Hello my lovelies!
This morning I was so close of breaking my lipstick/lipgloss ban... with a Mac lipstick! Creme d' Nude, to be exact.It all started yesterday, when I had a big craving of achieving the perfect nude lip. It was one of those times when you think that your make-up collection is so small and pathetic, when in reality it's the absence of recent shopping activity that is to blame for such hallucinations. I can't put to words the trippin' I was in, dreaming about it and thinking the ways (and places!) I would wear it...Today I woke up with plans of going downtown and get my precious! Thank God, I came to my senses at the last minute, thinking that I wouldn't want my first experience with Mac to be a negative one- breaking a ban that is so important to both my piece of mind and my wallet! So I happily walked away the Mac store and postponed my visit to the indefinite future...Anyway, I thought of posting it today as a reminder to myself. Now I'm going to get a piece of paper and write it down 100 times:HEY, CHILL! IT'S ONLY MAKE-UP!!!Happy blogging and reading and commenting to everyone!CBSG5861
Hello my lovelies!
These are some products that I'm hoping will make me confident enough to go out and expose some skin =D
Here goes:
1. Elancyl Cellu-Reverse 14 Jours
I have high hopes with this one... It's a cellulite treatment that is applied once a day (big yay!!!) and promises smoother looking buttocks within 2 weeks! Cheesy enough, but I'm putting it to the test; I'll let you know how it goes with another post.
2. Garnier Ambre Solaire Original Moisturising Bronzer
Ok, I have a confession to make... I've never self-tanned before! If any of you kind people have some tips and tricks to share, please post them below!
3. Korres Citrus Body Milk
The moment I smelled it at the pharmacy, it instantly took a place in my top 10 body-moisturiser list (yep, I'm like that- keeping lists for everything!). I've tried Korres Body Milks before, they're quite moisturising leaving no greasy residue on my skin. This Citrus edition is so yummy! It has a fresh citrusy and peppery scent, just like a mens' cologne ;) ;) ;)
So what's your summer bodycare essentials? I would include a loofah glove in this post- but that wouldn't be so pretty...
Happy blogging and reading and commenting to everyone!
CBSG5861
Hello my lovelies!
Oh, how I envy this model's make-up with the coral eyeshadow, it looks so fresh and modern!
But, given the fact that my skin isn't gorgeously pale like hers and my all-Mediterranean dark brown hair isn't helping either, I'm in fear of putting coral on my eyes. It's a statement that I'm not brave enough to pull off :(
Coral lips and cheeks though, that's another story...
This is a beautiful blush from greek brand Seventeen. It has a lovely peachy colour with gold shimmer, namely called...
Coral!
I've been accustomed with the Seventeen nail polishes ever since my teen years but have never owned any other products from the brand, so during my last visit to the cosmetics store I thought I would give Seventeen some more love and browse through the rest of their make-up range.
See? Both corally and golden! Perfect for summertime, it beautifully accentuates tanned skin. Holding 6 gr of product for the price of aprox. 10 euros.
So coral cheeks, check! What about coral lips?
I dug through my old Biotherm lip glosses/lipsticks and I found these two... Love, love, love! The lipstick is more blue-undertoned than the big glossy pencil, even so I'm going to wear both of them this season! They're more intense than the swatch below:
I'd really love to know if you've tried any coral eyeshadow and whether it looked good! I'd like to wear it, too- but until I find the courage (or the perfect coral eyeshadow for the job!), I'm sticking with coral cheeks and lips.
Happy blogging and reading and commenting to everyone!
CBSG5861
Hello my lovelies!
These are seven special eyeshadows from the Body Shop called "Eye Shimmer(s)". Well, there's a good reason for their ambitious name!
The Eye Shimmers in the pan. Looking boring...
The Eye Shimmers, swatched. Still- very, very boring...
Would you look at that? They're completely transformed when applied on top of black eyeliner. Who would have thought...
- - - Pros - - -
- Well, they look gorgeous! It's an interesting and different product, a nice little addition to your make-up bag.
- They are multi-purpose; they can be used as is, all over the lid or as inner corner/tearduct highlighters, on top of black eyeliner or a darker eyeshadow, on top of a co-ordinating eye pencil...
- - - Cons - - -
- They are a bit chalky. As you might probably tell from the photo with the eyeshadow pans, their surface isn't so smooth!
- Some shades are poorly pigmented and need a lot of effort to show up, particularly the pink and the copperish colour.
- They all have a funny smell...
Overall, I like the concept of these eyeshadows; in my opinion, they look their best on top of a dark eyeshadow or an eye pencil of the same colour-family applied on the lower lashline. The thing is that I don't reach for them so often due to this special and time-consuming application, you can't just slap them on your lids and be good to go! If I was to recommend one shade of the bunch I would suggest the green one, it may not be obvious from the above pics but I can assure you that it's the prettiest of them all ;)
So what do you think? Would you be interested in such a product or pass it by?
