My Fall nail polish picks!

Hi! Happy Monday!

Today I'm showing you my fall nail polish picks! It's mainly about the colors, but I do enjoy the quality of each of the polishes too.

For fall, I tend to go a tiny bit darker with my nails, but sometimes I might just wear a bright coral color if I'm in that kind of mood :)

1. Wet N Wild Megalast in Private Viewing. It's more nude than it looks in the picture. A classic nude color. This is also the only color that took me two coats to get the color it is on the a display.
2. Wet N Wild Megalast in Through the Grapewine. It's one of the bright colors that still is great for fall.
3. Milani in Sail Away.  It's a pretty metallic dark blue color.
4. Boots No.7 Stay Perfect in Highland Mist. Shiny pinky nude color.
5. Rimmel 60 seconds in Grey Matter.
6. Orly nail polish. The color of it worn off, sorry! But it's a pretty dark grey color with a ton of shimmer.
7. Revlon Colorstay in Blue Slate. Nice greyish blue color.
8. Nicole by OPI Kardashian Kolor in Here We Come A-Karoling. Nice reflective dark purple.
9. Orly in Ruby Passion. Beautiful shimmery red that I love to wear any season!
10. Wet N Wild Megalast in On a Trip. Great liughter purple color.

All of these nail polishes are great quality and I do not see a difference between for example a Wet N Wild nail polish and Orly nail polish. Both stay equally well on the nails as long as you use a great top coat. Seche Vite top coat is a bit pricy, but amazing! My nail polish usually lasts about a week. It might even stay longer without chipping, but I have to re-do them because my nails grow pretty fast.

These are my picks for this Fall season, tell me what color you like wearing the most??

Review: St. Ives Apricot Scrub

Hey!

I know there are a lot of mixed reviews on St. Ives Apricot Scrub, but I thought I'd give you my opinion on it.

Facts:
Oil-free
Sulfate free
Paraben free
100% Natural Exfoliants
Hypoallergenic
Non-comedogenic

Retails for around $4.

Claims:
From America's #1 scrub brand, this award-winning Apricot Scrub with 100% natural exfoliants deep cleans, instantly leaving skin smooth and glowing.


I've been using this for almost 10 months so only by that you can tell that I enjoy it. I know there's a version of it with 2% of salicylic acid in it, and I tried that one too, liked it also, but now I'm just using other products that consists the medication, so I don't want to use too many products with it in it, that way it does not dry out my skin.

As the company suggests, I use it every three to four days to remove any dead skin cells from my skin. I think it does its job well and leaves my skin soft and extra clean. Did not notice any exact "glow" after using it, but it still feels nice. A lot of people say that the apricot scrub is too harsh on their skin, but I have not noticed it and I have a very sensitive skin. It did not dry my skin, did not make it more sensitive or red.

At the moment, I am very pleased with my skincare routine for my acne-prone sensitive skin. I might have a blog post coming on everything that I do to keep my skin clean and try lighten the scarring and dark spots that I have.

LIKES:

• Gets rid of dead skin cells
• Gentle enough
• Does not break me out
• Paraben-free
• Nice smell
• Very affordable

DISLIKES:

• Only available overseas

My last thoughts... 

I really like it! A great addition to my skincare routine. Works well!

Do you use a scrub for your face? What kind of? Let me know!

Review: Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser

Hello!

For the past 4 months I've been religiously using this Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser twice a day. So I feel pretty confident doing my review on it.

Facts:

Oil-Free 
Noncomedogenic
Soap-Free
Hypoallergenic

It has 0.5% salicylic acid and moisture-rich soy extracts.

Retails for around $9.

Claims:

This foaming cleanser helps improve skin's tone and texture and clears up blemishes without overdrying, leaving skin soft, smooth and even-looking. This mild formula won't clog pores and is gentle enough for sensitive skin.



First, I'll mention that foaming cleansers are good for oily skin mostly, if you have dry or normal skin, I would recommend using a cream cleanser instead.

So to start with, I can agree with everything the company claims. I have an oily, acne-prone and sensitive skin. It is a very gentle cleanser, that I use twice a day, morning and evening. It does not dry out my skin, after using this cleanser my skin feels very soft and clean. Wouldn't know how it works for removing make-up because I just don't feel comfortable not using make-up removing wipes! First I remove my make-up and then use this Aveeno cleanser and my skin feels very clean! So far, I went through two bottles, this is my third one and I already have a back-up of it too. My dermatologist recommended using noncomedogenic products only and I'll admit, I'm not the best at it, but I'm happy at least the product that I use every single day twice does not clog my pores so it didn't break me out. I did notice an improvement in my skin so far, it definitely feels smoother than before. I believe it helped with my acne scarring too! Pretty happy with this product so far, hence having a back-up of it.

LIKES:

• Gentle
• Foaming = great for oily skin
• Does not dry out skin since it has soy extracts
• Does not break me out
• No overpowering smell
• Very affordable
• Has a pump

DISLIKES:

• Has a pump - I love the packaging, but once you've used some of the cleanser the pump will start not working as well - it will get stuck once you push it down and you have to lift it up before pushing down again - happened with all three bottles I had.

My last thoughts....

I love this product! Soap-free and oil-free with soy extracts - great combination for my needy sensitive skin!

What is you favorite cleanser? What skin type do you have?

My August 2013 favorites!

Hey guys!

Can't believe August is over! Went by so quickly! Today I'll show you my favorite products for the month of August - and will review them briefly.

1. Maybelline Expert Eyes Moisturising Eye Makeup Remover - this is for waterproof makeup and I like it a lot. It's so much easier to remove any kind of mascara and it does not burn your eyes at all.
2. Lorac PRO palette - this is such a versatile eyeshadow palette, it has 8 matte and 8 shimmery eyeshadows and not all of them are neutral - for example, you have a burgundy and purple colors. The shadow quality it amazing, they are super soft ant have a buttery feel to them. The do have some fallout just because they are that pigmented, but if you tap the brush off before applying, which I always do, you'll have no problem at all.
3. Almay Clear Complexion Concealer + Treatment gel - this gives great coverage and is an exact match to my skintone at the moment. I mostly use the concealer part, which has 0,6% Salicylic Acid, which is great if you use the concealer over any spots you might have. The treatment gel has 1,08% Salicylic Acid.
4. Covergirl Outlast 3in1 foundation - love this for its staying power and it matches my skintone at the moment pretty well too. It's medium coverage which I really like and it has SPF. Great packaging too - love the pump!
5. Rimmel Stay Matte powder - keeps me matte for longer than any powder I own at the moment! Great for touch-ups.
6. NYX blush in Amber - love the color, it's so pretty and gives the cheeks a nice healthy flush of color! Been using this religiously for the month of August. Not going to lie - I'm ready to move on onto something else now, haha! Still love it, though.
7. Clean&Clear dual action moisturizer - I use this every single day and it's a great favorite of mine - I even have a backup waiting for me once I finish this bottle, haha! It's oil-free and has again, Salicylic Acid in it so it helps to prevent any blemishes and it moisturizes at the same time! Great stuff!
8. EOS lipbalm - all time favorite lipbalm, keeps my lips moisturized! And I love the strawberry smell in this one!
9. Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque - it's gentle enough so I can use it every day! Love how clean my skin feels after using it, and I do believe it helps with my needy skin to keel it clear.
10. Maybelline The Rocket Mascara - been using this one a lot this month, love the formula, it makes my lashes looking longer and thicker than they are! I'm using a non-waterproof version and it does not smudge even on a hot, humid day.
11. Maybelline The Falsies Mascara - what can I say, I love my Maybelline mascaras! This one is great for curling my lashes and making them very thick! Definitely has the Falsies effect on me. I love layering it with The Rocket mascara too!
12. Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze - I believe it's now called something different, but love this color on green eyes! It has great staying power and the color is pretty. It also makes a great base for any shadow I have.
13. Catrice Gel Eyeliner in Black Jack with Jack Black - what a name for a simple black gel eyeliner... I bought it this month and it became a great favorite of mine - whenever I'm using gel eyeliner I'll go with this now even though I own more! Stays well, is pretty rich in color and did not dry yet! Plus, it's very affordable!
14-15. Rimmel Scandaleyes pencils in Black and in Nude - love these two! They are waterproof so I mostly use them in my tight line and waterline. It's creamy and well pigmented!

So these are my favorite products of the month! It wasn't that hard to decide - I used these a lot in the month of August. What are your favorites? Would love to know!

My Real Techniques brush collection and review!

Hey guys!

Today I'm going to show my Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman brush collection and give you my thoughts on each of the brushes. All of these brushes have synthetic bristles which are handcut and super soft. The handles are made from aluminum and are very light. They wash great and dry fast and do not shed! Please make sure to click on the pictures to enlarge them and have a better look at the brushes.

As you can tell, I have quite a few of the line so let's begin....

from left to right: contour, pointed foundation, detailer, buffing

Core collection includes contour brush, pointed foundation brush, detailer brush and buffing brush and retails for around 21 pounds. To be fair, I bought this set because of the contour brush and buffing brush. I don't have much use for foundation and detailer brushes but I'm sure they are good for concealer, I just prefer using another brush for it which I'll talk about later. Pointed foundation brush is also great for applying primer all over your face. I love contour brush for precise countouring, it's a great size for getting matte bronzer exactly where you want it to be and it gives such a nice sheer finish, great for blending too. Buffing brush is great for buffing in your liquid foundation, gives a streak-free finish. Since all of Real techiniques brushes are synthetic, you can use it for both liquid and powder make-up.

from left to right: powder, expert face

Powder (retails for 11 pounds) and Expert face (retails for 10 pounds) brushes are not included in any sets so you have to buy them separately. The powder brush is my holy grail brush and I use it every single day to apply powder in my t-zone and all over my face when needed. I love this brush, it's so soft and huge, definitely the biggest brush I own. The Expert face brush is great for liquid foundation and it does not leave any streaks. Love them both, definitely worth the money!

