Happy New Year!
Hello lovelies,
I’d like to wish everyone a happy New Year! I hope 2010 will be a fantastic year full of joy, love, laughter and health for all of you! May all your wishes come true!
I also want to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you for taking the time to visit and read my blog, comment, send emails.. I’m very grateful for all your support and I hope you will stick around in the new year too. 
Happy 2010 everybody!
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QOTW: Did you get any beauty gifts this year?
Beautiful With Brains says: My boyfriend gave me Natural Spirit Orange Flowers and Myrtle Bath Foam and Moisturizing Body Lotion. They smell gorgeous!
Best Posts of 2009
Well, 2009 is almost over so, while we are getting ready to celebrate it tomorrow, I thought it’d be nice to take a moment to relax and have a look at some of the topics we talked about this year. Enjoy!
Cosmetic ingredients
How to read a cosmetics ingredient list: being able to read ingredient lists is important to make sure that we’re using well-formulated products without ingredients that could cause allergies or irritations to our skin. But how do we read them?
Vitamin C in skincare: this powerful antioxidant, available in different forms in skincare products can provide great benefits for the skin but has some downside too.
What ingredients are comedogenic?: some of the ingredients used in skincare and cosmetic products can clog pores and cause breakouts in some people. Click on the link to find out who the culprits are.
Why are preservatives used in cosmetics?: preservatives are a controversial topic in the beauty world. Some of them release formaldehyde, some have potential safety issues while others don’t work too well. Yet, they are necessary in beauty products.
Haircare
7 Ways To Wash Your Hair: did you know that there are several ways of washing your hair without using shampoo? Find out what they are, as well as their pros and cons.
How to Create Volume for Thin Hair: professional hairstylist Giles Lever shares some tips on how to create volume for fine and thin hair.
Interviews
Interview with Jami from Bionic Beauty: last April, I was thrilled and excited to have got the opportunity to interview Jamie, the brainy beauty behind Bionic Beauty, about blogging and beauty.
Interview with Toma from Makeup Masala: in February, I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing the lovely Toma from Makeup Masala about her beauty secrets and her own makeup shop, The Makeup Mix shop.
Makeup
Are you addicted to lip balm?: is it possible to be addicted to lip balm? If so, what causes it and is this addiction physical or psychological?
Why does my foundation turn orange on me?: we all have experienced foundation turning orange or just darker on our skin, but why does that happen? And how can we prevent it?
Product reviews
Chanel Exceptionnel De Chanel Mascara: this smudgeproof mascara provides volume, length and curl. If it weren’t for the high price and that it takes too long to apply, this would be my HG.
LipFusion XL Lip Plumper: does this expensive lip plumper really works or is just a hyped-up, gimmicky product? Read the review to find out.
Sleek I-Divine Original Eyeshadow Palette: you are all probably very bored to hear me rave about the Sleek palettes, but I can’t help it. Gorgeous, highly pigmented and longlasting shades at a cheap price. What more could a girl want?
Skincare
Are hypoallergenic products really safer?: more and more products are being labelled as hypoallergenic, but what does that mean? And are these products really gentle and less prone to cause negative reactions?
Effects Of Smoking On Skin: smoking doesn’t only cause cancer and heart diseases, but also premature aging, yellowish complexion and teeth and dry skin. The effects aren’t always reversible, so the sooner you quit, the better for your body.
How to care for dry skin: a brief explanation of what causes dry skin and some tips to treat it.
How to care for oily skin: a brief explanation of what causes oily skin and some tips to deal with it.
What does alcohol-free mean?: why do some products labelled as alcohol-free still contain some form of alcohol? And aren’t all alcohols bad for the skin?
