Kukee Jewelry

Hello!

I would like to finally share my Kukee experience with you. It is a small store full of trendy, super cute and super cheap accessories. The quality is impressive, I have owned some or their jewelry for months now and they are like new. You are not likely to find this jewelry somewhere in another store and certainly not for this price.
Every smaller order comes in a cute package like this one:

And when you open it, a bright pink paper appears, with a sticker saying "Thanks for your purchase". Isn't that super lovely? No bigger company would every invest so much time in packaging!

Another adorable feature is that you sometimes get a little gift item with your order! This time I got dangly feather earrings in orange. I am not as much of a fan of orange as Bianca is, but I love how big they are and you can't deny that it is very fashionable color at the moment. And I love feather earrings so much as well! This color has sold out, but the earrings are still available in blue and pink.

super cute bags!

I have ordered an open above knuckle ring, two silver above knuckle rings, a raw quartz necklace in gold (Nr. 9) and dangly feather chain earrings. You can find my unpacked items below:

My favorite piece in this order is the raw quartz necklace. I am very happy with it, I expected it to be smaller but it isn't so I am even more delighted. What bothers me is that I apparently ordered the wrong size for the two simple knuckle rings. Unfortunately they are too small, I will keep them anyway, maybe as a gift for a friend.

At the end, I have to tell you a little story about this order. I have ordered all of this once already, but the parcel obviously got lost. I have then contacted the owner and her reaction was surprisingly nice. She was so kind to resend my order and it finally reached me a week later. Thank you so much!

What is your Kukee experience? Do you have a favorite jewelry store?

B's Summer Accessories

Hi again!

While I was shooting my summer products photos, I thought I might also take a couple of snaps of the accessories/jewelry I've been loving in the past month or two. I get my jewelry from all kinds of places, but I do have a couple of shops where I always return! 

                                                                                                                                                            Here's the necklaces I've been wearing the most recently.
1/ ASOS silver and black necklace (it actually belongs with necklace #4, the thin golden triangle necklace). I love these two dainty little necklaces, because they are great to wear individually or paired together, which I like because it allows me to mix my golden and my silver jewelry easily. Sadly, these necklaces have now sold out, but you can find similar ones on the ASOS website! They also currently have a great sale on!
2/ For MONTHS, I'd been eye-ing this golden lions head chunky chain necklace, and for some reason I never came about buying it, until a couple of weeks ago. Crazy, I know, as it is one of the best necklaces I own and I am completely in love with it. I know it's very on trend right now and everyone including Rihanna and various fashion bloggers owns them, but that doesn't really bother me. You can buy them on Ebay, Plndr, and many other sites, but I got mine off this sweet little online jewelry store called Kukee (watch out, Kym has a review for you about them soon!), where I get a lot of my stuff from. You can get this lion's head necklace here (and it only costs 5 pounds).

3/ My number 3 is a necklace I got a couple of weeks ago in Vienna, at H&M, because I had a 30% off gift card on a full priced item. I love it! The quality is amazing, especially considering it's H&M and their necklaces can be a bit flimsy sometimes, but this one feels heavy and nice, and the blue and shimmery stones are perfect to dress up an outfit for a night out.
4/ Little triangle necklace via ASOS (see 1/)
5/ This golden and black thick beaded necklace is a piece I bought about 4 months ago at Forever 21. They had a turquoise version too, but ultimately I had to go for the black one, because everything I wear and love is black, and I am glad I did, as the black color makes the necklace seem a lot more expensive than it was. Money well spent!

Next up, my "summer rings": I have a HUGE ring collection, as I am very much a ring lady (I can wear up to 10 rings at a time...). These are my rings of the moment: Purple glitter stone ring (Accessorize), Silver detail ring (thrifted: my all-time favorite ring since forever), brown shimmery stone ring (Accessorize), thin woven golden heart ring (friendship ring with Kym from Forever 21), thin silver woven ring with turquoise stone (Accessorize), twisted hands ring (ASOS).

