Winter favorites!

Happy February friends and since we just got really winter-y here in Greece, here are my winter favorites!

First stop skincare because I obviously need all the hydration I can find!

Apivita Aloe Vera mask: recent purchase but I really like it, I'm buying the tube as soon as I finish the sachets.

Apivita Grape mask: I had tried the sachets before and really like the cooling and tightening sensation.

Clarins Hydraquench mask: this tube is almost empty but I 'll probably repurchase, love the fact that I can slap it on allover my face and around eyes and sleep with it on!

Cure Natural Aqua exfoliating Gel: some time ago I purchased a couple of samples on ebay and I recently found the last one in my skincare drawer, tried it again and remember that I really liked it so I got a bottle, on ebay as well. It's effective, gentle and easy to use, full review coming soon!

Now let's get to makeup!

Brows

Mac Veluxe Brow Liner in Strawberry Blonde: staple item in my stash and it fills in gaps beautifully, the pencil also lasts a very long time, unlike my other favorite, Fling, that runs out quickly. I will repurchase unless I find a matching shade in Anastasia brand that everyone raves about!

Benefit Gimme Brow: another staple, I just wish it was not so tiny. I use it over the pencil and makes my brows polished but natural looking.

Eyes

Benefit eyebright: I use it on the waterline when I feel sleepy, it makes me look more awake and perky. It's soft and glides on effortlessly, I just wish it lasted longer...

Benefit They're Real: I won't bore you to death with repeating once more why I love it but, surprise, it's almost empty and I don't have a backup because I have a little sample stash that I must work through first. Shocked, aren't you?

Nyx Bohemian Rhapsody palette: I had quite forgotten this little gem (probably the oldest palette i own, i think i got it back in 2011) but I found it again while I was looking for a pencil in my eye makeup drawer and fallen in love allover again. Easy going, basic shades, mattes and shimmery, highlight, crease and midtone shades, it's all I use in the mornings because it has everything I need.

Dior Constellation palette: the newest gem in my collection and it is ravishing! I can achieve sultry or more natural, fumée looks. LE but still available here,  review coming up!

Face

Nyx Taupe blush: I finally got it and it is as good as everyone says about contouring. It must be used with a light hand though, especially in daytime or else I look like an undead, lol!

Illamasqua Zygomatic blush: first ever Illamasqua purchase and I love it! On me it is a light, cool pink-with a hint of taupey brown - shade that compliments perfectly my winter looks with heavier, smokey eyes and it is a perfect match for the dior palette.

Guerlain Crazy Meteorites Poudre Eclat: you saw this coming, didn't you? I actually prefer this one than the perles version, I'll probably do a review comparing the two if you're interested because I think it's still available here.

Clarins Bronzing Duo in Light: I 'm in perpetual fear of the orange stripped cheeks and this bronzer is my safeguard because it is so subtle and light that I can not over do it, lol!

Mac BB cream: I use it alone when I 'll be out for a few hours or under makeup on working days. It has decent coverage and I see it as a skincare barrier between my skin and my makeup.  I don't know if I 'll repurchase thought because there are a few others I would like to try as well.

Lips

YSL Glossy Stains: #3 & #4

No favorites post of mine is complete without a tube or two of these heaven sent lippies. I will just say that these shades match perfectly my winter face, lol!

Mac Cockney lipstick: when I need something more vibrant I automatically reach for this one because it is sheer yet apparent. If you're timid of the red lip, give it a try.

Clarins Éclat Minute lip balm: no, it's not the most moisturising lipbalm I've ever used but I feel extra posh when I apply it on! Is anyone else weird like that or is it just me? It's very good nonetheless and a handbag staple.

So, these are my current favorites and here's a group photo!

What's your most favorite item this winter, something you reach for constantly?

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

Benefit mini haul!

A few weeks ago a Sephora 35% off sales gave me the opportunity to try a few brand new Benefit items and here they are along with my thoughts on them.

