The Exit Interview Series | Volume #39

And that's a wrap for January! Poof...bye...gone - as have these products that I am going to show you in this post!

I'm starting with body care products and first up is this Wjcon Body Draining Oil with Toning Action. This did a good job at draining excess fluids from my body and consequently, the skin took on a more toned appearance but I won't be buying it again because it is too messy to apply and the cap keeps falling off.

The same goes for the E.L.F. Studio Lotion Wipes. While I love the scent and the packaging of these, they didn't do anything extraordinary to my skin and I much prefer using a cream lotion to moisturise my skin thoroughly.

Next I have a sample of The Body Shop's Moringa Souffle Body Lotion which I really enjoyed using. The souffle texture is perfect for warmer days as it is rapidly absorbed in the skin and will leave a scent that lingers on for some time. 

The last bath item is this Grace Cole Elements Bubble Bath which smells of Vanilla and lathers up nicely in your bath filling the whole room with a warm fragrance. This was actually a gift but if I come across it, I would buy it.

I have used up my first bottle of Yves Rocher Volume Shampoo and I liked it so much I bought a backup before I could run out. This does wonders for my thin hair and in addition it smells nice and cleanser my hair really well. Another hair product I have used up is this sample size of True Keratin Super Sleek+ Post-Treatment Masque. I like how this makes my hair soft and shiny so I would consider buying the full size of it.

My old cleanser from Michael Todd met the bin this month too and I won't be re-purchasing for now because I have switched brands as this didn't seem to agree any more with my skin. I have also finished three perfume samples from Nina Ricci, Shakira and Roberto Cavalli.

Lastly, here are the makeup empties. I will not be buying any of these again simply because I haven't reached for them that often and took long to use them up but if Catrice were to start producing the Ultimate Moisture foundation, I would definitely re-purchase because I really loved it as an everyday foundation because of its light texture. 

The E.L.F. mascaras have separated out and I wouldn't dream of letting them anywhere near my eyes and it's a pity because they added a nice touch to evening makeup.

What did you finish up this month?

Review | Born Pretty Store Stamping Polish in Gold & Silver

Those into stamping nail art know how hard it can be to find good stamping polishes and the challenge gets even harder when looking for good metallic stamping polishes such as gold or silver.

Today I have two stamping polishes from Born Pretty Store that I would like to share with you guys. I got the colours silver and gold because I have never had any success with regular metallic polishes and stamping so this was the perfect opportunity to have another go at the whole thing.

Born Pretty Store Stamping Polishes come in very cute 6ml square glass bottles with a black cap. The brush is a good size and the formula is less thick than other stamping polishes I have worked with in the past but it is still a little thicker than regular nail polish.

So, let's see how the polishes fared out...

Judging by the pictures, I'm sure we all agree they gave a really good result as the images have transferred perfectly well and with good pigmentation all over though the gold seems to be a little more pigmented. I think it is safe to say that the hunt for the perfect gold and silver stamping polishes is finally over! 

In the first picture, I have also used the silver polish as a regular nail polish under the blue polish and I was thoroughly impressed that it worked like that as well as usually stamping polishes do not make good regular nail polishes. Obviously, being thicker, it took a little longer to dry but other than that, it worked perfectly fine.

The only downside I had with these polishes is that they are so shimmery that you will be left with a few sparkles here and there after you clean up - then again, this always happens with polishes of the same finish.

You can buy both the silver and gold stamping polishes from Born Pretty Store at $3.99 with free shipping,  Enter my code EBABK31 at checkout for an additional 10% off your purchase!

PR Sample

Review | Born Pretty Store 3D Flat Back Square Rhinestones

3D Nail Art is not something I would usually go for but a little change sometimes is good so when Born Pretty Store offered me the chance to review some items from their store yet again, I picked up this 3 piece set of 3D Flat Back Square Rhinestones.

There are 12 colours to choose from and I chose SP005 which are essentially transparent but give off all sorts of iridescent colours according to how the light hits them. Each square measures 5mm x 5mm and they have a flat facet so that they can be adhered to the nail.

