Virtual Consultation with Max Factor

Posted in Beauty, In your 40s by Joanna Malefaki

Hi everyone,

A couple of weeks ago I got a tweet from Max Factor saying that I had won a virtual consultation with a Max Factor makeup artist. Yay. Today I am going to share with you what Mari Jelle (the Max Factor makeup artist) told me. Her top tips regarding contouring.

The Consultation

So Max Factor suggested some times for the Skype consultation and I chose to have mine during my lunch break. I had to find a quiet room which I did and waited for them to call me on Skype. The makeup artist, Marie, was so pleasant and smiley, so I immediately felt comfortable. She asked me what I’d like to learn about or talk about and of course I said,

” contouring”

She sat close to the camera and asked me a few questions about what products Iuse to contour and what brush. I told her (Toofaced Cocoa Contour Palette and a Sephora brush). She then showed me what other kinds of brushes I could use.

Marie’s Top Tips.

Start from almost the top of your ear and stop close to your eye.
After contouring, add your blush.
When you blend your contour you should move your brush upwards. Always go up, not down.
When applying bronzer, start with your forehead and move to all the places where the sun would ” catch you”.
Highlighter goes above your cheek bones, nose, above your lip’s cupid bow and some on the chin (just a bit).
Blend everything carefully. If you do not blend you will be left with lines and we don not want lines. Uh-uh .
If you make mistakes, you can “correct” them by using your powder.

We spent about 25 minutes chatting. She also showed me some of the Max Factor products. It was a great experience and I am thankful for this opportunity to talk to someone who works at a brand’s headquarters.

I love contouring. I have seen a change in the way my makeup looks and am now a contouring addict.

So, that’s all for now. Don’t forget to subscribe (check my sidebar on how to do that) and connect with me on Pinterest / Twitter/ Instagram/Google+.

See you soon.

xxx

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This is not a sponsored post

16Aug2016

A weekend in Newcastle: food, drinks and earrings

Posted in In your 40s, Travelling by Joanna Malefaki

If you are a fan of a fun night out from places with amazing decor to more chilled out pubs, and if you like vibrant city center and friendly people or finally if you are looking for a place to spend bank holiday weekend or any weekend, then you should read this post.

When I talk about Newcastle, I am a little bit biased cause I have really great memories there. That’s where I got my first job at a UK uni, I made my first English friends. Friends I am still in touch with and well, it is a great place, close to my heart. A couple of weeks ago I went there for a hen do. One of my friends invited me and of course I decided to go. So, today’s post is about what I did during the weekend in Newcastle.

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Hotel

I stayed at the Holiday Inn in Jesmond. I had stayed there before and I liked the rooms. I became a ‘club’ member and this gave me an extra discount. The metro station is quite close to the hotel, but I used a taxi quite a bit and paid about 4-5 pounds to go to the center. The room I stayed in was spacious and the best thing is that everything in the fridge is complimentary (water, juice, kit kat).

Food & cocktails

Passing Clouds

On the first night, I went to this new bar/ restaurant called Passing Clouds. Very beautiful inside. There was live music and real yummy cocktails. There is also an outdoor seating area and we sat there. I strongly recommend this place. Check out the pictures below.

Kafeneon (Greek restaurant)

That was a funny place to go for food (I am Greek), but in the end, the food was yummy, atmosphere was great and the price was good as well. You should check this place out if you are a fan of the Greek cuisine.

Lola Jeans

Now, on to my favourite.This is probably the prettiest, most plush place I have been to during the summer. The food was tasty and the cocktails were delicious and sooooooo different. And yes, the drink in the tea cup is a cocktail called China Rose.

Browns

This is a bar/ restaurant. I went for food there. Had a delicious starter with mushrooms and a burger. Very tasty and great environment. Not too loud for a Sunday dinner.

Shopping

I walked around Eldon Square which is a big mall in the center of Newcastle. You can find almost all the mainstream stores there. The only thing I bought is this cute pair of earrings from Accessorize.

Hen Do

Oh!! This was so fun. Part of the hen do was at Lola jeans. We went to the bride to be house and played games. Had a laugh. Then we went for drinks to Durham. It was great to do some bar hopping in Durham!!

So there you have it loves, my weekend in Newcastle.

If you like reading about beauty, makeup, reading haul posts and first impressions, but you also like to check out places I go to, then don’t forget to subscribe to my blog. Also, why not connect on social media and be best buds Pinterest / Twitter/ Instagram/Google+. . Have you been to Newcastle? Any suggestions about where else I need to go?

6Aug2016

Reality vs. expectations

Posted in In your 40s, Thoughts by Joanna Malefaki

One of my favourite scenes is the split screen scene in 500 days of summer. If you haven’t watched it yet, you need to. It’s actually one of my favourite romantic movies.

I have been thinking quite a lot for the past few days about how expectations can be great or high or how you can have none or low. As a cynic, I am more on the no/ low expectations side of the spectrum, especially when it comes to matters of the heart. In romance we tend to build someone up, expect a lot, day dream, have little hearts float out of our eyes like a cartoon character, and then get struck by the reality that, “well, em, he’s alright”. The latter is actually a good case scenario. The worst case scenario is getting hurt because our expectations did not become our reality and our hopes are just shattered.

But why do we have so many high expectations? Why is it that when you first meet someone you think, “He’s perfect. I want to make babies now” and then the bubble bursts or we fall off the pink cloud. Reality hits us and we realise that he is just a boy and we are just a girl.

My philosophy is expect shit and it can only be better. That way,

When you go on a first date, you don’t feel that nervous.

When he doesn’t call, you do not have a panic attack.

When the first kiss, is not what you expected, it’s all good.

When you have no expectations, it can only be better.

Now you may ask, ” C’mon expect the worst, for better to come?”

Hell yeah!!That’s my philosophy and mine alone. I ain’t here to persuade you that I have the answer to matters of the heart, cause I do not. This is my blog, so I say my thoughts. The comments section is where you get to say your thoughts and can tell me off if you wish to.

So, back to my ode to expecting nothing in order to get something. I think that in today’s society we expect romance and love to be perfect. It isn’t. We expect to meet the one. And he does not exist. In my mind, there are many ones and those ones come around at different times and if you miss the momentum then tough. We read magazines about what our significant other should do. What is acceptable and what unacceptable. The ’10 things that show that he is Mr Perfect’ (Cosmo for the young ones and Marie Claire/ Elle for the older ones. I am talking to you!). We watch romcoms that show men running to the air port in order to find the one. Going after ‘serendipity’ and serendipity actually happening. And yada, yada, yada. We create an atmosphere of ‘great’ expectations and then reality hits ya! So, yeah, next time you meet someone, keep the bar low. It can only get better. Do not expect the moon or the sun. Expect a ray and take an umbrella just in case!

A zillion words later, a blog post full of gibberish.

I am holding a giveaway, you may want to enter. You actually should if you read till the end of this post. Thanks for stopping by. I’d love to hear where you stand regarding expectations high/low or no……

Reality vs. expectation

Catch ya later.

Joanna

24Jul2016

No7 eye shadows: 1st impressions

Posted in Beauty, Being colourblind, Hauls, In your 40s by Joanna Malefaki

Hi everyone,

I did a bit of shopping a few days ago. I wanted to try some of the eye shadows and eye shadow crayons from No7 at Boots. So, I went to Sheffield city center and walked into that Boots.

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A very helpful sales assistant helped me choose what to get and also wrote down all the colour for me on a piece of paper which was so helpful. (shout out to the Boots sales assistant cause I am colourblind and I need all the help I can get!).

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Stay Perfect Eye shadow

I got two. Each one costs £7. I got the shades Truffle which is a brown/ orange colour and the shade mink which is a brown / silver/grey shadow. I have not worn them yet. The pay off is quite good but I think I prefer the crayons cause the pigment is better. Not much fall out though. According to the Boots website, this is

very blendable

But don’t quote me on that cause I do not know!

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Stay Perfect Shade and define Crayon

I got Pink Pearl which is a light pink ( shimmery) and Gunmetal Grey which is a grey/ blue (shimmery).They cost £8 each. I have worn these eye shadow crayons and they are very long lasting. They dry quickly, so you should blend as soon as possible. They do not budge. The packaging is much better than other eye shadow crayons (e.g. y Burberry one). It is not flimsy. You twist the top to get more product. These crayons are supposed to be dupes for the By Terry eye crayons.

Keep in mind that the 3 for 2 sale was on,so you pay for 2 and get the cheapest product for free.

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Swatches

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From top to bottom

Pink Pearl (crayon)

Gunmetal Grey (crayon)

Mink (eye shadow)

Truffle (eye shadow)

No7 Beautiful Skin Eye Make up Remover

I also got the Eye Makeup Remover and tried it on the spot. It did take a few wipes to take off the crayon, but it did without having to rub my eyes. They eye shadow came off straight away with this eye makeup remover. It does not leave your eyes feeling too oily, but you do have a sense of oil on your lids after using it. Nothing a bit of water does n’t get rid of. Also the top of the bottle is quite big so be careful of spillage and wasting the product. My first attempt was really messy.

So, have you tried any of these products? Any suggestions on a product I should try from the N07 line? Please let me know in the comment section below.OH! Don’t forget to follow my blog or connect with me. Talk soon.

Joanna

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16Jul2016

Book Review: Billy and Me

Posted in Books, In your 40s by Joanna Malefaki

I went to WHSmith the other day and got my first summer read. I actually picked this particular book up, saw the title “Billy and Me” and thought to myself, ” Hey a book about ❤ <3. I might wanna check this out”. Then I put it down again cause it had a picture of Zoelia (popular 20 something YouTuber). Me talking to myself again, ” Hmmm will I really like this?”Anyways, I ignored the fact that this was part of Zoe’s book club (just to be clear, I have nothing against her. I actually like watching her videos, but was a bit skeptical about having the same taste in books). Anyhoo, 500 words later, I am telling you that I actually got the book Billy and Me by Giovanna Fletcher and will be reviewing it today.

Book Review Billy and me.jpg

Plot

This is book about a girl who works in a coffee shop, loves Pride and Prejudice, and meets a boy who is actually a famous movie star. They fall in love and yeah. Basically, boy meets girl, they fall in love, have a fight and…….

Key questions about the book

Was it a page turner?

Hmmm well, I read it in about 5 nights, so I guess I can say, “sure!”

What did I like about the book?

Well, the interview of the author was great. I loved it even more than the actual book. The book is an easy read. What I mean is, you read it and relax. A bit predictable. There is a ‘secret’ which makes you wonder when/ how it will play out. I did not laugh whilst reading though nor was I extremely anxious about what would happen next.But it was a fun read, so let’s put it in the category of beach reads.

What did I not like about the book?

The fact that it was a bit more light was not a problem. I was actually wanting that. I did put my ‘teacher hat’ on though and in the beginning could not get over the fact that there was poor editing and the punctuation in the first chapter was so bad (loads of commas missing in conditional clauses- yeah… dorky reader, I know!).

Should I get the book, Joanna?

Yeah! Sure! Go for it! It is not Chomsky, but it is fun for the summer!

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So, there you have it. I have bought a few books, so I will be reviewing them during the summer. If you would like me to check out your book, feel free to email me (check the About page).

Coming up or a peek at my UK bookshelf

Reviews pending (really looking forward to reading the Amy Cuddy book).

Subscribe to my blog if you liked what you read. It does put a smile on my face. Maybe give my Facebook page a ‘like’ so you can get notifications of when I post? Connect with me on Pinterest / Twitter/Instagram/Google+.

Talk soon!

Joanna

14Jul2016

Makeup tips for gals who have ‘bad eyesight’

Posted in Beauty, Being colourblind, In your 40s, Thoughts by Joanna Malefaki

Hi!!!

