Bourjois Rouge Velvet: review and swatches

When it comes to drugstore matte lipsticks, Bourjois is my go-to. I've been a fan of the Rouge Edition Velvet for years and when I saw that they were expanding their velvet range I was thrilled. The Rouge Velvet are supposed to be a hybrid between a liquid lipstick and a regular creamy one. It might seem too good to be true, but I feel like you actually get the best of both worlds: easy application, easy touch ups and lasting power. I personally never got along with most liquid lipsticks because doe foot applicators can be tricky to use (especially with darker colors) and a lot of them are drying, not to mention those that get really cakey when you layer them, making touch ups impossible. The Rouge Velvet lipsticks  feel like a balm when you apply them and then they set within a few seconds. The tear-shaped bullet makes it really easy to apply, even with dark shades. Comfort-wise they can be a bit drying but nothing that a thin layer of lip balm can't fix. Flaming'rose is my go to shade for an everyday look, but I also wear Hip hip pink a lot for a bolder but still wearable look.

One Minute Bliss: Do it badly!

One Minute Bliss is a blog post series where every Monday I share one small thing that brings me joy. You can find the other posts here.

It recently struck me how often I keep myself from doing something because I think I won't be able to do it well. This omnipresence of perfection in our minds can have such a negative and restrictive impact. 

-I have to write the perfect cover letter. 

-I have to do a super intense workout or it's not worth it. 

-I can't send a draft of my essay/thesis to my teacher because it is not perfectly written. 

-I shouldn't hire a photographer to shoot my outfits because my audience isn't big enough, because I'm not a talented blogger, and so on.

-I want to start an online shop, but nobody will buy anything.

Having these thoughts on repeat means that for fear of not being perfect, you end up doing nothing. 

Since then I've been telling myself that I'm allowed to do it badly, as long as I do it and it's a rather liberating thought. It's ok to write a crappy short story. That's how you learn how to write. It's ok to do an easy workout. It's still a workout and it's better than nothing. It's ok to write a pathetic cover letter, you can rewrite it as many times as you want before you send it. 

I didn't know how to illustrate this article, but since I'm really into Friends as the moment I thought about Phoebe and I think she's a great example of this philosophy. So be like Phoebe Buffay! Write songs and play guitar even if you suck. Perfection is boring anyway!

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Color Stories

I am a color lover. You'll never find me in an all-black outfit and if I do wear black because I'm in too much of a hurry to think about my outfit, I won't feel like myself. Nonetheless, Winter makes me gravitate toward darker, richer tones like green, burgundy and navy, or toward muted shades of pink. Spring has reignited my love for bright colors and this Topshop coat is the perfect transitional jacket because it's still warm but pairs perfectly with light dresses and pink accessories.
Fun fact: I had a goth period when I was twelve during which I wanted to wear nothing but black, except that I didn't have a lot of black clothes so I was rotating between two t-shirts, a skirt and a cardigan. Fortunately I quickly moved on to my hippie phase, which was a lot more colorful. I had a friend who was always wearing flowers in her hair. I thought it was the coolest thing ever. This might explain my ever-going obsession with flower crowns. Regarding pink, as a child, it was all I could think about (Barbie's fault!). Apparently I loved it so much that I got fed up and did not wear that color all through my teenage years. And now the craze is back and I can't get enough of this soft and feminine tone. Maybe our current tastes are nothing but a combination of our past fads...

Headband: Asos
Coat: Topshop
Dress: Mango
Boots: Bronx
Bag: Michael Kors

Pictures by Romain Keller

One Minute Bliss: Like Hobbits in the Shire

One Minute Bliss is a blog post series where every Monday I share one small thing that brings me joy. You can find the other posts here.

I am obsessed with the Lord of the Rings. The news about the upcoming Amazon series made me want to dive back into the story. The movies have been favorites of mine for years, and I recently finished reading the first volume, which is a task that took me almost 15 years to complete after giving it up and starting again a few times. I blame it on Peter Jackson because he is a freaking genius and his filmic adaptations were beyond perfect! What made me fall in love with the movies is Jackson's interpretation of Middle Earth, as well as the music. Howard Shore created an extremely immersive soundtrack and I find myself listening to it on repeat (Bonus tip: It's great for long car rides.). One song that makes me particularly happy is the theme of the Shire. It evokes spring, bare feet on a luscious grass, walks in the woods and story telling by the fire. It is the perfect musical representation of a contented heart, with a hint of longing for something left behind.

Listen to it here.

One Minute Bliss: Birds of a Feather

One Minute Bliss is a blog post series where every Monday I share one small thing that brings me joy. You can find the other posts here.

My eyes by Travis is one of my favorite songs. I discovered it during my teenage years and I keep coming back to it. It's timeless and blissful. It contains the idiom "birds of a feather", which is such a lovely image. And it celebrates life changing moments. 

5 things I loved about Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

After seeing everywhere on social media I finally bought and read Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman. It is honestly one of the best book I've read in years and it resonated with me in many different ways. Here are 5 things I loved about it.

1) It adresses depression in a sensitive and educated way. I think it's great to see a work of fiction describing what depression can feel like in a realistic way and how it can be treated. Literature is a powerful educational tool and Eleanor Oliphant seems like the perfect text to open up a dialogue.

2) It describes loneliness and its downward spiral. The less you see and connect with people, the less you want social interactions. The book also reminds us that it's possible to feel alone in a crowd because small talk can be very mechanical and meaningless. However, finding kindred spirits with whom one can relate and have authentic, valuable exchanges is the way to go.

3) It celebrates solidarity and the power of human interactions. Eleanor and Raymond are such a cute pair and it was really moving to see them discover each other. Raymond's unconditional support of Eleanor reveals how important it is to be able to rely on someone when dark times come around. Human beings are not meant to live solitary lives.

4) It highlights the necessity not to judge people too quickly and to look beyond appearances. You never know what lies beyond the façade of a so-called freak. Eleanor is a lovely person, but people seem to stop at her unfashionable clothes and her overly good manners. I loved how Raymond acts without any prejudices and just treats Eleanor like he would treat anybody else.

5) It tells of the importance to deal with traumas and take care of our mental health. We are all dealing with our own bad experiences or tragedies. Off course, Eleanor's life path isn't ordinary at all and quite extreme. Nonetheless, many people have or have had to face a complicated relationship with a parent or a friend, an abusive or violent partner, a divorce, the loss of a loved one... These events shape who we are and can often affect our behavior and personality, not to mention our mental health. It is thus importance to acknowledge them and make sure they do not become a burden. 

I like to think of Eleanor as a new type of heroine. She isn't "cool", she's socially awkward, depressed and some might even call her uptight or say she has a drinking problem. But she's moving and funny. She seems like a real person with flaws, wounds and a story. I wish more novels revolved around introverted characters who have trouble opening up, and shed a positive light on them.

April goals

The first quarter of 2018 is already behind us and, being unsurprisingly disappointed with my productivity levels, I've decided to share a monthly list of goals on my blog to keep myself accountable (If you're a fellow Gretchen Rubin fan: You guessed it! I'm an obliger!). 

Find a job: My most urgent task is to find a job. I recently got my master degree and my latest work contract ended just before easter. I'm now on the hunt for a job that will pay the bills, but also allow me to thrive and evolve as an individual. I've been reading and listening to Chris Guillebeau's books and podcast and I want to start a side hustle and try to diversify my sources of income. I think the way I envision work is very millennial and I'm fine with that. 

Blog, blog, blog: The 100 Day Project starts today and I'm motivated to keep going until the end. I attempted it last year but stopped after thirty days. This year I'm not giving up and I'm committing to blog everyday. So I'll either be writing posts, taking pictures, editing them or post on social media. My hashtag will be #a100daysofblogging if you want to take a look.

Workout schedule + healthy eating: My last goal is health related. Last fall, before the thesis writing madness got in full swing, I had managed to find my balance between regular workouts and healthy-ish eating and I felt great. A nerve-wracking final semester at uni and everything went out of the window. I am now determined to work my way out of the bad habits I've built and go back to exercising three times a week. I'm also really tempted by the Whole30 program, but knowing myself, I'm wondering if slowly eliminating certain things from my diet might not be more beneficial on the long run, rather than a sudden radical change. What I know a for sure is that I'm committing to making healthier choices and taking care of myself.