A little something from MAC

So a couple of weeks ago I got a coupon for MAC and there were some things on my list that I needed. First and foremost I went there to get a foundation pump for my Clinique Superbalanced Foundation and I was considering getting a highlighter. While there I stumbled across this lipstick and I think it is safe to say after YEARS of looking for the perfect deep, neither blue or orange toned red...I finally found it!! At the MAC Counter they had put it on Display as kind of a re-release. It is the Original MAC Viva Glam number 1. It is the most beautiful red lipstick I ever came across and I think this one is universal, meaning it fits all skintones, haircolors, eyecolors...everything. It almost has a brown-ish undertone and I absolutely love it. Ever since I purchase it I've been wearing it almost all the time. It lasts superlong and has a matte finish which is what I prefer in lipsticks. Another nice thing is the fact that all the money that I paid for the lipstick goes directly into MAC's very own HIV fund. AMAZING! The other thing I purchase was the Mineralize Skinfinish in "Soft & Gentle" which is of their permanent collection and I wore this every single day since I bought it. I love the finish it gives, like that dewy glow. I think this one will work fine whether I am tanned or pale. Even though at 27€ this was rather pricey I already know it will take me years to get through this as you only need sooo little when applying it. I also think it has amazing staying power, after an entire day of work it is still visible and barely vanished which is very good in highlighters. While I do love my Benefit "Sunglow" (more in the summer though) I do think that it doesn't last on my cheeks nearly as long as the MAC highlighter does. So again, kudos to MAC for making awesome products!

What highlighters do you use?

The Cure...

...? I think before I start into this post I really have to give a huge shoutout to my former roommate in Sweden, May Ingvild, who is a worshipper of the Korres brand and basically introduced me to it. Don't get me wrong, I've known about this brand before but I always found it to be rather pricey to just "try out" stuff. Last winter May gifted me a Body Set from Korres and I totally loved it. About 1 1/2 months ago I came across this brand at my local drugstore, Müller, and I don't really know why but for some reason I was drawn to their hair shampoo section. I kinda liked that their shampoos did not contain silicones which I find to be quite damaging to the hair plus the worst ingredient when you have greasy hair...and I have very greasy hair! So I ended up buying their shampoo for oily hair which contains liquorice and urtica and I am ABSOLUTELY HOOKED! Out of all the tons of shampoos against greasy hair that I've tried, this has got to be the best damn thing I put on my scalp so far. I mean let's keep it real, I still can't go 3 days without washing my hair but when I wash it Monday morning I can easily go through the entire Tuesday and my hair doesn't look like an oily mess. Before, my hair was only nice on the day I washed it and the day after it already looked kinda gross and dirty. Now with this shampoo, my hair still has some texture to it and doesn't look greasy on the second day which for me is a MAJOR WIN! The instructions on the bottle say to shampoo your hair twice. So first I will just put this on my roots, especially around my face where I get oily very quickly, then I rinse and the second time I really lather it up and wash it down my ends...magic! I do recommend though to use some sort of hair oil for your ends or some conditioner because it doesn't leave your hair feeling super smooth, but that is exactly why it works! I just put my Macadamia Nut Hair oil or some coconut oil spray into my split ends and thats about it and then I shortly blowdry my roots and that's it :-) I really recommend this shampoo even though it is not cheap...

What do you use for your hair? And have you tried the Korres brand before?

xx, V

Tea-licious

For all the tea lovers out there I might just found the best damn thing in the world..5 Cups and some sugar. It's a website where you can mix your own tea and the end result comes in cute packages like above, made from recycled paper. So you're doing something good for yourself and the environment...yayyy to that. The company ships to the entire EU but also mentions on their website (which is in german) that they could ship to other countries if required. When the weather gets colder outside, Tea is always a must for me. Plus, I try to find ways to cut back on my excessive coffee consumption so this website kind of is a godsend..and who doesn't like to customize stuff themselves?! I sure do. So for now I made 3 mixtures of tea of my own:

• Vacation in a Cup (u can name the tea yourself!): contains Rooibus Superior, exotic fruits mix, coconut, hibiscus, apple and rose petals....yummy!
• Autumn Deluxe: contains White tea, fennel, orange zest, cinnamon, sage, cranberry and cactus flower
• Autumn: contains Honeybush tea, liquorice, apple, jasmine, sweet cumin

I think these teas also make supercute presents! Check it out :-)

xx, V

Red Alert!

Last week I showed you my favourite nude nail polished, this week I show you my favourite reds that I wear year round. Typically if I am not wearing nude, I very likely will wear red on my nails as I find it superclassy and it goes along with all my clothes and adds a pop of color:

ESSIE "Fifht Avenue" has been the first Essie nailpolish I ever purchased and it may very well be my favourite out of all I own. It is a very bright, opaque red with an orange undertone which is why - for me - it is THE color for summer. Nonetheless I wear this all year as I just love how it pops against my clothes but also because it looks good on my skin color. This one is definitely an eyecatcher. On the plus side, this one is basically opqaue in just one coat, for my liking I always wear 2 coats anyways. Drying time is great also! A job well done Essie :)

Deborah Lippmann "Supermodel" was designed in collaboration with supermodel (duh!) Dree Hemingway and I am absolutely obsessed with this one. It is a jelly finish meaning it will never be opaque but lets your natural nail line shine through. Nonetheless it is absolutely gorgeous and the finish makes the color even brighter than it is. This is definitely the best red nail polish in terms of color I came across so far. The application and drying time is superb, the only MAJOR let down of this one is that it chips way too easily. A very good topcoat is an absolute must or this polish comes off withing hours. I know that this is a turn-off to a lot of people and I never wear it longer than 1-2 days but the color and finish is just too gorgeous for me not to wear it. I am thinking of purchasing the infamous Seche Vite fast drying topcoat and I hope with this one Supermodel lasts longer.

ESSIE "Wicked" is another very famous color by this line and for me it's the perfect autumn/winter red. It is very rich and dark up to the point that it almost looks black when in darker rooms which is why this one reminds me of Chanel's "Rouge noir". I think this color is super sexy but in an elegant way. It goes on perfectly in 2 coats and drys in a normal fashion. The only thing I highly recommend with this one is base coat as it can stain your nails plus it can get a bit messy when removing it. But that's all worth it because there is a reason why this is such a popular Essie nailpolish.

What are your favourite red nailpolishes? Any recommendation?

xx, V

The Naked Nails

If you know me then you probably know I am a sucker for neutral, nude nails. Since I have what I consider "baby nails" - meaning they're supertiny and short - I love the effect nude nailpolish gives me as it elongates and most importantly enlarges my natural nails. Plus, it always goes along perfectly with everything I wear and whatever make up I put on my face. So I though I share with you my beloved nude nail polishes that I regularly switch between:

Manhattan "Sparkly Nude" is a very pale, almost withe-ish nude with veeery fine golden shimmer which is only noticeable in the sunlight. I like this one for the mere fact that it is a bit more "in your face" than my other nude nailpolished given that it is so light but bold in color. It takes me 2 coats to make it look nice which is what I commonly put on anyways and the only downside to this one is the rather long drying time which is why this one I wear the least out of my four faves!

Ciaté "Cookies and Cream" is my absolute favourite nail polish. This is pure nude perfection. I wear this basically all the time and it makes my nails look healthy and perfectly manicured which is exactly what I want to achieve when I put the effort into painting my nails. This one goes on very sheer at first coat so the first time I applied this I was almost shocked and feared I would have to layer up to 5 coats to get this opaque. But this is not the case. At the second coat this already gets a very good color pay off and for perfection I always apply 3 coats. The positive thing is that this one dries super fast and also lasts very long. LOVE!!

O.P.I. "Samoan Sands" is just as the name already reaveals a nice sand colored nude. I love to wear this when I have a tan which is why one can rarely see it on my nails during winter time. Nonetheless this is a majorly gorgeous color that I can highly recommend. I typically wear 2-3 coats of this, depending on how opaque I want this to be as the formula of this polish is very thin. Drying time I would say is pretty good as well, so is lasting time. I hope OPI never discontinues this one!

Sally Hansen "Choco Latte" is the darkest nude in my collection but not less gorgeous. I wear this one year round and it is one of my favourites out of my huuuge nail polish collection. It dries superfast, is opaque at only 2 coats and stays on forever. I put this one whenever I feel like wearing nude but wanting more of a contrast to my skin color. I think it looks so chic and classy.

Which one's are your favourite nude nail polished?

xx, V

KIKO: A review

So a couple of weeks I discovered we actually have a KIKO store in Vienna. I first heard about KIKO through my Glossybox when I was given a trial size lipgloss which I really loved as it was not sticky at all and actually really nourishing. So I went into the store and was beyond overwhelmed by the range of colors they have of everything and the fact that their stuff is actually really affordable. However I held back pretty well and only bought stuff I actually needed cuz I ran out of it...sort ot :-D

First of I bought these Peeling wipes. I am a huge sucker for facial wipes as they make taking makeup off - especially after a night out - easy and quick. And I really liked the extra gimmick of them having on side that contains beads to peel my skin...however, a gimmick that's all it is. I wish I had read some online reviews beforehand because these wipes are horrible! The peeling side is waaaaayyy to harsh, my face was all red after using them and for about a week my facial skin felt like leather...not funny! So now I just use them as peeling wipes for my feet but I definitely do NOT recommend these.

