Essence Haul Enabling

I've not been feeling make up hugely over the past month or two, but recently Essence reignited my love for it again. I was pottering around Penneys when I noticed the lovely Liquid Nail Effects Polish in Lady Mermaid. It comes out just like it looks in the bottle, although you need to put on a good few layers. This brought me back to an Essence stand in the hop[es of getting a white base coat so the nail varnish would go on better. Unfortunately I was away with the fairies and instead picked up The Gel Nail Polish in Give Me Nude, Babe! which is a clear varnish that has glitter through it. Its actually a lovely nail varnish and I would recommend it to anyone that wanted something subtle and nothing to bright. So really a happy accident as I love to use it now!

When your at a budget band stand you can't help but pick up a few lip products. I have almost every lip liner shade that Essence has to offer, but I picked up this peachy pink one in Wish Me A Rose. Its lovely and works a treat for the price, but I do find some of my slightly more pricey lip liners last longer. Also the name of this one is misleading as its not at all 'Rose' or red!

The newish Sheer & Shine Lipsticks caught my eye and I picked up Sparkling Miracle. This has a very sweet scent, so do be warned for those who are sensitive to smells. This is a surprisingly pigmented lipstick and stays really moist on the lips - I've been using a lot of matte lipsticks so its nice to get something a little more comfortable. This is a really lovely your-lips-but-better shade and its buildable too, so you can whack on one quick layer or if your like me, draw it around your lips a billion times. This isn't one you'll need a mirror for either, its great!

Its come to my attention recently on a big make up clean that I was severally lacking in mascaras, only having a handful to my name. (And half of those are almost finished ones too). I picked up Multi-Action Volume Mascara in black. This claims to give volume, length and perfect separation. And do you know, it didn't blow me over, but it isn't a bad mascara either if your not looking to fork out for something expensive. I'm going to keep it in the bottom of my hand bag for those days where I need a little something on my eyeballs, but wont cry if it goes missing. Also, when compared to other budget brand Wet'n'Wild mascaras, Essence ones will always win. 

Bur saying that, any other brand Liquid Eyeliner will win, I bought this Extra LongLasting one and its really dreadful. Not a proper black, fades quickly and goes on streaky, this isn't a good buy. The one good thing about it is that the nib of the pen is narrow so you do get precise application. This is one I would recommend for those that want to start practicing winged eyeliner, but don't want to spend a fortune for an eyeliner that they'll be rubbing off and redoing a bit to begin with. 

Next is a palette that I've seen doing the rounds on the interwebs. There are several different kinds to choose from and I picked up the All About Roses Eyeshadow. I really like the shimmer in these and 8 shadows for only a few quid is a bargain. I love that you can do a great smoky eye with this and I've been a bit obsessed with doing it daily since getting the palette. I particularly like the top right hand dark purple brown shade. Its really something. The lighter shadows wont give you the most amazing pigment, but the darker ones do the job perfectly, with hardly any fall out if your careful and take the time to pat it on. 

Lastly my two favourite buys from this haul, the blushes. I saw the 'new' Matt Touch Blush in Berry Me Up! and it was love. This goes on like a dream and I can't say a bad word about it. Utter love. Not satisfied with one, I found Blush Up! in Heat Wave that was half price and had to have it as well. This is a little bright on my skin tone, but I'm still playing around with it and will do my best to make it work!

Thats all of my haul, I've posted several photos to Instagram of my nails and all of this make up in action, so do have a look over here!

Penneys Haul

Just a quick little haul posy today. I surprised myself and didn't buy a stitch of clothing when I went in, which is really unlike me! I follow Penneys on Instagram and a lot of the time love things that they put up but can never find them in the shop when I go in. Sometimes they end up being only sold in the UK and other times they haven't been released yet. It can be a real pain in the arse.

I was in the home ware section looking for some new face clothes and found 3 for €2.50 which will keep me going for a good while. I've started to use cream cleansers again to take off my make up and couldn't find any of my face clothes. While I was down there I spotted stars. I'm a big fan of stars and have started to replace all my bed sheets so when I saw this white and blue star fitted sheet for €6 I had to pick it up. 

I never go into Penneys without passing the make up section and I spotted a reduced P.S love lace perfume from €7 to €3. I had a sniff and decided that even if I got only a few uses out of it, it wasn't going to be a waste considering it was such a bargain.

I've hunted for a few weeks and finally found that little star and triangle necklace, I think its just gorgeous and was only €2. I was also on the look out for the make up brush cleaner that everyone and their mammies have been on about for the past while. There were lots in stock at the Penneys on Henry St if your looking yourself! This was only €2.50 and I'm looking forward to having a go to see if its any good. Pennys own brand P.S are coming out with loads of exciting things and next on the list of things to try out is their lipsticks and maybe a nail varnish.

The last thing I had my eye out for was a nail varnish that I saw online a few weeks ago. I couldn't remember the brand but I think it was this one from Catrice. If it wasn't I'm still happy that I picked up this lovely shade. Its called 46 berry potter and plumbledore - someone at Catrice is a potter fan! This was about €3.

