17 Mirror Shine Lipstick 'Peace'

I'll be showing you a gorgeous, gorgeous lipstick today. It's actually so beautiful I'm surprised it took me so long to post about it. I've had this for a while now, priced at circa 7Euro in Boots, this lipstick range is simply amazing. And the shade, would you just look at this shade?!

These lipsticks are very light in both consistency and colour pay-off, so don't be intimidated by the 'strong' look of them, they're delicious. This shade especially is a gorgeous peachy pink, just the perfect angelic, innocent shade, a mix between lipstick and lip balm, with a glossy effect...sounds complicated, but it's really this simple: a super moisturizing, cool and innovative lippie. In my opinion, everyone should own one of the lipsticks from the '17' Mirror Shine  collection, you won't regret this purchase :).   

ON A MORE SERIOUS NOTE, business-serious like, here's my 'boy', Milko, in yesterday's newspaper- The Irish Times, with a gorgeous professional model in a photoshoot styled by the one and only, Rosemary MacCabe:

Apologies for the crappy pic, once I receive the original shot, will post it in the sidebar :D

Awwwwwwwwww! Isn't he just handsome?

Have a great Friday tomorrow, everyone!

Yours, ArtDonatella

xoxo



30% off The Body Shop

Attention Irish peeps! This Friday only, 30% off all The Body Shop products across stores in Ireland. Thinking of investing in those Vitamin E range, or perhaps Shimmer Cubes Eyeshadows? Now's the time to do so!

Now ain't this a fab reason to start stocking up on those Cristmas pressies?

Yours, ArtDonatella

xoxo

How to: Make-up Brushes Care

Evening peeps! I know, I know, been missing in action for a few days, things have been hectic & busy to say the least...this plus a massive lack of inspiration and loss of mojo , kept me well away from my keyoboard :( .

I must begin this post with a confession: "I freaking love make-up brushes" and all I want for Christmaaaaaas, is youuuuu* ('*' = Sigma Professional Kit from Cloud10Beauty), so if you're reading this Santa, you know what I want :D.

So, I'm gonna share with you a few simple yet effective tips on how to care for your make-up brushes, some of you may already know them, either way I hope you enjoy reading this.

TIPS & TRICKS:

1. Let's start with how many times you should wash (not disinfect/clean) your personal brushes. They have to be washed once a week to keep them in top condition. 

2. In between uses, always clean them with a brush cleaner. If you can't afford investing in a good brush cleaner, a great tip is to buy surgical spirits and get an empty spritzer bottle (i.e. Lush Tea Tree Toner), and mix 40 % spirits with 60% water, and you have your formula to disinfect those babies between uses. This is a tip I learnt in make-up school, and I'm cleaning my brushes like that ever since. If you have sensitive skin, give this a go, and maybe lessen the dose of spirits if any issues come up.

Surgical spirits can be quite expensive in pharmacies (I actually bought a 75ml for a fiver - rip-off!!).

Try to get a huge bottle from a salon suppliers, like this one from Sally Salon Services:

1litre for c. 8 Euro - bargain!



3. Always wash your brushes with baby shampoo, because it has a milder formula and it doesn't contain as many chemicals as your regular shampoo.

4. Never wash them whilst holding the bristles vertically under the water jet, because water will get into the base of your brushes and will dissolve the glue that holds the bristles together, which basically means throwing them in the bin :(...as they're fairly pricey, that's the last thing you want. Instead, work your shampoo into your bristles and keep them horizontally under the water jet.

5. You guys all know that your foundation brush is a royal pain in the bum to clean. Well, I learnt another abso-freaking-lutely fabulous trick in make-up school: REMOVE OIL WITH OIL, yes sounds silly but get your baby oil out and apply a small amount into the palm of your hand and work the oil into the bristles while gently removing the foundation deposit with your fingernails (gently please, love those brushes!), repeat the process and when everything is removed, you can then go to the next step, which is baby shampoo.

6. After you washed all your brushes, gently tap off the excess water (don't tap the hell out of those brushes on the base of the sink, that's just violence :P).

7. Another great tip: The drying process is also very important: place them on the kitchen or window counter to dry, with the base of the brush not touching the counter (right, really bad explanation guys I know, please see below). This way, the water will drip down and will not stay into the base therefore disolve the glue. Oh, and never dry them with a hair dryer either, or God forbid placing them on the heater to dry, your brushes will be RUINED!

And there you have it! That's all I can think of right now, but if something extra pops into mind, will make sure to share it with you guys!

Do you have any tips to share with me? Would love to know :).

Yours, ArtDonatella

xoxo

Christmas Offers :)....Oooh-La-La

My inbox got 'filled' with news about incoming Christmas offers today, which can only make me oh-so-excited, especially because I see so many stuff I actually want....oh boy, here we go again!

