Houndstooth & All Black Everything

After almost 6 hours of travelling, we finally made it to our hotel in London so while I have some time on my hands, here is the outfit I wore yesterday to one of my boyfriend's friends birthday party at one the most lavish bars on the island. I went for something comfy yet still sexy and took the opportunity to wear my new River Island shirt and pair the new MAC Dita Von Teese lipstick with it ;)

 

This outfit was a little bit out of my comfort zone as I don't normally wear such plunging necklines but having said that, I still felt really comfortable all throughout the night. Another thing I have been noticing lately, is that I have been wearing a lot of black - something I never considered since I have never particularly fancied the idea of all black outfits but nowadays I am thinking of the colour as a more elegant canvas that I can pair brighter colours with, so expect more black themed outfits ;)

Coat, Gagliardi | Embellished collar shirt, River Island | Houndstooth print leggings, Stradivarius
Clutch bag, Bagsworld | Court shoes, Nine West
Earrings, Sif Jakobs at 202 Jewellery | Ring, Viventy at 202 Jewellery
 

'Ganutell' Scarf

Merry Christmas everyone! This week was very busy for me, hence the lack of posts so while we're waiting for guests to come over for lunch, I figured I should schedule some posts for when I am in London next week. First, I wanted to share with you what I wore to my work place's Christmas staff party. When I was planning my outfit for the night, I immediately thought it would be the perfect opportunity to wear my new Charles & Ron scarf from their current collection Ganutell.

Charles & Ron are a well established local designer duo which have just opened their flagship store in the heart of our capital city, Valletta and the inspiration behind each of their collections always has to do with some aspect or other of Maltese culture. Not to boast, but even though we are a small nation, we really do have a rich cultural and historical heritage so the designers are never short of ideas. Their Ganutell collection is inspired by the art of silver filigree flower making, a craft which can also give life to various other designs but flowers are generally the most popular of them all.

Coat, Gagliardi | Dress, Mango | Scarf, Charles&Ron 

Shoes and Clutch, Marks & Spencer 

Earrings, Sif Jakobs at 202 Jewellery | Ring, Viventy at 202 Jewellery

The scarf I bought features a print of said flowers in emerald and purple hues on a black background which really makes them stand out more. I really wanted the scarf to be the statement piece out of the whole look so I paired it with a grey A-line dress and a black coat and simple, silver accessories.

The pictures were taken in a hurry just before dinner so please do excuse the quality but I hope you can still appreciate the outfit.

Review | Born Pretty Store Camellia Nail Stickers

Hello guys :) I hope the laziest day of the week is treating you all well! We actually have some rain and freezing cold today in Malta and I really don't want to get out of my fleece pajamas to get to run some last minute Christmas related errands, but well, Santa's helper's duty calls ;)

While I still have some free time, I wanted to share with you the manicure I have been wearing this week which features some nail art thanks to Born Pretty Store. They sent me this sheet of Camellia flowers nail stickers which instantly reminded me of my favourite French designer, Chanel as camellias were her signature flowers. Of course, when one thinks of Chanel, one also thinks of tweed, pearls and monochrome, boyish outfits and everything else that is classy really (hence the red base colour). Another bit of inspiration behind this manicure was one of my favourite sweaters which is why I went on to use studs in my manicure but still remind me of the edgier side the house of Chanel has crossed over to lately.

Back to the camellia stickers, they come as a single sheet which has different sized full flowers and half-flowers and are available in 8 different colours with either gold or silver borders. I chose style #1 which features white flowers with gold borders. They are very easy to apply as you just have to lift them up and place them where you want on your nails, where they will last for as long as you keep your manicure, provided you seal them with a good top coat. All other embellishments featured in this manicure are also from Born Pretty Store.

The stickers retail for $1.09 a sheet from the Born Pretty Store website. Get 10% off your order with my code EBABK31 at checkout :) 

PR Sample

Tassel Loafers and Leopard Print

Yesterday was just a perfect, sunny but not too warm day which would have been a total waste to not go out and enjoy it, so and me and the boyfriend took the opportunity to finish our Christmas shopping. The weather is precisely why I love Malta - it's almost Christmas but we still get days that feel like summer!

Having said that, I still get cold easily especially in the shade so I opted for a layered combination of top, jeans and a light coat. The outfit provided the perfect background for me to wear my new Fossil necklace and these River Island tassel loafers which I have been obsessed with from day one - they are so comfy and go with just about anything! I like how they elevate an otherwise casual outfit to something smarter and while I love my heels, sometimes flats are the better option.

