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Two Of My Absolute Favorite Highlighters (plus two honorable mentions)!

2011-07-28T19:26:00.000+03:00

I love highlighters. I do. However, things have not always been this way - a mere year ago I couldn't really see a point of it. I'm kind of oily, I'm acne prone, it'll just make me look greasy or, worse, break me out. How things change... Highlighter has grown to be an essential part of my everyday makeup routine, especially in the winters, and I've found it really gives the look a certain je ne sais quoi. Since I'm still oily-skinned, I have to be careful as to which products to choose, so these are the ones I've really liked.

Christian Dior Poudre Shimmer (Shimmer Powder) in Amber Diamond

Image from: strawberrynet.com

This product I found completely by accident - I was just looking around on some beauty message boards and discovered that loads of people recommended it. Next day, I decided to check it out in person, and it was love at first sight.

This highlighter gives me such a nice, subtle glow - it really is hard to overdo, and it's great for daytime. I apply it with my MAC 188 brush, and I actually have to swipe a few times to build up the intensity. It may seem quite dark in the pan, kind of bronzy even, but I assure you, it only gives my pale NC15 skin a hint of colour, nothing over the top. The packaging is beautiful: deep dark blue compact that opens easily, and my favourite - no brush! The compact comes with a velvety sleeve that is such a horrible dust collector. The packaging seems sturdy enough, but I'll have to warn you to take extra care of it when traveling, as I've read a few reviews where people say they've put it in their bags when packing for a trip, and it has shattered.

BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector in Pearl

Image from: zuneta.com

I love this. Plain and simple. This is much more noticeable on your skin than the Dior one, but it really is a great choice for somebody who doesn't like messing around with powders. Since it's a liquid, it can be blended seamlessly with your foundation, providing sometimes a more natural finish than powders, and it works beautifully when a tiny bit is mixed with moisturizer. The shimmer particles are very tightly "packed", so no individual glittery bits stand out, and the shade (white) is perfect with my skin tone. The liquid doesn't dry down, instead it provides a very dewy glow that you can minimize with simply dusting a little powder on top - it'll still shine through, but the effect will be much more subtle.

What I also like about it is that you get an incredible amount - 50 ml - so considering the fact that you only need a tiny bit every time, it'll last you for a long time.

The packaging is great - it has two caps, one bigger, and a smaller one that's transparent. When I'm traveling with liquids in my bag or suitcase I'm always scared the caps will come off or the packaging will spill somehow, and this two-cap-system prevents that.

It is a bit harder to find than the Dior one, but zuneta.com sells this, and they have international shipping. If you want to try it out before buying, just ask them for samples - I did, and they were happy to provide them!

I thought I'd include two more products that I like, but not enough to justify buying or I just don't find myself reaching for (AKA The Honorable Mentions).

Rouge Bunny Rouge Liquid Highlighter Sea of Clouds

Image from: makeup4all.com

Rouge Bunny Rouge is the current bloggers' favourite brand, and I have to admit that I'm completely smitten with them as well. The packaging is absolutely gorgeous, and very high end, and the formulas seem to be very-very good. It comes in an artfully decorated glass bottle with a hygienic pump dispenser. I tried it out first at my local RBR counter and, perhaps because the bottle was only half full, too much of it squirted out, despite me trying to be very careful with it. The consistency is wonderful, very spreadable, and it dries completely matte. The shimmer particles in this are much more noticeable, because it isn't so tightly packed with them. On the skin, I didn't notice that much of a difference, but honestly, I kind of prefer the BECCA 'tightly packed' version. One thing that made me like BECCA more, is the amount - you get 30ml vs BECCA's 50 ml, yet it costs 15€ more.

It still is a lovely product, but I recommend trying it out before you buy, since it's such an investment - once again, zuneta.com stocks it.

MAC Eyeshadow in Ricepaper

Image from: luuux.com

I really like products you can use for different things, and in ways it necessarily isn't meant to function. It really is an old makeup artists' trick to use a light coloured slightly shimmery eyeshadow as a nice highlighter on the cheekbones, but I discovered it back when I was graduating 9th grade. I was doing my makeup and decided my base needed something more, and this pot caught my eye, so I experimented. The outcome was very nice, nicer than I'd actually expected, and I got many compliments on my makeup that day. It also photographs beautifully, since it's not extremely shimmery.

Since it is quite a warm shade, it might not be suitable for cool toned people, since the yellow undertone would clash against pink (however, it depends on the look you're going for!).

Do you use a highlighter? What products do you like best?

Eestikeelne tõlge lingile klõpsates!

Highlighterid, minu armastus. Asjad pole alati nii olnud - vaid aasta tagasi ei suutnud ma mõista, miks neid üldse kasutada. Ma olen niigi rasune, ja kergesti vistrikuliseks minev, nad muudavad mu naha kindlasti veel rasusemaks. Kuidas ajad muutuvad... Highlighter on saanud minu igahommikuse meigirituaali lahutamatuks osaks, lahkudes sealt vaid kõige palavamatel päevadel, ja suurema tähtsuse saades talvel, mil ta annab mu nahale rohkem elavust. Kuna ma olen ikkagi rasusema nahatüübiga, tuleb mul õigeid tooteid valides ikkagi ettevaatlik olla, ning seega on need minu lemmikuteks kujunenud.

Christian Dior Poudre Shimmer (Shimmer Powder) toonis Amber Diamond

Selle toote avastasin täiesti juhuse läbi. Lugesin mingit teemat ühes ilufoorumis ning nägin, et paljud inimesed soovitasid seda. Järgmisel päevad läksin Ilumaailma, et seda oma silmaga näha, ning see oli armastus esimesest silmapilgust.

See highlighter annab mulle väga õrna sädeluse. Vale on seda isegi sädeluseks nimetada, pigem läbikumavuse, ning seda on raske liialt palju peale panna, ja seega sobib ta väga hästi päevaseks ajaks. Ma kannan seda peale oma MAC 188 pintsliga ja ma pean seda paar kihti peale panema, et soovitud efekti saada - ka siis on see üsna õrn ning ei näe nagu meik välja, suur pluss! Toode võib pakendis üsna tume tunduda, veidike pronksjas, kuid peale pannes ei teki päikesepuudri tunnet, värvi annab see mu heledale nahale vähe. Pakend on imeilus: tumesinine karbike, mis avaneb suurema vaevata, ning minu lemmik - sellega pole pintslit kaasa pandud! Karbiga tuleb kaasa väike velvetist taskuke, mis on kahjuks kohutav tolmukoguja. Kuigi pakend on üsna vastupidav, pean ma hoiatama, et reisile minnes tuleks ta pigem millegi pehme sisse panna, kuna olen lugenud arvustusi, kus inimesed on kurtnud, et nad on hiljem avastanud, et kohvris või kotis olnud puuder on tükkideks murenenud.

BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector toonis Pearl

Tõesti armastan seda toodet. See on rohkem nähtavam nahal kui Dior, kuid on hea valik inimesele, kes ei taha mässata puudriga. Kuna see on kreemjas vedelik, saab seda hajutada jumestuskreemi sisse, mistõttu näeb ta mõnest puudrist loomulikum välja, või isegi väike tilk seda niisutava kreemi sisse segada. Valgustpeegeldavad osakesed vedelikus on väga tihedalt üksteise küljes, mistõttu ei saa neid eristada (st ühtegi sädelevat osakest nahal otseselt näha pole) ning toon (valge) sobib väga hästi minu nahavärviga. Nahal ei kuiva see toode kuidagi ära, ning mind see otseselt ei sega, kuid matistamiseks võib sellele peale veidi puudrit pintsliga kanda. Highlighter jääb ikka läbi kumama, kuid veidi vähem. Mulle meeldib, et pakendis on küllaltki palju toodet - 50 ml, ja kui arvestada, et iga kord on kasutamiseks väga vähe vaja, tuleb see küllaltki odav välja.

Pakend on väga hea. Pudelil on kaks korki, üks suurem ning teine, väiksem. Alati, kui ma kreemide või vedela konsistentsiga toodetega reisin, kardan ma, et nad hakkavad kuskilt lekkima, kuid see kahe-korgi-süsteem ennetab seda väga hästi.

Seda toodet on veidi raskem kätte saada kui Diori oma, kuid zuneta.com müüb seda, ja nad saadavad tooteid igale poole. Kui on aga tahtmine enne ostmist proovida, võib neile kirjutada - mina tegin seda, ja nad saatsid mulle paar sämplit, et ma saaksin selgusele jõuda!

Mõtlesin, et lisan veel kaks toodet, mis mulle meeldivad, kuid mitte nii palju, et ma õigustaks ostmist, või seda tihemini kasutamist.

Rouge Bunny Rouge Highlighter Sea of Clouds

Rouge Bunny Rouge on praegune blogijate lemmikbränd, ja ma pean tunnistama, et ka minu südames on nad koha leidnud. Pakendid on väga ilusad, väga kõrge kvaliteediga ja formulatsioonid väha-väga head. Highlighter on pakendatud kaunistatud klaaspudelisse, millel on hügieeniline pump. Proovisin seda esimest korda Ülemiste keskuse RBR'i leti juures, ja, võimalik, et see oli sellest, et pudel oli pooltäis, tuli pumbast liiiiiga palju välja, kuigi üritasin sellele ettevaatlikult peale vajutada. Konsistents on väga hea, ja RBR kuivab täiesti matiks. Säravad osakesed tootes on rohkem märgatavad kui BECCAs, kuna osakesed pole nii üksteise küljes. Nahal ei tundnud ega näinud ma erilist vahet, kuid ausalt öeldes eelistan ma BECCAt rohkem. Üks asi, mis BECCA kasuks veel räägib, on hind - RBR maksab 15€ rohkem, kuid pakendis on 20 ml vähem.

Sllest hoolimata on RBR highlighter väga hea toode, kuid ma soovitaksin seda enne ostmist proovida. Jällegi, osta võib seda internetist (zuneta.com) või Ülemiste keskuse Ideaal Kosmeetikast.

MAC lauvärv toonis Ricepaper

Mulle meeldivad tooted, mida saab kasutada erinevateks asjadeks, ning tingimata mitte vaid selleks, milleks nad mõeldud on. On vana meigikunstnike trikk kasutada heledatoonilist kergelt sädelevat lauvärvi highlighterina, kuid mina avastasin selle kunagi, kui ma üheksandat klassi lõpetasin. Olin just oma meigi lõpetanud, kuid tundsin, et see vajab veel midagi. Silmasin seda lauvärvi ning otsustasin eksperimenteerida. Tulemus oli ilus, ilusam kui ma julgesin arvata ning tol päeval sain ma oma meigi kohta päris palju komplimente (lisaks avastasin, et see jääb ka piltide peal väga kena, kuna ta pole ülisädelev).

Kuna see on üsna soe toon, ei pruugi ta külma alatooniga inimestel kõige ilusamini jääda, kuna kollakas alatoon võib roosal nahal ebaloomulik olla (kuigi kõik oleneb meigistiilist, mida saavutada üritatakse!).

Kas kasutad highlighterit? Millised tooted meeldivad sulle enim?

Favourite Body Lotions and Moisturizers for Summer!

2011-07-21T15:30:00.000+03:00

Now, the weather in Estonia is extremely sunny and very warm right now, so it's not really necessary to wear body lotions all the time, but my skin tends to get dehydrated quite fast, even on summer days, so I need something light yet sufficiently hydrating. These are my picks:

The Body Shop Shea Whip Body Lotion

Image from: thebodyshop-usa.com

I actually like most of The Body Shop's body lotions and body butters, and I find they work well on my skin. I'm a huge fan of the wonderful creamy scent of this and the formulation makes it perfect for light summer hydration (as I prefer the heavier body butters for winter!).

Garnier Body Repair Cream

Image from: buduaar.ee

Now, I know this is geared towards very dry skin in need of rescue. However, I don't find this product actually this moisturizing to use in the winter when my skin really is in that condition (maybe just for during the day on top of a more powerful body cream). I love this during the summer and mostly use it on my arms and as a hand cream before going to bed - it preserves the moisture in my skin beautifully.
Note: this cream also comes in a bottle and in a tube, but I prefer using this one from a small tub, for some reason. But it's nice to know you can choose the packaging you're most comfortable with.

Garnier BodyTonic Lotion

Image from: garnier.co.uk

As the previous two ones have been with more moisturizing properties, I wanted to pick a product that would suit people who find them a bit too heavy. The BodyTonic lotion is very light and non-greasy - it sinks in almost immediately. It has a nice citrus smell with a hint of herbs, which is actually really appealing to me. It supposedly has a firming effect that I honestly haven't really noticed, probably because I don't particularly need it yet, but hey, if the effect works for you, it's a great bonus to an already great lotion!

Do you moisturize regularly during summer or do you find it to be a bother in hot weather?

Eestikeelne tõlge lingile klõpsates!

Ilm Eestis on viimasel ajal üsnagi palav ja päikseline olnud, ning seega pole aeg-ajalt vajadust olnud iga päev koh kindlasti kehakreeme kanda, kuid olen avastanud, et minu nahk muutub kuivaks üsna kiiresti ka praeguse temperatuuriga, ning seepärast vajan midagi kerget, mis mu nahka ka piisavalt toidaks. Need on minu valikud:

The Body Shop Shea Whip Body Lotion
Mulle sobivad väga The Body Shopi kehalosjoonide ja kehavõiete formulatsioonid, kuid eelistan viimaseid siiski talvel nende tihkema konsistentsi pärast. See sheavõiga kerge kehakreem on äärmiselt mõnusa kreemja lõhnaga ning sobib eriti hästi veidi jahedamatel päevadel.

