Pandora would you be my Valentine?

Hot off the press : Sigma Spa Brush Cleaning Mat

I love my Sigma brushes, they are not the cheapest but also not the most expensive. They have a great quality for their price point: they had never shed, they didn't lose the colour, they clean well and dry very quickly. They are very soft and do their job wonderfully. I promise I will make a post on my Sigma brush collection.

But the brushes are not the star of this post. Sigma is introducing a new tool to make our cleaning easier and more effective: the Sigma Spa Brush Cleaning Mat.

Fight the grey weather with some poppy... Smoky Poppy from The Body Shop

This weather is very unappealing to me: humid, grey, cold, rainy, windy ... I like sun, light, warmth, cheer, to be in a good mood. So I try to bring some colour and warmth into my life. The Body Shop comes to my resque with a new limited edition : Smoky Poppy !

New in : Testing, Testing

 New in tests - reviews soon.

Bath pampering in the winter : Yves Rocher Velvety Shower Creams

You know I love my bath-time, I love switching my shower gels according to the season and mood. One of my favourite brands is Yves Rocher. In the winter time I love extra pampering for my skin, extra moisturization, a thicker formula, a stronger scent. I just need more! I like to stay longer in the bath and have a little me time! Two of my usual shower creams in winter are: Yves Rocher Coffee beans from Brasil and Macadamia nuts from Guatemala.

New in : Artistry

I have to admit I didn't really know much about the Amway brand or its face care and make-up line Artistry. So I was glad to participate on Sunday 25 th January 2015 at an Artistry presentation. The event was hosted by Equinoxe cafe, a little, lovely place and Gina Stefanoaia from Startline Academy was one of the speakers who introduced us to the Artistry universe.

Focus on ... Estée Lauder

The Estée Lauder brand is always associated with the highest quality in their products, innovation, passion, class, distinction, timeless elegance  - all the things that were embodied by Estée Lauder, the wonderful woman that created the brand. Let's see her story :   

Born for Beauty  

The niece of a Hungarian chemist, Estée was trained in the art of face creams at an early age. 

Josephine Esther Mentzer was born in New York City. Her parents, Rose Schotz, a Hungarian beauty, and Max Mentzer, a Czechoslovakian businessman who carried a cane and gloves on Sunday, called her Esty, which was changed to Estée when she enrolled in school.

The name stuck, but one early detail was never officially pinned down: her birth date. “You ask my age? I tell you it simply doesn’t matter,” she’d famously say to dodge the question. “Glow,” after all—not a number—was the real essence of beauty, she believed.

Beauty wishlist for 2015

The wishlist for a beauty addict like me is neverending. I continuously wish for things, either face or body care or make-up, or tools, or the latest releases of my favourite brands. I daydream all the time and wish to try the cult-products everybody is talking about, to see if they are really worth the hefty price tag, if they deliver all the miraculous effects they promise.

Of course most of them are high-end products, quite pricey, a result of the latest in research, innovation, the best quality in ingredients and the SF technology. I will probably dream about them next year too, but at least a few of them I hope to try this year. Hope dies last, they say. So I hope and I dream.

Face care:

estee lauder

Revlon Colorstay concealer - hit or miss?

I have really bad dark circles. I want perfection in a concealer: to cover well, to look natural, to stay for a long time, not to cake or crease. I have tried several and so far the best was the Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-place concealer .  It is said that the Revlon Colorstay concealer is a drugsore version of the famous high-end one. So having tried the first and now the second I can compare them and share with you my thoughts on them. But first something about Revlon.

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"In the factory, we make cosmetics. In the drug store, we sell hope.” Charles Revson, Founder of Revlon  Revlon was founded in 1932, by Charles Revson and his brother Joseph, along with a chemist, Charles Lachman, who contributed the "L" in the REVLON name.

1950s From the glossy magazine pages of the 1950s sprung one of the most talked-about beauty campaigns of all time for Revlon’s Fire & Ice lipstick and nail enamel.

During a time when exotic foreign actresses, like Brigitte Bardot and Ingrid Bergman, were dominating popular culture, the Revlon campaign showed the American woman that she could be as compelling and glamorous in everyday life as any starlet on the silver screen.

1970s The 1970s ushered in a new wave of feminism. Revlon was there, mirroring women’s progress with the development of new products. The brand added face and eye makeup to its lines.

In 1973, the brand announced what would become the #1 fragrance in the world: Charlie. Over 40 years later, the perfume’s youthful sophistication is still sought after by women of all ages.

1980s The 1980s marked a period of transition for the brand, leaving department stores to become one of the top mass-market beauty brands. At the same time, Revlon partnered with some of the world’s most “unforgettable women,” including Iman, Claudia Schiffer, Cindy Crawford and Christy Turlington. 

1990s Revlon debuted its ColorStay collection in the 1990s. Featuring Brand Ambassador Halle Berry, the line soon became the #1 longwear brand—and has remained so ever since. (revlon.com)

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Revlon Colorstay concealer in 02 Light comes in a plastic recipient of 6.2 ml/0.21 oz. of product with an applicator, making it easy to apply onto the skin. It has a 18 months valability.

M.A.C. Morange - summer in a lipstick

I hate this wet, cold, grey weather. I need sunshine, light, cheer, fun, colours in my life. So I counteract this depressing weather with bold make-up especially in lipsticks.

Today I will show you one of my very favourites: M.A.C. Morange. It has an amplified finish, meaning that the colour is very pigmented and I like that the lipstick doesn't dry my lips.

Yves Rocher Quelques Notes d’Amour perfume - the love that cures all

Today is not a good day. It is cold, humid, grey, no sunshine, people with no smiles on their faces, no kind words, no love. Everybody is in a hurry, no time to talk or enjoy the small pleasures of the day. In a day like this I need light, I need sunshine, I need colour, I need fun, I need a smiling face and a kind word, I need love.
 

So I put on a bold red or pink lip and I spray one of my favourite perfumes Quelques Notes d’Amour by Yves Rocher. After putting it on, I instantly feel better! 

Cosmobeauty 2015 - an event for all beauty lovers

Cosmobeauty is a very important yearly exhibition with participants from the profesional estetics (body and facial cosmetic, hair, make-up, tools and equipment, mani-pedi, various beauty therapies, etc) and medicine domains.

Nivea BB Cream - a daily must-have for me

There are days when I don't feel the need or I'm not in the mood to use foundation. I like to wear something to even out my face, moisturize and protect it from the damaging weather conditions. So I apply a BB cream. Tonight  I will talk to you about one of my favourites: Nivea BB Cream in Light (the newer version with a lighter light shade).

NIVEA BB (Blemish Balm) Cream with Minerals, Provitamin B5 and a hint of make-up provides all skin types in one simple step with a flawless complexion and an instantly healthy looking and beautiful skin in one simple step.

My nail care routine

When I wrote the post about my winter face and body routine I forgot to add the nail care so I'm writing about it today. So, without much further ado I present you my nail care routine .
  
It is all really very simple:
Firstly , I exfoliate my hands with QI cosmetics Citrus fresh sugar scrub I received at the Beauty bloggers meeting by Beautybarometer .

A new trend in make-up for 2015 - Cushion make-up

Lately I have seen that the Western beauty industry has started to pay more attention and even follow the Asian beauty trends (especially Korea), the BB/CC creams being a very strong current right now (they are even starting to launch DD creams), I think there is no beauty company from the drugstore to the high-end which doesn't have a BB/CC cream in its range.

The Korean girls prefer the Gwang way of caring for their skin - a dewy, glowing, perfect looking skin from the face care to the make-up products they use.
   
Another beauty trend in Korea that is very hot right now and that is just starting to be followed by the Western world is that of the Cushion Make-up (Compacts that enable you to carry around liquids, there is actually a cushion through the liquid comes through; you dab into the cushion - they come usually with sponges - and you smooth the product on with the sponge or your fingers. The texture of these Asian products is usually light, very perfecting to the skin, they give the skin a radiant finish).

My current winter skin and body care routine

I wanted to write this post for quite a while but I couldn't find the right time. Tonight I decided to finally write it and hopefully help you with your winter care.

First of all, my routine is not fixed: I can add things or take out things according to the needs of my skin. Listen to your body, it is the best indicator to what you need! Don't apply blindly all that you read in the magazines or was recommended to you! It is your face, your body and you deserve the right things for your needs!

In the winter time I have two important directions: extra moisturization and protection from extreme weather conditions/temperatures and the sun.

    MY FACE CARE :

In the evening I ALWAYS remove my make-up, no matter how exausted I am ! Girls NEVER sleep with your make-up on! It is very damaging to your skin, if you are tired at least remove your make-up with make-up removal wipes! Afterwards I cleanse my skin with a non-perfumed gentle cleanser, then I proceed with the moisturization.

Wjcon I-color Lip stylo Shiny Kiss lipstick - review

Lately I felt a little tired and lacking the energy to enjoy the things in my life. So I tried to counteract this dull feeling with stronger colours in clothing and make-up, especially in lipsticks. One of the lipsticks I adore is the one I have purchased at the opening of the Wjcon shop in Selari Street.It is Wjcon I-color Lip stylo Shiny Kiss lipstick in 05.

When beauty bloggers play with all things beauty #BeautySwapByBeautyBarometer

On Monday 12th January 2015 I took part in the first official beauty event of 2015: #BeautySwapByBeautyBarometer, which was hosted by Inspayer Batistei a pleasant place with a lovely French charm where you can stay for hours on end. 

A room buzzing like a bee hive, full of beauty bloggers, endless lively conversations about the latest in cosmetics, make-up, clothing and many, many others. Just heaven for any girl who loves all things beauty. And the best thing was that we all came to play swapping with each other's beauty products. The tables were bursting with beauty products, waiting to be won. We negociated fiercely over each product, each of us wanting to get the best deal and to try the one product we didn't have the oportunity to try before. 

Elseve multi-vitamine Fresh shampoo - review

As you have seen in the previous post I have a difficult hair: oily, very soft and lacking volume. After having un unfortunate experience with the previous shampoo I decided to go back to one brand I used to use : Elseve by L'Oreal Paris. So I bought the Elseve multi-vitamine Fresh shampoo for normal or oily hair. But let's start with some info about L’Oréal Paris.
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L’Oréal Paris is a truly global beauty brand with many internationally renowned products. For most, the name ” L’Oréal” is immediately evocative of the brand’s signature phrase, “Because I’m Worth It.” – the concept behind the legendary advertising campaign for Superior Preference haircolour launch in 1973. Today, it represents the essence of the L’Oréal Paris brand as a whole, a spirit which is about helping every woman embrace her unique beauty while reinforcing her innate sense of self-worth.

The L’Oréal Paris brand encompasses the four major beauty categories – haircolour, cosmetics, haircare, and skincare – and includes such well-known brands as Superior Preference and Couleur Experte haircolours; including Revitalift, Age Perfect, Men Expert, Sublime Glow, Sublime Bronze, Excellence et Feria; and L’Oréal Paris Cosmetics, including Colour Riche, True Match, Voluminous, Telescopic, and Volume Shocking mascaras, haircare; including Hair Expertise among many others.

Present in more than 120 countries, L'Oréal Paris grew from one philosophy: to innovate and offer top performing products at great prices to the greatest number of consumers possible. A philosophy which stems from the research carried out in our laboratories and our will to make professional expertise accessible. 

Diversity Icons of the arts, fashion and beauty, our spokespeople are passionate and talented individuals. These women and men of all ages, looks and origins are sources of inspiration for our generation thanks to their vision, engagement and talent.

A better world Enlisted to make a positive contribution to the world with the help of L'Oréal Paris, our spokespeople support research and humanitarian causes. Internationally acclaimed, they are the ambassadors of our research into a better world and the well-being of women and men across the globe.

Self-confidence The philosophy of L'Oréal Paris is one that, whatever your age, gender, ethnicity or look, "you're worth it". The brand aims to accompany women and men world-over as they go about their daily lives.

L'Oréal Paris defends the right to beauty; the right to all types of beauty; the right for each of us to grow old with grace and self-assurance.

L'Oréal Paris provides accessible luxury for all those who demand excellence in beauty.

An approach grounded in science and superior quality products.

Expertise Our team of experts, artists, producers and photographers, capture the essence of our spokespeople and our products, and highlight the authenticity of our brand.
Art and culture Our long-term partnership with the Cannes Film Festival, the most prestigious in the world, and our participation in fashion shows reflect our passion for creativity and culture.
L'Oréal Paris offers women and men of the whole world the opportunity to improve their well-being and self-esteem.

Together, we make a difference by offering everyone the right to beauty.     source: lorealparis.ca
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The L’Oréal Paris laboratories have developed the Elvive Multi-Vitamins range for normal hair. Enriched with derivatives of Vitamins pro-B5, PP and E, the formula leaves hair looking full of vitality and gives hair a burst of natural looking shine.

The shampoo comes in a plastic bottle of 250 ml and it has a valability of 12 months.

Batiste dry shampoo XXL - my saviour for a bad hair day !

