L'Oreal Paris Extravaganza nail polishes

Not so long ago I mentioned that I'm a leopard kind of girl so it shouldn't come as a surprise that I couldn't resist buying the two nail polishes of the L'Oreal Paris Extravaganza collection.  I mean, look at the packaging, how could I not buy them?

The color riche nail polishes are good quality nail polishes with a nice wide brush, just the way I like them.  The Extravaganza collection contained two nail polishes: L'Or Jungle (420), a golden color and Feline Sauvage (423), a dark green color.

L'Or Jungle (420)

L'Or Jungle (420) close-up

Now, we all know that golden polishes can be a bit tricky.  It's hard to get the formula just right and many brands struggle with it.  Even though the application was easy, the result is streaky.  And believe me I've tried, I've removed the polish and repainted my nails three times.  Something I can't remember doing over the last year because my nail polish application skills have improved over time and also because I want to be honest on my blog so I judge nail polishes by their first application.  But I really wanted this polish to work because of the packaging (a little biased, me?), I so wanted this polish to become my favorite gold so I could look at the packaging the whole time.  Truth be told, this will not become my favorite golden polish to paint my entire nail with but it would look great as an accent or for som nail art with the green polish of this collection.

Feline Sauvage (423)

Feline Sauvage, the dark green color, is a total hit for me.  It's just a gorgeous dark forest green with a bit of a shimmer/shine to it.   The color reminds me of a Christmas tree, it's great as a stand alone color but would also work great with a nice red or golden nail art.  

When I first noticed the collection in store I did some research on it and discovered that they launched a lipstick in France with the same print and the color looks just right for me.  Unfortunately I haven't been able to find it in Belgium, not in store nor online.  If you know where I can get it, please let me know in the comments below.

Nude Amazonia (141)

image from loreal-paris.fr

Where to buy:

You can buy the L'Oreal Paris color riche nail polishes at your local drugstore.  In Belgium they retail for €6,49.

Too Faced Pink Leopard blushing bronzer

I'm a leopard kind of girl and I think almost everyone around me knows.  I'm also a make up addict (duh) and my bestie found the perfect combination of those two for my birthday last month.  A leopard print blushing bronzer!!  How cool is this?

I'd seen it around the internet a few times but I always managed to control myself.  "It's bad enough that I buy makeup that has a New York print or reference and never use it because it would ruin the New York print, there's no need to start buying makeup with a leopard print just because it has a leopard print" I kept telling myself.  But of course, as usual, bestie always knows best and I can only imagine how she felt when she found this for me.  I know it was a search because apparently it sells out quite fast but she managed to get her hands on it and I will be forever grateful for it.  

I have to admit it was hard for me to swatch this and even to use it.  Every time I open it a little voice inside my head goes "don't ruin the print" but since it was a gift, I have to use it.  I can't tell my bestie I'm not using it because one, that would be rude and two, it's just too gorgeous not to use.

It is quite shimmery and for my skin tone I have to use it with a light hand in order to get it on in a subtle way but when it's on, it's gorgeous.  Not too cool of a pink because of the bronze that's added and with enough shimmer too make you look healthy and youthful.  Did I mention it was my 39th birthday? I know, don't get me started ... Needless to say that every product that gives me a youthful glow is a winner in my book.  

So here's a little message for my bestie: thank you so much for finding me the perfect gift!!!  I smile every time I open it and there's no better way to start the day than with a smile ...

Where to buy:

You can find the Too Faced Leopard Bronzer at Sephora.fr and because it's not polite to look into the price tag of presents you get, you'll have to go and look for the price yourself ;-)  

NOTD: Deborah Lippmann Cleopatra in New York

Glitterseason is here!!! Well, it should be anyway but the weather isn't really cooperating.  It's too warm for the time of the year and today the sun was shining.  I can't help it but I'm not in the Christmas/New Year mood.  The season is just off!!  I guess migrating to Australië would be a no-go for me ;-) 

But when a colleague asked if I could bring some glitters to the office so she could do her nails for Christmas I pulled out all my glitter, golden, silver and everything in between polishes and I rediscovered this one: Cleopatra in New York by Deborah Lippmann.

To me Deborah Lippmann equals glitter.  Sure, she has 'normal' polishes in her range but I'm not one to pay more than €20 for a 'normal' polish.  But for her glitters I gladly pay up!  Her glitter polishes are just gorgeous and now that I've pulled this one out, I'm dying to put on more (and maybe even buy some more).  

Cleopatra in New York is a black polish with golden glitters.  It took me 2 coats to get full coverage but the polish (and glitters) go on easy.  You just have to play around a bit to make sure the glitters are evenly spread.  It's just a gorgeous polish and perfect for the days to come.

