July Beauty Favorites

I'm a litttle late to the party. Well, this is awkward.
I'm so used to posting my beauty favorites on the last or second to last day of the month that typing this on the 3rd of August makes me feel a little weird, and a little sad for having been so undisciplined when it came to blogging last month.

The last sentence pretty much sums up my July - I was finally free of all my exams and thus decided to enjoy every free second life threw at me, which happened to be a lot of seconds.
Good for my internal peace, not quite so good for my blog. Also not so for my bank account either as I finally had the time to hit the shops downtown and check out some new beauty products.

I also re-discovered some old summer favorites of mine, and this is how my following favorite beauty products from the month of July came to be!

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural Powder in 'Light Plus' (32€)

I never even intended to buy this when I ventured into my local MAC store, but I'm so glad the lovely  shopping assistant decided to do my make up for me when I asked her whether she could match me to a shade of the Mineralize Concealer because that way, I found my new holy grail powder!

What I love about this powder is that, not only does it come in a shade that is a perfect match to my skin tone - I've struggled so long to find a good one in the drugstore - but also that it's not just a powder that helps you set your base.
When applied with a Beauty Blender, this provides enough coverage to substitute a foundation, which makes it a perfect product for the hot summer months!


Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara (23€)

I've been dying to try out some of Too Faced's products, but as they are not available here in Germany, I've always only dreamt about them.
When I went to Rome at the end of June, however, I spotted a Too Faced counter in Sephora - and what moment screams "Screw it!" more than discovering make up products that aren't available where you live?

I have so much to say about this that a feature in this post would be too short for it all, so if you want to read an in-depth review on this mascara, I have one up here.
I have to say that I do have some minor issues with the mascara, but they don't keep me from absolutely loving it.
I've never achieved such long lashes with just one coat of mascara - and if you know me, my lashes are naturally pretty much stumps.


Marc Jacobs Daisy Dream EdT (89€)

This one's a classic. My ultimate perfume. No matter how many other perfumes I wear, a lot of people recognize me by the smell of this - it's pretty much my signature scent.

I've raved about this perfume on here so much that I don't want to bug you with my love for it for too long, but what you need to know about this is that it smells, as the name suggests, flowery but also somewhat fruity as it has a note of pear to it. What I like about the scent is that it's really light and not at all overpowering.

It's also really long-lasting and often sticks around for at least half a, if not the whole day - I've also gone swimming wearing this scent quite a lot and most of the time, you could still make out a faint smell of it afterwards, that's how great it is.


MAC Mineralize Concealer in 'NW20' (24€)

As I mentioned in my recent MAC haul, I've been dying to try one of MAC's concealers as I've hear quite a lot about them, but I've always refrained from buying one online because I had no clue which shade I had to get.

Luckily, I met them most amazing shopping assistant who matched me to a shade - thank god I had her do it because I would've gone for the lightest shade, but as I'm now sporting a tan it's actually way too light for me!

I love using this on my under-eye area as it cancels out all the nasty darkness I've got going on around there and doesn't go cakey or start sliding off my face throughout the day.


Essie Nail Polish in 'Bikini So Teeny' (7,99€)

This is another one of my favorite summer produtcs.
Ever since I've picked it up in Berlin last year, it has become one of my favorite summer nail polishes as it's definitely an eye-catcher and a nice change from the pastel polishes I'm usually wearing.

What's great about Essie's nail polishes is the value for money you get. The longevity of this is amazing, I often wear this polish for one week before it starts slightly chipping around the edges - perfect for when you're too lazy to re-do your nails every few days!


Is there a specific product you enjoyed last month?

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June Favorites

Hear hear, Franzi went on a massive beauty shopping spree. How unheard of.
Well, if you look at the fact that I hardly wore any make up during the past three months - I actually explained why I stopped wearing it and how that affected me - , these few little sprees of mine weren't all that bad, right? It's totally okay to spend a little more in one month if you didn't buy any new products for the past ones?

As I felt like I missed out on some pretty nice new releases, I thought it'd be a good idea to give some of them a shot - which worked really well up until that point where I re-discovered some of my old favorites that were hidden away in my drawers and fell back in love with them.
Hashtag beauty blogger problems.

I feel like my favorite products from June are quite the accurate representation of all my new and old loves - so let's get into them!




Essence XXXL Longlasting Lipgloss Matte Effect in '06 Soft Nude' (2,69€)

I actually bought this right at the beginning of the year when a lot of my friends were raving about these lipglosses, but it somehow ended up in the depths of my drawers and that was the beginning of the end.

However, I've been all about liquid lipsticks lately; and even though this technically isn't a lipstick rather than a gloss, it dries to a matte finish, thus looking like a matte lipstick.
Not only is this a very lovely dark rose shade, the quality you get for such a low price is absolutely outstanding - the gloss is super long-lasting and doesn't smudge or budge at all!


Marc Jacobs Splash Collection Pear Eau de Toilette (54,95€)

This was actually such a spontaneous buy, but I don't regret it one bit.
I was actually browsing the Marc Jacobs counter, debating whether or not I should re-stock on my beloved 'Daisy Dream' when I came across their Splash Collection. While all four of the perfumes were definitely interesting, 'Pear' stood out to me.

This has such an interesting scent.
It obviously smells of pear, as the name suggests, but it also has notes of other citrus fruits as well as teakwood and musk - it's both fresh and smoky at the same time, which makes it very unique.

I also like that it isn't too overpowering, so I don't leave a trail of the scent behind me everywhere I go. However, it is pretty long-lasting - some days I will spritz some of it onto my wrists and will still linger on my skin when I shower in the evening!


Essence 'Shape & Shadows' Eye Contouring Palette (4,99€)

This is hands down one of my all time favorite products I've ever come across in the drugstore - and it's also limited edition. Boo.

