Project 20 pan vol.3 and summer empties

Summer is almost over, at least here in Brussels. I travelled little bit and I’m surprised that I still used up many things. Most of them are from previous Project 20 Pans so I’m happy that they are out. Here’s what I used up:

1. Brow gel by Anastasia
2. Eyeshadow pencil in colour Champagne Toast by Milani
3. Eye pencil in colour Bronze by Bourjois
4. BB cream Sublimist by L’Oreal
5. Eyeliner pen in colour Brown by Miss Sporty
6. Eyeliner pen in colour Black by Miss Sporty
7. Lipstick n.02 by Dermacol
8. Lipgloss n.020 by Catrice
9. Another eyeshadow n.554 by ARTDECO
10. Eyeshadow n.?? by ARTDECO (the number wore off, it was shimmery light yellow)
11. Powder foundation ” New skin” n.03 by Deborah
12. Mascara “Sexy pulp” by Yves Rocher
13. Mascara “Outrageous volume” by Sephora

Since we have 4 months till end of the year I decided to challenge myself and choose more full products for my new project pan, not to mention that I also added 5 more as for that extra month. So here is what I’m planning to use up till 31.12:

1. Miracle air de teint foundation in colour n.01 by Lancome – 1/2 size
2. Liquid foundation in colour FLW2Y by Makeup Atelier – 1/2 size
3. Restructuring foundation in colour Beige noisette by Peggy Sage – 1/2 size
4. Radiant skin lotion (primer) by Elizabeth Arden – 2/3 size
5. Perfect primer by Yves Rocher – 1/2 size
6. The Porefessional by Benefit – 1/4 size
7. Lipstick in colour “Feed the senses” by MAC – full size
8. Lasting colour stick eyeshadow n. 03 Rose Quartz by WYCON – full size
9. Eyebrow highlighting pen by KIKO – full size
10. Lip liner in colour Pale Pink by NYX – full size
11. Smoothing and brightening concealer n.02 Clair light by Sephora – difficult to tell
12. Liquid concealer in colour FLWA1Y by Makeup atelier – 1/2 size
13. Fit me concealer n. 10 by Maybelline – 1/2 size
14. Instant light natural lip perfector lip gloss n. 04 by Clarins – 1/2 size
15. Soleil tan de chanel cream bronzer by Chanel – 1/2 size
16. Acqua brow Waterproof eyebrow corrector by Makeup forever – 1/2 size
17. Eyeshadow n.520 by ARTDECO – 1/2 size
18. Make-up fixer (priming spray) by Peggy Sage – full size
19. Khol liner Master drama in colour Deep purple by Maybelline – full size
20. Rice powder in colour Natural by Palladio – full size
21. BB cream SPF 30 by Garnier – 1/2 size
22. BB cream in colour Light by Smashbox – full size
23. Apocalips lip lacquer in colour Nova by Rimmel – full size
24. Blush in colour Dandelion by Benefit – deluxe sample
25. Super liner Perfect slim by L’Oreal – full size

As you can see it will be a major challenge considering that I have some new makeup that I’m currently testing. Most of these items need to be finished by the end of this year due to their approaching expiration date. Well, we’ll see how I do, fingers crossed!

PROJECT 20 PAN vol.2 – finished!

It wasn’t that easy to finish all the products and as last time, I finish quite a lot of makeup that wasn’t on my list but couldn’t get rid of the one the list. Let’s see how well I’ve done:

1. SuperShock eyeshadow base pot by Avon - DONE
2. Brow gel by Anastasia – little bit left, I will use it during the summer
3. Eyeshadow pencil in colour Champagne Toast by Milani – still about one week of use, I will use it during the summer
4. Eye pencil in colour Bronze by Bourjois – still about 2 weeks of use, I will use it during the summer
5. Lip pencil in colour Nude by NYX - DONE
6. Prep & prime face primer by MAC - DONE
7. Airbrush concealer by Clinique- DONE
8. Lumi Magique foundation by L’Oreal - DONE
9. 4 eyeprimer samples by Urban Decay – 2 samples left, I will use it during the summer
10. Mascara by Makeup Atelier Paris - DONE
11. Lipstick in Lush for blast by Color whispers Maybelline - DONE
12. Prep & prime face powder by MAC - DONE
13. BB cream Sublimist by L’Oreal - 10ml left (I put it in a little pot), I will use it during the summer
14. Eyeliner pen in colour Brown by Miss Sporty – didn’t use it, I will use it during the summer
15. Eyeliner pen in colour Black by Miss Sporty – still working (after 3 months!)
16. Eyeliner pen in colour Blue by ARTDECO – it transferred on upper lid so much that I didn’t use it, it’s going to trash
17. Lipstick n.02 by Dermacol – still quite a lot left, I will use it during the summer
18. Lipgloss n.020 by Catrice – little bit left, I will use it during the summer
19. The Porefessional face primer by Benefit – didn’t use it in June as I was testing other silicone based primers, I will use it during the summer
20. Eyebrow highlighting pen by KIKO – didn’t use it all, going back into the drawer

