My Everyday Makeup Routine

Makeup | Minimal Everyday

Before I begin with my makeup routine you have to know that I don't wear makeup every single day. Whenever I say at home, visit close friends and just don't go in public I prefer no makeup at all or a simple BB cream. I am also the kind of person, that doesn't see the need to wear mascara every day, even when I go to university. But still most of my days I can't get around leaving my home an putting some makeup on.

At first I prime my face with the "Smashbox - Photo Finish Primer with Blemish Control" to even out my skin and make the makeup last longer. I also like the fact, that it's for blemish control any oil-free. Whenever I feel like my pores are extra visible I prime my nose chin and the spot right between my eyebrows - where I have larger pores - with the "Benefit - POREfessional pore-minimizing primer", which also prevents the skin from getting oily though out the day.

Then I put on my favorite tinted moisturizer called "bebe - Getönte Feuchtigkeitspflege" in the shade dark and make sure it's all blended in evenly. When applying a tinted moisturizer or a BB cream I prefer using my clean hands over a brush or beauty blender, because it gives a lighter and more natural finish.

Moving on to concealing my spots and dark circles, I am using the "Estée Lauder - Double Wear Concealer" in light/medium or the "Urban Decay - Naked Skin Concealer" in the shade fair/neutral whenever I am less tanned or want an extra brightening effect. Both these concealers are simply amazing and believe me I have to know, I tried nearly every concealer on this planet before I found those two. They are both not to thick or cakey and still have amazing coverage without creasing.

To set my concealer I always go over with a transparent powder, so that the concealer stays put and doesn't move through out the day. I'm using the "Essence - All about matt! fixing compact powder", because it gets the job done, but you can basically use every transparent powder you own.

My favorite part about doing my face makeup is always giving some color to the skin. Therefor I love using the "Benefit - Hoola Bronzer" or the "Essence - Sun Club matt bronzing powder" for lighter skin, to give the face some warmth and dimension. I much more prefer using the Hoola Bronzer because of its cool toned color, but I bought it in a set, which is why I can't travel with it. The Essence one is much cheaper but you have to be careful with how much you are using, cause it tends to look a little orange when you apply to much.

Now that we're done with the face, I always do my brows. When doing your brows it really depends on what your working with. I personally have quite full brows to begin with, so I only use some light brown eyeshadow and a liner brush to fill them in. When traveling I can recommend a brow wiz or any brow pencil that works for you.

Moving on to the eyes, I usually start with a very thin black line on my upper lid and then create a small wing at the end. My all time favourite liner is the "Maybelline - Master Drama Eyeliner" because this "pen-like" liner is very easy to use.
I often line my upper and lower waterline with a black liner as well, so the lashes look fuller. For me the "L'Oreal Paris - Infallible Eye Liner" does the job and stays nearly the whole day.
And last but not least, I put on a thin coat of "Maybelline - Lash Sensational Mascara" in black. Really make sure your lashes are separated to make your eyes look bigger and your lashes longer.

What are your favourite products?

Ilaria xx

OOTD

IAA - Frankfurt

On Friday I went to the trade visitor day from the IAA (International Motor Show) in Frankfurt, to take a look at the new innovations in the car world. For the whole day we went from one brand to another and it was very inspiring to see what they came up with.
When it comes to colors the industry is very focused on the typical white, silver, black and red, but blue is also on the way. They even presented quite a few matt and semi matt cars, as well as crazy futuristic designs looking like they are part of a spaceship.
All in all I was very impressed by the new technology, that includes autonomous driving and parking assistants which basically do everything for you, and the awesome new designs.
I know this blog is mainly about fashion, but in my opinion cars are a growing part of the fashion culture and you will see, it'll follow this futuristic and minimalist simple way the car designs have already taken.







But now to the outfit I was wearing:
To fit in to the very modern and edgy surrounding I chose to go black and white with some gold details. The turtleneck and the simple print from the top paired with lots of back and leather seems to go very well with the futuristic environment in my eyes.

Top - Zara
Leather Jacket - Forever 21
Jeans - Only
Boots - no name
Bag - George Gina Lucy
Watch - Michael Kors

Tell me what you think about this outfit!