                                                                                                                                                           
And finally, my every day watch, some earrings and a couple of other little gems I have been sporting nearly every day these past few weeks: White daisy hair band (River Island), Handmade Red Rose Flower Crown (Beauxoxo on Etsy), silver mini Casio watch (via ASOS), roman coin anklet (River Island, similar here), Door Knocker Lion's Head Earstuds (both via Kukee).

B's Summer Essentials

Hi everyone!
It's been really rainy these last two days here in the Netherlands (admittedly a welcome little change after the weeks of humid and unbearable heat!) so I've had a little time to take a few pictures! I thought I would show you guys which products I have been loving and using a lot so far this summer: from make-up to dry shampoo, body butter and lipstick, it's all there. I'll include all the necessary shop names/sites where I can.

You can buy all these products via the Body Shop Online Shop.

I'll start off with my body care / shower essentials. Aside from my Garnier facial scrub (boring!), my Elmex toothpaste, my Elvital Color Protect shampoo & conditioner and my Nivea Stress (or Dove Silk Dry) deodorant, these are the things I've been using in my body care routine lately... I may or may not have raided the Body Shop when they had a sale a couple of weeks ago! I am going crazy for tropical scents at the moment, so all things fruity, coconut-y and fresh really appeal to me. Not included in the picture is my nearly empty Passion Fruit Shower Gel, which I highly recommend. The Body Shop are great when it comes to creating smooth, soothing products that smell delicious without being sickly sweet, and it's always good to buy fair trade and vegan where you can!

                                        You can buy Batiste Dry Shampoos via ASOS.

Next stop: my hair. Because of the unbearable heat, I have been washing my hair less often than usual. I have incredibly thick, long, hair, and A LOT of it, too, and to my dismay it tends to curl and frizz a lot when I let it air dry - so I blow dry it after every time I wash it. When it's that hot outside though, I just cannot be bothered to go through the 20 minute long hassle of blowdrying!! Instead, I wash it once every 2-3 days, and use the Batiste Dry Shampoos on the days where I don't. I have the scents "Tropical" (COCONUT!) and "Cheeky Cherry". They work wonders, because they don't make my hair feel rough and sticky, but they definitely give it a fresh feel. I'm pretty addicted to it - though I do prefer the tropical scented one.

                               Cacharel "Amor Amor - In a Flash" via The Perfume Shop

Talking about scents: I have discovered my new favorite perfumes and have been completely in love with them over the past two months. The first one is my every day go-to perfume: "Amor Amor - in a flash" by Cacharel. From the packaging to the scent, it's completely perfect. It's sweet, girly and fruity, without being too overwhelming so I find it perfect for every day wear in summer.

       L'Occitane "La Collection de Grasse" Spring/Summer 2013 Collection Box Set via L'Occitane

My other favorite scent is actually a whole little collection: the "Collection de Grasse" by L'Occitane. It's composed of four little perfume flasks, and I can't even decide which of the four scents I am more obsessed with. The scents are: "Jasmine & Bergamot", "Magnolia & Blackberry", "Vanilla & Narcissus" and "Green Tea & Bitter Orange". I know right? They sound divine, and they really are. I own the box set which has all four scents in 18mL bottles, but you can also buy them individually in bigger bottles if you like one of them particularly! Have a look here on the Birchbox Site!

     Chanel Le Vernis in "Black Pearl" and in "Lotus Rouge", Barry M Nail Paint in "Prickly Pear"

Recently, my nails have been really weak and chipping a lot, so I've been trying to give them a little time to regenerate and air to breathe and have been going easy on the nail polish. I also recently moved away from home and had to leave a biiig part of my collection back! So sad. These are my favorite polishes though so they had to come with me: The two Chanel ones are my all time favorites, as they're perfect for any outfit or season, classy and elegant and still pretty fierce. I've been loving this lilac-y / lavender-y shade by Barry M because it's light and pastel-y and perfect for summer. Their gel nail varnishes are so good - they give such a nice glossy finish and stay chip-free for at least 3 days. Admittedly, the Chanel colors aren't that long-lasting or chip-free if you don't use a top coat, but they do make the prettiest colors ever!

