June '12 favourites.

I hope you're not sick of these monthly favourites posts yet;
as much as I'd love to prepare a "products I've used up" kind of thing, I don't seem to finish anything! Well, anything apart from deodorant, toothpaste and soaps- but that's not fun talking about in a beauty blog, now is it?

For the most part, June was a month of no-makeup days: once again, I felt the need to go as "natural" as possible and wear less makeup products. That, and the fact I didn't have the time or the energy to do more elaborate looks...

That's why this attitude is reflected to the products I used the most during past month:
it all came down to the ones that were quick and easy to apply, while looking effortless.

Kiehl's Lip Balm #1: my go-to lip balm during June; I had purchased it during my
Kiehl's skin consultation appointment, as the one I was using in the tube form is prone to melting under summer heat. You wouldn't believe how little I paid for this: €8 for 17gr of product, that's insane considering the Korres Jasmine lip butters are priced at around €6 for only 6gr! I've already documented my love affair with this lip balm, you can read the full review here

Elf Luscious Liquid Lipstick in Baby Lips: as you can see, it's on its last legs... This is pretty much a clear lip gloss that feels minty-tingly on the lips and is a pleasure to apply because of its foam applicator. I'm actually surprised this lipgloss by Elf made it to my favourites list with no Mac lipstick on the side! Read my full review on this product here

Garnier BB Cream, dark: this has saved me from looking somewhat ghostly whenever I mixed Strobe Cream with my foundation! A tiny blob of this baby and, tada- skintone went back to normal. I really love mixing the dark BB cream or the light version with my foundation, it makes me feel like a little makeup connoisseur that does things other than the norm... *

Max Factor Liquid Effect pencil: this is hands-down the best eye pencil I've tried so far. It's so creamy, so pigmented, sooo easy to smudge, and when it sets it acts as waterproof! This was part of the Max Factor makeup bag that Yiannis Marketakis personalised for each blogger over at Makeup Lab, and the one that impressed me the most. *
Note: Please let me know if you'd like me to make a post on the rest Max Factor makeup products I was given; I gotta admit, I always feel a bit "guilty" when I show off products that were given to me for free... But if any of you would be interested in these Max Factor goodies, leave me a comment and I'll make a separate post for you ;)

Radiant Blush Colour #102 Apple Brown: it seems odd I've been enjoying wearing this autumnal shade of blush during June- however, on days when the only products I had on my face were foundation and mascara, this blush colour made my cheeks look warmer, without looking fake like the rest of my bronzers do whenever I have no eye makeup on. Such a pleasant surprise by a product made in Greece, it definitely deserves its own post!

Mac Prep+Prime Highlighter, Radiant Rose: I tried layering it on the high points of my face over foundation, and I loved it! On retrospeck, the yellow version would suit me best- I blame all the Youtube gurus that went on and on about how "brightening" pink-toned concealers look under the eyes, and I got screwed... Nevertheless, it's a handy tool to give some dimension to the face without messing with contouring.

    Swatches of the Max Factor eye pencil, Radiant blush, Mac Prep+Prime Highlighter

That's pretty much everything I loved wearing during June! I know, they might not be as exciting as colourful eyeshadows or bright lipsticks- let's hope July will be all about coral lips and turquoise eyes ;)

Now, share your favourites with me: what have you been loving lately?
Do you have any experience with the Radiant makeup brand? Let me know!

* Products marked with a * were given to me for free. I'd rather mention it every single time I feature a free product- mind you, this is not a given these days... Sharing my honest and truthful thoughts on these products, I woudn't let it be any other way.

Evi   xx

Shopping my stash...

If you're a long time reader of beauty blogs, you might remember Lollipop26 (or Laura from buy now, blog later) making a few videos entitled "Shopping my stash", aka running through your old and forgotten makeup products to see what you can find that looks wearable today!

So, these are my picks:

All items are long discontinued, though they fit with what I'd like to wear during this spring/summer season.

***Not gonna talk about companies discontinuing their products, but I'm really tempted to! Ok, just one word: ugh...***

First item: my Mac Suntint in Pink Tinge from "Surf Baby" collection. I purposedly abandoned it last November when the weather got trully wintery, so as to use it up again when the weather got hotter. I have to say, it's not the most moisturising lip balm you'll come across, but it feels nice on the lips and has an SPF 20. The packaging alone gets me into summer mood!