Wanna see for yourself? Of course you do, here they come:

Yves Saint Laurent

1. Belle D'Opium Gift Set (EDP 30ml + Body Lotion 50ml+ Shower Gel 50ml) - RRP: 52Euro

2. L'Homme Libre Gift Set (EDT 60ml + Travel Size 10ml) - RRP: 59Euro

3. Beauty Icon Gift Set (Touche Eclat + Luxurious Mascara + Top Secrets Flash Radiance Skincare Brush) - RRP: 80Euro

Lancome

1. Christmas Beauty Box - when you buy any Lancome products worth 35Euro, you can get this for 49Euro, and it contains: Bi-facial 125ml, Galateis Douceur 50ml, Tonique Douceur 50ml, Genifique Serum 7ml, Genifique 15ml Day, Genifique 5ml Eyes, Luxury Eye and Face Palette, Mini Mascara Hypnose, Mini Mascara Hypnose Precious Cells, Mini Mascara Hypnose Drama, Mini Crayon Khol, and three shades of L’Absolu Rouge lipstick, all inside a luxurious vanity case.

2. Gift with purchase (the sleek black cosmetic case above) - free with any 2 Lancome purchases, one to be skincare

3. Lancome Visionnaire Gift Set - (Visionnaire 30ml + Genifique concentrate 7ml + Renergie Morpholift RARE Day 15ml + Renergie Morpholift Night 15ml) - RRP: 70Euro

4. Lancome Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate 30ml Skincare Gift (Génifique Concentrate 30ml + complimentary 7ml +  Génifique eye cream 15ml) - RRP: 80Euro

5. Lancome Hydra Zen SPF 15 50ml Gift Set (Hydra Zen SPF15 50ml + Hydra Zen Day SPF15 15ml + Hydra Zen Night 15ml + Genifique Concentrate 7ml) - RRP: 50.50Euro

6. Lancome Tresor Midnight Rose Gift Set (EDP 50ml + Mini Hypnose Mascara + Mini Colour Fever Gloss + Mini Ombre Absolue) - RRP: 54Euro

1. Lancome Hypnose Mascara Gift Set (choose from Hypnose Doll Eyes, Hypnose, Hypnose Drama or Hypnose Precious Cells mascara + complimentary bi-facial 30ml + a mini Lancôme khol black crayon) - RRP: 25.50Euro

2. Lancome Juicy Tubes Gift Set (Fraise, Lychee, Pamplemousse and Marshmallow Electro) - RRP: 22Euro

3. Lancome Christmas Cracker (Bifacial 30ml + Genifique 7ml + Visionnaire 7ml + Hypnose 2ml, original black + Juicy Tube 7ml + Absolue Rouge 1.65ml Shade 06) - RRP: 44Euro 

4. The Luxury Advent Calendar - 24 luxury samples - exclusive to Brown Thomas stores: - RRP: 90Euro

ROGER & GALLET

Limited Edition Scented Candles: Bois D'Orange & Fleur D'Osmanthus - RRP 22.50Euro / each

Oh Gosh, I want EVERYTHING! Anything caught your eye? I for one love the Genifique set (a gorgeous, gorgeous product), the Hypnose Doll Eyes Set and the L'Oreal Luxury Advent Calendar, is that too much to ask do you think????


Yours, ArtDonatella


xoxo

The Powder Power & Two FOTD's

Ka-Boom! Now that's some serious title for such a light post :).

I almost never wear powder. While I can totally understand the use of it, I find that my base almost always cakes when I use one. For the past few days, I've actually been using a face powder, it's the Avon's 'Ideal Flawless' Pressed Powder in 'Fair', which is fab by the way and will launch in February 2012.

What I'm actually trying to say here, is that my face never looked so flawless in real life and in photographs, as it does when I'm using a face powder...here's my Saturday's & Sunday's FOTD to prove it.

Saturday

Sunday

Wearing my beloved Rimmel Colour Mousse Eyeshadow in '012-Mocha'

(an eyeshadow that will soon be discontinued, so I am advised by Coty - at the moment I can't find these anywhere and I'm truly devastated I never got a back-up for this :( )

The complexion looks much, much better with powder, and the foundation stays put for longer, a thing I already knew in theory, but not in practice. It almost looks photoshopped, but you should already know by now that I am 100% against Photoshop, I am a much too honest person to 'fake' my results, and to be honest I don't appreciate bloggers that photoshop their photos either (unless it's for artistic purposes & not tutorials).


Now that this is out of the way, are you using powder everyday? And how's that working out for you?


