The Makeup | TAG

The lovely Millie C tagged me to do the Makeup Tag: her blog is amazing (link!), and you can see her post here!

What foundation do you use?
At the moment I'm using Dior Diorskin Star a lot (you can read my review here), but I like testing foundations so much (evidence in this post) that I've just finished - and loved! - a sample of Jouer Matte Moisture Tint.

How about concealer?
At the moment I'm using Dior Diorskin Star Concealer (reviewed with the foundation!), but Make Up For Ever Full Cover is a firm favourite too!

What do you think of false lashes?
I've never worn them myself, I've only learnt to apply them on other people. I should give them a go though!

What brand of mascara do you use?
At the moment Lancôme, as their latest offering Grandiôse is seriously amazing! I reviewed it here.

Sephora or MAC?
I'd say Sephora, because there are different brands available leading to more choice. I love MAC too though!

What makeup tools do you use?
My Sephora Mineral Powder Brush gets used everyday for powder, alongside a blush brush. If I wear eyeshadows my MAC 239 and 217 are always, always used!

Do you use and eyeshadow primer?
My NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base is a must have for me! Read more about it in this post.

What is your favourite eyeshadow?
This is a nearly impossible answer to give... Just like I did in my Top 10 post, I'm going to say Too Faced eyeshadows in general.

What do you think of Pigment eyeshadows?
Pressed ones like L'Oreal Infallible are great... And my MAC samples are too as they're never ending! Not the best thing when you need to do your makeup quickly, I'd say!

What is your fave lipstick?
Dior Addict Lip Glow. Not really a lipstick, but it's the best. It's in my Top 10 too!

What is your fave blusher to use?
At the moment, Benefit Majorette. It's gorgeous!

Do you like drugstore makeup?
Well, no. Not in general. I adore L'Oréal and selected products from other brands, but I'm an high end girl beauty wise, sorry.

Name a makeup crime you hate.
Orange foundation. It drives me crazy!

Do you like colorful shades of makeup or neutrals?
I like a pop of color. I wouldn't wear a bright colored smoky eye, but I love something like a pop of color on the lower lashline or a contrasting eyeliner.

If you could leave the house with just one makeup item what would it be?
I'd say mascara. Just makes me look awake!

Could leave the house with no makeup on?
Yes, but I wouldn't be happy to.

In your opinion, what's the best makeup line?
Chanel, or Nars, or Urban Decay, or Too Faced... Don't ask me to choose!

This was a lot of questions to answer! Loved them though, I can't wait to read all your answers too!

Hope you enjoyed, I tag Kimmy, Jina, Sarah and Renata!

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My MAC Quads

In addition to my 15 pan palette I shared with you in my last post, I have two MAC eyeshadow quads. Let's see them!

The Neutral One
This palette contains all the shades I might need to do a neutral mat look or to complete something like a smokey eye. A bit like Naked Basics for Urban Decay, I'd say!
I use this palette a lot, especially the two lighter shades as they're perfect as a base and as a crease color.

The Red One
I am a really big fan of reddish eye shadows. They work well with my eye colour (they really make the subtle green pop!) and my skintone, and I find them appropriate for an everyday look too once you master the look.

I really adore these two quads, they all contain gorgeous shades and they work so well. The two darker shades (Carbon and Embark) may look slightly less performing pigment wise, but as they're so dark I don't see it as a problem.

Do you prefer a bigger 15 pan palette or a well coordinated quad? I love them both, I really can't decide!

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My MAC Palette

I've been meaning to share the eye shadows in my 15 pan MAC palette for a while, and today I'm finally here to tell you more about them!

First, a bit of introduction: while I'm happy with how my palette turned out, there are some shades I'd never repurchase and that I wouldn't recommend. That's the biggest problem I have with MAC. You can't be sure that an eye shadow is going to be good, apart from the famous ones (and still, some leave me not so happy), while other brands like Urban Decay or Too Faced are a lot more consistent across their range.

Having said that, here's the swatches and the shades that I would or wouldn't recommend!

First row
Recommended: Vex, All That Glitters, Sable, Texture.
Not recommended: Vapour.

Second row
Recommended: Satin Taupe, Trax, Antiqued.
Not recommended: Shale, Quarry.

Third row My Favourite!
Recommended: Sumptuous Olive, Club, Knight Divine
Not totally recommended: Patina, Green Smoke (shades I love but that truly lack pigmentation)

Are you a big MAC eyeshadow lover or, like me, you've been a little disappointed by some of them?

Luckily I have a couple of quads with shades I adore that I still have to share with you!

