Best Products of 2016 // Favorites

Happy New Year!

Hello 2017! I am very excited about the new year and everything that will come with it. At the end of the old year and the beginning of the new it is always fun to look back on what happened in the past 365 days. On my blog I like to look back on my favorite products of the year.

My boyfriend got me the Fleur de Force Eyeshadow Quad 020 Lunar Rose as a gift and I just love this quad. They are by far my most used eye shadows of the year. The qualit is brlliant and the color combination is simply wondeful.

The other make up product I discovered in the 2016 that I wouldo not want to miss anymore is the Catrice Liquid Camouflage Concealer 010 Porcelain. I use concealer everytime I do my make up (like I guess everyone does) so it is an essential product in my routine. I am as pale as a vampire which means that it is hard to find products in the drugstore that actually fit my skin tone. To be honest I would like this concealer to be even lighter than it already is but so far it is still the best match I ever found.

On of my resolutions for 2016 was not to by more than five nail polishes - I only bought three and two of those three are now part of my yearly favorites! Both Astor nail polishes and the Maybelline polish are great quality. The color is opaque and they last as long as I want my nail polish to last. All of these things are good but what I ike the most about this polishes are the colors. The Astor Perfect Stay Gel Shine Nail Polish 502/302 Crème Brulée is the perfect darker nude with rose undertones. The Astor Quick & Shine Nail Polish in 502 Hot Chocolate Season has a really unsual shimmer to it. The dark metallic polish is a mix between gold and silver and the name actually describes it perfectly. The Maybelline Forever Strong Professional Rouge Couture 287 Midnight Red is the only nail polish I ever repurchased. It is a deep, dark red shade that can last over a week on my nails and it definitely deserved a spot in this list.

One of the biggest rediscoveries of the year for me was the Alverde Wid Rose Facial Oil. I have generally dry skin but it gets even worse in the winter time and this is the best day time moisturizer to help with that. At night I still use the Weleda Skin Food moisturizer but the oil sinks in quicker so I use the Alverde facial oil in the morning.

What are your favorite products of 2016?

What's in my Travel Make-Up Bag // Autumn

Even though it is not quite December yet the holiday season is close. While most people will be traveling home to see their family and friends closer to Christmas (or whatever it is you're celebrating) I usually tend to travel a lot even before that. I like to visit friends when the holiday spirit is already in the air and the Christmas markets start to pop up but the stressful, hectic part of the holiday season has not quite taken over yet.

Catrice Liquid Liner Waterproof 010 Don't Leave Me: This is a product I have been wanting to write a review about for a long time. I do like it and it is by far the best eyeliner I have ever used but it still is not the perfect liner I would want. I love liquid liner, especially when I am traveling because it is such a quick and simple yet effective look - especially on pictures.

Maybelline Color Tattoo 35 On and on Bronze: Most of the people that use this eye shadow seem to use it as a base. It does not work like that for me. I do use the Urban Decay Primer Potion as a base and this as a normal creme eye shadow on top. The color is a beautiful, deep bronze that is perfect for this time of the year.

Fleur de Forcen Lip Gloss 020 Written in the Stars: This is another one of those products that I will write a review about soon. There are pros and cons to this lip gloss but I generally like it and I like taking a lot of lip products with me when I travel. Switching out the lip product can quickly change the whole look you are going for. When traveling that is an easy way to have lots of options without carrying a whole suitcase of eye shadow palettes with you.

essence Lipliner 15 Honey Berry: This is a great color to wear on a night out. Putting on some liquid liner and this bright purple on the lips and your look is done.

Catrice Ultimate Stay Lip Liner 030 Boysenberry, Precision Lip Liner & 080 Read My Lips!: These are three of my favorite and most worn lip liners ever. Catrice lip liners can be a little drying on the lips but the color pay off is amazing and they stay on a long time.

KIKO Skinny Fit Kajal 05: Black liner is great but sometimes brown is just a better fit for a look. This was a limited edition eye liner but it is my favorite brown kajal I ever used.

essence Lash & Brow Gel Mascara: Brow gel is part of my everyday make up routine and of course I will take it with me when I travel.

benefit the POREfessional: This is a relatively new addition to my make up routine but I already would not want to miss it. This is a rather expensive primer and there are other pore minimizers out there. While this is my favorite pore minimizer I have tried it is also by far the most expensive and I am not quite sure whether I will repurchase it again because of that.

