The Repurchase List

I love trying out new products and I obviously like hoarding makeup. There are however a few products that I will immidietly repurchase without thinking twice.

I usually make a note in my phone when one or another is starting to run low. I find buying them thoroughly unsatisfying because I have used the same product in some case for years. At the same time these work for me and I am not interested in experimenting all the time. My list in the phone was getting rather long meaning almost everything above is about to finish or finished making little room for new stuff in this months budget so instead of a new red lipstick (who am I kidding I will probably find a way to buy a new lipstick also) here come some of my essentials:

1. Bioderma H2O Micelle Solution- I am not completely loyal to this because occasionally I try other micellar waters. Every other time I will go back and purchase this and there is often some offer in pharmacy's here so I stock up. I have figured out that one thing that was messing with my skin here is the harsh water so I skip washing my face with water in the mornings now and clean with micellar water instead. This one is great cause you can put makeup on immediately after, it doesn't leave any residue on the skin and everything feels fresh.

2. Loreal Eye & Lip Make-up Remover- I have used this since high school so we go way back. I believe it was my dancer days when I was looking for a remover that takes off glitter, eyelash glue and other heavy duty stage makeup, wount make me weep at the price and doesn't irritate my eyes. This one fit the bill and I have stuck with it ever since. Dancer days are long gone but I still often wear waterproof mascara and some of my lipsticks will stay on forever (hello Sephora Lip Stain!) unless proper remover is involved.

3. Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray- yes this one has made it to the list. This stupidly expensive but miraculously effective spray. To be honest I have given up stressing out about the price and just surrender to the fact that there is nothing else like it. So off to the mall I trot the moment my can starts feeling light because there is too many unused texturizing sprays in my bathroom cupboard all bought in the hopes of finding a cheaper dupe. They do not do the same thing! At least not on my fine poker straight hair and in this weird Dubai weather. So I will forever buy Oribe because it is amazing!

4. Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion- I didn't always use eyeshadow primer. You can actually read about me discovering it here last year. Well as I say in that post primers are my new BFFs and used every single day this same tube lasted me for a year. Its time to get a new one now and as much as I'm curious how the NARS eye primer is I think I will stick to UD one. Its served me so well and helped me through all the humidity and sweat Dubai can bring without a crease on the lids.

5. Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray- another one that lasted for ages but needs a repurchase. Once again I will have to mention the cray summer humidity that will have makeup running into your cleavage for 4 months of the year. Its not the most exciting product but it works and it keeps my t-zone matte and my foundation on and I can still see a hint of blush on my cheeks after a long work day.

6. Clinique Airbrush Concealer- mentioned on the blog so many times you are probably bored of it. As much as I do still buy various concealers for "market research" purposes I have a special kind of love for this one. I always repurchase it and I am on my 4th I think. It is awesome and even when my under eyes are dry and wrinkly (it does happen sometimes) this doesn't settle in fine lines and helps to really illuminate the dark circles.

7. Clinique Moisture Surge- again I will keep trying other moisturizers also but currently love this for mornings. I will finish my first pot of it very soon and have written into the repurchase list. I find a lot of moisturizers even if I do love them tend to make my foundation go oily faster than normal whereas this one just feels fresh and sinks into skin super fast.

I would really love to know what are the products on your repurchase list? Do you use any of the ones I listed and what are the brands you relay on over and over again?

High maintenance much?

I got nothing to say to defend myself.  I am high maintenance and in beauty related subjects there is two that need to be perfect. Nails and lips- thou shalt not go out of home with a chipped nail or a smudged lipstick. Its just how it is for me.

For this reason I never used to wear bright lipstick. I would wishfully stare at women who wore full on red or fuchsia pink in the middle of the day. For me it was always about the fact that every damn lipstick I bought would sweep into the fine lines around my lips in a matter of a hour- lipliner or not. At that time I was in university so I couldn’t afford to try out Tom Ford and the likes but still. For example no red formulation of Mac lipstick would ever stay put. If I tried wearing it I would have to constantly check my lips and sure enough they would be a mess at some point. Oh those days of struggle..

So about 3 years ago I figured its time to give this bright lip thing another go and picked up NARS Red Square while in London. It actually looked flawless hours later and I couldn’t belive it. As my love for reds grew I started looking more into other products that would help me make any brand lipstick look perfect and stay without bleeding.

Nowadays I wear a full on red or pink lip to work most days of the week. I totally get if this is way to much hassle for most but I use the following products to make it perfect.
My lips are always dry so I make sure to scrub them twice a week. My favorite being the Lush Mint Julips Lip scrub. Its made out of caster sugar, jojoba oil, vanilla extract, tagates oli and peppermint oil and its lovely. I am soon out of it and next my eyes are on the Fresh Sugar Lip Polish.

Nuxe Reve de Miel is one of those cult products everybody loves and I can't fault it either. Best lip balm I have ever used and I dont go to sleep without a thick layer of this on. Its not sticky and has a thick matte consistency so works well under a lipstick as well. I will never be without it!

Mac Prep + Prime Lip is my main secret weapon and something I always wear under bright statement lipstick. This is a color free base that smooths lips and stops the lip color from bleeding. Its very lightweight but feels a bit sticky once applied, however once I put on lipstick you never feel it. It makes the color go on much more evenly and I think it helps with the longevity as well.

Too Faced Borderline Anti-Feathering Lip Pencil- this one is the latest addition to the lineup and I am so happy I decided to give it a go. Its a waxy colorless pencil you use as liner and it "creates a resistant barrier around the lips to perfect the shape and provide precise definition".  The pencil comes out when I want to wear the creamier reds as those are the fastest to bleed. I kind of half expected it not to work but it does exactly what it says. The barrier is there and no color bleeds past it.

Needless to mention I almost always wear a lip liner as well. You see..high maintenance.

Is there something you have tried that I dont know about? Another secret weapon?
Do you wear brights during day time at all?

Gimme More Neutral Eyeshadows

There are two products I have been meaning to tell you about for a month now. I bought them in July and have been using daily as both are fantastic. I have never done monthly favorites on the blog (only for nail polish) but if I did these two would be in it.

 Too Faced Natural Eyes palette (Link) and Urban Decay De-Slick Makeup Setting Spray (Link) are what this post is about.

The setting spray is something I was excited to try if only because the weather in Dubai is totally insane. In addition to the high temperatures, humidity in the last weeks has been just off the charts and everything melts of my face slowly but surely. No actually not that slowly..it melts off with one 7min walk to get coffee. I was between the All Nighter or De-Slick spray and ended picking De-Slick as my combination skin definitely needs help staying matte at the moment. There is not that much to say about it besides that it works great. I spray it all over the face once I have finished makeup and I love the results. Its weightless and keeps my foundation from melting into the fine lines. Its a must-have for summer months from now.

So the Natural Eyes then. Its an updated version of the old Natural Eyes which I never owned but always wanted. I also held back for a while when the updated version was released repeating to myself that I have too many natural/browny eyeshadows. In the end I just made up a reason because I wanted that pretty pink tin to be mine. I convinced myself my Naked palettes are just too big and bulky to travel with (weirdly this was not a problem before I started lusting after Natural Eyes) and having the vacations to Estonia and New York ahead I just REALLY NEED something more compact that covers all the bases. If you are rolling your eyes at this point I understand. But a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do!

Luckily this does actually cover all my needs. For the past month I have barely used anything else and I'm still not bored. These 9 shades go from matte to shimmery, cold to warm and are all super easy to blend.

Top row has the mattes:
Heaven- a pretty ivory that is just perfect under the brow.
Cashmere Bunny- one of my favorites from the palette. Such a terrific soft taupe crease shadow to define the eyes ever so subtly.
Sexpresso-  deep matte brown. Super pretty smudged into the lash-line for daytime or used for a smokey eye.

Middle row is my most used shadows:
Silk Teddy-shimmering soft pink that blends so beautifully and works great in the inner corner of the eye.
Push-Up- my favorite. Slightly lilac toned bronze shimmer that is just perfection. Equally good as all over lid or blended into crease.
Erotica- a charcoal brown with gold flecks. Total beauty.

Bottom row gets the least use at the moment but there is no reason for it. The shades are gorgeous.
Nudie- matte greige I have mostly used to fill in my brows.
Honey Pot- very shimmery warm gold shadow. Maybe a bit too shimmery for me so I haven't used it that much.
Chocolate Martini- deep espresso with gold shimmer. Pretty but I prefer the other two dark browns.

Excuse me if I got a little too excited over a natural eyeshadow palette but I really really like this one. Im just saying that I will be going to my 20days vacation with only this with me and feel totally confident I can do any look I want. Thats pretty good for a tiny little pink tin isn't it?

What's your all time favorite neutral palette? Would love to hear about your gems..

YSL Souffle D'Eclat Powder

Getting excited about new lipsticks is obvious, pretty eyeshadow gets my heart rate up easily as well. Heck sometime a great new foundation does it.

But getting excited about a powder has never happened before. Until Simone introduced me to YSL Souffle D'Eclat. Its a loose powder that promises to provide a luminous and lightweight finish. Now usually I would sum up a powder with something like- it mattifies and does the job.  Extra nice if it doesn't cake and stays put all day.

But this one..I think YSL Souffle D'Eclat contains a bit of a fairy dust because it has actual magic powers. It blurs the skin (I know it sounds crazy but reading reviews by other bloggers reassured me I'm not the only one that sees this effect) to make it look even and glowing and mat at the same time. I dont know how that is possible hence I suspect magic. Because in theory it doesn't make sense that your skin can be glowing and mat at the same time does it? However that is the only way I can describe it. It takes away the greasy shine but leaves a beautiful light reflecting veil that feels super silky. Apparently the special ingredient is micro Mother of Pearl particles in case you were wondering.


Not a day has gone by without using this powder and swooning over the results. It really works well with my combination skin. Lets just say how it is. This is hands down the best finishing powder I have ever used. Then again note that I haven't used that many. In any case it comes in 4 shades and looks pretty translucent once applied. I have the shade 02. 

I think I need to wrap this up because how long can one rave about a product like this. Do try it if you are on the lookout for a new loose finishing powder.

You can find it online at Selfridges (link).

New York Shopping List Makeup

So there is not long left til New York. We are talking less than a month and the excitement is real people!
I have been before since my sisters used to live there but its 3 years from the last trip to my favorite city and I miss it dearly.

Dont you worry the above products is just a few from the long long list I have been putting together. And in true Virgo style I have separate list for skincare and for lipsticks. I will of course not get everything on all the lists but I like knowing what I'm looking for. These 6 products have been on my mind for a while.

1. NARS Sheer Glow Foundation (Link)- I have never had this and I have always wanted it. I have chosen countries to live in poorly cause they often dont stock NARS and I'm scared to order online as I dont know which shade will work best. NARS is coming to Dubai in October but there is no way I can wait that long.

2. Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz (Link)- It says you can define your ideal brow shape with Brow Wiz. I want to do that!

3. Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hours Blush in Natural Beauty (Link)- I love the formula of this blush I have it in a nude pink shade called Exposed. Its so long lasting and I keep reaching for it over my other blushes. This rosy red shade is missing from my blush collection.

