Sephora/ Douglas Beauty Haul - First Impressions!

Hello my lovely readership,

Dear god, were the last weeks stressful! I had all of my exams of the summer semester plus a term paper that will have to be handed in next monday. But I never forgot about you so now I am finally posting the haul I talked about in the last post! Enjoy!

I have purchased a lot of new items over the internet during the time I had to learn so I gathered the most mentionable picks to give you a personal first impression of them!

First off the things I bought at Sephora:

- Sephora Collection - Eyelash Curlers
- Sephora Collection - Color Proof Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner
- Rosebud Perfume Co. - Rosebud Salve
-  Sephora Favorites Summer Crushes
(yet only the Caudalie Divine Oil, Bumble and bumble Surf Spray, Living Proof Restore Mask Treatment and Shaveworks The Cool Fix because those are the only  things I have been using so far).

First impressions:

- The Sephora Eyelash Curlers was a must buy due to the awesome pink colour! The lash curler is good at handling and does a satisfactory job so far. To be honest I haven't tried out too many lash curlers because my lashes are naturally curled yet I had to get it because it looks so neat. Oh my, this is a good start!

- This Sephora liquid eyeliner could be my favourite product of the Sephora haul. It has a good applicator which takes enough colour on the tip without overloading it. The line can be pulled fine yet also thick with ease. The black is very dark which is lovely too. And as far as I can tell it stays on without smearing and is really hard to remove which speaks for its long lasting qualities.

- The next product is another good pick. The rosebud salve lip balm is perfect for applying at night. In the morning your lips are smooth and hydrated for the whole day. The only thing I am still not sure about is the funky smell. Something between roses and honey but maybe that's just one of the scents you have to get used to.

- So for the next few small products a short review on each of them: The Caudalie Divine Oil is something I can't make up my mind about so far. It's a wonderful smelling oil that does take at least a few minutes to be absorbed by the skin. But I can't really tell if I like the way this oil nurtures. I have very dry skin and I get the feeling that body butters and lotions work better for me. But we will see how my opinion will change when using it more. 

Another item I can't really decide whether I like it or not is the Bumble and bumble Surf Spray. I tried to make a beachy wave look with it and it didn't work out at all. My hair which is thick and very stubborn didn't get that awesome "fresh from the ocean" look I wished it had become. Maybe I should try using more spray next time. Do you guys have any advice on how to use this product for a perfect result?

Another tricky first impression is the hair mask by Living Proof. The scent of this hair mask is lemon grassy which is pure bliss when using it. But I can't tell if I like the effect of the mask or if it is any different to the ones I have used before. The hair gets kind of stiff when washed out and dried which I usually don't have as an issue. Maybe this is one of the things you have to use a while until it unfolds its true effect. Did anyone try this mask before?

So the last product I tried out is the Shaveworks after-shave gel. I do get some problems with rashes after shaving and ingrown hair - oh yes! So yuk I know! I first tried this after my normal shaving gel was empty all over my legs; after shaving of course. And oh my. My legs were so soft and smooth. The rashes were getting less and I guess the ingrown hair got treated well with this gel too. It just burned like hell when being applied to the bikini area and armpits which I guess is a minus. I can't really tell if I would buy this in a bigger size because it is kind of expensive and my other after-shave gel does quite a good job as well. I will let you know if I do though!

From the products I purchased at Sephora the things I bought at Douglas:

- The Body Shop - Strawberry Body Polish
- The Body Shop - Brazil Nut Body Butter
- Soap & Glory - Scrubatomic Daily Face Polish
- Soap & Glory - Clean On Me Moisture Shower Cream
- Tangle Teezer - Compact Styler

First impressions:

- This Body Polish by the Body Shop is pure bliss for my nose. I could live in the shower after buying this just by its smell. The texture of the body polish is not too rough and combined with the shower gel it is perfect for smooth skin and a strawberry escape from the real world.

- From the fruity scent to a nuttier, vanilla type of smell. The body butters by the Body Shop aren't this hyped for nothing. The texture is firm and is a little harder applied then the usual body lotion. Yet it leaves the skin nurtured and looking healthy. Putting on too much can make your skin a little sticky so less is more with this products formula. And I am really wondering why I didn't get stuck on this product earlier!

- It is summer sale at the moment and lucky me I got this product as well as the other Soap & Glory product 50% off! And I love not only the prize I purchased these for. First off the face polish. This stuff is amazing. Instead of leaving the skin deeply red and dry it feels smooth and cleansed. This doesn't mean you should cut out your day/night cream but your skin isn't begging for nutrition afterwards. So after the second usage I really see myself including this into my weekly skincare routine.

