Chin Up Mask & Pedicure at Roseberry

Everyone needs a little pampering every now and then so when me and my mum were invited to discover a new treatment mask and a pedicure at Roseberry in Valletta, we agreed to go.

We had the appointment fixed late in the afternoon which was perfect to unwind after a long day at Roseberry's Champagne Nail Bar while we got to experience a new cosmetic treatment - the Chin Up Mask. I looked up some information about Chin Up before we went in for the appointment and was a little sceptic that it gives instant results but nonetheless, I was still curious to see if it would work on us.

Chin Up masks available in 3 different pack sizes for home use + a professional sized pack

What is Chin Up?

Chin Up is marketed as the 30 minute non-surgical face lift and as the name implies, it claims to improve the appearance of double chin after just 30 minutes by lifting and firming the jawline for a more contoured look. It promises instant results, which addresses the end user's need for instant gratification from a product. Read on to learn more about our experience!

Following a through explanation of the treatment, Nataliya, started by measuring our jawline and chin. Mum's measurements were 17cm for the chin ight above the neck and 23cm for the jawline while mine were 16cm for the chin and 21cm for the jawline.

She then proceeded to apply the sheet mask just under the lips and all the way down along the chin. Subsequently she secured the mask with the Chin Up slimming band and we just had to wait 30 minutes to see the results. Redness and a little tingling may occur but luckily neither me nor my mum experienced it. I must admit I felt very strange with the band around my chin - it almost felt as if I had some kind of chin surgery and I had to wear the band to keep the dressing in place 😛

What helps Chin Up exert it's action in such a short time? Well, it boils down to a special combination of ingredients - 5 top cosmetic ingredients, 10 fruit extracts and Chin Up's own patented Skintronics Serum. Co-Enzyme Q10, Vitamin E and Hyaluronic Acid have been praised for their skin restoring properties many times before and their benefits has been confirmed time and time again. On the other hand we have Skintronics Serum and Corum 9235 which work hand in hand to facilitate absorption of the treatment serum and promote chin fat loss.

While the mask was working it's magic, we were each treated to a pedicure by Brenda, a beauty therapist at Roseberry. It was a nice relaxing experience which included a much needed leg massage, foot filing and finished off with perfect nail polish application. I chose a gorgeous darkish coral colour from Orly while mum went for a classic red shade.

Results

Once the time was up, we took off the band and Nataliya measured us again - to find that my mum actually lost 1cm from each area (going down to 16cm and 22cm) and I lost 1cm from my chin (going down to 20cm). In my case, there was no difference in the size of my jaw line. All that was left to do was massage the remaining serum into the skin and we were good to go!

It is recommended to combine the Chin Up mask treatment with another express treatment as we did if you're doing it in a professional establishment; alternatively, if you are going to apply it yourself at home, you can either relax for 30 minutes or get on with your day!

So you see, sometimes, even if a treatment looks too good to be true, it can still work as promised! Are you tempted to try it yet?

Both the Chin Up Masks and Pedicures were offered to me and my mum by Paloma Cosmetics and Roseberry for free.

This did not affect my review of the treatments - all opinions are true and honest.

Event | Discovering Blinc Cosmetics at Roseberry

Last Thursday evening I was very excited to attend a fun or rather as the invited said, berry beautiful event concerning the US brand blinc cosmetics at Roseberry, Valletta.

I made my way there with my partner in makeup crime Marija and we were immediately greeted with a smile by Nataliya, the brand manager behind the various brands Paloma Cosmetics Ltd. bring to our shores. In keeping with the theme of the event, we were offered a glass of Fragolino, strawberry flavoured wine as well as Baci chocolates and tasty little macarons!

Nataliya, with the help of Danilo and Michaela, delivered a very detailed and informative presentation about Blinc Cosmetics and I am more than happy to share what this brand is all about with you all especially if you're new to it like I was before yesterday's event :)

So what makes Blinc Cosmetics different from other brands? Basically, it all boils down to the brand being exclusively dedicated to the production of innovative eye makeup products such as pioneering the world's first tube mascara and peelable eyeliner that are long-lasting no matter how hectic your lifestyle is. 

It all started with the launch of the classic Mascara in 1999 which has this innovative formula that rather than painting the lashes, it forms tubes around each lash, thus preventing flaking and clumping of the lashes. After that, it took Blinc three years (!) to launch another mascara or as a matter of fact, another product. This goes to show the amount of research and dedication of the brand to produce top quality products for us, the end users.

Blinc is all about innovation and performance. I have already mentioned that the brand boasts the world's first tube-forming mascara and peelable. Blinc's portfolio also comprises the thinnest eyeliner pen, and a four-in-one eyebrow mousse, confirming the brand at being at the fore-front of the beauty industry with new and exciting products that are water-resistant, smudge proof, as well as easy to apply and remove.

Consequently, Blinc is the ideal brand for women who:

• have sensitive eyes or are contact lens wearers
• lead an active and athletic lifestyle
• have busy work/life schedules
• have lash extensions
• face challenging climates on a day to day basis
• need not to worry about eye makeup flaking or smudging throughout their day

During the event we had the chance to try the products out for ourselves so as to attest to all the claims that the brand promises. I was surprised to see that the brand only carries one eyeshadow palette but when we got to discover the story behind it, I could immediately see that it makes perfect sense. The Blinc Shadow Fusion palette is the result of a collaboration between the brand and top makeup artists. They managed to come up with a palette that people will actually use all of the shades in it not just a couple as often happens.

Blinc Heated Eyelash Curler, Macara Amplified & Black Lash Primer

Blinc Shadow Fusion palette

Blinc Eyebrow Mousse & makeup brushes

Blinc eyeliners

We were each given a sample of the eyeliner and Amplified mascara to try which I did right away and I also purchased the Dark Green Classic Mascara for the colour caught my eyes when I tried it during the event.

Some of the bloggers attending the event & Danilo

Myself and Danilo discussing mascara shades ;)

I will be reviewing the products soon so I am not going to talk about formulas etc in this post so you can discover all the exciting details with me in the review post...or else, head down to Roseberry in Valletta and get your hands on some Blinc products then you can share your experience with me in the comments! Other outlets which stock Blinc Cosmetics in Malta are NYX (Sliema), Melita Pharmacy (St. Julian's), Heavenspa (Naxxar).

Pampering Time with Declare & Juvena at Roseberry

Following the Declare and Juvena seminars I attended a while back, the lovely people at Roseberry offered me the chance to try the products out for myself with a tailored facial at their premises in Valletta.

The appointment was fixed for Monday last week and believe me, it couldn't have come at a better time! I made way to Roseberry where I met my therapist for the day - Brenda, who led me to an upstairs treatment room which made me immediately forget the hustle and bustle of the capital city below.

With relaxing music playing softly in the background, we discussed my skin type and its needs (based on the full skin analysis which I had done during the Declare seminar) and we settled on a facial that addressed my skin's requirements.

To cleanse my skin, Declare Cleansing Milk was used followed by Juvena Refining Peeling for a more intense cleanse. Then came the most relaxing part of the facial - Juvena Moisture Plus Mask and while it was on my face, Brenda performed a facial massage with crystal balls. To take care of my eyes, Declare Firming Eye Cream was delicately applied and to finish off, Juvena Moisture Boost Serum, Declare Hydro Boost Duo Care Fluid and Declare BB Cream were used to maintain my skin's moisture levels.

I was so relaxed I almost fell asleep during my treatment and I really enjoyed the crystal balls massage as it is a natural way of stimulating the skin as opposed to electrical methods which I am not really a fan of.

I couldn't have had a better start to my week and I look forward to booking my next facial at Roseberry!

Roseberry is located on Republic Street in Valletta and are the main stockists of Juvena and Declare. Like their Facebook page to keep up to date with their products and services.

Review | NYX HD Concealer CW03 Light

You know how much I loved Essence Stay Natural Concealer but for some reason, the last two tubes that I had seemed to oxidize really bad on my skin thus I had to look for an alternative. I didn't hesitate as to which brand I was going for as I already own the HD foundation from NYX so I figured I should go for their concealer as well.

I started looking up reviews on other blogs and Youtube and this concealer in particular was always given the thumbs up. I wanted it for my under eye area as for blemishes and the rest of my face I use Catrice Camouflage Cream which works exceptionally well!

So off I went to the NYX store in Sliema and Roseberry in Valletta but sadly neither of them had my shade so I had to purchase the concealer online from Ebay. It comes in a clear plastic tube with a doe foot applicator, very similar to a lipgloss and the shade CW03 fits my skin tone perfectly. I would describe it as a pale beige with pink undertones. In all, you get 3g of product.

