Every Beauty Addict's Bible

Valentine's Day Treat for Two with Montagne Jeunesse

2012-02-12T15:01:00.000+01:00

With Valentine's Day around the corner, people plan what to do with their better halves and loved ones... a day out, a romantic dinner, a day at the spa, a weekend getaway, etc but what ever you choose to do, you always want to look your best! Enter Montagne Jeunesse and this pair of face masques for a special treat for you and the man in your life!

For Her

Montagne Jeunesse propose this Passion Peel-Off Masque for all you ladies out there to help you look blemish free on this special day. This masque is made out of Passion Flower and Pomegranate, therefore it goes without saying that it is packed with anti-oxidants to help detoxify the skin. It is also busting with raspberry, grape and cranberry which further aid in deep-cleaning your skin.

The texture of the masque is quite sticky and it is a nice reddish-pink colour, making it easy to peel off after chilling for around 20 minutes. It smells really nice too! You may experience some tingling as the masque tightens but it subsides after a couple of minutes and I didn't have any nasty reactions to the masque. The results were totally worth it as I was left with incredibly soft skin; what's not to love?!

For Him

For some hassle-free 'man'tenance, Montagne Jeunesse, propose another peel-off masque, namely, the Zap Them Peel-Off for Men which is also targeted against blemishes. This masque contains ginger to tone and firm the skin's appearance and rosemary, which calms any outbreaks.

My boyfriend didn't complain on the scent of the masque but the tingling did bother him a little until it subsided. One thing he commented on was the fact that although the masque is a light green colour, it dries transparent so a little extra colour could help to see where you have missed. Other than that, he enjoyed being pampered a little with a masque designed especially for men and it involves nothing other than splashing his face with water and chilling for 25 minutes before he just peels it off!

These masques are part of the natural skin care products range from Montagne Jeunesse and they retail for £1.09 RRP for the Passion Peel-Off and £1.29 RRP for the Zap Them Peel-Off.

Hope you have a sexy, natural Valentine's Day!

Check out the Montagne Jeunesse facebook page for more natural skin care fun!

PR Samples

NOTW: All Laced Up for Valentine's Day

2012-02-12T13:11:00.000+01:00

Here is my proposition for this year's Valentine's Day nails:

I opted for a lace nail foil with a pearlescent pink background and a hint of glitter top coat for a subtle yet glamorous effect. This design is very easy to execute especially for the busy lady. You can find various nail tutorials on YouTube on how to apply nail foils and I bought the lace foil, adhesive and sealer from NailDelights.com. Just remember a couple of things when working with foils... always apply a base coat otherwise, they will come off and seal them with an appropriate sealer before applying a top coat :) I used the Glitter Top Coat by Essence for a light sparkly touch.

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone :)

Essence Cosmetics Haul

2012-02-11T14:51:00.001+01:00

Hello ladies, I managed to find Tony's Pharmacy open today after failing last Thursday and I was even luckier to find all the products that I needed as most of what I got were the last ones left *yayy* :) Here is what I purchased:

Stay natural concealer in 01 Soft Beige (back-ups)

24h Hand Protection Balm in Vanilla Apple Pie

Multi-Action False Lash Effect Mascara in Black

Stay with me lipgloss in I Like Cotton Candy

I love Stage eyeshadow base

Color & Go nail polishes in Irreplaceable, Blue Addicted, Where's the Party & Choose Me

I'm so eager to try out all these products and the hand cream really smells divine!! I just can't stop smelling it! Here some close up photos:

Stay tuned for reviews :) Have a good weekend cupcakes :)

What's in my travel Make-Up Bag?

2012-02-07T15:07:00.001+01:00

A few days ago, I asked whether you would like to see what I take with me to work whenever I'm going out straight afterwards so here is the post! I usually wash at work (we have staff showers) and so I have to take quite a few things with me apart from fresh undies and the clothes I would be wearing to go out with and most of the stuff is make-up. I keep shower gel in my locker and I usually wash my hair the night before so I just take my mini straighteners for touch ups as I have to keep my hair tied back all say at work.

Anyways, these are the items that always make it in my make-up bag for such occasions. Sometimes I would add a few more items, say eyeshadows but these are the items that always make it in my travel make-up bag. For those who are wondering, the bag is from a local beauty shop, and yes, all of these items fit comfortably in it as it is quite roomy :) I really like the lace overlay effect and the red satin interior as they give the bag a luxurious and girly feel.

Face

Inglot Under the Make-Up Base, NYX HD Studio Foundation in HDF02 Soft Beige, essence stay natural concealer in 01 Soft Beige, NYX Concealer in a Jar in CJ12 Green, Rimmel Powder Blush in 004 Pink Rose, e.l.f. Mineral Booster, e.l.f. Studio Make-Up Mist & Set.

Eyes

e.l.f. Eyelid Primer, e.l.f. Everyday Brights 32 Piece Eyeshadow palette, Wet 'n' Wild coloricon single eyeshadow in Creme Brulee, e.l.f. Studio Cream Eyeliner, e.l.f. Lengthening & Volumizing Mascara, e.l.f. Wet Gloss Lash & Brow Clear Mascara.

Lips
Nivea lip balm, lipstick(s), lip liner and gloss which match my outfit.

Tools

Sigma F80, e.l.f. Studio Powder brush, e.l.f. Blending eye brush, a selection of Fraulein 38 eyeshadow & eyeliner brushes, e.l.f. Studio Contour brush, Fraulein 38 Blush brush, e.l.f. Mechanical Eyelash Curler.

On another note, it is freeeeezzing here in Malta and we even got quite a few hail storms over the last couple of days. I don't think we have ever had such a cold winter! How's the weather where you live? Anyone having sunshine? I really miss summer and want it to be here asap!!!

The Exit Interview Series: Volume #5

2012-01-31T10:00:00.004+01:00

Not much has been wasted this month lol... just two products which I repurchase over and over just because I like them so much! Enter, Nivea Invisible Deodorant and Lycia Make-up Remover Wipes for combinations, oily & impure skin. The deodorant was a revelation as it doesn't stain clothes and smells really nice, however, I won't be buying the roll-on version again as I'm not much of a fan but I have already got two mini spray back-ups to keep in my bag. As for the wipes, these are the only wipes that do not sting or irritate my skin/eyes and remove the make-up effectively!

Monthly Favourites: January 2012

2012-01-30T11:00:00.000+01:00

And January is out, so that means that it is time for me to show you the products I have been loving most. The majority are lip products as I have been experimenting with bold and bright lips alike but I also have some other products so let me get started!

My most favourite product, even though I didn't use it a lot so as not to waste it, is without any doubt my Givenchy Rouge Interdit in Illicit Raspberry. I love everything about this lipstick: the packaging (oh so luxurious), the shade, how long it stays, etc...

Next, up are two new purchases from e.l.f. cosmetics, namely Sociable lipstick from their essential range and the Studio Glitter Gloss in Ruby Raspberry. I have been enjoying wearing both together because the shades complement each other so well and although I am not a fan of the lipstick packaging, I really love the shade as well as the smell of the lipgloss!

The last lip products, I have, I think you have seen them a million times over over but I just can't seem to put them down! They are Max Factor lipstick in Midnight Plum, M&S lipgloss in Dark Pink, Maybelline Water Shine Lipstick in Beige Glace, e.l.f. Studio Matte Lip Color in Natural and Nivea Hydro Care Lip Balm. I have also rediscovered this Caboodles twist-up lipgloss of which I really like the chocolatey-honey smell!

As far as make-up products and tools go, I have another four new purchases from e.l.f. that I have been liking this month, namely, Studio Translucent Matifying Powder, Contour Brush, Mechanical Eyelash Curler and Cream Eyeliner in Black.

I have also been liking these Joico Shampoo & Conditioner which have greatly improved the moisture levels in my hair without weighing it down. With regards body products, I have been using this Body Shop Cocoa Butter scrub and this White Peach & Almond Hand Cream from M&S religiously to combat dry skin hand and hands respectively. I have also been treating my skin to a deep cleanse once a week with this Pond's Cold Cream Cleanser.

So that's it for my monthly favourites ladies! What products were you enjoying during the first month of the year?

NOTW: Colour Blocking

2012-01-29T22:26:00.000+01:00

So I'm back from a day's work and although we weren't that busy, 12 hour shifts are still tiring... on to my nails. I have been giving my nails a break from nail polish but last Friday, I had a birthday party and I went for a simple colour block nail design, matched to my new clutch bag from New Look :) Keep on reading for the tutorial!

1. Prep nails with a clear base coat and apply two coats of a nude beige polish like e.l.f. Desert Haze. Leave to dry completely.

2. I used nail guides (Nailene Perfect Tips & Toes) to do the stripes to get them as accurate as possible but you can always free-hand them! Start with the side stripe... adhere the guide as shown in the picture and paint the left side with a bright coral polish. Here I used one by Eugene Perma.

3. When the nail polish is totally dry, affix the guide to define the nail tip and paint it black. I used Essie Licorice.

4. Carefully remove the tip guide and apply a top coat!

Lastly, I wanted to share with you a half moon manicure on gel nails I did for a client:

I'm off to bed now lovelies! Hope you've all had a lovely weekend :) Good night, sweet dreams!

First Collective Haul of the Year!

2012-01-28T18:04:00.000+01:00

I can't believe January is out in a flash! It feels just like yesterday that we were celebrating Christmas and welcoming the New Year! I have been a naughty girl this month with regards shopping but hey it's sales month :P In this post, I will be showing you purchases I made online while you can have a look at my first sale picks here. So, let me start with some nail art related stuff...

I placed my first ever order on NailDelights.com earlier this month and my order was here within a week (read my experience here). Being my first order it was quite small and I decided to get some nail foils as I couldn't find any on ebay. I ended gettin two nail foils, Black Lace and Fuchsia Fantasy as well as a foil adhesive and nail art sealer. Since I spent more than £10, I qualified for free shipping and the I also got the nail adhesive for 20% less because of my choice of nail foils!

More nail art stuff... I got a display rack to show off al my colour gels at my home salon. I think it looks nicer than the nail wheels which I will still keep in my kit for when I have to go to a client myself and I also purchased a compact storage box so that I can organize my rhinestones in it rather than carrying a whole load of wheels with me and it also saves on space.

Finally, I also got a carbide bit for my nail drill and an Orly Top 2 Bottom Top & Base Coat in One. All of this was from ebay.

From ebay as well, I also got Pond's Cold Cream Cleanser as my maternal granny used to swear by it and she had flawless skin and very little wrinkles even at 87! So I'll try it out and see how it will work on me :) My last purchase from ebay are these two hair sectioning clips which will come in handy when I'm straightening my hair now that it is quite long.

I have bought some other things which I haven't yet received amongst which are some exciting purchases but more on those next month ;p what did you splurge on this month ladies? Link me your posts in the comments section, I'd love to check them out :)

I made it to the Top 5 and now I need your votes!

2012-01-28T16:53:00.001+01:00

Remember my e.l.f. collection in the form of a butterfly? Well, I managed to make it to the top 5!! Actually my entry was the first to make it! Now, I need you to vote for my entry through the Distribeauty UK facebook page by clicking this link and voting for my name, Lara Azzopardi. I would be very grateful if you could help me win this competition ladies :)

Many thanks in advance!!

Review: e.l.f. Mineral Eyeshadows in Outdoorsy, Socialite & Caffeinated

2012-01-27T18:02:00.000+01:00

Hello my lovelies! I have so many e.l.f. reviews to do I figured out I better get started! I'm going to start off with the Mineral Eyeshadows, of which I have three shades, Outdoorsy, Socialite & Caffeinated. I got these eyeshadows a couple of months ago to give them a try as I have read a lot of good things about them.

At the time, e.l.f. cosmetics UK were running a promotion where with every £10/€12 order, they offered free shipping and a mystery gift with products worth up to £10. I couldn't miss on the offer but since most of the items I needed were out of stock, I added two shades of mineral eyeshadows to my order to get the total amount to a little over €12.

I picked up Socialite because the colour intrigued me as it is quite unique and I also got Caffeinated as I love my neutrals! I then ended up getting Outdoorsy for free in the mystery box, and I'm not at all regretting it as it is such a lovely colour!

So, the Mineral Eyeshadows, as the name implies, are part of e.l.f. cosmetics Mineral range, and consequently, they are 100% natural and are paraben-free, and contain no chemical additives and dyes. Your skin will thank you for using such products! Moreover, elf claim that these eyeshadows contain Vitamins A & B to hydrate and minimize the appearance of fine lines.

The eyeshadows come packaged in a small, clean white box and you get the shade names at the side and the ingredients on the backside of the box. The actual eyeshadows are supplied in 0.85g transparent jars with a sifter and a screw-top black lid. They come with a sticker over the sifter holes to prevent fall-out but I took that off as I find that piercing one or two holes doesn't bring out much product. The eyeshadows come in powder form, just like pigments.

Since they are powdery, I like the apply them over a primer base to make sure they stay in place and they are really easy to blend. They can also be used wet to intensify the colours and bring out the shimmer more. They are all very pigmented, yet they are buildable if you use a light hand to apply them. Here are swatches of the three eyeshadows:

Socialite: I would describe this is a very dark black/grey shimmery chrome colour with purple and brown undertones. It is very unique and online swatches are what intrigued me to try it in the first place. The first picture is taken in natural daylight while the other is taken with flash. The pictures really do not do any justice to this beautiful shade but you get the idea, hopefully!

Caffeinated: This is a very nice shimmery gold eyeshadow, perfect to create a dramatic smokey eye with neutral tones. Again, the top picture is taken in natural light while the bottom one is taken with flash.

Outdoorsy: As I said, I got this one for free in the mystery box and I was really pleased because I love green eyeshadows as they suit me. However, I have nothing like it my collection. It is a deep, shimmery forest green that will come out a little blackened if used dry so I prefer to use it wet to bring out the intensity of the green. Natural light swatches are the ones in the first picture.

The only downside I can find to these eyeshadows is that they can be very messy to take out in the tray and apply and also, expect some fallout so I recommend applying foundation and concealer after putting on the eye make-up when using these eyeshadows. However, I really like the intensity of the shades and the quality and I like to use them wet over a primer to bring out the colours more. At only €3.50 per pot, you can't really go wrong!

I want to get some more of these eyeshadows so if you have any recommendations feel free to leave them in the comments section below :) Do you own any of the elf mineral eyeshadows?

My e.l.f. Cosmetics Collection as at 24/01/2012

2012-01-25T20:28:00.001+01:00

Hello dolls :) So yesterday, I posted my elf cosmetics collection to take part in the competition that is being run by the Distribeauty team. Johan came up with the idea to display the collection in the form of a butterfly and this was the end result:

Would you like reviews of any specific products? Let me know in the comments section below :)

Do we have any products in common? What do you think of them?

FOTD: 20/01/2012

2012-01-25T14:51:00.000+01:00

Hello lovelies :) So this post is a bit over due but I was somewhat busy this weekend, hence I will be posting more posts to make up for it. Anyways, last Friday was a very nice day outside albeit chilly but that didn't stop me from going out :) Johan was on leave and we decided to grab lunch at Bugibba after I bought some new colour gels for my clients to choose from (if anyone is interested in seeing my collection, let me know in the comments section).

I missed getting dolled up with work and my Masters dissertation proposal taking up most of my time so I took the chance to put on some make up even if it was just for lunch. I opted for a neutral look with a brightish lip and this is what I came up with:

Face

Inglot Under the Make-Up Base

Revlon ColorStay Foundation for Oily/Combination Skin in 180 Sand Beige

essence stay natural concealer in 01 Soft Beige

NYX Concealer in a Jar in CJ12 Green

e.l.f. Studio Translucent Mattifying Powder

e.l.f. Studio Blush in Candid Coral

Eyes

e.l.f. Eyelid Primer

e.l.f. All Over Color Stick in Persimmon

e.l.f. Everyday Brights 32 Piece Eyeshadow palette (matte brown, shimmery blush pink, light gold)

e.l.f. Studio Cream Eyeliner in Metallic Olive

Estee Lauder Eye Defining Pencil in Deep Brown

e.l.f. Lengthening & Defining Mascara in Black Brown

Lips

e.l.f. Matte Lip Color in Coral

Napoleon Perdis Protege Lip Gloss

H&M lipgloss in Queen of Peach (nude shade)

Shirt, Terranova

Jeans, Stradivarius

Heeled Military boots, Peacocks

Earrings, Tenda

Belt, Promod (came with a pair of shorts)

As I said it was chilly so I also wore an olive green bomber jacket from Peacocks but I didn't take a picture of me in it. The picture below are of the views from the restaurant.

Review: Born Pretty Store Leopard Print Hand Rest

2012-01-24T14:31:00.002+01:00

Now that I am working on my home nail room, I am still making room for improvement as to client comfort and the latest addition to my set-up is this cute leopard print hand rest cushion, courtesy of Born Pretty Store.

Up till now, I have used rolled up towels for my clients to rest their hands on while I'm doing nail art but they flatten out so they are not that comfortable and so I was looking for a cute, girly and comfy hand rest. At the same time, I wanted one that is big enough for the client to rest her hand comfortably while it is not bulky so I can carry it with me when I am doing a client's nails at their home.

This cushion is the perfect size and it is just the right softness and clients have commented that it is quite comfortable and ergonomic. I can also say that it doesn't interfere with me working on the client and it is completely washable. It does take some time to dry so if I have more than one client in one day, I would brush it clean in between clients and since it is a little furry, it is easy to brush away the dust from it.

I would recommend this hand rest to anyone who does nail services as it is very convenient to carry around and clients can have a sturdy base on which to rest their hands! The price is $4.74 per unit and shipping is free worldwide!

PR Sample

First e.l.f. Cosmetics Haul of the Year!

2012-01-22T14:52:00.001+01:00

Hello cupcakes :) Sorry for not posting this earlier but I needed to really go out and enjoy some company this weekend as with work and all, I was really missing my social life so on Friday, after I got some rest from my night shift, me and Johan headed out for the whole day and yesterday, after my day duty, we headed straight out with our friends for some drinks and catching up on life in general :)

Anyways, so on Friday, I came home to my little brown box from e.l.f. cosmetics *yayy!!* Johan was by my side and he just couldn't help shaking his head in pity and disapproval at my reactions as I opened the box really carefully not to damage anything and as soon as I made sure there were no damages what's so ever, I took everything out of the packaging to have a play with lol.

Enough rambling, here are some photos of the products, quick swatches and some initial impressions. Reviews will follow once I have thoroughly tested everything :)

Studio Glitter Gloss in Ruby Raspberry

Studio Eyeliner & Shadow Stick in Pearl/Glow

Studio Lip Liner & Blending Brush in Wine

Mechanical Eyelash Curler

Essential Brightening Eyeliner in Gilded

Studio Contour Brush

Swatches from top to bottom: Studio Eyeliner & Shadow Stick in Pearl/Glow

Studio Glitter Gloss in Ruby Raspberry

Studio Lip Liner & Blending Brush in Wine

Essential Brightening Eyeliner in Gilded

Studio Lip Liner & Blending Brush in Wine

Studio Eyeliner & Shadow Stick in Pearl/Glow

Studio Contour Brush

So far I have only tried the Contour Brush and the Mechanical Eyelash Curler and I can say I'm very happy with them! As scared as I was of the Eyelash Curler, I find it is quite easy to use :) I have also worn the Glitter Gloss as soon as I took it out of the packaging and I can honestly say that I rubbed my lips together several times and I didn't get any cuts from the glitter and it wasn't that gritty at all. I'm most impressed with the pigmentation as for a gloss, this is really pigmented.

So that's it for this haul post ladies :) Have you got any of these items? Do you consider getting any of them?

Review: Montagne Jeunesse Virgin Olive Face Masque

2012-01-19T11:00:00.000+01:00

Do you know the one secret ingredient that will help with you with your new year skin care resolutions? It's none other than Extra Virgin Olive Oil which is renowned for it's rich vitamin E content and skin nourishing properties. It is a staple ingredient found in most (if not all) kitchens worldwide and apart from its uses for alimentary purposes, it has also been used to prepare purifying skin care preparations for thousands of years especially in Ancient Egypt. For example, you can mix some Extra Virgin Olive Oil with bottled water in a container to make up your own natural make-up remover. You can also mix it with other ingredients to make a nourishing and deep-cleansing mask for your face...

...but wait! You don't have to do that because Montage Jeunesse have already done all the mixing and they came up with their newest Virgin Olive Face Masque for you to treat you skin with; no mixing in the kitchen! It is all conveniently packaged in a 15g sachet ready for use! They have added the likes of Organic Fair Trade rich shea and cocoa butters which will leave your skin deliciously deep cleansed and Aloe Vera which will help cool and soothe your skin. Organic Fair Trade ingredients mean that you are getting the ingredients in the purest form possible and you are supporting the countries of origin and harversters of such ingredients! Did you know that Olive Oil also has a high content of antioxidants which help delay the aging process of the skin?

The masque itself is very rich and creamy and it is a pleasure to apply on the face as the smell is not over-powering at all and you know you are using a natural beauty product just by taking a look at the ingredients. I like how Montagne Jeunesse explain what each ingredients is and the only non-natural ingredients are the ones written in black. Also, Montagne Jeunesse are BUAV approved as they do not test on animals and their products are Vegan friendly!

To get the best possible results out of this masque, cleanse and thoroughly moisten face with warm water. Apply the masque evenly to face and neck, avoiding eyes and lips. Relax for 10-15 minutes and feel the Olive nourish your skin. Rinse with water, pat dry. Treat your skin twice a week.

Being an avid fan of Olive Oil as a beauty ingredient, I am sure to stock up on this masque which by the way has left my skin looking much brighter and supple!

UK consumers, you can get this masque from ASDA and from www.montagnejeunesse.com for only £1.10 RRP. Fellow Maltese readers, you can get MJ masques at Peacocks, New Look and major supermarkets.

PR Sample

Review: Born Pretty Store Nail Art Practice/Display Stand

2012-01-18T15:45:00.001+01:00

I was feeling inspired to do some nail art designs for my nail art portfolio the other day and I had the perfect excuse to try out this practice stand from Born Pretty Store! As soon as I saw it on their website, I immediately thought on how convenient it would be to practice nail art on a larger surface rather than on a simple nail wheel. So, it goes without saying that when I was given another opportunity to review another product for Born Pretty Store, I jumped at the chance of giving this a go!

The Nail Art Practice/Display Stand comes in box and you have to assemble it yourself which is really no big deal. There are instructions on the back of the box and they are very easy to follow and you will complete the stand in next to no time! Here are some more photos to help you:

The stand parts as they are supplied

Fit part A into part B as shown in the picture on the right and then fit part C to close them together.

You will end up with individual blocks like the one below:

Fit the individual units into each other like a jigsaw and you will get this circular stand.

Alternatively, you can keep the part where all part B's where held together and use the stand horizontally. I prefer to use it as a circle.

Lastly, attach the small snowflake shape in the middle of the circular stand to hold it all together!

As you can see, the stand is very easy to assemble and although it is made out of a hardish foam, it feels very sturdy and also comes with 40 small pieces of double-sided tape so you can affix the nail tips to the stand and have a steady base on which to work. In the picture on the right, you can see a piece of double sided tape in the middle of the false nail. These double sided tape pieces can be used only once but once you use them up, you can still use more double sided tape or blu-tack to work with. I was worried that the foam would rip off once I pulled the nail from the stand but that didn't happen so this further proves the stand is made out of good quality material!

I'm really pleased I got this stand to practice my nail art on as it is very ergonomic and with me being OCD that I keep everything clean, I find it is next to impossible to mess it up with nail polish. Here's the stand put to good use:

Also, as the name implies, you can also use the stand to display your nail art work on so that clients can see it! A final word on this product would be the retail price... $3.38! Pretty affordable isn't it? And with shipping being free for anywhere in the world without a minimum order amount, it is even more affordable!

What do you think of this product ladies? Would you consider giving it a go?

PR Sample

Online Shopping Experience ~ Nail Supplies {Part 2}

2012-01-15T15:31:00.000+01:00

Silly little me forgot to include to Viva La Nails in the other post so here are my thoughts about this online nail supplies store. I was introduced to Viva La Nails after reading about a blogger sample pack they were offering on Stavroula's blog and I decided to give the site a go. I was really pleased with the fast dispatch and arrival of the products and they are very good quality products at competitive and affordable prices. The shop owner is a nail technician herself so she really knows what clients want! Free shipping to the UK, Ireland & Europe is offered on spending £25 and they ship worldwide at a very affordable rate of £2.95. I did order a few more times from the website and I was never disappointed!

Online Shopping Experience ~ Nail Supplies

2012-01-15T15:10:00.001+01:00

Hello ladies :) Yesterday, while I was taking a break from my Masters research project, I was thinking about what to blog and instead of a review I though of sharing my online shopping experiences when it comes to nail art accessories and nail polishes. I will do other posts on jewellery & accessories and yet another one on cosmetics/skin care if your feedback for this post is good :)

We all know how convenient it is to shop online especially for products and articles you do not get where you live or else they are simply too expensive to buy at home. As a general rule, I only buy from a website if they accept PayPal and if shipping charges are reasonable.

In this first post, I will basically go into details about dispatch of orders, shipment times, customer care and all these things about the different websites that I buy nail supplies from so let's get started!

ebay is the site I use most frequently to buy nail polishes and nail art decorations from as I find it is very easy to compare prices in one place and since I would know how much a particular product retails in local stores, I know I'm getting a very good deal on here.