I adore this so much that I actually wrote an in-depth review about it if you want to know the whole deal.
If you want the short version - this is an eye palette which includes shadows that can be used either as eyeshadows or to fill in the brows as well as a brow wax and a highlighter. How neat is that?

Despite the low price, the quality of the products included is insane - they're so longlasting and give a great color pay-off.


Essence 'The Glow Must Go On' Bronzing & Highlighting Palette (4,99€)

This palette is from the same limited edition as the eye palette I just mentioned - whcih sucks, because this one is amazing as well.

It includes three shades of bronzer as well as one highlighter, and on top of that it also comes with two eyeshadows - one is a orange-y shade and the other is a medium brown.

While I haven't tried out the eyeshadows yet, I'm in love with the bronzers and the highlighter.
I like the fact that they've included a shade of bronzer that is fit for very pale people like myself, which is very rare to find on the highstreet. Gone are the days of orange bronzers!



Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in 'Transparent' (5,27€)

If you're no stranger to my blog, you'll probably know how much I adore this powder.
It's an absolute life saver for someone like me, who has a rather oily T-Zone, especially during the hotter season when my forehead looks like it's permanently covered in sweat. Nice.

What I love about this is that it mattifies my skin without clogging up my pores and/or making my skin break out, which you don't get too often from drugstore powders.
Besides that, it also doesn't change the color of your foundation or concealer as it is, as the name says, transparent - that's especially great for very fair people like me who struggle to find a powder that matches their skin tone.


Have you loved any specific products this month?

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May Beauty Favorites

Looking back at it, I'm seriously shocked at how quickly not only this month, but the entire year has been flying by. I feel like it was my birthday just a few weeks ago, but that was all the way back in February. Say what?

For me, May has been such a refreshing, feel-good kind of month.
I've had the past two weeks off which means that I've had some time to take a few breaths, take a step back and treat myself a little, and it's definitely helped me both mentally and physically.
It's also been the month my skin condition finally started looking up - and that's mainly because of the products I introduced into my routine!

Face Up! Acne Device (179€)

I've mentioned all the problems I've had with my skin ever since the beginning of the year here and there - after being acne free for years, I had an insane flare-up at the end of January that would continue bugging me for months.
At times, most of my face was made up of red, inflammable patches and spots. Yuck.

I tried pretty much everything I could get my hands on, most of which made my skin look even worse, so you can imagine how desperate I was. Desperate enough to take the plunge and purchase this little device when someone pointed it out to me.

I'm going to give an in-depth description of how this works in a review of it next week, but it basically works with warmth and magnetic fields to get everything that's clogging up your pores out, get rid of your spots and treat your skin to keep your skin acne-free in the long term.

I didn't believe this would get rid of my acne, but it actually did - after a month of using this every night, all that is left of it are some small red areas where spots once were and my skin still needs time to heal.
This is definitely worth every single cent I spent on it!

Lush Bunch of Carrots Reusable Bubble Bar (9,99€)

I got these carrot-shaped bubble bars for Easter - originally, there was a pink one as well, but I've already used that one up, woops. I'm so sad that they're only available around Easter because they're absolutely amazing!

They all share the same wonderfully pleasant smell of lemon, bergamont and buchu which is very refreshing and definitely also fit for people who don't like very heavy scents; and they make the water feel soo soft on the skin so you get out of the bath feeling absolutely luxurious.

The 'Bunch of Carrots' is a little more pricey than Lush's other bubble bars, but as you can easily use each carrot for two baths, you can get up to six baths out of this, which is really good value for money if you ask me!

MAC Lipstick in 'Kinda Sexy' (20€)

This must be one of the most featured products of all times on my blog (I actually have a full review of it up here) and some of you must be getting tired of seeing this, but I'll never stop preaching about how much I love it. Soz.

'Kinda Sexy' is the ideal nude shade for very pale people like me - it's a mauve-ish pink with some brown undertones, but I've also come to find that it looks different on people with different skin tones, so you should definitely check it out for yourself.

On top of that, it also has a matte formula, which is my absolute favorite of MAC's formulas because it's incredibly long-lasting without being majorly drying on the lips.

VK Cosmetic's 'No For Problematic Skin' Care Range (37€)

I've mentioned how much I adore this skin care range before, but it's helped me so much that it more than deserves a place amongst my monthly favorites.

It includes a cleanser, a toner (which has not been available for a while, so I don't actually own it yet) and a skin cream, all of which are designed to treat acne-prone, inflammable and oily skin - and these products work a treat!
They've been nothing but good for my skin - I haven't experienced any allergic reactions to it and have beeen using it for over a month now, which is extremly rare for me.

What's also a huge plus about this range for me is its smell.
Products that are designed to treat acne usually stink, if I'm being honest here, but these products smell of raspberry! It's such a light, pleasant smell that lingers on my skin for quite a while after application.

What products have you been loving this past month?

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March Favorites | Beauty

I've been saying it for the past two months and I'll say it again - I can't believe just how quickly this year has been flying by! It feels like yesterday when I got onto a bus for a trip to Weimar on the 2nd of March, but that's actually almost a month ago. I feel a little weird realising that.

Anyways, time to stop being soppy. To me, March marks the beginning of spring, but somehow Germany had different plans - it only started getting warmer and sunny at last during the past week.
Now would be the point where I'd explain that during spring, I like to wear a lot more pinks, which is still true, but if you've been following be for the past two months you might know that I've been struggling with quite the severe skin condition - I'll get into that later - and that also shows in my favorites. So let's get into them!


Mario Badescu Drying Lotion (25€)

Onto that nice little skin condition of mine - I'm still clueless as to what caused it as I've been waiting to get a doctor's appointment for weeks, but I'm sure it's hormones. I've had huge, rash-like breakouts around my mouth for almost two months now. Nice image there for you - sorry.  I mentioned in my review of Lush's 'Don't Look At Me' mask how they'd gotten better, but they came back twice as bad.

