HAUL x REVIEW | NYX Cosmetics Lip Liners

The perfect way to cap off a full morning of exploring Tallinn's Old Town was to venture into the nearest shopping center, Viru Keskus, located right across the gates of Old Town. I came back out with a backpack full of snacks and a handful of lip goodness from NYX Cosmetics.

Just like my Inglot haul, I took these pictures the second I got back to my hotel room so that I could finally try them on. I've always had a thing for NYX lip liners - they are very affordable yet high-quality - and the range of colors that NYX offers is huge. The Slim Lip Pencil range by itself has 50 shades, not to mention another 36 shades in their Suede Matte Lip Liner range, and dozens more in other styles and finishes. I firmly believe that lip liners are one of those products you don't need to splurge on (you still can if you want to) and I often just wear lip liner on its own instead of lipstick. After swatching every single shade the store had to offer - my arm was literally stained up to my elbow for the rest of the day - I narrowed it down to these final five (and yes, I do love my neutrals and mauves).

Slide On, Glide On, Stay On & Definitely A Turn On Waterproof, Extreme Color Lip Liners in Sugar Glass | "true nude with yellow undertone"
This is a pretty browny nude that really suits my complexion and complements any makeup look. It looks better when applied on dry lips as opposed to on top of lip balm, as the slip can take away the pigment. The closest match to anything in my collection is my No7 Precision Lip Liner in Nude, which is a tad peachier and deeper.

Slide On, Glide On, Stay On & Definitely A Turn On Waterproof, Extreme Color Lip Liners in Nude Suede Shoes | "nude with pink undertone"
This shade is the most similar to my natural lip color, and makes my lips looks more perfected and pouty. It's a close dupe to my Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk, which is just a bit darker. I'm also very pleased with this formula - this and Sugar Glass definitely have the longest staying power and the smoothest application.

Suede Matte Lip Liner in Soft-Spoken | "ash rose"
This also has a super soft and velvety consistency, but doesn't last as long on the lips as the Slide On formula. The shade is just up my street - a smidgen darker than one of my all time faves, MAC Lip Pencil in Whirl, and pretty much identical in shade to my Sephora Collection Color Lip Last in Brown Is Back.

Slim Lip Pencil in Mauve | "mauve"
This is a beautiful purple mauve that is perfect for when I want a vampy look that isn't too intense. The formula is a bit more drying but still comfortable to wear. The color is identical to my Make Up For Ever Aqua Rouge Waterproof Liquid Lip Colour in 3 Light Rosewood.

Slim Lip Pencil in Ever | "warm mauve-brown"
This is the warmest, reddest shade of the bunch, and because it is so similar to my MAC Lip Pencil in Soar, I gave it away to my mom who looks gorgeous in it. This helps brighten your face and makes you look more put together.

Sugar Glass | Nude Suede Shoes | Soft-Spoken | Mauve | Ever

If you don't own any of the NYX lip liners, I suggest you go to their nearest store, have an epic swatch fest and haul a bunch for yourself - with so many shades and finishes, you are bound to find a few (or more) that you'll love!

HAUL x REVIEW | Inglot Cosmetics

We arrived in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, around sunset after a long day of driving and exploring, and decided to stretch our legs at Akropolis, a massive shopping centre right outside the city. I walked straight into Douglas, the European equivalent of Sephora, to look for new brands to try out, and that's when I spotted Inglot Cosmetics.

I recall hearing some chatter over Inglot's Freedom System palettes a few years back, where you could mix and match all your favourite makeup products - eyeshadow, blush, lipstick, concealer - into one sturdy, convenient palette, but the brand hasn't been on my radar since. As I've mentioned before, I'm usually not one to splurge on makeup that I haven't done my research on. But of course, my wifi decided to stop working on my phone, and my dad was impatiently sulking in the corner of the store, so I just settled on three products and quickly got outta there. I wanted to try these on as soon as possible, so I improvised and took these pictures on the window ledge of my hotel room the next morning before slapping everything on my face for a test run.

