March favourites!

Hey everyone! 

How are you all doing? I can't believe its almost April! This year is flying by. So from now on at the end of each month I will be writing a favourites post. I hope you like them!

Here's what I have been loving this month!

1. Real Techniques blush brush: Applies blush beautifully and gives a natural flushed look. I cannot stop using it! 

2. Soap and Glory clean on me shower gel: My favourite shower gel over the last while. It has a built in body lotion, wraps you up in bubbly goodness and smells divine. S and G sure know how to make great products!

3. Percy and Reed finishing polish for hair: I got this free with last months issue of glamour magazine and I am loving it for taming my hair and making my locks look super sleek.

4. Marc Jacobs Rain perfume: This was on sale back in January for €17 so I thought it would be rude not to buy it haha Its the perfect spring/summer scent and smells really fresh and aquatic.

5. Benefit Cosmetics fake up concealer: Best concealer for hiding my dark circles and best of all it doesn't crease! Read my review HERE.

6. Dior Diorshow art pen: The perfect eyeliner for creating a feline flick. This is great for achieving thick or thin lines and makes applying liquid liner super easy.

7. Sigma E25 blending and E45 Tapered blending brushes: I ordered these off of cloud 10 beauty last week and I don't know how I lived without them before. The E25 is a great dupe for a mac 217 and the E45 is great for blending colours in the crease. Definitely worth investing in these!

8. Mac Studio sculpt foundation: I received this for Christmas in 2011 and I never really used it as I had too much foundation to get through at the time. I rediscovered it recently and I'm really liking it. Its gel based formula works really well with my dry skin.

9. Bourjois rouge edition lipstick: These are some of the best lipsticks I have used to date. They have great pigmentation/colour pay off, a great range of shades, they smell yummy and they're apparently made in the same factory as Chanel cosmetics. Bargain!

So they're my fave products for march!

What products have you been loving this month? Let me know in the comments below!

Bye!

Emma,

XOXO

NYC Applelicious Glossy Lip Balms: My thoughts!

Applelicious glossy lip balms are some of the latest offerings from New York Colour cosmetics. These lip balms deliver colour and shine to lips while giving lips the ultimate moisture boost with its lip spa formula. Each Applelicious lip balm contains a hydrating core with skin loving ingredients such as shea butter, jojoba and avocado oil to quench dehydrated lips thirst.

Applelicious Glossy lip balms are available in five shades and I was kindly sent three to try out:  351 Caramel Apple, 355 Applelicious Pink and 356 Big Apple Red.

Above L-R: 351 Caramel Apple, 355 Applelicious Pink and 356 Big Apple Red.

First of all these balms smell divine, kind of like candy apples. I've been wearing them since I got them and I love how moisturising they are and how they deliver a sheer pop of colour that's perfect for the spring summer/months.

Above L-R: 351 Caramel Apple, 355 Applelicious Pink and 356 Big Apple Red.

Above: 351 Caramel Apple on my lips.

351 Caramel Apple was my favourite shade simply because I have never come across such a pigmented nude balm before. In my experience, anytime I've used nude balms the pigmentation ends up falling short and looking like I'm wearing plain old Vaseline. Where as with this you get a nice nude tint to the lips. I'm in love!

Above: 355 Applelicious Pink on my lips.

Normally bright pink lip shades wouldn't be my thing but I have to say I'm loving this shade. Its a lovely sheer bright pink and very wearable especially if you're not into brights like me!

Above: 356 Big Apple Red on my lips.

Big Apple Red is a gorgeous colour! Its delivers a sheer pop of rosiness to the lips and is perfect for the coming summer months. It's great for lovers of a red lip who feel like an opaque red lip is too much to wear. This is just the right amount of colour. Its gorge! 

I'm loving these lip balms and I'm loving the fact that NYC have gotten the balance between the right amount of colour and the right amount of nourishing ingredients just right. Plus they're only €2.49.. BARGAIN!

Have you tried these lip balms? What do you think of them? Let me know in the comments below!

Love,

Emma,

XOXO

*P.S: A big thanks to NYC cosmetics for providing the products to review!

