5 Product Tag

Hello beauties!

Lately I have been seeing the “5-product Tag” post by fellow beauty bloggers and liked it very much and decided to do it myself.

These 5 products that I am going to show you do not change much, between summer and winter because they are my favorite everyday  makeup products all year long.

Let’s start!

    1.  Garnier BB Cream for combination skin in medium

This BB cream was a surprise for me as I have tried other higher end brands and did not suit my skin. But this one is very light, doesn't make me shiny, lasts all day with 1-2 powder touch ups, has a pretty good coverage and hasn't caused me any breakouts. 

I love it. I wear it every day and sometimes, if my skin is ok, even at my going out makeup.

The only thing I do not like is the rather intense alcohol smell once you apply it.

2. MAC Paint Pot in painterly

Anything I say about this product, it will never be enough. I am in love with it.

I wear it alone to brighten my lids when not wearing any eyeshadows.

I wear it as a base when doing everything else. Day or Night.

This means I wear it every single day. I have other shades as well but this one is my favorite for the variety of its uses.

3. Maybelline The Falsies Black Drama Mascara

I was loyal to another brand for years but one time I was short of cash and needed mascara asap and  thought I would buy one cheaper just for an emergency.  And I got my hands to this one.

And never looked back.

I like my lashes pretty dramatic when doing eye makeup and this mascara fulfills my wish.

Volume, Length, Intense Color, Drama, Durability. What else is there to ask?

4. Make Up For Ever Mat Bronzer in #230

I was in the search of a good bronzer for a long time. 

Don’t be fooled. This is not the only bronzer I own but surely is one of my favorite.

I bought it during sales and when starting using it, appeared in patches after a while and caused me a breakout…….and I almost had a breakdown.

As I had irritated skin due to sun and sea, I put it aside and told myself I would try again I a month.

The days passed and I gave it another go. 

It was perfect, long lasting and perfect color match. I love it.

5. Estee Lauder Cream Blush in 04 berry light  & H&M blush in dazzling peach.

I apologize for putting two products in the same category but it is one of the those that do change during the change of season.

So I have been wearing H&M blush all summer because it as one the most beautiful peachy, with a slight sheen to it, colors I have ever tried. It blends beautifully with the bronzer and has incredible ling lasting power.

In winter I usually wear this beautiful cream blush that gives my cheeks a healthy glow, not shine, and a splash of color. It blends easily though is not very long lasting. 

I love it though because of its dusty pink-mauve shade which is my favorite.

Well, these are my favorite 5 products that I could not live without and use every day.

Is any of them one of your favorite too? Do tell!

As always,

Stay healthy & beautiful

xxx

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Garnier Ambre Solaire BB Cream Review

Hello my beauties!

How are you doing?

I know some of you already had their first swim on the hot beaches of Greece!
I hope I will in the next days during Easter vacation...!

So as the weather is getting hotter and hotter many things keep popping in our heads such as sun protection, oil free, long lasting, color, coverage and other stressful words!

As many of you have noticed, BB creams are popping out like crazy!!

Today I will talk to you about Garnier Ambre Solaire BB cream*.

You all know and most of us love the classic Garnier BB creme but this one comes from a different series.

It says it provides sun protection for the face & neck, with a very important SPF30, illuminates your skin, evens out any imperfections, hydrates and has an anti-dark spots formulation.

Personally, I think that it feels a lot like a sunscreen than a bb cream, which means it is a little heavy, at least for my combination skin.

It has a decent coverage, certainly evens out my skin and it takes at least 5 minutes to dries on your skin before you set it with powder, which is something I think you must do with this bb cream.

It comes out in one color as you see in the picture which is quite dark and difficult to match all skin colors, but you can blend it really really well and set it with lighter or darker powder.

Before I started using this bb cream, I was wearing the classic Garnier bb cream for combination skin but as I had bought it during winter in the shade light, now it is a little light for me.

Sooooo the thing I started doing is mixing the two Garnier bb creams and guess what.

It gives the perfect color, an extra SPF protection and evenness!

I would certainly recommend this bb cream for those with drier skin and wanting to look flawless on the beach! 

