Beauty ponders

A few weeks ago I posted a few cases for my soon-to-be phone -which came in last week yay- and this weekend I got a case (not one from the list though) at a local store that carries Marc Jacobs cases...
Bottom line: I love it (oh, the phone as well off course)!

no longer allowed to buy shower gels / body lotions... Will take forever to empty this basket to begin with I guess** these things last ages sometimes...!
Sounds familiar?

Today no beauty related article, but a little something extra from Liu Jo which I recently purchased, my first ever purchase from this brand but not my last one for sure... Gorgeous packaging with a little ribbon, ohh, cuteness all over... I love brands that give me this feeling - cloud nine, present!
Onto business now, what did I get? This lovely wallet from the Spring/Summer 2012 collection. I was in need of a new wallet (had mine for 4 years now I believe) but I couldn't find one to my likings, untill I ran into this one... It's totally me: soft & neutral colours, a decent canvas, luxury looking, gold letters - yes, I love it a lot!
It's also available in a black/grey version if you're interested and retails for 60-65euros. You can buy it in all Liu Jo stores. They also offer handbags with this canvas, but that's a bit too much for me and would bore me too soon.
It's a medium size but quite spacy, with a zipper and room for lots of cards... Recommended if you need room but don't like those big big wallets.
Do you have something from Liu Jo?

Shopping is fun... either it is shopping for beauty products, shopping for clothes, most kind of shopping I like (except for the foodshopping, takes ages) so today I also have a nice kind of shopping for you... I ordered a new phone and I decided to go for the Iphone *yeay* and guess what I've been browsing? Yes, covers & cases... but there is so much choice...!!?!!

Marc Jacobs, Cath or Swash?

Which one do you prefer or which one do you have?

Do you remember my review on Dandelion last year? Check the link if you didn't or here's the summary: I love love love it! This has definitely become my HG blush over time, it's also listed on my HG page and I have been using it about 80% of the time. A close second favourite is MAC's Warm Soul, but that's for another article. So, what happens when you use a blush almost every day of the week? Pan, yes, it happens, a lot of pan...
This is the perfect blush for my skin, easy to put on / easy to blend, and it stays put all day with a good base and finishing powder. Minor discomfort is the paper packaging, it looks cute but after time becomes a bit dirty... Nevertheless, I will surely be repurchasing this blush - I do get a few more weeks or months usage out of what's left, but I have to face the fact that I've finished this blush. Can you believe that? Finishing a blush? I never guessed I would say something so soon... But it's true and it feels good. So if your skin looks a bit like mine, try this blush and see for yourself :)!
Which blush is on your repurchase list and why?

I just wanted to wish you all a happy Valentine's day... I hope you are able to spend it with the ones you love. And remember, it should be Valentine every single day, not just this particular day of the year. Let the people whom you love in your life know what they mean to you - you never know what the future might bring.
Lots of hugs and kisses for all my readers, you truly alll are the best!

A new episod of me contemplating of getting something... this time it's a Babyliss make-up mirror - one with 3 different lights. Why I didn't need it before you might ask? After me moving the lighting in the bathroom has changed a lot and not in a positive way might I add. I can't find another room that is good enough so this mirror comes a close 2nd...

What do you think? Do you have a make-up mirror like this? Or other recommendations are always welcome!

Today the new year has begun and I wish all my readers the best for 2012. I hope you have all been able to celebrate & had a good time! My 2012 is already filled with good intentions, or I should actually say one good intention... and that is bringing more happiness into my life. Do share your good intentions, if you have any...!

A merry Christmas to all my lovely readers, I hope you all had a great time surrounded by the people you love, 'cause that's what matters most now!

I had a nice Christmas evening and for the rest I had to work a lot, so I'v been quite busy. But the goods news is that finally my camera settings and background are all in place now *jump for joy* - after the whole movement part. I've been able to take some pictures today to bring back more articles to my blog! Sounds like a nice present to me...

While I was in the middle of moving I snapped some pictures of my stash & wanted to share it with you all! Off course, this was then and now I'm replacing everything because I now have zero space, but I'll make it fit somehow.... And because I love watching other peoples stash, why not show mine?
The whole gang together... I store it in Ikea white boxes, they come in a variety pack with different sizes. Very convenient and fits their drawers perfectly!
Left: foundations, primers, tinted moisturizers & correctors. Featuring some Laura Mercier & Chanel! On the right: eyeshadows (mostly Catrice) & bases, cream sticks and so on.
Left: blushes & highlighters & bronzers, my most loved products probably... I always seem to find new loved ones, crazy about blushes - that's me! On the right top: eye & lip liners, mostly Avon! And underneath are lip balms and scrubs... but most of my balms are in my purses!
The last boxes feature lip glosses (Avon & Nuxe) and on the right lipsticks (Avon & MAC). At the left bottom is also a little box with a few nail products but nothing fancy at all^^

Keep in mind this was just a flash... My palettes & brushes & some products in usage are not in here! When I've sorted everything out I'm going to do an in depth-stash-article. Anything you think I should start with?

