What I'm reading + NOTD pt.42

If you are looking for a book that you could finish in one afternoon, here it is. Like Family (original title Il nero e l'argento) by Paolo Giordano features his trademark character-driven narrative and intimate domestic setting that first made him an international sensation. When Mrs. A. first enters the narrator s home, his wife, Nora, is experiencing a difficult pregnancy. First as their maid and nanny, then their confidante, this older woman begins to help her employers negotiate married life, quickly becoming the glue in their small household. She is the steady, maternal influence for both husband and wife, and their son, Emanuele.

I recommend also his other novels, The Solitude of Prime Numbers and The Human Body.

The nail polish (did you notice that this is the third pink nail polish in a row?) is from China Glaze, Beach Cruise-r. It's a vibrant pink with tiny violet and blue shimmer. There are two things that are wrong with this nail polish and one is easy fixable. The finish is not shiny, it's soft matte, like some kind of plastic finish and I don't like it at all, but add a top coat and you have a nice shiny finish. The second thing is the brush. It's very narrow which makes it very difficult to apply nail polish in a nice way and you must be careful that you don't make a mess, because the brush is so small I had to dip it at least two times in the polish for one nail to cover.

Have a nice day :)

What I'm reading + NOTD pt.41

On the first day of autumn I present you the most summery nail polish in my collection. But let's start with the book.

Richard Mayhew is an unassuming young businessman living in London, with a dull job and a pretty but demanding fiancée. Then one night he stumbles across a girl bleeding on the sidewalk. He stops to help her - and the life he knows vanishes like smoke. Several hours later, the girl is gone too. And by the following morning Richard Mayhew has been erased from his world. His bank cards no longer work, taxi drivers won't stop for him, his landlord rents his apartment out to strangers. He has become invisible, and inexplicably consigned to a London of shadows and darkness - to a city of monsters and saints, murderers and angels, that exists entirely in a subterranean labyrinth of sewer canals and abandoned subway stations. He has fallen through the cracks of reality and has landed somewhere different, somewhere that is Neverwhere.

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman is well written and funny and if you like a little bit of fantasy this is just for you. 

The nail polish is China Glaze and it's a neon. In the bottle it looks a true neon pink, but on the nails it looks a bit like orange neon too. The name of this one is Pool Party. The application is not the easiest since my brush is wonky, and has shorter and longer bristles like it wasn't cut right. When it's dry it is matte, so I use a top coat for a nice shine, since it's prettier than matte.

Have a nice day :)

Recent beauty purchases

Cosrx AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner 150 ml

I decided to declare war to my blackheads and so I bought this toner. It says that AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner is an effective toner for your flaky skin caused by lack of moisture and occurring dead skin cell, helping with early prevention of whiteheads and blackheads. Contained in AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner are mineral water (as opposed to purified water) for your skin health, natural AHA, natural BHA to clean away dead skin cell. Additionally, valid substances like allantoin provide moisture and nutrition for moist and smooth skin. I just started using it, so I can't tell you if it works. I bought it on JOLSE, the shipping is free and they ship worldwide. 

Ingredients: mineral water, Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Water, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Water, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Lactate, Glycolic Acid, Water, Betaine Salicylate, Allantoin, Penthenol, Ethyl Hexanediol

Cosrx Aloe Vera Oil-free Moisture Cream 100 ml

Another Korean skincare product. I just adore the Korean beauty stuff. I think they are so innovative with the formulas and the prices are ok, I love spending time on Jolse and look at the products. I needed a day cream so this was my choice. Aloe Vera Oil-free Moisture Cream is a high-concentrate aloe cream that fills in the skin with thick moisture, helps calm the skin and prevent future troubles, and creates moisture barrier for sagging skin." A 80% content of aloe vera leaf juice and 200-times-concentrate of aloe vera leaf juice powder to calm quickly the skin tired from the heat and ultraviolet ray. Makes your day!" It has a texture of a gel, it's not really a cream, but I like the feeling on my face. 

Ingredients: Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, ButyleneGlycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Allantoin, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Dimethicone, Arginine, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Chlorophyllin-Copper Complex, Ethyl Hexanediol

Cosrx Extrusion Swab 40 piece

I can stand in front of a mirror for a really long time and torture my face so I thought why not have some help. It works best around the nose, on the chin and forehead not so much. So how it works. You put the hole on the blackhead and push it into the skin, the swab should put pressure around the blackhead and push it out.

Essence Keep It Perfect Make-up Fixing Spray 50 ml

The light, transparent formula of the make-up fixing spray lies on the make-up like a protective layer and ensures a long-lasting finish. it has a refreshing effect, won’t weigh down the skin and is fragrance-free. Since it's my first such product I can't really tell you much about it and I only used it once since I got it.

Catrice Prime and Fine Contouring Duo Stick in 010 Lighter Skin

Tapered on one end and rounded on the other, this duo-stick is ideal for emphasizing the shape of the face and for effortlessly enhancing your best features. The creamy texture is enriched with vitamin E as well as argan oil, and is easy to apply thanks to the practical stick format. The dark colour creates depth while the light, slightly shimmering shade sets highlights. Once again, this is first such product for me, so I can't really compare it with anything. I can say that I find blending a little bit difficult (could be just my skulls in this area) and I think that I achieve better results with my powder product for contouring (also from Catrice). The highlighter is nice though.

