have been invented. This is nothing beauty related. But can you imagine what life would be without all these luxury-goods like Internet, airplanes, a stove and so on. Of course this is nothing necessary, but it’s making life easier and more fun, right?!
That made me think about beauty/makeup products I don’t want to miss. I know that there is definitely more important in life, but I like to have this little bit of luxury in my life (please don’t mind).

So here you have my “All time favorites”…

Clinique-Dramatically Different Moisturizer Lotion:
I cannot thank Clinique enough for offering this moisturizer! Before I have found this HG I had gone through a long period of super dry skin (my Neurodermatitis was showing up). Everything else I have tried was still not moisturizing enough or made me break out. The first time I put this lotion on, even without the other components of the skincare system, I immediately knew that this is the right product for me! I swear my skin felt never that healthy before & it never looked that good. As a real Dry-Skin person I can say that this moisturizer is doing its job and so much more.

Clinique-Redness Solution Urgent Relief Cream:
There are a bunch of products, which are meant to be a Redness-Killer. I have never tried one of these before, therefore this is nothing I can compare to others. This cream/gel formulation is the first one I have tried and there is no reason for me to check something different.
This is like an emergency key item. Sometimes my skin is super red. I don’t know what causes this, probably one of all my allergies. I don’t want to feel the need to put on foundation just to cover the redness and sometimes even foundation is not providing enough coverage. If I see in the morning that there is something wrong with my skin I put this product on and everything is fine. Within one minute all the redness is gone and I can feel the relief on my skin!!! Also this works amazing as a base for your following foundation. It’s going to look more even and it is easier to blend into the skin.

Bobbi Brown-Moisture Rich Foundation:
It’s not that long ago since I have bought this foundation. But this one offers everything I was hoping for. It’s like the ultimate foundation for me! It’s made for dry skin; it is not going to make me break out; provides medium coverage without covering me (if that makes sense) & I have finally found a foundation in the right shade (which is not so easy for an extremely pale person like me).

Urban Decay-Eyeshadow Primer Potion:
In my opinion using an eyeshadow base is a key step to create a nice eye makeup! I’m not saying that this one is the only one that works, but for me it’s working the best. The eyeshadows are easier to blend and will stay on much longer.

Artdeco- Mineral Kajal Liner
It’s not possible for me to decide for just one color, which I love the most. I love them all so far. They are great for sensitive eyes; they last the whole day & they are so inexpensive. The colors are great for adding some pop of color, when I’m not having the time to do a complex eye makeup.

Clinique-Lash Doubling Mascara:
I was a little disloyal recently, but know I have come back to this mascara. I do not really know why I’ve tried something different, I am completely fine with this mascara, probably I was just bored of using the same mascara for so long right now. It always gave me full & long lashes; never irritated my eyes; lasts all day & I love the real dark black color it’s adding to my lashes!
(I’ve also written an entire review about this mascara, which you can read here:
http://preciouslilies.blogspot.com/2009/11/clinique-lash-doubling-mascara.html )

NYX-Lip Lacquer Pot
This is like a 2-in-1 product for me. It’s like a lips balm, because of the moisturizing effect. But it’s also adding a nice sheer color to the lips. Maybe you can call it a tinted lip balm, even if it’s not meant to be one. If I have dry lips then wearing a lipstick/lipgloss is not the best option, cause my lips will look super chappy (even in combination with chapstick or some Vaseline). In those situations I love to use this product. Note: The “Lip Lacquer Pot” is hypoallergenic (that means good in case of sensitive lips)!

I’m very curious what your favorites are! What would you always repurchase? Please let me know!

