My Empties #3

Hey guy, time for my current empties. Now when it comes to empties blogposts I don't like to show things like shampoos and body washes etc. cuz that's just boring. Today I'm going to show you a mixture of skincare and makeup empty items so hope you like it. 

First up it's my beloved Oskia Perfect Cleanser. Now I'm not gonna bore you with this again because I have talked about this cleanser so many times. I think you can tell how much I love it, that's right, I cut this into 3 pieces to scoop out the last bit! Let's just say that I would be repurchasing this. If you are new to my blog then click the link above for detailed info on this lovely cleanser. 

Moving on... This product I never really talked about which I have no idea why because it is a fabulous face cream. It is the Elemis SOS Emergency Cream. It's very thick and has a strong herbal scent to it. It works really well when your face is irritated, red or spotty. I use this in the evening when my face is red or when I feel some blemishes or spots are going to come out. It works wonders. 

Say you have an important event coming up, things like wedding or birthday party etc. you are stressed out because of all the party planning, and some random spots just came out the day before the big day. (It always happens to me! Always always) You can put a thick layer of this cream on the night before and I promise you will wake up with a nice, even toned skin with less or no blemishes. This stuff is amazing.   

Next up it's one of my favorite concealers--Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Flawless Concealer. I have featured this in so many of my blogposts. It is absolutely amazing. Have a read on my latest post  if you are interested in this little tube of amaze balls.

Next product is a facial toner from an Italian pharmacy brand called L'ebolario. This toner is all natural and it's designed for dry/sensitive skin. It's gentle, calming and hydrating. I've already used up 2 bottles. It's the toner I always go back to. If you live in Italy or here on holiday then do pick up a bottle, you won't regret it! 

Now the Tarte Pure Maracuja Oil is lush. It's high in vitamin C so it brightens our complexions. It's also very hydrating. It just feels lovely on the skin. It took me about 3 months to use up this miniature one. A little goes a long way, 3 drops will cover your entire face plus neck! This is something that everyone should include in their skincare regimens. 

Next is Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Supplement Serum. Now I had a big bottle of this and this little one is a gift with purchase from Bobbi's website. I threw away the big bottle so I can't show you but it is exactly like this miniature one only bigger. Dahhh!

This is a rather thick serum. It feels very sticky when first applied. It goes away after a few minutes but still remain a little tackiness. I hate sticky serums but this one is an exception. I feel like this is really anti aging. Feels like I was putting on pure collagen or something. I don't know I just think it works. I have used up the entire big bottle of this (30ml) plus this little sample. This stuff made my skin feel youthful. I really like it. It's pretty expensive ( $72) but I think I will repurchase eventually once I finish up other serums. If you hate thick sticky serums then feel free to ignore it but it might change your mind like what it did to me. 

Lastly it's this BB Cream by Planter's. Again it's an Italian brand so I'm not gonna talk too much as it is only available here in Italy. It's a bb cream and primer in one and it's one of those creams that come out white but once spread on the face and it adapts to your skintone. It's light in texture as well as in coverage. It's lovely for this time of the year! 

There we have it. Sorry about the long post but I hope you have enjoyed my current empties and as always please follow me on twitter and instagram @eflicciardello. If you enjoy this blogpost or my blog in general then please hit the "following" button on the top right corner below my headshot. Thank you so much for reading and see you all in a couple of days! Muahh! 

Read More

Lancôme Bi-Facil eye makeup remover

Hi guys. I think it's only fair for me to introduce this eye makeup remover into your lives since my last post was the review on the KIKO Tropical WATERPROOF Eyeliner. See girls I've got you covered! Don't you worry! Now removing this baby it's easy. :-) 

As I mentioned before this KIKO eyeliner is a nightmare to get off so I need a gentle eye makeup remover which can take off all waterproof makeup without irritating my eyes as they're are pretty sensitive. Let's just say thank god I have a bottle of this Lancôme Bi-Facil in my cabinet. 