Catrice Ultimate Color Lip Stick 260 It's A Mat World: This is one of my favorite lip sticks of all time. A classic bright red lip is pretty much always a good idea so of course I take one with me when I travel.

essence bloom me up! Limited Edition Eyelash Curler 01 Lovely Lavender: Eyelash curlers are something I use almost every day but when it comes to packing for a trip I tend to forget to pack these. I have no idea why that is but this time I will make sure to take them along.

Sleek i Divine Eye Shadow Palette Au Naturel 601: Whenever I travel for longer than just a few days I always bring one of my Sleek eye shadow palettes. There are mat, shiny, glittery and metallic eye shadows in here and - this is important - a simple black mat shadow you can always use as an eye liner. Sleek palettes are amazing value for money and there is a palette for everyone (nope, not sponsored).

Catrice Glam & Doll Volume Mascara Waterproof: This is my favorite mascara of all time. The fact that it is waterproof makes it even better for traveling because no matter what the weather will be like this mascara will stay put.

Urban Decay Primer Potion: If there is one high end make up product in my collection that is worth the hype and price it is this one. This eye primer does not only make your eye shadow stay all day it also keeps your eyeliner from smudging and helps colors pop on the lid.

MNY Blush: This make up brand has been out of business for years now. I never liked their packaging but their products weren't that bad. This is my most used everyday blush but it is a color I would say most brands sell. When I travel I usually only take one blush and that one should be one that goes with pretty much everything. This is such a color to me. It is well pigmented, there is a slight shimmer to it and is neither too cool nor too warm toned.

Catrice Eye Shadow Duo 070 Double Espresso Macchiato, Please!: The dark shade on the left hand side is what I use as a brow powder to do my eyebrows. My eyebrows are black but when I use straight up black products to fill them in they just end up looking strange. What I need is a dark, cool toned powder or pencil to fill them in with that has no warmth or redness to it. Since that can be quite hard to find this is the best I have right now.

Fleur de Force Eye Shadow Quad Lunar Rose: I love these eye shadows. There is no need for me to take these along when I already packed my Sleek eye shadow palette but I am just so into this quad right now I would not want to travel without it.

Astor Soft Sensation Lipcolor Butter Matte 027 Elegant Nude: This is a lip color I love to wear in my everyday life but it only looks good when your lips are in close to prefect condition. It is convenient to trave with because it goes with pretty much anything but at the same time you should bring alternatives in case your lips are a little bit dry that day.

Catrice Liquid Camouflage High Coverage Concealer 010 Porcelain: Of course I also take concealer with me when I travel. My skin usually starts to act out when I travel so I use more concealer when I travel than when I am at home.

I am very well aware that I probably pack more make up than 'necessary'. I just like having options with me and this is honestly what I will be taking when I go home to visit my family in the next weeks. Other make up products I pack - that I did not take about in this post - are brushes. I take a lot of them but I leave my 'good' brushes at home. I also leave my more expensive make up products like the Urban Decay Naked 2 eye shadow palette or my highlighters at home because I am just too worried they will shatter during transportation. It has not happened to me yet - knock on wood - but since I own other products I can take I do not mind leaving them at home.

What is in your Travel Make-Up Bag?

Favorite Top 10 Autumn Nail Polishes // Septemder

After talking about my Top 10 Favorite Lip Products for Autumn on Friday I want to talk about nail polishes next. This top 10 was hard to narrow down because my collection consists mostly of deep dark colors that I love even more in the colder seasons. Again their is no significant order to this list and there are a lot of nail polishes included that are no longer available. This is not a shopping guide but hopefully makes you want to look through your own collection and rediscover old loves before going out and buying new ones you might not even need (as much as you can need nail polish^^).

OPI Nail Lacquer What Wizzardry is This?: OPI nail polishes can be very expensive, so when they do their mini collections I would highly recommend you check those out. This is a limited edition color that is no longer available but there are similar shades out there. The special thing about this one in specific is the texture of the polish when it drys which is rather unique.

Catrice Ultimate Nail Lacquer 60 Out of the Dark: This is a rather special color especially considering it is a regularly available nail polish from Catrice's regular line of nail polishes. It is a cool toned, purple-brown nail polish with fine shimmer that paints on wonderfully.

Maybelline Super Stay Forever Strong Gel Nail Color Rouge Couture 287 Midnight Red: This is by far my most used nail polish of all time. I love the whole Super Stay Forever Strong Gel Nail Color range and I have yet to try one that I did not like. It is a long lasting, easy to apply polish in a beautiful deep, dark red that is perfect for any season.

Rival de Loop High Gloss Nail Colour 52: One of my first posts ever on this blog was about this nail polish. The quality is of course awful but it does make me a little bit nostalgic. This is a really simple rose color that you can find in almost every brand's regular nail polish range but I love classics like this. Light pinks make me think of spring and summer but this slightly darker version makes it more appropriate for the autumn and winter time.

essence Nail Polish Limited Edition Cherry Blossom 02 My Little Kimono: I have not worn this nail polish in forever! - I even forgot I had this. Now I am even more excited to try it again.

Manhattan Bonnie Strange 006: This is a beautiful shimmery nail polish with a little twist to it. The base color is actually pruple not red but because the color is so dark you can hardly see it. The shimmer particals are gold and red which is very autumnal or festive.

alessandro Nail Polish Russian Roulette: I have had this nail polish in my collection for ages and I am not even sure alessandro is a brand that is still around? I do not think I have ever tried any other product by them. This is an interesting nail polish because the base color is cool toned, light brown while the shimmer itself is a rather warm toned gold shimmer.

Astor Perfect Stay Gel Shine Nail Polish 502/503 Crème Brulée: This must be one of my favorite new beauty discoveries of the year and I am pretty much sure it will be included in my favorite products of 2016 post at the end of the year.

Astor Quick & Shine Nail Polish 502 Hot Chocolate Season: Next time you are in the drugstore take a look at this nail polish. It is a gorgeous color and a really special finish - it almost looks like liquid metal. The quality of Astor nail polishes is wonderful and I have yet to try one that I do not like. They also have an amazing color selection and there are more than a few that I have my eye on right now.

Catrice Ultimate Nail Lacquer Limited Edition Match Point C03 Rockby: I do not like this packaging but the nail polish color is really pretty. Autumn is the perfect time of the year to bring back the berry tones into your beauty routine and this is a wonderful everyday berry shade.

What is are your favorite autumn nail polishes?

Products I've Used Up // July

I am sorry some of these products don't look that nice anymore - but that is what happens when you use them for a long time. I could have cleaned them up but since I was going to throw them away anyways right after shooting these pictures I didn't feel like it was worth it. Well, in reality products just don't stay looking all polished and perfect when you use them up.

Rival de Loop Eye-Make-Up Remover: Non-waterproof eye-make-up remover has not been a part of this blog in a long time. That is simply because I hardly ever wear non-waterproof mascara anymore. This month I made an effort to use up the non-waterproof mascara I still had in my collection because it would have dried out soon anyways and that would just have been a waste. Whenever I do wear non-waterproof mascara though this is my favorite eye-make-up remover.

Balea Body Mousse: It says on the packaging that this is supposed to have a light, soft texture and I was afraid that it would not be moisturizing enough for my skin. I was wrong - this is actually a great light-weight moisturizer for hot summer days. It sinks into your skin quickly and moisturizes it well. The scent is barely noticeable which I like.

The Body Shop Vineyard Peach Cream Body Scrub: I used to be a huge fan of the The Body Shop Body Scrubs. Now I am not so sure about that anymore. I still like them but I am not really loving them anymore. Maybe I am just spoiled because I have not actually used a body scrub by any other brand in at least a year and I still have a backup to go through before I can get a new one to try.

Balea Shaving Gel Blueberry Love: Please, Balea, bring this scent back! This my all time favorite scent from the Balea shaving gels range and they have discontinued it. Hopefully they will bring it back soon.

Balea Shower Gel with Oil Pearls: I really enjoyed this product, the scent is nice and it does not dry out my skin like other shower gels do. The packaging is also just really pretty and summery.

Dove Advanced Hair Series Pure Care Weightless Oil Shampoo: I talked about this shampoo in one of my last favorites post because this works wonderfully with my hair. After using up all the backup shampoos I still have sitting in my cabinet I will definitely repurchase this!

Catrice Glam & Doll Waterproof Volume Mascara: This is my all time favorite waterproof mascara that I repurchase all the time. It holds the curl flawlessly and it stays on all day.

Maybelline the Colossal Volume Express Mascara 100% Black: I have used this up before and said that it wasn't my favorite. So why did I use one up again? I got this as a gift and after using it the second time my opinion is still the same. It does give volume to my lashes and they look great but they don't stay put throughout the day and the mascara crumbles a little.

What products did you use up this month?

Catrice Liquid Camouflage Concealer // Review

Catrice Liquid Camouflage High Coverage Concealer 010 Porcelain

This concealer has been a part of my everyday make-up routine for about six months now. I generally don't use up concealer very quickly because a) I do not wear make up every day and b) when I wear concealer I don't use a lot of it. I use this concealer under my eyes and to cover up any spots or redness on my face.

