FASHION: Vintage shops - Chiang Mai, Thailand

Chiang Mai is not how you expect Thailand would be. This town is something special and has a certain urban athmosphere due to it's high percentage of young citizens and students who make you feel like in a Thai urban artistic university town. There are stylish bars and cafés everywhere but still you can find typical Thai markets and local food stands.

If you're looking for vintage and style then you should come here and go fashion hunting. I discovered two amazing vintage shops. There are both similar: a lot of colors and differebt patterns of 60s to 80s-looking pieces which are all very unique. Mix up your own outfit, take your time to look for the perfect dress or some real vintage New Balance sneakers or an old faded leather bag from the 60s. There is so much beauty to discover in these fashion stores and even the background hipster-music and the vintage interior will make you think you're shopping in Berlin's Neukölln or in Brooklyn, New York. It's amazing that all youngsters, no matter if we are European or Asian have the same kind of taste of Fashion.

Visit these vintage shops if you're up for fashion hunting in Chiang Mai, Thailand:

Love 70s

Near Horpra School,
Sri Phum, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Kaber
Inthawarorot Road
Chian Mai, Thailand

Phone:

+66 85 037 9824+66 85 037 9824

Keep cool,

- AJ -

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BEAUTY: Must-have travel essentials

Arun Thai - 100 % repellent spray with anti-malarial need oil
This insect repellent helpes you keeping away the mosquitos which are all over in South East Asia. Using insect repellent is definitely a MUST!! when you travel through South East asia. It doesn't only prevent you from getting itchy mosquito bites which turn into ugly scratches but it also prevents you from getting malaria and dengue fever!
This one is produced out of 100 % organic ingredients and you can be sure that is doesn't contain any cancer causing chemicals which are often found in insect repellents. It contains phlai, sweet basil, citronella, clove and lemongrass essential oils which all have a long duration of protection against mosquitos.
It's also recommendable to wear long sleeve clothes and avoid staying close to water such as ponds or lakes. You should also avoid drinking alcohol because this tends to increase your blood sugar content which can attract the mosquitos.

This Works - Perfect Skin Miracle
This face cream acts as a serum and moisturizer in one. It contains vitamin C, blackcurrant seed oil, walnut, prim rose and shea butter and has an antioxidant effect. It protect your skin from getting too dry especially after your skin has been exposed to smog, sun or salt water which can dry out the skin. Just apply in the evening and in the morning after washing your face.

Kiehl's Travel Test Solutions - 24/7 Activated Moisturizer and In-Flight Refreshing Facial Mist
These formulas were created by dermatologists who were consulted by stewardesses with experience in long distance traveling. These two products are always with me when I travel long distances to treat my skin. They are good for moisturizing in air-conditioned areas with low humidity such as in hotels, on long flights or long air-conditioned bus rides where it can get really cold and the air gets very dry. And they work anti-bacterial aswell due to the combination of ethereal oils which is important especially in public places such as air ports, train stations or shopping malls.

- AJ -

BEAUTY - Just wanted to have some polka dots

Nail polished I used:
Bouclé Greige // Marcella Royal

FASHION: Not just any bracelet

Tiny, delicate, not too flashy. Just for me to see.

BEAUTY: Love Stories Eye Liner

I can't have enough eye liners from stories.com. I love all of them.

<3

BEAUTY: December's Beauty Buy

Deep Sleep Pillow Spray -  // Perfect Skin Super Moisture - This Works // BB Crème Au Ginseng - Eborian // What's Your Type Mascara - The Balm // Khadi Classic Soap - & Other Stories // Rose Magic Soap - Dr. Bronner

Time to spend more time with beauty picks and pampering again after having an exhausting December full of travel planning, massive hospital work, part-time jobbing and studying.
Having little time makes your few hours of sleep so valuable that no one, really NO ONE should disturb you at night and you want the most enjoyable six hours of sleep to be deep and the best hours of the day to catch enough energy to start a new day without looking to tired.   
So grab the Deep Sleep Pillow Spray by This Works, spray it onto your bedding before tugging into bed and let the lavendel oils and camomile bring you to sleep and calm you down. It will help you to forget all the stress of the day and to make you fall asleep easier.
Before going to bed gently clean your hands with the Khadi Classic Soap by & Other Stories's Cotton Care series and then clean off you make-up with the Dr. Bronner Magic Rose Soap.
When waking up the next morning treat your face with the Eborian BB Crème Au Ginseng and give your skin moisture and a velvet texture. Cover you tiredness with a lot of mascara to make you eyes look awake. For this I use the What's Your Type Mascara by The Balm. And you'll look like awakening from a ten-hour beauty sleep. Et voila!

