Archive for July 2010

Catrice Careme Collection Haul

I had give up on getting products from the limited edition Catrice Careme collection. I couldn't find a store that had them in stock.

BUT, my sweet collegue Mariska, called me last week when she was at a Trekpleister. ''If I still wanted that peacock eyeliner?"  Uh..Yes! Please! :)
Apparantly they also had some other products, so she got me the ones I had on my wishlist. She send them to me, because she's on vacation right now.



She got me:
  • Peacock Blue liquid eyeliner (what's in a name? ;)  )
  • Spiced Red lipgloss (really pigmented!!)
  • Spiced Red eyeshadow (seems to be a MAC dupe)
 

 

It took a while to get here, I was already worried it might have gotten lost in the mail. But ofcourse, on the day I texted my collegue about it, I found the envelope lying on my doormat when I got home :)
The eyeshadow was unfortunately broken , but that was easily fixed with some alcohol:



:)

NOTD: Collistar Nero Lurex

This NOTD was made with the Collistar Nero Lurex.



The polish applies very easy and isn't streaky at all.  It says to be fast drying and longlasting, which is both true. The polish dried pretty fast, and "ive been wearing this polish for 3 days now, with just a bit of wear and tear on my nailedges. Which is pretty normal with my job. I did apply a topcoat because the polish is a bit gritty. If you don't mind gritty, you won't need a topcoat. The polish is very shiny without it.



It's a very nice black polish filled with glitters. The glitters look plain and silver, but when the light catches them, they turn into all kinds of colours. Still, the effect is pretty subtle, not like a dicscoball.




S-Factor Spun Satin Review

Hey everyone! Sorry I've been MIA lately, there's just been so much going on! Being that it's summer and beautiful outside, I find myself spending less time indoors, and even less time on my laptop. For that, I'm sorry. Gosh I'm embarrassed at how long it's been since my last post, but I'm going to try to make up for it! Starting with my review of S-Factor Spun Satin Feather-Light Styling Soufflé. I blogged about how excited I was for this to come out (here), and I was not disappointed! Spun Satin has become a new favorite of mine, and a staple in my product collection.


If you've never heard of styling soufflé before, it's basically a very rich, conditioning styler. The consistency of Spun Satin is like a very thick deep conditioner, with a hint of a pomade/wax. However, being as rich as it is, it's very light on hair, and it's absolutely PERFECT for wavy hair! Spun Satin is the next generation of "scrunching" products, so bye-bye sticky gel! Plus isn't the jar pretty? It looks like expensive department store night cream or something - I feel so luxurious when I use it! And the scent... I'm not even gonna try. All I know is that it smells heavenly, so if you see it you have to smell it! You'll fall in love.

As always, we'll take a look at the ingredients:
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Behentrimonium Chloride, Stearalkonium Chloride, Fragrance, Cyclopentasiloxane, PVP, Amodimethicone, Hydrolyzed Silk, Sodium PCA, Cetrimonium Chloride, Dimethicone, Trideceth-12, Aloe Leaf Juice, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Sunflower Seed Oil, Avocado Oil, Propylene Glycol, Methylparaben, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Hexyl Cinnamal, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Linalool, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Benzyl Benzoate, Limonene, Coumarin.

De-fluffed:
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Behentrimonium Chloride, Stearalkonium Chloride, Cyclopentasiloxane, PVP, Amodimethicone, Sodium PCA, Cetrimonium Chloride, Dimethicone, Trideceth-12, Propylene Glycol.
Now if you're someone who's sensitive to fragrances, you might want to skip this product because it's full of fragrance additives. It doesn't bother me, but I know some people can't take it so I just wanted to put that out there. Anyway, once we take out all the fluff we're pretty much left with a very conditioning product with just a hint of hold. This is probably the reason why it's so perfect for people with naturally wavy hair, like myself. It tames the wave without leaving hair heavy and/or crunchy. Now I've talked about almost all of these ingredients in past posts, but what I do want to point out are Cetrimonium Chloride and Trideceth-12. These ingredients, combined with the other silicones, like Amodimethicone, prevent any buildup on your hair. So if you weren't sure about all the silicone in this product, don't worry about it. By your next shampoo, it will be all down the drain.

Who would I recommend this to? Anyone wanting to enhance their natural wave, while keeping their hair soft and touchable. I do feel the need to point out that this product is not designed to actually create a wave or curl, just enhance what you already have. So I'm gonna say if your hair is straight and you're looking for a curling product, this is not for you. I would also tell you that if you do decide to use Spun Satin, but are unsure of how much to use for your hair, use less than you think you need. It took me a couple tries to figure out just the right amount for my hair. Spun Satin can also be mixed with other products; I often mix in some S-Factor Dream Drops to give my hair some added shine and softness, but it's not really necessary. Spun Satin is great all by itself!

