Nail Art & Review: BornPrettyStore Stamping Plate BP-52

Time for some floral spring nail art!

This is another stamping done with an image plate from BornPrettyStore, the one called BP-52. It consists of one huge print that is full of different floral details.
What I love about this design is that it is one big thing that is made of so many interesting little ones. You get a lot of diversity when you wear it all over your nails. The downside to this, though, is that if your nails aren't exactly big, you won't see that much per nail. I found it to be okay, but it definitely shouldn't be less.

Products used:
Manhattan - M&Buffalo Off The Socks (orange background)
BornPrettyStore - white stamping polish
BornPretty Store - image plate BP-52

What do you guys think of this design? I love how fun and detailed it is!

Remember that you can still get 10% off on BornPrettyStore with the code MS10K31!

xx, Misch

Nail Art & Review: BornPrettyStore Nail Polish Pen

Time for some nail art! The nail art design I am showing you here features the Nail Polish Pen from BornPrettyStore in colour #2, black.

It is a black pen with a cap, under which the tip lies. It's rather small and very pointy, a good thing for details and fine lines. You have to shake the pen really well, and then press the tip down on a piece of paper. Pump until the product comes out and covers the tip. Then you can start to draw!

The nail polish is highly pigmented and you can immediately get a clear and visible line. It's also quite simple to draw with it; it of course requires a steady hand, but it really glides over your nail.

The only tiny problem I experienced was that after some drawing, no nail polish would come out, no matter how often I pumped. But when I let it sit for a while, it worked all fine again. Maybe I was pushing it.

The colour stays very well, but keep in mind to use a top coat on it! If you don't, your design will eventually wash off.

All in all, I'm a huge fan of this nail art pen. It's way easier to handle than regular nail polish, and your possibilities with it are endless. I can definitely recommend it!

Products used for the design:

Essie - Not Just A Pretty Face (nude base colour)

BornPrettyStore Nail Art Pen #2 Black (floral details)

top coat

If you want to get your own nail art pen, be sure to use the code MS10K31 when checking out, so you get 10% off your order!

I really like how this design turned out! What do you think about it?

xx, Misch

This product was sent to me for review.

Nail Art & Review: BornPrettyStore Stamping Plate BP-55

As I promised, more BornPrettyStore stamping nail art coming up!

This time I used the Image Plate BP-55, which contains 3 big designs and some more smaller ones. The look I picked out is an abstract turn on different leaves and patterns. I love how detailed it is!

For a base I picked Kink by Illamasqua, which has a semi-matte finish and thus gives an interesting turn on the design.
The stamping was done in a white stamping polish also from BornPrettyStore. You can see it here in my last post on stamping.

With this design, I experienced a tiny bit of trouble when it came to stamping the look onto my nails. It turned out well, but in some cases not all parts of the design would come off the plate and therefore also didn't transfer onto my nail. But with such little lines and details, that can happen. And it didn't happen all the time, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to get the above results.

The image plate retails for $2,99 on the BornPrettyStore website. By using the code MS10K31 when checking out, you will get 10% off your order.

After all, I really like this design! The colour pops against the dark green background, and it makes for an exciting look!
How do you guys like it?

xx, Misch



This product was sent to me for review.

Book Review: The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

Time for a book review!

I read The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, which won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2014.

The story is about Theo Decker, who is 13 years old at the beginning of the story. He lives in New York City with his mother, and the two share a very close bond. When she is killed in an explosion in a museum they both visit, Theo survives and in his confusion takes with him a painting of a goldfinch that was torn down during the explosion. During the next time, Theo's life is determined by his sorrow and grief for the loss of his mother. As his father left his family years ago, Theo goes to live with the rich family of his best friend. Simultaneously he becomes friends with an owner of a antiques store, whose partner was also killed in the attack. But when he finally adjusts to this new life, his father comes to pick him up. He is now forced to come to Las Vegas and stay with him and his new girlfriend. These new surroundings change Theo a lot. Being under no parental control or care, he has to learn how to take care of himself. Together with his new friend Boris, he isn't exactly doing a great job, getting into drugs and theft. All the while he takes great care of his 'stolen' painting and hides it well, even though the possession does not make him feel at ease. At some point, he decides he has to go back to New York. Becoming an adult makes him face all kinds of challenges and ultimately, he gets into trouble and criminal activities due to 'his' painting.

Essentially, The Goldfinch tells a big part of Theo's life, and it is all narrated from his point of view in the first person. The grief for his mother and the mixed feelings the painting causes him are what make his story so different and special. It's never boring, even though not positive at all. Often he realizes he doesn't know what he's doing or why he is doing certain things. These moments, and different kinds of setbacks, make for lots of negative experiences.

Still, the main story, the actions and events that is, are not exactly extraordinary. The odds that things like these happen to a person are small, especially those concerning the painting. But there's still something to the story that makes it all seem very plausible, and in some cases not too exciting. I found that for example during the events in Las Vegas, it felt a little stretched.

Theo's character is mainly shaped by what happens to him so early on, and how he can or can't deal with it. That makes him a variable protagonist and his actions not predictable. But not only his character is an unprecedented individual, but all the other ones are definitely special. His companions are far from normal; not one of them is one-dimensional or simple. They all have their traits and peculiarities, which makes them likeable and interesting.

There's one thing that makes this book utterly interesting and a must read: the way everything is described. The author has a great talent for telling everything in its smallest detail, but still not making it seem overdone. Theo's way of perceiving the world is so fascinating that no matter what sentence you read, you can see and feel every detail. That's why even when the plot of the story in some parts lacks suspense, it is never bad or boring. The writing is so good that you will love reading it.

I really enjoyed this book. As I said, the writing makes for such a special and different reading experience. It is a long story, and a lot to take in, so I'd have never been able to finish it in one go. But you always want to read on and find out what happens next and how everything evolves.

Has anyone of you read this book? How did you like it?
xx, Misch

Nail Art & Review: BornPrettyStore Stamping Plate BP-48 & Stamping Polish

The two things I'd like to share with you guys today are nail art products from BornPrettyStore. They're always a great place to find nice and inexpensive nail art supplies.

The first product is a nail polish made for stamping. It is white and comes in a square bottle that holds 6ml. It retails for $3,99. The consistency of this nail polish is really great. It's quite liquid, but just creamy enough to have the perfect pigmentation. A great choice for nail art!

Second up, to go with the nail polish, we have a stamping image plate. It is the number BP-48 and holds 4 designs: a butterfly, detailed flowers and two patterns that they call arabesque. They are very detailed and fun to look at! You can get it online for $2,99.

Together, the nail polish and the image plate make the perfect combination. I'm really no expert at stamping, but it worked right away for me. There were no problems with the designs, they are all very crisp and clear. I love how the design turned out on my nails, especially how even though I only used one design, the nails all look individual.

By using the code MS10K31 when checking out, you will get 10% off your order from BornPrettyStore!

I'm a huge fan of the products, and am very glad to tell you that I have two more image plates laying around and waiting to be tested! Expect some more stamping nail art coming your way.

Have you tried any of these products? And what are your experiences with stamping? Let me know!

xx, Misch

These products were sent to me for review.

Review: Catrice Eyebrow Set

Today I'd like to talk about a product I've been trying for a couple of weeks now.

This is Catrice's Eyebrow Set.

It comes in a little black box. Once you open the lid, you have a mirror in the top part and two colours of eyeshadow for your eyebrows. You can then also pull out a little drawer on the bottom which contains a tiny double-ended tool with an angled brush and a spoolie on the other, as well as small tweezers.
The set is available as part of Catrice's permanent line, and retails for 3,95€. It contains 4g of product.

The eyeshadows are both of a matte brown shade, the top one lighter than the bottom one. At first they looked a little grey-ish to me, but that only comes from them being more ashen than red-toned. Which is actually a very good thing, because it will look very natural with any kind of brow.
The texture of the shadows is very smooth and silky, and they have a nice colour pay-off.

Both tools are actually quite useful. They are very small, and therefore not the best ones ever in terms of handling, but they work fine. Especially on travels, when you don't have the space to pack a lot of extra things, they can definitely do a sufficient job. On a daily basis, however, I prefer to use my specific tools.

I really enjoy doing my eyebrows with this set. What I especially love is that you can mix the colours according to your needs and wants, and are therefore not limited in the amount of different looks you can do.
I personally also prefer eyeshadow for my brows over eyebrow pencils, because they stay a lot longer for me and look more natural. And this set is everything I want and need! It has variety, tools for an emergency, is small and handy as well as inexpensive. What's not to love?

Has anyone of you tried this set? What do you think?

xx, Misch

Movie Review: The Imitation Game

Time for another movie review! This week, I saw The Imitation Game.

The Imitation Game is based on the real story of British mathematician Alan Turing, who is employed to decipher the code the Germans use for all major communication during the second world war.
It stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Alan Turing, and, as the female lead, Keira Knightley as Joan Clarke.

The movie begins with a narration from Benedict Cumberbatch that appears to be addressing all viewers directly. He urges to listen and watch closely, and pay attention. At the same time, we learn that we are in 1951, and the police are inquiring about a robbery in Alan Turing's home. Alan dismisses them, and they suspect him of keeping a secret.
After a jump back in time, Alan is shown at his job interview in Bletchley Park in 1939. He behaves unintentionally funny and inappropriate, but soon convinces the Commander that his advanced skills as a mathematician are much needed for the classified task, which is to decipher the German Enigma code. Alan is accepted into the team of five others, who have to work against time in order to help the Allies win the war. The combination possibilities for this code are of such a huge number that deciphering it appears to be impossible.
After a unsuccessful start, Alan is put in charge of the group and finds a new valuable team member in Joan. At the same time he conducts that to solve a machine's code, he will have to build his own machine, which he lovingly calls Christopher. He is not believed to succeed, and has to experience a couple of heavy set backs. All the while we learn through flashbacks and flash-forwards what happened in Alan's past and shortly after the war. While still working to crack the code, Alan and Joan become close friends and eventually agree to marry out of convenience. In the meantime Alan's homosexuality is revealed.
It takes a long time, but eventually they figure out how to decipher the German code. In the overwhelming feeling of victory Alan remains rational and explains they cannot simply prevent every German attack in the future. That would obviously lead to the Germans learning that their code had been cracked, which they could not let happen. From then on, the cracking of the code is being kept a secret, and which attacks to prevent and which not is decided on the basis of statistics and probability.
Even after their glorious success, Alan's homosexuality is discovered and he is made to undergo hormonal treatment, a fate Alan accepts rather than prison, because it means he can still continue his work. The treatment slowly devastates and wrecks him, and Alan commits suicide about a year after the beginning of his treatment.
The viewers are then informed about how Alan was one of many who had to undergo such procedures when homosexuality was still considered a crime, and at the same time how valuable Alan's work was not only for the ending of World War II, but also modern science, as his machine was one of the first models of modern computers.

During the whole movie, jumps in time are used to give the viewer a more complex and varied way of learning about everything that happens. They are very comprehensible and make the story more detailed.
Especially learning about Alan's past makes one understand his character traits a lot better. Early bullying as well as the discovery that he was different shaped his personality. The death of his close friend during his youth, and how rational and repressing he reacts is shown in a great way, and evokes a lot of sympathy for his character.
In addition to that, scenes of actual war recordings are included in the movie to give a lot of authenticity. It is easy to forget what they are actually dealing with when simply being secluded at Bletchley Park, but those little scenes make it a lot more real and dreadful.

What definitely has to be kept in mind with this movie is that it dramatises historic events, and does not always stay true to the definite facts. Important parts of history are being omitted, which is very understandable with the in some ways limited possibilities of a movie and the criteria the story has to match. Nonetheless, it is based on very real events.
What I find shocking is that in all the ways World War II is being taught at school, Alan Turing is mentioned almost never. The tragic story that was his life is something that should not be neglected when talking about the events of the war in my opinion, as he influenced not only that, but many other areas as well.

Some critical voices find this movie to be too patriotic, but I definitely disagree with that. Of course, Alan working for his country during the war and the victory he achieves for them can't help but be patriotic in a way. But in the end, it is that same country that turns against him and ultimately forces him into suicide. This being shown definitely makes you reconsider the patriotic aspect.

I was incredibly touched by the movie, and it made me cry at several points. On the other hand, it also made me laugh quite often. The emotions varied all film long, and were not one-sided at all. A whole spectrum of feelings is shown and at the same time evoked in the audience.

The film captures your attention and makes you forget everything else around you. It would have taken a lot for me to take my eyes off the screen for even a moment, that's how captured I was. 

It's not only moving but also full of suspense. The race against the time, their need to figure out the code; it's very thrilling and exciting. 

The tragedy of Alan Turing's story is told in such a heart-wrenching way that it quite literally makes you rejoice as he does, and also ache as he does. It is very inspiring and makes you think. The whole audience was deeply impressed by the story and the portrayal, and at the end, everyone even clapped. It was the first time that I ever experienced something like this, the audience clapping after a movie, and I walked out of there, and felt ready to cry more. 

Benedict Cumberbatch plays Alan Turing as a very nuanced person, who is brilliant in his topic of expertise, but then lacks personal skills in other ways. A lot of scenes are full of comedy caused by his ignorance and oblivious behaviour towards other people. His arrogance doesn't make you like him any less, though. On the contrary, he is this extremely precious person whom you can't help but sympathise with. His life story is incredibly tragic, which is very well portrayed by the movie.
Joan, as depicted by Keira Knightley, is also a very interesting character. She is very strong and does not dumb herself down at all. In an all-male environment she proves herself to be worthy of the position, and does not let anyone tell her differently, even in a time when feminism was far from developed. Her character develops a lot during the movie, and leaves her being a person who knows what she wants and who is not afraid to put herself first.

Both actors have received an Oscar nomination for their work in this movie, in addition to six other categories the whole film is nominated for, including best picture, best directing and best screenplay. These nominations and in any case an actual win are highly deserved in my opinion. The movie had everything that a very good one needs. It's very moving and touching, is acted superbly and tells a inspiring and important story. People should know about his life and the way he was treated, it's a story to be spread, and luckily that's exactly what the movie does.

Has anyone of you seen The Imitation Game?

xx, Misch

Movie Review: The Theory of Everything

Here's my review of the latest movie I've seen: The Theory of Everything.

The Theory of Everything is a dramatic biopic portraying the life of Stephen Hawking and his relationship with his first wife, Jane Wilde Hawking. It is based on the book "Travelling to Infinity - My Life With Stephen" which Jane has written.

It stars Eddie Redmayne as Stephen Hawking and Felicity Jones as Jane Hawking. 

The movie begins with the first encounter of Stephen and Jane at Cambridge, and shows how their relationship evolves while Stephen is trying to find a topic for his doctoral study. Soon he learns about his illness ALS, or motor neurone disease, which gradually makes him lose his physical control over his body, and his ability to move and speak. In spite of Stephen trying to push her away, Jane stays with him, even though Stephen is predicted a life expectancy of no more than 2 more years. The couple gets closer and then marries. Stephen exceeds all expectations by living way longer than the predicted 2 years, but still his illness progresses and his condition worsens. All the while Jane supports him and gives up every personal freedom for him and later also their children. Even though she does not show it to Stephen, Jane slowly loses her spirit at this self-sacrificing duty. In the meantime Stephen continues his works as a physicist, and makes a name for himself in the world with his theories. Their relationship evolves further and they start to somewhat disunite, especially when Jonathan comes into their lives. He proves himself to be a great help for the family, but at the same time starts to develop feelings for Jane. Stephen gets help after a seizure that effectively made him lose his speech, and learns to communicate with the help of a computer-generated speech programme. The end of the movie shows how, even after their divorce, Jane and Stephen are still very fond of each other and are of huge importance in each others' lives.

The movie, being based on the true story of the Hawkings, is made in a wholly comprehensible way, which makes it simple for the viewers to relate to the characters and their tragic story. It is incredibly moving and makes you anticipate eagerly the continuation of the story.

It covers every possible feeling, from the joy of the young love and the triumph of success all the way to the desperation of failure and helplessness. Some parts are utterly sad, and can definitely make you cry. But it's not a sad movie, sadness is just one aspect shown in it. It's full of excitement and sorrow at the same time. And that is one factor that makes it such a special movie, because it does not portray this story in a one-sided way at all.

The cast of the film does a wonderful job at making this movie as relatable and intense as it is.

Eddie Redmayne is outstanding, his portrayal of Stephen Hawking is unprecedented and utterly brilliant. He manages to depict him in a very realistic way that never feels overdone or unnatural. He adapts the peculiarities of the motor neurone disease in such a manner that makes them understandable and evokes the empathy of the viewers.

Felicity Jones gives an equally stunning performance as Jane Hawking, and perfectly conveys the strength of her character. She expresses the feeling of wanting to help, but at the same time reaching her limits and possibilities, and the subtle variations between those two sides, in a wonderful way. 

Both leading roles have been nominated for an Oscar, which is very much deserved in my opinion.

In conclusion, The Theory of Everything is an extraordinary movie full of emotions of all kinds. It is very touching and definitely worth a view. Personally, I enjoyed it very much and at the same time it gave me lots of reasons to contemplate. It touched me, and made me reflect, which is exactly what a good movie should do.

Has anyone of you seen The Theory of Everything? Did you like it?

xx, Misch

Real Techniques Brushes: Nic's Picks

Here's what I got myself when I was in Cardiff: a set of Real Techniques Brushes.

One of the most recent sets of brushes that they released are Nic's Picks. It is a little set that contains 5 brushes with a limited edition design, and 3 of the brushes are exclusive ones.

It contains 2 bigger face and 3 smaller eye brushes.

The first brush is called duo-fiber face brush, and it is like a very fluffy stippling brush, only that it's rounded on the top. Its bristles are black on the bottom and white on the top.

It is recommended for powder application, where it gives a very light finish and makes for an easy application. One thing I also love it for is the application of foundation.

Next we have a cheek brush, which is an exclusive one. Its bristles are very dense and super soft, and it is very wide and rounded on the top. 

You can use this brush for all sorts of things concerning the cheeks. I like it a lot for blush and sometimes even highlighter, but I also use it for bronzing and contouring when it doesn't have to be too precise.

Third up is the angled shadow brush, another exclusive. It is very fluffy and the bristles kind of fan out a little towards the top. It is angled, as the name already suggests.

This brush is great for anything you want to do in your crease of the eye. It is great for super quick blending, but can just as well be used to apply eyeshadow to your crease. What I love in that step is that it immediately blends the eyeshadow, too.

This is the base shadow brush. It is a little tapered towards the top, and can therefore be used for all kinds of applications. 

You can use it to blend lightly, or to apply eyeshadow all over the lid. But what I especially use it for is to apply concealer! The bristles are perfect for that job, they blend nicely and don't absorb too much product. A very multi-functional brush!

Last but not least, we have the final exclusive brush: the eyeliner brush. It is extremely tiny, and slanted. It has a very thin shape, and the bristles are very dense. The edge is very clear and good to use.

This brush is great for any precise work you'd be doing around your eyes. You can use it for gel or shadow liner, as well as for any under-eye application. Plus, it works lovely for filling in your eyebrows!

All brushes feel very good in you hand, and are neither too big nor too heavy. Their design is elegant and simple, and each one works perfectly the way it is thought, and in most cases in even more ways! That's what I especially love about these brushes, because they can be used for so many different types of application. 

Each brush is easy to wash and clean, I experienced no problems at all for that matter.

In the UK, the set retails for £29,99, but Superdrug had them in their holiday gift set line for £20. I have seen them online for around $30.

I can highly recommend this set of brushes as I use them daily. 
Does anyone of you also own these brushes, or any other Real Techniques ones that you can recommend? Let me know in the comments below!

xx, Misch

Chanel Rouge Allure 104 Passion

Is there any better souvenir to get in Paris than a Chanel lipstick? 

There probably is, but when you're on somewhat of a budget, it is already a pretty luxurious thing to buy. So thought my best friend and I, and treated ourselves to one each. We bought them on the Champs Elysées, and felt very special. A bright red lipstick, the perfect thing to get in Paris. I still feel special whenever I wear it!

It is my first Chanel lipstick, and therefore I spent quite some time testing every single shade, texture and finish. I ended up deciding on this one: Rouge Allure 104 Passion.

The colour, 104 Passion, is a very deep red. It's a cool-toned red with lots of blue undertones. It does, however, not look pink. It's a bit darker than your traditional bright red, but not too much. The finish is matte, but still creamy.

Application is rather easy. You definitely have to be careful as the colour is very bold, but the lipstick is shaped in a way that makes it easy to glide on and outline the lips. You can layer it for more intensity, but it's already very apparent with one coat.

The design is very elegant with the black case. The top is golden with the Chanel symbol, and you have to press it down so it pops out and you can pull out the actual lipstick. A very fun way to open it, and kind of special.

What I especially love about this lipstick is the wear. It doesn't dry out my lips at all, and it fades very gradually. Even when you're eating you won't look stupid, and that's perfect. Due to the matte finish it might emphasise dry or chapped areas, but you can easily prevent that by using lip balm before you apply the lipstick.

The lipsticks of the Rouge Allure line all contain 3,5g, and retail for 32,95€. That is a lot of money, I know, and I spent a lot of time thinking about whether it was worth it. But now, I'm super glad I own it, and wear it more often than I'd anticipated.

Do you own any Chanel lipsticks? Or what would you get yourself in Paris?

xx, Misch

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Lightscapade

First post of 2015! Cheers to that.

When I was in London, we were at an event in Carnaby Street by chance. I'm gonna tell you more about it in a different post, but the event is the reason why I got this product. The whole street had 20% off everything, so I went to the MAC store and bought myself this beauty (where I had to queue up to get inside and do my shopping): MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Lightscapade.

The MSFs in general are highlighting powders. Lightscapade in particular is a very light and special colour. It consists of a white-ish, yellow-ish golden base, which is set through with light blue and peach streaks. It's shimmer makes it look somewhat frosted, and the colours blend together to a very subtle shimmery white-ish gold.

What I love about Lightscapade is how wearable it is. The shimmer is so subtle that you don't have to worry about overdoing it, and you can easily layer it. I love to wear it daily, because it makes you look fresh and healthy, but not like you've put on tons of highlighter.
I also own a different MSF, called Soft & Gentle. It is way stronger, and the shimmer is more apparent.

MAC's MSFs contain 10g each, and retail for £23 (I got mine for £18,40) in the UK and 31€ here. 

I can definitely recommend them!
Do you own any of the MSFs, and can maybe recommend another colour to me?

xx, Misch

Tape Nail Art + BornPrettyStore Nail Tape Review

The last product of my BornPrettyStore series to show you guys! It's their Nail Art Striping Tape*.

Using this tape, I tried two different techniques. The first one just required putting the tape onto my nails.
It is super easy to apply. All I did was cut off a little part, stick it onto my nail, and cut off the excess. It sticks very nicely and therefore doesn't even require a top coat to seal it. You can apply one, though, if you want.

The tape doesn't come off easily during wear, which makes this a very lasting design.
And you can create so many different looks!

The second way I tried it was to use it as a tape, paint over it, and then remove it. That didnt work out so great.
I had painted on a base colour, sticked on the tape, and painted over it. So far no problems to be seen, all went well. I let the polish dry, and then removed the tape.

Unfortunately the tape had stained onto the nail polish, leaving some red marks where it was. Also, it had removed the base colour I was wearing.
So this technique is not so good with this tape!


After all, I'm a huge fan of the tape, because you can create so many fun looks with it! It's unfortunate that you can't paint over it, but it doesn't really matter. It's not the usage for what it's made after all :D

What do you think of it?
xoxo, M




* THIS IS A SPONSORED POST