Makeup Storage: Pretty in Pink Fall Edition!

Well, this kind of posts is turning into a series (lol!), you can see here my previous posts on the same topic.

So, it is time once more for a little rearranging, for taking out the spring/summer fun stuff and putting in the fall/winter ones, some old, some new, mixed and matched.

You won't see any foundations because I always keep them in the fridge and no brushes because I keep them in a separate container.

It is also true that my little caddy is a bit beaten up but it is still functional, so I won't replace it as yet.

So, let's get started!

First tray: lips and eyes.

• Three Mac lipsticks in Oh Oh Oh!, Hot Gossip and Pure Zen
• MUFE eyebrow corrector and Mac paints in Bare Canvas and Stilife
• Lipglosses: Mac Emancipation and Social Light, Korres #23 Light Purple and Clinique #07 Bonfire (magazine freebie)
• Benefit Erase Paste #1 (it doesn't end, I know!)
• Various eye pencils: Nyx Jumbo pencil in Cottage Cheese, W&W Pixie, Mac kohl pencils in Fascinating, Smolder, Prunella, Undercurrent and Plank Technakohl
• Mac lip pencil in Saunter (nude)
• A couple of foundation samples
• A clean mascara wand that I use for combing my brows

Second tray: more eyes and face

• Garnier Roll-on and Bourjois Healthy Mix concealers
• Mac Prep+Prime highlighter in Radiant Rose
• Too Faced Shadow Insurance
• A mini bottle with Mac Fix+ and a retractable Mac lip brush
• My Clarins Instant Light Blushes in Vitamin Pink and Corail Tonic. Behind these there is one (oh yes, only one) YSL Glossy Stain in #12, the rest will have to relax until next spring!
• A Clinique eyeshadow duo in Rose Wine (I got it at the Estee Lauder bazaar to gift it to someone and I liked it so much that I got one for myself as well!)
• Three Mac Fluidlines: Blacktrack, Avenue and Added Goodness
• Two Mac pain pots in Painterly (one year old, probably I'll just B2M it) and Nubile

Last tray: eyes and face as well.

• Mac palette
• Naked 2 palette by UD
• YSL Pure Chromatics #10 palette
• Dior Aurora palette
• Maybelline Color Tattoo eyeshadows in Metallic Pomegranate, Pink Gold, On and On Bronze, Permanent Taupe, Immortal Charcoal and Infinite White
• Chanel Emerveiile cream eyeshadow and Mac Daylight minelarize eyeshadow
• Laura Geller Balance 'n Brighten powder in Porcelain
• Jemma Kid Iced Gold highlighter
• A few blushes

An overview of my fall-ish Mac palette

Brûlée, Honesty, Moleskine, Espresso, Carbonized

Creamy Bisque, Quarry, Satin Taupe, Scene, Smut

Crystal Avalanche, Expensive Pink, Mythical, Steamy, Club

For my blushes I made a little case from scrap paper, this way I can fit more and have them easily accessible at the same time.

From bottom up, left then right

Mac Stunner and Legendary

Mac Sunbasque and Equillibrium

Mac Supernova

Tarte Exposed and Blissful

So, this is my current, everyday, go-to, stash. I do have extra items that I store in a drawer and what I do is that if I reach for something more than 2-3 times a week, I put it in my caddy.

On another note, if I don't have something in front of me I usually forget to use it, so I decided to put in the caddy the Naked, YSL and Dior palettes

For the end, here's a fall NOTD, Chanel Tulipe Noire (a little gem I found for 15€ at Factory Outlet!)

What's your favorite shade or product for fall?

 

Δημοσιεύτηκε με το Blogsy

Mac Marilyn Monroe collection

The Marilyn Monroe collection has finally landed in greek stores and although I don't find myself to be a fan of her, I'm a sucker for Mac limited edition collections, especially with special packaging.

The collection as a total consists of a lot of products, here you can find an overview by Temptalia.

I was interested in three products and here they are!

• Forever Marilyn Beauty Powder
• Legendary blush
• Pure Zen cremesheen lipstick

Forever Marilyn beauty powder (heavily swatched), Legendary blsh, Pure Zen lipstick.

Forever Marilyn Beauty Powder: it's the second Mac beauty powder that I own and I was drawn to this since it can be used as an everyday finishing powder with a twist because it gives a kind of discreet luminosity to the skin, without a white cast, and it's not glittery or anything.

