May Beauty Favourties

 Hello Lovelies!

How fast did this month go? It really doesn't feel that long since I was telling you about my April favourites  and now we are half way through the year. Craziness! Since it is getting into the Summer months (not that you would know that judging by the Irish weather!) I have been trying to change up my make-up products to reflect that. 

MAC Patina

I bought this randomly on a trip to Brown Thomas because I wanted a cool toned brown to help fill up my pro-palette. I have literally used it everyday since I got it which was at the beginning of the month. It is a cool toned gold which is unlike any other colour I own. It is just so easy to wear, you can blend it into the crease or just sweep it all over the lid if you want a quick and easy application. I really think it's a colour that would be over looked among all the rest of the shades at MAC but it really is a beaut! 

Boots Botanics Hot Cloth Cleansing Balm

You all know I am a huge fan of the Botanics range at Boots but the stand out product for me is the Hot Cloth Cleansing Balm. This was the first ever cleansing balm I tried at the top of the hype when cleansing balms were "it". I instantly fell in love. It leaves my skin feeling cleansed and fresh but as well as that it doesn't dry out my skin. It is quite a moisturising cleanser so you don't have to worry about having that tight feeling after cleansing. I use my Garnier Micellar Water to remove the bulk of my make up and then go in with this for a deeper clean. Plus it doesn't break the bank, it is normally on offer for next to nothing so compared to the Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm (which I still really want to try) is such a bargain!

Stila Convertable Colour | Gerbera

This was a splurge during the month. You know how it goes, you're watching youtube videos reviewing all these amazing products and your bank card is safely on the other side of your room. Next thing you know you have ordered whatever they told you to and you card is in your hand feeling slightly lighter. Ooops. That being said I am so happy I ordered this. I love everything about it. The formula is just wet enough to give a glow to the skin but not wet enough to just slide off your face. I have actually used this on both my lips and my cheeks and I am really happy with how it looks on both. The colour is really brightening and absolutely perfect for the Summer.

Nars Velvet Matte Lip Crayon | Red Square

As you can see I went a little crazy with buying beauty products this month. This was another impulse buy after I fell in love with the Bourjois liquid lipstick last month. I just became obsessed with that orange/red lip colour and wanted it in every form I could think of. I love this because it is so quick and easy to apply, you literally just draw it on to your lips and it is there to stay for the day. Like the Bourjois one, it does.not.budge! I don't really need to comment on the colour of it because for me it is just perfection! 

No.7 Instant Radiance Bronze Highlighter

I have already shown my love for this highlighter many many times. It is basically the bronzed version of my all time favourite highlighter - what more could you want for Summer? It goes on and blends like a dream, looks gorgeous and dewy-NOT glittery! Best of all it is more bronzed in colour so it looks amazing with a tan and gives you that "just back from a sun holiday (I wish)" glow. What more could you want?

So those are another lot of my monthly favourites. I am going to try my best and be slightly more restrained when it comes to ordering things online this month and perhaps put a slight spending ban in place? We'll just have to see how that goes. Let me know what your monthly favourites have been and if there is anything I need to try (even though I really probably don't!)

 

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No.7 Instant Radiance Bronzing Highlighter

 Hello Lovelies!

Do you remember a couple of months ago when I discovered the No.7 Instant Radiance Highligher? You know the one, I raved about it at the time and it has been a firm staple in my make-up bag since (and has featured in quite a few Instagram pictures) Well being the geniuses that they are, those lovely people over at No.7 have only gone and released a Bronzed version! So really I had to pick it up, it was just calling my name!

The packaging of this is the same as the original, small compact and simple. They really hit the nail on the head with the packaging of this, it's perfect for throwing in your handbag for top-up's throughout the day and it doesn't take up much room in your make-up bag. The only difference between this and the original is the colour, instead of the baby pink it is a bronzed stick. To dispense the product you just twist the bottom and it comes up, but you really only need the tiniest amount to get a gorgeous glow! And considering you need such a small amount, you actually get so much product. I've just about leveled out the top of my original one and I have been using that since before Christmas! So it's amazing value for money!

