Catrice Cosmetics Waterproof Liquid Liner in #010 'Don't Leave Me!' [Review]

This Catrice Waterproof Liquid Waterproof eyeliner is the latest to join my liquid liner brigade. I only bought it by coincidence-they didn't have my beloved Essence Cosmetic Liquid Ink in stock and I though that I would give this one a try until the other one was restocked.

It really is cheap, less than €5.00 for sure [or even less than €4.00].

Has it won my heart? Read on!

Similarly to the Essence Liquid Ink, the packaging of this one is also light blue and black. I love black packaging on eyeliners because most of the time I really manage to mess them up.

This one has a kind of sponge-y, pointy applicator (much like a felt tip) which is rather bendable - but obviously not as bendable as a brush liner would be, but also stiff. Really precise too!

It is a really deep black and one swipe is enough for maximum opacity.

It dries really quickly, so extra points for that!

It stays on all day long [especially if you have non oily eyelids] however on me it does fade a little bit around the corners/winged part - but I'm sure that's because my eyelids are oily.

Re: waterproof claim. This does stand water, it doesn't fade or anything, but it will smear/smudge a bit if you rub it while it's wet. So not exactly 100% waterproof. However, since it does not really fade [unless I've been crying] I don't really mind.

It is really easy to draw both thin and thicker lines with this.

Even flicks are really easy to create with this Catrice eyeliner. At first I couldn't get the hang of it since I am used to the brush type liners, but now I realise that with this one I am quicker at winging my liner. Yay!

Oh and I forgot to mention that this one is a repurchase - yes I love it so much that I re-bought this one instead of the Essence Liquid Ink eyeliner.

Two thumbs up.

Love,

Lola

xoxo

Look Fantastic December Beauty Box [Unboxing]

I had been meaning to get my hands on the Look Fantastic beauty box for quite a while now - but I'm always either too late, or else they have problems processing my payment.

I've always wanted to try out a beauty | subscription box, but they rarely [ever] ship to Malta, my country. Or when they do, you have to pay for shipping too!

But finally I managed to buy the December edition, which arrived today, just in time for Christmas!

This one cost me €19.35  | £15.00 inc. shipping.

If you're not familiar with subscription boxes - basically you pay a small fee and you get sent a mixture of beauty products which cost a hell a lot more than what you pay for. You also wouldn't know what you're getting so it's a surprise every time :)

Usually you can subscribe to these boxes and pay twice a year for them, but Look Fantastic refuse to do this for some sort of reason, and so you have to buy this box every single month. And yes, they get sold out almost immediately.

So in December's box we got sent 7 different items - some are full sized, others are deluxe samples.

I thought that all the boxes are generic, but while I got the Bourjois single shadow and the Lord&Berry pencil, the majority got a 3-eyeshadow palette by Bourjois [I was so jelly!!] and a Lord&Berry lipgloss.

Let's see what's in this box:

Pure Gold Collagen

Basically this is a liquid food supplement [so you drink this - p.s. it tastes of peaches and passion fruit] it states that it improves your skin's appearance from within, since it penetrates to the deeper levels of our skin. It is enriched with hydrolysed collagen, vitamins and minerals.

So this costs €45.70 for 10 bottles, and you have to drink 1 per day. It is best used for not less than 4 weeks. So pretty expensive eh? Here we only got 1 bottle, which costs €4.57.

Murad Essential C-Cleanser

I was really excited to see this Murad cleanser because I've been wanting to try them out for the longest while ever. This states that it 'cleanses environmentally damaged skin by removing impurities and potential irritants, restoring moisture and preparing skin for repair.' Will be testing this baby out today!

At the moment there is an offer going on - 360ml €44.45. This one is 45ml so costs €5.55.

Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel [Anti-Ageing]

Also really intrigued to find this peel. So this is an award winning formula which should brighten, smooth and repair the skin's surface. Quite a lot of promises. Will see how this works. Intrigued.

Sold for €37.46 50ml. This one is 15ml so €11.23

Ole Henriksen Pure Truth Youth Activating Oil

So I've never heard of this brand, but after a quick Google search I realised that it is quite popular - and quite pricey. This tells me that: 'This powerful 100% concentrated rose hip oil activates skin's natural reparative ability with potent antioxidants and essential fatty acids to reveal skin's youthful state - bright, resilient and radiant.' I've never used face oils and really dying to testing this one out.

Sold for €59.69 30ml. I got a very generous 15ml which costs €29.84

Macadamia Healing Oil Infused Comb

Apparently this is the first 'tool' found in a Look Fantastic beauty box. At first I thought it was a normal comb, afterwhich I realised that this was infused with healing oil, which should detangle and nourish hair. How very intriguing. It should also add shine and smoothness [plus it provides an even distribution of healing oil - what sorcery is this?!]

Costs €7.62

Lord & Berry Travel Size Silk Kajal [Black]

I've never tried any Lord&Berry products. I got the pencil while the majority seems to have gotten a lip gloss. Upon first swatching it doesn't seem that pigmented, but will give it a try and let you know how this works. 

€12.70 for full size [my version probably costs around €5.00]

Bourjois Paris Intense Extrait 05 Eyeshadow

So while the majority got a cute 3pan palette, I got this Christmas tree green coloured eyeshadow. Apparently this hold for up to 16 hours of wear, how crazy is this? Never tried these eyeshadows before, but all I can say for now is that this is crazy pigmented.

Costs €8.38

Swatches of Bourjois eyeshadow [left] and Lord&Berry pencil [right]

So to sum everything up:

I got 7 products which cost me €19.35 but which have a retail value of €72.19!!

Do I recommend this Look Fantastic beauty box? Hell yes!

Will I buy it again? Of course!

Hope you enjoyed this post, and may you all have a very merry Christmas!

Love & hugs,

Lola

xoxo

MAC 'Pinch Me' Blush [Review + Swatches]

Ladies and gentlemen, may I please announce my most used blusher of this month [and the past couple ones too!]

It's this MAC 'Pinch Me' sheertone blush.

This blush is part of the permanent line and MAC describe this shade as a 'medium dirty rose coral.'

In the pan it tends to look more brown than rose, but it does look rose-y when applied. In fact, it looks far better when applied than in the packaging!

It is matte.

As the finish implies, this blush is quite sheer and with just one dip of the brush all you get is a really light wash of colour which gives you a really natural look. It is quite pigmented for a sheertone though. You can also build the colour up - but be careful because it can look rather muddy [especially if you're fair skinned] if you apply too much of this. 

This is my daily [mostly used in mornings/ afternoons] blush - since it gives a really natural look, PLUS it fades away gradually and lasts for more than 6 hours.

Perfect for people who are blush or makeup newbies or for those who don't really dig in-your-face blushers. 

Also perfect for tanned or medium/ darker skinned beauties.

Love,

Lola

xoxo

Skindinavia No More Shine Makeup Finish Spray | Oily Skin Formula [Review]

A couple of months ago I was introduced to Skindinavia by one of my blog readers [who also happens to be an old acquaintance]. Not only that - but she was also kind enough to send me one of her own [new] fixing sprays. Now these fixers don't run cheap so it was a very nice gesture. Thanks [you know who you are]!

The one I have is the Oily Skin Formula [you can also get a primer spray, and also different versions such as a bridal formula].

It is oil-free, lightweight, hypoallergenic, contains no parabens - i.e. you won't get no breakouts with this [or clogged pores for that matter]

How does it work?

It works by cooling the skin down.

Our normal skin temperature is 32 degrees celcius [90 degrees] - which causes our skin to quickly loose moisture [and you'll get oiliness, dry makeup and colour loss]. 

Now, Skindinavia state that their spray works like a sort of web which is slowly released over 16 hours. This means that your face will retain moisture for a longer period, which also means that you will need less touchups! And less shine too! And you'll get up to 16 hours of perfect looking makeup.

The one I have can be applied before and after makeup [I sometimes just use it before like a sort of primer but beware if you have dry skin I would suggest that you use this after you apply your makeup]

To use you shake the bottle really well and spray in an X or T formation. 

It dries really quickly [so you won't get that caked up feel on your face] and you get a sort of an in between matte and dewy look  [certainly natural looking]

This, my dear readers, is the BEST fixing spray I have ever used. 

My face stays completely matte, and my makeup looks fresh throughout the day. Impressive.

I have never ever used a product which controls my shiny t-zone as well as this one. And I'm not kidding.

You have to try this one out [really handy when you live in a really hot and humid country!]

It is quite pricey [$29 exc shipping - and I think I paid about $10 shipping - you see I love this so much that I bought one for my friend as a birthday gift] but it is seriously worth every last cent. My friend loves it as much as I do!

They've also revamped their packaging - the smaller ones are the newer bottles.

Of course I have never worn makeup for 16 hours straight so I can't vouch for the 16 hour promise, but what I do know is that this keep the shiny-ness at bay. 

This Skindinavia makeup spray is magical. Thoroughly impressive. Wow. 

Will keep on re-purchasing this for sure. 

P.s. When I sometimes forget to spray this [when I'm in a rush] I get panic attacks.

Let me know if you try it out! OR which is your holy grail of fixing sprays.

Love

Lola

xoxo

Dr Organic Moroccan Argan Oil Restorative Treatment Conditioner [Review | First Impressions]

Earlier in November I was invited to the first Dr. Organic bloggers event [check out my post by clicking HERE] where we were introduced to a number of products from their extensive range [of course they couldn't talk about all of the products because we would have pulled an all nighter - so extensive is their range]

I was kindly offered to take 3 products of my choosing home with me to test out, one of which was this Dr. Organic Moroccan Argan Oil Restorative Treatment Conditioner.

This costs €8.46* [what a bargain!] for 200ml and you can get yours from a number of local supermarkets and selected outlets. 

Of course, like the majority of their products, this one is made from the purest of ingredients.  [and also natural!] 

It is free from parabens, artificial colours, fragrances, SLS and harsh preservatives.

Although they have a number of hair products and treatments, this one caught my eye since it is meant for use on dry, dull, fly away and damaged hair. And heck, after ombre-ing my hair early in Summer, my hair was [Alas!] suffering from most of these problems.

Packaging wise - what I really love about this is that it has a flip-cap as opposed to a screw on lid i.e. your slippery hands will open/close this quicker.

This Dr. Organic treatment is quite thick, but not as thick as 'normal' treatments - but it is definitely thicker than a normal conditioner.

Also, unlike 'normal' treatments, you apply this BEFORE you shampoo and conditioner your hair. You use this on damp hair, concentrating on your ends, and leave on for 5 minutes - then lather with shampoo / condition as you would normally.

Even though it is advised that you use the shampoo/conditioner from the same range, I find that this treatment works just as well with other shampoo/conditioner brands.

It leaves my hair feeling nourished and soft, and it is also less prone to tangling. Split ends look less obvious too, so I believe that this kind of smooths them out.

It might not be as effective as some other [far!] more expensive treatments that I have tried [so don't think that your hair will change from day to night], but for the price this works quite well.

I use this once a week [although I do sometimes use it twice a week]

Love,

Lola

xoxo

Catrice Cosmetics All Matt Plus Shine Control Powder [Review]

I was totally bummed when I was told that the Catrice Waterproof Prime & Fine Powder was discontinued [and now they have it back in stock - go figure!] so I decided to get this one instead [since it promised to be mattifying]: All Matt Plus Shine Control Powder.

It promises to be mattifying, longlasting and ultra silky - which is a lot of promising [especially since this cost no more than €5]

I just love Catrice's packaging and I've never had any problems with them breaking etc [but all the printing on the lid has faded, meh]. This powder is, as you can see, pressed and embossed - which is quite a nice touch.

Mine is in #010 Transparent - but it does have a nude-y shade [so I wouldn't call it exactly transparent since it might show up on darker skin tones than mine]

I have been using this for the past 2 months or so and I've hit pan, but I won't repurchase this powder - especially if I manage to get hold of their waterproof powder.

This is because while it does mattify my face, it does not last a long time - it might last 3 hours [or 4-5 if I set it with a good quality fixer]

It feels quite velvety and soft, and it is picked up really well with a large powder brush. It sets your foundation and doesn't give you a caked up look [but don't overuse!]

I use this powder daily for university [I've run out of my beloved NYX Set it Don't Fret it Powder - read my review HERE] since I don't really care about looking da bomb there lol. But if I'm going out I definitely use a different powder.

Which powders do you recommend?

