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Affichage des articles dont le libellé est Beauty. Afficher tous les articles
Affichage des articles dont le libellé est Beauty. Afficher tous les articles

Setting the pace: 3 things I changed to take better care of myself

Sometimes, all you need in life is something to hold you accountable... Like your body reminding you that you made the promise to take better care of it. 


I used to think that new year's resolutions were a myth, a facade you use in front of people so you'll pretend to have a plan for the year ahead, the project to be and do better. I believed that new year's resolutions were an excuse for past behavior, a fake goal to have something to talk about at parties and dinners. But in reality, it's been almost three months, and I kind of think I'm kicking a** at resolutions. 



It's a common belief that we tend to let go of our new year's resolutions after three months because we have realized that we might have set the bar too high. After six months, it has become a vague souvenir, an idea we thought about and quickly deemed too hard to achieve. And finally, at the 12-month pinpoint, it has turned into an excuse for your new resolutions. 


Although I'm still currently at the baby stage of sticking to my resolutions, I feel quite confident in saying that I might have figured it out... Did I finally find the right ones? 


New year, new me... Well, new mindset. It was time to have better thoughts and words, and care for myself and my body. It's self-care time baby! So here are the three main things I implement to take better care of myself.


First thing: sweating! 

With the plan to start working out again, I signed up for ClassPass. Clearly, if 2022 proved one thing, it was that I couldn't stick to a gym routine when working out from home. It was too easy for me to look at my yoga mat from the comfort of my couch and contemplate the idea of putting on leggings while I was slipping on sweatpants. With the attention to getting my body back on track of peace, I started to sign up for a different class each week: hot yoga, chill yoga, reformer pilates, barre, modern aerobics, boxing, cardio dancing... The list goes on.  


Surprisingly I realized it was not the whole sweating that gave me the sensations of peace and happiness, it was the curiosity of trying new things. If I'm confident my body could handle more than one or two sessions a week and that I would see more results by doing so, it was not my first intention to get in better shape, getting in better mental shape was the main goal. Signing up for only one class a week meant having a body care ritual, something I knew I could commit to, and stick to. 


Second change: brushing and rinsing 

When I came across the "shower everything" TikTok trend, I thought I would give it a go. It meant trying to find small rituals I could add to my routine which basically means: spending as much time as I can in the bathroom before jumping into bed. We're talking hours, not minutes. It meant: dry brushing, makeup removal, face cleansing, exfoliating, masking, before stepping into the actual shower, scrubbing, then washing hair and body, then hair mask, and body lotion. 

While this ritual is only meant to be performed once a week and has proven to help to sleep better, I still keep on dry brushing a couple of times a week. What I also started to implement into my daily shower routine is rinsing my legs with cold water. If it helps get the blood flowing, for me it gives me a feel-good feeling about sticking to a routine that makes me feel good about my body and makes me see it a different way.

Last thing: nourishing

To say I've always had a bad relationship with food is an understatement... Growing up with a mom quite obsessed with her weight, but not necessarily ours, put the idea in me that I should be obsessed about mine too. Unfortunately, it meant starving myself rather than paying attention to the way I was actually nourrishing my body. Now 28 years old, I'm finally trying to stop feeling guilty about what I eat in a day and instead pay attention to what meals and nutrient could make me feel good. I won't lie, it's a long way to go. 

My new obsession? Understanding how my body works through my cycle, also knows as: finally trying to comprehend my period rather than complaining about it for a week, and learning the names of the other phase of my cycle. 




Overall, my new year's resolution has turned from "taking better care of myself" to "understanding and accepting myself". 

I guess it's an adult kind of thing. 

Love,

Elsa
20.2.23 Comments: 0
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Brushing my problems away

 There's a saying in French that goes "il faut souffrir pour être belle", also known as "you must suffer to be pretty". 


I resent it, even though I grew up with my mom trying to brush my curly hair and calming my nerves with this particular phrase as if it would make the pain go away. I hate the idea that as women we have to always be silently in pain, and yet I keep inflicting myself with the same daily ritual for the past month: dry massage. 


The original idea: thinking I could feel better about myself and stop inflicting my body with the idea that I have to be thinner. 


The reality: not seeing any results but believing I actually feel better (well kind of) after installing this body and self-care ritual. 



If you're not familiar with the ancestral ritual of dry massage, where have you been? I was first introduced to this type of self-massage which consists of essentially brushing yourself from feet to belly and then from hands to heart when one of my friends was getting married. In search of body care that could help her get in shape for her wedding, she came across some beauty guru dry massage routine and sent it my way for me to review it.


It didn't take long or me to get my hands on Ruhi Dry Body Brush and start my own journey of dry massage. I must say, my ritual didn't last too long. I couldn't tell you why... Probably the lack of energy to have a sustainable self-care routine. Yet, here I am, 2+ years later, giving the dry massage another chance. 


What started as a way for me to inflict yet another idea that my body wasn't enough and needed to be thinner, smaller, better, quickly turned into an almost daily ritual, and an excuse to spend way too much time in my bathroom. As I'm writing this, it's been a month or so, maybe two, since I started dry massage again. And I can confidently say now... That I don't see any results on my body.  In fact, my cellulite has been left intact. 



While I'm not here to complain about the lack of investment of my body to join me in this wellness journey, I must say it's been a bit frustrating but the overall impact is way better than the disappearance of cellulite because I've installed a ritual, a mean for me to take care of myself and have some time alone to just relax. 


