returns…?

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me writing this because it’s meta and the coffee shop is cute

Hey, how have you all been?

Suddenly, it’s been almost a year since my last video.
On my Instagram, I’ve posted about 5 pictures. So it’s been basically… radio silence.
Do I owe you an explanation? I’m sure everyone did just fine during my absence, yet I feel I created a bond with this weird virtual entity that is you guys.

Won’t lie: 2019 was the roughest year to date and every turn seemed to bring more twists to bring me down. Picture a 1990’s video game with boomerangs flying all over and hitting me in the head…

I must say makeup and skincare have not been on the top of my priorities, but, surprisingly enough, even during my worse moments, those little rituals provided me some solace, some comfort, and the seeming chore of doing my skincare routine in the evening was something that made me feel slightly more… normal. Self-care and all that, I guess.
Also, YouTube has provided me with many hours of entertainment, or, at least, something to keep my mind out of reality.

So… Yeah, now that things seem to be settling down I noticed I missed filming, playing with makeup, and I’m pondering coming back.

There’s a couple of pros and cons, of course.
The biggest thing I’m dwelling on is: is it worth it? Would you like to hang out with me again on some Sunday mornings?

I’ll be here waiting to know what the 3 of you think ;)

Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Concealer Review

thefreevolous2 Comments

Getting sucked in by all the hype makes me buy stuff I wasn’t planning to get. It’s ok to step out of my comfort zone (and have some new content for you guys), but was it worth it for me, personally?

Check the video to find out.

You can buy the Pro Filt’r Concealer at a Fenty Beauty Counter or, depending where you live, at Sephora.

I did a swap with a subscriber — unboxing

thefreevolous1 Comment

It is definitely quite a time to be alive when you can establish a true connection with someone on the other side of the world through common interests, and become a part of their lives in such a meaningful way, without ever really meeting in person.
This has happened to me a few times, mostly through dancing, but also due to, yes, blogging and makeup.
Today I bring you an unboxing of a swap I did with the sweetest subscriber.
There are no words to convey how grateful I am for you guys to be a part of my life, be it through a simple view or like, but also when you reach out and talk to me.
I hope this unboxing restores just a bit of your faith in humanity for you, just as this whole experience I have had with Barbara did for me.

Click for products list

my tretinoin sidekicks

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There are 3 anti-ageing holy grail ingredients in skincare: Peptides, Vitamin C, and the mother of all the gold standards: tretinoin (with all its sister and cousin derivatives from Vitamin A).
It is also largely known as a go-to for acne treatment.

Many people try out retinol or retinoid products, and most are formulated in low percentages, and/or with buffers and other ingredients that soothe the harshest side-effects.
Yet, when jumping on to stronger retinols and topical tretinoin (better known by its commercial name, Retin-A), the side effects can be harsh.
There’s a whole method to this madness of trying to slow down the signs of ageing, and I’ll share what I’ve learnt with you.
This video goes deep into the products that I found are helping me to keep my skin soothed and as balanced as possible.

Also on this post, I’ll keep a little list of the things I have learnt so far (and I reserve the right to come back to this post to add or replace any information I can gather/correct.
I also encourage you to check out Caroline Hirons‘ blog, since she’s preparing a massive post (and maybe video) on this subject. She is a skincare encyclopaedia.

click for more info and list of products

basic brown and gold eye makeup tutorial

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Your wish is my command, and, despite the internet being filled to the brim with brown and gold looks, this is my take on it, based on (despite the fail) the Samantha Ravndahl New Years look. If you decide to replicate it, do try to make the gold stripe thinner ;)

you’ll need two shades that I’d bet 99% of makeup wearers have on their stashes, and I added a bit of extra glimmer in the end.

I hope you have a wonderful week and, if you try to replicate this, let me know by tagging me on Instagram!

click for products list and links

best in skin/hair care 2018

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So many amazing products on the market, these were the ones I trusted my almost 40 acne-prone combination skin during the year. Of course I experimented around and there are some others out of this list that I truly rate, but I had to cut somewhere or this video would be 10 hours long.

Happy new beginnings, everyone!

click for products list and links