30.3.15

Quick Workouts



Not always motivated to do a half hour workout? Or you just don't have the time today, but you still want to workout? I will show you 10 Workout Videos that only take 5-10 minutes and you can target any area you want. But don't be fooled, they're quick but still super effective (be prepared to feel your muscles burn). All the workouts i do from YouTube are from Cassey, she is just a babe and motivates you amazingly throughout the video. There are a ton of different workouts on Casseys channel and i want to do all of them one after one (i'm not even halfway through...). But those ten following workout routines are my favorite ones.

STRONG SLIM ARMS



SIX PACK ABS



MAKE THOSE THIGHS BURN



FOR A NICE LITTLE WAIST


TO GET THAT BOOTY INTO SHAPE


CARDIO OR HIIT WORKOUTS?



What are your favorite workouts right now?

27.3.15

Book or movie which one is better?



At the moment i am reading quite a lot of books that were adapted into movies currently. I read through them as quick as possible, so i can watch the movie afterwards. I told myself that i have to read the book before watching the movie, because otherwise i probably won't read the book at all.

50 SHADES OF GREY - E L JAMES
A book i did really like beside the crazy amount of sex scenes. I know that's the main focus of the book, but is it really necessary to have a sex scene every ten or fifteen pages? Whatever. I like the story the characters and the changes and struggels the characters are facing throughout the book, but seem to find each other everytime again. Besides the (for me) overload of sexscenes, the book is really good and one you should at least read once. (TMI It did reminded me here and there a lot of Twilight, which 50 Shades of Grey was originally a fanfiction of.)

The movie did disappoint me a bit though. The story itself is for someone who didn't read the book probably good and the movie itself too. But for me it left out a few things i would have put in or even changed scenes in a way, they didn't really achieved the crackling tension i was hoping for. Some scenes were shortend and it seemed they just wanted to put all the scenes in, but didn't really focused on the tension building that is a big part of the book. For example the elevator kiss scene was just so short and boom finished. They could have build the tension and longing feeling more so that you sit on the edge of your seat as a viewer, feeling the urge to see that kiss happening.

In this case i would recommend the book a bit over the movie, but both are really close to each other. Watch the movie first and then read the book (if you haven't already) to get more information, more of the back and forth of their relationship and to feel the crackling tension and the desire through the pages. If you're not at all into this whole S&M thing (not that i would be), you have to at least listen to the Soundtrack once. It's one of the best Soundtracks in the last few years i really really loved.

WILD - CHERYL STRAYED
The book created a longing inside me to start hiking as Cheryl did. To experience the satisfaction of that finished hike. No worries i won't do it in the next few years, but who knows. It was quite a quick and easy read, i really enjoyed the story and the writing. It wasn't as spiritual as i thought, but still makes you think about things in your life and about your life in general in a subtle way.

The movie however couldn't seem to win me over. I had the feeling that the scenes weren't able to deliver how important those situations were for Cheryl and how they were connected to her past life. After reading the book, where it's 90 percent only thoughts of Cheryl (so you really get into her story and life), the movie wasn't able to deliver the same kind of feeling and connection.

I would definitely recommend reading the book over watching the movie in this case. The story and feelings are way better realized and delivered (how often did i wrote delivered yet?) in the book.

THE BEST OF ME - NICHOLAS SPARKS
Another Nicholas Sparks novel and movie adaptation i loved. Is there a book this man doesn't nail right on the head? The books are more on the cheesy side of love stories, but they always have a twist i never see coming and that's what makes them stand out in the sea of romantic novels. The book can be quite boring at the beginning and here and there throughout the story. And to be honest i didn't liked the end at all, so it's good that there is a alternative ending for the movie.

The movie is like all Spark adaptations close to the book, but still interesting and the places where they shot were incredible beautiful. The book does give you more in depth information about the story, the background and the characters as always, but i liked the movie a bit more than the book.

IF I STAY - GAYLE FORMAN
The book seemed to be read in a short amount of time. Probably not more or less than any other book with the same amount of pages, but the fact that the whole book takes place in just one day created the feeling that i read it in a few hours. At the beginning there are quite a few descriptions i rather haven't read, but okay. The major amount of the book are memories or thoughts of Mia about her past life and how those memories influence her decision and her back and forth if she should stay or not and the consequences of her decisions. The book raised the question inside my head whether people in a trauma really decide if they want to stay or not.