Yesterday I had to participate to a very important meeting #BeautySwapByBeautyBarometer , where many, many beauty bloggers would meet, chat and swap beauty products.Very, very fun! But of course my hair just wouldn't cooperate: I had washed it one and a half day before and it was already very oily and lacking volume. Bad, bad hair! And a bad hair day soon would follow! I just couldn't attend the meeting like that! What to do ? I didn't have the time to wash it so I took my saviour out of my stash : Batiste dry shampoo to the resque !!! Before I show you how it saved the day something about the brand :
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Batiste is a personal hair care brand which was founded in 1975 by Schwarzkopf as part of a larger hair care range. But then in 2001 Church and Dwight bought Batiste and Batiste was relaunched with a new design and the beginning on their trade markcolours. Batiste offers a large range of dry shampoos that are perfect for every hair type or colour.

'For over 40 years we've been using our expertise to help women have fabulous hair every day. That’s why we've created a range of products for use between washes when you need a quick fix, but still want your hair to look amazing. Whatever your hair style, type or colour, we have the product for you.'

The science behind Batiste:

At the heart of all Batiste Dry Shampoos is an innovative starch based “no water needed” formulation. Adapting to your hairs needs, it targets excess oil and grease, helping to eliminate it at the roots. Boosting body it gives dull, lifeless hair the makeover that it deserves without water. Just spray, massage in and style!

The products in the Revitalise It range contain amazing fragrances for hair that smells as great as it looks. For the ultimate volume boost, the Oomph It range is the one to go for. Strength and Shine Dry Shampoo with L-Arganine in the Nourish It range is perfect for refreshing dull and tired hair while Smoothing Conditioning Mist is enriched with the naturally moisturising and nourishing Argan Oil and is for the mid length & ends. The Hint of Colour products are colour tinted, so they blend seamlessly, whatever your hair colour.     source : batistehair.co.uk 
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Batiste Dry Shampoo is a starch based product with an innovative ‘no water needed formula’ which banishes oily roots and boosts body giving dull lifeless hair the makeover that it needs without any water. A quick burst revitalises hair leaving it feeling clean and fresh. No need to worry about skipping a shampoo.

I have the Batiste XXL Volume in the travel size in the 50ml/1.6 oz recipient of product .

A reliable helper in the winter time : Gerovital H3 Derma+ Soothing and Regenerating Mask-cream

I have combination skin: it tends to be oily in the T zone (forehead, nose, chin) and dry in the cheek and mouth area. So I tend to fight the oilyness with specific products and double the moisturization onto the entire face, especially in the cheek and mouth areas. In the winter time my skin tends to get more dehydrated all over, so besides the creams and serums I treat this issue with masks once or twice a week, depending on the condition of my skin.

When I went to the Beauty bloggers meeting by Beautybarometer   I received a few products from the new range Gerovital H3 Derma+ to test : the Soothing and Regenerating Mask-cream, the Cleansing and Make-up removal fluid face and eyes (which is already one third used, review very soon) and the Shampoo for Sensitive scalp (which is waiting in line to be used after my current shampoo). But first something about the FARMEC brand:
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Started more than 120 years ago, FARMEC activity is well-known nowadays, both in Romania and worldwide, our company’s products being exported in countries from Europe, Asia and North America.

The company’s modern history begins in 1967, when FARMEC became the first manufacturer of Gerovital H3 prof. Dr. Ana Aslan creams and emulsions in Romania. The products were addressed to women in their 40s, when the skin shows the first signs of ageing. Today FARMEC produces over 400 cosmetic products, covering a large range of usage.

The originality and quality of FARMEC products was officially recognised in 2002 when the company was granted the International Quality Certificate ISO 9001:2008.

The active principles that they use mainly come from nature: nourishing fruits rich in vitamins, not only tasty but also good for the beauty, autochthonous medicinal plants that you thought you would find only in teas but which regenerate your skin and hair, clay from the mountains which would have been only dirt if we hadn’t found out what miracles it can do. Last generation ingredients are added to all these, tested and combined by specialists so that you receive the best for your beauty and health.

The care for beauty and the respect towards tradition, health and environment, completed by the continuous research, originality and attention to its clients have turned FARMEC into a highly esteemed producer over the years. Nowadays, the company’s portfolio sums up hundreds of products, the most famous ranges of products being GEROVITAL H3 prof. dr. Ana Aslan, GEROVITAL H3 EVOLUTION, GEROVITAL PLANT, ASLAVITAL, FARMEC, ASLAMED, DOINA, ATHOS and OBSESIE.

