Getting Into The Christmas Spirit

Happy Saint Nicholas Day! In case you didn't know, today is the feast day of St. Nicholas, a 4th-century Christian bishop with a reputation for secret gift-giving such as slipping coins into the boots of the poor. Growing up in Poland, I used to put my winter booties out for Saint Mikolaj on the night of December 5th, hoping to find toys in them the next morning (and yes, I would still get my bigger presents on Christmas Eve - it's a win win, am I right?). So I guess this little coincidence now allows me to shamelessly talk about the holidays with you and share what's been on my mind lately.

Christmas is my favorite holiday, like it is for probably 98% of Christians. I have a special fondness for things associated with it, and I'm not really apologetic about it - there's so much hate and sadness in our world that I can't help but feel grateful for those little joys Christmas usually brings me. Twinkling lights. The smell of cold and winter in the air. Baking shortbread star cookies. The feel of fir and spruce branches in my hands. Even the gaudy decorations and glittery baubles. It's fun!

But this year, I'm not really feeling it *shrugs*. I believe it's a whole combination of feelings I've been experiencing lately, and I wish that maybe by naming, stripping them bare and sending them out in the world like itinerant snowflakes, I can get rid of some of my Holiday blues. Shall we try?

Regardless of those superficial moments of festive joy I've mentioned above, Christmas is the happiest time of the year for me because of my family. As some of you may know, me and my husband emigrated to North America over 6 years ago, and all of our family and most of our friends live in Poland. We go home for the holidays every year, and due to my husband's limited time off work and the cost of airfare it's the only time of the year we travel to Poland (although most years, we also see our immediate family when they visit us here in the US during summer months).

At any rate - I don't know about you guys, but my family is pretty high on my life's priority list. This combined with how rarely we get to see them makes Christmas extra special for me. And I'm not saying this year I'm not excited and looking forward to being with our loved ones - but I guess this year more than in the past I feel that our time together is just so limited. Unfortunately, parting doesn't get easier with practice, and every year when time comes to say goodbye for another six months or more, I'm simply heartbroken. I can't seem to be able to shake that feeling this past couple of weeks, and I don't want to think about our Christmas trip's end before it's even begun, but that's precisely what I'm doing.

Another big factor that's been adding to my Christmas ennui is, well... excess. You've surely noticed I've been talking quite a bit about minimalism on the blog this year, not because it's trendy but because many of its ideas are really resonating with me. For someone wishing to simplify their life, the Holiday season seems to be all about things that you must have and that you must do. Shopping for gifts, and shopping holiday sales. Buying the tree and tree trinkets, decorating the house. Christmas party obligations and associated stresses - hair, outfit, hostess gifts. Cooking and baking up a storm. That's a lot of things we may feel forced to do, without reflecting on their value in our lives.

I would say that compared to a standard American family (if such a mythical beast even exists), me and my husband have always been pretty minimalist when it comes to celebrating the season - partly because we can easily simplify as we're spending the holiday overseas. We don't put up a Christmas tree; it'd be a shame to have it go to waste when we're not home for two weeks. I don't decorate our home much, because we live in a small apartment and don't have the space for all the extra stuff. We usually go to one semi-formal holiday party, and we don't keep a large circle of friends we would feel obligated to entertain. I don't even send out holiday cards. I'm the beauty blogger who stole Christmas, am I not?

Yet even the small number of Christmas preparations give me very ambivalent feels. On one hand, I feel incredibly grateful to have the means to purchase nice gifts for everyone in my family. But on the other... I kinda wish we would skip the whole gift exchange. There's 12 people on my list, no kids. It has somehow transpired over the years that I always buy more than one gift for each person - more like two or three. That's at least 30 (?!) different things I'm having to carefully plan and research, purchase in advance, transport in my check-in luggage to Poland, wrap and place under the tree. It takes a lot of time, effort and energy - and money, of course. But what worries me the most is that in the end, I'm really not sure how useful or enjoyable these presents will be for my recipients. As for me, when it comes to surprise gifts, I've come to feel more apprehensive than excited when it's time to open the boxes under the tree, because I HATE receiving unwanted things and feeling ungrateful and wasteful as a result. And for the things that I've requested from my wishlist... I could just as well purchase them myself, couldn't I? It's really starting to feel like the whole gift thing isn't really worth it - for me.

Before you judge me as a bit extreme, I should tell you that I do believe it's okay to live a little during the holiday season. I think we should be feeling thrilled about Christmas indulgences, precisely because they're not strictly necessary. It's so much fun to experience things that are over and beyond - that's what makes them extra special, and we're all very priviledged to have that. Maybe it doesn't sound very minimalist to say that anticipating excess can make us happier, but, well, it's true - and I think that as long as we don't make ourselves feel completely overwhelmed and stressed out, it's all good.

So how am I attempting to fight the blues and get into that Christmas spirit? Well, now that I'm 95% done with buying gifts, I did decide to go ahead and purchase a few new clothing items for myself during Cyber Monday sales (I've never shopped Black Friday in store, but I did work retail on Black Friday one year, and it wasn't pretty). Some pieces will replace somewhat worn out staples (a few warm long-sleeved tops, a set of pjs), some are just for fun (a casual jersey dress) - and I'm looking forward to wearing them during the Holidays.

I'd also been contemplating the best way to inject a little bit of Christmas decor into our place, and I was inspired partly by my mom, partly by my fall-themed pumpkin centerpiece shown here, to put together this little arrangement for our living room window sill - it's my version of decorating the mantelpiece when you don't own a fireplace. I decorate our window with fairy lights every December, but this year I shopped around and purchased a bunch of these fir? or spruce? branches for a whopping sum of $2 at a nearby florist. Greenpoint, I tell you - and speaking Polish to Polish shopkeepers doesn't hurt either :) The branches smell absolutely incredible, and since they're just, well, branches, they can be easily composted at the end of the season without having to store another thing in the closet. I laid them out on our sill, added some baubles I had in my stash from that one year we did put up a tree, and voila! A touch of minimalist Holiday cheer.