The formula again, is the same as the original and it was the formula that won me over with the first one. I had previously been in love with the Jemma Kidd All Over Radiance cream because it was so beautifully creamy but we all know why I had to end that affair (sob!!) and started on my hunt for a replacement. I find that this highligher is actually creamier than the Jemma Kidd. It just blends like a dream- I actually use my fingers to apply because I find if I use it straight from the stick it looks a little too harsh! You can use it anywhere on your body, so I have great plans for the bronzed version. Once it (eventually) gets warmer, and I have my legs out and tanned I want to pop a little bit of this down the centre of them to give them abit more of a glow, on my collarbone and maybe my arms? I'll just be a bronzed, shimmery being come summertime! The other good thing about this highlighter is it is shimmery, not glittery! Nothing worse (in my humble opinion) than having glitter specks on your cheekbones -less is more!

I honestly don't think I can rave about this highlighter more, and if you are a highlighter lover like me you need this in your life! Available online here!

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Endless Repurchases

Hello Lovelies!

Today I wanted to dedicate a post to the old reliables. You know the ones, the products you need to have in your collection and the ones you always end up reaching for and going back to. Sometimes we get so caught up in the new releases and the latest products and some of our all time favourites just don't get mentioned. So these are products that I constantly repurchase, love and use all the time. 

First off is the Boots Build Up Removal Expert Shampoo. This can be ridiculously hard to get hold of because it is always sold out, so when I spot it I always stock up. This shampoo is the best shampoo I've found that really deep cleans your hair and gets rid of all product build up. I use alot of sprays, creams, and oils in my hair on a day to day basis and once a week I love to use this shampoo to really get rid of everything and get my hair squeaky clean.

If you have noticed that I haven't reviewed any new self tan on my blog in a very long time it is because my heart belongs to Cocoa Brown. I have bought countless bottles of the Cocoa Brown 1hr Tan. This stuff can do no wrong in my eyes. It is literally fool proof. Apply, leave on for up to 3hrs, shower and then a gorgeous natural golden glow appears. It is so easy to apply, I have never gotten a streaky finish from using it. It smells lovely, lasts ages and fades evenly and naturally!

I am a massive fan of Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish as you all know but something from Liz Earle that I never really mention is the Instant Boost Skin Tonic. I use this every night before bed and I really notice a difference if I haven't used it. It soothes and refreshes my skin and just makes it feel amazing. It smells incredible and it is available in both a bottle and spritzer. I always have to make sure I have this in my skincare collection because it makes such a difference to my skin and I absolutely love it.

So those are the products that I will forever repurchase and make sure that I have in my collection. What is your product that you can't be without and will always repurchase?

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NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil - Red Square

Hello Lovelies,

Yes another orange/red lipstick. I have gotten slightly obsessed the past few weeks with a bold lip with minimal eye make up. I find it just brightens up my complexion and makes my teeth look so much whiter-which is always a bonus! So the lipstick that kicked off this whole obsession was the Bourjois Velvet Edition liquid lipstick in Hot Pepper which I raved about here. Within days of buying that lipstick I had this beauty from NARS ordered..oops! 

I had never tried any lip products from NARS before this but have only heard good things about their Matte lip pencils so I was excited to try this. A matte lip has been my go-to lately because it is just fuss free. No need to worry about if you have it on your teeth, or in my case your chin (lunchtime..soup..don't judge!) they are much easier to apply and are crazy long-lasting! What I love about this pencil is that it is literally fool-proof. It is quick and easy to apply, it is small and compact so perfect for carrying around if you want an emergency last minute bold lip, and once you have it on that is literally it for the day. It stays around forever. I have put this on before 7am in the morning, done a mornings work, had lunch and went back for the second half of my day without needing to touch up. I am 100% converted to this whole matte bold lip business!

The lip pencil itself feels lovely and creamy when you first apply it and it keeps that almost creamy feeling throughout the day as you wear it. It doesn't dry out your lips and doesn't settle into the lines either. I am so impressed with this offering from NARS I think I'll be going back for seconds...Cruella is next on my hit list! 

