A makeup haul! Art Deco, Revlon, Erre Due

Yet another mini haul with products I've collected over the past month.
Pretty frugal, as you can see... Hey ho, blame it on my tight budget ;)

In an attempt to rehabilitate my (unhealthy!) addiction to the Body Shop makeup range, I'm doing my best to show some love to drugstore brands that I have been overlooking in favour of "the disease". Judging by the outcome, I'm glad for this change!

To sum it up, every single product from the haul falls undoubtedly under the
pin-up inspired category. That's for having a huge crush on Dita Von Teese...

* Oh please, don't judge! The girl is a phenomenon of elegance, glamour and sensuality. Who wouldn't want to be in her shoes? It could be worse, though; imagine if I admitted I was infatuated with Kim K? Or -dear Lord- Nicki Minaj??? *

Still with me? Swell!

May I proudly present you the Art Deco Golden Vintage lipstick in Muse Red,
Dita's favourite classic red lipstick- her words, not mine... It's part of her 3rd limited-edition makeup collection that was launched during Christmas; boy, am I glad to get my hands on this lippie! It's a bright tomato red, closer to Lady Danger than the likes of Russian Red/Ruby Woo. Paid: €14,80

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*

October '12 favourites.

Whoosh...
There goes October. One month closer to Christmas. Eeeek!

Judging from last month's favourites, my love for makeup has been officially revived; I've reached the point where BB cream+blush was simply not enough! Hence, the following good lot of makeup products. There's also a couple of hair treatments thrown in the mix, to go with my new ombre hair!

*** Don't ask: it was a fine experience overall-
still, the final outcome came out so natural that it barely looks any different =( ***

Alright, let's start with the makeup!

My lipstick of choice was the Chanel Rouge Coco Shine lipstick in Boy (click for review), its rosy colour is so appropriate for autumn days! But the ultimate stand-out was the new Maybelline Fit Me concealer*. Good coverage without being cakey, blends easily under the eyes and covers dark circles thanks to its slight orange undertones. I'm filing this under "products I would repurchase"!

I've also had a good use of the Mac Lingering brow pencil and I'm loving it to bits; brilliant waxy texture that helps to hold brow hairs into place! For my eyeshadows, I mostly used these few matte shades from the Body Shop in Vanilla Cream, Pink and Granite (click for review). Shimmer on the lids during dark and cloudy days can sometimes look a bit "off"! I'd much rather give some life to my face with a bright lip instead.

Which brings me to my quick fix...

Dior GRAND BAL makeup collection for Christmas 2012- photos and swatches!

"Now that Cinderella's fairy godmother no longer exists,
the couturier must be the magician". Christian Dior

Without a doubt, the Dior Grand Bal collection is by far the prettiest and most glamorous out of all the makeup collections that have been launched for the holidays. Every single piece is simply irresistible; from the inspiration behind it down to its sophisticated packaging and colour, they all evoke magic!

Oh, how I've been longing for the products to make their way over to our stores! I got a call last Friday from the Dior girls at Hondos that they're finally here- Saturday morning and there I was, swatching everything and feeling like a little girl in the candy shop!

"From Monsieur Dior's extravagant parties in Granville, his childhood home, to the Parisian balls of the Roaring Twenties, the couturier was profoundly fascinated by the transformative qualities of the ball gown and the fantasy of a fabulous fete. Now, Dior debuts a makeup collection inspired by Dior's love for entertaining; the limited edition Palette Grand Bal, four new shades of Diorific, Dior's most haute couture lipstick, two shades of Ultra-Gloss, and four new shades of Dior Vernis". 

Wait until you see the products, especially the new Diorific nail polishes which are lush!

Collective haul: La Roche-Posay, Mac, Erre Due, etc.

Well well well, it's been four months since my last haul post;
that's quite an achievement!

If you know me, you'll be surprised by how little I've been shopping lately, cosmetics-wise. To be honest, I kinda enjoy it: it feels as if I've tamed my addiction and turned into a "normal" consumer. Seriously, this is EVERYTHING I bought during the last couple of months!

It's a mixture of some essentials, a couple of toiletries-
and a little makeup to sweeten the pot ;)

La Roche-Posay Hydraphase Intense Eyes: to everyone that commented on my eye cream post, thank you for making me come to my senses! I admit I was inclined towards Retinoids and eye roll-ons at first, though after reading your comments I realised that a good-quality moisturising eye cream was the best bet. I chose this one purely because of its ingredients: Caffeine and Hyaluronic Acid fractions? Swell, count me in! Paid: €18,10

Syoss Anti-Grease Dry Shampoo: isn't it a shame there's only three or four dry shampoos available in our stores? Booo... Rather than saving my hair from washing, I bought it in order to infuse some volume at the roots of the hair. By the way, if you happen to know any tips&tricks on the application of dry shampoo, do share! Paid: €4,80