Who doesn't love a MAC Haul….

So….yesterday I spent the day in Dublin - I was going to see a show in the evening but I thought I would take the day out of it and go shopping as well. I kind of planned in my head some things I would like from MAC but to be honest I got a little carried away with myself and I have the guilts for buying all of this. Especially when my car insurance is due next month…oops! At least I will have nice make up, right? Anyway, here is what I got…

I have been really unhappy with how my makeup sits on my face so I thought I'd give the Skin Base a go. I've never used a primer in my life so it will be interesting if this will make a difference for me. I've wanted to try the Pro Longwear concealer for a while so I got it in the shade NW15. I needed a new gel eyeliner so I got Blacktrack (I used this today and oh my god! It's so creamy and easy to use!) and of course I couldn't go without getting a couple of lipsticks. I also got Fix+, I had been meaning to get this for a while so that I can spritz my brushes with it and enhance certain eyeshadows. I didn't know that MAC have just come out with scented Fix+ so I got the lavender one! It smells really nice!

The lipsticks I got are Syrup and Peach Blossom! I wore Syrup straight after I bought it and I really love it! It really is such a gorgeous neutral shade and it doesn't come out as purple as it looks. Haven't tried Peach Blossom yet but after seeing it feature on makeupmonster.ie a few times I knew I had to have it!


So there you have it, that is what I got in MAC. I have to be honest, it was really busy in the store and I didn't quite enjoy being in there but I am really happy with what I got, even if I did spend a little bit more than anticipated! I could have gone even more overboard, I'd love to try one of their blushes and even experiment with some pigments or something!

ELF Mini Haul!

Taking advantage of their recent 50% off code, I thought I would pick up a few things from ELF. I have never tried this brand before so I didn't want to go too overboard buying stuff incase I didn't like it. Here's what I got...

Jumbo Lip Gloss Sticks in (L-R) Tiki Torches, Flirty & Girly, Movie Star -
The only one of these I have used so far is Movie Star. I have to say the MUA Power Pouts are much better than these. They are not really that pigmented and they wear off in a very patchy fashion which is not a good look. I didn't realise Tiki Torches & Flirty and Girly were so shimmery. I'm not sure how I feel about wearing shimmery, glittery things on my lips but sure I will give it a go and see how I like it.

 elf Studio Translucent Powder - I am really impressed with the packaging of this. It is quite sturdy with a brilliant size mirror. I will definitely carry this one in my handbag for touch-ups on the go. I haven't used this yet so cannot comment on the actual product!

Total Face Brush and Kabuki Face Brush - Two things that I didn't have in my collection, a decent sized powder brush and a kabuki brush so I can use with bronzer and the likes. The Total Face Brush bristles are very rough and aren't too pleasant to use on your face. The kabuki brush on the other hand is so super soft and I love using it! It doesn't hold too much product which is good as I can build up my bronzer to my liking.

elf Nail block - This is kind of a random purchase but it's something I have been meaning to get for a while as my nails are in kind of bad condition. I just used this once lastnight and I cannot believe the difference! My nails are now super smooth with no more nasty ridges!


Overall I am happy with my purchases. I am disappointed with the lip gloss sticks though, their quality just is not as good as I expected. But they didn't exactly break the bank and I am glad I availed of the 50% offer to try a little bit of elf. I definitely would buy more of their products!

Did anyone else make any elf purchases?

Dublin Haul & Cocoa Brown Lovely Lady Lunch

A few days ago, I received an email from the lovely ladies at Cocoa Brown, inviting me to lunch on Saturday at the Shelbourne in Dublin. I was so thrilled to be invited, the Shelbourne is a magnificent hotel and I couldn't wait to meet some bloggers in "real life". I arrived in Dublin a little early on Saturday morning, so I did a little bit of shopping! And I do apologise in advance if this post turns out to be a little picture-heavy.

I love Forever 21, their clothes are super stylish and extremely affordable too. I especially really like their skinny jeans, they are a perfect fit for me and so comfortable. Recently I ordered online some lovely coloured skinny jeans, and I thought I'd buy some nice tops to go with them.

