New In / Kiko Neon Glow Light Effect Serum

Kiko Neon Glow Light Effect Serum* came out with the recent Dark Heroine Collection.

Although it's called a serum, I feel this product acts like a primer too, with added skincare benefits.

It has an instant uplifting effect, in fact it does a great job in preparing the skin for foundation.

The gel formulation smooths fine line and it's refreshing on the skin. I love gels but often found that they are not particularly moisturizing; this product is a totally different story - It doesn't just sit on the skin but the ingredients also ensure an ongoing anti-aging and revitalizing treatment, with regular use. 

Active ingredients include green tea & hyaluronic acid to retain moisture, promote collagen production, improve elasticity and stimulate cellular renewal. And that's what it's really selling it for me: it's not simply a cosmetic that you wash off at the end of the day.

It doesn't have a scent and the packaging is also so pretty: I love these spiral dispensers, they always look super high-tech.

The pink helix contains reflecting pearls that add a healthy radiance to the complexion; you really need to massage the product into the skin so that the particles burst and transform into this pink milky gel.

I'm really liking using it: it never makes me shine and the subtle glow is perfect to transit into autumn, and enhancing the bit of tan that I still got!

Have yo tried Kiko recently? What do you recommend?

L'Occitane Shea Butter Limited Edition 2013

It's that time of the year again... Every autumn, L'Occitane releases their Shea Butter Collection with limited edition fragrances. This year, you can chose from Subtle Violet, Passionate Jasmine and Rose Tenderness.
Shea butter is now an emblematic ingredient of this brand and for over 30 years has been sourced fairly in Burkina Faso. In fact, they are the biggest importer of shea butter from this country and L'Occitane is recognized by the U.N. as an exemplary company for its fair trade work.

Every year I need to get few pieces - to show my support for their commitment and then the scents are always gorgeous!

For example, the Hibiscus Hand Cream - from 2 years ago - is something that it's still deep in my thoughts and the Cocoa Flower Lip Balm was just plain lush.

The 2013 collection is no exception and the packaging stunning too - with the cute flower cup. :)

L'Occitane Passionate Jasmine Hand Cream*

In any case, the Shea Butter products are an all year round staples in my beauty cabinet and the hand cream is my all time favourite hand cream. The consistency is thick enough to give a good source of hydration - perfect for winter months especially - but  it absorbs quickly, leaving the skin nourished and soft. I can honesty say  that I have a tube in every room and on my desk at work too.

L'Occitane Rose Tenderness Lip Balm*
I'm gonna predict this product will sold out pretty quickly - rose lip balms are always verrry popular!
It contains a good 10% of shea butter, making it soft to squeeze and adding a beautiful glossiness to the lips.
Differently from petroleum products, Shea butter is truly hydrating, soothing and leaving the lips super soft.
 This generous tube will last me well into spring.

L'Occitane Subtle Violet Ultra Rich Body Cream*
The body cream is a new discovery for me and I was impressed to see that it contains a whopping 25% of shea butter. The scent is floral but not overpowering and surprising refreshing; the consistency also feels fresh on the skin and melts into the skin. It's a proper multi-tasking body treatment that works all over the body and also on extra dry areas too.  The hydration lasts all day an the skin is left supple and smooth.

Launch Date: 10th October nationwide and on www.L'Occitane.co.uk - Mark your calendar!!!

What are you gonna pick up from this collection?

Shopping My Stash / #6

I've been trying the Elemis Pro-Radiance Illuminating Flash Balm this week but I've to say that I'm disappointed; it doesn't seem to improve the appearance of my skin or prolong make up longevity and smells funny too. :(
I applied a thin layer of Becca Luminous Skin Colour in cashmere that is the best matching base that I've ever had, shade-wise; I then added extra coverage with Laura Mercier Mineral Powder SPF15 in real sand.

On the cheeks another Becca product: Shimmering Skin Perfector in opal, which I reckoned better using it now, since it's a bit too dark for winter months; I also added a bit of colour on the apple of my cheeks with Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blush in cherub, which is the perfect pink for without adding any redness to the skin.

Prepped the eyes with the one & only Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion and used the gray and green shades from the Chanel Ombres Perlees de Chanel palette. 
I also got the chance to try a couple of products that my sister donated to me: Pupa Made To Last Eyes in 201, which is a gorgeous brown eye pencil with gold shimmer that does not budge!
Then I used the Collistar - a brand that I adore and I raved about plenty here - Eyeshadow Luminous Powder in 4 to add light to the inner corner.
Finally, lips were quite bright with Naj Oleari Affinity Lipstick in 78 - total dupe for Ysl Fuchsia in Rage.

