Christmas Party Beauty Edit

Finally! It's the most wonderful time of the year again. And with christmas right around the corner there are always one or two christmas party invitations making their way into our mailboxes, leaving us with the age-old questions of 'What to wear?' and 'What to put on my face?' Even if you don't intend to participate on any this year a bold festive make up look can be also swell for a pre-christmas night out with the girls, holy night dinners or New Years Eve.
I picked three items out of my make up stash that I think would go quite well with shimmery, dark toned outfits. My favourite has got to be the Kiko eyeshadow. Do you see this glittery dark blue amazingness?! It's like a clear midnight sky in a pan. Together with grey and black eyeshadows this makes a lustrous center for a smokey eye. Next up is the After Glow Highlighter from Urban Decay in the shade Sin, which I already talked about on my blog. With a good party make up a popping highlight can't be missing and this one really makes your cheeks shimmer like a fresh snow cover in a dark december night. (Getting quite poetic about make up). Lastly but certainly not the least is the YSL Gloss Volupté Scandalously Gold in the shade Nude Carat. I love this stuff. It's a very sheer formula but it has light reflecting gold particles in it which make your lips look extra shiny and iridescent. It does go quite well on its own but looks even more fabulous on top of a pinky nude lipstick.


xx Laura

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Christmas Movies To Watch Right Now

As a lover of everything christmas it shouldn't come as a surprise that I have quite a selection of christmas movies resting on my DVD shelf. And even though I enjoy watching them all year around there is something quite special about watching the first christmassy movie when it's really socially acceptable. I really wish it would begin to snow here in Germany, so that I can snuggle up in my blankets with my Christmas PJ's and a hot chocolate for a movie night but until now it's only freezing and I have to pretend that outside my window there is a winter wonderland. Now, it doesn't matter if you're watching the following movies by yourself, with your significant other, or get together with family and friends for a cozy movie night, these are guaranteed to make you feel christmassy either way.

P.S. Sorry for the underwhelming quality in pictures, this winter lighting thing isn't agreeing to well with my camera. I will try to invest into a soft box asap.

'The Holiday'

This is my absolute favourite christmas movie! Mostly because I am, and forever will be in love with Jude Law but also because it's just a light, heartwarming love story that is set around christmas time. And if Kate Winslet's little English cottage in the snow doesn't make you feel christmassy I don't know what will.


'Love Actually'

If you liked 'Valentines Day' and 'Happy New Year' you will love this one. It's the same concept, basically. It's a compilation of (love) stories that are somehow all intertwined and will make you feel all the feels. Also who doesn't love to see at least ten celebrities all in one movie? Keira Knightley, Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Alan Rickman (insert sad emoji), Emma Thompson....the list seems endless in this movie.

'Miracle on 34th street' (1994)

This one has a cute kid AND a cute old man in it. What more could you wish for? It's the story of extremely clever six-year old Susan, who doesn't believe in Santa and department store Santa Clause Kris Kringle, who seems suspiciously real. Put those two together and you have a funny, heartwarming and loveable tale that will make you doubt this whole "Santa doesn't exist" thing all over again.

'Polar Express'

Two Words: Tom Hanks. And if that isn' enough to intrigue you then here are few others: magical, snow (lots of snow), Christmas Town, lights, presents, hot chocolate, christmas trees, Santa Clause, Elves and also Tom Hanks.

'Disney's 'A Christmas Carol''

This one I most vividly remember watching in my childhood, even though it wasn't this particular version beacuse it didn't existed back in the 90's but it doesn't really matter which version you watch. I think the Disney one is the most recent and animated Jim Carrey really brings life to mean, old Scrooge. Charles Dickens really knew how to write a Christmas Carol.

'Frozen'

Not exactly a Christmas tale but I think a story that is entirely set in snow and ice will inevetably get you in high christmas spirits and if not that, it will at least make you sing 'Let it go' on top of your lungs.

'Home Alone 1&2'

A classic. If you don't watch little Kevin almost kill these two thugs at least once before christmas, may I ask: what are you doing with your life? (probably having jobs and responsibilites, but anyhow...). But maybe skip the Donald Trump scene this year.


Two others that I would like to mention, but don't have physicals copies of on my hands right now are:

'Elf'

and

'The Grinch'

Both classics. Both funny.

Happy Watching!


xx Laura

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Bestie Christmas Gift Guide

Now that December is right around the corner I've started to think about presents and realized, as every year, that I find it extremely hard to buy for my best friend or female friends in general. Not that there aren't enough options, I feel there are too much. I find it hard to choose between all the amazing things that you could purchase as I want the very best gift, that will make their eyes glisten (or something like that.) Basically I want them to like it and tell me how much they love it years after. So I browsed the Inter-Webs and accumilated a few goodies that you could buy a female friend or your bestie and which I think most females in my life would be happy to recieve. Most of them are less than 50 € because let's be real: Mama be broke. Even though besties deserve private jets and Cartier watches for christmas (and every other day of the year).

