CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS FOR THE BEAUTY ADDICTED:

Hello everyone, Christmas is around the corner so here are some gift ideas for the self-proclaimed beauty addicted on your gift list.

Let’s start with some amazing skincare ideas:

1. Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex II Serum by Estee Lauder:

This is a lovely serum, suitable for all skin types. It has a light gel/liquid formula that absorbs nicely and fast, leaving your skin more luminous and more hydrated than before. It contains several good ingredients that can be beneficial to correct and repair many different skin problems (dryness, dullness, first sign of aging, uneven texture etc.). It’s also perfect for dry skin of all ages during a cold winter. You can use it under your evening cream or alone. This is a brilliant product to have in everyone kickass skincare arsenal, but it also is a luxury one, so it’s pricey. A great gift for your Mum, Aunt, Grandma, Older Sister, you got it.

You can buy it here

2. Sampar Velvet Cleansing Milk:

This is a lovely, luxurious and creamy cleanser perfect for this cold winter months. It’s a great morning cleanser, or second cleanser, because it can gently remove all the remaining traces of daily pollution and makeup on your face.  Amazing for everyone with dry skin, it has also a calming and soothing rose scent, due to the rose water in the product. Even the packaging is beautiful with its chic pink pastel bottle that has a black outline of the skyline of Paris at the bottom. So, a great product and a perfect gift especially for everyone obsessed with French skincare and Paris.

You can buy it here

3. Lanolips 101 Ointment Multipurpose Superbalm:

This is the perfect gift for the girl/guy who’s always reaching for a moisturizing lip balm. Or for a moisturizing, period. In fact you can use this multipurpose balm on every part of your body that is extra dry and needs extreme hydration. It is a high-powered dry skin healer that stays put all day and protects the skin from even the most bitter winter weather. I’m in love with this balm because during the cold winter months my skin become very dry and this super thick balm provides instant relief and comfort. It’s just the perfect product for every part of your body that needs moisture.

You can buy it here

And now some really cute Christmas makeup ideas:

1. Too Faced Melted Liquified Matte Long Wear Lipstick in Gingerbread Man:

An holiday limited-edition of the amazing liquid matte lipstick from Too Faced. You have to smell it before trying it, it has a sweet, amazing gingerbread scent. The color is a rustic red, one of my favorite shades especially during cold winter days with little natural light. It’s very pigmented and long lasting, too. The formula is also easy to apply and comfortable to wear. It is a bit on the drier side – to be expected since it is a matte lipstick – but you can avoid that feeling using a lip primer or a good lip balm underneath. The packaging is really cute and very Christmas-sy, with all those little gingerbread men on the bottle.

You can buy it here

2. Nabla Dreamy Eyeshadow Palette:

This beautiful palette contains 12 matte, pearl and metallic shades ideal for creating a range of stylish eye looks. All of these shades are buttery, easy to blend and really pigmented, but I would recommend using a good primer first anyway. The 12 shades are:

• Immaculate – White pearl.

• Illusion – Matte mocha.

• Vanitas – Peach pearl.

• Delirium – Metallic deep purple.

• Byzantine – Rich metallic gold.

• Sistina – Matte salmon.

• Metal Cupid – Metallic burgundy.

• Inception – Pearled purple with blue undertones.

• Senorita – Matte fuchsia toned burgundy.

• Rose Gold – Metallic rose gold.

• Lullaby – Soft lilac.

• Dogma – Matte espresso.

The packaging is also awesome with a big mirror and a constellation-print case.

Unfortunately the dreamy palette is sold out at the moment, but if you follow Nabla on Instagram or Facebook you will know when they restock this little masterpiece. This is the ultimate gift for a beauty addicted.

You can buy it here or here

3. Marc Jacobs Beauty Velvet Noir Volume Mascara:

One of my favorite mascara at the moment. The black pigment is really concentrated, so it delivers an amazing effect on your lashes. Plus even the brush is awesome, because it is great at lengthening and spreading the lashes well. This mascara works amazingly well; after using a couple of coats your lashes will feel soft, but look very well separated, black, defined, and longer than before. Another thing that I loved about this mascara is the packaging: chic, sleek and different from other products. It lasts all day without fading or melting, a perfect gift for this long holidays nights. Also a great present for every makeup addicted on you Christmas gift list.

You can buy it here

In the end some other pretty gift ideas:

1. The Ritual Of Sakura – Relaxing Treat (gift set):

This gift set is really lovely and not pricey! It contains a the shower gel and a body cream, both of them have a delicious and delicate scent of cherry flowers. Enriched with naturally nourishing organic rice milk, it lifts away effortlessly your skin impurities whilst nourishing and moisturizing. It is also a great product if you need a little bit of relaxing time during your shower.

Also, a perfect gift if you are on a budget.

