Inspirational Mondays

Being an MUA, I like to stay creative. What I like to do is to go online and search for make-up looks that inspire me. From now on, every monday I'll be posting some of the looks that inspire me most. 

So let's start off with this amazing fall make-up look for #InspirationalMondays

If you're ever interested in finding out how to achieve any of the #InspirationalMondays looks just let me know in the comments below or find me on twitter @_MakeUpDiary_ and I'll do my best to make a tutorial for you guys. 

Xoxo Nathalie

PS. Don't forget to follow me on Bloglovin'

My favorite mascaras

1. Dior Diorshow Iconic
Dior mascaras are by far my favorite, drugstore or high end. I got this one in a combo set with one of my other favorites 'extase'.
I like this one because it's a great everyday mascara. It lenghtens your lashes without giving too much volume. So if you're into natural looking lashes then this is the one for you. 

2. Dior Diorshow Extase
Again, this is an amazing mascara. This one is not really lenghtening, but it gives your lashes tons of volume without clumping them together. In combination with Dior Iconic it makes for one amazing mascara.

Sabine Peeters - Make up artist

Hey guys,

I went on a little shopping spree this week and one of the things I picked up is this make-up book. It's written by one of Belgian's best make-up artists Sabine Peeters.
What I love about this book is that there's something for everyone in here. It starts with the basics like how to test for your foundation shade and what a bronzer is for.. So if you are new to the make-up game, you'll know exactly how to use everything. 

Further along in the book Sabine shows you how to get all the iconic looks from the 50's, 60's and the 80's. And of course she shows you how to create a perfect smokey eye, because no make-up book is complete without a smokey eye look. 

What's very different from this book than any other I've seen or own myself is that it shows you how to get a certain celebrity's look. This is what I like most about this book and the main reason I decided to buy it. 
You've all probably have had the same experience as me, trying to figure out how a celebrity achieved a make-up look. In this book Sabine shows you exactly how to do that!!

If you're interested in buying a make-up book to learn more about it, then this is the one you want to buy!! If you want to know more about Sabine's work then you can check out her blog www.lifeislikeaboxofmakeup.wordpress.com

This book is available at Standaard Boekhandel and it costs €29,99

Have you read Sabine's book yet? What did you think about it? Let me know in the comments below or find me on twitter @_MakeUpDiary_

Xoxo Nathalie

PS. Don't forget to follow me on Bloglovin'

My favorite blogs

Being a blogger myself, I like to look to my fellow bloggers for inspiration. 

Below are some of my favorite blogs to read. I definitely recommend that you go check them out and support all of them by following them on Bloglovin'.

1. Style-itblog

style-itblog.com

This blog actually belongs to one of my best friends. Her name is Lisa and she has a real passion for fashion :). I think she has an amazing sense of style and she always has the coolest pieces in her wardrobe. 

She's a newbie to the blogging world, so it would mean the world to me if you would follow her blog. 

2. I Spy DIY

www.ispydiy.com

I stumbled across this blog on my Bloglovin'. I myself am not the biggest DIY'er, but I love to look at all the little projects other people are doing. Who knows, maybe one day I'll be making my own decorations.. I think this blog is full of amazing ideas. Definitely worth checking out.

3. Cupcakes and cashmere

www.cupcakesandcashmere.com

On this blog you'll literally find everything you're searching for. Make-up, DIY, Food.. You name it, it's there!! What I might like the most about this blog is the name. Cupcakes and Cashmere!! The sound of that alone makes me want to read it.

4. The beauty department

www.thebeautydepartment.com

I'm sure you've all heard about this one. A lot of you might even already follow this blog since it currently has 189848 followers on Bloglovin'. I like to read this blog to get tips about hairstyles and make-up. 

5. Hair Romance

www.hairromance.com

I actually only discovered this blog very recently. If you check out my Pinterest, then you will have noticed that I am obsessed with all kinds of different hairstyles. Especially now my hair is shorter. I like to differentiate my hair on a daily basis. I don't really like the simple ponytail. This blog is full of tutorials, tips and tricks to spice up your hairstyle. 

What are your favorite blogs to follow? Let me know in the comments below or find me on twitter @_MakeUpDiary_

Xoxo Nathalie

PS. Don't forget to follow me on Bloglovin'

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Picture via Pinterest

Hi lovelies,

I wish all of you a happy new year.. 
I hope it brings you a lot of joy and love.

I'm really excited about starting the new year, working on my blog and sharing my life with you.
I'm starting 2014 by doing a mini-series of the best beauty and skincare products of 2013, so be sure to stop by next week if you want to know what products made the list.
If you have anything you would like to see from me in the next year please let me know in the comments below or tweet me @_MakeUpDiary_

I love all of you
Xoxo Nathalie

DIY: Make your own brush spot cleanser

I like the look of clean makeup brushes. They almost look brand new, which I think is really fun. What I don't like is to actually deep clean my brushes. You spend all this time making sure they're really clean, you let them dry overnight and then you use them the next morning and BAM.. All dirty again!!

So, you can only imagine how much I love spot cleanser. It only takes 5 seconds to get clean brushes. Well, clean-ish brushes, you should deep clean your brushes once a week (or once every other week if you're just as lazy as me) to get rid of all the bacteria that accumulates in the bristles of your brush. Spot cleansers can be way too expensive though and it's actually really easy to make your own spot cleanser with products that you probably already have. I'm gonna show you how..

What you'll need:
- Babyshampoo 
- Rubbing/Isopropyl alcohol
- Bottled water
- Empty (spray)bottle

How it works:
You want to start off by putting just a little bit of the rubbing alcohol in the bottom of your bottle. Be sure not to put in too much, because the alcohol will dry out the bristles of your brush. Next just fill the bottle 3/4 of the way with bottled water and then add a few tablespoons of babyshampoo. You also don't want to overdo it on the babyshampoo, because that will make your cleanser too soapy.

How to use it:
Just spray -or pump in my case- a little bit of the cleanser on a paper towel and gently rub your dirty brush in small circular motions until it looks clean.
It's that easy!!

As you can see from the pictures above it works just fine. I do have to say that with liquid or creamy products it takes an extra pump/spray to get them really clean. 
Just remember this is only a temporary solution for dirty brushes and they do still need a deep clean every now and then ;)

Do you guys want to see more of these DIY projects?? Let me know in the comments below or tweet me @_MakeUpDiary_

Xoxo Nathalie

FOTD

Foundation: Nars sheer glow
Powder: MAC studio fix powder foundation
Bronzer: Bourjois Délice de Soleil
Blush: Max (I'm sorry I don't remember the name of the blush and I don't have it with me right now)
Eyeshadow base: MAC paintpot in Soft Ochre
Eyeshadow: Rimmel London eyeshadow quad in Smokey Brun & Dior 5-shadow eyecolor in Grège 734
Eyeliner: NYC high definition liquid eyeliner
Mascara: Nars larger than life
Lips: Maybelline babylips in Fresh Mint
Eyebrows: MAC eyebrow pencil in Brunette

Would you guys like more of these FOTD-posts?? Let me know in the comments below or find me on twitter @_MakeUpDiary_

Xoxo Nathalie