The movie is just as good as the book, the story is delivered really good and it was able to keep up with my expectations. Although it seemed to not deliver the inner arguments and struggles as good as the book did, which is probably due to the format. But both book and movie are great and you shouldn't miss any of them. (A little TMI both book and movie left me heavily crying at some scenes.)
The second book "Where She Went" carries on with Mia's and Adam's relationship and is narrated by Adam instead of Mia. For people who loved "If I Stay" it's definitely worth a read.

GONE GIRL - GILLIAN FLYNN
I had this book for quite a while standing on my shelf, but i wasn't motivated to read it. I am normally not that into Thrillers and i was scared it would be to scary for reading it in the evening (and i'm only reading in the evening).  Because i have a lot of unread books in my stash i set myself the goal to read all my unread books before i buy new ones. At first i couldn't get into the book, i found it hard to read a lot at once, because i just grew bored after a few pages. I set it aside and read other books and then came back to it and after page 150 around it just sucked me in. It was getting so interesting and twisted and unexpected. While reading i just didn't know anymore what to believe, who to like, who to dislike and what was really true. Amy is just an incredible genuis. I would never be able to pull that all off. Insane. It's not really scary, the language and descriptions are sometimes quite harsh, but it fits into the content and the characters of the book. A big thumbs up for this one.
The movie was regarding the scenes a bit different from the book (which works better for the movie) and i imagined all the people (except Amy) quite different looking than in the movie, but it still was a good one. And the part i found so boring and draging at the beginning of the book is more or less shorter and has a bit more drive to it.

If you don't want to read the book, the movie is definitely a very good alternative. For a bit deeper dive into the story, read the book afterwards. Whichever you do first, you won't be disappointed.

Do you want to read more posts about books? And what did you think of the mentioned movies or/and books?

23.3.15

Versatile Blogger Award



This is very unreal...a second nomination for a Blog Award and i didn't even expected the first one ever to happen. This time it's again a big big THANK YOU to Manpreet from Simply M . Make sure to check out here awesome blog and the awesome facts she mentioned in her post.
For a bit more information about the Versatile Blogger Award and what i stands for go here.

#THE RULES

#1 Thank the person who gave you the award and include a link to their blog.

#2 Share seven facts about yourself.

#3 Nominate 15 other blogs and let them know you've nominated them.

#MY SEVEN FACTS
Ok, seven facts about me, which should be quite interesting and entertaining. I'm sorry if they're not, but i'll try my best.

#1 I'm obsessed with my hair, i can't stop myself from playing with it and brushing through it with my fingers. It's like chewing your nails, but my version of it. I don't even realize it anymore, that i do it and people keep telling me to stop (what i really should :D).

#2 I have a 2 1/2 years older brother and a 2 weeks younger stepsister and we always have dumbass ideas...

#3 When i finished my Gap year and return home to germany i want to study English&German, Acting or Fashiondesign. Not sure which of the three, but it also depends which university approves my application.

#4 I like to dance (in general) especially Ballet and i am doing horseback riding since i can think, because my mom owns a horse and i was sitting on it from the moment i could walk (or maybe even ealier, i don't know).

#5 I do like dogs, but i am more a cat person. (I am always joking with my friend, that i will end up old and alone with hundreds of cats...)

#6 My favorite food is Käsespätzle, which only the german people can pronounce (hehehe :D). But basically it's a type of noodle with melted cheese and onions mixed together and it's delicious. (Now i want to eat it...)

#7 I love books and i read a lot of books and i own a lot of books. Sometimes i even reread books again, sometimes even without a break. Read the book, finished with the book and instantly start to read from the beginning again.

#NOMINEES
All these girls and the boy (first ever boy i saw, that writes a blog, go man!) have really nice blogs with a lot of good ideas like Dog Safe Pancakes or an adorable header with donuts and beauty stuff.

Doneisha | Doneisha Dodd
Emmy & Alex | Haul & Dupes
Brittany | Living in June
Anusha | ACT Style Blog
Olivia | OliviaCheryl

20.3.15

Mascara Battle








I do own quite a few mascaras, like probably most beauty addicted girls out there. I tend to use one mascara at the time and the others have a lonely life in their container. So i thought i should show them all some love and compare them to be reminded of their greatness or their lack of one.
The last few days i was running around with a different mascara on each eye, which might have looked a bit strange

Three of the following mascaras are supposed to give your lashes more volume and one to give mainly length. The least favorite of the bunch is the L'oreal Voluminous Miss Manga Mascara, which got a lot of rave since it came out. It manages the mixture between volume and length quite good and adds more length to your lashes than the other mascaras mentioned later. The one thing that makes it stand at fourth place is the fact, that it is a lot more wet than the others and tends to clump my lashes together.

On place three is the Maybelline Illegal Length Mascara which is more of a lengthening mascara than a volumising one. It contains fibers, which adds extra length to your natural lash length. It is great for layering on top of other mascaras, but on it's own i don't like it that much.

We get closer to the winner and the next contestant is just an inch behind the winner of this battle. The Max Factor 2000 Calorie Dramatic Volume Mascara was my favorite for a long time, but got recently hit off the throne. The Mascara gives you a good amount of volume but not that much length. It doesn't clump easily, but is a bit too dry for my taste.

Number one is the Clinique High Impact Mascara. It is the perfect mixture between volumising and lengthenig plus the texture isn't too wet or too dry. No lashes clumped together and if i want a bit more length i just add the L'oreal Illegal Length on top.

What is your favorite Mascara?

(P.S. If you fancy a blogger introduction than head over to Melissas blog. She seems to be my twin, when it comes to future plans, because we have the exact same plans...:D)

16.3.15

The one coat everyday nails








I am not always going for bright coloured nails or most of the time i am just to lazy to wait for the two coats and topcoat to dry. So then the neutral sheer polishes come out, with which you are good with one coat and maybe a topcoat if you like.

A long time favorite of mine is "Not just a pretty face" from essie a sheer rosy nude colour which doesn't behave like a dramaqueen while applying it. One coat and you're done, no streaks, no uneven colour, just perfect. Sadly it was a limited edition (at least in germany, i have to go for the hunt in canada before i leave) and my bottle is half empty. Who had the idea of limited editions anyways? That's so cruel if you find a product, you really really love and then it's limited edition and you can never get it again. So mean.

The other nailpolish i use for this type of neutral nails is "Ballet Slippers" a recent addition to my essie nailpolish collection. I was looking for an alternative colour so i don't always only use "Not just a pretty face" (and so it doesn't get empty so fast). "Ballet Slippers" is more white with a slight rosy hint and isn't as uncomplicated as the other one. If you want to only apply one coat, you have to be very careful so you don't end up with major strikes and uneven colour application. But if you spend a bit more time with the application, it's a beautiful colour.

To extend the hold you should use a clear topcoat to prevent your nailpolish from tip wear or chipping. You can use whatever topcoat works for you, but i am in love with the essence better than gel nails topcoat. I love it so much because it is very thick and after it dried, you end up with a very glossy finish and the most important aspect, that whatever you do there are no scratches to be seen. A little tip to find the perfect topcoat for you, try topcoats for gel nails, to get this nearly undestroyable and high glossy finish.

What is your favorite neutral coloured nailpolish or topcoat?

13.3.15

A lipstick range which knocked my expectations off the chair...



I thought essence is a brand only available in Germany and because of that i didn't want to rave a lot about products, that the most of my readers couldn't get a hold of (which i sometimes still do, sorry for that). But recently i found out that essence is at least available in Canada and in the UK. So here we go with the rave i wanted to hold back originally.


The essence longlasting lipsticks aren't that long part of the essence product range, but they knocked me off the chair right away. I mean first of all the packaging is so sleek and sophisticated and doesn't look or feel cheap at all. Although those lipsticks are a real bargain for around 4 bucks.

They don't only look good on the outside they are also pretty damn good on the inside. The formula is creamy, not drying, for a creamy drugstore lipstick pretty longlasting like they are supposed to be taken by their name and you are left with a smooth feeling on the lips. Plus the pigmentation is amazing with one swipe you have all the colour intensity you can get with this lipstick. It don't want to use the words amazing or good again, so i will just leave here.

The colour range does have some pretty colours too. I think they newly updated the range with some matte shades, but i'm not that sure about that. I own the colour "06 Barely there" a brown nude with a slight plumy undertone and "07 Natural Beauty" which turns out to be my favorite your lips but better colour. Left behind at home is the colour "Love me" an everyday pink and i have to say that i love all the colours i have and i intend to get some more shades sometime.

9.3.15

Springy nails



Surprisingly the weather was already quite sunny and springy over here in february and now the beginning of march marks the official start of spring. It is time to dust off those bright spring colours and give those nails a hint of colour.
When it comes to nails i am more comfartable and daring to wear bright colours than on my face. And i just love a good bright coloured nailpolish to kick off that spring feeling.

My spring nailpolish collection goes from reds, oranges and corals to light blues and even sometimes whites (although that's more something for summer).
A recent addition to my growing essie collection is the colour Lollipop. I haven't tried a bright orange (like sunday funday) on my nails yet, but we're getting there. So Lollipop is a mix between red and orange and the perfect colour to start getting those orange hues. Staying in the red theme is Forever Yummy a more classical red, who can ever go wrong with a classic red?
In the coral section the one and only at the moment is Tart Deco, gorgeous bright coral colour that makes your skin look more tanned than it actually is.
A toned down light blue, with a bit grey in it, is Find Me An Oasis, which is for me a colour for the time between the last days of winter and the first real days of spring. I like to wear it in winter and spring.
Whites are for me more someting for the real hot summer, but a bit of Fiji here and there changes things up a bit. I am still not sure about the whole white nailpolish hype thing, especially the whole rave about Fiji, but maybe i will understand this summer. We'll see.

What is your favorite spring nailpolish colour?

6.3.15

Spring Picks


You may see a colour theme going on here. Yes, my spring colours are reds, pinks and (mostly) corals. In spring i prefer a light base on the face, light to no eyemakeup, a bright sheer lip and bright coloured nails.

#LIPS
Mostly coral and sometimes a light red or pink and only sheer lipsticks or lipbutters. Current favorite coral lipsticks are the L'oreal Caresse "301 dating coral" or as you may have already read in my february favorites the L'oreal Colour Riche "176 Sunset Angora",which is slithly more pink than the dating coral lipstick. In the lipbutter department i use the Clinique Chubby Stick "04 mega melon" which is a red-mauve or the Catrcie pure shine colour lip balm "060 go flamingo go" (german) which is more rosy pink. These two are less opaque than the L'oreal ones so you have to build them up a bit if you want more colour on the lips. A big favorite from last year was the Revlon colourburst lipbutter "025 Peach Parfait" but lately the big glitter chunks seem to put me off a bit, but it's still a great lipbutter range ( i also like the colour "050 berry smoothie"). Another great line if you live in the US or Canada are the Maybelline color whispers. These are in between the sheer lipsticks and the lipbutters, because they are as moisturising as a lipbutter but as opaque as the lipsticks. The colour payoff is really good and at the moment i am loving the colour "45 who wore it red-er". After swatching the colour on the back of my hand i couldn't get the tint off, even after using a micellar water, so they are quite longlasting. In general i am more a sheer lipstick lover and a coral addict than someone who likes creamy lipsticks or pink.

#FACE
As i already mentioned springtime is BB/CC Cream or light coverage foundation time. I wrote about this product here way to often (review here), but i just love the Garnier Miracle Skin Cream so much. Slap it on, some concealer and mascara on top, a bright lipstick and you're good to go. Another option with a bit more coverage is the Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream.
For concealer i only use the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser at the moment, it's medium coverage which highlights your undereye area and still feels light on the skin.
For the spring fresh glow i use either a powder highlighter like the p2 glow up highlighter "021 high beam" (german) for a nice sheen on the cheeks or the Body Shop radiant highlighter as a base under my foundation/BB Cream or mixed together with it for an all over glow or as an highlighter only for the cheekarea. The body shop highlighter is in a rosy silvery colour while the p2 one is golden.
Blush wise my current favorites are the Milani baked powder blush "02 Rose D'Oro" as a coral option or the catrice multi colour blush "060 strawberry frappuccino" (german) for a rosy blush.

What are your favorite makeup bits and bobs for spring?

2.3.15

February Favorites



It's favorites time again. The last few month i find it hard to pick products as my favorites, because i don't want to show you the same products over and over again so the amount of products seem to minimize each month...

Essie "Lollipop"
I thought Canada was a country with long cold snowy and icy winters and not spring temperatures in february. It seems i thought wrong. It was quite sunny and springy in february so i started getting out my spring nailpolishes and lipsticks. This one is a bright red colour with a orange touch. It's not orange but it's not the regular red either. It will probably become a staple in upcoming spring and summer.

Vaseline "hydratant spray&go moisturizer"
As i already mentioned in my Favorite bodycare products post i am a lazy bum when it comes to moisturising my body. So this little friend here helps with that. Spray the moisturiser over your body, pat it in and you're good to go.

Swissco Almond infused Paddle Brush
You only learn how much you love something when you don't have it anymore. When i was packing my suitcase i thought i wouldn't need my paddle brush. As always i was wrong and i started to miss the brush after three month without it. I found this brush at Winners and was curious if the almond oil infused part would really make a difference. And it does. My hair is smoother and doesn't fly around like i just rubbed a ballon over it.

Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm - here
I already raved about this in my Cleanser post and in my PM skincare routine so i don't really can say anything new about it. I use it for cleansing my face after i removed my makeup. It leaves my skin feeling so soft and not squeaky clean. I just love it.

L'oreal colour riche "176 sunset angora"
I'm more a coral kinda gal than a pink lover.  So since the weather is making me want spring to come even more i am dusting off my coral lipsticks, blushes and nailpolishes. Current love is this one. Gorgeous packaging by the way. Creamy but still quite cheer and not drying on the lips.

Catrice multi colour blush "060 strawberry frappuccino" (germany)
A german product i was strolling around for ages. It's a blush with four colours in it, going from mauvy pink, pink, rose over to pale rose. I like to put my brush in the upper half or just swirl it around in the pan. It creates a pinky and subtle pop of colour on my cheeks.

MacBook Pro - here
Just two days gone by since i spend a hell lot of money on this little baby i am having on my lap right now. I always wanted a Mac but it was always the dream that you know will probably never come true. Then my (now old) laptop got a crac in the screen (don't ask me how) and there was a big fat white line right in the middle of the screen so it was more or less impossible to do anything with it properly. After a lot of touching, staring, arguing with myself and dropping a lot of questions on people working in the store i decided to buy the MacBook Pro (the older a little bit chunkier version without the retina display) and so far i looove it. It is different, because all my life i had computers with windows on them and now everything is different, but in a good way.

1.3.15

A little app that helps you staying hydrated








I am not a water drinker crazy person, who drinks five liters a day easily. At the moment i am sometimes at 3,5 Liters, which is a huge improvement from maybe one glass of water a day. At the beginning of this year i downloaded quite a few health and fitness related apps and this one is one of the few that stayed. I just needed a simple app that does the job without needing to spend more than a minute to log.

The Drink Water app is the app that fulfills my expectations. The app does calculate the amount of water you should drink a day based on your age and weight, but you can change the daily water intake goal (i changed it from 2,8 Liters to 3,5 Liters). To log your water intake you just press the drink water button on the bottom choose the amount you drank and that's it. It just can't get easier than this. On the top it says: "i have to drink today" and then the amount of water you still have to drink.

The apps functions are completly customisable, you can change your daily water intake goal, the unity (liters or oz), if the app should remind you and the interval if it does. There is even a calender option where you can see how much water you drank everyday.

I just love the app, because it's so easy to use, the design is nice and simple but functional. For me it's the best way to keep track of my water intake and to make sure i drink enough water throughout the day. I measured how much our water glasses take and now i am just adding 500ml after i finished one glass of water.