Have you gotten any bargains in Penneys recently?

A Berry Christmas With Paese

Paese is a brand that I don't tend to talk about, but use all the time. Why the hell is that you ask? I'm not too sure at all, I'm dreadful for talking about the same things over and over, while I have drawer fulls of amazing things I use and love, but never tell anyone about. Whats that line about a well kept secret? As its now almost into mid November, I guess its a lot safer to talk Christmas without getting the head eaten off me! Paese sent me out a few goodies to have a try of with the festive season in mind and I think their right on trend.

First thing that really caught my eye was the Bamboo powder with silk proteins. It not only looks beautiful in its box, but it sounds almost far too fancy to slap on your face. Silk proteins!? This is a white loose translucent podwer that makes you look like a china doll - depending on how much you apply of course. This really gives the most lovely finish and I've noticed I don't need to reapply my finishing powder as much throughout the day when I use this one. Thats always a big plus for me considering I'm prone to being a little shiny (sexy, right?). This contains antibacterial and calming properties and no less then 90% hydrated silica - Thats the stuff that absorbs moisture so you don't get the unsexy shine. It also makes the light reflect so winkles, pores and blemishes are less visible. Can I get a hallelujah?! This comes in just the one shade of 30ml for €11.99, I'd definitely recommend having a goo at it if your at a stand.

Something that I've been a long time fan of is Paese's nail varnishes. I always pop one in my basket every time I pick up some things on Cloud10Beauty and they never fail to impress me. Actually they tend to be the ones that all my family reach for whenever they raid my nail varnish stash. Put on 2 coats and your ready to go, or 3 if your feeling extra fancy and have the time. They normally last about 3 days - as do most average to good varnishes do. This particular red is perfect for the festive season and really, red is never out of fashion. I like that the little pots they come in are square as you can easily pick them out from the rest of your collection (total blind person here!) and that theres so many different shades in the collection to pick from. Theres also a massive range of nail treatments that blow my mind every time I have a nose online at them and I can safely say that some will be on my Christmas list - doesn't every 20 something still need a stocking filled?! You can get these for just €4.99 each which I think is a bit of bargain myself. This particular red matches perfectly with the red lipstick a little below. Just like, fyi lads.

The one thing that I'm not too sure about out of the entire collection has to be the Manifesto liquid lipstick. I've never been a fan of lip glosses or these gloss to lip stick things. I just can't deal with the mess and stickiness of them all. Not to mention if there happens to be a little wind. Well thats it, you may head home and get back into the shower, cos' your hair is stuck to your lips and face. Oh so sexy person. (insert comment about you going Glen Coco here) This didn't do it for me in the slightest. I can see how some people might like the idea of lipstick but also a gloss as a handy 2 into 1 product. It has lots of 'hydration' which I'll agree with. It takes a while for the gloss to dry but its still really moisturising, so pigmented and surprisingly long lasting. So while this just doesn't do it for me, I think theres going to be a lot out there that wont be able to live without it. This ones €6.99 and has over 15 shades to pick from.  

 The last is another favourite of mine. This lipstick with argan oil is only gorgeous and glides on so smoothly. Its got vitimans, antioxidants and just lots of good stuff. Theres 20 shades to choose from and once you have one, you'll want the rest. This one is going to be a firm favourite in my hand bag for the length of Christmas. And with the cute little packaging they are sure to fit neatly into even the smallest of clutches. Bonus points, this red is the totally same shade as the nail varnish that I was talking about above. This one is also €6.99.

You can find stocklists and the full range over here.

*I did not pay for this item, it was a PR gift.  Please see my disclaimer here. 

Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine A/W Collection

Its been a while since my last nail varnish post. To be honest if I find a colour I like I wear it until I'm sick of the sight of it. Only then do I stop covering the cracks and reapplying more coats over it instead of taking it off and starting over. Lazy is my middle name, but I'm thinking of changing it to my first. When I saw that all the new A/W colours were coming out, I couldn't help but pick up a few Barry M ones and I've been wearing them since. I've been meaning to go and get more as there are some gorgeous shades out, but I'm forever forgetting when I go into Boots. Isn't it always the way, you go into Boots for just one thing and come out with a bag full of things you never knew you needed, but do.

This isn't the first time I've used Gelly Hi-Shine, you can see a beautiful light green shade that I've blogged about over here. Some aren't too sure if the this makes a big difference to the bog standard nail varnish Barry M has, but personally I can see a big difference. Its shiner, more vibrant and looks slightly like you got a shellac set done. Perfect, and for more then half the price of what a shellac would cost. 

I didn't think I would like these colours on my nails as much as in the bottle, but they look just the same. These are both totally different to anything else that I have in my every expanding collection. I'm a massive fan of both the mustard yellow and the warm toned grey. They only need one coat (in all the photos I've only one coat on too) and they are opaque. Barry M always lasts me 3 days or more before any chipping happens. This is almost unheard of when it comes to my claws as I normally get about 15 minutes out of a new polish before they start chipping. Another reason why I am in love with these. The nail varnish is also a breeze to remove and as far as I've seen, doesn't stain the nails after being on for over a week.

At the moment they are €5.99 in Boots and have an offer of by one, get one half price. So it would be rude not to take up the offer. 

What do you think of Barry M's latest offerings?

September Favourites

This has been such a good month for me, I'm so sad to see it go! I feel like it lasted the perfect amount of time, does anyone else get like that? I'm forever saying a month dragged or flew, but never that it was just right. It could have something to do with it been my birthday month, but sure feck it, everyone has to have a good time now and again. I have so so much that I have loved this month and actually had to narrow it down. Normally I'm wreaking my brain trying to think what I have used and enjoyed, but not for September. I've actually loved so much I've decided to do a few separate reviews to satisfy my cravings and need to tell people about wonderful things. I've spent the full day taking photos non stop, I'm delighted to have a few things ready to go for the blog. Theres nothing worse then feeling like your getting behind and will never be able to blog again.

I've a good few things that I've loved that aren't really beauty related. For one Netflix; I just realised  a few days ago that How I Met Your Mother has a season 9, I thought it ended at 8! So I can't wait to start watching that. (Those of you who are big HIMYM fans have every right to boo and give out to me!) I've also been really getting into Once Upon A Time - a retelling of all your favourite fairy tales but with a modern twist thats just great. I'm half way through season 2 and its starting to drag, but I've been told it picks up! Has anyone watched it? Lastly Bones. I'm a long time fan of Bones but somewhere down the line I stopped watching it so over the past two months I've been re-watching all the seasons. Its so good and addictive! 

Other things that I've been loving are candles (which I will do a review of soon) and hot chocolate. Nearly every single night I will go to bed with one, I'm awful! But after putting back a big box of Cadburys last time I was in Tesco, I thought I'd treat myself only to find that the biggest tub was reduced to €2. Made my month. I've been to lots of blogger events this month too and its just so lovely to meet new people and catch up with blogger friends that I genuinely have such a big space in my heart for. Ugh, you women!! *cuddles all the ladies*

Oh, and the Gyspy Rose bar in town (on the quays?) is normally somewhere I'd never venture - loud, many many people and if I'm honest, a little scary. But I was in there one of the really quiet nights and I was bowled over by how friendly, polite and just down right gentlemanly the fella behind the bar was. Its not often a bar tender makes me feel safe and not even slightly perved on, so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to tell anyone and everyone to stop by if your looking for some nice staff.

That was a freakin' mad long intro, sorry! First, lets just take a minute to love these colours above, side by side. Mmmm. Max Factors new nail varnishes were one of the only ones I wore this month, alone and with colourful accent nails. These were two of my favourtie colours as they stood out and made an outfit. Have a proper look at the entire collection Over Here.

Two random things that I've really loved this month are bobbins and earphones that are both pink! Some of you will have seen my haul from yesterday that had these invisibobbles in it. I've had these for almost two weeks (I know, shameful to have a haul and not put it up sooner!) have been using them non stop. I love them more then any bobbins I've ever had. They don't break on me, are really stretchy, hold hair much better then regular bobbins, don't catch or pull on my hair and are different to the everyday stuff you see. I know these claim to leave no kinks in your hair but I've noticed some in mine - much less then with normal bobbins but still a few. However that wouldn't stop me from using them or going out and buying more. Its love. 

Next are these earphones that were €2 in the pound shop! I got them as I broke my other ones (€3 from Penneys) and wanted to watch videos on the bus. They are so freakin' handy!! You pull them all the way out and when your done pull on them again and the wrap themselves back up. No untangling for 10 minutes before you can listen to music. The one downside is that they are only €2 so the quality isn't amazing. But there cheap enough that if I break them it isn't a big loss, easy to use and small enough not to take up space in my bag. 200 please and thank you!

Its hard to find a really good lipstick that I will wear non stop. I'm not one for bothering with my lips too much, let alone reapplying. This is a serious big deal for me, I've been using this for a month and a half every time I go out. Every, single, time. Its from one of my favourite brands, Seventeen and is their supreme shine lipstick in the shade Pink Posey. I went on the hunt for something that was dark and purple, but wasn't going to be too OTT - the lighting is so poor in the above photo, I'm sorry! This entire collection is darker shades that just make you want them all. I've been so happy with this one and its half way gone, its been that used. Its moistursing, slightly shiny and doesn't have a very strong colour that you would need to apply in front of a mirror. Its really perfect for on the go or sneakily putting back on between drinks or food. It doesn't last forever but it keeps my lips hydrated which for a 'drug store' brand lipstick is amazing. Theres 12 colours at €6.29 each. Plus, look at the shiny gorgeous packaging!   

Two little palettes that I haven't been able to do without are the Wet'n'Wild Comfort Zone and the NYX eyebrow cake powder. I'm not going to talk about the eyebrow kit at all because it needs its own post. Thats how much love I'm willing to give it. Watch out for it on the blog soon! Every time I've put on makeup without fail I have used these. I've loved the eyeshadows so much that I went out specially and bought a brown mascara to go with the brown side for a smoky eye look. I've also got brave and used the green side a few times. I've put some of the eyeball looks up on Instagram over here if you fancy a goo. You can also see my full review with swatches of all the colours Over Here.

The last two things are old loves of mine. Vaseline spray and go body moisturiser has got so much love this month that my cocoa one finished and I've started to use this one now. These bottles last a crazy long time too. I got a little sick of a nearly empty product so one morning after the shower I tried to finish up the bottle. I was covered from head to toe in this stuff and there was far too much, but after I rubbed it in a little it was totally absorbed and gone. I'm even more impressed with it now as I was sure there would be a greasy residue left on my skin and I'd feel sticky. But that wasn't the case at all and I am pleased to say this will be a long time repurchase until they stop making the stuff! 

For my birthday I got so many lovely things from friends and family but decided not to do a 'haul' post as I find they can sound quite braggy at times. But one thing that I've been using loads is this Yardley perfume called Diamond. I've had this once before and its the most lovely fresh scent that I have owned. I was gutted when I finished it and I remember going on a hunt only to find Boots didn't stock it. So when a friend guess bought this for me without knowing I loved it, I was delighted! And just look at that bottle. Oh its so pretty. I always feel lighter, fresh and 'wake me up' scents make me feel so much happier and perky then my deep heavy sweet scents, although most of my collection is made up of the latter!

So, tell me something you've loved this September!

And also, do you have any Netflix recommendations?

New: Max Factor Gel Shine Lacquer

My prayers were answered when all this was handed over by the post man a few weeks ago, as I've gone on a mad nail varnish buying rampage lately. I'll admit, if I knew what was in the parcel at the time I may have jumped postie himself. The stud. *Max Factor have an entire new collection of gel shine lacquer nail varnishes out and they are really something to drool over. There are nine shades in the 'Modern Glamour Collection' and they are all inspired around the 50's to 90's fashion styles. 

Autumn colours are always a little ifie for me, I'm more a lover of bights as I wear lots of blacks and peep purples so my nails always brighten me up. Naturally I am in love with the brighter colours in this collection and for some reason they seem to need less coats to be totally opaque then the darker ones. I've also noticed that the reds in this all look very samey - I know there will be massive nail varnish lovers out there screaming at me for that comment! But for me, they just didn't wow. Honestly bias opinion there. (Heh, contracting words that actually make sense. Love it!) The swatches below are all only one coat, just to show the difference that I'm going to talk individually about now.

Unfortunately when I recieved this lovely surprise there had been a little mix up and I had two of the same shades. I'm missing out on the brightest orange shade here, Vivid Vermillion. But no matter, the show must go on! 50s inspired my favourite true pin up red here, the brightest Patent Poppy. This is one I know I'll use a lot and two coats are needed for it. Its just so classy!

Next is the 70s Blues, Lacquered Violet and Glazed Cobalt that are inspired by the punk movement. When I first saw the shades side by side in the bottles I thought they were really similar and was disappointed until I tried them on. I'll admit, I'm a bigger fan of Glazed Cobalt as its a more.. Primary dark shade if you get me? I'm actually wearing it right now and it makes an outfit stand out, which I like. The Lacquered Violet has hues of purple in it and isn't as clear, you have to really look at it a second before you can decide what shade it is. Not one I think I'll reach for often, but both shades only need one coat. But sometimes I'll throw on two just to be on the safe side.

Moving on to the 80s Brights (woo!) with Twinkling Pink, Gleaming Teal and Vivid Vermillion. As I said earlier I haven't got Vivid Vermillion to show and tell, but the other two are up for much discussion. Twinkling Pink is a really lovely deep dusty pink that has just the startings of deeper tones in it, one I have used a lot over the past while along with an accent nail of Gleaming Teal or Glazed Cobalt. Speaking of, Gleaming Teal is a really lovely dark evergreen tree shade and its not normally a colour I would ever pick up. But this has converted me and I noticed myself looking at the darker greens in Boots now, bold girl that I am buying things! These colours are a little tricky and sometimes need two or three coats to get them totally opaque.

Lastly is the 90s Shades of Burgundy that are my least favourite shades. Sparkling Berry and Sheen Merlot honestly just look the same to me, I must be mad! Even when I try them on side by side I can barely tell the difference. I think I'll leave those two to more well trained eyes. They both need at least three coats before they are totally flawless. Despite being dark, I'm not kicking Radiant Ruby out of the bed for eating biscuits. It reminds me of a darker, but just as classy Patent Poppy pin up colour. Its not one I would wear often, but now that I'm trying out braver dark lip stick shades, I think this colour would go lovely and be handy to have on stand by, just in case! This one only needs two coats, but occasionally three if your being a bit fussy. 

Overall I think that this is a nice collection, I personally wouldn't buy every shade but not all are to my taste. I think the colour pay off is great but some are annoying as more coats are needed then others. I'm not too sure where they are going with their 'gel shine lacquer' as they look like bog standard varnish on my nails, but that wouldn't put me off getting them. Also the gold topped bottles are eye catching and scream pretty to me, which means I'm going to go off and buy the last orange shade. I think it needs a home with me. You can get these in Boots for €8.99 or buy one get one half price. It would only be right to have a goo at them next time your passing a Max Factor stand!

Do you think you'd pick up any of these?

*I did not pay for this item, it was a PR gift.  Please see my disclaimer here.

August Favourites

So I'm a little late with this, but sure feck it. September is my birthday month so anything that goes wrong or I'm too lazy to do I'm blaming old age on. August seemed to come and go, but for the life of me I can't think of anything exciting to report back about. It was the month of much driving to Tesco for olives and car picnics. Being left alone for a week and everyone being shocked when they got home - the house was still standing. Games of D&D. And of course, much sex. (On that note, look out for all the reviews!) 

First off I've been using Niveas micellar water. I went off on a rampage of buying eye make up removers and micellar waters like they were going out of fashion, just to see what all the fuss was about. I was certain that one would stand out and all the rest would be obsolete if I tested them all. But I've come to the conclusion that they are all mostly the same, with only the prices and packaging being what would make me fork out for a bottle again. I like micellar waters, they are the lazy persons dream, but I'm not loyal or excited by just one brand. Ever get a product like that? This particular one was on offer in Boots and is a handy size to throw into an overnight bag.However the value for money seems to be Garniers version, with 400mls for 3 quid something - depending on where you buy it from. 

A new love of mine is Penneys own brand P.S blender sponge. Real Techniques has their own version and people went wild for it. Theres a lot of other big American make up brands that I've seen bring out similar things too. But for the likes of a Real Techniques one, its going to set you back almost €6 which is a little mad for a piece of sponge. But Penneys has a cute little pink one for only €1.50, more my kinda thing! Since picking up my first one at the beginning of the month I have gone back for 3 more. They blend foundation in perfectly, any concealer works into the tiny hard to reach places on your face like a dream. One end is big and flatter for all over coverage, with the other end being smaller and more pointed for the smaller corners. Puurrrfff.  

August has been the month of all the nail varnishes. I couldn't walk out of the house without coming home with at least one little pot. I'm not sure why, as nail varnish isn't normally my weakness, but there you go. When I was passing by the stand in Boots, I coulsn't help but pick up Collection's work the colour in scorched copper. I've worn it loads and its the perfect autumn shade, its not too dark and the burnt orange has a slight shimmer in it too. All for €2, you can't go wrong.

And with nail varnish comes the tedious job of getting the stuff off. I've had Bourjois 1 seconds nail varnish remover for a while now and have never mentioned it on the blog. For whatever reason I have no clue as its the bees knees. Dip your finger in, give it a twist and nearly all your varnish will have come off. It smells horrible when the remover is wet on your finger, but once it drys it smells sweet. Always a plus of not almost choking on the fumes. 

A shop I don't normally venture into often is the Body Shop but last month I popped in for the craic and came away with a few bits. One of them was this tea tree oil facial wash mini that was €2 at the till - they always get you there! I couldn't say no to it and I've been using it in the shower most days along with a few others I swap around. I really like this one, it smells lovely, wakes you up and theres always the plus that tea tree oil helps with spots and blemishes. I'm not in love with the gel like consistency but I get over that quick enough once the water hits it and it foams up a little. Surprisingly enough for the amount I've used this its lasting a really long time considering how small the bottle is. You need a pea size for your entire face and I always feel fancy faced after using it. (Its totally a thing. Honest.)

Lastly these lovely orange pumps that my bestest friend bought for me one day in Penneys after I limented my sad story of hunting high and low for The Prefect Orange Pumps. For many years I had a pair and they were only fit for the bin, but now I have these shiny new ones with lovely gold buckle and bow detailing. Oh by still my beating heart! They are still on the shelves for €8 if anyone fancys them. They are in a few more colours too, but I can trust everyone will find orange the best ones, cos' everyone knows orange is the best footwear colour ever. 

What do you think of monthly favourite posts?

Brand Spotlight: Oriflame 'The One'

Last month I was delighted to attend the launch of Oriflame's new collection 'The One' that is aimed at a younger audience - post here. I was given some of the range to try out and I have to admit, I went from not even knowing this brand existed to pleading for some of the products for my birthday next month. I'm genuinely converted to this brand and can't understand why I don't see it more on the blogosphere. Everything in this post has been gifted to me (see my disclaimer here) and you can order online here.

First up is the gorgeous colour impact cream eye shadow in the shimmer colours rose gold and golden brown. Theres 8 colours in this collection and the wonderful thing that I noticed is that they all compliment each other. You could literally buy any of them and create a look, this is perfect for beginners or maybe someone who isn't quite sure about a little present! I really love the little plastic pots that they come in, they look high end and something to display on your beauty draw or in your room. The two here are easy to use, no fussing over make up brushes or any need to overly blend. Stick your finger in the pot, swipe over your lids and your good to go. Personally I like to use a base of a regular eye shadow in a similar shade before applying the cream shadows for a base - the creams will stay longer and they wont crease.

 Initially I thought the price of €12.95 was crazy for a tiny pot until I used them for a few days, seeing how well they looked, blended and stayed put all day, not to mention after a month of daily use there is hardly a dent in the product. Right now they are on sale for €9.45, so I may just indulge.. 

Keeping with the the theme I want to talk about the volume blast mascara in black. I'm not a big mascara buff, I either like it or I don't, simple as. For me this was an ok one, I liked the length of the wand and the plastic bristles are small so its easy to get up close to the base of the lashes, but the formula didn't blow me away. For €12.45 I think you could get a cheaper and possibly better mascara from Seventeen or another brand. It also only comes in black or blue, which I think is odd that they don't have a more sought after shade like brown. Maybe they might add to the line and more colours will appear.   

However the real gem that I have been bursting at the seams to tell anyone that will listen is the eye liner stylo in black. I wasn't going to even try this when I first saw it, liquid liner and pencil are the only things I use, not even gel makes the cut. I had used these felt tip pen-like liners before and had a dreadful time of it. But seeing as I wanted to be able to write a decent review for the aul blog, I decided to take the pen to my eye balls. And lads, I'm so feckin' glad I did, you've no idea. I have actually swapped everything I normally use for this felt tip liner, its got me all a-flutter with its stupidly easy to use ways, its unbelievably staying power and its tiny tip that makes wings utterly perfect. I'm wearing it in the photo above and there are swatches in the photos below too. When this runs out I will be getting it again, theres just no other way to say it. At €11.45 I would normally think its a crazy ass price, but you can't put a price on love. 

Next its all about them under eye dark circles, oh bane of my life. I'm all about the concealers and colour correcting make up, if I don't have a good base my foundation and the rest of my make up is just going to go flop. This is the illuskin concealer in the shade fair light, one of only three lighter skined shades you can ger. I'm always a little annoyed when brands don't cater for a wider range of skin tones and this is one of those times. But that rant is for another day. This little tube is easy to use and the product is creamy and easy to apply, not drying out too quick so yo have time to blend and set it. The photo above in the bottom left hand corner is a swatch slightly blended into the skin, you can barely see it as it matches my skin tone so well. I'm impressed with this and it says put all day once its set with powder, but I'm not sure if I would pay €9.95 for it as I use other concealers that I have loved for a long time that are cheaper.

I'm not going to say too much about the long wear nail polish in the shade cappuccino as I want to do a separate review on it soon, with proper swatches and a big natter on what I think of it. But overall, I like the range of 15 shades that come in this line. Cappuccino isn't my normal go-to colour or something that I would ever pick out, but when I used it I was surprised at how much I liked it. I think this would be a good one for winter. At €9.45 its not really breaking the bank, 

Next is another big love from this collection, colour unlimited lipstick in the shade fuchsia excess. I don't know if I should start with how much I love the sturdy but cute packaging, the easy to use tube and product, the staying power or the excitement I felt when I saw the range of colours. Its just one of those products, you pick it up for the nice packaging and go back to buy 1 more after you see how gorgeous it really is. This isn't overly moisturising but its incredibly pigmented. It has a crazy lasting power after a few drinks, some food and a sneaky kiss it was definitely faded but not in the 'oh my god are they my lips?! Jesus someone pass me the lippie to fix this catastrophe!' way, more in the, ah I'll fix it when I'm off to the loo next, way. And eh bonus points, this colour matches my hair! We all know I love a good hair and lip match, yes sir. This comes in 10 different colours and I want at least 6 more. For €13.75 I do think its a little dear, but if you were treating yourself to some hair/shoe/jumper matching lipsticks, I think these ones should be on the list.

 Lastly is the illuskin blush in pink glow. I'm not much for the blushes, I have to admit. I thought this was a little too pink toned for my complexion, but none if I had a little tan I think this would have been gorgeous. Curse looking naturally like a milk bottle. The lighter side is more of a higher and has a shimmer to it compared to the matte pink blush. A handy two in one product that also has a little mirror. This comes in 2 other shades and I personally love the more peach toned compact. Its normally €12.45 but its currently marked down to €9.45. 

Is there anything that caught your eye here? Have you heard of Oriflame before?

*I did not pay for these items, they were  PR gifts.  Please see my disclaimer here

You Pure Beauty! Barry M Gelly Hi - Shine

I popped into Boots the other day for hair dye and I saw the most beautiful site on earth - 3 for 2 across all make up. I know thats a bit dramatic, but to me its honestly in my top 10 best things ever to see. I clearly have a very sad life! Anyway, I might have picked up a few bits. Heres one of them.

Barry M nail varnish has always been a favourite of mine. When I was younger I got a few of their more colourful, 'out there' lip sticks and eye shadows too. But the one thing I always go back for is the beautiful polishes. Shockingly enough though, I didn't own a single one of their gelly hi-shine polishes until now, isn't that just woeful? I thought it was, so I picked up a colour I would never normally wear to celebrate my first purchase of the line (and hopefully many more to come, oh hello there Boots points you little beauts!!)

Key Lime is a gorgeous Spring/Summer colour and just makes me want to go pick flowers. Its bright green but not in an in your face way. Two coats of this and your ready to rock 'n' roll. It lasted roughly 3 days on me, with only little chips but I'm a devil for chipping nail varnish minutes after its applied so this was impressive! Taking it off is as easy as putting it on and it doesn't leave any stains on your nails like some polishes can. 

As for the gelly hi-shine part in comparison to normal nail varnishes? When I was applying it I did definitely notice that the polish was spreading differently and that the consistency was thicker then others I have used. But once it drys I'm not sure if I can really notice a difference, it might be a little shiner then normal but that might be because I have read it on the bottle so I expect it to be. 

But either way, I really love this colour and will be wearing it lots this Summer. I'm making small steps to get away from black and throw a bit of colour in! I might have my eye on about 7 more of these Barry M nail varnishes too, just in case your wondering why theres none in Boots next time your in!! Theres 21 colours in the hi-shine range and they wont break the bank at 5.99 each.

Have you tried any Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine polishes?

March Favourites

We are in April, can you believe it? I can't. And if your like me, any bit of sunshine and the shorts are out and sun cream is getting slapped on like no ones business! Holy mammy I got out to the garden and went wild with the photo taking and flower picking (while no one was looking that is- risky stuff picking your mothers prize flowers.) I have a load of different things I've been loving this month and can't wait to tell you all about them, so lets get crackin'!

I did a make up face yoke kind of post ages back here and also a comparisons post on this Wet'n'Wild concealer palette against the Catrice one. I said Catrice was much better in my Jan Favs, in my BOBBlogChallenge here and here and I still stand by that. Honest to god, I pure rave about the stuff after looking back at all those links! Its more creamy, better selection of colours and doesn't sting near my eyes. But over the last month I have been using this non stop because my poor Catrice is no more. Surprisingly enough I'm noticing all its great qualities. Its cheap, it lasts much longer then the Catrice palette even with daily use, it covers well and bonus points for the highlighter which I've been slapping on the face whenI contour (Yes, I now contour. Close your mouths, I shocked myself enough as it is.) So Wet'n'Wild gets a big thumbs up this month. But boo on the slight stinging.

 I got a W7 In The Buff eye shadow palette only the other week from the Cosmetic outlet - post here on all the goodies I hauled! And since then it has been true love. Like head over heals love. Its meant to be a dupe for the Naked 2 palette and for a fraction of the price. I bet this is bringing all the boys to the yard, promises of milkshakes or not! I have done a tonne of different looks with all the 12 nude matte and shimmer goodness(es), things I would never normally think of or have the confidance to do. Take a goo at my Twitter or my Instagram to see some of the photos of recent colours I've used. I'm going to do a full post on this in time, just to brag about how badly I can wipe powdery colours across my face. Sexy, non?

My Cleanse Off Mitt? No words can describe my love, as someone who is a lazy arse about taking her makeup off. If I come home from a party or night out then boom, 2 second scrub round the chops with this beaut and I'm already half way to bed. Read my full review of it here - warning though, I make faces and some of them aren't purtty.

Ah, Timotei you sly dog you! Here was me thinking it was the kind of cheapy brand you could nab in the pound shop and did the job ok. But oh no, they went off and brought out a dry shampoo without informing me of its wonder, great power and general magical abilities. This is without a doubt the best dry shampoo I have ever tried. I know right, what is she on about? Has she lost the run of herself altogether now? Its all that fresh air, not doing her the least bit of good! Go way and stop that sort of thinking! I'm going to do a better review of this really soon, but for now just take my word for it, run like crazy and buy ever bottle you can find. Then send some to me. It doesn't leave white residue like Batiste, gives the locks volume and it lasts all day. You'll never need to shower again. - Ah here, slight exaggeration but you get what I'm jabbering on about. I found mine in Tesco on sale. Go, run!   

Next is nail varnish, a slight obsession of mine. Seventeen is a brand that can do no wrong in my eyes, they do amazing dupe concealer for Benefits Boi-ing, they do gorgeous eye shadows and they now do amazing nail varnish. Who created the brand and can I marry them please? This is the new colour clash nail effects in 'in the surf'. Blue speckled nails with white. Orange. Baby pinks! Oh be still my beating heart, its almost too much. You only need one coat of this stuff, it makes the most divine looking nail art and I will be wearing it all summer. I mean allllll summer. Prepared to get bored of my nails fast. 