Garnier Body Repair Cream
Ma tean, et seda reklaamitekse kui kreemi, mis sobib hästi eriti kuivale nahale, kuid tegelikult ei leia ma, et ta niivõrd niisutav oleks, et kasutada seda sellisel ajal, mil mu nahk tõesti selles konditsioonis on. Mulle meeldib seda peale kanda suvel päeval peamiselt kogu oma kätele ning õhtuti enne magamaminekut kätekreemina kasutada - see hoiab mu naha mõnusalt pehmena.
Muide, seda kreemi pakendatakse veel pooleliitrisesse pudelisse ja ka väiksemasse tuubi. Mina armastan seda millegipärast sellisest karbikesest kasutada, kuid on hea teada, et vastavalt oma eelistustele saab valida ka sobiva pakendi.

Garnier BodyTonic Lotion
Kuna eelmised kaks valikut on olnud veidi niisutavamad, tahtsin viimaseks valida kreemi, mida saaks kasutada inimesed, kellele on eelmised veidi liiga raskeks jäänud. BodyTonic kreem on väga kerge ning ei jäta kehale rasust kihti, imendub pea kohe! Sel on kergelt tsitruseline lõhn, milles on tunda natuke rohust nooti, mis on üllataval kombel äärmiselt meeldiv. Kreemil on väidetavalt pinguldav efekt, mida ma pole ausalt öeldes eriti tähele pannud, aga võimalik, et seepärast, et mul pole seda veel väga vaja. Olenemata sellest, kas see lubadus tegelikult toimib või mitte on tegemist ühe mõnusama kehakreemiga, mida ma proovinud olen.

Kas sa kasutad kehakreeme suvel regulaarselt või arvad, et see on soojade ilmadega täiesti mõttetu?

Shiseido Shimmering Rouge Lipstick in RS310 Brocade

2011-07-19T18:06:00.000+03:00

Shiseido is, in my opinion, one of the most underrated makeup brands. It offers great quality products and I've liked everything I've tried from them and I'll definitely continue to discover that brand.
I recently stopped by my local Shiseido counter to see if they had anything new to try out and spotted the new Shimmering Rouge lipsticks. These are Shiseido's answer to this season's trend of sheer lipsticks. Like the name suggests, all of these shades are quite shimmery, some more than the others, so I'd say even people usually very of shimmer can find a suitable lipstick from this line. All of colours in this range are very nice and wearable.

Image from: blondycandy.com

The shade I eyed first was PK407 Stiletto which is also the lipstick chosen to represent this line, but I thought I'd be too cool-toned for me, so I chose RS310 Brocade (gorgeous name as well, isn't it?).
I find that the swatch on the website is pretty accurate in terms of how it is on my lips - I've read a couple of reviews on this particular shade and I've seen it look much more rosy in those reviews, but on me, it's a gorgeous berry shade that leans either more cool or warm in different lights - such an unique efect!

It's very long-lasting on me, which is a bit of a surprise really, considering that it's supposed to be a sheer lipstick. Speaking of which, it isn't that sheer on me either. This lipstick applies almost opaquely at the first swipe - perhaps it's because the texture is very creamy, so I use more product. I applied this before going out and after about four-five hours it was still there, albeit slightly faded. As it fades, the shimmer becomes more apparent and it emphasizes flaky lips more than when it's first applied, so I'd say you should take care of your lips beforehand, though it's not an extremely capricious lipstick.

The packaging is sleek, like always with Shiseido. The tube is tall and thin and it sits very well in hand. It's also surprisingly lightweight (the bullet is bigger than regular MAC lipsticks, yet weighs a bit less). You also get less product, which might be a thing to consider - Shiseido Shimmering Rouge contains 0.07 oz (bit less than 2 grams) of product, compared to MAC (0.10 oz /2.8 grams) and YSL Rouge Volupté (0.12 oz /3.4 grams), yet it costs more than MAC (around 25€ here, 25$ on Sephora's website).

8/10

Eestikeelne tõlge lingile klõpsates!

Shiseido on minu arvates üks alahinnatumaid meigibrände. Neid on väga hea kvaliteediga tooted ja mulle on meeldinud kõik, mida ma neilt proovinud olen. Hiljuti sattusin lähima Shiseido müügileti juurde, et uurida, kas neil on midagi valikusse uut juurde tulnud, mida võiks proovida ning nägin Shimmering Rouge huulepulki. Nad on Shiseido vastus hiljutisele õhukese katvusega huulepulkade trendile. Nagu nimest jube eeldada võib, on nad sädelusega, mõnes rohkem, mõnes vaid veidi, seega ma ütleks, et ka inimesed, kes tavaliselt ütlevad igasugusele sädelusele EI, leiavad midagi proovimiseks. Kõik toonid kollektsioonis on väga ilusad ja ka kantavad.

Värv, mis mulle kõige enne silma jäi, oli PK407 Stiletto, mis on valitud kogu seda kollektsiooni esindama. Arvasin siiski, et see jääks veidi liiga külmatooniliseks minu jaoks, ning valisin lõpuks RS310 Brocade (nimigi on kaunis, kas pole?).
Promopildil olev swatch sellest värvist on üsna õige representatsioon, kuidas see mu huultel on. Olen lugenud mõnda blogipostitust sellest konkreetsest huulepulgast ja näinud, et see võib näha palju roosakam, kuid minul on ta äärmiselt ilus marjatoon, mis on külmema või soojema alatooniga olenevalt valgusest - väga huvitav efekt!

See on väga kauapüsiv minu huultel, mis on küllaltki üllatav, arvestades seda, et see peaks õhukese katvusega toode olema. Katvusest rääkides... see on vägagi hea. Ma saan pildi peal oleva tooni kätte juba esimese kihiga, kuid veelgi vähem peale kandes on võimalik ka heledamat tooni huuled saada. Ma panin selle endale peale vahetult enne väljaminekut, ja pärast nelja-viie tunni möödumist oli värv mul ilusti peal, ehkki veidi hajunud. Hajudes tulevad sädelevad osakesed veidi rohkem välja, ning see rõhutab ketendavaid huuli, seega ma ütleks, et enne toote pealekandmist tuleks oma huuli veidi koorida ning niisutada, kuid see pole üldiselt väga kapriisne huulepulk.

Pakend on väga sile, metaljas, nagu Shiseidol ikka. Pulk on üsna pikk ja umbes sama suure diameetriga kui MACi tavaline huulepulk, kuid kaalub vähem. Pakendis on ka mõnevõrra vähem toodet, mida võib ostmisel arvestada - Shimmering Rouge huulepulgaga saame veidi alla 2 grammi, MACi tavalise huulepulgaga 2.8 grammi ning YSL Rouge Volupté-ga saame 3.4 grammi, kuid Shiseido on kallim kui MAC - 25€ ringis.

8/10

Guerlain Terracotta Loose Powder Kohl Liner - Instant Seductive Eyes!

2011-07-17T16:54:00.002+03:00

I'll have to warn you - this is going to be a wordy review, so if you don't feel like reading through it all, I've provided a small bulletpoint summary below the text!

Image from sephora.com

As long as I can remember, I've been a fan of traditional arabic kohl lined eyes - it has always seemed so beautiful, yet mysterious and seductive at the same time. A couple of trips to Dubai have only renewed and reinforced my love for it. Until now, I've always thought that that kind of makeup would look too harsh on me(despite my dark hair and relatively dark eyes).

I've wanted to try the Guerlain Loose Powder Kohl Liner for some time now, but the price has always scared me off - 'what if it doesn't work? what if I end up raccoon eyes or just look ridiculous?' have always been my main arguments.
Recently, I got over my fear and went ahead and finally purchased my long-coveted eyeliner and tried it out the next day.

Let's start with the packaging - it's gorgeous, through the golden top should be metal, not plastic, for such a steep price. The eyeliner measures around 9 centimetres (3.5 inches) with the top screwed on, so it is not, by any means, a big product. You get 0.03 ounces, which is slightly less than 1 gram of kohl powder, which may not seem like a lot, but you use a minute amount every time you apply it, so it should last a long time.

It comes in several shades - Sephora's website lists 3 - Black (dark with small shimmers that serve to make the shade a bit more interesting, less flat), Brun (a deep golden brown), and Blue (deep teal blue). Guerlain also has come out regularly with different limited edition shades over the years as parts of their seasonal collections.

The black shade I ended up getting is deep and nicely pigmented, and it stays on for a long time on the waterline, and doesn't turn gray in the process. As the time goes by, I find that it migrates slightly to my lashline, but it does it in a good way, so I get the 'bedroom eyes'-look, not the 'I'm-actually-part-raccoon'-look. The colour does not have any blue undertones in it, which I find great, because I'm not a fan of blue-black tones.

The box the liner comes in also has a piece of paper explaining the ways of applying it - the traditional, eastern way and the western way. I prefer using it the traditional way since it does have the wand applicator and it works better this way, I find. However, if you don't like touching your eyes all that much, you may find the western way a bit more comfortable, at least at first.
The traditional way of applying it is roughly like this: you unscrew the top, take out the wand and make sure that it's evenly coated with the powder. To ensure that you don't get too much, tap it slightly so that the excess falls back into the container. You put the wand on top of your waterline, very close to your eye, shut your eye and drag the wand towards the 'end' of your eye. The wand should touch your eyeball - I know, I know..it sounds gross, but it doesn't hurt at all, since the powder is specially formulated that even when small particles of kohl get into your eye, they won't harm you.

Since it's a loose powder, you might get a bit of fall out if you're not careful. To avoid this, place a tissue on your undereye area when applying or just do it before your foundation, because it really is tough to clean up afterwards (personal experience!).

My last point of this review is hygene. You absolutely cannot share it with anyone! Unlike eyepencils that you can use on other people and then wipe the top off and sanitize it, the applicator on this product is tough to sanitize. I know most people don't mind it, since they aren't planning on doing makeup on other people, but it might be a point to consider.

In short:
+ gorgeous packaging
+ you use a tiny amount every time
+ beautiful colours in the permanent range (and also limited editions!)
+ long-lasting
+ non-harmful (since it doesn't contain lead)
- pricy
- non-sanitizable
- might be tricky to apply at first

All in all, I love this product and I'm so glad I finally got it!
9/10

Eestikeelne tõlge lingile klõpsates!

Hoiatan ette, et see postitus on piisavalt sõnarikas - kui pikka teksti lugeda pole soovi, olen allpool plussid-miinused välja toonud!

Nii kaua kui ma mäletan, olen ma araabiapärase tumedama silmameigi fänn olnud - see on lihtsalt alati nii ilus, samas veidi müstiline tundunud ning minu hilisemad reisid Dubaisse on seda armastust veel tugevamaks muutnud. Kuni siiani olen aga arvanud, et selline meigistiil jääb minu jaoks siiski liialt tumedaks, kuigi mul on üsnagi tumedad juuksed ja silmad.

Olin juba mõnda aega tahtnud proovida Guerlain Loose Powder Kohl Liner'it, kuid selle hind on mind minema peletanud. "Äkki see ei sobi mulle? Äkki võimenduvad sellega mu tumedad silmaalused või ma näen lihtsalt õudne välja?" on alati mnu kahtlused olnud. Hiljuti aga sain oma kartustest üle ning ostsin selle ära ja proovisin seda kohe järgmisel päeval.

Alustame pakendist - see on äärmiselt ilusa disainiga, nagu pildiltki näha võib, kuid kuldne pealisosa võiks olla metallist, mitte plastikust (arvestades firmat ja hinda!). Toode on 9 sentimeetrit pikk, ja seega mitte eriti suur. Kohl-pulbrit saame veidi alla ühe grammi, mis on väga vähe, kuid arvestades seda, et igal kasutuskorral kulub ülivähe toodet, siis peaks sellest võrdlemisi kauaks jätkuma.

Pulbrit on saada mitmes värvitoonis - Must (sügav toon, milles on natuke sädelevaid osakesi, kuid nad vaid elavdavad tooni veidi), Brun (tumedam kuldpruun) ja Sinine (roheka alatooniga). Guerlain on aastate jooksul välja tulnud limiteeritud aega saadaval olevate toonidega, mis on olnud osa nende kollektsioonidest.

Ostsin endale musta tooni, mis on tõesti tume ja hea pigmentatsiooniga ning püsib üsna kaua minu alumisel laujoonel ilma, et ta halliks muutuks. Aja möödudes on märgata, et värv hajub veidi ning liigub natuke allapoole, ripsmete lähedusse, kuid see muutus on tegelikult ilus - efekt on pigem 'võrgutavad-magamistoa-silmad' kui 'tere-ma-olen-pooleldi-pesukaru'.
Värvil pole minu jaoks sügavaid siniseid alatoone, mis on minu jaoks vägagi meeldiv.

Karbis, millesse toode on pakendatud, on pistetud üks paber, mis seletab kahte pealekandmisviisi - üks on traditsiooniline idamaine ja teine läänelik. Mina eelistan seda kasutada traditsioonilisel viisil, kuna aplikaator on juba pulgakujuline ja mõeldud selliseks kasutuseks ning mulle meeldib lõpptulemus nii rohkem. Ma pean küll lisama, et kui teile ei meeldi oma silmi puudutada, siis võib läänelik variant vähemalt alguses lihtsam ja ka meeldivam olla.

Traditsiooniline viis on umbes nii: keera pealne lahti ning tõmba pulk välja. Veendu, et pulk oleks ühtlaselt pulbriga kaetud. Kindlustamaks, et sa liialt palju kohli esimese hooga peale ei pane, koputa sõrmega üleliigne pulber pakendisse tagasi. Pane pulk oma alumise laujoone peale, üsna silmale lähedale, pigista õrnalt silm kinni ning vea pulk üle kogu laujoone. Pulk peaks kogu aeg puudutama su silma... mis kõlab õudselt, kuid see pole üldse valus ning pulber on spetsiaalselt formuleeritud, et isegi siis, kui natuke silma satub, ei saa see kuidagi liiga teha!

Kuna see on lahtine pulber, siis võib väike osa sellest põskedele kukkuda, kui sa väga ettevaatlik pole. Et seda ei juhtuks, soovitan alumiste ripsmete alla pabertaskurätiku panna või kanda toode peale enne jumestuskreemi, kuna pärast on seda üsna raske vigu parandada.