If you want to read more about Farmec, you can read here      source : farmec.ro
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 But let's go back to Gerovital H3 Derma+ Soothing and Regenerating Mask-cream. It comes in a plastic tube of 50 ml/ 1.69 oz of product and has a 6 months valability.

Focus on ... Farmec

FARMEC. I don't think there is a Romanian out there who doesn't know who FARMEC is, or who doesn't have at least one product from the brand in the house. As its name suggests FARMEC has bewitched us with all its wonderful products of great quality, resulted from over 120 years of research (starting with prof. dr. Ana Aslan) and all at a very convenient price.

Started more than 120 years ago, FARMEC activity is well-known nowadays, both in Romania and worldwide, our company’s products being exported in countries from Europe, Asia and North America.

 The company’s modern history begins in 1967, when FARMEC became the first manufacturer of Gerovital H3 prof. Dr. Ana Aslan creams and emulsions in Romania. The products were addressed to women in their 40s, when the skin shows the first signs of ageing. Today FARMEC produces over 400 cosmetic products, covering a large range of usage.
    
The originality and quality of FARMEC products was officially recognised in 2002 when the company was granted the International Quality Certificate ISO 9001:2008.
   
Nowadays, the company’s portfolio sums up hundreds of products, the most famous ranges of products being GEROVITAL H3 prof. dr. Ana Aslan, GEROVITAL H3 EVOLUTION, GEROVITAL PLANT, ASLAVITAL, FARMEC, ASLAMED, DOINA, ATHOS and OBSESIE.
    
Here is FARMEC's story :
1889 - The successful story of Farmec Company begins – it is the first and most important Romanian company of cosmetic products – when Molnar Moser laboratories are created in Budapest.

From Monica to Marilyn #GlamJan

As I told you in a previous post, Max Factor celebrated its 80th anniversary by appointing Marilyn Monroe as its global glamour ambassador. They also launched #GlamJan a challenge for all of us ordinary women to follow Norma Jean's rags to riches story and add a touch of sparkle and glamour into our lives. 

So ladies forget all your problems for a day, have time for yourself, pamper yourself, have a mani and a pedi, have your hair and make-up done, change into a fabulous gown, wear statement jewellery and a sensual perfume, to put it short Glam Up! Be your own kind of Marilyn and celebrate yourself and your story! 

My newest love : Estee Lauder's Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying Volume Mascara/Estee Lauder Lash Primer Plus Full Treatment Formula

I am a difficult customer: I have decent lashes but I always want more from my mascara. To add more length, to add more volume, to have my lashes well separated, to last all day and not gather under the eyes at the end of the day, to remove with ease without losing my lashes on the way. Piece of cake, right?

I have tried many mascaras and I am still searching for the perfect one, to tick all the boxes! Even if I find it , I will still try the newest ones, I love to test the latest in beauty!

When I went to the Beauty bloggers meeting by Beautybarometer I received for testing several Estee Lauder products. I was soo happy, the brand is a high-end one with great quality products. (if you want to find out more about the brand you can read about it here: one-of-my-all-time-favourite-concealers). One of them was Estee Lauder's Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying Volume Mascara/Estee Lauder Lash Primer Plus Full Treatment Formula sample size.

The mascara (01 Extreme black) comes in a plastic recipient of 2.8 ml/0.1 oz. of product and it is supposed to give outrageous volume, lift, and curve for a false-lash effect. The primer comes in a plastic recipient of the same size as the mascara. It is a high-performance lash primer that doubles the volume. Both the mascara and the primer have a valability of 6 months.

MARILYN MONROE - The Newest MAX FACTOR Global Glamour Ambassador

“We are all of us stars, and we deserve to twinkle” Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn one of most famous sex symbols and icons in the world ... She is most known for her iconic look and personality, transforming herself from a simple, common country girl Norma Jean to the glamorous, alluring and at the same time innocent Marilyn we know today.

Three months anniversary !

Time flew so fast! My blog turned today 3 months ! Thank you so much for reading my little corner of beauty and for all your support and kind words ! I really appreciate all of you for giving me the wonderful oportunity of doing what I love and what I'm passioned about ! I hope you'll keep me in your hearts as I keep all of you ! Lots of love !

My New Year Resolutions

Another year has gone by, more likely has flown away so fast ... As per usual I ticked some of the things I wanted done from my to do list and some others remained to be solved in this new year.
  
One of the things I am really proud of, is this blog ; I have thought about creating this blog for several months and I'm really happy that I did it! I have no regrets about the things I did or didn't do, I can only look ahead towards the future.