BOURJOIS 123 PERFECT..

After recently watching a FleurDeForce favorites video (she is one of my most favorite bloggers around) I wanted to try out the Bourjois 123 Perfect CC cream, so I got it in the shade light beige.

The intriguing thing about this CC cream is the claim of having three pigments for correcting different areas of the face and all that with one product. It claims to have apricot pigment for anti-fatigue, green pigment for anti-redness and white pigment for anti-dark spots purposes.

As you can understand I had to give it a go!

To tell you the truth I haven't spotted the actual effect of the three pigments on each troubled area on my face, but I've been trying it out for a while now and I can safely say that is a decent CC cream. It has actual light-to-medium coverage, covering most of my red and black spots. It also leaves my face really hydrated (although I'm not sure about the 24h hydration that says on the tube) and it gives a satin, natural finish.

Overall I'm impressed with it and I love using it for everyday light coverage.

So 123? Perfect!

Xx

PeMi

This post is not sponsored and the opinions written are my own

AUTUMNAL LOVE: ESSIE LADY LIKE..

For the past 4 years, every time I see autumn coming around the corner, I always welcome it by wearing my all time classic autumnal nail polish, Essie Lady Like. Until  this day I haven't found a shade like this in any brand I've used.

It has a muted lilac shade, with a pink undertone that makes it unique. It's rich in texture and has a creamy, shiny finish.

Needless to say it's my No1 choice in autumnal nail polish as it goes with everything I choose to wear on everyday basis.

Have you tried it yourself? What's your favorite nail polish for autumn?

Xx
PeMi

This post is not sponsored and the opinions written are my own

THE EXPENSIVE ONE: CHANEL MOUSSE DOUCEUR..

On my last birthday I got an amazing present! Something that I always wanted to try but the price was not making it easy for me. So when I opened my present, after a shriek of happiness, I went home and placed it on my bathroom sink as decoration. Of course it's a CHANEL product..

CHANEL Mousse Douceur, Rinse-Off Foaming Mousse

 Really guys, how do they do it over there at Chanel? Their products could easily be sold, just as decoration. 
 Everything from the packaging to the product itself didn't let me down, on the contrary I am amazed.

The tube is solid, in an off-white color and the lid is black with the distinctive Chanel logo. It's a classy packaging with an even classier product. When you squeeze the tube, a luxurious, pearly, white cream comes out, which smells like flowers. I mean come on! It's a piece of art.
It contains tulip tree extract to remove impurities caused by pollution and it generally claims to be a cleanser and makeup remover for normal to combination skin. It gently purifies and has  moisturizing effects.

I don't use it as a makeup remover but I do use it every morning and evening on my face, after I've removed my makeup, as a cleansing step in my routine. When mixed with water it creates a foam that I apply on my face in circular motions, then rinse off and continue with my other skincare products.

It leaves me with a fresh face feeling completely clean and nourished. It doesn't dry my skin at all as other similar products do and it doesn't strip it off its natural moisture. 

It's on the expensive side, but it's one of those very few products that actually make you happy spending money on. It's a keeper!!

This post is not sponsored and the opinions written are my own

MILK_SHAKE FOR HAIR?

During one of my appointments with my hairdresser, he urged me to buy a hair oil, because the ends of my hair had been severely damaged, due to the consistent (daily, oops!) use of the  straightening iron.  

I have to say that up to that point I always shied away from hair oils, because they are usually thick, so they weigh my hair down and give me a sense of greasiness, which I absolutely cannot tolerate, not even for a minute.

So having the best excuse for a wild shopping spree, I was browsing through www.beautybay.com, when I came across an organic oil treatment, the Milk_Shake Glistening Argan Oil. I bought the 50ml size, being absolutely certain, as I was purchasing it, that I would hate it.

And then it came home... And then I fell in love with it...

It claims that it is an ultra-replenishing conditioning treatment, leaving hair smooth and silky. It has a unique formula which dramatically reduces blow drying time and deeply conditions the hair. I'm not sure about the blow drying time reduce. As for conditioning and replenishing the hair, it is spot on!

After I wash my hair, I towel dry and massage a small amount of the oil into the ends. Apart from the amazing nutty smell, it also leaves my hair feeling like silk. Its consistency is not thick, it's almost watery, so it doesn't feel greasy at all. The big revelation is after blow drying. My hair has a healthy shine that I hadn't seen in years! All that being said, I kept the best for last. I've had the 50 ml bottle for nearly 5 months, using it after every wash, (I wash my hair every other day) and I'm not even half way through it!!

So Milk_Shake for hair? Oh Yes!!