ASOS

Cowshed Calming Bath Salts // Bombay Duck Candle // I Am Very Busy Planner //  Paperchase Photo Frame // Club L Mermaid Blanket // Working 9 to 5 Book // Satin Pyjama Playsuit // Cozy Robe with Ears // Paperchase Coasters

FEELUNIQUE

Stila Perfect Me Palette // The Balm Highlighter Trio // Ciate Fearless Eyeshadow Palette // Aromatherapy Asocciates Gift Set Pure Indulgence // Emma Hardie Moringa Balm Gift Set // Stila Liquid Lipstick Trio // Origins Ginger Pleasure Set // Estee Lauder Modern Muse Treasures Set // NAILSINC Make Up Bag // Cowshed Knackered Essentials Set

URBAN OUTFITTERS

Midori Pen // The Little Book of Hygge // Vogue Goes Pop // The Little Book of Feminism // Elephant Mug // Fujix Polaroid Camera // Calvin Klein Triangle Bra // Skinny Dip Headphones


H&M

Ball Purse // Grey Slippers // Red Kimono // Yoga Mat // Grey Plaid Blanket // Star Shine Candle

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Get Your Glow On

In the months of dry and dull skin it can be quite hard to achieve that glowy goddess look that everyone is striving for. Especially for the holiday season, a nice highlight is indispensable and so I'd like to share my current favourite highlighters with you.

I must admit that I'm still in love with my MAC Cream Color Base in Pearl but in the last few weeks I was converted to the magic of powder highlights. I bought Urban Decay's Afterglow Highlighter  in the colour Sin on a whim when online shopping, because I thought it was much overdue that I would try a powder highlight and I can tell you....wow. While the Mac Cream Color Base is a much more natural, suttle highlight After Glow is really intense, especially if you pack it on like there's no tomorrow, which I started to do because it is addicting. I also noticed that it stays on much, much longer and has this gorgeous glowy finish to it and even though it's quite intense it still looks really natural and amazing on the skin. It has a creamy texture and glides on like a dream.

My next favourite I just bought a week ago but I'm already in love. Especially because it is a drugstore product and comes at a much cheaper price than Urban Decay's After Glow. I've been looking for a liquid highlighter that I can mix in with my foundation or moisturizer forever and when L'Oreal released their Perfect Match Highlighters I was in highlight heaven. They come in three different shades, the light, pinky one, which I bought, a dark pink one and a dark, bronzy version. Now, for oily skin gals like me maybe go very very suttle when mixing it into your foundation because oh my word does this get you glowing. If you have dry to normal skin this will be amazing. After mixing a whole lot of this shimmery goodness into my foundation and realizing I have no self control when it comes to highlight I had to go on about my day with a very shiny face. But if you do it in moderation or just use it as a cheekbone highlight even oily skin types can get their glow on with this.

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10 Beauty Lessons I've Learned

As you get older and have to deal with your face and hair on a daily basis you get to accumulate endless wisdom about how to make life as easy as possible while dealing with pimples, tangeled hair and dry skin. I'm sure I will learn a whole lot more in my years as beauty addict to come but for now here are the things I learned in the last, let's say eight years:

1. Detangle Your Hair in The Shower

This one is probably most suitable for curly heads like me but also for every woman who once stood in front of the mirror, brushing through her hair and got stuck by a huge knot of hair that won't come out, leaving said women in despair if she needs to cut it out (I actually had to do this more than one time) but only until I disocvered the miracilous technique of brushing your hair in the shower. As a curly head I don't brush or comb my hair except for when it's freshly washed so all the lose, fallen out hair tangles around the one still attached to my head and creates a huge mess. Yanking a comb through it after leaving the shower is nearly impossible and is tearing out even more hair that otherwise could have been left on my head. So what I like to do is to grab my wide toothed comb and take it with me in the shower and after I shampooed and conditioned I let water run over my hair and comb it. Life changing, I tell you.

2. Wash Your Make Up Brushes With Baby Shampoo

Instead of spending a lot of money on professional brush cleansers just go to the next drugstore and pick up baby shampoo. It will leave your brushes clean and soft and is a MUCH cheaper option. Another tip: Wash your brushes! I know it's the most annoying thing but the stuff that builds up in those bristles....dead skin, dirt, make up resedue - you don't want that on your face, do you? So make sure to clean them once a week.

3. Rinse Your Hair With Cold Water

You don't have to shower with cold water. Just make sure that after you shampooed and conditioned with warm water the last encounter your hair has is with cold water. I like to flip my hair over so that I don't die from hypothermia. This will make such a difference right after you first do it. It will leave your hair so much more shiny that people will be blinded by it.

