Roxy's beauty, fashion and lifestyle page

How to stop craving for food and how to eat less, when trying to loose wight

2013-04-29T08:07:00.003-07:00

I was not expecting this! I thought I had more time! I mean really, 30 C degrees in April? Swimsuit/shorts time already? That can't be happening!!!!! I didn't plan on getting rid of the winter weight so fast!!

But, as it IS happening, and as I had a major meltdown the other day looking at all the amazing jean shorts in the New Yorker store, and because I went massochistic enough to try on a pair and that made me start crying .... I have to start loosing weight. I gave myself one month to loose 5 kilos. And only THEN I will reward myself with one/two/three new pairs of shorts. Because let's face it, they are trendy, they are fun, they are the easiest way of dressing in the summer, you can wear them with anything and most of all, they are ME. 100% me. I am not even mentioning the swimsuits, I don't even wanna think about those YET!

So. If you are looking to loose some weight this spring, and to do it fast, you can do it with me! Please share the things that work for you, as well! What I've noticed so far, is that for me, these basic rules work best:

1. DO NOT eat after 8 PM! Under ANY circumstance! 7 is better, but I usually can't bare an empty stomach for so long, till breakfast...

2. Drink WATER! Plenty of it!

3. DO NOT eat BREAD. At all would be best, but if you can't do that, at least put it in the toaster first, and make sure you cut it THIN!

4. Here come the common sense rules... do not eat anything that looks greasy! do not eat too many potatoes, too many bananas, and of course, no white sugar! And of course, no sodas. NO SODAS I said, not even DIET ones!!!

Now I will give you 10 tips on how to "scare off" your appetite for food!

1. Before sitting at the table (yes, you have to actually SIT at the table, eating in a hurry will always get you fat! And ill, eventually!), drink a glass of mineral water or tomatoe juice. It will reduce your food intake by 1/3!!

2. Put your food in a smaller BLUE plate. The portion will seem bigger and the shrinks say that the color blue's soothing properties will reduce your appetite.

3. Don't use too many condiments, because they can increase your hunger! (Here is a contradiction for me, because they also say that spicy food can help your metabolism burn fat faster, so I am not sure what is best...) The common sense solution: if you can't stop by any means eating alot, at least make it spicy! ha ha!

4. Eat slow, chew without rushing, and get up from the table before you feel full. The mechanism that creates the fullness sensation needs 20 minutes to become active!

5. Don't keep hypercaloric foods in your refrigerator! I know, you will say "but I have to keep some cookies in there, in case some guests come up, but I will put them in the most hidden spot, behind a sour cucumber pot!" Nope, that won't work like that. You will end up devouring them without even breathing, one evening..

6. Go shopping ONLY after you have eaten and you feel full. That will stop you from filling your basket till it spills with all kinds of junk. Weird enough, but this works for any kind of shopping, not only food!

7. Never eat in front of the TV or while playing sudokku!

8. If you get hungry before going to bed, brush your teeth instead, and use some mouthwash as well. The mint flavor, as well as the idea that "teeth have to be washed AFTER dinner", will make your brain forget about the wish to eat (for a while, so you better fall asleep fast!)

9. This receipe can also be helpful to minimize your appetite: boil half a kilo of prunes or figs (or both) in 3 liters of water untill the liquid evaporates by half a liter (I know, not the best description but that's how I know it). Drink half a glass before every meal, together with the pulp of the fruits.

10. Aromatherapy also helps! When you feel the need of a snack, smell the peel of a grapefruit or some flower essence. The centers of the hunger and the olfactory ones are very closed, so the flavors will suppress the hunger sansation.

That's all for now, I will come back to this topic when I find out (or remember) new things that do work!

Good luck!

And of course, Keep smiling!!

oxoxox

Roxana

Dr. Organic Rose Otto Facial Serum - review

2013-04-28T13:10:00.001-07:00

I promised a review for all of my Dr. Organic products, so here I am with the Rose Otto Facial Serum! I finished it like 2 weeks ago and, even if I loved it, I decided I would also try the Argan Face oil, so I am using that one right now (review coming up!), and after that I think I will buy the Rose Otto again!

So, here is how it looked when I bought it:

And this is how it looked after I finished it, lol. I really did finish it (it lasted me for about 5-6 weeks, using it twice a day every day)!

I loved it! I mean, I grew to love it, because at first the smell made me faint! LOL It does smell REALLY strong, it is a nice rose smell, but well, to have it so close to your nose (actually ON your nose as well) can be a bit overwhelming... Other than that, it is amazing! Really! I know I have been running away from any kinds of oils, for years, due to my acne problems, and I was only looking for "oil free" stuff to put on my face, but let me tell you, that was stupid! Because not oils in general are bad for acne-prone skin, but certain oils, especially mineral ones, that CLOG the pores! Otherwise oils are not a problem, as long as you are cleaning your skin with the right products twice a day, drink plenty of water and DO NOT put your hands on your face during the day (here I also include the necessity to wipe your cell phone and your specs/sunglasses with some antibacterial stuff once a day at least!). In my case, at least, the more dehydrated my skin is (usually due to anti-acne treatments!!), the more prone to breakouts it becomes. I am glad I dared to try organic oils, cause they are working wonders for me!

It is not only a rose oil, but a mixture of many many oils, as follows:
- Rose Otto oil
- Rosehip oil
- Argan oil
- Passionflower seed oil
- Geranium oil
- Clove flower oil
- Arnica flower oil
- Jojoba oil
- Vitamin E
- Cotton seed oil
- Rice Bran oil
- Meadowfoam seed oil
- Calendula
- Sweet Almond oil
- Soya bean oil
- Sunflower seed oil
- Vitamin C

(I won't bore you and write about each of these oils, but trust me, I did some research and ANY of these, used alone, is really really great for your skin! Imagine having them all in one product!)

Let's see what this stuff promises. They say that it:

- Optimises skin hydration (check - yes it definitely does!)

- Lowers trans dermal dehydration (well I guess it does, my skin definitely felt happier and softer!)

- Reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles (check - yep, it does!)

- Improves elasticity and firmness (check - definitely!! I was suspicious about an oil's ability to do that, but yes, this one definitely does, it was a noticeable change in my skin's firmness, to the better, or course :))

- Nourishes and restores (well I can't ask my skin how nourished it is, but by the fact that it looks alot healthier, I think I should be checking this one too!)

- offers antioxidant protection (well this is certain, because it contains vitamin E at least!)

It is also:

- Paraben free

- SLS free (SLS stands for Sodium Lauryl Sulfat, and this is what I found about it: "When animals were exposed to SLS they experienced depression, labored breathing, diarrhea, and severe skin irritation. SLS can damage children’s eyes, too. SLS may also damage the skin’s natural immune system by causing layers of the epidermis to separate and become inflamed. Even worse, when SLS is combined with other chemicals, the resulting compounds could be carcinogenic nitrosamines" (source: www.gorgeouslygreen.com)

- Free of artificial colours, fragrances or harsh preservatives.

Enough about what they say and more about what "I" say, about this product!

First of all I loved the fact that it comes in a little GLASS container! Not only that I think it's the safest way to keep a product, but is also re-usable! So - very GREEN! Also, I love the fact that it has a little pump, so it's easy to get out only the amount that you need for an application (for me it was 3-4 pumps).

As I mentioned before, the smell is strong, indeed, and could cause a headache to a person that is sensitive to strong flower smells, but other than that, this product is exceptional and way beyong my expectations.

When I started using it I was craving for a face serum, actually my face looked like it really needed one, but I was not keen on paying 100 euros for the Estee Lauder ANR anymore, especially because I had read that it contained some nasty chemical. And I had tried others and none worked as good, so I was like...whatever, let's try all natural stuff, at least if it won't work, it won't do me any bad whatsoever. I am so happy I did!! After like 2 weeks of use, my face was looking and feeling so much better, the breakouts stopped, and the skin looked alot firmer! I must mention that I am also using the Manuka Honey face mask twice a week, and that definitely helps with the blackheads, so there are less chances for breakouts anyways.

