Flip Flops

My last post was written roughly a year ago. Blogging just doesn't create that traction it used to before. Or so I thought. Someone I came into contact recently sparked my interest in all sorts of things I had lost the spark for. This summer has been what I feel like an essential experience and stepping stone to cement myself even more.

Before anything, Gratitude is what has been on my mind religiously.
I used to put a lot more importance in people-pleasing, just couldn't withstand not being there for everyone, for a talk, a walk, I made their problems mine without taking the time to actually focus on myself, probably wouldn't even go the mental lengths I would go for a partner. Partnership, something I had and am learning to detach a bit from, as someone who can easily become co-dependent, not in a needy way, but in a I-will-do-back-flips-to-help-you-and-neglect-my-needs way.

Had you told me 6 months ago about the small adventures I would have lived by now, I wouldn't know whether to cry, shudder, smile or just flee. The truth is that this was a transformative and blessed year, and learning how to let go was essential. From past hurts, relationships, cycles, patterns, memories and thoughts I no longer feel the need to identify with. I tried positivity, being deeply involved in the moment and in life in general, not stressing about outsider perceptions and other input I would otherwise spend hours stressing over. Accepting as is. Being wonderfully fascinated by the present.

I had the pleasure of visiting 3 different towns I had never been to, and visit, explore like a local, with friends, family and most importantly, myself. It's so funny where life gets you, and what it brings to your doorstep when all you did was mumble under your breath what you were wishing for. Somehow, things find their way to you, or you just learn how to make space for them while listening to your intuition, without feeling the guilt attached. What a glorious thought, to realize how many times you can re-invent and feel yourself out.

But then new questions arise, what guides me? What moral compass am I under effect? Have I lost myself? Am I honoring the little kid inside of me, or killing and betraying it unknowingly? What is the limbo in which I can live so as not to get stiffened up by life, nor too lost in my own dreamy state?

Above everything, life never flows in one line, but in a wavy one with big ups and downs and you just need to learn how to better drift in it, how to appreciate the deepness and richness and all the sun you feel on your face once the tide pushes you up again. You can learn how to be compassionate and have a collective love, even while accepting and trying to change the bad. True empathy. I am on a big endless journey to improve my methods and channels of sharing, but that is something I have truly realized, nothing makes sense unless shared, not with one single person, but our own experience can be revitalizing to someone which I have no grasp of. Stories, love is what moves us. We can always learn to learn again. To drop silly inhibitions, to show our real smile. To write, dance, sing, without bearing in mind anything else but the sheer act of it, without thinking I am being watched, or that I look silly. Do it because you feel the need bursting from under your skin because the calling is sacred and can truly help.

I have also been trying to practice on how to show affection in simple ways that can help me and effectively portray my feelings, to also feel more present. I was someone who always deterred from certain displays, who in many ways didn't know how to share that part of herself in a wholesome, non-sexual way. It's so pleasing to work on that, give out real hugs, share all the tears, a simple touch on a friend's arm or a knowing lock of gaze.

"No matter how isolated you are and how lonely you feel, if you do your work truly and conscientiously, unknown friends will come and seek you" - Carl Jung

This quote also resonates to me, as when I listen to myself closely, pay attention to what my first impulses are, and try to balance the energies around me, what I ask for, is what I get, and I saw this happen not only to myself but to others around me. I do not know if that is the Law of Attraction as I don't have enough readings on that to confirm, but it has been impossible not to notice some amazing synchronicities I have been registring all around me. Not everything is positive, and yet, I can always find space to get some perspective on an issue, I can always find the calmer answer somewhere within me, it is there. Empathy is the journey and gratitude is the only destination for sure. I keep living with this child-like gleam in my eyes. Multiple opportunities keep flowing in, and I am mesmerized, and in Love. I just have to focus to come across deep messages held by special people that just so happen to cross my way. Search for inspiration in the little things, be propelled forward.

Change is Good

Hello!

Life is so incredibly messy, that even if I really try, I can't force myself to engage in activities that don't feel real anymore. Progressively, I've just been distancing myself from societal norms, talking back, standing up for myself, and other wonderful things I've learned over the past few years, in which I enrolled in university, and just got sucked into this mind-blowing experience we call Life.

I've fallen in and out of love with it, numerous times, up until now, when I feel as if I've finally reached some of the tranquility and understanding I was looking for in this world. 2016 was a rough year, and it took me a long time to recover from all the scars that were inflicted upon me, and all of those that were self-inflicted. Heartbreak and constant failure can change you, man, and in me, I felt like it triggered a monumental revolution, that led me to a path of acceptance and discovery, that allowed me to renew friendships and start to decode something rooted deep within me.

It feels so incredibly good being in my own skin, being able to just be. Change is constant, and I've felt her, immensely. For that, I am so grateful. It may not look like much, but the stories that these two years encapsule, oh man. So much beauty, and hurt, so many new things, so many lessons.

The thing is, in my new mindset, I can't force myself to write anything unauthentic, I can't write silly, overused captions on Instagram and pretend that I feel that fake intimacy that it gives to so many people, I can't be around people that are not good for me, I try to be as analytical, unbiased, understanding and patient as I can. I'm no longer accepting that my scars bleed over blank pages. I'm no longer denying my reality, the one where I thought I couldn't succeed because I just didn't have the same tools, experience, know-how as the other people; but I am now trying to work with it, make it as much mine as I possibly can. My anxiety has calmed down by a lot, and I just feel a new energy. And it's freaking lovely. I love where I'm at right now, even though people still insist on trying to define my life by me sometimes or try to tell me what version of myself they see through their eyes.

So much on my mind lately, the options seem literally endless. I've been pondering learning a new language, taking new courses and skills, be it collages, pottery, psychology. I've finally decided that upon finishing my senior year, I'll be taking a gap year. I used to feel the need to drift along with what everyone was doing or saying. "That that was valid and this would fulfill you and bring you money as long as you do it by this age, under these circumstances". Even my peers forced me into that stupid box. I don't want to sit in it and be limited to a certain area all my life. I have many years to learn so much. I am ready for all the knowledge that is coming my way!
Many times, when I was feeling down, uninspired, I tried to join as many things as I could, all at once, just to prove that I was doing something, that I wasn't a failure. Always updating social media because how else are people going to keep interested and up to date with you? I now find that so many people seem to do this, just fill their online presence with stuff to prove something. To themselves? To others? Who knows.

