Current 4 skincare musts!

I have a confession to make - growing up I was never that interested in skincare. I was obsessed with fashion, music, makeup & color – but the skincare part of me never really tuned in. Actually, you could probably have called me a “skincare slob“. My sister (Sofia, who is an esthetician) would talk me through all the lotions and potions and explain to me that if I did not create a proper skin care routine my skin could age prematurely (yay! I thought – easier to get into the clubs without ID, terrible but true ….you know, somehow that part worked out too!) Because she had (and still has) the most amazingly perfect skin I kind of had to listen to her. Thanks to Sofia, things are different today for sure – I am just as obsessed with the formula, scent and ingredients as I am the color and the texture of a product. I had a little ponder and here are my 4 current favorites, don’t be surprised if they have changed in a week or so!

Sampar Ultra Hydrating Fluid: This antioxidant and anti-irritant moisture fluid is just delicious! From the first time I tried it I was completely hooked. Smells divine and adds just the right moisture without feeling greasy at all. It helps soften and repair dry skin.
Pixi Flawless Beauty Primer: From my sister Petra’s skin care line. This is the most amazing serum I have ever tried. Used on top of your moisturizer it creates a silk shield that the skin can still breathe through. Your skin has never felt more amazing or smelled better! Organic and all natural ingredients treat your skin and help add luster. You’ll be lucky to get a hold of one – they are always flying off the shelf!
Dermalogica Precleanse: This comes with me everywhere! Manages to dissolve the toughest of stage makeup, and the most waterproofs of mascaras as well as smells divine and makes your skin feel amazing. Based with Olive and Apricot Kernel it cleanses your skin without leaving an oily residue.
Caudalie Eau de Beaute: One on my desk in the office, one in my bathroom, one small version in my handbag – this little fresher-upper works magic when the eyes and brain get weary from the computer and when I just need a whiff of fresh air. Made out of essential oils and active plant ingredients. It also works really well as a set spray for makeup and adds some radiance as well as tightening pores. Love it!

Or, if you want to go the completely organic way – make it yourself! Visit this website for tips and recipies:

http://www.smartskincare.com/tips/tipcategidx/skinrecipe

Have fun as always!

Love, Sara x x x x x

One more for the road?

In my life there has been a lot of traveling and moving from one country to the next. I feel like I have had a lot of practice in the art of packing. And when it comes to makeup, it is just as easy to unintentionally over pack as it is with clothing. Perfect example is when my sister asks me if I am really bringing that feathered cropped jacket (stage outfit I bought in 1992 …) to our relaxing family vacation and I replied “Oh, I just have to bring that – who knows, I might want to wear it to the beach one day.” Did I? Of course, not! The days of hauling three full suitcases (where one is just filled to the brim with makeup…), two hat cases, one guitar case and then wearing two coats because the last one just “would not fit into the bag and I might really want to wear it” are OVER!

Not only can it seem vain, but it is also a pure pain. These days I am more of a “bag lady” you can drop me off in the middle of the desert and I have planned my hand bag so well I would be able to survive (and look good) for the next week or so! But, of course, I still want to have a choice in the morning, and I don’t really plan outfits. I go by the “panic theory” and just bring my favorite pieces, both for my clothing and my makeup wardrobe so I can go by my mood and mix things up a bit, and so far so good….

Below are some of my thoughts on how to fit all the beautifiers you need into one little bag! Happy Travels!

The Essentials:
Start with selecting a makeup bag, whatever size you have chosen is the size you are sticking with. No throwing in liners and lip glosses loose into your suitcase- be strong with yourself! Think of the things you definitely know that you need on a day to day basis (exclude skin and hair care – when I travel they get a beauty bag of their own. It would not be realistic to try to fit everything into one makeup bag).

Pick those key items that really make a difference to your face that you would not want to go without. Narrow it down to the basics (4-5 things) and then there will still be room to add playfulness. Also try to think of things that easily takes you from day to night.

My can’t live without product for traveling is POP No Show Concealer – it doubles as a tinted moisturizer, a highlighting fluid, and a hardworking cover stick. So with a little good finger work it can be really multi-purpose – a high coverage matte finish to skin, a hardly there glowing hint and a lot of the spectrums inbetween!


Hey, I know I am a little biased, so don’t take my word for it – try it yourself and then tell me I am not right!

Pick kits:
I like going with shadow kits for traveling. Makeup artist work and touch ups on the go. That way I don’t have haul all my little single shadows with me, but rather have everything in one place! More visual, more fun, and much more practical!
I am still in LOVE with my Day to Play clutch – 18 gorgeous hues, from day to night. When the makeup runs out you can “pop” the trays of makeup out and use it as a clutch for credit or business cards. People always ask where I got mine when I take it with me.

Treatment/ Moisture
Dry airplane air, jetlag, general exhaustion, your skin is thirsty! Make sure you pick your travel essentials carefully so that there are a few treatment based products in there as well! Petal Jam is well worth a mention, formulated with natural oils like avocado, jojoba and macadamia nut, they give a moisture quenching effect to affected areas like, lips, elbows, cuticles so on. (Oh, and they taste good enough to eat! In fact, if you ever get stuck on a desert island, you COULD eat them!)
With these little gems you will still have the room to add all your other favorite cant-live-withouts. As I know there will still be a few and they are individual and different depending on the person. For ex: my sister who is a blond would say she can not go without mascara - while I just need an eye lash curler and I am good, but I would never go without a tinted moisturizer and she would! And one of my girlfriends would never go anywhere without a powder while I am perfectly happy to survive without it!

Either way, make sure to have fun along the road!

Love, Sara x x x x x x

P.S. Don’t forget - brushes, eye lash curler and tweezers – I hate it when I can’t find my eyelash curler!

In My Pantry!

I don’t know about you, but I am obsessed with good food! I am by no means an expert, but I do love a delicious meal just as much as I love a perfect shade or texture in a makeup product. I am one of those people who can happily spend a whole weekend just cooking up a storm in the kitchen. Literally cooking up a storm - that is, the kitchen does look like a hurricane passed through it after I am done – and by then I am too exhausted to clean up….. Sometimes I manage to produce something quite delicious and sometimes it is not as much of a success! But hey, you have to experiment to learn new things – you win some you lose some!

One of my favorite things in the world is to have friends over for a good meal and plenty of wine. Below are some ingredients that are absolutely essential to me.
Fresh herbs of all kinds – An absolute must! I use fresh herbs for everything I cook – whether it is a tossed into a fresh salad or a marinade – I can not go without them.
“I COOK WITH WINE – SOMETIMES I EVEN ADD IT TO THE FOOD!”

Red wine is a must for me and above is my all time favorite French wine - it is dangerously delicious. Don’t waste it by adding it to the food, use a lower quality wine for your stews and sauces, this wine needs to be enjoyed as it is!
Who does not enjoy a good cheese? I think that I could honestly live on cheese quite happily for the rest of my life! But as with everything it is probably best in moderation. I always make sure I have a good parmesan, a good blue cheese and a softer brie or a chevre in my fridge. A shaved parmesan or a grated chevre can take boring pasta or a flat salad and really heighten the flavors and add a more interesting taste experience. Also perfect to have around the house as a yummy snack with wine or as a dessert or starter. Berries & nuts! I always make sure to have raspberries, blueberries and strawberries in my kitchen. Not only are they amazingly good for you – they are so super yummy! I make a fresh smoothie every morning using rice or Soya milk, fresh berries, apple, banana, fresh ginger and fresh leaf spinach. It gives me a nice kick start to the day and a great hit of Vitamin C. They are also really perfect as a dessert with a little ricotta cheese and some lemon, or with Greek yogurt, walnuts and some honey. In my native Sweden we pick them wild in the forest, so berries were always a part of my every day meals.

If anyone has any good recipes they want to share or any unusual ways to enhance and intensify flavor – please shoot me an email and I will have another reason to mess up my kitchen!

With love as always,
Sara

All Eyes On You: Swinging 60’s eye definition

The 60’s is a decade I still love to draw inspiration from. The fashion & the music from that era is like a never dwindling goldmine full of fun, dramatic and eclectic styles and sounds. Above is a look that is very distinct of the 60’s - matte porcelain skin, pale lips and dramatically defined eyes with huge lashes. Please follow below steps to achieve this look.

1. Base is key here. When you are putting extra enhancement and definition on the eyes it is key that any blemishes or redness in the skin is well hidden. Use powder to cream foundation or a liquid base with a matte finish and set with a good mineral powder. The face is kept matte, matte, and matte – no shimmer in this look, please!

2. Dust a little of a peach/apricot blush just underneath the highest point of the cheek bones and blend well. If you have olive or darker skin, go more towards a bronze or a rose hue.

3. Prime lids to ensure smooth application and staying power. Smooth a white or a nude matte shadow onto lids and blend all the way up to the eyebrow.

4. Next, line upper lash line with a jet black liquid liner winging line outwards and upwards at the outer corner of the eyes.

5. Using a fine brush and a jet black shadow, carefully draw a line into the crease of the eye, following your eyes natural shape. This look is meant to be graphic with quite “harsh” lines, so don’t blend the black into the crease of the eye. Draw it on using small short strokes and again, “winging” the line upwards and outwards at the outer corner of the eye.

6. Draw on “fake lashes” onto the lower lash line. Hold the brush vertical and then dot on the black, smudging it into lash roots, leave a ½-1 cm gap between each black dot.

7. Time for mascara – slap it on! Does not have to be perfect - a little clumpy application just adds to this look! Let first layers dry and then apply more. You will need at least 4-5 layers of mascara to achieve this look. Fake lashes are also a good alternative here if you want to go all the way.

8. Lastly, “kiss” a piece of paper to remove any moistness from lips and then apply one thin layer of a matte lipstick in a very light color, for example: baby pink, light coral, or a nude skin tone. Once applied dust a very thin layer of a loose powder onto lips to set, mattifye and create a long lasting surface. You will be a real stunner! Don’t “overdo” this look by matching it with other 60’s trademarks. (Don’t back comb your hair or wear a baby doll dress!) A look always seems more modern and individual when you mix things up a bit! Wear you hair down, loose and unfixed and your favorite well fitted jeans and a t-shirt for updated & doll faced every day glamour with a rock ‘n roll twist!

Have fun and don’t forget to shake it up!

Love,
Sara x x x x x x

An August in Europe

Hey there lovely ones!

Hope everyone has had an amazing summer! I can not believe it’s nearly over - it’s literally rushed by! I spent most of August in my native Sweden but I also squeezed in a stop in London (naturally!). Therefore, I will dedicate this blog to a few of my favorite home-away-from-home spots in these two trendy and fashion forward cities - if you find yourself on the other side of the pond make sure to make a stop!

The Troubadour London:
I swigged a couple of glasses of rose and caught up with friends over lunch. During my 10 years living in London, people would joke that I was literally part of the furniture in this place. I sang there regularly but also met some of (to this day) my absolute dearest friends. Go there to catch new upcoming bands, some proper old school rock ‘n rollers and well established musicians & artists. Truly famous for its bohemian vibe - this is a place where A-listers, scruffy poets and royalties hang out alike.


Miss Juniversum – Malmo Sweden:
Owned and run by my talented friend Jun (yes, miss juniverse) this store is well worth a visit if you happen to visit the Swedish south and its slightly edgy town of Malmo. She sells a rainbow array of craziness - don’t really know how else to put it! She simply adds an alternative “if you don’t want your house to look like an IKEA catalogue” I think she offers so much more! She sells everything you think you did not need until you laid your eyes on it: huge pink flamingos, red lip telephones, clothes & jewelry and pretty much everything else under the sun. You’ll leave the store not being able to carry more!


