Monthly Favourites | March & April

Since I was too caught up between things and didn't manage to publish last month's favourites post, I am combining them with April's favourites as most of the products are essentially the same. So without further ado, let's get right into it!

March was more geared towards skin care and consequently, I have a lot skin care of products to feature in this post. First up are two Swiss brands which were still new to me at the time I attended the respective events - Juvena and Declare. 

I was given some deluxe samples from both brands to try out and the speaker at the events, with her passionate descriptions of the products, managed to convinced me so much that I tried them as soon as I got home. I have used all of these products several times but have resorted back to using my old skin care products so that once I use them up, I can fully switch to these brands.

So, the products are Juvena Miracle Boost Essence which is literally a skin saviour for dehydrated skins - the boyfriend even loves to use it after he shaves but don't tell him I told you shhh ;) Juvena have a brush which fits inside the cap of this product so that you can pick up the product and distribute it over your face with the super soft brush for an extra pampering experience.

From Declare, I have three products, my favourite of which is the Anti-Irritation Serum which provides a nice treat to my skin after a day's work. In the morning I wake up with very little redness and my skin feels nice and looks much more radiant. Next are the Detox Night Cream and the Cleansing Milk. I intend to purchase both of these products in their full size soon because they are specifically tailored for my skin type and I could see results after just a couple of applications.

With skin care out of the way, let's have a look at the makeup products I have been using more frequently during these last two month. First up is the MAC Studio Waterweight SPF30 Foundation. I'm in NC15 and I think this is the first time ever that I have found a foundation shade that it exactly the same tone as my skin so that is definitely a plus! What makes me a big fan of this foundation is the light weight texture that doesn't feel like you have anything on your face and still covers up really well. I'm going to stop there as I will be reviewing this foundation soon though. Another light weight product I have been enjoying these past weeks is the Pupa Milano Professionals BB Cream + Primer for Combination to Oily Skin. I like this for days when my skin on its best behaviour and doesn't need a lot of coverage.

Sometimes, however, light coverage foundation doesn't cut it and I need something that offers higher coverage. For such days, I turn to Vichy Dermablend [3D Correction] which has just been launched and I have had the opportunity to try. Dermablend is hands down the best foundation for covering up all sorts of skin conditions yet still look natural and for this reason, this has been a winner with me this month when I experienced a little breakout on my chin.

The last face product I want to talk about is this Clinique Airbrush Concealer in the shade 04 Neutral Fair. It has a brush applicator which really makes it easy to apply the product and it is a great all rounder in the sense that it covers up both under eye circles and blemishes effectively. Definitely a thumbs up!

Next I have the MAC Cosmetics Studio Sculpt Lash Mascara in Sculpted Black. Now this is all you need to get those lashes separated without any clumps. You can use it alone or in combination with your favourite mascara to achieve that perfect look.

Also from MAC is my current favourite lip combination - Soar lipliner and Mehr lipstick which is a matte. The colours complement each other really well and they make up for an ultra long-lasting combination!

For my eyes, I was mostly opting for neutral looks using these three eyeshadows: MAC Fly by Twilight for some sparkle, MAC Mulch for an all over the lid colour and Essence 15 Hazel Me Not as a transitional crease colour.

The last product I want to show you is the mini Victoria's Secret Scandalous perfume. I have been using this quite a lot and always get compliments whenever I wear it. It does have an overpowering scent but I like it so much I even use it during day time sometimes. I think I'll have to get the bigger version soon!

That's all for this post! What products did you enjoy this month?

Monthly Favourites | April

Excuse me for being late with the usual end-of-month posts ladies but lately there has been quite a lot on my plate. I will not be publishing an empties post this time because I didn't finish any products so I will start by sharing my favourite products for April. Also, stay tuned for a Fashion Week related post later on ;)

Overall, I have been using mostly the same products as past months so I will not bore you with those and I will show you just the new products that I have been reaching for repeatedly.

Starting with skin care, I have a new favourite toner from Skin Food which is sold at Wangbii in Sliema. It is their lettuce and cucumber watery toner ad it feels really cool fresh on the skin - perfect for the hotter days. It cleanses away all traces of makeup and leaves my skin thoroughly hydrated. My new favourite cleanser then comes courtesy of Vichy and it's their Purete Thermale 3 in 1 Cleanser for Sensitive Skin. It cleanses my skin thoroughly and even removes makeup without drying out the skin.

To keep within the face theme, I have been trying out two new foundations this month, namely the Vichy Dermablend Fluid Corrective Foundation 16H in the shade 15 Opal which is a high coverage foundation and the Catrice 12h Matt Mousse Makeup in the shade 010 Soft Ivory which is more of a light-medium coverage foundation. Both of these foundations perform exceptionally well and depending on how my skin looks on a particular day, I reach for the one with the coverage I want. They both last very well and neither of them has a cakey feel.

Lastly, I have some lip products. I have been meaning to try Essence Lipliners for quite some time and when I was last in OVS, I decided to get two shades. My favourite so far has been the shade 05 Soft Berry which I like layering under lipstick as much as I like wearing it alone as my main lip colour. I have also been loving Essence Nude Lipstick in 03 Come Naturally and this Primark Matte Long Lasting Lipstick in Whisper.

Monthly Favourites | April

Here we go again...monthly favourites! This month I only have four products that deserve to be in this post. I have obviously been using other products but I personally don't see the point why I should bore you with the same products month after month.

 

First up is Percy & Reed London Hair Finishing Polish which I use to smooth my hair after straightening. A pea-sized amount is enough for my whole head and I tend to apply this polish just to the ends to avoid my hair turning greasy within a few hours. It smells nice and can also be used to add texture and definition to hair.
 

 

Planter's Natural & Young Aloe Vera Repairing Cream in its cute tin deserves a mention in this post. This baby smells amazing and keeps my hands super soft and supple, banishing dry skin for good...a definite must-have!
 

 

Lastly, I have two makeup products that have fed my current obsession with anything pastel pink. Enter Essence Kiss Care Love Lip Balm 03 Fruityliscious and Catrice Absolute Eye Colour 100 F'rosen Yoghurt eyeshadow quad. The balm offers protection with a pearly hint of colour and the quad has awesome pigmentation and is versatile enough for day and night looks.
 

What were your favourite products this month?

April Collective Haul

Hi my name is Lara and I am a shopaholic...

 

I have been very naughty (read extremely naughty) this month to make up for last month's lack of shopping :P Hey who can blame me with all the fabulous new collections gracing shop displays and River Island emails finding their way to my inbox?!

 

Speaking of River Island, I have placed two rather large orders on their website this month, however they were all stuff I needed in my life (not making excuses here. Honestly, I'm not :P). So here's what the postman had to carry all the way to my house.

 

First up, my Dorothy Perkins synthetic leather jacket needed replacement after taking up residence in my wardrobe for 6 years or so and this time, I decided to invest in a real leather one which will hopefully last a lifetime. This River Island number made the cut and it cost €100. Some may say it is expensive but I think it's worth investing in a good quality leather jacket especially if you know you will wear it a lot...I know I do!

 

 

I scored a bargain with this tailored high wasted shorts as it was reduced down to €14 from €40. I have already worn it with the Orsay blouse further down and it is very comfortable and the material feels nice too. The jumpsuit is the same material as the shorts and I had been meaning to buy one for ages now but I feared it might make my hips look more obvious. I opted for black as a safe option and I'm pretty pleased with how it looks on. The jumpsuit retails for €55.

 



 

Next up is this uber cute embossed leather luggage which will come in very handy for the weekend getaways I have planned this summer. I wanted something small but not too small and this one is just the perfect size with more compartments on the inside. The cute flower design is an added bonus. It comes a little pricey at €87 but the cost per use will justify the price tag ;)

 

Summer isn't complete without a new bikini right? I saw this Pacha Ibiza for River Island number and instantly fell in love with it. To be honest, I wasn't expecting it to be this bright but in summer you can get away with pretty much anything. It cost €44 for both pieces. The sunglasses were an unexpected find and I was delighted that I found a pair that actually fits and doesn't make me look like a bug. It only cost €17 and the black tortoiseshell design on the handles gives it an interesting edge. The flowery orange wallet is actually a travel organizer which will come in handy to keep passports and transport tickets in one place when abroad. This was €20.

 

 

The highlight of both orders has to be this gorgeous pair of shoes which were technically meant for Easter but I slept in and so they have to wait for another occasion to shine. They were €65.

Moving on to more clothing purchases, Mango is another of my favourite stores and I have bought some nice pieces from their new collection. First up is this pair of tailored trousers which look really nice on. Their neutral colour goes with just about anything in my wardrobe and since its material is very light and cool, I can see myself wearing this even on summer nights. I paid €29.99 for them including the stylish textured leather belt.

