Tuned-down Boho Style {Fashion & Interior Inspiration}

   
Simple boho. Isn't than an oxymoron?
     Bohemian is a style that appears prominently on my Pinterest pins, but not in my real life. It is too maximalistic, too fussy, too flashy. My dressing sense is a bit more urban, ladylike; and I prefer my small and un-minimalistic home to look light, airy and calm. It's hard to work Boho into it. I'm also wary of the Hippie look which looks a bit too scruffy and faded to my eye, and also with all my years of living in India and my green-crunchy life style I am already at risk of being classified as a Hippie. (I've got nothing against Hippies, they are lovely people, it's just not "my thing".)
    Yet I am so drawn to the exotic colours of the Bomehian style, the warmth and vibrancy and the richness. Traditional patterns and workmanship from far-off cultures. It ties in strongly reflects my wanderlust and my interest in other cultures. And as me and my husband both have roots in other cultures and have lived in several different parts of the world, many of the items and patterns are meaningful to me. I do own many boho items: pretty fabrics, jewelry, embroidered clothes, masks and figures and whatnot. Yet I seem to be at loss at how to incorporate them into my wardrobe and my home.
   So I started browsing Pinterest for images of a simple, minimalistic boho style. Modern boho. Minimalistic boho. Bohemian combined with rustic, with industrial, with rock, with classic elements. this is what turned up:

  There are several ways of making bohemnian, gypsy and tribal look calm, simple and even minimalistic. You can stick to small doses and splashes of vibrant elements: a couple of cushions or a throw; or just a bag or a statement necklace.

via ILoveBornToBeWild

via Emmadine

via ana-lopo

 

 

via Etsy

    You can use contrast, combining rich and exuberant pieces with tougher, simple items, or classic pieces. Think gypsy elements with white walls and organic wood; a beaded jacket with black (p)leather trousers, industrial furniture.

via Etsy

via ThatBohemianGirl

via Colormuse

via TheBerry

   Or you can choose bohemian pieces that are by themselves simple. Either simple metallic geometric jewellery, or very delicate dreamy pieces. Rich patterns in either neutral or subdued colours. Or just stick to a monochrome palette.

via Style-Files

via ThatBohemianGirl

 

mage: Westelm, via Stylzimoblog

 

 

My point is: you can use gypsy, bohemian and ethnic elements in many different ways. You can make it elegant. You can make it tough. You can make it simple. Have fun! I'm off to make my own boho pieces work.

   What's your favourite way of using boho elements in your home and in your outfits?

Cosmetic Favourites January 2014: Martina Gebhardt, Ebelin Brush, Silicone Peeling Pad, Lakshmi Lip Balm, Dr. Hauschka Eyeliner, Annemarie Börlind, Dudu Osun Soap

  

   I know I haven´t been posting cosmetic review posts for some time, since I had been busy finishing up old products. Now I suddenly have tons of new stuff to recommend, partially because I got a generous gift bag from my DM bloggers camp; and partially because of my Biobox subscription. The Biobox is like the Glossybox, but for natural cosmetics. I pay 15€ a month to get a box with cosmetics from natural brands, worth at least 30€. So far I have been pretty satisfied with what I got, and have tried out brands and products I would normally not have discovered by myself. The Biobox subscription is available in many European countries. A similar service is the Fairy-box, though limited to DE, AUT and CH. You can see the content of one of the boxes in the picture above.

On to the cosmetics that I have been using recently:

Martina Gebhardt - Young and Active Lotion

   This has been a huge favourite. It moisturises my face and at the same time keeps the oiliness of my T-zone under control. It doesn not block my pores in the least! I´d never have discovered this product if I hadn´t got it in the BioBox. The packaging is very utilitarian, and both the label and the brochure look home made, so the product had never caught my eye in stores. However I was pretty happy to see that the brochure recommended a minimalistic skin care, and not using the moisturiser twice a day unless necessary (in contrast to lather-rinse-repeat recommendations that make us use up more of the product, to push sales). Points for not being coldly money-driven!
   The products from Martina Gerbhardt are certified natural cosmetics in biodynamic Demeter quality, and vegan. They are based on Spagyric principles, which date back to middle-age alchemism. They use the salts extracted from ashes of the plants instead of essences in alcohol -- I don´t know about the effectiveness of this method, but I do like not having alcohol in my moisturiser (my skin doesn´t like alcohol very much). I´m pretty impressed with the Maria Gebhardt Lotion as well as the philosophy of the brand, so for sure this will not be the last cosmetic from them that I will use.