Being rather big, they are very easy to manage with a pair of tweezers and I have used nail glue to fix them in place. Their size however can work against practicality as although they lasted well, they do interfere with everyday tasks such as applying hand cream and being extra careful when washing your hands and hair and at work, I have to be careful when wearing and removing gloves, thus I only wore them for a day.

Having said that, I would still recommend these gems for special occasions to give your nails a different look and they can easily be saved for future use. Moreover, they go with a vast array of nail decorations such as the ones shown in the pictures above that can also be purchased from Born Pretty Store. In fact, mixed nail art decorations is the look I went for to use the 3D rhinestones.

You can buy these 3D Flat Back Square Rhinestones from Born Pretty Store for just $2.13 for 3 pieces and you can even get a 10% discount with my code EBABK31. Shipping is free worldwide, no minimum order.

PR Sample

Event | SkinCeuticals Launch by Persona Med-Aesthetic Centre

Last Friday, I was invited to Persona Med-Aesthetic Centre's SkinCeuticals Launch event at the lush Westin Dragonara Hotel Ballroom.

I must say that it was a very well organized, chic and glamorous event - there was even a red carpet for guests to walk on and have their picture taken, something which me and fellow bloggers Steph and Elaine have taken good advantage of ;) Delicious food and a well stocked bar also characterized the event  which took place in very elegant surroundings featuring the SkinCeuticals logo colours, black and white.

The event started with Mr. Peter Apap, director of Persona making his introductions and a speech by Her Excellency Mary Louise Coleiro Preca, President of Malta (left picture below) ensued where she acknowledged the charitable act of Persona Med-Aesthetic Centre donating proceeds from their yearly SkinCeuticals sales to Malta Hospice Movement and the Malta Association of Dermatology and Venerology (MADV).

In turn, various experts on the subject, including a SkinCeuticals educator from Dubai (right picture above) delivered very well informed presentations about skin health, the brand itself and we wear also introduced to the latest three products to join the SkinCeuticals family.

SkinCeuticals was founded in 1997 by Dr.Sheldon Pinnell, a pioneer of cosmeceuticals in the US and a dermatological authority boasting 100 published papers on the subject and 4 patents, all of which belong to SkinCeuticals products. The brand lives up to its motto (Prevent, Protect, Correct) through anti-ageing breakthroughs with antioxidant technologies in the products they formulate. Research and innovation are the very core of the brand, thus rewarding patients and clients with the results they are after. The brand is very exclusive with only a handful of countries selling it around the world and it is only prescribed by medical professionals. In Malta, the authorised stockists are of course Persona.

During the cocktail party which followed the presentations, attendees had the opportunity to have their skin analysed through Visia - a machine that 'sees' deep within your skin to help you find the best possible skin care regime and products. All three of us bloggers had our skin analysed but a full consultation would take around an hour so an appointment at Persona is definitely recommended. There was also a SkinCeuticals Bar with products available to sample.

All in all, I really enjoyed my time at the event and I am very much looking forward to trying out a handful of samples we were given.

Check out Persona on Facebook and their website for more information on the services they offer and purchasing of products.

KIKO Makeup Milano Haul

Hello ladies :) You may have noticed that I am not posting as regularly even though I have a backlog of exciting reviews and posts but to be honest, I have been having a minor case of writers' block and I took the opportunity to enjoy life in general. Don't get me wrong...I seriously enjoy blogging and all that jazz but sometimes, life happens away from a computer screen :)

Anyways, this post is all about a KIKO Cosmetics haul for which I had the parcel delivered to my door just yesterday and now I am here showing you what I got :) There's not a lot of colourful stuff as I only bought things I actually needed, specifically for carnival and since I already had most of the things, I only had to get a few more items.

Starting off with tools, I got three eye brushes, namely 208 (Eye Base Shader), 209 (Thin Liner Brush) and 210 (Graphic Eye Brush). I have also got two Brush Cleansers as backups because my first bottle is nearing its end and I seriously love the stuff. In fact, they were the main reason behind the order!

Moving on, I got a Cleansing Eyes & Lips Make-up Remover just to test it out and also a sponge nail polish remover for glitter polish and Nail Polish Remover Travel Wipes.

Now here comes the fun part! I got two shades of blue eyeshadow from the Infinity Eye Shadow Range, namely shades 273 Mat Light Sky Blue and 275 Mat Light Sea Blue and I also got the Clics 03 Palette to put them in.

And finally, I got two False Lashes Concentrate Waterproof Top Coat Mascara which I cannot wait to try and see how and if they truly work.

The cost of the order amounted to €88.70 including shipping and handling fees and it only took a week to arrive.

Have you tried any of these products before? Thoughts on them?

Pantone Colour of the Year 2015 - Marsala | Picks From My Stash

Pantone have declared Marsala to be the Colour of the Year 2015 and I couldn't have been happier as it is one of my favourite colours, especially during this time of year.

It is a very versatile shade and it blends seamlessly with a wide array of other colours. Here are the Marsala coloured products in my makeup stash :)

Face

Milani Baked Blush in 03 Berry Amore

Sleek Makeup Blush in Antique

Catrice Defining Blush in 060 Rosewood Forest

Eyes

Catrice Absolute Eye Colour 100 F'rosen Yoghurt

Lips

Max Factor Lipstick in 655 Lilac Wine

Liptini Stain in Pink Lady

E.L.F. Studio Glitter Gloss in Sparkling Wine

E.L.F. Studio Lip Liner & Blending Brush in Wine

Catrice Ultimate Colour Lipstick 340 Berry Bradshaw

Marks & Spencer Lipgloss in Dark Pink

Inglot Lipstick 184

Marks & Spencer Limited Collection Gloss in Wine

Marks & Spencer Limited Collection Lipstick in Grape

Essence XXXL Shine Lipgloss in 020 Wood Of Roses

Essence Vampire's Love Trend Edition Lip Stain in 02 True Love

Catrice Ultimate Colour Lipstick in 030 Ginger & Fred

The Body Shop Colour Crush Lipstick in 335

Nails

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in 320 Raisin' The Bar

Essie In Stitches

O.P.I. Skyfall

Pupa Milano Lasting Colour Gel 015

Essence Home Sweet Home Trend Edition Nail Polish Gel Shine in 04 Berry Me Home

China Glaze Holographic in Not In This Galaxy

Essence Colour & Go in 72 Time For Romance

China Glaze Awakening

How do you feel about Marsala being Colour of the Year 2015? 

December Collective Haul & Christmas Gifts

I have reserved the monthly collective haul and Christmas gifts as the first post of 2015, which I have to admit it is a bit late, but life just happened :) So, first of all, Happy New Year to all of you my loyal readers and I hope you enjoyed holiday season :) Last year has been very good to me and I hope 2015 will be as eventful (in a good way) as this past year has been. In the meantime, let's start the year with some pretty things :)

First up - shoes! These two Red Herring ballerina pumps were on sale for €9.31 each from €31 at Debenhams. I've already worn both of them especially the snake skin one which goes with so many outfits! The other pair is from Nine West and I bought it at full price for €99. I needed a pair of brown heels anyway so I got them before they were gone.

Moving on to clothes, I only bought this floral top from the Dorothy Perkins sale for €21 and this parka from F&F which I got for €48 instead of €60 during their official opening event. I've been living in it practically everyday especially these days when temperatures have dropped considerably compared to what we are used to!

December was definitely the month of cosmetics and beauty products as I got stuff from Inglot, The Body Shop and Yves Rocher to keep me smelling and good :)

Lastly, here's what I got for Christmas:

Starting from my family, I got some cash from my parents and my brother as well as a hair straightener as I needed to change my current one. My boyfriend bought me this beautiful Viventy ring which also serves as an anniversary gift and he surprised me with a Minion soft-toy when we opened our gifts at his parents' place :) My in-laws gifted me with vouchers that I already know where I will be spending as well as a jewelry organizer and my sister-in-law gave me this super cosy floral scarf. Our consultant at work gave us this cute Christmas tree shaped candle which complements my room decor nicely. Lastly, we had a secret Santa thing at work and I got this beautiful gold leaves bracelet and adorned travel mirror from Accessorize :)

What did you get for Christmas? Cheers to a Happy New Year to all!