Blogging and Beauty New Years Resolutions

A little late but I thought it'd be interesting to share with you my New Years resolutions with regards to what matters the most here: blogging and beauty, so that you can hold me accountable :) I'm usually not great at making and keeping resolutions and reminiscing about the past; however, these past couple of months I've been thinking a lot more about my personal growth and what I could realistically try to improve - and here's what I came up with for 2013. Let's start with blogging goals, shall we?

1. Blogging more regularly.
Blogging often takes a back seat for me when life is feeling hectic or inspirations are running low. I will make a concentrated effort to post 2 to 3 times a week, including preplanning posts for busy times of the year like holidays and family visits.
2. Enhancing my creativity.
I believe most consistent bloggers tend to settle into a bit of a routine and forget about the creative aspect of their writing. I will harbor my creativity more by experimenting with different types of posts, e.g. more color-way or trend inspired articles. I will try to draw ideas from more aspects of my life, like literature and art.
3. Improving my photography.
I am always striving to get better at taking good photos for the blog and have a big backlog of photography books I would like to read in an attempt to work on my technical skills. In addition to that, I would like to experiment with lighting, prompts and backgrounds a lot more this year.

This was my husband's Christmas present to me: constant studio lights (what you're seeing are mostly the folded umbrella part with the tripods). They'll be so much fun playing around with!

4. No longer 'saving' blog post ideas for indefinite later.
I tend to mentally stash some of my better post ideas to use at a 'better' time, either because of laziness or the existing schedule. I think in order to cultivate my creativity, I would fare much better if I just used them right away - this also includes reviewing more products that I get to try and use, even if it's just a short and sweet summary of my thoughts. I tend to overcomplicate things - not every post needs to be a lenghty essay.
5. Starting a notebook dedicated to my blog.
Contrary to what you might think, I'm not glued to my PC 24/7, so if an idea pops up in the middle of the night, I need a little notebook to jot down my thoughts. Keeping a journal like that would not only help with organizing ideas so that I have plenty to choose from if I'm lacking inspiration but also help with my writing and project management skills.

This is the notebook I've bought for my blogging ideas - pretty cute, right?

6. Being more active in the community.
I love the social aspect of beauty blogging and all of my wonderful friends I've made by being a part of it, and I would like to give more by being more present on Twitter and also commenting more on my favorite blogs - it's so important to keep the discussion going!
7. Including you more in my personal life.
I appreciate you so much, my lovely readers, and you're already such a big part of my life that I think it's only fair to take you along with me in my day-to-day life. I've decided to start posting 'A Week in Photos' type of series so that you can see what I'm up to, it being beauty bits, food, books or anything fun or interesting that's worth sharing.

Phew, that was quite intense! Now for more superficial resolutions - beauty resolutions!
1. Focusing more on skincare than make-up in my everyday routine.
I tend to invest a lot more time and money in make-up rather than skincare and I want to change it around in 2013 to improve the health of my skin and my time management in the mornings. I've already revamped a lot of my skincare routine but I still need to work on perfecting a quick, everyday make-up look. I also need to pay a lot more attention to the skin on my body, including regular exfoliation and moisturizing.
2. Treating my skin in a more gentle and loving way.
To go along with my first beauty resolution, I really need to learn to love my skin more. This includes no picking and prodding, substituting harsh, stripping products with more hydrating products geared towards sensitive skin, removing my make-up as soon as I get home and finally being more consistent with my beauty routine.

A French pharmacie skincare haul is coming next!

3. Paying more attention to internal beauty.
I make this resolution every year but I really want to drink A LOT MORE water (I'm so bad at this, I just never get thirsty!), eat more veg and take my supplements more consistently; gotta love your fish oil!
4. Reducing my beauty stash.
For 2013, I've decided to do a no-buy for certain categories of products. I have so many back-ups of some skincare and make-up bits that I really shouldn't be buying any more of until they run out; but I think I will devote a separate post to that if you're interested. I also need to shop my stash more by rotating the products I own and I will also continue to focus on using up what I have with a special attention to samples and writing regular empties posts for the blog.

