Thursday 31 January 2013

Chanel Long-Lasting Eyeliner in 100 Santal!







I have been pretty much addicted to the Chanel Long-Lasting Eyeliner in 88 Noir Intense since I got it, so I figured it's about time to add a new colour! This eyeliner is totally waterproof, in fact minutes later you can rub all you want that patch of colour won't move whatsoever, no chance... And that is what's fantastic about it, you got a bit of time to smudge it if you want a softer line but then it will stay in place until you take it off! The shade I got is 100 Santal, it's limited edition from the current Spring Collection, a beautiful dark brown with a bronzy shimmer, right up my alley! Thought just to share it with you quickly, as I got it last weekend and already managed to loose it amongst the piles of stuff I will be reviewing next month... Will definitely create a look with it soon, but so far here is the swatch...


LOVE

Caudalie Crushed Cabarnet Scrub!







I have featured this beautiful Caudalie Crushed Cabarnet Scrub in my last year's Gift Guide, it was part of the Christmas Divine Oil Gift Set hence it's a mini 50g size... I think soon I will have to indulge in the full-size jar! I have done a review on the gorgeous Divine Oil that came with it, which you can read all about by clicking here but haven't done a full review of their famous scrub! I've used the scrub couple of times and it really feels luxurious, the scent of the white wine is quite invigorating and pungent, so I keep it for nights when I need extra bit of pampering... It makes the skin feels amazingly soft, and it's the whole experience of the Cabarnet fragrance filling up your bathroom for some quality spa me-time! Valentine's is slowly approaching, are you thinking what I'm thinking?! 


LOVE

OPI Pink Yet Lavender + Russian Navy Combo!











Unfortunately the pics came out way too exposed, the flash was playing up, and I just couldn't find the right lighting to take a pic that would make the polish look as beautiful as it does in real life, you'll have to trust me on this one, or you can check the pic I put on Instagram [alyonainfashionlove] of this nail look, that came out true to life... But in any case you can get the idea... OPI Russian Navy is an old classic of mine, a dark blue/violet with magenta and purple shimmer... And the fabulous OPI Pink Yet Lavender is a fun glitter nail-polish with a clear base, which is perfect as a topcoat for the ombre glitter look! It's from the Mariah Carey Collection, a pale pink large glitter particles nail polish with tiny holographic glitters, which is perfect for exactly this type of look... 

Like I mentioned in my previous ombre nail looks you need something middle-ground glitter related to have a softer ombre effect... And here the mix of the glitters in one bottle made the application much easier and quicker, oh and I did two coats of each... Until very recent I have not been into glitters on my nails at all, but now I am enjoying it more and more, you can create so many different looks and go right back to the nail polishes you have in your collection and totally transform them! I really adore this cute glitter shade, and will definitely wear OPI Pink Yet Lavender again, I'm thinking over a pastel, so stay tuned for better pics next time!

LOVE

Wednesday 30 January 2013

Burberry Complete Eye Palette in No.05 Dark Spice!

In case you wonder what I used on my face to have this flawless look, it's the Rodial SPF 15 BB Venom Skin Tint [absolutely amazing product] - I've done a full on review, to read more click here!












Absolutely stunning palette! Burberry eyeshadows are lux starting with the opulent packaging and ending with the high quality product... The Dark Spice eyeshadow palette has four smooth as butter and gorgeously pigmented shades... Especially the three shades are a match made in heaven, which I also used when creating the Brigitte Bardot inspired smoky eye make-up look... Firstly I applied MAC Paint Pot in Groundwork as a base, then blended the warm bronze shade all over the lid, taking the glittery chocolate brown just into the outer corner and crease-line... Then after wetting an angled eyeliner brush I used the matte black shade to draw a winged line, over the top of which I then blended the same dry eyeshadow with a pencil brush, this helps to create a less harsh black liner for extra depth and smokiness... Under the lower lash line I applied a touch of the bronze shade, applying a kohl liner on my waterline and then dotting and smudging it on the lower lash-line... Et voilà! I can hear Paris calling...

LOVE

Vichy Purete Thermale Waterproof Eye Make-Up Remover for Sensitive Eyes!



When I started wearing waterproof eyeliners on a regular basis I soon realised my regular make-up remover wasn't enough... Also the previous waterproof eye make-up remover I have used were too oily and leaving an oily residue, which wasn't great for my combo/oily skin... So I gave this Vichy Waterproof Eye Make-Up Remover a go... As you can see it's been loved! I had it for a couple of months now and find it very gentle on my sensitive eye area! It takes of all of my waterproof eyeliners and mascaras, even those that are the toughest to take off... A must have if you are a lover of a nice waterproof smudgy smokey eye!

LOVE

OPI Liquid Sand in Stay The Night!