 I thought this top was real nice. I love the beautiful colour, the floaty style of the top and the pretty gold detailing on the front and the cuffs.

 I got this nice coral shirt for casual wear

And because it's still a bit chilly out, I got this nautical style cardigan!

Then of course I had to stop by Penneys, I wanted a few more tops for everyday wear, and I wanted to check out the Essence stand too!

 These tops were just €3 each, cheap and cheerful for everyday wear

I thought these two tops were really pretty, I think they €6 each. 

 I was so impressed with the last Angelica nail polish I got I just had to pick up another couple of colours! Can't wait to try these!

I got these from the Essence stand. I recently included the Gel Tint as part of a beauty swap I took part in, and I really wanted to try it for myself! I also can't wait to try the Volumizing Lash Powder. 

OK, now it was time to head to the Shelbourne. I have never seen such luxury, it is the fanciest hotel I have ever been in! It was so nice to meet Marissa and Sarah, and of course some fellow bloggers. We had an amazing lunch, here is a peek at the menu...

The food was just to die for, I have never tasted anything like it in my life! I had to take a photo of the dessert, it was so beautiful!

It was so great to talk to Marissa about her amazing tan, it is for sure the best tanning product I have ever used, and I really mean that. We all had a really great time, and we were all very generously given these amazing goody bags...

You will see included is the new Night and Day tan, which was taken off the production line just for us bloggers to get a sneak peek. A review will be coming very soon! 

I had the most amazing day out, and I want to say a huge thank you to the lovely Marissa and Sarah, I feel so honoured to have been invited to the Shelbourne. To all the bloggers who were there, it was so great to meet you and I hope we will meet again soon.

So all in all, a very productive Saturday! I cannot wait to try out all my new products!

Essence Lipstick - Sparkling Miracle

As part of my mini Essence haul, I lifted this very cute lipstick. I think it was around about £2.00. I chose this shade as I thought it was a little unusual and I don't have anything like it already in my collection.

What I like about Essence lipsticks is that the packaging is the same colour as what's in the tube, it would be a lot easier to find your favourite colour in your collection! 

There is a nice berry scent of this lipstick. They are nice and creamy and feel very rich on your lips. They fade nicely too so that even after a couple of hours there is a nice hint of colour. I would definitely like to try more shades, usually cheaper lipsticks can be very dry (like MUA) but these are not like that at all. So for the price I am most impressed! This is why I love Essence! My all time favourite lipsticks are the Benefit Silky Finish lipsticks, but at £14.00 they are very much a luxury item for me. I love being able to find something cheap but products that also exceed my expectations! 

Essence 2-in-1 Volume Mascara

I picked up a few Essence pieces when I was in my local chemist...they don't really have a huge selection of products but they did have a few things which I had not seen before. So of course I had to get them to try - it's not as if they would break the bank! I think I will so a mini series of Essence reviews then, so as I can review each product individually. 

This mascara was actually the most expensive of everything that I bought, it was £3.50!

This is the "Look 1" wand. The actual wand is very thin and flimsy so I am actually scared removing this one from the tube incase it breaks! The brush is surprisingly full looking though.

"Look 2" has a slightly fatter brush, but there isn't really that much difference in appearance between the two. I tried to take a photo of the wands side by side, but you can't remove the two wands at once. So lets see how they differ when you apply the mascara!

 This is me with nothing on my eyes at all.

This is "Look 1". Wow! I love this one so much! It gives a very defined appearance and it has lengthened my lashes so much! It looks very natural and doesn't really look like I am wearing mascara at all!

 This is "Look 2". I do not really like this. My lashes look thick and really clumpy. I hate this kind of a look! Perhaps it would different if the rest of my eyes were made up, this might be nice as a finishing touch for a dramatic eye make up, but as it is I am not really fussed on it.

I think this is a really nice product, it's nice to have a bit of a choice in your mascaras. It's amazing how different the two look on your lashes. I much prefer Look 1 and I will definitely be wearing it more often!