You know it starts to feel like Christmas when you ...

• Start wearing heavy spicy perfume, in my case YSL Opium. It reminds me of winter...
• Chose  postcarts for friends and family
• Drink or eat in Christmas cups, especially spicy tea
• Decorate your house with useless little Christmas gadgets
• Light up your candles with Christmas-y scents, like vanilla, cookies, pumpkin.

What are you doing to get prepared for Christmas ?

Elly

I wish these brands were available here ....

Some of you are really lucky to be able to get some of the following brands:

• Illamasqua (I want to try almost everything from them, the liquid metallic shadows, the lipsticks, the nail polishes, cream blushes...)
• Sleek (Since i saw pixiwoo using their palettes i am sold, and i think they make some kind of tinted balms that seem lovely)
• Barry M (i want EVERYTHING from Barry M, the nailpolishes are AMAZING and amazing quality, the lip paints are cheap and have great colour payoff and i am dying to try the glosses and the dazzle dusts)
• Lush (I once tried the American Cream conditionner and it is the most longlasting and incredible scent ever, i really want to try some of their soaps and lip exfoliants)
• Soap and glory (I love the packaging and every UK blogger have been raving about some products)
• Elf (Cheap brushes, mineral lipsticks and eyeshadows is what i would really want to order!Oh maybe the eyeshadow primer as well)
• NYX (The glosses, lipsticks and lipliners are what i would really want to try, you cannot beat the price)
• wet n' wild (affordable quads)
• Sonia Kashuk (Brushes and concealer)
• Rimmel ( Mascara, lipsticks and concealer)
• Nars ( EVERYTHING!!!!! If i had NARS here i would be an addict)
• Benefit (The creaseless cream eyeshadows and the lipsticks, i love the retro packaging and i do not think i need Coralista at the moment because Korres has a dupe)
• Eyeko (the squeezy mascara and the eyeliners)
• CCO's !
• Victoria's Secret makeup line
• Cheap false eyelashes
• Burts Bee's (One of my friends who came back from the UK gave me the lip conditioner once and i loved it)
• Urban Decay (Naked palette please!)
• Shu Uemura (I pretty much want everything as well, and the haircaire products too. They released some amazing christmas palettes that are TO DIE FOR)

Just take a look at the new Shu Uemura Abracadabra Christmas collection:

Irresistible right?

The list could go on, and bless the internet and swaps but having all these brands available easily would be so much better! I will probably order some stuff soon, but the amount of things i want from every brand is overwhelming.
Also i want to mention, that in the USA the drugstore products are much more affordable than in Europe, and that it makes you more open to experimenting and to try what suits you and what you like.

What brands do you wish you could have in your country, and what products?

Elly

Bracelets/necklace of the day and what i wore...kind off :)

These are the bracelets i wore today. I usually wear 2 of the sterling silver cuff bracelets everyday but today i decided to switch it up a bit and pair them with a Juicy Couture bracelet that i had not wore for a long time...

The cuff bracelets are the infamous ones Lorraine Stanick wears and sells on her blog, and they do not disapoint. I adore them and wear them non-stop since i ordered them this summer. (If you want a review let me know).
I purchased them here:
http://www.thecurrentcustom.com/stsicubr.html

The little juicy couture bracelet is cute but sometimes TOO cute. I was more drawn to the black colour of the stones than the little fairy and stars. But overall i like it:)
Here is where i purchased it:
http://www.asos.com/Women/Jewellery/Cat/pgecategory.aspx?cid=4175&Rf-400=159&sh=0

My ruffly top is from Massimo Dutti, from the summer collection and my pearls from Accessories.

Did you wore something that made you happy today?
Elly

Latest perfume love:

I never liked Moschino fragrances, like Cheap and Chic for exemple, but one day at Sephora i sprayed this on me and it immediatly fell in love (I originally went there to buy Chanel number 5, but i could not pass on this !). It is the ultimate romantic, sickly sweet powdery scent. It is described as " Toujours Glamour is based on composition of Glamour edition, but refreshed with red currant and green violet leaves in charge of this mischievous elegant edition spiced with cardamom. A heart of this fragrance blooms with innocent white lily of the valley and intoxicating jasmine with a hint of bitter almond. A base intertwines heliotrope, benzoin and sensual musk."