Benefit Cosmetics Fake Up Blogger Roadshow and Product Review!

Hello my lovelies! 

Last Friday, I was lucky enough to attend the launch/preview of Benefit cosmetics new concealer, Fake Up.

Fake Up is a moisturising crease control concealer with a hydrating outer ring containing skin loving vitamin E and apple seed extract with a powerful concealing core. Fake Up delivers moisture immediately to the skin minimising fine lines whilst hiding dark circles and diffusing light.

At the event we were given the lowdown on Fake Up by Benefit's head Irish makeup artist Mark Rogers. Mark demonstrated some techniques he uses to maximise the effectiveness of Fake Up. According to Mark, Fake Up can not only be used under the eye area it can be used all over the face to freshen up your look throughout the day. Mark also informed us the deep shade can be used to contour the face! Pretty nifty eh?

We were all delighted when Mark told us we would be heading home with all three shades of Fake Up to try out! We were also given Hello Flawless powder to try out in celebration of its birthday! 

We were all then colour matched by Mark to our shade of Fake Up and Hello Flawless. I was matched to the lightest shade and its a perfect match for my skin tone.

Above: Benefit extraordinaire Mark Rogers matching me to my ideal shade of Fake Up.

Afterwards we all chatted and were treated to some yummy treats and champagne. Benefit sure do know how to throw a party! I would just like to say a big thank you to Benefit for inviting me to the event and for the lovely treats we received, I had an amazing night.

Now onto the review! As I said Fake Up comes in three shades 01 Light, 02 Medium and 03 Deep. It retails at €26.50 for 3.5g of product which might not suit everyones budget however you do get a lot of product for your money and the twist up packaging will ensure you get to use every last bit of product.

As you can see in the picture below there is a hydrating outer ring containing vitamin E and apple seed extract and there is also a concealing core. I was matched to the light shade and I am loving it! It matches my skin tone perfectly and doesn't crease or settle into fine lines. I have noticed an improvement in the skin around my eye area since I began using it as it is so nourishing.

Its great for use all over the face too. I've been using it to conceal problem areas all over my face and it has worked like a dream. 

I gave the medium shade to my mam to test out for me as it was too dark and she adores it. She said she doesn't know how she could live without it anymore! That's a big deal considering my mam wouldn't be a huge fan of makeup and wouldn't wear cosmetics on a regular basis.

I didn't think I would get much use out of the deep shade to be honest but to my surprise I am! I've been using it to contour my face and it gives the illusion of natural shadows on the face plus it blends like a dream. The deep shade is definitely a staple in anyones makeup kit, I highly recommend it.

I will be putting up a post soon on how I like to use the various shades of Fake Up so keep an eye out!

Above L-R: 01 Light, 02 Medium and 03 Deep.

Above L-R: 01 Light, 02 Medium and 03 Deep.

Overall, Fake Up is a wonder product and a great all rounder. I love it and for me it has become an essential part of not only my daily makeup routine but my working makeup kit!

Fake up will be released on the 31st March and is available from Benefit counters nationwide or www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk

What do you think of Fake Up? Will you be purchasing it when it is released? Let me know in the comments below!

Talk soon!

Emma,

XOXO

*Event Photos courtesy of Benefit Cosmetics Ireland Facebook page.

I'm Back!!!

                       

Hi everyone!!

Long time no speak! I'm sorry about my little hiatus since Christmas. Things have been really hectic over the last couple of months. I've had some really big changes in my life, some good and some bad.

First of all, I decided to leave university. I was studying science in UCD and while I loved the course, I didn't love the college and found it really hard to maintain friendships given the size of the campus and my hectic timetable. This was taking a big toll on me so ultimately I decided it would be best if I left. I'm hoping to go back to a smaller college in the future and study the same course.

Since I left university I've been busy looking for a job in makeup but to no avail. Hopefully something will come up for me soon!

The worst thing that has happened over the last couple of months was the sudden death of my very dear uncle. He was an amazing man and the life of the party so it has been hard to come to terms with. It was a very difficult time for my whole family and me. I took it very hard as it was my first experience with losing a loved one but despite all the sorrow it has made me a stronger person. 

On a positive note, Since the New Year I have embarked on a lifestyle change and I am feeling physically much better for it. I have been eating healthily and excercising resulting in a two stone weight loss! I'm really proud to have hit my goal and I am looking forward to getting down to a healthier weight!

I'm so glad to be back in action! I've missed blogging so much! I have some exciting things coming up on the blog so stay tuned!

I just want to say a big thank you to everyone who has supported my blog and stuck by me. I really appreciate it.

Talk soon!

Emma,

xoxo

John Freida Full Repair Range Review!

Yes, I am guilty. Of what you ask? heat styling my hair religiously every day. My hair has seriously suffered since I started using a GHD at the tender of age of 13. I suffer with severe split ends because of this and I have tried every single shampoo that offered the sun moon and stars for hair like mine but to no avail.

Enter the John Frieda Full Repair range infused with ''inca inchi'' oil to ''weightlessly'' repair heat and colour damaged hair. I was recently sent this to try out and while I have noticed a small improvement to my hair since using the products compared to others I have tried in the past I still haven't noticed anything life changing (or hair changing) about the stuff.

The range is quite nice to use and offers a salon like experience from the comfort of your own home. It smells really nice again very salon-esque and the formulations are thick and creamy whilst being fairly lightweight too. But results wise it falls short. I only noticed a minor improvement to my hair and it was generally straight after washing, the effects it promised didn't really last.

For me, the full body shampoo and conditioner were pleasant to use but the results were just average. It was the full repair deep conditioner and deep infusion serum with which I noticed the best results. After using these my hair was silky smooth mind you this was probably due to the silicone Dimethicone being one of the main constituents in the formula and again the effect didn't last very long.

Overall the John Frieda full repair range was pleasant to use but it wasn't capable of helping my hair which is already beyond repair.

John Freida full repair range is available from various shops around the country and the prices are as follows:

Full Repair Full Body Shampoo 250ml: €6.31

Full Repair Full Body Conditioner 250ml: €6.31

Full Repair Deep Conditioner 150ml: €7.03

Full Repair Perfect Ends Deep Infusion 50ml: €7.03

Have you tried the John Frieda Full Repair Range? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below!

Take Care! 

Emma,

XOXO

Pukka Ayurveda Skincare: Review

Back at the beginning of October I was lucky enough to attend the Irish launch of Pukka Ayurveda skincare. I got to meet the Brands creator Sebastian Pole at the event and he explained to me what Pukka is all about.

Pukka started out as a company specialising in Herbal teas and subsequently branching into organic botanical food supplements and now, into Ayurvedic skincare.

Ayurveda is an ancient Indian form of alternative medicine that treats the body and the soul. Pukka Ayurvedic skincare is designed to nourish, detox and replenish nutrients in the skin. The products in the brand contain skin loving natural ingredients such as various herbs and natural oils. Some of their products contain up to 100% natural ingredients.

At the event I was lucky enough to receive their organic skincare collection (above). This little kit contains 6 Trial sized products from the range: Gentle Cleanser, Uplifting toner, Radiance serum, Deep moisture day cream, Nourishing Night cream and their Firming face oil.

This kit was hit and miss for me. I absolutely loved some of the products and disliked others. I'll start with the products I disliked.

Pukka Ayurveda's gentle cleanser isn't great to be honest. It really wasn't great for removing makeup at all it left my skin feeling sticky and uncomfortable and didn't stand a chance at removing my heavy duty makeup. It did have one good point though. It wasn't scented so it would be great for people who have sensitive skin.

I wasn't a big fan of their radiance serum either. I Liked the effect it had on my skin but I couldn't get past the smell. It smells like aloe vera so It reminded me of burn shield!

I did really like the rest of the collection. I especially liked the firming face oil and the uplifting toner. I saw real improvements in my skin after using these.

I think the day and night creams are really nice too. My skin felt nourished and moisturised after using these. They smell lovely and really luxurious.

My favourite product in the collection is definitely the uplifting toner (above spray bottle) it is really refreshing and a real treat for the skin.

This kit is great as an introduction to Pukka Ayurveda skincare. It will give you an idea of what products you really like and will suit your skin type. 

Pukka Ayurveda Organic skincare collection is priced at €30 and is availible in the following stockists around Ireland: 

Hopsack, Rathmines • Restore, Camden Street •Down To Earth, South Great Georges Street •Neighbourhood Pharmacy, Santry • Organic Supermarket, Blackrock•Wholehealth Centre, Ballybrack•Evergreen Health Stores, Galway and evergreen.ie • Dargan Healthfoods, Limerick •Priya Therapy and Store, Cork • An Tobairin, Bandon • An Siopa Beag, Killaloe • Horan’s Health Store, Fermoy • Meanwell Wholefoods, Ennis • The Aquarian, Caherciveen, Co. Kerry 

Have you tried Pukka Ayurveda? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below!

Emma,

XOXO

My Top 5 Benefit Cosmetics Products!

                 

As we have established before I'm a makeup addict. I own way too much for just one face and while I like to think my makeup collection is an equal opportunities employer I must say there is one brand that dominates the others in my makeup collection: Benefit cosmetics. I'm very familiar with Benefit (I've been buying their products since I was 13!) and the best products to purchase. Here are my top 5! Let the countdown begin!

5. Benefit Cha cha tint (€34.50) is a mango lip and cheek tint that gives a lovely flush of colour. For lovers of orange like me this is perfect! Its great for the spring/summer months and has great lasting power. Plus you get so much product for your money so its definitely a good investment. I Love it!

4. At number 4 we have Benefit's Hoola bronzer (€34) hand on heart I can say this is easily the best bronzer I've EVER used. I use this every day to contour as its a great matte shade and creates the illusion of natural shadows flawlessly. Mine has lasted me ages (2 years!) but I need to purchase a new one as I'm very near running out. This is great value for money.

3. My favourite Benefit highlighter is Watt's up (€35). I've tried the others but this one steals the show for me. Its the perfect subtle champagne colour and it gives a lit from within glow to the skin. Its a stick highlighter with 9.4g of product so again a little goes a long way. I use mine everyday and I still have loads left. Its amazing! 

2. Next up is my favourite Benefit box of blusher: Coralista (€34). This blush is a great asset to your makeup collection. The shade is great on all skin tones and perfect for neutralising redness on the cheeks due to its coral hue. I love this so much! Its my go to blush.

1. The Porefessional (€34) truly deserves the number one spot on my list! This nifty primer reduces the appearance of pores and fine lines. It also leaves the perfect canvas to apply makeup over. I couldn't live without this product. It keeps my makeup looking perfect throughout the day and gives it more lasting power. Everyone should have this in their makeup bag.

So there you go! My top 5 Benefit products! Let me know in the comments below what your faves are!

Bye!

Emma,

XOXO

Update!

Hello my lovelies! Long time no talk :( 

I know I haven't written a blog post in quite a while and I'm really sorry for the little hiatus! I've had a lot of stuff going on lately and it has been stressful to say the least.

I'm so glad I'm back to blogging! I'll have lots of exciting posts up soon including:

• A review of the John Frieda Full Repair range.       
• Lana Del Rey inspired makeup tutorial.
• What's in my makeup bag blog post
• Pukka Ayurveda organic skincare review.  
• A post on how to keep your skin hydrated and glowing this winter!
• Essence Breaking dawn collection blush and pigment review.
• My top 5 Benefit Cosmetics Products.

Its great to be back! 

Talk soon,

Emma,

XOXO

*Photo courtesy of jennmomoftwomunchkins.blogspot.ie

New Release for January 2013! Benefit Fine One One Cream Blush!

Benefit are famous for releasing a new box of powder blush in January of each year but this year they decided to break the mold and release something a little different. I present you with Fine One One! Benefit Cosmetics first cream blush!

Photo courtesy of pinkglitter10.blogspot.ie

I was so excited when we got to see this at the blogger christmas party the other night! We are some of the first people to see it! It hasn't even been shown to Benefit's staff yet!

As you can see it comes in a handy twist up rose gold tube.

It contains three shades to be swiped on together and blended although they can be used separately. It has a highlight shade, a juicy watermelon pink shade and a gorgeous coral.

The great thing about this piece of beauty booty is that it is multitasking and can be used on cheeks and lips!

This will retail at around €34 the same price as the Benefit box of powders. Judging from what I've seen this will be a great product and will last ages!

Photo courtesy of pinkglitter10.blogspot.ie

I can't wait to try this! With this blush you will definitely have the right to get gorgeous!

Hope you all are keeping well!

Talk soon!

Emma,

XOXO

Benefit Blogger Christmas party and Christmas Offerings for 2012 Info!!

On Wednesday evening I was lucky enough to attend Benefit Cosmetics blogger Christmas party. It was held in The Parlour at Whelans, a lovely intimate venue that fit the brand perfectly. It was such an amazing event! First we were talked through Benefit's limited edition Christmas offerings by head Irish MUA Mark Rogers. We then got a sneak peek at a 2013 product before anybody else! and then we got to yap, play some giant jenga and be merry!

Here are some pictures of the lovely display they had showcasing all of their gorgeous winter offerings!

Also when we were leaving we were given some goodies! We received a copy of the spy gal comic, a free brow treatment and a how to look the best at everything kit in light! Thank you so much Benefit!

So now I'm going to talk you through their Xmas limited edition gifts! Take a look!

First up is their ''Fast train to fabulous'' gift set. This includes a full sized Benetint, Porefessional and a deluxe mini of they're real mascara. Priced at €55 this is a great gift for gals that like the natural look.

Next we have ''Dazzle me dahling!''. Priced at €65 this includes a full sized Hoola bronzer and Bad gal lash mascara. Also included are deluxe minis of Some kinda gorgeous foundation faker and the porefessional. This is the perfect pressie for lovers of the bronzed look.

This gift set is a real bargain I think! It's called ''Sexy little stowaways'', and It comes with 10 deluxe minis of some of Benefit's best products for €35. Perfect for Jet setters or even for a younger sister, daughter or niece as an intro to Benefit!

On the skincare side of things Benefit have released ''Let there be bright!'', a gorgeous gift set including a full sized It's potent! eye cream and a full sized Triple performing facial emulsion. It also comes with deluxe minis of Total moisture facial cream and the porefessional. This is priced at €55 and is great value considering it is €64.50 for the eye cream and facial emulsion if they are bought separately. I'll be picking one of these up for my mammy!

The ''Upgrade to gorgeous!'', giftset is their stand out in my opinion! Priced at €46 this includes a full sized Highbeam and Sugarbomb blush and also comes with deluxe minis of They're real and The porefessional! This is perfect for fans of the dewy look! I think I'll be buying myself one of these!

Next we have the ''She's so Jetset!'', compact kit. Priced at €39.50 this is the perfect gift for someone who is always on the go. It contains everything you need to transition from day to night! It comes with 4 shades of eyeshadow, The Porefessional, They're Real mascara, First class face powder + brush, a double ended applicator and a lip gloss in the shade ''Life on the A list''. 

Another great gift is their ''High flyin' glosses'', set which costs €29.50. It contains 6 minis of their ultra plush lip glosses in Coralista, Dallas, Bella Bamba, Hoola, Sugarbomb and Dandelion. Perfect for Daughters, Younger sisters or nieces!

Last but certainly not least we have the ''Crescent row'' limited edition set that contains four deluxe mini bottles of Crescent Row perfume. Priced at €44 this is perfect for that friend who just can't make her mind up which perfume she wants! She can have the best of both worlds with this set!

So there you have it! Benefit's Christmas offerings for 2012! Before I go I just want to say a massive thank you to Gemma, Benefit's digital media coordinator for organising such an amazing event and I also want to say thank you to Mark Rogers and all the other Benefit staff who were present! Also to all the bloggers who were there It was great seeing some of you again! and It was also great meeting some bloggers I had never met before!

Merry (very early) Christmas!

Emma,

XOXO

*Photos courtesy of www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk