Vichy Purete Thermale Cleansing Milk Review...

Vichy Purete Thermale Absolute Softness Cleansing Milk...

I've been using this cleansing milk for couple of weeks now... I am not a huge cleansing milk fan, with normal to oily skin generally clear cleansing solutions are better... Cleansing milk is much more suited for dry skin, bcs it puts all that moisture where it's needed... Whereas combinational skin needs no additional moisture as it will make your face get greasy... And although it is a nice cleansing milk it's not right for my skin... After using it my skin  started to be greasy in the morning... And also I noticed I had a breakout, not because of this product but because I need to keep my skin clean and moisturised by not adding access moisture... And so I will be going back to the Vichy 3in1 cleansing solution, as it is a lot more suited for my skin [Vichy Review...]...

Meanwhile I've been using this cleansing milk I also been using the Vichy Toner [you can read more about it in my Vichy review] to try and keep my skin balanced... But because it is spring and a lot warmer naturally your skin starts producing a little more oil than during the colder seasons... Something I forgot to mention in my Vichy review about the Toner is that it's so gentle that I even wipe my eyes with it, and my eye area is so sensitive that many products that are made for eyes such as  eye gels can burn and irritate easily... So I was really amazed by how gentle and soothing the Toner is... But the milk really is too moisturising and even the Toner doesn't manage to keep the ph level balanced... But I think I will keep removing eye make up with the cleansing milk, because it is really moisturising and feels soothing on the eyes...

LOVE

Leighton Denny Review...

 Leighton Denny in Diamond Ivory

Leighton Denny in Diamond Rose

Funny enough I didn't even know about this nail polish brand when I picked it up at TK Maxx... And then About a week later at The Grove spa I noticed two big stands loaded with Leighton Denny nail polish.... I figured if they chose this brand then it got to be good... It's quite pricey and the colour range at Orly, China Glaze, Essie or OPI is much more fun for me... Quality wise it's good... It promises to apply easy, to be long lasting, and chip resilient... I don't wear my nail polish for longer than a couple of days bcs I get quickly bored of one colour, so I didn't really wear it that long to test the lasting and the resilience... But it applies well, smooth and easy... 

Though what I found disappointing it's incredibly sheer... In both pictures I had to apply three coats yet still you can see the nail plate... Some people like sheer nail polishes and so it would be great for them... I just like more opaque nail polishes... Altogether I didn't love both colours, but they are ok... And when I checked out the stands at The Grove spa it looked like pretty much most of their colours have this sheer texture...  So Leighton Denny nail polishes seem to be great for having a pretty light wash of colour on your nails if you want your manicure to be hardly noticed yet have looked after nails...

LOVE

Happily Ever After...

An English Country Garden Wedding Bouquet

I love this one, it's so pretty... I really like the style of this florist... 

I came across this blog when looking for pretty wedding bouquets...

You can find more on their blog The Flower Magician...

Like I said previously I didn't care for the Royal wedding [English Sense of Romance...], but I did want to see the dress... Since I woke up early today and got things done in the morning and had nothing better to do than have a lazy lay-in,  and so I went back to bed and decided to watch the whole shebang... I don't know about the poor 90 year old Prince Philip, who was rumoured to have fallen asleep during the wedding ceremony at Westminster Abbey, but I did fall asleep in the middle of the tedious choir singing and praying... It really went on for too long, I felt like I could do with some matchsticks to support my eyelids...

Anyways the dress was pretty, it was good to see how simple it was... The most significant moment for me was the part where Prince William's Bentley on the way to Westminster Abbey drove through the Arch... The last time when William went through that Arch was  when he was little and was saying goodbye to his mother Diana... It was such a touching and sad moment, that I couldn't keep it in and tears started running down my face... There is nothing much I have to say about the wedding... Of course the ceremony was grand, and the atmosphere was great... The Queen had to put an end to the whole scandal with Diana... It felt as if the Royals were trying hard to put an end to Diana by substituting her with Kate...  And the media here was trying hard to bring this message across... It felt like the monarchy had to make it as grand as possible to try and erase the memories of how ugly everything was when Diana was separating from Charles.... And that's why the wedding was so blown out of proportion, with all this "romance" and "real love" fairytale malarkey...

