Products I've used up!

Five months of meticulously using the same products have finally paid off:
I've now collected a bag full of empties to share with you!

Along with the Project-10-Pan, I've committed myself to use up most of my beauty products, i.e. all the junk that has taken over my bathroom, closet, and bookshelves...

Here is the first batch of the products I've used up!

The Body Shop Vitamin E face mist*: I've been familiar with this product before and I've already mentioned why I'm not really loving it. To put it shortly, it benefits dry or dehydrated skin- the conditioning Glycerin and Panthenol aid for that matter. However, what I'm looking for in a facial spray is an overall feeling of refreshment, not some extra moisture on top of my sunscreen or makeup. Would I repurchase it? Probably not.

Avene Thermal Spring Water: this, I love. I truly believe it helps my skin to be healthier and less irritated. I've used up yet another 50ml can and I'm planning to buy the big one (that bares a strong resemblance to hair spray!). Would I repurchase it? Hell yeah!

The Body Shop Seaweed Pore-Cleansing facial exfoliator: umm, allow me to rant over TBS some more... The Seaweed range is targeted to combination/oily skin and it carries some fantastic products- but, dear TBS, why make a face scrub that feels exactly like the Seaweed face wash with a few added grains? And the latter don't even exfoliate the skin! If I want to amplify my own face wash into a scrub, I'll add some baking soda instead. Would I repurchase it? Never- stay clear of it, people!

The Body Shop Aloe Calming facial cleanser: this, on the other hand, is lovely. Rich in Aloe Vera juice, no parabens, no fragrance, it gently cleanses the skin without stripping its moisture. I like it. Would I repurchase it? Definitely, some time in the future.

Mum's verdict: Regenerist hit the spot

One of the greatest joys of being a beauty aficionado is when you discover some drugstore gems that don't lack in quality when compared to their high-end counterparts!

Case study: Olay's new moisturisers which are part of the Regenerist line. Regenerist products are targeted to mature skin that requires effective anti-wrinkle protection, as well as an instant "lifting" effect to make those lines look smoother in under a minute.

Since it would be unfair to use them on my skin (I don't fall under the "mature skin" target group yet), I let my mum put them to the test ;)

* FYI, mama has a long experience with Olay products; I remember her always having a milk cleanser&toner with the name of Oil of Olaz (as it was called back when I was a kid!), and she buys Olay face creams from time to time... *

On the left we have the wow product of Olay's Regenerist range, the Wrinke Relaxing Complex, which can be used on its own or on top of moisturiser. On the right is the
3-Point Treatment Cream, a fragrance-free moisturiser. Here's a closer look a each one:

Olay Regenerist 3-Point Treatment Cream, fragrance-free: this is Olay's anti-ageing and lifting moisturiser that caters to those who prefer fragrance-free products. You could say that it's thoughtful of a brand to take into consideration the few clients that don't want fragrance in their skincare, but that wasn't what made me respect the brand:

This is not one of your average glycerin+silicone drugstore moisturisers that claim a lot and ultimately do nothing in terms of skincare benefits. There's a lot of science involved behind the creation of this cream and honestly, it baffles me why it's not eminent in the tv spots or magazine ads.

I've deliberately inserted a photo of its ingredients list, so you can see what I'm talking about. Here's the break-down of the ingredients:

• Powerful moisturising agents [Sodium Hyaluronate, Soluble Collagen- hello!]
• Some ever so welcome antioxidants [Panthenol (Pro-Vit B5), Tocopheryl Acetate (Vit E), Citric acid (Vit C)]
• Healing and smoothing ingredients [Elastin, Allantoin]
• A few extracts of natural origin [Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (green tea)]
• Peptides* [Niacinamide, Carnosine, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide]

* Peptides are one of the latest trends in skincare and can be found in high-end skincare products. Basically, peptides are tiny fragments of protein molecules that help allow the natural production of collagen.

There's also a few silicones and parabens in the ingredients- but I can live with that ;)

12 for 2012: LIPSTICK WARDROBE's favourites!

It's probably late to blog about last year's favourite products, my apologies!
Twas so hard to narrow them down to just 12- hence the delay...

