Benefit The Porefessional Matte Rescue

If you are an oily skin gal like me, you probably clicked faster on this post than on the 'yes' button when Netflix asks if you are still watching -and yes after six hours I am still watching-. Because something with matte in the name must be tried out if you have a shiny face and that's exactly what I thought when I visited Sephora. I popped it in my basket, went to the till and left with a lot less money in my bank account.

The Benefit The Porefessional Matte Rescue (50ml/ €30,60) is a water-based gel primer with a matte finish that keeps oil at bay. It minimizes the appearance of pores, absorbs excess oil for a natural matte finish and contains diamond powder to give it a soft-focus pore-blurring effect.

When I read that in Sephora I had high hopes. I remember watching a YouTube video back in the day where a girl also used a mattifying gel (I think it was from MAC) and since then I have always wanted to try it out.

My T-zone gets the shiniest and I also have larger pores there so that's where I apply the gel. It's a very handy tube and I use around a pea size amount to apply on my forehead, nose and chin. The gel feels fresh on the skin and the scent reminds me of a skincare product I used when I was a teen -can't remember what it was though-.  Because of the gel texture it blends nicely and soaks into the skin.

I do see a difference in shine, but I would not say my pores magically disappeared. Even after my foundation they are still there. I use this product to keep the shine away and if they minimize a few pores along the way then that's always welcome.

Normally the shine gets through after two to three hours and the Matte Rescue primer definitely keeps my skin matte for a longer period of time. Of course after six hours I still look shiny, but there is nothing a bit of loose powder can't fix. Am I right?

If you are looking for a product that keeps the skin more matte the Benefit The Porefessional Matte Rescue is the babe for you. If you are looking for a product that magically makes your pores disappear I would not bother. But I know Benefit Cosmetics have a few other primers for that!

Have you tried the Benefit The Porefessional Matte Rescue?

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My Glossier Showroom Experience in NYC

You must be living under a rock to not have heard of the brand Glossier. It's all over Instagram, YouTube and blogs and as curious as I am I wanted to see what the fuss was about. Luckily for me I went to New York -read about what I did there here- so of course I popped into their showroom in Soho.

Glossier is founded by Emily Weiss from the website Into The Gloss. Also remember Emily the super intern from The Hills? She was interning in New York and helped Lauren and Whitney in LA with a Teen Vogue event. She is the same Emily! I thought that was so funny!

Before going to the store I did some research online on what kind of products are worth it and which ones are not. Glossier is mainly focused on people with pretty good skin that is a bit dry. Hence the name Glossier aka glossy, glowy skin. Since my skin is more on the oily, acne-prone side most products are not targeted for me, but I still was like why not have a cheeky look and pop in for a lip balm? Because you can never have enough lip balms.

The Glossier Showroom is located on 23 Lafayette St. An elevator will take you up where you enter a room for beauty lovers. All products are displayed and you can try them out as much as you like. The concept is that you write down whatever you want on a Glossier sheet and then go up to the cashier or one of the Glossier ladies and order your goodies. A few minutes later someone calls for your name and there you have it: your own cute Glossier bag.

I had a look at the oh so popular Balm Dotcom ($12/15ml), a multipurpose lip balm, and tried them all out. In the end I went with the plain, unscented one, because I felt like I would use that the most. I also ordered Super Pure, one of the three Glossier serums. Super Glow and Super Bounce are more oriented on dry, dull skin and Super Pure has zinc and vitamin B3 and is supposed to calm redness and break-out prone skin. With $28 it's on the pricier side, especially since you only get 15 ml, but I wanted to give it a go to see if it would really cure my skin.

Overall I do like the Glossier shopping experience, it's a bit different than your usual Sephora run, but I liked it. The goodies that you buy are packed in this pink packaging and it gives you this luxury, cool gal feel. The store can be a bit small and is usually packed with other girls who love trying everything out. I went on the weekend too, so maybe try going there on a weekday to avoid crowds. Or order online if you live in the US, Canada or UK. 

