It's Steffi!

Haul!

2008-08-16T01:27:00.000-07:00

I'm so glad I got signed, sealed as its being dc'd!
E/s (L to R): Signed, sealed. Handwritten. Shroom.
Both signed, sealed and handwritten belong to the Matte2 collection.

129 brush

Bottom left from top;
Illicit lipglass(Smoke Signals collection).
Love Nectar lusterglass
Wonderstruck lustreglass

Bottom Right;
3d glass in optical
See Sheer lipstick
Pictured; See Sheer lipstick

Mac 129 brush size comparision, with the Mac 129 se.
Unlike neg. reviews claimed, fall out did not occur one single time, and I already washed it 3x and used it quite a bit.

Swatches

Left-top;
Omega,
Satin taupe

Right-top;
Shroom
Handwritten
Signed, Sealed

The lipstuff;Top row left-right;
3dglass in optical, wonderstruck, see sheer lipstick.

Bottom row left to right;
Moistly lipgelee, love nectar, illicit.

new lashes!

Nail stickons

Long Post!

2008-08-07T23:46:00.000-07:00

I've been working a lot the past month which meant I could buy a lot of stuff. This is what I accumulated this month. I'm still waiting for a bunch of stuff to arrive and I'll be ordering some more :D

Left; OPI I'm Indi-a mood for love, from the India collection. Just great, took a week to chip off without using any base or topcoat. I just had to apply two coats to achieve the exact colour of the bottle.

Right; Chanel Vernis in Miami Peach. I had been eying this for a couple of days. Its a pigmented peach with gold an orange flecks.

Top; Clinique supermoisture foundation. I had tried a sample of this and loved it. I've got combination to dry skin so event tough I use moisturizer prior to foundation it dries out my skin. This foundation however claims to leave your skin moisturized and fresh after cleansing the foundation off. It did so however, the more I used it the lessmy skin seemed to be fresh. Coverage is quite sheer, it kinda feels like a tinted moisturizer. lasting power is not bad but not great either. Can't really compare this to my hg studio fix. What's worse in regards this foundation sis the colors available. I've been paired to 06-neutral (I'm nc25), and it still looks a tad too pink on me. After this one, I'm gonna try estee lauder double wear.

Bottom; Dior skinflash radiance booster in 003.
I was aiming to get this or YSL touche eclat. After a lot of reviews I was convinced by The Muse to get this one. I'm glad I finally got it. Greatness in a pen! It ain't a concelear. It just reflects the light. One swipe under my eyes and I look like I've had 10 hours of sleep.

Miss sixty fragrance
An impulse buy which turns out to be the scent I most reach out for. It's fruity enough for summer but lighter than the Dkny's Be Delicious

Zara bag which I'm overusing for work.
Bring tassels back!!

Miss selfridge heels

I too jumped on the sephora holder bandwagon and made my own .
I'm still aiming to get the Mac tool belt once I get more brushes.

I also got a Clinique brush cleanser since my mac one is out. It turns out to be better than Mac's. First off it has a spray nozzle, so there won't be drippings anymore and less products get used while cleaning brushes. Most importantly it is far less time consuimng than mac's as all I do is spray on the dirty brushes, work it in the bristles and wash them under luke warm water. Tada, no rubbing them on towels like I used to with my mac's. It also cleaned them far better than the mac one. For instance my 182 let out a great deal of black dye when I used clinique's for the first time. This definitely gets my approval.

Left; Essie in Marshmallow which is great for American manicures as it ain't stark white.(way too washed out with flash)

Right; Orly top 2 bottom. Love this. Makes me want more orly!

Miss selfridge dress which looks way too boring, but it's pretty irl. I'm getting soooo into body cons lately. I guess I'm seeing way too much of kim k haha.

The best thing of all.. I got my very first Juicy Couture bag! I was so unsure whether to purchase it or not but I'm so glad I did. Money well spent :) I'm already addicted to juicy. The quality is far more amzing than I imagined it would be. I finally understand all the juicy hype :D More More MORE!!

how I entertain myself when I'm alone

2008-07-07T06:08:00.000-07:00

I cook
haha!

Another haul post

2008-06-26T04:17:00.000-07:00

Feels like I got these ages ago. I received them a couple of days after my last post. I've been way to busy to post.
The seller also gave me NYX and revlon lippies as freebies.

I'm so digging the tendertones! warm smile smells amazing, like chocolate ice cream.
I'm also loving russian red and poison pen which I finally!! managed to get.

And surprise surprise, I finally received my everyday minerals sample kit after a month. I totally hate the foundations, I tried them on their own and looked way to cakey, tried them with fix+ and it still looked crappy. after a lot of time(wasted) trying to make it look fine, it all erm creased after a couple of hours. But then, I hate powder foundations with a passion. I, however was really looking forward to the blushes. I got Girl's Day,which I don't really intend to wear due to its gazzillion golden glitter flecks. but it did make me want to try more blushes, mainly the pressed ones, and matte ones.

Sunlight concealer looked way to bright at first but with just a tad of it and great blending it did give me that I'm not tired! look.

I didn't post any swatches, cause it wouldn't be fun if I did anyway as I got this crappy hp photo smart camera. I'm surprised how these pictures are just 80% blurry!

Oh and a minny log; I landed a summer job since uni's over and it's taking quite a lot of my time and energy,I'll be making some more vids till I get settled!
x

Haul!!

2008-06-15T12:39:00.000-07:00

I finally managed to get Honeymoon l/s from the moonbathe collection, and I also got Hot Tahiti which is perm. I was reluctant to try out hothouse, but it turns out to be great.
I've read a lot of reviews claiming that shadesticks are difficult to blend and somewhat dry on the lid. I got my first one ever and it isn't so bad. By rubbing it, it gets easier to apply, and it's really pigmented. I've already ordered another.

I wasn't gonna get anything from neo sci fi, but since I don't have any bronzers yet I got refined golden, and expensive pink as well. I'd so love to have evening aura and scifidelity or grapefruit. The packing is far better than its captured in pictures.

The best bit of the bunch, the 182! the best brush ever, blends amazingly and is way too soft!

Size comparison:

Haul!!

2008-06-07T04:17:00.000-07:00

I haven't tried most of them yet, I'll post swatches when I'll do.
I've order some more stuff which should arrive next week and I'll be ordering even more :D
I just can't stop buying lippies.
According to MAC's descriptions;
Blankety (Amplified Creme) is a : Vaguely vacant soft pink beige
Sandy b (Frost) is a : A light shell pink
Fabby (Frost) is a: Mid-tone mauve with gold pearl (it doesn't really look as purple as in the picture)

I needed carbon, and already have satin taupe, so I had to pick this instead of the smoking eyes quad.

And I finally got the gold horsebit Gucci shades :D

Juicy Tubes

2008-05-21T01:38:00.001-07:00

I was always keen to try out juicy tubes but after reading numerous of reviews claiming that the Juicy Tubes are sheer I was kinda reluctant to purchase one. However, I finally decided I should and picked out the L.E. Orange Barbade. The packing is uber cute and its very easy to apply. When first applied it feels grainy in texture but after a while it feels quite moisturizing and not as sticky as MAC. It makes me want to try other colours and the other juicy ranges.This is how it looks on semi pigmented lips with no base on.(I'm NC25)

Hair Service! and Haul

2008-05-21T01:00:00.000-07:00

I've been dying my hair for the past five years and I'v tried countless products to prevent it from getting dry. Salon treatmnets alone are not enough to regenerate moisture; care must be taken through each wash. Finally I've found some products which are really making my hair less frizzy, giving it that silky feel and in turn make it easier to manage. Until a couple of weeks ago I used to followng products in the pic.

Umberto Giannini shampoo, which works wonders. Injection of moisture can be felt immediatly after the first wash, however the more I used this product, the less it seemed to moisturize my hair.

Andrew Collinge Conditoner.
It is moisturinzing, but not enough to make mu hair silky. Nonetheless, the packing is great, it has a little pump, and it hence it lasts ages.

L'oreal studio fix straightening cream. This is supposed to be used before any heat tools are used. The actual cream makes my hair feels greasy, and being that I have long hair, even when I apply a small amount, it feels to weigh my hair down.

Tresemme hair spray; This brand works wonders. It's not expensive and works great. I don't use the hair spray much cause I hate the effects of hairspray in general, but when I did use this, the hold was perfect.

Tresemme Salon silk serum. This just aids in taming frizz, and can be used before using heating tools or even after for the finishing touch. I've used this for months it still is almost full. It has a pump and only a very tiny amount is to be used. Two pumps of this product makes my hair ultra greasy.

