Review & Swatches: 3INA | Dark Holiday Collection*

Review & Swatches: 3INA | Dark Holiday Collection*

Friday 30 December 2016

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As I already showed you through A Blonde on the Go’s Facebook Page (which you can follow me on here),  3INA just brought out an edgy limited edition collection of deep reds, dark purples and touches of glimmering gold for the holidays. So let me introduce you to the 3INA Dark Holiday Collection! Don’t you just love limited edition collections?!

 The Eyeshadow Palette

The eyeshadow palette is available is two colour palettes namely 100 Smooth Nudes and 101 Party Brights. The palettes are super pigmented, crease free and provide uniform coverage. Something I discovered while using them is that fall out is minimum to none. I would suggest the Smooth Nudes Palette for those of you who love neutral colours however if you’d like to experiment the Party Brights is definitely a good start.

Tip: If you use these shadows wet, you will get an intense metallic eyeshadow, perfect for the festive season. I suggest using this method when applying them with your fingers.

 The Ulti-Matte Lipstick

The Ulti-Matte Lipstick brings a pop of highly pigmented colour to your lips. Its super powder formulation provides maximum staying power. It’s also super matte. It’s definitely a must have for the matte lippie lovers out there. However, I suggest exfoliating your lips before wearing these lipsticks as they tend to stick to dry patches. There are 4 shades available: 600 which is a glittery golden shade, 601 which is a pinkish-red, 602 which is a berry red and 603 which is a more brown-plum red.

The Powder Pearls

This is probably my favourite product! It’s a stunning champagne highlighter; it’s quite pigmented yet subtle and gives the skin a lovely glow. The light-reflecting shimmer is just gorgeous! I love that it illuminates the skin without being shiny – like a glow from within.

The Chubby Blush

I just love these! They come in a twistable tube which you twist up and dab on your cheeks and then blend with your finger. They are quite understated and neutral colours however they are quite long-lasting on the cheeks. There are two shades available: 200 which is a bronze-y shade and 201, a light pink. These will also make a great addition to your spring makeup bag! 

The Glitter Top Coat

The Glitter Top Coat can be applied on your favourite nail polish for a glimmering finish, or in 2 coats to bare nails for an ultimate 3D effect. It’s so glittery! And the pieces of glitter are just big enough, not tiny or make it hard to apply. This will add some sparkle to your festive manicure. Definitely a must have, especially for NYE!

All these products are paraben and cruelty free. In Malta these are now available at the 3INA flagship store at The Point, PAMA Shopping Village in Mosta and Qormi next to Kiabi.

Make sure to get your hands on this limited edition collection before it’s gone!

Hope you’re all having a wonderful festive season!

Love, T

Review: Kandle - Handmade Scented Candles | Christmas Spice*

Review: Kandle - Handmade Scented Candles | Christmas Spice*

Thursday 22 December 2016

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Since I’ve been nearing the end of my bedroom redecoration project, I’ve been very much into finding small items to make it feel more cosy and complete, so what better way (especially at this time of year) than a candle, or in this case Kandle?

Kandle – Handmade Scented Candles is a new local brand. As you’ve probably seen all over social media this company is becoming quite famous amongst us bloggers and therefore amongst the Maltese public. They have over 50 different scents to choose from!

The lovely owner of the brand herself was kind enough to offer me 2 candles and also helped me choose the 2 scents (I take quite a long time to choose, I must admit) however, she’s the sweetest lady and was very patient.

The candle I’ll be talking about today is Christmas Spice.  Now it is scientifically proven that everyone smells things differently (it’s all due to our genes) however for me this candle definitely smells Christmassy. There’s a hint of spices like cinnamon and cloves whilst also having a hint of firewood scent and freshly cut pine. The scent also lingers throughout the house which is something I look for in a candle. It also comes in a nice green colour and in a very sturdy glass container which you can reuse after the candle finishes.

I just love putting it on while I cosy up on the sofa or in bed while watching a Christmas movie! It just evokes holiday cheer!

You can follow Kandle – Handmade Scented Candles here. They also do personalized candles, candle hampers, candle souvenirs and candle melts. You can contact them either through a Facebook Message or through an email: mykandle@outlook.com.  

Until the next one!

Love, T

Review & Swatches: 3INA*

Review & Swatches: 3INA*

Sunday 18 December 2016

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A while back I posted about 3INA, a new makeup brand that has reached our shores. If you want to read about the brand, than read my post here. Today I’m reviewing some of the products that can be found in their stores.

The Cream Eyeshadow in 305

Let me start this review with my favourite product of out the haul – the 3INA Cream Eyeshadow. The texture of this eyeshadow is AMAZING! It’s so creamy and pigmented, it will blow your mind. Once dry, it’s very long lasting. The glass jar it comes in will last you a long time because a little bit goes a long way. It also serves 2 purposes; you can use it as an eyeshadow (I suggest applying it with your fingers and then blending the outer part with a transition colour using a brush) and you can also use it with an angled brush and apply it as an eyeliner. Overall, this is a must have product from the brand and if you only had to pick one item from this haul, this should be it!

The Blush in 100

This is a lovely creamy yet lightweight blush which applies beautifully. This subtle peachy shade gives you a natural looking flush – definitely the perfect shade for when you want that no makeup look. The packaging is super sleek and sturdy which is always a plus.

The Longwear Lipstick in 508

The formula of this lipstick is very lightweight and it applies very nicely on the lips. It applies almost as a lip gloss at first but then it dries completely matte! You can eat and drink and it stays put – definitely lives up to the name. Also a plus is that it doesn’t crack on the lips so although it is a matte formula, it doesn’t dry out the lips.

 The Eye Pencil in 200

This is a creamy, pigmented eye liner which can be used for both the top lash line and on the waterline. It’s very long-lasting and can be smudged for that smokey-eye look however you have to be fast as it dries down and then it won’t budge. A bonus to this eyeliner is the smudge sponge on the end of the pencil which comes in handy.

 The Colour Mascara in 101

For people like me who don’t really use other mascaras other than the usual black, this mascara makes a good start for crawling out of the colour comfort zone to something a bit different. The shade I have is a dark blue which can look black from afar however if you take a closer look, you can see that it’s a very pretty shade of blue. The brush is amazing at coating all your lashes and the formula doesn’t clump, which is fantastic! 

Using the Cream Eyeshadow, the Blush and the Eye Pencil mentioned above, I created the following look. Below you can also find the swatches of the products reviewed.

All of these products can be found at 3INA – Pama Shopping Mall, Qormi & Tigne Point.

Thanks for reading!

Love, T

Review & Swatches: BeYu Cosmetics | It's all about the base

Review & Swatches: BeYu Cosmetics | It's all about the base

Tuesday 13 December 2016

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It’s time for another BeYu instalment and this time we’re covering the base!

BeYu Velvet Mat Foundation
I’m starting off with a product I’ve been using for the past 6 months or so. To remind you, I have combination skin with an oily t-zone and drier patches around the outer parts of my face. While browsing, I ended up choosing this foundation because it's oil free and gives that perfectly matte finish, and since I needed it for everyday wear, the price was just right. It gives the face a smooth and soft finish almost like cashmere and it also prevents the skin from getting greasy quickly. It also gives a medium coverage which I love, however if you want a more sheer finish, you can mix it with other foundations and it still works great. I like applying it with the BeYu Beauty Sponge* (I believe that this would make a good dupe for the beauty blender although I do not own it).  Personally, I did not find any faults in this product so it’s a definite re-purchase for me!

Cover & Clear Spot Stick
The next product I purchased with the foundation was the Cover & Clear Spot Stick (which I forgot to photograph). I use this product to cover single blemishes; I apply it directly to the spot and blend it with the rest of my foundation. It’s pencil form gives you great manipulation thus you can apply it exactly wherever you need it and it covers the spot perfectly. It also includes anti-inflammatory and disinfecting salicylic acid so at the same time you’re covering the blemish, you're also treating it and not inflaming it more.

The final product I'll be talking about in this post is the Sun Glow Bronzer*. This gives a nice, warm glow to the face; it’s a great product to use during the wintery months, to give that summer glow back to your skin. It also has tiny specs of sheer glitter which add to the glow. It provides that natural tanned look while protecting your skin with its SPF 15 factor.

 (Top to Bottom: Velvet Mat Foundation, Cover and Clear Spot Stick and Sun Glow Bronzer)

 Makeup look using all 3 products mentioned above

BeYu Cosmetics can be found in all Franks Outlets

So this concludes my post for today!

Hope you’re enjoying these instalments!

Love, T

Review & Swatches: Flormar | Comfort Zone Collection*

Review & Swatches: Flormar | Comfort Zone Collection*

Friday 9 December 2016

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Today I will be starting a new brand spotlight series in which I will be reviewing products from Flormar. I will be doing a number of installments in which I will be focusing on products from the brand and share my thoughts on them. 

Let me start by giving you a little bit of background on Flormar. It is an established makeup brand that originated in 1970s and set up its base in Turkey. It offers over a hundred million products, so you are definitely bound to find something that satisfies your makeup and also skincare needs. What is interesting about Flormar is that prior to 2008 it was not an internationally-known brand, as it kept its operations within Turkey. However, in the last 8 years, its growth has been substantial, so much so that it currently boasts around 700 stores in 19 countries worldwide including 2 in Malta.

Let’s move onto the reviews and swatches. All of these products are part of the Comfort Zone Collection. 

1. Cozy Quartet Eyeshadow in 04 Smoky Dreams

Although I'm not very keen on the colours (I don't feel that greys suit me), the shadows in term of texture and blendability are AMAZING! As you can see, they are so pigmented and I would describe them as velvety-matte. They blend like a dream, and I experienced no fall out when using them. There are a total of 4 Cozy Quartet Eyeshadow Palettes in Comfort Zone Collection. 

2. Smooth Touch Compact Powder in 04 Ivory

I'm not usually one to wear compact powders, however I fell in love with this one. As I said in previous posts, I experience constant breakouts and blemishes thus coverage is a must for me. This powder helps me seal over the foundation and gives a little bit more coverage where I need it to. Plus, it keeps my face matte, which is my usual preference. It applies beautifully and doesn't leave you with that powdery, cakey look. 

3. Oversize Lipstick Pencil in 05 Comfy Red

This is my favourite product out of the 3. It's the perfect red, and so comfy on the lips. Due to its shape, it serves both as a lipliner and a lipstick. It's creamy on the lips like no other. It will definitely be one of my most used lipstick this month; perfect for Christmas! 

These products can be found at Flormar Paola or St.Julians (opposite Baystreet). The staff is very friendly and most importantly knowledgeable about the products, so they can assist you with whatever you require :)  

Have you ever tried any products from Flormar? I would love to know what your favourite products are!

Love, T

OOTD: Blanket Scarves & Ankle Boots

OOTD: Blanket Scarves & Ankle Boots

Tuesday 6 December 2016

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December is upon us and it’s finally getting colder in Malta! I love colder weather, especially now that Christmas is approaching (Eeek! Don’t get me started about how excited I am for Christmas!) Back to our topic, I haven’t done an outfit post in a while now so I thought why not get back to doing them?

Colder weather equals as the perfect opportunity to take out our beloved scarves and boots and wrap up warm. I went for the comfiest pair of black leggings which I got a couple of months ago from Zara and an off-white knitted sweater from Orsay. To add a layer (so I keep warm), I wrapped the cosiest blanket scarf I own around me and matched it with this gorgeous ankle boots from Boohoo which I was gifted. Due to the fact that the scarf is sort of an accessory in itself, I decided to not wear any jewelry so I stuck to my Daniel Wellington watch.

I would say that this falls under casual-chic; definitely not all glammed up but perfect for a Sunday out! 

 Wearing : Leggings – Zara | Top – Orsay | Shoes –Boohoo | Scarf – H&M | Bag – Vintage | Watch : Daniel Wellington

Until next time!

Love, T