Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Powder Review

Holy moly that title is a mouthful.

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago (in the midst of cramming for midterms) I decided that I needed to treat myself for all the hard work I’ve been doing. Mind you, Sephora is my Ben & Jerry’s, so my wallet tends to suffer during midterms and finals (and break ups).
This baked powder (highlighter) has been on my wish list for the longest time, and I decided to splurge and order it. And oh. my. gahhhhd.

I could rave about this forever. It’s not as strong as a shimmer brick, the sheen is actually a lot more subtle – which I love. My skin looks the healthiest it has ever looked, and it’s all thanks to this highlighter. It goes for $38 which is pricy when you’re in college, but still a great investment.

It feels luxurious, it’s matte (so it doesn’t make you look like a disco ball), and it really makes your face look alive. It catches light and gives you a sort of “flawless” look when applied properly. Here’s my face – I hope you can catch how subtly pretty is! 🙂

What’s your favorite highlighter?
Lemme know in the comments!

Srna

 

Travel essentials & favorites

These past couple of years I have travelled more than I ever thought I would. From DC to Vienna, to London, Skopje, all the way to New York – I’ve spent entire days sitting on my butt inside of a tin can in the sky. Erm, an airplane.
Nevertheless – I am one of those people that actually likes flying. Traveling by myself is prime time for thoughts, plans, lists and daydreams. This is why I’ve chosen to share my travel essentials with you!

1. Passport – Always the first thing you need to make sure you have!
2. Wallet – Bring a credit or debit card that you can use internationally.
3. Phone – Your phone will come in handy when you need to find someone but it will also provide music. (Not pictured: headphones).
4. Laptop + Charger  – You wanna keep them with you at all times. Fill you laptop with ebooks and movies of your preference for an enjoyable trip!
5. Granola bars – Okay, airplane food can sometimes be nasty. These will save your life when your tummy starts rumbling.
6. Journal / Notebook – This is one of my favorite things to carry with me at all times! I jot down ideas, observations and plans. Remember to bring a pen.
7. Sweatshirt – Anything warm and cozy will do. Airplanes tend to get very cold.
8. Camera – Make some travel memories!
9. Make up bag – So many goodies you could take!

My make up bag is full of items, yet funnily enough – I never wear make up on airplanes. One of the most important things during a flight is to take care of your skin. The recycled air is so drying, so it’s important that you take the right steps to healthy skin!
1. Moisturizer
2. Eye cream
4. Lip Balm
5. Cleanser
6. Hand Cream
Throughout the flight I apply all of these, ensuring that every part of my face and hands stay moisturized. Towards the end of the flight I go in and apply minimal make up so that I’ll look refreshed as soon as I step off the plane.
7. Bronzer
8.Concealer
9.Cheek tint
10.Mascara
11. Lip balm
12. Blotting papers
13. Perfume
NOT PICTURED:
14. Toothpaste
15. Toothbrush
16. Deodorant stick

And of course, last but not least – I throw them all into my favorite backpack.

 

 

Do you have any travel tips? Let me know in the comments!

Till next time,
Srna

Batiste vs. Dove Dry Shampoo

Alright friends, it’s time for a little “battle of the dry shampoos”.  Recently I’ve been loving dry shampoo because my hair tends to get oily within a day of washing it, and we all know it’s not good to wash your hair every day. I use it as an oil-absorber, as a pick me up… and simply a way to get a bit more grip in my hair(braids, curls)!

First up on the list is Batiste. If you’ve ever looked for dry shampoo in any drug store, Batiste bottles are the first ones to pop out at you. I have been using the original formula and the bottle describes the scent as “clean and classic”. My verdict is as follows:

Smell: It smells like a very strong mixture of hair spray and baby powder. The smell lingers in your hair all day.
Texture: Make sure to spray it from far away because it WILL leave white residue in your hair. My tip for this one is to use your fingers to massage it into your head but do NOT use a hairbrush to disperse it.
Rating: (1.5/5)

 

 

Next up we have the Dove Refresh+Care Volume Dry Shampoo. First of all, that name is a mouthful. More importantly though, I think it’s such a step up from the Batiste. Here’s how it’s all going down according to me:

Smell: It’s way more subtle than the Batiste but it has a slightly floral scent. This scent also lingers in your hair throughout the day.
Texture: When using this in my hair I did not notice any white residue (granted, I have light hair – so be careful). It does what it claims, giving my hair a clean and voluminous look. One thing I didn’t love is that it make my hair slightly dry to the touch as opposed to its soft and shiny texture.
Rating: (4/5)

 

 

Have you tried any other affordable dry shampoos? Let me know!

Srna

 

Halloween, make up, and friends, OH MY!

I always dread Halloween because I’m really opposed to buying clothing that I’m only going to wear once – so purchasing costumes has always been out of the question. But this Halloween I kind of decided to allow myself to go crazy with make up. I had two nights of Halloween to deal with (*sigh*, college), and for the first night I decided to be a (variation of a) zombie.
I didn’t have any fake blood or anything of the sort so I had to be creative at the last minute. This is how it turned out:

Basically I used very light foundation on my face mixed with some white face paint, and sunk in my eyes with the use of red / purple and orange eyeshadows. As for the scar, I seriously just made it up. Tissue paper, glue, lotion, lipstick, lip liner, shadows and a blow dryer. I’m pretty pleased with the results.

For the second night, my friends and I decided to go as the cast of Wizard of Oz. I got to be the cowardly lion which gave me so much freedom in terms of hair and make up. I crimped my hair by making little braids and pressing then with a hot straightener which really gave it a lion effect. As for the make up, I think I might do a little video tutorial for you guys. It was easy and fun to do!

And of course, here’s the whole gang!

What did you do for Halloween? Let me know in the comments!

Srna