(This is a deluxe sample size which came with my big bottle purchase)

I had a big bottle of this years ago but for some reason I stopped using it which I have no idea why because it is awesome. It is one of those makeup removers that you need to shake it before hands so that the oil and water solution are well mixed in order for it to work its best. Here are the reasons why I like it: 

1. It does the job really well which is the main reason why I like it. It takes off all waterproof eye makeup even this stubborn eyeliner from KIKO which just won't budge. 

2. It doesn't irritate my eyes. It will make your vision a little blurry if you got it in your eyes but it goes away once rinsed off. 

3. It suits for all skin types. It is designed for even the most sensitive eyes as well as for contact lens wearers. 

4. It comes in 2 different sizes so there is something for everyone. Smaller ones (125ml) for travel and bigger sizes (200ml) for home use. I like when companies do that so I don't have to depot when I'm on holiday. Agreed? 

I guess the only "downside" is the price (125ml: €28.90 and 200ml: €31.50) but do go to feelunique's website as it is currently on sale so do pick up a bottle because it is fab. 

That's it guys. Hope you like this review. This is one of those things that actually does what it says on the tin so I don't know what else to say part from try it, and you'll know why I like it so much and believe me you would too. 

As always please follow me on Twitter and Instagram @eflicciardello for daily updates and photos. If you like my blog then hit the "following" button on this page just below my headshot and that would just make me very happy! <3 and="" bye="" div="" for="" i="" ll="" muahh="" much="" on="" reading="" saturday="" see="" so="" thank="" you="">

Read More

Sample Review #1

Hi guys. From this week on I will be starting a series of sample reviews because one: I have a lot of samples to finish off and two: would be really nice to share with you how I think of them especially when some products are pricy. So I hope you like the idea and let's get started with my very first sample review. 

First up is the Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate by Kiehl's. This serum is a total bomb! I would purchase the full size Ohh definitely! I use this at night after my Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate and before Josie Maran Argan Oil. When I wake up in the morning my skin is glowing, eventoned and I just look younger. I mean I'm not old but my skin just looks so healthy and youthful you know what I mean?! 

The texture is lovely too. It feels very smooth and kind of siliconey. When I rub this serum on my face it becomes hot which is very interesting as I have never experienced anything like this before. I supposed the hotness means it's working. 

It has pure Vitamin C and Ascorbic Acid which are great for brightening the complexion. I don't know about the "line reduction" part because I haven't had any yet (touch wood) but I do notice my skin is bright, even, smooth and youthful. I think it would definitely work for someone who has fine lines but don't think it would function as well on someone who has deep wrinkles. 

This little tube (5ml) lasted me almost 2 weeks so a little goes a long way. The full size contains 50ml and costs €55 here in Italy. It's by no means cheap but I think it's worth it. I would use this only at night because it feels kind of greasy in a way but if you have dry skin then using it in the morning shouldn't be a problem. 

Next up is another serum that I have been trying lately and loving. It's the Anti-Aging Corrective Concentrate by La Roche-Posay. Again another lovely serum and I can feel it's working for my skin. You might think that I use a lot of Anti-Aging products but you know girl I'm 31, not getting any younger. It's better to prevent than fixing it later right?! In fact women should start using anti aging products after age 25. We only have one face, one life so let's start taking care of it! I mean I started using eye ream when I was 17. Probably not necessary you think but I don't have any fine lines nor crow feet around my eyes so I think it has something to do with using eye creams early age. Oops sorry I went a little off-topic there. As I was saying this serum has a lovely texture, kind of gel like, easy to absorb and doesn't feel heavy on the skin. The full size costs around €38 and you get 30ml of product. 

The only thing I have with this serum is the smell. I mean it's not bad but it kinda smells good at first then it turns into a bad smell after rubbing it in. It's hard to explain it. I mean maybe it's just me. Nothing major but something to consider if scent is important to you. 

If I have to choose between these 2 then I would go for the Kiehl's one just because it has no scent and I feel like it works better on my skin. I can see the result better. But that being said the serum by La Roche-Posay is pretty good as well. 

That's it guys. Next week I will be doing another of my sample review so stay tuned for that. I hope this review is somewhat helpful. They are not cheap so it would be nice to know how they are before purchasing and that's the main reason why I want to start this sample review series. Please let me know how you think of it and as always follow me on twitter and Instagram @eflicciardello for daily photo updates. Also it would be awesome if you follow my blog as well just hit the "g+ following" button below my headshot on this page. Thank you so much for reading and see you all this weekend! Bye! Muahh! 

Read More

Review on the lipsticks of Makeup Revolution London

Hi guys, happy Thursday! Time for another post and today let's talk about lipsticks which are my favorite things in the whole world. The sky is just much more blue if I wear lipstick. Haha! 

To be honest I have never heard of Makeup Revolution before until they followed me like a couple of weeks ago on Twitter. It's a new makeup brand and launched in Superdrug March this year. I looked the website and I thought wow those are some affordable makeup and I don't really own a lot drug store makeup so I thought you know what let's order some of the lipsticks and see how they are since I am obsessed with lipsticks. They are only £1 each. That's right £1. I mean you can't beat the price. By the way the shipping is super fast to Italy. 3 days! Wow! 

I ordered 5 lipsticks and here's what the packaging look like. Simple and I like the colour indicator on the caps so it's easier for me to grab the one I want. 

I think I have got some interesting shades here to show you. I got a nude pink, a coral, a fuchsia, a purple and a wine shade. 

Now I like all the colours I chose and the vanilla scent but I'm only gonna keep the fuchsia and the wine shades. Why? I like the formula. The other 3 are patchy, they just don't feel as good on the lip. They are all creamy in texture, pigmented with a subtle shine which I like.

Let's talk about the pinky nude shade first which is called Enchant. It's a very pretty shade but I personally prefer peachy pink nude a lot more. This one is just too "pink" for my skintone but it's a lovely colour by all means and if you like pinky nude then this is for you. I am not too keen on the formula of this one to be honest. It doesn't look even on my lip. So this is a miss for me. 

Next it's this pinky coral shade called Flashing. I love the colour but again the formula just doesn't agree with my lip and the bullet broke which is a disappointment but it's £1 so what do you want Elaine?! Beautiful colour though! 

Ok now this gorgeous fuchsia called Crime I do like. It's very smooth and looks nice and even on my lips. It's not patchy at all and nice colour pay off. I wore it yesterday with my Sephora Cream Lip Stain in 06 Forever Fuchsia underneath as a base then this on top, it lasted me the whole day. It's pretty good for a drug store lipstick and it's only a pound. Can't go wrong with it. 

Since I am obsessed with my Sephora Rouge Shine in Heartbreaker, the purple lipstick I had shown on Instagram if you follow me there which you should because I post everyday with some amazing makeup and skincare items. I thought I'd buy this purple lipstick called Depraved as a cheaper alternative but they are totally different both in texture and colour. This lipstick is patchy but very pigmented which normally is a good thing but it's just too purple for my like. Nothing like the Sephora one which is a nice sheer purply pink. I mean where on earth I'm gonna wear it. If you dare you would maybe but I don't think I can pull it off. It might look a bit blue in this picture but it's really really a straight up purple. Another miss for me! 

Lastly it's this gorgeous red wine shade which has a berry pink undertone to it. It's hard to describe the colour but trust me it's very pretty. It's called Rebel with Cause. Cool name! Also the texture is rather lovely. Nice and smooth with a subtle shine and moisturizing as well. Impressed with this one and only cost a quid. It's pretty comparable to my Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Venom which is my all time fav. Not quite there yet but good enough. Well done Makeup Revolution.  

All in all they are pretty good drug store lipsticks for the price. I do recommend check out the website because there are a lot more colours to choose from and I'm not just talking about lipsticks. Their baked blushers are also one pound each and I heard they are pretty amazing. Really affordable makeup brand. If you are looking for good colours and affordable price makeup then Makeup Revolution is the way to go. 

That's it guys let me know if you have tried any of the Makeup Revolution products and how you think of them. As always please follow me on , and  for daily updates. Love ya all. Bye! Muahh! 

