INSPO: Makeup Storage & Vanity Set Ups

My makeup vanity/table essentials: 

 - a scented candle (Voluspa Crisp Champagne)

- portable speaker (music angel friendz in pink)

- Acrylic drawers/cosmetic organizers

- pencil sharpener (Chanel have the best one, in my opinion)

- lip balm (I really love EOS lip balms)

- facial toner (I use Lancôme Tonique Douceur Softening Hydrating Toner)

- Various facial mists (MAC Fix + and The Body Shop Vitamin-E Face Spray)

- cotton swabs/q-tips

- cotton pads

- tissues and wet wipes

What are your makeup table essentials? 

REVIEW: The Original BeautyBlender

The infamous Beauty Blender. Over-hyped or really great?

I bought this back in March, and I've been using it regularly ever since but not as much as I thought I would. And it's not that it's disappointing or bad, it's just not better than a really great face brush in my opinion...

But the awesome thing about this is that it is really great when you need to do a medium/full coverage base(foundation+concealer)in under a minute. You get a flawless finish in no time with the Beauty Blender. You only push the product on your skin and dab it out. It leaves a really pretty and dewy finish.

When it comes to cheaper dupes for this sponge; they do not work as well as the original Beauty Blender. That is my true opinion. They do not compare, and I have tried many dupe sponges. They usually have a completely different texture and they do not give you the same finish.

Cleaning this item is a challenge. Well, making it look clean is a challenge. It stains so bad. So bad. I clean mine with a gentle shampoo and it gets clean, but some stains do not go away at all. I have not tried the brand sponge cleanser, some say it does not work either for getting rid of stains. I personally do not care about the stains as long as it's clean.

Conclusion: I will say it's actually not over-hyped, but it will definitely not replace my staple foundation brush. But when I'm in a rush and need a flawless face, this one is my savior. I really really like the Beauty Blender and I will always have one at my disposal.


What do you think about the Beauty Blender?

HAUL/REVIEW: MAC, TheBalm, Real Techniques++

Just picked up a few items online I had on my wishlist, since I had some discount codes at hand. It's kind of a collective haul. I have been using these products for a while now, I got them a few weeks back actually, so this will be a review of these items as well. But anyway, here's what I got:

MAC Lipstick in Ruby Woo: My favorite red for all occations, but most of all my favorite red for everyday use. It's a beautiful, matte, neutral red. It feels like your wearing nothing on your lips, the only exception is when/if you have chapped/dry lips; it can be quite drying. The color stays on for a good while, longer than any other red lipstick I've ever used.

TheBalm Mary-Lou Mainzer aka The Luminizer: The perfect highlighter. I use it on my cheekbones, brow bones, inner corners, cupids bow, nose bridge and even as an eyeshadow. Beautiful neutral champagne color. But a little goes a long way when you apply it. I love this!

Bourjois Delice de Poudre: Love the long-lasting finish, the color, the glow it gives me, the lovely smell...everything. The shade 52 is perfect for my skintone. It looks shimmery in the pan, but it really does not show on your skin. 

Clinique All About Eyes concealer: I bought this because I used up my Clinique Line Smoothing Concealer, a concealer I really like btw, and it really does the job. I use it as a highlighting concealer under my eyes, it does not crease on me and it stays on all day.

MAC Fix +: This is a great product for so many reasons. I thought I really didn't need this product, but I do... For making the most out of my shimmery eyeshadows, setting my makeup and generally for freshening up my face. Smells really nice too.

Real Techniques Setting Brush: This is my second one, because I like to use it both for highlighting and under-eye concealer. So I needed one for each area of usage. And if you didn't catch my drift; yes, it's an amazing brush. Great for contouring too! Might even get a third one.

Real Techniques Travel Essential(Essential Foundation Brush, Multitask Brush and Domed Shadow Brush): I love the multitask brush for blush and bronzer, the foundation brush for BB/CC cream and for blending out my concealer and the domed shadow brush for packing on shadow in my crease. I really like this brand for makeup brushes.

HAUL: Benefit They're Real! and Gimme Brow

I've been curious about Benefit products for a long time now, especially the They're Real! mascara. I have seen a lot of interesting products by Benefit and it seems like a makeup brand I would really enjoy. It's a cute concept and I wish I had easier access to the brand where I live. Because of customs fee/tax it's really expensive to import any item over 200NOK/£20 to Norway.

But I finally decided to put in an order for They're Real and Gimme Brow:

Benefit Gimme Me Brow: Volumizing, water resistant, long-wearing fiber gel for fuller looking brows. I'm currently growing back my formerly overplucked brows and I need a little help along the way. This one should be great for that.

