My Blogging Comeback!

Hi there, long time no chat!  I know it’s been an absolute age since I posted anything on my blog. Despite the long break, I’ve been “blogging” a long time!  I started my blog initially in 2012 after doing a makeup course.  I was all about the makeup and I wanted to share my knowledge with people and show some of the makeup and looks I created.  I started at a time when blogging was just taking off and there was a great blogging community with other bloggers regularly coming together and sharing ideas and holding events. At that time, beauty companies were only starting to realise the potential of bloggers, who were just regular girls (and some guys!) with a love for makeup and beauty.  They start sending us numerous free products for review and personally, the products I got sent that I actually used and loved, I reviewed on my blog.  Some brands built their good name solely on the strength of bloggers.  If a product was reviewed positively by a number of bloggers, it started a buzz that made people want to go and buy the product to see what the fuss was all about!  Of course, some bloggers, including myself, were just buying products that they loved and reviewing it too which was great but I think if you look at bloggers now, there are only a handful who are still doing that and who you can actually trust with their opinion.  Once “influencers” came along, the whole blogging game has changed.

Now to some degree, I’m not totally against influencers, if they genuinely are a good fit for the product and genuinely sharing their love of it.  But if they are promoting anything and everything, people can spot that a mile off!  Influencers with a huge following are paid unbelievable money now for just 1 post on their Instagram or blog.  Bloggers are not “bloggers” in the literal sense anymore since they don’t actually write posts on a blog but just add to their social media.  The whole scene has definitely evolved since I started nearly 7 years ago, and while I don’t begrudge the women who are making money from their blog, actually, I think fair play to a lot of them, especially if they are making a living from it!  I have to wonder about bloggers content coming solely from random companies (that usually have nothing to do with their main niche) buying their opinion and that doesn’t sit too well with me which is one of the reasons why I lost my love of blogging.

Another thing that made blogging on one particular subject a little harder for me, was the arrival of my two beautiful children, Eva & Jack.  Now I know that being a Mammy doesn’t stop a lot of people blogging, but my blog was built on a particular niche – Makeup and Beauty and there was me not getting a minute to put on makeup most days!  I didn’t feel like I was any kind of advertisement for makeup and beauty and my kids kept me busy and left me with more to deal with than just that particular subject.  Also a lot of personal things started to happen in my life and it took my attention away from blogging.  Which was actually a bit ironic because, I initially started my blog as a distraction from a very hard time I was going through. In 2012, myself and my hubby Gar started trying for a baby having got married the year before.  In March of that year, I discovered I was pregnant much to our delight!  Unfortunately at 6 weeks I started bleeding and subsequently suffered an early miscarriage, which was so devastating at the time.  I was so utterly sad and I just needed an outlet to give me a bit of joy and something to focus on, that’s where my blog and sharing my love of makeup started.  It was just what I needed at that time.

So where to now?  Well I still love makeup and anything beauty related but as I said, life now is busy and stressful, like any family!  For a long time I’ve suffered a bit of an identity crisis when it comes to my blog, when I think about sharing a post, it’s not always about makeup or beauty, it might be more to do with family life or something personal that I want to share, in the hope that it might help someone or a post about a holiday or break I went on and loved.  Or how I de-stress and practice self-care etc. So, I’ve come to the conclusion that I need to expand my blog a bit and include more family and lifestyle posts.  I will still post about makeup and beauty too but in general my blog will be more of a mixed bag, because that’s just how life is for me now.  Everything evolves over time and my blog is no different.

I have gone through a bit of turmoil recently, I posted a bit about it on my Instagram but my eldest child (well, adult at 22!!) came out as a transgender man last year and I’d love to share our experience with that and raise more awareness from both, a parents point of view and from my son’s also as there just seems to be so much misinformation and assumptions made.  Also as I said, family life is full on with 2 smallies aged 4 & 2 and we’ve already faced a few trials & tribulations there so I’d love to share some of those, again in the hope it might help someone else or open up a new perspective or awareness.  I think that’s the kind of blogging that adds value to peoples lives these days and I really want to be a part of that.  Plus, writing can be so cathartic and there are so many bloggers that I know who have started a blog from really difficult circumstances and they’ve helped others so much in sharing and that’s what I’d love to do too.  As I said, I still do love makeup and beauty so of course I’ll be blogging about them still. I had toyed with the idea of creating a completely new blog with a new name too but decided against that in the end.

I’m just broadening my horizons a bit so welcome to Kandigloss Makeup and Lifestyle blog!  I hope you’ll enjoy my posts going forward.

Michelle

Mothers Day Gift Ideas

With Mothers Day falling this Sunday 6^th March, you’re probably trying to decide what to get your Mammy (or even as a hint to your other half!) to show her how much you care.  You can’t really go wrong with cosmetics and what Mammy doesn’t love a bit of pampering or some nice new Makeup?

I’ve listed a few things here to make life a bit easier when trying to pick the perfect present!

Spa Day – Rainforest Spa, Summerhill House Hotel, Co. Wicklow

Range of prices, check their website www.rainforest.ie

I can’t recommend The Rainforest Spa in The Summerhill House Hotel enough. Set in the Wicklow mountains, you can take in the beautiful scenery as you get pampered and when you’re done with your treatment, you can even order afternoon tea as a special treat! Of course you can’t send your Mam there on her own, you just have to go with her and make a girls day out of it, sure you both deserve it!

 

REN Skincare

Create the spa effect at home by buying your Mam some good quality skincare as a treat and for this, you can’t go wrong with REN products.  I think their anti-ageing line is particularly good and I know I would appreciate getting that as a gift!  I’ve been trying out their Instant Firming Beauty Shot (€48, below) which is a gel-serum that instantly firms, lifts and plumps the skin to leave it looking dramatically smoother, tighter and more youthful and I have to say it is fab.

Another great product to use with this for a firmer looking skin is the Instant Brightening Beauty Shot for eyes (€40, below) This gel-serum dramatically reduces dark circles, puffiness and the appearance of fine lines around the eye. When you apply it, you can instantly feel its firming effects. You can apply it under or over makeup too which is great. These are definitely products your Mam would love!

Boots No7 Protect and Perfect intense Advanced Collection

€64 http://www.boots.ie

Introducing the Protect and Perfect intense ADVANCED Collection. This  gift set contains a complete anti-ageing skincare regime to visibly improve deep lines and wrinkles for younger looking skin and is less than half the normal price.  In the set you get 4 skincare products:  No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Day Cream, No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Night Cream, No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Serum and No7 Youthful Eye Serum.  So it’s an absolute bargain!

 

Clarins Essentials Eyeshadow Palette

I love a good eyeshadow Palette, particularly when it’s made up of colours you would actually use! For that reason I have to include the Clarins Essentials Palette (€43) which includes 10 gorgeous, wearable eye colours with a perfect mix of matte and satin finishes. It’s ideal for a light daytime look and then you can smoke it out using the darker colours for a more dramatic smoky eye.  It also comes with a handy little double ended brush to apply the shadows. This palette has you covered from day to night, for all occasions.

 

Charlotte Tilbury Makeup

www.brownthomas.com

Nothing screams “luxury treat” like something from Charlotte Tilbury. The packaging on all her products is just devine and more importantly, the products are just fab.  I love her Wonderglow base (€49, below) which gives the most beautiful glowing base to your makeup. You can apply this on its own for a youthful glow or mix it with your foundation to give a beautiful dewy finish to the skin.

I also love her lipsticks and again, the packaging is aaaamazing!! “Bitch Perfect’ is a gorgeous peachy nude colour which would suit most people and it’s €30

Jo Malone Candle

(€28 – €52)

www.brownthomas.com

I love the smell of these candles and they are a real luxury, something you wouldn’t necessarily buy for yourself but that you would appreciate getting as a gift!  Of course they are pricey and candles are not for everyone, but if you know it’s something your Mam would love then why not treat her!

Makeup Lesson with Kandigloss Makeup

Last but not least I have to mention that as a Makeup Artist I often get people asking me to show them how to apply makeup or master a smoky eye and I have to say that a private makeup lesson is the best way to do this.  So why not treat your Mam or even yourself?! (if you get your other half to buy one for you!)

I can:

• Show you what foundation suits you and how to apply your base for lasting results
• Show you what colours suit your eyes or how to master a specific look, e.g. smoky eyes, makeup for an interview/work, going out makeup, Lashes etc.
• Show you what essential brushes you need to have to create a professional look
• Lesson is completely hands on as I do one side of your face and guide you as you do the other yourself
• I will go though your makeup bag and show you how to use products or recommend which ones suit or don’t suit you.
• I give you a written guide with all products used and recommended for you and step by step instructions so you can feel confident doing it at home.
• I can also recommend products for you to buy for yourself that will suit you specifically

You will feel 100% confident doing your own makeup and I will let you in on all my little tips and tricks to help you look and feel amazing 🙂

For more information email me at kandigloss@gmail.com or send me a message on Facebook www.facebook.com/KanidglossMU

 

Clarins Joli Rouge Lipsticks & Lipliner review

So a couple of weeks ago I was sent two lipsticks from the Clarins “Joli Rouge” range to try, along with some gorgeous natural coloured lipliners.  I was super excited to try these out because I know that the quality is really good – I wore one of these lippies on my wedding day!

