Milan Haul

As you can tell from the title of this post, I thought of sharing with you what I got from my weekend trip to Milan last week. I didn't buy that much stuff because quite frankly I was a little under the weather when the pair of Gianvito Rossi's I am after were not in stock at either of their boutiques so *shocker* I didn't really feel like shopping.

However, I still managed to score some gorgeous finds. First off, & Other Stories. I'm in love with this brand and whenever I visit a country where they have a store, I just have to visit their exquisitely decorated shops and possibly get a couple of items too. I had already seen their current collection in Munich where on my way out I spotted a gorgeous top which was only available in the larger sizes. I couldn't get this top out of my mind so I made it a point to try and find it in Milan, which I did :D It's a very minimal grey, boxy top with a round collar and it feels so warm! It cost €55. I also got a pair of gunmetal mirrored sunglasses for €25 and a pair of triangle rose gold and marble earrings for €15, both of which I had been wanting for ages.

After visiting the Manolo Blahnik exhibition, I purchased the book which contains pictures and illustrations of all the shoes on display. It only set me back €38 and my coffee table looks much more stylish now ;)

As for beauty, I bought a Chanel Rouge Coco Stylo in the shade 216 Lettre for €34 from Coin in Como where I also purchased two Essence nail polishes (44 On Air! and 68 Free Hugs) and a precise eyeliner brush which were €1.99 each.

Sephora were having some crazy sales where it took every ounce of energy for me to go all out and buy everything in sight. Somehow I managed to resist and only bought this Giorgio Armani lipstick in the shade 102 Essenza which was down to €26.90.

Lastly, from Victoria's Secret, another store that I like to visit when I'm abroad, I got 3 pairs of knickers of course (not shown) and I also managed to find a set of the Scandalous perfume, body wash and body lotion on sale for €24.50. I love the Scandalous perfume of which I had a small bottle but I just can't get myself to fork out €75 for the large bottle (though it's cute so I might give in one day) so this pack was perfect.

Stay tuned for outfit posts and a bonus restaurant experience post from my trip to Milan! Make sure to like my Facebook page to never miss a post and other updates.

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

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 :)

Review | Chanel Les 4 Ombres 208 Tisse Gabrielle

Chanel - the fashion house that symbolises the epitome of French elegance. You can imagine my delight when a friend of mine gifted me this eyeshadow quad before it was even released locally! This is my first eyeshadow quad from Chanel and it is one of my most treasured palettes. Not only because it is Chanel and feels luxurious but also because of the colours in it.

 

Speaking of luxury, the packaging is somewhat of a gem in itself - the palette itself is a small black plastic box with the Chanel logo embossed on the front and it houses four beautifully unique shades and two small eyeshadow sponge applicators bearing the Chanel logo. It also comprises a good sized mirror and the eyeshadows are protected with a plastic cover, again with the Chanel logo embossed right in the middle.

 

 

 

The palette comes in a soft, black velvet pouch, signed Chanel as well as a small booklet with four different looks that the brand proposes with the palette. All is packed nicely in a black box with a golden band on the front. If that is not luxury, I don't know what is!

 

 

 

The colours in the palette all have excellent pigmentation but the use of a primer is recommended to help the makeup last longer without fading. I would describe the shades as:

- dark taupe with a metallic finish

- dark mauve with a metallic finish

- matte charcoal grey

- metallic off-white

 

 

I have used this palette multiple times and I have always been positively impressed with the quality of all four shades. The only downside is that you have to use a primer because otherwise, the colours will eventually fade away a little.

 

I don't know the price of this palette but obviously, being high-end it will be on the expensive side. Nonetheless it still makes a special little treat for a dear one or yourself!

Top Ten Lipsticks for Autumn 2013

Hello dolls :) Unfortunately summer is has come to an end but here in Malta, autumn is still not in full swing yet. Having said that, I look forward to wearing all the new clothes I bought for the coming season as well as wearing my favourite lipstick shades, namely berry hues and rich reds.

