My everyday FOTD!

Hello beautiful people!
Here's a short post on what I slap on my face every day ;)

Above all, I'm a creature of habit. There's nothing I hate more than standing each morning in front of a mirror with a bag full of makeup products, trying to make a decision on what to put on my mug to disguise the "I don't wanna wake up!" look...

Of course, I enjoy experimenting with makeup- though nowadays I only do it on evenings when I have time to spare and indulge into each step.

Since I'm a renown lazy **s, I've been following a quick&easy routine that translates to a natural face with a certain piece de resistance. That means: a light coverage foundation worn with a bit of bronzer, eyes bare from eyeshadow, and a kick-ass red lipstick...

A little GARNIER lovin'!

When was the last time you've fallen in love with a beauty brand?
That's me now, falling head over heels with yet another L'Oreal sister company...

It's no news that Garnier is quickly evolving into the #1 best-selling brand of the mass market; their products are affordable, innovative and deliver their claims, all while the name tag "Garnier" echoes vibes of sunshine, happiness and lots of smiles!

Personally, I'll go as far as to say that Garnier has grown into one of my most loved beauty brands- not only for the reasons mentioned above, but also because their products keep up with the latest customer demands that call for more natural ingredients and less controversial substances like parabens.
[In case you haven't noticed, all new Garnier products contain no parabens.]

But enough with the blab, here are my current Garnier favourites!

First things first, the Garnier Miraculous Oil* has been my go-to hair treatment to use right before blow drying. Up until now I didn't have much faith in hair oils to be honest; but then I met this guy, we "clicked", and since then me and him go together like peas and carrots! Seriously though, give it a try and you'll love it as much as I do: it's rich in pure Argan oil that nouriches and protects the hair with a weightless, non-oily veil of moisture. You get shiny, smooth hair in a matter of seconds, what's not to love about it?

What's new at The Body Shop?

It seems that the Body Shop is evolving into a considerable opponent among the brands of the beauty industry, competing with the very best on the market!

A couple of weeks ago, me and some fellow bloggers had the chance of getting familiarised with the new Fall product releases from the Body Shop. Taking into account the brand's revamp during past summer, it's safe to say that there's a whole lotta cool products we should be anticipating in winter ;)

Here's everything we witnessed that day:

First of all, the Body Shop is releasing the Vineyard Peach body range, a Limited-Edition collection of bodycare products with the best-ever, most yummy scent I've come across- no joke! Then, there's the new Scents of the World collection, that marks the re-entrance of probably the most longed for product from the old days, the perfume oils! There's also a couple of new skincare products that sound promising: the Tea Tree Pore Minimiser and the Nutriganics Drops of Youth serum.

But, wait: there's more!

Garnier BB cream: 10 FAQ

As you may have already noticed, Garnier is offering greek beauty bloggers with prereleases of their new and anticipated BB cream, so here's my take on it***. I decided to compose my review in a 10 FAQ format, so you can skip the parts you're already familiar with ;)

1. What is a BB cream?
BB cream stands for Blemish Balm; it was first formulated by German dermatologist Dr Christine Schrammek during the '60s and was first marketed as a post laser surgery treatment to protect and soothe the patients' skin, while offering light coverage on acne and surgery scars. In recent years, BB cream gained popularity in the Asian markets, after it was renamed as the Korean actresses' secret to flawless skin. Western markets are now following the trend, with high-end brands like Mac, Lancome and Clinique releasing their versions of BB cream.

2. What are the Garnier BB cream claims?
"Miracle Skin Perfector. Daily all-in-one BB cream.
Immediately perfected skin:
* Evens tone + boosts glow
* Blurs imperfections
* Smoothes fine lines
* 24hr hydration
* SPF 15 UV protection"

3. What it really offers for my skin?
These two thick-looking, intimidately dark blob of creams spread out incredibly easy, leaving skin plumped and moisturised. Its mineral pigments cling on the skin, providing a natural tint that brightens and evens out any shallow areas. The finish is quite dewy, which makes it an excellent dry/dull skin enhancer. The fruity-floral Garnier scent is there, but in a more subdued way.
In short: your skin, but better.

4. How much coverage it provides?
Coverage is very sheer- it won't hide blemishes and acne scars as the photo on the cardboard box suggests. However, it does an excellent job at evening out the skintone, thus aiding in a healthier appearance.

5. I have oily skin. Is this product for me?
It depends. Bear in mind that this product can't replace your everyday foundation, in the sense that you can't rely on the Garnier BB cream to wear it for 10-hours straight at work while still looking nice and neat; you'll end up with a greasy, blotchy mess. However, it is lovely for a natural and low-key makeup look.

6. Which shade should I go for?
If you're fair-skinned, opt for shade 02-Light. For deeper skintones or tanned skin, shade 03-Medium is best. Don't be alarmed by my heavy swatches, I can assure you both shades are extremely blendable; compared to my olive skin, my mum has an almost porcelain skintone and yet the 02-Light shade is a perfect match for both of us. Although sometimes I cheat a bit and wear the 03-Medium shade for a warmer caramel glow (along with a scarf worn tight on my pale neck, ha!)

7. How is it meant to be used?
As it's sufficiently moisturising, it's best to be used on its own rather than on top of a face cream. You can apply a little powder on top, if you want to take away some of the shine. You can apply more layers if you wish, or you can blend it with your foundation to sheer it out- the list is endless.

8. Is the Garnier BB crean comparable to Korean BB creams?
Well I can't answer this issue with certainty, as I haven't tried a proper Korean BB cream. The main difference between the two is that the latter offer a higher SPF and skin-brightening pigments the Asian customers are after. Coverage varies among Korean BB creams, though I've seen some beauty gurus replacing their medium-to-full coverage foundations with BB creams. To me, the Garnier BB cream looks more like the new-generation "5in1" tinted moisturiser rather than a western blemish balm replica.

9. Where can I get it?
The Garnier BB cream is currently available in Hondos Center stores located at Ermou str., Omonoia square, Maroussi and Piraeus. But don't you worry, it will soon be available in all HC stores across Greece ;)

10. How much does it cost?
Retailing price is 9,99E in the aforementioned greek cosmetic stores.

To conclude my review, I 100% recommend you to try out the new Garnier BB cream. I appreciate more than anything the fact that it's
so affordable and easily accessible- saves us european girls from shopping online for those premium Asian brands!

As long as you keep in mind that you're dealing with a "5in1" tinted moisturiser that will improve the appearance of your skin but it won't make for a flawless blemish-free face, you won't be dissapointed by this product.

Back to you: have you tried any Korean Blemish Balms?
Are you intrigued to get the Garnier version of BB cream?

***Products were provided by Garnier for review purposes. I'm not affiliated with the brand and I wasn't compensated for this review. These are my honest opinions; my loyalty is to my lovely readers!

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