Category Archives: Beauty

My May favourites: beauty, fashion and random

Posted in Beauty, In your 40s, Monthly favourites, Travelling by

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Hey everyone time for May favourites! In this post you will find all the things fashion, beauty and random I loved this month!! So let’s start.

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Beauty

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Multi Purpose Palette

I ❤ this palette. It is gorgeous!! There is a highlighter, a blush, and a bronzer. My fave is the highlighter. It is worth the splurge girls. For a full review press here.

Palette

TooFaced Cocoa Contour

I have been non-touring for a while now (cause I didn’t know how to contour, not cause I am a trend setter :P), but I bought and have been using the Cocoa Contour palette and I think I am getting quite good at it. I like it. In Greece it retails for 36 euro.

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Sephora Kabouki Brush

I got the Pro  Contour Kabuki Brush 82 which is dummy proof (newbie) and it sits right where you want it to when contouring. Retails for 25 euros ( I know…..).

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Clinique Chubby Stick for eyes

If you have difficulties seeing (like me), you should give eye shadow pencils/ sticks a shot cause you can ‘feel’ where you are applying the shadow. You have more control of your eyeshadow when it is a stick. I saw that Clinique had a  shadow tint for the eyes (in the Chubby stick line) and bought the stick in the number 04  ample amber. I love it!! I am going to get a few more colours cause they are so easy to use and more on the buttery feel side. It is also inexpensive! In Greece it costs 16 euro ( we always have sales as I have said a zillion times).

Random beauty tip: If you wear glasses like me, and you want your eyes to ‘pop’ you should apply in the middle of your lid a champagne-y shadow.

Fashion

My Kurt Geiger Bag

I have been wearing it quite a lot the past month. I really like it. For a full review press here.

Bag

Top

I got this from Mark and Spencer’s. You can wear it day and night. Dress up and down. I love the sleeves with the ladder- like cut outs.

Earrings

I have loads of earrings and this month I added a few to my collection. The ones on the left are from Claire’s and on the right from Anna Mazaraki.

Cardigan

I got this cardigan from Zara and I have been loving it. It is soft and warm enough for a chilly summer night.

Random

Frappe

It’s summer time in Greece and time for my fave coffee, frappe. Forget about what you knew, we are talking about the real thing. Greek Frappe! I will tell you how we make it . So, you need instant coffee (spray-dried). I use Nescafe. You need sugar and milk (if you take sugar and milk in your coffee. So, I use a spoonful of Nescafe, a spoonful of sugar, water and then use the coffee whisk mixer to mix them and create froth. You then add water and ice and…. enjoy your frappe!

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My town in May

I live in Chania, Crete. If you are looking to book summer holidays, check out my town (I do not work for the ministry of tourism, I promise).

So, that’s all for now.

Subscribe to my blog if you liked what you read. It does put a smile on my face. Maybe give my Facebook page a ‘like’ so you can get notifications of when I post? Connect with me on Pinterest / Twitter/ Instagram/Google+.

 

Earring fav0urites and wishlist

Posted in Beauty, Hauls, In your 40s, Uncategorized by

I am not a ring or a  necklace girl. I ❤ earrings. I have loads and today I am going to show you my faves and earrings that are on my wishlist. So, let’s see some of my faves.

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Gimme some glitter

I like these kinds of earrings for glamorous outings. You just pop on your earrings and you are ready to go. The ones on the top are handmade, the ones at the bottom are from Oasis (UK store).

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Here you have some long hoops and drops. The longer earrings are again handmade and the drops are from one of the designers who designed earrings fror Sex and the City but I don’t remember his name!

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More glam and probably my faourite earrings. Again handmade.

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I got a few new pairs this week. This one is from a Greek designer who ships internationally. You can check her earrings and jewelry out here.

Anna Mazaraki

and these from Claire’s. You see I wanted to get earrings. I wanted to get something with tassels but I do not like big ones, so I chose little tassels :).

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How do I store my earrings? Well, because they are nice and pretty, I like to show them, make them visible. So I have them in little earring storage high heel shoes.

and dolls like these.

My Amazon picks (aka wishlist)

A jewelry organiser tray.

And some earrings I like

HANDMADE SUNRISE EARRINGS – OF EARTH AND OCEAN, Burnished Circles, Copper, Brass and Silverplated

I ❤ these. They are handmade and different metals. These match with everything. You can have your hair up or down and they will look lovely!


