Thursday 30 June 2011

Random snapshots on a 'picture-afternoon'

I always have Wednesdayafternoons free, which is a pure pleasure - but often ends up in doing errands and stuff... Nevertheless, I usually reserve this day to take my blogpictures in good daylight and while I was doing this I decided to take a couple of snapshots of my outfit and stuff...

My watch, which I got from my mum... Actually my beloved D&G-watch is just laying there because the battery died a few weeks ago and I hadn't had time to drop it into the store (annoying store that is so not convenient getting to). So I'm using this one as a replacement, it's one of those "buy this and you get a free watch" things. I'm guessing my mum has a ton of those stashed. It's good enough - for being a freebie but far from being stylish.

My cute little shiny stones earrings from Victoria which I love and wear very often. Victoria is a brand that's only available through demonstrations at someones home, but is pricequalitywise definitely ok. Their prices range from 10 to 100euros.

I'm a jeansgirl and wear it about 90% of the time... My current favourite is this one by Guess, it's a darker blue with lovely studs on it. In the future I want to try some Liu Jo and Levi's Curve, I've heard a lot of positive things on them and am keen on trying myself.

Lastly, my indoor ballet flats, so cute. I purchased them a year ago for about 10-15euros and wore them all summer and will do so again this summer. They are very comfortable and actually don't look that much like indoor flats. Once in a while I forget switching and leave the house with these on when I go to my mums or on an errand, luckily it's not that noticeable...


That's it for now :)

Wednesday 29 June 2011

Review Clarins Instant Light Complexion Perfector in Rose shimmer

I bought this product about a year ago, used it a couple of times and then it ended up in my drawer in a little corner. A few weeks ago I ran into it again and couldn't remember why I stopped using it? So Clarins Instant Light Perfector or - being French - Eclat Minute Embellisseur Teint made a re-entry in my daily routine...

A true beauty secret. It illuminates and evens to reveal skin’s radiant freshness and natural transparent beauty.

The gliding, lightweight, fluid texture instantly melts into the skin to leave the complexion smooth and even. Imperceptible on the skin, it illuminates the complexion which stays flawless and satin-smooth in any lighting. It fixes make-up, giving a natural, long-lasting result. For all women and all skin types.


The packaging is quite luxurious: a big silver top, beige glowing plastic with the signature red letters on top of it. The product contains 30ml and costs around 25euros. A bit pricey considering the amount you're getting. It's available in 3 colours, I opted for the 00 Rose shimmer, which is a lightpink colour. The 2nd colour is more beige and the 3rd one is bronzy. When you open the top, there's a pump, convenient and hygienic - definitely to my likings. Plus the top is flat, so you can just put it up straight somewhere on your dresser for easy access...



Dispensing goes easily and what you see underneath is about one pump. It's a light babypinkish colour that spreads easily, it's just like a lotion but a bit greasier. The fragrance is strongly present as a floral scent and roses, for me it's a bit too much... but I'm sure a lot of people will love it. I'm not the biggest fan of putting heavily fragranced products on my skin as it can be irritating.

As you can see underneath it sinks in quite fast and doesn't leave any cast behind. Afterwards you may be aware of a slight shimmer but it's hardly noticeable, especially when you'll be using a finishing powder afterwards. So as far as highlighting goes, this product doesn't make the cut. But, then again, that isn't its intention. This product is meant to even out your complexion? It does make my skin soft and leaves a nice base for makeup, maybe a tiny bit of diminishing of pores and fine lines but nothing major. Evening out - not really... Then, what is it any good at? I've tried it with several purposes and the best one is the one of primer... I use about 1,5 pump for my entire face, providing a good base and at the end of the day my makeup is still very present and hasn't been worn out. It gives your foundation a more dewy look and if you have dry skin a more greasy primer like this one is recommendable.




The goods: good primer, sinks in fast, lovely scent

The bads: strong scent, maybe a bit pricey, doesn't even out your complexion

Overall this is a decent product when used as a face primer, but there are equally good and probably even better ones available in this pricerange. I will continue and enjoy using this untill I finish it, but I won't repurchase it. It doesn't wow me, but it isn't bad either... your call whether you want to give it a shot!
Tuesday 28 June 2011

Photoshop and what not to do...

Yesterday I ran into a lovely website that I'm eager to share with you, it's called Photoshop Disasters and features a lot of campaigns, posters etc - even from well known brands that went horribly wrong at some point. Photoshop is a lovely programme and can work wonders, but sometimes they exaggerate a bit, here are a few of my favourites:



Monday 27 June 2011

Avon makeup hauling

Yes, my recent Avon order came in and I was quite excited about this one as I ordered some new released makeup items... along with a few other things.

For starters I ordered the pursespray from Pur Blanca EDT. I've had my eye on this EDT for some time, but because you don't know how it smells - you don't order it. Now there was a discount on the pursesprays so I took my chance. Next to it, their newest flexible hair spray in a gorgeous pink-purple packaging. I've tried hair sprays from them in the past and they were quite good.

In the lip department I bought their Pro-to-go in the colour Babylips, which is gorgeous. I really enjoy the packaging of this lipstick, very convenient. Underneath is their new released Glazewear and I opted for the colour Peach Silk. Again this one has nice packaging, maybe a little too tacky?!

And lastly, one of their new eyequads. Avon has has these True Colour quads for some time (which look a lot like the Chanel ones) but now there are 2 new colours available, this one called Cocoa Dreams and another one that has a lot of blue in it... I immediately loved this quad & when I browsed the net I found Pixiwoo also used it in a tutorial so I was sold - nude colours, yes please!

And again in close-up. All colours are more satinlike with a bit of shimmer. I'm excited to see how they work on the lid.

That's it for now, feel free to share you recent purchases...!

Friday 24 June 2011

NOTD Catrice Mona Lisa Is Staring Back

When I first heard about Catrice launching a nude line I couldn't help myself and was super excited. I love nudes, so I didn't hesitate and bought them all after their release... And off course, from time to time, I like to share one with you all.

Todays one is a very special polish. It's a beige colour that has tiny golden microshimmers in it. It's only visible in certain lighting, look closely at the bottle and you'll see what I mean... Putting this on my nails was easy, I used 2 light layers and I was surprised at the amount of coverage the polish provided. Looking at the bottle I had expected a more watery version, but this one is quite creamy and doesn't leave any streaks. The colour on my nails is as lovely as in the bottle: a gorgeous beige with lots of microshimmers in it, mostly visible in sunlight. After a few days a tiny tipwear shows up, as always.



To sum it up: a lovely nude polish that colourwise reminds me a lot of Essie, I highly recommend this one if you're into nudes!
Thursday 23 June 2011

Polish addict - present!

When I noticed Catrice polishes were on sale (2 for 4euros) I couldn't help myself and popped into the local store to check which colours I didn't have yet and wanted badly...

I only opted for summer colours, lighter shades and got: 140 Let's Mauve On, a purple-lilac colour with a little shimmer in it and 160 Sweets For My Sweets, a pink with a purple shine. I think both colours fit the concept 'summer' really well and let's face it, at 2euros a piece it's hard to resist. I also checked the Essence polishes, as they recently released a few new things and I believe this is one of them: a silvery sparkling top coat, perfect for nail art or spicing up a regular polish. This one costed 1,8euros. It's also available in a dark purple colour.

Once again, happy with my purchases and can't wait to try them on my nails... Ohw, I love polishes!
Wednesday 22 June 2011

Review Batiste Dry Shampoo Tropical

So far I've already discussed 2 different Batiste shampoos and today we're at number 3. I bought my products on ASOS when it was a free shipping period, as I can't find them in a shop here and decided to try them all...

Batiste Tropical Dry Shampoo with a deliciously exotic fragrance, revitalises greasy, dull and lifeless hair between washes. Instantly leaves your hair feeling clean, full of body and smelling beautiful. Quick and convenient to use wherever you are.

The fragrance to this one is my favourite amongst the ones I have used, it's indeed an exotic scent that instantly reminds me of an island and palm trees. I prefer this one much more than the so-raved-about-pink-blush-version. This scent is fresher and just suits me better. With usage this shampoo works just as well as the others. But it also leaves a white cast so combing is necessary if you don't want to turn out grey... I mainly use this on my fringe, but I've also used it on my entire hair when I was short on time - works like a charm.

Dry shampoo is one of these things that I must have laying around the house - just in case and Batiste suits my needs: it does its job, doesn't cost much and delivers a nice scent. This tropical version pleasantly surprised me with its scent and I will surely repurchase this one, a recommended product!
Tuesday 21 June 2011

Finished Spring 2011

Today a new category, in this one I will regularly show you which products I have finished and whether I will repurchase them or not. Most of the products I use end up getting a review (check the link then for more information) but if there's one I haven't done and you'd like my opinion - just ask.

Starting on the left bottom:
  • Avon Naturals Deo cucumber & melon: an ok product and very budgetproof, but not worth repurchasing for me personally

  • Avène Emulsion SPF50: a very nice sunscreen that's also waterresistant and has no problems with sensitive skin, I'm already on my 2nd tube and will do a review of this in the future

  • Paula's Choice Resist Barrier Repair Moisturizer: a nice product, but doesn't fit my skin type, is more suited for normal skin - I end up using this as a serum underneath another moisturizer

  • Paula's Choice Moisture Boost Hydrating Treatment Cream: this is such a nice moisturizer and to be honest, this is my 2nd tube that I have finished. You can also use this around your eye area. It's moisturizing but not sticky and sinks in fast. I will repurchase this again in the future and do a more elaborate review on it.

  • Nuxe Masque Frais Hydratant: a nice mask that I mainly used as a night cream, maybe worth repurchasing but for now I have enough other masks that need to be finished

  • Tweezerman BrowMousse: this is an amazing product and I'm on my 3rd one - pure love

  • Shiseido Bio-Performance Super Eye Contour Cream: I got this on strawberrynet during a big eye cream sale, as it's really expensive, I enjoyed using it and liked it because it's really rich but it's overpriced

This may seem like a lot of products to have finished but it took me a few weeks to gather these. You can expect a seasonal update every few months. And now onto you: which ones have you recently finished?

Monday 20 June 2011

Dilemma solved...

Last week I told you about my dilemma and as I said, I went off to purchase one of them...

And I chose the Chanel one... After swatching them on my hand and face I found the Aurora from Dior too glittery. I don't mind a bit of highlighting effect but it was a bit too much for me. This one from Chanel also has some glitters but less noticeable. I like that it's more subtle.


The velvet pouch and packaging is so gorgeous... I love luxurious items!


And then, the powder itself. On picture the tiny glitters don't show up but they are definitely there and visible in real life. It's a very light bronzer, perfect for my skin. It also has a pink stripe that can be used as a blush, very versatile. It's pricey, like all Chanel products, but sometimes I just like to spoil myself :). As for now, I'm in love with this product and I hope that with continued use my feelings will remain the same...
Friday 17 June 2011

Budget Review Catrice LE eye shadow highlighter in Fairy Dust

One thing I love about Europe is that we have acces to such a great budget brand as Catrice: they have a nice basic range and their LE always feature something I want to purchase. With their latest edition called Wonderland, I only got a few goodies... This highlighter was one of them, which left quite the impression on me.

The CATRICE look is radiant and lively this spring:
with the light highlighter, you can skillfully set gorgeous accents and turn every eye shadow into something special simply by applying the highlighter with a platinum shimmer over your eyeshadow.



The packaging is very subtle with the butteflies on it, but so lovely - it immediately reminds me of summer. Funny is that Shu Uemura features almost identical packaging to Catrice: the clear plastic and shape of their boxes are just the same. Considering this is a budget brand, their products packaging are of quality and do not look cheap at all. It contains 2g and costed around 2-3euros.

The eyeshadow picks up nicely and doesn't have fall-out, which is often annoying with glittery eyeshadows. It goes onto skin smooth and blends easily. The colour is really hard to define: it has gold in it, but also silver and some particles shine a bit more than others, it also looks different depending on the lighting (click on the pictures underneath for a better&larger view of the swatch). One thing I love about this highlighter is that it's very subtle and doesn't leave you with an "overdo"-feeling. It can be used as a highlighter or also over a matte eyeshadow to spice it up a bit. With a good eyeshadow base this one also stays put during my working day. Personally I mainly use it as a highlighter under my brows.


The goods: price, packaging, subtle & colours, blends well, no fall-out, versatile in usage

The bads: none I can think off

Honestly, I'm very impressed with Catrice for delivering such a lovely highlighter. This can easily fit into the higher brands category because of the versatile colour. I recommend buying this one, while it's still available...!
Thursday 16 June 2011

Review Ici Paris XL Gentle nail polish remover

A couple of months ago Ici Paris XL released their own houseline containing skin care and also hand/nail care. Coincidence had it that around that time I had finished my Trind remover. The downside is that Trind isn't easy available in Belgium, only through online shopping (or paying a visit to the Netherlands). Add this up and safe to say I was eager to try this new polish remover...

One of the main reasons I opted for this one is that it's aceton free. Aceton is often used in polish removers but it works really drying on your nails, so I would always advise using one without. The product contains 125ml and costs about 4,5euros. Packaging is really simple, I don't expect much from polish remover you know...

The product has a better scent than most polish removers, I smell a bit of roses in it - definitely a plus. The dispenser has a tiny hole and is easy in usage. I use one cotton pad per hand, which works fine. It removes easily. A tiny downside is that my nails afterwards look more dry compared to Trind remover.

The goods: price, scent, easily available, removes easily

The bads: a bit drying

Overall a good product, especially considering its price. Just keep in mind that after removing your nails need a little bit of extra care.
Wednesday 15 June 2011

LE Bronzer dilemma!

So actually... I want/need a bronzer and I've been able to narrow it down to two, but I can't seem to decide between these lovely ones. Both of them are limited editions so I can't keep pondering, I have to make up my mind...

Do I go for the Chanel Bronze Rose or the Dior Aurora bronzer? What do you think?
Tuesday 14 June 2011

Review Paula's Choice Resist Barrier Repair Moisturizer

When Paula released her new "resist"-line a couple of months ago I was really enthusiastic and couldn't wait to try it. These line is intented for aging skin because it contains some retinol but there is no harm in using it when you're in your twenties. Overall I found that aging creams per definition are richer and better suited for my dry skin - which is my number one reason for buying them. So that was exactly what I expected from this cream...

RESIST Barrier Repair Moisturizer contains a specialized complex of ingredients proven to remodel aging skin, bringing it to a healthier, more youthful state-really. The formula is packed with ingredients that work to build and preserve collagen, prevent moisture loss, restore essential ingredients to protect skin's barrier function, and reduce inflammation with potent antioxidants. The result? The skin you want to have, now!

Provides silky hydration that's ideal for normal to dry skin
Formulated to help skin resist wrinkles
Reduces free-radical and environmental damage
Exceptional for rosacea and sensitive skin
Perfect for the eye area-no need for a separate eye cream!
Fragrance-free, because it's what's best for your skin

Ingredients:

Aqua, Dicaprylyl Carbonate (emollient), Glycerin (skin-identical ingredient), Ethylhexyl Stearate (thickener), Cocoglycerides (emollient), Sodium Polyacrylate (film-forming agents), Glycosaminoglycans (skin-identical ingredient), Palmitoyl Oligopeptide (cell-communicating ingredient), Ceramide 3 (skin-identical ingredient), Retinol (cell-communicating ingredient), Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Extract, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract (antioxidants), Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract (anti-irritant), Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane, Tetrahydrodemethoxydiferuloylmethane, Tetrahydrobisdemethoxydiferuloylmethane, Tocopheryl Acetate (antioxidants), Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract (anti-irritant), Glycine Soja (Soybean) Seed Extract, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Seed Oil (antioxidants), Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Squalane (emollients), Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol (slip agents), Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Caprylyl Glycol (preservative), Ethylhexylglycerin (slip agent), Hexylene Glycol (preservative), Xanthan Gum (thickener), Phenoxyethanol (preservative).

The packaging is quite stylish, contrary to her regular basic white packaging. The blue and grey give it a more expensive hint. It works with a pumping system that is easy to manage. A downside is that it's less easy to control the amount of product that comes out one pump. It contains 50ml and costs around 25euros, only available in her online shop.

I was really surprised when I first used this product, as it was hardly what I expected. This moisturizer isn't a cream, it's a gel that looks a bit yellow at first but is actually see-through. As all Paula's Choice product it's fragrance-free, which I'm a big fan of. It spreads easily and sinks in fast, leaving your skin refreshed and moistened. But personally I found this cream wasn't rich enough for my skin, I needed too much product to achieve a good moistened result. This is a better suited cream for normal skin types. It also works great on sensitive skin and even takes away redness. After using this my skin looks refreshed and a bit glowy, because the product gives a bit of a dewy finish. I continued using this product as a serum underneath my nighttime moisturizer, which I found works better for dry skin.

The goods: packaging, no fragrance, good on sensitive skin, sinks in fast, leaves a nice finish

The bads: price, only available in webshop, not rich enough for dry skin

Overall I enjoyed using this product, it just doesn't suit my skin type leaving it a bit harder to judge. It's a nice moisturizer with good ingredients and if I only needed one pump to cover my face I would probably repurchase this. I have no idea why she claims this is suited for dry skin, as it's clearly not. If you're keen on trying this product, first order a sample to be sure...

Friday 10 June 2011

When you lose something...

you have a choice... You could continue searching for it and eventually give up, but then what? Leave it be or repurchase what was lost? Myself, I opted for the second part...

On Wednesday evening I couldn't find my Tweezerman anywhere, I looked and looked and looked, turned everthing upside down but nothing. I had used it the day before so basically it couldn't have gone far. The bf didn't know anything about it either...



And the next day it hit me, I cannot go without this product. My brows practically need daily tweezing or I could go for the werewolf look - but that's not my cup of tea. So I gave in and at lunch I went to repurchase my Tweezer, I now chose for the electric blue colour. Meanwhile the other one hasn't turned up and if it does, at least I have a back-up...

But this got me wondering: which product would you immediately repurchase if you noticed you lost it or it is empty? I'm curious!
Thursday 9 June 2011

Budget Review Avon Naturals Strawberry & Guava shower gel

Quite some time ago I talked about the body spray from this range, all of this range's products are priced at around 3euros. For this price you get a 200ml shower gel that is as red as the strawberries on the picture...

A fruity infusion of ripe, juicy strawberry & exotic guava.
Gently cleanses, leaving skin feeling refreshed.

INGREDIENTS:

WATER/EAU , SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE , GLYCERIN , COCAMIDE MEA , SODIUM, CHLORIDE , PARFUM/FRAGRANCE , POLYSORBATE 20 , COCAMIDOPROPYL BETAINE, FRAGARIA VESCA (STRAWBERRY) FRUIT EXTRACT , PSIDIUM GUAJAVA FRUIT EXTRACT , DISODIUM EDTA , PEG-150 PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRASTEARATE, PHOSPHORIC ACID , METHYLCHLOROISOTHIAZOLINONE, METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE

Packaging is simple and easy to open. You mostly smell the strawberries in this one and it's almost over the top sweet. The gel cleanses easily and foams up well, leaving my skin refreshed. It isn't particular moisturizing (one of the main ingredients is SLS, known for its cleansing properties but it also works drying) so I advice to use a cream afterwards. To sum it up this is a decent and good shower gel if you're fond of the scent, but don't expect wonders from it - it is a basic product.
Wednesday 8 June 2011

Online shopping: perfume

Last week I asked my boyfriend what he wanted for his birthday next week and -for once- he was really precise, saying I want another bottle of my Play-perfume which is almost empty. When compared to buying in the store, buying online is less expensive so I ordered it and got a little something for myself as well...

This time I bought it from Cheapsmells, this is a UK-based webshop that offers perfume-skincare-makeup and free shipping for the moment - they also offer high end brands such as Chanel. I got to know it through an English blog I follow but I can't recall which one... I'm very impressed with their shipping time, I ordered it on friday and got it yesterday. Definitely on my recommended-webshop-list. Usually I order from Fragrancedirect, also UK-based but they didn't have the Play in stock. The reason for my UK-ordering is that when buying perfume outside the EU there are *high* taxes on it, then you're better off buying it in a store as it will have the same price.

So I bought the Play Intense from Givenchy for him, a big 100ml bottle. And for me I bought a small 30ml bottle of L from Lolita Lempicka, a gorgeous bottle (all mermaidy) and such a lovely scent...

Have you recently bought a new perfume?

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

About Me

My Photo
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.
View my complete profile
Follow beauty ponders & randoms