Coat, Promod | Top, River Island | Jeans, Mango
Loafers, River Island | Bag, Mango | Watch, Michael Kors at Sunlab
Necklace, Fossil at Sunlab

Event | Fossil #CallingAllCurious at Sunlab Valletta

Last Friday I braved the cold and made my way to another fun event organized by Sunlab, this time at their Valletta outlet where American brand Fossil was the main attraction.

I'm sure a lot of you are familiar with this watch and lifestyle brand that has a unique way of combining vintage and modern concepts flawlessly in unique, timeless pieces. I still remember my parents buying me the first watch from the brand for my 14th birthday (which is still in my possession) and from that day, the brand still holds a special place in my heart; and needless to say, my collection has continued to grow, cue the last picture below ;).

This winter, Fossil proposed the #CallingAllCurious campaign with the intention of getting people all excited for the holiday season and gift giving all over again just like when we were younger - very clever! The faces or this year's campaign are none other than Jason Biggs, the American Pie star and fashion blogger Leandra Medine from The Man Repeller so you can rest assured that there are a lot of fun, fashionable gifts in store.

The event was a blast with cocktails from Molecular Fusion that are anything but ordinary, pretty and delicious macarons, and a photobooth into which me and fellow bloggers managed to fit all at once for a series of photos :)

Caught in the act! - photo courtesy of Sunlab
L to R: yours truly, Style in Transit, Splashes of Looks, Confessions of a Former Size 6

Will you be gifting Fossil this Christmas? Anyone curious about what they are getting?

Nail Art Tutorial | Fuzzy Sweater Nails 3D

Earlier this week I posted a picture of the manicure I was wearing featuring a sweater nail accent on my ring finger and many of you asked for a tutorial, and well, here it is! 

The effect is best achieved with gel polish and here I will be using the Orly GelFX system. Here is what you will need:

- Gel base coat

- Gel colour (I am using Orly GelFX Artificial Sweetener)

- Gel top coat

- Gel Cleanser

- Buffer

- Stainless steel cuticle pusher or spatula

- Small-sized dotting tool or size 0 nail art brush

- Piece of aluminium foil

- Clear or coloured embossing powder

- Lint-free wipes

- UV/LED lamp

- Nail brush

1. Prep your nails according to the instructions with your gel polish system, buff the surface of the nail and apply the base coat. Cure for the appropriate time.

2. Apply the first coat of the coloured polish and cure.

3. Apply a second coat if desired and cure again.

4. Apply top coat and cure.

5. Cleanse the nail to remove the tacky layer from the top coat and prepare it for nail art.

6. Put a few drops of gel polish on a small piece of aluminium foil and using a small dotting tool, start drawing a cable knit pattern on the nail. Make sure to apply the gel thickly and leave little gaps between the motifs so that the design remains clearly distinguishable. Cure when satisfied with the design.

7. Go over the design once more with the gel colour. Do not cure.

8. Using a spatula or stainless steel cuticle pusher, apply some clear embossing powder over all of the nail, taking special attention to cover the whole design. I prefer to use clear embossing powder because it takes up the base colour and goes with everything. The embossing powder will give the design a textured look and feel.

9. Tap the excess powder off the nail and cure in the UV lamp.

10. Remove any excess embossing powder from the nail with a nail brush and follow with a little cleanser on a lint-free wipe.

11. Your sweater nails are ready to rock!

I hope you've enjoyed this tutorial and do let me know if you re-create the design yourselves by posting pictures on my Facebook page :)

Review | Born Pretty Store Mixed Christmas Nail Decorations Wheel 120pcs

With Christmas literally around the corner, Christmas nail art designs can't go amiss. Today I am sharing with you some fantastic metallic motifs from Born Pretty Store that you can definitely use at the most beautiful time of the year! The wheel also features some designs that can be used all year round too.

So you get 10 pieces of each of 12 designs in metallic colours, mostly bronze or gold but there are also some black coloured ones such as the pumpkins which would be suitable for Halloween.

I have used the star cluster motif in this manicure (tutorial coming up later) and I put the gold side up. I would suggest you give the designs a bit of a curve on a pencil or such so that they fit your nail bed better if like me you have a curved nail bed. Also, make sure to totally cover the design in top coat to avoid any points snagging onto clothes etc.

I have sealed the designs with gel top coat so lasted really well but if you use them with regular top coat, try applying a coat every other day to make them last.

This nail art wheel retails for $2.20 from Born Pretty Store. Get 10% off with my code EBABK31.