Read More

Hits and Misses from Sephora's own brand: SEPHORA

I love Sephora! I loving shopping in Sephora, I love hanging around in Sephora, I love everything about Sephora. When I step into Sephora I feel at home. It's true. I think you beauty junkies out there probably feel the same as I do. Huh?! You know who you are!!! Haha! As I was saying, I can't get enough of Sephora and I have to buy something every time when I go there. Well I don't blame myself really because Sephora has everything a girl ever wants to make herself feeling pretty, and the amount of brands that Sephora carries are just incredible. 

A lot of us go to Sephora for choosing higher end makeup or skincare brands but nobody really talks about Sephora's own brand. I don't know about you but I just feel the store' s own brand is not as good if you know what I am saying. You know when you go to a supermarket you never really choose the products from this supermarket's own brand because the products are never that good to be honest. So that kinda puts me off a bit for trying SEPHORA's products. You know?! But I am a beauty junkie I have to try everything so I did, and I am glad I did because some of the products from SEPHORA COLLECTION are just as good as higher end makeup. 

Let's start with the hits. Products I think are worth to try out and are just as good as some of the higher end makeup products. 

First up is the Rouge Shine from SEPHORA in the shade 47 Heartbreaker (€14.50). I got this lipstick like 2 days ago and I seriously need to go back and pick up more shades from this range. Let's just leave it like that! The colour I have is gorgeous and I never thought I could pull off a purple lipstick but this one is just so subtle. It doesn't come off "purple" purple. It's kind of a purple toned berryish pink. It has a nice shine to it, very moisturizing and feels comfortable on the lip. Definitely worth trying! The down side of this lipstick is that the packaging is quite bulky. SEPHORA could've made it a little smaller in my opinion. Another thing is that the actual bullet is very wobbly, it doesn't stay in the tube probably so it almost breaks. Shame but the lipstick is honestly pretty darn good, and there are a lot colours to choose from.

Next up is the SEPHORA Cream Lip Stain in 06 Forever Fuchsia (€14). If you follow me on Instagram you'll know how much I am obsessed with this little tube ever since I got it which was only like a week ago. I love the texture, the colour, the staining power, everything about this lip stain is fabulous. This baby stays all day and doesn't feel drying on the lip which is really awesome. It's better than the YSL lip stain honestly. All I can say is "try it"! Seriously is that good! 

This SEPHORA Waterproof 12H Wear Jumbo Liner in 24 Dark Brown Matte (€10.90) is lovely. Guys seriously try it. It is so good. It stays, doesn't smudge around my eyes, easy to use. You can use it as a liner or eyeshadow base. I know I say "try it" and "it's so good" a lot but trust me I am not a rep from Sephora and they don't pay me to make this review (I wish). I am just being honest, some of their products are just genuinely good! 

Let's move on to the Eyebrow Pencil in the shade 01. You'll like this if you like a waxy based pencil. It keeps the hair in place while gives colour. It comes with a brush which is good for brushing the hair through afterwards to soften the look. It's a pretty good pencil for the price (€8). 

My last "hit" from the SEPHORA collection is this Lip Liner in 15 Royal Rose (€4.90). Pretty name huh! It's creamy, and goes on like a dream. The colour is gorgeous and it's really tiny so great for my makeup bag. Can't go wrong with it. 

Now let's talk about my "misses". First up is the Lash and Eyebrow Mascara in the shade 03. I don't know what the deal is with this thing. It's not good enough to be a mascara and certainly not a good brow gel. It kinda has some glittery particles in there which I just don't get it. I mean who wants glitter bits on their brows or even lashes. Buhh! As the Italians would say when they don't know. I just don't get it! Do not buy it guys! FYI I think it is discontinued as I can't find it on the website. Well it might as well! 

Lastly is this SEPHORA Nano Eyeliner in 03 Pure White (€4.90). Ohh where do I begin?! It's patchy, it doesn't glide on my waterline. It's not pigmented. It doesn't last. It's just not good. Stay away from it guy! 

So there you have it. There are some products from Sephora's own brand are definitely worth checking out. Let me know what makeup items you have tried from SEPHORA and how you think of them by leaving comments down below. I would love to know your hits and misses from SEPHORA. Please follow me on Twitter and Instagram @eflicciardello for daily updates, so until next time. Stay beautiful beauties! Muahh! 