- I don't really believe in deeply moisturizing shower creams or oils. Yet if there is a cream that is as moisturizing as the L'Occitane Huile de Douche Amande then it's this shower companion by Soap & Glory. At least for my skin after the few times I used it now.

- Last item I got from Douglas is the smaller version of the Tangle Teezer simply because I was afraid my bigger one would lose it's combing qualities being thrown around in my bag without protection so I got this travel brush and like the big one I really like it. Plus it's pink. Gee this post is so cliché-ridden.

Since I didn't buy these at Douglas nor Sephora so I put the best things at the end. This is my new holy grail of beauty - the brushes by Real Techniques. I purchased the Core Collection Kit and the blush brush over Amazon. These tools are the best I tried so far besides a set I got from Annayake. I don't ever want to apply any blush without my brush anymore. Even with very high pigmented blushes it applies them as if they were airbrushed onto the skin. At least that's the magic these brushes do to my skin. These brushes by Real Techniques deserves a love, love, love!

Wow this was really a long post! I hope you enjoyed reading it! And yay I finally got Instagram too! For those of you who care to join me here is the link: instagram.com/katiewinterbottom you are warmly welcome to fellow! By the way who of you would like to have a post on the sale haul I had this week? I could also write about the geeky/nerdy stuff I possess if there is any interest. Just write a comment below!

I wish you a wonderful week and until next time!

xo Kate

May / June Favourites!

Hello my lovely readership!

Yes! I am back with the promised favourite post. I will make sure to extend my favourites by things I loved and music I couldn't stop listening to over the last two months so sit back and enjoy!

Favourite Beauty Products:

Let's start with the skincare products! Origins - a brand everyone loves lately. Since my birthday was in June I got a very lovely gift from a friend of mine. A small set with an assortment of Origin products. The one thing I can't live without since that gift is the Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask. Due to the fact that my skin is going bonkers this product really helped me reduce spots that started spreading all over my face. Some people claim it to dry really uncomfortable on your skin which it does yet for the effect it provides I would take that tension for fifteen minutes over and over again. Plus if you move your face a little when it starts drying you can easily reduce the tension or you can apply it on the pimples only which has the same clearing effect. After using up this sample I will make sure to get the bigger size because nothing is keeping my skin in check like this product!

The second skincare product was a insiders' tip from the same friend who gave me that lovely present by Origins. I don't even know what exactly this cream does but the Elizabeth Arden - Eight Hour Cream is an allrounder! I will quote the packaging as it explains what it can all be used for "moisturize and protect anytime, anyway you chose. Shape brows, revitalize shine, soothe dry hands and smooth cuticles and nails. Also for symptoms of chapping, peeling or flaking due to minor burns, sunburn, windburn, scrapes, abrasions or cracked lips." 

Do I have to say any more? Well okay maybe my experience I gathered using this cream. When applied to the lips the lips become so smooth that no lipbalm could compete with that effect. I often apply it on scrapes since I keep collecting them lately without any reason at all and they heal so much better and faster with this cream. The only thing promised which I can't really see an effect on are my cuticles. Even after applying they are really dry so I have to use a nail oil. But otherwise neat! I think I should try forming my brows with this the next week.

Let's jump to the nail polishes. I already leaked my love for pink lacquers a few posts before and this is one of my favourite colours for the summer. Status Symbol by Essie. Look at that strong pink, sophisticated colour! Only two layers and your nails look like summer has come to town itself. To make the colour last and give the nail a beautiful shine I apply the top coat Good to Go by Essie. It dries the layers from before, seals the colour and gives a nice gel look to your polish. Why didn't I find this top coat before? It would have speared me a lot of nerve racking time with other top coats.

From strong pink nail lacquers I would love to jump to strong pink lips! This is another birthday present I adore deeply! The new Dior Addict Fluid Lipstick in the tone Wonderland. The reason I didn't buy one for myself before is the fact that I was rather suspicious of a blend between lipstick and lipgloss. How could that go well? But it did! My worries that this product would feel heavy and utterly sticky were disproved. The colour is full, the lips are deliciously shining and the texture is light and creamy. Way to go Dior.

Another lip product I been using quite frequently is the Estée Lauder Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick - Impulsive. The colour is very subtle which makes it perfect for heavier eye makeup or every natural makeup look. The consistence is very creamy which makes it foolproof to apply leaving a hint of lustre on your lips. 