           All MAC Shadows via the MAC Cosmetics Store -  Estée Lauder Quad - H&M Palette

Now to the more exciting part: my summer make-up essentials. I'll start off with my eyeshadows, since they're my favorite bits from my current make-up collection. As I've mentioned before, I've been loving the nude shades for my eyes, so these here have been my essential life supply in the last weeks. I like to mix more high-end make up with drugstore make-up, just because I can't go 100% high-end but don't wanna use only cheap things either, so I try to find a compromise! I am eagerly saving up for an Urban Decay Naked Palette, but in the meanwhile, the eye shadows that I do have serve me well. My hands down favorite is my MAC one in the shade "Brulé", which I use all over my eyelid up to my brow bone on a daily basis (that explains why my little beauty is nearly empty - going to cry!!!). I also dearly love my eye shadow quad in the shade "Truffle" by Estée Lauder. It combines a khaki-olive-y brown/green, a warm, coppery bronze shade, a shimmery deep brown shade and a satin-y champagne tone. For a summery smokey eye, this combination is perfect. My other every day go-to shadows are "Bronze" and "Expensive Pink" by MAC and my "Soft Nudes" eyeshadow palette by H&M which is surprisingly good for a fairly cheap product. You can pick it up for 4,95€ in your H&M!

I've been trying to keep the rest of my make up fairly light so I haven't been using tons of foundations, setting powders and concealers. These are my few bits and bobs that I've been using a lot though. I use the Catrice Cosmetics facial primer, which is great cos it is really cheap, not oily and makes my skin feel smooth and moisturized without making it greasy. I swear by the Maybelline New York Dream Matte Mousse (I use the shade 01 Ivory) because it's a great light weight foundation, and since it is matte I don't need to use any powder make up on top. For dark circles under my eyes, I use the Maybelline Dream Lumitouch highlighting concealer, also in the shade ivory. Recently I've had to cut back a lot on both of these though, as ivory is slightly too fair for my tanned skin at the moment! Luckily, the sun and lack of make-up has made my skin clear up a lot so that's not a problem. My absolute favorite product at the moment is the Benefit High Beam highlighter. I blend it on my brow bone, my cheek bones and a bit on my nose for a fresh faced summer look. I'm going to be so gutted when it runs out as it is such an expensive product, but really worth the investment.

I usually pair my nude eyes with a very thin line of black liquid eye liner and a combination of three mascaras (one for length, one for separating and one for volume) only on the top lashes. As an alternative to my liquid liner in black (and for a softer look), I've been using my MAC eye pencil in the color "Powersurge" as well as my MAC Kohl liner in dark brown. For days when I don't want to wear any proper foundation at all, I go with my GOSH Cosmetics BB Cream in the shade 01 Sand - Primer, tinted moisturizer, and SPF 15, all in one! For my eye brows, I usually use my Barry M Brow Pen in dark brown, paired with my Catrice eye brow pencil in light brown, and on my cheeks, I love to use the Benefit Bene-Tint color stain for a healthy glow. I also like to use it on my lips and usually pair it with my Benefit Sugarbomb Lipgloss or my MAC lipstick in Crème in Your Coffee (my all-time favorite lipstick! I have naturally very pale lips, so it helps me look a bit fresher and healthier). You can pick up most of these products in bigger shopping centers at the cosmetics counters, or you can check out the Benefit Online Store as well as the MAC Cosmetics Online Store.

