Best of Beauty – Makeup Must-Haves

So here we are at week 3 of the #BOBBlogChallenge and we are moving onto a subject that’s very close to my heart, my Makeup Must-Haves!

I love every type of makeup so it was hard to narrow them down but I’ve broken them  into my favourites – the ones I reach for time and time again for each stage of makeup application and just can’t do without.

Foundation: Chanel Vitalumiere

This is a foundation I use a lot, particularly on clients when I’m doing bridal makeup.  It suits people with dry or mature skin best and it gives the most perfect coverage while still managing to look dewy and healthy looking and it lasts all day on that type of skin.  Sure, it is expensive but well worth it and no makeup artist should be without this in their kit in my opinion 🙂

MAC Studio Fix Powder

This is my favourite powder foundation.  Used very lightly over liquid foundation it gives the most flawless finish to your skin as well as a gorgeous airbrushed look.  If you are using it by itself, you need to use a cream concealer underneath to hide any blemishes or dark circles but it has fantastic coverage for a powder product.  Loving it!

MAC Eyeshadow in Satin Taupe

This is one of the first MAC Shadows I owned so it has a special place in my heart! It’s a satin finish and is a taupey brown with a purple/grey metalic fleck to it.  It just looks gorgeous on any colour eyes, but is particularly nice on Blue eyed girls.  If I’m in a hurry I apply this on my lid and in my crease, throw on some black liner and it looks amazing.

Maybelline Lasting Drama Black Gel Liner

This liner is fantastic, it lasts really well and comes with the best little liner brush ever so as long as you are confident and practice, you really can’t go wrong with it.  It comes in lots of different colours as well which is great.

Lancome Hypnose Drama

This is my favourite mascara, it gives lots of volume as well as length to the lashes and I’ve often been asked if I’m wearing false lashes when I have this on.

MAC 217 Blending Brush

If I had no other eyeshadow brush but this, I could get by and create gorgeous, well blended eye makeup!  It really is the best brush I’ve used.  You can use it to apply eyeshadow all over the lid and blended in the crease.  It also works to soften and blend colour in the crease.  It is amazing as a concealer brush for under the eyes too and really blends everything in seamlessly.  My must-have makeup brush for sure.

MeMeMe Arch Angel Brow Mascara/Browbone highlighter

Since I think that well defined eyebrows are an absolute must, I am in love with this!  On one end you have a brow colour and the wand is just the right size to apply without it going everywhere.  It really gives your brows definition and fills them in for a natural look.  And on the other side there’s a gorgeous highlighter for your browbone to really highlight the area and make your eyebrows look even more defined and polished.  Genius!

MAC Mineralize Blush in Dainty

I have recently used this blush up totally and need to buy another one so I thought it deserved to be included here as one of my faves.  It’s the most perfect corally pink and I find it looks good on all skintones.  You can really make it sheer or build up the colour slightly and it has a gentle shimmer to it so it highlights your cheekbones too.

No7 Stay Perfect Lipstick in Love Red 

Everyone needs a good red lipstick and if you find the right one for you it will just make you look fantastic!  For me it’s this lipstick from N07.  I’d never be without it, it’s AMAZING!!

MAC Lipglass in Nymphette

This is without a doubt, my favourite lipgloss.  It’s a gorgeous rose gold/pink colour and is shot through with gold shimmer particles that really show up on your lips.  You can wear it alone or over a similar coloured lipstick.

Ardell Demi Wispies False Lashes & Duo Adhesive

Finally, no makeup look is complete without a fab set of lashes and these are my favourites.  They give just the right amount of volume and look really natural but glam without being over the top!  I also love my Duo Lash Adhesive and couldn’t be without it.  I always throw away the glue I get with boxes of false lashes and use this instead.  It doesn’t smell very nice now, but it does a brilliant job and I just wouldn’t use anything else 🙂

So they are my absolute faves 🙂 I know some are quite expensive but for some makeup I really believe it’s worth forking out the extra for the quality and effect you get from the product whereas, there is some pharmacy branded makeup that really gives the higher end brands a run for their money, it’s just a matter of finding what works for you and maybe signing up to my blog so I can tell you all about them 😉

Don’t forget to check out the Twitter hashtag #BOBBlogChallenge to see what other bloggers are loving and also check out Samantha’s blog on All The Buzz

Wet n Wild Irish Launch & Review

So you may have heard of American makeup brand Wet n Wild?  Black Eyed Peas singer, Fergie is their poster girl and they are HUGE in The States, known as one of the leading “Drugstore” brands.  All for good reason too, the makeup is brilliant quality and are extremely low priced.  Wet n Wild are now branching out and have chosen us lucky Irish girls to be next to buy their fab products!  That’s even before the UK get a look in, how fab is that?!

I attended their Irish launch recently and really enjoyed trying out all the products on show and chatting to the Makeup Artists who were there on the night to showcase the brand and demonstrate some amazing looks.  We were also treated to some fab cupcakes and Cakepops by Monaco Cupcakes which were only delish!

I was also very kindly given some makeup to try for myself (They were given to me in a Wet n Wild bag which I carried home on the Luas and I got some strange looks I can tell you, the name is a bit cringe in all fairness!) and I also bought a few additional bits  which I couldn’t wait to try and review for you 🙂

Coverall Cream Foundation 

This cream foundation goes on like a dream!  It gives a medium to full coverage with a satin-matte finish and is really long lasting.  Cream foundation is fantastic on mature or dry skin but this worked well on my oily/combo skin also and made my skin look really dewy and glowing.  It seemed to even out imperfections and I got lots of compliments on my makeup when I wore it.  The only things I disliked about this was the smell which isn’t great and the shade range which doesn’t really cover us pale Irish girls, the colour I got was in Light/Medium but I can only really wear it if I’ve been fake tanning.  Still, it’s well worth the €4.49 cost and I would highly recommend it.

ColorIcon Bronzer 

This was a lovely matte bronzer and looked very natural on and not too orange looking.  Lovely for contouring the face or warming up the neck/chest area.

MegaGlo Illuminating Powder

I love this powder illuminater which can be swirled together and swept over the high points of your face for a lovely glow to your skin or the individual colours can be used as a highlighter or eyeshadow.  Very versatile product and comes in plenty of different colours.

Eyeshadow Palette

There are numerous Eyeshadow Palettes to choose from and in a wide range of complimentary colours with the instructions printed on the individual pans so even if you’re not a makeup expert, you really can’t go wrong.  I tried this one out in the colour “The Naked Truth” and was very impressed with the colour payoff, buttery texture and blendability of the product.  I also loved how there were matte shades included in each palette also.  They are never going to compare to your MAC’s and Urban Decay’s but they are pretty damn good I have to say.  With the price starting €2.49 for a single shadow to a bargaintastic €6.49 for an 8 pan palette you can well afford to pick up a few of these.

XXL Lash Mascara

I wasn’t impressed with this mascara to be honest.  It didn’t give me the volume I expected, it did an okay job but didn’t give the “thickened amplified” lashes it claimed.

H2O Proof Liquid Liner

I had heard great things about this liquid liner but it didn’t quite make the cut for me, mainly due to the applicator which was one of those nib types rather than a thin brush which would have been better.  I found it impossible to apply and you can see in the pic of the look I did below, I couldn’t get it on evenly at all!  Also it seemed to go everywhere it shouldn’t I had to clean up a lot more than I normally would have.  Having said that, this stuff didn’t budge!  My eyes were watering quite a bit that day which would usually mean goodbye to my perfectly drawn flick but not this time, it stayed perfectly, so it definitely is H2O proof!  If I was trying this again, I would probably tip the liquid out onto a palette and use my own brush to apply and I’m sure it would work better that way.

Megalast Lipcolour & Megaslicks Lipstain

Left: Megalast Lipcolour in Mauve Outta Here                                              Right: Megaslicks Lipstain in Rico Mauve

I love both of these lipcolours, they are really fantastic.  The Megalast Lipcolours come in a wide range of colours and are great dupes for some more expensive  lipsticks and they are really last a long time after applying.  I love this colour (left) which is a beautiful mauvey pink and feels really good on too and they only cost €2.99 so pick up as many as possible!

