Finally got my hands on a lipstick I've been lusting over for quite some time now: Sin by MAC. A matte finish beauty that adds that little (ok, maybe big) extra to your outfit. I'm in love with this deep dark blue red colour, and the packaging is simply stunning. This lipstick is in the Toledo x MAC collection, by artists Isabel and Ruben Toledo, and when I got this lippie, I immediately wanted to try it on, and so I did! 

The colour is beautiful, the finish is as matte as it can get, and it stays for an entire day, no retouch needed if you eat carefully (I ate bruschetta on a toast wearing this and the lipstick wore off after that). 

This is my second MAC lipstick, so I've got only one other to compare it to. My other lippie is Russian Red, the perfect matte red lipstick, which I wear a lot - I might even need to buy a new one soon as the end of its life is near. (May I add that once, someone actually started talking Russian to me when I was wearing it? Apparently it does make you look Russian).

In comparison to my other matte MAC, I have to admit that Sin is a lot harder to apply. It's as if I have to rush putting it on, because it goes matte & dry so quickly I can't apply it slowly. Also, after lunch, it looks like a very intense ombré lip, as the inner part of the lipstick wears off, but after a retouch, the lippie looks awesome again, and I must admit I love rocking this colour. Pair this lipstick with graphic eyeliner and a LBD, and you're ready to rock. 

Overall, I think this is the perfect addition to my make-up collection, as I've been looking for a colour like this for a long time. Every lipstick seemed either too purple or too brown, both of which don't look too good on me, and this one was right spot on, and I'm sure I'll be wearing it a lot. It should have been a little less matte, as this one is more of a Ruby-Woo-ish-drying-out-lipstick but the fact that it lasts for many hours makes up for that, and I can recommend this lipstick to all of you!

Weddingproof 

It's wedding season, and I have a wedding coming up very soon! Like the control freak I am, I'm already planning what I'll wear this day, because you know, that's one of my favourite parts about a marriage. Since the wedding is planned in October this year it's probably a tad early to start looking for a dress, but I did start brainstorming on what to wear. I browsed Asos, found some really nice dresses and a fancy jumpsuit, and then I realised, you don't HAVE to impress with a dress. Why not be more original? And then I came with a genious plan. What if I made things easy for myself, and just wore a plain LBD? Throw in some nice black heels, a nice popping lipstick, and impress with a clutch? Oh yes, this one is going to invest in a crazy clutch that will stand out, and be the center piece of the ouftit. Also this way I don't have to be scared to be mayorly overdressed (my style tends to be slightly different from people around me), and bags are investment pieces. Sort of. Anyway: let the hunt begin!

What do you think? Good plan? Or too dark for a wedding? What do you wear for a wedding? Keep in mind it's October, so the flowy cream dress I had in mind is off the list. We're speaking about Belgium after all, so I'm expecting a cloudy cold day. 

I'm shamelessly using the H&M x Balmain hype to notify you guys of the fact that I'm currently writing my thesis about the H&M luxury collaborations. You would help me so much by doing the following survey - all help is greatly appreciated! I promise it only takes a few minutes. Only one if you're really fast. Thank you so much!

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And to make this post not entirely all about my own needs (which is needing you to fill in my survey, he he), I am genuinely enthusiastic about the H&M x Balmain collaboration. Obviously, as I decided to write my master thesis about masstige, and more in particular the H&M luxury collection case. Not only because this is a very interesting phenomenon in fashion, as this makes luxury more and more accessible for the general public, but also because Balmain is a brand I've always loved. I'm excited to see what genious Olivier Rousteing and affordable fashion favourite H&M will come up with! I'm sure this will be one of the best collections so far. And believe me, I'm an expert by now.

This blog has been taking some beauty-related turns in the past few weeks, and I'm planning on keeping this new turn up. So when I got contacted by Eastential, a London-based girl with her own Etsy shop that sells temporary tattoos, I was enthusiastic at once!  

Personally, I would never want a real tattoo, as I change my mind too often to be happy with one design for my entire life, but I do love the tattoo-related beauty trend that was an instant hit last summer. And luckily, the trend is here to stay, as yet again this summer, metallic temporary jewellery is your way to go. Finally, a catwalk trend we can all afford!

I think these metallic temporary tattoos look so beautiful and unique, and are so much lighter in weight than actual jewels, which is more than welcome during the summer season. I don't know if this is just me, but I don't like jewels in summer, as these are quite heavy and annoying at times, so metallic tattoos are the perfect solution. Plus, they compliment tanned skin incredibly well!

Oh, and did I mention Beyoncé is a fan too? Another (mayor) reason to hop over to Archana's webshop and stack up on your new summer look! 

When a Belgian picks up the pencil, and designs a runway collection, it usually turns out well. Examples? Dries Van Noten, Ann Demeulenmeester, Martin Margiela and Christian Wijnants, to name just a few. But the Belgian designer that's now number one on my favourites list, is Raf Simons. In 2012 he was appointed as creative director for Dior, and his collections so far have been phenomenal, yesterday's Cruise 2016 collection included. 

Le Palais Bulles was the perfect setting for this gorgeous cruise collection, and I love how it fit so well with collection, that was quite 70's style itself, with a futuristic touch added. The prints, the colours, the materials used - luxurious, yet very wearable, as a cruise collection should be. I could see myself jetting off to Cannes and have a sip on a terrace in one of these beautiful designs. But then again: which woman wouldn't?

Pictures: style.com