marți, 31 martie 2015

Melkior Blossom Collection Spring 2015

I have recently discovered  the Melkior brand melkior-magical-universe-of-colour and I was extremely surprised to see how pigmented and gorgeous their products were, especially the eyeshadows.

After trying them on in the store I was sold! I bought a few and I added some more to my collection at Cosmobeauty this year cosmobeauty-2015-haul . I promise you I'll be back with a thorough review with moving swatches and all when I find a bright, sunny day to show them in all their glory!

Now I am glad to present you their latest Spring 2015 collection entitled Blossom Collection, available in stores from 1st of April 2015.

luni, 30 martie 2015

MAC Isabel and Ruben Toledo Collection Spring 2015

Great news for all MAC lovers : the MAC Isabel and Ruben Toledo Collection for Spring 2015 will be available in Romania starting with April 2015! I'll update this post with the Romanian prices and availability when the collection appears in the Romanian shops.

duminică, 29 martie 2015

Nivea 3in1 micellar cleansing water - review

Another make-up remover which I'm about to finish - I used this micellar water only to remove my eye and lip make-up, I cleansed the rest of the face with another make-up remover (I currently use Gerovital Happiness face cleansing gel cream with raspberry extract). Since I'm about to hit pan on this micellar water I thought I would share my thoughts on it with you.
  
This  Nivea micellar water (for all skin types) cleanses deeply, removes make-up from face and eyes and moisturises in one step. It comes in a 200 ml plastic recipient with a secure cap and has a valability of 12 months.

sâmbătă, 28 martie 2015

Debenhams Mall Vitan a new destination for beauty and fashion

On the 26th of March the famous British brand Debenhams re-opened its Mall Vitan store with a bang ! The new Debenhams store houses three floors of fashion for women, men and children and a home dedicated section. (and a premiere to Romania - an entire floor of beauty!) I am pretty sure you are familiar with the clothes - great quality and keeping up with the latest fashions, therefore I will present you the beauty section.

vineri, 27 martie 2015

Hot news - H&M online store now open

Girls, I have good news today! Yesterday I received the news that from now on, you also can buy products from the H&M online store.
On the site you can find products for women, men and children, accessories, home decor and the most important thing : you can buy H&M cosmetics !

joi, 26 martie 2015

Plaza Romania presents : Your beauty tunnel - reinvent your style

This weekend Plaza Romania Mall offers to all beauty lovers like me, two days of pampering, new information and fun, entitled Your beauty tunnel - reinvent your style @Plaza Romania.

miercuri, 25 martie 2015

The Beautyblender - new in Romania

I don't think there is a make-up lover who hasn't heard about this cult product - the Beautyblender. Being such a good product of course there are many, many brands which have tried to dupe it.
  
The Beautyblender is an edgeless, non-disposable, high-definition cosmetic sponge applicator. The unique shape and exclusive material available only with Beautyblender ensures impeccable, streak-free application with minimum product waste. Use it with primers, foundations, powders, cream blushes, and any other complexion products.

marți, 24 martie 2015

luni, 23 martie 2015

Focus on ... Christine Valmy

Esthetic icon and founder Christine Valmy, founder of Christine Valmy International School of Esthetics & Cosmetology the first skin care school licensed in the United States, passed away on 18th January 2015, at the Cardiology Institute in Fundeni, Bucharest, Romania at the age of 88 (skininc.com).

duminică, 22 martie 2015

Vichy makes our March more beautiful

Hello my gorgeous ladies! I wrote this short post to tell you about the latest offer Vichy brings us : If you buy a foundation (from Dermablend, Teint Ideal, Normaderm Teint, Liftactiv Flexiteint ranges) you receive as a free gift a beautiful, stylish, golden beauty pouch. The promotion takes place until the end of March.

sâmbătă, 21 martie 2015

Blue mood


Monica's empties #1

My lovely ladies the time has come to present you with some of my empties I have accumulated in several months. I won't post empties every month, since I don't go through too many products a month. I will update you with this post once in several months, after thoroughly testing the products and having a clear opinion on them to share with you. 
So without further ado, let's see the empties :

vineri, 20 martie 2015

Sabon Glycerine Soap with Lavender - review

I love Sabon! They have wonderful products that not only look great but are also of high quality. I have used several Sabon products (posts : need-little-pampering-sabon-shower-oil , sabon-creamy-scrub , gift-love-with-sabon-on-valentines-day) and until now no one has let me down. Today I will share with you my thoughts on a Sabon solid soap: the Sabon Glycerine Soap with Lavender.
  
Crafted from a unique recipe based on glycerine and palm oil this soap is just right for sensitive, dry and normal skin. The lavender relaxes the body and provides healing to stressed skin. 

Body care giveaway - CLOSED

My lovely ladies I thought I would spoil you again and make you happy with a new giveaway. This time I focused on the body care and compiled for you a mix of products meant to help you pamper yourself.

joi, 19 martie 2015

NIVEA In-Shower Body Moisturiser Firming 24h + Care Q10 Plus

I love Nivea! It is one of my favourite brand for skin care. I always have at least one product from them at home. I adore the smell of the Nivea face cream and I'm really happy there are body and shower products that smell the same. I'm currently testing the Nivea miccelar water (review soon on the blog).

Since I am always on the run quite often I don't have the time to moisturize after the shower so I really appreciated the latest Nivea innovations : the in-shower body lotions. They are not the most moisturizing of them all but for me it's enough. Today I present you with the latest release from Nivea: the NIVEA In-Shower Body Moisturiser Firming 24h + Care Q10 Plus.

miercuri, 18 martie 2015

Debenhams - where beauty and fashion collide

If you are a British lover like me you surely know many things about Debenhams. It is one of the most known and loved British stores. I had my first encounter with Debenhams in 2008 during my first trip to London, I visited the Oxford Street one. I loved its grand size and its diversity in fashion (sizes from the xs to the xxl ones) and prices. Of course I bought some clothes that I still love and wear. Very good quality products and very fashionable too!

One of my complaints about the shops they opened in Romania a few years ago was that they only brought a small variety of products comparing with the stores in UK and the beauty section was completely missing!
  
I am glad to share with you the good news : Debenhams re-opens its Romanian stores, starting from 26th March (the shop in Bucuresti Mall). And the most important thing : the new store will host a beauty section with over 100 beauty brands including skin care, make-up and perfumes (among them being Dior, Lancome, Givenchy, Bvlgari, Dolce&Gabbana, Estee Lauder, Calvin Klein, Paco Rabanne and L'Oreal). An entire beauty universe to explore!

marți, 17 martie 2015

A perfect day

Sunday I felt it was one of those days that are just perfect, unforgettable, filled with the right people and the right feelings and emotions. I started my day early in the morning with Beautybarometer's 3rd blog anniversary. She is one of my inspirations and a lovely person from whom you can learn a lot.

luni, 16 martie 2015

Cosmetic Plant Q10 anti-wrinkle cleansing milk - review

Another make-up remover I'm hitting pan on! Since I do my make-up every day and I take it off every day I go through make-up removers pretty fast. And I use quite a lot of them to make sure all my make-up is removed!  So yes I am about the finish this one too (I have enough to take off my make-up this evening and then off to the empties box!) so I'll share my opinion with you.

duminică, 15 martie 2015

Inglot Nail Enamel 940 - review

When I went to Cosmobeauty on Friday I bought some Inglot goodies and I received a nail polish as a gift with my purchase. It is Inglot Nail Enamel 940 a gorgeous dark purple. Of course I just couldn't resist trying it on! Here it is :
in natural light

sâmbătă, 14 martie 2015

Cosmobeauty 2015 haul or going overbudget

Yesterday I posted the highlights of Cosmobeauty 2015  and I promised you I would show you what goodies I bought. The plan was simple : I needed a good face powder and I wanted to try one from Paese, the rest was optional, I thought I'd have a look at Inglot and Mekior. Bad mistake! Of course I went overbudget!

vineri, 13 martie 2015

Cosmobeauty 2015 - the highlights

Good afternoon ladies! As I promised before I'm back with the best of Cosmobeauty 2015. Warning! Many, many pictures ahead! The event has started today and ends on Sunday 15th March and it takes place at Sala Polivalenta. There are products and prices for all wallets and tastes. There are face, body and nail care products, make-up, cosmetic and SPA treatments and many more. All the companies have come up with special reductions and offers especially for this event, so hurry up and check it out!

joi, 12 martie 2015

Sleeping beauty ? Now it's real with The Body Shop Drops Of Youth Bouncy Sleep Mask

As I told you before in a a-new-trend-in-make-up-for-2015-cushion-post , Asia inspires a new trend for 'bouncy' beauty in make-up and also face and probably body care. It is not about your conventional make-up, face creams and lotions it's all about buying and wearing bouncy cushions, sponges and pillows. In make-up Lancôme launched the Miracle Cushion foundation - its first liquid foundation encapsulated in a cushion.
In face care The Body Shop has launched a new innovative product : the Drops Of Youth Bouncy Sleep Mask - a new spring-like gel mask.
    
Discover our new Drops of Youth Bouncy Sleeping Mask, enriched with Edelweiss stem cells. Designed to be left on overnight, it leaves skin looking bouncier and feeling replenished. The bouncy also refers to the texture. It’s a sort of cream-gel texture, quite unusual in a face mask. It has :
  • Youth-enhancing formula for bouncier-looking skin
  • Unique bouncy, memory shape texture
  • With Edelweiss stem cells
Why Edelweiss?  Well, this hardy flower thrives in the harshest conditions high in the Alps. The Body Shop scientists carefully and sustainably extract the Edelweiss stem cells, harnessing their powerful resilience, to deliver potent skin cell renewing properties.

Wjcon Automatic lip liner in 108 Status - review

If you read my blog from the beginning, you already know I love Wjcon products. I discovered them on a trip to Italy in September 2014 and I was really excited to find out they have opened a shop in Romania too. When I was at its opening I couldn't resist the tentation to buy some new products, one of them being this orange Automatic lip liner in 108 Status.

It is a lip pencil in a box with automatic sharpener included . Its soft texture and smooth design makes it perfect to draw the lip contour and to improve the sealing of the lipstick in place . It ensures a high resistance on lips and fades easily . Does not contain parabens . Ophthalmologist tested .

miercuri, 11 martie 2015

MUA Spring Break Collection 2015

I don't think there is any drugstore make-up lover who hasn't heard of MUA (Make-up Academy). It is a drugstore brand from UK with extremely cheap products.

marți, 10 martie 2015

Milani Minerals Compact Makeup powder - review

When I went to Cosmobeauty last year I found there was a sale with products from Milani Cosmetics so I bought several products for face and nails including this powder.
  
The Milani Minerals compact face powder is a compact mineral powder, all the benefits of Milani Minerals Loose but in a convenient, on the go compact. An extraordinary, talc free mineral based powder that perfects and corrects skin to flawless perfection. A Micro sheen puff deposits the perfect dose of product, delivering flawless, buildable coverage. Available in 8 shades to achieve a healthy, fresh flawless skin look and it includes mirror and puff applicator.

luni, 9 martie 2015

Glamglow YOUTHMUD TINGLEXFOLIATE TREATMENT mask - review

I love to try face masks, not matter if they are sheet-like or in a jar, mud based or with other unpleasant ingredients. If they make me look good, I would sacrifice myself and use them. I have heard of course about the cult mask Glamglow Youthmud Tinglexfoliate.

I managed to get my hand on a sample size one from a beauty bloggers swap and try it. Since it was so expensive I wanted to know if it would suit my skin before buying the full-size one. The sample I got lasted me for 3 trials, enough to make me buy the mini one of 15gr to test it further. So on a lovely Saturday I started the testing of the mask. My mask size is the mini 15gr one and it has a valability of 9 months.

duminică, 8 martie 2015

Special offers on 8th March for all women

Since today is 8th of March the International Day of Woman, many brands and companies have  discounts or special offers in this day as a gift for all of us women. Here are some of them :

Paula's choice skincare - has free shipping for orders over 100 ron.

Farmec - 25 % off in all products

8th March the day we celebrate woman

Celebrate the WOMAN in you today! Be proud of who you are, walk with grace and embrace your femininity! You are beautiful! You are smart! You deserve the best things life has to offer! Live your life fully and be happy!

sâmbătă, 7 martie 2015

Cosmetic Plant Eye contour cream with Q10 and green tea - review

When I attended a magical event in January the BeautySwapByBeautyBarometer we had a lot of fun exchanging beauty and make-up products, finding out new information and talking beauty! At the end we were given a lot of products to test, one of them being the Cosmetic Plant Eye contour cream with Q10 and green tea, the subject of this review. But first let's find out something about Cosmetic Plant, its manufacturer.
............................
Founded in 1991 with private Romanian capital, COSMETIC PLANT passed through the years in continuous development. COSMETIC PLANT had the inspiration to gather from nature’s bouquet those elements, which, through their special properties, will satisfy the necessary care each one of us has. The natural extracts and oils of argan, olive, green tea, sea buckthorn, marigold, hip-rose, chamomile, basil or sage, are incorporated in creams, emulsions, lotions, or shampoos and tend for the complexion—be it normal, sensitive, mature or oily—for the different types of hair, hand, body or foot skin.

1991 – Cosmetic Plant is founded by Mrs. Ileana Mester, pharmacist with extensive experience in cosmetology. The initial investment was less than $ 1,000, the products being made ​​in a building of 40 sqm. The beginning was not easy, the creams were created in small batches with hand-written labels. Soon, with customers testing and assessing the products, Cosmetic Plant flourished and grew from year to year.
2004 – obtaining the ISO 9001:2000 certification, for quality management, DEKRA Certification, Stuttgart
2012 – Bronze Award for the Q10+green tea Anti-wrinkle day cream, World Quality Selections 2013, Monde Selection, Brussels
2012 – ISO 14001 Certification, for environmental management, QSCert, Praga
2013 – Grand Gold Award for BIOLIV Antiaging Anti-wrinnkle day cream, World Quality Selections 2013, Monde Selection, Brussels
2014 - Gold Award for GreenStem Mattifying antiaging day cream, World Quality Selections 2014, Monde Selection, Brussels            source : cosmeticplant.com
............................
Let's go back to the review of the Cosmetic Plant Eye contour cream with Q10 and green tea for normal/combination skin.
 
Formulated to provide the optimal care for the skin around the eyes, the Eye contour cream Q10 and green tea enriched with a mineral complex, is a source of essential actives in the fight against premature aging.
 
The active mineral complex (Ca, Mg, Cu, Zn) ensures the supply of minerals and electrolytes essential to enhancing the well-functioning of mitochondria, the energy factory of the cell. It improves cellular oxygenation and energy metabolism while limiting free radical production.
 
The efficient combination of coenzyme Q10, natural ingredients (wheat germ oil, grape seed oil, almond oil, green tea extract), vitamins (A, E and B5) with the moisturizing active and the mineral filter, provides protection, hydration, and skin firmness. Fragrance free and no parabens !
Recommended age : from 30 to 55.

vineri, 6 martie 2015

Yves Rocher Néroli Secrets d'Essences - the freshness of Spring in a bottle

I love perfumes. I love to feel pampered, enveloped in a mist of sensation, to feel feminine, attractive and all woman! I love all perfumes from low cost to high-end, as long as it suits my mood and it represents me at a specific time and place. As I have told you before I am not faithfull to one perfume, the love of my life. I have many perfume loves, one of my favourite brands being Yves Rocher. The perfume I will talk to you today is my second favourite after Moments du Bonheur, my first love. It is Yves Rocher Néroli Secrets d'Essences .

Néroli is a plant oil produced from the blossom of the bitter orange tree (Citrus aurantium subsp. amara or Bigaradia). It has a refreshing and distinctive, spicy aroma with sweet and flowery notes. It is one of the most widely used floral oils in perfumery. At the end of the 17th century, Anne Marie Orsini, duchess of Bracciano and princess of Nerola, Italy, introduced the essence of bitter orange tree as a fashionable fragrance by using it to perfume her gloves and her bath. Since then, the term "Néroli" has been used to describe this essence.
Telling the history if the Néroli fragrance Véronique Nyberg its perfumer said :"This perfume is my tribute to Néroli. It emanates all the extractions of bigarade. The head notes give off essence of bigarade from the fruit, while essence of petitgrain from the leaf gives it a lovely sophisticated freshness, accentuated by bergamot. The heart notes express the luminous, sensual and voluptuous scent of the flower, thanks to orange blossom absolute and Néroli. The base notes envelop you in a lingering soft caress of voluptuous musk." 

Indeed the perfume is sensual and envelops you in a a refined freshness. My perfume comes in a 1 fl.oz. / 30 ml white bottle with a very elegant, classic design.

joi, 5 martie 2015

Gerovital H3 Derma Cleansing and Make-up Removal Fluid Face and Eyes - review

When I went to the Beauty bloggers meeting by Beautybarometer I received a few products from the new range Gerovital H3 Derma+ to test : the Soothing and Regenerating Mask-cream review here, the Shampoo for Sensitive scalp review here and the Cleansing and Make-up removal fluid face and eyes I have just finished, so it's the right time I share with you my opinion on it. 
  