Joli  Rouge Lipsticks

First up is this beautiful light pink colour  715 Candy Rose which as you can see is the perfect shade of pink with a light shimmer to it.  I love this pink and have wore it endlessly since I got it as it’s a perfect daytime colour and it looks really lovely on.

Next is the amazingly fab 742 Jolie Rouge which is the ultimate in luxurious red lippies!  I LOVED this one, apart from the fact that it’s so comfortable to wear (I’ll get to that more in a bit) it really packs a punch and I love how it looks on.

In the whole collection there are a whopping 25 shades to choose from so you are bound to find the right colour for you.  These lipsticks are so easy to wear, they glide on effortlessly for quick easy application and you get maximum colour with just the one swipe.  Plus they are super moisturising so feel really comfortable on and have the shiny finish of a gloss rather than a lipstick which I love.  They lasted well on me, they don’t claim to be a long lasting lipstick so you do have to top up but I found myself doing that through the day anyway as they felt so nice on.  Plus they smell really fruity, like berries!  I always want my lip products to smell good so that’s a bonus! 🙂 Oh and I’m also loving the shiny gold packaging which makes them look really stylish in your makeup bag 😉

They are available for €22 in all Clarins outlets including larger Boots stores and although that may seem pricey, they are well worth it.  As I said, I wore one of these lipsticks for my wedding and they are just perfect for that!

Lipliner Pencils

Now, while we’re here, can we also talk about these fab lipliners from the same range which are actually designed to match your own skintone rather than the actual colour of the lipstick you are wearing, how clever is that?!

It makes total sense to match your natural lip colour rather than your lipstick as you’ll get the most natural result and you can even slightly overdraw your own lipline for a fuller lip without looking like Kylie Jenner gone wrong!

There are 4 shades in total and they are designed to go with any lipstick shade you choose so you just buy the one that suits you.  The formulation on these are super smooth and blendable and they don’t drag or bleed and look really natural.  I totally love these and have been using them a lot on my clients with all colours of lipsticks and they’re worked brilliant.  These are priced at €17.50 and again available from all Clarins outlets including larger Boots stores.

What do you think of these?  Will you be trying them out? Let me know 🙂

Forever Living Fleur de Jouvence Mask Powder & Aloe Activator

When my skin is not looking or feeling it’s best, I find that applying a good mask will perk it right up and change the whole condition of my skin.  I’ve been trying quite a few products from Forever Living lately and I heard great things about this mask which is nicknamed “botox in a bottle” so I thought I’d have me some of that!

The Mask Powder is a unique combination of rich ingredients chosen for their special properties to condition the skin and cleanse the pores while also smoothing, cleansing and tightening the appearance of your skin. It blends with the Aloe Activator to create a thin mask for easy application to the face and neck. Albumen and corn starch provide drawing and tightening properties, while kaolin absorbs excess oils. Allantoin and chamomile help to soothe, calm condition and rejuvenate the skin.

The mask itself smells really nice and the activator also contains Forever’s signature ingredient – Aloe which is actually really good for the skin.  Being Irish, you will probably know that Aloe is a main ingredient in aftersun lotions and soothing gels because of it’s ability to heal and nourish the skin.  It can be absorbed a whopping 7 layers deep into the skin to really work on plumping those new skin cells so that when they reach the surface they are well conditioned and nourished, resulting in great looking skin 🙂

There’s a bit of a process to applying this but the results are great so it’s totally worth it.

• Firstly take a teaspoon of the mask powder and add another teaspoon of the liquid Aloe Activator and blend vigourously to form a paste as above
• Then apply to your skin – I found using a foundation brush to apply was better than just your fingers as you could spread it more evenly
• Once it’s on your skin, you’re supposed to rest and leave it to do its thing for 30 mins
• You will feel it harden and feel really tight on your skin, don’t panic!  It’s supposed to work like that and you should limit your face movement, so no laughing! (as much as you will want to because you’ll look super attractive like me below 😀 )

The lengths I go to for this blog…

So after 30 mins I took a face cloth and soaked it in warm water which I then used to remove the mask.  It was so hard on my skin I thought I’d have to really soak it for a while but it came right off.  My skin was shining afterwards and felt so smooth and rejeuvinated and you can really see that in the pic below.

