FIRST IMPRESSIONS / REVIEW: Essence All About Matt! Fixing Compact Powder

Hey everyone =)

It's time for another first impressions post =)
This time I'm going to talk about a compact powder by essence from the all about matt! line. I am very pale so a powder without color (or a white color) is absolutely a must for me.
There are two powders from this line, this one is the compact one. I tried the other one because I used to use Kryolan's Translucent powder before but I'm having troubles getting hold of it and I bought the essence one for sort of like a temporary solution but I like that's so easy to get and so cheap. Obviously the Kryolan one is better quality but the essence one isn't that bad at all. When I was out of it, I wanted to get a new one, only to find out that they were out of it in the drugstore I went to. They only had this compact one. The only difference between them is that this one is a compact. The product should be the same.
Now, ever since I started using a "powdery" powder, where you have the actual powder that is not pressed, it completely changed my world. I found it easier to set my face, and it wouldn't get cakey and all weird. That's number one reason why I wasn't very happy about trying out a compact again. But it was all they had and I really needed a powder, so I gave it a shot.

WHAT DOES THE PRODUCT SAY:
At the back, it says that is is an "extremely smooth fixing compact powder for a matt and natural finish all day long. helps to blend blush and foundation colors together. fixes make-up when applied as finishing powder for all skin tones"

PERFORMANCE:
I was sort of surprise with this powder. I used it with essence kabuki brush and I think it worked very well. Just as the not pressed one. I think it is easier to use a brush with compact powders and not a powder puff because the brush sort of breaks down the powder and then is a lot easier to apply. I would worry that with a powder puff, it could go on very uneven and cakey.
I really like the finish, it gives a nice, matte finish, just as is says on the back of the packaging. Also, my foundation is a tiiiiny little bit too dark for me (but it's the lightest one I can find in the drugstore :D) and since the powder has a white/no color, it helps balance that out which I love. BUT just to be clear, it isn't literally a white powder. If you're familiar with Stargazer's White Pressed Powder, THAT is a white powder =) If you apply it heavily it leaves you with a beautiful white face. This one does not do that so it definitely is for everyday use =)
I also used it to blend out my eyeshadows. Whenever I don't apply my eyeshadows too high or only slightly past the crease for an easy everyday look, I like to take my brush that I use for highlight under the eyebrow and apply the powder all around the edges. That way, if I apply a bit more, I get a highlight and a blending color all in one =)

WHO IS IT SUITABLE FOR:
It says on the packaging that it is suitable for all skin tones but I would say that people with darker skin tones or women of color would get a bit of a whiter cast from it. But I think light and medium skin tones can definitely get away with it. If you're looking for a setting powder, not a powder that will give you extra coverage, I think this could be a great product for you =)

HOW DOES IT FEEL:
Actually, after I apply it to my skin is feels nice and soft and it doesn't look like I piled on tons of powder, which is always great news when it comes to powders =)

HOW MUCH DO YOU GET:
You get 0.28 oz or 8 g of product. With the non-pressed one, you get 11 g. I don't remember if there is difference in the price, but I remember the compact one was around 80 CZK (= 4 USD). But you obviously lose some product with the non pressed one because it sometimes gets very messy and gets everywhere.

SO TO SUM IT UP:
+ sets the foundation very nicely
+ doesn't get cakey
+ looks natural
+ VERY affodable

Have you tried this powder? Did you like it? Tell me in the comments down below =)
Have a lovely day!
Lena

MY HAIR DIARIES: What Happens to Purple Hair After 1 Wash?

Hey everyone =)

I'm starting a new series on my blog! =) It's going to be all about my hair. I dyed my hair purple two weeks ago and also got bangs so it's a whole new experience for me to even trim my own fringe, not washing my hair all the time and so on. In these blogposts I'll be telling you more about my journey with purple hair! =) I'll definitely also do hair tutorials/vlogs =)

I decided to do an article I personally miss on the internet =) Before I washed my purple hair for the very first time, I was super nervous because I was scared a great deal of the color would wash out and I'll be the weirdest blonde with purplish undertone :D So I was looking for information about what happens to the hair after the first wash. Since I didn't really find what I was looking for, I hope this blogpost will help you if you're looking for this kind of stuff =)

Before I start, I just want to say, that I washed my hair 7 days after being at the salon. I know it may gross someone out, it definitely would gross me out like a year ago :D My hair used to be super greasy and there were even times when I washed it every day. Before I bleached my hair and dyed it purple, I tried to wash my hair as little as possible which was usually every other day. My third day was usually just too unacceptable and impossible to mask with some kind of a hair style. Yucky, greasy hair. I've been in a love-hate relationship (mostly hate) with dry shampoos so that wouldn't solve my third day problem.
Now that my hair was bleached I think it got dried a bit and so I think that's why it lasted the whole week.
I was very curious (but also super scared!) to wash the hair and see if it would last for another week. I thought at the salon they used some extra awesome shampoos and stuff on my hair that cleaned it sooo perfectly and I wouldn't be able to do that at home.

