Gift Guide For Him

Hello there lovelies!

What a long time it has been, and for most of it I have no excuse for my absence from the blogosphere (shame on me!) I almost feel like George R.R. Martin, except I was not writing a one thousand and something pages novel, just being a potato couch and probably the less productive human being on earth. But lets move on, the past is in the past!

If you haven't noticed it's that time of the year again, the time when we get together with all our loved ones and share the love, and also the gifts you have been wanting for the last 3 months to get (or else that bitches can take their love somewhere else). The time when, it doesn't matter where you go, you will be haunted with endless Christmas tunes (it's always more fun to buy toilet paper at sound of jingle bells). It's also the time when your kids ask for everything they want (and even what they don't want) because it's a bearded old man who will pay the bill. It's Christmas!!! Yey!

Anyway, I'm just kidding. I actually love Christmas, it's my favourite holiday (and not because of the gifts). I love everything about it, the family, the smells, my little cousin joy, when it's time to unwrap the presents! And I wanted to do a post about it, but I was not sure if I should do a gift guide, because everyone is so different. But anyway, since I think I'm not so bad at giving presents, I will share some ideas. And why 'For Him', you may ask? Because I think it's a lot more difficult to get something for a man, than for a woman, at least when you don't have a big budget. I can always think of something for my mom, but for my dad... -.-'' So let's get on with it!

• New Experiences - And what do I mean by 'New Experiences'? A few Christmas ago I offered my boyfriend a tandem skydive jump (and it was not that expensive). I planned everything carefully so he wouldn't suspect a thing, and one day we went for a drive and SURPRISE! You're going to jump from a plane!!! But if your boyfriend/dad/brother/man in your life, is not into the crazy, putting your life in danger, stuff, there are other things like, swimming with dolphins for example. I did that some years ago, and it's still one of the best experiences ever. It may turn into something he will never forget.

• Technology - Men are just big boys playing with bigger toys (sometimes not bigger but almost always more expensive). I think almost every man loves his gadgets. For this Christmas the creme de la creme of this category is either the PS4 or the XBox1, if you have the money it's a no brainer, you just have to figure out on which team he is, because it can turn into a disaster if you go for the wrong one. But everything, from tablets to an iphone controlled paper plane (most useless thing ever) should make them happy.

• Fashion - If you have a fashionista at home, or simply if you want to offer something that you know will be useful, a nice piece of clothing might be the answer. But make sure you know the person well enough, it can be tricky to buy clothes for someone else. And if you are thinking of dropping some money, then go for key pieces, like a nice, good quality, coat, or perfect fitting trousers, something that he will be able to wear in a lot of different occasions. Still in this category, you can also go for a wallet, a manly wallet. One of those black leather, sturdy, wallets. Or a watch, if your budget allows it. Every man should own a nice wallet and nice watch (and a perfect fitted black suit, but that's another talk)

 

• Lifestyle - If the subject of your gift (subject... that's adorable) is found of music, you can go for a vinyl. Because, even if he will not use it that often, it's always special to have the vinyl of an artist he really likes. Then you also have books, those however can be more tricky. But if you know the person, it can make a wonderful gift. Amazon is my favourite spot to buy books, as you can find titles that are not available in bookshops. But make sure to put some thought  into it, and don't just buy any book. The last one I offered was Mein Kampf, to someone that loves to read about World War II.

• DIY - Last but not least, you don't need a lot of money to offer a nice gift, only imagination (and some skill with the hands). I already did a token box, mine had inside small tokens with different actions written on them, so that you can take one from the box without looking, and then you give it to the other person, that has to do the action on it (like for example 'Massage'). Or you can draw a portrait and get it framed...

So there you have it. Off course there are tons of other stuff you can give, I just rambled about things that I like to buy as a gift.

Now that I look at the post I realise it's a little on the long side... (sight) I can't help myself... But it's Christmas, so I shall be forgiven (^.^). Anyway, time to go, because it's almost one o'clock in the afternoon and I'm still in my pyjamas.

Stay Gorgeous!

xoxo♥

Disclaimer: I don't own any credits for any of the pictures in this post.  

MUFE Makeup Course (Another One)

Hey!

Hope you all had a wonderfullicious Thursday (is that even a word?)! I am soooo tired -.-'' Had a whole day at the MUFE makeup course, and on top of that it was raining. I'm like a cat you see, rain drains me of energy... But moving on!

