My Top 5 Beauty Brands

My favourite brands in beauty

   

1. Chanel

Without a doubt, Chanel is my number one favourite brand for make-up (although on any list of mine they would probably make at least the top 3). Although it is ridiculously expensive to purchase ANY product of theirs, it is so so worth it in my opinion. I'm not saying to buy your entire make-up collection from them, but a few staple pieces to have can benefit your make-up bag massively! In terms of their foundations, I think no other can match it. Yes, there are dupes, but personally I don't think they match Chanel's quality. With the smallest quantity you can cover the biggest surface, and thus the products last very long, sort of justifying the money spent on it. My own foundation (you can see it in my "what's in my make-up bag" post) has last me 1 year and around 4 months, and is showing no sign of being empty. I'm also a huuge fan of their lipsticks and lip glosses. Apart from a super creamy and nourishing formula, the colour range is right up my alley.

2. Revlon

Revlon is one of those brands that I feel is bit underrated. It has high end quality products whilst being of affordable prices. My favourite products include their nail polishes and lip butters. Revlon nail polishes are amazing quality, have big (but not too big) brushes for easy application, last for a really long time, and have really nice and thick consistency, making application easy as you only need one coat for it too look good. Revlon was also the first brand to come out with the now super hip lip butters, and I can honestly say they are my favourite. The packaging is super cute, the product itself is really moisturising, and again I find the range of colours to be perfect for what I like. The Colourburst Lip Lacquer are also suuper moisturising and, especially the matt ones, have really intense pigmentation. Overall, this brand one of my favourites not only because of their products, but also because of the low prices.

   

3. MAC

I'm pretty sure MAC products will be on everyone's top list of make-up and beauty brands. It is on the slightly more expensive side, yet the products are again really good quality. The reason why for me MAC is in third and not second, is that the Studio Fix powder, although seriously the best face/foundation product I've ever used, it breaks me out. My skin feels all weird about a half hour after I put it on, and the next morning BAM, spots. I kept applying it for a long time though because of the amazing coverage it gives and the flawless finish it leaves on your face. MAC brushes are also very good, although I find them too expensive to buy them for myself ( I thus only own one). MAC Paintpots are mainly the only eyeshadows I really use on a daily basis, the application is so nice and creamy, and the colours are so pretty meaning you can use them on their own. And, of course, let's not forget about their lipsticks. Gorgeous formulation, really good pigmentation and super sleek packaging.

4.  Rimmel

Again, a LOT of people love Rimmel, and rightly so. It is ridiculously cheap and has good quality products. I mainly use their nail polishes and Wake Me Up concealer. Rimmel nail polishes surprised me. Although the formula is quite runny and thin, after applying two coats it looks just as good as any, and without too much fuss. Their relatively new Kate Moss nail polishes are my favourites, as the colour range I think is fantastic, especially their summer collection. In terms of the concealer, it is no secret to the beauty world that the Wake Me Up foundation and concealer combo are great. And I agree. I haven't tried their foundation yet because for years I've been stuck to MAC and Chanel ones and am perfectly happy staying with those, but I am glad that I gave the concealer a try. The colour is a really nice match for my skin (although in summer I tend to mix it with my Chanel foundation to create the perfect colour for me). However, on its own it works wonders too. If I want a light coverage or just cover up some spots and under eye circles, this is my go to product. The applicator brush (the doe foot or whatever it's called) gives you just enough product so that it is not dripping on your face, and the concealer itself it really moisturising so that you can quickly apply it without having to put a base or moisturiser underneath. 

  

5. Lancôme

I first tried out Lancome products when Emma Watson started modelling for them, being the Harry Potter fan that I am/was at the time. Yet I loved them. I haven't tried a lot from them, and I mainly want to write about their mascaras. I very luckily have very thick and long eyelashes, so when I am looking for a mascara I never want one that is massive or gives massive volume like the Maybeline ones. So when I found the Hypnôse mascaras, I fell in love and have not looked back since. The formula of the mascara is really nice and doesn't dry very fast, and the brushes are relatively small (not compared to No. 7 brushes but compared most mascaras these days it's a nice size. You can build this mascara up to create a super heavy look, but for what I want, I use one, maybe two coats, and it's perfect for an everyday look. Also good if you aren't allowed to wear heavy make-up to school, this is perfect. Bare in mind there are different Hypnôse mascaras, and some may give way more volume than the others. The only downside to this brand is that it is not cheap, but I think it's worth it.

And that's all! As you can see, my taste in make-up brands is fairly on the expensive side, yet I personally think it is worth it with make-up for the reasons presented above.

'Till next time!

Adrianna 

How to: Conquer Mental Health Issues

Everyone's number one tip when writing about something is usually go outside your comfort zone/OR write what you know. Well today I am going to do both. I, like millions of other teenagers and adults all over the world, have struggled with serious mental health issues in the past and present. I would have to loved to end that sentence after 'past', but sadly, mental health doesn't always stay for just a brief moment of time.

I have had depression with a side of suicidal thoughts, and later developed, or at some point overlapping with, anxiety with a side of generalised anxiety and panic disorder. Now I know that many many people deal with these issues, and it seems like anyone today will have had some form of a mental disorder, but that doesn't make them any less painful and difficult to get over. I can honestly say that I have successfully overcome the depression and suicidal thoughts, and am on my way to getting rid of anxiety (although this journey upwards started very recently). I therefore wanted to share some of my wisdom, as when I went through the recovery journeys, I wish there would have been something like this out there from a genuine person, not just an organization, who had overcome it. When you have a mental illness and you have not started the path to recovery, or sometimes even when you have, it can feel extremely lonely and as if you will never get out of what you are feeling.

What I would like to achieve with this post is to tell someone that you. will. get. better. The one main secret is that you have to go so far down first before you can shoot right up. You have to get into the darkness to be able to see the light. And I know that sounds scary, but whenever I have developed a new layer to the mess that is my brain, at some point sooner or later you have to accept yourself. Accept yourself for not only who you are as a person, but who you have become due to your disorder.  Accept the limits your brain has put on you, and be content with it. Accept wherever you may be with your disorder. Only then can you properly and completely heal. If you are constantly hating on your brain/mind, this will not give you the peace you need to be able to heal. So step 1. Accept.

Now I do need to add a little disclaimer in here, in terms of anxiety the above passage is extremely relevant. In terms of depression however, this may be a bit more complicated. If you do have depression, don't let your mind think that you have to reach a suicide attempt before you can heal. That is miles and miles from the truth. Maybe I should separate the tips and steps for the two disorders. However, I do need to add that in my case of depression, it wasn't until the moment that I was in my lowest that I was finally able to start the recovery journey. And boy what a journey that was. So what I mean, is don't be afraid to reach a low point in your life when you have depression. Talk to someone or reach out, but whatever you do, in that low moment of your life, remember this blog post, and remember me saying that it is only after your lowest point in life that you will truly be able to recover. So turn that point around ANY way that you can, and take that as your learning moment and turning moment to recovery.

Now, onto some concrete help.

Depression

1. Get out

I mean this very literally. Get out of bed. Get out of your house. Go on a walk, preferably WITH someone else. Depression is an incredibly lonely disorder, and the more you are able to socialise, the better. And trust me, I know how hard it is to even get out of your bed. It feels like nothing is worth it, nothing will help, and that you'll be happier in your bed/chair/couch. And on the first day, don't go all across the country. Get up and walk around the house. Step outside and sit on the porch/front step/balcony. Day 2, get up out of bed and go on a walk, etc. 

2. Seek company

Again, I know this seems like the last thing you want to do, but depression is best fought by laughter and good company. Seeing other people living their life will most likely make you feel quite bad about your own life, but take this as an inspirational moment. See that it can be done, even for you. Now I know those people will not have it as hard as you, but seeing people doing things/going out/having fun will also reassure you that life is good.

3. Change your lifestyle

Boy, this may be the hardest one of all. It goes hand in hand with the ones above. By this I don't mean your thinking, because that is out of the question given that you have depression. I mean eat well, and exercise. This sounds ridiculous and something that everyone tells you. But I am here to tell you it helps. I gained so much wait during my years with depression because I was eating comfort food all the time and this doesn't help much because that type of food makes you feel tired and druggy, whereas fruits and fresh food will make your body happier. It's a long way from feeling better mentally, but a healthy body is always easier to work with. As for exercise, this is proven scientifically and practically that it helps you. Don't run on your own, join a team sport or a gym and take classes. Sport not only makes you feel better, it again creates a healthier body and makes you get up. 

Little tips:

4. Change something in your life - if you are largely affected by the environment around you and you are fortunate enough to change that, do it. Cutting certain people out of your life can be amazing too. 

5. Read books and watch television - this gives you a break from your mind

6. Don't be afraid to accept yourself - you can live with depression and you will get over it

7. Never, ever, ever, ever, give in to suicidal thoughts - as soon as you even think "Oh, that knife could be used to cut my wrists" whip it away and out of your mind. DONT. there is another way. 

Anxiety

Bare in mind, panic disorder and generalized anxiety are treated very differently, at least by me. I will try to be specific with tips relating to both. 

1. Give yourself some time

This one is largely related to panic disorder. The number one thing that therapists and people tell you is to never stop doing what you love, and rightly so, however sometime you are in too deep and you need a break. Give this break to yourself to gather some strength, and try again later. This is kind of where I am at the moment. Whether this be a week, month or a few months, take what you need. Yet do be productive in that time. Meditate, learn a sport, begin to trust yourself again and know your own body. Then when you are ready you can begin to take little steps toward your old life. This may be the hardest thing you have ever done, saying no to the majority of things, yet know it will benefit you in the future. 

2. Do not be afraid to cut certain substances out of your life

This one is more related to generalised anxiety, but is definitely of importance in panic disorder too. Generalised anxiety means you are feeling anxious for no apparent reason most of the time and also getting panic attacks at 'random' moments. For this reason it is important to cut down on things that you know can trigger anxious feelings or even a panic attack itself. For me I cut down on gluten, and stopped taking anything with caffeine or alcohol, including tees, coffee, and any form of drink. This may seem like the end of the world and will be upsetting, but it will help you so much. plus there are mocktails, caffeine free tees and decaf coffee. - another that may be of relevance to any girls/women out there, I have researched and personally noticed that taking the pill can massively negatively impact your mental health, especially when it comes to anxiety, so I have stopped taking that now.

3. Get a therapist and seek out a doctor

I am currently seeing a therapist and have spoken to my doctor about options many times. I think you should at least give both a go and see what each can do for you. If nothing comes of it, so be it, but you know you tried. I have been in therapy for a few sessions now and I don't love it, but it is definitely better than nothing, plus you have to sometimes find the therapist that works for you, don't ever settle (I've seen many, many possible therapists for a initial consultation- they are usually free too). I have also, when suffering from generalised anxiety, been on beta blockers, because my symptoms then were mostly and largely physical. These regulate your heart rate, meaning your bodily  symptoms such as fast & irregular heart rate and palpitations will mostly disappear. There are however many other options out there, and do not be afraid to research/ask for them. I am currently working on my panic disorder without them (because that can be done I promise you, and you won't get all the nasty side effects) but if this is the right path for you, take it. 

Little tips:

4. Don't let anyone affect your opinion of yourself - surround yourself with the right people. I know this may be difficult (parents etc), but if someone does not get it and is making you feel bad about your issues, try and avoid them as much as possible

5. Believe in yourself - I have been in the darkest pits regarding anxiety, thinking it will never go away for me, that I am the 1% of people who don't recover. STOP that thinking. All you need is one good day (this can be achieving a goal or just staying home and feeling good) to give you hope for the rest of your journey (this is where I am now, thus able to write this post, which I would not have been able to a few days ago). You will recover.

6. Research - read books, websites, watch videos on your anxiety disorder. Knowledge is power, and power may be just what you need to get through your day/get on that train/enter that room full of colleagues

7. Get a routine - nothing can cause more anxiety than not knowing what is going to happen. Whether this is your time out or not, set some kind of routine and stick to it. Wake up at a certain time, have breakfast go on a walk, read something, start the day. You will have had a good morning of not panicking because you had to wake up and focus on other things.

8. Write it down - get a little book especially for anxiety and if you do feel anxious, write it down and then put it away. 

Depression and anxiety recovery

There is a great website that helped to give me some inspiration to keep fighting and I will link it at the end. A few things of that website and a few things from myself that I want to say to you about recovery are these:

• Recovery is often 1 step forward, 2 steps back
• Recovery is up and down
• Do not be afraid of a setback, they will happen and each time you will feel more equipped to deal with them
• This applies to both anxiety and depression, but the first two a bit more towards the first: 4 steps to recovery: 
• Breath
• Meditate - I'm learning this now, once you are open and ready for it the results are AMAZING
• Hobbies 
• Exercise

And that's all - pfffew that's a long post.

Well I hope this helped a lot of you and that you will continue fighting each day. I may do another one of these later, because I am sure there are many more tips I have for you. Remember, I'm struggling with it, someone else is too, and we will all get there together, you are not alone.

Thank you so much for reading this and please leave any more tips in the comments. Remember, go outside everyday, fresh air and a walk/cycle will do wonders for your body. 

Much love,

Adrianna

***Website: http://www.itsjustafeeling.co.uk/set_backs

What's in my make-up bag?

My make-up bag

A few months ago, I decided to cut the crap out of my make-up selection, because even though I love buying and trying new make-up, I have in the past year/year and a half found products that I absolutely love and use on a daily basis (when I was in school, this summer the make-up has stayed to a minimum- aka none), and thus remain the products that I cannot wait to use. What is in my make-up bag is not my entire selection, but it comes pretty close. What I have shown below are the items I would take with me if I were to go on holiday or if I was getting ready somewhere other than my home, and are thus quite a few items. This is so that I have a selection of what to wear, say one day I might want foundation and concealer, whereas the next I would want concealer and only powder (FYI I would never wear all of the times at the same time).

On to the bag and it's contents!

This is my bag:

(yes this is an airplane bag)

And this is what's inside:

Now onto the specifics:

Lets start with brushes. My favourite brushes, and thus the ones I carry with me, are the Real Techniques. Out of all the brushes that I have tried, these are definitely the best, they don't hog all the make-up (you know what I mean, when all the product stays on the brush and doesn't go on your face) and they are suuuuper soft. 

In terms of lip products, this is probably where I have the most. My selection ranges from lip balm to lip stick: (left to right: Revlon Colorburst Lacquer Balm 105, Revlon Colorburst Lip Balm 025, Chanel Rouge Coco 38, Bebe Young Care classic lip balm)

Left to right: Revlon Colorburst Lacquer Balm 105, Revlon Colorburst Lip Balm 025, Chanel Rouge Coco 38, Bebe Young Care classic lip balm.

(As you can see, my favourite colours for the lips are a nude/pink/glittery)

Onto face products, this is pretty much the extent of my collection anyways:

Left to right: Chanel Vitalumière Aqua foundation 20 Beige, Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer 010 Ivory, Bobbi Brown Sheer Finish Pressed Powder (can't remember the shade), Bobbi Brown Illuminating Bronzing Powder Maui 3.

And lastly, eyes. The products I use most are the mascara and paint pot eyeshadow, because they are the easiest and the least fuss to use. 

Left to right: Collection Gorgeous Glow Blush Block, Mac Pro Longwear Paint Pot Vintage Selection, Lancome Hypnose Star Mascara (waterproof), Essence Tweezer

And that's all! I hope you enjoyed reading this, I know I certainly like to snoop around and see what other people carry in their make-up bags. I know a lot of this stuff is pretty high end, but, as everyone, there are a few things I allow myself to splurge on, and with make-up I find that high end products tend to be better for my skin/have the colours I want/last waaaaay longer. 

Till next time! 

Adrianna 

Hello blogging world!

Hello crazy world of blogging,

this is my first post on this blog. Yes, you read it right, not my first post ever, but my first post on THIS blog. I have started several blogs when I was young, but never continued them because

A) I was afraid my friends would find them at some point (especially if I would have just revealed something "embarrassing" or something of the sort),  or

B) I forgot about them and now don't know the password to them anymore.

So anyway, this will be my umpteenth attempt at starting a blog, with the intention of sticking to it and actually writing interesting posts (my previous ones being about grandma's, ketchup, and photos of my family). I will, however, for the time being remain anonymous, so as to not at a later point quit again because of reason A.

A little bit about me and my blog

I will remain anonymous, however will tell you about myself to a certain extent. I was born in a small country in Europe, and have since then lived in places all over the world, making me a "third culture kid" as parents like to refer to "my kind" as; an expat; and an extremely open person to new ideas, cultures, lifestyles, etc. Where exactly I have lived will remain unknown, although if you continue to read my blog you will probably find out soon enough through little hints or me blatantly saying so.

*takes break to put on jacket as it is getting cold outside but I love sitting outside #firstworldproblems*

I am currently

*looks around shocked because automatic sprinklers just turned on*

Attempt no. 2

I am currently 18 years old, and have a place secured at a very well known university in a country outside of one that my parents live in, meaning I am on the brink of starting my own life and becoming independent. Or am I? That is actually the question that I have been trying to answer this entire summer, as am also inclined to take a gap year and work, sleep, eat my parents food, and sleep in my own bed. I still don't have a definitive answers, although I think I might be inclined towards one more that the other right now (this happens every few weeks with a different answer, just FYI).

As for my blog, I have no idea what my "schedule" will be, but I know I want to post about beauty, fashion, lifestyle, movies, TV shows, music, and travel. Basically like every other blogger/youtube out there nowadays (this was not the case back in the days of the ketchup blog- maybe one day I will find it and link it to you guys).

So, if you like what you read here now, or are a teeny bit interested in if I will actually continue this blog, please stick around and come back some time for more.

Thank you for reading this in the first place and I love you all,

Adrianna