Rockateur blush: everyone is raving about this blush so it was the first item on my wishlist. As soon as I swatched on my hand it went straight into my basket because it is a lovely peachy/pink/bronzy shade with a very pretty sheen and it is ideal for all seasons more so for fall and winter. It is the kind of shade that can be the star of a no makeup look, or can be the best - shy but still there - friend of a smokey eye or red lip, it all depends on application. 

I've also used it as an eyeshadow all over the lid and up to the crease, it defines beautifully the eyes.

Shadewise it does remind me a tiny bit of Sunbasque by Mac but less pigmented and more caramel.  

The only thing I really dislike about it is the packaging, I find it very tacky and cheap looking.

Here is a swatch as well as one next to Sunbasque (on the left)

Stay Flawless 15h primer: face products have a hard time trying (unsuccessfully) not to slide off my face after the first couple of hours.  So I thought I should give it a try and I am very happy I did because it definitely works!

According to Benefit you're supposed to apply it one section of the face, follow up quickly with foundation, then cover another section of the face, follow up with foundation, etc.

Well, I'm a little impatient so I slap it on all over my face and then I quickly put some bb cream on my hands and massage it thoroughly all over my face. Then I go over with a brush so as to blend everything perfectly.

It really feels like putting stick glue all over my face and in essence that's what it does. It acts like a medium to adhere the foundation on the skin and if I overdo it it certainly feels tacky but the feeling goes away as soon as I put on the foundation.

As for color, it is clear although in the stick it looks quite beige.

The only thing I'm concerned about is that it may dry out quickly so I always put on the internal lid and then the large lid.

Gimme Brow in light/medium: this is the only product I am still on the fence about. I've tried it alone on my sparse brows but it took a lot of work to achieve the desired result, it is much easier and faster with a pencil or eyeshadow. Maybe it's the tiny brush or just the fact that it is something new.
On the other hand the tiny brush makes it perfect for detailed work, it's just that I am not that patient.
I love it though after I've done my brows because it really makes them stay in place all day.

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

5 Products Makeup Tag!

Dear fellow bblogger Tina from All the Vanity has recently done the 5 products makeup tag! and also tagged me to do one.

So, without further ado, here it is!

Dior Diorskin Nude BB Cream: since I'm going for a minimalistic look (with 5 products only it's one way more or less!) I chose a lovely and natural looking base that will enhance my appearance without wiping out my face structure.

Benefit Rockateur Blush: new addition to my mini army of blushes and quite a love at first...application, it is ideal for such difficult missions because it gives a lovely light warmth with a bit of bronzy tint so it adds colour and dimension at the same time. 

I also used it as an eyeshadow all over the lid up to over the crease, blended the edges and it defined the eyes in a polished and understated way.

Benefit They're Real mascara: no matter how many times I "cheat" with other mascaras, I always return to this one. It's the only makeup item that I have a backup, at all times. 'Nough said.

Mac Veluxe Brow Liner: having sparse and light haired brows a product to shape and fill them is indispensable to me and the Mac one is a current favorite. 

Mac Cockney lipstick: this is the jewel of the crown for such a look because it is a pretty, juicy, semi transparent red that gives life to the whole face. 

Benefit Rockateur, Mac Cockney, Mac Strawberry Blonde brow liner.

Thank you Tina for the fun challenge!

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

Go Tropicoral kit by Benefit

Well, many times intentions do not translate to actual actions, at least the way we plan them, especially if you are a Gemini that weights pros and cons and alternatives from day to night, and then decides to improvise, lol!

So, I intended to buy Benefit's Coralista blush (30€).

Instead, I got the Go Tropicoral kit (it includes a mini Coralista) (29€).

High Beam, Cha Cha, Coralista blush and the lipgloss underneath

The reasons I didn't get the blush are:

• I can not see myself hit pan on a blush, so I didn't want to commit to it for a life time.
• I don't like the packaging of Benefit's blushes, I find them bulky and a pain to store.
• I could depot it in a palette but my previous experiment with Bella Bamba didn't go very well, meaning that it cracked a tiny bit. It didn't crack all the way to the bottom, just a chip on the upper right corner but it scared the %#%$£ out of me and I swore, never again!