Well, I think that's it for now! I've already started implementing most of these resolutions and I feel a lot better by committing to do what I was planning on for a long time now. I think I may write a '2013 in review' type of thing at the end of December to see how I will have been keeping my blogging and beauty resolutions but I'm feeling very optimistic right now! Have you made any resolutions for 2013? What are they key things you'd like to focus on?

Lipstick Bandits Secret Santa Look Swap!

And now for something completely different: Lipstick Bandits Make-up Look Swap! Back in October, it was decided that our Holiday installment would consist of swapping the participating Lipstick Bandits signature make-up looks, Secret Santa-style. And guess what, Rae, our Head Bandit, drew Larie of Eye Heart It for me!

Having met Larie in person (yay for Seattle-based beauty bloggers!), I was under no illusion that my features even remotely resemble hers (I would have loved to swap for that gorgeously smooth skin though!), so I decided to recreate a recent look she posted that was based on a Vietnamese editorial make-up she was inspired by (click!). I thought it was a good example of a glamorous Holiday eye look for monolids (which I obviously don't have) that could be easily adapted to suit a variety of eye shapes, and those red lips... I couldn't resist!

Our little secret swap allowed me to experiment with a couple things I rarely opt for in my everyday make-up routine. For once, I used a cool matte brown eyeshadow (Annabelle So Foxy) to make my brows a bit thicker. I also tried to copy the beautiful, defined almond shape of the eyeshadow but I think I failed in that regard; I just don't have enough space between the crease of my eyes and my brows. I also altered the shape of my liner on the upper lashline to make it a bit rounder and more flirty - Larie is a pro at this! I usually don't line my eyes all the way around but I was pleasantly surprised at how it looked on me; this made my eyes appear a lot more feline and coupled with the coppery and golden shades of the eyeshadow, I felt like a lioness.

I used my blush and bronzer in a more sculpting fashion by following the line under my cheekbones - I need to do this more often! For the lips, I tried accentuating my cupid's bow to mimick the model's lip shape, which I find added a bit of softness to the overall look. I kept the skin more satin by skipping the powder too.

And here's what I used, in case you're curious: Revlon Colorstay Foundation for Oily/Combination Skin in Ivory, Bobbi Brown Corrector in Porcelain Bisque for under the eyes and highlighting the center part of the face, Becca Compact Concealer in Sherbet on blemishes, The Body Shop Honey Bronzer in Fair(?) with NARS Douceur blush to contour.

For the eyes, I primed with NARS eye primer and then used Urban Decay Smog all over the lid blended out with Inglot eyeshadow no.405 Pearl, UD Virgin in the inner corner and under the brow, Fyrinnae Sacred on the lower lashline with a bit of UD Half-Baked. I used Clinique gel liner in black on my upper lashline and lower waterline and finished off with a good coat of Laura Mercier Full Blown Volume Lash Building Mascara in Black.

I lined and filled the lips with NYX Plush Red lip liner, applied a coat of Milani Berry Rich on top and topped with Lancome Juicy Tubes for lots of glossiness.

Don't forget to check out other Lipstick Bandits' swap looks, including one inspired by my face...
Call It Beauty
Eye Heart It
Getting Cheeky
Glitter Geek
Makeup Morsels
Messy Wands
Musing on Beauty
My Funny Valentine
theNotice: a beauty blog‎
And a new Bandit this round: ChloeAsh‎

I also wanted to wish all of you who celebrate a very Merry Christmas - as you might know, I'm home with my family at last and I just couldn't have a better holiday season. In Poland, we traditionally unwrap our presents after a big dinner on Christmas Eve, which is today! I can't wait to see what everyone is going to find under the tree and I'm very excited for all the fun we're going to share. Again, Merry Christmas my lovely readers, and Larie - I hoped you liked your little Secret Santa!

Diaries of an Obsessive Compulsive Picker: Week 2 & 3

I've been dreading writing this post for a very simple reason: I haven't had much success in the not-picking department these past two weeks. I've been having some trouble breaking away from the vicious cycle of picking: I pick, feel very guilty indeed, promise not to do it anymore, I give my face a break for a couple days to heal and it looks better and better, I pick again because I spy some clogged pores or a whitehead that's begging me to be squeezed. Most of the time, I manage to stop fairly quickly, but twice I definitely overdid the picking and gave myself some more trouble spots in the process. Right now, the challenge definitely feels quite daunting - but I have a couple ideas for improvement to incorporate into my routine.

