Wearing this striped grey dress* from Zan.Style
Hello and welcome back to my blog! I have been a bit absent from the blogging world for the past weeks as I was busy with exams. But I'm ready now and I have the last two weeks of the summer holidays to myself.
I spent the last three days in beautiful Syracuse in Sicily with my friends. Sicily is only a short 30 minute flight away from Malta so it's quick and easy to get there. I have been to Sicily a few times already but I've always enjoyed myself. For this trip we decided to go to the northern part of Syracuse near Ortigia which is around 40 minutes away from Catania airport. Ortigia is a small island with a lot of history, beautiful winding streets and very good food.
In this post I have put together some of my favourite snaps from the holiday in the form of a travel diary. This way you will be able to see the beauty of Ortigia and I will be able to look back on this post for the memories.
Day 1
First thing in the morning we headed out to check out the area around us. it was pretty early though and the streets were a bit deserted while the shops were still closed. So I would recommend going out after 9.30 am. We walked along the promenade and through the centre of Ortigia to pass the time. For a very nutritious and healthy lunch we chose an ice cream waffle. 🙃
In the evening we had a quick stroll through the streets and then headed to the Piazza Del Doumo for dinner. Definitely my favourite part of the holiday. Apart from the good food there also was a lovely relaxed atmosphere in the piazza.
Day 2
In the morning we visited the Shrine of Our Lady of the Tears which is kind of surprising to see among all of the old buildings. We then headed to the Archaeological park which included the Greek Theater, Roman Amphitheater and the Ear of Dionysius.
In the evening we went out for dinner but I forgot to take any photos as I was really hungry. It was also really cold and windy so we headed to the hotel as fast as we could after we ate.
Day 3
On the last day we headed for breakfast at Angelina's Bakery. It is a nice cafe that does the most amazing breakfast and brunch. I had the pancakes with berries and honey. I'm going ahead and say that they were actually the best I've ever had.
Afterwards we headed to the centre of Ortigia for the last time. Although we had just had breakfast we decided to stop for an ice cream. Definitely worth it.
I hope that you enjoyed this post. Next week I'm headed to Croatia, this time with my mum. If you like travel posts, you're in luck as there will be more for you to read!
Have you ever visited Sicily?
3 Days in Syracuse Sicily
Thursday, 14 September 2017 Island of Ortigia, Italy
Although summer has already decided to pack up and leave in the rest of Europe, it's still in full swing here in Malta. My favourite way to cool off (apart from staying inside with the ac on) is to head to the beach for a swim.
Thankfully Malta is blessed with many beautiful beaches so it's always a good day for a beach day. Most of the time I visit Ramla Bay as it's the closest and in my opinion the nicest. It has reddish sand instead of the usual white so it also makes a great Instagram photo.
(I wrote this yesterday and I'm kind of contradicting myself now as it just rained. So yeah, maybe summer is coming to an end here too!)
So weather chat aside, today's post is all about my beach bag essentials. I had been seeing these types of straw bags all summer and I couldn't help not pick this one up when I got the chance. The straw bag that I went for is from Rosegal and has "Bonjour" written on the front and colourful tassels at the top. It's very good for holding everything I need as it's very spacious. Another thing that I like about it is that it has a drawstring closure at the top. This helps to keep the sand out and makes me feel a bit more secure about taking it with me.
I usually don't take a lot of things with me when I go to the beach but there are a few items that are always with me. First up is a swimsuit. Technically it's not in the bag as I'm wearing it but I wanted to include it anyway. I bought this from Zaful at the start of summer and I love wearing it. It's a nice black one piece with the crisscross details at the front.
On to the actual contents of the bag. First up is a towel which I'm sure needs no explanation. Next is sunblock because the sun here roasts me and if I don't apply anything, I end up looking like a tomato at the end. I always have a pair of sunglasses with me. In the last months I have been loving this reflective pair which I wore in a recent outfit post. When I'm at the beach I like to have a book with me. Nothing to deep, just something to pass the time. The last thing that I take with me is a coin purse to put my things in. I always need to have money with me because an after beach ice-cream has become a kind of tradition.
What are your beach (or pool) essentials?
Beach Bag Essentials
Wednesday, 23 August 2017
Too much sun, too much heat and too much sweat. That's my current situation and the situation for all the people on this island. I can't thank the air condition enough. Honestly, I'm totally done with summer and I'm looking forward to the cooler months, if they even exist in Malta.
Right now, I don't feel like putting too much effort in my outfits so I like dresses like this one. It's a wrap dress so it's very easy to throw on and also really light. Besides, the pattern is gorgeous and I love the colour. As per usual I put on a simple pair of sandals and a choker because I'm all about minimal effort.