Today I am going to share with you some makeup tips on how to apply makeup if you have difficulty seeing. I have various eye problems. I am colourblind, I am short sighted and a few more things. All this makes my vision quite problematic, but I have found solutions to help me wear makeup even though I cannot see that well. You see for many years, I did not wear eye makeup or contoured cause I was scared I’d look like a freakin clown, but now I am more comfortable wearing it, and I do do quite well!! So, here goes. My words of wisdom!

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Tip Number 1

Sure, you don’t want to be asking for help all the time when shopping but you kinda have to, so this is me giving you a nudge and telling you. Also, the beautician/ sales assistants job is to help you choose makeup

You need help, so don’t be shy. Just ask.

Tip Number 2

A friend in need, is a friend indeed. Go makeup shopping with someone you trust and a girlfriend whose makeup look you like!! She will deffo be able to give you good advice on what to buy and if it suits you or if you are applying it well. I have D for that. I always go makeup shopping with her!!!

OK!! If you are shy and do not want to ask for help or if no one is around, then time for tip number 3

Look up reviews of whatever you are thinking of buying then and there (Deirdre taught me that too!!). What d I mean? True story: I was in Boots today and saw a lipstick by Rimmel called Vintage Pink, so I thought, “OK! It is pink (dah!!) and vintage (?!?!?!?!)” So, I went online in Boots and googled Rimmel Vintage Pink reviews and loads of stuff came up. What I needed came up as well. The actual description of the colour (mauve), so I got it. Google was my bestie in this case!!

Practice makes perfect

When you are home and have some makeup on, try out the new looks you want to try. That way you will have a trial and see if a look works for you or if you will totally mess up. Trying the ‘new look’ before an important date etc. will save you from a lot of misery if something goes wrong on the actual time you will need this look.

Also, use Pinterest to find makeup looks you like and then blow up the pictures so they are bigger. Same of course applies to blog posts with pictures.

Get your makeup done professionally and learn

Whenever I hear that a makeup artist can do my makeup for me, I go for it. I ask them what they use on me and if I need anything I buy it. They also give great tips and some times guide you on how to do your makeup yourself!

Applying Makeup

Keep it simple

Sure you like to use loads of stuff on your face and imitate what you see online, but it is not that easy. That’s why I always choose simple makeup looks that don’t require a lot of combinations and blending.I also avoid shades that are too dark because mistakes are not forgiven in these cases. Extra tip: Applying makeup on the eyes is harder than other stuff that’s why I focus more on the lips. Bolder lip and simple eye look.

Get your makeup done by a professional (here: Burberry did my brows/ eyes)

Measure

If you decide to use different eye shadows on your eyes, it is a good idea to ‘measure’ where one shade stops and the other begins. That way you will avoid having too much of one shadow on one eye and less on the other. I use my iris as a compass or even like a little ruler/pencil something to give me a sense of length. Applying makeup is like maths. I have also found counting brush strokes very helpful. So, I apply a bit of blush on one cheek and apply the same on the other one. If I use my blush brush two time on one cheek, I use it two times on the other.And again ‘measuring’. Where did I stop with my blush? Where did I use bronzer. Loads of geometry!!

Some people use sticky tape, a post-it note or a business card where they want their eye makeup to stop. You can try that and see if it works for you (I don’t do that).

A magnifying mirror may also help cause it gives you a close up of whatever you are doing to your face!! It is also great when you are ding your brows!!

Extra tip: I also use eye shadows that are in sticks/ pencils. They do not have fall out like eye shadows do. You will not have eye shadow under your eyes! Brands that do this: Lancome, Clinique, Makeupforever, Bourjois, No7 and many more. Makeup forever, Lancome and No7 make eye-shadow pencils that do not budge. They are quite permanent.

For the CB gal

CB (aka Colourblind). Well, apart from everything else I have mentioned, something I do is I label all my makeup products and write the colour on the packaging. Sure, the lipstick looks a bit odd but it is very helpful!!

Also, do a bit of research into your colours. Find out if you have a cool or warm skin tone and what shades match your skin. Once you have that information, go shopping :).

Brands that are good with colour descriptions

Well, I bought a TooFaced Contouring palette that has the colour written on top, so I know which shade is dark and what is light. There is also a pamphlet that shows you what you are supposed to use where.

palette

Clinique does some eye shadow pencils that have the name of the colour on them. So does Bourjois. You may want to check them out. Number 7 at Boots has single eye shadows and some of them have the proper name on them, others don’t.

pencil

Unfortunately, makeup companies do not really care about us colourblind girls and insist on naming their products with random names instead of the proper ones, so girls,hope these tips help you out. If you have any other suggestions, please let me know.

Me against cosmetics companies

I feel like a gal on a mission :). I have sent loads of tweets to the biggest cosmetics companies regarding their products and how they name them, but nothing has come of it. Unfortunately, I do not have a zillion followers, so I do not count. It is kind of a discrimination, don’t you think?

BUT

I did approach Essie (they actually replied!) and asked if they would do a line that would name the nail polish based on the colour like red for…. red! But nothing happened. L’oreal Mexico made a lipstick commercial that focused on the CB male who saw his partner’s red lippie for the first time which is quite cool, of course when I asked what about the cb gals? Nothing.

FYI I have not found a single company that gives great colour descriptions. If you have, please let me know in the comments below! I will keep trying!!

So, there you have it ladies some ideas/ tips on how to wear makeup when your eyesight is not that grand. Do you have any other tips?

Happy makeup-ing ❤ ❤

*In the mood for shopping makeup? Check out Beauty Bar

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(This is an affiliate link. You do not pay extra for your purchase, you just help me keep this blog going xx Thank you xx)

Joanna

9Jul2016

June (ish) Favourites: The UK edition

Posted in Hauls, In your 40s, Uncategorized by Joanna Malefaki

Hi everyone!!

Time to talk about all the things I loved in June and I am going to focus on the things I liked in the UK cause well, that’s where I am and will be for quite a while. So, without further ado, let’s do this!!

June Favourites

Beauty/Fashion

Sleek Matte lip creams

I really liked them. I have two and I reviewed them here.

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Multi Palette

I got this palette a while ago and have been using it all month. I use the blush and the bronzer a lot. It is quite subtle and excellent if you tend to be a bit heavy handed. I ❤ it!

Palette

Too Faced Cocoa Contour

I love it. I have been contouring for quite a while now and I do not go anywhere without contouring first. So, this was definitely worth the money. I tend to use the contouring shade and the banana shade a bit more than the other two.

Bag

I got this really nice bag from Oasis. It is black suede and then there is a bit of black leather as well. It has a silver chain. It is a lovely bag and it fits all the necessary things!

The mug

My flatmate got me this cute mug from poundland and it is really nice. The ‘label’ says it all. I, of course, drink coffee!

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Top

I got the Jasper Conran top from Debenhams. It is a bit loose and with an interesting shoulder. I love it!

Whilst in London

I stayed at the Holiday Inn Oxford circus. I stayed for 2 nights and paid 155 pounds for both nights (twin room-breakfast included). It is right behind Debenhams on Oxford Street. Great location. I also got the concierge service and was picked up from the airport, so no hassle with luggage or trying to find the train etc. etc.

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I also visited the National Portrait Museum while in London. You really should check it out. I was a bit hesitant in the beginning, but I really liked it.There are a lot of interesting portraits and a dj was playing music so it was really great! The coffee shop in the museum is really nice as well.

Uber

My friend and I took advantage of the my Uber partnership and started using Uber. It is really cheap and in fact the price for a taxi was almost the same as the price for the underground! So, if you sign up for the first time, you are entitled to a free ride up to £15.
The code is MYPINKRAMBLES and you sign up here: www.uber.com/invite/mypinkrambles Uber is available in London, Sheffield, Newcastle, Bristol, Birmingham and all major UK cities.

MYPINKRAMBLES

TV show I have been watching

This is interesting. I watched the Girlfriend experience which is about a law student who decides to become an escort. The director is Soderbegh. There is some nudity etc. but it is very interesting to see the character development and the direction is another reason I liked it.

