Thoughts on the latest Avon catalogue...(Marimekko = <3 ^_^ !!!)

I was flipping through the online catalogue (in case anyone's interested, it's here ;D), mostly just because I enjoy reading this sort of stuff (that may just explain the already crazy-long list of blogs I follow XD). However, I'm not really a fan of Avon >:-), so my expectations were not high.
But, as I've stated in my intro, I am a fan of Limited Edition stuff :). So, when I came across the Marimekko page...

"OMG cute ^_^, this might just be worth getting..."

But I'm not a stupid girl (I hope :-P), so I decided to Google the collection before making any conclusions ;). Here are 3 things I found out:

1) This stuff isn't new, it's apparently been released in other countries months ago :-/...Oh well, better late than never ;D.

2) The Greek online catalogue showcases 4 items: the mascara (it's normal black mascara, just in cute Marimekko packaging), 2 eye palettes (Poppy Bloom and Poppy Bouquet), and one face palette (in Poppy Bouquet).

Eye palettes ^_^:

However, I found this:



Yes, there are two of them. Another face palette (in Poppy Bloom) has been made, but for some reason, we don't get it >:-/. Thankfully, the one we do have is the prettier one XD; I can't imagine that mauvey colour working well on me. Phew :).

3) Swatches :D. Gorgeous, lovely, amazing ones. At least to me. Have a look if you wanna see them ;).

And that was it :). I'm on a make-up ban until MAC Hello Kitty is released, I shop loads from it and get the Hello Kitty bug out of my system XD, but if there's any money left afterwards...These are officially on my wishlist ^_^.

The Marimekko collection's currently 40% off (thank God XD). The face palette's 12,90 Euros, the eye palettes are 11,70 Euros each, and the mascara (which I won't be getting) sells for 8,10 Euros. Not exactly cheap, but not expensive either. I'd say the stuff is worth it. You can also get a blush brush for 2 Euros if you buy 2 (or more, I suppose) items - I might consider throwing that in as well ;).

Other random thoughts I had while going through the catalogue:
*Reese looks good on the ads :). But that's still not enough to make me crave blah products :-P.
*I want a sample of Absynthe. It appears elixir-like, and to me that's a good thing :).
*The whole 'Imagine you're a [designer/actress/insert supposed fantasy career here]' fragrance ad concept is, in my humble opinion, completely stupid. That said, it might just work on enough people to justify its own existence...Not on me though :-P.
*I quite like the Evie watch :). But I don't need it ^_^.
*Lol at the car-shaped mouse XD.

But yeah, <3 Marimekko :). So if I'm not completely broke after Hello Kitty XD, I'll request an Avon person (that sounds odd XD) so I can get those lovely palettes ^_^.

P.S. If anyone has the trios shaped like an eye (in any colour, though I'm mostly crushing on Grey Guidance ;D), would you be sweet enough to take a photo of them (I want to know what the box looks like in real life) and/or swatch? Or if you can find swatches online (I can't find any :( >:-/), could you let me know? Thank you :).

And (as always), thanks for reading ^_^.

Oriflame liners & Skydiver swatch(es), and various randomness.

Hello :).

I was actually planning on doing a lip blog (that sounds odd XD), but this morning I woke up with...
A pimple on my upper lip >:-). I don't get spots often, but when I do, they're always in odd, ridiculous places. Last one was right under my right eyebrow :-P.

So, there I was, thinking about what on earth I was going to write (I really didn't want to do yet another tag, for obvious reasons >:-D)...
When I got an idea from my comments :D. Keep leaving me comments, people, they make me happy :) (lol ^_^) and make the blog better as well, I think ;).
Comment in question:
"I've never heard of Oriflame, but I already like a brand that calls one of its eyeliners 'Laurel & Hardy'!"

Oriflame's a Swedish brand, and it's sold by catalogue (similar to Avon). It's available in most of Europe and some parts of Asia, but not in the US. (Well, many US brands are not available in Europe, so it's only fair :-P.) You can buy loads of various stuff (again, like Avon): skincare, body care, hair care, fragrances, accessories, and of course, make-up ;D :). There are 3 make-up lines: the Oriflame Beauty line itself, the Giordani Gold ('luxury') line, and the Visions line that's made to appeal to teenagers (or people who like to use colour :-P).

There are 6 duo liners in the Visions line, and I own them all ^_^. They are:
*Laurel & Hardy: Black and white. Basic XD. Mine's really short by now 'cause it's the one I use the most ;).
*Jekyll & Hyde: Grey and tealish (metallic).
*Aladdin & Yasmin: Warm brown and coppery gold.
*Batman & Robin: Bright blue (with glitter) and silver. [NB. Am I the only one who doesn't see a connection with the name here :-/?]
*Thelma & Louise: Light pink and black (with glitter).
*Tom & Jerry: Purplish pink and bluish green. Thought: do these match the MAC Hello Kitty pigments :o? I guess I'll see when I get those ;)...Oh, and I don't see how the name suits the colours in this case either.

