Tarte 100% Pure Maracuja Oil Roller Ball – first impression

Hello my Beauties,

it’s finally friday again. We all should be doing something fun tonight, like a nice gathering with friends for a night out in the city or a girls night in, with great movies and manicure. What are you up to?

Today i would like to talk about a product, that i recently discovered, thanks to my friend Irene, the lovely Pinkiecharm on youtube. She’s got always the best news for what’s good & exciting on the market, i have to say. 
So, Let’s talk Tarte 100% Pure Maracuja Oil Roller Ball.

Tarte 0.60-fl-oz / 18 ml 100% pure Maracuja Oil roller ball. Made in Brazil; Filled in USA

Available in http://tartecosmetics.com / http://www.qvc.com / http://www.sephora.com
Price: $17.00
According to Tarte Cosmetics: This earth-prescribed, powerful treatment oil targets individual skin concerns while deeply moisturizing and nourishing skin. Pure, undiluted & cold pressed, it restores skin balance to aid in skin recovery and rejuvenation. Rich in Vitamin C and nutritious essential fatty acids, this precious harvest from the Amazon awakens skin for a healthy, radiant complexion. This anti-aging elixir provides instant hydration—quenching dry skin with no greasy or filmy feel. Discover firmer, brighter, smoother looking skin with tarte.

Research results:
In a 6 week consumer use study:
-96% of women saw an overall visible improvement in skin
-91% of women saw a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles
-94% of women saw a visible improvement in skin texture
-94% of women thought skin appeared renewed and rejuvenated.
Well, we shall see that…

What it does NOT contain:
– Parabens
– Sulfates
– Synthetic Fragrances
– Petrochemicals
– Phthalates
– GMOs
– Triclosan

Application (direction on the bottle): Apply oil on the go directly on face and neck for immediate hydration.

Packaging: I mean let’s take a moment to observe this packaging. How nicely is this bottle made!? I really like those details on the lid! The color combination of purple and gold is just so festive. Besides that, having a rich undiluted & cold pressed maracuja oil in a glass bottle, instead of a plastic one, keeps the product much longer fresh and gives it over all a luxurious appearance.

My general thoughts: I have been using the maracuja oil for a little bit over a week now. It’s way too little time to say anything about the long-term effects, but what i can say for sure is, that i enjoy the general idea of roller balls, when it comes to skin care products, such as the under eye serums for brightening the area or fluids to even out the small wrinkles on the forehead.
It should also be mentioned, that because of that handy packaging it’s great for carrying in your makeup bag on the go.
This maracuja oil has almost no scent, at least nothing i would really call noticeable.
It feels much lighter on my skin, than the Moroccan Argan Oil by Shea Terra Organics (which i like for the effect, but definitely not for the scent) or the coconut oil.
I have a few dry patches around my mouth and my nose, usually during the cold time of the year, and as it’s still winter here, the maracuja oil came really handy.

I mostly use it for those spots, but also instead of a night cream for all over my face. It’s really refreshing after i take my makeup off in the evening.
A little bit goes a long way, so you don’t really need much of the oil to hydrate your face.
It absorbs really fast and doesn’t leave greasy spots on your pillow, which was my concern, as i’m using it mostly during the evenings.
I did not get any redness from the product, nor has it made me break out.

It’s really nice to know, you are using a natural product, without many additional ingredients and it really makes your skin feel soft, look even and moisturized. And i have to admit, it looks gorgeous on my vanity. What a design!
So i would say, if you’re someone who’s currently looking for a new oil to try, this would be a great pick. Don’t worry, if you have a rather oily skin, it won’t let you feel greasy or be heavy on your face. Give it a try!
I’m happy, i have so much left, i’ll be using the product for a few more month’s. 

What are your thoughts on natural oil’s in general? Have you tried the Tarte Maracuja oil before? Which is your favorite oil to use?

Share your secrets with me!

Until next time – stay beautiful!

ps: don’t forget to enter my current Giveaway!

Review: GloMinerals – Mini Eye Shadow Quad Cleo

Hello my Beauties,

it’s finally weekend again. I bet we all need some serious relaxation…

I had the pleasure of testing the Mini Eye Shadow Quad in Cleo by GloMinerals,
that was in my Pink Box back in december 2012.
As you see, i really took 3 month to play with the mini palette, to really give you my opinion on it.
And let me tell you already – i’m loving it.
About GloMinerals:
GloMinerals is actually a skin care company, that has also a variety of makeup and eyeshadows.
Their cosmetics are award-winning mineral formulations that nurture, protect and heal the skin while providing flawless coverage and fabulous color palettes. GloMinerals uses only pharmaceutical-grade ingredients and are entirely talc-free. Their skin care products are advanced formulations that work systematically to support skin health and treat skin concerns.

About Mini Eye Shadow Quad in Cleo:
As you know i have rather oily eyelids, so i’m usually very sceptical, when it comes to new eyeshadow and their texture.
Sometime it can be a real challenge to find the right type of shadows, that won’t crease on my eyes after an hour.
When i tried this quad for the first time, i noticed how smooth the application was and how little product i needed to get the true color on my lid. I really like the fact, that they go on quite opaque, but don’t make any problems when it comes to blending.

This quad contains the colors: sand, desert rose, kohl and indigo.
There are 3.36g/0.132oz of the product and the quad retail for $20.00 on the official site.
The texture is very silky and smooth. Three of the four colors have a nice shimmer and the remaining one is matte, which is really nice in my opinion to also have a matte shadow in a quad (or palette), in case you want to create a light wearable eye look.
I love how dusty & smoky, but still very “appropriate for daytime” my eyes look when i’m only wearing “desert rose” & “kohl” together.
I have to point out a remarkable thing: after 8 hours wearing the shadows, my eyes doesn’t obviously look the freshest, but i don’t see any creasing and that’s the biggest surprise to me, since i’m used to see it by the end of the day. Of course, i would always recommend using a good eye primer, which always helps to keep your shadows in place, but with GloMinerals you will simply need a tiny bit of the primer and you are good to go.

It so happened, that i did a not intended test 2 days ago. I felt asleep with my makeup on, which i usually don’t. Well, i was really sick and tired. Can you imagine my surprise, when i looked in the mirror 5 hours later and noticed how bad my mascara looked (literally all over my face), but the eye shadow was like 5 minutes after application?! I was very impressed. 

If i mix the colors desert rose and sand together on my lid, it does neutralize my skin color and makes my eyes look much more awake.
I like the minimalistic design of the packaging. The only thing i probably would add, is a little mirror inside the quad and a little brush, to be able to use it on the go. Because for me personally it would be a great little quad to take on a short trip.
I can only speak for the quality of this particular quad, but i believe, that other eyeshadow by GloMinerals should be as good as this one. I can only recommend trying these. Best place to find their products is on the actual site: HERE.

Have you heard of this quad or the brand before? What’s your experience? 
Please share your thoughts with me. 

Until next time – stay beautiful.

Ps: This review was not sponsored by GloMinerals & this is my true and honest opinion about the product.

Featuring Setu and Maybelline Lasting Drama Swirl Gel Liner

Hello my Beauties,

can you see the weekend coming slowly around the corner? Yes, it’s already thursday. 🙂

Today i want to introduce you to the lovely Setu Rohini from Mumbai, India – from The nailart and Beauty diaries.
She is your girl next door, who is crazy about nail art, makeup and Do It Yourself beauty.
Setu was one of the first, who was really interested in writing a guest post for Beauty expression by Luchessa. And i was happy to accept, as i love beauty blogger from all over the globe.
She wrote a great review on a daily use product, the Maybelline Lasting Drama Swirl Gel Liner – Black & Silver, which she is totally in love with these days.
So if you are intrigued by the product and want to meet a new blogger, keep reading.

Maybelline Lasting Drama Swirl Gel Liner Black & Silver Review

Hello lovely ladies! This is my first guest post for ‘Beauty expression by Luchessa’ so the barometer of my excitement level is very high. It’s like joining another happening kitty party :P.

