The Be Light by Ju-Ju-Be

Hello lovelies!

If you have read my previous blog posts you'll know that I've found a new (for me) brand that I really, really like, Ju-Ju-Be. They make the most amazing diaper bags and if you want to read about how I got familiar with this brand you can read my blog post about that here.

We use the B.F.F. on a daily basis and lately we've also been testing and using the Helix (check out my blog post about that here). Another bag by Ju-Ju-Be that has been in active use lately by our family is the Be Light. When I first got the B.F.F. I was having trouble deciding whether I should get the B.F.F. or the bigger Be Prepared. I finally decided on the B.F.F. and figured this would be spacious enough for everyday use without being bulky. And for everyday use with just one baby it really is perfect. But sometimes I need to bring more stuff than just the regular "set" I always have in the diaper bag (stay tuned for a post on diaper bag packing later). Before I got the Be Light I would either use a simple fabric tote or put the extra stuff in a plastic bag in the pram basket. Needless to say, this didn't always look so nice, but it helped me get all the stuff from one place to another. One problem that arose when carrying the extra stuff in a fabric tote was that if it was drizzling outside, the bag would be wet, or at least moist (and the contents as well), whereas if I brought along the extra stuff in a plastic bag it would protect the stuff from the rain/drizzle, but I couldn't throw the bag on my shoulder if we had to park the pram somewhere. Before getting the Be Light it always felt rather cumbersome when I realized I would need to bring more stuff than I could fit in the regular diaper bag, but ever since I got the Be Light I really don’t mind at all. I just toss whatever extra we’re going to need in the Be Light and we’re off . The Be Light comes in a plethora of different beautiful prints, we got the Be Light in the print the First Mate, which is a gorgeous dark blue/champagne beige stripe pattern.

The Be Light in the gorgeous print The First Mate.

The Be Light packed.

The Be Light is a light tote that's actually quite versatile in its simplicity. It's super lightweight but it still fits a lot of stuff. I love that it can be folded into a very small space, so I can bring it along in my regular diaper bag as well, if I think I will need it later, without it taking up a lot of space. For instance when we go to the store it's very convenient to bring this in the diaper bag so that when we have our shopping done, we can pack the items in this instead of always having to use plastic bags. The Be Light feels really nice to the touch, the fabric feels like it's high quality and durable too. The outer fabric is 100% Microfiber and the lining is 100% satin-nylon. The bag is also completely PVC free. Like I mentioned before, I feel that it's quite spacious even though it is lightweight. The Be Light is 35,5 cm (13.98") high, 30,5 cm (12") wide and 7,6 cm (3") deep and the volume measurement for the Be Light is 12,3 litres.

When I fold up the Be Light I can fit it into the medium size piece from the Be Set.

Another thing I really love about this bag is that the main compartment has zipper closure! This is especially great if you have tons of stuff in it and don't want to have to worry about anything falling out or if you need to be able to toss the bag in the back of the car or in your pram basket.

Here you see the main compartment with the zipper and also the smaller
pocket inside the main compartment, also with zipper closure.

The main compartment is quite spacious, I usually carry a blanket and some toys or our baby carrier (the Ergobaby Omni 360 - stay tuned for a review on that later) in it. If I've packed the baby carrier in it, I could still fit something else in there, but I usually don't pack other stuff in it just because I might need quick access to the carrier and it just feels easier to have all the other baby gear in the B.F.F. and only the Ergobaby in the Be Light.

Upper left corner: the Be Light laid out next to the Ergobaby Omni 360.
Bottom left corner: the Be light folded up next to the Ergobaby Omni 360,
see how small it gets!
Upper middle photo: the Be Light actually folds up so small you can actually
quite easily fit it into the pouch that comes with the Ergobaby Omni 360.
Bottom middle photo: I've packed the Ergobaby Omni 360 into the Be Light.
I could easily fit more stuff in there if I wanted to, I just choose not to.
On the right: the Be Light, zipper closed, with the  Ergobaby Omni 360
baby carrier inside it.

The main compartment also houses a smaller zippered pocket, which is great for carrying smaller items you don't want to have to look for at the bottom of the bag, like keys or a pacifier or a small pack of wipes for instance.

The smaller pocket inside the main compartment is still quite spacious.

You can easily carry the Be Light on your shoulder, the straps have a 30,5 cm drop (the strap is 61cm long altogether), so it fits quite comfortably under your arm. The straps are also wide enough so it won't hurt your shoulder if you have something heavier in it. The bag also has two front pockets, both of which are insulated, so you can pop your water bottle in there. If I'm out and about and I have some papers or something similar I need access to, I usually put that in the front pocket because it's so easy to reach, no zippers or magnetic closures you need to open, just reach down into the pocket and get what you need. The pockets are quite deep too, so you don't have to worry about anything falling out easily.

These are the front pockets, two equally wide and quite deep pockets.

The bag also has reinforced fabric loops to which you can attach a messenger strap or something else (maybe a Paci Pod) if you want. The strap is sold separately. Like all other Ju-Ju-Be bags, the Be Light is also machine washable, which is great! Especially if you have this bag in the pram basket a lot, it might get a little dirty from small specks of dirt flying up from the tires, so being able to just pop it in the washer makes cleaning it a whole lot simpler. Like other Ju-Ju-Be bags this also has the Teflon™ fabric protector that helps repel stains and the antimicrobial lining which keeps away the yukkies.

Here I've attached a Paci Pod on each side to the reinforced fabric loops.

