Carmen Bota

Let me begin by saying how much I love e.l.f products. I was although a little skeptical in trying their face products, knowing that my skin is so sensitive and moody. I haven't use a face powder in like....two years. And the last one I tried was actually rice powder. However, one day my work colleague asked me for a recommendation regarding a face powder. I heard to many good things about this particulaly product that I recommended her to try it out based on the reviews from the internet. She loved it, I ordered it and love it too. I bought it in shade Corrective Yellow, to make my redness dissapear. Let me say that I've been using this for about 3-4 weeks and I have not broken out until now so I guess this has some non-comedogenic properties.

It does it's job perfectly. I have combination skin, and my T zone usually gets very oily throughout the day. The powder keeps my oiliness away for at least 7-8 hours, after that my T zone gets a little oily but nothing serious. It also gives a smooth and flawless finish that looks incredible good in photos. You can see me wearing it here. Also, the package is very classy, not messy at all, comes with a fluffy and soft velour puff that makes application so easy!

All in all, I like this powder and I think it's a great product if you are looking for something affordable that can minimize skin redness and keep your face fresh looking & matte. I would also suggest that you don't put on too much powder, as you can easily look 'sick'. A little goes a long way.

Have you tried this product?

Now this is my kind of an everyday makeup! I've been wearing this for the past few weeks, changing the eyeshadows from matte to shimmery from now and then. This is the makeup I wore yesterday actually, when I was in a hurry to go to work&everything. The colors I love for an everyday makeup look are, of course, the nude ones, with a hint or black on the crease or dark brown to accentuate my eyes. My go to makeup look has received some compliments lately, especially since I haven't put real make-up on my eyes for months, haha!

Here's how I do this make-up:

1. I don't use foundation. I applied Maybelline Fit Me concealer in shade 10 to conceal my under eye circles, followed by e.l.f HD Powder in Yellow. For the bronzer I used e.l.f Matte Bronzer, followed by L'Oreal Blush in  True Rose.

2. I primed my eyes with e.l.f eyeshadow primer, applied a puff of powder and then applied Maybelline Color Tattoo in Rose Gold.

3. Eyeshadow is from Sleek Storm Palette (in the crease) and Eye of Horus 'Isis Sun Goddess' palette. I applied the eyeliner (Essence Ink Waterproof Eyeliner) and the mascara (Max Factor 24h Bold Volume).

4. For the eyebrows I used the darkest brown from the e.l.f. Brownstone mini palette.

5. Last but not least, Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Eyeliner in Nude on my waterline.

This summer is insanely hot and while I'm not getting any tanned, I might as well buy myself some bronzers and some more lipsticks to get on the right track. I like the fact that summer allows us to go a little crazy and wear some fancy colors on the lids&on the lips. If you follow me on Instagram, you've already seen my everyday makeup and my favourite lipstick colors. The red ones, definitely! I always loved how the sun and the red lipstick looked on me, a thing I can't really say I do in the winters when my pale skin is just too...pale. These are my lipsticks essentials for the summer, I hope you'll see this as an inspiration and why not, show me your essentials.

I guess every girl here has a dream bedroom and I'm no different. Having a bedroom as close to my dreams as it can get is something I've been trying to do for some years. Why even bother so much, will some ask. Well, when I'm tired or upset, home is where I can regain my strength and having a peaceful place of my own is the perfect place for this. My dream bedroom is a bright place, full of decorating objects, candles, flowers, paintings or photographs. The walls are painted white and the dominant colors are mostly pastels. The bed of my dreams has lots of pillows on in, colorful ones and some with messages on them. I would like a bedside table, with a lamp on it, probably one from this post. These pictures are definitely a good source of inspiration I hope you'll like them as much as I do.

Let me know what's your dream bedroom like!

This is my top favourite activity for when I want to relax before going to sleep. I've found some good tv series that I watch whenever there's a new episode uploaded. Not only I get caught in the story and forget about my own problems or worries, but I also relax so much that I almost fall asleep. The darkness in my room and their voices create the perfect background for a good night sleep. Choose anything you like and just press the play button.

A great option is to light up some candles in your room and listen to some good, relaxing music. You can choose anything you like, but I suggest that you skip the rock part as it will only make you more awake instead of sleepy, haha. Turn the volume down and relax.