As for this old lipstick by Biotherm, it falls under the "scary bright bullet that melts into a glossy sheer wash of colour" theme that is all the rage at the moment. The thing with such sheer lipsticks is that, in cases they've got the colour right, they're so-so wearable compared to the terribly bright lipsticks by Mac such as Impassioned. I almost feel like, the only place you can wear Impassioned is at THE most über posh/hip bars in the city, where my lipstick can contribute to some quality people-watching... And let's face it, I seldom get invited in such places! :(((

These eyeshadows are from the discontinued mineral range by the Body Shop. I wasn't accustomed to loose eyeshadows at the time when I first got them, so naturally, these got chucked away in an "out of sight, out of mind" manner... However, after my more-than-positive experience with Elf's Celebrity mineral eyeshadow (see swatch here), I thought of giving these another go and whad'ya know, now I freakin' love them!

   Aaand here's the unnecessary swatches, since you can't buy these products anymore :P

Final thoughts of this "Shopping my stash" session?

Well, I did start feeling guilts of owning too much makeup for one person! But in a way it was also therapeutic, as I rediscovered some great products I can use during summer season, instead of creating new lemmings. I'm happy, wallet's more than happy: it's a win-win situation!

Do you go through your stash regularly or you don't bother with old makeup products?

Evi   xx

My Spring/Summer wishlist: part 2

Oh God, I've finally come to that stage where I'm putting together wishlists with high-end products only; THE END IS NEAR!!! Seriously now, it seems I'm having a €€€ kick lately, I'm hoping it's just a phase- otherwise my wallet will mutiny against me and I won't blame it!

To be fair though, this is more like a this or that list.
So, not all hope is lost! lol

You might remember from my previous wishlist that I had my eye on the Vit C Daily Moisturiser with spf 30 by the Body Shop. Thank goodness I checked the tester before purchasing it- as soon as I applied a tiny amount on my hand, it rubbed off in pieces! Enough is enough, I'm done with crappy day creams; I've decided to finally invest in a proper, well thought and technologically up-to-date daily sunscreen. After a little search online, I came up with two options: the Shiseido Urban Environment Oil-Free UV Protector is brand new and sounds very promising: it's water resistant (so it's going to hold well during the hot summer weather), it's invisible on the skin and has a broad spectrum of 42 PA+++. The Clarins UV Plus HP Day Screen High Protection has more or less the same claims as the Shiseido one, but I'd rather go with the pebble-like packaging of Shiseido than that of Clarins!

I've been also tempted by some purrrty eyeshadows- namely the Burberry Sheer Eyeshadow in Pale Barley and the Chanel Illusion d'Ombre in Illusoire. About the latter, I'll test it in-store; if it swatches too purpley for my liking, I'll be saving myself the €30+. The Pale Barley eyeshadow, omg... I need this in my life! 'Nuff said ;)

And of course, the biggest temptation of the moment: high-end lip products. Sigh, where do I start? I want a YSL lippie so bad- don't know whether it's going to be a Rouge Volupte or the new Vernis a Levres but I'm so getting one! Lipgloss-wise, I've been eyeing the lovely Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfectors that have that spongey applicator like my beloved Elf Luscious Liquid lipstick! And lastly, gimmicky or not, the Dior Lip Glow is my current lip balm crush!

So, what have you been lusting over lately?
Do share your spring/summer wishists, I'd love to read 'em!

Evi   xx

Kiehl's LIP BALM #1: everything you need to know

My fellow lip balms lovers, this post is dedicated to you!
Ever wondered if the oh-so-famous Kiehl's Lip Balm #1 is actually worth the hype? Well, you can stop wondering because I'm here to give you the ultimate 101 guide on one of the world's most popular lip balms ever made!

Hmmm, that came out too cheesy...
Take 2:

Because the Kiehl's Lip Balm #1 is so hyped among beauty bloggers, it's only natural to expect nothing but grandeur and perfection once you try it out, and in concequence be easily disappointed by the product. That's why I've collected all the facts and trivia about this lip balm, so you know what to expect beforehand.

Here we go:

1. The Kiehl's Lip Balm #1 has been around since 1969- keep that date in mind.

2. Without doubt, it's one of the brand's best-sellers; I've read claims of one lip balm sold every minute- or every 15 seconds, even one in 9 seconds! Whatever the case, this baby is selling like hot cakes for sure.