I was quite sceptical about using acne products, mostly because I've had more than enough negative experiences with them to last me a life time. When I heard about this one, though, I just had to try it because I've never seen so many rave reviews!

Thank God I did, because it has improved my skin's state so much that, for the first time in two months, I feel alright not wearing make up.
You apply this to your pimples and red areas and leave it on over night, and when you get up in the morning, they will have shrunken in size immensly, smaller ones often are gone completely!

I thought long and hard about purchasing this because it is pretty pricey, but the results it helped me achieve, especially as my skin doesn't seem to get worse, are absolutely worth that money!


KIKO Infinity Eyeshadow in '220 Metallic Golden Rose' (6,90€)

I make no secret of the fact that I love KIKO's Infinity Eyeshadow range - it includes such a huge variety of gorgeous shades of great quality for a relatively small price.

I picked up '220 Metallic Golden Rose' when I was out shopping with my friends sometime in winter, and because I missed the warmer seasons so much, I thought it'd be a great idea to buy a nice pink-ish shade for when spring comes. Done deal. Only that I threw it into a drawer and forgot about it. Classic.
I rediscovered it when I was looking for an eyeshadow I could wear for around Easter, and when I do get to do my make up, I don't wear any eyeshadow but this one, I love it that much.

'220 Metallic Golden Rose' is, as the name suggests, a rosey shade with tiny specks of golden glitter running through it, making it shimmer.
I've found that while it isn't as pigmented as some of the other shades I've tried, it still lasts almost all day long, even when you don't use any eyeshadow primer, which is super practical if you, like me, are constantly busy running about town.


Neutrogena Unperfumed Hand Cream (4,99€)

Back to the topic of "what the hell is my skin playing at", besides the pretty outbreaks, I also struggled with insanely dry and irritated hands this month. You could say it was a handful. (Admit it, you at least smiled at that.)

I tried several hand creams I had lying around in my drawers, but all of them left my hands looking, and especially feeling, worse. At one point, the skin was completely torn open and bleeding.
I was frantic, so when I stumbled upon this hand cream by Neutrogena while in my local drugstore, I decided to give it a go, because how much worse could my skin get?

I think it worked as well as it did because it is unperfumed, so there really wasn't anything in there that could irritate my skin.
After just a few uses, my skin was a lot less dry and my little wounds had closed up. After around three days, my skin had almost healed completely and didn't show any signs of dryness!
Much like the Mario Badescu drying lotion, it is pretty high in price, but it works so well that if I was struggling with dry hands again, I'd happily bite that bullet.


Zoeva 322 Brow Line Brush (9,99€)

I already mentioned how much I adored Zoeva's brushes in my last favorites (if you're interested in those, you can find them here), but for some reason I completely brainfarted and forgot to include my favorite brush of all time.

I've seen a lot, and I mean a lot, of bloggers rave about the '322 Brow Line' brush, and I can definitely see why. Before I received this for my birthday, I always used an eyeshadow brush to fill in my brows, and it looked about as horrible as it sounds.
This, hoewever, easily helps your create the most precise brows ever!

What I also love about Zoeva as a company is that all of their products are vegan-friendly, so if you're looking to pick up some great quality, animal-friendly brushes, you're in for a treat with Zoeva!


KIKO 'Romance & Desire' Eau De Toilette Roll-On

Because of just how bad my skin was, I wanted to avoid anything that could possibly irritate it, which meant I not only stopped using make up, but also perfume almost entirely.

When I did feel like I needed a little something, however, I stayed away from 'normal', spray-on perfume and went back to my KIKO roll-on, which I received in their 'Romance & Desire' scented for Christmas.
You guys know I suck at describing scents, but to me this smells very feminine - very sweet and sensual, with notes of caramel, vanilla and sandalwood.

I was suprised by how longlasting this is! Even though it technically isn't a high-end perfume, it lasts for several hours, longer than some insanely expensive perfumes I've tried, so this definitely is a hidden treasure!


What products - or others things as well - have you been loving in March?

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February Favorites | Beauty

I don't know about you, but February has been a so-so month for me.
Sure, some really cool things went down this past month, such as my birthday, spending a week off with my Mom and finally having some time to spend time with my friends, but on the other hand, it was a really gloomy, cold and rainy month, and those always leave me feeling rather depressed and not all too mighty-fine.

I think my favorite products reflect that, on most days, February wasn't my most glamorous month ever - but hey, my more practical and handy products should have their time to shine as well, right?

Essie Nail Polish in 'Cocktail Bling' (7,99€)

It's no secret that I'm a notorious nail polish horder. I always tell myself that I own plenty of polishes and don't need to pick up any new ones, but when it comes to Essie, I always give in.
I'm in love with the quality their polishes offer - they stay put for a good five days before they start to chip, their opacity is amazing and they don't take too long to dry! Judging by that, their price isn't all too high - there's plenty more expensive ones on the market.
'Cocktail Bling', the shade in question, is a blue toned grey that I like to smack on whenever I'm tired of all the dark winter colors and want something that leans a little more towards spring, which means I wore it almost all throughout the past month!

KIKO Infinity Eyeshadow in '241 Pearly Taupe' (4,90€)

I already owned three shadows from KIKO's 'Infinity' rage prior to purchasing this one, and I'm absolutely in love with them. They're so easy to apply, a few swipes and you're ready to go. Their pigmentation is also insanely good, and I hardly ever experience any fallout with them, even when I don't use any primer.

I picked up the shade '241 Pearly Taupe', a muted gray shade, on a whim - because it was half the price and the lovely lady at KIKO told me that it'd suit my eye color. Yes, I'm that easy to convice. No, I'm not proud of it.
But I'm still very much in love with this eyeshadow - whenever I'm in a rush and don't have any time to waste on my eye make up, I use this shadow because it takes as much as ten seconds to apply and blend!