I picked up the Under Eye Concealer in shade 92 which looked like the closet match for me out of the four shades on display. It's a very lightweight, liquidy concealer that feels hydrating under the eyes and dries to a powdery finish. It blends out with ease but loses its coverage once smoothed out - sheer to light coverage at most, and doesn't cover my dark circles. This shade also oxidizes a smidge darker and turns a tiny bit grey, which is odd, and looks rather dull and not at all brightening for under the eyes. Looking back, the first shade in 91 would've been a much better option. It's a shame as I do enjoy the moisturising formula, but the coverage just isn't there and the shade isn't the best match. I'll still reach for this (cos I ain't about wasting money) but only for days when I'm lounging around the house.

Swatched | Blended out

The Freedom System Camouflage Concealers in 124 and 125 also caught my eye, especially with the cooler undertones that I thought would be ah-mazing for contouring. 124 is a warmer milk chocolate brown, whereas 125 is a very cool-toned greyish brown. The consistency of these are stiffer and takes a bit more work to blend out for that seamless finish, but they are hella pigmented and will not budge once set and stays on all day. I use 124 for a more natural contour, and 125 for the rarer occasion when I want to carve out my face and create angles and bone structure I don't even have. Slay, gurl. But do be reminded that 125 can look a tad unnatural if you go overboard - the grey undertones have the potential of looking slightly ashy and muddy - so less is definitely more.

124 | 125

Top 124 | Bottom 125

All three products are decently priced - the Under Eye Concealer retails for 11.50€ and the Freedom System Camouflage Concealers are 5€ each. I wouldn't recommend the Under Eye Concealer if you prefer full coverage, but it could be worth a try for drier skin types and natural makeup days. And if you're contour-obsessed like me, these Camouflage Concealers could be a great (and inexpensive) addition to your arsenal!

TRAVEL | Part II | Lithuania x Latvia x Estonia

The long-awaited second part of my Eurotrip adventure is finally here!

In part one, I shared all the amazing scenery, sights and food from my visit in Finland, Sweden and Denmark. In addition to sailing from Helsinki to Stockholm, we took another overnight cruise sailing to Lithuania, and began our adventures in the Baltic region. Check out the most memorable, bucket-list moments from my time road tripping around Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia!

LITHUANIA |

All aboard! Sailing to Lithuania

Driving down the Curonian Spit, a 98km long, 4km wide UNESCO sand dune peninsula

Blurry but a goodie - my dad posing at the Lithuania-Russia border

Did a U-turn at the border and stopped by the quaint town of Nida

14th century Kaunas Castle, the oldest stone castle in the country

Sunset arrival in the beautiful capital city, Vilnius

Akropolis - a massive shopping center with ice skating, casino and cinema

Tranquil stroll through Bernardinai Garden

In the heart of Old Town

Art display

Traditional Lithuanian lunch in a cave at Forto Dvaras

Feast fit for a king

Cathedral of Saint Peter and Paul in Šiauliai

Beautiful interior of the cathedral

The legendary Hill of Crosses - a pilgrimage site symbolising faith, healing and devotion

Hundreds of thousands of crucifixes and crosses

Quick lunch stop in the city of Joniškis before crossing into Latvia

Lithuanian Cepelinai - tasty stuffed potato dumplings

Just frolicking in a Lithuanian field

LATVIA |

8:05pm dinner in the capital city, Riga

Pleasing to the eye and stomach 

Strolling through Old Town

Inside Riga Central Market, Europe's largest marketplace

Spices galore!

Flower market outside Central Market

Enjoying the beauty outside the Sigulda Medieval Castle ruins

Gutmanis Cave - the highest, widest cave in the Baltics with 17th century wall inscriptions and spring water said to have healing powers 

Another blurry but a goodie - Latvian sunset from the Vanšu Bridge

ESTONIA |

Old Town in the capital city, Tallinn

Town Hall Square

Master's Courtyard - home to local master craftsmen and the best hot chocolate I've ever tasted from Pierre Chocolaterie

A local painter in action along Pikk Jalg Street, the oldest street in Tallinn

Art displayed on the Walls of Tallinn

Medieval tombstones in St. Catherine's Passage

Dinner at Rataskaevu 16, #1 ranked restaurant in Tallinn (and rightfully so!)