I can smell the musk and the spicyness at first but then it dries down to a wonderful powdery, sweet almond scent (if you are familiar with The Body Shop almond line then this is the sweeter version). I am one to adore sickly sweet scents ( not like Britney spears - Fantasy that smells like rancid cupcakes on me) but more like La prairie Silver rain or Roberto Cavalli Oro. The Moschino one is way softer tho and more girly, and an in-between scent you can wear in the morning and at nightime because it is quite girly and strong at the same time but also very delicate. It is also quite longwearing, i spray it on and it lasts half of the day, not all day like Opium by YSL though.

Top: Red Currant, Green Violet Leaves

Middle: Lily of the Valley, Jasmine, Almond ( the almond smell is the strongest one and the one that lasts on the skin more)

Bottom: Heliotrope, Benzoin

The bottle is actually adorable, with a purple cap and kind of heart-shaped, very feminine and girly but playful at the same time!

Here is the add, im loving it as well :




What is your latest fragrance love?

Elly

12 Q's Tag:

I found this tag in one of my favourite bloggers ever, the gorgeous Emma. Check her out!

http://birdsdecoratebranches.blogspot.com/

On to the tag!

1. What's your favourite makeup look?
I have so many, depending on my mood, clothes or season! I usually tend to go for a neutral eye look with browns or just heavy eyeliner and a nude lip.

2. Do you have a beauty vice?
Wanting to buy every lipstick possible. I love all sorts of brands, colours and textures. Mixing and matching is also very fun. I want to buy every single colour from every brand, crazy right ?:)

3. What part of your body do you love?
Probably my lips, because theyr'e quit full so i can just wear a lipstick without worrying too much and go :)

4. Who is your beauty icon?
I have too many to mention, i usually like trendsetters. Maybe Dita von teese because she is the ultimate fashion and makeup icon, that always look so polished and well dressed.

5. What beauty product makes you feel instantly good? 
Probably foundation or concealer to even out my skintone.

6. How do you look after your skin?
I do not exagerate and try every product on the market. I stick to the basics and always use sunscreen if i go out. I cleanse, tone and moisturize and once a week use a clay cleansing mask. I also drink tons of water and eat plenty of fish, and remove my makeup every night.

7. What is your signature scent?
 For morning D&G- the one and for nightime Christian Dior Hypnotic Poison. I own tons of perfume though, i love fragrance.


8. What is your haircare secret?
I don't overwash, and do not wash my hair everyday, and i do not use alot of product either. If i stay at home i dont do anything to it to avoid heat. I always use heat protectant when i have to use hot tools. And i do olive oil treatments that i leave overnight once a month. My hair is quite thin and breaks easily so i trim it every 3 months.

9. How do you pamper yourself?
I love beauty masks and getting a pedicure or manicure.

10. What is your beauty pet peeve?
I guess orange foundation.

11. What would be your desert island must haves?
Sunscreen probably! I dont think i would worry too much about makeup, i would just enjoy it there.Also a good lipbalm.


12. Do you have a beauty philosophy?
Drink tons of water, find out what works for you and don't stress :)

Elly
xoxo

40 Beauty Questions

SKINCARE
-How many times do you wash your face daily?
Twice. When i wake up and before going to bed. I have NEVER went to bed without taking my makeup off, even drunk!

-What skin type do you have?
Oily.

-What is your current facial wash?
La Roche posay Toleriane for oily sensitive skin.

-Do you exfoliate?
I use AHAs which serve as exfoliants but i do exfoliate my body once a week.

-What brand do you use?
Garnier Bodytonic skin naturals scrub. It is HANDS DOWN the best i have ever tried, it exfoliates like no other without being rough on your skin. I have tried several scrubs including The Body Shop ones or Korres which i was not impressed with because the beads were tiny.

-What moisturiser do you use?
Neostrata Oil free lotion

-Do you have freckles?
Nope

-Do you use eye cream?
Yep, Neostrata bionic eye cream recomended by my derm.

-Do you or did you have acne prone skin?
yes,now it's just oily.

-Did you ever have to use Pro-activ?
nope, we dont carry this line here.

MAKE-UP

-What foundation do you use?I alternate between Clinique superbalanced foundation or La roche posay Toleriane. The clinique one is okay, but i will not be repurchasing because the coverage is very sheer.