Lakshmi Lip Balm No. 600

   I had been looking for a natural lip balm for the cold season. The Lakshmi is based on Ghee (Indian clarified butter). It is rich but not waxy or sticky, and gives a soft, dewy look. The lips are moisturised, and the taste and smell is neutral. I can also be used to moisturise the dry sin around the eyes. Another use that I have found for this product is as a cuticle moisturiser! It is very multipurpose since it is neither oily nor sticky. The packaging is quite stylish! Overall, a nice product that I will probably not rebuy because of the price.
  The Lakshmi lip balm is Ecocert and Demeter certified, but not vegan.

 

Ebelin Professional Gesichtspeeling + Massagepad

   I had been eyeing this little pad for a long time untill I took the plunge and bought it when on a hot-chocolate high. It is a soft silicone pad with soft bristles, meant for cleansing and massaging the face. It has worked really well for me: the bristles gently dislodge dead skin and blocked pores, and the gentle massage is quite pleasant. The pad is very soft so it doesn't scratch the skin or irritate my fragile capillaries as long as I am gentle and don't apply too much pressure. I use it on wet skin with a dab of cleanser to help it glide smoothly.

   The sucker thingy on the back won't stay on the tiles on my wall, but prevents the pad from slipping out of my palm. I´ve also heard of women using this pad for cleaning their makeup brushes. One thing that puzzles me is why one corner has different short bristles. Ideas? Also, I´d love to know if there are similar products available online.

Ebelin Professional Makeup + Concealer-Pinsel

   Brushes from Ebelin are really great if you want an inexpensive and good brush. They are soft, and cruelty-free. I got this one at the DM blogger event.

   It is meant for foundation and concealer but it perplexed me at first: it is too small for foundation (it works, but takes ages) and I prefer a much smaller brush for concealer. Finally I realised this brush is perfect for applying concealer or an extra layer of foundation to larger areas like the entire nose. It gives more coverage and precision than my bigger foundation brushes, and is faster to use than a small concealer brush.

   The brush blends and buffs the product well. However it is a tad too stiff for my taste. The grip is well-made, and the bristles are very dense. It´s not a must-have, but can be useful if you need more precision to your foundation.

Dr. Hauschka eyeliner in black

   I like my eyeliners and kajals to be certified natural because I often do my waterline with them, so some of it ends up inside my eyes. This one comes with a sponge on the other end with which you can smudge and soften the line. It reminds me a bit of erasers on pencils but is actually great because you don't need an extra tool, plus it does the job neater than your finger. I like to draw on a thick line, smudge it, and then draw on a more defined thinner line. This gives a nice, soft, sexy look.

   The pencil glides very smoothly on the skin. The colour is not completely black but more a very dark grey. It is ideal for those on whom jet black is too harsh. As to smudging or migrating, I don't think it smudged more or less.

Annemarie Börlind Nature Effect Fluid

   A nice, light moisturiser. I felt that it evened out my skin tone. It didn't block my pores.

  Annemarie Börlind products are close to natural, yet for the price I would prefer to buy certified natural products.

Dudu Osun Black soap

  I wanted to try the famous black soap since a long time so I was very happy when I got this sample in last month's Biobox. The soap is quite "strong", so I haven't used it on my face very often.

   Unfortunately the first ingredient of this black soap is palm oil, which I have been trying to consciously avoid since the last few months. I recently read about the environmental impact of palm oil in the Öko Test, and it made a huge impression on me. I could not find any indication that the palm oil for this soap was sustainably

produced. Also, this is not the same as the traditional African black soap paste.


   That's it for this month. I have a number of lovely products in line for next month! Do let me know which cosmetic products stole your heart this winter, and whether you're tempted to try out anything I wrote about in this post.

Swimsuit Reviews: Panache Savannah and Cleo Lucille

  I wanted to review a couple of swimsuits and bikinis that I had ordered in my quest for the perfect one. They are all from last year's collection, so on one hand it took me a bit of searching to find pieces in my size, but on the other they were heavily discounted.