The NARS Red Square lip pencil is available online here. Are you a fan of a bold lip? If so what product is your go-to at the moment?

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Stila Convertable Colour | Gerbera

Hello Lovelies!

Recently I have gone a bit cream product crazy, and one of the new products I picked up was this Convertable Colour by Stila in the colour Gerbera. I have heard so many rave reviews about these and have been dying to get my hands on them for ages. I decided to go for the colour Gerbera because I thought it would be perfect for Spring/Summer which is mostly when I tend to wear cream blushes (I break out the powders more so in the colder months)

So I placed my order on Beauty Bay and excitedly awaited it's arrival! When it arrived (after taking pictures of course) it was straight on my cheeks. First off I love how the packaging corresponds to the colour that the product inside is. It makes it so much easier if you had more than one to find the exact one that you are looking for. The colour Gerbera is a gorgeous peachy/pink- I know I went for something different (not). It really brightens up the face and looks fantastic both with a tan and without! The consistency of the blush is very "wet", I was worried at first that it would wipe away my foundation during application as I've found with some other cream products. I have applied this using both my fingers and a brush and it applies beautifully with both. It leaves a very dewy finish to the skin which again compared to cream to powder blushes is a lovely change for the warmer months. I don't find any need to use a highlighter when I wear this, the blush does all the work for me.

The longevity of this as a blush is amazing. I have worn this on nights out, full work days and just testing it out on a lazy day and it stays around for the longer half of the day, which impressed me greatly as most cream products seem to evaporate off my face after an hour or so! In the past few days I have started to wear it on my lips as well as my cheeks. It is a lovely consistency for the lips, not too drying and a gorgeous colour- very Shy Girl-esq! So it is the perfect double whammy! I have this in my handbag most days now for touch-ups on the go for both lips and cheeks!

I am now eyeing up the shade Peony (tempted!) but I'd love to know what shades you'd recommend!

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Budget Buy | Essie Absolutely Shore Dupe

Hello Lovelies!

I posted my first Budget Buy post a few months ago and if you want to have a read of that just click here. It did take me awhile to find my next "Budget Buy" but it was a very random find! I had been lusting after Essie's "Absolutely Shore" for months and I was not disappointed when I eventually got my hands on it. It is the baby sister to Mint Candy Apple- a very off white mint, which looks perfect with a tan! On a random trip to Penneys/Primark I spotted this Angelica "Peppermint" polish beside the till (impulse buyer right here!) and thought it looks really similar to "Absolutely Shore" so it was quickly added to the basket. 

When I got it home and got the two polishes side by side they were amazingly close! If anything "Peppermint" is a shade greener than "Absolutely Shore" but as you can see from the pictures above it really isn't a noticeable difference. The only other difference is the finish. "Peppermint" is slightly more matte than Absolutely Shore, but if like me you use a top coat this will make no difference. I found the lasting power of the Angelica polish average with a layer of Seche Vite on top but for the price I really wasn't expecting miracles.

Considering the price difference €3 compared to €10+, I would definitely recommend you give this a try.  Available from Penneys/Primark.

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FOTD | Sunday Face

Hello Lovelies! 

It has been ages since I've done an FOTD post, and truth be told it's because I can never get a photo of my face that I am happy with to show my make up. But today I just wanted to do something different because there has been alot of new additions to my everyday make up routine that I wanted to share.

For my base I have started using an SPF under my make-up as inspired by a recent #irishbbloggers chat! The one that I picked up was the Soap & Glory's Make Yourself Youthful Sunshield Superfluid which is SPF50+. I am planning on doing a full review on this after using it for awhile longer, but on first impressions it is really lovely, non-greasy and you can apply make-up over it no problem. So after that I apply the rest of my base Nars Sheer Glow Foundation (holy grail stuff right there) and the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer. I love they way both of these products look on my skin, both offer medium coverage while still looking really natural (I hope!) 

