Everyday Feels Like Sunday Baby│Style

D IRTY ROOTS! I know, but I'm getting them done this week. The weather has been so nice lately, summer seems to be here already. I just wanna wear shorts all the time and shower twice everyday. Also, summer calls for DIEts and I'm thinking about getting into the whole detox smoothie thing. Any ideas? 

Denim Jacket - Zara / Daisy Print Dress - Pull & Bear / Boots - Jeffrey Campbell / Bag - Urban Outfitters

Revlon Matte Lipbalms│Review

R evlon has the best high street lip products ever! Well, at least for me. It all started with the lip butters, then the just bitten kissable balm stains and now, the matte balms! Matte is my favourite formula when it comes to lipsticks. I picked up two shades; Elusive, a medium pink and Sultry, a brown pink. I find the formula is creamy and the scent is not as minty as the Just Bitten Kissable balm stains.It smells more like foundation (?) The finish though, isn't completely matte as I expected. The only problem I had is that the shade Elusive, being so sheer, wouldn't stick on my lips. I have no idea why, but it looks gross as if I applied it on patches. Above you can see a swatch of Sultry, lovely shade!

Have you tried these?

Clouds & Peaches│Style

I initially wanted to do a "ways to wear black with pastel colours" but I thought I'd start with a simple outfit of the day. I had fun taking these pictures with my friend, honestly I'm a bit camera shy sometimes and I'm always laughing or closing my eyes on all the snaps, haha. But I really like reading and watching OOTD posts, so I wanted to share my own. I think wearing black with pastel colours is great for the winter-spring transition. And also fancy enough to wear to work or date night. It was pretty sunny and warm today so the cami was perfect! For the evening I chose a light sweatshirt and my nails accidentally matched the print on it! :)

Skinny trousers: Zara / Shoes: Stradivarius / Cami Top: Zara / Sweatshirt: Kenzo

Favourite Boots ♥ │Style

Here's a simple post dedicated to my favourite boots, the black ones are the Jeffrey Campbell Rosie Cutout boots, great to combine with high waisted skirts, flowy dresses and shirt dresses. Cut out boots are kind of my thing, I find ankles to be quite sexy  (I have no idea why) and I like showing off my own. The detailing on these boots is amazing, cutout back, lace up front and through the heel. The brown ones are the Nasty Gal's Shoe Cult Ankle Boots, super comfy and perfectly paired with skinny black jeans and dresses. Again, the detailing is lovely, with gold hardware.

What are your favourite boots?

Current Skincare Routine

I'm a skincare junkie, and anything with the word cleansing has got my attention. I have combination and sensitive skin, so I try avoiding oil based products and hard ingredients. Still, I enjoy using deep-cleansing products as I find makeup and the enviroment clog my pores from time to time (gross, I know!) So here's a list of products I use every other day.

The first thing I do after I shower is wash my face with cold water with Origins Checks and Balances ($21.00)  a creamy cleanser that gives a good lather, so I only use a tiny amount. When I feel like I need a little extra something and feel the need to get off dirt and oil I use the Antipodes Juliet Skin- Brightening Gel Cleanser ($34.00) which is ideal for combination or oily skin. At night I usually use the Olay Fresh Effects Shine Minimizing Cleanser ($7.99) as it removes makeup and reduces shine.

Twice a week I use face masks, my favourites are Aesop Parsley Seed Cleansing Masque ($39.00), Origins Clear Improvement Mask ($24.00), Antipodes Aura Manuka Honey Mask ($39.00) and Lush Mask of Magnaminty,I ran out of this one but it's soooo good. As an exfoliator I use Origins Modern Friction ($20.00)

As a moisturizer I use the Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentré ($28.00) which the LOVELIEST moisturizer ever! and the Antipodes Kiwi Seed Oil Eye Cream ($46.00) that has lasted me ages as it's twice the size (60ml) as a regular eye cream. It seems like a lot of products but I don find my current routine very complex. 

What are your daily skincare products?

Macadamia Flawless Cleansing Conditioner│Review

M acadamia Flawless ($33.00 for 8 oz) is a 6 in 1 cleansing conditioner that claims to refine hair texture, cut down blow drying time and optimize styling process. It's great for all hair types and is surfactant and paraben free. My hair type is processed, damaged hair and I can say this product has worked wonders on my hair. Basically, you use this instead of your shampoo and conditioner and voilá! you're ready to go. Not only this product leaves my hair feeling soft but also super clean. 

The Flawless formula comes out as a lightweight mousse, but as I rub it on my hands it becomes more creamy. I apply 2 pumps directly to my scalp, gently massage it and let it sit for 5 minutes. I can feel the texture of my hair change, it becomes softer and detangled. At the same time, my hair feels clean. I always like to make sure I've rinsed out all of the product to avoid any build up as I try not to wash my hair everyday. 

I find it works way better than dry shampoo, as dry shampoo tends to add more to the hair instead of actually cleaning it. I liked that it really detangled my hair as I never brush it when it's wet. I follow with the Macadamia Deep Repair Mask and the No Tangle Spray for styling. I'm not sure about the cut blow drying time claim, but my hair usually takes a long time to air dry.

Have you tried cleansing conditioners?

Oishii! Japanese Cuisine│Travel

P repare yourself as you read this post, as you might get a bit hungry :) So back in August when I traveled to Japan for the first time I set a goal: I would try anything new, as I usually try to do when Im abroad. I was a vegetarian for 4 years and my eating habits didn't include any meat (of any kind), dairy or any animal-based food. But I had to be a little flexible during my stay (I wanted to) so I tried almost everything! Japanese cuisine is one of the world's most famous, healthy and tasteful so I figured, I'll try anything once. Besides being delicious, japanese goodies also have a kawaii presentation and a HUGE variety. Since everything is so different from what I normally eat, I did a photo diary of most things I had during my stay. 

Above: a meat patty covered with barbecue/ sweet and sour sauce with cheddar cheese on the inside and a Hello Kitty shaped cheese slice on top & two pieces of fried chicken. I know this isn't exactly traditional japanese, but it isn't something you'll find anywhere else as the meat is so different!

I had this for lunch at Sanrio Puroland, most known as Kitty Land. A Hello Kitty theme amusement park, mostly for kids as the rides aren't as fast or big or scary! For dessert I had Hello Kitty's mochi. Mochi is a rice cake made of short-grain japonica glutinous rice. The filling of mochi can vary, I don't remember very well what this one was made of but I think it was sweet bean.

I find Square watermelons quite cute, but these weren't grown like this for that reason. The logic is because square watermelons are easier to stack, which makes them easier to ship. Also because in crowded areas of Japan, the square watermelon is designed to fit inside smaller japanese refrigerators. But having an unsual shape makes square watermelons expensive, I didn't get to try it but I bet it tastes just the same as a regular watermelon. I found it on a depachika (the basement floor of department stores) at Hikarie in Shibuya, a lovely 11th floor department store!

Rilakkuma macarons :)

Everything tempurized nom nom!

On the same building, I had dinner with some friends that night. My friend's japanese friend ordered a lot of food with names I cannot remember. But the one thing I do remember was Okonomiyaki, a japanese savoury pancake made of flour, grated nagaimo, water or dashi, eggs, shredded cabbage, meat, green onion and pork belly, okonomiyaki is often referred to as japanese pizza. But quite frankly, it tastes nothing like pizza!

My favourite dish, Ramen. Holy mother, this was sooooo good. Ramen is a noodle soup dish served in a meat broth, often flavored with soy sauce or miso and sliced pork as topping. Also dried seaweek and green onions (as the one below) There are many variations of ramen, but every single one tastes heavenly. Most restaurants have value menus that might include gyozas and a beverage such as natural iced tea. 

Now, let's talk about sushi. The one I had been eating all this years at my local sushi place isn't the real deal. I can assure you that. Most are just a variation of the California Roll which is a western adaptation. I tried sushi at the Tsukiji Fish Market, the world's largest and busiest fish market and I was overwhelmed with all the things I saw in there! Fresh sushi for breakfast never tasted so good. Below: a rice, cucumber cone.

I had this meal near Yokohama Station one evening as I was craving french fries (?) lol. It's like a healthier version of fast food but presented as fast food.

BENTO! Bento is a single-portion takeout meal common in japanese cuisine. I picked up a few but this one was my favourite. It had scrambled egg, rice, chicken, meat and a few veggies. I bought this at a JR station when I was heading to Kyoto on a shinkansen!

Family Mart Bento ^^

Below, curry with rice + mango lassi from the chain curry resto Coco Curry House.

The cutest packaging for Minute Maid's Apple juice.