Favorite Drugstore Lipsticks (for dry lips)

To be honest for a long time I hated to wear lipsticks, because they were not compatible with my dry lips. I had the feeling that they are going to dry out my lips even more.
The only option I had were lipglosses, but I was never a huge fan of these. I did not like this kind of wet feeling on my lips and the fact that they do not really last long was a disadvantage as well.
I know times have changed & quality has improved. Now I’m also investing money on lipglosses as well. Note: INVESTING is the key term. I have found out that I have to go for high end brands, when I’m searching for a glossy lip product.
But I think there is a good & less expensive drugstore alternative, which makes me really happy. I like to have different options, when it comes to lip colors. It’s like the same with nail polish. You have that one color that always works for you, but you want to have the possibility to pick the color according to your mood or look. And drugstores are always offering a huge color palette, especially when it comes to lipsticks.
I have to mention that the problem of dry lips is still a part of me. But as I said before, time has changed and cosmetic brands understood that they have to concentrate on their customers wishes. Of course the company decides what they are offering the market, but the customer decides what is going to be a winning product. And therefore cosmetic brands are focusing on the idea of covering any specific need a customer possibly could have.
That’s why we find products for oily skin, acne prone skin & sensitive skin and so on. I really like that and I like the idea of lip products especially for dry lips! Not just because of the fact that I have to deal with it. But have you ever heard someone saying I have too oily lips??? I guess dry lips are much more common, right?
Since I have recognized that there are moisturizing lipsticks available, I love to play a little with these and I’m not willing to stay away from lipsticks anymore.

Long story short and let me come to the point: I know I’m not the only person faced with that problem and that’s why I would like to share with you, my favorite drugstore lipsticks for dry lips.


The very first brand I have recognized offering these special products is MANHATTAN COSMETICS (I don’t know, if they really have been the first ones) and they call this lipstick line “INTENSE MOISTURE & GLOSS.”

CONSISTANCY:
The creamiest lipstick I can imagine.
COLOR RANGE:
There are not so many different colors (maybe a total of 8) and overall more neutral colors. The individual shades are very close to each other. When you are searching for a nude color, probably you will find the right one amongst this collection.
FINISH:
This lipstick looks super glossy and provides a good coverage with an opaque characteristic. No glitter or shimmer included. If you normally would prefer a lipgloss, but they are not thick enough for you when it comes to coverage, then you should try one of these lipsticks.
DURABILITY:
As long you are not willing to kiss or eat or drink, they lipstick will last a couple of hours.
SCENT:
It smells very sweet & reminds me on cotton candy.
TOLERABILITY:
As mentioned before, there definitely has been some scent added. That’s always a risky thing for sensitive lips. But I did not notice any irritation.
FEELING ON LIPS:
You can immediately feel that your lips become moisturized. But it feels how it looks, glossy & wet. I can imagine that this is not likeable for everyone.
PACKAGING:
It Looks classical with a mainly deep red body and black detail running around the center. It has a metal finish. In my opinion it looks like a premium lipstick, but a little boring as well. The known cursive written M is not obvious, because it has been molded onto the top cap.
PRICE:
Roughly € 5,-
ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS:
This is probably just my opinion, but I prefer products which have a significant name, for each individual shade/color I can identify with. Of course the colors of the Intense Moisture & Gloss range have individual names, too. Or better say codes like 53G. But that’s not what I want to call a significant name.

(Here you can see swatches of the colors I own)

On top no. 56E & down below no.53G

Let’s continue with Jade Maybelline’s version “MOISTURE EXTREME”- Lipstick.

CONSISTANCY:
No difference to any other lipstick.
COLOR RANGE:
The color range is huge. On the German homepage there are 41 colors listed. But to be honest I have not seen a drugstore that would offer all of them. In addition to the basic collection they have additional categories called the “Silky Glam Collection” & “Natural Nudes Collection”. I guess everyone would find a favorite color in between.
FINISH:
They offer different finishes. The problem is that they do not mention which finish the certain colors have, therefore you need to try out. They have very sheer shades, which just leave some shimmer on your lips. They have luster, pearly and glittery colors. But I have not found any matte shade so far.
DURABILITY:
It requires a touch up every 1-1 ½ hours.
SCENT:
The scent is intense and smells like vanilla.
TOLERABILITY:
There is one color so far, that was not suitable for my lips and caused a little irritation. Probably that happened because of the included glitter.
FEELING ON LIPS:
At the beginning you won’t notice that you have anything on. But you will notice, when your lips need a touch up, cause your lips start to lose their softness.
PACKAGING:
It’s overall nothing special. It has a red color and a rectangular shape. But it lays good in the hands.
PRICE:
Roughly € 5,-
ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS:
There is one disadvantage I would like to mention. It happened twice that the product itself loses the connection to the casing (it’s not broken).

