Halloween Inspiration: Silver Spacebird & Neo Morticia Adams

 Halloween is a time of creativity to go extravagant with makeup & pre-play creation of might wear looks.

So I found these two stunning creations in Zink magazine (Summer actually) that seems quite fitting for the Halloween Theme. 

1. Silver Spacebird:

I'm like total "oooooh" on this creation and I do not know how to begin to marvel about her impeccable skin, the suble rose hued blush under her cheekbones, the peach shimmer on her eyelids. Those are the soft & pretty elements, which are daringly contrasted with *POW*, a deep cobalt lipstick.

Also, I have been discussing Catrice Eye-decals yesterday but how about getting yourself some vinyl tape and glue-ing them up to your eyebrows? Genius!

For the silver feathers I think spraying or buying the real bird feathers is a cheaper and lighter option than this model is wearing.

2. The new Morticia Adams:

 

 The emphasis are on that same brilliant vinyl eyebrow idea I as before: but a totally impeccable complexion is key to make the eyebrows as stricking as they are. Moreover, a good wig that has been crimped by those awful awesome crimpers that were around in the 1980s! Adding, the perfect sheer-feathered dress, some edgy black cuffs and a serious expression.

I love the photo on the right as well: a cross-over between Little Red Riding Hood & the ominious Silence of the Lambs,  only so much prettier.

The series is called "Altered Egos" by Irvin Rivera and more of it can be found over here.

Catrice Lace Patch Eyeliners

I had already been quite the pinteresting person and you might notice I have added the sidebar to my beauty-stuff to this blog.

So I noticed something similar to what I found on the beauty-spiration boards (miss beauty eyedeco left) and what is in our loyal drugstores (Catrice box right)

I didn't expected it to be much, under 4EU but it adheres quite well without being irritating:

So another collage with me on the right...Sorry about the lack of eyebrow definition: I'm a closet redhead which can be hidden by some eyebrow pencil/pen/powder, but they're not that defined by themselves:

Gosh, I look like a sad puppy but I love how it can be used without any extra glue. I also removed it from my skin and the glue is still working: multi-appliable it is!

Verdict: a fun and affordable addition for girls & women who like to have that bit of extra eyedeco.

Autumn Newbies

Uhoh, reading blogs can be so enabling...

I've been more curious about organic brands lately, thus stumbling upon the organic beautybloggers has given me a million new lemmings for trying out facial oils.

Face oils have already been my skinsaver option for this summer. For Autumn I am eager to try out the wonderfully named 'Glow Serum' from Astor & Bay. This time it has been SeedtoSerum enthousiastically uttering the words "airbrush-like effect" & "instant radiance".

 

Those words gotten me weak in the knees wallet, which as not that bad as the oil is under €25.

I'll keep you updated to see if I will utter similar words of enthousiasm as well.

I also found some sample sizes of Greek brand Apivita:

 

The clay-masks have gotten quite the cult-status on makeupalley.

I do not need clay-masks as much as in summer, less oiliness and I do not have the full-duty sunblock on every day. Still, cleansing up the skin is always a good way to keep it clear and luminescent and a better way for your serums etc do work optimally.

Wedding Belle

Today I do not have a completely cosmetic related post, but I have something that is highly related to beauty: wedding and marriage.

How trite it must sound, I guess a lot of us aim to look beautiful for our (future) other halfs: I also love the simple intricity (oxymoron) of a wedding makeup: it should be natural, but still spellbinding enough to *wow* the man you are going to spend your life with.

This wedding Belle was photographed by me at the Tuileries Gardens in Paris, perhaps one of the more romantic places to have your wedding photos to be taken ♥.

I love how she is slightly dominant and points her groom-to-be how to fix her dress for the photos ; )

And that dress with the pearls is a dream: slightly sensual with the lace & the emphasis on her curves, but the cute hat & pearls make it dainty and cute again. And the red lipstick & nails are always a classic.

Using, Used, Gonna Use...

Just a quick round and a insta-photo for this week 'Using...' (etc etc)

Using: Jo Malone Nectarine Blossom and Honey Cologne

A counter-weather fragance: I was not too fond of this one in the beginning but I like how the zesty flowerness gets me through the rainy mornings...

