Review : the Rimmel 5 in 1 nail treat

Hello !

I love painting my nails. In fact, I never go without nail polish, because for some strange reason it makes me feel like I'm naked. So to prevent my nails from being in bad health, I pay great attention to the base that I use before I put the colour on.

And as I'm quite happy with the base/top coat I'm using at the moment, I thought it could be useful to speak a little about it !

This nail treatment is supposed to be 5 in 1, protecting your nails from the polish when applied as a base, and making it last longer (and be more shiny) when you add it as a top coat.

I always go for two-in-one nail products to use as a base and a top coat, it is much more practical (and less expensive, let's be honest !) than having different products all over the place. I was a bit sceptical about the actual efficiency the product would provide though, but now that I've been using it for a while I can safely say that I wasn't disappointed !

As a base, this treatment really does a good job. It dries quickly, makes your nails all shiny and pretty, and protects your nails from the colours of the nail polishes. I've never had yellowy/dry nails since I've been using it.

As a top coat, it gives a very shiny finish to any nail polish. And again, it dries very quickly so you don't have to wait for ages before being able to touch something ! I really saw a difference about this, when comparing with my former top coat (it was a L'Oreal one, but I can't remember its name). Concerning the lasting power, it is quite good, although the polish tends to fade on the tips of the nails after a few days (which I guess happens with any nail polish and any top coat when you think about it, because it is the most exposed area of the nail with which we keep touching things all the time etc.).

So to sum everything up, I would recommend you to try this nail treatment, it is very good for its price - I don't actually remember how much I paid for it but it's Rimmel, so not really expensive. It does its job very well and spares you from buying two different products ! I'll be buying it again when it runs out, but for now it seems to last a while, I use it every week, sometimes twice a week, and I've had it for some months, yet it is still half full !

Julia xx

The Christmas tag !

Hello everybody !

I really really wanted to make the Christmas tag, because I love this time of year so much I thought it would be fun to answer those questions.

So without further rambling, here it is !

1/ What is your favourite Christmas film ?

My favourite Christmas film has to be Love Actually ! not very original I know, but I absolutely love it. A bunch of great actors, funny characters, cool music... I always end up watching it ten times during this time of year, and I almost know the words by heart !

*I feel it in my fingers, I feel it in my toes* - *feel it in my toeeees*...

2/ What is your favourite festive colour ?

I really love gold and silver shades at Christmas, especially when it features loads of glitter. It just gives everything a festive look, and this is exactly what we need at Christmas - a happy atmosphere, lights, glitter !

3/ Do you open your gifts on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning ?

Well, I do both ! We have this tradition in the family, as we all spend Christmas Eve at my grandma's, we open some presents at midnight on the 24th - or 25th, depending on how you see it haha. Then after a good night of sleep when we're back home, we open the last bits in the morning !

4/ What is your favourite Christmas fragrance ?

I don't have a particular fragrance for winter - to speak the truth, I've been wearing Flower by Kenzo during all autumn-winter time, which is slightly inappropriate as this perfume basically smells like sweet spring flowers haha !

But this week and probably for the rest of winter, I'll be using the J'adore by Dior, it has a very nice scent and looks perfect for fancy end-of-year evenings to me !

5/ What is your favourite Christmas scent ?

I love spicy Christmas scents, like cinnamon and berries together - this is a quite popular scent for winter candles.

Also, I'm using a very nice candle at the moment, it's called "Frosted Snow" - it is quite fresh and smells of Christmas tree... Perfect !

6/ What is your favourite holiday drink ?

Well, as many people I guess, my favourite Christmas drink is... hot chocolate ! I could have some at any time : in the morning, in the afternoon while procrastinating on the Internet, in the evening while watching a Christmas film... To be honest, hot chocolate is the ultimate drink for me all year round haha !

7/ Candy canes or gingerbread men ?

I'm not fond of either... But I'll go with candy canes, because they are really pretty and practical at the same time : when you no longer need them for decoration, you can just eat them and lose no space in storing them somewhere !

But I must say gingerbread men are also really cute... tough question !

8/ What is your favourite Christmas song ?

It's so difficult to choose just one ! But I would say "all I want for Christmas is you", by Mariah Carey. The Love Actually version is also quite good though. And I love "baby it's cold outside", "White Christmas"... sooo many good Christmas songs !

But here is "all I want for Christmas is you", yay !

9/ Have you ever made a snowman ?