Minu viimane teema siin arvustuses on hügieen. Seda toodet ei tohi kellegagi jagada! Olgu, tehniliselt on see isegi võimalik, kuid seda pulka piisavalt desinfitseerida on väga raske ning see pole ka vaeva väärt. Ilmselt ei ole see väga suur argument paljudele inimestele, kuna enamik ei kavatse teistele meiki teha, kuid see võib olla siiski üks asi, millele mõelda.

Kokkuvõetuna:
+ Üliilus pakend
+ Kasutad väga vähe igal kasutuskorral
+ Kaunid toonid (nii tavavärvid kui ka limiteeritud versioonid!)
+ Kauapüsiv
+ Ei kahjusta mitte kuidagi (pliivaba)
- Kallis
- Pole võimalust desinfitseerida
- Võib olla raske peale kanda

Üldiselt olen ma tootega väga rahul ja ma olen õnnelik, et selle lõpuks ostsin!

9/10

YSL Anti-Cernes Multi-Action Concealer

2011-07-09T20:21:00.005+03:00

In my makeup wearing years I've tried numerous concealers, most of which have been drugstore ones. Now, I don't have anything against drugstore makeup (in fact, recent discoveries have opened my eyes considerably and I've seriously warmed up to it), but for some reason I've never had much luck with cheap concealers. Frustrated that yet another product had turned horribly orange on me, I decided to look into more pricier products. And so I discovered my current favorite.

Image from sephora.com

The YSL Anti Cernes Multi Action Concealer does its job remarkably well - it covers up both blemishes and my terribly dark undereye circles with relative ease and doesn't look cakey. It's not particularly matte, perhaps because it has light diffusing particles in it, yet they're subtle enough not to highlight red spots. Its consistency is solid, yet creamy and is very blendable.

As with all concealers, you do need to set it, but I find that once you've done that, it doesn't really move, unless you rub your face. It looks quite natural, and one of the factors to thank for this is the colors. The selection isn't good for dark skins, as it has only four shades (I've only seen the three lighter shades in stores around here), but the existing colors seem quite wearable. I use the lightest shade (1 Ivory Beige) and while it has a yellow tone to it, it's definitely not overpowering and it really is a good match (I'm an NC15- NC20, for reference).

YSL says that this concealer has good pigmentation, and I'd have to say I quite agree with them. However, since I prefer quite a flawless base for my makeup on most days, I go through them more often than I would like to, which isn't a particularly good thing, considering that's it's quite a pricy product for the small amount you get in the container (2 grams/0.07 oz).

The packaging is gorgeous - a gold column that's a bit weighty. It sits well in hand and is quite comfortable to hold when using it.

All in all, it's a great concealer, and its only cons are the price and the amount you get. I'll keep using it until I find a similar one that does its job just as well and has a better size vs price value.

7/10

Eestikeelne tõlge lingle klõpsates!

Nendel aastatel, mil ma olen meiki kandnud, olen ma proovinud mitmeid peitepulki ja -kreeme, millest enamik on olnud odavast hinnaklassist. Ma ütlen igaks juhuks kohe ära, et kuigi mul pole mitte midagi selliste toodete vastu (ja hiljutised avastused odava meigi vallas on mu silmi palju avanud), kuid mingil põhjusel pole mul odavate peitepulkadega erilist õnne olnud. Pärast seda, kui ma pahane olin, nähes, et järjekordne toode oli oranžika varjundi juurde võtnud, otsustasin kallimate toodetega meigilettide poole pöörduda. Ja ma avastasin oma praeguse lemmiku.

YSL Anti-Cernes Multi-Action Concealer teeb oma tööd vägagi hästi - katab nii vistrikud kui ka minu ülitumedad silmaalused üsna vähese vaevaga ning ei näe ülepingutatud välja. See pole eriti matt, ja võimalik, et see on osalt ka valgustpeegeldavate osade pärast. Valgustpeegeldavate osade koha pealt veel nii palju, et kuigi öeldakse, et need ei ole head peitepulkades, millega vistrikke katta, ei ole need selles tootes niivõrd prevaleerivad, et selle koha pealt toote efektiivsust segaksid. Konsistentsilt on peitekreem piisavalt tahke, kuid samas väga mõnusalt kreemjas ning kerge vaevaga hajutatav.

Nagu ikka peitepulkadega, tuleb ka see kerge Puudrikihiga katta, et see püsiks, ja kui see tehtud on, olen ma tähele pannud, et see ei kipu kuhugi kaduma päeva jooksul, juhul kui sa kätega nägu ei juhtu hõõruma. See näeb üsna naturaalne välja, ja ma usun, et üheks faktoriks, mis seda võimaldab, on selle toonid. Valik pole kõige parem tumeda nahaga inimestele, ning sel on vaid neli tooni (siinkandi poodides olen näinud vaid kolme kõige heledamat müügil), kuid olemasolevad värvid tunduvad üsna kantavad. Ma kasutan kõige heledamat neist (1 - Ivory Beige) ja kuigi sel on üsna tuntav kollakas toon juures, pole see mingil juhul ülitugev (ma olen MACi jumestuskreemide skaalas umbes NC15-NC20).

YSLi reklaamteksti järgi on tootel hea pigmenatsioon, ja ma pean ütlema, et selles osas ma täitsa nõustun nendega. Samas eelistan ma enamikel päevadest üsna veatut pinda meigiks, mistõttu saab toode kiiremini otsa kui mulle meeldiks, ning see pole eriti positiivne uudis, kuna see on üsna kallis arvestades väikest kogust, mis pakendis on (2 grammi).

Pakend aga on väga ilus - kuldne neljakandiline väike sammas, mis kaalub üllatavalt palju. Meiki tehes käes väga mugav hoida.

Kokkuvõttes on see väga hea peitepulk, ja selle mõneks miinuseks on kallis hind, eriti arvestades väikest kogust. Samas on see absoluutselt parim,mida ma olen kasutanud ning ma jätkan sellega, kuni ma pole sama hästi töötavat ning paema hinna-kvaliteedi suhtega toodet leidnud.

7/10

Chanel Poudre Universelle Libre Natural Finish Loose Powder

2011-07-06T19:07:00.001+03:00

Image from: chanel.com

Chanel.com describes this as: "Ultra-soft loose powder provides sheer, light coverage with a soft matte finish, setting and perfecting makeup as it evens skin tone. Photo-reflective pigments help disguise imperfections without emphasizing lines.".

I use this as a setting powder over my liquid foundation (Chanel Mat Lumiere - see my review here) and concealer, and this does its job beautifully - it sets it properly, giving it a natural finish. I find that you can alter the finish slightly using different techniques - for example, using a powder puff (I use the one the powder comes with, it's of great quality), pushing the product it and knocking the unnecessary off with a powder brush makes it more matte than it would be when applying it with just a brush. As the day goes by, it gradually melds into my skin, making it look more and more natural as the day goes by.
By the afternoon, I find I need a bit of touching up as the first bits of oil starts seeping through - keep in mind that I'm not extremely oily, so some people might need touching up a bit earlier.

The color selection is great for light to medium-dark skins. A couple of lighter shades are supposed to be translucent, and don't give much color, so I imagine they're quite universally usable without the danger of looking ashy. However, it might be that extremely light skins and very dark skins may find it difficult to get a color match or find that the "translucent" shades give a tiny bit of unnecessary color.

The product is housed in a large sturdy round plastic pot, which sits comfortably on table and is usable without the fear of knocking it accidentally over. One of the most positive things about the packaging is that it really doesn't break easily - I've used up around three of four of these and have probably dropped each one of them to the floor at some point, yet none of them have broken.
The sifter is covered with a piece of clear tape to prevent powder from spilling before first use - I'd recommend not pulling it off completely, because it prevents you from shaking out too much powder. You also get 30 grams/1 ounce of product which I think is a great value for money, even when considering the price ($52.00 at chanel.com) because it'll last you for some time.

10/10

Eestikeelne tõlge lingile klõpsates!

Chanel.com kirjeldab seda toodet kui: "Ultra-soft loose powder provides sheer, light coverage with a soft matte finish, setting and perfecting makeup as it evens skin tone. Photo-reflective pigments help disguise imperfections without emphasizing lines.".

Kasutan seda puudrit nö meigi kinnitamiseks, kui olen juba jumestuskreemi (Chanel Mat Lumiere - loe my review'd siit) ning peitepulga peale kandnud, ja see teeb oma tööd korralikult - kinnitab meigi hästi ja näeb võrdlemisi loomulik välja. Olen avastanud, et selle toote puhul saab lõpptulemust veidi muuta, näiteks puudritupsuga (ma kasutan seda, mis tootega kaasas on, väga hea kvaliteediga) puudrit nahale peale pressides ja hiljem pintsliga üleliigse ära pühkides saab matima lõpptulemuse kui lihtsalt puudripintsliga nahale kandes. Päeva jooksul muutub puuder mu nahal järjest loomulikumaks, justkui sinna sisse sulades.
Alles pärastlõunal või õhtupoole tunnen tavaliselt, et olen natuke liiga läikivaks muutunud ning mõnele kohale on vaja uut kihti. Samas, ma pole väga rasuse nahaga inimene, seega mõnel teisel inimesel võib touch up-i veidi varem vaja minna.

Värvitoonid on heledale-keskmisele nahale väga head. Kaks heledamat tooni on läbipaistvad (translucent), ja ei anna seega eriti palju värvi ning ei kata erinevaid iluvigu, seega ma eeldan, et oma nahatoonile sobiva vaste leiab üsna suur hulk inimesi. Samas, äärmiselt heleda või väga tumeda nahatooniga inimesed ei pruugi siiski rahule jääda.

Toode on väga vastupidavas suures plastpurgis, millest ei ole karta, et selle kogemata ümber lükkab. Üks positiivsemaid asju selle pakendi juures on see, et ta ei lähe kergesti katki - olen neid kolm-neli ära kasutanud ja igaühte vähemalt korra maha kukutanud ning mitte ükski pole mõranenud.

Nagu alati, on ka sellel tolmpuudri purgil väikesed augud, millest puudrit saab välja raputada. Auke katab tükk läbipaistvat teipi, mida ma ei soovitaks täiesti ära tõmmata, kuna sellega saab ennetada situatsiooni, et kogemata liialt palju puudrit välja raputad.
Pakendis on 30 grammi toodet, ning ma arvan, et see on üsna hea kogus, kuna seda ei kulu palju. Seega, kuigi see on üsna kallis, kestab ta kaua.

10/10

2 Homemade Masks I Regularly Use.

2011-04-04T19:00:00.001+03:00

Image credit: almightydad.com

This is just a quick post to go with my recent skincare-theme. I love using masks when I feel my skin needs a quick boost. Store bought masks can be quite pricy sometimes (like all cosmetics), but I've found that in some cases, using everyday nourishing ingredients might work just as well, if not better!

Yogurt mask. Well, I'm a huge fan of yogurt, especially when I'm working out and want to build muscle. It's great for your body, and it's good for your skin as well! Just cleanse your face, and apply non-flavored natural yogurt. Leave it on for 15-20 minutes. For a full effect, use full fat, and not low or non-fat. You can pretty much use whatever brand you like best, but I'm a fan of Activia, which has a very small ingredients list (a HUGE plus in my book!). I find this mask to be very smoothing and my skin is very even-toned after using it. Some people like to mix honey with the yogurt, which makes the consistency a bit less runny and is a bit more moisturizing - just play around with it and find out what combination suits you the best!

Aspirin mask. Ahh, yes, the infamous aspirin mask, a Godsend for oily skin with blemishes. I'm sure you've all heard of it, but I feel that sometimes we just forget all the old remedies constantly trying new products.
Just crush some uncoated tablets (I use about 4-5) with a tiny bit of water to make a paste and apply it either all over your face (avoiding the eye area, of course) or use it as a spot treatment. Leave it on for about 10-15 minutes, depending on how sensitive your skin is. However, since it is more harsh than the yogurt mask, I recommend trying it out on a small area at first to make sure your skin doesn't react badly to it.

I hope you all had a great weekend!

Eestikeelne tõlge lingile klõpsates!

See on lihtsalt lühike postitus, mis läheb kokku minu viimase kahe näohooldusteemalise postitusega. Ma armastan kasutada maske, kui tunnen, et mu nahal on vaja natuke sügavamat hooldust kui tavaliselt. Post ostetud maskid võivad üsnagi kallid olla (nagu muu kosmeetikagi), kuid ma leian, et mõnikord on igapäevaste toitvate ainete kasutamine tulemusrikkamgi!

Jogurtimask. Ma armastan jogurtit väga, eriti siis, kui ma trenni teen ja natuke lihasmassi suurendada tahan. See on hea su kehale ja hea ka su nahale. Lihtsalt puhasta nägu ja määri peale kiht naturaalset magustamata jogurtit. Jäta seista 15-20 minutit. Parema efekti saad siis, kui kasutad täisrasvast, mitte väherasvast, ja kindlasti mitte rasvavaba! Firma mõttes pole eriti vahet, millist sa kasutad, kuid mulle meeldib väga Activia, millel on väga lühike koostisainete nimekiri (mis on VÄGA SUUR pluss!). Minu jaoks on mask väga rahustav ja jätab mu naha ilusaks ja ühetooniliseks. Mõnedele inimestele meeldib kasutada mett sellega koos, mis teeb maski konsistentsi natuke paksemaks ja ka natuke nissutavamaks. Ma soovitan erinevate kogustega eksperimenteerida ja vaadata, milline sulle endale paremini sobib!

