My summer BEAUTY favourites! #1

Better late than never, right?

Alright, time to roll up my sleeves and get down to (blogging) business: these are all the beauty products I've been loving to use during past summer!

Starting with the makeup bits:

The only bronzer I've been reaching for was (surprise!) the Soleil Tan de Chanel- aka Bronze Universel. Honestly, I can't fault it- it has a lovely texture and its colour matches my tanned skintone to the T. For my eye makeup, I've been solely relying on Groundwork Paintpot by Mac, a new entry in my makeup bag. It swatches one shade darker than my skin and achieves that off-the-runway soft haze around the eyes... So pretty!

As for my go-to lipsticks, my most used bright lippie was Maybelline's Vivid lipstick in 902-Fuchsia Flash*. For all you bright lipstick lovers out there, you must! check out Maybelline's Vivids range; some of them are actually brighter than what Mac has to offer! As for my nude lip of choice, it was Altered Beige by Mac which was part of the summer Temperature Rising collection. It's a no-fuss, easy to wear nude that gives some dimension to the lips thanks to its subtle sheen.

Another new product that I (over)used during summer was the #79 neon red nail polish by Marel. Lemme tell you this, it's the brightest -and prettiest- neon red nail polish you'll ever come across with a €3 price tag! I would urge you all to go buy it but alas, we're already past the beginning of autumn... The one I've been wearing on my toes is the Max Factor mini nail polish in 49-Fuchsia Salsa*. Although purples and violets aren't normally my thing, this little guy would definitely fit in my top 10 nail polish list!

Quite an achievement for a purple nail polish, if you ask me ;)

Lipstick Wardrobe's SUMMER wishlist!

Gah, I can't believe spring is gone already!
Predictions say it's going to be a scorching summer this year- excited much?

In all honesty, I'm not a summer kind of girl, though I'm determined to do my best and be 100% prepared for when showing (plenty of) skin is ultimately inevitable. If only breaking free from such insecurities was an easy task...

But that's another story ;)

So, here are a few of the things I have my eye on at the moment!

1. The Body Shop Spa Fit body scrub: one simply needs a good quality body scrub, come summer. This one is supposed to make skin look and feel firmer, plus it smells of citrus (score!). Although, being aware of a few reviews claiming it's not that exfoliating, I'll try my luck at asking for a sample...

2. A neon yellow nail polish: look at this picture of a french manicure with neon yellow tips- gorgeous! Surely there are dirt-cheap neon nail polishes out there, but I'd love to try the ones by China Glaze. Anyone know of a store that stocks China Glaze?

3. Maybelline Color Show nail polish, Go Go Green: if its promo pic is true to life
- green chartreuse - then I gotta have it!

Onto my lipstick lust list:

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 rant on MAC & its practices that ruin all the fun...

Do excuse my bitterness today;
I needed to get this short and informal post published as soon as possible!

After a week's delay from its official release date, the Mac Archie's girls collection finally arrived at our stores. Which technically is more than a month past its release in the UK.

Now, I may have managed to locate and ultimately purchase the one thing I really wanted from this collection (Veronica's Ronnie Red lipstick), and yet something has turned me off from this whole limited-edition business.

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*

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:

An early Christmas whiff by the Body Shop!

Is there anyone who wouldn't love a bit of festive spirit ahead of December?
Personally, I'm all for it; if only we could celebrate Christmas for 3 months straight!

Like every year, the Body Shop launched their Christmas collection early in November. It's not only that the bodycare products have captured the holiday spirit spot-on, the new makeup range displays a definite improvement as well. You must step into a store to see, smell and touch all the uplifting Christmasy goodness!

Warning:
This is a picture-heavy post. All full of indulgent bodycare, makeup and nifty little treats.
Don't blame me if you grow any new lemmings after reading it!

 

The kind people at the Body Shop organised a fun bloggers' event where we were introduced to the new seasonal ranges, along with a glass of cranberry coctail and some yummy gingerbread bisquits. Goes without saying, I went nuts over the new makeup and body products- but the thing I enjoyed the most was the fun and optimistic atmosphere in the store, which is something that is missing a lot these days. Down with misery, I say!

So, what's to expect this time of year at the Body Shop?

MAC Patisserie lipstick: a love/hate thing

I didn't know how to call this little review-

it's not a rave, and then it's not quite a rant. So let's call it a hot and cold testimony!

