Elegant evening makeup video tutorial

natural cosmetics

Elegant evening makeup video tutorial

January 20, 2016 / Make-up, Makeup, video tutorial / 7 Comments

In this video tutorial I’m going to show you how to create an elegant make-up for evening occasions. The focus is on the eyes, where I selected a golden brown palette that suits best blue eyes. I have used different brands of natural cosmetics so you can also see swatches and how the products perform in reality.

Products I used in this video tutorial:

Dr.Hauschka day lotion
Jane Iredale Sugar and butter lip exfoliator
Und Gretel liquid foundation
Dr.Hauschka concealer
Und Gretel concealer
Purobio cosmetics compact powder
Kjaer Weis pressed eyeshadows
Alterra eyeshadow nude palette
Dr.Hauschka eye pencil
Jane Iredale new mascara
Und Gretel eyebrow pencil
Neve cosmetics pastello lip pencils
Dr.Hauschka lip gloss
Dr.Hauschka facial toner

Travel beauty solutions

July 1, 2015 / Skincare / 2 Comments

It’s full summer and between one and other trip or being just few days away, we always love to travel light. Thankfully when we need skincare products on the go and avoid all that huge bottles, there are now many nice solutions even on the green market. Here are a few choices among many that I’ve selected for you.

Dr.Hauschka skincare

This brand will never cease me to impress, I simply adore it! Among the wide offer of products and one of the best organic and holistic treatments, they also have in their shops 2 types of samples: those small 1,5ml that you get for free (in sachets) and bigger ones of 5ml in small tubes or glass bottles (for body oils) that you can buy in their store and select among all products. Yes, they have all the products even in mini sizes sold separately. They also have their well-known travel kits, which include these same sizes of selected products depending on dry or oily skin type. Plus travel size body sets. I always bring with me their body lotions in small sizes, I adore the lavender one not only because of the scent but also because they are all very nourishing. Their 10ml glass bottle of Dr.Hauschka Blackthorn Toning body oil is great too so that you don’t need to carry with you the full bottle. The Dr.Hauschka soothing mask for the face is one of my favourites to calm redness and you can have it for 2-3 times at least. The same goes to any face cream; my choice is Dr.Hauschka Rose day cream which is a fragrant and nourishing solution for dryer skin types. And last but not least I emphasise the super-practical Dr.Hauschka Pen nail stick with neem oil for repairing and nourishing your cuticles and nails. It’s not a sample product, but it’s a great solution to take care of your nails everywhere. It also includes 3 additional new sticks to change.

When talking about nails I couldn’t not mention Organic glam nail polishes that I first tried a few months ago and that surprised me a lot! Not only that they have beautiful and modern shades of nail polishes and they are also non-toxic, but they stay very long and have an awesome pigmentation, plus a creamy lacquered effect. TOP choice!

Nourish skincare set – The discovery collection

Uh, this was an awesome discovery! This set has a little bit of something from every collection of this brand: Argan skin from the yellow line meant for all skin types, Kale from the green line for combination skin, Golden glow shimmer from the pink Radiance line for normal skin and Protect from orange line for dry skin. I love the consistency and smell of all these rich products that are actually in very generous sizes and they can last till a week. I find great the Argan line, especially Nourish Argan skin rescue, a serum with a gel texture that makes the skin soft, hydrated and smooth. Along with Nourish argan skin renew – their rich yet soft and quickly absorbing cream from the same line the skin is really soft and hydrated. For cleansing the face is very good Nourish Kale Enzymatic Exfoliating Cleanser, a 3-in-1 cleanser, mask and facial – all in one product that cleanses and exfoliates gently the skin. For nourishing the eye area you have in the set the lovely Nourish Kale Biomimetic Eye Cream which is an intense treatment with the superfood Kale Oil Extract for tired, puffy eyes affected by dark circles and wrinkles. I find the most attractive the Nourish Golden Glow Illuminating Face Shimmer which is an illuminating moisturiser with light reflecting opalescent effect from bioactives that add a beautiful golden glow to the skin. Especially great for summer when you already catch the first tan! And you have another face cream from the Protect line which is Nourish Protect Hydrating Moisturiser rich in antioxidants to protect your skin and improve its elasticity. I absolutely recommend you to try this line, I will discover it more in depth too during time. This set is great to travel as well, but if you want greater sizes you can choose from specially selected sets for each skin type in bigger versions too.

M Picaut Mini facial kit

On the top picture you can see 3 tubes that are part of this kit along with a small tube of oil that I already finished and cannot find anymore the jar, so I used their original picture 🙂 This brand from Sweden was also a nice discovery that I used in 3 days while testing it and traveling too 🙂 It’s a very basic (and enough too!) collection with a 10ml tube of the M Picaut Nourishing face cleanser which is among my favorite cleansers; very nourishing, silky and soft, suited for dry, sensitive skin that leaves the skin radiant and silky. There is another cleansing product which is the M Picaut Exfoliating Peel Mask which is a gentle scrub and facial nourishing mask 2 in 1. This is really a fine solution especially for travel when you need to cleanse and nourish your skin! Regarding the last step there is M Picaut Skin Perfect Moisturiser and M Picaut Precious oil. The first one is a light cream in texture yet rich in ingredients while it has an anti ageing effect. Since I’m a face oils lover I preferred the Precious oil loaded with many luxurious certified organic oils of apricot, jojoba and seabuckthorn that nourish in depth the skin when dry or damaged.

Among other sets I also always recommend to try The organic pharmacy, Living nature, Spiezia and Trevarno for those who prefer minimalistic organic balmy products.

Any other travel sets that you love?

Green your makeup bag!

May 25, 2015 / Make-up, Makeup / 6 Comments

I want to write about greening your makeup bag, especially, if you haven’t incorporated any new makeup product from the natural world yet. It’s spring, time for changes, renewals, cleansing and decluttering all sorts of things. By the way, have you heard about the trend of decluttering? Or have you ever experienced how nice and liberating it feels when you discard old things, those that you don’t use anymore, that are old and then you make place for new ones? And the excitement when you change something in your life which brings something new. Healthy changes (in a moderate way!) are always welcome. This time I will give you some advices and review some natural products that I’ve used recently.

FACE – foundations, blushes and brushes

Dr.Hauschka new liquid foundation

was an amazing discovery, because the previous formulation wasn’t really satisfying for me (not enough coverage, too rosy shades). But this one is simply awesome in all ways! The scent is captivating, some say that smells like coconut, I find it a lovely mix of roses, herbs and oils. Pomegranate essence, macadamia nut and coconut oils moisturise and protect the skin while you wear your make-up.The coverage is medium but very good and buildable and blends great and easy into the skin leaving a radiant and fresh texture and finish. It comes in 5 shades and I have put on the picture the sample of n.1 foundation. So, if you look for a natural liquid foundation go in your near Dr.Hauschka store and find your shade!

Lavera Beauty Balm (or BB cream)

is another fantastic product for those who want just a light coverage and/or even the skin tone. I was surprised about the fresh and radiant finish that it gives and stays during the day. The coverage of imperfections is medium but since the finish is so nice you need less concealing because the skin looks so good. I get compliments about the finish all the time 🙂 It comes in one colour which tends to be unite yellow which is good, perhaps a little bit too dark for fair skin. The formulation is moisturising but not over shiny and it blends great. What is so nice is also that the colour adapts after you put it on the skin, so don’t judge the shade out of the tube too quickly 🙂 You can apply it with fingers or foundation brush. This balm is loaded with natural ingredients like acai berries extract, aloe vera leaves juice and natural oils among others.

Everyday minerals Love at first blush set

I find this set of blushes so exquisite and feminine! It’s fantastic, if you want to try almost all their colours and the blushes are in quite a big size, not only a small trial. They come in powder and the colours are subtle, feminine in rose, pink and peach shades that suits everyone. If you look for a blush that resembles the natural flush on the cheeks you have find the right ones. I love them for brides especially in this season! Yu will like the handy bamboo kabuki brush that can help you to blend perfectly the colour into the skin. It’s precise and very handy. I’m glad I’ve tried again something from this brand after a long, long time 🙂

Some new makeup brushes

One day I was wandering in beauty stores and was attracted by two makeup brushes from conventional brands. The reason is that I see over and over again many brands that include entire collections of synthetic brushes in their lines. And if I think that a few years ago almost everyone was skeptical about them… (Read here my article how the synthetic brushes were born). This is why I’m even more curious to try those from “normal” brands. I was very surprised about the softness and quality vs price of L’oreal new collection of brushes which are all synthetic. I have tried L’oreal foundation duo-fibre brush which is entirely made by synthetic hair and it is great! It blends perfectly the foundation and it dries super quickly. It works great with BBcreams and foundations!

The next one is Yves Rocher contour brush, that attracted me with its shape. Although was written it’s a contour brush, it works great for me when used to blend well the foundation, even under eye area. It has quite stiff hair and it’s very dense, that’s what it makes it very special.

The last one is Everyday minerals Tapered Sculpting face brush. I have heard rumours that their quality has diminished and so I wanted to try a brush to get clear about that. I have to say that is one of my favourite brushes, not only because I like the tapered shape that gives more control when blending and contouring but also because of its softness and precision. I use it to set the powder, to apply blush, bronzer or contouring. Multi-purpose brush! Can’t go wrong with it 🙂

Lips

I had in my makeup drawer those 3 beauties for lips from Neve Cosmetics for quite a long time and it seems that their time to blossom out was spring 🙂 Neve cosmetics Dessert a levres is the name of those lipsticks and are 3 beautiful shades for spring called: Pink Donut, Chocolate eclair and Strawberry sundae. I wear and use them most of the time all 3 and you will also see them in a video tutorial that is coming soon 🙂 They are all vegan, loaded with vegetable oils and shea butter that never dry the lips.

Strawberry sundae is my favourite shade that everyone ask me about what I wear 🙂 It’s a bright fuchsia matte, creamy shade that erases all dullness on the face with a huge pop of colour! The modern statement lip! I can easily apply all these colours without any lip pencil and they don’t bleed on the edges!

Pink Donut is the second favourite of mine that I understated when it was still new in the package, because I thought it was another pale nude. I call it the modern nude pink, the one that enlightens the face and it’s a great shade for the natural day makeup without looking too strong. But it’s the perfect wake me up shade!

Chocolate eclair is a beautiful warm brick brown red. Nice option for an evening shade is summer with bronzed skin and peachy shimmers!

Lavera Beautiful lips brilliant care

is a tinted balm in stick version that I find great for spring summer days! I tried the shade n.4 Creamy nut which is a nice nude beige with a creamy, slightly glossy finish that intensely hydrates the lips. I recommend for those with problematic dry lips that feel they can’t wear an intense lipstick.

Eyes – some mascaras and a new lash curler

I desperately needed a new lash curler and tried the new one from MAC. I love how it curls the lashes but, don’t like the width where you open and close it. It’s simply too narrow, so if the lashes are long it’s quite difficult to catch them all inside. Otherwise it curls the lashes good! Eyelash curler freak 🙂

I wanted to review the 2 mascaras from Physician’s formula Organic wear line for quite a long time. I have tried all of them since now and like all of them. The only downside is that they dry very quick. I don’t know if it’s their formulation or the fact that I casually ordered them every time all in winter time and so I thought it might be the cold weather that made them dry. It’s something that I noticed many times when ordering cosmetics oversea in winter. All Organic wear mascaras are nice in their formulation and I love the wands, they are precise and not clumpy or too thickly loaded with the product. These ones are Physician’s Formula Organic Wear Jumbo Lash Mascara (green package) and Physician’s Formula Organic Wear Fake Out Mascara (pink package). They both promise long, thick, voluminous lashes (quite a lot of marketing for my taste) but at the end they do a nice job; separated, long, full lashes. I don’t find extreme differences between the wands and the end result. But cannot fail if you choose any of them as your first natural mascara.

Any thoughts about detoxing your makeup bag? Or about these products? Let me know 🙂

Changing lipstick colours video tutorial

March 11, 2015 / video tutorial / 5 Comments

After a longer pause I’m back to you with video make-up tutorials! This time I’ve decided to create a look with focus on lips, which was also the model’s request and so I wanted to share with you this simple yet sophisticated make-up look. You can see how the entire look changes by changing a different colour of the lipstick.

Hope you enjoy it and if you have any questions feel free to contact me!

Natural products I have used in this video make-up tutorial:

Lily Lolo BB cream
Jane Iredale Sugar and butter lip exfoliator
Jane Iredale Circle delete concealer
Alima Pure setting powder
Jane Iredale Lip pencil
Logona double lip pencil
Physician’s formula Organic wear bronzer
Lavera soft glowing highlighter
Idun minerals eyeshadow palette
Logona eye pencil
Lavera mascara Endless lashes
Alverde transparent eyebrow gel
Jane Iredale active light concealer
Mai couture blush Sunset boulevard
The Balm

Living nature cosmetics review

November 14, 2012 / How to, Make-up, Makeup / 0 comment

How to achieve a flawless skin with a natural glow

Today I will conclude my “saga” about all Living nature products I have tried so far. Among some great products that I use myself as well and that I’m going to review, I want to emphasize a make-up trend that is still strong for a few seasons. It’s the trend of perfect skin and nude tonalities that looks like wearing no makeup. We saw this trend again on fashion shows even for spring 2013. I have picked the look from the designer 3.1 Phillip Lim fashion show and translated it in real life with green make-up products from Living nature that work great for achieving exactly this look!

How to achieve the natural glow makeup look step by step

1.step – Lumionous Skin

After having cleansed your face apply a tinted moisturizer (in your matching shade) with fingers or with a foundation brush. You won’t need any additional moisturizer under. I use Living nature Clear lights Tinted moisturizer in the shade for light skin: dawn light. Even though I was never a big fan of tinted moisturizers in general, I adore this one because it has a light coverage and so it just enhances naturally your skin. Its texture is slightly shimmery but with an overall glow, without any shiny particles. I don’t recommend tinted moisturizers to women who want a heavy coverage, but I suggest it to women who don’t need any special coverage and to use a concealer if needed. This way the skin will look healthier and more natural with a modern twist, like from catwalks. Living nature tinted moisturizer is loaded with many nourishing oils (from macadamia, jojoba, avocado, and shea butter) and beneficial ingredients like manuka honey so that your skin won’t be dehydrated while wearing it. You won’t have any difficulties for applying this product, because it melts great into the skin and it looks almost invisible while leaving a nice texture on the skin. This product is packed in a 50ml plastic tube.

2.step – Concealer

Instead of products with heavy coverage use a concealer to cover any imperfections. Living nature concealer comes in a small 7ml tube. I was quite surprised at first about the small package, but later while using it I realized that a little goes a long way. It has a liquid texture that glides great on skin: at the same time is liquid but not too much. It covers great any imperfections like red spots or dark under eye circles. I’d love to see an additional concealer with the same formulation but with a neutralizing color for under eye circles. That would be amazing! In every case, I like this concealer a lot. Compared to Inika’s liquid concealer this one gives a better coverage for instance. If needed I mix it with the tinted moisturizer to achieve a seamless look with more coverage. The texture of the tinted moisturizer is sheer, while the concealer it’s liquid but with a good coverage. And both products don’t look cakey on the skin.

Green makeup tip use a small and precise brush like a lip brush for covering small red spots. This will give you a professionally done skin.

3.step – Eyes

Apply lots of mascara after curling your eyelashes. If you remember I have used Living nature’s mascara in my video. This mascara is great because its formulation works great together with the shape of the wand. It allows you a precise application with no clumps and with a lot of color. It’s suitable even for sensitive eyes. The mascara gives a nice length to the lashes and lots of color and volume.

4.step – Lips and cheeks

As I already mentioned in my make-up video tutorial, I adore Living nature lipsticks! Their consistency is longstaying, non drying on lips and I especially like their creamy matte shades. This time I have chosen 2 colors that are among my favorites in general: a medium dusty rose called Laughter and Coral sea: a medium matte coral orange. Both shades are great for daytime; they give a nice and fresh touch of color to your face. I apply them on lips and on cheeks if needed as well. This way you get a nice cream blush.

Green makeup tip Mix these 2 shades together and you will get a lovely peach color that suits every skin tone. I adore this shade on cheeks to give warmth to the entire complexion!

Last step: Removing the makeup in the evening

After wearing your makeup all day, you also have to remove it. Always remove the make-up before going to sleep! Living nature gentle make-up remover is definitely a green revelation that will go directly in my personal and professional make-up kit! It comes in a 100ml bottle and it has a delicate scent. Honestly, I hardly describe any Living nature product scent because these plants are so unfamiliar to me. Overall the scents are different but pleasant. The main reason why I’m mad about this product is its formulation which is extra delicate, transparent and light like water, but at the same time very effective as a make-up remover. It does not leave any traces of oiliness or any other stuff on skin. Light, pure, effective and all to try! A make-up artist dream product for removing make-up quickly while leaving the skin beautiful, soft, without any redness. You can apply it a small amount on a cotton ball and simply remove the make-up off. It is suitable for all skin types, especially because all beneficial ingredients like: Kumerahou, hydrating Harakeke Flax Gel, and nourishing Active Manuka Honey. Eyebright and Witchhazel extracts are natural anti-inflammatories and skin conditioners, to soothe the skin. I especially recommend it for those with sensitive skin.

Have you tried any Living nature skincare products?

W3ll people makeup review

October 31, 2012 / Make-up, Makeup / 0 comment

The time to try Well people makeup collection has finally arrived! I am a big lover of makeup products with a creamy consistency. I’ve already tried RMS beauty, Ilia, Mychelle and Vapour which are among my favorites. The only one missing in my collection and that intrigued me to try in this moment was Well people. But somehow I never managed or remembered to purchase them. This time I decided to gave them a try. Since the original package is in plastic stick version and the overall design does not attract me so much, I rather bought double samples of every item that interested me. Well people is a brand from USA who has a collection of makeup products in creamy version (like foundation, multi-use stick, lip balm) and mineral powder products as well. The brand gave funny names to products like: Nudist, Universalist, Paganist,…

NARCISSIST STICK FOUNDATION

I wear and use creamy foundations (with green ingredients of course!), because they are handy, easy to use and if made properly they give a natural and healthy finish. Narcissist is the foundation with a creamy texture in a stick package. It comes in 6 shades. When applied, it blends well into the skin. You can apply it directly with your fingers and melt into the skin or use a foundation brush or sponge to blend. Even though Narcissist is creamy, its texture is not heavy and you can achieve a natural flawless coverage. If you have any visible imperfections or discolorations the coverage is medium, so you have to use a concealer as well.

The colors are quite good chosen, but I think that a few more shades should be added, especially for darker skin tones. I’d define the finish of this foundation as semi-matte, which is fine, because it does not look cakey nor too shimmering. The list with ingredients is really pure! While wearing Narcissist foundation your skin will be nourished with Sunflower oil, Green tea leaf extract, Reishi mushroom and Bayberry among others. My overall rating for this product is very good: I like the consistency, the finish and the ingredients. On the other hand, there is a lack of shades and the package is not in harmony with the quite expensive price of the product. I know that the essence is the key but when you opt to the high class customer, the package should communicate more. Well people has universal transparent sticks with a printed paper label on it. If compared with RMS that is in the same price range, we got a custom designed pot with printed logo on the tin cap and the product is in a beautiful glass jar.

INGREDIENTS Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Oil* infused with Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea Complex) Leaf**, Ganoderma Lucidum (Reishi Mushroom)***, Morella Cerifera (Bayberry- wildharvested); Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Cera Alba (Beeswax)****, Silica, Essential Oils, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil (and) Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Extract, Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E), [+/-: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, 77492, 77499), Mica (CI 77019)] *Certified Organic by Stellar, **Certified Organic by QAI, *** Certified Organic by Oregon TILTH, **** Certified Organic by Koster Keunen

UNIVERSALIST MULTI-USE STICK

Beside the Narcissist foundation, I wanted to try Universalist colored multi-use sticks the most, because I’m in constant search of colors. When looking at the color swatches on their website, I thought: Finally some interesting colors in the green world! Nope. I was completely wrong. Obviously I expected too much. I know that nowadays many brands make photoshoped virtual product swatches, but somehow I didn’t expect this. What would you expect when you see these colors?

I’m very well used to choose colors when buying products from the web, but I cannot ignore the tremendous cheating with photoshoped colors here. Ok, let’s take a look now to the positive side of this product. Universalist is a multi-use stick that comes in the same stick package as Narcissist. It is meant to use with a brush or with your fingers to apply it on cheeks, eyes or even lips. It comes is 2 versions: matte and luminous. I’ve ordered almost all color samples, except 3 from the entire range: Universalist n.2 (white), n.1 and n.5 that were out of stock. In fact I was interested mostly in their “vibrant” shades as they claim them to be. The texture is nice, comparable and compatible with Narcissist. It gives you a flawless, natural finish. The color has a medium pigmentation. If applied in many layers then the color is buildable, but it also creases a little bit while wearing it for a long time, even though I have set it with powder. I have to mention that both Narcissist and Universalist don’t have any particular smell, which is fine. The scent is natural, delicate, it reminds me just of vegetable oils, without any added fragrance. The list with ingredients is almost similar to Narcissist’s with grapeseed oil & green tea extract, reishi mushroom extract, olive, coconut and passionflower oil among the main ones.

The selection of shades in real life (without virtual colors) is prone to natural earthy tonalities which I don’t mind at all, I find them nice. But definitely they are not vibrant or vivid at all! If we take a look at the swatches the most colorful one is Universalist n.7. At Well People they called it “creamy peony” which is true. A natural neutral muted raspberry shade that give you a natural flush. Another nice shade is the luminous gold n.9 that can be used also as a highlighter especially if mixed with the foundation. The biggest disappointment is Universalist n.6 which in reality is a muted dark plum. A very ordinary shade, instead of the vibrant violet magenta they are offering.

When you look at the product in the package where there is a big amount of color, some colors really look very pigmented. But when applied on the skin they are delicate and the shades are very conventional, nothing special. Overall, I prefer RMS and Vapour, or I make my own shades. I wouldn’t mind at all, if they’d sell their colors as they are, without promises of vibrant colors.

INGREDIENTS Grapeseed Oil infused with Green Tea, Reishi Mushroom**, Bayberry**, Beeswax, Olive Oil***, Passionflower Oil, Castor Oil****,Silica, Coconut Oil*****, Silk Powder, Castor Isostearate Beeswax Succinate *, Essential Oil blend, Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E), Lysine, Grapefruit seed Extract, Japanese Knotweed Extract, Pomegranate Extract,[+/-: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, 77492, 77499), Mica (CI 77019), Carmine (CI 75470), Manganese Violet (CI 77742)] * Eco-cert, ** Certified Organic by Oregon TILTH, *** Certified Organic by Ciranda, **** Certified Organic by Stellar, ***** Certified Organic by QAI

NUDIST LIPSHINE STICK

If I was totally disappointed with this product is also my fault, I admit it! I was so charmed by the amazing color palette on their website that I somehow didn’t see that Nudist is a lip balm and not a lipstick. Because of such a pigmentation I was sure that this product will give a nice boost of color anyway. When I opened the package I was finally excited because the colors looked more vibrant than previous ones. The smell of these lipbalms is quite fresh, like peppermint.

I started to put my fingers in the jars and apply them on my hands first. Oh, there is almost no color! I couldn’t believe to my eyes because the colors looked so pigmented in the pot. I went again to the website to check, if I have ordered wrong colors?! Not at all, I saw that Nudist is a lip balm… Ok, I got it now. At the end, there is no trace of vibrant colors. When applied to the lips is very hydrating and it gives a natural looking sheer finish with a touch of color.

It looks nice and modern because of the sheer finish but it’s not an opaque lipstick with a vibrant color just to warn you when you will check their website. Nudist is a slightly pigmented lip balm with a peppermint scent and nice green ingredients.

INGREDIENTS OG Castor Oil infused with OG Bayberry*, OG Green Tea**, OG Calendula flowers*, OG Mallow Sylvestris*, & OG Rosehips*; Brassica Campestris/Aleurites Fordii Oil Coplymer, Beeswax, Castor Isostearate Beeswax Succinate***, Essential Oils, Pomegranate Extract, Tocopherol (natural Vitamin E), L-Lysine, Stevia Leaf Extract, [+/-: Carmine (CI?), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, 77492, 77499), Mica (CI 77019), Manganese Violet (CI 77742)]

ELITIST AND REALIST X: HD MATTE MINERAL SETTING

From the mineral powder collection I was interested the most by these 2 items: Realist setting powder in HD version and a few Elitist eyeshadows. Elitist is a range of mineral powder eyeshadows that come in 3 finishes: matte, satin and shimmer. When I was looking at the color selection of all their mineral powder products (bronzer, blush, eyeshadows) I wasn’t attracted to try them, because the color selection for me does not have a character. The chosen palette looks overall washed out. I absolutely love natural shades, but here the overall feeling is: pastel colors. And we know that pastels don’t suit everyone, or better they suit the minority. The eyeshadows look like they are mixed with too much white and are designed for the light cool type of woman. I decided to choose just the shade n.82 and 824 from the shimmer collection. I like these two colors! They are very shimmering and so suitable just for evening makeup. N.824 is an old gold with a green olive tonality. N.82 is a shimering black with a midnight blue undertone and it looks more smoky black rather than blue (as it does on their picture). Both eyeshadows are very pigmented and have a good staying power.

Realist X is a white, translucent and very finely grounded setting powder that almost disappear in the skin. It does a good job and so it’s well called HD (high definition). But the only thing that bothers me about this product is its incredibly fine grounded powder. There is no claiming anywhere that there is no use of nanotechnology… Just wondering.

To conclude, I’m glad I ordered just samples because this brand surprisingly won’t go in my category “Favorite safe brands”. Maybe I will purchase from time to time a few products and that’s all, unless they will really change something that would attract me. My suggestion is to change the color swatches to real ones, to improve the color palette and perhaps even improve the package for that price.

IMPORTANT UPDATE! 11th april 2013 I’ve just taken a look on Well people website to check if there are any news…Big surprise! They have changed the package which looks chic, clean and in harmony with their philosophy. And what is most important, they don’t have anymore all that photoshopped color swatches as they used to have! Anyhow, lots of compliments for this change they’ve made which resonates much more with their natural philosophy! Now, I have even added them in my list of favorite safe brands! Here is their new look: w3llpeople.com

Cold-pressed oils: Olive oil

August 28, 2011 / Body care / 0 comment

“Homer called it “liquid gold.” In ancient Greece, athletes ritually rubbed it all over their bodies. Olive oil has been more than mere food to the people of the Mediterranean: it has been medicinal, magical, an endless source of fascination and wonder and the fountain of great wealth and power.” (History of olive oil)

Finally, in my blog there is space for one of my first organic inner and outer beauty products: olive oil! Being grown in the Mediterranean country, olive oil was since ever the king in our kitchen. But just in last years I realized that I can use it also for other purposes, like moisturizing my skin.

Before I start counting all the goodness you can receive from it, let me explain you some facts about several types of olive oil. Bear in mind that not every olive oil is good enough for our skin and diet. Regarding every oil (not just olive oil), the price is most often the measure of quality. But be aware not to buy olive oil in famous turist points, because it’s often mixed with lower quality olive oil, even though the prices can be quite high. The best you can do, is to go to a local producer and try there his olive oil. Ask him also to show you how they produce the oil and where/how they grow the olive trees.

I am a big fan of olive oil. I adore tasting it on bread, or adding it to salads and some dishes. Wherever I go, I try to find and taste the local olive oil, if there is a possibility. I have tried many excellent olive oils from our local Slovenian producers and also some Tuscan, Croatian, and even Greek olive oils fascinate me.

There are two types of extraction from the olive fruit to oil:

– traditional method of pressure from which derives the best cold-pressed olive oil; The highest class must be extra virgin olive oil with full flavor and maximum acidity of 1%. Extra virgin oil after a year become mostly just virgin oil, because of oxidation (when the percentage of acids increases). When the acid exceed the allowed limit of acid percentage, they refine the oil and reuse it in food industry for cheaper and lower quality products.

– modern method of centrifugation (when the oil is chemically treated to neutralize the strong taste and acid content); you get from it the refined oil, which is a lower quality oil.

Another important fact concerning the widely spread olive oil trend these days is that not every olive oil is good. Several countries with huge, hundred kilometers of plantations don’t grow olive trees in organic way, without pesticides and they don’t pick the fruits by hands. They even don’t extract the oil by cold-pressing, but chemically. The same is when we talk about olive oil in cosmetic industry. Mostly, that kind of products haven’t seen the real olive oil. Only a lot of nice words about olive oil benefits are reaching to us.

Types of olive oil

Cold Pressed Olive Oil is considered to be premium quality olive oil, due to a special process of production that preserves its delicate taste. Cold pressed oil is the result of the first press.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil It’s a very high quality olive oil since it comes from the first press only. This allows it to acquire perfect flavour, aroma, and balanced acidity. This olive oil is less processed than Virgin olive oil and is very delicate in flavour. It’s perfect for dipping bread, salad dressings, marinades, and for dressing rough food.

Virgin Olive Oil virgin means the olive oil was produced without any chemical additives, so it contains no refined oil. It has an acidity that’s less than 2%, so it tastes better. Basically, virgin olive oil is the result of olive press with no (or very little) further manipulation or processing, hence the term “virgin”.

Regular or Pure Olive Oil  This olive oil is of lower quality and usually the least expensive. Regular or pure olive oil has undergone a chemical process whereby it has been refined and filtered to neutralize both undesirable strong tastes and acid content.

(source: All about olive oil)

Olive oil benefits

– Because of precious oleic acid, olive oil is extremely rich in monounsaturated fats; a type of fat that has excellent health benefits. The monounsaturated fats in cold pressed extra virgin olive oil help lower your bad cholesterol levels, reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases and prevent many other diseases.

– It has beneficial effect in maintaining the digestive tract in good health (recommended for people with stomach and colon problems)

– Rich in antioxidants: vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol), carotenoids and phenolic compounds are all antioxidants whose activity has been demonstrated in many studies, revealing further advantages in the prevention of certain diseases and also of aging. Extra Virgin Olive Oil is particularly rich in these substances and it has a strong antioxidant effect, protecting against damage from free radicals and against the formation of cancer.

– Cold-pressed olive oil is an excellent emollient (soothes and softens the skin). It helps people with skin problems such as eczema, extra dry skin and hair.

NOTE Beneficial properties of olive oil are the best when ingesting it raw (on salads, bread, or added at the end), because high temperatures (heating, cooking) will reduce its benefits. Store it in a dry place at room temperature and in a dark bottle.

Olive oil in cosmetics

Olive oil is rich in vitamins A, B1, B2, C, D, and Iron. It helps the body to maintain strong levels of vitamin E, which is a great helper in delaying the aging process. You can use olive oil as face moisturizer since the healthy fatty acid existing in olive oil make the skin softer.

Some ideas how to use olive oil in your beauty routine

Manicure soak your nails for 5-10 min in the mixture of warm olive oil where you add a tablespoon of lemon juice. It will soften the cuticles and strengthen the nails.

Peeling mix olive oil and sugar for your hand, feet, body or even face peeling.

Face cleanser apply a small amount of olive oil on your face and remove it gently with a cotton pad. Then remove the excess with a dampen cotton cloth soaked in warm water. This will remove the dirt, leaving the skin radiant.

Bath add to your bath water 4 tbsp of olive oil and a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Olive oil will make your skin soft, while essential oil will give additional benefits (lavender for relaxing,…)

Hair Many women find this a great remedy for dry hair: Rub into scalp and hair some warm olive oil. Cover your head with a towel and leave it for 30min to 1h. Then rinse off with a gentle shampoo. This will add shine and softness to your hair.

Feet if you have dry skin on your feet, one of the best remedies is to apply a rich quantity of olive oil and rub it into your feet. Then cover your feet with white cotton socks during the night (I recommend to have a pair of socks just for this treatment) and your feet will gain the softness during a few repetitions.

International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients (abbreviated INCI on cosmetic products): OLEA EUROPAEA (OLIVE) OIL

Summer makeup tips

August 6, 2011 / Make-up, Makeup / 0 comment

Many of you already came from the holidays, other ones still have to catch the last summer days of sun, sea and fun. Usually, we don’t wear lots of makeup in summer, especially, if we spend most time out in nature or lying on the beach. When reentering from vacations, or when going out in the evening, many women wish to prolongate their sun-kissed tan, or just to enhance it and give a touch of sparkle on the skin. I have made for you a nice list of green make-up summer products and explained the right choice of colors that enhance the bronzed skin. What we don’t want for sure are sticky and sliding products, melting and traveling all over the face. Sun-kissed skin love colors like: gold, peach, salmon, chocolate brown, bronze, copper, orange,… In summer we want to give sparkle to the eyes, to deep the tan and moisturize well the lips and the skin. If you may have freckles, which looks so lovely, never cover them!

The key is to keep everything very simple, fresh and natural with colors that enhance the tan and give that healthy glow!

Green makeup summer essentials

Satin shimmer eyeshadows

Choose a color that will bring out the color of your eyes, e.g. blue eyes will sparkle with a gold shimmer, brown eyes will shine with copper,…If you want a more harmonious look, choose among brown/bronze range. For the more courageous who love to play with make-up colors you can have fun with gold or turquoise blue shades. They look great on bronzed skin.
Green make-up loves Aqua, the sparkly blue/green mineral eyeshadow – a really striking colour from Lily lolo.
You can’t go wrong with a Gold dust from Alima pure.

Bronzer

Everyone looks better with a touch of bronzer, that enhances your white teeth and makes your skin look warmer. Read more about how to apply bronzer in one of my previous posts. The green make-up bronzer suggestion: Alima pure bronzer in many different shades for every skin tone.

Blush

If you wear bronzer and eyeshadow, you don’t need to wear blush, cause your make-up may end up looking too heavy. However, you can use just the blush on your own. Use a natural sparkling color in peach tones like Alima pure’s Sahara for a sparkling healthy look on deep tan skin. Or Juicy peach, a matte peach shade from Lily lolo will suit nicely the light tanned faces. Sweep it across the apple of the cheeks and on the eye lids with the same blush brush. It will look very natural and fresh.

Highlighter

A must-have to give you a healthy glow to the face and decollete. Pay attention to apply it just on the areas that need highlighting. Too much highlighter can make you look too greasy and shiny. If your skin is greasy and shiny, don’t use the highlighter! Instead, take with you the blotting paper to eliminate the unwanted shine from the face (T-zone).
Green make-up suggested highlighter: Vapour organic beauty
If you prefer powder highlighters, choose a nice one from Everyday minerals range. They look very natural on the skin.

Lip balm or lip gloss

In summer opt for a clear lip balm to hydrate your lips. If you want a touch of color, choose sheer colors, instead of thick, dark and heavy ones. Avoid too much sparkling and sticky glosses, cause you don’t want your entire face to shine too much. Nude, natural shades like Lily lolo clear lip gloss are an appropriate choice for your lips.

Nail polish

Have fun on your nails and choose between so many colors! I have attached my favorite summer colors from Zoya. They are in the standard range of polishes: Flowie – a matte creamy peach beige for a nude day look, Jinx – quite dark brown bronze with shimmer-an everlasting classic shade for summer. Ginger – a coral orange with golden shimmer for a funny bright summer!

Green makeup tip For “the lazy” ones who still want to look gorgeous 100 percent pure Fruit pigmented Pretty Naked palette is a great suggestion to look effortlessly chic anytime!

During summer say NO to: liquid and cream foundations, thick lipsticks, cream products on the eyes, heavy eyeliners and pencils.

What’s your favourite summer makeup or beauty routine?

My new favorite collection of makeup brushes

July 28, 2011 / Make-up, Makeup / 0 comment

Makeup brushes with Natrafil fiber – part 2

A few posts ago I presented you the new technology of Natrafil filaments by DuPont, now used even for make-up brushes. I discovered the brand DuPont on the event Makeup in Paris, where I received different synthetic brushes with Natrafil, to test them and give my opinion as a makeup artist. On the photos there are shown different brushes, because DuPont does not produce brushes, it just develop fibers for brushes. I have tried (and now work with) all of them, so I want to share with you my experience. I have to say that until now, I don’t have a negative critic.

My positive observations about synthetic brushes combined with Natrafil fibers

– Brushes don’t shed which is very good news!

– Their shape remains stable even after washing them, cause the synthetic fiber don’t absorb water like animal hair

– A huge advantage is that they dry quickly after washing them

– All brushes are high quality manufactured (precise shape of the brush, esthetically designed)

– Brushes are cruelty-free; suitable also for vegans and vegetarians

– The Natrafil advanced technology allows you to design a brush that suit your personal needs: the possibilities are countless, since you can change the shape of the brush, the % of Natrafil fiber and choose a different diameter of fibers.

– The higher is the % of Natrafil in a brush, the softer is the brush. 100% Natrafil brush allows you very precise work, with excellent coverage.

– These brushes allow you to apply powder and cream products

– When applying cream products (foundation, concealer, highlighter,…) you obtain a precise and even application, without streaks. This is great especially when working in HD for TV/photo, where small details are even more outstanding.

– When applying powder products (powder, bronzer, eyeshadow, blush,pigments), the brush allows you to pick the right amount of product.

– The powders aren’t so volatile, which is very important for a make-up artist.

– They blend the product extremely good.

To be more explicit, here is my review of violet brushes – the adesign new upcoming collection and the black ones from Studio Tannaz. I haven’t reviewed the red line, cause it’s a limited edition, made just for the event Make-up in Paris. I can just say, they are fabulous! I also want to mention that I use just organic products, which means that the application is more difficult than with normal products, where silicones and other chemical ingredients make the application easy. These brushes really help me to work better!

adesign (from left to right): This line of brushes is as I can feel a little bit more rigid in comparison with the Studio Tannaz brushes. However, it’s a prototype collection that needs to be improved. Here is the picture where I did the make-up with this line of brushes and another picture with this range of brushes:

(from left to right)
1. This brush is absolutely my favorite one from this collection: a multipurpose! I like very much the shape and the width of fibers; they aren’t too wide, nor too long. This brush is just the right shape for applying cream products, such as cream highlighter/corrector/blush on small areas. I use this brush also for applying liquid foundation, on small areas or to retouch. However, you can also apply powder products with it, if you want. It works well. I used this brush on the model first to apply cream foundation. Later I’ve used it again for applying the highlighter on the top of the cheekbones/temples,…and also for the cream blush on the apples of the cheeks.

2. This brush is a classic shape for applying powder eyeshadow and it works fine. I have seen that all the brushes pick up the product good and also blend it well. What is great is that the powders aren’t so volatile, especially when working with eyeshadows.

3. When trying the brushes, I was very curious about this brush, cause it’s an interesting shape, challenging and all to discover. I have applied with it some powder eyeshadows and blend them. It did a great job. However, I could easily use the brush n.2 for this, but I wanted to try this shape how it works. I will definitely try to discover more options to use this brush.

4. This brush is among my favorites, too. I was smudging the pencil on the upper eyelid with it and extend the line on the outside corner of the eye in a form of a wing. You can use it also with the eyeliner, when you want a thicker line. It can be used also for applying concealer just on small areas, where precise application is needed. I have used it for applying lipstick, since the shape is perfect. The only thing that I noticed it was that this brush is a little bit too rigid for applying lip products. I think that making another version of this brush with softer fibers would be a great idea for lipstick application!

5. Brush n.5 is usually meant to apply the eyeliner. I have tried it but sincerely, less than others. I wanted to give it a try, but in general I rarely use this shape of brush as I prefer the angled shape of brush for eyeliner/eyebrows.

NOTE: Another important thing for me is the feedback of the models/clients. I asked how do they feel the brush on the face and there was always a positive feedback! I think the same when I use them on myself.

Studio Tannaz brushes (you can buy them at: Studio Tannaz shop)

(from left to right):

1. This is a medium large brush for applying blush/powder/bronzer-powder products. It contains 50% of Natrafil, that means that is still soft, but not too much, since we need a precise application. For me it’s the perfect shape even for the powder (loose/compact), cause I prefer a smaller shape that allows me to work on smaller areas, which is more precise. However, all Natrafil brushes blend the products very well, giving a nice, even finish.

2. The foundation brush is meant to work with cream/liquid products. It’s made with 100% Natrafil and larger fibers, which gives it a perfect stiffness to apply foundation. It blends the product great, without leaving streaks. I use it also with other cream products, if I have to apply them on a larger area. Its round shape allows you to reach every corner on the face.

3. and 4. These are both classic shapes of brushes. The main difference between them is the % of Natrafil: brush n.3 has 100% Natrafil and is slightly smaller. Brush n.4 has 50% of Natrafil and is denser. It is perfect for applying eyeshadow on the entire eyelid or to contour/highlight small areas on the face. Brush n.3 is more flat, but softer in comparison with n.4, because of 100% Natrafil. It’s designed to use it for eyeshadow contouring. However, I have also tried it for applying liquid concealer under the eyes and it worked great!

5. This one is my favorite shape of brush for blending eyeshadow. It has 30% of Natrafil, quite long fibers, shaped and cut very good, perfect for a precise application with more colors on the eyes, or for a classic smokey eyes effect, where blending is the key.

6. Angled shape of brush is also an essential one, cause it allows you to apply eyeliner or to design the eyebrows. 100% of Natrafil in combination of a large fiber diameter make this brush very precise and not too rough. The eyeliner application goes from the thinnest to a heavier line, depending on the result you want to achieve. It’s also great when filling in the eyebrows with powder.

7. This brush is indispensable when applying eyeshadow in detail or when you want to smudge the line on the eyelid. It works very good with cream or powder products. 100% Natrafil, small shape and a rounded tip allow a precise application. All these brushes pick the powder very well, just the right amount.

Studio Tannaz brushes are packed in a nice and handy brush bag.

My overall opinion is that all these brushes are the future of make-up, thanks to the advanced technology of Natrafil fibers. The best thing is that a company has the opportunity to design its own brush suiting their needs, because of many changeable technical parameters that give you more possibilities and creativity.

A NOTE FOR MAKEUP ARTISTS: In general, there is another thing concerning the amount of product when you pick it with the brush. There is no point to pick a large amount of product, cause for doing a precise job, is better to pick less product several times and blend it and repeat this again, than pick a lot of product at once. But this is a “rule” that works with no matter which brushes you work. The key is to have a light hand when applying the make-up. The only exception can be the theater make-up in some cases. Natrafil brushes allow to pick just the right amount of powder product, thanks to the synthetic fiber.

Cold-pressed oils: Organic virgin coconut oil

June 6, 2011 / Body care / 0 comment

Continuing my series of cold-pressed oils, I’d like to pay homage to one of my favorite oils: the virgin coconut oil. I also have to admit, that I’m a huge fan of coconut in all its forms. Apart all the benefits, I go mad for its divine smell and taste! Before listing all its precious benefits and properties, that my friend Sheen from Agape Oils already put together in her very educative article, I’d like to mention how I prefer using it.

I use organic coconut oil for many purposes

– for removing make-up (I adore it! for every skin type)

– as a body massage oil (excellent for every skin type and it absorbs quite quickly)

– for cooking: I love its amazing taste!

– you can also use it on your hair (I don’t feel the need, because of my short hair 🙂 but it’s one of the best natural nutrition for hair!

My friend Sheen from Agape oils wrote:

“Coconut oil provides a natural UV protection and is an excellent sunscreen lotion. It has wonderful anti-oxidant properties that protect the skin from free radical damage and when consumed or used topically on our skin, it helps our bodies absorb other nutrients more effectively, such as Vitamin E, another powerful anti-oxidant nutrient that protects the skin.

The most powerful of all coconut oils is virgin coconut oil, which is extracted from fresh coconuts. Virgin coconut oil is treasure trove of vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants, and is also a major source of lauric acid and vitamin E. It protects the skin from infections caused by bacteria, viruses and fungi. Virgin coconut oil is ideal for infants. It is also great for the scalp and is useful in preventing dandruff and hair loss.

The versatile coconut is accepted as a health and beauty aid in many tropical countries. It conditions hair, cleanses the body, and detoxifies the skin. Coconut is also a light moisturizer that decreases excessive oil on the skin. In fact, coconut in its various forms, such as, water, pulp, oil and cream is the best way to tone up your skin and makes you glow from great health!”

International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients (abbreviated INCI ingredient on cosmetic products): COCOS NUCIFERA (COCONUT) OIL

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