Review | E.L.F. Studio Tapered Brush

A few months ago I placed an order on the E.L.F. cosmetics website...something I didn't do in ages but they had some new stuff I wanted to try out, amongst which is this new addition to their Studio line brushes, the Small Tapered Brush.

Packaging is the same as for all the other Studio line brushes...a plastic sleeve with a card including product information and a plastic brush guard is also included. The brush itself is all black and I think it looks much more expensive than the €4.51 I paid for it.

 

 

The bristles are made out of Taklon which E.L.F. claim to be antibacterial and they feel really soft against the skin. Their tapered shape and overall size of the brush make it ideal for contouring and I'm glad I finally found a brush that fits the hollows of my cheeks perfectly.

 

 

I also like to use this brush to set under-eye concealer with translucent powder. Due to it being so small, I wouldn't recommend using this brush to apply liquid foundation and I personally prefer to keep it for use with powder products but mostly for contouring. 

I have washed this brush multiple times and till now it has not shed a hair and the ferrule feels quite sturdy so all in all I think this is a very good addition to any brush collection.

You can get the E.L.F. Studio Small Tapered Brush from the E.L.F. Cosmetics website and right now they have a 50% off and Free Shipping promotion going on if you feel like treating yourself!

NOTW | English Roses



With Valentine's Day coming up next week, I thought of sharing my first proposition for nail art ideas. I had this English Rose foil in my stash that I never used and thought it would be an original kind of nail art for Valentine's Day instead of the usual heart designs. Read on to learn how to apply nail foils and create an effortless and elegant masterpiece at your fingertips!

 

 

1. Prep nails with a base coat and follow with two coats of an opaque white nail polish. I have used Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear 300 White On and allowed approximately 5 minutes drying time between coats.

 

2. Leave the last coat to dry completely for at least 15 minutes, then working one nail at a time, apply a thin coat of foil adhesive and allow it to go tacky. This will take around 5 minutes per nail.

 

3. Cut a piece of foil a little larger than your nail and making sure it is the correct side down, apply it with gentle pressure on the nail. You may choose to use a q-tip for this step to ensure the design is transferred in whole.

 

4. Repeat for the rest of the nails and secure with a top coat.

Review | Pupa Milano Made To Last Eyes Long Lasting Automatic Eye Pencil Waterproof #100 Black

I'm back with a Pupa Milano review and please allow me to warn you it is going to be a rave review! So last December, I attended a bloggers' event where after oohing and ahhing over all the pretty makeup, we were presented with a goodie bag and among the products was a generous tester version of the Made To Last Eyes Long Lasting Automatic Eye Pencil Waterproof in the shade 100 Black.

 

 

I had already tried Pupa Milano's Multiplay Eye Pencil in the past and it is still one of my most reached for eye pencils. However, I was still very intrigued to try the Made To Last one just to see if it really lives up to its name. Well, I wasn't disappointed the least bit! Here are my thoughts on the performance of the product.

Starting with packaging, you know you're in for a nice little treat with Pupa Milano's attention to detail where they have cleverly incorporated a small sharpener and a smudger at one end of the pencil. I like that the product twists all the way down as it annoys me when you get these kind of products and the very tip sort of 'over-spills' and you get to chip it with the cap. Thankfully, this is not the case with the Pupa Milano Made To Last Eyes.
 

 

Another point to note on the packaging, are the caps. First of all they close tightly and I like that especially if you carry the eye pencil in your bag, the caps will not get all over the place and secondly, I like how they made them different with the one on the smudger end being transparent. I get annoyed with double sided eyeliners that have identical caps and I always open the wrong side so kudos to Pupa Milano for sparing me of unnecessary annoyance!
 

 

 

Now a word about the actual product. First of all, it is very creamy and glides easily even on the waterline which is where I use it most and the pigmentation is awesome! The small tip makes for precise application and definition.

 

As for longevity, on me, it lasts for a good number of hours and most of the time, I don't even have to re-touch it. As I said earlier, I like to use it on the waterline mostly and seeing how long it holds, I can confirm it is waterproof. The picture below was taken after wearing the product for 5 hours and it still looks intact!

 

I highly recommend this eyeliner and with 12 intense shades to choose from, you're sure to find one that complements your eyes best!  

 

Pupa Milano Made To Last Eyes is available for sale from authorised stockists across Malta & Gozo. For more information, please check out the Pupa Milano in Malta Facebook page.

 

PR Sample

 

 

Monthly Favourites | January

Despite the cold weather, January has turned out to be a very good month. So much so that I hope the rest of the year turns out to be this great! I got my driving licence in the beginning of the month and that is definitely a favourite! Now I can't wait to own my first car! :D

 

However, this being a beauty blog, you, my readers are obviously more looking forward to the beauty products I have been enjoying this month. So here goes!

 

My absolute favourite product this month has been The Body Shop All-In-One BB Cream in the Shade 01. Mum & Dad got me it for Christmas and I have been using it ever since! It adapts perfectly to my skin tone, doesn't feel greasy and lasts all day what's not to love?!

 

For lips I was quite inclined to neutrals last month and I was using more lipgloss than lipstick. My favourites have been Pupa Milano Shiny Lip Fluid 001 Princess Nude, E.L.F. Glossy Glosses Ballet Slippers and Berry Blush and finally Essence Stay Matt Lip Cream 01 Velvet Rose. I love how these colours complement my skin tone without washing me out and they are great for both day and night use.

For eyes, I just can't get enough of the Sleek Vintage Romance Palette and the gold shades Meet in Madrid, Court in Cannes and Lust in LA are my absolute favourites and the ones I use most. To add some drama, I have been really liking MAC Fluidline Gel Liner in Blacktrack which is my favourite black gel eyeliner! Whereas to complete the look, I have been reaching for Pupa Milano Vamp! Mascara in 100, Pupa Milano Made To Last Automatic Eyeliner and Essence Multi Action Waterproof mascara for rainy days.

What were your January favourites?

January Collective Haul

I'm a little late on the January Collective Haul and Favourites posts but I rarely had time for blogging these last few days and I was waiting for a few online orders too. Sales month has been good to me but not so much to my bank account! Here is what I bought during the first month of the year (which on a side note, I think has gone by in a flash)!

 

I will start with clothes first and show you what I got from Mango's 50% off sale. I love Mango for their style diversity and excellent quality materials. First off I bought this lace and leather panel dress which was down to €39.99. It fits like a glove and is definitely one of my favourite numbers.

 

Next up, I also bought this oversized jumper which amazingly enough fits really well without looking too baggy. I like how you can dress it up or down and it only cost €24.99. The bargain buy from Mango has been this pair of super skinny jeans which only cost €14.99.  I have worn them multiple times already and again, you can dress them up or down effortlessly.

 



Another sale I was happy to check out was the River Island sale, again at 50% off. I bought the sexiest of heels for just €42 and strangely enough they are really comfortable. I paired them with the leather dress above and a coat for a night out and I didn't even complain once that my heels hurt!

 

I also bought this cute lace top prom dress and embossed crop top which I cannot wait to wear. The dress cost €35 and the top €12. The dress also came with this beautiful statement necklace.

 

 

The last online sale I checked out was the boohoo.com sale and I bought another pair of shoes :P, this daisy print crop top and this open back nautical peplum top. The tops were part of the new collection but they had a 15% off promotion for all the new stock. I paid €49 for the whole order and I got free shipping as well.

 

 

From New Look I only got this black bodice which is ace to wear with tight skirts and trousers just because it stays in place. It cost €11.99.

 

 

 

Also from New Look, I bought two Montagne Jeunesse Strawberry Souffle masks for €1.25 each.

 



 

The last sartorial purchases this month were this pair of Nine West patent black heels for which I paid a bargain €38 instead of €95. Then from Accessorize I bought this cute set of daisy hair grips for €3.25.

 



 

 

Lastly, these are my beauty purchases. I bought a Clarisonic dupe from Ebay for just €18 and I have been using this everyday before I go to sleep and my skin has already been looking and feeling smoother and healthier.

 

 

I needed a few more nail art brushes so I ordered a set through Ebay and I believe I didn't pay more than €2 for all six of them. I also bought a back-up of Essie Vanity Fairest which is by far my favourite base for a French manicure.

 



 

Lastly, I bought this John Frieda 3 Day Straight spray as a back up for Frizz Ease which has apparently been discontinued. It is a bit pricey at €12 for 100mL but the results are well worth it!