November Favorites!

December is here! So, I thought I would start off the month with my monthly favorites of November.

Let's jump right in, here are all of my favorites this month!  It's not as much as usual, but I've still been loving everything from my October Favorites, as well.

Skincare and Perfume:

Clarins SPF 30 Sun Wrinkle Control Cream For Face - €28

I was in the market for a new Facial Sunscreen and I was browsing through my options at the Kaufhof in Frankfurt, and I just decided to go with this one from Clarins.  I've never tried anything from Clarins before, but I'm really impressed with this!  It doesn't have that awful sunscreen smell, that I hate, but it still gives great protection, as well.

Caudalie Vinosource S.O.S. Thirst Quenching Serum

I've been working through my never-ending stock of serum samples and I've finally reached this one.  I use it after I tone, both in morning and evening, and I can say that this is the best serum I've tried yet! After I wash my face and tone, my skin feels a bit tight and this really makes my skin feel hydrated.  Plus, it's only €28 (as compared to the $48 they charge in the US!), so I've definitely been convinced to buy the full-size of this once I run out!

Dolce & Gabanna Pour Femme EDP 25 ml - €60

I am officially obsessed with this scent.  This was recently re-released by Dolce & Gabanna, and after I smelled it at Douglas, it had to be mine!  I ended up using half of the bottle in just November, which is terrible considering the ghastly price :( It smells like winter and raspberries (if that makes sense) and it's a very grown-up, sexy scent!

Make-Up:

Urban Decay Naked Palette - $50

I bought this palette back in August and it hasn't received much love since I bought it, so this month, I decided to try and use it more and I ended up falling in love with it!  I mostly stuck to the neutral colors, as they make perfect day-time eye looks.

This was my most-used combination of the month: Virgin and Naked.  I put Virgin all over the lid, and put Naked in the crease and then used Virgin again as a highlight for under my browbone and in the inner corner of my eye.

Dior Shimmer Star 002 Amber Diamond - $44

I had been skipping highlighting for the past few months, not feeling the need to highlight when I was just going to school, but this month that all changed.  I could see that my skin was looking a bit dull due to the Winter-haze, so I pulled this baby out and didn't look back! It gives a beautiful glow to the cheekbones, and really makes a difference to the overall look!

Hopefully, you can see the beautiful highlight that is Dior Amber Diamond, worth every penny!

Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler - £20

I bought this at Space NK when I was in London in September.  I had never owned an eyelash curler before, so this was me branching out.  I used it a bit in October, but it was hard for me to remember to add it to my daily routine.  However, in November, I really broke these in and now they are habitual and I really don't think I could live without the beautiful curl they give!

Burberry Lip Cover No. 14 Prune - £23

I also bought this while I was in London (at the John Lewis on Oxford Street) in September.  I was feeling really brave at the beginning of November and decided to use this gorgeous, vampy color quite a lot.  It's a beautiful dark purpley-red, sort of an oxblood color, if you will.  It's definitely not for the faint-hearted, but it's definitely worth a swatch! Very perfect for a night-time look or during these winter months!  

MAC Matte Lipstick 'Velvet Teddy' - $15

This is my final favorite of the month!  Although, I was loving the dark, vampy lip this month, I wasn't always up for that look, so on the days that I wasn't feeling as confident about rocking that look, I went for this lipstick.  I actually used to hate this lipstick, finding it to be too orange-based.  It is a beigey-orangey-nude color, but I actually decided it looked quite nice with my skin, about as nude as it's going to get with me!

So, that's it for my November Favorites.  I hope you enjoyed the post! 

You can check out my most recent post here :)

Christmas Skincare/Haircare Wishlist

The third and final Christmas Wishlist!

Ojon Rare Blend Oil Total Hair Therapy - $35

My Hair has been looking a bit dull lately, so I thought this would help to boost it's shine and make it look healthier!

Bioderma Crealine H20 Micelle Solution - approx. $30/€18

I have heard SO MUCH about this stuff, I've been wanting to try this for ages.  My make-up remover is running out and I desperately need to replace it.  Unfortunately, it's difficult to get outside of France :( Thankfully, a friend of mine is going to Paris this weekend, so maybe he'll be nice and pick this up for me!

Caudalie Vinosource SOS Thirst Quenching Serum - $48

I've had samples of this before and I love it!  I really want the full size as I think it'd be a great serum for the dry, cold winter that will be hitting soon.

Emma Hardie Amazing Face Cleansing Balm - $48

I've heard a lot about this from Youtubers and Bloggers and I really want to try it out!  However, I really don't need another cleanser, so this will have to wait until I run out of my current one.

Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream - $30

I am not a fan of my current Eye Cream, so I've been looking for one to replace it, and this one has got to be it!  I've tried it before, but for some reason I didn't buy it, hopefully I'll have it soon, though :)

Laura Mercier Crème de Pistache Soufflé Body Cream - $55

I am a major fan of Laura Mercier Skincare and I know this smells amazing - it will be mine!

I hope you enjoyed this post :)  Anything I've missed on my wishlist?

You can check out my last two wishlist posts here and here!

Christmas Make-up Wishlist (Not Including Burberry Beauty)

You may have recently seen my Christmas Burberry Beauty Wishlist (post here), but as much as I love Burberry Beauty, I still like some diversity in my make-up collection.  So here is my Make-Up Wishlist for Christmas (Not Including Burberry Beauty)!

YSL Rouge Pur Couture Vernis À Lèvres Glossy Stain in 4 Mauve Pigment - $32/€30

As you can see by my wishlist, I have been lusting after YSL Lip Products!  I've never tried them before and I'm extremely curious.  I've heard about the Glossy Stains on Youtube and I think I'm going to have to get one!

Dior Celebration Collection Eye Palette - $65

This palette looks absolutely gorgeous and I think I'll have to snatch it up if I ever see it in store :)

YSL Rouge Volupté - Silky Sensual Radiant Lipstick in 12 Forbidden Burgundy - $34/€31

I've almost bought this shade I don't know how many times, but I keep finding myself swatching it and falling deeper in love with it, plus just look at that packaging!!  The pictured lipstick is NOT the same as the one I want, which is a deep dark red, but I couldn't find a picture of Forbidden Burgundy :(

NARS Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil in Club Mix - $24

This is described as a sheer grape, and I think it looks beautiful! You can see the swatch of the pencil behind it up above :)!

Chantecaille Just Skin Tinted Moisturizer - $64

I've heard so much about this Tinted Moisturizer on Youtube and on Blogs.  It sounds absolutely amazing and one day I will get it, despite the hefty price tag!

YSL Volupté Sheer Candy - Glossy Balm Crystal Color in 05 Mouthwatering Berry - $30/€31

My recent obsession with Berry lip balms has made me want this so badly, I've swatched it and now I need it!

I hope you enjoyed the post :)  Anything in particular on your wishlists for Christmas?

You can check out my most recent post here!

NOTD: Essie's 'Sole Mate'

Winter is coming, which in my mind means one thing: vampy everything.  I've recently been rocking vampy lips, so I thought I would let my nails rock a similar look.  Although I already have a few dark, almost black red/purple colors, I couldn't say no to the look of this color!

Sole Mate is a really deep red, which shows up almost black on the nails, but I would even say there is a bit of purple in there, as well, even though it looks like a deep red in the bottle.

a base coat, 2 coats of Sole Mate, and a top coat

This is another color from Essie that has a thick brush, which I believe that makes it part of their diffusion line.  The color is beautiful, just like the consistency, the polish glides on like a dream!

However, I had a problem with this particular shade like I've never had with an Essie nail polish before - the lasting power.  Normally, an Essie polish will last at least 3 or 4  days on my nails, but this last barely two before it started majorly chipping! 

Now, I'm hoping that I had just accidentally chipped it by hitting a table with my nails or something, because normally Essie has great lasting power, but maybe it has to do with this particular shade or maybe I just got a weird one - who knows!

Also, this shade is basically the same shade as OPI's 'We'll Always Have Paris' (post here), so if you're looking for a dupe for either one, there you are, but I would definitely recommend OPI's over Essie's due to the lasting power that I noticed with this shade.

I will be testing this out further, so hopefully it was my fault and not the polish's fault that it chipped so easily, but I'll be sure to keep you posted :)

I hope you enjoyed the post :)

You can check out my most recent post here, and my most recent NOTD here!

Christmas Burberry Beauty Wishlist

It's getting to be that time of year, so I thought I would kick off the season with a wishlist of my own!

My Wishlist for Burberry Beauty is always about 3 feet long - but these are my top picks!

Burberry Effortless Mascara in Midnight Black No. 01 - $28/€29

I've been wanting to try this mascara for a while, and it's about time for me to get a new mascara, so this might be it!

Burberry Sheer Compact Foundation - $55/€45

I am absolutely in love with my Burberry Sheer Fluid Foundation in Trench No. 01, so I think I'll have to try out the pressed powder foundation to see if it's any good (though I'm sure it's amazing)!

