NOTD: Essie Short Shorts

In a neon mood for the past 2 weeks, now I decided to use a pretty hot neon pink shade for my nails, Essie Short Shorts. It was released with Essie's Neon Shorts collection back in 2008, and I remember I was using it like crazy that summer. The formula is still amazing, it's like I've just purchased it, so smooth, no sticky at all.

Essie's neons have a different formula than other neons that I've tried like China Glaze, Misa and Color Club, they're not thick at all, they're runny and applying without streaks. But because of their different formula they do not look as bright as other neons, but they're still bright! The pictures I took are in daylight.

Do you like wearing neon shades on your nails at summertime? Let me know!

Collective Haul (Urban Decay, Clinique, Clarins, Moroccanoil)

This is a collective haul I did in the past two weeks, and I have to say I did some damage!

So here's what I hauled:

• Urban Decay Naked Palette
• Moroccanoil Treatment
• Clinique City Block SPF25
• Clinique High Impact mascara
• Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector #2 Apricot Shimmer

  Urban Decay's Naked Palette is a product that I wanted for such a long time, from the first moment it was released but I always avoid buying it because I have so many neutral eyeshadows. But I had a 10% coupon code at BeautyBay,  and I told myself, why not? So I got it. It's so pretty, seriously!! I chose the first Naked palette over the 2 because it has warm tones and they suit me the most. I still haven't used it or swatched any of the eyeshadows, but I'm pretty sure this palette will be in one of my next month's favorites!

 Also lookfantastic a few weeks back had a 10% off of all the Moroccanoil range, so I decided to try for the first time the Moroccanoil treatment, in the small size. I've already used it 3 times, and I have to say it does an amazing job, specially for blow drying and straightening your hair, but I think it's a little too heavy for my fine hair. I have to try it a few more times to be sure.

At the Clinique counter I got the High impact mascara, an old favorite, and I decided to try a new sunscreen, the City Block SPF25 since I think the one from La Roche Posay I have it's breaking me out. I hope this one won't break me out too, it seems like every susncreen I try breaks me out! This has also a light tint, but it doesn't show up on my face.

And from Clarins I got the famous Natural Lip Perfector in #2 Apricot Shimmer. It seems like everyone had this already, and I really wanted to try it. Even though it says apricot, it's mostly a light milky pink shade, it reminds me so much of Korres cherry lipgloss in light pink, an exact dupe I would say, but I like Korres texture way more. The thing that I don't like in the Clarins Lip Perfector is that after a few hours it creates that milky ring on my lips, which I hate! But I have to say that I love the vanilla cake taste it has, way better than the artificial one that Mac has.

Have you try any of these products?? Do you like them? Let me know!!

TAG: What I've been using lately

I decided to do this tag from the lovely Stauroula from Drugstore & Bargain Lover !! I only added a few categories. So these are what I'm currently using:

Face

Cleanser: Avene Cleanance Soapless Gel Cleanser

Toner/lotion: Clinique #2

Cream/moisturizer: I'm not using one the last month, except La Roche Posay Cicaplast on my dry areas

Eye Cream: Kiehls Avocado Eye Cream
Sunscreen: Clinique City Block SPF25 and La Roche Posay Anthelios AC SPF30

Facial mask: Korres Pomegranate Cleansing Mask

Exfoliator: Korres Wild Rose Exfoliating Cleanser

Face make-up remover: Vichy Purete Thermal Cleansing Micellar Lotion

Eye make-up remover:  Sephora Waterproof Eye MakeUp Remover

Body

Shower gels/soaps: Body Shop Sweet Lemon Shower Gel and M&S Indulgent Fig & Orange Oil Foam Bath

Body lotions/creams: Body Shop Coconut Body Butter and Nivea Smooth Milk

Body exfoliator: Body Shop Coconut Body Scrub, but I just finished it, I have to get a new one soon!

Hand cream: Sephora Nourishing Hand Cream

Lip balm or lip treatment: Liposan Classic Care (the blue one) and Korres Mango Lip Butter

Perfume: Escada Taj Sunset and Body Shop Vanilla

Deodorant: Dove Go Fresh Cucumber & Green Tea Roll On

Hair

Shampoo: Head & Shoulders Citrus Fresh

Mask: Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Deep Nourishment & Shine Intensive Mask

Conditioner : Dove Intense Repair Express Treatment Conditioner

Styling Products: Moroccanoil treatment and John Frieda Extra Strength Serum

Make-up

Primer: I'm not using any

Foundation: Clinique Even Better in 03 Ivory

Concealer: Mac Studio Finish in NW25

Powder: Mac Blot Powder

Blush: Mac Springsheen

Bronzer: Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Soft Matte Bronzer

Lipstick: Dior Addict in 343 Miss Dior and YSL Rouge Pur Couture #6

Lipgloss: Mac Perennial High Style and Korres Cherry Lipgloss in Light Pink
Eyeshadow: Mac Arena and Time & Space

Eyeliner: Seventeen Supersmooth Waterproof & Longstay pencil in 05 Brown Pearl

Eyeshadow primer: Too Faced Shadow Insurance

Eyelash curler: Shiseido

Mascara: Maybelline One by One

What products you have been using lately? I wanna know! I tag everybody!

My Mac Eyeshadow Palette Overview

 first row:  Time & Space, Arena, Ricepaper, Naked Lunch, Shroom

second row:  Cork, Bronze, Charcoal Brown, Romp, Twinks

 third row:  Satin Taupe, Flourishing, Greensmoke, Springtime Skipper, Pen 'n' Pink

 And HERE are swatches of all the eyeshadows:

 from left to right: Time & Space, Arena, Ricepaper

Time & Space it's a warm light golden brown shade, very similar to Woodwinked, and it was released with Mac's Neo SciFi collection at summer of 2008.

Arena my HG neutral eyeshadow, it's a soft peachy shade ,perfect for all over the lids

Ricepaper a bone colored eyeshadow with yellow undertones, I love using it on my brow bones.

 from left to right: Naked Lunch, Shroom, Cork

Naked Lunch, a pinky peachy beige shade, a great base color if you like shimmers.

Shroom, a shimmery off white shade with a hint of pink, great for all over the lids and for the brow bone

Cork, the perfect neutral brown shade for the crease, not too warm , great for blending

 from left to right: Bronze, Charcoal Brown, Romp

Bronze, a true bronze shade with golden shimmers and no red undertones, also very pigmented

Charcoal Brown, a cool toned matte brown shade, good for blending like Cork, but darker and less warm

Romp, a medium brown with gold shimmers, it pairs really well with Naked Lunch

  from left to right: Twinks, Satin Taupe, Flourishing

Twinks, a medium bronze brown shade with plum undertones, I like using it all over the lids for a smokey look

Satin Taupe, a medium brown taupe shade with grey undertones, on me it looks more grey taupe than brown taupe though.

Flourishing, a unique matte olive green shade, very soft and blendable, it looks really good on brown eyes

  from left to right: Greensmoke, Springtime Skipper, Pen 'n' Pink

Greensmoke, a smokey grey khaki shade with small glitters, on my lids it doesn't look that green as it looks on my hand though, it turns more grey for some reason, and because of it's lustre finish it's not that blendable

Springtime Skipper, this shade always reminds me of spring, it's a medium lime green with a metallic golden sheen, it was released with Mac's barbie collection back in 2007.

Pen 'n' Pink, the least favorite of all my Mac eyeshadows, it's a matte pastel pink, almost invisible on my eyelids, but it creates a good base for matte eyeshadows.

 My favorites from the palette are Bronze, Cork, Time & Space, Arena and Ricepaper because I love neutral eye looks. Perfect color choices for Mac eyeshadow begginers also!

What are your favorite MAC eyeshadows?

April Favorites

Finally April is over, and summer is near. Well actually is closer than that because it's been soooo hot these past few days, which makes me feel that summer is already here. I just can't wait to wear my sandals!!

So these are my April favorites:

Mac Studio Finish Concealer in NW25. I never thought that I would even like this concealer, because most of the reviews I've read were negative, mostly about how thick and drying is. I've tried lots of Mac concealers in the past but I never liked any of those. But Studio Finish is amazingly good, I don't find it thick or drying and I have dry eye area, it covers very well but it would do a better job if I had bought the right shade, because NW25 is a little dark for me, next time I'll go for the NW20.

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Soft Matte Bronzer, ohhh well that is a pretty long name for a bronzer! This is my go to bronzer for almost 3 years now and I haven't even hit pan on it, it's a pretty huge packaging it contains 21g of product, way more product than other bronzers in the market. Perfect shade for any NC20 or NC25 skintones like me, and it's completely matte.

Sephora I.T. Round Powder Brush. This is the brush I use for my bronzers, and as you can see from the picture I took to compare it with my palm, is humongous!!! Some people prefer smaller brushes for bronzer because they do a better job for contouring, but I prefer to apply my bronzer all over my cheeks and forehead with a fluffy brush for a more natural sunkissed look, and this brush does a really good job for that. It doesn't apply too mush bronzer nor too little, just the perfect amount, and I love how soft and fluffy is. I have it for a year now and it's still as soft as it was the first time bought it.

Sephora Jumbo Liner 12HR wear in 06 Copper. I have 3 more of these Jumbo eyeshadow pencils but this shade is my favorite! I believe it's a dupe of Urban Decay's 24/7 Glide On Shadow pencils but these are not available in Greece and also I would never pay that much money for them, Sephora's version is cheaper and with amazing quality and also very long lasting and blendable. Make Up Forever also released similar ones this spring, the Aqua Shadow pencils, but they're also very expensive like UD's.

Korres Cherry Lipgloss in 11 Light Pink. The perfect everyday lipgloss, with no shimmers, that you can layer it over any color of lipstick. It's shows up almost clear on the lips with a hint of milky pink. The Cherry lipglosses are extremely hydrating, and never show up any dryness on the lips, it must be the cherry oil it contains.

Dior Addict Lipstick in 343 Miss Dior. I remember last summer it was my go to lipstick, it has a balmy texture, and you can't tell if it's a lipstick or a tinted lipbalm, you can even apply it without mirror on the go. Miss Dior is a light peachy shade with beige undertones and fine silver shimmers. I want to try more of the Dior Addicts in the future.

Essence Lipliner in 01 Soft Rose. The lipliner that goes well with almost all of my lipsticks. A light pink with some beige undertones, very soft and smooth, and also very very cheap. I'll keep repurchasing it in the future for sure!

And something for my haircare, is the Macadamia Healing Oil Treatment. I blow dry my hair everytime I wash them so I always need something that will protect my hair from the heat and the split ends. I always use the John Frieda Extra Strength Serum but last year I purchase this Macadamia oil  in the small bottle just for a change, and I seriously loved how smooth it made my hair, and it's also not a heavy oil, it didn't weight down my hair at all and I have oily hair. For some I reason I returned back to the John Frieda in the winter but now I rediscovered the Macadamia oil and I'll try to use this from now on. I also want to try more oils in the future to compare.

Have you try any of these products? Did you like them? Let me know!