I have of course ! but I'm so bad at this, and I've only made small ones because I can't gather snow to make huge balls - I don't even know how people do that !

But a tiny snowman is a cute snowman anyway isn't it ?

10/ What is the most important thing to you about Christmas ?

The most important thing for me is to be happy. So not particularly being with your family - I know for most people Christmas means family time, and that's what it is for me, but not everybody feels the same -, but the main thing is to enjoy yourself, eat what you like (don't think about gaining weight, who cares !), laugh and have a great time, that's all !

And of course put lights everywhere : candles, garland lights, anything. To me Christmas is also a celebration of light - it's winter, it's dark, we want to light this up a bit and make it more festive and warm ! :)

***

I wish you all a merry Christmas - and if you don't celebrate Christmas, I wish you a good day anyway, cheers ! ;)

Julia xx

Christmas outfit inspiration #2

I'm back with a new outfit inspiration !

This time I went less cosy and more dressy. I decided to stick to a light colours and glitter theme, because all you need for Christmas is softness and sparkles. Isn't it ?

I first found this gorgeous Topshop dress, and then found some accessories to go with it. This outfit is very different from the first one, and would probably suit in a more dressed up Christmas party.

Or if you just want to be all fancy waiting for Santa, that's good too !

1. Rhinestone headwrap, Forever 21 (£5.65). Perfect to match the stones of the dress, and add a little bit of cuteness to your outfit ! You can click on this link to find more about it.

2. Clutch bag with front lock and bar, Asos (£18.00). The gold detailing is really pretty, and the size of this bag is the best to carry your stuff around. For the link to the website, click here !

3. Cross embellished skater dress, Topshop (£55.00). I know this dress is a bit expensive, but considering it was originally £85.00, it can be interesting nonetheless. And it was too beautiful for me not to mention it ! Here it the webpage of the dress.

4. Short cream blazer, H&M (£16.00). This blazer is so cheap and looks perfect with the dress ! You can find it right there !

5. Black embellished shoes, New Look (£29.99). These shoes complete the outfit very nicely, I particularly love the embellishments on the front, just like on the dress ! You can find them on the New Look website.

That's it for the second Christmas outfit !

It is really classic when you think about it, but pale pink and cream are so lovely at all times, even for Christmas - it changes from the usual red and gold shades we can find everywhere ! I hope you like this selection, and that it can maybe inspire you in choosing your outfit.

Julia xx

Christmas outfit inspiration #1

Hello there !

Oops, I'm only starting to get Christmassy on here, although I've been in the Christmas mood for a while already. But exams are messing up my entire schedule, and I have little time to hang on Blogger.

But anyway, I'm here today to share a bit of Christmas outfit inspiration with you. The D-day is in less than two weeks, so it's about time to think about what to wear !

I've decided to do a few different outfits, with different styles ; and I'm starting with a very cosy one today.

You'll find all the links above if there is one item that you fancy - it's still time for a bit of Christmas shopping !

1. Knitted black hat, H&M (9.95 €). The pompom is so cute ! However, I couldn't find the UK link on the H&M website.

2. Black reindeer Light Up Christmas Jumper, New Look (£29.99). It is so cool, the reindeer's nose lights up when you move or when you touch it ! My mother bought it for herself, and I'm probably going to steal it someday ! You can find it here.

3. Red and White Snowflake Leggings, New Look (£9.99). These leggings are so cheap, and totally suitable for the season ! They have loads of tiny white reindeer on them, and I think it matches the jumper perfectly. Here is the link to the website !

4. Black Lace Up Boots, New Look (£29.99). These ones are perfect to complete the look, and the detail of the knit is what makes it interesting I think. You can have a closer look at it by clicking right here !

So you see, this is a very comfy outfit, all knitted and casual, for a family Christmas spent in eating loads of chocolate and yummy food !

I'll see you soon for a different type of outfit !

Julia xx

Review : Baby Lips by Maybelline

Hello !

Today I'm going to make a quick review of a product that everybody knows (and probably has bought) by now, the Baby Lips lipbalm by Maybelline.

We've all heard a lot about this, which is a bit surprising because it's only a lipbalm after all. But since so many people seemed to like it, I thought I was missing something so I bought one the other day.

I chose the "Cherry Me" one, which is a bright pink-almost red shade. I thought if I picked the brightest shade, it would me more efficient for the "tinted lipbalm" effect. 