Burberry Complete Eye Palette in Mocha No. 02 - $59/€51

These palettes were just released and I already have my eye on a few of them, so I'll definitely be purchasing at least one of these!

Burberry Lip Velvet in Bright Poppy No. 311 - $30/€27

The Lip Velvets came out a little over a month ago and I have been wanting to try them ever since, they're matte lipsticks, and this shade in particular (which is a dark, vampy purple/red) looks perfect for this time of year :)

Burberry Lip Mist in Blueberry No. 06 - $30/€28

I've come close to buying this before (they were out of stock), and it's still on my mind.  It's a berry tinted lip balm, something with which I've recently been having a bit of an obsession! This definitely needs to be in my life :)

Burberry Sheer Eyeshadow in Khaki No. 08 - $29/€25

I've been wanting this eyeshadow for months and I think the time has come for me to finally just buy it!  I only have one other khaki shade - Edward Bess's Intimate (review here), which I don't particularly care for, so I think I'll be needing to get this one!

I hope you enjoyed the post :)

You can check out my most recent post here!

NOTD: Dior Le Grand Bal Marilyn Diorific Vernis

If you saw my last NOTD post (which you can check out here), you'll know that I recently bought a few items from the Dior 'Le Grand Bal' Christmas collection.  I ended up buying two nail polishes, and this one - Marilyn - is by far my favorite of the two!

It's a beautiful true red, a color I oddly hadn't owned before now. I also love the name of the polish, when I put this polish on, I really feel as though Marilyn Monroe could have used this polish, too.  Especially due to the lovely vintage-style packaging, which is a little pill bottle.

base coat, 2 coats of Marilyn, and a top coat

Beyond the name and the packaging, this polish has even more to offer: quality.  The consistency of this polish is beautiful, it's so thick and glides on so easily onto the nail.  It also has great lasting power, I wore this for about 5 days without any issues!

Needless to say, this turned my opinion around about the Dior nail polishes after the flop that I had with Diorling, and I definitely think I'll be trying out some more Dior nail polishes in the future!

I bought this from Galeria Kaufhof for €25.50.

I hope you enjoyed the post :)

You can check out my most recent post here!

October Favorites 2012

The days are getting even shorter, the wind is crisper, the crunchy leaves are starting to get frost-bitten - it's officially November, which means one thing: October Favorites.  Yes, I realize that it is now already half-way through November, but better late than never, right?

Beware: This contains a fair amount of the things I purchased while I was in the UK in September (if you want to check out my haul, you can read about it here, or if you want to see what I did, you can see my post here), but what can I say?  They were great purchases!

Burberry Fresh Glow - $48

My first favorite is definitely my Burberry Fresh Glow.  I purchased this this summer, but I didn't really use it very much.  I use this as a primer and honestly, if it weren't Winter, I wouldn't even need to put foundation on.  It makes your skin glow so beautifully and so naturally, and even when I put foundation on top of it, it still glows through my foundation and makes my skin look so great - which is perfect for my dull skin months in the winter! I got this at Nordstrom - a bit pricey, but absolutely amazing!

Burberry Sheer Fluid Foundation in Trench No. 01 - $52/£35

I bought this foundation at Harrods in London in September and I feel confident in saying that this is my perfect foundation! It is the perfect color for my skin tone, it blends beautifully and gives just the right amount of coverage for me (which is light, by the way).  It's pricey to say the least, but I highly recommend checking these out if you have a Burberry Counter near you - I will say that there's definitely no way for you to just guess which color matches you, make sure you test out multiple different shades, it took 3 or 4 tries for me to find my shade!

Burberry Sheer Luminous Concealer in No. 01 Light Beige - $40/£26

I also bought this at Harrods (spur of the moment decision, I might add) whilst in London this Fall and I am in love! It is the perfect concealer to put on top of my Bobbi Brown Creamy Corrector, just enough coverage, but it also has a luminous effect!  It's Burberry's answer to the YSL Touche Éclat, and though I can't compare it to the YSL (as I've never tried it), I can only give praise to this one!  It also can be used for highlighting, which is a bonus :)

Burberry Sheer Luminous Pressed Powder in No. 01 Porcelain - $45/£31

I was talked into this by a Make-up Artist at John Lewis on Oxford Street in London and I can say that this is the best powder I've ever used.  It glides on like a dream and doesn't leave you looking powdery in the slightest.  It illuminates the skin slightly, which is something I'm always looking for!

