Long vs Short Makeup Brush Handles

my brushes collection -- all from Lumiere

    One factor when it comes to choosing make-up foundation brushes is  the length of the handle.

    When I was looking for my first mineral makeup brush, I noticed that many brushes come in short and long handles, and for a long time I couldn't figure out the practical difference between the two.

    Experience taught me that long handles give more control (think painting brushes). The longer handles can be held in many different ways and allow you to make finer and more precise movements. But I prefer the short handles for another reason: I'm short-sighted and I do often my make-up without my glasses / contacts. That means my face is pretty close to my mirror and a short-handle brush is the only thing that fits in between. This is especially true for foundation brushes, because they are hard to always hold in an angle where they won't hit the mirror.

     Do you have a preference when it comes to handle length?

Review: Panache Porcelain Molded Seamless Underwire in 28DD

   I got the Panache Porcelain for a friend who had a hard time finding a bra that fits due to to pectus excavatum. I didn't own a proper seamless T-shirt bra yet (I usually used the Ewa Michalak Toffik when I really had to), so it was a very welcome addition to my lingerie drawer. Every woman should own a T-shirt bra to wear under, well, T-shirts. And other tight, clingy stuff.

   My breast type: 

currently my measurements are .... My breasts are bottom-heavy and rather separate; and broader at the root (I prefer wider underwires). I try to also add information for other breast types in my review.

Aesthetics: 3/5

   This is a simple white T-shirt bra, so it's meant to be functional rather than pretty. So I guess I shouldn't be judging it for its looks. That said, I wouldn't have minded a tiny decorative detail -- a small bow in the center or a lovely lace scallop at the bottom like the Affinitas Jeanie. The Porcelain is as simple, practicall and unfussy as your basic T-shirt. Especially the straps are very casual-looking.
   If I was buying this bra myself, I'd go for nude or black as they are much more practical (nude bras look better under white clothes than white bras).
   The cups are medium-coverage. They do nothing for my cleavage, but do quite a good job at bringing the girls more to the center.

Fit: 5/5

   This bra fits me perfectly. The top edges of the cups sit flush with the skin, -- no gaping and no cutting in (which is surprising, since this is usually a problem spot for me).  Women with breasts fuller at the top will find that the Panache Porcelain cuts into the breasts on the top, and might want to try a bigger cup size.
   The foam in the cups is thin and quite soft, which makes me happy -- I firmly believe that softer cups are way better for the breast tissue. Anyway, "molded" is a bit of an overstatement here.
   Interestingly the band is a three-piece, but is quite stable, because the piece connecting the two cups in the center is high (it's not just a piece of tape). However, I can see that girls with boobs closer apart might need to take it in.
    The underwires are quite typical Panache wide. They are quite short in the front which is good, since there are rather far apart in that place -- any longer and they would poke the sternum. They are medium-sized under the armpits -- might be a bit too long for petites / high-set breasts; and too short for getting rid of armpit fat. For everyone else, they are at a lovely, comfortable height.
    The straps are rather wide-set, which is fine for me but might be a bit of an isseu for ladies with narrow shoulders. The straps are two-piece, which means you cannot shorten them very much.
     It's hard for me to write about the band, since the original wearer has already stretched it out. Right now it's quite comfortable, I wouldn't go a size up or down. I feel that it is not very elastic, which probably means it will stay this snug as it ages.

The view from the inside

Comfort: 5/5

   This is one of the most comfortable bras I have, no complaints at all. I do have to add that I got it second hand so it has already been broken in. Nothing pokes or itches.
   The inside of the cups are lined with comfortable cotton. The straps are thick (not to be confused with wide) and soft. Comfort all the way!

Summary: 5/5

  If you like the fit of Panache and need a T-shirt bra, the Porcelain is absolutely worth trying on. Works better with bottom-heavy boobs that are not terribly close-set. If your boobs are fuller on the top, you could try sizing up but might not fill out the bottom of the cup.

Panache Porcelain Molded Plunge 28DD Stats:

Band unstretched: 58cm

Band stretched to the maximum: 85cm (remember this is a second-hand bra!)

Underwire length: 20cm

Underwire width: 13,5cm

   You can find more reviews of the Panache Porcelain in different sizes and breast shapes on Bratabase.

Weekend Reads 26-01-2012

      Hi everyone, how did your week go? I only remember felting, felting and felting. Dry and wet. Needles and hot soapy water. Flowers and animals. It was a lot of fun, and I'm not even sick of it yet!

    This week's challenge was fun -- affirmations always lift my spirits and make the day go smoother. And the prosperity affirmations always work their magic for me: when I concentrate on doing them something awesome always drops into my lap within three days. This time it was the perfect (and rather pricey) outdoors jacket that someone very generously gifted my just because I showed them how to set up Skype. It was on top of my wish list and it made me so happy! Seriously guys, I really recommend getting You Can Heal Your Life and trying it out. For the prosperity affirmations to work you first need to work through your negative beliefs and attitudes to money.

    The biggest problem in last week's challenge is that I am usually not awake enough in the morning to do them. So this week I will be going to sleep early! I need 8-9 hours of sleep a day (I know, it's such a waste of time!) and can never fall asleep quickly, so that will be around 21:30 every evening (except Mondays, which are theater rehearsal evenings). Will me luck will power!

   On to the links:

* Style: The Four Implicit Categories in Your Shopping List

* Home: I loved the way this vanity is organized. Her is a cheapo version with cereal boxes :)

* Life: Whatever happened to downtime?

* Funny: This seat is taken.

* Wow: An interesting experiment that shows how the brain can warp things.

* Skills: How to write the most amazing thank-you notes.

* Bras: The problems with wireless bras. Also, Curvy Kate spring 2013.