  So, I needed a new swimsuit. My criteria was: flattering for a smaller bust and my midsection, and colours that are flattering for an Autumn type (not easy, since typical swimsuit colours are cool). And of course: in my bra size. Bra sized swimwear is the most comfortable, supportive and flattering. The style of the bikini cup was not so important to me.
    Let me present three candidates: the Panache Savannah one piece, the Panache Savannah bikini set, and the Cleo Lucille bikini.

Panache Savannah Padded Bandeau One Piece Swimsuit

   The swimsuit is very pretty: the colours are quite vibrant, which makes me happy since I had been afraid that it would look dull in real life. The suit has a bra-style band hidden at the back, which means you get a lot of support and you can regulate the tightness and even alter the band a bit.
   The underwires are hidden, they are sewn into the inner layer. The outer layer does not lie quite snug on the ribcage (where the band is), so optically a small busted girl loses a bit of bust size (by optically gaining a few cm under the breasts). There is some rusching in the front which is flattering, however in my piece the rusching puckered a bit at the bottom, but it looked like it can be easily fixed.
    The lift and shape of the cups is quite nice. The cups as well as the bottom part are on the modest side when it comes to coverage -- you don't flash any cleavage, but it doesn't look like your great-aunt's bathing suit either. The cups are moulded, not padded.
   I really love the convertible straps: I find the halter-neck shape to be very flattering, and strapless looks sexy. The print brings the attention up towards the face, which is flattering for all body shapes except the top-heavy.
    However I had one problem with the suits: the moulded cups have a dent in them.  I heard that you can get rid of this by steaming (holding the cup over steam, and kind if forming them with your hands). The reason I didn't do this and ended up returning the piece was that I prefer higher-cut bottoms, also I ended going for a two-piece.

Savannah two-piece:

   The print does not look as spectacular on the bikini top as it does on the one-piece. I think I'm missing the pretty border that is below the bust on the one-piece. The fit and lift of this bikini top was nothing spectacular, but also nothing to complain about. I'd say that the cup size, underwire width and band size were pretty much standard.

Panache Savannah Folded Brief

    I really love the fold-over bottom! You can pull it up towards the navel, or fold it all the way down, depending what kind of coverage you want. Another great thing about the fold-over style is that the waistband doesn't cut in at the top, so no muffin-top whatsoever. I'd say that the bottoms run a tad big, I took a 38/M and they were slightly loose, even though this is my trouser size at the moment.

Panache Cleo Lucille

   This bra has pretty shallow cups. I would definitely size up for myself, and if you have full-on-top breasts you might want to consider going up two cup sizes. For you shallow breasts ladies this bikini top might work really well! The band starts at 28 and is nicely snug. The closure is a plastic snap-thing. The cups are medium coverage.
  This piece is supposed to be the pink version, even though the stripes are almost red. the red version has stripes that are, well, pure red. If you like the nautical style, you'll like the Lucille. It is really nicely designed, and also looks very sturdy.
   I was tempted to keep it but the briefs are low cut (I even didn't bother ordering them), so I'd have to look for something fold-over in the exact same shade of blue. And that's a bit of work.

   In the next instalment I'll talk about the Panache Veronica one-piece, the bikini set, and the Freya Soda.

   Do you think it's crazy to shop for swimsuits in the winter? Do you have a favourite swimsuit? If not, what would your ideal swimsuit be like?

Weekend Reads 25-01-2014

I bookmarked this :). via.

  How have you all been? I'm still continuing the projects I mentioned last week. Veganism has been easy so far, but then I haven't been invited to eat at anybody's house yet. I'm still fixing a thing a day and am quite happy with all the bags, jewellery and clothes I have reclaimed. I'm getting to the end of the Apartment Therapy Home Cure and I really recommend it. I also have the book, and it suddenly made sense when I read that the author has been a Waldorf teacher: the Waldorf kindergarten rooms are the most warm and welcoming spaces that I know, and at the same time really well-thought out and practical. Anyway, the Apartment Therapy book and the online cure both place a lot of emphasis on making the home work for you and on making it warm and welcoming. The exercises provide impulses and insights rather than laying out all the rules.
  I also report that my back problems ended up in visits to an Osteopath, and the experience has been amazing. Not only is are the sessions extremely nice (I always doze off), but I have zero back pain and a much better posture. Oh, and I feel calmer and happier for a week or so after every session.

Onward to the links! Here is the great stuff I have been reading this week:

* What if we lived in a body-blind world? 

* Really good tips on taking outfit photos, or just photos of people in general.

* I really liked these beauty tips!

* Ha ha.

* How to dress for your body shape, also long and short torso are nicely explained.

* Really interesting article about the history of modern makeup. I'll never walk indifferently by a Max Factor stand again!

* I like the idea of a fashion emergency kit.

* I really enjoyed this motherhood around the world series.

* Observing the 2nd amendment.

* After My Yahoo rolled out it's clunky, horrible new version, I looked for alternatives and fell in love with Netvibes. If you have never used an RSS reader before, it is a great way to have all the newest posts of your favourite blogs in one place, instead of having to go to each blog and see if a new post is up. Here is a nice explanation of reading blogs via RSS readers. You can even make feeds out of Ebay searches! (just add &_rss=1 at the end of the URL and press enter).

  That's all folks!

How To Choose Shapewear For The Midsection

 

     I wanted to talk a little bit about the different types of shapewear that can help with a problematic midsection. My food intolerances mean that I sometimes bloat up a lot; and when I choose to wear something more fitting, shapewear is the only way I can save myself from questions about when the baby is due.

Degree of control

   From super restrictive to gently hugging:

Corsets

  To hide your tum and give you a small midsection there is nothing like a real corset with steel boning. It can look really awesome and feel really sexy. The downside is that they can be pricey, take getting used to, and can be visible under clothing (layering spanx on top helps a bit). The safest style is longer in the front so that the fat doesn't bulge out below. Or, wear high-waisted control briefs. If you can afford it, a custom-made one is the most comfortable and flattering, as a generic one is made to fit a generic hourglass figure and might be tight or loos in some places.

Shapewear with boning

   This looks like spanx but with plastic boning. This holds the tum in pretty well, and is more comfortable than a corset. Watch out that the quality is not to cheap, otherwise the boning will bend when you sit. After a couple of hours of wear the boning can get a bit uncomfortable, but it usually suffices to shift the piece around a bit to change the pressure points.

Shapewear without boning

This smooths things out but usually doesn't hold things in. Such pieces are right for you if you just want to avoid rolls under clothes. These often look best if you size up: you get a smoothing effect and don't look like a stuffed sausage. Another problem with boning-less shapewear is that it tends to roll up if you move around a lot; especially if there are no silicone strips.

Which style to pick?

   If your torso is long or if you are tall, you need to check whether the shapewear is long enough for you. If you are petite, you might have the opposite problem.
Good shapewear (except corsets) should have silicone on the inside to prevent rolling up and shifting.
   Black vs nude is another choice. For the pros and cons of each read this post.

For issues with the midsection, you have a couple of choices:

Control brief:

  Works beautifully on the lower belly. There is risk of a muffin top if it doesn't go high enough. Another problem area can be the butt: the tight brief can often split fuller butt cheeks into two.

Control shorts:

  These go down to your knees, and some are even high-waisted.They do an amazing job of smoothing and holding everything in from bra band to knees, at the cost of spending double the time in the bathroom. Unless you get one of those with a hole in the crotch. I haven't tried that myself, so I haven't idea ow navigable it is.

Waist cincher

  My favourite option. these are sometimes called shape wear corsets. It does not complicate bathroom visits (you should wear panties over it) and it is easy to choose the right size. It lets you wear your favourite cotton panties.

Bodysuit

   It is not easy to find something that will flatter every bust and fit every torso length, so bodies are very much hit or miss. However, the right piece can smooth out your entire silhouette. An open-bust piece will allow you to wear your own bra. A bodysuit may often give you quad butt cheeks just like the control briefs. Do check how high the piece goes under your armpits: high means you get extra smoothing, but also potential rubbing, and bits peeking out under sleeveless stuff.

   None of these is "better" than the others. What will work best for you depends on your body's proportions, distribution of fat, and personal preferences. Nothing beats trying things on in the store! I recommend being very very picky and being prepared to pay a bit more for the perfect piece.

Personal recommendations:

    I have been trying on several pieces from Debenhams, and the Natural Shaping Waist nipper is definitely worth recommending. It holds everything in, doesn't roll up, and importantly the plastic boning doesn't bends but doesn't after I have been sitting. It is a tube (doesn't have a hook-and-eye fastening) so it can be a tad tricky to wear, but totally worth it.

The boning

  Here is an interesting piece from Already Pretty about whether shapewear is "wrong" or insulting.


Do you (or would you) wear shapewear? Do you have a piece that you could recommend?

Image courtesy Anna Fischer

The Many Methods Of Removing Upper Lip hair

   In this post I will deal with the many ways of getting rid of the lady 'stache. Just a note: I believe that body hair it is every woman's personal decision, and whether you choose to keep it or remove it is totally up to you.
  Upper lip hair is terminal hair, which means it is coarser and darker than the hair on the cheeks. At the same time the skin above the upper lip can often be sensitive, which makes removing the hair difficult. Let's look at the options:

Shaving

   Yes, you can totally shave upper lip hair, and no, it won't grow back thicker (that's just an illusion as the regrowing hair has a blunt thick end and not a tapered one). This method works well for those with a fine pain threshold. The downside is that you have to shave everyday or every two days if you want to avoid prickliness, and it is easy to get razor burn if you aren't careful.
   The best thing to use are those tiny razors that are meant for the bikini line. You also need something to lubricate, try aloe vera gel, a gel cleanser or a cream or a gentle soap. The razor needs to be sharp (new). Shave in all directions, and remember that the razor should do the work and not you. That means: use very light pressure, otherwise you'll be irritating the skin. Remember that shaving is a kind of exfoliation (the top layer of dead skin cells get scraped off), so don't use any scrubs on the area, keep it moisturised and use sunscreen.

Waxing

  I don't really recommend waxing the upper lip. It pulls the skin and can cause irritation. Also, you have to wait for the hair to grow out otherwise the wax cannot grip it.

Tweezing

   Easy, effective, and gentle on the skin. You definitely need good tweezers (check here), magnifying mirror and good light. Don't underestimate the importance of either of these three! The only downside is that it can be a bit time taking. The upside is that you can take your time if you have a very sensitive skin or a high pain threshold.

Epilating wand

   I have written about this Asian beauty tool here. It pulls the hair out with the roots just like like tweezing but grabs more hair at a time, so it's faster but also more painful. It is easy on the skin, in fact several readers told me in their mails that it is the only thing their sensitive skin tolerates when it comes to hair removal. If it hurts, you can start out with tweezing and switch to the epi wand after a couple of weeks when your nerves stop reacting so strongly.

Threading

   The pros and cons are the same as that of the epi wand, but it might take a bit of practice to learn the technique. You need thread, light and a magnifying mirror. It is not as hard as it sounds. Here is a nice video tutorial:

Bleaching

    This works if you 'stache is not too heavy. It is great for skin that cannot tolerate any of the above methods. However I would not use it unless really necessary: the bleach can be harsh on the skin over time.

Hair removal creams

    Quick and painless. One negative thing is that the hair regrow blunt and prickly so the procedure has to repeated pretty often. Hair removal creams can cause irritation and is rough on the skin, not to mention the toxicity of many hair removal creams, so I don't recommend this method.

IPL and laser

  You should never use your IPL machine on any part of your face. IPL can be done by professionals, but as it is as painful and almost as expensive as laser but the results are only for a few months, I'd say go for laser instead. Also, IPL is dangerous to use on moles and freckles.
   Laser treatments depend on the type of laser used, so find out exactly what your clinic of choice uses and research it.


     Do remember that the upper lip is a part that can age badly if treated wrong: discolouration, sagging and lines can develop here; so do be gentle to the area.


   What is your favourite way of removing upper lip hair?

Armpit Fat: Scooping And Swooping Is Not Working

I got this in my inbox recently:

   "I have unsightly migrated breast tissue at my underarms and underneath them, as well as some on my back. This "swoop and scoop" method doesn't work for me. The tissue refuses to stay in my bra. I recently got my bra size measured at Victoria's Secret and got some, but something still doesn't feel right. What should I do? -- Sarah"

   This is a problem that many women have, so my answer is addressed not only to Sarah, but to everyone with armpit roll issues. If you are new here, first read about breast tissue migration and watch a nice demonstration of scooping and swooping here. Here are my suggestions for dealing with armpit fat:

Snugger band, bigger cups

   A Victoria's Secret fitting is not reliable -- the fitters get approximately 5 minutes of training (I know this from a real VS fitter), and they will fit you only into the sizes that the store carries. (This goes for most stores with a limited size range, btw). So, you might not be wearing the best size for you. I really recommend measuring yourself according to my  instructions.
   Scooping and swooping will not work if your band is too big and your cups are too small -- a mistake which almost all women I have fitted make. A cup big enough will ensure that the migrated tissue has somewhere to go to. An underwire that encircles the breast will keep the tissue in. And a snug band will not allow the tissue to escape from underneath the underwire. So it is very very important that you are wearing the right size bra!