Here's a tip: I suggest towel drying most of the moisture out of your hair, then using Spun Satin. At first it might feel like it's a bit too much for your hair, but just give it time to dry and settle into your hair, and your hair will feel great! I've also found that it's best to let your hair air dry when using Spun Satin. I just think the heat from a blowdryer will kind of work against this product. But try and see what works best for you, maybe you'll find the opposite is true for you.

S-Factor Spun Satin comes in a 2.65 oz / 75 g container, and retails for around $28.

Like I said before, I am REALLY going to try to post more often. It's shameful how little I've been posting lately! Sorry again. But the good part of this is that I've been testing out a lot of new products, so you all just sit tight! More reviews coming soon!

Have fun, and take care of your hair! Especially against the sun, it's brutal!

Etos: Luscious Sexy Lip Kit

On tuesday I found this kit at the Etos at the trainstation in Amsterdam. They also had the eyebrowkit and the smokey eye kit. Suzanne wrote about those on her blog.

The kit comes with a cardboard sleeve with a retro print on it and on the back it has the whole How To of the kit. When you pull the kit out of its sleeve, it has the same prints on the front and back as the sleeve.


The kit closes with a magnet in the lid so it's pretty safe in your purse.
It contains a mirrot, 2 lipglosses, 2 lippencils, a lipbase, a lipgloss and a lippensil.
Not bad for 6 euros, right?



And the directions on the back:


I think this kit(and the others) are really nice and especially good for people who are starting with makup. I don't know if it's also a very usefull kit, but a review will follow as soon as I know. I'll make pictures of swatches as soon as I have the right lighting when I get home from work.

Makeup and Jewelry gifts for our 2nd weddinganniversary

As you may have read on saturday, we had our 2nd weddinganniversary this year.
Before we went out to dinner with my parents, we went shopping with them.
And my amazing, romantic and supersweet husband bought some things for me that were on my wishlist. :)


This is a Collistar nailpolish called  Nero Lurex 18.  My first experience with Collistar was about 7 years ago, when I went to my local drugstore and asked if they had a green liquid eyeliner. She opened a drawer behind the counter and gave me a Collistar liquid eyeliner. I loved that eyeliner and I've used it untill it went completely empty. I haven't seen the brand since, untill last saturday. At the Ici Paris there was a little display with Collistar nailpolishes. I loved the colours and my eyes immediately fell on this one. I'm a sucker for black and this one has holographic glitters. Perfect! I might even go back later on and get the awesome purple glitter polish I saw, but we'll see. This one was around 10 euros(it was a discount week though, normally they are around 13 orso). I'll probably start wearing this one right after I finish writing this blog. :)




I already have the 8hour cream(I'll post a review soon), and because I really like that one, I wanted to have the matching lipbalm aswell. They didn't have the limited edition evrsion anymore, so I got the normal one.


Review will follow soon ofcourse, but I'm already loving it :)

We also got these little re-usable perfumesprays:
They cost 3,95 euros and they filled them in the store with yout favourite perfume! I choose Delices de Cartier, ofcourse, since I love that one. And when my mom smelled it, she took that one aswell :)
Hubs choose Rochas, which I totally adore.
It's very easy to take with you in your purse or pocket. 
And if you want to, you can refill it at home with your own perfumes:


And the thing I was most happiest about:

This silver dragon ring...
My beloved and I both had this ring for years, untill at Easter my ring fell away from my finger, missing a big piece on the bottom. I still have no idea what happened, by the way.
I searched for a new one, knowing it would be difficult. I have really small fingers, and even though this design pops up now and then, they almost never have my size. We couldn't find it at the EFF so my hopes were set on Castlefest.  But, when we got to Mordor(a really kewl little store in Alkmaar), I found this one. It's the exact same one as I had except maybe half a size bigger. But it does have the tiny details that my old one had, most cheaper versions of this ring tend to have much rougher details.
Anyway, long story short: I have my dragonring again! I missed it so much, and I'm really happy with it. :)

NOTD: Psychedelic BlackOut

This NOTD was made with Rimmel Black Out en White Konad special stampingpolish.


The image isn't stamped straight, because I was in a hurry...
Also they tend to stick a bit to the stamp and then creates folds or loose ends. Oh well, it was the first time I used a whole-nail stamping design, and it came out pretty good.

Because I cut my nails(they were getting to long again), I thought it would be a great oppertunity to try out the whole-nail design stamps, and I love them :)
Too bad they aren't designed for long nails, so I can't use them all the time.

See my cuticle there...those are the hazards of doing my work, hahaha.