Song

Sia Cheap Thrills. It’s a beat. I like it!

So, that’s about it. I could go on forever with this post, but I cannot cause I want to write other posts!!! Let me know if you have tried any of these products or if you have anything to recommend!!

June Favourites

Thanks for reading! Don’t forget to follow my blog or connect with me on my social media. Check my sidebar and see how we can become ‘friends’.

Have a nice weekend.

xxx

Joanna

26Jun2016

Makeup and toiletry (UK mini haul)

Posted in Beauty, Hauls, In your 40s by Joanna Malefaki

Hi Loves!

Back with another mini/not that mini haul.I have been in Sheffield for a week now and since I will spend all summer here, I need stuff (or so I tell myself). I did a bit of makeup/ toiletry shopping and I am going to tell you what I got and first impressions.

L’oreal

I repurchased Infallible (mattifying foundation). This is my 3rd tube. It is long lasting (although you may need to touch up after some hours) and it has good coverage. It is my go to everyday makeup. I love it. I also got a new mascara. This one is called Hippie and it is supposed to give me ultra mega giga volume (waterproof). I like the L’oreal mascaras and I always buy new ones to try them out!

Super Facalist by Una Brennan

My friend Deirdre bought me this pre-cleansing stage facial oil because I really like rose- scented products. You put the oil in your palms, rub your palms a bit and then apply to your face. You give the oil some time to start breaking your makeup and then remove it with a damp towel. I have only used it once. It feels nice, but I need to give it a few more tries before I have an opinion. Deirdre really likes it and I always agree with her on makeup, so I think this one will be a winner (also the reviews online are great!).

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Deirdre also got me a nail polish from Rimmel in the colour Rose Libertine 405 (beautiful rose/ pink) and those really cool nail polish remover pots where you pop your finger in the pot and the nail polish comes off! It’s from Boots.

Aussie

I got the Miracle Hairspray volume and hold. Another friend recommended this,. I haven’t tried it yet, so no idea if it gives volume. According to S., it does, so let’s see!! I have tried Aussie products in the past and in general I like them.

Batiste Dry Shampoo

People have mixed feelings about this one, but for me it works fine. Yes, it may leave a bit of white residue, but if you rub or move your hair a bit, it goes away. I got the scent cherry and I use this dry shampoo when my hair is a it oily and needs some jazzing up.

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Sleek lip creams

I am still loving them. You can read the full review of the lippies here.

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Bourjois

I got a single eye shadow to use as a base all over the lid. I got the shade Ingenude 01 which is a cream/beige/subtle gold hue.

Organic Surge

I went to TKMaxx and got a more fancy body wash. This is by the brand Organic Surge and I love the scent. It is supposed to be an invigorating body wash and the smell is so nice. Citrus Mint. That’s all I have to say. I really like it. 20160626_114118-1 (1)

So, that’s all!!Have you tried any of these products? Any thoughts? Any suggestions on what I need to try whilst in the UK. I have at least 3 months of shopping ahead <3<3 . I will be back with a new post some time soon (clothes and home-wear haul).

Time to beg for followers. Subscribe to my blog if you liked what you read. It does put a smile on my face. Maybe give my Facebook page a ‘like’ so you can get notifications of when I post? Connect with me on Pinterest / Twitter/ Instagram/Google+.

Have a lovely Sunday!!

Talk soon.

xxx

20Jun2016

Product Review:Sleek Matte Me Lip Creams

Posted in Beauty, Hauls, In your 40s by Joanna Malefaki

Hi everyone!!

I am in the UK at last!! No more hot summer weather!! I will be working hard, but will have some time to pop onto here and share with you guys all the lovely stuff going on in England. So, let’s begin. Last weekend I was in London with my friend D. We ❤ ❤ makeup and always end up buying loads of makeup we do not need of course! We were staying close to Oxford street and on Oxford street there is a very big Boots and we went in. My friend D. noticed that one of the sales assistants was wearing a really nice lippie and asked her what it was.