Today was smokey eye again but a different shape, with a wing. The makeup artist performed two different looks, with different techniques, both on the eye and skin, and he also talked about contouring.

We, however, only did the eyes so we could practice without loosing time with the skin, since we will have a whole day only about skin.

Here is one of my works (only the left eye) in a beautiful model and colleague (^.^) (was not very inspired today =s... gotta be the rain... The only thing I could think of, was making a burrito of myself, with a blanket, and sleep)

Well, that is it for today... I will definitely film tomorrow, so stay tuned!
 Big Internet hug and sleep tight!

Stay Gorgeous!

V♥

A Fashion Online Shopping Guide

Hey!

So today (I totally feel I start all my posts with 'Hey! So...' Strong writing skills!) But anyway, today I needed to do some grocery shopping (cooking the most amazing dish right now! Gee... So many skills) so I went to the supermarket. The problem is, the supermarket is right next to the mall! And why is that a problem, you may ask... It's a problem because I can´t spend any more money until Christmas (*sight*). However I did take a little detour. And I did manage to leave empty handed, it took all my willpower, but I did it! I even tried out a pair of pants that I liked quite a lot, and left them behind! (Not without snuggling with them for an extra minute in the changing room *blush*)

Therefore, now I must soothe my weeping heart (there were so many cute Christmas decorations that I wanted). And I thought what better way than to talk about shopping. Online shopping that is! Because, sometimes, the real deal isn´t enough.

I actually have a few Portuguese ones, not that many unfortunately. They are:

Mau Feitio - I hold them responsible for my recent creepers obsession. It's a little expensive, but they do have some pretty cool brands that are not easy to find, at least in Portugal, like Jeffrey Campbell. Also the clothes have a uniqueness to them. However, if you can, visit the actual shop, in Coimbra, I think it's better than the online version. They ship internationally.

Zilian - Shoes, shoes, and more shoes! I still remember when I started getting the Zillian journal with Vogue. Anyway, they do have some really cool shoes and I think that's all there is to say. They only ship to Portugal and Spain however.

Showroomprive - I gotta say I never ordered anything from this one, but I'm very curious about it. It works in a peculiar way. They announce sales that will go on for a certain period of time, you can even see the pieces beforehand, so you can have an idea of what you want. This is because the items carry discounts up to 70%, and thus may go fast. They sell everything, from housewares to makeup, and carry brands like Dolce&Gabbana and dr. brandt. Very interesting.

Now, the UK... a lot more choices. The joy...

Asos - Maybe the most famous. A lot of brands, a lot of different styles, a wide range of prices. The site has their own brand, which is usually cheaper, and the quality is not bad. The best thing about them, besides variety, is that shipping is free worldwide. I think no one likes to pay for shipping -.-'' They also do a lot of campaigns and sales. Another thing, they now have a marketplace, where you can find young designers, second hand items and vintage. Asos definitely has a place on my heart.

Missguided - If you are in a budget this one is better than Asos, at least you won't fall in love with a 300£ coat. They have a lot to choose from, and also carry free international shipping.

David and Goliath - With this one all I can say is go to the site and see what I'm talking about.

Then of course you have the online sites of places like Selfridges and Harrods.

On to the other side of the world. Australia! This one has a big disadvantage, depending on the country you may have problems withs customs. My last order was kept by customs for a whole month, and I had to send my ID and the receipt. Then of course I had to pay taxes, 23% over the price I payed.

Saboskirt - Don't know if they are worth all the trouble but they sure have a lot of cute things, a lot of pastel colours, and beachy vibes.

Last but not least the US. Same disadvantage as Australia for me. But sometimes one has to endure the adversities.

Modcloth - "Cute, Vintage-Style, Retro & Indie Cloth, Shoes & Decor" is their motto and they couldn't be more right. I could probably spend all my money on Modcloth, and I'm sure that if I lived in the US, my wardrobe would have a lot more from them that it has now, because you do have to pay for shipping, and they are not exactly cheap. But cute as biscuit.

Nasty Gal - This one is more on the edgy, trendy, sexy side. If you are a It Girl, than you will love this one. Home to a lot of crop tops, and Jeffrey Campbell's, you will find the latest trends (and also shiny disco pants).

Urban Outfitters - Huge brands in the US, they now also ship to Portugal. Still haven't ordered from them, but I've been taking a look through their pages and there is a couple of items that I have my eyes on (maybe when I have money again -.-')

And that's it, manged to finish this post without adding anything to any shopping cart! Mission accomplished!

