Beauty Haul from Europe (Part II)

This is the second post about beauty haul from Europe Trip. It's kinda embarrassing to post about it at this time, because it’s been 2,5 years since i had this trip. But i really forgot at all about this post and it has been at my draft for that long. I’ve make promise to post about other beauty things that i bought in Europe at the first post about beauty haul from Europe. And i’m not a kind of person who likes to break my promise.

If at the first post i wrote about luxury beauty stuff that i got in Paris, this time i’ll talk about beauty stuff that i bought while i was in Milan, which is more affordable. Actually i don’t have any plan to shopping again. I’ve got everything i want in Paris. But when in Milan, i just found some new make up brand, and they’re all looks amazing. Really hard to ignore them, so i bought some make up and nail polish to add my make up collection. (Also read : Cheap “Fashion and Beauty” Shopping Guide in Europe)

Essence
I never heard about this brand before. I found this brand at OVS Via Torino, near Duomo di Milano. OVS is a shopping store, and they sell affordable fashion stuff. First time i stepped in to this store, i just wanted to shopping for a daily outfit. But i saw this Essence stall and i fell in love with their product. Not just because the cheap price that they offer, but the products itself looks pretty. They have a lot of variety beauty products from make up until nail polish.

I fell in love with this nail polish since the first time i saw it. The color looks fabulous. And, Oh! It's not and ordinary nail polish. It's a nail gel, and i love nail gel so much. I'm not a kind of person who likes to change a nail color at the short time. I really need a long lasting nail color, and nail gel it's a perfect things for me First time i knew nail gel from Sally Hansen, and since that moment i started collect nail gel. The gel nail polish from Essence is really a good products. Easy to use, not bubbling, long lasting, and the color so beautiful. You can get this good quality products only with €1,7.

From top to the bottom : The Gel Nail Polish 34 (Candy Love), 21 (a whisper of spring), 36 (dare it nude), Effect Nail Polish 28 (truth or dare?)

Other products that i bought at Essence is the eyeliner. I bought 2 types of eyeliner, "liquid matt" and "long lasting pencil". After try both of these products, i would recommend you to buy the pencil one. I love this eyeliner because it's super easy to use and also smudge-proof. And like the name of this eyeliner, it has a long lasting result. So far this is the best eye pencil i ever tried, and the price is only €1,6.

Essence Liquid Ink Matt Eyeliner 

Essence Long Lasting Eye Pencil - 20 Lucky Lead

KIKO Milano
Still at the same street, KIKO Milano has their own store and it's like a heaven for make up addict (like me). The price is not as cheap as Essence, but it's worth with the quality.

Started with this eyeshadow stick, this is one of my favorite product from KIKO. The formula is really good. Well pigmented, easy to blend, and the most important is long lasting. It's really suitable for a traveller like me. Since i have this eyeshadow stick, everytime i travel, i'll bring this because it's so simple to use.

KIKO Long Lasting Stick 38

Next is concealer. Dark circle always be a problem for me. I've tried many eye cream and also get enough sleep, but it never gone. So everytime i'm at makeup store, i always looking for their best seller for cover the dark circle. With the peach color, this concealer from KIKO really cover the dark circle under my eye. They have a good formula, however i don't like the packaging. It's a pump type concealer. Everytime i pump it, the concealer always come out a lot and it's too much for me.

KIKO dark circle concealer 02 Peach

The last is the blush on. I love this color since the first time i saw. It's so perfect for my skin tone which not too fair.

KIKO colour veil blush 03

Flor de Mayo
Actually it's not a beauty product that i bought in Milan. But this product is really good so i also write about it at this post. I bought this hand cream at El Corte Inglés, Barcelona. I love to using hand cream because it makes my hand keep moisturized. I have many hand cream, but this hand cream is my favorite. Not just because the natural formula that they have, but i love the smell too. It's vanila, and it always be my favorite.

[Europe] Cheap "Fashion & Beauty" Shopping Guide in Europe

Europe, known as a place with a high living cost. Start from the food, transportation, accomodation, and shopping. We're not talking about the high-end brand such as Prada or Louis Vuitton. We're talking about some local boutiques such as at Saint German area in Paris. They're selling local brand clothing with high price. For example, they are selling 1 simple dress for €200. Of course they use a good quality fabric for their clothes. But still, not everyone can afford it.

However, not every store in Europe selling stuffs with high price. During my Europe Trip, i found some stores which selling a good fashion and beauty stuff with the cheap price. At this post, i will write about that stores.

Lefties
Lefties is one of the main affordable fashion companies. The Lefties brand is designed for all ages of customers. They have 3 sections, men, women, and children (baby, boy, and girl). If you're a young women / men, you gonna love their style. With a good fabric, they're selling 1 T-shirt only for €2. How cheap is that!!! Not every country in Europe have Lefties. But you can find it in Spain, Portugal, Russia, and Mexico.

Zara
Who doesn't know Zara???? They have more than 2000 stores in over 88 countries in the world. So, why do i mention Zara at this article?? Actually, at other countries, Zara doesn't have a very cheap price. But if you go to Spain, you will see they're selling all their stuffs with very low price. €3 for a t-shirt, and €4 for a bottle of perfume. It's a very good deal. How can the price is very different between in Spain with another country? Because Zara is a Spanish fashion brand. So, when in Spain, don't forget to go to Zara, and shop a lot!