As for the rest of my face I used the Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel (not pictured- oops) to add a bit of colour and definition, and for my cheeks was a newbie to my collection in the form of the Stila Convertable Colour in Gerbera. Again I am planning a whole post on this but I love this product for both my lips and cheeks which is very rare, it applies lovely and leaves a gorgeous glow to the skin so really you could get away without a highlighter but since highlighting is one of my favourite parts of my make up routine I went ahead and applied some of the No.7 Instant Radiance Highlighter anyway. This has become my new Jemma Kidd All Over Radience Cream. I apply a little using my fingers and it just gives the most natural looking highlight to the skin. It is really creamy and applies so easy! A light dusting of Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder and that is my face done.

For my eyes I kept things simple, I popped a little bit of Benefit's Gimme Brow through my brows and left it at that. I've actually dug out my old Inglot quad which I haven't used in forever and decided it was time to show it some love! I used all the matte colours to create a really simple everyday eye look, with some more definition around my lash line. I popped a little bit of the Rimmel Scandleyes eyeliner in Nude on my lash line to make myself look abit brighter-eyed and bushy tailed, and finally for the eyes I added lashings of the No.7 Lash Impact mascara. This mascara is amazing for adding real volume to your lashes. Lastly for my lips I applied a bit of MAC's Pure Zen lipstick which really tied in nicely with my Stila blusher.

So that rounds off my make up for today. I am heading out doing some shopping so I wanted to keep things really simple but just add some colour to my face. Let me know what you think of these kinds of posts and if you like them I can maybe do them once every couple of weeks!  

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Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap

Hello Lovelies,

I think we can all nod our heads in agreement when I say that washing make up brushes is the one of the most dreaded jobs beauty addicts have. It has to be done simple as but if I can find anything to make it that little bit easier I will do it! I have been sorely tempted to buy that Sigma plastic "brush cleaner" but I just can't bring myself to pay that amount of money for something that is essentially a plastic oven glove..(sorry Sigma!) So until the day where I eventually decide to crack and get it, I will continue on my hunt for alternative- easier- brush cleaning methods.

Something that has caught my eye across the Blogosphere lately has been the Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap which has been hailed for its amazing "one soap does all" qualities. You can use it to wash your hair, hands, body, and apparently you can even brush your teeth with it...don't know if I'll be doing that but it is always good to know! So when ASOS had most of their beauty stock reduced I decided to pick this up. I went for the Peppermint scent because it was the only one I thought I wouldn't mind my brushes smelling of after a good clean.

So when this arrived in the post I was at the sink cleaning within minutes. One of the first things I noticed about it was how watery it was. I was expecting it to be alot thicker so I imagine I will get through this bottle in no time. Another thing I noticed straight away was the smell, I didn't think it would be that heavily scented but when I had finished cleaning the smell lingered in the room for ages and on the brushes for quite awhile- so I was glad I picked a scent I actually liked! While I was washing my brushes I found it lifted the product out of them really easily and once rinsed out they felt squeaky clean. It was slightly difficult to rinse out and it took me awhile on some of my denser brushes to make sure I had it all out. 

I was really impressed with how clean it left my brushes and how easy it was to use. The only worry I have is that my hands felt really dry after washing all of the brushes so I'm hoping the soap won't dry out my brushes too much. I will continue using it but I might alternate it with Baby Shampoo which wouldn't be as stripping as the Magic Soap. 

I got the 472ml Peppermint version from ASOS here. Let me know if you've tried it and what you thought. If you have any other brush cleaning techniques that you think makes the whole process easier please share!

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Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lipstick | Hot Pepper

Hello Lovelies!

The release of these new liquid lipsticks from Bourjois excited me greatly. Even though recently I've been (slowly) growing to love a more glossy lip, I will always love a classic matte lip more. I just prefer the way it looks on me and for a night out you can't beat a classic matte red lip.

 Now matte lipsticks are known to notoriously hard to wear especially if you are going for a bolder colour. You have to prep your lips- exfoliate and moisturise, and make sure to keep checking on it throughout the day to make sure that you have no flaking or fading going on. Not to mention that your lips can feel abit like chalk throughout the day. With that said I was so excited to try these new editions. I loved the Rimmel Apocolips Liquid Lipsticks that took the beauty world by storm awhile ago but they can be a bit messy because they are so glossy which can be a bit dangerous when there is food or drink involved. So I thought that the Velvet Lipsticks would be my happy medium. 

When I first swatched the colours I found that they were all amazingly pigmented, but they were all on the brighter/bolder side of the colour chart so I would love if they brought out more nude shades that would be better for everyday wear. That being said I instantly fell in love with the shade Hot Pepper. It is a very striking orange-toned red. I always tend to go for the orange-y reds because I think they warm up my complexion abit and make my teeth look whiter which is always a plus! 

I applied this randomly one day at work where I was going to be talking alot, having my lunch and wouldn't really get a chance to top it up throughout the day, dangerous decision I know. But I could not believe how this lasted on my lips. It went on opaque with just one layer which made application so quick and easy. It is so amazingly pigmented so you would think it would end up everywhere but once you apply it and let it set (which happens in seconds) it does.not.budge. I drank soup that day for lunch and I'm not the neatest of soup eaters but afterwards the colour was the exact same as when I applied it a couple of hours earlier. 

Long ramble short it lasted the whole day on me and I didn't have to top it up. Amazing. It comes with a doe-foot applicator which makes application really easy and it's one of those applicators that dispenses the smallest amount of product which is perfect because a little goes a long way! They are easily layered so if you did want to build up the product more you can without it going terribly wrong (Apocolips I'm looking at you!) And possibly the best thing of all is the way they feel on the lips. I almost forgot I was wearing this on my lips. It doesn't feel dry or heavy on the lips, if anything they feel creamy. I would still recommend you pop a lipbalm on before you put this on but they are like no other matte lipstick I've tried.

Have I raved enough yet? I really hope they release more neutral shades because I will definitely be making purchases if they do! They are priced at €12.49 and are currently on 3 for 2 in Boots. Go go go!

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NARS Base Love

Hello Lovelies! 

This is just a quick post I wanted to do, showing my appreciation for all things NARS. I have only started getting into NARS products in the past two years or so and really the only things that I have tried out are their base products (I do have an eyeshadow palette too which is amazing quality but unfortunately the colours just don't really suit me that well so that will be passed on to a friend who will show it alot more love!) So I just wanted to share with you the products I have been loving and honestly I don't think I could be without in my collection. 

First up is the Sheer Glow Foundation, now we all know how I feel about this. I have raved and sang my praises for quite a few weeks now and I don't think I will need another foundation in my life after this. It is the perfect medium coverage foundation. It can be sheered out for more day to day wear and it can be built up for evening/nights out. It leaves my skin looking so healthy and glowy after every use. I am literally addicted to this and I will most certainly be repurchasing when I run out! 

The Copacabana Highlighter is something I bought late last year after lusting after if for months beforehand. I had seen this on so many blogs and even Millie Mackintosh has donned this on her cheekbones, so I knew I had to get it. I have been using this so much and I don't think I have even put a dent in it. It comes with so much product and you literally need the tiniest amount. It gives you the most natural glow to your skin. You can mix it in with foundation, wear it under foundation or on top to bring light to the areas you want to stand out the most. I am so glad I bought this and if you are thinking about it I would 100% recommend it! 

Next is a cult favourite Laguna Bronzer has been raved about by many, and rightly so! It is the perfect bronze shade- not too orange, not too muddy just the perfect balance to give you a really natural sun-kissed glow. It does have a touch of shimmer to it but nothing too offensive, and alot of people (myself included) use this as a contour shade! 

And last but not least is the Radiant Creamy Concealer which is pretty much the best all rounder concealer I own. It brightens, it's hydrating, it covers, it's not cakey and it lasts all day. I really have nothing more to say other than I love it so much and you need to try it if you haven't already! 

So those are the products I couldn't live without from NARS, and strangely enough they are all base products- which wasn't done on purpose, NARS just have really amazing base products! I really do want to branch out and try some more products from the brand, I have heard amazing things about their lip products so that might be the next item!

Let me know your recommendations and what your favourite NARS product is because I am just obsessed with them at the moment!

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