Thursday 28 February 2013

Essie Madison Ave-Hue, Spring 2013 Collection!







Here we go! Essie Madison Ave-Hue is from the beautiful Spring 2013 Collection, which represents the funnest shopping cities picked by Essie Weingarten herself... For more info on this collection and also swatches of all the shades check out my previous blogpost --> Preview of the Essie Spring 2013 Collection! Madison Ave-Hue encapsulates New York - a hot pink super fun shade with tiny glitters that are very mild, great for those who are not into bright sparkly glitters, but it still adds that extra bit of prettiness! Every single shade in this collection is very pigmented, so two coats are plenty!


LOVE

Wednesday 27 February 2013

Preview of the Essie Spring 2013 Collection!!


From Left to Right:


Maximillian Strasse Her; Go Ginza; Bond With Whomever
Madison Ave-Hue; Hip-Anema; Avenue Maintain





Essie Maximillian Strasse Her


Essie Go Ginza


Essie Bond With Whomever


Essie Madison Ave-Hue


Essie Hip-Anema


Essie Avenue Maintain


Oh I am so excited to write this blog post!! Six Essie nailpolish bottles in new shades - that is what I call a true moment of love at first sight... Who needs men when you got Essie, well we do need them but you know what I mean... Essie just does it for me, their past few collections were awesome from shade to shade hitting the right erm... note! And so is this Spring 2013 Collection: A-mazing! This collection represents the feeling of the greatest shopping destinations all over the globe, "Everyone wants to know my favourite city. But just like a spectrum of colour, it's not about choosing one", says Essie Weingarten!


Maximillian Strasse Her - Munich: urban grey - a very cool true pastel shark grey
Go Ginza - Tokyo: soft cherry blossom - almost a white pink, very sexy pastel
Bond With Whomever - London: posh London lilac, a cool toned pastel lilac
Madison Ave-hue - New York: chic upper east side pink, hot pink with mild glitters
Hip-Anema - Rio: poppy-bright red orange, super neon bright hot orange red 
Avenue Maintain - Paris: lovely Parisian blue, a grey bright blue


Fantastic mix of absolutely beautiful pastels perfect for the SS13 nail trend and some head-turning colours too! Such a cool collection, thank you Essie!! xox


Essie Spring 2013 will be available in Boots and Superdrug from March 2013, RRP: £7.99



LOVE

Tuesday 26 February 2013

On Trend: Natural Glowy Look with Estee Lauder!













Sometimes I do feel like wearing a minimal make-up look, and during the summer especially when I have a nice tan going this is the look I enjoy wearing most, because it showcases a healthy glowy skin with natural looking make-up, which is one of the SS13 beauty trends... I had a bad skin period few weeks ago when I started trying a bunch of foundations and skincare and things got out of control with my combo/oily skin type and I had a bit of a break-out situation again... So I decided to lay-low and just stick to the new skincare range I've been trying, it's by SkinCeuticals and is specifically designed for acne prone skin and it seems to have worked wonderfully, I will be writing a full review soon! 

But meanwhile having managed to get my skin to look lovely I've been now using the beautiful Dr.Jart+ BB cream... I just love it, for a full review read my previous blog post or click here! So since my skin is looking lovely and glowy I just felt like wearing very natural make-up... On the eyes I applied Estee Lauder new cream eyeshadow Stay-on Shadow Paint in 01 Chained, a beautiful antique gold but in a natural way... It's a super flattering shade, perfect for this type of look... Then to add some dimension I decided to use a MAC product I forgot I had yet used to love when I first got it... It's MAC Shadestick in Sharkskin, a shimmery gunmetal... The way I apply it is by using an angled brush, the Shadestick is also great for smudging, not the most long-lasting eyeliner but it's perfect for a soft definition and you can use it as an eyeshadow as well...

When it comes to a glowy natural beauty look you need to also highlight your face, I forgot to include the highlighter in the pic but I used the gorgeous bareMinerals Ready Luminizer in The Love Affair, which was a limited edition highlighter that came out before last Christmas... The way I apply highlighter when I want a beautiful luminosity is in a C shape above the highest point of the cheekbone and up to the temple close to the eyebrow, also over the brow-bone just under the brow, on the forehead just over the arch of the eyebrows, on the bridge of the nose [never the tip], cupid-bow and finally a light touch on the chin - that's some professional highlighting for you... To keep it natural make sure to use a good highlighter, stay away from glitters and too much shimmer...

And for lips I like using a nude pink with a little shimmer that brings a gentle freshness to your face but doesn't clash with the rest of the natural look... I particularly love this Estee Lauder Signature Lipstick in 66 Rose Amethyst, unfortunately it's been discontinued! But this lipstick has a bit of a history and is close to my heart so I use it sparingly... 


LOVE

Dr.Jart+ Regenerating BB [Beauty Balm] SPF 30!







Ladies with combo/oily skin type we are onto something here! My skin type goes from very oily during summer to combo/oily in winter and having tried a few BB creams this one I absolutely adore! It's got a great coverage and gives you a very sexy skin finish, it's dewy but not too glowy... The way I use it is by applying it with a Sigma Round Kabuki F82 or RealTechniques Expert Face Brush, blending it in very thoroughly as it is quite thick in consistency... At first it appears very glowy, then I either leave it for 5-10 mins to settle while I do my eye make-up or if I don't have the time then I simply blot the T-zone... 

Next I take my Laura Mercier Mineral Powder SPF15 in Rich Vanilla and lightly blend it all over the face to finish off, that takes off any left excess shine or glow but still leaves a healthy dewy finish... If you have combo/oily skin type mineral foundation is a must have! I can't bare a totally matte finish on my face, it just doesn't look healthy or natural, and so whichever foundation I go for be it matte or dewy Laura Mercier Mineral Powder just gives the perfect finish and also makes it last a lot longer, I basically use it in place of regular powder, which quite often can be too heavy and well powdery... When I combine this beautiful Dr.Jart+ BB cream with Laura Mercier Mineral Powder I feel like I enter the foundation-heaven! 

I totally swear by Japanese skincare, they seem to take it very seriously in terms of what goes into the products, the ingredients, the process, it's all pure science... And so is this gorgeous Beauty Balm pretty much a scientific creating in a tube, a multi-action skincare combined with make-up! It moisturises, protects and corrects... The treatment serum promotes Cell Regeneration by helping to eliminate age spots and blemishes... So it does not only conceal them but it actually treats them as well! I also love the fact that the SPF 30 is so high, which means while it's working to give you that sexy natural, smooth and perfect skin it also protects from future damage! I am so happy to have found such an amazing skincare product!

LOVE

Monday 25 February 2013

Avon Glimmerstick Eye Liners!











First of all please ignore my hair and the layered homey outfit, I shot this look when it was super cold at home while my boiler was getting fixed, but I love how the eye look with the Avon Glimmerstick eyeliner came out, so I am sharing it anyway... These three eyeliners in the shade [swatched above top to bottom]: Majestic Plum [a satin plum], Cosmic Brown [a matte dark brown], Smokey Diamond [a glittery gunmetal] - are from the Christmas Gift Set that I featured in my Christmas Gift Guide... 

I have also tried the Smokey Diamond eyeliner, it's lovely and sparkly... There are a few shades to choose from including an emerald and gold for a bit more drama... Glimmerstick Diamonds is the glittery option of the regular Glimmerstick Eye Liner, if you like a sparkle or two you'll love them... The shade I am wearing is the Majestic Plum, very pretty shade indeed, great on blue eyes, but also would look beautiful on brown and green eyes... Texture wise I find them to be an affordable dupe version for my beloved Chanel Long-Lasting Eyeliners... They are long lasting and you can either draw a line as I did or smoke it out lightly before it sets...

LOVE

Sunday 24 February 2013

Bliss Clog Dissolving Cleansing Milk!



Hope you all have a lovely Sunday! I had a really relaxing not-doing-much day, just caught up with a friend and we went to watch the I Give It a Year at the cinema... Was rather enjoyable to be reminded that sometimes doesn't matter how hard you try to make a relationship work when you are with the wrong person it just feels enlightening when you finally leave them, and meet the right person that is a joy and true pleasure to be with instead!

Here is another great discovery... I like the idea of versatile skincare products, a product that you can use two ways depending on how much time you have or in what condition your skin is! First I discovered this Bliss de-clogging cleanser when I was watching videos on the Bliss Youtube channel, it's actually great for getting to know their products... Bliss Clog Dissolving Cleansing Milk can be used as a cleanser just washing your face with if you are in a rush or if you have five minutes to spare you can also apply it as a facial... 

I really like it, and the reason is that it's meant to suit all skin types so it's not even specifically designed for combo/oily skin type, which I have, yet I love it on my skin! When I use it as a facial it seems to reduce the appearance of enlarged pores significantly, which makes sense hence it's de-clogging them... At the same time it's keeping the skin nicely hydrated and balanced, which means for us, people with combo/oily skin types it's a bit of a miracle because usually if you get such a cleansing effect the skincare products tend to strip the skin too much making it then over produce oil... Catch 22... Not with this baby! And when I don't have time for a facial I simply use it as a cleanser in place of my regular facial cleanser, and it just leaves my skin feeling fresh!


LOVE

Friday 22 February 2013

Estee Lauder Pure Color Stay-on Shadow Paint!







Wearing the 06 Cosmic shade...


I can't believe I bought these last summer, or just before and they have been sitting on my desk ever since, so I finally decided to use them in this look! They are very very pretty and very light!






Estee Lauder Stay-on Shadow Paint in 06 Cosmic [L] and 01 Chained [R]




I have been really looking forward to the new Estee Lauder Shadow Paint cream eyeshadows, they just came out last month... And finally here I have two beautiful shades! There isn't a day when I don't wear a cream eyeshadow either as a base or on it's own so I am a huge fan of the cream eyeshadow texture! I really like the texture of these beauties, first they go on quite sheer and then you can either leave it for a wet natural eyeshadow look or you can easily build it up for more pigmentation... If you have super oily eyelids I'd recommend to use a primer just as you'd do with any other eyeshadows...

The darker shade 06 Cosmic is the one I am wearing, it's a gorgeous shimmery bronzy chocolate, and the the lighter colour is 01 Chained a beautiful satin goldy nude... Both are beautifully smooth, and the texture is very light and mousse-like, very sophisticated as you'd expect from Estee Lauder... I love the element of luxury in Estee Lauder make-up, the textures, the shades, and the packaging...

LOVE

Thursday 21 February 2013

Reem Acra Eau de Parfum!

Exclusively available at Harrods...






When ever I write about perfumes I always have the fragrance bottle sitting on my desk so that I can keep on smelling the scent, as it is the case right... This is a new addition to my fragrance collection and I am super excited to share it with you! Reem Acra Eau de Parfum launched in October 2012, so it's relatively new... This fragrance is right up my alley, and I've been wearing it for the past week... It's a sophisticated sensual warm scent, which I can't get enough of at the minute... It's one of those fragrances that smell on your skin when your pulse goes up, or your skin gets warmer... So it lasts very well, which is what I love... It's a heavy, slightly masculine scent! If you are a fan of Tom Ford fragrances you'll love this one...

The fragrance opens with a fusion of orange blossom and a blend of pear and bergamot... Then it moves to warm ginger and passes through a delicate bouquet of jasmine(!), lily of the valley and blooming peony... And then it finishes on the elegant trail of signature amber and hand-selected cedar wrapped in sophisticated notes of patchouli and warm musk...Oh my what a stunning scent combination...

I also love the glamorous bottle design which was inspired by Reem Acra's classic Hollywood glamour style... Reem Acra is highly regarded as bridal designer amongst the celebrities... And so her first couture perfume was inspired by the elegance of the bridal dresses, the glamorous red carpet events and her Lebanese heritage... Every time I smell this fragrance on me it brings me back to my childhood, having spent a few years in the Middle East, the most memorable moments are the ones of their fragrance stores, stunning antique scent bottles filled with intense perfume oils... And also the Arab women wore the most beautiful fragrances, leaving an intoxicating scent trail... 


LOVE

Wednesday 20 February 2013

Obsessed With: Topshop Lip Stick in Hedonist!











I have just tried this Topshop Lip Stick in Hedonist today, it's the first one from that range I have ever tried, and let me just say this - the second it touched my lips I had a wow-moment... It's a matte, do I need to say any more?! It's so gorgeously bright that immediately it lifts your spirit, and although the sun has been shining the past few days it's still freezing over here in London, and whenever it's a super cold day I just love to pull out the brightest lipstick I own... I have quite a few bright lipsticks in my collection, but hands down this is the brightest out of all of them! It's very similar to MAC Morange, almost like a matte version of it... A mind-note: got to try more shades!



LOVE

On Trend: Metallic Khaki with Gold Glitter Nail Look!

Maybelline Express Finish 40 in Khaki Green...




Deborah Lippmann in Boom Boom Pow...
[exclusively available at House of Fraser]






Last night I was going through my nailpolish collection and stumbled across Maybelline  Express Finish 40 in 850 Khaki Green, it perfectly fits the metallic on-trend bill... This nail look is a little different to what I usually wear, but sometimes it's nice to just pick a colour you haven't worn in a while... First I applied two coats of Khaki Green and then on top as an accent I applied also two coats of Deborah Lippmann in Boom Boom Pow on the ring finger and thumb nail... There is something about the khaki + gold glitter combo!


LOVE

Tuesday 19 February 2013

Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation SPF 15 Review!





shade: Warm Beige 3.5


For a few months I have been on a mission trying to finish off some of my foundations that I had for a while... Some of them were either a wrong shade that I had to mix in with another foundation, and others just stopped working on my complexion, which has changed in the last couple of years but they used to be perfect... So far I have done really well, and I am left with few foundations to go, two of which were a gel-like texture which used to work ok on my skin but now this type of foundation breaks me out, it must be something in the ingredients that doesn't work on my oily/combo skin... So although I have been having good skin now it started to react to those foundation, so I think I'll just throw them out... But having had a bit of a foundation journey now I want to settle on a beautiful high end foundation... 

Also the season will be changing soon, which means I'll start wearing less coverage... One of the remaining foundations in my collection I have revisited is Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation SPF 15... I purchased this foundation over two years ago, and I used to really love it, then my skin got a bit out of control and it didn't have enough coverage for me... But now my skin is more or less under control and this foundation looks just so beautiful, it reminded me of how much I used to love it! Having said that, I only have about one/fifth left in the bottle, so I think I definitely will repurchase this one! 

This foundation has a really light and runny consistency, as you can see on the pic... It's perfect for a natural look but has enough coverage, and a dewy finish without being too glowy as those of us with oily/combo skin try to avoid the extra glowy-ness... I think it's one of those foundations that are great for both dry and combo skin, unless you are super oily, in summer I would definitely need a different foundation as that is when my skin goes on an oil over-drive... But now during winter it lasts very well and I love the way it makes my skin look, it would be equally beautiful on fresh springy day, which I am really looking forward too!! Yay, we are only couple weeks away from spring...


LOVE