I've never been a truly consistent person. In fact, I was never able to keep a routine going. Take my lockdown push to start having a green smoothie for breakfast, for example, it lasted as long as the lockdown went on (the first one). And as for my wish to follow a 30 days pilates challenge, I kept going until day 8. So it's safe to say that I don't really like to stick to a routine. The good news is I've been able to be (almost) successful with the dry massage because it forces me to stop and just take the time for myself. And even though it's not the easiest task to brush your dry body for at least 5 minutes until you turn red, before hopping into the shower, I couldn't be prouder of myself, at 28 years old finally succeeding at keeping a ritual. 



Being written down, and on the web space, I'm confident in saying that it might be hard to stop now, and face the risk to disappoint the 2 or 3 people that visit my blog.


Love,


Elsa


17.2.23 Comments: 0
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New Beginning

Hey there,

I put down my pen today and leave my stories on the side for a much more beauty appropriate post. I haven't written for so long on this blog that I haven't even said that I have officially started a career in the beauty world. Well... you can't really call it a career. For now, I'm just accumulating experiences as an intern. Back in January, I was interning for the brand Oh My Cream, which really taught me a lot about cosmetics, the good products for my skin, the best routine to adopt etc. I've learned that I have combination skin, with lots of dehydration, and that my skin is acne prone, which I did know already. My vision on skincare has really changed but I've been so selfish not to share it. The truth is, even though I have changed my routine, my skin hasn't followed along and my acne got worst for the last six months. 


I've learned that I should let go of my micellar water for good because it was the cause of many sensibilities and the reason your skin would not get better because it actually harms the skin instead of protecting it. I've been taught that I should take off my makeup with oil, cleanse my skin with a cleansing gel, exfoliate with a soft exfoliation powder; tone with a serum and hydrate with oil. So I did for 6 months, switching products every two months or so because my skin wasn't accommodating so well. And then the wake-up call... 

My skin has cleared up a bit after the third time I've changed my routine, but my acne got really worse two weeks before my brother's wedding. I lost all my confidence, and I was beginning to accept the fact that I wasn't going to clear my acne before the wedding. But then my co-worker came to the rescue and told me that the reason my skin was getting so bad, was probably because I've developed an allergy to face oil. My skin didn't react well to it, and it began to make sense as my acne has been worse since I've joined Oh My Cream. 


So once again I've changed my routine just in time for my 3 weeks vacation to California. I've switched my makeup removal oil for a micellar water under a gel texture, all natural, with no harm to the skin. I've kept my cleansing gel but switched for a much softer one, and I've let go of my face oil for a much more hydrating and repairing cream, which could treat the dryness of my cheeks and the spots and scars on the rest of my face. I now work as an intern for Birchbox and I can now say that my skin has gotten much better and if you're a little creep that wants to zoom on my photos, you can see that my skin is actually clear even though I am obviously wearing makeup. 


But ! I can now list my favorite products from my skincare routine : 
  • I take off my makeup at night with the Patyka Micellar Gel, but since I ran out of it during our vacation in sunny California, I now use the Drunk Elephant Cleansing Gel, which I found at Sephora US and really love. They both take the makeup off really efficiently but I would say the Drunk Elephant gel is better at it. Although the Patyka's texture is much more refreshing and nice on the skin, the Drunk Elephant leaves the skin nice and soft. I also love the foaming effect of the Drunk Elephant gel once you add water. However, the composition is much cleaner for the Patyka Micellar Gel.
  • I cleanse my face day and night with the Susanne Kaufmann Cleansing Gel, which I really love the smell and the soft texture. I love how my skin feels fresh and glowy after I use this. I also use the Ren Rose Centifolia Cleansing Gel, which has a really soft action on the skin but really cleanses the skin. 
  • Once every 2 or 3 days, I exfoliate my skin with the Dermalogica Daily Superfoliant, which is "the bomb" for a Photoshop look. It takes off the dead cells on the skin and leaves it so radiant and soft. It doesn't harm the skin, it hasn't increased my acne or my scars. In fact, it has helped remove them. Definitely the best exfoliant I have ever used! 
  • I apply the Garancia Elixir du Marabout serum, which I have talked about before on the blog. It is seriously amazing to treat imperfections, nothing beats this. Although the Grown Alchemist Blemish Gel Treatment was also a great use on a more local scale.
  • For moisturizing, I now use at night the Ren Skincare Clearcalm 3 Rehydrating Cream, which has the greatest action on my skin to treat my oiliness and dryness, and my imperfections. The texture is a bit rich, which scared me at first, but it has helped my skin so much! 

I would get more in depth about the products I have tried and my impressions on multiple skincare products and routine in a future post, but I hope you still found this one useful. 

I'll talk to you soon,

Love,

Elsa. 

PS: Don't forget that you can subscribe to my Newsletter to receive the blog posts directly into your inbox! You can also follow me on bloglovin for notifications when I post something. Finally, for daily updates, follow me on Twitter and Instagram.

Paris, France 22.8.17 Comments: 0
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Hot and Iconic

Hey there,

Charlotte Tilbury is a super talented and incredible makeup artist. I first heard of her makeup brand in Dublin, 2 years ago, because we don't get Charlotte Tilbury in France. I immediately fell in love with it and was obsessed with the makeup, the makeup looks she creates and the brand identity. I just love how her products can turn someone into a true icon. Although a little bit overpriced, the makeup is of great quality. The palettes are super pigmented and the lipsticks are just amazing. My first experience with Charlotte Tilbury was actually after Christmas, when my boyfriend got me the Vintage Vamp palette, and that was the beginning of a huge obsession. 


A few months later, for my birthday, I ordered two lipsticks on the website: Love Liberty and Bond Girl. The package arrived on time and it was so pretty, I didn't have the strength to toss it. Again, a few months after that, I was surprised to see that Charlotte Tilbury was available in Amsterdam. There was no way I was taking my flight back home without a little shopping session there. I must admit, I went a little bit overtop, but I just got paid for my internship and I mean... it's Charlotte Tilbury... So I left Amsterdam with another palette, the Dolce Vita, and two other lipsticks, Walk of Shame and Secret Salma. 

Hot Lips - Secret Salma 
I've already done a review on the Vintage Vamp palette, and another review on the Dolce Vita will be on its way too. However, the name of this blog being Lipstick Road, I couldn't possibly not review the different lipsticks, even though they are from different collection. In fact, Love Liberty, Bond Girl and Walk of Shame are from the Matte Revolution collection, while Secret Salma is from the Hot Lips collection. 

Hot Lips - Secret Salma
Love Liberty is a deep berry shade, Bond Girl is a nude pink/coral shade, Walk of Shame is a light red with coral undertones, and Secret Salma, inspired by Salma Hayek, is a baby pink shade. 

Matte Revolution - Bond Girl
How do they look? The lipsticks look quite luxurious when your first pick them up. It's rose girl, very precious and high end. There are only the initials CT on the top of the cap. Beside, I was pretty surprised with the form of the actual lipstick when I first open them up. They are not your regular round lipstick, they are actually angled, which I first found funny, but is actually not that bad. In fact, I find it even easier to apply the lipsticks. 

Matte Revolution - Bond Girl
How are they ? The lipsticks are pretty amazing, the colors are beautiful, and they feel very nice on the lips. They are all matte lipsticks, although they don't feel matte at all, they are very comfortable to wear, they don't dry out the lips, they settle very nicely on the lips. I would even say that they have a creamy outcome. For the most part, they must be comfort matte, because they do transfer a little bit. However, they are long wear, and the formula is just amazing.  They are so easy to wear on a daily basis, and could easily be worn day to night. I tend to stay away from non matte lipstick during summer time, but this summer I sworn by those lipsticks, not only because of the colors that could be easily worn in spring, summer, fall or winter; but also because of the formula. 

Matte Revolution - Love Liberty
Final thoughts ? Overall, Charlotte Tilbury is a great brandy with high quality products. Obviously, it is quite pricy, and I would not spend €30 on lipsticks every day. However, with the quality of the products and the whole service behind every purchase, I wouldn't mind treat myself once and awhile because the quality is just amazing, and it's not debatable. Talking about the service, when you order online, the package is not only nicely packed, and delivered on time, but you can get a few samples so you can try out skincare products, lipsticks, foundations etc. 

Matte Revolution - Walk of Shame 
I hope you liked this post, let me know what you think about the lipstick. Have you ever tried Charlotte Tilbury products ? 

Don't forget that you can subscribe to my Newsletter to receive the blogpost directly into your inbox! You can also follow me on BlogLovin for notifications when I post something. 

Finally for daily updates, follow me on Twitter and Instagram. 

I'll see you soon,

Love,

Elsa. 
Paris, France 30.9.16 Comments: 0
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Sexy and Creamy

Hey there,

Unless you're not into makeup or you've been living under a rock, you'll know that Urban Decay has launched it's Vice Lipstick Collection over the summer. And while well-known beauty bloggers were receiving the box with the complete collection, 100 lipsticks that is, I was at Sephora, on a budget, picking what colors I was going to get. To be honest, this purchase was kind of unreasonable, since according to my boyfriend 'I own enough lipsticks and don't need more'. Yes my boyfriend is hilarious, and all the makeup addicts and shopaholics out there will understand my struggle. It's the new Urban Decay collection! I need at least one lipstick! 


I wanted a color that I didn't own already, and that I could easily wear on a daily basis, and after much consideration, I went for, surprisingly, two creamy lipsticks. I'm usually a matte girl, so you'll understand my surprise when I found myself reaching for creamy lipsticks. I don't really like how cream lipsticks feel on the lips. I feel like they do not last as long as matte lipsticks, and tend to transfer easily. Well that's not the case for the Urban Decay ones. 


I first picked out Shame, which is a deep purple shade. I first thought that it will be hard to pull off such a strong shade, but it isn't that bad actually. I ended up wearing it two days in a row to go shopping, in full summer weather. However, I feel like this shade will be perfect for fall and winter time. The second one I picked out is Hitch Hike, a nude but with pink and coral undertones. This one gives a way more natural look and is perfect for spring and summer, or even if you're looking for a natural look. I've been wearing Hitch Hike literally all summer. 

I realized I tend to be attracted to the same shades. For example, I'm always attracted to either deep red/burgundy, deep purple or really nude shades, and always matte lipsticks. Since I tend to do something rather natural looking on my eyes, I usually go full out with the lips. 




So how do they look? The lipsticks are really pretty. The packaging is pretty simple but true to Urban Decay's style. It's a metallic purple and gold round package and it has Urban Decay written on it, and the UD initials on the actual lipstick. Although the packaging is original and quite unique, it's not the most practicable lipstick. It is quite hard to open actually because there's nothing you can hold on to that can make a click noise, and make it easier to open. 

How are they? As I said the lipsticks are creamy lipsticks but I feel like they have a matte finished feel on the lips, but not on the outside, if you know what I mean. They don't feel heavy or sticky on the lips. They feel nice and light. The colors are really nice as well, they are pigmented and so pretty. They stay on really well, but they will transfer like crazy if you eat or kiss someone, especially the Shame Lipstick, which is a shame... Overall, they are quite long wear, because you still have some on the lips when you're done eating, drinking, kissing and whatever. Moreover, the mixture is quite nice on the lips, because it doesn't dehydrated or hurt the lips. 


Final thoughts? I'm really happy with the two lipsticks. The colors are incredible, I'm quite amazed by the creamy texture because it's light, comfortable and nice. It is long-wear, so it's always a good thing. The only thing that bothers me is the packaging, although you get used to it after awhile. This purchase really comforted me in the idea that Urban Decay is truly a great brand, its products are amazing and have a great quality. The lipsticks are also not that expensive, they cost €19, which I don't think is that bad, it's cheaper than Mac, Nars etc. Overall, they are great quality and quite affordable lipsticks that I would highly recommend. 

I hope you liked this post. Did you get any Vice lipsticks ? 

Also don't forget that you can subscribe to my Newsletter to receive the blog posts directly into your inbox! You can also follow me on BlogLovin for notifications when I post something. 

Finally for daily updates, follow me on Twitter and Instagram. 

I'll see you soon,

Love,

Elsa. 

Paris, France 26.9.16 Comments: 0
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Matte Lips and Contour, Latest Acquisitions and Obsessions

Hey there,

It's no news that I have an obsession with makeup. I was never that much into makeup until three years ago, when I started to really get into makeup and beauty products. It started to get out of hands two years ago, not that it bothers me, but it does bother the balance on my bank account. Being the makeup addict and shopaholic that I am, I won't stop buying makeup, although I'm trying to be reasonable, kind of... I only buy things that I actually need (maybe not) and have been loving from afar. Since I'm on a beauty blog roll, I thought I'll stay on this vibe, and write about my latest beauty obsessions, and the latest things that I acquired over the past 3 months. 

Step by Step Contour Kit - Smashbox 
I had my eyes on this palette from awhile now, I've heard so many good things about Smashbox, I was urging to give it a try. I bought this at the Duty Free shop at the Amsterdam Aiport, since it was way cheaper than it is at Sephora, and I couldn't be happier. I has one contour shade, to define and sculpt the face, a bronzer shade for definition, and an highlighter. It's so pigmented and easy to blend and build. It also comes with a small brush for application, which I only use to apply the contour shade. The shades are amazing, they really define the face, and it gives you the contour on fleek vibe! I was seriously so proud of the contour the first time I used it, I couldn't stop taking selfie... Absolutely no shame! 


Orgasm Blush - Nars 
I never truly understand all the fuss around this blush, but when I first tried Nars' blushes from the Narsissist Cheek Studio Palette, I was so amazed by the quality and the pigmentation, I thought I had to try the Orgasm blush. Being the little reasonable person that I am, I didn't want to be a makeup addict and buy it since I found a great dupe from the Balm Cosmetics. I thought 'I'm gonna stick to my dupe, it's amazing and I'm good with it'. However, Sephora was nice enough to give me a sample for the Nars blush, and after 3 days of rubbing my brush into the small paper that held the blush, the obsession began and I needed the blush. I finally bought it, and couldn't be happier, it's a pink/coral shimmery color. It's pretty, pigmented, shimmery and gives a shiny and bright effects to the face. 


Whatt's Up Cream-to-Powder Highlighter - Benefit
I was looking for a new highlighter since I'm almost running out of my highlighter from Mac. I tried the Benefit Highlighter two years ago when I got my brows done at Benefit, so when the time came for me to try a new highlighter, I immediately thought of this one. It has a champaign tone that I love that immediately bright up the face and attract the light. It's shimmery and it makes you look like a fairy. However, I'm not a big fan of the sponge that comes with it on the other side, I feel like it doesn't blend the highlight well.

Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer - Urban Decay 
I fell in love with the Naked Skin Weightless Foundation, so weightless, smooths and light on the face. I needed a new concealer, so I made the most out of a promo code at Sephora. The coverage is sick! It feels light on the skin, it's easy to build and blend, and it highlights the face so much you look like an angel. Just kidding, but it is amazing. However, good things come with a price, and this concealer has silicones in it... My face couldn't really take it anymore, so now I just use it under my eyes... 


Goof Proof Brow Pencil - Benefit 
I've seen vlogs of people talking about the new Benefit brow collection, I've seen the craziness, the amazingness, the fuss etc. And from the moment I saw the collection in Sephora, there were no need to debate on whether or not I was going to buy something because it was well settled. I spent a good 30 minutes in front of the shelfs, looking at the products and wondering what was the best option for my brows. I already had the Gimme Brow (older version) in my makeup bag, and I really wanted a brow pencil to really define and fill in my brows. I decided to give the Precisely My Brow pencil a go. It's really cool, it has a pencil on one side and a brush on the other side. I will say, my brows have never been that much on fleek. It really helps fill in the brows and defines the shape, without giving a fake crazy effect to the brows. When I add the gimme brow gel, my brows look natural and on point.


