Essie Lilacism

I had just a perfect Sunday yesterday. Early in the morning I went to the kiosk to get some relaxing reading stuff and I got this 2-in-1 surprise:
The SI-Style with an Essie nail polish!
In German you pronounce the magazine SI like Essie the brand, so the cooperation was in fact obvious ;-) (Thanks M. for the tipp!)

They have it in 2 colors: Lilacism and Mint Candy Apple which I already got, so I took the one with Lilacism.

I wish more magazines could do such cooperations!

Armani Rouge d'Armani Sheers, Eyes to Kill Excess

Hope you all had a great weekend!

I got a voucher from Armani last week: "get the must-haves for summer" (for free).

So I went to Jelmoli, where the new Armani counter is, and got my present:

It was a toilet bag, made of black velvet, filled with 3 little gifts:

Rouge d'Armani Sheers Lipsticks
Eyes to Kill Excess Mascara
and a serum for mature skin.

Since my skin isn't really mature at all, I haven't tested it and so I won't go into details.

Rouge d'Armani Sheers

The colors are very bright, so perfect for summer. Armani says it has the translucency of a gloss - true - but to be honest, the most lipsticks can have this translucency. They also say it has the comfort of a balm, which is true. It really feels like a lip balm for hours, it's very hydrating. Therefor it doesn't stays long on your lips. After a few drinks or after a meal the color is gone. But that's normal to most lipsticks or balms.

It reminds me of Revlon's Colorburst Lip Butter.

Plum 600

Pink 500

Coral 300

Armani Eyes to Kill Excess Mascara

It promises instant volume and the deepest black. I'm happy that I got a mini-size because I really like the mascara!

You can build up volume very quickly, it dries also very fast and the black is really deep with a little lacquer-shiny finish.

Left pic: without mascara

Left pic: with Armani Eyes to Kill Excess Mascara

The mascara smells also very good - it has not the typical chemical smell.

Small bumbler, that I always have because of my long lashes, can be easily removed with a cotton bud without removing the eyeshadow.

And it does not crumble during the day which is important for me because I'm using lenses.

It would be great if other companies could do such samples more often. Have you heard of Glossy Box? It's box with the newest cosmetics and beauty samples sent home once a month.

It's already available in 18 countries, but still not in Switzerland. Maybe because of the price...? While in Austria the box costs EUR 14.- per month, in Germany EUR 15.- p.m., in France EUR 10.- ... in Switzerland I read it should be CHF 25.- that's about EUR 20.- a month! Quite expensive, huh?

Have you ever ordered a Glossy Box? Please let me know what your experience with it was.
Have a great week!

Psst: Have you already entered?
Give Away: Win your sensational BB-Foam here! 

Shooting Burlesque

Last month's shooting was in such a nice location. The Plaza is lovely cool club near city center Zurich. I've never been there for partying before, but I definitely have to.

Have a look at the backstage pics. The walls have glowing humming bird paintings - very nice!

Photographer: MAF Photography
Model: Dejana
Hair & Make-up done by myself

Lounge 

Lounge II

Bling-bling in the club-sky

Review: Laura Mercier Foundation Primer Hydrating, Foundation Primer Radiance

Laura Mercier is quite new here and only available in one mall in Zurich (Globus, Bahnhofstrasse).

I first heard of the brand from a Make-up Artist from London. She loves LM Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer which gives your face a healthy dewy look and also protects it with SPF 20. So I went to the counter to try it. I really love it. It has a lot of shimmer in it but it's tinted, so it doesn't give your skin this shimmering-pale look like a fairy.

But since it was very expensive and it was still winter here and my skin needed more a little extra hydration, I spotted the new Foundation Primers:
Hydrating, Mineral and Oil Free.

So I asked for a little sample of the Hydrating one to test it at home. Never buy an expensive cream or make-up without testing it unhurriedly at home for two or three days. You can always get a little sample, that should not be a problem and good make-up counters are happy to help you with this.

So I tried the sample and it was great. My skin soaked up the extra moist and my skin wasn't sticky or oily at all. I bought it. I was happy.

Unfortunately after one week the product changed. The texture started to get heterogenous. I shook the product to mix it well but with day by day it got worse. At the end there was only cream and water-like liquid in it. So I went to the counter again to report the problem and to get a new one. I thought that maybe the package had a hole or something else. I got a new one with no problem.

And again happy with my new Hydration Primer. But after four days the product started to change again. Same problem: only "water" came out. I had a quick look at the internet and I found out, that I wasn't the only one - see the reviews here.