Lush 'Don't Look At Me' Face Mask (10,50€)

I have very sensitive skin that breaks out often - about 80% of all beauty products will make my face light up with a rash. Cute.
That's why I always turn to Lush whenever I'm looking for a face mask - I've never had any allergic reactions to their products, which contain mostly organic ingredients.

As I already mentioned in my review of this mask, I struggled with a series of bad breakouts during February, and this was the one product that helped me fight those. This mask helps you to exfoliate your skin while also having a calming and rejuvenating effect. Within a week, this made almost all of the red patches on my face disappear - and believe me, there were many.
The only downside to this is that it can be drying on the skin if you use it every day, so you might not want to do that if you have dry skin anyways.

Zoeva 104 Buffing Brush (12,99€)

This vegan brush made of synthetic hairs came with a Zoeva set that my friends got me for my birthday, and I'm absolutely in love with it! I really don't know how I survived before I owned this, it makes the process of applying my make up so much easier.

I use this to blend my foundation as well as powder, rouge and the like, and it does the job really well. It solidfies my make up and gives my foundation a more natural looking finish, and it's great for getting rid of any excessive powder products. Other than that, it also manages to minimize the appearance of my pores, which is always nice.

Blistex Lip Relief Cream (2,69€)

The colder seasons are always problematic for me - my hair hates the static, and my lips are even worse. They're almost always dry and chapped, hurt or bleed, so I decided that an average lip balm is just not going to cut it for me anymore.

Funnily enough, I technically didn't purchase this lip cream - my Mom once forgot it at my flat, and when I tried it out for the first time, I was amazed by how great it made my lips feel!
The application of this is a little messy, not going to lie, but once applied to the lips, this lip cream sinks in very quickly, leaving my lips feeling insanley calm and soft.

Is there anything specific that you've been loving this month?

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January Favorites | Beauty

Wait up - how is it the first day of February? I feel like January somehow slipped through my fingers, it went by that fast. Dominated by dark, rainy days, it wasn't exactly the greatest of all months, but nevertheless, it was the month for huge sales and due to those and also all the nice things I got for Christmas, I had a lot of new make up to try and test this past month, so there's a whole lot of new favorites this month!


To be honest, i didn't really wear all too much make up in January, mainly because it was so dark and gloomy that my bed was a lot more appealing in the mornings than my dressing table ever could be, but when I did manage to get up extra early, Urban Decay's Naked Basics 2 Eyeshadow Palette (30€) was my go-to for eyeshadows this month. It includes five matte, neutral shades that are very easy to work with and help you create a nice nude look - and they also are of outstanding quality! I expected nothing less from Urban Decay.
I loved this palette so much that I actually dedicated an entire post to it, which you can find here.

Whenever I fancied a more extravagant eye but couldn't be bothered to deal with endless blending of multiple shadows, I used the KIKO Long Lasting Stick Eyeshadow (6,90€) in the shade '07 Golden Beige', which is, as the name suggests, a beautiful gold shade with tiny specks of glitter running through it.
I didn't expect to love this as much as I do, but once again KIKO exceeded all my hopes and expectations. Because it is an eyeshadow stick, the application is insanely quick, easy and fuzz-free. The brand claims this to last for up to 8 hours after application, and I can definitely grant you that! I've worn this for ten hours at a time once and only experienced minimal fallout.
Such great quality for a really affordable price!

Lip wise, I have two favorites this month. One of them obviously has to be  MAC's infamous Velvet Teddy (20€), which I have literally worn non-stop ever since I got it for Christmas. I found it to be the ideal nude shade for me, so it quickly became my "when-in-doubt" lipstick! Due to its matte formula it can be a little drying on the lips, but that's nothing a lip balm before application can't fix - however, the longevity of this is great - it sits in place for up to four hours and survives even heavy eating and drinking. If you're interested in reading a little more about the most hyped lipstick of all time, you can find my review here.
Staying with the nudes - and in my comfort zone - I also really loved using an old favorite of mine, the LR Deluxe Longwear Lipliner in '01' (10,99€), which I usually use with MAC's Viva Glam II because those two are an almost perfect match, but I found it to work really well on its own as well! It's pretty creamy and not at all drying on the lips, however it obviously doesn't last as long on the lips as a lipstick would.

The one area where I hardly ever branch out is perfume - I know what I like and I usually stick to it. But when I received a sample of Lancôme's La Vie Est Belle (110€/100ml), I instantly fell in love, even though it was so different from my usual flowery scents.
My lovely Mom actually got me this for Christmas, and I have not worn any other perfume ever since! I love that while it's quite a sweet scent, it also has some floral notes to it - it has notes of vanilla, pear and pralines to it, just to name a few.
And, to be real, wearing this makes me feel like a million dollars - and isn't that what perfumes are for?


What products did you love most in January?

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October Favorites | Beauty

I actually can't believe that October - and with it, the majority of fall - is over. I'm already longing for Pumpkin Spice Lattes, warm days and comfort food, but it's bearable, really, because we're very well onto Christmas now!

I really enjoyed playing with loads of autumnal colors during the past month, like golds and red and sometimes even purples, and that defenitely shows in my most used products from October.

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation in 'Light Porcelain' (12€)

If you've been here with me for a while, you might know this foundation right here was my holy grail base product in spring, but once summer came around and I got my first sunburn of the season, it was suddenly two shades too light for me. Sad face.

Now that my tan has faded and I've gone back to my original pale self, I finally got to crack it out again - and I fell back in love with it instantly.

This foundation adds that bit of glow to my skin which it's lacking during the colder and darker months of October due to the tiny specks of shimmer included in it, but it's also insanely easy to blend and sinks into the skin very quickly.