This stuff does leave your face greasy for a while, because well, after all, its an oil. But not for as long as you would think. It does get absorbed completely into the skin after a while (30 mins for me, but I have oily T-zone anyways). On the box they recommend using it together with a moisturizing cream, and they say that you should apply it mornings BEFORE the moisturizer, and evenings AFTER the moisturizer. But I am not using moisturizer with it, I feel it alone is more than enough to keep my skin perfectly moisturized. I think adding a cream on top of it would be too much for my type of skin, but if you have really dry skin you should do that, I'd say. Of course, when I have to be fast and just slap on some makeup and leave home in the morning, I use a tissue to absorb the excess oil after like 2-3 minutes from application, so I can put on my foundation.

That's about all I have to say about this product, I will definitely buy it again and I am very pleased and happy that I discovered it! :) Thumbs up all the way!

Hope this review helped! Thank you for reading my blog, please follow and comment, if you feel like it!

Take care and keep smiling!

oxoxox

Roxana

Home-made beauty recipes

2013-04-25T09:01:00.000-07:00

Today I am in a rush but I still want to give you a few beauty tips! I said I will be trying to post every day and that's what I am doing! So, let's go!

1. BODY:

Is your body exfoliator lotion over? Then grab your favorite shower gel and mix some of it with some grainy (coarse) salt. There you have it!

2. HAIR:

For your hair, try this very sweet and very natural treatment, that will give incredible shine to your strands: put a teaspoon of honey in some hot water (4 tea cups) and wait for it to completely dissolve. Separate it into 2: half of it mix it with the quantity of conditioner that you were about to use after shampooing, and the other half just apply it on your hair after shampooing and conditioning, and leave it there, don't rinse. Dry and style your hair as desired and you will love the result!

3. FACE:

For a velvet-soft complexion and smaller pores, apply on your face an "omelette" made of one egg yolk. Let it dry for 10 minutes, then rinse your face well. Save the white for baking cakes! :)

That's all for today! Hope you like and apply my lil tricks!

Keep smiling!

oxox

Roxana

What to pick for Mother's Day - gift ideas

2013-04-24T07:33:00.000-07:00

Hello my dears!

I discovered a little while ago the very stylish Layla and Grace website and I fell inlove with it :) Really. I am addicted!!

So, as Mother's Day is quickly approaching, you know it is the time to find that stylish and unique gift that shows how much your mom means to you! This year, Layla Grayce has posted a Mother's Day blog post suggesting the top ten gift ideas and essentials for mom and is offering 15% off these gifts with code 4URMOM valid through 5/1. Below are a few of my favorite gift ideas. I already bought one of them (the necklace) but did not receive it yet, I will post a pic when I get it :)

1. Botkier Valentina Mini Platinum Convertible Bag.

2. San Diego Hat Company Tweed Cap Black

3. Kendra Scott Marisol Colbalt Necklace

As you can see, I picked timeless classic pieces, which should be making great gifts for most moms! :) I know mine likes these kinds of things, and so do I.

I hope this gave you some ideas! Good luck!

oxox

Roxana

How to pick the right lipstick

2013-04-23T07:55:00.001-07:00

Did it ever happen to you to go to a store to buy a new lipstick (well, or just go to a store AND buy a new lipstick! among others... ) and after you wore it a few times to discover that it was not the right choice, and to end up throwing it at the bottom of a drawer, or to give it away (usually to your mom)? It happened to me many times. I won't talk about color now (in drugstores it's a wonder if you DO manage to pick the right color, with that light, but that's another story), but about the things these so-loved lip products should or should not contain!

You have to carefully read the label and see what the ingredients are. I know, not all lipsticks even have those mentioned, but it does make a difference if you at least know what to look/ask for. Some sales assistants DO know these things.

I gathered a few rules from my own experience, and I will share them with you below, but I would be grateful and happy if you would share what works for you, as well, with all of us, in a comment! :)

- It is important that in the cold season to look for lip balms and lipsticks that contain vitamins A and C, but also Alpha-Hydroxy acids (AHA), that work against the wrinkles and fine lines.

- If your lips are chapped, the lip balm (that you must apply before lipstick!) should contain camphor, because it calms the sting.

- Be careful when you find the Phenol in the list of ingredients! It can be found especially in chapsticks. It usually leads to dependence; even if on the moment it moisturises, later it will make the skin very dry, and a new application will be necessary (I used to have this problem for years and thought there was something wrong with my lips!!)

- The Isopropyl Alcohol and the Petrolatum contained by lipsticks are also very bad: they clog the pores and cancel the UV protection.

- Another ingredient that is bad for the lips is the Capsaicin, which is a synthesis substance from hot pepper, that is found in lip plumpers.

Also, I will share 7 more little secrets that you should know, for having sexy lips:

1. This one is common sense and well known, but worth being re-mentioned: DRINK LOTS OF WATER!

2. Do NOT lick or bite your lips! This will hurt your lips and make them dry, sore, and can create crusting and scaling!

3. Take off your lip makeup with soft movements and appropriate makeup remover, every evening (morning would be good, too!)

4. If you have sensitive lips, avoid consuming condimented foods, or citrus, because that will give you a burning sensation and will dry your lips.

5. Try every lipstick you buy in REAL light, otherwise you will never find the right shade for you! If you have acne or skin problems, don't use bright reds, because that will focus attention on the problems!

6. The dry air in your house can be bad also for your lips! Use an air humidifier!

7. As a natural treatment, wipe your lips with raw cucumber slices, or rub some Vitamin E on them.

I hope this post helped, and as I said earlier, please share your own tips in a comment, if you feel like it!

Thank you for reading! Have a fun day, keep smiling!

oxox

Roxana

Nivea Stress Protect Roll-On Deo - Review

2013-04-22T04:45:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

After all the commercials on TV and everywhere, I decided to try this new deodorant from Nivea. I usually like Nivea's deodorants, I used the cream one for a very long time, while in Germany (now I can't find it anymore, boooo!).

I must admit that I am usually very picky with deodorants, and a while ago I decided I hated the ones that promised "48 hours of protection", or even worse, 72 hours!! I mean COME ON! If you don't get a freakin' shower in 48 hours, let alone 72, you are anyways gonna smell like crap, even if your underarmes would be sealed!!! A bit more anger to spill out on this one: they say that you can even take a shower wearing these formulas, and you won't need to re-apply them afterwards! Let me tell you how this works...if you didn't find out on the hard (and sticky) way yourself, already! You apply the deodorant, for the day all is good (if you are lucky) and then you go take a shower. Now is where the nasty begins! Because the deodorant under your arms turns into a sticky annoying stuff that you can't get rid of!! I personally remember once that I couldn't take such a thing (it was a 48 hours "wonder") off even with a loofah sponge! My underarms were so mad at me! And don't even think of leaving it there, it will only be sticky and that's all. As soon as you will start to sweat, it will be a horror, I don't even wanna get into details. I tried 3 deodorants like that, 2 were 48 hour and one was 72 hour! Not that I ever believed that a deodorant could make you stay fresh for 72 hours, but I was hoping I could at least go to gym and then shopping, or whatever I had to do that day, without worrying. I guess that I could do, but then, the hassle to wash the damn thing off of me... was not worth it.

Okay, enough with the rambling, let's get back to the product that I am trying to review here. The Nivea Stress Protect Roll-On Deo. First of all, it's a Roll-on, which I love, cause it won't make me cough like the spray ones, it won't kill the Ozone layer, and it won't become a nasty sticky shit like the 48-hour stick ones.

I love the smell, it's a really nice floral smell (don't ask me what flower, my nose is unable to detect details like that) that lasts for quite a while. In the commercial, they say that this is especially created to prevent deodorant fails due to stress sweating. I know what that means, because when you have a toddler jumping around... well, who does, knows what I mean, too.

I think this stuff is really good, for me was very good so far, I did not yet test it in extreme heat (like when catching tan, for ex.) but so far it does what it is supposed to be doing. Also, it comes off easily when I shower! :))

So I think I will give it a thumbs up! I will not try to go 48 hours without a shower just to test it but I can tell you that if I use it like, today, at 11 AM, and then check the next day at 11 AM, it still works. So, yeah, pretty nice stuff :)

Hope this helped! Please share your oppinions by leaving a comment, and if you like, join my mailing list or follow me with Google Friend Connect!

