Stila Skincare Light Source Review!

This Stila Skincare Light Source serum was from my goodie bag when I went to the Stila Summer 2013 event, if you want to read more about that and see some really exciting new products from the Stila Summer 2013 Collection click here! I always associated Stila purely with make-up so to me it was a great revelation to discover that Stila Skincare is as awesome as the make-up!! The Light Source is a spot correcting and brightening serum. It helps to even out skin tone, working on dark spots, hyperpigmentation, and acne scars - sounds like heaven to me! I'm really impressed with this one. As you can see on the last pic it's a gel like texture, very light, fast absorbing, leaving your skin feeling super smooth. And it smells of lavender, a very calming and clean scent, makes it a joy to use!

It has an impressive list of ingredients [straight form the box]:

• alpine rose stem cell technology closely mimics the function of human stem cells responsible for renewing, repairing & defending healthy skin
• encapsulated brightplex peptide technology targets & treats existing dark spots to help fade  them while breaking up the melanin clusters responsible for causing hyperpigmentation
• antioxidant rich, stabilized vitamins A, C & E help reduce the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles, restore elasticity & protect skin from free radical damage
• red algae helps inhibit melanin production
• made with love & without synthetic fragrance, mineral oil, sulfates, parabens or phthalates
• ideal for sensitive skin

Use it morning and/or evening on cleansed skin, half a pump is enough for me, a little goes a long way with this serum, it will last for ages. Light Source is a god-given skin goodness!

LOVE

Butter London Cuppa - Sweetie Shop Collection Spring 2013!

When I first saw Butter London Cuppa in the bottle I thought it might end up making my hands look like mannequin, in the bottle it kind of looks like a greyish nude but actually it's a warm-tone creamy nude! OMG(!) I'm so happy I tried it on, it is the most flattering and sexy nude I have ever come across, hands down it's my all time favourite pastel nude! It's super opaque, and I had absolutely no troubles applying it, two coats looked perfect. Cuppa is from the Sweetie Shop Collection, which has five other pretty pastel shades perfect for spring! Best way to describe this shade: think - English Tea! It looks exactly like black tea with milk, hence the name I guess.

LOVE

New John Frieda Luxurious Volume Range Review!

I'm excited to share the new haircare range from John Frieda, which was very nice of them to send me so that I could try the products and let you know what my thoughts are! First of all any hair product that promises lightweight volume gets my attention. As I have mentioned many times I love volume and texture in my hair, but at the same time I like my hair to be soft and look healthy. After having tried these products I can say they have ticked all the boxes. This range also has a Volume Building Mousse and All-Day Hold Hairspray.

Usually a volumising shampoo tends to tangle my hair a lot, which causes breakage and frizz - I have super long hair so for me it's important to use hair products that will be good to my hair. I was really positively surprised that the Luxurious Volume Shampoo was practically the least tangling shampoo I have experienced in a very long time. Generally I always need a conditioner to get the tangles out and get the hair really smooth, but before I even got to the Luxurious Volume Conditioner the shampoo washed out leaving my hair feeling silky so that I could easily run my fingers through.

In terms of the styling Luxurious Volume hair products I also loved how it didn't give my hair that crispy texture that often a volumising product can do. The Luxurious Volume Blow Dry Lotion is a great root booster, you need to spray it on towel-dried hair [little goes a long way, you don't want to put a ton of products into freshly washed hair] and then just blow dry as usual. This product is great if you like to lift the roots for crown volume, especially great for those with fine limp hair as it thickens strands.

Then there is also the Luxurious Volume Blow-Out Spray, it's great for fine to full hair and can be used on the entire length as well as the roots, then style and blow dry as usual. The Luxurious Volume Dry Shampoo is gentle, not too powdery and a great way to freshen up your hair during the day or in-between washes as it absorbs oil, this is to be sprayed into the roots only by lifting up sections of hair and spraying underneath [always shake the bottle in-between sprays]. This range gave my hair a nice voluminous lift, without weighting it down, and still looking natural! I would recommend this range to anyone from fine to full hair.

LOVE

OPI Original Nail Envy, Maximum Strenght Formula, Nail Strenghthener!

As I mentioned yesterday I have started using the OPI Nail Envy in the Original Formula. I have long nails and pretty happy with them, but although they are growing quite quickly the nail on my index and sometimes the middle finger too keep braking almost right at the base. So I decided to try and get them to grow stronger. OPI Nail Envy has fantastic reviews, and it's meant to be amazing if you have short nails that won't even grow, or are brittle or weak. I've been using it for over a week, and my nails feel a lot harder and stronger. I also noticed that it seems to make my nailpolishes last a lot longer, literally preventing them from chipping. Pretty amazing!

The way you meant to use it is on a weekly rotation: applying two coat to clean nails as a base and then adding one coat every other day, and then after a week take it all off and start again. I apply two coats as a base, then two coats of a nailpolish and finally one coat of Nail Envy again to finish off, if I want a fast drying topcoat I then seal the whole deal with my Sally Hansen Insta Dri Top Coat and then add another coat of Nail Envy every other day.

LOVE

New Clarins Instant Smooth Crystal Lip Balm!

Wearing: Clarins Instant Smooth Crystal Lip Balm in 06 Crystal Mandarin

The shade I'm wearing: 06 Crystal Mandarin

 

The beautiful shimmer/sheen in the 08 shade came out beautifully, 

all of the four shades have a beautiful sheen, but most predominant in 08 and 09.

05 Crystal Rose - pink with fuchsia sheen; 06 Crystal Mandarin - orange with gold/red sheen;

07 Crystal Gold Plum - plum with gold/bronze sheen; 08 Crystal Berry - berry with purple sheen

In the same order as pictured above...

The 06 and o7 shades are warm-toned and 05 and 08 cool-toned.

I'm super excited to share these, what must be the most beautiful lip balms in existence, I'm not even exaggerating! I know it's a major statement coming from someone who loves all things beauty related, but I'm really obsessed with the new lip balms, Clarins packaging is a class of it's own, even their lip balms look like something from a bondette vanity. Love it! I also love the coloured bottoms, if you are a beauty collector this will be great for storing them upside down! 

But the best part of course are the lip balms themselves, as you can see they don't look very ordinary. Basically it's a lipbalm and lipstick in one. In the middle of the clear balm bullet is the colour, so when applied the two mix creating that soothing lipbalm with great pigmentation! They look and feel beautiful, and like a try lipbalm you just want to keep reapplying it throughout the day. And they smell so good, literally a strawberry heaven. 

The Clarins Instant Smooth Crystal Lip Balm comes in these four beautiful shades. They all have shimmer and sheen in them to give you that perfect full lip! Sofar I wore the 05 and 06 shades and they are really flattering and feel super moisturising. I know I will be wearing these throughout the summer, they are just very easy, super pretty, and just gorj!

LOVE

SS13 Nail Trend: Ombre Nails - Graduated Colour Effect!

 From L to R - the order in which I am wearing the nailpolishes:

Essie Mint Candy Apple; Nails Inc. Royal Botanical Gardens; Essie Where's My Chauffeur?;

Zoya Wednesday; Nails Inc. Queen Victoria Street

 Essie Candy Mint Apple 

 Nails Inc. Royal Botanical Gardens

 Essie Where's My Chauffeur?

 

 Zoya Wednesday

Nails Inc. Queen Victoria Street

Hey beauties, hope you are having a lovely weekend! I had a super busy week as well as daddy was in town visiting, so all the free time I had I spent with my fam and ended up not having any time for blogging at all... But I have lots of great beauty products to share with you so I probably will be writing two blogposts a day until the end of the month!

So lets kick off of a fun spring/summer nail-look I've been wearing for five days straight! I usually paint my nails every other day, but because I have been so busy I was very happy that this nail-look remained looking perfect and chip-free for the entire five days. I suspect that the OPI Nail Envy has something to do with it, as no matter how hard I usually try nailpolish tends to chip on me Day 3 - I do lots with my hands that makes it impossible for a nailpolish to last beyond Day 2. But I will be reviewing the OPI Nail Envy in full very soon!

Ombre nails have been an obsession of mine this year, I had a whole phase of glitter ombre. Ombre nail-look can be a little tricky if you are sort of new to the whole nail painting business... This graduated colour ombre is super easy to create, you just need five similar shades of nailpolish and paint each nail separately either starting from the lightest going darker or from the darkest going lighter. 

LOVE

Tom Ford Grey Vetiver - Unisex Fragrance!

This is another review I wanted to write for a while. I will start by saying that to me all of Tom Ford fragrances are unisex. I happily wear his fragrances for women as well as for men! Without going to deep I am just going to say that there is something about this fragrance that makes me feel very happy. It's comforting in a way. Like when a scent puts you in a happy place, somewhere you went, something you saw or felt with someone very special, a memory is usually what a fragrance evokes. But this fragrance puts me in a very happy place without reminding me of any specific time in my life or a specific person, which is really unusual when it comes to a fragrance. It may sound very strange but instead of the past, this fragrance puts me in a very happy future. Even on my toughest day, after I inhale the intoxicating fumes of Grey Vetiver I somehow know everything will be good.

When I went to purchase Grey Vetiver, the sales assistant was very confused [you know one of those that are rather off-putting than helpful, the common type] - she literally was trying to drag me away from this fragrance saying that it's for men... To me there is no such concept when it comes to a fragrance, fragrance doesn't have a sex, it has a feeling. And really it depends on how you wear the fragrance. I have tested on various occasions and no man detected a "masculine" fragrance, yet they really loved the Grey Vetiver on me. The dominant fresh vetiver [which is Indian grass] is accompanied by salty notes and sunny orange flower and grapefruit, and warm woody accords. It's incredibly irresistible, yet sophisticated, elegant and luxurious. In a way I find Grey Vetiver emancipating and empowering at the same time. If you are a single gal you need this!

LOVE

Percy & Reed No-Oil Oil for Fine Hair!

Hey beauties, this is another hair product by Percy & Reed I have jolly enjoyed in the past few months, but somehow never got to write the review so here it is. As you only need a couple of drops at a time you can see this No-Oil Oil has been well loved! This is another great product of theirs for a beautiful looking voluminous hair. This hair oil is particularly great for fine hair as it doesn't weight it down - it lifts flat fine hair, giving it natural looking oomph and body. Violet extract makes the hair smooth and shiny, while vitamin B5 nourishes the hair making it stronger and also protects from heat. For my very long hair I use one pump massaging it in towel dried hair from root to tip and then blow dry as usual.

LOVE

Chanel Nail Colour in 581 Cinema: Avant-Premiere Collection!

As featured in my previous blogpost here is the beautiful Chanel Nail Colour in 581 Cinema! It's from the new Avant-Premiere Collection that launched earlier this month. The collection was inspired by the glamour in the 50s films, which is really close to my heart as I studied film and wrote my dissertation on the 50s film era! There is just something so decadent and glamorous about the fashion and make-up the actresses wore in the 50s. And so does this collection represent the shades of true femininity and glamour! Cinema is a beautiful vintage warm-tone red. This collection has another three shades of the Nail Colour two of which are also new shades: Starlet [peachy pink with fine shimmer], Paparazzi [rosy plum with a gold sheen], and Provocation is a re-release from last year's Fashion's Night Out Collection [creamy plum].

LOVE

Chanel Avant-Premiere Collection - 50s Film Glamour Beauty Look!

Earlier this month Chanel launched a new collection entitled Avant-Premiere, it was inspired by the 50s film glamour! This collection represents new shades of the Nail Colours, Rouge Coco, and Rouge Coco Shine. In the pictures I'm wearing the Rouge Coco in the shade 51 Ce Soir, which to me loving the 50s films - encapsulates the essence of glamour! Ce Soir is described as intense violin brown, it's a gorgeous colour and looks beautiful with a chocolate brown smokey eye. And on the nails I'm wearing a beautiful and very glamorous indeed shade 581 Cinema! Cinema is a red with an orange tint but it's not screaming, it looks very sophisticated and beautiful!

LOVE

SS13 Beauty Trend: Über Bright Lip - MAC Candy Yum Yum!

I don't know what took me so long to get MAC Candy Yum Yum, but I finally did! It's the fun-est lipstick shade I have added to my MAC lipstick collection, it is also the brightest. Candy Yum Yum is a matte hot pink, almost as bright as a glow-stick! And yes it is a very daring hot pink, I slowly worked myself up the brightness ladder with Maybelline ColorSensational lipstick in 902 Fuchsia Flash, which is also a hot pink but more toned down. To be honest I didn't wear pink lipsticks until very recently, but I wore plenty bright shades [reds and oranges], and now I adore a nice hot pink lip!

Although hot pink lipsticks are really daring, some shades can be very trendy and fresh looking, Candy Yum Yum is a great example - it really brightens up my eyes and makes them pop, which I adore! I love wearing it with the Dior Rosy Glow blush in Petals, which is also a fantastic fresh pink shade that really lifts the face and makes you look super rested and youthful! I have done a full review on Dior Rosy Glow blush, so click here to read it.

LOVE

Smashbox Studio Skin 15 Hour Wear Foundation...

Hey beauties, hope you had a lovely Saturday! In London we had a super pretty day, sunny, warm, beautiful what else could you ask for! I even rocked my flared jeans today, first time this year. This is going to be a short blogpost [hopefully], because it's been a very long day and I hardly can keep my eyes open but since I am a little behind with my blogposts I decided to do a quick review before taking a bath and calling it a day - that's what I call devotion!

Generally I don't write bad reviews simply because I rarely come across products that are bad, which is why I always share beauty stuff that I love and works for me. Having said that, it might well be that this foundation is just not working for my skin type or even that I don't react well to one of the ingredients, so I'm not really saying that it's a bad product as such, but just sharing my experience with you. I have used up about a third of the bottle before finally giving up on it, I always make sure to use any skincare or beauty products for a while before declaring my love/writing a review.

First of all I love how Smashbox Studio Skin Foundation looks with bareMinerals Matte Mineral Foundation on top, both of them together create a beautiful flawless finish. On its own it has a medium coverage but it definitely needs some sort of powder to finish as it feels kind of sticky, it has a thick gel like consistency. It lasts beautifully all day without any need of blotting or powdering throughout the day. So far so good, you'd think! If you are new to my blog: I used to suffer from out of control continuous acne break outs, but have managed to stop the breakouts by choosing the right cleansers, skincare, and gentle exfoliation is the key(!), now I only get a pimple once every few weeks and they are easy to tackle - my skin type is combo/oily.

But already on two previous occasions when I was using this foundation I started to get really painful bumps under my skin, felt and looked like cystic acne. But I wasn't hundred percent sure whether the break out was just due to this foundation as both times I was also trying out other skincare products. But this time [third, and last] I got my skin in almost perfect condition, very clear and I was not using anything else new or different to my regular skincare routine. So I decided to give this foundation one more chance. 

After I used it for about three days I started noticing small pimples in random places, where I usually don't get them. I kept on using the foundation while my skin would get more and more breakouts, out of nowhere all of a sudden I had white heads and that painful bump right in the middle of my cheek appeared again just like the other two times,  which must have been on Day 4 or 5 my skin went from clear to a minefield. So there and then I realised it's just not for me, which is a pity as I do love how it wears, but it's just not worth it. 

This foundation has great reviews, I haven't come across anyone reacting the same way to it as my skin does, so that's why I thought it might be useful if anyone of you is experiencing similar skin reaction and you don't know where it's coming from. My bump is slowly going down, I am using enzymes to exfoliate with and bring my skin back to normal. Oh dear, I just realised I got carried away with this review... But I hope someone out there will find it helpful, after all - we spend so much time and money to get a clear looking skin, so it can be rather frustrating when it gets out of control, which is why the sooner you realise what is causing your skin-madness the better!

LOVE

Avon Nailwear Pro+ Nail Enamel in Decadence!

As in the previous blogpost you could really see this nailpolish on my nails very well I decided to do a separate blogpost - so here it is! I have been a fan of Avon Nailwear Pro+ nailpolishes for a while, they are nicely pigmented and go on beautifully. Decadence is a duochrome metallic purple with a silver, blue and fuchsia shimmer. It's a very fierce shade indeed! I wouldn't mind a nice Porsche in this colour... Dream on Alyona...

LOVE

SS13 Beauty Trend: Blue Sapphire Eyeliner!

 Nails: Avon Nailwear Pro+ in Decadence

[a fierce purple metallic shade]

 Clarins Rouge Eclat in 08 Coral Pink; Avon Nailwear Pro+ in Decadence; 

Avon SuperShock Eye Liner in Shimmering Sapphire

Avon SuperShock Eye Liner in Shimmering Sapphire has a fantastic build-ability, when you swatch it first it looks very sheer but it becomes incredibly pigmented in no time once you build it up... 

Having oily eyelids I was actually amazed at the lasting-power! Although it's not waterproof it lasts as amazingly as the SuperShock Gel Eyeliner, on me actually even better! 

Some of my waterproof eyeliners can transfer a little this one stayed like stencilled - great for the summer!!

Blue eyeliner and eyeshadow have been pop-ing up all over the runways, including Michael Kors, Moschino Cheap & Chic, and Stella MaCartney... Regardless what you put on your eyes the variety is wide, it can be an eyeliner or eyeshadow, applied on the lid or the waterline, thin or thick - what matters most in this trend is that the blues are vibrant, whether you choose a sapphire or a turquoise it's up to you as long as your eyes pop, that's the key! This stunning Avon SuperShock Eye Liner in Shimmering Sapphire doesn't come out as amazingly when I'm wearing it on the pics as it does on the pic as a swatch, but in real life it's just as saturated and beautiful! Shimmering Sapphire has a beautiful almost metallic finish, which makes it pop awesomely, is that a word(?) - if not, it is now!

In this trend however, the lips are kept nude, which makes the look that little bit more crisp and chic! But I went for a peachy lip as my complexion is incredibly pale at the minute, I really need to indulge in a good fake-tan. Until then, I find that whenever I have pale skin I either should do a super smokey eye with lots of black [eyeliner as well as waterline] then keep the lip nude, but if I'm sort of keeping it pretty bare in the eyeshadow department I absolutely have to stick on a bright lip to give my complexion a lift and look more fresh! Having said that, I actually really want to try this look with a nude lip once my skin gets a bit more colour!

LOVE