And as my days get longer as my schedule grows and grows, this one's very practical as its lasting power is insanely strong, even when worn by itself, without any primer or powder. When the latter are used in combination with the foundation, it lasts pretty much all day without needing a touch-up.

KIKO Smart Lip Pencil in '712: Rose Mauve'  (2,50€)

It's no secret that I adore next to all of KIKO's products, so their lipliners, especially the 'smart lip pencil' line, is no exception.

I originally picked this one up because I found it to be a next to perfect match for MAC's Twig, which I still think it is, but I've found that lately, I've been wearing this one on its own much more than the combination.

That's probably due to the fact that it's so easy to work with - if you applied a little bit of lipbalm prior to the liner itself, this glides on smoothly, without any tugging or struggling.

It's also very pigmented, which means that it works very well by itself - and its staying power outlives those of a lot of my lipsticks, due to a matte-like finish.

And all of that for merely 2,50€. That's less than I pay for lunch on a daily basis.

If that's no great quality for money, I don't know what is.

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in '610 Red Zin' (8,99€)

As I mentioned in my fall nails post, I never owned a Sally Hansen product prior to this one even though I've read quite a lot of rave reviews about them.

In fact, my Mom picked this one out for me because I'd talked to her about how I wanted to incorporate more autumnal colors into my make up collection. (Love you, Mom!)

This nail polish has suprised me on so many levels, I'm not gonna lie.

For one, the finish of this is so pretty. Once you've applied two coats, you achieve full coverage and, on top of that, a super shiny finish that makes your nails look like you just had a super expensive manicure.

But, even more importantly, the longevity of this exceeds any of my expectations. I went an entire week, going swimming multiple times, cleaning the flat, cooking and doing all kinds of work and only on the seventh day, it started chipping. I have no clue how that is possible, but I was so amazed that I instantly wanted to check out more shades with this formula.

Essence Lipliner in '06: Satin Mauve' (0,99€)

Essence is one of those hit-miss brands for me - they have some amazing products that give you great value for money, but then you have products that you buy because hey, it's a budget beauty brand, and you end up with either a nasty rash or, at least, pretty crappy results.

But as one of my friends recommended their lipliners, and the shade 'Satin Mauve' in particular, to me, I thought that at less than one Euro, there really wasn't a lot for me to loose did it turn out to be horrible.

Turns out, I was yet again very wrong - for one, the pigmentation of this, as the name suggests, mauve shade is amazing so that it can easily be worn by itself, which I usually do, on the other hand, application also isn't much of a fuzz with this product because it glides on rather smoothly, much like the KIKO liner.

What product(s) did you love in October?

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September Favorites | Beauty

Alright, I'm seriously starting to feel like I'm being rushed through this year. Tomorrow will be the first of October, one of my absolute favorite months because we get all kinds of goodness, like Halloween, comfy sweaters and comfort food - and once that's over, in the blink of an eye, it'll be Christmas. What.

September itself has been one hell of a rushed month for me - I started working more again alongside going back to school, and I've basically spent my past time drowning in stuff I should get done, watching TV shows instead. Such a responsible adult, aren't I.

Make up wise, September has been all about transitioning from summer's bright colors to something a little more neutral or darker make up, and pretty much all of my favorite products from the past month pretty much depict that!

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara (11,99€)

To me, mascara has always been kind of a tricky beauty product to buy - my teeny tiny lashes definitely need one that adds some serious lenght to them, but I also want something that adds a little bit of volume to them.

Especially for the lenght part, the 'Lash Sensational' was everything I ever wanted and more. It more than doubles my lashes' lenght! While it doesn't do as much in the volume department, it still makes those bad boys look blacker and fuller - this might be my holy grail mascara!

MAC Viva Glam II (20€)

I've usually got my shades of lipstick sorted all throughout the seasons - pinks during spring, corals during summer and berry shades during fall and winter.
September, though, was kind of an issue - it's not really fall yet, so wearing a berry lip isn't quite socially acceptable at our school, but it's not summer either.

So, as I always do when I struggle with finding the perfect lippie, I reach for a nude one. The ultimade nude.
MAC's Viva Glam II is a lighter brown shade with slight pink undertones and a little bit of shimmer to it, and it's one of the easiest shades for me to wear. It goes with next to all of my outfits and make up looks - it's an absolute allrounder!

If you want to read some more about this glorious lipstick, I have a review on it up here.

Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette (47,99€)

I think I've talked about this palette so much that my neighbor's dogs probably know about it by now. I also featured it in a previous favorites before, but I don't even care because I just love it so much.

Out of all my three Naked palettes, this one is definitely my favorite - it offers loads of neutral shades that are fairly easy to work with, most of the shades are just the right amount of shimmery while there's also a few mattes.
And for someone like me, who wears make up for up to ten hours a day, these eyeshadows are a blessing - they are so incredibly long-lasting and you experience next to no fall-out with them.

I've mostly been wearing 'Verve', a shimmery silver shade, often with 'Pistol' blended in the crease.

Rimmel 60 Seconds Nail Polish - Rita Ora Summer Collection in 'Rain Rain Go Away' (4,16€)

I absolutely adore every single nail polish I've tried by Rimmel to date, and this one is no exception.

I actually picked it up around July when I ordered something else on feelunique and had to spend just a few more pennies to get free shipping - if you say you don't do this, you're lying - and even though it was part of their Summer Collection, I felt like the shade I bought was suited for fall a lot more.

'Rain Rain Go Away' is a very muted, almost grey-ish shade of purple. What really suprised me about this was its quality - I go for a swim twice a week and clean up the flat a lot as well, and this nail polish hardly even chipped when I wore it for an entire week. How amazing of a quality for such a small price is that?

What beauty product stood out to you this past month?

