Halloween

                          The Ancient Origins of Halloween

    Halloween’s origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in). The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death.

    Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31 they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future.

     To commemorate the event, Druids built huge sacred bonfires, where the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities. During the celebration, the Celts wore costumes, typically consisting of animal heads and skins, and attempted to tell each other’s fortunes. By 43 A.D., the Roman Empire had conquered the majority of Celtic territory.

New in town : Moon perfume by Dana Rogoz

Tonight I had the pleasure to attend the launch of the newest delight Dana Rogoz enchanted us with : her new perfume Moon. Bearing the same name as her signature brand of clutches and candles the eau de parfum is all floral, fresh and full of joie du vivre.

Dana created her perfume with a particular image in mind: the white moon on the blue sky in the middle of the day. She designed Moon as a day perfume, fresh, cheerful, clean and romantic but at the same time very long-lasting since the moon is up in the sky from dusk to dawn.

Sweater Weather Tag

As I was watching my favourite youtubers last night I found this lovely autumn tag which I decided to do. Of course I adapted it to the Romanian specifics.

I love warm, sunny autumn days with the trees coloured in so many warm brownish-yellow shades. Lounging inside in a cozy sweater, drinking hot chocolate or spiced tea and reading beauty blogs or watching my favorite youtubers.

So without further ado I present you                The Sweater Weather Tag

Mirlans face palette no.4 - review

Today I want to present you a lovely natural travel friendly face palette : Mirlans face palette no. 4.
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Mirlans was founded in 1980 by Alfredo Clariana Martinez who wanted to offer the Spanish women products based on the latest trends in Europe. Mirlans is a family bussiness located in Carlet, 30 km from Valencia. It now has over 3000 m2 of shops where over 60% of their products are sold. The woman Mirlans create through their products is a little bit urban, sexy and glamourous.        source: http://www.mirlans.com/ar/
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I bought it around three months ago when I was looking for a good quality, affordable and travel friendly face palette. I wanted something quite small and compact that I could take with me in my little bag with room to spare.

of course I just had to use it..

WJCON I COLOR FACE PALETTE NO 1 - review

Today I will continue with another product I had bought from the WJCON shop in Italy : 

                                     The WJCON I COLOR FACE PALETTE NO 1

It is described as a face palette with 3 fantastic and essential products: luminizer, bronzer and blush, for naturally sublimating complexion. Highly  blendable, from a mild to intense coverage. A pleasant application and an immediate colour release in a soft and silky texture, rice starch based, known for anti-inflammatory properties and for not clogging skin pores. Long-lasting, full and smooth color, no smudges.

I had to choose between two palettes no 1 (warmer peach based) and no 2 (colder pink based) . I chose the first (the more natural looking). The palette contains 9 gr. of product (3 gr. each pan consisting in highlighter, bronzer and blush) with a 12 months valability.

of course I couldn't resist trying it!

Mario Badescu Honey Moisturizer - review

Today I will talk to you about a cream I almost hit pan on. It is Mario Badescu Honey Moisturizer.
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Mario Badescu was a Romanian-born skin care specialist with a bold vision. Being both a chemist and a cosmetologist, Mario had a very unique perspective about skin care, appreciating both the chemical nature and complexities of the skin, as well as the desire and innate satisfaction and confidence that healthy, clean, radiant skin can give a person. 

Mario opened his salon in New York City in 1967 and began to develop his signature skin care product line. The effectiveness of these products and his unparalleled European-style facials did not remain a secret --- before long, Mario was rubbing shoulders with the most famous actors, actresses, and celebrities of his day, as they looked to his products and salon as New York City's very own fountain of youth.

Mario Badescu spent many years doing research in his laboratory and testing his innovative products in his salon, and the result of his hard work can still be seen today. The botanically-based skin care line remains as Mario crafted it so many years ago, expertly designed to keep your skin luscious and beautiful. The company is still offering the same personal, customized skin care treatments that were Mario's patent offerings.      source:  mariobadescu.com
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Gentle AHA and Vitamin moisturizer is greaseless and absorbent, and is suitable for almost all skin types. Botanical ingredients like antioxidant Peanut Oil, Orange, and Honey Extracts make this product nourishing and moisturizing, leaving skin soft and smooth. 

Tag: The Seven Deadly Sins Of Makeup

I have seen on Youtube The Seven Deadly Sins Of Makeup TAG done by Adina (frommegwithlove.ro) and Camelia (the-beauty-addict.com) and I found it interesting. So I also accepted the challenge and I present you  :

                             The Seven Deadly Sins Of Makeup  - Monica style

Greed: What’s your most expensive beauty item?
The most expensive beauty item I currently own is a make-up palette I longed for over half a year.
It is Marc Jacobs Style eye-con no. 7 in The Starlet (€53,50). The colours are so very unique and beautiful and the texture is so silky and fine, like no other make-up product I own  (review soon). The picture just doesn't do them justice! You have too see them in person, you'll become addicted just like me! 

Full make-up with only 100 ron

I have seen this post done by a number of bloggers I read and love and found it interesting and also challenging. So I'll try and do my very own list of products for a full make-up look with only 100 ron (of course with this sum of money you can't have a lot of products to work with, but that's the interesting part - to create a make-up look with only a few key products).

Milani baked eyeshadows - review

Today I will talk to you about a great dissapointment: the Milani baked eyeshadows.
I have heard about the quality of Milani products - especially the baked blushes (three of which I own - review soon), lipsticks, powders and their famous nail top coat (which I also bought and can't wait to try - review soon).
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Milani cosmetics:
Founded twelve years ago, Milani is the destination brand for women who love color, love to experiment with new looks and shop for makeup in better drug stores and mass merchant retailers.

These women seek innovative products, in richly pigmented colors, that are formulated to work together on a range of ethnicities to complement all skin tones and ages. Milani is the multi-cultural brand that delivers specialty store quality, at value pricing, in hundreds of shades, using technologically superior formulas, in lips, nails, cheeks, bronzers, face, brows, liners and more. Inspired by  the streets of Milan – the fashion, the art, the history, the culture , Milani is distributed internationally in over thirty countries.        source : milanicosmetics.com
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I had bought two baked eyeshadows : 601 Pink twice and 602 I heart you. They are metallic baked eyeshadows. You can use them dry and wet for a more intense look. They come in a 1.5 gr/0.05 oz. pan.

Morrocanoil Extra Volume Shampoo - review

I have a very difficult hair : extremely oily, very flat with no volume at all, no hold and very breakable. So I'm always on a hunt for "the one", "the perfect" shampoo that can solve all my problems. Or at least the most important ones: the oiliness and the lack of volume.

I have been for many years a loyal customer for all the Elseve shampoos, conditioners and masks. They did their job well for the price but there was no wow factor or a miraculous solution for my hair.
But you know me: I want more! So I thought that maybe a higher-end shampoo could solve my problems. Better quality for a higher price, right? Well it didn't go like that. But let's start with the beginning.
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Moroccanoil - The story of the company began when one of the co-founders, Carmen Tal, was traveling in Israel. After a color service that left her hair badly damaged, a friend brought her to a salon where she experienced an astonishing oil treatment. The result was that her hair instantly transformed from damaged to shiny, smooth and manageable.

Inspired by the incredible results, Carmen set out to share this unique oil treatment and its benefits with women around the world. At the time, oil treatments were unconventional for hair but Carmen was undeterred by this obstacle. She and her husband teamed up with a group of visionaries to perfect this amazing formula. The result - they introduced Moroccanoil to the world.       source: moroccanoil.com
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The Extra Volume Shampoo and Conditioner contain antioxidant argan oil and nutrients to cleanse, detangle and bring back body to hair. They beautify hair with shine, manageability and movement, while making it easier to style. The formulas are free of sulfates, phosphates and parabens, so they’re safer for the environment and won’t dry, fade or strip hair of color.

The shampoo comes in a 250ml/8.5 oz sturdy bottle. It comes with a very secure cap (very suitable for travel purposes).

M.A.C. lipstick Girl about town - review

I am in love with many M.A.C. products :  from their lipsticks, their foundations and concealers to their make-up brushes. Many of them are cult products revered and well loved all over the world.
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M·A·C was established in Toronto when makeup artist and photographer, Frank Toskan and beauty salon owner, Frank Angelo brainstormed a makeup line. Frustrated because of the lack of colours that would shoot well with photography; their aim was to develop a studio line makeup line that would fulfill their professional needs. M·A·C was homegrown in Canada – literally. The two entrepreneurs cooked up the cosmetics in their kitchen and sold them from the hair salon. Their first customers: fellow makeup artists, models, photographers…then came stylists and editors. With every colour, and every magazine credit, word-of-mouth popularity grew. In March 1984, the duo officially launched the line from a single counter in a department store in Toronto.

The company took the industry by storm, offering a wide range of products that managed to blend street savvy with glamorous style and panache. In 1994, as AIDS spread across the globe, M·A·C’s co-founders searched for a way to respond to the epidemic. Encouraged by input from employees, they decided to make HIV/AIDS organizations the beneficiaries of the company’s charitable focus: the M·A·C AIDS Fund was born.
  