Roller Lash Curling and Lifting Mascara - Benefit 
The craziness around this mascara occurred last year, and since I was happy with my mascara by then, I didn't really care about this mascara. This mascara is supposed to lift and curl the lashes, without the need of an eyelash curler. I bought it because I ran out of my Nars mascara, and the Roller Lash Mascara was way cheaper than the Nars one, plus it came with a sample version that came handy because I was just leaving for Amsterdam and I didn't want to carry a full makeup bag. I will say that this mascara lives up from my expectations, it makes my lashes lifted, curled and longer. I love the brush because it's so thin it really catches the lash and makes the application easier and cleaner. Also it's waterproof, and when you're wearing contact, it's always a good thing!


Long-wear Crème Liquid Lipstick - Jouer 
We don't get Jouer Cosmetics in France, but my friend told me about Cult Beauty an amazing British website that has an incredible range of brand and actually ships to France. I immediately went for the Long-wear Crème Liquid Lipstick from Jouer, in the colors Cassis and Brique (Fall Collection). The colors are amazing, and the lipsticks smell like crème brulée or vanilla, really nice. Cassis is a light pink with purple undertones lipstick, not what I would normally go-to but really pretty. Brique, on the other hand, is my go-to color, it's a deep red/burgundy lipstick. I don't really understand the Crème Liquid Lipstick name, because those are matte lipsticks. They feel creamy when you apply them, but when they're dry they are matte and dry... Although the colors are incredible, and they are long-wear, and do not transfer at all, they do not really feel nice on the lips after a while because it's so matte. But gotta suffer to look good, right? 
Lip Contour - Huda Beauty 
Same story as the Jouer lipsticks. On the order I placed from Cult Beauty, I also got two lip pencils from Huda Beauty. I only own one real lip pencil that I use to actually contour my lips before applying lipstick, and it's pink... Pretty limited. So I got the shade Icon and Cheerleader from Huda Beauty. I was really struggling to choose the colors I wanted because, even though they have quite a small range of colors, they all look amazing.  Cheerleader is a deep red/burgundy shade, that matches perfectly with the Brique lipstick from Jouer. Icon is a deep pink with burgundy undertones. They are now a full part of my makeup routine, using those everyday, I'm obsessed. They feel nice on the lips, pigmented and the colors are gorgeous.


I hope you liked this post, have you ever tried any of this products ?

Don't forget that you can subscribe to my Newsletter to receive the blogpost directly into your inbox! You can also follow me on BlogLovin for notifications when I post something. 

Finally for daily updates, follow me on Twitter and Instagram. 

I'll see you soon,

Love,

Elsa. 

Paris, France 19.9.16 Comments: 0
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Let's Talk About Sulfates and Silicones

Hey there,

For about two years now, I've been very careful with what I use on my body. It all started back in Ireland, where I learnt everything about Sulfates and Silicones, and their effects. Back then, I was really trying hard to take care of my hair, and I was doing a lot of research to understand what products were good and what products were not for already damaged hair. Now, I'm sure there's a million reasons why sulfates, parabens, silicones and all that jazz are bad for you, your skin, body hair etc. However, I decided to focus on their effects on hair and skin, to
highlight my personal experience with those substances. 

First of all, what are sulfates and silicones ? Don't worry, I'll spare you from the so complicated scientific definition you can find on Wikipedia. 

Sulfates are basically very strong and not organic cleansers. They give the foaming effects to shampoo, which seem not so bad until you realize that sulfates is also present in detergents you use to clean your house with. If sulfate is a great cleanser, it gives the effect of a soft cleansing when in fact it's a very agressive one. Indeed, sulfate is well known for drying out hair, as well as damaging and being an allergen.  

When used with Silicones, Sulfate is even worst. Silicones are non biodegradable materials used in shampoo, conditioner and other hair products, as well as makeup. They provide shine and help when you try to straighten your hair or have a smooth effect. When used in makeup it also gives a shiny, smooth and fluid effects. However, Silicones are not natural substances and they are similar to plastic. They may give the illusion of shine, but in reality they are simply damaging and slowly killing your hair. It's like you're rubbing plastic around your hair. They make your hair and skin suffocate. 

Real shine comes with hydratation. Silicones and Sulfates provide everything but hydratation, and when I say everything, I mean nothing. They have a dryer effect, especially on curly hair! Silicones and Sulfates build layers and layers to the hair strands, preventing from good substances, like nutrients, to penetrate in the hair. Making it even more difficult to clean the hair, and get rid of the bad substances. Silicones and sulfates also enable an endless damage cycle. When you use those substances, your hair feels heavy and greasy, not shiny, and when your hair feels gross, you tend to use more products on it, and spend more time styling it, leaving your hair even more damaged and gross, so you'll wash them again with sulfates and silicones, repeating the cycle. 

So how do you know there're sulfates or silicones in your product ? Well it's hard to know... Unless you're patient enough to study very clearly and methodically the list of ingredients of your products. Because of course, you'll never find the name silicones in the list, it would be too easy! Silicones take its form in Dimethicone and any other name that ends with -cone or -xane. Sulfates on the other hand are much easier to identify, because it keeps its name on the list. 


As I said I started using sulfates and silicones-free products almost two years ago. I first started with Lush hair care products, until I realized that some of their products actually contained a very small amount of silicones. Even though they can assure you that it's not harmful for the hair or skin, I simply decided to stop using Lush hair care products. I now use Alterna, and Leonor Grey, which are very expensive but really effective. However, they are a few brand that offer a range of sulfates-free and silicones-free product such as Klorane, Living Proof, Kielh's, Bumble and Bumble, Macadamia etc. 

Since I stopped using products that contain sulfates and silicones, I've noticed some changes in my hair. First of all, my hair was very dry when I first started using those products, because it took a lot of time to get rid of the sulfates and silicones in my hair. It felt dry under water, dry when it was drying, hard to comb etc. That was just temporary. After a month my hair was feeling a lot better, very smooth, shiny, and a lot less greasy. 

When it comes to my skin, I recently found out that my brand new loving concealer (Urban Decay Naked concealer) had silicones in it. Of course, I noticed it after using it for a month, and after the breakouts were well set-up on my face. Now I'm in the process of cleaning my face, and washing the silicones off of it, so I can get rid of the blemishes. Turns out a lot of makeup actually contain silicones, especially concealer, and makeup base, so if you want a life free of silicones, be careful, and look out for all those -cone and -xane.

I hope you found this post useful, let me know if you did.  

Don't forget that you can subscribe to my newsletter to receive my recent blog post directly into your mail box! Wow technology.... Or you can also follow me on BlogLovin if you want to get notified when I post something.

You can also follow me on my Twitter and Instagram.

I'll see you soon,

Love, 

Elsa. 





Paris, France 12.9.16 Comments: 0
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Those Beauty Bits coming right down from Paradise // Beauty Favorites

Hey there,

Lately I've been accumulating amazing beauty bits in my drawers. Don't worry, I did not go crazy, and spend tons of money at Sephora, those things are products that I've been using since January but being the busy bee (just kidding) that I am, I couldn't find time to talk to you about it. So today, I'm writing quite a short post about my last beauty obsessions, I say last, because I'm sure by now you all know how crazy obsessed I am with makeup, skincare and other beauty products. I have no shame! Well that's not true actually... I do feel shame when I see the balance on my bank account... Oopsie? Those are investments! Did you see my face? Of course I need a new foundation! Do you feel my hair? This lotion was a matter of life or death! Of course I'm only kidding.


Before going any further, I would like to warn you that those are quite pricy items so beware. Those are not the kind of things I can afford in one monthly shopping trip. Now that you're warned, let's get into it.

1) Urban Decay Naked Foundation
I wrote about it in my S.O.S Skincare latest post but I didn't get too much into it because I was saving this beauty for a special post. And here it is folks! As you may or may not know, I bought this when my face was breaking out like crazy and I was in much need of a lighter foundation. I looked at the reviews on Sephora.com before buying it and they didn't really blow me away. I was concerned by the fact that the coverage seemed light. I decided to give it a go because one of my friends recommended it to me. I couldn't be happier, the foundation is light and feels so nice on the skin, but the coverage is medium and easy to build into the skin. It feels like a moisturizer, and it's amazing. One big drop of product covers any blemishes and redness, and it's quite long lasting, I'll say it takes me 5 to 6 hours before I need to do some touch-ups. The first day I used this, one of my friends even told me that I looked flawless and my skin was so luminous. So I highly recommend this one! 

2) Nars Narsissist Cheek Studio Palette
This must be my most precious and favorite thing in my makeup drawer. From the moment I laid my eyes on it I fell in love with it. It's amazing, very pricy but amazing. This palette has one bronzer, one highlighter, one contour blush, and 4 different blushes in limited editions. Yes, 4!!!!! It's so practical I can't deal with it. For my trip to the Caribbean, I only took this palette with my foundation for my face, and it just sealed the deal for night time. I'm never been so happy with makeup. The contour blush is great, it really defines the face, and the bronzer feels like your face just got hit by Summer and sunshine. The 4 blushes are very pretty as well, you have a light sparkly pink, which I mostly use as a highlighter on the top of my cheeks or well my face is so contoured I don't feel like wearing blush. It also has a light sparkly pinky coral that I use for a softer look, a deeper coral for a more define look, and finally a deep pink that I love as well, very Disney Princess. The highlighter is also great, not too sparkly, quite soft and nice. The thing that I adore about this palette, is the pigmentation! It's mind-blowing! Everything looks great on the face, and makes your face looks more define, and it lasts all day too!


3) Bumble and Bumble BB Straight Blow Dry 
I first bought this as a travel sized blow dry helper before flying out to Martinique, and I'm sure some of you know that I love my travel sized Bumble and Bumble haircare products! I've never heard about this Blow Dry Haircare before, but I thought I'll give it a go for the vacation. It's an amazing blow dry products, I've tested a lot in the past, and trust me, nothing is as amazing as this one! It's easy to apply and doesn't leave my hair greasy, when I blow dry my hair, my hair feels nice, and it smells nice as well, it's shiny and soft for the next 3 days until I need to wash it.  Moreover, once my hair is straight, it stays straight! I don't even need hairspray with this! Crazy. 