Ilaria xx

 

My favorite Perfumes

Perfume Collection | My favorites

Hi beautiful people,

If you're anything like me, you'll never leave the house without having put on some perfume. I personally think smelling nice makes you feel quite good, and there's nothing like a compliment on how good you smell. I do love trying different ones, but over the years I have come to find my favorite ones that I seem to repurchase quite regularly. Most of them are quite pricy, but if you keep in mind how long they last you, it's really worth the money.

I also have to say that they can make quite nice decoration in your room, especially on something like a shelf or plain looking cupboard.

So now, let's get to the real deal.

Miss Dior | Dior

This perfume has a floral touch and is quite light, which I love for the spring and summer! The fruity side combined with the floral, makes it very feminine scent. I have the Eu de Toilette, which of course is not as strong as the actual perfume, but for the price - £54.50 at boots -, it is definitely a great choice.

Wonderstruck | Taylor Swift

I normally am not the biggest fan of celebrity perfumes, but this one is honestly one of the nicest sweet smelling perfumes I have tried. Often times the sweet ones are almost sickly, but this one is the perfect balance between fruity and sweet. With top notes of freesia, apple blossom and raspberry, middle notes of vanilla, and base notes of golden amber and sandal wood, it makes a great perfume for every day wear. With only a price £22 at boots, it makes it a very affordable choice!

Heat Rush | Beyonce

Ironically, this is another celebrity perfume, which is honestly so amazing! Some places have unfortunately discontinued it but if you look around, they should still offer it for around £25.50. It's a very fruity scent with top notes of passion fruit and blood orange. It's great for a fresh feel and a summery aura. One that will definitely not make you feel sickly, if you are prone to that.

Flora | Gucci

A little pricier with £45 for the small eu de toilette bottle, however definitely worth the money. It's a very light and feminine scent, full of contrast with its citrus, peony and sandalwood components. It isn't as sweet as the others, due to the core having rare rose and osmanthus flower (originating from china). Delicate is the perfect way to describe the perfume. (Cutest bottle as well)

The One | Dolce & Gabbana

This perfume is almost the opposite of Flora because it's a lot stronger and 'heavy'. It is one of my favorites but I do have to be careful with the amount I spray because it's very prominent. As expected with D&G the price is around £47. It's a great scent for a night out, as it has a seductive touch with top notes of bergamot, mandarin, peach and lychee. It becomes so strong due to the added floral from the madonna lily, jasmin and vanilla. Perfect if you love a scent that lasts!

Flowerbomb | Victor & Rolf

Now to my all time favorite perfume. I almost feel a little protective over it as I've worn this so much, some of my friends associate the scent with me. It is quite expensive with £50, but not too sweet, not too weak! The top notes are bergamot and jasmin, heart notes jasmin, freesha and orchid and base notes of rose. Great for everyday wear, special occasions or anything really!

Hope you found this helpful for your next perfume purchase,

Britta xx

Healthy to go

Healthy snacks to go | Eat smart

For me the hardest part about eating and staying healthy is taking the time to always prepare a healthy self made meal. I am currently studding at the university and nearly have enough time to buy a sandwich and a coffee to go, let alone to prepare a healthy snack. Especially during the exams when I'm constantly at the uni and barely eat at home, it's hard to stay away from unhealthy or fast food.
But since I'm dealing with this problem for quite a while now, I started trying things and developed some easy and healthy snack ideas besides fresh fruits and vegetables. 

1. Fruit infused water
I know it's technically not a snack but fruit infused water really makes me drink a lot more just because it looks nice and tastes fruity. As we all know staying hydrated is very important and a good bottle of water can be even better than coffee.

2. Healthy snack bars:
Raw or natural snack bars are always a good alternative to the sweet and unhealthy version we all like so much. Of cause you might not be able to buy them on your way to uni or work, but if you just keep some at home you can grab one whenever your in a hurry and have no time to prepare something. I personally like the Raw Bite ones a lot. They are raw, vegan and very good for your metabolism, but there are plenty other nice alternatives out there like the Roo' Bar with goji berries.

3.Vegetable chips
They are not only good for take away but although a perfect replacement for the fatty chips we just love eating during sleepovers or movie nights. Vegetable chips are 100% out of vegetables and taste crazy good even though they are so healthy. If you can't find them in a store you can also try to make your own and decide which vegetables you like the most.







