29 September 2014

Soft & Smokey

I'm usually the kind of person who doesn't bother doing their makeup on Sundays (ok sometimes I just don't bother regardless of what day it is), but my dad wanted to take us out for dinner so I decided to do something nice with my face for a change. I've been experimenting with using more eyeshadows in the crease of my eye and it actually doesn't look too horrible, so that's what I went with. I also chose a bright pink lipstick because who said autumn is all about dark colours?
I feel like photos of my favourite ever eyeshadow (MAC's Sable) never do it justice, it's so much prettier in real life so go and swatch it if you can! 

Face:
Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in Cool Medium 2
Manhattan Soft Compact Powder in 0 Transparent

Eyes & Eyebrows:
MAC eyeshadow in Charcoal Brown:
 to fill in my brows
Hema Eyebrow Gel:
to set them
NARS Pro Prime Eyeshadow Base:
all over my eye lid and crease
MAC eyeshadow in Charcoal Brown:
 blended through the crease
MAC eyeshadow in Dark Brown:
blended in the outer part of the lid
(add more, blend, repeat)
MAC eyeshadow in Sable:
all over the lid and on the lower lash line
Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette Blackout:
 on the lower lash line
MAC eyeshadow in Naked Lunch:
in the inner corner of the eye, as a highlight
Benefit They're Real Push Up Liner:
on the top lash line and smudged with a brush
Maybelline Mega Plush Mascara

Lips: 
MAC Chatterbox lipstick

26 September 2014

The Waterfall Jacket

Jacket - New Look
Jumper - H&M
Leggings - Next
Watch - DKNY
Bracelet - Stradivarius 
Bag - C&A
Boots - Siemes Schuhcenter

I was perusing the New Look website one day when I spotted this jacket. I had been looking for a nice waterfall jacket for ages and had a little victory dance when I saw it. It's made out of fake leather and the inside has a suede texture to it. It's quite thin, so it will be good for the cold but sunny autumn days. I absolutely love it and can't wait to put it to good use. It has already started to get colder here in Luxembourg, which makes me extremely happy. 
I actually own this jumper three times, in three different colours! It's so comfortable and great to wear with leggings, as it's quite long. 
Hope you have all had a great week!

24 September 2014

BellaLisa Valmor


While on holiday in Lisbon, we stumbled across this amazing restaurant, that was right near our hotel. It's gems like this that make me so excited to blog all about them. It's an Italian restaurant called BellaLisa Valmor and is located on the Avenida Visconde Valmor. I'll link their website here.
We enjoyed our meal so much that we went back two more times. That hardly ever occurs whenever we go away. 
The staff were all really, exceptionally friendly and engaging and the decor was really charming and quaint, yet still modern.
On the first night, they were offering everyone a starter on the house, which we accepted of course. We never usually order starters but if it's free, why not. 
When it arrived, I was a bit doubtful about whether I would enjoy it. It was a Bruschetta Bella Lisa, which is a slice of garlic bread with goats cheese, honey drizzled over it and topped with a raspberry and a walnut. It was mouthwateringly delicious. I knew honey and goats cheese worked well together, but I would never have thought to put a raspberry on top, but it tasted amazing.
I had Spaghetti Carbonara on the first night and Taglietelle Piemonte on the second night, while Stefane preferred to have pizzas both times (Pizza Calzone Milanese and Pizza Gamberoni, to be exact.) 
On the third night, I only took photos of our dessert for some reason. We shared a delicious tiramisu and both had teeny tiny coffees, which are called "bica".
My only regret is that I didn't try the Spaghetti alla forma, but I did manage to snap a picture of one of the staff making it. They do it in front of the people who have ordered it and I have never seen anything like it. They scrape the inside of a huge parmesan wheel, then they add cooked spaghetti with cream and mix it all together, while adding truffle oil. To finish, they serve it with some ham and it looks amazing! 
Price wise, it's all really reasonable and I would even say more on the cheaper side of the scale. It's definitely worth a visit, if you want brilliant quality food for a good price.

22 September 2014

New Hair & Hair Salon Tips

Before
accidental "L'Oreal swish" photo
After

I was feeling a bit fed up with my hair, as it looked really red and my roots were growing out, so I decided to get it redone. Learning from my past mistake of trying a different hairdressers, I stuck to my all time favourite one, Lisa Emmerich Coiffure in Bereldange. I knew I wanted to go dark for the colder months, and I figured it would be easier to maintain because my roots would grow out and there wouldn't be a line where one colour starts and the other ends. But I also wanted to have parts that were a lighter colour, to have a slight, subtle contrast instead of just one colour all over. What I didn't want was a full on ombre look. And I didn't want blonde or red streaks. So I spent some time looking for a good inspiration photo, which I found eventually. Since my hairdresser, Marina, had to dye all of my hair dark, she suggested that I only have a few dark brown highlights put in on top, rather than all over, to maintain the condition of my hair. I was just thrilled to no longer have two toned red brown hair.
After getting an amazing head massage (I almost fell asleep!), we moved on to the cut. I wanted all of the dead ends chopped off, but to keep it as long as possible, and a few long layers put in, so my hair wouldn't look like one big block. Marina also fixed my fringe, after it had been cut far too short back in April and looked dodgy. 
I'm really happy with how it turned out, although I feel like my hair is so much shorter now! My hair care routine managed to help it grow quickly after I got it cut last time, so I'm definitely sticking to that. 

I thought I would add some of my tips to going to the hairdressers and avoiding disappointment, as some people find it difficult and even avoid it sometimes. If, like me, you are useless at taking matters into your own hands and cutting/dyeing your own hair, then you might find these helpful.

1. Always know exactly what you want before you go.
There's no point in going to get your hair done if you aren't 100% sure about what you want to have done. It's basically a one way ticket to disappointment. Spend some time looking through magazines, blogs or Pintrest to get a clear idea of what you want to have done. Cut, colour, style, everything. If you want a trim and you are scared that they will chop too much off, say you want them to just get rid of the very ends and to maintain the length as much as possible, because you are trying to grow your hair out.

2. Always take photos!
Explaining what you want to your hairdresser can be hard because the image in your head might not be the same as their one. I think it's safe to say that the majority of people have a smartphone or a tablet or even a printer, so there's no excuse for not being able to bring a photo. I would suggest bringing a minimum of three photos: one of the colour, one of the cut (and fringe/bangs!) and finally one of the style. 

3. Don't be afraid to speak up!
I am painfully shy and have anxiety about talking to people (among other things of course). I was so nervous before going to the hairdressers, but I told myself it's your hair and if you don't like something then say so or suffer the consequences after. So if you aren't completely happy with the way your hairdresser is cutting your hair, then say so. If the water is too hot, speak up! If you want your fringe differently, say so. If you don't want layers, say so!  Even if they suggest it, if you don't want it done, let them know. I always make sure to have a chat with my hairdresser first and go over exactly what I want done. If I'm not sure about something, I will ask for their advice. But at the end of the day, it's up to you. 

4. Ask questions.
If you aren't sure what they are doing or if you are curious about something, ask them. It's always good to learn new things and understand their techniques.

5. Don't try to use professional terms.
Unless you are a professional, of course! But if you aren't, it's probably best to just describe what you want rather than use words that may not mean what you think they do. 

6. Don't feel pressured!
Don't feel pressured to buy the products they use. Don't feel pressured to agree with what they suggest. Don't feel pressured to be a chatty person, some people are just shy. It's ok to sit and read a magazine instead of trying to make conversation. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't say a word throughout the whole thing though.

7. Don't drink too much!
If you are going to get your hair cut and coloured, it's bound to take a long time, so it's probably best to avoid drinks that will probably make you desperate for a wee half way through the colouring process. And yes I speak from experience! Ask for a drink when they start to cut your hair, that way you will probably be safe.

8. Finding the right hairdresser is like finding your one true love.
It may sound overly dramatic but takes time to find the one that works for you. You have to go to a bunch of different ones, and you might not always be happy and you will feel disappointed at times but eventually you will find that one hairdresser where you come away feeling amazing every time. Remember, hair grows! 

I hope these tips help you!
What do you prefer to do with your hair during the colder months, go lighter or go darker?

21 September 2014

Room Details


A little peek into my room! 
I have always loved decorating rooms, but it wasn't until a few years ago that I decided to completely redo my bedroom. A few million trips to IKEA, Blokker, Casa and Hema later and I am finally really happy with how my room looks. It is now my favourite place to hide away and relax. I think it's worth investing time and money in the place where you will spend the majority of your time. My bedroom is not only the place where I sleep, but it's also my study area, my makeup and hair room, my chill out and watch TV place, all in one. 
We recently had to add on to my wardrobe so that my boyfriend had more room for his clothes and that gave me the opportunity to clear out my whole wardrobe. It may sound weird, but I really enjoyed going through and sorting everything out. The majority of the unwanted clothes is going to charity of course. I also sorted out all of my warm weather clothes and put them away. (Can you tell that I am really eager for autumn and winter to come? They are my absolute favourite seasons.) I like how my wardrobe now only holds the clothes that I will definitely wear instead of a bunch of stuff I never even throw a glance at. 
Once I'm in the cleaning mood, I get a bit carried away and sort out everything. It's addictive. I also felt like my room needed an injection of colour here and there, because up until now it's been mostly monochrome. 
I bought some fake flowers and a lovely vase from IKEA, to brighten it up a bit. As much as I like getting real flowers, they don't last very long and I'm a bit notorious for not remembering to water plants, so fake flowers work perfectly. I also put out two of my favourite Yankee Candles, Pink Sands and Season of Peace (which is a winter candle but it smells so fresh, that I keep it all year round.) 
I found a temporary place for my kitchenware, which I have written about here. It's actually quite difficult to find chalk nowadays, how odd is that? But I ended up finding some in Hema, which is one of my favourite shops. You can find all sorts there. 
I decided to buy a cork board and a magnetic board to hang up notes and photos, as opposed to hiding them away somewhere. 
All in all, I'm really happy with how my room looks, especially with all the new personal touches and hints of colour. It reflects me really well. If it weren't for the fact that I'm probably going to moving out soon, I would repaint it too. Maybe cream and taupe, as they are my favourite colour combination. But for now, I'm satisfied with how it looks. 
Hope you've enjoyed this slightly different blog post. I might do a few more interior-esque blog posts, as I do really enjoy reading them myself for inspiration (as well as flicking through an IKEA catalogue!)