Preparing for the holidays: Glowing skin, shiny teeth and healthy body

I wanted to point out 3 products that I've been currently using as a good preparation for the festive season that is upon us! They are 3 products that would make you look a little bit more alive, glowing and bring out your most beautiful self in time for the parties and the festivities!

Castalia Chronoderm Vitamin C 10% serum

I think this is the best product to make your skin glow instantly. You either get a pack of 3 vitamin C phials or a pack of 14 phials (the 3 will last you for the holidays and that's what I got) and each one will last you 2-3 days. After that, you throw out the phial and you move on to the next one.

I can't say enough good things about vitamin C. Packed with antioxidants, it makes your skin brighter and creates a better texture. It diminishes your sun spots (hey, that's me!) and also makes your fine lines and wrinkles appear less striking.

I've been using this product for a few days now, I got a phial extra at an event I went to, so they would last me a total of 12 days. I have seen instant results from the first day of use and I think my skin looks even better every day and I'm so impressed. I decided to use up all the phials, because I know there would be some serious all nighters these days and I need to look less dead. Marvelous product.

You can find it in your local pharmacy (Greeks). For everybody else, check if Castalia retails in your local pharmacies/stores, I know in some countries does. Oh, and it costs 12,90 euro but you can find deals in online pharmacies here. Do your research! Today I found the 3 phials for 6,45 euro here and the pack of 14 phials for 23,75 euro here. Bargain much?



iWhite Teeth Whitening Kit

I don't know if I have mentioned it before on my blog, but I am a little bit OCD when it comes to my teeth. I don't smoke, I don't drink coffee or alcohol, so my teeth are whiter than everyone who does these things, but I take care of them as much as I possibly can to make them look great.

However for a long time I wanted to do some whitening session, but a) most dentists here do the whitening procedure using laser, which will make your teeth so sensitive and also they will get stained easier afterwards and b) it costs a freaking fortune, which I don't have (obviously).

So here comes iWhite. I got it in the hopes to see some mild whitening but holy molly! Ok, I already have white teeth, but this made my teeth even whiter from the first session.

You get a pack of 5 set of trays, so it will last you for 5 sessions. The instructions in the pack says that if you want to see the best results, use up all trays in consecutive days, so that would be 5 days in total. The trays are already filled with the whitening gel and you leave each set of trays for 20 minutes on your teeth, which was pretty easy to do. Aaaaand results!

I haven't used up all sets, because I saw results instantly and I don't really like the fake white effect. BUT! If you are a smoker, or a coffee drinker, or you have a natural yellow hue to your teeth, I would recommend to do all 5 sessions in 5 days. I didn't feel my teeth more sensitive after the use, so you don't have to be worried about that as well!

The best thing is the cost. Believe it or not, it costs less thatn 35 euro. You can find it in your local pharmacy (Greeks and probably the rest of the world). The cheapest I found the kit today was for 18.80 euro at an online pharmacy here but also ASOS sells the kits too for 34.25 euro here. Oh yes.


Pro Active Liquid Collagen

This is the product I am actually still hesitant about. It has been a few months that these drinking collagen thingies are a huge thing here in Greece and everyone and their mother has tried them. Well, my mother had actually tried it, but I hadn't until a few days ago.

This is a pretty simple product to use. You pour a cap in glass of water every day and you drink it. It promises better looking, skin, nails, hair and less problems with your joints. Generally, a healthier body.

It comes in a 500 ml bottle that would last you for approximately 25 days. I opted for the strawberry flavour (of course), but it also comes in a lemon flavour. It tastes ok, but I like to drink it in very cold water and I mix it in only half a glass.

As for the results, I have more energy these days, but I can't say my skin is looking better because of this product. My hair however, doesn't shed that much while I've been drinking it, so I guess it's the works of the collagen.

This is a very pricy product. In my local pharmacy it costs 50 euro, but again, you can find deals in online ones such as this one for 40 euro. I would say though that I believe it works better if you are in your 30s-40s-50s. While I am still 25, I didn't see so many results, but my mom who is in her 50s has seen significant ones.

My skincare routine

I know, I know. I was talking about doing this post for so long, months and months even. But I guess I wanted to actually talk about these products instead of writing down everything.

Also, I wanted to say that I get to try out new products and some get incorporated to my routine very often, so some of the products I show may change after a while, but I've stuck to them for quite some time now, so I thought they were worth mentioning.

As for your recommendations: I need a GOOD eye cream in my life. And for good, I mean the best. And not just a moisturising one that will be quite ok. And please don't tell me all about the Kiehl's avocado one, because I've tried it and it falls under that category. I need something extra extra nice for under eye circles, moisture, fine lines... pretty much what every eye cream I've tried promises, but doesn't do. I'm going to talk about where I stand in eye creams soon, but no eye cream has rocked my socks off yet.

