My Top 3 Favourite Brands

Number one favourite brand…of course, Cocoa Brown. It is the only fake tan I will ever use. It gives the most perfect colour for Irish skin tones, it applies beautifully and basically is fool proof. Also Cocoa Brown have the best tanning prep products and I have been enjoying playing around with the Golden Goddess oil (can't wait to use this in the summer). 

Number two favourite brand is MAC… they just have got it all, haven't they! Their lipsticks are amazing, their eyeshadows are brilliant and I use the foundation and concealer every day. Also love fun products like their glitters and limited edition things (I just love looking at the Cinderella powder pictured - it's so stylised Disney looking!). They are also not the most expensive brand out there I don't think and are really accessible to all. 

My final favourite brand is of course Clarins. You have heard me rave about Clarins on this blog many a time before so I won't bore you with more of that. I just love the elegance of their products. Their bases are amazing (if you haven't tried the concealer yet you must!) and they also make lip products like no other brand. Also for Summer they always bring out the most amazing collections! 

Honorable mention goes to Lancome and Too Faced, I love those brands as well but I just haven't tried enough of their products to say that they are my favourite "brands".

Products you NEED for Winter

1. Hydraluron Serum. 

This was recommended to me by Aisling from totalmakeupaddict during a time when I suffered severe dry skin. I finally got it in August of this year and have been using it every night. At first I couldn't understand the hype or even see any difference, but here we are mid November and my skin is great! Despite being in and out of the cold, central heating etc. my dry skin has not flared up. I have to put it down to Hydraluron because it is the only thing that has changed in my skin care!

2. A rich moisturiser. 

My favourite it La Roche Posay Nutric Intense. I think this is around £15.00, not overly expensive and it is a 50ml jar. This is an extremely thick moisturiser, best used at night.

3. Nuxe Reve de Meil lip balm. 

You need this. You just need it. I use it 2 or 3 times a day. Without it, my lips will literally shrivel up and dry and crack. For me, this is a Winter essential.

4. A cinnamon candle. 

There is nothing that gets me feeling more festive than the smell of cinnamon. I absolutely love Christmas candles and will burn them from Halloween til about March or April! Of course Yankee Candles are my favourite, the one pictured is from Our Own Candle Company which is also a really nice candle and the cinnamon one is just divine. 

5. A Winter perfume. 

It's time to do away with our light florals and reach for something a little deeper. my favourite is Thierry Mugler Angel. It's smokey. It's spicy. It's woody. It's sexy. Admittedly, it's not for everyone, it may be an acquired scent but for me there is no better perfume for Winter.

6. A red lipstick. 

With Christmas party season imminent it's not a bad idea to have a nice red (or whatever colour you fancy) in our make up bags. I for one can't wait to wear this little number, Clarins Joli Rouge (in the shade joli rouge). For me it is the most beautiful, glossy, neutral-red. It's very Hollywood glamour and quite festive looking!

MAC Mehr Lipstick

The latest addition to my MAC lipstick collection. I was on the hunt for a lipstick that would be neutral enough that I could wear every day, yet deep enough that it would give my lips definition. I must admit that I am falling out of love with glossy/balmy lips, and I am head over heels for a more matte finish.

I bought MAC Velvet Teddy some time ago, purely because everyone was raving about it since it is the lipstick Kylie Jenner uses. While I absolutely loved how creamy and how nice Velvet Teddy was, the colour was just not right for me and I don't think it suits me at all. I need something more pink. Cue, Mehr!

Isn't it beautiful? It is exactly the kind of lipstick that I wanted. MAC describe it as a "dirty blue pink" and while I'm not sure if I can see blue here, it definitely is quite a dusky looking pink shade.

For comparison here it is against Velvet Teddy, which looks very brown compared to Mehr! 

Anyway, I am really enjoying Mehr lipstick, it's great for everyday yet it is a rather striking colour. The matte finish is lovely but need to keep a lip balm close to hand!