Altogether I used 8 products, 1 is not usable, 1 is going back to the stash and the rest, 10 products, I’m going to use during this summer. Apart from products in this challenge, I also used up another 8 items:

1. Eyeshadow n.551 by ARTDECO
2. Eyeshadow n.?? by ARTDECO (the number wore off, it was shimmery light pink)
3. Cashmere wear bronzer in colour Ligh by Physicians Formula
4. Define a brow pencil in colour Dark blonde by Maybelline
5. Base coat by Revlon
6. Top coat by L’Oreal
7. Nail polish n.89 by Sally Hansen
8. Nail polish n.228 by Flormar

All in all, I used up 16 products! Not bad! I decided to give myself a break during the summer and use whatever I please without focusing on using up lot of things. I’m going to use up only products from this project and the rest we’ll see what I use. I will definitely let you know in September what I used and hop on new project 20 pan.

PROJECT 20 PAN vol.2

As promised here is a short list of products I’m going to try to use up by the end of June. 6 are from previous project pan and 14 are new. There are lot of challenging items I must say but if I didn’t have the project pan I’m sure I would neglect them so I say let’s use them up!

1. SuperShock eyeshadow base pot by Avon (still 1/3 left)
2. Brow gel by Anastasia (deluxe sample)
3. Eyeshadow pencil in colour Champagne Toast by Milani (still 1/2 left)
4. Eye pencil in colour Bronze by Bourjois (2/3 left, that will be a challenge)
5. Lip pencil in colour Nude by NYX (1/2 left, that may be easy)
6. Prep & prime face primer by MAC (little bit left, probably 2 weeks of use)
7. Airbrush concealer by Clinique (1/2 left)
8. Lumi Magique foundation by L’Oreal (1/2 left)
9. 4 eyeprimer samples by Urban Decay 
10. Mascara by Makeup Atelier Paris (full size)
11. Lipstick in Lush for blast by Color whispers Maybelline (1/3 left)
12. Prep & prime face powder by MAC (little bit left, probably 2 weeks of use)
13. BB cream Sublimist by L’Oreal (1/2 left)
14. Eyeliner pen in colour Brown by Miss Sporty (1 month of use left)
15. Eyeliner pen in colour Black by Miss Sporty (1 month of use left)
16. Eyeliner pen in colour Blue by ARTDECO (1 month of use left)
17. Lipstick n.02 by Dermacol (1/3 left)
18. Lipgloss n.020 by Catrice (1/2 left)
19. The Porefessional face primer by Benefit (1/2 left)
20. Eyebrow highlighting pen by KIKO (full size)

As you can see quite a good mix of products here and I wonder what will be used up and what not at the end (I hope at least products from previous project pan will be gone because I’m slowly getting fed up with them). Let me know if you are also doing your project pan challenge and what products do you want to use up. Courage!

First PROJECT 20 PAN finished!

I started my first Project pan in January including 20 products that I wanted to finish by 1st of April. Usually you don’t pick more than 10 products but I was very courageous and here is what got actually used up:

1. The Multitasker face powder by Milani - DONE
2. Prep & prime face primer by MAC – almost, going into the basket for next Project pan
3. Shadow insurance Eye shadow primer by Too Faced - DONE
4. Pro Longwear concealer by MAC – I haven’t used it up because it went bad, so it’s going into trash (well, to MAC under “Back to MAC programme”)
5. Double wear stay in place concealer by Estee Lauder - DONE
6. Outlast stay fabulous foundation by CoverGirl - DONE
7. Face & Body foundation by MAC - I haven’t used it up because it went bad, so it’s going into trash (well, to MAC under “Back to MAC programme”)
8. Fix plus by MAC - DONE
9. BB cream Skin miracle by Garnier - DONE
10. SuperShock eyeshadow base pot by Avon – not yet, going into the basket for next Project pan
11. Brow gel by Anastasia - not yet, going into the basket for next Project pan
12. 2 in 1 eye boosting eyeliner by Physician Formula - DONE
13. Eyeshadow pencil in colour Champagne Toast by Milani - not yet, going into the basket for next Project pan 
14. Eyeshadow pencil in champagne by WJ cosmetics – no, going back to my stash, I’ll come back to it later, maybe
15. Eye pencil in colour Bronze by Bourjois - not yet, going into the basket for next Project pan
16. Lash exact mascara by CoverGirl - DONE
17. 2000 calories mascara by Max Factor - DONE
18. Volume mascara by Essence - DONE
19. Lipstick in colour Angel by MAC - DONE
20. Lip pencil in colour Nude by NYX - not yet, going into the basket for next Project pan