I still need to test out the Balm Dotcom and Super Pure serum, but when I do a review of these babies will go up ASAP. Just in time for my next trip to the Glossier showroom in May!

Have you tried anything from Glossier?

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NARS Blush/Bronzer Duo

When I'm on holiday I always have to do a little bit of shopping. There are so many new stores to discover and who doesn't like spending money on things they probably don't need? Well, when I entered the Emporia Shopping Centre in Malmö and saw Sephora I actually -gracefully- jumped up and down and screamed in excitement. We don't have a Sephora in the Netherlands, so whenever I spot one I get all psyched. After spending about an hour in there swatching and testing I decided to buy one little thing. Honestly, I wanted everything in that shop, but my bank account simply does not allow it. In the end I went for the NARS Blush/Bronzer Duo, because I have always wanted to try the Laguna bronzer and the Orgasm blush and this way I get them both! 

NARS has a special place in my make-up loving heart. As a teen it was out of my reach to buy something from NARS. Of course, it’s an expensive brand, but it was nowhere to be sold. When I went to London a couple of years ago I made it my mission to buy a product at the NARS counter in Selfridges. I went for the Deep Throat blush and funnily enough I do not use it as much. I tend to go for my Estée Lauder blush in Tease on a daily basis, but the NARS blush is still really pretty. Especially the packaging.

The blush/bronzer duo has the exact same classic matte packaging that I love so much. It's a small and petite compact with two shades of the most popular NARS products: the Laguna bronzer and Orgasm blush. Bots products are very pigmented and pretty on the cheeks. And even though I thought Laguna could be a bit too warm for me, it definitely works now that the sun is out and I have a bit of a tan. The blush is a pretty coral colour with gold glitters, and in my opinion a shade that works for everyone. You sweep both products across the cheeks and you are totally ready for these warm summer months.

Now the sweeping part is the only thing that I'm not a fan of. Because this product has a bit of both, you don't get a lot. With a blush it doesn't matter that much, but with a bronzer I like to swirl my big, fluffy brush in the product and apply it on my cheeks. The swirling is very non-existent with this, or I should mix the blush and bronzer together. Then it's no problem at all, but I like to do my bronzer and blush in two separate stages.

I think I will purchase the NARS Laguna bronzer at one point in my life. I like the pay-off and it's definitely worth the hype. The Orgasm bronzer will last me a life time since I don't use it every day, but I totally get why you would. Who doesn't like a coral flush for the rest of their life? 

What is your favourite NARS product?

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Collection Contour Kit

For a few months I have been obsessed with the NYX Highlight & Contour Pro Palette. There is one colour in there that works well for my skin tone and makes my cheekbones pop. The only problem is that the palette is huge and not practical for travelling at all. That's why I added this Collection contour kit to my travel make-up bag. I picked it up on my last trip to London and it was the perfect opportunity to try this baby out whilst I was overseas in Scandinavia.

The packaging is not anything too fancy, just your average drugstore kit. I do love the mirror in there. Normally they always skip that with designing the packaging, but I have to say it's always handy to have something like that in a powdery product. I have to say I'm really impressed with the contour shade. Sometimes it can be hard to find a product that's not too orange on the skin, but this contour powder has that perfect cool-toned brown shade. It's very pigmented which can be a bit difficult from time to time but I always make sure to remove the excess powder on the back of my hand. I squeeze my Zoeva Luxe Face Definer Brush a bit so it fits perfectly in the hollow of my cheek and then I start blending. It leaves the perfect touch of ''yes I contoured my face but it looks naturel'' kinda look. 
The highlighter is not one of my faves. I already knew this when I bought it, but I just wanted a compact contour powder that I had never tried before. The highlighter is very subtle and leaves a shimmering sheen on the skin. Going from my Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Moonstone to this is a huge difference so I was happy to have my Tanya Burr Peachy Glow Palette with me too -the highlighter and bronzer in there are fab!- 

For the price (£4.19) I think it's a lovely kit. The highlighter is not that sparkly, but that’s my taste in highlighters. The contour powder on the other hand is really good and I will definitely keep using it. Especially when I hop on a plane with only a cabin bag. I am just not made to squeeze all my stuff in a small suitcase, but I will keep trying for the sake of saving money!

What is your favourite contour product?

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The Christmas Make-up Look 2016

Christmas Day means going all out with glittery gold eyes and red lips. I thought I'd share my look for the day to give you some last minute inspiration. Hope you enjoy!

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Burberry Lip Mist in Trench Kiss

A couple of months ago I picked up this Burberry Lipstick in a beauty sale. Since then I've used it multiple times and I'm finally ready to give you my thoughts.

Let's start with the packaging of this Burberry Lip Mist which is absolutely gorgeous. The gold feels so luxurious and the Burberry print gives it something extra. It closes with a magnet -see how crazy I get about that here- and overall it's one of the best looking lipsticks I own. The Burberry print doesn’t stop there because the lipstick is covered in it. Such a lovely detail!

Now the lipstick is actually a Lip Mist, which means that it gives a light sheer tint to the lips. The colour Trench Kiss is a beautiful nude and is the ultimate ‘your lips but better shade’. I usually apply this lipstick when I want something natural that always looks good. It's moisturizing as well which is perfect with these cold festive days. Not as long-lasting as I wish it to be, but because it's a sheer nude you won’t really notice it that much.

A lovely everyday lipstick that is perfect on those natural 'I just woke up' days. A bit expensive maybe, but because I bought it in a beauty sale it was quite affordable. I also found out that they discontinued this little beauty but I still wanted to write about it since I love it that much. Let's hope Burberry brings it back!

What is your favourite Burberry Beauty item?

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A Feel Unique Haul

The website Feel Unique is my go-to place to fulfil all my beauty craving needs. Especially skincare since they sell the brand First Aid Beauty and you all know I love that! In my recent order I picked up three things: two F.A.B. cleansers and an eyeliner from L’Oréal Paris.

For me the Face Cleanser from F.A.B. is the best cleanser I ever tried. It takes off my make-up so well and leaves my skin feeling soft and clean. It just does the job without irritating my skin and the Jumbo Face Cleanser -same stuff just a bigger size- lasts me for about six months. No surprise that this was in my shopping basket again!

Every time I have a look at First Aid Beauty I spot the First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Deep Cleanser with Red Clay. Something about the fact that it's especially for oily and acne-prone skin makes me want to purchase it. And this time I did! I already tried it out and it's so lovely. Review coming soon!

Since my eyeliner ran out I was in desperate need of a new one. There was an offer going which made this L'Oréal Paris Super Liner Eyeliner about €7.00. So cheap compared to how much it costs in the Netherlands! I already tried the Black Lacquer version which I really liked, so I'm excited to give this one a go.

Do you shop on Feel Unique? What do you always get from there?

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Estée Lauder Double Wear Brush-On Glow BB

I first spotted the Estée Lauder Double Wear Brush-On Glow BB in a video of Lily Melrose. It looked interesting but I wasn’t planning on buying it. I always wanted to try the YSL Touche Éclat and the Estée Lauder concealer looked very similar to the YSL one. When I received a few gift cards for my birthday I was like why not give the one from Estée Lauder a go?

The gold packaging gives it a very luxury feel and for €29.95 I expect nothing less. With a few twists you release the concealer that comes out of the brush.
I have the colour 1C Light and it's a bit lighter than my skin tone which is what you always want. I apply it after my foundation and draw a V underneath my eyes to really get the highlighting going. After that, I blend it in with my foundation brush and set it with a powder so that it stays in place. For me this is really necessary because my mascara tends to go underneath my eyes and gives the illusion of a panda. Not really the look I was going for!