You can buy it here

2. Rene Furterer Karinga Hydrating Styling Leave-In Cream (for hair):

It’s the perfect gift for everyone who wants a hydrating and styling leave-in cream that can also give incredibly smooth and manageable hair. It contains some natural ingredients known for their moisturizing, restructuring and protective properties (some of the key ingredients are Argan Oil, Moringa Extract and Coconut Oil). This cream is also enriched in sheathing and antistatic agents. Also, the slightly and so lovely tropical scent of this hair cream is really something to die for. A great gift for everyone who has frizzy, curly, dry and damaged hair.

You can find it here

3. Carry-All Pouches:

Every beauty addicted needs a lovely and trusty cosmetic bag. This is also a perfect gift idea for all of your friends/beloved ones that travel a lot.

My favorite is definitely this one with a cute Christmas-sy pattern. In it you can carry everything you want from make-up brushes to your favorite moisturizer, from pens or pencils for school/university to your loose change.

You can buy it here

4. Silk Pillow Case:

I’ve been using silk pillow cases for years now and I really love them! There are lots of benefits about using silk: no more puffy eyes and lines on your face upon waking up; no more knots in your hair and split ends; less perspiration (especially during the hot summer nights), less absorption of products (every expensive product you will put on your face before bed will truly benefit your skin, not your pillow case). You will wake up with a beautiful, refresh and soft skin and hair. The soft and luxurious feeling is a bonus. A great gift for everyone!

You can find it here

I hope you’ll get inspired by some of these items and maybe add them to your Christmas gift list!

My favorite early Autumn/Fall makeup:

Hello everyone, already in your holiday mood or still lingering in the melancholy Autumn mood?

Either way here we are and today we are talking about my favorite early Autumn/Fall makeup.

Here is the list of product I will give you a mini review:

1- Effaclar BB Blur Cream Mousse with SPF 20

2- Too Faced Better Than SexMascara

3- Benefit Hoola Bronzer

4- Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink (shade 15 Lover)

• Effaclar BB Blur Cream Mousse with SPF 20 is the perfect ally for a light makeup during your days off or for people who hate using foundation with an heavy consistency.

The soft and lovely mousse-like texture feels strange at first, but then it blends effortlessly into your skin, blurring pores and covering other imperfections. The color and light coverage remain beautiful and true all day long. It also offers a lovely light coverage that evens out your complexion in a natural-looking way, even if it can’t cover more noticeable imperfections like dark spots or acne scars.

The only problem of this amazing product is that it only comes in two shades, Fair/Light and Light/Medium. Personally, since I have fair skin, my shade is the first one, and it is perfect, but seriously it should be offered in more options.

Its formula is particularly great for oily skin, because it lightly mattifies your shiny face, but thanks to enough emollient ingredients it’s perfect even for those with normal to combination skin (I would not recommend this to those who have dry skin, because it can leave dry patches on your cheeks).

Bonus Point: It’s fragrance free and provides a great broad spectrum sun protection.

I would strongly recommend Effaclar BB Blur Cream Mousse with SPF 20, it’s a product that is amazing but also not pricey at all.

You can find it here

• Too Faced Better Than Sex is my favorite and most used mascara at the moment.

If you want to add length and volume to your lashes, this is the perfect product for you.

The color is super black, and the formula gives a “WOW” effect to your lashes that last all day, without smudging or clumping them together.

The hourglass-shaped brush separates and curls each lash to a voluptuous perfection, and it is very easy to use.

One or two coats are enough to add noticeable length and volume to your lashes, but with a few extra coats you will have shocking look-at-me lashes.

The formula doesn’t feel greasy or sticky, however it takes longer than usual to dry. But, like I said, once it is set it doesn’t flake and has a superior wear.

I have tested it during the hot and humid Summer months. I have put it on in the early morning and when I came home later in the night it was still there without any leak on the cheeks.

So, I would certainly recommend this mascara, it is a bit pricey but worth your money due to its excellent quality. Moreover, there is a mini size which is a great idea if you want to try it before buying it; it is also half the prize of the regular one and really cute.

You can find it here

• Benefit Hoola Bronzer is my life saver. This powder is very flattering on my fair skin tone, and can add a believable and lovely sun-kissed glow on my face every day, even on a bad day. It is perfect as a bronzer per se, but I also love to use it as a light contour to give tone and shape to my face. Hoola, with its smooth texture and lightly shiny finish, will melt perfectly on your skin. Also, you will only need 2-3 taps from the pot to have a lovely face every day, even the bad ones.

You can find it here

• Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink in the shade 15 (Lover). It comes in many colors and I have bought two of them already, but this is my favorite nude shade for every day.

