Guerlain "Lingerie de Peau" Foundation Review

Every year I used to switch my foundation because I wasn't pleased with any of them, whether they were from the high street or from more expensive brands. Fortunately for me, I believe I have finally found my holly grail foundation, namely Guerlain's Lingerie de Peau in the shade 03 - Beige Naturel. This is an amazing product, it feels really light on the skin, while giving it a natural and healthy finish. This foundation has a light towards medium coverage, but it is buildable, thus if you want to hide some imperfections you can apply another layer without worrying it would look like a mask. The result is a beautiful, radiant and natural looking skin.

 

I think that the foundation has such amazing results because it is build around a formula of skin-infusion, which means that this foundation blends in the texture of your skin, offering you the "second skin" effect. I really love the name they came up with - Lingerie de Peau; I think it really captures the essence of this product: as light and soft as a lingerie.

I should probably add that this foundation has SPF 20 and it can be quite hydrating, thus making it very comfortable to wear. Furthermore, it has a great staying power and it tends to keep my T-zone under control; my face can look a bit oily after a few hours of wearing make-up, but this particular foundation really reduces the sebum production and the shine effect.

However, because this is a light and transparent foundation I don't think it is suited for a skin with problems which needs more coverage. Furthermore, it is really pricey (around 45 Euros). Is it worth it then, you may ask? I would say definitely yes, because it leaves you with a perfect looking skin. But, as I said in many of my reviews, this is my personal opinion of the product and I describe how it works on me. This is why I think that the best thing to do is to ask for a sample and try it at home before purchasing it.

I hope this review has been helpful x

YSL Shocking Mascara Review

I've been using YSL's Shocking mascara for the past month and a half and I wanted to share my thoughts on it. Considering the good reviews I read before purchasing it, I really had high expectations, but unfortunately it disappointed me immensely. It's true that it gave my lashes some volume, but it was very clumpy and it made them look really heavy. Furthermore, it didn't provide any visible length and it also transferred to my lower eyelid. Also, it dried too quickly in my opinion, after less than one month and a half of use. Unfortunately, the only shocking thing about this mascara was haw badly it looked on my lashes.

 

However, I would like to stress out that this mascara might work really well on somebody else because as you know, not all products work the same on everyone. This is just my personal opinion on this particular product which can be perfect for somebody else.

 

Until now, my ultimate favourite mascara remains Diorshow Extase, but I'm currently using Benefit's They're Real and I am really pleased with it so far. Let's hope I will be just as pleased after one month of use as I am now. 

Lots of love x

The Most Beautiful Book

Hello loves! What have you been up to lately? For today I have a beautiful book recommendation. I've been reading this book for the past two weeks and I can honestly say that this has become my all times  favourite book. It managed to dethrone Stendhal's "The Red and the Black" and Maurice Druon's "Les Rois Maudits" ("The Cursed Kings") which until now have been my favourite books.

 

You probably know by now, because I said it countless times, that I am a huge history obsessed geek. Thus it comes as no surprise that my favourite novels are history novels. And if you add one of the most captivating love stories in history as a subject, then there are huge chances I will love it. But you don't have to be a sad little person who adores history (like I obviously am) in order to love this book. It will captivate you right away I promise :)

 

The book is called "Courtesan", it is written by Diane Haeger and it tells the wonderful love story between Diane de Poitiers, one of the most famous courtesans of the 16th century, and Henri II of France. What really fascinated me about their story was the strength of their love and how Diane, a woman who was almost 20 years Henri's senior, managed to remain his one true love and his most thrust worthy confidant until the tragic accident that ended his life. However, this is not only a book about one of the most beautiful love stories in the world, but also a book about the life of an extraordinary woman who managed to remain in history as one of the most enigmatic and intriguing female figures thanks to her beauty, wits,  ambition and incredible life story. This book is beautifully written, it's full of emotional tension and you will submerse in the amazing universe of the 16th century French court created by Diane Haeger with great ease. I guarantee that once you start reading the book, you will not be able to put it down until you finish it.

 

 

You can order it here (international) or here (Romanian site)  

 

I really hope I managed to convince you even a bit to buy this book because it's really worth your time. I think no description can do it justice and this is why I urge you to grab your nearest copy and start reading it immediately!

 

Have a beautiful start of the week x



Summer fragrance: Flora Gorgeous Gardenia by Gucci

I should probably start by saying I'm not too good at describing fragrances, therefore I'll try to keep this post short and simple. If you are a fan of the original Flora perfume, then there is a big chance you will love Gucci's new line of perfumes named "the Garden Collection". The fragrance that most resembles Flora (and my personal favourite) is Gorgeous Gardenia. The difference between them would be that the latter is not as sweet and strong as the original Flora. Gorgeous Gardenia is a little more discrete and more fruity in my opinion.

The reason why I like this perfume so much is because it has all the things I love in a summer fragrance: it's sweet but fresh in the same time, it's deliciously fruity with gorgeous floral notes, it's incredibly feminine and it's long lasting. It's pleasant and fun. It's perfect! 

Its top notes are red berries and pear, its middle notes are gardenia and plumeria and its base notes are brown sugar and patchouli. Gorgeous Gardenia is a fragrance which is both exotic and sophisticated and which has quickly become one of my favourite perfumes ever.

What's your favourite summer fragrance? Any recommendation?

Lots of love x

Vichy Idealia Review

I've been using Vichy's Idealia face cream for about 3 weeks and I think it's about time I did a proper review. I absolutely love it! I've been looking for a good face cream for a few years and now I'm happy to say that I have finally found it!

I should start by saying that Idealia is built around a star ingredient, namely Kombucha extract, which is said to "even skin texture and complexion while smoothing wrinkles, creating thus an ideal skin". It also contains Vitamin E and thermal Vichy water.

What I love most about it is the fact that after I apply it in the morning my skin looks instantly radiant and feels really fresh. I think this happens due to the pinkish colour of the cream which I believe reflects the light, hence the radiant skin effect. Furthermore, it has a gorgeous fruity smell, it is very hydrating and  it's easily absorbed into the skin, so you don't have to worry about any excess left on your face that will make your skin look oily during the day. Another thing I like about Idealia is the fact that it evened and softened the appearance of my skin over time. But I have to add here that I don't have any major skin problems or discolouration except for a few spots now and then (I have a normal skin type), therefore I cannot predict its efficiency on a skin with acne problems or scars. But, being such a good face cream (at least in my opinion) it may have some positive results.

Moreover, after I apply my foundation, my skin doesn't lose its glow as it is the case with other illuminating face creams. On the contrary, my face looks radiant, healthy and fresh the entire day. I also noticed that this cream tends to control the sebum production around my T-zone, hence another bonus point.  

Vichy Idealia is available for dry skin and normal/combination skin, but it's also suitable for sensitive skin and it's paraben free.

I know this will sound like a huge cliche but Idealia is truly an ideal cream for me. It has improved my skin's quality in only a few days and for the first time I can see clearly the benefits of a product: radiant, even skin, which feels fresh and hydrated throughout the day. I'm really impressed :)

Have you tried it? Take care x

Seduction in the City: The Birth of Shopping

Hello girls,

Today I have a great documentary recommendation for all the shopping lovers out there (and not only). A few days ago I watched this fantastic documentary on Viasat History called Seduction in the City: The Birth of Shopping and I immediately fell in love with it! Hmmm history and shopping? The perfect combination as far as I'm concerned! Basically, it tells the story of how department stores were born and how they changed society forever, while sowing the seeds of female emancipation. Needless to say, this quickly became one of my favourite documentaries of all time.

Since I'm not that good at describing films, or documentaries for that matter, I will leave you with a great description I found on an Australian website (www.femail.com.au), because they describe it a million times better than I would :)

Seduction in the City: The Birth of Shopping is the fascinating two part series that tells the story of the department store - how it became the greatest invention to emerge from the industrial revolution and ultimately changed the role of women in society forever.

This elegant documentary series reveals the foresight of internationally renowned store entrepreneurs such as France's Aristide Boucicaut, Britain's Harry Selfridge, New York's Rowland Macy and Australia's own Sidney Myer, who invented such revolutionary concepts that now form the basis of everyday shopping conveniences. These include easy credit, returns policies, window displays, changing rooms and ladies' toilets. The foresight of these men and the department stores they created offered women the first chance to have a career outside of the home.

Seduction in the City brings to life the ambitious and magical world of the 19th century department store with rich reconstructions of key characters, rare archival footage of Myer's opening in Victoria, sophisticated animation and illuminating interviews together with quirky advertisements, extraordinary diary excerpts and letters and posters of the age. It tells the untold social history of the phenomenon of shopping that took hold of the world and transformed the lives of women, national economies and saw the birth of consumer culture. The inspiration for the documentary came from the research and work of Melbourne-based academic, Sylvia Sagona, whose playful take on history is refreshingly humorous.

Episode One- "A Genius Idea"
The first episode of Seduction in the City introduces viewers to the world's first department store created by the visionary 19th century French entrepreneur, Aristide Boucicaut.
Boucicaut's store, Le Bon Marché, situated on the left bank of Paris and engineered by the famous Gustave Eiffel, is a huge success and his magnificent "cathedral of commerce" is very quickly copied all over the world. Stores like Selfridges in London, Myers in Melbourne and Macys in New York develop the idea further, craftily inventing more enticing ideas to lure in customers and sell industrial goods in huge numbers. Consumer culture is thus born. This episode also establishes four archetypal, female characters, Mrs Debt, Mrs Homemaker, Lady Kleptomania and Miss Assist. These dramatic characters illustrate the changing presence of women's place in society. This episode focuses on Miss Assist's ascent from provincial shop girl to department manager eventually running her own store, in contrast with Lady Kleptomania's immersion in the darker side of shopping - stealing for pleasure.

Episode Two- "A Modern Game"
The second episode reveals the canny secrets of the retail game in the early part of the 20th century, examining the tactics of the world's greatest retailers.

Philadelphia merchant, John Wanamaker, exploits religion by being the first vendor to create sales on Christian festivals: Christmas and Easter. Wanamaker even invents Mother's Day to encourage shoppers to spend more.

Meanwhile, penniless Russian immigrant to Australia, Sidney Myer, suppresses his Jewish faith by trading on the Sabbath to fit in with the Anglo majority. This controversial decision works in his favour as his business grows from pushcart to major city institution in less than a decade. Myer also helps shatter class barriers by the introduction of a department store staple - the bargain basement.

Over in England, the showman, Harry Gordon Selfridge in London dazzles his store 'guests' with new inventions including escalators, electric windows and telephones. Also in this episode the role of Mrs Debt is explored as she falls into every trap set by the department store. Her radical solution to paying her increasing bills is prostitution. In contrast, Mrs Homemaker outwits the stores triumphantly exploiting store freebies.

I highly recommend it. You will no doubt love it! It is really interesting to see how it all started almost 150 years ago. You will be surprised to find that even back then things weren't too different than they are today.

Modalu Toffee 'Pippa' Bag

Yesterday was my 24th birthday and it was perfect! I've spent it with the most beautiful and special persons who mean the world to me. Thanks to the fact that it was weekend, I celebrated both on Saturday and Sunday :D Saturday I cooked a special (and delicious!) dinner for my family and on Sunday I went to a lovely Italian restaurant with my boyfriend and some friends. Delicious food and great company, what more could I ask? I am so grateful to be surrounded by such beautiful people who make my day even more special!

But now, let's get to the real star of today's post, namely my new Modalu toffee 'Pippa' bag! I wanted this bag for ages and I can't believe I have finally got my hands on it! One of the best birthday presents ever! It is absolutely a timeless classic and it is of great quality. The reason why I've chosen the toffee is because I wanted a bag which I could carry all year round and I believe that this colour is perfect for every season. Moreover, besides having a highly qualitative leather, it is extremely spacious and it has three compartments where you can put loads of stuff in. It is an excellent bag which looks very luxurious and sophisticated and most importantly, it is extremely versatile.

Therefore, if you are looking for a timeless classic, which is of great quality and which you can wear all year round, whether you go to work, run some errands, or meet with friends, then the toffee 'Pippa' is the perfect bag for the job.

How lovely are the shells from the zippers?

I've also added this picture of me with the bag so that you can make an idea about its size.  Not the best quality picture, I know, but it will do for the time being :) 

I hope this post was helpful for everyone interested in buying a toffee 'Pippa' bag. I know that when I was looking for the toffee, I searched all the internet for pictures in real light or for a proper review but they were impossible to find.

Do you have any Modalu bags? If so, how do you style them? x

Balea "Trend It Up" Dry Shampoo Review

Hello girls!

Today I want to talk to you about Balea "Trend It Up" Dry Shampoo. This is the first dry shampoo I've ever tried, but I love it. It's super easy to use and the results are great.

I wash my hair every three days so in its third day it tends to be a little greasy and most of the times I have to tie it in a pony tail or braid it. Therefore when I heard about this dry shampoo from a fellow blogger I couldn't wait to get my hands on it!

The product claims to revitalize your hair, reduce the sebum and the bad smell. Moreover, you can win up to one day without washing it.

My opinion

Fortunately, the product does what it claims. It reduces the sebum and adds a bit of volume, therefore the hair looks revitalized. It also has a fresh but discreet smell, which is good because you're not going to feel dizzy after using it. I still wash my hair in its third day but at least it looks decent throughout the day. Also it has a small price tag, less than 3 euros. A total bargain because I love the product and I really recommend it! Whenever you want to revitalize your hair or you don't feel like washing it, this dry shampoo is the answer! However, don't exaggerate and use it more than one day because it can have a reversed effect. Also, you better use it when your hair starts to look greasy and not when it's really greasy because I don't think it will have any effect at all.

How to use it

After diving your hair in strands, spray the product over them, especially at the roots and less towards the ends because it can dry your hair a bit. You will notice that the shampoo will leave some white powder when you apply it, and this is why you have to wipe it with a towel or simply massage it so that you spread the product through your hair.

I hope this review was helpful :)

Until next time, lots of kisses!