what i loved in june & july.

other than loving everything gold (see summary post here) i have been using and enjoying a lot of make up the last two months.  my biggest "faves" in terms of online shopping surely were Maureen and bonboncosmetics.com. my favourite brands were Chanel (complexion), NARS (eyeshadows), Cargo (blushes), Givenchy (blush!) and japanese high end brands when it comes to brushes.

i've reviewed/swatched most of the products, click through them for more information/photos.

skin-/haircare:

1 - Babylove BIG cotton pads i like these more than the regular round pads since i can do my whole face and neck with one of 'em (or remove nail varnish from both hands+feet). there is also a cosmetic version of these big pads but i find the surface of the baby pads better textured.

2 - Vichy Purété Thermale Micellar Lotion was my saviour during the horrible-skin-time. my skin was so sensitive that i couldn't even wash it with water and a regular cleanser, so on a desparate night i only used this as a 3in1 product but waked up with a calmed and glowing skin. i use it as a toner since, it's mild and helps to get rid of the last make up residues on my skin, and as a cleanser+toner in the mornings. i'm on my last drops of my first bottle and need to repurchase shortly (a 400ml bottle costs about 14€). i'm thinking about trying other micellar lotions (maybe the infamous Bioderma H2O?) but am not sure if i will get the same result.

3 - REN Rose Synergy O12 Moisture Defence Serum i bought this with the Nelly/Groupon promotion. it's a face oil that i use at night over a moisturising serum to lock in the moisture. it does the job very well and gives me a soft and glowing skin. it calms my redness and has a beautiful rose scent. unfortunately my skin is too oily to use it as a daytime moisturiser. a 30ml bottle costs about 70€.

4 - Shiseido Benefiance Concentrated Anti Wrinkle Eye Cream is the most recent eye cream i've tried and i'm very impressed with its rich and moisturising texture. maybe the best i've tried so far. it makes my undereye area look smooth and even. my fine lines have improved from the nourishing formula and the moisturised skin lets my undereye circles appear less dark. i'm glad that i splurged for it! 15ml of this cost about 62€ in germany.

5 - Hermès Hermessence in Ambre Narguilé and Rose Ikebana i only have generous samples of them (4ml each) but i love these perfumes! i do enjoy nice scents but am not an avid perfume-user, so i guess i will stay happy with the mini sizes ;)

6 - Moroccanoil Hair Treatment Oil i'm halfway through the mini bottle of 25ml and i can say now that i like it better than the Orofluido. it makes my hair shinier while the Orofluido makes it softer. i go for shiny ;)
unfortunately i have the one i like better only in sample size but the large size of the Orofluido. is anyone interested in samples of the latter? i guess i will put it into my blog sale and buy the full size Moroccanoil.

brushes:

of course, of course my japanese brushes, preferably the squirrel ones that were a delight for my sensitive skin of the last month. click through the reviews if you wish:

1 & 2 - Lunasol Powder Brush N and Cheek Brush N (review)
3 - RMK Face Powder Brush (review)
4 - RMK Cheek Brush (review)
5 - RMK Cheek Brush S (review)
6 - IPSA Squirrel Brush L (review)
7 - IPSA Brush 2 (review)

8 & 9 - Le Métier de Beauté Blush Brush and Eye Crease Brush (review) i've also tried the blush brush for foundation application now and it works fine - love it for being so multipurpose!

10 - Edward Bess Luxury Eye Brush (review) it's just my holy grail eye blending brush. can't imagine to be without it now. btw, if you also have killed yours, why not try to fix it? and since it has been abused even more by me, i have already ordered a second one to prevent.

foundation/concealer/powder:

since my skin has been breaking out quite often the last months, i tried a lot to cover up the redness and healing spots but at the same time to nourish and protect it. most foundations looked really dull on my skin, making it appear shriveled as dried fruit. thankfully this summer has not been too hot yet, so i didn't melt away with my creamier foundation choices.

1 - Rohto Hada-Labo BB Moist Cream (review) was my favourite BB cream from the 4 that i've tried in the last months. it has a nice colour, a glowy finish and a good coverage.

2 - Vichy Aera Teint Pure Fluid Foundation (review) was in my last favourites and still is one of my go-to's when i want a light feeling foundation that is moisturising and gives a healthy dewy finish. it has a good coverage and stays on well.

3 - Lancôme Teint Miracle i already own this for over half a year but only used it occasionally because i found it looking fake and weird on my skin. i still haven't reviewed it for you since i thought it's nothing special so it's not urgent. however when i tried it some weeks ago i have fallen in love with the smooth and even finish it creates on my bumpy and crater-istic skin. the finish is satin but luminous. i think the foundation stayed the same, just my skin has gotten weird. thorough review coming soon.

4 - Make Up For Ever Face & Body i like this one better than the MAC Face and Body Foundation. the coverage of this is sheer and the finish is very dewy. it has a good staying power and was my ideal summer foundation a month ago when it was hotter and my skin cooler. indepth review coming soon.

