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 | January

Ok so I know we're in the middle of February but I still want to share with you my favourite products from last month as there are quite a few new products that I want to share with you all. Starting off with the KIKO Lip Scrub which so far has bee the best one I have ever used. It is gentle enough to be used everyday and keeps lips feeling soft and supple. I prefer to use it before going to bed followed by some lip balm to wake up with plumper lips.

Next, I have the Onsen Purifying Facial Peel which I have been using religiously on a weekly basis ever since I got it. I shall go into more detail in a review I have planned for this weekend but I all have for this product as words of praise as it really does deliver great results and even better looking skin.

On to makeup, I only have two products for this month, the first of which is the Make Up Store Smoothing Primer Powder which is god-send for days when I'm in a hurry and just need a thin veil of something for my skin to look good to go. It's got a very fine texture and can be used as a primer or worn alone. I sometimes also use it as a setting powder and for baking and it also works well in that regard.

Lastly is my MAC Retro Matte Liquid Lipstick in the shade Oh Lady! I have worn this a couple of times and I always got good compliments on the colour. I have to say that this passes the eat & drink test, the kiss test and the time test! It is really that long lasting and I admit, it is a bit of a pain to remove completely.

Do you have any favourite products you would like to share? Write them in the comments!

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?

Monthly Favourites | November

This post is going to be a little lengthy as I have quite a good number of products to share with you so let's get right into it.

First up are some new makeup tools from Makeup Revolution which I have been using practically everyday. They are the Advanced Complexion Expert Sponges (Soft & Hard) and the Ultra Metals Contour Brush. I haven't reviewed the sponges yet so I won't be saying much about them except that they are some of the best sponges I have ever used to apply my foundation with. As for the brush, I like how steady it is and I like that it applies bronzer only where you need it. You can read the full review here.

Moving on, I have the eye products which will make up most of my favourites this month. I have already shown the Essence Gel Eye Pencils in previous posts but I really wanted to show you the latest two I got - 01 Black Blaze and 05 Gunmetal. After I have tried these, I am a little reluctant to try any other eye pencil because these last practically all day on my waterline and they only cost €2.40 a pop! I have another three of them too but my favourite is the shade 06 Cocoa Bean.

Another Essence favourite for this month is the All About Greys Eyeshadow palette in which all 8 shades are extremely pigmented and I shall be reviewing this palette along with another two from the same range soon so stay tuned for that! I like how you can create both dramatic and more subtle looks with just palette that costs just around €4 I believe.

More eyeshadows come from Pupa Milano's Soft & Wild Limited Edition collection which I really do urge you to go out and get while it lasts. Here I have the shades 004 and 005 out of which the former is my absolute favourite and I really like how well they go with the Essence All About Greys palette above.

The last thing I have to show you for eye make up is the Sleek i-Divine in Enchanted Forest. I really like all the colours in this palette and I think it is a really good value for money palette that will make a nice secret santa gift or a pretty little stocking filler. Pigmentation is awesome for all shades and it last really long too.

Next up I have lip products which include my favourite colour combination - MAC Soar Lip Pencil and MAC Brave Lipstick which has a Satin finish. If I want a glossy look, I would just add Essence Liquid Lipstick in 02 Beauty Secret on top of them and I have a lip colour that will last for hours on end.

Another favourite is this limited edition lipstick from Essence Merry Berry collection which is selling out super fast. My favourite shade out of the three is 01 Let The Berry-Tales Begin which looks really dark but in reality translates to the most gorgeous plum shade on the lips that lasts for a very long time.

As for face products, this month was all about giving my complexion some warmth so my favourite blush has been this Milani Rose Powder Blush in the shade 03 Warm Petals which has just the slightest shimmer and a good pigmentation to it. The Makeup Revolution Ultra Cream Contour Palette has been God-sent to help with perfecting my contouring skills so definitely another favourite for this month.

To keep my skin in check, I have been treating it to a weekly mask with the Yves Rocher Active Sensitive Extreme Comfort Mask to calm down redness and soothe it. If you have sensitive skin, definitely go get this one!

Lastly, I have the two perfumes that I have used most this month - the classic Chanel No.5 which is my favourite scent of all time and the La Prairie Silver Rain which I got in sample size in a goodie bag from an event. The latter is very fresh and I like wearing it during the day while I like to reserve the Chanel No.5 for night time as it is much stronger.

And that rounds up my favourites for November! Let's hope for even more favourites in December :)

Monthly Favourites | October

This month, my favourite products consist of just lipsticks and nail products. Fall is my favourite season to play with different lip colours and consequently, I have here 5 lipsticks to share with you. Darker colours are my go-to shades during this time of year and my favourites in such colour spectrum have been Inglot 184 and MAC Media. The latter was a recommendation from Davi (Lady With No Name) after I said I was looking for a very dark red and she couldn't have suggested a better shade!

I have also been enjoying the Christian Louboutin Silky Satin lipstick in Rouge Louboutin which wears beautifully and fades to a stain-like finish.

The other two lipsticks I want to show you this month are both from MAC and they are Brave and Ramblin Rose. I wore the latter on my birthday for the first time and it is one of the prettiest oranges I own.

As for nails, I have been loving Picture Polish O'hara which has given me 7 perfect days of wear and I also have been loving the Born Pretty Store Peel-Off Base Coat which makes it so much easier to remove the glitter polish and the Pupa Milano Soft & Wild Animal Print Effect Top Coat.

What were your go-to products in October?

Monthly Favourites | September

September didn't bring too many new favourites my way and I only have five products to share with you guys.

The first one is quite a bargain actually, it is this £2 Angelica Nail Polish that I got from Primark last March. This particular one is the shade Tantrum which has Autumn written all over its duochromatic burgundy hue. I love the metallic finish and the colour shifts from burgundy to gold with green reflects - it is truly a unique shade. I was really impressed with the quality of the polish and this is what compelled me to include it in this month's favourites. The polish applies well and it lasted for a full seven days before I noticed a small chip on one of my fingernails! Seven days, one chip! Incredible for a £2 polish right?! Definitely grab this if you come across it!

Another nail product I have to share with you this month is Max Factor Glossfinity 05 Top Coat. I originally bought this just so that I can wear a glossy clear polish on my nails if I want to but while I was at it, I figured no harm would be done if I used it as a top coat for my manicures too. I wasn't wrong as this gem makes manicures last really long and stays glossy all throughout.

Next I have this Essence XXXL Nude Lipgloss in 03 Taste The Sweets. Nudes are always favourites of mine, be it lip products, eyeshadows, nail polishes, you name it! I really like this one in particular because of the smell, it is not sticky and the colour goes with everything and complements my complexion very well; and well, this month saw me reach for it more often.

The last two products are both mascaras. Now I have gone through my stash this month and got rid of bad smelling mascaras and started using new ones. My favourite so far is the Essence Lash Princess Volume Mascara. I love the packaging of it and the wand does a very good job at volumising my lashes. I am really keen on trying the new false lash effect version of this mascara which I have but haven't opened yet.

And of course, to turn this mascara into a waterproof version, all I need is the Kiko False Lashes Concentrate Waterproof Mascara Top Coat!

Monthly Favourites | August

Last month I skipped the favourites post because there were really no new products to show you but this month has definitely made up for it for I have quite a lot of new things to share with you!

For starters, I have two new summer favourites courtesy of Lierac Paris and Kiko Cosmetics. Let me start with the Kiko Summer Wipes first. These wipes are meant to dissolve salt from the skin after swimming so that you can refresh yourself and they have proven to be God-send when we went to the beach in the afternoon and stayed there late for a bar-be-que as well on days by the pool to refresh my skin. They are quite handy in that regard and I like the tight closure the packet comes with as that way the wipes don't dry up.

Next is the Lierac Paris Sunific Solaire 2 Iridescent Milk Mist with SPF15. This came at the right time when I already had a tan and just want to preserve it and still protect my skin. It goes on as a light white mist that just melts into the skin as an iridescent sheen with a very nice scent.

Next up are some skin care products starting with this Micellar Water Gel Makeup Remover and Ultrafine Scrub from La Roche Posay. Both products have intrigued me from the first time and they have now become part of my skin care routine. After trying other varieties of the Yves Rocher Exfoliating Shower Gel, I decided to give this summer limited edition version a try. It is in Apple Star Anise and I immediately took a fancy to the fresh, invogorating smell. It does a good job at gently exfoliating the skin, is gentle enough for everyday use and perfect when you're in a hurry!

Also shown in the photo is the Kiko Cosmetics XL Travel Pochette. I got it in my most recent order and it is practically the only one use now! It holds all my toiletries and makeup in just one place and feels very nice and sturdy.

Next, I have some nail product favourites. I have bought this Kiko Cosmetics glass nail file and I also picked up another one while visiting Dubrovnik and they do a better job at preventing the nails from splitting than any other nail file! I have also been liking the Essence Nail Caring Oil for my cuticles which despite being very cheap, it works just as well as the more expensive ones I have.

Moving on to makeup, I have some new MAC favourites, namely Prep+Prime Fix+ Refreshing Mist, Lipstiks in Velvet Teddy and Hot Gossip and Powder Blush in Dame. I could finally see what all the hype about Fix+ is because it is such a versatile product and essentially, you don't need any other primer or fixer after you try this!

The lipsticks are both new shades to me and come in my favourite finishes from MAC, Matte and Cremesheen. They glide smoothly with amazing pigmentation and last very long. Lastly, the blush is a very lovely colour that suits every complexion giving you a nice, healthy glow. It is quite sheer but buildable and stays on all day.

Next is another Kiko Cosmetics (I promise it's the last one in this post!) - the CC Cream Cushion System in the shade 30 Warm Beige. I got two shades of this, one for summer and one for winter. 30 Warm Beige, is the darker colour and it turned out to be a good match for my tanned skin. This CC Cream has quite an unusual packaging as opposed to similar products from other brands. The product itself is very light and blends really well into the skin covering all imperfections and just giving you an overall uniform complexion.

Of course sometime, we still need help in some areas and for my under-eyes, this Max Factor CC Colour Corrector in yellow does the trick! I shall be reviewing this in a separate post so I am not going to go into any details about it other than saying I love it!!

If on the other hand I needed something more for other areas of my face, my new favourite product for those instances, is the Makeup Revolution Ultra Base Contour Palette. This has everything I need in one place and even has a darker concealer that is perfect for me to use when I am more tanned!

I have also been liking the Makeup Revolution Ultra Contour Palette which has everything if you're still into contouring as well as good highlighters to try your hand at strobing.

Lastly, I have really been enjoying using the Naked Smoky palette from Urban Decay. It has everything you need to achieve the perfect smoky eye and I really like the quality of the eyeshadows! 

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.