Burberry 'Light Glow' Natural Blush in No. 07 Earthy - $42

If you've seen any of my FOTD posts, you'll know I love using this particular shade as my contour color - which is the only contour color I've found that actually works for me.  However, in October (due mostly to laziness) I decided to start using this as my blush, as well - and let me tell you, it gives the most natural color to the cheeks! It's a light brown with some hints of an apricot-y color, but it looks so lovely on the cheeks - basically, it's everything I was hoping NARS Luster would be!

Burberry Sheer Eyeshadow in No. 18 Midnight Black - $29/£22.50

On the night before I left London this Fall, I decided I had to have this particular eyeshadow, so on the morning of my flight back to Germany, I ran to John Lewis and picked this up, and I am so glad I did!  I use this as an eyeliner and I don't think I've used anything else to line my eyes since I got it.  It lasts forever and gives a subtle amount of definition to the lash line - it's basically flawless.

L-R: Era, Patina, Satin Taupe

MAC Eyeshadow in Era/Patina/Satin Taupe - $12 each

I use these shadows together on the days when I'm going for a smokier eye - they work perfectly together!  I use Era all over the lid, Patina in the crease, and then Satin Taupe in the Outer V, it's not too OTT that I can wear it during the day, but it's gorgeous and glamorous enough for night, too! Era (Satin) is a light golden-brown with Shimmer, Patina (Frost) is a bit darker than Era and slightly taupier, but still has some gold to it, and Satin Taupe (Frost) is more of a slightly shimmery Mulberry-Taupe color - hopefully my descriptions weren't too confusing!

Lancôme Hypnôse Drama Mascara - $26

I only have the sample size of this mascara (thank you Sephora), but I have been loving this mascara for a bit of extra definition.  It volumizes your lashes, but it doesn't create clump-central like so many volumizing mascaras do!

CHANEL Charactére

CHANEL Rouge Coco 45 Charactére - $32.50/€28

I bought this lipstick at Douglas in September and I think I've worn it every single day this month!  It's a darker, muted red, which is perfect for this time of year, but it also has gold sparkles in it.  Now, I am usually opposed to sparkles on the lips (which is part of the reason that I refuse to wear lip gloss), but somehow the sparkles don't really show up very much on the lips, they just give your lips a little extra shine and reflection!

Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler - $20/£20

I bought this at Space NK at One New Change in London and this has completely changed my world.  I never used to see the point of curling lashes - maybe because my eyelash curler was crap, but who knows?  But now, I do it everyday, this curler works like a charm!  Plus it comes with a replacement pad - bonus :)

MAC 208 Angled Brow Brush - $20/€24

I bought this at Douglas and I use it everyday with my Burberry Midnight Black eyeshadow to line my lashes.  I initially bought it to fill in my brows with MAC's Omega and Charcoal Brown - but that didn't work out, but this brush works amazingly for eyeliner! It's so easy to work with :)

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser - £14.25

I finally ran out of my old cleanser and started using this.  It definitely lives up to the hype!  It makes removing make-up so easy.  I will say that I think it smells like puke (literally), but I can get over that for how well it works!  I just wish they would add some perfume or something :(

Paco Rabanne Lady Million EDP 30 ml - $49

I bought this perfume a while ago, and I finally started using it (it's more of a Fall/Winter scent in my opinion).  I hadn't used it before October, but I think within the last month I've used about 1/4 of it, as I feel the need to wear it everyday - it smells that good! It has these notes in it: Neroli, Bitter Orange, Raspberry, Orange Flower Absolute, Sambac Jasmine Absolute, Gardenia, Patchouli, Honey, Amber.  It smells very luxurious and sexy - I would highly recommend going and taking a whiff :)! 

I had quite a lot of favorites this month, so hopefully this wasn't too overwhelming!  I hope you enjoyed :)

You can check out my most recent post here!

NOTD: Dior 'Diorific Vernis - Le Grand Bal' in Diorling

A while ago I was browsing through the Dior section of Galeria Kaufhof in Frankfurt (always dangerous) and I saw that the Holiday section (Le Grand Bal) had been released - although I really have no need to ever buy a nail polish again, I couldn't help myself when I saw the collection.  It's filled with deep reds and stunning golds, I just couldn't say no to a couple of things!  This nail polish - Diorling - was one that I couldn't pass up.

I've always been a huge fan of gold nail polishes - in fact, during the holidays, I generally only wear gold nail polishes, so this particular shade basically screamed my name!

a base coat, 2 coats of Diorling, and a top coat

I will say that I was a bit disappointed by this particular shade.  I was hoping for the lovely soft gold shade that the bottle seemed to promise me, but as you can see it is in fact quite sheer.  It's not even really a gold color, I would call it more of a champagne with soft gold shimmer.

However, what it lacks in color it makes up for in it's amazing consistency, it glides right on the nails!  As for the lasting power, I also can't say too much about it, as I only left it on for about 3 days, but it didn't chip within those three days, so that's pretty good.  

As for my future with this shade, I think I'll use it as a top coat when I'm going for a more sparkly finish, but I doubt I'll wear it on its own in the future :(  Also, I will say that it is damn difficult to get this nail polish off!  Even a week and two polishes later, I still find a few golden sparkles on my nails!

This is a limited edition nail polish, which is priced at €25.50.

I hope you enjoyed the post :)

You can check out my most recent post here, and my most recent NOTD here!

LUSH Fresh Face Mask 'BB Seaweed': First Thoughts

Last week, I stumbled across a LUSH store, so I went in with one product on my mind: BB Seaweed.  I have always wanted to try the LUSH Fresh Face Masks, but I've mostly come across LUSH stores whilst in Europe, making it impossible to buy them (as the masks require refrigeration)!

So, when the opportunity came up for me to buy one, I couldn't pass it up.  Naturally, the one mask that I wanted, BB Seaweed, was completely sold out.  Fortunately for me, one of the lovely LUSH workers gave me two generous samples!

Here's how LUSH describes BB Seaweed:

Finding the right mask when you’re working with sensitive skin can be risky. Redness inducing, inflammation causing… even painful! BB Seaweed is a best-seller for its ability turn every rough patch into smooth, supple skin. No surprises here, BB Seaweed is packed full of none other than the ocean greenery itself! Seven pounds of it in each batch, in fact. Finely ground almonds gently slough away dry skin, rose absolute balances skin tone and organic extra virgin olive oil moisturizes. Slather up in seaweed and feel your skin smile.

I had tried BB Seaweed out on my hand on my first LUSH experience ever in Glasgow, Scotland, where one amazing lady took me and my mom throughout the entire store to show us everything that LUSH had to offer.  When she showed us the masks, my mom and I both fell in love with BB Seaweed.  It left my hand feeling so soft and supple and it's been on my mind ever since!

Now, the first thing I did when I got my samples home was test them out.  The mask itself is a very 'stereotypical' clay mask, meaning it leaves your face covered in green clay/paste with little seaweed bits dispersed throughout.  It could definitely be scary, so I generally just stay in the bathroom and wait it out until the mask is dry and ready to be removed.

However, the removal is a bit tricky.  This sucker doesn't want to leave your skin without a fight!  It definitely takes a little patience to remove the mask, but if you were to cleanse your face afterwards it won't be an issue!

The mask itself also feels like it exfoliates a bit as I apply it, which is great me, since I always forget to exfoliate - oops!

Overall, my skin feels baby soft afterwards, and it's a nice cleansing, quick-drying mask, that isn't too poorly priced (€10.45)!  Although I don't have sensitive skin, I definitely think I'll be purchasing this once I run out of my samples :)

Once again, these are just my first impressions of the product, my mind could definitely change in the future, so I'll be sure to keep you posted!

Also, if you'd like, you can check out my most recent post here!

NOTD: OPI 'We'll Always Have Paris'

My mind has been on one thing all week: Paris.  A friend of mine lives in Paris and has invited me to go visit him there one weekend.  Unfortunately, I'm not sure I'll be able to go until December or January, so for now, I'm just going to have to dream!

In order to ease my heart from the sorrow of not going to France for a few months I decided to paint my nails one of my all-time favorite nail colors: OPI's 'We'll Always Have Paris' from their France collection from a few years back (I'm a hoarder, what can I say?).

Base coat, 2 coats of OPI's 'We'll Always Have Paris', and a top coat

As you can see, it's a really dark purple shade, which is perfect for the cooler months.  It's so dark, it almost looks black on my nails, and I know that I've said before that I think dark colors don't work on my skin-tone, but I really think this is an exception!  It makes my fingers look really long, and the color itself is more of a red-purple than a blue-purple (if that makes sense), which I think makes it a little less harsh against my skin-tone!

The lasting power is decent, I've had it on for a couple of days without any issues, but I would say that 5 days is probably the maximum for the lasting power.  I believe the country collections from OPI are limited edition, so you probably can't pick this shade up, but maybe I'm wrong, otherwise give eBay or Amazon a go!  I would definitely recommend the shade for anyone looking for a dark purple shade - it's my favorite purple :)

OPI polishes retail for $8.50.

Hope you enjoyed :)

Check out my last NOTD post here!

NOTD: Essie 'Bahama Mama'

Everyone in the Beauty Blogger/Youtube world has been raving about a certain color for fall - Essie's 'Bahama Mama', so I finally caved in and bought it!  Let's just say it definitely lives up to the hype.

The color is gorgeous - a raspberry/deep hot-pink, but it definitely doesn't come out Barbie on the nails.  It's almost a softer red, something that I think would be great for teenagers and adults, alike.  It doesn't come of too young or childish, but at the same time, it doesn't look like it would be too mature for someone in middle/high-school, either.  The color itself, works perfectly for this time of year, with a deeper color, it's great for Fall/Winter, but I think it could be worn in Spring/Summer, as well.

The color has lasted for 5 days so far, and it's only starting to wear off at the edges of my nails, which is fantastic!  I honestly think this could last for an entire week without issues!  

One thing I did notice about this nail polish is that it has a different brush than all of my other Essie nail polishes, it's not skinny like all of my other ones, but very thick, like the Sally Hansen brushes.  This is the only Essie nail polish that I bought in Germany (at Müller for €8), so maybe that's why.  If anyone has any ideas about why the brush is different, please let me know as I am really curious!

Overall, I would highly recommend this color, jump on the bandwagon -- the view is beautiful!

You can check out my most recent NOTD post here and my most recent post here.

My Make-Up Emergency Kit

Recently, I've been spending a lot of time on campus, which is about 20 minutes away from where I live.  Therefore, I've found it much easier to just stay at a friend's apartment at the university instead of literally walking through the woods to get home once it gets a bit late.  However, the problem with this is that I don't generally bring my entire night-time skin-care routine along with my make-up for the next day with me when I never am actually planning on staying over on campus, which is a bit of a situation for me.  So, I decided to just make a 'Make-Up/Skincare Emergency Kit' for situations like this and leave it at a friend's apartment.

It all fits nicely inside this little LeSportsac that I bought on sale maybe 10 years ago!

Here's what I put inside:

Make-Up:

I went quite stingy with the contents of this 'Emergency Kit', as it literally is just for emergency sleep-overs.  Make-Up wise I decided to include the Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream in Light (which I love, by the way, just a little too light of coverage for the colder months, but I will be taking this back come spring!), the Sleek Storm Palette - to use for eyeshadow and eyeliner, a Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer in 1 Fair, an Artdeco All in One mascara sample, and the Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in 001 Transparent - which hasn't been getting much love from me since I got the Burberry Sheer Powder.  You may have noticed there isn't any blush, lipstick, or anything for my eyebrows included.  I've decided I can live without blush in an emergency (and I didn't want to say good-bye to any of my blushes for a long-period of time).  I also keep multiple lipsticks and my Tom Ford Brow Sculptor (review here) in my make-up bag inside of my purse, so I know that I'll have those at any given moment!

Brushes:

I kept it simple and just included a Mini-Hairbrush from Goody, a BareMinerals Full Flawless Face Brush for Powder, an Eco Tools Brow Brush (for eyeliner), a Real Techniques Domed Shadow Brush, and an Elf Contour Brush.

Skincare and Perfume:

For my skincare I thought I would make use of some of my millions of samples, including only samples.  I've decided to put in: a sample of Chloé EDP, Aesop B & Tea Balancing Toner, Aesop Fabulous Face Cleanser, Bobbi Brown Instant Long-Wear Makeup Remover, Clinique Turnaround Overnight Radiance Moisturizer, Sephora Instant Moisturizer, and a couple of Cotton Pads.

This bag consists of products that I don't tend to use very much, but products that I still am happy to use, making it perfect for an emergency kit :)

Hope you enjoyed the post! Check out my most recent post here :)

NOTD: Essie 'Mink Muffs'

Last weekend was German-American Day, which was celebrated in Neuss (near Düsseldorf) and I went to an event there.  I decided to paint my nails another 'Office-Appropriate' shade just for the event - Essie's 'Mink Muffs'.  It's a little less day-job than my usual true nude nail shades, such as CHANEL's 'Frenzy' or Nails Inc.'s 'Porchester Square' (see posts here and here), but I really fell in love with the shade as I was wearing it.

It's a very mushroom-brown shade, but it is very flattering on the nails.  The brown almost has a slight hint of a reddish-purple in it, making it really lovely and a little more unusual than so many brown nail polishes.  I find that really dark colors look a bit off on my nails, but this is a perfect way for me to get a darker color without it looking OTT.

