Scrapbooking... the right way to do it!

I've been doing scrapbooks all my life. I'm kinda of an hoarder plus I love stationery so not that unusual that I also want to collect every little piece of paper/crap that can sparkle a wee memory. I started with films, then came the Take That phase, the clothes/fashion phase... and the rest is history (and there's at least 1 album to testify for every mania of mine!)

I was recently looking into getting an album for my Amsterdam trip when I came across the Smash* scrapbooks... and they are the coolest thing that I have ever seen!

The albums come in a couple of different sizes, different colours & themes; inside they have some 'decorated' pages and ordinary ones to add all your stuff. You also get a pen, where one side is a pen and the other is a glue stick.

Then you can buy an unlimited number of adds-on, of course; I think they are pretty reasonable - between  £1.99 and £5.99 (I think the album was £12/14). They do cute mini post it, washi tapes, envelopes to store your most precious items, tabs, clips... really anything possible to prettify your album even more. :)

ummm, I think maybe I went a bit overboard but I couldn't decide... now, I can't wait to start putting the album together!!!

Do you enjoy scrapbooking... or you're just too cool??! ;P

Introducing / Deborah Milano

Deborah Milano reminds me of being a teenager and go grocery shopping with my mum; their products have been available in Italy for many years and it's a staple high street brand, sold in supermarkets too. So in those first years of experimenting with eyeshadows and lipliners, I would treat myself to some new make up once in a while... good times! ;)
Deborah Milano's recently arrived on the UK market too and  now available at your fingertips on http://www.deborahmilano.co.uk/

Deborah Milano Shine Creator Lipstick in 16 Pearly Plum* is a beautiful purple with a glossy finish.

 I wouldn't normally wear these kinda of shades because I thought they are a bit too 'gothic' for me but the sheer consistency actually, makes it not so scary and an interesting substitute to an everyday pink lip. 

Bang - I absolutely love the glossiness which was totally unexpected but most certainly welcome. It just performs so well! It's deep in colour yet still wearable and very moisturizing.

Cherry on top? It also has spf15 and at £8.50 is pretty good value for a quality lipstick.

For me, a rekindled love for this brand and high reccommendation for all the beauty addicts out there!

Haul / Kiko Make Up Milano

Biiiiiiiiiig haul!
It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Kiko make up and I simply couldn't resist the amazing sale on the website; a bit annoying that there's a minimum spend of £25 but prices are really good and you get free delivery on your first order, I believe... get in there before it's too late! ;)

Kiko Vinyl Lips Liquid Lipstick in 02 Rich Crimson

Such a deep and gorgeous shade - a coral with gold shimmer. Comfortable and perfect for summer!

There is also one of these in Sleek Magenta up for grab in my giveaway, if you're interested!

Kiko Colour Explosion Multi-Tone Blush in 04 Bold Coral

I was so glad to find this blush at half price - I've been eyeing it since it came out and I'm naturally a sucker for coral blushes. It's very very soft so you need to be careful not to pick too much product; I've been using it for the last couple of weeks and nearly made a dent already ;)

Kiko Glow Touch Lips & Cheeks in 01 Bitter Margarita - 04 Pleasant Pink Azalea
Pretty exciting pots at under £3 that I nearly bought all 6 of them. They last well on the cheeks and I didn't find them drying on the lips - surprisingly since they have a pretty matte finish.
My favourite is Bitter Margarita (another coral, go figure!) but I got to say that the packaging is a bit of a pain... they take a great strength to twist open.

l-r: bitter margarita, pleasant pink azalea

Kiko Colours In The World Eye Brush

I also picked up this brush in the sale because I was curious to check Kiko's brushes quality. 

The round tip looks interesting and should work well in the crease; I haven't tried it yet but it feels really soft and promising.

Kiko Anti-Cell Serum Spray

This is the only item that was not discounted. I picked this up because I wanted a fast body treatment to use in the mornings; I kinda of can't be bothered to rub creams on my body in the morning... but if i skip it, then I feel guilty! So this spray is the perfect compromise: dries in seconds and let me sleep 5 extra minutes. ;)

It also has a fresh and zesty scent.

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Service annoncement, mainly to my Italian followers (since the channel is in Italian):
My sister just started making YouTube videos... here is the link - check her out for more make up, hauls and recipes! :D
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheNicoleblablabla

Clayspray Pore Refining White Clay Masque

Clayspray is the world's first clay emulsion in a spray!

The innovative design allows the clay and the water to be separated in a dual-chamber container and preserve the purity of the product and optimize the level of efficacy.

This packaging also ensures that the clay stays air tight and remains hygienic until the last drop. 

Clayspray Pore Refining White Clay Masque* contains the highest percentage of clay compared to any other similar product on the market. The quality of the main ingredient is also impressive: this white clay is one of the purest on earth and it's sourced deeply inside the Iberian Mountains in Spain where is rich in minerals thanks to the natural erosion of granite stones for million of years.

This mask - in particular - has been enriched with cardamom and spring water to awake and firm the skin as well as clarifying and detoxing. Clay masks are known for their purifying properties but Clayspray also nourishes the skin with minerals and helps preventing ageing; you'll find silica to boost collagen, calcium to promote regeneration and potassium to add moisture.
All these star ingredients together make Clayspray a SuperMask, really!

First of all, you need to wet the skin - ideally with mineral rich water - and then apply the mask to face and neck; the moist on the skin makes it really easy to spread and I'm surprised how fast it dries. It's an ideal quick fix for an instant pick-me-up and such a treat to use
My skin is left super-soft and radiant - wow, a visible improvement from 5 minutes ago!

There is actually a whole range from Clayspray with white clay masks - for moisturizing and anti-aging benefits - red clay masks - aiming at improving circulation and healing. There are also two H20 Sprays, perfect to prepare the skin before application.
Clayspray is also free from preservatives, parabens and perfumes, not tested on animals and it's available on www.clayspray.com and www.feelunique.com

Shopping My Stash / #2

For the past hot hot days, I've been using Clinique City Block Sheer Spf25 as a primer/spf protector. I think this may be discontinued which is a shame because it's not greasy and slightly tinted so great to use on its own too.

Then, I chose Nars Sheer Glow Foundation in Santa Fe which is my favourite foundation of all time and never disappoint. I set it with a light veil of Bobbi Brown Brightening Finishing Powder in Brightening Nudes. I love the brightening effect and it never looks cakey.

On the cheeks, I used Ruby & Millie Face Gloss in ; this product is kinda of prehistorical! I have had it for ages and as you can see used it and abused it. I literally slap it on and doesn't even need blending - beautiful beautiful natural glow. I also added some extra glowiness with Benefit Sun Beam, on the cheekbone.

Kept the eyes minimal: I applied a quick wash of Neal's Yard Remedies Mineral Pressed Eyeshadow in 76 Oats to the eyelid which is the perfect neutral colour and rimmed my eyes with Max Factor Liquid Effect Pencil in Black Fire.

Finally, I chose Lancome L'Absolu Nu in Rouge Nu for the lips! I kinda have re-discovered this lipstick recently - it's the perfect red lipstick for every day and I wore it to the office all week. It's very moisturizing and takes seconds to apply in the morning.

New In / Carrera 5001 in Violet

I had to wait 6 weeks but my new Carrera are finally here...  well worth the wait - I stupidly love them so much!

the slimline case is pretty cool too

 I don't buy sunglasses that often, really; mainly because I don't like to buy cheap ones (I'm a bit paranoid about the lenses) so it can be an expensive treat. 

Of course fashion can also be a factor, but I'm actually shocked at the amount of people not wearing sunglasses in these hot days.

I think sunglasses should be an investment, I always have a pair with me in case the sun makes an appearance and I need to protect my eyes. 

Do you have a favourite pair of sunglasses? :)
Summer Giveaway Reminder - closing on the 4th of August

Review / Moroccan Oil Restorative Hair Mask

Oils have become increasingly popular in recent years; especially used as an hair treatment, they are finally getting the (deserved) recognition of nourishing the cuticles and restoring damaged hair.

Moroccan Oil is one of the brands that stands out when talking about 'good quality' products!

Yes, because many products claim big but the percentage and quality of the ingredients are very poor.

For hundreds of years, women in Morocco have used Argan oil on their hair and nails to help protect from the hot weather; the argan tree is found only in the south west of Morocco and this oil is sourced from the nuts inside its fruits.

Hairtrade.com - one of UK's leading online retailers of hair extensions, hair care and beauty products - sent me the Moroccan Oil Restorative Hair Mask* to try out.

I'm a big fan of hair masks - I think they are a pampering indulgence and I treat myself to one, every week.

The consistency of this mask is very light, like a whipped cream and spread easily on the hair. It smells amazing too and the scent lasts until the next shampoo.

You know what I like? The CLEAR instructions!!! I've often been left confused by other items (do you use it before shampooing? after? wet or dry hair? instead of conditioner?)... something that really annoys me.

 In this case, you apply the mask after shampooing and leave it on for 5-10 minutes; then rinse and finish with a conditioner.

This formula penetrates deep into the hair and helps restore shine and reverse damage done by chemicals and heat. It also helps the recovery from stress caused by environmental elements like sun and wind.

Moroccan Oil has a whole range of hair care products including shampoos, conditioners, oil treatments, sprays and brushes.

Have you use Moroccan Oil before?

FOTN / Work Dinner

Simple look for a dinner with colleagues

Face: Daniel Sandler Retexturing Face Primer, Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in shade 5, Giorgio Armani Master Corrector in pink, Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer in medium, Bobbi Brown Shimmer Blush in 3 Coral, Guerlain Meteorites Perles in 01 teint rose';

Eyes: Chanel Illusion d'Ombre in ebloui, Maybelline EyeStudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner 24hour, Soap & Glory Thick & Fast mascara;

Lips: Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in Peach Parfait.

USA Swap

Last year, I did a swap with Betzy  from California (posts 1 & 2); it went really well so we decided to organize a new one. A couple of weeks ago, I received her parcel with these lovely items and loads of extras:

Wet n Wild Eyeshadow Trio in Silent Treatment 

I love WnW trios; quality is great, the powders blend easily and they always get the perfect color combinations. Been wanting Silent Treatment for a while - that eyelid colour is gorgeous!

Maybelline ColorSensational Lipcolor in 515 Coral Crush

Every Spring I get all obsessed around corals; this shade is perfect for day and night and very moisturizing on the lip.

CoverGirl Lip Perfection Lipstick in 400 Temptress

Never tried anything from CoverGirl before; packaging is cure and the colour has a beatiful sheen to it. For what I understand this brand is very affordable and I'm liking the quality so far.

Buxom Big & Healthy Lip Cream in Mudslide

This is amazing, I want every colour! It's not really a lipgloss but a lip cream so the colour payoff is very good. The tingle is totally different from your ordinary plumping product; it's actually refreshing, like rubbing an ice cube on your lips, nearly numbing in that sense but not uncomfortable. It's really hard to describe but it's definitely due to the peppermint in it. If you have tried the Burt's Bees lip balm, you know what I mean.

l-r: coral crush, temptress, mudslide

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-hour Blush in Exposed

This colour is perfection! It would never normally go for a brownish blush but this one has got the right amount of pink to it and looks beautiful on the skin. I really don't understand why Tarte is not available in Uk, it'd do brilliantly and I'm looking forward to try more of their products.

I'm also looking forward to try the Maybelline Baby Lips and the Softlips - they are basically SPF for  your lips and I read great things about them! :)

I love overseas swaps - have you done one before?