I know that this thing with the skincare routine is not something I usually do, but I did manage to use, for the past few months, the same products and methods to keep my skin beautiful and clean. For the past two years I have been on a constantly fight with searching the products to help me keep under control my super sensitive and moody skin. I had some really bad breakouts that have haunted me for months and learnt how to take care of my skin. I won't say that it was easy, but I guess the key is to don't give up, right?

My favourite for years has been the Effaclar cleansing gel from la Roche Posay. I like the fact that it's gentle with my skin, removes the other products very easy and seems to keep under control my breakouts. The face cream from the same range was not that effective, though.

I've been using the apricot oil for the past few months to remove my face makeup. I apply it on my face with both hands, massage it in and then use a towel and some warm water to remove the oil and the makeup altogether. After that I use my LRP cleansing gel and my Olay Pro X face brush to clean everything out. I like this method because it's very gentle with my skin and I get to massage my face everyday which is good at keeping wrinkles at bay.

Two years ago I discovered Avene Cleanance K cream, which is more of and exfoliating cream. Since then, I've been repurchasing this constantly. I apply it on clean skin, on my breakouts to be specifically, let is sink in for 5-10 min and the apply my Brevoxyl cream. In the morning, my pimples are gone or almost gone. Definitely the perfect combination for my skin.

I spoke about this a few posts ago here. What you see in the green bottle is actually my vitamin C toner/serum, more like a toner consistency. I still use this everyday, twice a day on clean skin and still love the results.

Olay Pro X Age Repair Lotion with SPF 30 (long name!) has been on my side for more than two months now. I love the fact that is so mosturizing, has SPF 30 and it doesn't break me out. I've had, for the past few years, a very good experience with Olay products and I will stick with them until I find anything as better or even better than their products.

This routine has allowed me to go out everyday without even feeling the need to apply foundation and I can honestly say that these products are the combination that fits my needs 100%. My face is clean now, hydrated and I don't have to wear a lot of makeup which is perfect to me. When you're having trouble with your skin it's very important to take everything step by step and stick with what is good and effective on you.

With beauty bloggers it's no wonder that every season has to come up with a new beauty wishlist, right? As summer goes on and the weather is too perfect for a summer, all sunny and hot, I find myself boiling over the day in my office downtown. Of course I had to make a wishlist for what's left of these sunny months and put together a plan to actually get these products, haha. This time I won't be talking about haircare or skincare products, no, I'm good for now at both chapters. But recently I found myself in that ugly position where I realized (of course) that I don't have enough beauty products. Check out my list and tell me about yours.

I don't even know where to start with this one. I've heard so many things about this bronzer, that I just feel the urge to try it. It's not that I don't love anymore my elf Matte Bronzer, but it's in beauty bloggers nature to always want to try new products, right? I think my pale skin would really 'Benefit' from this product and from what I've seen on the internet, this looks like the perfect bronzer for skin tones like mine. 

I think the shade I want is called Painterly. I tried their Paint Pots the other week and I was shamazed by their staying power. I got out from the shop all painted on my hands and tried to remove the product with a tissue. Nothing, I'm telling you, I wouldn't get off. Since now I'm wearing makeup everyday I think this product will help me a lot.

This is my biggest wish, let me tell you why. It's longlasting, it's the blackest black I've ever seen and it dries up completely matte. For girls who wear eyeliner everyday, a matte eyeliner is a must. I still love very much my Essence Ink Waterproof eyeliner, but I'd love to try out this one. For some reason, I can't find in my town.

Although I'm a makeup artist with a diploma, I only own two eyeshadow palettes, one from Coastal Scents and one from elf. I have many trios and single eyeshadows, but I don't have a neutrals palette which I'd use on a everyday basis. Looking for one on the internet, I came across this one from BH Cosmetics. The colors seem to be pigmented and has only good reviews.

What's on your summer wishlist?

