For the first time in my live I got my nails professionally done. I like painting my nails occasionally, but I just do it at home. I don't even own a nail file. And honestly, I clip my nails when I think they're too long -- and yes, I can feel you all cringe when I say I clip my nails with a nail clipper. Usually I like them short. I mean, SHOT. So yeah, this is new for me. I got a manicure and gel nail polish. Paid for it. With my own money! I think this is another step of my recovery process. I don't know. I don't care.

I've been going to this place. It was recommended to me by some girls that I know. Honestly I have no idea what to look for on a  nail salon. The girls that I know that go there, they said it was good and clean. I tried it out and I liked it and I eventually went back. The first time I did red nails -- it was closer to Christmas. This time I choose this nude-ish pink. I think it looks really elegant, don't you?

Review | MAYBELLINE Vivid Matte Liquid Lipstick

Usually I’m not to into very bold lipsticks. As you’ve probably now already, I rather wear a more nude, natural lip. And I usually go for lip colors close to my natural lip color. But the other day I was at the drugstore, and I saw that this MAYBELLINE VIVID MATTE LIQUID lipstick were on sale, and I decided to pick one up. Let me tell you something – all the colors they have are super bright and astonishingly beautiful. And while I was trying to figure out which one would be more wearable for me, I came across this particular shade. It instantly reminded me of a liquid lipstick that my mom had and used to wear all the time in the 90’s. I don’t remember what brand it was or where she got it. But I do remember that this lipstick was in a little pastel-green small round pot with a transparent plastic lid, and that it came it a tiny matching lip brush – that I’m pretty sure my mom still has. I liked that lipstick so much that I used to try out all the time. It sounds crazy but I still remember the smell and the taste of the product! 

One thing I have to admit, my mom has really good taste in make up: This shade looks amazingly well against my skin tone, and it really looks super good my lips. Since I got it, I’ve been living in it. It’s dark enough to be a winter lipstick, but not too dark that makes me feel like I am a goth. The shade is very 90’s grunge and I absolutely love it. Makes me feel sexy, badass and extremely confidante.

This is shade 45 Possessed Plum, and it’s a deep, dark burgundy shade. The product, per se, is much like any other traditional liquid lipstick. It goes on smoothly, it’s not super opaque, which for me is a good thing -- It means it’s buildable!

I can swipe it on really quickly just to lightly tint my lips, or I can do a more precise, careful application and have a more intense, bold lip. The applicator is nice. It’s tapered enough to allow somewhat of a precise application. It is pretty mate -- as the name suggests -- and it does look very velvety. It’s not sticky at all -- you know I HATE sticky lipsticks! -- but it’s not like those long wearing lipsticks that I’ve gotten used to. This one never really dries, it transfers to everything, and it wears off after a couple of hours. It’s a traditional lipstick. Other than that, it’s an amazing product and I’m actually dying to try other shades.

Flormar Haul

One of these days, after work, I went for a walk at a small shopping mall right in the center of Lisbon – Campo Pequeno Shopping Mall. I like to go there. It’s under the gorgeous Lisbon’s Bull Fighting Arena, and it is really a super small shopping place. But, it has really good stores! And it happens to have a Flormar store. I've walk through it so many times and I had never even got inside. But on that particular day, I was walking around and I remembered that I’ve thinking about buying a Gel Eyeliner, and so I went inside. There was this super nice boy that immateriality came to help me. Frankly, I like to be on my own, and just walk around, do a bunch of swatches, and only ask for help if I need it. But you know, I told him what I was looking for. And he pointed me out immediately to the display. I asked him a couple of questions, like if the product was good, easy to apply, and he end up showing me some other products. Since I was in the need of a new foundation, I asked him what would he recommend. I had never tried anything from Flormar before, but I’m always reading great things about it and I thought that since I was already in there I might just give it a shot.

--

Smooth Touch Foundation, shade 7 Golden Neutral 

Invisible Loose Powder, Silver Sand

Gel Eyeliner, Gel Black

Trio Contour Palette

Mascara Spider Lash

--

I told the guy what I like in a foundation – natural looking, medium coverage, oil free, easy to blend. The guy garbed a bottle and told me to sit in the make up chair to color match me. We tested out two shades, and we settled for the lighter one. He said, since I was already there, that we would do the rest of my make up. Cool right? So, I sat down, he applied the foundation on my face, while giving me some general tips on how to do it – nothing that I didn’t knew already. He applied foundation, then loose powder, and because I was unsure about the shade --  and just looking way too pale, he applied some blush, some contouring and some highlight. I liked the result. It’s pretty similar to what I often do on my own. But I ended up buying pretty much what he used. I went there to buy a cheap black gel eyeliner, and I left with a bag full of products that I’m excited to try out. He even throw in a mascara. 

Well done Flormar, you are hiring good professionals!

 -- Oh, and Flormar, feel free to invite me to one of those cool PR events I've seen you trowing! I would love to go!  --

What I got for Christmas | 2017

When you grow up, people stop giving you real gifts for Christmas. Ether you get clothes -- and usually not really cool clothes, just pajamas or socks or a boring scarf -- or something for the house.

This year, my parents got me something for the house. Oh, but I got something really cool! I got an Arch de Triomph LEGO set to mount and display on my living room! You guys know I like LEGO and that I collect LEGO figures... You have no idea how happy I felt when I held the still rapped gift and it made that distinctive sound of the LEGO pieces shaking around in the box. I felt like a freaking kid,  super excited, and when I saw what it was I was stoked. I love Paris and this is one of my favorite spots in the city! I love how majestic it looks and how meaningful it is. If you've been there you know what I mean.

They also got me a GlamGlow GravityMud Face Mask. It’s the silvery peel off one that you’ve probably seen all youtubers doing. My mom knows I really like it and that I've been using it for months now. It works really well.  I also got some cash and of course, that one thing that I always receive, every single damn year --  A box of Ferrero Rocher. You can't go wrong with Nutella filed pieces of heaven, right?

| 2016 | 2015 |