Cleopatra...

Yeah an other FOTD as we are Saturday. I wanted to do something with gold and blue but I went a little further than I expected to :p. I love these two colours together I made me think about ancient Egypt for a strange reason. So I go for an arabic look with extended liner and I think it turns out great. For Halloween or for a fancy-dress party it may be useful.
Here are the eye pics :
To achieve it :
- apply a golden base on the eyelid area, gel liner 24K from Coastal Scents
- add a light gold on top of your base, pigment Surfing the Nile from The She Space
- apply a dark navy blue in the outer V and blend well inwards, Contrast e/s from MAC
- add a creamy very light gold shadow as a highlighter, hydropowder eyeshadow H9 glistening sand from Shiseido
- do your arabic inspired eyeliner, gel liner Indigo Blue from Coastal Scents
- put a tonne of mascara on each eyes to make your lashes stand out, Volume Shocking Brosse Exacte from l'Oréal. And you're done!

Time for full face pics:

(why do I always look kind of drunk on my pics hum, any idea?)

(not happy, happier :))) )

For the base: camouflage cream palette MUFE + Unifiance Skin like foundation 01 from La Roche Posay (discontinued) with a single drop of Lustre Sun Rush from MAC (limited edition) + Météorites powder for the face 01 from Guerlain .
For the dark circles : Select Cover up from MAC NW 20 + Powderflage from Benefit
For the cheeks : fesh bloom allover colour Almond Blossom 03 from Clinique (hollow) + Beauty Powder Blush Fun & Games from MAC (limited edition, on the apples) + Mineralize Skinfinish Soft and Gentle from MAC (limited edition, highlight)
For the lips : Cremesheen Creme de Nude from MAC + gold pigment used on the lid + Eau de gloss transparent from Bourjois. Not too bad in pictures but not nice in real life.

Do you like it or not? What you think?

See ya :)

How to press loose powders or pigments

A while ago, I showed you my SMH palette in which I press most of my pigment collection because I found it to be handier for someone as clumsy as I am.
I then thought it could be a good idea to share with you how I press them. So here is my pic tutorial on how to press pigment for clumsy people :)
You can find many other ways to do it but this one is my favourite. You do not loose too much powder and you are not afraid anymore to sneeze while pressing your precious glitters :)).
It can also be used to restore cracked pressed eyeshadow. For that purpose, you can use simple rubbing alcool instead of a binder as silicones (already in the pressed shadow) and alcohol together will insure cohesion. If you still have questionq on how to press pigments, the comment section is all yours ^^.

Do you prefer loose or press shadows? And why?

See ya :)

French blue eyes drops from Innoxa

This may not be the newest beauty discovery as this stuff exists for more than 50 years but to me it is really sensational. And maybe it explains a lil this product longevity. I do not know maybe product that are still sold 50 years after their launch.

What do I think about it? As I am not in a full potential period I was first quite disappointed by the packaging. Let me explain... I was expecting a classical dropper but it is a soft plastic pipette. And I did not realise at first that you have to squeeze it a little to make the drops come out :p. That being said, it is a nice turquoise liquid which brighten the white part of your eyes. 2 drops in each eyes morning and night and you will recover your most gorgeous gaze. If like me, you spend your whole day staring at a computer screen without blinking enough this stuff is God sent. You will not look anymore like a drunk rabbit. I forgot to take before/after pics, maybe next time ^^. The composition is really clean mainly hydrolates of several plants and a non controversial preservative.

Does it work? Yes and really well on my eyes. But it is not perfect. It is safe, widely available in Europe and maybe the rest of the world and you do not need a prescription for this. But you can keep it open for only 15 days and you can not use it when you wear your contacts. In that case, the best way to rehydrate and to relieve your eyes is physiological saline.

Do I recommend it ? Yes. It makes the white part of the eyes pop by contrast and it is really refreshing and relaxing for redness due to lack of sleep or hydration. But I am sure it will not work for redness due to irritation or allergy.

Price: 5€ for 15 ml everywhere in chemist's or drugstores

PS: Faut I need to buy a new one... To be completely honest, I do not throw my bottle away when I pass the 15 day deadline. Instead of using it as eye drops, I use it as a mixing medium for my pigment and shadows it works well :p. I hate throwing away not empty stuffes it makes me feel strangely nervous ^^

An everyday kind-of look and a not so good idea...