Aspiriinimask. Jah, see kurikuulus aspiriinimask, mis sobib eriti hästi rasusele, vistrikega kimpus nahale. Olen kindel, et olete sellest juba palju kuulnud, kuid mulle tundub, et need kõige tavalisemad ja tuntumad viisid naha seisundit parandada jäävad aeg-ajalt tahaplaanile meie tuhinas kõike uut proovida.
Purusta mõned tabletid peos (ma kasutan umbes 4-5 korraga) ning sega väga vähese veega kuni saad pasta. Määri see kogu näole vältides silmade piirkonda või kasuta paiguti. Jäta see peale 10-15 minutiks, olenevalt sellest kui tundlik su nahk on. Kuna see on aga tugevama toimega mask kui jogurt, siis soovitan seda proovida alguses väikesel alal, et kindlaks teha, ega sellest halba reaktsiooni ei teki.

Ma loodan, et teil kõigil oli ilus nädalavahetus!

My skincare routine.

2011-04-03T11:00:00.005+03:00

Skincare has been extremely important to me ever since I started getting problems with my skin - which was when I was about ten! I have to admit, since I was quite young back then, I wasn't really bothered to wash my face every night or use toner every time, but later on, the connection between me being meticulous with my skincare and having my face a bit calmer than usual became apparent.
Since I love reading what products other people use on their skin, I figured why not write my own post about it?

Image credits go to: Amazon.co.uk, nordstom.com, drhauschka.com and lumene.com

Cleanser: Lumene Matt Touch Balancing Skin Cleanser.
Now, I have to admit that I'm a bit of a high end snob makeup-wise, but I have found that this (and a couple others) relatively inexpensive products really work for me. This cleanser isn't anything special, and I doubt it controls oil very well, but it has a nice texture, leaves my face clean and, most importantly, doesn't break me out!

Toner: Lumene Matt Touch Balancing Toner.
Again, this isn't expensive and does the job well. I don't find it to be a necessary step in my cleansing routine, so I sometimes skip it (though I like using it at night after taking off my makeup, to make sure I really got everything off my face!). It does contain quite a bit of alcohol, so if you have problems with using products containing it it or have dry skin, I suggest avoiding it altogether.

Moisturizer: Dr. Hauschka Normalizing Day Oil.
I've blogged about this before, and I have to say that I still love it and I've got nothing bad to say about it! I firmly believe that this has contributed to my skin normalizing a bit and not being crazy oily all the time. Best skincare product I've ever used. However, I don't adore the packaging that much, since the cap tends to leak a bit.

Makeup remover: Neutrogena Oil Free Makeup Remover.
This, I like, not love. It has a nice creamy consistency and smells very fresh. It's also quite gentle on the skin; Neutrogena even says that you can safely skip the cleanser and go to bed after using it. I've done that a couple of times when I was feeling really tired, and it didn't break me out - I suspect it was thanks to the lack of oils that don't agree with my skin. I find, however, that I have to use it quite a lot if I want it to completely remove my makeup (and I do!).

I also sometimes use YSL Gommage Action Biologique sans Grains, which is a granule-free scrub. I have quite a generous sized sample of this, but I'm seriously considering purchasing it once I've run out if it - and I'm also thinking of doing a proper review on it, it certainly deserves one!

So there you go, my skincare staples. I still like trying new products, and if I find something worth talking about, you'll definitely hear about it, but these are the ones I've found work best on my skin at the moment - so unless something changes drastically, I'll keep on using them!

I'd LOVE to hear about your skincare routine!

Eestikeelne versioon lingile klõpsates!

Nahahooldus on minu jaoks äärmiselt tähtis olnud alates sellest ajast kui mul esimesed probleemid sellega tekkisid - ma võisin vaid kümnene olla! Pean tunnistama, et kuna ma tol ajal veel väga noor olin, ei viitsinud ma alati igal õhtul oma nahka pesuvahendiga pesta või kasutada näovett, kuid hiljem sai seos korraliku nahahoolduse ning naha vistrikuvaba olemise vahel mulle väga tugevalt selgeks.
Kuna mulle meeldib lugeda postitusi, kus inimesed kirjutavad enda lemmiknahahooldustoodetest, mõtlesin, et võiksin ka enda omi jagada.

Näopuhastusvahend: Lumene Matt Touch Balancing Skin Cleanser.
Võin öelda aeg-ajalt enda kohta, et ma olen küllaltki snoobliku suhtumisega meigibrändide vallas, kallutusega pigem natuke kallimate kui odavamate suunas, kuid ma olen leidnud, et see üsna odav toode (ja ka veel paar teist) sobivad minu nahale vägagi hästi. See näopuhastusvahend pole iseenesest midagi erilist; ma kahtlen, kas ta rasu kontrollib, nagu lubatud, kuid sel on hea tekstuur ning jätab mu naha puhtaks. Lisaks, see ei tekita mul vistrikke!

Näovesi: Lumene Matt Touch Balancing Toner.
Jällegi, see pole kallis ja teeb oma tööd hästi. Ma ei leia, et see oleks tingimata vajalik osa minu näopuhastusprotseduurist, ning seega jätan ma selle aeg-ajalt vahele (kuid mulle meeldib seda kasutada õhtuti pärast meigi mahavõtmist, et kindlaks teha, kas kogu meik on maha tulnud). Selles on alkoholi sees, ja seega soovitaksin ma selle toote vältimist, kui sul on kuiv nahk või probleeme toodetes sisalduva alkoholiga.

Niisutaja: Dr.Hauschka Normalizing Day Oil.
Ma olen sellest juba enne kirjutanud, ja ma võin öelda, et mu tunded on samaks jäänud - parim nahahooldustoode, mida ma kasutanud olen! Ma usun, et see on kaasa aidanud mu naha normaliseerumisele - mu nahk pole enam kaugeltki nii rasune pärast selle kasutamahakkamist. Üks väike negatiivne aspekt siiski on see, et pudelikork lekitab mõnikord veidi toodet välja.

Meigieemaldaja: Neutrogena Oil Free Makeup Remover.
See mulle meeldib, kuid ma ei armasta seda. Sel on hea kreemjas konsistents, ning lõhnab väga hästi, väga värskelt. Neutrogena ütleb, et pärast selle kasutamist ei pea tingimata oma nägu pesema. Olen sedagi teinud ning mu nahk ei muutunud sellest kuidagi halvemaks - ma kahtlustan, et see on tänu nende õlide puudumisele, mis mu nahaga ei sobi. Halb on aga see, et ma pean seda üsnagi palju kasutama, et kogu oma meiki lõplikult maha saada.

Aeg-ajalt kasutan ka YSL Gommage Action Biologique sans Grains, mis on graanulivaba koorija. Mul õnnestus saada sellest üsna suur proovituub, kuid ma mõtlen tõsiselt selle ostmisele, kui ükskord testri ära kasutan. Arvan, et kirjutan sellest ma mingil hetkel arvustuse - see on kindlasti seda väärt!

Need olid mu põhilised näohooldusvahendid. Mulle meeldib uute toodete proovimine, ja kui ma midagi uut leian, mis oleks mainimist väärt, kuulete sellest kindlasti, kuid need on tooted, mis minu nahaga kõige paremini sobivad.

Millised on teie lemmiktooted?

Garnier Pure 3 in 1 AKA Pack Better!

2011-04-01T07:39:00.000+03:00

Image credit: death-breath.blogspot.com

I don't really like writing negative reviews, but I had an extremely bad experience with a cleanser I had to use for a week - Garnier Pure 3 in 1 Wash-Scrub-Mask.

During Christmastime, I visited a part of my family living in the other side of Estonia. Being the terrible procrastinator I usually am, I left my packing to the last minute, and as a result, left my regular cleanser behind.

Alright, the perfect time to try a new one. My mother handed my the Garnier 3 in 1 cleanser and since I'd heard nothing but good things about it from her, I eagerly tried it.

I wouldn't consider my skin to be a particularly sensitive one, and it rarely breaks out from any products used on my skin, but during the week I stayed at my relative's place, my skin got progressively worse - I broke out in places I usually break out, but much more severely - in clusters, which usually never happens. At first, I thought my skin was just acting up because I'd consumed more sugary foods than I usually do, but even after eating healthy for a couple of days, the breakouts just wouldn't go away - when one had healed, another one popped up. It was horrible.
When I finally got home, I immediately switched to my normal cleanser and slowly but surely my skin cleared up again.

On the plus side, it did cleanse well and my skin felt quite clean and fresh after using it. It controlled my oiliness quite well, and I imagine I have to thank kaolin mud for that. It's also cheap, so if it works for you, it's probably a very good deal.

Based on my bad experience, I wouldn't really recommend it - it broke me out and the scrubbing particles were very rough on my skin. On the other hand, my mother absolutely loves it, so maybe it's better suited for more mature skin what can take daily scrubs well.

4/10

Eestikeelne tõlge lingile klõpsates!

Mulle ei meeldi eriti kirjutada negatiivseid arvustusi, kuid mul oli äärmiselt halb kogemus ühe näopesuvahendiga, mida ma kasutasin nädal aega - Garnier Pure 3 in 1 Wash-Scrub-Mask.

Jõulude paiku külastasin oma sugulasi, kes elavad teises Eesti otsas. Endale tüüpiliselt lükkasin reisiks pakkimist pikalt edasi ning viimase hetke pakkimistuhinas unustasin enda tavalise näopesugeeli koju.

Olgu, parim aeg uute toodete proovimiseks. Mu ema ulatas mulle Garnier Pure 3 in 1 pesuvahendi ja kuna ma olin juba pikemat aega temalt selle kohta vaid häid sõnu kuulnud, otsustasin ma selle ka enda peal ära proovida.

Ma ei ütleks, et mu nahk just väga tundlik oleks, ja mul ei teki ka tavaliselt toodetest vistrikke eriti tihti, kuid selle nädala jooksul, mille ma oma sugulaste juures veetsin, muutus mu nahk järk-järgult hullemaks - vistrikud tekkisid tavalistesse kohtadesse, kuid tunduvalt hullemini - kogumitena, mida juhtub äärmiselt harva, kui üldse. Alguses arvasin, et mu nahale lihtsalt ei meeldi, et ma olin paari viimase päeva jooksul rohkem maiustusi söönud, kuid isegi pärast paari päeva väga tervislikult söömist, keeldus mu nahk paremaks muutumast - kui üks vistrik oli paranenud, kerkis uus juurde. Kohutav.
Kui ma lõpuks koju jõudsin, hakkasin kohe tenda tavalist näopesugeeli kasutama ning mu nahk muutus tagasi normaalseks, kuid aeglaselt.

Kui positiivsetest külgedest rääkida, siis see toode tõesti puhastas hästi. Mu nahk tundus pärast pesemist väga värske ning puhas. Lisaks kontrollis see ka mu rasueritust üsnagi hästi, ja ma usun, et ma pean selle eest tänama selles sisalduvat kaolini muda. Pesuvahend on lisaks ka odav, seega, juhul kui see su nahale sobib, on see üsna hea diil.

Kui aga baseeruda minu halval kogemusel, siis ma ei soovitaks seda toodet - nagu ennegi öeldud, tekitas see mulle väga palju vistrikke ning koorivad osakesed olid minu naha jaoks liialt tugevad. Samas, mu ema on sellega väga rahul, seega on võimalik, et see sobib pigem vanemale nahale ning nahale, mis peab vastu igapäevasele koorimisele.

4/10

Ins and Outs 2!

2011-03-31T09:56:00.000+03:00

Image credit: weheartit.com

I think it's time for the second edition of 'Ins and Outs'. My life has been changing tremendously, so I though I'd share some of my thoughts!

Ins:

Lipglosses. I haven't been a fan of lipglosses for so long - I think the last time I used them regularly was in the fifth grade! Maybe it's the upcoming spring or just me trying to lighten up my makeup routine, but I've been absolutely crazy about lipglosses ( I'm also LOVING Dolce & Gabbana ones!). I'm currently on the search for a gorgeous peachy one - I'm thinking of trying Chanel Glossimers, what do you think?
Fitness. I have never been the most athletic person, but I started exercising regularly a couple years ago. I went through a personal crisis a year ago, and fell off the wagon. But now, I've started a new training program called Insanity, and oh my goodness, the name is definitely NOT a marketing ploy! I'm on the second week, and I already feel that I'm getting stronger - it feels so good!
Staying on top of schoolwork. Last semester taught me well - it's better to study continuously, not wait until the exam session to start studying. This has also been a part of the reason as to why I've been so silent lately, but I'm trying to balance schoolwork with my other hobbies and hopefully I'll be able to update more regularly!

Outs:

Insecurities. I think every woman is occasionally plagued with them, but it's really time to start appreciating who you are and what you've been given!
Laziness. If given the chance, I can be incredibly lazy and SUCH a procrastinator, but it's actually very important to me to keep busy - so I've been searching for jobs (that can also fund my beauty addiction, haha!).

What have you been up to and what are your ins and outs, my dear readers?

Guerlain Meteorites Teint Rosé

2011-03-30T20:09:00.000+03:00

Image credit: fruitylashes.com

So I've liked Guerlain for a while now, despite now having a chance to try most of their products and not having a counter in my town. I love-love-LOVE their perfumes and adore their packaging, and reading all the glowing reviews have managed to turn me into a fan.
On a quite recent trip to Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia, I decided to finally purchase my first Guerlain beauty product, and I decided on the Meteorites, perhaps the most known Guerlain product of all.

We had all three color options at the counter: Teint Rosé (multicolored), Teint Beige (beige, like the name, medium shades) and Teint Dore(the darkest of them). The sales assistant recommended me Teint Rosé because my skintone is quite light, but upon using it for some time, I find that you can pretty much choose whatever color you like best, because they're quite sheer.

What does Guerlain say about the Meteorites?
INSPIRED BY LIGHT, CREATED BY GUERLAIN When white light passes through a prism, it separates into a spectrum of different colours. Inversely, all of these colours together recreate ideal light. This is the principle behind the decomposition and recomposition of light. In photography and film, white light is used to erase imperfections and soften features. In 1987, Guerlain decided to use this technology to add dazzling radiance to women’s faces and thus created Météorites... In 2010, Météorites have added a new chapter to their legend. Evanescence, lightness, and transparency … They now come in 3 new colour harmonies, holding the secret to the purest radiance ever for each skin tone.