All together I used 11 products, 2 went bad, 1 back to my stash and the rest, 6 products, are going into the next Project pan. Apart from products in this challenge, I also used up another 6 items:

1. Lipbalm by Plante System
2. Hypnose Drama mascara by Lancome (it dried out after 1 month and half!)
3. Brow pencil in Taupe by Peggy Sage
4. Balance n Brighten powder by Laura Geller (finally after 3 years!)
5. Deluxe size highlighter in Angelic by Tarte
6. Speed dry top coat nail polish by Nutra Nail

All in all, I used up 17 products! I’m quite happy although I realized that using up products in pencil format will be a major challenge this year:(. I’m already preparing next project pan (although quite late) so stay tuned!

PROJECT 20 PAN

After cleaning my make-up collection and keeping just the make-up I like I realized that I still have lot of things and they are either half way used or just deluxe samples. As I always test new make-up I hardly ever use up the whole product. And this is sad because very often I test things that are, at the end, not so great while products that I really like sit aside.

This is why I decided to do a Project 20 pan. Basically I chose 20 products that I will try to use up by the end of certain time (end of March) before I move to new product in that category. For the first pan project I chose easy, well-loved products that I think I’ll be able to use up fairly quickly.

Project 20 PAN

Here is what I chose and how much use out of it I think I will get:

1. The Multitasker face powder by Milani (almost done, I expect max 2 weeks of use)
2. Prep & prime face primer by MAC (half way done, probably 2 months of use)
3. Shadow insurance Eye shadow primer by Too Faced (almost done, 1 month of use)
4. Pro Longwear concealer by MAC (half way done, 1 month of use)
5. Double wear stay in place concealer by Estee Lauder (almost done, 2 weeks of use)
6. Outlast stay fabulous foundation by CoverGirl (half way done, 1 month of use)
7. Face & Body foundation by MAC (half way done, 1 month of use)
8. Fix plus by MAC (travel size, one month of use)
9. BB cream Skin miracle by Garnier (almost done, 2 weeks of use)
10. SuperShock eyeshadow base pot by Avon (half way done, I month of use)
11. Brow gel by Anastasia (deluxe sample, 2 months of use)
12. 2 in 1 eye boosting eyeliner by Physician Formula (almost done, 2 weeks of use)
13. Eyeshadow pencil in colour Champagne Toast by Milani (1/3 done, 2 months of use)
14. Eyeshadow pencil in champagne by WJ cosmetics (1/3 done, 2 months of use)
15. Eye pencil in colour Bronze by Bourjois (full size, 2 moths)
16. Lash exact mascara by CoverGirl (almost done, maybe 2 weeks of use)
17. 2000 calories mascara by Max Factor (deluxe sample, 1 month and half of use)
18. Volume mascara by Essence (almost done, maybe 2 weeks of use)
19. Lipstick in colour Angel by MAC (1/3 left, 2 months of use)
20. Lip pencil in colour Nude by NYX (full size, 2 months to use)

As you can see some products are almost used up. But it happens to me very often that I put them aside and start testing new products without finishing anything and throwing it away. It is obvious from the picture that 20 products is quite an amount so when I finish them all, there will be quite a lot of space left behind (maybe for new products?).

If you are doing Project Pan let me know what and how many products have you chosen and what’s your “deadline” for using them up. Good luck with it!

Make-up collection declutter!

Hello girls! Long time no see! It is already 20th of January and I haven’t blogged much. Since I came back from Slovakia it has been work work work... I finally got to clean the house and I realized that it would be a good idea to talk about a make-up clean up!

 

Even if you don’t have huge make-up collection it is still a good idea to check your make-up at least once a year. Bobby Brow in her book “Makeup manual” recommends tossing make-up products that you had for certain time to avoid using them after their expiration date.

 

 

According to her the make-up products should not be used longer than:

• 2 years in case of liquid & cream foundations, concealers, powders, eyeshadows, powder and cream blushes, 
• 6 moths in case of mascaras,
• 12-18 months for lipsticks, lip and eye pencils.

 

While I certainly agree with Bobby Brown, I also have some tips on determining if the product is still usable or not: 

• in case of lipsticks: if you see small water drops around the lipstick, it means the lipstick is going bad, the formula starts separating and it's time to say goodbye,
• in case of foundations: if the color pigment starts separating from the base liquid (unless it says on the bottle "shake before use" which is written usually for the foundations that naturally separate even though they are still good),
• if you notice that the performance of the product is not the same as it used to be when you bough it,
• if you suddenly notice that you get acne from the product (and you haven't had that before when using it),
• if the color, scent or consistency of the product has changed (for example when the cream eyeshadow has dried out, or the lipstick smells really bad).