The Megaslicks Lipstain is a similar pinky colour and girls, this doesn’t BUDGE!  Long after you think it’s worn off your lips, you’re left with a subtle stain of colour which lasts for most of the day so I am loving these.  Again they come in a wide range of colours and cost less than €3 which is a serious bargain.

Here is a look I did with all of the above which will give you an idea of how the makeup looks on, note the messy liner which has transferred all over the place!

Wet n Wild is available from larger Dunnes Stores and range from €1.49 to €6.49 so you can well afford to slip some of these fab products in your weekly shop!

Below pic of myself and the lovely Sam from All The Buzz blog practicing our best Duckfaces in the photobooth that was at the Wet n Wild launch, we got great craic out of it  🙂

 

So what do you think?  Will you be picking up some of these?

MeMeMe Cosmetics Review and Makeup Look

I have been a fan of MeMeMe Cosmetics since I got one of their fab liquid highlighters in my Glossybox a while back.   They do everything from primers and foundations to lip products and nail polishes.  I love the packaging and the quality of the products and I’ve tested them out when I’ve seen them in chemists and they’ve always looked amazing.  Plus they have some great dupes for more expensive cosmetics and are just as good, if not better!   So I was absolutely thrilled when they sent me out some bits to try out for myself.

Longwear Satin Lip Cream in China Rose €10.50

This gorgeous peachy coral lipstick (pictured above) was a real treat for my lips.  It felt so creamy moisturising when I applied it but yet it was really long lasting.

Light Me Up – High shine Lipgloss €8.99

This fab lipgloss comes with a light in the applicator.  Yes you read that right, A LIGHT!   Handy for if there’s ever a power cut or if you need to top up your lipgloss in a nighclub where you can’t see a thing! How fab is that?! 🙂 It also has a snazzy little mirror on the tube of the lipgloss so it’s just perfect for bringing on a night out.  The gloss itself is fab, I couldn’t see where it was named but this one was a light pink with gold sparkly bits and I really loved it.  It’s actually a great dupe for one of my absolute favourite glosses – MAC’s Nymphette.

Shimmer Stack – Bronze Illuminating Powder €12.50

This beautiful highlighter gives a gorgous glow to your face and body and you can sweep your brush through it to get a mix of the colours or else use the individual colours as a bronzer or even an eyeshadow.  This is comparable to Bobbi Brown’s shimmer brick, but at a fraction of the price.

Arch Angel Shape & Define Tinted Brow Gel and Highlighting Cream €10.50

This is one of those fab makeup products that you don’t realise you need until you actually start using it!  On one side is a tinted brow gel for shaping and defining your brows and on the other is a creamy highlighter for your browbone or you can also use it dabbed lightly along your cheekbone.

Eye Inspire Quad Baked Eyeshadow €8.50

This shimmery gold eyeshadow quad has everything you need to create a gorgeous golden/bronzey look and comes in one fab little compact so it won’t take up much room in your makeup bag.  The shimmery finish is perfect to for a night out!

I did a makeup look to show how the products look when applied and this is how it turned out:

Overall I really love this brand and I wish it was sold in some of the bigger pharmacies like Boots.  The packaging is perfect and the products are just gorgeous with an emphasis on giving you a heavenly glow.  Plus, the added bonus is that they feel much more luxurious than the price tells you they are.  Although they are at the higher end of the price scale for a pharmacy makeup brand, I really think the products are worth it and I can’t say enough good things about them.  I’m really looking forward to trying more products, their blushes seem like great dupes for the Benefit ones and the Dew pots (cream eyeshadows) look like the perfect eyeshadow base for a colourful smoky eye.

If you’re on Facebook check out their page here, they have pics of some of their fantastic Christmas sets, I’ll be stocking up myself!: MeMeMe Cosmetics Ireland Facebook Page

You can buy MeMeMe Cosmetics in the following places:

Pharmacy O’Regans Balbriggan

Roches Rathmines

Cottage Drogheda

Pharmacy O’Regans Clontarf

Rathoath Pharmacy

Barnhall Pharmacy Leixlip

Pharmacy O’Regans Old Bawn Tallaght

Dalkey Pharmacy, Dalkey

Walshs Pharmacy, Tesco SC, Celbridge

Pellys Pharmacy, Cabra

Fitzmorris Pharmacy, East Wall

ODC Pharmacy, Kilnamanagh SC, Tallaght

Mc Cormacks Pharmacy, Maynooth

I posted a pic of my goodies on my Facebook page and I got tons of feedback from people so it seems there are a lot of MeMeMe fans out there.  Have you tried them and if so what’s the verdict?

