Spring & Summer Nail Polishes

Hello and happy Easter, here is a pretty picture (lol!)

These are my spring/summer nail polishes, most of them old with a couple new entries!

Peach/coral

Mac Play Day (LE), Erre Due 215, L'Oreal 208

Pink

Erre Due 236, OPI Pink Friday, Erre Due 05, L'Oreal 210

Green/blue/teal

Erre Due 69, OPI Can't Find my Czechbook, MAC Ocean Dip (LE), Korres 92, Erre Due 120.

Here's my recent mani (feeling playful obviously!)

That's it for now, I hope you are all well and thriving!

Χριστός Ανέστη, εύχομαι ό,τι καλύτερο για εσάς και τους αγαπημένους σας!

Small collective haul!

It's a fact that I've cut down my makeup purchases and I only buy stuff after serious consideration!

Of course I still buy a few items but only if I find them at a "bargain", like a 35% (or more) off sales, or if it is a very good (for me at least) and affordable product. Also I didn't buy these items all together but during the last couple of months.

So, let's get started!

I have been reading about the Revlon Kissable Balm Stains for a loooong time now but I was restraining from trying these because my last Revlon purchases (the Colorburst lip butters) were somewhat of a failure. The reason is that they almost melted (put the blame on the hot greek summer) and it was an unpleasant surprise since I didn't carry them in my purse constantly, I just carried with me the shade I was wearing that day and in the evening I put it back in my drawer. They are still usable but I can't carry them with me because they look weird and not so attractive, lol!

Now, the main reason I wanted to try the Kissables was not only because the colors where lovely but also because everyone raved that they are longwearing and moisturizing at the same time. And to me, that's a very appealing combination!

So, instead of splurging on my favorites YSL Glossy Stains (I had my eye on one or two vampy shades), I decided to try a much more affordable "alternative" and I chose a couple of Revlon Kissable deeper shades, perfect for fall/winter, in particular Crush and Adore.

• Crush is a deep berry red. After the loss of the initial shine, a very pretty stain is left behind.
• Adore is a warm red. This one is also a lovely shade and it also leaves a noticeable stain on the lips.

So far I really like them because they do feel balmy and they last quite some time on my lips (and it's a big deal because almost nothing lasts on my lips!). I steered away from the light shades because I wanted maximum pigmentation, but in the future I may try a couple more shades (Honey for sure).

I was also curious to see how they compare to the YSL Glossy Stains but they are not at all similar mainly because each YSL offers three different intensities in the same color, depending on how many layers I use , starting from one layer where a sheer film of color is applied and ending in three layers if I really want my lips to be the center of attention. On the other side, three Kissables cost almost as one Glossy Stain, so...math wins right now!

Crush on the left, Adore on the right

Next, my favorite cream eyeshadows, Color Tattoo by Maybelline. I had seen some new shades (here you can see the first four I purchased last winter) and I was very intrigued.

Well, in store swatches were exactly what I was hoping these eyeshadows would be and I did get the

• #65 - Pink Gold as I planned, and it's not your average pink, it's a trully remarkable pink shade and I definitely reccomend you to at least swatch it next time you see a tester. It can bee worn as a base for powder eyeshadows but it is very pretty worn alone. I also got the
• 70 - Metallic Pomegranate and it's a perplex burgundy with pink shimmer. Another outstanding eyeshadow and it's a perfect pair with the #65 Pink Gold. It also makes green/hazel eyes really pop!

YSL Pure Chromatics Harmony #10

This item was in my fall wishlst and I decided to splurge because I didn't have any similar shades as well as because I wanted to try an YSL quad.

Well, at first I couldn't say that this product rocked my world, mainly because I was expecting them more buterry and pigmented (my Inglot eyeshadows have spoiled me, lol!). Maybe my expectations were quite high.

Also, the packaging feels flimsy, lightweight and a magnet for fingertip smudges, not very impressed. I think they could do much better, see Dior.

All these "fails" fade nevertheless as soon as I apply the eyeshadows because these colors suit remarkably my hazel eyes. The result is very chic and polished and because they are not hyper pigmented they do not require many blending. Also, when used wet the pigmentation is impeccable but when used dry the result is a lovely wash of color and I actually prefer it this way. As for the sparkly silver shade, I mainly use it by tapping it lightly only on the center of my lid.

Top swatches applied wet, bottom dry

Now, don't laugh but since it doesn't come with a protective pouch (Dior wins again) I made one myself by cutting an old sock. It's not fancy but it does protect it from scratches etc.

And since you saw my old sock, I think I will call it a night and go to sleep (lol!).

Before I go, here are four - fall appropriate - nailpolishes I got.

• Inglot #138, a metallic midtone green, little khaki, little olive, with fine silver particles
• Inglot #851, it's a very complex dark nailpolish, looks like deep brown/khaki with mostly gold shimmer.
• OPI Wooden Shoe Like to Know? (these names are very funny!) is a chocolate brown with a splash of purple and fine golden shimmer.
• OPI It's My Year is a sheer purple with fine golden shimmer, ideal for topping other nailpolishes or worn alone in 2-3 layers.

Ok, now I really will go to sleep!

What's your most favorite fall purchase or fall wishlst item?

 

Δημοσιεύτηκε με το Blogsy

Fall wish list!

Well, I'm sooo over summer, I mean, this heat has gotten on my nerves. I'm looking forward to cool evenings, a few (or more!) raindrops on my windshield, a chance to wear a light jacket or sweater and so on....

In the meantime I have gathered here a few items that I'm really looking forward to this fall. Let's get started!

No 1 YSL Pure Chromatics in Harmony #10.

I don't know if it will suit my eyes (what do you think, will this work for hazel eyes?) but I'm obsessed with this little treasure! Of course I'll have to swatch it in real life before deciding, but it looks lovely. Also, it still has the YSL logo on it (I've read that they're going to change the logo to SL or something like this, sacrilege!) so, In case I'm actually liking the colors, I'll definitely get it for this reason as well.

Photo by Beautezine

No 2 Nars American Dream eyeshadow palette.

I don't have any Nars products so I thought this palette is a good start. The color I'm most intrigued about is the dark brown shade but I find the other colors interesting as well.

Photo by thebeautylookbook

No 3 Chanel Rose Initialed blush

I 've been on the hunt for quite sometime now for a dupe of Stunner blush by Mac (I love it so much that I won't use it for fear to hit pan!) and I think that this might be it. Again, I'll swatch it IRL before deciding, but it looks quite close.

Photo by Temptalia

No 4 Mac Supercontinental blush

Well, you couldn't think for a moment that I would omit a Mac product (lol!). It's from the Styleseeker collection. Again, I have to see it IRL, but it looks very pretty.

Photo by Temptalia

No 5 Penny Talk by Essie Mirror Metallics collection

I've been disliking metallic nail polishes for ever but now I'm starting to like them. I don't have any Essie nailpolishes but this one seems quite interesting.

Photo by thepolishaholic

No 6 DS Indulgence by OPI

I'm really liking this color, and the description (berry red with gold shimmer) sounds exactly like what I 'm looking for for fall.

Photo by thepolishaholic

No 7 Schnapps out of it by OPI Germany collection

Obviously I'm into reds lately and this one seems very interesting.

Photo by thepolishaholic

No 8 Aroma Vaillance Enrichie by Nuxe

I've used a couple of samples of it and I really liked it! It's extremely moisturizing and I think that I saw a difference, my skin looked more plump and luminous, so I have to get the actual product.

Photo by Nuxe

As for non beauty related items, I 'm searching for a pair of grey casual shoes and this one by Asos caught my attention. The reason is that (apart from being cute!) there's a 7 cm hidden wedge! How cool is that?

Photo by Asos

This is my wish list, what are you looking forward to this fall?

 

Δημοσιεύτηκε με το Blogsy

Spring/summer nail polish!

Nail polish is (another) addiction, so here are my spring/summer choices!

This is a cute mini case that I got last year from sephora, in order to store my nail polish collection. Since then, it has overgrown the little case so I currently keep my summer/spring ones in it. When fall comes, I'll switch them over and put my fall/winter ones in it, and so on.

