Wednesday 30 November 2016

WHY I CAN'T WAIT FOR DECEMBER 1ST? BEAUTY CALENDARS FEAT. SELFRIDGES AND MARKS & SPENCER





It seems 2016 isn't only the year of high waisted jeans and stripes. It is the year when Beauty Advent Calendars finally ARRIVED. Why I strongly believe the capitalisation is needed? We've seen Beauty Advent Calendars for few years now but this year they have overcome the market. They are absolutely everywhere, with pretty much every shop, online shop and brand doing one. There are so many to choose from and it was super hard to make a decision but I hope I made a right one. 

I choose two calendars which I think suit me and my needs very well. I apologise for not including the drugstore priced options but I found them to be more on a younger side of things with Tanya Burr edition or Makeup Revolution chest. I wanted to try new things and with my tastes being on  a medium price range level I choose M&S and Selfridges as my final two. They are now both sold out and my apologies for not coming to you with them sooner, but I didn't want to enable your decision with my post. It is not a review, but simply an invitation. As you know, or don't know yet, I love Christmas and the build up to Christmas is my favourite time of the year. I am yet to dress my Christmas Tree and put up the decorations but I honestly can't wait to start my Advent with my Beauty Advent Calendars. 

The Invitation is here. I'd love for you to join me and maybe invite me over to do the same on your end. Whatever Advent Calendar you're opening this year, let's do it together! Christmas is such a family orientated time and what better way than do it with an adopted family that is the blogging family :) I will be opening my Advent Calendars on both Snapchat and Instagram so follow me for the every day fun. We'll talk, we'll laugh. Send me snaps of your advent calendars, send me video/pic messages on Instagram. I love getting them and you truly make my day, being so involved in this little thing I do here. 

You can find me on Snapchat here - i.dorottka. Find me, add me and let's start the countdown to Christmas together! Or you can follow me on Instagram (Just click HERE) and let's do it all - together! <3

But if you're truly can't wait and would like to see what's that I'm getting in the upcoming 24 days of Christmas, here's some sneak peek reviews waiting for you below:



Happy Eve of December to all you Beauty Addicts! 

Thank You For Reading,
Love

Dorota X

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Monday 28 November 2016

WORTH THE HYPE? 5 MAKEUP FAVES I'D LOVE TO HATE




There's always a lot of hype around new makeup releases. Some are totally over hyped and some have overtaken my routine. 


The most talked about highlighter from MAC totally deserves all the hype. I love to glow and I love a lot of highlighters, but it seems I always go back to Soft & Gentle. It's described as gilded peach bronze but I really don't see it as peach bronze but more of a beautiful champagne. It works for so many skin tones from the palest to the medium and I'm sure it could add dimension to even the deepest of them all. It's one of those finishes which work for both daytime and evening glam depending on a brush used and an application. Use a fan brush for a minimal daytime glow and denser brush like Sigma F35 (Tapered Highlighter Brush) for the wow effect that I tend to prefer. 


The concealer that has a beauty world divided. Some love and some hate it. I belong in the love category. Borderline obsessive category to be more precise. I wanted to hate the concealer that costs so much, but it's honestly the best thing that's ever happened to my under eye circles. You only ever need a little to get the highest coverage possible. I always correct the shade first with either Bobbi Brown or NYX Corrector and then add just the tiniest amount of the Full Cover to conceal everything and anything. Some worry that formula is too high coverage for ever day wear, but I find that with great skincare it doesn't affect my under eyes. 


This came recommended by many and I completely understand. It has fixed so many of my problematic foundations like Chanel Les Beiges, which I now adore. The formula is water based and works well for dry skin types. It gives the most incredible radiant finish to my complexion and makes the foundation just sit flawlessly on top. It certainly lives up to all the hype it gets.