The japanese are very keen on anything french. Especially sweets. The japanese crepe is very popular around the Harajuku area and it tastes great! I had both sweet and non-sweet crepes. The one below was and avocado-shrimp crepe. YUM!

More sweets below! <3

Phew! That was a lot of food. 

Have you tried anything from this post? 

Aesop Parsley Seed Cleansing Mask│Review

Skincare is something I'm really into, I like doing research on key ingredients that could possibly help improve the condition of my skin. I'm not saying I have terrible skin, I just like looking after it. I guess I could say I'm still jumping on the bandwagon as I don't really have a million face masks or lots of serums (ew serum texture). But I'll probably start a new obsession. As I did with hair care! Masks are something I'm always looking forward to, as I find they're directly related to relaxing and having a nice quiet time. The Aesop Parsley Seed Cleansing Masque ($39.00 for 2 fl.oz) is a clay-based deep cleansing mask, but surprisingly it isn't abrasive to any type of skin. I have normal - sensitive skin and I find this mask to work great. I leave it on for 20 minutes and after I wash it out my skin feels softened, refreshed and more importantly deep-cleansed. Whilst drying, there are some patches that dry faster than others, I don't really know why this happens but it seems to me that it takes more time to dry on dry or problem areas. Did that made sense? The key ingredients are parsley seed, evening primrose and rosehip seed. 

Here's a little ingredient breakdown:

Parsley: this herb contains volatile oils and flavonoids, the beneficial properties of parsley include: antibacterial, anti-inflamatory and antioxidant properties. Parsley is also a great source of vitamin C and beta-carotene (pro-vitamin A).

Evening Primrose: contains a high concentration of a fatty acid called GLA, a fatty acid that has healing properties. It also has gamma-linoleic acid, linoleic acid and other nutrients that are essential for cell structure and improving elasticity of the skin.

Rosehip Seed (Rosa Canina): these seeds are one of the richest source of vitamin C and contain essential fatty acids; omega 6, omega 3 as well as antioxidant lycopene and beta-carotene. The essential fatty acids provide moisture and antioxidants. The vitamins help combat wrinkles, sun damage and most importantly, uneven skin tone.

Full ingredient list: Water (Aqua), Kaolin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Bentonite, Alcohol Denat., Glycerin, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Ormenis Multicaulis Oil, Carum Petroselinum (Parsley) Seed Oil, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Linalool.

Have you tried this mask? 

Favourite Red Lipsticks / Lipglosses

I used to never wear red lipstick, but now I can't stop wearing it. It's so flattering and it looks so elegant. Either you're going to a business meeting or it's date night, red lips will ALWAYS get someone's attention. Here are a few swatches of my favourite reds:

Viva Glam I is the darkest shade of red I own, I find it daring and sexy. It lasts a while and the formula isn't as drying as Ruby Woo, a brighter shade with a matte finish. Cherry on Top a cherry- red by Lime Crime is a bit more glamorous, it has little sparkles and an ultra glossy finish. Suedeberry is more on the orange side, i find it more suiting for a day time look. And Red Velvet looks very similar to Ruby Woo once it's on the lips. 

What are your favourite red lipsticks?

Amika Nourishing Mask│Review

Technically, I'm washing my hair twice a week. My hair has improved sooo much since I went blonde. It's shiny, healthier and has regained elasticity and manageability. I got the Amika Obliphica Nourishing Mask  because I was already using the Color PHerfection Shampoo and love how it smells. Besides smelling great, this mask contains Sea Buckthorn Berry (Obliphica), a herb that is used for several things, and even has health benefits. The herb is used as a source of vitamins, antioxidants, protein building blocks (amino acids), fatty acids and minerals. The Obliphica Berry, Omega 3, 6 and 9 are combined with argan nut oil, making this mask a hydrating-replenishing cocktail! 

I leave the mask on my wet hair while I'm taking a shower (2-5 minutes recommended). My hair feels soft and supple after I've rinsed it out, I follow with the Amika Oil Treatment. The healing powers of this mask combined with the oil treatment are beyond amazing!

Use either as a weekly treatment or an everyday conditioner. In either case apply generously to the hair, wait 2-5 minutes and rinse thoroughly. Use alone, or enhance with a few drops of the amika Obliphica Oil Treatment.

All the products in the line are not tested on animals and are free from any animal derived ingredients.