Monday, November 26, 2012

Catrice ultimate color lipstick: Ginger and Fred


My first and favorite Catrice lipstick was Ginger and Fred. It's a muted berry with a subtle golden sheen, and it works wonders for my pale skin. It's a very flattering color that doesn't emphasize redness in my skin or the yellow in my teeth the way many cooler pinks tend to.

It wears for an hour or 3 and it fades pretty evenly, at least on me. So it's no disaster if you aren't able to reapply very often. The formula is not moisturizing, but it doesn't dry your lips either. Unfortunately the golden shimmer is slightly gritty, and that's pretty much the biggest downside of this lipstick. I really enjoy wearing this, but you might want to test it first if you are easily bothered by gritty finishes. Like all ultimate color lipsticks, it comes in a sturdy black tube. They don't open on their own and don't get scratched or worn off very easily: very purse-proof. :)

Catrice increased their prices  and these lipsticks now cost €3,99: still cheap compared to other drugstore brands.

Do you own any Catrice lipsticks?
What is your favorite shade?

Silke

Monday, November 19, 2012

Soap bars vs Shower gels


One of the changes in my skincare routine I am most happy about, is switching to soap bars instead of using liquid soap. Admittedly... I was first won over by Lush. All the soap looked and smelled delicious, and suddenly they didn't seem so old-fashioned anymore...

After reading up on cosmetic ingredients I realized that some soap bars (a lot of Lush soaps too!) still contain SLS, an ingredient that tends to dry out and irritate the skin. People with normal to oily skin might not be bothered by it so much, but if you have dry or sensitive skin it is prone to make things worse.


On top of that there's a few environmental argument pleading for bar soaps:

  • Containing less harmfull chemicals, they are also less pollutive. This doesn't only affect nature but also our own health, since a lot of chemicals contamine tapwater.
  • Soap bars are often wrapped in paper or a very thin layer of plastic. The packaging is a lot less pollutive than plastic bottles of shower gel.
  • Soap bars are lighter and more compact, so this saves out transport costs and energy.
  • You only have to buy a soap tray once, or use a jar you have lying around.


There's a lot of ways to enjoy your soap even more:

  • Shower puffs are great for getting a maximum amount of foam.
  • Scrubbing gloves are great for exfoliating your skin, without having to use more products.
  • Soap Savers are meant to easily use the last slippery bits of soap left from your bar.
  • Since bar soap lather is often a lot creamier, you can use it as a shaving cream.
  • If you really prefer your soap liquid, you can easily turn your bar soap into a liquid version, and even add extra ingredients. Find out how here.

It's really hard to find inexpensive shower gels that don't contain SLS, but after searching online and in stores I found a lot of bar soaps that are SLS-free. My current favorites are Black Magic Soap from One Hand Washes The Other and the Lemon and Verbena soap from Le Petit Olivier.

Which kind of soap do you prefer?
What are your favorite bar soaps?

Silke

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Tagged by La Dandyzette!



A while ago I was tagged by Dandyzette for the Liebster Award!

I was (and am) going through a serious writers block so this was really a torment, THANKS A LOT KAT! Actually I am glad I took the challenge and finished it though. :)


The rules are:

1) Post 11 facts about yourself.
2) Answer the questions the tagger has set for You.
3) Create 11 questions for the people You’ve tagged to answer.
4) Tag 11 people.

Take a look to read my answers and questions, and see who I tagged!


Thursday, November 8, 2012

Sexxy girlfriend!


Pardon my little tired eyes, but I really wanted to show you guys some of the pretty Darling Girl shadows in action!

The lid color is DG's Sexxy Girlfriend, a gorgeous light mint green that shifts pink. You can clearly see the pink in this picture, but it's even prettier in real life!

From the crease upwards I am wearing DG's Nice F*cking Model, a shade from the Ghost With The Most collection (based on Beetlejuice!). It's a light gold with strong green flash, and I think it makes an awesome contrast with the cool toned Sexxy Girlfriend. On my very pale skin, it's a tad too dark to be a classic highlighter shade, but I am using it as one anyways! I got this color as a sample but am ordering a full size of it soon.

The liner and lower lashline is a dark green shimmer cube from The Body Shop.
My mascara has dried out, so you get clumpy lashes as a bonus. Ignore them please :)

Have a nice weekend!