from left to right: blush, stipple, setting

These three brushes are not included in any sets as well, so you have to buy them seperataly. Blush brush retails for about 10 pounds, Stippling brush is 10 pounds and Setting brush retails for 7 pounds. The blush brush is the only brush that I use for my blush color. It picks up a right amount of powder and blends it flawlessly! The stippling brush is not that much loved by me. It is a great brush, but it gives (as all dual-fiber brushes do) a light application of my foundation and I do prefer for example my Face expert brush for a fuller coverage. I do sometimes use it for cream or liquid blush color. The Setting brush is the perfect size for setting my undereye concealer, I use it for that purpose mostly, but it is also great for applying highlight on the top part of your cheeks. It is not a big deal, but the only brush that wore off the name of the handle is my Blush brush, maybe I just got a bad one, I'm not sure!

from left to right: deluxe crease, pixel-point eyeliner, base shadow, accent, brow

Starter set is a set of eye brushes and retails for 21 pound. It includes deluxe crease, pixel-point eyeliner, base shadow, accent and brow brushes. I love using deluxe crease brush for blending in my undereye concealer, it's great! It's a little bit too big for my crease color but I love that I found another good use for it. Pixel-point eyeliner brush gives you a thick line or gel or liquid eyeliner, so I do not use it that much. Base shadow brush is designed to put on your base color all over the lid, but I do prefer smaller brushes for that purpose. I find it's a great brush for blending out your eyeshadow (almost as good as Sigma's F25 or MAC 217). Accent brush is great for putting and blending out your lower lashline shadow. The brow brush is great for applying your eyebrow gel/powder but just if you only need to fill them in a little bit since it's not precise enough to actually draw your eyebrows.

from left to right: shading, fine liner

I bought these two brushes after I received my Starter Set and found out that the base shadow and pixel-point eyeliner brushes are too big even for my eyes (and I don't have the smallest eyes too). So the Shading and Fine liner brushes come separately and they both retail for around 7 pounds. The Shading brush is perfect for applying my base shadow all over the lid! It picks up the color perfectly and applies it evenly. The Fine liner brush is the one that I use to apply my gel/cream eyeliners and it gives a nice precise line! 

So these are all of my Real Techniques brushes that I own at the moment. I am positive that with the help of all these brushes you can do a full face of flawless makeup. The sets come with nice cases than you can bend and use as stands, but I don't use it like that since the bands holding the brushes are pretty tight and it's hard to get the brushes out fast and who has the time...:) But still, the cases are nice to travel with. I love these brushes so much and I think it's a great value for your money! And I really want to get the Travel essentials kit too. 

To learn more about the Real Techniques brushes you can visit Real Techniques USA website and if you want to purchase any of the brushes in Europe, I recommend Love Makeup website.

Disclaimer: this is not a sponsored blog post, I did buy all of the brushes with my own money.

First impression: W7 face powders

Hey guys!

It's not much of a review, because I have not tried these W7 products on my face yet. I just received the products and wanted to mention them and give you kind of a first impression thoughts I have.

As you can tell from the pictures these face powders remind a lot of Benefit powders. I want to try Benefit's Hoola, but I already have too many bronzers (more than I would need anyway) and I just ordered The Balm's Bahama Mama bronzer so I figured I would give these a shot first, and if I'm not satisfied enough, I will invest in Benefit's Hoola later.

Basically, W7 Honolulu is a matte brown (not orangy!) bronzing powder. I really like the color, and the color payoff is nice too, but it has a lot of fall out. When you swatch it with your finger, the powder feels nice, silky and soft, but if you try and use the brush that's included (it's very soft too), you will get a ton of fallout.

W7 Candy Floss is a brightening face powder and it is a nice light pink shimmering highlight but can also qualify as a blush because it is quite pigmented and you can definitely see the pink color too and not only shimmer when you swatch it. It has a fair amount of fallout, but still very pretty!

W7 Africa is considered to be a bronzing powder (at least on the packaging!), but I do believe it's more of a pink shimmering blush. The color is quite opaque and is very pretty for my taste! The powder itself is a mixture of brown, pink and coral but when you swatch it or apply with a brush it's definitely more pink than anything else. It has some shimmer but definitely not glitter chunks. Not as much fallout as with the other two too!

Check out my swatches for all of the three products:

No flash. From left to right: Africa, Candy Floss, Honolulu

With flash. From left to right: Africa, Candy Floss, Honolulu

I know swatches like that are not very helpful when it comes to blushes/bronzers, because you would definitely use it more sheer when applying it on your face. But I just wanted to give you an idea of what they look like on the skin!

Overall, I do really like all three of the powders I got and the only con that I can tell for now is the amount of fallout that all of these powders have. But you can't really beat it for the price! Each for them retails from  £3 to  £5 depends on where you buy them. I bought them on ebay because even though I paid more for the products than on some other websites, the shipping was cheaper on there. I am very excited to play with these some more!