Monthly Favourites: September 2010

My my my how time flies by! Another month has already gone by and with it, it brought new starts: a new season and tomorrow I will start my last year at University which I am very looking forward to and hope it will be a fruitful and successful one *fingers crossed*. In the meantime, let me share my favourite products for this month you ladies :)

Estee Lauder palette ~ I absolutely love this palette! It has neutral colours that go with everything and I have been using it a lot to create a whole lot of Autumnal looks. 

Max Factor Creme Puff ~ with a change of seasons comes a change in make-up routines and now that my skin has lost its tan ;( , I have reverted to using my pressed powder to give my face an even skin-tone.

elf Super Glossy Lip Shine SPF 15 in Malt Shake ~ I have three of these and love all of them, but this month I have used this shade the most especially for day looks since it gives a nice, sheeny hint of red to the lips without being too obvious. I also like layering it on red lipstick for night to give a more intense colour and a glossy finish.

elf Shimmer Eyeliner Pencil in Iconic Ivory ~ having read not so good reviews about elf's Eye Widener, I was glad they had this range of eyeliners delivered and so I bought this one to use as an eye widener and it works perfectly well!

elf Waterproof Eyeliner Pen in Black ~ this is my go-to eyeliner to create that perfect thin line and flick as it gives me total control to create the look I want. Furthermore, it stays put all day without smudging or budging!

elf Nail Polish in Rosy Raisin ~ I have been waiting for the Autumn collection of nail polishes from elf forever and when I got them in my last haul, this was the first one I tried and I fell head-over-heels for it! I can sense an Autumn loaded with NOTW featuring this colour!

elf Mineral Lipstick in Natural Nymph ~ another product I have been dying to get my hands on! I really love the nude lip you see in make up and fashion adverts and really wanted to give it a go and see how it works for me. I can say that this lipstick really has what it takes to achieve this look (will post pics when I do a full review about it).

Earrings ~ finally, something different... I bought these two pairs of earrings this month and can't seem to be able to resist putting them on, especially the silver/blue ones. I have a thing for dangly earrings (see photo below), probably owed to the fact that they jazz up any outfit and I nearly always buy a pair or two (or more hehe) whenever I hit the shops, particularly from this Chinese shop called Tenda Costume Accessories. They sell all sorts of quirky and original jewellery at unbeatably cheap prices which still looks as good as the higher priced ones. Also, when I bought these two pairs, I was with the bf and since the owner of the shop happened to know him through work, he even gave me a discount on each of them and got them for €5 instead of €7.90!!! They even pack them in cute pink paper pouches with violet flower and butterfly motifs :)

Here's a sneak-peak into my collection of dangly earrings:

The first pair from the top is from Accessorize, the round pair next to it is from Corfu, the pair under that I bought from a lady who sells them from her home, the green chandelier ones I bought from a random shop, the long black ones are from Peacocks, the second pair from left in the bottom row I also bought from Corfu and they are one of my faves as they have an unusual shape and are crafted from the Olive tree bark; the rest are all from Tenda!

Looking forward to seeing all your monthly faves for September!

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Another birthday pressie and some make-up!

Hello my lovelies hope you're all well! So, today I have another birthday present I got yesterday and also a couple of make-up acquisitions. Here are the photos...

Yes, another pair of shoes!! Mum got me this pair from the local market yesterday morning and the best part is... it only cost her €2 instead of €18!! How's that for a bargain?? And it's one hell of a pair! I love the abstract pattern design and I can't resist shoes that have bows on them... I think they look so cute!

Also yesterday, I had to get some liquid foundation (it's my first one) and I got the much talked about Revlon ColorStay. I wanted to get Revlon PhotoReady but they didn't have my shade so I got this instead. I will do a full review about this when I have tested it for some time. I purchased this for €17.94 (30ml) and the shade I got is 180 Sand Beige.

Again, from the Revlon ColorStay range, I got a Lipliner in 02 Nude. I have a Lip Defining Pencil (in Spice) by Estee Lauder that my aunt once got me from the States but it is nearing it's end and I couldn't seem to find the shade anywhere so I am thinking they just discontinued it :( Anyway, I went around looking for a dupe and the closest one was this from Revlon. A full review will be up in due time :) This costs €8.62.

The last thing I got was my usual Acetone-Free nail polish remover as I am running low on my current bottle.

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Review: e.l.f. Shimmer Eyeliner Pencils

Recently, the elf cosmetics UK site has increased their regular line eyes range with 9 beautiful shimmering shades of eyeliner pencils. As soon as I saw the colors, I was like 'I have to have them all!!' Since a free shipping promotion was coming up on their facebook page, I decided to wait for it (I love free shipping as with its cost I can get another product or two!); but until then, most of the shades were all out of stock :( I really wanted to get Twinkle Teal, but since it is such a bright colour, I think I'll get it next summer. So, in my last order, I got Iconic Ivory (top) and Boldly Bronzed (bottom).

First, I am going to start the review with features which are common to both of the eyeliners. They come individually in blister packs typical of elf's regular line and each one has a sharpener cap. I tried both of the sharpeners and they work great... no deteriorating of the product or the pencils' wood. Now on to the individual pencils...

I wanted Iconic Ivory so that I can use it as an eye widener because each review that I read/saw about the actual Eye Widener from elf, all agreed that it is very hard to get the pencil to mark etc. So I figured out that this new eyeliner will do the trick. I wasn't wrong at all!

I apply it on my waterlines (upper and lower) to make my eyes appear wide-awake. It only takes one or at most two strokes to get the pencil to mark. Iconic Ivory is a very sheer, pearly, shimmery shade and it feels quite creamy. In fact the pencil does have a soft tip which is great since it is going to be applied in the eye area. With regards longevity, I find this one in particular doesn't last long so I have to touch it up regularly.  Other than that, I am really happy with it and glad I got it :)

Moving to Boldly Bronzed... I love brown hues for my eyes as you can never go wrong with them both for natural and dramatic looks so I had to have this one. I really like the metallic bronze shade and good pigmentation of this pencil and I mostly like to use it to line my upper lash line and sometimes, under my lower lashes. I find that this one lasts longer than Iconic Ivory (even on the waterlines because I tried it) but I still need to touch it up during the day.

Finally, here's a swatch of each:

Shimmer Eyeliner Pencils are available in 9 shades and can be purchased from the elf cosmetics website for £1.50/€1.70 each.

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Look what I just got!!!

Look what I found in my mailbox just a few moments ago...

Montagne Jeunesse goodies :D I love their masques and I am so delighted at receiving not 1 but 3 for free!! Here they are along with a note from the lovely Kayleigh:

And last but not least, I also got the most gorgeous and girly birthday card ever from my aunt:

Thanks to everyone :D lovely early start for my birthday celebrations :D (actually they started with the arrival of my last elf haul and the military boots and bag I bought myself a few days ago)!


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Top-Ten Tuesdays ~ The Body Shop

Another Tuesday... another Top-Ten post! This time, I will share my favourites from The Body Shop. All the images are taken from the Body Shop website except for the bath lilies and lip stuff. *WARNING* Coconut Products overload ahead!

10. Hi-Shine Lip Treatment ~ I like the shimmery effect this lipgloss gives to the lips and apart from wearing it alone, I like layering it on lipstick as well. However, when worn alone I really appreciate the moisturizing effect, not so much the stickiness though, so I apply some clear lip balm underneath and the problem is sorted!



9. Born Lippy Lip Balms ~ Another favourite lip product are these lip balms. Currently, I have the Passionberry one and I love the smell (and taste) as well as the just seen sheen this gives to my lips. What I don't like about this is the fact that you have to scoop out the product with a lip brush so it's not really practical to carry around.

8. Bath Lilies ~ The reason I love bath lilies so much is because I like my shower gels to lather heavily lol and the ones from the Body Shop not only smell nice, they are also nicely sized and coloured for that matter! Check out the swirly one... it came with a Coconut gift set and smelt of coconut as well before I started using it.

7. Guarana Berry Volumising Shampoo ~ I like how this shampoo volumised my hair and left it smelling gorgeous for a long time. I did not like the conditioner though as it seemed to weigh my hair down :S

6. Peppermint Foot Scrub ~ This is my favourite foot scrub of all time. It awakens my tired feet and leaves a fresh, peppermint scent behind which in my opinion is really invigorating.

