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!

May '12 favourites.

Surprise, surprise! Hear this:

There will be no makeup products featured in this monthly favourites post- purely because I don't want to bore you with how much I enjoy using Bronze Universel, the Shimmer Cubes or my Mac lipsticks.

For a change, this post contains only bodycare products with a bit of skincare.
Enjoy!

The Vaseline Aloe Fresh body lotion was my favourite rediscovery during May: this has got be my most "bought over again" body lotion! I love everything about it: its fresh scent, the light-feeling hydration it offers, plus its price-to-quality ratio is unbeatable. I'll probably do a post on summer body lotions and show you some of my favourites ;)

I also tried the Bioten Cellufight Drainage gel* and lemme tell you this: it works! Sure, it won't help if you don't exfoliate the areas with cellulite, or you don't eat healthily/ drink enough water, but it does help that little extra. Everything counts at taming the cellulite beast! If you're interested in the Bioten Cellufight range, I've done a full review on this article at Beautytalk.gr.

If you're Greek, you'll recognise the last item in the above pic: that's right, one of past month's favourites was the cult Myrto Lemon cologne! I wasn't planning on featuring this product at all, until ladyd made a post about it so I thought "screw pretences, I like it and I'm gonna give it some blog love"! Now, don't get me wrong- as much as I love citrus colognes, I don't go out and about wearing this thing; I only put it on after shower and the scent quickly evaporates.

You might remember that I desperately wanted a nice city sunscreen; that's why I picked out this Clarins Day Screen. I must write a full review on this; it definitely made me feel safer to step out in the sunlight with this potion on my face! Mac Strobe cream was a permanent fixture in my makeup routine during May, I think it deserves its own post as well! Let me know which review would you like to see tomorrow- the Clarins sunscreen or the Strobe cream?

On another note...

...I decided to sell my Mac 130 brush.
As much as I tried to love it, I simply can't. It would be a shame to keep it in my collection and let it collect dust, when someone else might find it usable. So, before this baby finds its way to ebay, I'm presenting it here: if anyone is interested in buying this, please contact me at lipstickwardrobe@gmail.com ;)

So, which review should be up next? Clarins or Mac?
Are there any Myrto cologne fans out there?

* The Bioten Cellufight gel was provided by the company for free. I'm not affiliated with Bioten and I wasn't compensated for mentioning it on this blog. The only reason I'm showing it is because I like it! Sharing my honest opinions, as always. My loyalty is to my readers ;)

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

March '12 favourites.

Lately, I've been trying to incorporate more bronzey tones in my makeup- must be the sunny weather that pushes me to warm up my face! So last month, I dug up a couple of some forgotten bronze makeup products and put them to the test.

This is everything that I loved using during March. Enjoy!

TBS Brush on Bronze: I've been using these beads a lot during past month; to me, they're way too orange to be classified as a bronzer- however, it looks so pretty when worn as a blush for that warm, coppery glow. FYI, this thing holds 28 gr, there's no way one will ever go through it! Is it a good or a bad thing, I wonder...
Elf palette with TBS bronze eyeshadows: This is the last custom palette featured on my blog, I promise! To be honest, bronze eyeshadows don't really flatter brown eyes (especially when combined with pale winter skin!), but I made them work with the following product:
Elf Duo Eyeshadow Cream in Black Licorice: if you have a brown eyeshadow that falls under "Team Woodwinked" -aka too orange when applied on the lids-, try layering it over a black or silver cream eyeshadow; that way, the orange hues subside and you're left with a more cool-toned shade. Obviously, you won't need this little tip if you have blue or green eyes- did I mention how lucky you are when shopping brown eyeshadows?
Mac Strobe cream: I recently attended a Mac seminar, where we were told that glowy/healthy skin is the #1 trend for this season- old news probably, but it was nice to be reminded of it. Anyway, I've been trying out Strobe cream mixed with my foundation and it works great! This "glow from within" is visible even after powdering. Brilliant!

Copy-cat perfume: this is a legit copy-cat, it smells pretty close to the original Cool Water cologne and it cost me less than a fiver! It's a nice alternative to your €€€ perfumes when you don't want to waste them on unimportant errands. I HIGHLY recommend you to check out the copy-cat cologne corner at Hondos Center, you'll be amazed by the available scents they sell!
Apivita hand cream with olive & cocoa butter: smells nice and does help to heal dry hands- though as soon as I use it up, I'm going for the new Korres hand cream with Almond oil! I'm trying my best to use greek products whenever I can ;)

Now, do share:
What have you been loving during March?

Evi   xx

The Body Shop NEW shimmer cubes! palette #21. Oh, and a little haul ;)

This is the second palette I've acquired from the Body Shop's new Shimmer Cubes collection (here's the post on my previous purchase), and it ranks 4th in my Shimmer Cubes collection ;)

I won't get into much detail about the pros and cons of Shimmer Cubes, I'm sure you're already familiar with these. Having tried so many makeup products from the Body Shop, I've been let down by some- but never with Shimmer Cubes. Even if you're new to the Body Shop's makeup line, these are definitely worth the investment.

This particular #21 palette consists of an interesting combination of pinks with a silvery grey eyeshadow and a white. For me, a makeup look with pink and grey eyeshadows is way out of my comfort zone (!), however these ones are so beautifully made that they've taken away all of my hesitations.

Swatches from left to right:
Velvet Pink (a pretty girly light pink),
Soft Pink (the most interesting shade from the bunch, it's a light creamy
               shade with pink duochrome!),
Stardust Grey (a high shimmer silvery grey), and
Pearly White (your usual white inner corner highlight).

Then, just before leaving for my Christmas vacations, I took notice of an offer where you'd get a free Candied Ginger hand cream with purchases over 35E. Inevitably, it became impossible for me to pass over this lovely opportunity, so here's my (kind of) impromptu haulage at the Body Shop:

My sister got the Love etc... perfume- such a lovely warm fragrance, it's even approved by Katie Puckrik! For me, I purchased the Liquid Eyeliner in brown -yet another underestimated product from the Body Shop!- and the brown Carbon Eye Definer... Notice a "brown kitten flick" theme going on? I also got the Aloe Soothing night cream for my winter moisturiser, as I 100% trust their Aloe skincare line.

So that's it, my latest possessions from the Body Shop!
Have you hauled anything recently? xx

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YSL Parisienne, a review

Last month, my sweet boyfriend gave me this perfume as a present
(love you Κωστή μου!); and it came in perfect timing as I was in need of a nice grown-up scent for 2012 ;)



Parisienne is aimed at the woman who is too old to wear adolescent sickly-sweet perfumes like Aquolina Pink Sugar, but still too young to embrace bolder and old-lady scents like Chanel no5.

The Parisienne woman is best encaptured in the new ad with French fashion model Marina Vacht, and I must admit I prefer her loads over Kate Moss- sorry Kate, I love you and always go crazy over anything you put your face on, but in this case you failed me... Your Parisienne ad can't compare to this one:

Because I'm no expert on describing scents and words may fail me, I thought of borrowing Katie Puckrik's spot-on description of Parisienne:
a light, sweet, raspberry rose, fruity but sophisticated. It's interesting though that in between the official notes (cranberry, blackberry, damask rose, violet, peony, patchouli, vetiver and musk), other reviewers have detected notes of vinyl and lacquer, scents that one can find in stiletto heels or a cosmetic bag.

As far as describing the perfume's bottle, YSL says that the irregular striped glass evokes the complex Parisian stone-paved streets that are still wet from last night's rain and gleam during the early hours of the day. To me, it looks as if the design refrains from anything linear and predictable, but with keeping the preppy curvy volume of the older YSL Paris perfume. Rebellious and yet classy. I like that.

Now, my boyfriend chose the Parisienne gift set over the plain eau de parfum, and to be honest I usually prefer to own the perfumes' original cardboard boxes- but who am I to turn down the matching body lotion and shower gel? hehe :)

However, in case you're interested in buying perfumes packaged as gift sets, here's a couple of cute options for this Christmas:

    YSL Belle d'Opium

     YSL L'Homme Libre

     Lancome Tresor Midnight Rose perfume +Mascara Hypnose Drama 
     +Le Crayon Kohl

     I saved the best one for last: Victor&Rolf Flowerbomb gift set
    is packaged in a doll house!

So, are you a fan of YSL fragrances?
Which ones are you planning to haul for this Christmas?

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October 2011 favourites

Well, well...
How did 3 Mac products make it to this month's favourites post?!?
It's not like I'm a Mac hoarder or anything...



