Review: pixi Early Bird Palette

 Helloooo! (Yes, imagine this an impression of Marcus Butler hihi)

It's already October and autumn has begun... at least all the collections are out. Anyways, it's the perfect season to start with make-up, because it won't be too hot and humid to melt away all the make-up. When starting out, I didn't know anything about consistency, pigmentation or how to pair up colors. So to experiment with it and to begin the process of building knowledge and experience, I don't recommend to invest in high-end at first. If you already know a lot about cosmetics and what you want in it, it's fine, but if you want to play around, it's kinda expensive.
So at first I recommend bigger palettes, such as this one. The 88 Shimmer Palettes are popular as well, but I find them to be overwhelming. This one's compact, includes 16 color eyeshadows, 4 base eyeshadows, 3 blushers, 2 bronzers and 1 highlighter. There are enough shades for nearly all complexions and they're pretty neutral, so definitly fool proof.

pixi Early Bird Morning Light

K-Wave Wednesday #2

Hey guys!

It's K-Wave Wednesday again! :) This month we just wanted to share our most recent discoveries in K-Pop world, followed by some upcoming new dramas we might want to watch and we also have some drama recommendations and as always our current favorite song.

Here's the chronological order of everything we mentioned:

SPICA - Tonight (Comparison: Ulala Session, Rainbow)

Busker Busker - In The Beginning, A Thing Called Love (Comparison: Tyler Ward)

Cover of  "I do" by 15& (originally by Bi/Rain)

Jung Joon Young - Spotless Mind (Compared to F.T. Island)

Drama: Heirs (Complete Name: The One Who Wants To Wear The Crown, Bear The Crown)

Drama: Boys Before Flowers Remake: Between Boys & Friends 

Noona - Crush: "Noona" means "Older Sister"(for guys)  in korean and can be used for biological older sisters, or girls that are older than you and you're close with in general. So a Noona Crush or Noona Complex means that the love line is between a girl and a boy who's younger than her. (Examples mentioned: Flower Boy Ramyun Shop, I Hear Your Voice and Who Are You) 

Drama: Medical Top Team (Especially: SHINee's Minho)

Drama: Reply, 1994

Drama: Reply, 1997 (Especially: Eunji) 

Drama: Flower Boy Ramyun Shop

EXO - Baby, Don't Cry

SHINee - Better Off 

We hope you enjoy it! Until next time,
Lily & Jasmine

Review: The Face Shop Lovely Me:ex Blusher in PK102

Annyeong!

Over the years, one make-up item has gained its place in my most-often-used list: a blusher. It doesn't matter how tired or stressed out I look, a little bit of blush makes me look ten times more awake and alive.

The Face Shop Blusher in PK102 is the one I use the most.

What I really like about the brand is their sleek, but cute packaging. Etude House is way too girly for my taste and Missha looks very mature. The Face Shop is right in between.
The packaging is quite small, so it doesn't hold a brush or a mirror. Both would have been nice. Another The Face Shop Blusher that does contain an applicator is the Cushion blusher, which I wanted to buy for a long time, but that will have to wait until I hit pan on this one.
Something special that comes with this product is its scent. The blusher smells like a sweet bonbon, bot not too fruity. The scent fades after I applied it.

This product is not very pigmented, I'd say light to medium, but that's easier to work with in my opinion. It can be streaky if applied too heavily. Yet, it blends totally fine with a lighter hand. The shade is peachy pink, which should suit fair to medium skintones.
It lasts for about 4-6 hours before beginning to fade. For about 5-10€, I don't expext it too last the whole day.

To conlude, I recommend this blusher for a cheap, natural, everyday use!

Take care until next time,
xoxo Lily

Throwback Thursday of Another Kind

Hey guys.

As the title says I have something different for you today. Green lipstick. But not just any green lipstick. Green lipstick that turns red on your lips.

I've seen this product every time I went to a bazaar in Turkey for the last couple of years. You have to imagine a huge rummage table with lots and lots of lipsticks in no particular order and you just have to dug into it to find some goodies. (It's actually quite a lot of fun)
The lipsticks packaging is quite outstanding which is why I often grabbed it, but when I opened the lid (it is quite normal for the products not to be sealed), and realized the lipstick is green, I threw it right back into the pile of cosmetics.

Alfeen Magic Stick

Review: Kose Visée Glam Nude Eyes in N-2

Konnichiwa!

Saikin dō? After a few days of summer revival autumn has reached Germany and greets us with lightings, storms, rains and lots of wind! I feel my tan fading away, so it's time to pack my summer palettes away and get out the ones for a more neutral/cold skintone. One, I didn't use in a while, but is my all time favourite holy grail palette, is the Visée Glam Nude Eyes palette.

Even though I got to know about this palette through a business make-up tutorial, it's an allrounder. For a daytime/soft look, apply the top two colors. Add the taupe for a sultry look, the dark brown for a smokey look and the glittery shade in the bottom right for a glamourous look.
One special addition to this palette, not so special if you know japanese palettes, is the cream base in the top right corner. It makes blending so much easier and the colors don't crease. It has a lovely soft consistency and goes on really nicely. The rest of the shades also have a heaven-like texture. Super soft, finely milled, not chalky at all and they feel like butter! They last for good 6-8 hours before beginning to fade.

From left to right: Cream base, rosy beige, taupe, dark brown, glittery champagne

Pigmentation-wise it's perfect for me, but some may think it's a bit weak. The taupe shadow has the best pigmentation and a true-to-pan color. The cream base, dark brown and rosy beige have less pigmentation, the glittery shade less than that, but it'll still be visible. All shades contain at least shimmer, so consider that aspect before buying.

All in all, I'm in love with this palette and it's a 100% recommendation for everyone with a neutral or cooler skintone! You can get it at adambeauty or Ichibankao for 14 to 20€.

Take care until next time,
xoxo Lily

K-Wave Wednesday: Introduction

Hi guys,
this week we tried out something different and had a lot of fun recording it. Hope you guys like it too!

Take care until next time,
Lily and Jasmine

Background music:
teru - goodbye war, hello peace


PS: The movies/songs/drams that we mentioned were

f(x) feat. D.O. - Goodbye Summer 

Beast - Shadow

Movie: The Classic

Drama: Stairway To Heaven 

 

Impressions of The Mortal Instruments - City of Bones

Hi guys!

Yesterday I went to watch one of my most anticipated movie of the year: The Mortal Instruments with Lily Collins, Jamie Campbell Bower, Kevin Zegers, Robert Sheehan, Godfrey Gao and Jonathan Rhys Meyers, directed by Harald Zwart. The film is based of the book series by Cassandra Clare, which I read six months earlier. What I love about good fantasy books is the the way it transports you into that world for a few hours. You're not the reader anymore, but you're in that certain moment with them. Cassandra Clare definitely did that with the books, but did the movie do it justice?

Current Obsession - Jasmine

Hey guys!

Without further explanation, let's get right into it :)

My current obssesions:

1. Eau Thermale Avène - Déodorant
Recently there have been a lot of rumors claiming that deodorants that contain aluminum might cause breast cancer. Although there is no evidence yet, I honestly don't see the point in waiting, and since there already are aluminum-free alternatives I'll stick to them.
Avène is known for their gentle formulas, which is perfect for freshly depilated underarms, because it doesn't cause a burning feeling. It has a pleasant smell that fades after a few minutes. The packaging doesn't promise a certain time period, but it definitely lasts a 7-8 hours (in my case).

Cruelty-free: I have to admit: I don't know. I bought this deodorant a while ago. I did some research but every source claims something different. But I can definitely say that the brands isn't listed on Peta's and leaping bunnies list.


2. Hansaplast Foot Expert
What to say: In summer, when wearing sandals or any kind of open toe sandals, your feet should look like they're taken care of.

