January Buys: Review

Here I am, a full month and a half MIA. I'm very sorry for not posting anything for all this time, but I've just been beyond busy with school. Exams, work, a boyfriend and a dog are serious business. I've also had a bit of a writer block and couldn't really write anything worthwhile.
But I'm baaaaaack! With January makeup buys.

Lets look at what I bought, how much I paid for it and if it's worth it.

1. Nars Steven Klein "One Shocking Moment" Holiday Collection Cheek Studio Palette. 
69€ in Europe/69$ in US/49£ in UK. Currently unavailable.
I picked this up at Sephora just before New Year's, but didn't actually use it until January so it's going into the Januay buys. I was lucky enough to use the 20% discount from Sephora and bought it for 49€. Considering the size and the contents, I was pretty happy. If you google this palette it will show you the insides. I might even post a photo in another post. In the meantime let me tell you how I feel about it.
- It has the much-raved Laguna bronzer that I've used a lot since getting it. I love the texture and the last. I usually use it as a light highlighter for day-to-day makeup.
- I also has the Paloma contouring duo that can be purchased separately as their contour kits. I love the highlighter! Just love it. I use it daily to set my concealer, to do light contouring, or simply to make myself look more awake for date night after studying for 6 hours and working for another 6. The darker shade I've only used for a couple of evening dates and some parties since it does glamourise the face quite a lot.
- It also has FOUR blushes. That's what actually made me pick it up. I was in the business of pouring 26€ on a MAC blush and a friend said to go see this Steven Klein collection at Sephora. It has two new and exclusive blushes: Robotic and Blasphemy. And it also has Luster and Dolce Vita. All 4 blushes are really pigmented and blend super nicely. They're not super long lasting, but that doesn't really bother me.

2. Revlon Lash Potion Mascara 7.60€ (Yay!)
I was so happy to find this mascara, which is the evolution of their Grow Luscious line, in a pop.up store smack in the middle of Milan's Central Train Station. It offered 20~ discount on all the products and I gladly bought this one. I've been using it for about 2 weeks now and I'm happy to report my eyes are just fine with it. In case you didn't know, my eyes terribly irritated by certain mascaras (Yes, Chanel and Benefit, I'm talking about you!) so I always have to worry about it. Glad it's fine.
It's a super dark mascara with a fluffy brush and long wear. Good thing? It comes right off in the evening with my Kiehl's Super Gentle Eye Makeup Remover.

3. Benecos Natural Lipliner 2,49€ x 2
I'm a lipliner novice since I tend to be really bad with precision work on my face. It must have took me close to a year to get my winged eyeliner look just right and I have to say the lip work seems even more difficult. So I decided I wouldn't invest in a costly lipliner until I had more dexterity with applying it. So I ordered these Benecos organic lipliners in Red (real red) and Brown (a sort of antique rose) on ecco-verde.com and I have to say I'm satisfied. I use the Brown one for everyday nude lips and lipsticks and the Red one for red, dark red or burgundy lipsticks. With a PAO of 36 months, I plan on using them for a very long time.

4. Couleur Caramel Hydracoton Foundation Powder Finish 17€
Argh. I had really high hopes for this organic, sesame oil, cotton oil and sage water enriched foundation. In an effort to diversify my foundation game I bought this creamy-liquidy foundation last week. The first time I applied it I put it on with my finger tips and blended it using a beauty blender. The horror! It went on in total blotches and spots and wouldn't blend for the love of makeup gods. I was running a bit late for my dentist appointment and started to panic majorly. I ended up removing the makeup off half of my face and putting it all back using a brush and mixing the foundation with some moisturiser. That seemed to do the trick. BUT. When I got to the dentist I noticed that the color changed yet again due to oxidation becoming a weird rose hued mask on my face. I looked like a burn victim. I honestly thought of throwing it away as soon as I got home, but since I had already spent that money and it did have an awesome list of ingredients I decided to give it another try using it together with So' Bio's CC cream (that I adore!!!) and that seems to do the trick. I mix them in together and they last the whole day, don't make me break out, create a really pretty color and nourish the skin at the same time.
But still, would I recommend it? No.