Is there any structure to this post? I guess not. I've just been so indecisive about starting to write here again, because it's so pointless but at the same time it could do so much good, especially to my mental health. And on a whim, I just downloaded Blogger and started typing like a monkey again. All of a sudden I couldn't stop, hence the lack of structure. I'm just pumped and feeling creative all of a sudden, imagining all the topics I can now share, my new interests, my new way of rambling (if I feel like it) and just my new perspectives. Until next time,

Love and Light!

Rock bB = Change Lives

Hello!

So, long time no see! I've recently started thinking about getting back on Blogger and write some posts on this old blog, maybe re-vamp it a bit. So much has happened in the last years, months, weeks, so there should be quite a few topics to go over. Nonetheless, today I'd like to talk to you about something new that has happened in my life, and that has the capacity to impact positively so many people!


A couple of weeks ago I was asked by one of the Brand Rep Managers of BeyondBeanie to join them on their mission. Although I was a bit reticent at first since this was not the first time I was approached by a brand (and turned it down, just 'cause afraid of exposure...) I actually accepted and I'm thrilled! The brand's values are wholesome, and their products are just too cute. I annexed some resources to this post so that you can check their online store, mission, and even their TedTalk!


I've only now really started to get more into this commitment, but it has already been so rewarding. I was given a discount code that you can use for 25% off: NESI25; so that's just another reason to go pay them a visit, learn how they are helping to fight poverty by empowering artisans and helping children in need and also help me at the same time, in case you're interested!


Thank you so much for reading and I hope to find you reading my rambles in the near future!

● Inês ●

Getting down with The Get Down | Review

Hello!

As extreme as this might sound, I think I have never loved a tv show as much as I love The Get Down. I am a person who is very critical of the media I consume, because everything from magazines to tv shows has an impact even if we think it doesn't, because more often than not, this media we are consuming are catering to white, ethnocentric ideals, aesthetics, etc etc. I have jumped from series to series and as much as I try to appreciate them without their problematic aspects (racism, homophobia, misogyny) they always stick out to me and make me think that what I watch is a representation of what I am, what I like. Having said this, The Get Down is everything I'm looking for in a series.

The Get Down is set in the late 70's, telling us the beginnings and evolution of what we now know as hip-hop, rap, break-dancing, street art/graffiti and how they were all linked and how they spread in the Bronx. But mind you, this is not just for the fans of these genres, for the fans yes it will be nostalgic, amazing, every other good adjective you may think of; but I re-watched this show with a friend who doesn't like any of these styles of music, and he absolutely loved the show too. It has an astounding capacity of gripping you since the first seconds of the first episode until the last seconds of the last one. Not kidding, when I first watched it and when I re-watched it I saw all the episodes in a row, it was that good to me.

So like I mentioned, the action is set in the Bronx, and the tools we're given to weave around this decrepit neighbourhood are old documentaries that fit in perfectly to show us the true reality of some events; Grand Master Flash and the Fantastic Four Plus One, that'd be Ezequiel Figuero, Shaolin Fantastic, Dizzee Kipling, Ra Ra Kipling and Boo Boo Kipling. From abandoned buildings in the Bronx to gay bars in Soho to thrilling underground parties all over the city, action is guaranteed in the show. The cast is so talented, and some people complain about Jaden Smith but I actually loved his performance? I think it just fits in with his character. But the rest of the cast. Oh boy. I had seen Shameik Moore's performance in Dope and fell in love with him but in The Get Down he was simply amazing, I foresee great parts for him the future. Zeke Figuero's character was the main one, and although he's really powerful, I feel like he never stole the show, and the writers found a perfect balance so that they could all shine. Some characters were not as explored as others but that's what I'm waiting on for the 2nd season. Contrasting with the underground, hip hop vibe of the Fantastic Four Plus One, we have The Soul Madonnas, the group of ladies that stole my heart. We have Mylene Cruz, Regina and Yolanda Kipling, and man do I love my women of colour. They're gorgeous, sing like angels and I love how their different personalities intertwine, it's amazing seeing a good group of ladies without the toxicity and cat fighting. All these characters seem to have fairy dust sprinkled all over them even through the hardships of growing up in such a tough neighborhood and in poverty. The show doesn't have the need to make their lives a tragic sob story to make it interesting, but rather turn it into a story about courage, leadership and hope.

What this show also excels at too is the capacity to mix the historical aspects to other elements of hip hop and whatnot. As a person of colour who is part of the LGBT+ community, it meant a lot seeing beautiful diverse people on screen, rocking afros and every shade of black there is, hearing the different accents and languages, and seeing other PoC exploring their sexuality and people on screen saying that "it's okay", there's no judgement, just colourful, unapologetic queerness. I simply loved the approach to what is such a big topic and also the beginnings of a culture, you almost never see LGBT+ representation on screen besides white gay couples or lesbians that get killed off or other sad stories. It's never this beautiful or happy. All in all this show is amazing at breaking stereotypes. We get shown black men crying, being emotional, exploring sexualities, being nerds. Where else would you get that? Besides angry, muscular black men yelling and shooting guns, or tough gang members, what representation do our black men get? Basically none. The show just captures the heart and soul of the Bronx with all its colourful population, street violence, but also all the music. Oh my gosh the music. No other producer could've done it that well. It's been days and I'm still humming every song from the glorious soundtrack.

The sets, the political statements, the music, the cast, the wardrobe, no matter how flamboyant it gets, it just captures the true essence of those decades, and I love every single second of the show.

Rating on IMDb: 8,6
My rating: 9

● Inês ●

Back On Track

Hello! 

Long time no speak! Or should I say write? With exams and me finishing school for good, also with breakups and drama along the way, I got a little bit lost. This summer was all about self discovery, or re-discovery. I find that some people, no matter how much you love them, hold back your personal growth and in these past few months that's all I've been working towards. I finished school with a very good average, I applied to the colleges I wanted, I went out a lot and met amazing and fascinating people from my town and from other parts of the world! I had a couple of eye-opening experiences, I read, I found new music, new shows (which I'll discuss in another posts!), I walked and left the house a lot and fell in love with myself and found inner strength where I didn't think there was any left.

There were also a lot of bad things going on, before these good things happened, my mental health hit rock bottom, most of it triggered by a really awful breakup. Not having had a support group to get through it I felt lost and alone for the first weeks and maybe months of summer. But as awful as it all may seem when you're going through it, you always survive, the suffocating pain ends up dissipating, you always have yourself to rely on in the end. So here I am. I missed writing, I was so caught up in what seemed to be the end of everything that I lost myself. That's what teenager years are for, I guess, growth, letting go, discovery. I am so ready to get into college (thinking positive here, since we only know if we got in in a couple of weeks), to start a new path, meet new people, express myself the way I want to. My old school was a bubble, and I din't really have a pleasing experience there. It's so surreal, having studied there for 12 years, that it's all over. The safety net was removed from under our feet and now we're drifting, all of us, lost in our own way.

This update got really rambly, but I just wanted to drop by and check up on everything, since this is one of my little personal spaces on the internet. Anyway, here's an overview of my summer through some snippets from my instagram.

● Inês ●

Candy Nails | Kiko Milano Limited Edition

Hello!

Nails aren't and have never really been my thing, although I always like to have them painted, I just never was that kind of girl to have them done, so I appreciate those nail polishes that have an easy application and last long because I'm lazy and honestly who has time to be constantly changing up the colour as soon as the old one starts to chip?

So I've never really payed attention to nail products, but the Kiko nail varnishes have always caught my eyes since I heard so many great things about them. The other day while I was searching through the store looking for the new collections, I came across the Candy Nails collection and decided to pick some colours up to try them. I went with Frozen Smoothies in Fair Persimmon and Candy Canes in Fun Guarana because with Spring and Summer coming along they seemed more appropriate, as well as a strengthening base coat since my nails break easily. I first applied the base and then went on with Frozen Smoothies and the colour went on so opaque for such a light colour! I didn't even need to apply a second coat which I really loved. After it dried down (which was fairly quick!) I applied Candy Canes which is a clear polish with little white, orange and pink particles. This looked so amazing on top of the peach colour, but I bet it looks lovely as well on it's own for a simple but fun look.

These were all 4,90 euros and I'm thinking of getting a ton of other colours because they have such a huge variety and I must say I'm so in love!

 ● Inês ●

Tony Moly Product Review

Hello!

I've been obsessed with korean beauty products lately and just really trying to learn a bit about everything, the brands, the ingredients, the results they have, so as soon as I stepped into Sephora and saw that big shelf saying Tony Moly, I knew I would be dropping a few bucks that day. If you have any knowledge at all about the korean beauty industry you'll know that this is one of the biggest brands in the game, especially known for the extremely cute packaging. At the time, the ladies at Sephora were putting up the first stock of products so they didn't have as many things as they'll have in a couple of weeks, but I'm impatient and had to get anything as soon as I laid eyes on them. And thus I ended up leaving with only two products although I keep checking on my local Sephora to see if there's anything new (I really want to try some of their HydroGel Masks!). 

The first thing on that Tony Moly stand were eggs. Yeah, eggs! Or rather, facial masks with this cutesy packaging. I was intrigued, and chose this one from the Egg Pore line. This mask in particular focuses on pores and blackheads, although the others focus on pores too, they're more suited for people with larger pores, which I don't really have. 

So, getting into the product itself, when you screw the top you have this little container with an orange lid to mimic the inside of an egg. The smell is absolutely gorgeous, it almost makes me want to eat it. It's sort of citric-y without being overbearing, which I appreciate. The consistency is not that thick, it's more like jello, and it has little yellow-y beads that are meant to exfoliate. The first time I tried it, it worked wonders, I kid you not! You're supposed to put a layer of the product on your problem areas which for me is on the nose basically, and rub it gently into your skin for 2-3 minutes until the product turns into a more opaque white colour, and then simply wash it off with lukewarm water. The day after I used this I was constantly reaching for my boyfriend's hands so he could feel how soft my nose felt, because this thing unclogged all of the nastiness that may have been hidden. If you have concerns regarding large pores or blackheads, this line will work wonders for you, and it is fairly cheap (8 to 10 euros if I remember correctly) for the amount of product and the wonders it works!

 And next we have this. Isn't this. The cutest. Eye cream. Ever? I have been on a long search for a good eye cream for a while now, and I know I'm young but since I wear makeup a lot (now less than I used to because honestly I prefer to sleep in the morning rather than waking up half an hour early to beat my face), and eye makeup too, so I tend to tug at my eye area more than what a person would normally, and my eyes tend to look a bit puffy in the morning so I was searching for something that would help. For someone as young as me, it's a tricky task. There are tons of eye creams out there but 1.) they're super pricey, 2.) they're targeted towards more mature skin, and even if it doesn't say they're for older people, if you're young and use some of them, they may actually cause premature wrinkles since you're packing your skin with stuff that isn't needed. And then Panda's Dream came to the rescue, because honestly pandas look cute with their dark circles, but I don't!
The packaging is obviously a panda, and when you pop the top off, it has a protecting lid which I really really value because then I know the product won't be affected by the environment and won't get in touch with unwanted stuff. You then have to screw the blue stick out and it has a really light fruity scent to it and when it comes in contact with your skin it feels immediately refreshing and cooling so it's perfect to wake you up in the morning, and it also feels like it's hydrating the very thin skin around the eye without feeling greasy or too thick like those old people eye creams sometimes feel like. It cost me around 11 euros which is a fair price for the product if you ask me! As soon as I incorporated the product into my skincare regime, I noticed that my eyes have been looking less puffy and brighter which was what I was looking for!

All in all I must say I'm in love with these two products and am really looking forward to trying more from this brand. They also have the cutest lip balms and hand creams which are always a handy thing to have around in case you're not interested in anything to add to your skincare routine!

● Inês ●

Does Oily Skin Need Moisturizing? | Skincare Week

Hello!

As our Skincare Week is ending, today I wanted to talk about one of the most essential steps in a good skincare routine which is moisturizing. Moisturizers are a key product for hydrating the skin and locking in the much needed moisture. They also improve the texture of the skin which allows makeup to apply more evenly and allow serums and oils to penetrate more effectively in the skin. One of the biggest misconceptions that maybe our aunties or grandmothers have told us (not in my case, my grandma was also an oily person and she always gave me the best tips) is that if you're oily you don't need to moisturize! Listen, even if you have oily or acne prone skin it is still essential to moisturize as not doing so might actually be contributing to your skin overproducing oil. By moisturizing you're giving your skin a break in overcompensating since it believes it's drier than it is so it overproduces oil to combat that feeling. Moisturizers have tonnes of different benefits like I've listed, and no matter your skin type there is one out there for you. You should opt for a gentle, sulfate free foaming cleanser or cleansing oil and use a light, oil free moisturizer daily in case you're of the oily skin type. I have some recommendations for you, as always, I got you covered:

• Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel
• Shiseido Pureness Moisturizing Gel Cream
• Murad Oil Control Mattifier
• The Body Shop SeaWeed Mattifying Day Cream
• Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Replenishing Moisturizer 
• Neutrogena Oil Free Moisture
• Garnier Essencial Care Daily Moisturizing 
• Clarins UV PlusDay Screen SPF 40

For the best results you will want to rub a pea sized amount of moisturizer in between your fingertips and gently “pat” and “press“ the product over clean skin or on top of a serum. Some of these recommendations are more expensive just because I don't mind paying less for makeup since you can find really great stuff at low prices, but skincare is something in which you shouldn't mind dropping a few more bucks since it is something that is going into your skin and if you want it to be effective obviously you won't find amazing products for just a couple of bucks, or really transforming, life changing products for 4 euros (except if they sheet masks, probably). All in all I hope you got good references for moisturizers to try and never forget that no matter your skin type a moisturizer is an essential step in your skincare routine!

● Inês ●

Skincare Tips | Skincare Week

Hello!

So we've already covered lots of issues in this skincare week but I'd say they apply to more troubled sensitive skin, so what if you already got smooth skin but just want to maintain it and prevent any breakouts? Here are a few tips I use, although you should definitely formulate your own skincare regime depending on your skin type and products that are compatible with it.

Tips:

• Water, water, water. You have to drink water and this is such an important step to having clearer skin! You have to keep it hydrated and happy since you loose water through your breath, perspiration and for other obvious reasons. You should drink at least 2 liters of water everyday but of course this depends on your location and gender.
• You need to take care of your nutrition. I lack in this department sometimes since I love food and sometimes eat stuff that causes pimples. If you incorporate lots of vegetables into your diet your skin will be much healthier than if you were always eating junk food. If you love stuff like chocolate and soda, I'd suggest switching to dark chocolate and carbonated water.
• If you're a makeup wearer, especially if you use it frequently, you absolutely need to take it off as soon as you can. Makeup itself isn't bad for your skin, but if you leave it on for example overnight or if it hasn't been thoroughly removed and cleansed off it might do some damage. So make sure you give your skin a good cleanse and use a toner to regulate the pH balance of your skin each night (although the toner isn't 100% necessary) and you should be all good.
• Also, if you're a makeup wearer, clean your brushes often since makeup sits on them and they also collect dust and other things that can irritate your skin. 
• Clean or switch your pillow cases often, since skin flakes, sweat, dirt and grease from your hair or even hair products gets on it and you don't want that rubbed all over your face while you're trying to get your beauty sleep.
• If you have acne prone skin you should always wash your hands using an anti bacterial soap before doing your skin routine. Remember that your hands get in contact with a lot of dirt throughout the day and you don't want to further irritate the skin.
• If you're doing a clay mask you should steam your face by running hot water and putting your face next to the steam that will come out (not directly as this will obviously burn your face) what this will do is that it'll open your pores which will help the mask to better penetrate the skin and get rid of excess oils and dirt.
• If possible, you should see a dermatologist!

● Inês ●

Hyper Pigmentation | Skincare Week

Hello!

As I've mentioned in a previous post, although my skin has been clearing up, I still suffer from hyper pigmentation which is a common skin condition that causes certain parts of the skin to be darker than others due to excess melanin. Many things can cause your skin to be hyper-pigmented like acne, which was my case. So I’ve come up with this list of a few products, remedies and makeup tips to help in case you suffer from it:


Things that cause hyper-pigmentation:

• Hormonal changes;
• Picking your skin;
• Overexposure to sun;
• Inflammation and skin injuries (this includes acne).

How to prevent hyper-pigmentation:

• Wear sunscreen. I can't stress this enough! Some time ago I saw it as a waste of time and energy, something that I only did when I was at the beach and I thought I didn't even needed because I'm already tan. But the environment can still take its toll on your skin even if you’re not at the beach! Daily sunscreen use has so many benefits such as protecting your skin from free-radicals and environmental pollution, prevent sagging and loose skin (the sun breaks down the elasticity and collagen in the skin), and you guessed it, discoloration and sun spots. So you should wear sunscreen of at least SPF15 but I go a lot higher, the sunscreen I use is SPF50. It doesn’t matter what the weather is, or your skin tone, always wear sunscreen.
• Exfoliate regularly, as discoloration also comes from dead cells on the surface. If you have sensitive skin, I'd say, exfoliate once or maybe twice a week. If you have a different skin type, exfoliate 2-3 times a week. If you have a lot of acne, don't use face scrubs to exfoliate, try using a mild exfoliant.

Products that help hyper-pigmentation:
Kiehl's Clearly Corrective: I will forever rave about this product and recommend it to other people suffering from hyper pigmentation. In just two weeks of incorporating this in my day and night routine I saw major differences. You only need 3 drops of this so it lasts a long long time.
Mario Badescu Vitamin C Serum: This Vitamin C Serum reduces discoloration and brightens skin. It's also formulated with acids that retain the skin's natural moisture and collagen that enhances the skin's elasticity.
Aloe Vera Gel for hyper-pigmentation caused by acne, as I've mentioned in yesterday's post.
Neutrogena Sunscreen SPF 60: For those who need extra protection I've heard great things about this sun screen.
Rentin A-Gel: This definitely clears pigmentation and I've heard is one of the best medicines you can get without going to a dermatologist. It’s low cost, which makes it not as fast acting as the others, so I'd pair it up with other products!


Using makeup to color correct your hyper-pigmentation:

So as you might know I'm pretty much obsessed with makeup which helps me cover up these spots. I'm still very new to color correcting but people who wear makeup have been using this technique to cover up any blemishes or discoloration for ages! When you color correct you’re basically taking your under tones and correcting any blemishes you may have with with those colors. My under tones are peach, if you have darker skin they may be more reddish but you can always check and see which tones work for you. Here’s a chart to find out which colors to use. There are awesome tutorials on youtube that you can search for to find the best products and colours for your skin tone. To finish this post up, I'll leave you with some good colour correcting products:

• NYX corrector concealer palette $12.00
• Kiko Milano natural concealer 5,50 euros;
• MAC prep + prime peach lustre $26.00
• Makeup Forever radiant peach primer $36.00

● Inês ●

Things You Need To Stop Putting In Your Face | Skincare Week

Hello!