Let me just start by saying this-is-awesome! I wasn't quite sure if I will like it or not because there are so many gimmicky nail polishes coming out now, I mean take that fluff and caviar thing by Ciate, what were they thinking... But I was over the moon when Stay The Night dried into this chic rough textured gorgeousness! It's from the Mariah Carey by OPI Collection, which has eight limited edition shades four of which are the new Liquid Sand nail polishes... Basically it has sand like particles that evenly coat the nail, and it dries to a matte, which means there is no need for the topcoat! Stay The Night is a gorgeous black with magenta glitter, I liked it best with three coats... I absolutely love this new innovative texture that OPI came up with, it's really long lasting, looks super chic, very different to anything I have tried before, pure awesomeness in a bottle!


LOVE

Tuesday 29 January 2013

Dr.Jart+ Most Moist Water-Max Sleeping Mask!







This is a facial mask I have absolutely adore, which is also one of the exciting things I wanted to share this month! First I saw Dr.Jart+ Water-Max Sleeping Mask featured in Lisa Eldridge's last year's Christmas Gift Ideas video... I've been using it for about two months now, and I must say it has become my favourite winter facial! With my combo/oily skin type that occasionally gets a little dehydrated during the harsh months of winter, it is very difficult to find a hydrating mask that won't brake me out, and this one does not! The reason being is that it is incredibly light, its gel-type texture forms a protective layer and you only need two pumps to cover face and neck! It feels like you are applying a moisturiser rather than a facial as it doesn't sit on the surface of the skin but goes straight in, and in a minute or two it's dry to touch... It's fantastic for either skin type, dry, combo or oily! As I am currently learning, Japanese skincare is pretty amazing, very scientific, precise to the point, and free of anything unnecessary!

The idea is that you apply this facial after cleansing your face, ten minutes before going to bed leaving it on... This overnight treatment helps to create smoother skin texture, whilst the Oat and Cactus Extracts maintain moisture in the skin... One of my new-found favourite skincare ingredients, Hyaluronic acid, is a great anti-ageing active ingredient, which intensively supplies moisture to dehydrated skin... After this facial I wake up next morning with a hydrated and plump skin... In fact I am wearing it right now, couldn't resist as it is sitting on my desk staring at me... Oh and it smells lovely too, very light and fresh!


LOVE

Rodial SPF 15 BB Venom Skin Tint + Eye - Botox in a Tube!





Left - Rodial SPF 15 BB Venom Skin Tint in Capri [light]
Right - Rodial BB Venom Eye Brightening Concealer in Malibu [darkest]


This is the first time I have tried a Rodial product and I have to say I'm pretty impressed! The more I researched about Rodial BB Venom the more amazed I became... First of all, it's the first time I am trying a BB cream, and what a fantastic choice I made! Last year everyone went through a bit of a BB cream craze, I was reluctant to try it because I have combo/oily skin type that is prone to acne, so it does get really oily in the summer, my regular foundations have trouble to stay on, so I stay away from moisturising foundations... During winter generally a combo/oily skin type is mostly under control and can even get some dehydrated patches, so if ever winter is the time I can try something that has hydrating effects...

BB stands for Beauty Balm and was originally created in Germany in the 60s by dermatologist Dr. Christine Schrammek whose target it was to help protect her patience's skin after plastic surgery... In the 80s BB cream has become a much desired make-up product in Korea, where women desire to have a healthy, porcelain-perfect looking skin... And finally some odd 30 years later it's easily available at most cosmetic brands! A bit of history for you there...

BB creams tend to have a slightly unusual colour with grey tones, but generally after you work it into the skin it adopts the natural shade of your skin, depending on the actual product... They can be used in place of a foundation or as a base depending on the coverage you desire... BB creams in general only come in a few colours, have an SPF in them, are hydrating and have a medium coverage, so it's like a foundation and skincare in one!

Rodial SPF 15 BB Venom Skin Tint comes in three colours a light, medium, and dark, the one I have is in Capri, which is the light shade and it seems to suit my skin very well now at my lightest... Coverage wise it would be perfect for someone who generally doesn't need much concealing, but I have few acne scars time to time that so I need extra cocealing... But it's a lovely light-weight skin tint that gives you that natural look... On top of it I use my Laura Mercier Mineral Foundation in Rich Vanilla that adds a little more coverage and colour... 

This BB Skin Tint would be amazing on dry skin and for women who don't like wearing foundation in general as it is so light and beautifying... The Skin Tint and the Eye Brightening Concealer have light reflecting particles to give you that healthy radiance and sun-kissed glow... Fantastic products for a younger looking and flawless skin! Rodial BB Eye comes in two shades, lightest and darkest...

Rodial BB Venom is a serious skincare product range with fantastic active ingredients:

- "SYN®-AKE Neuropeptide which inhibits neuro-mediators implicated in the contraction of innervated muscle cells, thus providing a mild botox-like effect.

- Hyaluronic Filling Spheres™ works to volumise the skin and decrease the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

- Hydromanil provides 24 hour hydration by retaining water in the skin whilst smoothing and retexturising." [feelunique.com]


One word - amazing!

LOVE

Monday 28 January 2013

St.Tropez Naturals Radiance Self Tan for Face...





I've been meaning to share this amazing facial self tanner for ages! I had it probably for almost a year and threw away the packaging long time ago, but I do remember something saying it was designed for oily skin... And there is no way I would have purchased any self tan for my oily face unless it stated it was made for it! I haven't used facial self tanners for almost 10 years, back then I quite liked a Dior one, but I think it would have been way too dark for me now, this one by St.Tropez is wonderful! It is very natural, and I never get any marks or uneven patches, and if I want more colour I build it up through a couple more days... And it lasts two or three days on me... Already after the first application I love waking up with a radiant and freshly tanned looking face, that very same feeling when you are on a holiday, with a little colour you suddenly look better...

But the best thing about this Self Tan is that it does not irritate my oily/acne prone skin and it doesn't brake me out, on contrary I have no idea how but it kind of dries out the spots a little just like the sun does, and when I wake up my skin is visibly less oily than usual... So if I have a blemish or two I am still going to be ok using the Self Tan and if anything I find it helps them to clear up faster... It must be something in the ingredients, I don't know... But it is something I have noticed over and over... So I find it quite amazing on all levels... 

Now the way I use it is strictly before bed time after giving myself a nice proper facial cleanse, and that is purely bcs it's a little to shimmery for my liking, the radiance of this product is quite evident and it might be nice as a highlighter under make up, as it is designed to be worn alone or under make-up... It never stains my pillows! And I don't really mind having a pinky pearlescence to my face when I go to bed and have the lights off... The way I apply it is swirling my index finger right to the bottom of the jar as the Self Tan is liquid, then when I pull out the finger whatever stays on it seems to be the exact amount I need to cover my face and neck generously... I make sure I take it right down my neck, onto the ears and hairline and under the eyes... And of course don't forget to wash your hands straight after you are done with application!

LOVE

Chanel Vertigo + OPI Warm & Fozzie Combo!







I was in the mood for some grey, and picked this beautiful Chanel Vertigo from my nail polish collection, it's a grey with red/pink light shimmer [2 coats]... Lately I have been obsessed with glitter ombre effect, but this time I had very little time to make my nails so I decided to only do the accent nail [which also will cut down on the taking-off time later]... For the glitter I used mini OPI Warm & Fozzie from The Muppets Collection [also 2 coats just half of the nail upwards]... It's a metallic with very fine gold/silver/bronze glitter on a clear base... And to create that gradual ombre effect I used the Rimmel Glitter Top Coat in Disco Gold, the glitters are sparse so it's easier to control where you want more or less of them [3 coats starting lower and gradually coming down to the base of the nail-plate]... 


LOVE

Friday 25 January 2013

Flattering Warm Brown Eyelook with YSL Eye Shadow Duo in Caramel Tan!

















If you want to know how I created this nail look check out my previous blog post or click here!


Very excited to share my love for this gorgeous YSL Eye Shadow Duo palette in 35 Caramel Tan! Warm brown is the most flattering colour on any complexion, I find... I got so many compliments on this eye look... When I saw this palette it took me right back to my teenage years when I used to adore my best friend's older sister's make-up, she wore this black eyeliner with beautifully warm brown smoked eye... It really brought out her eyes, she had brown eyes but liked to wear blue eye contacts [it was the 90s!] and it looked amazing with either eye colour! So I decided to walk down the memory lane of what was my early make-up adorations... 

This is how I created this look: I used MAC Paint Pot in Nubile as a base and applied the lighter eyeshadow shade all over, then blended in the dark caramel shade into the socket and also the outer-corner to smoke it out a little... The lighter shade has nice shimmer to it and the darker is a satin finish, very gorgeous combination! The YSL eyeshadows are one of my top favourites, they are smooth as silk, blend like a dream, and have a beautiful colour pay off! 

To create that striking effect, which brightens the white in your eyes more [which makes you look instantly more radiant] I used my beloved Chanel Long-Lasting Eyeliner in 88 Noir Intense... Winged the eyeliner a little, also applied it on the waterline, and dotted it along the lower lashline to keep it soft, blending it with a sponge applicator and with a little of the darker eyeshadow shade not taking it too low this time... Speaking of applicators, I love how in this palette they click into place and do not fall out unless you want to take them out, great little bonus! And for the lips I found this lovely nude lipstick shade in my collection - Chanel Rouge Coco in 79 Plumetis, also very flattering and not too nude, with a gorgeous light gold shimmer to it!


LOVE

Thursday 24 January 2013

OPI Tickle My France-y + GoldenEye Glitter Ombre Nail Look!





OPI Tickle My France-y [L]
OPI mini GoldenEye [R] - from The Bondettes Collection 






Can you see a pattern happening? I'm absolutely loving the glitter ombre nail look at the mo... The nailpolish combination is endless, you can make the same nail polish look new every time just by adding a bit of glitter, but ombre-ing them takes it to a whole new level of awesomeness... Seriously try it if you haven't yet, you will be hooked! Here I have gone for a nude [OPI Tickle My France-y] nail look with a touch of gold [OPI GoldenEye]... For a glitter ombre nail look make sure to use a glitter polish that has a clear base or a glitter topcoat... 

Some of the glitter nail polishes can have a huge amount of glitter particles and some don't have that many, the less glitter there is the easier it is to create a gradual ombre effect... I also like to use a second glitter polish just to blend it, so far I have been using my Rimmel Glitter Topcoat in Disco Gold, which works really well, but I want to try new glitter topcoat and see what else I can find... And of course I always finish my manicure with a coat of Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Topcoat, which leaves my nails looking professionally done, glossy, neat, and most importantly dries the nail polish really fast!


LOVE

John Frieda Sheer Blonde Conditioning Treatment...





Since I had my highlights done again and it's been a pretty cold Jan, my ends started to get a bit dry again, so I decided to try John Frieda Sheer Blonde Conditioning Treatment, which is basically a hair masque that nourishes distressed blonde hair, exactly what I need! Read so many good reviews, and I am really happy with it! To begin with it smells heavenly... My hair feels hydrated, looks lovely and shiny after this hair masque... You can use it weekly as an intense masque leaving it in for 15 mins or as a daily conditioner or whenever you wash you hair leaving it in just for 3-5 mins... So far I have used it just as a conditioner for a few minutes, but will attempt the nice and long 15 mins hair masque this weekend!


LOVE

Wednesday 23 January 2013

La Roche-Posay Effaclar K, Renovating Care for Oily Skin!





Following the current London cult, which Ruth Crilly [amodelrecommends] started when she featured La Roche-Posay Effaclar K on her youtube channel I think back in December or maybe even end of November, I have also started using it... Now this skincare product is featured by most beauty lovers, so many great reviews, everyone is absolutely loving it! And I am happy I gave it a go, what it does is it helps to take care of blemishes as well as helping to fade away the scars left behind... Which is fantastic for irregular skin texture, oily skin type or acne prone skin, as it helps to unblock pores... 

It's great because you can use it day and night all over the face, I only use in the morning as a moisturiser and make-up base, which is enough for me... It's fantastic as not many exfoliating creams also moisturise your skin and I certainly need it during winter! I've used Effaclar K for over a week now and can see a big improvement, my skin is visibly clearer and more radiant...The magic ingredient is retinol [a fantastic anti-ageing ingredient]! It's a great exfoliant, LHA combined with retinol helps to protect skin against future relapse, which is awesome! 

And if you wonder what retinol is: "Derivatives of vitamin A, such as tretinoin and retinol, work to increase cell turnover and exfoliation by stimulating cell production underneath the skin. This process slows down with age, allowing layers of dead, thick, sun damaged skin cells to remain on the surface. As a result - skin looks dull and thick, pores look large and sun-related damage such as age spots and blotchiness appear."

LHA is: "Beta-lipohydroxy [LHA] works in a manner similar to salicylic acid in the treatment of acne. It possesses potent comedolytic (ability to unblock pores). And in a study conducted by La Roche Posay, it was shown to decrease the bacterial concentration inside the follicles (area below the pore)." 

Thank you Ruth!
 
LOVE

Essie Protein Base Coat Nail Fortifying Base!





A quick post on this baby that helped me to grow nails! End of December my nails started to get quite brittle and just weren't looking too healthy, either the cold, the stress or lack of vitamins must have weakened them... I anyway ran out of my previous nail base and decided to give Essie Protein Base Coat a go! I also probably should add that I have changed my diet since, and been eating a lot healthier and also started taking vitamins to give my immune system a nice boost during this cold winter! So whether it's purely due to the protein in the Essie base coat or a combination of things my nails started to grow really fast... I'd file them down to very short as that's how I like to wear them most of the time and the next thing I know they are long again... 

They still are not in perfect shape, but to be honest during the month of Jan I have been a bit naughty and haven't given myself that many proper manicures... And I find as soon as I let my nails go in terms of stopping painting them or nourishing the cuticle, and generally just give up on them for a week my nails start to split and get brittle... And I did have a couple of weeks like that in Jan... So I am trying to get into the nail routine and making sure to paint my nails as soon as I take the nail polish off or after a day max... But I have been using this base coat for a few weeks now and I do like it, it applies thinly, dries fast to a glossy creamy clear finish and just feels like it does something good to the nails...


LOVE