So I went again to the LM counter. And it shows that they were already aware of this problem. It seems that there was a manufacturing error, but only for the serial M11... (I think it was this number) One ingredient was missing or so... that's why the cream divides into two substances. You can find the number on top of the tube - marked in red. Maybe that's why it's already "sold out" on the LM homepage.

And with no problem - of course I had no invoice left at this point - they wanted to give me a new product with another serial number. But since spring is starting and my skin has now other needs I asked for a the Foundation Primer Radiance

And again I'm very happy with it. 

So now I have my radiance product for a dewy look and a little extra moisture for my skin. It's very light and non sticky. 

It's also slightly tinted, so you don't get a spooky pale white look.

Product tested on my arm:

light beige-rosy tinted cream

with flash: primer left, no primer on the right

without flash: primer left, no primer on the right

Résumé:

I really liked the Hydration Primer, well, until it got runny. But if it's really only a manufacturing error  in just this one serial product line and they have, as they told me at the counter, the problem solved, I can recommend the product and I will buy it next winter again, because for dry winter skin it's really perfect. Because instead of other primers it doesn't get greasy or oily and you can apply the make-up free of streaks.

I was very satisfied and surprised how they dealt with me, returning a product twice. They were very friendly and not nerved or irritated. Very calm and competent they explained the problem, gave me a new product and left me with a very good feeling. This was an outstanding example of customer service! I'm not often returning things but I also had bad experience with this, like blaming me for destroying it or similar. So thank you very much Laura Mercier counter!!! 

And although there was a huge problem with the product I won't take all "pencil-points". We all make errors, they can happen. But it's not about the error, it's about how we deal with it and how we solve the problem!

So it's 4 from 5 pencils for the LM Hydrating Primer!

The Foundation Primer Radiance is a great product. I already love it. I just hope that it won't get runny ;) It's light, it soaks up quick, it has no smell or perfume and it gives you this adorable dewy look - just perfect for spring and summer. 5 from 5!

Fuzzy Winter Hair?

It's still wintertime and although it's sunny it's plus/minus freeze point temperature outside. Wool jumpers, scarves and caps keep you warm and cosy, but makes your hair like electric supercharged.

So my little helper for dry, fuzzy hair is a tiny bit of Moroccan Oil in the fresh washed wet hair. You can also give some right into the tips of your already blow-dried hair if it feels dry and rough. It will be smooth soon. Also good for damaged hair.

I dont' know the other Moroccan Oil products, but the small bottle with 25ml of oil goes a very long way. If anybody has tried the other products, please leave a comment what you experience with it was.

In Zurich you can find this product at the lovely N°2. They also have an online-shop but if you're nearby it's really worth the visit!

sweet tiny hats were from The Great Knitting campaign of Innocent Smoothie

Do it like Dita - new in my bookshelf

Retro looks are still everywhere at the moment! Thinking of the marvelous Dita Von Teese, Amy Winehouse or the successful TV series Mad Men (already over four seasons).

And of course in fashion you can find a strong touch of retro. Have a look at Prada's spring 2012 collection or Louis Vuitton in pastel shades.

So Santa, or as we say in Austria, the Christkind was very nice to me and brought a lot of presents. Two of them are these fantastic books:

Retro Makeup and Vintage Hairstyling
They are telling you a little about the history, about the basic tools, what was used in former times and step-by-step you can find make-up and hair tutorials from the 20s to the 60s.

To be honest, I bought these books (well, sometimes you have to help the Christkind a little to get the right things ;-)) in Zurich's Niederdorf in a very lovely store: Stardust 
If you are around you have to drop by!

They also sell glamourous clothes, bling-bling Accessories and a lot of more vintage style. The owner is very nice and also very passionate about vintage style, she can help you to pick the right stuff for you.

So what you're waiting for? Get some inspiration from Dita here or be a Glamour Diva and seduce your own Don Draper.

It's prom season anyway, let's try to learn a ballroom dance or better go to Vienna - they are famous for their balls - not only the opera ball; calendar here
Or what about a theme party?

Anyway, have fun and put some glamour in those grey and cold new months of the year!

PS: If you are not living in Zurich you can find the books online here.

Shooting für das Zürcher Label Hckflsch (Tag 2)

Photographer: Le Bon

Model: Viviane

Styling: Hckflsch

Hair & Make-up: done by myself

Shooting für das Zürcher Label Hckflsch (Tag 1)

Photographer: Le Bon

Model: Viviane

Styling: Hckflsch

Hair & Make-up: done by myself