I’ve seen lots of posts all around the internet with a lot of misinformation about DIY skincare methods with products that are most often than not really abrasive and just bad for your skin, and the posts are blown out of proportion and I'm sitting here thinking about all the poor souls that might be trying that out while actually making it worse. So here is a list of things you should avoid putting on your skin plus a few better alternatives!

Lemon: I see everyone raving about lemon as a method to get rid of dark marks and oh my gosh... please stop. Lemons are very acidic, so they’ll not only irritate your skin but also disrupt the natural pH balance of your skin. Using lemon on your face may be especially dangerous because there is also something called photo toxicity, which means once your skin makes contact with the sun you could even get a burn.

Sugar: Sugar is very recommended as a good exfoliating method, but sugar scrubs are just too abrasive for your face. It creates tiny tiny lacerations in your skin, disrupts the lipid barrier causing dryness and flakiness. I've seen people with dry skin do sugar scrubs and I pitty them because their skin will only get terribly dry and unhealthy since the destruction of the barrier prolongs the healing process of the skin which obviously defeats the purpose of exfoliating which is having soft skin. 

Toothpaste: I'll admit to have used this method because it was so suggested to me. The idea is using toothpaste as a spot treatment where you have to put it directly on your acne. Toothpaste will actually strip your lipid barrier, the pH in toothpaste also affects yours. Toothpaste also contains lot’s of irritants, like sweeteners for example.

Baking Soda: I literally saw someone I follow on youtube doing this today, I can’t believe people still do this. All the problems I talked about about sugar also applies to baking soda, it’ll affect your pH and then strip your skin of the properties that defend it against bacterial infections.

You should also avoid putting these on your face:

• apple cider vinegar (even if diluted it's too acidic for skin);
• cinnamon;
• denatured alcohol;
• sodium hydroxide;
• sodium lauryl sulfate;
• essential oils like lavender, citrus etc;
• fragrances (called “parfum” in ingredient lists);
• extremely hot water;
• extremely hot steam; 
• basically anything very alkaline or very acidic;

"Okay but I still have problems so what now?" You should consider these alternatives!

• instead of using lemon for dark spots, try aloe vera gel, people have been using it for centuries to treat skin infections, burns, wounds and tons of other skin conditions. Aloe vera has anti-inflammatory properties, as well as helps your spots rid of dead skin, which reduces a lot of your acne scarring;
• instead of sugar or baking soda, try green tea;
• instead of toothpaste, try a clay mask, they always work wonders!

● Inês ●

Treating Body/Back Acne | Skincare Week

Hello!

Today I wanted to talk about body and back acne and ways to treat it. Lot’s of people get pimples on their chests, backs and legs, it is perfectly normal and it’s not incurable but you do need to fight it harder than you would the acne on your face. I have to admit that for a long time I overlooked this issue as something that would eventually go away without taking the right measures! So here’s a list of mostly natural products that you can use to treat your body acne:

Exfoliating: This is the most important step in treating/preventing body acne. You need to exfoliate your body every day, so every time you shower you should be using some sort of exfoliant, be it a loofah or a towel when you dry yourself. These are physichal exfoliants that get rid of dead cells, while chemical exfoliants penetrate the skin which is a less abrasive method, from which most skin types can benefit. If you have dry, normal or oily skin you can try both methods but if you're acne prone you should stick to a chemical exfoliant.

Apple Cider Vinegar: the main cause of most people's body acne is the pH balance, and apple cider vinegar restores it, also killing bacteria and working as a mild exfoliant which is super important.

Avoid tight clothing: Tight clothing is one of the most common irritants for body acne especially if you sweat a lot since it holds sweat and oils against the pores of your skin. You should wear loose-fitting clothes and avoid tight straps from backpacks for example. These straps cause additional friction against your skin which might be sensitive, and once again trap oil and dirt against your pores.

So here are a few products with great agents that I've heard great things about:

• Touch of Renewal by Nivea
• Brown Sugar Body Polish by Fresh
• Clarifying Body Spray from Murad
• Coconut Coffee Scrub from Frank Body
• Raw unrefined African black soap
• Mask of Magnamity from Lush (this is also a facial mask!)

● Inês ●

My Skin Story | Skincare Week

Hello!

My skin and I have had a love/hate relationship ever since I can remember, for me it has always been a battle to get smooth, pretty skin like everyone around me had. 

When you go into your teens every grown up tries to convince you that having pimples is a normal thing at your age and although obviously some of my friends had them it was always that hormonal pimple or the "I ate 3 bars of chocolate by myself" kind of pimple. I had to struggle through very very sensitive, oily/combination skin with cystic acne and back acne for years and years while everyone around me had passed through their pimple phase and now had clear skin. When I say very very sensitive skin I mean... really the most sensitive skin I've ever seen, prone to breakouts, rashes, rosacea. Some products had explosive results on me to the point where it hurt if I laid my face on the pillow, so yeah, extremely sensitive skin. I went to a dermatologist but for years didn't see any results, the issue was always there. If you're acne prone or have cystic acne, you'll relate to my stress, anxiety and frustration with battling with this for so long because even if we're good at self acceptance, it's very difficult to ignore something that it's on our face all the time and not compare ourselves to our friends and acquaintances. It might sound dramatic or "1st world problems" but it's harsh to live in a society where your bombarded with what you should ideally look like and simply not looking like that and never seeing someone with whom you could relate with. 

Finally after years and years of no results (and 113271383 different products later) my dermatologist decided that it was better if I started taking these pills for a special, heavier treatment and my skin has never been better! This pill will first cause your skin to breakout and then dry it completely out, and I mean completely. It was weird on the first weeks of the treatment because since I had oily skin I was accustomed to at the end of the day be a greasy mess and now I get dry patches and flaky skin and even my lips feel a constant need of hydration which never happened, but honestly if this is the minor stuff I have to go through to have better skin, it's worth it, more worth it than years of the oily mess I was. The relief is indescribable, to touch your skin and it to feel smooth and not hurt, and feel confident to go out without any makeup feels like a huge weight has been lifted off me. I had to adapt to this sudden change of my skin type like readjusting my skincare routine and makeup products.