From left to right: no. 115/pink porcelain (or no. 403/porcelaine rose); no. 128/silver rose (or no. 77/rose argenté); no. 117 (or no. 417)/satin sunrise; no. 485/lush papaya (or no. 406/ tendre papaye). The numbering & names in brackets are probably meant to be the identification in France.

The last candidate and probably my favorite product line is “Moisturizing Color” by ESPRIT. It’s also the line that made me feel the most skeptical as well. Just because of the fact that Esprit is well known as a clothing brand. Often a company that tries to expand their product supply and adds a completely new field will offer nothing as good as the original work is known for. But I can say different about Esprit!

CONSISTANCY:
At seems to be dry in comparison to other lipsticks cause it does not go on very smooth.
COLOR RANGE:
You can decide between a lot of different colors (25 in total) and you will find every possible tone no matter if you prefer darker reddish or brown colors or really bright summer colors.
FINISH:
Most of the colors have a matte finish as far as I have seen, some of them do have a little touch of shimmer.
DURABILITY:
This lipstick last the whole day. Of course it’s not looking the same in the evening anymore, when you have applied it in the morning. It loses some intensity during the day, but there is always a little bit of color left, so that your lips are never looking naked. Even if you drink a lot it will remain on your lips.
SCENT:
These ones have the typical flavor that a lot of lipsticks implicate. It smells slightly waxy, but not displeasing.
TOLERABILITY:
First of all Esprit Cosmetics have been declared as hypoallergenic. But this is easy to say. I have not tried anything else besides their lipsticks until yet. The lipsticks really do not irritate my lips. FEELING ON LIPS:
The lips are feeling super healthy and soft and I often forget that I have something on my lips. Most important is that I still have moisturized lips the next day!
PACKAGING:
Again the packaging is nothing special, but it looks elegant with the reddish-brown color and silver details.
PRICE:
Thinking of this as a drugstore product it is a little pricey. It cost round about € 8,-, but the quality makes it worth to pay for it.

no. 208/bohemian pink

I hope I was able to help you with my experiences and thoughts! And if you have any recommendations please let me know, I’m curious what else is there on the market.

Need a shopping/ styling assistant?

Since I had a little chat with a friend about some Trend-Forecasting , which was the topic of a university project last Friday, I recognized how undefined the trend of this spring/summer season actually is. Normally you will find clear mood & color boards for every season, but this time it’s a little bit of everything.
From my point of view I would say, that this is going to be easier for the consumers, because you can pretty much wear whatever you want, without looking strange. And I always considered that an individual style is more interesting than a copied look.
But there are people/consumers who want and need these kind of guidelines, to feel more secured during their shopping trips and thinking about this seasons (not really existing) forecast I can understand that.
Therefore I decided to try helping my friend and maybe you as the consumers as well, with this tricky topic.

But let me clarify something first: Even if I’m a fashion student and have joined an ‘on-the-job training’ after school, I never learned the profession of a Trend-Researcher. It has been just a little (and very tiny) part of one of our lectures and is the topic of a current project (which seems to be very interesting to me). Therefore I’m just more or less translating what has been said regarding this by the professor, who is leading my project.

The easiest thing you can do is: Just wear what you have worn during last year’s spring/summer season. Cause if you have bought/ worn things in pastels or find things in your wardrobe with some floral print then you are still (let’s call it) up-to-date.
And for those who felt in love with the purple-/ or coral-colored garments, I have good news: They are still trendy colors.

In addition there are also some new designs and developments, of course. Cause companies want to sell new products to make money. Therefore they cannot live with the sureness of consumers, who already have everything they need to be well dressed.