The texture is on the creamy side and it is easily blended into the skin. Just be careful because a little goes a long way with this! I find it lasts pretty well and being HD, it is camera friendly so it photographs well without you ending up with two bright white patches under your eyes.

I would totally recommend this concealer and with 8 available skin shades and three corrective tones, you are sure to find your match!

NYX HD Concealer is available locally at the NYX Store in Sliema or Roseberry Valletta.

Event | Make-up Designory at Roseberry

Last week I was introduced to the fantastic world of Make-up Designory (MUD), a brand that is mainly aimed at professional makeup artists and is available in Malta thanks to Roseberry in Valletta.

The MUD brand is also very appealing to those who are avid makeup enthusiasts and those who specialize in special effects makeup. There is so much to say about this brand so here's a little word of warning that this will be a lengthy post. So make yourselves a cup of tea, kick back and relax for a few minutes while learning about the wonderful world of MUD!

First things first - the event was held at the newly opened Roseberry shop in Valletta on Republic Street, right next to Tommy Hilfiger and it was a blogger/makeup artist exclusive event. I made my way to the premises with my good friend Marija from Pocalocca where we met up with Fiona from Cruelty-Free Malta and we were curtly shown to Roseberry's Champagne Nail Bar downstairs. 

While we waited for other bloggers to join in for the exciting couple of hours ahead, we were treated to glasses of wine and tasty looking sweets and nibbles which I kept my hands off because of Lent. We were also handed a nice little gift pack courtesy of MUD as well as the Roseberry Loyalty Card.

The event was led by Ms. Elizaveta Kudryashova who is herself a fashion makeup artists and school director for MUD Europe, based in Ljubljana, Slovenia. She guided us enthusiastically through the process of how the brand came to be and also gave use very detailed descriptions of the brand’s range of products.

MUD first started out around 20 years ago in the US as a makeup school, specifically to offer courses for those intended to work in show business. Students at the school were being met with the lack of certain shades and products on the market and so the school started creating these products exclusively for use within the school to fill in this blank space in the industry.

Seeing that alumni kept being unsuccessful in finding certain products, MUD eventually expanded to the general market so that other makeup artists could make use of their products. An interesting point to note is that the majority of MUD School alumni make it through to become leading makeup artists to the stars and on reality television shows.

Therefore, MUD is a brand created by makeup artists for makeup artists and this is very evident in the way the products are manufactured and presented. For example, optimal hygiene practices are of utmost importance within makeup artistry, especially when one is working on different clients; hence, MUD has a full range of tools including a mixing palette and palette knife to help in this regard and to ensure a flawless makeup application. The brand even does a booklet with disposable paper-like palettes to facilitate things when applying makeup to a lot of clients at one go, say at a fashion show for example.

The mixing palette and palette knife are two indispensable tools which facilitate a makeup artist’s work and we could really see this duo at work during the event as Ms. Elizaveta kept mixing products on the palette to show us how versatile they are. This is exactly the second point that shows us that MUD has makeup artists in mind as just by mixing a little of their silicone based primer to any given product, the said products take on a whole new level – say an eyeshadow can be transformed into an eyeliner, hence saving up space and things to carry. It can also be mixed with foundation to give it a more liquid texture or make it lighter in colour.

Here a common misconception was addressed and I personally think it makes sense - we are always being told that silicon is not good for the skin because it inhibits it from breathing and that is true if you apply 10 layers of it onto your skin. A thin layer however, say a primer can actually prove to be beneficial as it still allows the skin to breathe while at the same time creating a barrier between the makeup and your skin, hence preventing it from absorbing makeup.

MUD also has an airbrush makeup system that is more suited for hot climates and high humidity levels so for Malta it is perfect! One thing to note is that all MUD products, except for the lip products are perfume free to make sure they suit even the most sensitive of skins.

What interested me the most are the palettes that come either fully assembled or empty to be filled according to one's needs. There is even an empty lipstick palette where you can depot your lipsticks in or mix them together to create new colours! There's a contouring palette, a foundation palette and a concealer palette, all of which are cream based and have a generous amount of product.

As for pricing, MUD is a little high up the ladder since it is a professional makeup brand but the products are guaranteed to last you for a long time so I guess that justifies the price. You can find the full MUD range at Roseberry Valletta.

Lastly, I would like to thank all involved in the organization of this event and I really look forward to using the beautiful products I was given to try out :) P.S. Isn't that makeup bag the cutest thing?!