 

 Have a beautiful day,

BEAUTY: A little simple girly Christmas present

What a rainy day today in Berlin, but this didn't stop my from going Christmas shopping. I just luck one more present and then I'm done! I wasn't actually planning to present more important people in my life than my family but when I stopped over at H&M I bumped into these really cute make-up bags and thought it would be a great idea to create these into little personal presents full of girly sweet stuff. Hope the two important lucky ones will like this idea:)

Love,

BEAUTY: Metallic frosty eyes

O.K. so after being so serious in the past days I thought of posting something less serious again. Thanks to my good mood since I was just told that I passed my horrible paramedic pre-exams today which I had from Monday till today or else I wouldn't have come up with an unimportant topic again. What a nerve-racking job. Well anyways, let's come back to the girlie topic:
As you know, I really love make-up. Not the ones which are like Bam-in-your-face-make-up but more the ones which just enhances your looks. So here are my favorite eye-shadows at the moment to make the perfect winter shimmer on your eye lids. But don't forget to use moisturizer during this frosty season. Bling bling!

 MAC  Paint Pot in "Bare study" // & Other Stories pressed eye shadow in "Calico White Lamé"

Have a frosty Thursday,

FASHION & BEAUTY: Angora and Pastels

Oh it's so cold this November. The weather has really spoiled us the last month and this is now what we get. I posted some of my favorite pieces which kept me warm, well-tended, busy and pretty. Some pieces from delicate jewelry to beauty products. As you might notice I've been really addicted with angora and wool and as you've read in my post Autumn's moisturizers with hydrating products as well, especially the organic ones.
 
1. This t-shirt, o.k. t-shirts might not be the proper clothing to wear during this season of the year, but with a thin cardigan on top this still keep you warm. It's navy-blue (almost black as it seems on the picture) and white stripes and it's 100% cotton. Tug it into your high-waist jeans, put on a light jacket and that's it. Simple but yet casual. From & Other Stories

2. I LOOOOOVE this scarf! Really! It was love at first sight. It reminds me of the wool canada scarfs from Acne only that it's softer, cheaper and the color is more mine. It's 70% Wool and 30% Angora, can it be any more better than this?! I could wear it all day long, day and night. And it's easy to match with anything. From & Other Stories

3. No my taste hasn't changed since years. I'm still in love with delicate jewelry and I just rediscovered an old post of mine which proves this statement. I don't easily find jewelry which I like and which is really time less. I think we spend to much money on useless accessories which we forget next season cause it's run out of fashion. That's why i rather invest in fine jewelry I can wear all year long without looking too 90s. Necklace and rings both from & Other Stories

4. Take a step into the fabulous world of Aesop and you don't want to leave anymore. That's how I felt when I visited the first Aesop store here in Berlin in the "Alte Schönhauserstraße". I could have tried all their products if I would have got a bit more time. For rough dried winter hands I recommend the Aesop Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm. It's rich in Beta-carotene and tocopherol, mandarin rind, rosemary leaf and cedarwood atlas. It deeply moisturizes and is easily absorbed leaving a soft and hydrated condition on your hands, cuticles and feet.

5. The Gentlewoman is a great magazine full of interesting interviews of inspring gentlewomen. This season's issue: Interview with the french actress Léa Seydoux. Great reading material when tugging into bed on the cold autumn days.

6. Always keep your head warm and protect yourself from colds. This angora beanie will help you. So soft and warm you just want to hold it in your hands all the time. 70% Angora (30% Polyamide) from & Other Stories

7. Nainsook body oil which I've been raving about since weeks mentioning it in my post Autumn's moisturizers. From & Other Stories

8. Not so known but recommendable is the organic make-up brand W3ll People. They produce 100% natural cosmetics and have such pretty, very slightly shimmering mineral blushes which I've been putting on my cheeks this week for not looking too pale (summer's bronze is slowly disappearing). My favourite is the Purist Luminous Mineral Blush in the shade "61".

Have a warm and fluffly thursday,

BEAUTY: Don't stop if there's still a drop - Empty bottles and tubes.

I would say that I've been very experimental in the last few months concerning beauty products while trying to figure out what is the best for my hair and skin. But it's obviously not as easy as I thought it would be but I've definitely learned a bit more about the ideal beauty buy. These are the products I've been using regularly in the the last two or three months and which didn't disappoint me.

First of all I was craving for finding the perfect facial treatment and accepted my aunt's hint on trying out Clinique. At first I was a bit over strained by their multifaceted offers of facial products sorted in different facial treatment series and again sorted in different product types. But once you spend a bit time in researching you get to find out which care products you need. I never have problems in finding out what skin type I am, because I've had the same problem since years. Blemishes.

