Top 11+ of 2011

Hello Hello!!!
It is the 30th of December today and Christmas 2011 was only a couple of days ago. My Christmas was pretty cool considering the lack of friends and family.
Now, 2011 is coming to an end and it is , of course, time for the products that were loved the most this year!I will start with beauty products...
Here is the list:

UD Naked Palette(surprised??I don't think so...)

MAC "Peaches" blush

NARS "Laguna" bronzer(an all time classic product for me)

MAC Lady Gaga lipstick "Viva glam Gaga II"

Bobbi Brown gel liner(Black Ink)

ELF mineral blush in the colour "Coral"

Vaseline lip therapy lip balm (I love all of them but ,recently, I have been reaching for the one in Cocoa Butter).

Sigma "F80" brush

Bobbi brown tinted moisturiser (my colour is "Light Tint")

No7 Stay Perfect eyeshadown in the colour "wheatsheaf"

Dior Addict Ultra gloss in the colour "Reflect"

As a bonus I am also going to list my 4 most worn nail colours of 2011(one for each season starting with Autumn) as well as the 4 top skincare products.
Nails:

OPI "Done out in deco"
Essie "Bahama mama"

Barry M Boots Limited edition No 24
Orly "Pixy Styx"

Unfortunately I don't have swatches for this polish...

Skincare:

Bepanthol moisturising lotion

LUSH tea tree toner

Apivita Creamy face and eye foam cleanser with olive and lavender.

Simple kind to skin Clarifying Cleansing lotion
That is all...!I hope you like this post and that you had a great Christmas.
Lastly, I wish all of you a wonderful new year. May it bring you hapiness, good health and leave you with numerous great memories!! :)
Love you all!

Athina

Garnier BB cream review!!

I know this is a long awaited post and I would like to say that I am sorry for taking so long to do this but a xouple of things went wrong, the most important of all being that I lost the pictures I took of the products and the swatches and then, I left the product at home in one of my trips from Moscow to Greece. So, I had to ask the lovely Evi (http://cbsg5861.blogspot.com/) to send me some of her pictures to use in this post.

Let's start by saying a little bit about the product. BB stands for Blemish Balm and it has been around for ages especially in Asian markets. But the West is catching up and introducing BB creams to its public.
Now, I am a big fan of tinted moisturisers and lightweight foundations because I love the fact that they even out my skin without looking cakey so, before I got this I was so excited to try it.
Now, on to the review...!
On the packaging: Miracle Skin Perfector. Daily all-in-one BB cream.

+
Lightweight
Very easy to blend
Evens out skintone
Affordable (retail price: 9,99 euro)
Widely available(In Greece you can buy it from Hondos Center and in the U.K. you can get it from both Boots and Superdrug).
Dewy finish(This is on the + list especially at this time of year when my skin is super dry...)
Perfect for people like me who love an even skin without a massive amount of coverage.
-
I am not loving the smell. It is not horrible or anything but I am not a fan.
If you are expecting foundation-like coverage this is not a product for you.




I hope this review has helpful and I would love to know what you think of the product if you try it(or if you have already tried it).

**Note: These products were sent to me by the company for review purposes. I was not compensated for this review and I am not affiliated with the company.
I ALWAYS give my 100% honest opinion because I respect my readers and cherish their trust.**

The pictures are courtesy of Evi (http://cbsg5861.blogspot.com/) and I would like to thank her for the helping blog-hand!!

xoxo
Athina

MAC "What Joy" lipstick

Firstly, I am so sorry that I have been MIA the past week but work has been extra hectic. Now, here is a new post with swatches of my current favourite lipstick which is "What Joy" by MAC(from their holiday collection).

Natural Light


Under artificial Light

Swatches on the skin

I hope you liked this short post and I would love to know which is YOUR current favourite lipstick!!!
My next post is going to be the Garnier BB Cream Review so watch out for that!!

xoxo
A.

What's in my bag TAG!!

Hello my dears!

I was tagged by the lovely Irene aka "Blushingloves" (http://lovelyviolet5.blogspot.com/) to do this tag.
I love reading these type of posts(nosey much?!)so I am very excited to do a newer version of this post for you guys!!
I have to admit that I cheated a little bit because the bag I am "featuring" in this post is brand new(It is actually my early Christmas present to myself and I bought it on Friday).
Now on to the post...

"The bag"
Longchamp/Le pliage Tote bag(size: 31x30x19)in the colour graphite.

"The contents part 1"
mini umbrella, tissues, my passport(I need to carry it with my in case anyone stops me), gum, harrods mini coin purse(I put some emergency medicine in there) and my moleskin and erasable pen(both purple :p)

"The contents part 2"
my ASOS snake mittens(aren't they cute?)and my Paul's boutique purse.
I also carry my BlackBerry Storm II but since I am taking the pictures with it I could not photograph it.
Lastly I carry my make-up bag...

I got this from H&M in the summer and I have been using it ever since.

I've cut way down on the amount of stuff I put in my make-up bag. I take a mini Chloe perfume(my favourite perfume of all time), the ELF complexion perfection(for touch-ups), the nature's minerals kabuki and the tea tree blotting tissues by the body shop, a mini hair clip, a mini toothbrush and toothpaste and the snow fairy lip tint by LUSH.
Now, it is my turn to tag people I think so here it goes...
Lydia http://madeofstarsblog.blogspot.com/

Evi http://cbsg5861.blogspot.com/
Tina http://allthevanity.blogspot.com/
Sophie http://fashion-written-with-alipstick.blogspot.com/

I hope you guys liked this post and I would loooove to know what's in YOUR bag ;)
xoxo
Athina

November favourites!!!

Well hello....!!!!It is, finally, December and since the Christmas holiday month is upon us I think it is time to say goodbye to November (who left me a year older...:P) with some favourite products.
Here are all the products with a rather Christmassy background.

Let's start with a brush!This past month I have been loving my Sigma P82. I have been using it every day since I got it and I just can't live without it now!!


On my nails: Barry M nail paint in Racing green and China glaze "Snow Globe" on the ring finger.
Next up are two "all time classic" MAC products that I have been loving lately. These are: the studio finish concealer(NW25)and the Studio Fix powder(C3). I don't wear liquid foundation on a daily basis because I haven't found one that gives me the light coverage I want and stays on all day(any recommendations are welcome by the way).So, instead, I like putting on concealer on my nose, chin and under my eyes and then I use a powder brush with my foundation powder to set the concealer and even out my skin.

The next favourite is the Illamasqua cream blusher in "Dixie"(No suurprise there).Amazing cream blusher...I totally recommend it!!

Another non-surprising favourite is the Zoya nailpolish in "Kelly".

Then, we have the Lancome Hypnose mascara. I don't know whether they have changed the formulation the last couple of years but this new version is pretty good.

Since you probably know what the packaging looks like I took a picture of the brush instead.
Last but not least, I have been LOVING this NO7 stay perfect eyeshadow in the colour Weatsheaf. This is my third re-purchase of this product which goes to show you that I just cannot live without it. It is my perfect sligtly shimmery nude.


Now since I got a vote of confidence on the LOTM (look of the month), I will include one in this post as well. The picture is not very clear but you'll get the idea behind it, hopefully.


The look is basically a very thin winged liner with a matte eye contour colour("Buck" from the U.D. NAKED palette), paired with dark red/ berry lips. This specific lip colour is from the MAC glitter and ice collection and it is called "What joy". If you'd like to see swatches let me know ;)
Also please ignore the fur hood...it is a must in Moscow if you want to survive the winter... :P

Those are my November favourites and I cannot wait to hear/ read about yours!!!! :)
xoxo
Athina

Kerastase Elixir K Ultime Review.

Hello my dears,

Today's post is a review on a product I was sent a while back. However, before I get started let me say that even though I was sent this product, I was not asked to review it neither was I compensated for the review. For those of you who have been my readers for a while you know that I would never risk my "relationship" with you guys by giving a positive review on a product I don't like just because the company sent it to me. I have reviewed plenty of products in the past, the 99% of which was purchased by me.
Also, let me tell you that I have been holding back on this review because I was waiting for some external input to enrich this post(as I mentioned in my last post).
Now let's get started!!

This is a hair product(an oil) which is used to nourish and condition the hair.
Given the fact that I have oily roots I have never tried a similar product to this. In the past I have used traditional conditioners as well as a couple of different silicone products but, in time, I became resigned to the idea that I can nourish my dry ends without making my roots more oily than they already are.
Before I got a chance to try this product I did a little bit of online research and read some reviews. Most people mentioned the fact that it is very lightweight, that it is very nourishing and it that it smells great. I have to say that I agree for the most part. I was , also, worried that it would be one of these products that would only work if you apply it on damp hair and then style.
Now, in order to make this review more elaborate I gave samples to a couple of friends to try the product. We all have different hair types so I thought this might help a lot of you.

I will start with my experience with the product and then share with you some comments from the other people who tried it.
My review:

+
It is lightweight.
It can be used before the shower and then washed off and it still works.
It makes the hair soft and easy to style.
It doesn't weight down fine hair, like mine(when used as a pre-shower treatment)
It smells phenomenal(I know this might not be very important to some but I just wanted to add it to the list of positive things because it is truly yummy).
A little goes a long way.
Since I am also a sucker for packaging I have to say that the special packaging of the product I received(which was a collaboration with the designer brand YAZBUKEY) is very pretty.

-
If you have oily roots you should stick to using it before the shower because(like any oil product) it will not help with your oilyness.

The price! Given the fact it is a very difficult time for most people, I would say that the price of this product is not very attractive.However, If you want to try it I would suggest finding a friend(or two) who wants to try it as well and sharing the cost and the product.

I would not recommend going crazy with it since it is still an oil even though it is lightweight. Two pumps are plenty for the entire hair(that is if you have fine/oily hair like mine).

If you have hair similar to mine don't use this on the roots of your hair.Start applying it from the middle part of the hair downwards.


Now, here are some comments from some of my friends who tried it as well...

Lydia aka our guest blogger(straight,fine hair that has been coloured a lot in the past and it goes through styling daily): It made my hair really soft however the smell is a little overpowering for my liking.