2012 was pretty hectic, and I'm glad it's finally over. Despite all that, one of past year's positive aspects was that I managed to discover some great beauty products which have already gained a "staple" value in my collection. Here they are!

Surprisingly, 9 out of 12 are makeup related-
gee, someone needs to experiment more with skincare, body and hair stuff!

Citrus colognes will always have a special place in my heart. I've now come to use one every single time after the shower for a quick pick-me-up; 4711 cologne has been my favourite. Since its scent dissipates within 20 minutes, it means I'm the only one who can enjoy it while people around me don't notice I smell like a 80-year-old grandma! lol

I've also discovered one of the very best city sunscreens in the market, the -wait for it- Clarins UV Plus HP Day Screen High Protection. Brilliant for oily skin, non-greasy, and packed with antioxidants. If only it was a bit cheaper... The Body Shop Vineyard Peach body butter* is one of my recent addictions. There, I sait it! Seriously, I'll cry when TBS decides to discontinue the Vineyard Peach range, it smells exactly like the real thing!

Now for the makeup bits! Maybelline Fit Me foundation and concealer* were the absolute winners of 2012 and I'll definitely repurchase both. The foundation's finish is fresh and dewy, and the concealer has that peach undertone that suits my complexion to a T. The brush that I apply my foundation with is the Art Deco duo fibre brush; I've had it for more than 3 years now and it looks as good as new, so it deserves its place in this list ;)

As for the blush in the photo above, it's none other than The Body Shop blush in Toast, a versatile matte peach/tan colour that can be paired with any lipstick/eyeshadow combo. But whad'ya know, it's been discontinued! *sob sob*

Bring on the heat... A sizzling AUSSIE giveaway!

I'm so delighted about this awesome giveaway that I'm sharing with you today;
I'm literally jumping around with excitement!

Here's the deal: Aussie is giving away one invitation to a lucky reader of Lipstick Wardrobe, to join me at Hot Yoga Athens for an exclusive Hot Yoga class! And if that wasn't enough, we'll both get a chance to have a proper hair styling session, courtesy of the Aussie pros!

Sounds like good fun, innit?
I'm so over the moon for getting to meet one of you guys for this amazing experience, woohoo!!!

   * Details:
The event will take place on Saturday, January 26. We'll both participate in a Hot Yoga class, i.e. a series of yoga postures that take place in a heated studio. All you need to bring with you is your workout gear; then we can have a lil' chit-chat together while we'll be offered a hair styling of our choice, with the help of the new Aussie TAKE THE HEAT products which are specifically designed to be used with hot tools!

   * Who can enter:
Anyone who reads this blog, be it a public follower of Lipstick Wardrobe or an Anonymous user, although I would appreciate it if you were following my blog through GFC: just click the Join this site button on the right column! You also must be able to make it to Psychiko the next Saturday, so I guess there's no point entering this giveaway if you live too far away :(

   * How to enter:
Just write "enter me!" in the comments section below, along with your name and email, so I can contact you in case you win. Easy-peasy!

The giveaway will close at 23:59 on Wednesday 23/1.
Then I'll pick a random winner through randomizer.org.

Good luck to everyone who enters this giveaway!
I'm really, really excited- eeeek!

Edit: the winner has been drown, it's Andreana! Thank you everyone for your entries!

Evi   xx

Dior Grand Bal lipstick in MARILYN!

This is my second and last item I picked out from the Dior Grand Bal collection.
Naturally, it had to be a lipstick ;)

Diorific lipsticks are considered as Dior's "haute couture" makeup accessory; among all Dior products adorned with the brand's signature sleek blue&silver packaging, there's your Diorifics shining in all their gold and voluptuous glory!

Grand Bal collection featured four Diorifics, with colours that were variants of the classic red lipstick. The one that stood out to me the most was Marilyn.

The rest of the Dior Grand Bal lipsticks (click to see swatches) share a warmer undertone, all in the same red colour family: Lady has a brown-ish tint to it that makes for a toned-down red lip. It should look amazing on mature ladies that can't wear in-your-face reds. Diorling turned out to be the most popular shade, it's a lovely burgundy red that suits everyone! Diva, on the other hand, is a bit more of a daring red- although not as bold as Mac's Ruby Woo or Russian Red.