It's perfect for fair complexions and I think it could be used as a subtle highlight for darker skin tones.

It does come off a bit chalky but I always use a face mist, so it's not a deal breaker.

In comparison to the Laura Geller Balance 'n Brighten Porcelain finishing powder that I'm currently using, the Mac one is a tiny bit darker and not so stark white like the Laura Geller.

In comparison to the Mac Snowglobe beauty powder that I own, it's an entirely different product because Snowglobe can only be used as a highlight (or even as a finishing powder for a night out) since it has an intense sheen.

Mac Snowglobe, Mac Forever Marilyn, Laura Geller Balance 'n Brighten in Porcelain

Legendary blush: I'm a fan of satin blushes by Mac and in particular of light shades because they give a discreet color and glow to my cheeks without being dominant. This one was no exception.

It has a pretty subtle sheen and the color is a lovely peachy coral. At first I thought it was similar to Stunner by Mac but, although they are similar to finish and color saturation, they differ because Stunner is more pink. If you loved Stunner, you're gonna love this one too!

Pure Zen cremesheen lipstick: I was set in getting one lipstick solely due to the packaging but the reds were not calling my name. So, I swatched this one and I was like, meh, but then I considered that I don't have any nude lip colors appart from an Inglot lipgloss and so I got it.

Coming home I put it on an although it didn't rock my world I actually liked it a lot because on my lips it's a kind of peachy pink beige, a very pretty but in a contemporary way nude. It will be perfect with gray smoky eyes amongst others.

Here's an attempt to take a sort of photo of how it looks on me, well, just use your imagination, lol!

What did you get from this collection? How do you feel about Mac LE collections in general?

 

Δημοσιεύτηκε με το Blogsy

Early Fall Hits & Misses!

Although the weather is still not very fall-ish, it's somewhat cooler in the evenings, I dug out of my closet some light cardigans and it's perfect for sleeping in my Oysho Peter Pan pajamas!

Other than the above important information I had to share with you (lol!), I started adjusting a bit my makeup stuff etc that I've been currently using, do, without further ado, let's plunge into it!

Shower stuff: I can't express how much I loooove this Kings & queens Honey set. I think that this brand has become my #1 in the shower, the scents are amazing! I also find that the body lotion is very moisturizing.

Perfume: I'm still using my TBS Coconut Body Mist because coconut is one of my favorite fragrances and it's hot enough during the day so that it doesn't seem out or place, but I always layer on top something else.

Some days I use Candy by Prada (deluxe sample) and some days I use the Japanese Cherry Blossom perfumed oil* from TBS.

I like them both (especially the oil) because they're sweet but not sickening, easy to wear but not generic, transitional scents towards cold weather, where I'll pull out the big guns (meaning my Black Orchid Voile De Fleur by Tom Ford, see here how I got this).

Hair stuff: my Moroccanoil is almost empty (and I have to do a little market search because I'm thinking of trying something else since there are so many similar items available now) but it has been a trusted companion for months now.

The Orzene shampoo and conditioner for damaged/dehydrated hair came my way in a (magazine I think?) sample and I quite liked it so I got them both. My hair is naturally thin and brittle but I think that this set has really made a difference in health and body.

Also, I 'be been using olive oil once a week as a hair mask and it does wonders: I heat up a little, apply it on my hair from roots to the ends, wrap it all up in celophan and then in a towel. I leave it on for about an hour and then I use shampoo and conditioner. Love it!

Last but not least, my Tangle Teezer. I purchased this last March and I still think it's a neat little gadget because it combs through hair, dry or wet, like a breeze.

Skincare: I have never done a skincare routine post because to me the perfect skincare regime is like a Chimera, meaning chasing the unattainable. There have been products I liked but nothing I was so positive about so as to share with you, with the exception of the Mac Cleanse Off Oil that I'm a huge fan of.

