MissChievous.tv

Tutorial: Tone in Tone Makeup

2013-05-14T21:42:00.002+02:00

Hello everyone! I've been majorly MIA from this blog, I apologize. I have, however, been really busy with moving house, which I vlogged about here, and I've also been posting a lot on my Vlog channel TheThirdShift, so you may want to check that out here if you're not up to date.

But anyway, on to today's makeup tutorial. I've been loving this understated, tone-in-tone look, which I've been wearing a variation of for years. Sometimes I'll combine the eyes with a bold lip, for example a really bright color, but today I opted for a neutral caramel tone on the lips.

Watch my tutorial below to see how I did this look!

Face
L'Oreal Magic Lumi foundation, Smashbox Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder, Illamasqua Hollow Cream Pigment, Illamasqua Bronzer in Writhe, Kryolan concealer, Smashbox Halo Highlighting Wand in Gold, Lancome Teint Miracle brightening concealer

Eyes
Maybelline Color Tattoo in Tough as Taupe, Manhattan eyeshadows in 96Q Choc Choc Kiss and 69S Velvet Vision, Ben Nye Toast eyeshadow, L'Oreal Voluminous Smoldering Eyeliner in Brown, L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes mascara in Black, Anastasia Brow Wiz pencil

Lips
L'Oreal Colour Caresse Shine Stain in Eternally Nude, Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector Nr. 06

Nails
China Glaze Grape Pop

Prom Makeup for all Dress Colors

2013-04-15T23:03:00.000+02:00

Here is a look I came up with for this year's prom, as many of my teen viewers have been requesting that I do a look dedicated to this special event in any teen's high school life. Not only will this look match pretty much any dress color, but it will also photograph really nicely. Make sure to choose a foundation without SPF or any mineral sunscreen in it for the special night, since you'll probably be doing a lot of flash photography (whether it's with your own camera or by a professional), and that can cause flashback in pictures.

Watch my tutorial how to get this flattering look!

Products used:

Kryolan Eyeshadow base, Catrice Black gel eyeliner, Smashbox Smokebox II, Smashbox Softbox II, MAC Malt and Soft Brown, L'Oreal Infallible eyeshadow in Hourglass Beige, Anastasia Brow Duality in Matte Shell, Rimmel Scandaleyes, L'Oreal Magic Lumi primer (used as highlighter), MAC Beauty Powder Blush in Play in Proper, Aleverde Desert Rose blush, Catrice Lost in the Rosewood lipliner, Revlon Colorburst lipgloss in Pink Ice

If you already had prom, what was your dress color? Mine was this lacy black and blue number. It was pretty awesome!

High Glamor Evening Make-up

2013-04-08T17:37:00.000+02:00

I wanted to try out a very glamorous makeup up look that would be perfect for photo shoots, or a special evening make-up when you want to look very dolled up! Maybe an evening wedding reception, a fancy restaurant, a night at the Opera, whatever...

If you want to try it out, check out my step-by-step tutorial!

Now the bad part...I filmed this video months ago so I don't recall every single product that I used. Sorry! But here's a partial list of some of the products I do remember.

Eye shadows:

I don't remember the exact shadows I used, but to recreate this look you will need 1 light shimmery beige color, one mid-tone brown shimmery color, and a dark matte brown shadow. For the liner use a matte black shadow, and for the highlight a matte skintone color that suits your own skin color.

Cheeks:

MAC Shimpagne Mineralize Skinfinish (LE), and sorry I don't remember the exact blush!!

Lips:

Milani Lip Flash Nr. 4 "Photo Flash", L'Oreal Infallible Gloss in Starshine

Nails:

Rimmel Nr. 286 "Rags to Riches"

Travel: Backpacking in East Indonesia

2013-03-31T22:33:00.005+02:00

I've finally recorded my travel vlogs from my trip to East Indonesia in December 2012, and I wanted to share with you my impressions of the country. My boyfriend and I backpacked around the Maluku Islands region, which is a very remote part of the country that is largely untouched by mass tourism. We visited the Banda and Kei islands, where tourists are few and far between. If you want more information about this beautiful (albeit sometimes hard to reach destination) this is the best website with relatively up-to-date information: http://www.east-indonesia.info/

I included a lot of pictures in the video to make it interesting, but yes the vlogs are long! A lot happened, and I unfortunately ended up getting extremely ill at the end of my trip which forced us to cut out journey short to seek medical help. It was a nightmare ending to an otherwise adventurous and beautiful trip.

Part 2 goes into detail about what happened to me after getting extremely ill with Dengue Fever, a tropical disease transmitted through mosquito bite, and how we managed to make it home safely after what seemed like a nightmare week and a half.

Enjoy watching! Have you ever had a terrible experience in a foreign country, health or otherwise? What happened? Share in the comments!

