Tuesday, July 19, 2011

FOTD: 18th July 2011

Hey Beauty Lovers!

Sorry I am posting another FOTD but I absolutely loved this make up so thought I'd share it with you! So today we went to watch Bad Teacher which fyi is a HILARIOUS movie!! So today I was watching the style network and they did a Mila Kunis look and I remembered that Nicola from pixiwoo did also so I decided to look up that particular look and recreate it! below you can find the link to the youtube video and show some love to the pixiwoo sisters which fyi I absolutely adore they're so sweet and so talented and they are two make up artists which I really look up to!


Anywho on to my recreation of the Mila Kunis Look (sorry for the bad quality pics but my cam died on me!)


Taken with my laptop in natural light

Taken with my laptop under yellow light


Face:

N.Y.C Bronzing Face Gel in 721 B
e.l.f All Over Cover Stick In Rosy Beige 
Revlon Photo ready foundation in 004 Nude
e.l.f The Beauty Encyclopedia Face Edition (used the lightest concealer for highlighting)
Maxfactor Creme Puff Powder in 05 Translucent
e.l.f  studioWarm Bronzer
Body Shop Blusher (09)
e.l.f Natural Radiance Blusher in Glow
e.l.f Healthy Glow Bronzing powder in Luminance
e.l.f Make up Mist and Set




I managed to get a decent photo of my eye before my camera died on me!

Eyes:

e.l.f Mineral eyeshadow primer
Jimont eyebrow pencil no.1
Maybelline Diamond glow quad 21 Pink Drama (silverish white colour and black)
e.l.f The beauty encyclopedia Basic eye edition (1st row 4th eyeshadow)
e.l.f Cream eyeliner in Black 
e.l.f Mineral eyeliner in Black
Maybelline Volum' express Mascara Black

Lips:

Maxfactor lipstick in 859 Cinder
e.l.f Super glossy lipshine in Champagne

Hope you enjoyed the look as much as I enjoyed applying it!

Martina o.b.o The Fabulous Team

Sunday, July 17, 2011

FOTD: 16th July 2011

Hi Beauty Lovers!

Thought I'd share the make up I applied yesterday 16th July! Basically the make up I apply is always inspired from a video I watch but then I put my own take on it, so yesterday I was watching the lovely Sam from Pixiwoo and she had done an Emma Watson look which was smokey and had a little gold in it so I went a little smokey but not too much with purple and silver.



Face:

e.l.f All Over Cover Stick in Rosy Beige
Revlon Photo ready Foundation in 004 Nude
Maxfactor Creme Puff (pressed powder) in 05 Translucent
Body Shop Blusher (not really clear since the sticker is torn but looks like 09)
Eva Garden Blusher in 314
e.l.f Healthy Glow Bronzing Powder in Luminance 
e.l.f Make up Mist and Set



Eyes:

e.l.f Mineral Eyeshadow Primer
e.l.f  Party Eye Palette (Limited Edition)- Used the White, Purple and Grey
Primark Trust Dust Loose Mineral Eyeshadow in Violet (just in the middle)
e.l.f Mineral eyeshadow in Angelic (on the other corners)
e.l.f Mineral eyeliner in Black
Maybelline Volum' Express Mascara in Black

Lips:

Maxfactor Lip Liner in 16 Rose
e.l.f Regular Line Lipstick in Gypsy
Revlon Super Lustrious Lipgloss in Pink Kisses

Thought I'd add what I was wearing also sorry for the very blurred photo was wearing a bershka dress :-)



Hope you liked my look!

Martina
o.b.o The Fabulous Team!

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Current Beauty and make-up favourites

Hello!! 

Oh my God it’s been AGES since we’ve last posted!! We are so sorry , but we have been so busy, and Martina having uni exams and all.. any way , we promise you we will keep our blog updated from this moment on!

We thought about making this post about our current favourites, make-up, beauty and all. Please tell us your favourites on the comment box below! 
Enjoy ;)

·        Denise:

My favourites include make-up, face care , hair care and even a deodorant!

I had some blonde lights done to my hair and I bought a shampoo and conditioner for keeping them bright and shiny and keep orange tones at bay. They are by Umberto Giannini and they smell devine! Even the silver shampoo by ISO smells quite nice but the others, omg!! The best smell ever plus it lasts!


I have bought a hair sun protection by Matrix Biolage which smells awesome as well. And won’t ruin your blow dry, because this version is oil-free. Love it!



Won’t  go out without my La Roche Posay tinted sunscreen 50+. My skin is good so it gives me enough coverage, though I like to sweep some powder over my entire face.

I am really happy with this Neutrogena 2 in 1 face wash/mask!! It leaves my skin feeling clean and haven’t had a breakout in a long long time. Awesome!


I’m also really really happy with The Body Shop’s Vitamin E eye cream. I’m using it morning and night. It really helped my under eye circles.

I’m currently using this Nivea eye make-up remover and it’s really good , although be sure not to use loads of product at once because it stings!!

I bought  Sleek Pout Polish in Sugar May after Dyna recommended it and I don’t regret buying it! The tub is huge, product super silky and smells lovely!!.


This La Senza ‘Undiscovered’ perfume screams SEXY!! Love love love this scent!! 



Nothing smells more like summer than this Yamamay spray.Beautiful.


This is my favourite deodorant so far because it makes you smell like talc, and it really lasts!


I love my Revlon beyond natural foundation! It comes out white but adapts to your skin colour when you rub it in your skin. Awesome.



This is the best toner so far and it’s super cheap! Smells really nice.



Elf (eyeslipsface.co.uk) have come awesome mineral lipsticks! This one is in Cool Coral and its super nice! They are smooth, not matte and don’t make your lips look flaky. Love it!



A couple of lip glosses I’m digging atm are ELF mineral lip gloss in bare and Revlon Gloss in Peach Petal. Nice nice nice.



I have been using Layla blusher everyday. Nicely pigmented and blends beautifully!



 That's all for me. :)



  • Martina
Hey guys so sorry we haven't posted in ages but I was soo busy with my university dissertation, exams and assignments plus I had to finish off my make up course that I didn't have the time to create any posts. So first things first you may now call me a Professional Make Up Artist :-p and a University Graduate!! :-D

So on to my current favourites:


1st Row: e.l.f HD Powder- I not only love this powder but I adore it!! not only does it minimise fine lines and pores it really comes out great in photos! I've used this powder in all my make up course looks!!

2nd Row: e.l.f Studio Warm Bronzer- I love this Bronzer since its a not to in your face bronzer and its very natural!

3rd Row: e.l.f Natural Radiance blusher in Glow- Absolutely stunning I always end up doing this blush I just adore the colour!

4th Row: Sleek Palettes in Bohemian and Jewels- These have the most beautiful colours in them. Bohemian has a range of colours which are really bright and summery whilst jewels is a fairly glittery palette focusing on silvers and blues.

5th Row: Maybelline lipstick in I Love Plum- I was a bit sceptical since it was plum but it is a very natural plum and it enhances the natural lip colour ;

 Revlon Photo ready foundation in 004 Nude- funny story, I used this foundation on a friend of mine for a make up look (it was her personal foundation) and I absolutely loved its pay off that I ended up buying it for myself unfortunately since I tanned its a bit too light for me now but great coverage and great payoff!;

 e.l.f Studio Make up Mist and Set- The love of my life I absolutely love it I always realise theres something missing when i forget to spray it on my face since it sets my make up beautifully and keeps my make up from running;

 Revlon Super Lustrious Lipgloss in Pink Kisses- I normally hate glosses but I always end up applying this since the colour goes on amazing with any pink/plum lipstick I apply!

That's all from us! Looking forward to write more blog posts for you!

The Fabulous Team xoxo


Thursday, March 10, 2011

Beauty, clothes and food haul of the last 3 weeks or so..

Hey there lovelies!

As I have said this morning, tonight, I am going to make a haul of the last 3 weeks, including, clothes, a bag, beauty stuff, food etc. .
Now, something you might not know about me is that I am a shopaholic..! :)

p.s I'm sorry for the bad quality pictures, as I am not so good at taking them, and editing . . 

