REVIEW: Dior Mirage number 338 nail polish

What it promises to do?

"Discover the new-generation Dior Vernis and its ingenious formula that plays up the gel effect.
Shine. "Gel Coat" resins with intense purity combined with a techno-polymer transform each coat of lacquer into a film as smooth and shiny as glass.
Hold. Enriched with organic silicon, the new Dior Vernis strengthens the nail surface for extra-long wear. The techno-polymer creates a seamless bond between the nail and the lacquer. For really long staying power.
Smart. Softer, longer, and flat with a rounded tip, the user-friendly design of the new Dior Vernis brush ensures flawless application - even for beginners.
Color. Color creation draws inspiration from the color charts of the couture collections, boasting a sweeping range that includes Iconic shades emblematic of Dior, It-shades on the pulse of fashion, bold Statement shades you can't resist, and the Essentials, those timeless basics.
Feed your color addiction with the new Dior Vernis, formulated without toluene, formaldehyde, phthalates or camphor."

Package:

The package is simple but sophisticated. The bottle is see-through with Dior's name and the name of the nail polish mentioned on it. The bottle has a silver cap.

One layer of Dior Mirage nail polish

My own experience:

I really adored this color immediately when I spotted it and it's a great match with my Yves Saint Laurent lipstick. As you can see in the swatches above and below, one layer is not enough to reach that fuchsia shade. At most you get a dark pink look. Two layers do the work tough. The Dior nail polish is very easy to apply and doesn't smear. This is very important since I'm quite clumsy.

As a minus point I have to note that I miss the gel effect that Dior promises. Even with two layers, the nail polish is not thick enough to resemble gel effect.

Two layers of Dior Mirage nail polish

You can purchase this nail polish on the Ici Paris XL website for € 23,70.

Shoplog #5

Last week when I attended the Belmodo x Triumph shapewear Shopping Night I arrived quite late in Antwerp. To my surprise and joy the Forever 21 store doesn't close at 6 PM unlike most stores. I really like Forever 21 for their great accessories in every color from the rainbow. My excitement got even bigger when I realized that there was a promotion on the accessories: get 3, pay 2. I'm really sorry but I just started shopping and I forgot to check the expiry date for this promotion.

Anyway here's an overview from the things I bought:

EVENT: Belmodo x Triumph Shapewear Shopping Night

picture credit: Belmodo

Thanks to the lovely team from Belmodo I was able to attend yet another event; the Belmodo x Triumph Shapewear Shopping Night. I can hear some of you thinking: "Why would we want to wear shapewear, is this not for grannies?". Some years ago I might have agreed with you, but shapewear has come a long way since  than.

If you check out the amazing  promo pictures with the lovely Tiany Kiriloff for Triumph shapewear you see what I mean. This collection is very sophisticated and chic, it uses a variety of nice fabrics and designs and looks very sexy.

Tiany Kiriloff and me

The event was organised at the Triumph store on the Meir in Antwerp. This store is rather small which made the event very cozy. At the entrance my mother (free drive to Antwerp) and me were welcomed very warmly by the Belmodo team and got offered cosmopolitans right away.

The mood board I created with the Triumph shapewear and some Zalando items

Tiany walked around the store to advise everyone on what to buy. Did I mention she's super nice? Every attendant could also participate in a contest to win a voucher for Zalando and a lingerie set from Triumph. I also enjoyed running into some familiar faces. Thank you Belmodo and Triumph for organising this great event!

Picture credit: Belmodo

BEAUTY: What to do on a bad hair day?

I seriously hate those very few women who seem to have perfect hair every day. How do they do it? My guess is they either are a hairdresser themselves or visit one multiple times a week. Ofcourse not everybody has the time and / or budget to do that. Although we all would rather go back to bed and stay in all day long, this really isn't a solution if you have obligations. Therefore I would like to share some tips with you to battle a bad hair day.

1. Put your hair up

The best hair to be put up, is hair that hasn't been washed for a couple of days. Spray some dry shampoo and comb your hair on the roots there subsequently. Make a bun and pin it loosely onto your head. Tip: you can use a scarf to add a girly touch.

2. Glamerous curls

This is a tip I often use myself definitely because I have some slight, natural curls myself. Put some oil in your hair to make it shine and start using that curling iron. 

3. The ponytail

This is probably the easiest hairstyle ever. If this is too boring for you, I've got some good news: the wet look is in style more than ever. Spread some hair mousse on your towel dry hair and put it together in a low ponytail. 

4. Braid your hair

Braids are perfect for thicker hair. The possibilities to braid your hair are endless.

5. Camouflage

If you don't have a lot of time on your hands or you're just not so good at trying out different hair styles, you can still go for this camouflage tip. Caps are totally in right now.

INSPIRATION: 5 ways to wear a scarf

I'm a huge fun of scarfs and tend to wear them in different ways. Last weekend I had an outfit shoot with a professional photographer (I can't wait to get my hand on the pictures) and I used my Hermès scarf as a headband. This trend is really going strong and gives a bohemian touch to your outfit. Here are some different ways you can wair a scarf.

1. Scarf as headband

2. Scarf as belt

3. Bag styled with a scarf

4. Scarf around your neck

5. Scarf as bracelet

MET Gala 2014

Each year the MET Gala is an event the fashion world looks forward to. Celebrities put on their most amazing outfit to dazzle us with their style. Last year the dress code was punk which encouraged some unusual red carpet looks.

This year the MET Gala goes back to its roots with a strict white tie dress code. To break it down, it usually consists of a black tailcoat with matching trousers that feature a single stripe of satin,  a white piqué wing-collared shirt, a white vest, studs and cuff links, a white bow tie, white or grey gloves, black patent shoes, and black dress socks.

This year the theme celebrates the “Great American Couturier,” Charles James. The designer was very popular from the ’30s and even into the ’70s.  From detailed draping to voluminous ball gowns and exquisite structuring, everything was about grand glamour.

Here are some of my favorite looks, which is your favorite?

From left to right:

Jessica Alba in Diane von Furstenberg

Chanel Iman, Kendall Jenner and Jourdan Dunn in Topshop

Dee and Tommy Hilfiger

Kanye West and Kim Kardashian both in Lanvin

Karoline Kurkova in Marchesa

Kylie Minogue in Marchesa

Selena Gomez in Diane von Furstenberg

Leighton Meester in Emilio Pucci

Marrion Cotillard in Christian Dior Haute Couture

Sarah Jessica Parker in Oscar de la Renta

Tom Brady in Tom Ford and Gisele Bündchen in Balenciaga

Victoria Beckham in her own ddesign and David Beckham in Ralph Lauren Black Label

REVIEW: Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture lipstick nr 7 Le Fuchsia

What it promises to do?

"A new-generation lipstick inspired by Monsieur Saint Laurent’s iconic color palette—red, fuchsia and orange—in a collection of captivating couture shades that offer each complexion a customized look. Lips are saturated with intense, stay-true color, thanks to the Coloreveal Technology while natural extracts provide comforting moisture that lasts all day. Provides medium to full coverage with a radiant, satin finish."

Ingredients:

"Octyldodecanol, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Stearyl/Ppg-3 Myristyl Ether Dimer Dilinoleate, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Polyethylene, Cera Microcristallina (Microcrystalline Wax), Polybutene, Propylene Glycol Dibenzoate, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Titanium Dioxide, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Parfum (Fragrance), Caprylyl Glycol, Aqua (Water), Ammonium Glycyrrhizate, Mannitol , Polyurethane-15, Acacia Senegal Gum, Glyceryl Stearate, Lecithin, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Butylene Glycol, Rosemary (Rosmarinus Officinalis) Extract , Yeast (Faex) Extract , Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Root Extract, Retinyl Palmitate, Citric Acid [+/- May Contain: Ci 77019 (Mica), Ci 77491 (Iron Oxide), Ci 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), Ci 15850 (Red 7), Ci 15850 (Red 6), Ci 45410 (Red 28 Lake), Ci 77492 (Iron Oxide), Silica, Ci 19140 (Yellow 5 Lake), Ci 42090 (Blue 1 Lake), Ci 17200 (Red 33 Lake), Ci 75470 (Carmine), Ci 12085 (Red 36), Ci 77499 (Iron Oxide), Ci 15985 (Yellow 6 Lake), Ci 77742 (Manganese Violet), Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Ci 73360 (Red 30), Synthetic Fluorphlogopite."

one layer of Rouge Pur Couture, due to the bad light the color looks more pink but I  swear it's fuchsia

Package:

The package is very chic and in my favorite color gold. The lipstick is quadratic. At the point where the lipstick closes, the logo from Yves Saint Laurent comes together on the bullet. 

two layers of Rouge Pur Couture

My own experience:

The formula is amazingly smooth and creamy. The lipstick is quite long lasting although I have to point out that the brightness from the color fates after about two hours. After having searched for the perfect fuchsia lipstick for so long, I was excited to find the perfect color in the product range from Yves Saint Laurent. Often lipsticks don't exactly match the color on the bullet but this one was completely satisfying. I'm super pleased about the color. 

The finish is satiny mat and as bonus point, the Rouge Pur Couture has 15 SPF. 

You can buy this lipstick in a lot of different shades on the Ici Paris XL website. The price tag is € 30,15 which is quite expensive but reasonable for its great quality.