So during past month I rediscovered my favourite eyeshadow palette, had an utter makeup revelation and came one step closer to fully worship my first ever Chanel acquisition! Read on...

Elf custom palette with TBS eyeshadows: my go-to everyday eyeshadow palette during September. May I just say for-the-zillionth-time that the matte brown shade is my absolute favourite eyeshadow? And that it's discontinued? Hate it when TBS discontinues all the good stuff!!! Aaanyways, moving on...

Mac Paintpot in Painterly: amazing product. A staple! Although it turns out I was using it completely wrong, so one of these days I'll write a review explaining how to take advantage of its full potential ;)

Chanel Bronzing Makeup Base: aka Bronze Universel ;) Ok, so I'm
half-way there on the Bronze Universel how-to... So far, I'm only using it on its own but I'll soon be exploring its versatility to the fullest! The glow it gives on my face is beyond gorgeous!

Mac 130 brush: using it solely to apply my Bronze Universel; I wasn't wowed at first with this brush, but now I'm totally head over heels for it!

Mac Pink Nouveau lipstick: been loving bright lips for my evening makeup cause it takes the least amount of effort to make a striking look! And I'm actually considering wearing bright lips on daytime too-
as I get instantly that feeling of uber confidence/ looking everyone down, tehehe... It's for sure the makeup revelation for 2011. Fact.

Aaaand...

Last weekend, my sweetheart surprised me with a totally unexpected present...

     This Yves Saint Laurent Parisienne perfume set!!!

And to think that I actually wanted to buy this perfume but never told him about it! How on earth did he read my mind and went out and got me this particular fragrance, I'll never know...
I love you, Κωστή μου!

So, what were your most loved products during September?
Have you tried any of the products pictured above?

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My Christmas wishlist

I know, I know- it's way too early to even speak out the word "Christmas", but it's nice to anticipate a big and exciting event, isn't it? Besides, I want to be 100% ready when the 2012 countdown begins- I have this weird habit of saving up some special products only to start using them on the 1st of January :P

Dior Amber Diamond powder: it's been like 1,5 year since I first heard about this beauty over at theGlossGoss, and it's still in my wishlist! I think it's about time I crossed it off my list, don't you think?

A red matte lipstick by Mac: I'm torn between Russian Red, Ruby Woo or Lady Danger... It's so hard to pick just one! Any recommendations, please?

Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation: As much as I hate having duplicates of foundations, concealers, powders, etc., I'm starting to realise that a girl needs to have 2 different foundations at hand: one offering light coverage for daytime and the other with a medium to full coverage for evenings out or when the skin's condition really needs it. This Bourjois foundation falls under the 2nd category; word has got around that it smells like my beloved Chanel Bronze Universel!!!

The Body Shop new Shimmer Cubes: I've already purchased the top right palette and got nothing but good things to say about it! 2 more shimmer cubes to snatch until Christmas!

A new perfume: ahhh, there's so many new scents to choose from! Although I desperately want to try out the new Aqua di Gioia Essenza; I've always been a fan of the Armani perfumes, with Aqua dio Gio (the men's cologne) being my favourite. Can't wait to have a peek at the new perfume sets, too!

Fancy candles: For once, I'd like to step away from the generic Ikea candles, please! The ones pictured above are reasonably priced- for a fancy candle, that is! Nothing like the Diptyque candles' price tag- 46+ euros? Hell no to that!!!

What's in your Christmas wishlist? Do share!
xx

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The Wonder Water!

Teaser:
what do Napoleon, Goethe and Richard Wagner have in common?

Your blog friend is here to tell you why:
all three were avid fans of the 4711 cologne!

Now, hopefully I've got your attention for this old fashioned fragrance-
because that's what this lengthy post is all about!

History of the perfume: during 1792 in the German town of Cologne, a Carthusian monk gave Wilhelm Muelhens the secret recipe for an aqua mirabilis, a wonder water to be used both internally and externally. The name "4711" came from the building's address number where the perfume was produced during the French occupation.

What initially got me interested in the 4711 cologne is this:

It is said that Napoleon, requiring 5 gallons of this cologne monthly, wanted to own the recipe- so during the French occupation, he ordered all internal medicine formulas in Cologne to be made public. Muelhens, cleverly enough, decided to stop market the product as a health supplement and proclaimed it to only be used externally as a perfume.