I have learnt to love my skin, even if now it is full of hyper pigmentation from all the breakouts I used to have, and I want everyone that is or has dealt with cystic acne to feel like they're worth it, that eventually it will pass. In this process of getting my skin to a better state, I have also picked up knowledge about skincare and skincare products which is a topic that just like makeup (and they go hand in hand) I'm very passionate about. So I thought of this: for a week, I'll be making posts with tips and recommendations relating to skincare; and why not start things off with sharing my own skin story to let you know that you're not alone in case you're going through what I had to go through, and to just let you know of my current situation. I hope you'll like these week's posts and get something out of them, see you tomorrow!

● Inês ●

Oxford & Bath | Travel

Hello!

Heya! As a holiday getaway my family decided to spend a couple of days in the UK, as we had already been there but only to London and Cambridge. That first trip of ours was quite a few years ago so I had only a few memories left (old ladies giving us snarky comments for speaking loudly and someone asking us to leave the University Campus because my 3 year old brother at the time had slipped and fallen and started crying), and few preconceived notions (terrible food). Now, let me just get the bad stuff out of the way first. I know I may sound too negative but I'm just being really brutally honest, and I tend to sound a bit too negative even though I enjoyed the holiday!

I'll be the first one to say that England... just isn't for me. As someone from a southern european/angolan background, I just can't click with a place where both the weather and the people are so cold. Our first complete day, spent in Oxford, was just beautiful, the sun shone making every monument seem even prettier and made walking around so much easier! In that day I thought "wow, maybe life here isn't that bad after all, I could get used to this". I suddenly had this image of me strolling around the city towards my college, and what a wonderful image that was. And I tried to hold on to that, this year I have to apply for universities and applying to a big, foreign uni would make my parents terribly happy, but... that's really unlikely to happen. 

The people we interacted with were either just polite (you know, smiling but it not feeling genuine, just out of politeness), snobs, or really amazing (the latter were mostly immigrants so...). Like I said, I just don't click with english people, how much we try, northern and southern europeans just have different ways of being. We ate amazingly well though!... on foreign cuisines, mainly asian (as soon as we found a real mediterranean restaurant we hoped on immediately.) And you may be thinking "Damn Inês, for someone criticizing snobbish behaviours you're starting to sound like a snob!", it's just true okay? I enjoy my meals seasoned, and for a country that colonized half of the world for spices, english cuisine is bland and flavorless as hell! I even made the mistake of one time ordering a lasagna in a really famous pub in Oxford and gosh. Never again. 

What's also ridiculous is how much they charge for museum entrances. In Italy, you can freely visit a whole damn palace even the freaking inside of the toilets for the price that in England you pay for one lousy room, with a guided tour that lasts 10 minutes. *cough cough* Blenheim Palace *cough cough*. I would've appreciated the Bodleian Library much more had it not lasted 15 minutes for such a ridiculous fee. Maybe british people can afford that, but paying 40£ for the bus, plus 40£ for the entrance plus our meals plus souvenirs if you wish, every day, gets really freaking expensive, and we don't make as much money as they do. They are incredibly beautiful, I'll give them that, fascinating and beautiful.

The University Museum of Natural History, now that was breathtaking. Besides the beautiful architecture of the whole building, the exhibition was fascinating and encapsuled almost all that exists and what we know in a single room (huge, albeit). From the dinosaurs to fossils, to space rocks, to nasty bugs, you had everything. There was also a room that made me a bit uncomfortable, which had lots of artifacts like clothes, masks from special rituals, various instruments, from different parts of the globe like Asia, Africa and North America. And you'd look around and gasp like "wow this is fascinating" and then think how all of that was stolen and people died and were enslaved for that, and it turns a little bittersweet. I mean these valuable artifacts are intact and preserved at least, but at what cost? And so many of these areas are in poverty specifically because of colonization and slavery and the country who did that is still making money out of it? I shut down those thoughts and enjoyed the day but that stuck at the back of my mind until leaving the museum.

After Oxford, we left for Bath where we visited the Roman Baths (duh, thus the name of it) and admired the all around lovely city, which was not as cute as Oxford in regards to the typical houses and such, but whose monuments blew me away! I'm such a sucker for architecture, don't mind me. From Bath we went to Salisbury so we could see the oh so famous (and rightfully so) Stonehenge. Despite the terrible wind and cold, we enjoyed it a lot a lot a lot. It was absolutely terrific, the aura of that place is so mysterious and intriguing and as an history lover of course that had to be one of my favourite stops. We also got to try fudge which was sickeningly delicious, and got to see the Magna Carta! 

On the days left we shopped (yay for shops that we don't have in Portugal!), tried to eat on a couple of other typical fish and chips restaurants and see the views and just breathe in the cold, english history that was all over the town. 

So, even though I might've sounded negative, trust me when I say that these cities were lovely to explore dispite those factors I pointed out, and I'd definitely return, especially to Oxford which I loved a lot! All in all I'm just grateful that I got this opportunity since I love to travel.

● Inês ●

Deadpool Review | Is CGI needed?

Hello!

With all the anticipation surrounding Marvel’s new take on the super-hero franchise, Deadpool had a lot at stake. Thanks to clever advertisement, ranging from its several trailers, to posters splattered all over the world, Marvel fans were definitely getting hyped up, including me. So can we say that it met our expectations?

Firstly, we have to acknowledge the fact that unlike other blockbusters, Deadpool had a considerably smaller budget, actually, several jokes were made about it throughout the movie, breaking what is called the 4th wall. In what money it may have lacked, it compensated in its cast, writing and directing. From the start, we immediately get the idea that Deadpool will not be our average super-hero, he even makes sure and repeats himself a lot to make sure we don’t get the wrong idea about him, he's an anti-hero. He is witty, he’s dynamic, he has lots of charisma, so much so that even if you start by being weird out by his silly puns, or even a bit thrown off by all his profanity, you end up liking him anyway. The movie is not outstanding in a way that it falls into some old movie clichés, but is still tremendously refreshing. Wade Wilson is not lawful, he goes on murderous rampages simply to get revenge, but weirdly enough, you can still see the good in him. You could say that he is a chaotically good character, being both humane and lax.

It's during the said action scenes that we can see the CGI kicking in. Are they necessary at all? In this case, yes. Although it is noticeable sometimes to the more trained eye, you're willing to overlook it for how action packed and awesome these scenes are, how on the edge of your seat they will leave you. Some scenes would be impossible to film had they not have used digital imaging. Is CGI a prerequisite to movies? Not at all. Great movies have been made without it, and even if you find them somewhat distracting, now we get to fully express our imagination through it, making epic fights look more amazing and credible with it, for example.