I skipped FOTD for 2 weeks so it is time to get back to good work. Well you will see that work is not that good but well trying is learning isn't it :p?
As I am quite lazy these days and not so willing to experiment I go for very easy to achieve and wearable look, hence the title of the post. To me, this kind of makeup will be flattering on every eye colour and skintone. You just have to find your perfect duo shades.

I used only 2 shadows (mat or satin finish, metallic and shimmer will not work), a light khôl pencil, a liner, a mascara and 2 brushes, that's it.
Enough babbling, the eye pics. You will immediately see what was my not-so-good idea...
You find it? ....

Yeah I know the higlighter looks pasty white (and it is not that strange as I applied something white there...). But in daylight it does not look this way. So I will remind for my next makeup that applying a white khôl as a brow highlight is a very bad idea if you plan to take pictures with a flash ^^. Maybe it is the high oil content in this type of pencil that make it looks so plain with flash :s.

Anyway it is so quick to achieve this eye makeup which is great when time is missing :
- apply white or pale khôl in the lower waterline to awaken your eyes, here white khôl from the Body Shop
-with a brush like the MAC 217 or 222 pick your dark shadow and apply it in little circles in the outer corner and outer crease. I go for Dark Brown from NYX (dark brown with red undertones that brigthen green in the eyes)
- with a finer brush (MAC 266 ou 219 for instance) line the outer lower lashline to completely define your eyes.
- wipe off the brush you use with the dark shadow and pick the one close to your skintone, I choose Highlight from NYX. Then swipe all your eye area, starting from the inner corner of your eye and blend a little further where light and dark shades meet.
- close your lower lash line with the light khôl and blend with your former brush.
- add your top liner (Smudge pot from Stila with a slanted brush) and continue it a little under the outer lower lashline
- put your mascara on and you're done (Too Faced Lash Injection trial, worst macara ever!!! Have to make a review on this one ...)
- DO NOT add light khôl as a highlight if you plan to take pics otherwise it looks great :p

Time for full face pics:

For the base: camouflage cream palette MUFE + Unifiance Skin like foundation 01 from La Roche Posay (discontinué) with a single drop of Lustre Drops Pink Rebel from MAC (limited edition) + translucent pressed powder Absolutely Invisible from Too Faced.
For the dark circles : Select Cover up from MAC NW 20 + Powderflage from Benefit
For the cheeks : fesh bloom allover colour Almond Blossom 03 from Clinique (hollow) + Cream colour base Crushed Bougainvillea from MAC (limited edition, on the apples) + Mineralize Skinfinish Petticoat from MAC (limited edition, highlight)
On the lips: Lip shimmer 7 (Raspberry) from Armani, gorgeous and not sticky. Thumbs up!

You may have notice that I took only side pictures... this is because I badly break out but only on the other cheek and as I am Photoshop-challenged it was the best solution :)). I am quite lucky afterall, it is still winter so maybe I can find a half hood to hide this half of my face :p
If any of you is raving about the Lash Injection from Too Faced let me know I am really wondering how this stuff can be a best-seller!!

See ya :)

Lash curler fight!

As I own two of these torture devices I think that comparing them may help some of you to make up their mind. So I take pics of me barefaced (creepy!!) focusing on my eyes and more specificallly on my eyelashes (that explain why pics are a lil blurry even if I am truly pic-challenged :p).
The two models I challenged come from Sephora : the classical mechanical version and the heated version.
Here is the result. Click on the pic to enlarge so you can see better. No make up at all in order to stay focus on our purpose :)). I try to combine everything on a single slid, hope it is understandable. Just in case you wonder, my eyelashes are pretty even on both my eyes. No gaps, no length or color difference.
So which one wins???

Well it depends on what you are looking for. First of all, both of them work on my eyelashes which is a good point.
On curling efficiency, the mechanical one wins hands up. The curve is way more important but with a lil weird angle whereas the heated one gives a brushing-like effect, softer but also less intense. From front view, the left-side eye (hence my right eye) seems to be lifted up because of the strongest curl but there is some but here. On the side view, you can see some staight lashes which have not been grabbed by the curler. It happens to me all the time and both inner and outer corner are hard to reach with a mechanical curler. Moreover, you can pinch your eyelid and it hurts like hell, it will make you cry of course and ruin all your so-hard-to-achieved make-up. S**t!