Cooking: Hearty Beef Vegetable Stew

2013-03-19T17:40:00.001+01:00

This hearty beef stew is one of my favorite meals to make on cooler nights, or when I'm in the mood for some comfort food. I took a traditional beef stew, and amped up the vegetable content quite a bit to make it a bit more healthy, than just meat and sauce. Are you a vegetarian? No problem! Substitute chick peas and/or lentils for the beef, and adjust the cooking time accordingly.

Watch my video on Youtube to see how I make this!

Ingredients (makes 4-5 large servings)

600-800g of stewing beef, cubed (about 1.5 lbs)
2 medium sized onions, slivered or diced
200g mushrooms, quartered (0.5 lbs)
4 celery stalks, chopped
300g pumpkin or squash, cubed (optional)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium can of unsweetened corn, rinsed and drained
1 red bell pepper, chopped up
4-5 medium carrots
4-5 firm cooking potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
1 medium can peeled and chopped pelati tomatoes
Worcestershire Sauce
300ml dry red wine
800ml beef stock
1 large tablespoon tomato concentrate
salt and pepper
Thyme, dried or fresh
Sweet paprika
cumin
chili flakes (optional)

1. Heat up some oil in a very large cooking pot, preferably with a lid. When oil is very hot, brown the stewing beef on all sides on high heat, then remove from pot and put aside on a plate.

2. In the same pot, add a bit more cooking oil, then brown the slivered onions for 2 minutes. Then add the garlic and stir-fry for another minute or so before adding the carrots, pumpkin, celery, and red pepper. Stir fry the vegetables for 3-4 minutes on high heat. Season with some sea salt and fresh black pepper, and add 1 teaspoon chili flakes if you want a bit of kick to your beef stew.

3. Add the beef cubes back to the vegetables in the pot at this point, including any juices that came out. On high heat, add the tomato paste and stir. Add any seasoning you like: I added some thyme, sweet dried paprika, and cumin. I don't measure these, but I'd say anywhere from 2-3 teaspoons is good!

4. Douse the entire contents in the pot with the red wine, beef stock, several glugs of the Worcestershire sauce, and add the entire can of pelati tomatoes. A good rule of thumb: The ingredients in the pot should just be covered all the way to the top with liquids, so no vegetables "stick out". Add more water or beef stock to adjust.

5. Place lid on the pot, leaving a small crack on the side, and let simmer on medium heat (it shouldn't be a raging boil) for about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Now add the mushrooms and drained corn, and continue to simmer for another 20 minutes or so. If a lot of the liquid has evaporated at this point, add some more water and/or beef stock so that the stew has enough liquids to cook in.

6. Once meat is nearly tender (try a small piece, it should not be too tough anymore), add your potatoes and continue to simmer your stew. The potatoes should take anywhere between 25-40 minutes to be done, depending on the variety you use, and the size of the pieces. Just keep an eye on things, make sure there's enough liquid, and try a potato or a piece of meat now and then to see how things are going. The meat should be tender after this long cooking time.

7. Finish off with any seasoning you like (salt, pepper, hot sauce) to adjust to your taste, and serve piping hot. Enjoy!

Tutorial: Taylor Swift Wavy Hair

2013-03-13T17:49:00.004+01:00

Since cutting my own hair into bangs a few days ago, I've been looking for styling ideas on the Internet. One of my favorite looks is the way Taylor Swift is rocking her bangs lately. Now as a foreword, her bangs are not cut the way mine are, hers are fuller and cut a bit more bluntly than my own, and they are longer. (I hate hair in my eyes!) I do love how she combs it all into her face, and how the rest of her hair is styled into really soft, sleek, and loose waves.

This is a really modern way how to wear curls. They look natural, as if you didn't do anything and that's just how amazing your hair looks when you roll out of bed in the morning...yeah right!!!!

Watch my Youtube tutorial how I achieved this style!

Products and Tools

GHD Styler

Babyliss Pro Ceramic 38mm (1.5 inch) curling iron

Tresemmé heat protecting spray

L'Oreal Elnett hairspray

Sebastian Shine Crafter wax (This stuff is so good!)

Nailpolish worn in video: Illamasqua Throb

Oh and a bonus picture in which I edited my hair color for the thumbnail just for fun. (I don't color my hair at all anymore, my current color is simply my natural hair.) So to anyone who has ever told me they would love to see me blonde: Here's why that will never happen!

Just....no.

DIY Bangs/Fringe!

2013-03-09T15:19:00.001+01:00

Bangs (or fringe) are such a fun, quick and easy way how to really change your look, without having to take off too much length from your hair, especially if you have longer locks.

I've been itching to change up my look for a while, and having had bangs in the past before, I knew what to expect from them. I loved having bangs when I was going to university, but then they just became too high maintenance for me over time. Since my hair is not naturally stick straight, especially the front sections which have a decidedly unruly mind of their own, it means blow drying and straightening bangs after every wash.

So why would I got back to that? Well, life is short and if you want to do something, just do it. Especially your hair! If you don't like it, it will grow out again. Take risks with your looks, why not? You could always try clip-in bangs first to see how it would look on you, but nothing compares to the real thing.

Watch my video to see how I cut my bangs myself. I want a more wispy, edgy look rather than blunt cut, I just think it suits me more.

Here are my Tips for cutting your own bangs:

Use good, sharp scissors instead of a razor to prevent split ends (especially on fine hair) - you can pick up decent hair trimming scissors at drugstores or beauty supply stores for not much money
Cut your bangs on dry hair to prevent cutting them too short - hair puffs up when dry!
Section your hair and securely pin back the parts of your hair you don't want to accidentally snip
Start off longer, then gradually cut the hair to the exact length you want - nothing more awkward looking than too short bangs!

Styling Products I used in the video:

L'Oreal Smooth Intense Xtreme Straight Creme

L'Oreal Precious Oil Treatment

Sebastian Shine Crafter Wax

Nail polish I'm wearing:

KIKO Nr. 335

What do you think of the new look? Have you ever tried bangs yourself?

Lara Croft Tomb Raider Cosplay

2013-03-05T22:15:00.000+01:00

Lara Croft is my favorite game series ever! I'm not a die-hard gamer by any stretch of the imagination, but the Tomb Raider series is one I've always loved to play, and always bought the games when they are first released.

I've been patiently waiting for this new game to come out, meanwhile I've been watching game trailers and checking the Tomb Raider facebook site for updates. Lara's look has changed quite a lot from the previous games - she looks a lot more realistic, gone are the ridiculous Barbie sized boobs, and the tiny hot pants. Instead, we have a young woman who becomes a fierce and strong fighter.

I couldn't resist to Cosplay her! I've been wanting to make a Lara Croft video for ages, and when I heard a new game was coming out, I knew I wanted to cosplay her updated look. Watch my video below on everything I used to recreate her look, her costume, and even her weapons!

Outfit
Cargo pants: H&M Men's (dirtied up with charcoal & ash)
Tank tops: H&M (dirtied up with soil)
Boots: Steve Madden (you can also check out an Army surplus store)

Props & Weapons
Gun holster: army surplus
belts: previously owned by me, one of them is an old Austrian army belt
Gun: an antique revolver borrowed from a friend (selling replica toy guns is illegal here!)
Bow & arrow: made out of several reeds I gathered from a forest, tied together with rope, the front grip is a bandage that I dirtied up

Makeup & Hair
Blood: Kryolan Film Blood
Eyes: Ben Nye Cork, Maybelline Colossal waterproof mascara
Blush: Ben Nye Natural Blush
Lips: L'Oreal Colour Riche in Sheer Nude
Hair product: Balea Trend It Up Mattifying Styling Paste

Make sure to get yourself really grubby for this look! It's half the fun, and will make it so much more realistic!

Bright & Bold for Spring (Drugstore)

2013-02-28T18:26:00.000+01:00

Like it? Pin it on Pinterest!

This is my OMGWTF Bright and Bold makeup look that's inspired by spring. It's not necessarily a typical spring-ish look, but I wanted to break out of the many smokey and dark looks we've seen for fall and winter and bust out something super fun and colorful!! Um, mission accomplished...? I hope you love this look, even if you don't wear it out to work or school (haha) maybe you can give it a whirl sometime, or just to practice your skills!

Watch my video tutorial for the step-by-step to recreate this look!

Here's all the products I used...

Face

L'Oreal Visible Lift foundation, L'Oreal Color Lift Blush in Rose Gold

Eyes

NYX Jumbo Pencil in Milk, Sleek Make Up i-Divine palette in Lagoon (launches March 13, 2013), MAC Chrome Yellow, Ben Nye Toast, Maybelline gel liner in Ultra Violet, Rimmel Scandaleyes mascara, Sleek Make Up lashes in Savannah, KIKO Glamorous pencil Nr. 411

Lips

Maybelline Vivid Lipstick in Shocking Coral

Nails

KIKO Sugar Mat Nr. 645

Beyonce "Mrs. Carter Show" Look

2013-02-19T16:22:00.000+01:00

Like it? Pin it on Pinterest here!

Beyonce is hot, hot, HOT right now and I've had many requests by you to do a make-up look inspired by her. I looked around and saw the extravagantly styled ad for her Mrs. Carter Show World Tour, with inspiration drawn from Marie Antoinette, or some kind other Romantic period queen. These are some screenshots I took from the ad, which inspired by look.

I did some strong contouring prior to filming with my foundation, then focused on the almost "plastic" looking red, sumptuous lips, and the over-blushed cheeks. The eyes are kept very neutral, with a bit of shimmer and a dose of fluttery lashes. The look is simple but quite striking!

Here's my tutorial:

Face and Cheeks
L'Oreal Visible Lift foundation, Barry M Natural Dazzle bronzer, Inglot blushes 20 and AMC 58

Eyes
Kryolan Eyeshadow Base, MAC Malt, MAC Copperplate, Ben Nye Toast, Urban Decay Sin, L'Oreal Infallible black gel eyeliner, Maybelline Natural Glaze eyeliner, MAC Handwritten, Quo lashes Nr. 805

Lips
Catrice Lipliner "The Roof is on Fire", MAC Red lipstick, Kryolan High Gloss in Vamp

Nails
Anny - Sandstorm

Sigma Eyeshadow Bases

2013-02-15T19:14:00.002+01:00

Sigma has released nine brand new eyeshadow bases, and I decided to put them to the test to see how well they work, and if they really stop eyeshadow from fading and creasing. The nine shades released are:

Persuade: Creamy light beige (no shimmer)
Dash: Deep dark plum (no shimmer)
Pose: Brown burgundy (with shimmer)
Provoke: Light peach (with shimmer)
Pursue: Medium warm purple (with shimmer)
Sculpt: Charcoal grey (with shimmer)
Spy: Duo-chrome green-brown (light shimmer)
Strike: Rusty red (with shimmer)
Unveil: Bronzed gold (with shimmer)

Price: $13 USD each, or a set of 3 (pre-determined) with an applicator brush for $36 USD

Top row L to R: Persuade, Provoke, Unveil

Middle row L to R: Pursue, Strike, Dash

Bottom row L to R: Pose, Spy, Sculpt

Top to bottom: Unveil, Provoke, Persuade

Top to bottom: Dash, Strike, Pursue

Top to bottom: Sculpt, Spy, Pose

Here's what I like about them:

Interesting colour choices with some nice finishes, and several nude shades for lighter skin tones
Easy to blend and apply, either with a finger or brush
Hold the eyeshadow in place without much noticeable creasing for about 6 hours
Relatively affordable price
Packaging has a plastic stopper lid to further help prevent drying out

What I don't like so much:

Texture is a bit thin and slippery when applying, I prefer my bases to be a bit richer and stick stronger to my lid
The nude colours don't enhance the vibrancy of the powder eye shadows you apply on top
Light creasing and colour fading after about 2 hours, noticeable creasing, smudging and colour fading after about 6 hours of wear
Staining of the lid with the more vibrant colours, slightly hard to remove the stain
Made in China - Some people might take offence at that, but I'm always a bit weary of makeup made in China because I have really no idea what kind of conditions the makeup is produced in, how stringent the Chinese government is on health and safety inspections, and the true cost of the product is probably insanely low, meaning the company makes a huge profit on mark-up. I know some people might argue that I should thus avoid buying anything made in China, but it's become virtually impossible nowadays to avoid all products made in "The World's Factory". The question is then what you think is ok for you, and what you'd rather avoid.

Bottom Line:

I think these probably aren't the hands down best eyeshadow bases out there, there is always room for improvement, but I was pleasantly surprised how well they held up for 6 solid hours of wear, before I noticed visible creasing and fading. The trio sets are a good way to try out a few colours at once, and also come with a brush for easy application if you don't have a lot of makeup brushes yourself. The colours are nice and I like the fact that there's a couple great nude shades in there, and the pigmentation of the colourful ones is pretty good.

Where to buy? Directly on the Sigma homepage here!

10% off code for February! The code BASE2013 will be valid for 10% off your entire purchase from February 1-28, 2013

Disclaimer: The above is an affiliate link and all products were sent to me from Sigma. I have no direct affiliation with the brand and do not work for them directly, I am not on their payroll and I am not encouraged to endorse the brand in any way. I will always tell you straight up what I like, and don't like about any product that's sent to me to try. If you want to buy Sigma products, more power to you, and I would really appreciate if you do decide to use my affiliate link since it takes me time to do these reviews, make swatch pictures, buy the necessary camera equipment, etc. If you choose not to, no problem. I would never want anyone to buy anything they didn't really want or need!

xo, Julia

My Joiz TV interview

2013-02-14T14:17:00.000+01:00

Last evening I had a Live TV interview on Joiz TV, a Swiss television network. What I love about Joiz is that it's focused toward a young and engaged audience, their employees are largely 30 years old and younger, and their shows are all integrated with Facebook, Twitter, online chatrooms and other online content. A perfect platform for me to be introduced to such a great audience!

Here are all the parts of the interview, just click on the link to watch. It's in German, but maybe you can pick up some parts. And thank you so much to everyone who tuned in on TV, online through their website, and who sent in audience questions on their chatroom. Your support was great!

The 30 minute interview was split into multiple parts. Some of the issues that were addressed: Who I am and how did I get into Youtube, why has my channel been so successful, why did I get into makeup and where are my roots from professionally, what my vision is for the future, how do I deal with both positive and negative feedback, what it's like to produce content for Youtube all on my own, how I deal with cosmetic brands, how has my life changed since my Youtube fame.

Thank you to everyone at Joiz for the opportunity!

To see more Press about me, click here.

Sleek True Colour Lipsticks, Flick It Liners & Eyelashes

2013-02-12T19:24:00.000+01:00

Follow this blog on Bloglovin here!

I've got some fun new products from Sleek to show you from their upcoming spring collections, so get ready! First up, the True Colour Lipsticks. The formulation is highly pigmented, available in matte or sheen finish, and they come in bright colors that are very in trend for spring 2013.

True Colour Lipsticks in Loved Up, Tangerine Scream and Smoulder (£4.99)

Loved Up

Tangerine Scream

Smoulder

My thoughts: I'm loving all up on Loved Up!!!! Wow - it's incredible. It's one of those BAM in yo face kind of colours, which I personally love. Super creamy, feels smooth to wear, and very opaque. These are great lipsticks, especially when you consider the low price. I'd love to try out more colours as I think they're really cool!

Next up are the Flick It Eyeliner pens, of which the black one is permanent, and the purple and blue ones are limited edition. They have a felt tip end, and are fairly easy to apply for a cat-eyed look. Launching February 13, 2013.

Flick It Eyeliner in Royal Blue, Dazzling Black and Purple Aura (£5.99)

My thoughts: I'm not wowed about these because I don't think the colours are really all that original, and I'm generally not too fond of pen tip eyeliners. I always find they dry out really fast, and I just prefer to work with a brush. They did, however, last incredibly long. I washed my hand several times with soap after swatching, and the colour was still there. You'll have to remove these with an oil-based eye makeup remover, and some eyelid tugging might ensue. Long lasting yes, but a bit hard to remove.

Lastly, I was sent some of the new Sleek Eyelashes, which have newly launched.

My thoughts: They all look slightly "fake" when wearing, which might or might not be a good thing, depending on what look you're going for. If you want lashes that really stand out and look unique and sort of artificial and artsy on your eyes, these might be a good find. If you're more a fan of natural looking falsies that blend really well with your own lashes and don't stand out too much, these aren't so great. They are very long, and the band to apply is very thick, so they tend to stand out and draw a lot of attention. The shapes are also not very natural, so they will obviously look fake. That might work for a more dramatic look though, so it just depends what you prefer!

Sleek makeup is available at Superdrug in the UK, and online through their shop's website here.

Would you like to try out any of these products? Which ones?

Heart Glitter Nails

2013-02-11T15:48:00.002+01:00

Like this? Pin it on Pinterest here!

Here's my nail design tutorial inspired by upcoming Valentine's Day. Although, I think you could really wear this anytime, it's so cute! Watch my video below for the tutorial:

Products used:
Sally Hansen Insta-Dry Whirlwind White
Anny Outdoor Style
L'Oréal Fancy Me
Maybelline Deeply in Love
L.A. Colors Art Deco White
Seche Vite

Question: Will you be wearing a Valentine's inspired nail design on February 14th?? Let me know in the comments!

xo, Julia

I'm on Bloglovin...finally!

2013-02-06T12:26:00.003+01:00

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Many of you have asked about this, and I finally set up an account on Bloglovin if you want to follow my blog through their service! Use the link posted above. If you've never tried Bloglovin, it's a free service to keep up with your favorite blogs on the Interwebs.

Oh and I have 666 followers right now, so you'd better help me get past that foreboding number - Muahahahaha!

Smashbox Love Me Spring Collection

2013-02-05T16:35:00.000+01:00

Today I've got a few pieces from the Smashbox Love Me Spring collection to show you, and I have to say - I love a couple of these products so much already! The collection was created in collaboration with street artist Curtis Kullig, with his signature print decorating both the packaging and the cosmetic products themselves (blush and lipstick imprint.) I got these a few weeks ago and have had a chance to try all the products, so here are my thoughts.

Left to Right: Love Me Blush in Idolize Me, Love Me Be Legendary lipstick in Tempt Me, Love Me Paint Pen Eye Liner in Jet Black

First things: Packaging! I absolutely love it. The blush comes with a nice sized mirror, the lipstick looks sleek, and the red writing on the front is really nice.

Next, I really absolutely LOVE the blush color, I don't have anything exactly like it in my collection. It has a satin finish without any garish sparkles, and the color is a soft pink, leaning slightly coral when worn. The pigmentation is really good, and very buildable, so if you have fair skin - no worries that you will look like a clown on the first swipe. I'm really starting to love Smashbox blushes!

Here is a swatch of the blush, and the pen liner on my hand, wherein I applied several layers of the blush for a really strong pay-off for swatching purposes.

The lipstick in Tempt Me is another great product, with an absolutely perfect color payoff that I think is so nice for spring. It has medium coverage, so you can either wear it more sheer, or apply two coats for an opaque finish. I would describe it as a warm pink, that leans ever so slightly into coral. The lipstick contains shea butter so it's very moisturising and super comfortable to wear, without being too slippery that it immediately creases and feathers into fine lip lines. I really like this lipstick a lot!

The only product I don't care very much for is the eyeliner. It's quite bulky and the tip is really thick, so I feel like I'm applying my eyeliner with a jumbo Crayola marker. I prefer more the thin tips, or an art brush for an eyeliner. However, the thickness of the tip means it's also more sturdy and easier to get an even line. I also felt the color wasn't black enough, it looked more like a very dark grey on me.

Have you tried any Smashbox products? Let me know your favorites in the comments below!

Switzerland Prices:
Love Me Lipstick (26 CHF)
Love Me Blush (40 CHF)
Love Me Paint Pen Eye Liner in Jet Black (29 CHF)

Available at Marionnaud, and wherever Smashbox products are sold worldwide.

(Products were sent for review by PR.)

Tutorial: Sexy Valentine's Look

2013-02-03T15:50:00.004+01:00

Like this look? Pin it on Pinterest here!

This is my first Valentine's Look this year. (I want to do a second one, fingers crossed!) I wanted it to be super sexy, alluring and womanly without being garish and bright colors like hot pink or red. Both the eyes and the lips are accentuated, but both are kept in fairly neutral colors so that it doesn't look like, whoa that chick is wearing a load of makeup on her face!

Watch my video to get the look:

And here's the low-down on what I used...

Face
Illamasqua Rich Liquid Foundation, Collection 2000 concealer, MAC Blonde Mineralize Skinfinish, Smashbox Passion blush

Eyes
NYX Jumbo Pencil in White, Ben Nye Cork, Illamasqua Obsidian, Urban Decay Virgin, MAC All That Glitters, Max Factor False Lash Effect mascara, MAC Blacktrack Fluidline, Sleek lashes Nr. 235,

Lips
Catrice Lost in the Rosewood lipliner, MAC Angel lipstick, MAC Underage lipglass

Nails
Catrice Moulin Rouge Light 050

What do you have planned for Valentine's Day? Let me know in the comments!

My Day with InStyle & Manhattan Cosmetics

2013-01-31T20:23:00.002+01:00

I recently was invited by Manhattan Cosmetics to attend their Style Day Make-Over Event that they were hosting in partnership with InStyle Magazine. Twelve InStyle readers had won a make-over through the magazine, and I was invited to attend and document the event as a blogger journalist, so to speak.

It was so exciting not only to get a tour of the InStyle offices and interview the Editor-in-Chief Annette Weber personally (video coming on that soon), but also to see how much fun the winners had at their make-overs! They were so excited, and the stylists did an absolutely wonderful job on their hair and makeup.

Watch my video documenting the whole day including a room tour of the fancy Sofitel hotel I stayed at, a tour of InStyle's Fashion and Beauty closets, the make-overs, and an evening of fine dining and partying it up at the exclusive Heart restaurant and lounge in Munich.

Some more pictures from the event...

Inside the InStyle Fashion & Shoe Closet...a fashionista's dream!!
And the shoes are all my size - torture!

I don't have enough makeup yet, so I picked up the supersize versions. Hah!

I stayed at the luxurious and extremely comfortable 5-Star Sofitel in the heart of Munich, which was absolutely beautiful and utterly decadent. I would have loved to try out their Spa but alas, there wasn't enough time. Boo hoo :(

The breakfast buffet was jaw-dropping and utterly mouth watering. These are only a few of the things that were available, I didn't even photograph the warm buffet section. Everything from home made smoothies, fresh squeezed juices of a dozen varieties, fresh exotic fruit, tons of breads and cakes and buns, eggs, salmon, caviar, a tea samovar and many tea varities... Basically I wish I hadn't eaten in three days so I could have consumed a lot more! I love breakfasts but I usually am not very hungry in the morning yet.

Thank you to Manhattan & InStyle - it was a ball!

Recipe: Cheese Fondue

2013-01-30T17:41:00.000+01:00

Ahhh winter! Cold nights, snowy landscapes (at least here in Switzerland), and long nights with friends gathered around a cheese fondue and white wine. What could be better?

Here's how to make a traditional and authentic Swiss cheese fondue! Watch the video for all the steps...

Here's what you need for two people. Adjust the recipe for larger parties (duhh!)

200-250g of Swiss cheese per person (for strong eaters, I'd go for 500g for 2 people)

This can be a combination of Gruyeres, Vacherin Fribourgeois, Appenzeller, Emmentaler and Tilsiter. The most common is moité-moité which means half-half in French, which is half Gruyeres and half Vacherin. I personally prefer a mix of different cheeses.

Fondue Set (such as these on Amazon): Fondue Set (You will need to buy the correct Fire Gel with it, which is also available on Amazon.)

Other ingredients:

1 medium sized loaf of crusty, country bread

150-200ml of dry white wine

1 clove of garlic

2 teaspoons corn starch

1-2 teaspoons cherry or pear schnapps
Dash of nutmeg

1. Combine the white wine with the schnapps, then add the corn starch and stir until there are no clumps left. The liquid should be an even, milky liquid.

2. Cut the bread into bite sized cubes.

3. Rub the garlic all over the fondue dish. Then over medium heat*, heat up the liquid mixture until it is hot but not boiling. Add the entire lot of shredded cheese to the dish, then stir frequently as the cheese starts to melt and combine with the liquid.