Let’s have a look at the favored colors for the spring/ summer season 2010
– ICE CREAM:
Have you heard of the “Ice-Cream colors”? This is basically what is described as this seasons ( it’s going to last for the whole year) trendy colors!
There is not one single color, to concentrate on. But there is a color-family, which has won the run for the first place: Soft and creamy looking colors like baby-pink, light-blue, pastel-green, syringa & lavender.
And here is a quote from my professor corresponding to this: “Think of words and feelings, which are touching your heart and come to your mind, when you think of a puff. This puff you should have in mind, when you are looking at these colors.”
Okay, I know this sounds stagy, but somehow I was able to understand what she wanted to mediate.

The ‘Hot-Topic’ print of spring/ summer season 2010 – JAPANESE STYLE:
I can imagine what you will think when you are going to hear of the ‘Japanese-Style’. But you don’t have to be afraid. You are not supposed to where the traditional kimono.
I’ve mentioned the floral print before as a still wearable print and this is the addition to that. The special thing about this look is that you have to concentrate on cherry blossoms and orchid inspired prints.
But you can also find the Japanese features in the range of the cuttings. Think of wrapped dresses and loose fitting sleeves.

Still an Evergreen in spring season/summer 2010 – CARDIGAN & USED LOOK:
Who does not love to wear something comfortable? A nice fashionable garment for this comfy look is the cardigan, but it has a new form. The buttons have been deleted and the front section is longer than the back part. And one key item too make the cardigan look more special, is the belt. Just put it on top and create a gathered look. One note must be included: These new cardigans are made to look casual, it’s working as a disadvantage to wear them too narrow!

And how to cover the legs? Just go for your good old washed-out jeans. And you should decide for the slim fitting ones. Because this season is still concentrating on lose fitting tops and long shirts. And we all know that we have to balance somehow that oversized look of the upper part that is covering our body.

Accessories of spring/summer season 2010 – PIMP YOUR STYLE:
Probably you think that the look for this season is going to be a little unspectacular, but we have not included the accessories, yet. And now it’s becoming interesting. In contrast to the pastels we will see on the fabrics, we can now play with lively and flashy bracelets etc., which have an extraordinary shape or neon color.

I think this is a nice overview of current “It-Pieces” and it should be able to create something nice with these explanations.

And now leave the house for some shopping ;)

Copyright of the pictures belong to jolie.de and the cooperating brands. During our project we have worked with the following website, which I like to mention as a research resource.
http://modetrends.suite101.de/article.cfm/modetrends_im_fruehling_2010


http://mystyle.jolie.de/jolie/outfits/14507

Ready to become a "Fashion-Victim" ?

As a student of the textile & fashion department I have to be able to figure out new trends and play with current must haves, even though I'm not a stylist. But it's important to have a certain kind of feeling for colors, the characteristics of fabrics and the fitting of garments. To internalize these key points I have found an interesting website.

I'm talking about (actually writing about, haha):

http://mystyle.jolie.de/jolie/combine

When you click that link you will see the jolie.de OUTFIT DESIGNER. I think that name is going to give a nice indication regarding the possibilities of utilization.

Basically you have garments grouped in different sections like: e.g. tops, dresses, shoes & accessories. And you can find some beauty products/ fragrances as well.
You just have to leaf through these sections, pick the pieces you like and draft them to the white area on the left hand side.
You can create complete outfits, design your new individual style or try to find a matching habiliment to a new acquired piece of clothing in your wardrobe.

And at the end you could get such results:

http://mystyle.jolie.de/jolie/outfits/14498

http://mystyle.jolie.de/jolie/outfits/14500

And there is another very nice feature besides the fact, that you can chose between hundreds of different articles. If you have fallen in love with your creation, you can buy these products immediately online via this website.

Okay, one little thing has to be added to the short list of cons, It's a German website, BUT you do not really need to know the language to understand the usage of this page and most of the things are made by brands, which are promoted internationally.

One last thing needs to be mentioned for copyright resons. I do not own any of the pictures, I just combined what was offered. Therefore all rights reserved by jolie.de and the cooperating brands.

I think this really is an enjoyable site and a must for fashion victims.

Know I will come to the end of this post by wishing you a lot of fun with this.