Review: Matas' Volume Booster

 

A little month ago, I decided to cut my hair again. It went from being a kinda medium length to ‘I can’t put all my hair up in a ponytail anymore’ short. With this change came some challenges as the last time I had this short hair was some four years ago and I can’t remember much other than it fell differently around my face. The hairdresser recommended dry shampoo and volume booster to me as it would give my hair some texture and some playfulness. I am very familiar with dry shampoo, but volume booster? That would be a no.

I went to the locale Matas shop and purchased their volume booster in travel size. I didn’t want to buy the bigger size and spend some money on it if it should turn out that I wouldn’t like it. On the bottle, it recommends you to use it in completely dry hair. From experience, I actually think it works so much better if you use it when you have towel-dry hair and then following blow-dry it. It activates the volume booster thingy more in my opinion. If I use the volume booster in towel-dry hair, I feel the effect last the longest and that my hair looks nicer for more days.

So, how much do you need? Not a lot. I learned that lesson from the first time I tried it out as I ended up looking like a poodle. A cute poodle, but definitely a poodle. I really love this product and the volume it creates, so when the travel size was empty I immediately went out and bought the bigger bottle. The thought of not using it… it wasn’t a pleasant thought. All in all, I would beyond recommend it!

What is your favourite hair product?

Until next time,

Mia ♥ 

DIY: Christmas Decorations - the 2014 edition

It has become somewhat of a tradition for me to make my own Christmas decorations – I make a few each year for my mother and for myself. I make them myself because I find it very calming and soothing to create something with my hands. Also, it is cheaper than buying them. And so I thought I would share…

What you will need:

• Metal wire (I used 1,5 mm wire, but 1,1 mm or 1,3 mm would be just as good).
• Glass beads in transparent and blue/black (I had mine in two bowls, as it was easier).
• Thread and needle (note: the needle should be able to get through the beads).
• Fabric in black or blue.  
• Jewellery metal wire.
• Sequins.
• String.
• Tools (side cutters and round-nose pliers/ flat-nose pliers).

Most things I already had, so I didn’t need to go out and purchase anything. But if you don’t have these materials, you can find them in a mix of supermarkets, DIY retailers and hobby shops. 

For metal wire Christmas decorations, you start by cutting an appropriate size of and shaping it with either your hands or pliers. I recommend pliers if your wire is 1,5 mm like mine because I struggled. I did a leaf and a heart. It won't be perfect, but that is the charm of homemade Christmas decorations! 

For fabric Christmas decorations, you start with getting your needle and thread ready. Now, you can decide whether you want to cut your fabric in a shape from the beginning or wait until after you have sewed on the sequins. When you start sewing, your needle and thread should go through the fabric, then sequin, bead, sequin again, and lastly fabric; this secures the sequin and bead to the fabric. Remember to tighten!

My finished wire-bead leaf decoration.

After you have shaped your decoration with the metal wire, you take the jewellery wire and cut a piece off. You wrap a bit of the jewellery wire around the metal wire to secure it. Then you put beads on the wire and then wrap it around the metal wire. My leaf decoration is tightly wrapped with beads, but you can do it loosely. Afterwards you attached a piece of string so you can actually hang it somewhere. 

My finished fabric-sequin-bead leaf decoration.

You continue with the sequins and beads by placing them close to each other and let them shape whatever you like. I went for a leaf again… surprise! On the back I sewed on longer beads that would form the general outline of a leaf, so it would be easier to guess for others and because I thought it looked nice. For my mother I made a Christmas tree, where I replaced some of the tiny beads with bigger beads to replicate Christmas baubles and as the Christmas star/angel/whatever you place on top of your Christmas tree, I attached a big bead to replicate that.

Do you make your own Christmas decorations?

Until next time,

Mia ♥ 

Review: Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick by Kate

Some two weeks ago, I sneakily purchased the Lasting Finish Lipstick by Kate in a (for me) daring darker red colour, which is also known as the shade 107. It is a classic… and very autumnal, even Christmas-y. I had had my eyes on the shade for a good while and I am glad I actually decided to buy it as I have already gotten so much use out of it. Also, it will be my go to lipstick when the Christmas parties starts.

The colour is gorgeous dark red, yet also has a plum shade to it. The plum shade balances well with the darker red and makes the red not appear as dark, especially as it applies matte, which makes the lipstick very wearable. I have gotten so many compliments on the shade, even though the colour seems slightly dramatic and in contrast with my pale skin tone.

It is very easy to apply, whether you dab it on or go full on out with it. I have tried lipsticks there are harder to apply, so the easiness of 107 is greatly welcomed. However, it is slippery on the lips. I am used to lipsticks just staying put without needing a lip pencil to draw the edges up, but those days are over with this lipstick. It isn’t a big minus for the lipstick, but it is definitely something to note so you don’t return home and look in the mirror, wondering, “how did that happen? But I didn’t even do anything other than talk!”

Is it lasting? That depends on what other lipsticks you compare it with, which will always be the case. It doesn’t last as long on the lips as my MAC lipsticks, but in fairness I paid more for them and Rimmel is a cheaper /more affordable brand than MAC. I am definitely cutting it some slack, seeing it isn’t an expensive lipstick. However, it leaves a good stain even if it doesn’t last long, so it isn’t a big minus that it doesn’t last over 4 hours without eating and drinking. On a last note, it is drying on the lips so pack a cheap lip balm you dare get stained for a short while.

What is your favourite autumnal lipstick?

Until next time,

Mia ♥ 

Autumn Coats

According to some weather forecasters, Denmark is having the warmest autumn in 140 years. I can’t say whether that is actually true or not, but I have felt the November weather haven’t been as cold as last year I decided to purchase a new coat for autumn instead of a winter coat. So, I have basically been rocking my autumn coats as the weather has allowed it.

The coat is from Magasin, the big department store in Denmark, and it is from their own brand. It is highly simple and very classic in its style and form, making it seem so fresh, yet kinda have some feelings of retro. The coat is a neutral dark grey colour that won’t look and get dirty immediately, but also breaks the general Danish autumn/winter picture of black everywhere. Danes generally really like black. A coat in similar style can be found in Cos.

This is a last year coat from H&M. In ways it is very different from the coat from Magasin, yet in ways they are very similar. It isn’t as simple, but it is definitely a classic retro style… and I can’t help but love that immensely about it. Compared from the grey coat, this has a zipper instead of press studs that is definitely more practical. The colour is very vibrant with its red colour, which makes it stand out immediately.

What are you wearing this autumn?

Until next time,

Mia ♥