Event | Beauty Night Out at Melita - Celebrating 45 Years of Health & Beauty

I always get excited whenever I am invited to birthday parties - I think of them as a celebration of what has passed and what is to come which usually means bigger, better and brighter things. This time round, I was invited to join the celebrations as Melita Health & Beauty Clinic in St. Julian's turns 45 this year.

I always enjoy events hosted at Melita as we are surrounded with top makeup, perfume and skin care brands and we also get the chance to catch up in a rather relaxed atmosphere (of course Prosecco and delicious canapés are a welcome bonus after a day's work). The party served as a springboard to launch new offers and products such as Blinc Eye Cosmetics, the new Revlon HD Velvety Matte Lip Colors, new products by Sleek and other new launches from brands such as Collistar, Max Factor and Shiseido. As for fragrances and skin care, there are some new launches just in time for Christmas shopping as well.

The special bloggers discount on the night was the perfect excuse to justify treating myself to yet another Sleek i-Divine palette to add to my ever growing collection and I was delighted to see there was another palette included in the very generous goodie bag we were each given at the end of the night.

Melita will be celebrating their birthday with the public with special offers running all throughout November so be sure to like their Facebook page to stay updated.

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 :)

November Collective Haul

November just flew by me in a whiff and so it is time for the mandatory end-of month collective haul. This month it was more about cosmetics and just a few clothing items so it will be quite a short post. Enjoy :)

First up is the Essence Merry Berry limited edition collection on which I have got quite a few pieces and you check them all out here including swatches. This Christmas collection is one of the most anticipated this year and I really urge you to go out and get it!

I had to make a separate trip to get two more products out of this collection after seeing more reviews about them and I managed to find both the highlighter and the nail polish in the shade 02 Purple With A Purpose. The highlighter was €3.50 and the polish was €2.10. I also bought some of the stuff from their permanent line including a gel eye pencil in the shade 05 Gunmetal for €2.30, a nail art designer set for €2.10, an express dry nail spray for €2.60, a light reflecting top coat for €2.10 and a black nail polish for €1.70.

Also from Essence I got the Liquid Ink eyeliner and another gel eyeliner in 01 Black Blaze. They cost €2.40 each. From Roseberry, I got a backup of the NYX HD Concealer which is my favourite concealer ever for my under eye area and it cost €9.99. I also bought the 2015 limited edition i-Divine in Enchanted Forest for €13.99 and you can check out all swatches here.

As for clothing, I placed an order on the River Island website where I got this tassel fol-over bag (€26), a khaki patchwork wallet (€22) and these black tassel front loafers (€35) which I cannot wait to wear. 

Lastly, from Orsay I got this black top and green faux leather skirt which were €19.49 each (with a discount) and I also got this denim skirt from Stradivarius for €22.95 which has been on my wishlist since the Pink Fashion Show.

My Top 5 Eyeshadow Palettes

Today I want to talk about my favourite eyeshadow palettes, my Top 5 to be exact. I think palettes are great for travelling especially when they have everything you could possibly need. Neutral palettes are what I usually reach for but palettes with different colour options are a nice, welcome change too (apart from being pretty to look at). Here are my top five palettes (in no particular order) and why I like them so much.

First up is the KIKO Queen Of Hearts Eyeshadow Palette in 03 Elegant Ebony. Unfortunately this was limited edition so you can't get it anymore but luckily you can find dupes of all four shades in the palette. Why is this one of my favourite palettes? The packaging is one of the reasons of course but also the fact that is comes in a portable format complete with mirror and all four shades in it are very wearable - you get a matte light brown, a matte medium brown, a matte dark brown and a shimmery copper-gold. All of them have exceptional colour payoff and the matte ones can also be used for your brows!

Next I have this very girly quad from Catrice Cosmetics in the nuance 100 F'rosen Yoghurt. I mostly like to use this at this time of year with anything plum/burgundy being my favourite during autumn/winter. However the colours are also very wearable in summer too especially the lighter ones. I also really like the all over transparent packaging. Again you get three matte shades and a shimmery one. The pigmentation is not that intense with this palette but I still like it because all the colours buildable.

Sleek i-Divine Palette in Vintage Romance is also another one of my favourites but I mostly like to use for night looks as out of twelve eyeshadows, you only get one matte shade, the rest are all shimmery. I like the colour selection in this palette especially the golds and purples. Not to mention the value for money of these palettes couple with exceptional quality and pigmentation!

Lastly, and this comes to no surprise, are my Naked 3 and Naked Smoky Palettes from Urban Decay. By now you all know how much I love these palettes and they are the ones I reach for the most. In each palette you get twelve shades with different finishes so you really have everything you could possibly need. Each palette also comes with a large mirror and a double ended brush, all encased in pretty packaging!