I use the ebay.co.uk site and these are my favourite sellers for China Glaze nail polishes glitzandglamorize; beautyzone2007 & enchantedbeautyspot (all US sellers).

As for nail art embellishments, what I do is I type the item description in the search box and then sort the results by 'Price + P&P: Lowest First' and check out the best deal as to quantity, colours and more often than not, I do not pay for shipping! In case I buy more than one item from the same seller, and there happens to be a shipping charge, most sellers offer combined shipping discounts. Also, you can opt to bid for certain items, giving you the opportunity to get an even cheaper deal! Last but not least, the site is very user-friendly and there is also a Buyer Protection Scheme. As for customer care, I can't complain as whenever I had problems with orders, the sellers were more than helpful :) Shipping is usually fast and you leave feedback on each item upon receipt. I order mostly from Hong Kong based sellers. In the My eBay section, you can keep track of all orders and save items in your Watch List for easier access. PayPal is accepted.

Born Pretty Store is another online nail supplies store (based in China) that I like to shop at. I am also an affiliate with the store but that doesn't mean this is going to bias my views just because I get free stuff to review. Born Pretty also sell all other kinds of beauty-related stuff such as hair accessories and make-up. Most of their products are good quality and they dispatch their orders fairly quickly. They can improve a little on customer service though. Orders typically take anywhere between 2 and 4 weeks to arrive and everything is safely packaged in bubble wrap and a standard big padded envelope. What I like most about this site is that you can upload your pictures, videos and thoughts on the products and in return get BPS points to spend online so you can also get some items for free that way. Prices are very reasonable too and they decrease per unit, the more you order of the same item at one go. They also offer free shipping worldwide irrespective of the order total. PayPal is accepted as a payment method and you get an email notification once your order is dispatched.

Nail Delights is my latest discovery with regards online nail supplies stores. They are based in the UK and offer free worldwide shipping on orders of £10 or more while if the order amounts to a lesser cost, the shipping fee is £1.50. It is not difficult to spend £10 so might as well save on shipping and getting another item instead. You get an order confirmation once your payment has gone through but to check if the order has been dispatched, you have to click on a link in this email or log on to your site account as you do not receive any email notifications. PayPal is accepted as a payment method and the orders only take a week or so to arrive. They use bubble wrap to make sure that your items arrive intact. Definitely worth a try!

So that's it for the first post in this kind of series. I would really appreciate it if you let me know what you think about these kind of posts and also whether you have different views than mine on any of the websites shared :)

Grab a Bargain and go Sale Shopping! {Part 2}

2012-01-12T21:04:00.001+01:00

Hello cupcakes :) I'm just back from a day shopping in Sliema with Mum and I wanted to quickly share with you my purchases.

From Promod, Mum bought me these very vintage looking cameo earrings. I like the frame and the actual cameo as well as the bow but I like the price even better... €3 down from €9.95!

I also went to New Look and bought some of the new collection stuff so none of this was on sale, yet still very affordable :) After trying on a ton of things, I only ended up getting this cropped scallop top (€17.99) and this cute cardigan (€16.99)...

...but on making my way for the till, I spotted this colour-block envelope clutch and at €15.99 I couldn't just let it sit there could I??

Lastly, I got this pack of plasters for just €1 just because they look so girly and cute!

So that's it for this post ladies! I'm off as I'm working day duty tomorrow. Good night to all :)

Review: Marks & Spencer Lip Gloss in Dark Pink and Mulberry

2012-01-10T16:02:00.001+01:00

I don't know about you but when I heard that Marks & Spencer were also carrying their own make-up range, I was very looking forward to try some products out to see how they perform. So I picked up two lip glosses in the shades Mulberry and Dark Pink. I like how they also have testers of all the products available as it makes it easier to choose the shades you like.

The lip glosses come in standard lip gloss tubes with doe-foot applicators and originally, they are sealed with transparent plastic. A sticker bearing the shade name is affixed at the bottom of the tube. However, there is no indication as to how much product you are getting. I really like the size of the tube as it makes them easy to carry around in small clutch bags and also, I like that the cap closes tightly without any product oozing out and messing up the tube or the contents/insides of your bag.

Texture-wise, they are very creamy and they are also very very pigmented; in fact, most of the time, I wear these glosses alone. However, I sometimes do pair them with lipsticks for a statement lip. With regards lasting power, I would say that these last an average of 3 - 4 hours on me which I think is fairly good.

Mulberry (top) is a nude creamy rosy-pink shade, perfect to complement bold eye make-up for a low key lip or you can also wear it for a completely natural everyday look.

Dark Pink (bottom) is more of a berry shade to me which is more suited for more elegant looks rather than for everyday use. I like to pair mine with Max Factor lipstick in 710 Midnight Plum for a vampy lip for a night out on the town.

These glosses are priced quite affordably too; I bought mine for €4.50 each. Another point worth mentioning is that Marks & Spencer make-up is BUAV approved and none of their products are tested on animals.

Have you tried these lip glosses or any other items from the M&S make-up range? What are your views on them?

NOTW: Black Butterflies

2012-01-08T14:30:00.000+01:00

Good afternoon cupcakes! This week I have been quite busy so I really didn't have time to do free hand nail art. So I opted for a water decal design from Viva La Nails. Also, I wanted a polish that I haven't yet worn and my choice was essence colour & go in Meet Me Now! which is a very nice shade of purple. Here are the photos of the manicure:

Have you ever used nail decals? I find they are quite easy to use and you can upstage a colour instantly especially when you're in a hurry!

On a side note, I was thinking of starting to make nail polish jewellery and I would like your opinion on that :)

Happy Sunday everyone!

The Exit Interview Series: Volume #4

2012-01-07T16:51:00.001+01:00

For the fourth installment of the Exit Interview Series , I have four products :P I was clearing out my make-up and I have found two products which I have completely used up and two others which I didn't use up but I don't use anymore. All of the products are from e.l.f. cosmetics.

First up is the Dual Pencil Sharpener. I only used this sharpener once and it ruined the pencil I sharpened!!! I put it at the back of one of my drawers and I never used it again so I'm gonna throw it away. I only kept the other sharpener which comes with it and the small picking tool that was supplied to remove any left over product from the blade.

The next product is the e.l.f. Therapeutic Lip Balm in Vanilla Creme from their essential line. When I first got this, I liked it, if anything for the vanilla scent. However, I have stopped using it as whenever I put it on, it would burn my lips and it leaves a white residue on my lips which is not a good look. I will not re-purchase this for sure. So much so that I have put it at the back of my lip products drawer and when I took it out today, there is 98% product left. Furthermore, the sides seem to have dried up.

The next two products, I have already bought back-ups for and that can only mean one thing... I love these products and I cannot ever be caught without them!

e.l.f.'s Mineral Booster really has proven to be the best setting powder from the brand as I use it to set my foundation and I also wear it alone to give my skin a nice even finish. I first bought the smaller version of the Sheer one (shown) but as soon as it was nearing the end, I bought the larger size of it and I will also be getting the Tinted version! As much as I love e.l.f.'s Studio Complexion Perfection, I'm afraid that the Mineral Booster has taken it's place! I will be keeping the container minus the sifter so that I can store another product for travel purposes.

The last product that I have used up is the Tinted Moisturizer in Rosy Beige from their regular line. I mostly use this in summer whenever my skin needs some help with coverage. This product has lasted me for a year and like I said I have already bought a back-up just in case e.l.f. are out of stock when I need it :P

That's it for this post ladies! Have you tried any of these products? Would you consider any of them?

Grab a Bargain and go Sale Shopping! {Part 1}

2012-01-06T20:01:00.001+01:00

Post-Christmas sales are well under way now but due to the crappy weather we are getting these days and because of work, I haven't had much time yet to hit a few of my favourite shops. However, I did manage to get some things from Peacocks and Terranova that I want to share with you guys in this post.

I'm gonna start with the Peacocks items first. So on Boxing Day, I had some free time in the morning and I went to Valletta with my Mum and Peacocks was already having items at 50% off so we had a browse through the overly crowded shop and I ended up picking three items for a total of €43 instead of €86 which is quite a bargain!

I first picked up this cute knitted sweater because I loved the colour (navy blue) and the little sequin details. I quickly grabbed it as it was the only one left in my size and I'm so glad it fit! I like how it can be dressed up or down and it so comfy! I think I will pair it with a white shirt and my cherry red jeans the first time I wear it which I hope is soon! This was €17. From my favourite section at the store i.e. the shoe section, I picked up a nice pair of black flat boots for everyday as I have been looking for a pair and it was down to €22 and it was also the last one in my size. Lastly, while I was queueing to pay for these two items, I spotted this gorgeous, chunky cocktail ring which was also half price so I got it for €4 and it was also the last small one!! So I can say I was pretty lucky at Peacocks that day :)

I can't say I was lucky at Terranova though as while there were loads of items which I loved, even the smallest sizes were fitting me like potato sacks but at least, I managed to get another three items (I don't remember the prices of these ones though but they were all on sale). I got a check shirt and two chunky sweaters which will come in handy this winter! The grey one has a silver threads going through it which make it suitable for a casual night out and I really like the button detailing on the neck. I opted for the other sweater (which is longer) primarily for the colour but also for the buckle detail on the neck.

Did you shop the sales ladies?

Review: e.l.f. Studio Single Eyeshadow in Raspberry Truffle

2012-01-04T22:49:00.001+01:00

Hello ladies :) If you follow me on facebook, you would know that I had a terrible night shift last night as it was quite busy and to compensate, I slept from 9am till 4pm :P Anywho, as soon as I woke up, I was thinking of something to blog about and I figured I hadn't done an elf review in a long time and I better get the reviews up and running as there are quite a few products from my last two hauls.

First up is the only Studio Single Eyeshadow I own and it is in the shade Raspberry Truffle. I have been wanting this shade ever since I saw I video on YouTube from Oxford Jasmine and I kept putting it off just because I have so many eyeshadows but I really didn't know what I was missing! So in November/December, elf were having a Mystery Box offer and it was the perfect chance to get some new make-up and I popped Raspberry Truffle in my cart!

I'm a big fan of the Studio line packaging as it is so sleek and closes tightly and this eyeshadow was no exception! It comes in a larger cardboard box as shown in the pictures. You also get a small mirror on the inside of the case and in total, you get 2.75 grams of product for €4/£3.50/$3. Moreover, you also get a piece of protective plastic with the elf logo over the eyeshadow pan. The packaging is quite small so it is also very convenient to take with you when you're traveling!

The colour is also quite unique and although I would have loved it more if the colour you get is the same as in the pan, I still love the colour and I have including it in almost all make-up looks recently. I would describe it as a very deep plummy-berryish shade with flecks of golden and purple shimmer running though it. However, when swatched, the colour leans more towards brownish hues rather than purples. The pigmentation of this eyeshadow is outstanding and you need very little effort to blend it; plus, it is perfect to create a smokey eye without using the usual blacks!

Raspberry Truffle from different angles

These swatches really don't do the colour any justice but they are the best ones I could get. The top left swatch is the colour blended while the one on the bottom is the colour with e.l.f. Eyelid Primer underneath. The swatch on my finger-pad is quite a heavy swatch to bring out the different shades in this unique eye colour. As you can see, the use of a primer really brings out the colour more and I also have found it useful to use the purple shade from the e.l.f. Duo Eyeshadow Cream in Eggplant as it is a very similar shade and therefore it brings out the colour more and lets it stay in place for longer!

Do you own this shade ladies? Any other Studio eyeshadows you recommend?

NOTW: Lace-y New Year :)

2012-01-01T19:22:00.000+01:00

Happy New Year my lovelies :) How have you greeted this year last night? Me and Johan stayed over at my house because it was really cold outside and today I'm working. Nonetheless, I didn't skip doing a manicure for the occasion as I still wanted to feel a little pampered at all :) I opted for a lace effect design over a classic red manicure. Although it may look complicated, it is very easy to create but don't rush it and take your time doing it for the best possible results. Here are the pictures and a step-by-step tutorial:

1. Since we are going to use a red nail polish, make sure to prep nails with a base coat and a nude polish to prevent staining your nails.

2. Paint two coats of red polish over the entire nails, leaving ample time for dying in between coats. My choice of polish was Max Factor Nailfinity in Red Passion.

3. For the lace design, I prefer to use acrylic paints as they are easier to work with than nail polish (just make sure you always use a base polish whenever you are using acrylic paints; never apply them to bare nails). I used a pearl black paint. Start by drawing 3 'C' shapes and curl in the ends as shown in the picture on the right. Repeat the design by reflecting the 'C's' on the top of the ones you just drew. Finally add a few dots to give the design a more lace-like look.

4. Apply a glossy top coat and you're done!

I hope you had a nice start to your year and may everyone have a prosperous 2012!

New Year 2012 Resolutions

2011-12-31T10:59:00.000+01:00

Hello my lovelies :) So this is officially the last morning of 2011. This year has surely left it's mark on me and it is one I will remember and there are parts of it that I will miss dearly. Anyways, I just wanted to share with you my resolutions for this coming year both health and beauty-wise and some general lifestyle changes and challenges which I would like to take on.

~ First of all, I will finally take the plunge and have some blood tests carried out. I just want to do so out of curiosity and just because it is of no use being a Medical Laboratory Scientist and telling others to have routine tests while I do not do them myself :P

~ I am also planning on taking a dermatological consultation so I can finally sort out my skin problems.

~ I am also going to pluck up the courage to get a dental check up every 6 months or as needed just to keep my teeth in check.

~ Lastly, with regards my health, I will try to cut down on sweets and exercise more.

~ The most challenging of all will definitely be my driving license which I have been meaning to start since forever but never really had the courage to.

So these are basically my new year resolutions which I am very much determined to tick off! This year will also be quite full for me with regards work and hopefully getting accepted to start my Masters degree in Blood Transfusion Science. Right now I am dealing with my work application to finally settle as an appointed Medical Laboratory Scientist within the Hospital Blood Bank and I hope all is sorted real soon!

Here's to a prosperous 2012 to all of you and your respective families & friends!! What changes will you be making to your life in the coming year?

Christmas Goodies :D

2011-12-29T17:31:00.000+01:00

Hello cupcakes :) As promised, here are all the goodies I got for Christmas (well not all, as Johan had given me his gift much earlier).

Chamilia Flex Bracelet & Graduation hat solid silver charm

Turquoise bead and silver butterfly Spinning Ring

Givenchy Rouge Interdit in 20 Illicit Raspberry

Shoes mug

Snowflake Candle

I was surprised that I actually had gifts to open this Christmas as Mum & Dad really have spoiled me with loads of stuff due to my graduation so you can imagine my excitement as I opened the first gift from them and found a mug with cute pink shoes all over it :D A few days before Christmas, they also bought me the Chamilia flex bracelet and to complement it, James, my brother gave me the Graduation hat charm and a Spinning Ring. Lastly, Mum & Dad managed to make the day extra special by giving me this Givenchy lipstick :D I just love everything about it and I almost cried out of joy as opened the gift. It is my first ever high-end lipstick and I will even keep the box it came in!

Lastly, our Consultant at work gave us these cute hand-decorated candles and mine had a silver snowflake which complements my room really well :)

I am totally over the moon with these gifts so thanks everyone!!

Next up is gonna be a sale shopping post so watch out for that :)

Monthly Favourites: December 2011

2011-12-29T11:00:00.002+01:00

And this year is officially at an end! It has been quite an eventful one for me and surely one I will remember! Anyways, in this post, I would like to share with you my most abused (read favourite) products of the month so let's get started!

First of all, I have really enjoyed my graduation and all the celebrations it brings with it as well as spending time with my family and Johan during the Christmas season. Having all these special occasions and dinners, I couldn't not primp myself to the full and so I have really been making the most of my make-up collection this month! I am not going to repeat all the face products as I use mainly the same primer/foundation/setting powder/brushes so it's no use boring you with the same products over and over.

I'm gonna start with eye products first...

I have really been using the e.l.f. Everyday Brights 32 Piece Eyeshadow palette a lot this month, mainly because you get an extensive choice of colours in one palette and also because it is portable and whenever I had to get ready for an event after work or so, I would take this palette with me and I was never disappointed :) I have also been loving the e.l.f. Mineral Eyeshadows lately and I can tell that I will purchase more of them!

Lastly, for eye products, I'm so glad e.l.f. finally got the Lengthening & Defining Mascara!! I immediately ordered 2 black ones and a brown one and I have been using them everyday as I like how they give the illusion that I am wearing false lashes :) I'm also glad I rediscovered the e.l.f. Wet Gloss Lash & Brow clear mascara as it keeps my brows in place and gives me a more polished look.

Next up, is Travalo perfume atomizer which has constantly been living in my bags this festive season for perfume touch ups on the go. You can read the full review here.

On my nails, I have been including China Glaze Snow Globe in almost all of my manicures this month so it's definitely been a favourite. I also have a new skin care product this month, namely, Witch Hazel skin toner which has definitely helped prevent the spread of break-out causing bacteria, hence diminishing break-out occurrence.

Last but definitely not the least, I have been loving 5 lip products this month. To start with, Nivea Hydro Care lip balm which moisturizes my lips to keep them supple under my lippies. As for lipsticks, I didn't change last month's favourites i.e. Max Factor Midnight Plum, M&S Dark Pink lipgloss and e.l.f. Mineral Lipstick in Rich Raspberry as I continued using them quite frequently throughout this month. I have also been enjoying Maybelline Water Shine in 02 Beige Glace for those occasions when I needed an understated lip.

I have also been enjoying all of the presents which I got for Christmas which you can have a look at here :) What where your favourites this month ladies?

NOTW: Merry Christmas Everyone!!

2011-12-25T20:30:00.000+01:00

Happy Christmas cupcakes!! I hope you all enjoyed spending time with family and friends today :) I know I did (pressies post coming soon)!! Just wanted to share some pics of the manicure I wore today and a quick tutorial on how you can do the design yourselves :)

I wanted to do a snowflake design for ages now and while I had some free time this week, I opted to do one. Yet I deviated away from the traditional blue hues associated with snowflake designs and instead opted for a warm red. Let's get started on the tutorial:

1. Prep nails with a base coat and a coat of a nude pink polish (I like to do this every time I am going to paint my nails in a dark colour to avoid staining as much as possible).

2. Apply two or three coats of a red glitter polish over the entire nails. I used China Glaze Ring In The Red which needed 3 coats for maximum opacity.

3. For the snowflake design, start by sponging some silver foil polish (Orly Dazzle) over the very tips of your ring fingernails. Then add some extra sparkle with just a touch of China Glaze Snowglobe over the silver polish only.

4a. Diluted some white acrylic paint with water to draw the actual snowflakes (diluting the paint ensures you can do fine, detailed nail art better). Start by drawing a diagonal cross and then draw another vertical line passing through the centre of the diagonals.

4b. Draw little triangle-like shapes in between the big lines as shown in the pictures. Finish your snowflake by drawing little arrows on alternating lines. You may opt to finish your design now but I added a little star towards the bottom of the nails and also a few dots to give the illusion of snow.

5. Apply a glossy top coat and you're done!

I hope you guys enjoyed this tutorial :) Sincere and warm wishes for a Merry Christmas to all of you and your respective families! xxx

December Collective Haul

2011-12-21T18:19:00.000+01:00

This month, was unsurprisingly all about buying presents for others rather than buying stuff for myself and it was also a relatively busy month with regards work and social activities so I really didn't have that much time to shop anyways. Let me get this small haul going!

First up are the articles I got from ebay...

I picked up a pair of these Pamela Mann tights as I really like subtle embellishments on hosiery and bows add a cute touch to any outfit! These were around £8. I also got a bottle of Witch Hazel skin toner (around €5) as I read that it is a very good astringent and helps prevent spreading of germs on your face and hence decrease the chance of zits developing; it also mops up excess oil without drying the skin (always rinse it off with water after use). Lastly, while I browsing ebay for something else, I came across this cute pleat front dress and seeing it was only £29, I bought it as well.

Pamela Mann bow hosiery

Witch Hazel Skin Toner

Blush, pleat front dress

Next up are some gifts I received for my graduation in the beginning of the month...

A dear friend of mine gave this cute Esprit make-up purse :) I really love the polka dot pattern and the cutesy bow on it :) I have also received a few frames and my aunt gave me some money with which I bought a pair of shoes for the graduation ball :) I also had to buy mask for the ball and I opted for a feather one from Accessorize which was priced at €5.50.

Mum & Dad also bought me a Chamilia Flex Bangle as a present! I cannot wait to start putting charms that mark special milestones in my life on it (maybe I get the Graduation Hat as my first one! who knows :P)

Lastly, I bought a new set of Shampoo & Conditioner from Joico. I have used some of Mum's set and I totally loved the results so I bought the Added Moisture set for me. Now I just have to use them and see the results! The hairdresser is giving a bottle of Eugene Perma nail polish again with every colour treatment and Mum got me the last one I needed in my collection, a nice, clean nude pink.

That's it for this month ladies! I will be doing a separate Christmas pressies post later next week :)

e.l.f. Haul feat. Christmas Mystery Luxury Gift Set

2011-12-20T22:17:00.000+01:00

Oh the joy today when Mum texted me that my e.l.f. order was waiting for me safely at home!!! I just couldn't wait till 7 o'clock ~~as I was overly excited to see what mystery gifts I scored and to have a play with my new stuff~~ to make sure everything was ok. As usual, all the products were safely packaged in a lot of bubble wrap and everything was in one piece. The order took a week to arrive but it was well worth the wait! I'll leave you to the photos now to feast your eyes :P (swatches and reviews will follow in due course).

Cute Mystery Gift alert!

My original order...

Studio Make up Lock & Seal, Black Cream Eyeliner, Translucent Mattifying Powder

Essentials Sociable Lipstick

(I also ordered a Black Mineral Eyeliner and a Lengthening & Defining mascara for Mum)

Sociable lipstick

In reality it is much more red than pink and has silver shimmers running through it

On to the fun part! The Mystery Gift!

Day to Night Beauty-on-the-go

Shimmer Eyeliner Pencil in Plum Passion

Nail Polish in Chocolate (gave it to Mum as I already have another)

Day at the Beach (top) & Night on the Town palettes

Have you taken advantage of any of the 12 days of Christmas codes from elf?

Mystery Gift free with promotional code

I'm a winner!!!

2011-12-19T14:44:00.000+01:00

A couple of weeks back, I was lucky enough to win the runner-up prize in a Christmas comment competition on facebook hosted by Body Gourmet Malta, a local brand which produces hand made soaps. Doriette, the sweet owner delivered me my winnings a few days ago and I was totally over the moon!! They all smell scrumptiously good and they are too pretty to use up! Here's a closer look at what I got:

Celebration Soap scented with Pink Champagne

Coffee Club Soap exfoliant and cellulite buster

Bath fizzer

Almond Milk Solid Lotion

Pomegranate Noir Body Scrub

For my Maltese readers, you can check out Body Gourmet's creations on her facebook page by clicking here.

Review: Born Pretty Store 100pcs Fimo Cane Bundle with Cutter

2011-12-19T13:04:00.003+01:00

Born Pretty Store have once again offered me the chance to review another product from their website and this time, I went for the 100pcs Fimo Cane bundle with cutter. I opted for the fimo canes because you create nail art very easily with them, especially if you are pressed for time but still want your nails to look good!

I was extremely happy with shipping this time round because the package only took just over a week to get to Malta all the way from China! May I also remind you that Born Pretty offer free world-wide shipping all year round with no minimum spend!

So, the package consists of a nice mix of fimo canes (app. 5cm in length; 3-5mm wide; 100pcs in total), 10 cutters, 2 empty cases and 1 tube of glue. The bundle costs $13.66 and the price goes down to as low as $12.43 per pack, depending on how much you buy. (Be careful of the cutters because they are really sharp and also, don't forget to keep them out of children's reach).

Here are all the designs I got in my bundle:

As you can see, you get a nice mix of flowers, butterflies, brand logos and also kawaii motifs which are more suited for little girls.

They are very easy to cut once you get the hang of it but if it is your first time, it is best if you look up some tutorials on YouTube. After cutting them up, you can then store the fimo slices in the provided empty cases

You can stick the cut fimo shapes to your nails with either clear polish (my preferred method) or by using the supplied glue (if you're going to use the glue, make sure that you always put a base coat underneath) to create beautiful and effortless nail art designs like these:

Like many other nail art embellishments, these fimo slices stay put for like a week on me and that's enough for me as I change my manicures quite frequently. On the other hand, when used with gel nails, they last for the whole three weeks.

I totally recommend these to any nail art enthusiast particularly because they are great value for money and if you use the code EBABK31 at checkout, you will also get them at 10% off! (code valid till 31st December 2011).

PR Sample

The Unii Palette is finally in Europe thanks to DistribeautyUK!!

2011-12-15T15:42:00.000+01:00

I have some exciting news to share with you cupcakes! DistribeautyUK (suppliers of e.l.f. cosmetics in Europe) have finally managed to get Unii palettes in Europe too! That's not it, as an introductory offer, they are selling them at £15 (regular price £20). Are you gonna buy it? I really want one but I'm still not sure whether to get it or not :S

The Unii palette is available to buy from the Unii Cosmetics website and is available in 6 colours.

Review: Travalo Perfume Atomizer

2011-12-14T14:45:00.002+01:00

Good morning ladies! I just had to share this great little invention with you all! I will be sharing with you an accessory that has been in my clutch bags throughout all the Graduation celebrations and will be there for many more to come!

I am talking of none other than Travalo Perfume Atomizer! I have heard of this gadget before and when I saw Natalie's post where she shared that bloggers could get a free sample, I jumped at the chance and in less than 24 hours, I was contacted to review Travalo Excel! Furthermore, shipping was very quick as I received mine in just three days and it came packaged very well!

Travalo Excel is the latest addition to the range and the difference between Travalo Excel and Travalo Classic is that the former delivers up to 65 sprays while the latter is capable of 50 sprays.

Let's have a look at the packaging first. Travalo Excel comes in a cute case and I am a big fan of the design on the bottom part of this case. Mine is the Perfect Pink one but there are 10 different colours available to suit all tastes! The carry case also protects Travalo from scratches when carrying it around in handbags, gym bags etc. If you have more than one Travalo, you can also see which one you want thanks to clear top of the case.

The case also contains a small insert with simple instructions on how to fill up your Travalo!

Let me point out a few more advantages of this little accessory:

~ Your favourite fragrance is travel-sized in an instant so don't have to carry bulky perfume bottles and risk breaking them

~ Travalo is aircraft approved

~ It is made out of 98% recyclable materials

~ No funnels, no spills!

~ It has no dangerous glass parts

~ Suitable for both men and women and for various occasions such as parties, holidays, the gym and the great outdoors!

~ Travalo is just over 8.6cm in length and only weighs 20g!

~ Travalo comes with a No-Quibble performance guarantee for the operational lifetime of the product, which is about 10 years, or 10,000 operations.

Now, let's see some photos and a little video of how to refill your Travalo the simple way:

1. Get your favourite fragrance and Travalo

2. Travalo is easy to fill up ~ Just remove the spray head off your big perfume bottle and hook Travalo (with lid still on) over it and simply pump up and down!

3. Ta-dah!! Your favourite perfume is now travel-sized!

What I like about Travalo is the spray nozzle which delivers an even mist of the perfume and also, the little window as it permits you to see how much perfume is left. The last thing I would like to pint out is that the lid won't come off on its own in your purse as it fits tightly yet easy to remove just by pulling it gently.

Overall, I think this is an ideal Holiday gift idea and you can also win one yourself on the Travalo Facebook page where they run a ‘Daily Spray’ every day, which gives all those who ‘like’ the page a chance to win a free Travalo - every day!!

For further information or to buy Travalo, visit the Travalo website on www.travalo.com.

PR Sample

OOTN: Graduation Ball

2011-12-11T13:56:00.000+01:00

Here are some photos of yesterday's Graduation Ball which was held at the Westin Dragonara Resort to mark the end of Graduation celebrations in style :) I really wish I could re-live it all over again!

Me with some of my course-mates

Me & Johan

NOTW: Graduation Ball

2011-12-11T13:50:00.000+01:00

Yesterday was the last of our graduation celebrations, the most anticipated Graduation Ball! We all had a good time catching up with old friends and dancing the night away (more photos in the next post)! In this post, I will show you the manicure I wore:

I opted for a classic french manicure with an opalescent base (Sally Hansen French Manicure Kit in Sheerly Opal) and I kept the ring fingernails as the accent nails. For the background, I sponged Orly Dazzle all over the nail, the followed with e.l.f. Purple Dream on half of the nail and finished with Rimmel 60 Seconds Pompous at the tips. I then applied a coat of China Glaze Snowglobe for some added sparkle and added two fimo flower motifs.

What do you think of this manicure ladies?

Vegan Beauty with the new range of Sigma Brushes!

2011-12-10T16:01:00.000+01:00

Sigma have launched yet another amazing range of make-up brushes, this time, targeting those who prefer to use all synthetic brushes while at the same time have a clear conscience because this new range is also vegan friendly as no animal hair is used!

The collection utilizes the exclusive Sigmax HD fibers, which guarantee perfect makeup placement with product absoption into the bristles.

The Bunny Collection features a full-size and travel-size kit. The full-size kit contains the twelve brushes from our Essential Kit and the travel-size kit contains seven best-selling brushes from the Essential kit (E30 Pencil, E40 Tapered Blending, E55 Eye Shading, E65 Small Angle, F30 Large Powder, F40 Large Angled Contour, and F60 Foundation). The brushes are available in classic black and a new light blue handle with a pink ferrule. Both kits come in a functional container that turns into two brush holders to keep you stylish, organized and vegan-friendly!

Review: Viva La Nails Rhinestones

2011-12-07T10:00:00.000+01:00

A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to be able to get my hands on the third blogger and YouTuber sample pack from Viva La Nails. This time, we got to sample 9 colours of circular rhinestones while only paying the £2.95 shipping fee (rhinestones retail for £1.95 per pot)!

Shipping was actually very fast and I have received them within 3 days of placing my order. They were supplied in little plastic bags with a VLN sticker attached but usually they are supplied in pots. I got a nice mix of colours and I put them in rhinestone wheels as they are more practical to use that way.

For each colour, you get 4 sizes of rhinestones as shown in the photo below:

That is actually good so can choose which size you require depending on the nail art you want to create. The rhinestones are pretty much standard round rhinestones and on me they lasted until I took them off a week later so they are good quality as well. Here's a manicure in which I used three sizes of rhinestones:

Have you ever bought nail art supplies from Viva La Nails? If you live in the UK, you also qualify for free shipping if you buy over £25!

Simple Arabic Eye Make-Up Look

2011-12-06T15:49:00.000+01:00

Last Saturday, I wanted to experiment a little with my make-up look for a friend's wedding. I opted for an Arabic theme because I wanted to do it for a long time. However, I toned it down a little to suit the occasion and came up with this:

Here's a list of products used to create this look:

e.l.f. Eyelid Primer

e.l.f. Duo Eyeshadow Cream in Black Licorice & Blueberry

e.l.f. Everyday Brights 32 piece palette (light grey, blue and matte black)

e.l.f. Studio Eye Transformer (pastel blue)

Miners Megadust SupaShine Shadow in Moonlight

Ultra Glow Shimmer Pot in Icicle

Wet 'n' Wild Coloricon single eyeshadow in Brulee

e.l.f. Liquid Eyeliner in Black

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk

e.l.f. Lengthening & Defining Mascara in Black

Max Factor Kohl Eye Pencil in 020 Black

I then paired my look with a pinkish-neutral lip for which I used:

Nivea Hydrocare Lip balm

e.l.f. Studio Matte Lip Color in Natural

Maybelline Water Shine Lipstick in 02 Beige Glace

M&S Mulberry lipgloss

More Gel Nails....

2011-12-05T15:48:00.000+01:00

Nail overload today lol :P This time I will be showing you pictures of gel nails I did on my friend for her wedding, her maid of honour and her mother:

The Bride's nails

Mother of the Bride

Maid of Honour

What do you think of these?

Review: Seacret Minerals from the Dead Sea Cuticle Oil

2011-12-05T15:08:00.000+01:00

The weather is lovely today and for once I didn't moan about getting out of bed to run some errands this morning! It feels like a cool summer day actually! Anyways, while I have some time on my hands, I decided to blog a little.

Today, I will be reviewing a cuticle oil that I have been using religiously everyday ever since my mother-in-law gifted it to me!

She went to Hungary on holiday and got me a wonderful set of nail care products from a brand called Seacret which to be completely honest with you, I have never heard of before but anything originating from the Dead Sea is a winner with me and this brand's products are 100% made in Israel so you know you are getting something authentic.

Anyways, when I looked up the company on the internet, I further confirmed that the products are 100% authentic from the prices as well as the professional and clean layout of their website.

The cuticle oil comes as part of the Nail Care Collection (including body lotion, nail buffer and nail file) and it comes with a twist off cap and there is a long nozzle through which the product comes out. It is a good size as well as you get 30ml of product which is guaranteed to last you a long time!

I like to apply this cuticle oil every night before I go to bed so it has ample time to take care of my cuticles and nail walls (skin surrounding the nails). I am very fond of the texture of the product as it is not that thick as an oil would be, but it is just the perfect formulation that is rapidly absorbed through the skin and you are not left with greasy residues; only well cared for cuticles.

I cannot detect a smell to this cuticle oil and since it's constituents are mostly natural oils, it supplies the nails with much needed nutrients and I have also noticed that my nails are growing stronger and longer in a shorter time!

I really cannot recommend this cuticle oil enough! The only downside is that you have to buy it as part of the whole Nail Care Set which retails for €39.95 on their website. However, if you click the Vip Sign Up tab on their facebook page, you will receive an email with a code for 50% off + free shipping and other code with which you can get 30% off + free shipping on your next order!

Till next post, stay beautiful!

NOTW: 3 manicures in 1 week!

2011-12-04T11:00:00.005+01:00

I had two events this week, my graduation and a wedding so I had to change my nails accordingly :) First up is the mani I had been wearing at the beginning of the week...

Sally Cracks Essie

I put on Essie's Very Structured as I hadn't yet worn it. I really like the colour and it is very appropriate at this time of year :) I paired it with Sally Hansen Cherry Smash red crackle polish and added a couple of petal rhinestones on the ring fingers :)

Graduation Nails

I wanted something chic and elegant for my graduation last Thursday and I opted for a classic French manicure with a filigree design on the ring fingers. I used a pearlescent purple nail paint to create the design and added two petal rhinestones as leaves and some purple steel beads to complete the design.

Evening Wedding Nail Art

Lastly, this is the manicure I wore yesterday evening for my dear friends' wedding :) It was a lovely wedding and we all had fun together :)

I sponged Orly Dazzle over the entire tips and a little further down and the proceeded with Essence Color & Go in Let's Get Lost over the very tips. I added different sized rhinestones in a zig-zag fashion on the ring fingers to finish off my manicure :)

Which one is your favourite?

OOTN: Graduation Day!!!

2011-12-03T14:03:00.000+01:00

Hey all!! How's the weekend going? Mine has been quite busy since Thursday because it was my graduation day :D Finally, after years of hard work, it has arrived! I was uber excited and my heart felt like going out of my chest when my name was called to collect my Bachelors Degree!!! Anyways, as I promised on my facebook page, here are some photos of my outfit and make up for the day :)

Me, happy with my Degree :)

Me & Johan

Me with Mum & Dad

Me & my brother, James

Underneath my toga, I wore a black boohoo dress and paired it with a cropped tweed jacket from Peacocks and a pair of Mary Jane shoes from Marks & Spencer :)

Finally, here are pics of my eye make-up + a list of products used:

Face

Inglot Under the Make-up Base

NYX HD Foundation in 02 Soft Beige

essence stay natural concealer in 01 Soft Beige

e.l.f. Mineral Booster

Rimmel Powder Blush in 004 Pink Rose

e.l.f. Studio Make-up Mist & Set

Eyes

e.l.f. Eyelid Primer

e.l.f. Duo Eyeshadow Cream in Eggplant (purple shade)

e.l.f. Party Palette (grey shade)

Amarena make-up palette (purple shade)

e.l.f. Waterproof Eyeliner Pen in Black

e.l.f. Lengthening & Defining Mascara in Black

Max Factor kohl eye pencil in 020 Black

Lips

Nivea Hydrocare lip balm

e.l.f. Studio Matte Lip Colour in Tea Rose

L'Oreal Glam Shine Crystals lipgloss in Coral Strass

The Exit Interview Series: Volume #3

2011-11-30T13:10:00.000+01:00

Along with this month's favourites, here are the products I managed to use up:

Lycia Make-Up Remover wipes are my go-to make-up wipes that never broke me out or irritate my eye area like most other wipes do. I buy a bak-up of them each time I am half-way through the packet I would be using!

La Roche Posay Effaclar M moisturiser this is my first bottle of this moisturizer and it has lasted me 4 months! I have already bought a back-up of it because I love the instant matt look it gives my complexion and it keeps me shine free almost all day!

Nivea Extra Gentle Eye Make-up Remover was being given for free with the Nivea cleanser I used that time so I decided to give it a go. Although it removes make-up easily, I won't be buying this again as the Lycia wipes do the job just the same. I will keep the bottle and fill it with my own make-up remover (olive oil & bottled water) for days when I wear more make-up.

e.l.f. Eyelid Primer is seriously the best eye primer ever! It keeps my eyeshadow on all day/night and costs only €1.70! I had bought a back-up earlier this year which I only opened last week because this product lasted me a whole year and a half! How great is that?

I have more products which I want to use up so expect to see another post like this next month!

Hope you are all geared up for Christmas!

November Collective Haul

2011-11-29T12:38:00.001+01:00

Hello lovelies :) Here's what my bank balance was ungrateful for this month :P

Let's start with something boring this time; I bought some contacts for all my up coming graduation ceremonies over November and December. It's not my first time wearing contacts but I reserve them for special occasions only. These were €18.

I also bought some 1940s inspired back seamed tights which are very in at the moment. This pair was €4.50 and I have also ordered another one off ebay today.

Obviously, a collective haul from me is bound to have something nail related :P This time I bought another two China Glaze polishes, For Audrey (which I bought for obvious reasons) and Snow Globe from the Holiday 2011 Collection (they cost around €4 each). I'm very fond of them both and I can see myself wearing them a lot :) Here are some pictures:

For Audrey in natural light (left) & with flash (right)

Snow Globe in natural light (left) & with flash (right)

Also nail related is this flower mold which I got from ebay for less than a €1! I have a tutorial coming up on how to use these molds:

I also bought this book about Audrey Hepburn which is written by her first born son, Sean. It contains over 300 photographs of this wonderful woman and it is a must-have for any fan of hers! I bought mine online on the bookdepository.co.uk for €13.

The other day. Mum was shopping at the supermarket and there was an offer going with some sanitary towels and she scored a free Max Factor lipstick worth €10. She chose the shade 710 Midnight Plum:

She also bought me this train case which will come in handy when I need to visit clients for their nail appointments as I can carry nail polishes and nail art supplies in style! Also, she bought me this long top when I was shopping with her yesterday. I fell in love with the soft material, the colour and the bows on the top and she bought it for me :)

Last but surely not the least, here is a pair of earrings that Johan bought me. I saw these and thought they were cute but I have to prioritize my spending these couple of months so I figured I'd buy them another time; but he went back and got them for me :)

I am waiting for some stuff to be delivered in the coming weeks but overall, I really didn't spend much this month as I had to prioritize with my graduation celebration and Christmas coming up :)

What did you buy this month?

New Product Launch: Sigma Make Me Up Travel Sized kits!

2011-11-29T12:02:00.000+01:00

Sigma have been on a roll lately and they have added a new collection to their ever increasing range of products! Remember the Make Me Up kits? Now you can carry your favourite brushes with you wherever you go thanks to Sigma for transforming these collections into travel sized ones!

Each kit contains seven travel-size brushes from our best-selling Essential Kit (E30 Pencil, E40 Tapered Blending, E55 Eye Shading, E65 Small Angle, F30 Large Powder, F40 Large angled Contour, and F60 Foundation) and retails for $59 from the Sigma website (meaning you also qualify for a free gift with purchase!).

The Make Me Up - Travel Edition features four colorful travel kits: Make Me Blush (coral), Make Me Crazy (purple), Make Me Classy (black) and Make Me Cool (aqua). The brushes come in the traditional Make Me Up container that turns into two brush holders to keep you stylish and organized on the go.

Top Polish Picks for Winter 2011/2012

2011-11-28T16:24:00.000+01:00

Hello dolls :) While I have some time on my hands today, I decided to share with you my top nail polish picks for this season. They are mainly dark-toned polishes but I have also included three festive polishes for the Christmas season so you can be sure your nails will sparkle through all the parties :) I'll leave you to the photos now!

Essie Very Structured & In Stitches

e.l.f. Smoky Brown, Cranberry, Medium Red, Purple Pleaser, Rosy Raisin & Party Purple

China Glaze Trendsetter, Westside Warrior & Traffic Jam

China Glaze Ring In The Red, Awakening & Lubu Heels

Orly Dazzle, Eugene Perma deep plum, Golden Rose Paris no.41

China Glaze Snow Globe

What are your favourite polishes this season?

Monthly Favurites: November 2011

2011-11-27T15:03:00.000+01:00

Time for monthly favourites again ladies! This month I have some new products and some re-discoveries so there is quite a good mix :) I have still been using the same foundations/primers and face brushes as last month so there is nothing new there and I don't see the point of showing you the same products from month to month so let me get started with the other new products I have been favouring most this month.

Skin, Body & Nail Care

First up is a new skin care product. I have talked to my beautician about spots that I have been getting ever since I started work and she advised me on trying out this enzymatic gommage from Gatineau which is targeted especially for young skins. She gave me a sample of it and after a few applications, I could definitely see a difference in the way my skin looked... much brighter and more refined! Best thing is it didn't break me out and spots seemed to clear up after just a few uses. I still continue to use my Effaclar cleanser and moisturizer just the same since they are not to blame for the spots but I have to make some more changes to my skin care routine yet again so stay tuned for an upcoming post dealing only with skin care.

With regards nail and body care, I also have some new products, namely, M&S White Apricot & Almond Hand & Nail Cream, The Body Shop Cocoa Butter Body Scrub, Seacret Cuticle Oil & Buffing Block. All of these products have been featuring regularly in my body care so I thought of including them in this month's favourites. In fact, I like the hand cream so much, I will buy another one to put in my nail tech kit to use on my clients :)

Make-up (lip & eye products)

We all know red is THE colour this season, from bright pillar box shades to the deeper burgundy and berry hues, it is a must this winter. In fact, I have been totally obsessed with berry shades this month and as a consequence I have been loving dark lips very much and as scared as I am of dark lipsticks, I think that they look good on me and so these have been my favourite lip products this month. Also, my favourite brush to apply lipstick with, has come to be the e.l.f. Mineral Lip Brush.

Last but least, I have also been loving dark eye make-up lately and my favourite eyeshadows have been e.l.f. Studio Single Eyeshadow in Raspberry Truffle and e.l.f. Mineral Eyeshadows in Socialite and Caffeinated.

What were your favourites this month ladies?

Graduation Nails

2011-11-25T21:54:00.000+01:00

I had Martina from Beauty, Fashion & All Things Fabulous blog over to get her nails done for graduation (she's graduating one day before me, Congrats Martina!) and this is what we ended up settling on:

Cute and classy! I hope you like it as much as she did!

Viva La Nails Black Friday 25% Off Sale!!!

2011-11-25T15:28:00.001+01:00

Here's another amazing offer for Black Friday from Viva La Nails!

For those of you who do not know what Viva La Nails is, it is an online nail art supplies shop that offers the latest nail-related trends at very affordable prices. They also offer free shipping for international orders over £25 (the usual rate for orders under £25 is only £2.95 so it is still very affordable!).

If you are a nail enthusiast or a nail technician and need to stock up on some supplies, now is the perfect time! You have all weekend to avail yourselves of this fantastic offer! Just enter code BLACK at checkout (code valid on all items in store and it cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer).

Happy shopping!

Free Shipping from Sigma for Black Friday!!

2011-11-25T10:14:00.000+01:00

I hope my US followers had a fantastic Thanksgiving yesterday and to celebrate Black Friday, I have an excellent offer for you all! Sigma are offering free standard worldwide shipping from 9:00am - 5:00pm CST today only!!

If you're like me and hate having to pay for shipping when as is the case with some websites, you can get something extra for the shipping cost, go on and take advantage of this fantastic offer! Just enter the code BF2011 at checkout to benefit from this offer!

Why not take the opportunity and get some Christmas shopping done from the Sigma website? Treat yourself or a loved one to a luxury gift this Christmas... here are some product examples:

MaxBag Violet $25.00

Dry'n Shape $29.00

Cleansing & Polishing Tool $39.00

The Cities - London kit $89.00

Eyeshadow Palette - Bare $35.00

Go on indulge yourself!

Clicking on pictures/product names will take you directly to the particular product

Review: Nivea Hydro Care Lip Balm

2011-11-23T13:15:00.000+01:00

Hello my lovelies :) I have an awesome product to share with you all today! It is my newest lip balm from Nivea which has really come in handy these last few days to protect my lips from the wind and cold in general. I did get chapped lips for like a week but they were easily soothed thanks to this lip balm!

Let's get started on the review by taking a look at the packaging...

It is your standard stick lip balm (my preferred packaging as it is much more sanitary than those tins in which you have to put your fingers to get the product out) with a light blue cap. I think the design on the cap looks cute (might do a nail art design with it soon). You get 4.8g of product and although the lip balm is white when you twist it up, is goes on clear. Also, it is supplied in a blister pack but I didn't take a picture of that.

I like how it goes on smoothly on the lips and hydrates them without that greasy feeling. The size of the product makes it ideal for on the go applications as it will fit even in the smallest of clutch bags! Moreover, I have had other Nivea lip balms in the past and they last a very long time even with me re-applying every minute lol!

I bought mine for €2 something so it really doesn't break the bank and does it's job!

Have you ever tried this lip balm or any other Nivea lip balms for that matter?

New Limited Edition Brush Collections from Sigma ~ The Cities

2011-11-21T17:11:00.001+01:00

Sigma Beauty have come up with 4 sets of limited edition brush kits, this time, the theme being The Cities. Inspired by world-famous cities of the likes of London, Paris, Tokyo & New York, Sigma have created these brush kits which come with the same container as the famous Make Me Up kits... but hurry up! These new brush kits won't be here for long as they are limited edition! Which one will you get? My favourite is Paris, obviously because I'm very fond of the French capital :)

That's not it!! You can also get $5 off the Dry 'n' Shape by entering a special coupon code found underneath each Dry 'n' Shape video at checkout!

Get your Christmas shopping done early and reward your family make-up enthusiast with something from the Sigma website!

NOTW: Burgundy Red for Graduation Thanksgiving Mass

2011-11-20T12:58:00.000+01:00

Good morning my lovelies :) This is the nail art I wore for my graduation thanksgiving mass last Thursday at St. John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta:

I paired the base colour (e.l.f. Cranberry - 2 coats) with the shoes and the bag, then I sponged some black polish (Essie Licorice) over the tips and down to half of the nail. I then proceeded by sponging some silver polish (Orly Dazzle) over the very tips and a little further down and topped off everything with a coat of China Glaze Lubu Heels over the entire nail.

Make-Up Collection {Part 2 ~ Eye Products}

2011-11-19T16:25:00.000+01:00

Following from Part 1 of my make-up collection, this post will show you the biggest part of my make-up collection... eye products. I have accumulated quite a good number of products over the past years especially eyeshadows but I still enjoy buying any particular colours that I don't have, in fact I just ordered some new products from e.l.f. cosmetics :)

Eye products happen to be my favourite part of my entire make-up collection so much so that I have a palette that I have never used simply because the colours in it are so bright and beautiful that it makes me happy just by looking at it; and it looks too perfect to be used!

Let me start by showing you eye pencils, cream/cliquid eyeliners and mascaras first and then move on to the eyeshadows! I love how you can play with different eyeliners to emphasize your eyes and create different looks accordingly so it's no wonder that I have quite a bunch :) I will also be sharing with you the different pairs of falsies I own as well as my preferred lash glue :) I store my eye products in the second row of my cabinet (lashes and liners in the small drawer, eyeshadows in the wicker basket; I keep my most reached for on the cabinet itself).

I'll leave you to the photos now and I will also provide links to products that I have already reviewed and if you want me to review any of the non-reviewed ones, just let me know in the comments section :) Enjoy!

Pretty Wild High Impact Mascara

Rimmel Extra Super Lash Lash Building Mascara

e.l.f. Lengthening & Defining Mascara (x2 Black; x1 Black Brown)

e.l.f. Wet Gloss Lash & Brow Clear Mascara

e.l.f. Liquid Eyeliner in Stardust & Black

e.l.f. Waterproof Eyeliner Pen in Black & Coffee

eye-define duo eye pencil in Purple & Green

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk

e.l.f. Brightening Eye Liner Pencil in Black

Rimmel SpecialEyes eye pencil in Forest Green

essence eyebrow designer in 02 Brown

Estee Lauder Eye Defining Pencil

Pimkie eye pencil trio

Technic black eyeliner pencil

Max Factor Kohl Pencil in 020 Black

Artdeco eye pencil

Maybelline Expert Eyes Kohl pencil

Black Onyx Eye Pencil in Purple

e.l.f. Shimmer Eyeliner Pencils in Twinkle Teal, Iconic Ivory & Boldly Bronzed

Barry M Pink eye pencil

e.l.f. Studio Cream Eyeliners in Metallic Olive, Teal Tease & Midnight

ES brand 10 pairs different eyelashes

Revlon Beyond Natural eyelashes in Natural Defining & Dramatic 3x Volume

Revlon Precision Lash Adhesive

eyelash applicator

So, with the liners and lashes out of the way, here are the single eyeshadows and the smaller palettes first:

Miners Supashine Shadow in Moonlight & Ethereal

Ultra Glow Professional Shimmer Pot in Icicle

Barry M Shimmering Body Creme in Golden Highlights

e.l.f. Eyelid Primer in Sheer

Face Candy Couture Mineral Eyeshadow samples

Rimmel mono eyeshadows in Moonlight & Smokey Quartz

Covergirl Eye Enhancer trio in Cafe au' Lait (Double Espresso)

No7 Stay Perfect Eyeshadow in Tender

Wet 'n' Wild coloricon eyeshadow in Brulee

e.l.f. Duo Eyeshadow Creams in Black Licorice, Berry Mix, Blueberry & Eggplant

e.l.f. Studio Single Eyeshadow in Raspberry Truffle

e.l.f All Over Color Stick in Persimmon

e.l.f. Mineral Eyeshadows in Outdoorsy, Socialite & Caffeinated

Amarena Make-up Palette

Collistar mono eyeshadows

e.l.f. Studio Eye Transformer Palette

e.l.f. eyeshadow trios (limited edition from the 2010 Christmas Collection)

Finally, here are the larger, more colourful palettes:

Valentina D Make-up Pallette

Deborah Stories Large Make-Up Pallette

e.l.f. Everyday Brights 32 Piece Eyeshadow Palette

Technic eyeshadow palette

e.l.f. Party Pallette (limited edition from the 2010 Christmas Collection)

Estee Lauder neutrals palette

Revlon Warm & Toasty Creme Eyeshadow Palette

Review: Born Pretty Store GCOCL Special Stamping Polish Set

2011-11-17T10:00:00.001+01:00

Hello my lovelies :) I have another product review from Born Pretty Store today! As you can tell from the title of this post, I will be reviewing a stamping polish set which was kindly sent to me for review purposes. As usual, Kevin let me choose which products I wanted to review and I chose this set of 7 stamping polishes just to see whether they gave different results to normal polishes with the stamping plates.