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New Liebster Award | TAG

The lovely Renata from Speaking Beauty UK nominated me for the NEW Liebster Award. I really like the concept of this “new” Liebster Award, as the questions are the same for everyone making it more of a tag!

Renata writes an amazing beauty blog and I love to have a chat with her in the comments, so head straight there to have a look!

Instructions

1. Get nominated

2. Link back the girl/guy who nominated you

3. Do the questions

4. Nominate 5-20 people to do the questions.

Questions

1. What are your top 3 bloggers and why?

This is a pretty hard question to answer, as narrowing to just three is pretty hard. I think there’s a difference between blogs you like in general and blogs you truly enjoy reading.

So, if I had to choose blogs I like from the first category, I’d say Vivianna Does Makeup, Hello October, and A Model Recommends.

But I can’t mention A Little Boat Sailing, Thunderl0ve and A Girl And A Beauty Blog.

Ok, may I add another three? Beauty Isles, Laura London, The Conscience Fund.

I majorly cheated, but have a look at my One Lovely Blog Award to get an idea of how much I can go overboard with mentioning my favourite blogs.

2. What drives you?

The fact that I know that things will be ok. Whenever I feel like something isn’t going in the right direction, I focus on what I want and try to get there. It’s not a magic trick or anything, but it surely keeps me going.

3. What little thing makes you happy?

From a message from my boyfriend, to a song with attached memories, to my brother’s smile, to an unexpected gift, to a shiny new makeup product… Luckily there are a lot of little things in life that can make us happy!

4. What is your dream job/ personal goal?

No question would have been more tricky for me. I love beauty, I love to write about it and I love to teach. I also love organizing things and management in a way. I’m studying pharmacy and starting an esthetician course, so let’s see where they’ll get me!

5. Do you have a favourite food?

I was going to say chocolate, but then Currywurst came to mind. Oh yes!

6. What is your favourite beauty brand? (makeup or facial care, or hair etc)

Next question please. Makeup wise, while from my Top 10 Tag might seem that I’m quite a MAC girl, I’d never say it’s my favourite brand. I have quite a penchant for Chanel, as I always jump at the chance to check their latest collections. For a lover end brand I really love L’Oréal as they always make amazing products, but I can’t mention Too Faced for eyeshadows. Oh wait, and Nars!

Skincare wise I’m having quite a Kiehl’s and Alpha-H moment (see more about it here!), but I can’t forget my all time favourite La Roche Posay.

Hair wise I don’t have too much to say, as I’ve been using Garnier for ages, but I love all my Bumble & Bumble products.

7. Favourite clothes shop?

It used to be GAP (I literally wore that brand for everything for a couple of years), then the selection at my store or here in Italy started to get really awful and now I only use a few basics from there.

I am a big H&M lover, but more for the good basics (which are pretty much all I wear, though!) than for anything else. Another brand worth mentioning is Mango as I’ve been loving them more and more, but I often shop for clothes in various places, especially for pieces that are a bit more of a quality investment. 

8. What would be your spirit animal and why?

I’d say a cat, mostly because they’re an animal I truly love and one I would happily swap a few of my daily hours with, lol!

9. Why did you start blogging?

I’ve been reading beauty blogs for years (maybe since 2009 but maybe even earlier) and as I’ve already mentioned I’ve had my own in my mind for ages. Literally, every time I’d try a new product I’d review it in my mind day after day. I couldn’t wait any longer!

10. Have you changed much over the last year?

I’d say yes. I’m finally “getting somewhere” in so many aspect of my life and this undoubtedly is changing me every day!

11. If you could star in a TV series based on your life, what would it be? (sitcom, drama etc...)

Ehm… This is really a strange question, something like Gilmore Girls instantly came to mind but I’m not to sure I’d be right!

Nominations

Beauty Isles

BeautyLogie

Confession of A Travel-hoo-lic

Girl With Makeup

The Conscience Fund

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New in from Dior | Diorskin Star Foundation & Concealer, Rouge Dior Baume #660 Coquette

Last week I shared with you my experience with the new foundation launches in this post, and I sneakily mentioned my last purchase, the Diorskin Star Foundation, alongside the concealer from the same line and the specially designed sponge. I also picked up one of the new Rouge Dior Baumes, in the shade 660 Coquette. Let’s have a closer look!

Diorskin Star Foundation

As I already mentioned, this foundation is perfect.

I like to apply it with fingers as usual, as with a small pump it covers the skin quickly and evenly, but works well with the designed sponge and my Sephora #56 Brush too.