To me nothing could ever come close to Diana and the genuine warmth and love she was oozing... Her eyes were always full of kindness even when she was in pain herself... And the good she has done was incredible... I couldn't believe it when one of the commentators had the guts to compare the incomparable, and be so damn inappropriate... The schmuck decided to say that this marriage makes more sense as such than the one that didn't work out between Diana and Charles because William and Kate didn't hurry into the marriage and took long time, and were friends before falling in love... How is it OK to look at what Diana had with Charles by putting the whole story upside-down and blaming that she was too young and didn't know what she was getting into by becoming part of a Royal family... How about Charles cheating on the beautiful and graceful Diana with that horse Camilla??

It seriously pisses me off how the media tries to turn everything the way they want it to be seen rather than being honest and looking at things the way they really happened... Then the schmuck continued by saying that Kate's education is also much better than Diana's was... And then the last pile of dirt was thrown when he said that Kate comes from a good family, whereas Diana didn't... Fucking hell, how disrespectful is that?? And this is meant to be a country that believes in love??  This is why I was not fond of the wedding. and how it was portrayed... It was disturbing... Trying to turn something so pure and graceful like Diana into dirt and something that is nothing special like Kate into everything is just ridiculous...

It was hilarious how the media went nuts weeks before the wedding... Apparently 'fuck the Romans, fuck the French - England is where the real romance lives' - my ass! The English are the least romantic nation I have ever come across... What was hundreds of years ago  written in the novels has vanished ever since... Now you get the prince drunk off his face in the bushes at 4 am and the now princes flashes her knickers at some student fashion show...  Hip hip hooray! The English are more into being in relationships out of convenience, and marriages happen mostly on financial settlements... Where the fuck is romance in that??  I am generalising of course, but it seems to be a tendency towards that rather than real love...

Money can't buy you love... When women have a plan in their mind 'how to hook a guy' because of his status - it disgusts me... Also when people are marrying purely out of equal status doesn't make sense to me either... Where is passion in that? Where is the crazy love? It all is just not for me... I am so totally plan-less, if I had a plan I'd be married by now... But I always believed into real love and would always escape at the end to find that love... The  one and only amazingly-beautiful unconditional love!

LOVE

Bobbi Brown Faves...

from top right: 

Illuminating Bronzing Powder in Antigua;

Vitamin Enriched Face Base;

Skin Foundation SPF 15 in Warm Beige;

Face Highlighter Pen in Opal;

Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Chocolate Shimmer Ink;

Nude Lip and Eye Palette;

Shimmer Brick Compact in Bronze...

Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow in Rose Gold...

Forgot I had this one, but it's such a pretty spring colour, perfect time to start using it again!

I didn't realise how much of Bobbi Brown stuff I had... You never do, until you go through your make-up collection... But here are my absolute favourites... It all started on the airplane to Nice couple of years ago when I decided to make my first ever Bobbi Brown purchase... Before that I somehow never was tempted to actually buy something at the counter, I was always intrigued but somehow could never choose anything...  And I was in my teens when the 90's brown lips boom happened, I was the brown lip wearer but Bobbi Brown back then  also never made into my make up bag... And here as we were on the way to Corsica I thought  it would be a good idea to get a neat bronzer but I also quite liked the Nude Lip and Eye Palette - it looked perfect for effortless quick beach make-up, but I couldn't choose between two so I got both! This is how the Nude Palette, and the most sold Bobbi Brown product the Shimmer Brick became my first Bobbi Brown purchases! 

And from there onwards I absolutely fell in love with Bobbi Brown's concept of making colours that are closest to your natural yet make you look fresher, younger, and prettier! My largest purchase at Bobbi Brown counter was on one afternoon when I decided to get a light foundation to look fresh and pretty for a date with a French guy I was seeing back then... The make up artist that looked after me was amazing, and that afternoon I walked away with six products! It was crazy, but she chose them so well that it was a sin to leave something out... 

The four products from that crazy purchase are the Illuminating Bronzing Powder in Antigue [it's a lovely warm rose colour, I use it as a blush]; Face Highlighter Pen in Opal [I find it looks best for spring and summer]; Skin Foundation SPF 15 in Warm Beige [I love this foundation, it doesn't have a strong coverage, but it's great for the warm season, makes you glow and look fresh]; and to be used together with this foundation is the Vitamin Enriched Face Base [I tried it with other foundations but it works best with Bobbi Brown, it smells so nice and feels nourishing on the skin and makes the foundation look even better! Some of the ingredients are: shea butter, carrot & vitamins A, C, and E]...