Another little gem is my Anatomicals headache relief balm soother. I got it the same time I ordered my Cleanse Off Mitt from Cloud10Beauty. I got it on a whim, thinking it wont work but it was cheap and thought it might be something cute and different to try. It actually does reduce my headaches, I'm shocked to say. It smells really lovely and slightly minty, its hard and compact in the tin but the moment you touch it it tuns into this lovely oil thats so easy to spread over your temples. I even use this before bed sometimes to relax me and help me sleep. I'm considering this as a stocking filler already! (No one shoot me, I am 24/7 365 days of the year about Christmas, ok!?) 

Lastly, my Penneys shoes. Would you look at all that blue glittery goodness packed onto one pair of shoes! I got these bad boys last year and I have a feeling they might bring out something similar again this year. I didn't wear them much as they cut the footies off me but after saying fuck it and breaking them in, I now want nothing else on me. Happiness is glitter feet. They are comfy, finally and aren't too unstable like some of the shoes Penneys dishes out. I think I paid about €7 for these. I need to go back and stalk the shelves in there for the summer, just in case they pop back in! 

3 For 2 Offer In Boots You Say?

So I eh, went to Boots. Its a 3 for 2 offer on so many of the products and apart from going in for more Batiste and sprays, I might have had a little look round at some other things. All in the name of bargains of course.

A quick look at the Seventeen stand and I came away with a gorgeous nude lip crayon and a new colour clash nail effects nail varnish that looks really different, I can't wait to try it out. I also caved into the BB cream craze after avoiding it for so long. Rimmel had a nice one that I tried on the back of my hand with the added bonus of factor 15. I'm dying to give this a test drive and see if all the hype is as good as it sounds or if its one only fit for the bin.

Next I picked up 2 Impulse's for €4 and a half off bottle of Sure in the new mini size which is going to be handy to pop in my bag. It smells nice and also claims to leave no white marks, so we shall see. 

Lastly I bought 2 Batiste in blush as I ran out last week and was left nearly crying! To finish off the 3 for 2 offer I picked up L'oreal elvive's fibrology thickness booster that I've been hearing loads about so I wanted to try it out for myself. 

I've now loads of things I didn't necessarily need but none the less am dying to try out and most likely I will write some reviews on them! What about you, have you taken advantage of Boots brilliant 3 for 2 offers on loads of their ranges? I think I might need to do round two some time soon, just to make sure I'm taking in all the good bargains, you see ;) 

The Best Of Beauty Challenge: Princess Products.. Say what?

I'm a week late with this Best Of Beauty Challenge, I feckin' know you needn't be tellin' me! Oh holy god I had my knickers in a twist last Thursday night and life got in the way, sneaky little fella. So instead this post is going up in the morning and then week 6 is going to be posted up at the normal time of 7pm Irish time tonight. In case you don't know, Sam from AllTheBuzz hosts all these delightful challenges and my god, shes not only brains but a pure beauty too. Go check out her new blonde locks, meow!

The first time I wrote this I was wreaking, I mean wreaking my head trying to think of what to use for this weeks Princess Product. I first I thought about a posh shampoo I was given, but even though it was over €20 I didn't like it. Then I thought about a Estee lauder lip stick that I have again a friend gave it to me as it wasn't her colouring and well who says no to a posh lip stick! The more I rooted through my stash the more I looked, the more I realised that I really just do not spend a lot of money on any one product.

I finally decided on some nail varnish that cost about €11 quid and for me that was a mad amount of money to spend on a tiny bottle. I have 2 bottles of Essie (that I actually got for €1.99) and some sparkly Models Own and Ciate polishes (both as pressies). Are they not just gorgeous? Be still my beating heart I only love glitter and lovely pale shades of wonder. 

I'm sorry for this being so late and also for it not being very exciting but I guess I just like my drugstore brands far too much to fork out on only one pricey thing!

Make sure to follow #BOBBlogChallenge on twitter to keep up with everyone elses posts and I will be back tonight with another installment of the beauty challenge! Till then, have a great day :) x

Updated Nail Varnish Storage

Last year I did a little post on my nail varnish storage over here, but today I'm back again with something much prettier but less functional. I have seen many a blogger do a show and tell with something similar looking. Lovely big jars filled with pretty polishes to make your heart skip a beat. (I'm dramatic about my nail varnish, shoot me!)  Isn't it just so pretty!? It makes a gorgeous ornament while showing off some colours in your collection.

I bought this jar in Dunnes for about €3.50 a few weeks ago in the home ware section. Its really big, holding around 15 polishes and the lid is easy to get off but closes tightly too. Added bonus of a cute red and white checkered ribbon to finish the look off.

It is kind of a pain to have to dump out all your polishes to find the one your looking for but I get to have a good look at everything I have just in case I forget about something and it gives the polishes a bit of a shake and move about so they aren't just left sitting to settle all the gooy good things to the bottom of the jars. I keep all my 'posh' and most loved ones in this jar, don't think I don't have another box filled up in the press with lots more!

What do you think of this way of storing your nail varnishes? How do you keep yours?