Hourglass Heaven

I love Hourglass Cosmetics and I think I speak for a lot of girls as well because Hourglass makeup is just heaven and there are some really fabulous products that are definitely worth the hype and money. 

Today I am going to show you my Hourglass collection and how I think of them. So without further a do let's go for it! 

First up is my very first Hourglass purchase but I have never talked about it which I have no idea why because it is fab. It's the Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer. I got it from sephora and absolutely love it. 

It's so smooth and velvety, just a pleasure to put on. When it comes to face primers I hate those silicone based ones that almost feel greasy and oily in a way and I just don't like that feeling on my face at all. But this baby, oh yah! it's so lovely doesn't feel siliconey at all, just soft and smooth. Pure love! It does hold up my foundation pretty well and smooth out my expression lines and pores. Can't recommend enough. This is the miniature one and I will purchase the full size when this runs out despite the high price tag. Worth it, worth every penny! 

Next up it's the ever so famous Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Diffused Light. This baby is so hyped up in the beauty world and I can see why. It's gorgeous. It sets my makeup and makes my face glow! I like to use this under eyes, my forehead and down my chin to highlight my face because it is so subtle. I won't go too much into detail as I have a blogpost on this powder so make sure to check it out . Beautiful stuff!

(Can you see the glow? Gorgeous!)

Now let's talk about the Ambient Lighting Blushers. The ones I own are Mood Exposure which is a pinky plum mauve colour, and Dim Infusion which is a light peachy coral shade. Both are gorg.

These blushers are pigmented and give my cheeks are a nice glow without any shimmers. Just the way I like it. Have a look at my "Top 5 Fav Blushers" blogpost for detailed info on Mood Exposure. Dim infusion however is a new purchase and like the Mood Exposure the texture is lovely, a little light for my skintone this time of the year as I do get tanned quite easily but it's lovely anyway. It does give me some colour, good for a "no makeup" makeup day! 

Lastly are those lip products from Hourglass. Femme Nude Lip Stylo in No.5 Nude and Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick in Empress.

Hourglass just got their lip products right in terms of texture, pigment, colour and everything. I think I don't need to tell you again how much I am in love with those because I have been talking about them WAY TOO MUCH in my previous blogposts, several of them. I'll link just one of them  for you but do check out my blog for other related posts for these lip heroes as well if you fancy hearing how lush they are. Big big thumbs up! Beautiful, just beautiful! 

There you have it. Those are my collection from Hourglass and I don't think I'll stop from here. I can see myself picking up more of the Hourglass products in the future. You can purchase Hourglass products from sephora or spacenk. They are quite pricy but well worth the money in my opinion. Give them a try, pick up something from Hourglass and you'll see why I keep going on and on about it. 

Let me know what do you like the most from Hourglass by leaving comments down below, and as usual follow me on Twitter and Instagram for daily updates. Don't forget to click the "g+1" button if you like this post and subscribe to my blog if you like, that would just make me fly high. Yeah! Take care beauties! Muahh! 

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KIKO Precision Eyebrow Pencil

Hey guys. It's Thursday and you know what that means?! Time for another review! Today I am going to talk about the Precision Eyebrow Pencil from KIKO Cosmetics. 

KIKO is one of my favorite drug store makeup brands here in Italy. Some of their products are as good as high-end makeup. They are in my opinion really worth trying out, like this eyebrow pencil for example. Just hear me out! 

• The tip of the pencil is so fine so you get a great precision when filling out the brow. 
• It's quite a hard pencil which means you won't distribute the colour too much on the brow.
• It comes with a brush for smoothing out the brow which is always a good thing.
• It is affordable. €5.90 only.
• There's also a sharpener included which is very thoughtful because the pencil itself is so thin and it doesn't fit in with my other regular sharpeners so a big thumbs up for that!  

If you like waxy based brow pencils then you probably won't like this one too much because it is not as waxy. Well it does feel a little I suppose but you can always set it with a brow gel. I use my Benefit Gimme Brow to set it and it works perfectly. 

I bought this after watching the video from Amelia Liana and she said it is the dupe for Anastasia Brow Wiz. I mean I have never tried the brow wiz from Anastasia so I can't tell you if it's true myself but I mean it's Amelia, she knows her beauty products so I trust her opinions 100%, and  you should do too. 

There are 4 shades to choose from and I got the shade in 02 and it matches me perfectly. 

Before

After (with no brow gel on just the pencil)

That's it guys. Nothing else to tell you. You just have to give it go. Trust me you won't be disappointed. As always please follow me on twitter and Instagram @eflicciardello as well as bloglovin for daily updates and blog reminders so that you don't miss out on anything. 

Thank you for reading and I'll see you on Saturday! Muahh! 

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My Empties #2

Hey guys, today I'm going to show you some products that I have used up in the month of June. Hope you like it.

First up is my HG chemical exfoliating treatment- Alpha H Liquid Gold. I think I can save my breath on this product because everybody and their dogs are talking about it. It is highly raved product in the beauty world. It works wonders for my skin. My skin never feels so smooth, even and glowy when I wake up in the morning. I will definitely repurchase it when I finish up my other exfoliating facial toners. Love it!

Next up is the Reve De Miel lip balm in a stick. If you have seen my Morning and Evening skincare routine blogposts then you'll know how much I love the original Reve De Miel lip balm you know the one in the jar. It is my HG lip balm. But I want something that I can carry around with me, something that I don't need to dip my fingers in so I bought the stick one but it is rather disappointing. It doesn't hydrate as much. I have to keep reapplying it over and over again. It doesn't seem to stay on my lips like the original one does. It smells nice though like the one in the jar and that's about it. It doesn't even come close to the original Reve De Miel. I won't be repurchasing it.

It costs €5 for 4g of product and I used it all up within a month. The one in the jar costs €10 for 15g and it lasts for 6 months. It's not even worth buying it.

Let's move on to those Kiehl's products. One is the Rosa Arctica Eye Cream and the other one is the Ultra Facial Oil Free Gel Cream. Both are very nice. They don't do anything special to my skin but they do the job well as far as hydrating goes. They are light, non greasy, non sticky, just feels lovely once applied. I highly recommend these 2 products if you are looking for a nice, no fuss hydrating moisturizer and eye cream. Again those 2 were featured in my Morning Skincare Routine blogpost so do give it a read if you wanna know more.

Next up is the Josie Maran Argan Cleansing Oil. I got this from sephora.com and it comes in a set actually, but you can buy it on its own. I really like the smell of this product, kinda like candy which is lovely. It does cleanse well but I don't think I would repurchase it not because it doesn't work. It's just that I prefer my Emma Hardie and my Oskia Perfect cleanser that much more and that's it!

Last but not least is the dry shampoo from Testanera. This dry shampoo is really nice and it does make my hair look fresh as well as giving me the volume I need. I like the fact that it is powdery so it absorbs all the greasiness from my hair. This is my 3rd bottle and I think I'll keep using it until I find something better.

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Caudalie Polyphenol C15 Day Fluid and Eye Cream

Hey guys. Happy Tuesday. Hope you all have a great weekend. Today I want to share my thoughts on the Caudalie Polyphenol C15 SPF 20 Anti-Wrinkle Protect Fluid (€37.70 for 40ml 1.3 fl Oz) and Anti-Wrinkle Eye & Lip Cream (€33.80 for 15ml 0.5 fl Oz) with you all. Hope you like it! 

I picked these up from feelunique just over a month ago. This Polyphenol C15 line is fairly new to Caudalie and apparently they are suitable for women over 30 years old. Both of them come in squeeze tubes which is very hygienic, and I like the slim pointed dispenser, it is precise so I could never squeeze out too much product. The control you get with it is amazing. 

Key Ingredients & Benefits:

- Grape Polyphenols (patent): anti-oxidant.

