I wasn’t too much into the trend at first to be honest. It just seemed like just another regular overpriced item with a huge Chanel logo on top. And I’m not fan of big obvious logo’s. Does anyone remember those Chanel cotton pads? Ugh!

It was a different story with the espadrilles though. Chanel has managed to transform this holiday classic, taking it from beach to fashion essential; making it the lust object of the season.  The  more I saw them the more they grew on me and now they’re stuck in my head screaming “buy us!!” I’m already justifying this possible future purchase with the fact that you can wear these with practically everything.

Hey Karl, can I get some free sunshine with that?

Pics via Pinterest, Sincerely Jules, The Fancy, Damsel in Dior and Lovely by Lucy.

What do you think? Yay or nay?

I used to sport a whole lot of dark blue mascara back in my high school days, so it wasn’t too hard for me to jump back on the bandwagon. If only finding a blue mascara was that easy.. the only one I could find last year (yes I went on my own blue mascara quest the next day) that came close to the one I was looking for was this budget beauty from 2B.

The 2B mascara in Mega China Blue makes my lashes nice and thick, plus they add a little length as well. If you want them to be extra blue, first paint downwards (so the upper half is also covered) and then continue painting the lashes like you’d normally do. You can correct any mistakes with a q-tip soaked in make-up remover afterwards. The only thing I’m missing here is a nice curl, so an eyelash curler is more of a necessity here. Other than that I’m a happy camper that has been sporting this one at least once a week since last Fall. What can I say? I luvz it!

2B Mega China Blue mascara € 4,95 (available at Kruidvat).

FYI: also wearing Kiehls BB Cream (Light), Dior Extreme Fix translucent powder,
Dior blush and Guerlain Gloss D’enfer in Candy Strip.

For those of you who’d like to give it a try (please do! It’s awesome and anyone can wear it!) many brands have now released their versions of the blue mascara.

Chanel Inimitable € 30,50 — DiorShow Mascara Professionnel € 28,50 — YSL Volume Effet Faux
Cils Waterproof € 29,90 — Rimmel Extra Super Lash € 9,99 — Yves Rocher (Retropical) € 7,90

So blue mascara, what do you think: Yay or nay?

Instead of creating something completely new they decided to take the basics as a starting point. The result is a collection filled with your favorite Lancôme star products in a new whimsical limited edition Alber Elbaz packaging.

The collection includes 4 mascaras: Hypnôse Drama, a separating and volumizing formula with a convex brush; Hypnôse Star, a red-carpet ready mascara that creates ultra-defined lashes; Hypnôse Doll Lashes, a “doll lash” mascara that makes eyes appear wider and brighter; and Définicils, Lancome’s best-selling mascara features a lash-coating polymer formula and a grooved bristle brush for maximum precision. The collection is all about the eyes; apart from the mascaras it also includes 3 mono eye shadows, 3 palettes and a pair of false lashes.

Hypnôse Drama SHOW, Hypnôse Star SHOW, Hypnôse SHOW
and Hypnôse Doll Eyes SHOW mascara — € 33

Hypnôse Star Eyes SHOW, Hypnôse Drama Eyes SHOW and Hypnôse Doll Eyes SHOW — € 29

Hypnôse Drama SHOW, Hypnôse Doll Eyes SHOW, Hypnôse Star SHOW Palettes — € 58
Hypnôse Falsies SHOW — € 40

Gorgeous no? It’s quite pricey, but that didn’t stop me from putting the Drama SHOW palette on my wishlist and I might add the Hypnôse Star mascara in there as well. Planning on getting something yourself? Then mark your agenda:

The Lancôme x Alber Elbaz Hypnôse SHOW collection will be available as of June 15th.

Today’s the day I’ve been anticipating for months. My all-time favorite R&B singer is in town for her Mrs Carter Show World Tour and I’m going to celebrate it together with my best friends. For me, Beyoncé brings out a feeling of nostalgia (I practically grew up listening to Destiny’s Child) combined with empowerment, inspiration and admiration. She’s one of the best singers out there, she’s drop dead gorgeous and a strong self-empowered woman. She usually doesn’t show that much of her private life, so when I saw her documentary a couple of months ago I was in awe! For those who haven’t seen it yet; I strongly recommend you to watch it (I posted a video down below).

My outfit for the evening? A fancy Queen B pop-art tee and some colorful Pepsi nails. Am I fangirling or what? With her angel voice, interesting outfit choices (hello nipple bodysuit) and catchy choreography it’s bound to be the perfect girls night out.

How to create the Pepsi nails:

1) Paint your nails white
2) When completely dry, take a little bit of blue nail polish on your brush and draw a wave (starting from the bottom left and ending almost at the upper right of the nail). Then color the lower part blue by making strokes downwards.
3) When completely dry, take a little bit of red nail polish on your brush and draw another wave (this time starting from the middle and working your way upwards to the upper right of the nail). Then color the upper part red by making strokes upwards.
4) Use a q-tip with nail polish remover to correct any mistakes on the surrounding skin.

Watch Bee’s documentary ‘Life is But a Dream‘ here:

Now all together: ‘Who Run The World’?

Update: The concert has been cancelled for tonight. Beyoncé is apparently suffering from exhaustion and dehydration. There’s no news on a new date at this moment. Of course I’m disappointed, but health comes first. Get well soon, B!

Hey guys, I apologize for the lack of blog posts lately. I’ve been juggling with work schedules and there were so many things happening I didn’t even have the time to sit down and blog about them. Follow me on Instagram if you want to stay updated on what’s happening behind the scenes.

The people who are already following me probably know what I did last week, but let me recap for a second. Last December I went to volunteer as a bartender at a end-of-the-year party at my family’s firm. As an extra, they decided to do a prize raffle among the employees. One of the prizes was a helicopter flight, which I won! I must’ve done something right during that month because I never win anything! Anyway, last weekend it was time to cash in.

I’ve embarked on a helicopter flight before when I was only 12, but since I don’t remember that much about it, it felt as if it was my first time all over again. That said, we couldn’t have picked a better date to refresh my memory. The sun was shining and the temperature was above 20° for once.. For 30 minutes we were kings/queens of the sky, looking down upon those little creatures that were going through their everyday lives. Incredible. The irony of it all is that I’m actually afraid of heights. But that won’t stop me from challenging myself and facing my fears.

Next thing to tick off of my bucket list: skydiving. Sounds like a good plan for next year Has anyone gone on a heli flight before? Or what about skydiving, a parachute or bungee jump or perhaps a hot air balloon ride?

In case you’d like to give it a go yourself, go here for more info.

Dutch/NL:

Question: Vinden jullie het handig dat ik mijn posts ook in het Nederlands vertaal (zie voorgaande posts) of is dat overbodig?

Makeup & MK fanatics, grab a napkin to wipe off any potential drool before you read on, I wouldn’t want to be held responsible of any defected laptops or desktop keyboards! Michael Kors is extending his designs to your makeup range. This isn’t his first foray into beauty. Back in 2010 there was already that Hollywood-inspired collaboration with Estée Lauder. Starting in August, the designer is rolling out his own line of color cosmetics, body  and suncare.

The collection will embody 3 distinct lines – Sporty, Sexy and Glam, with each  a fragrance, 2 lip lacquers, 2 glosses and 2 nail polishes to suit each look. Sporty is a palette of nude taupes; Sexy includes bold reds, while Glam is brought to life through deep plums and violets. There will also be three bronzers, self tanners, shimmer body oil and after sun (among other products), because the Michael Kors woman is always sun-kissed.

“I think those three things–sexy, sporty and glam–have always been the DNA of Michael Kors, and in a strange way, the Michael Kors woman really is all three of those things–it’s just that she feels more strongly about one of them at certain given times,” Kors told the trade.

What you won’t find at MK  however are the basics like mascara or foundation. The collections are all about creating a look, not stocking up your make-up bag with basics. “I wanted to do the essentials–the things you absolutely have to have to represent that mood,” Kors said.

The products will be exclusively available in Macy’s in the US and at Michael Kors
stores worldwide. Prices will vary from $18 – $95.
What do you think about the collection?

//Dutch/NL:

Make-upfanaten opgelet: we krijgen er weldra nog een merk bij. Michael Kors is namelijk de volgende designer op rij om een eigen make-up, body & suncare te lanceren. Hij werkte al eerder samen met Estée Lauder, maar deze keer doet hij het volledig zelf.. en hoe!

De collectie zal uit 3 lijnen bestaan – Sporty, Sexy & Glam, met elk een geur, 2 lipsticks, 2 glossjes en 2 nagellakken die aansluiten bij elke look. Sporty is een palet van nude taupes; Sexy bevat gedurfde roodtinten en Glam komt tot leven in de vorm van violet en pruimtinten. Bij de collectie horen o.a. ook 3 bronzers, zelfbruiners, een lichaamsolie met glitters en aftersun. Wat je er evenwel niet zult vinden, zijn de basics als mascara en foundation. Het uitgangspunt van Kors is namelijk om een bepaalde look te creëren ipv basisproducten te leveren.

De producten zullen vanaf augustus gedurende 1 jaar exclusief te verkrijgen zijn bij Macy’s in de US en wereldwijd in de Michael Kors winkels.

Wat vind jij van de collectie?

]]> http://www.style-laboratory.net/2013/05/beauty-michael-kors-to-launch-make-up-range/feed/ 4 http://www.style-laboratory.net/2013/04/spotlight-nanushka/ http://www.style-laboratory.net/2013/04/spotlight-nanushka/#comments Sun, 28 Apr 2013 23:00:50 +0000 Sté http://www.style-laboratory.net/?p=8966 Continue reading →]]>

If you would’ve asked me for my favorite Hungarian designer, I wouldn’t have been able to answer. I haven’t had the honor to visit the country and I do not know a whole lot about it, let alone about its fashion. That might change soon thanks to this wonderful recent discovery. 

Nanushka is the childhood nickname of head designer Sandra Sandor. After she graduated from the London College of Fashion she returned to her hometown to establish her own label. Nanushka is a brand for the modern urban nomad, for those who are on the move but always at home. With the active lifestyle of this woman in mind, Nanushka’s designs focus on enduring silhouettes, comfort and functionality combined with a playful attitude rather than fashion trends. How refreshing!

In 2011, Nanushka opened its first flagship store in downtown Budapest. Worth a visit if you’re in the area, because the store’s design is unlike any traditional retail environment.

For SS13 Nanushka brings us a wide range of cool mix and match pieces with sometimes kitchy and eccentric details in an earthy palette, all together creating a comfortable chic aesthetic with an unmistakeable boho vibe. I’ll be keeping a close eye on this one!

www.nanushka.hu

For now you can find Nanushka at Jade in Hasselt, but next season you’ll also be able to find the brand at Smets (Brussels), Renaissance and Baby Beluga (Antwerp). Can’t wait that long?  Shop the collection online via Shopbop or the Nanushka website.

//Dutch/NL:

Als je me naar mijn favoriete Hongaarse ontwerper had gevraagd, dan had ik je dat antwoord schuldig moeten blijven. Ik ben nog nooit in Hongarije geweest en ik moet eerlijk toegeven dat ik er ook weinig over weet, laat staan over hoe het er zit met de mode-industrie. Daar zou nu wel eens verandering in kunnen komen dankzij deze wondermooie recente ontdekking.

Nanushka is het bijnaampje uit de kindertijd van hoofddesigner en grondlegger Sandra Sandor. Nadat ze afstudeerde aan het prestigieuze London College of Fashion keerde ze terug naar haar geboortestad om haar eigen label op te richten. Nanushka is een merk voor de modern urban nomad, voor diegenen die constant bewegen maar toch altijd thuis zijn. Met de actieve levensstijl van deze vrouw in het achterhoofd focussen Nanushka’s designs op blijvende silhouetten, comfort en functionaliteit gecombineerd met een speelse attitude in plaats van modetrends.

In 2011 opende het jonge label zijn eerste flagship store in het centrum van Boedapest. Zeker een bezoekje waard als je in de buurt bent want het design van de winkel is anders dan de traditionele retailwinkels en wordt dan ook op vele blogs geprezen.

Voor SS13 brengt Nanushka ons een wijd gamma aan coole mix & match stukken met soms ietwat kitscherige en excentrieke details in een aards palet, wat samen een comfortable chic esthetiek creëert met een onmiskenbare boho vibe. Zeker eentje om in het oog te houden dus.

Voorlopig kun je Nanuska enkel bij Jade in Hasselt vinden, maar vanaf volgend seizoen is de collectie ook te koop bij Smets (Bxl), Renaissance en Baby Beluga (Antwerpen). Kun je zo lang niet wachten? Check dan zeker even Shopbop of de Nanushka website want ook daar kun je terecht voor je Nanushka fix!

Perhaps you’ve already spotted them on the runways, in the magazines (ex. W Korea), in the movies (seen The Hunger Games yet?) or even in the streets. Pastel pretties are everywhere. And we’re not talking about clothes here. What started out as an ombre experiment has now evolved to a full blown pastel hair look in every shade possible and I’m lovin’ it!

I’ve been secretly wanting to get a pastel did for years but life kind of got in the way. Dyeing your hair in school was forbidden and employers aren’t exactly keen on hiring people that look like they came straight out of a Final Fantasy game. Ironically enough, that’s exactly where my love for these funny-looking colourful hairdo’s started, together with the manga stories I read when I was still in my teens and the pink pig tails of Baby Spice. It seemed so unreal at the time, but look where we are now. Times a’changin’.

Want to sport the pastel look yourself, then know this: pastel pink‘s the most common look of them all, but if you really want to be on trend: lilac is your answer.. or at least for now. Recently yet another shade has been catching up on the popularity polls; according to Fashionista.com, apricot/peach is the next big thing.

So, what do you think about this trend?
Would you wear it and what shade would you pick? Lilac, apricot, pink or mint/blue?

Pictures via Pinterest. For credits, contact me.

//Dutch/NL:

Misschien heb je ze wel al gespot op de catwalks, in magazines (vb. Vogue, W Korea), in films (The Hunger Games al gezien?) of zelfs al op straat. Pastelmeisjes duiken overal op. En nee, we hebben het hier dus niet over kleding.  Wat eens begon als een ombre experimentje is nu uitgegroeid tot een volwaardige pastel coupe trend in alle mogelijke kleuren en ik ben helemaal fan!

Stiekem wil ik al jaaaaren een pastel kopje maar om verschillende redenen is het er eigenlijk nooit van gekomen. Je haar kleuren mocht bij ons op school niet en werkgevers staan nu ook niet meteen te springen om iemand aan te nemen met een coupe à la Final Fantasy. Vreemd genoeg is mijn liefde voor deze gekke pastel kapsels hier net door ontstaan, samen met de manga die ik als tiener las en dan zijn er nog de roze staartjes van Baby Spice, aka mijn idool uit de jaren ’90. Toen leek het idee alleen al zo irreëel, maar kijk de tijden veranderen..

Krijg je ook zin om je een pastel look aan te meten, weet dan dit: roze is de meest populaire kleur, maar als je echt mee wil zijn met de laatste trends kies je beter voor lila.. of voorlopig toch want volgens Fashionista.com staat er alweer een andere kleur klaar om de wereld te veroveren; abricot/perzik. Genoeg keuze dus.

Wat vind jij van deze trend? Is het iets wat jij zou doen en voor welke kleur zou je dan gaan?

I’m sorry I’ve been on outfit hiatus for so long. Now that Spring has finally come, I thought it was about time to say goodbye to the winter blues and get back to business! To be honest, I’ve been feeling a bit out of place lately which isn’t really the ideal state of mind to be in if you’re posting pictures of yourself online. Luckily the sun came back right on time to give what I needed: a good old kick in the butt to jumpstart the new and improved version of myself. On the personal to-do list: get rid of that nasty sugar addiction (trust me, it’s bad) and work out! Maybe I should get a new haircut while I’m at it?

For today’s look I finally get to show you the Isabel Marant-inspired fringe cardigan from River Island I bought last year. Like the many other fancy pieces from my closet, this is one tough cookie to match with my other items so I haven’t worn it all that much. Since it was Earth Day, I thought it’d be cool to pair this native american piece with another nature caretakers item; the checkered woodman shirt.

Fringe cardigan+ messenger bag: River Island –Skinny jeans + golden rings: H&M
Checkered shirt: Denim & Supply by Ralph Lauren – Wayfarer sunglasses: Rayban
Tanktop: Massimo Dutti — Watch: Michael Kors – Wedge sneakers: Topshop

This Spring it’s all about romance in the form of cute cotton candy pink and peachy shades which create the fairytale-like look as seen above. Pretty no?

Here’s what you need to recreate it:

Super Soft Duo Blush 02 Rose (9 g) € 26 — Ultra Moist Lip Colour 31 Iced Melon & 32 Iced Berry (4 ml) € 22 — Mineral Powder Foundatino 01 Light & 02 Medium (20 g) € 20 — Silky Eye Shadow Stick 01 ça va, 02 C’est Bon & 03 voilà (2 g) € 9,5 — Line Correcting Pencil 2 in 1 crème (1 g) € 12 — Ultra Performance Nail Colour 33 St. Tropez & 34 Oh Là Là (6 ml) € 11

I’m really fond of the ‘Floral Beauty‘ look as well as the collection and I think it’ll look great on pale skin. Babor’s PR was kind enough to send me the Silky Eye Shadow Stick 03 Voilà, a gorgeous light taupe shade with a bronze metallic finish. I’m a big sucker for shades like these as they look really natural and give the eyes a nice touch of light thanks to the shimmers.

The creamy texture is nicely pigmented and easy to blend and build up, but you do need to use an eye primer underneath to prevent heavy creasing. Even with eye primer (I used Urban Decay’s Primer Potion) the product starts to crease a bit after a couple of hours of wear thanks to my oily eye lids, but nothing major so it doesn’t really bother me. You can always add a bit of powder on top to make it stay put. Another downside for me is perhaps that its in the shape of a pencil. Sharpening eye pencils always ends up with me making a big mess, so maybe a stick where you have to twist to make the product come out would’ve been more useful.

But overall I really enjoy using this product and I have been using it almost everyday. It’s easy to apply (especially when you’re in a hurry) and it looks great so you won’t hear me complaining.

//Dutch/NL:

Het is ein-de-lijk écht lente en dat zullen we geweten hebben! Zeg maar hallo tegen de warme zonnestralen, vrolijke pastelkleurtjes en mooie bloemenvelden; allemaal elementen die Babor verwerkt heeft in de nieuwe lentecollectie. Deze lente draait het allemaal om romantiek in de vorm van suikerspin-roze en lieve perzikkleurtjes, zoals je kunt zien in de sprookjesachtige campagnebeeld. Ik vind de look echt geweldig mooi en denk vooral dat bleke huidjes hier wel wat aan zullen hebben.

Ik kreeg de Silky Eye Shadow Stick in de kleur 03 Voilà opgestuurd om te testen en ik moet eerlijk zeggen dat ik de laatste weken zelden zonder buiten ben geweest. Ik ben helemaal weg van taupe kleuren en de subtiele metallic finish geeft het geheel nog net iets extra. Ondanks het metallic aspect blijft er wel heel natuurlijk uitzien, iets waar ik veel belang aan hecht.

De romige textuur is mooi gepigmenteerd en ook heel gemakkelijk op te bouwen en te blenden. Handig voor wanneer je ‘s morgens niet zo veel tijd hebt om je op te maken. Ik weet niet hoe het bij jullie zit maar zelf blijf ik liever nog wat langer in bed liggen. Het is zeker wel aangewezen om er een oogprimer onder te gebruiken (ik gebruikte Urban Decay’s Primer Potion) anders creased (in het lijntje kruipen) het goedje in no time. Zelfs met oogprimer durft het na een paar uurtjes wel wat creasen, maar niet in de mate dat het echt opvalt. Je kunt natuurlijk ook altijd wat poeder eroverheen aanbrengen om het te minimaliseren.

Nog iets wat ik misschien wat minder vind is dat het om een potlood gaat. Oogpotloden scherpen draait bij mij altijd uit tot een groot boeltje (en dan probeer ik dat zo lang mogelijk uit te stellen) en al zeker als het over van die crèmige formules gaat. Misschien was een stick waarbij je het product kunt uitschuiven met een draaisysteem wel handiger geweest. Details details..

Al bij al vind ik het best een fijn potlood dat er overigens heel leuk uitziet dus mij hoor je zeker niet klagen!