Happy blogging and reading and commenting to everyone!
CBSG5861
Hello my lovelies!
This is a post about products from the Body Shop that I've tried and wouldn't recommend to anyone! Obviously, what doesn't work for my skintype/features/taste may work wonderfully on someone else- nevertheless, the products mentioned below don't fall under this category; they just don't perform!
1. Lip Scuff
There was a lot of positive feedback on the web about it, so I bought it. When I got home and opened it, that thing scared me... It's a green bullet with a mint flavour that has a yucky sticky base with a few relatively big granules; it supposedly "...evens the surface of the skin to better absorb Lip Colour". On the contrary, it made my lips even more sensitive and prone to chapping. People, stay away from this little devil!
2. Tea Tree Blackhead Exfoliating Wash
First of all, there's a lot of corporate confusion about the right way to use this product; at the US site it is listed under the once/twice a week exfoliators, while at the UK page it's among the everyday face washes. Either way, it's plain rubbish; it doesn't foam, the exfoliating particles are way too little for a decent clearing of the skin- let alone eliminate blackheads, as it claims to achieve!
3. Tea Tree Facial Toner
This toner is actually a clear green liquid with a tiny amount of corn starch to absorb excess oils on the skin- you just shake the bottle before application. I'm overlooking the fact that it's loaded with alcohol, the real problem is elsewhere; this whole Tea Tree line of products is addressed to oily skin with imperfections. However, it's a proven fact that cornstarch clogs pores, so where's the good in adding that to the toner's formulation?
4. Flawless Skin Protecting Concealer
"The product features a sophisticated delivery system with clear active essence suspended in a special core structure". Yeah, don't buy that... Honestly, there's no place for a so-called "active essence" in a concealer, it only thins down the product and alters its composition. For covering spots, opt for the old and trusty Concealer -my favourite so far- and for brightening the under-eye area, the Lightening Touch is just fab.
5. Lip and Cheek Stain in 02-Bronze Glimmer
Personally I only use this kind of product on my cheeks, I find that it can be very drying and uncomfortable on the lips. While I simply adore the original shade 01-Rose Pink, this one is totally... wrong. Let me explain myself- here are the photos of a sheer application on my hand:
Oh yes, this is the same application on different angles, not two swatches from different products! This stain has a rosy matte base AND a coppery-golden shimmering coat, it seems like these two tones get separated on application and be visible as two mismatching products piled together.
So these are the products from the Body Shop that were a complete waste of money!
If you have a same experience with a product, please let me know or even make a post about it; I always enjoy reading this kind of posts, they discourage any excessive shopping urges ;)
Happy blogging and reading and commenting to everyone!
CBSG5861
Hello my lovelies!
I was browsing etsy's website looking for natural skincare products; it was one of those "little" searches that turns up to a whole 3-hour business! Anyway, I particularly looooved the handcrafted soaps- there were some cute and luxurious, some organic or vegan-friendly, some funny or even bizarre (there was a soap looking like your grandmother's dentures- eeeek!), but all of them very-very interesting! These were my absolute favourites:
La Nuit Shea Butter Soap, by sweetpetula
Berry Lemonade Soap with Shea Butter and Blueberry Seeds, by FlourishBathBody
Pure Bar Soap wrapped in Vintage Children's Book Pages, by OwlNaturals
French Macaron Collection Gift Set, by KcSoapsNmore
Baby Cinammon Rolls - 6 Pack Goat Milk's Soaps, by soapopotamus
Sandalwood Vanilla Handmade Cold Process Soap Bar, by LippincottSoapCo
The Trio (Small) Tumbled Turquoise Soap, by amethystsoap
Marie Handmade Elagent Soap Vegan, by sherrifairy
Celeste Limited Edition Sweetheart Soap, by capricornsoapco
So, what do you think? Aren't they cute, to say the least?
Me, I'm redeeming myself with this lovely white jasmine soap. Seriously, if you ever come across a Zara Home store, you should definitely check out their bath&body line- especially this jasmine soap; it has a delicate, powerful yet light scent of jasmine, it's so, so... Oh well, my descriptions won't do it justice. Love, love, love it ;)
Happy blogging and reading and commenting to everyone!
CBSG5861
Hello my lovelies!
Check out these shades... For a bargain of 4,95 euros, it was love at first sight!
For the last few years I've only been buying expensive sunglasses from the likes of Gucci and D&G- silly me, I thought they were the best thing to "oomph up" my usually cheapish outfits and I kept buying them mainly because there weren't available any decent "dupes" from cheaper brands. Now that there is such an option, I couldn't resist! I've noticed that cheap sunglasses with metal frames look even cheaper, so it's best to avoid those...
By hey, maybe sometime I'll post my old collection of sunglasses- there are a couple of ridiculous pairs that we can all laugh together ;)
Happy blogging and reading and commenting to everyone!
CBSG5861
Hello my lovelies!
Let's say that it's hot summer days, you're out and about in the heat when you realise that your face shines beyond "pretty"... What would you do? You could use a compact face powder and blot those shiny areas- but the result on your face, if not overly powdery, would be an unattractive dark orange all-over veil. What happens with most powders is that the talc they contain oxidizes under heat/humidity and darkens the shade of the powder. Oh, I've been there so many times!
The best solution? Blotting tissues! My God, how didn't I discover those earlier?!? It's been only a week I've been using them and they've already become an utmost necessity for touch-ups during the day. The way to use them is fool-proof: you take a tissue, you press and roll it to any oily areas on your face, and you're done! The stickiness of the tissue absorbs only the excess oils on the skin, leaving your make-up intact. Genious!
However, there's some bad news: so few companies have this kind of product in their make-up range- after a little search on the web, I found blotting papers from Art Deco, Shiseido and a company named Boscia- never heard of it before... The good news? These Tea Tree tissues cost me only 4 euros!!! For me, it's a definite re-purchase.
If you've tried any such product of another brand, please let me know! It's a new thing to me and I'd love to try more ;)
Happy blogging and reading and commenting to everyone!
CBSG5861
Hello my lovelies!
In an attempt to beat a few negative thoughts of mine about the arrival of summer, I composed a list of some all-summery things that make me happy...
1. Frappe!
When it comes to coffee, I'm no snob. I'll drink anything- from the ready-made sachets loaded with sugar and fat to the most exceptional cappuccino blend. But- frappe coffee carries so many memories that it's impossible to part with! I grew up with it, it was my first coffee experience, it has accompanied me through difficult exam preparations, meetings with my old girlfriends... It may not be the "finest" summer beverage, but to me it's so much more than just coffee.
2. Reading books
Since my childhood, I've always connected summer with a lot of time to spare- I love to watch those silly Hollywood block-busters, re-runs of old favourite tv shows and reading books that I had been fancying all winter. For me, the best time in the day for reading a book is during afternoon, along with a glass of ice-cold frappe ;)
3. Ice-cream!
Not just plain, "sold-everywhere" kind of ice-cream, oh no... I savour the "real" thing, a nice vanilla ice-cream made with fresh cream and egg yolks and real vanilla beans! If bought, my preferences would be a Haagen Dazs or Movenpick.
4. Open-air cinemas
I love the relaxed atmosphere of the open-air cinemas! I've seen a lot of great old films on those, always accompanied with my boyfriend's jacket, sour cherry drink and sunflower seeds.
5. Summery scents
The smell of jasmine when the sun sets, the fresh grass, the salty breeze at the seashore, the so fond of mine earthy scent of summer's first rain...
6. Colour in make-up...
...without looking like a crazy woman! Coral/fuschia lips look lovely on tanned skin, green/blue/purple eyeliner achieves maximum impact with the least amount of effort, bronzers and illuminators work their best... It's the most perfect time for experimenting with colour for a big colour-conservative like myself!
7. Vacations with my boyfriend
There's no need to explain myself here... We always have a great time together, I only wish we could spend more than a week on holidays this summer!
I'd love to read what's your summer's best things ;)
Happy blogging and reading and commenting to everyone!
CBSG5861
Hello my lovelies!
Product rave again, this time about the Korres Wild Rose mask. Lately I had been complaining to myself that my skintone was so so dull that it looked as if it had a greenish tint! Not anymore, though ;)
The website describes the mask like this (note the highlighted words):
A pure white mask for a clear and radiant complexion, suitable for all skin types. An instant brightening effect is immediately visible from the first application. Wild Rose oil is a natural source of vitamin C, which demonstrates significant repairing activity to fine lines and skin marks. At the same time, a complex of herbal extracts targets skin discolorations, adding brightness and radiance to the skin.
At first, I was a lot sceptical with all these promising claims. Come on, results from the first application? Shame on you, Korres, for giving too much false hope like giant companies do!
And then I tried it. Applied a thin layer, waited for 15 minutes and rinsed it off. Saw my face on the mirror. And thought "nah, my skin looks brighter because of the new lights" (having changed previously the old bathroom lamp with a lot brighter one).
After 2nd application: "Nah, there must be too much sunshine and my face looks brighter".
3rd application: "You know, maybe it's not the light, could be that the mask is actually working!"
4th: Admitted that the mask really worked. What's more, I noticed the tint of those old acne scars on my face fading out! I was so excited, I thought I could never get rid of them! What it means is that when I'm doing my regular make-up routine, it doesn't take me too much time working the concealer to cover those scars. Yay!!!
I really-really recommend this mask if you want an instant brightening effect or to combat skin discolorations. Plus you only need a very thin layer to cover your whole face- so this little pot will last you months ;)
Happy blogging and reading and commenting to everyone!
CBSG5861