Nails 2013 / Q2

Essie Nail Lacquer in 47 Sexy Divide

Few weeks ago, I decided I wanted another Essie but I was overwhelmed by the choice in Boots.

I didn't want to get a dupe so after going through my collection, I realised I needed a purple.

AND-WHAT-A-PURPLE! What a stunning shade - very pleased with it!

teamed with Denny Leighton in Hanky-Panky

teamed with OPI What Wizardry Is This?

Been wanting to try the caviar look for ages - I used a MUA as a cheaper alternative to the OPI. 

Personally, I think it's just too high maintenance: the beads started to fall off within hours so I added a clear top coat and then it looked like all the beads melted together. Not happy! :(

Base: SAlly Hansen HD Hi-Definition Nail Colour in 14 Spectrum

Still loving the L'Oreal Colour Rich Top Coat Confetti... the fastest way to an effortless nail look!

Favourite combo? But with corals, of course.

teamed with Kiko Celebration Nail Lacquer in 419 Coral Red

Review / REN Rosa Centifolia Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser

REN has recently added a collection of cleansers - the Rosa Centifolia range - to its already healthy selection. They are suitable for all skin types and they have a delicious, yet gentle aroma of roses & peppermint.

The REN Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser* has a creamy consistency and exfoliating beads that are very gentle on the skin; because it's not super abrasive, I can use it on a daily basis both on wet or dry skin.

It's actually very effective in leaving the skin feeling freshly cleaned from everyday pollution and city grime. 

It reminds me of the REN Jojoba Micro Bead Invigorating Polish (in fact, it also contains the Jojoba beads) but the exfoliating particles seem finer and overall you're getting a fantastically improved performance.

This luxurious cleanser never leaves my face, thirsty for hydration, but my skin feels supple, revitalized and smooth.  

In keeping with the brand ethos, these products only includes 100% plant and mineral derivatives and they are free from synthetic ingredients; for these reasons, they are ideal for sensitive and reactive skin too and against animal testing.

I think this Ren Rosa Centifolia range is my favourite line yet and I'm definitely interested in trying the other cleansers too, like the Foaming Cleanser and 3-in-1 Cleansing Water.
Currently exclusively available from Marks&Spencer online and in store!

Have you tried any of these new products yet??

Introducing / La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL

I was in Italy recently and what better occasion than test driving the La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL products?!

This line is particularly suited for people with sensitive skin - check :( - and sun intolerance - check :( - which I inherited from my mum. It just meant that I couldn't sunbathe and the sun is so intense in Italy that I would get a rush even in the city. All products are also paraben-free, 100% hypoallergenic and contains soothing thermal spring water - These products tick so many boxes for me! 

I don't mind my paleness but let's be honest, we all like to warm our bones with a bit of sun and there's nothing wrong with that, as far as you use enough protection.

La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL 50+ Invisible Nutritive Oil*
This oil is formulated for both body and face but I only used it on my body and a few drops on the tips of my hair too... oils are multi-tasking by default, in my views ;)
 It absorbs instantly into the skin and stays dry to the touch; it's also nourishing and offers very high UVA + UVB protection for all skin types. It has a light summery scent and the pump bottle is great to dispense the right amount of product.





La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL SPF50+ Melt-In Cream*
This sunscreen cream is a luxurious moisturizer, non greasy, water resistant and ideal for the beach; personally, I don't wear any make up by the sea and give the priority to be properly sheltered from harmful rays. I'm particularly careful because I suffer from discoloration caused by sun exposure in my teens and these range also helps prevent sun-induced dark spots.

My husband also enjoyed using both the face and body products for the whole duration of our holiday - They did a sterling job in protecting his pale Scottish skin AND he still managed to develop a tan! ;)

La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL SPF50+ Tinted Extreme Fluid*
This is the tinted version for normal/combination skin... and it's my favourite!
You need to shake it well because the pigments need to mix with the spf; the formulation is lighter than the product above and ideal to use like a tinted moisturizer everyday.
It looks quite dark straight out of the bottle, but it disappears on the face and I thought it actually enhanced my skin with a touch of radiance too.

Have you tried La Roche-Posay suncare yet?

FOTD - Coral Love!

FACE: Clinique City Block Sheer SPF25, Pur Minerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Make Up SPF15 in blush medium, Giorgio Armani Master Corrector in pink, Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer in 07 warm light, Kiko Colour Explosion Multi-Tone Blush in 04 bold coral;
EYES: Kiko Long Lasting Stick Eyeshadow in 29 intensive coral, Clinique High Impact mascara;
LIPS: Maybelline ColorSensational Lipcolor in 515 coral crash.

Haul / Holiday Shopping

I couldn't pass on some pharmacy shopping, obviously!

My Bioderma 'stock' is nearly finished so I was going to get more but then I decided to get the Lierac Micellar Cleansing Water, instead. 

As mentioned in this post, I'm interested in trying other brands too and this, in particular, was on offer for 10euros.

I will still use up the L'Oreal Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution (even if I'm not thrilled with it), but I also got a mini Bioderma Sebium H2O to try and because I can't stay without some Bioderma in da house! :D

Aquolina is well renowned for its mouthwatering scents, from white chocolate to pistacchio to strawberry milkshake; the scent are all very 'true to life' and the body lotions are my favourite because leave the skin extra smooth and velvety.

I got this body wash for a bargain 1euro and got the guava scent because I adore the Korres version.

I've been pretty obsessed with Acqua di Parma Blue Mediterraneo Fico di Amalfi lately and rationing my tiny sample wisely. Luckly enough, my sister's boyfriend mum works for a department store and managed to get me this set - How sweet!

I've also learned that I really like figs scents, apparently and the next one on my wishlist is the Caudalie Figue De Vigne Eau Fraiche.

The wee Le Sorelle Lavender Soap is a present from my sister (how appropriate!); she went on a road trip in Tuscany this summer and found the most quaint shop, run by four sisters. They produce natural beauty products and also food and house decor. Check their website www.lesorelle.toscana.it and it's a recommended stop, if you're in Tuscany in the near future.

Pupa Milano used to be sold in Boots years ago but it's no more available in Uk, as far as I know. They are currently running a Facebook promotion where you can get a nail polish for 1euro and the eyeshadow for 5euros.

I got the Pupa Lasting Color Gel in 18 Delicate Crimson which is such a pretty shade of pink; I'm wearing it on its own, without top coat and I'm not terribly impressed with longevity but  you can't go wrong for 1euro and it dried super fast.

The Pupa Wet & Dry Eyeshadow in 102 Peach is from the latest Vamp! Collection and it's neutral with a bit of peach, perfect for everyday use or as a base; it's a baked powder and buttery soft.

Collistar is a brand that I've been faithful to for many years. Prices are in between - for example, this Collistar Twist Ultra-Shiny Gloss retails around 12/13 euros (about £11) but quality is far superior than the high street items. It contains hyaluronic acid and pro-collagen which plumps up the lips, leaving them soft and smooth.

Differently from other chubby sticks that I have used before, it doesn't have the peppermint scent but a vanilla flavour (similar to Mac lipsticks).

It's also extremely moisturizing and the colour pay-off is incredible; in fact, I guess it's more of a lipstick with a glossy finish than a lip balm.

As just mentioned I love Collistar so I was super thrilled to receive these samples and make up bag too; the Collistar Magica BB Cream for the Body, especially, is wonderful! It leaves legs & arms looking glorious and very comfortable and dry on the skin. Not that I will get much use in Uk, since I'm constantly wearing tights. :(

Speaking of tights... ;)

Calzedonia is a shop completely dedicated to tights and socks, basically; the variety is huge and they also do bikinis and swimwear in summer.

Fashion tights can be a bit expensive - for instance, the ones above are from the new Autumn Collection and are 9,95euros - but ordinary microfiber or lycra tights and leggings are around 2-3euros. They come in every possible colour, great selection of dens and they are very resistant (I'm still pairs that I bought 6 years ago! The shame!).

I believe they now have a couple of stores in London too. 

Cruciani phenomenon started in august 2011 and it fast became the must-have summer accessory in many resorts in Italy, Dubai and Tokyo.

I don't usually follow these trends but these crochet bracelets are too cute to pass on. The original version is a four-leaf clover but the line now includes starfishes, hearts, pirates and charity, limited editions like the Disney version or Damiani, sprayed with gold. 

I hope I gave you some ideas of brands that you can check out, next time you're on the continent! ;)
Have you tried any of these yet?