What's on my face

I guess I've been wearing the same stuff over and over these days, so I had to share!

Seventeen X-Traordinaire mascara

A brand that I love and it's Greek! This mascara makes my lashes longer and adds volume, BUT it doesn't seem to work well on it's own on my eyelashes, so I pair it with..

Beauty Line Cosmeticks Ultra Volume Black mascara

I've had this mascara for a bit and I didn't bother to try it out. Boy was I wrong. I was out with friends and one of the girls had the longest, most feathery lashes I had ever seen. I had to ask. And she was wearing this mascara, the one I snobbed! Well, it's just fantastic and I feel I've found a great match.

Seventeen Natural Matte Silky Blush in Pale Rose

Again, Seventeen. This brand makes awesome products after all. I wanna buy all the stuff! The blush looks so great and I think it would compliment every skintone and it's easily wearable for every day. It seems I have a soft spot for pink blushes, no?

Kiko eyeshadow in 124

This was a gift along with some other Kiko stuff, and I have to say, I want Kiko to be sold in Greece! Lovely colour, it looks like a cooler shade of my fave Satin Taupe, but even more gorgeous blended on the bottom lashline.

Wet n Wild Sugar Plum Fairy lipstick (link!)

Can I just say I resisted buying Rebel all last year but this fall I was all over that shade? However, one fine day before going to MAC, I thought I'd ordered some Wet n Wild (obviously it's the exact dupe), because a) way cheaper b) hadn't tried any lipstick from them. It did not dissapoint. I can't even. I need more.

Catrice Photofinish 18h Liquid foundation

Ok, yesterday around this time, I squealed from utter joy and happiness. Catrice finally, FINALLY is sold in Greece in Hondos Centers and that means now, I can buy this foundation without having to travel hundreds of miles. I'm telling you, if you want a foundation that doesn't look cakey but rather flawless, is dirt cheap (6,5 euro) and it's almost full coverage but you don't feel it on your skin like a freaking mask, buy this one. 

MAC All That Glitters eyeshadow

I did a B2M some time ago and they just stopped giving lipsticks. Isn't that the dumbest idea ever? However, I got All That Glitters and it's an ok one for every day and I've been wearing it lots and lots. But seriously, if you own the Nakeds/Sleeks, don't bother. And I'm adding, I N G L O T.

Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner in Esspresso Ink

One of the best dark brown gels, that looks gorgeous and not too harsh as a black would. I'm trying to use it up to buy some Inglot (yes a haul is coming)

Collection Lasting Perfection concealer

No words. My favourite, you know it.

Urban Decay Vice 2 palette giveaway!

I am giving away the luxurious and sophisticated Vice 2 Palette from Urban Decay a $59 value. Enjoy:

Description:
Experiment with insanely cool brights, not-your-average neutrals, and sexy hits of smoke, all in our decadent, revamped formula. In case you weren’t around for the frenzy of the original Vice Palette, here’s the deal: yes, Vice 2 is limited edition and it WILL sell out. (With 20 EXCLUSIVE shades you won’t find anywhere else, what would you expect!?)

What you get:
Smokeout (dark taupey-black satin), Lovesick (black matte w/iridescent micro-glitter), Shellshock (bright metallic silver), Coax (medium metallic pink w/golden iridescent micro-sparkle), X-Rated (baby pink satin), Prank (deep navy matte w/turquoise floating pearl), Madness (bright metallic blue shimmer w/blue micro-glitter), Strike (antique gold shimmer w/silver micro-glitter), Stash (deep olive green shimmer w/iridescent micro-sparkle), Poison (charcoal satin w/iridescent micro-sparkle), Radar (metallic brown shimmer w/iridescent micro-glitter), Damaged (bright metallic emerald shimmer), Voodoo (metallic purple shimmer w/iridescent purple micro-glitter), Betrayal (bright purple satin w/blue shift), Derailed (medium metallic taupey-brown shimmer), Dope (warm champagne satin), Toxic (metallic copper-pink shimmer w/tonal micro-glitter), Habit (light nude matte), Ambush (metallic brown satin) and Rewind (medium brown matte).

Fill Weight: 20 x 0.8 g NET WT. 20 x 0.03 oz

Available for both USA and International Entrants

a Rafflecopter giveaway

November favourites

I know I didn't do any outfit posts, but hey, it's freaking freezing out and I'm still recovering from that hideous cold. Promise, I'll do some this week.

But it's that time of the month again, so I uploaded a little video with all my favourites. Shockingly, they were not a lot and that goes to show that I used the same stuff over and over. Hope you like it!

Also don't forget to enter my Oasap.com giveaway and my Joy giveaway!