3. The 15ml tube packaging is the most popular format, but it comes in a 17gr jar as well. According to the website, we also have the option of the Scented Lip Balm #1 with fragrances like Coconut, Vanilla, Mango and Mint.

4. The packaging: it's a sqeezy tube with a screw-on cap. Some people are disappointed because there's no slanted applicator in the opening, which means that you have to sqeeze some product on your finger and rub it on your lips. To me, that's not all bad; I think it adds to the whole "retro" feel of owning and wearing this particular lip balm, so I don't mind.

5. The formula: the Kiehl's Lip Balm #1 is based on petroleum jelly; this is where the "glorified Vaseline" attributes begin. I personally find that statement quite harsh, and here's why: first of all, this lip balm doesn't pretend to be anything else- it reads "Petrolatum Skin Protectant" on the front. Secondly- remember the date when it was first produced? You can't expect a modern day formula from an old-fashioned lip balm. Lastly, the petroleum jelly enables the product to stick on the lips for the rest of the ingredients to act upon- namely Squalane, Lanolin, Almond Oil and Vitamins A and E.

6. Consistency: it's a transparent jelly with a yellow tint that melts on body temperature. I imagine that during summer heat, it's going to turn to liquid. It's also odourless and has no taste.

7. On the lips: it doesn't penetrate the lips (is there a lip balm that really does so?), it rather sits on top as a protective film. It offers a pretty shiny finish- not as glossy as a clear lip gloss, but a more muted shine that looks appropriate for that "no makeup" makeup look.

8. Much like the Elizabeth Arden 8-hour cream, the Kiehl's Lip Balm #1 can also be used to heal cracked skin, treat dry cuticles, etc.

9. Now for the most important part of this post: some reviewers have mentioned that their lips got chapped after using this lip balm. I'm here to tell you that my lips got chapped, too. Does this mean that the Kiehl's Lip Balm #1 is a bad/faulty product? Absolutely not! You see, what happens is that it takes some time for your lips to get accustomed to petroleum jelly lip balms, if you've been using wax-based lip balms for a long time. Once your lips "acknowledge" the new protectant, the petroleum jelly lip balm will keep your lips healthy and moisturised. So if you experience some chapping, don't let it discourage you because it's only the transitional stage!

10. What you also need to know is that Kiehl's in Greece has lowered the prices for many of their products, including this lip balm! I got mine for around €10, which isn't as scary as I thought it would be.

     [Not to mention the loads of samples you're given at Kiehl's! It's their policy to be generous with samples in every single purchase,
     be it big or small like mine.]

To conclude, this is my verdict:

If you love collecting lip balms like me, the Kiehl's Lip Balm #1 is a must-have. The "cult" value of this product is hard to pass by! Simply put, you just have to be aware of its formulation and take it for what it is.

And kudos to YOU if you've made it this far ;)
Have you tried this lip balm by Kiehl's?

Evi   xx

A spring-ish kind of haul!

Thank goodness, the weather got finally warmer! Just the perfect excuse to start making excessive spring and summer shopping lists, am I right? I know, shopping won't buy you happiness, but it sure does help to put a smile in your face! Non?

This is my first batch of spring essentials!

   Here's the break-down:

H&M eyelashes: I think I came one step closer to rock the Louis Vuitton makeup trend for this spring! Now I need to put these to the test- someone ask me out somewhere fancy so I can wear ma falsies!!!
TBS Tea Tree concealer: despite feeling 100% satisfied with my old concealer, it was time to try something new. My girl Athina raves about this one, so I have a feeling I'm gonna love it ;)
Kiehl's Lip Balm #1: one of the most popular lip balms ever! Full review to come.
TBS Baked-to-Last eyeshadow in #04-Quartz: for the record, I only bought it for the gorgeous burgundy shade on the right... Expect a detailed post on all baked eyeshadows from TBS within the month!

Korres Pomegranate tonic lotion: you might have noticed that Korres has recently revamped all of their skincare range. I'm glad to see they've expanded the Pomegranate range to cater for combination to oily skintypes! My only gripe- this tonic lotion contains alcohol.
H&M makeup bag: I purposedly wanted to buy a teensy-tiny makeup bag so as to motivate myself to pack less makeup when I'm traveling. Thought it would be nice to feel like a "normal" person every once in a while ;)

Also, now that I grew accustomed to tinted moisturisers thanks to the Garnier BB cream, I've been thinking of getting a new one- any recommendations? Oh, and if your local TBS  has in stock their gorgeous Baked-to-Last blush, please do let me know! I've been dying to get my hands on it way before Christmas and I can't find it anywhere!!!