Then rumors got around that 4711 cologne was Napoleon's favourite, and the fragrance quickly became a hit during the 19th century. The exact recipe of Muelhens' Wonder Water is still in production today!

The fragrance: head notes are bergamot, lemon and orange, while heart notes consist of lavender and rosemary- all in a neroli base, which is produced from the blossoms of bitter orange tree. Altogether, they make for a clean, bittersweet citrus scent that is instantly recognisable!

The bottle: in 1820, the Molanus bottle was invented; its six-sized design enabled for easier storage and transport. The cult blue and gold ornamental label is not only an artwork masterpiece, but it also protects the cologne from being exposed to sunlight.

What I think of it: the 4711 cologne has got to be among my favourite purchases of 2011. I like the fact that such a historic piece is so widely available, in the most affordable price- I paid something round 13 euros... Yeah, clearly it has lost some of its old prestige!

My mother tells me stories of her being a kid, my grandmother bringing her gifts of this cologne back from Germany, when she and my grandfather used to work there to feed the family back in Greece. Can you imagine how much of a novelty this beautiful glass bottle was considered back in those days? Besides that, my adolescent years were marked not only by this fragrance but all kinds of citrus colognes, so common to Mediterranean countries. In fact, I can't think of another fragrance composition that encapsulates the essence of Mediterranean summers!

This old-fashioned perfume is not for everyone, and I can see why people refer to it as an old lady's cologne. But still, it's a nice addition to any perfume collection, just for the history behind it.

And big hugs if you made it thus far! lol

What do you think about the 4711 cologne? Have you tested it?
Do you fancy the type of aqua mirabilis perfumes?

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New! Korres 3 in 1 Cleansing Water and some guests

If you're anxious about who's the guests, scroll down the bottom of this post and you'll be amazed!

I hope ;)

 

If you've read my previous post, then you already know that I've been loving this product during last month.

 

It's the new little sister of the best-selling White Tea fluid gel, it falls under the "cleanser" category and it claims to take away all grime, face make-up (including the eyes!), while toning the skin in one step.

Let's break it down:

Packaging: the standard semi-transparent Korres bottle, feels so soft to the touch! The typewriting has changed, though- the big letters describing the product in English, French and Greek serve as an adornment, too. The lid has also changed- much better than the regular screw-on cap. The bottle is packaged in the typical cardboard box that I fancy a lot. Good job, Korres team!

The product: it's a liquid with the same fluidity as water, so it's probably low in glycerine. Contains organic white tea extract and hamamelis. Free of soap, alcohol and a bunch of other synthetic ingredients, as you can see below:

Scent: same as the White Tea fluid gel, I dare say it's a fresh masculine scent. No problems with that- I'm all for it!

Effectiveness: Korres says that "...the use of natural cleansing agents ensures excellent compatibility with the eyes and skin", and I have to agree! I don't know what's in it that makes it perform so well, but it does! My face make-up and eyeshadows, all gone with a single swipe of a cotton pad. As for mascara, it took a small effort to be completely removed, but to Korres defence I've yet to find a liquid eye make-up remover that easily takes away all mascara traces.

Any negatives? Well, it goes through very fast- considering how frequently I use it, it's going to last me for 3 months tops.

Would I repurchase it? Probably yes! It's a pleasure to use, takes shorter time to cleanse my face than using 3 different products (milk cleanser, eye make-up remover, toner) and it smells fantastic! Let alone the fact that it's perfect for travel, when I'm in need of multi-tasking products.

Oh, and it cost me around 10-11 euros ;)

Now it's time for the post's guests... Are you ready?

It's about Korres' second take on fragrances!

Once again, spices, fruits, flowers and aromatic woods come together in unique scents that capture the Korres identity.

Sadly, the old Rosewood scent is discontinued (sniff!) but the two best-sellers with Saffron/Cardamon and Pepper/Jasmine are still on the market, albeit in a 50ml bottle.

The 6 new formulations are:

* Heliotrope/ Ylang Ylang/ Citron

* Vetiver root/ Green Tea/ Cedarwood

* White Tea/ Bergamot/ Freesia

* Iris/ Lily of the Valley/ Cotton

* Vanilla/ Freesia/ Lyche

* Paeonia/ Vanilla/ Amber Pear

All formulas are phthalates, polycyclic-musk compounds (PCM) and nitro-musks free, while containing Rosmarinus Officinalis as a natural preservative.

Are you excited? I know I am!

Can't wait for the new perfumes to hit the market and sniff them all!

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Are you a fan of D&G Light Blue perfume?

Hello my lovelies!

I'm assuming that most of you are big fans of designer brand perfumes. I know because I am myself.

Some of you might even think of your next buy, browsing around the isles of Sephora.

Except that, if you're living in Greece, well let's face it: you have to be tight with your money :(

But, my lovely readers, I have good news for you!

Meet Zara's perfume.

Name? Vintage.

Packaging? Pretty.

Smell? A knock-off for Light Blue by D&G. For real!

The best part: its price; 7.95 euros.

For a 30 ml pretty little bottle of a scent that is recognisable as an expensive fragrance, it's a steal!

Zara's perfume line is constantly updated with new products, in a variety of scents/bottles/sizes.

So you can be 100% sure that you'll find a bargain that suits your style.

Anyone tried a Zara perfume?

Would you compromise with cheaper stuff, if it performs as high end products?

Share your thoughts ;)

Happy blogging and reading and commenting to everyone!

CBSG5861

Body Mists; to like or not?

Hello my lovelies!

I've got a question for you: when it comes to perfumes, fragrances and such, is it ok to enjoy wearing dirt-cheap body sprays just as well?

You see, when hot and humid-sticky days arrive, I'm all for the crisp and breezy spritz of body mists. Their usefulness lies in the fact that they get the scent out and over skin fastest, plus the dash of alcohol in fragrance cools you down, too!

But everytime I spray some on my neck and arms, I'm experiencing some kind of a guilt... As if I'm betraying a sacred clause of the Perfume Connoisseur's Bible, spoiling my spirits with an un-sophisticated, teen-appropriate product.

I'd love to know your views on the subject, all opinions are welcome ;)

By the way, one of my favourite "fragrances" of all time is the Korres Fig Body Mist!


I wish I could describe this heavenly scent, here's a try; when sprayed, you get an uplifting and citrucy smell that dries down to a clean and deeper lemon scent. Correct me if I'm wrong but you only get a tiny hint of fig after a couple of hours. I don't mind, though- I'm not a big lover of figs, after all!

Happy blogging and reading and commenting to everyone!

CBSG5861

Korres Rosewood Blackcurrant Cyclamen perfume

Hello my lovelies!

In keeping with the anticipation of spring's arrival, I thought I would post my views on this floral and springy Korres perfume. Oh and please, be patient with my description- I tried my best!


A little note: Is it just me or are all Korres fragrances not the "easiest smelling" of the market? For me, an "easy smelling" perfume stands for a familiar-ish composition of fragrance notes that you can instantly tell if you love/hate it. After testing them out at the store, I found myself constantly sniffing at my wrists to see whether they would fit my style or not.

The men's perfume with the saffron was the "easiest smelling" of the three, it didn't take me much time to find that I love it- now so does my boyfriend that I got him as a gift ;)

The so-called "unisex" perfume with jasmine and pepper... well I didn't like it, but the funny thing is that I couldn't figure out why; was it the jasmine? the pepper? It felt as if it changed its composition with every sniff! Too strange for my nose... Even its gorgeous packaging didn't make me more sympathetic- and this comes from a big-time sucker of fancy packaging!


This women's perfume is not an "easy" smell, too. When you spray it, initially it smells of alcohol. When that goes away, the fruity and fresh black-currant scent takes over, mixed with a little of cyclamen and the tiniest hint of rosewood. The latter dominates the composition 5-10 minutes after the application, but not in a heavy manner because of the "freshness" of the rest of the scents.

I have to confess that what I enjoyed the most (after a lot of spritzes!) was the fact that my nose could trace all three main scents inscribed on the bottle. As with other perfumes, I'm usually bombardised with a dozen of top-notes and an equal amount of middle- and base-notes, while not identifying a single scent! This Korres perfume made me ever so confident, I was secretly boasting to myself that "hey, I could become a perfume connoiseur" :D

Overall, I like it a lot. I'm wearing it a lot. But it didn't make me lose my mind over it like Shiseido Zen has done in the past... So if you're interested in smelling it, you've been warned- it takes some time to love it! If you are familiar with this fragrance, please let me know what you think about it ;)

Happy blogging and reading and commenting to everyone!

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