MAGIC DROPS

Lately I've let the foundations and powders (I usually use mineral powder foundation for everyday use) rest in my drawer and used only this - Lumene's Instant Glow Beauty Serum.

I had a friend praise it for magic a while back and tried a sample in the shop but didn't really get what it was about. But when I got a small bottle as part of a Christmas gift and actally tried it on my face instead of at the palm of my hand I realised it really does something.

Not sure what it that is, but it works. I't wont offer coverage nor fill out any fine wrinkles but it somehow makes things i.e. the face, look nice.

All in all I actually use less make up and skin care now when odler, than in my twenties. Or; less product. Part of it is age and convenience and (mainly) a different way to see yourself, part is propably also that I do a heavy stage make up often which calls for the face to rest. I do love make up and prefer strong lips (as you know) but unless it's a special day when I do a 30sec eyeliner* it's often just a quick base - now the serum - a bit of rouge (powder or creme) and the lips, fix my lashes and I'm done. In summer I plan to get extentions again and can skip the last step.

*) After twenty years of drawing the same shape it's almost an eyes-closed-thing. Although – the years along with gravity  is not making itself unnoticed and the usual shape needs to be altered a bit these days in order for the direction of the eyeliner wing to point up and not down. Sigh.

Disclaimer: As usual, nothing here is sponsored (unless specifically mentioned) and this is just my own opinion and will to recommend something. Altough I would gladly take a few years supply of this would anyone hand me.

THREE SHADES OF RED AND SPARKLY GRAPES

Well, I've said it before, but: any lazy hair day or don't-know-what-to-do-with-my-face-day can always be saved by a turban. And some lipstick.

This time also wth some sparkly earrings. Or hang-ears, as Dag mistakenly calls them ('häng-öron', from "örhängen"; which is Swedish for earrings, "ear-hangs", or 'things hanging from the ears' as you could translate it.)

The turban is made by Rubylea, vintage inspired grape studs from Collectif.

WONDERFULLY CONSERVATIVE FOR WONDERFUL DRAG

One of my favourite eras to get inspired with make up from, when wanting to do something more specific, is the sixties.

Last weekend I went to (amazingly fabulous) Drag Me to Hel, this time just as a happy spectator off stage and this year not in drag.  But still felt like dressing up (or rather, down a little bit differently than the usual burlesque-drag-extravaganza night glam and went with some kind of sixties housewife instead.

"Don't you look wonderfully conservative tonight", as Taabe joyfully said.

The dress and bag are vintage and the shoes - first time this year outdoors in heels, finally - are the waterproof flocked Melissa ones.

BUNNIES AND OTHER EASTERY THINGIES

Easter. Felt it was really early this year as I am not sure it's quite spring yet for real, at least not in the kind of way you'd dare to be sure about This year I learned how the dates are set, how it goes related to the first full moon after spring solstice. Aaaahaaa.

Dag bought home easter-grass they'd grown in his kids' club plus a black witch's cat he'd made. Milk cartons and toilet paper rolls, forever strong in the kids' crafting departement. I've made a ton of these as a kid myself; there would be some Christmas elves and angels and Easter witches and bunnies in every corner at every holiday of the year in our home when I was young. I was too small to remember what I thought of my creations myself, but when my sisters started bringing them home some years later I remember thinking they were ugly and started dreading the day my own offspring would clog the surfaces of my future lovely home with their cardboard-glue-and felt pieces. And then BOOM that day comes and you go aaaaaw and think everything is just adorable. Meow!
(Even though that cat obviously is a little drunk. )


On Friday I drove into town for a late night gogo-dance-and-eat-whipped-cream-on-stage gig (in other words nothing different from the usual) in the same time stressing for the following day's Easter-treat collecting that the children do on Easter Saturday, which I had not had the time to prepare properly. Or, I had kind of prepared it already as I had indeed stuffed some material in a plastic bag at the same time I packed my gogo gear at home in the city the day before, but not put into realisation.

(Backstage photo by Antti Vuorenmaa.)

So the next day I had a super-domestic-day and got up early to sew Dag a bunny costume. Well, a bunny hood, not top-to-toe (phew!);  he wanted to be a Easter bunny this year. This time I had also remembered to bring the face paint ton the right house (one of the things I stuffed in that bag)- last year I had to improvise with whatever I had in my make up bag - and Dag turned into a little bunny boy.

His older brother had misplaced his bunny costume I'd made him some years before and after some panicked searching we got a little creative and he became a cartoon mushroom instead. Because why not!
Dag's oldest brother is 15 already so he has skipped out on this for some years now already.

And then those damn pussy willow branches. The ones the kids hand out so they get candy. Let's just face it, I'll probably never manage to have them done well in time.  (Challenge for next year: do it! Well in time might mean I could get the kids to actually work on them themselves too). Usually they are decorated with feathers and crepe paper. But you take what you have and what time you have -  I added gift ribbons like last year and turned a couple of A4's into quick decorations and they did turn out rather decent.

And then the boys were ready to join up with a gang of some small yellow baby chickens, an Easter egg and some witches to go collect sweets.  It's a mix of eastern (Orthodox) and western pagan-meets-Christianity-traditions to go around houses, either on Palm Sunday (east) or Easter Saturday (west), and wish the people well for the coming year. And get lots of candy.



Meanwhile it was time for some (very quick and easy) baking as we had people coming over. Woom woom super Saturday.

Later I turned into the actual big B and hid some eggs around the house for the kids to search for the next morning.

It's always fun! Although one may bump into the ones that were the most well hidden later during the year...

The kids' sugar-rush stash.

Well, it's only once a year...

FAUX PIGLET BANGS AND A BUNCH OF FLOWERS

 Some time ago I went to a tropically themed Christmas party with a definite chance to go for a more-is-more kind of styling. I haven't had my hair in bangs, not real nor faux, since I coloured it; in fact, I gave myself the permission to colour only if I'd grow out my bangs. Because you can't have two hair struggles at once (grow out or not, to colour or not to) and that was one way to get a decision done. Plus I  though soft pink or peachy bangs might make me look like a piglet.

But turns out the result was more just regular retro-hair-style-gal than Miss Piggy after all.

The colour really is quite the task to keep up with though, and it looks a bit different after every wash as I need to mix a few tinted hair masks to make it stay. I do like it, but not sure how long I'll have the energy to keep it up. Might have to give mint green a go in the end -well of course- before going back au naturel ;) But everything is really easier to do, hair styling wise, when you have a little (or a lot) of bleach in you hair.

The green dress was made by me for my middle sister's  wedding a couple of years back but has only been used a few times since. (I was breastfeeding at that time and the dress was made to the upper measurements of that period so it does not sit as well now...) The flowers are also selfmade from some years back.

And the party, well yes,  it of course had a little mini christmas tree with lots of sparkly flowers in it. And lots of flowers in everyodys' hair.

IN DRAG

Well alright, time for a little different kind of posing then.

I went to a fab drag event the other night. As there was no idea to compete with the queens when it comes to lashes and lipstick I went the other way instead; in drag. My habitus instantly changes when wearing more masculine clothes, it's not something I even think about that much or try to do. I know that well from the days of harbor work.

(I apparently only have one "man face"... And my glitter nails kind of give it away instantly but, once again: yey for pockets!)

Some makeup in strange places, combing my hair in a way I otherwise would not and in Eddi's clothes - there you have Mr.Freelancer.

The evening ended with a heart breaking proposal on stage between two dear friends of mine so I was  really happy not to wear my normal eye make up when sobbing aonf with everyone else!

SOME MAKE UP AND SKIN CARE FAVOURITES FOR WHEN IT'S COLD

A few of my favs for winter:

Most of the year I wear a powder mineral foundation, but in winter with the cold and dy air and the temperature switches that gets too dry for my skin. I use a BB cream instead, sometimes with some powder on top  (and oil up my face a lot). My absolute favourite fantastic love-it-to-dedath BB cream, which I've bought online (fromNaturisimo) before, is now finally available in Finland too (via Jolie)!

The magic cream is Iroisie's Soin Parfait Ultimate BB cream. The first time I used it I was afraid it was going to be a little too rosy-beige, it came on quite dark, but then suddenly it evens out perfectly. I've been totally amazed with it. So, I do use it other than in winter too, those days I just feel like cream instead of powder foundation. The cream is organic and natural.

For those days I want some more make up on, I brush some powder on top. I have the silk powder from Coleur Caramel which also is a natural make up line. It leaves a very silky sheer glow on the skin. I might ave to get a little puff to keep under the lid as I find it a bit hard to carry a brush around in the bag too, but ten again I don't need to refresh my make up over the day, as it stays on perfectly well very a very long time.

When it comes to skin care I mainly wash my face with coconut oil (sometimes black soap) and wipe it off with a tonic, then put some more coconut oil on over night. Or this, pure shea butter! My face becomes a little ball of grease, but that makes it so soft and smooth in the morning to deal with the freezing winds of outside. I use the shea butter for dry hands and elbows and so on too, and also on Dag's little checks (and butt cheeks too).

THE CHRISTMAS PINUP

A quick shot of my Christmas look I did for a Xmas party yesterday. I named it the 'Christmas Pin-up' or the 'I'm-dreaming-of-a-white-Christmas'-look. Because naming your looks makes everything more fun.

I've had this terrible itch to cut bangs again, but I've been there many times before and have learned that although I love that style, the transition time of growing the hair out again is quite a pain in the derrière to go trough. So I didn't reach for the scissors. Instead I dug out my old little clip-on bang. It had lost a lot of color so I let it soak in a color mask for some hours; the shade turned out rather perfect. (Today however it had taken on a slightly purple undertone and did not blend in with my own hair that well anymore. Umm, I have no idea how that is even possible).

As it is Christmas and as the party was a more-is-more kind of one I went for red and green; lining my eyes with green eyeshadow (and black liner) and, of course,  the lipstick was red. Lots of bling and some chopsticks and huge red flowers in my hair.  Then it was jingle your bells all the way for the rest of the night!

LIPSTICK

 Oh, Dag, what do you have there?

 Oh.

 OH.

The lipstick is all natural and organic, only oils and waxes and pigment, so it's totally harmless - but that doesn't make it any less red.

If given a chance the little eager rascal sticks his hands into my purse; the make up bag and wallet (all the cards! The coins! The receipts! Wonderful and forbidden!) being his favourite; he takes them out and pulls everything apart. Now he has also learned how to open my vanity table drawer... Whenever I take out and open up my make up bag he is very quick to try and snatch something from there and study it real hard. And, apparently now also try to do what I do! (Well of course he does.) He loved red things already as a little baby, tomatoes, red nails, red lips, the red Christmas envelopes, so the lipsticks and tinted balms are in the hazard zone. This is not the first lipstick that ended up in a mash on the floor, but it is the first time it went in his face! Perhaps a little future clown, hmmm? Or dragqueen!

FROM KITCHEN TO BATHROOM ; COFFEE SUGAR BODY SCRUB

When it comes to cosmetics I, which most of you know, use mainly all-natural, organic products. I'm not absolute with it, I have some lipsticks and polishes that are chemical i.e. conventional products. But when it comes to skincare I am more strict and try to keep it as simple and natural as possible. Once you go natural it's hard to go back... The skin is our biggest organ so it's worth thinking about what we rub and scrub into it, right? So, most of what you can put into your mouth and have your body digest you can also feed your skin!

Many of the simplest and best - and also, in the end, most affordable- skin care products one can use are the ones that are easily made from what you have in your kitchen. I've always tried out different home remedies, also before I was paying any thought to what my cosmetics are made of, but now it jsut makes more sense than before.

Body scrubs are very easy to make youself, you basically just need oil and sugar. You can use any oil you like; I use olive oil, but coconut or sunflower oil for example works just as well (or, a mixture of those). I make mine with coffee grounds as the caffeine sets the blood circulation going and is said to thus tighten the skin.

Mix about 50/50 of the oil and sugar with a few spoons of coffee and then add sugar until the consistence feels nice. Mix with a spoon or spatula and that's it!

You won't need to use a moisturizer after this treatment as the oil will leave your skin smooth (and well oiled in..) .

You can store your scrub with a lid on, preferably in the fridge.

For variation you can use raw cocoa powder instead of the coffee. Or, a few drops of essential oil.
You can also switch about half of your sugar for sea salt. Put in a few drops of peppermint or lavender and you get a nice foot scrub.

For my face I use milder scrubs with smaller, softer grains than sugar. But we can look into that some other time.

THE BACHELORETTE UPDO

My sister had her bachelorette party yesterday.
I made her a flowery-parrot hairdo with the colors of her dress and turquoise make up for the day.

 
(Somebody's nervous...)

Today I've mainly stayed in bed suffering, uh.

PEACHY CORAL AND MATTE WINE RED

The dress is vintage, the little hair flower made from an interior flower and the lipstick is Lime Crime's Velveten in 'Red velvet'.

HAWAIIAN SIXTIES BOND GEISHA

In certain societies there is no such thing as less is more;  it is 'more is more' all the way. And that is very much the case when it comes to burlesque. Well as you may know. So as it last weekend was time for the Helsinki Burlesque spring fest it was of course mandatory to go at least a little bit over the top as usual;  I continued the mish mash matched floral combo set I started last year  (that also made it to a painting). This year my set was supposedly inspired by bond ladies, geishas and the pacific.

 With sixties inspired make up, huge hair and of course even more huge flowers in it.

And super high but oh-so-tiny floral patterned wedges as well.

My dress is vintage, the hair flowers made from interior flowers and we'll get back to the shoes soon!

PINK FLUSH

I'm rather boring when it comes to ever doing anything more to may nails than painting them in a few different shades of red, sometimes perhaps pink or coral. A few days ago I spotted a video where someone painted her nails in five descending shades of nude and got inspired to do something similar with the polishes I had at home. Needless to say, I don't have five shades of matching beige-ish polish, so I went for a pink version. Fun.

COLOR SHOT

Deep coral red, olive green.

The lipstick is Zuui and shirt form Fast&Loud.

A SHORTER HEM, A SMOKIER EYE

I have a knitted dress with a hem shorter than the ones I am used too when it comes to dresses (with a cut) like this.  It's like one almost feels a bit different wearing a new lengt. (The buttons and label say Gucci but I have my doubts, but then again what do I know. It's from this one strange shop in Tapiola with totally random lady-like items and fluffy ball gowns.) 

I also made a somewhat smoky eye make up and had paler lips than normally. So I felt I looked all different.


But then I took some blog pics and turns I look just the same as always.