Cruelty-free: Yes! :)

Review: Sephora's Express nail polish remover

Hi guys!

It's time for a make-up related post, so here is my review about the nail polish remover by Sephora.

 

Travelling with Lily: Nice and Cote d'azur Part 2

Hi guys!

Back again with Part 2 ;).

After relaxing at the appartment, a little bit of beach and shopping, one might be hungry. If want to experience Nice in full, order mussels. I ate some cooked in white wine and they were delicious. If you're up for raw fish, Planet Sushi is the address. They serve good sushi for not too much money. And last but not least, the holy grail of ice cream - Fenocchio (2 Place Rossetti), where une boule costs 2€. It will cost the same elsewhere so choose from the 70(!!) different flavors.

Next we're gonna do some exercises. To have a wonderful view over Nizza you are required to take the stairs to Parc du Chateau. Don't take the lift, if you don't have to. It'll be worth it. There are like five ways to the top, so don't get confused :).
Another gem in Nice is the Musée National Message Biblique Marc Chagall. For all surrealism and expressionism fans out there, he's amazing and the museum does him justice. It's not for free and a little bit expensive for 7€ or so, but if you've got the money or are willing to spend the money, you won't regret going there.

The Cosmetic Industry and Animal Testing - Jasmine

Hey guys,

today's post is going to be slightly different from what we've posted so far.
I'd like to talk about animal testing in the cosmetic industry.

Please note that I'm not trying to convince anybody to boycott brands that still test on animals or anything like that, I'm just writing about this topic today because it is important to me and I think it's important to cause awareness.

A lot of people don't know that nowadays there are still a lot of companies that test on animals. Also it's not something you think of constantly when using or buying a new product. I have to admit that I didnt neither.
I became a vegetarian about two years ago after reading "Eating Animals" by Jonathan Safran Foer, because Natalie Portman once stated that book was the reason she became a vegan.

Travelling with Lily: Nice and Cote d'Azur Part 1

Hi guys!

Summertime -  Beachtime! But not so much in Germany, so my family and I packed our luggage and drove all the way (1100 km to be exact) to Nice. There, we rented a lovely appartment right in the vieille ville. So if you're there as well or are planning your next vacation, here are some tipps and tricks! ;)

1. Living
Renting an appartment is definitly a cheaper choice for four people or more. There are loads of summer appartments and renting a few months or weeks before your stay is less stressful and gives you a lot more options to choose from. Locationwise it is better to stay west from the port, but not too far away from centre ville or you'll see a lot of planes flying around, because the airport is right there.

Review: Kanebo Media Cheek Color A RD-1

Hi guys!

This week I'm reviewing a japanese blusher, a gift from a lovely friend <3.

Just as last week reviewed KATE product, this one's also a subbrand of Kanebo. Not as popular, but still going strong. Media's packaging is quite similar to KATE's, but more simple and often navy. Therefore I don't think it's targeted towards teens. It looks more mature, yet it is cheaper than other drugstore brands, such as Visee. It's a brand, I wouldn't try out in the first place, because the packaging is kinda boring to me and it's pretty cheap, so I wouldn't think it's good. Luckily I got a friend, who proved this brands does deserve our attention.

Review: Meet Matt(e) by The Balm - Jasmine

Hey guys,

big apology for skipping my post last week, but today I'm back with a review for you. Just like Lily I'm gonna review one of my palettes. Unfortunately it's one that I have already been loving for a couple of months (hence the "love marks" on it aka smudgy package), so I couldn't take pictures of a brand new product. Sorry!

So, please "Meet Matt(e)"
The Balm is known for their unique product names (Mary-Lou Manizer, Bahama Mama, Balm Jovi and so on), and this palette is no exception form that. The whole palette revolves around an (imaginary) guy called Matt.