After

My skin felt really firm afterwards, even after I moisturised and it was super smooth which provided a great base for my makeup, it just glided on the next day! I will be using this mask once a week from now on because it’s so good at rejeuvinating the look and texture of the skin and it didn’t break me out which I was happy about!

Overall I can highly recommend it and it would be especially good for older or ageing skin as it tightens and firms the skin and with regular use this will really help.

You can buy this from any Forever Living distributor or if you don’t know of one contact me and I can put you onto someone so just contact me on my Facebook page or email kandigloss@gmail.com. The mask powder costs €19.96 and the Aloe Activator costs €14.02

What do you think, would you use this yourself?

Sleek Makeup Matte Me Lip Creams

Today’s post is a review of these fab new Matte Me liquid cream lipsticks from Sleek Makeup. They are a “liquid lipstick” with a completely matte finish. I saw them in Boots and because I’m loving the trend for a more matte lip finish, I decided to pick up two of them.

The first one I got is this gorgeous nude shade in the colour Birthday Suit.  Although it’s nude in colour, it doesn’t completely wipe out the colour of your lips. I really love the colour of it, it kind of reminds me of the Kylie Jenner look that every girl wants at the moment!

 

 

Birthday Suit

Birthday Suit swatch

Kylie Jenner’s nude lip

 

The second colour is called Fandango Purple and this is a real showstopper!  I don’t tend to go towards purple toned lip colours myself but I have tried them on some of my makeup clients and they look amazing!  I think I’m converted though, I LOVE this!

Fandango Purple

Fandango Purple Swatch

They both feel surprisingly comfortable on your lips, I thought they would look dry and feel tight and uncomfortable but no, once I applied and let the liquid dry on my lips, the colour came out really even and I didn’t feel like I had anything on.  Now, obviously I had to prep my lips by exfoliating (I find doing that with an old toothbrush is best) and applying a lip balm.  If your lips are chapped you wouldn’t get a great finish on these, as they are not meant to be moisturising.  Also, they lasted so long!  I went out for the day with my friend and I was eating, drinking and chatting for Ireland & the colour didn’t budge for ages! I did notice a bit of fading near the inside of my lips after a few hours but I just reapplied like I would have with any other lip product anyway.

Overall I can highly recommend these and will definiately be picking up more of them, and they are a much cheaper alternative to the Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipsticks which I also love but cost a bomb!  These are a very budget friendly, €6.49 and are available in larger Boots stores.

Will you try these?

 

Forever Living Clean 9 Cleanse Review

So if you follow my Facebook page you’ll know I recently did a 9 day cleanse called Clean 9 from Forever Living.  It’s basically a complete cleanse/detox that consists of:

• 2 one litre tubs of Aloe Gel, for cleansing your system – Aloe has a lot of health benefits as well as a rich source of nutrients, it also aids digestion so works well as a detoxifying cleanse.
• 1 pk Forever Lite Protein powder – I ordered the Vanilla as it’s easy to add fruit and make a smoothie to jazz it up a little
• Forever Garcinia Tablets – these help the body burn fat and are a natural appetite suppressant
• Forever Therm Tablets – support your weight loss by increasing your metabolism and your energy levels
• Fibre Sachets – help keep you full and also keep you regular!
• 1 cool little shaker cup for your protein shake
• 1 measuring tape
• Your book that explains everything and tells you what to take when as well as gives you recipes for your meals after day 2

I have to admit I was a bit skeptical of this, I’d seen the results from other people posted online and I really wondered whether it was possible to lose a large amount of weight over such a short period of time and expect it to stay off?…….

Day 1 & 2 – The detox a.k.a. the hardest part!

Breakfast:  120ml Aloe Vera Gel, 2 Garcinia tablets, 1 Therm tablet

Mid Morning: Fibre sachet dissolved in water

Lunch: 120ml Aloe Vera Gel, 2 Garcinia tablets, 1 Therm tablet, 1 scoop Forever Lite Ultra made with 300ml water or Almond/rice milk

Dinner: 120ml Aloe Vera Gel, 2 Garcinia tablets, 1 Therm tablet

Evening: 120ml Aloe Vera Gel, 2 Garcinia tablets

Snacks: Selected fruit & veg from your “free” list

Exercise: Min 30mins low intensity exercise (walking, swimming etc.)

On my way to Bootcamp!

So I started the first 2 days with just the above, doesn’t look very appetising does it?!  Luckily, I was also allowed some food from a free list of fruit & veg including apples, strawberries, red grapes and lots of salad veggies so mid morning I had a small bit of fruit cut up in a bowl then at Dinner I had a small mixed leaf salad with onion, tomato & cucumber with a teaspoon of Balsamic Vinegar.  I actually looked forward to this even though it wasn’t much but it made the 2 days a lot more bareable!