It doesn't give the best coverage so if you have very dark circles I would apply it on top of your full coverage concealer or maybe skip this one altogether. Of course it's not meant to give the best coverage but to give you the most amazing glow instead. I do think it really lifts your face and makes it appear brighter and more awake. Like you always have plenty of sleep and have absolutely nothing to stress about. Don’t we all want that? It's not as sparkly as I thought it would be, but I don't like to have that underneath my eyes anyways. I reserve that sparkle for my cheekbones!

Overall a lovely glowy concealer to give you a fresh-faced look. It blends nicely, stays in place and the colour is a very good match for me. The price tag is maybe one of the reasons not to purchase it, but sometimes you got to spoil yourself a little!

Have you tried the Estée Lauder Double Wear Brush-On Glow BB already?

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Maybelline Vivid Matte Liquid Lipstick in Nude Thrill

When I went to London in September I picked up a few liquid lipsticks, including this Vivid Matte Liquid Lipstick in Nude Thrill from Maybelline (£6.99 ). I was actually really excited when I spotted this in Boots. There was only a tester left so I sneakily opened the drawer underneath and spotted one of these babies. I do recommend that though, because sometimes they have so many of them, but you need to snoop around a bit to find them.

The packaging is very simple and drugstore-esque. The applicator is something that I really like. It makes applying so much easier! The scent is very summery and fresh. It actually reminds me of my holiday to Turkey, because I had a scrub that had the same scent. Not that bad to have a lovely lipstick on and be reminded of those sunny times on the beach.

The nude colour is really nice and looks good on. It applies smooth and it feels very creamy on the lips. A bit too creamy if you ask me, especially since this is put in the market as a matte liquid lipstick. Because the problem with this one is: it's not matte. I expected it to dry up and become a lovely matte nude, but it never did. I got kind of annoyed with that because I wanted a matte nude and not a normal satin finish.
The lasting power is not that great either. Normally matte lipstick stay on forever, but this on immediately comes off when you eat or drink something.

It's a nice lipstick with a lovely nude shade. Just don't expect a matte formula when you apply it on your lips, because it really isn't. Safe to say I will stick with my Kylie Cosmetics and ColourPop lipstick from now on.

Have you tried any Vivid Matte Liquid Lipstick? What are your thoughts on them?

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The Kylie Jenner Lip Kit Haul

Liquid lipsticks are my favourite thing right now. I got one from Kat von D and I have to say that one is the bomb dot com. It didn't take long before my eye fell on Kylie Jenner’s lip products. I always loved the nude colour she had on and when she came with her own line I knew some of them had to be mine. 

About five weeks ago I decided to place my order and within two weeks the Lip Kits arrived. I was on holiday in Greece at the time so I had to wait a little bit longer before I could try them out. I also had to pay custom fees which were about 25 euros, so I wasn't very happy about that, but that's just the price you pay when ordering from the US. 

I ordered the Ginger Lip Kit and two individual liquid lipsticks: Dolce K and Candy K. I was super excited when I opened the box and I still get really happy when I apply them on my lips. Ginger is definitely my favourite out of the bunch. It's the perfect autumn colour and doesn't feel dry at all. Dolce K and Candy K are lovely too and apply like a dream. 

Some people hate them, some people love them and I am definitely part of the last team. They are a bit overpriced, but as someone who loves makeup I don't mind that much. Complete reviews of these babies will go up very soon. So keep your eyes out for that!

What are your thoughts on the Kylie Cosmetics Lip Kits?

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Freedom Pro Highlight Palette

Even though summer is slowly transitioning into autumn I still can't say goodbye to that lovely bronzy glow. Glowy make-up in general in one of my faves and it's safe to say I have to way too many highlighters to prove that. But ya know, a girl can never have enough glowy products in her stash, there is always room for more!