Love,

Lola

xoxo

TonyMoly Panda's Dream So Cool Eye Stick [Review]

Earlier this summer my brother and his wife went on holiday to Korea, and since my birthday is in July [and they know how much I love Korean stuff] they got me a couple of things from there as a birthday present.

One of them is this cute TonyMoly Panda's Dream So Cool Eye Stick. 

If you want you can get yours from here [it's the cheapest around] but mine was gifted to me.

I swear, TonyMoly have the cutest packaging around. This So Cool Eye Stick forms part of the Panda's Dream line [there's a whitening cream, eye patches and even a concealer if I'm not mistaken]

As the name implies, it comes in a stick form which you use on your undereyes when you have dry, tired eyes.

It has cooling properties [which are only felt when you are applying it under your eyes - the cooling sensation is quickly lost after]

It is also quite moisturising, and I love using this after long, sleepless nights [I sometimes also use it before applying my makeup for an instant moisture and cooling boost] - when applied you can either blend it in, or leave to be absorbed if you're not in a rush.

The wind up mechanism is a bit defective [I don't know if it's just a problem with mine] and sometimes I have to push it down with my fingers because it won't wind down]

In a nutshell, this is a good product to have if you're under a lot of stress [writing my Masters thesis at the moment - meh]

It is not a must have, but it is a nice addition to your beauty regime, especially if you're a sucker for cute packaging.

Love,

Lola

xoxo

TRESemmé 7 Day Smooth System Heat Activated Treatment [Review]

I've been trying out these TRESemmé 7 Day Smooth System for quite a while now - in fact I've nearly used them all up [the shampoo and conditioner I mean - cause I think that the serum will last for quite a long time]

If you're new to these posts, you can check out my Shampoo review here, and my Conditioner review here.

This TRESemmé 7 Day Smooth System Heat Activated Treatment is the final step in this Keratin infused system, and in my opinion it is what makes a huge difference to my hair.

You only use a couple of pumps on towel dried hair, brush through, and then use your straighteners as you normally would.

I found that I can straighten my hair in a very short time [around 15-25 mins] and when I tried curling my hair with the iron I found that they came out more defined and glossier. [Mind you, I have never tried using this system with a different hair tool other than my straighteners, but I guess it would have the same effect if used with a curling wand, for example.]

Like the shampoo and conditioner, this smells absolutely amazing and the smell lingers on your hair.

This TRESemmé 7 Day Smooth System has become a staple in my hair care routine, and I cannot rave enough about it! My hair doesn't frizz, it is knotless for a longer period, and it feels extremely smooth. 

It doesn't look like the straighteners are as damaging to my hair as they would be if I'd use them without this treatment. What split ends I have also look less obvious!

The TRESemmé 7 Day Smooth System Conditioner costs €12.28* and it is now available throughout Malta and Gozo. 

For more information and further updates, check out the TRESemme Malta Facebook page by clicking *here*

Love,

Lola

xoxo

***Disclaimer: This product was sent to me by TRESemme Malta for review purposes. I was not paid to do this review. What I wrote in the review is my honest and unbiased opinion.

Yves Rocher Éclat Radiance | Raspberry Rinsing Vinegar [Review]

You may know that a while back I was invited to a meeting with the person behind Yves Rocher in Malta, afterwhich I was offered to try out some products of my choosing.

While ogling the products, my gaze fell on this Raspberry Rinsing Vinegar. I was intrigued to say the least. 

I've never in my whole life heard about rinsing vinegar [but I have heard about how good normal vinegar is to clean products!]

The first thing I did when I saw this was to open and smell it, while I inevitably waited for the smell of vinegar to hit me. I was mistaken though - because this product smells gorgeous - like raspberries, and has no vinegary scent to it. 

It is silicone and paraben free, and contains 98% natural ingredients.

You apply this after you are done with shampooing and conditioning your hair, but you need to rinse it off after you're done.

Vinegar acts as a Ph balancer, and therefore helps close your hair cuticles, giving you a healthy shine throughout. 

Apart from helping de-scale your hair after your last rinse [to my fellow Maltesers - you do know 

how much scale our tap water has!] it also helps remove product build up in your hair, which gives your roots some bounce and height. 

It also restores your hair's natural shine, and helps de-tangle your hair.

Now I don't use this everytime I wash my hair, but I do use it about 2-3 times a month to help remove product build up from my scalp. 

This vinegar costs €8.90 for 150ml and you can get yours from the Yves Rocher outlets in Malta [Sliema | Valletta | Paola].

Love,

Lola

xoxo

The Face Shop Lovely Me: Ex Mini Pet Sweet Hand Cream [Review]

I really, really, really can't resist cute packaging.

That is one of the main reasons why I just love Korean beauty stuff. I know I've said this time and time again, but it's usually a win | win situation: they have cute packaging, they're normally quite cheap, and they're good.

So a while ago I got myself this The Face Shop Lovely Me: Ex Mini Pet Sweet hand cream. 

It comes in 4 different versions [mine is Fruity Floral] and you can get yours by following this link here [this is not the same seller I bought it from but it's the cheapest one around]

As you can see from the pictures, this cute The Face Shop handcream comes in a small, plastic tub which has the shape of a cat. 

You only get 30ml so it's quite on the smallish side - but I usually keep this in my handbag [at home I have heavy duty sized products]

It smells so so good! I don't really know how to describe scents, but this one is very feminine and delicate.

It is a tad oily, so it takes about 1-2 mins to be totally absorbed by your skin - but it doesn't leave a greasy residue, so it's fine.

It leaves your hands feeling very soft and with a lovely smell, and so it's perfect for the coming cold months.

And when you've finished it all up, you can use it to store little trinkets in the cute container :)

Love,

Lola

xoxo

International Makeup Giveaway! [Beauty Products | Giveaway]

Yay! It's time for another International Giveaway! [Thanks for helping me reach 1000+ likes on my Facebook page - much love!]

Up for grabs are: 

Catrice Sun Glow Shimmering Bronzing Powder

Catrice Absolute Bright Eyeshadow Palette in #010 Candy Warhol

Catrice Prime and Fine Anti-Red Base

Catrice Ultimate Colour Lipstick in #310 Red My Lips

Makeup Revolution Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner

Makeup Revolution Amazing Lipgloss in Nude Shimmer

The giveaway will run from today till the 15th of December [so for a month]. I will announce the winner on a blog post and will send him/her an email, after which he/she will have 3 days to get back to me or I will have to choose another winner.

To participate, just fill in the Rafflecopter below. The only mandatory rules I have are that you must follow me via  Blog Lovin', like my Facebook page and leave a blog post comment!. All the others are extra and some can be done daily to get you more chances of winning!

Important! Please do not follow via GFC privately, or else I won't know who is following or not.

Good luck everyone!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Love,

Lola

xoxo

Dr. Organic Malta [Bloggers Event]

 Last Wednesday I was invited to attend the first ever Dr. Organic bloggers event held in Malta which was held at the posh Villa Bologna in Attard.

I'm always super excited to attend these events, and I was really looking forward to see what Dr. Organic had to offer especially since it has just been introduced in Malta.

As soon as I arrived I was presented with their catalogue which is MASSIVE! They offer different lines: from Organic Aloe Vera, to Organic Olive Oil and Organic Virgin Coconut Oil [they have 12 different ones], and for each of their lines they offer from shampoos to toothpaste to lipbalms to face creams.

Dr. Organic boast that they use only the purest of ingredients which are also 100% natural [they're also Bioactive]: they use no harsh chemicals, no animal ingredients [except for example honey or bees wax], no animal testing, no mineral oils, no gm ingredients and no preservatives. 

I know what you're thinking ...

They must cost loads!

But nope. They are actually super super affordable. I was amazed.

During the event we were kindly offered to take with us any three items of our choice, and I chose an Argan treatment [which you use before you wash your hair - how intriguing! - I've used this yesterday for the first time and I'm already loving it], Coconut Oil [which I can't wait to use] and a Pomegranate Anti Aging Cream. Keep posted for future reviews.

I'll leave you to some photos of yours truly and some other local bloggers which were taken during the event.

very attentive moi :)

With Marija from Pocalocca (Left)

With the other bloggers!

From L-R

Lara, Elle, Marija, Charlene, Moi, Elaine, Steph, Maya, Teri who was our hostess for the night, and Davi.

Can't wait to share with you reviews of their products, so keep posted for more.

Love,

Lola

xoxo