Other things on my list include baking festive cookies, listening to Ella Fitzgerald's holiday album (well, okay, I'm also partial to some Buble), typing out emails to friends all over the world I usually have trouble keeping in touch with, gorging on tangerines and maybe even watching a seasonal movie or two (please leave your favorites in the comments below!). I also borrowed an easy Christmassy read from my local library - they always set up seasonal displays for kids, but I guess this time they were nice enough to put together a little corner for adults too. Christmas-time mystery seems to be a thing, and I like it. So... are you guys feeling the Christmas spirit already, or are you trying to fight the blues like me? What are you looking forward to the most during the season? I'd love to hear from you!

My Fall/ Winter 2015 Beauty and Fashion Wishlist

Okay, so now that I've discussed my love for shopping my stash, let's talk about actual shopping, right? I like sharing my wishlists around this time of the year (click for my 2014 wishlist) for two main reasons: Sephora VIB sale and uhm, I'm sorry but I have to say this, Christmas shopping. Don't shoot the messenger!

However, this year, I'm having a pretty difficult time finding things I actually want ON the wishlist; at this point in my purchasing habits, it's in fact more of a long-term shopping list, and since starting my beauty and fashion low-buys at the beginning of this year (oh, have I not mentioned that last bit? It wasn't really anything official, except that I think I just made it official by telling you guys...), I find myself incredibly selective with anything I want to bring into my possession. Let's overanalyze together:

1. Surratt Artistique Cheek Brush ($115 at Sephora or Barney's)
I've actually been lusting after this cute pom-pom shaped grey squirrel beauty from the moment I laid my eyes on it late last year at Barney's (read my thoughts on the Surratt brush launch here). This is the only thing I'm planning to purchase during the upcoming Sephora sale; the discount, together with a giftcard I've had squirrelled away for months, makes the high price tag a bit more palatable. I think it will be a nice investment piece for my make-up brush collection: soft, beautiful, high quality AND versatile.

2. Clinique Cheek Pop Blush in Pansy Pop ($22 for 0.12 oz)
I've also been itching to try a lavender hue on my cheeks for months; I purchased the shade Pink Pop during the Sephora sale in April, but returned it upon finding out I had at least two very similar shades in my stash already. I really enjoyed the formula though and the compact size of this blush, and I'm hoping Pansy Pop will be more of a unique shade in my collection.

3. Bodetko Lash Serum (149 PLN for 3ml)
A good lash growing serum is now a staple in my beauty routine, and one of those products that I think can make the biggest difference to one's eye make-up. You guys often compliment my lashes in face shots (THANK YOU!) and want to know what mascaras I'm using, but honestly, the fullness and length of my lashes is all down to the regular use of a lash serum. My tube of discontinued LiLash (review here) is almost done, and I've been hearing great things about Bodetko Lash on Polish YouTube, so I asked Santa for this one.

4. LUSH Bubble Bars (Dorothy in the photo, $7.50 for 120g)
Yes, LUSH bath products are terribly overpriced and yes, they're not very good for your skin either. I have said before how I wasn't going to purchase from LUSH anymore and I actually haven't bought anything in about a year and a half, but here's the deal: I miss their Bubble Bars. I LIKE the completely over the top scents and fun things they do with your bath water, okay? I'm still not going to shop for them regularly, but if I can ask for them for Christmas as a little treat, then I don't see why I shouldn't. SO THERE.

5. Buxom Pout Out Loud Lip Set ($19 for 3 x 0.07 oz at Sephora)
I've been waffling over this one for weeks now, because I know I don't need it. HOWEVER. Buxom's Full On lipgloss formula is one of my absolute favorites, and I like how this set comes with one cream finish in a neutral shade (Toddy) and one shimmer finish in a deeper wine (Gabby). I've already used up one of these mini Buxom glosses completely, so I know I can do it before they fall to the back of my drawer and expire. They also included a mini of their new Bold Gel Lipstick in an everyday mauve shade, which also seems like something I would use. Sooo... yeah, I still don't know. I may get it in December with Sephora's $20 off coupon/ gift card thingy, but if it sells out before, then I guess it wasn't meant to be - I may just get a full size of a Lip Cream instead.

6. Anastasia Beverly Hills Illuminator in Starlight ($28 for 0.32 oz)
Now this is something I know I'm going to get plenty of use from. This year has been all about highlighters for me, a product previously ignored in my everyday make-up routine. I currently own two powder highlighters, one warmer champagne (Laura Mercier Baked Highlight, reviewed here) and one silvery pink (Makeup Revolution in Radiant Lights, here), so I think this neutral white pearl would be a good one to add to the mix, and obviously pale enough to suit my fair skintone. I've also been very curious about those powder 'gelee' formulas, which allegedly the Illuminators are as well. I'm currently just waiting to see if Anastasia will do some sort of a deal around Black Friday, but even if they don't, I'll still buy Starlight.

7. Pencil Skirt in a wine/ burgundy shade
Shopping online for a skirt in a merlot/ oxblood shade of red has reminded me why abstaining from shopping altogether is such a neat idea for me personally. Here's how this whole absurd story started: after purging my closet and assessing my fall and winter outfit combos, I decided it would be nice to have another thicker weight skirt, preferrably in a wine color to suit my color palette and go with the rest of my wardrobe. I then spent 15 minutes online looking at skirts, realized the pencil variety must be en vogue at the moment, and promptly purchased one that seemed alright and wasn't too expensive.