Used: Ren Keep Young & Beautiful Eyecream

Ahh, how smart Ren has been to avoid the word 'anti-age'...or have they? Because those words are still under the more positive sounding 'keep young & beautiful'.

This cream has been wonderful and light enough for summer, and still creamy enough to counter out beach-dryness. I think it qualifies for beginning lines, for people in their early 30s, or if you have been partying too much-> the (middle) twenties, and if you have been organically healthy bladibla -> your late 30s/40s. Beginning lines, that is. For the heavier ones I would suggest more potent eyepotions.

Used: S5 Replenish Serum sample for dry & scarred skin

Organic serums often surprise me that som of them are actually oils. This one too: or, it feels like those dry-oils they have for body-products. In general, a lighter oil that penetrates in 10 minutes. However, I prefer to layer it with a daycream to speed it up and to get more beneficial extras from the daycream too. I like this serum/dry-oil hybrid but I prefer an actual liquidy & non-oil based serum for personal reasons. However, if you are short on time it is a good hybrid between serum & oil. As for the de-scarring: I should try a larger sample to find out. Londonmakeupgirl has reviewed this one more detailed over here.

Gonna Use: Nars Soulshine blush

The 80s Jerry Hall style of the box kinda did it to me. Also, more blush!!! I basically thought I would go for Realm of the Senses but was so happy to see both of the blushes in real life. Soulshine has that hint of mauvy rose inside that feels more like me.

Saniflore Aqua Magnifiqua

The Tonicum-journey continues....

Aqua Magnifica is already a good name, and one of the French magazines I bought said it was really a good tonic for combination skin. Plus the skin that has been thinking it's 18:

-> I had to buy this <-

Saniflore Aqua Magnifica feels like a zesty and slightly adstringent lotion with a dose of 9 herbs suited to remove impurities, clear pores and illuminate: such as Peppermint leaf water,  green oregano, lemon,  Rosemary and Clove.

 AQUA / WATER − ALCOHOL DENAT.* − MENTHA PIPERITA LEAF WATER / PEPPERMINT LEAF WATER* − CAPRYLYL/CAPRYL GLUCOSIDE − ARGININE − SALICYLIC ACID − CYMBOPOGON FLEXUOSUS OIL* − CITRAL − ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS LEAF OIL / ROSEMARY LEAF OIL* − MENTHOL − MENTHA PIPERITA OIL / PEPPERMINT OIL* − GERANIOL − LIMONENE − SATUREIA MONTANA OIL* − EUGENOL − CYMBOPOGON NARDUS OIL / CITRONELLA OIL* − EUGENIA CARYOPHYLLUS FLOWER OIL / CLOVE FLOWER OIL* − NEPETA CATARIA OIL* − ORIGANUM HERACLEOTICUM FLOWER OIL* − THYMUS VULGARIS OIL − THYME FLOWER/LEAF OIL* − LINALOOL − CITRONELLOL − MELISSA OFFICINALIS LEAF OIL* − CITRIC ACID 

These are wonderful ingredients to decongest skin: I already feel it has a refreshing effect upon my teenage-spirited T-zone. I guess the T stands for Teenager anyway?

I have only been using it sporadically for 3 days, hence too early for a full review. I like to use it in the morning on the T(eenage) zones, ofcourse, and sometimes I dab it on during the day on my nose and chin: if they are having a pimply time...

It smells refreshing like a zingy herbal garden: oh, how flawed I am in describing scents. It lingers for about 15 minutes if you do not apply daycream/serum etc afterwards.

Well, you notice I am quite into tonics lately, but I like to ask you if you 'believe' in tonics or you actually think they are not that necessary in skincare?

Ps: available on French website Easypharmacie.com. In a far far away past I have written a tutorial of how to order from this site, and they are still in mysterious French so you might need it, or a friend/you who will visit France soon.

Noble Chamomille: Sanoflore and the calming white flower

I've gotten this effective beauty during one of my last visits to Paris. I've visited one of their multipludituded  'Pharmacies' to pick up something from Sanoflore:

I went for the highly acclaimed Aqua Magnifica as well (about that sooner) but I'd love to discuss Chamomille first.

Sanoflore, these days a part of the L'Oreal family, believes that well-done aromatherapy  "are far more concentrated in active molecules than synthetic ingredients" and "respects sensitive skin". In that case, I have already loved the calming Chamomile in Tammy Fender's Roman Chamomile tonic but found the price of her range to be too expensive.