4. Don't Touch Your Face

I mean, this will probably not be news to you but touching your face will cause you to break out, period. Try not to rest your face on your hands when in public and stop picking those zits. I know you think it will help but it most definitely won't. Just touch your face when you thouroughly washed your hands or sanatized them.

5. Find a Skincare Routine That Works for You

You can watch all the Youtube videos and blogposts about how to get rid of acne or which products will cure your dry patches but the truth is: Every skin is different and what works for one person doesn't neccesarily apply to you so you have to fail and error. Try as many products as you like until you find the one that works for you and then stick with it. Don't use products that break you out or irritate your skin just because someone else swears by it. This is probably the most important thing I've learned about my skincare. You have to observe your skin like a baby and notice its needs and this alone will make all the difference.

6. Moisturize Your Oily Skin

I once thought that having oily skin I would never have to moisturize my face. As Doanld Trump would say: WRONG!! Not moisturing your skin will only cause it to produce even more oil because its lack of moisture. So if you want to get rid of that shiny forehead the first thing you should do is start moisturizing.

7. Use Oils And Aloe For a Dry Scalp

I go through phases where my scalp is so dry that I constantly need to scratch it, which will then lead to me having dead skin all over my shoulders (the glamourous life I lead). My number one instant relief treatment is aloe gel. This is a lifesaver. It soothes and cools your skin and will stop the itchyness almost immedieately. For preventing a dry scalp I recommend finding an oil that works for you: olive oil, castor oil, coconut oil etc. Apply it to your scalp and leave it for at least three hours before showering.

8. Let Your Moisturizer Sink in Before Applying Primer or Foundation

I don't know if this applies to every skin type but I found that giving your moisturizer a few minutes to sink in will make all the difference in your make up application. It will glide on much more easily and primer can properly build a barrier between your skin and your foundation instead of mixing in with the moisturizer and not doing anything.

9. Apply Perfume on the Right Spots

You should apply pefume on your puls points, which are on your cuffs and your neck. It's got something to do with your body heat vaporizing or something like that (Oh, science my old friend) What I also like to do is spray some in my hair because there it will last the longest but since perfume has alcohol in it and alocohl is extremely drying maybe not go too overboard with it.

10. Cool Puffy Eyes with Spoons

Maybe you know the feeling when you cried before sleeping or have allergies and the next morning you wake up with you eyes swollen and puffy and you wonder if you will ever be able to open them properly. Yes you will but if you want to speed up that process because you have a life to attend to and eyes would be helpful then put some tablespoons in the freezer while you wash your face etc. and before you apply make up lay them on your eyes for a few minutes. Depuffing them eyes in seconds!

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Mini Christmassy Lush Haul

After not being able to grab the Halloween specials from Lush because they were constantly sold out I decided to take a trip to the shops when they announced their christmas collection was now in stock. I have a never ending love for Lush and am extremely exilerated by everything they bring out so it was a no-brainer for me to pick up a few pieces. First of which is 'Santasaurus'. First: How cute is he? A little dinosaur with a santa hat. It's a reusable bubble bath, hence why it comes on a stick and has the most gorgeuous smell.  It is one of the classic Lush scents with bergamot oil (which I am obsessed with) and brazilian orange. I am one for the fresh scents rather than over the top sweet ones so this is right up my alley. I actually already had a bath with this and it was heavenly. My second pick was the 'Star Dust' bathbomb. This also has a very fresh scent to it but it is a little bit more soothing and rich because of it's share of vanilla and rosewood undertones. The last one is the 'So White' bathbomb which also has it's fair share of bergamot scent to it (told you I was obsessed with it). But it's the combination of bergamot, rose, neroli and orange that makes this  smell so absolutely amazing and give it its resemblence to fresh apple scent. I can't wait to lean back into a relaxing bath with those and since the guy at the register told me that they would stock up with  even more christmas products next week, I am sure there will be another haul coming up soon.

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October Wishlist

So here is my October wishlist. These are a collection of things I would buy at the blink of an eye if I had endless financial resources. But for now I'm waiting for the coat in the upper left to arrive and I'm very happy with that decision. And yes, I know it' s only the 1st of October but the glory of payday wouldn't be the same without doing some midnight online shopping, would it?