All 6 liners:














And here are some swatches :).
First three liners:














Last three liners (OK, last four liners actually, lol):














And to finish this up, here's a (not very clear but I tried :-P) pic of my Skydiver nail polish ^_^:
So damn pretty :). Most of the other colours, however, are not >:-) :(. There's one more I like, which is basically clear polish with a lot of glitter in it, and it's called...Serial Blogger (lol). Yeah, the names are good XD. But these are (in my opinion) the only 2 colours worth getting from the nail polish line.

Up next: more tags >:-D, My Make-Up Collection :D (that is gonna take a lot of photoshooting, trust me, so I don't know when this will be up), maybe a few more spring collection reviews (I don't know whether to do ones that have been done by other bloggers already, even if I do <3 them, like Dior and Lancome)...And once the pimple is gone, that lip post :).
Of course, if there's anything you'd like me to write about, let me know ;). Thanks for reading and commenting :), I really appreciate all of you who try to include a new (and not very interesting, I'm afraid) blog such as mine into the blogosphere ^_^.

TAGs can be quite addictive indeed ^_^. Here's another popular one :-P.

Got this tag from here, check it out :).

So, what am I using at the moment? Read on to find out ;D ^_^.

Hair

Shampoo: Tigi Dumb Blonde. It's great :) (and yes, I'm a [bleach] blonde).

Conditioner: At the moment, I'm using these tiny tubes that came with my bleach; I have a few lying around and I want to use them up before I buy conditioner ;).

Styling products: I don't style my hair :-P. If it feels dry or weak, I spray on some Tigi Health Goddess.

Hair mask: Pantene Blonde Expressions, but I don't like it much and wouldn't really recommend it.

Body

Shower gel: Oriflame Arctic Cranberry...Or something like that anyway, can't be bothered to go upstairs and check the label :-P.

Body moisturiser: I have four. Tigi Melon Body Butter for really dry areas, Cherry Blossom body lotion (from The Body Shop) for my lower body (NB. Won't repurchase this, it feels too alcohol-ey for me to like it :(, even though the smell is nice...), and I alternate (depends on my mood :-P) between Tigi Creamy Dreamy Orange and Oriflame Pop Glam Vanilla (that was Limited Edition, and I kind of regret not buying 2 of them 'cause I love vanilla) body lotion for my upper body :).

Deodorant: Avon, supposed to slow down hair regrowth. Not sure if it does, lol.

Fake tan: No thanks, I like being fair :-P ^_^.

Face

Cleanser: Oriflame Cranberry Milk Cleanser; I love this stuff, it feels so soft :), kind of like Clinique's cream cleanser. I prefer creamy cleansers to face washes.

Eye makeup remover: Oriflame 3-In-1 make-up remover (the green bottle). It works really well, at least for me.

Exfoliator: For my face? Oriflame's Cranberry scrub, used once a week on average, or whenever my face needs it.

Make-up

Primer: I don't use one.

Foundation: Oriflame Visions Fresh Face Foundation in Porcelain Doll :).

Foundation brush: Fingers ;).

Concealer: Tigi Fixx-It Stick in Light.

Powder: Rimmel something, I can't remember the exact name and can't be bothered to go upstairs and check :-P. By the way, hit pan (yay, lol) :D.

Blusher: Lately, the rosy colour that comes with my Pupa Heart palette (I have the blue one).

Bronzer: I like being pale :-P.

Highlighter: From the Pupa blue Heart palette again ;). At least that way I'm sure it matches my blusher ;D.

Eyeshadow base: When I need it, cream shadow under powder works well enough for me. But generally, I don't mind reapplying (as long as it's been hours and not minutes >:-D).

Eyeshadows: Oddly enough, I haven't worn any lately.

Eyeliner: White inliner :). Specifically, the white end of Oriflame's Laurel & Hardy (from Visions). Yes, I love that brand ^_^.

Eyelash curler: From The Body Shop, but I want the Shu Uemura gold one. One day...

Eyelash base: I'll be honest and say I've never heard of it...Don't think I need it though, I like my lashes :). In fact, they're the only part of my body I'm completely satisfied with.

Mascara: Rimmel Lash Maxxx...Is it 3 xes? I forgot. Lol.

Lipstick: Since my sister has boycotted companies that test on animals, she gave me (among loads of other stuff) her L'Oreal Travel Exclusive Essential Colours palette, and I've been using those for a while now. Mostly the deep and red colours, but the mauvish and shimmery pink are OK too. (I still use stuff that has been tested on animals, but whenever I shop, I try to pick products that have not been tested over those that have.)

Lipgloss: Haven't worn any lately, I prefer lipstick :). But I do own many glosses and do use them, it's just that I haven't been in the mood to do so these past few days.

Nail colour: Oriflame Visions Fast & Furious nail polish (I think they called it that 'cause it's quick-drying) in Skydiver :). The best damn colour of the whole range, it's a sort of pink/lavender that reflects glass blue when the light hits it...I <333 it :D. Maybe I should post a picture instead though, lol.

I, as usual, will tag anyone and everyone who wants to do this ;).

TAGged again...Beauty questions, courtesy of Maddy.

Maddy's blog; check it out :).

What’s your favourite eye shadow colour to wear? Pastels. Oh whoops, one? It's a tie between white and blue, I'm afraid, and that was hard enough :'D. I can't pick just one :-P ^_^.

What’s the one product you wouldn’t leave your house without? Sunscreen ;). SPF lipbalm on my mouth, of course, since it would be bizarre to use actual sunscreen there ;D.

What’s your favourite makeup look – high drama OR natural? Dramatic :). Crazy intense eyeshadow, lol.

Which feature do you play up the most? Eyes usually...But when I can't be bothered, I just curl my lashes and throw something bright and pretty onto my mouth...It works quite well, 'cause my lips are full and nicely shaped. [Supposedly, anyway. And yes, I've gotten 'Angelina' quite a few times, but they're not that full, nor would I want them to be. They're just right :).]

Which feature do you try to downplay/cover up? Not sure if that counts, but I try to contour my face into definition, 'cause it could definitely use some more ;).

Your favourite makeup brand, if you could pick only ONE to exist? Only one in the entire world :(? Fine...Laura Mercier ^_^.

Which product have you re-purchased OVER and OVER again? Labello lipbalm :). But different types/colours/flavours of it, lol.

Which product would you NEVER repurchase again and why? L'Oreal Infallible foundation. It was too infallible (that is, annoying to get off), didn't exactly suit my skin, and had a glass bottle - so one sweet day, one of my brothers knocked it off the shelf by accident, and it broke ^_^. Lol.

One beauty treatment you would always PAY to have done? I'm not sure if haircuts count, but I can't think of anything else :-P.

One beauty treatment you would NEVER pay to have done? I would never let anyone manicure my nails (ditto for feet, actually). Ever. I'm not sure why I hate the idea, but just...No. I will never. Maybe it's because I dislike being touched...

One beauty trick you can share with everyone? Heating your eyelash curler makes it work better :D (just make sure it's not too hot). And if I want cheap eyeliner to provide intense colour, I use a lighter to heat the tip a bit. (Warning: This doesn't seem to work with waterproof pencils; they burn instead of melting. Lol.)

Best advice you've ever been given regarding beauty and makeup? I can't think of anything >:-)...I'm afraid I don't get much advice. Let me know if you have any for me ;).

I tag...Anyone who feels like doing this ^_^.

TAG: 25 Random Facts About Me.

For the record, I got this from this blog ;D :).

1. I can't wait for the Hello Kitty collection to arrive here (well, it's a random fact about me :-P).
2. My favourite colour is red, then white, then (yes, you guessed it) pink ^_^.
3. The 'She breaks, my Siren' quote on my picture's from a song called Siren by Tori Amos (yup, am a fan) and she wrote it for Great Expectations (the 1997 film), which I adore, and you really ought to see it if you haven't ;).
4. My mp3 player's a white 6 GB Creative Zen Micro while my phone's a Nokia 7610, and I got both second-hand from the same person :). <3 both ^_^.
5. I use way too many emoticons when I write >:-D. Even in my real (paper) diary.
6. I have kept a diary since I was 13, in English, though it's technically not my first language.
7. I don't really enjoy shopping for clothes, since I already have enough to live with (lol). Getting make-up, on the other hand, is something of an addiction >:-).
8. I'm Pro-Life (might as well announce it so people know, after all it's certainly not something I am or should be ashamed of).
9. I usually type with the 3 right fingers of my left hand and 3 left fingers of my right hand. It works for me.
10. I'm addicted to tea. Not black though 'cause it's dehydrating, but green, mint or herbal, I love :D. And I use each bag twice 'cause I'm thrifty/weird like that :-P.
11. My hands are always cold (as in cold enough to appear fresh from the freezer) and have always been like this, as far as I can remember.
12. I really <3 diamonds, and no, I don't own any. Yet :-P.
13. I hate smiling in pictures 'cause it always (in my opinion anyway) makes my face shape look very unattractive.
14. You know how SAD makes people depressed 'cause they don't get enough sun? For me, the sun depresses me. If it's really sunny outside, I don't feel like getting out of bed at all, never mind out of the house.
15. But I LOVE rain, snow, clouds, that kind of weather :D.
16. I hate the concept of Facebook. Why on earth would anyone want to keep in online contact with people from real life? Especially people from one's school or workplace, because they're not very liked usually, are they >:-)?
17. My shoes are Product(RED) Converse :). And that concept's a brilliant one (unlike Facebook).
18. I smile a lot, and most of the time there's no real reason for it. Just not when there's a camera of any kind in my vicinity (see number 13 ;D).
19. I'm 19 :-P. I will turn 20 in April.
20. I'm optimistic to the point of complete idiocy. (I wish I wasn't, but it seems to be too integral a trait...It just won't leave me.)
21. I HATE lies of any kind.
22. I've never been kissed. (Or done anything else intimate.)
23. I love learning random words in random languages. Actually, make that random facts about pretty much anything. I love knowledge :D. Knowledge is power :).
24. 24 is my favourite number :-P :).
25. Coming up with these was surprisingly hard, as is coming up with blog topics, but I hope I can manage :) (see number 20 >:-D).

Thanks for reading ^_^, and if you haven't done this yet, I tag you to do the same :-P (see number 23, lol ;D).

Spring 2009: Blooming Spring [IsaDora].

For those of you unfamiliar with it, IsaDora's a Swedish brand that's been around since 1983, and as far as I know it's available in the US, as well as most of Europe.

I loved their Dazzling Diamonds holiday collection (got the ring, palette and Diamond Glow highlighter/blush kit ^_^) so I'd been waiting for whatever they would come up with next...Yes, they did not disappoint :).

[Spring 2009 collection from official website.]

I love the look the model's wearing...So pretty :D. Will definitely try to imitate it one of these days ;D. I'm glad to see they're repromoting the Blonde inliner, since it's a great colour that works beautifully on pretty much anyone who's fair to medium in colour (you don't actually have to be blonde though :-P). When I was checking it out as part of the Autumn 2008 collection, the saleslady told me it was a softer, nuder alternative to the usual brightening but sometimes too harsh power of white inliner.

Also, I'm in love with their palette yet again >:-). Of course, I'll have to see it in person, but I'm sure most of you know that feeling of wanting the counters to stop putting out such great stuff in such quantities because you know you won't be able to afford it all :'D. And with MAC Hello Kitty on its way to Europe...Even though my birthday's in April, I would say I'm definitely broke.

Sorry for straying ;). But I'm not making any conclusions yet since I haven't seen this lot in person. Will report when I do ;).

The rest of the collection doesn't really appeal to me...Well, the violet liner would, but I already own one :-P. The lipsticks don't seem like they'd suit my taste and skin tone, and I'm sorry I have to say it but the blush packaging's just completely blah :-/. Plus, pinky peach can probably be done well enough with Fafi Hipness ;). And I know I'm too lazy to do my eyebrows with a pencil, so I'm gonna pass on that little item since it wouldn't be getting any use if I were to purchase it :-P.

[For the record: No reviews on nail polishes 'cause my local IsaDora counter doesn't supply nail polish testers (Yes, >:-/?!?) ...And no way am I paying for something I haven't even been able to test ^_^.]

Will buy: The Blonde inliner :D.
Will consider: The eyeshadow palette ;).

[P.S. How's that for a first post? I hope it wasn't too lousy :). Anyway, thanks for dropping by ^_^.]

So, here goes. My own little bit of webspace ^_^, all about beauty. Best of luck to me <3.

...

Well, haven't I said it all in the title >:-D?

Just kidding. I'm odd. And addicted to writing and make-up, so naturally I thought this would be a good idea. We'll see how it goes. This is a new blog and I'm by no means an expert (there, I've said it - trust me at your own discretion/risk :-P), but I really do hope you and I both enjoy it :). And hopefully a couple of others as well <_<.

I also seem to pick the oddest word fits to express myself, and I tend to seriously overuse emoticons ;). Especially this one >:-).

If there's anything you'd like me to blog about, let me know. I might just do it. [Though there'll be no pictures of myself, at least not yet. Why not? In short: I don't think I'm pretty, people tend to disagree, and I get infuriated...Let's just not get into that :-P.]

I might on occasion write about things completely unrelated to make-up, but I'll try not to <_<.

I'm not one of those people with 300 MAC eyeshadows...Kudos to them for knowing what they like, but frankly I'd be bored if all I owned was by one (or 2, or 5) brand[s]. Expect a variety of brands on here ;). Oh, and I love Limited Edition items ^_^.

If you have (or know of) a beauty blog that you consider great, pleeease let me know, I absolutely adore reading them :). I'll subscribe too :-P ;D.

Well, I think that's mostly it. In random order >:-D.

And so it begins :).

"Those who refuse to accept anything but the best very often get it."