Tips on Buying Your First Luxury Handbag

Following the amazing response for my last post about starting out a luxury collection and a poll on my Instastories, today I wanted to share with you a more in-depth look at the thought process and research that goes into my decision when settling on buying a designer bag. Now, I am only starting out in collecting designer bags but I watch so many videos on YouTube that I really consider myself lucky in having access to such a treasure trove of tips from my favourite luxury handbag YouTubers (I will be linking them all at the bottom of this post).

My first ever delve into 'designer bags' was Michael Kors when I visited London in 2015. At the time, I couldn't afford to spend thousands of Euros on a bag but I really wanted the experience more than anything I think, so, while we were in London for Mario's graduation, I went into the Michael Kors section at Harrod's and I bought the Jet-Set Tote in a gorgeous navy blue colour for €320, which for me, at the time was still a lot of money. I still wear the bag to this day though and it has worn pretty well with neglectable signs of wear on the hardware and it is often my travel bag of choice so I guess it was worth it in the end. I don't consider Michael Kors bags as high-end luxury bags, in fact, the brand is regarded as cheap in Europe, but it was my very first experience of the sort and I'm glad I bought a bag that has lasted me all this time and I can see myself wearing for many more years to come. The only regret I have is that there are way too many rip-offs of MK bags and consequently, the brand seems to have lost value.

My first ever 'designer' bag is now 5 years old and I still wear it to this day

Fast forward to 2017 and Mario proposed to me on NYE which was our four-year anniversary and apart from the engagement ring, he got me the YSL Wallet on Chain which I was looking into buying (in fact, he likes to credit himself for getting me my first ever luxury designer bag, and I don't complain 😉). Then, last year in October 2019, I got the My Lady Dior for my 30th birthday.

My first ever luxury bag came courtesy of my now husband as an engagement gift

So how do I decide what to get considering how expensive these bags are? First of all, I think it is important to know your own style and aesthetic - colours you wear more often, preferred colour of hardware (gold, silver...). All of these tips hold true for all my luxury purchases really, so without further ado, let's get right into it!

My Lady Dior which I bought for myself for my 30th birthday. It is my most expensive bag to date but it is so worth it!

As a general rule, I personally prefer classics over trend pieces and if I happen to like a newly released bag, I like to wait it out before diving in head-first. I like to see how well it wears, if I'm going to like it the same way I do in a few years from now (or if it will be a forever bag in my collection). This is where the research starts. I watch as many YouTube videos as I can on a particular bag I am after and I look for thorough reviews and one year wear videos etc as I like to know both the pros and cons of a bag before I fully commit to it.

As for colours, I tend to stick to neutral colours because first of all, they are always in fashion and secondly I am only starting out my collection. Furthermore, if I'm spending that much money on a bag, I want to buy something I am going to love and wear for years to come. Hardware also plays an important part in my choice of bag as I am not really into the whole mixed metallics trend. Thus, if I'm wearing gold jewellery, the bag's hardware has to match and so on.

YSL's grained leather is one of the most durable leathers you can get and the price point is fair for most of their bags when compared to other designer brands

When it comes to material, I prefer pebbled or textured leather for the simple reason that it is much more hard-wearing. The grained leather on YSL bags, for example, you could say is indestructible. The only exception to the rule is the smooth lambskin leather used on Dior bags such as the Lady Dior - they wear really well and are quite durable too. Canvas or coated canvas such as most Louis Vuitton bags is another option to look at if you're looking for something that's durable and more affordable.

My Lady Dior is made out of lambskin and it is much more hard-wearing than say Chanel lambskin which costs twice the amount

In Malta, we don't have any of the boutiques for bigger designer brands so it's hard for me to have a feel of the bag before buying but I make good use of my shopping time when I am abroad to make up for this and I ask to try the bag in the colours I like as well as different sizes to make sure I buy the right bag for me. I also like to Google pictures of the bag and see how other people style it. I then shop my own wardrobe for outfits to see if I will get a lot of wear out of the bag or not. My YSL, for example, has turned out to be an all-rounder - I use it for weddings, when I'm travelling, going out with friends, date nights... As for the Lady Dior, I do baby this bag when I use it and I tend to use it when I'm going out for lunch for example.

The pre-loved market is also a good route to take when there's a good discount vs buying brand new and the bag is still in good condition. However, I'm not much of an expert in the pre-loved market as I have only ever bought brand new.

Lastly, when it comes to size and shape, I prefer structured bags that are small/medium in size and I decide between the sizes of a particular bag depending on whether or not it holds my phone and the basic essentials that I always carry with me.

I hope you found this post helpful if you're also starting out on collecting luxury handbags 😊 These are my favourite YouTube channels for anything luxury, and my points of reference when deciding on a new bag to add to my collection:

Caitlin Pawlowski
Mel in Melbourne
Fashionably Amy
Lydia Elise Millen
Sophie Shohet
Anne Doctor
Chase Amie

In the Frow
Isabelle's Style

P.S. Please stay safe during this whole Coronavirus outbreak and STAY INSIDE! I cannot stress this enough! Social distancing works wonders in flattening the curve and not overwhelm the healthcare sector capacities. Let us not get to the point where we choose who to care for as other countries had to do. Let's protect each other and together we can win over Coronavirus too!

Getting a Summer Glow

For a little break from Fashion Week posts, here are some tips for getting a healthy summer glow now that the soaring temperatures are finally here.

1. Keep your skin hydrated from outside and inside by using a good moisturiser and drinking loads of water. The latter will also help flush away toxins, giving your skin an overall better appearance. Alternatively, if you don't like water on it's own, why not try infused water where you add fruit to the water for a kick? ;)

2. Snack on fruit and healthy snacks such as anti-oxidant rich blueberries, goji berries and nuts that are rich in the good fats and oils our skin needs. While writing this article, this webpage has proven to be very helpful with providing healthy food recipes that I can guarantee are as delicious as they look! Have a look at Aloha's recipe centre for some serious food and healthy recipe inspiration!

3. Drink green tea as it also helps to eliminate toxins from the body. I like mine with a little bit of ginger to spice up the flavour.

4. Wear sunscreen everyday - no need to emphasise why, we all know the dangers of UV rays.

5. Exfoliate your body every other day and your face from once to twice a week to get rid of dead skin cells and boost circulation, exposing the healthy, glowing skin underneath! Don't have time to do that everyday? Easy, pick an exfoliating shower gel such as from Yves Rocher.

6. Lastly, fake a tan! My favourite bronzer is the Aero Minerale Makeup Mist in Malibu. I like to mix it with my moisturiser for a more even colour and application, plus it boosts hydration!

Do you have any other tips for getting a summer glow that you would love to share?

Guest Post | Heat Styling Basics for Maximum Results

In this modern day and age, us, women, have become reliant on heat styling tools for our everyday styling needs. This means that you do not have to go to a salon every time you wanted to a blowout, curl or straighten your hair. With some heat styling tools (and some helpful tutorials you can find online), it becomes easier to be your own hairstylist at home. But you need to observe proper heat styling techniques to ensure that you not only achieve your desired style, but also prevent damaging your hair in the process.

Read on to find out styling tips for common heat styling tools such as blow dryer, flat iron, and curling iron.

Blow Dryer

The blow dryer is probably the most frequently used heat styling tool for women. And yet, there are still plenty of complaints with regards to its use such as causing too much frizz (mostly on curly hair), inability to completely dry hair, tangles and making hair harder to style.

All complaints point to probably one reason – over-drying the hair with the use of blow dryer. The main point of blow drying is to direct heat to remove excess moisture out of your hair. But in some cases, the heat might be set on a high level of temperature that it heats up the hair too quickly. Most women keep blow drying even when the hair is already dry. When hair loses too much moisture, it becomes vulnerable to tangles and frizz.

When using the blow dryer, you need to take advantage of the various heat settings. Use only high heat when doing a blowout or adding curves with the aid of a round brush. But if you simply want to dry your hair, it is best to stick with medium or lower heat setting.

In addition to the temperature level, look into the air flow speed of your blow dryer as well. With a higher air flow, you have less control over the styling of your hair. Use a medium setting to ensure that you can direct the hair according to your desired style and maintain control when styling.

The final consideration when blow drying is to assess your hair type and adjust your styling accordingly. For curly haired women, using a diffuser is recommended to produce a soft flow of air. This means that you can dry your hair while keeping curls intact (versus causing a lot of frizz). Women with fine and thin hair can also benefit from the use of a diffuser because it disperses the heat and is therefore not too harsh. For long haired women, a methodical approach to blow drying offers many benefits. Start drying the bottom section of your hair, then move up to the middle section and finally the top section. This approach ensures even and more thorough drying of hair.

Curling Iron

One of the biggest complaints among women using curling iron is that their hair is unable to hold the curl. The secret to that is the prep for the styling. Make sure that your hair is completely dry before using the curling iron. There is also danger presented in using curling iron on damp hair as this could “cook” your hair, which is extremely damaging. The use of the right styling product also ensures that your hair strands respond well to the heat to form a new curl shape. For instance, use styling gel on hair before drying it so that hair has more structure to it.



Flat Iron

To get more success straightening your hair with a flat iron, you need to blow dry hair straight before you start styling. You will get much better result when you use the flat iron once you have blow dried the hair.

Do not overload the flat iron, too. Putting in too much hair at one time against the flat iron won’t give you the result you want. Instead, it results to uneven heating and tension rather than having a smooth finish to your hair. It also poses more damage as you have the natural tendency to leave the iron clamped on the hair longer to compensate for covering thicker section of hair. The ideal thickness of hair to pass through the flat iron is about 1/8 of an inch. Slide the section of hair slowly on the plates starting from near the scalp. Then, press the plates together and run it all the way down towards the ends.

Are you guilty of common mistakes with heat styling? Follow the recommendations above and make the most out of your heat styling tools!

Abby is a writer and social media manager for My Hair Care. If you would like to get an additional resource for hair care and hairstyling, visit their blog at http://www.myhaircare.com.au/blog.

Guest Post | Tips for Shiny and Strong Nails

Good morning lovelies :) I hope everyone is doing great so far! Today I have another guest post for you all and this time, it is all about tips for maintaining healthy nails from Chloe. I actually didn't know about some of them myself! Keep reading to see how you can have shiny and strong nails!

Shiny and strong nails can give you beautiful hands – even without the use of nail polish. Shiny and strong nails also help you to look more professional since cracked, dirty and bitten nails signal nervousness and disorganization.

While sometimes it may seem that you need a miracle elixir to keep your nails from chipping or to give them a little shine, you actually only need to follow a few simple tips to keep your nails shiny and strong. Here are a few tips:

Keep Them Clean

Dirty nails can look dull and unhealthy, and dirt can weaken the nail and cause it to chip or crack. Lemon juice is a great option for keeping nails clean. You can either dip your nails in lemon juice for 10 minutes every day, or you can dip a toothbrush in lemon juice and scrub the underside of your nails. The juice will dissolve dirt and has properties that will strengthen your nails.

Milk is also a good option. You can use it in the same way as lemon juice to clean your nails, either soaking your nails for 10 to 15 minutes in a bowl of milk or dipping a toothbrush in milk and scrubbing your nails with it.

Keep Them Moisturized

Dry nails will crack and break. Keeping them moisturized will help them to grow strong and will keep them shiny. Rubbing Vaseline into your cuticles and nails is a popular way to keep them moisturized. Other options include olive oil and garlic. You can use these treatments daily. Drinking plenty of water and limiting your use of nail polish can also help you to achieve and maintain healthy, shiny nails.

Keep Them Filed

Filing your nails will eliminate the start of any cracks or chips that could lead to larger issues that could take your whole nail. Filing them at least daily will help you to maintain stronger nails. Filing should be considered a corrective rather than a preventive measure. It will not create healthy nails, only protect them from further damage.

Avoid Acetone-Based Nail Polish Removers

Acetone will dry out your nails quickly and can leave them weak and dull-looking. If you like to wear nail polish a lot, make sure that you choose nail polish removers that do not include acetone. Follow up any nail polish removal with a good moisturizing and cleaning, as well.

Eat a Good Diet

What you eat can have a big impact on your nails. In particular, Vitamin B and fish oil can help you to achieve strong and shiny nails. Sardines, salmon and other oily fish are good sources of fish oil, but you can also take a supplement if you don’t enjoy the taste of fish (or the taste of those fish). Whole grains, lean meats and some dairy are good sources of Vitamin B. Again, you take a supplement if you want to be sure you are getting adequate intake. Just look for a B complex vitamin so that you get balanced levels of all the B vitamins.

Strong and shiny nails can not only help you look beautiful, they can also help you to appear professional and competent. Use these remedies to achieve strong and shiny nails naturally, without the aid of nail polish or other chemical treatments.

Chloe Trogden is a seasoned financial aid writer who covers specific opportunities such as beauty school grants. Her leisure activities include camping, swimming and yoga.

Guest Post | Tips for Buying Makeup Online

Hello everyone! I have only been up for a couple of hours after my cousin's wedding last night...we really had a blast and it was all so elegant and chic! I have a blog post for you today by Marcela de Vivo who has already contributed guest posts on this blog in the past. She always comes up with interesting subjects and I hope you enjoy her posts as much as I do!


Buying cosmetics online can save a lot of time, especially for women with hectic schedules that don’t allow them to go to the store every time they need to replace eyeshadow or lipstick. If you run out of a favorite beauty product and don’t have the time to drive to the store and deal with the crowds and lines, shopping online for your makeup replacements—and new items as well—is an easy solution.

However, online shopping has it’s own pitfalls as well, therefore, you should pay attention to return policies and-- if you’re buying from an unknown vendor or trying a new product-- be sure to do research thoroughly before plunking down your hard earned cash.

Here are some things to pay attention to when shopping online for cosmetic and beauty products:

1) Pay attention to return policies. This is particularly true if you are buying colored cosmetics that you’ve never used before. In most department stores or large beauty retailers, you have the luxury (or sometimes the onus) of trying every shade until you find the right match. Or there will be able salespersons happy to assist you in finding the right color.

Regardless of how much the websites try to represent the a particular shade correctly, sometimes the color is not the same as you would see it online. What you thought was the right shade for your skin may be off by one or two tones. If you don’t research the return policy prior to purchase, you may end up stuck with unopened makeup that doesn’t meet your needs. Look for beauty websites that offer 100-percent satisfaction guarantees, regardless on whether or not the package has been used or opened.

2) Buy beauty products through websites that offer multiple brands. Instead of buying through just a company site, use larger retailers such as Ulta.com or Sephora.com. You may find a better price, a percentage off total purchase or free shipping through these beauty retailers more often than at the brand’s website. These sites also often offer gifts with purchase as well. Unless you are shopping for one specific brand, these sites are an excellent place to compare products across multiple brands at once.

3) Reviews are your best friend. If you’re looking for a new cosmetic and you’ve never tried it before, but want to buy it online, read its reviews! Beauty retailers often allow their customers to review the product. There are entire websites and forums dedicated to the review of cosmetics and other beauty products. Beauty bloggers are often excellent sources of information about the latest and newest products as well. Read reviews from several different sources before deciding to make the purchase as these experiences can serve as your “testers.”

4) Be careful of purchasing untested or unreviewed retailers or individuals. Quality control is a problem when buying from an unknown entity—you don’t know how old the product is, if there’s a guarantee backing up the product, or whether or not the item is the genuine article. Unless the retailer has solid reviews (and not just a handful of anonymous comments) and a generous return policy, you should avoid buying cosmetics from them.

5) Steer clear of opened cosmetics. Sites like eBay list a plethora of mixed cosmetic items, some used and some unopened. Many cosmetics have short shelf lives, made shorter once opened, therefore, there’s no way of knowing how long that item has been opened. Additionally, it’s not hygienic to share certain beauty products. Once the packaging is opened, the product can be adulterated. For example, you may think you’re getting 100-percent tea tree oil, but you’re really getting 10-percent tea tree oil and 90-percent mineral oil; however, there is exception to this: reputable makeup swap sites. On these sites, the members are often familiar with each other and vetted for membership, so it is slightly safer on these websites, you should still exercise caution and common sense when considering used beauty products.

For the busy woman, online shopping is a boon. Replacing that foundation or lipstick is easier than ever—with a few clicks of a mouse and a credit card in hand, you have the makeup, skincare line, cleanser or any other cosmetic tools you need shipped to your doorstep. Keep in mind these tips while you’re shopping online to help save you money and optimize your overall experience.

Marcela De Vivo is a freelance writer from the Los Angeles area who writes on everything from health and beauty, to travel and dining, to gaming and technology. While working with Miami spa, Bellezza Spa she learned that the key to purchasing great beauty products online is to purchase from reputable sites.. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Review: Catrice Prime and Fine Highlighting Powder in 010 Fairy Dust

With the new Catrice products launching later this week, I thought I'd fit in another review.  This is the second face product that I got at the launch and even though highlighter is not a product I use everyday (in fact this is the only actual highlighting powder I own), I was still intrigued by the product.

What drew me to it was actually the sleek, sturdy, black packaging and... the name! The product is in fact a pressed highlighter powder that has a very fine, silky texture and light-reflecting pigments that give a subtle gold shimmer to the face and decollete.  Thereby if you are not really fond of shimmer on your face, I'd suggest you stay away from this product.

Catrice Prime and Fine Highlighting Powder in 010 Fairy Dust
with flash to show the subtle gold shimmer

In natural light

I like to apply this highlighter with a fan brush and using a light hand.  I just apply a little on top of my cheekbones and temples as well as along the bridge of my nose and on my Cupid's bow to emphasise my lips.  Highlighting really gives a new dimension to your face especially when paired with a little contouring!

Thus, as a concluding remark, I am very fond of this product and I am now happy to incorporate highlighter in my make-up routine! Also, based on other product reviews, the Prime and Fine range is really worth a try!

Catrice Prime and Fine Highlighting Powder in 010 Fairy Dust will be available in pharmacies this week. I think the retail price will be between €4 and €6.

Tips to help keep skin clear

Following from an earlier post on which skin care products I'm sticking to and which I'm getting rid of, here are some little changes that made a difference in how my skin looks and feels and also some other tips which you can use too to reduce the formation of pimples on your face. I have also booked an appointment at the dermatologist to see if I need any special medications so stay tuned for updates in that regard. Enjoy! :)

1. I noticed that my breakouts were getting worse and more frequent ever since I started work and thanks to the ongoing air conditioning and not being able to open a window for some fresh air (coupled with the inevitable stress that work brings with it), my skin has suffered.  So, what I do is I take my cleanser and moisturizer with me to work and I wash my face if my skin feels oily and then I just cover up the imperfections with concealer.

2. Hydration is of utmost important to help the skin get rid of toxins and not over-produce sebum.  The secret potion here is water! Just make sure to keep a handy small size bottle near you throughout the day to make it easier to reach for it and hydrate our skin from within.

3. Reserve make-up for weekends and go light during the day. This will let your skin breathe and free it from clogged pores.  For example, the items that go on my face for work are concealer, blush and some kohl eye pencil!

4. Having oily hair doesn't help my skin much but ever since I cut it shorter, I wash it more often and breakouts at the sides of my face have diminished drastically.  

5. Another way by which I diminished breakouts at the sides is by cleaning my mobile phone with hand sanitizer or alcohol wipes at the end of the day to kill bacteria.

6. This is hard but I try not to touch my face too often as bacteria can easily be transferred from the hands to the face and cause spots. Also, ever since I quit popping zits, I get less breakouts.  Popping zits will cause the infection to spread to other areas and also deeper in the skin tissue causing bigger and redder spots.  However, if pop you must, make sure your hands are squeaky clean and wrap a tissue around your fingers to wipe the pus straight away and avoid marking your face with your fingernails. 

7. Diet is also a very important factor in maintaining healthy-looking skin. Cut down on fatty and greasy foods and you will see a difference almost immediately!

8. Use products that are specific to your skin type. There is no need to buy every single thing that you think might work. Stick to the products that you know will give you the results you want.  More importantly, take time to cleanse your skin as much as you take time in applying make-up.

9. Lastly, going to the beach and rinsing my face with sea water has helped improve my skin greatly.  I am lucky to live on an island with many beautiful beaches and whenever I can, I will try and go to the beach even in Winter to help my skin all year round.

So, that rounds up a few little tweaks that I did to help my skin get better and hope that you find some of these tips useful if you have the same problems as me :)

Mid-Week Beauty Masterclass: Bacteria in Cosmetic Counter Testers ~ What You Need To Know!

Good afternoon ladies :) Here's an interesting topic for this installment of the Mid-Week Beauty Masterclass... Bacteria in Cosmetic Counters!  In Malta, we do not have a lot of large shops that sell exclusively make-up like Sephora for example (in fact, the only one that comes to mind is Inglot) as we usually buy make-up from pharmacies and sometimes some stationers also sell a limited range and testers are not always available.  

Cosmetic Counters at Galleries Lafayette, Paris

However, in the larger shops and cosmetic counters, we all love to have a play with the skin-care and make-up product testers available as there is always something that catches our eyes. The irresistible displays and easily accessible tester units beckon you to try on a lipstick, foundation, concealer, eyeshadow, or moisturizer directly on your face. But you might want to think twice before doing that again because it may be riskier than you know!  

Our skin houses a number of commensal bacteria, such as species of the Staphylococcus genus, some of which may be termed opportunistic pathogens, meaning that they are capable of causing disease given the right conditions (for example, you get a cut and that makes it easy for the bacteria to gain access to the deeper skin tissues and cause infections). 

Coming to the think about it, it is quite easy to get an infection from cosmetic counter testers as that lipstick you have just put on, may have been already used by a lot more women with unknown hygiene/health issues (like pink eye or Herpes simplex).

While preservatives in cosmetics do a great job of reducing the risk of contamination, they only can do so much and they get less effective with time and exposure to numerous microbes from people. Plus, a product’s preservative stability isn’t tested for use by hundreds of users.

In your daily life you would not willingly share your own makeup and skin care with countless women you don’t know, but that is exactly what you are doing when you try on a cosmetic that’s open and available on the counter. It becomes even more problematic on a busy day as a tester is used repeatedly in a short period of time. When this occurs, the preservative system doesn’t have enough time to kill off the contaminants, and that leaves you vulnerable to picking up something you don’t want.

Thankfully, at some cosmetic counters there are salespeople and makeup artists who try very hard to be as sanitary as possible when helping women test products. But given how busy a cosmetic counter can become or if no salespeople are present (which happens quite a bit), or the person behind the counter isn’t well trained, sanitation efforts go right out the door.

While we know there are microbes running amok at the cosmetic counter, the real issue is what are the risks to you? Unfortunately no one knows. Theoretically, if someone with herpes just tried on that lipstick or lip gloss it could get transferred to you, same for getting pink eye from an eye liner pencil or mascara, but there just isn’t any data to reference one way or the other. Theory isn’t fact and there is no evidence anywhere that women are getting any sort of disease from cosmetic tester displays, but we know they’re not bastions of hygiene, either.

So, the real question here is 'do you have the pass up the cosmetic counters?' The answer is up to you but if you are not willing to, here are some tips for playing it safe:

~ Powder eyeshadows, pressed powders, loose powders, and powder blushes have the least risk of containing microbes because they contain ingredients bacteria, fungus, and molds don’t like, so they are probably the safest for you to play with. It can be helpful to scrape off some eyeshadow (you want to be the most cautious with your eyes) on to Kleenex and then apply it, but check with the salesperson first before you damage a company’s testers.

~ Lipsticks and lip glosses are problematic to trust, but for lipstick you can roll up the tube and take some color from the bottom. You can also ask the salesperson if they have alcohol spray so you can spray the top of the lipstick or the applicator for the lip gloss before you try it on. Be sure to allow several seconds for the alcohol to disinfect before applying the product to your lips.

~ Mascaras should never be tested at a cosmetic counter. The application and applicator makes it the riskiest item on the display unit. What about cosmetic counters that offer disposable, single-use brush applicators? They’re a nice touch, but you don’t know if the person before you double-dipped or, for whatever reason, didn’t have hygiene at the front of her mind.

~ Eye pencils are best tried on your hand, not your eyes. This especially applies to liquid eyeliners, which are almost always water-based. Used on multiple people, liquid eyeliners serve as a fertile breeding ground for bacteria.

~ Foundations should be tested on the side of the face away from the eyes and mouth to be the safest, but using a clean or disposable sponge is best of all so everyone keeps their fingers out of the product.

~ For concealer or any product in a tube, squeeze out a little amount on a Kleenex and discard. The contents at the top are the most likely to be contaminated. Next, squeeze out a bit more on a Kleenex and use that to test.

~ Skin-care products are best tested on your hands to judge the texture (you can’t tell efficacy with one application anyway so there is no benefit of putting it on your face or eye area), or ask the salesperson for a sample if available.

~ Brushes should be sprayed with alcohol before you use them. Wait for the brushes to dry before using them.

It would be ideal (though given the pervasiveness of jar packaging, not realistic) to test products whose containers kept fingers out of contact with the contents. Products packaged in airless containers or with pump or dropper applicators are safer than those housed in open-mouth jars.

Tester units at salons and spas which have far fewer traffic than department stores are a safer bet as well (though of course there are less brands and options to try on—but if you are just trying to judge color these can work great).

I hope you found this post interesting and of use ladies :) What do you think of cosmetic counters?