Winter skin care favorites!

Hello!

I wonder how everyone takes care of skin in winter - it can be so rough on our delicate skin (T_T). Here in Poland we have temperature from -5C to -25C degrees... Serious freezer situation. D:

I guard my skin from all this winter by using a couple creams every day.

Below are some of my favorites!

WELEDA Skin Food cream

Oh, how I love it!! It is full of natural oils and smells like citrus fruit (mostly grapefruit/lemon to me) and it`s just like a soft warm blanket for skin! I like to apply a lot at night and just go to sleep like that - I wake up with soft, moisturized skin! (*___*) I love it! In summer I would never do that, but now I also use it in daytime, under makeup - just a thin layer and not on my forehead, because I think it would make my fringe oily. It works great. :)

You can also use it on you whole body, especially dry spots like knees, elbow, feet.

Vitacreme B12

It`s a great light cream that feels like it`s treating my skin and curing it. Blemishes, dry skin, acne marks - it helps to remove them faster and also moisturizes. It`s light and has a pleasant rose smell. (^_^*) You can also use it on cold burned/sun burned skin, on your elbows, etc. I already wrote about it HERE!

BABA DE CARACOL snail cream

Well, I dunno, the fad, the snail cream. Actually I`m not even sure there is snail secretion in this one (??), but anyway it hydrates quite well but has shady ingriedients (lots of parabens and mineral oil). I`m not crazy about it, but I`ll use it all anyway. It creates a sort of a veil on my skin, absorbs quickly and it great for layering with other creams I mention here. :D Actually I also have night version of this one too and I like it too. I won`t repurchase though. I found a way better snail extract cream with actual snail extract in it (Velvetin) and I can buy it in the natural products pharmacy right around the corner. (^_^)

IWOSTIN Hydratia Eye cream

From a Polish brand like La Roche-Posay or Avene - we also have natural springs with wonderful healthy water here in Poland, and Iwostin uses it to make really good cosmetics! (http://www.iwostin.pl/) Recently they added hydrating eye cream to their skin care line so I went and got it! I was using Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Recovery Complex, but I`ve run out and it`s kinda pricy, so I decided why not try the 5 times cheaper but still great Iwostin eye cream? ;D I like it and feel it works well. 

OXY5 and OXY10 (benzoyl peroxide acne treatment)

I decide to try it after seeing Gossmakeupartist`s acne treatment advice video! (^0^*) It dries out skin soooooo bad! XD But it really works on acne! I only apply it at night, only on my trouble areas (jaw, hairline, etc), at first I used OXY5 because the stronger one cause irritation, but now I got used to it and I can use both. It does nothing after one use, but after using it regularly I see a big difference! If you have trouble with acne why not try this? I will repurchase and continue using it. :)

What is your winter skincare?? Share your beauty secrets with me, ok?
Kisses! :D

Feb/March Favorites and HELP JAPAN

Hello everybody! I hope you safe in your houses with your families... not all of us are so blessed...
I am still in shock after watching the NHK news and seeing the terrible tragedy that struck Japan! My thoughts are with the people in eastern Japan, where the tsunami was the worst. Please go to http://www.redcross.org/ and donate!!!
Just Hungry Blog: Other Ways to Help
Tokyo may be doing all right, but the situation in Tohoku region is tragic!! (T___T) So many people lost their homes, whole cities are wipes off the earth by tsunami waves... You can watch the latest (and not distorted by unprofessional foreign journalists) news here: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nhk-gtv (NHK live news)

poster from: http://blog.signalnoise.com/2011/03/11/help-japan/

(This is an amazing, moving poster btw!)

But, even though I feel so bad for Japan and my friends who are there, there is not much else I can from where I am now, than watch the news and send money. Lets hope the situation gets better for all the earthquake\tsunami victims soon! (I won`t pray, cause I`m not a religious person & I also advice you to, instead of praying, send some money!!!)

I decided to make a post today, so I can take my mind off the shocking news... Too much stress is bad! Please relax also! ...so, in this spirit, here are my february and march favorites:

1. The Body Shop - Body, room and linen scent (green tea and lemon)

The smell is really lovely~ Just a couple pushes and the whole place smells lovely! I also spray it inside my closet and before guests arrive - the smell is not too strong or fake, I really recommend it!! I also got the aroma oil from the same scent line. I smelled the other scents, but this one was the best IMO. Also, last time I went to Body Shop, it was sold out. Popular!

2. IWOSTIN point care anti-acne gel & after acne treatment moisturising cream. (links in english)

Iwostin is a polish brand, similar to Avene I`d say, only available in pharmacy. They also use thermal water from a local source and make specialized skin care cosmetics, also for delicate and troubled skin. I like the point gel so far, and the moisturising cream is really great! Moisturising and my skin absorbs it fast, but it is not fat! I will definitely get more cosmetics from this series!