Yours, ArtDonatella


xoxo

My Best in Beauty 2011

We're in November, meaning we're *this* close to ending year 2011, and so I thought I'll show you my choices in beauty, my most used and loved ones, my most 'can't live without' (Drama Queen) products for this year. So prepare yourself for a very cheesy love post, there's no other way with this really!

Here we go:

Priced at a mere 8 Euro, this little joy bringer was my most purchased foundation throughout the year. I highly recommend this to people looking for a long lasting foundation, great for oily and combination skin, '25 Hr' Foundation by Rimmel gets x 2 big thumbs up from me! 

Another awsome product from Rimmel, this pot of 'gold' is by far my favourite eyeshadow ever. Don't be tricked by the mousse formula, it it amazing, long lasting, fabulous shade, easy to blend and highly pigmented! Cannot.praise.this.enough!!!!! See full review here



Next, lipsticks. Sorry, but being a lippie freak, I can't settle for just one, so I have three in different shades:

Pink: Rimmel Colour Show Off in 'Shocking Pink' - swatches here

Nude: Estee Lauder Signature Lipstick in 'Venetian Rose' - swatches here

Red: Inglot '408 Matte' - swatches here

Bronzer wise, it had to be The Body Shop's Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder. A gorgeous matte formula, not too orange, not too muddy-looking, perfectly natural for my fair complexion (which reminds me, I need to buy a new one).

The surprise of the year, I give you my multi-purpose beauty weapon. NYC's Sparkle Eye Dust in 'Champagne' has been my loyal companion ever since I purchased it for c. 2.99 (yes, that's right). See swatches here. I always have it in my student make-up kit and use it constantly, as an eyeshadow, highlighter on the cheekbones, cupid's bow, nose bridge....everywhere! Love this, would not be without it!!!

My old friend L'Oreal Voluminous in 'Black' is always there for me and it is my most purchased mascara ever (not just for this year).

Sally Hansen did not dissapoint with their overly-hyped claims for a long lasting nail polish that incorporates both base and top coats. Great selection of shades, I am their fan for life :).

Swatches and shade selection here

 

Ahhhh, Liz Earle! Love you, I am never letting you go, you have 'saved my skin' (S.M.S.) and gave it brightness, health and all that jazz :D...Thank you! Review here

And this brings us to the end of My Best in Beauty 2011 Awards, with a recognition of the everall best beauty brand of the year:

RIMMEL LONDON



Hands down Rimmel, you did not dissapoint me quality wise, expectation wise and most of all, price wise!

Tell me, what is your best beauty brand for 2011?

Yours, ArtDonatella

xoxo

Competition Winners :)

First of all, many, many thanks for all your entries, I actually felt sad at the end of it all because it's so darn hard to choose a winner yourself. While I struggled to name the winner of the Twitter Competition, the First Prize was an easy one....

Twitter Prize Winner:

...................Peniam

"Because it's a divine feeling to make a masterpiece painting my face without being Rembrandt ;)"

&

Prize No. 1 Winner:

.....................FitznBitz

"Mom do you really use ALL this makeup?"

"My son genuinely said that to me and he's only 5 - I was gobsmacked/embarrassed. He also mentioned that he has 2 boxes of toys & I have 4 boxes of make-up! Eeeek! Guilt-trip.com!"

(Undoubtedly the winner, even my brother agreed on this)

****CONGRATS, girls!!!****

(please email me your addresses if you see this before I email you :))

For everyone else that did not win this time, stay tuned in December, loads of competitions and giveaways to come!

Yours, ArtDonatella

xoxo

Latest Redken Releases

'Tousle Whip 04' soft texturizing cream wax together with the 'Full Effect 04' all over nourishing hair mousse, are the latest additions to the Redken 5th Avenue NYC range.

Redken 'Full Effect 04' - 15 Euro- is a volumising mousse that can be used on the length of the hair as well, packed with yummy nourishing ingredients, designed to care for your hair. With cotton extract for volume, UV filters and Vitamin E for colour protection, this leaves hair feeling nourished and full of body, but most of all manageable. A thing I mostly hate about hair mousses is the sticky, yucky feel of the hair after use and with this, it must be said, this DOES leave hair soft while still having the volumising  properties of the general hair mousse. My favourite hair mousse by far!

The 'Tousle Whip 04' - 17 Euro - is a light cream wax providing that tousled texture to the hair, with a satin matte- finish. While it doesn't provide the usual strong hold as other waxes do, this little pot is designed to give that 'rebellious' look to your hair, without leaving it feeling crunchy and tangled. I haven't tried this just yet, but it looks (and smells) lovely, so will report back as soon as I have my mind made up on it.

What's your favourite hair mousse?

Yours, ArtDonatella

xoxo  



Avon 'Shine Attract' Lipstick & 'Ideal Flawless' Foundation

Good evening my lovelies, how are you keeping?

I'm back with a 'launch' post from none other than Avon. Come February 2012, Avon will be bringing to the beauty market two brand spanking new products, the 'Ideal Flawless' Liquid Foundation in 16 shades and the 'Shine Attract' Lipstick in 10 luscious shades.

So last week I popped along to the launch of these beauties, an event hosted by the one and only Jackie Tyson , yep that gorgeous make-up artist we always see in the Avon catalogues, also known as the Chief Make-Up Artist for Britain's Got Talent & previous X Factor Live Shows. She is just as gorgeous and lovely in real life as I imagined her to be.

The 'Ideal Flawless' Foundation (15.50 Euro) comes in 16 shades. That's just music to our ears, from the lightest to darkest, we will have six shades for fair skin tones (from neutrals to pinks and yellow based), six shades for medium skin tones and four shades for dark complexions. Designed to cater all skin types (including mature skin as Jackie advises), this foundation is "a blend of multi-shaped pigments that allows the light to pass through, reflecting natural skin tone to provide a flawless, natural looking base"  (Quote from Press Release). Best applied with fingers, this formula that required four years in the making, promises flawless yet natural results.

In other words, the consistency is light, feels quite mousse-y to me and spreads like a dream. It provides a medium coverage that is buildable to a full one. I'm really impressed with this formula, I find that I need to have a well exfoliated skin before applying, and that a setting powder is a must for me particularly, to keep that natural glow of mine at bay.    

The 'Shine Attract' Lipsticks (11 Euro) are just yummy looking. I mean look at them: yu-mmy!

The centre of the bullet is a lipstick that provides both colour and lasting results, while the outer clear gel gives the lips the lusted moisture and shine. These apply quite sheer while the clear gel is infused with Vitamin E for a smooth application and moisture.

Swatches:



And a shot of me wearing the the Ideal Flawless Foundation in 'Light Pink', plus the 'Shine Attract' Lipstick in 'P302' (in the catalogue, the shades might have names instead of numbers)

Do these appeal to you at first glance?

Yours, ArtDonatella

xoxo

Christmas Scents and Latest Releases

What's the best thing about Christmas? Is it snow (we do get that here lately), Christmas tree, Christmas puddings??? Nope, it's shopping! Shopping for people you love, shopping for yourself (the best kind), it's all about shopping.

Now we all know I can be quite a perfume freak, and my ideal presents are always makeup and perfume...So here's a rundown to what's new and exciting for Christmas, scent wise. All of these are already in stores, being released on the market this autumn.

Annick Goutal

Limited Edition 'Noel' Candle - 45 Euro

Annick Goutal 'Eau D'Hadrien'

NOTES: Cypress, Grapefruit, Citruses, Sicilian Lemon

In other words: a citrus cocktail, a unisex fragrance, such a distinctive scent I can still feel it. This is the type of 'freshly squeezed citrus juice' scent that you can't really confuse with others, very unique and outstanding.

Bvlgari Man

The Silver Limited Edition EDT-100 ml - 75 Euro

This is the same scent as 'Bvlgari Man', only jazzed up in a bigger silver bottle, which looks quite festive but still manly :). My husband has the original bottle and it's a gorgeous, sexy, quite warm scent. There's something very comforting and familiar in this perfume, and it's not just because my hubby is wearing it :D.

   

Bvlgari 'Mon Jasmin Noir' EDP

NOTES: Top: Citruses, Lily-of-the-Valley Heart: Jasmine Base: Musk, Patchouli, Virginia Cedar, Nougat

EDP 25ml - 42 Euro

EDP 50ml - 74 Euro

EDP 75ml - 95 Euro

Issey Miyake 'L'Eau D'Issey Or Absolu' (Absolute Gold)

EDP 50ml - 78 Euro

NOTES: Top: Osmanthus, Candied Apricot, Lotus Middle: Jasmine and Lily Base: Amber and woody notes

Narciso Rodriguez 'Essence in Color'

EDP 50ml - 76 Euro

NOTES: Iris, Rose, Musk & Amber

Narciso Rodriguez 'For Her'

EDP - 50ml - 76 Euro

NOTES: Top:Rose & Peach Middle: Amber Base: Musk, Sandalwood, Patchouli

Van Cleef & Arpels 'Feerie Rose Des Neiges'

EDT 50ml - 67.50 Euro

Fruity, musky floral scent

 Tart cranberries, Pear, Lychee, Pink Peppercorn, Magnolia, Peony, Blackberry, Rose, Cedar, Tonka Bean, Musk and Sandalwood

Oh, and the bottle IS just as gorgeous as you see it in snaps!

See anything you might want to add to your Christmas list?





Yours, ArtDonatella

xoxo