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Worst of Beauty 2009
Hi guys,
yesterday I blogged about my favourite products of 2009. But not all products are good or work for everyone so it’s now time to share with you the worst products I tried this year. Some of you may not agree with me so feel free to share your opinion of these products, but for me the items listed below in no particular order were a huge disappointment:
1. Nivea Soft Moisturizing Cream: this is the worst moisturizer I’ve tried so far. It makes skin very soft and gives it a refreshing feeling, but it does nothing at all for my oily t-zone. That’s as shiny as ever when I use this cream. And the formula is not great either: it contains comedogenic ingredients which can cause breakouts and Alcohol Denat which can dry skin and cause free radical damage.
2. Jesse’s Girl Eye Dust: these pigments are loved by many but sadly, I’m not one of those. I find their pigmentation to be very poor. Of course the color payoff is decent if you apply a primer first and gets better if you use them wet, but personally if an eyeshadow doesn’t show up at all on bare skin (and keep in mind that mine is very pale), it’s just not worth the money for me . I always use a primer but a good pigment/shadow should have decent pigmentation even without in my opinion.
3. Deborah 24 Ore (Hours) Pencil Eyeliner: it is supposed to be longlasting, but instead it starts fading after a few hours, doesn’t even last 5 minutes on the waterline and it’s not pigmented at all. Even after 4 or 5 layers I still can’t get decent color payoff. Total waste of money.
4. Pupa Blush Brush: I usually love Pupa products but their brushes are a huge disappointment. The bristles aren’t very soft so they scratch my skin (ouch!) and they don’t reshape perfectly after washing. But at least, they don’t shed.
5. Blistex Lip Infusion Lip Balm: this is a liquid lip balm with a metal ball applicator that gives lips a refreshing feeling but unfortunately it doesn’t moisturize lips. At all. It lasts 15 minutes on the lips, then you need to reapply. And it tastes disgusting too.
6. Helena Rubinstein Collagenist Eye Zoom with pro-Xfill Eye Cream: I wasn’t sure whether to include this product in the list cos it isn’t bad, just average. But in the end, it is its hefty price tag that secured it a place here. This is a very basic cream that only moisturizes the eye area. Nothing else. And for €59,01 I expect more. Usually I’d recommend it to young girls that don’t have wrinkles or major problems in the eye area but I doubt they could afford it. And why waste so much money on this when any eye cream out there moisturizes the eye area too, anyway?
7. Neutro Roberts Intensive Beauty Balsamo Corpo Sotto La Doccia: this is a moisturizer that can be applied in the shower and is supposed to save you time in the morning but for me it didn’t work. It moisturizes skin, but only slightly and the effects don’t last long. I still need to apply another moisturizer afterwards, which makes this product completely useless.
What were the worst products of 2009 for you?
Disclosure: all the products in this post, apart from the Neutro Roberts one which could be requested on their website when it was launched, were purchased by me and reflect my personal and honest opinion with them. For more information, please see my disclaimer.
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Best of Beauty 2009
Hello everyone,
as the year is drawing to a close, I thought I’d share with you the products that rocked my world in 2009. The list includes the products that I tried this year, not those that were released this year, and they are all things that I love very much and use again and again. Curious? Read on:
FACE
Pupa Professionals Smoothing Foundation Primer is a silicone-based primer with a very silky texture that applies like a dream. An excellent base for makeup, it diminishes small imperfections, makes skin smooth and helps makeup last longer. And I love that it is also available in a mini size which is a better value for money for people like me that don’t wear face primers often.
The Body Shop Nature’s Minerals Foundation SPF 25. Although it’s not HG material (mainly because it is available in very few shades and doesn’t control oil too well), it’s one of the best foundations I tried this year. It is a pure mineral foundation that provides a light to medium coverage for a very natural finish that lasts long.
EYES
Barry M Intense Eyeliner Pen is a retractable liner that doesn’t need to be sharpened. The colors are bright and intense, easy to apply, last for hours even on the waterline and don’t smudge.
Unfortunately for my wallet, Chanel Exceptionnel De Chanel Mascara is the best mascara I’ve tried this year. This long-lasting, smudgeproof mascara provides volume, length and separation without clumps. It takes a while to learn to use the wand properly, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll get a dramatic, false lashes effect.