PR Sample

Winterize Your Beauty {featuring Adore Me Lingerie}

As soon as fall and winter make their first appearance, year after year, we tend to switch our makeup palettes towards the ubiquitous plum shades, dusky rose pinks and darker colours in general. I find myself compling to this shift and I'm happy to do so as I have a preference towards darker hues when it comes to makeup.

The same goes for underwear as I like darker coloured intimates better. In this post I shall be sharing my favourite winter makeup looks combined with lingerie sets from Adore Me. The infographic below illustrates some of the more popular looks in winter and features some gorgeous lingerie sets to go with them. My favourite is the first combination just because berry hues take over most of my makeup looks in winter.

A set that really caught my eyes is this gorgeous jewel toned blue number which would go perfectly well with a neutral smoky eye and bold red lips.

The last combination I wanted to share with you are these dark green sets which I would pair with a rose-gold based look.

Knowing I am wearing underwear that looks good, makes me feel good and gives me a confidence boost just as my makeup does! Just remember to exfoliate regularly and apply a rich body lotion everyday to have your skin ready-to-bear in these sexy numbers ;)

All images courtesy of AdoreMe

Event | Let's #hygge with Skagen at Sunlab

A warm, cosy ambiance was the backdrop to yesterday's much anticipated event at the Sunlab outlet at The Point where Danish brand Skagen was to be celebrated along with everything Danish and the nation's warm hospitality despite the cold weather the country is known for at this time of year.

What is hygge? The Danes describe the concept of hygge in a variety of ways that mostly revolve around a warm, fuzzy, cosy feeling in a happy social environment which is exactly what the event was all about!

The Skagen collection was the main focus of the night which is made up of elegant pieces which I'm sure everyone will be proud to own! The collection boasts a variety of modern men's and women's watches and jewellery to suit practically all tastes. 

So head down to Sunlab to get 25% off the Skagen collection and make someone feel hygge this Christmas :)

Event | The Body Shop 2015 Christmas Collections

The Body Shop's Christmas event is one I look forward to every year mainly because I enjoy their limited edition Christmas collections and this year, the brand has opened another shop in the newly opened PAMA Shopping Village in Mosta, where the event actually took place.

This year, The Body Shop proposes three festive fragrances - Frosted Plum, Frosted Cranberry and Glazed Apple, of which the latter two are re-promotes from last year and the Frosted Plum range is completely new. 

Despite two of the scents being re-promotes, there is a good variety of new products which are found in all three ranges, such as the sugar scrub and the shimmer mists. This year, the majority of the products in the Christmas ranges are shimmery so do be aware of that if you are not a fan of such products. Apart from the individual products, you can also find them packaged in very festive cases too. 

In keeping with the Christmas theme, The Body Shop have also launched a limited edition makeup collection which really reminded me of The Great Gatsby with it's artdeco packaging and shades.

There are also some other new products and fragrances worth discovering such as the Spa Of The World range and the new Shade Adjusting Drops which help you get the perfect foundation shade for your skin tone! In fact, I got myself a bottle of the Lightening drops.

Then of course there are the usual gifts for him and her that are perfect for your office Secret Santa and a whole range of gifts to suit all budgets. 

When talking about The Body Shop, one cannot forget its humanitarian actions and this year, they have partnered with WaterAid to provide families with safe water. Proceeds from specially marked Christmas items will help the company reach its goals.

Lastly, The Body Shop is giving you a free gift with every purchase of over €35 and you can also apply for your Love Your Body card to get 10% off your purchases every time. 

Follow The Body Shop Malta on Facebook to keep updated.

Review | Yves Rocher Active Sensitive Extreme Comfort Mask

Lately, my skin was misbehaving and I had a minor breakout. Time isn't really a luxury I have these days, but luckily, Yves Rocher have the perfect mask to treat my skin in just 5 minutes flat and I can go on with my day.

The Yves Rocher Active Sensitive Face Mask comes in a 75ml tube and is meant to be applied to clean skin, let it act for 5 minutes and wipe the excess off with a tissue as opposed to rinsing it off.

It has a very creamy texture which is very soothing and the skin feels well hydrated after using this mask. There is no scent to the mask as it is specifically tailored for sensitive skins. I can immediately see my skin calming down and redness fading away after I use this mask and I like how soft my skin feels afterwards. I try to use it at least once a week.

Like all other Yves Rocher products, the mask contains botanical based ingredients such as Anta Bean and olive extracts which are very beneficial to sensitive skin types as they calm down the skin and help avoid flare-ups.

Yves Rocher Active Sensitive Extreme Comfort Mask can be found at all three outlets in Sliema, Valletta and Paola and retails for €14.50.

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 :)