Monday, January 26, 2015

14 things 7 years of relationship taught me

I have been with my boyfriend for over seven years now. For me that is pretty much a miracle because in my teenaged years I thought I was “no relationship material”. Turns out that with the right man I am.
 
Of course this is not the one and only list that will work for everyone, or a list you can tick off point by point to find your one and only true love. But I will tell you what has worked for us over the past years.
 
1. Playing games, tactics or drama has never ended in a long term relationship.
 
2. Jealousy is a waste of time. If he wants to cheat on you, he will and there is nothing youy can do about it. But someone who is happs with their relationship and happy with themselves won't cheat. Period. 
 
3. It is ok to break down in front of the person you love. He will most likely put you back together.
 
4. Laugh together as much as you can, every day. It is worth a lot to be able to laugh through delicate or embarrassing moments to make them less awkward. Also there is nothing better than being with a person that makes you laugh (a lot) every day.
 
5. Talk to each other! If there is something bothering you and you feel like you can’t let it go, tell him and find a solution together. Or maybe you will find out why things are the way they are and understand them better.
 
6. Spend quality time together. This can be an evening on the couch or going out. Either way it means that you were looking forward to spending time together, maybe plan something like having popcorn ;) and do so.
 
7. Don't forget about your friends. Just because you are in a relationship doesn’t mean you are dead to the world.
 
8. Stay an individual. As much as I like to be a “we” I like to be a “me” as well. My friends always tease me that I want to be asked myself if “I” want to hang out. I am not glued to my boyfriend and therefore want to be asked individually. If he doesn’t want to go out, maybe I do. I became friends with my bfs friends like that.
 
9. Involve each other in the decisions you make. It is fine if you want to go on vacation with your girl friends, want to take on a project that will be very time consuming, etc. but let him know what you are planning and ask for his opinion and support.
 
10. Say "I love you" whenever you feel like it. This can be a text, a call or face-to-face; it can happen ten times a day, on some days or occationally. When you feel it, say it and when you don't think of it, don't feel pressured into declaring your love every five minutes.
 
11. Flirt once in a while. Being in a relationship for years and years can make you feel invisible to the opposite sex. Everyone knows you’re in a relationship and therefore off limits so you are the good friend to everyone. Yes it is awesome to be appreciated as a good friend, but I am also a woman that wants to be noticed once in a while. A harmless flirt here and there doesn’t do any harm. Just don’t let it get too far and be clear and open about your relationship. Of course that only works if you know your man won’t die out of jealousy! We don’t want to hurt anyone.
 
12. Accept every facet of each other. Grumpy, whiny, annoying, sick, insecure, stressed, no makeup, tired, hyper, happy, singing, dancing, being stupid and wonderful. Nobody’s perfect and if we love them we love everything about them. Some things more and some less but love is love. ;)
 
13. Don't compare him with anyone. You both are the way you are and that is perfetly fine.
 
14. Be polite. Say "thank you" and "please". It's a very small thing that can make a big difference. Everyone wants to feel appreciated. He always takes down the trash? When did you laast thank him for it?
 
What would you add to my list?

Monday, January 19, 2015

book review: Girl Online

most beautiful cover
predictable, cute and funny story

book review: Girl Online

I was very excited when the book came out and I finally held a copy of it in my hands. Needless to mention why I had to have the hard copy in my life.. Well, I’ll do it anyway. THE COVER is so beautiful. In my oppinion the book benefits a whole lot from the incredible cover.

But enough of that, let’s get to the book itself. After trying Zoe's product line Zoella Beauty, I had an idea what to expect and she didn’t fail me. The question is whether that is a good thing. Don’t get me wrong, I think writing a novel is amazing and brave. The book is well written, but I am - again - definitely not the targeted (teenaged) audience so my opinion might differ from someone this book was “written for”. I would recommend the book to 12 to 16 year old girls.

I have red about the ghost writer "scandal" but honestly I don't feel like I am in the place to have an oppinion on it. Writing a book all by your self, page by page, without anyone helping you at all is extremely difficult, I suppose. And she will have had her reasons to do whatever she did. I have never written a book by myself and therefore I am in no position to judge.

The story: (no spoilers, I promise!)
Penny lives in a quite perfect world. Well, she is not the most popular girl but we need some "problem" to start the plot. She has nice parents, gets along with her brother, her best friend lives next door and fortunately he is gay so there won’t be any problems with her starting a romance with someone else. Also his parents are not that great so he can spend his time being her best friend and hanging out with Penny and her family.