And here is a closeup of the Paci Pods attached to the loops.

Although this is a very light tote, it weighs only 178 grams (0.39 lbs) when empty, it has the metal hardware just like other Ju-Ju-Be bags, which makes it both more durable and also a lot classier than plastic. The antimicrobial lining in this bag (the First Mate print) is a beautiful sort of shiny champagne color, it's super easy to see what you have in your bag because of this lining and because it's so slippery it's also easier to clean.

I absolutely love the gold hardware on this bag, it looks so nice!
Even the small pocket on the inside has metal gold colored hardware, it's all in the details!

All in all, this bag really became a much needed help for when we have more than the regular amount of stuff to bring with us for certain outings, and the fact that it goes so beautifully with our B.F.F. (in the print the Commodore - a mix of the First Mate and the Admiral) is just a huge bonus! I would definitely recommend this tote for anyone who on occasion needs to bring a bit more stuff than their regular diaper bag can fit and who wants a stylish and functional option for doing so. The Be Light retails for 41,95€ and you can purchase it here if you live in Europe or here if you live in the US.

If you have any questions or comments, please post them in the comment section below and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

xoxo,

Tanja

The Helix by Ju-Ju-Be

Hi again lovelies!

So, like I mentioned in a previous blog post, I have been getting acquainted with a lot of new brands since becoming a mom and I must say one of my absolute favorites is Ju-Ju-Be. They make the most amazing diaper bags and when it was time for us to get one there really was no competition. I felt like they were the only ones that offered all the features I wanted (and more, to be honest), while all the same never compromising in regards to aesthetics or quality.

I realize everyone has their own taste, so what I like may not be what someone else likes, but in my honest opinion I really do feel like Ju-Ju-Be has something to offer every parent. They carry a lot of different prints and styles and the features are simply fantastic.

Now, when I first got the B.F.F. my fiancé agreed that it looked really nice and classy, but quite feminine (I got it in the print the Commodore, which is a mix of the Admiral and the First Mate and in my opinion absolutely gorgeous!). One of his concerns was that he felt it was too feminine for him to tote around if he were to be out and about with baby by himself (even though it's quite obvious it's baby's bag, not daddy's). So when Ju-Ju-Be launched their XY collection I was excited to let him know about it and check it out and when offered to test the Helix I was definitely up for the challenge. The XY collection offers more "dad-friendly" styles and patterns and they offer a sportier look than the other bags so my fiancé was game too.

This is our Helix in the color Chrome.

The Helix is a messenger style bag that comes in five different colors: Chrome, Black Ops, Carbon, Gene and Gray Matter. The outer fabric, as well as the lining, is 100% polyester. We got the Helix in the print Chrome, which is a gorgeous dark grey mélange with black trimmings that we both really liked - and as it turned out, it looks even better in real life. Like other Ju-Ju-Be bags, this bag also has a contrast colored inner lining. The print we got has a lining that is a gorgeous red with white double stripes, also called "racing striped red lining" on Ju-Ju-Be's website. This is a really nice feature, because not only does it look really nice, but it also makes it a lot easier to see what you have in the bag, as opposed to having to rummage through a dark bag in search of what you happen to be looking for. Furthermore, this lining really adds to the sportiness of the bag! The zippers and hardware on this bag are a semi-matte silver colored metal and definitely seem high quality and feel very sturdy. I have to say I really like that Ju-Ju-Be uses metal for their hardware instead of cheap plastic that may (and probably will, at some point) break. Not only does it put my mind to rest that the bag is high quality and will stand the test of time, but it also looks so much classier. This was actually one of the things my fiancé really liked about this bag as well. The Ju-Ju-Be logo is placed in the upper right corner and it's a subtle, yet stylish, matte black plaque.

The classy Ju-Ju-Be logo on a matte black plaque.

Photos of the semi-matte silver colored hardware. Note the sturdy
D-rings and the easy-to-grasp zipper pull tabs.

The racing striped red lining - closeup to the left, broader view to the right.

What's really cool about this bag is that it can easily be used by both dads and moms. At first when we looked at it online I figured I wouldn't really using it that much myself, as I felt it was a bit masculine for my liking. But once it came in the mail and we opened the package I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it. Having said that, I don't mean it was any less masculine than I had first thought, but the intricate features and the build of the bag quickly won me over, and I honestly do feel like this bag is a great unisex bag that both women and men can feel confident carrying around.

Now, lets discuss the features of the bag further. Like I mentioned before, Ju-Ju-Be has the best features for their diaper bags in my opinion. This bag is no exception. It has a detachable and adjustable messenger strap that is actually quite long, so even a more broad shouldered man, like my fiancé, can wear the bag cross body style. The messenger strap comes with a super comfy removable memory foam shoulder pad, which is great especially if you're carrying the bag for a longer time. The messenger strap was another one of my fiancé's favorite features of the bag. He said it felt like it was very high quality and the actual strap reminded him a bit of a high quality seat belt, which to my car loving fiancé obviously was a bonus :D I suppose that goes well with the racing striped red theme of the lining as well. He said the bag felt comfortable to wear and the memory foam pad was a really nice addition.

Here my fiancé is wearing the Helix cross body style. We have adjusted the messenger strap to the longest setting for him because he has quite broad shoulders, but the strap is easily adjustable, so if I were to wear the bag after him, it's just a quick fix to get the strap to desired length (or shortness :D) for me.