Next I bought an eyebrow wax pencil. This one I loooove! It really keeps my brows in place without giving them the unnatural sheen that gels often leave nor does it look "flaky" at the end of the day. After my brow gel was out I really wanted to get my hands on brow wax and this one is impeccable, easy to handle and most importantly super affordable.

Next up was the Lip repair Night balm which is supposed to be applied before going to bed. I am addicted to this stuff now. Guys, this leaves you with soft lips in the morning that have the touch of baby skin...INSANE! No matter how chipped my lips would be, I am pretty sure this repairs them in just one night. I use this religiously every night. And I don't really need much lip balm throughout the day anymore. WIN WIN for me.

Next up is the Next Generation Serum that is supposed to moisturize the skin, keep the pores clean and most importantly for me, reduce the appearance of dark spots caused by either the sun or in my case, acne. So far it does a good job though it's not sweeping me off my feet...I think the best serum in this department is still Kiehl's Clearly Corrective dark spot solution, however it is much more pricey so I think I'll just stick with this one and wait longer for my spots to go away...

Finally, I bought a dupe for the infamous Beauty Blender and I am honestly obsessed. I just paid 2€ for this and I think I will never go back to applying my foundation with brushes...EVER! This sponge is just magical. My skin looks airbrushed and the application also makes me feel like having a face massage. Totally worth it and I can only recommend this. Out of everything I bought from KIKO, this one definitely swept me off my feet!!!

What about you guys? Have you ever purchased anything from KIKO and if so, can u recommend it?

xx, V

An old flame...

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Lately I've been totally obsessing over a nailpolish that's been in my collection forever. I still remember when Lauren Conrad posted a picture on her Blog talking about her love for a similar green polish and basically the next day I went out to purchase the next best thing: ESSIE Sew Psyched. And I never looked back. However, within the last months I've been totally neglecting this polish, kinda considering it way to dull a color. However, last week I decided to give it another try and boy did I do this color injustice! Maybe it's because I was too pale earlier that I always skipped this one (even though it was part of a winter collection) but now that I have a tan I think this is THE perfect color. Plus it goes on so smoothly. I could probably get away with one coat with this one but out of habit I always use 2 coats and they dry relatively quickly too. With my tanned skin this color always reminds me of the jungle. The 2nd pic doesn't do it justice as it has a too strong blue undertone. It is much more of a muted, greyish green in real life. Much more like the first pic. Nonetheless, I am absolutely in love with this right now and it's a nice colorful getaway from my usual bright red or nude nail colors. What are u wearing on your nails right now?

In letzter Zeit bin ich total besessen von einem Nagellack der sich doch schon relativ lang in meiner Sammlung befindet. Ich kann mich noch genau erinnern dass ich vor einer halben Ewigkeit auf Lauren Conrad's Blog einen Post über ihren grünen Lieblingslack gesehen habe und praktisch am nächsten Tag bin ich losgezogen und habe mir die nächstbeste Farbe besorgt: ESSIE Sew Psyched. Und ich habe nie mehr zurückgesehen. Trotzdem habe ich die Farbe in den letzten Monaten total vernachlässigt und fand die Farbe lange Zeit nicht mehr passend. Der Lack gefiel mir einfach nicht mehr. Letzte Woche habe ich ihm dann jedoch wieder eine Chance gegeben und seitdem bin ich total verrückt nach Sew Psyched. Vielleicht liegts auch einfach daran dass ich schon seit Ewigkeiten keine richtige Sommerbräune mehr hatte und den Lack auf blasser Haut nicht mag obwohl er Teil einer Winterkollektion war. Mit meiner derzeitigen Sommerbräune liebe ich die Farbe einfach und sie erinnert mich an den Jungle. Außerdem lässt sich der Lack supereinfach auftragen und deckt mehr oder minder sogar schon in einer Schicht und die Trockenzeit kann sich auch sehen lassen! Das 2. Bild hier tut dem Lack eigentlich nicht Recht da er in Realität weniger Blaustich hat und vielmehr einen grauen Unterton besitzt, ähnlich dem ersten Bild. Jedenfalls bin ich total verliebt in diese Farbe und seh sie als nette Abwechslung zu meinen typischerweise knallroten oder Nude Farben. Was trägt ihr so im Moment auf euren Nägeln?

xx, V

Review: AOK Blemish Balm

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Today I will give you a review on a product I've been using for a while now. It's the AOK Blemish Balm 5 in 1 tinted moisturizer. Since it's getting warmer outside and my skin is behaving pretty well right now, I don't feel like wearing foundation everyday. Even though my Clinique Even Better has a really natural finish I am still longing for something lighter. So I was superthrilled when this one came with my Glossybox. So this product claims to give you radiant skin and be suitable to all skin types. It also says to have 5 effects that make your skin look perfect :

• Even out imperfections
• Tighten up your skin
• Moisturizes skin
• Radiant Teint
• Fight impurities