*Book of the week: Daughter of Fortune by Isabella Allende. I have recently discovered the world of Latin american literature -- the lilting, musical prose and the very special flavour of those cultures. Daughter of Fortune is one of my favourites, which means I have re-read parts of it many times -- it is  about a young Chilean's search for her elusive lover in Gold-rush California. It's not just another cheesy love story and I just love the atmosphere and the "magic realist" touches in the story. You can browse inside the book here.

Beautiful song, and haunting video:

How To Recognize Bogus "Natural" Cosmetics

      First, I don't mean to say that you should use only natural and organic cosmetics -- I use many conventional products that have skin-friendly and non-toxic ingredients. That said, the reason that real natural products are better for you is the fact that natural cosmetics comply to strict standards, whereas the laws for regular cosmetics are way too lax -- many known carcinogens and skin irritants are still allowed by law and used by companies. Real natural cosmetics safeguard the consumer's healthy by the approach that if there is an ingredient that is suspected to be harmful, they don't use it until the ingredient is scientifically proven to be safe.

      Obviously, not every product that advertises itself as "natural" and "plant-based" and "with organic ingredients" is natural. So you should know whether you are buying the real deal or hot air -- especially if you are shelling out more of your hard-earned money for it. In this post I will help you how to recognise real natural cosmetics.

    See the photo of the two sachets on the top of this post? I picked up these two cosmetic samples at my local Vegan bistro. When I got home I examined them more closely, and I realised that only one of them is a real natural cosmetic. Here is how to tell:

A real natural cosmetic is almost always be certified

   There exist several organisations that give a certificate to a product if it meets their standards. You will notice that the product on the right has an Ecocert label. So Ecocert isn't high up on the ladder of natural cosmetic labels, but it's still something. If a product says "natural" on the front bus has no certificate on the back, don't trust it. Here is an overview of natural cosmetic certification: don't get scared, most of them are regional so you need to pay attention only to the ones relevant to your country. For example I pay attention to Ecocert, BDIH and NaTrue.
   You will notice that a lot of "natural" brands don't have any certificates -- for example Lush, The Body Shop (apart from the Nutrigenics line which is EcoCert certified), Aveda, the "natural" lines of most big conventional brands. Here is a nice list of fakers.

A real natural cosmetic contains natural ingredients

   Well, duh. But obviously most of us don't recognise most ingredients. Just because it has a chemical-sounding name doesn't mean it is toxic (Butyrospermum Parkii is just shea butter), and just because it has an easy name doesn't mean it's natural (like mineral oil). In the case of this product, I could identify two of ingredients that sounded a warning bell: Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLS) is a harsh detergent that I have warned you about a dozen times. What on earth is it doing in a face mask anyway? You can also spot two parabens in there -- words that end with -paraben. They are pretty toxic, and I know that they are not allowed in natural cosmetics -- and even many conventional companies stopped putting them into their products.
    The other sachet didn't have an ingredient list on the back, but I traced on down here. Looks quite good, nothing I'd object to.

   To end this, I'd like to show you an extreme example: don't ever trust a cosmetic brand that doesn't tell you what's in its products. I was recently contacted by Merumaya, whose ingredient list is the greatest BS I have seen in a while. You will notice that they don't give a complete list of their ingredients (they omitted consistency givers, preservatives, fragrance, colorants and a bunch of other things), and they don't mention the real names of many of the ingredients. They mention that their fancy-named ingredients "contain" or "are rich in" certain ingredients, but that is just an equivalent of saying that coffee is rich in water.
   I know that ingredient lists according to INCI standards look "scary" to many people and most people cannot (and don't want to) read them, I still think that all cosmetic products absolutely should have them on the packaging for the sake of transparency. If they want, companies can add a "normal language" version of the ingredient list as well, like I have seen several German organic brands doing.


     I have used many products that I thought were natural and was pretty shocked to find out they weren't! If you'd like to do something against mislabeled natural cosmetics or just inform yourself better, this might be a good place to start.

Skin Creasing Under Armpits and Underwires Slipping Down

   F. wrote to me with two problems: her skin was creasing under her armpits, and her underwires shift downwards during the day. I tried to make an illustration from the photos she sent me -- my skills are limited so I hope that this conveys what was going on:

   Now the creasing is not just a shallow line -- the tissue had separated into two distinct rolls and rather deep rolls.

  F.'s measurements are 74,5cm / 97cm and she is petite. She got a Curvy Kate Thrill Me in 28H and a Cleo Juna is 28GG (drawn above).

   When the underwires shift lower than the breast crease during the day, this could be because the underwires are narrower than the root of the breasts. However F. wrote that this was not the case. So, I suspected that the cups are too small.

   Now, I noticed that F.'s breasts were very slightly spilling out of the top of the Juna cups (this however was not visible in the Curvy Kate bra, probably because of the different cup shape). It also looked like a lot of the bulk of the breasts was on the sides -- probably if this was really thoroughly scooped into the cup then the cups would overflow. F. also mentioned that the straps do not lay flat in the front where the fabric of the bra cups meets the straps -- this was also probably because the breast tissue  over there was trying to escape the too-small cup.

  This was my theory about the creasing: I think that the creasing is forming because in the past (incorrectly fitting bras) the breast tissue had escaped to the sides, and it was also hung lower because the old bras were not very supportive. Now, the snug bands are lifting that tissue up and there is creasing and bulging going on. But with a bigger cup size and regular scooping things should smoothen out as the breast tissue moves more towards the center.

  I suggested that H. try bigger cups. I was pretty thrilled when F. got back to me and let me know that I was right!

"Hello. Hat tip to you! I believe you were right about my cup size being too small. I ordered the same CK Thrill Me bra in grape/jade (from the photo I sent you) in the next cup size (28H) and in the few hours that I have worn it, the underwires in front are not slipping down. So yay!"