The colour is gorgeous and seems very pigmented, which is a great point. I have to say that the smell is quite strong, sweet and fruity ; and along with the packaging it kind of looks like some makeup I used when I was 10. But that's not really important after all, is it ?

When you first apply the product on your lips, the colour doesn't really show. You have to keep applying it until your lips are finally tinted, which is a bit annoying because you find yourself with a lot of product on the lips in the end. 

I've read quite a few reviews saying that the colour is really good and that it shows well etc., and I must say I was disappointed about that when I finally got to try it. Of course, I didn't expect the colour to be as bright as a lipstick's, but I thought it would still be a more opaque colour. And, as you'll see from the picture of the swatch above, it is a glossy pink shade and nothing more. 

I don't know if it may be because my lips are quite rosy and pigmented naturally so it doesn't allow the colour to really show, but this is something that disappointed me a bit. But then, it's still a pretty pink tone and it'll be perfect for when I just want a natural look on my lips but without wearing nothing at all .

For the moisturising effect, nobody really expected an amazing result I guess. If you want a very moisturising lipbalm, drugstore ones aren't generally the best and you should try pharmarcy brands maybe - the Rêve de Miel lipbalm by Nuxe is the best I've ever tried, for example.

So the Baby Lips doesn't have a great moisturising power. It feels comfortable on the lips when you apply it, but after some time it fades and doesn't leave any moisture at all. You have to reapply it quite often if you want to keep it on for the day. 

But I guess the main thing about the Baby Lips in the colour and the lipgloss effect it has. So in the end, it is a good product for when you don't want to bother with a sophisticated makeup. 

Julia xx

Autumn/winter selection : outdoors clothing

Hello everybody !

Today I'm going to do a selection of clothes from different shops and online shopping website, to pick up my favourite outdoors clothing. It is that time of the year when we definitely have to think about getting a coat, a scarf and some gloves, before we freeze just by putting a toe outside ! I already got myself a coat from H&M (and for some reason it does not appear on the website), but maybe some of you haven't found yours yet ; so I hope this selection will help you find what you want !

First we'll start by the coats. It's the most important element obviously, and also (unfortunately) the most expensive. I've tried to select a few that seem really good and pretty, but not too expensive because I don't know about you, but I wouldn't pay hundreds for one single item, never.

The first coat (or rather jacket here) is by H&M. It is quite unusual and not everybody will like it, but I thought it was original and pretty - and I don't usually like fur so that is something for me !

It looks quite chic and I think would go with everything, with a skirt paired with a nice floaty shirt, or with leggings and a simple top, with a nice dress, etc. It looks so fluffy and warm !

You can find this jacket here, and it is £34.99.

The next one is also from H&M, but in a totally different style. It is a kaki green parka. These are very fashionable at the moment, they were so last year, and it can put you off to see everyone in the streets wearing them (that's the only reason why I didn't by one haha). But nevertheless they are really pretty and go with everything, so I chose to include one here.

Also, the faux fur collar is very nice and would kinda do the job of a scarf, don't you think ?

The link to the website is right here, and again this item is not very pricey : £39.99 !

I've got a different style of coat now, but still in a kaki tone (but with bits of black too). It is a kind of military style coat from Boohoo. It is very structured, with a belt and a lot of silver buttons. It love the details of the black collars and the black bottom part of it. It is somehow lady-like !

 

This one is a bit more expensive that the other two, but it looks like it's great quality so I guess it's still fine : £50.00, and you can find it here ! 

Now I've selected another coat, but definitely more expensive than the ones before. I've decided to include it because it's so pretty and I know a lot of people would like it even though it's price can be somehow exaggerated. It comes from Asos, and it is a skater coat !

How adorable is that ? For a skater skirts lover like me, this looks like heaven ! but unfortunately, I couldn't pay so much for a coat. It is available in navy, black and red and has buttons all the way up to the neck. 

It is £70.00 - which is a lot, but I couldn't ignore it ! - and you can find it here if you like !

Now, on to the fun part : the accessories ! And I've selected a lot from Asos actually, so there you go !

First I've chosen a snood, because everybody seems to love them and to think they are very practical and cosy etc. I've never had one so I can't really tell, but if you like snoods, this one seems quite good to me :

It is a big burgundy snood. It is kind of a chunk knit and should be really warm for the colder months. And of course its colour goes with pretty much everything, it is a staple item I guess.
It is £12.00, you can learn more about it on this page !

Now, I've got the cutest ensemble of accessories to show you. They are again from Asos, and maybe some people wouldn't like them, but I think they are amazing !

 

They are matching reindeer gloves and beanie ! 

Well not exactly matching because the colours are slightly different, but who cares when they are so adorable ?

They are sold separately, but would make a great pair to wear this winter. Combined with a red coat, this would make the cutest outdoors look ever. 

If you're interested, check this link for the beanie (£12.00) and this one for the gloves (which are £10.00).  

***

I'm afraid this selection won't be as long and complete as the other ones I've done, but I don't have time enough to make further research for now. And I'll soon come back with a (or several) Christmas selection, so there will be more of these winter accessories anyway !

Julia xx

Lush birthday haul

Hey there !

Since it was my birthday on the 25th of October, I received some Lush products (all of my friends know that I'm a huge Lush fan !). I thought I would share them with you, and give my thoughts on the items that I've already tested. Let's go !

I'll start by my favourite items, the bath products !

I've got the Sunnyside bubble bar, which I can't wait to use - I looove glitter ! And it smells really good, a bit like lemon and orange and fresh citrus fruits like that. 

Also I have the Shoot for the stars ballistic. First, the name is really cute ! and the smell is amazing, it actually smells like the "Honey I washed the kids" soap, a.k.a. my favourite Lush scent ever. And it is a big ballistic, you could use it in two or three baths if you cut it.

I have two more more bath products, from the Hello Gorgeous present box.

The huge white and pink thing is the Comforter bubble bar. Again if you buy this you'll get a good use out of it, it is so big that you would probably have it for quite a while ! and it smells delicious.

The pretty pink ballistic with flowers on it is called Think Pink. Although I'm repeating myself a lot there, it smells very good and can be divided in two for more use. A thing that may be a bit annoying is that the flowers keep falling and I lose it everywhere, but it won't matter anymore when it's melting in the bath !

Then, as you can see from the picture above, I've got the Vanilla Dee-lite body lotion. It is a very light product and actually doesn't smell of vanilla, it is more flowery and somehow reminds me a bit of lilac (which is my favourite flower, yay !). It is not very moisturising though, so for autumn-winter I would not use it all the time as a real moisturiser.

Speaking of moisturiser, a sample of the Gorgeous face cream came in the box. It is a very good moisturiser and does a great job. The smell this time is not really my cup of tea, it smells of orange blossom so it is quite strong - but other people may like it. It is nonetheless a good product and I'll still use it at night to moisturise my skin before bed !

Last but not least, a shower product : the Rub rub rub shower scrub. 

 

First of all, can we talk about the colour of this ? I love it ! It is so fun to use. One more time, the smell is quite strong and reminds me of lemon and citrus fruits. It has sea salt in it to exfoliate the skin, and it is very good - not too gentle but not too strong either. You can also use it as a simple shower gel, that's what I've been doing since I got it.

So that's all for my Lush birthday haul ! I really enjoy these products and I'm kind of using them all at the same time haha. 

And now that the Christmas collection is out, I think I'm gonna buy some new stuff soon... I can't fight against Lush, unfortunately !

Julia xx

The Autumn Tag

Hello there !

I haven't made an article for ages... it feels weird ! but I had so many things to do these past few months, with busy holidays, a new year at uni (with a lot more work than I thought I would have !)... so I have to admit I didn't think about writing on my blog so much. But now that everything's kinda settled with university and that I've taken back a regular working rhythm, I'm finally coming back on here ! I really missed it.

I'm starting with a tag that I really wanted to make ; the Autumn tag ! I love this season, so I was more than happy to answer questions about it.

Hope you'll enjoy !

1/ Favourite thing about autumn ?

I guess my favourite thing about autumn is the whole cosy atmosphere that comes with it. It gets colder, so we drink hot beverages, we put on warm jumpers and scarves, we really appreciate time spent casually in bed... Autumn is the perfect time for relaxing and enjoying cosy moments !

2/ Favourite drink ?

I love any hot drink, at any time of the year. But in autumn I tend to drink more hot chocolate and tea, casually lying in front of the TV watching movies or reading books. It may sound a bit cliché but I don't caaare.

3/ Favourite scent/candle ?

My go-to scent for candles, especially at this time - almost winter but not Christmas yet - is vanilla or anything sugary like that. Actually, at this very moment a vanilla candle in burning on my bookshelf ;)

4/ Favourite lipstick ?