From left to right:
Barry M in Neon Pink #52 and Baby Pink #100, Manhattan in Nude #95L, MAC in "Crème in your Coffee", Manhattan in Purple #56U, Kate Moss for Rimmel London in "Kiss of Life" #111, Catrice in "Princess Peach" #050, Manhattan in Coral #34N, Kate Moss for Rimmel London in #10, Manhattan in Deep Red #54V.
Below: swatches of the lipsticks (order doesn't coincide with the above picture.)
From left to right: MAC "Crème", Barry M #52, Barry M #100, Manhattan #95L, Manhattan #56U, Manhattan #54V, Rimmel #111, Rimmel #10, Manhattan #34N, Catrice #050. 

Since I go mostly nude on my eyes most days, I've been loving crazy bold lipsticks! I'll let the colors speak for themselves, so there you have my Summer 2013 Favorites. (I wear the brighter, coral-y and candy-pink tones during the day, and the deeper, darker shades like purple and red at night).

If you want any special advice on how to use/wear any of these products, where to get them, or a more detailed review/opinion on them, let me know in the comments below! Sorry for the long, photo-heavy post, but I thought this was a good time to show which products I've been loving so far and will continue to love til the end of the summer for a fresh faced, light summer look with a pop of color.

K's Weekly Wishlist #2

Dress | Mascara | Hair Color | BB Cream | Cleansing Cream | Necklace | Sandals

I have been thinking quite a long  time about my wishlist this week because I couldn't find enough this time, so Bianca and me decided that from now one we are going to make our Weekly Wishlists every two weeks instead of every week!

I have been fond of maxi dresses and already own five of them, but I still can't get enough. Especially because I have been searching for an affordable maxi dress like this one on boohoo for a long time! Unfortunately, and I am actually really sad about it, it has sold out in my size already! I really hope it will restock, although they barely restock anything on boohoo... Anyways, the sandals are from boohoo as well, and although I am not sure that studs are still fashionable, I love the idea of combining punky studs with an elegant pointed ballerina style. The necklace is on my wishlist, although it is more an idea for another statement jewelry than a concrete wish for it. I am still searching for a perfect one for me!

Now to the beauty part of the list. My perfect Maybelline Volum' Express Colossal Mascara in 100% black, which is a product I have been using for years and I can highly recommend to anyone, has been nearly used up and I think about switching to the Kiko Luxurious Lashes Mascara, which I have been eyeing for some time now. Considering the description, it should add a very similar effect to my lashes as my maybelline one did.

The La Riché Directions Hair Color will be for my ombré hair I dyed some days ago. I have had it that way last summer already, but this time I wanted to add some color in my hair ends, especially for the festival I am going to in 3 weeks. I am not sure about the color yet, but it will definitely be a shade of pink ro purple!

When I went to England at the beginning of June, I used up my dearly Essence Cleansing Cream and had to buy another product, from another brand... I am so bloody careful with my facial skin because it is very oily and I get pimples so incredibly easily, plus it is so sensitive at the same time and gets dry very quickly. I have a fatal combination. The product I bought is not working as expected and I will throw it away and buy my favorite cleansing cream again. Fortunately, it is really cheap.

So talking about my facial skin, I am very careful with any kind of foundation and powder as well. I have been trying some cheaper products, and I was disappointed nearly every single time. I am now aiming for a more expensive product, combining the effects that I need, and I have finally discovered one: The Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream. Reviews say, it is perfect for sensitive skin, oil-controlling, moisturizing and sun protecting. I will definitely buy it in September when I visit the United States!

What have you been wishing for?

B's Weekly Wishlist #2

Happy Saturday morning everyone!

It's time for our weekly wishlist again... and I definitely went a little overboard with the beauty products this time around... whoopsie. Luckily (or sadly?), for now these are objects of my dreams and I can only slowly get hold of them because #bankaccount. 

          Boots | Benefit Bronzer | Casio Watch | Cuff Bracelet | Frenchie Ring | NARS Stick |  

   Marc Jacobs Oh, Lola! | Stila Lipstick | Lip Butter | Detangling Brush | Pore Fessional | High Beam

My most important purchase in the next couple of weeks is going to have to be the Benefit High Beam highlighter. I currently have one, and I'm SO in love with it, but I've been using it in quite copious amounts lately because I've been trying to go natural and shimmery, and it's running out quickly. From the same brand, I've really been wanting to try out the Pore Fessional pore minimizing face balm. I have fairly oily skin and larger pores on certain areas of my face and would love to see if this works as well as I've heard it does. Same goes for their Hoola Bronzing Powder, which looks beautifully rich and could easily be used as contouring powder too. Next on my list is the Stila After Glow Glow-in-the-Dark Lip Colour in the shade Tangerine Dream. Stila products are amazing, and the glow in the dark concept makes me curious - and as you might know from a previous post, I am all about orange in all its beautiful shades at the moment! Only problem: Stila products aren't the easiest to come by in Europe (just like NARS and Benefit ones... what am I going to do!) I also want to try out the NARS "The Multiple" Stick in Puerto Vallarta - a warm, bronze-y apricot shade which can be used on eyes, cheeks, lips and body and is the perfect size to throw into any bag when you're in a rush. Because I'm planning to travel very soon, I've been thinking of getting my hands onto a travel-size of one of my favorite perfumes: Marc Jacobs Oh, Lola!, so I can smell delicious wherever I go (I also just think the little flask is adorable). The two last beauty products I am eyeing are the Tangle Teezer Professional Detangling Brush, which apparently has made it into every celebrity's and their mum's handbag, and the Korres Lip Butter in the scent Guava - I'm loving tropical scents and flavors at the moment. Other than that, I've been liking a few accessories (Asos cut-out boots, Casio mini gold watch, Asos cross-charm arm cuff, Monki french bulldog ring - cute!!) here and there, but nothing major that caught my eye.... definitely nothing compared to my crazy make-up frenzy of the moment.
 Have you tried any of the products above? What's you verdict? Let us know in the comments!

Kiko Sugar Mat nail lacquer swatch & review

I have been obsessed with liquid sand manicure lately. The Barry M Textured Nail Paints in the color Kingsland Road (which is a light pink) has been in my possession for some months already, and I have fallen madly in love with it! By the way, what I find funny is how the brands can't seem to agree on one term; for OPI for example they call this kind of texture "liquid sand" and Kiko call it "sugar mat".

I have finally made my way to the shopping mall where the Kiko Cosmetics first shop in Vienna opened in May (yes, I know I'm a bit late). When I went to Berlin in 2011, I have first met this brand and was impressed of the price-performance-ratio! The nail polishes are long lasting and quick drying. That's why I decided to buy three different colors of the Sugar Mat nail lacquer collection from Kiko Cosmetics. I chose true red, mint and lilac, I own about a billion different red tones though.

My favorite color for accessories lately is mint. This one appeared really flashy, but natural light it isn't anymore.

It might seem a bit lame, but my all time favor color for nails is red. All tones of it. In summer I prefer the richer, brighter reds and in winter I choose darker red and burgundy tones more often. 

Lilac is one of the pastel tones I enjoy most. It is a really beautiful summer color. I have never been a fan of nail-polish-outfit-matching, so I wear the brightest colors with my black dresses and boring outfits, so they pimp them.

Do you like textured nail polishes? What are your favorite colors for your nails in summer?

B's Top 5 Summer Loves

1/ Orange Hues

    MAC Lipstick in ''All About Orange'' | Asos Belt | Faux Pony Purse | Asos Earrings | Motel Stripe Shirt | Orange Beanie |  Leather Sandals | Orange Bangle | Barry M Nail Paint  | Shopper Bag

My whole entire life, I have hated the color orange in all its shades. Maybe it is because I just moved to the Netherlands and adopted the national color, but all of a sudden, I'm all about orange! I'm loving pops of orange in otherwise monochrome outfits, with a belt, a beanie, a piece of jewelry or a funky bag. Especially paired with brown/khaki tones, military print, or cream/off white colors and tanned skin, orange is such a summery statement color to bring fun and sun to every outfit. I'm a converted orange lover, guys! Bring it on, neon, tangerine, coral, apricot... I love them all. Here a selection of a few of this summer's most beautiful orange statement pieces. Links for the shops included above!