My pick, Marilyn, is a whole 'nother story. It's a bright cool-toned raspberry red that is so youthful and fun to wear! Now that I keep staring at it next to my keyboard as I'm writing these lines, I can't help but notice the antithesis of it all: the grown-up and eclectic gold packaging that clashes with the bullet's modern colour... It's those little things that capture my interest and make me happy!

Its texture is to die for: well pigmented, matte but not quite, feels very comfortable on the lips, and smells of that old-fashioned powdery scent which I like. But there's another attribute of this lipstick that has made me fall in love with it:

LIPSTICK WARDROBE's 2013 wishlist!

I'm probably one of those few people that don't believe in new year's resolutions;
making lists of any sort can be fun and I enjoy it, albeit not in this case.

Enforcing myself such new "rules" that have to be accomplished no-matter-what turns quickly into a stressful situation. And I won't have any of that this year, thank you very much! In fact, here is my one and only new year's resolution (kind of): to avoid stressing out as much as I can.

So, instead of making a list of promises I'm not willing to keep, I took notes of a few beauty products I'd like to look into until spring. Let's start, shall we?

1. Kiehl's Over-Night Biological Peel: this is meant to be some sort of a gentle chemical peel. I've used a sample of this in the past and loved it, but it kills me! that Kiehl's doesn't take part in the monthly 25% sales... Ugh!
2. Garnier Pure Active Fruit Energy Daily Energising Gel Scrub: to add up to the previous on-and-off exfoliator, a daily scrub should keep my skin glowing every single day. This one by Garnier contains Vitamin C and Salicylic Acid, two skincare ingredients I'm loving at the moment. I hear it smells divine!
3. The Body Shop Vitamin C Facial Radiance Capsules: notice the pattern? Vit C is going to be my best friend in 2013! Our skin needs as much anti-oxidant goodness as it can get.

4. Mac Media lipstick: I find dark burgundy lips to be a modern interpretation of the "statement lip" trend, which I love. Now that I'm planning to re-ombre my hair, I'd like to wear an alternative to the cherry-red lipstick that has become so mainstream lately...
5. Mac Veluxe Brow Liner: this seems to be a better deal than the Mac mechanical brow pencils- there's more product, a nifty little spoolie on the end, while it claims to offer a matte powdery finish. Want!
6. Mac 217 brush: I need to improve my skills on blending eyeshadows, and I won't compromise with a cheaper blending brush. 217, it is!
7. Mac Face and Body foundation: hopefully, after I've upgraded my skincare routine for my face to get an even tone, I'd love to try out a weightless foundation like Mac's Face and Body. I can always hope for the best, right?

A party favourite: SLEEK Sparkle 2 palette!

Happy New Year everyone, everywhere!!!
Let us hope 2013 will be an awesome year to remember, with lots of happy moments, love and warmth in our hearts :*

Now that there's another 4 or 5 days until we can all start packing our party dresses up the attic, us beauty junkies can still afford a bit of extra glitz&glam to our makeup, am I right? Enter Sleek's Sparkle 2, a limited-edition eyeshadow palette that fits perfectly the holiday season.

This is my first tryout in the much acclaimed Sleek palettes, and I must say I'm amazed.

Apart from the ease of having so many eyeshadows in one place (yes, I'm a neat freak),

the seletion of colours is unique and their pigmentation is pretty awesome! I've already made a mental note of an eyeshadow combo that should look stunning on my eyes: navy on the lid, burgundy in the crease, and some black glitter around the top&bottom lashline... Brown-eyed girls, take note!

That being said, not every single shade performs as great as the next one- but I guess that's something to expect in a 12-eyeshadow palette. At the end of the day, there's ALWAYS one or two shades that are left unused in any makeup palette!

So, the theme of the Sleek Sparle 2 palette is, obviously, glitter. My initial fears of too in-your-face drama were quickly dissolved. You see, there are 4 shimmery shades that are perfectly wearable, while the rest eyeshadows apply like mattes, with some gold glitter particles thrown here and there. I quite like that, although if you're fond of real glitter, this palette will most likely dissapoint you.

Onto the swatches: