The Makeup Festival | What Went Down and What I Got!

Last Saturday, the first ever edition of The Makeup Festival was brought to life at the Mediterranean Conference Centre (MCC) in Valletta and it was a dream-come-true for all makeup lovers! I went with my friend Marija and not only did we enjoying browsing and shopping (we broke our no shopping promise 2 seconds into the festival - I'm looking at you Essence & Catrice), we also attended a skincare masterclass courtesy of Dermalogica!

From the moment we set foot into the premises, we were wowed by the original and very well organised set-up. All brands had good floor space to exhibit their goodies and they were all offering discounts and gifs with purchases, if you want to see what I got, I will be sharing all that with you in a minute 😉One great initiative which was in place at the festival were the waste separation bins set up all over the premises to encourage attendees to separate waste and they even constructed a centrepiece from all the empty makeup and skin care containers they collected prior to the event, well done!

We spent some time going around the different brands, see what they had to offer, purchased what we needed, stopped for a Haagen-Dazs ice-cream (which is my favourite and I always have a tub or two of at home) and then we attended the masterclass which was absolute heaven! I really enjoyed giving myself a mini facial as I would at home using Dermalogica products and learning about their different functions and benefits along the way.

Finally, this is what I got at the event - thank you for the lovely people behind all these brands for the offers and gifts :)

Essence & Catrice - I only bought the blue eyeliner, compact powder, concealer and nail polishes
The rest of the products were free with my purchase!

Eylure & Sally Hansen were on a 25% off offer and I got a sample of Glov makeup remover cloth and this beautiful velvet clutch for free!

Pupa Milano always come up with beautiful products and limited edition. I opted to buy a metallic liquid lipstick from their winter collection and was gifted two makeup pouches

Of course I couldn't resist a 50% off selected Chanel products so I got one of the Rouge Crayons available as I am already a fan of them

I took the opportunity to discover new brands I can share with you, one of which is Institut Esthederm. I can't wait to show you their innovative approach to skin care!

From the Dermalogica masterclass, we got some product samples as well as a 10% off voucher. Score!

We had a total blast and it was the perfect girls day out. The only suggestion I want to make for a better the event next time is mostly directed at the brands rather than the organisers - some brands had really busy cash points and we know how bad most Maltese are at queuing. I think if they had two assistants at the cash, it would have been easier for everyone but then again, while we were there we didn't wait for a long time to cash our purchases :)

I'd love to see the event come to life again next year and maybe I can even shop smart and start my Christmas shopping ;)

The PINK Secret Garden at Sherries Estates

Secret gardens are what fairy tales are made of, and last Thursday I was lucky enough to be part of one - the ninth edition of the PINK Fashion Show which took place at Sherries Estates in Burmarrad. Come November, I always get excited about what I and many more like me deem to be the ultimate autumn/winter fashion show of the year locally.

Photos by Ron Kerr Imagery

I am amazed at how the team behind the Pink Fashion always surpass our expectations and manage to come up with something fresh, something new, every time, twice a year! Remember last summer's edition at Armier? You can re-live it all here. This time, the theme was 'secret garden' and where to better host such an event than a garden centre?

I drove to the newly renovated Sherries Estates in a comfy yet stylish ensemble right after work to witness the grandeur of yet another edition of the fashion show. I didn't opt for floral patterns because I wanted something different to what other guests at the event might be wearing so I wore my trusty Gianvito Rossi heels, camel trousers, white blouse with black piping details and my black leather jacket, all from Zara and accessorized with my camel Furla bag and monogrammed Burberry cashmere scarf to beat the cold and topped it with my new Ralph Lauren glasses from Optika Opticians.

I arrived just in time and found my seat next to Caroline from Diva Inside :) The models paraded down the runway wearing party wear which is ideal for the upcoming holiday season as well as elegant gowns and casual looks courtesy of the participating brands - Furla, Oltre, Rosita Silk, O’hea Opticians, Monsoon, DOR Boutique, Parfois, Marks & Spencer, Kipling, Radley, Aldo and Jennyfer. All the while tribal, of-the-moment was playing and putting everyone in a very good vibe.

Caroline & Me - photo by Caroline

 The hair and makeup deserve a mention for their own - the models' hair was styled in loose, flowing curls and braids in the form of a head chain. As for makeup, the focus was on the lips with bold, dark shades accentuating them and neutral eye makeup, all thanks to the very capable Chris Attard from Franks and his team using Guerlain makeup. Hair was styled with Screen products.

Afterwards, we joined the after-party sipping Negroni's, chatting and snapping selfies :) As always, I have really enjoyed the show and everything that was prepared for us guests, including the ever generous goodie bags thanks to the event sponsors - Pink, well done once again!

Gordon from GoRaw Photography, Ron from Ron Kerr Imagery, Caroline from Diva Inside and yours truly :)
Photo by Caroline

All photographs belong to the respective photographers - GoRaw Photography & Ron Kerr Imagery unless otherwise stated

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.

Postcards from Gozo

I spent last weekend playing tourist with my better half on the idyllic island of Gozo. It is much more quiet and green than Malta and that makes it a favourite getaway destination with locals and tourists alike. Summer in Gozo is as alluring as winter with plenty of things to do apart from topping up your tan one of the spectacular beaches. Moreover, Gozo magically helps you transition into a calmer mood as soon as you board the ferry.

Top, Asos | Shorts, bag & slides, Zara
Earrings, ALDO

On Saturday Morning, following the ubiquitous trip to Rabat, the island's capital, for some traditional pastizzi, we made our way to Għar il-Mixta on the outskirts of the picturesque village of Nadur. 

The name of the cave derives from 'maxtura' which translates to 'cot' in English. This open cave overlooks the beautiful Ramla l-Ħamra bay which is characterised by the red sand along the shore which cannot be found anywhere else on our islands, hence the name of the bay (ħamra meaning red).

Għar il-Mixta, with the tranquil views of the bay is really postcard material and provides a really nice backdrop for pictures. Speaking of postcards, I wore this bralet on the day which has this beautiful postcard print, reminiscent of Dolce and Gabbana designs. I bought it off Asos during their sales and 

I opted to let it be the stand out piece in this outfit by styling it with high waisted white shorts and this gorgeous pair of gold embellished slides. 

The bag was an obvious choice as I can't get enough of it for it goes with so many colours and outfits! This outfit is perfect for strolls in the summer heat. I wore minimal jewellery, with my favourite article being the faux opal earrings. Opal is my birthstone, something I am quite fond of because of the many colours and forms the stone can be found in.

That was one colourful outfit! Wish you all a fabulous week :)