Monthly Favourites | January

Ok so I know we're in the middle of February but I still want to share with you my favourite products from last month as there are quite a few new products that I want to share with you all. Starting off with the KIKO Lip Scrub which so far has bee the best one I have ever used. It is gentle enough to be used everyday and keeps lips feeling soft and supple. I prefer to use it before going to bed followed by some lip balm to wake up with plumper lips.

Next, I have the Onsen Purifying Facial Peel which I have been using religiously on a weekly basis ever since I got it. I shall go into more detail in a review I have planned for this weekend but I all have for this product as words of praise as it really does deliver great results and even better looking skin.

On to makeup, I only have two products for this month, the first of which is the Make Up Store Smoothing Primer Powder which is god-send for days when I'm in a hurry and just need a thin veil of something for my skin to look good to go. It's got a very fine texture and can be used as a primer or worn alone. I sometimes also use it as a setting powder and for baking and it also works well in that regard.

Lastly is my MAC Retro Matte Liquid Lipstick in the shade Oh Lady! I have worn this a couple of times and I always got good compliments on the colour. I have to say that this passes the eat & drink test, the kiss test and the time test! It is really that long lasting and I admit, it is a bit of a pain to remove completely.

Do you have any favourite products you would like to share? Write them in the comments!

January Collective Beauty Haul

I have been very good at sticking to my clothes buying ban this month but not so much when it comes to makeup - I did buy a few new things to add to my collection, because you know, I don't have this and I don't have that in my overflowing makeup drawers.

I placed an order on the KIKO website as they were on sale and you know how it goes, I 'needed' a few things. I got a CC Blur Skin Trainer for which I have high expectations, a lip scrub which I have heard very good things about, a Mixing Solution, Nail Lacquer Thinner, two eyeshadow sticks and some eyebrow products which I totally love and shall review shortly.

During an event hosted by the Make Up Store, I picked up a Smoothing Primer Powder and a Lip Pencil in Burlesque and they were kind enough to give me the Grass Microshadow as a gift. I have only tried the powder and all I have for it are words of praise!

Lastly, I went to MAC to pick up some things from their current collections and I walked out with Oh Lady! Retro Matte Liquid Lipstick, a Foiled Eyeshadow from the Faerie Whispers Collection in Fly By Twilight and a mini Fix+.

So that's it for this post, I hope you enjoyed it and maybe got inspired to get some of the things yourselves :) Watch out for some exciting posts and news next ;)

Make Up Store Sale!

To take a break from all the hiatus concerning our move, last Friday's event at the Make Up Store was the perfect excuse to change from paint covered clothes and into a much more stylish outfit and red lips to have some makeup fun and a chat with fellow bloggers.

photo courtesy of Stefy Puglisevich
L to R: Zeza's Things, Pocalocca, yours truly, Stefy Puglisevich, Diva Inside, Theresanne Sammut

We were informed that the brand is revamping it's product with brand spanking new, chic packaging and they are currently having an up to 50% off sale going on. 

I limited myself to getting just what I needed and got a Smoothing Primer Powder and a Lip Pencil in the shade Burlesque which I needed to match with my MAC Dita von Teese lipstick (I love that the lip pencil is named Burlesque as Dita von Teese is well known as a burlesque performer).

However, the people at Make Up Store were generous enough to give me a Microshadow in Grass and some Cleansing Wipes which expand on contact with water and to which yo could add cleanser to remove your makeup with at the end of the day. I am a big fan of the crocodile embossed patterns on the new makeup products and the gift packaging which will have a permanent residence on my vanity!

Head down to the Make Up Store at The Point Shopping Complex in Sliema and grab yourself some great quality products at amazing prices ;)

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?  

Review | Make Up Store Home Spa Salt Polish Ginger

Two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending the official opening of Dean Gera Hair Care salon in collaboration with Make Up Store. Just before we left, we were each presented with a goodie bag filled with hair care product samples as well as some Make Up Store products including a sachet of Home Spa Salt Polish Ginger. 

 

I took the product with me on a weekend break in Gozo since it was all about relaxation, I figured I could find some time to have a bath and unwind.

 

The Home Spa range by Make Up Store is a specifically designed range of products to help you distress and relax in the comfort of your own bathroom. The range consists of facial masks, body polishes, candles as well as lotions and massage oils to name a few, all in different fragrances to suit all preferences. All products in the range are luxuriously packaged to offer the ultimate spa experience.

source

The Salt Polish Ginger is no exception. The product is supplied as 4 x 20mL sachets in a simple yet elegant box (in our goodie bag we only had one 20mL sachet) and each sachet is good for one use. The actual Salt Polish is a rather fine, white powder mixture with a few large brown granules. Make Up Store describe this concoction as a unique combination of essential oils and extra fine sea salt enriched with emollient from corn sucrose.
 

 

You can definitely smell the essential oils in there and although it come off as overpowering, the scent is very reminiscent of what you would smell upon entering a professional spa setting. Ginger can also be detected and I was really pleased to find this product in my goodie bag because ginger is well know for its circulation boosting properties and it is also very effective to ease stiff joints.
 

It is recommended to blend the Salt Polish with warm water to activate the essential oil components but first I gently worked the polish on my dry skin and then I immersed myself in a warm bath. The room was soon filled with a pleasant aroma and my skin felt as smooth as ever.
 

The only concern I have with this product is the price for I think that €21.99 for just 4 x 20mL sachets that are meant to be used once or twice a week is a little expensive. However, I would recommend the product for a treat!
 

The Home Spa by Make Up Store range can be bought from the Make Up Store shop on level -2 at The Point Shopping Mall in Sliema.

PR Sample

Event | Dean Gera Hair Care Official Opening in collaboration with Make Up Store

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending the official opening of the prestigious hair salon Dean Gera Hair Care at The Point Shopping Complex in Sliema.

Upon arrival, we were greeted with Martini Royale cocktails and some nibbles and afterwards we were allowed to have a look at the salon but naughty us spent more time in the Make Up Store premises than in the actual salon :p

 

The salon and the store are actually connected and are located on level -2 of the shopping complex. The design theme is the same for both with black and white being the dominant colours.

 

I really enjoyed myself catching up with fellow bloggers and swatching various products over at the Make Up Store. With regards, prices, this brand is actually a little on the expensive side but the quality of the products is really worth the money. As a general idea, prices are comparable to those for Inglot.

 

I'll leave you to feast your eyes on the pictures :)

 

Dean Gera Hair Care Salon

 

 

Some of the products hair stylists at Dean Gera use

Brands are Schwrazkopf, True Keratin and ghd

Make Up Store

 

 

Some of the products the Make Up Store has to offer

including fragrance and the new Jelly collection

A gorgeous pearl-laden bag that caught my eye

I wish I could have stayed longer but since I had to wake for work, I had to leave early. However, I didn't leave empty-handed as I was presented with a generous goodie bag to take home. I refrained from buying any new make-up though even though we were being offered a 20% discount for the night as I simply have way too much. Having said that, I would love to get some items from the brand as from what I've seen, the quality is of a very high standard.

 

Here's what I got in my goodie bag:

 

 

There was even a lipstick in there! The shade I got is Black Currant and it is the most gorgeous dark purple ever with a ton of multi-coloured shimmer! Stay tuned for a full review with swatches soon ;) I'm looking forward to treating my locks to some luscious treatments and I am really curious about the Home Spa range from the Make Up Store!

 

Lastly, I think that both the salon and make-up shop are worth a visit, if anything just to feel pampered for that special occasion or simply to splurge a little money on yourself! I would like to thank the salon owners for inviting (and treating) us to a lovely evening!