As for brands, I was not favoring one over another but lately I'm starting to love Opi nail polishes. The sad thing is that here, Sephora sells them at twice the price they're sold in the USA. Even online stores, like beautybay etc sell them a bit on the pricey side, so I buy mine (as well as China Glaze) on eBay.

The reason I like them is the wide brush, the color selection and the consistency that's (usually) very nice.

But, enough talking, let's see some nail candy!

Names from left to right order on all photos.

Glitter/metallics etc, just four of them:

• OPI Pirouette my Whistle (NYC Ballet collection, LE). My latest and more precious aquisition, I just love the silver glitter, it's in various sizes and especially over light shades of nail polish the result is simply gorgeous, like fairy/princess/mermaid nails, just unreal. It is also work appropriate because it's monochromatic and (almost) subtle. Every time I wear this I got many compliments!
• Erre Due exclusive #80. It has a very fine, light peachy/pink shimmer, very subtle and discreet.
• Mac Immortal Gold (Posh Paradise collection, LE). This was purchased on the fly, on a Saturday morning that I was preparing to go to a wedding and realized that i didn't have a gold nail polish to match my outfit (well, this is a crisis that only a woman understands, lol!). I remembered having seen this shade in my local Mac store, so I gave them a call, it was still available and rushed over to get it). It's a pretty true gold color, it doesn't lean green nor warm, it's in the middle.
• China Glaze Snow Globe (Let it Snow collection, LE). This one has very pretty multicolored glitter in various sizes and I got it in lieu of another LE nail polish, from Mac, the Unconditionally Fabulous. It was my first glitter nail polish and I wasn't sure I was going to actually wear it, so the €15 price point of the Mac one seemed too steep to me.

Blues:

Opi I Have a Herring Problem (Holland collection, LE). It is a muted midtone blue with a green hint and very fine gold and silver shimmer, very pretty and complex.

Erre Due last minute #69. Well, I doesn't get any bluer than this, lol! Very summery medium sky blue, it has a fun and happy vibe!

Greens:

• Erre Due exclusive #120. A milky, pale yellow, lovely shade but it takes 3 layers to have a uniform result.
• Erre Due exclusive #154. It's a frosty light green, very fresh and spring appropriate.
• Korres Vert Amande #201. I love this color, it's a gorgeous milky mint. I don't love the consistency though, but it's still managble.
• Opi Thanks a Windmillion (Holland collection, LE). This one is on the edges of the current mint trend but in a more milky, mutted way. One of my top favorites!
• Mac Ocean Dip (Surf Baby collection, LE). Oh yeah baby, teal all the way! I hardly wore anything else last summer!

Coral/peach etc:

• Opi Gouda Gouda Two Shoes (Holland collection, LE). I never though I would buy such a color, but I was drawn by it's salmon/pink/brown shade with fine gold shimmer! It's very lady like but with a twist and can be worn no matter the season.
• Elf Mango Madness. I got this along with 2-3 other shades from Elf, last year, and I hated all of them except this one. It's like the perfect coral red, I love it!
• Mac Play Day (Vera collection, LE). Ever since I first read about the Vera collection I knew I had to have this color. It's milky, pale peach shade is adorable, although it takes 3 layers to achieve maximum opacity.
• Erre Due exclusive #10. Very light cream/peach, kind of mannequin nails.

Pinks/reds:

• Seventeen Super Fast #35. Oldie but goodie, a mutted, dusty pink, lovely!
• Opi Pink Friday (Nicki Minaj collection, LE). I hate this one. It's a light, bright, almost bubblegum pink and although it should look ok on my skin tone, the result is totally fake, I call it "the bimbo effect", lol! Application wise, it is a nightmare! Thick, goopy, and it still takes 3 layers to (not) achieve opacity! I keep trying, to make it work, but the result is like a used pink bubblegum stuck on my nails! Gross!
• Opi My Address is Hollywood (Touring America collection, LE). I cal this one the grown up pink, it's dusty and has fine golden shimmer. It's a no brainiac desicion, it goes with everything!
• Opi You Callin' Me A Lyre (NYC Ballet collection, LE). It's a semi transparent, light pink, "my nails but better" and I love it as a base for French manicure. It is spectacular with the Pirrouette My Whistle glitter polish on top, so elegant and girly and out of this world!
• Erre Due last minute #08. My only red! It's a cool toned bright fuschia/red that spices up any outfit.