5. Divide and Multiply Mascara ~ I am a big fan of vintage pin-up looks and this mascara is perfect to achieve that separated lash effect.

4. Shea and Coconut Body Scrubs ~ OK, so I am cheating a bit here :P but since these two babies belong to the same category, I decided to count them as one :P. I love both of these body scrubs as they leave my skin really smooth for a long time not to mention scrumptiously smelling!

3. Coconut Body Butter ~ The perfect pick-me-up after a dull day for truly smooth and summery smelling skin! I like the thick texture which is absorbed really fast by the skin. Definitely a re-buy!

2. Coconut Shower Cream ~ The reason I like coconut products so much is not only because of their smell, but also because of their highly moisturizing and caring properties for the skin and hair. My shower gel is no exception!

1. Vitamin E Intense Moisture Cream ~ The name says it all! This is my favourite moisturizer come rain or shine because it never makes my skin greasy and smells lovely.




Finally, here's how I use the fancy packaging that I get with gift sets from The Body Shop...

That's right, I store some of my make-up and jewellery in them! P.S. I got my brother to spray paint the silver and black ones.


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5 ways you may be ruining your skin

Just when we thought we had everything in check to take care of our skin, new information surges on how we might be ruining it. 

1. Outdated glasses/contact lens prescription ~ anything that makes you squint your eyes is contributing to the development of fine lines and wrinkles around your eye area. I think enough is said here!

2. Steam Rooms ~ extreme heat decomposes the skin's elastin and collagen.

3. Running (or high-impact exercise) ~ while this helps maintain a healthy heart, it may cause fat to slide down as well as contributing to collagen and elastin break-down. Walking is a better alternative.

4. Not Sleeping ~ long term sleep deprivation will lead to skin problems such as generation of free-radicals.

5. Tap Water ~ chlorine found in tap water strips natural oils from the skin, causing irritation and dryness.

This post is adapted from an article found on shine.yahoo.com, click the link to look at it in detail :)

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Review: Nivea Double Effect Deodorant 24h Violet Senses

Here's another Nivea product which I love... Nivea Double Effect Deodorant 24h Violet Senses.  I have been faithful to this deodorant from the first time I tried it, i.e. around a year ago.

As usual, let's see what it looks like! Basically, it is your average deodorant spray bottle, only cuter and more girly!

It comes in a convenient 150ml bottle which has enough product to last for around a month (bear in mind I use loads of it on a daily basis so that's great) and you can also carry it in your gym bag, luggage, etc... (not for small clutches though!).

This deodorant, apart from being an anti-perspirant, is supposed to render your underarms hair-free for longer. Let's see if it does what it says on the bottle! First, the anti-perspirant part. First of all, this deodorant has a really delicate and fresh floral scent that lasts all day, so I guess that's full marks to the anti-perspirant. Further more, the product doesn't stain clothes (when shaken well before use, if not, it will be a bit sticky and cause stains).

Now for the 'smoother underarms for longer' part. The deodorant contains avocado extract, specifically targeted to make underarm skin softer for a closer shave. I cannot say if I have noticed an improvement with regards my underarms staying hair-free for longer as I naturally don't have a noticeable hair growth under my arms; but I can definitely say that when I use this deodorant immediately after shaving, it does not sting! and really does leave my underarms smooth. I guess the fact it doesn't sting comes from the deodorant being alcohol free. It is also free from colourants. Like all Nivea products the dermatological compatibility for this deodorant is approved. 

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NOTW: e.l.f. Rosy Raisin

Happy Sunday my lovelies :)

For the next 3 weeks, my NOTW's will be a bit plain, in the sense that I will be doing like swatches of my latest acquisitions from nail polish world i.e. elf's Autumn Collection. I will then do a review about all of the collection. All four colours are so beautiful I didn't want to 'ruin' them with nail art (don't get me wrong here... I love nail art).

The first nail polish from the collection is Rosy Raisin. Here it is:


Rosy Raisin - two coats with a glossy clear top coat (photo taken with flash).