So I tested this product for about 3 weeks now even though I am usually very cautious when it comes to Blemish Balms since so far I tried 2 (Maybelline & L'Oreal) and I did not like them at all. This BB cream is definitely a lot better. I do think that it gives good coverage for being just a tinted moisturizer. It definitely evens out my skin. Though, if you have bigger blemishes, you either use real foundation or work a lot with concealer because this won't cover them! I also think this product feels really nice on my skin and definitely moisturizes it. Nonetheless, I do think it does not have enough staying power compared to my foundation. I do get oily quicker and therefore always have to have blotting papers with me or otherwise I look like I have put my face in oil! Another issue I have with this one is that it claims to be for light skin tones, yet this shade is wayyy to dark for me and I am even having a slight tan right now! They only have this BB cream in 2 shades and I have the light one. So I really have to say if you're pale, stay away from this. I always had to use this on my neck and chest as well or else you would have been able to tell I am wearing makeup! Overall, I definitely think its a good product if you have a slightly tanned or medium skintone and I would say normal to combination skin without major blemishes. Any BB creme you guys can recommend?

Heute mal ein Review zum Blemish Balm von AOK. Das Produkt kam mit meiner letzten Glossybox und ich hatte die Möglichkeit es nun über 3 Wochen zu testen. Da es draußen wärmer wird und meine Haut im Moment sehr brav ist was Unreinheiten betrifft, ist es mir nämlich lieber nicht jeden Tag dickes Makeup aufzutragen. Das produkt behauptet einen strahlenden Teint zu verleihen und für alle Hauttypen passend zu sein. Zudem hat es eine 5 in 1 Wirkung:

• Kaschiert
• Strafft sichtbar
• Spendet Feuchtigkeit
• Makelloses Hautbild
• Strahlender Teint

Ich muss an dieser Stelle sagen dass ich persönlich finde das Punkt 1,4 und 5 eigentlich zu einer Wirkung zusammengefasst werden können aber gut, da war die AOK Marketingabteilung wohl anderer Meinung. Nun zur Wirkung. Grundsätzlich bin ich gegenüber BB Cremes sehr skeptisch da die 2 bisher getesten (Maybelling & L'Oreal) absolut schrecklich auf meiner Haut waren. Diese BB Creme ist definitiv besser. Sie gibt leichte bis mittlere Deckkraft, solltet ihr fiese Unreinheiten haben dann würde ich euch empfehlen gleich zu echter Foundation zu greifen oder mit Concealer zu arbeiten. Die BB Creme fühlt sich auch sehr gut auf der Haut an, so als würde man gar nichts tragen. Großer Pluspunkt! Spendet auch gut Feuchtigkeit. Dennoch ist die Haltbarkeit nicht so gut wie bei Foundation, wenn auch besser als bei den 2 anderen BB Cremes die ich bisher getestet hab (Maybelline war in der Hinsicht ne Katastrophe!). Ich muss definitiv öfter nachpudern. Das eigentliche Problem mit diesem Produkt ist der Farbton! AOK hat 2 Nuancen und ich benutze die für hellere Hauttypen und obwohl ich leicht gebräunt bin mittlerweile, ist diese hier immer noch viel zu dunkel für mich. Würde ich das Produkt nicht regelmäßig auch auf Hals und Dekoltee auftragen würde sogar ein blinder erkennen dass ich Makeup trage, was ja nun wirklich nicht der Sinn der Sache ist! Alles in allem würde ich das Produkt empfehlen wenn ihr normale bis maximal Mischhaut habt und einen leicht gebräunten bis mittleren Hautton. Andernfalls denke ich dass das Produkt nicht passt! Welche BB Creme könnt ihr empfehlen?

xx, V

Review: Anti Blemish Solutions

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In recent weeks I have suffered a really severe acne breakout. My second one in 2 years after the one had over Xmas. Since I ran out of my daily cleanser and I felt like my moisturizer didn't help anything I decided to go out and look for something to get rid of my ugly skin. At Åhlèns department store, theu had a Clinique skincare day with travel packaged sized skincare sets on sale. So it kind of was a no-brainer for me to try out their blemish solutions 3-step skin care system. So here's my review on each of the products and how I think of the system in general:

STEP 1: Cleansing foam. I really do like this foam. I only need around 1 pump to clean my entire skin and it does give my skin a fresh feeling after using it. In additon it feels really gentle and also not drying. However, on going-out weekends where I use heavier foundation, tons of powder, etc. I do feel like I have to cleanse my skin twice just to make sure to get of all make-up and dirt. What I do not like about this is the very (!) clinical smell!
STEP 2: Clarifying lotion. This is a toner that also contains a powder that helps mattifying and healing spots and therefore this product needs to be shaked before using it. I am generally very cautious when it comes to toners as my dermatoligist always says even with oily skin its not necessary and usually dries out causing skin to produce even more oil. This one also contains alcohol which made me even more skeptical. However, I do think that this one does NOT dry out my skin nor is my skin more oily. The contrary, I feel like it is becoming a bit less oily in my T-Zone. Plus I like the refreshing feeling it gives and I think this step in the system is the most effective in getting rid of nasty spots!
STEP 3: Clearing moisturizer. I heard some people say this is not giving enough moisture to the skin and absorbs to quickly but I cannot support that claim. I feel like this moisturizer is very good and hydrating and does not absorb immediately. I also think it helps a bit with mattifying skin though do not expect wonders! I really like this consistency and I think that it migth even be too rich for hot and humid summer months.
OVERALL: I started using this 3 weeks ago when I had a bad breakout and it helped clearing my skin so much faster than it usually would (I have hormone-caused cystic acne!). And ever since my spots healed my skin is superclear and nice. Plus, I feel like I have less discoloration than I usually have in the places where the spots emerged. Nonetheless I do have to say that at night I use a different moisturizer (Bodyshop Tea Tree lotion) and I also use a hydrating serum underneath just to make sure my skin does not dry out!

Vor 3 Wochen hatte ich einen richtig schlimmen Akneausbruch. Für mich ziemlich unüblich da ich eigentlich schon seit 2-3 Jahren kaum Akne habe (Hautarzt sei dank!). Nachdem ich meinen bis dahin verwendeten Reinigunsschaum aufgebraucht hatte und auch mein Moisturizer eher unpassend für dieses Problem war, habe ich in einem Department store zugeschlagen. Dort waren alle Clinique Hautprodukte in Reisegröße im Sale. Also hab ich mir die Anti Blemish Solutions Serie gekauft und hier nun mein Review zu den Produkten:

STEP 1: Reinigungsschaum. Den mag ich sehr gern. Ich brauch nur einmal zu pumpen um mein ganzen Gesicht zu reinigen und er fühlt sich sehr sanft und schonend an. Zudem ist meine Haut wunderbar erfrischt nach der Verwendung. Trotzdem muss ich auch zugeben dass er sobald ich mehr Makeup trage (Wochenende!) nicht so stark wirkt und ich 2 mal reinigen muss um auch alles von meinem Gesicht zu bekommen. Außerdem riecht dieser hier sehr nach Krankenhaus und Desinfektionsmittel. Sehr klinisch!
STEP 2: Toner. Dieses Gesichtswasser enthält Alkohol und ein Puder das mattieren soll und hilft Unreinheiten schnell abheilen zu lassen. Grundsätzlich verwende ich nie Gesichtswasser da meine Hautärztin kein Fan davon ist und meint dass es auch ölige Haut austrocknet und die dann nur noch mehr Fett produziert. Ich muss aber sagen dass dieses Gesichtswasser meine Haut nicht auszutrocknen scheint und im Gegenteil meine Haut ein klein wenig besser geworden ist im Hinblick auf den Fettglanz. Außerdem finde ich dass das Gesichtswasser in der Serie am effektivsten gegen Pickel wirkt!
STEP 3: Gesichtscreme. Ich hab im Internet gelesen dass einige finden diese Creme gebe nicht genug Feuchtigkeit und zieht zu schnell ein. Der Meinung bin ich überhaupt nicht! Ich finde sie gibt toll Feuchtigkeit und zieht auch nicht in Sekunden ein, kann daher gut in die Haut eingearbeitet werden. Sie hilft auch ein wenig die Haut zu mattieren, erwartet aber keine Wunder! Ich mag die Konsistenz wirklich gerne und finde sogar, dass sie für den Sommer evt. gar zu reichhaltig ist.
GESAMTEINDRUCK: Das 3 Phasen System hat mir wirklich schnell geholfen meine zystische Akne abzuheilen. Normalerweise dauert das bei mir Wochen. Außerdem hab ich das Gefühl dass ich an weniger Pigmentierung leide als sonst da ich normalerweise - selbst wenn ich den Pickel nicht anrühre - rotbraune Flecken bekomme. Ich muss aber auch zugeben dass ich Abends ne andere Gesichtspflege verwende (Step 1 & 2 wird auch abends angewendet), nämlich die Tea Tree abheilende Nachtcreme von The Body Shop. Außerdem verwende ich jetzt im Winter auch ein Feuchtigkeitsserum unter meiner Nachtcreme um sicherzustellen dass meine Haut auf keinen Fall zu trocken wird.

Do you have tried this 3-step system and what are your thoughts?

