Lush Sweet and Dreamy set

Look what Santa got me for Christmas!


My husband hid my Christmas presents in the closet so that I wouldn't peek too often at them and try to guess what was inside those pretty boxes, but with this one, it wasn't all that difficult to guess... Every time Iopened the closet door, I could smell something lovely and sweet and I just knew it was Lush!

This set includes Honey I Washed the Kids soap, Dreamtime Bath Melt, The Comforter Bubble Bar, Vanilla Fountain Bath Bomb, Ring of Roses Buttercream, Dream Cream Hand and Body Lotion, Therapy Massage Bar and Waving not Drowning Bath Bomb. Phew, a lot! I'd say Lush put some classics in here, like Honey I Washed the Kids or Comforter, as well as some more original products such as both the bath bombs or buttercream.

I haven't tried everything yet (that would be a Lush overdose!), but already have some favorites. All of these products have a similar scent line and complement each other well, so thumbs up for the idea! Personally, I like best the smell of Therapy Massage Bar, the famous Honey I Washed the Kids soap and Dreamtime Bath Melt, and the least favorites scents for me would be Dream Cream lotion, Vanilla Fountain bath bomb and Ring of Roses Buttercream.

Now, onto the products I tried in more detail...

I have to admit I'm not a huge fan of bath bombs in general; in my book, no bubbles equals half the bath fun, so Vanilla Fountain left me a bit disappointed. It smells nice, sweet but fresh at the same time, but the scent doesn't linger on the skin and the bath water doesn't feel any special apart from the fact that it turns yellow.


Similarly, I have very mixed feelings for Dream Cream lotion. In the tub, it smells fresh and herbal, but not 100% pleasant for me. Well, I can kind of see past that (although just 'ok' scented products from Lush defeat the purpose a bit, don't they?) since it's jam-packed with healthy essential oils and other natural ingredients, such as oat milk, rose water, olive oil, cocoa butter or chamomile oil. However, once on the skin, at first it smells a bit oatmealy, and then just like your typical body or hand lotion, a fresh, soapy scent. It's a very smooth emulsion that sinks well into the skin and it does a great job at moisturizing. I keep it at a bedside table and apply a dab whenever I feel my skin is dry and tight. I use it to moisturize my lips as well and I have to say I quite like it for that, it leaves them soft and plump and has no taste whatsoever.

Honey I Washed the Kids had made its way permanently to my bathroom now, and I almost can't believe I didn't like its smell when I had a sniff in the store a couple of months ago, so I'm really glad it was in the set and got a second chance. I'm lusting after the solid perfume version right now, and with the buy 1 get 2 offer in my local Lush store at the moment, it's just a question of time.

Honestly, Sweet and Dreamy just fuelled my love for Lush and I just adore how special bathtime feels now... Which just got me thinking it's almost bathtime now...

Have you got anything from Lush for Christmas? What are your favorites? xxx

Christmas in Vancouver

I know I vanished a little unexpectedly, but I thought I could squeeze in a couple of posts before going to Vancouver for Christmas, but well, I didn't - so those other posts will have to wait until I get back as the photos for them are still on this other camera which I didn't take with me.

This is (or was) my first Christmas away from home, just me and hubby this time, and it was both interesting and a bit sad to spend it differently than I usually do. My family is very close together and each year we gather at my aunt's apartment to celebrate, talk, stuff ourselves silly, all the good stuff. But this year, with my husband's work, he had to stay in Canada and I decided to join him, so it's both the first Christmas we spend together as a married couple and the first Christmas we spend away from our family.


Due to weather conditions last week in Europe, I had to have my airplane ticket changed completely and for a couple of terrible hours at the airport in Warsaw I thought that I wouldn't even depart at all! It was a close call, but after another 20 hours or so, I did finally arrive in Vancouver, finding my husband grinning in the arrivals hall and some deliciously smelling Lush stuff in the bathroom after we got home.

I spent a considerable time in the kitchen this year, making pierogi (obviously not nearly as good as my mother's, but hey ho, she had years to practice, and actual access to Polish ingredients!) and Christmas star cookies, for which I am quite renowned by now.


We spent Christmas meeting friends, reading, devouring great food, talking, going for walks, drinking coffee and vanilla bean tea, sleeping late and just being together. All of that in Vancouver. Not bad, huh?

Enough rambling for now, my dears. I have at least a couple post ideas resurfacing, and I hope to lay them down before New Year's. How have you spent your Christmas? What are your plans for New Year's Eve? Drop me a line below, I'd love to know! xxx

Christmas gift ideas

For all of us, late shoppers, a little peek at what Santa will bring my family this year...