Keep smiling, is the best face lift!!

oxoxox

Roxana

Dr. Organic (natural skincare) Haul

2013-04-21T08:03:00.000-07:00

Hello my dears!

Ever since a while ago I was attracted more and more to natural skincare, for many reasons. One of them was because I was kind of sick last summer, had some liver issues, so ever since, I was forced to become way more attentive to the things that I was eating and drinking. At first I hated it but soon I realised that by doing that I was feeling way way better, I was getting rid of some nasty things that I had gotten to consider normal (bloating, headaches, nausea, acne), and I was also looking better! So, while I was doing some online research about eating green/bio/organic, whatever it is called, I also read some articles on cosmetics, and how much damage can the harsh chemicals in them do to us. I never would have thought, in my ignorance, that our poor liver is responsible with processing and getting rid of all the bad stuff that we are puttin on our skin as well! So, basically, if we are eating bad chemicals or putting them on our skin is about the same thing in the end! Since then, I started to look for natural alternatives for my skincare products. It's not only that I conciously CHOOSE this, but I also FEEL that it is what I should be doing! I don't know if I am making sense with this one, I know I am weird like that :) What I mean is, I will be trying to use only bio and organic stuff...well, as much as I can, because being a beauty addict, I am always curious about new products, so I will probably still buy all kinds of makeup and skincare just to try it on. I know, that is a bad habit! I actually aim to find THE products that are perfect for me, and then, in a perfect world (that, obviously, doesn't exist) I will buy ONLY those (I will also ALWAYS find them in stores)... and I also hope for them to be affordable!! ha ha

Okay, enough rambling. Here is what I wanted to show you today, lined up on my staircase:

After buying the Manuka Honey Face Mask (and falling inlove with it - you can read my review HERE), the Otto Rose Oil Face Serum and the Otto Rose Lip Balm (reviews for these 2 coming very soon) a few weeks ago, I definitely wanted to try more products from this range, so I went and got all these, to replace my usual products (I needed a new toner lotion, new face and body cream and, as the Otto Rose Oil bottle was empty already, I decided to try the Argan one, as face serum).

I will be using all these and doing reviews on each of them. So far all I know is that I hope I can find these in Germany and Spain too (cause I will be there all summer and hopefully more) or I will have to take a few with me!

I know that at some point I arrived to the conclusion that I rather be using only simple things for my skincare routine, as for example, the *Honey-brownsugar-olive oil* scrub, the rosehip oil as night cream (my friend recommended that to me, I will make a post about it soon as well), shea butter as body cream and so on, I saw that these Dr. Organic products contain not only those, but many other plants and stuff that I didn't know of, and about which I did some research and found only great things! The Rose facial oil doesnt contain only Rose oil, but rosehip oil, calendula oil, Argan oil, Passionflower, Geranium, Clove and many many MANY more, so I think they are right when they say, on the package, that it is "the most advanced, balanced combination of anti-ageing, restoring and protecting oils ever formulated".

Also, I think the price is quite fair, they are not cheap but can't say they are unafordable either. I am referring especially to the face serums that are around 20-25 euros and, at least the one I tried, are great! Compareable (may I even say better) to the over 100 euros ones, trust me on that one, I KNOW! :)

I am looking forward to trying them all! (I am not affiliated with Dr. O, I simply love these products!)

Thank you for reading and for sharing my posts with your friends (if you liked them!)

Follow my blog by email or with Google Friend Connect if you wanna be notified each time I am posting something (I am trying to post daily!)

Keep smiling, is the best beauty trick!!

oxox

Roxana

Proud to present you: Beautybyroxy dot com!

2013-04-19T06:10:00.003-07:00

YAY!!

I finally got my own domain name for my blog! I've had this on my mind for the longest time, only that, because I was not able to really work on my blog on a regular basis, I kept delaying buying a domain for it.

But now I feel I can do this! I know, I still don't have as much time as I would like to work on my beloved blog, because I am a mom and I also have another job, so I can't promise anything proffessional looking (I prefered to keep my blog on Blogger for now, even if many recommend using WordPress). Most of the other bloggers, the ones that I know, at least, have a "team" that is helping them with the technical part, a team usually consisting of a computer/internet savvy hubby, brother or friend/boyfriend. While I do own a hubby and a brother myself, mine happen to be savvy in all other areas except for the website/computer stuff ;(( sniff!! sniff! So I have to do it all myself, and in the limited time that I have for this, I prefer providing content (writting about things I love!) rather than working on template designs and all that kind of stuff that takes ages for a person that is not very familiar with it.

I hope that I will be getting more and more people that like what I am doing, because I love interacting and exchanging oppinions and ideas! That's why I started doing this after all, because I really want to have lots and lots of friends that are into the same things that I am into!

Hugs and kisses!

Keep smiling, beauties!

oxoxox

Roxana

PS: Oh, and if you have a blog and are looking into buying a domain and hosting for it, you can take a look at my friend's post about hosting services, by clicking HERE. I personally chose JustHost but there are many other options!

How to take care of your lips

2013-04-16T03:36:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to write a post about lips for a while now, because I personally am addicted to all lip products, I just love to pamper my lips, but at times it becomes a bit annoying, always having to wear some kind of chapstick, so I have been doing a little research as to why would that happen to me, and I found a few more interesting things, some that I already knew, some that I did not, and I wanna share it all with you now!

We are laughin, speaking, frowning and pouting or sending a flying kiss - all these things that we do are making our lips more sensitive and more prone to wrinkle forming. The lips have less sebaceous glands than the rest of the skin, so they need more care. Not many of us give them the right type of care, though. Even if we use a moisturizing lipstick (I personally can't use any other kind!), we forget to cleanse them properly, we wet them (yes licking your lips can be sexy but is bad for them if done too often!!) or we forget to protect them from the sunrays! All these mistakes lead to an unhlealthy aspectof your lips. But if you want to have sexy looking lips even after the age of 40, you have to follow a few easy steps:

First - take PROPER care of your soup coolers!

The first step would be EXFOLIATING.

At least once a month, the lips have to be freed of the dead cells and of the dehydrated skin. Use an exfoliating cream with very fine abrazive particles and gently massage. This way, you are stimulating the blood circulation in your lips. But be very careful, the skin on the lips is about 5 times more sensitive than the rest of your face. It is very important that after the exfoliating process, you use some moisturizing products based on shea or coconut butter. Those have a regenarating effect, calming the irritated skin, preventing the wrinkles and protecting againt the UV rays. If you want to use a lip contour cream, try to apply it twice a day, especially on the upper lip, after cleansing your face (morning and evening). That will define your lip contour, will boost the cell activity and the collagen production, so your lips will become firmer.

Are you always temped to wet your lips when they tend to get dry? Give up on this bad habit! All you do by licking them is to dehydrate them even more, because of the high salt content in your saliva. For such moments, you have to keep in your purse or pocket a protective and nourishing lip balm.

Advice: Try to avoid as much as possible putting foundation or powder on your lips (I know, I know, some make-up artist recommend that you do that so you rlipstick lasts longer- but they don't mention NOT to do it every day). Those are going to dehydrate your lips!

Second - make your smackers pretty!

Your lips can get dry in any season. The pollution, the wind, the air conditioning, they all have a bad influence on them. You can prevent them from getting dry by using your lipstick correctly. Which lipstick, aside from the color that it gives to your lips, it has to also protect them from sun and wind! Before lipstick, always apply a protective balm (or any kind of chapstick, for that matter, but for some, you will have to wait a few minutes before applying the actual lipstick, for it to set into the lips and allow the lipstick to be applied). Ver very VERY BAD for the lips are the non transfer lipstick formulas. They dehydrate like hell, because of the petrolatum in them. If you want and need such a lipstick, look for one with emolient properties. But during the winter, use ONLY very hydrating formulas.

Advice: If your lip dryness persists for a very long time and nothing seems to help, you should go see a dermatologist!

That's all for now :) More posts to follow about how to pick the right lipstick and how to keep your lips happy!

I hope this helped! Thank you for reading me, and if you want to read more posts by me, please subscribe to receive updates by email (is free, of course) or follow me with Google Friend Connect! (links on the left)

Stay prety, keep smiling!

oxoxox
Roxana

How to stop your eyes from hurting after spending a long time at the PC

2013-04-14T07:43:00.000-07:00

I always had, and still have, a love-hate relationship with my computers (here including my Desktop PC, my laptop, my big screen android phone AND my e-reader - it's still a screen that you are staring at). Apparently I can't live without them, but living with them is very often causing me all kinds of problems. I guess everyone knows what I am talking about - from headaches (real or metaphorical) to bottom/back aches (from sitting/laying too much in front of them)! Whereas some stretching and gym will help with my back aches, for the eyes is a bit more complicated. Of course, every person spending alot of time at the computer has to have some good eye drops (I can't recommend any, because I didn't find some that would really be great for me so far), but also, there is this technique that you can always use to help relax your pretty eyes after long hours spent in front of your bright screen friend.

I think this technique's origin is in the ancient Chinese Qigong science, and it helps lowering the tension in your eye muscles, it also reduces your headache, in case you really spent waaay too much time at the computer and have one of those too, and also, your face muscles are going to relax as well! The immediate effect is that you will feel AND LOOK better, instantly!

So, first you gotta sit down and breathe deeply, 3 times. Then, rub your palms one against the other, untill they warm up. Close your eyes and place the palms on them. Do not press, allow a few centimeters between your palms and your eyeballs. Concentrate on the heat that gets through your eye orbits. Stay in that darkness for at least one minute, then slowly spread your fingers, to allow your eyes to readdapt to the light. That's all!

I hope it helpes! Thanks for reading me, and please follow my blog for more beauty, more ideas, more fun!

Keep smiling!

oxoxox

Roxana

Baby OOTD

2013-04-10T14:02:00.001-07:00

Well, I was planning to upload an OOTD myself, but I realised I could not compete against this beautiful male model that was happily posing on my garden rocking bed today:

The only problem is that I don't quite remember where his outfit is from, as I always buy something for him, from pretty much everywhere. His wardrobe is about 10 times bigger than mine! I think the shoes are from Deichmann and the sweatshirt from.. umm maybe Liddle? I can't remember for the life of me where the "stripper pants" came from, though... See? They have staples on all their length and even between the legs! Easy access... to the Pampers!!!

If you like him, you gotta know he has no gf yet...

Kisses from handsome Mathias to all the pretty girls reading his mamma's blog!

oxox

Garnier BB Cream - Miracle Skin Perfector ANTI-AGEING - Review (me no likey!)

2013-04-07T01:27:00.000-07:00

Okay so for today I had planned to go out in my yard and take some beauuuutiful OOTD pics because as beautiful as the weather was yesterday, I thought the spring will be here finally. I even wanted to put all my winter gear away in boxes and replace them with the spring and summer wardrobe. Glad I did't have time to, cause it would have been really bad. Outside it's 6C degrees right now. Rain. Wind. Feels like 2C or less and it's depressing.

So what can I do now? I think this is the perfect time for doing a bad review! LOL! No, I am not doing a bad review BECAUSE it's an ugly day and I am feeling frustrated, nope! But as you probably noticed, I don't talk about many products that I don't like, for the simple reason that I am usually very careful with what I buy, I always do some research before buying and I try to only buy what would work for my skin type and needs.

I have been procrastinating doing a review for it for a long time, meanwhile trying to use it again and again. But no. It has to be told. I do. not. like it.
Who theheck am I talking about? This!!

The Garnier BB Cream in the fairly new "Anti-Ageing" formula, with the so-called "pro-xylane", that I have no idea what it is, I know I can easily search it on wikipedia and I am sure it is a good thing, but I just don't feel the need to know more at this moment.

I bought this because I love BB cream, and most of all, I love the BB Creams from Garnier. And because...well... I am quite old and thought I should keep that in mind and try to do what's to be done: get the anti-age option if available.

I am so bummed!!

First of all, as usual, I picked the "Medium" shade, as I always do, because even if I am white like a paper, I hate having my face that white or even whiter... so I always strive to get a bit of color (I found it's useless to use a fake tan because it always get washed off fast as I take my makeup off). But this particular BB cream's Medium shade is darker than the classic version's Medium shade, or than the Combination to Oily skin's version's Medium shade. Or at least on my skin it shows darker...

The smell is nice, is about the same as the classic BB Cream from garnier's smell, and doesn't smell like alcohool like the Combination to Oily BB Cream (thanks God). But hey, of course it doesn't, would be weird for a anti-ageing cream to have that in it (although some serums that I know do...)
Here is how it looks, once squeezed outta tube:

Now I realise this is not the best presentation, becase the skin on my face is alot different from the skin on my wrist. I wish the skin on my face looked this good!!! But as you can see, even there and it did not spread evenly! Ohhh and I remembered I was so bummed that I even took a pic of my face...

The light sucks in my bathroom I know, and I have a bit too much of little hairs on my face. But hey, I guess everyone does, in that area... you just didn't take such a picture so you don't know! ha! But really, if you look closer at the coverage of this BB Cream...is really embarassing! I did all my best to spread it evenly and rub it in and blend some more and still I've been left with strikes!! This bugged me to no end! I tried to apply it on a clean face right after washing, cause I thought maybe previous moisture will influence the blending. Same sh**.. result. I tried to apply it on a moisturized face, hoping the blending will go smoother. Same result. I tried to even do a scrub mask before applying it, to make sure my face was in best condition. Nada. The only option that I had left was to try and apply it with a brush, like a foundation, which I did, and after quite some work (it won't get smooth at all!) I managed to obtain a no stripey finish, but the coverage was very very low, and I guess that, as it is a cream that has more qualities than just coverage, it actually needs to be applied not just like a barely there layer, but it has to also be able to moisturise, at least. Besides, as it is a cream, a BB cream, it's purpose is to be used by the women that don't want to use a foundation, at least for me, it means something easier to use, easier to wear, something I can use on the go and when I don't have time or wish to do a proper foundation, something for hot weather as well, something that can easily be re-applied. If I use a brush, which I then have to take time and wash, let alone the fact that applying something with a brush takes longer... then where's the easiness of it all?? Also, for my acne scars I need more than just a hint of coverage... the regular (classic version) of Garnier BB cream and even the one for Combination to Oily skin does a great job for me in that regards. This doesn't. Cause I can't apply it! I think they put something in it that screwed up its consistency, so it became kind of chalky and hard to blend. Besides, this Medium shade tends to look reddish, only in this case. I don't like that either. If a redhead will use it she might tend to look like a carrot :(

I wanted to like this, I really did, but I don't. It's going away.

Here is how it looks, applied with a brush, on my forearm, where the skin is perfect. Still a bit uneven if you look closely :(

Also, about the wear I can tell you that it's not even all that moisturising after all, even thought at first I have to use a tissue and absorb the excess oils from my face (it's really shiny) after like 4 hours my cheeks started to feel really dry :( If it would have been easy to re-apply this would have been ok but in the given conditions... way too much of a hassle would have been!

I can't say this is a no-no for all, I am sure that if you are younger and have perfect skin it would look alot better on you, but... who wants to use an anti-ageing BB cream when they have young perfect skin???

If you wanna read my review on the first Garnier BB Cream (I call it The Classic) click here, and for the review on the Garnier BB Cream for Combination to Oily skin click here.
I gotta tell you that I went back to the store and bought 2 tubes of the regular one, which I think it's the best (hope it doesn't disappear or gets changed as all the things I like tend to do). I just love that stuff! Why fix it, if it ain't broken?!?!

Thank you for reading my blog! Want more? Please follow me! (links up left)

Take care, and KEEP SMILING!
oxox
Roxana

What I did today

2013-04-06T05:33:00.001-07:00

As today was (and still is) an incredibly beautiful and sunny spring day, I decided to not care anymore and just go out of the house (I had sent hubby and son away so I can work, you know...)! A beautiful day is made to stay out in the sun and if you are to do anything, then you should know you can do the things that you can't do inside! In my case, that being sewing on my Gobelin projects, one of my huge hobbies, that, of course, I never have time for. But alas, I can't even do it inside because I can't see well, even with my glasses, I can't see the colors well because some are very similar and I don't wanna mess up :)

This is what I am workin on:

and this is how little I did so far :( It's where the blue string is... I know, is pretty much invisible!

another one:

This one is very hard to do, human faces are the hardest to do, just as in painting. I started with the easiest color, lol, black! On Jesus I worked a bit more, I have to brag on that!