My eyes lay on this Freedom Pro Highlight Palette for a while and with the thought of ''I actually don't have any cream highlighters or a highlighter palette for that matter'' I made the purchase. And I think it's quite a good deal because for £6.00 you get 8 highlighters (!), 6 cream highlighters and two baked highlighters.
Not all the highlighters in the palette are suitable for me though. With my skin, even paler than Snow White, I can't pull off a dark bronze highlight on the cheeks. It would not make me look like I have been on a long holiday to the Maldives, but straight up makes me look like an Oompa Loompa and that's not really the look I was going for, I think.

The pale creamy highlighters on the other hand are really fab. They give a nice wonderful glow to the skin and blend very nicely. I like to use my hands, since that works best for me. I place it on the top of my cheekbones, on the tip of my nose and on the cupids bow for an all over glowy sheen. However the powders are my absolute fave. They are very easy to work with and add an amazing glow. All the products, creams and powders, are highly pigmented and just look so fab on the skin, besides the bronzy colours of course. 

I am really amazed by the quality of this pro highlight palette. I had never tried anything from Freedom before, but it's safe to say I will have a look at their counter to pick up more goodies. Bye bye money, hello gorgeous highlighters, eyeshadows and contour palettes!

What is your favourite product from Freedom?

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Barry M Flawless Chisel Cheeks Contour Kit

Quite a while back I bought this Flawless Chisel Cheek Contour Kit from Barry M. As a person who is obsessed with contouring and highlighters I find that you can never have enough of those products in your life. And so I popped this palette in my basket and also got a free Barry M nail polish with my purchase. See this way I am actually saving money *wink wink*.

There are three powders in the palette: a matte highlighting powder, a bronzer and a contour powder. I love how the palette actually explains where to use it in case you are a newbie to the whole contouring craze. I personally love the contour shade and it's safe to say that I have hit pan on that one. It's a bit more cool-toned than the bronzer and it gives you the most amazing cheekbones. I apply it in the hollows of my cheeks, on my temples and on my jawline and neck to hide my double chin, because that gal likes to make an appearance from time to time. 

The lightest matte powder doesn't do that much for me. I am quite pale myself so it doesn't really show up on my skin. For me it's more a setting powder that a matte highlighter. The bronzer is really nice when you want to warm up the face to hold onto that summer tan. I don't like to use it for contouring as I feel a cooler shade works way better for that.

I think this is a perfect contour palette. The price (£6.49) makes it such a bargain and I love the little contour guide. The packaging is also quite good and easy to open -your nails will thank you-. As I said before, I have hit pan on the contour shade, so if you use this palette every single day, it will probably last you for about 1,5 years. The powders are very pigmented, so a little bit goes a long way. Can't wait to repurchase this little one when I'm back in the UK!

What is your favourite contour product?

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NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Stockholm

Matte lips are my fave when it comes to make-up. They stay on really well, smudge less and look absolutely fab. While I was in Boots I decided to pick up a few NYX goodies including this Soft Matte Lip Cream in Stockholm. Let's see how we get on, shall we?

The colour Stockholm is a lovely peachy tone that goes very well with my skin tone. To be honest, I think this colour will suit anyone. Yep, it's one of those! I picked up Stockholm because in the back of my mind I remembered this one was being talked about by quite a few bloggers. Crazy how that's the only colour of the NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams I remembered, because I'm sure there are so many other colour that are the bomb dot com!

Applying this product on my lips was quite easy and not much of a fuss. It's super creamy and after a few minutes it sets to a matte finish. I find that it stays on for 2-3 hours max. before it starts crumbling on my lips. I found that this is a very common problem with matte lip products and I have only found one product that doesn't do that (review coming soon). 
When you are in a situation where you can reapply it's easier to keep your peachy pout perfect, but when I'm at work I have no time to touch up my lipstick. I will probably not wear this while I'm at work, but for other occasions I think it's perfect. 
The scent is also really nice and makes me want to apply it more. It's not really overpowering and doesn't hang around for the rest of the day. I really don't like those artificial strawberry scents that won't go away. Am I the only one with this?

Overall, I think they are great value for money -they are only €7,65 (!)- and the colour is really nice. They do crumble a bit but to be honest which matte liquid lip product doesn't? I will definitely be picking up more NYX goodies in November when they open their own store in Amsterdam. SO exciting!

Have you tried the NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams? What are your thoughts on them?

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The Benefit Brow Event

About a month ago I got an invite from Benefit for a super-secret event where they were going to show their new brow collection. I love Benefit as a brand and I am obsessed with brows so I immediately said yes.

The event was held at the Tuschinski theatre in Amsterdam. It's one of the oldest theatres in Amsterdam and the whole atmosphere is so special there. I have been there before once when I got pre-premiere tickets to see Remember Me. I was basically bawling my eyes out after the movie because the ending was so sad. 

After I ate a delicious cake pop - it was my first ever cake pop and it was so good - and chatted with other lovely bloggers we all headed to another room where the presentation would take place. We first saw some magic tricks and I still don't know how he did all of them. Magic is so cool and I deeply hope that there is a real Harry Potter world out there with wands and awesome spells.

After all the magic it was time for the big reveal. Jared Bailey, International Spokesperson & Global Brow Artist from Benefit, gave us a lovely presentation with the whole story behind the collection and revealed all the new products. You will probably recognize some of them, but there are also some new brow game changers added to the collection. A review of these babies will go up next week, so for now you can only see a glance of them in my vlog.

All the new products:
- Ka-BROW!: a creamy gel to fill in your brows.
- High Brow & High Brow Glow: highlighting pencils.
- Ready, Set, BROW!: an eyebrow gel that holds the brows into place.
- Precisely, My Brow Pencil: a super fine eyebrow pencil.
- 3D BROWtones: a highlighting eyebrow gel.
- Goof Proof Brow Pencil: an eyebrow pencil that's perfect for shaping the brows.
- BROWVO! Conditioning Primer: a primer for fuller eyebrows.
- Brow Zings: an eyebrow shaping kit.
- Gimme Brow: a volumizing fiber gel.

I also got to try the products after the presentation and see which colour is the best for me. I love the new silver packaging and it really makes them stand out. My faves are the 'Goof Proof Brow Pencil', 'Ready, Set, BROW!' and both 'High Brow' pencils. As I said before, a full review of these will go up next week, so make sure you follow me on Bloglovin or my other social channels to see when I post it! All these products will be available from July 2016, so unfortunately you have to wait a bit to get your hands on them. But believe me they are worth the wait!

Which new Benefit product do you like the most?

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My MAC Lipstick Collection + Swatches

Over the past couple of years I have collected lots of makeup -take a peek in my make-up drawer here- , but the ones I cherish the most are on top of my beauty table in a copper glass box that I got from a local store. All my six MAC lipsticks are in there too and today I am going to show you those in a video. I swatched them on my lips - my lips were not so happy with this - so you can see what they look like on and I tell you a bit more about the formula and my absolute faves that you need in your life too! Hope you enjoy watching it and don’t forget to subscribe! 

Which MAC lipstick is your fave?

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Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation

A few years ago I first tried out the Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation. It was actually a hand-me-down of my sister because she didn't like it at all. When I tried it out, I wasn't really a fan too. Mainly because the colour was way too orange on me but after mixing it with my Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation I slowly started to like it.

On my shopping spree in London I was looking at the Rimmel counter in Boots and I was pleasantly surprised when I saw that there was a lighter colour available of the Wake Me Up foundation; 010 Light Porcelain. Let's say that all my foundation wishes have come true. It's just perfect!

The Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation is a brightening foundation that also gives a decent amount of medium coverage. I find that it blends into my skin really well and looks super natural and glowy. It covers up my acne scars and pimples a bit, so concealer is definitely necessary to get a flawless look.  
As it is very brightening I do set it with a powder. I have combination/oily skin and without a dash of powder I would look like a shining disco ball. I love that it looks so natural and the colour ‘010 Light Porcelain’ is actually perfect for me. It's a bit lighter than my natural skin colour, but I always bronze it up so that is not really a problem for me.
It stays on quite well, if you powder it during the day too, and I think that this is the perfect summer foundation. They also added a SPF 15 to it, which makes it even more suitable for those sunny days. I might even get the colour ‘100 Ivory’ from my make-up drawer when I get back from my holiday next month. At least, I hope I have a lovely tan by then haha!