Hope you are having a nice week!

Stay Gorgeous!

V♥

All I Want For Christmas is... A Thigh Gap?

Well, first let me apologise for not posting in the last couple of days. Unfortunately for this next month I don't think I will be able to do as many posts and two youtube videos a week, because I need to focus on getting my drivers license (boring but necessary -.-'')

Now, onto the post. While being productive on the Internet (*cough*wastingtimeontwitter*cough*) I came across a comment of a girl asking "How did you get the thigh gap?" on a photo another girl posted. Being the curious person that I am I immediately googled it. Guess what? It seems to be a huge trend among young girls. I was mindblown with all the blogs that came up!

But I'm getting ahead of myself. For all of you that don't know what a thigh gap is, well, first let me tell you that you were not missing on anything. A thigh gap is exactly what the name says, a gap between your inner thighs. And apparently, if you don't have it, then you should start throwing the cookies away, get off your lazy ass and start jogging for your life. Also, keep a little sugar at hand for when you feel like fainting.

This thigh gap thing is actually one of the most stupid things I've ever heard, because it has a lot to do with bone structure. There are people that don't need to be skinny to have it, and then there's people that would need to reduce their legs to nothing. And it's only one more thing for women to obsess about and destroy their self-esteem and sometimes health because of it. Especially young girls nowadays, with all the social platforms, it's not about comparing yourself to the popular girl at school anymore, it's about comparing yourself to hundreds of "oh so perfect" girls all over the world.

 And with the thigh gap search comes key words like thinspiration, pro-ana and pro-mia, blogs dedicated to inspirational quotes, photos and tips on getting thinner, anorexia and bulimia. So, people suffering from eating disorders, now can go on the internet and hear praise and encouragement to keep doing something that is hurting them.

Here are some tips from one of those blogs:

• Chewing ice cubes when you are hungry: entertains your mouth.
• The thinner you are, the more people will notice you, want you, be jealous of you... 
• If you hear your stomach making noises and you want it to stop, place a hot bottle of water on your tummy.
• Make up all kinds of allergies (e.g. lactose intolerance).

And so on... Now, I am not in any way saying that being fat is the right thing either, I think people should try to be fit and healthy, while feeling good about themselves. And I know that this sometimes can be difficult because, even though I never had any disorder of any kind (some might disagree), and never wanted to get thinner, being a perfectionist, it was so much easier for me to find flaws and there were moments they would be the only thing I saw. But makeup taught me that is actually better to enhance the good, instead of concealing the bad.

So definitely do that, relax and enjoy life. I will not even try to say that those flaws you see are only in your head, I know it's not worth it, but try to be more relaxed about them, and maybe one day you will realise you don't even see them anymore.

And as for the thigh gap, if you have it, good for you, if you don't, good for you also. Oh and Santa, if you are reading this, I don't really want a thigh gap, when you have the time, I've been writing my list. It's short, I swear! *wink wink*

 

Stay gorgeous!

V♥       

Get Your Hat On!

Hey!

So, lately I've been finding myself looking with more attention to the hats available in accessories sections all over the mall.
It's not a new love, I've been fond of hats since... well... ever! They can protect your head from the sun during Summer and keep it warm during winter, they can be stylish, classy, edgy, or even full on masterpieces.

Long gone is the time when women would take hat shopping seriously, and at home they would keep them in their nice cases so nothing bad would happen. Now, in Portugal people are not that keen on buying hats, maybe because they are afraid it would look weird, or they don't know with what to use them. Also, there are so many different kinds...

But anyway, I am in favour of bringing the hat back, and my current favourites are the floppy hat and the bowler hat (very Orange Clockwork of me)

The floppy hat:

The bowler hat:

Both from Nastygal...

Hope you had a lovely Monday!

Stay Gorgeous!

V♥

Halloween Tutorial

Hey!

Finally after like 3 hours, or something, my video uploaded on youtube. Hope you like it!
Have a very fun and (of course) scary Halloween! Muahahahaha
Next year I'll do something creepy *.*

Stay Gorgeous!

V♥

Coolest MUFE class yet?

Hey!

So it's Thursday, and that means MUFE makeup class. Today was special effects!!! Oh the excitement! In the morning the Makeup Artist showed all the products and textures. I honestly want them all, I felt like a kid again! Playing with wax, and fake flesh, and blood...