RCMA No-Color Powder RPR £10.50 (currently out of stock)

Again this powder has taken the beauty world by storm and is my newest addition to an ever growing powder collection. I may not be able to confirm its all claims but it's truly excellent setting powder. It sets makeup in place without giving it the 'powder' finish. It's not as natural as Hourglass but it's also so much better at keeping foundation in place, especially ones that tend to move around after few hours. I love using it for baking as well, as it doesn't look dry under eyes. I find its a great all rounder and most importantly it won't break the bank. The hardest part is getting your hands on it. it's now available on Beauty Bay so keep on checking for availability.


Most famous nude lip liner thanks to our obsession in over lining our lips for that fuller effect. I must admit, it took me a while to even consider spending so much money on a lip liner and I now regret the time I was without it. It's perfect for those morning where I literally have zero time to do anything with my lips and can't leave them bare. The formula is creamy but comfortable and staying power very decent. I really love over lining my lips with it as the shade is just perfect for it, subtle yet visible enough. Yes, there are definite duper on the market but there's only one Pillowtalk :)

I hope you enjoyed this quick post. Let me know what products you'd be most excited to try! 

Thank You For Reading,
Love

Saturday 19 November 2016

SUBSCRIPTION BOXES YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS FEAT. LOVE ME BEAUTY & ANONYMOUS JEWELLERY + 2 GIVEAWAYS!



I've always loved subscription boxes and with the trend still going strong, there's plenty to choose from from different companies. Be this beauty, lifestyle, jewellery or even food, if you like to be surprised every month - there's plenty to choose from.

LOVE ME BEAUTY

I've bragged about Love Me Beauty for couple of months already and I still love the service. I love choosing my own products, I love their loyalty scheme and mostly, I love the products available each month. It's only £10.00 plus P&P and you get 60 points to spend on products you love the most. Use my code: DOROT2147918 to grab additional £21.00 worth of points to spend on more goodies! Just click HERE to shop now!



This month Love Me Beauty treated us to a huge selection of Eco Tools brushes. I haven't tried them yet, so I jumped on the offer and picked up few brushes to test! I now own 4 great new brushes and I honestly like using them! I've picked up 1305 Blending and Bronzing Brush and it is my definite winer! It's a duo fiber brush and absolutely stunning to use to powder down the face, apply powder foundation, bronzers & blushers. I use it for my powder foundation mostly but also for bronzer and I love it. I also picked 1306 Precision Blush and this is the one for contour needs for me. It's unusual shape makes it perfect to fit the contour just below the cheekbones and on the temples. Both brushes are super soft and I haven't experienced any shedding yet! I also picked up Eye Blending set, which is a set of 2 double ended eye brushes. Yet again they are soft and quite dense. It's a real gem for your travel makeup bag. They are all you need to apply eye makeup. I don't love them more than my Sigma or Brush blending brushes but they are firmly up there on Zoeva level. I especially like the side to apply the eyeshadow as it's dense and packs the product in nicely. Also the mini shader brush is great to smudge out the eyeliner and for bottom lash line. I also picked up Makeup Brush Cleasing Cloths which is such a great idea I haven't seen anywhere else. Makes cleansing your brushes on the go such an easy and painless task. You get 40 sheets and I think they work ok. It won't replace washing your brushes, but it's a great every day tool.


I've loved EcoTools so much that I picked a mini set for you and it's now available to win on my new Instagram giveaway alongside some NYX contour goodies and a Lovely highlighter. Enter HERE now!



And if you'd like #browsonfleek - enter my Twitter Giveaway now to win an Eco Toold Brow Shaping Set and Eylure Brow Gel. ENTER HERE

I also grabbed couple of skincare samples. I was lucky enough to attend a Bare Minerals event at Selfridges couple of months ago and try their Skin Longevity Serum, so when I saw it available on Love Me Beauty, I jumped on the bandwagon to get it. I haven't tested it yet, as I have too many serums on the go at the moment, but once I do, I'm sure to report back here or in my Instagram mini reviews. I also picked up a Exuviance Purrifying Clay Masque to add to my multitasking rituals. I think a good cleansing clay mask is a must for my chin, which is the only problematic area for me and I love finding ones that actually work at driving the impurities out. I have high hopes for this product so don't forget to follow me on Instagram and Snapchat where I always review masks live!