This is a new pattern, that I love looking at, for now:

I don't wanna sew that, I wanna crawl into it and live there!!

Below is one that I screwed up :( I started it a while ago and my stupid brain didn't realise that the Mouline string has to be split into 2, and you have to work only with 3 strings instead of all 6... so the piece is all bulky and I can't even undo it... dunno how I could sew so much and not realise it was a mistake.. I was in a trance probably! LOL Too bad cuz the pattern is very nice and is small, I could have transformed it into some embelishment for a clothing item or accessory...

(blurry pic, I appologise for my camera that was unable to focus...). Yo can see the bulkiness below :(

And this is another pattern, that will take me about 254 years to do. Actually I will probably become old before I finish any of them, but I wanted to put them on my blog because it's something that I really love to do, and as this is the place about all the things that I love to do... so I figured these pics would belong here :)

Okay so after taking all these pics in my sunny yard on the cradle bed... guess what I did? It's the sun's fault, it always gets me tired....

Then (after about 5 mins only) I got a phone call and had to get up and get moving back to work :( See? I do try to de-stress myself workin on my hobbies but the world just won't let me!

Thank you for reading my rambles, if you want more feel free to put your email addy in the box on the left, so you get updates by email, or to join my blog with Google Friend Connect (a bit lower, on the left as well)!

Take care, and KEEP SMILING!

oxox

Roxana

Learn how to make everything you want! DIY stuff!

2013-04-04T06:48:00.002-07:00

Hello there!

Today I wanna share with your some cool thing I found out! Everyone that knows me, knows that I looove love love to crochet, knitt, sew, and basically do all kinds of things by hand, I am very much into DIY! I think I even posted sometime about one of the amigurumi toys I've made for my Xmas tree!

I only wish I had more time for my hobby (I have a few projects that I am workin on at the moment)!! Anyways, I happened to find the amazing website called CRAFTSY, where you can find almost everything DIY explained clearly and very easy to follow and understand, in video online classes. Is alot easier than searching on YouTube or on Google and trying to gather the things you need from all that. You can really find everything here, from crochetting, quilting, to cooking (some aaaahmazing cakes!!) and clothes tayloring and all that good stuff! And guess what!! They have a Spring Sale!! All classes will be up to 75% off! Click on the banner below if you wanna find out which classes are on sale for today. And one more tip: I heared that on Saturday they will have the biggest discounts, so stay tuned for that!!

I am definitely gonna be online-crafting-classes shopping on Saturday! I will let you know what I got and what I did with it! :-p I only wish my toddler won't grab all my sewing and crochetting stuff and throw it all over the house when Im trying to do something, ha ha. Can't wait for him to go to college! ha!

I wish you all a beautiful weekend!

oxoxox

Roxana

How to Use Your Skincare and Makup Products Wisely, and save money too!

2013-04-02T02:55:00.000-07:00

Because we all know that skincare products and makeup is not cheap, and even if it is, if it's good, you don't really want to waste it, because even if you afford to buy all the time new one, at times you might have the surprise to not be able to find anymore a certain product or color or brand, or to find it very hard. It always happens to me, I am starting to take it personal, each time I find something that I really love, it has to somehow disappear after a while. I start to think I am the only one that likes that thing! Weird huh?

Anyways, I was always bothered by the way some people are wasting things (my mom always makes real well drills in my face creams, some girl I know uses up a bottle of foundation in less than 2 weeks and a body lotion tube in 5 days). Is not because I am a scrooge, I am waaay too far from that for my own wellbeing, but, I think is not normal to waste things. Is common sense to take care of what you have and to make the most of your money and investments. It's also ecologic! So, I will teach you how to use your skincare and makeup products wisely.

To make sure you are using the right amount of the products, I will give you some size "landmarks". I picked some examples that are hard to forget. I did it on purpose :) Would you waste THESE???

Eye cream: the size of a Tic-Tac

Makeup Base (Foundation): size of an M&M

Face Cream: size of a peanut M&M

Shampoo: size of a caramel candy (same goes for conditioner, and it usually needs to be applied only on the tips of the hair)

Body cream/lotion: size of an Oreo biscuit

Now, done with the sizes. I will teach you a few more things, to make the life of your favorite makeup products longer.

If your BLUSH is almost finished and you can't get it out on the brush anymore, put it in a tissue and make it a powder, then put it in a little box (an eye cream box or some other little box left from something else) and you can use it from there! Make sure it has a lid that closes well!

Is your LIPSTICK almost over? There usually is a lot of product still left inside of the tube, so use a Lip Brush to apply it from there. I promise it will last you a few more weeks!

Is your favorite EYE SHADOW almost empty? Break what's left into a powder and mix it with a drop of eye cream, you will get a cream shadow!

I hope you like my ideas and that you find them useful!

Thank you for reading me, and if you want more, please don't forget to follow me by email or by joining my blog! (you have the links to the left side)

Take care and keep smiling!

oxox

Roxana

PS: If you have other tips or ideas about saving your fav products, please let us all know in a comment! I would love to hear them!

Good things against eye-wrinkles

2013-03-25T08:54:00.003-07:00

All of us are being bombarded every day with all kinds of commercials for skincare products, which are said to contain this or that ingredient, but, as probably most people, I don't always know what is a specific ingredient supposed to be doing for me. I don't mean the complicate chemical ingredients listed on the boxes of the skincare products, but to the more simple ones that appear even on the front label of the package and that are also mentioned in the commercials: "the X cream with the Q10 coenzyme" or "Omega 6 and essential fatty acids" and stuff like that.
So I looked some of these ingredients up, for myself, and I thought I would share with you:

1. The Q10 Coenzyme. It is a powerful antioxydant, which increases the oxygene amount inside of the cells, destroys the free radicals and prevents the ageing of the skin. (What are the "free radicals"?? Not "free square roots" like in Maths, no. It's all Chemistry here! A free radical is any atom or molecule that has a single unpaired electron in an outer shell. While a few free radicals such as melanin are not chemically reactive, most biologically-relevant free radicals are highly reactive.For most biological structures, free radical damage is closely associated with oxidative damage. - wikipedia)

2. Hyaluronic Acid. It is a natural protein which can increase its own volume in water 1000 times, therefore it can fill the wrinkles on the eye area...or any area for that matter.

3. Ester-C. It is a combination of minerals and Vitamin C, which stimulates the collagen production.

4. Essential Fatty Acids. The skin needs them to maintain its integrity, to stay moist and to be able to counterract the negative effects of the sun. Omega 6 is a hero when it comes to fighting against wrinkles.

5. Vitamin E. It heals the redness, protects the skin from the UV rays and stops the dry skin from peeling.

6. Green Tea. It is rich in antioxydants and has got anti-inflammatory properties. Also, it helps the skin maintain its elasticity.

7. Peptides from Proteins. They are essential proteins that stimulate the collagen and elastin production, for a more firm skin.
(the pics are only informative, I don't promote any brand)
Oh and one more IMPORTANT thing: NEVER use the face creams in the eye area, because their ingredients will cause, in time, more damages than benefits! Always use a cream formulated especially for the eye area!
To prevent the irritations of this sensitive area, the dermatologists recommend using creams with the same PH as the PH of the tears and with a lower amount of active ingredients. Unlike the face creams, the eye creams don't have any scent and they are more emolient.

Hope this helped!

Thanks for reading me, stay pretty!

oxox
Roxana

Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream for Combination to Oily skin

2013-03-22T07:52:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I bought this and I have been using it A LOT...so how come I didn't make a review yet? Anyways, better later than never, so here it comes!
This, ladies and gents, is the product (insert drums)!

