Zombie Makeup Tutorial [Halloween Edition | You Tube Video]

So this weekend I partnered up with a fellow friend, who also happens to be a You Tuber, and we filmed a tutorial for you!

I know that Halloween has passed but I wanted to show you the process + the end result [especially since you haven't seen that much of me throughout the years].

This Zombie look was so much fun to create and Daryl [a.k.a Aiden Kai] was a real sport - although he was quite scared when I applied some red liner on his waterline - but who blames him haha.

Check out the process | video by clicking the link below:

Halloween Transformation!

Follow Aiden Kai on You Tube: HERE

and his official Facebook: HERE

Hope you like it!

Love,

Lola

xoxo

What Not To Do On a First Date [Random Stuffs]

Although I've been in a relationship for a couple of years now, I do wonder if the dating game has remained the same, especially when I see friends going on dates. I really really loathe dating [and please don't mention blind dates, eugh!]

So this afternoon my friend [who is single] and I decided to compile a list of dating do's and don'ts [but this post will be solely dedicated to the don'ts - which for some reason outweigh the do's] 

Do not talk about your ex

Do not talk about sex

Do not declare your undying love to your date

Do not reveal strange OCDs

Do not speak of your want of a relationship

Do not drink too much wine 

Do not get drunk

Do not fish for compliments

Do not cry

Find the balance between talking/listening

Do not talk about religion and politics

Do not text more than once to confirm date

Do not use your mobile phone

Do not wear slutty dresses / suits if you're male

Do not talk about illnesses 

Do not try and cuddle / canoodle 

No dirty jokes

Do not pig yourself with food 

Do not fidget

Do not check the time more than once

Do not be a smart arse

Do not complain 

Do not discuss family matters / personal stuff

Do not wear too much makeup

Do not play around with your food 

Do not order messy foods

Do not bring your kids with you

Do not cancel at the last minute

Do not flirt with other people

So that's the list that we came up with. Do you agree with us? Or anything else that you would add? Let me know!

Love,

Lola

xoxo

Brand Spotlight | Yves Rocher Malta

Today's post is about a very well known brand - Yves Rocher, which of course is renowned worldwide for its excellent products.

Although I'm sure that this brand does not need any introductions, I thought of dedicating a whole blog post about it since I will be reviewing a number of items by Yves Rocher, and therefore you can familiarise yourselves with the brand before I start posting my reviews.

First and foremost - Yves Rocher was founded in 1959 in France, by, you guessed it - Yves Rocher. 

A botanic by profession, he produced ointments and later cosmetics and started selling them by mail order from his family's attic. His products were received with great enthusiasm, and after three years of selling by mail order he opened his first store. Now the brand is available in more than 80 countries. 

The main ingredients in the majority of Yves Rocher products are plants. In fact, their belief is that just as plants are 'alive', so is our skin. Both plants and our skin adapt and are ever changing, making plants 100% ideal to use as skin care products. 

Therefore, according to the company, in order to 'protect it [our skin], repair it and stimulate it, it is best to offer it active botanical ingredients that are easily and naturally assimilated.'

The majority of the products are paraben free - and they are not tested on animals. 

They have also formed the Fondation Yves Rocher [check out their website by clicking *here*] where the goal behind the foundation is to plant 50 million trees by 2015.

The company  is also harvester, botanist, manufacturer and distributor all of its own products, making it a unique business model. This means that we can benefit from really affordable price tags.

It is no wonder that Yves Rocher is the Nr.1 favourite beauty brand in France, and 4th favourite world wide [the brand was assessed together with a staggering 600 other brands - which is no mean feat! coming 4th].

In Malta we are lucky enough to have 3 stores - in Sliema, Valletta and Paola. The Paola store also has a Beauty Spa, where they offer a number of services - from facials to body massages to waxing [and that includes also male waxing!] Prices starts from as little as €2 [my mum had her eyebrows and upper lip done and they did a really good job].

The range that is offered by this brand is incredible - perfumes, cosmetics, hair care, body care, and of course skin care. I will leave you to a couple of photos I took of the Paola store - and I will let the photos speak for themselves because the store is super cute and the packaging is to die for. 