The deepest Swedish forest:
Never seen fairies, trolls or pixies? Easy, travel to Sweden and hang out in the forest, it is not a coincidence that so many famous fairy tales were written here…Call me crazy but I heard stories about them early on as a little girl from my grandma as we would stroll through the moss, collecting wild berries and mushrooms and believe me, I don’t think these folktales came to be because of nothing! I love the Swedish forest dearly, it is as far away from luxury but as close to nature as you can get! And honestly, I can sit by some fancy pool sipping a cocktail any other day. Our little house in the deepest forest with no neighbors is one of my favorite hide always!


F12 Terrace Stockholm:
This night club in Stockholm is always CRAZY packed with people hanging out on the castle-like stairs, looking impossibly trendy, good looking and icy cool - the way only Stockholmer’s can. But its well worth a visit if you want to mingle and listen to loud music. It has a beautiful view overlooking the water and is not one of Stockholm’s tourist traps. Usually I like bar hopping or going out to listen to bands, but if I feel like a big night out you might very well find me here on a Saturday night, apple martini in hand! The restaurant next door to the club is one of Stockholm’s best and also well worth a visit.


Hope you’ll make it to these places one day and if you do – I hope you will love them as much as I do. Always good to be “home” though!

Love as always,
Sara x x x x

Makeup Artist Mind Reading - What I think but don't say when I'm applying makeup

1) I wish she would stop looking in the mirror the whole time - I don’t want her to see the progress, just the transformation!
2) Wow, great lashes!
3) Her eyes would POP so much if I got her to wear her green shadow! Persuasion time!
4) Please stop flinching…
5) Oooops! (We never say that out loud, but yes, sometimes we do think it!)
6) It is amazing how models transform with makeup, you either have a face that’s meant to wear it, or you look best with an absolute minimum
7) She has naturally gorgeous colored lips - I need to mix a shade that matches hers exactly.

8) Where did all the sponges go…?
9) Ta da - I am a genius! (Hahaha yep – sometimes it turns out good!)
10) Ok 1 hour and 15 models, this will be interesting…
11) Actually, yes – you do need to wear foundation…
12) Where is the light, where is the light?
13) Relax your lips
14) Did that model just go into the bathroom and change the lipstick, again?
15) Wow, a bunch of beautiful, unpainted faces – where can I set up!?
16) Not quite there yet… I never send someone off before its perfection in my eyes.
17) This calls for faux lashes!

18) Oh just trust me, I know what I am doing!
19) Can I get away with rhinestones and gold flakes here? At least a little glitter….
20) OK so, frame eyes without framing, color in without coloring, lift without lifting, it’s all an illusion
21) I love makeup!
22) There is no better feeling then giving a girl a proper confidence boost, making her look and feel gorgeous!
23) I don’t care what anyone says, makeup is art!

xxx
Sara

Buff It Up!

Always wondered how to get your nails looking fun and flawless? Below I spill the beans on how to make those neon hues stick out longer! Make sure to have a real play with our famous POP shades. Use a fine brush and paint your nails in polka dots, rainbow stripes, peace signs or fluffy clouds! Bring out the artist in you and get playful!

1) Always start with clean, buffed nails. Make sure your nails are completely dry and that there is no oil or lotion residue on them so that nail color can adhere properly.

2) Use a good base coat that is also a treatment for your nails.

3) Apply color in thin coats, letting each layer dry in between, a layered effect will create a better seal and reduce air bubbles. Don’t do too many layers though, as this can make the polish too thick, making it less likely to stay on properly and taking ages to dry. After 3-5 coats you should have the optimum fullness of the shade.

4) Throw away old and "glue" like polishes.

5) Wrap each tip of the nail with the color; sweep a little color around the tip of the nail, this will minimize the risk of chipping.

6) Let dry properly! This is so key. I am always anxious to keep on going but there really is no better way to ensure the nails keep looking good apart from letting the polish dry properly.

7) Stay away from water, washing dishes, re-potting plants - you name it, for the next 12 hours at least.

8) Apply a top coat and keep it handy for touch ups.

9) Last but not least - POP’s amazing neon nail shades are nail hardening and non-occlusive, your nails will look so pretty and perky, you will take proper care not to chip them!

xxxx
Sara