Handmade Casual Wear Turquoise Color Bead Dangle Wire Wrapped Earrings

Turquoise is the colour for summer!! Lovely stone and really pretty earrings.

Lucia Costin .925 Silver, Turquoise – Green Swarovski Crystal Earrings, Glamorous

Just gorgeous!

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So, that’s all for now. I hope you liked this post.

So, that’s all for now. Subscribe to my blog if you liked what you read. It does put a smile on my face. Maybe give my Facebook page a ‘like’ so you can get notifications of when I post? Connect with me on Pinterest / Twitter/ Instagram/Google+.

Talk soon

xx

Joanna

  • This post contains Amazon affiliate links (read sidebar for more information).

 

 

Around the Web Wednesday

Posted in Around the web Wednesday, Beauty, Blogging by

Hi!! I am starting a new ‘series’ (maybe?) called around the #webwednesday . Every other Wednesday I will share with you things I saw/found online and that I think deserve your time. If you like this post, make sure you follow me (see sidebar on how to connect), so you do not miss out on my fabulous suggestions. These picks have to do with things I like aka beauty, planning, clothes, food, travelling and writing/blogging. So let’s jump in, shall we?

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YouTube Videos

 Focused YouTube videos

If I am going to spend time watching videos, I really want to watch videos that are focused. That’s why I really enjoyed the following videos. So what have I chosen for you? Smokey eyes tutorial for people who wear glasses, clothes for the hourglass shaped woman and contouring for the round face.

Smokey eyes for people wearing glasses. Jordan’s channel is Jordan Liberty.

Next video. Erin (who is one of my favourite YouTubers, is a stylist and she has started a series where she dresses her friends, family and makes videos based on the body shape. This one is for the hourglass shaped women. Her channel is BusbeeStyle.

Finally, contouring for the round face. This is from   Amy Macedo’s channel.

 My post in the Huff Post.

I have already shared this here but incase you missed it. This is my Huff Post article and it is about something that happened to me. The one where I got ‘makeup shamed’.

Recipe

An oreo cheesecake. C’mon. I mean. Yum and Yum.

Looking for jewelry?

I got a pair of earrings when I was in Athens and then checked to see if they do online shopping options. They do and they also ship internationally, so yay. You need to check out Anna’s store.

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Useful sites for bloggers

Hashtags you should be using if you are a blogger or a business owner. This  was a great post with loads of hashtags. I actually printed it out, so I can refer to it when I blog (See! Extra tip!).

Pinterest Boards for bloggers and business owners.. Suggestions for 7 pinterest boards you should try to join.

So, there you have it. My first post about what I saw around the web and shared on Wednesday. Give it a ‘thumbs up’ if you liked it. Have you found something interesting you would like to share?

So, that’s all for now. Subscribe to my blog if you liked what you read. It does put a smile on my face. Maybe give my Facebook page a ‘like’ so you can get notifications of when I post? Connect with me on Pinterest / Twitter/ Instagram/Google+.

Talk soon

xx

Joanna

 

To the test: La Roche Posay Rosaliac AR Intense Serum

Posted in Beauty, In your 40s, To the test by

A few weeks ago I realised the redness under my eyes was not going away and after talking to ‘specialists’ I found out that my redness may be Rosacea.

What is Rosacea?

Well, redness of the face and according to the National Rosacea Society symptoms are:

  • Redness on the cheeks, nose, chin or forehead.
  • Small visible blood vessels on the face.
  • Bumps or pimples on the face.
  • Watery or irritated eyes.

I actually have sensitive skin, redness on the cheeks (close to the eyes), and watery eyes.

So, I read a couple of magazines, some blog posts, you know all the medical info I could get (?!?) and went to the pharmacy and bought the La Roche Posay Rosaliac AR Intense Serum.

Post 1 La Roche Serum

First of all, before I move on let me clarify that this serum is not marketed as a cure for Rosacea. It is a way to battle redness. I still wanted to try it.

The La Roche website recommends it for

Sensitive skin with redness.

So, I am going to do a series of posts and show you how this is working for me. This is the first post.

Me and my bare skin

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and a lovely close up (Oh man! How embarrassing!)

Day 1

Can you see the redness under my eyes? So in this “To the test” series we will test the serum to see if there are any changes. So, today is the 22nd of May and I have used the serum 3 times.

A bit about the serum

Texture

It is a gel. It is lightweight when applied on the skin. Not greasy and absorbs very quickly.