How I felt:  In a nutshell – Hangry! These were the hardest days by far, I craved something tasty, I hated the Aloe Gel and I questioned whether I could actually continue!  As it turned out I got through it, my Forever distributor Jenny was a great source of help and encouragement and she gave me a tip to add a tiny drop of diluted juice to the Gel to make it easier to take and that did the job nicely.  I have to say though, whenever I felt hungry, I could fill up (within reason) on fruit and veg from my free list so for that reason this was more bareable than I thought.

I absolutely loved the shake, it was really tasty and I looked forward to having it!  I made mine with Almond milk and it gave it a lovely taste, I also added in some strawberries, raspberries or blueberries and whizzed it up in my smoothie maker for variety and that was gorgeous and very filling.

On the second day I did a really intense exercise class and I was really surprised at the level of energy I had!  I thought I’d be really low on energy and tired but no, that wasn’t the case at all, I felt fantastic!

Tip:  I couldn’t wait to get started on the cleanse as soon as it was delivered to me, but I didn’t realise that it’s actually recommended that you begin taking the Aloe Gel 4 – 5 days prior to beginning, just to get used to the taste (it really does take some getting used to, there’s no denying it!) so I really wish I had done that and it may have eased me in better.

Temptation was EVERYWHERE! But I kept going 🙂

Days 3 – 9

Breakfast:  120ml Aloe Vera Gel, 2 Garcinia tablets, 1 Therm tablet, 1 scoop Forever Lite Ultra made with 300ml water or Almond/rice milk

Mid Morning: Fibre sachet dissolved in water

Lunch: 2 Garcinia tablets, 1 Therm tablet, 1 scoop Forever Lite Ultra made with 300ml water or Almond/rice milk

Dinner: 2 Garcinia tablets, 1 Therm tablet, 1 600 calorie meal – 800 cals for men

Evening: 2 Garcinia tablets

Snacks: Selected fruit & veg from your “free” list

Exercise: Min 30mins moderate intensity exercise (Jogging, Aerobics etc.)

I was super excited about day 3 because it included a full meal, yay!  There were great suggestions on what to have included in the book but most days I had some salmon or a chicken breast, a side salad with olive oil & balsamic vinegar and a small portion of brown rice.  At this stage, it was the nicest meal I ever tasted, no joke! 🙂

On day 4 I had a bit of a setback, my baby daughter was unexpectedly taken into hospital, nothing serious thank god, just a kidney infection but she was in for 4 days which, as you can imagine, really threw me out of my routine!  I was with her most of the time so it was tough to keep going but then again, I didn’t have to think about what to have, I just had my shakes at breakfast and lunch and then bought a salad in the hospital shop for dinner.  I was totally preoccupied with my poor sick baby which obviously kept my mind off food and eating.  Of course, I couldn’t exercise though which was a pain.  I was surprised how well I stuck to it though everything considered.

On the last day, day 9, you are allowed to have a 300 cal meal for lunch as well as your 600 cal meal so that helped to ease me back into healthy eating.

How I felt: Great!  The Aloe Gel was easier to take, especially since it was just the once, in the morning, and somehow the taste wasn’t as bad. It really is one of those things you get used to after a while and the health benefits are worth it.  Also I never felt hungry, the shakes were so filling and the weather was so warm, I was drinking loads of water so that helped too.  A bonus of being stuck in hospital was that there were no temptations to eat anything other than what I had.  I was still able to snack on some fruit so I’d have an apple mid-morning and a pear mid-afternoon to ease any hunger pangs.

My stomach felt flatter and I definitely felt trimmer and just healthier in general so it was well worth sticking to it. But more importantly…..

The Results:  After the 9 days I weighed and measured myself and I had lost 8lbs and 5 inches all over which I was delighted with!  I think not being able to exercise put me at a bit of a disadvantage but still just over half a stone wasn’t a bad result at all!  More than the weightloss though, I felt great.  My skin was clear and bright, my digestive system was in top form again – I suffer with IBS so it’s always great to do a good cleanse every now and then. Also my sugar cravings were gone, it was like pressing the reset button on my whole system which was really the result I wanted.

If you’re thinking of doing it, I would highly recommend it.  Yes, it’s quite expensive as far as detoxes go and some might argue, if you eat so little. you’d still lose the weight, but I do think it’s worth it because with all the supplements you take, you are nutritionally supported through your cleanse and you don’t feel hungry or lacking in vitamins and you have tons of energy.  I’ve done a juice detox before and I had absolutely zero energy doing it and just felt drained and ravenously hungry, so in comparison I’d go with the C9 every time as you get the same, if not better results and you can actually EAT!