It's so liberating... being able to create a big mess on yourself, and stepping away from having to make something pretty. The more disgusting the better. It's all about open wounds, and scars, and bones showing, and I love it *.* (I feel ready to compete on Face Off xD)

So, as the MA said the blood could stain the clothes, I didn't venture as much as I wanted, but still played a little bit, and certainly left eager for more =3

Stay Gorgeous!

V. ♥

Seedaholic?!

Hey!

Before we go into the post lets just admire my plating skills... Gordon Ramsey would be proud! And those are some delicious, crunchy, homemade cookies.

Since I'm sitting around, waiting for my boyfriend to come home from work, so we can finally have dinner -.-'' I decided to try to take my brain from my stomach and talk about... food. Smart!

I don't even know if I can call it food. I'm talking about seeds and wholegrains. They are usually found in the "healthy" aisles in the supermarket but do you know why they are good for you?

I have a few favourites of my own like quinoa, flax seeds, chia seeds and sesame seeds.

Quinoa for example has lots of proteins, and lots of essential aminoacids , vitamins (A, B6, B1, E and C) and minerals (calcium, phosphorus, copper, magnesium, chlorine and zinc). I use it as a substitute of rice, but it can even be used for deserts.

Flax seeds are rich in fiber, micronutrients, and I don't make a fuss about how I eat them. In the morning, with my bowl of cereals, I throw a generous tablespoon of flax seeds inside. Done.

Regarding Chia seeds, if you read about them, they pretty much look like they're the gift from heavens. I don't know if everything is true, but I know they are also rich in fiber and they have even more Omega-3 than salmon! They are also supposed to fight belly fat (yey!) and diabetes (also important). Those I throw a tablespoon in my natural greek yogurt (yummy =3)

Sesame seeds are a great source of manganese and copper, but they also contain sesamin and sesamolin which belong to a group of fibers called lignans, and those are supposed to have cholesterol lowering effects.

As with everything in life, don't over do it! If not for anything else, too much fiber will give you a hard time in the bathroom (if you know what I mean)

Anyway, that is all, hope you are having a very good week.

Stay Gorgeous ♥

   

Obsession Of The Moment

 Hey!

Today I went shopping with my mom and in one of the stores something caught my eye, a pair of black Melissa Creepers.

I've seen creepers type shoes thousands of times on the internet, but, believe it or not, never in real life (yes, I live under a rock) and I've never given them much thought. Yet, there they were, chunky, awkward, not exactly beautiful, in the middle of all the other Melissa shoes full of bows and polka dots. I felt drawn to them, almost like I had to save them from all that girlyness and give them all my love. Yet, when I saw the price I slowly put down the shoe, turned around casually and left the store... 90€ -.-''

And only if I had left it at that and gone home, but noooo... I returned to try them (I must have a problem) I loved the damn shoes even more! I felt their awkwardness complimenting my own... But again I left empty handed (it helped that my mom said they were extremely ugly more than once)

Anyway, I'll wait for the sale season and if they are still there then it was meant to be, so until January...

If you have a bigger budget than me and are interested, you can find them HERE.

And you? Do you have any current obsession?

Stay gorgeous =)   

Working Out At Home

Hey!

So it's friday night and here I am, without any plans whatsoever... Oh well... I actually don't mind that much. Actually today I had a huge urge to just stay inside, where it's warm... and dry...

I even skipped gym, hence this post. Yes, today, as every other day, I was supposed to go to the gym, but a serious case of laziness got to me. I've been having those lately, but today, as I looked through the window, at the rain pouring outside, it got the best of me. Every year around this time it's the same... It's like my brain got the instinct to hibernate incorporated somehow. I just want to wrap myself in a soft blanket and procrastinate all day long, until next Spring. So I did that today, and convinced myself not to feel guilty about it (kinda succeeded on that).

However, if you're not a lazy ass like me, and you still want to get your workout, but don't feel like going to the gym, or don't have a membership and can't workout outside, venture into the magical world that is the internet.

There are tons of people that want to share their workouts with you!

On youtube I have
- Blogilates: good if you are a beginner or want just something quick.
- Bikini Model Fitness: if you don't have a problem with the girls being in a bikini, they give great exercise ideas.

