Review: E.L.F. Studio Stipple Brush & Small Stipple Brush

I was requested to review the E.L.F. Studio Stipple Brush and the new Small Stipple Brush when I showed them in a haul post.  So, after testing them thoroughly, here is the much awaited review!

Being part of the studio line, the stipple brushes come in a plastic pouch with a silver carton bearing the brush name on the front and description as well as care instructions on the back.  The brushes have black handles and ferrules and their name is also engraved in white paint on the handles. The Small Stipple Brush is slightly longer and it is about half the diameter of the regular Stipple Brush. Only the larger brush comes with a bristle guard. The brushes are both flat-topped.

Speaking of bristles, both brushes have taklon bristles that can be used with both wet and dry and make-up formulas. There are two types of bristles, the short black ones and the longer white ones. Different sized bristles are what makes stipple brushes ideal for creating an airbrushed look and these two particular ones are also good at building up coverage as required.

I prefer to use these stipple brushes with liquid products for a more flawless application.  I reserve the bigger one for foundation and the smaller one for mousse blush as it gives a more natural finish to the make-up.

The brushes are very soft and even after washing, they retain their shape and softness. I have never noticed any shedding and the black bristles do not bleed. Moreover, the white bristles do not retain any colour from make-up products after washing.

I would recommend these brushes are a cheaper alternative to other brands' higher priced stipple brushes and you can get them from the E.L.F. Cosmetics websites at just £3.75 each.   

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?

E.L.F., Essence & Catrice Cosmetics Haul

Good afternoon everyone :) This morning I went shopping with Mum and 2 of my aunts to beat the gloomy, grey, rainy weather.  Sadly, I didn't find anything that fit so as soon as I saw a pharmacy that carries Essence and Catrice products, I knew I was going to indulge myself a little and that I did. I only got a lip gloss from Catrice while the rest of the products are from Essence.

There was the Circus Circus Trend Edition on sale and everything was still there but nothing appealed to me so I didn't get anything.  The products I got are: Catrice Colour Show Lip Gloss in 080 Nude-Tritious, Essence Stay Natural Concealer in 01 Soft Beige, Essence XXXL Shine Lip Glosses in 08 Glamour To Go, 03 Timeless Beauty, 15 True Love, Essence Lipstick in 12 Sparking Miracle, Essence Colour & Go Polish in 140 Go Bold! and Essence Kiss Care Love Lipbalm in 02 Purple Berries.  The total for this purchase was €17.47.

I also placed two separate orders on the E.L.F. Cosmetics website because they had some new stuff in. I haven't ordered from E.L.F. in a long while but as soon as I saw the Studio Lip Exfoliator I placed an order right away to ensure the product didn't sell out. I then placed another order and used the free shipping code they had going on. 

In the first order, I got the Studio Lip Exfoliator, Studio Small Stipple Brush and Essentials Eyelash Curler Replacement Pads while in the second order I got Nail Polish Remover Pads, Studio Stipple Brush, Studio Matte Eyeshadow in Charcoal, Studio Glossy Gloss in Berry Blush and Studio Glitter Gloss in Sparkling Wine.  Both orders cost €39.69 together. 

 Is there anything you'd like to see a review or swatches of? Just let me know below :)

Review: E.L.F. Studio Lip Exfoliator

Finally, it's here sitting on my vanity! As you can tell by the title of this post, I am talking about the E.L.F. Studio Lip Exfoliator for which I have been waiting ages to be available on the E.L.F. Cosmetics UK website.

My lips get chapped every so often and while a good lip balm helps restore moisture levels, it won't remove all the flakiness that usually accompanies chapped and wind-burnt lips.  Hence, when I saw this product on the US website for E.L.F. Cosmetics, I knew I needed it.  Such need continued to increase each time I read or saw a video review on this product, all of which give it a thumbs up.  Consequently, as soon as this product made its way to the UK website i.e. only last week, I placed a little order straight away for fear that the product might go out of stock overnight.

As usual, my order arrived just three days after shipping and I used the Lip Exfoliator straight away and since  I have been using it religiously every other day, I can already share my thoughts on it.

The packaging is typical of the Studio range with the product being supplied in a sleek, black carton box that bears the ingredients and product description on the sides and back respectively.  The Lip Exfoliator itself comes in the form of a lipstick in a sleek matte black case that I personally find really elegant.

I have read some reviews where people claimed that there was a very thick layer of waxes initially and they couldn't get to the exfoliating granules if they didn't remove this waxy layer. I think e.l.f. have taken this into consideration because mine only had a very thin layer and I could use the product as intended right away.  The texture is in fact very granular while the waxes are very moisturising on the lips. Furthermore, it smells (ad tastes!) divinely sweet.

What you do is dampen your lips with a little water and gently work your way around your lips with the exfoliator in circular motions to relieve the lips of any flakes and restore their smooth, supple feel.

Overall, I really like and totally recommend this product as part of my ultimate E.L.F. Cosmetics favourite products and I will definitely re-purchase!

You can buy yours from the e.l.f. cosmetics website for only €4.50.

NOTW: Of Leopards and Studs

Last week I was wearing a manicure that was inspired from a picture I saw on the internet.  Leopard print, studs and nude nail polish are all three of my favourites when it comes to nails and I combined all three in this manicure.  It does take some patience and a steady hand to accomplish but nonetheless, it is relatively easy.

1. Prep nails with a base coat to protect your natural nails and make the polish last longer.

2. Apply two coats of a nude beige nail polish of your choice and leave to dry thoroughly.  I used Essence Nude Glam in 06 Cookies and Cream.

3. Decide what is going on each nail and I suggest you start with the studs first.

• For nails on which you are going to put a single stud, apply a little clear nail polish at the base of the nail and carefully place the stud right in the middle of the nail.
• For the nails where you are going to do a stud border, work on one half of the nail at a time.  Apply some clear nail polish to half the nail around the edges and work your way adhering rhinestones and making sure to only space them out a little and keep in line. I used the Born Pretty Store Rhinestone Picking Wax Pen to pick-up and place the studs (also from Born Pretty Store).
• Here comes the fun part...leopard print nails! Start by randomly placing largish dots of gold polish (China Glaze Midnight Kiss) on the chosen nails. With a dark brown polish (E.L.F. Chocolate) and a medium sized dotting tool, create jagged 'C'-shapes around the gold dots.  Keep a picture near you to get the print right.

4. Finish off with a glossy top coat once your nails are completely dry. I used AODL UV Gel Top Coat from Born Pretty Store.

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!

OOTD: Spring Gone Nautical featuring Pupa Milano Jeans & Roses Make-Up look re-creation

Hey dolls :) Hope you're all having a fab weekend so far! Today is a very nice, warm, sunny day and I made the most of it by going shopping and afterwards we went to Rabat and Siggiewi for a nice ride in the countryside.  I wanted to share with you my outfit which was quite casual but smart at the same time and I also donned my new pair of loafers and re-created the Pupa Milano Jeans & Roses make-up look with products I have in my stash.

 Shirt , Miss Selfridge | Jeans & Loafers, Peacocks | Bag & Bead Bracelet, local shop

Products used to create the make-up look:

Face

Rimmel Lasting Finish Minerals Foundation in 100 Ivory

Essence Stay Natural Concealer in 01 Soft Beige

Rimmel Powder Blush in 004 Pink Rose

Eyes

E.l.f. Eyelid Primer

Light taupe eyeshadow from E.l.f. Limited Edition Party Palette over the entire lid

Collistar mono eyeshadow in shade no. 20 in the crease

Artdeco light blue eyeliner 

Essence Multi Action False Lashes Mascara in Black 

Lips
Chanel Rouge Allure Lipstick in 66 Confidentielle

...and lastly here are a few pictures of little flower blossoms

Review: e.l.f. Studio Glitter Gloss in Ruby Raspberry

 Ever since the launch of these new Glitter Glosses by e.l.f. USA, I had my eye on a few of them but I only ended up getting one shade after I have seen/read mixed reviews on them and from swatches, this was the only shade that really appealed to me.

I got the shade Ruby Raspberry and since the product is part of the Studio Line, it has very nice, sleek black packaging and I like the transparent bottom as I can see how much I have got left. The tube is small enough to fit in a clutch bag so it is ace to carry with you for touch-ups. The applicator is not the usual doe foot but it is a brush applicator instead. While some people tend to dislike this kind of applicator, I can say I like it, maybe because I have never had any issues with it.  One final note on the packaging is that the gloss closes tightly and the cap aligns perfectly with the rest of the packaging without leaving any messy residues.

Now this gloss is true to its name in the sense that it is extremely glittery and hence you can pair it with other lip products to give your lips a sparkly look but it is pigmented enough to be worn on its own.  I personally like to pair it with the following lipsticks mostly: e.l.f. Sociable, e.l.f. Studio Matte Lip Color in Natural, & Catrice Ultimate Colour Lipstick in Pink Me Up!  

I was kind of worried when I first got this gloss as I had seen countless reviews saying the glitter is very gritty and some even claimed they cut their lips on it.  With all honesty, I have never had such a problem with this gloss, but if you rub your lips together you will feel the glitter a little, just not as gritty as some have described it.  The texture is a bit on the sticky side but not too much (tip: eliminate stickiness by wearing the gloss over some lip balm). As for staying power, this gloss lasts around 3 to 4 hours on my lips.  One more thing I really like about this gloss is the sweet vanilla scent.

Overall, I would buy this lip gloss again once it's finished but if e.l.f. could use finer glitter, I think that would be better. I am really looking forward to try the Glossy Glosses now :) 

The Studio Glitter Glosses are available in 10 sparkly shades from the e.l.f. cosmetics website and they retail for €4/£3.50 for 6.8g of product.  

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

Monthly Favourites: February 2012

Another month, more favourites! This month I got to try quite a lot of new products and most of them have managed to make it to my favourites.  I also have some accessories that I have been wearing almost everyday so without further ado, let me get started :)

Starting with cosmetics, the main favourites this month come from Essence cosmetics.  I have bought some new stuff from the brand and cannot wait for the launch of the new products this coming March! I have been enjoying the delicious smelling hand cream most and I like that it seeps rapidly into the skin and leaves no greasy residue.  Being small, I take it with me to work and it is perfect to mask the latex smell of gloves which no matter how many times I wash my hands, seems to cling to me all day.  The mascara is really true to its name and I really like the silicon wand.  As for the lipgloss (I like Cotton Candy), it is a very pigmented ligloss and I like the applicator wand too.  I like to pair it with the Matte Lip Color in Tea Rose from elf cosmetics when I want a more dramatic lip without being too in your face.  Lastly, the Color & Go nail polish in Irreplaceable is a very unique taupe shade with flecks of gold glitter in it that offers a nice alternative to the plain, creme finish nude nail polishes.

This month, I have resorted to BB Cream during the day and I have used it whenever I needed I little coverage yet still not that full on coverage you get with foundation and I set it with the e.l.f. Translucent Matifying Powder. I have also been using Jojoba oil once a week on my face to treat blemishes and prevent them from leaving marks on my face and eliminate any existing ones.  All I can say is that so far I'm pretty satisfied with what it does!

Moving on to my two main purchases this month, my first ever Mac and Chanel lipsticks!! I haven't used the Chanel one much as I only bought it yesterday but I'm so in love with the colour and packaging!!! The Mac one is Milan Mode while the Chanel one is from the Rouge Allure Range and it is no. 66 Confidentielle.

On my nails, I have really been loving the look of magnetic nails, more specifically the Red nail art kit from Pupa Milano.  I like how you can create instant, cool nail art with the magnets, especially when I'm in a hurry! You can read my full review here and, also, my Maltese followers have till tomorrow to enter for a chance to win a kit themesleves (read rules here)!  Also, I have been using Orly's Nailtrition and Top 2 Bottom with every manicure and I can safely my nails have never been this strong!  Lastly, Essie's Shine Of The Times has also been a favourite this month. It is the only flake polish I own and I really like the effect it gives layered over different base colours!

Lastly, I have been wearing my new Spinning Rings which were a Valentine's present from Johan every single time I go out! I do not wear them for work out of fear of accidentally throwing them away with gloves.

What were your favourite products this month?

Review: e.l.f. Studio Translucent Matifying Powder

It's a nice sunny day here in Malta and I really wish Johan was on leave lol so we could enjoy the day outside but since I'm at home, I thought of posting about a new favourite product from e.l.f. cosmetics which I have been using very frequently since I got it.  

You can tell from the title of this post that I'm going to review their Studio Translucent Matifying Powder so let me start by immediately showing you what the product looks like.  It comes supplied in a black carton box typical of the Studio line while the product itself comes in a nice, sturdy, professional-looking case with a nicely- sized mirror and a soft, sponge applicator. 

Being so compact, the product is very handy to carry around in your purse and since it closes tightly, you won't have any issues with it opening and mess all your purse up.  Furthermore, the sponge and the mirror make it ideal for on-the-go touch ups.

The actual powder is a very fine, light pink-toned matifying translucent powder that it melts into the skin (so much so that I can't even swatch it!) to keep shine at bay so it is most suitable for people with oily skins but it can always be used as a light weight setting powder with any skin tone.  In fact, I like to use it for work most when I just apply a little concealer over the areas that need it and then set everything with this powder.  Doing so, I find my skin stays oil free for a maximum of four hours and then I just take the sponge applicator and dab a little more product to freshen up my look during the day.  One thing to note here is that the sponge contains latex so you may want to refrain from using it if you're allergic to the ingredient but the powder itself is latex-free. 

I have washed the sponge several times and it has stayed as good as new and there are no signs of wear on it.  It does take some time to dry though so you may want to wash it well in advance before using it.  The product hasn't broke me out and I really like it's silky formula.  The only down-side I can think of with this product is that it only comes in the shade Translucent which although it melts into the skin, it may be a little bit too light for darker skin tones.  Also, I have seen reviews where people complained on the amount you get, as they say 3.8g is too little. Personally, 3.8g is enough for me as I only dab the powder on my t-zone area and under my eyes to set my under-eye concealer.

The Studio Translucent Matifying Powder can be purchased from the elf cosmetics website and it retails for €4.00/£3.50.