4) Mac Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolour 
One of my friends told me about those new liquid lipstick from Mac, but being disappointed by Makeup Forever ones before, I quickly said "No thanks I'll pass", but when she came to class on the next wearing this amazing deep red matte lipstick on her lips, I was like "Where did you get that?!". When she showed me the two retro matte liquid lipsticks she got from Mac, it was clear in my head that I needed one. So I went to Mac, happy and confident I would find the same deep red, and a light nude one... Ahaha what a fail... Of course, the lipsticks were a success, and they quickly ran out of it. I did find a red/orange lipstick though, and I'm pretty content with it. The color is great for the summer, and although the texture is quite matte and dry, it does not feel that dry on the lips. It stays on like crazy, even when you eat, drink or kiss! It's not as easy as a real lipstick to apply because it dries quickly but it feels good on the lips and it looks amazing! Also, I feel like it dries slowly, compare to the Makeup Forever ones, and you still do some quick touch ups when applied. 


5) Alterna Caviar Repair Hair Mask 
I love the Alterna Caviar Repair line, they are Sulfates free, and only good to your hair. Again, very pricy but my hair has never felt so nice. I've really noticed a big difference since using Caviar Repair, my hair is shiny, soft, and looks less damaged. I mostly use the shampoo and conditionner but before flying out to the Caribbean I bought the travel-sized hair mask (#obsessedwithtravelsize). I started using it when I came back from the Caribbean, because you know I'm so logical I buy things for vacation that I don't use on vacation... I love it so much, it really feels like it's curing my hair. I also love the smell of it. I apply it all over my hair and leave it for 5 minutes or more before I rinse it. It's truly amazing.

6) Nars Satin Lip Pencil 
You know I'm a big fan of Nars, especially their lipsticks. I keep telling everyone I know that Nars' lipsticks are amazing! It's pricy but honestly it's the one makeup brand that is actually worth it. I would rather spend €30 something on a lipstick from Nars than one from Chanel or Dior, because trust me I know. Anyway, I wanted to try their lip pencil for awhile. The first one I got was from their Velvet Matte lip pencil, and I got a nude shade that I'm really happy with. However, I came across this fuchsia shade, and it was so pretty, I bought it. One thing I love about Nars is the name they give to their lipsticks. The one that I got is called Luxembourg, as I said it's a pigmented fuchsia shade, very creamy/satin but with a matte finish. It's easy to apply because it's a pencil, and it stays on nicely and forever.  



That's it for today's post, I hope you liked it, and found it useful if you wanted to try a high-end product. Let me know. 

I'll see you soon, but until next time, you can follow me on Instagram, because I'm really active up there, and you can also follow me on Blog Lovin so you'll know exactly when I post something on LipstickRoad.

Love,

Elsa. 



2.4.16 Comments: 0
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Two Lipsticks Obsessions // A Nars Love Story

Hey there,

My boyfriend always says that from the moment I began to buy lipsticks, I kept upgrading, going from Kiko, to Topshop, to Mac, to now Nars or even Estee Lauder. I know, I know... my credit card should be taken away from me... Don't get me wrong, I do not spend a hundred of euros in lipsticks in a month, I usually allow myself one lipstick every months or so. But yes, in a year my obsession has grown and has became unstoppable but we're not here to talk about that. Nope, today I decided to talk to you about two lipsticks that I'm terribly in love with. 


In the beginning of September, I came across Nars' lipsticks, they just caught my eyes while I was shopping at Sephora and I decided to give it a go, even though the price didn't really attract my credit card. The first one I got was the Anita, and it was pretty amazing, so I decided to keep going, so I got another one (Vera) and another one (Charlotte), and another one (Walkyrie) and another one (Luxembourg)... I won't talk to you about my whole lipstick collection here, instead, I'm going to talk to you about my two absolute favorites from Nars: Charlotte and Walkyrie. 

The Charlotte lipstick is from the Nars Audacious lipstick collection, which has around 40 amazing shades named after great lady. And since the formula is amazingly great, I'm thinking about writing another post just about those, but we'll see. This lipstick is the prettiest color I own, and it's funny because the first time I got a dark shade lipstick, it was from Topshop, and I was not so sure I could pull it off, but since that moment, I never let go of my dark shades lipsticks, and they are my go to for Fall time and Winter time. 


It's a creamy formula but it has a semi matte finished, it's so nice to apply and feels so great on the lips. The color is just so gorgeous and lasts a very long time, even when you eat or drink something, or kiss someone (let's be honest), it stays on, the color may not be as great as when you first applied it but you still have a little bit of shade of your lips. The packaging is very minimalist, as I love, plain black, with a little bit of Nars going on, but it's so subtle, you can't really see it. But what I truly adore about this packaging is that it's magnetic so it just closed perfectly by itself, which is always good when you put your lipstick in a makeup bag. 

I've got two other lipsticks with a similar dark burgundy almost purple shade, which you can't really tell due to the lights in the picture, the first one is the Wicked from Topshop, and the other one is the Diva from Mac, but the Charlotte is my favorite, even though the price really hurts. The formula is just brillant, it's so easy to apply and as I said it's a long lasting semi matte lipstick, definitely a killer. 


My other lipstick obsession is not truly a lipstick, it's still from Nars, but it's the Walkyrie lip pencil. It's a Velvet Matte lip pencil and the shade is a light brownish almost corail shade, which reminds me of the Velvet Teddy shade from Mac, but darker. It's described as a burnt coral red on the website, and the formula is quite creamy, with a truly matte finished but it's not dry on the lips. It's easy to apply since it's a pencil so you can really draw the lines of your lips, and it's long lasting. I love the color, even though I'm not very into nude shades but I really like this one, and I've worn it every single day this past week. 