1) Crochet. To stop my fidgeting fingers from roaming in the vicinity of my face, I picked up crocheting - for realz! I used to do a lot of needlework as a teen, and while at the university, I stopped completely. I believe it's important for me to start doing it again; firstly, it keeps my hands busy, secondly, the repetitive patterns have a very soothing effect, and lastly, it proves that my fingers are capable of doing some good for once. I've started an infinity-scarf project in the shell pattern, which you can see in the photo - I recommend that book too, very easy to follow and lots of ideas/patterns to try!

2) No mirrors. I really, and I mean really, need to stop checking my face in the mirror every time I go to the bathroom. Because, when I'm standing there in front of the mirror, I lean closer, and when I lean closer, I can see every single enlarged pore and tiny pimple that I immediately want to do something about. So, no looking into the mirror for me! (Plus, it gives me a back ache to lean over the sink).

3) Treats. I think one of the main reasons for my recent lack of success is that I've set a bar very high without any sort of external encouragement to motivate myself. I'm on a general beauty and fashion no-buy, plus I'm trying to use up some very unloved items from my collection; it's almost as if I'm punishing myself in the process. So, I've decided to treat myself to something lovely from the top of my make-up wishlist if I manage to at least diminish the picking - I think I deserve a reward!

4) Words of encouragement. I cannot stress enough how much your support and the experiences you've shared mean to me; I would just throw in the towel without you! I seriously need to re-read your comments on the original post more often, they help so much! I've also been collecting some inspirational quotes to put me in the good spirit. Here's one my favorites:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God; your playing small doesn't serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
*EDIT* by Marianne Williamson, used by NELSON MANDELA on May 10, 1994

I'll leave you with these amazing words for now and check back in 2 weeks to hopefully report some more progress. I hope some of my tips and tricks might help you too - please let me know in the comments if you have any of your own!

FOTD: Gaultier Fall 2011 Inspired Graphic Liner

Finally, I'm posting one of my favorite 'Fall 2011 Runway Inspired' looks - this time from the Jean Paul Gaultier show. The look consists of two major elements: graphic liner on the top and bottom lid and a strong matte red lip. Perfect!

As you can see in the backstage photos below, the black liner has also been emphasized by touches of white eyeshadow under the wing and in the inner corner. The look also requires decently strong and polished brows, a rather pale matte base, and a set of black false eyelashes.

I will go ahead and admit that I spent an indecent amount of time on the liner and still feel it's definitely not even on both sides - here's the practical lesson on asymmetry of the face for you. I would say the look is worth investing in a very fine eyeliner brush, which I unfortunately don't have; I still like the feathered detail at the ends of the wings, very pretty. I also added a touch of contour at the back of my cheeks, I hate how flat my face looks with such a pale high-coverage foundation.


This look is almost theatrical on me - my husband commented on this eye make-up look by saying I had 'triple eyes'. I guess what he meant is that the liner at the bottom makes the eyes appear much bigger :) I feel similarly towards the lips; you know how they say that a darker lipstick makes your lips appear smaller? Well, unless you have pretty big lips to start with - then it makes them even bigger.

Products used:
Face:Revlon Colorstay Foundation for Oily/Combination Skin in Ivory
MAC Studio Finish concealer in NW20
Physicians Formula Healthy Wear Powder Foundation in Translucent Light
The Body Shop Bronzing Powder in Fair Matte
Eyes:
Annabelle 'Vanilla Chilla' Eyeshadow
Annabelle 'So Foxy' Eyeshadow
Inglot Matte Eyeshadow in 337
Wet'n'Wild 'Sweet as Candy' trio - pearly white shade
Wet'n'Wild MegaLiner in Black
ES Clear Liner V Black False Eyelashes*
Lips:
Lancome Le Lipstique lip liner in Ideal
MAC Frost lipstick in Cockney

I have a couple more inspirational looks bookmarked and ready to recreate - I'm hoping to get them done some time soon. What was your favorite Fall 2011 runway make-up look?

Disclaimer: Product marked (*) sent for review consideration. Honest opinion as always.