I grabbed one shade of OPI Nail Lacquer as I've been off shellacs for a while now and I'm back to testing various nail polish brands. I adore the shade and I must fight over it with my Mom as she is eyeing it every time, so I'm worried it'll 'disappear' one day. I am watching you closely Mom! Lol



ANONYMOUS JEWELLERY BOX*

When I was contacted by the brand to review and share with you this new subscription box I said yes as I really like jewellery. I rarely buy anything other than silver, gold and rose gold as I find the pure metals to be the lasting memories but I also like to change up my jewellery and obviously can't afford a jewellery box of a Hollywood star. This box costs only £10.90 and has Free World Wide Delivery. You get 3 jewellery pieces plus free Flash Tattoos. You pay monthly but you choose to either buy or pass as it's not a true subscription. I find the idea super cute and when it arrived it was packaged in a bubbly envelope with all pieces packaged separately in small plastic bags with a brand logo. 

Check out Anonymous Jewellery HERE now!



I've received a bracelet, a necklace and earrings plus some flash tattoos. If you follow me on my socials you've seen me wear them and I really think they're stunning. I got so many compliments at work for the necklace and the earrings but I really love the bracelet as it compliments my Pandora one so well. Have a look for yourself and see if you like them as much as I do. I rarely wear earrings so it's one piece I won't be wearing too much, only on occasion but the bracelet and a necklace has stolen my heart. 

I hope you enjoyed this quick post. Let me know what products you'd be most excited to try! 


Thank You For Reading,
Love

Wednesday 16 November 2016

ESSIE GEL COUTURE COLLECTION + NAIL CARE TREATMENT FOR POST GEL NAILS WITH NAILS INC NAILKALE




Essie is the nail polish brand every beauty blogger swears by. I was never a huge fan of their original formula, mainly because I just don't like your usual nail polish. I don't think it lasts well enough and I just don't have the time to paint my nails every other day. I type a lot and take care of the house, so no nail polish has ever lasted more than a day in a perfect condition on me. The ones I loved before were Barry M Sunset Curing Gel Paints (POST) and I still think they are great especially for the price. I wanted to try something else and seeing Essie coming up with their Gel Couture Collection I couldn't just say no. I bought one shade originally plus a top coat and that was less than a month ago. Now my collection has grown to 5 shades that should take me through autumn/winter season nicely.

Before we talk more shades and I give you my review of the collection I'd like to talk to you about my nails and their conditioning treatment I swear by! I have stopped doing gel overlay/shellac in August and my nails have been less than perfect. In fact it took me months to get them to a condition they are in now, thanks to a great nail primer/base coat that is Nails Inc Superfood NailKale Base Coat (RPR £15.00). They were brittle, ridged and thin like paper. I don't help myself with an occasional biting (I'm a nervous biter , sue me!). 



However in September I decided enough is enough and picked up NailKale Base Coat from my drawers. I remember receiving it in one of the beauty boxes but never really used it as I was doing shellac at the time. For the first two weeks I used it alone on the nails. Basically I would paint two coats and topped up with an additional coat every other day, removing it all every 5-6 days and start the process again. I filed my nails every 5-6 days and repeated the treatment. I didn't wear any nail polish on top, just the NailKale. 

Superfood NailKale Base Coat is formulated with superfoods such as kale, aloe vera, lemon, ginseng, pomegranate and grape to deeply nourish, smooth and brighten the nails. The formula is also enriched with vitamins A, C, E, F and H for added nourishment and protection against breakage and splitting. This treatment offers keratin hardening and promises a nail growth without breakage or splitting. 

I noticed the difference after couple of weeks. My paper thin nails became stronger and more flexible. Over time they hardened and started growing faster. They look and feel better nourished than ever. I still keep them short, wanting to give them time to fully recover but the difference is massive. As for a base cast it works just as well as the treatment. I now use one coat, then two coats of Essie Gel Couture shade and top coats. It helps making my nails perfect under the colour and keeps the manicure in place too. I only had a nail break once since I started the treatment and that was totally my own fault, as I tend to fall over all the time LOL. If you're on the look out for a good nail treatment, check out Nails Inc Superfood NailKale Base Coat next. 






I didn't have too big of hope for Essie Gel Couture Collection as just like I mentioned in my intro, I was never the fan of the original formula. I did, however want to try the new range so I purchased one shade to test it out. I have tested all the shades that I own now and they can last up to 6 days on me. I showed you how well they performed live on Insta Stories and Snapchat and it could potentially last more if it wasn't for my constant typing plus getting bored of a shade and wanting to test another. I think the Top Coat works great too, making them dry within 2-3 minutes to full dry. You can touch them after 30 seconds but it doesn't harden fully until 2-3 minutes in. I have had zero chipping with these, so I'm amazed. I think they are a little more pricey than Barry M (RPR £9.99) but worth every penny. I need to try the Top Coat with the normal nail polish formula to see if it'll work to prolong their lasting power. 


I got 5 shades so far and I don't plan on topping up for now, as I got 5 perfect autumn/winter shades one can wish for.




Fairy Tailor is a gorgeous pale beige nude with pink/coral tones. It is more sheer than opaque but it can be built up to half-opaque finish. I imagine it to be a perfect wedding shade, it's so pretty and natural. 



Make The Cut is off white greige. It's has some sheen to the finish but it's fully opaque after two coats. I have it on now and I just love how it looks. Light greige is such a perfect winter shade and I can already tell, it'll be my firm favourite.




Take Me To Thread is a muted purple taupe. Absolutely stunning opaque finish after 2 coats. I adore this shade as I do love to match my lips to my nails and I own a lot of lipsticks to match this particular shade. I love it!



Bubbles Only is the shade of the autumn. If you're not into dark berry shades, this muted dark red should suit you well. As mentioned above, I love matching nail polish to lipstick and it is a perfect match for Jouer Creme Lip Matte Fall Collection in Brique. 




Spiked With Style is the dark berry with brown tones, which looks almost black in certain lighting. It's such a opaque gorgeous shade, I love it. I love wearing a super dark vampy lip for autumn, so this shade on nails should suit most of my autumn lip shades (POST).


I don't think I can choose just one favourite as I love all the shades for their own unique reasons and I know they suit my makeup style this fall very well. Have you tried any of Essie Gel Couture Collection yet? What are your thoughts? 



Thank You For Reading,
Love




Beauty Bay

Monday 14 November 2016

CHRISTMAS BLOG GIVEAWAY: WIN SOLD OUT ZOEVA CARAMEL MELANGE (CLOSED)


Hello my lovelies! Christmas is coming and I'd like to spread some early Christmas cheer. If you've read my Friday's post, you know how quickly I became a fan of the new Zoeva Caramel Melange palette which is currently sold out on Beauty Bay! I have one to give away to one of you now!!! 

I'd like to thank you for sticking with me, for all the views, your lovely comments, private messages and continuous support! I cherish each and single one of you and hope you can stick around for more. I see every like, every follow. I love getting messages on my social media and just generally love talking to you my lovelies. 

The rules are pretty simple:

Giveaway is open internationally from now to 11th December 2016, which (hopefully!) means a Christmas delivery :) You must be 18 years old, or get your parents permission to share your information with me. 

You must follow me on Bloglovin', Instagram and Twitter. Please enter via a Rafflecopter below. You will have option to get more entries by tweeting about the giveaway, following me on Snapchat or visiting my Facebook page, however these aren't mandatory. 

Please share this giveaway with your friends and family :)

I will choose a winner via a Rafflecopter live on Instagram via Stories on 11th December 2016 after 12pm. Your prize will be send via recorded delivery the very next day. 

Thank You For Reading,
Love







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