Best of beauty, makeup and skincare 2016

The winners are in ! Here are some of the best products I discovered this year and also some of my old time best favorites.

  MAKEUP
1.Best summer foundation: Guerlain Terracota Joli Teint
2.Best winter foundation: Dior Star
3.Best drugstore eye primer: Elf
4.Best highend eye primer: Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer

My most disappointing beauty products 2016

Last year I didn't have enough time to make a list of my most disappointing beauty products but this year the list of the products that truly disappointed me with their performance and quality is READY!!!!

 

........................I think I will start with the makeup brushes (from left to right )

Nudu Natural Beauty - luxurious, non toxic and cruelty free skincare

I recently discovered a new skincare brand with really amazing products, made in New Zealand with premium botanical ingredients, never ever tested on animals and without harmful or toxic ingredients. Isn't that great ?

Nudu products are made by a team of world-class experts, that are looking at every single ingredient for quality, effectiveness, and proven benefits to skin health and beauty.

I have received from Nudu, for a review purpose, several of their products : the natural beauty system for normal to dry skin (cream cleanser, reviving toner, gentle moisturizer) a konjac sponge and an eye cream. Before I will talk about these products I would like to mention that I am not selling any of these products, I am not affiliated with Nudu and I have not been compensated for my review.

Micellar Water Test- Garnier, Nivea & Ziaja

 Hello everyone,

because is such a hype to remove your make-up with micellar waters I thought I should test several and see what cleans best but first lets see what is this micellar water.

Micellar water takes its name from micelles, tiny round balls of cleansing molecules that float in the water. When you apply the product to your skin, the cleansing agents come into contact with oil and dirt on your face, allowing them to be swept away quickly and efficiently.

I chose 3 affordable micellar waters: 2 from drugstore and 1 pharmaceutical, all of them affordable and popular : GARNIER Skin Naturals Micellar Water for sensitive skin, NIVEA 3in1 Micellar Water for sensitive skin and Ziaja Spa Marine Algae Micellar Water for dry and normal skin 30 +

For the past year I have been using GARNIER on a daily base and I love this product because it works so good for my skin (dry and sensitive ) and it works amazing for lips and for the eye area without causing any irritation. I am happy I can buy it in this huge format of 400 ml because its a great product and I always use a tons of these micellar waters. The formula has no perfume and no parabens and very few ingredients: water mixed with glycerin and Hexylene Glycol.
Hexylene Glycol is a solvent and viscosity agent used in many skin care products that can create small irritation to certain skin types and skin conditions.

CLARINS Delectable Self Tanning Mousse with Mirabelle Oil

 Recently I've got a nice sample of tanning mousse from Clarins and because I prefer and really like sunless tan I decided to run a test with it and see how it develops, if it's really worth the money and if I should add it to the list of my favorite sunless tanning products.

CLARINS Delectable Self Tanning Mousse with Mirabelle Oil is suitable both for body and face and it has SPF 15 (avobenzone sunscreen ).

OLAY /OLAZ REGENERIST 3 Zone Facial Cleansing Brush

 Thanks to new and innovative beauty gadgets we can achieve healthy, super clean, soft and radiant skin without going to often to a skin specialist or a beauty salon. First and most important step for beautiful, stunning skin is the cleansing process, because beautiful skin requires commitment not layers and layers on makeup or Instagram filters. I hope you all agree on this !

 After I was reading a review ,made by a beauty editor at Cosmopolitan, for OLAY REGENERIST 3 Zone Facial Cleansing Brush, I decided to buy and try on this beauty device to see if something like this really makes a difference in my skin appearance and texture. I am a little bit late to this brush cleansing game, but better later than never :)

10 Favorite Drugstore Beauty Products under 10

I was planning for a long time to make a list with some of my favorite drugstore gems, beauty products and makeup.
Every year I try to hunt for affordable, magical beauty products that work out just as good as something more expensive. It was really difficult to chose my favorite 10 products that will not break the bank, but I think that in the end I made a really nice and wise selection.
Even the most famous make up artists are using some of these drugstore gems, and to me it really makes sense, because you can save money and still use amazing beauty and makeup products without giving up on good quality.

1.Milani Baked Blush,  these blushes have just the right amount of shimmer to give a soft glow to the cheeks. Milani Blush In Berry Amore is rose-berry shade that looks great on most complexions. Milani Luminoso is a warm gorgeous peachy-orange that reminds me of Chanel Caresse. Price 7-10 euro.

Weekend in Paris - art, gardens and cats

Few weeks ago I decided to make a little trip to Paris and it wasn't for romance but more for museums, to seek inspiration, find some artistic resources.

The French capital is full of amazing art galleries, beautiful sculpture gardens and lots of other hidden places, much more interesting things to see than the Eiffel tower or the Champs Elysees boulevard, known for the luxurious shops, for the fancy cafes and for its theaters.

Ziaja - Natural based cosmetics developed under medical and pharmaceutical expertise

 Few months ago a Polish friend of mine told me about some amazing skin care products and introduced me to Ziaja. My blog post today is about how I discovered a range of quality skin care products, cruelty free, based on plants and developed by Polish pharmacists and chemists.

 I was quite intrigued and curious when I've heard that some of their products even received awards, before I made my first order I had to know more about their products to be able to choose the perfect creams and lotions that will suit my skin needs.

 As a client and as a beautician I am really happy to find a cosmetic company concerned about the health of their clients and in the same time a company that is environmentally aware (they have an empty packaging recycling process and they never test on animals).
For me Ziaja means modern beauty, safe skin care (the products are tested at the Medical Academy and in dermato-clinics from Poland), quality skin care products produced with a modern technology, amazing active ingredients and affordable prices. 

 I was pleasantly surprised and really happy that I was allowed to choose 3 products from Ziaja NL  to try out and test for my blog and for you, my readers!

 I really wanted to tell you a little bit about the company and show you why I decided to use and trust their products, just in case someone might think that I received 3 free products and I will try to talk you in to buying them. I am writing about these products on my blog just to share my experience with  the products and with Ziaja as a company so if you are interested in what I  have to say please read on. :) 

Here are the three skin care products I chose to test for you, but for me as well! :)

Ziaja Rose Butter micro-peeling and the importance of exfoliation

You may be cleansing, using the most expensive cosmetics, layering sunscreen but if you are not exfoliating regularly, your skin will look dull, dry, lifeless and with clogged pores. 
 The best type of exfoliation depends on your complexion and the condition and sensitivity of your skin. If you want healthy, glowing skin, regular exfoliation must be a part of your weekly skin care routine. Did you know that your skin can shed 30.000-40.000 dead cells per minute naturally ? How does that sound to you ?

I exfoliate my skin 2 times a week with Ziaja Rose Butter micro -peeling scrub cream and since the very first use my skin feels so smooth and soft.

Ziaja Rose Butter micro -peeling is designed for dry and sensitive skin,allergy and dermatological tested. This product is also a delicate cleanser that smells like fresh roses and it has smooth round micro granules that cant create any micro injuries to the skin.