Pros:

Gorgeous packaging - I like that Guerlain decided to change the previous cardboard box into a metallic looking tin, adds sophistication.
Wonderful smell. It's a quite strong floral, a bit vintage-y. It can go either way, actually, because it's quite strong, so people who have problems with fragranced products may want to stay away from it. The smell doesn't linger, though.
The finish. I haven't used it as a setting powder, because I imagine that it doesn't have good oil control, but I apply a layer of my usual powder (Chanel Universelle Libre) and this over it, and it gives the most gorgeous slightly luminous finish.
The Fun Factor. Admit it, the balls are quite nice to look at. I sometimes take them out of my makeup drawer and just look at them - so beautiful! And it's fun to swirl my brush in the sea of colored balls - adds a bit of playfulness into my morning routine.

Cons:

THE PRICE. I know- I know. Guerlain is a luxury brand, what do I expect? But it costs around 50 USD in the States and even more in Estonia, which is a bit steep.
Sheerness. I'm not personally bothered by it, because too much shimmer and glow on my face will make it look like a disco ball (and this is not a fun look), but I know some people have been complaining about it, so if you're looking for a traditional highlighter, I suggest looking into MAC Mineralize Skinfinishes.

All in all, I love the product, and while it is a bit of a splurge, I imagine it lasting for quite a while, even with my daily use. It gives me the most gorgeous diffused glow - think Cybill Shepherd in Moonlighting (God, I miss that show!) and I couldn't be more happier with it.

8/10

Eestikeelne tõlge lingile klõpsates!

Mulle on Guerlain juba päris pikka aega meeldinud, vaatamata sellele, et mul pole olnud võimalust enamikke nende tooteid proovida. Ma lihtsalt armastan nende parfüüme ja samuti ka nende pakendeid-pudelikesi, ning erinevate positiivsete arvustuste lugemine on mind muutnud nende fänniks.

Ühel hiljutisel reisil Tallinna otsustasin lõpuks oma esimese Guerlaini ilutoote soetada, ja otsustasin Meteorites'i kasuks (kuna ma nimetan neid lihtsalt Meteoriitideks päriselus, siis nimetan neid edaspidi siingi nii).

Meil oli kõik kolm tooni letis saadaval: Teint Rosé (mitmevärviline), Teint Beige (beežikas, keskmised toonid) ja Teint Dore (kõige tumedam neist). Müüja soovitas mul osta Teint Rosé, kuna mul on üsnagi hele nahk, kuid nüüd, kui ma olen neid juba mõnda aega saanud kasutada, ütleksin ma, et valida võib ka lihtsalt värvide meeldivuse alusel, kuna nad pole kõige tugevama pigmenteeritusega.

Mida ütleb Guerlain Meteoriitide kohta?

INSPIRED BY LIGHT, CREATED BY GUERLAIN When white light passes through a prism, it separates into a spectrum of different colours. Inversely, all of these colours together recreate ideal light. This is the principle behind the decomposition and recomposition of light. In photography and film, white light is used to erase imperfections and soften features. In 1987, Guerlain decided to use this technology to add dazzling radiance to women’s faces and thus created Météorites... In 2010, Météorites have added a new chapter to their legend. Evanescence, lightness, and transparency … They now come in 3 new colour harmonies, holding the secret to the purest radiance ever for each skin tone.

Plussid:

Äärmiselt ilus pakend. Mulle meeldb, et Guerlain vahetas oma eelmise Meteoriitide silmnähtavalt karbist pakendi metalse vastu - läheb paremini brändiga kokku.
Lõhn. Üsna tugevalt lilleline, veidi vanamoodne. Mulle isiklikult meeldib, kuid mõnede jaoks on see kindlasti miinus. Üldiselt, inimesed, kel on probleeme lõhnastatud kosmeetikaga, peaksid sellest arvatavasti eemale hoidma. Positiivne on see, et lõhn ei jää külge terveks päevaks ja hajub pealekandmisel üsna kiiresti.
Välimus nahal. Ma pole seda kasutanud oma tavalise puudri asemel, kuna ma kahtlustan, et erilist rasukontrolli tootel pole, kuid ma kannan peale kihi oma tavalist puudrit (Chanel Universelle Libre) ja seejärel õhukese kihi Meteoriite ning lõpptulemus jääb väga ilusalt kumav.
The Fun Factor. Pean tunnistama, need pallikesed on ilusad lihtsalt vaadata, lisaks on nii tore igal hommikul pintsliga karbi sees ringe teha ja näha kuidas värvilised pallid ringi klõbisevad.

Miinused:

HIND. See on tõsiselt kallis toode. Ma ei mäleta, kui palju ta täpselt Tallinna Kaubamajas maksis, kuid juba Ameerikas on ta ca 50 dollarit, ning seega ei pruugi ta kõigile seda hinda väärt olla.
Vähepigmenteeritus ja läbipaistvus. Mul pole sellega isiklikult probleeme, kuna liialt palju sädelust minu näol muudab selle lõpuks diskopalli sarnaseks, kuid olen üsnagi palju nurinaid kuulnud, et ta on liialt vähenähtav näol. Seega kui otsid mõnda traditsioonilisemat highlighterit, soovitan pigem vaadata MAC Mineralize Skinfinishite poole (mis peaksid 22-24€ kanti jääma).

Lõppkokkuvõttes meeldivad Meteoriidid mulle väga, ja kuigi see on üsna suur väljaminek, olen ma kindel, et see kestab pikk aega, isegi minu igapäevase kasutusega. See annab mulle äärmiselt ilusa hajutatud kuma - meenutage Cybill Shepherdi sarjas Partnerid (jah, see, kus noor Bruce Willis mängis!) ja ma ei saaks rohkem rahul olla.

8/10

Chanel Mat Lumiere

2011-03-08T17:11:00.000+02:00

Image credit: skinstep.com

It seems like I've been always searching for my HG foundation, ever since I tried my first - Shiseido Stick Foundation (too oily), Clinique Stay True (poor color match - too pink), Dior Forever (too pink). Everyone has their own criteria for their perfect match - mine should have quite good coverage, have a wide shade selection (especially in the yellowish range) and control oil production fairly well.

After I'd used up my Dior foundation and figured out that I actually had a warm skin tone, I decided to do some research and found Chanel Mat Lumiere to try next. So how does it hold up to my criteria?

Coverage and feel: It covers quite well, but compared to my last foundation - Dior Forever - it seems a bit more sheer. It covers minor imperfections and mildly red patches with relative ease, but I have to say that I have to layer it to make it cover more. It has a medium coverage, I'd say. It feels light on skin and never too drying or oily (except for when I've worn it for 12 hours).
I've found that it applies best when I use my fingers - I used the 188 brush to apply it once, and while it didn't take any longer, I didn't like it for some reason. It exaggerates dry, flaky patches somewhat, so moisturize well before applying, especially when you have normal to dry skin. It works best for combination so slightly oily skin, but it might not hold up well for people with really oily skin.
I love the finish, it's quite matte but not overly so (it's named perfectly).
I'm not sure how it photographs, because it has SPF 15 in it, but Lisa Eldridge says that she uses Chanel foundations on a lot of her clients without any problems, and I trust her.

Price: I've said it numerous times before - everything in Estonia is overpriced, so you can imagine that it costs quite a bit over here. However, it is Chanel, so you can't really expect their foundation (or any product of theirs) to be in the drugstore price range.

Shade: I use number 20 Clair and it's the best match I've ever had. It's still a tiny bit dark for me, but not very noticeably so. I suppose it will be perfect in spring and I can warm it up during summer using a bit more bronzer. I'm around NC20, for reference. It has quite a bit of yellow in it, so if you have strong cool undertones or are neutral, it may look unnatural on you.

Summary: I really, really like this foundation. The color match is fairly good, it holds up well, doesn't feel like I have a ton of make up on and doesn't break me out. The price is very high, though. I think it may be HG material, but I think I might try a couple of foundations before settling on it (like Guerlain Parure Extreme, which I fear might be too pink on me).

9.5/10

PS. I have a list of product what I want to review: the 129, 109, 188, Guerlain Meteorites, Dior Poudre Shimmer Amber Diamond, MAC Creme d'Nude and MAC Melba. What would you like me to review next? I'd LOVE to hear your opinions!

Eestikeelne tõlge lingile klõpsates!

Tundub, nagu oleksin ma alates sellest ajast, mil ma oma esimest jumestuskreemi proovisin, oma HG-d otsinud. Mu esimene kogemus jumestuskreemide vallas oli Shiseido Foundation Stick (liiga rasune ega püsinud peal kaua), siis tuli Clinique Stay True (halb värvivalik, liiga roosa) ning siis Dior Forever (samuti liialt roosa).
Igalühel meist on omad kriteeriumid, millele nad tahavad, et nende jaoks perfektne jumestuskreem mahuks - minu jaoks peab toode katma piisavalt hästi, omama suurt värvivalikut (eriti kollakate toonide hulgas) ja kontrollima rasueritust üsnagi hästi.

Pärast seda, kui olin oma Dior Foreveri lõpuni kasutanud, sain aru, et olen tegelikult soojade alatoonidega ning otsustasin kollase alatooniga jumestuskreemi proovida. Pärast veidikest uurimistööd jäin Chanel Mat Lumiere juurde. Vaatame siis, kas ta mahub mu kriteeriumidesse.

Katvus ning tunne nahal: Katab üsnagi hästi, kuid võrreldes minu eelmise jumestuskreemiga veidi vähem. Katab kerge vaevaga kergemad vead ning punetuse, kuid raskemate asjade puhul jääb hätta. Samas võib välja tuua, et seda saab ka teise õhukese kihina peale kanda, ning see ei näe sugugi halb nii välja, kuid lõpuks on mul ikkagi vaja peitepulka vaja osadel kohtadel kasutada. Ma ütleksin, et ta katab keskmiselt ning ei jää nahal liialt kuivatav ega rasune (väljaarvatud siis, kui ta on mu nahal juba olnud ca 12 tundi).
Kannan seda nahale sõrmedega, ja mulle tundub, et see on parim viis. Kasutasin kord selleks MAC 188 pintslit, ja kuigi see ei näinud üldse halb välja, ega võtnud kauem aega, kuid mulle ei meeldinud millegipärast. See jumestuskreem rõhutab kuivi kohti ning ketendust, seega ma soovitaksin enne pealekandmist korralikult nahka niisutada, eriti siis, kui sul on normaalne või kergelt kuiv nahk. Sobib siiski paremini kombineeritud kuni kergelt rasusele nahale - kel on rohkem probleeme rasueritusega, võib püsivuse või läikimisega probleeme tekkida.
Mulle meeldib väga, kuidas see nahal jääb - üsna matt, kuid mitte liialt (perfektse nimega).
Ma poel kindel, kuidas see fotodel jääb, kuna sel on SPF 15 sees, kuid Lisa Eldridge ütleb, et ta kasutab seda paljudel oma klientidel probleemideta, ning ma usaldan teda.

Hind: Eestis üsnagi kallis, kuid nagu ma mitmeid-mitmeid kordi olen öelnud, on Eestis kõik asjad suure juurdehindlusega. Samas on see ikkagi Chanel, ja seega ei saa oodata, et see oleks Maybelline'ga samas hinnaklassis.

Toon: Kasutan number 20 Clairi ning see on parima sobivusega toon kõigist jumestuskreemitoonidest, mida ma proovinud olen. See on siiski väga natuke tume, kuid mitte märgatavalt (igatahes võrreldes ülipruunide toonidega, mida millegipärast Eestis müüakse, on see perfektne). Toon saab ülisobivaks ilmselt kevadel rohkema päikesevalgusega ning saan suvel seda veidi tumedamaks muuta natuke rohkem päikesepuudrit peale pannes. Hetkel olen MACi tonaalsuses umbes NC20. Muide, selles on üsna korralikult kollakat tooni sees, seega kui sa oled külma alatooniga või isegi neutraalne, võib ta üsna ebaloomulik jääda.

Kokkuvõte: Mulle väga, väga meeldib see jumestuskreem. Toon on üsna hea, see peab vastu mu nahal, ei teki tunnet, et mul oleks palju meiki peal ega tekita vistrikke juurde. Ainuke negatiivne külg on hind. Ma usun, et sellest saab minu HG, kuid ilmselt proovin ma veel paari jumestuskreemi (nagu näiteks Guerlaini Parure Extreme, kuid ma kardan, et see on järjekordselt liialt roosa minu jaoks), enne, kui ma selle juurde jään.

9.5/10

PS. Mul on terve hunnik tooteid, millest järgmise kirjutada: MACi pintslid 129, 109, 188, Guerlain Meteorites, Dior Poudre Shimmer Amber Diamond, MAC Creme d'Nude ja MAC Melba. Millest tahaksite teie järgmisena lugeda? Mulle meeldiks VÄGA teie arvamusi kuulda!

What's next?

2011-03-02T12:11:00.000+02:00

Sorry I've been extremely lazy at updating this blog. I still read all of your blogs and try to keep myself up to date with everything - I just have a lot going on in my life right now.

However, I decided to post a quick picture of what's to expect in the next couple of days (I realize the picture kinda crappy, but right now, I can't take any better photos).

Vabandust, ma olen väga laisk olnud blogisse uute postituste lisamisel. Ma loen ikka teie blogisid ja üritan end asjadega kursis hoida - mul on lihtsalt väga palju tegemist olnud.

Otsustasin end lõpuks kokku võtta ning postitada väikese preview sellest, mida järgmise päevade jooksul oodata võib (kahjuks ei mingit giveaway'd, kuigi need asjad oleksid tõesti seda väärt).

***

2010-12-24T10:17:00.000+02:00

Happy holidays, everyone!