If you're still reading, I feel the need to congratulate you of surviving this looong post!

And talking of nail polishes, here's my current mani!

P.S. Any suggestions for a red nail polish?

Monthly favorites: April

A many months favorite that for some reason I always forgot to mention is the Mac Cleanse Off Oil. I just use a pump on my hand and then massage it gently first on the eye area and then on the rest of my face. No cotton balls, no cloth, just straight on. It removes everything in a few seconds and then I lightly rinse it with water. I love it because it feels very emollient and soothing, but I do take the extra step of properly washing my face afterwards because I don't think that just a makeup remover is enough.

Although April has been rather gloomy and cloudy, I decided i should upgrade my sunscreen protection and the La Roche Posay Anthelios XL SPF50+ is right on the target, since it provides high protection but in a thin, user friendly consistency that adheres excellently on the skin without messing with my foundation etc. and most importantly, without the dreaded white face result!

After the sunscreen I use the Skin79 Super+ BB cream. I have been using this instead of sunscreen, during the winter, but as the days grew longer and sunnier, I felt that this alone was not enough sun protection for my skin. So, after applying the Anthelios, I use the BB cream instead of foundation because it has a decent coverage (something between a tinted moisturizer and a foundation) and the added sun protection (as well as all the other "special attributes" BB creams are supposed to have in abundance, lol!).

Another item that I really enjoy using is the Laura Geller Balance 'n Brighten powder in Porcelain because it does brighten up my dull complexion a little bit. I use it with a light hand though because a little bit too much does look cakey on my dry skin. In that case, just a spritz with my Mac Fix+ and cake face no more!

As for the eyes, Added Goodness fluidline by Mac is my staple eyeliner. As for eyeshadow, I really enjoy Stilife Paint by Mac on the eyelid, it's my go-to, no fuss champaign cream eyeshadow. Then i do a little crease definition with Equilibrium blush/bronzer by Mac and ready in a second.

On the days that I wanted to look more springy and fresh, I added a tiny bit of Steamy eyeshadow by Mac. I am a fan of duo chrome eyeshadows and this one is really pretty, it's blue, it's green, it's turqoise, well, I don't know exactly what it is but I love it!

As for blush, I mainly used these two by Mac and my two Clarins blushes . The reason I set these Mac blushes apart is that, while they do offer shimmer, the position of it in the pan gives me the option to use it with the blush, by swirling the brush all over the pan, or to use it separately, after applying the blush, exactly where I want it. It's actually two products in one and I love multitaskers!

Flower Fantasy and Sunday Afternoon.

I don't have to tell you my favorite lip products (of this month, next month, etc) you can read all about them here, lol!

Although I don't like bluish nail polishes that much, I find that I really like the "I don't have a herring problem" by Opi because it fits into my dusty and mutted taste that I've acquired some time ago. It's sort of a faded grayish medium blue color with a hint of green and fine silver and gold dust. I usually use one layer because I like the semi translucent effect but it is equally pretty with two layers.

The problem is that I couldn't get a decent photo, in real life it's greenish blue, probably the green scarf in the background distorted the color accuracy.

A more "spring appropriate" color that I enjoyed using is the Play Day by Mac. I can't say that I enjoy applying it because it is quite streaky, but I love the milky light peach/coral result and I can see this color becoming a staple to me for spring and summer.

As for body products, I 've been using the Body Shop Chocomania range once a week, when I do my scrubbing routine, and for the rest of the week I went back to my beloved Canelle Orange range from Kings & Queens. I adore this scent, it's practically my favorite for some months now!

As for scents, I kept reaching for Lovestruck from Vera Wang because it's a fuss free, go with everything perfume and I think I will run out of it any time now! That's a first for me, usually I have 2-3 perfumes that collect dust on a shelf but this one got much love and attention from me this past month!

That's it for now, I hope you're all well and thriving!