I also used this foundation in my GRWM for The 1975 concert. You can watch it here!

Have your tried the Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation before? What are your thoughts?

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Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Bond Girl

On my recent trip to London there was one item on my wish list that I had to get: a Charlotte Tilbury lipstick. I have seen a few CT products in so many YouTube videos and they all look so pretty. As of now, this lovely brand is available in the Netherlands but two months ago that was not the case, so you would probably understand my excitement when I finally got my hands on one of her make-up products.

My sister and I went to Covent Garden and also payed a visit to the Charlotte Tilbury Boutique. The store is gorgeous and full of all the amazing products that I had seen so many times through my laptop screen. I immediately walked over to the lipstick area and swatched many of them on my hand. Yes, I was that crazy girl whose hand looked like a colouring book. In the end I went with ''Bond Girl'', a gorgeous rosy lipstick with a slight brownish undertone. It looks very natural and is not as bold as ''Glastonberry'', which is also a colour I really like. I assumed I would wear ''Bond Girl'' more often than a dark plum, so ''Bond Girl'' is my perfect first Charlotte Tilbury purchase!

One of the main things I love is the packaging. Everything about it is so luxurious and makes it a real treat to apply. The lipstick itself is gorgeous too and I love the matte formula. I like matte lipsticks in general because they stay on for a longer period of time and look amazing. Since the whole Kylie Jenner lip hype you can't really ignore matte formulas anyway. 

The application is really easy. The shape of the lipstick is a bit different than any other lipstick I own but still applies like a dream. The formula is very creamy and not drying at all which I find is not very common amongst matte lipsticks. The colour ''Bond Girl'' is also one of the prettiest colours ever. It's the perfect mixture of pink and brown. It stays on for ages too and looks so lovely on the lips. 

I always get many compliments when I wear it so this lipstick is definitely a keeper. Also the fact that Charlotte Tilbury is now being sold in a luxury department store in Amsterdam is music to my ears. I do find many of her products a bit pricey so you probably won't see me stocking up on all of her products soon. But a little make-up treat from time to time won't heart me, right?

What is your favourite Charlotte Tilbury product?

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The Best Red Lips for Christmas

When you have all these Christmas parties to attend to - or when you are snuggling up on the couch to watch Home Alone, aka my life #granny -  it's nice to spend a little bit more on your make-up. I find that a red lipstick can immediately pull a look together and it makes me feel so festive and Christmassy. I have quite a few red lipsticks in my make-up drawer and decided to share my faves!

Catrice - Behind the Red Curtain

This is the newest addition to my make-up stash. I was one of the lovely gals to test this out and I do really like it. It's a very bright red and because of the long-lasting power it stays all day. I am actually wearing it in my profile pic on Instagram, so if you want to know what it looks like on my lips, head on over there.

Tanya Burr - Lets Travel the World

Sometimes you are just in the mood for a bit of gloss. This one from beauty vlogger Tanya Burr is perfect for that. It gives a subtle hint of red and makes your lips look really glossy and full. It won't stay on when you are eating your yummy Christmas dinner, but that's what touch ups are for, right?

CoverGirl - Hot Passion

The main reason why I asked my friend to pick up this lipstick on her trip to the USA was because, rumour has it, this is Taylor Swifts' lipstick. I love her red lip colour, so why not get the exact same one? It's a bright red that is very creamy and stays all day. Definitely one of my faves that I should wear way more! * And I got that red lip classic thing that you like *

Rimmel - Kate Moss 107

This matte lipstick is so lovely. It's a bit darker than your typical bright, Christmassy red, but oh boy I love it so much. It has been my go-to fall lipstick and I think it's going to be one of my winter favourites too.

Maybelline - Pleasure Me Red

A couple of years ago, my mum actually bought this for me as a Secret Santa present. We went shopping together and as we were at the drugstore looking for make-up she asked me if I had seen something I liked. I already knew that she had to buy something for me, so I basically picked my own present haha. I still use this lipstick quite a lot and the red colour is amazing. Not too bright and not too dark, just perfect!

MAC - Riri Woo 

This limited edition lipstick has to be my favourite of all. The packaging is gorgeous and the lipstick itself is amazing. It's matte and it really lasts all day. I wore it last Christmas and after eating A LOT of food my lipstick was still perfect. I think this will be my go-to lip colour again this Christmas!

What is your favourite Christmas lipstick?

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Happy Girls Are Pretty

A few years ago I discovered this thing called contouring and it has changed my life. No cheekbones and a double chin? A bit of contouring can solve that problem straight away!

I am always interested in new palettes and the Anastasia Beverly Hills products are - of course - on my wish list, but I am also interested in what the drugstore has to offer.

This contouring set from Essence was part of their A/W collection and since I already knew that they were bringing out this range (a few of the advantages of working for a magazine) I could get my hands on one quite easily.

Now the packaging itself is very simple, but I do like the engraved words in the powders. It looks so cool and in case you have no idea how to tell the two powders apart, now you know!

I had high hopes for this product. Contouring has been one of the biggest make-up trends, so I thought it was quite fun that a drugstore brand like Essence would bring out a product like this. I just don't think they did a great job at it.

Despite the fact that there is only one shade to choose from, I don't like the formula of these powders at all. The highlighter is very powdery and has a few tiny sparkles that hardly show up on the skin. When I use a highlighter I like to have the most amazing shimmer on my cheekbones. One that looks natural and silky, not powdery and cakey.

The matte bronzer is fine, but I am not the biggest fan of the pigmentation. I like to get the job done and not reapply a hundred times. The contour powder also feels very powdery, so overall it’s not the best product.

I also compared the two powders to the highlighter and contour powder in my Sleek Face Form Kit and there was a huge difference. Especially the highlighters were so different. As the Sleek powder is shimmery and gorgeous and the Essence powder just gives a very, very subtle sheen. The contour powders don't look as different, but you can feel that the consistency of the Sleek powder is way silkier that the Essence one.

I was so excited when I purchased this contour set, but I kind of feel like I am never going to use it ever again. In the end it's definitely not my best buy, but maybe I can use it on my eyes or something?

Have your tried this Essence palette before? Do you have any other recommendation from Essence?

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Nude Perfection

Nude lips have always been one of my favourite things. I have quite a few other lipstick colours in my make-up collection as well, but nothing can beat a good nude lip. Recently I picked up a Maybelline Color Drama lipstick. This is basically a matte lipstick in a pencil.

Now matte lipsticks are my absolute favourite. I find that they last longer, look better and make your lips look a bit bigger. I love the Kylie Jenner lip trend and if you can fake it with a matte lipstick, why not?

The colour I picked up is called 'Nude Perfection' and it really is perfection. The formula of this lipstick is so creamy and the pigmentation is on a whole new level. Even though it is a matte lipstick I don't find them drying at all and with this cold weather that is definitely a plus.

It's not as long-lasting as I hoped, but I find that with a nude lipstick it doesn't show as much anyway if the lipstick is still on your lips. Then there is one other thing that I’m not really a fan of and that is the packaging. I’m to a point where I really need to sharpen the pencil and I always hate to do that. This basically means that I have to throw away half the pencil, because sharpening pencils isn't my best quality. I'd rather see this product with a twist up mechanism like the Revlon Colorburst Matte Balms. 

Other than that it really is a lovely product and I can't wait to pick up another one. The red lipstick looks very gorgeous too and with Christmas coming up, a bold red lip is an essential!

Have your tried the Maybelline Color Drama lipsticks already? What are your thoughts?

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