This liquid lipstick is awesome; you can apply it in the morning and even eat oily food, like pizza, at lunch, or drink frizzy beverage, like Cola or Fanta, and this product will stay intact until you have to wash your face at night, not kidding here. Also, it doesn’t smudge on the corner of your mouth and it doesn’t concentrate in the middle of your lips either, like most of the liquid lipsticks do.

At first it goes on wet and a little sticky, it also takes several minutes to dry properly, but once it sets it stays on all day.

Plus, it doesn’t feel dry, cakey or uncomfortable on your lips.

Moreover, the applicator comes with a pointy tip, which means you can create a sharp lip line without using a lip liner. So, I love Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink but is really a pain to remove; make sure to have a dual phase makeup remover or an oil cleanser on hand.

You can find it here or here

This is Thanksgiving week, so happy holidays if you are American! For all of us it also means Black Friday is near. I hope you will find great ideas for your shopping list in my blog. Shop ’till you die! (metaphorically speaking, of course).

See you soon.

MY SUMMER READING LIST: 3 GREAT BOOKS:

Something a bit different today: my top 3 books for these last days of summer. I’ve been reading these great novels over the course of the summer, whenever I get to snatch a sunny moment at the beach or a couple of hours before bed. I loved them, so I want to share my reading recommendations with you. Let’s get started with my favorite one:
 

1 – “Mr. Mercedes” is a novel by Stephen King. This amazing thriller won the 2015 Edgar Award for Best Novel from the Mystery Writers of America, and the Goodreads Choice Awards for 2014 in the “Mystery and Thriller” category. Also, the TV series based on the first book of this trilogy premiered in the USA on August 9, 2017. So, maybe you will want to read the book, before watching the tv series… or maybe not, it’s up to you, but I can assure you that the show is really awesome. Mr. Mercedes is a page turner, a great thriller that set a retired detective against a criminal that got away.

Plot:

Many jobless people are standing in line for a job fair when a Mercedes plows into the crowd killing 8 people and severely injuring many. Bill Hodges, a recently retired detective from the local police department, receives a letter from an individual claiming to be the person responsible for the job fair incident, referring to himself as “Mr.Mercedes”. Hodges is divorced, lonely and fed up with his life, occasionally contemplating suicide. The Mr. Mercedes incident had taken place at the end of Hodges’ career and was still unresolved when he retired. Mr. Mercedes knows details of the murder and also mentions Olivia Trelawney, from whom he had stolen the Mercedes. Olivia had committed suicide soon after the massacre out of guilt. Hodges is intrigued and starts to investigate the case instead of turning the letter over to his former police colleague, Pete Huntley.

This novel is the first part of the Bill Hodges Trilogy, the second book is “Finders Keepers”, and the last one that ends the trilogy is “End of Watch”.

“Mr. Mercedes” is saturated with plot twists and, unlike the others Stephen King’s book, it is more like a detective story than a mystery novel per se, but that that’s why I like it so much. This is really a great thriller with a fair amount of thrill, perfect to read during a relaxing summer holiday. Personally, I became intrigued with the cat and mouse game played between the retired detective and the psychopathic killer. Brady is a compelling villain with a tragic background that makes him one of King’s most memorable bad guys.

Then another ”outside the lines’’ book that may have something in common with The Walking Dead series/graphic novel:

2 – “The Passage” is the first book of a trilogy by Justin Cronin. There are three published books in the series and the first book now will be turned into a tv series. The author wrote both an uncompromisingly and suspenseful adventure and an epic chronicle of human endurance in the face of unprecedented catastrophe and unimaginable danger.

Plot:

“The Passage” begins in the near future and details an apocalyptic and, later, post-apocalyptic world that is overrun by vampire-like beings who are infected by a highly contagious virus. What begins as a project to develop a new immunity-boosting drug based on a virus carried by an unnamed species of bat in South America eventually becomes the virus that transforms the world. The novel extend over more than ninety years, as colonies of humans attempt to live in a world filled with superhuman creatures who are continually on the hunt for fresh blood.

First, the unthinkable: a security breach at a secret U.S. government facility unleashes the monstrous product of a chilling military experiment. Then, the unspeakable: a night of chaos and carnage gives way to sunrise on a nation, and ultimately a world, forever altered. All that remains for the stunned survivors is the long fight ahead and a future ruled by fear—of darkness, of death, of a fate far worse.

As civilization swiftly crumbles into a primal landscape of predators and prey, two people flee in search of sanctuary. FBI agent Brad Wolgast is a good man haunted by what he’s done in the line of duty. Six-year-old orphan Amy Harper Bellafonte is a refugee from the doomed scientific project that has triggered apocalypse. He is determined to protect her from the horror set loose by her captors. But for Amy, escaping the bloody fallout is only the beginning of a much longer odyssey—spanning miles and decades—towards the time and place where she must finish what should never have begun. 

Again this book is the first part of a trilogy that continues with “The Twelve” and ends with “The City of Mirrors”.

I love this book because it is an excellent novel, with multi-leveled characters, spiritual mysteries and exciting action scenes. Also the writing is great and well-crafted. So, I really recommend this book, it is an amazing and fascinating read.

In the end, a great young adult novel. This book is perfect for everyone who loves serial killers, murders and bone-chilling plot twists, with young profiler FBI agents:

 

3 – “The Naturals” is a young adult mystery/thriller by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. This is the first book of a series of four.

Plot: 

Seventeen-year-old Cassie is a natural at reading people. Piecing together the tiniest details, she can tell you who you are and what you want. But it’s not a skill that she’s ever taken seriously. That is, until the FBI come knocking at her grandma door: they’ve begun a classified program that uses exceptional teenagers to crack infamous cold cases, and they need Cassie.

What Cassie doesn’t realize is that there’s more at risk than a few unsolved homicides—especially when she’s sent to live with a group of teens whose gifts are as unusual as her own. Sarcastic, privileged Michael has a knack for reading emotions, which he uses to get inside Cassie’s head—and under her skin. Brooding Dean shares Cassie’s gift for profiling, but keeps her at arm’s length.

Soon, it becomes clear that no one in the Naturals program is what they seem. And when a new killer strikes, danger looms closer than Cassie could ever have imagined. Caught in a lethal game of cat and mouse with a killer, the Naturals are going to have to use all of their gifts just to survive.

This is a fun, fast-paced, intriguing and definitely not predictable read. The dynamics between characters will keep anyone entertained and the writing is also very good. It is the perfect summer book!

The Summer is coming to an end, but hopefully you’ll get a few more lazy, warm days to get some outside reading done.

So, happy reading!

Contacts:

Twitter
Instagram
Bloglovin

Summer Favourites – Review of Zoeva Sweet Glamour Palette:

Hello everyone! Today is a makeup day review, because we are going to talk about a gorgeous summer palette with lovely pastel shades, the Zoeva Sweet Glamour Palette.

Who is it for?

Everyone who wants a light but colorful makeup for a hot summer day or for a fun, relaxing evening.

What’s good about it?

The range of shades goes from a tender sorbet peach to a soft baby blue with a luscious lemon in between, all of them enchantingly glamorous and perfect to create a dreamy day look.

Despite the light pastel colors the pigmentation is really good and, once applied, these eye shadows wore well throughout a standard workday without fading, flaking and with minimal creasing.

Moreover these eye shadows have a very smooth texture and blend beautifully, even if it takes a bit of work to get the color to show up with a beautiful and intense tone.

These powder eye shadows are also enriched with vitamin E, and are 100% free of parabens, sulfates and fragrance.

So, in this palette you will find 10 eye shadows :

Fuzzy Haze – a cold white with a matte finish;

Phantasy Principle – a rose gold tone with a bright finish; 

Quite Realistic – a peachy cold shade with a matte finish;

Object To Subject – a lilac cold tone with a bright finish;

Daydream – a purple shade with a matte finish;

Childhood Adaption – a cold light blue with a matte finish;

Wish Fulfilment – a cold green shade with a bright finish;

Artistic Creation – a yellow tone with a bright finish;

Profusion – a brown tone with a matte finish; 

Spirits Held Desire – a cold taupe shade with a bright finish.

This palette offers a great mixture of matte and bright finishes, so you can be creative with your eye shadow makeup; it’s perfect for a unique Summer look!

What’s not so good about it?

The only issue with these eye shadows is that the first application doesn’t bring much color in. A single swipe of one of the 10 shades, especially the lighter tones, will results in a light wash of color on the lids. But the texture and the pigmentation are really good, so the colors are all buildable allowing you to apply multiple layers until you’ll reach the shade you wanted from the beginning. Or you can use a damp brush to make the colors show up a little more.

Another ‘not so good’ fact is that you can buy this lovely palette only on Zoeva website.

 Final thoughts!

If you love pastel hues for Summer you really need to try Zoeva Sweet Glamour, it will be a gorgeous addition to your other eyeshadow palettes. You can also create many unique looks mixing these shades with other nude or dark colors. Plus the prize is great, given the quality of the product, the packaging and the 10 different shades.

You can buy it here.

The palette:

 Ingredients:

Swatches:

Makeup using this palette:

Contacts:

Twitter
Instagram
Bloglovin

Summer Favourites: DIY COCONUT OIL – COFFEE GROUNDS – BROWN SUGAR FACE MASK:

Hello everyone! Today we are talking about a DIY skincare product; a lovely face mask with only 3 ingredients in it that are super cheap and easy to find.
 

So, get ready to pamper yourself  with this super easy DIY mask;  it is perfect to achieve a beautiful glowing skin without spending time and money at your local spa.

You will only need 3 natural ingredients that are really easy to find in your favorite grocery store or farmer market: coconut oil, brown sugar and coffee grounds.

 Here is the recipe:

1– Melt a teaspoon of coconut oil by putting it in a mug and then, for no less than 30 seconds, in the microwave;

2– Retrieve a teaspoon of coffee grounds from your coffee pot;

3– Mix the coconut oil and the coffee grounds together in a small glass bowl;

4– Add a teaspoon of brown sugar;

5– Mix everything together happily;

6– Apply to the face and keep the mixture on for 15 minutes;

7– Rinse off with lukewarm water and pat dry.

Et voilà, you will have an amazing moisturizing/exfoliating face mask suitable for all skin types. In fact, the coconut oil is a lovely nourishing natural product; sugar is a brilliant natural exfoliant because it tends not to tear at the skin (like other stronger products); coffee grounds are awesome to bright your skin and wake up a dull-ish complexion.

Some words of advice:

 A) I prefer washing masks off with a warm and wet washcloth, instead of a plain and simple splash of water. I run a washcloth under lukewarm water, squeeze out the excess water and then gently wash off the mask in a circular motion. Washcloths are also brilliant for exfoliating.

B) If you don’t particularly like the slightly “greasy” sensation that coconut oil naturally leaves on your face, you can use a gentle cleanser to remove it after, of course, you have rinse off all the mixture of the mask. 

C) I would recommend staying right on your bathroom sink while you put this mask on, because otherwise the coffee grains will spread everywhere, even on your cloths, so be careful.

 I love to apply this mask before an event or a night out as it gets my skin glowing.

 Plus the smell of coffee and coconut oil blended together? OMG, heavenly!

Have you already tried this DIY mask or are you tempted to frantically search for the ingredients throughout your kitchen cabinets right now and try it ASAP? I really like it, so I would love to know your thoughts about it!

The ingredients:

 

The final product:

Contacts:

Twitter
Instagram
Bloglovin

Review of NYX Total Control Drop Foundation:

Hello everyone! Today it’s a makeup day review, because we are going to talk about a great new foundation: NYX Total Control Drop Foundation.
 

Who is it for?

This foundation is perfect for every skin type, although it is best for normal to combination skin. If your skin is very oily you will need to prep your face very well with a mattifying primer before applying this foundation. Same if you have dry skin, I would recommend using a good unifying and moisturizing primer to make sure that your face is adequately hydrated. 

What’s good about it?

I have been using NYX Total Control Drop Foundation for weeks now and in various weather conditions (warm sunny days with high humidity; cold windy evenings; cold and rainy days) and it worked perfectly every time.

I love that this fragrance free foundation is very lightweight, but also highly pigmented… and that means a little product goes a long way, plus a full coverage will never results in a cakey appearance. In fact the fluid texture of this foundation is really easy to blend, resulting in an attractive satin-matte finish that doesn’t highlight imperfections, and wears well throughout your normal work day, without fading or creasing.

Moreover, this liquid foundation comes in a glass bottle with a dropper dispenser, which is a brilliant way to distribute it, as you can easily adjust how much product you want/need, drop by drop, from a lovely sheer to a great full coverage and everything in between.

The extent of the shade selection of NYX Total Control Drop Foundation is very impressive; the perfect shade for my skin tone is the 05 Light, but there are several options from fair to deep skin tones. With so many options it can be hard to find which bottle to buy, you will really need to choose carefully which one of the two dozen shades is going to be perfect for your skin tone. So, I would recommend a visit to your nearest store to try in person this foundation; with a single drop on your neck or hand you will quickly find out the perfect shade for your skin tone.

A word of advice: the consistency of this foundation is, at first, a little bit on the watery side, so I would recommend putting the number of drops you want to use directly on your skin, with your fingers or the dispenser, and only after you can blend it on your face with a flat kabuki foundation brush. Otherwise, putting 4 or more drops right away on the brush will result in the unpleasant event that the tool will absorb the product entirely, leaving nothing on your skin.

The glass bottle contains ml.13 of product, but is really enough since you will need only 3/4 drops of it to achieve a lovely medium coverage. So, like I said, I little bit goes a long way. 

What’s not so good about it?

Nothing, really! This is a good and not so pricey foundation that I will certainly recommend to give it a chance. But like I said before, you need to try it in store to find the perfect shade for your skin tone. Also, the best way to apply it is to put a couple of drops first directly on your skin, then blend it with your favorite foundation blush. 

Final thoughts!

What I love most about NYX Total Control Drop is that it’s considered a drugstore product, but at the end of the day it has the performance of some famous brand foundation. In fact it’s remarkably buildable, blends smoothly across the skin and leaves your face with a lovely satin matte finish.

