Since finishing my one-month minimalist beauty experiment, I’ve been busy researching possible new foundation/ skin care combinations. Now that my beauty cabinet is pretty much empty, I have the chance to reassess my needs and perhaps remedy the minor issues I had with my old solution. Here’s a quick round up of my decision-making process:

The Old

For the past year I’ve been pretty happy with Bobbi Brown’s Tinted Moisturizer and Natural Finish Long-Lasting Foundation. I would use the tinted moisturizer every day straight after washing my face, and the foundation for going out or when we took photos for the blog, over a light layer of moisturizer.

What I liked about my old solution

• Having two levels of coverage to choose from.
• Being able to apply both moisture and coverage in a single layer with the tinted moisturizer.

What was missing

• Summer is approaching and although both the tinted moisturizer and foundation offer sun protection, I am pretty sure that I didn’t apply enough of either of them to give me the full SPF 15 they promise. I don’t actually think I would want to layer on any tinted product as heavily as needed, so the only solution would be to wear a separate moisturizer with sun protection underneath whatever base I choose.
• I can pretty much skip powder during spring, fall and winter, but in the summer my t-zone can get a little shiny and needs regular powder touch ups. Ideally, my chosen powder product would come in a compact that I could take with me in my bag.

 The New

Although I am a fan of one-stop solutions, I came to the conclusion that only a combination of products would satisfy all of my criteria. After a lot of research on Makeup Alley, Sephora.com and several trips to the make up counters at Selfridges I chose these three products:

La Roche Posay Hydraphase UV Intense Legere  In the summer, my skin is less dry than during the rest of the year, but it is still dehydrated (i.e. it has enough oils but not moisture), making it the perfect match for the Hydraphase line by La Roche Posay. Their UV Intense moisturizer does a good job of calming my skin, but never feels heavy or greasy.

Clinique Almost Powder in fair  A powder with buildable coverage, that is not too drying. I use it both as a finishing powder over the tinted moisturizer or on its own over the Hydraphase moisturizer with a sponge for medium coverage. I chose this over Clinique’s Superpowder because it had a slightly more lightweight feel and gives my skin a natural, satin finish rather than that typical powdery, matte look.

La Roche Posay BB cream in light  Although my old Bobbi Brown tinted moisturizer served me well and I’m definitely going to repurchase it at some point, I was curious to try out La Roche Posay’s BB cream. It only comes in two shades, but fortunately the lighter one fits my skin tone and also doesn’t have a pinky/grey undertone that a lot of BB creams seem to have. It provides sheer to medium coverage and enough hydration that I can wear it without a separate moisturizer underneath.

Having not one but three products at my finger tips allows me to tailor my base to whatever my plans are each day. When I’m staying indoors I will probably just use the BB cream and stop there. If I’m going outside I will apply the moisturizer with SPF and a layer of powder on top to even out my skin tone and mattify my t-zone. For special occasions, photo shoots or bad skin days I’ll use the BB cream and the powder on top for extra coverage.

Now that I think about it, last year around the same time in mid-May I also bought a whole new set of foundation and moisturizers that lasted me up until now. I guess May, the last month before it gets super hot, is a good time to reassess your skin and lifestyle and prepare for the summer season. Have you guys done the same yet? What is your go-to summer foundation?

I must say I am definitely not adventurous when it comes to my hair. I’ve pretty much had the same mid-length blunt cut all my life, only varying by a couple of inches. I do however consider my hair to be an important part of my personal style and over time have developed four simple hair styles that don’t require a lot of maintenance and complement my wardrobe. About half of the time I’m lazy and I just let my hair air dry (bottom-left). When I’m feeling a bit more ambitious I either straighten it (usually just by brushing it when it’s still damp) or put it up in a high pony tail or a low bun.

What is your signature hair style?

Today is the last day of my one-month minimalist beauty experiment, hurray! I’m glad I only committed to a single month and not a day longer because my tinted moisturizer is now completely empty, during the past few days I had to scrunch up the tube to force out the left-overs :) I’ve received a couple of emails asking me about how the experiment is going, so I just quickly wanted to report back.

Just to recap: For one month I banned myself from using any make up except for five pre-chosen products. The main reason I did this experiment was because pretty much all of my everyday make up essentials were about to run out, which means that I have the chance to completely overhaul the structure of my make up collection and routine. In a sense this little trial served as a last test to double check that the five products I chose are indeed my absolute essentials which I can safely invest in.

These are the 5 products I used and a couple of notes on my experience:

Product 1: Bobbi Brown’s Hydrating Tinted Moisturizer in extra light

My main concern was whether I would be fine with the light coverage of this, not just for everyday wear but also for special occasions and night outs. I did sometimes wish I could add some concealer on top, but only about twice during the whole course of the month, when we shot the pics for the 6 pieces/9 outfits post (thank god the light was forgiving that day :)). At the same time, I know I wouldn’t have been happy with a higher coverage base as my sole face product, because during the day I really can’t stand anything but a light layer on my face.

lesson learnt: When in doubt, go for too little coverage rather than too much.Wear tinted moisturiser during the day and find a good medium coverage foundation to wear for special occasions.

Product 2: Eyeko Lip and Cheek Stain in cherry

I chose this as one of my five products to help me decide whether to get a stick/cream blush instead of my regular powder blushes, and yes, I will definitely look for a high-quality cream blush, because I loved the easy application and slight sheen this product gave me, and also the fact that I could use it to stain my lips. I’m thinking a Nars multiple or maybe one of Bobbi Brown’s stick blushes….

lesson learnt: Find a good raspberry/ muted rose-coloured double-duty product for cheeks and lips.

Product 3: Clinique Lash Power Mascara in black

This product didn’t really had to prove itself, it’s already an established must-have in my set.

lesson learnt: Find out if Clinique (or Ebay) offers multipacks or deals.

Product 4: Brow pencil by 17 in taupe

Even if I didn’t apply the blush or mascara, I always used this pencil to fill in my brows. But: I really need something like a clear mascara or a wax to add on top of the pencil, otherwise my brows just do what they want.

lesson learnt: My brows need more than just a little colour. Always apply clear mascara or wax (or hairspray) on top. Check out double-sided products such as Smashbox Brow Tech.

Product 5: Urban Decay’s 24/7 liner in gunmetal

Ok, I didn’t make the right decision, I should have gone for another lip colour instead of an eyeliner. Maybe it’s because I wear contact lenses/ glasses, but I have just always preferred putting something on my lips rather than my eyes.

lesson learnt: Unless I find myself applying the same eye make up everyday, I am going to hold off on investing in high-end eyeliner/ eye shadow and spend the money elsewhere.

All in all, I was surprised that the experiment went so smoothly. During the day I usually just wore the first four products and at night I added a bit more of the lip stain and lined my eyes. The only things I craved from time to time were extra concealer, clear mascara for my brows and a greater variety of lip products, but apart from that I was fine and actually enjoyed the simplicity of my new morning routine. Now, that the experiment is over, it’s planning time! I’ve run out of all of my face products (i.e. concealer, foundation, etc.), except for an old tinted moisturizer by Benefit which does not match my skin tone at all, so I need a new skin solution asap. I’ll report back once I’ve found it!

If you haven’t yet, also check out Kali’s account of her 2-month shopping fast!

As soon as I hit publish on my Method Dressing post, I knew I wanted to show you what the different approaches for building outfits could look like ‘in the flesh’. So, to illustrate the first technique, the modular approach, I picked six items from my spring capsule wardrobe (three tops and three bottoms) and bribed my boyfriend to take pictures of me in each of the nine combinations :)

The general idea of the modular approach is to build up a collection of items that all share a common colour scheme and style, allowing you to mix-and-match freely. If every top goes with every bottom, with 4 pieces of each you can create 16 different outfits, or more if you include further layers, shoes and accessories. For this post, I chose a simple two-piece silhouette, and a cool-toned colour scheme based on two different neutrals and two shades of blue. The simple 3 x 3 framework is of course a very stripped down version of the modular approach. As long as your collection of items all share a colour palette, you could easily add another layer, for example a jacket, et voila… 3 x 3 x 3 equals 27 different outfits.

The modular approach is nothing but a simple technique to have in your repertoire for creating outfits in the morning: You can use it by itself (like I did for this post) or supplement it with other techniques, further dress up your outfits using accessories and hair/make up or dress them down, whatever you like. If you want to test-drive the modular approach, choose a specific combination of  2 – 4 items and pick at least three versions of each item from your closet. Ideally, all items should have a similar colour scheme, but if one or two stick out, that’s fine too! Try to build as many outfits as you can with your set, and note down your favourites!

Scroll down for closer look at all 9 outfits. I think my favourite is the light blue top/ white skirt combo. Which one is yours?

White t-shirt, black tank top – H&M; Sneakers – SUPERGA; White skorts, black leather skirt, sandals – ZARA; Light blue t-shirt, blue culottes – &OTHER STORIES

My one-month minimalist beauty experiment is nearly over and I’ve been thinking a lot about how to go about re-stocking my product collection afterwards. In the fashion world, the concept of ‘investing’ in your wardrobe by buying high-quality pieces that last multiple season or even decades, is relatively established. Buy fewer items, focus on quality, save in the long run = the classic less-is-more approach. Unfortunately, the idea doesn’t pan out quite as neatly when it comes to beauty products for two reasons:

1. Skin care, hair products and make up have a shelf-life of 6 months to two years max, or even less in the case of mascara or eyeliner. That means you can’t really do any ‘saving in the long-run’, because even if you found THE perfect foundation you will have to buy another one a year later and pay the same price all over again.
2. Whereas the correlation between the price and the quality of clothes seems to be relatively linear up to a certain point (and with exceptions, of course), it is debatable whether a 30£ lipstick really performs 5x better than a 6£ version, not to mention shower gels, body lotions and co.

So how can you build a set of high-quality beauty products without leaving all your money on your bathroom shelf?

How I budget my beauty spending

I generally try to examine what characteristics I am looking for first (e.g. oil-free, perfect colour match, long-lasting…) and only then search for products that fit my criteria, regardless of the price. Although it might seem like I would end up spending a fortune, in most cases a drugstore brand will offer me what I need and I actually save money that I would have spent had I used the ‘high price = high quality’ heuristic.

Most of my decision-making happens at home and not in the store: If I need something I do my research online, and then leave the house with a list of final contenders. I am pretty sure I am the worst person to go shopping with, just because I have to analyze everything and can’t just spontaneously buy a lip gloss or an eyeshadow to try out :). Thank god for the internet, I wouldn’t know what to do if I couldn’t compare reviews and ingredients beforehand.

Here’s the general process I use (of course, if I am just buying tooth paste, this all happens in my head in 30 seconds while I am standing in Boots, but if I am looking for something like a new foundation, I will definitely do the third optional step):

• Write down what I need (e.g. powder foundation that also offers hydration, sheer coverage, compact…).
• Look for products that match that criteria, disregarding price.
• Optional: Compare pros and cons of several items I am considering.
• Any big-ticket items need to fulfill these two criteria:

1. The product type is one of my everyday essentials, or I know that I will be using it at least every second to third day.
2. The higher price comes with a marked increase in quality compared to lower priced versions, e.g. a better colour match, long-lasting formula, etc.

Now, because I am a fan of the less-is-more approach, the majority of the beauty items I own fit the first criterion, except for special occasion stuff, like bright lip colours, eye shadow or anything that I am experimenting with and would rather not pay a ton of money for. The second criterion is really the one that keeps me from overspending, because it reminds me to only pay extra for added value and not for the brand name. Items I almost never spend more than a couple of £s on include basic body and hair care essentials, nail utensils, lip balm, etc.

However, if a high price does come with a noticeable increase in quality and I know that I will be using that product close to every day, I am happy to pay a bit more. Applying foundation (or tinted moisturizer) is the most important step in my make up routine, and I truly haven’t found a drugstore product that can offer me a perfect colour match (they are usually all too dark), so I stick to brands like Bobbi Brown for their colour range. I also haven’t come across another mascara with the staying power of Clinique’s long-wear mascara, so I am ok with paying the extra ≈7£ in exchange for not having to fear panda eyes for the next 4 months. The other products I usually spend more on are skin care (except for exfoliating products), blush and perfume. I think it’s also a good idea to invest in tools, such as brushes, hair straighteners or blow dryers. I’ve had the same hair brush (from Marlies Möller, the German Mason Pearson equivalent) for nearly thirteen years, until I bought a new one this christmas, so I’m set until 2026 :).

How do you go about budgeting your spending on beauty products? Which items do you invest in and which do you save on?

As promised in the intro post of my new Everyday Outfit series, here’s another version of my April uniform. The same jeans and jewellery + a simple crew neck t-shirt from COS and sandals from Zara. If I could choose, every day would be like the past week temperature-wise: between 15 and 20 °C, warm enough for t-shirts, but if I want to wear jeans or my leather jackets I can without boiling up. What is your favourite temperature range?

It is now week 4 of my one-month minimalist beauty experiment. It’s been so refreshing, I think in these pictures I am not even wearing all of my allowed five products, just my tinted moisturizer, blush and lip balm. I’ll do a full report sometime next weekend when the month is over.

o