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August Favorites | Beauty

I can't believe August is nearly over! With the first day of September, fall beginns to slowly creep its way back into our lives with its sweater weather and rainy days.

For me, August has been one hell of a busy month. Because the majority of my summer break happens during August, I was on the move pretty much all the time - I travelled more than ever and made so many amazing memories, so you can imagine that my heart is breaking at the thought of my favorite month being over.

For most of the past month, very much like in July, a heatwave has been sweeping across Germany, blessing/cursing us with temperatures up to 40 degrees Celsius - which I was happy about at first, but really, what European can handle those kinds of temperatures for next to to months on end? Not me.

The extreme weather is probably showing in my favorite products of the month as well.

Maybelline Dream Pure 8-In-1 BB Cream (12,99)

I didn't wear make up a lot during August most of the time due to the heat that made me feel all kinds of gross, but one day, when I was getting ready to go out with my friends, I realized that I had a problem. Due to the tan that I got during the first few days of August, my foundation was suddenly way too light for me.

I found Maybelline's BB cream while rumaging through my drawers, and I was almost estatic when I swatched it and it matched my skin tone.
What I like about this is that it feels insanely light on the skin while managing to make my pores appear smaller and hiding any redness that I had going on.

Sadly, the shade 'light' is too dark for my skin when I'm not tanned, so sadly this will probably stay a summer fling.

Lush's Mask of Magnaminty (7,95€)

It's no secret that I love everything Lush, and their face masks are not exception. Their 'Cupcake' mask helped me rid my skin of redness and spots a lot, so I had high expectations for the Mask of Magnaminty, which I had heard lots of great things about.

And rightly so! Using this twice a week to exfoliate my skin has improved it more than I hoped for.

I love sitting down to read a magazine while this mask gives my skin a deep cleanse. Its smell of mint makes me feel even more at ease and clean.

If you want to find out more about this product, I have a review about it up here.

KIKO Smart Lip Pencil in 702 (2,50€)

As I mentioned earlier, August was kind of my 'no make up month', but when I got myself to do my make up, it mostly consisted of only my BB cream and a bright lippy, which is usually waaay out of my comfort zone, but when I re-discovered this gem, I desperately wanted to get more wear out of it.

KIKO's lip pencils are pretty creamy, which makes application a whole lot easier. I also found the color pay-off amazing for a lip pencil, the shade stayed vibrant for hours without fading or smudging.

The quality you get for such low price is definitely outstanding!

702 is a bright coral shade, which I thought was a perfect summer shade, especially when you've got a slight tan going on.

John Frieda Frizz Ease 'Beyond Smooth' Shampoo (8,99€)

To me, summer is tanning and loads and loads of swimming - and with that comes frizzy hair.
When I, at one point, was struggling to even brush my hair, I knew that it was time to switch up my hair cair products in order to do something about my hair's horrendous state.

I had read some reviews by bloggers who were really happy with John Frieda's products, so I picked up their Frizz Ease Beyond Smooth shampoo when it was on offer, and that was one of the best decisions I ever made.

This shampoo has made my hair so unbelievably smooth, while also getting rid of all the frizz within just a few washes, and my hair's condition has been nothing but great ever since I started using this!

Victoria's Secret Hydrating Body Lotion in 'Love Spell' (12,95€)

One thing you need to know about me is that my skin does not get tan - it gets red. Every single time I try to tan, even though I'm wearing layers of sunscreen. Fab.

Because of my recurring sunburns, I was forced to mosturizes my skin almost 24/7, and once I ran out of my Body Shop body sorbet, I had to find something else to use.
Luckly, there was a travel sized version of the hydrating body lotion included in the Victoria's Secret 'Layers & Love' set I picked up while I was in the US last year.

This body lotion seems to have quite the thick consistency at first, but it does sink into the skin fairly quickly, leaving the skin all smooth and silky.
What I also love about this is that it smells of cherry blossoms and peach, which is absolutely heavenly.

What have you been loving in August?

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July Favorites | Beauty

Without me even noticing, July has come and gone, and we're well onto summer holidays now with today marking the last day of this semester. How has all of this happened so quickly? I feel like within the blink of any eye, all the time in between Christmas and now has passed. Am I the only one who feel like this? Because frankly, that's quite scary.

Anyways, for most of July, a heat wave has been sweeping over Germany, leaving us with hot and humid weather, which don't get me wrong, I totally enjoyed to the fullest, but that situation also forced me to alter both my make up and my hair care routines as the heat was slowly starting to wear me out - that definitely shows in this month's favorites.

Benefit's Erase Paste (27€)

Desperate and tired of my daily struggle with the dark circles under my eyes, I picked this up at the beginning of this month as I had read some really good reviews on it and hoped that it would put an end to the endless battle I've been fighting.
And it totally did! Every single penny spent on this was absolutely worth it.
The concealer's very creamy in consistence and takes some time and patience to blend in, but once it sits in place, it provides medium to full coverage, letting my dark circles dissapear almost completely! It doesn't go cakey or slide off my face throughout the day, which is great for hot summer months like this past one-
If you want to find out a little more about this product, you might want to check out my review on it.


Pantene Pro-V 'Repair and Care' Conditioner (4,99€)

As I mentioned, my hair went through a phase when it was frizzy and dry no matter what I did this month, making it almost impossible to style, let alone brush.
When I talked to my Mom about that, she recommended this conditioner to me, and as I found that Pantene Pro-V products seem to work best for my hair anyways, I decided to give it a go.
I was seriously suprised by the results when I used this for the first time. My hair went from being one big, frizzy mess to smooth and soft within just one wash, and it stayed that way even on the second day after I washed it.
I've been using this product ever since and I'm so pleased with how my hair's condition improved, so this one's definitely one to stock up on on my next trip to the drugstore.


Essence All About Matt! Oil Control Paper (1,99€)

Unlike for students from other countries, school always ends at the end of July, meaning that I had to spend most of the heatwave in crowded classrooms and halls - at 36 degrees Celsius. As you can imagine, there was a lot of sweating involved.
To keep me from feeling insanely gross and like I'm melting altogether, I wanted to purchase oil absorbing papers. I knew that my Mom loves the Shiseido ones she owns, but I decided to go for the Essence option as they're only a tenth of the price.
I have to say, I did get quite a few weird looks when I slapped these on my face, but they had the exact effect that I wished for. They absorbed all the sweat, leaving my face looking slightly matte.
These are definitely a must when you're travelling or attending a festival this summer!


Essie 'Bikini So Teeny' Nail Polish (7,99€)

I was in a drugstore in Berlin, waiting for my friends to pick up some bottles of water, so, as I always do, I wandered around the make up counters and ended up at the Essie one. As I had always admired their polishes but never actually owned one, I decided to pick one up. Damn impulse buys.
'Bikini so teeny' is a light blue shade that has some slight, almost not noticeable glitter running through it.
I've never had a nail polish last me this long without chipping. I wore this for around a week and it had only chipped slightly on one of my nails, and I was only wearing two coats of it.
With its great quality and its shade, which I find perfect for summer, this has easily become my favorite nailpolish ever.


PS... Love Eyeshadow (1,50€)

I also picked this up when I was having a look around Berlin's Primark. I heard mixed reviews about their make up range and wanted to try them out for myself, and as this was so cheap, I simply couldn't resist.
There is no shade name available, but the one I own is a light nude, very glitter shade.
There definitely is a little fallout to expect to respect with this one as it is pretty glittery, but when worn with primer underneath it, it lasts all day long.
I've even received a few compliments on this one, which I had never expected from an eyeshadow that cost me less than two Euros. This one's definitely a winner in my books!


What have you been loving this past month?

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June Favorites | Beauty

This morning, while making breakfast (aka a bowl of cereal, because who has time for anything else?) something crossed my mind. "I  feel like I haven't done a monthly favorites in aaages."

Well, apparantly June has been messing with my head even more than I was aware of, because it has been around four weeks.
Finals, work and finally living on my own have most definitely left their marks on me - as you might have noticed by my absence or general attitude, so beauty wise, the last month has been more on the comfortable side of things because when I'm not feeling my best, I'll at least want to look my best.

So let's have a look at the items that made be feel like kicking ass this June, shall we?

MAC Matte Lipstick in 'Kinda Sexy' (20€)

If you read my in-depth review on this lipstick, you will know that I actually won it in a giveaway after admiring the shade from afar for months!

Even though the days are noticeably getting warmer here in Germany and I usually prefer wearing really light make up during this time of the year, I've found myself reaching for this at least every second day.

'Kinda Sexy' is a more pale pink tones nude lipstick which looks great on gals with lighter skin. It works for both day and night looks and because of its matte formula, it lasts for up to five hours, which is marvellous.

Essence "So Glow!" Highlighter in 'Bright Up Your Life" (2,79€)

I actually picked this product up around early May and already spoke about it back then, but it's been getting a lot more love over the past weeks as I've been loving dewy, glowy skin which sadly doesn't come to me naturally.

I love that this does add a subtle glow which mostly shows up in the sun without being to out there or making me look like I came straight out of a Twilight movie. It's a cream to powder product, which took a little for me to get used to, and it's available in two shades, one of which is more sparkly, and one champage toned shade, which is the one I own.

Avon Magic Effects Matte Nail Polish in 'White' (8€)

I'll admit it - this is the first ever matte nail polish that I bought. I know, I know. I don't know why it took me so long, either, because I fell absolutely head over heels in love with this one.

I own around fiteen polishes by Avon, and as I trust their products to be of good quality while still being affordable, I decided to go for this new product when I spyed it, and I wasn't let down.

Within a minute, this dries to a matte finish - you will need two coats for a full coverage as this is a white shade, but with that drying time, that's totally doable.
The polish lasts for three to four days before seriously chipping, which isn't too shabby, especially as I didn't have the time to take care of my nail a lot in June.

Urban Decay Naked 2 Eyeshadow Palette (47,99€)

I've mentioned this in a previous monthly favorite back in March, but I have no shame including it again because without fail, I have used this palette every.single.day. I was mentally slapping myself on the wrist everytime I went back to it because I didn't want to neglect my huge collection of eyeshadow palettes, but I just couldn't help myself. It's that good.

You'll all know the deal about Urban Decay's palettes by now - the quality is outstanding, the shadows go on buttery smooth and are very blendable, while also lasting for a pretty long time.
What I love about this one in particular is that there are so many nice shades for summer. There's pinks, golds, silvers, some darker shades for when you're feeling something bold - if I could only ever use one eyeshadow palette for the rest of my life, it'd be this one!

What have you been loving throughout the past month?

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May Favorites

At the risk of this being totally cliché - seriously, where has the time gone?

Tomorrow marks the first day of June, which to me basically means that summer is well on its way.

The days are getting warmer, the clothes are getting shorter and more colorful and everyone seems to feel a lot more happy and relaxed.

I seemed to have inital difficulties when it came to shifting my make up from the darker, cooler winter tones to something a little bit more light - but this month has been all about rosey shades and other springy new discoveries for me!

Marc Jacobs Daisy Dream EdT (91€)

If you've read my "spring beauty wishlist", you will know that I have been admiring this perfume from afar for well over a year now, but I never really had the cash or the heart to spend so much on a perfume to actually purchase it. Now, I still can't believe it, but my Mom was generous enough to give this to me as a moving-out present!

I have been wearing this every single day without fail as it's a fairly light floral/herbal scent which is absolutely perfect for spring and summer!

