My current make-up and skin care products

Hi all,

it's been a while since I have been blogging last. Life is crazy busy and I am hardly having any spare time in front of my computer. I rather go to the beach or meet with friends in leisurely moments. Nevertheless, I missed catching up with you all! I hope you've been doing well and enjoying life.

Today, I wanna share with you what new make-up I've been using lately and I am giving you a quick overview of my skin care routine. I hope I can inspire you to fall in love with organic vegan beauty products. They have turned my skin around!

A recent brand I have come across is INIKA. This beautiful all organic vegan brand delivers for all sophisticated ladies out there. The packaging is absolutely gorgeous and the colours are very smooth in texture and quite intense, not at all fair in colour like other natural brands can be. This high end brand has covered just about anything in their range. Their special edition looks are an absolute highlight and the kits save some money, too. I have purchased two eye-shadow colours that were part of a special edition. The ladies at the store could not give me the full kit, so I received a discount. The eye-shadow colours are called lust and seduction, and are wonderful metallic mineral powder eye-shadows. The lipstick is a new summer special called coral and the lip whip comes in a beautiful peach colour.

Another brand I just learned about and love is 100% pure. This cruelty-free brand uses fruit pigments to achieve the colour spectrum of their range, fantastic! So far, I tried the pot rouge blush in the shade ballerina. It gives a subtle shimmer on the sheeks and is not irritating at all. If anything, it nourishes the skin. The same goes for the fruit-pigmented lip glazes in lychee and vixen. It surprised me how great the texture of these lipsticks are and that they stay on the lips well. Go fruits, you're the best!

A brand that I have discussed previously is Alima Pure. Their mineral foundation has become my standard foundation powder and it is really great for my skin. You can read my initial review of the mineral foundation and foundation brush here. I wanted to renew all my old eye-shadows and blushes with mineral powders. This is because pure mineral powders do not expire (if you manage to not contaminate them - I do not dip my brushes into the containers directly). They are also not irritating my skin and deliver natural sun protection as a bonus. So, I invested in a concealer (sand), two luminous shimmer blushes (sahara & freja), two luminous shimmer eye-shadows (paris & aubergine), and three pearluster eye-shadows (amethyst, glow, & zen). I also scored the tea-pigmented natural definition mascaras in black and brown. Those two naturally won't last forever because they have moisture in them and get in contact with the eye area directly. I have tried the mascaras already and I am very content! By the way, the aubergine eye shadow was more grey than purple when I tried it but I have to give it another go. I applied the eye-colour in artificial light and may have misjudged the shade.

I have talked about this before but I am not shy of mentioning it again. I have acne-prone skin and need to be very selective with the products that I can use. This is true for make-up as well as skin care products. A brand that I have made only good experiences with is Miranda Kerr's own range called Kora Organics. I use it for cleansing, peeling, blemish care, misting, moisturizing, light coverage, and overnight facial treatments. I almost have too many products to mention but I use at least one or two of them daily.  I mix the soothing day and night cream and the tinted day cream to achieve a light coverage with a bit of sunscreen protection. I spritz the calming lavender mist on my face at night, especially before going to bed at hot summer nights. It soothes my skin and gives me a cooling feeling before going to sleep. The energizing citrus mist is just that - a fresh morning start into the day! When I wear make-up, I use it to seal my make-up. The blemish gel is a little rescue potion whenever needed. At home, I usually put fresh aloe vera gel onto my newly developed blemishes but I can hardly do that when I'm out and about! This is why the little gel tube comes in handy. On days when I feel like my skin needs some extra love, I go to sleep with the hydrating mask on. The next morning, I can always see how my skin has healed considerably! On other nights, I put the luxurious rosehip oil on my skin before going to bed. This treatment is a little more subtle but often all I need. I wash my face with the foaming cleanser and about once a week with the exfoliating cream instead. I take the time about once a week to apply the enriched body lotion all over my body. Since I've been using Kora Organics, my skin has become softer and less irritated. I am very grateful for the improvement and I am hoping that my skin issues will disappear completely. My biggest enemy is myself because I start picking my face when I am stressed! I do not notice that I am doing it until some time later. This is why I also want to get into meditation or mindfulness exercises. I feel that my stressed-out mind is the root of my skin issue. It is hard to identify stress-triggers when they come in the form of e-mails, workload, tasks, news, etc. Where have the good old straight-forward roaring bears gone?!

Have you identified any triggers that can cause you instant stress reactions? How do you go about them? What do you think of organic cruelty-free make-up and skin care? Let me know, I am looking forward to be hearing your thoughts :)

Much love and tranquility (the natural way!),
ur blk_gypsy

Autumn Shades - Alverde: Haul & Review (+ Laser Hair Removal Update)

Hey lovelies,

I apologize for not blogging much the last couple of weeks. I have so much to do that I hardly have any free time. I am very happy to get to write this post, though!!

The Autumn is at its peak and I walked a bit through the near-by forest to look at the colorful leaves. Such a relaxing sight...