Sleek Eye Dust Pigments are easy to blend, last long and have great color payoff. I wouldn’t say these are the best pigments on the market (although the quality is great), but what I love the most is the size: they are almost as big as MAC pigments (actually I heard MAC is reducing the size of their pigments again so Sleek’s are bigger now) but only cost £2.99. A real steal!
And obviously, I couldn’t forget to mention my beloved Sleek Eyeshadow Palettes. The ones I got these year are Curious (LE, featuring a mix of green, blue and purple shades), Safari (LE, a mix of neutral and colorful shades), Acid (LE, bright and neon shades) and Chaos (permanent, bright and matte shades), but all the others are amazing too. They feature 12 soft and highly pigmented mineral eyeshadows that last all day. And they are super cheap too!
CHEEKS
Barry M Blusher comes in six bright shades that, if applied with a light hand, look very flattering on pale skin too. The packaging could use some work, but the blush is very pigmented, soft to the touch and provides a rosy and healthy glow to the cheeks.
E.L.F. Studio Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder contains a pigmented blush that gives cheeks a rosy glow and a pigmented bronzer that is perfect for contouring. Unfortunately the bronzer is not suitable for pale skin, but overall, this duo is a steal!
Lumiere Blushing Bronzer in Sugarberry, a dark mauve that gives cheeks a natural flush. And because it has a matte finish with just the sightliest hint of shimmer, this is perfect for contouring pale skintones. In addition, it is nicely pigmented and lasts all day.
Senna Cheeky Blush was a pleasant surprise. I wasn’t expecting to like this much since I prefer powder blushes cos they last longer. But this cream blush lasts for hours and doesn’t feel sticky at all. The color is pigmented and because it is very shimmery (too shimmer for some people) it provides a nice flush with a sparkly glow that allows me to skip highlighting powder.
LIPS
Although I’m a lipgloss girl, my favourite lip products this year are both lipsticks. My favourite is Lancome L’Absolu Rouge Lipstick for its creamy and moisturizing texture. It is available in lots of beautiful and pigmented shades and it’s fairly longlasting too.
NYX Round Lipsticks aren’t as longlasting as Lancome lippies, but they are still a great and much cheaper alternative. They’re also available in a wide selection of shades, are creamy and have a great color payoff. And most importantly, they aren’t drying on the lips.
BRUSHES
E.L.F. Studio Powder Brush is my favourite brush to apply both liquid and mineral foundation. The dense bristles feel like silk on my skin and provide medium to full coverage for an airbrushed look in just a few seconds. And it’s very inexpensive too!
MAC 219 Pencil Brush is one of those brushes that, once you have them, you wonder how you could have lived without. It’s definitely a must-have. The soft and dense pointed tip is perfect for precise work. It defines the outer V and crease perfectly, deposits eyeshadows on the lower lashline effortlessly and it’s great at creating shapes and smudging colors.
MAKEUP REMOVERS
I’m still on the look out for a cheap and effective makeup remover. All the ones I tried this year are average and the only one that truly impressed me is Helena Rubinstein All Mascaras! Complete Eye Make-Up Remover. If it weren’t for the high-price, I would stick to this and never use anything else. It completely removes all traces of eye makeup, including waterproof mascara and eyeliner, in just a few seconds and is gentle on the eyes.
HAIR
I like trying new products all the time, but when it comes to my hair I usually stick to my old favourites. But this year, I had the chance to try Bottega Verde Anti-Age Cream Conditioner and I completely fell in love with it. It conditions hair well, leaving it soft, moisturized and tangle free. And it smells gorgeous too!
Can you see something missing from the list above? Yeah, that’s right, skincare products. That’s because none of the skincare items I tried this year have blown me away. Some of them are great and worked well for my skin, but I haven’t found any HG or must-have products.
What are your favourite beauty products from 2009?
Disclosure: all the products in this post, apart from the Lumiere and Senna blushes which were provided by PR for consideration, were purchased by me. For more information, please see my disclaimer.