There are a lot more, but I don't use youtube that much for workouts. I prefer complete programs, and my favourite of the ones I've tried is Insanity. You will sweat a LOT with this one. It's a 2 month schedule, and as it's not  the same routine everyday it's not boring. But again, there are a lot more, so find something that better suits you and your needs. (Most of them you have to buy, but remember, the internet is a magical place, and that's all I'm gonna say).

Have a great weekend!

Stay gorgeous!
  

MUFE makeup class of the day!

Hey!

Just got home from another class of the MUFE makeup course. So tired... Whoever says getting up early is good, never got up early (and spent the day from one public transportation to the other -.-') But enough with the whining!

Today's class was about nightout makeup, and the makeup artist demonstrated how to do a smokey eye with almost only a black eyeshadow.

He gave a lot of information, especially on technique, but one of the things I found most interesting was one thing he said about matte eyeshadow. He started with the eyes and did the look with a glittery black eyeshadow, he didn't use matte because the eye only had HD primer, so it wasn't matte, and matte eyeshadow only works on a matte canvas (can we say matte one more time?). Otherwise, due to its composition, it will absorb any moisture and stain, and the end result it's not the same. So, to work with matte, the eye should have a layer of something like loose powder first.

Anyway, in the afternoon it was our turn to try the makeup as usual. My big critique was my light hand on the black on the bottom... Oh well... just didn't want to create raccoon eyes. And we didn't have to do the skin, just the eye, so that we could alternate between partners and practice as much as we could. Here's one of my beautiful models (^.^)

Okay, so that's it for today... I already have my episode of American Horror Story waiting... Sleep tight =)

And stay gorgeous!

Glam Glow Super Mud Clearing Treatment

 Hey there!

So it's the middle of the week, a good day, I think, to give your skin a little pamper. After all it has endured the wild and hard outside environment for three long days. Thus, that was exactly what I just did.

After a warm bath, cleansing my face, and 10 minutes of face steaming, I used my Glam Glow mud mask for the second time. Yes, it's only the second time, it may seem too soon to do a review already, but the thing leaves a strong first impression.

When it comes to mud masks my standard is the Omorovicza Deep Cleansing Mask, which is a very high standard.

Quoting Cult Beauty, Glam Glow mask is aimed "to discipline problem complexions and render your skin clear, calm and obliging. It purges pores of blackhead causing grime, whilst resurfacing skin with a specialist blend of Alpha-Hydroxy Acids. Suitable for use as a full mask or targeted on-the-spot treatment. It unifies skin tone and stimulates the synthesis of elastin and collagen." Promising, right?

Starting with the créme du fromage, or, with what really matters, how does it perform? Well, it's powerful, and i wouldn't recommend using it before an event. After the first time using it, I woke up the next morning with a couple of tiny breakouts. I can't be for sure it was because of the mask, but it's a hell of a coincidence. Your skin also feels really clean afterwards. Also when it dries, the mask goes to a lighter color, but you can see some spots (especially on the nose in my case) that looks as if it hasn't dried out completely. It looks like spots where it absorbed more "oil". Anyway, I suck at explaining stuff, so I took pictures (don't mind the silly faces -.-'').

The mask when you aplly it!

The mask after 20 minutes (can you see the little dots on the nose?)

One thing I've to say it's not as comfortable to wear as the Omorovicza, this one dries really hard, hard like you can barely move your face. But it's a small price to pay.

I'm not going into a lot of detail with the ingredients, just refer that Glam Glow has as third ingredient Magnesium Aluminum Silicate. Now, aluminum is a known neurotoxin, however, supposedly, the Magnesium Aluminum Silicate molecules are too big, so they shouldn't be able to pass through the skin. Omorovicza mask doesn't have this ingredient at all. Just thought I'd put it out there.

Regarding price, Glam Glow is £44.99 for 30mL and Omorovicza is £57 for 50mL on Cult Beauty, doing the math the Glam Glow is more expensive, it would be £74.80 for 50mL. But, Glam Glow is available in Portugal in Perfumes&Companhia, while Omorovicza isn't (I think).

And I think I'll wrap it up here (^.^) I hope I've given enough information, any doubt you can ask in the comments.

Until next time!

Stay gorgeous!   

MUFE Makeup Course

Hey!

Yesterday I had another (very informative) makeup class. I felt like my brain couldn't absorb more information.

The makeup artist performed a natural yet flawless look and a softer eye look. While he was doing the makeup he would explain why he was doing what he was doing, the do's and dont's, tips, etc...