2/ Shift Dresses

                    Boutique by Jaeger Jacquard Shift Dress | Pepe Jeans Floral Shift Dress |

Asos 3/4 Sleeve Orange Shift Dress | Asos Herringbone Shiftdress with Exaggerated Zip

Now, I do realize that for a large-busted girl like me, shift dresses are not ideal/flattering. But it's summer and the heat is overwhelming, so the floaty shift-dress-cut is welcome and refreshing to wear. I love the sweater-type shift dresses in soft colors (especially in white and cream), or some of the more fancy ones, with bold colors, layers of sheer material, crazy prints and silky materials. After buying the previously mentioned Monki Sweater dress, I've decided that even I can embrace that style. You can make the shift dress look less boxy by synching it in at the waist with a beautiful skinny belt, too! Not ideal for curvy girls? Maybe, but I can't help but love the shift dress with a strappy sandal and a small bag, a bold lip color and otherwise minimal accessories. Perfect for a summer evening out!

3/ Bold Lips

All Lipsticks via the MAC Cosmetics Online Store

          Candy Yum Yum  | Rebel  | Lady Danger  | Girl About Town | Morange  | Saint Germain

Lately, I've been wearing very simple and nude-y make up on my eyes (usually: MAC eyeshadow in "Brulé" with a thin line of black liquid eyeliner and mascara only on my top lashes), so for evenings out I've been experimenting with a few bolder lipsticks. Though I do like other lipstick brands too, my favorite trend this summer are bold lip colors, and we all know that MAC are the best when it comes to bold, daring and very pigmented lipsticks. My apologies for the lack of diversity, but here are my top lipstick colors for this summer (lighter colors during the day, darker shades for the night) - all by MAC. Though I will always love my all time classic red shades, this summer I am really into deeper purples, fresh coral tones and candy pink colors, which all go great with a nude eye and a bit of a tan.

4/ Cut-Out Boots

                 Senso Quimat Boots  |  ASOS After All Boots  |  Jeffrey Campbell Everly Boots

Nastygal Belita Boots  |  ASOS Afterlife Boots  |  Nastygal Boyfriend Ankle Boots

I know, I know - this trend has been around forever and I am totally late to the party. I've loved the cut-out boot designs from the first minute, but only recently brought myself to invest into a slightly pricier pair (the Asos After All Boots in black leather). Even though they are boots, I find them to be a staple piece in summer. They are perfect for festivals, traveling and city-trips and look amazing paired with a floaty dress and girly prints. I'm glad to know I'll be able to take mine into autumn as they'll make a great seasonal transition piece. Definitely worth every penny. Personally, I'm not that big a fan of the chunkier cut-out boots à la Jeffrey Campbell Coltranes, but I do love the more elegant versions (like the JC Everly Boot). Here are my favorite picks for this cut-out boot trend. Which ones do you have?

5/ White and Cream Shades

    Broderie Cami | Free People Dress | Crochet Midi Skirt | Sheer Panel Dress | Color Block Trousers

For the longest time I thought that the only color in the world that suits me is black. Recently I've been trying to open up a little and try the one or other more daring color (or, like in this case, non-color). At the moment, besides coral tones, I am really loving nude, white and cream shades which are fresh and summery. You can go bold in a black and white monochrome outfit (I love those white trousers with a black crop top and heeled sandals) or more girly in a cream crocheted dress or skirt and dainty jewelry. I love the simplicity of a white top with jeans, too. These colors are great to pair with extravagant statement jewelry or a pop-color lipstick. My favorite: this super minimal sheer panel mini dress.