This post is not sponsored and the opinions written are my own

LET'S GET MOTIVATED! #3: YOU WANT IT... DO IT

I cannot count the times that I decided to start this blog in the past and dismissed the idea.

"Will people like it? Will it be awful? Will I be able to express in writing what I' m thinking? Am I too old to start a blog?". So many questions that held me back for months. And I was unhappy. Genuinely unhappy. 

It is so common for people not to do what they like, because someone might make fun of them, or they won't get the response and the appreciation that they expect. Everyone, myself included, hates the idea of rejection, because it instantly makes them feel inadequate and small.

But it doesn't have to be this way. 

Doing something you love, is liberating. Personally it gave me inspiration. It made me start thinking, searching, reading and wanting to learn more. It is amazing to be able to spend some of my time, doing something that makes me smile. It's actually an investment, psychologically and mentally, as it helps me decompress after a long, hard day, communicate my feelings, my thoughts, to be funny, to be serious and through that I express myself to others, hoping that they will understand me and feel the same thing. And if they don't, well really.. it's OK. I can't expect everyone to agree with my opinions.

I find there is nothing healthier than making yourself and others happy. And although work and responsibilities consume most of our time, we can always stop just for a second, reflect on our lives, find out what makes us happy and just do it..

Xx

PeMi

This post concludes the Let's Get Motivated trilogy. If you want more.. just ask :):)

The opinions written are my own. I'm by no means an expert in human psychology

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS: BROW WIZ VS BROW POWDER DUO..

After a huge load of reviews online about Anastasia Brow Wiz, I decided that it was time to get on that wagon myself. I had already purchased the Brow Powder Duo in Medium Brown a few months back and I was completely happy with the result it gave my eyebrows. And then that pencil came into my life..

Using the Powder Duo with the Sephora Angled Liner Brush in No15 (even though it's meant to be used for lining the eyes, I find it the best way to apply brow powder as well), my eyebrows always look perfectly shaped. I even have two choices: the lighter shade for my day time makeup and the darker one (the almost untouched one I mean) for the nights out. I can even mix both of them to create my own shade depending on my skin tone or overall makeup at every occasion. So it's the perfect product right? Well... almost.
Anastasia Powder Powder Duo In Medium Brown

The Brow Wiz Pencil in Medium Brown is another story! On one end there is an ultra-small mechanical pencil and on the other end, the best spooley brush I've ever used. The pencil being so fine, helps me give the impression of not having painted eyebrows, but actual hairs. I used to be an over-tweezer, a price I'm still paying, but with the pencil I can mimic real hairs. And if I get carried away (which I always do) I have my perfect spooley to correct it. It grabs the hairs and brushes them through taking the excess product out and in the same time keeping them in place.
Anastasia Brow Wiz In Medium Brown

I never thought I could fall in love with a product that gives a specific result and less with one that is so versatile, but this pencil has won me over, as it's the best one I've ever used to date. I will still be using my Powder Duo though whenever I like to mix and match the two shades.

Xx
PeMi

This post is not sponsored and the opinions written are my own

LET'S GET MOTIVATED! #2: IT'S A NEW DAWN..

It's a new dawn, 

                       It's a new day, 

                                           It's a new life for me.. 

                                                                             and I'm feeling good!!

Oh Nina Simone rocks, don't you think? I heard this song a few days ago on the radio and I instantly felt better. Just like that! That's the effect that gifted, talented people we've never met, have on us.

So is it true what they say? "Tomorrow is a new day". You bet it's true!! 

I cannot count the times I have said that to myself, in order to calm down, take it easy and just freaking relaaaax..

School, work, responsibilities, deadlines, throughout the years I always had an excuse to freak out. I always felt that someone or something was relying on me to perform my best in everything, no matter how I was, or how I felt at the time. Problems will always be there, ready to consume us and have the best of us, but it's in our hands to push them aside and pull through.

Every time something bad happens, I say to myself "Try to make it for the rest of the day, sleep and tomorrow will be much better". To tell you the truth it's really difficult but also so refreshing! 

Every day life has ups and downs, that we cannot predict, nor can we manage. In these cases a clear mind and a clear heart are the best allies to solve any problem. And even if we cannot solve it... one of these days, we WILL feel good.

Xx

PeMi

The opinions written are my own. I'm by no means an expert in human psychology

GOOD GENES... OR GOOD CREAMS?

A few days ago I met with some fellow students from high school, that I hadn't seen since graduation day. Some of them kept telling me that I had not aged a day since then, which a part of me desperately wanted to believe. The other part of me (the sane one) knew better. 