I don't have a favourite lipstick that I can think of right now, but any dark shade of red would do it - for example I have "dark side" by Mac, which I love wearing at this time of year and throughout all the autumn/winter months.

5/ Go-to moisturiser ?

As I've said a few times before, my moisturiser is the Crème Prodigieuse by Nuxe. I really love it and it will be my saviour in the months to come I'm sure !

6/ Go-to colours for the eyes ?

I don't really apply eyeshadows on my eyes anymore, I've become too lazy so I just have eyeliner everyday haha. But if I had to choose some colours to do a makeup right now, I would go for deep browns on the corners of the eyes and nude/pearly colours on the lead, to add some light these days when we don't have any around us ! (wow that was beautifully said don't you think ?)

7/ Favourite band/singer to listen to ?

I'm very picky when it comes to music. I'm not a fan of many bands or singers, I'm not a concerts girl... music isn't really my favourite thing, weirdly enough. I like it, but you'll never see me with earphones stuck to my ears all the time. When I want to be cosy and relaxed (that's what autumn is all about for me !), I listen to some Chopin's nocturnes. To fit in this tag brilliantly, here is what I'm currently listening to :

But for more contemporary music, I love sticking to my favourites all the time, so Ed Sheeran, Pink, Queen or Maroon 5. I also really love Bruno Mars at the moment !

8/ Favourite outfit to wear ?

My favourite outfit has to be a pretty dress, preferably with a cute collar and a cute print (hearts, animals) or loads of lace, with warm tights and boots. Not very original, but it works all the time !

9/ Autumn treat ?

My autumn treat has to be chocolate, in every possible form. Mostly as a hot drink of course, but also in cakes or in bars like Mars and Snickers, or in traditional tablets. Can't wait for Christmas chocolate to be in the shops !

10/ Favourite place to be ?

Probably at home, casually watching movies or wasting my time on the Internet haha. And if I had to choose a place outdoors, it would be anywhere in Paris where there are old monuments and museums. There is nothing better than hanging out in the beautiful streets of the city before getting a hot drink in a coffee somewhere !

That's all for this tag ! I really loved it, the questions are so nice and could make anyone love autumn. Don't you think so ?

I'll come back soon with a beauty-related video, so stay around !

Julia xx

Out in Paris : the Rodin Museum

As I live not far from Paris and go there very often, I thought it would be interesting to blog sometimes about the things I do and see there. Today I'm going show you the Rodin Museum, where I went a few weeks ago.

In this museum, opened in 1916, are exposed Auguste Rodin's sculptures. The museum is the former Biron Hotel and its garden. The place has an amazing atmosphere, it looks antique and grand but cosy at the same time, because it is a quite small house (I mean, smaller than a castle or something like that).

I really liked the garden, because it was very calm and silent, and it was cut in different areas with different atmospheres - English garden with roses (where the famous "Le Penseur" is located), fountain area, forest-like area with trees everywhere, a more chill area with benches and sand for children to play with - and all around they added some of the sculptures.

 

 (Sorry for the luminosity, the weather wasn't very good !)

Here is a view of the hotel from the back part of the garden :

(Yep there's a butt in this picture, but I couldn't manage it any other way and it's part of a statue so it's okay)

Then you could go on and visit the hotel. Unfortunately, some rooms were closed because of renovation, but you still had access to numerous rooms and could see loads of sculptures and, sometimes, paintings.

This one is so beautiful. It is called "buste de jeune fille". Sorry for the reflection of the light but the sculpture was in a glass protection box.

I really like this one. You may have recognised the famous writer Victor Hugo !

Another one that really caught my eye : "le baiser de l'ange" (the angel's kiss).

I could go on forever and show you every sculpture I fell in love with, but this article would never end. Instead I'll just show you a view of the gardens from a window of the house :

Isn't this so pretty and peaceful ? 

If you come to Paris one day, I would definitely recommend you to do a big museums tour, because a lot of them are worth visiting. And this one is part of the list !

If you're interested, here is the link to the website of the museum : Musée Rodin.

 

Julia xx

Wishlist : August '13

Hello everyone !

As it is summertime, I've been posting less regularly these past few weeks. I'm enjoying the sun as much as possible, because we didn't get the chance to have a good weather before.

That's why my August wishlist is a bit late ! I've stopped doing wishlists every month, because surprisingly I don't always have special things I want to buy, and these months I couldn't think of items to include in a wishlist. But this month I do have some things I would love to buy so I put them all together in here.

 

1. La Riche Directions semi-permanent hair dye, in the colour "flamingo pink". I'd like to try a pink ombre !

2. Models own nail polish, in not any particular shade. I'll just see what colour attracts me the most ! 5.99 € at Monoprix (here in France).

3. The Match Perfection concealer by Rimmel, around 8€.

4. Misumi black tile print skater dress, New Look, £17.99. The pattern looks amazing !

5. The Fault In Our Stars, by John Green. Everybody seems to love this book so I'm getting more and more curious about it !

That's all for this month. Hopefully I'll get to try all these bits soon !

Julia xx

The Bourgeois Magic Nail Polish Remover

Even though I love nail polish, it always bothers me to take it off. It takes ages, the nail polish remover smells awful, and when you have glitter on you can spend hours to remove it completely... It is a real chore. 

So when I heard about this new nail polish remover, I thought I needed to get it because it seemed a lot easier to deal with than the average liquid nail polish remover.

Most people probably know how this works ! The inside looks like this :

The product is in it, and you just have to put your finger in the mousse thing, twist it a little bit, and the nail polish's gone ! It is quite quick (but definitely not one second as they claim on the pot) and works really well. If you're wearing glittery nail polish, you just have to wait a little longer, but it takes it off as well.

What I also like about this is the smell : it really smells of red fruit and vanilla ! At first you have that strong smell of typical nail polish remover, but then it fades and there is this sweet smell, it's amazing.

And also your nails and the tip of your fingers are nourished because of the almond oil, which again is amazing. 

This is the most perfect nail polish remover ever ! It just makes everything easier when it comes to taking off nail polish. I'll definitely buy it again soon !

Julia xx

What I watched : Miss Austen Regrets

As you may already know if you've read some of my random non-beauty related articles, I'm a big Jane Austen fan. I love her novels and the person herself, and I'm sure we would have been great friends if I had known her (and lived in the same era, of course) !

A few days ago I bought the DVD of the movie Miss Austen Regrets. I couldn't find it anywhere before but I was lucky enough to get it finally ! and I watched it as soon as I could. And I loved it !

The movie is based on the letters Jane Austen sent to her sister Cassandra during her lifetime. It shows the well-known English writer, in her early forties (not long before her death, at the age of 41). As her beloved niece Fanny Knight comes to ask her questions about a boy she met, Jane remembers her own past.

She never married, but in this movie we get to know some of her relationships, or let's say love interests. I won't go too in depth about those, because the film is really worth watching. Olivia Williams, who plays Jane, is great. I particularly love how they put forward Jane's personality, showing that she was a very witty, funny and modern woman in her way of thinking. I noticed that in some scenes, I could relate to her, even though we are definitely not the same age and not living in the same era ! And that's probably why she has been so successful and so much loved (and still is), we all have something of Jane Austen in us ;)

Now that I've seen the movie, it makes me want to read all the letters that we have left from her. Let's see if I can find that !

Julia xx

Nivea Aqua Effect refreshing cleansing gel, a skin saviour

Long title for a product that's worth the try !

The Refreshing Cleansing gel by Nivea, from the Aqua Effect range, really helped my skin to look better. I bought it about two weeks ago and the difference is already here. Actually I saw a difference after three to four days of use only, and I was so amazed because I've never experienced anything like that, with any face product, ever. 

I tend to have a lot of breakouts but only on my forehead (my oily skin doesn't help), and it really upsets me because I had to hide all this with concealer all the time, and I needed more time to put my makeup on than when I don't have a lot of spots... I clean my face every morning, and after I took off my makeup, but it was still annoying and didn't stop the breakouts. 

But one day I wanted to try a new cleanser and picked this Nivea one because it seemed to be okay. I didn't do a research about it before and I had never heard of it, but at that point I thought any cleanser would "do the job" on my skin. Yes, I was kind of desperate !

(Sorry for the mess in the background !)

I used this cleanser every morning and evening, and it took me only a few days to notice a huge difference on my skin. It was clearer, cleaner, and literally all my spots disappeared. I haven't had a breakout since I started using it. I still have two or three little spots from time to time but they are really tiny and I only need some powder foundation to hide them. And the best thing is that in two days, they totally fade !