(I really love it when you get back to me, even if I was wrong or someone else solved your problem -- that is how I learn.)

   She also mentioned that the crease is much less prominent in the bigger cups, and that she found out that shortening the straps also worked to minimise the crease. She also mentioned that the bras were pushing her breasts apart -- a common issue in G+ cups; for which I recommended trying out Ewa Michalak bras.

     Have any of you also had issues with breast tissue creasing under the armpits? Any tips for F.? Also, should I stick with these kind of illustrations or do you prefer the simple line drawings I did so far? 

Weekend Reads 19-01-2013

      Hi everyone, how did your week go? I was enjoying the snow -- it's quite rare that there is so much snow and it's not too cold. I also did a bunch of uncluttering and organizing around the house -- feels so good!

Weekly challenge update: I'm not feeling very proud of the way the Tupler Technique week went. I had a hard time motivating/pushing myself to do the exercises, even though they take less than 10 minutes to do. I even managed to skip a day... On the plus side, it was pretty awesome to see that an exercise that was hard to do on day one was so easy on day 5! Also, I am much more aware of my core throughout the day.

    For the next week, I want to try doing affirmations every morning. I read and loved Louise Hay's You Can Heal Your Life -- it's more thorough and goes deeper than The Secret (it emphasizes that the law of attraction doesn't work if you haven't dealt with your self-loathing and other issues). This tiny little book has been extremely helpful to me (thanks to that book I permanently switched off the criticizing voice in my head). So every morning I plan to say my affirmations in front of the mirror. If you'd like to play too, I really recommend You Can Heal Your Life!

Now, on to the links for the week:

* Lol: I have probably mentioned that I love First World Problems. Now I have also discovered Parallel World Problems, Ancient World Problems, Fifth World Problems and Future World Problems.

* Aww: Cows have best friends.

* Bras: The show Double Divas is making bra-fitting bloggers want to hit their laptops with their heads. Here is Fussy Busty's review.

* Fashion history: Apparently 16th and 17th 19th century Korean women wore clothes that allowed their boobs to peek out. Obviously NSFW

* Books: If you are a Tolkien fan, you'll find this discussion about Tom Bombadil fascinating. Was Tom one of the Maiar?

* Body: I loved Are You Pretty Enough To Find Love:

"But even as I worried that I wasn’t naturally beautiful enough to find someone great, everywhere I looked, there were real-life examples to the contrary. Lots of fabulously happy, well-matched couples in which neither person struck me as conventionally attractive. Couples in which the woman was not obviously “hot,” and the man obviously thought she was. Stunningly lovely single women who couldn’t seem to go on a second date. (...) Looking at the people around me, it almost seemed like no rules applied to love. It almost seemed like anything could happen, regardless of what a person looked like."

Isn't this song amazing?

Thanks For Your Improvement Suggestions + My Replies

    Thanks a LOT for all your suggestions! It has been heartwarming to see how many of you actually read my blog -- yes, the stats tell me I have lots of readers, but it's a completely different feeling to see tons of comments!
   I just want to quickly mention that I'm sorry that the link to the Acne Ebook from the last post is not working -- the people on that website are having technical issues, which should be solved by next week the link is working! yay!

   Back to the topic on hand -- I have read every one of your suggestions and taken them to heart! I got some really great tips, and will be acting on them.

      I will address only the most often repeated ones here:

* More Ewa Michalak giwaways -- I'd love to! I hope Ewa Michalak feels the same way too.

* I was relieved and a bit surprised that most of you actually like my blog. Well, obviously you wouldn't be reading it if you didn't, but still! Some even liked it the way it is. Thanks, it means a LOT to me just to hear it from you!

* A lot of you want more of everything -- more bra posts, more skin and hair care posts. I will try to keep it all balanced. Mondays will be bra posts, Wednesdays will be beauty, and Fridays will be whetever comes up / inspires me.

* More Polish bra brands -- yes, I also realised that I'm way overdue in writing about them. Stay tuned!

* More before-and-afters -- I really love these posts, but I can't make them alone. I need you to contribute! I hope it will encourage you to know that the before-and-afters can be anonymous, with clothes on and without faces if you prefer it this way. Do mail me if you'd like to submit your images, don't be shy! Your photos might be a huge motivation for someone out there to try to find out their real bra size, besides illustrating how bra sizes really look like (most women have no idea what a 30FF really looks like).

* More beginner's posts about skin care and makeup. Will do!

* Guest posts, guest bra reviews -- yes! I have got a couple of guest posts from other bloggers lined up, and I'd very much like to have some from you! If you would like to send me your bra review, or write about a favourite beauty trick or product -- I'd really love to have you!

* Ok, so you want a brighter background. This was the most often repeated request. My husband peeked over my shoulder and agreed -- it's time to say goodbye to the black. I also realised that what I see as a starry sky shows up as plain black on most screens. I will not make the blog pink, but I will make something more bright in the next days. Someday I'd really like a professional to make over my blog, but at the moment I can't afford it (and I won't let anyone touch my blog if I'm not absolutely in love with their work). I will not mess with the sidebars because I think they are easy to navigate, but I might make a couple of minor changes. My skills are very basic and I have often broken the blog when trying to fix or improve stuff, so I am very wary of making new changes.

* The labels / categories -- several of you mentioned that they could be improved. Could you please elaborate, or show me an example of a blog that is doing it right? I'm not sure where to start. Also, I'm limited by what my blogging platform (Blogger) can do, so very fancy things are unfortunately not possible at the moment with my very rudimentary coding skills.

* Old posts not displaying properly / still linking to the old Xanga blog -- This happened because I had no way of automatically importing the old blog to Blogger, so I copy-pasted around 300 posts (!!). I tried to update all the links, but it was a nightmarish work and it's possible I skipped a few. The Xanga HTML was also a nightmare, that's why some of the posts might be acting weird in Internet Explorer. I will try to clean up things when I have the time. Also, you should not be using Internet Explorer. Chrome is really much better.

* More diversity of body types in the photos I use: I'd love to implement this, but it is not always easy. Searching for images that are appropriate and in line with my aesthetics is already very time consuming (sometimes takes longer than the writing of the post). I usually use weheartit, but if you know of a source with more body type diversity (and less so-cute-I-puked), do let me know!

* Yes, I read each and every one of your suggestions, and I will be considering it even if I have not mentioned them right now.


    If you'd still like to add your ideas and advice, you are welcome to do so in the comments!

The Best Nail Polish Remover Ever: Sante

    Last year I have started using nail polish again (the last time was when I was still at school, can you believe it?). And while I discovered that painting my nails is a lot of fun (albeit time-taking), very soon my nails started splitting peeling. Now, this was very upsetting to me and took a long time to get rid of, so I started looking for a better nail polish remover than the one I had.
     Now, I'm very nerdy, and "looking for" in my case means searching through blogs, forums and review sites. And that's how I stumbled upon Sante -- it had tons of rave reviews and it was natural and cruelty-free (though I haven't been writing much about this on the blog, cruelty-free is a major criterium for me when choosing cosmetics).
     The Sante nail-polish remover in organic, and has lovely ingredients -- among them orange and castor oils. It doesn't dry out the nails at all, and smells lovely -- like oranges.
     I have to admit it took me a while to work out how the packaging works, but it's actually very easy -- you push the "plate" down, and then it fills itself with the nail polish remover liquid, and you can dip your cotton pad in it. I like it, since there is less chance of pouring too much product on the cotton pad as compared to regular bottles.
      I paid around 5€ for 100ml, so it isn't the cheapest nail polish remover in town -- but if you need something gentle it is totally worth paying the difference. I got mine at the DM drogerie, but you can usually find Sante products in natural / healthy food stores. Here is a list of places where you can buy Sante products internationally.

This product is a BDIH-certified natural product, crueltly free, vegan and gluten free.

Ingriedient List (INCI):
Alcohol denat., Ethyl Lactate, Ricinus Communis (castor oil), Aqua (Water), Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil
, Limonene, Linalool


   Have you tried the Sante nailpolish remover? If not, what is your personal favourite product to remove nail colour?

(Fixed link) ACNE: a comprehensive guide Ebook for you

>>

   Remember the time when I asked you to for your questions about Acne for an E-book? Well, I just got word that it is out!


     The Ebook is written in a fun way, so that I actually read all of it in one go -- even though I don't have acne! I wasn't expecting a book on acne to be fun. I was thinking that if I had a teen sister or brother I'd send this to them to read -- unfortunately my siblings seem to have grown out of the spotty age. I was happy that eating well and de-stressing was stressed in the guide, since I am a firm believer that beauty products can only do that much if we ignore our health and happiness. Also, I giggled to see myself described as boob-obsessed -- that is definitely the truth about me!

    ACNE: a comprehensive guide to identifying, treating, and generally showing spots who the boss is E-book can be downloaded for free here. Do read it and let me know what you think!

   And while we are on the topic, do you have a great resource for acne -- a book, blog or forum that has helped you to deal with the problem? Do share in the comments.

Updated:
Really sorry about the link being down: I got informed that they are having some technical issues. I will let you know as soon as it is working again!

Updated update:
Everything is working again!

Giveway winners!

    Hello everyone, I bet you are all wondering who won all these lovely giveways? Here are the winners:

Freshpair 25$ gift voucher: Rebecca Strafford
Already Pretty book: Talia Rosin
Parfait Affinitas Charlotte bra: Kelly Humphrey
Ewa Michalak bra of choice: Anna Phizacklea

    Congrats all of you! I have sent each of you an email -- if you haven't got it just check in your spam folder, or simply send me a mail. Please be sure to respond within 5 days (if ionly to tell me you still don't know which bra to pick) because if there is no sign of life from you I'll have to choose another winner.
   
   The winners have been picked at random, and Rafflecopter gives me the email address of the winner (for those who asked). If you haven't won, don't worry -- I will be running more giveways in the future. Also, I always let you know on the Venusian*Glow facebook page when there are bra giveways happening on other blogs.

   I'd also like to thank each one of our lovely giveway sponsors -- it has been fun and you have just made a couple of women really happy!

    To those of you who entered the Ewa Michalak giveway -- thanks SO much for all your suggestions for my blog. I have read each and every one, and have already started working on them! I'll write a bit more about this on Friday.

     Have a great day!

Bra Resources And Communities

>>

   While I am extremely proud my articles on bra fitting, I know that my small blog cannot by far satisfy all your needs. So I am putting together a great list of communities and resources.

There are many amazing bra bloggers out there. Here is a list of some of them. It's really helpful to read a blog of a girl who has the same size or body type as you (or close).

Busty Resources is a Wiki with some great info; I especially love their list of offline retailers worldwide.

Bratabase is where you'll find bra reviews. You should totally go there before buying your bras online! And I strongly encourage you to add your bras on there to help other women. Then there is the Fitting Help section where you can post photos and get advice and feedback on your fitting problem. Bratabase also has a Listings section where members can buy or sell bras -- perfect for scoring cheap bras or getting rid of ones that don't fit.

ABraThatFits is a pretty new and active forum where you can discuss everything bra related -- ask questions, offer advice or even rant about your bra problems. Braswap is the related forum where you can buy or sell bras.


   Do you know of any other communities or resources that we should all get to know? Do share in the comments!

Weekly Challenge + Weekend Reads 12-01-2012

Introducing my weekly challenges (with summary of the "get dressed" challenge) + lovely links for you to persue!

      Hi everyone, how did your week go? I have been looking through all high-street clothing stores for the end-of-season-sales -- and all the time I was thinking that I had forgotten music could be so bad! Funnily I didn't buy anything at all, till I stumbled on a carnival flea market where I picked up two lovely brown dresses. Yeah, in Germany the next big thing after the New Year's is Fasching, aka the carnival or the merrymaking before the Easter austerities. It's nothing interesting compared to, say, Brazil -- but who can pass up an opportunity to dress up and have fun?

Weekly Challenge

    I am not doing typical new year's resolutions this year, because I am really rubbish at sticking to anything for a long time. I can never decide which resolution to pick so I do several, and that obviously makes it worse.

    This year I decided to do weekly challenges instead. Each week, I will pick something that I want to try for seven days. The challenges will vary be about developing good habits, the fun, the experimental and everything else. I hope they shake up my live a bit and give me an insight of what works best for me. You are welcome to join me in the challenge if you find it interesting!

   Last week's challenge was getting dressed each morning. Like, really dressed, in an outfit. Normally I wake up bleary-eyed and pull on jeans +  long-sleeved top thinking oh, I'm only going to drop off the kids, I can get properly dressed later, ignoring the fact that is not a 5-minute trip down the corner -- it takes an hour, is often followed up by grocery shopping and all to often turns into spontaneous activities with moms I'm friends with. I often forget to get "properly dressed" later on, and when it's time to go out again I often find myself in the same jeans and top, often wrinkled and not at their cleanest.

    The thing is, I like being dressed a bit better, and after working my way through the Already Pretty book I was struck by how much amazing stuff I have in my closet which I never wear. And because in the mornings I have neither the time, the will or the proper lighting to put together a nice outfit, I started doing that in the afternoons. Following the book I put together an outfit around an underused item and wore it for the rest of the day, then put it away in a way that I could put it on in my semi-conscious morning state. Oh, and I started noting the outfit down and photographing it. When I first read about having an outfit list, I was "ain't nobody got time fo' that", but now that I am doing it I realise that it's actually a huge time saver -- putting together outfits takes time, and this time is wasted if you forget the outfits right after you wear them.

     Bottom line? I'm going to make this into a habit. 

     Next week's challenge: doing the Tupler technique each day. I have an abdominal separation of around two fingers after my pregnancies, and it's time to do something about it.

Weekend Reads:

   Enjoy these lovely link!

* Style: Apparently these colours look good on almost everyone.

* Home: Little Green Notebook is one of my current favourite home design blogs.

* Create: liveluvcreate lets you slap text on an image in seconds. Fun and easy!

* Blogging: The Blog Critiques from Momcomm have been invaluable to me, and I think that anyone with a blog should go through some of them.

* Tech: The Empty Gmail inbox hack

* Beauty: Tightlining your eyes tutorial. Also known as invisible eyeliner.

* Bored: Press the bored button. Fun!

* Movie of the week: District 9. It's a very different kind of science-fiction film: what if aliens landed on the earth and became just another social problem? I've seen this film twice, and love the fact that If you have already seen the movies, their website is really cool and I spent just way too much time on it.

How to greet people. I just died laughing:

Survival Guide For Cold, Dark Winters

Via DeviantArt

   I don't know about you, but I always get winter blues at the beginning of each year. Christmas decorations have been taken down, the New Years party memories are starting to fade, and there is nothing to look forward to except for spring which takes ages to come and is always colder and rainier than I'd like it to be. Too few sunlight and too much time spent indoors take it's physical and mental toll on me.
   This year I decided to be proactive and not succumb to the winter blues which knock me down at this time of the year. Here are my best tips on fighting the winter blues:

Hot water bottles

    If you get chilly easily, these can be real life savers. I love to sleep with one, and often have one on my lap when I'm at the computer. Bonus points if it has a cute woolen cover!

St. John's Wort

      This herb is a great mood-lifter and is often prescribed in Germany for treating mild to medium depression; and has been proven to be effective. This year I have started taking in in tablet form in the beginning of winter (remember that it takes a couple of weeks to work). It raises light sensitivity so it is not recommended in summer, but perfect for winter! I get it in the drugstores.
     PS -- please do your research first and check if there are any counter-indications. For example the Wikipedia page states that St. John's Wort should not be taken by women on contraceptives.

Self-tanning lotion:

      This winter I am using self-tanning lotion in place of body moisturiser every few days. A light golden glow on my skin makes it seem that the days when I was prancing in sundresser at a lakeside are not so long ago. I recommend the one from Lavera.

Get a real, proper winter coat. And boots.

        A toasty weatherproof coat is a must for anyone living in a cooler climate. Winters seem to be very mild lately due to global warming, but when the temperatures drop to -20°C for a few days, or when the wind picks up, I am really really thankful for my warmest coat. I really recommend one that ends mid-thigh or at the knees, with a hood -- a hood keeps you much warmer than any cap every will. I had a coat with polyester filling for ages and now got a down coat from Land's End (got it at a swap website) and am amazed at how warm it is. Also, I love Land's End coats are sturdy enough for outdoorsy activities, while looking really good (for a puffer coat). Here is a great guide for choosing a stylish puffer coat.
      You also need to have one pair of shoes that are snow-proof and have a thick enough sole to isolate you from the frozen ground. I also highly recommend isolating shoe inserts for extra warmth! Plus points if you also have warm, thick socks.

Stay hydrated

    We often forget to drink enough water when it gets cold. I noticed myself getting quite dehydrated this winter, which means I got headaches, and am trying hard to drink enough. Dehydration can also lead to sluggishness, dry skin and also a disoriented feeling. Some ways to remember to drink enough: have a water jug at your desk. Drink a glass of water before drinking a cup of tea or coffee. Wear eight bracelets on your wrist and take off one every time you drink a glass of water or a cup of tea.

Winter Teas

   These really comfort me when it'd cold and dark. I love very spicy Ginger tea that my Chinese friend got me addicted to; and I also drink a lot of Yogi teas (all the spicy tastes like Chai or Mexican Chilli). I also love thyme + ginger tea to which I add a bit of lemon juice and honey when it isn't hot anymore.

Enjoy seasonal stuff

    Winter does have its upsides. When else can you drink hot wine, throw snowballs, cuddle without sweating or (for those of you far from the equator) enjoy candlelight? Make apples with cinnamon, take a walk just to see the Christmas decorations or the first snow, The outdoors will not be calling you, so you have more time for crafting or other hobbies.

Move!

   Exercise really helps to lift the mood, as you have probably heard a thousand times. Well, it's true. Get your butt to the gym, join a fitness class, workout to Bodyrock videos at home or take a long, brisk walk -- it's up to you.

Wear colour

   A Finnish friend told me that she loves to wear vibrant light blues and pinks in the dark Finnish winter, and that people always turn to look at her and then they smile. The dark and dreary winter makes the people want to wear dark and dreary clothing, and then you have grey and brown streets full of people wearing grey and brown and black clothes... It's time to put an end to that! Winter coats in cheerful colours are really hard to find, but I love wearing caps, scarves and gloves in cheerful, vibrant shades -- like pumpkin yellow or red or turquoise.

Dawn-simulating clock

   These are amazing for those having a hard time waking up because of the darkness! A dawn-simulating clock starts getting brighter around half an hour before it rings, and that prepares the body for waking up. The result is that you wake more lightly. Do read reviews before buying to make sure that the clock is bright enough. I highly recommend getting a radio-controlled one, and it's nice if it has nature tones (seriously, waking up to birds or running water is way nicer than to the typical alarm beeps).

Make your home cozy

    Light candles, get a warm and cozy throw, add a bright pillow colour and maybe a flowering plant. I recommend making a home-warming ritual every time you come home in the evening / it gets dark -- light some candles, play some nice music and make it smell nice with essential oils (I recommend orange, grapefruit, or cinnamon, or anything fir / pine).

Get outdoors

   Sometimes all you need it a bit of daylight and movement. Go for a long walk, go tobogganing, or a ski weekend.

Get away

   If your winter blues are really bad, consider taking a long weekend off and flying somewhere sunny. Yes, this suggestion is pricier than others, but sometimes it makes more sense to splurge a bit and come back energised and productive, then to mope around depressed for weeks. Personally, travelling recharges me in crazy ways -- I am healthier, happier and more productive after a trip, even a short one.
   There are several flight search engines that don't make you choose a destination, so try looking for warmer places within your budget. Also, I recommend you try Couchsurfing -- I really loved it, its way more than just a way to save money.

Make a winter survival kit

    I have written about making one here. I will get to open mine next month, and am quite excited about it because I forgot what's in there!

   Finally, here are my tips on winter skin care and winter hair care.


    I'd love to know how you deal with winter blues. If you have any tried-and-tested tips, do share them.

Kallos Latte Protein Mask: An Amazing Protein Conditioner

     This conditioner has been sent to me by my lovely hair-care guru Anwen. It's a hit on the Polish hair-care community and I was dying to test it out!

    My hair absolutely loves proteins, and the Kallos Latte mask leaves my hair shiny, bouncy and full of volume.  I leave it on for at leat half an hour, and always follow it up with moisturiser, otherwise proteins leave my hair a bit stiff and crunchy. Obviously it will work for you only if your hair likes protein. Mine can't get enough of it. I noticed that Kallos Latte can weight the hair down if you use too much on the hair, so apply only as much as necessary.
    The Kallos Latte Mask also seems to last for ever -- I have been using this regularly and the container seems bottomless. I'm not a huge fan of the smell -- a chemical coconut-vanilla pudding, but then again I dislike the smell of almost everything that isn't a natural cosmetic. I know that some girls love the smell.

    It cost roughly 5€ (a very big tub), though I know that the price varies. Anwen bought it for me in a store for hairdresser supplies in Krakow and it's also available via multidrogeria.pl . Readers in Germany and Austria  can get it from iparfumerie.at / or .de while Hungarians might probably learn something useful here. I imagine it is available in many European countries, especially those neighbouring Hungary -- just try googling.

Ingredients (INCI):

Aqua, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Dipamytoylethyl Hydroxyethylomonium Methosulfate, Parfum, Propylene Glycol, Benzyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, PEG- 5 Cocomonium Methosulfate, Methylisothiazolinone, Sodium Glutamate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolized Casein, Hydrolized Milk Protein, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, 5-Bromo-5-Nitro-1,3-Dioxane.

     I love how this works, however it is not my ideal cosmetic because of the ingredient list. The perfume as well as Methylchloroisothiazolinone are a bit too high up on the ingredient list, and may irritate.  I will be testing some protein conditioners from natural brands and I hope that I can find a more natural and cruelty-free substitute.

    Do you have any protein-rich hair treatments to recommend? Does your hair like protein?

Breasts Changes And Care During Pregnancy And Nursing

    In this post I will cover the changes you can expect during pregnancy, nursing and beyond; and suggest tips on how to take care of your boobs during that time.

    Most women ask what will their breast size be after pregnancy and nursing? The answer is: this differs from woman to woman. There is no rule about how much your breasts will grow during pregnancy and whether they will get back to their current size or not. I am saying this based on talks with friends and reading tons of forum discussions about this topic. Some women end up with their pre-pregnancy size, some with bigger breasts and some with smaller. You can ask your mom how it was for her, but there is no warranty that your boob-genes are inherited from your mom's side of your family.