I will start with the clothes:

When I saw this one, I knew I had to have it!! I bought it on sale from Miss Selfridge in Sliema (for approx. 25 Euro)  I only have a long sleeve one which I never wear . . Besides being sleeveless, it's also cropped.  I plan on wearing this for summer 2011! You can wear this over tank tops for example.Or just wear it alone if you dare!   You can accessorize with a nice summery scarf or necklace. Will upload pictures soon to show you how one can wear this !

I also bought this from Miss Selfridge in Sliema ( for about 15 Euro).Although it looks orangey here, it's actually peach. You can wear this over white trousers , shorts or jeans. I don't plan on wearing scarves or necklaces over this one, but some dainty earnings would definitely look pretty with this top.Will also upload some pictures and show you guys how it looks and also how you can wear this.

I bought this from a sports shop almost next to Burger King in Sliema. Actually, my sister bought a pink one a week before. There was also a black, a white and a navy blue (the pink was out of stock :(  ). So I picked the violet one. I wore this over black trousers with my Nike slippers, or tucked in my black flat New Look boots.I also wore this over jeans. It's so comfortable,although I suggest you wear a top under it, and a jacket over, as it's still quite cold!



I bought this one from Ta' Qali market, but I'm sure you will find this and other colours at other markets. I wore this with slippers, and also with a black flat boots. I once wore a white polo neck and the above jacket over this trousers. So comfy!


How cute is this bag!! I also bought this from Ta' Qali market. But unfortunately, I broke the cute keychain that was attached to it, as I was putting it back to it's place! There's a zip on top and another small one inside.There is another zip in the front and two small pockets that close with velcro.

I bought this cute small pocket from Heavenscent at Pavi sipermarket. I bought one in tiger print for my sister. There were other colours. Red and gold and more.

This one is from Nivea's new range of 95% organic products. They have no parabens,silicones, colourant or mineral oils.It's enriched with bio Argan oil and bio Jojoba oil. It has light fresh scent , and absorbs in the skin easily Love it!

I don't know why I bought this one, as I am not a fan of facial cleansing wipes. It was a miniature version and looked so cute :) Thought about keeping this one in my car for emergencies.

As I have said before, I love facial masks by Montagne Jeunesse! They are so hydrating and leaves my skin clear and soft.  From left to right :
Red hot earth mask sauna: Cleanse to the core with rich red clay and plant extracts, feel the heat help open pores allowing impurities to be drawn out, clearing excess oil without  the mask drying , so the skin is left  smooth and deep pore clean.
Yasmine and lavender aromatherapy mask:  Deeply cleansing, deeply soothing. Naturally and gently revive and cleanse your tired skin, whilst relaxing body and soul with natural and calming essential oils.
Zen flower sensitive skin mask: Relax. Let our caring sensitive masque deep cleanse and nourish your skin. Complete the treat and use the serum with re-hydrating ceramides above.

When I first tried these masks, I used the Zen flower mask first. I was really impressed!! My skin was so dry and flaky!! I was so frustrated because I couldn't apply foundation as it looked messy over my flaky skin, even over a thick moisturiser. This mask really helped my skin! I don't have flaky skin anymore ..!

 I bought this one at the Tower Supermarket in Sliema. There is also an eau de toilette version of this, as well as another smell.Love this one!


I bought this bath fizzer from Heavenscent at Pavi Supermarket. They have a small sale section. I also bought a small nail varnish by Valentina (by Kejal).The colour is so pretty...like a creamy white.I also bought a brown mascara by The Colour Workshop.


I bought this Maybelline Crayon oriental liner from GS in Naxxar. I used this for my lower water line. Looks really pigmented when you first apply it, but fades and creases during the day. Nothing beats my Revlon colourstay liner!

Now let's move on to the food haul!:


I can't get enough of this!! It's soooo good!!  I use this with my porridge or other cereal in the morning. I only find this from Pavi Supermarket in Hal Qormi. It's organic and it's sweetened with Agave syrup, which is a healthier alternative to sugar. Look it up on the net!