I'm in love with this cleanser. It is for normal to combination skin, but even though mine is more on the oily side, it is still really effective and didn't cause any bad consequences. 

If you have the same kind of skin problems as me, you should definitely try this cleanser, it is amazing !

If you want more info about the product, this is the link to its web page : click here !

Julia xx

Fashion selection : the Aztec trend

Hello !

Today I decided to take a closer look at a trend that's everywhere at the moment, in every shop and on every girl in the streets : the Aztec trend.

Aztec print is a kind of geometrical pattern which has been on trend for some time already. Whether it be black and white, multicoloured or neon, I think it is perfect for summer, when the sun is shining and you want to feel like you're on holiday.

You must have seen it everywhere too, it is a great trend for this summer, and actually looks quite cool and casual on a tank top, paired with shorts and little sandals. An average summer outfit, it is. I've made a selection of Aztec printed items from two different shops. I love to do these kind of selections because it makes the hours I spend on online websites more relevant ! Yeah because I could be wasting my whole afternoon scrolling on several websites, staring at clothes I'll never be able to buy... but if I share with you some of the things I find interesting, it means that I actually have a goal when doing this website checking haha. Anyway too much ramble, let's start the selection !

First is one of my favourite shops, New Look ! I found quite a few Aztec items on there, because the website has so much on that it's quite easy to find interesting pieces !

This one is a pair of light denim boyfriend shorts, with a faded white Aztec print on it. I guess this will not be to everyone's taste because the boyfriend look is kind of a love or hate trend, but I think for summer these shorts would be so easy to style and to wear for hanging around or even to go to the beach if you don't want to go out with only your bikini on.

These shorts are £19.99, and you can find them here.

Then I chose two dresses. The first one is a pretty skater dress with a cut out at the back. It is black and dusty pink, and seems to fit the top part of your body very well. The cut out detail is really cute and the design is so cool, you could wear that dress to go out if you dress it up a little bit.

It is £19.99, and the link to it is right here !

The second dress is a midi dress ! This is the type of dress that I find amazing on other people but that I would not wear myself, don't think it would flatter my figure. And it's a pity because I think this is a gorgeous shape ! this dress is black, blue, pink and beige, with an Aztec print all over. It is beautiful, very summery, and cheap ! What else ?

The dress is £16.99, and you can find it on the New Look website here.

Now on to the tops ! I've got two, still from New Look (no, I'm not getting paid by the shop to promote their clothes, I promise !). The first one is a crop top. Crop tops are a major trend at the moment, for summer, and they are really cool. With high-waisted shorts or skirts, they look amazing ! This one has got black, white, pink, blue and green Aztec patterns on it. It is short-sleeved, very simple, but I guess it would look great with a black high-waisted midi skirt or something like that.

It is only £9.99 on this link.

The other top that I chose is a bit different from the rest of the things I showed you, but I really love it, I think it's quite special. It is a light grey vest top with a metallic Aztec print on it. It seems to be all shiny ! And I think it would look great on a night out, with a skirt or black shorts and heels. Have a look by yourself :

I. need. it. Unfortunately, I haven't found it in my local New Look and it makes me sad... But I'm not giving up on this !

It is £14.99 and can be found here !

Second and last shop of the selection, H&M ! I've found two bags, they are of different styles but both perfectly on the Aztec trend.

The first one is a black and white pouch bag, with a fake leather shoudler strap. As it's black and white, it goes with everything and could be worn with any outfit. 

It is only £14.99 though it seems to be good quality ! find it that way !

The second bag and last item of this selection is a little messenger bag, very cute ! It is light brown with a peach, blue, pink and black Aztec print. It looks smart and trendy at the same time I think ! It is smaller than the first bag, and must be handy just to go out in town.

The bag is also £14.99, here is the link to it.

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That is all for my Aztec selection ! I do apologize though because I've picked items from two shops only, but that's because I've chose only products that I really like, and I couldn't find anything interesting in other websites, although I checked a few. Hopefully my next selection will include more shops than this one ;)

Julia xx

Beauty : my all time favourites

Hello people !

Today I'm going to share my beauty favourites. As I don't try enough products every months to make monthly favourites, I decided that it would be good to share the products that I particularly love and that I still will be using for a while.

The first product is skincare : it's the Crème Prodigieuse by Nuxe for normal to combination skin.

I got this cream in a Christmas box and at first I was afraid to use it as I have oily skin, but I decided to give it a go anyway. And I'm glad I did !