5 - Chanel Teint Innocence this is a Chanel foundation that i actually really like! i wasn't impressed with their Pro Lumiere (perfect finish, really bad staying power) and underwhelmed by their Vitalumiere Aqua (dull finish, nothing special) but heard only good things about the Teint Innocence so i thought that i needed to try it before it's completely gone (they are discontinuing it, so maybe remaining stocks can still be found at counters). real review coming soon.
i'm looking forward to try their new foundation.

6 - Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder (review) really brightens up my dark circles. i like to use it as a setting powder for my concealer but also on its own when i want a quick and natural look.

7 - Chanel Poudre Universelle Libre (review) still remains the unbeaten HG for me when it comes to powders. it smoothes my skin, blurs out imperfections, looks radiant and soft. never cakey, never dull. and you get a lot of product for your money.

8 - Hourglass Hidden Corrective Concealer (review) is still my favourite concealer for the undereye area. it's super creamy and looks like moisturised skin when applied. although with a high coverage, it gives a natural but radiant result.

9 - Hakuhodo 212 Highlight Brush Round (review) talking about undereye concealer without talking about this brush? no chance! at least for me this is the perfect brush for undereye concealer. it's the perfect shape, the ideal size and density that it applies and blends out the product to a perfect even and thin layer on your skin, quick and effortlessly. the B214BkSL (review) has the same shape but with minimally shorter hair. it works just as fine and is used in alternation with the 212. 

blush/bronzer:

i've been loving all kinds of blushes in the last months, also my bronzer love was still strong. especially when i used all the BB creams that really pale out your face, it's essential to bring some life and dimension back to it. i try to avoid frosty blushes and those with silver pearl as i find them to be the biggest pore-accentuaters and have been enjoying my matte NARS and Guerlain blushes a lot.

1 - Laura Mercier Second Skin Cheek Colour in Orange Blossom (review) is a pinky peach with very fine golden pearl. great summer shade that coordinates well with many looks and creates a fine glowy finish. a safe pick when i wanted some shimmer but not the overkill.

2 - Givenchy Le Prisme Blush in Blooming Fuchsias (review) a huge lemming has become mine! other than the beautiful look of the blusher i also adore the sheer and natural result it gives. a shimmer free vivid pink that is bright and light at the same time.

3 - Givenchy Fleur de Frangipanier (review) is a bigger sentimental favourite than a practical. i love the beautiful powder, the packaging, the scent. it reminds me of how much i can be passioned about make up, but in a fulfilling, not a bad way. like a "wishes can become true" way, just in make up language ;)

4 - Dior Aurora Bronzer (review) is still my favourite bronzer of all the LE releases this summer even though the pan has become completely loose because the glue melted. not a big deal since the powder is perfectly fine. i love the soft texture and the barely there shimmer that translates into the most subtle glow. also, i find the peachy tan surprisingly flattering as a bronzer for my skin tone when i always feared a bronzer that is too orange.

5 - Burberry Light Glow Earthy Blush (review) is my perfect contouring shade. at the moment i seem to be a tiny tad bit too dark for this powder to unfold its whole potential, but it still remains a really good contour colour for fair-medium skin tones. i love the texture of the matte Burberry blushes. they never appear cakey or dull but manage to be full of live and sheerness regardless of how intense the result is. they make your skin look youthful and smooth.

6 - Edward Bess Ultra Luminous Bronzer in Daydream (review) is my favoute bronzer in general. i love the scent of it. it has a really fine texture and creates the most glowy, natural tan on me because it applies so evenly and blends so well. fool-proof. beautiful warmth.

7 - Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel Bronze Universel (review) is a new favourite, in fact i only meant to try it to see why it's so hyped and because i thought it was going to be discontinued. and i am impressed. again, an orangey bronze that ends up looking really natural and flattering on me and a texture that was much better to handle than i have thought. i like how it brings back a lot of live into my complexion. it has some coverage so it makes the skin look even. it has some subtle shimmer so it makes the skin look glowy. it has an orange tinge so it makes the skin look healthy. overall it doesn't lack anything on the check list. plus, it's a super huge tub that will last forever.

my general blush love belongs to Cargo this time. great quality blushes at a reasonable price and with a huge amount. the blushes are superfinely milled and apply beautifully. sheer and natural but radiant. the matte blushes have a beautifying quality and make your cheeks look smooth and soft while the Beach Blushes create a beautiful fine shimmer that looks glowy but never too much.
i'm already awaiting a huge load of 5 more to love ;)

see the review, swatches and tihilw-pics of:

Tonga (click)
Catalina (click)
Rome (click)
Cannes (click)
The Big Easy (click)
Mendocino (click)
Sunset Beach (click)
Miami Beach (click)
Echo Beach (click)  (my favourite out of the Beach Blushes)
Cable Beach (click)

brows & lashes:

well, with this subject, i'm not very complicated. also not much to say. i have done a brow-tutorial, click here to see it if you wish. at the moment they are a bit longer and thinner than they were in the tutorial.