I bought these two from a Health shop in Sliema, near the Tower Supermarket. It is very well stocked, and the owner is so friendly and helpful.
From left to right:
Pure coconut oil : this one is solid, so to use this to stir fry and so on, I first put it in a pan filled with boiling water until liquid. It becomes solid when you are done with using it. You may also buy an organic one. This one is a healthier alternative to use, as other oils produce bad chemicals when heated. I also want to try this as a hair treatment! I've heard good things about this. Google it! :)
Agave syrup: This one is organic.It's low in Glycaemic Index. It says: Suma organic syrup is extracted from the wild Agave plant, a native in Mexico. It is a fructose syrup that dissolves easily and can be used to sweeten any foods. Replaces sugar in baking and hot drinks. Store at room temperature. I used this to make rice pudding - yummy!! Use this instead of the calorie-laden unhealthy sugar! (read Skinny Bitch book!!)

I bought the organic whole wheat penne from Tower Supermarket in Naxxar. I love pasta! I love a healthier alternative to the white version,which has no or little nutritional value..make the switch!
I bought the wholemeal flour from the same Supermarket. I am going to use this to make pizza bases!


I bought these yummy treats from Pavi Supermarket, except for the Valsoia snack (which are really good and crunchy!!), as I bought it from GS in Naxxar, and the Nakd bar from the health shop in Sliema near the Tower Supermarket in Sliema.
I bought Oskri bars in the following flavours: Coconut with dark chocolate, Jalow cashews and cranberries, flax seed and Jalow almonds and cranberries.They are all vegan and organic! There were more flavours available by the cash.
The nakd bar is made up of raw fruit, nuts and oats.This one is in Cocoa Loco. I have already tried one in Apple Pie. It's so good and filling!.


I also bought olrganic tamari roasted pumpkin seed from Pavi Supermarket.They are rich in protein, excellent source of magnesium and good source of zinc and iron.

 That's all for today! If you have any questions or comments, please send me a message or comment below!

Denise o.b.o. The Fabulous Team xoxo

My fasting day - how it all went!

How my fasting day went . .

Hello there! ;)

So, as you have seen from the previous post, I tried 24 hour of fast (liquid) from 8am (8th March) till 8am (9th March).


This is what I had during the day:


- 6:45am : porridge oats with hazelnut milk and cinnamon spinkled on top. (I usually cut half a banana and put it on top - YUMMY!!)
- before 12pm : 1.25 litres of water and an organic Detox tea by Yogi Tea.
- at 12pm: a small bowl of veggie soup (my mum cooked it from scratch)
- at 3pm : another small bowl of the same soup.
- in the after noon : drank 0.5 litre of water.



I thought it was going to be more difficult, but because I had so much water, the tea (I am NOT a tea person) and the soups defenitly got me going through the day.


At night, before I slept, at about 9:30pm, my tummy was growling loudly and I kind of felt a bit sick :( .


According to the Skinny Bitch Book, ''Not surplrisingly, some people experience headaches, weakness, nausea, cramping, stomach pains, sweating, a swolen tongue, bad breath, general aches and pains, increased temperature or depression while fasting. Abstaining from food does not cause these aliaments. They are simply normal side effects of fasting.''


and


''With its wisdom, the body selectively decopmposes the tissue and cells that are diseased, damaged, old or dead or in excess (fat). The body is literally digesting and expelling poisons, toxins, and bad cells that were already there - and it feels crappy. But this is actually a good thing, because the body is finally able to tackle some problems that were lurking within.''

So there you go for now!  If you have any questions, or comments, or maybe you are thinking of fasting, please comment below!  :)

Tonight, I might do a food/beauty haul if I have time..!!

Denise O.B.O The Fabulous Team XOX

Monday, March 7, 2011

Fasting..!

Hello there!

I have a chocolate face-mask on as I'm writing this!  (https://www.montagne-jeunesse-store.com/sess/utn;jsessionid=154d753db087496/shopdata/0030_FACE+MASQUES/0200_CLASSIC+RANGE/product_details.shopscript?article=0020_Chocolate%2BMud%2BMasque%2B%3D28YL-CHOCOLATE-EFS%3D29)

I simply love face-masks by Montagne Jeunesse!! I might do a review soon..! 