Contouring Brush from limited edition Contourious

The slim, ergonomically shaped brush with thick, premium bristles can be used to set targeted highlights as well as for skilful shading that flatters the features, for example, “nose contouring”. I use this brush with powder contouring product and it works ok. But I just apply the contour, I blend it with another brush. 

Essence Longlasting Lipliner in 11 be a game changer

Longlasting lipliner allows you to accurately trace the contours of your lips. The super soft texture ensures a simple application and provides intensive, long-lasting colour that won’t streak. This is my forth longlasting lipliner and with the formula I'm fully satisfied. With this colour though, not so much. It's darker than I anticipated and I just don't feel it on my face. Maybe I should try it when I'm wearing more make up, so that the colour doesn't make the rest of my face so plain.

Catrice Matt 6hr Lip Artist in 050 Fashion REDitorial

The Matt 6hr Lip Artist covers the lips in intensively rich colour without smudging. At the same time, the non-drying formula feels pleasantly light and velvety-soft on the lips. Additionally, the handy retractable stylo pen allows an accurate application and perfect definition. It's true, the application is very easy, no tugging of the lips, doesn't feel dry. I would say that the finish is more satin matte, than true matte and I'm not sure about the longevity, I would have to taste it some more. Again I'm a little disappointed with the colour, I thought it would be brighter and on the warmer side. It turns out is almost the same as my new Rimmel lipstick in 111 Kiss of Life.

Contouring Duo Stick, Fashion REDitorial, Be a game changer

Essence Anti Split nail sealer 8ml

The fast-drying anti-split nail sealer is the first stop when you're looking for effective protection for brittle nails. it can be used on its own or as a base coat and protects your nails right to the tips. To tell you the truth I haven't find a nail polish that would prevent my nails from splitting. I just always use a base coat and since I haven't found the perfect one I'm experimenting.

Essence nail polish from limited edition Exit to Explore in 04 Pink Parrot

You can see it in action here!

Have a great day ;)

What I'm reading + NOTD pt. 40

"It all started with a bottle of Baileys that was a year out of date but I drank it anyway ...One minute, well, Friday night, you're in a long-term if long-distance relationship with the perfect Shane. The next, Saturday morning, you're waking up in bed with the mother of all hangovers ...and Bernard O'Malley, newest member of the I.T. department. Another entry on the list of things you can't forgive yourself for. The worst is Spain. What you did there. And what happened to your brother. Ever since then, life has slowly spiralled out of control. You dust yourself down, have a cigarette and pull on your stiletto boots. But you know that something's got to give. You just hope it's not the zip on your skinny jeans ..." 

This is the description on the back cover. It also says: " Move over Marian, it's Ciara... Impressive and highly entertaining." I'm guessing that they are referring to Marian Keyes, another author from Ireland. And since I read some of Marian Keyes novels I see there is some similarity. I wouldn’t say move over Marian, since I like her work and I liked Saving Grace also. I never expect too much when reading some kind of chick lit novel and when I get something more than your typical, very predictable story I'm satisfied and I think with this book, this is the case. It's easy to read but not to cheesy and not so to stereotypical.

The nail polish is from Essence, from the TE Exit to explore with the name 04 Pink Parrot and I think you can get it in some stores. It should have a holographic effect and although I could see it under some lights it's not strong. Nevertheless it's a beautiful, pinky, sparkly nail polish with effortless application.

Have a great day :)

What I'm reading + NOTD pt. 38 and 39

One novel, in Slovene translation divided in two books. Bread Upon Waters is a novel by Irwin Shaw, written in 1981. The Slovene publication is from 1990. You know, language is a living thing, and this is very visible when you read a book translated a while ago, like in this case. Different spelling of certain words, words that we don't use any more but use other instead and so on. We can see, that language change trough time, either if we want to or not.

In Bread upon waters we are acquainted with Strand family. The Stands are a self-reliant family in New York City. Far from wealthy they are still reasonably content with their life until one night when their teenage daughter helps a wealthy and lonely Wall Street lawyer. Out of gratitude the lawyer showers the family with gifts and money. The Strands find their lives altered and not necessarily for the best.

Where there are two books, there are also two nail polishes. First is from Essence, a discontinued one, from the line nail art twins, colour base, 06 Bella (yes, its twin was Edward :) ) I don't like Twilight, but I like this colour. It's a bright green crème and the application was non problematic.

The second nail polish is from Bourjois, the 10 days no chips, number 11. Remember the line of nail polishes, where there was a funny brush, cut sideways? Well, this is is, and I must say that I don't mind it at all. Once you get a hold of it, the application becomes easy. It’s a tomato red and if you look closely you can see tiny shimmer, but on the nails it look like a regular crème nail polish.

Two coats were needed for full coverage for both nail polishes.

Have a great day :)