4. Stila Magnificent Metals Foil Finish in Dusty Rose (Link)- ohh I dont know. Its a foil finish eyeshadow that had a rose gold finish. Does it need more explanations?

5. Kat Von D Tattoo Liner (Link)- I love eyeliner and I use it most days of the week. Even if I dont feel like using eyeshadow a little eyeliner will often be there. I also love the videos of Claire Marshall from Hey Claire and she has raved about this liner numerous times. This is one of the first things that will go into my basket at the holy day that will be forever refereed to as The Visit to NYC Sephora.

6. NARS Dual Intensity Eyeshadow in Dione (Link)- Yeah lets just say one of the NARS stores in NYC is gonna get hit bad. You can believe me this is not the end of my NARS wishlist. But its high on the top of it. Based on swatches these new eyeshadows that you can use dry or wet look pretty amazing. 

 Me and my sisters are discussing of doing a little spa day in Mario Badescu and I am still not decided if I should focus my shopping on a new pair of shoes or a new handbag?

Also makeup wise please do suggest amazing you-must-buy-this products I should be looking out for while in New York? And is there anything on my list you have tried and it didn't impress you? 


Recommendations are highly appreciated. 

Get in my Closet Lipstick Edition 2

I am on a fast spiraling path of becoming a lipstick hoarder and I have no regrets. At least it is a product I use a lot(not like the weird crazy eyeshadow shades I buy convincing myself I will SURELY start rocking an orange or a green look!). The ever growing lipstick wishlist is getting ridiculous so I thought I will show you the most wanted beauties. (You can see the first edition of Get In My Closet here).
 

Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Intense Lip Colour in Incandescente-this is a hot tomato red from the reformulated Rouge Allure collection and I'm dying to try it. I love the original Rouge Allure but this one promises to a bit more hydrating. My current reds collection is mostly blue toned true reds so this warm punchy option is much "needed". I fell in love with it in 2sec when I saw it on Keira Knightley in this post.

Kevyn Aucoin The Matte Lip Color in Forever- First of all I have never tried anything from Kevyn Aucoin and secondly it looks like an awesome pink shade (I have come to this conclusion after looking at numerous swatches online). It promises to be velvety and nourishing matte lipstick so whats not to like.

Clinique Long Last Soft Matte Lipstick in Matte Mandarin- this one has been making the rounds on beauty blogs lately and everyone has only good things to say about the formula. In my mind I have already decided that Mandarin will be mine in the next few days. It does seem like a perfect orange and as mentioned before I'm a bit obsessed with orange lip lately. I have high hopes to cross this one off the list asap.

Nars Semi Matte Lipstick in Schiap- a shocking fuchsia pink if there ever was one. Its no surprise this shade belongs to the top selling list of Nars. Its a special kind of bright and wearing shades like that makes me feel all "try and stop me" confident. I think it will be purchased on the NYC trip in August cause there is no way I can wait til November which is when Nars finally comes back to Dubai.

Tom Ford in Wild Ginger- this one already made the cut in last Lipstick Edition and it is still there at the very top of my list. The orange based red that mesmerizes me again and again. I just haven't been able to part with the pile of cash needed to get it.
 

Do you have any of these shades? I would like to know if maybe some on the list are not worth it? Or am I right and I need them all...

Current Skincare

I will start this with a spoiler- I know very very little about skincare. I like reading about it and I love testing out new products but my actual knowledge about this subject is rather limited. So please keep that in mind.

I have mentioned before that my skin is normal/combination and blemish prone. A month ago the humidity hit Dubai and my skin went extra bad- normal became flaky dry and T-zone became proper oily. So I have switched up a few products for the summer months and it seems to help. My make up sits good and the blemishes are slowly disappearing. Something is working and I intend to keep most of this routine up.

So here goes my daily evening skincare routine.

1. Dermalogica PreCleanse oil to remove my make up. I had never ever used a oil based skincare product before and was worried it will give me breakouts but non of that nonsenses happened. Instead I fell in love with it. It melts away the impurities and the makeup so easily. It smells lovely. I give my face a little massage working the oil into dry skin and then wetting my hands I work it in more. I wash it off with lukewarm water.

 2. I follow with Vichy Normaderm Deep Cleansing Gel. This range is for combination/oily skin which is acne and shine prone. It has a little bit of Salicylic Acid which works well for my skin and it still feels gentle enough for use daily. Its nothing special but I have enjoyed using it.

About twice a week I use Dermalogica Skin Resurfacing Cleanser instead of the Vichy one. Now this one I love and felt an almost immediate change in my skin. This is an exfoliating cleanser with one of my favorite skincare components- Lactic acid. Lactic acid helps to accelerate cell turnover and really keeps my skin smoother and bump free. Its a highly active formula so I dont use it more than 2 times a week. I think this product made the biggest change in my skin. Its all kinds of fantastic.

I keep Neutrogena Visibly Clear Pore & Shine in my shower. I love the citrus scent and the gentle exfoliating bits in it. I use it once in a while. Its good value for money and feels great on the skin.

 3. If I wore waterproof mascara I will generally do a quick wipe down with Loreal Paris Make-up Remover Eyes & Lips Waterproof. I have used this for about 10 years and its in my books the best value for money when it comes to waterproof make-up removers.

4. The Clinique Clarifying Lotion 3 for combination/oily skin is a brand new addition. I admit I should have done a bit more research before I picked this one up as one of the main ingredients is alcohol and you can really smell it. The strong smell is not pleasant and I think the formula is a bit too harsh for me. I just wanted to reduce the shine and figured maybe this one helps but now I'm not sure. I cant use this daily so have been switching between this and Herbaline Essentials Cucumber & Rose Water Skin Tonic. Herbaline one is mild, lovely and fresh. It has spring water and rose water and other organic ingredients and I like it a lot but I dont think it does anything in the matter of helping reduce the shine.