 

Today I will be sharing with you my favourite lipsticks to wear during this time of year and I have included both drugstore and high end picks with shades ranging from neutral tones to deeper tones. Here they are in no particular order:

 

E.L.F. Mineral Lipstick Rosy Tan ~ a my-lips-but-better shade with warm undertones.
 

 

M.A.C. Lustre Lipstick Naked Paris ~ nude shimmery brown
 

 

Essence Lipstick 12 Sparkling Miracle - purple with golden shimmer
 

 

E.L.F. Mineral Lipstick Rich Raspberry - toned down raspberry pink with reddish undertones
 

 

Essence Home Sweet Home Trend Edition Longlasting Lipstick 02 Berry Me Home - true raspberry
 

 

Max Factor Lipstick 710 Midnight Plum - plum purple with subtle shimmer
 

 

Catrice Ultimate Colour Lipstick 030 Ginger and Fred - mulberry with golden shimmer
 

 

Make Up Store Sparkling Lipstick Black Currant - plum purple with multi-coloured shimmer
 

 

Chanel Rouge Coco 16 Taffetas Rose - deep rose pink with violet undertones

 

E.L.F. Studio Matte Lip Color Rich Red - true red with a matte finish

 

 

So those are my picks for the season. If I had to pick just one favourite shade out of the above ten, it would hands down be Make Up Store Black Currant. I just love the multi-coloured shimmers and how the shade contrasts with my skin tone. I have got this lipstick only recently but I can see myself wearing it a lot already. Other favourites would be Chanel Taffetas Rose and Essence Sparkling Miracle.

Do you prefer rich lipstick shades to the more sheer formulas? Which is your favourite fall lipstick?  

Best Of 2012: Lips

Next up in the Best Of 2012 series are lip products. Most of you know that I was in a love-hate relationship with lipsticks and favoured lipgloss more. Well, I am pleased to say that has changed! I am now the proud owner of a beautiful lipstick collection and I can't wait to share my favourites with you! However, I will start with other lip products and save the best for last!

First up are two products that proved to be lip saviours...literally! I forgot to pack a lip balm for my trip to Paris and the first thing on arriving was pop into a pharmacy and I got Bioderma Atoderm Levres. It soothed my lips in an instant and left them feeling smooth and supple. Definitely a repurchase if I can find a Bioderma stockist here. Product number two is E.L.F. Studio Lip Exfoliator, a product I had been waiting for ages to be available on the UK website and I purchased straight away as soon as it was uploaded! I was so glad I bought it and I have been using it every other day to keep my lips smooth and it also improved the staying power of lip products on me.  I will need a replacement soon! I have also been able to try out Essence Kiss Care Love Lip balms* which provide the moisture and care of a regular lip balm with a sheer, pearly tint and I can confirm they work excellently!

My favourite lip liner this year has been Revlon ColorStay Lip Liner in Nude. It matches my lips perfectly and is great for use with any lip colour.  This year I have also discovered lip stains and my favourites have been Liptini Lip Liqueur in 4013 Pink Lady*, and Catrice Liquid Lip Tint in 010 Red My Lips*.

As for lipglosses, my favourites were E.L.F. Studio Glossy Gloss in Berry Blush & Merry Cherry, E.L.F. Studio Glitter Gloss in Sparkling Wine and Essence XXXL Shine Lipgloss in 020 Wood Of Roses*.

As previously said, I left the best for last! Here are my top lipsticks for 2012! Chanel Rouge Coco in 16 Taffetas Rose, Givenchy Rouge Interdit in 20 Illicit Raspberry*, MAC Lustre Lipstick in Naked Paris, Catrice Ultimate Colour Lipsticks in 030 Ginger & Fred and 190 The Nuder The Better.  All these lipsticks have excellent pigmentation and staying power and I am also very pleased to say that I have found the perfect nude in the latter Catrice lipstick.