Ilusaid pühi kõigile!

One Of My Favorites: Lancome La Base Pro

2010-12-14T17:58:00.000+02:00

Hi sweethearts!
Once again, I have to apologize for the lack of posts - there's so much going on with both school and my personal life, I just needed to take some time off and come online mostly for completing my schoolwork. The exam session is nearing rapidly (I have my Spanish exam today and another one on Friday, and the session is just starting out! Wish me luck.) so it's been a bit hectic, and frankly, I've been kind of panicky for the past couple of days. I'll try to catch up with all of your posts over the next couple of days and the weekend and leave comments!
However, I'm back and I have a review in store for you!

Image from lancome.ca

Lancome La Base Pro

It's my favorite primer. Lancome describes it as: "For gorgeous, picture-perfect makeup like a pro, this primer promises a smooth, radiant, canvas for a flawless makeup look. Lancôme’s exclusive Elasto-Smooth™ technology refines skin’s texture and diffuses light to visibly reduce imperfections with a satiny-soft finish. Makeup glides on effortlessly and color stays truer and more vibrant for that right-off-the-runway, air-brushed look that lasts until you take it off. Oil-free."

Like most primers, it's meant to be applied under the makeup, after the serum (if you happen to use it) and moisturizer.

The packaging: It's simple, sleek and elegant. One thing I'm a bit worried about is that it's a glass bottle, and I'm seriously afraid of breaking them. I've gone through three of them, and never broken any of them, so I guess my fears are a bit unreasonable. It has a pump dispenser, which is a great thing, in my opinion, because it keeps the product inside bacteria-free, and is less messy. You can also easily control how much product you want to dispense. One thing, though - when you're almost used the product up, it can be very tricky to get the remaining out. I've resorted to unscrewing the pump and using the thingy inside the bottle (using highly technical terms here, as you can see) to scrape the primer off the walls inside. It has worked great so far, but it's a bit too much work.

The texture: It's very slick, kind of slimy, even. I remember being a bit grossed out when I first tried it. However, I think the texture helps with the application - it goes on like a dream, but you should make sure you don't pump out too much of the product, because in reality, you only need just a little bit to cover your face. I imagine using too much of primer would have negative consequences.

It's colorless, so you don't have to worry about matching your skintone, and doesn't have a scent - as far as I could tell, at least.

Finish: After I've applied the primer, my skin seems to be more even and more matte. It doesn't make it completely shine-free, I still have a subtle glow, but personally, I don't really mind, because I find the really matte look to be a bit unnatural. My foundation goes on a lot better than without it. It also seems to prevent oxidization, which is always a plus!

Oil control: I have to admit, it isn't the best at controlling oil production, however, I have to say that I definitely see a difference when I don't use the primer and when I do. With it, in most cases my skin looks glowy and dewy. Without it, in most cases I end up looking greasy by midday.

Price: A bit steep, especially in Estonia, where most beauty products tend to be twice the price they are in the US, for example. You can get it for 42 USD at Sephora.

To sum up: I wouldn't say that my makeup looks airbrushed after using La Base Pro, but it does look good and last a great deal longer than without it. I love the satin finish and and the simple packaging. It doesn't break me out, I don't have to match my skintone and I barely feel it on. What more could you ask for? As far as I'm concerned, the only drawback is the price.

7/10

Eestikeelne tõlge lingile klõpsates!

Tere kallikesed!

Jällegi pean ma postituste vähesuse pärast vabandama - kool ja eraelu on viimasel ajal vägagi nõudlikuks muutunud ning seega oli mul tarvis veidi aeg maha võtta ning enamasti internetis olles koolitöödega tegeleda. Sess läheneb ülisuure kiirusega (mul on hispaania keeles homme eksam ning reedel ka veel üks! Soovige mulle õnne.), seega on mul üsna palju teoksil olnud, ning ausalt öeldes olen ma viimasel päevad päris paanikas olnud. Ma üritan teie kõigi postitustega järgmise paari päeva ning nädalavahetusega järje peale saada ning ka kommentaare jätta.

Aga praegu olen ma tagasi ja ühe väikese arvustusega!

Lancome La Base Pro

Minu lemmikprimer. Lancome kirjeldab oma toodet nii: "For gorgeous, picture-perfect makeup like a pro, this primer promises a smooth, radiant, canvas for a flawless makeup look. Lancôme’s exclusive Elasto-Smooth™ technology refines skin’s texture and diffuses light to visibly reduce imperfections with a satiny-soft finish. Makeup glides on effortlessly and color stays truer and more vibrant for that right-off-the-runway, air-brushed look that lasts until you take it off. Oil-free."

Nagu enamikkegi primereid, on see mõeldud kasutamiseks meigi all ning seerumi (kui te seda kasutate) ja päevakreemi/niisutaja peal.

Pakend: Lihtne, väljapeetud ning elegantne. Üks asi, mis mind veidi muretsema paneb, on see, et pudel on tehtud klaasist. Siiski olen ma kolm pudelit juba ära kasutanud, ning pole ühtegi neist lõhkunud, seega on mu kartused arvatavasti põhjendamatud. Toodet saab pumba abil kätte, mis on hea, sest see hoiab toote pudelikese sees bakterivaba ning on puhtam. Võid ka kergesti kontrollida, palju toodet soovid välja saada. Üks negatiivne asi - kui oled juba enamiku primerist ära kasutanud, on raske seda välja saada. Mina olen lahendanud probleemi nii, et olen korgi koos pumbaga lahti keeranud ning seda pudeli sees olevat toru (kasutan väga tehnilisi termineid, nagu näete) kasutanud toote pudeli siseseinte küljest kraapimiseks. See meetod on siiamaani hästi töötanud, kuid on ebamugav.

Tekstuur: Väga libe, isegi tundub veidi limane. Pean tunnistama, et esimeste korda proovides tundus mulle see ülimalt ebameeldiv. Samas arvan, et seesama tekstuur aitab toodet hästi peale kanda - see tõesti kandub naha väga hästi edasi, kuid peab vaid meeles pidama, et liiga hoogsalt toodet välja ei pumpaks, vaja läheb vaid natuke! Ma usun, et selle liiga tugeva kihi peale panemisel võib hoopiski soovitule vastupidine juhtuda.

Primer on värvitu, seega pole vaja muretseda oma nahatooniga sobitamise pärast ning sel pole ka lõhna - vähemalt mina ei tundnud.

Tulemus: Pärast primeri pealekandmist tundub mu nahk ühtlasem ning matim. See ei tee mu nahka äärmiselt matiks, vaid jätab pigem sellise kergelt kumava mulje, mille vastu mul midagi pole, sest mulle endale tundub selline palju loomulikum kui täiesti matt.

Jumestuskreemi pealekandmine on hoopis kergem ning tundub, et see hoiab ära ka oksüdeerumise (kui jumestuskreem mingi aja pärast kerge oranžika varjundi külge võtab).

Rasuerituse kontroll: Pean tunnistama, et selles kategoorias pole toode just kõige hiilgavam, kuigi pean ütlema, et ma näen vahet oma nahas ning jumestuskreemis nendel päevadel, mil ma seda kasutan ning päevadel, mil ma seda ei kasuta. Koos primeriga tundub mu nahk olevat pigem pigem kumav, selleta näen ma lihtsalt küllaltki läikiv välja keskpäevaks.

Hind: Küllaltki kõrge, eriti Eestis, kus, nagu teada, on paljud ilutooted kaks korda kallimad kui Ameerikas. Sephorast saab selle 42 dollari eest kätte, kuid Eesti kaubanduses maksab see tunduvalt rohkem.

Kokkuvõtteks: Kui vastata veidi Lancome'i väidetele oma toote kohta, siis ma ei ütleks, et mu nahk näeks välja airbrushitud La Base Pro'd kasutades, kuid pean ütlema, et see näeb siiski väga hea välja ning jumestus püsib ka tunduvalt kauem peal kui ilma selleta. Mulle meeldib see kergelt satiinjas lõpptulemus ja lihtne pakend. See ei tekita mul vistrikke, ma ei pea oma nahatooni sobitamise peale mõtlema ning ma ei tunne üldse, et mu nahal midagi ekstra veel peal oleks. Mida veel tahta? Ainus negatiivne pool on toote juures hind.

15 Things About Me.

2010-12-05T16:53:00.000+02:00

So I was reading The 6 Inch Stilettos and I saw a great survey-type thing. Since my blog is really new, I though you should know at least some things about the writer.

I can watch just about every type of movie but horror movies. The rare times I've seen one, I've always had nightmares or serious trouble falling asleep.
I love football (or soccer, if you're American). I think it's a great game and even though I can't play it well, I enjoy watching it. My favorite teams are Real Madrid, Olympique Lyonnais and Arsenal. The two other sports I love are tennis and figure skating.
The only sport I can play kind of well is field hockey. We used to play it at school in PE classes and it was really the only sports game I liked playing.
I started wearing make up when I was around fifteen. I still laugh when I see pictures from that time.
I love writing and I'd love to publish a book someday. Also, I'd like to write articles to Vogue. I know, it's kind of a stereotypical thing amongst beauty bloggers, but I truly enjoy reading the articles there and I'd like to contribute someday.
My plan is to work as a publicist. PR is a field that interests me very much (especially sports PR) and I hope that I'll get a job/internship in the field next summer.
I find Middle-Eastern culture inspiring and their music soothing.
A boy drew a portrait of me a couple of years ago.
I'm more or less fluent in Estonian and English and can speak some Russian (actually, people have said that when speaking Estonian, I tend to have a slight Russian accent, haha). I'm studying Spanish now and I'm kind of amazed how fast I'm learning it.
I love listening to foreign music (especially French and Spanish) and translating the lyrics so I can understand the words. It's great for two things: I've discovered loads of good artists this way and I can learn new words in different languages.
My favorite flowers are roses and orchids.
I make notes whenever I read fashion magazines (I'm also obsessed with post-its, pink ones are the best). I don't necessarily follow every single trend, but I like to keep an eye on how the fashion is constantly changing and making notes makes it so easy!
I have never used blush.
This summer I donated a bunch of my books to a small local library. They were so happy!
My eyes are dark blue with a bit of green and brown, which makes it hard for people to guess my eye color.

So that's it! If you'd like, fill out the survey - I think they're fun to read.

One of my favorites: Lace

2010-12-03T21:14:00.000+02:00

Lace is something that I've absolutely LOVED for ages. I remember being enchanted by a lacy dress my mother occasionally wore and the lace details of the cuffs on one of her blazers.

I think it's the combination of the daintiness of it and the dedication and hard work that goes into the process of creating even a small piece of it (if we're talking about handmade lace). It is a difficult craft and I admire the people who have taken the time to learn it properly and perfect it. I was once taught the art of needle lace, and I remember being so proud of being able to create something so beautiful, even though it didn't look very delicate like lace should be.

Image from: wikipedia.org

Now lace on clothes or even made into a clothing item is tricky to do - it's incredibly easy to make it look cheap or like a table-cloth. I like challenges, however, and that's why lace always keeps catching my eye in stores, now more than ever, because I keep browsing the stores for party dresses for this season (even though I don't have that many parties to attend - but hey, who says you can't dress up just for yourself?). I have picked a few of my favorite finds:

Image from: saksfifthavenue.com

Valentino Lace One Shoulder Dress - USD 3990/ EUR 3152

Okay, I know. This is probably out of everyone's price range, unless you already own a yacht or two and plan to attend most of the prestigious New Year's parties you've been invited to or you're Carrie Bradshaw (she's always been admired for her shoe collection, but I think her clothes were quirky, but equally fabulous). But seriously, if I could afford it, I'd buy it in a heartbeat - I find it to be one of the best examples of lace done well.
PS. I also adore the D&G Lace Strapless Dress for the same reason, plus it comes in such a gorgeous shade of red.

Image from: nordstrom.com

Sue Wong Ribbon Lace Sheath Dress - USD 338

It's a bit more affordably priced than the previous two dresses I showed you, and it's so-so-so gorgeous! You can zoom in on the details of this dress on Nordstrom's website (link above) and as far as I could see, the lace looked great. It probably is quite heavy, because of all the beading and the amount of the ribbon lace - just thought I would mention it, because the first time I tried on a similar dress, I was actually quite surprised by it.

Now that I've tortured you with more or less expensive dresses (I know I mentally torture myself every time I browse through Saks' dresses section, yet I keep doing it. Ah, the wonders of being a woman!), I've decided to find something slightly more affordable. I said that lace is tricky to do, and part of it is because cheap lace can look... well, cheap. It is definitely not a rule, and you can score an wonderful piece that doesn't break your bank and makes you look great. That being said, I think your best bet is to see and feel it in person, because I think we all know that pictures can be a bit deceiving.

Image from: asos.com

Pepe Jeans Wasted Lace Dress - 94.82 USD /EUR 68.42

Image from: asos.com

Oasis Laid On Lace Dress - 137.92 USD/ 99.52 EUR

So I think they're pretty affordable - certainly beat everything I saw today when I went shopping at my local stores. It seems to me that the first model is wearing a size that's slightly off - it should fit a bit tighter at the waist, but nevertheless, would be a gorgeous party dress for the season. Also, asos.com has free shipping right now - yes, worldwide! I hope I'll manage to order a couple of things from there while the offer lasts.

Remember me saying that cheap lace (plus a weird cut) can look unflattering? Well, here's an example:

Image from: asos.com

I am a firm believer that, if styled right, denim can look great with lace. This is definitely not the way. I won't even give a link to it.

Are you a fan of lace? What style of party dresses you like?

Eestikeelne tõlge homme!

The Best Men's Perfume!

2010-11-25T21:26:00.000+02:00

Hi sweethearts!

Sorry for no updates in the past couple of days, but I've been very busy with university-stuff. I have an important exam coming up on Tuesday and I have to study like mad to pass it.

