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

Shiseido Camelia blush

I can't remember exactly how I first saw this blush but it was love at first sight! I googled it, read a few blogposts about it and then I was on my way to my nearest beauty store!

A little info: the Shiseido Camelia Compact is a limited edition blush that was launched a few months ago in order to commemorate Shiseido's 140 years of history.

Packaging: sleek, chic and luxurious without being fussy or over the top, adorned with the camelia flower.

The product: in a few words it's a glorious 3 in 1 blush.

When I first opened the compact at home, I discovered that the whole pan was covered by a layer of glitter. I'm not talking about shimmer or iridescent particles or anything fine and sweet, I'm talking about straight on glitter!

 

So, after skipping a couple of heartbeats, thinking that maybe this was a different product (lol!) I decided to try and see if I could get rid of this shitload of shattered disco ball. I took it over the sink and brushed the top with a big powder brush.

TG it was just a loose overspray so it took only a couple of gentle swipes and my blush was finally there (it goes without saying that my sink was sooo pretty, sparkly and festive afterward!)

What you get is two blushes and a highlight:

• the higlight is almost matte and very close to white, so it adds dimension without texture, I really love it!
• the pink blush is very pretty alone but also very handy to tone down the next blush
• which is a pigmented, vibrant poppy red

In application, I don't swirl my brush in it because I want to keep the shades separate and in pristine condition. Also, with swirling the brush picks up too much pigment.

 

So, I tap it in the red shade, tap it once on my hand and then I tap it lightly on my cheeks (tap tap tap is the way!). This way I get the much talked of "flush" on my cheeks and it looks very pretty and fresh.

I also wear the pink shade alone, or I apply ioften combination with the red shade, on the high planes of my cheeks, when I'm after a more sculpted look.

As for the brush I use with it, I find the elf studio blush brush exremely handy because it has the right size so as to pick up only the shade I choose.

Here's a hand swatch, I tried to blend the three together but it didn't work because I picked a bit too much of the red shade!

I also find it very handy for these days when I'm going out straight after work and want to have a kind of day to night touch up on the go.

 

Do you like multitasking products? If yes, what's your favorite?

 

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

 

Δημοσιεύτηκε με το Blogsy

12 Hits for 2012!

During 2012 I discovered quite a few beauty gems, mainly because:

• cosmetic companies have improved their products, and
• I purchase stuff after I've been thoroughly informed of, thanks to reviews by the lovely online beauty community.

So, it was a hard task to limit myself to just twelve items but I was a good girl and conformed to the rules (actually, maybe I cheated with a few honorable mentions at the end!)

A few are recent purchases but have already won a special place in my heart and I will post full reviews in the near future (hopefully before summer, lol!) and the others are products that I use constantly since I got them because they deliver with flying colors.

On another note, 2012 was the year I started trying a few "high end" items and you'll see the ones that really impressed me as well as drugstore products with stellar performance.

Enough said, let's get started!

1. Guerlain Meteorites

The famous fairy dust is something I've been lusting for for a looong time now and I recently decided to get it. I simply can't imagine makeup without it now that I tried it. If you haven't tried it run to your local beauty store and just do it. You'll thank me later (I'm such a tease, I know!).


Full review will follow on a separate post.

2. Dior Diorskin Nude Fresh Glow Powder Foundation (Dior, really? It's easier to remember Maria Juana Chiquita De Los Angeles Toreador Est Mort).

Apart from the name it's a gawgeousss foundation, especially for dry or mature skin because it's incredibly fine and silky and gives my - otherwise dull complexion - an (almost...) ethereal freshness and glow.

Full review will follow on a separate post as well.

3. YSL Vernis a Levres (Glossy Stains)

If you read my posts you probably saw it coming (and it's a surprise even to me that these came third place!) but these are the only lip products that I've come close to actually finish a tube, that's how much I love them. The reason is that these are the only lip products that manage to stay on my lips for hours, without drying them at the same time.

Here is a full review. I hear that L'Oreal has a similar product on the launch, woohoo!

4. Color Tattoo by Maybelline

These little pots of color have been almost constantly on my eyes, either as a base under other eyeshadows or worn alone.

Here you can see why I love them do much!

 

5. Mac Fix+

Many people mistake this for a spray that fixes you makeup (the name itself is deceiving) but it's not. It actually lightly moisturizers your skin, even over foundation, powder etc and it can really help if you 've used a bit too much of powder or if you're feeling your skin tight. I have a full bottle at home and a mini one in my purse at all times.

 

6. Mac Cleanse Off Oil

I can't think myself using anything else to take my makeup off because it feels so gentle and luxurious, like a mini face spa session! It's also very potent, meaning that it takes off even waterproof maskara easily and thoroughly. I just put a pump (or two for more heavy duty products) on my palms, massage gently on my eyelids and face and then lather up and rinse with water. Perfect!

 

7. Benefit Stay Don't Stray

Although I have not tried that many eye primers, I always have a backup of this one because not only does it keep the eyeshadow in place all day but can also be worn under eyes and specifically under concealer, keeping it in place all day! If you find that by midday your concealer has disappeared you will really appreciate this primer.

 

8. Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains

They feel lightly moisturizing, they stay on for a long time (although not as long as the YSL Glossy Stains), they're affordable and the color range is very pretty (I actually just ordered a couple more shades!).

Here you can see these two swatched.

 

9. Benefit They're Real mascara

I confess. I'm lazy. Especially while doing my makeup in the morning. So I need a mascara that can give me full on lashes without having to work half an hour with it in order to achieve the desired result. That's why I don't see any other (and I've tried an army of them) replacing this one any time soon.

 

10. Dior Dior Addict Lip Balm

This one was purchased on a whim, at a 40% off sales and I'm so glad I did! Not only it's a very posh tube (I know I'm vain but who isn't, more or less?) but it feels amazing on my lips. It also manages to stay on quite a long time and to me that's very impressive (because I have to staple down any lip products I use, appart from the YSL stains, lollll!)

 

11. La Roche Posay 50+ Anthelios XL Fluide Extreme

This summer I found a sunscreen that doesn't look or feel like a white toothpaste smeared all over my face. Although it's extremely thin and lightweight it manages to successfully shield my skin against the bad bad sun rays. I wear it year round although I won't repurchased the tinted one because it's dark for my skin tone (never trust SAs that say " no, it will not be dark on you, it will blend into your skin" my a@#%)!

 

12. Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed

This one is my choice when I want a blush that will not clash with the colors I've used on my eyes, lips, clothes, whatever. It manages to compliment any look, gives a "healthy glow" and lasts all day. What more can I ask?

Here you can find swatches of this one and of Blissful as well.

 

 

Wait (or in greek Annabel stasou, mygdala!) that's not all!

 

Here are a few honorable mentions.

 

Clarins Instant Light Blush

Although I'm not a fan of liquid or cream blushes due to longevity issues, these two really impressed me not only because they last on my cheeks even during the hot greek summer but also because they're like a light colored dewy film that looks very natural and pretty.

Here you can see them swatched. Unfortunately they are are part of the 2012 summer LE launch but maybe you can still find them in case you're interested.

Inglot Eyeshadows

Well, in 2012 the first Inglot store opened in Athens and it was a major event because we've heard so much of Inglot cosmetics and now we could see them up close and personal! Of all the products I'm mostly impressed with the eyeshadows because they're soft and silky, pigmented and very affordable.

Here you can see them swatched.

 

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine

This one is my second Chanel lipstick but my first in the Coco Shine formula and the reason I love it is because it feels amazing on my lips, soft, moisturizing and pampering. It is in the shade 67 Dauville.

 

Mac Blushes in Flower Fantasy and Sunday Afternoon

I'm very surprised that I've not hit pan on these two beauties because I've been using them to death all spring, summer and autumn, I actually stopped using them about a month ago mostly because I was ignoring all my other blushes! I love them not only because of the pretty colors but also because there is a coordinating highlight in every pan, so I don't have to open a myriad pots in order to complete my makeup.

 

 

Well, these were my 2012 beauty finalists, hopefully 2013 will be even better beautywise!

 

That's all for now, I hope you're all well and thriving and may 2013 bring you all you wish for, in every aspect!

 

See you next year ;-)

 

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

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