Would Clean 9 be for you?

Well, only you can decide that, but if you want any of the following, I’d say go for it!:

• You want to kickstart your weightloss
• You have a wedding, holiday or special occasion that you want to look amazing for, or maybe drop a dress size
• You need to lose weight quickly for medical reasons
• Want to cleanse your whole system out and lose the sweet cravings
• You suffer with IBS and want some relief from your symptoms

Would I do it again?

Yes, absolutely!  It really wasn’t that bad at all, and the results were so worth it.  I’m now one week on from it and I’ve started eating really healthy so I’ve lost a further 2lbs and still feeling good which is great!  So in answer to my question above, is it too good to be true and will you just put all the weight back on?  No, it seems not – once you don’t go back to old habits and you continue eating healthy.  🙂

Also I had forgotten how good the Aloe Vera is for easing the symptoms of IBS, I used to take it years ago but this stuff is so much better than what you get in the health food shop – if you read the label, that stuff is Aloe JUICE which is different all together – Forever Aloe Gel is way more concentrated and works much better on your whole digestive system.

I may keep taking the Garcinia & Therm tablets as they were really good supplements for weightloss.  Also I really liked the shakes so much I would defo repurchase those, especially for mornings when I’m rushing out the door and haven’t got time for breakfast (as is the case for most busy mums!).  It would be better to take this with Almond milk and some berries whizzed together than to have nothing and it’s so filling and tasty.  It would be great to have before or after a workout too as it’s high in protein.

Would you try this yourself or do you think it’s too extreme?  I’d love to know what you think below 🙂

Also, if you’re looking to do Clean 9 yourself and want to order it or have any questions, just drop me an email to kandigloss@gmail.com or send me a message on my Facebook page and I can point you in the right direction 🙂

 

My current Makeup Routine / Makeup in a hurry

My go-to Makeup!

Inspired by the fact that I just don’t have as much time as I used to for applying makeup, I decided to share my makeup routine with you and the products I am using a lot lately 🙂  This is a great look for if you want to look bright and glowing or just presentable for work and you don’t have much time.

Also, because the real trick to applying makeup is the tools you use – your brushes – I’ve listed just a few of my faves and why I love them for super quick but precise makeup application.

It might seem like a lot of products and steps but I promise you I have this down to literally, 5 minutes so with practice and the right tools, it can be done!  Of course you can swap some products for ones you already have or leave some out that you definitely wouldn’t use but here’s what I use and how I apply it:

Using these products together will give you a lovely glow and hide any dark circles or signs of tiredness!

1. Apply a thin layer of Boots Botanics Radiance Balm to your face using your fingers, this gives a lovely glow to your skin.

2. Right now I’m loving BB creams because when the weather is a bit warmer they also double up as sunscreen and this Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector is my favourite since it is an oil free formula (I have oily/combo skin but they also do a hydrating one for dry skin) & it has an SPF of 20 which is great.  Of course you can use your regular foundation too if you’d prefer and mix it with the radiance balm for a dewy finish.  Just apply with your fingers for a quick application or a foundation brush if you have a bit more time.

3. Dab some Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer in a semi-circle under your eyes and using your ring finger, pat it in gently and evenly from the corner of your nose to the outside of your cheekbone.  This one is great for reflecting light and brightening up your under eye area.

4. Lightly load your powder brush with Catrice All Matt Plus Powder and dust gently down your T-Zone only as you don’t want the skin to have a matte finish, it needs to have a glow but ensure your base lasts the day.  Give a quick swipe under each eye to set your concealer too.

5. This is optional, but if you want you can use a bronzer lightly all over the face or on your neck to blend the foundation to your skin.  Also if you like a bit of contouring this Bourjois Mat Illusion bronzer is perfect for that and looks really natural, this one is a definite favourite of mine 🙂

1. This Smashbox Full Exposure Palette is a great one to have for doing your makeup in a hurry.  It has every neutral brown colour you could possibly need and the brush that comes with it is just fantastic, you will get great use from it which is a bonus!  I mostly use the first 3 colours on the bottom and I add the top middle colour to my lids for a bit of shimmer!  Also, when applied with an angle brush (like the one in the Real Techniques kit below) you can use the matte black shade as an eyeliner, you just literally press it along the lashline with the angle brush and it’s much easier than using a pencil I find.  You can also wet the brush for more intensity and staying power.  I love, love LOVE this versatile palette 🙂

2. If you’re not too confident with eyeshadow or just want something super quick, you can’t go wrong with a MAC Paintpot.  There is a good range of colours and you can literally pop them on with your finger and blend away the edges, job done!  I know they are pricey, but they’re worth it cos they last and don’t crease like some others.