1// I immediately decided to try out the 3-Step Anti-Blemish Solutions series containing the Anti-Blemish Solutions Cleaning Foam which I really recommend. It's a really light cleanser which can easily be applied and spread on the skin without needing much water. After rinsing with warm water the face feels smooth and not too dry as many cleansers do after rinsing it off the skin. I didn't have the feeling at all that it was aggressive to my skin or that my skin felt tight. But you should definitely remove your make-up beforehand or else the cleanser has no use at all because the nutritive substances can't enrich your skin and you would mix all the dirt and make-up with the cleanser onto your face. Well of course that doesn't make any sense at all.

2// So to remove my make-up I use the Bioderma Sébium H20. I swear I've never found something as good as this. I'm already emptying the second 500ml bottle. The make-up removes quickly and makes you feel clean. After removing make-up and cleansing the face I was recommended by the friendly saleslady at the Clinique counter to use an exfoliator afterwards to remove the dead skin cells. Well, this is the step 2 of the 3-Step concept but I should have left this out and instead have done a twice-a-week facial peeling instead. So doing what the saleslady recommended I of course purchased the over-expensive Clinique Anti-Blemish-Soutions Clarifying Lotion. This was the last time I will ever purchase this again. I didn't even get the reason why exfoliating the skin everyday should be good cause it seemed to be too aggressive for the facial skin due to it's sensitiveness. And I should have thought of this before! After strictly following the recommendation hoping for improvement of my skin, it just became worse. So using the cleanser which I'm really satisfied with didn't really have any use when afterwards the exfoliator just worsen the face issue. Next time I'll think twice.

3+4// But for moisturizing after cleaning and before applying make-up I do recommend the Bioderma Sébium AI cream and before going to bed the Clinique Anti-Blemish Clearing Moisturizer. These help my skin to be protected againt dryness during the day and night.

5// For the tired swollen dark eyes in the morning I use the Kiehl's Eye Alert. Well it doesn't really help I think but it's ok for freshness and under eye make-up. And I do belive it has a placebo effect or else I wouldn't apply it around my eyes every morning.

6+7// So enough about face products let's talk about hair care. Besides of make-up this is probably the beauty area in which I like to try out different products the most because I never have problems with my hair which I hardly can't solve. Since two months I've been using the same. For rinsing I use the Balea Glossy Braun Shampoo to give my hair an extra glint of brown tone. And to smoothen out my dry hair I use the Dove Intensive Repair 1-Minute Cure-Conditioner. I can't think of a better conditioner. It makes my hair feel so soft no matter if I let it dry in the air or even if I blow dry my hair. This wonder-conditioner is like a super-moisturizing-hair-smoothener and always makes me want to touch my hair when it's dry because I never can believe how soft it becomes.

I hope this post can help you a bit trying to find your ideal hair and face care products. Sometimes it's not that easy but it takes time, patience and curiousness finding out what is the best for you and you must be patient in awaiting the results you're hoping for.

Have an inspiring day.

FASHION: Alöe Loungewear by Clair Judge

Pullover: Massimo Dutti // Pumps and shirt: Zara // Jeans: Cheap Monday // Underwear: Alöe

Depending on what you wear beneath your clothes can certainly change the way you feel. I prefer wearing lacy ones on bright colors, especially if I'm gonna wear something not so eye-catchy. Today's date night and I don't want to look over-dressed but still want the feeling of looking good. This can be very influenced by what you wear under your clothes so I decided to wear lingerie from Alöe one of the prettiest lingerie collections designed by British designer Claire Judge. They are simple but yet extra vagant and very feminine just as I want my underwear to be.

Visit the online shop here: Alöe

Have a lacy Sunday,

BEAUTY: Don't stop untill it's soft - hair care

Getting your hair the structure you want it to be is not always as easy as you hope. You might have to try out different products until you find the right ones for your hair. And that's what I did and after more than a year (yes, more than a year!) until I found the right ones. I'm now finally 100% satisfied with my length. I used to have a very tomboyish hair cut with bangs. After graduating from school I needed a change and cut my hair by myself one morning feeling frustrated looking in the mirror in the bathroom. So I cut them until they almost reached my shoulder. They were so short, I couldn't even wear a pony tail. I never had hair so short, they've always been long and have always doing their own party without me until I finally figured out how to control them with the right products. I now just let my hair grow long and I don't really have a specific hair cut. I prefer having hair looking natural, so I never curl or straighten them. My hair is really wavy, but I like it being so because you don't have to brush it all the time and you don't have problems after waking up with a flowing mane cause that's just how they are. And I like it. But I've been struggling with dryness. This has always been my big hair problem. I mainly focus on conditioning and after-shower hair care. I try to keep my hair as natural as it is focusing on softness. 

For washing I use the Balea Glossy Brown Shampoo. It's like one of the cheapest drugsore shampoos you can get. I prefer not spending too much money on shampoos cause it's something you use a lot and I don't need something special as long as it just cleans my hair and smells good I'm fine. To take care of the softness the right conditioner comes into play. I recommend the Dove Intensive Repair 1-Minute-Cure-Conditioner. This is like magic. Well it's also more effective than standard conditioners. It's more like an everyday deep-conditioner. With this you don't need to do weekly hair treatments or something like that. 

So these two products are what I use under the shower. I wash my hair about every 2nd to 3rd day to prevent them from getting oily to fast.

When I take a shower at night before going to bed I don't blow dry my hair. I just go to sleep with wet hair and wake up with natural wavy curls which I like my hair to be. But when I'm in a hurry in the morning I of course have to blow dry them and for protecting them from getting too dry I spray the Dove Intensive Repair Disentangling Care Spray into my hair before brushing it (I also use it when I air dry my hair, actually after every hair wash). It helps disentangling it and keeps my hair protected from dryness especially while and after blow drying it.

And voilà, there's the soft flowing mane.

Have a hairy day.

BEAUTY: Make-up handbag storage

Yes, we do all know this problem. Well, those who have the habit to carry your make-up around you even if you don't even touch it during the course of the day. But don't we all carry useless stuff around in our handbags anyway? For those who just can't leave the house without taking at least a lip gloss with you (like me as a lip gloss junkie) will love these cute lille bags from H&M. These transparent make-up bags will keep you protected from the everlasting hopeless rummaging in your handbags. There are more prints to choose from. These three are my favorite! They are just adorable and will spice up the dull darkness of the inside of your handbag.

Stay colorful.

BEAUTY: Favorite body care products

It's been a stressful October in which I had to fight against a lot of head ache, fever and muscle pain. Spending a whole week at home trying to cure myself and to get well as fast as possible cost me a lot of power. It's not that I'm a weak person, it's just that I rarely get sick. But if it hits me, it hits me really bad. So therefor this month has been all about resting, taking care of myself and grappling with body care products I used to keep myself feel comfy and clean.
I love trying out natural products such as the ones with natural oils and vitamins to keep my skin away from dryness. After taking hot baths before going to bed I used the Nainsook Body Oil from & Other Stories which is enriched with cotton seed oil and vitamin E. I used it like a body lotion applying it all over my body after robbing a few drops between my hands. You really don't need much of it, so the 150ml bottle will last for at least this autumn. To keep my lips soft and smooth I used the L'Occitane Shea Butter which is pure shea butter without any chemical substances. Apply this on your lips before going to sleep and they will feel amazing the next morning. For showering I used the Dr. Bronners Baby Mild Magic Soap. This is definitely one of my favorite soaps. It's 100% organic and fair trade and can be used in many different ways e.g. as a shampoo, detergent, facial cleanser or make-up remover. It contains coconut, olive, hemp and jojoba oil and is enriched with vitamin E. And it's non-perfumed which keeps the scent natural and pure.
You probably know the feeling of looking awful when you're sick. To reduce this feeling and to gussy up yourself, use mascara which will make your eyes look awake. The Babydoll mascara by YSL is perfect for giving you the awake-effect. And just because it looks pretty and keeps yourself busy having nothing to do than lying in your bed feeling sick DO your nails! I used the Whipcord Beige nail polish by & Other Stories which leaves a slight metallic shimmer on your nails.
Before tugging myself under my blanket I spray a bit of Punk Bouquet body mist by & Other Stories in my room and on my pillow to make me fall a sleep. The scent of vanilla and rose smells cushy and makes you imagining you're sleeping in a bed full of rose leaves. Feeling sick is just all about making yourself feel comfy!
Whenever having the feeling your body needs more attention than usual e.g. when you're sick, when you feel lazy or if you're not in the mood then take your time and jazz up yourself with your favorite products and you'll feel so much better afterwards!