Habt ihr diese Produkte schon getestet und was meint ihr?

xx, V

Review: LUSH 'Retread' Conditioner

source: google.com

So recently I reviewed LUSH's 'Big' shampoo and now it's time for this little magic pot of conditioner. I already hinted in the last Review that I really love this conditioner and well folks, I do! This is so different from all the regular drugstore conditioners out there and I feel like it's the only one that can actually really make my split ends disappear to some extent while not weighing my hair down and making it greasy! So what is in it?
-seaweed and lanolin as a base
-soy milk for proteins in your hair
-olive, jojoba and avocado oils for nutrition
-melon juice and yoghurt to add shine

I really like that this conditioner does NOT contain any silicones, which in the long run usually damage your hair more than they actually help! On another note, while in the shower, this might not give you the typical conditioning effect which instantly makes your hair feel soft which can tempt you to use more than you actually need. This conditioner's effect is most visible once you rinse out the water and even more so once your hair is dry. It makes my brittle, damaged ends so soft and my hair is left smelling divine (though I heard the smell is not everyone's cup of tea!). I really recommend this conditioner for dry hair that has been a bit neglected and tortured due to colorations and heat styling tools! So far I've used 3 of these whenever I feel my hair needs that little extra treatment and it has never let me down. Definitely one of my staple, go-to products from LUSH. And even though it's on the pricey side it lasts ages because you need so little for every hairwash. You can easily get 3-4 months out if it! (at least I do!).

What hair treatments do you guys use? Any recommendation?

xx, V

New In: OPI James Bond Skyfall Mini Collection

source: google.com

So I ordered these a while ago and when I finally got them I was excited like a lil' kid on xmas! Whoop whoop been waiting for these like forever! Such pretty colors. The kit consists of the following colors:

1. GOLDENEYE which is the most beautiful and unique gold color I have EVER seen!!! It has more of an orange gold tone to it and it shimmers that you feel like getting blinded by it. Definitely the highlight of the entire collection and the main reason why I ordered the kit :-)

2. THE SPY WHO LOVED ME is a classic red with shimmer not glitter. It's kind of a pillar box red that reflects the light beautifully because of the shimmer elements in it. Great color for the winter/xmas time!

3. THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH is a silver color with different colored chunks of glitter that give it the most exquisit metallic finish, changing color depending on the light from subtle silverish-green to a pinky-lilacish-silver (haha my wording LOLz).

4. LIVE AND LET DIE is a veeeeeeeeery dark green that appears almost black on the nails with gold shimmer in it. Just magical. I love the color and the consistency (one layer of color is enough!!!) and definitely prefer this over the typical black nailpolish.

All in all I love all the colors of the collection so dearly and can't wait to use them all during winter time. I bought it via beautybay for around 15€ (shipping is free worldwide!) and I really think you get great value for money so maybe some of you want to check it out. For me the James Bond collection is one of the best collections OPI has ever come out with!

xx, V

Review: LUSH Big Shampoo

source: google.com

So I recently ordered Lush's Big Shampoo from the british online shop (even with 9€ shipping its cheaper than ordering it from the swedish hp) together with their 'Retread' conditioner and so far I've used the shampoo 2 times. So this is rather a first impression review and if my opinion might change I'll update you on my thoughts on this shampoo :-)
So what is Big shampoo made of: The main ingredient is sea salt and you can really feel big chunks of salt in the shampoo. I guess it is also supposed to clean your scalp and maybe work as some sort of peeling? Plus it is known that sea salt usually gives you loads of volume and that effortless big beach hair. In order to not dry out your hair they added seaweed and coconut and lemons to add lots of shine.

So how do I like it so far?
Well the pro's are definitely that it makes my hair feel much softer and cleaner. When you wash your hair you instantly feel that it does do something to it and that it is left squeaky clean. In addition it does make my hair a lot fluffier if that makes any sense?! Plus the smell...what can I say. It is divine fellas! And it lingers on your hair!!! Since my hair is damaged from coloration it definitely needs the best care it can get and so far I feel like the shampoo does do some magic in making it less dry even though it is mostly made out of sea salt! I also feel like my hair is much more manageable when blowdrying it (especially my bangs!) and that it has a lot more shine to it! So these are the benefits of the shampoo. What I don't like about it is the fact that I feel like it washes out my red haircolor a lot! Probably because of all the sea salt! Since I do not necessarily want to color my hair again as this would probably kill it for good this is some kinda issue for me. After two washes I do have some almost blondes streaks of hair were the color almost entirely came off. So I really think you should consider that when your hair is some superbright color! Another thing is that it does make my hair fluffy and more lightweight but I am seeing nothing of the advertised 'Big' volume that it is supposed to give?! Maybe my hair is just too heavy? Anyways these are my opinions so far and I'll keep you updated! A Lush shampoo I can most definitely recommend for hyper-mega shine is 'Cynthia Sylvia Stout' :-) 
Do you use Lush for your haircare? And if so, what products? Recommendation?

xx, V

Update: Current Beauty Favourites

source: google.com

source: google.com

So these are the things that I am currently obsessing over in the Beautyworld!

Urban Decay 'Naked' Palette. Everything you need eyeshadow-wise in one palette! I especially love the colors 'Sin' and 'Sidecar'. And the quality is impeccable.

Yves Rocher 360° Lenght Mascara. Got this one as a gift for my order and this is one hell of a great mascara. It separates and gives volume. One of the best mascaras I ever tried!

Clinique 'Naturally' mascara. Got this at Hanover airport and it is good for a more natural look with long lashes. This is definitely my go-to mascara for every day.

MAC Viva Glam 'V' lipstick. The perfect color for everyday and the texture is divine. Plus, by purchasing it you also donate to MAC's Aids Fund!

Benefit 'Hoola' Bronzer. What can I say?! As Winter approaches I get more and more pale and this is by far the best Bronzer in my book as it is not shimmery and looks very natural. Obsession!

L'Oreal 'Nutri-Gloss Crystal' Shampoo comes without any silicones so I really like it. It's lightweight and therefore perfect for oily/greasy hair plus it adds so much shine. Heaven :-)

Body Shop Tea Tree Oil for acne. Natural spot treatment that gets the job done (use it overnight!) and also reduces redness significantly!

RAU 'Silvercream' moisturizer against Acne. I use this as a night treatment and my skin has never been in better shape even though I don't do much to it and use some rather cheap, simple cleanser! I think when it comes to skincare less is more. And as someone who suffered from reeeally severe acne it is even more important to not use too many and too harsh product as this irritates the skin even more and makes everything worse!

What products do you guys swear by? Any recommendation?

xx, V

Fashion Week Recap Pt. 2: Jason Wu

I looooooved Jason Wus' collection for SS13. Everyone who knows me personally or reads my Blog regularly knows that I love the color black (also in combination with white) and almost everything that contains leather. So this collection, for me, was a complete no-brainer. I think Jason nailed it. It looks fierce, modern yet chic at the same time. I just love it. Here are a couple of my favourites (though I practically love the entire collection haha):

source: vogue.com

 How do you like these pieces?

xx, V

Fashion Week Recap: Oscar de la Renta

Normally I am not that drawn to colorful rather womanly clothes...though I do have occasional moments where I play dress up. But something about de la Renta's SS13 Collection really caught my eye. I love the fabrics and the color combinations he chose and somehow there seem to be really modern and clean outfits yet at the same time rather dramatic, Hollywood-classic pieces. Even the dresses which I wouldn't normally wear somehow intrigued me. Unusual for me but this was really one of my favourite collections this year:

source: vogue.com

Ps.: That long Black dress with the metal belt is sheer perfection in my eyes!!!

xx, V

Current Favorites: Beauty

source: google.com

Maybelline Color Tattoo in "Bronze" is just heaven for my oily lids. I am sure if I'd let it on 24hrs it still wouldn't crease! Plus the color is amazing for Summer I think.

Clinique High Impact Mascara was in my last Glossy Box...again. None the less I like it very much. It really gives lenght and volume. Definitely in my Top 3 All Time Mascara faves.

Nivea Protect & Bronze is my favourite Suncreme because its not sticky and I like its smell. Plus, it is supposed to speed up the tanning process and who wouldn't like that?!

Essence Hand & Nail Balm. The smell is just AH-mazing!!!! And it soothes my cuticles and helps my nails grow!

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Sunblock for the face is HANDS DOWN the best face suncreme. For someone with oily, acne prone scin this is holy grail material. Out of all the dozens sunscreens for the face that I've tried this is by far the best!

MAC "Devilishly Stylish" Lipgloss is on my lips quite often these days. Though I do have to admit I am not a fan of the formulation because it is sticky as hell, I like the color. And since I've bought I might as well wanna use it, right?!

Soap & Glory Sexy Motherpucker XL is my new favourite! It's a lip plumping Lipgloss and I do think it really has an effect. On a sidenote it smells delicious and I love the tangly feel on my lips. Give it a try!!!

MAC "Smolder" Eye Pencil is my favourite Eyeliner there is apart from Gel Liners. It is a deep black, is perfect for smokey eyes and it really stays on your waterline without smudging. I also think the price is reasonable and it goes a long way.

I love "Coconut&Cream" Lip Balm/Gloss really helps my dry summer lips and it smells like coconuts mixed with popcorn. And it has a slight glossy feel to it without being sticky AT ALL! I love this like madly guys :-) And above all, it is on the cheap side (4€ for a huuuuge container).

So what are your current favourites in the Beauty Department? Anything I should try?

xx, V.