Christmas Cranberry Makeup Tutorial

So… I decided to bite the bullet and do another Youtube Video 🙂  This time I did a tutorial showing how to do a Cranberry Smoky Eye which would be perfect for wearing out over the Christmas Holidays.

I am just learning about how to edit videos so you’ll have to forgive me if it’s sloppy in places but I will improve over time I’m sure.  My daughter is really into photography so I borrowed her Canon camera to record this and it really makes all the difference!

Keep an eye out for more videos coming soon 🙂

Going Out Makeup – Gold Glitter Smoky Eye

I did this makeup look when I was going out last weekend.  It’s a gold smoky eye with browns and a bit of glitter added for good measure 😉   Since we’re into November now and not too far from the party season I thought I’d share it here to show you how I did it.  This is the look below before I went out:

Below is after I got home so the glitter managed to stay on well despite all the dancing and drinking and not end up all over my face which was good!

These are the products I used on my eyes:

• Maybelline Colour Tattoo cream eyeshadow in Eternal Gold all over the eyelid
• L’Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow in Goldmine over lid
• INGLOT Freedom System Eyeshadows in Browns in the crease & outer corner & Black to deepen the crease
• Mix of 2 different INGLOT Bodysparkles Glitter placed on the lid with LA Splash Eyeshadow Sealer to make it stick (this is a must-have if using glitter!)
• Maybelline Gel eyeliner in Black flicked out at the end
• Lancome Hypnose Drama Mascara & False lashes
• I also used my MAC Dainty Blush and Makeup Forevers Matt Plus Foundation (not pictured here)

Then, for my lips I used this Lip Duo Lipgloss from Inglot in #17

And that was it 🙂 You just need to take your time when using glitter and use something to make it stick so you don’t end up having more of it on your face than on your eyelid by the end of the night!  I’d highly recommend the LA splash eye sealer, you can get it from here: http://www.makeupshop.ie/LASplash-Cosmetics/Gift-Sets/Eyesparkle/Sealer-Kit-Classic/p540

Don’t forget to check out my previous hair tutorial post and you’ll be sorted for the weekend 🙂

What do you think? Will you be giving this a go for the upcoming party season?

Budget Beauty – My Favourite Makeup Products for Under €6

Today I’m sharing a few of my favourite budget makeup products for under €6.  You don’t have to spend a fortune at MAC or any other high-end makeup counter to get a nice Lippy, some quality Eyeshadows or a nice nail polish that gives great impact.  There are some great budget beauty brands out there, my favourites being Essence and Catrice as well as MUA.  You can easily buy a nice new lippy and nail polish to go with your new outfit for the weekend and still get change of a fiver from it!  Perfect for when money is tight but you need a little boost!

Catrice Eyeshadows

I love these Absolute Eye Colour shadows from Catrice for €2.25 each.  The clear plastic packaging they come in, looks really fab and there’s a wide range of colours which are really pigmented considering how cheap they are!  I also love their Absolute Nude palette which is only €5.50.  It’s a great dupe for Urban Decays Naked palette and great for everyday wear.

Essence Nail Polish

It will cost you just €1.89 for one of these lovely nail polishes  which come in a variety of colours or glitter types.  So you can change your nail colour to your mood or outfit instantly!  I love them, and being so cheap I always pick up a few!  Essence bring out great collections every now and again, with limited edition colours so there’s always something new!

I’m especially loving their Nail Art Cracking Top Coat polish.  I painted my nails with a silver INGLOT nail polish (but you can use any brand) and then just painted over with the black Catrice Cracking Top Coat and there you go…. cool Crackle effect nails!  Also, it cost less than €2 so I picked one up in Silver also.  The colour combos are endless and the effect is fantastic.