Sleek

said the sales assistant and both D and I said,

Sleek does lipsticks? We need to check them out!

and we did. I got two Mate Me lip creams. One is called ‘Birthday suit’ and it is a nude/pink/peach. I also got ‘Shabby chic’ which is a plum colour. They cost 4.99.

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Time to review

Let’s see what Sleek says about this product.

Matte Me is a matte finish liquid lipstick that glides on in one smooth application

Yes, it is matte, it does glide on, but I did need more than one application.

The light as air texture provides you with comfortable wear for hours, that doesn’t cake, flake or dry out, ensuring long lasting colour all day.

It feels drying on the lips after a bit. It doesn’t cake or flake. I want to point out though that Birthday suit, which is the nude colour, needed reapplying and did fade away after some hours. Shabby chic on the other hand, was more long lasting, so maybe this has to do with the colour/ formulation of the products.

Other random info

Packaging

The lip cream comes in a plastic container. You can see the colour of the lip cream. It does not look that expensive. The dope foot is just the right size and I like it!

They sell quickly

Now this is interesting.We walked into Boots in the morning and I got ‘Shabby chic’ only. Later on in the day, I tried ‘Birthday suit’ I wanted it, so I had to get it! We went back to Boots in the afternoon and they were almost sold out!! These beauties sell quickly!!!!

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Would I repurchase?

Yes, especially if Sleek comes out with new shades.

Would I recommend buying it?

Deffo!!!

So, that’s all lovelies!

Talk soon

30May2016

My May favourites: beauty, fashion and random

Posted in Beauty, In your 40s, Monthly favourites, Travelling by Joanna Malefaki

Hey everyone time for May favourites! In this post you will find all the things fashion, beauty and random I loved this month!! So let’s start.

Beauty

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Multi Purpose Palette

I ❤ this palette. It is gorgeous!! There is a highlighter, a blush, and a bronzer. My fave is the highlighter. It is worth the splurge girls. For a full review press here.

Palette

TooFaced Cocoa Contour

I have been non-touring for a while now (cause I didn’t know how to contour, not cause I am a trend setter :P), but I bought and have been using the Cocoa Contour palette and I think I am getting quite good at it. I like it. In Greece it retails for 36 euro.

Sephora Kabouki Brush

I got the Pro Contour Kabuki Brush 82 which is dummy proof (newbie) and it sits right where you want it to when contouring. Retails for 25 euros ( I know…..).

Clinique Chubby Stick for eyes

If you have difficulties seeing (like me), you should give eye shadow pencils/ sticks a shot cause you can ‘feel’ where you are applying the shadow. You have more control of your eyeshadow when it is a stick. I saw that Clinique had a shadow tint for the eyes (in the Chubby stick line) and bought the stick in the number 04 ample amber. I love it!! I am going to get a few more colours cause they are so easy to use and more on the buttery feel side. It is also inexpensive! In Greece it costs 16 euro ( we always have sales as I have said a zillion times).

Random beauty tip: If you wear glasses like me, and you want your eyes to ‘pop’ you should apply in the middle of your lid a champagne-y shadow.

Fashion

My Kurt Geiger Bag

I have been wearing it quite a lot the past month. I really like it. For a full review press here.

Bag

Top

I got this from Mark and Spencer’s. You can wear it day and night. Dress up and down. I love the sleeves with the ladder- like cut outs.

Earrings

I have loads of earrings and this month I added a few to my collection. The ones on the left are from Claire’s and on the right from Anna Mazaraki.

Cardigan

I got this cardigan from Zara and I have been loving it. It is soft and warm enough for a chilly summer night.

Random

Frappe

It’s summer time in Greece and time for my fave coffee, frappe. Forget about what you knew, we are talking about the real thing. Greek Frappe! I will tell you how we make it . So, you need instant coffee (spray-dried). I use Nescafe. You need sugar and milk (if you take sugar and milk in your coffee. So, I use a spoonful of Nescafe, a spoonful of sugar, water and then use the coffee whisk mixer to mix them and create froth. You then add water and ice and…. enjoy your frappe!