Anything you've shopped recently?
Do share!

Evi   xx

Post-Christmas sale makeup haul

What a girl's gotta do when there's sales going on by one of her favourite makeup brands?

She shops and saves money at the same time!

That's right- when I was informed that there would be a 20% off purchases at the Body Shop, naturally I couldn't let that opportunity fly by!

Here's what I got:

      Baked-Eye-Colour in 01-Copper, 08-Amethyst 

Two more baked eyeshadows from the Body Shop's Baked-To-Last range. I specifically went through every compact to find the ones with the prettiest "marbling"- if that's a term, but you know what I mean ;)

To those saying these eyeshadows lack pigmentation: since they come in a different formula than your regular pressed eyeshadows, you can't really expect them to perform the same way. After a lot of practices, I came to the conclusion they perform their best when applied on top of a dark creamy base, or even better when both coordinating shades are layered on top of each other- and I mean lots of layers!

Also, for maximum pigment pay-off, baked eyeshadows can be safely used wet without worrying they'll be ruined.

Repurchased my precious! Lip&Cheek stain, as shown in my previous post. Bought two blushes with matte finish, as my makeup collection is lacking in matte blushes and the ones by Tarte are so hard to find- boo!!! The first one is by greek drugstore brand Radiant in #102-Apple Brown; the sales assistant assured me it's the best blush Radiant has to offer, we'll see if it lives up to her claims! On the right is Blush #09-Toast  from the Body Shop; it's a pretty natural-looking peachy shade, which I know I'm going to use a lot ;)

And for a bit of skincare: more Apivita mask sachets and two tinted lip balms, cause I can never have enough: one is by Apivita, and the other is a repurchase of one of my favourite lip butters by Korres ;)

Anything you shopped recently?
What's on your wishlist? Do share!

Evi   xx

November 2011 favourites!

My my, how time flies by!
I can't believe it's December already; it doesn't feel like it, I'll tell you that... I mean, it hasn't rained for weeks and it's not that chilly yet; so when are we gonna get snow? There's no Christmas without snow, dammit!

Ok, rant over...
On to my November favourites:

Seventeen Waterproof lipliner, shade Pure Red: until I got my hands on Russian Red, I settled on this one. By the way, I find the greek "drugstore" lip pencils to be of excellent quality, give them a try if you're in need for one!

(p.s.: oh yes, Russian Red is crossed out of my X-mas list! hehe)

Elf Studio Matte lip colour, shade Natural: a pretty matte nude

"office-appropriate" lipstick that I used a lot in my morning makeup routine. Doesn't feel dry at all, and to be honest it makes my lips look fuller than good old lipgloss ;)

TBS Baked eye colour, shade Sapphire: my go-to choice for a navy smokey eye during past month. The thing is, I came to the wrong conclusion that baked eyeshadows photograph so much nicely than the regular pressed eyeshadows- but, after seeing the latest Pixiwoo vid, I realised it wasn't the baked formula that was to blame but the light coordinating shade blended in the crease. I urge you to try this method instead of blending the dark lid colour with your usual light brown shade, you'll be amazed by how much nicer it looks in photographs!

    Swatches from left to right: Seventeen lip liner, Elf Matte lip colour,
    Elf Celebrity eyeshadow, TBS Sapphire baked eyeshadow duo

Elf Mineral eyeshadow, shade Celebrity: when I first opened this little pot, instantly a contemporary makeup icon came to mind: JLo. This is THE most perfect shade to achieve that JLo look- both in terms of colour (golden light brown) and shimmer (sparkly but not glittery, almost metallic). Like all loose pigments, it creases after a good 5hour wear-
but who cares? Seriously, everyone should own Celebrity!

Dior Amber Diamond shimmer powder: my precious... My collection of highlighters is complete with this baby. Although after using it a lot the last couple of weeks, I noticed it looks "too much" for daytime wear- but it has that depth that enables me to pair it with a nice bronzer and just skip blush altogether.

I also popped into H&M and among other things, I bought these cute lipbalm tins with Disney's Bambi on the front- love the packaging and their scent, hate to admit that they dry out my lips so bad! Thank goodness for Apivita balms, they always come to my rescue...