It covers like medium-full foundation whilst managing to look natural, and controls oil keeping a gorgeous glow.

What is outstanding is the lasting power: it literally lasts all day, from early morning to late at night and it looks amazing from application to removal. I’ve only met a few other products like this, but none of them had that gorgeous natural glow to it. My Benefit Big Easy has been outstanding this summer, but that luminosity surely wasn’t there.

The shade range is not the most estensive but it has some good options, and the shade 020 is perfect for my light but golden skintone and is a really flattering shade.

I have been choosing this one over all the others I own almost on a daily basis, it’s love!

Diorskin Star Concealer

I picked this up because I heard some good things about it, but without too many expectations as I’d been hooked on my Make Up Forever Full Coverage one. Well, I should have had more faith in Dior!

It covers beautifully but is so smooth and moisturizing that is really perfect for the under eye area. It works well on other areas of the face too though, making it a good all rounder.

The biggest problem I have with under eye concealer is the creasing, and I’m happy to repost this does last well! Another winner.

Dior Backstage Blender

This beautiful black sponge looked so intriguing that I couldn’t leave it there, and for less than €15 it wasn’t too expensive either.

Applies this foundation beautifully, but for me is not a must have: I find I have to use two pumps instead of one and it’s a little bit more time consuming, but this foundation is so gorgeous that even a little bit more product looks beautiful!

It’s good for perfecting the coverage in some areas and I love it to blend in the concealer a little bit better on the redness on my cheek, so it’s good to have when I need a more perfected look.

If you love to apply foundation with sponges like this I would really recommend it!

Rouge Dior Baume in 660, Coquette

This is exactly the kind of lip product that I love. Sheer, hydrating, soft… But with a good color pay off.

It’s a gorgeous deep reddish rose, with no shimmer in sight and it’s really comforting like a balm. I’ve been wearing it almost daily, and I love reapplying it when I start to feel the moisturizing feel a bit less.

It’s a perfect lip product with amazing texture, a gorgeous color and the beautiful Dior packaging. The gorgeous logo on the top wear off after a couple of wears unfortunately, but it’s always the case!

I couldn’t be happier with my purchase, as I love it more than my Rouge Dior Addicts and other sheer lipsticks in my collection!

Dior hasn’t failed to impress me with its latest launches, they always make some amazing products!

Have you tried any of these? Let me know your thoughts!

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Cult Beauty Haul & First Impressions

A few weeks ago I was reading A Girl And A Beauty Blog, and when I saw Siobhan mentioning Alpha-H Liquid Gold I instantly felt the urge to finally take the plunge and order it. I very rarely order things online but since I had a couple of other things in my mind I headed straight to Cult Beauty to make my first order.

Here’s what I got!

Alpha-H Discovery Collection (here)

This Cult Beauty exclusive set contains the Balancing Cleanser (30 ml), Liquid Gold (50 ml), Daily Essential Moisturizer SPF 50+ (30 ml) and Absolute Eye Complex (7.5 ml).

I find the size of the products perfect as you get to really use the product for a long time without investing in the full size, and let me tell you, this products are all worth doing so!

The Balancing Cleanser has an amazing texture and is really gentle on the skin: I’ve been using it in the morning and I’ve been loving it!

The Liquid Gold is even better than I expected it to be: having tried a couple of Glycolic Acid products I though I was going to know how this was going to perform, but I was wrong. It doesn’t tingle at all on my skin, and the morning after the skin is… Perfect. I have no other word to describe it, it’s almost like an application on the Glamglow Supermud Mask every other night! I’ve been following it with a sample of the Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate, and they’ve been a power couple (I need the full size of the Kiehl’s!).

The Daily Essential Moisturizer SPF 50+ might actually be my favourite product of the set. It’s a really high SPF… That dries mat, without having a runny consistency (like the Benefit one I reviewed here). I’ve been so pleasantly surprised by it that I think I’ve found my new daily moisturizer with SPF, it’s just so good!

The Absolute Eye Complex is a runny transparent serum, that’s quite hydrating and sits well under makeup. It’s so hard to say if an eye cream works in just a few days or even weeks, but this has been fine and I’m happily using it in the morning, keeping my Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment (I talked about it in my last monthly favourites!) for the night time for now.

Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel (here)

I’ve been wanting this cleanser for ages, and I’m so glad I finally got it! It comes out like a pink/orange thick gel that goes on the skin like a balm and emulsifies with water. It’s amazing! Leaves the skin super soft and clean and it even works well with the Clarisonic. It has got the most gorgeous smell (I’d say it’s the geraniol and citronellol in the formula) and I really look forward to my evening cleanse since I added this to my routine. I really can see why it’s so well loved!