Breast Changes During Pregnancy

     Your boobs will probably grow during pregnancy, though it is impossible to predict whether it will be one size or several. In my case it was around 5 sizes (approximately, since my pre-pregnancy bras were so terribly fitted that I can only guess what my real size was -- probably a 28B). It is possible that your breasts will grow in leaps and jumps, and that the process will not be entirely comfortable.
      Also the nipples might change -- grow in size, darken in colour. They might look like huge bull's eyes -- don't worry, that usually changes back after weaning.

Taking care of your breasts during pregnancy

     Most of damage happens to breasts during pregnancy, not nursing! This is really important to remember. Doing a couple of things for your breasts now might spare you tons of tears later on.

Wear correctly fitting bras:
   The most important thing you can do is always wear correctly-fitting bras, keeping up with your growing cup sizes. This might sound expensive, but it's still way cheaper than a breast augumentation -- and so worth it in terms of both looks and comfort. (If you want to be thrifty, you can turn them into nursing bras when the baby comes, or re-sell them -- or even buy nursing bras in the first place).

Wear good bras:
   I have covered in detail about which bras are best, but I'll write again the most important points: do not wear they typical stretchy maternity bras, they will not support you at all. The cups should not be made of stretchy material! The band needs to be snug. It is possible that at the end of the pregnancy you will need a bigger band because your ribs will open up a bit, but I usually recommend band extenders at this point (especially because the ribs go back to previous width a week or two after giving birth).

Wear a bra at night:
    You will probably need all the support you can get, especially if you are rapidly gaining cup sizes. If you are comfortable doing so, wear a bra even while sleeping.

How to avoid stretchmarks:
    Stretchmarks -- of course you wanted to know about this. I got a lot, and my skin itched like crazy before they appeared. To minimise the risk of getting stretchmarks you need to wear supportive bras, and you should moisturise your breasts twice a day (I wasn't dilligent enough and I regret it now). Look for products that increase the skin's elasticity -- not anything that is firming. An oil mix of wheatgerm oil, almond oil and jojoba oil with a capsule of vit E in works well. Gently massage the product into your skin, so that it gets relaxed and very gently stretched (do your belly, thighs and butt while you are about it, that's where stretchmarks appear pretty often). Also, zinc makes the skin more elastic by helping with collagen production, so you might want to eat foods rich in zinc ( or ask your doc whether you can eat supplements).

Prepare your nipples
    This was a great tip from my midwife -- toughen up your nips in advance and you'll have it easier while nursing. Brush them with a natural body brush every day -- start gently and get a bit harder gradually.

Breast Changes During Nursing:

   There is a myth that nursing damages boobs -- in reality most of the damage happens during pregnancy, that is when the boobs grow. If you are trying to decide whether to nurse or not, try to nurse your baby for at least a week -- that way it gets a lot of antibodies from you that gives it a running start in life.
      Nursing does make the boobs smaller (usually), though there is no telling whether they will return to their pre-pregnancy size, or smaller, or bigger. Also, the nipples might start to stick-out a bit (or more than a bit). Inverted nipples might become extroverted. Some women who nursed for two years or so found that it was too much of a strain for their boobs, which looked very "empty" afterwards.

Nurse carefully
    Generally, try to teach your baby to not tug or pull at the breasts. It may look cute and harmless, but it is seriously not funny when a much older and stronger baby is trying to turn around and look at dad while still keeping mom's nipple in his mouth. Especially if he already has teeth. Obviously it helps to nurse in a quiet space, but there are some babies which just think that breasts are another thing to play with. Every time the baby does something like that (or bites you), insert your pinkie finger in the corner of it's mouth to break the suction and remove your boob. Allow the baby to latch on again if it wants to. You can start this after 6 weeks, when the baby is aware enough of the world around.

Taking care of your breasts during nursing

      Boobs at the beginning of nursing  are very swollen and sore. Now, for some women nursing comes really easily, for others it can be really hard (like for me). If you are having a hard time, you might want to contact an experienced midwife, or La Leche League. Read up on how to soothe swollen breasts (massage, cream cheese, cold cabbage leaves) as well as the fever and mood swings that appear during the onset of milk. Nipple shields and lanolin do wonders if you have sore nipples. And, most importantly -- remember even if the beginning is confusing and not easy, it's all downhil from here.

Choose your nursing bras wisely:
    Again, well-fitting bras are a must. Most typical nursing bras are terrible -- they support nothing and are way too stretchy. Here is a list of brands that make good nursing bras. Again, I really recommend splurging here and saving for other stuff. For example a baby really does not need brand new clothes -- and besides second-hand stuff has the advantage of having the toxins washed out (this is also why you should wash new baby stuff several times before you put in on the baby -- baby skin is extremely thin and sensitive!)

Stretch marks
    If you haven't got any so far, you still need to be careful during the first weeks of nursing. If you already got them, now is the time to get rid of them. If they are still red, they are fresh and easier to get rid off that when they have turned silver. Now, massaging and brushing of the skin is much more important than the product you use. A lot of women report thicker and heavier products to be more effective -- this is because such a product forces them to massage longer than a product that sinks in instantly.
     Be very careful about what you apply on the breasts since a lot of stuff might go into the milk! Also, avoid the nipples and just to be on the safe side wash your nipples before nursing. If you can't find a stretchmark product that is safe for the baby, you can use the same oil mixture that I recommended earlier, or shea butter. Anyway, massage thoroughly, twice a day. You can also brush the skin -- gently with a delicate brush, and void the nipples.