Some examples

-After applying moisturizer, one should wait at least 20 minutes before going with the makeup, he sometimes waits up to one hour! In a job where doesn't exist that kind of time (probably most of them), he cleans the face with a tonic and goes immediately with the primer.

-Foundations like face and body have volatile oils, and when they evaporate the color goes a little bit darker, so when in doubt choose a lighter color.

-The foundation should be tried in the chest area, near the collar bone, in the front, that will give the most accurate match, due to how the light hits.

-Don't apply foundation in the direction of the little face hair, apply on the opposite direction, because if not, if the hair lifts from the face for some reason (like shiver) it will lift the makeup and can look weird depending on the amount.

And so on...

We also got a cd with 132 slides on makeup, done by the MUFE course.

In the afternoon it was our turn to try the techniques, and again we were organised in pairs. We were to do only half of the face so the difference was most clear. In the next picture you can see what I did on my "client" (^.^) (though i was lucky with her, her skin was already really good)

Stay Gorgeous!

"But I Almost Only Eat Fruit!"

As a person interested in fitness (more like obsessed, but no one needs to know that...) I can't help but role my eyes when I hear this (see the title) from people complaining not being able to loose weight.

Now, let me get things straight, I'm not saying in any way you shouldn't be eating fruit, it has nutrients and fiber and the content of water doesn't hurt. However fruit is sweet for a reason, it has fructose, and fructose is a carbohydrate, .

The body needs carbohydrates to generate energy, however, if there's an excess, the glucose will be store as glycogen, either in the liver or in the muscles, but, if the glycogen stores are also full, it will be converted to fatty acids! *pause for dramatic sound effect*

Eating an apple it's not the same as eating that delicious chocolate cupcake off course, but, if you eat too much, it can go against loosing weight, so the key is moderation. Try to have 5 to 6 portions of a balanced mix of vegetables and fruits.

And don't forget, if you choose to drink the fruit instead of eating it, you are allowing your organism to be a lazy ass by doing the mechanical digestion. So, if you can, try to eat it (^.^)

Stay Gorgeous!






  

Still Feeling Springuish?

Hey!

Just uploaded another youtube video with a makeup that it's much more appropriated for Spring/Summer, and I know it's Fall already, but in Portugal doesn't feel like it (so don't judge!)

Anyway, hope you like it, and if you do give a thumbs up, and somewhere in the world a cute kitten will be born, if you subscribe it will be a cute kitten plus a cute slow loris.

Stay gorgeous!

Can Converse Be Like Wine?

The older, the better?

One of those days I had to rescue my old, and (very) worn, black converse, from my mom. She wanted to get rid of them... 'They have holes!' She said. She even tried to bribe me with a brand new pair, entirely paid for. Sneaky (¬.¬) But I couldn't... They were with me through so much, and even though I can see the color of my socks when I wear them, there's a warmth on my heart. Kinda like being reunited with an old friend.

I don't even wash them, and not only because they can disintegrate, but also because that dirt is memories. I think pretty much everyone has that pair of shoes, shirt, accessory... that just can't get rid off! Even if you just snuggle on that old T-shirt at night (^.^)

Stay gorgeous!

Second MUFE class

Hey =)

Today was my second class at the MUFE professional makeup course and, even if I'm feeling super tired, it was really nice.

In the morning we had kind of a skin 101 class, where we addressed the different types of skin, and also different types of skin conditions, with scientific names! Very fancy... Things like freckles, rosacea... That type of stuff...

In the afternoon it was play time! We formed groups of two and did each other makeup. We had 30 minutes to show what we already knew, so that the teacher could then evaluate, and address the problems he saw. It was harsh -.-'' I took more than 30 minutes (most of us did actually), I touched my "client" face too much, I stood on the wrong side (if you are right handed you must place yourself on your client right side, your left) and so on... But it was fun and I'm eager to learn and improve (^.^)

My phone's battery died so I couldn't take a before and after picture, but next time I'll do it.

Stay gorgeous!  

Affordable Makeup

Hey beauties!

Being the youtube addict that I am, I've seen people talk about those 88, 120 etc eyeshadow palettes zillions of times, but I never really got hooked on it. However, recently I've been wanting (desperately) colourful eyeshadows (for no particular reason, my shopaholic side be damned). I've been eyeing some MAC and MUFE, but, even though I'm all up for spending a little bit of money on a customised palette, of my most used eyeshadows, I couldn't justify spending that money on blues and yellows (maybe when I'm a makeup artist *twinkling eyes*).

So I went on BH Cosmetics website and saw the Take Me To Brazil palette. It looked so beautiful, I almost got blinded by so many bright colors. I ordered it, and I also ordered the 88 neutral palette. Again, my shopaholic side... deep down in my heart I know I don't need more neutrals in my life, but it was a bargain. I think i paid around 20€ for both, shipping included.

Top - 88 Neutral Palette; Bottom - Take me to Brazil Palette

 I got them today and they are exactly what I was expecting. They don't have the quality of a high end brand (obviously), and they are kind of a hit and miss. Some colors have nice pigmentation, while others I'm sure I'll need to dip my brush twice, and I also foresee some fallout with a few of them. On another positive note, both palettes have a nice balance between matte, satin, and shimmery finishes, and I'm actually excited to try them on my eyes.

Top - Swatches 88 Netral Palette; Bottom - Swatches Take me to Brazil Palette

I think they are great for someone who is starting to experiment with makeup, or for teenagers, who sometimes don't have that much budget for makeup. So, if you decide to try some, keep your expectations realistic and you won't be disappointed. I mean, they are not MAC eyeshadows, but you can get 88 for the price of 1 at MAC.

Stay gorgeous!        

Omorovicza Deep Cleansing Mask Review

Hey!

Today I come to talk about a product that, even though it had the help of other amazing products, helped to improve my skin dramatically. The Omorovicza Deep Cleansing Mask.

Now, before we continue, I have to say I never had major skin problems, but still it was far from perfect and once in a while the hormones didn't help (if you know what I mean). So one day I was doing some online shopping for facial masks (more like looking at all the things I wanted but couldn't have), and came across Omorovicza. My first reaction was 'Too freaking expensive', but after reading some reviews (very important ladies) I got very interested, so I took a deep breath, petted my credit card so it wouldn't feel as bad, and ordered it. Thank the looord!

As the name says, it's a cleansing mask, it is supposed to remove impurities and clear congested pores, and it is suitable for all skin types. It is full of good ingredients and applies the same way as most facial masks. You cleanse your face, apply a layer of it, and then leave it on for 20 minutes. I just add one extra step, after cleansing I do 10 minutes of steaming (fancy word for 'you boil some water and then stick your face in the steam, with a towel over your head *sexy image*), this will open your pores, easing the removal of the dirty stuff.

I've been using it for the last 3 months and I'm almost out of it. The improvement is obvious. I used to have those little bumps on my chin, the ones that are not pimples or anything, and now they are gone. My skin texture is super soft, I feel like touching it all day (which you shouldn't do by the way, not only because it may cause breakouts, but also because it's weird). The skin is luminous (and not in a disco ball way) and even my hormonal acne is pretty much gone.

I can't recommend it enough, and I think it would be especially suited for young skin. I know it's expensive (at least for me it is) but if you are in the mood for a splurge...

You can buy it on Omorovicza website, but it's slightly cheaper on Cult Beauty, and as it's over 50£ the shipping is free.
 If I wasn't a total product wh*re I would repurchase, but I already have something else waiting, the Glam Glow mud mask. The standard is very high now, so lets see how it goes.

Stay gorgeous and have a wonderful lazy Sunday (^.^)    

Men and makeup

Hey there (again!)

Yesterday I was talking with a friend and mid conversation he starts talking about a girl that he thought was cute, but after he saw her in a night out, full makeup on, he couldn't look at her in the same way. She was wearing a red lip and dark eye. This got me thinking. Guys drool over photos of famous women that are wearing bold make up, but when it comes to real world girls it scares them.

Why this double standard?

Anyway, they say they like natural beautiful women, but their "natural" is foundation, concealer, contour, blush, mascara and so on... There are tons of 'Date Makeup Tutorials' and they all go for the same soft, generally accepted as pretty, look. But what if you like to wear pin up makeup all the time? Should you compromise and let him warm up to you, before you pull out your winged eyeliner, dark lip and fishnet stockings? Or should he accept you the way you are right away?

Date accepted makeup (and apparently they don't like buns also):

Date non-accepted makeup xD (excuse the hair and my amazing attempt at pseudo-model photo, I was home, it was pouring rain and I was bored) 

Stay gorgeous!