As much as I love the glitters, removing this is a real pain in the a**.  The easiest way and the least aggressive way for your nails according to me is the aluminium foil method.  Take a cotton disk, drench it in nail polish remover, lay it on your nail and wrap the tip of your finger in aluminium foil.  Leave it on for at least 5 minutes and you should be able to wipe off the glitter polish quite easily.  For the Deborah Lippman polishes I usually wait for about 10 minutes.  It look ridiculous I know but it works!

Where to buy:

You can buy Cleopatra in New York at feelunique.com for €24,30.

Don't fear ... I'm still here

Well, it's been a while since my last post but life has been so hectic that I haven't had any time to write anything.  I've been on a much needed vacation to soak up some sun but since I've been back I feel like I'm on a roller coaster.  An overload of work at the job and not enough time at night and in the weekend to get the house work sorted out and write for the blog.  Also the weather hasn't been very cooperative, it's just so dark here all the time and this is very problematic for a blogger that takes pictures in the daylight.

But don't fear, I'm still here ... the good thing about not having much time?  I haven't spend much money on beauty, makeup or nail polishes.  The downside to this?  I miss it!! I really really really have missed buying me some makeup.  It doesn't have to be anything fancy or expensive ... just something new to play around with.  Needless to say I feel a shopping spree coming on!!  

It's not like I need something new, I still have plenty of stuff to write about.  Like the gorgeous leopard blush my bestie gave me for my birthday, a new mac lippie that a friend gave me for my birthday and the Urban Decay Gwen Stefani palette that I gave myself for my birthday (oh yes I did!!!).

If all goes well, I'll post again this weekend and I'm hoping to find the time during the upcoming holidays to maybe try to write ahead so there won't be any more silent periods like this on the blog.

NOTD: H&M nail polish in Mercurial Me

This is my second nail polish by H&M beauty and just like the first one, it doesn't disappoint.  Mercurial Me is a dark charcoal grey color with a silver sparkle in there.  It applies really easy thanks to the brush and gives complete coverage in just two coats.  

The H&M nail polishes haven't disappoint yet so I will be buying more of these.  I also bought a glitter topcoat but haven't been able to swatch it yet.  Keep an eye out for that one because it will be on the blog soon!

Where to buy:

You can buy the H&M nail polishes at selected stores for €4,99.

Airport shopping: travel exclusives

When you're reading this I'm enjoying some much needed sun.  As I'm writing this I'm imagining myself walking on the beach, feeling the sand between my toes and having a mind that's totally blank.       Just walking around enjoying the scenery and living in the moment.  The biggest issue of the day being "I'm feeling a bit hungry, what am I going to eat" while enjoying having my man all to myself.  The perfect getaway this time of year when the days get shorter, everything seems darker and my energy levels are getting low.

But there's one stop we have to make before getting there: the airport.  And at the airport there are shops.  If we're lucky we'll be able to do some shopping but since our flight is leaving extremely early in the morning I don't think the shops will be open.  But if they are, I might do some damage.

We all know the taxfree shops but I feel that if you look around for discounts and promotions, you can buy things at the same price in your local shops.  The isle that gets my full attention is the 'travel exclusive' isle.  Almost all the big brand shave travel exclusives.  Make up palettes, product combinations for a good price, travel sized perfumes ... all exclusive for the airport shops.  That's what I look for.  

Take this Dior exclusive I bought two years ago while traveling to New York, I mean look at it.  It has everything you need: nailpolishremover, a base coat, a nude color, a neutral color, a red color and a topcoat all in one kit.  You won't be able to find this at your local beauty or department store.  So next time you're in the airport, think about keeping an eye out for the travel exclusive isle, lots of fun things are stored there.

NOTD: Maybelline Color Show The Blushed Nudes in 449 Crimson Flush

I had to be patient for the second nail polish that Maybelline launched together with their Blushed Nudes eyeshadow palette.  It took me two weeks before I could get my hands on it but here it is.  To me the color is a combination between a dark old rose and mauve.  It's a nice color, not too soft but not harsh in anyway.  Nothing too exciting but not boring either.  Just a nice darker pinkish color.  Perfect for fall.

If you want to read about the other Color Show The Blushed Nudes nail polish, you can read my post about it here.

Where to buy:

You can buy the Maybelline Color Show nail polishes at your local drugstore.  I bought mine at Di in Belgium and paid €3,99 for it.