 

Personally, I keep powder products (mainly eyeshadows) a lot longer than 2 years since I don't use the same ones on the daily basis. If you keep your make-up out of the sun light and under room temperature (so not in the hot bath room) it will last longer. Also, you can sanitize it to keep it around longer (in case of powder products with alcohol, in case of cream products remember not to put your fingers in it).

 

I cleaned out my collection before Christmas: what was bad went to the trash, what was still good but I didn't like went to my family members (the fact that I don't like it doesn’t mean that somebody else will not enjoy it, right?).

 

So chop chop, go to your make-up collection and clean it out!

My favorite products of 2014 part 2: skincare, hair care and body products

Let’s continue today with what is left, skincare, hair care and body products. There won’t be as many as in make-up category since my skin is quite dry and sensitive and I don’t like to experiment with it too much.

HAIR CARE

Shampoos:

• Diamond Oil shampoo by Redken
• Orofluido shampoo by Orofluido
• Shea butter shampoo by Desert Essence

Conditioner:

I don’t have any favorites since I usually use masks instead and those that I tried last year didn’t impress me to the point that I would share them with you.

Hair masks:

• Deep repair mask by Macademia Natural oil
• Vitamino colour expert serie by L’Oreal

Styling products:

• Dry shampoo by Batiste – original or for dark hair
• Frizz Ease hair serum original formula by John Frieda – I’ve been using it since my 20s, it always worked for defining my curls.
• Healing oil spray by Macademia Natural oil
• Elnett spray by L’Oreal
  

SKINCARE

• Skin perfecting 2% BHA gel by Paula’s choice
• Skin perfecting 8% AHA gel by Paula’s choice
• Moisture boost cleanser by Paula’s choice – takes make-up off without problems, can be used on the eye make-up as well. I keep it in the shower where I usually take my make-up off.
• Purity micellar water by Corine de Farme – better than Bioderma, takes make-up off without problems and it 500ml costs 6€.
• Skin recovery mask by Paula’s choice
• Cicaplast soothing repairing balm by La Roche-Posay – when my skin goes nuts and peels like crazy (winter season).
• Anti-age cream SPF 30 by Garnier Ambre Solaire
• Super serum Sublimist by L’Oreal
• Beauty flash balm by Clarins
• As a night cream I use a homemade mixture of oils.

BODY CARE

Body lotions:

• Expert repair Shea butter body lotion by Yves Rocher
• Smooth body oil by Nivea
• Homemade body lotion for winter season

Shower gel:

• Jardin du Monde “Coffee beans from Brasil“ shower gel by Yves Rocher

Self-tanner:

• Self-tanning mousse by St.Tropez

What were you favorite products of 2014?

Related articles:
My favorite products of 2014 Part 1: make-up products

My favorite products of 2014 part 1: make-up products

Happy New Year everybody! I decided to start this year with my favorite products of 2014 since I found very nice and interesting products last year and I think it is worth sharing them with you. Let’s start with make-up products as it is my favorite part of cosmetic world.

Mascaras:

• Lash Exact by CoverGirl (the same as 2000 calories by Max Factor) – it’s been my favorite for years.
• Volum’Express The Rocket mascara by Maybelline – it holds lash curl really well.
• Better than sex mascara by Too Faced – my lashes look like fake ones (in a good way).

Eyeliners for water line:

• Master Drama in color Black by Maybelline 
• Khol pencil in color Infinite Beige by Sephora

Eyeliners for upper eye line:

• Gel eyeliner in color Black by Essence
• I’m still looking for the perfect liquid pen eyeliner, even though I tried many last year I’m still not completely happy. Still testing.

Eyebrow pencils:

• Define a brow eyebrow pencil in colour Dark Blonde by Maybelline
• Eyebrow pencil in color Taupe by Peggy Sage
• Long-lasting eyebrow pencil in color Medium by Sephora 

Eyebrow powder:

• Absolute eye color eyeshadow in color 350 Starlight Expresso by Catrice- it is a regular eyeshadow but it matches my eyebrow color perfectly and it stays on all day long. And it’s cheap.