Those are my top five eyeshadow palettes, what do you think of them? What are your favourite palettes?

Review | Sleek MakeUP i-Divine Arabian Nights Smoke & Shadows Limited Edition Palette

Sleek MakeUp have just released a new limited edition i-Divine palette that captures the beauty and seduction of Arabic eye makeup looks in twelve strong, smoky shades. I was so excited about this palette that I went ahead and bought it right away.

 

The packaging is the same as for other i-Divine palettes - sleek (no pun intended) black casing that houses twelve beautiful eyeshadows and a good sized mirror together with a double ended sponge applicator. 

 

There is also a protective film with the eyeshadow names on it. Being limited edition, the palette also has the actual name on the front of the case. I like how tightly the palette closes and another point worth mentioning is how travel friendly they are. The carton box that the palette is supplied in really captures the essence of a mysterious Arabian night - with smoke like effects and arabesque patterns all over. Definitely worth keeping :)

 

 

 

The eyeshadows all have very good staying power and I only use a primer base for the sake of it! All eyeshadows in the palette are mineral based and on the whole, they offer excellent pigmentation. Now let's have a closer look at the shades and a brief description of the colours.

 

 

Scheherazade's Tale ~ light beige with a metallic finish. Excellent colour payoff for such a light coloured shade.

 

Gold Souk ~ sparkly yellow gold with warm undertones and a glittery/metallic finish. Fairly good pigmentation.

 

Genie ~ rich bronzy brown with a metallic finish. Very intense colour pay-off.

 

Black Magic ~ blackened navy blue with a satin finish. Average colour pay-off.

 

Aladdin's Lamp ~ medium/dark brown with a frosted finish and good colour pay-off.

 

Sultan's Garden ~ dark smoky green with gold sparkles. Average pigmentation.

 

Stallion ~ dark burgundy with a matte finish and semi-sheer pigmentation.

 

Sorcerer ~ darker version of Black Magic with purple shimmer and a satin finish. Good pigmentation.

 

Hocus Pocus ~  rich dark green with a metallic finish and incredibly intense pigmentation.

Simbad's Seas ~ rich bluish purple with a frosted finish. Offers amazing colour pay-off.

Valley of Diamonds ~ medium wine shade with gold sparkles and a satin finish. Really good pigmentation.

1001 Nights ~ deep black with a pearly sheen with a very rich pigmentation.

That's all about this beautiful palette. My personal favourites are Hocus Pocus, Simbad's Seas, Valley Of Diamonds and Genie. You can find the Sleek MakeUP i-Divine Arabian Nights palette on the Sleek website for €9.99.

SS14 Makeup Trend | Orange Lips

Orange is all the range this spring/summer season especially as far as lips are concerned. I was reading a post about orange lip products a couple of days ago on Natalie's Beauty Land and she had me rummaging through my stash and I have to admit I was surprised at the amount of orange tinted lip products I own. Since Natalie herself loves orange so much, she has asked me to share my little collection so here it is!

 

Sleek Pout Polish in Bonaire {Caribbean Collection} - the least pigmented of the bunch but with a highly moisturising formula that rivals that of high end products. This tinted lip conditioner provides the lips with SPF15, all round moisture and a slight tint of orange.

 

Catrice Nectar Gloss in C04 Exotica {Coolibri Limited Edition} - a rather thick lip gloss that may come off as sticky but nonetheless feels very nice on the lips. Not much pigmentation here either but it is one of my favourite glosses for this time of year.

Essence Lipgloss in 02 Peach and Mix {Marble Mania Trend Edition} - I really like the look of this gloss in its tube - a marbled mix of orange and cream which show up as a nice shade of light orange on the lips.
 

 

Essence Stay With Me Long Lasting Lip Gloss in 02 My Favourite Milkshake - a light orange lip gloss that looks like a nude peach shade on the lips. Lasts for a long time and feels hydrating on the lips.

Napoleon Perdis Protégé Lip Gloss - this was actually my first orange lip product. I love wearing it to his very day and I like the refreshing mint scent and flavour it carries. Lasting power is average and doesn't feel sticky at all. Very comfortable wear!

Essence Lipstick in 61 I'm A Lobstar! - beautiful shade of orange that's perfect for summer. It has tiny gold shimmer too which will add interest to sun-kissed looks. Smells of vanilla and lasts for a fair few hours. The best part about this? The price tag of course! Essence lipsticks retail for around €2!

Catrice Ultimate Shine Lipstick in 110 Shy Flamingo - one of the most pigmented products in my collection. As much as I love this shade, it has a butter soft formula which melts in the summer heat so I never take this out with me. Luckily, it lasts for a long time.

Pupa Milano Glossy Lips in 401 Lollipop Orange - this is probably my favourite out of the bunch. It has a lacquer-like glossy finish, amazing pigmentation, super moisturising formula and lasts for a good number of hours.

Catrice Color Show Lip Gloss in 070 Light My Fire - the last product in my collection is another amazingly pigmented lip gloss brought to you courtesy of budget brand Catrice. Formula is nice and soft and this too lasts for quite some time.

So, that rounds up my orange lip products collection! What is your favourite orange lip tint?

Review | Sleek MakeUP Vintage Romance Collection

Good morning lovelies, I hope the week is treating you well so far :) Today I have an exciting review where I shine the spotlight on Sleek's Vintage Romance Collection, namely the i-Divine palette which bears the same name as the collection and the blush in Antique.

I was sold to get both products after seeing swatches on Nina's blog and I'm really glad I did! I have been using the palette ever since I got it and earlier this month, I had the opportunity to try out the blush and I haven't gone back to any other blush since!

 

I will start my review with a few words about the Sleek customer service. This was my first time purchasing from the Sleek website and I have to admit that it will not be my last. Apart from the quality of the products, my order only took 3 days to be processed, dispatched and delivered on my doorstep. Way to go Sleek!

 

Back to the original subject of the post, the Vintage Romance Collection. It consists of the afore mentioned pieces, both of which have a romantic aura with their deep and intense shades.

Starting with packaging, those who are familiar with Sleek MakeUP know that the brand always packs it sleek (no pun intended) black palettes in a carton box with powdered eyeshadow motifs or the likes. I have to say that for the sake of the two items belonging to the same collection, I would have liked it better if the palette's outer box was the same as the one for the blush, which is the design for the Vintage Romance collection. The black casing feels very sturdy and closes tightly. Both the palette and blush come with a good sized mirror and the eyeshadow palette also comes with a dual ended sponge applicator.

Let's have a thorough look at the i-Divine palette first. As I said earlier, the palette is called Vintage Romance and features 12 beautiful shades, all of which are named after the various stages of a relationship and connected to a beautiful city. I like it when companies actually take time to name the shades in a palette because it is much easier to refer to them in tutorials and such. All eyeshadows are mineral based.

Pigmentation wise, all shades give a very good colour payoff, albeit some shades are less pigmented than others. None of the shades are chalky or excessively powdery but always take precautions in case of fallouts. I recommend using a primer to ensure your makeup doesn't fade away. Here are swatches and descriptions of all the shades:

Pretty in Paris ~ softly pigmented metallic silver that is ideal for use as a highlight shade

Meet in Madrid ~ another softly pigmented metallic shade, this time a light gold hue; again, perfect for highlighting

A Vow in Venice ~ nicely pigmented cranberry shade with a slight metallic finish.

Marry in Monte Carlo ~ an even deeper metallic cranberry shade with purple undertones

Court in Cannes ~ very pigmented metallic bronze

Lust in LA ~ another metallic bronze that is quite similar to Court in Cannes but has mossy green undertones

Honeymoon in Hollywood ~ yet another berry shade, this time with a satin finish and silver glitter that doesn't translate that well on the eyes

Bliss in Barcelona ~ dark metallic purple with a blue sheen

Romance in Rome ~ dark navy shade with blue shimmer

Propose in Prague ~ the only matte shade in the palette that I would say is a deep berry brown hue that will complement all skin tones and is perfect for blending

Forever in Florence ~ a deep blackcurrant shade with silver glitter that can be easily brushed away

Love in London ~ a nice black with silver glitter


Next, is the Blush in Antique. When I got this, I was a little scared to actually try this because it turned out to be much darker than I expected. However, if you use a light hand with it, this blush turns out to be a beautiful shade that gives the cheeks that warm, winter glow, even the palest of skin tones a.k.a. me!

 

The blush is a deep berry brown shade with old rose undertones and a ton of silver shimmer in the pan which isn't really that visible on the skin. If you hate shimmery blushes, you can easily brush the shimmer away. It is insanely pigmented so always make sure to use a light hand and tap off the excess before applying.

This blush has fast become my go-to shade for this time of year but because of the shimmer, I tend to reserve it for night time use.

I suggest you get this collection and it even makes a beautiful, value for money gift! You can purchase both items from the Sleek website. The palette retails at €9.99 for 12 eyeshadows of 1.1g each and the blush retails at €5.49 for 8g of product.