Nude

picture from my INSTAGRAM (viktoriam)

source: google.com

Those of u that know me already know, that I am a huuuuge sucker for nailpolish. I would even consider myself an addict as I am constantly on the hunt for new colors and I consider nailpolish as much an accessoire as rings or necklaces. I could just never imagine going without it! There are days even, when I would change nailcolor every single day.
My current favourite brand is Essie and I've been sporting "Fifth Avenue" and "Wicked" a lot lately but just sometime ago, I came across Sally Hansen nailpolishes at one of the local drugstores. I've known Sally Hansen for quite a while now and been using their Nail hardeners for years so it was a no brainer for me to get one of these "Salon manicure" nailpolishes that claim to be base, top coat, hardener and what not all in one. The last few weeks - probably due to constantly wearing bright or red colors - I was craving for a more muted, neutral color. However, as it is often with these colors, they're so light that one has to put on 4 layers to even see something. So I chose Sally Hansen in the color "Choco-Latte" and I tell u guys, I am in heaven. It is suuuuuuuuuuuch a preeeeeeettty color!!!! And in 2 thin coats you get the exact same color as in the bottle. I can already see me sporting this color for the next weeks. I just constantly look at my fingers. I've had the polish on for 3 days now and so far it looks pretty perfect still. For me that's amazing as I've been washing dishes, taking showers, styling my hair and basically been doing all the other things that usually get your nailpolish off!
They are on the pricey side though as they retail for 10€. Then again, I have Chanel "Peridot" which cost me more than twice as much and I hate it cuz the color looks nothing like in the bottle and after one day comes off. So I guess 10€ is affordable. Especially considering that u don't have to paint your nails everyday :-)

What are your current favourites when it comes to nailpolish? Any recommendation?

xx,V.

Raindrops in the Sky like Diamonds

The weather is disgusting I cannot tell you! RAIN RAIN RAIN nothin' but rain. Get's annoying after a while you know. I can only sleep so much and there is nothing else to do when its raining. Plus, I cannot meet up with friends as I don't know anyone here in Hanover unlike I could in Vienna -.-
Anyways, found out today that Gina Tricot now ships to Austria so I guess I won't check it out in Hanover after all as I am superlazy when it comes to trying on clothes, queueing up at cash counters etc. Haha all that rain made me start playing "The Sims" again. Its on my family computer and makes me feel like I am 15 again ^^ Kinda have to admit its very addicting though hehe
Btw, I loooooove my new Palladium shoes. So fierce. So comfy. It's a love story. Might as well skip my Chelsea Boots as they're indefinitely worn out! Maybe wear them at Frequency Festival though. Perfect occasion to finally kill those boots off haha
So now I have to paint my nails again...Essie Wicked, perfect dupe for CHANEL "Rouge noir" if u ask me. And a lot cheaper. Plus, I am not that big of a fan of Chanel nailpolishes. My only mistake was "Peridot" and I rarely ever wear it as it does NOT look as pretty on the nails as in the bottle and it chips off my nails after like 24 hours, which ain't nice. Especially considering I paid more than 20€ for it!
What are you up to this weekend?
xx, V.

My Foundation Routine

So here's my complete foundation routine. All the products I use and why I use them:

1. MAC Prep and Prime Face Primer: Especially when my foundation needs to last for quite some time or when I am in heated areas such as a Club I religiously use this primer as I believe it really does help my foundation stay in place. Plus, when I use a heavier foundation (like Estee Lauders' "Double Wear") it makes it look more natural and less cakey!

2. Clinique Even Better Foundation: I can't stress enough how much I love this! After I've suffered from really severe acne which left me with tons of scars around my chin area this comes as a savior! It helps reducing discoloration on my face while at the same time gives good coverage and a perfectly natural, pretty finish. Almost a relief after years of using my heavy Estee Lauder Foundation which I really recommend for strong coverage for severe acne!

3. Catrice Concealer Palette: I've been using this for ages. Just recently I've bought like the fifth one? I think it gets the job done perfectly, gives you quite some variation for when your more tanned like in summer or more pale during colder times and it stays put on your face. Who says you always need MAC, right?!

4. Clinique Stay Matte Powder: My friend Nina uses this powder as well and I have a couple years ago and recently I started using it again with no idea why I ever stopped. It mattyfies without looking cakey at all and has slight coverage. Just the perfect finishing and touch up powder. And the best part: They now have a color that is said to be suitable to all skin tones :-)

5. Benefit Sugarbomb Blush: My holy-grail Blush. When nothing else works this always does the job. It looks supercute and it is almost impossible to put on too much. In addition, the gold color in it works perfectly as a highlighter. During summer, when you're tan, this is godsent! I swear :) Plus it smells heavenly...

6. MAC Fix +/Evian Facial Spray: When its hot outside I tend to use Evian facial spray, during Wintertime I prefer Fix +. Either way, I could never go without a facial spray as it really does make a difference in the appearance of your foundation and its lasting power :)

What products do you use? Any recommendation?

xoxo, V.