Rocaille Redes: Retro Curls without Heat

Credit has to be given to the lovely YouTuber who originally came up with this idea, Maria from The Lipstick Diaries. I strongly recommend you watch her tutorial for the step by step how to on this no-heat technique, but here's the result I achieved:

left: my hair in the evening, right: the end result in the morning

A couple of tips:
1. I used a bit of light hair mousse (TRESemme Naturals Lightweight Mousse) in my hair from ears down for a bit more volume and hold.
2. Even on my long hair, the whole process took about 10 minutes. Super quick and easy!
3. The headband won't slide off your head at night, no worries. It's also reasonably comfortable provided you find a good, not too tight headband.
4. Those curls, as you can see in the photo, aren't perfect, but they're bouncy and voluminous and take the least time from all the methods I've tried so far. And most importantly, this technique won't damage your hair!

Do check out Maria's channel and I hope this was helpful for those of you looking for easy Holiday hair style ideas! What's your inspiration for the perfect Christmas party hairdo?

Seattle's Urban Craft Uprising 2010

This past weekend, Seattle Center Exhibition Hall hosted another edition of Urban Craft Uprising, an indie craft show featuring lots of Etsy shops and other small businesses selling handmade items. It was a perfect opportunity to pick up great unique gifts for the upcoming Holiday season, so the hall was bustling with busy shoppers and enthusiastic sellers. Just take a look!

photo credit: Mr

I really liked The Victory Garden's Christmas tree ornaments and creative neckwear designs!

MeMe's 'Lush-like stuff', as Mr was eager to observe...

These Devout Dolls' two-headed dolls and little deer toys are absolutely amazing, if a tinsy bit creepy :)

Can you spot two busy beauty bloggers talking jewellery?

I picked up a pair of garnet earrings from ElisabethSpace for mum-in-law, an eyeglass case for my little sister-in-law, and this keyring for myself, both from Maluhia Designs. Magic mushrooms are the best! The little pocket mirror was a bonus, how cute?

Will you be gifting any handmade presents this Holiday season? When I was a teenager, I used to make all of my Christmas gifts, including stamping my own wrapping paper! This year however I'll stick to the above-pictured items, and maybe make some bead necklaces for both mums... How about you?

Eyes of Fashion: Irving Penn

"Sensitive people faced with the prospect of a camera portrait put on a face they think is one they would like to show the world. ...Very often what lies behind the facade is rare and more wonderful than the subject knows or dares to believe." —Irving Penn, 1975.

Irving Penn, New York, 1951

Irving Penn was born in 1917 and graduated from the Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Art in 1938. His career began with the publication of his drawings in Harper's Bazaar, but he became truly famous for his fashion photography in Vogue from 1943 onwards. His style was very calm and simple: he was one of the first photographers to pose his models against a grey or white backdrop. His models seemed as if isolated from the real world. Subjects portrayed in this manner included Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau, Ingmar Bergman, Simone de Beauvoir and Marcel Duchamp. This clarity and economy of technique earned him the admiration of not only the fashion lovers, but also art collectors. He died at the age of 92, leaving behind the numerous books featuring his work and documents of his working methods.

Marlene Dietrich, New York, 1948.

Girl in Bed on Telephone (Jean Patchett), New York, 1949

Girl Drinking (Mary Jane Russell), New York, 1949

Black and white Vogue cover, 1950

Mouth for L'Oreal, 1986

Kate Moss, 1996

Gisele, New York, April 1 1999

What is your favorite photograph by Irving Penn?

Rocaille of the Day: Halloween Edition

Ladies and gentlemen, without further ado...

Mad Hatter

Base: Revlon Colorstay foundation for oily/combination skin in Ivory, set with matte white eyeshadow from Coastal Scents 56 Piece Blush and Eyeshadow Palette
Eyes: Benefit F.Y...eye primer, eyeshadows and blusher from the CS palette, Covergirl clear mascara for brows
Contour: CS palette and NYX Powder Blush in Taupe
Lips: Inglot Gel lipstick no. 58 (review and swatches here)

Hat: Halloween City
Silk scarf: a gift from my mum
Black vest: Urban Outfitters
Orange shirt: Pierre Cardin
Pants: Nike
Knee-high socks: a checkered sock is from a random shoe store, a striped one is from Calzedonia
Red sneakers: Puma

... and Alice

Base: Revlon Colorstay foundation for oily/combination skin in Ivory, MAC Studio Finish concealer in NW20, NYX Powder Blush in Peach
Eyes: Wet'n'Wild Khol Eye Pencil in Taupe, Benefit F.Y...eye primer, Annabelle eyeshadow in Vanilla Chilla, Annabelle eyeshadow in So Foxy, Benefit Eye Bright on the waterline, Covergirl Lash Blast Length mascara (review and close-ups here)
Lips: The Body Shop Lip and Cheek stain, Inglot Gel lipstick no. 58

Dress: Carry
Belt: RE Reserved
Thighs: Calzedonia
Mary Janes: Adalberto
Dogeared 'Pearls of Wisdom' necklace
Sweetwater pearl stud earrings

What did you dress up as? xxx

Eyes of Fashion: Richard Avedon

For the past couple of weeks, I've been increasingly interested in photography, both in theory and practice. Following your feedback to this post, I've decided to start a new series, Eyes of Fashion, featuring profiles of the best of the best in fashion photography, who created many of the most memorable and iconic images in the whole industry. Whether you're a fashionista, a vinatge lover, a shutterbug or simply like to admire beautiful photos, I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I do!


For the first installment, I've had to choose Richard Avedon's work. Avedon was born in 1923 in New York; his first photography job involved taking crewmen identification pictures for the American merchant fleet. in 1944, he began working for a department store, where he was discovered by Harper's Bazaar art director. He soon started working for this fashion magazine, and after setting up his own studio in 1946, also started taking pictures for Life and Vogue. His approach was very innovative at the time: he photographed his models in action, smiling, laughing, jumping. From then on, his career in fashion photography continually flourished, and Avedon also branched out to shoot major political events, music bands as well as ordinary working people. He was a master of portrait photography, seeking to capture his models' personality by evoking different emotions. He died of a brain hemorrhage in 2004 at the age of 81.

Famous examples of his work:

Dovima with elephants, evening dress by Dior, Cirque d'Hiver, 1955

Homage to Munkacsi. Carmen, coat by Cardin, Place François-Premier, Paris, August 1957

Marylin Monroe, actress, 1957

Audrey Hepburn, New York, January 1967

Twiggy, hair by Ara Gallant, Paris Studio, January 1968

Nastassja Kinski and the serpent, Los Angeles, California, June 1981

Kate Moss, January 1997

Which one is your personal favorite? I cannot decide between Homage to Munkacsi and Audrey Hepburn. Let me know if you have any suggestions for the series, my lovelies. Stay put for another installment next month!

Rocaille of the Day: 50's Inspired

This is what I wore to a dinner with Mr on Saturday. I have to admit, a full high waisted skirt with a fitted top is my favorite silhouette of all time, amazingly flattering for hourglass shapes. I'm lusting after a cupcake dress for Christmas...


I'm still struggling a bit with walking in these heels even despite all the advice my incredible husband has given me; and no, I have no idea how he knows how to walk in high heels! I love those laced booties though, simple but eye-catching. Any practical tips for a beginner heel-wearer like me, ladies?

Fitted top: Amisu for New Yorker
High waisted skirt: H&M, Divided
Black tights: ?
Laced up boots: Forever 21
Bag: H&M
Necklace: RE Reserved, last seen here

For those of you in the US, H&M are currently celebrating their 10th US birthday with some great sales - lots of items are either priced at $10, or are $10 off. I got my olive green skirt for just under 15 bucks! Check them out if you have a store near you!


Which vintage clothing decade inspires you the most? xxx

Vintage Inspiration: The Glorious 1950's

I've been somewhat lacking in the outfit inspiration department recently and frankly speaking, quite dissatisfied with my looks. However, after reading Isabel Wolff's 'Vintage Affair' and watching 'How to Marry a Millionaire' (1953) starring the fabulous Marylin accompanied by Lauren Bacall, I think I'm getting my fashion mojo back. Let's just admire these glamorous shots, ladies and gents.

Photos' source: Google Images

Photos' source: My Vintage Vogue

I'll be posting a 50's-inspired outfit next week, so stay tuned if you like that! I've been also thinking about starting a series featuring work of some famous fashion photographers, especially from 1940's-1960's. Would you be interested in seeing it on the blog? Have a wonderful weekend, lovelies!