- Hyaluronic acid: plumping, moisturising and anti-wrinkle.

- Glycerin: hydrating.

- Filters: SPF 20 to protect skin against the sun damages.

- Stabilised vitamin C: anti-oxidant and anti-wrinkle.

The consistency of both products is more like gel cream. They are both very light, non sticky and really quick to sink into the skin which is perfect for summer. The protect fluid has a primer feel to it which is great because I can skip the primer step. It just feels so smooth and velvety once applied. I also like the fact that it has SPF 20 so a little protection for days when I can't be bothered to put on my sun screen. I really like the scent of this day fluid. It is very citrusy. 

The eye cream is also very nice in terms of giving me the hydration I need without being thick and sticky. I don't know about the anti-wrinkle part but it is a good moisturizing eye cream. I like the fact that it can also be used on the lip. I have tried it on my lip, nice and smooth but not quite hydrating enough. 

Key Ingredients & Benefits: 

- Grape Polyphenols (patent): anti-oxidant.

- Stabilised vitamin C : anti-oxidant and anti-wrinkle.

- Horse chestnut: anti-dark circle.

- Fern and Matrixyl 3000: lifting and anti-wrinkle.

- Liquorice: depuffs the eye contour.

- Hamamelis and calendula: soothing.

I don't think I would repurchase it again though because it doesn't really brighten my under eye area which I most certainly need. But if you are after a simple light textured moisturizing eye cream then it is the way to go. It doesn't really have a scent to it which is good for those of you who have sensitive skin.

All in all they are pretty good as far as being light yet moisturizing. They don't do anything "special" like what they claim to do such as anti wrinkle and all that. But if you are looking for a simple "summer appropriate" day and eye cream then they definitely won't let you down.  

That's it guys, short and sweet. I hope this is somewhat helpful to you. Thank you so much for your time and I will see you all in a couple of days! Bye! Muahh! 

Twitter & Instagram @eflicciardello

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A little Fashion post: TOPSHOP Arena Cut Out Peep Toe Boots

Hi beauties, happy Saturday! Is it just me or this week has actually gone passed really quickly?! Crazy but I am glad because I love weekend! Well... who doesn't?! 

For those of you who don't know I used to live in England and loved going shopping in Topshop. Well I still do but unfortunately we don't have Topshop here in Sicily. Bummer! However I just found out that Topshop actually ships to pretty much all countries in Europe. Yes! Words cannot even begin to describe how happy I am. I can't believe I only just found out now. Where have I been all theses time? Anyway I came across these Arena Cut Out Peep Toe Boots and instantly feel in love. The best part: they were on sale so I jumped right into it and ordered them. I'm so glad I did because peep toe shoes are my fav. These were €110 originally and I got them for €78 and now they are €40 damn! But I don't regret getting them because now, the size range is very limited.

Onto the actual boots. They are black and 100% leather. I love leather boots as they go with absolutely everything. Simple and gorgeous. These boots are combined with actual leather and suede leather which in my opinion are very flattering. The heels are not over the top high they are very comfortable to be honest when walking around. There's just one thing that kinda bothers me. The peep toe part hurts my big toes a little. I don't know it's because they are new or the leather is too hard I have to wear plasters around my toes. I'll keep wearing them and see if they get better but just be aware of that if you do consider purchasing them. Or maybe it's just me. I mean I love peep toe shoes but they tend to hurt my toes in general. 

Now I have put together some outfits to show you what you can do with them? I mean these are just examples the possibilities are endless with those boots. Note: I didn't accessorize at all these are just straight up outfit ideas. Obviously these boots go perfectly with just a simple T-shirt and jeans but here are some ideas that I think are also nicely fit with the Arena boots. Here goes. Note: my husband is currently on a business trip in Alaska and nobody can help me photograph believe it or not so my little 3-year-old girl helped me taking those photos. Please excuse the not-so-clear photos that's the best my daughter can do with my iphone. She can't use cameras so I hope you can see the outfits. I am actually really proud of my girl. Not bad from a 3-year-old ehh? I mean considering she can't even put her own clothes on but she knows how to use an iphone! Man kids these days! Lol!

My little helper :)

Left: top Zara faux leather skirt Zuiki Right: dress Benvesti

Left: dress Bebe (from America) Right: Jumpsuit Chiara b

Left: Crop top Zara shorts Corduroy by American Apparel (from Canada) Right: Top Mango Jeans Zara

Silk Top: Zara Snake print jeans MissSixty

That's it guys. I hope you have enjoyed this little fashion post from me for a change and find somewhat helpful. Let me know which one is your favorite combo by leaving comments down below. In general new posts go up every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. For not missing out on anything please follow me on twitter and Instagram @eflicciardello as well as bloglovin for daily updates and new blog reminders. 

Have a good weekend guys and I'll see you next week. Buy! Muahh! 

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the Princess TAG

Hi beauties, happy Saturday! Yes weekend! Finally! What are your plans this weekend? Well whatever you do I hope you have a wicked one! 

Today I am going to do a TAG post which I am really excited about because this is right up my alley, the Princess Tag. It is as you all probably know, an old tag but I thought I'd do it because it sounds fun, and I think it's quite interesting to know what people's luxury makeup items are. Don't you think?! Ok that's enough rambling that's get to it! 

I was actually inspired by the lovely and beautiful "FleurDeForce". I'll link her video's right  so you can check out her version if you like. In case you don't know, this tag is basically to share your all time favorite high-end makeup products in each category. And if you don't own a luxury item in certain category then you can talk about a product you are wanting to try and why you are attached to it. So shall we start?! 

PRIMER: Well this category is not in the original version but it's a Princess Tag so it would be "rude" not to include in it. Am I right?! Well this one I have to give it to my Guerlain Light Diffusing Perfecting Primer. It is so lush! It's a real "princess makeup item" in my opinion, agreed? It's smooth, it makes my face glow, it smells like a princess should do, and it costs me a fortune. Haha! Seriously it is gorgeous! 

FOUNDATION: This isn't going to come as a surprise to you, it's my beloved YSL Youth Liberator Serum Foundation. I have the shade in B30 and I can't get enough of it. It's smooth on application, easy to blend, smells lovely, lasts pretty well on me, it's just lush! Anyways I have the full deets here if you are interested in reading more of it. 

CONCEALER: It has to be my Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Flawless Wear Concealer SPF 10. Wow that's the longest name ever! For me the name said it all. It stays, doesn't crease, high coverage, it's flawless. I have the shade in 01 light. 

POWDER: Ohh let me think. I mean I have quite a few high-end powders, but I am gonna have to give it to my Guerlain Meteorites Pearls Illuminating Powder in 01 Teint Rose. It is fabulous. It sets my foundation, gives me a nice glow, smells gorgeous, and the most I love about this powder is that it is light as air! I can't feel a thing once I put it on. Seriously. It's perfect for summer, well all year round really. Love love!

(Don't mind the other container. I actually took out some of the shimmery pearls so that it is even more subtle on me. I don't like too much of a glowy face because I get quite oily sometimes but you don't have to if you have normal or dry skin. It looks beautiful as it is.)

BRONZER: Ok now this is hard. Which one should I mention? Emm... ... ... ... Ok CHANEL Soleil Tan de Chanel. It's just beautiful. I like the fact that it is subtle. It gives this nice bronzy colour without being too obvious. And you can use it as a bronzing base before your foundation to give an even more tanned look! If you want to know my other fav high-end bronzers then check out the blogpost . 

BLUSH: Ohh boy. Ok it's gonna be my Hourglass blushers. I have 2 shades and they are both gorgeous. Hourglass knows what they are doing when it comes to blushers. They got the formula right. It's matte but not too matte because of the ambient lighting powders in there. Good colour range and no paraben and all that nasty stuff. Here is the link for my Hourglass products Review if you fancy giving it a read. 

HIGHLIGHTER: I have to mention my Laura Geller Baked Highlighter in French Vanilla. It is so subtle, the colour is lovely, and it can be used as an under eye brightener. It's baked under Terracotta pan for 24 hours in Italy. It's just lovely. I have a blogpost on my favorite highlighters I'll link it  for you.

EYESHADOW: This is easy. It has to be my Urban Decay Smoked Palette. It's just the best eyeshadows for me hands down. I like all the colours in there and I use it pretty much everyday. It has all the colours I need for both everyday and smokey-eye looks. They are buttery soft and bloody pigmented. Can't go wrong with it! Pure love! 

EYELINER: All my eyeliners are drug store to be honest but the one I have tried is the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Eye Pencil in Perversion. I do like it. It does stay and very pigmented. I like the fact that it is soft so it doesn't tug my eye lids. I am not crazy crazy about it as all my drug store ones are just as good, but it's a pretty good one. I wanna try the Burberry eyeliners. I heard they are pretty amazing so if you guys have tried it then please let me know how they are. 

MASCARA: It has to be my Lancôme mascaras. I have tried quite a few and I like them all. Lancôme just has it when it comes to mascara. I am currently using the Hypnose one and I have also tried the Virtuose, Difinicils, and the Vibrating one but I can't remember the name of it. They are all amazing. 

LIP LINER: I don't use lip liners. 

LIPSTICK: This could take a while. I am a lipstick junkie as we all are. Let me think! Ok ok, I'm gonna have to give it to my DIOR Lipsticks. I mean DIOR is a total Princess Makeup Brand. I especially love the lipsticks. The formula is amaze balls, and there are so many colours you can choose from. I personally own 4 of them and I don't think I'll stop from there. My DIOR Lipstick obsession keeps growing. I'll link my "Lip Product Addict Tag" blogpost  so you can read all about it. 

LIP GLOSS: I don't use lip gloss as I just can't bear the tacky feeling. There are so many lipsticks are very glossy and non sticky quite frankly so I think I'll stick with my lipsticks. 

BROW PRODUCT: I'm gonna have to cheat a little here. I have 2 products and they are equally good. I can't decide which one so here it goes. MUFE Aqua Brow in 30 and Benefit Gimme Brow in Light/Medium. Aqua Brow is really long lasting and good for filling in my brows, and Gimme Brow is great for setting my brows in place while giving a subtle tint. Good stuff. I'll link my Brow blogpost  so make sure to check it out for details if you haven't already! 

MISC (Candle, Bath Goodie, Tool etc): I gotta give it to my Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler in Gold. This is in my opinion a "Princess tool". I mean other cheaper eyelash curlers would probably work the same I suppose but it's nice to have a luxe curler. 

NAIL POLISH: Honestly I don't have any high-end nail polishes. One, because my drug store ones are just as good, and two, I am not a nail polish girl. I hardly wear colours on my nails but I do own a Nail Polish Remover From DIOR which in my opinion is a total princess product. It comes in this little glass bottle and only contains 50ml. It ain't cheap I gotta tell ya. It works really well though even with glitter nail vanishes. Apparently it hydrates and nourishes nails as well. It's like a treatment and remover in one. Sounds good! 

There we go. Those are my PRINCESS makeup items that I think are good quality and quite frankly just pretty to look at. Call me shallow but they just look so good on my vanity and also I am a total sucker for packaging. It's nice to give yourself a treat sometimes you know. So I say go get your luxury makeup product once a while. Life's too short for hesitating. Do what makes you happy that's what I always do!

Please let me know your high-end makeup products that make you feel and look like a princess. Please follow me on Twitter and Instagram as well as following my blog on Bloglovin' by clicking "FOLLOW ME ON BLOGLOVIN" button on the top of this post. Thank you for reading and see you all beauties next week. Bye! Muahh!

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