I picked up the vast majority of an Autumn make-up feature by the organic drugstore brand Alverde. My favorites are the 2 lip glosses that look great on lips and taste like mint! The eye-shadows magic brown, sage, sand, and spirit are beautifully pigmented and are made of recyclable packaging. The magic rose blush is too pigmented for my fair skin color. I need to use the smallest amount to make it work for me. The matching eye-pencils magic wood and earth and the brown mascara (containing minerals and silk) have great effects but, unfortunately, they smudge throughout the day... As Alverde is a drugstore brand you get great value for money!! The earthy colors give my face a natural touch-up and I personally don't need to look 'well groomed' at all times. So, if my eye make-up doesn't last long - well, on some days I can live with it knowing that I can give my skin a rest by using this brand which abandons synthetic ingredients from all formulations.


Below you find the ingredients list for the entire special edition (too bad it's not a permanent set!) :

Lip Gloss with boost effect shade original:
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil*, Lanolin, Brassica Campestris, Aleurites/ Fordi Oil Copolymer, Rhus Verniciflua Cera, Cera Carnauba*, Candelilla Cera, CI 77019, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, CI 77891, Olea Europaea Oil*, Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline, Glycine Soja Oil*, Mentha Piperita Oil*, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Menthol, Silica, Aloe Barbadensis Extract, Capsicum Frutescens Fruit Extract*, Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, CI 77163, CI 75470, Brassica Campestris Seed Oil*, Parfum**, Limonene**, Linalool**, Benzyl Benzoate**
* ingredients from certified organic agriculture
** natural essential oils

Lip Gloss with boost effect shade 002:
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil*, Lanolin, Brassica Campestris, Aleurites/ Fordi Oil Copolymer, Mica, Rhus Verniciflua Cera, Cera Carnauba*, Candelilla Cera, CI 77891, Glycine Soja Oil*, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Olea Europaea Oil*, Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline, Mentha Piperita Oil*, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract*, CI 77491, CI 77499, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Menthol, CI 75470, Silica, Aloe Barbadensis Extract, CI 77163, Capsicum Frutescens Fruit Extract*, Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract, Tocopherol, Brassica Campestris Seed Oil*, Aroma**, Limonene**, Linalool**, Benzyl Benzoate**
* ingredients from certified organic agriculture
** natural essential oils

Lip Colour shade 223 Magic Rosewood, 224 Magic Strawberry, 225 Magic Chesnut:
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil*, Mica, Cera Carnauba*, CI 77891, Candelilla Cera, Cera Alba*, Glycine Soja Oil*, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Oenothera Biennis Oil*, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil*, Shorea Stenoptera Butter, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract*, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Alcohol*, Aroma**, Linalool**, Benzyl Benzoate**, Coumarin**, Limonene**, Geraniol**,m [+/- Talc, CI 77163, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, CI 75470]
* ingredients from certified organic agriculture
** from natural essential oils

Lipstick shade 118 Magic Nude, 119 Magic Tree, 120 Magic Berry:
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Mica, Kaolin, Butyrospermum Parkii*, Rhus Verniciflua Peel Cera, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil*, Rhus Succedanea Fruit Cera, Cera Alba*, Copernicia Cerifera Cera*, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbyl Palmitate; [+/- CI 77491, CI 77891, CI 77492, CI 77499, CI 75470]
* ingredients from certified organic agriculture

Powder Rouge shade 504 Magic Rose, 505 Magic Terra:
Mica, Talc, Tricaprylin, Magnesium Stearate, Bisabolol, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract*, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil*, Simmondsia Chinensis Oil*, Glycine Soja Oil*, Olea Europaea Oil*, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Parfum**, Linalool**, Coumarin**, Benzyl Benzoate**, Limonene**, Geraniol**, [+/- CI 77163, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, CI 77891, CI 75470, Silver Oxide]
* ingredients from certified organic agriculture
** from natural essential oils

Eye-Shadow shade 310 Magic Sand, 311 Magic Sage, 312 Magic Brown, 313 Magic Spirit:
Mica, Talc, Tricaprylin, Magnesium Stearate, Bisabolol, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract*, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil*, Simmondsia Chinensis Oil*, Glycine Soja Oil*, Olea Europaea Oil*, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Parfum**, Linalool**, Coumarin**, Benzyl Benzoate**, Limonene**, Geraniol**, [+/- CI 77163, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, CI 77891, CI 77289, Tin Oxide, Silica, Silver Oxide]
* ingredients from certified organic agriculture
** from natural essential oils

Mascara shade 070 Magic Earth:
Aqua, Alcohol*, CI 77499, Stearic Acid, Cera Alba*, CI 77491, Algin, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Jojoba Esters, Oenothera Biennis Oil*, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil*, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract*, Serica, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Shellac, Silica, Parfum**, Limonene**, Linalool**, Citral**, Citronellol**
* ingredients from certified organic agriculture
** natural essential oils

Eyeliner Kohl shade 041 Magic Earth, 042 Magic Wood, 043 Magic Forest:
Rhus Verniciflua Peel Cera, Mica, Butyrospermum Parkii*, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil*, Copernicia Cerifera Cera*, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbyl Palmitate; [+/- CI 77499, CI 77891, CI 77491, CI 77492]
* ingredients from certified organic agriculture

Do you like/use organic make-up?

Have a great week,
ur gypsy girl xx

P.S.: Laser Hair Removal Update:

It is going great!! Even after the first treatment I noticed that fewer hair are growing back and the second appointment was even more manageable in terms of the slight discomfort you get from the heat of the laser... you notice less and less of it with every new treatment! All thumbs up so far :-)

BECCA - Tinted Moisturizer and Mascara

Hey gals,

I hope you are doing good! I started my blog 2 months ago, so I guess I am still a real newbie, lol. If you have any suggestions, please contact me anytime, I am looking forward to receiving your messages - either use the comment box below, or write me on facebook. Alternatively, you can tweet me or check out my youtube channel :) I am geared up for upgrade!

I purchased two cosmetic products by the Australian brand BECCA - the Luminous Skin Colour tinted moisturizer (shade: Camel) and the black Water Resistant Mascara. I spent one year down under and it's been one of the most amazing times in my entire life!! So, when I discovered BECCA, their style reminded me of the Australian summer beaches and the wonderful spirits that exist nowhere else in the world...

An ode to Australia:

Ok, back to make-up... The tinted moisturizer didn't quite meet up to my expectations.
Pro's: I love the fact that it contains SPF and the coverage is beautifully sheer. Also, the bottle holds 50 ml of product, which is more than the usual 30ml. Out of a wide variety of colour choice I'm a Camel, lol (a yellow tone, needless to say).
Con's: The downside is that it mysteriously sits on my skin! It's even worse, logically, when I apply it subsequent to a primer or day-time lotion. The effect is not as strong when I use my fingers to spread the product on my face - but it streaks when I use a foundation brush and all my enlarged pores show, argh! I have no idea why it's behaving that way on my skin :( I typed in the ingredients on codecheck.info but I couldn't find anything exceptional.

On the picture below you can see the sheer colour make-up on my hand. I rubbed it in on the left side and on the right side you can see how it comes out of the pump:

Luckily, I am totally in love with the mascara! It somehow curls your lashes with every stroke which gives it a beautiful finish!! I also typed in the contents on codeck.info (green substances are considered advisable). One thing I think is unique about the entire BECCA range is the soft feel of the packaging - there is a certain grip to it that makes it feel very sophisticated. I know, this is so subjective!

On my wish-list is a BECCA palette (can't decide for which one, though. They have several in stock on their official web page) and a beach tint (my favorite is the watermelon shade, as far as I can tell from pictures).

What do you think of the brand BECCA? Have you been to Australia or do you come from there even? What are your experiences?! Let me know, babes :)

Love,
Sam xxx

From Sophisticated to Bohemian... in no time!

Dear readers,

as much as I love to talk about make-up, fashion, and all things beautiful - sometimes I can't be bothered to spend all that much time doing my make-up routine. I remember one day in particular, when I had 2 hrs to have pictures taken in an old building looking as neat as possible and immediately after dancing on a roof top during sunset appearing all free and watching the world go by... I had no time to redo my make-up whatsoever, so I had a little thought beforehand on which cosmetic products might be working for both settings. Once applied, I could forget about "my face" and just focus on everything else...

So, which make-up style has a jolie and a gypsy in common?! I came up with this idea:


I used the Clarins Truly Matte Foundation (shade 02- pale ivory) and the Express Compact Foundation (shade 02- porcelain beige) and dotted some liquid blush from the Rouge Bunny Rouge Decadent Duo (color: enredo) on my cheeks. The gloss of the duo (color: samba) went on my lips, of course. For my eyes, I put on the gorgeous shimmering mauve mineral Overshadow by The Balm (shade: If you're rich, I'm single) all over the lid and into the crease. I lined and smudged my eyes with my favorite Benefit kohl pencil (color: sable). I knew that it was supposed to be a hot day and this kohl pencil could smear up in humid weather, so I let the liner dry a little and then put it on a second time before smudging it with the sponge tip. Please note that this pencil is discontinued. They got exchanged with the Benefit automatic liner duo pencils. I tested them when they first came out and I thought they were awful! They did not go evenly on my lash line and when I tried to smudge them they were gone immediately because their texture was way too creamy! So, I stocked up on the older ones before they disappeared :) To finish my look I put on 2 coats of the Benefit Bad Gal Lash mascara (in black). Et voilà!

This is kinda what it looked like in the end...

The clothes you see:
gyspy couture - Chacok (skirt/dress), Aubade (top)
jolie couture - Aubade (top), H&M (jacket), leggings- no idea which brand!


I had a fun day thanks to the awesome photographer Andrea Lavezzaro!

Are you surprised sometimes by how easy it is to change your outward appearance? What tells you more about a person? Their dress-code, or their behavior?
I have the feeling that everyone ultimately judges others by their words and actions but it takes a little while until we get a clear picture... in the meanwhile, we have no choice other than to "look" at each other... in the internet world this might be particularly hard but I'm eager to make a contribution to keep it a personal and fun place to hang out.
your gypsy xxx