Guest Post on Zuneta

Hey guys,

how has your week-end been?! I hope great!

I have submitted a guest post on Zuneta. Please follow this link and a have a look :)

Kisses, ur gypsy xx

Rouge Bunny Rouge Eye Pencils - Devotion Ink Quartz Eyeliner & Feline Gaze Eye Kohl

Hello lovelies,

how has your week been so far?! I'm having a pretty rough time as I need to take exams until April (!!) and I am already ready for making off to the Bahamas!!
My week-end got a lot brighter, though, when I found the Rouge Bunny Rouge Devotion Ink Quartz Eyeliner - tiger eye essence and the new blue shade vera from the Feline Gaze Eye Kohl pencils in my mail for review! Thank you, Nadin from RBR :-)

To be honest with you, I am extremely clueless on how to achieve a Brigitte Bardot cat eye using a liquid eye liner... I am desperate to try, though! I am used to kohl pencils (well, my so-called method of choice is to smudge them until they look 'sassy' on groomed days and 'grunge' on most other days...)

As you can see, my little garden fairy loves them as much as I do ~

(I know that my little cutie has quite an issue with her wings. She keeps abandoning them each time I try to glue'em back on her. So, I decided to just leave her be...)

Vera is a beautiful shade, perfect for Autumn and Winter months! This looks like Arabian nights to me! The describtion states: "A creamy frosted blue-violet iris with a coal-dust colour base", which I would absolutely agree with. The kohl pencil is actually longer lasting than the liquid eye liner but both are not fading throughout the day (I tested it without using a base).

The colour of the tiger eye essence is just like it is described on the web-page: "Dilute black ink base, lavished with 24 carat gold and polished copper, for an overall bursting with glitter, black-bronze holographic effect." Perfect!! It gives your outfit an oriental glam touch, too, I would say. The tip is pretty solid and doesn't slip off the lash line, so even a beginner like me can work with that, lol! Because it was still morning, I only did a very fine line but you see - it's possible to do so - you can always build up on that for night time.

On another note:

This is what I was cooking myself last night - veggies with salmon, spices, lemon juice, and lemon balm. It takes about 15 mins to make but it is really yummy and healthy! What foods do you like to prepare for yourselves? I really ignored cooking for the longest time and can't wait to finally get started! Do you have any suggestions?!
Are you guys tuning up for the changing of the seasons, too?!
Much love always, Sam xx

Please visit the RBR web-side to check my quotes: http://www.rougebunnyrouge.com

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 :-)

Miranda Kerr inspired ~ Noni Juice

Hello darlings,

I don't have time to surf the internet a lot lately but I am all over the Kora Organics blog by the lovely Victoria's Secret model Miranda Kerr. The beautiful lady herself and many other fantastic guest bloggers contribute to spread her passion for a healthy and mindful life style. I noticed that when I first started my little blog I had something very similar in mind: getting together with all those wonderful people I know to share their insights on the beauty and fashion industry on this blog. Until I finally get going with that I am following her blog instead!! There, Miranda states that she drinks Noni juice ever since she was twelve years old and that it is a key ingredient to her Kora Organics skin care line (that I desperately wanna try btw!!).

In my local organic supermarket I found 100% Cook Islands Noni Juice for about 12 Euros. I deliberately chose a gross color to highlight this juice because it taste unlike anything I would normally drink!! Despite the awful taste I managed to drink two sips each morning for two weeks now.

This is what the GSE - Cook Islands web side writes about Noni:

"We are the first company in Europe to be able to offer a certified organic juice from the Noni fruit in accordance with the European Law, the Council Regulation. The product is
sold by the name Cook Islands Noni® and is certified organic. The Cook Islands claim to be „the only fully organic farming region in the world“. The use of pesticides and herbicides is not allowed on any of the islands. Cook Islands Noni® is a product of the intact environment of this small group of islands."

What I found on Wikipedia did not sound that positive. Repeated studies did not find any positive effect on the well-being of people volunteering to take part in validating examinations. That's why all manufacturers are prohibited to label the juice as "health-promoting". Nonetheless, I am drinking the juice for a fortnight and I have to say that I feel like my body craves the juice despite the taste!! It's really hard to describe but I haven't skipped a single intake since I started!! Anyone help me explain that, please?! Did you ever had a similar experience?

My personal theory to make sense of that oddity is that the Noni juice does contain some minerals that other fancy juices and foods in every day life may not have to that extend. Even though it might not "heal" anything, it does contribute to get all the various nutritions a healthy body needs. What do you think on that matter?! Am I just superstitious??

Much love,
Sam xx

Chasing the Last Sunrays - Natural (Elemental Herbology) vs. Drug Store (Garnier) Self-Tan Lotions

Hello my dear bloggers & blog readers,

I've sadly come to the realization that Autumn isn't around the corner anymore - it most definitely has begun! Although this is a lovely season I can't quite give up on cozy summer dreams just yet... at least my hard-earned tan should remind me as long as possible of sandy beaches and hours-long outdoor barbecues :)

I usually get the Garnier Summer Body (for fair/normal skin- yes, thanks to the vampire hype my unintended pale look's finally become appropriate all year round). A big 400ml bottle costs only a couple of Euros and does its job quite well (the bottle in the picture shows German writing as I bought it in a German supermarket but the design looks the same everywhere). It has a fruity scent and sinks into the skin right away, leaving a soft feel for hours. It takes about 3 days until I notice the tanning effect. If I apply it daily, though, some areas can get yellow such as the shin bones. Luckily, I'm a lazy bum and do almost everything on an irregular basis, so I didn't have to care that much about any yellow streaks, lol ;-) For a list of ingredients please see codecheck.info. It contains silicons and parabens, which made me wanna try a new natural alternative... 