5. Neve Cosmetics Blending Brush 6,70€
You can find it on their website. It's super soft, blends perfectly and I would even dare to compare it to the likes of Zoeva, Morphe or even MAC brushes. It's literally a little organic MAC brush. At half the price. :)

6. Kiko Blending Brush 200 4,90€
Bought this one two weeks ago in Milan because of their sales. I've never owned a Kiko brush but I have to say I was really surprised how soft it is. As you can see from the photo I've only used it for light brow and transition shades, but it carries color marvellously. I'll probably go ahead and use it for some serious crease work and report back, but overall super brush for only 5€.

Glitter Snow Bunny For Christmas

Snow Bunny For Christmas by greenvogueglam

Hey little sinisters!

With Christmas fast approaching, I've started to think about Christmas and New Year's outfits, and everything in between. 

You wil agree with me that this is the year of glitter. We've seen it everywhere from shoes to bags, tops to pants. It's on our eyelids and nails, in our hair from DIY and definitely in our head.

I'm so excited about wearing a pleiad of glitter outfits these holidays and I've selected three different dresses that I'll be drawing inspo from.

I love red glitter and this spaghetti strap number is sure to make heads turn wherever you decide to wear it! It would also look really well with a faux fur shawl or jacket on top and a pair of black suede over the knee boots.

The gold one is just plain gorgeous and I have to say it reminds me of a slightly more festive Herve Leger type dress. Uuu. Will google that immediately and make a list of potential dresses for these holidays. The pattern in which the glitter is laid is super flattering for any body type and the color will flatter any skin type. Pair it with high heeled sensation shoes (maybe red or silver) and cover everything up in a white wool coat. Definitely a show stopper.

The black long sleeved mini is by far the most versatile. The glitter is subtle and if you have to go to your in-laws for Christmas dinner this will do the trick. It's covered enough to make it proper, yet stylish enough to make a statement. I'm currently having one just like this made especially for that occasion and I'm planning to wear it with sheer tights and ankle booties and Guerlain's red lipstick. Bouncy waves for my hair and my grandma's antique brioche will complete my look. 

Of course, if you opt to wear this to a party, put on some dark sheer tights (if possible the one's with the back seam visible) and silver or cold super high pumps and a smokey eye and you're going to be smoking hot. Or should I say, glittering hot?

Kiss and Peace

Glitter Miss Sinister

P.S. All the dresses are from johnlewis.com and they range from 360€ to 540€.

Friday Fav Five

1. Sea buckthorn. It's a strange, bright orange, miniature grapes looking plant that helped me get rid of my skin troubles early this year. My mom used to force me to have a spoonful of these berries with honey every morning while I was growing up and man, did I hate them. Now, they're my go to multivitamin concoction every spring and fall. They boost antioxidant properties, they help digestion and ward off the flu, but there biggest pro is that they're Skin Superfruits. Definitely worth any beauty bloggers attention.
Best use: buy about 500g/15 ounces, clean them (they have tiny stems), fill a large mason jar or two normal sized mason jar with a combo of 50% sea buckthorn - 50% honey. Take one table spoon on an empty stomach in the morning for at least 1 month. Enjoy the awesome benefits




2.  This Brow Set. I was gifted an Oriflame brow set by my mom's old friend while in Romania. Just after I bought one before going on that trip. Doesn't that happen to you? Anyway, I tried it while in Romania and I have to say I like it very much. It's got two little brushes in a sleek little drawer under the 2 shadows and 1 wax. Simple, traveling friendly, sufficient. And not bad on the budget for about 10€. Sorry for my US and Italian readers, but Oriflame is not available in those countries yet. UK readers, rejoice, you can find it on their website.










3. This beautiful Lip Crayon. I'm currently obsessed with Nars's crayon, but saw this Ilia crayon on the latest goop newsletter. It looks just as good with the added bonus of being organic and free of a lot of chemicals which are commonly found in all those beauty products we adore. You can find it on The Beautyaholic's Shop for Italy or on their online shop for US. It's in the same price range, a little over 20€ and I have to say I'm tempted to order myself on in this delicious berrylicious color.

4. Adidas All Stars. When was in high school I used to own a couple of pairs, one a pristine white and the other a perfectly complimentary black and white stripes. I wore them with everything from my school uniform to jeans skirts and flared jeans(yes, they were fashionable when I went to school). Suffice it to say that I was not considered hipster or well-dressed or even sound of mind. That was long before bloggers were a thing and being original was cool. No bright pink hair or long siren blue hair in my day ladies. No. You wanted to be Christina Aguilera or Beyonce. Sexy. Perfect.
Hence my (now they call it) fashion forwardness was laughable.
Well...as they say. Better early than late. Or is it the other way round? :)

5. Dior Addict Fluid Shadow "Univers". Sephora got me again. Somehow, I manage to plan all of my hard earned money about 2 weeks before I actually get it. Or have earned it. This eyeshadow has me waking up in a sweat at night for how much I love it. I've now swatched it about 4 times, glaring at the price. 31€ for something I'll probably use once a month. Hm. It is absolutely dreamy, this Universe color is gorgeous and it also last for quite a while. At least on the back of my hand it did.
And because Sephora always drives its victories home, they've sent me a text message yesterday saying I have 20% this month. There goes some more of that hard earned money.




Kiss and Peace
Miss Sinister

Friday Fav Five - late but good

1. Collistar's Top Coat + Art Pen.
Lets set things clear. I love getting a mani/pedi and schmoozing with my lovely beautician.
But. Sometimes I don't have time (to be read - when Mystery storms home and says we're going to dinner with X&Y at that fancy new restaurant and/or hey,we're going to Milan like right now). This means I have to do some of the things I'm utterly useless at. This beautiful set, bought on a whim so that I could qualify for 20% off on the perfume I was buying (please stop laughing/pointing your finger, you know you do the same exact thing!), has proven to be a little treasure.
Easy to use, cheap (14€), long-lasting. Convinced?
Find it over on douglas or pretty much any drugstore/beauty shop for around 15€/13$.


2. Sugar. This is almost as addictive as the real thing. Listen once, get stuck on repeat, spend the rest of the week singing "Sugar,how you get so fiend...Sugar...."

3. This coat over on Zara. It's handmade, 50%wool, easy on the budget, blackness perfection. Something for the long winter to look Dior.

4. Dolce by Dolce&Gabbana.
This is the description Sephora has on its US site for this fragrance:
"Dolce is a gentle, feminine mix of white flowers introduced by the freshness of neroli leaves and defined by the full-bodied scent of white amaryllis, a South African flower used for the first time ever in scent. The amaryllis is perfectly blended with a unique and opulent combination of white water lily and bold white daffodil creating a classic yet distinctly original floral fragrance."

I have to honestly say it's one of the best perfumes I've worn for a very long time. I'm a big Dolce&Gabbana perfumes fan because they're ultra feminine and they don't give me a headache (something I tend to suffer from when I wear perfume) so I've been perched up high clinging to Light Blue (in all its declinations) for years now and refused to come back down and smell...well...the Dolce roses. This is now my fav. Just love it. Make sure you try it on your skin before you decide to get it.

5. The Shoe book. Manolo Blahnik teamed up with photographer Michael Roberts and put out a magnificent coffee table book that any shoes aficionado must at least in part consider putting on full display this fall/winter season. I'm a big fan of Mr. Blahnik and this is soon going on my Xmas list!

Millenialy buyable on amazon.com.

Friday Fav Five

1. Pu-Erh Tea. I've gone goo over this tea this past week. It boasts fat reduction, cholesterol lowering, energising qualities that only needs to be drunk twice a day. 

It all started with me looking for something for Mystery's slightly raised cholesterol level (hereditary) and I ended up buying 50€ worth of tea under 5 minutes flat. Ha, story of my life.

I found both the traditional, no flavours added type plus a lovely rose-petal enhanced one. 

Needless to say, I took a whiff of the traditional one which the Chinese culture says smells like earth after it rained, I will cautiously say it smells like Ancona's fish market on a bad day, and I chose the rose-petal one.

I have now prepared 2 bottles full of it and had a cup yesterday evening with Mystery. We both love it. I will report back with the effects. Whatever they might be.

I bought it here, they have the most amazing store in my little Italian Dolce Vita town and a wonderful English website. Check it out.

2. This white coat from Anteprima's FW collection in Marie Claire's August Runways Edition. I really want a light, soft, possibly white coat for the winter and this just ticks all of my boxes. You can see the entire show here.

3. My new Emanuela Caruso bejewelled sandals. Mystery gifted me a pair a couple of years ago and I fell head over literally heels with her work. Unfortunately, I am not an avid sandal wearing Miss Sinister so I tend to shy away from sandals. But upon seeing these magnificent little things the other day, all of my defences (to be read credit card self limitations) went down and they became mine. What can I say, some people like faux jewellery around their neck, I like mine on my feet. You can find more awesome models here. Feet ART!

4. Maroon 5's Songs About Jane album. For those of you little sinisters that might not know, I am the biggest Maroon 5 fan. I have been so from the very first moment I heard "This Love" over the radio little over 13 years ago. I have every album, posters, broken heart over Adam not being single anymore, concert-going wishes, etc. 

I think their first album is by far the best. It has that end of the 90's, 2000 just beginning feel that made everything around that period magical and mythical.

I started listening to their first album again, and more specifically, I've had "Secret" on repeat for the past few days. :) Well, I do have to live up to my sinisterness, right?

Just in case you wanted to listen to it.

5. A little app called Seven.

You can find it on iOS or Android and it gives you 7-minutes worth of crossfire with images and voices. It's simplicity totally won me over. I am not a big fan of crossfire and yet this little app makes me jump, squat, tricep dip, push up and lunge for 7-minutes everyday. 

*Warning, if you miss three days in a month you loose progress and have to start over. :))) Way to keep me coming back app developers.

Give it a try!

And here are my Friday Fav 5 

Kiss and Peace

Miss Sinister

Summer reading - the grandpa we all wish we had

Do you have grandparents? The quirky, funny, slightly annoying kind of grandparents?

I've got an awesome pair of grandparents that I wouldn't change for anything in the world.

But if Alan Karlsson needed a granddaughter to share his adventures with, I would literally kill for him. 

This is the book that last came with me on vacation and it managed to keep me away from my vacation much more that I wish I could admit to. It was funny, unexpected, entertaining and definitely refreshing.

With temperatures soaring into the 40°C/104°F, I was reading about the Swedish geriatric adventurer that evades from his nursing home and embarks on a breathless quest towards nowhere in particular. 

Alan cracked me up, he genuinely impressed me with his unwanted, unwarranted history knowledge, much of which he's had a hand in making it history in the first place.

He is one sinister little old man. My kind of sinister. We're practically sinisterly related.

There is also money, weird twists of events and a elephant. 

Convinced yet?

You can find it on amazon.com, conveniently kindled or papered. 

Kiss and Peace

Miss Sinister

P.S. I hope someday to sit down with Mr. Jonasson, brainstorm cooky ideas, drink vodka and discuss world history. In that order.

Have you met Ricki?

Please take a moment and watch this trailer for me.


Have you watched it?
Now. Isn't this awesome?
Finally a film that talks about life choices in a non-sexist way. The woman is a rockstar. And she leaves her kids behind and that sucks. And she finds love again. And her husband does the same. And the aforementioned kids are embarrassed by their parents. And there is a happy ending nonetheless.
My kinda movie. I'm not even gonna whine about it being a tad bit sappy.
Meryl Streep kicks ass.

 

It's coming out early August and I intend to go see it. You should too.

Kiss and Peace
Miss Sinister

Summer reading for techless millennials

I'm a millenial. I'm expected to be comfortable with technology, ambitious and strong-minded, highly democratic and addicted to Twitter and Instagram. I am supposed to enjoy all things organic, drive an electric car, be vegan or at least vegetarian, despise big labels and revel in the wonderfulness of tiny, up and coming weird and cooky designers.

I'm expected to listen to music that is inspirational, aspirational, a form of art and enjoy videos where everybody is either 

a)naked 

b)bouncing around like they're on some sort of illegal drug 

c) not singing but performing (insert me with a raised eyebrow) or 

d) all of the above.

I'm Oana. I'm a millenial and I suck at Twitter. Like really suck at it. 

I'm partially good with Instagram, and mainly only because my dad used to own a Laica and I started taking pics when I was 5. Instagram = photographs. Ergo I'm not that bad.

I'm fiercely private about so many things I sometimes think this blog is a sort of therapy for that.

I like organic stuff if I can grow them, but I won't go completely gaga over it because I am much to self-conscious to spend 8,50€ on an organic orange juice.

I am in complete awe of big labels like Dior or YSL (I will never for the love of God, understand why they chose to turn it into Saint Laurent - I can see Yves shake his head from Designer Heaven right now), and not because they cost a heck of a lot of money. I love the people behind them. People who were creative and innovative and loved the female figure, loved fabric, and colors and dressed women for cocktail hours and created clothes you could just travel in and nothing more. 

I love me some new creative designing by some fierce millennial, but I'm subjective. It needs to fit my New Look lifelong passion, my Armani obsession, my Schiaparelli fetish. 

That's why I get Imogen Tate, the 40 something heroine in "The Knockoff" which you can millennially download via Kindle or buy online, both through the lovely Amazon.com.

I won't spoiler the story, but if you ever feel like your creative self is anything but tech savvy, then you should definitely read this book.

Absolutely adorable!

Saturday Throwback

Good morning Sinisters!

Woke up to a perfectly cloudy morning that won't convince me not to go to the beach. So today  is beach time. Will take pics!

There's something else I want to share with you.

This is last year in Leipzig on vacation. One of those "hey, turn around!" pics that I hang on my walls. 

There are 2 throwback moments in there. 

1. I want to go on vacation. To a big city. Ah, museums, galleries, theatres, street art, quirky shops, SUSHI!, Starbucks, brunch... this list can go on and on.

2. I really miss my long hair. I had it cut in September, just when I got back from this vacation, and it looked really good for about 4-5 months, but I'm now growing it back and it's at  that weird length that just looks ... um...weird all the time. Argh.

There is also the added problem of my hair having decided to become dull. Lacklustre, dull, lifeless hair.

I've never really been too fussy about my hair since genetically, my family has been pretty lucky. Pitch black, strong and healthy and usually shinny. I don't blow-dry it and I don't flat-iron it. 

(Please don't hate me - I got it from my momma).

But, now, my hair is dull. I've changed 3 shampoos and have stopped using a conditioner since it just added to the problem making my hair look greasy (Ewww).

I'm using L'Oreal Sensi Balance right now and it seems to be slightly better but it's still a long way from my hair looks like normally.

So I was wondering what to do.

I remember I met a really nice person at the Cosmoprof Bologna that talked to me about Eco.kid, a revolutionary haircare line from Australia that helps your hair both from a cosmetic point of view and from a internal one. It started as a kids line and has now grown into a full line. But it doesn't ship to Italy. (insert me with an upside down smile).

Then, there are websites like Ecco-Verde which have lots of really nice brands like: Lavera, TEA Natura, Benecos, Bjobj. But I've honestly never tried an organic shampoo (damn my little knowledge about hair care).

And then there's my absolute fav organic company here in Italy, Fitocose. I have been using ONLY their facial care products for the past 2 years and it has changed my skin. Now, I'm considering buying one of their shampoos. I will let you know how that goes.

Do you have any suggestions? I could really use a hand. :P

Kiss and Peace

Miss Sinister

Outfit of the (very summery) day

I have to say I am sooo happy with the weather right now. After a long walk with the little monster, some spinach and asparagus risotto with my mom (Yay mom!) and preparing a gluten-free carrot and raisins plumcake for tomorrow's road trip to Verona,  I threw myself into my closet and came out looking like this. :)

Outfit of the day:

Stripped long sleeved T-shirt - Tezenis

Skirt - Dolce&Gabbana

Red Ballet Flats - no particular brand, bought them on a whim and have loved them ever since

Now off to work!

Kiss and Peace

Miss Sinister

Rainy day outfit

Went shopping with some friends on the rainiest day possible! I wore something fun, colorful, comfortable and just plain alive to do battle with the ever dark weather situation! 😥

Keeping my fingers crossed for better weather! (Why isn't there a fingers crossed emoticon?!???)

 

Powdered Pink Pleather Jacket - Stradivarius (found it for next to nothing on sale a few year ago! :) )

Pink T-Shirt - H&M

Salmon Pink Pants - Zara

Blue "Celeste" Bag - Coccinelle 

Cuoio Wedged Shoes - no particular brand, just really awesome Italian craftsmanship. 😉😍

Kiss and Peace

Miss Sinister

P.S. I played around with the filters. :)

5 Life facts I've already figured out

From personal experience, friend's tell-tales, hear-say and a heck of a lot of considering, I've come up with my own 5 life facts I've learned so far. Here they go:

1. Nothing happens randomly. There is some reason behind everything that will ever happen to you but you might:
a) not see it yet
b) not get it yet
c) see it, get it, but not accept it yet

2. You are what you eat. Put the french fries down. Forget about milk chocolate, butter, creme fraiche. Stop drinking now, no better yet stop yesterday. Quit smoking. Eat your greens and stay away from meat unless it grows in your backyard but then again who would ever eat Rosie and Carmen?!? (P.S. my chickens).
Stop intoxicating your taste buds getting them high on a daily schedule and then expect to have radiant skin and no health problems.

3. Don't cry over spilt milk. I've long gone stopped blaming myself for every wrong in this world or even for the wrongs that I do. I eff up, say I'm sorry, learn something from it and go on. Nobody will give you back those hours/days/months you spend simmering over some stupid thing you've done, someone else did or which will inevitably happen (my favourite).

4. Exercise is not an option. You don't go to the gym, or swimming, or do pilates or yoga or piloga or whatever for your swimsuit alone. You do it so that when you'll be old you'll look and feel like Jane Fonda or Helen Mirren. Plus we won't have to ask our internet dependent children for everything.

5. Love is no walk in the park, but if it's there you'll climb a mountain. Love is a messy, tricky, complicated beyond belief affair. It's far from easy and it's not cupcakes, heart, flowers and Cupid popping up everywhere. But that doesn't matter. And it's ok if you're not in love. You can be in love with you for a while. Love is really only worthwhile if that person betters you, not brings you down. (a big smacking heart-shaped, flower-topped, Cupid-delivered cupcake goes out to my Mystery who makes me better everyday).


I'm sure the list will become longer with time, but for now I feel pretty darn proud of my sinister little self for having figured out this much already.
Do you have any life facts you've figured out already?

Kiss and Peace
Proud Miss Sinister

The paper cup theory

I used to be a lot more philosophical about life. Somehow, in the middle of of my mid-twenties existence, I forgot all about that. I wrote things down, I thought about why I did something or why one of my friends was suffering like an abandoned puppy because of some dog-like boyfriend. No insult intended to dogs here.
And I wrote.
And I haven't done that in the longest of time. Just sit down with a blank piece of paper/blogspot and pour my sinisterly philosophical heart in it.
Today I went to McDonalds for a cup of tea. Ignore the fact that I have to go to McDonalds for take-away tea, that deserves another post in itself.
Yesterday I went to McDonalds with my friend, Miss Mob and we had tea.
I'm guessing you're wondering when I'll cut to the philosophical part.

Yesterday I had tea in a porcelain cup. Today I had tea in a paper cup.
Bam! My neural synapses exploded.
Paper cups don't allow for an easy dispersion of heat. Porcelain cups do.
I'm a freakin' porcelain cup.
I don't hold on to things, I completely misplace everything and anything left in my possession. I am bad with finance, and no, not the theoretical part of it, I was actually quite good at it in college, I'm bad at keeping money in my pocket and out of [INSERT random fashion website/famous brand/new designer/expensive food/Mr. Mystery gifts/flowers/shoes galore HERE]'s pockets.
I can remember the freakiest, most useless things possible read on a magazine, on a train, 5 years ago while standing on my suitcase, but I completely forget team meetings that happen every month on the same day.
I buy perfect t-shirts and awesome shoes only to find I have the exact same model (potentially same brand) in my closet already and have already worn and discarded it from my fashion existence.
I remember birthdays like my life depended on them and I forget to pay my phone bills so when I have to call the people on the afore-mentioned birthdays I discover I have to argue on the phone with some Italian operator on the other side of the world explaining I am a porcelain cup.

And they don't get it. Because that's the thing. I'm surrounded by paper cups. I'm a lonely porcelain cup in a sea of perfectly built paper cups that allow for the dispersion of nothing. They keep their content warm until you just want to scream at them. They will always burn your tongue and never apologise because that's what they do. They keep things warm.
They will always make us, porcelain cups, be late (or at least seem like we.re always late because they're always freakishly on time) because they never allow their content to get cold.
We get cold aka lose something - a job, an opportunity, a shoe, our car keys - and they never do that. They make it to the final tongue-scorching mile and that makes me, or us, porcelain cups go crazy!
That's the paper cup theory.
We're all paper cups or porcelain cups, carrying around our content, more or less scorching, in an endless cup competition.

Considering all of the Starbucks and McDonalds and Costa Coffee and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in the world, with all their perfectly engineered paper cups, we've got our work cut out for us.

Kiss and Peace
Porcelain Miss Sinister


Later edit: My perfect Mr. Mystery just said the most perfect of things: "But porcelain cups also absorb the heat...that's why they make everything more manageable."
So maybe I'm just partly dispersing and partly absorbing.
It's on paper cups, watch your recycled behinds!

How about you?

Cosmoprof Bologna - the day after

I am exhausted, yet totally excited to show you what I got and what I bought at Cosmoprof Bologna!

For this of you who have no idea what that is, have a look here.

First of all I want to thank all the wonderful, excited, exciting people I met yesterday! You rock! 

I had an amazing time running around from stand to stand, meeting amazing people, getting cream up to my elbows, sniffing and testing, photographing and laughing. I don't know if it was just me, but I thought everybody was super-friendly despite having been there since Friday and having seen and spoken to thousand of people.

Well, after about 8 hours of walking around, snapping as many pics as I could (never enough I assure you) this is what I got or I bought:

This is all stuff I really wanted and I will be testing in the following weeks.

I've bought an awesome body foam from Greenland Bodycare that I can't wait to try,  had my hand peeled and buttered by Premier Dead Sea (thanks Eli, it was sheer magic), got a lesson on micro-particles technology from Invex Remedies (and a whole lot of stuff to test out - I actually just started taking their dietary supplement Silor+B - I'll let you know how it goes), got more soap than I could carry from Florinda, and Alighiero Campostrini and two wonderful people that make Savon D'Alep.

I also literally fell in love with a sweet natured man called Danilo from Kroll Cosmetics who comes from Venice and is very proud of that (I'm going to go visit asap).

I reminisced about my very short trip to Naples with Kost Make-up, an Italian Naples based brand of low cost make-up products with excellent Italian review (I'm going to try them this week and let you know). There are some more that I haven't yet said anything about but I will come back with a second post about Cosmoprof this week. 

I was practically in tears by the end of the day because of all the stuff I was carrying around and abruptly decided that next year I'm bringing a suitcase just like all the smart people that brought one this year. 

I will be slowly reviewing all of these things and many more I haven't yet mentioned.

I'm taking pictures of everything and coming back!

Kiss and Peace

Tired Miss Sinister

On my way to Cosmoprof Bologna

Good morning!

I'm off to Cosmoprof Bologna with my nail artist friend.

Did my yoga, had my OJ and cup of matcha, fireballed with Pitbull (go-to song for early morning start-your-engines) and am now ridding shotgun all giddy!

Can't wait to post this evening!

Kiss and Peace

Giddy Miss Sinister