The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil

I'm a Bioderma micellaire water kind of girl.  It's easy, works like a charm and only takes a few seconds.  Why mess with a winning thing right?  Well apparently I did.  When I was cleaning out my closets in September I came across this Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil by The Body Shop.  I vaguely remember buying it when it just launched and using it a few times ... and not really liking it.  But since September was the month I forced myself to use everything I had in my closets before opening something new, I reintegrated it in my evening routine.  

I've been using it a few weeks now and it has grown on my.  Especially now that the weather is getting colder I'm loving the feeling of the oil on my skin.  One pump of the product is enough for you whole face, you gently massage it all over your face and eyes and then add a bit of water which turns the formula in a milky substance.  Gently rub the water/milky substance over your face and eyes and rinse off with more water.  My skin feels really nice after this and my face is ready for the next step in my evening routine.  I'm a firm believer of the double cleanse: you take of your makeup and follow up with a cleanser to really clean up your face.  So after the Camomile Sliky Cleansing Oil I'll still use another cleanser (one of Neutrogena at the moment).

As much as my face loves this product, my eyes do not.  Well, maybe that's putting it a bit wrong.  It doesn't irritate my eyes or anything but after the cleansing it feels like there's a film of some sort over my eyes.  Also it doesn't take off all the eye makeup (think a panda like situation).  It's fine for eyeshadow but removing eyeliner or mascara?  Nope, there's still a fair amount left after cleansing.  So you'll still have to use an eye makeup remover alongside the cleansing oil.  One swipe with a cotton pad with some eye makeup remover on does get rid of all your eye makeup and also takes care of the film that was left over the eyes.

I'm pretty sure the amount that's left in the bottle will get me through the coldest months of the year but I don't think I'll repurchase it when it's finished.  I think I'll just go back to my Bioderma micellaire water that does the job so much faster.  

Where to buy:

You can buy The Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil at The Body Shop.  I paid €13 for 200ml.

NOTD: Maybelline Color Show The blushed Nudes in 446 Make me blush

So last week I was in the drugstore and I noticed The blushed Nudes palette in the Maybelline isle.  Once again, I don't understand why there is a difference of 6 months between the launch in the USA and Europe.  I bought mine exactly 6 months ago in the USA (really, has it been that long already?) and only now has it been brought to the European market.  Can anybody tell me why?  What's the marketing strategy behind this?  I'd really like to know.

What I hadn't noticed in the USA was that along with the palette (you can read all about that here) there are two nail polishes in The blushed Nudes range.  So far I only got my hands on one of them,  Make me blush (446), but the saleslady promised me that the other one should be available somewhere next week.  The color is very in range with the blushed palette theme, a light pink color that is great for everyday use.  Nothing to flashy, nothing too obvious, just a nice soft pink.

I've never had a complaint about the Maybelline Color Show nail polish formula and this one hasn't changed that.  It applies easy, it did take me three thin layers to get full coverage but that's ok.  There aren't that many polishes that get full coverage with two thin layers.  Overall, a great pink color polish.

Where to buy:

You can buy the Maybelline Color Show nail polishes at your local drugstore.  I bought this one at DI in Belgium and paid 3,99€ for it.

Essie winter 2015 collection

Fall hasn't even started properly in Belgium but that won't stop the winter collections from appearing in stores.  I wasn't expecting the winter collection from Essie yet but last week while I was in the drugstore I immediately noticed the Essie display had changed and so even though I was there for something else, Essie was the first stop I made.  

Virgin snow

Virgin snow is described as 'pure. untouched. pristine. this icy frozen lavender is just waiting to be discovered.'  It is indeed an icy lavender color, not quite sure if this is a winter color though but a great choice if you like lavender colors.

Shall we chalet?

Shall we chalet?  is described as 'well darling, since you ask ... why not? it would be impossible to resist this seductive ruby.' Now this is a winter color if you ask me, a dark ruby red that's sophisticated and is just great for everyday.

Haute tub

Haute tub is described as 'turn up the fashion heat and take the plunge in indulgent jet black with amethyst fire.'  Black with a little sparkle in there, I'm always game for that.  

Haute tub

In my opinion, the sparkle could be a lit better.  You have to look very close to actually find it, from afar it looks like a black with a lot of shine but not really sparkling in any way.

Apres-chic

Apres-chic is described as 'sprot this iconic platinum and go from ski bunny to winter wonderland queen.'  This is definitely the eye-catcher of the collection.  A nice silver nail polish that applies really easy without too much streaking.  The formula is easy to work with, which isn't always the case with silvery colors.  

Apres-chic

Personally, I think this is a great polish for an accent nail or if you're into nail art or if you're going to a silver themed party.  Aside from that, it's a bit too full on for me.  