And this is my right hand. Not bad for someone who sometimes becoms retarded when she has to use her left hand for something, huh?


FYI: Chemical Countess... Do You Know Your Body's Impact?

Double Click on the Pic so you can read the small print...
Now this is just craziness!


Imagine the toxic combinations if you mix products? Like... what if you use more than one hair styling product or several different brands of makeup together?  If you're just starting out and want to switch to more natural products- the easiest and most effective way is to start with products that cover the largest surface area of your skin. Begin with your Soap / Body Wash & Body Lotion (see my reviews for ideas). These are probably the easiest safe products to find and have the biggest impact. Next, try different Shampoo & Conditioner (it runs down your body in the shower)...  Another easy switch is Lip Balm. 

The best advice I can give- is to just take it one day at a time so you don't feel so overwhelmed! It happens though. I totally get my panties in a bunch when I come to find out that a product I thought was safe... has one little, teeny-tiny little ingredient in it that isn't! And whatever you do, don't go nuts and toss all of your products at once, like I did. As you run out of products, make healthier choices when buying new ones. When you know better, do better. I research everywhere I can! If your new to the green-scene... a good place to start is by using the EWG's Skin Deep Cosmetics Database  along with a little common sense. Another great resource is the Chemical of the Day Blog. Whatever the case, just remember... we are ALL on this journey together and we WILL get there- come hell or high water!  xo

Ghetto-Fabulous Tip # 2: Pretty Potion

Okay, well... you don't actually drink this potion- but you can if you want to!

The Recipe:
  1. Pick your poison (or in this case not... YAY)! Here's mine: A handful of Fresh Mint (or Mint Tea in a Tea Bag), Tension Tamer Tea (I use Celestial Seasonings Brand- in a Tea Bag), Rosemary, and Thyme (Fresh or Dried). Be creative! Throw in whatever's fresh, whatever's in your spice cabinet, or whatever tea bags you have on hand. I happened to just throw this together- no real method to my madness. Tea Bags are my new BFF! Who knew?
  2. Bring your potion to a boil in a pot on the stove. I prefer to do this before I wash my face- so it's not scolding by the time I'm ready to use it. If it's too hot, give it a minute to simmer down LOL.
  3. Wash your face... as you normally would.
  4. Apply a thin layer (about 1-2 drops or less than you think) of Olive Oil to your entire face, including eyes. Try not to get your eyelashes, especially if you wear contact lenses! I prefer EVOO. For all you girls who normally break out and would never dream of using oil on your skin... don't worry! This did not (I repeat, DID NOT) clog my pores. In fact, it actually helped the steam get all the gross gunk out- and kept my skin from drying it out, leaving nice and supple. I was totally amazed!
  5. Pour just enough Witch Hazel (I use Dickinson's Brand Original) to cover the bottom of a large, heat resistant bowl... I use stainless steel, but you can use glass also. Never, ever use plastic... it can leach BPA and other harmful chemicals.
  6. Combine the contents from pot with the Witch Hazel in the bowl.
  7. Make a "Towel Tent" by draping a Bath Sheet or Large Towel over your head and over the bowl to create a facial steam bath. Make sure you tuck it in, crossing it at your neck like a babushka (haha) and all around you so you can't see any light! I also use a small towel under the bowl so I don't burn my kitchen table. Nobody said this was gonna be a pretty sight!
  8. Steam face for 5-8 minutes only. Set a timer on your stove, cell phone etc.
  9. Yes... sometimes it feels like FOREVER under there. So try to take deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth and relax! If you need some air- let some light in under the towel.
  10. When your timer goes off... quickly wipe the sweat off your face- aka toxins, ew!
  11. While your face is still damp- exfoliate mixing your facial cleanser with a tiny bit of Baking Soda (preferably aluminum-free, if possible). You can also use granulated sugar if you don't have any baking soda. See... Ghetto-Fab as always LOL. Whatever you do... don't scrub hard! Just gently exfoliate.
  12.  Mix your mud mask at this point- if it's not already pre-mixed. I use Aztec Secret (please see my review). You can use whatever you have on hand including plain yogurt, honey, bananas, avocados, cucumbers, etc. Be creative with this also. FYI... Your face may be slightly red for about an hour or so- so I wouldn't do this on a night I planned to go out, unless it were several hours before.
  13. Rinse the mask off and splash your face with cold water.
  14. Apply a final thin layer of olive oil once again to seal all of the new moisture in. Remember, just as stated above... you DON'T want it greasy. 
  15. One last thing... now look in the mirror and promise me you will tell yourself how P-R-E-T-T-Y you are! Ohhh... just do it! You know you want to!!
xoxo Smooches...