I hope you found those ideas helpful :)
Ilaria xo

OOTN

Sky Garden | London

For my dad's birthday this year we went to Sky Garden in London for one of the nicest dinners I have ever had. I did not know what to expect from this place, but it was absolutely amazing. The atmosphere, not to mention the food at the restaurant on the 37th floor above the actual garden. Once the sun had gone down, the bar area had a band playing throughout the night which made the whole scene absolutely unreal. Looking over the entire city while being in such a pretty place was an experience I recommend to everyone. For the occasion I decided to dress smart-casual, as we arrived in the late afternoon, yet I didn't want to go to casual. So I opted for some of my classics.

Top - Zara
Leather leggings - h&m
Chelsea boots - asos
Handbag - Rebecca Minkoff

Britta xx

No more frustrating Hairdresser-Experiences

What to keep in mind when visiting a hairdresser | No more disappointments

Hey guys,

Have you ever been to a hairdresser, came home and then nearly cried over the disappointment? I have! And I think I am not the only one, especially when you're trying a new salon. Today was the big day. I went to get a new haircut and it went surprisingly well I think.

Here are a few tips, how to get what you want, when it comes to hairdressers:

1. Choose the right shop and hairdresser

It all starts with choosing the right place. If you have no recommendations from friends or any personal preferences, the web is the best way to find what you’re looking for. The safest way to find a good hairdresser is to choose a flagship shop of a popular brand, because they have an image to loos. When making an appointment, ask for a master or at least no trainee, so your hair is in the hands of an expert.

2. How to prepare

Make sure not to wear quite a dark or full coverage makeup, because otherwise there will be a noticeable frame on your forehead after they washed your hair. Another thing you should keep in mind is that you shouldn’t wear big earrings or at least take them of before they start cutting.

3. Say exactly what you want

When it’s time to tell the hairdresser what you want them to do, try to be as specific and detailed as possible. This is the only way the hairdresser can do a good job. If somebody is trying to talk you into something you don’t like, then say so immediately and do not hesitate, because it’s your hair.

4. What to bring with you

If you don’t usually tend to wear your hair in its natural, blow-dried state, bring a hair tie and some bobby pins with you so you don’t have to walk around feeling uncomfortable.

I wish you lots of luck next time you're visiting a hairdresser :)

Ilaria xx

My Skincare Routine

Skincare Routine | Acne-prone skin

If anyone will understand what it's like to have bad,
it's me. Throughout the years I've learnt a lot about my health and my body, especially how it works together with my skin. My skin has always been acne prone, with a combination of oily and dry skin.. I know, how wonderful. As I always dreamed of having clear skin, I have been trying out different products and reading up on how I can help my skin not only from the outside, but on the inside as well, I have finally come to a point where I can say that I am almost happy with my skin. I have found a routine that works best for me, so here are the products I've been using and loving. 

Step 1: Removing Makeup
The Garnier makeup removing wipes are amazing! Try them and love them.

Step 2: Cleansing
The Avon 'Clearskin' professional line has been quite good on my skin, especially the 'Deep Pore Cleansing Scrub', which I use every night after I have taken off my make up.

Step 3: Toning
Rose Water is such a simple, yet amazing product! Tones your skin nicely, removing any dirt whilst making it feel refreshed and is also great for sensitive skin.

Step 4: Moisturizing
No matter if you have oily skin or not, the importance moisturizing should never be underestimated! It's often difficult to find ones that don't leave a layer on your skin for ages, or don't actually moisturize well enough. The Nivea Soft moisturizer however is a miracle for me. Makes my skin super soft, but doesn't make me break out! Also a very affordable product.

Step 5: Spot treatment
A good friend of mine recommended me this product - Sudocreme. Actually produced for babies I believe, but honestly, nothing works better on pimples than this. It's antiseptic and perfect for sensitive skin. Keeps spots away better than most other specifically labelled 'spot treatments'.

Additionally step 6: Eyelash serum
Even though this has nothing to do with skin itself, this is part of my routine. My eyelashes are naturally not as long as I'd want them, so I've been using several different eye serums. Definitely worth a try if you are interested - currently I'm using Schrofner Cosmetics 'Wimpern Wunder'. Works great after using it every night.

