MAC Technique | Training Room at MAC Valletta

You probably know that MAC has opened it's third and largest outlet on Zachary Street in Valletta a while back. During the official opening, I learnt that this new outlet will house a training room where MAC Technique classes would be held and now that the premises are almost complete, I had the pleasure of visiting the store once again to see what the training room is all about.

Decked in signature black MAC furniture against white walls, and receiving plenty of natural light, the room is every makeup aficionado's dream. Everything was set-up for last Thursday's MAC Technique class as I happened to visit on that particular morning. Elena, was very helpful in showing me around and explained that MAC Technique happens every 2 months and aims at helping clients who attend, in mastering a makeup technique during a 2 hour long class. For example, Thursday's class was all about smoky eyes - from the more natural looks to the more dramatic ones.

Each station was set-up with all the tools attendees would need as well as a notebook with space to jot down notes and face charts which the clients get to keep.

I honestly really liked this new concept offered by MAC here in Malta and I will definitely be booking my place for one of the classes just to experience it all in the heart of our capital city!

MAC Technique classes cost €60 which are redeemable in MAC products. For information about future classes, make sure to like their Facebook page.

Event | MAC Cosmetics opens Flagship Store in Valletta

The MAC Cosmetics brand has been a success story in Malta from the get-go! After successfully opening a store in Sliema and a counter at Debenhams, The Point (also in Sliema) two years ago, it was only natural that the next move would be to open a new store in the heart of the capital which is fast re-gaining a shopping destination status.

This new Valletta outlet, conveniently located on Zachary Street, is the biggest MAC store on the island and apart from it housing a wider range of products which were not stocked in the other two outlets, the outlet also boasts a training centre where local and international makeup artists alike, will be able to impart their knowledge and expertise.

Upon entering the store, I immediately made my way to the lipstick displays which always catch my eyes first and the OCD fanatic in me was doing somersaults upon catching a glimpse of the pristine samples all organized by colour in their stands! I re-gained my composure and gladly accepted a glass of Prosecco while I was introduced to some people behind MAC in Malta. 

I was told the new Valletta store is meant to offer a more interactive approach to the buyer with the bigger counters and tools readily available for people to try before they buy. The make up artists in attendance are always there to help with any concerns one might have and, speaking for myself, I have always had a positive experience each time I go into MAC.

During the event us bloggers, enjoyed swatching some new products and we all had a tough time deciding what to buy. I settled for Pro Longwear Long-Last Lips in Unchanging and Retro Matte Liquid Lip Colour in Dance With Me. Each of us was given a Retro Matte Liquid Lip Colour in Feels So Grand too :) We also took the opportunity to take numerous Polaroids and we couldn't resist the delicious food being served either. I have to admit that my favourite part was the sweets' display by Miss Ellen's and I did help myself to a candy or two ;)

With some of my favourite bloggers, Pocalocca, Dyna, Stefy Puglisevich and As Told by Jade

Everything was kept to the Black & White theme of the party and I even complied with my outfit! The event presented the perfect opportunity to wear these new gingham pants I got from River Island...what do you think about them?

Top, Orsay | Pants, River Island | Bag, ALDO | Shoes, Zara

Thank you so much MAC for having me at your event! I sense more frequent trips to Valletta now ;)

Top Red Lipstick Picks

I do love a red lip and I have always believed that red lipstick gives you a confidence boost - as long as you're wearing the right shade of course! If I have an important meeting or a big night out, more often than not, you will see me sporting a red lip for sure.

Of course, being a lipstick junkie and a beauty blogger, translates to being constantly on the hunt for more lipsticks to home. At this precise moment in time, I own 22 red lipsticks. There was a time not too far away when I owned way more but I had to clear out my stash for lack of space mainly.

Without further ado, here are my top pricier red lipsticks, their drugstore dupes and matching lip liners ;)

You probably already guessed the first one up...it's MAC Ruby Woo. The cult favourite matte pillar box red needs no introduction as it suits a variety of skin tones. A dupe for it would be Catrice Matt Lip Artist 6hr in 050 Fashion Reditorial. It provides the same matte finish and the colour is pretty close. To seal the deal with these two, Make Up Store Lip Liner in Burlesque has a matte finish and is an exact match.

