Category Archives: BEAUTY

Getting radiant skin is not something that can be achieved by only smudging things on the outside, but it sure helps. I have never had super complicated skin, until I used a tonic cleanser that caused a severe allergic reaction that seriously looked – and felt – like I had burning marks. At first I thought it was my day cream and so I threw out that 80 euro costing jar that I got as a gift and cursed the gifter.

After a few weeks of giving my skin some well deserved rest and using a hormone cream (which you do not want to use unless you really have to, it damages your skin to the max!), I started using a bit of make-up again and got the same allergic reaction. I quickly figured it was my tonic, instead of that day cream.

After going through that whole process twice, I decided I would never randomly put something on my face ever again and so I went back to my old trusted goodie goodies, which I now officially declare my holy grail of skincare.

I first got introduced to Origins about a year ago in New York during Fashion Week, when I went for a quick facial pitstop in between shows. Ever since then I became a huge (read: huge!) fan of their VitaZing™ SPF 15 Energy-Boosting Moisturizer. “Slip it on first thing tomorrow – you’ll look like you eat right, sleep tight & don’t
have a worry in sight”, says the description of the product on their website and that is exactly what it does.

For an extra bit of ‘shine’, I put a tiny little of Guerlain Terracotta Summer in the City Poudre Éclat Metal Attrape Soleil (yes, that is a mouth full) on my nasal bone, in the inner corners of my eyes and right above my upper lip. This might sound super weird, but with the right amount it looks super fresh.

Before I go to bed, I wash everything off with Origins A Perfect World™ Antioxidant Cleanser with White Tea and their Age Defense Treatment Lotion with White Tea. Some Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturizer, et voilà! My skin never felt or looked as healthy as it does now.

Tags: - make-up, guerlain, kiehls, origins, skincare

Titia is one of those girls that does not need a lot of make-up to look gorgeous. I got to know her while I was renting an office desk at The Collector, where she works as a executive fashion editor. She regularly pops in the office without wearing any make-up and still manages to somehow magically glow. Time to figure out her beauty ritual.

Your morning ritual?
After my shower I clean my face with milk, because it then feels like I have to use less day cream. First I apply Centella Recovery Skin-Salve from Kiehl’s and then REN Hydra-Calm Global Protection Day Cream. During summer I always add something with high SPF. Now that I have my lash extensions, that is about it. Not having to put mascara on in the morning and taking it off at night is just festive! Other favorites are everything that I once bought in bulk from Dior and Carmex, which smells like hell but it is the best thing for dry lips.

Your last beauty purchase?
Sephora Express Nail Polish Remover, which is the best beauty invention ever! I used to use up to 300 cotton balls and still have stains left on my fingers, but this is my solution.

Make-up look in one word?
Natural, I do not use a lot. From day to night I add mascara and sometimes eyeliner and my signature lipstick, which is Ariane Inden 1022.

Favorite perfume?
Tom Ford Black.

The ultimate product that still does not exist, would be…
Those lashes are already a true invention to me, however I would love something that makes depilating my eyebrows an easy task.

Anything you wish you would dare to try, but you never did?
Most of the time I just do it.

What about your hair?
Just like Anna I wash it once a week. Oh, and I get a haircut probably once a year! Sometimes I wish I had curls. But washing your hair once a week is probably also my biggest beauty tip. Your hair has to get used to it in the beginning, but will feel healthier than ever after.

Biggest beauty failure?
I once dyed my hair blonde, but it came out pretty yellowish. Also, the light in my bathroom is super bad and I used to just randomly smudge my foundation on my face and walk out the door without looking in a decent mirror first. Very regularly I found myself in the bathroom of a restaurant or café frightened by my reflection. Sometimes I can also tell by the look on my boyfriends face that I applied too much.

PREVIOUS BEAUTY CONVERSATIONS
Anna from NSMBL.

Tags: beauty talk, the collector, titia cortlever

After getting an extreme allergic reaction (see here and here) from a day cream I randomly put on my face to prevent it from getting dry in the cold weather, I have been super very careful to say the least. It looked like eczema and felt like burn marks. My skin has always been really easy, it can handle just about anything, but I am never ever smudging any randomness on it ever again.

Now it is probably just one ingredient that I am allergic to and I do not know which one it is (those tests to learn which ingredients one can handle and which not are horrible!), but I will stick to the stuff that I have used before. Never again! Current favorites are these.

Ultra Facial Moisturizer, Kiehl’s; Ceramide Moisturizer, Mario Badescu.

Tags: kiehls, mario ba

As I said before, after a full Fashion Week season a ‘closet full of clothes, nothing to wear’ syndrome is inevitable. It usually takes me hours of staring at all the clothes hanging in my closet and creating a pile of at least twenty pieces on the floor before I find something that ok enough to feel a slight bit of satisfaction. More often than not I end up in black head to toe, since that seems to be my answer to not seeing the wood for the trees, wardrobe wise.

In one of my previous posts I mentioned that this time, right after Paris I found a cure for the nasty syndrome. It was time for a huge – read: humongously huge – closet clear out, accompanied by a friend and take away sushi.

Shoes got sorted, jeans literally flew out and things that did not fit me properly got prepared for a new destination to end up with just one rack – jeans, shorts and trousers not included – of things that will actually get to see some daylight every now and then.

Same goes for hair by the way. This season I saw so many cool looks backstage – like the Todd Lynn one during London Fashion Week created by TONI&GUY, which was classic with a twist. Or the sleek Valentino braid. It all makes me think of my own hair being a bit boring sometimes.

Plus, a ‘new’ wardrobe would not be a new wardrobe without a new hairdo and I am not talking about a complete new look or a crazy new color. Sometimes I just want to change up my signature centre parted messy hair a bit and when I do so, I go Obi-Wan Kenobi, kind of.

I used TONI&GUY heat protection mist before blowdrying my hair, then their sculpting powder in my roots for some volume (this product is a dream for my normally super flat hair). After that I add the sea salt texturing spray for some texture before I roughly mess up everything and tie a tiny knot. To finish it off and to keep that knot in place for a day I use their flexible hold hairspray.

Sweater, Sophie Hulme (via Young British Designers).

Tags: toni&guy

From left to right; 212 Peach Opulence, 309 Plum Splendor, 506 Emerald Decadence.

From top to bottom; Hypnôse Drama, Definicils High Definition, Hypnôse Doll Lashes.

I said it once I will say it once more, I am in no way a make-up expert, but that does not mean I do not like to play around with it. Experimenting though often leads to an enormous faux pas, very regularly do I see pictures of myself trying to sport something that is supposed to look like a smokey eye…just some dark eyeshadow smudged around my eyes like I let my little nephew do the trick.

Having that said, it should come as no surprise that I have a weak spot for make-up that comes with a step by step guide on how to apply without looking ridiculous.

Lancôme just recently launched new Color Design 5 Pan Palettes (filled with base color, a color for the lids, one for the creases, a highlighter and liner, make-up for dummies). Now some of you might have read I am currently dealing with a hefty allergic reaction to a daycream I used, but as soon as my skin calms down, I am going to try and see how these palettes work out for me…which would you pick?

Tags: eyeshadow, lancôme, mascara