3. Missha Oriental Herbs BB cream (also knows as Choboyan BB cream)

This is a repurchase and I really like this bb cream!!! I did a short review post on it a long time ago and it is one of the most popular entries on my blog! I will be definitely doing another review with color comparison photos and so on. :)

4. B&C Makemania lipgloss

I got it on sale from AdamBeauty (recommended!) and I really love it over red or pink lip colors or even on its own! Usually I am a glittery lipgloss fan, and this has no glitters or sparkles, just silicone-y "smooth" shine, but I like it a lot and apply it a couple time a day!

5. MAC lipstick in Morange (finish: amplified)

I saw it in JJ (or Vivi, I don`t remember), Matsumoto Ena said she uses it and since I had some MAC empty boxes around, I gathered them, took 6 and went to MAC to do the BACK2MAC program and got it for free! :D The color is suuuper intensive, I think it is best smudged out with a finger and definitely with gloss over it, the Makemania lipgloss works great! I do not feel too good in red lipstick, but this orange-red is much more wearable and such a happy, energetic spring color! I will be wearing it a lot this spring and summer! :D Also when I was getting it, the store makeup artist said he just got a "orange lipstick for photoshoot" request from a fashion magazine and send that color. Ena wears it, stylists want it, I got it, get it too! ;D

6. HadaNomi (肌飲み濃ミスト) Rich Collagen Mist (from SANA)

I got it from AdamBeauty too, just because I was curious and you know, I think "got to moisturise, got to moisturise!!!" all the time XD). I got it, and THEN I got home and went to read the cosme.net reviews on it! XD Some peopl wrote they use it as a lotion, after washing face and before applying milk and cream and makeup, so I tried that, I really like that way of using it! After washing my face with Kanebo Blanchir Suprior cream soap (which I also super duper love and I think it helped with my recent acne problems!!! :D), I spray a couple pumps of this mist on my face and neck and massage gently and pat it into my skin. Then I go on with my regular skincare and makeup routine and when I finish makeup, I spray one pump of this on my face. It is cheap, is non comatogenic (won`t block your pores) and smells nice, I will be using it a lot. Repurchase - I`m not sure yet. 

So, those are my favorites, I also loove love love KANEBO Blanchir Superior whitening skincare line, I am def. buying the big size Cream Soap, and hopefully sheet masks and lotion, but I`ll try to make a separate post about that. 

And to finish this post, a page from latest Vivi issue that I just can`t stop looking at, loooove trench coats!!! I got one from Bershka recently, but it is not perfect, I am still looking! Bye bye! And let`s donate to help Japan!!

Super cute spring style trench coats!! Want them all! XD

CIRCLE LENS REVIEW: GEO Nudy Gray

Hello hello! I am back with a new circle lens review - the promised one for GEO Nudy gray! :D
Here's a photo of other lenses I already reviewed: GEO Angel Blue (click for the review!) and GEO Wing Honey. Now it's time for the lens on top, GEO Nudy series in color gray!

I ordered those lenses almost 1 year ago from Honey Color, paid with my own money of course, so here are my honest opinions. A pair or Nudy Grays cost me 19,90$ and it came with prescription and a free lens case (regular clear type). Stock photo (they look different in every stock photo, I swear! they look completely different on me! :P hate photoshopped or unclear stock photos.... ) and more photos from another online store (which I never used btw):

The lens diameter is 14mm, but as you can see in the top photo, the color comes all the way to the border of the lens and the enlargement is rather big! However, there is no black rim (only a gray delicate rim), so the enlargement, though big, is still very natural!!! Also the lenses blend soooo well with light eye color!! Definitely one of the best blending lens for bright eyes with big enlargement effect!!! They also show up well on dark eyes as far as I can tell from onilne photos, on light eyes the marbled glass effect is not so strong, but they still look super gorgeous! <3333

Daylight by the window, no makeup, no flash. One eye in, one out.

Daylight, no makeup, with flash. One eye in, one out.

Both lenses in! Inside (artificial light), makeup and flash! As you can see even with flash my natural eye color is pretty much completely covered and the color change is more obvious with flash.... ahah, I kinda love this photo! (*_*)

Another characteristic point of GEO Nudy series is a big halo effect - if you look up or sideways, it will look like this. (Photo with flash). Some people don't like it, but I don't mind it, I must say I even like it a lot! <3

Now get ready for zoom photos! 

This is no makeup and during daytime in front of a window - so brighter light than usually during the day in different places. It still blends well in such bright natural light IMO! Also you can see how big the enlargement is and the halo effect too.

