Life Update + My First Giveaway!

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Finally, Cyprus here I come! Sadly, summer has been quite disappointing this year here in the UK but now I get to spend a week by the beach, swimming and tanning, and of course eating lots of yummy food!

I will be back on the 2nd of September which means more than a week away from this space, *sigh*. But, I decided not to schedule any posts for this period, even though I have them ready to be published, because I love reading your comments, commenting on your blogs and interacting with you guys, and I don't feel like I will be able to do all of these things whilst being away. 

But as you may recall me saying a few weeks ago, August is a special month for "Pam Scalfi♥". It is the 6th month blog anniversary and I cannot believe how fast time has gone. I am blessed to have my own little spot on the internet and all the lovely comments, messages, support and love truly warm my heart! I am loving every second of this experience, and even though it hurts me to leave this space for a week or so, I cannot wait to come back with my batteries recharged, ready for bigger and better things!

Make sure you follow me on Instagram for daily updates, @pamella_scalfi.

And, as a way of thanking you guys for all the support, I am running my first ever giveaway! 

Here are the prizes for one lucky winner!

1. Urban Decay Naked Flushed Palette shade "Naked"

2. Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara

3. I Love Vanilla and Ice Cream Lip Balm

4. Soap & Glory Body Spray "Sugar Crush"

This giveaway is open internationally and closes on the 3rd of September.
If you win, you have 48 hours to reply back to my email.
Enter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck everyone and thank you for everything!

Lots of love,

St.Tropez Gradual Tan In Shower Lotion: Fake Tan Made Easy?

When it comes to tanning, I haven’t had the best luck in the world. Countless tanning attempts gone wrong is what it took for me to say “no more”! I reached the conclusion I was meant to be a pale Brazilian and that fake tanning just wasn't for me. That was before I came across the relatively new St Tropez Shower Gradual Tan. 

To be quite honest, I refused to get my hopes up and sort of told myself this probably wouldn't work either. Me, the queen of streaky fake tans, orange bed sheets, oompa loompa lookalike. Admittedly, I bought this as it was on sale at Boots and I wanted to try something a few weeks before I go on holiday. I didn't want to turn up to a Cypriot beach looking like I hadn't seen the sun in 10 months (I actually haven’t so no kidding there) so I decided to give this a try.

The process itself it’s quite simple:

1. Take your shower as you would normally.

2. Turn the water off and whilst skin is still wet, apply this generously all over.Wash your hands.

3. Wait 3 minutes.

4. Rinse it off with warm water only.

5. Finally, gently dry yourself.

Following the first application, you will most likely not see any difference. But by the end of my 3rd, a tan was finally starting to form; I guess I should have paid closer attention to the word “Gradual”! With exactly 4 applications, my tan lasted about a week and a half, which is pretty good and exactly what I wanted for the upcoming holiday.

Unlike other tanning lotions I've used before, this does not transfer to clothing/sheets, nor does it leave that awful smell on your skin after it has dried. It is not streaky and despite the annoying waiting part, the process is quite simple and foolproof.

Having said that, what I didn't like is how much product you have to use in each application. I found that more and more was needed to cover all of my body as it just didn't spread nicely and evenly. As I said, I used this 4 times and half of the bottle is gone, am I doing something wrong here?

Pros:
♥ No streaking.

♥  No weird smell.

♥ Gradual aka natural looking tan.
♥ Does not transfer.
♥ Lasting power is good.
♥ Simple application.
♥ Moisturises skin.

Cons:
✗ A little does not go a long way.
✗ Does not spread nicely and evenly.
✗ Slow to develop a tan.
✗  Not cost effective.

If you are looking for a fast overnight tan, this is not the product for you. But if mess free, slowly but surely, and a natural looking tan is what you are after, give this a try as you may just love it! You can find it at Boots for £14.99 and I would love to know if you have tried this and your thoughts on it!

Thank you for reading beauties and have a nice weekend ahead!

xoxo

S/S 2015 Trends: Marsala Pantone Colour of the Year 2015

2015 marks the year of the Marsala trend. The colour geniuses at Pantone officially named this rich, earthy, red wine shade colour of the year and we are bound to see a lot more of it come autumn. The colour makes a stylish yet not too over the top statement when worn on its own or as an accent to many other colours, as seen on the runway 2015 shows. Whether you pair it with golden yellows, rich greens or striking blues, Marsala is a compelling shade that exudes confidence and sensuality.

If you aren't quite ready to take the plunge and dive into a head to toe Marsala look, start small and opt for accessories, make-up or one item of clothing instead. Mix it colours you love for the ultimate trendy look of the year. Here's my take on this (and a few other trends too)!

Marsala Cami: Primark // Denim Jacket: Matalan // Floral Skirt: Matalan

Gladiator Wedges: New Look // Bag: Primark // Sunglasses: Primark

Necklace: Amazon // Lipstick: Urban Decay Rapture

Mix this colour movement with styles that are trending, like I opted for gladiator wedges, floral and denim, for a look that is fashion forward aka à la mode. Marsala looks hot with floral and animal prints, neutrals, denim and leather; the combinations are endless and truly prove how versatile Marsala can be! It beautifully suits all skin tones and you do not want to miss out on sporting this gorgeous shade that is taking the fashion and beauty scene by storm!