4. Season with a dash of nutmeg and black pepper (optional) at the end. Serve immediately on your lit fondue set. Serve with bread cubes. (Other great side dishes are gherkins, mini pickled onions, cherry tomatoes and pears in juice.)

*If you use a gas flame cooker, make sure to use a cast iron fondue dish, as cheaper models will probably burst from the direct heat.

Let me know if you try it out!! You can also make delicious fondue variations. Here are some of my favorites.

Tomato fondue: Add chunks of tomatoes to the cheese while it's cooking

Herb fondue: Add finely chopped basil, rosemary, thyme and parsley leaves

Bacon-mushroom: Fry up some bacon and mushrooms in a separate pan. Drain excess fats, then add the bacon and mushrooms to the fondue

Goat Cheese fondue: Use a portion of goat cheese with the other cheeses for a slightly different taste

Get Ready With Me!

2013-01-21T18:46:00.002+01:00

I really like those "Get Ready With Me" type of videos on Youtube so I thought I'd make one of my own. This was getting ready for a semi-casual night out with friends. I didn't want to get dressed to the nines, but still look put together and like I put in a bit of effort. Watch the video to watch me get ready from start to finish, including makeup, hair, and outfit!

Everything I used and wore is listed below...

Skincare
Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré, Clinique All About Eyes Rich, Blistex lipbalm,

Makeup
Bourjois Healthy Mix & Illamasqua Rich Liquid foundation, Smashbox Artificial Light, Kryolan Eye Shadow Primer, Catrice shadows in Grey's Philisophy & Swimming With Dolphins, L'Oreal Infallible eye shadow in Endless Pearl, MAC Brows in Lingering, Urban Decay eyelash curler, L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes, Lancome Maquicomplet concealer, Smashbox Idolize Me blush, Smashbox Tempt Me lipstick

Hair
Sebastian Molding Mud, GHD straightening iron

Earrings
Aldo Accessories

Perfume
Thierry Mugler Alien Essence Absolue

Clothing etc.
River Island blouse, faux leather pants by H&M, Wool coat by ASOS, Shoes by Tamaris, Purse by handbagheaven.com, faux fur collar by H&M

Nail Polish
Anny Ready To Go

Style Steal: Hanna from Pretty Little Liars

2013-01-09T22:37:00.002+01:00

Have you ever seen a picture of a celebrity in a TV show or magazine, and wanted to recreate the entire look from head to toe? That's exactly what I'm going to do in this project I'm starting called "Style Steal". The idea is to make a video where I show a celebrity look, and include a hair, makeup, nails, fashion and styling segment so you can recreate the entire look at home. Since most of us can't afford the designer duds that many celebrities wear, I want to show you that you can easily capture the feel of a look with affordable brands and products.

For this Style Steal I'm going to recreate the look worn by the character Hanna Marin from the TV show Pretty Little Liars. I took these picture straight from the new cast photos on the show's website.

Check out my video to recreate Hanna's edgy and chic look, from going shopping for the clothing, to makeup, hair, nails, and styling. Her hair is obviously quite different in cut and color to my own, so I improvised! I guess this is more her style when she had longer hair.

Here's a look at the makeup from the video...

Let me know whose Star Style you want me to Steal next! You can also post your picture suggestions on my Facebook Wall here.

Here's a low-down on everything I used, and what I'm wearing:

Outfit

Grey T-shirt: H&M

Faux leather jacket: H&M

Black denims: H&M

Belts: H&M

Armor ring: Asos.com

Black ring: H&M

Necklace: Forever 21

Cuff bracelet: was a gift, don't know where it's from

Earrings: Asos.com

Shoes: Graceland by Deichmann (or Dosenbach)

Nail polish

Anny Ready To Go

Makeup

Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation, L'Oreal Infallible Endless Pearl e/s, MUA eyeshadow palettes in Heaven and Earth, and Undressed, Margaret Astor eyeliner in Brown, Laura Geller black eyeliner, Rimmel Scandaleyes mascara, Kryolan Eye Brow Powder in Medium, Smashbox Blush in Bare, Revlon Colorburst Lipbutter in Berry Smoothie, L'Oreal Colour Riche Balm in Rose Elixir

Hair

Enzo Milano 1" clipless curling iron, Schwarzkopf Got2b Powderful volumizing powder, Balea Trend It Up Mattifying styling paste, L'Oreal Elnett hairspray

Is this a look that you might recreate? Where would you wear it?

Pumpkin Hummus Recipe

2012-11-30T20:49:00.001+01:00

Like this? Then pin it on Pinterest here!

I've had lots of questions how I make my Pumpkin Hummus after posting on Instagram, so here's a quick recipe. I love to serve this with pretty much anything! It's filling and makes a good side dish for dipping veggies or bread in.