Take care and feel good,

FASHION: Kate Bosworth for Topshop

Just a while after posting Isabel Marant for H&M I read about an other interesting design cooperation. There's not much news about it in the medias, actually there's almost nonthing. I got the info from the German Vogue November issue for , so I thought of sharing it with you.
Well, she's not only known for being a talented actress but she's also known for her great sense of fashion. Kate Bosworth was asked to launch a 2nd capsule collection for Topshop after the successful "Summer Festival Collection" this summer. As a design consultant for Topshop she shows us her talent and taste of fashion and represents her own style. Unfortunately there aren't any published photos of the collection yet. But according to what I've read so far it's rich in luxury and minimalism. The designs are a combination of both girly and boyish styles like leather with cashmere, over-sized silhouettes combined with tight cuts or heavy colors mixed with shimmery metallics.
She's not only the design consultant but the campaign model, as well. There definitely can't be someone who represents the collection better than the designer herself. online-shop or in their retails
The waiting will soon have an end. From the 24th of October you can finally purchase the collection on Topshop online-shop or in their retails.

Good night,

BEAUTY: Autumn's moisturizers

Autumn's come and the temperatures decrease, our skin becomes dry and irritable, so nowadays it's important to always protect our skin against the cold temperatures. Our skin needs to have enough moisture to keep our skin cells nourished with all the substances they need to be able to function   well.Our skin is the biggest organ of our human body and it protects us from our environmental conditions such as heat, cold or irritations. So here I listed some helpful products which will keep your skin moisturized for the coming freezy months.


1. Kiehl's Olive & Avocado Leave-In Oil-In-Cream
Helps dry and damaged hair. Enriched with avocado oil and olive fruit oil to smooth the cuticle. Make the hair more hydrated and elastic and reduces hair breakage up to 85%

2. Kiehl's Ultimate Hand Salve
Keeps you're hands protected against moisture loss by leaving a glove-like protection barrier, enriched with avocado and sesame oil.

3.L:A Bruket Lip Balm
Softening lip balm with pomegranate and coconut scent

4. Aesop-Marimekko Sauna Duet
This duet compromises a body scrub and a body balm which contain essential oil from fire needle, sage leaf and pine needle. Apply twice a week after baths or hot showers.

5. & Other Stories Cotton Care Nainsook Body Oil
A re-hydrating and fast-absorbing body oil with vitamin E and oil from cotton seeds. Fragranced with succulent peach, florals and plum. Use after baths or hot showers.

Keep yourself protected,

FASHION: Isabel Marant for H&M

In mid June it became public that the talented french designer Isabel Marant would start a design cooperation with H&M which will be launched on the 14th of November '13. The capsule collection will be sold in over 250 H&M retails. It's the first time for Isabel Marant to bring out a collection which is for men, as well. Her intention by bringing out a collection which is both for the young ladies and for the young men, too, was to make it possible to mix and match clothes from both genders. If a women wants to look more légère she can combine her silky dress with a wide boy friend coat from the men's line to make it all look a bit more casual. And if she just wants to stick to the tight leather pants and the silk blouses, she can do that as well. Isabel Marant's idea of style is to combine different pieces which create an own look all together. In this way the outfit, you wear, doesn't look too forced but relaxed and flamboyant instead but without looking like you're trying to catch somebody's attention.
Isabel Marant was in doubt about confirming a cooperation with H&M but after thinking through the whole idea she made the right decision and is happy about making it possible for her young fans, too, to be able to afford her designs. "The cooperation with H&M made a dream come true for many of her fans" (vogue).
The limited collection is full of heavy kints, booties with fringes, boho-jackets, boyfriend blazers, leather pants and accessories. The designs are from her former collection with tiny changes in them, such as different prints, cuts or fabrics, although some pieces for the capsule collection are also made of the original fabrics from her former collection. Beauties such as Mila Jovovich, Alek Wek and Daria Werbowy are the campaign models looking easy in the campaign video.
There for sure hasn't been an H&M-cooperation which was been longed for so much. I just can't wait to see the whole collection in the store and soon call myself a proud owner of  Isabel Marant's pieces, too.
Read more here about the campaing.

Can't wait to see it!!
Have a nice tuesday, love

Oh how I love Sundays!

 Just by thinking of Sunday makes me feel relaxed. The past weeks have been full of too much work. For sure you know that feeling when you wake up on a Monday morning and the first you think of is how nice it would be if it was Sunday morning again and you could stay in bed the whole morning with a hot cup of tea. Well, that's how I was feeling like the past 3 weeks. I've got one week more full of work until it's my time, too to enjoy my holiday or let's better call it three less stressful weeks with not so much work. While roaming around my flat today having nothing to do than lying in bed with my laptop I found this wonderful song of the danish duo "Quadron". Check out more of their songs!

Besides of that I was cleaning my hard disk deleting a bunch of useless stuff on my laptop and found these very inspirating pictures of a Madewell collection I can't remember anymore. But I think the're really nice and I love the color combination and dicided to keep these pictures as a great outfit inspiration.

Have a relaxing Sunday!