March Beauty Favourites

Hello Lovelies!

I can not believe we are at the end of March already! I am so happy the clocks have changed so we have that extra bit of light in the evenings...I'm sure bloggers everywhere can relate! So since it is the last day of the month I thought I would share (as usual) the products I have been loving throughout the month! I do have a lot of new products that I have discovered this month because it was my birthday in March and of course there was a little bit of shopping done.

Nars Sheer Glow Foundation

This is much loved foundation throughout the beauty community and I finally bit the bullet and gave into the hype. I bought it when I was up in Dublin at the beginning of this month and have been using it everyday since!I am planning on dedicating an entire blog post about how I feel about this foundation but I will just say I like it. Very very much. It gives amazing coverage without feeling heavy on the skin, it brightens and gives you that "glow" that everyone seems to want. The only thing I would say is that it can tend to cling a little bit to dry skin so just be wary of that if you want to give it a go! I am in the shade Mont Blanc, but I'm planning on getting a shade or two darker for when I'm wearing a bit of tan(which is most of the time!)

Nails Inc Porchester Square

I have previously expressed my love for the Nails Inc Gel Effect polish in Kensington High Street here, so I thought I would put Porchester Square in this post to show the love to both. I have actually been going between Porchester Square and Kensington High Street this month. The shine from these polishes is amazing and I have been asked so many times if I have Shellac on my nails while wearing them. They last for ages on my nails and I love both colours equally!

Nuxe Reve De Miel Lipbalm

I eventually caved and bought this lipbalm, not only in pot form but in stick form too - so it's a good thing I actually like it because it's not the cheapest! Since starting to use this my lips have been in amazing condition! It's a brilliant lipbalm to apply before lipstick too as it's matte and it helps lipstick glide on and look amazing! Again I have raved about this here so I won't go on too much!

No.7 Instant Radiance Highlighter

I can't remember if I have included this in a monthly favourites before but I have been using this so much this month. Because I was away from home a lot I wanted everything to be as compact as possible, so I pulled this from my drawers and have been loving it! I'm not sure if it is limited edition because I thought I heard a rumour it was ages ago but they are still available on the No.7 counter so hopefully that was just a nasty false rumour! Since it is in stick form it is so handy for carrying around and super quick to apply! It gives the nicest glow to your skin, it's not at all glittery. I use this in all the usual spots, tops of my cheekbones, cupids bow and eyebrow bone and if I want to add a bit more to it for nights out etc. I pop a bit of my Nars Copacabana on top!

MAC Pure Zen

I bought this at the start of the month and it has been my go to nude lip since. You all know I love a more neutral lip and am a big fan of the Hues and Shy Girls of the lipstick world so when I seen this I knew it had to be mine. I described it in my post about it as the baby sister of Shy Girl. It is a lovely milky peach shade and I have been wearing this with a small bit of the Bourjois cream blush in Nude Velvet 01 on my cheeks.

Origins Super Spot Remover 

While I was up in Dublin I went a little mad at the Origins counter. I am quickly becoming very obsessed with this brand and so far everything I've tried from them I've absolutely loved! So when I was in Dublin my skin was still going through that rough patch I told you about before (dryness, flakiness, breakouts galore!) so I decided to give this a go, I had heard such amazing things about it but at €18.50 for a tiny 10ml bottle I kept putting it off. I am sorry I didn't buy this earlier because it is just a miracle worker! First of all it will last you for ages because you really do need the tiniest amount at any time so 10ml's is plenty, second of all it will literally get rid of spots overnight! Those big nasty under the skin spots had my heart broke for a week or so before buying this but as soon as I popped it on the redness had gone down, the soreness went and within a day the spots had disappeared. I can not say enough good things about this product and if you suffer from nasty breakouts I definitely recommend you give this a go!

Rebecca Minkoff Mini Mac - Black with Rose Gold Hardware

And last but certainly not least is the new love of my life. Becky (yes I have nicknamed her..don't judge) was a Birthday present and we have grown very fond of each other. I have been lusting after a Rebecca Minkoff for what seems like forever but I could never make the commitment on what colour/style I wanted. When I seen the Mini Mac in Black with the Rose Gold Hardware I knew I had to have it. I bought mine off the actual Rebecca Minkoff website and received fantastic service, it arrived in a week, beautifully wrapped. Even though it is smaller than the bags I would usually carry I have been loving not carrying round the kitchen sink with me and my shoulders are definitely thanking me for it.