 

Mango offer some stylish basic tops and cardigans and I couldn't resist not getting one of each of these pink and mink coloured soft sweaters. They have cute little buttons going down the back and they have a slightly oversize fit...right on trend! The Aztec embroidery top is one of the pieces I am looking forward to wear come summer. The colours in it make for a very versatile piece that can be paired in a lot of outfit combinations. All tops were €29.99 each. The feather print scarf is actually a Peacocks find and cost a mere €4!

 

The last piece from Mango is this navy blue jersey dress which is quite a smart number. It cost €49.99.

 

As I said for the River Island shoes, I didn't go out this Easter and so the €139 Mexx jacket which I bought for the day had to stay in my wardrobe. The colour is more bright in person than it is the photo and it is a hybrid between lemon yellow and lime green. I like how it looks with white and navy blue items as well as neutral pieces so expect to see outfit posts featuring it soon.

 

 

From Orsay, I found this cute lace blouse with silk collar and cuffs. I paired it with the River Island high waisted shorts and they looked really good together. Best part is it only cost €19.99! Also from Orsay are these cure earrings that only set me back €5.95. 

The last clothing purchases of the month come courtesy of Stradivarius. I bought this white skater skirt and baby blue oversize knit from their new collection and I wore them together to the Coccinelle Winning Keys event. The top was €27.95 and the skirt €19.95.

 

On to beauty purchases. I had to buy a backup of L'Oreal Elnett Hairspray and this cost the usual €7.90. I also bought some polishes off Ebay from O.P.I.'s Muppets Most Wanted Collection (€20.86 for all three) and Orly Nailtrition for €9.56.

 



I have also placed a small order on the E.L.F. website as they have restocked on the Studio Lip Exfoliator. I decided to get some more items and they have also included Royal Mineral Eyeshadow and Pink Kiss Super Glossy Lip Shine for free with my order. This is what I got:

 

2 Studio Lip Exfoliators
Studio Lip Lock Pencil
Studio Moisturising Lipstick in Rosy-Go-Round
Nail Polish in Champagne
 

Lastly, I have bought two pairs of prescription glasses from Zenni Optical after I had a change in prescription. I opted for a pair that is exactly the same as the one I had before but this time I got the red ones as well as a tortoiseshell cat-eye pair. I paid €45 for both of them, shipping included.

 

 

Monthly Favourites: April 2012

April is over too and that marks my end-of-month appointment to share with you my favourites for this month! Let me start with a few things about life in general first.

I have started my driving lessons in the beginning of the month and I still can't believe I haven't started before! I must admit I was very scared of driving but I really shouldn't have and I am really looking forward to each and every lesson now! This is an achievement for me as it was also one of my new year's resolutions to at least take up driving lessons.  Last week I also learnt that I have finally been appointed as a Medical Laboratory Scientist. This was a huge sigh of relief for me as now I have a permanent job for sure!

Now, on to beauty-related favourites. I only have a handful of products this month but this is what I have really been using:

This month I think I must have gone through some stressful periods and the result was obviously a bad breakout on my face.  It was quite severe, almost to the point where I wouldn't want to go out without any foundation on.  Consequently, I have been cleansing my face with Jojoba oil every two days (for the rest, I used my Effaclar cleanser) and I used Witch Hazel as a toner and my skin has cleared up and I had no marks left from the pimples. I still have a few more zits to treat but thankfully my skin is now much better.  As for covering up, I have been using Lioele Triple The Solution BB Cream for day and NYX HD Foundation for night. 

For me, the best complement to healthy skin is a nice, healthy glow and my go-to product for that has fast become the Essence Blush Gelee in Bloody Mary from the Vampire's Love Trend Edition which I was told that it was sold out and I happened to stumble upon earlier this month! I find it is a very nice product and it gives me nice, healthy, flushed cheeks with a tint similar to the one you get after a nice jog in the sun. Definitely a must have so I'm hoping that Essence include it in their permanent range!

Other products from Essence that I have been loving are the Multi Action False Lashes mascara (which has become my new favourite mascara) and the Stay With Me lip glosses in My Favourite Milkshake and I Like Cotton Candy.  I have also been enjoying these two Catrice Ultimate Colour Lipsticks, especially The Nuder The Better during the day and Ginger & Fred for nights out. I love the creamy formula and colour pay-off and the price of these lipsticks so much that I will get more of them for sure!

That concludes my favourites for this month cupcakes! Which products did you enjoy most during the last four weeks?