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Packaging

Plastic 40 ml tube with a pump. I would have liked it if there was a cap on the pump.

Price

It retails for around $40. I got mine in Greece for €26.

Now let’s see what happens. I will be back with an update post (post number 2) in two weeks. Fingers crossed.I hope there is some change. Make sure you are following the blog, so you get a notification regarding when I post and you can read up on of the effectiveness or lack of effectiveness of this product. If you liked this post, you may want to check out the battle of the Estee Lauder foundations.

So, that’s all for now. Subscribe to my blog if you liked what you read. It does put a smile on my face. Maybe give my Facebook page a ‘like’ so you can get notifications of when I post? Connect with me on Pinterest / Twitter/ Instagram/Google+.

Talk soon

xx

Joanna

 

Cream for extra dry & cracked skin

Posted in Beauty, In your 40s, Thoughts by

I am going to share with you one of my top tips that is kinda related to beauty and also to health problems that affect your beauty/ skin care. Kinda like a beauty tip/ miracle worker secret. Cause, yeah sure, we all like things to be pretty and pink, but they are not always, and sometimes beauty needs the ‘big guns’.

I have been wearing compression (orthopedic) stockings since 2000. That’s 16 years folks. I wear them all day long, summer and winter, because if I don’t, I’m in big trouble. One of the problems of wearing compression stockings 24/7 means that your skin gets dry. I ain’t talking about dry patches. Nope. I mean dry, dry. Cracked skin dry.

I have tried loads of remedies, done my pedicures, used creams and soaked my feet in all types of things, but nothing. If you think about it, the skin on my legs is never free. I mean it’s always covered. Only those who wear orthopedic stockings can get me. So, why would my skin not be dry?

My “beautyweapon”

So, I have been using a product for a couple of years now and the condition of the skin on my legs is 10 times better. The basis of the products I use is Urea and urea makes skin softer and is very hydrating. Another important ingredient (in one of these creams) is a-lipoic acid which benefits skin cells and may improve the texture of the skin.

So, what are these products already?

Two creams. I have bought a cream called Flexitol Heel Balm and this is for general and diabetic foot care. I found flexitol at Boots (UK).You can find Flexitol in various countries. I have also bought a cream called Diabetel MD 10% from the brand InterMed (in Greece).

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The cream has made my skin much softer and in a better condition. No other cream that is sold has helped with the cracked skin. No butters, lotions or anything. One thing you should know is that they stink like proper stinky creams, but no pain, no gain. I really suggest you give it a try!

I apply whenever my skin is starting to get dehydrated and at night, so the smell has gone away by the morning. I use it on my feet and under my elbows and voila!Better skin!

So there you have it. My little beauty secret for cracked skin. Don’t forget to subscribe to my blog and connect with me somewhere, somehow (check sidebar for more information).

Talk soon!

xxx

Joanna

 

Bag Review: Kurt Geiger Saffiano Tote Bag

Posted in Beauty, In your 40s, Uncategorized by

Hi everyone!!

Today I am going to talk about one of my favourite things in the world, but before I do that let me tell you a secret.

I am a bag lady

I ❤ bags. I have loads. One of my favourite ones is the Kurt Geiger Saffiano Tote bag (taupe). I got it (as in bought, not given) when I was in London a year ago and have worn it quite a lot. After having used it for a while, I can tell you how it wears and what I think.

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Exterior

It’s made of Saffiano leather and it is a structured bag. Very sturdy and hard. It doesn’t change shape when you put things in it. It has little metal studs (feet?) at the bottom of the bag, so when you leave it on the floor it does not get dirty. It has metal details (hardware), handles and a detachable shoulder strap.It is quite lightweight. In fact,it looks heavier than it actually is.

If you see it in the store, lift it up.Even when it is full of things, it does not get too heavy (then again that depends on what you put in your bag!). The main pocket has a zipper, the others don’t. I am 1.63 cm and it goes up to my hip.

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Interior

Since we are talking about the interior, let’s have a peek inside, shall we? It has 5 compartments/sections and one pocket in one of the sections/compartments. The middle section has a zipper.The sections are sewn up and you do not have things going from one section to the other. They are also quite deep. The middle sections are about 20 cm deep. There is a lot of space and you can carry a lot of things with you.

What’s in my bag?

Well, last time I took this bag with me was to a party by the beach. What did I put in my bag? Well, I had  a cardigan, an umbrella, my purse, my sunglasses case+ sunnies, my purse, a small makeup bag+ makeup, my phone, two makeup brushes (whaaaaat? I was gonna have a long day folks!),  chewing gum, and a packet of tissue paper. Everything fit fine. Nothing got lost in the ‘abyss of bagland’ (you know when you lose everything in your ginormous bag).

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Price: £225. You can get my bag here (this is not an affiliate link, just me being an ‘enabler’).

I really like this bag. You should check it out or get it and we can be bag buddies!! Seriously though, it’s lovely. I am really happy with this purchase and I do use my bag, so I do strongly recommend it if you are in the search for a new bag.

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I am holding a giveaway, so make sure you check out that post here.

I will be heading back to London mid June. Do you have any suggestions on what I should check out (bagwise)? Do leave a comment below.

So, that’s all for now. Subscribe to my blog if you liked what you read. It does put a smile on my face. Maybe give my Facebook page a ‘like’ so you can get notifications of when I post? Connect with me on Pinterest / Twitter/ Instagram/Google+.

Talk soon

xx

Joanna

My 2 Giveaways!!

Posted in Beauty, In your 40s, Thoughts by

Hi loves!!!!

I am holding two giveaways. One is on Instagram and the other is on Twitter. To enter you need to check out my Twitter and Instagram ( @mypinkrambles on both accounts). The pressies are a Clinique pop lippie and a Dior nails varnish ( the pictures are from the ones I own. The winners will get new ones!!)

So, hop over to my

Twitter (pinned post)

and/or IG (use your phone for Instagram).

Read the instructions on how to enter and good luck!!

xx

Joanna

Estee Lauder: Bronze Goddess Multi-Purpose Palette: mini review

Posted in Beauty, Hauls, In your 40s by

Hi lovelies!

I had heard about the Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess line bringing out a Multi Purpose Palette and saw it in store yesterday, swatched it, and of course got it! I will give you a mini review and some 1st impressions.

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What’s in the Palette?

A highlighter, a blush and a bronzer. The highlighter is a cream/gold colour, the blush is pink/ light pomegranate and the bronzer is light brown.

Packaging

There is no powder brush and no mirror (3 months later…. there is a mirror and it’s under this thick sticker. I had been using it for so long and thought there was no mirror. :p). The packaging is expensive (it’s not plastic) and the clip to open and close the palette is sturdy not at all flimsy. It is quite heavy (11.5 grams).

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How does it feel?

I would say it’s more on the powder side. There is not much fall out when you put it on your cheeks etc. I have only tried the blush so far. It is quite long-lasting but I wore the blush midday in very hot weather and it did not last till the night-time. I would say 6 hours  in extreme weather conditions! I will report back to you about the highlighter and bronzer.

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Price

In Greece, I got it for 45 euro cause Estee Lauder cause of sales ( I have mentioned this a zillion times but in Greece we often have sales on cosmetics).

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I think the palette is so pretty and I really look forward to wearing it this summer. I do think you should check it out next time you are in a store that sells Estee Lauder products.

So, that’s all for now. Subscribe to my blog if you liked what you read. It does put a smile on my face. Maybe give my Facebook page a ‘like’ so you can get notifications of when I post? Connect with me on Pinterest / Twitter/ Instagram/Google+.

Talk soon!

xx

Jo

My Dior natural makeup look

Posted in Beauty, In your 40s by

Hi dolls!

The last time I went to the Dior counter and bought some makeup, the sales assistant told me that the Dior (Greece) makeup artist would be coming to my town and asked me if I would like to get my makeup done. Of course the lovemedoo (aka: me) jumped at the opportunity and said of course! So, in today’s post I will share with you what the makeup artist told me and I will show you some pics and of course what I got!

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The condition of my skin

Let’s start with my age. I am 40. When I sat in the ‘chair’ the Dior makeup artist asked me how I take care of my skin. I said the truth. I wear a day cream which is moisturising and at night-time I also wear a face cream. I do not wear sun screen lotion and I always take off my makeup before I go to bed.

He said that my skin is very sensitive which is why I need to wear sunscreen. I also have red spots (discoloration not acne) cause of the sensitivity. My skin is a bit dehydrated.

He also suggested

I use a serum before applying my cream because it absorbs the facial cream much better and goes deeper into the skin.

The products he used on my face were:

Dior Totale Dream Skin: this products refines the skin texture and evens the colour of your skin. It is also an anti wrinkle cream.

One essential serum: this detoxifies and makes skin look luminous.

Capture Totale MultiPerfection Cream: this cream delivers immediate long-lasting comfort and is anti-ageing.

Caprtue Totale Eye Serum: it makes your eyes look more rested, detoxified and regenerates.

(descriptors take from the sephora.com website)

My skin felt nice and soft after all the creams and serums.

The look

Unfortunately, I did not write down all the products used, but I do have some of them, so I can share most of the info.

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Primer: Diorskin Forever and Ever Primer

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Fourdation: Dior Forvever foundation

Powder:DiorSkin Forever & Ever Control: Extreme Perfection & Meatte Finish Invisible Loose Powder.

Lip Liner: Number 593

Lippie: Dior Addict Milky Tint no. 126.

I got the powder, the liner and the lippie.

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I really had fun at the Dior makeup counter. I loved the look and the experience. To be totally honest though, after I took off my makeup my under eye area (left eye) was a bit puffy and red and I do not know why. It may have been the products or the makeup remover I used to take off the makeup. I actually did a no makeup day or two after that.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Have you tried any of these products?

Subscribe to my blog if you liked what you read. It does put a smile on my face. Maybe give my Facebook page a ‘like’ so you can get notifications of when I post? Connect with me on Pinterest / Twitter/ Instagram.

Talk soon!

xx

Jo

April Favourites

Posted in Beauty, In your 40s, Monthly favourites by

Hi there!

Time for monthly favourites. So, in today’s post you will read about makeup products, clothes, a bag, and other random stuff I loved in the month of April. So, let’s see what I liked!

Clinique Pop Lipsticks

I love this line. The lippies feel so soft, comfortable and nourishing. They are long-lasting and so far I have 2 in my collection. The one I am loving at the moment is Plum Pop which is number 14. You can check it out here (I am using Amazon affiliate links throughout this post).

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Nail polish

I am currently wearing this on my nails. It is a repurchase. I am talking about the Dior Grege 413 (beige/nude). You can get it here.

Vest tops

Yeap! I really like the H&M vest tops. They are comfy, soft and quite long. Check them out at your local H&M.

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Trainers

Every summer I go to the UK, so I need shoes that don’t look like trainers, they are black all over, and which are great for when it rains. So for the past 3 years I have been repurchasing this pair of Reebok runners.They are all black, leather and they are great for walking. They have a very soft padding on the inside. They are oil and slip resistant.Thy are the Reebok Women’s Work N Cushion Walking Shoe. You can check them out here.

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Eyeshadow and liner

I am very clumsy when it comes to eye shadow and that’s mostly cause of my eyesight. I have been using liners and eyeshadow pencils a lot and for the past month I started using again two of the pencils from the range Colorbrand  Bourjois and I use the colours 04 Rose fauviste and 03 Beige minimaliste. Extra points for the fact that these pencils say what colour the product is on the packaging (I am colourblind).

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Cross Body bag

I just love this bag. I got it from Zara for 25 euro! It looks so expensive. Has a lot of compartments. You should check it out at Zara.

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My new Perfume

Eskada Delicate notes. I love this because it reminds me of a floral scented powder-y perfume. If you like Bulgari Rose or Chloe Rose, you should check this one out!

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Drinking Iced Coffee

The weather is getting warmer and I am loving my Frappe. If you do not know what that is, it’s a cold coffee (nescafe) which is shaken till there is froth. You add sugar and milk (if you want to). I got this huge plastic glass and that’s how I have my coffee every single day. You can get the Pink Freezable Ball Gell Tumbler Cup here.

 

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YouTuber

I started watching Lydia this month and I really like her videos. She is very chic and loves luxury products. She does makeup tutorials, hauls and vlogs. She lives in the UK. If you haven’t watched her videos yet, you should go over to her chanel and check her out (aka subscribe).

Shout out to bloggers

I really liked reading this post and thought it was such a refreshing idea. So much that I might try it with someone. Two best friends share their week with their readers. You can check out their blog here.

And what about my ‘stuff’?

My most ‘liked’ Insta photo is car in grass-xwrio

My most popular post last month was: My   “problem” with the word disability which was also published in the Huffington Post. You can read it here.

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Subscribe to my blog if you liked what you read. It does put a smile on my face. Maybe give my Facebook page a ‘like’ so you can get notifications of when I post? Connect with me on Pinterest / Twitter/ Instagram.

Talk soon!

xx

Jo