Meet Matt(e) (The Balm)

On the back it even has his profile (saying: his height (6'2"), eye color (blue), what he enjoys (long walks on the beach, creamy eyeshadows & fabulous liners) and his occupation (eyeshadow palette)), so compliments for the package details, I really liked it.

Review: Kanebo KATE Goldish Eyes Eyeshadow Palette

Hi guys!

I'm finally back with another review this time :). It's all about the KATE goldish eyes palette in GD-1. KATE is a japanese label under the big mama label Kanebo and is targeted towards young females in their 20s. The packaging is very often sleek and black, not as girly as other japanese brands such as Lavshuca or Majolica Majorca.

I've been into korean cosmetics for a long time, but I never heard or read anything about japanese cosmetics until Asahi Sasaki came along. She was featured in one of Judy's (itsjudystime) youtube videos. There she mentioned some lovely brands and my interest was instantly sparked. Another great japanese make-up guru is the lovely KimDao.  

Anyways back to the palette, I purchased mine at adambeauty for about 13-14 €, which makes it comparable to a L'oreal or Maybelline palette. Quality-wise I was a little disappointed at first. This is not my first japanese palette and the other one is fabulous (review to come)! It comes with four shimmery/glittery colors, two golden ones, a highlighting color and a darker color for lining or contouring.

M.I.A.

Hey guys!

Sorry for the lack of posts in the last 2 weeks, but we are currently studying non stop for our exams. We're almost through with all of them, so you can expect a new post on thursday next week :)

Take care,
xoxo Lily & Jasmine

Top 3 Favourite Songs - Lily

Hi guys!

As Jasmine mentioned, when it comes to music the melody and feeling behind a song are more important to me than the lyrics. I do read them and appreciate them if they're beautiful, but maybe because I used to to listen to a lot of songs (mainly korean ones ^^) I didn't understand at all, I stopped caring about them...
Anyways, today's post is going to be very british (except for one) ;). I love indie, guitar acoustics, soul to settle down after a stressful day, so the songs are going to be on the slower side.
(Two songs are newer additions and one song will be a longtime-loved one ^^)

Let's start with the latest additions to my favourites: Lily Allen - Littlest Things (now Lily Cooper)
It's the first song that is played in the movie "Celeste and Jesse forever" a comedy-drama with Rashida Jones and Andy Samberg. Littlest Things reflects the plot of the film - a post break-up situation, in which you remember the happy moments of the relationship, in which you associate all the littlest things with the other person and hope, that it's not the end.
I think everyone, who has been in and out of love, can identify oneself with the lyrics and with the nostalgic feeling of the song. It doesn't have to be about a certain relationship, but just a reminder of the feelings in the beginning - your heart beating a thousand times faster when meeting, touching, kissing that person. So it can be the feeling of missing someone, but also maybe missing something.
The beautiful melody and Lily Allen's distinctive voice enhances the whole atmosphere of the song and takes you on a journey to the past.

Top 3 Favorite Songs - Jasmine

Hey guys!

This weeks topic is not make up related. Instead it’s about music, about our 3 favorite songs to be exact.

Trying to reduce my entire iTunes library to 3 favorite songs is pretty hard, especially because I tend to change my playlist every other day. But while going through it I came across a couple of songs that I've been listening to for quite some time now and that have - ever since I discovered them - been on my playlist.

When it comes to music I'm really picky, and you almost never find songs on my iPod that are currently all over the charts. Also I guess the main difference between Lily and myself is that to me lyric is way more important than the music itself, and for Lily it's the other way around.

That's probably the reason why most of the songs that I like to listen to are more on the slow side. I just think that slow songs tend to deliver more emotion..? 

Anyways, let's get into it! :)

The first song I choose is one by Justin Nozuka, a Canadian singer songwriter, whom I discovered around 2009. I'd have to say that I'm pretty much in love with every single song he has ever written, so I picked After Tonight on behalf of all of them, because it was the first one I've listened to (during a dancing lesson). As I said lyrics are very important to me, and with these lines Justin got me right away:

Pandas and Pimples - Lily

Hi guys!