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Soft Brown (here)

I’ve never liked a single eyebrow pencil before this one. I’m being honest here, and again, I see the hype yet another time. I have quite full brows that only need to be evened out and I need to fill a gap in my left one without emphasizing it, and this product is perfect. The shade is spot on, and I’m so pleasantly surprised by this product that I still can’t believe it. I actually do my brows right after my foundation, concealer and powder as I really look forward to using this in the morning!

Dr. Bronner Castile Almond Liquid Soap (here)

Well, the only thing I can tell you about this product is that it smells amazing. I am a big lover of almond scented things and this one has the most gorgeous smell. I haven’t used it yet, so I can’t really say more, but I’ve read good things about it and I hope I’m going to love it too!

Tell me, do you love ordering things online? What have you ordered recently, from Cult Beauty or from another website? I look forward to your recommendations!

Italian version coming

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The Diet Topic

A few weeks ago I decided to tell you a bit about my fitness experience, and I touched briefly the topic of “eating well”. I want to explore it a little bit more today, because I’ve been thinking about it a lot recently and I’m interested in hearing your thoughts too.

The first thing that springs to mind as soon as I hear the world diet it’s that “It’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle”. I think it’s a key point when talking about our relationship with food, but it’s not as easy as it seems. The main problem that I have and I see in other people too it’s the fact that most of the time the reason we don’t eat how we should is because eating what we like without really thinking it’s more convenient. If I come home at half past eight pm I can’t really be bothered to cook something that takes time, and some pasta that cooks itself while I quickly shower is the first thing that comes to mind. The problem is that, for me, it’s the most damaging thing I can do, because such a high carb load at night simply makes me gain weight.

We also eat out of habit, and it’s a thing that’s so hard to change. When you try to explain to someone that eats a full meal of three or more courses two times a day regardless of their activity level, if it’s the way they’ve always lived it takes so, so much to even make them understand.

Then there’s the problem of all the “diets”. From magazines, to books and online pages there’s so much information that’s really hard to see what’s right for us and what’s not. If you simply rely on globally “approved” guidelines, you may only learn that you need to eat carbs (a lot), extra virgin olive oil, fruit and vegetables, meat a few times a week… But it’s not really that simple. For someone that sits at a desk all day that recommended amount of carbs is too much, but it’s only an example.

An then there’s all the “diets”. They work? They don’t? They even have the ability do cause damage? Well, some are pretty crazy. And often they’re unbalanced and pretty hard to follow. But they’re not always straight bad: for example, a month of well done Dukan Diet wouldn’t kill anyone (if your kidneys are fine, but I hope so), but maybe a lifetime of daily doughnuts would. But if you don’t even read the books and eat only meat (and maybe even only processed products, not natural chicken breasts and eggs) for two months you’re pretty much an idiot, sorry (and I know one unfortunately).

What always makes me think when I hear someone criticize “diets” is that they always compare them to “eating right”, which is a undefined concept. Are you sure that a diet that eliminates gluten (even if it’s not required by celiac disease or gluten sensivity) it’s more damaging than a totally unbalanced one made of daily pizza delivery? Are you sure that eating meat daily is worse than eating sweets or drinking alcohol on regular three-nights out weekends? I’m really not. If you need to follow that magazine diet (that at least should be reasonably balanced as long as it doesn’t claim to make you lose 10 pounds in two days by eating air, but that’s your problem to discriminate) to avoid eating crap then that’s great. Sorry, but it’s really what I think.

What we do after thinking about all of this is another story though. I know what works for myself (pretty much a paleo diet, even if not strict, with the saturday night pizza and sunday cake), but I regularly screw it up, to be honest. Since my last post, I’ve been eating pretty well (and most importantly I haven’t eaten at random times of the day without even thinking about it), but any excuse to be guilty has been welcome. A week of ice cream after a wisdom teeth removal? Oh yes! A bowl full of pasta because there’s broccoli in it? Yes! The result? I’ve not gained weight, but it’s the same and it’s not what I want… Luckily the gym’s been going well!

Whoa, it’s not even half of what I have to say but I think it’s enough for now. Let me know what you think and what you do, I can’t wait to hear your thoughts!

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Testing Samples - New Foundations

I always get really excited when a new foundation lands on the market, so when I heard about the huge amount of them launching around september time I panicked a bit. I couldn’t buy them all! And so my mission to find a sample of each and everyone started. I’m only missing the latest Clarins one that it’s nowhere to be seen here, but I’m hear to tell you there’s a lot of good ones out.

Diorskin Star - Dior, The Perfect One

When I read Sunny’s review (here’s the link!) I immediately thought: if it’s anything like she said, I need to try it. And well, she’s right and more. Amazing lightweight texture that pretty much blends itself, it has awesome coverage while still looking natural and manages to be awesomely glowing while controlling oil and lasting all day. Shade 020 is perfect for me! I might have bought it alongside the concealer and the BeautyBlender-like sponge. Just saying.

Vitalumière Loose Powder - Chanel, The Daily One

If this wasn’t so crazily expensive I’d already made it my everyday foundation of choice. It gives an awesome glow to the skin but again, lasts all day whilst controlling oil (again, Sunny’s review says it brilliantly! Here it is). The shade B30 is perfect for my skin tone (one shade up than my usual B20 shade match) and I’m so, so tempted. It’s gorgeous.

Fusion Ink - YSL, The Winter Skin Match

First things first, the shade BD40 matches my neck perfectly, so it’s the perfect winter shade for me. This formula is insanely lightweight (even if it’s a tiny bit thicker than L’Oréal Nude Magique), and applies perfectly with fingers. Looks almost invisible on the skin but still manages to give great coverage. The lasting power is great, so it’s an overall winner!

bareSkin Pure Brightening Serum Foundation - bareMinerals, The Unexpected Love

Shock horror, I’ve been wearing this one without powder as it looks insanely glowy but sets like nothing else. It’s like a smoothing veil on the skin, that still has a good medium coverage and, even though is meant to be used with the specially designed brush I found it works amazingly with fingers too. I tried shade 07 bare natural (a neutral one) that worked well at the beginning of september but it’s already too dark for me now, and unfortunately in Italy they jump from shade 6 to 3 (golden but really light), so I’d have to order a middle shade online eventually.

Perfectionist Youth-Infusing Makeup - Estée Lauder, The One That Looks Like Skin

It wouldn’t be difficult to fool someone that it’s your skin with nothing on while wearing this. It’s seriously impressive! It glows in a really subtle way, and the finish is truly beautiful. I find it works best with fingers rather than with a brush, but I haven’t tried the specially designed one that looks rather interesting (Melissa has a review here!). The problem for me is again the limited shade range that’s available here: the shade 3N1 is good for my summer/early autumn skin only, and the shade down here is pretty light and a tiny bit pink for me.

Have you tried any of these new foundation launches? Anything you want to try?

See my first "Testing Samples" post here, it's about primers!

Sono sempre molto interessata quando esce un nuovo fondotinta, e così quando ho sentito dell’enorme quantità in uscita intorno a settembre ho avuto un piccolo attacco di panico. Non posso comprarli tutti! È cominciata così la mia missione: procurarmi un campioncino di ognuno di essi. Manca solo l’ultimo Clarins che però qui non ho ancora visto da nessuna parte, ma sono qui per dirvi che ci sono davvero un sacco di fondotinta ottimi da cui scegliere.

Diorskin Star - Dior, Il Fondotinta Perfetto

Quando ho letto la review di Sunny (ecco il link!) ho immediatamente pensato: se è anche solo lontanamente come lo descrive lei, devo provarlo. Ebbene, aveva ragione e anche di più. Una texture meravigliosa e leggera che si sfuma praticamente da sola, ha una coprenza pazzesca pur rimanendo naturale e riesce ad essere luminosissimo pur controllando la lucidità e durando tutto il giorno. La tonalità 020 è perfetta per me!

Vitalumière Fondotinta in Polvere Libera - Chanel, Il Fondotinta di tutti i giorni

Se non fosse così incredibilmente caro l’avrei già reso il mio nuovo fondotinta quotidiano. Dona alla pelle una luminosità incredibile ma di nuovo, dura tutto il giorno pur controllando la lucidità (di nuovo, la review di Sunny lo dice meravigliosamente! Eccola qui) La tonalità B30 è perfetta per me (più scura del mio solito B20) e sono davvero tentata. È meraviglioso.

Fusion Ink - YSL, La tonalità perfetta per l’inverno

Per prima cosa, la tonalità BD40 è esattamente il colore del mio collo, quindi è il colore perfetto per la stagione invernale. La formula è incredibilmente leggera (anche se è leggermente più corposo del Nude Magique L’Orèal), e si applica perfettamente con le dita. È praticamente invisibile sulla pelle ma riesce comunque a dare una buona coprenza. La durata è anche incredibile, quindi è perfetto da tutti i punti di vista!