HAUL
I picked out a Tresemme moisturizing shampoo. The packing quite sucks as its way to big and heavy to hold with one hand while shampooing. However, considering the size for its price its worth it. And it does work wonders! Together with moisture treatment( the white jar in pic), my hair has got back to feel silky. I use the treatment instead of the conditioner as suggested. For even though it is a moisture treatment it works like a conditioner(3 mins injection boost) and can be used after every wash as no harm will be done. Moreover, I was keen on trying a liquid version of heat protecting product. I picked out the Andrew Collinge Heat defence and am already thorugh half the bottle. It works fine, feels light on my hair, packing is great as it fits the hand perfectly and does its job well(else trough heating tools, the hair would become frizzy).

I also got a curling mousse which I barely use, another nail polish remover, a cheapie one which works. I've tried so many removers which all turned out crappy. The cheap stuff that comes in glass jars are the only ones which seem to work fine.

I also got a pair of fake lashes, which have glitter in them which I ain't really fond of, but I'll see if I can work with fake stuff.
I also got a new mascara. I loathed the Diorshow mascara's clumpiness, and I was either going a Helena Rubenstein one or the Lancome Hypnose. After exmaing their wands I picked out the HR one. Feline lash (See pic)was out of stock so I got the most
similar one, the Lash Queen. Feline lash's wand is thicker and a tad longer than the Lash Queen. However, Lash Queen's wand is great. Being dense it gives volume and it does not clump and the mascara actually feels light.

yet another FOTD

2008-04-13T02:56:00.000-07:00

Eyes

Udpp
amber lights
melon p/m
smoke signals p/m
satin taupe
nylon for highlight
blitz & glitz f/l
engraved eye kohl
diorshow mascara

Lips

3N l/s
Bonus beat l/g

haul!!!! :D

2008-04-07T12:43:00.000-07:00

I'm still ecstatic!!! Last weekend we got to travel to the nearest MAC counter, one located in Sicily. It was such an amazing experience, the MA's were super nice, they were really helpful and gave me free stuff.

The haul without the cute boxes

Some freebies, an MA also gave me a free lippie and her own Elle magazine haha
I got these last week and forgot to post them.

Clinique lash primer
Urban Decay primer potion

EOTD

2008-03-22T04:28:00.000-07:00

Mac Chiroscuro paint
Mac Sweet Sienna (outer v)
Mac Smoke Signals (crease)
Mac Your Ladyship (lid)
Mac Vanilla pigment (highlight/tear duct)
Diorshow Mascara

Heatherette Face Charts

2008-03-19T02:05:00.000-07:00

Hollywood Nights
Products Used:
EYES
Walnut, Baby Petals, Frostline, V.I.P., Malt, Nighthawk, All Black
CHEEKS
Smooth Harmony

LIPS
Creamola, Hollywood Nights, Style Minx

Starlet Kiss

EYE
Fling, Baby Petals, Front Row, V.I.P., Casette, Text Me , All Black

CHEEKS
Alpha Girl

LIPS
Pink Treat, Melrose Mood, Starlet Kiss

Fleshpot

EYES
Blonde Taupe/Buttery, Front Row, Mood Ring, Hoppin', Soba, Nightwalk, Cloudburst, Front Row

CHEEKS
Alpha Girl

LIPS
Creamola, Fleshpot, Bonus Beat

Bonus Beat

EYES
Browning, Hoppin', Rubenesque, Jardin Aires, Soba, Fab Orchid, All Black

CHEEKS
Alpha Girl

LIPS
Summerfruit, Fleshpot, Bonus Beat

Lollipop Loving

EYES
Sophisticated, Shimmersand, Hoppin', Jardin Aires, Point Black, Zoomblack

CHEEKS
Alpha Girl

LIPS
Whirl, Lollipop, Sock Hop

Sock Hop

EYES
Lingering, Clear, Hoppin', Bare Study, Mood Ring, Black Funk, Pop Blue, All Black

CHEEKS
Alpha Girl

LIPS
Softwood, Lollipop Loving, Sock Hop

EOTD

2008-03-17T07:40:00.001-07:00

It was way brighter than in the pic. I'm hating my cam!! :/

Mac paint in Chiaroscuro(base)
Pure Luxe Misfit (inner corner)
Mac Smoke Signals(outer v)
Pure Luxe Brat (crease)
Mac Golder's Green (lid)
Diorshow Mascara

The Body Shop New Collections

2008-03-15T09:23:00.000-07:00

The body shop came up with more new collections. When I had heard a new Japanese Cherry Blossom collection was up I headed for the store. The items weren't on display yet but the assistant was sweet enough to show me the unpacked collection items. I was really not impressed with the faint smell, however, now that I had time to try out the items once again I'm really lemmin the body butter. Its all about the faint smell!
RRP:$20

They also have a new Moringa collection. I tired out the body butter and it really put me off from the whole collection. IMO it smelt like an overdone floral scent.

They're also carrying a new Apple collection, which is not available on the websites yet. I tried out the apple fragrance and it didn't appeal to me at all. It faintly smelt like apples but smelt way to sour. However, after a few hours the scent was extremely pleasant. It started to smell fruity but not overwhelming at all. Pity it seems they won't be making a body mist.
While I was in store I checked out their spring makeup collection. The blushing daisies were the sole items I liked, especially the dark pink one. They act as both as a highlighter and blush.
RRP:$19.50Eventually, my bf ended up getting me the Neroli Jasmine body mist which i LOVE! I seriously can't stop smelling this. I found a new lemming for these body mists, they're so convenient as they come in plastic bottles so they're safer to carry around then glass fragrances, and for day time scents they smell great.

Mini Haul

2008-03-15T08:37:00.000-07:00

So, after I've been raving for months that there's no MAC store in my country, and that ebay is getting to be a big no-no due to all the crappy fakes for sale, my bf planned a trip to the nearest MAC store, which is in Sicily. He got the tickets & we shall be heading for a MAC store in like three weeks time!! :D I've already compiled a list of what I need, mainly brushes & a whole bunch of other essentials. I really can't wait!! So, in order to save more cash this month should be a non spending marathon. A few days ago I received my orders :D I received the bunch of pigments samples I ordered from thebodyneeds, & the mac holiday brush set.

Mac pigments:
I got ten for just 25 dollars, and I got one free ^_^ lol.
here are the swatches: all where trid without a base. (click to see larger picture)

I really love the colour pay off & consistency, but the more I try pigments, the less I'm keen of getting more. I can't wait to get a bunch of shadows to play around with different textures.

I finished off my chanel matt lumiere foundation and am planning to get MAC foundations once I get there, so, instead for the next three weeks I got a cheapie powder foundation by MAX Factor. Colour selection is extremely limited, in fact the closest match to my complexion is still kinda pinkish. Lasting power is not great either. I just hope this doesn't break me out.
The Brushes:
So, after reading a lot of reviews I picked the MAC Fringe Holiday brush set. I've tested out a couple and overall I'm quite pleased with them, however, I do plan to get the full size brushes as they would do a greater job.

Here are my views about these brushes. I've only used them for a couple of days, so this is all based on my experience so far.

Brush 129se: Distribution ain't great, it gets blush kinda streaky. However, the more I use it the more the blush gets fluffy, which helps blush distribution.

Brush 239se: Does it job quite well, gets enough pigment and distributes evenly. the only downside is that sometimes the bristles seem to sting a little.

Brush 319se: (lip brush). Those a good job, distribution is even and this brush does offer control.

Brush 266se: Haven't used this yet, so I can't really comment about it.

Brush 219: I really like it. I won't be getting the full size as this does its job. Great control and gets a great deal of pigment.

They came in a black satin bag and in a black/blue neat box.

My sunshine!

2008-03-07T04:21:00.000-08:00

I really dread these months when I'm really pale due to the winter. So, aiming for a tanning salon here is kinda difficult as there ain't choice, it gets expensive and yeah the skin gets sexier but the damage is not worth it. So I'm finally deciding that this year most probably I'll fake tan. I usually tan quite great in summer however some year I did get burnt patches. This year I'll opt for something healthier. Spray tanning looks fine but I reckon its quite hectic to go to the salon each week. So until now the most alluring choice is fake tan from the bottles. Xen-tan and St.Tropez are really appealing and both give great results. But until now till I decide and get some cash lol I'm opting for a mild self tanner. Its the Dove Summer Glow Body Lotion which is a tinted moisturizer. I've tried this last year as well and for the price it works wonders. It's just around 4 euros and after three day of application a difference can be seen. I had tried the shimmering one as well, which I really hated as all the shimmers make you look like a kinder garden freak. There are two shades to choose from, one which is suitable for fair skin and the other for darker skin. I'm supposedly using the 'fair' one however, I tried both and the lightest one didn't really work. Moreover, being a moisturizer it makes your skin the hella smooth & soft!. I def. recommend for these days, getting ready for summer.

Clinique In-depth Review

2008-03-07T01:30:00.000-08:00

So, it's been around three weeks since I started the Clinique three step system. I went trough a lot of different elimination processes as well , so to see what really works best, and I think I finally figured out what works best for me.

So I started using the three products a suggested, the Clinique facial soap, the clarifying lotion and the moisturizer.

The Liquid Facial Soap

I tried both the facial soap bar and the liquid soap. There basically the same but I like the liquid better as its less messier. All this requires is that you lather it up and distribute it all over the face and then wash off. Trough the first times I used this I would get a menthol freshness which made me feel way cleaner. However, now I do get a fresh feeling but I can't really feel the menthol. This is by far the most product which has helped in making my skin smooth. In fact my skin has never felt this smooth. I've come to be so accustomed to this smooth feeling each time I use this, that whenever I skip this step I get the feeling my skin gets 'rough'.

The Clinique Clarifying Lotion

As in regards to the clarifying lotion, I've seen way to much negative reviews. I think that in order for this to work for you, first off you do not have to have too much oily skin. I have combination skin with a dry T-zone and normal cheeks and it works just fine. Moreover its best to apply it using cotton balls not cotton pads, as this helps for a better distribution of the product. I reckon that this is more of an exfoliater than a toner. Many people were complaining about a tingling sensation and redness. I did experience the tingling sensation, especially he first few times I tried this. I felt was face was burning off. However, it tingles less the more times you use it. Moreover, it did not provoke any redness on my face. I tried to apply i t twice once just to see if it provokes any redness , however it did not. But do not rub over and over again, especiince its stripping the skin, I recommend this is used only once evenly on the face. Do not rub this over and over again. I've eliminated this in my routine, just to see what it really does. I haven't been using it for a whole week and I can see that while I was using it, I did not get even one pimple. Now that I'm not using it I got random pimples at times. Hence this is great for achieving clearer skin. However I'll try to use it on weekends only, as this maybe harsh on the skin. If you're still unsure get the mild one instead cause it has no alcohol.

The Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel

At first I thought that the moisturizer does nothing on my skin. However when I eliminated this I was surprised by how much it was keeping my face hydrated. I especially loved this when I used the clarifying lotion, as the latter after it gets absorbed leaves my skin somewhat dry.

The continuous rescue antioxidant moisturizer

Put bluntly, I can't really tell any of the benefits this gives, however I do believe it does protect my skin from gases and maybe I'll get to see its benefits in like 10 years time.

General Overview

The Clinique three step system ain't cheap, but after almost a month using the products, I can say that I've used like a quarter of the products, so they do not run out so fast. Moreover, I do not regret a single cent as they've worked wonders on my skin. I think that you just have to try and adapt the routine according to your skin.

Cost:
Liquid Facial Soap 200ml/ bar soap circa 17 euros
Clarifying Lotion 200ml circa 20 Euros
Dramatically /different Moisturizing Lotion (jar) circa 22 euros

Clean clean cleaner

2008-02-29T13:02:00.000-08:00

So, after months of seeing you tube users cleanse their makeup off with wipes, I decided to give it a try. I usually used Simple skincare to remove makeup, using the eye makeup remover and the cleanser with some facial cotton pads. Using wipes looks so easy and defiantly less time consuming, so again, since I can't really get Mac stuff in here, I opted for Johnson's makeup remover wipes. I thought I still would feel 'grime' at the thought of 'wiping' all makeup, but it didn't. I t just feels clean as much as it used to with the bottles. Moreover, its got toner as well, so it ain't bad. I'll give these a week to see if it causes redness or anything, but I don't think it can cause any problems.

The Dior event

2008-02-29T12:50:00.000-08:00

I got the call, and checked out the Dior Event. Well, I wasn't impressed. I was wrong and the promotional offer is a free Dior cosmetic mini pouch, a mini lippie, a mini lip liner and a GWP sized cleansing milk with every 80 euros spent. This is due to the release of the Spring collection Bloom in Dior. They still haven't got the bronzer/blushers in Malta yet. Well, I hated the lippies, the nail varnishes as well. I did like the Dior flower blossom compact and two lip glosses, but nothing to get crazy about.

Smellin yummy!!

2008-02-29T12:27:00.000-08:00

A few days ago I received the sort of perfume haul. I got the Versace signature fragrance which I haven't used yet, but I was always using the sample and it's just great. And my bf got me the DKNY, be delicious which I'm using almost every day. It's really light & fruity, I'll def repurchase when I'll run out of it.

And, a few days ago he also got me the train case!! YAY!

Dior's Event

2008-02-22T11:51:00.000-08:00

In the next couple of days a Dior event is to be held worldwide in leading stores. I was advised by an MA to wait for this event before dishing out money on Dior's cosmetics. Well, I did some research and most probably this is gonna be the promotion in some world wide stores.
This states buy 3 dior items & get the case for free. I really hope this ain't it though, as I'm not really keen on getting another case and dish money on Dior. I'd rather save my money for some MAC.
I'll post the real deal when I hit the stores.

Missha Skincare

2008-02-22T11:27:00.000-08:00

Their makeup line sucks but apparently their skin care range doesn't.
I loved the bubble bath the most, they have a range of scents and come in metal milk jar shaped packing.

I also tried their body scrub and body soufflé. The portions are quite generous. I've used the scrub a lot and I still got left,apart form the fact I dropped it and wasted like half of it.
I tried their pomegranate lip balm, which really smells good, but that's just it. It doesn't moisturize or anything.
I got the apple body scrub, and its really faithful to its aimed smell. And it does work. It leaves the skin smooth for hours. The boy soufflé I got is the cucumber and yogurt one. I think its so much better than body butters, as they are less sticky smell less and leave a rather fresh feeling to the skin. Their body butters however are not bad at all. Very similar to the body shop with a different range in scents. Moreover the price range is very similar to the body shop as well. Definitely worth every cent.

Brand Spotlight: Missha cosmetics

2008-02-18T10:38:00.000-08:00

As I'm used to say, here in Malta we're quite limited, cosmetic wise. There are only a few stores who basically carry the same brands, mostly Chanel, Guerlain, Dior, Shiseido, and a couple of others. No MAC, no NARS no Stila and so on. Then there's always a selection of drugstore makeup. A couple of years ago Korean brand Missha opened a store here. I think it was the first makeup store carrying a sole brand. Apart from makeup they also carry a skin care line which I think is far way better than their makeup.

Eyeshadows

On the bright side they do carry a fair amount of shades. I managed to swatch all colours and overall their not really pigmented. The once which do have enough colour are the khaki ones. Lasting power is not great but way better than some other drug store brands. Moreover, their price is same as drugstore makeup, so it surely worth a try.
The jar with the blue flower on top is a loose pigment powder. When watched it's a perfect peacock blue with shimmers. However, this is just right to dab. Once you try to blend the color totally disappears. Its pricier than then pan shadows and def. not worth it. If I could choose any other pigment shade I'd pick the white or silver one which I reckon that it would be suitable just for highlighting.

The pen shaped stick is a tip for highlighting, offering a range of mild colors. Not really pigmented as well. I could have passed this on.

Blushes

I managed to swatch most as well, and the warm colors look fairly nice, however the cool once look chalky and way to white. Lasting power is not great as well, maybe around 2-3 hours, at least on me.

I didn't purchase any lip stuff due to the fact that their lip glosses are way too much Stila's lip glazes. I did swatch them but eventually didn't like any of them.
They are now carrying a new makeup line. I swatched the blush and they are way too glittery and without any color at all. Moreover, one thing which I really hated is the rip off of the packing. The new blushes look like the Dior backstage blushes. YSL do have the same packing for their blushes as well, but there are way to similarities in the products to other brands-I figured out similarities with MAC, Stila, Dior, & YSL. I'd rather see new ideas.

The Brushes

Their brushes are pretty cheap, around 10 Euros each and are not bad quality at all. For instance they are not synthetic and provide a fair application. I've purchased two, since I'm still a Mac brush devotee and even if I wanted to purchase more, I doubt I could cause they only have really few brushes on display for sale.
The blush brush is pretty good, it adheres to pigments well and distributes color good enough. However hairs do fall out a lot, especially when washing. But for such a cheap price I can't complain, can I?
On a negative note, the base brush ain't so good-at all. It's way to stingy to use for the eye area, and pigment distribution can do way better. Maybe it's becaude of the harsh, flat ended bristles? I don't know, But the handles are pretty good lol.

Pure Luxe Mineral Makeup

2008-02-15T06:33:00.001-08:00

I've been seeing alot of fotds with pure luxe minerals for quite some time, and in being so cheap and so versatile I thought I'd give them a chance.
I first ordered just 3 samples
sepia eyeshadow
driftwood eyeshadow
nymph blush-which is described as being similar Nars orgasm blush

Pureluxe is great for purchasing sample sizes before dishing cash on full size jars you probably would end up not using.

I really liked the shadows but as far as blushes are concerned I'm not tempted to refill. Lasting power wasn't great, at least on MY skin

Well, I then got a number of other shadows some of which I love, here are their swatches

(click pics to enlarge)

I had misplaced Charisma and totally forgot about it.

I totally love Forest, Jaded, and driftwood for their fab colour and pigmentation. Galaxy is better off foiled however even though foiling these piggies makes the colour pop out, lasting power is reduced like to an hour on my eyes. I've never used peacock and saffron yet, I like bold colours but eventually end up applying neutrals. Pink Champagne and Charisma are great for that 'blended' colours look as they already have a mixture of 2 colours. The most shadow which I recommend is Sepia. I've run out and shall stock up a full size soon. It's a great dark matte green gray colour which teamed up with Jaded is a nice version of a greenish smoky look.

In not being expensive, have an overall good quality and offering world wide shipping I do reccomend pureluxe minerals

Oh my darling Oh my darling Oh my darling Clementine!

2008-02-15T05:41:00.002-08:00

hey all hope you had a good valentine's day, I surely had, I can't remember when I ate so much haha! I received a balloon once again lol and a rose nonetheless! I was so hoping to get that, I still got last year's :p And I had maki & tempura's for the first time :D

Oh well on with the makeup!

So, I was aiming for a minimalistic look. I had disabled flash I sorry about the lighting.

Base

Chanel Matt Lumiere foundation
The Body Shop Pencil Concealer
Chanel Irreelle Blush in Glamour

Eyes

Mac paint in Chiaroscuro-all over lid
Pure Luxe eyeshadow in Cashmere-just for the crease & outer V
Rimmel Kohl in Jet Black
Diorshow mascara

Lips

Vaseline to prime lips
Versace Sensual Feeling lippie in V2052
Chanel Glossimer in Volage

I had posted this already on makeup alley, but well, this is the stash I got as a valentine's gift ^_^ yay!

Chanel glossimer in volage
versace sensual feeling in v2052
Mac Lipglass in clear
Diorkiss in Snowcherry
Stila twinset in pink

And he got even got me the DKNY's Be Delicious. Still waiting for it to arrive though YaY!

Change in skin care regime

2008-02-13T08:21:00.000-08:00

So, I've been using Nivea & Simple skin care for the past year, however, as with Nivea's products they do nothing for my skin, so I ended up focusing on Simple.
For reference, I'm a combination skin type, with a dry t-zone and normal cheeks

I mainly started off by using the facial wash, then the soothing toner and another brand moisturizer. The toner was already one thing..I learnt I have to use a balancing toner rather than a soothing one but I just couldn't find that in here. Well, overall it did no wonders to my skin, I followed the routine twice daily and my skin wasn't as it should have after all the work.

So in order for my skin to completly clear up I've changed the routine.

And so I switched to Clinique.
I hadn't read the reviews on makeup alley before and well, after the purchase I did and overall, clinique has really negative ratings. I trusted clinique though, as all the clinique reps have fine skin , silly I know.. and I did hear good stuff about their prods.
Well, is been two days since I've used the prods twice daily and my skin has already got so smooth!

I got the liquid facial soap and the clarifying lotion in 2, and I received a GWP of the Dramatically different moisturizer and a 'continuous rescue antioxidant moisturizer'
The clarifying lotion was such a pain the first time I tried that, it felt like my face was actually burning and then the sensation was replaced by the freshness of menthol. On the second time however the stinging dramatically decreased and the menthol freshness remained.. and its incredible how much dirt it can remove lol! Well, so far so good, I'll keep you updated!

Heya!! Welcome!

2008-02-13T07:26:00.000-08:00

Hey all!! I'm steffi from tiny tiny Malta in Europe, and finally decided to put something in this blog!

As my interests rely mainly in the art of makeup, fashion and photography, needless to say I'll devote this blog for such. Feel free to email me any suggestions and posts you want to see on glamourette@live.com.

I'll update as often as I can, but I've already got in my to create the following posts:
my makeup collection
my skin care routines
any product spotlight
designer spotlight
reviews on clothing brands
reviews on makeup products

well hope I get some feedback!
Cheers!

steffi xoxo