Avoiding asymmetry
     If your baby decides it prefers one boob to another, it can lead to light to severe asymmetry after months of nursing! The more used boob will end up bigger in the end. Watch out for early signs of this, and deal with it before it becomes a fixed habit for your baby (this piece of advice can actually be applied to everything about kids). The problem can lie in the way you are holding the baby -- try to put a pillow under it so that it is more comfortable (the "moon-shaped" pillows with styropore in them are the best thing ever!) Or, the baby might have a "stiff neck" and find it hard to turn its head one way due to lying in the womb in a weird position. Try putting interesting toys on the "difficult" side of the baby, to encourage it to turn its head that way. Also, here is an easy trick -- give the least preferred boob to your baby first -- chances are it will be too hungry to notice. Finally, experiment with nursing positions -- you can trick the baby with the "football hold".
   Obviously if you already have an asymmetry, you can use nursing to even this out. Try to make the baby nurse out of the smaller boob more than out of the bigger boob, or if you can't manage that, pump a little out of the smaller boob after nursing.

Loosing weight sensibly
     Rapid weight loss is not good for the boobs: recommend loosing not more than a kilo a week -- that way the skin has time to shrink back. Also, eating healthy (lots of fruit and veggies) while loosing weight is important -- skin elasticity very much depends on how much minerals and vitamins you are getting.

Breast Changes After Weaning:

   (Or after pregnancy, in case of choosing not to nurse). You didn't think it's over yet, did you? It takes at least 9 months and up to 2 years for the body to completely recover after having a baby. Bones will shift around, hormone levels will change, muscles will get stronger. And boobs change too. Most "pep up" a bit after nursing. The areolas usually shrink a bit and return to their old colour. Stretch marks fade and become less visible.

What you can do:
    After weaning you can get a proper strechmark cream. Remember that it takes 1-2 years to lighten scars, so don't give up. Persistance is key here! Of course, you should also watch out for changes in breast size and buy different sized bras if necessary.


More: here is a great round-up of maternity bloggers and posts.


   That's all from me. I'd love it if other experienced mommies chimed in with their experiences and tip!

Weekend Reads 05-01-2012

      Hi everyone, how did your week go? I'm feeling a bit down the weather, so I'm enjoying a cozy weekend at home. The end of the winter holidays has come, and I'm looking forward to next week! Especially my sewing workshop -- I found an "open workshop" (spaces where people can learn / exchange certain skills for free)  for sewing in my town and am learning to sew and alter stuff -- a really big challenge for me!
      Onward to the links:

* Bras: Are red marks left by bras on the skin ok? Here is the answer.

* Wow: The Neuroscience Of Pickpockets.

* Smarts: What is the Ego? Here is a lovely explanation.

* Funny: I had to laugh at this advice on getting married from kids. Also: great advice.

* Food: If you enjoy cooking, travel and pretty foot photography, you might like La La Tartine Gourmande

* More: Probably you've heard me mention them, but here goes again: I am doing two little side projects: Lets Panic About Badly Fitted Bras points out horrible bra fit examples and hopes to train women's eyes to recognise how bad vs good fit looks like. Repurposing is full with ideas on reusing objects in your home -- a lovely combination of whimsy chic, green and thrifth! You'll find cute ideas for organising your jewelry or maximise space in your fridge -- with objects that you probably already own. Both Tumblrs accept contributions, so the next time you find an image that makes your boobs hurt or a repurposing idea you'd like to share, just click on the Submit buttons!

Impressions From Christmas And New Year

Hope everyone has had lovely holidays! I wanted to share a few impressions from the last week:

   We always DIY our advent wreath. I don't know whether this is just a German thing or not, so I'll explain just in case: it has four candles, and four weeks before Christmas you burn only on in the evenings, the third week you burn two candles, and so on. We can't keep the candles burning all of the time (small kids) so we have been using the same four candles since years! This year they are finally burned down and I'm excited about getting new ones next year.

    Christmas markets are fun! There were at least four in my town, full of ornaments, handmade wool products, spices, glühwein (hot spicy wine) and delicious things to eat.

    I always love to peek at the dollhouse supplies. People, these things are tiny, even though they don't look it on the photo You can get everything from kitchen supplies to miniature furniture.

I also noticed mistletoe on a street lamp :)

     At my home, things are done very nontraditional. I'm not Christian, but I love Christmas and have always celebrated it in a rather eclectic way. I love singing Christmas carols, and for the first time this year we actually knew the same songs for the first time (that one of the funny awkward things about having an intercultural family).


     Here is the nativity that my daughter made in her Kindergarden. It's made of wax. My (smaller) son made a lump of something with eyes on one end and a butt on the other (or so he explained. )

     These two nativities are from Bolivia. The smaller one is really tiny, around the size of an euro coin.

     This ornament is one of the ones I have from India. Lovely, isn't it?

    And this one is the start of a lovely tradition: every year we will pick out ornaments that represent us in this year. My smallest son was crazy about trains, so this wooden locomotive was a no-brainer:

Our gift wrapping was quite green this year. If you're curious, google "Furoshiki".

   I don't have any photos of the New Year's eve, but is was a nice one. First we met up with friends at a river and made a bonfire in which we burned old calendars, notes and wishes; then we sang songs, and set walnut candles with wishes in the water.

    After that we headed home. People here set off really lovely fireworks at midnight, so even if you don't go out the celebration comes to you. I always love drinking Sekt (sparkling wine) on the balcony while watching the fireworks, till there is nothing more to see because of the smoke. If there are any French people reading this, there is a (true) joke about Germans in Paris going climbing all the steps to the top of the Montmartre at midnight to be at the best place to see the fireworks*.

* for the rest of the world: the anticlimax end of the story is that the Germans realise that French don't set off fireworks at midnight.

      And finally, I wanted to show off what I have been doing over the holidays: needle felting. It's way easier than wet felting, and the results are really nice. I made this house gnome for a friend:

 

   That's all about me. How was your Christmas and New Year's ? Any funny / interesting / weird traditions you'd like to share?