Top: Maybelline Fit me! Concealer 15

Bottom: Catrice Liquid Camouflage Full Coverage Concealer 010 Porcelain 

It is not easy to find a concealer that works with my skin. I am as pale as snow and my skin is mostly dry. That means that when it comes to finding the right color for me I do not have a lot to choose from. This is the lightest concealer I could find at the drugstore - it is definitely lighter than the Maybelline Fit me! Concealer 15 that I used before. I would not might another concealer maybe one or two shade darker than this but for right now its fine. Another thing that is great about the color is that it doesn't go darker throughout the day.

When it comes to dry skin I have yet to find a product that handles it perfectly. This concealer definitely doesn't but it is - again - better at it than the Maybelline Fit me! Concealer was. It definitely drys up less and it does not draw unwanted attention to the little wrinkles around my eyes.

I always use concealer rather lightly because I prefer a more natural finish to having everything covered up completely. Even though you can definitely build up the coverage by layering I'd say calling the concealer "high coverage" is misleading. The packaging also claims for this concealer to be waterproof which I cannot confirm. Since I never expected it to be waterproof anyway I don't really mind.

Over all this is my favorite concealer and if you are looking for a light to medium coverage concealer to fit your pale skin tone you should definitely give this one a try.

What is your favorite drugstore concealer?

Favorites // June

This display looks kind of christmassy, doesn't it?

Red can be a very summery fresh color and who does not think that 'golden beaches' sound like hot weather? Summery night skies are also easy to picture - but somehow together red, stars and gold make me think of winter. Well, the weather isn't really that sunny lately anyway so maybe that also influences my associations.

Maybelline Super Stay Nail Polish Rouge Laqué 501 Cherry Sin: For some reason I forgot how much I love red nails in the summer time. I just put the color on one day because I could not decide on anything so I went for a classic shade. I am almost surprised by how much I love it.

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes: This had to be included in my monthly favorites. I flew through this book as soon as I got it. It is not my new favorite book ever but it was still great. I usually do not read contemporary books so maybe this one was my entry to a whole new genre for me to discover. I am generally trying to read out of my usual comfort zone of fantasy or dystopian. While I do know now that thrillers are not my cup of tea (even though I have only ever read two) maybe contemporary is.

Dove Advanced Hair Series Pure Care Weightless Oil Shampoo: I am sorry this bottle does not look that clean anymore but that is just what happens when you use your products - and I have been using this for a while now. I actually shy away from using it because I do not want to use it up. I have dry hair that I want to wash every other day - so that is what I need my shampoo to be able to handle. This shampoo does that beautifully. It is meant to help with dry hair and make it shiny again and that is precisely what it does for my hair. It feels moisturized, looks shiny and keeps looking good for two days until I wash it again.

What are your favorite products or books of the moment?

Drugstore Haul // May Part I

This is the first part of my monthly drugstore haul. I shopped quite a lot of stuff because I ran out of a lot of products I had to repurchase and because I am about to go on a trip and needed a few more things for that.

Maybelline Super Stay Forever Strong Gel Nail Color Rouge Laqué 501 Cherry Sin: I love wearing red nails. This is the perfect red shade from one of my favorite brand of nail polishes ever. I have already worn this and it stayed on my nails for a week without chipping. I love this nail polish!

Astor Perfect Stay Gel Shine Nail Polish 502/302 Crème Brulée: I am pretty sure this nail polish going to be in my monthly favorites. I have worn this color multiple time now and it stays on my nail very well and the color is simply amazing.

Astor Nail Polish Quick & Shine 502 Hot Chocolate Season: I have not worn this color yet but I have been eyeing it for moths now. This to me is the perfect going-out-at-night nail polish and I am very excited to try it out.

ebelin Nail Polish Remover: I am going on a trip this week and I want to take nail polish remover with me. This is not the nail polish remover I usually use but this still works fine. I plan on reusing the packaging for traveling after I use this up.

Nivea Fresh Flower Deodorant: This is another miniature product I got to travel with and carry around in my purse. There is no other reason for why I picked this particular one other than that it was the only miniature deodorant available without aluminium.

Sun Dance Après Creme: I am paler than anybody else I know so I get a sunburn very easily. I buy the Sun Dance Aprés Creme every year and it works very well with my skin.

DontoDent Fluor Fresh Toothpaste: I have never used this before but I am not picky about which toothpaste I use so I guess it will be fine. Again I got a miniature size for traveling.

tetesept A Portion of Love Champagne-Berry & Blueberry Bath Salt: I adore tetesept bath products and this one smells amazing. I am very much looking forward to trying this!

What have you shopped for this moth?