Read More

Bumble and bumble Thickening Hairspray

It's hard to find a good decent thickening hairspray I think. Some of them thickens the hair but feels sticky and crisp, and others feel smooth but doesn't give volume. 

Today I wanna show you the Bumble and bumble Thickening Hairspray which I mentioned in my recent sephora haul. This is a pretty good thickening spray in my opinion. It gives me volume as well as a little texture. I don't feel any stickiness nor it makes my hair crisp. It can also be used as a setting spray to hold the style in place which is great but I prefer just use it as a volume spray. I tried to finish it off with this but I didn't feel its doing anything as far as setting style goes. Also when I spray this all over my hair including the ends then my hair does feel crisp afterwards so my advice is spray sparingly, only on the roots. 

It comes in a transparent plastic spray bottle which I like because this way I can see how much product I still have left. It contains 250ml (8 fl Oz) of product for €27.50, and you can purchase it from either spacenk or sephora. 

I give it 3.5 out of 5 if I have to. It's definitely better than my Phyto volume spray as it leaves my hair feeling sticky which I hate. 

(I hope you can see the volume and the texture it gives)

All in all I am pretty happy with it. It's not the cheapest volumizing spray I know but you do get a big bottle and a little goes a long way as you only need to spray around the roots. I don't recommend spray all over the head with it. 

That's it guy, sweet and short this one! I hope you've liked it and please follow me on twitter @eflicciardello 

Until next time stay gorg beauties! Muahh! 

Read More

Stila Sweet Treat Bronzing Powder

Hey beauties. I hope you are doing well. Today I am going to show you a really lovely bronzer from Stila which you might have seen me raving about on . By the way please go follow me on Instagram @eflicciardello for exciting beauty related photos. I also featured it on my recent cultbeauty haul which I'll link it  for you if you fancy seeing it.

Now let's talk about the actual bronzer. Honestly it is so lovely. It's got cute packaging as well. I have been using it non stop since I got it. It's sheer but buildable. It's definitely on the warmer side but it doesn't look orangy on me which is lovely. The powder itself is very soft doesn't go on powdery at all.

I like the fact that it has 4 different bronzy colours in it so you can either swirl them altogether or pick the one shade that suits you the best. There are 3 colours in it are matte and only one shade is shimmery but very very subtle. It's great for contouring and of course bronzing the whole face with it. It reminds me of my Guerlain Terracotta Sheer Bronzing Powder which is my absolute fav but obviously less shimmery and more pocket friendly.

Here is the swatch of all the individual colours. Now you can tell they are all warm bronzy shades which in theory might not be suitable for pale pale skintoned girls,  but honestly this bronzer is so sheer I think even with the palest skin you might be able to get away with it.

Here is the swatch of all the shades swirled together. Very subtle right?! I told you. It's just very pleasant on the face. All I'm saying is try it!  It's pretty darn affordable as well (£12). 

In these 2 photos I swirled all the colours together with a stippling brush and applied on parts of my face where the sun would naturally hit. Pretty and subtle right?! I also applied the shimmery shade all over my eyelids as my base eyeshadow then used the darkest colour in the middle as my outer V shade then blend towards the crease a little. Very natural and who said they can't be used as eyeshadows?! They look pretty awesome to me! 

That's it gals. Those are my thoughts on the Stila Sweet Treat Bronzing Powder. I hope you like it and please please follow me on Twitter and Instagram both @eflicciardello. If you have enjoyed this blogpost please click on the "g+1" button on the very top, and of course follow my blog by leaving your emails on the top right side. Thank you and see you all next time! Muahh!

Read More

Nemesis for Treating Stubborn Straight Eye Lashes

I normally don't do anything about my eye lashes unless I need go somewhere special or going out in the evening. The reason being my eye lashes are extremely straight and hard, just a pain in the neck to manage. Before, I need to apply a couple coats of mascara then curl them like 5 or 6 times afterwards just to make sure they are nice and curled, but I don't know how many times that I had pulled off my lashes. It's just impossible to make them the way I'd like them to be. 

