UK readers: Nails Inc Polishes with this month's In Style

Oh! Joy! I was immediately drawn to this month's In Style when I saw it from a distance cause it features one of my major girlcrushes, Eva Green, and then I noticed that there was also a free nails inc. polish! I must say, those are not really my kind of colours, I picked the purple one as I liked it the most and I don't have one that light, but the other two I wasn't keen on.
The colours are:

• InStyle Bluebelle, a light periwinkle purple (the one I got)
• InStyle Peach Sorbet, a light peach
• InStyle Powerpink, a warm mauve pink

via

Here are some of the pictures from the magazine, just cause she's gorgeous. By the way, her make up is by Lisa Eldridge! Click here to watch a behind the scenes video.

         

L'Odyssée de Cartier

A stunning video to celebrate House Cartier's 165 years. Bruno Aveillan, who directed this little marvel, created a beautiful story in this clip and what is more iconic and appropriate than the panther to tell the story of Cartier.

I particularly love that moment where the panther enters the room decorated with the Tutti Frutti jewels. I also like the choice of model they made; Shalom Harlow is so beautiful. The dress was designed by Yiqing Yin.

Edit: A link where you can learn more about the motifs and jewels displayed in this video as well as why the Cartier panther is visiting the places he's visiting and how they relate to the history of Cartier.

It's so weird that I found this clip today. On Monday I dreamt I was meeting a friend in Place Vendôme right next to where Cartier's is. It's funny the things we remember about places. What I remember more intensely about Cartier's is the window grills; they had the same beautiful design as the ones on the main entrance of the Grand Trianon Palace at Versailles. It was the moment where I realised that Paris is full of the same motifs and decorations as Versailles, only they are more sparsely spread. I think I left a piece of my heart in Paris. 

Dear Shu Uemura why?

When I saw the latest Color Atelier version of the Shu Uemura eyeshadows and blushers which has been out roughly since November in the UK I couldn't help noticing that they were smaller than the older ones. Yesterday I found one of the cases form the pre-2005 eyeshadows and noticed that those were even larger. Up till 2005[pre-L'Oreal era] we were getting 2.8gr (0.9oz.), from 2005-2011 we were getting 2.1gr(0.7oz) [3/4 of the previous version]and now we are getting 1.4gr(0.49oz); we are getting exactly half the product we used to get till 2005. Moreover, now you have to get a 'single' palette even for one eyeshadow. I really don't like being pushed to buy something when it used to be included in the price.

And of course there is the issue I mentioned in a previous post, about the cosmetics being made in Korea now instead of Japan.

The blushers'quantity hasn't changed as dramatically. I don't have any of the pre-2005 era ones so I don't really know how much blusher was in the pan but between 2005 and 2011 we were getting 5gr and now we are getting 4gr. My issues with the new Color Atelier Glow On Blushers is that they have changed the codes! They all used to have a three digit number which was informative as to what the colour characteristics were. Well, that's gone now! They've replaced it with a different two-digit number which means that either I'll have to visit the store with the list that they have made available (highly unlikely) or just get whatever I like when I see it. Having learned from experience, I am attracted to the same sort of colours and buying the same colour from the same brand just because they changed the code will annoy me to no ends. I guess I won't be buying any more of them until I need to, which won't be any time soon since they last forever! 

For my Greek Speaking Readers!

Αποφάσισα να ανοίξω ένα νέο blog που θα λειτουργεί σαν το ελληνικό παράρτημα του elyssianbeauty και όπου θα παραθέτω κάποιες από τις αναρτήσεις αυτού του blog στα ελληνικά. Ο κυρίως όγκος των αναρτήσεων μου θα εξακολουθήσει να γίνεται εδώ, απλά εκεί θα ανεβάζω θέματα που έχουν  οδηγίες και μεγάλα κείμενα, καθώς και όποιες αναρτήσεις μου έχετε ζητήσει στα ελληνικά. Όπως πάντα, μην διστάσετε να μου ζητήσετε κάτι που μπορεί να θέλετε να δείτε εδώ, ακόμα και αν δεν έχω αναρτήσει κάτι σχετικό ακόμα. Το blog είναι ακόμα στις αρχές του και εξελίσσεται! Το link του ελληνικού blog είναι:

elyssian.blogspot.com

Let's go ladies!

Things to Avoid on Evilbay: Nail Art Pens and Pump Dispensers

I do a lot of my polish shopping online and a few times I've given in to buying the ridiculously cheap stuff on ebay to try them out. I think these two have been my greatest disappointments that I can remember and I would strongly discourage anybody from buying them. They are a total waste of money. Both usually have to be sent from Hong Kong/China, but recently I have seen sellers base in the UK, USA and Germany sell them. 

Nail Art Pens

Honestly, they are the most f o u l smelling things you could ever get. I seriously doubt they are safe for your health and -no surprizes there- there is no list of ingredients to check. When I say foul, I don't just mean non 3-free nail polish smell. I mean the smelliest gas pump mixed with industrial strength glue with a bit of exhaust allure. I couldn't even stay in the room when I opened one for the first time, I could feel whatever I inhaled when I opened it for quite a few minutes after. I considere my health far too precious and I am not an asphyxiation enthousiast so I thew them away and -frankly- I feel a bit guilty for having thus poluted the earth. 

Their quantity (they come in lotsof 12/24/60) and their cheap price might make you think that they are a bargain, but they are most definitely not. Your health is far more precious than cheap polish. 

Pump Nail Polish Remover Dispensers

They don't work. Not much to add there, really. I got two and neither worked. On one the pump wasn't working and on the other the remover was ending up anywhere but where it should be. The lids didn't sit properly on the bottle, too, which meant that it all evaporated pretty quickly. A major fail. I will just have to look around Sally's next time for something better.

I hope you've learned from my mistakes! Buy some glitter, throw it around and pretend you are dancing with  Jareth instead! 

Absolute beginner

In the spur of the moment I decided to start this blog to post pictures of the designs and colour combinations I do on my nails and make up, a kind of archive and a reason to take better care of my face & nails. Macro pictures are unforgiving to dry skin and cuticles. 

I am not a professional beautician. I am an absolute beginner. 

Μιλάω και ελληνικά, οπότε γράψτε μου ότι θέλετε και ότι απορίες μπορεί να έχετε και θα σας απαντήσω στα ελληνικά! 

Μπορείτε να παρακολουθήσετε και την ελληνική βερσιόν του blog αυτού στο elyssian.blogspot.com