MUFE makeup course

Hey (^.^)

Hope you had a very wonderful and glam day.
So, a few weeks ago I got into a professional makeup course by Makeup Forever, today was my first class and I thought about doing a little series of posts about how it goes, for people who might be interested.

It's an intensive course of 85 hours, it has a cost of almost 700 € and they give a kit of 150 €, that mainly consist of brushes, a puff and a sponge. Their brushes have an interesting feature, they have a flat end so it can be used as a spatula to scoop products like lipsticks, instead of dipping the brush in the product. (How well this works I still don't know, what I know is that the brushes are super soft)

The super kit ^.^

The first class was more focused in learning about the brand and the products available, their aim, feeling textures and seeing colors and pigmentation. They have the whole MUFE range available in the room for us to use (I heard angels singing when I saw that table). The makeup artist, who by the way was really nice, also talked about the industry, her background, how she got in, gave a lot of tips... Overall the talk was really  interesting, hearing someone that has been in the bizzness for years.

It was also nice to get to know other people with the same passion as me, since I don't have a lot of friends that are that much into makeup (forever alone alert! -.-').
It was a good day and I'm excited about the next class, we will already be doing makeup =D

Stay gorgeous, and here a picture of a little friend that flew through the kitchen window

      

No. 1 Post and a little Skincare

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 Hey there!

So, for my first blog post (oh, my first blog post… the emotions…) I thought about a lot of things I could talk about, but in the end I decided to go back to basics and talk about something I think it’s even more important than knowing how to apply makeup. We are talking about skincare!

(Pause for reader eye roll)

Yes, skincare, because, if you have a great canvas, pretty much any foundation will look good. You might not even need it! Hell, with great skin you will feel amazing in a neon orange tracksuit and pink crocs! (...Ok maybe that's overdoing it, but still...)

I got to start with the very cliché, mind what you put in your body! It will reflect on your skin. As people would say, you will glow from inside, pretty much like a pregnant lady, minus the baby (although I’ve heard that some days they don’t feel that glowyish).

Drink lots and lots of water, get your vitamins going on, look for A, C and E… (I could write about three posts about diet so I will leave it here. Maybe another time.) Also, lifestyle affects your skin. Things like exercise, stress levels etc… And beauty sleep is not only an expression, so try to get between 6 and 8 hours of sleep.

So, in these past years I’ve learned a lot about skincare, and one of the most important things is to know your skin type. Is it dry, dehydrated (yes, they are different, dry is a skin type, and dehydrated is a condition that can cause dry skin, it is also much easier to treat), combination or oily? You need to buy products that will target your concerns. Just because your best friend bought a moisturizer that completely changed her skin, doesn’t mean it will do the same for you. So look at your clean, unmoisturized skin in the mirror for a moment. There are in general 4 skin types:

• Normal – Smooth, small pores, cheeks are the driest area (but not excessively), may experience some shine on the T-zone

• Dry/Very dry – Tight, may look dry or flaky, rough and uneven, small pores

• Oily – Oily skin, may have large pores, frequent breakouts

• Combination – Oily T-zone, dry cheeks or spot dehydration, larger pores on the T-zone

And, then, on top of your skin type, you can have sensitive skin, which means it gets easily irritated. But fear not, there are a huge range of products suitable for sensitive skin. Go for nonperfumed and alcohol free. And don’t fall for the dermatological tested, that just means that it was tested and your skin shouldn’t fall from your face if you use it, not that is for sensitive skin.

Ok, so you’ve identified your skin type, now you want to buy the right products. But there are zillions of choices, and you don’t want to spend your hard working money in something that will make you break out like crazy. My advice, go home and do your research, look for reviews in the internet, preferably reviews of people with the same skin type as yours. I like to use Makeup Alley and Sephora Reviews. Also, go to the counters and ask for samples! 

And don’t limit yourself to what you can buy in your country, internet is a wonderful place, full of online  beauty supplies, some web sites even offer free worldwide shipping (can you hear my bank account weeping?).

Here are a few good ones:

-BeautyBay 

-Cult Beauty 

-Feel Unique

 

 And I think I’ll wrap it here, next time I’ll go into the skincare routine in itself by showing my own (maybe on a video in youtube (*.*) maybe...). In the picture you can see a few of my loves.

If there’s someone who made it this far here’s a video of a hamster eating corn.

Stay gorgeous!