Check out the Yves Rocher Malta Facebook Page by clicking HERE

You can also follow them via Twitter by clicking HERE.

Keep posted for upcoming Yves Rocher reviews!


Love,
LoLa

xoxo

My Current Favourite Skin Care Products [Skin Care | Beauty | Top Picks]

Happy Sunday dolls!

I really would like to start posting more tips and stuff rather than just reviews, and I thought I'd start with my current skin care regimen. Let me know if you find this post of interest!

First I though of sharing with you that up to my early twenties, I really didn't give two hoots about my skin. I slept with my makeup on [still do that sometimes] and washed my face with just soap [the normal kind]. I sometimes used Simple products, and once I got me some Nivea ones too - but I always managed to use them for a week, and then get bored with them, and I inevitably stopped using them.

Fast forward to a couple of years. My love for skin care started with my love for cute beauty products. The cuter the packaging, the greater my obsession and love became.

Apart from wanting to try out cute products, I always want to get my hands on different ones. So next month's list will not necessarily be the same as this one, although I swear that I've repurchased a couple of items from this list. 

Anyway, enough of the rambling.

Starting with face wash - I tend to use the Beauty Bar by Dove [which I haven't pictured here] I love the smell, and it works really well at removing makeup too! Plus, it is super cheap and it is [if I'm not mistaken] available worldwide.

I also like to use the Anatomicals The Hottie Tottie is Never Spotty Face Wash. It is very mild - plus if I'm not mistaken there is a warning to not use this on your eyes - but hey! I'm a rebel like that. Since it is very mild it does not remove stubborn makeup but it leaves your face feeling very soft and not at all dry.

As a face mask, I like to use a couple. Pictured here is the one by Beauty Formulas called Rejuvenating Glorious Mud Face Mask. This is also budget friendly and works really well. I like to use this one every week, and especially before special occasions since this gives my skin that taut feeling which I love. It also leaves your face looking quite red at first, so don't be alarmed.

The Anatomicals Hottie Tottie Moisturiser is what I've been using for the past 9 months or so - guess I really love it! I've also posted a review for this - click HERE to read it for more info.

One of the latest to join my skin care brigade is this Panda's Dream So Cool Eye Stick by the Korean brand Tony Moly. I usually pop this cooling stick in the fridge before I use this on my under eyes. This works a treat especially when I have tired, puffy eyes. 

I also love this Tony Moly Kiss Kiss Lip Scrub, because I get really dry lips and usually prep them with this scrub when I'm using lipstick. You can click HERE for my full review on that.

I also like to use a scrub every couple of days. I love this one by Good Things - the Manuka Honey Refining Scrub. I also had the matching facial wash but I've run out of that one. This scrub smells super duper yummy and it not really abrasive - plus it leaves your skin feeling soft and invigorated- and most importantly - clean. 

The last 2 products are the new comers and were gifted to me by my brother and sister in law. The first one is this A'Pieu Real Recipe Sleeping Mask in Cucumber. This has a really strange consistency - kind of like jellied watered down cucumbers, You can use it as a quick mask, or you can leave it overnight and then wash it in the morning. I usually prefer the latter.

I also love this Tony Moly Egg Pore Blackhead Out Oil Gel. And yes, you've guessed it - Tony Moly is one of my favourite Korean brands - both for makeup and skincare! This is one product out of a 3 part system which help clear out your blackheads. I will be posting an in depth review of this in the coming days - so keep posted for that.

As I've mentioned earlier, I also love to use a variety of face masks. I've used a couple by Anatomicals before - check out my reviews for those by clicking HERE and HERE. But my most favourite ones to use are undoubtedly by Korean brands [pictured on the back] especially since they normally come in a sort of 'cloth mask' which you just place on your face and therefore you don't have to apply the mask yourself - saving time.

And that's it for my current skin care loves! Let me know if you would like me to review anything from the list :) Plus DO tell me which is your holy grail skin care product!

Much love,

Lola

xoxo

What's On My iPhone | My Favourite Apps

Just thought that you would like to know what apps I have on my iPhone!

Pages: Easy access to my blog and nail pages.

Whatsapp / Snapchat: Free messaging - what more do you want?

Twitter / Facebook / Instagram: nothing out of the ordinary here 

PicFx: This one has loadsssss of filters. I believe this cost me no more than €2.00

Camera+: This app is my favourite out of all the photo editing apps. It is like a mini photoshop - you can lighten/darken/smoothen etc. This also has some frames and filters, too. I forgot how much this one cost me but I believe around the €2.00 mark.

SquareSize: This changes the size of normal photos to Instragram size - without the need to crop them.

ABM (A Beautiful Mess): This is the app which allows me to add cute shapes, frames and words on photos. This is not a free app but forgot how much this one cost.

                                                                 Repix: Allows me to add flares etc to photos

You Tube / Chrome / Gmail / Dropbox /Skype

My Fitness Pal: A handy calorie counter.

We Heart It: Love this app for cute pictures and cute ideas.

Frantic Mess: Similar to ABM, but free and with less options.

Blogger: Just in case I would like to post something on my blog from my phone.

Blog Lovin: To read my favourite blogs on the go.

Emoji Keyboard: For when I want to be extra girly.

Candy Crush / 2048 / Throne Rush: Do I have to explain myself? A girl needs games.

These are the apps which I don't really use, but I do sometimes.

The Simpsons - Tapped Out: Used to love this, but it drains my battery.

Bubble Island: For when I'm totally and utterly bored that not even Blog Lovin and You Tube can save me.

Pinterest / Cloud On

iTube: A nifty app similar to You Tube/iTunes, but lets you download songs which you can listen to even without an internet connection.

Any other apps which I should have? Let me know!

Love,

Lorraine

xoxo

Max Factor Malta #Selfeye Competition [I'm In! Please Vote For Me]

The Max Factor Malta facebook page have recently launched a #selfeye competition, where you upload a photo [or in this case - a selfie] of one of your made-up eyes.

Please vote for me by following this link HERE!!!

[to vote just click on 'vote']

It is super quick and would mean the world to me - just one click.

Check out my entry:

I hope you like it!

Much love and hugs,

Lorraine

xoxo

Say Hello To My Other Blog!

Dear readers,

So I have decided to start up another blog following my journey on the 5:2 diet.

You can check it out by following this link here!

It is called Lola's 5:2 Diet

Go check it out if you're interested. It's also still new so if you want you can keep updated by following by email/google friends connect.

I've also added a new application on this [lolalovessparkles] blog - a contact form, so that you can easily contact me for help, information or some sweet comments!

Love,

Lorraine

xoxo

5 Easy Make Up Tips

Dear readers,

Today I wanted to share with you some tips which I've picked throughout the years. I'm sure that most (if not all) have read about these before, but I just wanted to put my 2 cents worth in a blog post (so bear with me);

Always use moisturiser before applying foundation:

Yes! Even if your face is oily, you do need to apply a good moisturiser as a base before you apply anything at all on your face - this will give you a flawless finish (especially if you apply your foundation with a brush). If anything, apply foundation than blot some away with a tissue.

Chiaroscuro: 

The importance of light and shade! Think about this - when you apply your foundation you "wipe" away all the natural shading and contouring - so you must remember that contouring and highlighting can make a world of a difference (taking you from 2 dimensional to 3D). Apply a darker contouring powder on the hollows of your cheeks, along your jawline, temples and on the sides of your nose to make it look narrower or pointier - anything you fancy really! Apply highlighter on the bridge of your nose, on the corners of your eyes and my favourite - on your cupid's bow for a plumper, fuller look.

Wiggle your wand:

I must admit that I have been blessed with long lashes - but correct mascara application is important too. To achieve fuller looking lashes, wiggle your mascara wand at the base/roots of your lashes to the tips. This will make your lashes appear fuller without the need to apply false eyelashes. And if you have mascara which is older than 2-3 months - throw it away! Also use a liquid or pen eyeliner to draw a thin line along the roots of your lashes.

Be creative:

There's no need to have a large makeup bag full of items which you won't use (although I am guilty of doing so). Many makeup items can be used in different ways: use a pink or red lipstick as a cream/natural looking blusher - just dab onto your cheeks and blend really well - and voila! a gorgeous rosy flush. Mascara can double up as eyeliner - just dip a tiny brush into your mascara tube and line your eyes as normal. A brown eyeshadow can be used as a contouring powder. A frosty white eyeshadow can be used as a highlighter. Really, anything has multiple uses!

Vaseline is your best friend:

Use it to remove waterproof makeup, as a makeshift lipbalm and/or scrub or to groom your eyebrows, Vaseline is a sure must have in your makeup bag. It is cheap and can be used in loads of different ways.

Hope you found some of these tips useful!

Love,

Lorraine

xoxo

It's My Birthday and I'll Blog if I Want To, Blog if I Want To [Birthday Post]

Dear readers,

28 years ago today I was born ^.^

I can't believe that I am now 28, because in my mind I still think of myself as a 23 year old. But oh well, we do have to grow up, we can't stop time.

So this is how I'm going to spend my day: 

I just had a lie in.
Now I am off for a shower and shopping/lunch with my friend.
Then off to visit mum and dad.
Later dinner with my other half.
And finally if we finish early enough we'll go and have a few drinks near my friends who are having a bbq tonight.

I hope that you will all have a great day too!

little me ^.^

Love,

Lorraine
xoxo

The BeautyBay.com Blind Folded Make-Up Challenge

Dear readers,

Earlier this week, another local beauty blogger (Marija from Pocalocca) and I entered a contest by Beautybay.com, whereby we had to film a short clip of us doing each other's makeup - blind folded.

This is the outcome:

We look gorgeous, eh? ha ha ha

We would really appreciate it if you guys voted for us (and watched the video too!) by visiting the BeautyBay facebook page here (our entry is uploaded by Marija Debattista).

The contest will end 07/04

Many thanks and hugs!

Lorraine
xoxo

John Greed Valentines Bloggers Challenge

Dear readers,

The fantastic people at John Greed are running a bloggers Valentine competition, and I couldn't resist not trying my luck.

Unfortunately I couldn't make a wider choice since I so truly would love to get my hands on the rose gold Michael Kors watch, but here goes nothing:

#1 Michael Kors Rose Gold Midsize Watch

I have been lusting over several Michael Kors watches for the longest time ever, especially Rose Gold ones. I wish somebody would get me one as a present!

#2 Eclectic Eccentricity Flor de Muerto

Shockingly I have never heard of this brand before, but I fell totally and utterly in love with all the line! I especially like this one because of the rose and skull combo, but I also love the pocket watches too! They are totally my style of jewellery.

#3 Virtue London Silver Live Your Dream Stacking Ring

I just love stackable rings, and I especially like this one because it says 'Live your dream', which one day I hopefully will!


If you would like to participate in this competition, you can all check out the rules for this competition on the John Greed website here. Competition closes tomorrow 14/02 so you better hurry up!

Love,

Lorraine
xoxo

p.s I know you're supposed to choose at least 4 items but couldn't resist not listing down the MK watch

Baddest Looking Dessert Ever!

Dear readers,

Yesterday I ate (or nearly ate) the largest, yummiest dessert ever! It was so large that  I could have easily fit my whole head in the bowl ha ha.

Check it out:

It looks so huge next to my boyfriends Apple Cobbler (which ain't small!) It had 3 scoops vanilla ice-cream, chocolate sprinkles, cream, hot fudge and a brownie.... no wonder I felt nauseous afterwards ha ha

This is what we had eaten before:

Chicken Gyoza

Spicy tuna maki

Chicken katsu curry

We also had a squid and prawn tempura which I forgot to take a pic of. We lunched at Wagamama and then went to Hard Rock for dessert.

Love,

Lorraine
xoxo

Yeyyy!

Dear readers,

I am over the moon because I now have 50 followers/subscribers on my blog! This might not seem like a huge number to many people but it is to me =)

I just wanted to thank each and every one of you for taking time to read my blog posts and commenting! I love reading and interacting with you all <3

via Tumblr

Huge hugs!

Lorraine
xoxo

Fake Mac vs. Real Mac Lipsticks

Dear readers,

MAC is one of the most well-known makeup brands, especially for its wide range of lipsticks. It is undoubtedly more expensive than high street makeup companies, and for this reason many people are lured into buying Mac products from websites such as Ebay and Ioffer for lower prices. Moreover, in some countries (like mine) products like Mac aren't sold so to get your hands on them you must resort to buying them online.

The sad truth is that if it's cheap than in most cases it is fake. You have to be extremely careful when buying high end products off the internet, especially if you're not buying them from the company's website.

An example of fake vs. real MAC lipstick: 

Are you able to recognise which is fake and which is not?

The main difference in its packaging is the label. The original lipstick has its name printed on (Russian Red), while the other has just a sticker.

The fake one is slightly wider than the original. The label is also smaller, and it doesn't have the 'finish' of the lipstick (on the original there is 'Matte'). The sticker on the fake one is also smaller and a different colour to the original one.

The fake lipstick is also slightly larger (fake on the right). You can also easily distinguish between the two of them by checking out the print on the lipstick's cover. Originals shouldn't rub off or get scratched. The fake's font is also slightly thicker when compared to the original.

Here you can note the difference between the logo print on the inner part of the lipstick of the original vs. fake: the fake one is larger and printed higher up on the tube. Moreover, even though you can't tell from the photo, the finish of the outer tube is slightly different - the original is more smooth. Another difference is that the real MAC feels a lot more heavy when you pick both of them up.

Another thing is the smell: the original Mac lipsticks have a light sweet vanilla smell, the fake smells plastic-y.

Something else I noticed is that when I tried comparing the swatch of the fake lipstick with the original 'Kraft' swatches on the internet, they didn't match.

Hope you found this helpful!

Love,

Lorraine
xoxo

Healthy eating [Week 1]

Dear readers,

After spending the Christmas holidays (and all of autumn and winter tbh) gorging myself with food, I decided that it's time to (alas!) start eating healthier...

....and I've decided that it might help keep me on track if I kept a weekly diary of what I ate (trying to be as honest as possible), so that maybe having an audience will spur me on.

I've also decided to treat myself on Sunday if I were good and ate healthy all week...

Anyway, this is what I had this week (from Wednesday till today....cause everyone knows that diets start on 02/01/2013)....

Wednesday 02/01/2012

9:00am - Oat pillows + skimmed milk
14:30pm - 2 Brown bread toast (ham and cheese)
19:00pm - Peasoup + a couple of ignocchi

Thursday 03/01/2012

11:00am - Oat Pillows + Skimmed Milk
16:00pm - Small bowl peasoup
18:00pm - 1 small banana
20:00pm - 2 pcs grilled salmon + 1 boiled potato + 1 boiled egg + salad
21:00pm - 1 low fat yoghurt

Friday 04/01/2012

11:00am - Allbran + 1 small banana + skimmed milk
14:00pm - 2 Brown bread toast (ham and cheese)
16:00pm - 1 kellogs bran bar
18:00pm - Branettes with philadelphia light
21:00pm - Grilled tuna + 1 small boiled potato + salad

Saturday 05/01/2012

9:00am - Allbran + 1 small banana + skimmed milk
13:30pm - 1 apple
15:00pm - 2 Brown bread toast (ham and cheese)
17:00pm - Branettes with philadelphia light
21:00pm - Marrow soup

Sunday 06/01/2012 (Fun Day)

11:00am - Allbran + 1 small banana + skimmed milk
15:00pm - Cold cuts platter + 2 small bread rolls + prawn tortelloni + choc fondant

Sunday Fun Day!

grilled salmon

grilled tuna

my usual breakfast

marrow soup

sunday funday!

What about you? Are you currently on a diet?

Love,

Lorraine

[Costume] Jewellery Storage

Dear readers,

Today I wanted to share with you how I store my costume jewellery (even though this can be used for more expensive jewellery - but I prefer to leave those in their original boxes).

Up to about a couple of months ago, my jewellery storage was a complete mess. I had a lot of misplaced earrings which I couldn't find or remember where I put them and necklaces all over the place which would inevitably end up in knots.....well, you know what I mean.

One day when I was browsing in a household store this drawer thingy caught my eye - originally it is used for storing nails, washers and the sorts, but I though that it would be perfect for storing my jewellery.

It has 36 narrow/small drawers and 6 larger ones. All drawers come with a black plastic separator which you can pull out in order to store larger items.

Hope I gave you some ideas on how to store your jewellery,

Love

Lorraine
xoxo