Speaking of memory foam, this bag does come with a changing pad, but it doesn't have the memory foam in it like some other Ju-Ju-Be bags' changing pads (for instance the B.F.F.). I believe this is because a memory foam changing pad would have been a lot bulkier and this bag is all about the sleek, sophisticated silhouette. I do love the memory foam changing pad in my B.F.F., but don't really mind so much that this changing pad is sans the memory foam, as I always carry towels in the diaper bag anyhow, so I can just use them for a bit of extra padding if needed. Most changing tables have some sort of padding anyhow, so I kind of feel like this changing pad is more just so you don't have to place baby on a surface that you can't really know the cleanliness of (which is a big no-no for me at least). One side of the changing pad has the grey mélange and the other has the racing stripe red. The changing pad has the same Teflon™ fabric protector as the rest of the bag, which I think is really, really nice.

Here are the two changing pads, the one to the right is the Helix changing pad
and the one to the left is the B.F.F. changing pad. This is the "upside" of the pads.
The pads are the exact same size, the only difference is in the thickness of the pads.

And here is the "linging side". To the right we have the Helix, to the left the B.F.F.

Here you can see the difference in the thickness of the pads. The B.F.F. on
the left has memory foam padding, hence making it thicker, while the Helix
on the right sports a thinner look.

As for the Teflon™ fabric protector feature.. You guys, seriously.. This stuff is amazing! When I was reading up on Ju-Ju-Be and read about this feature and watched some videos demonstrating it I was impressed, sure, but at the same time I wasn't really all that convinced of how well it really worked at repelling stains. That is, until the first time I spilled something (juice) on my diaper bag.. At first, sheer panic :D Then when I saw the mess just slide right off I just stood there completely amazed - and somewhat confused, to be honest. It really does work and I have to say I think this is such a brilliant feature to have in a diaper bag. Another really cool feature regarding the fabrics of the bags is the Agion® treatment that protects the inner lining. Now, what this is supposed to do is to inhibit the growth of odor causing bacteria, mold and mildew. I for one, and I'm pretty sure most moms and dads out there, appreciate this feature. You definitely don't want anything like that anywhere near baby's things.

The crumb drains are also a really fun and innovative feature, they make keeping the bag nice and clean a lot easier and you don't have to empty out the whole bag and turn it upside down if you want to get rid of crumbs. I think this will come in handy once we start giving baby solids and we'll be carrying snacks around. The drains are quite discreet as you can see in the pictures below.

The crumb drains are situated at the bottom of the bag on the back, there is one on each side.

Speaking of snacks and food, the Helix has two interior insulated (Thinsulate by 3M) bottle pockets that will help keep the contents of the bottles either warm or cold. In keeping with the Helix' sleek and sophisticated silhouette, these are actually "recessed", so to speak. This means they're not really visible on the outside, so they don't add any bulkiness to the bag, but instead you only see the zippers from the outside and the actual space for the bottle is inside the bag. I thought this was so cool when I saw it in real life. There is one pocket on each side and the pockets fit a regular size water bottle (0,5 liters). However, I must say it was pretty darn difficult getting the bottle to fit. It may just be because the bag is relatively new still and we haven't used the bottle pockets that much yet, so maybe it will get easier over time getting the water bottles in and out. Either that, or we could just use a smaller bottle. Because the Helix has two bottle pockets you can either carry two bottles for baby, or one bottle for baby and a water bottle for yourself, very convenient!

To the right: a photo of one of the empty bottle pockets.
To the left: bottle pocket with 240ml baby bottle. 

It took some nudging back and forth, but I was able to fit a 0,5l bottle in the
bottle pocket.

The inside of the bag, or the main compartment, has 3 gusseted pockets to help you keep things organised: one big one at the back and two smaller ones in the front.

The main compartment, photo taken without flash.

The main compartment, photo taken with flash. One one side you see the large
gusseted pocket, on the other side are the two smaller gusseted pockets.

In addition to the two bottle pockets on the outside the Helix has four more pockets on the outside. First, the front pocket, which is normally referred to as the "Mommy pocket" on most Ju-Ju-Be bags. I suppose you could call this the Daddy pocket. The Daddy pocket has a gusseted pocket on the inside as well, so this helps keep things in their right place.

The daddy pocket.

Closeup of the daddy pocket.

Right above the Daddy pocket there is a zippered cell phone pocket, which is lined with this super soft fabric, so you don't have to worry about getting any scratches on your phone. This pocket is quite deep, I can fit my whole hand in it. There is another one of these deep cell phone pockets on the back, so if you have something else you want to keep protected from scratches, say maybe a pair of sunglasses, you could use one of the pockets for your phone and the other one for your sunglasses. The abundance of pockets to help keep things organised was another one of my fiancés favorite things about the Helix.

Deep zippered cell phone pocket on the front.

Another zippered cell phone pocket on the back.

The pocket for the changing pad is on the back as well, but you can easily fit more stuff than just the changing pad in that pocket, as it basically covers almost the whole back.

To the right: the Helix from the back. You can see how the back pocket
basically covers the whole back of the bag.
To the left: the changing pad in the back pocket.

To the left: the large back pocket empty.
To the right: the large back pocket with the changing pad.

Finally, a feature I'm sure all parents can appreciate: this bag (as all other Ju-Ju-Be bags) is machine washable! You just pop it in the machine and then let it air dry, easy and convenient!

