We at twindly HQ have been beauty shopping! (Blame it on this spring feeling when you just *need* something new after the long winter to perk you up!) Luckily, all products we’ve gotten turned out winners (independently we both tried Nars products that went head-to-toe with Urban Decay classics!), and promptly went on the favourites list. Which is here. Plus, we share our favourite book we’ve been reading lately! Read on for our March beauty and book favourites!

Dorit’s March Favourites

best beauty items for spring
March Beauty Favourites time!

The classic – NARS smudge proof eyeshadow base

I’ve always been an UDPP girl, but out of the blue I decided to try the famous Nars eyeshadow base when I run out of my last tube of UDPP. I’ve tried it now for a few weeks. My biggest peeve with it is its doe foot applicator. I wish it’d come in a tube like UDPP. But that’s about the only criticism I’ve got – everything else is great. Texture? Not too runny, not too thick, but just right. Colour? Seems white but turns translucent upon application. Formula? Pretty silicone-y, but gives a nice even finish that eyeshadows just glide over. And the most important factor: my eyeshadows stays where I put it and lasts through pretty much everything. The biggest difference between both bases is the texture – UDPP is rather thick and makes shadows more difficult too blend, while this creates some kind of smooth canvas that your brush just glides over (also, UDPP is cheaper). £19.50/$26.00/€27,00 at Nars.

The rediscovery – Pai Lotus &  Orange Blossom BioAffinity Skin Tonic

Very long and cumbersome name for a toner that worked wonderfully on my travel stressed-out skin. It smells a bit like some herbal medicine/spa, but there’re absolutely no nasties in it that could aggravate sensitive skin. There’s no fragrance or alcohol in it, and it’s supposed to calm redness-prone and dry skin, which it does. I used it after cleansing and also when I needed a pick-me-up during those looooooong long-distance flights, and I’m sad that my mini-sized bottle is now empty. Btw, as a toner it works really well to neutralize your skin’s natural pH and prepare it for further treatments. Even in mini-size it comes in a spray bottle with a nozzle that ejects a fine mist. The full version is 50ml for 38/£30 at pai. Ouch! (But worth it.)

The impulse purchase – Lancome Cushion Blush Subtil in Rose Givrée (22)

Where do all proper impulse purchases start? At a duty-free. I was just browsing, had a lot of time to kill and started swatching the Lancome Cushion Blushes, when this beauty jumped at me. Well, kinda – you get the picture. I was a bit nervous about applying a blush with a cushion puff, but nothing could be easier, really. Nevertheless, I opted for a rather muted pink-leaning peachy-nude that looks super natural and pretty on my skin tone (NC15). I pat the colour on with the puff, then blend it a bit with my fingers if its necessary.

Lancome Cushion Blush Rose Givree review
Swatches of the Lancome Cushion in Rose Givree: left sswatch is blended, right one is swatched heavily to show the colour.

It looks quite dewy when directly applied over your foundation, but then, I usually use a setting powder, and that temps the dewiness down and also sets it on the skin. After all, this is a cream product, and it never dries down completely on my skin (if you’ve got dry skin, that might differ). Wear-time is on par with most powder blushes for me – it hold up nicely during the day until I take it off at night (around ten hours). I’m also very impressed by the sturdy packaging – I’ve absolutely no worries that the cushion might dry up, because the compartment closes off so well. (FYI: In Germany prices vary widely from 32 at Parfumdreams to 42 at Douglas. In the US it’s $42 at Lancome.)

Favourite book I read in March: The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

I’m an unapologetic fantasy fan – nothing better to unwind than a book that has absolutely nothing to do with our reality. In March I finally read Patrick Rothfuss The Name of the Wind. It’s a tome, and follows the hero, Kvothe, from childhood to university, trying to solving the mystery behind his parents’ death and surviving on his own, while winning the love of Deanna, and of course, to learn magic to find the name of the wind. (To find out why that is important you’ve to read the book.)

Astrid’s March favourites

Niod, Nars and MAC haul
Astrid’s Niod, Nars and MAC haul – every item turned out to be a new favourite!

The fun one – MAC’s In Extreme Dimension Mascara in Well-Toned

Coloured mascaras got some bad rep in the past, but there’s been something of a revival recently. Case in point: Mac’s Work it Out collection that featured 16 coloured mascaras. (Grab them fast, they’re limited edition!). Nowadays everybody seems to agree that coloured lashes are a fun way to spruce up a neutral eye look or even go all out and either combine different colours on your lids and lashes or even go monochrome (have a look at MAC’s Ig. Some of their looks are killer!). So, Well-Toned is a subtle purple that’s not very prominent on black lashes, but under direct light, it pops suddenly. Its wand is a slim one with short bristles, and the formula holds up reasonably well. 22€/$19,50 at MAC.

Nars Narsissist Eyeshadow Palette Loaded
Isn’t she a beauty?! Narsissist Eyeshadow Palette in Loaded.

The new classic – Nars Narsissist Loaded Eyeshadow Palette

There’s a whole in-depth review of the new neutral Nars eyeshadow palette here (including a comparison to the Urban Decay Naked 1), so just hop over to that post to read all the deeds. Short version: Great texture, and the colour combination (especially that warm orange?! Swoon!)? WIN!

The pick-me-up – Niod Voicemail Masque

We’re both late in the game with Deciem products (read the first impression on The Ordinary here), but here’s the first Niod product (Deciem is the mother company of Niod and The Ordinary): The Voicemail Masque. Of course, it’s always difficult to form an opinion of a skincare product after just a few uses, but it looks like this might be a winner long-term-wise. It’s very easy to use – just put it on in the evening and – go to bed! It’s supposed to work overnight, and thankfully, there isn’t any residue on either pillows nor hair. Skin is very smooth in the morning, and there were no negative reactions to report! This is a great mask for people who don’t have time for masks in their skincare routine, and the chic packaging doesn’t hurt, either. (45$ at Niod, and £30 at Victoria Health)

Favourite book I read in March: Algorithms to live by by Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths.

I’m not finished with this book yet (around 30% in). It’s a very interesting pop-science book on how everyday human decision can be optimized using algorithms. The big insights for me was how much we might unconsciously try to utilize this algorithms already. For example: How do you know when to optimally stop searching for a perfect apartment? Or: How do you organize your closet? Algorithms!