Of course, as with all Essie nail polishes, the formula is great and it lasted about 5 days without any major chipping (probably 3 days without any chipping, at all).

I bought this at Wal-Mart for $8, but you can pick it up just about anywhere!

Hope you enjoyed :) Check out my last NOTD post here, or check out my most recent post here.

NEOM Candle 'Real Luxury' Review

If you saw my England Haul from last month, you'll know that I went a bit crazy when it came to the NEOM Candle section in John Lewis (if you haven't checked out the haul, you can see it here).  I picked up three different candles: Sumptuous (review here), Real Luxury, and Complete Bliss, all in the travel sizes.

After about halfway through Sumptuous, I decided to try Real Luxury out.  I can say that this scent is amazing.  It's a definite pampering scent, which is what I'm automatically drawn to, but it's a very deep scent, as well, which makes it perfect for Autumn/Winter.

Just like Sumptuous, the scent of Real Luxury lingers even when it hasn't been lit for days, which in itself justifies the high price for me.  I will walk into my room after having been away for a weekend and it smells amazing!

NEOM Real Luxury Candle

The box describes the fragrance as such:

Known as the 'cashmere blanket' of our scent library, Real Luxury is a sophisticated but light and calming scent.  The most precious Jasmine is combined with a little French Lavender and the soothing, spicy tones of Brazilian Rosewood.

And just as with every NEOM Candle, it, of course, has a treatment:

Perfect for pampering & 'me time', also gently relaxing so a lovely backdrop for a social evening and an ideal gift.

Now, this treatment is something I can attest to!  It is a very relaxing scent (almost too relaxing!), and really makes me want to indulge in reading a book, or just sitting and enjoying a little bit of quiet time.  The treatment may, however, be an issue if you have to get a bunch of stuff done, as I've been so relaxed I haven't wanted to do any homework or cleaning or anything like that :P

The travel size of these candles retail for £15, and the full-size retails for £39.50.

Overall, I would highly recommend these candles, and although I absolutely adore the scent of Real Luxury, I still think that Sumptuous is absolutely unbeatable!

NOTD: Essie 'Chinchilly'

Once again, this is going to be another Nail of the Day post.  I really hope you aren't sick of them, I do them all of the time, but I paint my nails a lot, even though I always paint them very similar colors :)

This time I decided to paint my nails with Essie 'Chinchilly'.  I bought this about 2 months ago and haven't gotten around to trying it out.  I had heard a fair amount about this particular shade in the beauty blogger world, so I was excited to try it out, needless to say I wasn't disappointed!

This is a perfect addition to my growing collection of nudes/greys.  It's definitely a grey shade, but it's muted and not very dark, making it really versatile and wearable, in my opinion.

2 coats of Chinchilly, a base and a top coat

This is definitely a cooler-toned grey color, but it may look good on warm-toned people, as well, I'm not too sure!  It's a beautiful shade, and if it's like the other Essie nail polishes I've tried it probably will last for a good 3 days without chipping, which is about as much as I can ask for from a nail polish!

Hope you guys enjoyed this :) Click here if you want to see my last NOTD post!

NOTD: Sally Hansen 'Commander in Chic'

I haven't posted in ages, I've been extremely busy over the past week and a half because of my University orientation and now this week I've started an intensive German Language Course.  But since I've been so busy meeting people and going to class and such, I've been neglecting my blog :( I'm going to try and post a couple of times a week from now on, so I can write my posts on the weekend and publish them throughout the week, so hopefully this break won't be so common!

Anyways, I'm jumping back in with a NOTD Post, as I love reading these :)  I've really been into nude nails for the past month or two, but I'm also loving grège nails for this time of year, as well!  

Sally Hansen's 'Commander in Chic' with a base coat, 2 coats of polish, and a top coat

Today, I'm wearing Sally Hansen's Complete Salon Manicure in '370 Commander in Chic'.  I had been eyeing this color for a while before I finally gave in and bought it!  It's such a perfect fall color, a mix between  brown, grey, and purple.  It comes out a nice taupe-ish color, that's isn't murky like that color combination might suggest!  It's also quite similar to OPI's 'You Don't Know Jacques!' (which I posted about here).  Although, 'You Don't Know Jacques!' is much more brown than 'Commander in Chic' is.