5. I have been trying to pin down the next "best ever" serum and moisturizer. Until I make my decision and part with the pile of money it will inevitably cost I have the trusty Bodyshop Vitamine E Overnight Serum-in-oil and night cream to finish up. I especially like the serum-in-oil. It really plumps up my skin. I have my eyes on Khiels Midnight Recovery Concentrate or one of the Claudaile serums? Have you tried these?
For eyes I have been loving the Dermalogica Ultrasmoothing Eye Serum.

I would really appreciate recommendations for serum and toner if you have combination skin like I do. Is there something that your swear by? I'm a bit lost in the world of skin care.

Tiny Little Non Haul

You see I only bought 3 things that surely doesnt count as a haul right? So lets call it a non haul just so I feel better.

It happened cause I "needed" to go check out the Zara sale which surprisingly didn't end up with any purchases. Instead there was a white dress in Gap that I really really want but it was not on sale so I numbed my heart and left it. To ease my pain I walked straight into Boots cause that's always a great idea.

My previous felt eyeliner has tragically dried up and Maybelline Master Precise liquid eyeliner looked promising. It has a ultra thin felt tip which is what I was looking for so that went into the basket. The Dream Touch blush came as a gift because I purchased 2 items from Maybelline. Im not hugely into cream blushes but will give this one a try out of curiosity.

Now to the good bits. I have been stalking the Bourjois counter for a month now and the Rouge Edition Velvet in Red Pepper is always out of stock! The pink version is pretty much my favorite matte formula ever and I really wanted to add this bright red one. I snagged up the last one according to the sales lady ( lesson- its always worth checking into Boots)

Dreaming about orangey lips is also a new hobby of mine.  Its all red and full on pink for me most days and I would love to switch it up. Maybelline ColorSensation Vivid range looked like they are worth a try, will not break the bank and there is sooo many shades available, so I chose Vibrant Mandarin. There was a few other shades that I might need to investigate if I will love this formula. I will post some FOTDs soon so you can see the lipsticks in action.

So this is it- my non haul! Well I did make a detour into Bath&Bodyworks but will not bore you with pictures of hand-soap and candles.

Have you tried any of these products?
I would especially love to hear if you have any favorite shades in ColorSensation range that I should check out?

I Like You

There is a few newbies in my make up routine that I have been meaning to share with you. Things I have picked up or been gifted and I have really enjoyed using as the weather gets more silly by the day (Hello +42c!).

Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream- I think I saw Lisa Eldridge talk about this in a few videos and made a little note months ago. Now as all my favorite bases just felt too thick and mineral powders didn't sit well due the weird dry patches I have going on I was on a hunt for something new. Noticed it at Boots and decided to give it a go. Bourjois foundations are my favorite from the drugstore make up . I always have a Healthy Mix in my stash and I like Happy Light as well. And the CC cream did not disappoint either. I really love this. Its lightweight and luminous yet has way more coverage than I expected. Let is be stated that this is the first ever BB or CC cream I have tried. It really evens out the red and feels super hydrating. I will seal the T zone with a bit a powder but if it wasn't this hot I think I wouldn't even need to do that. All in all I'm so happy with it and if you like a dewy, luminous and smooth base for summer I cant recommend this enough. Oh and it has SPF15!

By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Misty Rock- a much raved creamy eyeshadow stick that I had been dying to try. I got my hands on the shade Misty Rock thanks to the lovely Stacey. First of all the consistency is so silky and easy to blend and this shade is totally up my alley as well. A gorgeous shimmery plum-taupe with flashes of pink and silver. Its just a joy to wear (I do always use primer under it so it wouldn't crease). A swipe over the lids for a light shimmer or built up for more color. I'm also still in love with my Mac Sable eyeshadow and Misty Rock works so well over it. I will try to post a make up look with it asap as I think its a bit difficult to explain how pretty this shade is. Thank you Stacey!

YSL Gloss Volupté in No19 Rose Orfevre- this was a gift from Simone and I dont know how will I ever repay it because this is my favorite lip gloss formula.. like.. ever! Its so light weight and non-sticky but insanely glossy. It smells like apricots and I have been wearing it almost daily! The shade is a pretty light pink with small golden flecks in it. I feel a strong need to pick this up in many many more shades.

Clarins Eclat Minute Natural Lip Perfector in 01- this is one of those perfect lip products that feel more like a balm but have a little bit of gloss to them. The shade I picked up is a pink but it looks more like my own smooth natural lips rather than painted ones. It feels very nourishing and is a products that always comes handy in your daily makeup. I really like the tube packaging also.

Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief- I got this sample a while back and only dug it out recently as my skin is playing tricks on me. Its such a refreshing cream-gel moisturizer. Feels lightweight and really puts the moisture back into my drenched dry spots plus its oil-free. Works well under make up. Will go into my 'must purchase' list once the sample runs out.

Last but not least is my new little makeup bag with a glittery L by Alphabet Bags. Perfect size for the small amount of products I carry around daily and just pretty to look at as well. I think I might do post about my daily make up bag and whats inside. What do you think?

Have you discovered any must have summer products lately? Would love to hear..

The Benefit Bits

Ohh I was soo excited to get my Glambox last month. I have been wanting to show you the new toys but needed some time to play around so I can write down my thoughts. It was a Benefit box with tiny "can-barely-handle-the-cuteness' sized samples of 5 products and 4 of them were on my wishlist. So this couldn't have worked out better.

