4 Apps I'm Loving at the Moment

Duolingo

One of my goals for the month of June is to learn a bit of Italian and I've found a great and convenient app to do that on the go. I've only been using Duolingo only for a week and I'm already hooked. It feels like playing a game, but you're actually learning vocabulary and familiarizing yourself with a new language. It might not make you a fluent speaker because the exercises are pretty repetitive and there are a lot of multiple choice answers, but it's a nice way to begin and it also allows you to refresh your knowledge of a language you haven't practiced in a long time (German in my case). It's also a way to turn your commutes into something productive. Instead of mindlessly scrolling through Twitter or Instagram, you get a fun brain workout (for free)!

Librivox

This app allows to listen to free recordings of literary works that are part of the public domain. It's basically like getting free audiobooks of literary classics. I'm currently reading Jane Eyre and I sometimes listen to a chapter or two on the bus, which means I can carry on with my reading without having to take the book with me. Also great for Shakespeare plays, which I find so much more enjoyable to listen to rather than to read on my own.

Moment

This app allows you to track how much time you spend on your phone each day. This makes it super useful if you feel like you daily screen time is getting out of hand and keeps you from being productive. It also gives you the number of hours you've slept, the number for times you've picked up your phone, as well as the percentage of your waking life you spend on your device. Theses features are free. However, there is a premium version that allows you to set a daily limit and to receive reminders throughout the day. It is a one-time fee of 4 francs and I find that getting a reminder every 15 minutes of screen time is so helpful to keep me mindful.

Headspace

This a paying app, but it is worth every penny! The subscription gives you access to hundreds of hours of guided meditation for every level and every aspect of your life. They also have great explanatory videos (with adorable animations) that makes the exercises more comprehensible. Meditation is something that I really want to turn into a daily habit because it is an "easy" way to take care of your mental health by being more aware of your thoughts and emotions, and by spending a few minutes a day truly alone with yourself. Mediation helps us not to be overwhelmed by thoughts and teaches us to consider feelings and emotions from a distance. 

Feline Wisdom

On Saturday, my boyfriend and I lost our beloved cat. She was very sick and it was time for her to go. She went peacefully, surrounded by love and gratitude. We now have to deal with the immense pain caused by her absence from our life. You might think we're crazy, but we're just sensitive beings who spent everyday of the last three years in the presence of a little companion. We discovered her personality, we received her affection, and life without her seems impossibly dull. 

I find it cathartic to look at (the thousands of) pictures we took of her (ok, maybe we are a little crazy, but that diminishes neither the love nor the pain). And looking back at those happy days brought three lessons to my mind that I've learn from my furry friend.

1) Never waste a ray of sunshine. (Whether you interpret it literally or figuratively is up to you.)

2) Rest is important 

3) If you want something, ask for it. If nobody gives it to you, get it yourself.

Patrick Starr x MAC: Me So Fleek collection

About a month ago, I treated myself to the gorgeous Me So Fleek collection that Patrick Starr created with MAC. The eyeshadow quad seemed quite unique and great for Summer. The lipstick looked just right: purple but leaning on berry tones to keep it wearable. The gloss looked fun and fresh. Not the mention the floral kaleidoscope packaging which is stunning and might end up is a frame on my wall.  The cheek product was probably the product that interested me the less because it seemed too dark, but the peachy side is actually nice if used with a light hand. 

I was really pleased with my purchase, the eyeshadows are very nice, even thought the bright pink  shade could be a bit more pigmented. The lip combo is fab, and so are the blushes.

I had fun creating a look with this collection. As it is sold out, I've tried to find dupes and alternatives, in case you didn't manage to snag the collection or if you just like one or two of the products.

Alternatives for the eyeshadow quad: 
-In living pink (rose gold): Makeup Geek Wildfire Duochrome Pigment or Huda Beauty Angelic in the Desert Dusk palette.
-All's rosy (mauve): Silk in Kat Von D's Metal Matte palette, Colour Pop Super Shock Shadow in Tang
-Hickie (pink): Gossip in the Urban Decay Full Spectrum palette
-In the shadows (navy blue): Nebula in Kat Von D's Metal Matte palette or Color Pop Super Shock Shadow in Luckfully

Dupes:
Lipstick: Pretty Vulgar Matte lipstick in Darling be Daring (according to Temptalia)
Gloss: Urban Decay Hi-fi Shine lipgloss in Big Bang

I did not dupe the cheek products, because I think peachy and mauve blushes are not that unique and pretty easy to find. However Temptalia mentions Nxy Pinched and Urban Decay Sesso as alternatives.

The Best Powders for Oily Skin

If, like me, you're an oily skin girl, you might be dreading the arrival of Summer and higher temperatures as it is often a synonym of (very) shiny skin. Did you know that oily skin is actually far from being a curse and that it has several benefits? I heard that oily skin ages slower and it is much easier to manage make up wise because you're taking away extra "moisture" rather than adding it to a dry skin, which seems trickier to do. I personally can't really be bothered to touch up my face make up throughout the day, so I've found heavy duty setting powders that keep me matte for as long as possible and then I embrace the mid afternoon shine glow (It's all about perspective!). Keep in mind that I have very oily skin and that if these products can keep me matte for 6 hours, they might last all-day on you. 

My ultimate favorite setting powder is undoubtedly the It Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores Powder. It controls shine perfectly and never looks cakey! It is unfortunately not available in Swiss stores and can only be ordered from Beautylish (if you're ready to pay 20 francs for shipping or if you place an order of 100 francs or more).

A good alternative is the Make Up For Ever HD Powder*, which is very similar and easily accessible in Switzerland. 

A most recent (hence the absence of visible pan) discovery is the Nyx HD Finishing Powder. It is a lot more affordable and works well, apart from the fact that it can cake a bit if you put too much on. 

What is your must have powder? 

*affiliate link

June Goals

As the half point of 2018 is slowly approaching, here is another round of goals that I'm hoping to reach this month:

• Learn a bit of Italian. Both my grandmothers are italophones and I'm ashamed to say that I can't speak a word of Italian (although I understand it quite well). I have a trip planned to visit family in Ticino this Summer and I would love to be able to say a few sentences by then. Now to find the best app to learn Italian... 

• Write a short story. I didn't write much in May, but I have found some amazing ressources for writers (storyaday.com and diymfa.com), so I have no excuses not to get started on a writing project.

• Write guest posts. I have seen several calls for guest blogging on Twitter lately and I've expressed my interest for several of them. I'm already working on an post for bloggerclan.com and I'm going to write articles for a website on Geneva. 

• Keep working on my morning routine. I haven't managed to build a consistent morning routine last month and I think it's because I need to find something shorter that Hal Elrod's s.a.v.e.r.s. I'm thinking affirmation and goal setting, as well as a bit of reading (maybe a bit of journaling if I feel like it). I find it a lot more convenient to keep mediation and exercise for later in the day. I'm also thinking about including a bit of tidying up, because it really puts me in a "get shit done" mood :)

• Enjoy the Football World Cup. As a teenager I was really into football and although I've lost interest I still love the festive atmosphere of this event. So watching games with friends and drinking homemade frosé (this is a killer recipe by the way) is on the to-do list.

• Use my clutches. I am a big fan of Studio DIY and I've been a member of their clutch subscription service for a year now, which means I have a ton of crazy cute clutches in my closet and they clearly don't get enough use. 

I'd love to know your goals for June. Leave a comment down below and tell me all about it! If you've written a blog post about it, feel free to leave a link.