Eyeshadow primers:

• Eyeshadow primer potion by Urban Decay
• Eye base primer by KIKO – as good as Urban Decay, it holds eyeshadows like crazy.
• Paint pot in color Soft Ocre by MAC

Single eyeshadows:

• Eyeshadow in color Kitten by Stila
• Eyeshadow n.403 from VAMP! Collection by PUPA

Eyeshadow palettes:

• Boudoir eyes by Too Faced
• Meet Matt(e) Nude by The Balm

BB creams:

• Ambre Solaire SPF 30 and SPF 50 by Garnier
• Sublimist BB cream with SPF 25 by L’Oreal

Foundations:

• Lumi Magique by L’OrealMatt co
• ntrol 18h by Dermacol
• Invisiwear by EX1
• Matt fluid by Yves Rocher

Concealers:

• HD photogenic concealer by NYXDream Lumi T
• ouch Highlighting concealer by Maybelline
• Instant Age rewind Eraser dark circles by Maybelline

Powders:

• Loose Prep & Prime by MAC for under eyes area
• Loose mineral powder in color Neutral A by Makeup Atelier Paris for under eyes area
• Mineralize skinfinish natural in color Light plus by MAC for face

Bronzer:

• Laguna by NARS

Blushes:

• Rockateur by Benefit – my most worn blush, if I don’t know what to put as a blush, I always go for this one.
• Instain long-wearing powder staining blush in color Houndstooth by The Balm

Highlighters:

• Mineral glow pearls blush in color Natural pearl by Physician formula
• Mary-Lou Manizer by The Balm

Lip pencil:

• Lip liner pencil in color Pale Pink by NYX - my ultimate nude lip liner color, I always have few in stock to be sure to never run out of it.

Lipsticks:

• Color whisper by color sensational by Maybelline – all of them but mainly Lust for blush, together with NYX lip pencil in Pale pink it is my go-to combo.
• Color sensational Vivids by Maybelline - great color choice and confortable formula
• Cremesheen formula lipsticks by MAC

Lipgloss:

I don’t like lip gloss in general, so I don’t have any favorites. What concerns price and pigmentation, I would recommend either Butter gloss by NYX or Color sensational High shine by Maybelline.

Nail polish formula:

• Super stay 7 days gel nail color by Maybelline
• All nail polish formula by Flormar
• Color riche by L’Oreal
• All nail polish formula by OPI

Fix sprays:

• Fix plus by MAC
• Finishing spray by Skindinavia
• Make-up setting spray with dewy finish by NYX

Last minute Christmas presents!

If you are one of those who buy Christmas presents at last minute, here are some make-up present ideas that are not only good quality but also budget friendly. They are all by Maybelline (purely by accident, I’m not sponsored by the brand) that I bought in Bratislava (Slovakia) or Parndorf (Austria).

3 PIECES GIFT SET 

Price: 13,29€ in DM drugstore in Slovakia. This price is amazing! All these three products would cost me around 30€ in Brussels.

What you get:

• Master precise liquid eyeliner that I already reviewed and quite liked.
• The Colossal Go Extreme! Volume express mascara, Maybelline, as a brand, started with mascaras and they are one of the best in the drugstore so I’m sure I’ll like it.
• Forever strong Super Stay 7 days nail polish, this is one of the few nail polishes that stay on my nails longer than 3 days so I’m big fan of them.

3 pieces gift set by Maybelline

2 PIECES GIFT SET “GLAM” 

Price: 7,69€ in L’Oreal outlet in Parndorf, Austria. This set would cost me at least 20€ in Brussels. Maybelline and L’Oreal are (it looks like) by the same company so they share the outlet store. If you are fan of L’Oreal mascara it is a place to be, they cost around 9-12€ (in Brussels up to 20€).

What you get:

• Rocket Volume express mascara, one of my favourites, holds the lash curl like no other.
• Color tattoo cream eyeshadow in colour Gold, these eyeshadows are best cream eyeshadows in drugstore, they last all day on the eyes even without the primer (however if you have oily lids, use a primer).

2 pieces gift set "Glam"by Maybelline

GOLD ECSTASY MAKE-UP PALETTE

Price: 9,99€ in L’Oreal outlet in Parndorf, Austria (I couldn’t believe my eyes, what a price!).

What you get:

• 4 well pigmented eyeshadows (2 with matt finish – dark brown and cream eyeshadow, 2 have shimmer finish – bronze and gold eyeshadow), blendable, you can create few different looks with them. 
• Bronzer with neutral undertone and in satin finish, if you have light skin tone you can use it for contour, if you have medium skin tone it would work better for bronzing purposes. 
• Highlighter with golden undertone, it is very subtle so you can use it not only on the cheek bones but also where you usually suntan to add some glow to the skin. Best for light to medium skin tone. 
• Dark brown pencil, well pigmented, creamy pencil that is easy to smudge to create Smokey look (I wouldn’t use it alone as eyeliner, set it with dark brown eyeshadow for long wearing effect). 
• Lip gloss in red colour if you are going for a retro glam look. 
• Few applicators (eyeshadow applicator, blush brush and sponge) which I won’t use but I think they are good quality. 
• Big mirror.