What do you think of my look? Excited to wear more Marsala items this fall?

Thanks for reading beauties!

xoxo

Glossybox August 2015

Glossybox brings beauty products from around the world with this month’s box. With 4 full-size items, it is quite refreshing seeing more make-up items as it started to feel like skincare goodies predominated the scene. This month’s however proves to be the perfect companion for a vacation, with goodies ranging from skincare, bodycare, to make-up; some of which I will be sure to take with me on my upcoming summer holiday.

Naobay Calming Face Toner | £10.65

Pixi’s toner is something us beauty bloggers will all want at some point. But until I get my hands on that, this is a nice Spanish alternative which claims to remove traces of make-up, cleanse, calm and hydrate the skin, and it does exactly that. I have't used it for long, but I love how my skin feels and how natural this product is!

SASS Purifying Cleanser | £7

This brand was introduced to us glossies back in the May box, and I am quite glad it is back. This cleanser is what I will be taking on holiday as it is the perfect sample size and will ensure I stay shower fresh all day long under the 35+ degrees Cypriot heat.

Manna Kadar Lash Primer | £14.55

All the way from US, this is the sneak peak from last month and the one I was looking forward to the most. I love a good primer but a lash one wasn’t something I had ever come across before. This can be worn under mascara as well as alone; it nourishes lashes and leaves them voluminous and conditioned. Yes please! 

Left: Lipglide/Right: Blush

MeMeMe Lipglide- Playful Peach | £6.95

A coral shade lip crayon which according to Glossybox will suit everyone’s skin tone. It is pigmented, quite long lasting, and provides a matte-velvet finish. Not a shade that excites me much, but still a nice addition to my make-up collection.

Emite Artist Colour Powder Blush | £20.59

Back in May a survey inquired us whether we wanted a blush or a brush. Clearly all of us noticed the lack of make-up products, so the option chosen was this beautiful Swedish goodie. It may look a tad dark in the swatch, but this works just as well as a bronzer too, hence nicknamed “blunzer”. I can’t wait to play around with this shade; I see it warming up the complexion and lightly contouring; ideal for my pale skintone.

What did you think of this box? It may just be my favourite so far!

Thanks for reading beauties and have a lovely weekend!

xoxo

Essie Gel Setter Top Coat

I love all things Essie, full stop. Before getting into make-up, I was a real nail art junkie. My collection of polishes surpasses my make-up one because I am always on the lookout for new shades and all things pretty nails related. Essie has to be my favourite nail varnish brand of all time. Admittedly, when I see a new polish I like, I buy it without thinking twice and that is exactly what happened when I saw this Gel Setter Top Coat a few weeks ago. I've always liked the sound of shellac nails, but I do not have the time (or money) to make a trip to the salon every few weeks, nor do I have a UV/LED lamp to cure nails at home so this sounded like the perfect alternative.

After using it a few times, I quite like this product and it is one of the best top coats I have come across in the drugstore world. Shellac/gel nails are expensive and hard to remove, so I am glad I can give myself gel-like manis and pedis in the comfort of my own home. I'm impressed by how my nails look and how long they last. A manicure will last approximately 9-10 days before chipping, and my current pedi still looks fresh after application 2 weeks ago. You can also reapply this top coat a few days later to boost shine and prolong wear.

But -there always is a "but"- I find that this works best with Essie polishes. I did my mum’s nails and used a Catrice nail polish but sadly they did not last more than a few days which is disappointing as I would love if this worked well with other brands too, but it doesn't.

Pros:

♥ No UV/LED lamp needed.

♥ Shiny finish and gel like texture.

♥ Affordable price.

♥ Long lasting.

♥ Easy removal.

♥ Simple application.

♥ Quick drying.

Cons:

✗ Best used with Essie polishes.

✗ Possibility of air bubbles (read step 2).

✗ Still chips.
✗ Not as long lasting as shellac.

How To

Step 1: Start with the Essie “Prep” Base Coat. This will protect your nails from harmful chemicals found in nail polish, allow the polish to spread more evenly, diminish chances of early chipping, and prevent stains from constant use of polish.

Step 2: Apply your Essie nail polish as normal. I am using Essie 20 Love Dovie which is the perfect flamingo pink and one of my favourites for the summer. I apply two coats and allow polish to dry for approximately 5 minutes before applying top coat. If you apply it straight after, your nails could end up with tiny air bubbles.

Step 3: Finish it off with the Essie Gel Setter Top Coat as you would with a normal top coat, and let it fully dry for 5 minutes.

 

And there you have it. As with any product, this has its flaws and the formula could definitely be improved so that it does not chip at all (perfect world, eh?) and works with non-Essie polishes. Having said that, my nails feel strong and have not broken in 2 weeks which is major for me. It is not the most perfect alternative for gel/shellac out there, but for the price (£9.99) you pay I would recommend trying this out anyway. 

Have you tried this yet? Let me know below!
Thanks for reading beauties and until next time!

xoxo

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara: Original & Waterproof

It is not a secret around here that this mascara makes my heart beat faster. If you have reviewed this product on your blog, I have probably commented on your post saying how much I love it and how I cannot get enough of it. No review of it has yet been done on this blog (apart from a small mention of it here), but considering how many have shared their thoughts on this mascara out there, I thought it would be much more interesting comparing the normal formula with the new waterproof version. 

Apart from the obvious fact that one is waterproof and the other isn't, the packaging is similar, the wand is identical and the formula smells the same. Yes, I smell mascara…don’t you?! Both also claim to give the same results: “Reveal the look of Layers & Layers of Sensational lashes. Brush captures even the tiniest lashes and volumizes the look of longer lashes for a layered, multiplied lash look."

I already knew the original formula lived up to the product description. Simply put, the Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara is wow! The brush works extremely well (no wonders lots of other brands are now coming out with their own version of this), the formula doesn't clump or need multiple coats. Application is smooth and the result is long individual lashes with crazy volume that do not flake throughout the day. It boasts that it is a multiplying lash product and rightfully so. From the first coat you can already see a massive difference, but I usually apply a second one for a more dramatic effect. Removal couldn't be easier, it simply melts away from your lashes with water and a tad of make-up remover. This is by far my favourite drugstore mascara of all time and I am already on my third tube!

Similar to its non-waterproof counterpart, the Maybelline Lash Sensational Waterproof Mascara delivers clearly defined lashes with a beautiful fanned out volumized effect. The brush is identical and it works by depositing mascara at the root of lashes and thus multiplying them. Its formula also does not clump, flake or smudge and one or two coats are all you will need. The only thing to point out is, as with most Maybelline mascaras, they are not messing around when they say waterproof! Taking it off lead to some lashes to fall out and a really good remover is necessary or else this stuff will not be coming off. If you plan on wearing mascara to the beach (which I always do) or on a hot summer’s day, this comes in handy as it will not budge! I found it hard to remove it completely and that is the only thing that I didn't like about it.

Pros:
♥ Well-defined, volumized lashes with one/two coats.
♥ Well-designed wand that produces long individual lashes.
♥ No clumping, flaking and smudging.
♥ Smooth application and long wear.
♥ Easy removal (original formula).
♥ True waterproof wear (waterproof formula).
♥ Affordable price.

Cons:

✗ Difficult removal (waterproof formula).

✗ Difficult application on bottom lashes.
✗ Contains parabens.

Left: Original/ Right: Waterproof . Two coats of both.

All in all, we would have to agree with their names. These really are sensational mascaras! If you haven’t yet tried these I recommend them 100%. At the price of £7.99 you don’t wanna miss out (oh and they are both on sale at the moment in Boots for £5.99).

Have you tried any yet? Let me know below!
Thank you for reading and all the love on my previous post!

xoxo

S/S 2015 Trends: Off Shoulder & Fringes

The Off-the-Shoulder is amongst my favourite trends for this summer, even though "summer" has vanished away from the UK and it feels like the beginning of Autumn already. Thankfully, a summer holiday on my calendar is quickly approaching and a style I'm going with is baring those shoulders, after all this season it’s all about getting rid of your sleeves. 

Off-the-shoulder is a mix of sexy, glam, with a pinch of sweetness. Greatly inspired by the Eighties (which at the time was actually inspired by the Fifties) and very Disney princess like, this neckline makes an strong comeback in a slightly different version. Leaving aside the ladylike style it was previously known for, it now focuses on exposing more skin with a very low neckline, making it a flawless sexy summer style. When worn with a good strapless bra, a quick buffing of bronzer on the décolletage, as well as the right accessories, you will be ready in no time for that summer evening outing or simply a beach-side day. Here’s my take on the trend.

Off-The-Shoulder Dress: Asos - Fringed Shoulder Bag: Primark
Platform Wedges: Renata Mello - Layered Necklace: Happiness Boutique*

Happiness Boutique has kindly sent me this beautiful rose gold necklace. Check out their huge range of accessories here; they offer free shipping as well as a customer reward program! Of course I couldn't not add it to this look, I mean how cute does the key and the heart look together. Oh, and what’s better than one trend? That’s right, 3 in one look. You will remember when I spoke here about the layered necklace craze we are having, and apart from the off-the-shoulder, fringe is yet another trend that makes a comeback from a different decade; the Seventies this time. Funny how everything is coming back! Paired this super cute fringed bag (which was only £8 compared to the one I originally wanted, see here) with a few modern items to offset any potential rodeo vibes and I love the end result. What do you think?

What trends are you wearing this summer? Let me know below! 

Thanks for reading and have a nice weekend ahead beauties!

xoxo

*Item sent by the brand.  All opinions are my own (disclaimer here).