Britta xx

OOTD London

London | UK

Three month ago my family and I took a short trip to London and even though I've been there before, it was amazing. I really enjoy the atmosphere in the city and there are just so many different places to go. As Harry Potter fan of cause I paid "The Making of Harry Potter" a visit and had a lot of fun riding a broomstick, but also just walking around in London was a great experience itself.

But now to the outfit I am wearing in the picture below:


Top - Only
Leather Jacked - Guess
Belt - H&M
Necklace - Michael Kors
Pants - Only
Boots - No Name

Healthy Breakfast No. 2

Healthy Savory Breakfast | Recipe

As you might be able to tell, we really love food. I personally love breakfast, which wasn't always the case but I definitely encourage reading into the importance of having a fulfilling breakfast and not skipping a meal. Even though I usually have a sweet tooth, I thought I'd share this amazing recipe with you that I recreated from the restaurant "Hungriges Herz" in Munich. 

Ingredients | 1 Serving:

- 2 slices of rye bread (or any whole wheat, healthy choice of bread)

- 2 eggs 

- Pumpkinseed oil 

- Pumpkin seeds 

- Rocket 

- Salt & Pepper 

- Parmesan (you can leave it out if you prefer to keep it as healthy as can be)

Steps:

Firstly, cook your eggs sunny side up in a nonstick frying pan. While they're cooking, prepare your slices of bread by toasting them slightly, then adding a dash of pumpkinseed oil. Now if you want to be a little sneaky, add a bit of parmesan. Top it with rocket and once your eggs are done, place one in each slice. Now season with some salt and pepper, and add a small handful of pumpkin seeds to finish it off. Now enjoy the deliciousness! 

I, of course made sure to have a glass of water and a cup of the classic morning coffee. And because I am fruit addicted I made myself a little assortment of berries, consisting of blueberries, raspberries, and baby kiwis, which I only just now discovered. Thinking about it now makes me wish I had it right in front of me right now! 

Hope you enjoy this amazingness,

Britta xx

OOTD in France

Strasbourg | France

Two days ago my boyfriend and I wanted to take advantage of his last free days and decided to take a short trip to Strasbourg. From the lake Constance it only took us two and a half hours by car, so we left early in the morning so we could have a full day in the city. Even though I've been to Strasbourg before, the beauty of it still amazed me.
One thing to know about me (and Britta) is that I could die for good macarons and baguette, so France with its cute, little patisseries is always like a food paradise for me! If you ever go to visit Strasbourg or France in general, you should definitely go to a "PAUL" bakery, because they have the best macarons and baguettes I ever had.

But now to the outfit. Of course you should dress up a little to go with the city lifestyle, especially at the department stores such as "Printemps" or "Galeries Lafayette", where they sell  the most luxurious fashion, and even if it's not affordable, is absolutely beautiful to see.


White Top - Zara
Striped Top - Forever 21
Jacket - Zara
Bag - Michael Kors
Jeans - Hollister
Sunglasses - Topshop
Boots - Michael Kors


Ilaria <3

My Hair Care Routine

For healthy and shiny hair

Smooth, shiny and healthy looking hair is nearly every woman's dream, but who actually has the time to go to the hairdresser every few weeks or do a lot of hairmasks?! My routine has been working so well for me that I though I would share my seven simple rules and tips I've been following, to keep my hair in shape.

1. As stupid as it sounds, you should try to wash your hair as little as possible. By this I don't mean every half a year, just try not to wash it every single day.  Wait till it gets greasy and you have to wash it. Otherwise it will dry out and you'll get split ends quite fast. If your hair gets greasy after only one day you could try using dryshampoo on the second-day-hair. After a few weeks your hair will start to adapt to washing it less, and it won't get greasy as fast.

2. Brushing your hair really rough is also quite damaging for your hair. Try to brush it after getting up in the morning and before you go to bed in the evening using a tangle teezer or something similar, that doesn't pull on the hair as much and won't cause as much damage to your hair.

3. While washing your hair, you should keep two things in mind. The shampoo is for the roots - and only for the roots - and the conditioner is for your "ponytail". If you put the shampoo to the ends of your hair, it will only dry them out faster, and vise versa goes for putting conditioner on top of your head right into the roots, which will make your hair go greasy a lot faster.