Gold Ecstasy make-up palette by Maybelline

Gold Ecstasy make-up palette by Maybelline

Gold Ecstasy make-up palette by Maybelline

Eyeshadows from Gold Ecstasy make-up palette by Maybelline

Bronzer, highlighter, pencil and lip gloss from Gold Ecstasy make-up palette by Maybelline

All you need is foundation, concealer, powder, mascara and you are good to go. I think this palette is super travel friendly as it is not huge yet the size of eyeshadows and other powder products is satisfactory. They also had similar kit for Smokey grey eyes (more cool tone colours) in case you’d be interested in something similar but in different colour.

I wish you Merry Christmas, or happy holidays if you are not celebrating Christmas, enjoy them well! 

The Balm is on sale!

Hey girls! Attention please! The Balm is on sale in DI drugstore in Belgium. Everything is 25% off which is really good deal (it won’t get better than that, it’s Belgium). The sale lasts till November 25 so definitely go and check the Balm counter.

For those who don’t know anything about the Balm, in short, it is a great quality make-up with drugstore price tag. While the regular prices may feel little too much (although not as bad as L’Oreal) 25% discount really helps to change the mind.

I’ve already had “Nude’tude” palette, highlighter “Mary-Lou Manizer” and Instain blush in colour “Lace” for quite some time but I didn’t hesitate and bought another blush (in colour “Houndstooth”), bronzer “Bahama mama”, lip-gloss and face primer. Here is little summery why to go and buy them if you live in Belgium.

Nude'tude palette by The Balm

Nude’tude palette

Price: regular: 25€, discounted: 18,75€.

Why to buy it: you get 12 colours in matt and shimmer finish. Upper row has cooler tone colours lower row warmer tone colours. You can do different day and night looks, there are lot of options. The eyeshadows are great quality, well pigmented, easy to blend and not too powdery. The only thing I’m missing here is a cool tone medium brown as a transition-blending colour.

Nude'tude palette by The Balm

Nude'tude palette: top row eyeshadows

Nude'tude palette: bottom row eyeshadows

 Highlighter Mary-Lou Manizer

Price: I don’t remember exactly but I think it costs about 15€, with discount about 11€.

Why to buy it: it is very intensive highlighter so be careful at the application. It gives beautiful shine on the cheekbones. It can be used as highlighter for inner part of eyes as well. I wouldn’t use it for under eyebrow highlight since the shine is bit extreme. Its colour is light neutral beige that will suit many skin colours.

Bronzer Bahama Mama and highlighter Mary-Lou Manizer by The Balm

Bronzer “Bahama Mama”

Price: regular: 12,99€, discounted: 9,74€.

Why to buy it: it is medium cool tone brown which is perfect for contouring. It is very pigmented so you don’t need much. It blends nicely and looks really good on the skin (my skin shade is NW20 in MAC). If you have very light skin it may be too dark for you.

Bronzer Bahama Mama and highlighter Mary-Lou Manizer by The Balm

Instain blushes

Price: regular: 14,99€, discounted: 11,24€.

Why to buy them: the blushes are extremely pigmented so you don’t need much at all. They blend very nicely and last for very long time.

Instain blushes in colour Lace (left) and Houndstooth (right) by The Balm

Instain blushes in colour Lace (left) and Houndstooth (right) by The Balm

From left: Instain blushes in colour Lace and Houndstooth, bronzer Bahama Mama and highlighter Mary-Lou Manizer by The Balm

“The Time Balm” Primer and “Pretty smart” lip gloss

I haven’t tried them so far so I can’t give you my recommendation yet.

The lip gloss costs 13,50€ and was reduced to 10,12€. It is very pigmented so it feels little bit like liquid lipstick, I will definitely test it longer and let you know what I think.

Lip gloss in colour Hubba Hubba by The Balm

Lip gloss in colour Hubba Hubba by The Balm

The primer was always sold out when I previously looked for it and I only got it at my second trip during this sale so it must be something special. It costs 14,99€, reduced to 11,24€ which is cheaper than L’Oreal or Garnier primer. They all have similar silicone texture to smooth pores and I will test them during this winter and let you know what I think. I forgot to take a picture of it so check it on The Balm cosmetics website.

Dry shampoos: why and how to use them

There are lots of people who don’t use dry shampoos, thinking they don’t need them as they wash their hair quite often. However, dry shampoos have very important function. They not only extend the time between two hair washes but some of them pump up the volume or temporarily hide grown out roots.