So, what have you been loving during November?

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1/9/2011 haul; and I found a new hobby!

It was a hot and humid day, today.
And what better way to keep my spirits high than beauty hauling!

Seriously now, I don't need any excuses to shop on beauty products...
Just thought that ANY introduction than the meaningless "hey, look what I got" is always nicer!
No? Didn't work? Eh well, I'm still working on my English writing skills :P

Garnier 7-days body lotion with Aloe Vera: I'm so glad Garnier improved their bodycare line and came up with this! Anything with aloe vera "hits a nerve" on me, so naturally I was sold the minute I saw it on the shelves...

TBS Elderflower eye gel: back in my teens, I would dream of becoming older so as to be eligible to use this particular product! That's right, the Body Shop got me hooked in their skincare so early in age... I've read mixed reviews about it though :/

Apivita Bee Princess bio-eco lip care: tres, tres cute! I finally spotted it on my closest Hondos Center, as it was sold out in all pharmacies near my place. Specially packaged for little princesses, like myself! lol

Korres Mandarin lip butter in Pink: a repurchase! Mentioned it before and I'll say it once again: I simply adore the new revamped packaging of the Korres lip butters in the stick form. I'd also love to see a similar pattern on Jasmine lip butter...

TBS Seaweed face scrub: hmmm... Not that it's crap, but it seems that it has the same liquid base as the regular Seaweed cleanser with the sole addition of Jojoba stones... Not very thoughtful, if you ask me!

Apivita face mask sachets with Prickly Pear: what can I say, I'm hooked to Apivita's express masks! No further explanations here...

And to justify the latter half of this post's title:

Ta-daaa!!!

It's a pocket-size sketchers' box filled with 12 water colours.
Yep, I'm gonna start playin' all smart and sophisticated, strolling around the city and capturing the moment with my charming drawings...
*pukes from excessive cheesiness*

Ok, it's not as exciting as bungee-jumping but suits me fine!
I'm the extreme opposite of a thrill-seeker at heart ;)

What are your hobbies, old and new ones?
I'd love to know!

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My beach make-up

I don't know about you girls-
but me, I'm always planning ahead on what make-up I'm going to wear
on the beach every summer!

These are my current picks:

Face: sunscreen all the way! This is the Korres Watermelon face cream with SPF20 from last year (it has a 24M tag so I think it's ok to use it). As my skintone lacks uniformity and to save me some time, I'll be mixing it with my foundation and ta da, skin's done in no time!

Cheeks: it's a no brainer this year, def going to be my new Soleil Tan de Chanel! Since it's a cream formula, it's going to blend beautifully on top of my sunscreen+foundation, while keeping up with the "bronzed skin" theme ;)

Eyes: curled lashes and mascara, only when I want to look really polished... I mean, since I'll be wearing sunglasses all the time, what's the point in putting on eye make-up at all? I'm strictly avoiding any uneccessary tugging of my eyes from wearing or removing eye make-up.

Lips: I'm so glad my sister got me this Suntint by Mac, cause it's the perfect treat for my lips to use while on the beach! It's basically a liquid lipbalm with SPF20; it has a slight pale pink tint and fine gold shimmer running through it. The squeeze-tube packaging is perfect, as it won't collect sand like the traditional lip glosses with the wand. AND it won't melt on my bag like regular lip butter sticks...

So, what's your beach make-up routine?
Any of you going bare faced under the sunnies?

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My belated May favourites...

Hi lovelies!
Another monthly favourites post for you today...

Enjoy!

Elf eyeshadow palette in Brownstone: the darkest shade of this quad is a soft black that actually blends into a nice black/brown colour. I only use it to smudge my black kohl pencil to a kitten flick, so I have no issues with creasing. I do prefer this colour over the rest of matte black eyeshadows I own that blend into purple or blue hues...
Needless to say, I don't bother with the rest of the shades- they're terrible!

TBS bronze Shimmer Waves: since I rediscovered this compact, I fell in love with it all over again! I'm telling you, a generous swipe of this on your cheeks and you have an instant bronzer+contour+highlighter effect with minimum effort!

Biotherm liquid eyeshadow: this is an old an discontinued golden eyeshadow that I wore daily during past month; I'm hoping I'll finish this little tube in 2-3 months' time- cause I hate keeping old make-up in my collection as much as I hate throwing away unused products...