Massimo Dutti
Massimo Dutti is another fashion brand that founded in Spain, precisely in Barcelona. Don't ask about the fabric. Everybody knows Massimo Dutti has a very good quality fabric, and that's the reason why the price is not as cheap as Lefties or Zara in Spain. But if you compare it with prices in other countries, it's much cheaper. Just talk about men's trousers. Usually, the price gonna be €100. But in Barcelona, you can buy it with half price.

Carpisa
Not just a clothing store, but you can also shop for a bag with cheap price in Europe. Just looking for. a store called Carpisa. Not just a bag for woman that you can buy from this Italian brand. Because they also sell wallet, men's bag, and luggage. It's not hard to find this store in Europe. You can find Carpisa almost in every city in Europe such as Barcelona, Milan, and Rome.

Mango
Another clothing brand that you can find in every city, but don't forget to shop here while in Barcelona. Mango has a lot of stores in Barcelona and they all offers with affordable prices. If you want to get the "cheaper" stuff, you can visit Mango Outlet in Barcelona. In here, you can get any clothes, accecories and any other fashion stuff from Mango, with 70% - 90% discount and i think it's a very good deal (if you compare it with its normal price). This outlet is located at Career de Girona, about 15 minutes walk from Plaza Catalunya.

Terranova
Well, this Italian clothing brand might be not as famous as any other clothing brand. But you can find this store in some of European city such as Rome, Milan. This cheap urban clothing brand, not just sells women's stuff but also for men. They have a good style, fabric, and of course with affordable price. €4 for men's shirt and €4 for women's blouse, definitely its a good place for shopping.

OVS
OVS is a store with full of cheap clothes that you can find in Milan. But in here, you're not only shopping for clothes or accecories. They also have a beauty corner for make up with affordable price such as Shaka, Essence, etc. Essence become a famous make up brand that you can find in Europe. Not just because their low prices, but they also have a good quality and a lot of variants. €1 for a nail polish, you'll don't want to missed it.

Kiko Milano
If you see the name, you'll know that Kiko is a make up brand from Milan. But it doesn't mean you only can found it in Milan. Kiko has a lot of stores in Europe and it's not hard to find. You can find Kiko store in most every train station in Italy such as Rome, Venice, and Italy. Kiko's price is not as low as Essence. But their quality is better than Essence.

Well those are some stores that i found in Europe which selling a good fashion and beauty stuff with low price. If you have another recommendation for cheap places for shopping in Europe, just comment below.

[Europe] 7 Places to See in Barcelona

Summer is here... Are you looking for a good place for summer vacation? Why don't you go to Barcelona. Barcelona, the capital city of Spain has a lot of attractions and they're all amazing. As a tourist, you must be don't want to missed these places. But, if you don't have enough time to visit every places, you can visit only some of them. Here's the list of the must visit places in Barcelona :

1. Camp Nou
   Even if you're not a fan of soccer, you need to visit this place. Known as the largest stadium in Europe, Camp Nou become the famous attraction for tourist in Barcelona. Beside see the stadium and the museum, you also can buy FC Barcelona accessories at FC Botiga Mega Store.

2. Sagrada Familia
    If you never heard this name, you must be have seen the picture. This "unfinished" church become the most iconic building in Barcelona, because of the structure. The detail in every side of this building make it take a long time to complete it. Sagrada Familia is designed by the famous and talented artist, Antonio Gaudi, and become his masterpiece.

3. Casa Milà and Casa Batlló
   Another building designed by Antonio Gaudi, that you won't missed while visiting Barcelona. These 2 iconic buildings located at Passeig de Gracia, the popular street for shopping. They have different design, but both of them are amazing. At Casa Batlló, you can see the beauty of its building from the outside. But in Casa Milà (also known as La Pedrera), you must buy a ticket to look inside the building, and reach the rooftop. The rooftop itself, has a fascination for tourists. You can see the chimneys lined up, and it looks like a soldier's head. How unique is that!!

Chimney at Casa Milà's Rooftop

Casa Batlló

4. Barceloneta Beach
    Summer is nothing without a beach. Barceloneta is the most popular beach in Barcelona. In summer, you'll see a lot of people tanning and playing at this beach. Even until 9pm, this beach will always crowded. Unlike another beach that always look the same at the picture (just the sand and water), Barceloneta has their own "landmark", it's W hotel.

5. Park Güell
    Park Güell is a public park that also worked by Antonio Gaudi. Park Güell become popular because of the mozaic art, that you can see in every corner in this park. Start from the statue, the wall, and many more!

6. Montjuic
    Montjuic is an area that you must visit while in Barcelone. Located not far from the city center, Montjuic offers a lot of beautiful places that you won't regret if you visit it. Start from the Montjuic Castle, MNAC (Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya), Poble Espanyol, and the Magic Fountain. Poble Espanyol (known as Spanish Town) is an open air museum, that shows an Iberian village. They're look fantastic!! If you want to try a new experience, you also can take a cable car which run from Montjuic Park, and climb up to Montjuic Hill. It will stop next to Montjuic Castle.

