NYX Avant Pop



I'm not a stranger when it comes to shelling out some hard earned dime on makeup. That being said, my bank account can only take so much abuse. This palette by NYX is my solution to great makeup that doesn't break the bank.

Drugstore Skincare from Japan // the Girl in Berlin recommends


Growing up, my entire skin care routine was to use whatever my mom used. I went through the entire Clinique line, Elizabeth Arden, the DHC cleansing oil (which by the way is AMAZING), and the occasional St. Ives Apricot Fresh Skin Scrub. I'm very fortunate to have had access to higher end skin care but to be totally honest, I had no clue what was what and I wasn't even using products that matched my young, pubescent skin type.

Now I don't live with my mom anymore and I've been on and off different brands for ages. I decided to commit finally after my Japan trip 2 Summers ago, when I spotted Sana's Isoflavone series.


What is Isoflavone? It's basically a type of plant-derived compound called phytoestrogen that have estrogenic activity. Estrogen is a hormone that moderates feminization and in skin care, it's thought to reduce wrinkles, reverse sun damage, and also help tighten skin.

In Japan, soy is produced heavily both for consumption as well as skin care. To be perfectly honest, I bought it because I've heard good things about it online from Japanese beauty sites and I can't really argue with the flawless skin that Japanese women have. I bought the cleanser first and since then, have added the toner, essence, and night cream to the routine.
hormone that modulates feminization


The cleanser is currently my favorite for taking off make-up. I use a make-up remover for the eye area and after I've gotten most of the black liner and mascara off, I follow up with this. You only need the tiniest amount to get a full lather and it really gets rid of all the grime.
I don't necessarily think one needs the toner and essence but toner does help to get rid of any traces of makeup and essence adds an extra layer of moisture. But a cream or moisturizer I definitely do use because I tend to get dry skin in the Winter and I need me some hydration. The one from this range is super thick so I just swipe small amounts of it on my face and rub it in. At the end of it all, my skin feels super soft and plump!


Not all skincare works the same for everyone so while this range works really well for me and has improved the texture of my skin, I also don't know if this would work for someone with severe acne or really dry patchy skin. What I do appreciate is that it is a drugstore item so even ordering it overseas, the prices are not too bad (anywhere from $10-18).


Where to buy:
Rakuten (Ships Internationally)
Amazon (EN)
Amazon (DE)

P.S. This is NOT a sponsored post. I genuinely like and use this skincare range.

A Little Burberry // Festive 2016 Beauty Box


I'm an incredibly simple person. Slap the name "Burberry" onto a box, put some red lipstick in it, and I will be a very happy chappy. Also to prove how simple I am, you could also slap the word "doughnuts" onto a box, fill it with said pillowy bites of goodness and indeed, I will be your best friend forever.

Let me just start off by saying that I've never tried Burberry cosmetics before. Mainly because I rarely pay full price for cosmetics unless I have tried and absolutely love the products already. That, and Burberry is too pricey to just blindly buy without testing. That's why Sephora gift sets are the perfect solution for people like me, who like to dip their toes in before jumping head first into the lake.

The set comes with 4 items:
Lip Velvet in Military Red No.429
Eye Color Silk in Pale Barley No. 102
Fresh Glow Luminous Fluid Base in Nude Radiance No.01
Burberry Cat Lashes in Jet Black No. 01





I need to try the products out for a little while longer to give any final verdicts but I will say so far, I'm loving the set! The mascara has already impressed me which says a lot because my eyelashes are incredibly disappointing and hard to deal with. The only thing I would advise for people with short, straight lashes like mine is to curl them pumping up and only apply the mascara at the tips, not from the roots. That or do a coat on top of a super strength waterproof mascara (coughMaybellinetheRocketcough). It really does make a difference.

The other thing I really enjoy is the eyeshadow. It's the perfect color for those lazy days when you just want a swipe of color on the lids. I also appreciate that it's in the original full size!

I'm excited to keep testing all the products inside the kit and I'm definitely keen now on trying more from the brand's cosmetic line.

Don't Worry, Be Häppie


I was not so recently in Prenzlauerberg



A Man Called Ove // the Girl in Berlin recommends


Since I started school at the end of last year, I found myself on the train for long intervals of time with nothing to do. Don't get me wrong, it's nice to zone out sometimes and just focus on the surroundings, but I prefer doing something that will keep my brain chugging along even when my body is just sat on a seat.

A Man Called Ove is a book I picked up after reading a few reviews online and thankfully, it turned out to be exactly what I needed.

The story revolves around Ove, who is a grumpy old guy stuck in his old ways. Not to say that he's mean spirited, but he finds that everyone around him just does things the wrong way. It also doesn't help that his wife Sonja, passed away and all he wants to do is to be with her. Of course the story couldn't possibly end there and his life takes a turn when a new family moves into the neighborhood.


It sounds cheesy and it's not unlike feel good stories that already exist but there's something about it. The story moves between present time Ove and Ove's young adult life, where he met Sonja and started their life together. And although Ove is this grumpy man to everyone, the reader sees where it's coming from, what his intentions are, and we sympathize with him. I definitely recommend it if you are into these kind of heart felt story developments

Stray Cats That Wander into your Heart


I was never a cat person until this one came into my life. That's not to say I didn't like cats before, but I could never be sure of how they would react to my presence.

I had a friend in grade school who owned three cats and every time I went over to her house, they kept a pretty good distance away from me. One time I was left alone in the bedroom with one of them when, after a really long staring contest, I decided to pet her. She ended up hissing and clawing my hand away. From then on I decided dogs were the better choice for me and practically forgot about cats altogether.

It wasn't until 2.5 years ago when this initially scared, malnourished, and weak creature wandered into the garden of Oli's dad, that I was face to face with another cat.


When she first started living with us, she never got close. Cuddling wasn't an option, petting was only allowed on certain occasions, and any loud noises or sudden movements made her jump. I'm not sure what kind of life she lived until that point but it was certain that she didn't have too many good human experiences. So how did I suddenly become such a huge cat person, despite neither of us having good experiences with the other?

They say you're not a cat person until you have a cat. Truer words were never spoken. If you actually start living with a cat, things change. You start saving cardboard boxes so you can place them in odd places around your house to see if your cat sits in them. You have staring contests with your cat to see who will blink or look away first. You'll notice that if you open any can, your cat starts clawing the counter on her hind legs.


These small moments slowly become a ritual. It did for me and pretty soon she was climbing on top of me and purring like a monster truck when I pet her.


It's hard to believe a life without her now.
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