Event | Teoxane Cosmeceuticals New Product Launches

Swiss cosmeceutical brand Teoxane has fast become one of my go-to skin care brands after I was introduced to it earlier this year. Thus, I of course accepted an invitation to a seminar which included the launch of new products - all of which happened at the Executive Suite within The Palace Hotel in Sliema last Monday afternoon over Prosecco and a delicious lunch.

Export manager Nicolas and marketing manager Melanie, flew in specifically for the occasion and they delivered an excellent presentation about the brand Teoxane and we even got to know their products better as well as witness the launch of an exciting new product.

Teoxane's range of products including the new RHA Hydrogel Mask

Basically, the brand Teoxane specialises in anti-aging skin care on the level of injections (dermal fillers) and complimenting skin care products, both of which are available at certain aesthetic clinics. All Teoxane product formulations revolve around the principle of hydration is better than moisturization and Teoxane's patented RHA resilient hylauronic acid technology. For more in-depth information about Teoxane, you can check out my introductory post here.

Teoxane's products are mainly aimed at those individuals who are not yet ready to commit to injections and aesthetic procedures but are willing to do something about their skin's situation. In fact, their products can be used either alone or in conjunction with aesthetic treatments both in terms of preparation of the skin prior to treatment and even as after care to prolong the results. An interesting fact is that in Malta, the most commonly used Teoxane product is R[II] Eyes and after using it myself, I can vouch for it! Read my full review here.

During the presentation, we were given the opportunity to try the products ourselves and were also given a live demonstration of the newly launched RHA Hydrogel Mask which promises and actually delivers results in 15 minutes. The mask instantly gives a 50% more plump appearance and the skin is actually hydrated immediately following application. Teoxane RHA Hydrogel Mask can be described as a sheet mask with a gel texture and it covers both your face and neck for a complete treatment. It smells very fresh but the scent is not too overwhelming, since it is a more medically indicated product.

A closer look at the RHA Hydrogel Mask texture

Another product which intrigued me is the RE[Cover] Complexion SPF50 which is neither a makeup product and neither a skin care product but a hybrid of both which is ideal to use after an aesthetic treatment. It aims to soothe, cover redness and bruises and protect the skin from UV rays.

Following my previous experience with Teoxane, I am really curious to try out the RHA Hydrogel Mask and the samples given to us at the end of the event. Will keep you posted with the results!

Teoxane products can only be found at authorised clinics and beauty salons and are distributed by Metropolis Pharma.

KIKO Milano Neo Noir Autumn 2016 Limited Edition Collection

KIKO Milano have once again teamed with designer Ross Lovegrove to bring us their Autumn 2016 limited edition collection, entitled Neo Noir; and of course, the packaging consists of stunning black compacts for the star products in the collection and bursts of dark colours for the other products.

pictures courtesy of KIKO Milano website

As usually happens with KIKO limited editions, the collection contains a lot of different pieces. This time I got myself three Sparkling Trail eyeshadows and a Graphic Gaze Double Eyemarker. The other products, although they look beautiful, I resisted getting them because I really don't have any more space for another blush/bronzer/highlighter.

The Neo Noir collection is inspired by the elegance of the colour black; more specifically, the flow of black silk - the ripples and the smoothness of it all which is reflected in the packaging of the face and lip products.

Sparkling Trail Eyeshadow 03, 04, 06 ~ €6.90 for 1.8g of product

These three shades caught my eyes instantly and the format is what convinced me to get them as they can be used as an eyeliner or as eyeshadows. The formula is very creamy and easily blendable but I do recommend you set them with a matching powder eyeshadow or translucent powder to ensure they don't budge or fade. They can go on patchy at first but the colour can be built up to a nice consistency with just a few strokes.

03 Sensual Burgundy - deep burgundy red

04 Feminine Emerald - shimmery emerald green with turquoise undertones

06 Rose Anthracite - charcoal grey with rose shimmer

Graphic Gaze Double Eye Marker ~ €8.90 for 1.5ml of product

This is a very cool product in my opinion and I really like the concept of it all but to be honest, I'm not entirely happy with it as the 'ink', apart from not being very black, it fades away easily and bleeds even with a primer. However, for those still curious to try it out for graphic eye looks, what you get is a double ended eyeliner pen with spheres instead of the usual pointy felt tip to help create unusual eyeliner looks. 

The KIKO Neo Noir collection is currently available on the KIKO Cosmetics website.

Event | Beauty Night Out at Melita - Celebrating 45 Years of Health & Beauty

I always get excited whenever I am invited to birthday parties - I think of them as a celebration of what has passed and what is to come which usually means bigger, better and brighter things. This time round, I was invited to join the celebrations as Melita Health & Beauty Clinic in St. Julian's turns 45 this year.

I always enjoy events hosted at Melita as we are surrounded with top makeup, perfume and skin care brands and we also get the chance to catch up in a rather relaxed atmosphere (of course Prosecco and delicious canapés are a welcome bonus after a day's work). The party served as a springboard to launch new offers and products such as Blinc Eye Cosmetics, the new Revlon HD Velvety Matte Lip Colors, new products by Sleek and other new launches from brands such as Collistar, Max Factor and Shiseido. As for fragrances and skin care, there are some new launches just in time for Christmas shopping as well.

The special bloggers discount on the night was the perfect excuse to justify treating myself to yet another Sleek i-Divine palette to add to my ever growing collection and I was delighted to see there was another palette included in the very generous goodie bag we were each given at the end of the night.

Melita will be celebrating their birthday with the public with special offers running all throughout November so be sure to like their Facebook page to stay updated.

Event | Dizz Group Autumn & Winter Fashion Show in Aid of Mental Health Awareness

Stunning views, a grand palace with tranquil surroundings, two parallel rows of white draped chairs, a runway, gorgeous models, fresh sartorial collections and fashionable guests - this is what Dizz Group's Autumn & Winter Fashion Show in Aid of Mental Health Awareness was made of!

Last Saturday afternoon, despite all the humidity October is throwing our way, I was excited to attend this grand fashion show and witness some of the latest collections from top fashion brands under Dizz Group's portfolio. All for a good cause - donations from attendees were collected in aid of the Mental Health Awareness Campaign run by the Marigold Foundation under the patronage of Mrs. Michelle Muscat, spouse to Malta's Prime Minister.

October is usually synonymous with breast cancer awareness, and while I commend all the initiatives that continue to push breast cancer awareness and research forward, it does not mean that other conditions such as mental health should remain in the shadows. With mental health, this is more evident because of the stigma that surrounds such conditions and more often than not, mentally challenged individuals tend so suffer in silence. Luckily, for these patients, who often end up conveniently forgotten by their own families, the Marigold Foundation is there to intervene to give them better quality of life and lend a listening ear and even a shoulder to cry on if need be. Of course, to do such projects and run campaigns, funds are often a hindrance; consequently, fund-raising activities such as this fashion show, are vital in fuelling the work put behind the Marigold Foundation. The donations were topped up by Dizz Group and the beautiful sum of €10,000 was presented to Mrs. Muscat at the end of the fashion show.

Now for the collections; casual and elegant looks from Terranova, Calliope, Guess, Guess by Marciano, Max&Co., Trussardi, Harmont & Blaine, Paul & Shark, Liu Jo, Michael Kors, and Elisabetta Franchi were paraded down the runway.

All brands have their own take on the key trends for the upcoming season - leather still remains strongly in fashion in different colours but with a matte look and the leather jacket remaining a staple, piece; backpacks aren't going anywhere and denim is also here to stay. Layering is always a key trend of the winter season and this year is no exception. I really enjoyed the way outfits were combined to give the trend a more modern feel - fur details, shimmery fabrics coordinated with more casual garments, and the classic coordinated suit.

Autumn/Winter 2016 is looking very chic and sophisticated at Michael Kors, where their iconic tote bags have been re-invented with warmer colours and a new design. Patterned cross-body bags and chic backpacks complete the collection.

Paul & Shark stayed true to their nautical roots with the typical colour palette of red, white and blue - a timeless combination that is always in fashion while Trussardi exudes Italian effortless glamour with every garment. My favourites from their collection were definitely the blue and mustard dresses.

The hottest colour of the season, khaki, which also happens to be one of my favourites was the predominant colour in my favourite collection - Elisabetta Franchi. I love how it was combined with blue, with my absolute favourite garments from the collection being the short, puffy jacket and the pussy bow blouse. Elisabetta Franchi also managed to re-invent black, resulting in a collection that is the epitome of sophistication. I have to admit that this was most definitely my favourite collection.

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Well done to Dizz Group on this initiative and very big well done to all behind the organisation of such a prestigious event!

Models were all from Supernova Modelling Agency.
Catwalk photos by Ronald Camilleri.

New In! | MAC Bangin' Brilliant Collection & Liptensity Lipsticks

I always get excited whenever MAC releases a new collection... or any new product for that matter! Thus, you can imagine my excitement when an email popped into my inbox inviting me to visit the MAC counter at Debenhams The Point to discover the new Bangin' Brilliant collection and the brand new Liptensity lipsticks!

Luckily, my dear friend Marija was invited as well so we both made our way together to one of our favourite makeup stores. We were assisted by MAC makeup artist Nadia and she guided us through the new collections and even applied some looks on us using them.  

MAC have expanded their permanent collection of lipsticks, eyeshadows and blushers with the introduction of the Bangin' Brilliant collection that consists of 29 bright and boldly coloured lipsticks, 24 eyeshadows and 5 powder blushes, all in various textures.

MAC Bangin' Brilliant Lipsticks - €19 each

The lipsticks are packaged in the iconic MAC packaging and vary from a straight up white to smurf blue, iridescent purples and blues to pinks, yellows and everything in between and come in matte, frost, amplified, cremesheen, satin and lustre finishes. The unique colours immediately caught my eyes and I had the pleasure of trying my two favourite shades from the collection - Model Behaviour and On and On (this was a hard choice but I preferred sticking to something I was more comfortable in). Here are some of the other shades I swatched on the back of my hand:

MAC Bangin' Brilliant Lipstick Swatches
Far Left: On and On | Top to Bottom: Time To Shine, Model Behaviour, No Interruptions, Wild Extract

Yours truly wearing Model Behaviour lipstick over Cyber World lip liner

MAC Bangin' Brilliant Dazzleshadow (€23 each) and Eyeshadow (€19 each)

The eyeshadows in the collection are divided into various finishes - dazzle, frost, veluxe pearl, matte and one satin shade. All of the dazzle shades are re-promoted whilst the others are all new shades. I already had Can't Stop, Don't Stop Dazzleshadow which was part of Le Disko limited edition from last year and I am happy to see it is now part of the permanent collection as it is one of the most beautiful MAC eyeshadows. Here are some swatches:

MAC Bangin' Brilliant Dazzleshadow swatches

Nadia applied some of the eyeshadows on Marija and I have to say my favourite look was the one with the blue and green shades. I really liked the combination of colours though both looks suit her well :) Oh and by the way, both the blue liner and the orange are eyeshadows from the Bangin' Brilliant collection with some Fix+!

MAC Liptensity Lipsticks - €24 each

The Liptensity Lipsticks, boast MAC's most pigmented formula to date and come in a spectrum of 24 colours, including a deep black shade! What's interesting about this collection is that MAC enlisted the help of tetrachromat (individuals who can see up to 100 million shades that most people can't) Maureen Seaberg to create a kaleidoscope of never- seen before colours, using the groundbreaking High-Frequency Tetrachromatic Pigments technology. My favourites from this collection are the nudes, reds, pinks and a beautiful lilac grey. The bad news is that the following 7 out of the Liptensity Lipsticks are limited edition: Stallion, Galaxy Grey, Life's Blood, Lobster, Fireworks and Double Fudge. MAC was kind enough to gift me the shade Gumball, a bright, creamy blush pink.

MAC Liptensity Swatches
Far Left: Life's Blood | Top to Bottom: Galaxy Grey, Hellebore, Blue Beat, Double Fudge

L to R: Liptensity Lipstick in Gumball | Dazzleshadow Can't Stop, Don't Stop | Model Behaviour Lipstick

Which products intrigue you the most?

All of these products are now available at the MAC Sliema store and the MAC Counter at Debenhams The Point.