Well, as you have seen from the blog title, I'm going to talk about fasting? No, it's not Lent just yet (though soon) ..fasting is actually good and beneficial for the body!!
Fasting is a powerful tool for cleansing, flushing,  detoxifying, and maintaining the body,  and healing illnesses both minor and major. When we eat, all of our body's energy goes towards digesting, using and storing the food, and eliminating the waste. When we don't eat, all of our body's energy goes toward cleaning house. hmm who could have thought of that..?
We absorb toxic chemicals from food, drinks and the environment. Our body eliminates some of these though waste, but the rest remain as chemical by-products and free-radicals (highly reactive chemicals that damage cells and contribute to premature aging,heart disease and cancer) Ouch . .     But listen to this! -- > fasting gets rid of these toxins.



Skinny Bitch books says: Fasts can last from anywhere from 24 hours to 10 days or more. The longer the better , but even just one day a month is beneficial. There are too many types of fasts to cover them all, so we'll explain just a few. A particular favorite is a raw or ''live'' food fast, when, obviously, you eat only raw foods or however many days you choose. This is a great beginner's fast, because you reap the benefits of fasting, while still being able to actually eat.It's also a good fast to do if you want to work your way u to a more stringent fast, like a juice fast, when the only thing that you put in your body is fresh squeezed juice (not pasteurized or packaged) Whether it's fruit juice , veggie juice , or both, the enzymes are wonderful in the cleaning process. The hardest fast is the water fast, where you have nothing but water.aides A liquid fast  similar to the juice fast, but includes soups too.


 They say one shouldn't just decide to fast, but prepare for it beforehand. For example, start by becoming a vegetarian then a vegan. Or , if you already are or, start having smaller portions , etc).


According to them, fasting help our body and mind re-establish a new relation ship with food. Fasting can also help overcome addictions.

From www.yogameditationmalta.org   :   

If would ask any person to work 365 days per year without any rest, they would complain and say that they must have some rest or else they will break down. But we have never bothered to ask or to think about our digestive organs which we compel to work day after day without a rest. They cannot protest the way a person would to his boss, but they do give us signals that they cannot work non-stop. When we ignore those signals and still compel them to work, those organs break down. That is why yoga is say that on a periodic basis it is good to refrain from eating for one complete day. This gives a rest to the digestive organs and also help in the elimination of wastes from the body. Regular fasting allows a person to use the fasting days for intellectual or spiritual pursuits. Fasting is not for hermits in a cave, but is a sensible practice that anyone can practice. In a future article we will explain the procedures for fasting.
Some fasting tips from the same website:   
Some people think that fasting is difficult. But if you prepare yourself for fasting it is not difficult. Prepare yourself physically by taking enough food and also plenty of liquids the day before. Prepare yourself mentally by deciding the night before fasting: "Tomorrow is fasting day, and I am not going to eat anything." If you take this mental determination prior to the fasting day, you will not be hungry during the fasting day. If you do not make a prior determination, during the fasting day you will start to think maybe I should eat, and fast another day. Decide before hand and you will be able to complete your fast.
After fasting, you should take about 1.5 liters of warm water with the juice of 1 lemon and a level tablespoon of salt. This drink helps to flush the digestive system, eliminating waste material that might otherwise remain in the body if you didn't fast.
All in all, fasting is one of the best practices for maintaining physical, mental and spiritual health.


I know I know, sounds like the ideal thing to do (or not - lol), but fasting is difficult!! I love food..A LOT!! But I will try a 24 hour fast  (liquid fast - water and soup) starting 8am tomorrow (till 8am). Will write all about it in the comments section below. .  will also try to have some Detox tea by Yogi tea , and organic green tea. .

Denise o.bo. The Fabulous Team xoxo

Arabic make-up

Check this site to see some beautiful Arabic make-up and more! Arabic make-up is sooo beautiful :)  (will post about this in future posts!):
Omani make up with accessories

Denise xx

Body Spring Cleaning!

Check out body Spring Cleaning !

Denise xx

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Skinny Bitch!


Hello sweets :):)

What a beautiful day in nice sunny Malta! I hope it stays like this as I am going out later on in the afternoon.. and hope it stays like this for the rest of the week!!