But, I recently got some Caudalie stuff and I will explain how they became my favorites:

• Eau de Beaute: in the past I had purchased the 30ml bottle, solely due to this craze that went about this product, where everyone said how wonderful it was, etc etc. So I got it. At first I hated the scent but in time I got accustomed to it. To make a long story short, I got the big bottle as well, not because it does anything miraculous but I use it as a tonic lotion before I put on my moisturizer and it feels very luxurious and posh. That's it!
• Instant Foaming Cleanser: so far I didn't care for face cleansers that much, so I used to purchased the cheapest ones from the drugstore. But I tried this one and I love it because of its silky texture and mainly because I don't feel my skin parched for moisture afterward.
• Vinoperfect Radiance Serum: at first I was extremely skeptical but after using it for three weeks now, I can tell that it has made a difference in color uniformity. I only use it at night but still, there's an obvious difference.

Face makeup:

• La Roche Posay Anthelios XL 50+ sunscreen. 'Nuff said (lol!)
• Neutrogena Healthy Mix foundation. As the weather gets cooler, I'm starting to rediscover my dewy foundations and this one is my current favorite.
• Benefit Erase Paste. This is actually a love/hate product but currently I love it because I apply it in thin layers (instead of slapping it on!). It actually works as a corrector as well because it has a slight peach tint to it.
• Laura Geller Balance & Brighten powder in Porcelain. Powders are love/hate products as well, but I love this one because it really brightens my complexion, I just have to keep in mind to use it moderately.
• Mac sponge. I have been experimenting with makeup sponges and I really like this one, it gives an airbrush result: I apply the foundation with my hands first and then I pat all over my face with the sponge. Perfect! The other side is different, especially for powder and I use it with my powder, mainly to set the concealer.
• Mac Lush-Light bronzer. I'm not on my palest yet so I can still pull off this one.
• Mac blushes in Flower Fantasy and Sunday Afternoon. Well, these are officially my most used blushes, ever!
• Inglot 4SS brush: perfect for face highlights or contouring.

Eye makeup:

• Dior Aurora palette. I never thought that I would love this palette so much but I do! Lovely, lush, automny colors, I love to use them in washes.
• Inglot palette, first row: muted pink and silver/gray and taupes.
• Mac Stilife paint pot. Pinky champaign, lovely as a base or alone.
• Givenchy Phenomen' Eyes. I hate the color (#5 Vintage Bronze) but I love the brush. It finds even the tiniest lashes and makes them existent. Love.
• MUFE brow cream. I love the longevity of this stuff, it simply doesn't budge!
• Mac Prunella khol pencil. Staple.
• Marie Claire shadow pencil. It was in October (I think) Marie Claire issue, lovely colors!

Lip stuff:

• YSL Glossy Stains in #15 and #17. 'Nuff said as well.
• Clinique gloss #7. Again, magazine freebie, lovely discreet shade, ideal match for the Aurora palette.
• Mac Hot Gossip and Oh Oh Oh. Petal pink and muted brown rose. Love.
• Revlon Just Bitten Kissable in Adore. New entry! I don't love them like my YSL Glossy Stains but they are very good. Post coming up!
• TBS Chocolate lip butter*. I love it and TG it doesn't end!

Nails:

Opi Thanks a Windmillion, Inglot #358, Essie Penny Talk, Inglot #138, OPI My Address is Hollywood. Obviously I still haven't touched my vampy colors (well, I have a whole winter for them!).

Misses:

• Well, it's strange how a favorite becomes a miss but since I started using my MUFE brow cream I find my Inglot brow mechanical pencil quite useless in comparison, because, although the color is lovely, it doesn't stay put.
• Benefit Badgal brown mascara. I don't know if it was the one I got but it was extremely dry since I opened it. I mean dry like old. Also, the brush does nothing to my lashes. TG I got it at a 40% sales off or I would be extremely pissed.

These are my early fall hits and misses, huge post (as usually) so congrats if you made it to the end!

What's you favorite item this fall?

The star * indicates PR samples. The rest was purchased with my own money.

 

Δημοσιεύτηκε με το Blogsy

Estée Lauder bazaar Fall edition!

Since my first visit to the Estée Lauder bazaar last May was very fun and just the opposite of the ordeal I was expecting it to be (you can read all about it here ), I decided to venture a second visit last Saturday.

This time I planned ahead, meaning that I had a list of gifts that I had to get for upcoming anniversaries, name days, etc of female friends and family members and I set a budget for every person.

So, at 13:00 I was there, I got the tickets and after just 10' minutes of waiting me and my friends were inside!

And here's the result, lol!