Anyways, to get back into my posting mood, I thought that I'd change it up and write about men a bit. Well, not men exactly, because apparently I don't understand them at all, but about the perfumes they wear (also, is saying 'men's perfume' okay in English? Or should I say cologne?).

If you want to give someone a perfume, the right ones aren't easy to find, even to someone you already know - for example, I'm not a fan of extremely clean and fresh scents, because they mostly remind me of cucumbers; I like spicy ones, but also not all of them. I find it tricky to find

a new perfume!

As for men's fragrances, to me, they're a hit or miss - I can't seem to be indifferent to them - I either love them or I can't stand them. The trouble is, it seems to me at least, is that a lot of them smell somewhat similar. Or maybe I know men who use the same cologne, I don't know. :D

There are a couple of standouts, however. The first one is Dior Homme.

Image credit: perfumbg.com

I'm not that good at reviewing perfumes, but it smells heavenly in my opinion. I'd even wear it (and I think I might have a couple of times.). It combines freshness with a bit of sweetness and has even a spicy note!

And the second one is Roberto Cavalli Black Cologne.

Image credit: overstock.com

This one's for spice-lovers. I haven't tried it on in a while, but I remember it smelling like incense, and my father trying it on and it smelling like cinnamon on him. So either way, if you're into very clean scents, it's probably not for you (or him).

Do you have any favorite men's perfumes? Do you even like wearing them on occasion? I have to admit that I love smelling them, and would wear one, too (if it doesn't smell too masculine, that is).

Eestikeelne versioon lingile klikkides!

Tere kallikesed!

Vabandust, et viimase kahe päeva jooksul pole siia mitte midagi postitada jõudnud, kuid ülikool on oma aja nõudnud. Teispäeval on mul tulemas üks väga oluline eksam, milleks pean ma nädalavahetusel kõvasti õppima - loodan ikka pauside ajal siia ka midagi kirja saada!

Igatahes, et saada uuesti postitamisrežiimi, mõtlesin, et ehk muudaks veidi tavapärast asjade käiku (või postituste sisu) ning räägiks veidi meestest. Noh, mitte tegelikult meestest, sest nagu viimasel ajal välja on tulnud, et mõista neid ma ikka üldse, vaid nende lõhnaõlidest.

Kui tahta kellelegi lõhna kinkida, on selle valimine alati raske, isegi inimesele, keda sa väga hästi tunned - näiteks mulle ei meeldi eriti värsked, merelõhnalised parfüümid, kuna need meenutavad mulle kurke millegipärast; mulle meeldivad vürtsikad lõhnad, kuid samas mitte kõik. Näete, mul on juba iseendalegi uue parfüümi valimine raske!

Meeste parfüümidele keskendudes tundub mulle, et nad on kahes äärmuses - nad on kas ülimalt meeldivad või siis jubedad. Samas arvan ka, et paljud neist lõhnavad üsnagi sarnaselt. Kuid on võimalik, et ma lihtsalt tunnen vaid mehi, kes kannavad sama lõhna. :D

Samas on mulle ka silma jäänud paar erilisemat. Esimeseks neist on Dior Homme.

Ma pole eriti hea parfüümiarvustuste kirjutaja, kuid ma võin öelda, et see lõhnab lihtsalt taevalikult! Isegi mina kannaksin seda (ja kui ma meenutan, siis ma vist isegi olen paaril korral). Selles on mõnus kombinatsioon värskest, magusast ning vürtsikast.

Teine on Roberto Cavalli Black Cologne. See on vürtsilembelistele. Ma pole seda küll ammu käe peale proovinud, kuid mäletan, et viimati lõhnas see viiruki järele. Ka mu isa proovis seda ning temal lõhnas see hoopis kaneeliselt. Ükskõik, kumb see õige variatsioon ka poleks - see parfüüm pole värskete lõhnade armastajale.

Kas teil on mõni lemmikmeestelõhn? Kas olete ka mõnel korral neid kandnud? Pean isegi tunnistama, et mulle meeldivad meesteparfüümid väga ning oleksin nõus mõnda ka kandma (eelistatavalt midagi sellist, mis ei lõhnaks väga mehelikult).

Something positive to start the week with!

2010-11-22T12:53:00.000+02:00

I just stumbled upon this video - I guess I'm a month late, judging from the date when it was filmed, but it really made my mood better. The shots of people hugging slightly remind me of 'Love, Actually', which is, incidentally, one of my favorite movies. I love it and watch it every Christmas!
Is there a movie you watch every Christmas? (I forgot to mention that I also traditionally watch Die Hard, haha!)

Leidsin just selle video - arvestades kuupäeva, mil see filmitud on, olen ma ilmselt kuu aega hiljaks jäänud, kui sellegipoolest tegi selle vaatamine mu tuju mitmeid kordi paremaks. Kaadrid kallistavatest inimestest meenutavad mulle filmi 'Love, Actually', mis on mu üks lemmikutest - vaatan seda igal aastal jõulude paiku! Kas teil juhtub ka olema mõni selline film, mida te igal talvel vähemalt ühe korra ära peate nägema? (Unustasin mainida, et ma vaatan tingimata ka Visa Hinge.)

Ins and Outs: First Edition!

2010-11-21T09:59:00.000+02:00

Hi! I hope everyone's having a great Sunday.
This is my first time doing Ins and Outs and while writing this, I actually discovered that I've been subconsciously doing it for some time - just making notes inside my head. Anybody do this?

Ins:

Image credit: teaamigos.com

Lipton's Vanilla Caramel Tea - it's so yummy and I've discovered that it's quite helpful driving away those sugar cravings. Perfect! (I could only find a picture of Vanilla Caramel Truffle tea, which isn't exactly what I have, but I imagine it tastes just as good.)
Healthy (and balanced) eating. One of my goals is to fit into my skinny jeans by New Years Eve and I plan on achieving it. What better way to do it than being kind to your body?
Keeping up with current events! Since I'm not subscribing to anything at the moment, my favorite online newspapers are my local ones, CNN and Gulf News. Even though it's not a newspaper, I'm also a huge fan of Vogue (is that even a surprise?).
Buying books. Make a pact with yourself - for every 5 (or 4 or 3 or 10) items of clothing (or make up) you buy, venture into a bookstore and buy yourself a book you've always wanted to read (or borrow from your local library, as books are expensive nowadays). Balance your intelligence and your wardrobe.

Outs:

Image credit: weheartit.com

Restrictive diets. I don't want to spend my days missing cheese or bread, just because it might get my weight down more quickly. I've discovered that the only way I can lose weight and keep it off, is to keep my body happy (I resorted to fad diets for some time, and failed horribly, hence the extra weight I'm trying to get rid of now).
Cold weather and rain. It was quite beautiful some days ago, when it was snowing for the first time. I even blogged about it. However, by evening the rain had melted most of it, turning the remaining into a cold muddy mass. Not the most pleasant sight, as you can imagine.
Sleeping late. I've never been a late sleeper, but on some days, on weekends especially, I like to enjoy waking up later than usual. Since I've been very busy lately, I've been waking up at the same time every morning. Try to start your days early and see how much more you can get done!

Eestikeelne versioon lingi all - vabandust hilinemise pärast.

Tere! Loodan, et kõik veedavad ilusat pühapäeva!

See on mu esimene kord Ins and Outs'i, kuid seda kirjutades avastasin, et ma tegelikult olen sellega alateadlikult juba mõnda aega tegelenud.

In:

Liptoni Vanilla Caramel tee - see maitseb lihtsalt niiiii hästi ja ma olen avastanud, et see aitab hästi talumatu magusaisu puhul. See ei maitse küll magusalt, kuid lõhnab kommi järgi ning see veidi leevendab. :) Perfektne!
Tervislik (ja tasakaalustatud) söömine. Üheks mu eesmärkideks on oma kõige väiksema numbriga teksadesse mahtumine Uusaastaööks ja ma plaanin selle ka saavutada. Mis poleks parim viis selleks, kui oma keha vastu hea olemine?
Toimuvate sündmustega kursis olemine. Kuigi ma ei telli mitte ühtegi ajakirja hetkel, on mu igapäevaseks interneti-lektüüriks kohalikud ajalehed, CNN ning Gulf News.
Raamatute ostmine. Sõlmi endaga kokkulepe - iga viie (või nelja või kolme või kümne) ostetud riideeseme (või meigiasja) kohta jaluta raamatupoodi ning osta endale mõni teos, mida sa alati lugeda oled tahtnud. Alternatiivina võid ka laenutada, kuna raamatud on üpriski kalliks muutunud. Balansseeri oma intelligentsi ning garderoobi.

Out:

Liialt piiravad dieedid. Ma ei taha oma päevi veeta, igatsedes juustu või leiba/saia lihtsalt seepärast, et ma võin nii kiiremini kaalu kaotada. Olen aru saanud, et ainuke viis, kuidas ma kaalu kaotada ning oma uut kaalunumbrit säilitada saan, on oma keha õnnelikuks tehes (ma jälgisin mõnda aega mingeid imelikke dieete, sellest ka minu praegused kilod, millest ma tahan lahti saada ning millest ma üldse kaugel pole enam, jeee).
Külm ilm ning vihm. Mõned päevad tagasi avanes mulle äärmiselt ilus vaatepilt aknast välja vaadates, ma isegi kirjutasin sellest siia. Õhtuks oli aga vihm enamuse lumest ära sulatanud ning ülejäänud muutnud külmaks mudaseks massiks. Mitte just kõige meeldivam vaatepilt.
Kaua magamine. Ma pole kunagi olnud inimene, kes lebaks voodis poole päevani, kuid mõnedel päevadel, eriti nädalavahetuseti naudin veidi hiljem ärkamist. Kuna ma olen aga busy olnud viimasel ajal, olen ma igal hommikul samal ajal ärganud. Ürita oma päevi alustada veidi varem kui tavaliselt ning vaata, kui palju rohkem sa tehtud saad!

Review: OPI We'll Always Have Paris

2010-11-20T11:17:00.000+02:00

Image credit: amazon.com

I realize that this review is long overdue - this particular shade is a part of the 2008 France collection of OPI. However, though I have to admit my experiences with vampy colors aren't extensive by any means, I feel it's the perfect dark autumn/winter shade for me,.

It's a gorgeous purple eggplant-ish color with a slight reddish undertone. I have to admit, the first time I saw it in the stores, I was quite intimidated - it was just so dark and I couldn't imagine how I was going to wear something like that out. Of course, when the dark nail trend started, I was also quite young and with a different mindset. However, a lot of things have changed since then and I've been happily wearing dark shades since last winter - even painting them a couple of times in the summer heat. Maybe I hopped on the bandwagon slightly too late, but considering I broke down quite a few personal barriers in the process, I wouldn't complain too much.

But I digress. When I eventually had the guts to buy and try it, I was at first quite underwhelmed. The polish seemed streaky and uneven and the color wasn't all that much. I was too stubborn to just quit after one try, so next weekend, I painted them again. And the next weekend. And the next one.

With each try, I seemed to perfect the application until my nails seemed perfect (to me at least).

Finally I could see what it truly had to offer. The color is actually gorgeous - it's a bit darker on my nails than in the bottle, but it never seems black. It's a really deep color, and depending on the type light hitting it, it seems to reflect different tones in it - like in the direct sunlight it seems more reddish than anything.

It's an elegant color and makes my skin look very milky in comparison - an addition I wouldn't have expected, and I love it. It's also very versatile - I've worn it with outfits in practically every color and it never looks inappropriate.

To summarize.
Pros:

Once you get the hang of it, it's very easy to apply - I need two coats for streak-free look.
The color is extremely versatile and should look good on various skin tones.
It dries quite fast, but never go to sleep with your nails only somewhat dried - you'll get a sheet pattern on them.
OPI's wide brush is absolutely phenomenal.

Cons:

If you're not used to applying dark shades, there's a learning curve.

All in all, it's one of my favorite polishes, and if it hadn't been a part of a limited edition collection, I'd purchase it again and again.

8/10

Eestikeelne versioon lingile klõpsates!

Ma mõistan, et see arvustus on üsna hiljaks jäänud - konkreetne toon oli osa OPI 2008 aasta Prantsusmaa kollektsioonist. Kuigi ma pean tunnistama, et mu kogemused tumedate küünelakitoonidega pole just eriti suured, tunnen, et see on minu jaoks perfektne värv sügis/talviseks hooajaks.

See on imekaunis tumelilla baklažaanilik toon kerge punaka alatooniga. Ütleksin, et esimesel korral, kui seda poodides nägin, olin üsna heitunud - ma ei suutnud kuidagi ette kujutada, kuidas ma midagi sellist väljas kannaksin. Muidugi olin ka üsna noor ja teistsuguse mõtteviisiga, kui see trend algas. Nüüd on aga nii mitmedki asjad muutunud ning ka mina olen õnnelikult tumedate sõrmbeküüntega ringi käinud eelmisest talvest saadik - isegi mõnel korral suvel. Võimalik, et ja jäin selle trendiga kaasaminemisega veidi hiljaks, kuid arvestades, et ma olen selle protsessi käigus nii mõnegi barjääri maha murdnud, ei kurvastaks ma väga.

Aga ma kaldun teemast kõrvale. Kui ma lõpuks end kokku võtsin ning selle ostsin ja ära proovisin, olin ma üsna pettunud. Lakk oli üsna ebaühtlane ning nägi küüntel mitte kõige esteetilisem välja, ka toon polnud just kõige erilisem. Kuid ma olin kangekaelne ja proovisin järgmisel nädalavahetusel uuesti. Ja järgmisel. Ja järgmisel.

Ja kui ma selle pealekandmisega ära harjusin, hakkasin lõpuks nägema, mida sel lakil pakkuda on. Värv on lihtsalt imeilus - küll mõnevõrra tumedam mu küüntel kui pudelis, kuid sama ei tundu kunagi mustana. Toon on sügav ja olenevalt valgustüüpidest laseb välja paista erinevaid alatoone - näiteks otsese päikesevalgusega tundub lakk pigem punakam.