Penny herself reminded me - unsuprisingly - a lot of Zoe herself even though she pointed out that the character was 100% fictional. Well, Penny has anxiety attacks, not that many friends and writes a blog that does pretty well.

Let's make a long story short. Girl meets boy. Boy is good looking, mysterious and a musician. - What else? - They fall truly, madly and deeply in love. Best friend has to leave story so he won’t be left out and feel bad while the lovers spend every single minute together. Expected plot twist happens. Hell breaks loose. Expected happy ending takes place. Book ends.

The  book was a quick read, well written and had some adorable as well as funny parts but that is about it. It started out a little slow, got better but stayed predictable to the end.

Would I read it again? Probably not.
Do I regret reading it? Not at all. It was a good and eays book for the hollidays and I liked it.
Would I buy the book for someone else? Probably not, because I don't know anyone who watches Zoe's videos and therefore they probably wouldn't be interestes in the book. 
Would I read a sequel? Yes, I think so.


Friday, January 16, 2015

2014 skin care favorites

Last but not least I am showing you my skin care favorites because who would we be without skin? That sounds really gross.. Wow...


1. Clinique moisture surge

Yes, it is on the pricier side, but ever since I received a sample of it I’ve been in love. It feels like the smoothest, most velvety goodness of all times when you put it on and it also keeps its promise to moisturize your skin without being greasy or too heavy. Actually it feels very light on your skin. Ever since I first got it I haven’t bought anything else. I have repurchased it twice in 2014 and will continue to do so in the future.
 
2. Khiel's Midnight Recovery Concentrate

When I was looking for a make up removing oil I stumbled across this wonderful thing and remembered all the great reviews I’ve read on it. After doing some more research I gave in and bought it. At first I was very nervous to put oil on my already oily skin so I only used one drop at the time and worked it into my skin really well. And this is pretty much what I’ve been doing ever since. Three drops is all it takes to cover my entire face with this excellent smelling goodness. It absorbs into my skin and gives it some extra moisture over night during the colder months. It also has a wonderful smell that calms me down before going to bed.

3. Clarins, Gentle Foaming Cleanser

I through the empty packaging out yesterday so I couldn't take a picture of it and got this one from google.
Like I already said, I got really into Clarins make up and skin care in 2014. I have never tried the brand but what I tried so far impressed me.

short story: One day I ran out of my usual Payot skin care stuff and went to get some more. They didn’t have what I needed at the store and a woman told me that Clarins was just as good but slightly cheaper. That sold me and ever since I have never used a Payot product (on which I used to swear) again. Dob't get me wrong, Payot products are still great and you pretty much can't go wrong with them. But for now I'll keep using Clarins.

4. The Body Shop Vineyard Peach line

I did a full blog post on the line and I am still in love with the scent!

5. The Body Shop Vitamin E Night Cream

I used to use whatever day cream I had at night as well. It was easier that way and I didn't have to think about another product. That all changed when I received a pretty decent sample size of The Body Shop Vitamin E Night Cream. It is a thicker in consistency than the Clinique moisture surge and feels more nourishing on my skin. Also it didn’t break me out which a lot of heavier creams do. I got my first sample size in the summer and managed to get my hands on another one during autumn and they lasted me until this day. But when I soon run out of it I will purchase the full size.



Monday, January 12, 2015

2014 hair care favorites


Talking about beauty I could never forget about hair products I loved during 2014. I am very picky about what I use on my hair and have gone through a long jurney this year to find things I like.


1. Wella Professionals Enriche, volumizing shampoo for fine and normal hair

This year I tested my way through shampoo. I also did a post on which shampoos I tested. But now I found my new favorite shampoo! The Wella Professionals Enriche shampoo gives volume and body to my hair, keeps my roots fresh and doesn’t dry out my ends. Now I can go two full days without washing my hair. How great is that?! It also smells amazing! It smells like a salon product, which I guess it is and I always feel like my hair has just been done by a hairdresser.

2. Batiste Dry Shampoo

It was a long journey until I found a dry shampoo that I didn’t hate. The worst one I ever used was from Garnier Fructis. I am sorry, I am mentioning this here but it smelled so bad and so strong that it brings dreadful memories back whenever I think of it. But to get back on topic, Batiste dry shampoo works like no other I’ve tried. It keeps your hair clean, doesn’t weigh it down and has a subtle fresh scent. If you work it into your hair well there won't be any white residue. At least not on strawberry blonde hair. Also it is not very expensive which is always a plus.

3. Wellaflex 2 days volume

When it comes to my hair I am all about volume which is not an easy task because my hair is very long. Lot’s of volumizing mousses, hair sprays and what not just made my hair greasy, sticky or just overall gross. Trusting a Youtuber’s recommendation I tried Wellaflex 2 days volume and fell in love. After washing my hair I put it on my roots and dry my hair like always. It works slightly better when I blowdry my hair than when I let it air dry. The first time I tried it I was a little worried because it made my roots feel very sticky at the beginning. But when my hair was dry it felt completely normal with definitely more volume and body.

4. Schwarzkopf, essence ultîme – omega repair beauty balm

I have no idea why the beauty industry came out with beauty balms for your hair. Aren’t BB creams supposed to be in between a tinted moisturizer and a foundation or your face? I don’t know how that has anything to do with hair. When I bought this I missed the “BB” on the label and thought I bought a repair crème, which I guess it is anyway. It doesn’t work wonders but it helped me when my ends were completely dry and need some moisture. I haven’t found anything like it yet within that price range.

5. Kerastase Nutritive - nectar thermique

This I have owned and loved for many years now. It is on the pricy side so I only use it on special occasions or as an emergency treatment. This leave in conditioner is activated by heat so it does not only protect my hair from heat styling but also activates its magic when I for example blow dry my hair. How great is that? It hydrates and smoothes my hair like no other.

I am still looking for a great conditioner and hair mask that will keep my dry and dyed ends smooth, silky and healthy. So if you have any suggestions/secret weapons, please let me know! :)


 

Friday, January 9, 2015

2014 beauty favorites

I have never done a favorites post so when I started this I got a little overwhelmed by all the things I wanted to mention. 2014 was a year of trying lots and lots of new products. And today I want to share the ones I loved with you.

I will split my posts up into categories so I will be able to keep it short. This post will be all about the beauty products I loved in 2014. 


1. Labello Lip Butter – blueberry blush
I admit it, I am a chapstick kind of girl.. When I came across the Labello lip butter I was very skeptical because I hate to dip my finger into a lip product, apply it and then being left with the access product with nowhere to put it. Gross and annoying! But magically I love this product so much that I manage to deal with the "inconvenience" that comes with it.

2. Clarins, Ever Matte Foundation, 108 sand
In 2014 I disvovered Clarins. Not that I didn't know it existed, I just never cared. After trying their skincare, I took a look at their make up products and fell in love with this foundation. It is semi mattifying and matches my skintone perfectly. The only weird thing was that 108 sand was lighter than 107 light... Or maybe it is more yellow toned what suits me better.. It is light to medium coverage, looks beautyful on the skind and doesn't go anywhere during the day. I do get a little oily at the end of the day but that is due to my oily skin. I haven't found a foundation that kept me matt all day long yet.

3. MAC eye shadow – blanc type
This is the most used and loved basic color I own. I've had it for years now but in 2014 I started using blanc type not only as an eye shadow base but also as a sort of highlighter/concealer. Don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t set a sparkly or even shiny highlight, but it is the perfect shade for highlighting and concealing darker areas around my eyes. I put it in the inner corner, all over my lid, up to my brow bone, under my lower lash line and especially on the dark spots underneath my eyes that other people highlight with concealer. The difference is that it never ever creases. WIN!

4. Diorshow Maximizer, lash plumping Serum
I got this as a very fancy birthday gift in April and really liked it ever since. It makes my lashes thicker, seperates them perfectly and they ready for mascara. I don’t let it dry too long because than it’s very hard to apply mascara on top. Also it probably doesn’t need to be Dior. ;) But I have to say the quality of the product is amazing! It works just as it did when I got it and didn’t go dry or clumpy or anything at all.

5. Max Factor Master Piece, High Definition Mascara – rich black
After doing a post on disappointing mascaras I found one that I love. At the moment I even like it better than The Rocket from Maybelline because the brush is smaller and reaches every little lash. It also is the only mascara I repurchased this year, I believe. 

6. So Susan, universal blush
When I first got this blush in my Glossybox I didn’t like it at all. Well, I did like the beautyful rosy color but the slight sheen it gives made me very uncomfortable putting it on my cheeks. I am all about a matt finish, so I was scared that it would look weird on me, make my pores look huge and my face look oily. After not touching it for weeks, I finally did end up trying it as an eye shadow and started to like it more. Than I got over myself and tried it as a blush and I have to admit now I really really like it. It is a gorgeous color and gives me a slight and subtle glow which now I love.

This were all my favorite beauty products for 2014. What were yours? Let me know and maybe you'll lead me to my favorite beauty product of 2015.