Apart from the good genes I have, I've always taken care of my skin, especially my face. I remember when the first little eye wrinkles started to show, I rushed to the drugstore (actually in Greece we have cosmetics stores such as HONDOS CENTER, GALLERIE DE BEAUTE and of course SEPHORA) and bought my first anti-wrinkle cream for the first signs of aging. As I'm not 18 anymore I need some serious boosting to keep feeling fresh.

Sometime later I stumbled upon

EsteeLauderAdvancedTimeZoneAgeReversingLine/WrinkleCreme and EsteeLauderAdvancedTimeZoneAgeReversingLine/WrinkleEyeCreme 

and I absolutely fell in love with them.

The face cream is for normal/combination skins, it has SPF 15 (which is a bit low in my opinion) it's oil-free and it gives me a sense of freshness and lightness on the skin. After the application my face has a healthy glow, and it feels almost like satin.

The eye cream is for all skin types, it's more thick in consistency and my tired eyes absorb it like crazy every morning when I apply it. Since my eye area is the most sensitive on my face, I have noticed that this eye cream brings back the elasticity and it helps with my dark under eye circles too!!

They both need a good 10 minutes to fully absorb before I put on my makeup, and then my skin is ready for the rest of the day. 

They are on the pricey side, but for me they worth every cent! Especially the eye cream lasts for such a long time, as I only need a tiny bit to apply every day.

Xx

PeMi

LET'S GET MOTIVATED! #1: FEEL LOVED?..

"Hey everyone! My name is Penny, I love and I feel loved.."

If I ever found the courage to participate in one of those self awareness groups, that would be my introduction statement.

Everyone knows, myself included, that human relationships are just hard! Making a friend? Hard.. Finding your significant other? Hard.. Getting along with your family all the time? Hard.. Even getting along with yourself all the time? Extremely hard!!..

So how can we handle human interaction? How can we distinguish those people that are good for us and those that are not? How can we find satisfaction in any kind of a relationship?

Well in my humble, non-professional opinion I think I found the way. Unconditional love does not cut it for me. I want to be crazy about someone and for the other one to be crazy about me! That's what does it for me. In my life I'm searching for relationships that make me feel loved, enough (even more than enough), respected, were my opinions count and are worth noticing, I'm looking for friends that cannot live without me, that want my advice, need my influence in their lives.

And in exchange I am theirs! Anytime of the day, under any conditions. 

You see feeling loved and well respected gives me the courage to move on in a really difficult everyday life, were all the obstacles are ready to ruin everything I work so hard for. I feel I have someone to rely on and to share my problems with.

 And in return loving someone back (my husband, my friends, my family) gives me the strength to build new things, to take chances, to progress as a person. It's amazing to have someone bringing out the best in you.

For many years this has been my favorite quote: "To love someone deeply gives you strength. Being loved by someone deeply gives you courage". So I try to keep that in mind every time someone declares their loyalty to me. I always ask myself  "Do I love them and do they love me?". If I do and they do.., well then lucky us!! :):)

Xx

PeMi

The opinions written are my own. I'm by no means an expert in human psychology 

THE MAN - APPROVED HAND CREAM...

One day my husband came home complaining about his hands being really dry and irritated and when I looked at them, I instantly knew what he was talking about. His hands being his work tools, were overused and the fingers were red, rough and they even started to present wounds due to the dryness. Trying not to be too descriptive here, but the man was in pain!

So I went to the Pharmacy (major wife points) and consulted the pharmacist as to which cream should he use and he presented me with AveneCicalfateHandCream. "Just another cream for dry hands" I thought. He used it for three consecutive days, applying it twice a day, as the tube suggested and on day three... ta daaaaaa. 

The result was rapid and shocking. His hands were softer than ever and touching them felt like velvet. He even said that it was the best cream I'd ever given him to try!! As you can imagine, I immidiately placed (rather snatched and placed) the tube on my nightstand and started applying it every night before I went to sleep.

The concistensy is non greesy and it's absorbed almost immidiately! It's hypoallergic and with no fragrance. My hands and cuticles instantly became softer. Being curious I also used it on my feet and it's safe to say that it easily works as a foot cream as well.

At the end of the day, a man - approved cream, is one worth trying..

Xx

PeMi

This post is not sponsored and the opinions written are my own

THE ONE WITH THE EVERY DAY MAKEUP..

Hey everyone!

Today I think a session on makeup is in order. Being a makeup enthusiast and by no means an expert, I have a small but (in my opinion) smart and useful collection, that I can use every day as well as on fancier occasions (those are the dusty products!). I have accumulated them through the years and I am really satisfied with the outcome. They occupy the last drawer of my bathroom and every time I look at them a sense of pride and affection goes through me.. (*hearts and flowers in the air*)

On a daily basis I use:

primer on my face Benefit The Pore-fessional,

if I have a gym session in the afternoon I use powder on my face Chanel Les Beiges Poudre Belle Mine Naturelle,

if not I use foundation, Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua (try to avoid mixing sweat with foundation, aka the worst feeling ever!!),

under eye concealer of course!! My No 1 go-to product (thanks mum for the dark circles!) Lancome Effacernes Longue Tenue,

black spots - freckles concealer (sunbathing for 10+ consecutive years under the Greek sun has seriously come back to bite me on the bum) Helena Rubinstein Magic Concealer

bronze powder Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Soft Duo Bronzer,

the most gorgeous blush Benefit Rockateur,

brow powder Anastasia Brow Powder Duo,

brow jell (not so crazy about that one) MakeUpForEver Brow Seal,

eye shadow, a glitter one.. or not (amazing palette!) Too Faced Natural Eyes Palette,

eye pencil in brown (seriously waterproof!) Bourjois Contour Clubbing Waterproof Eyepencil

mascara (I loooooove it) Maybelline The Rocket

and of course on the lips BabyLips Cherry Me

They seem a lot to use on everyday basis, but I've become an expert on applying them in under 10 minutes! (*applause*).

This routine helps my face look healthy, fresh and get on with my busy day...

Xx

PeMi

This post is not sponsored and the opinions written are my own

NINA RICCI : "NINA EAU DE TOILETTE" AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER..

The Lover...

Hey everyone!

Since I can remember myself wearing perfume, Nina Ricci's "Nina Eau De Toilette" has been my top choice. My only choice to tell you the truth..

Are you also one of those people that once they've detected a familiar smell, memories come pouring down like rain on your head and you feel like reliving them? Then you know what I mean. I'm one of those people that associate moments in life with a certain smell.

For example I've been buying my husband only one perfume "L'eau D'issey Miyake Pour Homme" for the past 15 years (!) since he wore it on our first date and no matter how many he's tried since then, I refuse to accept him wearing another one.  

I don't really remember the day I first smelled and bought "Nina", because it was many years ago, but since then our "love affair" has grown stronger and stronger. I've worn it every single day all these years and it's been a part of some of my most important moments in life, good and bad.

I will not bore you with writing the full notes description, but I will tell you that it has citrus, apple and vanilla notes, which make it smell fresh, sweet and classy and a few drops make it linger almost all day long. The bottle is a gorgeous red transparent glass apple with metal colored details.

So...........

All that being said, I decided last week that it's a pity to deprive myself (and my husband) from all those amazing perfumes, I read and hear about. So I'm taking baby-steps (as a Virgo baby-steps are necessary in order to reach an informed decision) by deciding to split the year in half and have two! perfumes, one for winter and one for summer (my inner Virgo is shaking her head as I’m clicking the keyboard). Of course I'm keeping "Nina" for a summer perfume, but I'm open to suggestions for an autumn-winter one.

So what are your recommendations on an autumn-winter perfume?

If you also have any on a summer one, I would love to read about it!

Which one is your favorite?

Please comment!

Xx

PeMi

This blogpost is not sponsored and the opinions written are my own

AUTUMN IS COMING.... I WISH

Hey everyone!

I don't know about you, but I just can't wait for autumn to come. It's been so hot here all summer and since I've done almost nothing but work (sad face) I'm ready for my oversized sweaters, my warm jeans, my new Betty London booties (very happy face) and the very very hot morning coffee, to get into my every day routine.

Is it really wishful thinking to have an image of drinking my tea in front of my fireplace within the next two months? Well for someone like me who lives in Greece, it's not only wishful thinking.. it's almost impossible.. The fact that last year I decorated the house for Christmas, wearing shorts and a T-shirt, doesn't leave me with much hope.

But I think I can smell it in the air. The "it almost rained" smell, which leaves you with the sweat anticipation of autumn. To tell you the truth, since the beginning of September, I've woken up every morning running to the balcony hoping it to be a "must wear a jacket" day.

I understand that many of you might just have started your summer vacation and the last thing you want is someone complaining about the hot weather, so..... As stated on my introduction bar, I'm trying to enjoy every day life and if summer decides to stay, well.... I will make the most of it!

PS: I'm leaving you with some photos from this morning, a clear statement that autumn IS coming - contrary to common belief. (I just can't let it go, can I?:):)

Enjoy!

                                      This morning while eating breakfast

  Before we left the house to go shopping (Betty London boots) Looove. First time wearing them!! Betty London Boots in AURANE

               Later, leaving http://www.mcarthurglen.com/gr/mcarthurglen-athens/en/.

                                       Arriving home

  

                                           And of course it didn't last long

So what's your favourite time of the year? Love to read your thoughts! 

Please comment!

Xx

PeMi

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