Concluding, Deadpool definitely met the high standards people were raising about it, with a talented and charismatic cast and crew, we even get the pleasure to witness the typical Stan Lee cameo, and besides all that CGI played an important role in it. Personally, I think we haven't seen the last of Wade Wilson and what is set to be one of the anti-heros that will mark a future generation of Marvel lovers. I loved the movie so much I had to see it twice at the theaters, and bought the soundtrack, so make sure you go check it out if you're not sure if you want to see it or not!

IMDb rating: 8.6/10

Peronal rating: 8/10

● Inês ●

Let's get Naked! - Naked3 Review

Hello!

I finally did it! I am so excited that I finally got the courage to splurge on a palette that everyone raves about in the beauty community, and that I actually have wanted for months and months! I honestly just never got the guts to pick it up because of its price. I think that by now we're all pretty acquainted with the Urban Decay Naked Palettes, aren't we? There are currently 4 that have been launched, and I was sort of torn between this one and the Smoky palette. Honestly? My thoughts just kept flying to this one whenever I wondered which one I'd get. The first and the second one just never had that much appeal to me? I've been going to that weird Spring phase when you just feel like wearing pink all the time, and better V-day present to myself other than the Naked3? Right? Right!

First of all, the packaging had me drooling. Rose gold is my colour, and I love that it is its theme. The box it came in has very pretty details in golden, and it has a pale pink colour all over it. I also adore the sides of it, since they sort of come out a little? This sounds weird, but I love to touch them and feel the texture. The back of the box just talks a bit about the shadows, shows them, and their names, and talks about the different finishes they have. The whole design of the box is very pleasing. The first thing that popped up to me, was a little leaflet about the Urban Decay primers that I have heard about so much. Obviously, they try to tell you that your eye makeup will work better with them and all that and I was like "Hm yeah sure, I just bought a 50 euro palette, no way I'm buying a 30 euro eye primer!" and I was pretty shocked that it actually had 4 different samples of UD primers?! I had never seen an unboxing, I honestly just thought we got that product and that was it! I tried them as soon as I could and... maybe I am going to eventually splurge on them too, since they work so well.

The palette itself feels plastic-y and metallic-y. Sometimes when I'm opening it I'm scared that something inside will move or come out, and break. I do appreciate that it clicks when it closes just so I can breathe again like "Ahh, everything is safe". Maybe that's my broke-ass being paranoid because I have never had a high-end product like this and I want to cherish it! But let's take a look of the inside!

This palette has 12 shades that go from a very shimmery white/rosy colour, to a dark shade with red reflects. Some are more powdery and others are softer, but overall, the quality is amazing. It also comes with your typical dual ended brush for applying and blending the shadows, it's great for when you're in a hurry, and the fact that it has a mirror is also a plus. About the shadows themselves, these are all shades that you could use on an everyday basis, I might be speaking for myself just because these are just up my alley, but I honestly can't see how someone would not like them. They suit pale, medium and dark tones so so well, and are perfect for this season. It was launched quite a while now, so maybe it's old news to you, but if you don't have it yet, and you want to grow your makeup collection, this one is definitely a must have! It's well worth the splurge in my opinion. It swatches beautifully, just with one swipe look at how beautiful it comes up! I had swatched it already in Sephora, but I was even more happy about seeing it with better lighting than in the store. 

Verdict: the Naked3 definitely lives up to its fame. The shades are gorgeous, the colour pay-off is amazing, they blend like a dream, you definitely get your money's worth. It costs about 50 euros in the portuguese Sephora, and if you feel iffy about spending so much maybe ask it as a birthday or Christmas present! I'll definitely be buying (or saving up to buy!) more UD products, maybe the eye primers or something from their Gwen Stefani colab? So much to choose from! Have you ever tried UD products? Do you own any of the Naked palettes or wish you owned?

● Inês ●

Selfie Love

Nowadays we younger folks are pretty much used to getting comments from older people about our relationship with the internet, with our phones, etc. Ya'll know the drill. "Today's teens!! Always on the facebooks and listening to sinful songs about having sexual intercourse, not respecting the sanctity of marriage!!!What happened to the good ol' days when we would get married at 20 just to get divorced 5 times after hm? Those were the days!!".

Okay I might've gone overboard, but to me that's how ridiculous they sound. Things are changing, get used to it. We're adapting, it's not our fault ya'll are still angry about not knowing how to send an e-mail. Point is, as millennials, the thing we are made fun of the most is for... loving ourselves? I'm talking about selfies. I'm talking about that day you went out with your friends and wanted to remember that because you had fun, and took a group pic. I'm talking about that day when your makeup looked bomb and you wanted to share your awesome skills with others. I'm talking about capturing moments with your significant other, or simply taking silly photos with those snapchat filters just for the heck of it. Sounds fun, right? So why are we so looked down at for doing these? Are we really that self-absorbed, selfish as they accuse us of? Are we vain, narcissistic? Is the selfie culture that awful as people make it seem?

My answer, as an avid selfie taker (not really avid, but I do love taking some every now and then) personal is no. Straight up no, nope, nicles, el zipo, nein, não. Selfies are an amazing thing that boost our self confidence! And we can't just pretend that we're the first generations that take self portraits like, we as a species have been doing that for centuries. Ugh, Van Gogh really was a dick for painting all those portraits of himself! How dare he! Can we talk about Frida Khalo? My god did she ever painted anything else except for her awesome face? That's how stupid people who criticize selfies sound. Selfie culture is a true revolution of self love. We can express ourselves, we can get compliments (don't pretend you don't like validation, come on. "she's so stupid, always getting complimented on her great looks, ugh!", that sounds like jealousy to me...), we can save small snippets of our life to remember later.

One may argue that things are getting a bit out of control, and to an extent I agree. Now, I'm not talking about the occasional selfie when you are truly feeling yourself, I'm talking about the #inthetoilet, #crossingtheroad, #takingthetrashout selfies, those are out of control. I mean who even takes selfies crossing the road, girl that's dangerous! Also, people who photoshop their faces to hell and back to try and come across as someone completely different, that's not what I'm about.
But all in all my last stand on this is that selfies, in their roots, are all about self acceptance and love. What's your stand on this issue?

● Inês ●

7| Read This, Watch That

I haven't done one of these posts in forever! Honestly, I haven't been doing a lot of reading or watching any TV shows at the moment, but I did read Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn back in October, which yes, is a long time ago, but ya'll, this book is so good. I devoured it in less than 1 week, every time I opened it I knew I wasn't to get any sleep cause I was about to spend my entire night reading it. I fell in love with Gillian's writing with Gone Girl which I'm sure most of you will have heard of, so I asked my family this book for my birthday because I couldn't get enough of it!
So what is it about?

"Fresh from a brief stay at a psych hospital, reporter Camille Preaker faces a troubling assignment: she must return to her tiny hometown to cover the murders of two preteen girls. For years, Camille has hardly spoken to her neurotic, hypochondriac mother or to the half-sister she barely knows: a beautiful thirteen-year-old with an eerie grip on the town. Now, installed in her old bedroom in her family's Victorian mansion, Camille finds herself identifying with the young victims—a bit too strongly. Dogged by her own demons, she must unravel the psychological puzzle of her own past if she wants to get the story—and survive this homecoming." - (x)

Whomever has read Gone Girl knows that Gillian does not shy away from gory details, and this book does have a lot of trigger warnings, since the descriptions are so graphic. It's a bit traumatizing, really. This book is just good storytelling in its purest form. She is so skillful portraying how different people react to abuse through their lives, and how some even perpetrate it. That's another thing I love about her writing, she loves giving women all the wicked parts, which is so refreshing. It gives this three dimensionality to women that we don't often see. It makes them believable. In her stories, men are only pawns in their sick games and it's delicious to read about it. Wind Gap, the fictional city where the story takes place, is filled to the core with dark secrets, and as the story unfolds you're able to unravel them and get to meet really twisted people. This isn't a comfortable read, there isn't romance, there is not a happy ending. This straight up twisted, morbid, painful, dark and disturbing, but it's deeply fascinating, or so I've found. It is a bit slow paced at first, until everything starts tumbling down, then it is so hard to put down, it actually made my heart race so fast I thought I was going to have an anxiety attack. Gosh, this book made me feel things, it felt so real. It was an amazing read and definitely one of my favourite books ever.

● Inês ●

Last Makeup Haul of 2015! | M.A.C, Too Faced, Sephora

Hello!

So... I did some spending. For Christmas my family sort of refused to buy me more makeup because they believe it's not something special for the occasion. Thing is, what I really really wanted was... makeup. I have a problem, I know! But it's the end of the year and with my parent's permission, I went just a little bit wild in a couple of stores. This was also my first ever visit to M.A.C. since there isn't one where I live! The second I entered the makeup floor I just... my heart (and wallet) started to weep, because I was in heaven. This is the result, and I'm quite happy with my purchases since I had been keeping an eye on them for quite a while.

First of all we have this Pigment in the shade Copper Sparkle. It is described in the M.A.C. website as "A concentrated loose colour powder used for a wash of colour or a more intense look.". It retails for 24.50€ which is... a lot for a freaking glass of glitter, but alas, I've been wanting it so badly for so long and with New Year's Eve approaching I compromised. I'm a huge sucker for these types of shades, and it applies so smoothly and it is, well, so pigmented, that I fell in love almost at first sight. A bit does go a long way, which is a sign that this will last me a really long time!

Obviously, I couldn't go to M.A.C. and leave without their oh-so-famous lipsticks! My lipstick collection has been growing and growing lately, but I find that I always tend to go with variations of the same bordeauxs or brown-ish reds, so I entered the store with the mentality that those were forbidden shades. I swatched the famous matte lipsticks but ended up going with 1 Satin in the shade Captive, which is a lovely pinkish plum; and 2 Frosts in shades High Strung, which is a deep pink silver, and Ramblin' Rose which has a pinky-coral rose tone to it. In my opinion, although matte lipsticks were such a fad in 2015, it's becoming boring, predictable. Literally every instagram model is wearing them, and me with my textured lips never got along with how drying they felt. It was always a hit or miss when it came to mattes, so I'm starting to go with satin and other lipsticks with more sheen and glitter so that my collection becomes a little bit more colourful and diverse. They all retail for 19.50€ which is a fair price, since they apply so smoothly and have an addicting scent to them, like vanilla. The packaging is so sleek and lovely, I had never seen one up close, and noticed that the case is black but there's some sort of a really subtle glitter in them. Heck, even the boxes and the bag they came in were very sleek. Needless to say, I was very very pleased (my wallet wasn't, though) with my first ever trip to M.A.C.

Then I entered Sephora and whomever knows me well knows that when I enter Sephora I turn into a mess. Ya'll remember that girl from Confessions of a Shopaholic? That inner diologue over a freaking scarf? That's me with every single thing in Sephora. But this lipstick. I'm telling you, this lipstick. Is. Everything. I was praying that the shop was bigger/more diverse than the one in my city because I love Too Faced but there are not enough products by them in the ones in my city, which saddens me a lot, since they're one of my favourite brands. Honestly, just look 'em up, they have the most gorgeous packaging ever. I'm one happy owner of their famous Chocolate Bar, and I had heard many people raving about their Melted Lipsticks, and when Jackie Aina (I love her to death and trust her with my everything, honestly) mentioned how much she loved them, I was headed for the Melted Fig one.





















The shade is very similar to the M.A.C. one I bought, although it looks a bit more pink on the lips, and has a bit more sheen. They're described as vegan friendly, which is always awesome, it's stated that it provides high impact, super rich, saturated pigment in a long-wear formula, without loosing its pigment or shine while keeping a comfortable, flexible and cushiony wear. I've yet to test the long-wear claim, but oh my god, everything they state is so so true. It's sooo incredibly smooth and comfortable on the lips, and the colour and smell has me drooling! It was 20.90€, which was expensive, obviously, but for packaging and the uniqueness of the applicator, I think I can overlook it. It has a nice scent to it also, and I can already feel that I'm going to be wearing this a lot!





















And last but not least, the Sephora Brow Thickener. I had a brow pencil but I found that it actually ripped lots of hair leaving my eyebrow with some patches, when I actually want to grow them out. My grandma has this and I tried it out and I quite liked how effortless the application was and how natural looking my brows looked in the end, so for the sake of having them on fleek, for 10.90€ I didn't mind giving this a go.
And that's it folks! I had a budget for the day, which I sort of surpassed by a couple of bucks, but I'm so happy with everything I got, and I see it as... let's say an investment?

Have you tried any of these products? What Are some of your favourite products or products you'd like to try by these brands?

● Inês ●