Thursday Jasmine introduced you to the world of nude, pink and green concealers and correctors. Today I'm gonna show you the products I use to cover up my panda eyes (especially these days -.-) or pimples, if I have some. I never had acne and just have pimples occasionaly (--> PMS). My skin is super sensitive to lots of stuff, so I need concealers formulated for my certain kind of skin, aka without mineral oil, without parabens and if it's possible, unscented. I don't wanna have more spots because of my concealer ;).

1) Pimple concealer: Innisfree Mineral Perfect Concealer in 1/21

Pandas and Pimples - Jasmine

New Week - New Topic.

It's time to attack those pandas and pimples! So get your concealer ready :)

First of all I have to apologize but there seems to be something wrong with my camera right now, so no pictures in this post so far, but I'll add them as soon as possible, so please bear with me :)

It's said that 9 out of 10 people have dark circles, so it's nothing to worry about but there's definitely something you can do about them to make yourself look a lot more fresh and awake.

When trying to beautify oneself pandas and pimples are not welcomed at all. So today I'm going to introduce you to different ways to cover them up and also tell you about the products I like to use.

On a daily basis I tend to put my focus rather on the pandas than the pimples (especially during exams when I study until late at night and the "slightly panda-ish" eyes turn into black circles). Usually I don't mind a few imperfections that aren't completely covered, but I think it makes a huge difference for your whole appearance when your eyes seem a little bit more awake.

To treat your panda friends you can choose between concealers and correctors.

Concealers are more for covering certain areas whereas correctors highlight and brighten areas, which is also a reason why you should never ever use a corrector to cover up a pimple - it just won't work, in fact it will do the opposite and put even more focus on the spot, so be careful when picking your product. 

Colors of the Rainbow Tag - Lily

Hi guys!

Daaruum did it, missglamorazzi did it, Jasmine did it, so now it's finally my turn to bring you my version. Let's get right into it!

Red: Imagine you're invited to a masquerade. Your sensual lace dress in black fits your new black pumps perfectly. Smokey eyes, nude lips, a beautiful mask. Hair is curled and in loose side braid. For a pop of color, you put on... a red nail polish. At least that's what I would do :D.
My favourite and only red nail polish, called "Color So Hot It Berns", was part of the Swiss Collection by OPI in Fall 2010. I got this August 2012 in a Sephora in Paris and have been loving it since then. It's opaque, doesn't streak, doesn't chip. I love it!

  

Colors of the Rainbow Tag - Jasmine

Hi guys!

This week’s theme is the "Colors of the Rainbow“ Tag. Both Lily and I have watched several videos about it on youtube and decided to try it out as well.

Just in case that some of you don't know about this tag - basically you pick one product that you like for each color of the rainbow. These products don't necessarily have to be make up related, you can also pick your favorite dress, drink or food.

So let’s get started.

Red:

I know it’s cliché but I’m gonna pick a red lipstick. Usually I don’t wear any colored lipsticks apart from nudes or sheer ones because (I personally think) my upper lip is pretty much non-existent and as soon as I apply any bright color it seems to become even less existent. But this one is the only exception. It’s the Lancome Color Design lipstick in Red Stiletto.

It has a cream finish, is slighty on the shiny side (but not too much) and it’s very, very pigmented. I prefer to apply 1-2 coats, than wipe the excess away with an tissue and wear it as a stain. 

Lancome Color Design in Red Stiletto

Welcome to our blog!

Hi guys!

We are Lily (20) and Jasmine (19), two girls who not only differ in looks but also in personality. But one thing that we have in common is our love for make-up. 

We will try to post twice a week on a certain theme about make-up, skincare, fashion, diet and everything that goes on in our minds. You can expect these posts to go online on thursdays and sundays. We also plan on doing tutorials every now and then, but since these kind of posts are a lot more time consuming than regular ones, we can only provide them when time (ergo our studies) allows.