The Ladybug is all about milk!

I’ve been looking for a good face daily cream for the last few months as I don’t seem to find the one for me. The thing is that I’m probably asking too much and I don’t want to spend a fortune, which makes it a bit complicated. I found out that it is not necessarily true that expensive creams works better than cheaper ones so I better search on a wider price range! The thing is that my skin is getting old (like me! Sad truth!) and I need a bit of firming action, nourishment, hydration and good texture. Let’s be honest: our face skin is the business card of our beauty and wealth, so it needs particular attention.

While struggling with my perfect face cream search, I was invited to a beauty event organized by Arborea, a Sardinian milk producer, to present their new beauty products line Nisia, natural and dermatologically tested, made with their own milk, produced under the Sardinian sun and in front of their wonderful sea!

I was very intrigued, after all even Cleopatra used milk to have a brighter and hydrated skin!

The line includes five products for skin beauty: moisturizer face cream and body milk, nourishing face and hands cream, anti-aging face serum.  They all feature L5, a specific formula containing all the characteristics of Arborea milk and 5 natural sugars to strengthen the action. L5 helps fighting against free radicals and maintaining our skin moisturized and nourished.

I decided to test the Nourishing anti-age face cream for two weeks and here is what happened: my little wrinkles are still there but my skin is overall brighter, softer and more compacted when I touch it. The texture is very light and makes it perfect under makeup as it doesn’t feel heavy on your face.

If you want to try too, you can find Nisia products online at www.nisia.store

The Ladybug’s beauty tips: How to fix broken powder makeup

On my way back from my last trip I made the same mistake again: I put my makeup bag in my suitcase instead of safely putting in my handbag. Results: when I arrived at home I realized that my Marc Jacobs contouring set and my Kiko favorite blush were completely broken!

I blamed myself (again) for this stupid mistake and I promised myself (again) that I won’t ever do that again in the future!

When I was getting ready to throw them away and to buy new ones I received a very good news from my friend (and incredible makeup expert) Carmen:  “Don’t throw them” she said “Don’t you know that you can easily fix all the broken compact powders like eyeshadow, blush, bronzers, etc.?” Well, I didn’t.

She showed me how to do it and I was totally amazed with the results. I thought that I should spread the word so I decided to create a tutorial to show you how to do it very easily and quickly (just 5 steps).

Step 1: If your powder is not completely broken, well, break it! You must start with a very fragmented piece to get the best results.

Step 2: Pour in some rubbing alcohol (start with small amounts ) until it’s absorbed and mix it with a stick or with your finger until it looks like a paste (see pictures above).

Step 3: Flatten it out with a spatula or something similar to get a flat surface.

Step 4: Leave it overnight until the alcohol evaporates completely. Your makeup powder is as new and you won’t need to buy a new one! It doesn’t look as beautiful as it was when you bought it but the results on your face will be exactly the same!

I hope it was useful and you will keep spreading the word!

La Ladybug e Treatwell hanno un regalo per voi…

Oggi si parla italiano su The Ladybug Chronicles! Perché? Beh perché ho una cosa da raccontarvi che può essere utile alle mie lettrici italiane…

Si, perché la scorsa settimana ho fatto un test interessante: ho provato per la prima volta il portale internazionale famosissimo e usatissimo in tutta Europa Treatwell. Ero particolarmente stanca e affaticata dopo due settimane all’estero e ho pensato che una bella pulizia del viso con massaggio annesso mi avrebbero sicuramente aiutato a rientrare nel mood giusto e soprattutto avrebbero ridato luminosità alla mia pelle dopo due settimane di maltrattamenti, soprattutto alimentari (non credo che litri di Guinness e quintali di fish and chips siano stati molto graditi!).

Beh, il mio test è stato un successone! Dal sito Treatwell.it ho potuto scegliere il trattamento che volevo fare (potete fare di tutto: massaggi, cerette, manicure, pedicure, capelli, trattamenti viso e corpo) e ho potuto scegliere tra tantissimi centri convenzionati a Milano (tutti top e sparsi per tutta la città). Personalmente ho scelto The Luxury Beauty & Spa a Milano in zona Duomo presso GetFit dove la bravissima Vanessa mi ha fatto rilassare per un’ora ridando luminosità e leggerezza alla mia pelle…proprio quello di cui avevo bisogno!

Il tutto in pochi click! Fantastico no?! Volete provare anche voi? Treatwell regala a tutte le lettrici di The Ladybug Chronicles un buono sconto di 15 euro (per una spesa minima di 25 euro) fino al 31 Marzo 2016. Dovete solo andare su www.treatwell.it e scegliere cosa fare e dove farlo, Treatwell propone i migliori centri beauty e benessere in tutta Italia: prendete appuntamento dal portale stesso (potete modificarlo in qualsiasi momento), pagate e il gioco è fatto! La procedura online è molto user-friendly e il portale è facilissimo da utilizzare! A proposito, al momento di pagare non dimenticatevi di inserire il codice SOLOPERTE15. Cosa state aspettando?

PS: Mi raccomando fatemi sapere com’è andata la vostra esperienza con Treatwell (ma sono già certa che ci tornerete!)

(Immagine dal sito Treatwell)

The Ladybug’s autumn beauty tips: how to take care of your hair

Autumn is already here and, exception made for the nature’s color palette that I love, it brings a couple of things that I just dislike: colder and shorter days, humidity and with it all the problems related to the so-called Hair Weathering. Let’s be honest, in the last few weeks we probably all noticed a lot of changes in our hair: it is dull and opaque, it has no vitality, it is dry, frizzy and oversensitive to weather conditions. Our scalp becomes more sensitive and the first signals generally are peeling, itch and irritation.

We discussed these hair problems a couple of weeks ago with Adele Sparavigna, a dermatologist and specialist in skin sensitivity, during the third event organized by Physiogel to take care of our skin and hair and she gave us some interesting tips to control the sensitivity of our scalp especially during the coldest seasons.

The first fact is that in order to have healthy hair we must start from our scalp: sebum is our natural balm and we can control its natural production by having an healthy lifestyle, a good and equilibrated diet, a reduced use of medicines and hormones that may alter the ph of the scalp.

But we can do more when it comes to our hair washing daily routine: if it is not true that washing our hair frequently is negative, we must pay attention to the products that we use as we should prefer balanced cleansers, with acid ph, emollients and without perfumes. It is also better to avoid sink water (and to prefer still lukewarm water if possible), to use a towel after washing our hair in order to spend less time under the hairdryer, to dilute the products with water before applying them, to mass the scalp during application and to regularly vary the products that we use.

I also tried the Physiogel shampoo “Sensi Cuoio Capelluto”: I wash my hair almost every day and I need a light and delicate shampoo, especially since I live in Milan where the pollution and the weather conditions have a devastating effect on my hair! The results after two weeks are amazing: my curly hair is softer and lighter, and the itch of the past weeks has disappeared! It is perfect for frequent washings as it contains no colorants, preservatives or perfumes and I stopped using a hair balm because I didn’t feel the need anymore. It is perfect for dry hair and for those you have a sensitive scalp especially due to external factors.

The Ladybug Can’t Believe She’s Keeping Up with the Kardashian: Contouring Makeup Tips

Love her or hate her, we must say that every new trend that comes from Kim Kardashian makes a lot of noise on the web. I usually don’t give much attention to her new trends, which seem to come daily, but I couldn’t help doing some research on her beauty trend about contouring. Well, I found out she didn’t invent anything new with her make up, but she has unveiled one of the best kept beauty secrets among celebrities for years!

When I started my own research online I found tons of tutorials and articles on how to contour based on your face shape and colors… what products to use and which pencils. There was a lot of information about how to make it natural for a daily use or dramatic for a night out. I was really surprised, and believed I might not (based on a couple trys) be able to do something similar on my own, until I decided to try at a Marc by Marc Jacobs make-up event at Sephora in Milan. I was pretty skeptical at the beginning and I asked a lot of questions, but then I started to train myself and now I am quite addicted to it and I can share with you what I learned so far.

First of all, I learned that contouring isn’t an easy job: I made many mistakes and tries before getting a good result. So if you are a starter, like me, use a small quantity of products. I prefer powder products to creamy ones- which is better to use after some time and exercise. Sephora and Marc Jacobs have specific pencils for contouring, so I suggest to use one of those.

Also, I prefer a more natural effect instead of a dramatic contouring, so forget the Kim Kardashian effect and try to get a natural contouring that takes less time to master and do than you think.

If you go online you can find tons of tutorials based on your face. But here I’ve tried to put together some pictures that I found on the web to make it easier for you to understand how it works and how to obtain the correct “game” of light on your face to highlight your beauty angles… and maybe correct some little things that we don’t like.

I also suggest not to use products containing glitter or with pearl effects as they will ruin the natural effect. I picked up the Marc by Marc Jacobs contouring palette Mirage Filter. My Sicilian range of color depending on the season is vast so the universal color palette works great for me.  But if you have darker skin, you can also use the Mac contouring kit or the creamy single contouring products coming in different colors based on your skin tone (I’ve tried them too, but I think that I need more practice before!). It is very important to find the right color for your skin, so don’t be afraid to ask to a beauty consultant in your beauty store to find the right color for your skin tone. Nothing is worse than wearing a mask when it’s not Halloween, right?

After fixing the foundation with some powder, I apply, in the areas indicated in the pictures for oblong faces like mine, the contouring powders before applying some blush: it takes just a few minutes and it gives you a completely different effect that keeps your everyday makeup natural and fresh.

Let me know if you tried it and if it became or it is part of your beauty routine. Tell me how you feel about it; I’m curious to hear your comments!

The Ladybug Makes Another Physiogel Life Change: Let’s Talk About Hydration!

Last week, I had the chance to attend the second event of “I Skin Good” organized by Physiogel at Open bookstore in Milan. Dermatologist, Adele Sparavigna taught us many new things about skincare and Life Coach, Valentina Giuffré engaged us in interesting visualizing exercises to enhance our self-confidence.

It was a very interesting event where, again, I learned a lot of things about beauty and healthcare that I want to share with you. This time the subject of the event was hydration, but what do we really know about it? Very little, apparently. Water is, for sure, our natural cream. But, if we think of the water coming from our bathroom sink we must think twice: our water is very calcareous (especially in big towns like Milan) and it seems that after washing our body and face with this water our skin needs more than 90 minutes to get back to its natural state. Moreover, sensitive skin may overreact to water. Scary, huh?

How then, shall we cleanse our skin? How can we remove dead cells and makeup? First of all, we should avoid tap water, especially when hot, and harsh cleansers. We can use still or sparkling water instead… we might opt for cleansers that don’t need rinsing. It is an important habit not to rub our face with towels but to pat our faces with delicate towels instead. It’s good to dilute cleansing products before using them. Many products, because of their ingredients, may be better for one season than another. It is also important to use the right products, depending on the different seasons, as the needs of our skin change completely from summer to winter. In summer, particularly due to UV rays and sweat, it is very important to protect skin with sunscreen and always hydrate skin before exposure to the sun. After being in the sun, it is important to use soothing and freshening products to remove residual sweat and products. Don’t forget that seawater is not good for our skin, so make sure to take a shower after taking a dip in the sea!

If you have sensitive skin, it is beneficial to use delicate products for your face that don’t require rinsing. Exchange oils or delicate cleansers for generic body wash. Always keep your skin away from products containing perfumes, alcohol and preservatives. If you have combination skin, you should avoid harsh cleansers, that may cause a rebound effect. You may prefer an astringent cleanser (with lukewarm water), even better if used as a gel or solid (like soaps).

During the week, I had the chance to try three new products by Physiogel for my own skin care. I must confess that I am a fan of scented creams and lotions, but I am not always happy with the results.

First of all, I tried the daily Nutri-Hydrating shower cream for dry and sensitive skin that I find perfect after running and fitness because it helps to delicately remove the sweat from skin without drying your skin (after a workout, do you feel like your skin is stretching like it does after being in the sun and sea in summer?). It is very soft and creamy and it leaves your skin soft and velvety.

After the shower I tried the daily Nutri-Hydtrating lotion: this is amazing against dry skin (I know someone who always complains about his dry skin!) as it nourishes and hydrates at the same time. I love it, especially, on my legs and belly because it has a sort of toning effect and makes the skin way more elastic and soft.

But the product that I loved most is the daily Nutri-Hydrating washing product for body and hair: I use it as a first wash for my hair (then use my usual shampoo for the second wash) and as a body cleanser. This has changed my hair dramatically, making it softer and reducing my frequent problems with scalp irritation. It is also a great body cleanser, perfect for cleansing dry and sensitive skin (perfect in summer or after the gym) as it leaves the skin very smooth and soft.

None of these products contain preservatives, perfumes or colorants and they can be used on babies’ skin.

Have you tried any of these products? What did you think? Let me know your experience and share your comments!

At the event I wore: Zara striped shirt, Acne Studios black jeans, Marc by Marc Jacobs thrifted flats.

MILK Does The Ladybug’s Body Good: The Borotalco MILK Test Experience!

Spring is here! This means summer is on its way and that we need to pay more attention to our body: our shape, our skin and last but least our scent… Yes! I mean it!

How many of you use public transportation every day? And how many of you fear that time of the year when even the unsuspected ones’ bad smell travels with them?

Well, I have a good news for you!

Just in time for the beginning of “the season,” Borotalco launched a new line of deodorants created for those who want protection, soft and dry skin called Borotalco MILK. It is the first time that our favorite vintage beauty care brand has put hydrating milk in their deodorants with incredible soothing and nourishing properties for an all day soft and dry skin!

The new line comes in four different applications (spray, vaporizer, roll-on and roll-on tube), so I decided (for the purposes of a fair and unbias judgement) to test the spray myself, and give the three others to my friends (two girls and a guy).  We would test them for two weeks.

Here are the results of my test:

• S. tried the vaporizer every day for two weeks. She is a very sporty girl and as she goes from work to the gym every day: she told me that she was impressed by the long lasting property. Borotalco guarantees indeed a “48 hours” duration because of the natural micro powder that absorbs the sweat and leaves the skin dry for a longtime, even after a whole spinning workout!
• B. is the delicate one: she has sensitive skin and she spends most of her day out because of work. Like me, she always has a bottle of deodorant in the bag to use during the day in case of need! She was amazed by the nourishing action in respect of her sensitive skin. She told me that after two weeks her skin was soft, dry and protected. This happens mostly because of the hydrating milk, rich in proteins and lactose, and of the protective active ingredients.
• G. is the guy… not an easy test right? BUT I was surprised to learn from him something very interesting for guys who work all day in a suit; he told me that he was amazed (and even asked his wife to buy more Borotalco MILK deodorant!) by the “clean job” it did!  What he meant was this: his standard deodorant would leave yellow stains on his shirts, but during this two-week test, he realized that his shirts were clean at the end of the day! Indeed thanks to a new technology that reduces the use of powders, this new line reduces also the white and yellow stains on our clothes!
• As for me, I was impressed by its long lasting action (especially after eight hours at work and a run or workout after!), and by how soft my skin was: no irritation, no bad smell, but a super hydrated and scented skin!

I love when my tests are successful and sharing my favorite products with my friends and readers was a great bonus.

And you? Have you tried it? Share your comments or do your own tests and let me know!

The Ladybug’s Loves the Skin She’s In: I Skin Good with Physiogel!

Today I want to talk about skin and I want to ask you a question: how many of you follow a solid healthy routine every morning and every night to protect your skin? Not only your face but your entire body?

I know it’s not easy and believe me, sometimes I would like to stay in bed 10 minutes longer or go to bed 10 minutes earlier, but I force myself every day to give this little gift to my skin that makes me feel better. And when I do, I can see that my skin is really grateful for it!

Last week I was invited to the first event sponsored by Physiogel to talk about skin at the Open Bookstore in Milan (the location was lovely and the event very interesting!)

The dermatologist, Adele Sparavigna, was there to give us some tips and good advice about our skin. She helped us to first understand what kind of skin we have. Is it dry? Sensitive? Do we use the right products that respect our skin type and the environment? Do we keep it hydrated all day and night? For example, did you know that you could use sparkling water on your face if the water from the sink irritates you?

Also, she gave us some very interesting tips to learn how to read the tags on our daily creams and lotions, the famous INCI codes with all the info and the ingredients contained in our creams. I know most of them are almost unreadable, but I am sharing with you a very interesting site (www.biodizionario.it) where you can learn how to read them and be more aware of what we feed our skin every day.

Physiogel products are very famous for their attention to ingredients and for the care of most sensitive skin.  I know because I have used their products and I want to share these new products that you can easily find at your pharmacy or beauty products shop.

The Nutri-Hydratant lotion for dry and sensitive skins is a daily body product that I use in summer or winter when my skin is very dry because of tights or sun, depending on the season. It’s very soft and it absorbs easily; it helps keep your skin hydrated all day long and gives your sking a pleasant feeling because it alleviates that awful feeling of “stretching” skin.

The Soothing Care cream for dry, irritated and reactive skin is one of my can’t-live-without products in summer: I always have a tube in my summer bag because it is miraculous against sunburns or insect bites or in general skin reddening.

But “I Skin Good” is not only a slogan to help us women take care of our skin, it is also a lifestyle tip.

I wasn’t surprised, indeed, to find at the event the lifestyle coach Vale Giuffré who really made us understand what it means to be comfortable in our skin and shared the real meaning of skin self-confidence. It’s not enough to say, “I feel good in my skin,” no matter how many different languages we use to express it. Because the truth is self-confidence and love for ourselves are the first things that come out of our pores when we really have these two components in our life… so, it’s no surprise when we are not happy and confident with ourselves it’s, as they say, “written all over our face” with acne or dark circles even wrinkles! Our skin is really the first business card of our soul. Diane Von Furstenberg used to say this: “Life is too short and insecurity is a waste of time.” And let me now add: it’s also a very bad habit for beautiful skin!

You can visit www.physiogel.it  or www.physiogel.com to find out more about their products for filling our skin with love and protection, and for store locations!

I wore a vintage Breton shirt, Marion Godart necklace, Acne Studios jeans, Tosca Blu ankle boots and Max&Co coat and bag.

 

 

The Ladybug is an Italian Beauty at Sephora’s Book & Makeup Event in Milan

You know already that I am a Sephora fanatic: I spend a lot of time (and money!) in their shops, and it is one of my favorite shopping places in Milan. I can always find the latest trends and my favorite makeup brands, but did you know that Sephora could also be a perfect place for a book event…? Well, the answer is yes- if it is a book about makeup!

A few weeks ago Erica (Erica Makeup Dolls), Alessia (My Head is a Fashion Jungle) and I had been invited to the presentation of Anna Airoldi and Gabriella Lojacono book called: “Italian Beauty,” a special journey inside the world of beauty and its secrets, a world in constant change and evolution- approached by two curious customers, Anna and Gabriella. Gabriella was amazing and told us about how the book was conceived and how they found out about a new fascinating world behind the scenes of the Italian makeup market. I also loved the simplicity of her approach with the genuine curiosity of a user/customer and a woman, like all of us, who loves makeup- as we all do! It was the same approach she used with us when we started taking selfies… plus she had (like one of the Benefit Cosmetics slogans) “the most powerful make up that a woman can wear,”  her contagious smile!

Of course there wasn’t a better place than Sephora to talk about beauty! Moreover it all happened in their wonderful new shop on via Durini with some special guests that have a lot to say about beauty. All of the Benefit Cosmetics crew was there, not only as special partners of Sephora, but also to help us girls try the new amazing They’re Real liner gel and mascara and share the famous Brow Bar experience!

Last but not least, Mr. Daniel Makeup, one of the most famous beauty bloggers and youtubers, was there to share some beauty secrets with all of us and to take pictures of course!

Here you can find some of our delirious pictures with him, Erica and Aurora, the beautiful and talented Benefit Cosmetics beauty consultants!

The Ladybug’s Creative Play Date: MI-NY are Called, but Few are Chosen for Fashion Blogger Day in Como

Some Sundays are simply epic. Take fashion, creativity, cosmetics, food, friends, bloggers, sun and fun- mix them well and you will have the first Fashion Blogger Day in Como organized by Sara Biondi of Newseventi Como. The event was produced in collaboration with the Accademia di Belle Arti Aldo Galli and MI-NY Cosmetics. It was quite an exciting affair as I had the chance to be a delighted guest with my fellow bloggers from Lombardia and Veneto. Food, fashion, vintage, beauty… we were all there and ready to enjoy the day!

We spent the morning in a Factory… yes, like Andy Warhol’s famous studio: a place where creativity and talent are developed and fed; where fashion, textile and design meet together and are free to express in the name of creativity. This is the Factory of the Accademia Galli where we met the students, the President Salvatore Amura and the class coordinator Marina Nelli who answered our questions and gave us not only the possibility to know more about what they do, but also to take pictures and fully enjoy the place. As if it wasn’t enough to have our creativity fed, we were offered an amazing brunch – a brunch I would call, “creative cuisine!” – prepared by the students of the Centro Studi Casnati.

It was enough to make my day, but the surprises didn’t end there.

In the afternoon we all moved to the beautiful Piazza San Fedele in Como to visit the MI-NY shop, where we acted like kids in a candy store with all those colored and scented nail polishes and makeup!

My fellow blogger and make-up artist, Erica Makeup Dolls, gave us great tips on how to use makeup and we also modeled for her. She created a beautiful makeup based on the movie Cast Away on me. She said that I made her think of sea, travels and passion… maybe it was my Sicilian origin or my passion for travel or maybe it was just my turban… either way, the result was amazing!

Of course, I also did some shopping… I love my new MI-NY white Miss Marilyn nail polish… great quality-price relation and so “on trend!” MI-NY was a great discovery for me and I am now a regular client of their shop in Milan on corso Buenos Aires!

I will tell you more about my funny outfit of the day in my next post!