Once Upon A Time....Jewelleries!!

Hello my beauties!

A few days ago I was introduced to some fantastic and unique handmade jewellery created by a lovely person, Evinhia. She is a very optimistic and creative girl and you can tell that also by her creations! 

While I was in her atelier, I took some pictures in order to show you the things that I am currently obsessed with!

Also, Evinhia, a greek girl born in Brazil, has some unique brazilian amulets called escapularios. They are very special and absolutely amazing. I will show mine up close!

Enough with the talk. Let me show you!

handmade necklaces

neclaces, bracelets, earrings

bracelets, earrings

amazing necklace

necklaces tied with silk ribbon

long escapularios

necklace with the famous statue of
Jesus in Rio de Janeiro

sparkly pink jeweled snake bracelet

And there are many more! 

You can check out her facebook page Once Upon A Time by Evinhia

And her blog Once Upon A Time Blog

If you like non ordinary handmade special jewellery, then you should go & take a look!

That's it from me!

Stay healthy & beautiful

xxx

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2012 Beauty Favourites!!!

Hello my beauties!

Happy New Year! I wish to all of you health, love & luck! 

Did you have fun during the holidays. I want details! 

Beginning this year , I decided the first 2013 blog post to be about my 2012 favourite beauty products. 

What I loved, what I wore the most, which I did not take out of my makeup bag. 

A lot beauty bloggers did the same over the past days, so now it's the time to tell you about mine. 

I have categorised the products so it would be more easier to follow.

Let's start, shall we?

SKIN

Donna Valente exfoliating facial scrub: it is gentle enough to not irritate my skin and good enough to clean it. I love it.

Nelson's Pure & Clear Balancing Moisturiser:

I was searching for an oil free moisturiser that would be a good base for my makeup as well as help my skin with the occasional breakout's. 

Oh yes, I think I found it.

BRUSHES

from top:

bdellium tools # 955 for bronzer

bdellium tools # 957 for foundation

bdellium tools # 945 for contouring

MAC # 168 for blush

bdellium tools # 776 for blending

H&M brush for applying eyeshadow, concealer, blending

(not the same of course :-)

review here

FACE

-Dior HydraLife BB creme spf30++ 

A true beauty balm for my skin review here

-Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation

My favourite everyday foundation!

-Revlon Colorstay Fond de Teint

My evening foundation that gives me flawless skin. review here

-Clinique Pore Refining Solutions Instant Perfector: Fills my pores & smooths my lines just before my foundation. review here

-MUFE HD Primer: all time classic!

- Clinique all about eyes concealer: One of my favourite under eye concealers. review here

- Rimmel Stay Matte Powder: One of my latest discoveries and already a favourite! review here

EYES

clockwise:

Sleek Divine Palette The Original 594

Sleek Divine Palette Storm 578

MAC Paint Pot in Painterly

MAC Paint Pot in Constructivist

MAC Pigment Colour Powder in Aurora.

Clinique High Impact Extreme Volume Mascara in 01 extreme black.

One of the best mascara's I have used in a long time.

CHEEKS 

-Estee Lauder satin creme blush 

in 04 berry light

-H&M powder blush in 12 dazzling peach. 

my everyday blush. stays on forever! review here

-Face of Australia Blush in Terra.

my favourite everyday suttle bronzer!

LIPS

clockwise:

MAC chromographic pencil in Process Magenta.

MAC lip pencil in Magenta.

MAC lip pencil in Hip 'N' Happy.

MAC Matte Lipstick in Ruby Woo.

MAC Satin Liptick in Rebel.

Givenchy Lip Lip Lip! Essential in 227 Nude Pink.

These were my favourite 2012 beauty products!

I used most of them every singe day!

Is one of the above, one of your favourite's too??  Do tell which one!

If not, which else do you recommend?

P.S. Stay tuned for my Blog's 1rst Birthday's Surprise!

stay healthy & beautiful!

kisses

xxx

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Two Magazine by Pixiwoo Review

Hello my beauties!

How are you? Just a breath till Christmas and I am guessing all of you is getting ready, shopping, planning outfits and makeup in your minds.

Don’t worry! I do the same!

Today I will talk to you about something different than beauty products and reviews and buys but Beauty Related as always!

About a year ago when I started dealing more with makeup and started my blog and all that, I came across the lovely and super talented Pixiwoo on YouTube.

If someone of you doesn’t know about them, Pixiwoo’s are two sisters from the UK, make up artists, bloggers with a channel on Youtube with many many tutorials that will help you be more confident and more creative with your makeup!

I love them both, Samantha & Nicola, so when I heard that a few months ago they launched a digital magazine about Beauty & MakeUp, I was excited.

Two Magazine

As you can tell from the picture you can download the app for Free and each month download the new issue. And once you have downloaded the issue you can go back and read it without needing Wifi connection or charging your Mb’s!