I won a prize at Beautypage!

A while ago Beautypage did a giveaway for 2 Gosh velvet touch eyeliners. Since I'm addicted to those, ofcourse I participated :).

Later on, when she posted the winner, I found out the bought a second prize, because of the high amount of participants, so sweet of her! And guess what? I won that second prize!



It's this Essence Kajal pencil in the colour Nightfever. I -love- it and have already used it often. It's a very dark blue with a lighter blue shine over it.

A swatch on my wrist:



The pencil is very easy to use, it applies really smooth, and it stays in place pretty good. I'm really happy with it :)

Today is our second weddinganniversary!

Exactly 2 years ago at 13:45, me and my beloved got married at the old townhouse in Alkmaar.
It was the best day ever, even the weather turned out fantastic after days of cold and rain.

Today, me and my beloved will be spending with my parents, who we have invited to have dinner at the scottish restaurant the Hielander. This is the restaurant where Sidney proposed to me and we have dinner there every year. Once on our engagement day and once on our weddingday. Or sometimes just on our normal anniversary...yeah we love that restaurant :)

Today, I'm also going to bore you with some wedding pics, so if you don't want to see those, now would be the time to go and do something else. :)

Here's my beloved picking me up at our house:

*smiles* I love this pic, It almost looks like a picture from a different era :)

Me and my parents at the old townhouse:

And here I'm telling my beloved, I'll probably trip when I have to climb the stairs with my long skirts and platform heels:
The townhouse is in the middle of a big shoppingstreet, and we really caught everyones attention. Even tourists stopped to take pictures.

Three generations:


Climbing the stairs, I didn't even trip! :)

My dad giving me away:

Saying the 'I do's'':
I was a little too excited, so I already said 'yes' when the speech wasn't finished, and just had a little pause. Oops! Hahha, we had quite a few laughs that day, it was so warm and so us.

First kiss as husband and wife:

The rings:


Making it official:

Leaving the townhouse as husband and wife, surrounded by friends and family:

 Some random official wedding pics. We didn't take much because the sun was making it difficult to photograph(the ones with the awesome oldtimer car were all too shiny), and it was soooooooooo hot!:

On a lovely rose bench in the park at the back of our house, in a little herbal garden. In the front of us there's a really big pentacle/pentagram layed in the stones.

Look at my garter hun, it's black/red aswell! ;)

This is the pic our parents and grandparents all have hanging on their wall.

Sid, checking me out, hahaha.

Our amazing weddingcake, made by my wonderfull collegue Mariska, to match our dragon weddingpair on top. And the yummiest cupcakes ever for our guests(there were a lot more than just those 2 boxes on the pic ;)  ):
It was a chocolate cake filled with chocolate and lots of nuts, it was sooooooooo yummy!


My selfmade bouquet, with little skulls inside of the roses and surrounded by black feathers. The stems had black lace wrapped around them:
They really sufferend from the heat, and they look a lot brighter here. They were the darkest red roses they had and really velvetty. Love them :)
I also made black fake roses with pieces of lace and ribbon for all the cars that were going to follow the wedding car. I don't have a pic of those though.

The selfmade weddinggifts:
These are Lush Amazonian massagebars, melted into little hearts. Each gift held 2 and a little thank you card.

If you aren't bored with this spam of pics by now, you can find more wedding pics here. There you can also see our 'unusual' first dance. *grins*

And for those of you who might think I made the weddingdress myself: nope. I did make a design and was going to let someone else make it. But then, me and my parents and sid went to some bridalshops just for fun and well, I fell in love with this dress, which looked a lot like my design. My parents gave me the dress which was really really really nice of them, because weddingdresses tend to be really expensive. We all thought this one would be a lot more expensive though, but still, it's not an amount I would have spend easily. I didn't want to make it myself, because it would be too stressfull and I already had to arrange so many other things. I did make Sids jacket together with my mother in law, and I made Sids cravatte, gilet and my lace bolero.

So there you go, our wedding in a spam..uh nutshell :)

NOTD: Blue Stripes

This NOTD first started out with gradient nails in the back of my head, but turned into something else entirely.
I used it mostly to see what effect a sponge has on applying nailpolish and how you can vary colours with it. You can apply polish pretty accurate with a sponge, and this way, this stripey NOTD came to life.


I used 4 different colours of blue, to created this NOTD:
  • Catrice Blue out to Sea(limited edition)
  • Herome W.I.C Jaco (which always turns out lighter then I expect from looking at the bottle)
  • Gosh Nail Lacuer Ocean
  • Manhattan Lotus Effect 72D (from the goodiebox)
 I used regular (cheap) makeup sponges that were just laying in my stash so apply the polishes.