Altitude attitude

Altitude attitude is described as 'rise to the occasion in elevated sublime scarlet and scale the heights of fashion without batting a lash.' Or, to say it bluntly, it's a nice scarlet red.  Nothing special though, just a nice classic red (a color that every girl should have in her collection).

Peak show

Peak show is described as 'enjoy the view from the top. in this scenic powder pink, it's the place to be in all its pretty glory.' And it is a light bright pink, so light it looks more like white from afar.  But once again the formula is great, as usual with Essie.

This collection didn't really wow me I must say.  There aren't any real innovative colors here, nothing that had me excited.  Aside from apres-chic I find the colors more standard, like they could come from the permanent Essie range.

Note: all descriptions are copied from Essie.com.

Where to buy:

In Belgium you can find Essie at Kruidvat and DI.  Retail price is 11,99€ at Kruidvat and 12,45€ at DI.

Kiehl's Micro-Blur Skin Perfector

Since I emptied my Smashbox photo finish face primer sample last month, it was time to try out a new one.  Enter Kiehl's Micro-Blur Skin Perfector.  I bought it a few months ago when I was in Antwerp with my bestie and we made our usual pitstop at Kiehl's.  There are a few reasons why I love to go to a Kiehl's shop.  One, they always make time for you.  Two, you always get good advice. And three, you get so many samples so you can try what they recommend before actually purchasing it.  

Aside from Kiehl's I also love pore minimizing products (like Benefit's the Porefessional face primer) so when I saw this Micro-Blur Skin Perfector, I just had to try it.

The Micro-blur Skin Perfector is described as a 'lightweight skin smoother to instantly refine skin texture and minimize the appearance of pores while improving skin's quality over time'.  A mouthful to say the least.

The first time I used this I knew I was hooked.  You only need a pea size amount to cover your whole face and the effect is instant.  But it's the feeling of the product on my face that surprised.  It feels light, you hardly feel it's there, and it somehow feels 'refreshing'.  It's the perfect primer to use under your foundation but it's also great to use just over your moisturizer without using anything else (for that my skin but way better look).

I've always been a big Porefessional by Benefit fan but if I have to choose between the two I really feel like Kiehl's would be the winner.  

Since I've only been using this for two weeks I can't say anything about the promise of 'improving skin's quality over time' but so far my skin feels great!

And just in case you're wondering: the pictures are totally real.  The only thing that I adjusted was the light since they were both a bit too dark.  No other special effects were added.  So you be the judge!

Where to buy:

You can buy Kiehl's Micro-Blur Skin Perfector at your Kiehl's store/counter or online.  For Belgium and The Netherlands that would be Kiehls.nl and a tube of 30ml costs 28€.

Emptied and replaced in October

October went by fast and I have a feeling November is even going to go by faster.  Just 3 more weeks of work and then I'm off to somewhere sunny for 10 days.  Much deserved, even if I say so myself ;-)

Anyway, I was on a roll in September, emptying a lot of products and I'm forcing myself to continue this process.  So here's what I emptied out in October and what I replaced it with:

Facial care:

I used up my Neutrogena Alcohol Free Toner and replaced it with Body Shop Vitamine E face mist.  Technically not really a toner but it works the same to me and since I had half a bottle left I decided to use it and not buy a new toner until the face mist is empty.  Also my much beloved Neutrogena Raphid Wrinkle repair moisturizer has been emptied.  I'm so bummed by this, it's not available in Europe and I love this one so much (I do need to put a hydrating serum under this).  Yet another reason to plan a trip to the US soon.  I replaced it by Vichy Normaderm Tri-Activ Anti-Imperfection Hydrating care that I found laying around, I think it was in a Deauty box at some point.

Body care:

Bath and Body works time!!  I finished the Beautiful Day hand cream and got started on my tube of Crisp Morning Air Handcream.  The Maui Mango Surf body cream replaced my Love & Sunchine body cream.  I also found this Clinique Water Therapy foot smoothing cream somewhere in the back of a closet, it was almost empty, I only got 3 more uses out of it and I replaced it by the Body Shop's Spa wisdom honey & beeswax hand and foot butter that I found in the back of the same closet.  I remember I was hooked on this stuff at one point and then they stopped selling it.  So I'm kind of hoping I don't get hooked again since it's no longer for sale.