When it arrived a couple days later, it turned out that the size was all wrong, but more importantly, I realized that my purchase was not exactly fulfilling some clothes buying guidelines I've tried to set for myself. It was just a cheap, poor quality, fast fashion type of piece I would previously wear for a season and discard. No, this time, I wanted something classic, durable, and versatile. So I sent that one back, and went online again, spending somewhere close to two hours browsing all manners of burgundy red skirts I could find. At this point, I started feeling mad at myself for wasting so much time on that stupid skirt and for yet again trying to find that perfect unicorn item of clothing that would solve all my dressing woes and maybe also make me dinner and rub my feet, and goddammit, I didn't even want it anymore.

And then I felt ridiculous for having spent so much time on researching skirts without any outcome, so in the end, I ordered this Long Knit Pencil Skirt in Royal Red from The Loft when they were having a sale. It was just delivered yesterday, and I *think* I like it. But I'm not sure anymore, having second-guessed myself so much and dispensed all that energy and time on my burgundy skirt dilemma. The Loft skirt is a very nice thick jersey, well made and flattering on. But will the midi length still be fashionable next year, or is it just a fad? See? I really don't know anymore. Please tell me I'm not crazy.

8. Powder Blue Infinity Scarf
Pale blue is another shade in my color palette, and even though I have plenty of scarves, I thought a solid one in that hue would compliment my outifts and tie them together nicely for added interest. I much prefer circle/ infinity design because it's more comfortable to wear (no loose ends falling down or getting twisted and untucked), and just this morning I pulled the trigger on a pretty jersey number from Etsy - I love jersey scarves, so soft and easy to throw on. And by the way, speaking of wardrobe color palettes, would you guys be interested in a post discussing that in more detail? Because I'm considering doing some fashion posts. Yes, really.

And that's it! I'm still struggling with more ideas for Christmas gifts I could suggest to the family; while I do come up with things I would like to buy myself after careful research, I find it much more difficult to give pointers to my loved ones, especially that they're in Poland and thus have access to different stores and merchandise than we do here in the States. Do you guys exchange wishlists with your friends and family, or is it all a total surprise? I used to be firmly in the surprise camp, but after agonizing over things to buy for other people and having received some pressies in the past that were not the best fit, I'm definitely leaning towards wishlists these days. So... what's on your wishlist? I'd love to know... and possibly steal your idea :)

Color Of the Year: Marsala Inspired Face Of the Day

Well, TWO Faces of Two Days, to be specific. I have to admit that neither of these looks turned out exactly how I imagined them to be in my head, but it's not necessarily a bad thing - you know, sometimes it's fun to enjoy the journey too, not just the destination. But without further ado, here are the looks I created using my Marsala product picks from the previous post:

To get the boring stuff out of the way, the staple products I used in both looks were the same: Dr Brandt Pores No More face primer, Face Atelier Ultra Foundation in Porcelain set with MUFE loose HD Powder, NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Chantilly, Annabelle So Foxy brown eyeshadow set with Benefit Gimme Brow Light/Medium through the brows, NARS Pro Prime Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Primer, Tarte Lights, Camera, Flashes mascara in Black, NYX Powder Blush in Taupe to contour.

For the first look, I used the Inglot Eyeshadow Trio with a mustard yellow and rusty brown, and lined my upper and lower waterline with Pixi Endless Silky Eye Pen in CopperGlow. I also smudged some of that red burgundy shade from the Sleek Storm palette under the lower lashline. Lessons learnt while working with red tones on the eyes: you absolutely need to conceal all of undereye purpleness and veins, and defined lashline and lashes to set off all the red are a must as well. On the cheeks, I used Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Highlight and bareMinerals READY blush in The One, because I thought it complimented Bite Beauty High Pigment Lip Pencil in Rhubarb rather nicely. I actually loved Rhubarb the most out of this look - I will definitely be reaching for this shade more often from now on.

The second look was a bit of a fail because I wanted to showcase Fyrinnae eyeshadow in Purgatory. However, it absolutely refused to layer over a black liquid eyeliner I used (actually, that liner - LORAC Front of the Line PRO - also refused to layer over itself... not fun to work with), so I cheated by substituting Purgatory with Chanel Illusion d'Ombre in New Moon, which has microglitters in copper and plum tones. The cheeks are Laura Geller Blush-n-Brighten in Boysenberry and the lips are Maybelline Color Sensational in Plum Perfect.

Tell me, have you been incorporating marsala shades into your make-up routine? Do you prefer to use these earthy red tones on your eyes, cheeks or lips?

On My Skincare Shelf: Current Routine and Favorites

Our tiny Manhattan bathroom has minimal storage, so we make as much use as we can out of our medicine cabinet, also known as Monika's Secret Skincare Stash (our family was beyond surprised to learn there's stuff hidden behind the mirror, lol - there's no such thing as medicine cabinets in Poland, folks!). I thought it'd be fun to share what I'm reaching for skincare-wise these days; there's a lot of products to get through so this is more of a show-and-tell than mini-reviews, but I've linked previous reviews where possible and if you have specific questions, just let me know in the comments. Alrighty then!