It goes great with a bold eyes look or even with a simple, nude look. Basically, it works with everything, and I feel like it adds a very 90's vibes to a look. I love how it feels on my lips, and I love to apply it. The only bummer is that it's a pencil... and I'm not a big fan of pencils as lipsticks since you have to trim it, so it makes it smaller and smaller... But I really like this one, and I will 100% buy this again once I run out. 


That's it for today, I hope you liked this post! I'll see you soon, but until then, you can follow me on Blog Lovin so you'll know exactly when I post something here, and if you want to know what I'm up to on a daily basis you can follow me on Instagram.

Love,

Elsa. 

28.3.16 Comments: 2
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Heaven in a pretty box // Charlotte Tilbury Vintage Vamp Review

Hello there,

I guess it's the season of reviews because today I'm coming back with yet another review. My boyfriend got me the Vintage Vamp eye palette from Charlotte Tilbury for Christmas, and I must say, I adore it. I've been using it a lot lately, and I thought I'll show you what it's like and how amazing it is. If you read my Christmas Wish List, you'll know that I asked for either the Vintage Vamp or the Dolce Vita, I really liked both and I couldn't decide which one would be better for my eyes. I thought that the colors in the Vintage Vamp were similar to the shadows in the Naked3 Palette, and that the Dolce Vita was pretty original but I didn't know if I could pull them off. 

Anyway, I'm really happy he got me the Vintage Vamp because boy was I wrong! It's nothing like the Naked3, the colors are so pretty, and there's something high-end about his small palette. I mean, duh... it's Charlotte Tilbury! Plus, I feel like the purple and pink tone of this palette really match my brown eyes. I think they're even easier to wear than the Dolce Vita, because the colors of the Dolce Vita are more in the red and dark brownish colors. Maybe I'm wrong, so let's wait until next Christmas, shall we!

How does it look? 
The packaging is just so amazingly pretty, it feels like you're touching something so precious when you have it in your hands. I must say I was pretty disappointed by the size of it 'cause I was expecting something bigger. When you open it, you have a mirror on one side and the shadows on the other side. The shadows are quite small but they are so pigmented, the pigment makes up for it. The whole inside is in a rose gold or gold color, really pretty, while the outside are like a deep burgundy color with some gold details. It's so pretty! 

What does it do? 
There're 4 shadows: a light sparkling white/pink color, a deep fuchsia, a gold one, which is really just sparkles when you apply it on the eye, and a deeper fuchsia almost purple color. The palette is made to help you come up with the perfect look, it's the perfect kit of a pink/purple smoky eye. Each shadows have a specific number and a specific function for the makeup. 

The lightest color is to "prime", you apply it all over the eye lid and under the arch of the brows. It's very much like an highlighter. To open up the eyes you can apply it on the inner corner of the eyes as well. 



The second color, which is the first deep pink color, is to enhance. You apply it on the crease. I really like this color, it's really classy, and I used it with different looks and colors. The third color is the "Pop", it's the gold one. As I said, it just adds sparkles rather than a gold tone. I usually apply this shadow once I'm done with the other shadows. 


The fourth shadow, the deep deep deep pink almost burgundy color is the Smoke color. That's the one you really want to use for a more night-out look, or for more definition. I usually apply this one on the outer corner of my eyes in a V shape, and I bring it down to the lower corner of my eyes. 


It's a very "versatile" palette, if you can say that. What I mean is that you can do different looks with the same colors, it depends on how you apply the shadows, what lipstick you choose to wear with it, eyeliner etc. I used it for New Year's Eve and even though we weren't doing much, I really emphasized on the shadows for a more smoky and celebration look. However for day time, I like to keep it more "simple" or sophisticated, and I really believe this palette is perfect for this type of look. I love to wear it with a winged eyeliner, and a light pink lipstick, or as I did in the pictures, with just mascara with a deep red lipstick. I also like to mix the shadows with other shadows, it really depends on my mood. 


Final Thoughts
I just love it so much, I think it's the most precious makeup product I've ever owned. It just so pretty and amazing. As I say you can wear it in so many different ways, with so many different things. So it's small but it can do a lot. It's expensive, I'm not gonna lie, and you can find cheaper options to get the same look. But, the colors are so pretty, so pigmented, the packaging really reflects the quality and it just screams "high end". It's so complete, I mean if you go away on a little weekend getaway, you can just take this palette with mascara, foundation, concealer, blush, and lipstick, and whatever other products you use, and you're good to go for the weekend. It really offers options from day to night. You just need to be a little creative.


I love this palette so much I'm saving for getting maybe another one, and out of the 9 others palette from the Iconic look collection, I've got some choices. I hope you liked this post, let me know what you think of the palette. I may do different posts about this palette to show you different looks, let me know what you think. 

I'll see you soon, until then, you can follow me on Blog Lovin so you'll know exactly when my next posts are coming! 

Love,

Elsa. 

What Makeup I'm wearing:
Foundation: ColorStay from Revlon
Concealer: Accord Parfait from l'Oreal
Powder: Stay Matte from Rimmel
Brows: Brows Pencil from Maybelline
Blush: Hot Mama from the Balm
Bronzer: Maxi Delight Bronzer from Bourgeois
Highlighter: Mac Mineralize Powder 
Mascara: Audacious from Nars
Lipstick: Vera from Nars




20.1.16 Comments: 1
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