When I asked my fiancé what he liked most about the Helix he said that first and foremost it feels like it's very high quality and it seems very durable. He really liked the metal hardware on the bag, the color of it and the messenger strap. Another one of his favorite features of the Helix was the abundance of pockets, which should help keep things organised.

In the photo to the left and in the middle photo the Helix is worn cross body style and in the photo to the right it is worn on the shoulder.

All in all, I think this is a great bag for shorter outings and I feel it can easily be used by both men and women. It's small and convenient, but it still fits a decent amount of stuff - the volume measurement of this bag is 10,75 liters and it measures 38 cm (14.96") in height, 31,5 cm (12.4") in width and 9 cm (3.54") in depth. It's quite lightweight too, weighing in at 770g (1.7 lbs) when empty.

The Helix retails for 89,95-99,95 euros or 90-100 USD. You can purchase the Helix here if you live in Europe or here if you live in the US.

If you have any questions about this bag, feel free to post your questions in the comment section below and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible.


xoxo,
Tanja

The best diaper bag brand ever: Ju-Ju-Be!

Hi again lovelies!

So, as promised, I want to tell you a bit more about a brand called Ju-Ju-Be. I will be reviewing some of their products in the very near future, but before I post my reviews I want to give you some background on how I got acquainted with this brand and their wonderful products in the first place. Some of you may already be familiar with this amazing brand, but if you're not, stay tuned, you're in for a treat! 

While I was pregnant I was doing a LOT of research on a lot of different baby products. I had a pretty good idea regarding what I wanted (both in terms of which products I felt were necessary, as well as the actual features I wanted these products to have) and I didn't want to settle for less. This was, after all, such an exciting time and I was so happy about getting to be a mom and starting a little family of our own. Some women get a strong urge to nest, others may not. I, for one, was nesting like crazy. I did an overhaul on our entire home, cleaned just about everything that could be cleaned, played Bob the builder around the house and organised - and reorganised - just about every single drawer, cabinet and closet, as well as the storage space and the garage. So yeah, let's just say nesting was definitely a thing in our home during my pregnancy.

Another part of my nesting process was getting all the baby gear and products ready. While we were able to find some of the more basic baby gear here, I soon noticed while shopping around in local maternity/baby gear stores, as well as online, that I was having a really hard time finding a diaper bag that I actually liked and that would fulfill our needs. I realised this would be a product that would be in very active use and I wanted to get one that would tick all the boxes. As I was looking at different bags I soon noticed that either the functionality was off or the style just didn't feel right. Admittedly, I have been known to be a bit of a bag collector in the past and I do enjoy nice bags, so although functionality was obviously the main concern, I didn't really feel comfortable sacrificing style for function altogether. I wanted something that would help me stay super organised, while all the same looking nice and classy - enter Ju-Ju-Be. As I was researching online, this brand that was totally new for me quickly caught my eye - and kept my attention.

Quite honestly, once I found Ju-Ju-Be, there really was no competition anymore. I had been looking for a bag that would be functional and appropriate for everyday use when out and about with a small baby, but I also wanted a bag that would look nice and meet certain aesthetic standards. Like I mentioned, this combination turned out to be quite difficult to find, that is until I found Ju-Ju-Be. The Ju-Ju-Be bags are so cleverly designed and they look amazing! They have all these cool features and if, like me, you like to keep baby's things organised and clean, this brand is definitely for you! There are so many features that make the Ju-Ju-Be bags the number one choice for me (and many other moms), like the many pockets both on the inside and on the outside of the bags, allowing you to keep things very organised (yesss!); the Teflon™ fabric protector that helps repel stains (it really works!); the Agion® treatment on the inner lining that keep bacteria, mold and mildew from growing (because you definitely don't want any of that anywhere near baby's things); the gorgeous design aspects (I mean just look at them!) and so much more.

Bags by other brands simply couldn't offer the same qualities and features as Ju-Ju-Be and they didn't look nearly as nice, so now it was just a matter of finding the bag that was right for our family. At first I kept going back and forth between he Be Prepared and the B.F.F., but after a lot of contemplating I finally decided on the B.F.F. and I must say, I'm SO pleased with my choice! I still really like the Be Prepared as well, and I'm definitely hoping to be able to add that to my collection of Ju-Ju-Be items in the future. It just felt like the B.F.F. was a perfect fit for a first diaper bag for everyday use for us.

I've been using the B.F.F. daily and I've been extremely pleased with it. So pleased in fact, that I decided it was a shame that this brand wasn't better known here and I decided to do something about that. Ever since I got the B.F.F. and started using it, I've been getting TONS of compliments on it! Both friends and family have complimented me on the bag and even strangers on the street or in stores have stopped me to ask where my bag was from and which brand it was. This was actually one of the main things that pushed me into getting back to writing my blog. I figured that there must be tons of moms or mothers-to-be out there researching the same things I was researching and I figured that we should all be here for each other and help share the knowledge if we find something that's really great.

So, I took action and I got in contact with the lovely people at Ju-Ju-Be a while back to ask them if they would mind me writing about their brand and their products on my blog to help spread awareness of the brand and I was super happy to get a positive reply. Later I will be writing a lengthy review on my beloved B.F.F. (as well as the Be Set, the Be Quick and the Paci Pods I got to go along with it) that got me acquainted with the lovely Ju-Ju-Be brand in the first place. But first, I want to write about two other products that the lovely people at Ju-Ju-Be were kind enough to let me try out and that I've been testing and using for the past month and a half: the Helix from the XY Collection and the Be Light.