See on elegantne värv ning mu nahk tundub sellega võrreldes piimjas - omadus selle laki juures, mis oli minu jaoks üsna ootamatu, kuid positiivne sellegipoolest. We'll Always Have Paris on ka äärmiselt mitmekülgne - olen seda kandnud mitmeid toone riietusega ning see pole mitte kunagi tundunud ebasobiv.

Kokkuvõtteks.

Positiivne:

Kui juba pealekandmisega harjunud olla, on see vägagi kerge - vajan kahte kihti, et saavutada perfektset tulemust.
Toon on väga mitmekülgne ning peaks nägema hea välja ka erinevate nahatoonide juures.
See kuivad üsna kiiresti, kuid ära kunagi mine magama, kui lakk on vaid enamasti kuivanud - ärkad linamustriliste küüntega!
OPI lai pintsel on fenomenaalne.

Negatiivne:

Pealekandmistehnika võib vajada veidi lihvimist, eriti, kui sa pole harjunud tumedate küünelakitoonidega.

Üldiselt on see üks mu lemmikküünelakkidest, ja kui see poleks olnud osa limiteeritud kogustega kollektsioonist, ostaksin seda üha uuesti!

8/10

Clothes to the rescue!

2010-11-19T20:35:00.000+02:00

Image credit: StockholmStreetStyle

Today I met up with someone who I'd had a fall out some time ago. Since our misunderstanding was quite a large one, I was understandably somewhat nervous to be seeing him again.

I glanced at the clock - it showed that I only had two hours left. I ran to my bedroom in search of my makeup bag and proceeded to dump all of its contents to my couch. I concentrated more than usual - I do my makeup every day and have been doing so for the past four or five years (though, understandably, my routine has changed numerous times since then - and I deeply regret some of my eyeliner-related blunders made when I was fifteen), so it has become somewhat of a ritual to me. I do it, not even really registering the smear of my foundation or the stroke of my eyeliner.

But today, I carefully applied each and every product I used. I even went the extra mile and applied a couple of shades of eyeshadow.

An hour left.

I forcefully opened the bathroom door and began drying my hair, hoping it wouldn't take too long this morning. Magically, it was all dried and styled within 20 minutes - not a record, by any means, but a good result nevertheless for my thick hair that I'm quite proud of.

Half an hour left.

I rushed to my bedroom once again and began opening various drawers and examining blouses, sweaters, jackets, even bras to determine the perfect one. I eventually decided on a classic combination for me - a black turtleneck, black jeans, black boots, a black belt and a black-and-gray leopard print silk scarf.

I looked at myself in the mirror, my usual winged eyeliner tinted darker with the help of eyeshadow, the all-black ensemble seemed to convey the exact message I want - stay at a distance.

As an afterthought, I grabbed J'adore by Dior from the table and spritzed it on my neck - just one would do.

This is my safe zone. This is what I wear when I know I need to be strong, when I want to look strong and when I want others to think - to know - I'm strong.

A couple of hours later I returned home with no emotional damage.

And I know exactly why.

Vintazh - Eva

2010-11-19T08:57:00.000+02:00

Those, who know me in real life, also usually know that I like quite a surprising amount of Russian music (pop, especially). And just because I think the best way to start a morning is by listening a great song - I'm sharing one of my favorites! Tell me what you think and tell me your favorites!

Need, kes teavad mind päriselus, teavad ka tavaliselt, et mulle meeldib üsna palju vene muusikat (pop eriti). Ja kuna ma arvan, et parim viis hommikut alustada, on kuulata head laulu, jagan ühte oma praegustest lemmikutest! Millised on teie lemmikud praegu?

Mmmmm.

2010-11-18T10:00:00.000+02:00

I've been craving it since FOREVERRR. I want it now!

First Snow!

2010-11-18T09:11:00.000+02:00

Good morning!

I woke up some time ago and to my surprise I saw everything covered in snow when I glanced out of the window. It's absolutely beautiful!

Now it's melting slowly and everything will soon be sludgy - that's one of the things I really don't like about the winter.

However, in order to not be very negative about the upcoming season, I decided to make a list about everything I like about it + some of my goals for the season.

*I love the fluffy snow, especially when it's fresh.

*I've decided to finally learn how to snowboard.

*I tend to do more baking, so the house is filled with yummy smells (and food!) more often.

*Speaking of food, I've decided that this year I'm going to give all of my friends baked goods as gifts.

*So this means more practicing - I'm constantly searching for recipes and my mother is preparing to test them all, haha!

*I love my town in the winter, all decorated with lights. It's very beautiful, especially at nighttime.

*If it's cold, it means that different viruses and colds are less likely to be active - and who wouldn't want to be healthy?

I guess I could think a couple more, but I think this sums up all the positive things about the winter for me. And whenever I get gloomy about the cold, I think I'll dig this list up and think about how lucky I am to be living in a country with such distinctive seasons!

What's your list for the winter?

Eestikeelne versioon lingile klõpsates!

Tere hommikust!

Ärkasin mõnda aega tagasi üles ning üllatusin, nähes aknast välja vaadates kõikjal lund. Lihtsalt nii ilus! Nüüd see küll juba sulab ning varsti on kõik väga lögane (eesti keel on äärmiselt rikas keel - see sõna võtab kogu kirjeldatava nähtuse ebameeldivuse hästi kokku) - see ongi üks aspektidest, mis mulle talve juures ei meeldi.

Tegelikult ei taha ma sel aastal talve koha pealt negatiivne olla ning seega otsustasin koostada nimekirja asjadest, mis mulle selles meeldivad, lisaks mõned eesmärgid.

*Mulle meeldib kohev lumi, eriti siis, kui see on värskelt sadanud

*Ma olen otsustanud, et sel aastal õpin lõpuks lumelauatama

*Ma hakkan tavaliselt rohkem küpsetama, ning see tähendab rohem mõnusaid lõhnu (ja toitu!)

*Toidust rääkida, otsustasin, et sel aastal kingin oma kõigile sõpradele erinevaid küpsetisi jõuludeks.

*See aga tähendab rohkem harjutamist - ma otsin pidevalt uusi retsepte ning mu ema valmistub minu saavutuste testimiseks!

*Mulle meeldib mu linn talvel, kui see on dekoreeritud mitmevärviliste tulukestega. See on lihtsalt ütlemata ilus, eriti õhtuti.

*Külma ilmaga on viirused ning külmetushaigused vähem tõenäolisemad levimiseks - ja kellele ei meeldiks terve olla?

Ma arvan, et suudaksin veel mõned punktid välja mõelda, kuid arvan, et need võtavad üsna hästi minu jaoks kokku kõige positiivse talve juures. Kui ma muutun millalgi tujukaks külma tõttu, otsin selle nimekirja üles ning üritan mõelda, kui õnnelik ma olen, et elan sellises riigis, kus on niivõrd selgelt eristatavad hooajad!

Mis on Sinu nimekiri talveks?

Dr. Hauschka Normalizing Day Oil

2010-11-17T20:20:00.000+02:00

Now, for my very first review I though it would be appropriate to write about one of my HG products. For those of you who don't know what a HG is, it's short for Holy Grail - meaning that this product is an absolute must-have for me. I'm thinking to make this into a series of reviews about my very own HG products, what do you think?

Anyway, on to the product.

Image credit: drhauscka.com
Dr. Hauschka Normalizing Day Oil

It comes in a medium-sized glass container with a pump, which makes it easy to control the amount of oil you want to use. The glass is transparent, but the pump is golden - nothing over the top, very nice. While aesthetically pleasing, I do have a couple of complaints. Namely, I cannot close it, meaning I can't, for example, turn it so it closes and no oil accidentally comes out, which could be very useful for traveling. Also, the glass case is sturdy, but quite heavy and I'm a bit afraid to travel with it. I'm sure it wouldn't break, but I'd take extra notice to make sure it doesn't.

The product itself is orangey and has a quite heavy consistency. It spreads well on skin, soaking in right away and if you use the right amount, not even leaving your skin oily or shiny in any way.

I have a combination/oily skin and it hasn't caused any problems - I use less in the mornings, let it soak in and apply my primer, and my skin stays pleasantly glowy the entire day. I don't have a very sensitive skin, so it hasn't irritated it at all, quite the opposite - it has made my skin tone more even and calmed it down, it seems. If you have sensitive skin, you might want to check the ingredients list (though you should be doing it anyway!), but I can't imagine it causing any irritations, it just seems very gentle to me. It should work well on people with dry skin as well because it is an oil, and seems rich enough.

The smell is just fine as well, slightly herbal - but what do you expect from a herbal skincare line? I find it not irritating at all, and actually quite pleasing. It feels like you truly are using something natural on your skin.

It is priced quite reasonably, in Estonia anyway - it costs less than high end skincare and works very well, which is great for me.

All in all, I've had great results with this and I'd definitely recommend it.

10/10

Eestikeelne versioon lingile klõpsates!

Mu esimeseks arvustuseks mõtlesin, et oleks sobilik valida üks mu vaieldamatutest HG toodetest. Kes ei tea, mis HG tähendab - lubage, ma valgustan. HG on lühend Holy Grail'ist, mis tähendab, et see toode on minu jaoks täielik must-have. Ma mõtlesin, et sellistest toodetest võiks blogipostituste seeria teha, et ma kirjutakse aeg-ajalt oma HG toodetest, mis te arvate?

Aga läheme toote juurde.

Toode on pakendatud klaasist pumbaga pudelisse, mis teeb lihtsaks kontrollimise, palju toodet sa hetkel kasutada tahad.Klaas on läbipaistev, kuid pump ise on kuldset tooni - mitte midagi ülikaunistatud, kena.

Kuigi toode on silmale kena, on mul paar kaebust.Näiteks ei saa pumpa mitte mingil moel kinni panna, seega on oht, et õli võib vabalt hakata mingil hetkel välja voolama, näiteks reisil olles. Lisaks, kuigi see klaaspudel tundub olevat piisavalt vastupidav, olen ma ikkagi mures, kas ta mingil hetkel, näiteks maha kukkudes või reisides kohvris olles katki ei lähe. Ma olen kindel, et see on piisavalt tugev, kuid ma oleksin ekstra ettevaatlik, et seda ei juhtuks.

Õli iseenesest on oranžikat värvi. Seda on hea nahale määrida imbub nahka üsna kiiresti ning kui ära tabada õige kogus, siis ei jäta ta ka nahale mitte mingit ebameeldivat õlist kihti. Mul on üsna rasune nahk ning mul pole see toode mitte kunagi mingeid probleeme tekitanud - ma kasutan hommikuti vähem, lasen sellel nahka täielikult imenduda ning kannan peale oma meigialuskreemi (primeri) ja tulemusena püsib mu nahk enam-vähem terve päeva kumavana.

Mul pole väga tundlik nahk, seega pole õli ka seda kuidagi ärritanud - tundub hoopiski, et see on hoopis vastupidiselt mõjunud. Mu näonahk on ühtlasem ning näib rahunenum. Kui sul on tundlik nahk, peaksid ilmselt toimeainete nimekirja vaatama (kuigi tegelikult peaksid seda kõik pidevalt tegema!), aga ma ei kujuta ette, et see võiks kuidagimoodi ärritada,

Normalizing Day Oil peaks töötama hästi ka kuiva nahaga inimestel, kuna see on ikkagi õli ning piisavalt toitev, küsimus võib olla vaid kogustes.

Lõhn on minu arvates ka üsna meeldiv, kergelt taimne, rohuline - kuid mida oodata looduslikult kosmeetikasarjalt? Minu jaoks on see mitteärritav ning isegu üsna meeldib. On lausa tunda, et sa kannad nahale midagi naturaalset.

Siin Eestis on ta üsna mõistliku hinnaga. Ta maksab vähem kui kallimad brändid ning saadab korda paljutki head.

Kokkuvõtteks, mul on selle kasutamisest väga head tulemused ning ma soovitan seda kindlasti!

10/10

The First One!

2010-11-17T17:54:00.000+02:00

First things first - hello there!

My name's Maria and this is my first beauty blog. Oh my, I sound like I'm at an AA meeting. No worries, though, I feel very optimistic about this blog. So why did I decide to create another beauty-themed blog in the sea of thousands of beauty blogs out there?

Simple. I love beauty products (and clothes and shoes and purses and all that stereotypical stuff) and I adore writing. Also, there's a small matter of practicing English. I'm from Estonia, so my blog posts will be in both languages - English and Estonian - since I read all kinds of blogs.
This is a good chance for me to just write about things I love and make me happy, because, frankly, right now my personal blog, which is hosted on another entirely different site, is overflowing with personal drama and sappiness right now.

So, um. Welcome!

Estonian version under the jump!

Tähtsad asjad kõigepealt - tere!

Minu nimi on Maria ja see on mu esimene ilublogi. Issand, ma kõlan nagu ma oleksin Anonüümsete Alkohoolikute koosolekul. Ärge muretsege, ma olen siiski väga optimistlik selle blogi koha pealt. Miks ma siis otsustasin ühte järjekordset ilu-teemalist blogi kirjutama hakata, kuigi neid on juba tuhandeid?

Vastus on lihtne - mulle meeldivad ilutooted (ja riided ja kingad ja käekotid ja muud stereotüübid), ja ma jumaldan kirjutamist. Ja lisaks saan ma ka inglise keelt praktiseerida. Ma olen Eestist pärit, ja seega kirjutan tulevasigi blogipostitusi mõlemas - nii inglise kui ka eesti - keeles, kuna ma ka loen mõlemas keeles kirjutatud blogisid.
See on hea võimalus mulle kirjutada asjadest, mida ma armastan ja mis teevad mind õnnelikuks, sest, ausalt öeldes, on minu personaalne blogi, mida kirjutan hoopis teisel saidil, ülekülluslik isiklikust draamast.

Seega, tere tulemast!