Thursday 30 December 2010

I love... a tiny haul!

Shame on me, I picked up a few goodies and forgot to mention it to you - I've just been so busy with the holidays! Anyway, I've been reading a lot on this Philosophy-inspired line that I had become eager to try some...

So I did the most rational thing any beautyloving girl would do: I hopped over to the nearest place that sells these goodies and had a snif on them. The scent I liked most was the strawberries&milkshake. I picked up the scrub and the lip gloss for a couple of euros each. I also liked the shower gel version but I have enough shower gels to last me a year so I'm putting myself on hold. I'll be trying the scrub this weekend, but I'm aleady hooked on the scent, smells like heaven to me...

What are your thoughts on this line, I know most of you already have given it a go?
Wednesday 29 December 2010

Product Praise Too Faced Shadow insurance

Back in the day when I was younger - sounding like a granny, I kid you not - I didn't believe in eyeshadow and certainly not in eyeshadow primer. What a waste of money would that be, eyeshadow has to stay put all day and creasing is normal because everyone was walking around like that so it was only normal that your eyeshadow turns out that way after wearing it for hours in a row. Little did I know, but luckily I came to my senses and realised that a primer is a necessity in every makeuplovinggirls closset. Most of the entire blogworld has reached a consensus on this primer: they love it. Curiousity awoke with me...

Your full-coverage insurance policy against all fading creasing melting blurring oil slicked and hard-to-blend eye-shadow accidents. Too Faced Shadow Insurance is a silicone based eye-shadow primer that transforms any eye shadow into a perfectly blendable color-drenched intensified version of itself, then locks it down perfectly ‘till you take it off. The skin soothing formula evens out the skin tone on your lids and smoothes out lines while it secures a barrier between the oils of your skin and your makeup so no shadow catastrophes will ever happen again. 'Thank you Shadow Insurance I can sleep better at night knowing you're on my side!"


And wow, this primer promises a lot of things... First up, you need only a tiny amount of this primer, about the size on the picture above for both eyes - generally a peasize amount then. It has a beige colour, spreads easily and sinks into your skin very fast. It has no scent whatsoever. Due to the beige colour it evens out your skintone a bit but it doesn't provide the same coverage as a concealer would off course. Too Faced is mid price range, this primer costs about 12-15euros for 11g, personally I purchased it through HQhair as it's not available in Belgium. The price may seem like an obstacle but it will last you a long long time, mine hardly looks used even though I've been using it for months. Definitely worth putting a little money into.

I've been using this primer for a few months so I can comment on it quite clearly, I've tested it along with different brands from low budget to high end but with the same result. This primer - provided that you don't use TOO much - prevents creasing, at the end of the day my eyeshadow is still perfectly in its place. Eyeshadows don't fade, don't melt. Occasionally my eyeshadow gets a bit blurry but that's because I rub in my eyes from time to time. The primer also makes your eyeshadow easy blendable, which is a big plus for me. I don't like spending too much time blending. One claim it doesn't fulfill is the intensifying level, my eyeshadows don't pop out more than usual, probably because the colour of the primer is beigelike. It doesn't disturb me that much, if I'm after a more dramatic effect I first use a white eyeshadow/base.

The goods: fulfills almost all its claims, price-amount very affordable

The bads: doesn't intensify your eyeshadow (doesn't botter me that much), only available for online purchase in Belgium

This is a very good product that I will continue to use untill I run out of it and will buy again and again. It works for me and that's all I need to know. It's very affordable, given how long you will be able to use it. However, a word of caution, I've read that people with more oily skin don't like this primer as they find it too greasy - it is siliconebased. I have normal to dry skin and I have no problems with it, it sinks in fast. This is something you need to try if you haven't already, I love it and I understand why it gets so much praise!
Tuesday 28 December 2010

Christmas presents

Today I'm going to show you some of my Christmas presents that I got. I'm not going to show them all as some are pretty boring (an iron, some house cleaning stuff, a cook book etc), I'm just going to show the -interesting- stuff... All present stated in the article were from the boyfriend.

This present I bought myself because I wanted him to give this to me - and he says: whatever, I don't need to go after it then. It are 2 travello's from Ici Paris XL that can be refilled in silver and pink. They also have it in gold and black available. Tiny and convenient, I like! It costs around 8-9euros but I still had a 10euro coupon so I bought two. The next couple of weeks I will also be talking about a few perfumes of mine^^

Then I also wanted him to buy me a surprise present, presents are always more fun when you don't know what they are... So he went to a chocolatier and bought this vintage wooden box -which is adorable- with lots of njummy goodies in it:

It contains 3 chocosticks in different flavours for hot coco, a tin with special chocolates as a coffee treat and an authentic piece of nougat! It's looking delicious mmm...

What did you get?

Monday 27 December 2010

Review Avon Foot Works Vanilla Brown Sugar Foot Cream

Yesterday I talked about my bedside box and this product is part of it... I enjoy taking care of my hand and feet, as they need it and feel so much better afterwards. They are quite dry, especially during the winter but it doesn't always come to my mind to take care of them. I'm sure many of you will recognize that particular sentence...

This foot cream is by Avon and has a mixed scent of vanilla and brown sugar to it. The scent is also the main reason I bought it, I'm a fan of brown sugar scents. The outside looks very simple but nice enough. The tube is matte and has the appropriate yellow and brown colours to refer to the scent. If you look closely you can also see the vanilla sticks and the brown sugar underneath.



The product itself is quite thick and has a beige-lightbrown colour. When spreading it, it is again quite thick and needs some time to sink in. The scent is vanilla and brown sugar all the way, I love it so much, I can just sniff on it all day - delicious. There's a hint of artificial scent to it, but it's not overwhelming so I don't mind. It does a good job at moisturizing if you have dry skin. Apart from that it doesn't do anything else, and I didn't expect it either.

A point of negative is that it contains alcohol denatol, it's on the lower part of the ingredient list, but nevertheless this shouldn't happen (as their regular foot cream doesn't contain it). It contains 75ml and I paid about 3-4euros for it. This was a limited scent edition, however Avon brings them back each year.

The goods: nice scents, moisturized, good price

The bads: a bit artificial, no special effects, contains alcohol denatol

Overall this is a basic foot cream that, if you like the scent, works nice. It's an OK product but there are also other likewise products in the same price range that have the same effect.
Sunday 26 December 2010

My bedside box

Before I go to sleep I enjoy using the occasional hand cream, foot cream, lip balm etcetera.. Well you catch my drift. But my bedside table was getting a bit too occupied with tubes and pots wandering around, I wanted a nice box to place there to organise my stuff. I did find such a box...
It's a black wooven box that I bought in Hema for a couple of euros, not too big and not too small. It's just perfect for my everynights need. Now, honestly I don't use these things every evening, just when I'm in the mood for it. Nevertheless it's convenient to have this box near me. Let's see what's in it:
  • Rituals White Lotus body & massage oil
  • Avon revitalising glycerine hand cream with citrus & vitamin E
  • Avon glycerine hand & nail cream with vitamin E
  • Avon brown sugar foot cream
  • Avon cherry ice foot lotion
  • Blistex lip relief cream
  • Nuxe reve de miel lip balm
  • paper tissues
  • moisturizing socks

What do you have laying around on your bedside table??

Saturday 25 December 2010

Merry Christmas!

A Merry Christmas to all my lovely readers, hope you are having a very joyful time surrounded by people who love you!

The last couple of days have been very busy for me as I was the host for the Christmas dinner this year, hence the lack of posting. But everything went smooth and everybody was satisfied. I've gotten some lovely presents that I can't wait to show you all.

Did you have a nice Christmas evening?
Wednesday 22 December 2010

Online shopping haulllll

I caved in and did some online shopping but with a good reason :) I had a Nyx coupon of 20% and couldn't left it unused... Apart from that my boyfriend needed a new day&night cream so I tagged a few things I wanted along. Just an ordinary online shopping week as always!

First up a few lipsticks, the round ones as they are quite creamy: Tea Rose (lovely colour), Fire, Vitamin, Circle.

Blushes, I'm a fan of blush, cream and powder blush, both in the colour natural. I'm not a fan of heavy bright blushes.

A lipgloss: smokey eyes, another lipgloss which I can't recall the name off and 2 jumbo eye pencils in black bean and yoghurt.

And a skincare order from Paula's choice: a recovery antioxidant serum, moisture boost cream for me - and a gel and lotion for my boyfriend.

Apart from this I've also bought Christmas presents but I'm not going to show them here :) Have you already bought yours?
Tuesday 21 December 2010

Review Sigma Tapered Blending Brush E40

Sigma brushes continued... So far I've talked about a few ones I do like and often use with pleasure, but they aren't all a bed of roses. Today I'm going to talk about their tapered blending brush, which is supposed to be a dupe for the MAC224.

It has a nice long handle and looks very similar. Again, I like the black and silver letters on it. This is just how a brush should look to me, I'm not a fan of coloured brushes - just plain black will do thank you.

The brush looks very fluffy and while going over your hand it feels soft enough to use around the eye area. But boy, was I wrong to think that. When using this brush to blend my eyeshadow in my crease, as intented by its name, I don't find it soft at all. It stings/pricks quite a lot. On a good note: it does a nice job of blending the eyeshadow but off course at some pain.

Then onto the next point of annoyance: it sheds! And by shedding I don't mean the occasional hair, it sheds a lot lot lot! When using this brush to blend I often have to pluck of tiny hairs that have gotten in my eyeshadow. But the hardest part is the cleansing of this brush, then you get a shedding walhalla! I thought that with continued use and cleansing the shedding would stop, but it still goes on and on. If I look at the brush now, I'm surprised there's still this much hair on it. But I'm quite certain that with longer use and cleaning this brush won't be a fluffy one anymore.

I wouldn't recommend this brush to anyone, there are better options out there for the same price. The stinging and shedding combined makes this a no-no.
Monday 20 December 2010

How to working look

Lately I've been wearing this brown look a lot to work, it has become one of my favourites this fall/winter. I've been using these products (now that I look at it in the pictures, it seems a lot but the look is quick and easy), off course you can use other similar ones to get the same result. Excuse the eye smudges a bit and the fading of my inner corner, took the pictures after a day of work :)

The total look as seen in this FOTD along with the products I've used.

The eyes in close-up:

The products used for the eyes:

  • First off, start with a base: I used Shadow Insurance from Too Faced.
  • Then take NYX Jumbo Pencil in Milk and apply it in the inner corner of your eye, take it towards your moving eyelid, if you want the brown colour that we're going to put there to pop more you can use it all over your lid.
  • Take the Sleek Storm Palette and use colour 2 all over your moving eyelid, use colour 3 (I'm loving this colour so much!) in the outer corner and in the crease, use colour 1 as a highlighter under your eyebrows. Blend colour 3 into the other ones.
  • Use a browngolden liner below the lashline, I used Avons Supershock liner in browngold.
  • Apply mascara on the top lashes, I used Diors Ionic Mascara.
  • Finish your brows with a browmousse - I used Tweezerman.

Hope you like it, just a lovely easy look that will suit anyone...


Sunday 19 December 2010

Snow and a dogs tale

It's been snowing all day so far, my backyard has become a beautifull white carpet... Oh, how I love looking at it when I can stay indoors!! I've never experienced this much snow during any winter but let's hope it has dissapeared tomorrow when I've got to go off to work again.

If you look closely on the left you can see a little trail of our dogs paws, who doesn't like to go out in this weather and prefers laying next to the christmas tree on a blanket...


Are you talking about me?? Hmm, I bet you are!
Friday 17 December 2010

New hairdo!

Paid a visit to the hairdressers to get it coloured and cut... I'm a bit hairdressershy, I only pay a visit 2-max 3 times a year, it always looks so short when they cut it and I want it to grow about 10-20cm longer than it is to get perfect long waves but my hair just doesn't want to reach that length hehe. This time, I chose for a bit darker with a warm gloss in it and a new fringe, result here it is *lots of pictures alert*:






My boyfriends thoughts were "oh it looks different". It's different but I like it, it will definitely look more voluminous once I've washed it myself. It always looks thinner when hairdressers blowdry my hair, weird...
Thursday 16 December 2010

NOTD Avon Pink Radiance

Yesterday in the haul and yet already on my nails. Actually I got the haul last week but hadn't been able to make decent pictures of it, stupid dark wintery weather. And as always with new nail polishes I can't wait to try them!! I chose for the pink colour 'cause the bottle was just screaming "hello christmas" to me... Onto the result girls. :)

This is 1,5 layers of polish, I know, weird amount. When I'd put it on my first nail I immediately spotted how pigmented the polish was and it was already providing enough coverage. I used another light layer to make sure it would last me long enough - which is a week for me. When using just one layer the polish chips easier and shows earlier tipwear. But if you like to switch a lot during the week from polish to polish, one layer of this is sufficient enough.

The polish applies easily but be carefull for showing streaks, especially when applying a top coat. After a few days the polish shows tipwear, more than I have with OPI but still managable and wearable. The colour is a special pinkred that is once again hard to capture on camera, the first picture represents it best in natural light. Some people commented that this polish looks a lot like OPI Take the Stage from the Burlesque collection and it does resemble it a lot on pictures but I don't know how much alike they are in reallife. Overall this is a great polish for the christmas holiday season, I like it a lot. Polish available from Avon, costed 4-5euros.





Wednesday 15 December 2010

Avon haul

Ok, so another haul... Yes, I know I'm still working project x pan but I ordered this stuff 2 months ago so this one doesn't really count now does it? And anyway, my PxP is almost finished with just a few more things to go so I deserve some credit, excited to my new stuff??? Yet another bunch of things I honestly don't need but want or crave for, can't help myself!

Starting with 2 new polishes from their winter holiday collection: Pink Radiance and Splendid Blue - which is more blue than it appears on pics. Also another lipgloss from the Glazewear Shine line, called Iced Pink. I should be putting up a review on Avon lipglosses, I like them!

Then more beautystuff: an (undereye) concealer from the line Anew in colour "fair". And again from the holiday lace collection: supershock mascara and 2 supershock liners in silver and black. I love their holiday look on these items. For me it can stay this way all year...

And lastly a new scent from the Bubble Bath line that I love in the scent "winter Rose" which will be tested as soon as I hit the bath... Actually now that I go over it again, I hadn't ordered that much, I'm such a good girl *petting herself on the back*!
Tuesday 14 December 2010

Review Filorga Meso + Serum

Skincare is big for me and I use it very faithfully, on a daily basis morning and evening. The last couple of years I've also been adding a serum to my day & night routine. Before I just used a cream and didn't really think it through. But now that I'm no longer in my teens, I want to take extra good care of my skin for future development. I have used a couple of serums but still on the browse for the perfect one. Filorga is a new brand available since a couple of months and has been promoted quite heavily as THE anti-aging thing. I bought the serum because the jar packaging of creams doesn't interest me and I don't intend to buy a whole anti-aging range as I don't need it yet. I do have a few fine lines and was curious whether this could correct that a bit...
RESTORES THE ENTIRE CUTANEOUS TISSUE WITH AN INTENSE ACTION ON ALL AGEING FACTORS
The NCTF®, our exclusive core formula, combined with DNA fragments, reactivates fibroblasts to redensify the cutaneous layers. The HYALURONIC ACID fills wrinkles and fine lines to perfect skin redensification. In a parallel action RETINOL stimulates cell renewal and remodels the face.

The packaging is light, simple and still luxurious. I like this clean look on luxurious brands. You have to twist the top to get the pump to open, nice nifty system. The pump gives a good dose as you can see below, I usually use 2 pumps for my entire face. The gel is a mixture between white and clear and has a velvet feeling to it (containing silicones). It spreads out easily and sinks in very fast. There's a light fresh scent to it but it doesn't disturb me. My skin didn't react to this product, I was able to use it 2-3months and used it once or twice daily.

Now onto the working part, as to why we buy it. After I've applied this my skin feels incredible soft, thanks to the silicones, and it provides you with a perfect base - a soft and smooth canvas - to apply your makeup. I also noticed my pores becoming smaller and lines appearing smaller after applying this, it has an instant effect. But, and here it is, this product is a magic trick. It works on the spot and it ends there. Whether you use this product 1 day or 1 month doesn't matter, it has no continuous effect. It hasn't stimulated my cell renewal and I highly doubt it will stimulate yours. It contains retinol (which can help stimulate cell renewal) but this is not the major ingredient.

The product isn't cheap, as is no luxurious brand for that matter. The bottle contains 30ml and costed around 50euros. It's available in IciParis, IU and local pharmacies.

The goods: scent, texture, instant effect as a makeup base, packaging

The bads: price, no continuous effect

Personally I wouldn't buy this again as I want to invest in skincare items that continue to improve my skin. I consider this to be a good, but expensive, make-up base if you want to fill up pores and fine lines. But keep in mind that it won't add anything to your skincare regime as a serum.
Monday 13 December 2010

Coastal Scents discount, yes I like!

Yesterday I got a discount code of Coastal Scents in my mailing for 20% off and I decided to order some palettes, I just love palettes - especially my warm palette - and I chose these two lovely ones being the Pink Palette and 28 Neutral Palette. Can't wait for them to arrive, especially the pink one. Really curious to it...


Anyone who's got them and wants to share their love or not so much love?
Saturday 11 December 2010

The Christmas Tree

Yes, I have put up my Christmas tree and am so proud of it. Here is my gorgeous white & silver beauty, enjoy...

Have you already put up your tree?
Thursday 9 December 2010

ASOS order - finally

2 months ago I placed an order with ASOS containing a few Batiste dry shampoo products as mine from Schwarzkopf was running out and Batiste isn't available in drugstores. I had been hearing so much about this brand and was really keen on trying it because I disliked the scent of the Schwarzkopf one and I couldn't find another brand.

So I placed an order and it estimated one week for shipping but after 3 weeks still nothing (and by that time I had run out of my old one)... untill I got an e-mail saying they had received my return and were putting the money back on my account -minus the shipping-. But I hadn't asked for a return at all, hell, I was still waiting for it. So I replied and made my speech, the day afterwards I got a short mail saying the return was a mistake but because the money had already been charged back they couldn't help me any further. If I wanted the items, I had to order them again. I was furious, this is NO customer serivce at all. Why don't they at least offer me a coupon or a xx% off??

Now, I needed the Batiste shampoo so I ordered again, considering they offered free shipping for the christmas period and this time the order came through, after 2 weeks I received the package:

If you know another place where I can buy Batiste, do let me know as I'm not keen on shopping with ASOS again!
Wednesday 8 December 2010

Review Sigma Large Powder Brush F30

Quite a long time -summertime- ago I purchased some Sigma brushes and told you reviews were coming up. I've already talked about my favourite brush from them and it still is. But sorry, I'm kinda slow and recently it hit me that I hadn't done the rest of them yet so I'm working on it. We'll start with the biggest boy of them all...

Very dense with a rounded top. Ideal to apply powder products on face and body. Natural bristles. (16$ on Sigma webshop)

I bought this brush to use as a finishing brush with setting/finish powder, an allover face brush. I like the look of Sigma brushes, with the black and silver. The handle of the brush is quite long and the bristles are thick and soft.

The last few months I've been using it along with my setting powder and I'm quite fond of it. It's soft enough to sweep around your face and it doesn't sting. It sheds occasionally but not too much to disturb me, which is often said from Sigma brushes - and true but not for all -! It's not the easiest brush to clean because it's quite big, I mostly use my brush cleanser with it and they team up great.

Overall a nice brush considering its price and recommendable if you want a budgettary good brush.
Monday 6 December 2010

Project X Pan update

A while back, 2-3 weeks or so, I started my Project X Pan and it's time for an update, girls...

Out:
La Roche Posay Anthelios XL 50+
SKII Treatment Essence
Nuxe Nirvanesque Eye Cream
Avène Lait Demaquillant

Chanel Beauté Initial Eye
Filorga Meso + Serum
Louis Widmer Eye Cream
Dermalogica Precleanse

Still in:
Nuxe Creme Fraiche
Avon Brightening Hand Cream
Badewelt Roses
Avon Foot Works Cherry Ice Lotion
Avon Foot Works Brown Sugar Cream

Safe to say I've been a very good girl and finished lots of products. The ones still in it are also on their last bits. I haven't bought anything in this period and I'm very proud of myself, my boyfriend included. Tonight I'm going to a Mylene evening and I'll be sure to score some nice products there!!

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Evelien
Belgian twenty-something year old blogger who adores all things beautywise and loves to share her knowledge... This blog reflects my thoughts on products I've personally used and random things that cross my mind. If you have a request for a review or want to ask me something etc..., you can contact me at beautyponder@hotmail.com.
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