Are you surprised that my stuff occupies three out of four shelves in the medicine cabinet? I'm not showing you Mr's shelf because really, unused colognes and beard scissors aren't that exciting. I've also skipped a couple haircare products on the bottom shelf for the sake of brevity. Sorry these photos are all at an angle and thus in various stages of out-of-focus-ness; kinda hard to take shots of a mirrored cabinet without putting yourself in the frame. Anyway, let's work our way from the bottom to the top:

The bottom has some random things like cotton squares, my deodorant, contant lens case and a cup with q-tips, nail scissors, Tweezerman tweezers, spot treatments (Aesop Control and Paula's Choice BHA 9) and LiLash. Next to that from right to left, I have some more treatment skincare that I reach for a couple times a week rather than every day: Dr. Wu Intensive Renewal Mandelic Acid I use once a week at night, TATCHA Gold Camellia Beauty Oil* I sometimes layer under my night cream for added moisture, and Coral Actives 5% Benzoyl Peroxide serum for spots again. Also, an Epic Blend More Moisture Unflavored Lip Balm* - still really liking their balms!

On the middle shelf resides the bulk of my everyday skincare routine. I line it up sort of in the order of usage from left to right, starting with cleansing and toning products on the left. For my morning cleanse, I use the MyChelle Apple Brightening Cleanser, and for the evening cleanse, the Emma Hardie Amazing Face Moringa Cleansing Balm, preceded by the Avene Micellar Lotion if I'm wearing make-up that day. For acid toning, I use the First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads in the morning, the Peter Thomas Roth Un-Wrinkle Peel Pads in the evening and always follow both with a spritz of rose hydrosol, here decanted into a clear spray bottle.

I pat in my eye cream right after toning my face and before serums and moisturizers: right now I'm using the ever so popular Kiehl's Avocado Eye Treatment. At night, I like to go for a more targeted serum and apply Murad's Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lighening Serum, and in the morning, the more hydrating and soothing Jurlique Herbal Recovery Advanced Serum*; although I do find now that it tends to roll under my moisturizers. You probably know all about my thoughts on the Andalou Naturals Probiotic + C Renewal Cream if you've read my previous post, but if I need some added SPF protection, I've just started using the Canmake Easy & Fast Make Gel (sic), which is basically a moisturizer, sunscreen and make-up primer all in one.

I tend to keep things I only use occasionally on the very top shelf, like my collection of Aura Cacia essential oils, which I sometimes use in my bath or in DIY skincare, but mostly in a little oil burner for scenting our apartment. My favorites are Cardamom, Vetiver, Bergamot and Ylang-ylang, and for some reason, the Jasmine Absolute in jojoba oil turned out to be a complete let-down.

On the right of that same shelf I store my scrubs and masks. I only use a physical scrub about once a week, and I try to do my masks about twice a week - I'll often scrub first and then apply a clay mask or a moisturizing one for better performance. The two scrubs I'm rotating are the Reviva Microdermabrasion Pomegranate Scrub and Andalou Naturals Lemon Sugar Facial Scrub. For clay masks, I use either the Andalou Naturals Blue Geranium Creamy Clay Mask or a Ghassoul clay mask with rose oil my parents brought me from their trip to Morocco. I also still love the Dermalogica Gentle Cream Exfoliant and like to use it before applying the Dr. Wu Mandelic Acid serum, and when my skin is feeling dehydrated, I reach for the Avene Soothing Moisture Mask; unfortunately both of these are almost used up, so I'm on the lookout for some new replacements.

And there you have it! Pretty excessive, huh? My mum just recently told me she only washes her face at night and often doesn't apply even a moisturizer, much less two types of toners, serums, treatments and all that jazz. Is your medicine cabinet as filled with skincare as mine? Does your routine tend to be short and sweet or long and elaborate?

Disclaimer: Products marked with an asterix (*) are press samples I received from the brands' PRs for review consideration. I purchased all the other products myself, or they were a kind gift from friends/family or a Gift With Purchase. All links are non-affiliate. All opinions are 100% honest and unbiased, no matter if the products featured were purchased with my own monies or provided as free press samples. Clearly, this post shows exactly what I am using myself in my everyday skincare routine, which means I like all of these products enough to keep reaching for them. Thank you for reading!

Jewel Tones and Metallics: Holiday Glamour Make-up Look

Since I always complain how boring my everyday looks are, why not have some fun at least for the Holidays? I haven't done a true smokey eyes in so long that I thought it fitting to return to this true make-up classic and put a glamorous Holiday spin on it with rich jewel shades and sparkling metallics. It's a good look to try if you prefer to play up your eyes rather than your lips, or have a long night of eating and drinking and would rather not risk a Christmassy red lip. Here's how I did it:

I'm not sure how much you can tell from the photos but the eyes are very heavy in this look; in fact, I don't remember the last time I wore this much make-up on my eyeballs. Because the eyes are so dramatic, I've kept my cheeks and lips more on the neutral mauvey side, but made sure to carefully define and fill in my brows to balance and frame the bold eyes.

And yes, this is a pretty literal interpretation of the Holiday color theme: a burgundy matte in the crease and a shimmery emerald green along the lower lashline, with a an antique gold metallic taupe on the mobile lid and in the inner corners. I've also used a matte midtone neutral brown to transition the burgundy in the crease, and a matte cream shade under the browbone to help tie the whole look together. I lined my upper lashline with a black eyeliner pen, extending it out only a little bit at the outer corner, tightlined with a black pencil liner, and applied a dark teal in the bottom waterline.

This bold eye look wouldn't be complete without a pair of false lashes, and I chose a pair of Esqido Mink Lashes in the 'Oh So Sweet' style*. This is my second pair of Esqido's beautiful, fluttery falsies and I have to say that Oh So Sweets blend in with my natural lashes even better than the Unforgettable pair, reviewed here. I still struggle a bit with properly applying these in the inner corners of my eyes, but I think we're getting there. The Esqido Oh So Sweet give just the right amount of drama and definition to the look without overwhelming my eyes - and you can now get them for 20% off, AND there's a 12-days giveaway going on until December 12th too! If you're not sure which style would suit you, Esqido just came out with an interactive Holiday Lash Guide to help you choose the perfect pair to suit your look and eye shape. It's a lot of fun to try out and actually, the Oh So Sweet pair turned out to be my match!

Here's the product breakdown with reviews linked where possible, in case you're curious:
Base: Face Atelier Ultra Foundation in Porcelain, Bobbi Brown Corrector in Porcelain Bisque under the eyes, NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Chantilly on spots and scars, MUFE HD loose powder to set
Cheeks: Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil bronzer for a very light contour, NARS blush in Sin on the apples and blended back into the hairline, Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Luminous Light to highlight
Brows: Shu Uemura Hard Formula 9 eyebrow pencil in Seal Brown, Benefit Gimme Brow fiber gel in Light/Medium
Eyes: NARS Pro Prime Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base, antique taupe from the L'Oreal HiP Duo in Electrified on the lid and inner corner, theBalm 'Sexy' matte burgundy shade from the Nude'Tude palette, a matte light brown from the Physicians Formula Canyon Classics quad to blend out, Too Faced Heaven matte cream eyeshadow on the browbone (from the Natural Eye palette), Inglot no. 414 Pearl emerald green eyeshadow along the lower lashline;
Physicians Formula Eye Booster thick eyeliner pen in Black, Pixi Endless Silky Eyeliner in Black Noir to tightline, Sephora Contour Waterproof Liner in Surfer Babe on the lower waterline, YSL Faux Cils mascara, Esqido 'Oh So Sweet' Mink Lashes*
Lips: TATCHA Gold Camellia Nourishing Lip Balm*, Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in Warm Me Up, patted in along the lip lines

I hope this gives you some inspiration for the upcoming season of parties and family gatherings; I'm defnitely going to do something similar for our Christmas Eve dinner or maybe Christmas Day! Do you plan your Holiday party looks in advance? What are you intending to wear this year?

Disclaimer: Products marked with an asterix (*) are press samples I received from the brands for review consideration. All links are non-affiliate. All opinions are 100% honest and unbiased, no matter if the products featured were purchased with my own monies or provided as free press samples. Thank you for reading!

January Beauty Detox

Ugh, January blues are striking yet again; I'm sure that after Christmas holidays, I'm not the only one who feels a little nostalgic for all the festive fun we'd had. Well, sad, but also quite overindulged, be it from all the delicious but not too healthy food I've had, or just from burying myself under a woolly blanket for the better part of December.
Generally speaking, December and January also tend to be the most difficult months for my skin and hair; it's probably part travelling, part stressing, part frigid weather + heated rooms. Here's a little edit of detoxifying products I've been reaching for to remedy spots and dehydration.

Starting with some 100% natural beauty products: there are very few things better than bentonite clay and Manuka honey, in combination or separately. I've reviewed this Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay before, so let me just say that I still do use it - sometimes on larger areas, more often just as a spot treatment. I like mixing it with equal parts apple cider and water, and sometimes I add in extras like honey, natural base oils or a drop of an essential oil. Also, if you dislike the pulsating, tightening effect of the product (which does tend to lead to some redness afterwards), just keep misting it with a toner/ water spray so that it doesn't set on your face. I usually alternate the clay with my Manuka honey to avoid excessive dryness - it's great on spots but also dry, cracked lips.

Cleansing is probably the essential part of a successful skin detox, and currently I'm using the Elemental Herbology Purify & Soothe cleansing balm, reviewed here. I feel that this helps to both get rid of every last trace of make-up and sebum but also nourishes the skin at the same time. The massaging action really helps to get the circulation going and effectively buffs away little flakes of dry skin. To further quench my poor abused skin, I like using the Avene Thermal Water spray; one tip to get the most out of this product would be to avoid letting it dry completely on your skin - I like to seal in the moisture by using a moisturizer or an oil when my face is still damp. On mask days when I don't feel like whipping out my whole powder clay mixing kit, I go for Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal mask.

Lastly, little miscellanous beauty bits: my hair tends to get overloaded with product easily, especially when I'm traveling, resulting in limp, oily strands. Every 2-3 weeks, I switch out my regular shampoo for MoroccanOil Clarifying Shampoo to get rid of the build-up and add a boost of volume. If you're looking for a good clarifier, I can safely recommend this one: it's color-safe (no sulfates) and less stripping than regular purifying shampoos as it contains a little bit of argan oil, but still very effective. I'm also currently giving my nails a bit of a break from constant manicures (no A Month in Nail Polish post this January!), and I'll be strengthening with my trusty bottle of original OPI Nail Envy. Lastly, my lips also deserve some much needed pampering, and I've been reaching for the fresh Sugar Lip Treatment SPF15 the most - it's really fantastic, if a bit (a lot!) overpriced.

Are you on a beauty detox right now as well? What is your detoxifying routine?

A Month in Nail Polish: November & December

Merry Christmas Eve to all of you, my dears! As an intermission to all your festive preparations, I have some nail p0rn for you. November & December were another two months of nail care laziness chez Rocaille Writes; I think the fact that nail polish wears so well on my nails is both a blessing and a curse, as I get to be rather forgetful about my manicures without having to endure terrible chips and broken nails.

Turn It Around is the first Rescue Beauty Lounge nail polish I've ever tried, and I was quite smitten with this khaki green full of fiery copper flecks; it rather reminded me of turning leaves and thus was a perfect fall nail shade. This is two coats but I think the color would benefit from three; again, I'm too lazy for that. It wore well for at least a week without any chips and just minor tip wear.

At Halloween, I took advantage of Zoya's promo and bought 2 polishes for the price of one with free shipping. I chose Payton (pictured) and Mosheen (swatches to come) from their new Winter collection. Zoya Payton is a gorgeous deep grape jelly with holographic glitter. This is two coats again; sorry for the uneven ring around my cuticles, but I think my bottle of Essie top coat has a tendency to shrink now.

December brought with it some obligatory holiday parties, and I decided to go all out red sparkles with Orly Star Spangled, pretty much an identical dupe to China Glaze Ruby Slippers. To shake things up a bit, I've kept my nails longer, and accented my ring finger with China Glaze Mrs. Claus silver and pink glitter topper. I couldn't stop staring at my shimmery ruby talons!

For my flight back home, I settled on a slightly more neutral, but nonetheless festive manicure with OPI Don't Burst My Bubble pale pink jelly for the base color, topped with OPI Ski Slope Sweetie opalescent pale white gold. The latter is a very difficult polish to capture on camera (which is why you get two photos in slightly different lighting), and it can also look very different on top of various shades, but I wanted the softness of pale pink underneath to compliment the shifting colors of gold, orange, fuschia and lime shimmers.

I like travelling with more neutral colors on my nails, because even though it's now been one week since the application, there are absolutely no chips and you can barely see any tip wear! Speaking of travels, thank you all kindly for your good wishes; I got home safely but not without some delays at the airport - New York was so snowy on the day of my departure! But I'm here, properly spoilt with delicious food and comfy blankets by my parents, and happily snapping away on my camera so that I'd be able to bring a little piece of Poland to you as well, as requested. Sending lots of love your way, and... Merry Christmas!

Christmas Bath Treats with Neom, Haus of Gloi and Hugo Naturals!

Just four sleeps till Christmas for me! For all my non-Polish readers out there, we Poles start celebrating one day early, on Christmas Eve, first with a fast until the first star shines bright in the sky, and then with a feast of 12 dishes. Christmas is not quite here yet but we're sure already preparing for it; my infallible mum is cooking (and baking!) up a storm in kitchen, my dad is braving the cold and the heights to decorate the house, and I'm wrapping all those presents and trying to be a good helper to everyone else.

But, after a good work's day, I like to relax with a cup of tea next to the fireplace, and then tiptoe upstairs for a warm, relaxing bath. This year I somehow managed to accumulate quite a few Christmassy bath treats, and I wanted to show you what I'm using in case you needed a last minute gift inspiration or just wanted to pick up something for yourself.

While I was purchasing a Christmas set of Neom Organics candles for a hostess gift, I spotted this mini set of three Neom's bath oils called Three Nights of Peace ($17 for 3 x 5ml on beautyhabit.com). I've actually never tried anything from the brand and also haven't tried very many bath oils (bubbles are usually my jazz), so I didn't hesitate long to plop it in my basket. The box is beautifully made with a thick, textured paper, and the mini bottles are frosted glass, which adds to the lovely presentation. 

The set comes with the scents Complete Bliss (Moroccan Blush Rose), Real Luxury (Lavender, Jasmine, Brazilian Rosewood) and Tranquility (English Lavender, Sweet Basil and Jasmine). So far I've tried Tranquility, which was calming, slightly herbaceous and very spa-like, and Real Luxury, which was warm, sensual and yes, luxurious. I only used about 1/4 of a bottle per bath (because I'm a cheapskate) but I find that even this small amount was enough to impart a beautiful scent and give the bath water some moisturizing properties. Big thumbs up from me; oh, and the little vials are also perfect for travel!

Speaking of travel-friendliness, these adorable Butter Bombs from Haus of Gloi ($2.50 for 1 oz each) would be great to take with you too; I sure packed one... or more in my suitcase! Doesn't the canvas baggie they came in look like a miniature Santa's sack? Anyway, these little scoops are meant to be both fragrant and moisturizing with cocoa and mango butter. They have a much softer, crumblier texture than regular bath fizzies (compared to LUSH, they remind me more of bubble bars than bath bombs) and turn the water slightly milky and foamy.

 

You can see here that Butter Bombs really do look like little scoops of ice cream! Gingerbread, which is the first scent I tried, is absolutely amazing: rich, spicy sweet, decadent. Again, because I'm cheap, I only crumbled about 1/3 into my bath, which gave off a lot scent, a bit of moisture but no slip in the tub. Next time you order your Pumpkin Butters from Haus, do give these a try as well!

Lastly, as if one marzipan scent from Haus of Gloi couldn't be enough for me, I also picked up this Fizzy Bath Cupcake from Hugo & Debra Naturals ($4.99 for 6 oz) at my local Whole Foods. I've only tried Hugo's bath salts previously and I heard these bath fizzies are really good, so I had a good look at their Christmas offerings (I believe there are two other scents available, Cranberry Pomegranate and Vanilla Peppermint) and came up with the Marzipan scent. Unfortunately, this cutesy cupcake is the black sheep of this post; I really was not impressed with the product. Once out of the protective plastic film, it immediately crumbled into loose chunks, and even when I just about put my nose in the product, I couldn't smell more than a faint, sugary scent with a trace of almond. It did turn my bath water a cheery pink though...

I do feel spoilt rotten with all these bath treats; but that's what the Holiday season is all about, isn't it? Do you take more baths in the winter? What are your favorite bath products?

Wonder Winter Berry: Clinique Chubby Stick Intense in Grandest Grape

Chubby sticks attack again! Well, truth be told, November has turned out to be quite a 'stick month' here on Rocaille Writes. What can I say - make-up pencils and crayons make me feel more like an artist... that, and they're difficult to mess up. Anyway, let's take a look at my new wonderful berry (or is it grapey?) lip color: Clinique Chubby Stick Intense Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm in Grandest Grape ($17 for 0.10 oz/ 3 g).

Standard Clinique stick packaging - not much to say here. Did I ever mention how much I like Cinique make-up boxes? I have a particularly hard time parting with these, not sure why. I would quite like to own a shirt with that print... or even better, a dress.

The Chubby Stick Intense Colour Balms are the amped-up version of the regular Chubby Sticks; they pack more color in the same lightweight, hydrating formula. Personally, I think these have a perfect balance of pigmentation and softer texture: while pigmented, they don't appear too heavy on the lips and can also be sheered down if needed, and while moisturizing, these are not so slick and glossy as to immediately slide off the lips; for a balm-type formula, they're reasonably long-lasting. I feel this is particularly noteworthy in case of a statement color like this here Grandest Grape.

The shade Grandest Grape isn't by far the darkest berry in my arsenal, which in my book makes it more versatile and appropriate for both day and night time. It's quite similar to the Revlon Balm Stain in Crush (more swatches here), although it has more of a vibrant pink tone as opposed to a warmer rosey hue. This type of bold, clear berry tone lip color is one of my absolute favorite shades to wear on my pale, cool skintone, although I also can't say no to the vampier burgundy shades like Lancome Color Design lipstick in Wine Party.

L-R in both photos: Clinique Chubby Stick Intense in Grandest Grape, Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Crush, MAC Frost Lipstick in Viva Glam IV, Lancome Color Design Lipstick in Wine Party

In this going-out look, I decided to go with an overall cool-toned look: bold violet/lavender shade on the lid (Lancome Color Design Infinite 24H Eye Shadow in Evermore Lilac), blended out with a slightly warmer brown shade in the crease, medium pink blush (sorry, my camera ate it; it was Accessorize Merged Blusher in Diva) and, of course, Clinique Chubby Stick Intense on the lips, applied quite full-on. In this lighting, my hair appears to have a lot of copper tones, making this face & hair combo wonderfully clashy.

Have you tried the Clinique Chubby Stick Intense Colour Balms? Or maybe you picked up a beautiful berry shade for this winter season in a different formula? Let me know in the comments, I love reading your recommendations!

Winter Skin Saviours

Winter...?! But Monika, it's only November! I know - it's getting cold out there though, and we should come prepared for the frosty bite of northern winds, armed with serums, creams and balms. Even my oily/combination skin has been rebelling against the changing seasons by withholding its usually generous sebum production, and I have observed some dreadful flakes appearing out of nowhere (and they're not always flakes from the croissant I just ate. Only sometimes).

My everyday line of defense is to up the amp with my serum, and recently I've been using Jurlique Herbal Recovery Advanced Serum* ($54 for 30ml/$150 for 100ml), which promises to help restore skin's radiance, improve dehydration, minimize fine lines and help protect skin from environmental aggressors, all with the help of proprietary Naturaradiance PB18+ complex. I don't entirely grasp what all that is, but I can tell you that a quick scan of the ingredients' list reveals a couple old favorites: glycerine and squalane to help hydrate, niacinamide to brighten and smooth, and some lovely plant oils to soothe and protect: safflower, evening primrose and rosa canina. This light serum/gel sinks in momentarily, leaving behind no residue, just a beautiful wild rose scent - for me, the fragrance evokes memories of my Polish homeland, where petals are collected from the dog rose shrubs and then made into the most delicious and fragrant jam. But, back to the serum: it hydrates effectively, helps to even out my skintone, and its Persian Silk Extract helps to guard your face against the elements. What's not to love?

Speaking of plant oils, Clarins Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil ($50 for 30ml) is a long-standing favorite (click here for a review in my Dehydrated Skin edit). I'd put it away for the warmer months, replacing it with a lighter moisturizer, but now it's back, and oh, I missed it. It has to be said that my skin doesn't entirely absorb it; a fine layer seems to blanket it overnight, but in the morning that's gone, leaving me with supple, soft, soothed skin, ready to face the day - and the cold. I've never observed it aggravating any spots or clogging my skin; if anything, it helps to soothe the red, painful, hormonal bumps I get along my jawline.

Every other day, when I'm feeling fancy, I layer Murad Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum with 2% Hydroquinone ($60 for 30ml; I have a sample here) under the Jurlique Herbal Recovery serum. Fall and winter are a good time to fight hyperpigmentation, and while I don't really have age spots yet, I do have a lot pigmented scars left over from another cystic acne comeback I experienced for most of this year. I encourage you to do your own research on hydroquinone, but regardless of safety concerns, I can tell you it works - I pat it concentrating on the areas where my scars are the darkest, and they've become significantly lighter in the space of 6 weeks when I've been using the Murad gel; the results are faster and more noticeable than using Vitamin C products for me.

Now, when all of these standard measures fail, I bring out the big guns: Eau Thermale Avène Cicalfate ($23 for 40ml/ 1.4 fl oz), a thick, oily repair cream I've previously called Band-Aid in a tube (click here for a full review). With its heftly dose of thermal spring water, mineral oil and zinc (oxide and sulfate), it sits on the skin to help strenghten the lipid barrier and lock in the moisture. I'm not a huge fan of mineral oil or greasiness, but as someone who hails from the Arctic (uhm, ok, Eastern Europe - we get bad winters though!), I'm aware that temperatures below freezing require greasy moisture rather than lightweight hydration. Cicalfate also doubles as my rescue cream when I overdo it on the exfoliation front.

Lastly, so far I haven't found a better lip balm for shrivelled, desiccated lips - the Nuxe Rêve de Miel Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm ($19 for 15g, available at nuxe.com) is my bedside table standby. I don't find it smells particularly of honey, more like satsuma orange peel, but it protects the lips effectively with a smooth layer of moisture that feels curiously matte and waxy. I like how long-lasting it is too; in the morning, there's still a bit left on my lips, and they're soft and happy.