On the other and, the kit offered me more options for the same money:

• A deluxe sample version of Coralista, that even if I wore it daily it would probably take months to hit pan.
• A deluxe sample o High Beam illuminator
• A deluxe sample of Cha Cha tint
• A deluxe sample of the Coralista lipgloss

The truth is that I was never drawn towards kits. I don't know why, the idea never seemed appealing to me.

So, when I went to Sephora with a 25% coupon off, I went straight to Coralista. A young SA was standing a few meters away and when she saw me lingering over Benefit's stand, asked if she could help.

Most of the times I don't ask for help from SAs because i usually buy stuff on a plan, meaning that I already know what I want and what it does so I don't need somebody to inform me about the product.

This time, I don't know why, (probably because it was early on a Saturday morning and I didn't function on full throttle, lol!) I told her that I wanted Coralsta but I was not so sure anymore. She asked me if I had any more blushes (well, duh!) or if I would solely wear this (do you imagine having to wear Coralista - or an blush for that matter - for months without end? And then I would toss it disgusted in the garbage, and then it would magically reappear on my vanity and then I would call a priest to perform exorcism, and the blush would speak to me in a tiny voice but totally scaring, saying "no, you have to wear only me, with rain or sun, winter or summer, day or night, I'm the only blush you'll wear until there's no more left of me in the pan! )

Are you still reading? If yes, let's get back to the Sephora SA. I told here I have other blushes as well and then she suggested buying the kit instead because it was almost the same price as the blush but I could try more products and if, in the end, I totally loved Coralista I could come back and buy the full product.

It made total sense and at almost 21€ (after the 25% off) it was not that expensive considering that the "deluxe sample" actually contains a considerable amount of product.

So, do I like it?

I love it!

• Coralista blush: I can totally understand why it is so popular. It's a lovely peachy coral shimmery shade (to me it seems like something in between Nars's Orgasm and Benefit's Bella Bamba), very easy to wear and the shimmer actually gives a gorgeous sheen to the cheeks.
• High Beam illuminator: a cult favorite as well and now that I have it I love it too! It's the first liquid highlighter I buy and I find it easier to wear than powders because it melts into the skin and it can be as natural as you want it. The color is lovely as well, it's a pinky white that looks very flattering.
• Cha Cha tint: well, in the past I had some not so happy experience with Benefit's tints. I had purchased a mini version of Benetint but the first times I used it I was left with red blotches on my cheeks, because the product sets in too quickly and I didn't have time to blend it properly. And it goes without saying that i burried it in a drawer and never reached for it again. So, when I saw the deluxe sample of the Cha Cha in the kit I was very intrigued by the lovely color but at the same time I was very sceptical if I could make it work. And I did! What I do is that as soon as I have applied my foundation I put two stripes on my cheek and with a larger brush (like the Real Techniques Multitasking Brush) I pat it on my cheeks. This way, it sort of spreads and mingles seamlessly with my foundation and the result is a beautiful, semi transparent tint on my cheek. If I want it a little more saturated, I repeat the process with a dot or two more and after blending it's flawless. I don't swirl the brush, I just pat pat pat. Also, I do one cheek at a time. And it lasts on my cheeks for hours.
• Coralista lipgloss: it does give a pretty shine and a bit of tint on my lips, but, as most lip products, it does't stay on my lips for more than a few minutes. I keep it in my purse, just in case I want to ump it up a bit.
• I already removed them from the box (I put the blush in my blush palette) and as a bonus I can use the pretty box to store jewelry or other bits and bobs.

So, that's my opinion on the Go Tropicoral kit, I'm so pleased with it because they arevlovely products and I got the chance to try more products before committing to a full sized one.

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

 

Δημοσιεύτηκε με το Blogsy

EOTD and a new eyeshadow!

Today I played a little with a new eyeshadow, Cypress Green #49 by Korres, already depoted and put into my "random" eyeshadow palette:

Cypress Green is a medium-dark cool green, and coming autumn I thought it would be ideal for a fall look.
I used it with Short Shorts and Sun Blonde, both eyeshadows by Mac (you can see them HERE) and I did two variations : one more subtle and one more intense and smokey. In both variations, I used it with a light hand because I didn't want it too dark, so bare in mind that it is actually much darker and intense than you see it in the following photos.

1st variation

Cypres Green: outer corner, crease and under the eye
Sun Blonde: lid
Short Shorts: inner corner and brow bone
I also used a hint of Moleskin to blend the upper part of the crease.
It doesn't really show here but it's a discreet but polished daytime look, perfect for work (minus the mascara accident, lol)!

2nd variation

Cypres Green: lid (except the middle of it), crease, under the eye
Sun Blonde: in the middle of the lid
Short Shorts: brow bone
I also used a hint of Moleskin to blend the upper part of the crease.
This look is more vibrant but not too intense, I can wear it in daytime when I want a little more emphasis on the eyes.

I also used Mac Painterly paint pot, Avenue fluidline and Benefit They're Real mascara in both looks.

So that's my eye of the day, I know you can't really tell because I suck in taking this kind of photos, but, I thought to share it with you nevertheless!

What's your most used fall color?

Basics: Eyeshadow tools

I believe that the tools you use to apply makeup are very important and for this reason I choose Mac brushes. That doesn't mean that there are no other good brushes from other brands (I hear that Sigma are equally good and much cheaper but I haven't tried them yet) but since Mac is famous for its brushes and available in stores in my country, it was one way for me.

Now, if I had to choose only two brushes for eyeshadow application, I would choose without a second thought:

• the Mac 217 - Blending Brush, I love this brush for blending the eyeshadows, it can also be used  to apply eyeshadow on the lid, browbone, etc.You can also use it for concealer, excellent for this use as well.

• the Mac 208 - Angled Brow Brush, I love this brush for applying eyeshadow/eyeliner close to my lashes and generally when I'm doing details with the eyeshadow, i.e. for the outer corner, it helps me create a really defined V, then I use the 217 for blending out any harsh lines. It can also be used for the brows.

Both purchased at a 25% off sales, so they were quite affordable.

If you want your eye makeup to last more hours, all the gurus stress the necessity of an eye primer applied on the lids before the eyeshadow,  and I got the Benefit Stay Don't Stray primer because it can be used under the eye as well so as to make the concealer last longer (it also lightens up the under eye area a little and I'm using less concealer now). I find that the pump, although hygienic, is a little difficult to handle regarding the amount of product it pumps, but I press it lightly and this way I usually achieve not to waste product. I purchased it at Sephora, it is quite expensive, I think about €30, but I needed a primer and also wanted to try something from Benefit now that it arrived in Greece (at Sephora stores). I 'm happy with it, but, it's the first primer I got so I don't have any prior experience with eye primers to compare this with.

Of course in order to use brushes, primers, etc,  you must have an eyeshadow or two (lol!), and speaking about basic eyeshadow tools I could not omit my latest find, that is the NYX  Bohemian Rhapsody 10 eyeshadow palette, I purchased it $8 from nonpareilboutique.

It is a basic, neutral, eyeshadow palette, the bottom row are velvety/silky matte with a cream like consistency and the top row are shimmering, so it is quite flexible because you can achieve everyday as well as more dramatic looks. The pigmentation is great, more so of the matte ones. In case you lusted the Urban Decay Naked Palette but find the cost prohibiting, this could be an alternative, of course I don't say that they 're the same.
Overall, the NYX Bohemian Rhapsody eye palette is a very good neutral palette (and darn cheap too!).

That's my view of  basic eyeshadow tools, of course "basic" is different for everyone and the list could be endless. Also bare in mind that I'm a beginner in most aspects of make up, I just post about what I find works for me (possibly for you too!). 

Thanks for visiting!