Benefit They're Real! Beyond Mascara: Long-wearing formula that lengthens, curls, volumizes, lifts and seperates. I'm on a (probably never ending) quest for the perfect mascara. I've heard really great things about this one, so why not try it out for myself? All I need is a mascara that doesn't smudge or irritate my eyes.

Have you tried Gimme Brow and/or They're Real?

WANT: Clinique Cheek Pop Blush

Clinique is one of my all time favorite makeup and skincare brands. Their products are classy and simple, but sometimes so simple it's almost boring. Now they have taken their makeup line to a whole new level with the new Cheek Pop blushers. 

 OMG, how pretty! Not only the Daisy embossed detail, but the colors are gorgeous. The Cheek Pop blusher comes in four colors:

 Berry Pop

 Plum Pop

 Ginger Pop

Peach Pop

I would definitly go for the Berry Pop or Plum Pop, because I prefer pink-toned blushes, but the Ginger Pop would be a fun one to try.

Which one(s) would you go for?

HAUL: May 2014 product haul

I recently purchased some goodies online I was excited to recieve. Some of these are products I've been eyeing forever because they were either always sold out or somehow unavailable where I live. But now I own them and I can't wait to use them!

Paul Mitchell Hot Off The Press Thermal Protection Hair Spray - Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask - Real Techniques Blush Brush - Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser - NYX Pump It Up Lip Plumper in Kim - Paris Hilton Heiress perfume - Hurraw! Lip Balms in Vanilla Bean, Chocolate and Night Treatment Balm - Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief - Joico K-Pak Deep Penetrating Reconstructor - Clarisonic Mia 2 in pink

 Paul Mitchell Hot Off The Press Thermal Protection Hair Spray: I've heard both great and bad things about this spray. All I need is a thermal protection spray that works and can keep my hair straight or hold curls.

 Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask: I love trying out new face masks, especially those which promise to unclog my pores, and a lot of people have been raving about this one from Origins so I just have to try it out.

  Real Techniques Blush Brush: I like my other RT brushes, and this one would be good for bronzer and blush.

Paris Hilton Heiress Eau de Parfum Spray: I've wanted this for so long, but haven't found it in anywhere. I was "supposed" to get it for christmas one year a long time ago, but that person mistakenly bought me the body lotion instead and I loved it but desperatley wanted the perfume spray. I'm obsessed with this scent, it really appeals to me. I don't even care it's Paris Hilton.

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser: I needed a simple but good facial cleanser that does the job without drying out my face or making it super greasy. And I heard that this one works great with the Clarisonic.

NYX Pump It Up Lip Plumper in Kim: This is a gorgeous nude lip plumper gloss named after Kim Kardashian. I'm a sucker for lip plumpers. 

Hurraw! Lip Balms in Vanilla Bean, Chocolate and Night Treatment Balm: Organic and vegan lip balms. When it comes to my lip balms, I like to keep it as natural as possible without SPF or any unatural stuff in it. 

Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief: A moisturizing moisturizer. Thirst relief. My skin desperatly needs thirst relief. 

Joico K-Pak Deep Penetrating Reconstructor: It's apperantly the best protein treatment mask ever, and I've wanted to try this out for years. I'm excited to try this out, my hair is really bad at the moment. 

Clarisonic Mia 2 in pink: This one was kind of expensive, but most people who own a Clarisonic says it's totally worth the money. I hope I'll be one of them, my skin is in desperate need of something like this. 

I will probably review some of these products, because most of them are products many people want to buy but don't know if they are worth their money.

REVIEW: Real Techniques Core Collection, Starter Kit +++

Real Techniques is a makeup brush brand by well-known YouTubers Sam Chapman and Nic Chapman, better known as Pixiwoo. They offer a great range of makeup brushes of pretty good quality, and at a great price.

Since I recived these brushes, I have really gotten to know them well and how to use them in a way that works for me.

Here is my review on the Real Techniques brushes I own:

Core Collection: Contour Brush, Pointed Foundation Brush, Detailer Brush and Buffing Brush.

Contour Brush: I use this for my contouring, and it does the job well. Fits perfectly under my cheekbones and through the temples, as well as for defining my chin. This brush was really the only reason why I bought the Core Colletion set, and it was totally worth it. 

Pointed Foundation Brush: I don't use this one for my foundation, because it would be way too time consuming for applying foundation with. I perfer to use it for patting on my under eye concealer and highlighter.

Detailer Brush: Great for putting concealer on skin imperfections. Could also work as a lip brush, but I have decided to use it for concealing.