Next is one that I've had in my stash for a few years now and it is still one of my most used lipsticks. My parents had gotten me the Givenchy Rouge Interdit 20 Illicit Raspberry one Christmas, making it the first high-end lipstick in my collection. A less costly alternative is Max Factor Marilyn Lipstick, 4 Marilyn Cabernet. The perfect matching lipliner for this pair is Essence Lipliner 08 Red Blush.

Next is another MAC matte lipstick - D For Danger. This is one of the darkest reds I own and I love how such reds look paired with a classic smokey eye. The dupe? No other than Flormar Extreme Matte Lipstick 07 Haute Burgundy while for lipliner, I would recommend Flormar Waterproof Liner in No. 205.

I cannot not mention the Christian Louboutin Lipstick in Rouge Louboutin. Of course the price of this one may not be what everyone is willing to spend on a lipstick but I'm going to justify it by saying it is one of the most beautiful pieces in my collection and that the colour lasts throughout the whole time I wear it. A very affordable dupe come from Italian makeup brand KIKO - Glossy Dream Sheer Lipstick 206. Of course you will need to build up the colour to achieve the intensity of the Louboutin lipstick but they are a pretty close match. To achieve the look with a little less effort, applying Catrice Long Lasting Lip Pencil Waterproof 130 Prince Cherry all over the lips underneath the KIKO lipstick will definitely help!

Those were the top red lipstick picks from my collection. Are there any more red lipstick fans out there? 

New Launches at M.A.C. | New Retro Matte colours, Shadescents & New Collaborations

Last Wednesday afternoon I got the chance to sample the new collections and launches at M.A.C. thus of course, a blog post ensues! I got to discover the all new launches with Maia, my makeup artist for the day.

In all, I have five new collections to talk about so without further ado, let's get right into them. I'm going to start with the three collaborations first.

M.A.C. has collaborated with three makeup maestros to create collections which reflect their own signature style. Apart from the makeup artists' names, the products in each collection, all feature the full name expansion of M.A.C. - Makeup Art Cosmetics which is what M.A.C. is all about after all; art in makeup!

Diane Kendal -  this collection is all about contouring and highlighting with a touch of rich colours. The collection features two Quiktrik Sticks, 1 Conceal & Correct palette, 1 Casual Colour Lip & Cheek palette and 1 Cream Shadow palette, plus 4 Kajal Crayons in rich jewel tones and a detailing brush.

M.A.C. x Diane Kendal collection + Kajal Crayons Swatches

James Kaliardos - this collection focuses on a more natural look and features 2 Full Face Kits (similar to the ones in the Ellie Goulding Collection), 1 Haute & Naughty Mascara, a Jumbo Penultimate Eyeliner, 2 Eye Brow mechanical pencils, 2 Tricolour Lipglasses, 2 Lip Pencils, a face brush and an eye brush, 2 Into The Well eyeshadows and 2 Pressed Pigments together with 4 lipsticks and Small Cluster Lashes.

M.A.C. x James Kaliardos Collection + Full Face Kit (Moons of Saturn) swatches

Kabuki Magic - the last one of the collaborations is probably the one that stands out the most, the Kabuki Magic collection which features 4 Retro Matte Lip Colours, eyelashes, a Powder Blush Duo, 2 Crystal Glaze Glosses, 4 Paints, a nude eyeshadow palette and a Dazzleshadow palette. The collection also comprises two eye brushes.

M.A.C. x Kabuki Magic Collection + Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolours swatches

Next are the Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolours - 15 new colours with a brand new, easier to work with formulation. I'm happy to say that the new Retro Mattes feature more wearable tones than the previous collection and the formula on these new ones is way better in terms of application and longevity. These will stay in the permanent collection.

Lastly, we have the highly anticipated Shadescents - 6 new perfumes which correspond to six of the most popular lipstick shades from M.A.C. In fact, the lipsticks in question have all been given a revamp for them to match the perfume. The available shades are Crème d'Nude, Velvet Teddy, Candy YumYum, Lady Danger, My Heroine and Ruby Woo. The perfumes will also remain part of the permanent collection.

Finally, I had the chance to try out some of the items from all collections and I let Maia work her magic...

Some of the products used to create my look at M.A.C.

Of course, I didn't leave empty handed and purchased the Kabuki Magic Retro Matte Lip Colour in Sweet Thing and the James Kaliardos Into The Well Eyeshadow in Midnight Tryst. I was also kindly given a Retro Matte Lip Colour in the shade Cafe' Au Chic which I am really excited to wear.

Head down to M.A.C. at Debenhams The Point or the M.A.C. store in Tower Road Sliema during February and discover all the new collections yourselves!

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?

Makeup Makeover...at MAC!

Last Tuesday, I was invited to have my makeup done at MAC by their senior international makeup artists Michele and Roberta who flew in just for the occasion following Paris and Milan fashion weeks which have been a huge personal success for both of them.

I was greeted by Roberta and as soon as I sat down to have my makeup applied, Michele came forward and introduced himself while Roberta worked her magic. We discussed current makeup trends and the look they wanted to achieve on me. We settled on a fresh skin, natural look with the focus being the eyes which is very in right now and in Michele's own words he wanted to give me Audrey Hepburn eyes and he unarguably made my day!

photo courtesy of Kim, Sliema store manager

So, Roberta started by cleaning and prepping my skin and followed with the new Studio Waterweight Foundation (not a MAC foundation shade virgin anymore, yay!!) and some concealer. She then went on to give me very full brows which I loved (brows are something I am still struggling with so I really appreciated the tips). Next came some nude eyeshadow courtesy of Groundwork Paint Pot and some extra long, volumised lashes (Michele picked no. 34 for me) but since they were brown, they still looked quite natural.

For cheeks and lips, Roberta used So Sweet, So Easy Cremeblend Blush - an almost neon pink shade which I was scared of at first but the blended it into a very natural flash of colour. To finish off, Michele a coat of Money, Honey Dazzleglass on the lips and with what remained on the wand, he dabbed it on the centre of my eyelids for a glossy effect that is so in right now.

I was so pleased with how the finished look turned out, I didn't want to take it off! I am really glad to have met two makeup masters and have my makeup applied at MAC - something I will definitely consider if I have a special occasion coming up!

Have you ever had your makeup applied at MAC? What do you think of the final look? Let me know in the comments section below ;)

Monthly Favourites | December

In my favourites post, I usually write about the beauty products that I would have enjoyed using most throughout the month. However, for this edition, I am going to start the post with some fashion items that I have literally been super obsessed with. First off, these River Island tassel loafers that literally go with everything and are super comfortable and stylish - they really have been my favourite pair of shoes this month. Another River Island purchase I am currently obsessed with is this fold-over cross-body bag which also features tassels and is great for both day and night use. The Charles&Ron scarf from their Ganutell collection is also a favoruite of mine as of late and I have quite a number of outfits planned around it which I cannot wait to wear! The last fashion related item I wanted to share with you is this dainty gold neckalce from Fossil at Sunlab which I have been wearing almost everyday as it looks good with practically anything!

Now onto the beauty products. So, my favourite eyeshadow palettes this month have been the Essence All About Greys and All About Bronze palettes (and now I'm really excited to try the All About Vintage palette) as well as the Sleek i-Divine Enchanted Forest. All of the palettes feature highly pigmented eyeshadows at small prices and I really like the quality of all three of them with respect to longevity. The Essence Merry Berry Eyeshadows have also made quite a number of appearances in my makeup looks this month as did the Catrice Deluxe Eyeshadow Trio in 010 Antique C'est Tres Chic.

I have also really enjoyed using the Essence Gel Eyeliner Waterproof in the shades 01 Black Blaze and 05 Gunmetal. These are just the best eyeliners I have ever used - they stay on all day even in the waterline without a chance of them budging! The last eye product I wanted to share is the Catrice Fixing Brow Wax which keeps my brows in place all day.

I have rediscovered an old favourite too, the Sleek Antique blush which is the perfect shade of warm pink during winter. It also has a hint of shimmer which I really don't mind as it makes my skin glow. Speaking of glow, I have also enjoyed using the Essence Merry Berry Highlighter which is not overpowering at all and offers just a subtle hint of shimmer so it is perfect for those who prefer a more muted approach to highlighting.

Also from the Merry Berry collection, the lipstick in the shade 01 Let The Berry-Tales Begin has been my favourite this month along with MAC D for Danger.

The Body Shop Frosted Plum hand cream is the last favourite I have to share with you for this month. I love how good this smells and how soft and moisturised my hands feel after using this - pity it is limited edition!

What were your favourites for the last month of the year?