Magic Fountain in front of MNAC - Montjuic

7. La Boqueria
    Not just a landmark, museum, and beach, market is also a place that you need to visit in Barcelona. There's a market that really famous called La Boqueria. Located at La Rambla, this market will always full of people. Not just for tourist, but local also go to this market for get a fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, etc. If you're not going to shopping, you can go to this market to get a delicious Spanish food at Pinotxo Bar.

Tapas 24 - The Famous Tapas Restaurant in Barcelona

After posting about the best tapas (for me) at Cerveseria Catalana and the Michelin Star tapas bar , Tickets Bar , now i will write about the most famous tapas restaurant in Barcelona. It's Tapas 24.

Tapas 24 is located next to Passeig de Gracià, the popular street for shopping in Barcelona. So you don't need "special" time to go to here. You can try this famous tapas after or between your shopping time.

I was coming to Tapas 24 for lunch. The place is big, and like any other restaurant in Europe, they have outdoor seating as well. However, since the weather was really hot, so we decided to sit inside.

Bar table

So here's the foods that we ordered. We didn't order a lot of variety, instead we ordered the most recommended with a lot of quantity.

Fries with Scrambled Eggs

Bikini Sandwich

Well, i can say all the foods are tasty. My favorite food from Tapas 24 is the Bikini Sandwich. Honestly, that's the reason why i was looking for Tapas 24. The melting cheese from the sandwich taste so yummm. Go try them by yourself, and I guarantee you'll not regret it.




Tapas 24
Address : Carrer de la Diputació, 269, 08007 Barcelona, Spain
Opening hours : Mon - Sun 9AM - Midnight
Phone : +34 934 88 09 77
Website : www.carlesabellan.com

[Europe] Casa Milà & Sagrada Familia

Barcelona has a lot of beautiful places to visit. While i was searching about it, i just knew that most of them was designed by Antoni Gaudí, the famous Spanish Catalan architect. Nowadays, most of his works become the main attractions for tourists who visit Barcelona, such as Casa Milà, Casa Batlló, Park Güell, and Sagrada Familia. At this post, i'll write about 2 places that i visited in Barcelona , Casa Milà and Sagrada Familia.


Casa Milà
Casa Milà, popularly known as La Pedrera (the stone quarry) is one of famous Gaudi's works in Barcelona. The uniqueness of this building makes it popular among tourists. It's also located at the strategic area, Passeig de Gràcia, the famous street (for shopping) in Barcelona.

Passeig de Gràcia from the rooftop of Casa Milà

We went to here after a visit to Camp Nou . We took a Metro L3, and stopped at Diagonal station. Casa Milà is only a short walk distance from Diagonal station.

When we arrived, long queues seen at the front door of the building. But, not as long as i thought before. I've bought the ticket at it's website to avoid this queue. It cost €22, included the audio guide, sama with the price if you buy on the spot.

We started this visit from inside the building, and finally the rooftop. The rooftop of Casa Milà is really unique. It always become a "good' photospot for tourists.

Sagrada Familia
Another Gaudí's work that i visited is Sagrada Familia. This is the most famous attraction in Barcelona. Sagrada Familia is a large Roman church, designed by Antoni Gaudí. This church known as Gaudí's masterpiece, because it has been constructed from 1882, and until know it still hasn't finished yet. They're predicted the construction will be finished at 2026.

What makes the construction of this church take a long time? The answer is the detail. Gaudì designed this church with a lot of detail, start from the wall, the tower, even at the door. You can see the story about Jesus from the beautiful sculptures outside their building.

Sagrada Familia is located at Carrer de Mallorca, and the nearest Metro station is "Sagrada Familia" station, which can be accessed with Metro L2 / L5.

If Casa Milà has a long queue, Sagrada Familia has a very very long queue. We're so lucky have bought the ticket in advance, and i recommend you to do the same. You can buy the ticket in here . They have several options for the ticket : Church only (basic €15), church and tower (€29), and another options that you can choose on the website. When you buy the ticket, you need to choose the time for the visit. So make sure your itinerary for that day will not change. Because you only can get in at the time that you choose.

The "leaves" door at the pictures above, is the main door to go inside Sagrada Familia.

spiral stairs to the tower

If you go to another side of this building, you will see the different story of Jesus on their wall, and also another unique door.

Casa Milà
Address : Provença, 261-265, 08008 Barcelona, Spain
Website : https://www.lapedrera.com/en/home
Phone : +34 902 20 21 38
Opening hours : Mon - Sun 9AM - 6.30PM, 7PM - 9PM

Sagrada Familia
Address : Carrer de Mallorca, 401, 08013 Barcelona, Spain
Webiste : http://www.sagradafamilia.org/en/
Phone : +34 932 08 04 14
Opening hours :
November - February : 9AM - 6PM
March & October : 9AM - 7PM
April - September : 9AM - 8PM
December 25 & 26 , January 1 & 6 : 9AM - 2PM
Notes : Sales of tickets finishes 30 minutes before closing time.