Buffing Brush: I've heard so much about this brush upon buying it, so I was really excited to try it out for my self. I have found this one useful for cream bronzer, liquid foundation and for blending out. I'm happy with the Buffing Brush, because it's a great multitasker. When applying foundation with this brush, it's important that you really work the product in to the skin for that perfect finish.

 Starter Kit: Deluxe Crease Brush, Base Shadow Brush, Accent Brush, Fine Liner Brush and Brow Brush.

Deluxe Crease Brush: At first I used this for blending out my under eye concealer, but recently I have found myself using it only for blending out my eyeshadows. I really don't know which purpose I perfer it for. I guess I would buy another Deluxe Crease Brush if they were sold individually, so that I could have one for both needs. 

Base Shadow Brush: I use this one for applying a light base shadow all over my lid. It's so soft and fluffy and perfectly sized for it's purpose. Really like this one.

Accent Brush: At first I used this for highlighting my inner corners and brow bones, but now I use this one for detaling work on my eyeshadow. It's great for really defined looks with sharp edges.

Fine Liner Brush: This one is pretty much like any other liner brushes, nothing special. I haven't even used this one that much, because I still perfer my MAC 209 for applying gel and cream liner.

Brow Brush: Now this is a slanted brow brush that can also be used as a liner brush. I use it for contouring my nose, because it's the perfect size for doing that and it's really dense.

 Separate/individual brushes from Real Techniques: Setting Brush, Expert Face Brush and Powder Brush.

Setting Brush: I just knew I had to have this. It's PERFECT for highlighting! And it's so cute and pink. I guess it could be used for contouring as well as for blending out under eye concealer. But this will for ever be my #1 highlighter brush.

Expert Face Brush: This was the first Real Techinques brush I got, and I have used it for about two and a half months now. It has become my absolute favorite for applying my foundation. This comes really close to knocking out my MAC 187(which is my #1 holy-grail-all-time-favorite-brush). My skin looks flawless when I use the Expert Face Brush.

Powder Brush: This one is massive. It's just a massive powder brush. Slightly to big for applying bronzer, even though I do apply bronzer with it, but great for slapping on some powder. It's soft, which is the only thing I could want from a powder brush, because I feel like most powder brushes scratches my skin and takes off my foundation.

I must say I'm quite impressed with Real Techniques brushes. The quality, the price, the way they look. The only thing I would want it that some of the brushes in the sets were sold seperatly, because f.ex the Deluxe Crease Brush and the Buffing Brush are multiaskers you would want to have more of in your brush collection(and always a clean one available for use). 

REVIEW: theBalm Shady Lady Vol. 2 palette

 I'm genuinly impressed by this palette. It's really good in every single way it can be good.

The palette is sleek and compact. Usually when a palette is small on the outside, the product amount is equally small or even smaller. This is not the case with this palette. You get an good amount of product here. And I like the fact that it's compact.

Photo without flash:

 Photo with flash:

And there's a nice variety of colours in here. Unlike many other palettes where it's like nine shadows that are very similar on to the point where they're almost dupes for each other. In the Shady Lady Vol. 2 palette you get nine different colors.

Caught in the act Courtney: Burgundy/dark chocolate with golden flecks of shimmer. 

Feisty Felicia: Dark purple with silvery flecks of shimmer.

Insane Jane: Taupe/light brown with shimmer.

Bossy Bobbi: Denim blue with shimmer.

Makeout Mary: Olive green with metallic finish.

Just this once Jamie: Pinky mauve with a satin finish.

Mischievous Marissa: Golden light orange with a frosty finish. 

Tempting Tara: Frosty white.

Devilish Danielle: Frosty peach.

Swatches

From left: Caught in the act Courtney, Feisty Felicia, Insane Jane, Bossy Bobbi, Makeout Mary, Just this once Jamie, Mischievous Marissa, Tempting Tara and Devilish Danielle.

+ Great pigmentation

+ Blends out nicely

+ Smooth and buttery

+ Stays in place throughout the day

+ Packaging

WANT: Too Faced Bonjour Soleil Summer Bronzing Wardrobe

I can never get enough bronzers or palettes; combine the two and we have a winner. 

And the winner is the Too Faced Bonjour Soleil Summer Bronzing Wardrobe. 

 

This is a bronzer palette containing the Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzer, the Sun Bunny Natural Bronzer and the Snow Bunny Luminous Bronzer. Oh, and they smell like chocolate. You also get a kabuki brush. 

I just can't imagine my summer without this. 

 

HAUL: theBalm and Real Techniques

Today I recieved some goodies I recently purchased online, and I can't wait to try them out. 

// Idag fikk jeg pakker i posten som inneholdt noen godsaker som jeg gleder meg til å prøve ut. 

