July Collective Haul

July has been a good month - I enjoyed my summer cruise holiday, tanned a little bit more than I'm used to and MAC has finally opened in Malta! Here is what I purchased throughout this month, starting with online orders from KIKO and Makeup Revolution.

KIKO had an up to 50% sale on most products and since I had wanted to get some things from them, I though this was the best time to do so. I purchased the XL pochette which is excellent for travelling as I can keep all makeup and toiletries in one place. I also bought the small nail travel case which comes in handy when I need to take just a few essentials to do my nails on the go. Needless to say, I bought a backup of the Brush Cleanser and I also wanted to try some new products, namely the Summer Wipes which are supposed to dissolve salt from the skin after a dip in the sea, the CC Cream Cushion System (I got the shades 30 Warm Rose and 30 Warm Beige) as well as a glass nail file.

Next up is my first ever Makeup Revolution order which consisted of the newly launched Ultra Base Corrector palette and the Ultra Contour Palette. They were even so nice to include a full sized tester of the I Heart Obsession Palette - Paris. I have very high expectations of this brand after hearing a lot of good things about their products and I am really looking forward to try the palettes out.

More beauty purchases, this time from my cruise holiday. I didn't have much time to shop around for clothes but I did splurge a little on makeup and beauty products. First up, this Roses et Reines hand cream from L'Occitane which I had been dying to try out!

Next, I had the opportunity to visit a The Body Shop outlet in Corfu, Greece which was on sale and I bought the Smoky Poppy Body Massage Oil and the Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil. The lady was also nice enough to include some moisturiser samples. In the same street, there was a Hondos Centre which was having 23% off MAC and of course, I couldn't pass it up...I bought Dame Powder Blush, Hot Gossip Cremesheen Lipstick and a Dazzleshadow in the shade Can't Stop Don't Stop from the Le Disko Collection. I also bought another glass nail file on visiting Dubrovnik in Croatia.

By now, everyone knows that MAC has also opened in Malta and I got the following items, of which you can check out more pictures here. I got Prep+Prime Fix+, Fluidline in Dipdown, Matte Lipstick in Velvet Teddy and Frost Lipstick in Ramblin' Rose.

Lastly, my boyfriend treated me to this very comfortable pair of Tommy Hilfiger flip-flops and mum had ordered this cute pair of sandals off the internet in a wrong size which luckily fits me :)

Monthly Favourites | July

Today I'm feeling rather productive so I will be posting two posts, the first one of which is actually the July Favourites. There is a good number of products and to avoid the post being too lengthy, I will get right into it.

 

I will start with hair products first. Summer can wreck havoc with your hair so it is important to take extra care of it. While I always apply a UV filter spray at the beach, I try to avoid heat styling tools as much as possible and consequently, these three products are my hair's best friends; John Frieda Frizz-Ease 3-day straight helps keep fly-aways at bay and when I do heat-style my hair, it remains straight. Joico Restorative Styling Oil is the perfect leave-in treatment for hydrating my hair and keeping it smooth. Another product from Joico is the Power Whip mousse which has enough hold for my hair to keep a curl when I want to change up my style.

For makeup, I have been favouring mostly minimal looks with just a pop of colour on my eyes or lips. My favourite products have been the Catrice Prime and Fine Waterproof Translucent Mattifying Powder (which sadly has been discontinued), Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Breathless, Milani Baked Blush in 03 Berry Amore, Max Factor Face Finity All Day Primer and lipstick in 655 Lilac Wine. I have also included two new products from Pupa Milano - the I'M Lipstick in 206 and a limited edition eyeliner from the Viva Carioca collection in the shade 003 Parrot Blue. All of these products have excellent pigmentation and staying power.

 

Long lasting makeup needs a good base to sit on and that can only come from a good skin care regime. My favourite products this month have been the Polaar Ice Pure Arctic Cotton Scrub, Ice Source Gel Moisturiser and Michael Todd Honey and Oat Gentle Deep Pore Cleanser. To top up benefits, I have also been loving the Lierac Mesolift Serum and Polaar Icy Magic Eye Roll-on.

 

Lastly, comes body care. The Body Shop Early Harvest Raspberry Body Scrub has been my go-to body scrub this month to keep my skin in tip top condition and my favourite fragrances have been Miss Dior and Neutro Roberts Extra Delicate Powder Fresh Deodorant.

July Collective Haul

July only means one thing...summer sales! Here's what I managed to get my hands on during sale season, both locally and online :)

 

Starting with skin care, I have placed an order on the Polaar website for the full size range of their Ice Pure Skin care after I have tried and tested it. I managed to get all products on sale for €70, shipping included and they even threw in a mini sample of the Ice Pure Arctic Cotton Micellar Water and a beach bag for free.

 

 

More online deals from River Island...now the brand has opened a shop in Malta but it's too much of a hassle to go to Sliema so I'd rather wait for my order to arrive by post ;p They had lots of good deals going on such as tops for just €6 like this cami and three-quarter length sleeve cowl neck top that I simply couldn't resist!

 

 

 

I also got the lilac-blue and yellow versions of crop tops that I already own. These too were on sale for €12 and €9 respectively.

 

 

The last thing I got from River Island is this black and white pencil skirt, which honestly I cannot wait to wear! It cost €37 as it wasn't on sale and I can't get over how versatile a piece it is!

 

 

The next bargain is from Debenhams and I only bought this yesterday. This pair of Julien MacDonald crop jeans was the last one on the rack and in my size! I only paid €17.40 for it instead of €58 and the fit is extraordinary!

 





My favourite item from this month's haul is this Zara skirt which was down to just €25.99. I secretly want cooler weather just for a day to be able to wear this :) 

 

From Dorothy Perkins I managed to get a couple of new collection items apart from sale ones. First up is this gorgeous floral print top that's perfect for cooler summer nights. It can be dressed up or down accordingly and it only cost €29. The relaxed joggers which cost €30 are a firm favourite with me just because they are so comfy and I love the print!

Also from Dorothy Perkins is this pair of lightweight denim shorts with cute braid detailing on the belt loops. This also cost €30 and is part of the new collection.

 

Just as I was leaving the store, Mum noticed this gorgeous dress in the sale section and seeing it was only €36 I couldn't leave it there. I usually steer clear of floor-length dresses because of my petite stature but this dress only needs a little hemming and it's all good. Having a lot of weddings next year, this will surely come in handy for a couple of them :)



 

The last purchase from the Dorothy Perkins sale was this pair of yellow sandals that was down to €24.50. The wedges and flats were Asos purchases that totalled to €60.55.

 



Lastly, I bought these two pairs of earrings from Romwe.com for just €13. They took a long time to get here but I am really pleased they are finally part of my collection. Hope I get to wear them soon!

That's it for this month's haul guys! What did you get in the sales? Any good bargains?

July Collective Haul

As soon as July ends, I always feel like summer is going to end, even though summer stretches till mid-October over here. Here's what I have spent my pennies on this month.

I will start with cosmetics first. Two new nail polishes have joined my collection, namely O.P.I Minnie Style (€10.36) from the Couture De Minnie Limited Edition and Zoya Neely (€5.50) from the Lovely Summer Collection. Minnie Style is a mix of red, hot pink and white small round glitters and white squared suspended in a transparent base while Neely is a very pale pastel mint green. 

 

Moving on, I have also purchased this bright pink Catrice lipstick from the Ultimate Shine range for €4.50; the shade is called 220 Mrs. Brightside and from Essence, I bought two backups of the Stay Natural concealer for €2.19 each. I needed a deep blue eye pencil and bought one from Rimmel for just €4 and it is the perfect blue I was after.

 

I bought a new body scrub from The Body Shop because I freak out when I run out of body scrub as I use it three to four times a week. This time I got the Brazil nut one which smells amazing! Price is €12.50 for 200mL.