Each issue has many subjects and very interesting articles. It introduces you to famous makeup artists from all over the world, it presents new products, it shows you new ways to use your makeup, plus a celebrity makeup inspired. This month they have the beautiful Adele. The editorials are exquisite and so professional and inspiring.

I can’t wait for each new issue to come out.

I would definitely recommend that you go check out this Magazine. It is top quality and the hard work that is put on, is well shown.

It is a great read for the Christmas holidays for all you beauty addicts!

Download & enjoy!

Merry Christmas everyone!!!!!

xxx 

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Rimmel Stay Matte Powder Review

Hello my beauties!

How are you?
 The holidays are getting closer and closer and I would love for you to tell me what you have planned to do. And I mean from where you are going to spend the holidays, to the outfit you're wearing to dazzle the crowds and the makeup you have on your mind for so many special nights to come!

But before that, let me tell you about a face powder I was hearing constanly on youtube and reading on blogs, that I had to try it myself.

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder

As a girl with a combination/oily skin I am always looking out for the perfect powder that will "seal" my foundation and cover my face with this invisible veil that will make my skin looks dewy but matte, natural but carefully made up. I know, this sounds a little bit dreamy to you, but a girl can always hope.
Day after day, for the last two months, while watching my favourite beauty youtubers, I noticed that most of them kept talking about this powder and placing it next to high end products. They were talking how this powder keeps your face matte for so long that no other, even high end, can.

So I decided to give it a go. As you may know, in Greece, there are no Rimmel products, so I had to order it online. This time I used for the first time the fantastic feelunique.com and with free delivery I got this baby for 5.19 euros! 
I chose the shade Transparent beacause I wasn't sure how pigmented they are.
But it is rather whitish although it blends well with your skin and becomes invisible after a while. 
The powder does what it says, to my big surprise! Normally, two hours after I have powdered my face, I would need to blot my face or re-powder or something. But with this one, I didn't  have to do that not before 5-6 hours which is amazing considering I have extremely oily T-zone!
I love this powder! It is not cakey, it has a nice powdery smell, does not cloge my pores and lasts a lot!

I would totally recommend this powder to those you struggle with oily skin and shiny T-zone as it is amazing! It is ridicullously cheap so you won't regret buying it even if you don't like it. Unlikely though!

Have you tried this powder? Or you have another favourite to keep the shine away?
Please do tell!!!

As always....
stay healthy & beautiful

xxx

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Bioten. Beauty inspired by Nature

Hello my beauties!!

I hope you are well and have a big heart to be able to forgive me for not writing a post for so many days....

So today I want to talk to you about a drugstore skincare range that is not given the attention it deserves mostly because of the low prices that come along.

BIOTEN

Wide range of products filled with natural ingredients and made under the latest technology to provide the care your skin need and wants with very affordable prices.
Over the past years we all became aware of many dangerous ingredients we used to put on our skin without knowing. 
We searched, asked, tested and we are still learning. We want the products we use to be as much as harmless as we can.
Bioten combines natural extracts to create safe and effective prducts for almost every skin type and its needs.
The word "affordable" is an understatement" but as is "quality" when it comes to Bioten.
I used to see them on the supermarket selves and not give much attention. That was until I came across with the Moisturising Day Cream with quince nectar.

 It was summer, I wanted something simple and moisturising, my budget was limited so I gave it a go. 
It was exatly what I wanted at the time. It moisturised my skin without feeling it heavy. 
It is great for combination skin but there is one for the ones with dry skin as well. 
Price: 5.35 euros

Along with that day cream I tried the Cleansing Gel frm the same line 

and I was very happy with it as well. It has a lovely smell and it feels really refreshing on your skin. Takes away your makeup, your skin feels very clean and my pores seem more "relaxed" if that makes sense to you! 
Price: 3.50 euros

Last but not least I have on my kit the facial wipes of the same line. 

I don't often use wipes to take off my makeup but I always have a pack of them. I use on clients, to correct any mistake or to quickly "clean" brushes between if I have more than one makeup session to do. They are not oily, not very wet and have a very fresh smell.

Price: appr. 2 euros (they are usually on sale 2in1)

These are the products that I have personally use from Bioten.

I am very pleased with their quality, price and the feeling that I don't damage my skin. 

They are the perfect range for younger girls that are starting now using skincare!

Have you tried any Bioten Products? 

What do ou think of them?

As always.....stay healthy & beautiful!

xxx

p.s two of these products were sent to me for review and above you see my honest opinion.

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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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Clinique Pore Refining Solutions Review

Hello my beauties!

How are you? The weather here in Greece is starting to look more and more like winter, not exactly what I had in mind but I will try to keep the summer and the sun in my mind!

Today I will talk to you about a new series that Clinique came out targeting again at another skin problem.
Pores.
We all have oner 300.000 pores in our face and they double in the ages of 25-50. As we get older, due to hormon changes, our cells mature and don't renew. The skin gets drier and pores multiply and get bigger.

Clinique created a special line to make pores less visible.