This time, knowing my way, I rushed through the first alleys with the home cleaning/maintenance/kitchen stuff, carroten sunscreens etc and I went straight ahead to Mac.

No luck there! I got nothing at all because all I could see were some dark foundations and items in general that I was no interested in buying, even at these very low prices. I was intrigued though to see that there were also some lip products, pigments and nailpolishes from the sailor collection (it was launched in stores 2-3 months ago).

Next stop, Estée Lauder. I saw some pretty pretty blushes and I was immediately drawn to them because:

• I have a soft spot for blushes (more like an addiction)
• I don't have any Estée Lauder products so I was interested to get one
• Two out of the three colors are shades that I don't have anything similar
• Ridiculously pigmented but when applied with a duo fibre brush look lovely and dainty on the cheeks
• The pans are HUGE! (7g)
• They were priced 12€ each (!!!)

So, I got two: Siren and Naughty, both satin finish. There was also a bubblegum pink one, it didn't seem anything special to me

Brace yourselves for the swatches! Naughty on the left, Siren on the right

The EL very helpfull assistant told me that these shades came straight from the US and that they were not sold in store here so I just take her word for it, it was of no importance anyway.

After returning home thought I did some online search (to see what opinions were out there for these blushes) and I discovered something very interesting: these shades are from the Summer 2012 launch, limited edition and designed by Tom Pecheux himself!

In case you wonder, Tom Pecheux is the creative makeup director of EL (I didn't know that either until now but I decided to write his name so as to appear a little more savvy, I got you, didn't I!)

Next stop, Bobbi Brown! Very few items, mainly foundations (not any concealers/correctors unfortunately) but I was sooo happy to see that they had pale foundations! I was always interested in a BB foundation but for some reason never got one so far. So I decided to try one and I got the Natural Finish Long Lasting Foundation in Warm Ivory 1 and the price tag was 9€!

I haven't opened it and I won't open it for a long time because I must finish the ones I already own but eventually my stash will be consumed, so there's no wrong planning ahead for something so indispensable to me as foundation, especially at this price!

The rest are presents for friends and family.

It goes without saying that I got a little something for my mom, but, she doesn't wear anything apart from lipstick, so I got her a shade that I thought she would like, in the shade Pure Color 14 Curvaceous Coral. Price:7,50€!

Next, I got this pretty palette, Pure Color 04 Wild Violet. I wasn't impressed by the variety, they had a pinkish palette, two with blues/teals and this one and I thought this was the most easily wearable of them all. Price: 15€.

I got two Clinique mini Chubby Sticks sets, each at 12€.

I got a Clinique Eyeshadow Duo in 403 Rose Wine (7€) and also a Clinique mascara (7€) but I think I will keep the mascara for myself for fear of being dried up, it would be totally awkward to gift something that it's not in top condition.

Have you ever purchased a mascara from the bazaar? Was it ok?

For my niece I got this amazing Pupa palette (12€), she is too young to use it but it will be sooo cute as a decoration on her dressing table!

Last item, a pretty and easy going eau de toilette, Bellissima by Blumarine, 15€ for the 30ml.

I didn't get any perfume for myself because this time there was no Jo Malone counter! I was so impressed by the colognes that I purchased there last time and I was set on getting a couple more, but, no. Bummed bummed bummed!

Last items I got on my way to the cashier were the Orzene Frizz Control beer shampoo and conditioner, at 2€ and 1€ each. I already use this brand and I'm quite pleased with it, so I thought to try this variation as well.

I was also impressed by the fact that the shelves were full and there were new boxes stacked up and opened up continuously so I guess there's (and will be) a lot of items still available.

On our way out (about 15:00) there was no waiting line, no tickets and people entered immediately.

So, all in all, I have to say that I am extremely happy that I decided to go because I found great items at incredible prices and all it took was 10' minutes waiting (and a little delicate shoving and pushing in front of the Estée Lauder counter, lol!)

In case you're debating whether you should go or not, I would definitely recommend you to go!

Even If you don't want any beauty items, there are also household products and personal care as well at very low prices.

It will last until Sunday 14/10 and it's open 11:00-20:00 on work days and 11:00-19:00 on weekends.

Update: my mom was so intrigued by the low prices that we made a flash visit there this evening and she got two more lipsticks and some household items.

 

Δημοσιεύτηκε με το Blogsy