Covergirl LashBlast Volume - Review

I got this mascara sometime last December because a lot of people said it is very good and I just wanted to see that for myself. And oh am I happy I tried it!

Pigmentation/Color Payoff
Some mascaras have some kind of greyish undertone or they don't coat your lashes properly but not this one. It is super black and you can definitely notice a difference before and after applying the LashBlast Volume even if you don't put too much of it on. It builds up quite nicely and you can achieve natural and more dramatic looks. With too many coats it can get clumpy though.

Brush/applicator
The brush is made of plastic which probably not all of you will like but for me it's perfect because I actually prefer those. Another thing that might bother some people is how fat the applicator is. I guess though that this is just something that comes with a volume mascara as this applicator is actually not much bigger than for example the Maybelline Colossal Volum Express one. I have to say though that in the beginning the wand can be hard to use without getting black on your eyelids.

what the applicator looks like

brush comparison Covergirl LashBlast Volume (l) and Maybelline Colossal Volum Express (r) 

Longevity
I currently have the non waterproof mascara which can get very runny when your eyes tear up but else I've found that it lasts very well throughout the day. Even if you tend to get oily eyelids (like I do) it won't transfer or smudge. It also holds the curl if you use a lash curler.

curled lashes and one coat of the LashBlast after a couple hours -> still curled, no smudges

Overall Opinion
This mascara is one of the best I've ever used. It gives me so much volume without clumping or making my lashes stick together. So it definitely lives up to its name. I also like how well it holds a curl and how black it is. I will definitely repurchase this one (but waterproof) and try more of the Covergirl mascara range.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone - Book Review

This book is the first in a trilogy, it was written by Laini Taylor and published in 2011. It had been on my TBR shelf for quite a while before I finally picked it up and I don't know why I waited this long because I absolutely loved it! Seriously I was so pleasantly surprised with everything that happened that it became my favourite book of 2013 and it also has a spot on my Favourites of All Time list. But before I just go on and on about how great it is, let's start with the actual review.

Paperback (version I read)

Hardcover

Warning

I feel like I can't do this without revealing minor spoilers. I'm going to write them like this so you can skip these parts if you want to get through the review completely spoiler free.

Synopsis (as written on the back of the book)

"Errand requiring immediate attention. Come,

The note was on vellum, pierced by the talons of the almost-crow that delivered it. Karou read the message. 'He never says please', she sighed, but she gathered up her things. 

When Brimstone called, she always came." 

In general, Karous has managed to keep her two lives in balance. One the one hand, she's a seventeen-year-old art student in Prague; on the other, errand-girl to a monstrous creature who is the closest thing she has to family. Raised half in our world, half in 'Elsewhere', she has never understood Brimstone's dark work - buying teeth from hunter and murderers - nor how she came into his keeping. She is a secret even to herself, plagued by the sensation that she isn't whole. 

Now the doors to Elsewhere are closing, and Karou must choose between the safety of her human life and the dangers of a war-ravaged world that may hold the answers she has always sought.

Story:

I didn't really have much information about this book and so I was very surprised with how it all turned out. The world was built beautifully and the story developed so nicely. Generally Laini Taylor did a great job planning it and all the pieces fell into place by the end of the book while also leaving us with new questions and excitement for the sequel. 

I also liked how we discovered most of the mysteries just as Karou did. There are some things you could predict but most of the story came as a surprise.

Another point I particularly enjoyed about the story was that it's divided into different parts. This suited very well because Karou also went through different stages of finding out who she was and every part kind of matches with one of these stages. 

Characters:

I loved the diversity of the characters personalities and that you actually care about them. To me that is one of the most important things when reading and so I was very glad to have it in this book. 

The relationships between all the characters were developed so beautifully and delicately which lead to several very emotional scenes and I loved it. An example would be the relationship between Karou and Brimstone. You only learn about the true depth of their relationship towards the end but it's just so bittersweet considering how coolly he threw her out and that he's possibly dead now.

Writing Style:

The story was told in third person which I do not always like but in a Fantasy novel like this it was perfect because your view of the world is still focused on the main character but you also have a broader knowledge of what is going on around her. For once I even enjoyed the altering POVs because it let me learn more about Akiva and his motives. Also the changes seemed fitting.

What was truly amazing was Laini Taylor’s descriptive and vivid style of writing because it really helped letting Karous world come to life in my head. You might feel a little weirded out at the beginning because Mrs. Taylor has her way of weaving in information which won't always make sense to you but as you read on it's just like: Ahh now I see! 

Overall Opinion:

As you certainly figured by now I really enjoyed the book and I'd definitely recommend it. There is a bit of everything: romance, mystery, badassery... and once you get used to that world and how Laini Taylor builds it you will fall in love with the story and the characters. This is why I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars. I was very excited for the sequel and started reading it right away. Now I can't wait for the final book which is coming out in April. 

About My Shoes - Thoughts On Judgement

I'd like to start today's post with a quote which some of you probably know from your school days.

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.” - Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

Okay maybe you can already guess that this won't be a post on beauty or fashion related things and except for the quote it also won't involve books. As it says in the title I will share my thoughts on judgment and also share some of my experiences with it. I learned a lot about this subject during high school and most of it the hard way. On one hand I felt what it's like to be judged and I also experienced what happens if you do it to other people. In fact I used to be a massive judger and it wasn't until last year that I realized how many options I closed the door on by assuming things.

Well to begin with I should probably explain why I mentioned my shoes in the title. This is also an example of how I've personally experienced judgment.

Long story short: I twisted my ankle quite badly last February but didn't really realize how badly until the summer when my ankle still stung occasionally. I figured that the main reason for the slow healing process might be my choice of shoes and so I went out to buy myself some "proper shoes" -> no heels, no fancy looks just normal trainers (aka bright blue Nikes) which could support my foot a bit. It actually helped and I've been mostly wearing them, even as we got to winter. 

Now of course the bright color and the general appearance of the shoes often interferes with my outfit and they also don't look winter approved. This caused some people to believe that they are now allowed to judge, gossip about my outfit and point out my shoes.  

But NO! That's not okay! People should NEVER judge others! This is because we do NOT know what the other person’s motive for a certain action or decision is, just as these people couldn't tell that my main reason for wearing the Nikes is not fashion sense or anything like that but doing something nice for my feet. And there is no way for us to know what is going on inside another person except if we climb into their skin just as Harper Lee describes it. So how can we judge someone based on what WE ASSUME might be going on in their brain? Yeah right we can't. Still we all do it but you now know why we shouldn't.

So for the year 2014 and all years that will follow I will try to withhold my judgment on people and instead try to get to know and understand them and I hope that some of you who read this might be inspired to do the same.  

My shoes as I've been talking about them a lot in this post :P