Skin Care: Gigi Post Epilation Lotion

Last year I was looking for something I could treat my legs with (after doing my home epilation routine).  It is important to soothe the irritated skin right afterwards, with a special balm or cream, to avoid possible hair follicles infection and its result - red, ugly looking spots on the legs.
Anyway, I came across Gigi Post Epilation Lotion. Having used it for some time, I am really glad I bought it. It does calm the skin and makes it look good (no redness) after hair removal. Besides that, the Lotion has also skin moisturizing and softening properties. It contains allantoin (anti irritant) and wheat germ oil (a skin conditioning agent).
The moisturizer is absorbed by the skin quite quickly but to make it work properly, it is better not to cover the treated areas with clothing for a few minutes. The lotion has a soft but rather nice scent. The big bottle (473ml/16 oz) of the product will last long (I have been using it for a few months already). When I run out of it, it is very likely that I will buy this post epilation lotion again.

About Our Fav. Music & Generalization

We like music. Music in general. Many various styles: from classical music to some heavy metal (with many other kinds in between). You can meet us at a symphony hall, a ballet performance or a rock concert. How is it possible? We simply enjoy it all: music in its different forms.
Many people tend to listen to one particular kind of music only. Some, who like classical, would never listen to Iron Maiden. A lot of others, who like more modern styles, find classical pieces uninteresting. According to some, if you like classical music, you must also be a boring and stiff person. How untrue it is! We do not look like typical heavy metal fans, we never did. But it does not mean we dislike that sort of music. One can be of many things not just one!

From Classical Music...

There are 

many 

music genres, 

bands 

and songs

in between.

They are
totally
different
from
each other
but
interesting
and
enjoyable
in
their own ways.
Not
worse
or
better.
Just different.

... to Metal

The song by Sabaton (a Swedish band) is dedicated to Audie Murphy - soldier and hero.

Hair Care: Silkience Silky-Smooth Conditioner

I bought this conditioner hoping it would be good but, since I had not used any Silkience Hair Care products before, I was not sure what I was buying.
I have been using it for some time and I am really pleased with the quality of the conditioner. Its creamy texture makes my hair smooth and easy to comb/style. On the other hand, it does not make the bands look greasy or flat. The conditioner (made in Canada) has a nice but not an overwhelming scent. The Silky-Smooth conditioner contains aloe vera (beneficial for the skin), panthenol and hydrolyzed soy proteins which improve the texture of hair.*
You couldn't get more, meaning both quality and quantity, for $1 (the price of the conditioner at a Dollar Tree store).   

From the label:
'Silkience is a registered trademark of Silkience Holdings, Inc. and Evergreen Consumer Brands, ULC.'
 

How I use it: After washing my hair with a shampoo, I apply the conditioner to the wet hair and then (I do not wait the advised 2-3 minutes) rinse it with water.

Silky-Smooth Conditioner - Ingredients

Aloe-derived ingredients enhance the appearance of dry or damaged skin by reducing flaking and restoring suppleness - See more at: http://cosmeticsinfo.org/ingredient/aloe-ingredient-family#sthash.muylHLYd.dpuf

Aloe-derived ingredients enhance the appearance of dry or damaged skin by reducing flaking and restoring suppleness - See more at: http://cosmeticsinfo.org/ingredient/aloe-ingredient-family#sthash.muylHLYd.dpuf

Aloe-derived ingredients enhance the appearance of dry or damaged skin by reducing flaking and restoring suppleness - See more at: http://cosmeticsinfo.org/ingredient/aloe-ingredient-family#sthash.muylHLYd.dpuf

Aloe-derived ingredients enhance the appearance of dry or damaged skin by reducing flaking and restoring suppleness - See more at: http://cosmeticsinfo.org/ingredient/aloe-ingredient-family#sthash.muylHLYd.dpuf

Aloe-derived ingredients enhance the appearance of dry or damaged skin by reducing flaking and restoring suppleness - See more at: http://cosmeticsinfo.org/ingredient/aloe-ingredient-family#sthash.muylHLYd.dpufand hydrolyzed soy proteins which improve the body and texture of hair

* Find out more on these ingredients here.

Spring Makeup in Winter

 I enjoy playing with various tones of eye shadows and eye pencils. Whatever combination of colors I come up with, it is neither dramatic nor too unusual. It is always something simple which I can wear every day without looking (too) awkward.

Browsing my makeup bag, I came across a Kohl Duo eye pencil by Yves Rocher.

Duo Crayon Kohl: Rose irise/Bronze dore by Yves Rocher - both colors match also nude makeup nicely

The pink (rose irise) tip of the pencil made me think of the spring and spring flowers, which resulted in creating my spring makeup version:

1. Pearl beige eye shadow - inner eye corner + eyebrow arch.
2. Eyelids: Orange and green eye shadows (from Pearl Profusion Cosmetics Eyeshadow Palette.
3. Lower lash line: pearl beige (close to the inner eye corner) + green eye shadow line.
4. Upper eye lash line: pink eye pencil by Yves Rocher.

Well, it all looks a bit different than in the pictures...

Professional lip pencil No. 12 by Collistar and lipstick Caresse 03 Lovely Rose by L'Oreal complement the spring eye makeup.

The shade of the lipstick is much lighter in real - matches the eye pink pencil

I cannot wait till the spring comes!

Dutch tulips in Ania's garden - picture by Ania L.

Pu-Erh Tea Again

Some time ago I wrote about the Pu-Erh tea which I had got from Poland. I am very glad I managed to find this kind of tea here. As you can see in the picture below, the tea is actually called 'Cholesterid' which emphasizes one of its properties. This is a different type of Pu-Erh tea which I had previously but still tastes good and I like it. It is manufactured by Triple Leaf Tea, Inc. - a San Fransisco based company (they also make other kinds of Chinese teas). I am not sure why this one called: 'herbal dietary supplement' (maybe because of its beneficial qualities again) since it is just a different kind of an everyday tea.

From the manufacturer:
'Green, black and oolong teas, 'cha', all are made from hte plant Camellia sinensis. Yunnan toucha tea, however, is one of a few teas known as 'pu-erh cha', made from  an ancient subspieces of the tea plant, Camellia sinensis assamica.'

Read more about Cholesterid Tea here.

Nude Makeup And A Bit More

I have got this eyeshadow palette because of two reasons. First of all I wanted a set of bronzes for a nude makeup look. Since the tones of this Trio are quite nice, and I had never had any eye shadows by Maybelline, I decided to purchase them. They (and the nude eye makeup) were actually my choice for the Valentine's Day + weekend. The bronze shades are neutral so they match any outfit/lipstick color.
The pigmentation of the  eye shadows is OK (could be a bit better) but when I apply them after putting some eye shadow base on the lid, they last all day. The 'prompts', provided both on the box and eye shadows (1. Base, 2. Lid, 3. Crease - see below), help if someone does not know how the shades should be applied. I really like the colors. They create an effortless and elegant look. It is also easy to transform the nude day makeup into its evening/date version.

ExpertWear Eyehadow Trio - Chocolate Mousse (delicately shimmery) - by Maybelline

Day makeup:
a) to open the eye - I put some shimmery champagne eye shadow in the inner eye corner;

b) Chocolate Mousse Trio by Maybelline applied to the eyelids + a thin line along 1/3 lower eyelid line with shade No.3;
c) brown eye pencil - a thin line along the upper eyelashes line.

Luminelle Duo Crayon Kohl: Vert d'eau pailette and Brun nacre by Yves Rocher - soft, creamy tips and interesting shades

Every now and then, Yves Rocher offer a different version of the Kohl Duo eye pencil, meaning different colors matched together. Currently it has been Smokey Grey and Mandarine (regular price $5) - love the latter shade. Anyway, the two colors presented in the above picture go nicely with the nude bronzes of the eye shadows. The brown pencil can be used to enhance the upper eyelashes line  with the frosty green on the lower eyelid line or the opposite. The Vert d'eau pailette (I call it 'frosty green') line looks really interesting on the upper eyelid too. Anyway, on Valentine's Day, I used the brown eye pencil only.

Lips - what I used (as it matched the color of my outfit):

• Soft Precision lipliner No. 60 by Inglot
• lipstick: Raspberry No.14 by Yves Rocher.

I received the lipstick as a free gift, when I ordered something else from Yves Rocher. The lipstick smells nice, like a raspberry cake . It provides adaptable coverage and looks good on the lips. The shade reminds me fuchsia but it is a bit less intense.

Evening makeup version:
a) and b) the same as in the Day Look;
c) if you have no time to wash off the Day Look, it is enough to draw a line with a black eyeliner (on the brown eye pencil line - upper eyelid) - it changes the look dramatically.

Lips
I changed my outfit so I colored the lips red.

And a bit more

COVERGIRL Queen Collection - Peacock

It has also been my first ever eye shadow by COVERGIRL. I purchased it because I found the Peacock shadow interesting. Besides, I also wanted to try a product by this brand. I am neither disappointed nor surprised with the quality of the eyshadow (it tends to fade on the eyelid)
but I still like the green tone. It matches the Chocolate Mousse Palette and when used to crease (with no.1 and 2. from the Maybelline Trio), it gives a new dimension to the nude makeup look.

Face Care: Velvety Facial Moisturizer by Yves Rocher

My face care is a bit complex as my face does not like most face creams: so many, even expensive ones, cause allergic reactions to their ingredients. Unfortunately, it includes anti wrinkles and serums too. Although I do not know which exactly ingredients bring that terrible discomfort to some part of my face, I have noticed one regularity: the more natural (considering the ingredients) a cream is, the better my face skin tolerates it.
Within years, I have found a few face creams which work well for me. One of them is Velvety Moisturizer with Organic Aloe Vera by Yves Rocher. It is a truly great product. It not only hydrates the skin well but it is also gentle enough to be used as an under eye area hydrating treatment, without any eye irritation. The creamy texture of the moisturizer is absorbed by the skin quite quickly, without leaving a greasy film, which makes it a good makeup base too.
The cream contains organic aloe vera  'which is known in traditional medicine as a multipurpose skin treatment'*. Some of the Moisturizer's ingredients also are:

• sesame seed oil,
• shea butter,
• vegetable oil,
• jojoba seed oil,
• cacao seed butter,
• corn starch,
• candelilla wax.

From the manufacturer:

• 99% of the total ingredients are from natural origin,
• the moisturizer is paraben, mineral oil and colorant free,
• for normal to combination skin.

The cream does comfort and revitalize my face skin (which is rather on a dry side) with a long lasting moisturizing effect. It has a delicate and pleasant scent. The price of the product is an advantage too (especially that it is often available with 50% discount).
All in all, I find the Velvet Moisturizer really good.
Thank you Yves Rocher!

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aloe_vera#Traditional_medicine