A beautiful sunset to cap off our last night

And that's a wrap for my two week trip to Northern Europe! It was a wonderful, once-in-a-lifetime experience and I will treasure the memories forever. Can't wait for my next adventure..

REVIEW | Céline Trio Bag

It's been exactly two months since my last post, and I know, it's completely unacceptable. Between taking time off from work, traveling and starting a new job, my life has been cray cray as of late, but I'm finally back on a routine and ready to roll!

I was chatting on here recently about my adventures in Finland, Sweden and Denmark back in June, and shared my mini haul from & Other Stories during my visit in Stockholm in my last post. Well, hold onto your hats, 'cos I'm about to unveil this gorgeous luxury purchase that I scooped up during my time in Copenhagen - say hej to my new Celine Trio Bag!

On the last day of our three day stay in the city, we went and walked along Stroget, one of Copenhagen's most famous spots (as well as one of Europe's longest pedestrian streets). I had two main objectives that day - the first was to visit the beautiful Tortus boutique and studio which has been on my wishlist for years, and the second was to drop by Illum, a Copenhagen-based luxury department store, to browse one of my favorite luxury brands. Just as I thought I would be leaving Céline empty handed, as they didn't have the exact Mini Belt Bag that I had in mind, I caught a glimpse of the massive pile of Celine Trio bags neatly stacked on top of a pristine glass table, and this particular Trio Bag in Smoke, a new colour for the upcoming Fall season, just called out to me. And now, here we are!

The Céline Trio comes in two sizes - large and small - but I found the difference in dimensions to be quite minuscule. For reference, the large is slightly roomier at 10" x 7" x 2" compared to the small at 9" x 6" x 2". I opted for the latter, just because it looked a bit daintier on my 5'5 frame. The leather strap is adjustable and has a 20" drop, and hits me perfectly at the hip when worn on the shoulder and a bit higher when worn cross body.

The leather feels very soft, smooth and high quality, and the gold hardware adds a touch of flare to complement the simplicity of the design. There are three zipped pouches that are attached together with snap buttons, with the strap permanently attached to the middle pouch. If you detach the front and back pouches and clip them together, it can be used as a clutch. I don't see myself doing this however, as it's quite difficult to snap the pouches on and off without feeling like I'm bending and ruining the leather. Plus, the Céline logo is only embossed on the front pouch, so there really is no point in using the pouches separately.

Despite its flat and inflexible appearance, the bag can surprisingly fit quite a lot - the soft leather allows for some give and the pouches expand to carry a lot more than it seems capable of. I personally choose not to do so because of fear of ruining or stretching the material, since anything that is pointy or more irregular in shape can poke out and distort the leather - which freaks me out. So far, I haven't gotten a single scratch or scrape on it, and I would very much like to keep it that way!

After two months of regular use, this bag has proven to be quite lovely for casual days out, and fits most of my essentials that I can then organise into different pouches. Not gonna lie, most of the time I forget where I put certain things, so I end up having to unzip all three pouches to find what I'm looking for. Now, I stick to putting my most important belongings in the middle pouch, makeup and gum in the front, and keys and random trinkets in the back.

The only gripe I have with this bag is that it doesn't fit my everyday Céline Large Flap Wallet - it takes me a few extra minutes to take out my must-haves (ID, credit card, cash, VIP and loyalty cards) and transfer them into a smaller wallet, and when I'm in a hurry and need to get out the door fast (which is always, 'cos I'm never on time), this becomes a slight hassle. But hey, I opted to get a bag this size, so I really don't have the right to complain.

While I certainly don't believe this is a must-have bag from the brand (unlike their cult classic aka the Céline Luggage Tote), I still think it's a great luxury buy with a lower, more affordable price point and equally amazing quality and workmanship. Currently, I'm rotating between the Trio and my two other newer bag additions, the Mansur Gavriel Mini Bucket Bag and the Manu Atelier Mini Pristine, and I couldn't be happier! Yahoo!

Stay tuned as I share my long overdue mini hauls from Inglot and NYX, as well as the rest of my adventures in the Baltic Sea!