Review | La Roche Posay Effaclar Sebo-Controlling Mask

La Roche Posay have released some exciting new products to further expand their Effaclar skin care range. I'm sure many of you are acquainted with this range as most of us have used it as teenagers and others, me included still use the products today.

One of the products which sparked my curiosity ever since I saw it advertised on the La Roche Posay Facbeook page is the Effaclar Sebo-Controlling Mask for I am always struggling with balancing my oily skin in a bid to keep it shine free for longer throughout the day.

Without hesitation, I bought a tube of the mask from the first pharmacy I saw it at last week and tried it that same day after cleansing my face. I also managed to convince the boyfriend (read nagged until he had to agree) to try it since he has super oily skin which is very prone to black-heads. So far we have used the mask twice in a week.

Let's have a word about texture first before moving on to the actual results. Basically, the mask comes in a tube packaging with the signature La Roche Posay colours and it has a very creamy texture. It has a greyish white colour which pertains to the kaolin clay content of the product. The mask is formulated with the finest ingredients known to unclog pores and rid the skin of invisible impurities to reveal a healthy, glowing complexion which stays matte for longer.

La Roche Posay recommend the application of a thin layer of the mask once or twice a week (make sure you avoid the eye and lip areas), leave it on for 5 minutes and then rinse off with warm water before applying the rest of your skin care products. 

During the 5 minutes you have the mask on, you will feel it dry and maybe your skin will feel a little tighter; or course, that's due to the clay drying up. It does rinse off easily though so application and removal are both like a walk in the park! Neither me nor my boyfriend have experienced itching or burning sensations when using this mask.

For me, just one application a week was enough to keep sebum production at bay for longer. My boyfriend, on the other hand needs to stick to applying the mask twice weekly but since it only takes 5 minutes, he doesn't complain.

Bottom line, I highly recommend this mask to anyone who wants to keep their skin look fresh and matte for longer as well as anyone with a very busy lifestyle and of course has an oily skin type.

La Roche Posay Effaclar Sebo-Controlling Mask retails for €13.50 for 100ml of product and is available in pharmacies.

Black and Gold Sunglasses | GlassesShop.com Review

Even though I wear spectacles on a daily basis, I enjoy wearing sunglasses (and contact lenses of course) on sunny days, thus when I was contacted by GlassesShop.com, I agreed to review a pair of eyeglasses from their extensive range.

Originally, I was offered a pair of prescription glasses frames but they were all a little too big for my petite face so we agreed that I was to review a pair of sunglasses instead. The selection process was quite difficult as GlassesShop.com offers an extensive choice of prescription glasses and sunglasses for everyone. Finally, after much deliberation I settled on the Gwendolyn Round pair in Black.

It took quite some time for the glasses to reach me but I guess they were well worth the wait! They arrived in perfect condition in their box and they even come with a lens cloth. The sunglasses are lightweight and I'm in love with the split gold design on the bottom half of the rim. I would classify them as oversize and I feel they add a glam touch to an outfit. I like that the nose piece has a sort of foam cushioning so that the glasses fit comfortably.

I wore my new sunnies last Friday morning to Valletta as the weather was bright. The glasses felt really comfortable all throughout and I must say I really enjoyed wearing them!

Want to try them yourself? Use the code GSHOT50 for 50% off your purchase!

PR Sample

Review | La Roche-Posay Respectissime Soft Eye Pencil in Black

Recently, I have introduced you to an innovation from La Roche-Posay's dermo-cosmetic line and today I am bringing you another product from the range, the La Roche-Posay Respectissime Eye Pencil.

I had high expectations for this pencil as the Respectissime Mascara is still one of my favourites to date after having reviewed it a few years back so of course, with LRP always being consistent with their formulas I couldn't expect anything less!

The packaging is very basic with the product name and description being elegantly printed in white over the black colour of the pencil and the product comes sealed the first time round for your own protection.

It has a very soft texture and thus, the colour glides on easily though it is not the most pigmented black eye pencil I have used. Having said that, the staying power matches that of some of the best eye pencils I own.

The Respectissime Eye Makeup Range is targeted towards those with sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers thus you are guaranteed that no irritations will occur to the sensitive eye area. Respectissime Eye Makeup is available in pharmacies.

PR Sample

Event | Discovering Blinc Cosmetics at Roseberry

Last Thursday evening I was very excited to attend a fun or rather as the invited said, berry beautiful event concerning the US brand blinc cosmetics at Roseberry, Valletta.

I made my way there with my partner in makeup crime Marija and we were immediately greeted with a smile by Nataliya, the brand manager behind the various brands Paloma Cosmetics Ltd. bring to our shores. In keeping with the theme of the event, we were offered a glass of Fragolino, strawberry flavoured wine as well as Baci chocolates and tasty little macarons!

Nataliya, with the help of Danilo and Michaela, delivered a very detailed and informative presentation about Blinc Cosmetics and I am more than happy to share what this brand is all about with you all especially if you're new to it like I was before yesterday's event :)

So what makes Blinc Cosmetics different from other brands? Basically, it all boils down to the brand being exclusively dedicated to the production of innovative eye makeup products such as pioneering the world's first tube mascara and peelable eyeliner that are long-lasting no matter how hectic your lifestyle is. 

It all started with the launch of the classic Mascara in 1999 which has this innovative formula that rather than painting the lashes, it forms tubes around each lash, thus preventing flaking and clumping of the lashes. After that, it took Blinc three years (!) to launch another mascara or as a matter of fact, another product. This goes to show the amount of research and dedication of the brand to produce top quality products for us, the end users.

Blinc is all about innovation and performance. I have already mentioned that the brand boasts the world's first tube-forming mascara and peelable. Blinc's portfolio also comprises the thinnest eyeliner pen, and a four-in-one eyebrow mousse, confirming the brand at being at the fore-front of the beauty industry with new and exciting products that are water-resistant, smudge proof, as well as easy to apply and remove.

Consequently, Blinc is the ideal brand for women who:

• have sensitive eyes or are contact lens wearers
• lead an active and athletic lifestyle
• have busy work/life schedules
• have lash extensions
• face challenging climates on a day to day basis
• need not to worry about eye makeup flaking or smudging throughout their day

During the event we had the chance to try the products out for ourselves so as to attest to all the claims that the brand promises. I was surprised to see that the brand only carries one eyeshadow palette but when we got to discover the story behind it, I could immediately see that it makes perfect sense. The Blinc Shadow Fusion palette is the result of a collaboration between the brand and top makeup artists. They managed to come up with a palette that people will actually use all of the shades in it not just a couple as often happens.

Blinc Heated Eyelash Curler, Macara Amplified & Black Lash Primer

Blinc Shadow Fusion palette

Blinc Eyebrow Mousse & makeup brushes

Blinc eyeliners

We were each given a sample of the eyeliner and Amplified mascara to try which I did right away and I also purchased the Dark Green Classic Mascara for the colour caught my eyes when I tried it during the event.

Some of the bloggers attending the event & Danilo

Myself and Danilo discussing mascara shades ;)

I will be reviewing the products soon so I am not going to talk about formulas etc in this post so you can discover all the exciting details with me in the review post...or else, head down to Roseberry in Valletta and get your hands on some Blinc products then you can share your experience with me in the comments! Other outlets which stock Blinc Cosmetics in Malta are NYX (Sliema), Melita Pharmacy (St. Julian's), Heavenspa (Naxxar).