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette (47,99€)

I feel like I had been neglecting this palette for quite some time because when I got it in February, I wasn't feeling its rosey tones too much, but I found myself reaching for this a lot throughout May.
You all have probably heard several hymnes on Urban Decay's palettes by now, so please bear with mine - the quality of the shadows is outstanding, they stay put all day with next to no fallout at all and the color payoff is incredible.

Even though the majority of the eyeshadows included are rose toned, there are so many different looks you can create for both day and night time with this as well.

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer in 'Sin' (full size: 18,99€)

Before using my Naked 3 palette, I always applied this sample that came with it. (By the way, those samples can last for up to one month.)
'Sin' is a champange colored eyeshadow primer which is supposed to make the shades you apply after it look more vibrant, prevent any budging and make them last for up to 24 hours.
This primer actually does all of the things it claims to do - well, I haven't worn make up for a complete 24 hours like, ever, but I did use this on several days when I wore make up for over 12 hours - and my eyeshadow stayed in place all damn day.
I don't know how Urban Decay did this, but they definitely did well. This is what dreams are made of, my friends.

MAC Lipstick in 'Brave' (20€)

Oops, I did it again. Well, technically, I didn't.
See, whenever I'm downtown, I spend a good twenty minutes swatching lipsticks at the MAC counter, adding new ones to my wishlist. Well, last time I was there, my Mom decided to add something to my moving-out present, and it was their lipstick in 'Brave'.

'Brave' is a rose toned shade, which is very simple without being plain in the slightest. That makes it a very wearable shade which goes with a lot of my outfits and make up looks - guess this one's here to stay!

Avon Super Shock Mascara (9€)

The one thing you need to know about me is that I do not have eyelashes, I have stumps. That is it.
Sadly, most mascaras I have tested only make my lashes look like the average person's ones, and I have been desperately trying to find one that added both volume and lenght to them.
This one is the first one to do both - the formula works to add an insane amount of lenght to my lashes - we're talking about more than double of their normal lenght - while also making them look thicker.

The only negative feeling I have regarding this is that the wand picks up way too much product, so I have to get rid of any excess product before applying it in order to keep my lashes from clumping together, which does take a few minutes.

What have you been loving this month?

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April Favorites | Beauty

This year is seriously flying by so fast, it's scary. It's May 1st already, and soon I will start my exams, and soon after that, I will be walking 'round in summer dresses and eating ice cream while on my summer holiday.

Back to present day, though. April has been a so-so month for me.
The first two weeks were really nice - obviously, I was on spring break and as care-free as one could be, but the second half of the past month has literally left me feeling stressed burnt out and just really, really tired.

I also decided to put myself on a spending ban halfway through April because I realized that in around two months, I will be off to Berlin - which seems to be incredible for shopping from what I've heard.
But you know me, I still managed to purchase a few new products, some of which I ended up using every single day without fail, along with some products that have been in my make up collection for ages.

Soap & Glory Flake Away Body Scrub (14,99€)

As I mentioned, summer is fast approaching, so the season for bare skin is almost here!

I'm a little conscious about my legs - it's not even the fact that I'm not really thin, but my really pale, dull skin annoys me- so I was incredibly happy when my Mom suprised me with this!

Using this body scrub once or twice a week has made my skin look (and also feel) so much better - it feels a lot softer and also looks way more healthy. Plus, the scent of this is absolutely heavenly.

If you want a more in depth review on this, I have one up here.

MaxFactor Creme Puff Blush in "Nude Mauve" (8,45€)

MaxFactor's Creme Puff blushes have probably been one of the most hyped drugstore products over the past few months, but it was only until pretty recently that they were released here in Germany.

"Nude Mauve", which is the shade I own, is a light pink that gives you a natural, subtle glow due to the slight shimmer it includes, which works great for pale skin like mine.

The longevity of these is insane - I have gone up to four hours until I had to touch my blush up!

LR Deluxe Longwear Lipliner in "Nude Line" (10,95€)

Lip wise, there weren't a lot of changes this month - when in doubt, I still went for a nude lip.

In fact, this product isn't new to my collection, either. To be honest, I got this last summer, and I've been using it on and off ever since.

This month, however, I actually made the effort to line my lips every single morning, and I'm really glad that I rediscovered this in the process.

This really does what it promises - this lipliner stays in place all day long, there have been days when I came home at around eight, and even though my lipstick had long gone, the lipliner had stayed in place!
Another thing I love about this that the shade "Nude Line" literally goes with every single nude lipstick I own, so it's worth the investment.

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation (11.27€)

If you've read the post I wrote on this (you can find it here), you will know that before I got this product, I haven't been much of a foundation-wearer. In fact, after some past experiences, I didn't wear foundation ever.

Rimmel's "Wake Me Up" foundation, however, lured me in with the fact that they actually acknowlege the fact that there are people with really fair skin, and because this foundation promises a healthy glow - something I was definitely lacking.

This has to be my favorite discovery of the past month - the shade "Light Porcelain" is a perfect match to my skin tone, the foundation feels insanely light on my skin and it makes me look like I've had either a full night's sleep or at least three cups of coffee.

EOS Lipbalm in "Vanilla Mint" (12,99€)

My lovely friend Lisa, who I stayed with when I was in America, sent me this as part of a parcel for my birthday, and I was so happy to find this little gem in there because even though we do have EOS in Germany, this particular one hasn't been released here.

I'm seriously obsessed with this.

I have pretty dry lips, so I'm always looking for a super hydrating lip balm, and this one is definitely one of them. It keeps my lips feeling super soft for around two hours, and it tastes and smells a lot like vanilla, which I love.

So, there you have the products that I've been enjoying the most all through April - and even though I'm really not proud of the fact that against my spending ban, I picked up some new stuff, I can now say that that money was definitely worth it.

What is something that you've been loving this past month?

Thank you so much for reading!