Top 12 Beauty Products of 2012

Since 2012 is drawing to an end I thought that a post about the products I discovered and loved the most this year would be very appropriate. 2012 was a great year beauty wise because I managed to discover a lot of products which have now become some of my staples and which I will probably use for years to come.Therefore, here are my top 12 beauty products of 2012!

 

1. Urban Decay Naked Palette. This is literally the best makeup palette I have ever used. I am a huge fan of natural/ neutral looks so this palette is perfect for me. The eyeshadows have some really beautiful shades and are of great quality.

 

2. Guerlain Lingerie de Peau foundation. 2012 was the year I've found the perfect foundation for my skin. It fuses so well with  my skin tone, it is really light and it leaves a natural and soft finish.

 

3. Dior blush in Sunkissed Cinnamon.  Satin texture, peachy bronze shade, beautiful finish...what's not to love about this blush?

 

4. Benefit They're Real Mascara. I've read mixed reviews about this mascara, so I was really eager to try it. And when I did...I loved it! I didn't find it clumpy at all, it gave my lashes great volume and length while carefully separating them. I will definitely keep repurchasing it.

 

5. YSL Touch Eclait. Back in summer I gave in and bought my first Touch Eclait and I'm happy I did because I really like it. It brightens by under eye area without making it look cakey or unnatural.

 

6. Sephora lipstick in shade CO7. I love Sephora lipsticks because they have a very soft and hydrating texture. And since 2012 was a very berry coloured year I couldn't pass the opportunity of buying a lipstick in this particular shade. It has a versatile colour because you can either apply it until your lips look rather dark and intense or you can apply it with your fingers so that you will obtain the "just bitten lips" effect.

 

7. Bioderma cleanser. This is one great makeup remover, because it cleans the skin really well, it doesn't make my eyes sore and it leaves my face really revitalised and fresh.

 

8. Flora Gorgeous Gardenia by Gucci. Fragrance wise this year I've fallen in love with this sweet and subtle scent from Gucci.

 

9. Syoss hair repair mask. I love this hair mask so much. It strengthens my hair a lot and it gives it great texture and volume. I use it once a week or once every other week (depending on my mood and the state of my hair) on wet hair and leave it for only two or three minutes to do its magic.

 

10. Carmex lip balm. Because I have sensible lips, lip balms are really necessary to me; and in my opinion Carmex is the best lip balm I've ever tried. It's very hydrating and I also use it as a base for my lipstick.

 

11. Rimmel Soft Kohl eyeliner. This is the best black eyeliner out there, it doesn't smudge, it lasts the whole day and it is really intense.

 

12. Sally Hansen nail polishes. I'm really happy I've discovered this nail polish brand, because they have a great variety of beautiful shades with a good staying power (my favourite shade so far is Greige Gardens - the one in the above photo).

 

So these have been my top 12 beauty products which I loved the most this year. I hope you liked this post and you've been inspired to try new products :)

 

Lots of love x

February Favourites

Hello girls,

I hope you are having a wonderful sunny weekend! Today I wanted to write about the products I've used the most in the past month. Since most of February was pretty cold and it snowed a lot, I used a lot of hydrating products (shocking, I know) and less make-up products on my face since I risked turning into a raccoon due to the all the snow. Therefore, for me, the first part of February hasn't been very glam since my main purpose was to be hydrated and natural :) Thankfully, spring is here now and I can't wait for all the colour!

On to the favourites now:

1. Benefit Erase Paste - I'm in love with this concealer; I like its texture, its coverage and the fact that it brightens my under eye area. The only minus is the fact that it tends to settle into the fine lines under my eyes, but if you apply some powder on top of it it will resolve the problem.

2. Carmex lip balm - the best lip balm I've ever used. I have very sensitive lips so this highly moisturising lip balm is perfect for me whether I use it on its own or as a base for my lipstick.

3. Nivea Pure & Natural body milk - I really like Nivea's Pure & Natural line. I find this body lotion to be very hydrating and you only need a relatively small amount of product to do the job.

4. Dove hand cream (winter limited edition) - I have really dry skin on my hands so I constantly need a very hydrating hand cream, especially during winter time, and this limited edition hand cream from Dove was surprisingly good.

5. Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in the shade 'boy' - this has got to be my favourite lipstick shade. I love natural shades on my lips and this gorgeous shade of natural pink looks so elegant and luxurious. I also love its soft texture and the fact that it's so easy to ware.

6. Lancome Juicy Tube in 'Lychee' - in terms of lip glosses, this new Juicy Tube is my current favourite. I like the fact that it's so moisturising and it has a good lasting power. It is a bit too sheer, but it has a nice pinkish shade, perfect for natural looks.

7. Sephora and Maybelline liquid eye liners - since in February I went for a more natural look which didn't involve any elaborate eye make-up, these two liquid eyeliners (one in purple and one in black) were my most reached out eye products. These two aren't exactly the most intense eyeliners but they are very appropriate for a more natural look.

8. Garnier Fructis hair polishing wax - in winter my hair tends to be quite freezy due to all the hats and knitwear, so I needed a product to keep it under control. This polishing wax from Garnier Fructis, except from the fact that it smells divine, kept my hair into place, fixing (most of the times) its frizz typical for this dry period. I also liked the fact that it offered shine to my hair, which made it look healthier.