So, that's basically my favorite fashion trends for this summer. Many of these are big steps for me to take because they're far out of my comfort zone, but they're gorgeous and worth every bit of courage and money ;) I'd love to hear what you've been loving and wearing so far this summer!

What I bought

I went to Primark today with a friend. I planed not to spend a lot of money, but as usual I ended up buying clothes and accessories for nearly 50€. At the cash register, I realized that I have bought one entire outfit, which wasn't on purpose at all!

I have chosen an oversized blouse in khaki, black long leggings, a studded black belt, pyramid shaped earrings and black front closed sandals.

The vest is made out of a super light material which makes it perfect for summer. I am very impressed about the leggings because they are made out of viscose so they are super soft. The leggings I usually by are from H&M but they wear out quickly and are expensive compared to those from Primark.

The studs on the belt are really small and pyramid shaped. The only belts I have in my wardrobe are plain and actually quite boting, so I went for something simple but a bit more fancy.

I have always wanted pyramid shaped earrings in gold. I am very happy with them, they are not too oversized but still eye-catching. I have to add here that I barely ever wear earrings, I don't even know why. Maybe it's because I usually wear necklaces and I think necklaces and earrings together are a bit too much, but that's because I'm a minimalist.

And the best comes last: my new sandals. I have searched for some like these everywhere and unfortunately Austria is not known for how fashionable and up to date it is. These beauties are made out of real leather and they were the last in the entire shop. I was so happy to see that they are exactly my size and they also fit really well. This is my favorite buy of today.

Do you like shopping at Primark? Is there anything you have found lately that you have searched for for a very long time?

Lipstick Sweetheart

Today I would like to present to you my absolute favorite lipstick: the Velvet Touch 86 Kitsch from Gosh Cosmetics. The lipstick looks very similar to the Crème in Your Coffee shade by MAC, also a very good lipstick that Bianca owns. I saw hers and fell in love with the color, but I thought that there must be a less expensive version of the color. After a couple of weeks of intensive search (I am a perfectionist), I finally stumbled upon this wonderful shade for half the price of the MAC version!

A mixture of plum, red and pink tones makes this lipstick perfect for every day wear. The color is very rich and intense, and also has good staying power. You only have to refresh it after a couple of hours, and even then it is not entirely gone. It can easily be worn without lip liner, too, which is great for a quick get-up-and-go styling. The look is very shiny and lives up to how it looks on the stick or on a swatch. It is also super moisturizing, which gives my lips loads of extra care. The lipsticks I usually know and own make my lips go dry after some days, which I absolutely cannot say about this one. 

I am very happy with the choice I made and carry this beauty in my bag all the time. I cannot go without it! 

What do you think about this lipstick? Do you own a similar color yourself?

Current Obsession: MONKI

Morning everyone!

 Today I thought I would do a little review of one of my current clothing brand obsessions.  Lately, I've been slightly bored with the fashion labels I usually shop from (I'm not a fan of the current photographic print floral designs, nor of the digital prints, and I'm not too fond of the whole girly floaty lace thing in pastel colors either because, well, it's not the most flattering for a girl like me!). So I've been on the look-out for an affordable brand that would make me swoon again, and I sure have found it. Via Sammi from beautycrush I've been aware of the swedish label Monki for a while, but hadn't thought of buying anything until I recently saw that ASOS started stocking some of their new collection. All I can say is: love at first sight. ASOS so far features about 35-40 items. Some of their collection does also follow the photographic / floral / digital print trend (though it's not my cup of tea, they succeed beautifully at it!). What really made my heart beat faster are the clean-cut, simple, minimal and monochrome designs. Geometric cuts, simple lines, floaty materials in black, white, cream and grey. I immediately ordered their cream/white 3/4 length sleeve jumper dress because I literally couldn't hold back - even though I was really worried that a white short boxy dress wouldn't be the best choice for my body shape.