3.  Eyebrows are really important to your overall makeup so if you don’t usually make time to enhance and define your eyebrows, try it and it will transform  your face, I promise!  The GOSH Eyebrow Kit is perfect because it comes with 4 powder shades and a small angle brush, just pop a bit on the brush and run through your brows following your natural shape.

4. Obviously mascara is a must-have and this Bourjois 1 Seconde Volume one is great it really does give your lashes volume and 1 application is enough.  This is one I always repurchase every time I run out!

1.  This Stila Convertable Colour is a great 2 in 1 product.  You can apply it on your cheeks (just pop on the colour and pat, don’t rub, gently with your finger to blend) and also to your lips and I love the range of colours!

2. I really rate the Topshop range of makeup and their Highlighters are to die for!  This Topshop Glow Stick highligher crayon is amazing and it blends really well.  Just swipe it lightly from the top of your cheekbones up to your browbone (in a C shape) and tap with your index finger to blend.  You can also take some on your ring finger and pop it on your inner tear duct area to give you a lovely wide awake look (perfect for busy Mammies!)

1. As I said, no makeup look will be perfected without the right tools so for eyes, I love the Inglot 4ss for blending everything out after you’ve applied your eyeshadow, this is the secret to a  professional look in a hurry!

2. I use the NIMA BRUSH “Nichola” brush when I want to apply colour to my crease as its tapered end is perfect and applies the colour exactly where you want it to go.

3. If you’re looking for a basic brush kit, you can’t go wrong with this Real Techniques Basics Kit it has a great angle brush as well as eyeshadow brushes that can be used on powder or cream products.

4. The Blank Canvas G25 powder brush is perfect for dusting setting powder or bronzer all over.  If you’re really in a hurry and prefer to use powder blush, you can apply just using the tip as it’s quite a big brush.

So there you go, I hope this was helpful 🙂 If you try it out please let me know here or on any of my social media pages, I’d love to see it.

Hey, I’m back, did you miss me?!

Well hello there!  It’s been a while I know, I’ve been busy being a mammy and have totally neglected my blog so you’ll have to forgive me but I’ve just been in the best little baby bubble since having my beautiful baby girl, Eva, in November. So I  went with it, and gave myself as much time as I needed to just enjoy her and make the most of the time I have with her!

My baby Eva, who’s been keepingtme busy all this time!

Now, I’m feeling the need to get back to doing what I love and what makes me feel like more than just a Mammy – blogging about all things beauty & makeup!  I’m going to add a little more to my usual posts though and aim some of my posts at other Mammies, whether you’re looking for tips on quick makeup, how to look less tired, losing baby weight (or weight in general!) and getting/feeling fit and healthy.  Don’t worry though, I swear I haven’t turned into a baby bore!!  I’ll still be reviewing all my beauty and makeup favourites so I hope you enjoy some of the posts I will have on here and be sure to check out my Facebook Page as well as my Instagram @Kandigloss where I’m very active.

Of course I still do makeup and I put a lot of pics of my work on the above pages and also on my Website if you want to check them out!

Looking forward to posting again and chatting to all my followers!

Michelle xxx

New Skincare Routine using Kiehls Cleanser, Toner and Moisturiser

I often change my skincare routine, especially coming into the Summer or Winter months as I find my skin changes.  Right now I’m pregnant too (hence a lack of posts here, sorry about that!) so my skin has actually changed for the better!  I used to suffer with hormonal acne around my chin/neck area, but that’s gone and I’m glad to see the back of it to be honest!  My skin has taken to pregnancy really well and is just glowing at the moment.  The only issue I have is pigmentation on my forehead and under my eyes so with the hot sunny weather, I wanted a good moisturiser with an SPF that would protect my skin and stop the pigmentation worstening.