I hope you enjoyed this little peak into my winter skincare essentials. Do you change up your skincare routine in the colder months? What are your must-haves for keeping your skin hydrated and protected?

Disclaimer: The product marked with (*)is a press sample I received from Jurlique PR for review consideration free of charge. All other products featured I purchased myself. All opinions are 100% honest and unbiased, no matter if the products featured were purchased with my own monies or provided as a free press sample. All links are non-affiliate and simply provided for your convenience. Thank you for reading!

NYC Update & OPI Fall and Holiday 2013 Haul

Hullo, long time no see! I'm really sorry about the posting hiatus, lovelies - I had every intention (meaning, product shots taken, uploaded and ready to be edited) to update the blog, but you know... life gets in the way, as it would. The main obstacle, as you might know from Twitter, is that the screen on my blogging laptop has been damaged when flying into NYC; the lesson learnt is that when the airline tries to take your carry-on bag at the gate to throw in with the rest of checked-in luggage, you should pout, cry, and stomp your feet until they let you keep it (that, or just take the damn laptop out...). The result is that it'll still take a while to repair my ailing Dell with all the saved photos, and we shall try and make do in the meantime.

Other than this minor unpleasantness, we're all settled in and unpacked now, and tentatively exploring the neighborhood (yes! walking distance to Whole Foods AND Stumptown Coffee Roasters! It feels like West Coast already :) My brother just flew in yesterday from Warsaw and he's keeping us company so that we don't miss Pacific Northwest too terribly.

In more beauty-related news, I couldn't stop myself from picking up a couple Fall/Winter nail polish shades before I left Bellevue. OPI has come out with some gorgeous autumnal shades in their San Francisco collection, and after careful deliberation, I chose Muir Muir on the Wall and Lost on Lombard. I'm wearing the latter on my nails right now and it's so gorgeous - deep red with some slight brown undertones, but not as warm as to clash with my pinkish skin.

Just a couple days before my last day on the job, we received a shipment with OPI Mariah Carey Holiday 2013 collection; although it feels crazy to be talking about the holidays already, I was glad to get my hands on two wintery colors: Ski Slope Sweetie and Kiss Me at Midnight, a second Liquid Sand texture polish in my personal collection. I haven't worn either yet, but some in-store swatching proved that Ski Slope Sweetie looks ah-mazing over white, and Kiss Me at Midnight... well, on its own - you know my weakness for blue nail polish; it's a bit more purple-y and periwinkle-y than in the photos.

I hope you're all doing well and enjoying some beautiful fall weather; we've been very lucky here in New York so far, it doesn't even feel like it's October yet. I've missed talking to you, dears! Let me know in the comments if you have any questions or post requests, since I've been so MIA for the past month. Hugs!

Christmas in July: bareMinerals The Finer Things Eyeshadow Palette

So, this is not the 'Christmas in July' post that features beauty brands' mid-summer preview of their holiday offerings as presented to the press... This is the Christmas in July where I, in fact, show you a pick from last year's Christmas (quelle horreur!) because, well, it's lovely and I purchased it at a great price - how does that sound?

The objet in question is bareMinerals The Finer Things Eyeshadow Palette, (LE Christmas 2012, currently unavailable but I ordered mine from beauty.com for $25 reduced from $40). Truth is, I had some money stashed away in store credit and I was looking to spend it on a new eye palette to satisfy my usual palette cravings (cause I hadn't gotten a palette thus far this year!) and was almost convinced to get the LORAC Pro. But... I looked at the swatches, thought about it, looked at my stash of predominantly neutral shadows... and bareMinerals The Finer Things just called my name.

The palette features 8 mineral-based eyeshadows with a variety of finishes, housed in a very simple silver case (minimalist aesthetic aside, it's an absolute fingerprint magnet) with eyeshadow names on the back, as with other bareMinerals READY eyeshadows. I own only one more bareMinerals READY product, which is the Truth quad from the permanent line (click!) so I already knew that the formulation of these eyeshadows is an absolute dream: creamy, smooth, pigmented, long-lasting with minimal fallout. And this palette is definitely on par with the quality I came to expect.

In terms of the shades themselves, I'm happy that I decided to purchase The Finer Things over LORAC Pro, because I would view the bareMinerals selection as 'neutrals with a twist' as opposed to more classic neutral shades. Left to right, we have Penthouse, a matte black with bigger silver shimmers, Custom Made, a pinkish champagne with a pearl finish, Cadeau, a medium satin grey with a violet twinge, Truffle, a warm metallic bronze, First Class, a unique antique gold/ platinum with a pearl finish, Upgrade, a medium purpley taupe (flail!), Five Star, a pigmented matte white, and finally Private Isle, a satin navy with a hint of purple. By the way, I find all the shade names adorable and very much in line with the feel of the palette; I might be silly but it really does evoke a sense of effortless luxury to me.

The palette also came with a double-ended brush (actually, not too bad at all!), a deluxe sample of Prime Time eyeshadow primer that I might include in some eye primer round-up some time in the future, and a little leaflet with diagrams showing eye look ideas, which I'm planning on actually trying out as some color combinations are not what I would usually go for - I'll probably try to cull those looks into a semi-presentable post in the next week or so.

All in all, I'm very excited about my bargain find and can't wait to try more looks with these shades; I'm especially looking forward to trying out the gorgeous grey of Cadeau and using the navy Private Isle as a color accent. Have you ever scored a great beauty find in the post Christmas sales? What are your favorite bareMinerals palettes?