Some of you might think that using dry shampoos instead of regular one is gross but it actually helps to increase hair quality. If you wash your hair very often, you strip your scalp of natural oil – sebum. It makes the skin weaker which leads to production of lower quality hair (in worst case it could be reason for excessive hair fall out). Moreover it forces the skin to produce even more oil. If you use dry shampoo instead of regular one on 2nd and 3rd day, you actually prevent skin from drying and in the long run from producing oil on those two days. By using dry shampoos, you extend the time between two hair washes and you “teach” your hair to produce oil less and later than usually. Try it and you’ll see that you can make your hair look clean and healthy up to 4-5 days.

Other functions of dry shampoos: some have a styling function as well. They can offer extra volume and texture so it is easier to work with the hair. Other have a tint of colour to them which helps, for example, to hide grey hair or uncoloured roots.

How to use dry shampoos: they are basically powders in the spray can so you have to shake it well first and then spray. Try to aim at the roots, in case of volumizing dry shampoos spray it closer (cca 10 cm). Work the shampoo into the hair with your fingers and let it sit for a while (up to 10 minutes) to soak the oil and brush it afterwards.

I will review few of the dry shampoos on Thursday and some others next week; they are all going to be from drugstore and I hope it will help you to decide which to buy.

Make-up Atelier Paris make-up school

I took a week-long course in Make-up Atelier Paris School last June and I would like to quickly share some memories and information here.

The course was a basic one for beginners, teaching basic theories (e.g. colour theory) and techniques during the mornings (demonstration on a model) and putting them in practice during the afternoons. While I haven’t acquired lot of new theory the practical exercise was very useful. It is completely different thing to do the make-up to yourself than to another person. Hygiene comes first and you have to always keep it in mind when working with different products and tools (especially when working with cream or liquid products). We practiced different looks, from everyday look, bridal, evening to artistic look. The school has its own professional brand Make-up Atelier Paris and it was great to try their product range during the course and get some discount when buying it at the end. I definitely recommend this course for everybody, even if you are not aspiring make-up artist. Practical exercises were done on models. Not real models but girls or women who were either invited by Make-up Atelier or by participants. Basically everybody could participate if arranged beforehand (to avoid too many or not enough models on one day). The practical exercises took place from 14:00 till 17:00.

Beside one week courses this school also organizes one month, 6 months or even one year courses so the models are always wanted. And here comes the good part (for you): if you happen to be in Paris, you have free afternoon and you’d like to get made-up by those future make-up artists, you can arrange it by writing to Make-up Atelier beforehand (email: atelier@ateliermaquillage.com). The school is located almost in the centre, near Place de la Republique, here is the address: Make-up Atelier Paris, Rue de la Pierre Levee 19, 75011 Paris, France.

My favourite books about skin

Last week I wrote about my favourite makeup books and since the basis for good makeup is good skin I have to mention these books about cosmetics or skin.

Paula Begoun: „The original beauty bible“: this is the first book I’ve ever read about cosmetics (and more than once) and it changed my view of certain products. Thanks to this book I reduced the number of products on my skin shelf and I no longer go crazy for packaging or some amazing claims that make you buy everything. In the book author describes everything related to skin: how to take care of skin, what skin really needs and what to avoid. She also explains what should good cleansing gel, lotion contain, what are the acids for, how the sun exposure influences your skin and what kind of crap is cosmetic industry feeding us. This Book also gives some advice how to get rid of some skin problems and describes plastic and cosmetic procedures. English is not easy, as in makeup books, which is understandable since she explains chemical reactions, products’ ingredients and so on. If you are not used to reading in English, I don’t think you can handle it without some serious vocabulary problems. The book costs 19,50€ on her website, www.paulaschoice-eu.com, you can also buy in on Amazon. Beside the book, Paula Begoun also created special website, http://www.beautypedia.com/, with products’ reviews and ingredients’ descriptions so shopping for cosmetics is easier. She and her team try products, review them and list the best in each category.

Paula Begoun has her own brand, Paula’s choice, and they are only available on her website, www.paulaschoice-eu.com. I’m personally huge fun of her products and I can’t imagine my beauty regime without some of them (I’ve been using AHA and BHA acids, Moisture Boost one step face cleanser for at least 5 years).

Paula Begoun: The Original Beauty Bible

Ellen Marmur: „Simple skin beauty“: after reading this book, I went straight away to get examined by my dermatologist. Author is well-known dermatologist and specialist in skin cancer. In the book she describes skin structure, how it works, what works and what not and therefore what not to spend money on. She speaks extensively about the sun exposure and radiation, how it influences skin and that we should not ignore skin cancer threat and should not to neglect preventive annual check-ups. Also, we should check ourselves at home regularly as well and ask somebody to check places that we can’t see (back for example). After reading this book, I got really scared (after all these sun bathing sessions since my childhood) because our skin remembers everything and it can get worse not only straight after the sun tanning but years later as well. I can only hope that all I get is wrinkles and nothing more serious. The book’s English is difficult, like Paula Begoun’s book so if you are not used to reading in English you may have a problem. The book costs 8£ on UK Amazon.

