Product Find: LDM Cosmetics

My makeup passion is worldwide xD, so if I find a product worth its money, why not trying it? =)
A few weeks ago I made an order on this website that sells a lot of English drugstore brands (some of them totally unkown by me xD) so I decided to try out some of them... When my package arrived (very well packaged by the way =D!) I was so surprised by the quality of the products... Definitely a very good find!

The brand I'm talking about is called LDM (Ludanmei). I believe it's a Chinese brand and it's also got a very nice website (just google it ;-D) I know many of you may think "Chinese? No way!" but I've looked at the products' INCI and most of the ingredients are very good and commonly used in cosmetics companies... And so far I haven't had any strange reactions ;-)

The products I've tried are their blushes, their lipsticks... And an eyeshadow trio:
(click on the images to enlarge them)

Terracotta Compact Blusher
These are GREAT blushes! Highly pigmented, soft and with a pearlized finish I had never seen before! I've picked up shade 11, a deep bronzed pink, and 06, which reminds me of Orgasm and when applied on the cheeks they're really gorgeous! Another great aspect is the price: 4.25£ (5€) only!!!! I'm in love with them! XD

Terracotta Eyeshadow trio
Since this is a drugstore and cheap brand, I wasn't expecting much from this eyeshadows... And I was wrong! These are shimmery, pigmented and buttery! (Note: I always read about "buttery" products and I don't know whether to consider it a good or a bad feature but personally I intend it in a very positive way!). I've chosen shade 12, which has got a gold, a bronze and a dark brown that look very natural once applied on the lids, but they can also be mixed to obtain a more dramatic/smokey effect. Price: 2.95£ (about 3,50€), perfect!!

Lucent Shine Lipstick
Lipsticks, along with blushes, are my latest addiction! So I decided to try three shades: 29, a vibrant purple, 10, a bronzed red with gold sheen and 19, a dark peachy pink with red undertone. My last sentence: PERFECT!!! These lipsticks are just amazing! They're what I look for in a lipstick: creamy, highly pigmented, hydrating and cheap! Obviously, being so creamy makes them less lasting on the lips, but I don't mind since they just cost 3.85£ (4,50€) each!
You can see from the swatches how pigmented they are and trust me when I say that my poor, ever-dry lips were so happy when I put them on! xD

I think I can definitely say I'm loving this new discovered brand so far and I'm sure I'll try out other products... Here's their website (very nice btw =D) although I purchased them on Saveonmakeup.co.uk .
Have you ever heard about LDM before? Have you got any English drugstore brands you love? Let me know!

Besitoss!!

Cambree.de now stocks Essie polishes!

Hey ladies! I'm sorry for the lack of updates in the last period, I'm very stressed for the university exams that I don't even have the strength to write in my beloved blog =P
Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that Cambree now stocks Essie nail polishes!!! I was so excited when I received their newsletter! I've already talked about this website before, so I'm not surprised that they managed to import these products... However I found out that they are sold at 10,85€ each, not so cheap, so I don't know if they're worth trying out...
This was a quick update, let me know if you have already tried any of the Essie polishes...How do you find them?


That's it for now! Have e great Sunday!
Besitoss!

NOTD: Bahamian Escape

After a few days of lovely weather and hot temperature I can definitely say summer is slowly coming...And I wanted to celebrate the blue sky of these days with this China Glaze polish, Bahamian Escape...
Application was quite smooth and this polish is so intense and pigmented! The photos show just one coat! I can feel summer!!!

Natural Light

...and Artificial Light




That's all for now! Sorry for the lack of updates, I'm so busy and stressed for university! >.<


have a nice weekend!
Besitoss!

A Lilac Dream...

Today the sun shines on my beloved Como *_* Finally I can
smell summer! However I decided to wear a spring color on my nails.. Lilac Dream by Models Own! It's been a long time since I bought this polish and I hadn't worn it yet! Shame on meee!! =P

Here are the photos... (artificial and natural light)

Application was quite smooth and I'm wearing two coats of it plus top coat... Personally, I really like this color! I recently saw Jo'mina by Illamasqua which I desperately wanted to try out, but after having put on this one, I feel satisfied and I am glad I bought this polish!

What nail polish are you wearing at the moment? Let me know =)

Have a great Sunday!
Bsitoss!

First FOTD: a purple feeling...

Finally I managed to show you my face xD To be honest, I was a bit scary of the camera because I am not a photogenic person, really!! But the only person who is able to take a decent picture of me...is me! LOL so I tried and here's the result...Going on with the products I've used:

NOTE: Please EXCUSE MY HORRIBLE HAIR!!! I just didn't like my pony tail so I decided to let them down...bad choice!

FACE:

Collistar Hydro-Cream Gel

Nars Sheer matte foundation sample (I wanted to test this one...How is it? let me know!) in Fiji (light 5)

Rimmel Stay Matte pressed powder

Nars Blush in Taos

First photo with flash, second natural light (click images if you want to see the look better- just the look, not my horrible face XD)

EYES:

UDPP

Revlon black eye pencil in waterline

Elf black gel eyeliner (lovely!)

Zoeva makeup 88 shimmer palette purple/pink/violet eyeshadows

Eyelashes base: Lancôme Powerbooster 

YSL Everlong Mascara + Rimmel Sexy Curves (great combo!)

LIPS:

Mac prep+prime lip balm/base

Nyx black label lipstick in Nude

Nyx mega shine lip gloss in Smokey Look

ok, so I think this look might be suitable for a dinner out or clubbing. I used to wear a lot of black eyeliner/eye pencil a while ago, even in the waterline, now I usually wear a bit of eyeliner on the lash line with mascara, e/s etc, just to lighten up the eyes...I'll make another FOTD with Smashbox Photo Finish Primer that the lovely Emma suggested me to try (and I'm really liking it!!)

That's it for now! Let me know what do you think of this makeup, comments, suggestions, thoughts...greatly appreciated! =)

Besitoss!

The Cheap Alternative...

Today I'm going to write about a few products I've tried and I love, despite their price which isn't very cheap...and their cheaper alternatives I find as good as their dupes! (and in some cases even better!)...And it's also a good way to show you the latest products I've recently got and tried ;-)

Note: click on the images to see the colors and comparisons better ;-D

YSL Rouge Volupté Lipstick n° 27 "Rose Paris" vs NYX Round Lipstick "Rose"
One of my first posts was about this lipstick and how I love it so much...I still do! But after a while I found a good alternative which is surprisingly cheaper! I'm talking about Nyx Round Lipstick in "Femme" which is REALLY similar to the YSL one and as moisturizing as the first one. 25€ vs 2€ and I don't have to add anything more =P...Obviously, as they're both very creamy and silky, they tend to fade quite early, but if you buy a lipstick at 2€ you don't mind, if you spend over 25€ it's a bit annoying! LOL

Rouge Coco Chanel "Mademoiselle" vs Elf Mineral Lipstick in "Barely Bitten"
I've heard so many things about Rouge Coco Lipsticks! And I finally got the chance to have my hands on one of them yesterday, thanks to my dad who bought this one for me - awww I love u! :-* - anyway...This lipstick is fantastic! (I've got n°5 Mademoiselle, like the Chanel N°5 perfume LOL! ) Creamy, soft and pigmented! However here in Italy it costs 27€ ...So what's better than a cheap alternative?? =D In this case Elf Mineral Lipstick in Barely Bitten is almost the same shade and it's quite creamy! Moreover it costs just 4€. Of course it lasts less than the first one, but it's not a big deal when you save more than 20€! ;-)

Nars Orgasm blush vs Bourjois "Rose d'Or" blush
Who doesn't know the most famous blush in the cosmetic world? =D I got it a while ago because I was so curious to try it out personally, and I found out that it's a great product! A peachy rose blush with gold sheen, looking lovely on pale/light skin like mine...But here comes the sore point, the price! 24€ which is not very cheap...BUT I found a very good alternative!! I'm talking about Bourjois blush in Rose Gold, which is a little more pink than Orgasm which is more like a peachy color, but on the cheeks it gives the same golden sheen effect that I love in the Nars blush...And you spend about 8€! Not bad hun? ;-)
I know there's also the Studio Blush/Bronzer duo by ELf in which the blush is described by many bloggers equal to Orgasm, I haven't tried it so let me know if you have it! ;-D

Mac Lipstick in Thrills vs Nyx Round Lipstick in "Indian Pink"

The latest collection by Mac is called To The Beach and it totally grabbed my attention, so I bought this lipstick and the highlight powder...Talking about Thrills: Mac lipsticks are a very high quality at a reasonable price if compared to other makeup brands (eg Chanel,YSL, Lancome, D&G etc) however, unless you are a maniac like me, xD buying a bunch of them would cost a lot...And here comes the cheap alternative! I'm talking about Nyx RL in Indian Pink which is very creamy and almost the same shade, just a little less intense in the golden frosty finish but 18€ vs less than 2€ it's worth checking it out.

Illamasqua Intense Lipglosses vs OCC Lip Tars
I'm an Illamasqua lover and when I first purchased their Intense glosses I loved the intensity and the colors, so rich and vibrant and the product is so creamy and long lasting! However this brand isn't so cheap if you consider that these glosses cost 13£ (about 15€) for 7ml of product...This time I think I've found the perfect alternative in OCC lip Tars! They cost about 9€ for 8ml and are as pigmented as the Illamasqua ones (in some cases even better!!) and long lasting as well...Moreover they're vegan and contain a list of ingredients useful to keep the lips moisturized. I purchased them on The Makeup Artist Boutique and on Pro Makeup Store, here are the swatches.

That's all for now! If you find these posts useful let me know! So I can look up for another list of good dupes ;-D
And by the way...Have you got any good/cheap alternatives? Let me know!

Besitoss!

Shopping Online #2 Cambree

I decided to write a series of blog posts about "Online Shopping", which means I'll be kinda "reviewing" the best online shops ( selling beauty products obviously!) I fell in love with, because of their quality, price, service etc.

This post is going to be another "review-like" one, this time about an online shop I personally love! I'm talking about Cambree and if you are Italian or European you know what I'm talking about! ;-D This website is German and it sells beauty products throughout Europe, so your parcel doesn't need to be sent by airmail and it generally arrives in a few days most of the times. Of course you can also order from the UK, but I think it wouldn't be so convenient, also because there are a few other online shops to buy from which I am going to review too. Anyway, here's my experience with them.

In questo post vi recensirò/mostrerò come mi sono trovata con un negozio online che adoro! Sto parlando di Cambree e se siete italiane o comunque europee sapete di cosa sto parlando! Questo sito è tedesco e vende prodotti cosmetici in tutta Europa quindi non necessariamente inviati per via aerea e generalmente arrivano in pochi giorni. Ovviamente si può ordinare anche dal Regno Unito, ma non credo che sarebbe altrettanto conveniente, anche perchè ci sono altri siti online inglesi che comunque andrò a recensire più avanti ;-). Comunque, ecco come mi sono trovata con Cambree.

The Service

I'll begin telling you that the shipping costs is the only thing not so cheap/convenient. 10,99€ fixed for each order You place. I know it might sound very pricey, but I've already placed several orders with them despite of the shipping costs because the parcel has always arrived in a maximum of 5 days perfectly packaged and sealed. Moreover the despatch time is so fast that a few times I received the items in just 3 days!! And I'll tell you another thing I really like about this site...They're always having discounts on most of their products! So if a round lipstick by Nyx usually costs 4,50€, they sell it at 1,99€!!

Il Servizio

Inizio dalla nota dolente che è anche l'unico neo di questo sito: le spese di spedizione, 10,99€ per ogni ordine. Può sembrare esagerato, ma ormai ho fatto numerosissimi ordini da loro e queste spese non mi hanno mai scoraggiata a comprare da loro, anche perchè mi è SEMPRE arrivato tutto impacchettato alla perfezione e in soli 5 giorni al massimo (delle volte anche meno!) Un'altra cosa che adoro di questo sito è che ha continuamente prezzi scontati! Se di regola un rossetto Nyx costa 4,50€, loro lo vendono a 1,99€! Ecco ammortizzate le spese di spedizione un po' carucce =P

The Products
This website sells one of the best brands I've ever tried: Nyx Cosmetics, but also Sigma Makeup, Vintage Sister, the famous UDPP and Too Faced Shadow Insurance and the great China Glaze polishes! The widest product range is the Nyx one and they constantly add new products to the range, so you'll find a huge selection to choose from.

I prodotti
Questo sito offre una delle marche che amo di più in assoluto: la Nyx! Ma anche la Sigma (di cui ho il kit per occhi), Vintage Sister, le famose basi per occhi UDPP e la Shadow Insurance di Too Faced, oltre che gli stupendi smalti China Glaze! La gamma più vasta è quella Nyx e aggiungono costantemente nuovi prodotti, quindi avrete una selezione enorme tra cui scegliere!

Conclusion: my Must-Haves!
My conclusion is that I love this site because it's a pleasure to shop with them! You don't have to worry because your package could be lost or other commonly known issues...It's simple and intuitive and you always have the latest products from some of the best cosmetics brands.
The products I suggest you to try out if you shop with them are:
- Nyx Round Lipsticks: creamy and pigmented!
- Nyx Single eyeshadows: lovely colors and very pigmented
- China Glaze polishes: thwy don't need any presentation ;-D
- Sigma brushes: great quality at a reasonable price

Conclusione: i miei "Must-have"!

Concludo dicendo che amo questo negozio! Semplicemente perchè è un piacere ordinare da loro; non devi stare a preoccuparti se il pacco arriverà o meno e problemi di questo tipo molto frequenti...E' semplice e intuitivo e si hanno sempre gli ultimi prodotti da alcune delle marche piu' conosciute e migliori.

Alcuni prodotti che vi consiglio di provare (e con cui mi son trovata davvero bene):

- Rossetti Nyx: pigmentati e cremosissimi!

- Ombretti singoli Nyx: bellissimi colori e davvero pigmentati

- Smalti China Glaze: e non aggiungo altro, non hanno bisogno di presentazioni ;-D

- Pennelli Sigma: qualità ottima a un prezzo decente =P

And that's it for now! I'll shop again and again at Cambree.de... at least, until there are money in my bank account! LOL =P Have you had any experience with this site? Let me know!

Besitoss!!

Mac To The Beach Collection is in my hands!! (sort of) - Mini Haul

Ok not the ENTIRE collection LOL! Just a few products I was raving about since I read the first reviews and saw the first swatches (e.g. on Temptalia)... SO I got these two:

- Mac lipstick "Thrills" (frost)
- Mac Highlight pressed powder "Marine Life"
Here are some photos and swatches...

When I first saw this collection I wanted to buy every single product!

Swatch of Thrills below taken from Temptalia , I'm going to post one by me when I try the lipstick myself...

What do I think? I LOVE THEM!!! I was stunned when I swatched the powder in the shop, so pigmented and shimmering! Perfect for summer imo, and then I was looking for the fabulous lipstick in "Thrills", because it's so similar to Indian Pink by NYX, which I already have and love...I will try it out immediately!

Another thing I like about this collection is the packaging...definitely original and it makes me wanna go to the seaside right now! xD

I can definitely say I am satisfied of these buys! I don't buy Mac products very often, but when I see something I really really like...it has to be mine! xD
Which products have you seen of this collection that you might want to try/buy? Let me know!

Besitoss!

Elf Mineral Eyeshadows Review & Swatches

If I had to pick up a product I really like among my huge Elf collection, I'd probably choose Mineral Eyeshadows! I remember when I first tried them...My reaction was like "omg these are pure shimmer!" And it's totally true, one of the key features of these eyeshadows is that they are REALLY shimmery! I also like them because they're pigmented, very silky and soft on the lid...and with a good base they last all day long!
Here are the shades I currently own:


Golden: a copper shade with gold shimmer, very pigmented!
Celebrity: a skin tone with multicolor shimmer, very natural.
Angelic: a pure white with white and silver shimmer, lovely!
Girly: a soft lilac with multicolor shimmer. It's the least pigmented and the also the least shimmer.
Caffeinated: a coffee brown with gold shimmer, very pigmented.
Royal: a deep and dark purple with multicolor shimmer, very pigmented.
Elegant: a light nude pink with multicolor shimmer, very natural and pigmented.

Swatches in artificial light (click for full size)
Elf Mineral Eyeshadows
price: 3,50€
quantity: 0,9g per jar
quality: 4/5
packaging: 4/5

overall these are one of the best powder eyeshadows I've tried so far. They're pigmented and lightweight. The only minor thing I don't really like is that when it comes to blending them, they tend to dissolve on the lid and become a single color, so they require an expert touch to be blended well. Apart from that, I really like them! And if you add the incredibly affordable price, these become a must in every Elf-addicted like me! xD

Swatches in natural Light (click for full size)

Have you tried any mineral eyeshadows from other brands? Let me know!
Besitoss!

Shopping Online #1 E.l.f Cosmetics

I decided to write a series of blog posts about "Online Shopping", which means I'll be kinda "reviewing" the best online shops ( selling beauty products obviously!) I fell in love with, because of their quality, price, service etc.
My FIRST online order EVER was more that a year ago at eyeslipsface.co.uk ... I think you ALL know about this site and about this brand... But I wanted to share my own experience with you =)

Ho deciso di scrivere una serie di posts sullo shopping online, ovvero vi recensirò in qualche modo i negozi online di makeup ai quali non potrei mai piu' rinunciare, a causa del loro rapporto qualità/prezzo, della qualità, del servizio e altro ancora...
Il mio primo ordine online IN ASSOLUTO lo feci ben un anno fa e passa, più come esperimento che non come vero ordine =P sul sito eyeslipsface.co.uk che conoscerete sicuramente... Ecco la mia esperienza...=)

The Service
Today, my current Elf collection has become HUGE...I've become addicted to this brand and to its products. I wouldn't expect such a good quality at such convenient prices! As you know there are two different methods to get your goodies delivered at home: "international signed-for" and "standard shipping" I've always used the first one, to avoid any package loss etc, and I've used the second one only once...What can I say about them? Great!!! I've always received the package after a maximum of 7 working days, always perfectly packaged! But service doesn't mean just delivery...It also means assistance for the customers who need it. Fortunately I've never had any kind of problem with my orders, but I've got in touch with the customer service a few times: they're kind and answer to any problem in a few hours. It's the best online customer service I've experienced till now.

Il Servizio
Ad oggi la mia collezione Elf è drammaticamente cresciuta, in maniera esponenziale direi. Sono diventata Elf-dipendente! xD La prima volta che ordinai non mi sarei mai aspettata una qualità cosi buona a prezzi cosi onesti e convenienti! Come saprete ci sono due diversi metodi di pagamento: con raccomandata (signed-for) e standard. Ho sempre usato il primo per sicurezza, tranne una sola volta...e il pacco mi è sempre arrivato in non più di 7 giorni lavorativi intatto e ben confezionato! Ma servizio non significa solo consegna dei pacchi in uno stato decente, significa anche assistenza clienti. Non ho mai avuto nessun problema con gli ordini, ma ho avuto la possibilità di contattare il servizio clienti per informazioni un paio di volte: sono seri, disponibili, gentili e rispondono alle email in poco tempo. E' il servizio clienti online migliore con cui abbia mai trattato fino ad oggi!

The products
In a few words: quality & great prices! Elf products are amazingly good if compared to their price! You can find almost anything you need, from brushes to lip glosses, from bronzers to eyeshadows...their range is so wide!


I prodotti
In poche parole: qualità e prezzi ottimi! I prodotti Elf sono incredibilmente buoni se comparati al loro prezzo! Si può trovare qualsiasi cosa si voglia, dai pennelli ai gloss, dai bronzer agli ombretti...La loro linea di prodotti è cosi vasta!


Conclusion: Must-haves!
Elf has never disappointed me till now and I'm sure they won't in the future!
And because their product range is so wide, I've picked up some "Elf must-haves" you could check out if you are new to this brand:
- All over Color Stick: this product is so versatile!
- Bronzing Powder
- Mineral Lipsticks and Eyeshadows (I actually love the whole mineral range!)
- Eyeshadow Primers (the mineral and the regular one)
- Studio brushes


These are a few products among the wide range! I've just found them great, so this is a personal opinion.
My conclusion is that after having tried almost every single product from this brand I can definitely say that Elf is one of those brands who can be affordable and satisfy every beauty taste! Elf, I love you! =D

Conclusione: I "must-have"!
La Elf non mi ha mai delusa fino ad ora e son sicura che non lo farà nel futuro!
E proprio perchè la loro linea di prodotti è cosi vasta, ne ho scelti alcuni, a cui potreste dare un'occhiata se siete nuovi a questa marca.
- All over color Stick: un prodotto cosi versatile!
- Cipria abbronzante
- Rossetti e ombretti minerali (anche se adoro l'intera linea minerale!)
- Primer per occhi (sia quello della linea normale che minerale)
- I pennelli della linea studio


Questi sono solo alcuni dei prodotti della loro linea e li ho trovati perfetti per me, quindi è un'opinione strettamente personale. Tirando le somme posso dirvi che dopo aver provato quasi tutti i prodotti Elf posso dire che è una delle marche cosmetiche più convenienti ma anche di buona qualità ed è in grado dii soddisfare qualsiasi tipo di gusto in fatto di cosmesi! Elf, ti adoro!! =D


That's all for now!
What is your experience with Elf? What products would you suggest? Let me know!

Besitos!!

NOTD: Nars "Purple Rain"

A month ago I purchased some products at the French Sephora during my Easter vacation... One of those products was "Purple Rain" nail polish by Nars... Today I decided to try it out. Here's the result!

Unfortunately the colors don't show off very well in the pictures, but I can assure you that the color is amazing! So many undertones and shimmers...
The strong point of this nail polish is, in my opinion, its thickness! One coat is enough to perfectly cover the nail without needing a second coat! It's amazing! This is the most pigmented polish in my collection...

What I didn't like (if I must really say something I don't like about it!) it's the drying time... I had to wait a while before applying top coat... However, this is one of the best polishes I've ever tried!




It's a bit pricey...18€ at Sephora (but I think everywhere else too) but honestly, when I read that it's formaldehyde and toluene free, I couldn't be happier for my nails and my health!

What's your favorite nail polish at the moment? Let me know! =)
That's it for now! Have a great week!

Besitos!