With flash, no makeup. The "hole" in the middle is smaller than in Geo Angel series or Geo Wing series and the blending is much much better for bright eyes!

With makeup in super bright daylight - by the window in winter. The eye becomes more reflective and looks like a marble, super cute & "dolly" effect!

And during daytime standing a couple steps inside the room, this is the most natural light imo, not looking up at the sky, but in a room lightened partially by daylight, partially by artificial light (lamp. In this natural light, the lens completely blends with my natural eye color....

So to sum it up: 

What I love about them? They come with prescription, blend with light eyes really well! Halo effect! Great enlargement! Super dolly and cute marble effect! Naturally change eye color! Comfort level is the best of all lenses I ever owned! 
What I hate about them? I only have one pair that I'm supposed to throw away in 2 months top (used it almost a year now, boohoo). I want more colors and also want to try the GEO Super Nudy series like whoa! <333
Overall, I LOVE them!!!! 10/10


I will leave you with some FOTD photos! Taken today in the morning at work, lol, I am wearing a warm blouse to work because it is snowing all the time and it was -10c degrees in the morning, and -18c degrees yesterday! Haa~ So cold! But I love it! Anyways!

Directly in front of a window, snowy winter morning 8 am, no flash of course.

Just before leaving for work and seeing a friend before that, it was still dark, so photo with flash!

And during daytime in daylight with flash again.

You can see more close up photos in this Helena Rubinstein mascara review.

Overall, those are my favorite circle lenses so far and I really do recommend them for people with green, gray and blue eyes! This is a circle lens design that looks great on both dark and light eyes, the blending inside the design is also perfect... cannot praise them enough. In my personal opinion, GREAT LENS!

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Mitsu of Universal Doll is having a fabulous giveaway! Go participate and read her blog!! 

http://universal-doll.com/2010/11/mitsus-favorite-things-giveaway/

And Hana of Finding Tokyo as well! <3 Participate!! 

http://www.finding-tokyo.com/2010/11/new-year-giveaway/

Vivienne Westwood lovin'

This blog is mostly about makeup, so you might not know, but for the longest time I've been a huuuge fan of Vivienne Westwood and her designs! <33 So much attitude and style <3 I just wanted to share my favourite things fr autumn/winter that are appearing on her website now! LOVES IT!

This is Vivienne Westwood Anglomania Cloud Scarf in Pink/Mustard, Vivienne Westwood Anglomania Butterfly Coat Grey/Red and cute Melissa/Vivienne pumps! I am loving the scarf and the coat!

I also looove the print on this Vivienne Westwood Anglomania Twister Cloud Cardigan. And I love it in grey too!

And this is just so summery and fresh:

for a hip business woman! 8D

Gee, got to get back to real life! What do you want from designers for autumn?? Share your favourites with me! :)

ebay shopping: Missha Perfect BB Deep Cleansing Oil!

Another nice thing came in the mail~ Finally I repurchased my favourite makeup remover - Missha cleansing oil! It just feels so soft and fresh on skin, smells wonderful, so fruity and good but not too strong (like grapefruits?). It removes my makeup perfectly, even bb cream, eyeliner, all kinds of mascaras and I can massage my face while I clean it. :) After this oil I use the Hadalabo Gokujun face wash I got recently, or some other face wash. ^^* W-washing! 

I got some Missha samples and a cute letter from the eBay seller, I got it from Bello-girl @ eBay. She warned me the shipping might take longer because of the trouble cause by the volcanic ash over Europe, but it got here in about a week. The service was very good and I am happy I could finally get my cleansing oil... Honestly, the two things I like most about makeup is applying it and removing it. xDD Wearing it is like a bonus, applying and removing is the real fun. And then skincare~ <3

So yeah, if you are looking for a new, good thing to remove your makeup, I definitely recommend this Missha oil!! <33 I love it and  it`s a repurchase for me. ^^* What do you use to remove makeup now?? *curious*

Saturday at work was unexpectedly tough for many reasons, mainly the 6th day at work in a week and other stuff. After talking to people for 5h, my tongue just started boycotting me and I couldn`t talk. Taking it slow today though. Made a spinach & blue cheese pasta. Tried to get some tan on my legs (with filters!). And just trying to relax more...

march/april favorites! :D Ulubione rzeczy marca i kwietnia!

First of all, I had 10,000 visits!!!!! Thank you so much! :D
I thought I would post about my march and april favorites, so here it is! It will also be a short review of some stuff I`ve ben using and now have and opinion. But since this post is faves, you can predict what the opinion is. xD Here are my favorites:

You can click on the links to see my previous posts about those items! ^^*

1. MAC select moisturecover concealer (NC20)

OK, I came to really like it, even though it does not give 100% coverage, it works really well and feels like I have nothing on my skin, maybe I got used to it. The color matches my skin perfectly and I really like the fluid to powder finish, but it doesn`t look dry, even around the eyes. I actually use it every day, with bb cream or the Mineralize SPF15 foundation I recently got on impulse. If you have good or I dunno, half good skin, try this! I`m afraid it might not work for bad skin though, by bad I mean deep scars, very dark discoloration, big acne scars, etc. For that try something else!

2. Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Recovery Complex

I`ve been using this every night and day. I think that after 2-3 days there was a visible change in my dark circles, they became much lighter and definitely less puffy! When I apply it, there is a little bit if tingly sensation and it feels warm/hot too, but it`s nothing unpleasant and I don`t think it`s alergic - I`m alergic to nothing so far. Also the little funny applicator that came with it is a great idea! To think I laughed at it when I saw it first... ashamed now, hahah...

3. Etude House nail polish (GR601)

I bought it last summer in Seoul, after being surprised how soooo many korean girls wore green and blue manicure and pedicure! And not even pretty blue or green, more like dirty, mossy, muddy shades of those colors. I guess in Europe it would be just weird and ugly at that time, but it looked soo good on Korean girls, especially with their black hair and light skin :D So I bought this (and a green nail polish too) and I`ve been using it ever since, but since spring has come, I feel like wearing it more now! It`s a beautiful color! <3 (And btw, colors like this are appearing more in non asian countries too, MAC`s Birds and Berries collection nail polish anyone?)

4. INGLOT nail hardening polish (15 diamond top coat)

I just works great as a base and top coat and my super dry weak nails are starting to grow a little bit again. It also helps nail polish to dry faster when used as top coat! INGLOT girl told me there is something-something from diamonds in it, uhmm... well, it works! xD

5. MAC dazzleglasses (moth to flame, baby sparks)

I looooooooooove dazzleglass lipglosses! If you love sparkle and don`t mind a sticky gloss, you will love it! Actually many people complain that they are too sticky, but I disagree. They must be sticky to stay on the lips longer! And they look gorgeous on lipsticks or on their own. I predict more dazzleglasses coming my way for sure!

6. SIGMA angled brush

It`s so soft I couldn`t believe it!! Also feels so funny when wet, being washed! It helps applying brush in a more delicate, natural way, feels so soft on skin, it`s just great. If you must get just one brush, get this one!

7. SIGMA flat foundation brush

I am a big fan of applying makeup with a brush and I have two flat foundation brushes now, this one from SIGMA and one from MISSHA, which I got in Seoul. The fibers feel basically the same, both are soft and great, but I think the handle on the SIGMA brush is more balanced and a better shape to fit in my hand and the brush fibers are just a little bit shorter than on the MISSHA one, which kind of requires a little bit more time to apply, but at the same time leaves less brush streaks/marks on applied foundation, I like it just a little bit more than the korean one! I also use this to pat in concealer and apply cream brush sometimes, all in one makeup.

8. Vitacreme B12 cream

I bought it to test it. And just in case I wouldn`t like it, I bought two tubes to sell the second one and get some of my money back, just in case. But... I definitely won`t be selling it! I feel like the first tube really helped remove (!!) some blemishes and red acne marks and my whole face has a more even, better tone now, after using Vitacreme B12 for 1,5 months! I will be ordering more! I also gave myself a curling iron burn on my cheek (clever, I know!) and put a thick layer of Vitacreme on the burn mark and  it heals fast. I also had a dry skin rash on tops of my hands, so I decided to treat it (it was sth like a super dry skin to the point where it cracks like a dry ground and is easily irritated by anything and has red spots, terrible) with Vitacreme, and after 3-4 days it disappeared completely and my hands are as good as new since then! Amazing! Plus I got used to the granny/rose smell, and the pink color just makes me smile. :D

!!creepy fact: I carry the almost used up tube in my bag everyday and have secret urges to apply it to my coworkers` faces, just to make them more beautiful... xDD I don`t want to say they are ugly, but I just want to make them feel better and look better! Is that bad? But sudden cream application would be awkward. XD

Random zoom, you can see the sparkles in dazzleglasses well here! :D

And to finish this post, a photo comparison on my two flat foundation brushes! Sorry they are not dirty, it`s just the zoom option catching every small finger mark...! I wiped them right after taking those photos. Oh, and the Sigma one is wet in those photos as I just washed it. :D So far the Sigma brush is the winner by 0,05% xD

       

the SIGMA brush is just slightly smaller and shorter

the more regular SIGMA handle feels better in my hand ^^

And please forgive less posts. I will try. I didn`t buy anything since last time though. I am planning to buy a lot in may after payday though. I also want to try MSF Natural for shading. OR should I go for a blush for shading? Help!