Ellen Marmur: Simple Skin Beauty

My favourite makeup books

I have several beauty related books at home but there are only few that really spoke to me. Today’s post is especially about makeup books, I will write about skin and cosmetic books next week.

Bobbi Brown: „Makeup manual” is first makeup book that I’ve ever bought and even after 3 years of makeup obsession I still go back to it from time to time. Bobbi Brown is famous makeup artist and well-known mainly for her own high quality brand. You’ll find in the book everything you need to know and see if you are beginner: how to apply makeup, how to hide imperfections, how to choose certain products and so on. You’ll find there step by step foto tutorials so it is easy even for less experienced person to manage it. Techniques that are presented there are basic yet universal and commonly referred to as best practices. There are only few that may vary from one makeup artist to other from what I’ve seen, but that is natural as everybody has its own style.

English is not difficult, so once you’ve managed basic makeup vocabulary you are good to go. This book is definitely a good investment; it would be a good present to ask for Christmas, for exampleJ. You can buy in on amazon.co.uk, the price is around 17£ (on French Amazon it costs 17€).

Bobbi Brown: "Makeup manual"

Rae Morris: „Makeup. The ultimate guide” is another great book about makeup. The makeup artist discusses quickly basic techniques too but also describes some tricks and special techniques in details, such as face contouring or faking bronzed face. The book includes foto step by steps tutorials as well, some of them are little bit more difficult compared to Bobbi Brown’s ones yet still manageable. I think it is more suitable for intermediate makeup users, let’s say as a follow-up after Bobbi Brown’s book. You can also buy it on amazon.co.uk, the price is about 14,39£ (on French Amazon 23,69€).

Rae Morris: "Makeup. The Ultimate guide"

Empties – Products I’ve used up in 2013

Last January I decided to keep all the beauty related products that I would use up during the whole year. I was very curious how much of what I use the most/the least, especially with the aim to compare it to the amount of products in stock in my bathroom. “How much more do I buy than I actually use?” was my main question. I could not wait until January 2014 to count it all and maybe be shocked. I took pictures of all my beauty “trash” and as you can see, it doesn’t look too much at first sight (keep in mind it’s the whole year’s consumption). If I compare myself to YouTube gurus who have full basket every 2 months, I feel a little bit worried if my hygiene standards are not too lowJ. On the other hand, it could be just the overuse from their side as well, so I think I should stick to what is confortable for me and what my skin likes the most.

Anyway, when I counted all this trash, some numbers were quite extreme so I don’t feel totally out of the standard now. Here is the list of all categories and the amounts of products I used up.

Make up

Foundation 150 ml

Concealer/corrector 4

Powder 2

Face primer 80 ml

Finishing spray 550 ml

Eye primer 1

Eye liner 6

Mascara 8

Brow gel 1

Brow powder 1

Brow pencil 4

Lip liner 1

Lip balms 3

Lipstick 3

Nail polish color 5

Nail polish top/base coat 5

Body and hair

Shower gel 3350 ml

Shampoo 1280 ml

Hair mask 1665 ml

Conditioner 1560 ml

Hair serum/oil 75 ml

Dry shampoo 4

Heat protectant 350 ml

Leave in conditioner 500 ml

Body lotion 3400 ml

Tan mitt 2

Self-tanner 1470 ml

Veet cream 300 ml

Perfume 110 ml

Hand cream 390 ml

Nail polish remover 400 ml

Nail polish corrector 1

Face cosmetic

Cotton pads 700

Cleansing wipes 110

Face strips 12

Make up remover 1890 ml

Face cleanser 600 ml

Face mask 150 ml

Toner 200 ml

Face serum 240 ml

Eye cream 20 ml

Night moisturizer 180 ml

Daily moisturizer 150 ml

AHA gel 118 ml

Scrub 200 ml

In some categories the amounts of products may be smaller than what is expected. The reason behind is that I don’t use these products unless I get them in a set, for free with a purchase or as a gift from somebody (e.g. I don’t use body scrub very often, I use loofa bath scrubber made of natural material instead). Also, I didn’t count dental products.

Now I should start counting products in my stash to see where I am but I don't have courage to do so...There are just too many things in my cabinets! What about you girls, do you use more or less products than me and in which categories? Looking forward to your comments!