9. Apple scented Ikea candle - it smells gorgeous! I think this is my new favourite scent. It's so fresh and energising.

Which were your favourites this month? Any product you can recommend me?

Take care x

Benefit erase paste & some bits and bobs

Not only it's weekend but I'm also almost done with my exams! But since for the time being I'm living in the North Pole, probably in the next 2 days I'm going into indulge in some indoor activities. Honestly, after this stressful period I can't wait to just relax and do nothing. I have a pile of DVDs waiting for me, some good books to read and my favourite magazines to flip through. A well deserved rest I may add.

Moving on now, I'm so happy that I finally found a great concealer. It took me a while, but the wait was worth. I've heard for quite a while about Benefit's erase paste, but I was a little sceptical and preferred to buy other concealers instead. But since I wasn't fully satisfied with them, I decided to finally give the famous erase paste a try. Aaaaand...I love it! For once, the rumours were true, so to say.

What I love about it:

- its great coverage (my dark circles are history)

- its creamy texture which doesn't dry out my under eye area

- brightens the under eye area

- it blends really well

- it also covers blemishes

What I don't like

- it tends to settle into the thin lines under my eyes

You only need a tiny amount of product to do the job. Use the spatula to take the product out of the pot, then apply it under your eyes and simply dab it with your fingers until it blends completely. I  like the idea of the little "instructions manual" with the 3 lessons on how to use the product. They do know how to sale a product, don't they? Will I repurchase it? Definitely yes! It is the best concealer I've used up to now.

Here's a swatch of the erase paste (I have the medium shade).

I've also swatched my new Sephora liquid eye liner in shade prune aubergine. I love purple eye liners because I have green eyes and purple tends to make my eyes stand out more. Not much to say about it, except the fact that it has a good staying power and a lovely pigmented shade.

The last thing I want to show you is this beautiful diary I bought a few days ago. Its art deco design attracted me immediately. It looks so sophisticated and the woman seems so mysterious and exquisite. Love it!

Have a beautiful weekend and stay warm!

Clarins face powder & Sephora present

Hello girls!

Today I want to show you my new Clarins compact face powder and a few bits and bobs. As I told you before, I'm all for a natural look, therefore I wanted a light and soft face powder which could give my skin a healthy, matte finish. I'm very pleased with this powder and I think that the description from its packaging suits it perfectly, because it really has "an ultra light texture which melts into the skin for a natural, velvety finish" and it "evens the complexion in a subtle, soft veil". So much poetry :)) To make things simpler, these are the words that describe it best: light, natural, soft, comfort and subtle. So if you are searching for a powder which can give you all of these, here it is!  It comes in three shades and I have no 30 Beige sable/ Sandy beige.

Next, I wanted to show you the little present I received from Sephora and Givenchy. Because I recently purchased some products from Givenchy, they offered me (and many other customers of course) a free make-up bag, some brushes (except the face brush the rest of them are really tiny and kinda useless) and an anti-wrinkle cream sample (which I'm gonna give to my mum).

I really like the make-up bag; it was perfect timing because I was actually searching for a new one.

And last but not least I wanted to tell you that My New Look order arrived yesterday and the cardigan looks great! It has a gorgeous lively colour that will make any outfit stand out. I must say I expected it to be shorter, but I like it nevertheless. Here is a sneak peek...the rest in a future outfit post :D

That's all lovelies!

Until next time, lots of kisses!

New Cosmetics: Chanel Vitalumiere & Sephora goodies

Hello lovelies!

How are you all? I'm so busy with work at the moment...so many things to do and so little time. Other than that, I've ordered a waterfall cardigan from New Look and I can't wait for it to arrive! I hope it doesn't get lost on its way :D

Anyway, today I wanted to show you the latest additions to my cosmetics collection. Fortunately my budget didn't quite suffer that much because I've got most of them as a present for my name day's anniversary a few weeks ago. So I was pretty lucky :)

Here they are:

This is my first mineral foundation. It's from Sephora and I have to say I'm really pleased with it. It has a medium coverage but it is very buildable in the same time. It offers a matte finish and it's indicated for all skin types. The foundation also has SPF15, it's oil free and it doesn't have parabens. I really recommend it because I like how matte and how picture perfect my complexion looks after applying it. The shade I have is R30 (moyen/ medium).

Next up: Chanel Vitalumiere. I wanted this foundation for such a long time and I've got it as a present. It is very light, you barely feel it on your skin, it has medium coverage but is is also buildable if you want a thicker coverage. I personally like lighter foundations because I'm a fan of the natural look and I'm very happy when I find products that offer me a healthy natural glow. And this is what this foundation offers me. It is very moisturising and soft and it has SPF15. The shade I have is nr. 30 Cendre. However, during the day it may look a bit oily around your T zone, and you might need a powder to mattify this region. But overall, I'm pleased with it because it does everything it says.

Last but not least, I wanted to show you these 2 eye shadows.The first one is from Sephora (shade peach beige nr. 13) and the second one is from Too Faced (shade Glamazon). I'm a big fan of neutral/ pastel eye shadows and in the days when I don't feel like wearing too much make-up I apply one of these eye shadows, then some eyeliner and mascara and I'm ready to go :)

That's it guys! I hope you liked these products and in case you were thinking about buying one of them (or all :D), I hope I've managed to help you make up your mind (even a bit) :P

Have an awesome weekend!