NOTW: Stylenomics, matte and glossy!

I have been meaning to try out matte and glossy nails for a long time now and Johan's work dinner was the perfect occasion so try some sophisticated nail art. Instead of the usual black, I opted for Essie Stylenomics which is a very dark (almost black) green and paired it with gold accents courtesy of China Glaze Midnight Kiss.

1. Prep nails with a good base coat to avoid staining from the dark colour. 

2. Paint on two coats of a dark colour of your choice and when it is totally dry, apply a matte drying top coat.

3. Using the same base colour, apply stripes, thick and thin on all the nails and let them dry. You can also add dots for further matte/glossy contrasts.

4. To add more interest to the design, use a metallic nail polish to draw more lines on the nails. I used gold to match my outfit.

5. There is no need to apply top coat to this design otherwise the effect will be ruined. Have fun!

Review: E.L.F. Studio Stipple Brush & Small Stipple Brush

I was requested to review the E.L.F. Studio Stipple Brush and the new Small Stipple Brush when I showed them in a haul post.  So, after testing them thoroughly, here is the much awaited review!

Being part of the studio line, the stipple brushes come in a plastic pouch with a silver carton bearing the brush name on the front and description as well as care instructions on the back.  The brushes have black handles and ferrules and their name is also engraved in white paint on the handles. The Small Stipple Brush is slightly longer and it is about half the diameter of the regular Stipple Brush. Only the larger brush comes with a bristle guard. The brushes are both flat-topped.

Speaking of bristles, both brushes have taklon bristles that can be used with both wet and dry and make-up formulas. There are two types of bristles, the short black ones and the longer white ones. Different sized bristles are what makes stipple brushes ideal for creating an airbrushed look and these two particular ones are also good at building up coverage as required.

I prefer to use these stipple brushes with liquid products for a more flawless application.  I reserve the bigger one for foundation and the smaller one for mousse blush as it gives a more natural finish to the make-up.

The brushes are very soft and even after washing, they retain their shape and softness. I have never noticed any shedding and the black bristles do not bleed. Moreover, the white bristles do not retain any colour from make-up products after washing.

I would recommend these brushes are a cheaper alternative to other brands' higher priced stipple brushes and you can get them from the E.L.F. Cosmetics websites at just £3.75 each.   

NOTW: Saran wrap Manicure

A trend that has currently been on the rise in the nail artistry world, is the saran wrap or cling film manicure. I had a go at the look myself and I was actually pretty pleased with the result! Marbled nails in no time and it is much less messy than water marble (although the end result is different). Here are the pictures and tutorial:

1. Prep nails with a base coat and paint on two coats of a base nail polish of your choice. I used Essence Colour & Go in 111 English Rose. Allow to dry thoroughly.

2. Prepare some pieces of saran wrap and working one nail at a time, paint on a fairly thick coat of a contrasting colour and gently dab the wrap until you get the effect you want. My second polish is E.L.F. Desert Haze.

3. When satisfied, seal your design with a top coat and that's it!

November Collective Haul

It's officially less than a month till Christmas :) How does it feel? Here in Malta, shopkeepers are already busy decorating their premises and hosting mini-sales and I couldn't help but to shop for a few essentials as well as some impulse purchases as it so often happens.

From Tally Weijl, I bought this cashmere feel polo neck just because I desperately need some knitwear and from Peacocks I bought this set of two skinny belts as I needed a skinny gold one.

Last Friday I finally, managed to visit the newly opened SuiteBlanco outlet at the Plaza Shopping Complex and ended up buying a pair of baroque shoes and a dress.

From Stradivarius and New Look I got these cardigan and embellished peter pan collar blouse respectively.

Online shopping was quite a highlight this month especially as far as nail polishes are concerned. After seeing the new Bond movie Skyfall, I was intrigued by the polish worn by the Bond Girl Severine and my curiosity was immediately killed after I saw the O.P.I. advert in November's Glamour magazine. So I bought three shades of the collection...Skyfall, The World Is Not Enough and The Man With The Golden Gun 18c gold leaf top coat. I also bought Zoya Lara (for obvious reasons) and a back-up of Orly's Nailtrition.

I also won an Effaclar gift pack this month on their local facebook page and this is what was inside. I am very happy to have received a sample size of the cleanser to take with me when travelling!

I also bought a back-up of Lycia wipes and my aunt is currently visiting and she got me two sets of shower gels and body lotions.

Purchases this month also included a lipstick rack, nail wheels and cosmetics from E.L.F. and Essence which you can check out here as well as some amazing high end products from Meg's Make-up that I blogged about here.

That's just about it for this month ladies :) I have to start Christmas shopping soon so better save up the pennies :P What did you treat yourself to this month?

OOTD: Shopping with Mum & Dad

Last Friday, both Mum & Dad were on leave and it was my off day so we headed for some shopping in Sliema. I opted for a comfortable, casual outfit as I usually do when I'm going to hit the shops. Have a look at what I wore:

Cream cable-knit jumper, H&M | Jeans, Peacocks
Cross-body bag, New Look | Wedges, Peacocks
Leopard & chain print scarf, ebay | Moustache ring, ebay | Chunky bangle, M&S
Charm bracelet, Pimkie | Gold flower stud earrings, H&M

I really love this jumper as it feels really comfortable and goes with anything. It is a very versatile piece that can be either dressed up or down. Do you like the pink decorated trees? Here are more pictures: