My go-to eyeliner look

Lately, I've totally been loving my daily eyeliner combination. The Rimmel Scandaleyes Kohl Kajal in Sparkling Black and Nude and the Maybelline Master precise liquid eyeliner are my favorite products for a light, but defined eyelook. 

I tend to line the tightline with the black Rimmel kohl liner. Afterwards I smudge some on the upper lash line and soften the look with the Real Techniques angled brush. Then I line the waterline with the peachy Rimmel kohl liner, for a wide-eyed effect which opens up the eye and gives the illusion of bigger eyes. 

For a more defined look, I finish off with the Maybelline liquid liner. 

What eyeliner look do you tend to create on a daily basis?

Xoxo Anine

PINSPIRATION: the beauty corner

Hi all,

As some of you might know, I've been wanting to move in with my boyfriend for a long time, but financially we can't handly it yet. Ofcourse I'll get to spend a lot more time with him, but a nice perk will also be having more space for my make up, skincare and other beauty items.

Today I will be talking about my dream beauty setup I like to fantasize about. Not for makeup, but specifically skincare and luxury items. What would my bathroom counter look like? I went to look for inspiration on Pinterest and found these images that match with my idea of a perfect beauty corner. A girl can dream right?

Think flowers, soft towels and amazing scents!

You can find the source of these images on my Pinterest board Corner Of Heaven (just a 'minor' exaggeration - once a drama queen, always a drama queen). 

Xoxo Anine

REVIEW: Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquer in Big Bang

Hi everyone,

I'm sure everyone has seen and heard about the Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquers. I recently picked up the color Big Bang, as you can see in my London haul! I have been really liking it in combination with a very simply eye look. Some powder, some mascara and eyeliner and this lip lacquer as the cherry on the cake! Simply Gorgeous.

Packaging: I love how the color of the product is visible. Because of this, no way you will buy a wrong color because the packaging is deceiving. It has a handy dope foot applicator, which allows you to apply the product very precise.

Quality: The color has a blue undertone, which is my favorite kind of red lip products, plus it makes your teeth look whiter! The pigmentation is insane, and that's what I love about it. You get exactly what you expect to from this product.

It stays on for hours, stains the lips but doesn't feel drying, even though it has a sort of matte, slightly velvet finish. I do have to reapply after eating or after about six hours.

Price: Normally I would've paid £6.50 for the lip lacquer, but there was a sale going on at Boots and so I actually got it for free (typical girl math, no?). But I do feel that this price is very affordable for a product that works so amazingly.

 Conclusion: Love. I desperately want more colors!


Have you tried the Apocalips Lip Lacquers? Which one is your favorite color?

Xoxo Anine

REVIEW: Rimmel Exaggerate undercover shadow primer

What, a drugstore eye primer? You mean, I can find an eyeshadow primer that is as good as my NARS eyeshadow primer, but costs just a fraction of the price? You'll have to read on to find out!

All hail on deck, the eyeshadow primers seem to finally start hitting the drugstore shelves. Well, in the UK at least they have, since I still haven't seen any drugstore eyeshadow primers in the drugstores in Belgium. I picked up the Rimmel Exaggerate undercover shadow primer on my London trip at the local Boots counter. Well, what's it like??

Well first of all; what does it claim to do?

"Rimmel's unique primer to maximise the colour and wear of your eyeshadow! Makes color waterproof! Apply to lid, let try, apply eyeshadow colour."

Packaging: The packaging looks nice, sturdy, decent and qualitative. It wouldn't break easily. The product has a dope foot applicator, just like my NARS eyeshadow primer.

Quality: The product comes out very watery and colorless, similar to the NARS one, only a bit more fluid.

How does it do the job? After applying, it dries fast and easily. It might give the eyeshadow colors some extra pigmentation, but it is not very noticeable.

Already a few minutes after applying, my eyelids became greasy and my eyeshadows creased a few hours later. My liquid liner transferred immediately to my hooded eyelid and thus, I walked around with very indian warrior-esk stripes on my eyelids. Not really the look I was trying to achieve.

Conclusion: What a let down. I expected too much from this product, just because it seemed similar in packaging to the NARS eyeshadow primer. A real shame! I won't be repurchasing. Maybe if you don't have very oily lids though, this might work for you.

What is your favorite eyeshadow primer?

Xoxo

Anine

NAILS: Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Paint in Lychee

What a mouthful; the Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Paint in Lychee. From previous blogposts you know I'm a sucker for nude, clean nail looks. That also means I had to try this nail color by Barry M.

This nail look is perfect for a very subtle, but sophisticated look.

The polish applied very smoothly, didn't chip easily and stayed on perfectly for a week. It is true that this polish is thicker and shinier than average polishes, but I wouldn't say it is as strong as a gel based formula.

This nail polish costs £3.99 and thus is a steal! I can't wait to try out more Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine polishes.



Have you tried many Barry M polishes? What is your favorite nude nail color?

Xoxo,
Anine

Empties #3

Today I've got more empties to share with you! Keep on reading for some more mini-reviews of these products.

I used up another of the Maybelline Lumi Touch Concealer in the color 1. This concealer is just perfect for a light concealing effect. All my other concealers have been too creamy for my lighter foundation application I've been doing lately. This thing is my holy grail, I actually have to get myself to use up my other concealers for once since I can't stop using this one.

Hema nail polishes are by far the cheapest ones out there, and they really have been stepping up their game. I've been using their base and top coat for as long as I can remember (they're so darn cheap) and they do a good job too, I find. 

I've also been trying to use up some perfume samples. Here I have two Hermès Kelly Calèche perfume samples. Like, don't love. 

I love me some Rituals products, and their body scrubs are very nice and smell amazing, and they're affordable too. This Wai Wang exfoliating body scrub has tiny particles that don't scrub too harshly. Does the job just fine.

For some reason I had tons of these sample sachets of the Rituals Organic Bamboo and Ginger Face n°1 gentle facial cleanser. It lathered very nicely and left my face feeling very soft. I doubt if it cleansed very decently though.

I'm already almost at the end of my second tube of this Vichy Normaderm night cream. I used to like it when I was on my exchange program in England and my skin was drier, but lately I've been dreading using it. It separates when squeezing it out of the tube and leaves my skin oily in the morning. I think it might have been an old tube.

Last but not least I have this Biotherm claryfing lotion sample. It's not very much like a lotion, more like a micellaire water and it didn't do much for my skin.

What products have you been loving or disliking lately?

Xoxo,

Anine

REVIEW: YSL cream blush

One of those high end items I've always wanted was a YSL cream blush. They always looked so luxurious and perfect and ever since I was a little girl, the golden packaging seemed to promise me eternal happiness. 

In the meantime I've realized that nothing of the sorts is true, but it can give you the necessary high feeling every beauty addict experiences when shopping at make-up counters they usually avoid because of the high price range.

I finally got my hands on this beauty, in colour number 2, and have to admit that I like it, but don't plan to spend my money on this blush product again. Read on to find out why!

Packaging: What can we say about this? It is gorgeous. It looks great on your vanity or dressing table. It attracts attention and makes you believe you are a princess.

Quality: It applies nicely on the cheeks, is easy to blend out and stays on a lot longer than most cream blushes I've tried. No complaints here whatsoever. 

Price: $38 - €36 The priciest blush I've ever purchased!

Conclusion: Then why wouldn't I repurchase this? For some reason, I don't seem to use this as much as I should, considering the price point of this product. The natural English rose blush look from Keira Knightley as Elisabeth in Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice is perfectly achieved with this blush. However, it takes more time than using my beloved powder blushes, and the effect is just so-so. I am not as much in love with it as it has already been the case with previous blushes. Sorry YSL, but I'm a little disappointed! However, it is still a nice product.

Have you used this product before? Do you prefer cream or powder blushes?

Xoxo,
Anine

WISHLIST: All I want for Christmas - beautyrelated

During Christmas time, all the major companies know exactly where to hit us beauty freaks. Shiny packaging, deep red lip products and luxurious palettes keep passing before our eyes and we simply can't resist!

This year however, I will be saving up my money and not splurging on a Christmas gift for myself. But there's no harm in making a wishlist, right...? 

1. Sleek - Contour kit
2. The Balm - Nude'tude eyeshadow palette
3. Topshop - Velvet lips in Velveteen Ribbon
4. Benefit - Coralista
5. Sigma - Basic brush set
6. Jo Malone - Pomegranate Noir perfume
7. Clarisonic - Mia 2
8. Bobbi Brown - Rich Chocolate eyeshadow palette

What beauty goodies have you been lusting after for Christmas?

Xoxo,
Anine

MASCARA REVIEW: Chanel Le Volume de Chanel

Hey all, here I am with another mascara review. This time I tried out a more high end mascara, the Chanel Le Volume de Chanel mascara in 10 Noir. Read on to find out more!

Quality:

This mascara separates and lengthens my lashes like nobodies business, but be careful because after a few coats, my lashes got a bit spidery. I'm still missing more volume and more curling strength in a mascara, and for the price of a high end mascara, it doesn't really seem worth it.

Packaging:

The wand of this Chanel Mascara reminds me of the Benefit They're Real mascara wand. It's not as easy as the Benefit one to poke my eyes out, but I'd still be cautious with this one, you eye pokers out there.  

Conclusion:

I find this mascara very similar to the Benefit They're Real mascara, both in wand and in effect on the lashes. It seperates and lengthens very nice, but I'm missing some volumizing purposes that I look for in The Ideal Mascara. Not really worth the high end price, I believe, so I'm sticking to drugstore ones for now!

What high end mascara's have you tried? 

Xoxo,

Anine   

Personal: where have I been?

Where have I been? That's an excellent question y'all. Well, I have to admit: I have been cheating on blogging with working. That's right, I started working at a bridal dress producer two weeks ago and it's been so busy that keeping track of blogging was just too much.

However, I hope to combine writing and working as much as I can, both professionally (please hire me for some freelance work, Vogue Magazine?) and in my free time (this blog).

Will I promise to post twice every week like I've been doing the last months? No. But will I try and bust my ass off to keep you guys informed on my beauty habits, likes, loves and hates. Yes! And that's the best news of all, no?

Lots of love,
Anine

PRODUCT BATTLE: hair oils

Today I will be reviewing and comparing two hair oils. I'm talking about the L'Oréal Professionel Mythic Oil milk and the L'Oréal Elsève Extraordinary Oil for fine hair. The first thing you should know is that I have very thin hair, and so hair oils were one of these 'dangerous' products for me. I would want to use a hair oil to nutrition my hair ends, not to make my hair greasy or too shiny. Impossible?

My hair dresser convinced me to try the Mythic Oil, but I also wanted to try a drugstore hair oil so I picked up the Elsève one. Keep on reading for my review! 

Claims:

- Mythic oil:

"A reinforcing milky mist for all hair types: formulated with royal jelly and passion fruit seed oil. Immediately absorbs, leaves your hair looking texturized and feeling reinforced and bodified to the touch, without weighing it own. Paraben-free formula. Depending on hair tupe, spray 4 to 5 pumps onto dry or damp hair and style as usual."

- Elsève oil:

"Spray on dry or wet hair. Use before brushing your hair to protect the hair fiber and to give a supple, silky smooth texture. Use as finishing touch for a deep shine and unique suppleness.

Extra light oil texture - micro spray - quickly absorbed"

Consistency:

The consistency of the products is quite different. The Mythic oil is a watery milk solution, while the Elsève oil feels more like a dry oil solution.  

Use: 

First I spray the oil in my hand, then I rub in between my hands and then I gently apply the product on my (very) dry hair ends, massaging it in.

Effect:

The Mythic oil left the end of my hair more nutritioned and less dry. The difference was subtle, but noticeable. My hair did not get more shiny or healthy looking, it just felt more healthy on the ends. 

The Elsève oil makes my hair feel softer and shinier. However, it did make my hair faster greasy and the dry ends felt less nutritioned. I also felt like it weighed down my hair a bit. 

Price:

I purchased the Mythic Oil for €20 while the Elsève Extraordinary oil costs about €10. Yeah, indeed, half the price of the Mythic Oil.

Packaging:

The pumps on both the bottles are nice. I find the packaging for the Elsève Extraordinary oil prettier, but since it is a glass bottle, it is also breakable. I already succeeded in dropping it a few times or swiping it off the bathroom counter whilst blowdrying my hair. Luckily, it didn't break. But if you're as clumsy as me, you might want to be extra careful with it. Hair oil all over the bathroom floor? That could get ugly. 

Conclusion:
The L'Oréal Professional Mythic Oil milk did what I wanted it to do: make my hair ends a lot less dry. It pretty expensive however and the L'Oréal Elsève Extraordinary oil made my hair ends a bit less dry as well. I think I would go for the more expensive option, since the Elsève oil made my hair feel quite heavy and made it just too shiny. Or I might continue my search and look for a cheaper, but still good non-greasy hair oil.

What hair oil do you use? What's your favorite hair care brand?

Xoxo,
Anine