Moving on, these lipsticks have sheer to high coverage and although the staying power is not as good as the ones above, they still cut it for my 2012 favourites because of their moisturizing formulas. Here are Catrice Ultimate Lip Glow in One Shade Fits All*, Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in 206 Nude Pink, Kate Moss for Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick (matte) in 107 and Essence Lipsticks in 02 Sparkling Romance, 62 Rockin' Red*.

What were your favourite lip products during the past year?

Part 1: Nails
Part 2: Skin Care

Products marked with * were either gifted to me or sent by the respective companies' PR for review purposes

Monthly Favourites: November

This month I have a mix of old and new favourites and I will start with the new discoveries first.

My absolute favourite this month was the E.L.F Studio Lip Exfoliator which keeps my lips soft and supple thanks to the exfoliating sugars and moisturising oils it is made of. I am a big fan of the sleek packaging too. Another new favourite from E.L.F. is the Studio Glitter Gloss in Sparkling Wine as it is a nice unique colour with gold flakes throughout and it complements many of my lipsticks. It also looks great alone thanks to the awesome pigmentation! Lastly from E.L.F I have two old favourites, namely the Studio Make-up Mist & Set and the Studio Mattifying Translucent Powder which have been the perfect companions to my oily skin this past month. I like how the Mist & Set removes the powdery feeling while setting make-up and thanks to the powder, my skin stays matte longer.

Moving on, this Born Pretty Store Retractable Kabuki Brush is the best brush I have to apply the powder with as it gives a nice, smooth application.  I have also found a new favourite perfume, namely, Zadig & Voltaire Tome 1 - For Her La Purete. It smells nice and clean, just like the name implies and it is good for both day and night.

Two more products from the lip department come from Chanel and Revlon. Chanel's Rouge Coco in 16 Taffetas Rose is my favourite lipstick this month and I like just how moisturising it feels. As for the Revlon ColorStay Lipliner in Nude, it is the perfect lip shaper for both nude and the darker lipstick hues.

Lastly, I have Catrice Eyeliner Pen in 030 Carbon Black. Although it doesn't have that skinny tip, I like the stiffness of the felt tip as it makes it perfect to create cat-eyes effortlessly. Pigmentation is a bonus.

What were your favourites this month?

Monthly Favourites: March 2012

Once again, this month I have a good mix of new favourites and some re-discoveries as well thanks to the Project-Ten-Pan I am working on so let me get started on which products I have been using the most this month!

Starting with skin and body care, this month I have been using Jojoba oil and Witch Hazel to cleanse my skin and treat blemishes and my skin is looking better just in time for summer! Speaking of summer, I have also starting taking more care of my body and hence I have been giving my thighs a daily scrub with this Coffee Club Soap from Body Gourmet Malta that helps bust cellulite and prevents its formation.  My skin does feel taut after using this soap so I use shower gel afterwards but I do like the results so far!  To keep me smelling fresh all day, I have been using this White Musk deodorant that my auntie brought me from the States.

So, with regards beauty products, I'm gonna start with the face products first. With spring in full swing (the poet is coming out :P), I am ditching liquid foundation and opting for more lighter coverage products (not that I usually use heavy coverage products) such as the Lioele Triple the Solution BB Cream when I need a little extra help and the Rimmel Lasting Finish Minerals Foundation on days when my skin is behaving itself.  All I do is just dab on the Essence Stay Natural Concealer over spots that need extra coverage and then, I set everything with the mineral foundation.  On the other hand, when I opt for the BB Cream, I just dab it on my face and blend it well with my fingers and I'm good to go as far as my skin is concerned... no need for concealer with this one! With me reverting back to mineral foundation, I also have a new brush to apply it with, the retractable powder brush from Born Pretty Store.

Moving on to eye products, this month I have really been enjoying the Catrice Intensif'Eye Wet & Dry Shadow in 010 Black or White Swan?!  It is a very nice eyeshadow that is best used wet for a more dramatic colour pay-off and dry for a more subtle effect.  However, I always make sure to use a primer when I use this eyeshadow dry as otherwise, it will fade away. Since I have included a mascara in my Project-Ten-Pan, I was using this everyday but for night time, I paired it with the Essence Multi-Action False Lashes Mascara for a more dramatic effect.  My fave eyeliner this month was hands down the e.l.f. Studio Cream Eyeliner in Black because it is very creamy and once dry, it doesn't budge a bit!

For lips, I have quite a number of favourites, namely Chanel Rouge Allure 66 Confidentielle, Catrice Ultimate Colour Lipsticks in The Nuder The Better & Pink Me Up! as well as Catrice Colour Show Lipgloss in Toast With Champagne and e.l.f. Studio Glitter Gloss in Ruby Raspberry and last but not least Essence Stay With Me Long-lasting Lipgloss in I Like Cotton Candy.

So those are my favourite products for this month ladies :) Until next post, stay beautiful!

Make-Up Collection {Part 3 ~ Lip Products}

After quite a long break from my make-up collection posts, here is my lip product collection! I still have some more items on my wishlist that I need to purchase like some Catrice and Essence lipsticks as well as some other products from e.l.f. Cosmetics but for now, here is my current collection.

A word about lip product storage first; I keep my lipsticks either in the first drawer of my make-up cabinet or else, on the top of the cabinet along with other lip products depending on the frequency of use.  As for my high-end lipsticks, I keep them in their original packaging in the first drawer to avoid any disasters... and they never ever leave the house! In summer I like to keep my lipsticks in a container in the refrigerator to prevent them from melting.  

I'll leave you to the pictures now :) Click on a product name for the full review and if you would like me to review a product that is not yet reviewed, then just leave a comment :)

Lipsticks

Mac Milan Mode

e.l.f. Sociable

e.l.f. Mineral Lipsticks in Ripe Rose, Rosy Tan, Natural Nymph & Rich Raspberry

Max Factor Lipstick in 710 Midnight Plum

Deborah Rossetto 24 Ore in 13 Creamy 

Givenchy Rouge Interdit in 20 Illicit Raspberry

Maybelline Water Shine Lipstick in 02 Beige Glace

Chanel Rouge Allure in 66 Confidentielle

Max Factor Lipstick in 804 Hint of Red

e.l.f. Studio Matte Lip Colors in Natural, Coral & Tea Rose

Lip-liners

Estee Lauder Lip Defining Pencil in Spice

Technic Lip-liner pencil in Pink

The Body Shop Lip Pencil in Chestnut

NYX Long Lip Pencil in CLPL20 Plush Red

Revlon ColorStay Automatic Lip Liner in 02 Nude

Farmasi Lip Pencil in 210

e.l.f. Lip Liner and Blending Brush in Wine

Lip Glosses

e.l.f. Studio Glitter Gloss in Ruby Rasberry

essence Stay With Me long lasting lip gloss in I Like Cotton Candy

Napoleon Perdis Protege Lip Gloss

M&S Lip Gloss in Dark Pink

L'Oreal Glam Shine Crystals in Coral Strass

Rimmel Clear Gloss

H&M Lip Gloss in Queen of Peach

Caboodles Lip Tint in Yummy Swirl

e.l.f. Super Glossy Lip Shines in Goddess, Iced Latte, Malt Shake & Mauve Luxe

Nivea Care Gloss & Shine in Natural

Primark Beauty lip gloss

The Body Shop Hi-Shine lip treatment

Eyeko Lip Gloss in Knightsbridge

Barry M Limited Edition Glossy Tube in Bubble Gum Pink

Farmasi Extreme Gloss

Lip Balms and everything else

e.l.f. All Over Color Stick in Pink Lemonade & Persimmon

The Body Shop Born Lippy Lip Balm in Passionberry

Nivea Hydro Care Lip Balm

So that is my current lip product collection ladies! I am planning to do more collection posts such as new additions, nail polish collection, jewellery collection, etc so let me know what you want to see! In the mean time, check out my other two instalments of the make-up collection posts:

Part 1 ~ Storage & Face Products

Part 2 ~ Eye Products