I've been using Patisserie lipstick by Mac for more than six months; I'm still not getting it. Tanya Burr made me want it so bad, that's mainly the only reason I bought it. It's got some lovable qualities for sure, and yet it doesn't feel "right" when I wear it...

Do you ever get that feeling with a makeup product?

Anyhoo, this is my first Mac lustre lipstick and I can't say I'm impressed with the lustre formula at all. I know it's everyone's favourite, but in my opinion there are so many brands that do sheer and glossy lipsticks so much better than Mac! Unless, of course, Patisserie was a bad example of a lustre. In which case, I'd like your suggestions on the nicest, prettiest Mac lustre ever ;)

On to the swatches...

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!

Products I regret buying!

Giving negative reviews is not my thing, though sometimes it's just inevitable!

As much as I love discovering new products, I hate it when something doesn't perform as it should! I've become quite prudent with my "beauty budget", so anything that falls short of expectations turns me off :(

Today's "suspects":

Needless to say, all three are going straight to the bin. Wasting money sucks!
Having said that, I hope this post will be helpful to those of you who are curious about those products: read on to see why I wouldn't recommend not one of 'em!

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

A little Mac haul

It's been a long time since I last shopped at Mac and I kinda missed that feeling! So it was the perfect timing for me to drive my butt round to Attica and head to the Mac counter to stock on a couple of "necessities", as I like to call my Mac purchases. It doesn't strike you that bad as such!

FYI, this was a very calculated haul I've been planning to do months ago.
Impulse purchases at Mac? Dear Lord, nooo!!!

First stop, a Mac lipstick. You all know how much I love 'em! Having tried all lipstick finishes except those from the Lustre family, I had a close look on every Lustre and went for Patisserie! What a beautiful and classy MLBB shade; now I can see why Tanya Burr raves about this one for her bridal looks! Next, as I was out of my under-eye concealer, I thought of giving the the new Prep + Prime Highlighter a go. Surprisingly, both the yellow and apricot shades didn't seem to match my skintone, so I went for the pink version. I'll keep you posted on how I get along with it, goes without saying!

However, what excited me the most were these cute foundation samples- aww!!! I'm a sucker for anything that comes in mini packaging, so naturally I was smitten by these two little things ;)

So, tell me:
have you shopped anything from Mac recently?

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

Boy, oh Boy... My first Chanel Rouge Coco Shine!

[pun intended! Get it?]

I'm sure you've already seen this lipstick a million times before, but I-just-couldn't refrain from posting about it anyway! This is my first proper high-end lipstick, it deserves its own post, dammit! Meet Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in the notorious shade "Boy"!

See, I renamed my little bloggie to Lipstick Wardrobe for a reason!
I might as well indulge into different kinds of lipsticks other than Mac ;)

Much like all other reviewers before me, I confirm that it's a lovely moisturising lipstick that, pigmentation-wise, it almost verges to a lip balm. I was a little sceptical at first about purchasing a sheer high-end lipstick that equals to 3-4 of say, Revlon lip butters; then again, most of my pigmented lipsticks collect only dust- aka team Violetta... Hence buying a €€€ lipstick that's sheer doesn't sound like a bad idea after all, right?

Since this is a sheer lipstick, the final outcome depends on your lips' pigmentation. Mine are fairly pigmented, so on me Boy turns into a transparent shiny rosy shade with some tiny, delicate, grown-up shimmer (as you would expect from Chanel!). Also, I don't get why some people insist of Chanel lipsticks smelling like "grandma's old makeup", cause this is definitely not the case! Granted, the one I have does have a faint smell of roses, but that scent is universally identified as "classy". Since when classy is supposed to be a grandma thing exclusive, I wonder...

     Got my little samples, too! Don't you just love to save these for travelling? Not that I travel much, but still...

All things considered, I'm happy to report my first encounter with high-end lipsticks has been a positive experience! Next on my list: a nice, pigmented lipstick (YSL Rouge Volupte, me thinks) and a fun lip gloss- the Clarins Lip Perfectors, to be exact!

Have you tried the Chanel Rouge Coco Shine lipsticks?
What are your thoughts on the new lipsticks-slash-lip balms that have flooded the market at the moment?

Evi   xx

My Spring/Summer wishlist: part 1

I'm still not over the fact we spent the Easter holidays with the worst possible weather ever!!! In an attempt to cheer up my mood, I decided to "think Spring" and start compiling lists of everything I'd like to own till warmer days arrive. (Can't help it really, it's the little list-making geek inside me that kicks in!)