The only downside is - and this is unfortunately the second lipstick by Estée Lauder where this problem occurs, that it doesn't have a proper grip to its retainer. The first time this happened the red wonderful lipstick fell to the ground and died along side my carpet. Now after one week of using this one it's so loose in it's mounting that it moves around madly applying it on your lips making it not a fun experience to put on. I hope they will fix this at some point. From now on I guess I will just have to apply this lipstick with a lip brush. What a pity. This could have become my all time favourite lipstick!

The last beauty product for this post is a fragrance I bought myself for my birthday. I have been dallying over this scent for the past year until I finally invested the money for the Eau De Toilette Loverdose by Diesel. The overtones are star anise and mandarin followed by the heart note of licorice, sambac jasmine and gardenia petals. In the end the scent unfolds it's base note with vanilla, amber and woody notes. All in all it's mysterious a bit floral and oriental at the same time. I don't know what this perfume does to me but I can't stop using this even if it might not be the typical perfume for summer.

Random monthly favourites:

* A drink I recently came across is the "coco juice". The water of young coconuts. It's not that sweet and has a very unique kind of taste to it. Perfectly refreshing for hot summer days! And it only has 19 kcal each 100ml!

* Cooking vegetarian meals has become a fun challenge for me the last two months. Informing myself over the conditions that most animals we consume suffer of really made me reduce my meat consume to once or twice a week which is still a lot yet a good step in the right direction!

* I have started watching Sailor Moon again. A show that everyone used to love and watch in their childhood years. Somehow I simply wanted to catch a bit of nostalgic memories by watching this and it worked and even as an adult it is amusing. Why not release our inner child once more?

Favourite music:

This is some of the music that I can't stop listening to over and over again on Spotify:

* Netzwerk (Falls Like Rain) - Klangkarussell

* Rude by Magic!

* Stay High by Habits Remix

* Sleepless (feat. The High) - Radio Edit

What are you experiences with the products above? Does anyone else have the same problem with the Estée Lauder lipsticks? Which are your favourite songs lately? Feel free to leave a comment below!

I hope you enjoyed this post! Next time I will write a post on an online Sephora Haul! I just hope the package will arrive in time! So till then!

Yours,

Kate xo

Epic Crush on Tinted Lip Balm Sticks!

Hello my lovely readership!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! For those of you who are waiting for a "favs of the month - may" post I can reassure you that I will include my favourite products of may into my "favs of the month - june" soon. I didn't have too much new products before so it would have been boring but a week ago I had a little buying frenzy which enhanced my favourites - but more to that in the post to come. 

Today I want to talk about a topic that I have been planning on writing since forever. Till now my addiction for tinted lip balm sticks has grown to an amount I have to share with you guys. So lean back and enjoy!

The first lip balm I would like to introduce is the Pure Shine Colour Lip Balm by Catrice Cosmetics in the colour Don't Think Just Pink. The colour is well covering for a tinted lip balm whilst still being lighter on the lips as a lipstick in the same tone. The smell is close to vanilla which I really love since I am a sucker for vanilla fragrances. The low price is unbeatable and makes this lip balm a really good pick if you want to try out these sticks for the first time! Additionally to that it's a good dupe to the Clinique Chubby Stick "Mimosa" although the Catrice product has a little more red/orange to it.

Why not go on with the product I just mentioned. The Clinique Chubby Stick in the tone Mighty Mimosa. Clinique was one of the first brands to make tinted lip balm sticks popular which makes it worth mentioning! I talked about this product before and I still love the colour - a beautiful warm pink tone. Only downside still is the lack of any good scent. It reminds me of coloured pencils which I find quite disappointing due to the high price that comes with this lip balm. Pity since it would be a lovely product then.

Next lip balm I just bought recently lets my heart beat faster! It's the Isadora Twist Up Gloss Stick - Pink Punch. I didn't really plan on buying a gloss stick in a strong pink so far yet out of frustration finding nothing else I went for this one. All I can say is I love it! It's super comfortable to wear due to it's good coverage. Not comparable with a lipstick and the colour is just wow. Equal to the Catrice lip balm it also smells like vanilla.

Manhattan is usually not the brand I go for first when it comes to buying beauty products but I slowly have to wonder why. I already talked about two orange lipsticks by Manhattan which persuaded me and now another lip product caught my eye. Compared to the other lip balms above the Manhattan Glossy Lip Balm in the colour Nude Up! is not as tinted yet double as glossy. It's also not as firm in it's texture but creamy. With a hint of coral it makes your lips look juicy. The smell is very sublime so there is not too much to say about that. All in all it's wearable for all occasions being natural. But it reminds me a little too much of a normal lip balm. A little more colour would have been  better.

The last tinted lip balms are my favourites in this section. I already have 5 different colours from nude to red and I just can't get enough! I am talking about the Soft Sensation Lipcolour Butter by Astor. Out of the five li p balms I have I picked out two because talking about all five would make a post on its own. The colours I chose are Loved Up and Pink Lady. Both colours are just perfectly tinted. I often use the colour Loved Up when I am wearing a heavy eye make-up and the Pink Lady tone whenever I want to have a cute and fresh make-up. And again - this really seems to cross all brands it smells like vanilla. Plus they have a huge assortment of different tones for a good price. 

I hope you enjoyed reading my post! Do you have a favourite Tinted Lip Balm? If yes which one? Would you like to see a whole make-up with one of the products? Just leave a comment below!

I hope to see you next time!

Yours,

Kate

Empties! Products I've Used Up - Volume 1

Hello my lovely readership!

Today I want to launch my first „Empties – Products I've used up“ post! I finally gathered some of the products I used up over the last month to give a short review on them and tell you if I would buy them again or not. Today we have nine different beauty products to go through so lean back and enjoy!

I will talk about the products from left to right in the order in the picture.

1. Nivea –  Pure & Natural Day Cream

I use this cream every day and I am very happy with it. It protects your skin from the sun, it nurtures dry skin and it's not to expensive for everyday use. Plus it doesn't contain parabens, silicones, dyestuffs and mineral oil so it's perfect for sensitive derma!

Rebuy: Yes!

2. Rituals - Qi Gong 24 anti-perspirant stick

A very reliable deodorant for every stressy situation. Only downside are the white stripes this product leaves on your clothes when you put on a dark coloured shirt. Otherwise I really love how you feel fresh the whole day long even when going to the gym.

Rebuy: Yes!

3. Maybelline Jade – Pure Make-Up Mineral

It has a nice fluid consistence perfectly for applying, highly pigmented without looking too cakey yet not that good for oily skin since it leaves a shiny finish which you have to powder a lot.

Rebuy: Yes but due to my skin issues since a year sadly a no.

4. Rituals – Yogi Flow Foaming Shower Gel Sensation

I love how this shower gel foams up when you apply it to the skin. It also spreads a lovely scent which sadly doesn't linger on overly long after showering also it doesn't nourish my dry skin enough.

Rebuy: Yes but I will purchase other scents because I can't help but try out all the other lovely varieties by Rituals plus the small size of this foam is perfect for traveling.

5. Biorderma – Sensibio H2O Solution Micellaire

I couldn't wait to talk about this product! I fell in love with this solution micellaire since it prevents my skin from freaking out. Additionally it takes off my make-up with ease. There is no better facial water then this - for me. I tried out a lot of different brands and most of them dried out my skin a lot. So nothing has won me over as much as this facial water!

Rebuy: YES!

6. Micro Cell 2000 – Nail Repair Remover

Well it's a regular nail polish remover in my opinion. It's not bad and it's not revolutionary.

Rebuy: Maybe.

7. CD – Waterlily Deodorant Roll On

This product wasn't strong enough for high stress levels which lead to strong sweating. It smells really good at first but after a while when it's mixed with sweat it gets kind of musty.

Rebuy: Unfortunately no.

8. Nivea – Anti-Transpirant Invisble for Black and White

Don't be surprised about all the deodorants. I have been trying out a lot of them lately. This is a good basic deodorant. It keeps the smell away for long, it doesn't leave marks of sweat or white stripes on the clothes and the smell is subtle. This is a very good balance to the Rituals anti-perspirant I mentioned above.

Rebuy: Yes!

9. Ralph Lauren – Big Pony 2 for Women

It is really rare for me to use up a perfume. But now it happened - yieks. This perfume was fruity due to the fragrance of cranberry, fresh and very sweet. I wore it mostly last summer and loved it. But since I am linking it too much with last year I am not sure if I want to buy it again this year since there are so many awesome smells popping out at the moment which I'd rather rebuy.

Rebuy: Maybe next year.

I hope you enjoyed this post and I can't wait to see you guys on my blog next time!

Yours,

Kate

Tone in Tone Outfit for Men

Hello my lovely readership!

My friend came over wearing an awesome tone in tone outfit perfect for the summer and I couldn't hold back showing it to you guys - well guys in particular. The combination of pastel turquoise with royalblue is a beautiful match especially synergizing with the brown details from the belt and the shoes. Enjoy!

Model: Kevin R.

Shirt: Mango He
Shorts: Scotch & Soda
Belt: Tom Tailer Denim
Shoes: Hilfiger
Watch: Tissot
Glasses: Fielman

Pink April Favourites - Beauty

Hello my lovely readership!

I hope you all enjoyed the spring so far! I know it's a week late but I think I can still make a post on my april favourites. So sit back and enjoy a pink journey with my beauty favs of the last month.

The product I used most was probably the Essie "Need A Vacation" nailpolish. It suited the spring in every way, stayed on for days without chipping plus it's pink and I love pink. 

Second most used product was the MAC "Snob" lipstick. It's a cold pink tone. The texture is rather firm and the colour is  matt. You might think it looks pale and not flattering for people with a light skin colour but I was surprised how beautiful it looked in the end. It's definitely a colour to fall for.

Another beauty product I got for my lips is the Victoria Secret Beauty Rush lipgloss in the colour Candy Baby.You never had so good tasting, full lips. I am not a huge fan of lipglosses yet I always come back to the Victoria Secret ones since they really rock.

Let's move on to another lovely pink beauty fav. It's the Sleek Blush in the bright pink colour Flamingo. Easy to apply, highly pigmented and good to blend. What else to we expect from Sleek?

Okay I cheated. The Browdrama by Maybelline in the shade dark blond is not pink. Yet I couldn't make this post without mentioning it. I have very light facial hair. Especially my brows are mostly barely noticeable. So I was lucky when I saw that Maybelline just recently released this new product. It's comfortable to apply - just like using a Mascara. It keeps the brows in form and gives them enough colour to attract attention yet still looking natural. Thank you Maybelline for this brow saviour! 

Now to a perfume that you simply have to love. Betty Barclay's "Precious Moments" is a mixture of raspberry, cassis combined with a floral touch of peony and freesia. It's sweet and floral just like the first fruits of spring. 

I hope you enjoyed this post and I can't wait to see you next time!

Yours,

Kate

Trip to Istanbul!

Hello my dear readership!
At the moment I am here in Istanbul enjoying the turkish culture. Not only the huge markets but also Kebap and Turkish Coffee are worth trying! Everything is chaotic but absolutely beautiful except the weather but nothing to stop you from having a wonderful time.
Today we went to Istinye Park which is a huge mall north-east of the city with all fancy brands you can imagine. They even had a Bath & Body Works shop there which made me go nuts for a second. I will talk about the things I bought in my next post as soon as I am back home in Germany!
The places you can see here are breathtaking! We will even visit a Hamam tomorrow. It's a turkish bathhouse which I really need after all that running around today. If you want me to upload a post with only pictures of Istanbul write your opinion down in the comments!
I wish all of you a wonderful and sunny weekend and until my next post from Germany!
Yours Kate

Urban Sunday Outfit

I have been planning on posting more outfits on this blog so this is my first. Yay! It's
suppose to give you that feeling of urban youth with a casual touch. Perfect for a day
in the city with your girls!

Denim Jacket: H&M

White Shirt: H&M

Circle Skirt: H&M

Shoes: Converse All Star

Liebster Blog Award I The Wonderful Word of Kate

Thank you http://leisuretimewithrosanna.blogspot.de/ for nominating me for this tag! Let's see how I will manage answering all of those questions! First off these are the rules to this Liebster Blog Award:

1. Provide a link back to the blogger who nominated you.
2. Post 11 random facts about you.
3. Answer the 11 random questions set by the blogger who nominated you.
4. Nominate bloggers with fewer than 200 followers for the award (excluding who nominated you) with questions for them to answer. -> I wont be able to stick to this rule since I have some problems finding so many blogs with less than 200 followers.
5. Let the nominees know that you have nominated them.

What are we waiting for then!

11 random facts about me:

1. I love lipsticks more than any other beauty product!
2. I love cats.
3. Photography is one of my passions.
4. People mistake me for being at least three years younger than I actually am.
5. My favourite food is Italian and Japanese.
6. Most nail polishes I have are pink and shades of pink.
7. My favourite Marvel superhero is Thor.
8. I prefer salty snacks to sweets.
9. I never leave the house without makeup. Ever.
10. I am a psychology student.
11. I never felt like getting Instagram/ Twitter and Snapchat.


11 questions by Leisure Time with Rosanna:

1. What do you think of my style of writing? – If you can read German.
 I think it's good!

2. What products stand in your top 3 of your wish list? – How long are they already in the list; waiting     for you to buy them?
 I just bought two of those products: MAC Lipstick - Snob and Dior Addict 771. Other than that a  random nail lacquer from Butter London.