 

theBlam Shady Lady Vol. 2 palette: I have wanted this palette ever since it came out, but I thought that I could get better products for the same price. Last week I found it online at half off and I just had to have it. 

//Denne har jeg hatt lyst på helt siden den kom ut, men jeg tenkte også at jeg kunne få bedre ting til samme prisen. Forrige uke fant jeg den på nett nedsatt 50%, så da måtte jeg bare slå til. 

Real Techniques makeup brushes: I finally found a Norwegian online store where they sell these, and not at a bad price either, so this was perfect timing since I need new brushes. And I got most of them at special offer prices.

//Endelig fant jeg en norsk nettbutikk som selger disse børstene til en god pris(det var tilbud på noen av dem). Dette passet meg ganske bra siden det var på tide for meg å bytte ut sminkebørstene mine.

I'll do reviews on both the palette and the brushes when I have tried them out.

//det kommer omtale av både paletten og børstene etterhvert.

TREND: "Orange you glad summer is coming?"

DSquared2, DKNY, Rag&Bone, John Galliano and Fendi are just some of the brands that showed off orange lips on the runway for this season.

This is a difficult color to wear and not many people can pull it off. Let's just put it out there. It's bold and it's bright, but you can manage to wear an orange lip as long as you find the right orange for your skintone.

 Orange isn't just orange. Think bright orange, neon orange, red orange, apricot, tangerine, coral, peach, salmon, sheer finish, matte finish, satin finish. There are ways to make this work. 

Some great oranges on the market:

Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in Coral In Gold (creamy coral)

Estée Lauder Pure Color Long Lasting Lipstick in 26 Nectarine (shimmery orange toned red)

Clinique Chubby Stick in 11 Two Ton Tomato (sheer orange red)

NYX Matte Lipstick in Indie Flick (bright deep orange)

 MAC Lipstick options: 

Tangerine Dream (light creamy orange)

Sushi Kiss (nude peachy orange)

Morange (bright orange)

Neon Orange (classic orange)

Saigon Summer (sheer orange)

Lady Danger (red with an orange tone)

2014 SPRINGTIME FAVORITES: NAIL POLISH

Spring. Pastels. Nail polish. Yes.

Springtime calls for pastels and bright colors, especially when it comes to your mani and pedi. It's time to bring out your old spring/summer favorites or invest in some new colors this season. I personally always go towards Essie's color selection, because they have a nice variety to match warm and cold skintones, and it's a brand that have ceased to fail me when it comes to quality and colors that appeal to me. 

These are my favorite polishes this season

   From left: Tart Deco, Mint Candy Apple, Romper Room, Go Ginza, Lovie Dovie, Rock The Boat and Fiji.

Tart Deco: An oldie, but a goodie. This one is a spring/summer essential to me because it looks amazing on tanned skintones. Summer for me is suntanned legs and Tart Deco for my pedicure. It'a a bright creamy coral color and quite opaque. Two coats and you're ready to go.

Mint Candy Apple: New fave. Minty light green color. It's actually the first mint coloured nail polish I felt like I could wear without looking washed out or too extreme. It's a delicate color. And if you can't get your hands on this one, I recommend Essie's Fashion Playground instead. One coat worked fine for me.

Romper Room: Now this one is a limited editon from the Hide & Go Chic spring 2014 collection, and that makes me sad because this is such a beautiful perfect opaque creamy nude pink. The color I've been searching for all my life. Makes your nails look perfectly manicured in two coats.

Go Ginza: This one is apperantly from last year's spring collection Madison Ave-Hue, but I just recently found it. It's described as "a soft cherry blossom pink" by Essie, I see this one as more of a purple than pink. Just like Romper Room; it's a manicure in a bottle.

Lovie Dovie: The perfect bright pink and an all-year staple for me, but an summer essential like Tart Deco because it just pops when your skin is a bit suntanned. It's so opaque you'll only need one coat. Described as "a perfect true flamingo pink" by Essie, but most commonly known as Barbie pink. 

Rock The Boat: I bought this last summer when it came out in the Naught Nautical collection, I'm not sure if it's still available and but Essie's Truth Or Flare from this year's spring collection Hide & Go Chic is "similar". This one is a light true sky blue with small glitter particles. Two coats will give you a great opaque finish. 

Fiji: My all time favorite, my holy grail, a classic, but also a perfect summertime pastel. Fiji is really opaque, like no other nude pink nail polish I've ever tried. Goes with anything at any time. Classy, effortless and natural.

I will probably get my hands on Vices Versa from the 2014 Neon Collection as well. That one looks like nothing else I have in my nail polish collection. It's a neon lime green.

What is your personal favorite nail polish this spring/summer?