First of all, the cream smells delicious. The texture is not too watery nor too thick. It moisturises the skin, but without leaving an oily feeling when you've applied it. I use it as my daily moisturiser since maybe January and I still have a lot in it. I really recommend it, Nuxe are said to make really good skincare products and that one proves it to be true !

Another Nuxe product that I cannot live without is the Rêve de Miel lipbalm.

I made a review about it a few months ago, saying how good this balm was. I repurchased it last month and I'll probably be using it non stop from now on.

It is very moisturising and recommended if your lips are really chapped. The texture is thick and smells of honey. The best lipbalm I've ever tried !

Next is a Lush product ! I've tried a few of their face cleansers, but I always go back to this one (and I'm definitely purchasing it again soon) : the Aqua Marina.

 (I'm not putting a picture of mine, because it's empty haha, I've filled the box with bubble bath things !)

This cleanser is amazing. It smells reaaally good (it may not be to everybody's taste but I love it !), very fresh and "natural" etc. The texture is a bit unusual, a pinky cream with seaweed on it. The seaweed can be difficult to handle in the beginning but you get used to it. It works like most of the other Lush face cleansers : you take a little amount of product in your hand, pour some water on it to make it melt a little and then wash your face with it. When you're done, you face looks so clean and pretty. The only thing is that it leaves some areas of your skin quite dry (if you naturally have dry patches sometimes), but that's the only thing I noticed.  Anyways, this product is perfect for daily use, to clean your face in the morning and then in the evening after you've taken off your makeup.

The next product is a statement one. It is so famous that I won't talk about it much, everybody knows (and probably has) it. It is the Naked Palette, by Urban Decay. Here it is, without the brush because I've stored it elsewhere :

Do I really need to explain why this palette is fantastic ? The colours are perfect, either for everyday wear or for a going out/party makeup, the eyeshadows are very pigmented, they last very long (I don't even use a primer anymore and they still stay all day on my eyes)... And 12 eyeshadows for about 45€ (even though I paid a little less when I bought it, which was two years ago) is quite a good deal !
This palette will last me a very long time, this is the only real palette I own and it is definitely enough for now ! I love using it, the colours suit my skintone perfectly and I like them better than the ones of the Naked 2 Palette. Love that !


Another eye product in my favourites, a mascara this time. I've had the chance to try this as a sample, which was sent to me after I asked for it online (thanks to a website offer). And now I use it all the time and I'm really considering buying it when I run out of it because it's so good ! It's the Le Volume mascara by Chanel. It looks like this :

 

I'm really happy that I got to try it because it's amazing. I love the brush, it curls your lashes very well and makes the mascara easy to use. Your eyelashes look longer, more voluminous, but not dramatic either. I've had it for about two months and I've been using it non stop ! I just fell in love with it. 

The last face product of my favourites is a lipstick I've already talked about, but I love it so much that I have to add it to my list. It is the l'Oréal Caresse lipstick in "dating coral".

As I've already swatched it and talked about it in a previous article, I'll just add that it's one of my favourite lipsticks, the colour is wonderful and goes with every makeup. When I don't want to put a lot of colour on my lips, I go for it because even though it's a coral, it has a nice glossy finish that makes it look fresh and simple. Maybe I'll try other colours of this range, because this one is so good !

My last all time favourites product is a nail polish. Even though I love nail polishes to death, I don't tend to have one or several favourites in terms of colour, because it changes all the time depending on my mood. But there is one nail polish that I love all the time, that I could wear any day, and which is maybe my favourite colour ; it is the 529 Graphite by Chanel. 

You can see how much I love it by the so little amount of product that is left here ! I've never finished a bottle of nail polish before, I will be so sad when I finish this one... And I'm not sure about buying it again because of the price and because even though the colour is wonderful, it doesn't stay really long on the nails.

In spite of the negative "technical" aspects of it, it will stay on my favourites forever just because of its colour. It looks beautiful and shiny in the bottle, and it's even greater on the nails. Have you ever seen real graphite ? well that's what inspired the nail polish, and I think they did a good job.

Aren't they the same ?

 

 

So this colour looks great on the nails and I love wearing it. Favourite colour ever. Thanks Chanel, you're way too expensive but you did right with this one !

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So I'm done with my all time favourites. I would recommend those products to everybody, they worked out great on me so I hope it does the same for everyone else !

Julia xx