So stay tuned of upcoming reviews of the Helix, the Be Light, the B.F.F., the Be Set, the Be Quick and the Paci Pod from Ju-Ju-Be! In the meantime, if you want to check out the brand and their collections (and I strongly suggest you do - you won't be disappointed) you can visit either their European site here or their American site here.

xoxo,

Tanja

Back in business!

Hello lovelies!

Let me start off by saying that this has been a looong time coming, but now I'm finally getting back to blogging. I know I already intended to do so quite a while back, but life got in the way and I didn't really have the time to write, so the hibernation continued a lot longer than I had first intended. However, now I'm back :)

Since the last time I wrote a LOT has happened. Most importantly, my fiancé and I had a wonderful little baby, and becoming a mom is the absolute best thing that has ever happened to me!

As my life has changed and moved forward, so have my interests. So, while my blog was previously focused on beauty related topics, now I will be introducing some new topics as well! I had been feeling - for a long time really - that my blog needed some new content, as well as a new direction and now feels like the right time to make these changes. With this revival of my blog, there will still be some beauty and health related topics in the future, but I will also be shifting over to another theme that has become very central in my life, namely baby related topics and I must say I'm really excited to share this new content with you.

While I was pregnant I was researching baby products left and right and I got familiarised with a LOT of different brands and items. Since then, some of these products have found their way into our home and now I'm excited to share my insight and opinions about them with you! I am still learning about new brands and products, but I figured you could join me on this journey and hopefully I can help some other moms out there find the right products for them as well.

To give you more of an idea of what you can expect, the main features I appreciate in baby gear is safety, quality, durability, practicality and style.

So, welcome back to my blog and I hope you enjoy the new content!

PS. The first reviews on here will be on products by my new favorite brand Ju-Ju-Be, so stay tuned for that!

xoxo,
Tanja

Finally back! Sneak peek of upcoming content :)

Hi sweeties!!

First off, long time no see! I know I've been absent for the loooongest time and I am truly sorry! I'm sure a lot of you have been wondering how come there have been no posts in so long and I want to offer a bit of an explanation. It's not that I have lost interest in beauty blogging, definitely not! I still love blogging and I have a ton of reviews to be posted, but for personal reasons the blog was in hibernation for quite a while.

However, I am back now, stronger than before and ready to provide you guys with lots and lots of reviews and tips :)

I have a lot of products that I want to tell you about, but just to give you a little sneak peek of what is coming up next I can tell you that on the makeup side the YSL Rouge Pur Couture à Lèvres Glossy Stain review will be coming out very soon and I will also be reviewing some of my favorite MAC cosmetics products. As for skin care, I have reviews on some Paula's Choice products coming out as well as reviews on the Astalift Jelly Aquarysta and the Cure Natural Aqua Gel. These are just a few of the many product reviews I will be sharing with you guys in the near future so please stay posted and stay patient :)

Also, if you have any requests or questions regarding products/tips/reviews, please feel free to comment in the comment section below and I will see what I can do (provided that I am familiar with the product or have the opportunity to get to try it out).

I'm super happy to be back and I'm definitely looking forward to being more active on the blog again! I hope you all will enjoy the upcoming content as well and as mentioned before, requests and wishes will be considered, just post them in the comment section below :)

I hope you all have had a wonderful start to the new year and as always, please remember to smile, laugh, love and stay positive!

xoxo,
Tanja

Laneige Makeup Brighter - Best highlighter/illuminator EVER!

Hello again lovelies!

Long time no "see", I know I haven't posted anything in sooooo long and I do feel bad about it, but I've moved and started a new job as well, so it's been pretty hectic. As a part of the whole moving process came the whole decorating ordeal, which I have been super excited about! One of my pet projects while decorating the new apartment was my vanity, which I will be doing a blog post about in the near future. It took a lot of planning and work, but I'm overjoyed with the result and can't wait to share it with you guys soon!

Today, however, I'm super excited to share with you one of my absolute favorite makeup products, the Makeup Brighter by Laneige! I had been looking for the perfect highlighter for quite a while when I came across this baby and once I found it, there was just no going back.

This is the box the Makeup Brighter came in. Keeping with the sleek and luxurious theme, the box is simple and elegant.

First, let's talk about the brand a little bit. Laneige is a Korean cosmetics and skin care brand that carry a wide array of products and they really do have a lot of really good stuff. It's a bit more pricy and high end than some other brands, but they have a few products that I really don't mind spending a bit extra on, because they are just that good - the Makeup Brighter being one of these products. I have some other Laneige products that I love as well, I will be posting about them later, so stay tuned for that.

Illuminators or highlighters are used to bring forth something (mostly bone structure) and accentuate where the light hits your face. When this is done right - and especially in conjunction with contouring, the result can be stunning, but when done wrong or when using a product that's just not that great, you might end up looking like a sparkly disco ball or one of those metallic-painted moving statues you see in parks.

A lot of times I find that highlighters are either too sparkly or too metallic for my liking. I prefer a more natural, glowy look - as opposed to the disco queen look. Sometimes I'll find a highlighter that I think is nice, so I'll apply it and merrily go on with my day, only to step outside into the sun light and realize my face could double as a light bulb (not a great feeling). This is where the Laneige Makeup Brighter comes in. The look it provides is of a more natural character and it doesn't have any visible glitters in it. Any highlighters with glitter in them are banned from my makeup collection, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. The Makeup Brighter does a great job at illuminating, but it doesn't leave your face looking metallic - which is fantastic, because I, for one, am not too fond of the tin(wo)man-look.

