Review | Aero Minerale Makeup Mist Hydrating Mineral Bronzer in Malibu

Good morning ladies :) How is your week going so far? I still wish I am still at Comino Island with my boyfriend and his family and a couple of friends. We all needed a moment of relaxation to get away from it all and top up my tan a little bit while at it as well!

 

But before that, I cheated my way to a gorgeous tan thanks to Aero Minerale Makeup Mist Hydrating Mineral Bronzer in Malibu that was in the last Meg's Makeup points package I received.  I have always shied away from self-tan, tanning lotions and the likes for fear of ending up looking orange so I was a bit sceptical about this product. Here is what I think about it now that I have tried it.

 

Although the packaging is nothing out of the ordinary, I like the shimmery pink can and the pink mirrored cap but at the same time, I am not at all happy that the cap doesn't close tightly. The product also comes with a little ingredients and

 instructions leaflet in the cap and the shade name and approximate colour is on the front. I like that it comes in the form of a spray and it delivers an even mist.

 

Contrary to most tanning products that are usually white in colour and then develop to the shade they are supposed to, the Aero Minerale Bronzer is already the colour it is intended to be and that makes it easy to see which parts you have missed. The colour is a light-medium tan with a slight shimmer and it is the lightest colour out of the two available variations. It has a faint smell which I can't really explain but I'm glad it goes away once the product dries because I don't really like it.



Heavy swatch of Aero Minerale Hydrating Mineral Bronzer in Malibu 
Perimeter shows the colour of the product when blended into the skin.

 

Application is very straight forward...just shake the can, place it inches away from the area and spray the product in a zig-zag motion, leave to dry and go over any bits you have missed and you're good to go! Alternatively, if like me, the shade is still a little dark for you, mix the spray with your favourite moisturizer and apply it over your skin. I even use this on my face and it didn't break me out. The product dries quickly and is easily washed away so I wouldn't recommend this if you sweat a lot.

Having said that, I would recommend this product to prolong your tan during the winter and if it were available in Malta, I would surely stock up on it!

Aero Minerale Makeup Mist Hydrating Mineral Bronzer is available in two shades and retail price is $19.99 for 50mL of product.

Have you ever tried any products from Aero Minerale?

Product received for free from www.megsmakeup.com.


 

OOTD | Polka Dots and Lace

Last Saturday, I spent a whole day at Comino with Johan and his family and consequently, on Sunday we wanted something relaxing after all that sun and swimming. We went to Mdina first which is probably my favourite place in Malta (after my hometown of course) and then we headed to the Beer Festival.

 

Even though the air is on fire over Malta at the moment, I still opted to wear my new Polka dot trousers from Terranova as I didn't want to 'collect' more mosquito bites on my legs than I already have. Here are the pictures:

 

 

Lace overlay top, Dorothy Perkins Petite | Polka dot trousers, Terranova

White peep-toes and Clutch bag, New Look

Tresor Paris bracelet and Spinning Rings, 202 Jewellery

Earrings, Pimkie | Sunglasses, Orsay

 

The makeup doesn't show up well in the pictures but here's a list of which products I used:

 

Face

NYX Concealer in a Jar CJ12 Green

Essence Stay Natural Concealer 01 Soft Beige

E.L.F. Mineral Booster Sheer

Napoleon Perdis Ultimate Contour Palette

 

Eyes

E.L.F. Eyelid Primer Sheer

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Breathless

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil Dime

Catrice Long Lasting Eyeliner Pen 080 I Like Blue Mondays

E.L.F. Studio Eyeliner & Shadow Stick Pearl/Glow

 

Lips

Catrice Ultimate Shine Lipstick 220 Mrs.Brightside



 

July Collective Haul

As soon as July ends, I always feel like summer is going to end, even though summer stretches till mid-October over here. Here's what I have spent my pennies on this month.

I will start with cosmetics first. Two new nail polishes have joined my collection, namely O.P.I Minnie Style (€10.36) from the Couture De Minnie Limited Edition and Zoya Neely (€5.50) from the Lovely Summer Collection. Minnie Style is a mix of red, hot pink and white small round glitters and white squared suspended in a transparent base while Neely is a very pale pastel mint green. 

 

Moving on, I have also purchased this bright pink Catrice lipstick from the Ultimate Shine range for €4.50; the shade is called 220 Mrs. Brightside and from Essence, I bought two backups of the Stay Natural concealer for €2.19 each. I needed a deep blue eye pencil and bought one from Rimmel for just €4 and it is the perfect blue I was after.

 

I bought a new body scrub from The Body Shop because I freak out when I run out of body scrub as I use it three to four times a week. This time I got the Brazil nut one which smells amazing! Price is €12.50 for 200mL.

 

 

I placed an order from E.L.F. cosmetics as I needed to stock up on a few essentials and I also got two of the new nail polishes. They have removed the nail polish boxes and I think that is a very green decision on their part which I like as I throw away the boxes any way. They have also changed the way they pack things in boxes as now they are putting the stuff into a plastic bag that is easily reusable before they put everything in the box, much like the company does in the U.S. The order totalled €19.26 and I got free shipping with a promotion they had running. Here's what I got:

 

 

2 Studio Lip Exfoliators...definitely the best lip scrub in town and cost just €4.50 each, Studio Glossy Gloss Wild Watermelon and two of the new nail polishes, Sea Escape and Chic Confetti. Also shown in the picture is Percy & Reed London Hair Finishing Polish that I got for free with the August issue of Glamour magazine.

 

Another online order I placed was on the Michael Todd website for a backup of each of my new favourite cleansers, the Charcoal Detox and the Cleanse and Tone and seeing they had a 25% off offer, I also bought the Jojoba Charcoal scrub. The order came to €46.33 shipping included.

 

 

 



I have saved the best for last! I had to go to the post office to pick up a parcel and I thought it was one of the above mentioned orders but when I saw that the package was actually from Meg's Makeup, I was over the moon! I wasn't expecting anything as I haven't redeemed my points yet but I was browsing through the site later on and found that anyone who had experienced a delay in last year's mailings was being re-gifted for free! Guess I was one of the lucky ones to receive these goodies! Here's what Meg sent me...Aero Minerale Hydrating Mineral Bronzer in Malibu ($19.99 value), Mor Essentials Black Currant Iris Hand Cream ($14.95 AUD value) and Urban Decay Build Your Own Palette with Breathless Eyeshadow ($18 value each).



I bought some silver jewellery for myself as well from 202 Jewellery. They were hosting a 'free gift with €50 purchase' event and I bought a beautiful Viventy ring for €139 (still waiting for the one in my size to be delivered from overseas) and I got these two Spinning Rings as a gift (€79.90 value). The leaves one is my favourite and I wear it almost everyday, alone or in combination with other Spinning Rings.

 

As for clothes, I really didn't have that much time to check out the sales but I still managed to grab some bargains. From Terranova, I got the cutest pair of light wash polka dot jeans after searching high and low for the perfect the pair. The best thing apart from the fit, is the price...only €9.99!

 

The best deal was however on this elegant lace overlay pencil skirt from Orsay which I got for €8.95 instead of €29.95 and I also bought this black cardigan from their new collection for €29.95 as I have been looking for a dressy one for quite some time.

Also from Orsay, I managed to find a pair of sunglasses that fit me perfectly! I love the colour and I love the shape...so retro-ish! They were only €8.95 and with them I got this taupe belt for €7.95.

 

 

From Stradivarius, I found the perfect pair of Aztec print jeans and this shoulder embellishment jumper. The jeans are a perfect fit and I really like the print on them as I do not tend to like Aztec prints much and I just love the colour of the jumper. The jeans cost €19.99 on sale and the jumper costs €15.99, also on sale.

 

And lastly, I bought two crop tops online which luckily fit like a glove! The white one is quite short so I prefer pairing it with trousers rather than shorts or skirts. I bought it from Asos for €10.60 and the striped one is from River Island and I paid €25 for it, shipping included.

 





 

What did you buy this month? Do you like haul posts?

 



Review | Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil Dime

This month I was experimenting with coloured eye pencils all the time and one of my favourites turned out the be Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in the shade Dime. This was actually my first UD product as and I had received it in of the Meg's Makeup points packages. I have always wanted to try UD as reviews about their products are almost always positive but we do not get the brand in Malta and to buy it over the internet, is quite expensive; consequently, I was really delighted to see this in my package!

 

The pencil comes packaged in a slim purple box that has the ingredients and product description printed on it as well as a sticker the same colour as the pencil and the shade name printed on it. The actual pencil also reflects the colour of the product and the shade name is also printed on it. The cap closes tightly and firmly and the lead can be sharpened whenever the need arises.

 

 

 

 

Dime is a shimmery silver shade with excellent pigmentation. It will make a nice eyeshadow as well but you have to be quick as once it dries, it stays put. Whenever I wear this, it lasts until I take it off and it is also waterproof so you can even wear it for a day at the beach. Only waterproof makeup remover is effective at removing it so bear that in mind to avoid tugging unnecessarily at your eyes.

 

 

Even though it is a little pricey, I would recommend this product to waterproof makeup fanatics and pretty much anyone else really!

 

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils retail for $19.00 each for 1.2g of product.

Product received for free after accumulating 250 make-up points on www.megsmakeup.com and redeeming them against a $15 shipping fee.
 

The Exit Interview Series | Volume #22

Today I have an empties post for your guys and while some of the products featured were new to me, some others were not so let's get right into it to see what I think about these items and if I would repurchase them or not.

 

You may be wondering why on earth I included and empty Listerine bottle in this post and I don't blame you. However, for those of you who read my articles on eve.com.mt know that I have been using Listerine as part of pedicures. The 200mL bottle lasted me for four pedicures in all and I like how fresh my feet smell and feel after using it. I will definitely repurchase this one.

For the full recipe, please check out my article here.

 

Another new product is the Bottega Verde Organic Pomegranate body scrub. I bought this because I ran out of The Body Shop body scrub and while I appreciate the fact that it is organic, it is more expensive and lasted me for like 3 months as opposed to the 5 months TBS ones last me. The fragrance was not something I was really keen and it goes without saying that I will not be parting with my cash for it ever again.

 

I have a lot of perfume to go through and I always have one or two samples in my bag and this month I have used up B.U. Heartbeat and Carolina Herrera 212 Sexy, both of which smell really good and if I hadn't that much perfume to go through first, I would buy them both!

 

Lastly, I have L'Oreal Elnett Satin hairspray and Essence Stay Natural Concealer which I always buy backups of! 

 

Any products you have finished this month?

Monthly Favourites | July

Time for monthly favourites again...and this time I have quite a lot of products to show you so let's get started right away with hair care.

 

In summer, I tend to use more products on my hair to tame the frizz and protect it from the sun. My favourites are Tresemme 24 Hour Body Shampoo and Joico K-Pak Revitaluxe which I use as conditioner to restore moisture especially after spending time at the beach and air conditioning.  Then to style it, I use John Frieda Frizz-Ease Straightening Potion to keep frizz at bay and also provide protection against heat styling and lastly, I use a little Finishing Polish from Percy & Reed London to keep my style looking fresh all day.

 

 

As for skin care and body care, I have really been enjoying the results Pupa Milano Anti Cellulite Cream and Scrub are giving. I have already seen an improvement in the way my thighs look and I love how fresh they feel on the skin.

 

Lierac Paris is a new brand for me and I have been testing out their products ever since I attended their press launch in June. My favourite of the two products we were given, is the Gommage Douceur which as the name implies, is a very gentle scrub that I like to use twice a week (I must admit that I sometimes cheat and use this once and use another scrub the other time to make it last longer). The toner completes makeup removal as it can also be used around the eye area and I love the way my skin feels after using it.

 

Then in the lip department, I have been favouring lipgloss over lipstick this month and my favourite non-sticky formulas are L'Oreal Glam Shine Crystals 301 Coral Strass, E.L.F. Studio Glossy Gloss Berry Blush and Essence Marble Mania Trend Edition 02 Peach & Mix. And of course, to keep my lips supple and flake free, my favourite product is the E.L.F. Studio Lip Exfoliator.

 

Last but not least, I have my favourite eye products. Thanks to Meg's Makeup, I am now a proud owner of the Urban Decay Melt Palette that also came with Breathless eyeshadow that is a universally flattering shade that I have been using almost everyday since I got it! Two more Meg's Makeup gifts were the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil Dime which I have opened for the first time this month and love the fact that it is long lasting and doesn't budge; and RevitaLash Volumising Primer which I love to pair with my Pupa Vamp! Mascara 300 Deep Night to enhance the blue pigments. My favourite waterproof mascara this month has been the Catrice Lashes to Kill mascara.

 

I have been experimenting quite a lot with coloured eye pencils this month and my favourites are a selection from Catrice and a Denim Blue shade from Rimmel. 

 

I didn't include any face products in this month's favourites because they are essentially the same as last month's so no use repeating them over again.

 

What are your favourites? Do you tend to favour certain type of products over others in summer?

Review | Pupa Milano Intensive Treatment for Deep & Visible Cellulite Cream & Body Scrub

If I had to ask you what is a woman's worst enemy in terms of beauty, I'm sure many would agree that it is cellulite. Cellulite affects women of all ages, shapes and sizes, even skinny minis! This condition is cause by a variety of factors such as diet, tight clothing, genetics, hormonal factors and your lifestyle in general. While regular exercise and a healthy diet promote a better looking body and help banish cellulite, not all factors are under our control and that is where Pupa Milano Anti-Cellulite Treatment comes in.  

 

Today I will be reviewing this product and share the results with you after using it everyday for 5 weeks.

The treatment is available in two variations, namely, Intensive Treatment for Water Retention and Cellulite and Intensive Treatment for Deep & Visible Cellulite and they are both supplied in the same packaging i.e. a 250mL tube of product in a carton box that essentially has the same information as that printed on the actual product as well as ingredients. At the time I purchased the product, they were also giving a sample sized (75mL, full size is 250mL) anti-cellulite scrub for free to complement the treatment.

I chose the Intensive Treatment for Deep & Visible Cellulite because I do have just a little cellulite showing at the very top of my thighs without the need to pinch the skin and this is more suited for that kind of cellulite.

 

The cream has a very nice and refreshing almost minty smell and it is very nice to work with and massage it into the skin. It has a green colour but it doesn't leave any residue on your skin. I tend to massage it in vigorous upwards circular motions for 5 minutes on each thigh and I like that it doesn't feel sticky and is rapidly absorbed into the skin. I didn't experience any tingling or stinging whatsoever while using the product unlike other brands I have tried and I didn't develop any allergic reactions or redness.

 

I applied it morning and evening for two weeks straight and my skin had already assumed a more toned appearance and cellulite was less visible. As a follow up, I continued to apply the cream once daily with the same massage movements and my skin looked more or less the same as when I last applied the cream for the initial two weeks. The treatment is based on a 20% concentrate of CEL-CONCEPT which according to clinical tests targets adipose cells (fat cells) and stimulates reduction of excess fat accumulation and prevents deposit of new fat.

I think that overall, this treatment really works and I am willing to continue applying it if my thighs still look as they are now but I have also committed myself to make healthier food choices and introduce a regular exercise routine in my life.

As for the scrub, like I already said, I was given it for free with the treatment and I have been applying it twice a week in the same massaging motion as the cream before I showered. The smell is the same as for the treatment cream and despite not being big, the natural pumice granules are abrasive enough. Scrubs help the skin renew faster as they remove dead skin cells but since this particular one is also targeted towards battling the visible signs of cellulite, it contains caffeine and Escin (a horse chestnut extract) which are both well known for their anti-cellulite properties in stimulating fat disposal and drainage of lymphatic tissues respectively.

 

To conclude, I would recommend both of these products to anyone who wishes to banish cellulite and is willing to apply them as directed to achieve the full benefits of the product. Check out the full information on the Pupa Milano website to see which treatment is best suited to your needs.

Pupa Milano Intensive Treatment for Deep & Visible Cellulite retails for €28 and can be found in leading pharmacies and supermarkets across Malta & Gozo. Scrub given free until stocks lasts.

Nail Polish Collection | Storage

At long last, I will show you my nail polish collection, starting of course with how I store them along with a few tips you might want to pick up yourselves to organize your own collection.

 

I keep all my nail polishes in this 4 drawer cabinet from Lidl which I bought for €40. You have to assemble it yourself though but it comes with easy to follow instructions and it really doesn't take more than 30 minutes to complete.

 

The drawers are very deep, perfect to hold even the taller nail polishes such as China Glaze and the likes. I still have to fit the drawers with liners though to stop the nail polishes from moving whenever I open and close a drawer.

 

My entire collection is divided between the two top drawers. In the first one, I keep all my more expensive polishes such as O.P.I., China Glaze, Essie and Zoya as well as a few drugstore ones that do not fit in the other drawer (you'll soon see why). I also keep all my nail treatments, base coats, top coats and cuticle care stuff in this drawer as well as all my swatch wheels.

 

 

I swatch every new polish I get according to the colour onto the respective nail wheels and then I insert it into my nail polish collection database that I keep on my laptop. I categorise the polishes by brand and also take note of the collection and year they came out wherever possible.
 

 

In the second drawer, I keep the less expensive and drugstore polishes such as Essence, Catrice, Rimmel, Maybelline, etc... as you can see, this drawer is completely full up and that's why I couldn't fit any more drugstore polishes in it.

 

 

How do I know which colour I want without going through them all one by one? Easy! I swatched a dot of the polish on the cap! Here is a little pictorial:

 

I prefer the Essence bottles though, firstly because they look so nice and colourful and secondly because the colour of the cap reflects the colour of the polish.

 

The bottom drawers house backups of nail cleaners, sanitizers and other equipment that I use for gel nails so nothing overly exciting. However, if anyone of you would like a post on my home 'nail salon', I would be more than glad to do one after we renovate it completely.

 

How do you store your polishes? Would you like me to show the polishes by brand or by colour?

NOTW | Summer Vortex

Happy Sunday everyone! This week I am back with a simple nail art tutorial that I did using Orly Gel FX Gel Nail Lacquers but it can always be done with regular nail polish. The following tutorial will be for regular nail polish users as the preparation is different for gel manicures so please bear that in mind.

 

1. Apply a base coat to protect your natural nails and proceed with two coats of a bright pink polish on all the nails and an orange nail polish on the ring fingers. Leave to dry thoroughly. I used Orly Gel FX Hawaiian Punch and Orange Sorbet.

 

2. For the design, you will need three contrasting colours and a dotting tool. I settled on Orly Gel FX Hawaiian Punch, Purple Crush and Skinny Dip. Take your first colour and dot an 'S' shape down the middle of the nail. Repeat for the other two colours, going in a clockwise motion until you end up with a design similar to the one in the picture.
 

3. Seal with a top coat and you're done!

Review | Wjcon Limited Edition Baked Eyeshadow Passion 604

Good morning ladies, today I will turn the spotlight on this baked eyeshadow from Wjcon that was in my goodie bag when the brand management in Malta invited us for a bloggers' night. I have used it quite a few times already and it is perfect for summer because it is such a bright eyeshadow. Here's my take on it!

Wjcon Baked Eyeshadow Passion comes in this cute lilac box with a window on the front so you can see the colour and it also has the ingredients and directions for use on the back.
 

 

 

The actual eyeshadow on the other hand comes in a very sleek and expensive looking white and transparent plastic case that has Wjcon printed on the front and the shade number on the back. I like the packaging because it evokes a clean, sleek look and it closes tightly. Being a baked eyeshadow, it is dome shaped and can be used both wet and dry; obviously, using it wet will enhance the colour.
 

 

 

 

I would describe the colour as a mandarin orange with tiny gold shimmer all throughout, making it perfect for casual and elegant occasions alike. Here are some swatches:
 

L to R: Dry over primer; dry without primer
Wet without primer; wet over primer

As for texture, I would say this eyeshadow has a very silky texture and it is very pigmented on the first application yet still buildable. It is not powdery and has a pearlescent finish. I find that it lasts better when used over primer rather than just applying it over your bare eye lids.

Since this is a Limited Edition product, I doubt there are any left to purchase but if you do come across them, do get at least one of the shades. If I am not mistaken they used to retail for €7.90 but they had discounted to €3.90.

Have you tried any Wjcon eyeshadows? What's your opinion about them?

PR Sample