Have you watched my vlog about how I got my purple hair? You'll also find pics how it looked like before washing =)

WHAT I USED TO WASH IT:
I had just bought a new shampoo and a conditioner because I had some cheap junk at home that I was sick of and I didn't really feel like it cleaned my hair all that well. I bought the Aussie shampoo and conditioner and also the 3 minute miracle.

I only used the shampoo and the conditioner and decided to skip the 3 minute miracle because I was afraid to expose my hair to too much water :D

HOW I WASHED IT:

I made sure I didn't do any harsh movements and rub in the products extra gently. I also used the coolest water I could bear. I mostly concentrated on my roots because that's where I had the most of the hair spray I sprayed in during the whole week.

SO WHAT HAPPENED?

This is how the hair looked like when I dried it and styled it. I'm thinking of doing a video on my "hair routine" because it's a lot different from my regular "no-routine" that I had before :D 

As you can see, the parts that were more reddish got washed out a bit more. But the parts with the bright purple stayed very vibrant even after the first wash. I was pleasantly surprised =) My hair felt SUPER smooth and sleek AND it smelled awesome for like 4-5 days :D The Aussie shampoo smells like a gum. I know that's not something everyone will like and I'm not always that crazy about strong smells but this is just soooo awesome! :D And the fact that the smell lasted for such a long time is just impressive when you don't wash your hair that often! =)

And yep, it lasted for another whole week :D I'll do a post with the second wash hair next week =)

Hope you liked this!

Let me know if there's anything specific you'd like to see in this series =)

Have a lovely day ^_^

Lena

Get Ready With Me For a Photoshoot

Hi everyone =)

In my last video, my hair vlog, I showed you a few pictures at the end and today I have here for you a tutorial for that makeup that I was wearing in the photos =)

In case you haven't seen my hair vlog, here it is:

And here's the makeup tutorial:

THE LIST OF PRODUCTS:

EYES:

Dermacol eyeshadow base

Kryolan Supra Color in White

120 palette

s.he eyeshadow in 025

Sleek i-Divine Ultra Mattes V2 palette (white, black, purple under the eyes)

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Endless Purple

essence liquid ink eyeliner

L'Oreal Gel Intenza gel liner

FACE:

Benefit They're Real mascara

Benefit Rockateur blush

LIPS:

Watch my "Ultimate Red Lips" tutorial

Hope you enjoyed this!

Have a lovely day =)

Lena

What Happens When You Dye Red Hair Purple

Hi everyone! =)

I'm so happy to tell you that I changed my hair! =) I got it as a present from my boyfriend for Christmas and I finally had the time to actually go to a salon and get PURPLE HAIR =)
In addition to the color change, I also got bangs. I've always loved how bangs looked on others I was just too afraid to have them done because I feel like it's such a huge commitment.

Here is a vlog I put together about my hair change.

I got it done in Alternative Studio in Prague - www.hair-stylist.cz.
If you want to get dreads, funky hair color or anything that's a little more unusual than the "regular" hairstyles and you're in/around Prague, definitely check them out! ^_^

I loved being in a hair salon after years =) Last time I got a trim was in summer 2011 and my last "bigger" visit was when I was getting an up do for my prom, which was almost 4 years ago. I always dyed my hair at home, at first my friend did it for me and that I learned it along the way so having someone do it for me was like the perfect vacation =) I know going to the salon can get very expensive but I personally would be completely terrified of bleaching my long hair at home. Also, they use higher quality products so your hair gets like a big pampering day :D The difference is also in the products they use to bleach your hair. The bleach in the drugstores is different from the bleach they use. I explained all about this in the video. (So if you skipped it, you should go back and watch it! :D)

So my hair was a darker red before bleaching and I had that color for a year now, before that I had a brighter red. I last dyed it 3-4 months ago. It's always good to wait if you're going for a different color to let the your color wash out as much as possible. I heard a lot about red being hard to get out of your hair so I was really curious about the result.

(both pictures taken by Dominika Sirna, November 2013)

So there is the process I went through - it lasted for 6 hours! :D
1. First they bleached my hair with Wella Blondor bleach combined with 4 and 6% developer. They used 4% on the roots, and 6% on the rest. They also wrapped it in aluminum foil so it could build up more heat.
2. When they washed it out, instead of conditioner, they used Seal and Lock to neutralize the hair HP
3. Then they blow-dried it, cut it (I also got bangs!) It was funny to see myself as a blonde (my friend said the color was more of a "pumpkin" color :D check out the pictures below! :D)
4. They used Subrina Mad Touch dye in Mystic Purple. Now, I have never dyed my hair with Directions of Special Effects or any other crazy hair dye but my stylists told me that Subrina is much better than Directions (I've heard SOO much about that brand!) because: it has more of a gel-like texture so it's easier to apply it to your hair without making a mess; it lasts for a longer time; is more afforable.
5. Then they just finished the bangs and then they also curled it! =) Which was very new to me, since the only curls I get is after sleeping with braided hair :D

Here are some photos from the salon:

With tons of aluminum foil in my head! :D

Pumpkin hair! :D

Straight...

... and curled! =)

This is how it looked like the next day in the daylight =)

So: If you dye your hair red and want to bleach it, you won't get the perfect blond color after one bleach. Also, my ends are bright purple as well - I used to dye my hair black like 4 years ago so some parts still had black like somewhere deep inside and even my stylists told me that black is easier to get out with bleach than red. Obviously, as you can see in the photos, where I had previously the red hair dye, the color is not as awesome and vibrant as near my roots. That's just what happens when you dye hair that had red pigments in it =) It's hard to say exactly what color it is, it's something in between purple-red-pink :D It also depends on the lighting and the way you perceive colors! :D Nevertheless, I LOVE how it turned out =) It's something different, no one else is going to have exactly the same thing as I do =) But my stylists told me that when I dye it more, it'll get more purple and after a while I'll have a one solid color and I'm super excited about that =)

So don't be afraid to experiment with your hair even if you used permanent hair color in it before! =)

I'm planning to do like some sort of a "hair diary" and tell you about what happened to the hair after I washed it, how I like to style it and so on =) Definitely subscribe to my youtube channel because there will be more of hair videos in the future =) You can find all my social media buttons on the top of this blog, right under the top picture.

Thanks for reading and watching ^_^
Have a lovely evening.
Lena

JANUARY FAVORITES 2014

Hi everyone =)

I decided to do my monthly favorites on my blog from now on. Those videos take me a long time to film+edit and I feel very limited because there is a specific time when I should do it and I don't always have enough time and I always feel like I can give you more info on my blog =) So here we go.

These were the products I've been loving the most in January =) Even though I thought I didn't wear much makeup because I spent most of my time inside, studying for exams and was even sick for a week, I feel like I have too much :D I experimented with new products almost everytime I did my makeup.
What were your staple products last month? Tell me in the comments =)

BENEFIT THEY'RE REAL MASCARA

This is my first high end mascara and I'm totally in love with it. It's so amazing how easy it is to work with it. The brush is very interesting and definitely does the hard work for you. I usually apply two coats. I like to apply my first coat right after I do my foundation so I can build my lashes with the second coat after I finish my eyes. But sometimes I do the second coat right after the first one and it still builds my lashes and is just so awesome. It is pricey, and it's even more expensive here in Europe than it is in the US but it's totally worth it. The only issue that it has is that it can be a little difficult to get it off. I think it's water resistant and so some makeup removers can have a hard time removing it. But I found one that works amazingly well, I made a blogpost all about it. Click >>here<< to check it out =) Which leads me to my next favorite....

L'OREAL SUBLIME SOFT MICELLAR WATER

I am totally happy that I came across this product. It removes everything and leaves your face feeling very refreshed. I'm not going go into more detail about it again, you can read my first impressions post where I said everything about it =) http://lenalednicka.blogspot.com/2014/01/first-impressions-loreal-sublime-soft.html

SEPHORA LONG LASTING LIQUID EYELINER IN FANCY VIOLET

This is the first colorful liquid eyeliner that I actually like :D Usually I don't like the liquid product of it or the brush or it doesn't last for a long time and starts breaking. This one is perfect. Even though it has some glitter in it, it's quite subtle and it can be an everyday eyeliner. I like to use it in stead of my everyday black liquid eyeliner and then add a bit of black gel liner to the outer corners. It is the perfect substitute if you're looking for something colorful but are afraid to use anything else but black. This brings something new into your look. It is more subtle than black but still frames your eyes well. It is very pigmented and lasts for a long time. The applicator, even though it's a sponge, is awesome. I tend to like brush applicators but this one is bit bendy at the tip so it's easier for me to apply it.

BENEFIT ROCKATEUR BLUSH

To be honest, I didn't really excpet to like this product. I heard so many awesome things about it on Youtube and I was very intrigued to check it out in Sephora. The tester that they had was just DREADFUL and didn't reflect the awesome quality of it at all. They had 2+1 on Benefit at that time so I decided to go for it even though it cost a lot of money and didn't see myself liking it. It looked like it had too much shimmer in it and the color didn't amaze me that much. But to my surprise it isn't very shimmery because there are two shimmery parts of it, and the middle is shimmer-free and the shimmer wears off after a time and so if you don't really care about highlighting , has awesome color that you can use as a contour+blush color. I love how it smells! :D It also comes with a brush I love to use with it! When you use it to contour your face it's very easy to use is, especially on your jawline! =) Overall I think it's a high quality blush and I'm super happy I have it in my collection ^_^

ESSENCE BE LOUD! EYESHADOW IN 02 LIKE A STONE IN THE WALL

I used the darker eyeshadow in one of my latest tutorials. I was surprised how pigmented it was. If you're familiar with essence eyeshadows, you know that they aren't all that great, especially the singles (I feel like all the non-single eyeshadows are much better quality, the quattros are great, at least the two ones I have). It's a great transitional color when you're doing a black smokey eye. Also, it's awesome for smoking out the lower lashline with it, I applied it on top of a pencil eyeliner, which is my next favorite. Check out my FOTD post where I did this - http://lenalednicka.blogspot.com/2014/01/fotd-new-everyday-makeup-look-red-lips.html

ESSENCE STAYS NO MATTER WAT WATERPROOF PENCIL IN 03 SMOKEY GREY

It's such a shame they don't make these in more colors! (There's only black, brown and this grey). This eyeliner is amazing. It really stays on. When I set it with the eyeshadow I was talking about earlier, it really made sure it stayed in place and lasted for a long time. If you're used to black on your lower lashline, this could be your new buddy, it's still pretty dark but gives a different effect, and it's nice to wear something else for a change sometimes =)

CATRICE PRECISION LIP LINER IN READ MY LIPS!

If you need the perfect red lip liner this is the way to go! It is affordable, you can find it in the drugstore and it works very well. I used it in my Ultimate Red Lips tutorial. I would say it is the perfect match for MAC Ruby Woo lipstick! =)

Alright, these were my favorites for the month of January, I am kind of surprised that I got to experiment with so many awesome products. Can't wait to do February favs because I already have some other products that I'm totally in love with :D
Don't forget to tell me in the comments what products you loved in January =)
Have a lovely day!
Lena

ULTIMATE RED LIPS

Hi everyone =)

I'm very excited about this tutorial because red lips have been a passion of mine for years and it took me a long time to find the perfect product(s) that would create my ultimate combo for the perfect red lips. So let me show you some of my secrets and hopefully you'll be able to rock an awesome red lip any day as well ^_^

I love matte red lips. I'm not really a fan of lip glosses and moisturizing lipstick just don't stain your lips enough and glide off your lips very quickly. Lip stains definitely could be a great choice but some of them can be drying, can get yucky after a time and bleed or they don't give enough color, or they just don't have that beautiful finish as a matte lipstick has. Matte lipsticks can get tricky. After you've reapplied them for a few times, you get a gross thick layer of lipstick on your lips and that's just ... not comfortable. Also, after a while your lips can feel very dry.

I found a solution to all these problems and now I am able to rock a matte red lip that is long-lasting, looks AWESOME and most of all - feels COMFORTABLE.

Watch my video to find out exactly how:

THE LIST OF PRODUCTS:

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balmstain in Romantic

Catrice lip liner in Read My Lips!

MAC Ruby Woo

Hope you liked this! If you ever try this method make sure to send me a picture on my facebook fan page =)

Have an awesome evening.

Lena

FOTD: Purple Obsessed - Pop of Color On Lower Lash Line

Hi everyone =)

I'm here with another face of the day post. This time something very simple but I really liked it so I decided to share it with you =)

I was going out for pizza with my boyfriend, who joined me when I was taking pictures of my makeup :D That's why I decided not to put anything on my lips, I don't really like eating with lipstick.

EYES:
I didn't want to do just my basic everyday liquid eyeliner but I was still looking for something quick. I've always wanted to try purple on my lower lash line and since I knew we would be back home in an hour or so, I wouldn't have to worry about it getting messy. It was the perfect time to experiment. I lined my top lash line as usual with essence liquid ink eyeliner. Then I took Maybelline Color Tattoo in Endless Purple and lined my bottom lash line and waterline with it. Just in case, I set it with a matte purple eyeshadow from Sleek i-Divine palette Ultra Mattes V2. I also decided to do a small wing with the purple =) I then applied two coats of Benefit They're Real mascara and I especially love the definition on my lower lashes when I'm wearing a pop of color there =)
I think this is a great way how to incorporate color into your everyday look. I'm used to wearing black liquid eyeliner on my lower lash line so this was still within my comfort zone :D But I'm definitely trying this with turquoise one day!

Hope you liked this! ^_^
Thanks for reading.
Lena