The beautiful and stylish Makeup Brighter compact in all its glory :)

The packaging, it gets my stamp of approval, for sure. The compact itself is absolutely beautiful, it's round and flat with a mirror inside and the actual compact has sort of a silvery/multicolor "hologram" look to it - I really don't know how else to describe the color of it, I'm hoping the picture above will do it more justice than my words. I find the packaging to be quite luxurious, it has a really clean, classy and pretty look. The packaging itself does look high end.

The packaging again, along with the little "info" leaflet that came with it.

The leaflet again. I can't read Korean, but I thought I would post this anyhow for those of you who can and who are interested in reading what it says.

The compact contains 13 grams (0.4 oz) of product and looks similar to a pressed powder, except more glowy of course. It really is very long lasting, I have been using mine for well over a year - and I use my Makeup Brighter every time I put on makeup (which isn't every day, but almost) - and I have yet to hit pan, or even come close to hitting pan! To be honest, I've only managed to make a slight dent!! To me, this is pretty incredible, so I'm super happy about how little you need to use and how long the product lasts.

The opened compact.

As you can see in the picture above, the compact comes with a hard protective plastic that sits on top of the product, keeping it clean. I've chosen to keep mine, I guess you could just as well get rid of it, but I kind of like having it there protecting the product and also keeping my mirror clean (for when I bring the Makeup Brighter along in my makeup bag for traveling).

As for the price, it costs around $17-$25 (around 12 euros 40 cents to 18 euros 30 cents) , depending on where you buy it. I bought mine on eBay over a year ago and paid $16 (right under 12 euros) for it. I don't feel like it's expensive - I mean I do realize there are cheaper highlighters out there (as well as more expensive ones) - but no other highlighter has yet even come close to the Laneige Makeup Brighter in my book.

Next, the scent. Now, if you are very sensitive to fragrances, this is not the right product for you. I'm not saying that it's a heavily scented product, but still, if you are very sensitive it might cause trouble for you. I usually prefer my makeup not to have any fragrances added, but I have to say I just ADORE the way this smells! I love opening up the box to apply the product because it just smells so heavenly. This and the Skin Food Peach Sake Silky Finish Loose Powder are my absolute favorite make-up scents, they both smell absolutely fantastic! Somehow I feel that the scent sort of adds to the feeling of luxury that this product exuberates.

As for the color, the Makeup Brighter comes in two shades, 01 Pink Pearl and 02 Beige Pearl. I have mine in the color 02 Beige Pearl and I love, love, LOVE it!!! It's a gorgeous translucent color that melts beautifully into your skin.

In these pictures I rubbed my finger on the product quite vigorously to get more product on there so that you can see the color.

In the picture above I rubbed my finger on the product quite vigorously to get more product on it, so that you guys could see it better. In real life it isn't opaque by any means, it just gives you a really beautiful, glowy, sophisticated, almost porcelain-like finish, as you can see in the pictures below.

Here you can see swatches of the Makeup Brighter in different lighting. I absolutely adore the finish!

I absolutely love the finish! It looks natural and glowy -and most importantly, it doesn't look metallic or glittery! I just can't stress enough how important this is to me, I really cannot stand it when highlighters/illuminators you wear in the daytime look metallic or glittery, it's just super off putting to me. So if you're going for a glowy, natural, sophisticated look, the Laneige Makeup Brighter is most definitely worth a try, but for those of you favoring a lot of glitter and metallic shine, this is not the right product for you. Although, to those who do favor a super glittery tin(wo)man look during the daytime, may I humbly suggest rethinking that whole thing and going for a more natural day-time look?

I use mine for highlighting and illuminating (duh) but I also sometimes like to use it on my eyelids on days when I don't feel like applying any eye shadow. It gives your lids a beautiful glow and it really does makes a HUGE difference! I also sometimes apply some in the inner corner of my eyes to open them up and the finish is a really natural and beautiful one. I find this product is so versatile and I just can't imagine not having it be a part of my everyday makeup routine. As I mentioned before, I use my Makeup Brighter every single time I put on makeup and let me tell you, on days when you don't really feel like putting on any makeup but you still want to do a little something, a dab of BB cream and a little bit of the Laneige Makeup Brighter will do all the difference in the world! Oh and as for application, I prefer applying it with a brush to get a light finish. The product feels nice and silky on your skin, it doesn't feel heavy by any means.

The Laneige  Makeup Brighter has become an absolute staple product in my makeup collection and I really don't have anything negative to say about it, this is by far my favorite highlighter/illuminator out of all of the ones I've tried and I can't imagine not having it be a part of my makeup collection.

I hope this review was helpful, if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to post them in the comment section below.

I hope you all have a fantastic day and remember to smile, laugh, love and stay positive!

xoxo,
Tanja

Hourglass Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation - the perfect foundation for those with oily skin

Hello lovelies!

Today I wanted to talk to you about a foundation and as some of you may know, I'm not much of a foundation person (I prefer BB creams) so before getting this particular foundation I hadn't bought or used a foundation in about 4 or 5 years. So for me to be so intrigued by a foundation that I broke my foundation-strike, it really had to be something special :) Say hello to the Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation by Hourglass.

This product really is one of a kind, it's unlike anything I've tried before. Like the name indicates it is a liquid foundation, which upon application turns into a powder finish. It sounds kind of bizarre, but it really works and the result keeps surprising me each time I use it :D

Like I mentioned before, I'm not a foundation junkie by any means, so I won't be comparing this to other foundations out there, but I will be giving you my honest opinions about the product and hopefully I'm able to give you somewhat of a detailed review that I hope will be helpful to you guys. If I leave something out of if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to post them in the comment section below.

The sleek packaging of the Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation by Hourglass.

Packaging

The Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation by Hourglass comes in a very elegant, sleek pump bottle that both looks and feels classy and high end. It comes in a elegant black box and the bottle is initially sealed with a screw cap, but in the box you will also find the pump to replace the screw cap with. The bottle itself is a darkish silvery gray color and it feels quite heavy so I think it might be made out of glass (so please be careful so you don't drop it and shatter it).

The foundation comes with a hygienic airless pump.

Skincare benefits

The main reason I quit using foundations and moved on to BB creams several years ago was that I didn't want to be putting stuff all over my face to just sit there all day without having it be beneficial to my skin as well in some way. I felt that BB creams were better for my skin because they had skin care benefits as well (and SPF!) and they also gave a more natural finish. Having said that though, I do realize that there are foundations out there on the market today that claim to have skin care benefits as well, but I've just been very happy with using BB creams and I've had no reason to return to foundations before. However, this particular foundation got me very intrigued and I decided to give it a chance and honestly, I'm happy I did.

This foundation is free of oil, parabens, phtalates, gluten, synthetic dyes, fragrance, nanoparticles and it is vegan friendly. It contains clinical levels of phytosystem edelweiss and lavandox, ingredients which are supposed to have both short- and long-term anti-aging properties. Whether or not the anti-aging properties really work is not really something I can give you any insight on, as I only wear this foundation on occasion as opposed to daily. I think you would really have to wear it regularly and for a longer time to be able to tell if it really did do something for your skin. All I can say is that at least it hasn't broken me out or anything and I do have rather sensitive skin.


Consistency, application and finish

The Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation starts out as a liquid foundation and the consistency is somewhat "fluffy", kind of like a mix of liquid and mousse. When applying this foundation you should work somewhat swiftly though, because it starts turning into more of a powdery consistency rather quickly. As you work it into your skin you will see and feel it morphing into something completely different than what you started with, it literally goes from liquid to powder before your eyes.

Here you can see the consistency and finish of the product. In the first picture it's just my bare hand, in the second one I have pumped out a bit of product onto my hand, in the third picture I have spread out the product and in the fourth and last picture the product has morphed into it's final powdery matte finish.

You can apply it with your fingers (just make sure your hands are completely clean first though, you don't want to be touching your face with dirty hands, ew), with a foundation brush or a stippling brush or using a sponge. I've tried all of the above and my personal favorite for applying this foundation is using a beauty blender sponge, I find this method gives the best result. Funnily though, on the Hourglass website they state that sponge application is not recommended, but I find it to be the application method that works best for me - at least at the moment - so I intend to stick with it. The only downside with sponge application (and brush application) of this product is that some amount of product will go to waste getting sucked up either into the sponge or into the brush and with the price of this product, you really don't want to waste any. Which ever style of application you decide to go with, just make sure you really work the product into your skin and blend it nicely for a better finish (and also make sure you work rather swiftly because the product will morph rather quickly).

The reason I wanted to test this foundation was because of the finish it promises (as well as the fact that it had some skin care benefits, too). The Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation has a formula that incorporates cashmere kaolinite clay, an ingredient that has great oil absorption properties - absorbing 75% of its own weight in sebum, while all the same retaining the natural moisture balance of the skin. This allows the foundation to absorb oil, camouflage imperfections and give a long-lasting, matte, velvety finish.

The foundation is oil-free and water-resistant and it is a medium to full coverage foundation. You can layer it, but I suggest you work swiftly if you do, just to make sure the layers don't dry all too much before you manage to blend them together, that way you will get a more natural finish. The Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation contains superfine treated pigments, which help you obtain a more natural finish as well, avoiding ending up with a cakey face. I will however point out that this foundation is better suited for those with normal to oily skin. If you have dry skin, I don't recommend this foundation for you, because there is a risk of the result looking cakey if you have dry skin to begin with, as the foundation would probably accentuate any dry patches you might have.

First picture: bare skin, second picture: one layer of Hourglass' Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation in the shade Porcelain (thinly) and last picture two thin layers.

In the picture above you can see what the product looks like on the skin. In the first picture I'm not wearing any makeup. As you can see, I had some problem areas after having had some breakouts. In the second picture I have applied one thin layer of Hourglass' Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation in the shade Porcelain and as you can see, it did a pretty good job at covering up the imperfections, mattifying the skin while still maintaining a rather natural look. In the last picture I have applied two thin layers and the coverage is quite good. :)

My skin isn't really oily, I have combination skin and at first I was a bit concerned that the foundation would dry my skin and I was worried that it might look strange on me, but at least in the summertime it's been great. :) I'm not quite sure if I will be able to use it in the winter or not, I got it a few months ago so I haven't worn it in the winter yet. I don't wear it on a daily basis now either (as I mentioned before I am more of a BB cream kind of girl), but I will wear it every now and then when I want a beautiful matte finish that I can count on lasting a really long time. Also, the foundation - once it has dried to its final powdery finish - feels very soft and silky on the skin. It doesn't really feel like you're wearing makeup, your face doesn't feel tight or heavy in any way.

When wearing this foundation you don't have to apply powder, but if you still do apply powder I suggest you keep it minimal because the foundation in itself already gives you a powdery finish, so if you go heavy on powdering you might end up looking like you sneezed into a flour bag. I also found that when I wear this foundation, I don't need to blot throughout the day. I even tried wearing it to work, applying it right before I went to work, then working a regular 11h shift and when I got back home and washed off my makeup about 14h after application, I STILL wasn't shiny! Absolutely remarkable! Needless to say, the staying power of this foundation is amazing! Now, I'm not saying that the foundation looked exactly the same after 14 hours, but I wasn't looking oily. My t-zone, or rather my nose, which is the area where I tend to get the most oily, was a little bit "glowy" or "dewy" looking, but not oily - and there's a huge difference! At that point, I hadn't blotted, powdered or reapplied any product. To me, that's pretty insane, especially as my job can be rather straining physically and my shifts are pretty long.

I feel this is a great foundation for days when you will be out and about and don't really have time to check or reapply your makeup, or evenings when you have an event and you want to be sure not to be looking shiny/oily. Also, I think this is a great foundation to wear when you now you will be taking lots of pictures, because it does give a beautiful matte finish and as it doesn't really contain SPF (titanium dioxide or zinc dioxide), it won't give any flash backs resulting in "moon face" when you take photos using flash. In the ingredient list it does say that the product may contain titanium dioxide and/or iron oxides, but they're not listed as ingredients per se, so the amounts ought to be rather minimal.


Colors

The Immaculate Powder Liquid Foundation by Hourglass comes in 16 different shades, ranging from the lightest "Pearl" to the darkest "Chestnut". However, I am sorry to have to say that although 16 shades does sound like a lot, the deepest shade "Chestnut" doesn't really look all too dark to me, so for those of you out there with a deeper skin tone, I'm not sure if there is a match in this range just yet.

The shade I wear is the third lightest, "Porcelain", which is a fair shade with yellow undertones. The color really does stay the same so what you see (when you first pump out the product) is what you get (once it's on your face). It doesn't really oxidize - at least not on me - so I would say it's a rather safe bet to go for the color that seems closest to your skin tone (without having to worry about oxidation and color changes).


Ingredients

The ingredients listed on Hourglass Cosmetics' website are as follows:
"Isodecane, Cyclopentasiloxane, Methyl Perfluorobutyl Ether, Water, Silica, Butylene Glycol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Kaolin, Cetyl Peg/Ppg-10/1 Dimethicone, Polysilicone-11, Peg/Ppg-18/18 Dimethicone, Dimethicone, Decyl Glucoside, Quatemium-90 Bentonite, Propylene Carbonate, Dimethicone/Methicone Copolymer, Magnesium Sulfate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tribehenin, Glycerin, Leontopodium Alpinum Meristem Cell Culture, Xanthan Gum, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Lavandula Stoechas Extract"
It also says that the product "may contain (+/-): Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides."


Price and where to get it

So as you can tell, I do have a lot of great things to say about this foundation, but there are - unfortunately - some "issues" as well. The first "problem" about this foundation is the price, it really is expensive. One bottle, containing 30 ml (that's 1 oz) of product, costs $55 (around 41 euros) at Sephora and at the Hourglass Cosmetics website - and quite honestly, I think that's absolutely insane. Unfortunately, neither of these ship to Europe though (arghh, looking at you Sephora, I wish you would!!), so if you are in Europe and are looking to buy this foundation, there are sellers on eBay and Amazon who sell it and you can also purchase it at Space NK Apothecary or at Liberty London for £50, which is about 57 euros. Although the price of the product is the same at both these stores, the shipping charge is a bit cheaper at Space NK Apothecary.

This product does come with a hefty price tag and it's difficult to get a hold of here in Europe - however, it really is unlike any other product I've ever tried. So even though it does sort of make your wallet cry, it really is an exceptional product. I wouldn't buy this to use on a daily basis, just because it would be waaay to expensive, but it does kind of fall rather nicely into the "guilty pleasures / semi luxury / rarely to be bough / special occasion - makeup" category and I am glad that I have it. Whether or not I will be repurchasing it is still up for debate. Would I like to, YES, am I going to... I'm not quite sure yet. I do feel like it's an absolutely ridiculous price to pay for a bottle of foundation and as I tend to prefer BB creams over foundations anyways, I'm not sure I will be repurchasing it. But like I said before, this really is a one-of-a-kind type of product, it really does what it says it'll do and the finish really is beautiful and long-wearing, so you never know.. :)


Conclusion

All in all, if you have oily skin and you're looking for a foundation that won't leave you looking like an oil-slick by mid-day, this is definitely a product worth trying out. It really does what it says it will do and it gives a beautiful, matte finish. It's great for days when you know you will be taking a lot of pictures and for days when you need to be sure your makeup will stay looking fresh because you don't have time for touch ups. It feels good on your skin and if you apply it right it will give you a natural finish with buildable coverage. It is, however, on the pricier side and the packaging doesn't contain THAT much product. Also, it is more for those with oily, or at least normal or combination skin, so if you have dry skin this probably won't be the best match for you.

Long story short, it really is a great product, but it comes with a not so great price tag. If you do decide to try it out, feel free to share your thoughts on the product in the comment section below :)

I hope this review was helpful for you guys and I hope you have a great week! And as always, remember to smile, laugh, love and stay positive :)

Wearing the Hourglass Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation.

xoxo,
Tanja