Fondotinta Siero Illuminante bareSkin - bareMinerals, L’amore inaspettato

È incredibile, ma ho portato questo fondotinta senza cipria visto che è incredibilmente luminoso ma si fissa da solo come nient’altro. È come un velo levigante sulla pelle, che dona una buona media coprenza e, anche se è fatto per essere usato con il pennello appositamente disegnato trovo che vada benissimo applicato anche con le dita. Ho provato la tonalità 07 (neutra) che andava benissimo all’inizio di settembre ma è già troppo scura, e sfortunatamente in Italia saltano dalla tonalità 6 alla 3 (dorata ma molto chiara), quindi dovrei eventualmente ordinare online una tonalità intermedia.

Perfectionist Youth-Infusing Makeup - Estée Lauder, Quello che sembra pelle nuda

Non sarebbe difficile ingannare chiunque facendogli credere che sia la vostra pelle senza nulla sopra, indossando questo fondotinta. È incredibile! Dona luminosità in maniera discreta, e il finish è davvero bellissimo. Trovo che si applichi meglio con le dita che con il pennello, anche se non ho provato quello appositamente disegnato che sembra molto interessante (Melissa ha un recensione qui!). Il problema per me è di nuovo la scelta limitata di tonalità: 3N1 è perfetta per la mia pelle in estate-inizio autunno, e la tonalità più chiara disponibile qui lo è un po’ troppo ed è leggermente rosa.

Avete provato qualcuno di questi fondotinta? Volete provarne qualcuno?

Potete leggere il mio primo post in cui provo dei campioncini, lo trovate qui! Vi ho parlato di primer.

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Highlighters Round-Up

Today I want to show you my little selection of highlighters, and tell you a bit about them. Highlighter is something I should definitely wear more: my makeup always looks better when the “cheek trio” bronzer-blush-highlight is applied, but I tend to forget it on a daily basis. (See my bronzers round-up here!) I prefer slightly more golden ones, to let them blend with my skin tone better and make them look more natural. Let’s start!

The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer

Honey-hued highlighter, shadow and shimmer

This has quite a cult following, and I can totally see why. It’s got the most lovely golden glow without being too shimmery, and can be worn more subtly or like a really intense highlight. I can’t find a bad thing about it!

Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Powder

Golden nude ultra-smooth baked formula

This one has got quite an interesting name, that comes from the bronze shades of the range that are meant to have a soft matte finish. Well, it’s gorgeous. The shimmer is even more fine, the glow even more natural. It’s perfect as even the lightest layer looks smooth and even. I love it!

MAC Lightscapade Mineralize Skinfinish

Soft candlelit beige with multidimensional shimmer

This one wins as the most gorgeous in the pan, and I have to say it behaves pretty well on the skin too. It’s really natural: it’s the only one I dare to apply on the bridge of my nose or on the cupid’s bow even during the day. It’s still not to pink, so works well on my skin tone.

MAC Soft & Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish

Gilded peach bronze

I’m being honest here: this is the perfect example of hyped up product for me. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still lovely, but I think there are much better ones out there. It’s pretty obvious, as it hasn’t got the fine shimmer of the previous ones, so I find it harder to wear than the others. Maybe it’s just me!

MAC Whisper Of Gilt Extra Dimension Skinfinish

Light, soft white gold with shimmery sheen

I’ve saved the best for last, since it’s LE. But, well, it’s my favourite (it’s in my top 10 here!). It gives the most gorgeous glow to the skin, and the swatch you see it’s a single light swipe. Don’t be fooled though: a fluffy eyeshadow brush slightly swiped over the surface picks up the tiniest amount of product that looks so, so amazing. No chunky shimmer, no metallic cheeks at 8 am (but you totally can if you want! Maybe at 8 pm though), just a gorgeous glow. What can I say… I hope they bring it back soon!

Tell me, how often do you wear highlighter? Do you have any recommendations for me?

Oggi voglio mostrarvi la mia piccola selezione di illuminanti, e parlarvene un po’. L’illuminante è un prodotto che dovrei indossare di più: il trucco rende sempre meglio quando il “trio” bronzer-blush-illuminante viene applicato, ma tendo a dimenticarmene nell’applicazione quotidiana. (Potete vedere la mia selezione di bronzer qui!) Preferisco illuminanti che siano leggermente dorati, per dar sì che si sposino meglio con la mia tonalità di pelle e appaiano più naturali. Iniziamo!