Shipping took a little longer than usual maybe because in China they had a week of holidays in October but usually, I get orders from Born Pretty in no more than 3 weeks. Shipping is free worldwide and there is no minimum order limit to benefit from such an offer!

Packaging wise, I quite like how the polishes come in this box where you can safely store them in between uses. Also, when I got these, there were no signs of damage to the box as it was carefully wrapped in bubble wrap and also, none of the bottles were broken.

In total, you get 7 polishes; 6 of which are colours and 1 is a clear top coat. The consistency of these polishes is quite thick compared to regular nail polishes and it is not advisable to use them on bare nails. The colours are basic colours which you can mix together to create totally new shades for your stamping nail art. It doesn't say how much product you get but the bottles are quite filled up, I'd say somewhere between 7ml and 10ml per bottle. Furthermore, the colours are very bright indeed and they are good value for money as one set costs $10.80 (which works out to approximately $1.54 pre bottle).

I compared the white stamping polish with a regular white nail polish to see which one gives the best result out of the two. Both polishes seem to give just as good a result but the regular nail polish dries much quicker than the stamping polish.

White Stamping Polish

Regular White Nail Polish

And this is a manicure in which I used the white stamping polish:

The brush is a standard size nail polish brush and the handle is just the right length for it to be ergonomic enough to work with. After using these polishes, the stamping equipment is very easy to clean with just some polish remover and they won't leave traces behind. I thought that because these polishes are of the GCOCL brand, they would work better with the GCOCL plates but I tried them with other plates and they work just as brillaintly!

Here are some bonus pictures of stamping designs on paper with the different colours vs regular nail polishes:

Overall, I really like these stamping polishes and I will use them whenever I can as this will help me save on nail polishes as stamping can contribute to polish waste. The only things which can be improved is the clear top cat because it tends to smudge the designs and the black one can be a bit more thick so designs come out better.

Have you ever tried stamping polishes? If you want to get this particular set, don't forget to quote the code EBABK31 at checkout for a 10% discount (shipping is always free and there is no minimum order value to avail yourselves of the discount!)

Review: Montagne Jeunesse Very Berry Face Masque

2011-11-16T12:56:00.004+01:00

Another post for today! I have decided to blog till my fingers bleed today because in the coming two - three weeks starting tomorrow, I will be quite busy with my graduation preparations and celebrations, the village festa and squeezing in nail appointments in my off days.

Today, I have another natural face mask from Montagne Jeunesse which is bursting with juicy cranberries and blueberries, both of which are well know for their antioxidants and detoxifying properties. The Very Berry Face Mask is one of the newest additions to MJ's ever increasing range of natural, cruelty-free face masks which are also suitable for vegetarians!

The packaging is very true to the contents and as soon as you open the sachet, you are met with the juicy aroma of fresh cranberries. I really like the pearly lilac colour of this mask too and it's quite thick in texture but easy to spread on your skin. It is recommended that you leave the mask on cleansed, dry skin for 10 - 15 minutes and then rinse it off with warm water. To reap fruity beauty benefits, it is best if you use this mask once a week. I know I will as I have already got myself another backup!

Blueberries, being so rich in vitamins, will help clear troubled skin while cranberries boast Omega 3, 6 & 9 and other natural oils to further delay the ageing process of the skin. Moreover, cranberries and blueberries are not the only constituents of this mask! It also contains Peach Kernel oil to nourish the skin and Aloe will rehydrate and moisturize.

This is definitely one of the best ever products from Montagne Jeunesse and you can find it at ASDA, Boots, Claire's, New Look, Savers and from the MJ website for UK residents. Fellow Maltese beauties, you can find MJ masks at New Look, Peacocks and various other super markets.

*PR Sample*

e.l.f. Haul(s) + The Beauty Baron's Mystery Box!! (Pic-heavy)

2011-11-16T09:35:00.000+01:00

Good morning cupcakes! I have some eye candy to share with you today! Yesterday evening felt like Christmas morning to me as after about a week, I got my first elf order as well as the second order and the mystery box which were dispatched last Friday (+ 2 China Glaze polishes as well). I was getting worried about my first order as usually I receive my little brown boxes around 2 - 3 days after I receive the dispatch notice but the wait was totally worth it! I had to pick my boxes from the main postal branch as the postie turned up while I was doing my beautician's nails but everything was intact!

Here's what I got in the first order (I saved on shipping for this order with the code SHHDELEU which is valid until the end of the month; check out the Beauty Baron's facebook page for more codes):

Lengthening & Defining Mascara (2x Black, 1x Black Brown)

Wet Gloss Lash & Brow Clear Mascara

Studio Cream Eyeliner in Teal Tease

Mineral Lipstick in Rich Raspberry

Studio Eye Transformer in Pastel Illusions

I bought the mascaras as I had loved the one that came in one of last year's Christmas sets and they are totally great value for money considering you have to throw away mascara after a few months. The clear one is a re-purchase. I have to admit that I haven't been using anything on my brows but I really like how this keeps them in place so I bought it once again! I have been waiting for the eyeliner and lipstick ever since I saw them on the US site and I'm so glad I ordered them!! Lastly, I ordered the Eye Transformer out of curiosity and from the quick swatches I did, I'm glad I now own it :) Here are some more pictures:

Mineral Lipstick in Rich Raspberry

Studio Cream Eyeliner in Teal Tease (in reality, it is much more green than blue)

Studio Eye Transformer

Above right, actual colour swatches; below right, colours on black cream eyeshadow

Two days after I placed this order, the Beauty Baron decided to come up with another fantastic offer that I certainly could not pass up: free shipping + free mystery box containing more than £10 worth of products with every order of £10 or more! So, this time I ordered a few more things:

Mineral Booster in Sheer (large)

Mineral Eyeshadows in Caffeinated & Socialite

Studio Single Eyeshadow in Raspberry Truffle

I ordered myself the large Mineral Booster as my small one is almost finished. The eyeshadows, I'd say were impulse buys but I'm really happy with them as they are quite unique colours and I don't have anything like them in my collection :) Here are some swatches:

Mineral Eyeshadows in Socialite & Caffeinated

Studio Single Eyeshadow in Raspberry Truffle

Finally, the exciting bit... the mystery box contents!

Nail Polish in Twinkle & Smoky Brown

Mineral Lip Brush

Mineral Eyeshadow in Outdoorsy

I'm very happy with what I got! I really wanted another lip brush and getting it for free is amazing! Also, it's a great opportunity to try the mineral brushes as I don't own any of them. The eyeshadow, I'm totally in love with! It's shimmery and green is one of my favourites colours :) I happen to have both nail polishes already but since I use Smoky Brown quite a lot I will definitely keep it. Twinkle, I'm not sure as I also have China Glaze's Snow Globe so I might give Twinkle to someone else.

Mineral Lip Brush

Mineral Eyeshadow in Outdoorsy

That concludes my elf haul ladies! Did you avail yourselves of the Mystery Box offer? What did you get?

P.S. Want elf to treat us to another amazing Christmas offer? Help them reach 275,000 'Likes' by 5:00p.m. British Time of the 21/11/2011 on their facebook page! Can't wait to see what they will come up with!

Classic French Gel Overlay

2011-11-15T15:25:00.000+01:00

I'm off from work today so I could fit in a client for gel nails and this time, it was my beautician :) She wanted a gel overlay (when you apply gel over the bare nail without extending the tip) so as to strengthen her nails and let them grow out a bit. This is the end result:

I'm quite pleased with it, considering it was my first time doing an overlay. She loved them too and I'm looking forward for my next appointment with her to see how they have grown out!

Review: Born Pretty Store Striping Polish

2011-11-14T13:04:00.001+01:00

Hello ladies :) I have another polish review for you today and this time, I will be reviewing this striping polish which Kevin from Born Pretty Store, has kindly sent me. This is my first time reviewing nail polishes from Born Pretty Store so I was quite excited to receive the package. In fact, I thought it was lost when 4 weeks had elapsed and there was no sign of it but it made it safely to my doorstep... better late than never! However, here I have to mention that usually, packages from Born Pretty Store arrive within 2 - 3 weeks and shipping is free worldwide! Moreover, the contents of the envelope were safely wrapped in a flexible jablo-like wrap and taped so no damage was incurred during shipping. Furthermore, when I notified Kevin that the package could have been lost, he immediately agreed to send another one my way if it didn't turn up within the 4th week!

Back to the polish! Packaging-wise, the polish looks pretty much like most striping polishes and the bottle holds 10ml of sparkly polish (the one I chose is pink and you can find it here). There are other colours from which to choose so you will definitely find something to suit your tastes! The brush is actually very nice to work with as it is a very good length to create stripes and other sorts of nail art and the handle is very ergonomic and provides a good grip. I also like how the brush comes to a point as you can create pointy, defined lines easily.

The texture of the polish is more watery than a striper would normally be and I actually think this is a good point as it will last longer in the bottle and it will not thicken after only a few uses. It does dry quickly on the nails though so that is definitely another plus!

Moreover, the glitter does not feel gritty especially after applying a top coat but as you would expect from any glitter polish, it can be a little of a pain to remove (on me, the polish lasted for a week until I took it off).

The pay-off with this striper is quite good in my opinion as you can see from the photos below where I created different designs with it and each time, I only applied one stroke of it!

The best thing about this striper polish is that it is available in different colours and formulations and retails for only $1.60 per bottle (the price goes down per bottle the more you buy)!

Here are some nail art designs in which I used this striper polish:

Have you ever tried any polishes from Born Pretty? If you would like to get some for yourself, go on and place an order and during this time, while they are celebrating their anniversary, new customers who register an account get 100 BPS points which you can use to save money! (there are more ways to earn these points, details about which can be found on the website itself). Furthermore, if you would like 10% off your order, use the code EBABK31 until 31st December 2011 and if more than 20 orders cite the code, BPS will sponsor a giveaway for you all on this blog!

NOTW: Flowers in a raspberry Traffic Jam

2011-11-13T10:00:00.001+01:00

Good morning ladies :) How has your week been? Mine has been quite good but I still have to settle some things which are work-related so I'm a bit more busy than usual even on my off days. Also, I have been updating my nail art portfolio with new designs and this morning I will be buying new colour gels for my clients to choose from after I get some rest from my night duty. I am also in the process of printing my first ever business cards after a lot of changing of layout and deciding how I want them to look.

Being busy, I'm opting for quick nail art designs so I sometimes revert back to stamping like I did this week and I also had an excuse to try one of my latest China Glaze purchases... Traffic Jam! This is such a beautiful colour I really don't want to take it off! It's a pinky purple creme that goes totally opaque with just two thin coats!

I then stamped it with GCOCL Special Stamping Polish in White and added pink glitter accents with a striper polish:

OOTN: Teal Tease!

2011-11-11T22:34:00.000+01:00

Hello lovelies :) It's 22:15 and I'm already at home since it decided to start raining cats and dogs while me and Johan were out. We headed back to my home for some hot chocolate so I decided to post the outfit I was wearing while I have some time on my hands as tomorrow I will have to go and try to find a nice blouse to wear for my Graduation Thanks-giving Mass this coming Thursday. Here's are the outfit and make-up pictures:

Jacket, Next

Polo neck, New Look

Shorts, earrings & flower hair slide, Peacocks

Ankle boots, Zara

Belt, Jennyfer (came with a pair of shorts)

Quilted bag, ebay

Black Akoya pearl bracelet, gift

And this is the make-up and products used:

Face

Inglot Under Make-Up Base

NYX HD Foundation in 02 Soft Beige

essence stay natural concealer in 01 Soft Beige

e.l.f. Mineral Booster in Sheer

NYX Concealer in a Jar in Green

e.l.f. Mineral Blemish Kit

Rimmer Powder Blush in 004 Pink Rose

e.l.f. Studio Make-Up Mist & Set

Eyes

e.l.f. Eyelid Primer

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk

black and teal eyeshadows from e.l.f. Everyday Brights 32 piece palette

e.l.f. Waterproof Eyeliner Pen in Black

Technic black kohl pencil

Rimmel Extra Super Lash mascara in Black Black

Lips

Nivea Hydro Care lip balm

e.l.f. Studio Matte Lip Color in Natural

Maybelline Watershine Lipstick in 02 Beige Glace

Primark beauty pink lipgloss

Fabulous offers from e.l.f. cosmetics UK!!

2011-11-09T13:26:00.000+01:00

As promised, here's a run-down of the promo codes that can be used currently on the e.l.f. cosmetics UK site:

The following free shipping/20% off codes will run through November:

There is also a code on the top of the site to get a free 6 in 1 Beauty to Go palette with orders over £40/€42!

Being so spoilt for choice you are bound to find something right for you!

Happy shopping!

Nail-mail, new shoes and new spectacles!

2011-11-09T13:09:00.000+01:00

Good morning ladies :) I originally planned on doing an elf haul post today but sadly the postie didn't get me my order yet :( so I figured I'd do a haul of other things I got lately. I have also placed another order as elf are running another promotion right now where you get a mystery gift worth over £10 with orders over £10/€12 (more on offers in a later post today) so I had to get a little something more! I figured I will do a haul of both orders at one go when I receive them :)

First, I want to start with two nail polishes I got and some pink, glittery acrylic powder:

Pink acrylic powder

China Glaze Ring in the Red from the Let It Snow Holiday 2011 Collection

Essie Very Structured from the Fall 2011 Collection

Ring In The Red in a lovely red jelly base packed with large hexagonal glitters and smaller square glitters. It dries to a matte finish. I have also ordered Snow Globe from the same collection as well as the much sought-after For Audrey but I'm still waiting for them to be delivered.

Essie's Very Structured is a rich dark tan creme which is very in right now so it will be one of my fave colours this season for sure! The polishes were between €4 and €5 each.

I also got a pot of pink acrylic to do 3D flowers and nail art with. I quite like the one I got because it is glittery as well and gives the designs a more girly feel :) I have also bought a 3D mold but I'm still waiting for that as well. In the meantime, here's a picture which is true to the actual colour:

And yes, I got another pair of shoes :P I couldn't resist them as they were on sale for €20.50 from Peacocks and I had been wanting a pair of leopard print heels for quite some time. I have promised myself that the only pairs of shoes I will buy till the end of the year are one for my graduation ball (for which I have finally found the perfect dress!), one for our village festa and a pair of Nine West heels that I have had my eyes on ever since I first saw them :)

Lastly, these are my new glasses:

I had my vision corrected by a few more degrees and I ordered a pair of glasses from zennioptical.com. They only came to around €30 shipping included and delivery didn't take long so I was quite satisfied in that regard. They also come with a protective case and lens wipe. However, when I tried them on, I wasn't so sure if they'd look good on me at first as this is my first full-rim pair but now that I have been wearing them for the past week, I am more comfortable in them.

So that's it for this post ladies :) Stay tuned for some great offers I will be sharing with you in the next post!

OOTN: The Fur Gilet

2011-11-08T12:19:00.000+01:00

Good afternoon my lovelies :) Hope everyone's doing well :) Today I want to share with you my outfit from last Saturday. We went to dinner at a casual but very popular restaurant in Malta with my family and since the weather was a bit on the cold side, it was perfect to wear my new (faux) fur gilet! Here are the photos:

Gilet, Stradivarius

Top, Mango

Jeans, Terranova

Earrings, Tenda

Bracelet, Ell's

Shoes, local shoe store

And this is the make-up I wore:

My bro, me & Johan

Face
Inglot Under Make-Up Base
NYX HD Foundation in HDF02 Soft Beige
essence stay natural concealer in 01 Soft Beige
e.l.f. Mineral Booster in Sheer
e.l.f. Studio Warm Bronzer
Rimmel Powder Blush in 004 Pink Rose
e.l.f. Studio Make-Up Mist & Set

Eyes
e.l.f. Eyelid Primer
Revlon Limited Edition Warm & Toasty cream eyeshadow palette
CoverGirl Double Espresso
Estee Lauder neutrals palette
e.l.f. All Over Color Stick in Persimmon
Estee Lauder Eye Defining Pencil in Deep Brown
Rimmel Extra Super Lash Mascara in Black Black

Lips
e.l.f. Mineral Lipstick in Rosy Tan
e.l.f. Super Glossy Lip Shines in Goddess & Iced Latte

NOTW: One Stroke Butterflies in Fall Hues

2011-11-06T11:00:00.000+01:00

Happy Sunday everyone! I finally found some time this week to do some more elaborate nail art and I wanted to experiment more with the one stroke nail art technique. I have been practicing quite a lot with it and decided to give it a go on myself before I try it on clients. I intend to do a full tutorial on the technique once I start a new series dealing with nail care so let me know what you think and also if you would like me to deal with specific areas of nail care and provide more in-depth posts about the subject(s).

Back to our butterflies before they fly away :P This is how the final result looks like:

Let's get started with the tutorial!

1. Prep nails with a base coat and paint on two coats of a nail polish if your choice. Here I used e.l.f. Smoky Brown.

2. Next, decide what colours you want your butterflies to be. In this tutorial I used acrylic paints as one stroke designs are much easier done with acrylic paint than with polish. The colours I used for my butterflies are Deep Yellow & Yellow Ochre which turned out to be very similar but I still like the end results.

3. Dip one side of a small bevelled nail art brush in the first colour and the other side in the other colour. Do a few strokes on the palette/ piece of paper to blend the two colours together and draw a heart shape on the side of your finger nail. These will be butterfly's wings.

4. Outline the wings with black acrylic paint and extend the points to a triangular shape. You can also add a small curl to the bottom half of your butterfly. Don't forget to add the butterfly's body!

5. Finish off by adding three small dots on the wing extensions (I used a pearly orange for this step). Once dry, apply a top coat and you're done!

New Croc Effects from Barry M!

2011-11-04T14:09:00.000+01:00

Here's a press-release of the latest addition in the crackle-polish family:

Barry M have just released the Croc-effect nail polish today for only £3.99! I wish I could get my hands on it asap!

What do you think ladies? Will you be buying it?

Gel Nails for Pre-Wedding Photoshoot

2011-11-03T21:36:00.000+01:00

Hello lovelies :) Just a quick post to share with you my latest gel nails creation for a pre-wedding photoshoot:

As you can see, they are quite simple but they incorporate all the colours the bride will be wearing for the shoot. As my client is a huge fan of the Twilight saga, we couldn't pass up the opportunity for her to pose with an apple in hand :P

More shopping...

2011-11-01T16:55:00.000+01:00

Hello ladies! Almost middle of the week already! :) So, after I had published the October Collective Haul post, I had to go out shopping again, this time for a dress for my graduation ball this December but I didn't find anything I like yet. I hate how long ball gowns look on someone short like me so I am looking for a shorter dress but nothing has caught my eye yet.

Somehow, I still managed to buy my first coat this year! It's from New Look and I fell in love with it the moment I saw it! I just love everything about it... the colour, the cut, the buttons, how cosy it feels and how it fits me! Moreover, it was marked as €54.99 but I got it for 10% off as they were giving out a promotional voucher and even though it was supposed to be used with your next purchase, the sales girl was sweet enough to let me use it just the same :)

I also got this turquoise polo neck of which I love the colour and the detailing on the sleeves and at the back. This was originally €9.99 but I got it at 10% off as well! Lastly, from Terranova, I bought this floral polo neck which ties with a pussy bow at the neck for only €9.99!

In the October haul, I mentioned that I was waiting for a few nail polishes to be delivered and I finally got Traffic Jam from China Glaze's Metro Collection for Fall 2011! It is a nice berry shade which I can see myself wearing a lot this season!

I will be looking for my ball dress later this week I guess on my next day off... let's hope it is a successful trip so I can get that out of the way as well!

Review: Essence Cosmetics Top-Coats

2011-10-31T13:34:00.000+01:00

Good afternoon lovelies :) I hope you're all well after the weekend :) Today, I have a review that is long overdue and now I have finally found some time to do it before I rest a little prior to heading out for night shift!

So I was looking for an alternative top-coat to try as I am always on the look-out for a new top-coat to see if it performs better than the previous one I had and I really wanted to try the Essence Better than Gel Nails Top Coat but sadly, I haven't yet seen it here in Malta. Anyways, I still went on to buy an Essence top-coat and while I was at the pharmacy, I spotted three different ones and seeing they are really affordable, I decided to get one of each.

The bottles are all pretty much the same; transparent and hold 8ml of product and the caps are all white. As you can see from the picture, I got the High Shine Top Coat, the Quick Dry Top Coat and the Glitter Top Coat. The High Shine top coat was €2.11 whilst the other two were priced €2.41.

All these apply really nicely as the consistency is neither too thick, nor too watery and the brush is a good size to work with.

The High Shine and the Quick Dry top coats are just regular transparent, glossy top coats but the difference between them is that the former dries really quick while the other one isn't quick drying at all! It takes ages for it to dry during which time, it is very easy to smudge your nail polish. So as not to let it go to waste, I use it to adhere rhinestones and nail decorations as only a small amount is needed. However, I will definitely not re-purchase this again. On the other hand, the High Shine top coat is my favourite and I use it constantly to extend the life of my manicure and give it that extra shine. I will definitely buy this top-coat again and I totally recommend it to anyone who wants a good top coat but doesn't want to break the bank!

The Glitter top coat is also a favourite of mine and I use it whenever I want to add that extra sparkle to my manicure and also when I want to give my manicure some dimension. The reason why I like this top coat so much, apart from the fact that it dries quickly and helps my manicure stay chip-free for a whole week, is that it is very easy to remove! Since the glitter in it is quite fine, it doesn't stick to the cotton pad and make a mess like other glitter polishes do and I always apply two coats of this to achieve an extra sparkly effect.

That's all I have to say on these top coats ladies and I especially recommend the High Shine and the Glitter Top Coats. As for the ~~non~~ Quick Dry one, I'd say save your pennies lol.

Have you ever tried any of these top coats or any other Essence nail polishes ladies? Which are your favourites?

Monthly Favourites: October 2011

2011-10-30T15:25:00.000+01:00

Hello ladies :) October has also come to an end so it is time for me to show you what I have been enjoying most this month :) First and foremost, having had my first pay, I had to shop lol and I love everything I bought this month (you can have a look at all the items I purchased here). Furthermore, I have been wearing more cosy clothes as a result of the weather getting colder (something which I am not a fan of) so that has been a good excuse to wear the new clothes I have been buying for Autumn/Winter. I have also been enjoying autumnal shades this month.

With regards beauty products, I have some re-discoveries and new products to share with you but most of them have to do with skin care and how I have been getting through with having zits more frequently thanks to the full blast air conditioning I have to work in at the lab (I have a post coming up with what I have been doing to help my skin). So let me get started :)

Like I said, I have been having skin issues, so my go-to products were La Roche Posay Effaclar A.I. Targeted Breakout Corrector (apart from the rest of the La Roche Posay Effaclar skin care products that I use); Montagne Jeunesse Blemish Mud; e.l.f. Shine Erasers & e.l.f. Mineral Blemish Kit.

Obviously, I had to conceal the spots so I have been using the NYX Concealer in a Jar (Green) as well as my Revlon ColorStay foundation for day and NYX HD Foundation for night. The Sigma F80 is my preferred brush for applying foundation whilst the e.l.f. Powder Brush wins hands down for best application of powder products like the e.l.f. Studio Complexion Perfection and the Mineral Booster.

I have also been enjoying more natural looking make-up looks this month as I have been quite busy with work and another project and my go to products are Nivea Hydro Care lip balm to keep my lips hydrated and chap-free, Maybelline Water Shine Lipstick in 02 Cocoa Shake and I am happy to say I have re-discovered my e.l.f. Waterproof Eyeliner Pens in Black and Coffee which I am very pleased to say that they haven't dried up from last year!

Being so busy, I have really missed doing my nails so I have to do a new mani asap! However, I have been wearing essie's Vanity Fairest for most of this month! Lastly, not only my skin suffers the consequences of air conditioning, but also my hair. Thereby, I have invested in this tub of Palmer's Coconut Oil which I apply to my ends whenever my hair needs a moisture boost! So that concludes my beauty product favourites for this month cupcakes but I have one more thing to share with you :)

I have been watching the Audrey Hepburn DVD's I got earlier this month and the more I see, the more I appreciate Audrey Hepburn! Can't wait to get my hands on the rest of her movies!

Lastly, I'd like to take this opportunity to remind you guys about a Halloween nail art competition I am taking part in on facebook. I am currently in second place with my entry but I need to get at least another 200 votes before noon of 1st November to win so I would appreciate it if you spared a second of your time and liked my photo just by following these simple steps:

1. Go to the Essence Cosmetics Malta facebook page here and like it

2. Click like under my picture

Thanks a lot in advance for your help cupcakes :)

So that's it for my monthly favourites ladies! Stay tuned for more posts to come! Happy Sunday!