And now I have found a couple of tools that I think are absolute the best combo to combat stubborn eye lashes. I have been testing them out for the last 6 months and they work really well for me. Trust me if they work for me will probably work for you (but remember everyone is different, I said probably!) as I have the most straight and hard eye lashes in the whole wild world. Just hear me out!

There we go... These are for me the ultimate nemesis for treating stubborn straight eye lashes. They are so easy to get hold of and you are for sure have seem them before. 

Now the eye lash curler is by Shu Uemura, it's the gold version. I am sure you have heard a lot about it by so many beauty gurus and yes it is fab. I can't tell you the exact reasons why I like it, it just works for me full stop. Maybe it's the curve I don't know, it just grabs every lash I have and "very gentle". It doesn't seem to pull off as many lashes as other eye lash curlers I have used in the past. So definitely a thumbs up for me!

The mini Sephora Heated eye Lash Curler is a life saver for me. I have the mini one because it is easy to travel with, but the normal size one is just as good. It's the same concept as a hair dryer but obviously for your lashes. I used to heat my eye lash curler with my hair dryer first then curl my lashes but I just can't be bothered anymore to be honest. This Sephora heated curler is just so much easier. Here are the steps of how I curl my eye lashes: 

1. Apply generous coats of mascara
2. Wait for like 5 mins util the mascara's dried 
3. Turn the heated curler on and wait till the indicator at the back turns yellow then apply gently on eye lashes like when applying mascara 
4. Use my Shu Uemura curler straight after the heated curler for best results. Don't ever wait till eye lashes are cold.

E Wuala....

#nofilter photo (I hope you can see my lashes)

I know that I am not supposed to curl my lashes after applying mascara but this just works for me well. Do what works the best for you. 

That's it, short and sweet. I hope you have enjoyed today's post and until next time....muahhhh!

Tweet me @eflicciardello

Read More

Favorite Face Brushes PART 2

Hey guys, I hope you have enjoyed my PART 1 post from yesterday and Let's continue to PART 2. 

Kiko Face Brush 106:

I use this brush to apply my blusher as it picks up the tiniest amount so I can never overdo my blusher due to the duo fiber. It's very soft and a dupe for Mac 187. It is also good for applying foundations. Please click  to check the blogpost from Amelia Liana. I just love her she has a great taste when it comes to makeup and skincare. I trust her recommendations. If it's good enough for her then it's good enough for me. 

Real Techniques Blush Brush:

AKA dream brush. I love this brush so much and I don't think I could never live without it. It is great for blushers of course, and also for bronzers. You can even contour with it because of the point. I heard that this is a dupe for the Marc Jocobs Bronzer Brush. I don't own one so i can't proof it but their shape looks pretty similar so if you can't afford the one from Marc Jacobs then Real Techniques Blush Brush is a good choice. It's ultra soft and a pleasure to apply to the face. 

Real Techniques Powder Brush: 

The biggest brush I own. It's so fluffy and soft, great for powder application. I use it to apply my mineral foundation for a sheer coverage on a good skin day. It's so quick and easy because it is so big, a couple of sweeps then boooom powder is done. 

Real Techniques Buffing Brush: 

If you don't know what this brush is then girl I don't know where you have been, because everybody and their mother is talking about this brush. It is definitely worth the hype. It buffs the foundation in really nicely, and it works for liquid, cream and of course powder foundations. This is hands down one of the best if not the best foundation brush I have ever come across. 

Real Techniques Setting Brush: 

I know that a lot of girls use this brush for setting their under eye concealers but I use it for applying highlighter. It works great for that. It's the right size, and very soft. I should also mention that non of the Real Techniques brushes shed, which is just great, and they are affordable, definitely comparable to some highend brands brushes. 

I know that most of my brushes are from Real Techniques. I swear I am not being paid to make this post (I wish). I bought everything with my own money so you can trust my opinion, just a little disclaimer there for ya. 

So there you have it. These are my all time favorite, most reached for brushes that I cannot live without. Well I won't die if I don't have them but you know what I mean. Hahah anyways I hope you like today's post and please leave comments down below or tweet me @eflicciardello and tell me what your favorite face brushes are and why you like them. Until next time... Bye! Muahhh! 

Read More