So, if you have the chance to have a shop nearby, go and give it a chance, I think you will not be disappointed! 

Or, if you already knew your shade, you can shop it here.

I would love to know what you think of NYX Total Control Drop Foundation? Have you already tried it and loved it, or not? As always, if you want, let me know in the comment below.

 The packaging:

The consistance:

The result:

 

Review of Avène Cleanance Gel Cleanser:

Hello everyone! Today it’s a skincare day review, because we are going to talk about a great and affordable cleanser: Avène Cleanance Gel Cleanser.

Who is it for?

This soapless cleansing gel is perfect for those who have oily or acne prone skin and need an everyday cleanser that gently but effectively helps to purify your skin, while respecting its physiological pH. However, since this extremely gentle cleanser doesn’t contain harsh active ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, it works really well even on normal or dry skin, especially after a humid hot summer day. 

What’s good about it?

I have been using the Avène Cleanance Gel Cleanser almost every day since I have bought it, nearly a month ago now. I especially love using this cleanser at the end of the day, as a second cleanser, after removing all my make up with a specific product like the amazing Body Shop Camomile Waterproof Eye & Lip Makeup Remover (my review here) and the Camomile Cleansing Butter. However, this is also awesome as a first cleanser for your morning skincare routine.

The light consistency of this aquamarine gel becomes soft and soapy once you have massage it on your damp face. Then you can rinse it away with warm water. It’s really easy to use!

Avène Cleanance Gel can cleanse gently and effectively your face, leaving your skin feeling refreshed and balanced, but not dry or tight. It can even help calm sensitive skin!

This hypoallergenic and paraben-free gel is also fragrance-free. Plus, it contains Avène Thermal Spring Water, a great soothing ingredient; Cucurbita Pepo, a vegetal origin extract, which contributes to reduce the excess of sebum, and zinc gluconate, an amazing anti-inflammatory ingredient.

The packaging is also great and easy to use; the small opening on the top of the bottle can assure you that there will be no waste of product (in fact you will only need a small amount of gel to clean your entire face, so a little bit of it goes a long way). 

What’s not so good about it?

Nothing, really. This is a very good and effective cleanser. Plus, the huge bottle of 300 ml. is, beyond doubt, a beauty bargain.

You can buy it in every store near you that sell Avène products or online here.

Final thoughts!

I really love skincare products, especially after my acne treatment that dried out my skin so badly that I needed to change my entirely skincare routine! So I really recommend this cleanser gel, to everyone actually, not only to those who have oily/acne-prone skin. It is a really great everyday cleanser, affordable and very effective.

Ingredients:

Avene Thermal Spring Water (Avene Aqua), Aqua, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Zinc Coceth Sulfate, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Coco-Amphoacetate, Ceteareth-60 Myristyl Glycol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Parfum (Fragrance), Glyceryl Laurate, Green 5 (CI 61570), Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Yellow 5 (CI 19140), Zinc Gluconate.

Active Ingredients : Eau thermale Avène 56%, Base lavante douce, Extrait concentré de Cucurbita pepo, Gluconate de zinc, CTAB.

The packaging:

The consistency:

Contacts:

Twitter
Instagram
Bloglovin

Stationery and Co. Spring Ideas:

Hello everyone! Today we are going to talk about something more colorful and relaxing than makeup and skincare; hand lettering, stationery and colorful pens. Yeah for Spring Season!
First of all I’m going to say that I get the majority of my ideas and creative inspirations from Pinterest, where I always find amazing tips and tricks.

So, in this post I will show you some great color pens, a bunch of lovely notebooks, and a lot of black pens with different tip sizes to write motivational quotes or to draw cute illustrations in your bullet journal.

I will also talk about my picks for a good starter pack for those girls that would love to have a cute and colorful planner or bullet journal, but don’t know how to properly start one. Hope that this will help a little bit!

– A cute clear notebook.

You can use it as a notebook-meets-bullet journal, or to write inspiring quotes, or whatever words you feel the need to put down on paper. It is a very helpful tool because you can keep track of your daily meetings, appointments, tasks etc., and also it can be a very good synthesis of your best personal ideas and strategies to improve and organize your daily life. Moreover, it’s so refreshing and calming to write, in your own handwriting, whatever you want in a beautiful journal, after spending so much of our day (and sometimes night) online, on devices and apps.

 – My beloved black Sakura Pigma Micron Fine Pens in the numbers 005, 01, 02, 05.

These are excellent drawing pens that are also pretty good for writing, too. They have a precise, strong and consistent line with a great pigmented ink that is fade resistant and will not smudge or transfer/stain the paper below. They’re available in red, green, blue and, of course, black. Moreover, the barrel is a good comfortable length, the cap posts securely and the weight is just fine.

– Color Pens Giotto Turbo Giant and Turbo Glitter in Pastel.