Erre Due nail colour: this was part of the brand's summer 2010 collection; as I desperately wanted a fun nail colour to clash with my new watermelon pink pants (!), this dark mint shade served me well for that purpose ;)

Korres lip butter stick in Peach: I won't go on and on about how much I looove the Korres lip butters... This one is a repurchase!

TBS Metallic eye pencil in Brilliant Blue: so this product won't show in my waterline on its own... But it looks gorgeous under my eye shimmers or even smudged on my lashes!

What were your May favourites?
Do share!

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April favourites!

 Hey loves!

Another "monthly favourites" post for you today-
the products mentioned below were also the main features of my holiday makeup bag, as well:

TBS Moisture foundation: this may not be the best-ever foundation I've tried so far, but it's heaps better from the previous used Oil-free version; review coming soon ;)

TBS Shimmer Cubes: when it comes to my travel makeup bag, I always include a neat&cute eyeshadow palette; apart from the top left honey gold colour, I made good use of the rest of the shades during Easter.

Seventeen nail polish in 219: as I haven't yet experimented with the season't hot pastel nail colours, this coral shade served me great to transition my manicure from dark wintery reds and browns to spring's brights.

Mac Hue lipstick: what I like the most about this lipstick is its buildable coverage- during daytime, I can wear it as a soft wash or I can layer it on evenings for a glossy nude mouth! An essential product when I'm travelling.

Korres Jasmine lip butter: I so love the soft nude effect it gives on the lips, but I still can't get over the plastic pot container! If you ever see a girl on the streets using a hand sanitiser before applying this lip balm, that's probably me...

I was also going to include this old plum blush from Biotherm- but no, the clumsy little me had to drop it on the floor and ruin it completely...
Took me two days to get over it!

What were your most used products during April?

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Some lip swatches

Hi girls!

I have a quick post for today, in order to show you some requested
lip swatches ;)

    Korres Mandarin lip butter stick spf15 in Purple

    Bare lips

As you can see, this Korres lip balm has more of a burgundy red hue

rather than purple, as it claims to be... It's still pretty though, feels very moisturising and is so comfortable to wear.

    See? The stick's colour is far from purple!

   

This is a heavy swatch of Mac Vegas Volt lipstick;

still, it looks way more vibrant in real life!

I've also included this pic of Hue lipstick by Mac, as it's growing into an

all-time-favourite lippie! Although I'd like to play with it a bit more before I declare it into a HG product...

Any HG lipsticks in your collection?

Do let me know!

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Korres haul

So yesterday I was strolling around Hondos Center-

and naturally enough, I couldn't leave the place without doing some little shopping to cheer up my moods ;)

This time, I headed to Korres:

Wild Rose face cream: after feeling terribly bad for not using a daily moisturiser with SPF, I thought of making a nice and mild introduction to SPF with this moisturiser, which has an SPF 6. As you can see, the packaging has changed- for the better, IMO. What do you girls think?

Mandarin lip butter in Purple: having now tried all 13 lip butters by Korres, I can conclude to my favourites: Jasmine in the pot, Pink and Peach in the tube form ;)



Thyme Honey cleansing scrub+mask: after using a couple of products marketed to normal/dry skin and liking them a lot, it was a nice opportunity to make a little break from my Apivita olive scrub and express masks with this duo... We'll see how they work on my combination skin!

Honeysuckle hand cream: this was a rather impulse buy; it reminisced of the aroma of honeysuckle flowers that my dad used to bring us every week when I was little... <3 <3 <3

It all cost me around 30E-
heck, brands like Mac may be pricier in Greece,
but we always have good ol' Korres to splurge on without guilts!!!

So, have you tried any of these products?
Which are your favourites from Korres?

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February favourites!

So, past month was pretty busy-
make-up wise, I couldn't bother with eyeshadows on my morning errands,
and as you can see...

    ...the focus was on cheeks and lips!

Erre Due Wet&Dry Sparkler for cheeks in #410: I've blogged about this lovely product here. In case I was misunderstood, I'm not bashing it; it's the price tag that keeps me from jumping around the house from excitement, lol!

Seventeen Waterproof lipliner in #14-Pure Red: I was pleasantly impressed by this product, it's definitely among the best lipliners I've ever used! More about that on an upcoming post. I like to combine it with a reddish balm, much like the next one...

Korres Mandarin lip butter stick SPF 15 in Rose: you already know I'm a huge fan of this Korres line of lip balms in the stick form; but now I've fallen in love all over again thanks to their revamped packaging! Every balm has its own pattern on the cap, and the typewriting on the twisting mechanism is just lovely. Korres, you did an excellent job at redesigning these cuties ;)

Elf Hypershine Gloss in Bubblegum: I really enjoyed wearing it during past month, and I suspect its low price has a lot to answer for that... Is it the little "bargain lover" inside me who takes great delight in the Elf products? I hope I'm not the only one experiencing that!
Korres Wild Rose concealer: it took me a while to figure out the best way to apply it (always using new product by twisting the wand, blending it quickly on the skin), but finally I've come to realise that I love it. It provides high coverage for both under-eye circles and the occasional spots.

Now, I've kept the best item of the bunch for the end...

You're looking at Pink Nouveau by Mac,
swatched as a... cream blush!

I wonder why I didn't think of this sooner... Those bright lipsticks with a drier texture look absolutely beautiful when worn lightly as a blush! I'm making a mental image of how Morange or Impassioned would look on the cheeks- and I'm lusting after them even more! Now that spring is on its way, I'm going to make a lot of use from this old-school trick ;)

So, what were your most loved products during February?
Have you ever used your lipsticks as cream blushes?

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Best of 2010!

Hi lovelies!
This is a list of my most loved & used make-up products of 2010.

    Family pic! Click to enlarge

Onto the products...

Art Deco magnetic eyeshadow palette: As I'm organizing-obsessed, I love anything that gives me the option of neatly storing my make-up. This palette can hold up to 12 single Art Deco eyeshadows, can't wait to fill this baby up with some neutrals, sigh! (I hope the colours I'm after are going to be available to purchase. Soon enough.)

Art Deco duo fibre brush: this was my take on last year's trend of Mac's 187 lookalikes. It wasn't as cheap as I thought a brush from Art Deco would cost (I paid aprox. 18 euros), but I don't regret a single cent I spent on it! It gives a flawless finish and works for everything- foundation, powder, blush or bronzer. And I love the short handle! Anything that can fit into a small travel make-up bag makes me happy ;)

The Body Shop blending brush: Since I tried this brush, my eyeshadow blending skills have been improved! Now I'm looking forward to get Mac's 217...

Kum sharpener: need I mention this again? It's probably the best cosmetic sharpener you'll ever come across, for a decent price!

Mac Angel lipstick: I got into Mac during 2010; this lippie has to be my favourite! I think I've had it with nudes like Hue or Creme d' Nude, a nice girly pink lipstick can do so much more to brighten up my smile ;)

Art Deco longlasting lipstick in #40: a layer of this combined with some Jasmine lip butter, it's been my favourite daytime combo for lips. Pretty pale pink lips are foolproof, right?

Korres Jasmine lip butter: this product is the exception to my rule "no lip balms in a pot". Dipping my fingers into the pot to get some product isn't my favourite, but its colour and texture compensates for it! It has rightly become a favourite among Youtube beauty gurus and bloggers.

The Body Shop lip&cheek stain: I'll never, ever get bored of this stuff. It gives the most natural flush on the cheeks and it stays on all day! If you have combination/oily skin and cream blushes don't really suit you, try this one instead and you'll be hooked with it for a lifetime!

Seventeen #79 nail polish: quite a dark colour, it's not for everyone's taste but personally, I feel more comfortable when wearing this shade on my nails! I hope Seventeen never discontinues it, as it must have been brought out a long, long time ago...

The Body Shop #04-Granite eyeshadow: this colour has been my trusty friend during days I'm in a hurry/ don't know what eyeshadow to pick. Every make-up bag should have at least one dependable eyeshadow which you're 100% sure it matches your eye colour. This is my top choice, followed by...

The Body Shop taupe eyeshadow from Shimmer Cubes #06: it's the most perfect shimmering taupe, ever! I'll probably never run out of it (as this little cube weighs 4 gr. of product!)- but if I do in the future, I won't have any problems purchasing the whole palette again (despite the fact I'm not really using the rest of the shades).

Art Deco eyeshadow base: it's not included in the photos because I'm out of it :(
Still, it's a decent eyeshadow primer and it's worth a try if you can get hold of it.

Have you tried any of the above products?
Let me know which were your 2010 favourites ;)

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