Clinique Pore Refining Solutions

Pore Refining Solutions correcting serum: 
You use it before your moisturiser and it helps create a great base for your moisturiser to sink in. It contains salicylic acid, acetyl glucosamine and laminaria saccharina extract that help cells mature properly, control of the oil and make pores clean lesss visible.
52.50 euros

Pore Refining Solutions Stay-Matte Hydrator:
It is a light moisturiser that is one of the best that I have used. It keeps my skin matte while creating instanly  great base for my makeup. You can feel the hydration on your skin due to hydrogenated lecithin.
40.90 euros

Pore Refining Solutions Instant Perfector:
This is a smart technology product. It is thick but you need only a tiny bit on your T-zone or the whole face if you wish. The specialized cross-linked silicone polymers cover the skin with an invisible film that fills up the pores for 8 hours and controls oil keeping the skin matte.
22.90 euros

And of course Clinique, that has one of the biggest variety of problem targeted foundations, has created one for our pores.

Pore Refining Solutions Perfecting Makeup:

Soft focus technology reflect the light and make pores less visible. It also contains salicylic acid that cleans gently the pores by removing the dead cells sitting on the them. It has a light texture that applies easily and evenly without closing your pores. 

30.90 euros

I was sent these products and I have been using them for the past almost two months. I always liked Clinique skincare, makes me feel comfortable which is very important for your face products.

Pore Refining Solutions is a great line of smart products that do not do miracles. 

But although my pores did not disappear, my skin got better, smoother and finer. 

My skin loved them.

Also they may not be very suitable for dry skin, but great for combination/oily skin.

My two favourites products that I would certainly buy, are the Instant Perfector and the Stay Matte Hydrator. They are amazing! Together they are creating the perfect makeup base!

I totally suggest that you try some of them! 

So what do yout think? 
Have you already tried these products? How do you like them?

Stay healthy & beautiful
xxx

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Makeup at Home Giveaway! CLOSED & WINNER

Hello my beauties! 

I hope you are well and happy. 
Today I am hosting a giveaway which unfortunately is only for my greek followers who live in Athens...

The prize is a makeup by me, day or evening, anytime you want at your place!

Below is the form you need to complete in order to take part!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

CONGRADULATIONS ANNA!!! 
I have arleady sent you an email. I am looking forward to hearing from you!

I hope you like the present and don't forget! Athens living followers!


Stay healthy & beautiful
xxx

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Revlon Colorstay Foundation Review

Hello my beauties!

I know it's been a long time but now I am back with many posts ready to come!

Without any further delay, today I want to talk to you about the famous Revlon Colorstay Foundation. I have been wanting to try this foundation for a long time now after I was hearing about it so many things everywhere, and I mean it. Everywhere!
So as it is ridiculously expensive in Greece, I told a friend of mine who studies in England to get it for me. She bought it 12 pounds and here is about 20-22 euros. ts ts ts...classic.

Anyway!
We guessed my shade through photos via whatsapp, ;-), and took my chances with shade 330 natural tan.
We were right. At first I thought it must be dark for me as it says natural tan and during my internet search about the shades, I came out to be sand beige. The truth lies between.

So here we go.

As you can see it is a very pigmented foundation and thick. I have used it 2-3 times and the truth is I don't seem to get used to it on my skin.
It is a little hard to apply as it tends to dry rather fast but that is not a problem. You can do quick. 
Although it is a thick foundation I wasn't impressed with its coverage. To be fair, after all the ravings about it,  I was expecting something like a miracle on a bottle. That was not the case for me.
I have tried other foundations less famous with better coverage. This one did not have the coverage I expected and still felt heavy on my skin and flat.
As you can see on the picture I chose the combination/oily formula as my skin, esecially the T zone, tends to gets oily after a few hours. 
Sorry again but I did not noticed any difference. I got shiny after a few hours as well. To be fair again, !, it was during the extremely past humid days in Athens. The weather is not helping us to make a proper review!
One of the things I liked was that, besides my skin got oily, the foundation did not melt or moved. It stayed there, which means it is a rather difficult one to take off!
I was hearing a lot about a strong awful smell but I noticed nothing. Ok, it does not have a creamy high-end  scent but I did not bothered me.

Below I am showing how it looked on my skin.

no makeup

with Revlon Colorstay on

As you can see I had nothing big to cover up but still my face does not look flawless.
You might say that it looks good, and it does, as you can see my skin through which makes it a natural looking foundation. But.....
When I was dreaming about this foundation I had in mind something like my dreamy skin on a small bottle.

Overall, it is a very good foundation with medium coverage that you can build it. 
It stays for hours without moving around. It is a good price-good quality product. (if ordered online)
I know that many women around the world are raving abut this foundation but it simply did not impress me. 
Well, that's the thing when you are expecting too much! I thought I had find the One but to me is just a simple heavy-feeling foundation. 

I hope I helped you and strongly recommend that you give this foundaton a go. 

Have you tried Revlon Colorstay Foundation? 
If yes, what do you think?

Stay healthy & beautiful
xxx

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