La Senza PJ's with a long sleeved top with ruffles on the front and this super dainty chick patterned pants for my Mum! Mum definitely has a thing for pretty but comfy nightwear, and La Senza sets are absolutely spot on. I have one myself and actually have to force myself to take it off in the mornings :) The fabric is very soft and warm, just perfect for the winter season.

Sequined headbands for my husband's little sisters. Estera, who's 12, is more of a rock chic kinda girl so she'll be sporting the black one, and Wiktoria, 14, likes brighter colors, hence the ultramarine one is for her.

These cute china ornaments are also for the girls, but I haven't (I mean... Santa hasn't!) decided whom will get what. Tough choice!

This wooden bathroom set is for my brother, currently obsessed with decorating his apartment. Check out how cute this toothbrush holder is, I'm sure it's going to put a smile on my brother's face every time he brushes his teeth!

I'm going to use these gift bags from KappAhl to wrap some of the presents. KappAhl is actually a clothing store and we got these free at the checkout when buying something (I'm not going to say what, because he might be reading) for hubs. While not entirely Christmassy, I think those patterns are absolutely adorable, this set might be one of the best freebie ideas I've come across in a long time!

And look what Santa will be bringing me! I must have been an awfully good girl this year... I'm wondering what that could possibly be...

Which one of your gift ideas are you most proud of this year?

Weekend Arts & Crafts

I'm still hooked on little crafts projects inspired by beautiful creations found on Etsy. Making my own things and this time of year also remind me of my early teens when I didn't have enough money to buy everyone in the family a Christmas gift, so I made them myself; I used to decorate glass with special paints, embroidered little pictures, made jewellery boxes of papier-mache and even made my own wrapping paper! Most of these handmade gifts were far from perfect, but I remember being so proud and happy to have something to give!

Anyway, I moved from beading to sewing this weekend and made this zipper rose brooch today.

I saw one of those on Etsy and decided to make my own. I don't know what method was used to make it originally, but mine is not very complicated and anyone could do it. All you need to make one is a 40 cm zipper with silver rim (I don't know how to call those silver thingies, in Polish I'd say a zipper has 'little teeth'... how's that in English?), a matching color thread, a needle, a brooch pin and some spare time, of course.

This is how it looks from the back...

You can pin it anywhere you like, I think it would look fabulous on a handbag or scarf as well. The flower is quite flexible and the shape of it can be changed to suit the purpose. This navy blue one looks great with darker jeans and a bright top, as in this photo:

Still on the subject of sewing, yesterday I decided to pimp my beloved iPod. I carry my music everywhere with me, often in a purse full of clatter, so I thought I could make a cozy pouch for it so that it won't get any more scratches than it already has.

I'm not entirely happy with how it turned out, but I like the contrast between red flannel lining inside and polka dot cotton fabric outside. You can't really see the proportions of it in those photos, but the pouch is so dainty!

How have you spent your weekend? xxx

My latest obsession

Yes, it's confession time again, but don't worry, it's nothing embarassing... I'm having a huge crush on Etsy lately, and all this browsing through their listings and admiring the beautiful objects exibited has got me not only to spend some pennies on beautiful jewellery (but I'll post about that once it arrives), but also to get creative myself.

Today I had a day off, so I whipped out my beading box, and made this spiral bracelet.

It's made of light pink, lilac and deep purple glass beads in two different sizes and closes with a silvertone toggle clasp. Unfortunately, artificial light doesn't do its colors justice, they're much more vibrant in day light. The bigger light pink beads have an interesting opalescent effect, making them sparkle with gold, pink, blue and green under different angles. I thought of maybe making matching earrings, but decided they might actually be too heavy to wear.

So, what is your obsession this week? xxx

Thank you!

Woohoo, I have reached over 100 followers!

I just wanted to say THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU gals for your constant support I was given through both good and bad times, for your amazing, heart-warming comments and messages, and most of all, for being such fantastic and unique people! Meeting you and getting to know you through your comments and blogs is certainly the biggest joy of all that the blogosphere can offer.

Would you have any requests or suggestions for the future? Something you'd like to see more (or less) of? Drop me a line in the comments, please!

Have a cheerful Monday evening everyone! xxx

Brother's Birthday Bold Lip

On Friday, it was my brother's 28th birthday (it's the same brother who was featured in my last post chewing gum and sitting on top of a bench - how the time goes by!), and he invited friends and family for some celebrating at a bar where almost everything costs 1 euro (4 zlotys). They have only basic drinks and snacks, like shots of vodka, beer and wine and some traditional Polish snacks to go with the vodka, like herrings and pate with cranberry dressing. It's always super crowded on Friday nights because people go there to have a drink before doing some serious clubbing damage. There are no tables, just a counter at which people stand to grab their order, and, if they have enough luck, find some space to eat their snacks. There's only one place like this in Warsaw and I have to say that despite the crowds, I really enjoyed the ambiance!

