Monthly Favourites | March & April

Since I was too caught up between things and didn't manage to publish last month's favourites post, I am combining them with April's favourites as most of the products are essentially the same. So without further ado, let's get right into it!

March was more geared towards skin care and consequently, I have a lot skin care of products to feature in this post. First up are two Swiss brands which were still new to me at the time I attended the respective events - Juvena and Declare. 

I was given some deluxe samples from both brands to try out and the speaker at the events, with her passionate descriptions of the products, managed to convinced me so much that I tried them as soon as I got home. I have used all of these products several times but have resorted back to using my old skin care products so that once I use them up, I can fully switch to these brands.

So, the products are Juvena Miracle Boost Essence which is literally a skin saviour for dehydrated skins - the boyfriend even loves to use it after he shaves but don't tell him I told you shhh ;) Juvena have a brush which fits inside the cap of this product so that you can pick up the product and distribute it over your face with the super soft brush for an extra pampering experience.

From Declare, I have three products, my favourite of which is the Anti-Irritation Serum which provides a nice treat to my skin after a day's work. In the morning I wake up with very little redness and my skin feels nice and looks much more radiant. Next are the Detox Night Cream and the Cleansing Milk. I intend to purchase both of these products in their full size soon because they are specifically tailored for my skin type and I could see results after just a couple of applications.

With skin care out of the way, let's have a look at the makeup products I have been using more frequently during these last two month. First up is the MAC Studio Waterweight SPF30 Foundation. I'm in NC15 and I think this is the first time ever that I have found a foundation shade that it exactly the same tone as my skin so that is definitely a plus! What makes me a big fan of this foundation is the light weight texture that doesn't feel like you have anything on your face and still covers up really well. I'm going to stop there as I will be reviewing this foundation soon though. Another light weight product I have been enjoying these past weeks is the Pupa Milano Professionals BB Cream + Primer for Combination to Oily Skin. I like this for days when my skin on its best behaviour and doesn't need a lot of coverage.

Sometimes, however, light coverage foundation doesn't cut it and I need something that offers higher coverage. For such days, I turn to Vichy Dermablend [3D Correction] which has just been launched and I have had the opportunity to try. Dermablend is hands down the best foundation for covering up all sorts of skin conditions yet still look natural and for this reason, this has been a winner with me this month when I experienced a little breakout on my chin.

The last face product I want to talk about is this Clinique Airbrush Concealer in the shade 04 Neutral Fair. It has a brush applicator which really makes it easy to apply the product and it is a great all rounder in the sense that it covers up both under eye circles and blemishes effectively. Definitely a thumbs up!

Next I have the MAC Cosmetics Studio Sculpt Lash Mascara in Sculpted Black. Now this is all you need to get those lashes separated without any clumps. You can use it alone or in combination with your favourite mascara to achieve that perfect look.

Also from MAC is my current favourite lip combination - Soar lipliner and Mehr lipstick which is a matte. The colours complement each other really well and they make up for an ultra long-lasting combination!

For my eyes, I was mostly opting for neutral looks using these three eyeshadows: MAC Fly by Twilight for some sparkle, MAC Mulch for an all over the lid colour and Essence 15 Hazel Me Not as a transitional crease colour.

The last product I want to show you is the mini Victoria's Secret Scandalous perfume. I have been using this quite a lot and always get compliments whenever I wear it. It does have an overpowering scent but I like it so much I even use it during day time sometimes. I think I'll have to get the bigger version soon!

That's all for this post! What products did you enjoy this month?

Monthly Favourites | March

It's time for monthly favourites again ladies! Most of the products are actually new discoveries which I cannot wait to share with you in more in-depth reviews. Let's start with eye products first.

First, I have Pupa Milano Made To Last Eyes in the shade 100 Black. I had featured this product multiple times in my favourites and it continues to make the cut time and time again. It lasts for hours on end without budging and it is hands down the best eyeliner pencil I have ever tried!

 

Moving on to two new products, starting with the Catrice Eyebrow Lifter. I was introduced to this ace product during the launch of the new products from the brand, in February. I use this everyday basically and it gives me a more polished look without looking I tried too hard. It is also a great alternative to shimmery shadows and highlighters for daytime looks.

 

Next is La Roche Posay Respectissime Volumising Mascara. I have already reviewed this mascara earlier and it has fast become my favourite everyday mascara. It separates the lashes nicely without clumping and the effect lasts all day. What's not to love?  

 

In the lip department, I have once again been favouring mostly neutral shades. My two favourite lipsticks in this regard have been Essence Long Lasting Lipstick in 07 Natural Beauty and Chanel Rouge Allure in 66 Confidentielle. As for when I want a darker lip, I reached for Catrice Ultimate Colour Lipstick in 340 Berry Bradshaw over and over again. On a side note, this is also a new addition to the Ultimate Colour range from Catrice.

 

 

Another two new discoveries from Catrice which I have been using extensively, pertain to their face makeup section. These are the All Matt Plus Foundation in the shade 010 Light Beige and the Prime And Fine Mattifying Powder Waterproof. Together, they have proven to be an excellent combination for all day flawless looking makeup without that cakey feeling.

 

 

Lastly, I have the Like A First Day In Spring perfume from Essence. I had quit using this perfume after just a few tries because it used to give me hayfever but while looking into my stash earlier during the month, I decided to give it another go. The smell is very nice and I haven't had any attacks whatsoever so I have been using this everyday and it has become my everyday perfume.

What were your favourite products this month ladies?

March Collective Haul

This month, I skipped buying new clothes but lately I have been going shoe crazy and I have added three gorgeous numbers to my collection thanks to River Island. I went onto the website to check out their new stock after receiving one of those oh so tempting emails and two pairs of sandals caught my eyes...but obviously that wasn't enough so I also checked out the sale section and found a very good deal on the slit front ankle boots. They were down to €35 from €95!

 

 

The sandals, being new, were still a little on the expensive side at €45 for the printed sole ones and €55 for the black ones. I needed them though (no, seriously I do) so it's all good. Now all there's left is for summer to make its way to Malta so I can wear them :D

 

Also from River Island, I bought this cute baby pink clutch bag, just in time for Spring where sugary pink hues will be all over. This cost €20 and is roomy enough for all my essentials.

 

Lastly, skin care and makeup purchases. I mainly bought backups of stuff I finished so nothing new here except for the Blue Green Algae toner and the Honey & Oat cleanser from Michael Todd True Organics. I got the Jojoba Charcoal facial scrub and the Cleanse and Tone cleanser as well and they even threw in a 4-sample pack. One thing that bothered me this time is that I had to pay an extra €11 duty on delivery of the parcel, something which never happened before. I guess it's because I have exceeded the weight limit for parcels outside the EU? Anyways, the original total for the order was €62.90.

 

More beauty backups...I had to restock on Rose Water (approximately €2.00) and the Nivea waterproof eye makeup remover (€3.52) as well as Lidl's Acetone free nail polish remover (€1.59) and I couldn't skip getting Pupa Milano's Vamp! Mascara in the shade 300 Deep Night (€12.95) which is my favourite blue mascara.

So yeah that's pretty much what I bought this month. Do you have any interesting purchases you'd like to share?