The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer

Illuminante ed ombretto dalla tonalità miele

Questo illuminante è piuttosto famoso e amato, e capisco perfettamente perché. Dona una meravigliosa luminosità dorata senza essere troppo brillantinato, e può essere indossato in maniera più leggera o molto intensa. Non riesco a trovare un difetto!

Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Powder

Formula cotta ultra levigante nude-dorata

Il nome è piuttosto interessante, e deriva dai bronzer della linea che presentano un finish soft matte. Beh, è meraviglioso. Lo shimmer è ancora più raffinato, la luminosità ancora più naturale. È perfetto anche in uno strato sottilissimo perché appare sempre uniforme. Mi piace un sacco!

MAC Lightscapade Mineralize Skinfinish

Beige “a luce di candela” con shimmer multidimensionali

Questo è il più bello nella confezione, e devo dire che si comporta piuttosto bene anche sulla pelle. È molto naturale: è l’unico che mi oso applicare anche sul naso o sull’arco di cupido anche durante il giorno. Va benissimo con la mia tonalità di pelle perché contiene una quantità abbastanza piccola di rosa.

MAC Soft & Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish

Pesca bronzo dorato

Sarò onesta: questo per me è l’esempio perfetto di prodotto sopravvalutato. Non fraintendetemi, è comunque bello, ma penso ce ne siano molto migliori. È piuttosto evidente, non avendo lo shimmer sottile dei precedenti, quindi lo trovo più difficile da indossare. Forse sono solo io!

MAC Whisper Of Gilt Extra Dimension Skinfinish

Oro chiaro e morbido con luminosità shimmer

Ho tenuto il migliore per la fine, visto che è edizione limitata. Che vi devo dire però, è il mio preferito (lo trovate tra i miei dieci prodotti preferiti qui!). Dona alla pelle la più meravigliosa luminosità, e lo swatch che vedete è una passata leggerissima. Non spaventatevi però: un pennello per ombretti da sfumatura passato leggermente sulla superficie del prodotto preleva la più piccola quantità di prodotto che è semplicemente perfetta. Nessuno shimmer eccessivo, niente guance super riflettenti alle 8 del mattino (a meno che non vogliate, anche se forse è meglio alle 8 di sera!), solo una luminosità stupenda. Cosa posso dire… Spero che lo ripromuovano presto!

Ditemi, quanto spesso indossate l’illuminante? Avete qualche suggerimento?

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One Lovely Blog | Award - Random Facts and Blogs Love!

The lovely Rachel from Rach For The Stars (I adore her blog name!) nominated me for the One Lovely Blog Award, which such lovely words about my blog that made me so, so happy!

The idea behind this award is to share a little bit about yourself and then nominate 15 or so blogs that you admire. I think the idea behind it is great, regardless of it being an award. I always love to learn a little bit more about the person behind a blog, and sharing the love within the blogging community is always a great thing to do. You can totally get this as a share the love tag!

The rules of the award:

1. Thank the person nominating you and link back to them in your post

2. Share seven things about yourself

3. Nominate fifteen or so bloggers you admire

4. Contact your chosen bloggers to let them know

Seven Facts About Me:

1. I never reapply lipstick. If I do, 99% of the time is a different one.

2. I just can’t go even a few hours without wearing my watch, and I put it on as soon as I can in the morning.

3. In the last two months I’ve only worn white or nude nail polishes (currently Formula X Larger Than Life). A drastic change from my usual dark hues! Still working on the pastels though.

4. I am a really quiet person. Until we start talking beauty or Apple.

5. I carry my makeup bag with me but I use the contents 1% of the time.

6. As a child I was obsessed with stationery and pens. Then I moved to makeup.

7. I just turned 24 and it’s starting to sound scary.

A few blogs I love and read almost daily*:

A Girl and a Beauty Blog

A Little Boat Sailing

Beauty Isles

Beauty With Charm.

BeautyBlogmark

BeautyLogie

Confession of A Travel-hoo-lic

Ella Was Here

Expat Make-Up Addict

Kiss And Make-up Beauty Blog

Laura London

Life, Set Sail

Mercuteify

Millie C

Miss Makeup Magpie

Mostly Sunny

Speaking Beauty UK

The Conscience Fund

The Lovecats Inc.

Thunderl0ve

*Seriously Shallow

*Totally over 15 but it was so hard to choose! Also, I didn't bother to exclude people that already wrote a One Lovely Blog Award Post. It's all about sharing the love!

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Glamglow Youthmud & Supermud

I am a big lover of face masks. They really make a difference in my skincare routine! Today I want to tell to you about a couple of amazing ones from Glamglow.

The Youthmud Tinglexfoliating Treatment is a dark grey/green mask that dries light blue-green. It’s got green tea leafs is for antioxidant properties (I mean, there are actual leafs in the product!), volcanic pumice rock and french clay. It dries in 10 minutes, and at the beginning it really tingles as promised. It’s only for the first couple of minutes though, and it’s not unpleasant. The mask is removed really easily: the first time I used it I assumed it would have to be hard to take off and splashed a lot of warm water on my face, removing it almost completely. Adding a bit of water massaging it in adds a little bit of really gentle exfoliation with the green tea leafs and it’s so pleasant to do!

The effect of this mask is just gorgeous: I am a big fan of exfoliators, masks, the Clarisonic… But I never felt my skin so smooth like after a single use of this mask. I was so, so amazed! My skin is left soft, even, not the slightest bit red or irritated. I don’t have anything more to say, it’s just amazing!

The Supemud Clearing Treatment is a darker grey mask that dries slightly more blue in colour. It’s a little bit easier to apply as it’s softer in texture and there are less leafs in, and contains, other that the usual green tea a blend of 6 acids (AHAs and BHAs). There are also a lot of other ingredients meant to improve the look of pores and the overall condition of the skin. it still tingles a bit but a lot less than the Youthmud one, and it still leaves the skin super soft. They say to remove it after 5 to 20 minutes, and can be also used locally on troubled areas.

I like to use this one the night after I used the other, to still have the exfoliating benefits of the other one, and it’s been working great. It really works on troubled areas: I’m prone to a bit of congestion on my chin area, and this one smoothes it out completely, finishing the work the other mask started the night before. They’re such a power duo!

I’m so happy I finally decided to try these out: they’re so amazing! I love a good face mask and these two undoubtedly perform well.

Have you tried these masks? What is your favourite face mask? I love to try new ones!

Sono una grande amante delle maschere viso. Fanno davvero la differenza nella mia routine di cura del viso! Oggi vi voglio parlare di un paio di fantastiche maschere Glamglow.

La Youthmud Tinglexfoliate Treatment è una maschere verde/grigio scuro che quando si asciuga diventa verde acqua. Contiene foglie di tè verde per le sue proprietà antiossidanti (ha davvero foglie di tè all’interno!), polvere vulcanica e argilla francese. Asciuga in 10 minuti, e all’inizio pizzica davvero come promesso. Succede solo per un paio di minuti però, e non è per niente fastidioso. La maschera si rimuove facilmente: la prima volta che l’ho usata ho immaginato che sarebbe stata difficile da sciacquare via e mi sono buttata un bel po’ do acqua calda in viso, rimuovendola quasi completamente. Aggiungere un po’ d’acqua e massaggiare aggiunge un po’ di esfoliazione grazie alle foglie di tè ed è davvero piacevole!

L’effetto di questa maschera è meraviglioso: sono una grande fan di esfolianti, maschere, del Clarisonic… Ma non ho mai sentito la mia pelle così morbida come dopo un singolo uso di questa maschera. Sono rimasta a bocca aperta! La pelle rimane morbida, uniforme, mai rossa o anche solo leggermente irritata. Non so cosa dire di più, è fantastica!

La Supermud Clearing Treatment è una maschera grigio più scuro che quando si asciuga diventa azzurra. È leggermente più semplice da applicare visto che è più fluida e ci sono meno foglie, e contiene, oltre al solito tè verde, un insieme di 6 acidi esfolianti (AHA e BHA). Ci sono anche molti altri ingredienti che mirano a migliorare l’aspetto dei pori e la condizione generale della pelle. Pizzica leggermente anche questa, ma molto meno, e anche questa lascia la pelle incredibilmente morbida. Dicono di rimuoverla dopo 5-20 minuti e può essere anche usata localmente su aree difficili.

Mi piace usare questa seconda maschera la sera dopo aver usato l’altra, per usufruire ancora dei benefici esfolianti, e sta andando benissimo. Funziona davvero sulle aree problematiche: sono solita ad avere un po’ di congestione nell’area del mento, e questo la risolve completamente, finendo il lavoro iniziato dall’altra maschera la sera prima. Sono davvero un duo fenomenale!

Sono felice di aver finalmente deciso di provare queste maschere: sono davvero fantastiche! Mi piacciono molto le maschere viso e queste due funzionano davvero bene.

Avete provato queste maschere? Qual’è la vostra maschera preferita? Mi piace provarne sempre di nuove!

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