Choose high underwires

   Are you wearing bras with underwires that go rather high up? These usually help. Look for plunge styles, many half-cups also have underwires that go up high under the armpit. The bras from Braologie are really great for migrated breast tissue. More recommendations here. If you are tall, you might need extra high underwires.

 Don't hate your Tail of Spence

    A little bit of loose tissue over there is normal. Any place that has soft tissue (as opposed to bone and pure muscle) will form rolls and creases.
   Migrated breast tissue is usually malleable, and might look like a big roll (or be spread all over the area). It can be scooped into the cup with your palms. Over time, it should migrate back to the breasts. If the tissue does not want to rejoin the breast in spite of scooping and swooping and high underwires, it is probably the axillary tail.
    I've also had a couple of friends who were quite unhappy about a very tiny roll they found near the armpits -- but a small roll is perfectly fine! Often it is appears only when the bra strap presses on the tissue in that area, or the edges of moulded cups. It is probably also cause by the fact that armpit creases in the media are heavily photoshopped: almost nobody has just one smooth crease over there. Here is a nice example. And here is a whole gallery that shows how Victoria's Secret Touches up armpits and other parts. The Photoshop also hides symptoms of the badly fitting bras. Here, the model is very skinny and has almost no rolls on creasing, still they retouched her to give her Barbie armpits:

via Debenhams, who at least is honest about the retouching

   Of course if you have a high percentage of body fat, the fat might be distributed evenly all over your body, including the back. I'm talking here about the proportions of muscle to fat, not about whether someone is skinny or fat (a person that weighs less might have very few muscles as compared to fat).

    When looking at anatomy pictures I think that training the lats (Latissimus Dorsi muscles) might make things firmer and smoother under the area. But I'm no fitness expert. (If you are, please chime in!)

   Another thing that comes to mind is a blockage in the lymphatic system. The lymph nodes in the armpit drain lymph from the entire upper abdomen, which is incidentally why antiperspirants are bad for you. You might want to look up lymph drainage massage that you can do at home. Dry brushing your upper torso  in movements towards your armpits is a good start.

    Over to you. What are your experiences with migrated tissue and fat in the armpit and back? And advice for Sarah?

Weekend Reads 18-01-2014

  Hello everybody, I hope you´ve had a nice week! You might have noticed that I have not been doing weekend challanges recently. This is because I have a couple of things already going on in the sel-improvement department. I am doing Apartment Therapy´s Cure, I am also doing a FATAD (fix a thing a day) challenge where I repair something everyday, and I am also going vegan a couple of weeks. My doctor thinks that my digestive problems, bloated belly (I often look pregnant after eating cheese or yoghurt) and lack of energy are related to intolerance of diary and eggs. After a couple of weeks of a vegan diet I´ll get my levels of Histamine re-checked, and then I´ll know whether I´ve correctly identified the cuplrits.

   On to the links for the weekend:

* Best ways to avoid a muffin top. I thought I knew them all, but Angie proved me wrong.

* Faking weight loss witrhout photoshop explains why you shouldn´t believe everything you see on the internet.

* North Korea -- A Travel Journal. Not sure what I was expecting, but this was rather surprising!

* How Hygge can help you get through winter

* Do women need to train differently from men? Lots of great tips here.

* I love slips and own a couple of lovely ones, including a gorgeous Vanity Fair one, so I loved The Irresistable Allure Of The Nylon Slip

* If you like geeky T-shirts, you´ll love Limiteed. My guy got the Smaug´s Storage Devices one yesterday.

* Model metamorphosis is fascinating.

* What happy people do differently

* Kate Moss just turned 40. Here are beautiful photos of her with Johnny Depp.

* 31 things women do when they´re alone made me laugh.