It is a liquid formula, the association of gentle emollients and soothing ingredients recommends it inclusively for cleansing the sensitive skin. It is hypoallergenic and paraben free.

miercuri, 4 martie 2015

5 months anniversary!

   Yes, today my beauty blog turns 5 months! I can't believe it! Time went by so fast! I considered for a long time the decision of opening my blog, I tought I wouldn't have enough time for it, that I didn't know how to write or photo professionally and many more. After several months of going to and fro in the evening of 4th October 2014 I took a deep breath and hit the publish button. And this is how Monica's beauty in five minutes was born!
   And I don't regret it a bit!! I looove to write about beauty, care and make-up and more. Yes I have less free time than before and I am learning all the time, striving to make my little beauty blog the best it can be and look. It's a continuous process, a laborious one but also full of love, dedication and passion for all things beauty.

Artdeco Spring/Summer 2015 Beauty Meets Fashion collection

The newest make-up collection from Artdeco Spring/Summer 2015 is a fun and colourful collaboration with the fashion designer Emilio de la Morena entitled Beauty Meets Fashion.

marți, 3 martie 2015

Spring inspiration

I love Spring! It's one of my favourite seasons hands down! I love the warm sunshine, the sweet smell of flowers, the fresh green grass, the joyful singing of the birds ... the nature brimming with life. I am an optimistic person who loves colours, light and sunshine.
So here are some things that inspire me to bring the Spring closer.

luni, 2 martie 2015

Himalaya Herbals purifying neem mask - review

You know I love face masks, both to clean the face and to nourish it. I also love trying new face masks all the time. So when I received a sample of two masks from Himalaya Herbals, a brand I haven't tried before, I was really happy. I have combination skin, oily on the T zone and drier on the cheeks and mouth area. I happened to receive just the right mask for me : the Himalaya Herbals purifying neem mask.
But firstly something about the brand :
.......................
Eighty one years ago, on a visit to Burma, Himalaya's founder, Mr. M. Manal, saw restless elephants being fed with a root to pacify them. The plant from which this was taken is Rauwolfia serpentina. Fascinated by the plant's effect on elephants, he had it scientifically evaluated. After extensive research, Serpina, the world's first anti-hypertensive drug, was launched in 1934.

1930 - Mr. M. Manal forms The Himalaya Drug Company. His vision: Put ayurveda on par with modern medicine.
1955 - Liv.52, a hepatoprotective, is launched and goes on to become one of the world's top-selling drugs.
2009 - Introduction of Organique by Himalaya, a range of personal care products formulated with organic herbs and oils.
2010 - Liv.52 HB, the world’s first herbal drug for the effective management of Hepatitis B, is introduced.
This legacy of researching nature forms the foundation of Himalaya's operations. Himalaya uses the tools of modern science to create pharmaceutical-grade ayurvedic products. The company has pioneered research that has converted Ayurveda's herbal tradition into a complete range of proprietary formulations dedicated to healthy living and longevity. Today, these products have found acceptance with medical fraternities and serve the health and personal care needs of consumers in 90 countries.     source : himalayaherbals.com
.......................
Let's go back to the mask - I received a sample size one, with 2 sachets of 7.5 ml (the full size mask is 75 ml - 16.50 ron). It has a valability of 6 months.

Face care giveaway - CLOSED

My lovely ladies since it's officially Spring and us, women are celebrated in March, I thought I would make you happy again with a new giveaway. This time I focused on the face care and compiled for you a mix of products meant to help you pamper yourself.

duminică, 1 martie 2015

Celebrate your mother every day

Happy 1st March! In Romania all the women are celebrated today: mothers, grandmothers, sisters, daughters. They receive flowers, candy, small gifts and a Mărțișor (an old Romanian celebration at the beginning of spring, on March the 1st, which according to old calendar was also considered as the beginning of the new year. Symbolically, it is correlated to women and to fertility as a means of life and continuity. The tradition is authentic in Romania, Moldova, and all territories inhabited by Romanians and Aromanians. Alike though not identical customs can be found in Bulgaria, while similar ones exist in Albania, Greece and Italy.)