Now, coming back to the beautiful Maybelline gel liner review.
Since ages, Woman (especially Indians) has been fascinated by kohls and liners. First came the kohl (kajal), then came the liquid liners and now there is a generation of gel liners; which is more like a hybrid of kohl and liquid liner. I simply love (love is an underestimation, actually I am obsessed with: P) kohls and my tryst with them can be read in my article 
Finding the perfect one!
I have been using the amazing piece of Maybelline Lasting Drama Blackest Black for a couple of months now. I am impressed by its performance so decided to grab the other variant (black & grey) too without even finishing one fourth of my previous one :P.

Product Claims: (From Maybelline’s Website)

• Only our oil-free formula can hold highly concentrated pigments in a clear gel base.
• So color is more intense and lines resist wear for hours.
• Smudge-proof and Water-proof.
• The most intense line for lasting drama.

Usage Instruction: (From Maybelline’s Website) Use gel liner and begin at the inner eye. Extend along lash line, continuing up towards the brow.
What it contains: Not mentioned anywhere
Price: Rs 425 ( around 9.99 USD )
Quantity: 2.8 grams

My Experience with PRODUCT: I was very curious when I bought the gel liner for the first time. I read piles of beauty blogs and reviews but none helped me answer the question if it is good to be used as kohl on lower eyelid. I only got the answer once I started using it. First I bought the black one and then the silver-black followed. I had been looking forward to add some bling in my daily kohl application. But considering my wheatish complexion I just cannot pick up any jazzy liner as they give a washed out look to face. There are plenty of glitter liners floating around in the market but there are two thumb rules when you want to pick one.

–First, know your complexion and its limitation. No product review or beauty expert can guide you here. You are the best judge. What looked marvelous on her may look a dud on me.
–Second, decide on the amount of glitter or bling you want. Is it too dull for a jeweled look or too loud for a decent look? It will depend on the occasion and will.

Having warned about the moderation of shimmer, I must admit that this product has just got the right amount of it. The color and pigmentation is perfect and doesn’t make you out of place wherever you go.
It is decent enough for office when you use the black/grey and striking enough for a party when you use the silver. The swirl of black and silver is not just at the top but it stretches down to bottom which means you have both silver and black till the end.

But let me tell you after few uses you would have all grey around unless you want to dig deep to find the silver. I have not been careful about not mixing the black and silver per say throughout its usage.  I separately own a black gel liner and a silver liquid liner so I didn’t bother much. But with care things may be will be better.

It comes in cute tab packing which will amaze you as soon as you open the magic box.
Beautiful swirls of silver and black along with a close to perfect brush. The length and make of the brush is such that it gives you good control allowing you to be creative. The brush comes with a cap to keep the bristles safe.

Really, since the time I shook my hands with the gel family of liners the journey has been more creative and fun.
The pigmentation is lovely and the staying power complements to the perfectness of the product. Like the black cousin gel liner, it stays for 5-6 hours almost fresh.
It fades away little bit from water line after this but doesn’t give a raccoon look. It won’t smudge or spread or bleed through corner of your eye. Clean exit, I must say. The consistency is like a pressed gel or like a lip balm (not the flowy kinds).

Pros:

• Great pigmentation, dense color
• Gives choice of color (silver, grey or black) to suit every occasion
• Well balanced mix shimmer and color
• Fresh like look for 5-6 hours on waterline, will stay longer if used as eyeliner on upper lid.
• Doesn’t smudge or bleed
• Waterproof
• Doesn’t sting or irritate
• Safe for contact lenses (based on my experience)
• Very little required to get the charismatic look, so will last long
• Comfortable length and quality of brush which gives you good control
• Allows you to be creative with shapes you can give to your eyes
• Can be used as both liner and kohl J
• Can be used to give a smoky eye makeup
• Dries off in seconds unlike liquid liners
• Travel friendly
• Very cute and sturdy packaging
• Affordable

 Cons:

• Touch ups when outdoor can be difficult with this (brush in one hand and tub in another)
• You need more care and attention than a twist up kajal(kohl)
• If you apply heavy on your waterline, particles may dry and fall in your eye
• I wish it stayed more

Will I re-purchase again? I am in love with this. I may try the brown and golden variant next.

Would I recommend it to others?  Yes. It has amazing pigmentation and staying.

Overall Rating: 4.5/5 (-0.5 for micro particles falling in eye)

Availability: Beauty store, Online stores etc

Please feel free to share your experience with this product. Let me know your thoughts about my first article here   😛
Welcome to my laboratory at  The Nailart and beauty Diaries .

So there you have it, my Beauties, hope you like this guest post. Please stop by Setu’s blog and leave her your feedback.

Until next time – stay beautiful!

Review: KIKO – Smoky eyes pencil 01 Foggy

Hello my Beauties,

how is everyone doing today? 

As i was going through my eye liner collection recently, i discovered one of my go-to liners, that i wanted to review for so long, that i almost forgot to do it.
The minute i was holding it in my hand again, i knew i had to put it back on my “blog about list”.

I’m talking about the Smoky eyes pencil in 01 foggy by KIKO make up milano. 

I remember having this conversation back in january with Shannon from EyemasQ about the italian brand KIKO and how excited she was to get the opportunity to try their products, as there are no actual stores in Canada or the States (as far as I know). Back then she got another color from the same ”Lavish Oriental” autumn / winter collection 2012 for the price of 6,90 euros ( about 9 $) and seemed to be happy with the quality.

So there you go – meet my goodie:

I like how classy the packaging looks, without actually being boring. This blue silver greyish look for a single eye pencil gives the whole appearance an exquisite statement. Texture-wise Kiko’s pencil’s are known to be very creamy, with the ability to glide on like a mousse. That for it’s should be obvious to wear an eye primer underneath, especially for those of us with rather oily lids.

But it works also fine as a base liner (like a jumbo pencil) before putting on a really heavy brownish eyeshadow, so it has something profound to stick on.

When it comes to the actual color – i would say, it’s a nice mid-brown with rather orange undertone and contains also green and golden shimmer, which is def noticeable on the lid.
                                                                          (Enlarge the picture with a click on it)
As for me – this is the perfect combination of a noticeable, but not too dark color, with fun shimmer accents for the everyday use.
And you can always make your eye look even more vibrant and dramatic, by applying more product & smudging the corners out with the angled brush, which is on the other side of the pencil. How handy is that?!
Btw: don’t forget to keep your liner sharp, as the creamy texture is going to smudge around in the first place, if it’s blunt.
To get this liner of your lid again, you simply need an oil based makeup remover or makeup wipes. Nice and easy.

I use this pencil for 3 month now and am really happy with the quality.
Have you ever tried a KIKO liner or any other of their products? Let me know, what your most favorite creamy liner is.
Please feel free to share your secrets in the comments below.

Until next time – stay beautiful.

ps: Don’t foget to enter my 300 Followers Giveaway!

Cosmetics around the globe – ♥ Golden Rose Style Liner Metallic ♥

Hello my Beauties.

Wishing you all a very relaxing sunday. Please feel free to grab your favorite weekend mug and let’s start with today’s post.

As you already know, i have a big passion for different kind of cosmetics around the globe. So every time i get the chance to try a new brand or a product line, that i haven’t seen before, i get seriously excited. Well who can blame me on that one?!
Recently i got my hands on some goodies by the turkish brand Golden Rose, that i previously talked about in my review on Golden Rose Paris Magic Color №314. 
As the brand is big not only on nail polishes, i was intrigued on trying some of the liners, mascaras, lipsticks and co. 
Today i would like to share with you my experience with the Style Liner Metallic.
What i loved right away about the packaging, is that you can immediately see what color it is, without having to look at the bottom or taking the lid off.
The liners are available in about 15 different metallic colors, that gives anyone the chance to find the right shade and
you get 6,5 ml / 0,22fl.oz of the products in one packaging. (The prices are obviously going to depend on where you get the products.)

The colors i have (from left to right) are:

• 04 Green Metallic
• 10 Dark Purple Metallic
• 02 Gold Metallic

 As you can probably tell, they’re very shiny and opaque, so you would usually need only one stroke to get a line done.
Apparently it needs about 30 – 40 sec. for the liner to dry on your skin, but it still gives you enough time to correct it, if you feel like you messed up a little.

In my own experience i found it very easy to draw a fine or a thicker line, if needed, since the brush tip applicator is quite thin and easy to handle and the consistency is not too liquid, so there is no problem to get an even cat eye look on both eyes – which can be a difficult job sometimes, when you don’t have the right tool handy.
Another important quality of these liners in my eyes is the staying power. Ones dried on your lid, these liners stay put for the whole day. Literally! As i was doing the swatches for this blog post, i tried to smudge them on my hand and they just didn’t go anywhere. For someone who tend to have a rather oily eyelid, i really appreciate this long lasting formula.
But on the other hand you can easily remove the metallic liners with your favorite makeup removing wipes.

I have not had any allergic reaction to  the liners, both while applying the product and while wearing it throughout the day. 

My favorite of the three is def the gold one, since it “increases the value” of any everyday makeup and it really reminds me personally of those beautiful arabian style dramatic night looks.
I would definitely recommend you to try these style metallic liners in one of the many available colors.
As most of us don’t have an easy access in local stores to Golden Rose, i will leave a few links, where you can find it online.

If you try it, please let me know, i would for sure love to hear from you.
What’s your current  favorite liquid liner? Don’t be shy, share your secrets with me. 

Golden Rose USA online store – free shipping on any order on $25 or more at the moment.
Kosmetik24-shop.de – online store based in Germany (might be an option for the UK buyers, since i couldn’t find any UK stores)
Golden Rose on Amazon  – nice option for everyone.

Beauty expression by Luchessa in 2012 – Happy new year!

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog. 

Here’s an excerpt:

600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. This blog got about 4,200 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 7 years to get that many views.

Click here to see the complete report.

COSMETICS AROUND THE GLOBE – Bulgarian Rose

Hello Beauties.

I don’t know about you, but I’m a big fan and lover of great hand creams & hand products in general. My skin isn’t overly dry, but as we are getting closer to the chillier time of the year, I feel like talking about hand cream is totally appropriated.

While traveling around the globe, I find it pretty interesting getting to know the local favorites when it comes to cosmetics. And as my friends know about my love for all new & exciting, they tend to bring me little gifts from different counties. This time is was a little souvenir from Bulgaria, which i didn’t hesitate to try.

I’m talking about Bulgarian Hand cream & soap “ROSE”.

Bulgaria’s tradition of producing essential oils dates back to the 17th century and is a source of national pride for the country. The Bulgarian Rose is considered superior. Usually it is cultivated in organic rose gardens and the oil contains the essence of the actual plant Rosa Damascena. 

The Cosmetic series is created on the base of entirely natural compounds with main ingredient the well-known rose-water and rose oil.

This is what the brand claims: 

Active ingredients – hand cream: Natural Rose water, Rose oil, Silicon oil and Vitamin F. With intensive nourishing, soften and recovery action the Hand Cream “ROSE” is an effective protection for the skin against the harmful influence of the environment. The natural rose-water and rose oil soothes the inflammation of the cuticle. Vitamin F accelerates the regeneration of the cells. The silicon-film protect the skin against influence of the environment and loss of moisture. By regularly usage of the Hand Cream “ROSE” the skin becomes soft and elasticity.

Bulgarian Rose – cream soap with Rose Oil softens and soothes the skin. It’s delicate aroma gives you a feeling of freshness and relaxation. Bulgarian Rose Cream Soap with Rose Oil is a nice little way to say Thank You to your skin.

The packaging itself is simple, but very elegant at the same time and through the rose drawing you definitely get the vintage vibe. Obviously the next thing to notice about the hand cream is the rose aroma. It isn’t too strong, like some of the rose perfumes, so even if you aren’t the biggest fan of rose scent, you might still enjoy this one.
The texture is pretty thick in the beginning, but after rubbing it between your hands, it absorbs really quickly and doesn’t leave an oily feel, which is always a big plus, if you’re using it on the go or at work, where you have to touch your phone or keyboard.
Your cuticle & the skin feel soft and well taken care of.

After starting to use the soap, my bath became an instant mild rose garden. Makes me smile every time i enter the room.
It doesn’t dry out my hands and leaves them soft and clean, which was my number one request, after being disappointed by using different Lush soaps in the past.

So over all it is a really nice & useful souvenir from Bulgaria, that I keep happily using these days. And as it’s really easy to find their products online, I didn’t want to miss out on sharing the news with you.

Have you tried any rose oil products yet? If so, what’s your favorite? Share your secrets!

Summer Favorites 2012

Let’s talk summer favorites. Can you actually believe it’s september already? I think I’ve even seen the first yellow leaves covering the trees… 

Anyhow, for me the summer is almost over and it’s time to evaluate what kind of products I really enjoyed using and why.

• I’d like to begin with my all time helper in the morning. And that’s my Arabica coffee.

Yes I know, it’s not exactly a beauty item, but it makes me awake and smile every day, and as we know – smiling makes every girl (and boy) beautiful!

• In the area of decorative cosmetics I want to point out my highlights of this summer: the Ultimate Shine lipstick in 080 Corallicious Pink and the Ultimate Nail Lacquer 030 Meet Me At Coral Island. Both by the german brand Cartice.

I really enjoy wearing lipsticks from the Ultimate Shine collection, since they always fit my idea of shade, texture and formula. The  application goes on very smoothly, gives my lips enough moisture ( no one likes dry lips ),  doesn’t feel sticky and it stays pretty much shiny and in place for over 2,5 – 3 hours.  Personally thinking – the best feature is def the almost nonexistent traditional lipstick smell, which many can not stand! So all in one a really great summer lip product!

Matching the lipstick would be the Nail Lacquer by Catrice 030 Meet Me At Coral Island. Usually you only need one coat to get the wanted color on your nails. Depending on the light the color can look more corally or pinkish. Funny enough, even on the official Catrice Cosmetics website the color appears much more pinkish than it is in real life.

So because i was so much in love with the coral color this summer and had a few month to test them,  i can absolutely recommend both items. If you can get your hands on Catrice products, you should def give them a try!

• Going over to my top 3 hair and skin care items of this summer.

1. MoroccanOil Oil Treatment
2. Lumene Natural Code skin purifier 24h Moisturizer.
3. Balea erfrischendes Bodyspray Minze & Grüner Tee (refreshing body mist with mint & green tea by Balea)

So many ladies have been raving about the MoroccanOil Oil Treatment all over the net. By now we all are aware of the nourishing effect of the product. I instantly felt in love with the smell, which again isn’t  too strong. If you put it on your almost dry hair, the oil makes it smooth and almost silky. The hairstyle does stay in place all day long and even 2 days later it doesn’t feel more greasy than usual.

My favorite daytime oil-free moisturizer of this summer was Natural Code skin purifier 24h. The finnish brand Lumene claims the moisturizer  balances the sebum secretion and mattiefies the skin. The formula is pretty light, so your face doesnt feel like having a lot on, which is always nice during summer time and Lumene includes salisylic acid, to prevent possible breakouts. Great product, especially for combination & oily skin types.

And last but not least the body mist with mint & green tea by the german drugstore brand Balea, which launches different limited summer editions every year. The smell is not too strong (by now you should have noticed i’m not a big fan of really strong scents) and the green tea definitelly dominates over the mint. The mist is pretty fine and cooling on the skin and doesn’t feel sticky, so I liked to spritz myself all over with it on a really hot summer days.

Have you ever tried any MoroccanOil or Lumene products?

Glad if this post helped someone 🙂

Tell me, what your favorite summer product of the year are. I’d like to hear your stories!