Naturally, my first Spring/Summer wishlist is TBS-exclusive!
Old habits die hard...

1. Limited-Edition Summer Fragrances: Ahhh, they all sound lush: Love Etc... Sun Kiss holds a blend of jasmine and nectarine, Dreams Unlimited Sun Fresh contains notes of neroli blossom and watermelon, and White Musk Sun Glow blends together peony, peach and lemon. As with all perfumes from TBS, they come in a travel-friendly size and at a reasonable price. I think I'm gonna have a trouble picking just one!

2. Honey & Oat 3-in-1 Scrub Mask: ever since I saw that Bubzbeauty vid where Lindy said she used oatmeal alone to cleanse her face, I've been intrigued to try out this Honey & Oat multi-purpose mask. I bet it smells amazing, too!

3. Vit C Daily Moisturiser spf 30: after some recent tiny little moles that were brought up on my face, I realised that a mere spf 15 is not enough for everyday use under the mediterranean sun. Fingers crossed this Vit C moisturiser won't leave a white cast on my face like the Korres sunscreen did :(

4, 5. Shimmer Cubes #22-Green, #23-Purple: you know me, I love my Shimmer Cubes! These are the last ones I've yet to own...

6. Colourglide Shine Lip Colour: I have a feeling the Body Shop got it right this time! The previous Delipscious lipsticks were such a failure, I'm glad they were replaced by the Colourglide Shine range. You guessed it- I'm planning to get ALL shades as well!

7. Baked-to-Last Blush: I've been hunting this baby way before Christmas; thankfully, my blog-friend and fellow TBS-addict Mariza (<3 you girl!) informed me about a store that still stocks this blush, so now I'll have to get my butt over at Marousi area and finally purchase it!

I'll be posting a couple more wishlists with non-TBS items soon ;)
Will you be getting anything from the Body Shop for this summer?

Evi   xx

Violetta!!!

Yep, that's right-
yet another Mac lipstick I've been longing for the longest time ever!

I cannot describe to you my excitement when Ι opened the little Mac goodie bag my sister got for my birthday, to find out a small Strobe Cream and a lipstick box that read "Amplified" on the front: I knew it, I knew it was Violetta!
https://twitter.com/#!/cbsg5861/status/175894826108207104/photo/1

Violetta has actually a strange consistency for an Amplified lipstick: there's a significant amount of violet shimmer running through it, which makes for a shinier 3-d swatch than say, Vegas Volt or Impassioned. Colour-wise, it's not that scary as it shows in the bullet; in my best description, Violetta swatches as a violet purple with some fucshia undertones:

Yet again, my camera picked out all the blueness in Violetta! @%#$&!!!
However, the true beauty of this lipstick lies in its versatility: when dabbed lightly on the lips, you get a fuchsia/violet stain- and then with a heavier application, there's your purple goodness! Also, due to the shimmer that flashes back on flash photography, applying some lipgloss on top makes everything more even:

FIY, one of the reasons I desperately wanted to get Violetta was to start wearing this dark purple lipgloss! It was a YSL gift around Christmas; I tried wearing it alone or on top of Creme d'Nude- nothing worked...

    Swatch of the YSL lipgloss on the left

So, what do you think of Violetta?
Would you wear a purple lipstick?

Evi   xx

YSL Spring Look 2012: my thoughts

As some of you may remember, I was introduced to YSL makeup during December, on the launch of the YSL "Noel 2011" collection.

Since then, I've grown a considerable interest in the brand's seasonal makeup collections; like I've mentioned before, such high-end brands not only bring out intriguing (and sometimes revolutionary) products, but they also offer inspiring scenarios for season-appropriate makeup looks, from which you can draw inspiration and update your everyday makeup.

This spring, Lloyd Simmonds (the head behind YSL makeup since 2010) was inspired by all sorts of colourful candies: fruit jellies, juicy sorbets and cotton candy. The three key elements that translate his inspiration into makeup formulas are:
fresh colours, transparency, melting textures.

YSL names this collection's signature look as "Nude in Colour"-
I'm guessing from the picture above that what they mean by that term is
natural, glowing skin combined with diffused, soft colour on the eyes and lips.

So, the "Nude in Colour" YSL candy look is achieved with the new LE Ombres 5 Lumieres palette with pretty pastel eyeshadows, followed by 2 coats of Mascara Singuliere in blue. Lips are coated with a wash of Volupte Sheer Candy in a baby pink shade, while on the nails the iconic YSL french manicure is updated with hues of peach and baby pink.

Additional products to the YSL Spring Look: the LE Vinyl Candy Palette with 2 light frosty shades and 2 darker satin colours, four new Rouge Volupte Perle lipsticks, three more Volupte Sheer Candy lipsticks, two Golden Glosses (looove the looks of them both!), and the second version of Manucure Couture duo.

*** If I'm correct, there is also a range of water-based liquid blushes- though I don't think they will be marketed in Greece! What a shame!***

In most cases, Spring makeup collections from high-end makeup brands have an optimistic and youthful vibe to them; their fun bright colours are a step away from the dark vampy hues of winter, let alone the exception of any sexy bronze shades contribute to a girlier overall feel. In my experience, Spring collections aren't the most popular throughout the year- we always tend to buy more makeup during Christmas or summer!-, nevertheless they're a refreshing interval between winter smokeys and summery bronzes.

Personally, pastel eyeshadows are not my favourite. I could only make them work on my lower lashline, though I rarely do so. To be fair, I don't think the eyeshadows in the Ombres 5 Lumieres palette are meant to be worn together, and I can see from the promo pic that they're actually sheer. In this case, that's a good thing- as it makes for a more transparent and modern look.

The two main things I loved from this range is the absense of black pencil/mascara (brings more brightness to the eyes), and the transparent juicy lips.

Needless to say, you can always recreate this makeup look with what you already have!

Here's a close-up: you can see there's a light blue eyeshadow close to the lashline (almost indetectable), followed by a brightening lilac haze around the perimeter of the eyes and blended into the crease with a pink shade.

Now that I see the eye makeup zoomed in, I kinda like it!
What are your thoughts on the YSL Spring Look 2012 collection?

Evi   xx

ROUGE in LOVE! Or: Lancome is getting younger!

I had heard the news.

Lancome has been preparing a big launch of a secret new lipstick, and has been revealing little pieces of information every week- just so to make sure we got lured in the hype.

Heck, they even made a song about it!

I wasn't interested. I mean, it's Lancome we're talking about! That's old ladies' stuff. Seriously, Lancome, come on: did you really expect I was gonna be wowed by yet another pretty campaign? How little you know me, I laugh at your face, ha-ha!

All that, until I heard the freakin' song.
And I feel defeated.

Veeery clever thing to do, Lancome, I give you that... The song has been ringing in my head for more than a week now, that's genius marketing!

Here it is, listen for yourselves. It's addicting. You've been warned!



As this short film hints, Lancome decided it was about time to cater to the younger generations with the launch of a new lipstick that would keep up with the latest innovations in that field. The new Rouge in Love ticks all the boxes: it's beautiful to look at, the formula falls under the new almost-lip-balm kind and its colour range is pretty exciting!

Look at this beauty...
The packaging of Rouge in Love stands apart from anything we've seen from Lancome so far! The metal case is actually shorter than your regular lipstick, but fear not- the bullet inside is the same amount. In my book, shorter=smaller, and smaller=cuter! Notice the red stitching on the back, evocating of silk stockings? Awww...

As for its formula, Lancome says it delivers high pigmentation with a shiny finish, while moisturising agents will keep your lips nice and healthy for up to 6 hours. But what's more interesting is that Rouge in Love comes in 3 different colour families, to satisfy all preferences:

"Jolis Matins" range consists of everyday, easy to wear shades.
Corail in Love (3rd from the right) has already made a name for itself!

"Boudoir Time"- now that's my favourite group! These shades look so on-trend and yummy! You have an orange, a fire-engine red, a nude, two fuchsias and a gorgeous violet shade! <3 <3 <3 these!!!

"Tonight is my Night" is the last set of shades; it contains some fairly predictable evening colours- a tad less exciting than the previous two groups.

To conclude, I'm so amazed by this new Lancome lippie (as if you couldn't tell by now!). Lipstick is growing into a big love of mine, and now I value it higher than any other makeup product- because as I've mentioned before, a nude face with a punchy vibrant lip is the ultimate "recession-chic" look of our generation.
FIY, Rouge in Love lipsticks cost around 27E and should be out in the stores.
Also, you can have a look at Rouge in Love on the new greek website for Lancome: www.lancome.gr

What do you think of the new Rouge in Love lipsticks?
What's your experience with Lancome?

Evi   xx