So those are my favourites for the month of March. I can definitely say my most favourite "favourite" this month has been my new handbag, I am mad to do another "What's in my Bag" post to show you all how much I've managed to downsized since getting the smaller bag but I don't know if it's too soon after my last one? Let me know if you wouldn't mind seeing it and I'll definitely do one!

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Nuxe Reve de Miel Lip Balm

Hello Lovelies! 

So recently I made a bit of a bold purchase off Cloud10Beauty and finally ordered the Nuxe Reve de Miel lip balm after months of lusting after it and hearing such rave reviews. Without a doubt this is the most ridiculously expensive lipbalm I own at €12.50 a pot! So I was really hoping it would be worth it because I not only ordered the one in the tub, but I got the stick version too..(oops!) The logic behind that was because if I did end up loving it, I wouldn't want to bring around the tub with me in my handbag so a stick would be handier and it was free delivery over €15 so it just worked out better this way. Look at me justifying it already...

But I actually do love it! Honestly I didn't think it would make that much of a difference and I was a bit skeptical to all the hype but since using this my lips have felt and looked a million times better than before. The cold weather was really taking its toll on my poor lips and they were constantly chapped and really red and sore, regardless of what I put on them. I find the pot version to be a little bit thicker in consistency compared to the stick so I apply this at night, right at the end of my skincare routine and keep the stick in my handbag for touch-ups during the day. I love the matte finish that this lipbalm gives. It's completely non sticky and its very comfortable to wear if that makes sense. So like I said I pop this on at night and there is always some left on my lips by the time I wake up the next morning which is just incredible, it is just so long-lasting! It leaves my lips feeling so soft and moisturised so they are ready for lipstick straight away. It contains honey and shea butter so of course it is going to be amazingly moisturising!

The consistency of this lipbalm is very strange, it was one of the things I definitely had to get used to! It is really thick and you almost have to melt it a little on your fingers before you can apply it. It smells gorgeous too but the smell doesn't linger on the lips so if you don't like it you don't have to worry to much about that! I adore the packaging, it is a little glass jar so it is quite sturdy and feels lovely and luxurious to have on your bedside table.

Overall I completely think this is worth both the hype and the money, I'm so glad I did buy both versions because I don't see myself straying away from using this anytime soon! It is available to buy online here if you're interested!

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Nails Inc | Kensington High Street

Hello Lovelies!

Yes I know don't shoot me but I bought another nail polish. (Actually another two but more on that later!) I have been eying up the Gel Effect Polishes from Nails Inc for months now! I have only ever tried Nails Inc from freebies with magazines and I had always been impressed with the quality and the colours. So when they brought out the "Gel Effects" I knew I had to get my hands on some. There were two colours in particular that I was loving the look of and ended up buying both (oops!) One was Porchester Square and the other is the one I am going to tell you about today which is Kensington High Street.You all know I love my dark, vampy reds like Chanel's Rouge Noir and Essie's Bahama Mama but apparently those just weren't enough and I added this to my collection! 

Now I did have a bit of a brain fart when it came to using this polish. I didn't actually realise that there is a hidden lid under the big rectangular lid you can see in the pictures (I didn't even know it at the time I was taking these pictures otherwise I would have shown you!) and struggled with painting my nails with that big clumpy lid for at least three nail-painting sessions! It was only when Karen posted about the one that she has and explained and showed in a picture that the lid actually came off that I had the miraculous moment where I ripped the lid off to reveal a much user friendly lid, sneaky one there Nails Inc!

The brush is really easy to use, it's not quite an Essie "fan-brush" but its definitely close and acceptable to use. The polish covers really nicely and goes on really even. I applied two coats to achieve complete opaqueness and once it dried it was so amazingly shiny! I applied my usual Seche Vite on top and they actually looked like Shellac! I got so many compliments on my nails while I was wearing this polish. The longevity is really impressive too! I applied this during my usual Sunday night pamper session and got to Thursday before they started to get a little bit worn and chipped, and that was during till work, typing, pulling at boxes and lot of other randomness so it held up really well considering! 

So between this and Porchester Square I think I have a good base for a collection started! What other shades would you recommend from the Gel Effect line because I feel yet another expensive addiction coming on! If you are interested in picking up one of these polishes you can get them online here for €16.40 each.

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You Organic! | Orange & Ylang-Ylang Night Balm

 
Hello Lovelies!

If you have been following me on twitter you might have noticed I have been having a mini freak-out about my skin lately. A couple of weeks ago it just completely had a melt down, I don't think it's ever been as bad as that before. Basically I started to notice my forehead getting really "bumpy" and next thing I knew my skin was peeling, flaking off, feeling really sore and raw in some places (it was not a fun time) so I really couldn't really put any make up on it without it looking horrible and clinging to all my dryness which was practically my whole face. Now I don't want to point fingers but I do think it was a certain much hyped hydrating serum that caused it and since I have stopped using it my skin has completely improved thankfully! 

So while this was going on I was on a desperate mission to find anything that would help give my skin much needed moisture while not aggravating it any further. A few days into my "dry spell" I was contacted by Ursula from You Organic Skincare who asked me would I like to try their Night Balm. I literally jumped at the chance because after doing some research I discovered that it contains 100% natural ingredients which meant no more harsh chemicals going on my skin, and it is not tested on animals, and it is made in Ireland! Reading the ingredients list really attracted me to using this product. It contains almond oil, beeswax, coconut oil and cocoa butter to name a few. so I knew it was going to be full of moisture and all round goodness!

I was so excited to try this, and I had it on my face within minutes of the postman delivering it. Ursula was kind enough to include a note to say a little goes a long way, and thank you so much Ursula for that because I was literally ready to drench my face in it! Let me tell you a little really does go a long way, this stuff is just amazing! It is a balm texture- identical to that of cleansing balms I've tried, the only difference is that this sinks into the skin beautifully without leaving any greasy or oily residue. My skin was drinking this up in the first few days I was using it and this in combination with my Origins Gin Zing moisturiser is a match made in heaven. My skin had cleared up in the next 4-5 days and I would 100% say it is down to the Night Balm. This is now a firm staple in my skin care routine, I am currently using it 2-3 times a week at night in combination with my Origins Gin Zing just to make sure my skin is getting enough moisture. It has a lovely relaxing scent too, which is perfect for just before bedtime when you need to unwind. It seems to be a lovely multipurpose product too, you can use it for dry patches on your body and men can even use it as an after shave balm!

If you have dry, dehydrated skin I would recommend you give this a go! It has literally saved my skin. You can buy it online here, if you have tried this please let me know what you think!

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L'oreal Pastel Nail Polishes

Hello Lovelies! 

On a recent shopping trip I picked up some new nail polishes (shocker) so to justify this I felt it only right to share them with you! Since Spring has finally sprung I am loving all things pastel, from clothes right down to my nails. So when I seen these new releases from L'oreal I knew I had to get my hands on them. At the counter that I was at there were four colours in total but since it was on 3 for 2 I held back and restricted myself to just three. (I know, I'm very good) They are all very very pale off white shades so I decided to go for the ones with a tint of colour to them because I just thought that the white might look a little like tipp-ex on your nails. 

So the ones I picked up were Peach Neglige, Nouvelle Vague and Pistachio Drage which are a pale pink, a pale lilac and a pale mint green colour! So far I have worn the lilac and the mint green (for St. Patricks Day, how very patriotic of me) and I am very impressed. I think the green could give Essie's Mint Candy Apple a run for its money! We all love a good mint and I am constantly on the hunt for my perfect one, I am really liking this one as it is just right in the middle of being a blue toned and a green toned mint. I don't actually have anything like the lilac in my collection already so it is a unique shade to me and I am loving it so far, blue or purple nail polish is normally something I try to stay away from but for this I had to make an exception! I haven't tried the pink on my nails yet, just swatched it but from that swatch I think it could be a close dupe for Essie Fiji which is another firm favourite of mine! 

The lasting power of these polishes are not the best I'll be honest. I put my usual Seche Vite on top as usual and I started to notice chipping on the second day of wear which was a bit disappointing. None the less it doesn't take away from these beautiful colours and how amazing they look with a tan! I know I won't be able to resist if I see any other new pastel nail polishes being released in the coming weeks so watch this space for more nail polishes! 

Have you any pastel nail polish recommendations for me? I have seen Barry M has released some new shades in their Gelly Hi-Shines which I am so excited to get my hands on!

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My Make-Up Storage

Hello Lovelies!

This post has been a long time in the works, it is a post I've always wanted to do but I've never been 100%  with my make-up storage. Before now I have been keeping all my make up mixed in one of those five drawer tower things that most people seem to have that you can pick up anywhere. But finding everything in there was such an effort and things got lost, forgotten about and really dirty (I'm really selling this aren't I?) So I thought enough was enough and when I was in Dublin a couple of weeks ago I paid a visit to Muji and caved to the blogger hype and bought myself some beautiful acrylic storage! 

Now I'm not going to lie, these drawers were expensive...really expensive. But what I told myself on the day is that these drawers are an investment. They are something I will always have and it's not like they will clash with anything what with them being see-through! If you're wondering I got two seperate sets. One is a set of two drawers with a flip lid, I got this because some of my foundation bottles are different sizes so if they don't all fit I can still get the drawer shut and leave the lid propped up. The second set of drawers is a set of three which I think is just one of their standard ones. 

Since I brought these home and organized them I have been so much happier with my collection. I have narrowed the make-up I have put into these down to my essentials and absolute favourites (apart from bigger palettes like the NAKED palettes & my MAC palette) I am slowly trying to cut down my make-up collection, getting rid of things I don't need/use and I will be operating a "one in, one out" system from now on..I need some restraint! I have kept all the extra bits and pieces in the 5 drawer tower and am trying to work up to getting rid of things- I must be the only person in the world to have an emotional attachment to make-up!

So as you can see from the pictures, I have organized these into sections. In the first drawer are my favourite foundations, primers and concealers- like I said before I have them in the top drawer just incase they don't fit the width of the drawer I can prop the lid up on top and it still looks ok. In the next drawer are my blushes, bronzers and highlighers. I love this drawer because I have a slight obsession with cheek products! The one product I don't have in this drawer is my beloved Chanel "Soleil Tan de Chanel" because this is too bulky and would take up too much room! The next two drawers are my "eye" drawers, with the first holding my mascaras, eyeliners and eyebrow products. The second is all about the eyeshadows- another happy drawer! Finally in the bottom drawer is where I keep all my favourite lip products, as you can see the majority of them are MAC, with an odd YSL, Chanel, Lancome, Clinique etc.

To hold my brushes I keep them in a little Utensils tin which I got from B&M, I think its so cute! There are a few pieces of make-up that I don't keep in these drawers which I keep in my everyday make-up bag which I usually keep on top of the drawers as you can see in the pictures. I love changing up my make-up bags, I am just obsessed with buying them! This one is from Pennies/Primark for €4! If you would like another post to see what I am keeping in that at the moment please let me know and I will be happy to do that for you! 

So that is my current make-up storage! I really want to get a vintage looking dressing table to keep everything on next and that can be my "getting ready" area too! If you have done a make-up storage post please link it below because I love looking at other peoples storage to get inspiration! 

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Holland & Barrett Good Life MOT

Hello Lovelies!

You may remember from my New Years Resolutions post that I was going to try and be healthier this year. So when I was invited to take part in Holland & Barrett's "Good Life MOT" I jumped at the chance. Basically the Good Life MOT is meant to help people (such as myself) with their New Year's resolutions! It is a one-to-one in store service where the trained associates help customers find the nutrition products to best suit them. I was sent 10 questions which I answered as honestly as possible and then awaited my results. 

A couple of weeks later and I received a beautifully package from Holland & Barrett, so beautiful that I almost didn't want to open it! Inside were my MOT results, I had picked up 7 minors (oops!) and they had sent me some goodies to help combat those. The products I received included Vitamin B complex to help give me energy throughout the day, Valerian capsules to help me sleep (which you all know I've been struggling with lately) and some Organic Aloe Vero face wipes for when I can't be bothered to properly cleanse my face (bold I know!) and some other bits and bobs to help pull me together a little bit! Since using these products I have found that I have alot more energy throughout the day where I would normally be slumping at about three, I don't take the valerian capsules every night but if I am having more difficulty than normal getting to sleep I just take one and within a half hour I'm conked. 

This service is definitely worth checking out! If you are near a Holland & Barrett do pop in and get an MOT done, it will really help you out in the long run and your body will thank you for it! 

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Whoever said Orange is the new Pink was seriously disturbed...

Except in the event of make-up products. 

You all know I am slightly partial to a coral/orange lip and since -dare I say it..Spring has arrived I have found myself reaching for more and more bright colours over the deeper pink-wintery colours! So I thought it was only right to share the products I have been adding to my make up bag with you! 

Origins GinZing Moisturiser

Ok so technically this is not an orange product but the packaging is orange and it smells like oranges too! I bought and loved the GinZing eye-cream last month so it was only right that I bought the moisturiser to go with it. I don't find my skin to be overly dry but I do like to apply a moisturiser to keep any dry patches that may appear at bay. This moisturiser is claiming to be an energy boosting moisturiser so it is meant to leave your skin looking alot fresher and bright. Since using both this and the eye cream together I have started to notice my skin looking alot healthier and I don't look as tired all the time which is always a bonus! 

Bourjois Cream Blush Nude Velvet

When Bourjois released their cream blushes last year this was the main one I wanted to get my hands on and of course everytime I went to a Bourjois stand it was sold out. I eventually managed to get my hands on it online and it has been in my make-up bag constantly since I bought it. It is the perfect peachy blush, not too orange and not too pink. It instantly brightens up your complexion and with these blushes a little goes a long way! 

Clarins Natural Light Lip Perfector 04

This particular product was in my Febuary favourites but I have loved them for the past 6 months consistantly. Number 04 is a lovely milky coral colour, which makes for a lovely nude lip but still has the little bit of tint to it so you are avoiding the concealer lips look! I could rave about these lipglosses for days, they are just so perfect! Non-sticky, longlasting, beautiful colours and they smell gorgeous! Enough said!

Essie Meet me at Sunset

I picked this up towards the end of Summer last year and never really got a chance to try it out because we were straight into the more Autumnal colours then! But lately I have been loving this on my toes! It is such a vibrant red toned orange and looks amazing with a (fake) tan! I can see myself getting alot of wear out of this during the Summer when I can break out the flip flops!

MAC Springsheen Blush

Another product that made it into last months favourites is this blusher from MAC. Like I said in that post, I've actually had this blusher for awhile but only started to use it lately! It is more of a pink-orange blush with a very subtle golden shimmer running through it, you really don't notice the shimmer at all once its on the cheeks! I have been using this non-stop for the past couple of weeks and I can't believe it's taken me so long to start using it! 

Korres Mango Lip Butter

This is a more recent purchase from ASOS. I am such a massive fan of the Korres lip butters, the Jasmine one is always with me! So I wanted to get a more colourful one, and I love mangos so I thought it was the perfect one! These lip butters are amazingly moisturising, they are so thick and creamy and they last a really long time on the lips. This mango one smells amazing and gives a gorgeous orange tint to your lips.

MAC Pure Zen

I have a whole post dedicated to the latest lipstick in my life here so I won't go on too much about it. Like I said in that post this is like the baby sister to Shy Girl. It is a gorgeous light peach colour which again looks lovely with a tan! 

So those are the products that I have been using recently to help transition my make-up from Winter to Spring. If you have any other recommendations for products you think I would like please let me know, and if you haven't already you can enter my international giveaway for a MAC lipstick of your choice here!

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MAC Pure Zen

Hello Lovelies! 

So as I'm sure most of you know, I am a big fan of the nude lip. MAC Hue and Chanel Boy are permanent additions to my make up bag. But as always I am always looking for something new to fall in love with. I love MAC lipsticks but I find myself always drawn to the more exciting colours like Lady Danger or Rebel (love & love!) and tend not to bother with the nudes because they just get lost among the brighter colours!

But when I seen Pure Zen on Hannah's blog I knew I had to pick it up. I love a good peachy/coral lipstick and my current everyday colour in that category is MAC Shy Girl and it has definitely seen better days! So last week I headed straight to MAC and restricted myself to one lipstick and Pure Zen was the one. First of all it is a cremesheen formula which is my favourite formulation from MAC. They are really nicely pigmented and feel so lovely and mosturising on the lips. The colour lasts a decent amount of time before needing a top up! 

I would say this is the baby sister of Shy Girl which I absolutely adore. It is alot lighter than Shy Girl but it is definitely in the same colour family. I don't know how this would suit paler skintones as I have only worn this so far while having a tan, so maybe test it out before buying because it might not suit everyone! I do love wearing this while I have a bit of fake tan on and a bronzed make-up look. I know this will be my go-to lipstick over the Summer!

Speaking of MAC lipsticks I am currently holding an International giveaway where you can win a MAC lipstick of your choice! So you can enter that here if you haven't already!

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