Makeup:

My sample size Photo finish primer by Smashbox lasted until the end of the first week of October and I replaced it by 2 primers.  Kiehl's Micro Blur Skin Perfection (which I love by the way, you can find a review of this on the blog real soon) and Too Faced Hangover replenishing face primer.  I intended to alternate between both but I'm loving the Kiehl's one so much that I haven't tried the Too Faced primer yet.  When it gets colder I probably will start alternating more because the Too Faced one is more hydrating and that's what my skin needs in winter.  And than there's my Guerlain Lingerie de Peau bb beauty booster ... this one got me through 2 summers.  It's so lightweight it feels like a bb cream but gives a foundation like coverage.  I'm happy this one is now empty.  As much as I loved it, I was so sick of it by the end, I really wanted to try something new and the damn tube kept producing product. I'm now using the Cover Girl Ready Set Gorgeous foundation in the color 110 as my everyday foundation, especially for workdays.  It's very lightweight and gives you that pretty healthy finish.  Another Neutrogena favorite is their Healthy Skin foundation (shown here in 110 Classis Ivory), since the formula is a bit heavier I  currently only use this one on special days or if I'm going out at night. And last but not least one of my all-time favorite Mac eyeshadows: Satin Taupe, that one got replaced by itself.

Nail care:

There they go, my two favorite nail care products of all time, in the bin: trend nail balsam and nail repair.  Trind products are definitely among the best nail products on the market and I already have backups of them at home but I decided to go with Sally Hanssen Vitamin E Nail & cuticle oil and nail hardener and I'm liking them so far.

Miscellaneous:

I've been a very good girl lately cleaning my makeup brushes every sunday.  I usually use the same colors every day when I'm working so it wasn't really necessary color-wise to clean them often but of course it's more hygienic to clean them regularly.  So on sunday I clean brushes!  I emptied my Mac brush cleanser and replaced it by a new bottle.

And that's it!  I'm liking this process a lot: empty out one thing before opening another.  It's working well for most products but in case you're wondering; I'm not even going to try to implement this in my nail polish and eyeshadow collection because I'd never be able to write a post like this if I did that ;-)

A little Sephora.fr haul and Sunday chit chat

It's been a bit quiet on the blog I know.  So what happened?  Just life I guess.  I feel like life is just rushing by and I'm nog able to keep up.  Of course the fact that it's dark when you leave for work and it's dark again when you come home isn't helping.  I am in desperate need of some sunlight let me tell you.  And let's not forget my trip to the dentist that costed me enough to go into a no-buy modus for the rest of the month.  I kept telling myself that I don't need anything new makeup wise and that the latest editions coming out aren't worth splurging on ... did I believe it?  Deep down I didn't but it worked for a week or two ;-)

I failed on the no-buy thing though ... but in my defense, I had to!  You see, my bestie has a birthday coming up and I already knew what I wanted to get her so when I got a 20% off mail from Sephora.fr I just had to go for it (and get some things for myself while I was at it).

The thing with Sephora.fr?  First of all there are shipping costs and as you may know by now, I'm allergic to shipping costs, especially within Europe.  These days there are so many sites that offer free shipping that I try to avoid site that do charge shipping.  But the thing with Sephora is that they have a few brands that are hard to find elsewhere and with the discount I more than made up for the costs.

The second thing is that Sephora.fr is always a bit disappointing to me.  I've been in the States at least once a year for the past five years or so and the French Sephora hasn't got all the brands you can get in the States.  No Kat Von D, no Hourglass, no Becca ... But I'm keeping my fingers crossed because Sephora US started shipping to Germany, The Netherlands and a few other European countries so I'm hoping Belgium will soon be joining the ranks.

I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by Sephora.fr.  I ordered on a tuesday evening and my package arrived friday noon even though the website stated 2 to 5 days and I always assume the worse.  

So what was in there you ask?  I treated myself to Marc Jacobs Style Eye-con no.7 plush eyeshadow palette in The Dreamer, Marc Jacobs New Nudes lipstick in Understudy and Sephora express nail remover wipes.  You can expect swatches of these on the blog soon.  I got the Sephora Rouge Infusion lipgloss in Pink Essence (33) for a friend and than there was a present for the birthday girl that isn't in the pictures because it's a surprise and I know she's reading.  You have a few more weeks of waiting to do!!!

Another great thing: you get to choose your samples. I went for By Terry moisturizing cc cream, Make Up Forever HD foundation and Benefit Air patrol eyelid primer.  I can't wait to try these!!

I will definitely be buying Sephora.fr again when I have a discount code!! But for now there are other things to buy ... like Zoya nail polish, the winter collection of Essie, the holiday editions that are launching, the Urban Decay palette in collaboration with Gwen Stefani ...  too much prettiness, not enough money!! 

Enjoy your week and I promise to update more regular from now on.  I have some articles that are almost done and I'm planning them for this week.