1 - MAC Copperplate Eyeshadow i've been preferring to use brow powder instead of my usual brow pencil and the HG powder for my skintone and hair colour is Copperplate by MAC. it's a Matte² finish so the texture is phenomenal for a matte eyeshadow (why don't they do all their mattes with this texture?). soft and pigmented, blendable and applies totally even.

2 - Louise Young Brow Brush LY30 i find this fine but still rather loosely packed brush to be ideal for applying my brow powder. it grabs the perfect amount of product and blends the colour evenly. it's fine enough to work really precisely.

3 - Alverde Clear Brow Gel nice gel that is not too wet or sticky. it holds my brows ok and gives them some shine.

4 - Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers i've been using mine for about 2 years now, i need a new pair very soon. when they started to become really uncomfortable some time ago, it was just the silicone pad that has worn out. new pads made me fall in love with them again. so the message is to check your pads regularly. might try the Shiseido or Chanel ones. or Koji? or RMK? hmmm... any suggestions?

5 - Maybelline The Falsies Waterproof nice thin and not too dry consistency (i hate waterproof mascaras that are very dry), curved brush. use it as a thin first layer to hold the curl. performs well, not too hard to get off.

6 - L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes horrible ad, but nice mascara that has a liquidy consistency which i need in a mascara for the second layer. it doesn't clump up and volumises well. not so much length. doesn't smudge or crumble. doesn't dry out (mine goes strong for too long now, i still have one or two back ups which one of is photographed above since the real thing does not look very presentable anymore - the stopper-thing-promise is bullshit. btw, why does everybody give me this mascara as a gift? i can't even try out new ones :I ). oh, and the millionize/billionize thing is the god of all the bullshitty promises.

7 - lash comb these fine metal combs are so much better than the average plastic versions!

more eye stuff:

i was really into eyeliner pencils in the last months, but when i discovered how nice the Urban Decay Liquid Liners work, i also really liked those.

1 - L'Oreal Super Liner Carbon Gloss is my favourite black liquid liner. the one shown above is already the back up since the one i'm currently using is totally rubbed off. nice easy-to-handle flexible felt tip, nice liquidy but opaque consistency. a lot of product as i've been using the previous one since forever. and the only black liner that doesn't give me the stamping effect.

2 - Urban Decay Liquid Liner in Honey (review) intense metallic gold colour, creamy consistency, great staying power. perfect as an eyecatcher.

pencil liners that i liked:

3, 4, 5 & 6 - MAC Coffee, MAC Raven, MAC Orpheus, MAC Wolf (review)
7 - MAC Powersurge (review)
8 - Chanel Stylo Yeux in Rose Platine (review)
9 - Chanel Le Crayon Yeux in Khaki Doré (review)
10 - P2 Perfect Look Kajal in Bronze (review)
11 - Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Honey (review)
12 - Essence Eyeliner in Love Me Tender (review)

even more eye stuff:

i've never liked them, but in june & july i've been loving (well, i was obsessed with ) rich gold eyeshadows. to see the evidence, click here. it all started with or in fact without NARS Etrusque ;)

1 - NARS Etrusque (review), the precious sentimental favourite. had a bad accident but is still alive. i didn't even know that gold eyeshadow could look good on me until i imagined this on my lids. and then the run begun. don't know why i wasn't into it when it initially was launched.

2 - MAC Mauvement Pigment (swatch) beautiful complex taupey colour with mauve undertones. i love its shimmers. makes a great lid shade worn alone and has become my all time favourite loose eyeshadow in the meantime (throwing the cheapo silver/grey Rival de Loop one from its throne). i'm glad that the only full size pigment that i own is this.

3 - MAC Rose Gold Pigment (review) a stunning metallic bronze gold. really intense stuff. it's a Pro item, i might pick up the full size some time.

4 - Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Intense Silk Eyeshadow in #6 (review) is a rich bronze/green/gold shade with metallic finish. great pigment and staying power.

lips:

i'm really not a lip person. see how many products i called my favourite and then only lousy 2 1/2 lip things...


1 - Crazy Rumours Pink Grapefruit Juice Lip Balm soft and slippery consistency, beautiful scent, good moisturising quality.

2 - Chanel Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss in #52 Génie (review) these glosses are the best quality gloss i've come around in a long time, i love these and maybe want to try more... when i wore anything on my lips at all, i wanted an orange peachy shiny lip and this is where this particular shade comes in.

3 - TopShop Lip Polish in Melba (swatch) high pigmentation with glossy finish. i liked to dab it over too light or too pink lipsticks to make them brighter and more summery.

nails:

my old faithfuls and all time favourites. safe colours, rather neutral but not boring at all!

Rival de Loop #51 (NOTD) taupe beige with gold pearl

Estée Lauder Surreal Violet (NOTD) dusty lavender with copper pearl

well, this was a huge favourites post. i might do it monthly now when i notice that it becomes so much ^^