 

 

I placed an order from E.L.F. cosmetics as I needed to stock up on a few essentials and I also got two of the new nail polishes. They have removed the nail polish boxes and I think that is a very green decision on their part which I like as I throw away the boxes any way. They have also changed the way they pack things in boxes as now they are putting the stuff into a plastic bag that is easily reusable before they put everything in the box, much like the company does in the U.S. The order totalled €19.26 and I got free shipping with a promotion they had running. Here's what I got:

 

 

2 Studio Lip Exfoliators...definitely the best lip scrub in town and cost just €4.50 each, Studio Glossy Gloss Wild Watermelon and two of the new nail polishes, Sea Escape and Chic Confetti. Also shown in the picture is Percy & Reed London Hair Finishing Polish that I got for free with the August issue of Glamour magazine.

 

Another online order I placed was on the Michael Todd website for a backup of each of my new favourite cleansers, the Charcoal Detox and the Cleanse and Tone and seeing they had a 25% off offer, I also bought the Jojoba Charcoal scrub. The order came to €46.33 shipping included.

 

 

 



I have saved the best for last! I had to go to the post office to pick up a parcel and I thought it was one of the above mentioned orders but when I saw that the package was actually from Meg's Makeup, I was over the moon! I wasn't expecting anything as I haven't redeemed my points yet but I was browsing through the site later on and found that anyone who had experienced a delay in last year's mailings was being re-gifted for free! Guess I was one of the lucky ones to receive these goodies! Here's what Meg sent me...Aero Minerale Hydrating Mineral Bronzer in Malibu ($19.99 value), Mor Essentials Black Currant Iris Hand Cream ($14.95 AUD value) and Urban Decay Build Your Own Palette with Breathless Eyeshadow ($18 value each).



I bought some silver jewellery for myself as well from 202 Jewellery. They were hosting a 'free gift with €50 purchase' event and I bought a beautiful Viventy ring for €139 (still waiting for the one in my size to be delivered from overseas) and I got these two Spinning Rings as a gift (€79.90 value). The leaves one is my favourite and I wear it almost everyday, alone or in combination with other Spinning Rings.

 

As for clothes, I really didn't have that much time to check out the sales but I still managed to grab some bargains. From Terranova, I got the cutest pair of light wash polka dot jeans after searching high and low for the perfect the pair. The best thing apart from the fit, is the price...only €9.99!

 

The best deal was however on this elegant lace overlay pencil skirt from Orsay which I got for €8.95 instead of €29.95 and I also bought this black cardigan from their new collection for €29.95 as I have been looking for a dressy one for quite some time.

Also from Orsay, I managed to find a pair of sunglasses that fit me perfectly! I love the colour and I love the shape...so retro-ish! They were only €8.95 and with them I got this taupe belt for €7.95.

 

 

From Stradivarius, I found the perfect pair of Aztec print jeans and this shoulder embellishment jumper. The jeans are a perfect fit and I really like the print on them as I do not tend to like Aztec prints much and I just love the colour of the jumper. The jeans cost €19.99 on sale and the jumper costs €15.99, also on sale.

 

And lastly, I bought two crop tops online which luckily fit like a glove! The white one is quite short so I prefer pairing it with trousers rather than shorts or skirts. I bought it from Asos for €10.60 and the striped one is from River Island and I paid €25 for it, shipping included.

 





 

What did you buy this month? Do you like haul posts?

 



The Exit Interview Series | Volume #22

Today I have an empties post for your guys and while some of the products featured were new to me, some others were not so let's get right into it to see what I think about these items and if I would repurchase them or not.

 

You may be wondering why on earth I included and empty Listerine bottle in this post and I don't blame you. However, for those of you who read my articles on eve.com.mt know that I have been using Listerine as part of pedicures. The 200mL bottle lasted me for four pedicures in all and I like how fresh my feet smell and feel after using it. I will definitely repurchase this one.

For the full recipe, please check out my article here.

 

Another new product is the Bottega Verde Organic Pomegranate body scrub. I bought this because I ran out of The Body Shop body scrub and while I appreciate the fact that it is organic, it is more expensive and lasted me for like 3 months as opposed to the 5 months TBS ones last me. The fragrance was not something I was really keen and it goes without saying that I will not be parting with my cash for it ever again.

 

I have a lot of perfume to go through and I always have one or two samples in my bag and this month I have used up B.U. Heartbeat and Carolina Herrera 212 Sexy, both of which smell really good and if I hadn't that much perfume to go through first, I would buy them both!

 

Lastly, I have L'Oreal Elnett Satin hairspray and Essence Stay Natural Concealer which I always buy backups of! 

 

Any products you have finished this month?

Monthly Favourites | July

Time for monthly favourites again...and this time I have quite a lot of products to show you so let's get started right away with hair care.

 

In summer, I tend to use more products on my hair to tame the frizz and protect it from the sun. My favourites are Tresemme 24 Hour Body Shampoo and Joico K-Pak Revitaluxe which I use as conditioner to restore moisture especially after spending time at the beach and air conditioning.  Then to style it, I use John Frieda Frizz-Ease Straightening Potion to keep frizz at bay and also provide protection against heat styling and lastly, I use a little Finishing Polish from Percy & Reed London to keep my style looking fresh all day.

 

 

As for skin care and body care, I have really been enjoying the results Pupa Milano Anti Cellulite Cream and Scrub are giving. I have already seen an improvement in the way my thighs look and I love how fresh they feel on the skin.

 

Lierac Paris is a new brand for me and I have been testing out their products ever since I attended their press launch in June. My favourite of the two products we were given, is the Gommage Douceur which as the name implies, is a very gentle scrub that I like to use twice a week (I must admit that I sometimes cheat and use this once and use another scrub the other time to make it last longer). The toner completes makeup removal as it can also be used around the eye area and I love the way my skin feels after using it.

 

Then in the lip department, I have been favouring lipgloss over lipstick this month and my favourite non-sticky formulas are L'Oreal Glam Shine Crystals 301 Coral Strass, E.L.F. Studio Glossy Gloss Berry Blush and Essence Marble Mania Trend Edition 02 Peach & Mix. And of course, to keep my lips supple and flake free, my favourite product is the E.L.F. Studio Lip Exfoliator.

 

Last but not least, I have my favourite eye products. Thanks to Meg's Makeup, I am now a proud owner of the Urban Decay Melt Palette that also came with Breathless eyeshadow that is a universally flattering shade that I have been using almost everyday since I got it! Two more Meg's Makeup gifts were the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil Dime which I have opened for the first time this month and love the fact that it is long lasting and doesn't budge; and RevitaLash Volumising Primer which I love to pair with my Pupa Vamp! Mascara 300 Deep Night to enhance the blue pigments. My favourite waterproof mascara this month has been the Catrice Lashes to Kill mascara.

 

I have been experimenting quite a lot with coloured eye pencils this month and my favourites are a selection from Catrice and a Denim Blue shade from Rimmel. 

 

I didn't include any face products in this month's favourites because they are essentially the same as last month's so no use repeating them over again.

 

What are your favourites? Do you tend to favour certain type of products over others in summer?

Monthly Favourites: July

Being utterly busy, I barely had time to experiment with make-up or try out new products this month but here is my pick of the products that I reached for over and over.

Starting off with hair products, I have really been enjoying not having to blow-dry my hair ever since I cut it short. Instead I just leave it to air dry and add in some mousse for some volume. My favourite is the Tres Emme 24 Hour Body.  I then use this FarmaVita Defining Gloss to texture my hair and it doesn't feel greasy at all and smells delicious!  Lastly, when I'm at the beach, I always make sure that my hair is protected against the sun's UV rays with this Angel Hair Care sun spray.

I have also been using the Seacret Pure Body Lotion as I love the texture of it and it is fast absorbed and doesn't leave a greasy feeling.  When I hit the beach, I like to carry the E.L.F. Studio Lotion Wipes for a quick hydration fix to my skin. I love the scent of these and the way they leave my skin feeling soft and hydrated. I'm gonna buy them in every single scent once they are available on the UK site!

As for make-up, I only have three favourites this month, namely the Pupa Vamp! Mascara in 300 Deep Night, Essence lipstick in 58 Dazzling Beige and Catrice Ultimate Lipstick in The Nuder The Better.  I love layering these two lip products for a shimmery nude lip and the mascara is the ultimate touch to a nude make-up look to make the eyes speak for themselves.

What were your favourite products this month ladies?