♥

During the past few years I was obsessed with my hair, since I discovered the hair dye and wanted to try pretty much every color out there. You can just imagine the pain I put my hair through when I decided I wanted it blonde instead of brunette and how things turned out from that moment on. My big obsession though was having a long hair which finally led me to buying some hair extensions just to make me feel better. But that was not how I wanted things to go. A few months ago I decided the best thing in years: to grow my hair out and never dye it again. Going back to my natural colour is kind of a challenge for me, because I hated it for years but I think that after all the colours I went through, my natural one is the one for me. As I was saying, I stopped dying my hair 4 months ago and at that moment seemed that my hair growth stopped too. My hair's length was reaching my waist and, to make the story scary, after taking that decision to never dye my hair again, I went to a hairdresser to cut my split ends and she just cut down my hair until it was past my shoulders. That was such a tragic moment! So I put together all the methods that have worked for me during my lifetime and began using them religiously. These methods have worked for me and gave me a few inches in only 4 months. Although I'm a huge pessimist and a very impatient girl, these methods do work.

Hair growth can be promoted from the inside by using some vitamins and minerals. Not only they will help with your immunity and your overall health, but they can stimulate hair growth and make your hair healthier. I think the best option here are the multivitamin tablets which I've been using for some time. Another option would be Forcapil hair supplements which is said to help your hair grow faster, but I can't really tell how effective they are since I only used them for a month. Also, fish oil supplements will help your hair growth process by speeding up the growth in hair follicles. I've been using these for a few months now. Don't forget to eat the right proteins too, such as eggs, chicken, turkey, beans, nuts, soy products.

Homemade hair masks. I can't praise enough these masks! I started using them on my journey to become a blonde and my hair become more manageable, shinnier, silkier. I love using olive oil hair masks on my hair, combined with other oils such as argan and castor oils. I apply them on my dry hair and leave them do their magic for about 2-3 hours before my normal wash. These oils will revive your hair like a cold shower in the morning and castor oil especially, will help your hair grow faster.

Head massage (scalp stimulation). This is the most relaxing part of the entire process, haha! You can do these massages yourself or do like I do, ask your boyfriend to do them for you! Anyway, these scalp massages increase the blood flow in the scalp which speeds up the growth process. You can do a full scalp massage with oils, for a few minutes a day, or you can masage your scalp while washing your hair in the shower.

Exercise and water. This is the perfect combination when it comes to hair growth. Exercise is the no 1 activity that boosts up this process by unclogging the hair follicles and increasing the blood flow. Moreover, this activity will benefit your entire body, not only your hair. Combine this with driking lots of water, not soda or anything, just water!

Relax more. By this I mean stress less. Stress is that enemy that causes hair loss and that will eventually slow down the hair growth process. I know this beause I've been there and I'm still suffering from hair loss, altough I not that stressed anymore. Clearly I couldn't force myself to be less stressed so I tried this method: doing what I like, when I like, in my own free time. 

Have you tried any of these methods for hair growth? Are you like me, struggling with your hair to grow longer or your hair just grows quickly?

Summer is the perfect time for weddings, right? Although I like going as a guest to these events, I find the dressing part kind of difficult every time I have to attend one. It can be a little tricky choosing the perfect outfit for the ceremony and for the later party as you really can't allow yourself to go wrong because, as always, 'everyone will be there'. I'm not that girl that searches for a dress for weeks, I'm more the kind that picks up the first dress that she likes! The hard part for me is always choosing the clutch so I guess weddings can really be something that engage the imagination and the creativity. Hopefully these outfits will be an inspiration especially if you are attending any weddings this summer.

This week made me realise just how badly I need a few days off. While outside is getting hotter, I feel more and more tired. The good thing is that my vacation is close and I can't wait to just sit around and relax! 

On monday it was mine and my mom's birthday and we had the most delicious cake in the universe! For our bithday, we like to bake a cake of our own, with pudding and cream! It's so delicious! And then, there was another sunset and I love taking pictures of them. On wednesday I received my first shirt from AliExpress which was such a pleasant surprise. I will talk about that in a separate post. And then yet another sunset! I literally ran out of the car and across the street to take this picture!

Since I loved my shirt so much, I just had to share how I felt wearing it. And then I had this huge surprise to receive my most wanted haircare products, as a late gift for my birthday! They are now part of my haircare routine and I like them so far. If you follow me on Instagram, you must already know how much I love my two Color Tattoo gel-cream eyeshadows so I posted my everyday makeup using them. On thursday I had a delicious icecream as a snack and forgot about the doctor's orders for a few moments. I am now kinda on a diet because I've been sick a few weeks ago and I'm still under treatment. Later that day, I searched like an insane person a pair of lace up sandals and finally found them on Zara on sale! That was kind of surprising!

This is how my week went and although I have some pretty bad days lately, I try to take the best of each day and think about the beautiful things in life.

How was your week?

I know, there are lots of reviews out there, but one more won't harm anyone, right? I will tell you my honest opinion about these two products, from the point of view of a girl that has super oily lids. 

It all began a few months ago, when I came across this blog. Let me begin by telling you that this girl, named Alex Raye, has the most gorgeous hair I've ever seen. And she uses this no poo method that has caused raves in the beauty blogosphere. When I came across her blog, I was devastaded by the condition of my hair. Although I haven't straightened it for months and let it air dry, my hair got to that moment where I honestly thought there was no solution for it. Seeing all the beautiful results of this method on so many blogs, I was blown away. I just has to try it, it was like what's the worst that can happen now? What was I aiming for, honestly? The WO (water only) method that sounded in my head like perfection. I could just imagine myself having the most beautiful hair and getting rid of the chemicals that haven't helped me in years.

A few words about my hair:  long, damaged from the middle to the ends, healthy on the upper side of my head.

I decided then to take a risk and try this method hoping that my hair will somehow revive and then go to that WO method. I was very optimistic at the beginning, something that motivated me to go on. I've been on the no poo method for more than a month but to me those weeks were like months. I was so focused to observe the results, to take pictures of my hair and I even managed to keep a hair journal in the first 2 weeks which will be summarised below. So I started washing my hair using only baking soda and water and then condition with apple cider vinegar and water. I must say, I have used this rinse of ACV a few years ago and really did like the results. Using this method, I managed to go 4 to 5 days between washings and no, my hair wasn't that oily as I expected. This is how my first 2 weeks went (from my hair journal):

Day 1 of washing: The hair felt a bit dirty when I touch it and didn't look that good. Looked kinda sticky.

Day 2,3 post wash: Hair looked much better, but did not smell that good. I've used dry shampoo on the roots.

Day 4 - second wash: I managed to detangle my hair so easily! Looked much healthier, had a certain glow...

The next few days my hair had it's moods, a day was looking good, curly and bouncy, the next was looking like I haven't taken care of it in years. I managed to use this method without getting depressed, because it's really hard to keep up with these opposite moods and go out in the world all smiling and happy. No. It was really hard to get through this transition period, because this was the transition! After a few weeks I noticed that my hair was getting on that straight line. I felt it smooth, I saw it and it was shiny like it was healthy! It's so dissapointing using all those expensive products with zero result and just imagine what I felt when I saw these results on my hair. I was amazed and told myself I've discovered the wheel, haha!

And then, one day, everything stopped. I just couldn't find the right balance between these two parts of my hair, the top and the buttom one. Either my hair got cleaned on the roots and dirty from the middle down, either the other way around. And then I told myself I won't give up since I saw those results, I wanted them to last. I tried to change the way I apply the 'baking soda shampoo' on my hair but nothing worked. I even watched tutorials on Youtube to see if I was doing it wrong. I've tried every possible way and nothing. And then, then I was really dissapointed.

I had to go back to using shampoos but I didn't want to use something with sulphates and silicones, right? That is the purpose of BS hair wash, to get rid of the chemicals and use a natural alternative. I bought myself a shampoo that I still use but instead of getting better everything got worse....I began losing so much hair that I got scared. I still lose a lot of hair, there are days when it's the normal amount and days when it's falling like the Niagara waterfall. Just kidding here.

The conclusion?

I am still not sure what went wrong and what I could have done differently. The thing is that now, when I am using regular shampoo, my hair is silkier and shining. But it still breaks easily, that's why I am using protein treatments once a week. Another thing that it's worth mentioning is that during these few weeks my hair got longer, so it did grow using this method.

This is how my journey went, unfortunately this was not a good experience for me and I will not repeat it. I will stick to my shampoos, deep conditioning masks and protein treatments, stay away from any source of heat and let it grow.

If you've had a similar experience and you want to share, please do that. I'm sure you'll help someone out there.

Hey girls,

Today I present you my July beauty favourites! I absolutely love these kind of posts when I see them on other blogs, so I think I'm gonna stick to it too. July was a crazy month and although many products have entered into my routine, these are my favourites.

Denman Natural Bristle Brush, Medium size
Deciding to buy a hair brush was quite a challenge, since I never used one. I'm not gonna say too many things right now because I want to do a separate post soon. It deserves one.

Sleek Storm Palette
I've used this palette almost every day for the past few weeks. The colors are pigmented, the texture is silky and they are easy to blend. A big plus goes to the fact that it has everyday wear colors and also some for the night.

L'Oreal blush in 115, True Rose
No offense, but I am not a really big fan of their products. They never suit my needs, but I really couldn't go wrong with a blush. And I didn't! This blush has a silky texture and a good pigmentation, so using it everyday is a pleasure. The shade is a pinky one, with slightly shimmer in it.

VIP night from Oriflame
One of my favourite perfumes of all time. I got it last year, on a bloggers meeting and instantly fell in love with it's scent. I'm not sure how to describe it, but it really does make me feel like a VIP, haha! Give it a try if you have a chance, you might like it.

Yves Rocher Jardins du Monde with Lotus Flower 
It's not a surprise that I am in love with their shower gels, since they are so incredible yummy! I picked this one because (of couse) the pink color and um, it smells delicious. Definitely I'm gonna stick to buying their shower gels from now on.

Dove Original deodorant
I don't know how I began to try their deodorants, but from the first use I became addicted and never bought another one. It has a nice perfume and it stays on your skin for hours, without smelling bad.

Hey girls!

It was about time to do this post, right? If you're following me on Instagram, you already know that for the past few weeks I 'collected' mostly makeup and nail art products. I won't lose any more time and get to the point. If you want to see my short reviews on these products, then just keep reading.

This is yet another goodie I had to have! Its color is more like a medium pink, with a hint of purple, and it's texture is, like all the lipsticks in this range, creamy and hydrating. I use to combine this with 'Mad for Magenta' to get the perfect colour for my skin tone. 

I'm not sure what these shades are called like...I was obsessed all summer with brigh nail polishes, so I really had to have a white one! And well, the gold one is something I've wanted for a quite while. They are both pigmented and last on my nails for about 4-5 days. What I like about them mostly is that they don't crack and are very cheap also.

I used to have a good relationship with their nail polishes, but this one is not my favourite at all. I don't like very much the shade and it also doesn't last on my nails longer that 3-4 days. It was supposed to be a minty color, but it's like a dark mint. Won't repurchase again.

This was the greatest surprise of the summer! I loved this shade from the moment I saw it  and I am pretty sure I'll be wearing it a lot. I never thought about their nail polishes as long lasting, but they really are that! I'm gonna buy some more shades, since they are so cheap&have such a nice quality.

I have been using this every day for the past few weeks and I'm very close to say that this is the best concealer for me. I like that it's pigmented, hydrating and buildable for greater coverage. Seems like Maybelline has really upgraded their product's quality and keep on progressing. If you want a concealer that it's cheap and has a nice quality, then you should definitely give this a try. 

I guess everyone knows what this product does! I looked for this insanely for the past few months since in my country it's so hard to get my hands on it. Finally, I had to order it online and I really like it. It's waterproof, it's nude and not white, which is perfect for the waterline. I used this almost every day for that 'awake' effect. 

Okay, I'm gonna be short on this one. I like that it's pigmented, it doesn't smudge, it basically stays there put for the whole day which is a big deal when outside it insanely hot and you have oily lids. What I don't like is that I can't create those beautiful, perfect, cat eyes. The tip of the brush is just too big to create a perfect line. Otherwise, it's a good product but I'm pretty sure I won't buy it again.

Since I'm on this eyelining thing I told myself, why don't get a little crazy and buy two eyeliners more?! I haven't really got a chance to see them performing, but I'll come back with a full review anyway.

Let me know if you've tried these products and what do you think about them! Share the love.

Hey, girls!

Guess what? My room deco is almost done but I still need to add a little detail on my bedside beauty! A lamp, I mean, not quite a detail but something necessary in order to complete my dream. So I was thinking to choose something cute, a little childish but still very stylish. Something to go with my room colour, which is mostly white and cream. I chose a few models from the internet just to share with you and maybe ask for an advice if you don't mind! Let's see the pictures now and let me know what you think.

images via Google and Pinterest

Let me know your favourites!