Ingredients

1 can drained and rinsed chick peas
1-2 cloves garlic
2-3 Tblsp. Sesame Tahini
2 Tblsp. extra virgin Olive oil
Splash of water (about 1/4 to 1/3 cup)
1-2 tsp ground cumin
juice of half a lemon
shot of tabasco sauce if you want a bit of kick
salt & pepper
pumpkin purée (anywhere between 1/2 to 3/4 cup)

To make the pumpkin purée, you can use a variety of pumpkins or winter squash. If you use a Hokkaido pumpkin you can leave the skin on, so that's the one I normally use because it's so easy. You could also use butternut, Muscat, whatever you have on hand - these varieties you will have to peel. This is what a Hokkaido pumpkin looks like:

Depending on the size of your pumpkin, use a quarter or a half of it. Remove the seeds and peel (if necessary.) Chop up into rough chunks, and steam them for about 15-20 minutes until fully soft. If you don't have a steamer pot, try roasting them in the oven for 20 minutes on 200 degrees C. I wouldn't recommend boiling as that makes them very watery. Then use a handmixer to purée the flesh, or a blender, whatever. Since this is the most time consuming part of the process, I like to make a lot of purée at once, and use the left over for soups or baking. You could even freeze any left over purée.

Easy way out: Use canned pumpkin. Make sure it's not pumpkin pie filling, it should just be 100% pumpkin, no added sugar, nothing.

To make the hummus, put all the ingredients into a bowl and use a handmixer to blend. Or, if you have a blender, dump everything in and blend. Wow, that was hard wasn't it? Now you've got amazing pumpkin hummus!

This hummus will be gone in no time, so I normally double this recipe and keep it in the fridge for snacking. I love dipping veggies in it, or use it as a healthy sandwich spread.

Icy Snowflake Nails

2012-11-23T17:55:00.001+01:00

Like it? Pin it on Pinterest here!

These snowflake nails are perfect for winter and the holiday season. I love snow, and wanted to do a wintery, icy cold blue design for the nails, so I thought this was both festive and appropriate for the season. It's also a very simple design, that even a beginner nail artist could accomplish. You only need a few things! Here's my tutorial...

Products I used:

Models Own Feeling Blue

Essence Fashion Victim

L.A. Colors Art Deco in White

ANNY clear polish

rhinestone nail wheel (from ebay)

Do you like this design? Let me know in the comments!

Lilash Annual Sale & Sigma Free Shipping

2012-11-22T23:00:00.000+01:00

It's that time of the year again for major Thanksgiving feasting, and post-feasting shopping! A few people have asked me about the annual Lilash lash enhancement serum sale which happens every year around this time. Here are the details:

From 12:00 a.m., Black Friday, November 23rd through 11:59 p.m., Cyber Monday, November 26th, LiLash and LiBrow products are only $99 each, and the LiLash + LiBrow Combo is only $149.95!

Get Lilash on SALE now!

Lilash and Librow normally retail for $139.97 each when not on sale, so this is a huge discount that they only offer around Thanksgiving.

Here's a picture of my own lashes after using Lilash, and you can read all my experiences with the product on my blog post here, and my video here. I am currently not using the product because I just wanted to take a break for a bit, but I have used it for a long time before and it definitely worked for my lashes! See for yourself below.

Also, Sigma has FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING for two days! Yes, worldwide. Here are the details:

Thursday, November 22 (12:00 AM Central Standard Time) until 12:00 AM CST Friday, November 23.Use code BF2012 at checkout.

If you want my opinion on Sigma brushes, I have several review videos on them. My favorite brushes are from the SIGMAX synthetic series for foundation and concealer brushes (F80, F88, P86, P88). Other individual real-hair brushes I like from them are E55, E40, E35, F35, E25 and F10.

You can check out all the products such as makeup brushes, eyeshadow palettes, and more here.

Tutorial: Kristen Stewart Makeup "On the Road" Premiere

2012-11-14T18:48:00.001+01:00

I loved Kristen's look at the movie premiere for On The Road. Overall, I love the makeup looks she's been sporting lately, she really has a signature style. Often she wears smokey brown eyes, although this time her makeup artist used a lot of warm red tones which really flatter Kristen's fair complexion and medium brown hair. It's such a beautiful look for autumn and winter.

Here is my take on the look...

For comparison, here are some pictures of Kristen at the premiere which I used as my inspiration.

If you want to recreate this look, watch my video tutorial below:

Face
L'Oreal Visible Lift foundation, MAC Blushbaby blush

Eyes
Maybelline Color Tattoo in Tough as Taupe, MAC Blue Brown pigment, Catrice Heidi Plum, Ben Nye Toast, MAC Woodwinked, Laura Geller eye pencil in Dazzle, Rimmel Scandaleyes mascara

Lips
KIKO Nr. 88 lipstick, NARS Lip Lacquer in Diablo

Nailpolish
KIKO Nr. 243

Which movie are you more likely to watch? On the Road or Twilight Breaking Dawn Part II? Let me know in the comments!