The Estée Lauder Companies acquired a majority interest in M·A·C in 1994 and full ownership in 1998. M·A·C is sold in more than 70 countries and territories. The brand’s popularity has grown through a tradition of word-of-mouth endorsement from makeup artists, models, photographers and journalists around the world. M·A·C is for All Ages, All Races, All Sexes. M·A·C is known as the color authority that provides products for the professional makeup artist and consumers alike, including an extensive range of color cosmetics, lashes, brushes, skin care, foundations and accessories.                     source : http://www.maccosmetics.com
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I have to admit that I really love M.A.C. lipsticks. They come in different finishes but my favourite ones are amplified, matte (altough a little dry) and amplified creme like the one I will write today.

The M.A.C. lipstick in Girl about town

Did you know ? Bourjois Rose Exclusif Lipgloss and Blush Exclusif ?

I like to browse through my favourite online shops in the evenings in order to find out about the latest arrivals, to search for good bargains and ultimately to relax.

As I searched through the beauty section of asos.com  (www.asos.com) , a UK store I often visit and love, I found out a product from Bourjois which I found interesting : 

Bourjois Rose Exclusif Lipgloss That Adjusts To The pH Of Your Lips 

WJCON Baked Strips - review

Recently I have gone to Italy and while I was there I couldn't waste the opportunity to search for new make-up. I encountered a WJCON shop and of course I just had to enter to see what was the shop about!
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WJCON is a Made in Italy cosmetics brand excelling in high quality and convenience, with over fifteen years experience working in the cosmetics sector. In 2009 they established the Wjcon brand, a professional make up line, which has the advantage of being a Made in Italy high quality brand at an affordable price. The range contains  make-up products and accessories, skin care (for the body and face), nail care and polishes, suntan lotions and many other products.

You can find them at: http://www.wjcon.com/en/home.
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I had purchased several products from the shop but I will start with my very favourite of them all!

The WJCON Baked Strips ( no.6)

It comes in a pan of 4 baked eyeshadows containing 7 gr. of product, so I think it will last me quite a long time. It comes in several combinations of colours for all tastes. I liked these ones the best.

Yes, the shadows are a little used, I just couldn't help myself! I love them!

Youth make-up these days

I am an English teacher in Bucharest, the capital of Romania and I teach high school students (grades 9 to 12). I also taught gymnasium students (grades 5 to 8).

Unfortunately I have seen girls wearing make-up starting with grade 5. Too young to wear make-up at school or any other place. With no knowledge on how to take care of their skin and face. With no knowledge on how to protect their skin from the damaging sun. I often see make-up badly applied and of course missunderstood. The purpose of make-up is to make you more beautiful, younger and fresher. The best and most beautiful you can be. Not an entirely different person wearing a mask.

I have seen girls with heavy layers of badly applied foundation (which had very good skin with no imperfections) , or with acne scarred skin covered with thick layered foundation which did them no justice in concealing it all, but actually making it more obvious. Instead of going to the specialist to solve the causes of acne, they try to cover it with make-up. I have seen girls wearing black eyeliner in thick lines, which again did them no justice, only making them appear aged and old-fashioned.

I have seen girls wearing at school very strong lipstick colours without any blush at all, making them appear washed-out. Of course that they forgot they were at school and thought they were at the disco.

This is very unfortunate. Firstly, the young ladies have to learn how to take care of their skin, to have a face care routine, to know how to choose products according to the needs of their skin and then maybe they will discover that they are very beautiful without so much make-up.

They are at a very delicate age in which they can have issues with their self-esteem regarding both their looks and their personality. And media doesn't help at all, everywhere you look you see very beautiful photoshopped girls which are "perfect". And the girls feel the presssure to be as thin and as beautiful as the person they admire and see on tv or in the glossy magazines.

This is not real! This is a fake! You don't need to compare yourself with anybody! You are unique and different and that is ok! You are beautiful inside and out! You just have to see it!

Personally I would recommend no make-up at all at school or any other place. But if you want to wear make-up you should first start with a good base : a face cream / eye cream, then the sun protection cream. Afterwards you can add a very light layer of foundation/BB cream or CC cream all over, or sparingly only where you have something to cover, then set it with a thin layer of powder. Then you can use a cream blush in a natural colour , a black mascara for your lashes and a pretty gloss for the lips. You can also use a coloured lip balm.

And this is it! You are young and beautiful, you are fresh and you have a very good skin. Why age it with tons of make-up? Just to show that you know how to apply make-up? Just to appear more grown-up in front of your colleagues? Just to impress your boyfriend or the boy you have a crush on? That is rubbish! You have to love and respect yourself , then the others will do it too!

You can see an example of a good school make-up at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIChcymFnCY
What about you? Do you think a young girl has to wear make-up at school or anywhere else?
What is the right age for a girl to start wearing make-up?
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A dose of English:
scar - a mark left on the skin after a surface injury or wound has healed
to do somebody/something justice - to treat or present someone or something fairly and accurately
to conceal - to hide
washed-out - lacking color or intensity; faded
                 - exhausted or tired-looking
aged -  being of advanced age; old
self-esteem - pride in oneself; self-respect
sparingly - deficient or limited in quantity, fullness, or extent
grown-up - having reached maturity; adult
rubbish - worthless, useless, or unwanted matter, garbage
           -  foolish words or speech; nonsense 

I confess ... I looove Sephora Lemon Verbena bubble bath and shower gel!

I confess I'm unfaithful! I don't have one great love , "the one" I can't be without in perfumes or in shower gels! I love to change them all the time according to the season (in the spring/summer citrusy or fresher scents, in the autumn/winter sweeter cinamonny scents) or to the daily mood. I have an entire collection from which to choose from and it's still growing all the time!  I love to enter a perfumery or a shop and to dive into the new appearances with a vengeance! I love to try them all!

Today I will talk to you about a gel shower that I loooooove to use in the summer. It is the Sephora Lemon Verbena bubble bath and shower gel.

It is a moisturizing two-in-one cleanser that embraces the skin with a delicate scent. It refreshes and de-stresses being a bubble bath and shower gel formulated with deliciously fragrant flowers, algae, and fruit extracts. The vitamin E softens and protects the skin, while the glycerin moisturizes and replenishes it for a silky smooth finish.

The formula is dermatologist-tested and safe for all skin types.
It comes into a 260ml/8.79oz recipient. I love the fact the the cap is not easy to open, which is very good for travel purposes. The design of the bottle is modern and fun, each scent having a different colour.

Hot off the press! Sigma 3DHD™ Kabuki & Precision brushes

The Sigma Brushes are one of my very favourites! It is said that they are a less expensive dupe for the famous M.A.C. brushes. I own several face and eye brushes (the famous F80 flat kabuki face brush for the application of foundation; the F40 blush brush which I adore since it makes the cheek make-up a child's play; the famous E25 for blending - a dupe for the M.A.C. 217 and the E30 the pencil brush).

I love all my Sigma brushes since they don't shed, don't lose colour, they dry very quickly and are very soft and gentle on the skin. (I also tried the M.A.C. brushes in the store and to my surprise, they were a little bit scratchy, even the famous M.A.C.favourite 217!!! and they are not cheap!) So thank you very much I'll stick to my Sigma brushes!

These are the newest additions to the range:

The 3DHD™ Kabuki & Precision Brushes

These are the most technologically advanced, all-in-one foundation and concealer brushes. The 3DHD™ Kabuki & Precision brushes are multifunctional brushes engineered to perfection. They are uniquely designed for all areas of the face to apply liquid, cream and powder products uniformly on every curve, crease and angle. Patent pending.

Monica's grading

This is my personal opinion and my own experience!
What is good for me can be not so good for you!
Since I am a teacher I will grade according to the American grading:
grade A - Excellent
grade B - Good
grade C - Average
grade D - Below Average
grade F - Fail
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About me:
Hair: extremely oily, very flat with no volume at all, no hold and very breakable

Sabon creamy scrub Patchouly - review

I decided to start my reviews with one of my favourite brands of all time: Sabon. I simply adore them! They have an antique appearance on all their products which I love and the gift wrapping is simply fabulous! I think you can do no wrong with a gift from Sabon!
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The story of the company began in  the summer of 1997, in Tel Aviv, where two young visionaries began making soap in their home. Guided by an ancient aboriginal recipe they had stumbled upon during their travels, they meticulously blended various local herbs and flowers into their magical mixture of fragrant oils and lye. After cooling and setting, this mouthwatering soap was sliced into hearty chunks, liberating the dreamy fragrances that would invite the curiosity, and envy, of their neighbors and friends. SABON's first store opened in the mid-nineties on Sheinkin Street in the heart of Tel Aviv. Since then, SABON has expanded to be an international network, with over 130 stores around the world.                                        source : http://www.sabonnyc.com
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I have collected quite a large number of products from them and I haven't been dissapointed from any of them!The scrubs are one of their  most popular products so today I will present you the Patchouli Creamy Scrub.

It is the most gentle of all their scrubs, suitable for all skin types (including sensitive skin).
It is a mix of ground peach kernels and crushed olive seeds making a winning vitamin-packed combination. It is packaged in a 200ml/7oz. jar.