I had heard loads about Kiehls skincare and often had a browse in the stores but I hadn’t actually tried anything.  So while wandering in Dundrum one day I decided on a whim to pop in and have a look. Luckily it was at a quiet time and the sales assistant offered to do a skin analysis on me which turned out to be pretty good actually!  He asked me questions about my current skincare routine and the state of my skin at the moment and then he took two little blotting pads and told me to hold them on my skin for a few seconds.  He then matched them to a chart and was able to tell from that, that my skin was oily/dry combination (something that I already knew but it was good to have it confirmed!).  Based on that he recommended the following products and I’ve been trying them out for a month now with great results:

Ultra Facial Cleanser – €18

Kiehls Ultra Facial Cleanser

This is a gel cleanser that you use with water to cleanse your skin thouroughly and melt through any makeup.  Now I was a bit sceptical about this because I’ve always only used cream cleansers with cotton wool to remove my makeup.  Most other cleansers I’ve used with water have left my skin feeling dry and “stripped” of moisture.  Not this one though, I wet my face and popped a tiny bit in the palm of my hand, lathering it up and applying all over my face in small circular motions. I then used a wet facecloth to remove the residue from my skin and it was left looking and feeling fresh and clean.  I am very impressed with this, it really is a great cleanser.  You would need a separate eye makeup remover but this does a great job of breaking down makeup and grime on your skin.  The only issue I have with this is the packaging it comes in, if you don’t close the lid properly, you can find a big blob of product has escaped as the tube stands upside down on its cap.  This wasted a good bit of the product inside unfortunately so make sure you close the cap tight!

Ultra Facial Toner – €18

Kiehls Ultra Facial Toner

Another must in my skincare routine, is a good skin toner.  The sales assistant recommended this one for me.  Now it does have a small amount of alcohol in it which I always try to avoid in a toner as again, it can strip your skin.  The sales assistant managed to convince me that with the oilyness of my skin, it could actually do with this to really make sure it was clean.  I popped some of this on a cotton pad and ran it over my face and it actually managed to lift off more residues of makeup that was left there from cleansing!  Just goes to show you, you shouldn’t skip your toner, no matter how good your cleanser is as it really picks up any leftover dirt left on your skin.  This was lovely to use and again, didn’t leave my skin feeling dry.  Loving this also 🙂

Ultra Facial Moisturiser SPF 30 – €29 for 125ml

I bought the cleanser and the toner but I wasn’t sure about the moisturiser that the SA suggested as it was quite thick and I wanted to be sure it would suit my skin so he very kindly gave me a sample of this moisturiser to use and to see how I got on with it.  It was a very generous sample in fairness, 30ml which lasted me a good while!  This is quite a thick forumla and you really have to work it into the skin but that’s because it comes with a high SPF of 30 which blocks out UVA & UVB rays, so perfect for summer days when you’re just going about your business. I have to say, if you are sunbathing or planning to be exposed to the sun for long periods of time, you should use a total sunblock with an SPF of 50+.  This however, was perfect for me, I put it on under my regular foundation and it moistursed and protected my skin really well.  It did make my skin a little shiny though and I had to make sure I set my foundation with powder otherwise it would have looked a bit too “greasy” but that wasn’t a problem for me.  I would definitely purchase this as my moisturiser for the summer months.  It’s just so handy not having to use a separate SPF to your regular moisturser.

Overall, I’m loving Kiehls I must say.  The sales assistants seem to be well trained and really know their stuff when it comes to skincare and they do a great skin analysis so you’re guaranteed to get the right products just for you and not waste your money on something recommended to you that doesn’t work so I’d highly recommend at least having the consultation and maybe picking up a few samples to try.  I’m also loving the prices, they are a lot less than what I thought they’d be and the products are very generously sized so last ages which is fantastic!

I also love the no fuss packaging of the products and obviously the fact that they really work, cater for a wide range of skin concerns and include a range for men too!

Have you tried Kiehls products?  What do you think?  Let me know below 🙂

 

 

 

 

Baby B Browne Tan Review

Recently I found the most gorgeous tan that I have to tell you about.  Baby B Brown is a beautiful natural fake tan which I used for the first time last month, when I went on my hols to Ibiza and I have been addicted ever since.

It comes in a pump bottle and you just apply all over with a fake tan mitt.  I ADORED the smell of this, it was really gorgeous and not like fake tan at all – more like chocolate!  It went on really evenly and the guide colour was nice enough to wear by itself.  The tan develops after a few hours and when you wash off the guide colour, you’re left with most beautifully natural golden tan which lasts for days and isn’t a bit orange!  Also, no need to worry about the chlorine in the pool making it fade, it lasted well for me.  When it does eventually fade naturally,  it does so evenly so you’re not left with horrible patches that you have to scrub your skin red raw to get rid of!

I’m loving this as a summer tan and would really reccomend it to bring with you on holidays, even to top up a spray tan half way through your hols.  Or just for those beautiful summer days we seem to be getting lately 🙂

You can buy this online at Pink Sugar Sparkles online store (also check out her fab jewelly while you’re there!) And best of all it’s only €19.95!  I would really recommend you check this out guys, let me know what you think if you do!