And the eye-products Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Chocolate Shimmer Ink, and Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow in Rose Gold are pretty neat too... There was a stage when I was into rose gold [and I still am], and that eye-shadow is great for warmer days, I bought it in the winter so couldn't really go for it but loved the colour... It goes very well with a tan, and it's a bit much on a pale skin... So now will be perfect for me, I am glad I found it today! Texture-wise it's really smooth and blends well... The gel eyeliner is great! Stays until you decide to take it off... And I know people rave about this product in black, but I stopped using black eyeliner as much as I used to, and I find chocolate tone a much flattering colour and less harsh... In fact in that Elizabeth Taylor inspired make up look I did for Men Questions... post I used this Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Chocolate Shimmer Ink... Feel free to share your favourite Bobbi Brown products!

LOVE

Tea Tree Face Mask Review...

Tea Tree Face Mask by The Body Shop...

I was going to try out this facial mask for a few weeks and then write the review, but I was really positively surprised with the result as I tried it last night! It really is a cool little pot of green crap looking solution... No, seriously - it delivers! Right, lets start with the ingredients... It has menthol, tamanu oil, lemon tea tree oil and Community Trade organic tea tree oil... All these ingredients are meant to cool the blemished skin and lift away the impurities... 

At first when you apply it it hits you pretty strong with its mentol and tea tree oil scent... And then you start to feel this really nice cooling sensation! I used to underrate The Body Shop bcs it seemed all about strawberries and mangos and the over powering sweet aroma drifting meters away from the shop, but over the years I started to really like The Body Shop as I managed to find a few gems, and this is definitly one of them... I like the convenience of body shop and how affordable it is, at pretty low prices you still get lots of discounts and offers, so that's always pretty cool [The Body and The Shop...]

Anyways back to menthol and tea tree... You are meant to apply this mask on your face and neck and keep it on for 10-15 minutes, pretty much like any facial mask... I always tend to keep my ones on for like 20 minutes as I forget about them and start doing things around the flat... Best thing is to lie down and relax with some nice music, that is if you have the time and patience... By the time I rinsed off the green goo of my face I could instantly see that the blemishes calmed down significantly... I never took any facial masks with me when I go on holidays or short getaways but this one will join my make up back from now onwards... It seems to calm down the skin so quickly that it's worth making a little space for this small magic green jar! So yeh definitely thumbs up!

LOVE

April Beauty Favourites...

from top right to left:

The Body Shop Shimmer Waves in Blush;

Chanel Ombre Paupieres Eyeshadow in Taupe[60];

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Deauville;

Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara in Black;

Estee Lauder Turbolash All Effects Motion Mascara in Black;

Laura Mercier Eye Basics Primer in Linen;

MAC Paint Pot in Groundwork;

bareMineral Eyeshadow in Bare Skin;

Bobbi Brown Face Highlighter in Opal;

Nars Bronzer in Laguna.

As the month is coming to the end I decided to do a beauty favourites post... It's basically what I've been using most this month and what I loved best... I chose ten items... I already mentioned three products in my other post Skin Care Heaven Ritz Pharmacy... where I shared my 'less is more' make up look that I got so many compliments, they are the MAC Paint Pot in Groundwork, The Body Shop Shimmer Waves in Blush, and Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara in Black - I think I already need to get a backup(!) just in case they get out of stock again or  god-forbid get discontinued... 

This spring I like pretty pinks on my cheeks that aren't too bright, but more of a hint of rosy tones... You can also use the The Body Shop Shimmer Waves as highlighter and even eyeshadows... MAC Paint Pot is great to keep eyeshadows from creasing and making them last longer, and also to intensify them... Groundwork is a neutral brown colour great on its own or as a primer, making almost every tone of eyeshadow stand out better, in fact I find my Chanel eyeshadows look and stay much better on Groundwork!!

Talking of primers, the best primer for me this month is the Laura Mercier Eye Basics! It lightens and evens out skin tone of your eye lids, prevents from creasing and makes the eyeshadow stay in place until you take it off! It doesn't have any colour, it's a little lighter than my skin tone... Another great liquid eye shadow that can be used as a primer is the Ombre Paupieres Eyeshadow in Taupe[60] by Chanel, but I love it on its own! It's super sheer and the best natural looking eyeshadow that takes seconds to apply for a pretty yet effortless look... 