I have been searching for these color pens for a very long time, then a couple of days ago I have finally found them… yeah!!! The Turbo Giant have a felt-tip that writes a 1mm line. The shades are super pastel, so light and spring-ish, but the ink is great because it writes and color in very well and doesn’t stain the back of your sheet.

The Turbo Glitter, on the other hand, have a fun and bright colors thanks mostly to the glitters in the ink (so your words will spark under the lights or glow under the sun like a unicorn mane ;-). But you have to be careful with these one because if you put down too much pressure you can easily stain the paper below. 

– The amazing Guangdong Genvana Brush Pens.

I have recently bought these amazing brush pens on Amazon. I have them in three different tips sizes:

– the first one has a medium tip size;

– the second one has a long brush tip that gives a sharply defined line with wide variation in width. It’s possible to get very fine lines, with care, and, on the other hand, big broad strokes;

– the last one has a hard fairly fine tip (this one gives a good sharp and consistent line).

I really like their ink because it’s the best I have ever used with a good pigmented color that will dry fairly quickly and then fade a bit with a textured brush effect. These great brush pens have a good brush tip, but you need to be careful and put down just the right amount of ink; too much pressure and you can easily stain the paper below. 

– Some cute and colorful washi tapes.

I love washi tapes! I always use them to decorate my bullet journal and my Filofax organiser. It’s a relaxing 5 minutes hobby and during a blue Monday (or any other “blue” day, actually) you can look at them and smile a little bit.

– Post-It Notes in different shapes and Letters Stamps.

For a little vintage touch I love to use Letters Stamps. And Post-It Notes in different shapes are great to stick everywhere on your bullet journal just for fun or as reminders for important appointments/dates.

This is it, my cute, funny and useful bullet journal guide kit. I hope you will like it.

So, what about you? Have you ever used a bullet journal?

How do you decorate it? I would love to hear you ideas!

Contacts:

Twitter
Instagram
Bloglovin

H&M Beauty Haul:

Hello everyone! Today we are going to talk about H&M beauty line, and obviously there will be some reviews, lots of them actually: 😉
The whole H&M beauty line has everything you will possibly need to satisfy your make up obsession, from brushes to lipsticks, bags to blushers.

If you are on a budget you have to check out this amazing and affordable beauty line, but even if you’re not I would recommend trying some of H&M beauty products because they are extremely good. So, next time you’re passing by, I highly recommend to go to an H&M shop that stocks their beauty products, and in case you need some shopping list inspiration, here are my top picks…

– H&M All-Day Liquid Foundation.

This is a great foundation with a gorgeous flawless finish.

I bought it a couple of months ago, October if I remember correctly, and I have been using it since then; I really love it.

The packaging is also good, because the pump applicator works very well and dispenses the right amount of product you want. Moreover, the color range is great because you can chose from 11 different shades.

The lightweight, creamy liquid texture meshes well with skin for easy, smooth blending. Also the formula is comfortable with a light to medium coverage (but if you want more coverage you can certainly build it up).

Because of its liquid/cream-ish texture I would recommend using a foundation brush to blend it better, instead of a beauty blender sponge. Last, but surely not least, this is a fragrance free product and provides a broad-spectrum sun protection thanks to its SPF 15; amazing thing since SPF is really important and a lot of people prefer to apply it with their usual make up (e.g. foundation, BB creams etc.). Moreover, when it comes to wear time, this does last several hours without fading too much. What’s not so good about it: Nothing, really. This is a very good and affordable foundation. It is, beyond doubt, a beauty bargain.

– H&M Global Fusion Eye Pot in Paw Paw Blossom (Limited Edition).

This is a great creamy eye shadow in a bold burgundy-metallic color with a warm undertone. This shade should be able to make your eyes truly pop, if you will blend it correctly. Moreover, it is the ideal choice for those seeking a versatile product that works great on its own as well as applied before or after a powder eye shadows for different effects (or to give the creamy eye shadow greater staying power). What’s particularly impressive about this H&M creamy eye shadow is its easy to apply, richly pigmented and smooth formula. Because it’s a creamy eyeshadow you need to be careful with your brushes, in fact I prefer to use my fingers to apply directly from the tub onto my eyelids and then blend the color perfectly with the help of the natural hands heat. Unfortunately this shade is no longer available, but you can still try the other eye cream colors.

What’s not so good about it:

If you don’t quickly apply the right amount of this product as needed to cover your entire eye area, you will quickly run into problems because the formula dries very fast. In other words, you have little time to blend, so you need to work fast and use it cautiously and with patience.

– H&M Jumbo Lip Pencil Lip color-to-go in Zinfandel.

I really enjoyed the shade of this Lip Pencil when I was wearing it, and I also was very impressed with the formula when I was reviewing it. The formula is in fact comfortable to wear, creamy, high pigmented and it offers hours of color-rich wear, even after your morning coffee break. The texture of this lip pencil is a perfect combo between a matte lip pencil and a creamy lipstick; the finish is lovely and it won’t dry out your lips, plus this shade is a must have for the winter season. Moreover, this product is very similar to NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil, but way more affordable.

What’s not so good about it: The shade range is very limited, at least here in Italy.

– H&M Colour Essence Eye Pencil in Come In Third.

This is a gorgeous bronze kinda shade eye pencil with some shimmer in it. You really need to try this eye pencil, because it last for hours even in warm and humid weather conditions. The texture is really creamy and smooth, which makes it perfect to use on your lash line, like an eyeliner. But you can also blend this highlighting color on the center of your lids to give some 3D effect to your makeup.

What’s not so good about it: Nothing, really. This is beyond doubt a beauty bargain.

– H&M Straight Defining Brush.

I was looking for a good straight brush; not round, oval or angled, but perfectly straight. So I decided to include this one in my last H&M beauty haul. So far, so good… I love it. It is a really good brush that has nothing to envy to the high end (and pricey) brushes on the market.

This brush has densely packed bristles with a flat, straight and horizontal end. This firm yet soft brush is cut to create a defined eyeshadow line close to your upper and lower lash line, or to blend and smooth out your eyebrow pencil.

What’s not so good about it: Nothing, really. This is a well made and affordable brush; I can assure you that you won’t be disappointed with its performance. Another great beauty bargain from H&M! 

– H&M Brush Cleanser Spray.

Generally I prefer to clean my make-up brushes and tools with a lot of water, neutral soap and the Start Maker Silicone Brush Cleaning Egg (my review here ), but some days I’m simply too tired or too lazy to even think about it, so enter the H&M Brush Cleanser Spray. This is a great and affordable spray that cleans, easily and fast, your make-up brushes. How to use: Spray directly onto the brush head and clean off with a paper tissue. What’s not so good about it: Nothing, really. This is a great and, more important, affordable brush cleanser. Plus, its scent is really lovely.

Have you already tried something from the H&M beauty line? If so, let me know in the comments below! Have a great weekend.

Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex II Serum by Estee Lauder:

Hello everyone! Today it’s the first skincare review of the year, yaaaay! 🙂 We are going to talk about the Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex II Serum by Estee Lauder.
 

Who is it for? 

Everyone who needs a good serum to repair dry skin. It is also an amazing product to fight dull and uneven skin texture. Moreover, you can use this serum to attack first signs of aging and to achieve a smoother, more luminous, younger complexion.

What’s good about it?

 I really love the consistency and texture of this serum. Its light gel/liquid formula absorbs nicely and fast, leaving your skin more luminous and more hydrated than before. It also dries quickly, when applied, without leaving behind a sticky feeling on your face.

I’ve been using Estee Lauder’s Advanced Night Repair Serum for the past three weeks, every other day through my night skincare routine; I use 4/5 drops and I gently smooth them on clean skin under my usual night moisturizing cream (you can also use it alone, but I prefer putting a good moisturizer under it to maximize the effect especially during winter months, when my skin tends to become very dry because of the cold weather).

When I wake up my skin feels smoother, hydrated and refreshed than before; it also looks radiant, even-toned and healthier.

On the box it says that this serum is recommended specifically for its anti aging properties, but I found out that Estee Lauder’s Advanced Night Repair Serum is an amazing product even for people who have oily or acne-prone skin, because it will help your acne scars and spots healing better, and it will keep your sensitive but problematic skin from drying out and becoming even more irritated. 

What’s not so good about it?

Honestly nothing, this is a brilliant product to have in your kickass skincare arsenal, but it also is a luxury one, so it’s pricey. Because of the price, at first I tried a travel size bottle of this serum and when it was gone I noticed that it had became an important step of my skincare routine, so I knew I had to have the full size! I waited for several months and then, lucky me, I found it at a really good discount in a beauty shop in my city, so now I finally I have it! Yeahhh!!! On the bright side, I’ve found out that a little goes a long way, so a full size bottle will last you for several months and the product is so amazing that it is absolutely worth of your money!

Final thoughts!

What can I say? I love everything about this serum. Its fragrance free formula is suitable for all skin types, it also contains several good ingredients that can be beneficial to correct and repair many different skin problems (dryness, dullness, first sign of aging, uneven texture ecc.) The bottle is huge, and really easy to use thanks to a dropper applicator that is really helpful to prevent wasting too much product and to facilitate counting how many drops you will need to use every time. Moreover, like I said before, a little goes a long way, so a full size bottle will last you for several months!

-You can find it here or here

Ingredients:
 

Contacts:

Twitter
Instagram
Bloglovin