MY SKINCARE ROUTINE 2015

My skincare routine is something I’ve been trying to get right for a long time. I have very strange skin, so it’s hard to know what products to use. But I finally think that I can say that the products I use at the moment are perfect.

To start off with I should probably tell you about my skin. My skin is quite oily, even though I was blessed with quite clear skin, but around my nose area my skin often peels. These are two completely different skin types, so two different types of products as well, but I finally feel like I can say that Kiko came to the rescue.

Kiko has always been one of my favourite brands of makeup, and I never even thought of trying their skincare section. But last month, as I was in the store buying much too many things, I came across the skincare stand, and decided to pick up some products to try out.

To start off with, even if it’s the morning and my face has no makeup on it, I use the Cleansing Eyes(Kiko) with a cotton pad, to make sure my eye have no mascara left on from the previous night.

 Then I use the Cleansing Milk & Tone(Kiko) to remove any foundation or cream. 

 And to finish off the first part of the routine I use the Purifying Pads(Kiko).

I love the feeling of clean skin soon after I wake up, and it’s a great way to brighten your face up straight away.

After having made sure that my face is nice and clean, I apply my Energy Mask(Kiko), that is a detoxifying black mask that cleanses the face nicely from pollution and impurities. After 15 minutes or so I remove it using warm water and a towel.

After that comes the last part: the Cleansing Scrub(Kiko). I apply this, on wet skin, using circular motions with my hands and apply it evenly and then use warm water to take everything off.

At the end of all of these steps my skin feels nice and smooth, and I can see a big difference from before I started.

What’s your skincare routine?

Love, Sara xx

BENEFIT-GIMME BROW REVIEW

Brows are obviously an important feature of your face, so having them on pointe is something I strive for. Recently I was introduced to Gimme Brow by Benefit.

It is a mascara for you lashes that keeps them in place even during a busy and hectic day and fills in any gaps you may or may not have.

 I find that, having blonde hair, the light/medium is the perfect colour. In some lights I think that it may just be a little bit too dark, but all in all it’s the lightest colour they have and in most lightings it looks fantastic.

 The brush is really small, making it super easy to apply the product.

Even though Benefit can be more on the expensive side, all their products are most definitely worth it, including Gimme Brow.

If you ever have the chance to pick one up, definitely do, as it is a life saver and I don’t know how I used to live without it.

You can buy it here.

What do you use on your eyebrows?

 Love, Sara xx

CATERING FOR A DINNER PARTY #30

This year my parents both turned 50. So to celebrate their birthdays we organized two parties. Chiara, a friend of mine, and I, decided to cater for both. The first one was at the end of June, in Italy, with about 100 people. The second one, on the other hand, was more of a dinner party for about 20 people, and in the Uk. We started deciding the dishes one week in advance, and went shopping on the Thursday before the party. On Friday we cooked nearly everything, and I was really proud of the results.

This was the menu for the evening:

Vegetables and dips(hummus and olive and caper dip)

Peanuts

Vegetable crisps

Olives

Zucchini with Philadelphia and salmon

Parmesan and garlic breadsticks

Asparagus risotto in parmesan nests

Gammon

Potato salad

Bean salad

Tomato and mozzarella salad

Vitello tonnato

Various cheeses

Meringues

Strawberries, Raspberries, Blueberries

Lemon mousse

Chocolate cheesecake

Raspberry cheesecake

Tiramisu

It was an amazing turnout, and the food was absolutely delicious, if I do say so myself. I’m really proud of me and Chiara, as we managed to make all of this and serve everything, even if lots of it had to be done at the last minute!

If you’re interested in any of the recipes, just let me know down below and I’ll write some food blog posts soon.

Love ya, Sara xx
  

SUMMER VIBES:DAISY DREAM AND YSL LIPSTICKS

English weather is extremely unpredictable, and even though this year summer is very hot and sunny, most years the heat takes a long time to get here, or never really arrives. Sometimes we need a breath of fresh, summery air even when it’s raining outside and you’re wearing a heavy Zara jumper(always been my absolute favourites). I’ve found that one of the only ways to feel like summer is actually here, is perfume. Now, I don’t know about you, but finding the perfect summer perfume is quite a task for me. I wanted a fresh, flowery scent, that somehow makes me feel happy and radiant.

I finally found IT when I smelt Daisy Dream by Marc Jacobs the first time. Everyone talked about it last year, and it was the latest ‘everyone needs to try it’ product, but I wasn’t really one to fuss about perfumes back then. Now it’s my absolute favourite, and it just completes a summer day with it’s light and very flowery scent. It’s one of those perfumes that just makes you feel pretty even on a ‘ugh day’, and I couldn’t be happier about it.

But, the secret to feeling summery is not only perfume, but also lipsticks. Lipstick is the perfect way to brighten up your face on a very dull day, and I feel like the Rouge Couture collection by Yves Saint Laurent is exactly what you’ve been looking for.

The two shades that I picked out look like ‘summer at it’s best’ for me, and I love adding a splash of colour to my makeup look in this period of the year.

 PINK RHAPSODY is a vibrant pink, very fresh and bright, that never fails to impress. 

CORAIL POETIQUE on the other hand, is a light coral colour, that I absolutely adore. It’s simple and sophisticated and just has a ‘I’m pretty now’ feel to it. All the lipsticks in the collection are a mix between a matte finish and a dewy finish, leaving your lips exactly like they are normally, so as an effect, making you feel like you have nothing on your lips.

Summer is my favourite period of the year, and I love anything summery really, so these three products are perfect for me and any other summer lovers out there.

What are your favourite summer products?

Love, Sara xx

KIKO-AFTER SUN HAIR REPAIR SERUM REVIEW

 

A few years ago, i think about two or three, I died my hair with red henna, and since then it’s always looked quite ruined at the ends, and it’s often dry. I thought my only solution was to cut off the split ends every two or three months, but I have recently found an amazing product for damaged hair.

It’s the Kiko After Sun Hair Repair Serum. As the name implies, it helps to repair, or prevent, hair from getting damaged by the sun, but also water and the wind.

I use it every time I have a shower, as soon as I get out, applying it evenly on my whole scalp and then along all the length of my hair, focusing on the damaged parts that look ruined or that are very fragile.

It’s really easy to apply and it has an amazing scent, perfect for summer. It was quite cheap, and Kiko is amazing value for money, so I really recommend popping in to a shop, or just browsing on their website, to see if you find something.

This is one of the best products I have ever tried on my hair, and I’m very happy with the results.

You can buy it here

Love, Sara xx