The mascara that I have reached most for this month is the Turbolash All Effects Motion Mascara by Estee Lauder, I am not sure if it was discontinued by now because I had this one in my make up bag for ages... I love it! It's the vibrating one, but I'm not convinced the actual vibrating does anything to the lashes... But the formulation itself is great, it's thick enough yet not heavy, gives you full looking lashes without clumping or sticking them together, very sophisticated mascara!

The last eye product that I have been loving this month is the bareMinerals Bare Skin eyeshadow... I got it a while ago, but started using it again this month... It's really addicting, looks great over Groundwork, gives this kind of wet looking eyelid with a pretty shimmer... The bareMinerals eyeshadows are buildable, depending on how strong or natural you want your eye make up to be... I like to have this option and be in control of the look, always a plus for me! If you have not tried bareMinerals yet I'd suggest you do so! Pebble is another pretty colour, it's a matte... Their blushes are awesome too!

Bobbi Brown Face Highlighter Pen in Opal is great to give you a glowing pretty looking face, you just put it over the highpoint of the cheekbone! I actually bought that pen when I went to the  Bobbi Brown counter back in August last year and was trying a blusher... The mak-up artist used this highlighter on me and I loved it... It makes you look fresh and glowy but in a natural pretty way!

As I managed to pick up a light tan during the hot week we had in London it's now time to use the bronzer to create this sunkissed glowy just-came-back-from-a-holiday look! Sofar this has been my all-time favourite bronzer that nothing else has come close to! Yes it's the Nars Laguna! One word, awesome! First time I came across it was at the Space NK in Hampstead when I went there for the Fall event and some Champagne... 

And finally, the so much talked about Rouge Coco Shine lipsticks... I went to check out the one in Boy... I'm not sure it would suit me very well though... The lipstick colour was called Boy after Coco's legendary one and only love the English gentlemen called Boy... Coco would never wear pink lip, she was more into natural tones... As for the formulation of the lipstick, oh my(!) they are so light and moisturising, if you prefer lip-glosses to heavy lipsticks then definitely check out Rouge Coco Shine! The colour I got is Deauville it's a neutral warm colour... It's just a light wash of colour to make your natural lips look even better, something I'd imagine Coco would wear...

LOVE

Back to Jeans and T-Shirts...

The Look of the Day:

Where is the heat gone?? It was freezing today... After shorts and tank tops and bright sunshine suddenly the temperature dropped and there I was trying to figure out how to dress again... I almost forgot I owned jeans, and sweaters and ankle boots... Funny what just a week of heat can do to your wardrobe memory... So there I was pulling on a pair of jeans, a T-shirt and a thick jumper with grey lace-up peep toe ankle boots, for a kind of effortless look with a sporty edge... I also added a black long scarf and black patent oversize foe-snakeskin tote... And I still got cold in the evening... So had to stop by at Maison Blanc in Hampstead for a Millefeuille and a cup of hot mint tea... 

I love Millefeuille ever since I tried it in Courchevel for the first time... After a nice ski session and lots of good food and even greater wine, came the greatest desserts... But that one was a miniature pretty little bite piece Millefeuille... The original ones are huge tho! I love the taste but can't figure out how to eat it without making a huge mess and de-constructing it into an ugly blob pile... Any ideas?? The castard is so thick and the layers are crispy, making it impossible to eat it in an elegant manor... It's not a dessert you can bite into, trying to cut into it makes the custard blob out of it from all sides before your knife can cut through the crispy layers... So the only other option is to de-construct the layers and eat it that way, which also involves a lot of work... Damn it! I should ask a french person how they deal with Millefeuille...

Anyways as I worked my way through the Millefeuille, I decided to drop by a book shop and check out what's new... God(!) the William & Kate haze is everywhere... The never-ending documentaries, the books, the everything... They even made this kids book to dress the William & Kate dolls, pouf! William appears in his boxers and Kate in her knickers, which we all already have seem a thousand times by now! I can't wait for them to get married so that I never have to see her again in that transparent piece of shit dress along with those knickers, thank you very much! Apart from that there were a few books dedicated to Elizabeth Taylor like Elizabeth Taylor, The Lady, The Lover, The Legend - 1932-2011, a new biography by David Bret... 

A couple of years ago I read Elizabeth, written by J.Randy Taraborrelli... It was such a beautiful and touching read that I don't think I could ever enjoy any other Elizabeth Taylor biographies... But the book I picked up, although Taraborrelli already covered a large part of the beautiful love affair of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, is Furious Love, Elizabeth Taylor & Richard Burton, The Marriage of the Century, written by Sam Kashner & Nancy Schoenberger... Apparently in this book there are previously unseen love letters of Elizabeth and Richard... I just couldn't walk past this book... Furious loves are the strongest and the most unforgettable...

LOVE

The Body and The Shop...

From top left: Sweet Lemon Body Scrub;

Strawberry Body Polish and Satsuma Body Polish;

Vitamin C Facial Radiance Capsules;

Tea Tree Face Mask

As I finished my Sweet Lemon Body Scrub I knew I had to drop by The Body Shop... There are quite a few products I quite like... And also they always do these offers and 3 for 2 and what not... Besides I had a £10 voucher for April which was pretty convenient... In the end I saved over £20!! I absolutely adore the Sweet Lemon Body Scrub, the smell is very pleasant and uplifting, it almost feels like you are somewhere in Sicily walking in a garden amongst the beautiful Lemon trees... And it leaves your skin so amazingly moisturised and smooth! So instead of getting the big pot of the Sweet Lemon Body Scrub I decided to get the travel size as it was a 3 for 2 offer, so that way I can also try the Body Polish in Satsuma and Strawberry... I am not a big fan of strawberry scent when it comes to beauty products, but this one was lovely, and Satsuma is tangy and refreshing... The Body Polish is shower gel and body scrub in one tube, I will try them and do a separate review...

The Vitamin C Facial Radiance Capsules is also one of my favourites... I already tried it back in November and loved it! I tried also their other Vitamin C products like the serum, and daily moisturiser with SPF30, but none of them I liked as much as these tiny capsules... Basically you get 28 capsules, so it's a month treatment... They recommend to use the facial radiance capsules after cleansing your skin at night and before applying the night cream... Personally I think there is no need to apply anything on top, because it just feels really silky and nice on its own... Last time I did the month and loved how fresh and radiant my skin looked at the end... This time I want to do weeks in rotation... Like any product, your skin gets used to and it's best to rotate your beauty treatments to have a higher impact... So yeh I'm looking forward to use the Vitamin C capsules again!

The Body Shop facial masks are also pretty ok, not the best, but ok for what it is... I tried a few of their facial masks and liked them... So since I was told I can get any product from that facial section half price I decided to get the Tea Tree Face Mask... It's meant to cool and lift away impurities from your skin... I will try it and also will write a review if it works... It's green in colour so it's convenient if you are either single or live on your own unless your man doesn't mind seeing you with a crazy frog face... 

Smell wise it's quite strong, I wouldn't advise it for people that are sensitive towards overpowering scents and if you are pregnant it may not be the best idea for a facial either... It reminds me on these health spas in Ukraine during the soviet times in the late 80s/early 90s that my grandmother was so fond of, where you detox by the sea breathing fresh air, drinking sparkly natural mineral water, having lovely enema action, and mud baths! Bring it on! After that you were squeaky clean inside out and were ready for the moon! Thank god I only happened to enjoy the seaside and occasional herbal baths during the late 90s... But the bath spa area smelled exactly like this facial mask, intense, natural, and muddy all in one pot!

LOVE

Top 10 Nail Polishes for Spring...

OPI in Purple with a Purpose...

Uhh this is my favourite bright purple!! It's awesome!! 

If I had to choose to wear one colour only during the spring I'd most probably go for this one! It's the funnest colour ever!

Orly in Basket Case...

This is such a great bright pink, with cool undertones... 

I love it! You put it on and every time you catch a glimpse of your nails it makes you feel happy and cheerful, the colour is awesome for sunny hot days!

Essie in Cute as a Button...

In the bottle it looks similar to Orly in Lola, but on nails it's a totally different story... 

Lola is slightly brighter and darker and pinker, 

whereas Cute as a Button is more of a peachy/coral colour which is on a warmer side... 

And I definitely prefer it over Lola..

N7 in Sugar... [Limited Edition]

This has to be my favourite pale pink,
it's spring in a bottle colour... 

It's pale yet has a very unique colour to it...

It's a cool tone with lilac undertones...
A very pretty and fresh looking colour... 

Well done Lisa Eldridge!

Revlon in Blue Lagoon...

When I was getting Berry M in Blueberry this is the colour I was hoping it would be, 

but Blueberry is a lot more intense... 

Blue Lagoon was finally it! It's a very pretty pale springy colour... 

It has very tiny particles of glitter in it but they are not offensive at all, 

on the nail they don't stand out, 

which is great for me, I am not into glittery stuff...

Essie in Watermelon...

Love, love this colour! It's a deep fuchsia pink, 

and it goes with any outfit and minimal make up as I found out 
when we stayed at The Grove...

Essie in Merino Cool...

This is a great colour for autumn and spring... 

Just when you want a break from pales and brights it will do perfectly! 

It's my 'safe' colour, goes with everything, 
doesn't scream yet looks neat!

Essie in Lolipop...

Ok this red is very pretty,
kind of different to the other five reds I have... 

But I find it really doesn't go with a lot of stuff colour-wise... 

And the outfit has to be carefully thought through... 

It's not a red I'd throw on to give an edge to a look...

Rococo in Funboy Matte...

OK, this is the craziest mofo colour in my entire nail polish collection! 

It's literally so bright it could cause a car crush...

It's like neon bright colour, and it dries matte, so pretty unique... 

But I also like it with my usual Seche Vite dry fast top coat
to make it glossy...

This colour is not for fainthearted however!
I mean you got to have balls to wear it... 

When I put it on I can't wear it for longer than a day really,
it's that intense... 

But I adore it with blue denim, white basic T and a nice suntan!

Essie in Mademoiselle...

This is a timeless classic!
If it would be a film it would be Breakfast at Tiffany's...

It's just the pretties natural pale colour I have ever come across... Any time, any day of the year it's always just perfect! I like to wear it on my nails when I have bright colours on my toes, say like Lolipop or Basket Case...

After uploading the pics I realised the nail polishes I chose had the tendency to lean towards the summer months... But then again it's been a week of heat here in London and I naturally reached out to bright colours... These are the nail polishes I have been mostly wearing during the past few weeks and really enjoyed them.. There are a couple safe colours, the colours that would be great for any occasion, and would go with any outfit like Mademoiselle and Merino Cool, both by Essie... And then there are colours for the very brave girls - Funboy Matte by Rococo is literally insane! And then the rest are just fun colours for sunny days! If I had to pick my absolute favourite colours at the moment it would be tough but I'd go for Watermelon by Essie, Purple with a Purpose by OPI, and Basket Case by Orly... Spring is there to enjoy the sun, the love, and the colours!

LOVE

Denim Short Shorts...

Parisian Denim, Limited Edition, Hotpant...

Boy oh boy what a week(!) A week of heat... London is having awesome summer weather, too warm for spring, but who cares... More chilled Rosé, more ice cream, and more shorts... Yes, Yes, and Yes! When you get to see people in hats on the streets you know it's too hot for London... Hampstead was filled with hat-wearers and it was elegant as long as the brims were kept neat and short-ish... Otherwise it's like the bee-keepers are on the run, darling we are not in St Tropez alright?! I have a beautiful wide brimmed summer hat, which I keep strictly for holidays or weekend getaways outside of London... Londres and wide brimmed hats?! Ich don't think so! Unless you are Amish or a bee-keeper, or an Amish bee-keeper...

So just in time for the spring heatwave I spotted these denim shorts at TK Maxx, they are Parisian Denim, not sure what that brand is, but they sit well, are super short and fun to wear during these hot days... The other day after chilling at the park I dropped by the petrol station to get my car washed, the Albanian boys that are usually friendly but preoccupied with cleaning and polishing the cars, were too friendly this time and preoccupied with something else... One couldn't stop staring at my nipples which was ridiculous...  With those denim shorts I wore a white tank top without a bra at 27 degrees, big deal! And another wanted my number... Wtf?? I wasn't sure if it was a compliment or an insult... But the good thing about that petrol station is that every time I can pretend I don't know how to fill the water for the wipers, so they do it for me... Shorts or no shorts, it's great to be a tongue-in-cheek girl!

LOVE

Hampstead in Spring Love...

Judy Green's Garden Store...

 I love Lilacs, always reminds me of my grandmother... 

She had a few really nice Lilac trees in her garden, 

and when spring came and the Lilac would be in bloom she'd 

cut off some of the branches and put together a fluffy Lilac 

bouquet that she'd always have in her kitchen... 

As a kid I always loved running around in the kitchen when my 

grandmother was baking an apple pie 

and my mom was helping her... 

A beautiful picture of three generations of women...

Ever since that Lilac scent in my grandmother's kitchen 

I associate Lilacs with something really beautiful... 

Women and the unconditional love they are capable of giving...

One morning I woke up with sun shine, laying in my bed looking at the beautiful cherry blossom petals falling with the gentle wind... It was a beautiful sight... On that spring morning I realised it's hard not to be in love when you live in Hampstead... Whatever it is, fashion, art, photography, literature, a man, or a combination of things - it's love... A woman's love is one of the strongest things in existence... Nothing can come even close to the way a mother can love her child, so deep and unconditionally... And so when it comes to men some women can turn the world around for them, and whatever they had before suddenly becomes meaningless dust that will be blown away just like those cherry blossom petals... 

But it's like a puzzle... The two pieces have to find each other... A man that needs that amazing feeling will always look for the woman that can give it to him until he finds her... And likewise a woman will only waste herself on a man that doesn't appreciate her love... Women and men like that are rare, but they do find each other eventually... What matters is knowing what you want deep down and never settle down for less and stay faithful towards your own strong believes... But meanwhile the Mr Right finds you there are fabulous runways, breathtaking paintings, and fascinating books to keep you company...

LOVE

Seven Days, Seven Looks...

Monday...

Tuesday...

Wednesday...

 Thursday...

Friday...

Saturday...

Sunday...

Fashion is a means of transformation... Depending on the day you can go from all pales into all blacks... Any look can be cutened up with a pair of nerdy glasses... Whenever you want to hide from the male attention just put them on, they will literally make you disappear... At the moment I am into browns, deep blues, pales, black and whites... Still not adventurous enough to do very bright colours, apart from the occasional colour blocking... My skin is a little too pale still to rock the colours... 

Looking at a week of what I was wearing I realised a few things: I adore Zara short; some things need to hang in our wardrobe for years to be one day pulled out and be loved aka that frilly top I wore on Sunday... Also I am much happier now with my hair that got longer again after being trimmed way to short, since I am wearing it more often open than in a bun  or tied up 4/7... And that I am an absolute heel-freak! I love heels too much to waste time on flats... Today I almost wore flats, just before leaving my flat I had to pull out a heel box and switch the shoes... Flats I can deal with on holidays, because a) it's either the mountains or the beach  - so who wants to break a leg or two not while skying but during a walk around a chalet, and sand makes it somewhat inconvenient for a glamorous heel walk... b) whenever it's too hot, wherever... on a too hot day in the city you want to just spread on the grass, or if you have to turn up at work, heat makes your heels melt into the pavement, so with flats you have a better chance to actually arriving at work... 

And finally on Tuesday I was reminded how the poor men are starved of a nice pair of legs in London... Out of convenience women wear trousers and jeans, but really it's not that difficult to wear a nice pencil skirt time to time... I personally love pencil skirts they are so super feminine, and reminds me always on Marilyn Monroe in Niagara, in that legendary extended shot of her wiggling away from the camera in this super tight and sexy skirt... But then again not everyone is lucky to have a Marilyn Monroe ass or a pair of Jennifer Aniston legs, so  in that case maybe it's a good thing we don't get to see too many pencil skirt wearers in London......

Spring is such a sexy time, makes you wake up from the dormant winter and want to style up things, wear the shoes that you missed so dearly from last year and just breath in the fresh spring air full of blossom and love! So be adventurous, find what works for you, try things you haven't tried before, without failing you can never win! 90s were my failing years, uff when I think what I used to wear it makes me want to vomit, but hey that's what the 90s were for, total misguidance and confusion... 90s have to be my least favourite fashion era... But the 90s lead me to the style I have today... So try to experiment a little, worse of all is if you keep it safe... Boring today is boring tomorrow... But vomit today is style tomorrow... So be in spring, be in style, and be in love!

LOVE

Skin Care Heaven - Ritz Pharmacy...

Less is More...

Nails: Essie Lolipop 

It's my favourite red at the moment... 

Also when you keep your make-up pretty natural you can funk it up with some cool nail colours...

Brushes: My favourite N7 brushes designed by Lisa Eldridge are the Foundation Brush, and the Eyeshadow Blend & Contour Brush, also I have been loving the Sonia Kashuk Large Crease Brush, and Mac Blush Brush 116... Mac brushes are really great but pricey... So for instance the N7 blending brush is a great dupe for Mac 217 I believe...

The items I've been using almost on a daily basis are Mac Paint Pot in Groundwork [great primer or on it's own], The Body Shop Shimer Waves Blush in Rose [love it, amazing quality! I prefer it to my Guerlain], then my favourite lip gloss ever is the Bourjois in 33, I got the new updated 3D Effect version and it's just ever so slightly cooler [noticeable only by someone like me who used the previous one for years] but still remains my favourite so far! 

Foundation wise I find myself reaching a lot to Lancome Silky Mat 18H Shine-Free SPF 16, on sunny warm days... It's great for spring, has a nice coverage yet it's light, mat and has  SPF 16, all in one bottle, great! 

Mascara - today I went for something new, Clinique High Impact Mascara, which is quite good for natural look, and Clinique Bottom Lash mascara - now that's amazing! Such a cute little product, it's the tiniest mascara you have ever seen, it's formula is designed to keep your lower lashes smudge free and the wand is tiny and awesome for application on those tiny bottom lashes, it really is great - I'd recommend it to anyone for a natural yet cute doll eyed look - there is something about the lower lashes and mascara... Pretty yet not overdone... 

And finally to my big surprise, I tried the H&M Eye Shadows palette in Biscotti Dreams I got a while ago, and the shadows are pretty good! Not sure how they would do on its own but on top of Mac Paint Pot in Groundwork it looked good... I used the colours 1 and 2... So basically today I almost didn't use any high-end products yet the make up look looked great... I think it's upto the skincare, make up colours you go for and the good brushes that make all the difference!

TRESemme Dry Shampoo

This is the only TRESemme hair product I ever bought bcs I read so many not-so good reviews... But this one is pretty good! 

Dry shampoos are great for when you are on the way travelling or want to try and wash your hair less often [the more you wash your hair, the greaser it will get, same as skin]... 

I love using the dry shampoo just on the day I'd normally wash it, so that way I extend it by one day... It makes your hair smell fresh and lovely, eliminated the greasiness, and gives volume... 

In fact it's perfect if you like a rough hair style, I generally prefer a bit of messy texture yet smooth hair... Hard to achieve the balance, but it seems to work with this dry shampoo...

***

Ok I wasn't planning to do this post at all... I kind of had something in mind along the lines of 'my top 10 favourite makeup/skincare items' [which I still will do this week - stay tuned]... But as I decided to check out The Ritz Pharmacy [Hampstead], which is an absolute heaven for skincare... Seriously, it looks pretty ordinary from the outside but once you go in you dive into this fabulous world of the great skincare brands... I was kicking myself when I realised they had the 3in1 Vichy make up remover that I already run out of, because the big Boots I usually go to didn't have it in stock this time... So I ended up getting the Vichy Absolute Softness Cleansing Milk from their Purete Thermale instead, which I will review soon...  At that Boots half the time they never have the good things for like months wtf... And here, five minutes beautiful-walking-distance from my flat is the amazing pharmacy I managed to oversee all this time! To name just a few, they had Dr.Hauschka, Avène, La Roche-Posay [all the good ones that Lisa Eldridge mentions in her skincare videos] and many many more...

Anyways while I was mesmerised by all these beautiful goodies the Indian lady working behind the skincare counter commented on my make up, she said I did it "very beautifully"... It was a real compliment coming from someone so gracious and elegant looking as she was... So I decided to share it, because it really is the simplest and quickest make up look I like to do... As per usual less is more... All the products I have used are mentioned above, accept I cleansed my skin with Absolute Softness Cleansing Milk, Purifying Foaming Water, toned it with Hydra-Soothing Toner, and primed it with Tri-Activ Anti-Imperfection Hydrating Care [all Vichy]...

LOVE

One Afternoon in Hampstead...

Coffee éclair at Maison Blanc...

Hampstead in bloom...

...at Cass Art shop...

...picturesque Hampstead...

Hampstead is very picturesque, whether you go for a jog or a walk each time you will see a little beautiful spot you managed to oversee before... And so after having had a funky caffeine kick I went for a walk and ended up in Cass Art Shop... I was very excited when it replaced agnès b last year...  

The first Cass Art shop I went to was in Soho, and I adored it! I got so much stuff there... And I love getting the canvases there for my collages... And so when they opened in Hampstead it was perfect! Hampstead needed a good art shop... And the location couldn't be better!

I love to just get lost between the oil-paints, the brushes, the canvases, sketchbooks, and and all sorts of graphic pens... They also have a small art/fashion book section which can be fun sometimes... When it comes to Hampstead I always see it as - art for art, love for love...

LOVE