MISS SELFRIDGE Black Coat with Faux Fur Collar and Cuffs // JO MALONE Wood Sage & Sea Salt // H&M HOME Wood Scented Candle // ZARA Cross Body Bag // ZARA Grey Wool Hat // NOVEM & KNIGHT Valentina Shirt Dress // STILA Perfect Me Palette // ASOS Grey Ripped Knit Jumper // RIVER ISLAND Wool Pants // ASOS Halloween PJ Set // RIVER ISLAND Choker // VERO MODA Navy Floral Print Shirt // NOISY MAY NDASH White Shirt Dress

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Living Life with a Resting Bitch Face

For those of you who don't know what a RBF is, here is the definition:

a person, usually a girl, who naturally looks mean when her face is expressionless, without meaning to

And this is my life. I don't know when I first noticed it ( this sounds like I have some kind of medical condition from which you can die) but it probably was in high school when people constantly told me to smile more. I didn't quite understand 1. why people were telling me that and 2. why it was okay for anybody to comment on my face. This went on and on an on for YEARS. I noticed that people would always be pleasantly suprised when they were forced to talk to me  (no one  would ever volunteer for that because I constantly looked like being in the mood to murder someone). They told me they dindn't think I was that nice and even funny and that they observed me for many years in school and basically thought I was an arrogant bitch. "You should smile more", they told me.

The problem was, when I thought that I had a cute little smirk on my face I looked like I had just been told my dog died and when I smiled to full extend and thought I looked ridiuculous with that huge smile on my face in reality it was a teeny tiny grin. I really tried hard to change this whole murder facial expression thing but everything I tried failed and I would find my face hurting from all that 'smiling' I was attempting to do. Making friends would always be a depressing quest. I don't even know how I got the friends I have....maybe they were forced to work with me in group projects. Now, I am not a shy person but starting a conversation with someone I don't know isn't on my list of things I love to do either. But waiting for people to come up to me? I would still be sitting here, waiting, sipping on my tea. It just isn't happening for me. And don't even get me started on interactions with the opposite sex. I can't count the times I was ignored by men to later find out they thought I was not interested, arrogant and full of myself when in reality I started thinking I must be ugly as hell.

In my late high school years I found out that the RBF actually can be measured based on your facial feautures and that even some celebrities were affected by this. Victorica Beckham or Kristen Stewart for example. Two ladies I always couldn't help but dislike because they always looked so bitchy. I was one of them. This was horrible. When it came to graduation and I was voted most likely to be the person to kiss their own reflection for our graduation book I was fed up with it. People who never even talked to me judged me solely on my facial expression, which I couldn't even change. I heard the worst gossip about me how I must have thought I was the most perfect human being on earth always looking down on people, when in reality it couldn't be further from the truth. Most of the time I look at people and think they have really nice hair or something of the sort and all they can think when seeing me is:" what an arrogant bitch.! Who does she think she is, running around judging people?!" Please, have mercy on me!

Starting university I thought that I would leave my RBF past behind me but oh no, my face had other plans. I really tried to look friendly, open and interested on the first days of uni but I failed so epically, there are no words. Yes, I managed to find friends but guess what they told me in our first interaction: "Actually I was a little bit intimidated by you, you should smile more often."

Here is the thing: Even if I wanted to force a smile on my face 24/7 just so people wouldn't be so deterred by me there still is one problem: I don't like the way I look when I smile. I just don't. I love laughing at something funny with my friends, sounding like a psychopath seal but smiling in general, no. And even if people will tell me to smile more for the rest of my life I will probably not change it. I won't start smiling in pictures when everybody is shouting "CHEEEEESE". Just no. I feel akward and I simply don't want to. I don't tell people to not stand a certain way in photos either. They are standing this way because they know it makes them look good and they feel comfortable. I feel comfortable not smiling. I will have to learn to live with people being intimidated by me or assuming I must be thinking I'm the shit when I'm defenietly not (well, most of the time) but it would be nice if people became more aware of the complexity of facial expressions. People who smile all the time can be depressed, people calmly staring into distance could have a panic attack and people looking like they want to murder you could be jolly as can be inside (not all of them, though. If you seriously think someone wants to murder you you better run).
Basically what I'm trying to say with this is: Don't judge a book by it's cover.


I dedicate this post to all the ladies out there suffering from RBF. I feel ya.

