My mini MAC collection - How I've been so far

8/27/2014








MAC cosmetics is a Canadian-based brand - currently owned by EstĂ©e Lauder - that has a soft spot for everyone that loves Make up. From celebrities, Make Up Artists, Youtubers and Beauty Bloggers to just ordinary people. Some products can be a miss, but others are true Holly Grails. 
MAC is a bit expensive here and the fact that they don't do sales or promotions - ten points from them for that - makes me ultra careful with what I buy there. Everything is researched over and over again and because of that, I'm extremely happy with what I currently own. I hope that I can keep it in that way for a very long, long time. On my current wishlist from them I have mineralize blushes and Skin Finishes and a few shades of Pigments, eyeshadows, lipsticks and cream bases. 
So, without further let's talk about what I have. 

The Lipsticks Department.

I own two MAC lipsticks - one bought with my own money and one give by my lovely friend Shayne from Queen of All You See during our swap. Shayne got me the VivaGlam Rihanna lipsticks which has a frost finish. I can't wait for the winter time to rock this baby as much as I can. I leaves my lips with a gorgeous almost velvety look, despite the fact that it has a bit of a shine on the bullet and when ever I swatch it. It's super comfortable and doesn't dry my lips too much - nothing that a powerful lip balm won't fix - an survives a good couple of hours (if I don't drink and eat of course). 
Sunny Seoul has been mentioned here more than once - it's was the first item I got from MAC and it's very dear to me. It has a Cremesheen finish - so it's not the most pigmented lipstick on heath and has a certain shine but it's really comfortable. Doesn't last long, but the natural and bright look that gives pays it. 

The Conceal and Eye Department. 

My Recent purchase is their Studio Finish Cream Concealer in NC20. I wanted something with good coverage that would cover some occasional spots and acne marks. This just doesn't that in a good and simple way. It's really easy to blend, the packaging is user friendly and this contains a tone of product - 7 grams compared to the 3 or 4 that brans usually give. 
Cranberry Eyeshadow was the most impulsive purchase of all - that day I just went to the counter, looked to the eyeshadow selection and sai "it's this one". The Funny thing was that a friend that mentioned this shade over and over again and I only realize it when I arrived at home. They are usually expensive, specially when compared to what I usually pay for palette but there are shades that are just worth it you know?
Lastly but not least. the ultimate favourite : Pro Long-wear Paint Pot in Painterly. It's the perfect base colour to any type of look. It has tone of product, isn't dry at all and super easy to use, apply and blend. It also helps with some of the oiliness in my eye lids. A true wonder. 

So here it is. I'm sorry for the lack of posts but with college coming my priorities are a bit different. Also, keep in mind that with school I might post a bit less, but I'll try to post once every week. School comes first.

Take care everyone, have a nice day!
With Love,
Diana.

Currently Craving - the 2014 Birthday wishlist Edit

8/18/2014

Yup, there's a month until my birthday - September 15. I'll be 21 this year and I seriously can see the adulthood striking. My taste is getting refined an choices are different. The present list is actually more than a birthday wishlist, it's all over the place wishlist. Besides this I'm also craving a nice vanity table - which I've already found and hopefully won't run out until I'm able to get with my own money (because, if everything goes as it should, I'll start with a nice part-time/sales job.It won't be easy but it will be a nice experience) - a bench for the vanity table, a mirror with jewellery storage, a new pair of boots, a new Winter coat and the Harry Potter Collection in UK English (yes, we had to have Harry Potter here. Yes I'm a nerd/geek/fangirl and I'm not ashamed.).

So, let's get back to the things that we can see in the picture (I've altered the step up in the blog so big photos can show better, do like it?).

The Draw the Line - Sephora Favourites set is something really handy to me since I decided that I really should try the "eyeliner thing". I've been doing it with a very random an not-that-amazing eyeliner but, I want something good for school and for the price (30$) this set sounds amazing. 
Next, the Tarte Makin'Waves Best Selling Summer essentials Set  is probably the item that I want the most. Not only for it's value but because if from a brand that it's really hard to get in Europe. So, when I heard that Sephora.com ships to the Netherlands I decided to ask a friend that lives there if she could get a few things for me and send them back to my place. This set was the first thing on my list since it has things like a full-size mascara or a full-size Exposed blush. This set will be a try-out for Tarte because, I might try to take advantage of their November Sales and get one of Holiday blush sets (which would be awesome!). 
And lastely but not least at all from my Sephora.com wishlist, the La Crème de La Crème Long Lasting Lip Collection from Too Faced is probably one of the best sets from them I ever saw. For 38$ I can get 2 full-sized lipsticks, a full-size lip pencil and a mini lip-primer. And since the La Crèmes are my favourite high end lipsticks - super comfortable on my lips and long lasting - this is a must-have kit for me. 

From kiko, their new Fall collection is probably the best they ever released. I'm not a huge fan of them, I usually skip their products - not because they are bad but because they never appealed me that much. But this collection caught my eye. After all, with a Some-kind-of "Queen of Hearts" theme, I would be interested for sure. The prices aren't bad, an they'll be in promotion during October or November and I'll probably take advantage of that time to get most of the items that I show here. 
The Queen of Hearts Palette* (or quad if you want to call it) has caugh my eye in 01 Essential Brown and 03 Elegant Ebony which are probably the ones I would wear the most. They are perfect for travelling or to have in my hand bag and the packaging is just adorable. 
The last thing I need in this life is another contour palette, but the Golden Game Sculpting Bronzer* in 01 Radiant Honey caught my Eye. 02 Precious Siena is also really pretty, specially because of the highlighter, but the first one will probably look better with my pale skin.
And Lastly but no least, the Top Pair Blush collection* - 01 Desert Sand and Rose Coral ; 02 Raspberry Rose and Peach ; 03 Rosewood and Azalea - are all amazing and I want to catch them all like Ash wants to catch Pokemons. Seriously, they look amazing and Blush is something that I've been using a lot and I won't mind the investment(specially with promotions to help). 

Note : The links to Kiko products are attached to their UK online store, but prices and be different from country to country. For instances they are way cheaper here in Euros than in Pounds but I choose the UK site so that people could at least see how the products are. 

So, here it's my Wishlist. Too much I know. 
I'll be working on getting more posts for you during the week. Specially because school will start and I don't know how much I'll be able to post. 

Take Care Everyone, have a nice day!

With Love, 

Diana.

The Drugstore Holly Grails

8/12/2014











(Let's all ignore my really strange expression. Seriously, I suck at selfies, I guess I'll have to employ someone to take me photos. Or maybe I can try a bit more...at least I'm trying!)
I know that I tend to talk more about high end products than drusgstore ones. I used to buy a lot of cheap items - specially essence. But then, most of the products weren't what I expected and ended up giving a bunch to my cousin so I decided to go with less but better. Oh and take advantage of Sephora deals and sales - which is probably the most intelligent thing I can do. But, there are still really amazing affordable products that deserve to shine and get attention. Specially when they perform like high-end products or even better. So, inspired by Vanessa's post about her Drusgstore Gems ( please check it out here ) I decided to make a post about my favourite products from the Drugstore / high street/ affordable companies / whatever you want to call it. (okay, easy Diana, easy...)
So, Starting with the eyeshadow palette, I went for Storm from Sleek. I have a love-hate relationship with their palettes mostly because of their matte shadows - too chalky and powdery for my taste and most of the times lacking in pigmentation. But this one is just good. Now only for the quality but also for the shadow selection. You can do so many types of looks with this palette - neutral ones, colourful ones, smokey ones...the possibilities are endless. So, if you are starting in the Makeup thing, I would totally recommend this one. Also, the packaging is really sturdy and...sleek. Perfect for travelling (Which I'll be doing quite a lot during the next week).
Keeping with the sleek theme, the Face Form in Light had to be mentioned as well. I know that I haven't been using a lot during this year - mostly because I'm been using my bronzer from Too Faced - but this really deserves to be mentioned. Again, amazing for travelling and the pigmentation is insane, specially on that blush. Light hand is a must with him. And yes, I'll be sure to do a comparative post between this and the Nars Orgasm + Laguna duo in the future (specially because I think that they aren't that similar...more in the future I guess).

Oh yes, no drugstore post could be done without mentioning this powder - The Catrice Mattifying Powder Waterproof. I almost got a backup of this yesterday but, I think I'll end up doing it anyway. It's the best powder I ever used - really fine, gives my skin a velvet and pretty look and keep the shine away. It's compact and has a good mirror. It doesn't have any brushes or sponges but, I personally don't care for that.
In therms of drusgstore lispticks I have to admit that I never went into experimenting too much. If I find something nice, I stick with it. That what happen with the Kate by Rimmel London lipsticks. The present here is the 05 but I also own 03 and I'm thinking about getting a few more. They are easy to apply, aren't too moisturising but aren't drying which is good. They just look nice and I can't complain too much...after all this costs around 7 euros.
Also from Rimmel London, their newest cream blushes - Stay Blushed in 001 a Pop of Pink-  are also a really nice treat. I wasn't expecting something this nice - easy too blend and build up and hold pretty nicely on my face. The colour I own is perfect for everyday and I'm thinking about searching for more. But won't be soon I guess.
Lastly but not least, the Catrice Waterproof Eye liner pencil in 100 Pearly Bird is my waterline choice. I got it because the one I wanted - matte and with a salmon hint - was (and still is...) out of stock. I'm really glad that I got this because it give a more shine and light to my eyes.

So, here are my dugstore choices, what are yours?
I'll be doing a similar post for high end and...it will be bigger than this. So get ready!

Take care everyone, have a nice day!

With Love,
Diana.

Argent Makeup Brushes | Review

8/07/2014





Argent Makeup Brushes
Born from the Love and determination of a young woman named Tania, argent Makeup is the first Portuguese Makeup Brush brand. It all started with one brush model and now, they have been releasing a new brush each year. They also launch their new international shop which ships to other places besides Portugal (which was already happening, since they were being shipped already to Brazil and to Angola)
The currently has 3 brushes and is on the verge of launching their fourth. All of them are made with synthetic brushes and can be used with powder and cream products. Also, you can always choose between the Classic version with the black handle and the Girly version with the pink handle - which is the one I'll be showing today. 

  



Argent Makeup 101 
This was the first to be launch - during the over hype around flat top kabukis and super denser foundation brushes. Tania thought wisely when she projected this brush - she wanted something that would be dense but flexible at the same time because she new that too dense brushes could be hard to work with. And I have to say that she did an amazing job, since it's easy to buff in the foundation with this brush  when compared to my F82 for example and it's also easier to clean because of the flexibility. 
The handle is big enough and easy to work with and the darker bristles in the end can help with keeping the brush more clean and presentable than the regular white ones - and yes, you can still see if your brush is clean or not. 
This brush is also really good for applying blush and blending it, specially those really pigmented blushes like NARS - I once over-applied Seduction and this was the brush that saved me from looking like clown. This one costs around 14,99 € which is a really reasonable price. For example, a F80 can cost from 18 to 20 euros in European Official retailers. 



  



Argent Makeup 202* 
Next, it was time for multi-task eye brush. This one was designed for those ladies with really small eyelid space that still wanted to do precise and amazing looks without rubbing and over smudging - which can happen with really big and over fluffy blending blushes. I actually have enough eyelid space but still, I really like it for my everyday looks because I know that nothing goes wrong with him. It's also amazing to apply a wash of colour or to apply concealer under the eye. And for those who like it, it's also really amazing to contour the nose area. 
But personally, I also like to apply sometimes highlighter with this bad boy on the hallows of my cheeks. I really should get a backup for this one.  This one retails for 7,99 , a true bargain to be sincere. Oh yeah, I totally need a backup of this one.

  




Argent Makeup 102 
Launched last year, it was build and designed to apply bronzer and contour - something that the Argent Makeup 101 couldn't do. Because of the shape, I also really like to apply blush and setting powder with him and I believe that it's amazing to apply a foundation like Big Easy. Depending of how you place the brush, you can also apply highlighter with him. Yes, it's a multi-task brush. This one retails for 13,49€ which to me isn't a bad price either. It's a very fair one. Oh and until Sunday - August 10th, PT-time - with the code 120D you can get 10% from this brush because recently it was launched a new and improved version.

Also regarding the prices, all the price mentioned here have the Portuguese VAT added. Orders from Outside the EU won't be held account to so the prices might be a little different for those. Also, the company isn't responsible for custom charges in those countries. (You can read this information in their website or even just ask other question on their facebook)

Just like I mention regarding the Argent 101, they are easy to clean and they day really fast. I really believe that they are worth their price since they are high-quality and you can use them for different actions. You can get them from their Official Website. Both Girly and Classic version are equal, the only change is the handle colour. 
Where to get this? You can either check Argent Makeup's Official website or Argent Makeup's Official Facebook Page.

I hope that you liked the review, which one caught you eye? 
Take care, have a nice day!



With Love,
Diana 

*Product received from brand as a prize of a wallpaper contest. 

July Beauty Products '14

8/06/2014




July was a interesting month. My computer was off during one or two weeks and I couldn't edit pictures - yes, most of the posts were already made before but it was hard to get new ones. Also, most of my time was was spent trying to do looks for upcoming posts and I'll be working on more during August. I've also using and rediscovering products in my collection- which is why I only have a few favourites.
Also, the month was spent watching Sailor Moon Crystal - AWESOME! with the exception of the last episode were some perspectives were really strange - and Orphan Black - amazing! Seriously brilliant! If you are looking for a nice  mystery & sci-fi series watch this one! They have 20 episodes, 10 for each season.
And now, into the Beauty favourites...


Sleek Storm Palette
I tend to forget about this palette. But I really shouldn't. From the three that I have this is the best in terms of shade selection and texture. I've been working on a Drugstore Holy Grail kinda post so, you'll be seeing me mention this palette again. I'll try to not forget about her so soon. 

Sleek Face Form in light
Another product that I tend to forget but I shouldn't. The quality of sleek of blushes is amazing - they may not stay in my face as much as NARS blushes, but they are really pigmented. A easy hand is a requirement for these and also, they last a lot! There was a time were the only bronzer I had was the one from this kit and I haven't hit pan on it - you can see the hole, but there're still a long way to the pan. 

Bourjois CC Cream in 31 Ivory
Although I haven't been near any beach, I got little more tanned - like a shade or so. I'm still pale, don't get my wrong, but I can't wear the Big Easy from Benefit now because of that. But, now the Bourjois CC cream is a perfect match - weird right?
The only down side is the fact that I need to powder because the shine will come at full power in my T-Zone. Still, it's a monthly Favourite.

VMV Hypoallergenics Ooh-la-lash Mascara
The best mascara I ever tried. There I said it. There's nothing I can do to thank Shayne for this. I'm very picky with mascaras because I have straight lashes and I hate really liquid formulas that take too much time to dry, smudge and are heavy on my lashes. This Mascara is perfect - doesn't take too much to dry, isn't heavy at all and doesn't smudge or makes me look like a panda. Oh yeah, I love this! I guess Benefit has competition now. 

And this is it. I'll try to work on more posts during this week, specially on a Back to School series. Anyone interested in particular posts? Maybe makeup for school? Essential things that should be in you beauty bag? I would to know your ideas.

Take care, have a nice day!
With Love,
Diana.