-How about concealer?
I use YSL touche eclat for under my eyes to illuminate and brighten this area, i am not a fan tho. It doesnt seem to work and i cannot understand the hype about it. When this is other i will try Dior skinflash. To cover up the redness i use studio finish concealer or select cover up.

-Do you know your undertone color?
i think i have pinkish/olive undertones if this makes sense. It depends on the season too.

-What do you think of fake eyelashes?
I love them for a night out! I havent tried many brands, just MAC. I wish i could try the Girls aloud ones available in the UK.

-Did you know that you are supposed to change your mascara every 3 months?
I love mascara and i change mine every 3-4 months!

-Sephora or MAC?
I would have to chose Sephora, i dont like to stick to one brand and i adore experimenting.

-Do you have a MAC Pro-card?
nope

-What makeup tools do you use in make up application?
fingers, brushes, q-tips.

-Do you use make-up base/primer for the eyes?
Yes. Sometimes concealer, a shadestick or Too faced shadow insurance.

-For the face?
Just a moisturizer, i am lazy.

-What is your favorite eyeshadow (color or shade)?
Chanel taupe gris or MAC mulch. I go through phases.

-Do you use pencil or liquid eyeliner?
I love a clean sharp cat eye with liquid liner, and a smudgy look with pencil, or just used on the waterline.

-How often do you poke your eyes with an eyeliner pencil?
never!

-What do you think of pigment eyeshadows?
I like them but would not collect. I like MAC tan and naked though.

-Do you use mineral makeup?
Does MAC MSF natural count?

-What is your favorite lipstick?
I adore lipstick, i think putting on your lipstick always make you feel so pampered and glamorous. My go to lipsticks are MAC hue and YSL tea rose. When i feel more playful i wear MAC Girl about town and when i feel i need a good classic shade i wear Chanel Muse (i have fallen in love with the chanel rouge coco lipsticks). I want to adventure into berries this fall :)

-How about lipgloss?
I don't wear it often but i really like the Lancome glosses, incredibly smooth.

-What is your favorite blush to use?
i don't really wear blush! My cheeks are pink and i tend to cover any redness, so i like to contour with MAC harmony or use some tan shades.

-Do you buy your makeup on ebay?
When i have to, i bought my beloved NARS pleasures of paris palette and my latest purchase was Chanel Paradoxal.

-Do you like drugstore makeup?
Yes, but in Europe drugstore makeup tends to be almost as expensive as high-end. Lucky Americans :)

-Do you go to CCO's? (cosmetic company outlets)
No CCO's here :(

-Did you ever consider taking make-up classes?
yep.

-Are you clumsy in putting on makeup?
not really, i have steady hands.

-Name a makeup crime that you hate?
Orange foundation, nude lips when they look white.

-Do you like colorful shades of makeup (lipstick,eyeshadow) or neutral ones?
I love a neutral eye, i am not a fan of colour, but i love a bright lip. I like colours on others though

-What brand of mascara do you use?
YSL faux cils is the best mascara i have ever tried, too bad it dries up so fast and is SO expensive. I also love the Korres rice one. For a natural look i use Maybelline Lash Stileto.MAKE-UPI want to try Laura mercier or bobbie brown now :)

-Which celebrity always has great make up?
Emma watson, Cheryl Cole, Dita von Teese, Katy Perry, Sophia Loren, Brigitte Bardot, Marlene Dietrich.

 -If you could leave the house using just ONE make up item,what would you use?
Foundation.

-Could you ever leave the house without any makeup on?
yes, i do that quite often.

-Do you think you look good even without any makeup on?
I dont think i look good or bad, just myself. Makeup is not a cover up anyway.

-In your opinion, what is the BEST makeup line?
I think every brand has something nice to offer for everyone and suitable

-What do you think of Makeup?
It makes me happy and excited !

Elly

Girl crush of the week : Emma Watson

I am in love with Emma Watson's style and how natural her makeup always looks. She is the perfect combination of simplicity, a bit edgy and always fashion forward without ever been over the top. I even adore her new pixie haircut, she is just gorgeous. I am really inspired by this picture, and i will try to recreate this outfit this week.  A knee-length cardigan with a belt around it, some leggings and combat boots. Let me know who is your girl crush !

These outfits are to die for too, she is the perfect exemple that being so simple can look amazing !