Recently, I have made some changes in my diet, a really positive change! Well, let’s say it’s more of a lifestyle change! Today, I am going to talk about this . .

By now you might be asking : What change did you do?  I became vegan, meaning , someone that does not consume any product coming from animals – meat, fish, milk, eggs. Besides being vegan, I am also finding out more on cruelty-free products, and also those that are not. That said, will try to buy things that are cruelty-free and boycott things that do animal testing.Follow cruelty-free Malta for more info ;)  :

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Cruelty-Free-Malta/174719549237425



What made me/interested me in becoming vegan ?  
I follow Anna Saccone’s blog and youtube channel : (http://www.annasaccone.com and http://www.youtube.com/TheStyleDiet). She is such a nice girl and I love all her posts and videos about style, her life in Ireland, and recently, her wedding preparations update.
Well, she blogged about how she and her fiance’ changed their diet after reading the book skinny bitch (here is the post : http://www.annasaccone.com/2011/02/skinny-bitch-for-week.html ) , and so I thought I should give it a try and bought the book myself.

This is Anna, her fiance' and their adorable dogs :) :)   (pic from one of her laterst blog posts)

 So I bought  the book Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin. (http://www.play.com/Books/Books/4-/3287900/Skinny-Bitch/Product.html?searchtype=allproducts&searchsource=0&searchstring=skinny+bitch&urlrefer=search )   I have also bought their recipe book : Skinny Bitch in the Kitch.



This is what’s written on the cover : A no-nonsense, tough –love guide for savvy girls who want to stop eating crap and start looking fabulous!

This book’s got some bad words here and there, but it is really funny! I have already read this book twice, and am starting to read it again! Sad? Well, I can’t get enough of this book!! And everytime, I take more notes for myself.  
This opened my eyes on so many things about what we put in out body and what animals have to endure so that we can eat mean and so on.

Even Victoria B. read it! 


Here is how the book is divided :

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1:    Give it up
Chapter 2:    Carbs: The Truth
Chapter 3:    Sugar is the devil
Chapter 4;    The dead, rotting, decomposing flesh diet
Chapter 5:    The dairy disaster
Chapter 6:    You are what you eat
Chapter 7:    The myths and lies about protein
Chapter 8:    Pooping
Chapter 9:    Have no faith ; governmental agencies don’t give a shit about your health
Chapter 10:  Don’t be a pussy
Chapter 11:  Let’s eat
Chapter 12:  FYI
Chapter 13:  Use your head

At the end, they put a list of books they recommend and also some sources they consulted for their book.

In this blog post, I am going to post the introduction from the book. In other posts, I will write a summary and important points from their book (starting from chapter 1).

Introduction:

Are  you sick and tired of being fat? Good. If you can’t take one more day of self-loathing, you’re ready to get skinny. You don’t need  a degree in biology to get skinny. You don’t need to starve yourself to get skinny. You don’t need to spend all day at the gym to get skinny. You just need to smarten up and use your head. Really. It’s that simple. We have been so brainwashed by fad diet, magazine articles, and advertisements that we have forgotten how to think for ourselves.
Skinny Bitch delivers the truth about food, So that you can make intelligent and educated decisions for yourself. This knowledge will empower you to become a skinny bitch.
This is not a diet. This is a way of life. A way to enjoy food. A way to feel healthy, clean, energized and pure. It’s time to reclaim your mind and body. It’s time to strut your skinny ass down the street like you’re in an episode of Charlie’s Angels with some really cool song playing in he background. It’s time to prance around in a thong like you rule the world. It’s time to get skinny.


So that was the introduction. I highly recommend anyone reading this now, to buy this book and read it cover to cover like I did (twice till now – lol). It will open your eyes, change your life and how you think about food!
I feel so much lighter and better, and also, I feel good about myself that I am not contributing to animals being killed for us to eat – when there are so many wonderful and health alternatives!! :
 
Dairy-free cheeses , ‘faux’ anything!! (burgers, fish fingers, sausages, chicken pieces etc), and others.  Will write about this and more in other posts.

Stay tuned, and don’t forget to follow Anna Saccone’s blog and subsribe to her vids !

Denise o.bo. The Fabulous Team xoxo