The Little Red Dress
Friday, 4 August 2017
As I have mentioned many times before, I believe that eyebrows frame the face and play an important part in everyone's makeup routine. Like everyone else, I'm always on the lookout to up my brow game and I recently got the chance to put this Rosegal eyebrow kit to the test.
The Rosegal Eyebrow Kit* ($6.90) is a handy little compact which consists of 3 powders, 1 wax, 3 brow stencils, tweezers, a double sided brush and a mirror. Lately, it seems that a lot of beauty products haven't been including a mirror so I enjoy that this kit actually comes with a huge one.
 |
| Light powder // Warm powder // Cool powder // Wax |
The 3 powder shades consist of a light brown, a warm brown and a cool brown shade while the wax looks like a mix of the two darker shades. The shades are all very pigmented although the powders can be a bit powdery. The three brow stencils that are included all have different shapes that can be used for filling in and shaping. The only thing that I did not particularly like was the angled brush side as the edge was quite wide and therefore not precise enough.
For my eyebrows, I used 'svara' stencil which I have no idea what it stands for. Even google translate doesn't understand this word so I'm going ahead and call it the least arched one. I had never used a stencil in my eyebrow routine before so I was interested in trying it out. The shade that best matches my brows is the cool brown one but I also used the warm brown in some patchy areas. A bit of wax is enough to keep the hairs in place.With the help of the stencil, I found it was much easier to shape and fill as I had a clearer guide of where my brows should be.
Overall, I'm really happy with this kit and I recommend it for anyone starting out in doing their brows or if you're someone who maintains their own eyebrows. Don't forget to check out Rosegal for more beauty products and clothes and use the code 'Rosegalxie' when checking out for 12% off your order.
Rosegal Eyebrow Kit | Review
Tuesday, 1 August 2017
So, I don't know how this happened but last week I turned the big '18' and I'm now officially an adult! I still feel like a child who needs their mum to call the dentist and make an appointment for them! Basically, I'm trying to say that I don't think that I am ready yet but who is ever ready?
Top New Look // Trousers Zaful* // Heels New Look // Necklace Boho Queen
When I was little I always thought of 18-year-olds as having their life together, know how to do adult-y things and have everything figured out. And it turns out that the reality is completely different! (At least for me) The last thing that I am right now is having my life just like how I want it!
I'm going to be honest and say that last year wasn't the easiest. I went through a few ups and downs. School life wasn't the best for me and I felt like I couldn't belong. The subjects I was studying didn't feel right and in general, I didn't feel like I was in my place. I didn't have any major problems but the little things felt much bigger to me and I felt sad and alone. I'm sure that I wasn't the only one although it does feel so when you get caught up in your own thoughts.
Now that I have turned 18, I have a whole new year in front of me. Although I already didn't start it on the right foot, I hope that the extra year that I have grown will help me to handle things better than I would have before. So here's to another year of figuring things out and trying to improve as a person.
For my birthday dinner with my family, I decided to wear these cigarette trousers* in the hopes of looking more *mature*. I don't know if it worked but I still liked the outfit. If you're ever in the mood of shopping on Zaful don't forget to use the code Zafulxie10.
E i g h t e e n
Sunday, 23 July 2017
Striped Crop Top // Floral Denim Shorts // Red Wrap Dress // Embroidered Romper // Layered Necklace // Yellow Floral Top // Woven Beach Bag
The temperatures are soaring, the sun is shining all day long and I can barely move a few feet without breaking into sweat! That only means that summer is in full swing.
With the heat being nearly unbearable, the thought of putting together an outfit can be a hassle. So the best thing is to have a nice selection of light and easy to throw on clothes.
I find that rompers are always a safe bet for summer. It's a whole outfit in one and can be either dressed up or down. (The only problem you might have is while going to the bathroom but it's a problem I can look over!) Dresses are another option that is easy to wear as again you instantly have an outfit that doesn't need to be thought through. Just pair it with some nice sandals and a shoulder bag and you're ready to head out.
Having a few tops at hand that can be worn both casually and more dressed up is also a great idea. Wear with a nice pair of denim jeans for an everyday look or add some dainty jewellery pieces that instantly make the outfit look ten times more put together. If you are like me and can't bear the heat any longer, you will be heading a lot to the beach or pool so a beach bag is a definite must.
All of the items featured are from Zaful and Rosegal which are online shopping sites that have a very wide variety of affordable clothing items. Beauty items, brushes and home decor bits are also available from these sites. When placing your orders don't forget to use the coupon codes Rosegalxie on Rosegal and Zafulxie10 on Zaful. I highly recommend checking them out as I love all the items that I own from these brands.