4. Another beauty hack in the shower is to blast your hair with cold water after you rinse out the conditioner. This will seal your hair pours and give it more shine.

5. I also think it's worth investing in a good hairmask if you have long or very damaged hair, because there almost is no better way to get moisture back into your hair. Use it every once in a while instead of your conditioner and leave it in for about 3-5 minutes. This will regenerate your hair and make it feel so much smoother.

6. Another very easy and not even time-consuming step towards healthier hair is to use a leave-in conditioner or spray after you have washed your hair. I don't know if the products I am using are available in your country, but I am currently using the "kms california moist repair leave-in conditioner", the "Wunder oil" by Garnier Fructies and for application to dry hair the "osis+ glamination smooth polish elixir" by Schwarzkopf.

7. Last but not least my tip about heat: Try to avoid it wherever you can! Let your hair airdry whenever it's possible and use the blow dryer only on low heat in combination with a heat protectant spray/oil if you can't get around avoiding heat. Same applies for curling wands and straightening irons! My favorite heat protecting spray is the "free shape hot flex spray" from kms california.

I hope you find these tips helpful and enjoy your shiny, healthy and smooth hair.

Ilaria :*

A Healthy Breakfast

Breakfast Bowl | Quick & Healthy


Good morning lovelies, 

I woke up today feeling very motivated and also very hungry, and decided that I should use my morning time to not only have a healthy breakfast, but to actually also make it look quite nice. I know it can be quite hard taking the time to make a proper breakfast, especially when you are in a rush, but I can honestly say that this took me 5 minutes maximum. If you are a fruit lover and have a sweet tooth like I do, here is a little inspiration as to what your morning could look like

Recipe:
- 100g (or more, whatever you crave) frozen berries
- 1 frozen banana
- a shot of almond milk 
- 1 apple
- Goji berries
- cinnamon
- mini amarettini

How to: All you have to do is throw your frozen fruit into a blender, with a shot of almond milk (you might have to add more later, depending on the consistency) and mix it through. It should turn into something close to ice cream, which you then pour into your bowl. Now you can decorate your bowl however you would like. I added a few slices of apple, a handful of goji berries and a couple of mini amarettinis (if you know me, you'll know that these are my guilty pleasure). 

Goji berries are known as a superfood and have been used in Chinese Medicine for over 6,000 years!! They're rich in vitamin C, vitamin B2, vitamin A, iron, selenium and a few other antioxidants. 

Also, on the note of eating healthy; I have been reading up on Atilla Hildmann's 'Vegan for youth' book, which is super informative on why you should go vegan, how to start, and many recipes to follow! Check it out if you're interested :)

Britta xx

OOTD at Lake Constance

Constance | Germany

I spent most of my summer break at my family's home right by the lake Constance. It's the ideal place to relax, swim, sail and prepare for my upcoming exams in fall. A few days ago one of my best friends and I finally managed to spend some time together, so we took a walk by the lake and decided to take some pictures because of the beautiful fall atmosphere. Luckily we dressed up a little in case we considered going out for dinner, so the outfits were a little more put together than normal.

At the end of the day we decided to stay in, and made some baked potato wedges with guacamole, but we still managed to get a few shots of one of my favorite fall-appropriate outfits.

Top - Zara

Cardigan - Mango

Jeans - Only

Boots - Michael Kors

Ilaria <3

OOTN in Greece

Corfu | Greece

During my four months summer break following my first year at university, one of my closest friends and I decided we should find a relaxing spot somewhere in Europe that we could spend a week at, eating tropical fruit and lying by a pool. Not only was the island Corfu in Greece the perfect spot because of its beauty, but the hotel and people just made it all the more ideal. We stayed at the Sensimar Hotel (which I can only recommend), spending most of our dinners at the included buffet. Though, one of the nights we decided to spoil ourselves a little and head up to the four start Italian restaurant for which we of course, dressed a little nicer than usual.

Even though I thought the wall in the background was the prettiest - here is to my outfit, consisting of some of my favorite items.

Top - Zara

Skirt - Zara

Sandals - Local shoe store

Britta xx