I know that many people hate the Sally Hansen brushes, but I'm in love with them.  I just need to sweep it across my nails about twice to get the perfect amount for each coat.  I have an issue with the thin brushes that come in most nail polishes, so Sally Hansen is always something I tend to gravitate towards!

The wear on the Sally Hansen polishes are also not too shabby, I can generally get about 3 or 4 days of wear out of these polishes before it starts to chip, which is about average, so nothing to complain about.

I also love how amazingly cheap these are, I think they are either $5 or $6 in the US, and probably about €5 or €6, though I'm not sure, as I bought this at Wal-Mart about 2 months ago!

Sally Hansen is definitely a brand to check out, if you like thick brushes and decent wear like I do!

Hope you guys enjoyed this post :) More to come very soon, hopefully!

NOTD: Nails Inc. 'Porchester Square'

Tomorrow I'm leaving to spend the weekend in Frankfurt to meet with the different members and coordinators of my exchange program along with all of the other exchange students that are in my program, as well.  Because this is a meeting of sorts, I decided to paint my nails with one of my 'work appropriate' shades: Nails Inc. 'Porchester Square'.

It's a beautiful lilac-toned, dove grey.  It's somewhat similar to CHANEL Frenzy, but it's more grey and, therefore, much cooler-toned.

base coat, 2 coats of Porchester Square, and a top coat

I am a huge fan of Nails Inc. Nail Polishes, this is my third and favorite of their shades (I also have Baker Street - a cobalt blue, and a pink one, as well).  The quality of the shades is fantastic, I can easily get 4 days wear without any major chipping.  I also love the names of the polishes, they're all named after different areas/streets/famous things in London (i.e. their black polish is called Black Taxi).  If you're travelling to London, they make great little souveneirs!

However, they're also readily available at Sephora for those of you in the States/Canada.  I bought this particular shade at Sephora for $9.50.  The color is right on trend, as well, due to this amazing nude nails trend that's taking the beauty world by storm!

This and CHANEL Frenzy are my two favorite nude nail polishes.  However, if there are any more I should check out, please let me know, as I am obsessed with this trend!

I hope you all have a great weekend :)

'Burberry Body EDP: Rose Gold Edition' Review

Recently, I was in London for a long weekend and I went a bit perfume-crazy and ended up buying 3 (if you're interested in seeing what all I bought, check out my England Haul here)!  I realize that some people don't even own 3 perfumes, and I own something like 8 now, but oh, well!  The last perfume I bought while I was in England was the Limited Edition Burberry Body EDP: Rose Gold Edition.

I had been lusting after Burberry Body for quite some time, and when I smelled the original, I could barely restrain myself.  However, I decided that if I was going to buy Burberry Body, I wanted the new Rose Gold Edition.  As luck would have it, I ran across it while I was at a duty free shop in Heathrow!

I'm one of those people who keeps the packaging of all of my perfumes if I can help, it's just too pretty to throw away!

They only had one size of this perfume at the duty free shop: 85ml, but it does come in a smaller size, as well (the Burberry website calls it 'purse sized', but it doesn't say how many ml are in that, so it could be quite small!).

The only difference between the Burberry Body: Rose Gold Edition and the regular Burberry Body is the packaging, they are the exact same scent.  The Rose Gold Edition has a Rose Gold tinted glass bottle, and it's quite shiny and made to look as if it actually is metal.  This does mean that the bottle itself smudges very easily.

However, I think the packaging is absolutely gorgeous!  The scent is also amazing :)  It has the following notes: freesia, green absinthe, peach, rose, iris, sandalwood, cashmeran, musk, amber, vanilla.  I would describe it as a warmer floral scent.  It can be worn any time of year, in my opinion, but I've been loving it recently.  I think I've worn it everyday since I got back from England (which was about 2 weeks ago).  I haven't even tried my other new perfumes!

I would definitely recommend going out to your local beauty store and testing this out.  I'm personally a huge fan of floral scents, especially warm ones for the fall and winter time, so this is right up my alley!

Regarding the wear-time of the perfume, it's fantastic.  I own 3 Burberry Perfumes (London, Brit, and Body) and they are my longest-wearing perfumes.  I had high expectations for this perfume, and it didn't let me down.  I can still smell it even 13 hours after I applied it (though it isn't as strong as when I put it on this morning, which is to be expected).  It's incredible.

If you don't have the Rose Gold Edition near you, don't fret as the original is the same (like I previously mentioned), but who doesn't love a Limited Edition product?

I bought this at London Heathrow Airport at World Duty for £60, but it retails for $95/€90/£75.  I can already say that it was worth every penny!

I hope this was helpful :)