... and she said she wouldn't shop ...

Just as I unpack from this week-long vacation in Krakow, where I have finally spent much desired time with my mister, and re-visited some of the places I had grown terribly fond of, I realise that my 'promise' not to buy much stuff was, alas, broken.

The realisation should have struck somewhat earlier this morning as I was shoving the last items into my expanded suitcase and struggling to get it closed! Well, in all fairness, I did have some extra items which I had left back in Krakow and had to bring them back down to Malta anyway ...

Still, every time I tell myself  I won't do something (read: go shopping, or eating), I go ahead and do it. And with some bravado and gusto as well. Let me just take you through what I bagged myself during this trip:

Zara mustard pattern blouse with leather trimmings ... perfectly matching my bedroom tiles as well. 

Aggi leather skater skirt, to replace a similar one which had seen better days.

Zara plaid woollen shawl: practically my uniform over the last week

Marilyn in Fashion and Irvine Welsh's FILTH ... because the mind needs its fuel too!

iPad Air and Tucano folio cover, because the girl is a sucker for gadgets too. 

Marc Jacobs' Honey - a favourite flavour becomes a favourite scent too.

H&M zebra print dress, to channel the monochrome trend (oh, and since I'm not a fan of animal print, let's say this is a Rorschach test print, shall we?)

H&M mustard oversize woollen, for "those" days.

H&M forest green pencil skirt, just to change from the corporate black / blue / grey

Benefit Cosmetics 'Gimme Brow' and 'Big Beautiful Eyes' palette.  I will write a whole post about 'Gimme Brow'.  It's my new best friend.

And since, as my family say, I can find something to buy even in the desert, I got Lancome's Hypnose Doll Eyes mascara from the in-flight trolley...

There's just no cure to my shopping obsession, now is there?!

crazy on colour ❤ nyx haul & goodie bag ❤

I'm not one for colours, at least when it comes to make-up, as you may have noticed from all the photos I've posted on this blog.

But it's all likely to change, very soon. All it will take, I suspect, is another trip to NYX Cosmetics which has just opened in Sliema, Malta.

soft matte lip creams

 I had heard of the brand from other bloggers' posts and I've been meaning to getting my paws on some products to test them out myself.  I can now safely say that all those bloggers raving about NYX were very right indeed!

great range of anything you may wish to make you picture perfect

Having missed the bloggers event last week, I made it a point to pop over some time this week and have a little look myself.  Kida at NYX greeted me warmly and showed me round the shop.  She even gave me a little one-to-one consultation on the various products available, what's best for my skin in terms of substance, texture and colour.  After a few moments of guarded observation of the various shimmery and glittery powders and creams, I must admit that I started melting in front of glossy shades of pinks and metallic liquid eyeliners.  By the end of my visit, I was walking around in luscious plum coloured lips ... while mentally taking note of the various palettes I should get on my next trip.

lovely nail polishes which just need one coat to apply!

on my 'to buy list' ... the spring palette!

If you haven't been to NYX as yet, I truly recommend it.  The street level is immaculately laid out and packed with all sorts of lip colours, glosses, butters and balms which also smell absolutely edible! There's tonnes of powders, blushes, eye shadows, liners, mascaras ... you name it, it's there!  There's also a good range of brushes and other make-up accessories which are always needed, whether you already have them or not.

one of the make-up stations

On the lower level, a number of make-up stations are set up for make-up sessions as well as other beauty treatments like brow threading and tinting to make you picture perfect.

the haul!

swatched with love

While I was there, I made sure to buy The Curve felt tip eye-liner which I had read so much about. The felt-tip liner is shaped in an ergonomic curve which fits the arch your hand makes when applying liquid eyeliner.  Being a huge fan of the flicked-lined-eyelid, this will definitely come in handy in giving me a sturdier hand when applying my cats' eye look.  I also bought La Amoureux individual curl mascara from the Boudoir collection to complement the liner, and the plum coloured lip colour I got to try.  The lip colour is from the Black Label Lipstick range and the shade is called Midnight Dinner. I paired this with No. 16 Plum retractable lip liner which is also waterproof and will therefore make the lippy go further.

and here i am in my plum-lipped glory!

I was very gladly surprised when the lovely people at NYX gave me the goodie bag I missed out on last week.  I was chuffed to find the amount of items I got for free and the shades they came in - all golden and bronzy tones which I'm sure to wear over and over again! I promise to shoot a video with the haul and goodie bag to show you the products better once worn, promise! 

my goodie bag contents ... perfect for that 'golden goddess' look

If you want to find out more on the local NYX store, I suggest you log onto their Facebook page and keep an eye out for in-store promotions and loyalty programmes in the pipeline!

N.B. all opinions expressed in this review are the my genuine thoughts and have not been motivated by sponsors, affiliations or payment of any kind. 

confession #000061

... or, when the going gets tough, the tough go shopping

today i decided i shall treat myself to the afternoon.  afternoons tend to be a rather elusive thing for me because of work commitments.  not that i'm complaining, mind you. i love my job and what i get to experience through it.  but sometimes, you just need that afternoon for yourself.

and today i did just that.  since i could technically clock off at 13h30, i did pretty much just that and headed over to galeria krakowska.  if i were in malta right now, i'd probably have headed to the beach, but either way, i would still end up doing the same thing, i.e. shopping!
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