Actually yes. I now think that it is a Beach BB cream not a City BB Cream as the first one.

But I am really happy with the result so I think I found my everyday summer bb cream!

Well, that's it from me.

Have you tried this bb cream? What do you think?

As always
stay healthy & beautiful
xxx

*PR sample

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AVON. Eyes Wide Open.

Hello everyone!

How are you? Do you enjoy the weather?

How are you spending your days? Are you doing something special? Do tell!

Today I will talk to you about an event I went to, not very long ago at AVON Headquarters in Athens.

They invited 40 beauty bloggers in order to present the already world known AVON, show us their new products, inform us about the best sellers and most importantly walk us through the fundraising  campaigns they are running as a company.

I am sure that all of you are familiar with AVON.

It is a brand who’s been around since 1886 and founded by David McConnell in the United States. There are about 6,4 million Avon Representatives in more than 100 countries. That says a lot, don’t you think?

During the presentation, they showed us new products that are about to be released and classic best sellers, some of which were given for a try.

The thing that caught my eye was of course was the new bb creme.

Everyone is talking about bb cremes and we want to try them all!

The Avon Skin Loving Beauty Balm comes in 6 natural skin shades, loaded with vitamin E & SPF 15, reduces any redness, softens your skin and even out your tone.

It is a great product worth trying!

However there was one thing, no, three things that really hooked me.

Avon is currently running 3 campaigns:

Avon Foundation against Breast Cancer

Since 1955, Avon Foundation has helped millions of women through information, updates, prevention. They offer over 850 million dollars in more than 50 countries for education, diagnosis, support and scientific research.

Here in Greece, Avon is a true supporter of the Greek Cancer Society and together they have managed the sponsorship as well as the purchase and operation of a mobile mammography unit art.

The mobile mammography unit began its precious journey in Greece in April 2010 and since then they have performed over 14.500 free digital mammograms!

Everyone can help support and expand this action by purchasing some special Avon Products such as the Pink Calendar.

For more information: http://www.avoncosmetics.gr/PRSuite/crusade.page

Avon Foundation against Domestic Violence

This campaign launched in 2004 in the United States. Through educational programs, prevention and information, they support mostly women and their families who suffer from Domestic Violence.

Avon Greece with the cooperation of WIN Hellas, they finance educational seminars within the families suffering from this, focusing mostly on the children affected in order to stop the cycle of violence.

This campaign is supported through the sales of products empowered such as the Empowerment Necklace.

For more information: http://www.avondomesticviolence.gr/

Hello Green Tomorrow Campaign

“Avon Hello Green Tomorrow is mobilizing a global environment movement to nurture nature and help end deforestation”.

With mottos like “Helping Protect Forest Worldwide” & “Paper is a sustainable Resource” they are trying to unite people, educate them and mobilize them to do good and give back in this important cause.

Help Avon protect the Forests can make a huge difference in the world we live in.

Selections of special fundraising products have been creating in order to expand the life and the purpose of this campaign such as the Green Bag.

For more information: http://www.hellogreentomorrow.com/ 

Companies such as AVON inspire women and people around the world to do good around them in so many ways that is beyond touching.

We should all give it a minute to look to the person next to us, advise them and support them.

Eyes wide Open should be our new thought.

See their products & find an Avon Representative near you at

http://www.avoncosmetics.gr/PRSuite/home_page.page

I hope you liked all the above and given you something to think about.

It is worth it.

As always…..

stay healthy, beautiful, aware & active.

xxx

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The Body Shop All in One bb Cream

Hello my beauties!

A while back one of my favourite beauty brands The Body Shop organised an event for beauty bloggers, as myself, to introduce to some new products they came out.
One of them was.....

All In One bb Cream

As many of you might have already noticed, the past year everyone is raving about those and each brand after another is creating its one.
I have used some during the past months but today I am going to talk to you about this one.

When you first squeese it in your fingers, this white cream with tiny brown dots inside, comes out and you stare it with question!
But not to worry! Once you put it on your face and start working it with your fingers, the white cream becomes "fleshy" and takes the shade of your skin.
It is not thick and applies evenly.
The coverage that this cream will give you is very light to light. The ones of you that don't need that coverage or the ones that don't want your bb cream to feel heavy is ideal.
I want a tinsy bit more coverage than this as my face is not flawless. :-(
Also it may not be very suitable for oily skin beacause as I tested to myself, it tends to show off some shine after only one-two hours.
But anyway after years of trying various foundations, moisturisers and now bb cream, at some point you just need to make peace with yourself and realise that no matter what to do, your oily skin will never transform into a normal one. Of course you will have your good days, for which this bb cream is perfect!
A rather annoying thing about this bb cream is its smell. It smells really weird to me. But of course that is my nose, my opinion!!
Oh and don't forget to tell you that unlike most bb creams, this one does not has SPF protection.
Overall it is a good bb cream for everyday use for those who want ligh coverage and light feeling on their skin.

So tell me! Have you tried this bb cream?
What do you think?

Stay healthy & beautiful!
xxx

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Winter Skin Routine

Hello my beauties!

I hope you are well and prepared for the sudden (yet logical) drop of temperature.
Winter is officially here and many things change. Our clothes, our shoes, our hair, nail polishes etc. 
Can our Skin Routine stay the same? No!
So along with other things, we change the products we use, as our skin' s needs differ from season to season. 
But let's take it step by step.

Skin

During summer, the weather is hot and humid and our skin tends to produce more oil that usual. So we tend to use rather strong and dry cleaners to make sure that our skin is super clean and light/very light moisturisers.
But when the weather gets cold, our skin is trying to keep its natural balance but wind, low temperature can make even the oil skin, dry. You can imagine the needs of an already dry skin!
That is why is very important to change the products we use depending on the weather.
I personally have normal/oily skin and although at summer I use very light, gel feeling, moisturisers when winter comes I tend to choose a little heavier ones because I can feel my skin needing something more.
For example, I will show you the products I used until now and which I just started.

Summer.

Clinique Facial Soap

La Roche Posay Effaclar Mat

These are one of my favourite products and they helped me get through summer!
You all know the facial soap by Clinique, I have been using this since I started washing my face!
As for the Effaclar Mat, what can I say? It was love at first sight! (see post here)

Winter.

Avon Anew Revitalizing Cleanser

Clinique repairwear uplifting spf15

I have been using the Avon cleanser since last year, except the summer months, and it has become one of my favourites. It has these small blue balls inside that they melt once you clean your face. It is a moisturising cleanser that leaves my skin clean and dewy. 

As for the moisuriser, I know what most of you might say. This is not for you age. Yes I know, but  as I was sent this to try it and once I put it on my face I fell in love. It is thick yet light. Absorbs quickly and it smells like sunscreen. It does leave a little "white face" but I don't mind once i put on my BB cream and I don't take any photos. And of course it is never too early to prevent some things from falling down..!

Foundation

Well, the same rules apply here as well. 

During the hot and humid days of summer you need not to trouble your face with heavy products and foundations. A simple bb cream should be enough. 

But, I understand that many women don't have the almost flawless skin that a plain bb cream would be enough. Among them I am myself. That is why I always try to find something that has a little more coverage but still feels light. It was not easy. But I did it!

Dior HydraLife BB cream spf30 PA++
This was a real discovery for me because I never was satisfied with any of the bb creams I would try. My skin is not flawless and I needed a little bit more and with SPF and not to make my T-zone look its worst. 
Did I ask too much?  Yes.
Did I find what I was looking for?  Yes.

It is a moisturiser with the coverage of a foundation. It has more SPF control than most of the other bb creams and it doesn't make me oily. It is very good for my skin and I feel it as a veil. 

One thing I do not like is that as most bb creams comes out in one colour. Well, this one is rather dark and I do not see it fit most skin colours. Now that my tan is beginning to fade away , it starts to be dark for me. But I like it so much that I am going to use it in the winter as well for everyday use mixing it with a drop of light foundation. 

That is for my skin care routine. What is yours? Have you tried any of the above?

Stay tuned for the second part of my Winter Routine - MakeUp.

Stay healthy & beautiful
xxx

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