July Empties '14

8/02/2014





Hi everyone! So my computer is finally back and fixed (oh yeah!). During the past week I've been using tones of pre-made posts and a very old computer that wouldn't allow me to edit simple shoots. But everything is fixed and I have a lot to share. On top of my list? Empties. Probably because I already have a good quantity to share and I really don't want to accumulate even more. And yes, I've been storing them on my MAC bag. I'll probably keep it in that way for now.
So prepare your self.
The Mascara department
I actually never finished these but I'll declare them as so. The Rimmel London Accelaretor mascara was used a hand-full of times but we didn't click. I got it because of the raves from Fleur...sadly this wouldn't do much to my lashes and was too liquid for my tast. And since we can't pass mascara to no one, I'll just say goodbye.
Now the Too Faced Lash-gasm has a totally different story. I had mentioned how I didn't liked it when I reviewed the romantic collection. After that this keept smelling funky and with a weird texture. So no, I won't dare to use this in my eyes ever again. I think I got bad luck with this mascara or something. Sadly, this made me scared of Too Faced mascaras in general.
The essencial but not-that-special department
I think I'll stop talking about these in future posts. But yes, I've finished to packs of my Nivea makeup remover wipes - which I use for swatches and clean my hands after applying foundation with my hands.And I've also finished two packs of my Demak-up Duo+ cotton...they are my favourite cotton pads. What else can I say?
Hair Care Department
From the SLS-free range from L'oreal I've killed the shampoo, hair mask and conditioner. The Shampoo is very gentle - cleans my hair but isn't harsh or over stripping to my scalp. I've repurchased another tube and althought I really want to try out other brands - like Aveeno and Bumble&Bumble - but this one is a favourite. I also got another tube of the conditioner and I'll probably apply to it what I intend to do with the shampoo. Now the mask, I'm currently trying other from their range which has a different smell and texture. This mask isn't bad - it's really dense which I like - but my current mask is more hydration than this one so I'm not sure If I'm going to get another box or not.
The Skin Care Department
Oh yeah, there'se a lot. Starting with those that got repurchased , I finished a tube of the La Roche-Posay Hydreane Ligere moisturiser and the Effaclar Duo - I got the new version . The only thing I have to mention is the fact that duo to packaging problems the last bits of product got wasted in the cap. ridiculous...I guess it's because the product it's so liquidly (the new version isn't).
The Nuxe produgience Nuit Night cream was a pain to finish...for some reason I just couldn't smell it and even my skin wasn't liking it...I've switch for a more simple and rich moisturiser for the night and my skin appreciated it. I won't be getting this again.
The Body Shop's Camomile Cleansing butter was a lovely treat. I'm currently using the oil but I'll probably get this bad boy again because it's really lovely to use and travel with. It cleanses my face, doesn't break me out or irritates it. Just lovely.

The Sample Department
Inspired by the Sample Killah that some lovely Canadian Beauty Bloggers did during the month I decided to finally kill a few samples. Although there are two products that really don't count as samples - the T-zone Pore strip which I had wondering around the samples. I hate it, there's anything else I can say. It leaves tones of glue on my nose and doesn't clean. Won't be getting this again. The other Non-sample is the The Body Shop Seaweed Clay Mask which you can purchase instead of the big pot. I got this because of a promotion ( buy 3 get 30% off) when I got the Aloe Toner and the Camomile Cleansing Oil . It's a nice mask that I like to use once in a while.
Now, actual samples...I used a Avon Cellu-Sculpt thing and I really didn't see any different (maybe because I don't really have any cellulite? ) and the smell was weird. The L'oreal Revitalift Lase x3 has too much silicone. I don't mind silicones in primers but I hate them in moisturisers...
The Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser was given by Shayne during our SWAP. I wanted to like it but..it actually broke me out. I'm not sure if it was a specific ingredient or the fact that my skin isn't used to SLS any more (it didn't foam that much actually.)The Mini.They're Real is also gone - I didn't like it but for some reason the baby version have a different texture when compared to the full-size ones. And Lastly but not least the TonyMoly Tomatox Mask - AMAZING. I really want to get the full-size version because of this one. It's like my Cleanance mask from Avène but more gentle.

Okay, enough with my trash. I'll be working on my favourites post and other posts for August.
Take Care everyone! Have a nice day!
With Love, 
Diana.
© RandomlyDi. Design by FCD.