Big Easy Multi-Balancing Complexion Perfector- Its a liquid to powder formula that is somewhere between a BB cream and a tinted moisturizer. Unfortunately the shade I got is a bit too dark but as one of its promises is adapting to your skin tone I gave it a go anyway. It does blend well and definitely has a powdery finish. The coverage is light, so something I would only whip out on my very good skin days and even then I need help from a concealer. The evening of skin and blurring of pores is excellent. Now lets just put it out there, my skin seems to be going through an identity crises at the moment. We are talking mega oily T-zone, dry patched on the cheeks and overall confusion.Not sure if its just freaked out by the constant combo of +40c or full blast AC. Big Easy is aimed for oily/combination skin and I was pleasantly surprised that it didn't cling to my dry patches however in about 2 hours my forehead was shining like a disco ball. Not cool!
Would I purchase- Maybe. I feel there must be something better for light coverage summer skin but its not a definite no.

the Porefessional- this is a balm that's supposed to minimize the appearance of pores. Kind of a primer really and you are supposed to blend a light layer just over your T-zone and where ever else you want to smooth the texture of your skin and blur imperfections. After layering on my foundation I could really see the difference. It works very well and does what it says. It also kept the shine away noticeably longer.  The issue for me is -first of the two ingredients in this balm is silicone and I just dont like the feel of silicone primers. The silicone texture feels unpleasant to me and I much prefer my water based primer even if it doesn't give as smooth of a result.
Would I purchase- No. Again only because of my aversion to silicone primers, otherwise this is great.



fake up concealer- the product I have been meaning to try for ages so I super thrilled to get the tester. Benefit claims "This is a hydrating crease-control concealer - with Vitamin E & apple seed extract - hides dark circles & diffuses fine lines for a silky smooth, ultra-natural look."
Whats special about it is that the inner bit of the stick contains the color correcting concealer and the outer edge is a hydrating balm. It feels super creamy and soft so I was worried it would settle in the fine lines under my eyes but nope..its kind of sensational. Cant get enough of it! It looks so natural on the skin, it conceals well, doesn't cake and is all around awesome and unique product.
Would I purchase- YES! When the tester runs out I'm getting a full size asap.

they're Real! mascara- The only one from the bunch that I already have and love. Has been my favorite for a few months. Stays put like nobody's business, gives great length. What else is there to say about a mascara really?
Would I purchase- Yes. If my current one stops going strong I will definitely repurchase.

they're Real! push-up liner- newest launch from Benefit that had me itching to give it a go. Eyeliner is easily one of my favorite make up items and I use it a lot so the new innovative rubbery tip and the promise of a 'matte black gel that won't smudge or dry out' sounded right up my alley. I am usually pretty opinionated but this time I dont know what to think. I dont hate it but it's not an instant love affair either. I think it takes time to master it and I am far from it at the moment. Instead of getting into all the details I send you over to Simone who has written a post that is my exact thoughts about the push-up liner.
Would I purchase- no. yes. maybe. I dont know. I'm confused!

So here we are.
Two loves, one 'meh', one no and one confused ramble.

Have you tried any of these products? Which one is your favorite?

New in from Clinique and a FOTD

I have picked up two little things from Clinique that I really wanted to share with you guys. 

As both of them are fairly boring (foundation primer and concealer) I figured throwing in a FOTD might spruce thing up a bit. I mean they are both great products contributing to a smooth base and whats more important that flawless complexion to layer on your less boring bits like eyeshadow and lipstick.

Newcomers are the Clinique Superprimer Universal Face Primer and Airbrush Concealer.

Few words about the primer first. Clinique Superprimer range has all kinds of color correcting options but I picked up the basic one. The one that promises to smooth and prep skin and help the foundation last longer. This water based Superprimer mainly caught my attention because silicone based primers give me the heebie-jeebies. In short conclusion the Universal Superprimer is great. It does what is says and I can see that the foundation looks so much more smooth and even. It totally blurs the smaller pores and I have been enjoying it daily. Great all around product to have.

I have only good words about the Clinique Airbrush Concealer as well. I would even say its not great but a fantastic one, especially if you have dark circles. Its creamy but doesn't settle in fine lines, its light weight but brightens any shadows super easily. I have been devoted to YSL Touche Eclat for years and I must say this one might be better on the days you need more coverage and it still manages to give you that luminous light reflection. Totally love it!

On the rest of my face you can find the Laura Mercier Mineral Powder. Still cant get over how amazing this mineral powder is. Once again have to admit Laura knows what she is talking about as she was the one constantly telling me I need this in my life. My go-to for the days I am looking for light base.

Smashbox Bronze Lights bronzer in Suntan Matte (applied with Real Techniques contour brush I love so so much). I have also rekindled my relationship with NARS Orgasm blush.

Now moving on to the eyes I wanted to play around with my Mac Powerpoint Eye Pencil in Bordeauxline. I covered the lids with Burberry Pale Barley which is such a nothing-special-yet-so-amazing eyeshadow. I really like it either as a base color or just an all around everyday shade. I then lined my eyes with Bordeauxline and smudged it out, added some more and smudged it out again. Its just as soft and neutral as my daily eye makeup usually but the purple really brings out green eyes.

Lipstick is the ever so dreamy Tom Form Spanish Pink. Seriously if you are looking for a nude peachy amazing lipstick just dont buy the 3 Mac ones you were thinking of and save up for this one. Its so worth the money and Im happy I have it. 

Hope you are well and cant wait to talk to you tomorrow again! Also I would really appreciate if you could drop me a comment which posts are your favorite? Outfit or FOTD or nail polish? I would love to include more of whatever it is you like. xxx

Chanel Rouge Allure- Pirate #99

I have been itching to share this beauty with you but I felt like I wouldnt do it justice taking pictures with my iPhone. So I had to wait til I got to use the camera again.

 This lipstick became mine on a tiny little Duty Free haul on our way to Sri Lanka last month. If you saw this post from February you know I have had my eye on Rouge Allure Pirate for ages. And as my first pick from lipstick wishlist was TF Spanish Pink second one had to be a red offering.

However they never seemed to have Pirate at various Chanel counters so imagine my excitement at Duty Free. Double fun as Duty Free is a grey area in shopping and always makes me feel less guilty about spending money.

 

This is as classic as a red can get. Blue undertones and flattering on everyone.

Very pigmented and creamy and the little black and golden bullet makes me feel like such a grown up when applying the lipstick. Well the fact that it says Chanel on it probably also has something to do with it.

 Pirate is one of those excellent reds that makes your teeth look whiter. I will attempt to make a teeth bearing photo for you soon but until you can just take my word.

If you are in search of a truly classic and luxurious lipstick I say take Pirate for a spin. Or maybe you have already found one and only true love classic red. If so let me know which one?

The Pre-vacation Buzz

I will be honest with you..I can do that because you are not my boss. My mind has been prematurely on vacation mode this week and very little on work things. I mean like it was barely on any other things. Ok it was on vacation mode and one more thing but lets concentrate on the vacation for now.

We are flying to Sri Lanka tonight and spending the next 5 days laying on the beach, reading, drinking fruity cocktails,eating too much lentil curry and fresh fish. As I happen to be a big fan of making lists (grocery lists, to-do lists for work, lists about make up) packing list is one of my favorites. Today I will tell you about my vacation make up list.

We went to Sri Lanka for our honeymoon at the end last year so I know what to expect. In the 2 weeks we spent there I used eyeshadow once..so it was pretty clear to me what to pack for a super light make up bag.

Here goes:

 I cant be bothered to wear liquid foundation on a beach vacation, so daily I will use Caudalie Vinoperfect Broad Spectrum Day Perfection Fluid. It is new and its awesome so expect a full review shortly. Smells amazing, has SPF 15 and is tiny bit tinted so evens out the skin. GREAT product! Just in case I do feel like having a more done face Im bringing the Laura Mercier Mineral Powder. Laura kept telling me I need this and she was right as always. Its SPF 15 again, its light enough to wear in sweaty scenarios, it has great coverage and stays on long time. I had a whole mineral powder phase last year and tried a lot of them but this is by far my favorite!

I will bring 2 Lancome products- Hypnose Star mascara which is my current favorite and a Le Crayon Khol brown eye pencil. This works as my brow pencil and can be smudged into the eye line if I feel like it. Although I have a feeling it will be just mascara on my eyes for the next week.

And then there is the two products that are always in my make up bag. The ones I immediately repurchase and have been using longer than 10 years. Benefit High Beam is my absolute favorite highlighter ever and I love using it in the inner corner of my eyes and cheekbones on those "barely any make up" days. Its blends so easily and looks beautiful on bare skin or over foundation. The second one is YSL Touche Eclat complexion highlighter. My holy grail product for a more alive radiant face and eyes.


I will also bring the Tarte Amazonian clay 12-hour Blush in Exposed. Its great for a natural flush of color and can be built up. This one has top notch staying power.

For lips I chose the Lancome Gloss In Love in 144 in case I feel like having some color on in the evenings. For day time Im taking the Sleek Pout Polish SPF 15 in Peach Perfection.

I usually have my earrings in my make up bag as well. So the ones coming to vacation are the prettiest color amazonite drops that look amaze balls with a tan and small mountain crystal squares both from New Vintage by Kriss of course.

And thats it! I really dont want to lug too much with me as its less than a week and most of it will be spent on the beach wearing very little make up and clothes. I did of course do some pre-vacation shopping and came home with mint green shorts, new bikini and silver flats. So stay with me and I will report back from Sri Lanka soon.

If you feel like knowing what Im up to at Sri Lanka find me on Instagram @thelauracarlson (see on the right sidebar of the blog). There shall be an obnoxious amount of photos from pretty beaches and delicious dinners.

Have a lovely weekend!

Meet my new friends Mekong & Gina

I read a lot of blogs. That means I see at least 20 things every day that I simply MUST buy.

Most of them I don't and soon I will forget about it. But once in a while there is a gem that gets stuck in my mind. When Simone posted a photo of Mekong eyeshadow by Nars on her Instagram I literally gasped and rushed to look at some swatches online. I mean it was brown and it has golden specks and it was just sooo beautiful..

The teeeny tiny problem remained. Nars is not sold in Dubai. Until by accident I found out that you can order some of Nars products on Glambox.me site. I could not believe this information had passed me and I decided to remedy the situation. First into the basket went Mekong of course.

 Mekong is described as an “Espresso infused with gold” on the NARS website, and I have to say thats exactly what it is. Its a dirty brown but also has deep black undertone. And we are talking pigmented like nobodies business. I did do some googling before ordering it as I was worried the gold specks will look like glitter on my eyelids. In reality they don’t translate to the eyes as much as they appear in the pan. I have used it smudged into the lash line for day time but really cant wait to play around with it for a smokey eye look.

Now I had added Mekong to the shopping basket and should have called it a night but the uncontrollable shopping addiction kicked in. I felt like..well I cant just order one tiny eyeshadow if I'm already ordering. That would just be wrong wouldn't it. Specially as I have just found a way to have Nars delivered home to me. I knew I wanted a peach toned blush however felt totally overwhelmed having the choose without testing it in real life. When facing a problem like that there is only one solution. I texted my make up guru "i-know-every-shade-of-every-brand-ever" genius friend Laura who helped me narrow it down to Gina.

