I think I have jinxed my YouTube channel ever since I saw I have
50 subscribers!!!
First of all, yesterday, while trying to upload my October
favourites, I deleted my September favourites video! I just pressed “remove
from YouTube” thinking I was removing the unedited version! But alas, it was
the actual video which had, well…. XX views…
Anywho, I managed to upload it again. Then today I was
watching my October video in the morning and I noticed that it had one Dislike.
WTH? I just uploaded the damn thing… I then pressed ‘Like’ accidentally and the
‘Dislike’ disappeared (I didn’t know you can do that!)
So, yes it appears that I had pressed the ‘Dislike’ button
myself. On my own video. And without realising it.And I haven’t dyed my hair blonde yet! (no
offense to blonde ladies ;))
Well, after all this palaver here are the October
favourites. This video was filmed during the storm in the UK, when I was unable
to travel to work. So, what better way to pass the time than to film my
favourites!I hope you enjoy it and I suggest
you stay until the end, as, for the very first time I include a gag reel,
a.k.a. bloopers!
Products mentioned on the video:
L'Oreal Paris Hair Expertise EverPure Colour Care & Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner
Do you remember Rachel and Ross in Friends who greeted each other like this after they got hitched in Vegas? Well, I decided that this will be my trademark greeting from now on! *stomps foot decisevely*
These are my September favourites, with a video to follow :)
Please note that the most of the links below are for UK sites. Sorry to my overseas friends, but I'm sure that you can find results for your country as well and I have the odd USA-based site as well...
I don't know what it is about nude/grey/beige or "greige" and dusty colours but they are becoming firm favourites in my collection, especially during autumn (or fall if you come from across the pond).
Over the years I have been collecting some very beautiful nail polishes in these colours and I decided to show them to you, since it is September and almost officially autumn... Everybody start singing with me, "The falling leaaaaaaaves....!"
So if you are looking for some suggestions, of what colours and nail polishes to get for your autumn nails, here are mine, followed by the video I shot.
I start by applying my Butter London Nail Foundation, so that my nails are smooth and the colour is vibrant and doesn't stain my nails.
And here are the nail polish colours in the video:
I haven't doen a haul since the Flormar one in Istanbul, back in September 2012.
The past couple of months I have been trawling the beauty shops, beauty counters and drugstores and doing a bit of retail therapy, as it was mostly needed!!!
That's why I decided to gather all (well most, lol) of the things I bought in November-December 12 and a few bits this month and show them to you, as I know everybody loves a good haul.
Since it opened in 2008, I have been to Westfield in Shepherd's Bush many times, but usually I am with other people so I had never had the opportunity to explore the hidden treasures of its dozens of beauty shops!
Thanks to ThePersianBabe and her Winterlicious video, I set sail for Colourcopia and its vast collection of OPI nail polishes - with a bit of saliva hanging from my lower lip, only with the thought!
I had already had a look at the floor map online, to locate said haven, so when I arrived at Westfield at approx. 5 pm this afternoon, my feet felt like they had grown wings, or rollers, as in a matter of minutes I was on the First floor and in front of my destination. Such is my addiction to anything beauty!
Entering Colourcopia I was dazzled by the 100's of OPI nail polishes, including the current German collection. Colours, beautiful and tempting colours everywhere! One of the ladies working there approached me politely, to indicate the new arrivals and, for my immense delight, the items on sale: Nicole by OPI nail laquers for £5 each - Gulp! And...YAYYY!!!
After a lot of browsing around and checking many of the colours (I must have spent a good 15 minutes picking up bottles and checking the palettes for each one and I would have stayed more, but I was embarassed...!) I decided to get these 3 stunning colours:
Kardashian Collection - Hard-Kourt Fashionista - A dark burgundy-black colour, perfect for winter
Another from the Kardashian Collection - My Empire - My Rules - A beautiful taupe colour.
And last but not least, You're An Angel - My spring/summer 2013 colour!
I admire my self-control not to buy each and every single one of them! A definite revisit is imminent next month! I have now tried all three of them and I can tell you, the formula is amazing: rich, thick and dries quite quickly.
The dark burgundy one is the colour I've been looking for - although I have a few dark red ones, this one is the darkest of them all.
I love the taupe one, as it can be perfect with just one coat.
The Angel one might need two or even three coats, but it's stunning! Can't wait to wear it in the spring! Or even sooner.
After I walked out of the Store, my tummy made a protest, so I headed to Pho for some spicy chicken noodle soup! With chopsticks in one hand and the Westfield guide on the other, I searched for my next destination - and then my chopsticks fell from my hands, because I have found an old love of mine: Inglot!
Inglot used to have a shop in the Glades, in Bromley. Many years ago I bought two nail polishes and two lipsticks, which still remain in my makeup collection. The nail polishes are in p e r f e c t condition! Like I bought them yesterday. No separation or fading of the colour. After a year or so Inglot closed in Bromley and I had no idea where to find that amazing brand again except for online. So today, my old love welcomed me back with a gorgeous store on the Ground floor!
I walked inside and I headed to the blushers counter and fell in love with two colours: a vibrant pink and an intense peach. However, I opted out of buying anything, but I took a leaflet for the Freedom System, which lets you make your own palettes. Their brushes are also lovely. Another imminent visit for next month!
Afterwars I went into The Make Up Store, and I was pleasantly surprised, as I didn't know this brand.
A lady with fuschia hair offered to help me, but I only had a look and I was very pleased with what I saw. Lovely things...
I also visited my beloved Kiko, which always has lots of bargains, and I had to restrain myself not to start filling a basket... Oh, why am I not a millionnaire?
Before leaving I went into Debenhams and had a look around Urban Decay and Bare Minerals and I was surprised to see that the place was deserted. It was after 8 pm, but the place was still open (Westfield closes at 10 pm) with not a soul around, not one Sales Associate, not one customer. I had a look at the aforementioned counters, making mental notes to come back and try the Nude Basics UD palette and the BM Finer Things palette.
One jump to Boots, to drool over Too Faced and Benefit counters and I was out the door at 9 pm...
This Aladdin's cave called Westfield has even more beauty shops, which need more exploring - so perhaps another time I can have another fun afternoon. And I assure you, you'll be the first to know!
Well, I've done it!
I am now "branded" as "Charmed by Makeup" and I have today officially launched my Facebook page, where my good friends have already started liking! :D I am soooo excited!
The name and address of this blog have of course changed. No more The OWM Chronicles, which was difficult to remember. This blog is Charmed by Makeup and proud of it!!
How I chose the name? It wasn't too difficult, as on Twitter I was Charmedmz, because of my favourite TV show, which I will never stop loving and watching (currently on re-runs on E4 every morning at 9 am).
The second part, "Makeup" is of course obvious, plus it is an homage to my favourite beauty guru, SWalkerMakeup. Sara, you're such an inspiration!
I also managed to change my YouTube channel name to Charmed by Makeup, however my username will remain marzer58, as Google would not let me change it :((( Come on, guys!
My aim is one video at least per week, probably every Sunday and if I have more time, to upload another one on my days off in the middle of the week, which can be anything, from product of the week, a haul, news, advice.... the prospects are endless!!!
All my new social links are on the right, so make sure you come by and hang out with me :)
I feel so ashamed that I haven't blogged for such a long time, but so much has happened that it would take lots and lots of posts to describe the last few months of 2012 and it will be a bit boring...
I can only tell you that because of something that happened in October, I have turned over a new leaf in my life, and without needing any New Years resolutions, I've started a much healthier lifestyle, which has resulted in my skin looking more radiant, me feeling much stronger and with an appettite for lots and lots of blogs and vlogs!
To start the new year and the new me, I decided to change the appearance of my blog.
I got a bit tired of the black background and the very heavy decorations that might destruct the readers of the blog. So I found a new, pink, more girly and more relaxed template that is suitable for a beauty blog.
I hope you like it.
The next thing I want to do, has been troubling me for some time now. I would like to find a name for my blogs and my YouTube channel, so I can start somehow "branding" myself as a beauty blogger.
The name OWM Chronicles for the blogs is not bad, but I would like to have a unified name here, on YouTube and a potential Facebook page....
Any suggestions are welcome :-)
I am planning lots of beauty vlogs and more reviews of products and beauty blogposts very very soon!
With that happy note I leave you for now... I am very excited for the future, watch this space!
I am on holiday in the beautiful Greek island of Serifos, in
the Cyclades. With a background of white houses on dark hills, I have been
enjoying swimming into turquoise waters and getting a tan so much that I made a
video to share with you all my tanning tips and tricks for a safe, even and
golden tan. This blog post gives you more details of how to achieve the best tan.
Years of experience, under the smouldering Greek sun!!!
Now, when I go to the beach, I always try to protect my skin
from the bad boy called Sun, but also my hair from the roughness of the sea
water.So the first steps are always
taken when I’m still at home.
Just before I put my bathing suit on at home, I will take a
shower, wet my hair and put a leave-in conditioner on my hair, so that it is
protected and remains smooth and silky, even after swimming in the sea and not
washing it for a few hours.This year, I
have been using the Aussie Miracle Colour Insurance leave-in conditioner, which
I spray on to wet hair and then comb with a thick comb.This will stay on my hair until I immerse
into the deep blue sea and will protect my hair against the saltiness of the
sea. Hair: check!
The next step is to apply my sun screen. (You will need to
apply the sun screen at least half an hour before you expose your skin to the
sun).I have an olive skin, which tans very easily,
but I also burn if I’m not careful, so for the first 5-6 days at least, I will
always put a high SPF product – 25-30 for my body and 30 for my face.This summer I am using Boots Soltan Once
Invisible 8hr Sun Protection (SPF 25) in a lovely spray-gel for my body and for
the face Soltan Face Moisturising Suncare Cream (SPF 30), which were BOGOF so
that was a fabulous bargain!And I have
been using them all these days, so I have been very satisfied, as I have
acquired an even tan, and have not been burnt at all. Loving the Boots brand,
as always J
When I reach the beach, carelessness takes over and I
completely let myself loose into the sea and the waves. I love the sea and I
love swimming, I can’t imagine a holiday without these two elements.
So I will plunge into the sea for at least 30-45 minutes and
enjoy my swim.Now, you might not
realise that, but the strength of the sun is doubled when you’re in the sea,
that is why it’s crucial you keep your head wet all the time and keep moving in
the water so your face, neck and shoulders don’t burn.
Everything needs moisture when you come out of the sea: your
face, your body, your hair.So it was a
good thing I carried with me Paul Mitchell’s Awapuhi Moisture Mist hydrating
gel, from July’s Glossybox.This little
bottle is pure magic. It moisturises the skin and the hair and smells amazing!
It was a great hit with me and my sister at the beach this summer!!
An absolute must in my beach bag has always been Evian
Facial Spray (Brumisateur). I spray it
on my face and neck to take away the salt water and then I tap gently with a
small towel to feel refreshed and salt-free!I can’t survive the beach without it!
Of course, I will always renew my sun screen on my body and
face when I come out of the sea, at least the first time.Especially on the shoulders, mine are the
first parts of my body to burn, and also on my face – I will put sun screen one
more time and then I will definitely go into the sea, at least one more time
after 15-20 minutes of sun bathing.
By going in and out of the sea, the tanning process is sped
up, without you noticing it and while staying safe. Don’t forget to switch sides every time, so
lie on your back for 15 mins, go back to the sea then lie on your front and so
on, for an even tan.
You can also get an even tan, by playing sports at the
beach, like racket ball or beach volley.Not me though, I am lazy and clumsy at sports, so I’d rather read a book
or listen to music while lounging on a chaise-long.
Finally, after having used the high SPF sun screen for the
first 5-6 days (or a week, depending on how easily you tan and how sensitive
your skin is) I will move to a tanning oil, like Hawaiian Tropic or Carrotene,
with SPF 10, which will deepen the tan and give a bronzy colour, while keeping
you protected.
My advice to stay safe while sunbathing: always go to the
beach in the morning (I know, we’re on holiday so we might stay out late and
wake up late hehe, but if you can just go), or in the afternoon at around 4 pm
and until 6 pm, when the sun’s beams are not so harmful.You will also enjoy it more.
More importantly, wear a hat, stay under an
umbrella if you feel too hot, drink lots of water while there and don’t face
the sun for too long – 10 minutes max with a good sun screen every day will
give you a healthy glow.
To keep my tan for many days and weeks to follow, even if I
don’t go to the beach any more, I always exfoliate when I shower and ALWAYS
apply a body lotion after the shower.It
doesn’t have to be a special “after sun” lotion – all these body milks are the
same in my opinion. As long as you keep your skin moisturised and don’t let it
peel, your tan will last for many weeks!
A couple of weeks ago, my friend Rena and I went to Spitalfields Market. Although I have been living in London for 13 years, I've never been there...and my jaw dropped!
It is a huge indoors market, with fabulous shops and with hundreds of stalls with very, very desireable things!
We spent time looking around, finding exquisite clothing items, unique jewellery and fabulous accessories. All in very good prices, since Sundays are the New Designers day.
At some point, we passed a stall with hundreds of bags; small, large, clutches, totes, wallets...you name it!
And there it was: the bag I was looking for! The bag I couldn't find in any shops I've been looking for the past 3 months.
I have a black tote for winter to carry with me at work, and that can take all my necessities for the day, most importantly, my huge make up bag! I was looking for a similar one for the summer, with a nice summery colour. And there it was.
The bag was right, the price was right, so you can imagine my excitement when I bought it.
One of my best buys ever! I took it to work the next day, to hear the (expected) oohs and aaahs by my colleagues and since then, it has become an indispensible part of my day.
Here is a video, where I show it off!