The heated one is really easy to use and you can reach every lashes quite easily. I do not brun myself using it and I quite like feeling the heat close to my eye (I may be crazy). Anyway, it is not perfect because you have to turn it on some time before using it (10 to 20 seconds to let it heat), you have to think to turn it off and also to check if the battery is OK (that sounds stupids but without battery it is useless :p)

One last important point if you use mascara, you have to apply it AFTER you curl your lashes otherwise you will break them. If I have to choose one, I will go for the heated one because it is easier to use, more natural looking and it sounds safer for the lashes to me too. I know that heat probably weakens my lashes a lil but perhaps not as mauch as binding them between a plastic and metallic grip.

That's for me. Do you use a eyelash curler on a daily basis?

See ya :)

On hold...

Hey fellow readers, I will stop blogging for some days probably about a week or more as I have more important stuffes to deal with. Hope you do not mind and will still be here when I come back.

See ya soon :)

Atlas Lava Clay Mask from Zakia's Morocco

*DISCLAIMER : I was kindly given this product by Zakia's Morocco owner. I was not paid to make my review, so I will share my honest opinion on it.*

This a soft clay mask that exfoliate and detoxify the skin. It mainly contains "ghassoul", a clay also known as the cleansing matter. The ingredient list of it is really short, water, clay and a preservative not too harsh for the skin.

What do I think about it? The one I was offered to try is not available on the website. It is more like the raw base without any infused oil like argan or essential oils (the ones offer on the website do contain some of the aforementioned component). The smell is the one you can expect from low processed clay mask that is to say wet ground. It does not bother me and it disappears as the mask dries. It is very easy-to-use, you just spread a thin layer all over your face and let it dry for 10 mins. Then you rinse with a babycloth or a sponge with lukewarm water. It tightens a lot the skin when drying but it is worth this little pain. Once patted dry, your skin will feel amazingly soft and plumped.
"Ghassoul" is a very soft clay that is useful for every skin type, even dry and mature because it has some hydrating and moisturising properties.

Does it work? Yes, very well. The softness of my skin after that is really surprising. I see this effect as a great exfoliating efficiency without scrubbing which can be a little harsh on sensitive skin. It does not accentuate my skin's dehydration like most clay masks.

Do I recommend it? Yes, yes and yes again. It is not that cheap but it works so well and the pot is really huge. It has really helped to normalize my skin. 2 to 3 times a week for me is the best frequency to renew my skin.

Price: 34,95$ by Zakia's Morocco (online seller)

I think it is my favourite product from this brand, ex-aequo with the argan oil. All of them are very high quality so give it a try if you like organic inspired skincare.

See ya :)

Hurry up, huge sale for Valentine's Day, everything is cut down by 50%!!!

Star Makeup Heaven's palettes

I can not remember where I heard from these palettes first but they are awesome. Why? Because you can fit different brands of eyeshadows in there including MAC, Urban Decay, Milani, Lancome and so on. They are magnetized so no need of extra magnet to hold them in place. Do not worry you do not have to remove the one that comes with pro pan refills from MAC. The MAC refill will be a lil higher than the other pans but it will not cause any trouble for closing the palette.
If like me you love pigments, it is an awesome solution to press them in a palette.
You will not have to deal anymore with annoying little pots that tend to fall. I prefer to handle with little zips but I do not think to grab them often enough and most full size pigments come in jar.
As I have quite a lot of free time, I did that today. I do not have enough patience to press the sample zipper bag because they are too small and I own way too many. I prefer storing them in a cardboard organizer I may show you one day :)
So here are the two palettes I bought on Star Makeup Heaven
Looks great hum? Click to enlarge and read the e/s names. Those without brand name are from MAC.

If you wonder how good the e/s from the site are, they are amazing for the price!!!

See ya:)

Delayed FOTD

... so here it is. I cut down on blogging last week as you may have noticed but well sometimes you need to refocus. that being said, I did this look today using the Book of Shadows vol II I bought a while ago and was dying to try... But you know too many stuffes to chosse from makes me nearly forget about it.
And it would have been a huge mistake. To my opinion, this version is way better than the first edition. I love the color range in this one and it looks more wearable on a daily basis to me.
So I go for a slight smoked eye with a green twist and it turns out nice and very wearable.
I used Sellout, Mushroom, Twice Baked et Homegrown and of course black liner and mascara (l'Oreal for ever!!!)
As I was in a picture-taking mood I tried full face pics but it was a big fail as you can see. I take hundreds and hundreds and none turns great but at least you have an idea of the total look (the last one makes me laugh I look drug addicted)
hein).

For my hair do not mind the mess, my hair and snow do not go well together. If you are interested in the look details just leave a comment.

And to end this post, a daylight pic of what I look like on a day to day basis with my glasses. Yeah, I am short sighted not to say blind as a mole :))). I chose this one because you can see how my hair is lighter! It is a lil frightening as it seems to lighten every time I wash it.
See how old I look???

It may explain how hard it is for me to convince people that I am an achieved scientist! Hard to be taken serious when you look 15 :))) Luckily enough, casual dressing helps make me older ^^

See ya :)

Back on my tracks...

Well I have not disappeared but my life has been so hectic these past days that blogging was not my priority. Anyway I am back for the best I hope. Faith and strength will be my best weapons for this taugh time
Will post tomorrow for sure. I just need to sort out about what :)

See ya :)

Original Argan Oil Exfoliating Scrub from Zakia's Morocco

*DISCLAIMER : I was kindly given this product by Zakia's Morocco owner. I was not paid to make my review, so I will share my honest opinion on it.*

Ok this time, it is the classical scrub with grains. But this one, as all the products marketed by this brand, is organic-inspired. The grains inside are grounded argan nuts and the "soap" base contains a lot of rhassoul (clay), olive and argan oil.

What do I think about it? It is a fluid slightly gelified with plenty little grains that scrub really well. The packaging is well designed, a soft plastic bottle, easy to grip with wet hands and printed lettering directly on (no nasty labels). But there is someting I really do not like about this one : the smell. The smell is really powerful, a mixture of strong olive and ash. Yeah I know it sounds gross but it is what it reminds me. Sorry! I think I was kind of surprised by how strong it smells and I feel like the smell lingers on the skin (maybe I do feel this way because I am not so found about it :s)

Does it work? Yes it does a pretty good job without being too agressive to the skin. It reminds me from an efficiency point of view the scrubs from the Body Shop or the ones from Sephora. No strikes after strong scrubbing session (I am not very gentle when it comes to scrubbing :p). An other good point is the oil proportion inside which leaves the skin moisturize and soft without feeling greasy. It is the faster version of black soap...but with a less appealing scent in my personal opinion. But maybe you will like it!

Do I recommend it? Well so so. The scent is too disturbing for me. I do like better black soap with manual scrubbing.

Prix: 29,95$ by Zakia's Morocco (online seller). Worldwide shipment available.

This one is a kind of miss for me. But no one can win every time, right. Anyway I do like that the owner stays on his tracks of pure organic stuffes without adding artificial fragrances. The concept is appealing to me.

What is your favourite way of scrubbing?

See ya :)

In and out... January 2010

I am already a lil late but for one day who cares (I have done way worst). And this month I discovered some really interesting stuffes not too expensive. And that is really great! ^^

Ins :
- the hydrating eye lotion "Gouttes bleues" (=blue drops) from Innoxa because it helps a lot with my red tired eyes due to too much time on computer
- le lait crème concentré hydrating fluid from Embryolisse
- the nail shield (two steps) from Mavala
- doing masks with the over famous Nivea cream (the one in the blue tin yes)
- the homemade toner green tea with mint/ apple vinegar cider (which smells like feet but works really good)

Outs :
- having hard time doing my short hair and my side-swept bang
- breaking out from stress (big painful spots on my shoulders, sigh)
- putting lipbalm every other not to have them chapped
- being stucked home to find a job
- still not having ajob
- my splitting nails because I cut off milk

Your turn...

See ya :)