I decided to sport a bold red lip to match my red velvet skirt. Red lips always make me feel very feminine and sexy, there's just something about them that makes it impossible for a woman to go unnoticed. It looks even better with paler, winter skin, as the contrast between colors is more striking than usual.

Also, I had some make-up on from the morning and didn't have enough time to start over, so I thought it was a good way to glam it up a bit. I went for MAC Cockney, which is currently my favorite red, and NYX Plush Red lip pencil, which is more of a blue-based red. They held really nicely through the evening, and together with some balm underneath, this combo didn't feel drying at all.

What is your favorite red lipstick?

My Hair History

I think we all know these posts are in fact an excuse to show some childhood photos... ok, and maybe compare and contrast to see which hairstyle suited you best throughout the years. Hope you enjoy my story :)

Right in the beginning I have to admit I've never had my hair color treated apart from some subtle highlights and so the story is quite predictable, with my hair alternating between longer and then shorter and then longer again. Well, anyway...

I might be 2 or 3 years old in this picture, so the choice of haircut wasn't actually my own. I think I looked quite cute and this length was a good solution back then since I hated having my hair brushed or combed, and unfortunately my mum loved styling it in a ponytail at the top of my head, which resembled a lightning-struck palm tree. (The other personnage captured is my brother, of course.)

For my First Communion when I was 8, I had my hair braided the night before and then the waves were slightly brushed through. At the time, I considered those little waves to be utterly glamorous and sported them for any bigger event. The reddish hue of my hair is quite visible here as well.

Right after the Communion, I decided I wanted to have my hair cut to chin length. I remember it was probably my first time at the hairdresser's and I felt very mature having my hair done by a professional. It seems my hair is a completely different color here, but with my hair color, it has always been a matter of light: sometimes it looks reddish, sometimes it looks darker blond.

When I was 12, I grew really long hair and usually wore it in a ponytail or a braid. During summer, my hair was always full of highlights, especially round my face (and that hasn't changed). I remember I liked it that long (we're talking waist long here), but it was a mess to detangle.

Then when I was maybe 14 I cut my hair quite short in a style resembling an upside down pot, as it looks to me now, but (un)fortunately I have no digitalized photos to prove that.

Then, in high school, I grew it out again and had a side swept fringe together with some subtle layers. I got a lot of compliments on this haircut from my friends.

When I was 20, my hair got really long again and when I wanted to look pretty and add some volume, I just put it on some rollers to get those loose curls. Shortly after this photo was taken I became trimming it shorter and shorter...

... and then, some 1,5 years ago, I had it cut really short again. I loved how easy to style my short hair was, but I didn't like the lack of versatility.

So here I am, growing it out again. This time, I want them as long as 3 years ago with lots of layers for added volume, not as straight as I used to wear them. My hair grows quite fast so I'm hoping to achieve the goal in maybe 2 years time, which is not that bad... For now, I'm thinking of layering the style to add some definition. Do you think it's a good idea? Which style do you think suited me best?

Comfortable Outfit of the Day

Recently, I have been popping into stores more often than I usually do. Sometimes I walk out barehanded and dissapointed, and sometimes I like a lot of things and happily decide to splurge. Sometimes I'm all for a sensible approach, which consists of looking for clothes that you might actually need, and sometimes I just prefer to go for it and buy something that takes my fancy, no matter if it's a necessary addition to my wardrobe or not.

These past 2 weeks proved to be quite fruitful, and I decided to share :) In fact, I really wanted to do outfit posts more often, but every time I intend to, I find my looks nothing special, or like today, the photos really do turn out rubbish. But, the hell with it, I'm going to show you what I've been wearing today anyway.

I'm trying to convince myself I look so bottom-heavy because of the camera positioning...

The photo features:

Ivory top from Reserved

Slouchy purple cardi from C&A

Blue and purple leopard print scarf from Tally Weijl (love!)

Brown trousers from Tally Weijl

Shell bracelet

I love how comfortable and soft this cardigan is, and I love the color, kind of milky reddish purple. I got it yesterday and like it so much I could sleep in it :) It also has sort of special pockets, which unfortunately can't be seen in the photos. The scarf is another favorite and my mum got it for me on our trip to the mall last week, and I've been wearing it almost every day since. I like the square style best, and, as unbelievable as it may sound, is an only animal print garment I own (well, I never understood the whole leopard print fad, but now I kind of do ;).

Would you ladies have any advice for outfit shots (other than having a tripod, which I obviously don't)? I tried various different setting today and the result is still not satisfactory. I'd much appreciate your help. Have a fantastic Friday night all! xxx

Friday night out

On Friday I went out with my friends to a new club called '1500 m2 for rent'. It's a combination of a bar, club and art gallery all in one, and is located in an old tenement house near the city centre. It's also one of a few loft spaces available for public here. When we came in and started wandering around, at one point I thought we were going to get lost, it's such a maze of rooms and corridors! It was the biggest event this month in Warsaw with 3500 people subscribed on Facebook. Luckily, we didn't have to queue at the entrance, because my brother, who's both a lawyer and a DJ, was one of the organizers :)

I go out to clubs very rarely, so I thought it would be a good opportunity to try a new look. I decided to create a bold, smokey eye with Barry M Dazzle Dust in 98, a dark purple with blue duochrome to match my shirt. I tried to go rocker chic, which is not usually my style; I never felt comfortable with such a dark eye make-up, but this time I actually really liked it.

I have to say this Dazzle Dust is simply stunning! I was expecting a lot of fallout, so I applied a sticky base underneath (Revlon Illuminance Creme Shadow in Seashells), and I'm proud to report there was not even a tiny speck of glitter on my cheeks when I finished! I'm already thinking of how to incorporate it into everyday looks...

Products used:

Eyes:

CS Eye Poxy Primer: to prevent cream eyeshadow from creasing

Revlon Illuminance Creme Shadow in Seashells: a greyish shade all over the lid

Barry M Dazzle Dust in 98

Annabelle eyeshadow in Vanilla Chilla to highlight

generic black gel eyeliner on upper lashline

MaxFactor Colour Perfection eyeliner in Ice Blue on the waterline

Lips:

Barry M lipstick in Peachy Pink

Maybelline lipgloss in Pink Whisper

Cheeks:

CS "G" Bronzer/Blush

Hope you all had a great weekend, ladies! xxx

Quick question

What would you say to the new header, ladies? I've been meaning to change something in the layout for a while, and this is what I came up with...

Completely over the top, no question about that.

Yay or nay? xxx

The yellow fog...

The ever so bright Sarah (If the shoe fits...) did this color tag a couple of days ago, and even though I wasn't actually tagged, I couldn't resist the temptation to join in...

It was a real challenge for me to find 7 yellow things as it's one of the colors that I tend to overlook the most. However, the difficulty of the search made it that more interesting! Somehow, the majority of yellow things I own can be found in the bathroom - and so we have:

The duck actually belongs to my brother (no, he's not my little brother, he's 28 if you really want to know ;), and I use this lovely bright mitt to scrub my back and legs until they're perfectly smooth.

These are almost all yellow cosmetics I have in my possession. What I like about Garnier anti-cellullite roll-on and Burt's Bees cuticle cream is their refreshing lemony scent, something I absolutely can't say for J&J face self-tanner.

I was given this huge jar of honey and milk scented bath salt by mum in law. Add a handful of it to your bath at the end of an exhausting day and the whole bathroom smells yummy and comforting.

I got this yellow bracelet from my aunt a good couple of years ago, and the flower and fruit brooch is even older, I stole it from my mum and it has a great sentimental value to me.

This dinky pair was acquired during one of the holidays spent with my cousin and we got those together. I never wear them but just love how cute they are, and they remind me of her.

Now, my color of choice has to be orange, and I tag these fabulously warm people:

Ondine

Loveaudrey

Natalia at Fashion Titbits

"There is no blue without yellow and without orange." Vincent Van Gogh

Latest lipstick love

As you probably know by now, I'm really obsessed with darker lip colors for fall and winter. During the summer, I tried to show some love to lighter, more 'nude' shades, but I think that, deep down in my heart, I'm a dark lip kinda girl. Let's face it, real nudes make me look as if I was going through a particularly violent stage of anemia.

So, after much deliberating, I succumbed and bought Inglot 'long' lipstick in shade no. 58. First, I just fell for the packaging, it's so simple yet classy (seems to be a rip-off from MAC's Mattenes?). However, the formula of these is also really nice, not too drying and quite longlasting, which is not something I'd expect from such a cheap product. It has no taste, a huge plus for me, but a bit of a funny smell, I can't really put my finger on it, though luckily it fades very fast.

The color is a deep, purpley pink and goes fantastic with blue items of clothing. I have a blue scarf and beret and it looks amazing against them. Because it's such an intense shade I do feel a bit self-conscious when wearing it, but have been getting a lot of compliments on my lipstick, so I think it's worth a bit of effort!