Kate(curly hair, relatively normal but with dry ends and a history of dying and styling):"I like the product.It leaves my hair soft and looking nice and shiny. Also, after styling my hair I witnessed a lovely silky feeling."

I hope you found this interesting and helpful. Of course,I welcome your questions and comments as always!!

Ta-da!!!!
xoxo
A.

Ok...so I bought some stuff...(a collective haul)

Hello my lovely readers,

During the last month or so I purchased several make-up items. Some of them I got in store and others I purchased online. So I thought I should share this collective haul with you.
Let's get started...!

The first couple of items I got from ASOS(www.asos.com).
Firstly, I re-purchased the Rimmel Max Volume Flash mascara since I ran out of the last tube. However I forgot to put it with the other items when I was taking pictures(I am so sorry...)so here is an old picture...

Then, I bought a very exciting product which is the Illamasqua cream blusher in "Dixie". This is my first Illamasqua product and I have to say that I am very very impressed by the quality of this product.
This is a dark peach(almost reddish) colour which blends out like a dream and it is an amazing base for any peach or coral powder blush.Of course it is, also, perfect to wear by itself!


The product/ No flash

With Flash

Swatches on the skin
The next product is also very exciting!!Since seeing this for the first time I have been contemplating buying it but I could never justify the cost. However, when I was placing an order on asos.com I saw they still had some in stock so I just went for it.
This is the NARS blush/bronzer trio. It is a compact trio with Laguna bronzer, Orgasm blush and Albatros lighlighting blush.
These are all classic NARS products and it is great to have them all in a compact.

The product

The back

Swatches
Next, I got the Lancome Hypnose mascara. I wanted the Doll Eyes version but it was sold out so I am going to hold back on that for a little while.
Then, I got a polish which I have already done a NOTD with and it is Zoya "Kelly".

Last but not least I got some brushes from Sigma that I have been wanting for a long time.I got the F86 Tapered Kabuki, the P82 Precision Round brush and the E50 Large fluff brush.

From left to right: F86/P82/E50
That is all from now!
I hope you enjoyed my little haul. If you'd like a review on any of the products please let me now in the comments :)

xoxo
A.

NOTD ZOYA "Kelly"

Hello my dear readers,

After a week or so at home I am "on the road again" so-to-speak. Today I have a NOTD for you. It is a ZOYA polish(my first)called Kelly. I have been looking for this polish for ages and I , finally, got my hands on it last week. Unfortunately I cannot tell you where to get it because it was picked up for me by a friend who is a professional in the field :P
However I think that there are numerous websites you could buy ZOYA polishes from.
Now here is the colour...

"Kelly"

"Swatch No1...no light"

"Swatch No2...Under natural light/sunlight"

"Swatch No3...close-up"
Now...a little bit about the polish itself. The formula is great in my opinion and even though the brush is not very big it applies the product just fine.
Another upside to this product(and to all ZOYA polishes as far as I am aware)is that it is Formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate and camphor FREE.
Now back to the cosmetic aspect of this product I can tell you that it lasts a long time(I had it on my nails for 6 days with very minimal chipping(which I caused trying to open a blush).
The only downside (which I don't really care about but some people might)is that the colour comes off darker than it looks in the bottle. The reason why I don't find this to be a problem is that with the hundreds of blogs around you will, most certainly, be able to find a swatch for the polish you are about to buy(if, for example, you are buying it online).
Other than that I cannot wait to get my hands on more ZOYA polishes soon. For the time being though I am loving this colour...!I hope you like it as well!!!!

xoxo
A.

p.s. My next post will be a review on a Kerastase product. I have had the post ready for over a week now but I am waiting for some extrernal input to make the review more elaborate so stay tuned...;)

Body Shop haul!

Hello my dears,

A week ago I went shopping to find myself a birthday present. After a walk around I decided that I shouldn't buy things I don't need so I decided to get some stuff from the Body Shop that I could splurge on without feeling guilty. After all a girl needs shower gel and shampoo...;)
So here is my little haul....


Banana Shampoo

Coconut Shower Cream

Soft hands,Kind heart hand cream

Now, in brief, the Banana shampoo is becoming one of my favourites. My friend Kate is always rambling about how great this shampoo is and I kind of agree....
The coconut shower cream is a classic for me. It has a warm coconut smell which I like for this time of year. It is , also, very creamy and nourishing which is always a plus.
The shower lilly is mildly exfoliating and lovely for cleansing the skin.As far as the hand cream is concerned, I haven't decided yet.I will let you know once I have made up my mind!

Hope you like this post ;)
ta-da
A.

NOTD guest post

I have a NOTD guest post for you today!! My very good friend Lydia (who is also my oldest friend in the world who still puts up with me) created this NOTD for you using MAC's Peaceable nailpolish(2 coats), the Olivia Orkide no 47 glitter polish and Seche Vite topcoat(which she swears by and I am almost sold on it :P). She is amazing when it comes to nail designs and choosing her nail colour. I hope you like it and if you want to encourage her to do more guest posts then comment below ;) ;) ;)



Let us know what you think!

xoxo
Athina & Lydia