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Back from shopping :D

Hello my lovelies I hope you had a great day today, and if you had a not-so-great day, I hope you still managed to find something positive in it :)

In this quick post I want to share with you what I just bought :D I went shopping at Peacocks for a couple of hours with my personal stylist aka Mum and this is what I ended up getting:

The most gorgeous pair of military boots ever!!!! I love the detailing and the shoes are soooooo comfortable I might battle a whole field with them haha :P The best bit is that right now till the end of October, Peacocks here in Malta have an offer for students with a valid student card... you get 15% off their new collection and non-sale items. Originally, the shoes cost €48.50 but on offer, I got them for €41.20!!!! I know they are still a bit on the expensive side but I loved them and have been luring around for ages to find THE perfect pair!

As for the bag, it is also a gorgeous khaki green color and I snatched it for €4.05 instead of €13.50 since it was on sale.

Here is a close-up of each:

Hope you like them as much as I do :D

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Review: e.l.f. Studio Brush Shampoo

I wanted to try e.l.f.'s brush shampoo ever since I got their Daily Brush Cleaner in one of my earlier orders and so, in my last order, I decided to get it. I had like almost a week to play with it and now, here's the review!

The first thing that I noticed and I wasn't that happy about, is the size of the bottle. I mean, compare it to the Daily Brush Cleaner, they are both the same price (€4.00) and for the latter, you get more than double the volume of the shampoo! For reference, you get 120ml for the Brush Shampoo and 250ml for the Daily Brush Cleaner, so please elf, it would be nice if you got this in a larger format :)

Now for the pros, which I gladly say, outweigh the cons (or should that be one, single con??).

I used this brush shampoo twice to clean all my used make up brushes, including the bigger powder, blusher and contouring brushes and I have only gone through a small amount! I learned that a little goes a long way with this shampoo as it produces a nice, foamy lather even with just a drop! Bonus points to the see-through bottle as well as for the dispenser. When I saw this on the site, I thought it had a cap which you unscrew and pour the product out and hence I was a bit skeptical in the sense that it's not really economical to have a dispenser like that; but when I took it out of the box it comes supplied in, I saw it has one of those caps where you press one side to click it open and there's a small hole through which you get the product out.

At this point, some might argue it works just like regular shampoos. Fair enough! I thought that too, but after seeing how much more product was coming out of my brushes with less amount of shampoo and the fresh, anti-bacterial smell my brushes had after washing, I changed my mind. Also, the bristles were all left very soft, pretty much like the first time I got the brushes.

With regards to smell, the shampoo doesn't contain alcohol and so it doesn't impart the same strong smell as the Brush Cleaner does. However, it still has a similar lovely smell, only not as strong.

Would I buy this again? I'm not sure, honestly. I am trying to see how long I can stretch it for and then maybe I decide in the affirmative. The only this that holds me back is the size whilst performance is really good, so probably it will be a yes; only time will tell!

Have you tried the Brush Shampoo or Daily Brush Cleaner ladies? What did you think of them? Would you re-purchase them?

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Review: e.l.f. Dual Pencil Sharpener

Today I am going to be reviewing my e.l.f. Dual Pencil Sharpener which was part of my first shy order from the elf cosmetics website.

The packaging contains two sharpeners, a dual one and a mono one, and they both come supplied in the same blister pack. I will start by reviewing the sharpener I use most, the mono one.

Basically it is your standard sharpener, for the normal sized cosmetic pencils. It measures 2.5 x 1.4 x 1.6cm and therefore, you don't have to worry about space in your travel make up bag. I like the sleek black appearance of this sharpener as it makes it look professional. The pencils are sharpened to a well-defined tip without breaking them and I am therefore very content with this one.

On to the dual sharpener. I have mixed feelings about this sharpener because while I like the innovative format, I don't like the way it sharpens the pencils. First, let's see what's special about the format.

Basically, you get a dual sharpener with a clear base and top which are both detachable to enable thorough cleaning of the blades after use. This sharpener also has a small picking tool (see image on the right) which is intended for cleaning the blades from the pencil residues. I really like that in fact as I have never seen anything like this with other cosmetic sharpeners. Furthermore, an adapter is also supplied so that all the pencils, no matter what size, can be sharpened. I also like the sleek black format on this one.

Now, the reasons I don't like this sharpener as much as I do the mono one. Basically, it has to do with the sharpening. I used the bigger side only once with one of my thicker sized pencils and I was really disappointed. See why for yourselves:

After this rather unpleasant episode, I didn't want to risk my other similar pencils so I used a (clean!) stationery sharpener to sharpen them with. As for the other side, the distance which a pencil is allowed to enter in the sharpener is quite short so I haven't yet figured out which pencils this side is suitable for. Over all, I think I would rate this set of sharpeners a 6/10. How would you rate these? Have you tried them and have a different view about them?

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Eye Make-up according to your Zodiac Sign

Yesterday, while surfing on facebook, something really interesting caught my eye... 12 photos with eye make up for each sign of the zodiac! Here they are (as usual, click on the image to enlarge):

I am a Libran and I like the make up proposed here. My faves though, have to be Sagittarius and Capricorn. Which sign do you belong to ladies? Do you like the make up associated with it? Any other faves?

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Review: Rimmel Eye pencils

Last week, in my first Top-Ten Tuesdays post, I featured two Rimmel eye pencils. I've had these for quite a long time, so now I am able to do a review about them.

I bought these eyeliners together as I wanted something different than my usual black and brown and I opted for these gorgeous green and blue shades.

The packaging is very similar for both of these where the pencils come with a pull out cap which is colour coded so as to make it easy to know which one you're grabbing. The same goes for the bottom part. Also, the blue one even has the pencil body in the same blue colour. Now for the individual pencils.

First up, the green one. I like how green makes my eyes stand out more and so I got this. The shade is called 131 Forest Green. Here's a swatch:

As you can see, it is a very pigmented liner and I don't have to tug at my eyes to get some colour as it glides on really smooth. Also, the tip is not hard at all, but not so soft that it crushes as soon as you apply the liner with a bit more pressure.

With regards staying power, it depends on where you apply this liner. On the inside of the waterline, it lasts a couple of hours but then sort of disappears in the outer corner of the eye. However, when I apply it to the upper and lower lash lines, it stays put for hours on end.

I am not sure if this particular shade is available any more because it isn't shown on the Rimmel website, so please let me know if you encounter this in stores.

Next, the blue kohl pencil. This particular shade is called 021 Denim Blue and is also very pigmented as you can see in the swatch below:

Like the other one, it glides on smoothly and has a good consistency. However, it has a softer tip. I believe that is the difference between kohl pencils and the other eye pencils, kohls are softer.

Again, with regards staying power of this pencil, it seems to smudge when applied on the inside of the waterline but stays on for hours when I use it to line my lower and upper lash lines.

Both pencils come in a 1.2g format and have a 30 month expiry period.

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My Lovely Follower Award

Yesterday, the ever so gorgeous Rose of Kisses & Makeup awarded me with 'My Lovey Follower Award', so a BIG THANK YOU goes to her for making my day :D. This award is very special since it is my first ever award here, so thanks again Rose for enjoying reading my posts :)

Here are the rules of this award...

1. once you receive this award you must post a picture on your blog that is special to you and state why it is special

2. you must post this award on your blog and thank the lovely person who gave you this award

3. and last of all...pass this award on to 5 lovely followers of your choice in appreciation of their follow

My picture...

This was a tough choice, so after going to piles and piles of pics on my laptop, here's my choice:

This is us (bottom right corner) with our friends at a club in Gouvia, Corfu. This photo is special for me because:

1) It was my first trip with my significant other

2) It was also my first trip without my family

3) I have been wanting to visit Corfu for ages ever since I found out that my great great grandfather was born there in the 19th Century (way back then, here in Malta, we were facing an emigration crisis due to working conditions etc and Corfu was one of the most sought-after places to emigrate in).

I give this award to *drumroll please*

Stavroula - Drugstore & Bargain Lover

I just love reading her posts and reviews on everything and she's so friendly

Jelena - Makeup for Everyone

This girl really knows how to make the most of those gorgeous eyes she has

Martine - Pinkissimo Pinkhair

I love how she writes about anything that takes her fancy and I totally understand her love for shoes

Ashley - CosmeticEye

Again, wonderful posts backed up by youtube vids which I really enjoy

Zoe - One More Lipstick

Short and to-the-point reviews on pretty much anything beauty

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