March favorites

March is gone and it's time for favorites!

Green Herbs by Zara Home is a line with body products and I got the body lotion to use mainly as a hand cream. It's not very emollient for such a use, it is more of a light all over moisturizer, but the fragrance is so awesome that I use it constantly. It is definitely herbal, fresh and relaxing, nothing fancy but simply brilliant. Next time you pass by a Zara Home store, I strongly suggest to give it a sniff!

The Mineralize Charged Water by Mac has been my constant companion, I also poured some in a little spray bottle to keep in my purse. The reason is that it really hydrates and refreshes my face, especially during this harsh and cold March, it definitely feels more moisturizing than my Fix+. Just a spritz of this stuff made my dry skin feel luscious and plump.

In the quest for products that take good care of my hair I came across the Tangle Teezer and I decided to give it a try. I got it from beautybay and it has replaced my hairbrush because it untangles and combs my hair without breaking them, wet or dry, in a second. I also don't get loose hair after using this, maybe one or two but that's it.

This month I started to pay more attention to my eyelashes and I also decided to experiment a little.

First of all I wanted a new curler because the one I had purchased from elf was pinching my skin, maybe it was too wide for my eyes or I didn't use it properly. Anyway, I saw this one on beautybay and the curve caught my attention, as well as the fact that it came with plenty replacement pads. The price was reasonable so I decided to give it a try and I'm so happy I did! It curls my lashes beautifully and mainly it doesn't hurt my eyelids!

I also decided to experiment with colored mascara for day looks and my first choice was the "safe" brown. The variety of brown mascaras is not that great, so I got the Maybelline volume express because I generally like Maybelline products. As for the mascara itself, it's ok, nothing spectacular. As for the brown color in general, I'm so pleased that when this one is used up, I will definitely get another one, from another brand.
The reason is that brown has a little of the intensity of black but not the harshness, so my eyelashes are certainly defined but not in a prominent "makeup" way, the result is natural but not bare, in a few words the color and the intensity frame my eyes beautifully.

Talking about eyes I could not omit eyeshadows etc. For some strange reason, I stuck with bronze/copper shades, in particular Expensive Pink and Mythical eyeshadows by Mac. Another eyeshadow is the color tattoo "on and on bronze" by Maybelline, I used it as a color base for powder eyeshadows or alone when I was in a hurry and I really like it both ways.

Mac fluidlines are my favorites not only because of the quality of the product but also because of the colors they come up with in the various collections.

So, although during the whole winter Avenue fluidline (from the Make me Over collection) was my everyday, go-to eyeliner, when I saw online swatches of the Added Goodness fluidline (from the Mac Shop, Mac Cook collection), I knew I had to have this because it fits into my "brown/natural with a twist" color scheme. I was set on getting this one because of the complexity of the color, it's deep brown with some gray, even some plum, I can't accurately describe it but it's not just another brown and since I got it I love it so much that I use it everyday.
If you pass by a Mac store take a look, you may find it appealing too!

Here are Expensive Pink, Mythical, On and On Bronze and Added Goodness.

As for lip products I won't bore you to death with my YSL Vernis a Levres raves (although since I got them I don't wear anything else, lol!) but a lip product that I constantly used are the Revlon Colorburst lip butters, especially Tutti Frutti.
The sad thing is that they don't respond very well to heat (as I suspected) so I think I will not use them when the temperature rises, at least I won't keep them in my purse.
They are great products nevertheless and I enjoy wearing them.

Last but not least, nail polish!

Being in search of the perfect spring green, I saw the "Thanks a Windmillion" from the Opi Holland collection and it was exactly what I was looking for: medium in tone, pastel but not candy pastel, more dusty and muted, very pretty and elegant!

The other one I 've been constantly using is the "Gouda Gouda Two Shoes" from the same collection, it's kind of a medium caramel/pink with a hint of brown and fine golden shimmer, on the same muted and dusty tone as the green one.


The fact is that I wanted a couple of transition shades because from dark, winter colors I couldn't jump to bright and light colors and these two serve this purpose perfectly.

That's it for March favorites, as you can see it's was a rather orange-y / brown month, lol!