                   

Upon opening my ASOS package I fell moooore in love. All in all, it's the perfect casual but classy summer dress. It's a bit floaty and short for a breezy freshness during the heat. It's white to keep the sun away and make your tan look darker, and the material is soft and smooth yet thick enough to warm you up on a cooler evening if you throw on a cardigan. Shockingly enough, I didn't even feel like it is too inappropriate and unflattering for my size/shape (I vary between a size 12/14).

Since falling in love with the dress, I have been browsing the Monki Online Shop and their ASOS collection every day, and there's two dozen items in my cart at all times. Monki also happens to have a super amazing sale at the moment, with prices ranging from 2/4€ for some accessories to about 10/15€ for tops and dresses. My fingers are itching - I just want to have it all! Since Monki shops are hard to come by in a lot of places in Europe, I'm incredibly excited to be heading to Helsinki in a couple of weeks to hit their two finnish stores. Let's hope I don't return with a completely empty bank account though! I was even so impatient that I just ordered their black foldover faux leather bag - great size, beautiful and slick design, absolutely perfect for traveling to Helsinki ;) - and at such a great price, too!

                     

A lovechild of the brands H&M and Cheap Monday, Monki offers typically scandinavian coolness and minimalism for really affordable prices. The quality is great, the designs meet my tastes to 100% and are perfect for both minimalists and individualists. The plain, well-cut dresses and tops offer a perfect canvas for big statement jewelry, and the prints bring a pop of color or a splash of humor to your outfit. Basically: I can't stop raving. My only advice: be careful, because their sizing is slightly odd, so that their size M for example equals a UK 14/16, so make sure to size down and check their sizing charts so you don't float in your top! I will definitely let you know what made its way into my wardrobe when I get back from Finland! Have you got any experiences with the label? What do you think?

Shop Monki here and here.

K's Weekly Wishlist #1

Brushes | Hair Curler | Purse | Wedge Ankle Boots | Biker Ankle Boots | Naked 2

As opposed to Bianca, I am definitely an online shopper. Most of the time, I cannot bear standing in line in front of the fitting rooms or the cash register. You will easily find the items I wish for online in the future.

So these are the items I would love to have in my wardrobe this week. Let's start with the brushes: I have read on various blogs that they are totally fond of Real Technique Brushes and I have decided I will go with the hype. I am not a professional, I usually can't handle for example a 32 brushes set, so I am very happy they offer small sets as well. As they are quite expensive, it may take some time until I will talk myself into actually buying them.

Since it is summer and temperatures rise high here in Vienna, I don't blow-dry my hair. I generally have quite straight hair but sometimes some curls sneak their way into my hairstyle and I have had enough of straightening them out. The Remington Pro Big Curl Iron will hopefully lead me to what I am expecting: big hollywood-like curls.

It feels like I have searched half of my life for the perfect purse. I wanted one I can zip around, with more than two main compartments, without any pattern or brand logo and in a decent color. This hunt was way harder than expected, but I have finally found one. I will not purchase it in the color shown in the picture though, I will go for the mint or light pink one, I will let you know when I made my decision!

Ankle boots, ankle boots, ankle boots. I love them. I have worn these type of boots for so many years now and what a surprise they show up in my wishlist. Being a small girl, I need heels to look in people's faces, and wedges are the most comfortable to walk in. These black wedge ankle boots are essentials in a wardrobe and I feel ashamed for not having some yet! The biker boots are more punk-y and would fit very well with my khaki parka. I really need new shoes for autumn/winter!

And last but not least: the Urban Decay Naked 2 eyeshadow palette. I have had wild beauty dreams about it. Unfortunately, it is not affordable especially here in Austria. But I am lucky to be visiting the United States in September! I am currently using the Nude Eyeshadow Palette from Catrice which served me well, but it will be used up very soon...

Do you already own what is on my wishlist? Are you interested in the stuff I fancy? You find the links to the products below the image!