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Autumn Beauty Edit

It is no secret that fall and winter are my absolute favourite seasons, and yes I know what kind of basic b*tch that makes me but I don' even care. I love everything about it! The holidays, the cold, the food, the sweets, the fashion and of course the make up. Don't even get me started. I could write books about how much I love autumn/winter make up. I love a dark lip and bronzy lids. It's just my thing and I always feel more like becoming myself when the leaves start to fall and I can put on that cranberry shadow. Speaking of...I found that this season cranberry is THE colour especially for on the eyes. So I was happy to find a cranberry shadow from KIKO in my collection and I love it so much. It has a slight shimmer to it and is a gorgeous transition colour. The MAC shadow in the colour Antiqued is this perefct rust colour for in the crease and just looking at it makes me feel all the pumpkins, scarfs and candles. But my all time favourite shadow, for all year around actually, is NARS Isolde . Words can't describe my love for this product. First of all the quality of this is impeccable. I don't own any other eyeshadow that stays on as long as this one.They are creamy and sooo pigmented! And the shades....perfect gold, perfect copper. Everytime someone aks me what I have on my lids it's most likely it's Isolde. I would only buy NARS shadows if it wasn't for one minor detail: NARS isn't available in Germany (please fix this, whoever is responsible for this!). But one brand that now is available in Germany is Sleek. I went out the first day the stores had it in stock and found the Au Naturel palette . For the price I have to say it's really good quality. The shimmery shadows are slightly more creamy and pigmented than the matte ones though. But I completely fell for the cranberry shade in the bottom left corner, oh my. For lips there are two staples in my collection that I have been constantly wearing since the temperatures started dropping. The first one is an oldie but goodie.MAC's Spirit . I would describe it as a semi matte muted brown with slight pinky undertones. It matches basically any make up look. The last one is a new addition to my collection the NYX liquid suede in the colour Cherry Skies . And the name says it all. A very pretty matte dark cherry. Autumn in a flask (even though cherries are more like a summer fruit(?) berry(?)). I hope you all have an awesome autumn so far, while looking on fleek.

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5 Things To Do When Feeling Down

I think everyone can relate to the feeling when you had a bad week, nothing went your way and you basically want to hide under your duvet and plan your career as a professional Netflix watcher #girlboss. I for sure had many occasions when I felt that way and most of the time I am so overwhelmed with my bad mood that I try nothing to change it and just sit there on my bed, staring out the window, pretending I'm the star of a dramatic music video. But of course that doesn't improve my mood at all so I came up with some ideas what to do when you're feeling the blues. I'm not gonna lie here, I have a really hard time following my own rules but I really try hard not to be an unproductive potatoe all day so bare with me...

1. Get out of the house

This is the thing I almost always do because I have to. I have a dog. I have to leave the house to take him on his walks, even if I don't feel like it. Personally I love nature and especially the forest because I connect these sensations of brisk air, earth scent and rustling leaves with my childhood. Also experiencing nature is a great way to gain perspective and refocus. The city hustle let's me always forget how much more there is out there than my comparably little problems. You can of course go anywhere else but leaving your everyday surroundings I think is crucial to improve your mood.

2. Write a To-Do-List

Oftentimes my mood is based on my stress level. If I have a lot on my plate I tend to get moody, angry and tired. But most of the time I stress myself out too much because I think about the million things I have to do when in reality they are not that much and not that overwhelming. So I like to write a list of all the things I want/have to do on the next day/ next week. Once written down the list from my head doesn't seem so intimidating anymore and I manage to relax which then improves my mood.

3. Call up a friend

Even though I am the most antisocial person ever when I'm feeling down I noticed that everytime I force myself to meet up with someone or just call them I instantly feel better. Even if your friends aren't that great at cheering you up they will 100% manage to distract you and get you out of that thought spiral that is getting you down. Also an objective perspective of a friend on your problems can be refreshing and uplifting. They will see things you can't because you are to close to the matter and even if it's just about you having a bad skin day they will tell you it's not that bad (regardless if thats true or not) Tell me I'm pretty!!

4. Treat Yo Self

I'm not trying to promote unhealthy shopping behaviour here but it isn't called retail therapy for no reason. Buying something that I had had my eyes on for a loooong time makes me feel better EVERYTIME. It may not solve any of my problems but Mama needs to shop. So I like to hit up ASOS or any other online location that sells stuff. It doesn't even have to be expensive. Even thinking about a new necklace for 10 bucks that will make it's way to me in 3 to 5 working days cheers me up. It's the anticipation. But when your mood is based around the fact that you're broke because you're constantly treating yo self (believe me I've been there) then there are more cost effective ways to do so. Prepare a nice meal instead of opting for that pizza out of the freezer, take a nice long bath with that bath bomb you've been saving or do what ever your guilty pleasure in life is. And do not feel guilty about it, that's the key. You so deserve this! (I whispered to myself while swiping my credit card through the scanner trying to convince myself that my bank balance can't possibly look that bad)

5. Give yourself a break

This I'm very bad at. My mood often depends on how I feel about myself, as well. This can be appearance related or can be me being hard on myself for being or acting certain ways. I get so caught up in that depressing spiral of comparing myself to others and basically bullying myself that I find it hard to see any postive aspects of me and my life. I think a lot of people feel that way, maybe it's just me but regardless: Give yourself a break! We are only human. We are trying our best and if we're not we can try again tomorrow. This is so chliché but you really are your own worst enemy so try not to be too hard on yourself and remember all the good things you've done and accomplished. Maybe even write a list if that helps to visualize it better.

So I hope I could inspire some of you to fight the blues and if not: There will be better days!

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Garnier Hydra Bomb Sheet Mask Review

With autumn now finally knocking on our doors, our skin also is in desperate need for hydration. The colder and crisper autumn air dehydrates our skin and forces us to change our skin regime for the next six months. Even though I never had too much problems with dry patches or anything of the sort because of my oily skin even I noticed a difference in the plumpness of my skin when the tempatures started dropping. So when I found the Garnier Hydra Bomb Sheet Masks in the drugstore aisles I thought that they could be the solution to that as it promises to supply you with the moisture worth of a whole week of skin care just in fifteen minutes. They come in three different versions, which I tried all. The blue one is for refreshing, the green one for mattifying and clearing and the pink one for calming the skin. They only cost 2 Euros each which is an absolute bargain. Even though I used them rather sporadically and can not vouch for the long term effects I have to say: I absolutely love them.

The application is super easy. There even are holes for your ears so you can hook the mask behind them. They smell nice and the effects are 100% convincing. After 15 minutes I removed the mask and rubbed the residue into my skin, as it tells you to do on the packaging. I was left with noticably plumper and more hydrated skin. After the residue was completely soaked in my skin felt soft and super refreshed. I looked more awake and much more healthier. I was, and still am, thrilled. I will definitely repurchase and would highly recommend them to anyone with dry skin or anyone struggling with hydrating their skin in the autumn and winter months.

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Embracing my Natural Hair

It has become a running gag in make over stories à la Princess Diaries that a girl has to have straight hair to be pretty. Curly hair is untamed, scruffy, unprofessional. A misconception that I encouraged for the entirety of my life until last year when I decided to embrace my natural curly hair and not straighten it anymore. I think it is important to make curly hair a more mainstream thing and encourage woman to be themselves and not to alter themselves to a stereotype, embossed by Hollywood and the media. So here I go with my personal struggle with my natural hair and my sudden realization that it is rather a blessing than a curse.

As a child I had super light and super straight blonde hair. My parents figured that I was coming after my father since he had the same type of hair. My mother on the other hand always had long, curly hair that she never failed to mention was unmanagable. When I reminisce about my childhood I always rememember how pretty I thought my mother looked with her dark locks. She looked like Fran Drescher from The Nanny. When I was around the age of twelve my hair decided to change completely. It suddenly was a lot thicker, much drier and settled on something between wavy and curly, and I hated it. Combined with the usual akwardness of that pre-puberty state I really hated the way I looked. Not only had my hair become this unmanagable barnet, it also had changed colour. Gone were the days of bright blonde hair. I was still blonde but way more ashier. On photos they pictured grey-greenish and to colour it by myself, like many of my friends did at the time, I simply did not have the guts , since I did not want it to become yellow either. Over the next years however, my hair became curlier and curlier by the minute and at one point I mostly wore it in a bun with a headband (it was a good look, I swear). At the age of fourteen I discovered the flattening iron. Of course I knew of it before but the effort that came with keeping the appearance of straight hair up seemed a little bit extensive to me. But in my despair over all my friends having 'normal' hair and me being the only one without it I decided to try it and since then I was hooked. I then straightened my hair every time after washing it for six years. I also discovered the joys of professional hair colouring when I earned my own money and I was usally pretty happy with my hair. Of course I had bad hair days too but over all it was my straight hair dream come true. I did not have the most high quality flattening iron and I also did not know about heat protection until two years after I started the whole thing. So no wonder my hair soon became even more dry, dull and majorly damaged. But that was the price I was happily willing to pay for smooth, straigth hair. At this point most of my friends didn't even know I had curly hair. It was a dark, dark secret that only a chosen few knew about. I remember one day when my flattening iron broke and I refused to go to school until I had a new one. I was insane.

I played this charade until last year. It never came to my mind that I would ever stop straightening my hair, it simply was a part of me. I had had straight hair for six years and it was the only way I knew myself. But that came to an end when I had to stop straightening my hair because of severe hair loss caused by a vitamin deficiency. It was a real drama until one glorious doctor finally found the cause of the hair loss, after my hair had been falling out for over six months. So I stopped straightening it and was really sad about it. But I soon was happy that I had hair, full stop. And I noticed a major difference in the quality of my hair, once it grew back. The damage I had done to my hair over the years had become more than visible. Not straightening it for almost a year now (except for rare occasions) really gave me new, improved hair. It is shiny and strong again. I really struggled though to find curly head role models. Except from Carrie Bradshaw and Fran Fine no one came to mind. And those are TV series from the 90's. Something that also occured to me was that both those characters were known for their wild spirits. Carrie Bradshaw even once came to the realization that some women are not meant to be tamed when she compared herself to straight haired Natasha. Same with the Nanny. The girl from Queens that never quite fit into the Upper East Side life of the Sheffield Family. But in both cases the men of the stories (not that the approval of men plays any role in this) finally realize that these women have something, something different. They got style, they got flair, just as the Nanny theme song puts it. So curly haired women aren't always portrayed as scruffy messes after all. But it is fact that there are not enough of them. So when I thought about all that I came to the conclusion that I dindn't wanted to be Nastasha or even worse Miss Babcock. I always wanted to be that flashy woman, that turnt heads, was funny, had more to herself than just her looks but still had that je ne sais quoi, that wasn't boring and  didn't looked like everyone else. A woman that literally couldn't be tamed.

So I coulnd't help but wonder (having a little Carrie Bradshaw moment here) why I thought for most of my life that curls were ugly and put so much effort into concealing them. Most importantly I wondered why a lot of women and girls do the same. I did a little bit of research and found out that only 15 % of women with caucasian roots have curly hair. It is rare. It is unique. And still most of those 15% try to hide their natural hair. But why is that? Simply because it is different and society doesn't like different. If we don't fit into what society thinks is the standard or the norm of what is acceptable or pretty we try to change it. Be it beeing skinny, beeing straight or having straight hair. But what I figured after all this drama about my hair is that I have to be grateful for what I got and have to embrace and love it. I also learned that what you got usally is what suits you the best. And by now I also love to be different and have something unique to my appearance, not even considering the compliments I get for my curls, which I never got in six years of straight hair. Once in a while I want to see myself with straigth hair again but when I do I always happily go back to beeing a curly head. It makes me feel more like myself.

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Drugstore Top Beauty Buys

 Let's be honest: there is nothing better than to splurge on a high end beauty product and feel like some kind of rich person because you can't afford the designer clothing items just yet. To be honest most high end beauty products also are high quality and not comparible with their cheaper drugstore versions especially in Germany where drugstores and their selection of brands is really ridiculous, compared to UK and US counter parts. But from time to time there are products that find their way into the drugstore and are so mindblowingly good that you literally "just can't". And since this is a rather rare situation I would like to share my top drugstore beauty buys.

Starting off with foundation. Now, foundation is the only beauty product I am not willing to buy an expensive version of. Just because I use foundation on a daily basis and it doesn't last you a very long time before you have to go out and buy a new one. I've always been a fan of L'Oreal foundations. For a very long time I used the l'eau de teint, which was amazing, but as so often when I really love a product it was discontinued. So I searched Pinterest for Nars Sheer Glow dupes, as that's the only foundation Bloggers and Youtubers ever talk about and was directed to the Maybelline Fit Me foundation. So I bought it and it was all I ever hoped for in a foundation. Dewy, but not shiny finish, perfect match for my very pale skin tone and not cakey at all. When I have a bit of a tan, which hardly ever is the case because I just can't be bothered to fake tan every week, I use a shade darker and it fits perfectly too.

 The next product I just discovered recently and my life has never been the same since. I have super oily skin and keeping my nose and T-zone matte throughout the day is a task I never managed to complete. I've used every powder there is. After one hour out and about my make-up magically dissapeared from my nose and forehead and only left that greasy shine behind. The NYX HD Finishing Powder really is insanely good. It keeps my problem areas matte ALL DAY without my touching it up and gives the skin a nice glow instead of a cakey, powdery look.

 Another NYX product that I love is the Contouring Palette. It has eight shades, which to be fair, I only use four of because I really don't know what to do with matte highlighters. I am more of a full on sparkle kind of gal. But the greyish countouring shades and the banana powder are extremely good. As one can see from the photo it is very well used.

 I don't know about you but I really struggle to find good drugstore blushes. Most of them have huge chunks of glitter in them and you just look insane with them on your cheeks. So when I buy drugstore blushes I opt for matte ones. But the Maxfactor Cream Blush is a rare exception in the desert of drugstore blushes. It is super pigmented and because it is creamy it gives you a nice sheen.

 For the next item I have to say it is not as good as the Urban Decay Primer Potion which really keeps your eyeshadow in place for the eternity of time but it is really expensive so for those on a lower budget this is a good alternative. The Catrice Eye Primer.

 Another product that dosn't last me a long time are concealers. Probably because I conceal the hell out of my face. The ASTOR 24h Perfect Stay Concealer gives really good coverage and in the lightest shade, Ivory, highlights your under eye area really well and gives you that Kim K look.

 Eyebrows are difficult. I can't say that I have found my go to product yet but the one I reach the most for is the NYX Micro Brow Pencil. It has a really fine tip and is perefect to naturally fill in your eyebrows as it can fake that fine hairs.

 I'm not really impressed with drugstore eyeshadows to be honest but the Catrice Liquid Metal eyeshadows (which I couldn't find online) are surprisingly good. Highly pigmented and not infused with huge glitter chunks.

 For Mascaras I gave into the hype of the Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara. It really is the best drugstore mascara. The only thing I can not lie about is that drugstore formulas are much harder to get off at the end of the day but other than that they can keep up with their higher end counter parts.

Finally for lip products. In that category there are a lot more options. First of the P2 Perfect Color Lipliner in the colour 128 prima ballerina. This my perfect nude. I oftentimes even wear it on it's own but it is also the perfect liner for every other colour just to contour your lip shape.

For lipglosses. The Manhattan Lip Laquers in the colours Toffee and Roaring Red. Once again Toffee is the perfect nude and it's my most worn day to day lip product. In the autumn and winter months Roaring Red is the perfect red to get you in the mood for christmas. Another love of mine are the Tanya Burr Lipglosses. Unfortunetly they are not available in German drugstores so you have to buy them online but they are absolutely worth it. I would really like to try her eyeshadow palettes and fake lashes too because I think they will be really good.

And the last one is a liquid lipstick by NYX. The Soft Matte Lip Cream. I only just have it in the dark red/plum tone Copenhagen but I definitely will go back and buy other colours because the texture and the finish are just gorgeuos.

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The Importance of Relaxation

Now that I am done with all my exams for this semester, I can't shake the feeling that I still have something to do, have somewhere to be. I think this feeling of restlessness is familar to a lot of people. We are always in the middle of something, our minds always racing about jobs and exams. But way too often we ignore this feeling of constant anxiety and strain and just get used to it until it is a part of us. One thing I learned over the years is that we have to stop and just take a little time to take care of ourselves, once in a while. We have to switch our powerbuttons off to allow our minds and bodies to refuel and recharge. I think everyboy has their own ways of coming down after a busy and stressfull day or week. But for those who simply can't relax for the love of god I want to share my realxing routine and maybe inspire some of your relaxing techniques.

The first thing that has become my go-to when it comes to winding down is meditation. The whole point of meditation is to stop your racing mind and concentrate on your breathing. This helps you to pause the situation you are in and ultimately realx. One thing I noticed right after getting into meditation is that it also shows you how tense you really are. Your body stores stress all over your muscles. Especially in your shoulders and jaw.  To take a moment to breathe and just notice how you are feeling without trying to change it can go a long way relaxation-wise. Of course you can meditate  without any help but I find it quite hard to switch off without a guided meditation. That's why I downloaded the Calm app. The app as well as the book that goes along with it are concepted by Michael Acton Smith. There is also a website where you can also do a seven day trial on the meditations. After the seven days you will have to pay for your full membership. For those asking themselves if this is worth the money I can honestly say: It is! The membership unlocks so many great features in the app. There are hundreds of meditations for every situation and they are always adding new ones. You can improve your sleep over a weeks course, calm your anxiety, learn gratitude and so much more.

you can dowload the app for iOS on the App Store

The app also tracks your progress and helps you to continue your meditations with a daily reminder. It just is an amazing app. The book also holds many techniques and strategies to improve your midnfullness. It is beautifully designed and actually just calms you by flicking through it.

Another way to unwind after a stressfull day is taking care of your body. Have a good old pamper. Nothing lifts my mood as much as a hot bath with lighted candles all around me, a good face mask slapped on my face and a TV-series playing on Netflix while I soak in the water. The great thing about baths is that you can't take your phone. At least I don't, because I'm afraid of dropping it in the tub. I love my phone. If I could I would hold on to it 24/7. Yeah, well actually I do but sometimes I just want my peace and quiet. No messages, emails, and reminders that come in on a minutely basis. In the bath it's just good old me and Netflix. A digital detox is very important as we constantly are on our phones and laptops, always replying to something.

After my bath I like to get into my most cozy socks, put on the kettle and drink a cup of tea while reading a good book or continue watching Netflix. My feel-good programms on there are Gossip Girl and Gilmore Girls. I just realize that they both have the initials GG and am blown away by this fact. For times I also need a little cheer-me-up I watch either Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt or New Girl (there are too many TV programms with a "girl" in it).
Another way of relaxing I recently discovered for me is colouring. Our stores has been overswept with adult colouring books and I love it.

I bought the Lost Ocean one for myself and got the Vogue Colouring Book for my birthday. Lost Ocean speaks to my love for the little mermaid and the Vogue one to my love of fashion. But it isn't really the point what you are colouring just that you do. There is nothing that can keep me from overthinking as much as colouring. It also takes you right back into your childhood which is always a good thing. No wonder kids do not have a worry in the world, they got all the good stuff.

I hope I could inspire some of you to overthink your busy lifestyles and unwind today.

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