I know is not the best pic, but should be no biggy, you probably all know how it looks like! I have it in the "medium" shade, even if I am a bit whiter than that, but I hate having a white face, so I try to make it look a bit more tan, of course, being very careful to cover all of my neck and earlobes and all the places that could give me away :) The best fit for my skintone would be a mix of the Light and Medium shade, I think, but is spring now so I am hoping for a tan a.s.a.p.!
Now, a bit more about this product. When taken out of the tube, it looks like this:

The consistency is more like a lotion than a cream, it is quite runny and very light, which I like, especially in summertime. It almost doesn't have a smell, maybe a faint fresh one, and I can aslo smell alcohool in it, which I happen not to like (they say alcohool on skin is no-goody!) but alas, I love the fact that it sets greatly on the skin, it kind of sinks in and blends amazingly, not streaky at all (like its sister, the Anti-Ageing BB cream - review on that later!). I noticed though, that if I spread it on my eyelids too, which I tend to do with all base products, it irritates my eyes, I think it's because of the alcohool in it, which sucks. But oh well, I can just avoid the eye area and use only concealer there, even if it is better when I can use the base to even all out.
Other than that, it looks amazing, stays on pretty well, and what's best is that if it gets rubbed off in certain areas of the face (which happens when you have a cuddly toddler around) you can always apply more without it becoming patchy like it would happen with a foundation, or showin any difference between areas.
It matifies the face, doesn't set in the pores, but if your face has got dry areas too, like combination skin usually does, you have to remember to moisturise the dry areas before applying this or they will become quite dry after a while.
Throughout the day my face still becomes oily in the problem areas (T-zone) but I just use a tissue to absorb the oil and it's all good, I don't use powder on top of it, but I guess it can be used, if that's what you prefer. I just freak out at the thought of putting too much on my skin cause I feel my pores are gonna die suffocated.
One more downside would be that I am getting slightly more blackheads when using it, but I am not very sure wether it is because of it, or because of the fact that it is not protecting my face like a foundation would, and as I am living in a very polluted area, the dirt in the air might get into my pores and produce the blackheads. Anyways, if I remember to use my Manuka Honey purifying mask every 2 days is all good :)
The coverage is great, I don't know about the "Light" version of it, but with this one I barely need any concealer on my acne scars (and I have plenty). In my oppinion this one has the best coverage among all the BB creams from Garnier.
I don't know what more can I say about this. Bottom line, I love it, I would bathe in it!! LOL But I kind of love all the BB creams, because I love the concept, the fact that they are lighter than a foundation, and they also are said to be treating the imperfections of the skin (BB in this case comes from "blemish balm"). I remember I used to love the tinted moisturizers before these came out, but I couldn't wear those too often because my problematic skin needs way more coverage than a tinted moisturizer could give me, so I had to keep using annoying foundations that don't match my lifestyle. Except for the Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation, none could keep up with me and with my combination skin :( After a few hours my face was inevitably looking all patchy and uneven. But the Estee Lauder Doublewear is expensive and smells like burnt rubber so I definitely prefer BB creams to it as well! :))
I decided I wanna give up foundations for good (or only keep them for specials occasions), in the favor of BB creams so now I am trying my best to make my face look its best and get rid of the acne scars, with masks and scrubs and all that stuff. If anyone knows a way of getting rid of acne scars without whitening your face to death or without burning it with harsh treatments, please tell me in a comment!
Thank you for reading me!
oxoxox
Roxana

Nivea's Hydra IQ - guilty for breakouts?

2013-03-17T23:15:00.000-07:00

A while ago I bought the new Nivea "Aqua Effect" (with Hydra IQ) moisturizing face cream, because I always liked the Nivea products and because I saw the commercial and thought that would be an interesting concept, "moisturizing the skin from within", as they say... So I picked this one:

(Sorry for the blurry pic, my camera just won't cooperate at times)

It is quite a thick product, consistency-wise, but once you put it on the skin it's lighter than the classic Nivea creme, and it absorbs quite well into the skin. I also like the smell too. I must say that my skin is combination, with a high tendency for breakouts, so I am usually very cautious when buying face creams, but as I have always been using the Nivea Soft without any problem, and because I noticed that the more hydrated my skin is, the less likely it is to breakout, I thought this Aqua Effect would be worth a try.
Buuuuut! After 3 days I realised it was definitely a mistake because my face broke out badly ... at first I didnt know for sure wether the new moisturizer was the problem, so I stopped using it and went back to my La Roche Posay Effaclar, to get rid of the pimples. Then I tried it again, after a few days, to see if it really was the cause of my breakout. And it was :( I broke out again. So, I downgraded is to the "hand cream" status :)
So far so good, I thought "oh well, maybe this cream was too fatty and too rich for my oily face..."
But since a few weeks ago I noticed that I was kind of breakin out on my back too, which never ever happened to me, and it was beyond annoying, I had no idea what to do for that one. And then it "hit me" LOL. The shower cream that I have been using was also Nivea, with Hydra IQ! These ones!

As you can see, I was not happy with just one, I had to have 2 of them! Because I really enjoy them, the smell is great and they are really quite moisturising. I love using them as bath foam.
But heck, they were the cause of my back breakout :( I stopped using them and in 3 days there were no more spots on my back! Whew! I am kind of boomed tho, 'cause I really liked these :(
Back to my Dove soap bars for face and body, they clear acne like nobody's business, even if they are not meant for that ...I think precisely because they are not meant for that! lol I love these new ones, cause they are pink and they smell soooo nice!!

(again, sorry for the pic quality in this post but as there was no detail needed I didn't bother to try and fix the camera, that usually is a very annoying and frustrating process...)

As for face (and whole body) moisturizer, nothing beats this one, I think it even comes close to the effects of face serums, for me at least, as weird as it may sound, considering its low price:

I did a bit of research on the "Hydra IQ" topic to see what the heck it means, and I found this:

**** Glyceryl glucoside: = glucose + glycerin. This is an aquaporin stimulator, which basically helps to maintain hydration. A recent patent expressed the capabilities of these compounds. Aquaporins are little proteins located on a cell membrane, and they police the flow of water in & out of the cell. Aquaporin stimulators basically prod & tweak the aquaporins to let it more water. In this techology it is targeted to the aquaporins of keratinocytes, which make up a very large portion of our epidermis.
Aquaporin stimulators like glyceryl glucoside are simple sugars. Glyceryl glucoside and other monosaccharides like it have a binding affinity for water (they are hydrophilic.) In nature, it has been found that some organisms produce these types of monosaccharides to survive in extreme dry environments. This is because these monosaccharides attract water, and when produced they help keep the water inside/with the organism.
{What happens otherwise, i.e. without the aquaporin stimulators, is osmosis--which is the process of two solutions of different concentrations (like, a dry environment and a hydrated organism) by natural process, equalizing via exchange (like, the hydrated organism becomes less hydrated, and the dry environment becomes more humid from the water molecules that were osmotically transferred from the organism to the air.)}
By facilitating the aquaporins, the stimulators also help to maintain osmotic adjustment--- here, skin's hydration level vs the air/atmosphere around it. They keep the skin cell membranes receptive to water molecules, i.e. hydration!

I am surmising based on the properties of aquaporins and aquaporin stimulators, that this is the Hydra IQ technology.

Source(s):

wikipedia.org, college chemistry, http://www.cosmeticsandtoiletries.com/formulating/category/skincare/33602299.html?page=3

Yeah I put it in smaller font on purpose cuz you don't really need to read it! I read the first 3 rows and it was way too much chemistry for my brain configuration! Ugh! I don't know what to say, too much chemical stuff never sounds good to me.

So, that was my experience with the dear new Hydra IQ. But you don't have to take my word for granted because as I said, my skin is prone to breakouts. (even if... only the skin on my face! What about my back??) Just be careful, if you have any problems with your skin too.

Thanks for reading!

oxoxox

Roxana

CATRICE "Color infusion" lipstain review

2013-03-14T03:27:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to post a review on these since a good while ago, because I've bought them a few months ago and I've been using them quite often! Right now I have just these 2 left, from the 4 that I bought (because the price was great and I love lipstains, especially for summer time), but I was really not impressed with the colors, so I gave away 2 of them. I myself like brighter colors, these are pretty neutral and quite dusty looking, if you ask me...

On the lips, they look even darker, but I guess that might be because my lips are quite pigmented, maybe on some other person they would look different. The color bleeds a bit, as you can see above, but that's what happens with all lip stains, as they are a liquid, after all, comin out through the felt tip. So if you have a more mature complexion I think it would be a good idea to use a countour pencil before applying these. And of course, after they dry on the lips, use a lip balm, or maybe a clear lipgloss. My lips have a major tendency of getting all dry so I can't wear them without a lip balm on top, even if this product itself is not particularly drying.

Before buying these I remember I tried one from Maybelline, I think, and I was pretty disappointed as it was almost completely dry, but I can't really blame the company for that, I think it was because of the way they were stored in the drugstore. I can't for the life of me understand why they are not using cold light bulbs at the cosmetics counters, in almost every store that I have been there are these super hot bulbs between the product shelves, that are completely melting some of them, especially lipsticks, but as allmost all makeup is made using some kind of oil, being so close to a source of heat can definitely ruin it.

Anyways, these were definitely not dry, but I noticed that it is best to keep them stored on their "heads", meaning standing on the lid, tip down, because otherwise, after a while, when the liquid in the felt becomes less, it won't get to the tip anymore when you wanna use it.

I really like the quality of this product, is definitely a thumbs up, and I will be keepin' an eye on the Catrice counters and website, in the hope that they will come up with more vibrant, prettier colors!

Oh and, you can definitely use them as cheek stain too, if you are brave enough! Actually is not a matter of bravery because they don't really "stain" your skin, they come off fairly easy with a wipe.

Stay pretty!

oxox

Roxana

PS: Could not find them on Amazon but I found others, for whoever just decided to try some!

Organic Manuka Honey Face Mask from Dr. Organic - review

2013-03-12T04:23:00.000-07:00

I wanted to start my comeback series with something that I absolutely love, so I picked this!

It's been a while since I've been meaning to try more of the Dr. Organic products, because last summer I had a bust firming cream from them, and I was very pleased with the results (I will make a review on that too, but I finished it and I can't show it to you anymore, maybe I will just use the pic from the promo). I love the fact that they are natural, not tested on animals, organic, with no parabens, no harsh preservatives and no artificial perfumes (that are highly irritating for sensitive skin). Lately I have been more and more into products that are not tested on animals, thanks to a friend of mine that made me cry a few times posting on facebook pictures of the horrible things they do to animals during the testing of different products :( I swear I had no idea it could be so bad :(
Anyways, this product contains this Manuka honey, that I didn't know what would be... some honey ok, but... what's Manuka? So I googled and this is what I found:

Mānuka honey is a monofloral honey produced in New Zealand and Australia from the nectar of the mānuka tree. It has in vitro antibacterial properties, but there is not conclusive evidence of benefit in medical use. It has been classified as a Therapeutic Good in Australia, and has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration in 2007.
Manuka honey has a strong flavour, which has been characterized as, "earthy, oily, herbaceous", and "florid, rich and complex". Other qualificatives used by the New Zealand honey industry are, a "damp earth, heather, aromatic" aroma and a "mineral, slightly bitter" flavour.
A 2002 review found that although the antibacterial activity of honeys (including mānuka honey) had been demonstrated in vitro, the number of clinical case studies was small. The review concluded that there was a potential for its use in "the management of a large number of wound types". (Source: Wikipedia)

^{Sounds good! I have acne and acne scars on my face so this should be of help!}
^{It's said to be useful for ages 30+, which would be me, and they say it's "oil absorbing, cell rejuvenating and detoxifying.}
^{It contains Manuka honey, Aloe Vera, white clay, shea butter, Coco butter, Zinc Oxyde (great against pimples), Vitamin E, Sunflower seed and Glycerin. It's advised to be used twice a week, for 10 minutes, and then removed with warm water or a damp flanel.}

^{This is how mine looks:}

^{The consistency is pretty thick, but it's easy to smooth all over the face, is not chalky at all like clay products are, sometimes. I left it for longer than 10 minutes, I actually put it on and took a bath, and I guess it's been like 30 mins untill I washed it off, and it had become very dry and was pulling at my skin a bit. I love its smell, it's really strong, and you can definitely smell honey and clay, some might not like it but I appreciate a smell that is clearly natural, for cosmetics. After I cleaned my face I was like... OMG WOW! There were practically NO MORE blackheads on my forehead, and that morning I had just spent a while bitching in front of the mirror, because I had seen a bunch of blackheads on my forehead, nose and chin! After the mask, they vanished, really! I am talking about the ones with really black heads not the white ones, if that makes any sence. I think this product actually draws out all the dirt and oil outta pores but they have to be open for that, and with the white heads there is a problem! They are not open. Anyways, my skin was soooo smooth and so velvety, I mean, I know honey is great for the skin, I was usually using the honey-olive oil-brown sugar scrub or just honey mask, but with this thing is much better. It's totally worth the price! (I know I have readers from all over the world so guess is better for you to google it and see what it is in your own currency, but for a reference, it's around 10 euros) I don't think my face was ever so clean after a face mask, and trust me, I have been trying many! It cleaned my face of all the dead skin cells and stimulated the circulation, my face even looked more healthy and even as color!}
^{I will definitely definitely use this regularly and will buy more!!}
^{Thanks for reading, have a fab day!}

^oxox
^Roxana

PS: I am not affiliated with Dr. Organic, I just love this!!

I looked this mask up on Amazon, for you, but unfortunately they don't sell it there, yet (I think it's a pretty new range and product), but I found something very similar that should work just as good, for now:

I am back!

2013-03-11T08:30:00.002-07:00

Hello everyone! I just wanted to let you know that I am back to posting here, my life has been crazy in the last year, still is, but hell, what if it will stay like this for good? I will have to addapt, and how else to start if not with doing more of the things I like, regardless of the aversities? lol

I wanna send you all a big kiss and wish you a wonderful and beautiful spring, and hopefully I will be with you very often with new beauty advices, product reviews (I have a bunch to review for you!) and other tips and ideas!

Hugs!

oxox

Roxana

Jewelery Treasures!

2012-05-01T00:52:00.002-07:00

I found a little store full of treasures!! OMG I am sooo happy! I was like Alice in Wonderland, lost in the little dark room full of real treasures! I think the guy owning it doesn't know they are way more valuable than he is selling them for! They are all real gemstones, coral, sweet water pearls and so many other beautiful things that are unique, by their nature! I love wearing unique things, and as you cannot find 2 real pearls that look just the same, 2 coral pieces or 2 turquise stones that look the same, I really was thrilled, and risked a fight with my hubby that had to wait patinetly (untill he lost the patience) for more than 45 minutes at the door of the store!!
I bought all these beauties with less than 100 euros! To think that when I was in France, I payed 20 euros for a little coral bracelet, and here I only got one for 5 euros!!! And 50 euros for a long strand of sweet water pearls, and here they are only 25 or less! I think another strand is missing from the pic, I guess it was still on the bottom of my handbag, I wil have to take a pic of it later. And some pearl earrings.

There are Turquise, white and black sweet water pearls, corals, tiger-eye gemstones, quartz and others that I can't remember the name of, now. My favorite is the big heavy strand of sculpted turquoise, that will go just perfect with most of my summer dresses, especially with the long black crochet one from Victoria's Secret!
The little handbag I also just bought, from New Yorker. I love the print, it looks so much like a gobelen, whatever that is spelled... that my great-grandma used to make, and that my folks have at home on the wall. Sewing is one of my hobbies, too, and I think I could sew something like that, but would take me ages and unfortunately for this type of a hobby, I was born at least 60 years too late and the times are way too fast now :( So I am just happy with prints like this, I am glad they are back in fashion!
I can't wait to get back to this little shop, I wanted to get more but hubby was starting to look like a bull that was looking at a red carpet... so I had to call it a ...wrap, and get out! LOL
I want the sun-stone bracelet too, and the yellow sprakly cuff, and if I can find, some really nice turquise earrings! I don't think they had any last week, tho... maybe they do now!
So this was my jewelery haul, I'm almost all good for this summer, jewelery-wise! LOL
If you are in Mainz, Germany, you probably know this little store, is right when you get out of the Romer Passage, between Bijou Brigitte and the fast food that I forgot the name of... the one with lots of chicken! LOL

Love yourself!
oxoxox
Roxana

I found some similar products for you, and I LOVE all of them as well! Wow!

How to Obtain the Perfect Fake Tan - Detailed Secrets

2012-04-26T22:14:00.000-07:00

Soo, a few weeks ago, I finally got my hands on this baby:

I have been wondering, wanting and eventually craving for it for a loong time, because of the raving all over YT about it. I thought I could not get it in Germany, because from their website you can't order internationally (or anyways, last time I checked was not available to Germany) but I found it on Amazon!! It costs 39 euros, definitely not a cheapie, but it's sooo worth it! I always had troubles with getting (and staying) tanned, even if it was about real sun, tanning bed, or fake tan! I am a pinkish shade of white, lol, that I really don't find all that attractive (but to each on their own..) and I always wanted to be darker, let alone the fact that one ALWAYS looks slimmer when tanned! I tried tenths of fake tan products, I think I even have a blog post about the L'Oreal ones, which are good, allright, but don't even come close to THIS! The color is amaaaazing, just like seaside tan, nothing orangey or yellowish in it!!
It is a lightweight mousse, colored, which is great if you ask me, because you precisely can see where you did not apply it, so there is zero risk of getting white spots on your body, like it always happened to me with the colorless products. It dries sooo quickly, they say you can even get dressed after one minute, but I rather wait 10 or so, at least, just to make sure. They recommend that in the first 4 hours you don't get wet or sweaty, that is because if you get wet in that time, it does come off and you get yourself a white spot on the place where the water or the sweat was... That is a bit annoying but, oh well, small price to pay for the final result. Besides, you can always apply it again ONLY on that spot, and it will look completely blended. One of the great things about it is this one too, that no matter now much you apply on a spot, or how stripey it looks after application, at the end it will all look the same all over! (that means after you take a shower).
I tend to have very dry skin, and the tap water in Germany does not help with that at all, so my body gets dry areas and less dry areas, which is so bad for a person that wants to wear fake tan, because the fake tan (which is moisture, like any lotion or cream or whatever) will always get absorbed more in the dry areas and less in the less dry ones. So I try my very best to dry brush all my body and then moisturise all my skin every single day (when I don't manage to, it can get to look a bit like a disaster but I will tell you how I fix that right away). So, I dry brush all my body (that is great for the prevention and elimination of cellulite, too!) every morning, and then apply plenty of body lotion all over. I tan every 3 or 4 days, but during this time I try my best not to let my skin get too dry, because if it does, there will be patches of tan all over me:( I know that might not happen to everyone but to me it does. Also, I try not to wear really tight clothes from fabrics that kind of scratch (like jeans, for example) or bras with very tight straps, cuz those are going to rub against my skin and remove the tan!
OKay, so when I apply the tan, I take a shower, using a very moisturizing body wash and a sponge, then I dry my skin with a towel but I don't apply anymore moisturizer, I just put the Saint Tropez all over me, including my face (which is blackhead/acne prone, but never had a problem with this product! yay!) and as soon as I get to a dryer area (feet, knees, elbows, whatever other dry areas might be) I take a paper towel and dab the area so that there is not too much products absorbed. For me, this method works better than applying lotion on those areas prior to tanning.
And that's about it! While I wait for it to dry, I carefully wash my hands, which, unfortunately, do get stained (there is a tan remover too, but I didn;t receive it yet :(). I found out that washing them like 4-5 times in a row does help. Yeah I know thatsounds annoying but is better than looking like you tried to eat a bunch of green chestnuts! (they stain brown, for who doesnt know). I am being careful not to throw water on me and not to wash the color off my wrists, or it would look like Im wearing white gloves! If it does get washed I apply more product only on wrists when donewith the hands.
I thought the mitt they recommend would be so you don't get your hands dirty but its actually *to remove the excess product*... and I see no use for that. You can't apply it with the mitt.
Okay so, I was talkin above about the times when I get to look like having had a fight in the mud... when I forget to apply lotion daily.... haha. Well, not quite, it just looks like I havent showered for about 2 months :))) Gross! It does that only in certain areas where the skin gets very dry, tho, and rubs against clothes. For me its on my ribs and at times on the back of my calves. So, while in the shower, I use a mix of honey and brown sugar as a body scrub and scrub all those areas well. It does work wonders! But if I forget to bring that from the kitchen and Im already in the shower, lol, rubbing the skin well, right after shower while its still wet and warm, with a dry towel, can work just as good. Then, when I am an even color all over, I reapply the tan (this annoying thing usually happens when I apply it after 4 or 5 days. At 3 days is all fine.)
One more thing to add: it's really recommended that after those 4 hours you take a shower (I personally recommend waiting a bit more than that, tho) some of the color will come off but what will be left will still look amazing and it won't come off on anything after that. And the smell will go away, too. No bad smell, just fake tan smel,l that I personally don't like.
So, I know its a long post, but I wish someone would have told me all this so I don't get so many tan disasters! LOL
Love yourself!!
oxoxox
Roxana

Back! The SECRET and OOTD :)

2012-04-25T23:31:00.002-07:00

Yay! I finally made it back to blogging! I had a long period where, hiding behind the excuse that I did not have enough time, I actually stopped blogging! I felt I was not good enough to do it, I kept comparing myself with other bloggers (BIG mistake to compare yourself with others in general!!) In the meantime, something amazing happened to me, I would say, at the right time, cuz it was such a hard time in my life...or well, as I realised, it was hard because I wanted to look at it that way! I discovered the book "The Secret! by Rhonda Byrne, actually first I downloaded the audio book "the Power" and listened to it while trying to make my baby sleep... It IS a lifechanging book, I really recommend it to everyone!
This is how they look :) but you can also get the audio or ebook versions, whatever is best for you and your lifestyle!

I can't even tell how amazing these books are, and I have to partly thank Dulce Candy (http://www.youtube.com/user/dulcecandy87?ob=4) for the fact that I got to find them, because she inspired me to look for books about self growth and positive thinking. I think she even mentioned The Power and the Magic (the latest book by Rhonda Byrne, that I didn't get to read yet but is in my tab-phone already!) And to my friend Stefania that had sent me the link to the movie The Secret ages ago, and I never had time to watch, untill the link expired! LOL But I got it stuck in my head, so, when I heared about it again, it sure rang a bell!

What I read there changed my whole perspective on life and I am so grateful and happy for that!

So... because I am giving it a new GO to my blog and probably to my YT channel as well (as soon as possible) I am adding an OOTD pic!

On the banks of the Rhine, out for a walk with my hubby and son, wearin my C&A "Yessica" leather jacket, Pimkie studded cross body brown hobo bag, Zara jeans, Deichmann clogs, H&M wool striped sweater, Ray Ban sunnies, and C&A leopard print scarf.

Love yourself!

oxox

Roxana

OOTD - spring time (quite cold still, tho..)

2012-03-06T02:00:00.000-08:00

I am so happy that spring is here and I can actually wear nicer clothes, and not have to just bundle up in ugly dawn jackets and UGG boots... now don't get me wrong, I love my UGG"s but they are not so cute, everyone can agree on that, I guess :)))
Here is what I wore yesterday. I took the pics inside to make sure I get some pics taken, cuz outside it's always a rush, hubby not patient, baby not patient, my clothes not always in place because of that... pics usually getting me in weird poses... So there. I made sure I get some decent pics taken (even if the light was not very good in my bedroom):

And to prove what I was just telling you, here is an outside pic, too! With the unpatient baby! you can see on his face how "happy" he was that his mommy wanted to take pics of her outfit, lol. He must think that I am so silly!

Leather jacket : from Bon Ton, a leather gear shop in Romania (I love the quality!)
Pants: Black coated stretch jeggings from H & M
Boots: C & A
Beige wool sweater: Zara man (it was my hubby's but it shrinked when washed so I took it. I love it!)
Leopard print fake fur/velvet (or plush?? I dont know how to describe it, is sooo soft and nice) infinity scarf from C & A
Ray Ban shades
Louis Vuitton tote

Keep smiling!
oxoxo
Roxana