As I am finally riding my natural and organic wave ~ that I've believed in for years but hesitated to take action for too long ~ I purchased the UK-based Elemental Herbology Sun Kiss body hydrator with self-tan for all skin tones. This 200 ml bottle, though, costs 29 Euros/22.50 British Pounds!! The eco-cert quality of the ingredients justify this steep price for me at least for this time: organic and fair-trade watermelon seed oil, macadamia oil, lavendar oil, water lilly, aloe vera, and pomegranate extract - just to name a few (see full ingredients list at codecheck.info)! I can tell that the smell derives from the actual essential oils as opposed to an artificial fragrance. I can imagine that some people might need to get used to it, though. To me this is great! The consitency of the Sun Kiss is not as fluid as the Summer Body but my skin absorbs the lotion very well. The tan is more immediate and results in more of a brown shade than the Garnier one.

In sum:

I was very hesitant at first to try a natural product for tanning but I was proven wrong:
I like the Elemental Herbology Sun Kiss better because my skin darkens more into a brown shade (not yellow) and the ingredients are very natural BUT the difference in price is huge!! In consequence, I will probably end up buying the Sun Kiss and Summer Body on a rotating basis to save money.

What do you think of Elemental Herbology? Do you think it's worth the price? Do you guys self-tan at all?!

Much love,
ur gypsy Sam xx

Rouge Bunny Rouge - Glide Concealer vs. Luminous Skin Wand (& Outfit)

Hello my dears,

it took me a little longer to create this post because I tried to do another video but it turned out so badly that I figured for days whether to put it up or leave it! As I had taken no pictures to substitute the purpose of the video I decided to include it after all... you don't know what I'm talking about? How could you :)

So, I better start from the beginning:

I was kindly sent the newest release by Rouge Bunny Rouge, the 'Naked Disguise' Glide Concealer crayon (shade: thalia). As I already own the standard concealer, the 'Fine-Spun Light' Luminous Skin Wand (shade: orionis; see previous post), I decided to compare the two with each other.

Here's what they look like:

As you can read on the official RBR web-page, the Luminous Skin Wand has by far more active ingredients than the crayon and I must say that there is a lot of paraffin in the Glide Concealer (see ingredients' list on Zuneta). The Luminous Skin Wand is, of course, more creamy in texture than the stick but neither of them leave me with a dry feeling or settle into my wrinkles. I hate it how bad concealers make wrinkles even more visible! I think the crayon is a little faster to apply because you can just dot in onto the skin, whereas, when using the Luminous Skin Wand, you have to push out the concealer first and then apply it with the brush end (as you do with the Touche Eclat by Ives Saint Laurent).

Trial phase:

I put both concealers to a test and applied one under the right eye and the other one under the left eye in the morning and waited till late at night to compare the two. That being said, when I came home after a long day at university and having one glass of champagne with my friends (we celebrated the results of our theses in a café/bar/restaurant on a Monday night, lol), both concealers had faded almost entirely. I would've definitely needed a touch-up during the day!! The shadows under my eyes showed through like crazy: you can see that in the video, I look like I've been robbing a bank or some other draining activity like that... At least I could show that they came off without leaving any nasty residues. To me this is crucial: I don't wanna feel and look masked by any "beauty" products.

So, this video shows the dreadful late-night test result, beware:



Conclusion:
I would say that the Glide Concealer crayon is good for traveling and for actually doing those quick'n easy touch-ups I should've been doing (!!) and it's definitely more suitable for buildable coverage.
The Luminous Skin Wand is the better choice for every-day treatment and concealing as it has a lot of nourishing components and is very light-weight.


Last note on my outfit:

This is what I wore on Monday - it was sunny but windy and a little chilly outside. I'm definitely preparing for Autumn already :( Sorry for the weird pose, I couldn't quite squeeze into my photo booth!!

Jacket - Dunlop (one of my best friends gave this to me. The jacket has a lot of details, very nice! She got it from a model wear sale where they sell the runway clothes very cheaply. It was such a great surprise present!)
Shirt - Mustang (a Christmas gift from my dad - well done, daddy!)
Jeans - Killah (this pair has been "customized": I removed the big Killah logo because I loath looking like a moving advertisement and one fine day I decided that I have too many blue jeans (am I nuts?!), so I dyed 'em black. Now they're my blue/black no-logo "Killah" jeans...)
Shoes - Jumelles (no story, just bought them :) lol)

What do you think of the concealers, would you prefer one over the other? Do you have days when you tell yourself: "bad hair, bad brows, bad everything!" and is it intimidating to you when people watch you doing touch-ups in public? Have you ever felt like turning your outfits into something completely new?!

Great to hear from you,
Sam xx

P.S.: I included the option of answering questions via Formspring. Hope to see you there, too!!

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