I highly recommend you check out this range of lipsticks, the color selection varies from nudes through reds to dark purples, and there's a variety of finishes available. Currently, I'm eyeing a darker berry shade with gold shimmers running through...

What's your recent make-up discovery? xxx

Róisín

Róisín Murphy is one of the most influencial artists on the modern pop/electro/disco stage, and I've been meaning to write a post about her style forever. I discovered her music some 2 years ago and instantly fell in love with her beautiful voice and funky beats. After watching her video clips, I really started appreciating her unique and courageous taste for fashion. Róisín is her own stylist and even though some of her outfits might not be exactly your cup of tea, I find that her approach to fashion can actually remind us that trends should be fun and... a bit crazy.

Plus, she's really stunning (and I want that hairstyle...)!

Photo and interview source: unofficial Roisin Murphy's blog

' [...] When I'm performing I like a certain amount of structure in my clothes – and in my haircut too. Changing on stage has become a big part of my performance now. I don't know if I'm hiding behind it, but I do get the strength to face the world if I'm wearing hard, blunt edges. Like I said before, I think it comes from my grandma. She'd ' wear masculine clothes, it gave her strength. Also, I do a lot of my own styling so it can be a bit scary as I'm the one making my own mistakes. There's a whole slipstream of the media now that deals with who looks right and who looks wrong now. I've got no right to complain, but it is a bit negative. I do get it wrong sometimes, of course, but the most irritating thing about that is when people say, "What was Róisí*Murphy's stylist thinking?"'

Check out my favorite Róisín's video on YT!

When alone at home...

... girls play with their make-up! It's a well-known truth and this is precisely what I did today. I didn't celebrate Halloween by dressing up, so I guess I'm compensating.

Anyway, the look was loosely themed around Cleopatra-style make-up with some heavy eyeliner, bronzed cheeks and coralish lips. I think it could be made into a more wearable version with a bit less dramatic liner, or spiced up even more with darker lip colour.

The key here is to keep the eyeliner not too flicked at the outer corner and to work it inwards to give more of a cat eye effect. I used shimmery golden eyeshadow all over the lid and added some white frosty shade under the browbone and in the inner corners, but this would also look nice with different lid colors.

Products used:

Eyes:

CS Eye Poxy primer

Annabelle Vanilla Chilla all over the lid

Inglot no 111 on the lid

NYX Jumbo Eye pencil in Cottage Cheese to highlight

CS black gel eyeliner on bent eyeliner brush

MaxFactor 2000 Calorie Curved Brush mascara

NYX no 104 corner eyelashes

Cheeks:

CS G Bronzer/Blush

Inglot no 84 on the apples of the cheeks

Lips:

MAC Jest lipstick

Have a great evening, gals! xxx

Wedding make-up look

Loveaudrey asked me to share the details of my wedding make-up look. While it might not be suited to everyone's expectations and style, I decided to choose this vintage glamour look and was really happy with it myself.

I went for a makeover at a MAC store even though I wasn't entirely satisified with their customer service (see my rant post here). The MUA definitely took a lot of time (I've never seen someone take so much time to apply an eyeliner) and effort to create the look and it really showed. The only drawback was that it certainly wasn't waterproof and because my eyes got very watery during a photoshoot, the foundation and blusher on one of my cheeks were ruined and I had to conceal the damage myself.

If you're planning a makeover using MAC, I'd recommend that you take some extra care choosing the products. Depending on your skin type, the base and foundation can make a great difference in the wear of your make-up, e.g. while Prep and Prime made my oily skin mirror-like in less than 3 hours, their Matte base held really nicely. Also, don't be afraid to say 'NO' to some of your MUA's suggestions if you feel what they offer is not your style or doesn't match your expectations and needs. Most brides tend to go for a rather neutral look, but I chose something completely different despite the MUA's suggestions and I do think it looked great and complemented the dress and hairstyle really well.

Just for giggles, I thought I'd share some of the comments on the look that I heard from our guests. My mum, who went with me to the MAC store and waited while the make-up was applied, was stunned how big my lips looked with a red lippy on. My godmother claimed I looked like a movie star. Some others said I seemed older, which is not bad provided that without make-up I look maybe 18, and my husband always looked much older than me even though there's just a year and a haf difference between us.

For reference, the foundation used was MAC Studio Fix Fluid in NW35 powdered with MSF Natural (no idea which shade though). On my eyes, I'm wearing Painterly Paint Pot, Brule all over the lid, Wedge in the crease, Vanilla for highlight, and Blacktrack Fluidline. The lipstick is in the shade Cockney.

Hope that was helpful to some of you. Have a great Friday night, my lovelies! xxx