I find that rompers are always a safe bet for summer. It's a whole outfit in one and can be either dressed up or down. (The only problem you might have is while going to the bathroom but it's a problem I can look over!) Dresses are another option that is easy to wear as again you instantly have an outfit that doesn't need to be thought through. Just pair it with some nice sandals and a shoulder bag and you're ready to head out.
Having a few tops at hand that can be worn both casually and more dressed up is also a great idea. Wear with a nice pair of denim jeans for an everyday look or add some dainty jewellery pieces that instantly make the outfit look ten times more put together. If you are like me and can't bear the heat any longer, you will be heading a lot to the beach or pool so a beach bag is a definite must.
All of the items featured are from Zaful and Rosegal which are online shopping sites that have a very wide variety of affordable clothing items. Beauty items, brushes and home decor bits are also available from these sites. When placing your orders don't forget to use the coupon codes Rosegalxie on Rosegal and Zafulxie10 on Zaful. I highly recommend checking them out as I love all the items that I own from these brands.
Summer Wardrobe Essentials
Tuesday, 11 July 2017
As some of you might know, I recently started to wear glasses and have been loving my new look. The only downside is that sometimes glasses can make my eyes look tired or dull so I have been experimenting with makeup looks to see what works best. After testing out different ways of makeup application, I decided to share my top tips with my fellow eyeglass wearers. Obviously, I'm in no way saying that you should wear makeup because you have glasses. This is just something you can do from time to time.
Glasses have a tendency to create shadows on the face and eyes while also hiding the eyes behind the frames. I have found that the trick is to emphasise the facial features more than you normally would. This post is also a collaboration with Optically and I would like to thank them for providing me with these beautiful frames. You can read more about Optically at the end of the post.
Contoured Face // Grab a bronzer and contour the cheekbones, forehead and nose. I found that contouring the nose is especially important if you have wider one like mine. The illusion of having a slimmer nose helps to balance out the frames. Add a bit of blush and finish off with a highlight on the high points of your face like the cupid's bow, the nose tip and on top of the cheeks.
Bold Brows // By now everybody has heard the phrase "eyebrows frame the face" and I can't agree more with this statement. With glasses, you get get a pass at over drawing them a bit and going for a darker shade than usual. Also don't be afraid to emphasise the arch to create a bolder look. A little bit of highlight under the brow bone is the finishing touch.
Dark Eyes // The eyes are obviously the most important feature that you should focus on. First off apply a decent amount of concealer to help eliminate the darkness and brighten up the face. Our goal here is to draw attention to the eyes and contrast them from the rest of the face. A trick that creates the illusion of larger and brighter eyes is to apply white eye pencil to the bottom waterlines.
Now take a warm brown shade on a blending brush and apply in the crease of the eye while also dragging it up higher. Taking a shimmery eyeshadow shade, apply lightly in the inner corners of the eye. Next, apply eyeliner or you can opt for something different. Take a dark brown shade and drag it along the top lash line for a softer and easier look. Also, take this shade along the bottom lash line to darken the eyes and make them stand out behind the glasses. The last step is to curl the lashes and apply a generous coat of mascara.
It took me so long and so many attempts to finally take a decent photo of myself without having a reflection in the glasses. This is the best that I could do. I guess that I still have a long way to go until I master the art of taking selfies with glasses!
I was recently contacted by Optically to try out a pair of their glasses offering me to try out a pair of their frames. Seeing that I had just started wearing glasses I was very excited and I immediately accepted. Optically is an American Eyewear company that offers a wide array of Rx glasses, Non-Rx glasses and sunglasses. Prescription sunglasses are also available. Most of the frames are very affordable starting from only $12. They also carry a premium range that includes designer frames with top brands such as Lacoste, Gucci and Marc Jacobs among others.
The site is very user-friendly and the frames are easy to filter through. While browsing for a pair of glasses in the women's glasses section I found the 'try on' feature to be extremely helpful. The only thing that needs to be done is to upload a photo of yourself, locate the pupils and voila you now have a clearer idea of which frames suit you best.
After much deliberation, I decided to go for the Weldon 1718 C5* style. After two weeks of waiting I finally received my glasses and let me tell you, it was love at first sight. The glasses were carefully packaged in a box lined with protective bubble wrap. Along with the glasses, I also received a gorgeous white case, a micro fibre cloth and a tiny screw driver. The frames themselves have tortoise shell print on the front and gold metal details which I love. They also fit perfectly on my face which is the most important thing! While looking delicate they are also very sturdy and lightweight.
Unfortunately, these frames are now out of stock but no need to worry as I have rounded up some similar frames from Optically that are equally as pretty.
Do you have any other tips for wearing makeup with glasses? I would love to hear them!
Makeup for Glasses | Optically.co Glasses
Thursday, 6 July 2017
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