Me and Gina will become close friends in the next few months. She is ever so lovely! The color is not vibrate or intense but a pretty muted butter soft orange/peach tone. I love that it has no glitter or sheen, I didnt own anything like that in my blush collection. It also has no pink undertones. What you see in the pan translate to the skin pretty accurately.

Oh yeah and Zulu is becoming a regular beauty expert as well! That Gina will bring out her green eyes just perfectly dont you think..

Mac Haul

 So imagine this.

You are meeting your amazingly talented make up artist friend for dinner at Marina Mall. To get to the restaurant you have to walk past Mac store.. would you really not suggest to go in? Would you really not take her suggestions and buy a whole lot of stuff? If you would not.. you need to teach me how to do that cause I totally don't know how.

That is how my little Mac haul happened. Me picking up things and waving them in front of Dianas face and she telling me her expert opinions. This was proceeded by me buying two eye shadows, a blot powder, an eye pencil and a lip gloss..

-Pressed blot powder is not exactly an exciting buy but something I needed. I love the dewy finish my Clarins foundation gives me but at the second half of the day my T-zone certainly needs some help. As summer is creeping in I didnt want anything that builds up too much or gives thick coverage. I just needed something to take care of the shine.

-A purple pencil is something I had been lusting over. Mac Powerpoint Eye Pencil in Bordeauxline is a real beauty for green eyes girls. I can tell you its smooth to apply, easy to smudge and has great pigment. I know all this cause I already used it this morning. Other comments about the lasting power will have to wait till I get to test is out a bit longer.

-Mac Cremesheen Glass in Double Dare. This I so totally did not need. I mean not even a little bit. But who cares anyway! I love love love the Cremesheen formula and have had a few neutral pinkish colors before. This time it was Diana who picked up Double Dare and as soon as I tried it on it was decided. Its a vibrate color but not fully opaque. The shade is something I would describe as "juicy" coral pink.

And then the eyeshadows. One of them is a repurchase. All That Glitters is one of the few shadows I have ever emptied. Its such a perfect color for day time.

Sable however is a newcomer that I kept reading about. Its said to go so well together with All That Glitters and create a perfect day time smokey effect. Its kind of bronzy plummy brown color with frost finish and I cant wait to play around with it.

I unfortunately was not able to take a single picture where the two shadows would look different. I blame the bad lighting, the new camera and the my lack of skills as a photographer. I mean my husband swore they are exactly the same anyway and laughed at me as I was taking the millionth picture trying to capture the difference. Finally I had to admit they do look very very similar in the pan ( I don't want to say identical cause its not true! )

All That Glitters on the left and Sable on the right

I swatched them to show you that I'm not crazy and I didn't buy two identical shadows. Top is All That Glitters and bottom is Sable. They are similar tones but that's what makes them work so well together.

So that's the damage I did at Mac yesterday. Have you bought anything lovely from there lately?

Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm

I got all excited the moment these new Revlon Matte Balm pencils started popping up on blogs.
I mean my all time favorite is Nars matte pencils so this Revlon offering sounded right up my ally.

I kept passing the Revlon stands in Dubai hoping to score a few of these lovely pencils but no luck. So imagine my delight when Laura got me one as a present from her trip to UK. And like a make-up genius she is, she got me the most perfect color- Audacious.

Lets just take a moment and look how pretty and bright this is! Im getting more and more into coral lipsticks and Audacious is creamy, matte and as coral as they come. In other words its awesome!

I am wearing it today so snapped a quick picture for you on the balcony this morning.

 

It applies easily and feels super comfortable on the lips. Its not dry or flat looking matte but it does start looking a bit uneven after a few hours. Reapplying however is not a breeze and left weird clumps of color on my lips. So now I just wipe it off completely and then reapply. I dont mind that minor detail as I love the color payoff.

I soo badly want to get my hands on few more colors. Unapologetic would be my next pick.

One more thing I just wanted to pop into this post even thou its not make up related is my new sandals from Zara. I struggle to find sandals cause I have this thing- I hate ankle straps! I have yet to meet an ankle strap that makes me legs visually longer or leaner. I always feel stumpy and especially with midi length skirts. It just does not work for me. If the strap is just below the ankle it makes such a difference. Hence I marched right up to cashier after trying on these black and gold Zara sandals.

They took a few days to be worn in but for me thats the case with any shoes from Zara. Other than that I love them! Now I just need to find a pair of golden or nude sandals and I'm set.

Look at my face aka FOTD

So here goes my first attempt at FOTD (face of the day) post.

As I tend to stay comfortably in my daily make up rut I'm not sure I can make too many of these posts. Ok so I might swap one neutral brown eyeshadow to another and maybe use a different blush.. but generally its the same. The only thing that really changes is lipstick.

Lets begin shall we.
Face: Clarins Extra-Comfort foundation (108 sand)
So I know I should have written a proper review about this a long time ago. Cause its only like my most favorite foundation EVER! Not sure how familiar you are with the show Friends but there is a quote to describe my feelings for this foundation:

Monica: Mmm, this cake is amazing.
Rachel: My God, get a room.
Monica: I would get a room with this cake. I think I could show this cake a good time!

Just swap cake for Clarins foundation and you see what I mean..
Continuing with face/base products:
          Bourjois Healthy Mix concealer
          YSL Touche Eclat
          NARS Orgasm blush
          Smashbox Bronze Lights bronzer in Suntan Matte.

Eyes: Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion (the new BFF)
          Bourjois Ombre a Paupieres eyeshadow in Beige Rose
          Naked 3 palette- shades Liar, Factory and Darkside
          Loreal Super Liner Black Lacquer
          Maybelline Falsies Volum Express Waterproof mascara

Lips: Revlon ColorStay Ultimat Suede in Front Row

I always keep the foundation and concealer on my nose as light as possible because I love my freckles. When I was little every summer my grandma used to tell me "The more freckles you have the more the sun loves you!" and I loved the idea of sun loving me. Now living in infinite summer that is Dubai I always have a freckly nose.

Please note the background with a rather comfortable border collie taking his after breakfast nap.

If you have questions about any of the products do let me know. Otherwise tell me what are your eyeshadow favorites for day to day use? I would love to add a few to my stash..

I feel the Bliss

Every month I get a pretty box filled with some sample size beauty goodies delivered to my door. I'm sure there is an equivalent of this in every country..here it is called GlamBox.

We are already half way in March but I wanted to show you the February GlamBox which was a Bliss special.



Bliss is a brand I have always been curious about but never actually tried. Now that I got to try a bunch of things I must declare my love to some of the products.

In my February box there was:

Lets start with my two favorites from the box. The ones I plan to buy full size.

Faboulous Foaming Face Wash- this is apparently one of Bliss best sellers and I can see why. I love the smell and consistency. A thick gel that easily turns into foam. I always choose a face wash that can double up as a gentle scrub and this one has small exfoliating beads in it. Its oli-free which seems to be working well on my combination skin and the main ingredients are rosehip, chamomile and passion flower. All in all a lovely face wash Im excited to add to the collection.

Blood Orange and White Pepper Body Butter- I have a weakness for citrus smells..especially grapefruit and blood orange. This Bliss one is soooo nice. Its such a vibrate scent with a bit of spicy undertones from the white pepper. It leaves the skin smooth and moisturized like a body butter should.

I also got the Body Wash & Bubble Bath in same scent and I love it just as much.

The Triple Oxygen + c energizing cream- is a bit too rich for my T-zone so I dont use it in the mornings. I cant rave or say anything bad about it. Its a nice enough cream but I dont think I will purchase the full size. It just didnt do much for me.

The 2 things I'm yet to test out are the Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Mask and the Thats Incredi-'peel'  peel pads. Especially excited about the peel pads as I have never used anything similar.

All in all such lovely products and I cant wait to get my hands on the full size face wash and body butter.

Do you have any favorites from Bliss? Something else I should check out next time I lurk around that counter?

p.s. since you are here already why not come and hang out with me on Facebook as well.. Laura etc...

Get with the program

Now Im going to tell you something and you have to promise to still be my friend after that..
I have never owned any kind of make up primer in my life *insert shocked face*
Not for foundation, not for eyes etc..

March is work wise manic (we are talking 13h work days every weekend of the month) and the weather is heating up so the eye makeup I put on in the morning was never there anymore around lunch time. That finally got me wondering..

 I honestly have no freakin clue why I was under the impression that I should not be using an eyeshadow primer. Why? Its not like I hadn't heard of them. Its not like I don't go to Sephora every other day. Its not like I don't put eyeshadow on every morning.

So as I grew tired of rubbing off streaky eyeshadow at my short lunch break during another outdoor event.. I finally got the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion. This was put on ultimate test right away because this weekend I was doing super long days at Taste of Dubai festival. All outdoor, a lot of running around and sweating.

The results make me even more annoyed with myself. You probably know this already unless you have been living under the same primer related rock as me..but primers make a huge difference!! I mean huge! Like 13h later the eyeshadow is still blended and still there and everything is well in my world. I truly could not believe it, not one little streaky crease on my lids. I am never not using eye primer again. Its my new best friend!





As always I got sidetracked by the O.P.I stand and picked up a lovely bluish lavender polish. I love choosing a O.P.I polish and then checking out the name. The names almost make me want to buy the polish even more. So You' re Such A Budapest came home with me and I shall include it in a nail post asap. Its very lovely!

In anticipation of the crazy 3 days I had this weekend I went out and bought 3 new dresses. Cause a girl can do anything in a new dress right! I really cant wait to show them to you but will have to wait til husband and his camera return from a work trip tomorrow. So whats the soonest you can ask a guy who has done a total of 23h flying to come outside and take my outfit picture? 20min?

Anyway I'm wildly interested in this whole primer thing and want to buy a foundation primer next. Can you give me suggestions on good ones?

My precious Spanish Pink

You know how a few posts back I mentioned my latest uncontrollable shopping desire is all about lipsticks. 

Well the Chubby Stick post was just to ease you into this one.. because guess what I got!!

 

Say hello to my Tom Ford Spanish Pink.

 

 Aah I mean seriously. It is the most beautiful lipstick I have ever owned. By far! ( and the most expensive one but lets not dwell on that today ) Its sleek, stylish, gorgeous and amazing quality. The moment I got it my first totally unreasonable thought was..I'm never gonna use it, its too pretty!

Instead I took a whole lot of photos of it (yes I mean photos of a lipstick on my dresser..because it was so beautiful.. that's totally normal correct?)

Below is a picture of me wearing it. Its a creamy pigmented peachy undertone pink that lifts the complexion and really adds something extra. Its not a basic barely there nude, it is soo much more! 

Can you tell I'm a little over excited about this one?

 

In other news. My poor little panther Zulu is just home from her neutering and she is not feeling the one piece PJ look she has to support for the next ten days. She is dazed and confused and extra cuddly and I have extra hard time leaving for work in the mornings because of all the cuteness.