3. Do you wear sunscreen every day? If you don’t: Why?
 My day cream has a sunblocker in it's ingredients so yes.

4. Did you eat well or are you hungry?
 I always eat well otherwise I'd be grumpy.

5. What was the last blog post/YouTube video you read/watched and caught your interest?
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFEYIkoAue8 I love "my favourites" posts and videos. This is a  german youtuber I like.

6. How long is the nail of your left thumb?
 I have no clue and unfortunately I can't find a ruler.

7. What time is it, while you answer this question?
 It's 7 pm.

8. With how many people are you living?
 With 2 others.

9. With what, do you have a hard time with?
 Making the perfect nails. It's harder than it looks guys!

10. Please laugh for me – what did you thought of?
 Jenna Marbles.

11. Who are your girl and boy crushes?
 Still my boyfriend.



My nominees for this tag:

1. http://kazetime.blogspot.de/
2. http://thoughtsofglam.com/
3. http://thebeautifulwayoflife.blogspot.de/
4. http://www.noirettediary.tk/
5. http://fashionismypassion-nickey.blogspot.de/
6. http://www.mascarawarrior.com/
7. http://georgiabelle10x.blogspot.de/
8. http://lraivn.blogspot.ro/
9. http://glassow.com/
10. http://www.francoiselovesmakeup.com/
11. http://www.inspiration-a-porter.blogspot.de/

My questions for the nominees:

1. Which is your favourite makeup brand if you had to choose?
2. Which is your favourite time of the year? Spring/ Summer/ Autumn/ Winter?
3. What is your most liked movie of all times?
4. Do you prefer accenting your lips or your eyes?
5. What's your best inspiration for going to the gym?
6. What is your favourite food?
7. What is your next beauty/fashion investment? 

8. What is the song you love the most at the moment?

9. Which is your favourite fashion trend this season?

10. If you had to choose a perfume to express Spring the best which would you choose?

11. What book are you reading at the moment?

I hope you have the chance to get to know some more blogs! 

Have fun and a wonderful spring time!

Yours,

Kate

My Spring Favourites

Hello ladies and lads!

Sorry for the little posts lately. I feel really bad for not uploading any posts in the last month but I will try my best this month! My university is occupying all my time yet now I finally found a gap to write about my latest spring favourites so enjoy.


Beauty-Favs

I stumbled upon some lovely products in march and after some time testing them I can really recommend them. What I really loved was my Clinique all about eyes rich cream. It's a firmer texture that melts into the sensitive skin of the eye area when being applied. Since I had huge problems with dry skin in the region of my eye this cream removed the dry spots and made my skin look young and radiant around the eyes. If your skin is arid and tends to be very sensitive you should try this cream. In my case it worked really well and I am really glad to have found it. 

Sticking with the topic of sensitive skin I found my Holy Grail of deodorants in Rituals Qi Gong Deodorant. After being applied it keeps you safe from any smell and gives you the feeling of freshly washed armpits. Even after workout I can say that I don't smell bad at all. On top of that it is convenient for people that usually get rashes after applying normal deodorants especially after shaving. There are only two minor downsides. The first downside is the fact that it contains aluminium which is rumored to be noxious and secondly it leaves white marks on black shirts which can be really annoying at times. For black clothes and especially for white cotton shirts I use the Nivea Invisible for Black and White Deodorant although it doesn't prevent the smell of sweat that good. 

Up next is my highly beloved nail polish from Essie called pink about it. The colour is the perfect pastel pink. Applying it right can cause it to stay on proper for long and it suites the spring so well that I can't stop wearing it which also explains why it's half empty already. Love it!

Another thing I can't get enough of this spring is my Labello Lip Butter Vanilla & Macadamia. It smells yummy, it gives the lips a nice glossy touch and it makes my lips irresistible soft. What can you ask more from a lip butter?

Now to my last beauty favourite the Batiste Dry Shampoo Floral and Fruity Blush. Let's admit that we all have those days when showering is one of the things we really don't want to do and then suddenly you have to appear somewhere and your hair looks a bit greasy. For that problem there are some products out there promising nice and fresh washed looking hair but when sprayed on you decide to go shower straight away since it feels like something is clinging to your scalp. With this dry shampoo it's really easy to have a lazy hair wash day! When applied it doesn't look like your head is completely sprinkled with icing sugar, it smells good although you should really not inhale at any rate and it takes out the grease without giving you a funky feeling on the scalp. Yay to lazy hair days then!

Fashion Favs

This spring it is all about the bling! And finally you can find wonderful compositions in the stores lately when it comes to statement necklaces and earrings. Last year the colours were mostly neon-coloured but since they evolved into pastel I am totally up for it! With jewelry like this you enhance every outfit and give it the right touch. I bought the necklace, the turquoise-, peach-coloured earrings and the wonderful crested ring at Bijou Brigitte and the blue earrings at Six.

I hope you were inspired to get your bling on and hope you enjoy the spring with its moody weather and slowly approaching summer in broad outline. What is your beauty spring fav this year? Is there something you can't go without when it comes to fashion pieces this season?

Have a lot of fun and I hope to see you next time!

Yours,

Kate

How to Get Fit for Summer

Hello Ladies and Lads!

This winter came and went so quick yet in my case left a trail of eating orgies throughout the holiday season. Since I am not one of the lucky girls that can eat whatever they want and not be affected by it I started my summer fit workout. Plus I got really sluggish due to the lack of sports which made me feel really uncomfortable lately. For those of you that share the same fate are welcome to join in. Today I will talk about the measures I take to get in shape mentally and physically for the summer especially getting motivated to a workout which seems the hardest part of all.

1) Set realistic objectives

We are all dreamers in some parts but when it comes to setting goals it's super important to set realistic ones. If you are curvy like I am there is no chance you will look like a Miranda Cure in a Bikini. You have to find a measure and weight you feel the best with. It's not about being skinny it's about being fit or achieving the goals you set. Also feeling comfortable with yourself and accepting your body the way it is supporting it the best you can. So it's not about the looks more about the feeling that you gain of your body during this time which gives you a lot of power for the upcoming season.

2) Find the form of sport that suites you

I for one love to go to the gym using the training tools being pushed by the other people working out until the sweat drops from their foreheads and the possibility to workout no matter what weather it is. Others might love to be outside a lot so they should probably try jogging or nordic walking. For those that don't like training alone how about joining a volleyball or soccer group. If you don't want to leave the house you can always buy yourself a workout mat and weights and workout like that. It's about giving yourself the chance of overcoming stress and feeling great with your body after doing sports. It's well known that it helps getting over stress whilst at the same time releasing serotonin which makes you feel great.

3) Getting started – Motivation

As I said before how do you overcome your weaker self best is for my part the hardest thing. If you can't find the drive on your own grab a friend and start a sport with him. You will push each other to train until you find your own motivation due the process of developing your own sport self. If you can't find a friend to join look at point 2). Find something that is so much fun to do that it motivates you itself. But sometimes even when I joined the gym how to you urge yourself to go there regularly? For me it always helps to think of days in the week which I keep free for doing sports. After making space for working out how do you kick your ass to do it when the day pops up. It works the best for me to slip into my sportswear which I bought looking awesome and feeling comfortable and put on some workout music that wakens my drive to move myself. Here is a list of music mostly house music with a pushing beat to make you want to move.

Professional Griefers - Deadmau5

Out Of My Mind (Original Mix) – Bingo Players

AYO (Hardway Remix) – Hyper Crush

Like Home (Dannic Remix) – Nicky Romero& Nervo

When I See You (Alesso Mix) – Arty

Get Loose (Tiësto Remix) – Showtek & Noisecontrollers

#SELFIE – The Chainsmokers

The Night Out (A-Trek Remix) – Martin Solveig

This Time (Klaas Remix) – Dj Antoine

Dear Friends (Original Mix) – Rush West

Get Up (Rattle) (Vocal Extended Mix) – Bingo Players feat. Far East Movement

4) Allow yourself to eat

I am not a big fan of diets and such. In my opinion it's important to listen to your body. If you can't hear your body it's essential to develop a sense for your needs. But it's important to differ needs from longings. If you see a bowl of chips you might think your body “needs” it because you are craving to eat them. But it's just the longing of enjoying the taste. Yet if you think about fatty food all the time and really long for it it's probably your body communicating with you. And this is the point where you can stop yourself eating food that is not good for you. You want to eat fat because you need okay. But start being creative. Instead of unhealthy fat like chips try nuts. They taste delicious satisfy your need and are greatly healthy. There might be voices saying that they have a lot of fat but a Harvard study showed that eating nuts is linked to a longer and healthier life so forget the chips and go nuts. 

Not only nuts are good for you. As a healthy snack try some vegetables and fruits!

Also you should allow yourself to eat whatever you want at one day of the week. With that you overcome the urge to eat something just because you can't during the time of the diet. Another thing improving your healthy quality with nutrition is cutting down on alcohol and drinking enough water, tea or whatever calorie low beverage you like. I personally don't drink any sodas no matter with or without sugar. Some people drink their calories of the day which is quite shocking in my opinion. I prefer eating things to keep me stuffed for the longest time. And Soda without sugar is suspicious in my opinion. So I keep my hands away from that. If you can't just let go of your sugar beverages limit them to a healthy amount.

5) Reward yourself

So you got into a gym, started working out and already feel good? Great. But how do you keep it coming now that you achieved something. Easy. Reward yourself. If you wanted to loose weight and you managed buy yourself something nice to wear. If you just wanted to feel healthier how about going out with your friends as a reward. Or invest in nice sport clothing. But don't overdue the rewarding because it can loose its effect.

6) Regularity and endurance

The last point is the most important one in my opinion. You wont achieve any great goals in short time. Stick with your plans. It's about stamina when you are confronted with setbacks and failure. Also the feeling of being able to achieve something with your own force is an ability that when gained helps you with all situations in life.

In that sense I hope you could gain some strive to do some sports for your health and have a great time welcoming the spring! What are your best ways to motivate yourself? What are your favourit songs to workout to?

I hope to see you here next time and hoped you enjoyed reading my blog!

Yours Kate

Orange! - The Colour of Spring/Summer 2014

Hello ladies and lads!

Yes, I admit I was lazy, but here I am back with great products that all scream "spring is coming!" so hold on tight and take a colourful ride with me! 

First off, I had a big haircut. I decided to go short this spring since it's -the- haircut of the year considering most beauty magazines. It's quite an overcoming but now I love it. All in all it's easy to handle and gives you a cheeky touch. So from that to the actual topic, orange! I am so glad to have found so much awesome products to celebrate the advent of spring with a huge shot of colour. This is my momentary favourite makeup look with hints of orange.

The products I used to create that look are following:

Eyes: As concealer I used the NYX HD Concealer in the shade 02, for the lashes I used the Catrice Glamour Doll Volume Mascara and the eyeshadow that was applied is the well known Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette.

Cheeks: To get just a hint of colour which goes perfect with orange tones I used the Rockateur Blush from Benefit.

Perfume: Well you can obviously not smell it, but since it's orange/coral and a beautiful smell I thought it would be nice to present it to you. I am talking about the perfume Eve by Jil Sander. The fruity accents are grapefruit flower and currant. The heart of the perfume is jasmine, rose and violet. The base note is created by cashmere wood and patchouli. In my opinion it's independent yet fresh and sweet at the same time. Just try it out!

Just the products that were listed above.

So what are the best lipsticks now for picking up this trend? I have a small assortment for you guys from keen to expensive. Plus a matching nail polish by Essie.

First off the keen product. This lipstick is a lighter tone by Manhattan. It is the X-Treme Last & Shine Lipstick in the colour 33N. I combined it with the Catrice Longlasting Lip Pencil - Reach the Peach. Last is unfortunately not the perfect match yet I am struggling to find a lip pencil suiting the light orange tone. Nevertheless they go well together. I am wearing both it in the first picture. With that lip stick I put on the Essie tart deco nail lacquer. I love the pastel orange colour it gives my nails! Here are all the products I just talked about:

Next up is a more expensive lipstick which is a favourite in my lipstick collection. The MAC Morange!

The texture is creamy and it covers up your lips perfectly and lasts long. It's a little glarier in real life so just try it out and look if it suits your skin colour. But this tone should suit very light skin types as well as dark ones due to the orange slightly reddish tinge. In the last post I already talked about the NYX Lipliner Pencil in the colour Pumpkin and I think it matches this orange well too. A nail lacquer now suiting the darker orange is the Essie - meet me at sunset. 

If you don't want to spend around 19 Euros on a lipstick there is a colour dupe of the MAC Morange from the same brand as the lighter orange tone. It's the Manhattan Perfect Creamy & Care Lipstick in the Colour 34N.

All the mentioned products from above in a picture together:

For those of you that want a direct comparison between the lipsticks and the lip pencils here are all of the tones together in the same light.

From top to bottom: Manhattan 33N, Catrice Reach the Peach, Manhattan 34N, NYX Pumpkin and MAC Morange.

So Ladies spread the colour! Call in the spring and have fun testing some of the products! Which are your favourite orange lipsticks? Have you tried any of these?

I hope you had fun reading my blog! Until next time,

Yours Kate