MUA Eyeshadow Palettes

Some other eyeshadow palettes worth mentioning are the MUA palettes which are available in Superdrug.  Again they are amazingly good quality & pigmentation for the unbelievable price of €5.15 for 12 shades!  Now if that’s not a bargain, I don’t know what is!  The one below, “Undressed” is again, very similar to the UD Naked Palette and has a wide range of shades to create a stunning day-time or a smoky night-time look.  There are a couple of matte shades in the palette to which is great and there are other palettes in the range also from smoky to matte to colourful so they’re great value.  I’m also a big fan of their individual eyeshadows for only €1 each!!!  Some of which, are great dupes for MAC colours…. Where would you get it?!

Collection 2000 – Cream Puff Moisturising Lip Cream

I love these lip colours which look like lipgloss but are actually completely matte and give a smooth velvet finish that lasts for ages.  Best of all they’re only €3.85!   They come in 4 shades.

Lipliners

A lipliner is a great budget beauty buy as you can use it as it was intended or applied all over your lips as a lip colour that really lasts.  The Essence ones were less than €2 each and the Rimmel one was €5.25 and is really good quality and very long lasting so well worth checking out.

There are tons more budget beauty buys that deserve a mention and I haven’t even covered Foundations, Mascara’s or other makeup products (which is just as well or this would be a very long post! )  So I’ll cover more over the next few weeks 🙂

Which are your favourite budget makeup products?  As usual, I’d love to know in the comments below!

Stargazer Eye Dust Pigments &Purple Eyes Tutorial

I recently tried out some Eye Dust pigments from Stargazer which I got from the Pro makeup show (a tenner for 3 – bargain!).   You can also buy these online for only £4 each from the Stargazer UK site.  They have amazing colours all with a bit of irridescence to them and they are so well pigmented for the price.  Considering you’d pay up to €20 for a MAC pigment, these are a steal and they come in 48 different colours!

The two I used here were #29 for the lid colour (below)

and #14 for the inner corner & brow-bone (below)

You can see how the flash picks up the lovely irridescent flecks, they really are gorgeous.

And here is the completed look

I just added eyeliner & mascara along with a nice pink blush by MAC, called Dainty and a Pink Lipgloss – Juicy Tubes by Lancome – and I was done!

INGLOT – Copper Eyes Tutorial

I recently picked up this gorgeous Body sparkles pigment from INGLOT in #64, which is a lovely copper colour which shimmers with fine glittery particles and is just the most gorgeous colour ever!  Coppers and golds look beautiful on Blue eyed girls so I decided to give this a go on a recent night out.

To get this look I used the following products:

Base:

• Bourjois Healthy Mix
• Flormar Setting Powder
• MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Deep for contouring

Eyes:

• MAC Kid (beigy brown) in the crease with
• MAC Folie (a dark brown) on the outer corner
• INGLOT Body Sparkles #64 packed on the lid
• Maybelline Gel eyeliner on upper line and water line.
• Lancome Doll Eyes Mascara

Lips:

• Boot No7 Lipliner in Nude
• INGLOT duo lip gloss in #14

And that’s it!

Would you try something like this yourself?  Do you tend to wear colours that make your natural eye colour stand out?  Let me know what you think in the comments below 🙂

GOSH Cosmetics Review & Makeup Looks

Recently, I was very kindly sent some makeup from GOSH Cosmetics to try out and review.  I am already a fan of GOSH Cosmetics and have some of their stuff in my kit, my favourite being their Silicone Primer (which is a great dupe for the Smashbox one) and Brow Palette.  I have to say I was very impressed with what I got.  GOSH Cosmetics is a Denmark-based cosmetics company and you’ll find them in some of your local pharmacies.  They have a wide array of makeup from eyeshadow palettes to lipsticks, liners, glosses and mascaras.  All with matte, shine, shimmer and glitter finishes in all the latest colours so you can keep up with trends without spending too much.  As far as price goes, GOSH would be at the higher end of the pharmacy brand prices but the quality of their makeup is excellent so you do get what you pay for.

So onto the products:

GOSH Cosmetics

I received (L-R) BB Cream, Velvet Touch Lipstick, Catchy Eyes Mascara and the Smokey Eyes Palette (excuse the fingerprint marks!  I had a good maul of this before I reviewed it and then couldn’t get them off!)

