Quick post: Ellis Faas makeup tutorial

Are you already bored with makeup tutorials that seem to be the same (except in terms of colour)?
Do you want to try something new with your makeup, but you still haven't figured out what?

I think you guys will appreciate this video "tutorial" by Ellis Faas, directed by Thalia de Jong:

<3
M.

TAG: Liebster Award

Thank you very much Alice for nominating me!

For those of you that have not heard of the Liebster award, it is an award given to bloggers from other bloggers. It's a great way to answer some of your questions, as well as discovering new blogs!

Here are the rules:

1. You must link back to the person who nominated you.

2. You must answer the 11 questions given by the person who nominated you.

3. You pick 11 nominees with under 200 followers to answer your questions.

4. You cannot nominate the person who nominated you.

5. You must tell the nominees that they have been nominated by you.

These are the questions Alice gave me:

 1. Why did you start your blog?

I've always loved writing, and as I'm an addict to blogs, I was in love with the idea.

I knew I wasn't doing anything innovative, but as long as one person would benefit from my ramblings, I was happy to do it.

2. What is your favourite foundation?

I think my most loved foundation is NARS Sheer Glow, and I've been matched to both Montblanc (which I think was the best shade for me) and Ceylan. 

However, on a daily basis I'm not a huge fan of foundations, and I just like to use some concealer, or a tinted moisturizer like Garnier's BB Cream (in Light - a firm favourite of mine!)

3. Who is your favourite designer?

I have to admit I don't know too much about fashion. I love following fashion blogs, but I'd rather spend my money on makeup than on extremely expensive clothes. I'm a huge advocate of Zara, H&M, Mango... and lots of accessories! <3 

4. What are your hobbies outside of blogging?

I really love photography and editing videos (I've made a couple, if you want to check them out... here's the link.) However, the thing I enjoy the most in the world is reading (I'll post a list of my favourite reads soon!) and obsessing over TV series (Game of Thrones, Orange is The New Black, PLL... etc. <3)

5. What are your favourite shoes?

My most loved shoes are my leather brown sandals, because they go with absolutely everything! However, my favourite would be a pair of black sandals from Zara that are extremely uncomfortable to walk around with, because they have no platform, but so so pretty to look at! 

6. What is your dream job?

Well, I'm studying Tourism and Business at uni, so my goal is to work as a hotel manager. I'd also love to work as an event planner, because it's a very creative career route! 

7. What part of blogging do you enjoy the most?

I think the part I enjoy the most is knowing people find useful my posts, and also the comments! I love reading your opinions and getting to know people in general. 

8. Makeup you couldn't live without?

I'm extremely obsessed with lipsticks, which might surprise my readers because I mostly post about nail polish, which I also love. I have +50 lipsticks, which might not seem that much to some bloggers out there, but I know my friends and family think I'm insane for spending that much on makeup! 

9. Favourite item that you own?

I think my most beloved item is my rose gold cross ring, because it's a gift from a loved one! (Pictured below.) If we're talking clothes, then my black leather moto jacket from Mango, because it fits in my definition of perfection. <3 

(Makeup-wise, I just can't pick one!)

10. Who are your favourite bloggers?

That's a very difficult question to answer, because I think I love all of the blogs I follow, each for a different reason. I'd like to say these are my top 10, because I get really happy and excited when I see they've posted something:

1. xoVain
2. Milkteef
3. Gary Pepper
4. The Glossy
5. Man Repeller
6. Because I'm addicted
7. Into The Gloss
8. Back East Blonde
9. Byrdie.com
10. The Other Juliette

11. Who is your style inspiration?

I think my biggest inspirations are bloggers such as Yara Michels from This Chick's Got Style, because she usually wears basics and likes accessorizing her outfits. But I think most of my inspiration comes from people I know, and pictures I really adore on Pinterest! 

From my list of blogs I follow and love, I chose the following nominees:

Olatz from Russian Red Geek 

Moira from Litratista

Jennie from Oh This is Awkward

Stefanie from Ispysj

Lily from Sea Spray

Lauren from Tales about Nails

Rema from The Burgundy Book

Amy from BlogRince

Jess from Obsess with Jess

Victoria from Victoria's Makeup Secrets

Zoë from Zoe Badley

And these are the questions I'd love to see them answer:

1. What hobbies do you have, besides blogging? (copying this one from you, Alice!)
2. Where do you come from? Tell us about a tradition you celebrate!
3. How would you describe your clothing style? (ex: bohemian, etc.)
4. How and where do you see yourself in 5 years?
5. Which is your most beloved item and why? 
6. What is your staple makeup look?
7. Do you have any tattoos or piercings?
8. If you had to pick, which 5 items would you take with you to a dessert island? (Survival items not included!)
9. Pick 1 book, 1 TV series and 1 film you love! 
10. Who are your top 10 blogs/bloggers?
11. List 5 places you want to visit.

Quick post: NOTD

GLITTER OMBRÉ

As a lover of black + white when it comes to my wardrobe essentials, I always need to up my game in the nail department. I love bright nail polishes, metallics, glitters... and every once in a while, a white (which makes even the palest gals like me look TAN, and it's sun-free!!) 

During one of my intense pinning nights, I noticed how many glitter ombré combos I had on my Nails board! I've seen these in a great variety of colours, but because the spring is just around the corner, I decided to go for pastels, but even a white nail would look beautiful in this kind of ombré. So I decided to give the trend a try, because it seemed fairly easy to replicate...

and I'm a sucker for easy + pretty! 

Inspiration:

Click on the images to go to the pin!

I'm lusting after this one in special 

<3

My version of the trend:

I went for a mint base, like the one in the second inspiration picture!

In the picture it looks messier than it does in real life, because not all of the glitter is shining back into the lens due to the indirect lighting. (My bad) It took me literally 8 minutes to do this on all of my fingers, which is quite a nice mark for the polished effect it gives!

To achieve this, I used these products:

1) 1 coat of Mavala Super Base 

(I love this stuff <3 it makes my nail polish stick to the nail like no other!)

2) 1 thick coat of Essie Mint Candy Apple (all over the nail)

3) Dab on each nail bed some glitter polish (I used Essie Hors D'Oeuvres) and then 

take away excess from the brush and extend the glitter a bit with it, 

to create the ombré effect. 

4) Last, but not least, wait 30 seconds (to avoid dragging!) and use your topcoat of choice 

(Mine is Seche Vite, although I'm looking for another one to replace it 

because it's WAY too gloopy, very possibly Mavala's Mavadry*...)

*Any recommendations? Please comment below!

Do you like NOTD's? What kind of nail trend are you into for spring?

<3 

M.

Review: theBalm Mary Lou Manizer

I'm like a magpie, I like shiny things, which is why I love highlighters. Another reason to love them is that they can truly transform your face, from dull to goddess status in just under a minute.

Previously, I used the Jemma Kidd Dewy Glow All Over Radiance (quite a mouthful!) in Rose Gold, which I really liked, but not loved, because it was quite patchy. But over all, I'd give it an 8/10. 

However, I decided to try a new highlighter I'd heard lots of rave reviews about: 

theBalm Mary Lou Manizer

The packaging is a plastic compact with a big mirror inside, with a very cute and vintage-y feeling on the outside. It's quite a handy packaging, because it's light but doesn't lack product: 8.5 g (or) 0.3 OZ

It's a very pigmented powder highlighter, that is champagne-gold in colour. In comparison to the Jemma Kidd All Over Radiance in Rose Gold, this is a lighter gold, meanwhile Jemma Kidd's* was more bronze, which means that this looks really nice on all sorts of complexions year-round and Jemma Kidd's did look a bit off in pale complexions (like mine) in the middle of the winter.

(*Jemma Kidd's makeup line is not available anymore, 

but you can still find their products on some websites)

The texture is soft and buttery for a powder, which means that you don't HAVE to use a brush with this, and your fingers will be enough to apply this when you're in a rush. 

This things is crazily pigmented, because I barely touched it and I was left with a lot of gold shimmer on the tips of my fingers.  Another positive aspect about this: you barely need any product to highlight your face, which means this will last you a very long time.

You can use it on: your cupid's bow (upper lip), under your brows, on the top of your cheeks, the inner corners of your eyes, down your nose... Or even, use it like a normal eyeshadow if that's your thing. 

Price: I bought mine for 20.80€ (=28$) from FeelUnique, but in the official US website of theBalm it's 24$ (=17.5€) So you guys from the US will buy it at a lower price (as it happens with most products anyway...)

In terms of price per product, I don't have another powder highlighter to compare it to at the moment, but I highly recommend you to buy it, because as I've said before, the product you need is minimal to achieve beautiful results.

Final score: 10/10

<3

M.

Quick post: NOTD

BARE + NAIL ART

I've been hearing that nail art over bare nails is becoming a trend, so I had to try it! I saw a picture on Pinterest that looked simple and unique (my favourite combination of words when it comes to nail art!)

Inspiration

My version of the trend

Products I used: Mavala Super Base, KIKO black nail polish (using Topshop Dotting Tool), 

Seche Vite top coat

Can I just say how minimalist and low maintenance this is? Chip-prone nail art is the worst!

Other [bare + nail art] that you might like!

(via Pinterest)

(Geometric nail art, done by me)

(by Meg from Lipssofacto)

(Heart nail art, by me) - it can look like chipped nail polish from a distance though! 

<3

M.

DIY Custom Charger

If you're living with someone else, you might know the feeling of not knowing where your charger is anymore, or who might have it (if you live with more than one roommate or your family).

The issue occurred to me yesterday, when I couldn't find my charger, and as my brother usually takes it without even asking, I had to make-do with a 15% battery for the whole day. It isn't a tragedy, I knowwww... but I hate when people take my things without asking! Later, he told me he thought it was his... "but, dude... it was in my room!!!" Whatever. (I don't even say the word dude that often.)

So... this happened: I had to paint something on my charger so he and I knew both which was each. And this is my brilliant (not) idea, painting it with nail polish. But it's gold glitter, come on! <3

I used OPI's Goldeneye, which is one of my favourite gold polishes. 

But, you can mix colours, like... coral, mint, orange... Go crazy!!! 

Maybe, if you're amazingly talented, you can even do proper nail art on it, 

like... drawing flowers on it. (Just an idea.)

I know most of you won't see any sense in painting your charger, and that's fine (actually, it's normal.) But I do hope it can make your life a little easier (like it's making mine!)

<3

M.

Quick post: NOTD

MATTE + GLITTER

(Sorry for the slight mess on the middle + ring finger)

Polishes I used: Mavala Super Base*, OPI Alpine Snow [except on the ring finger], L'Oréal Matte Topcoat, Essie On A Silver Platter [only ring finger, no topcoat].

The Mavala Super Base is a recent purchase, and I'm in love with it! It's thin and makes the nail polish stick perfectly to the nails. Definitely recommend it!

<3