Lobster Love

Random thoughts:

1. My love for lobsters comes from Friends and Phoebe's theory on lobsters' love life. Now, I can't help seeing them as a symbol of true, endless love.
2. These pictures were taken during a vacation on l'ile de Batz, an island close to the north coast of Brittany that is absolutely beautiful. There are almost no cars and very few tourists so this place is a true haven for any nature lover / introvert / book worm. Fun fact about the island: bikes are a very convenient and popular way of visiting. Surprisingly, most people don't bother padlocking them when they go to the beach or the shops... They just leave them on the side of the road unprotected. Civility and respect rule!
3. This Wear Lemonade Maeva skirt is a twirly dream. It catches the wind beautifully and flows around you so gracefully... I already own I in another print and might sew myself a couple more. It's just perfection!

Back to School Wishlist

As much as I love summer, I can't help getting excited for autumn and back to school season. And even though I've validated all of my uni classes (MA thesis I'm coming for you!!!), I just got a job as a high school teacher, which means I will actually go back to school in a few weeks, except I'll be on the other side of the classroom. With that in mind, I can't stop daydreaming about one of my favorite thing in the world: clothes. Especially since back to school season is, in my mind, always associated with a new Autumn wardrobe addition, whether it's a bag, a pair of boots, or a coat, that adds to the "fresh start" feeling of this time of the year. And if Asos and H&M have been my go-to shopping destinations for summery clothes, I'm currently obsessed with these pieces from La Redoute. I feel that most of these items would be work appropriate (at least in a semi-formal environment) and comfortable, while at the same time allowing me to express myself style wise, which are my biggest concerns when dressing for work.

So here is a little selection of things I'm considering adding to my (work) closet for early Fall and later:

Broderie Anglaise Blouse: I'm totally obsessed with this trend and I can totally see this summery blouse transitioning really nicely into Fall with jeans, a leather jacket and sandals or loafers depending on the weather. Add a long, thick cardigan on top and you've got a cosy Winter outfit.

Cream Pineapple Skirt: How cool is this skirt? And what a cute way to incorporate a fun, playful element into a more formal/work appropriate outfit! I would wear it with a denim shirt, or a plaid shirt, with or without tights and with ankle or knee-high boots. So versatile!

Embellished Sweatshirt: I love embellishments of any kind and this short-sleeved sweatshirt would look super cute with black skinny jeans, trousers or even a midi skirt.

Off-white Lace Skirt: For years I swore by skater skirts, but lately I've been really into pencil skirts as they look more put together and can be very flattering, even on curvy women. I would wear this one with a denim shirt for Fall, or a thick grey jumper for Winter.

White Star Top: Another formal yet "fun" piece that could be worn with practically anything.

Sheer Polka Shirt: Button down are my go to on days when I teach and I'm really tempted to add this one to my collection as it is quite plain, but the dots add an interesting detail and texture.

Denim Shirt Dress: I feel like a denim dress is such a staple and a must-have. However, the ones I own are rather light and summery. This dark-wash one would be perfect all year round and the fact that it's a shirt dress make it work/office appropriate.

Flare Jeans: Every Fall I'm very tempted to get a pair and yet I never do. This year might be the year I start experimenting with jeans style. Who knows... 

Maxi Dress: Long dresses are something I associate with Summer and yet Fall collections regularly have beautiful maxi dresses that have a lovely 70s vibe. It might be time to buy one and dust off that wide-brimmed hat that's hanging on my bedroom wall... Maybe not for work though.

Ocre Lace Dress: I'm not sure ocre is the right word to describe it, but this dress screams Autumn and would suit its color scheme perfectly. I'm not sure how I would style it, but I guess I would go for a grey cardigan and a small, colorful "silk" scarf around the neck... And a nice berry lipstick... 

Leather Midi Skirt: I love wearing skirts, but I avoid short ones whenever I'm teaching, as I don't want to worry about an unexpected Marilyn moment in front or twenty teenagers. Midi ones are a lot "safer" on that front and look more formal. One of my high school teachers was a great fashion sense and I remember her sporting a leather midi skirt very similar to this one. Edgy and chic: it's on the to-try list!

(Everything from La Redoute)

Tropical Bronzers

Bronzers are something that I had never been interested about until very recently. I was always scared of looking orange or unusually tanned since I don't fake tan the rest of my body. But lately I started really enjoying that sun kissed glow that bronzers give. The pretty palm print packaging and embossing might or might not have something to do with my sudden obsession, but I felt the urge to add three products to my collection.

The By Terry Sun Designer palette in 3 Tropical Sunset is a thing of beauty, however it is not the most slap-and-dash bronzer of the bunch. The formula is nice and creamy, although a tad powdery. The issue I have with it is regarding the shade range. On the bronzer side of the palette, the only shade I would actually use as a bronzing powder is the top one, which not too warm and works well on my slightly tanned fair skin. The other two are very pink toned and work best as blushers. The actual blushers (on the left side) have a really nice formula and are long lasting, however the two shades are quite hard to wear on their own, so what I do is mix the two together or mix with the earthy tones on the right side. The highlighter is very warm and yellow so I can't use it on my cheeks, but it works as an eyeshadow and so do the three bronzing shades. Overall, it is a very versatile palette that you can use for the face and the eyes (which makes it quite travel-friendly), however I wish the blushers were a bit more wearable and the bronzers a bit less pink so that I could swirl my brush around and apply without worrying about picking the wrong shade. 

The Clarins Limited Edition Summer Bronzing and Blush Compact is just as beautiful. It is pigmented and not powdery at all. If I mix the two lightest parts I get the perfect shade for my skin tone and it's really nice to have a matching blush thrown into the mix. Definitely my favorite of the two high end ones.

This Kiko Baked Bronzer was part of their limited edition summer collection, but it looks like they're reissuing it (or at least a very similar product) in their fall collection so you can still get your hands on it. With its marbled look, it is very reminiscent of the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzers, which I've never tried, but have heard lots of people rave about. It looks really nice on the skin and even though it contains a bit a shimmer, it is not detectable on the skin. I also feel like you're getting a lot of product for a reasonable price, even more so since it is very pigmented and you don't need to use a lot, so it's a winner in my book!

Brush Tip Eyeliners

When it comes to makeup I enjoy change and variety so I don't really have a defined makeup routine with specific products I keep using. However, liquid liner is a step I almost never skip, whether I'm wearing a smoky eye or barely any makeup at all. I find that it suits my face and helps lift and define my eyes. Last Autumn I switched from using a felt tip eyeliner pen (The Stila Stay All Day liner, which I still do love and use) to the Tom Ford Eye Defining Pen which is a double ended liner with a brush on one side and a very thin felt tip on the other. This is not a cheap product and I probably won't repurchase it since I've found less expensive, but equally good alternatives, but it did totally convert me to brush tip liners. 

Unlike felt tip pens which can grip the lid, brush pens glide smoothly on the lid. It which take a bit of getting use to, but it makes application so much easier. Also, I find that when you apply liner over eyeshadows, felt tips tend to soak up the powder and dry faster, whereas the plastic bristles of brush liners don't. Proof is I've been using my Tom Ford liner regularly for 10 months and it's still performing well. As mentioned, at 70 francs, the Tom Ford liner is very pricey. 

There are however cheaper alternatives that are much more affordable, the first one being the infamous Kat Von D Tattoo liner. It is not available in Switzerland yet, but will be this Autumn, as the brand will be sold in the Swiss Sephoras. I don't know at how much it will retail, as Swiss prices tend to be dramatic increased, but it is currently 20 euros in French Sephoras, so much more affordable, for an equivalent quality. 

The other even cheaper option is the Nyx Epic Ink Liner, sold 12.90 from Manor. I haven't been using it for more than a month or two, so I can't vouch for its longevity, but precision, intensity and lasting-power wise it is a very good product. 

So here are my top three brush tip liners. Have you tried these? What is your favorite liner?

Thanks for reading. XX

City vs. Festival Look

City vs. Festival Look par catsandlipstick utilisant chaussures à plate-forme


I have a slight obsession with broderie anglaise at the moment. So here's two outfits around this adorable pair of short from H&M that I'm eyeing like crazy: a more boho/festival appropriate look and another, more casual one that would be great for a city break.

Hauts avec épaule dégagée
21 CHF - watereverysunday.com

Manteau à capuche
48 CHF - hm.com

Mini shorts
48 CHF - hm.com

Frye demi bottes noire
220 CHF - zappos.com

Sam Edelman chaussures à plate forme
140 CHF - shopbop.com

Forever Unique pochette
54 CHF - very.co.uk

Madewell leather handbag
58 CHF - madewell.com

Christian Dior jewelry
380 CHF - bloomingdales.com

Round sunglasses
285 CHF - stylebop.com

Manipuri silk scarve
57 CHF - intermixonline.com

Boho headband
6.03 CHF - claires.com

New Model Fuji Instax Mini 50s Piano White Fujifilm Instant Camera
67 CHF - amazon.com

My Favorite Sunscreens

As a fair skinned gal, I've learned (sometimes the hard way) to beware of the sun. Even if I suffer from the lack of daylight in Winter and seeing the sun come back lifts my mood like nothing else,  I remember to enjoy it moderately and with a good SPF. I avoid sunbathing, which is an activity I dislike anyway (how can people lie on the beach all day in the scorching sun?), I try to stay out of direct sunlight between noon and 4-5 PM and I put on sunscreen every single day. There are so many sunscreen brand and types available nowadays that it can sometimes be difficult to find one that perfectly suits your skin type and the activity you're planning to do outside. Here is a selection of my favorite sun protectors for the face and the body and to wear underneath makeup:

SPF for makeup days:

Even if I tend to wear less makeup in Summer because of the heat, I still do wear some occasionally and with my oily skin I hate the idea of layering products on my face. I often skip moisturizer in the morning (I usually find that loading up on moisturizer in the evening is enough) or use a very lightweight, mattifying one and use an SPF with a very thin texture. My two favorites are:

1. The Body Shop Skin Defense SPF 50
2. Benefit Dream Screen SPF 45

Both are very liquid and feel weightless on the skin. The Benefit one is a tad more mattifying and makes foundation application a bit easier. However, none of these is waterproof, so I never wear them if I know I'm going to do any sporty activity and only use them when I'm studying or working and spending very little time outside.

SPF for the face

If I am going to exercise outside (in which case I do not wear any makeup) or if I'm on a city break and I know I will be walking all day and wear makeup, I use the Avène Reflèxe Solaire SPF 50, which comes in a small packaging great for traveling and on-the-go applications. This one is waterproof so it will last through a run or a swim. It is mattifying, so great for oily skin and you can totally wear this underneath make up. Its only downside is that it does leave a bit of a white veil on the skin.

Another one that I like to wear when I can't be bothered to apply foundation, but still want a bit of coverage is the La Roche-Posay Anthelios Blur SPF 50. As the name suggests it is not only tinted, but also has a thick silicony texture (similar to the Benefit Professional but thicker) that smoothes out pores and unifies the skin. I love this one because of its 3-in-1 function (SPF, primer and light coverage), but it is quite dark so a light hand is necessary if you're pale.

SPF for the body (and face)

My main concern when it comes to sunscreen for the body is that it has to feel weightless on the skin and not feel sticky at all. Thank God SPFs have evolved since the 90s and there is now a ton of invisible, undetectable options available (Although the blue Nivea sunscreen was pretty cool. But is it still available?). However, most of them come in aerosols, with are not super ecofriendly and, I find, empty fairly quickly. This summer I discovered the La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL which is great because it sinks into the skin in a matter of seconds, leaves it nice and matte and smells amazing. You can use it on the face and body so you don't have to pack a separate SPF for your day trip at the beach (don't forget your parasol though ;-)

I feel like all these products will be repurchased when they're empty (some of them already have been), but I'm still on the hunt for a great translucent powder SPF so leave a comment below if you've got a recommandation for me.

Have a skin-safe but brilliant summer! :-)

An escape to the top of the world

Last month my boyfriend and I went on a little vacation in  the French Alps to visit his mother who leaves near Chamonix and the took this little trip as an opportunity to go up to l'Aiguille du Midi, a mountain peak culminating at 3842 meters, accessed by cable car, and offering a breathtaking view of the Mont-Blanc, but also the Aosta valley in Italy and the Swiss Alps.

Seeing the world from a different point of view was such a refreshing and resourcing experience and we got extremely lucky with the weather since there was not a single cloud in sight (even though the temperature up three was minus 12 degrees celcius). 

The only (other) animals that you can find up there are there fearless black birds called chough that seem to be totally oblivious of the void around them and of the altitude.

This day trip also gave me an excuse to sport a hand-made beanie (one of my obsession from the past Winter) one last time before its Spring and Summer exile in the back of my closet. This one is the Lucie beanie by Wool and the Gang in the color Pink Lemonade.