BB Cream 02 Beige €12.45

I’m a big fan of BB Creams and this one didn’t disappoint at all and has actually taken its place in my makeup bag as my go-to foundation for everyday use.  I love the creamy texture of this and how it gives such great coverage for a BB cream, as well as feeling so moisturising on your skin.  It also has an SPF of 15.  This really lasts well during the day too and gives a beautiful dewy finish to your makeup.

Velvet Touch Lipstick – 43 Tropical Pink €8.05

Personally, frosted shocking pink lipstick is not really my thing 🙂 but despite that, there’s no denying what a good lippie this is.  It has a long lasting formula but it doesn’t dry your lips out and it comes in lots of different colours so there’s one to suit everyone.  I’ve tried this on a younger client and it was absolutely perfect for her, she really loved it.  If you’re looking for a nice long wearing lipstick for a night out that won’t dry your lips and requires minimum touch-ups, then this is the one for you.

Smokey Eyes Palette – 04 Blue €10.95

This is a palette of 4 eyeshadows from light bluey grey to mid tone greys to dark charcoal colours, all in a satin or matte finish.  It has a plastic overlay with a diagram to show you where you should apply each colour so it’s pretty foolproof.  The quality of these shadows is very good and I was quite surprised considering its not a high end brand.  The colours blend together well, are not at all chalky and have great colour payoff so I’ll be stocking up on a few more of these for my kit.  You could wear this toned down for daytime or totally smoked up for night so it’s a very versatile palette.  Loving it 🙂

GOSH Smokey Eyes Palette

Catchy Eyes Mascara – Black €7.05

This is a really nice mascara and gives great length to your lashes as you can see in the pic below.  It has a rubber bristled wand with a curve in it that gently curls your lashes for a wide eyed look.  This lasted really well and didn’t flake off and for the price, it’s one I’d really recommend you pick up.

GOSH Catcy Eyes Mascara & Smokey Eyes Palette 04

Here is a pic of me wearing all the products mentioned for a more daytime look:

Left: in natural light
Right: with flash

I also used them (along with other products) on a client of mine for a night out which resulted in a smokier look:

Smokier Look for a night out

Have you used Gosh products yourself?  What did you think of them?  I’d love to know, so leave me a comment below 🙂

Rimmel Scandaleyes – Waterproof Kohl Eyeliner & Eyeshadow Stick/Crayon

I was dying to get my hands on these latest offerings from Rimmel – the Scandaleyes Eyeliners and Eyeshadow Sticks – as I had heard great things about them and I’m forever on the lookout for a good eyeliner!

Waterproof Kohl Eyeliner €5.95

Top: 012 Bronze Bottom: 001 Black

Swatches

I was very impressed with these I must say!  I’m a big fan of Urban Decay’s 24/7 glide on eyeliners and the Scandaleyes liners give these a run for their money, especially in €€’s since they are less than half the price!  They glide on like a gel liner and the color lasts all day and doesn’t rub off or fade at all and they are completely waterproof so you can wear them in your waterline.

The black is a good strong colour and didn’t transfer and the brown one is really gorgeous on and it’s an amazingly good alternative to MAC’s “Teddy” eyeliner which is a browny bronze shade and one of my absolute favourite liners.  I use it a lot on brides/bridesmaids so I’ll be getting another one of these for my kit!

Scandaleyes Eyeshadow Stick/Crayon €5.95

Top: 003 Bad Girl Bronze Bottom: 008 Blackmail

Swatches Shadow Crayons

Again, I was mucho impressed with these lovelies.  They are larger and more chubby than the eyeliners so you can pop them on all over your lid as a base colour for eyeshadow or just wear them on their own.  They are a lovely creamy formula and blend beautifully without fading out and melting to nothing like most cheap eye crayons I’ve used.  I got the black and bronze colours which you can use in everyday makeup, but they come in lots of different colours and are easy to just pop on when you’re in a hurry.

If you wear a cream eyeshadow under your regular powder eyeshadow it can really transform the colour so I love them for that reason (I will do a separate post on this to show you what I mean).  You can also use them as a base for loose glitters to give them something to adhere to.  I love these and will be defo be picking up more.

Have you tried them, what did you think?