Sanoflore is a perfect cheaper alternative because organic Chamomille is not too difficult to find. However, for the non-French (or Swiss) it might be more difficult to track. I also like Akoma Skincare a lot and they have a pure organic Chamomile water as well (here) for 10% of Tammy's price. And there are the local (organic) healthshops too....

So, what does Chamomile water do and why it's such a bliss during weather changes like Autumn?

"Chamomile water is well known for its ability to soothe dry skin and bring it back into balance. This fragrant water has an antibacterial effect that keeps blemishes at bay while it protects the skin from dry, windy weather.

100% pure, Chamomile water restores a healthy glow to your complexion and is used by some to treat the dark circles that form under the eyes. Applied lightly to the forehead and temples, it has a wonderful calming effect at the end of a stressful day" (Akoma's site) 

Well, the change from warm to dry & windy is something that sounds Autumn/winter, right? And who doesn't have dark circles they want to diminuish these days?

I will have a whole section on facial waters soon: it's sorta my thing lately...

Used Ups

"The satisfaction of an emptied cosmetic bottle" 

During summer and (pre) autumn period I have been gladly using these up:

1. Elemental Herbology body lotion in Neroli & Rose Damask:

Originally a part of a set that includes a bodywash. The consistency of the bodylotion is ok, although it is not the most rapidly absorbing one. I didn't like the scent: somewhat a stale, watered rose and I could not pick up any of the uplifting Neroli essences.

2. Osea Undaria Algae Oil for body:

Not the cheapest around but once really effective for reversing post-beach (sun) damage and I believe it has lightening/age-reversing properties. This is probably not merely a clue as the Osea site says:

"rich in organic botanical oils, sea minerals and antioxidants. This is the ultimate skin repair loaded with luscious seed oils--acai, babassu, passion fruit, sesame--and Undaria Algae, to deliver powerful antioxidant vitamins and essential fatty acids to dry, sun-damaged skin."

 It's not quite cheap for $38 but it will give you 180 ml/6 oz and this oil lasts long. My only pet-peeve is that I got it from Canada and customs has been charging this seller for two times in a row, which makes it more expensive and the wait longer. This is the reason I have been experimenting with other bodyoils lately otherwise I'd repurchase.
 

3. Pukka Nourishing Face Oil

"a restorative treatment oil especially formulated for dry or damaged skin" (Pukka site)

Indeed! I had this oil 'hanging' in my closet for a while. During August I suddenly experienced really bad skin with new dry spots and my older scars became apparent again. I forgotten the oils for nighttime due to summer but I gotten this one in. Initially, the organic Rose Otto essences felt slightly irritating on my highly agitated skin, but my skin adapted to it the second and ongoing days. 

Short story: my skin has improved hugely and I'm so glad I had it around!

4. Aurelia Revitalise & Glow Serum

First review here. I finished a second bottle with is a claim of effectiveness for itself. I will review it more accurately soon.

A restorative treatment oil especially formulated for dry or damaged skin, - See more at: http://www.pukkaherbs.com/nourishing-face-oil-item.html#sthash.CMBvmgAB.dpuf

A restorative treatment oil especially formulated for dry or damaged skin, gently fragranced with rose and rose geranium.
Avocado and pomegranate for essential nourishment.
Calendula and rose otto for a radiant glow.
Nourishing Face Oil contains Omega Oil Formula, a fortified signature blend of Ayurvedic herbs which helps revitalise tired skin.
- See more at: http://www.pukkaherbs.com/nourishing-face-oil-item.html#sthash.CMBvmgAB.dpuf

A restorative treatment oil especially formulated for dry or damaged skin, gently fragranced with rose and rose geranium.
Avocado and pomegranate for essential nourishment.
Calendula and rose otto for a radiant glow.
Nourishing Face Oil contains Omega Oil Formula, a fortified signature blend of Ayurvedic herbs which helps revitalise tired skin.
- See more at: http://www.pukkaherbs.com/nourishing-face-oil-item.html#sthash.CMBvmgAB.dpuf

5. Collistar Face Magic Drops Self Tanner

Original review here. Also, this has been my 3rd bottle and has been a skinsaver during the (fake)tan season. I have tried some other facial self-tans but Collistar gives the most natural & healthy tanned result.