Yesterday there was a lovely coupon code on Groupon, a Belgian discount site. They were offering these Shambala bracelets in different colours... I immediately recognized it, 'cause someone at work has been wearing on lately & I've been meaning to ask where she'd get it from. So I was thrilled they showed up and I bought these two, the white and black one. Can't wait for them to arrive, they are so stunning irl!

Do you know it or do you have one?

A couple of days ago I ran into this lovely site called "The Beauty Investigator" where the owner investigates commercials, promo pictures, artwork and so on for likewise images through the years/brands... And they are found a lot, everything is apparantely very repetetive...


Quite surprising, but after all - I wouldn't want to be a marketeer and look for innovative ways to promote something... A lovely site to browse a bit :)

Yes... it is. Today is my birthday - which is Halloween and has a creepy sidenote to it while tomorrow is the 1st of November.
But, nevertheless, I plan on trying to enjoy this day and have a look at the positive things in my life...

Yesterday whilst browsing my daily blogs I ran into something inspirational on a Dutch blog about being positive and I loved this picture/saying so much I just had to share it. With my life being not so positive lately and seemingly only going downwards - this was a warm welcome and made me realise I do have a lot to be gratefull for, I may just not realise it all the time...
We are quickly overclouded by negativity, that's probably our instinct. Take a moment to think about the positive things in your life, there are probably more of them than you might guess at first glance...

Yes, I am... but I did it anyway because I felt like it and I needed the perk-me-up 1000%. When I think about it, I smile and I am so anxious for it to arrive!! Do you remember I got this lovely brush months ago?
I've been using it all the time - and have been washing it inbetween you know - and I'm crazy about it, it's by far the best brush in my collection and I should do a review on it but it would be one long article of praise?! Anyway, I took the splurge and got the bigger face brush on the right from DollyLeo. I had a 10% off coupon code & with my life being at an emotional downwards spiral, I decided I should indulge myself and splurge. So I did :), but it wasn't an impulse buy, I've been putting it in & out my cart for weeks. Today I took the decision and now it's on its way... I'm sure we'll have a wonderfull relation together and live happily ever after :)

Yes, this brush is expensive. Yes, there are cheaper brushes that work more or less the same. But do compare it with other various stuff in life: you have handbags of designers worth 1000euros or one brandless of 100euros, you can buy a leather couch of 5000euros or a plastic one of 500euros. Bottom line is, if you want luxury - you pay for it! Decide for yourself what you like to invest in :).

Yesterday I paid a visit to the Ikea with my sister (who recently moved to a new apartment and wanted to browse for some stuff), but off course I also had a few items on my list. One of them were these boxes, simple & cheap:
They're called the DVD and CD kassettes, but I won't be using them for this purpose. I was on the lookout for something to store my polishes in - right now they are in one box, not too convenient as they are all skattered and I can't seem to find the one I'm looking for untill I've lifted them all - with these boxes I can seperate them into nudes - light colours - dark colours - etc... These four boxes fit one shelf of my bookclosset - a Billy one by Ikea as well.

Anyone wants to take a guess at how many polishes I have currently?

You may have noticed -ok that's an understatement- you surely have noticed that september has been an on-off month with posts appearing at random...
To be honest I'm going through what qualifies as the most difficult emotional time ever and my mind hasn't been set to blogging the last weeks. I'd rather deliver nothing than writing a post I haven't put my heart into and is of mediocer quality. Nevertheless, as the title states, October is a new month and one that I'm eager to take a fresh start on bringing you plenty of reviews *and the promised blogsale*

Photoshopping & misleading commercials, it's something that we face everyday but aren't always fully aware of. Every add and every photo has had something done. So they always look perfect with perfect skin, perfect lips, perfect brows, perfect bodies - you don't catch them with a pimple, dry spot or anything...

Great Brittain decided that Lancôme had pushed it one edge too far in their "Teint Miracle" commercial. Julia Robberts has been airbrushed too much making her appearance misleading to the crowd. And as they can't prove how much has been done to this add - they banned it.

Personally I'm a big supporter of this. Off course by looking at the add you just know it has been photoshopped, she does have a few wrinkles which is only normal for her age. I don't like to twist the truth, if you have a good product - the results will be visible in the campaign without too much aide of photoshop.

What are your thoughts on it?

An HG - or otherwise Holy Grail - refers to a product that you would buy over and over again because you simply adore it. Now, because I love reading about others' HG's I decided to list mine as well, divided into categories.


Now, mind you, my list is far from complete and has more empty fields than filled ones. But this just leaves more room for me to buy more products?

Check the page above or here. If you already have some HG's, do share them as I'm curious!

As I stated a few days earlier, I'm now presenting my new layout. At this moment of typing I'm still perfecting a few tiny things but I guess you get the overall picture...

Clean, simple, fresh - I like it and I hope you do too.