*new* Clarins Joli Rouge lipsticks "Soft Plum" "Joli Rouge"

Recently I was sent 2 of the lovely new Clarins Joli Rouge lipsticks to try. As you all probably know I am a massive Clarins fan and I love their lip products, so I was excited to try out the new formulation of the Joli Rouge (have a look at one of the old Joli Rouge lipstick which I reviewed here )

First thing you will notice about the new formulation is that they are not as sheer as they used to be! Look at that gorgeous creamy colour. Also the packaging is a lot less heavy and chunky, a nice improvement!

Anyway, old vs. new comparisons aside, these lipsticks are really great. They are very soft and comfortable to wear. These lipsticks have a nice glossy finish, but they don't slip and slide on your lips either (I never wear lip liner and they wore perfectly on me).

According to Clarins these lipsticks can provide up to 6 hours of wear, and with their moisturising formula they are kind to your lips as well. Containing organic marsh samphire extract and mango oil (sounds fancy) and with Clarins signature red berry scent these lipsticks are an absolute pleasure to apply and wear.

Wearing "Soft Plum"

"Joli Rouge"

Of the 2 lipsticks I was sent, Soft Plum is my favourite! I have never worn such a dark lipstick before but I really love it, it actually is perfect for Autumn. Joli Rouge is a beautiful red (I call it a candy apple red) and isn't overbearing or garish. I don't normally wear reds for fear they clash with my hair but I really like this shade!

There are a whopping 25 shades available of these lipsticks so there definitely will be something there for everyone! They are £19.50 a pop but in my opinion they are definitely worth the money, I have been saying it for ages but Clarins really know how to do lip products! 

See any shades that you would like?

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!

Best of Summer Beauty 2015

I am sorry to be posting this! But to me, Summer is well and truly over! Finito! I am now preparing myself for Autumn - my favourite season. But, here are some things that I either discovered over the summer or got great use out of.

First off I will start with sun cream. I bought this Vichy sun cream when I was in France. I don't know if it is sold in Ireland or not? But it comes in aerosol form, which was so handy on holiday, I just sprayed myself with it and didn't bother rubbing it in (saved me from the dreaded sticky hands usually associated with sun cream). It is SPF 50 too. It was absolutely brilliant to use and was amazing to use on the go. Definitely the best sun cream I have ever tried! It was so hot and sunny when I was in France but my skin was so well protected, I came home as pale as I went!

Also I bought the Clarins facial sun cream and it was great to use, it wasn't sticky or greasy at all and I was able to put my make up on over top of it. It smells amazing too. I used a La Roche Posay one last year and I really wasn't that fussed on it. I thought the Clarins one was miles better!

OK, I promise I won't ramble on about this but the Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette has to be my star buy of the summer! The eyeshadows are bloody brilliant, beautiful shades and there is something in there for every occasion. I have been wearing this non-stop, every day since I got it! I just think it is so cute too, it looks (and smells) just like a giant chocolate bar! Perfect for a chocoholic like me.

I am kind of embarrassed to say that only over the summer I discovered MAC lipsticks! I know, I know, I am such a crap blogger! I already have 3 of them and definitely want to add more to my collection. I used to be such a big gloss/lip balm girl and I always thought lipsticks were too high maintenance for me to wear every day, but MAC lipsticks really are something else! I can't get enough of them!

Everyone has a summer scent I am sure, and this year mine is Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt. I got this in Dublin airport before I jetted off to France so this scent just brings me right back to my holiday. I couldn't even describe it to you, but it is just so fresh and lovely.

An oldie but a goodie, I just love the Illamasqua cream blush in the shade Dixie. I actually have this blush nearly 2 years and probably is my most used blush, but somehow over Summer I have rekindled my love for it. It's just the perfect colour for me and no matter if you use it in the most intense summer heat, it stays in place all day.

Another new (to me) MAC product was the Studio Careblend powder. I have never used a powder as good as this! It's so soft and is very forgiving on my dry skin. Sometimes all I need is to wear a tinted moisturiser but I always set it with this powder and it's great for taking down the shine. Somehow it makes your skin look pretty flawless too!

And last but not least is the famous Nuxe lip balm. When I first got this, I was impressed but I perhaps didn't think it was worthy of all the hype. Turns out, I was wrong! I cannot go a day without using this. Actually this lip balm goes hand in hand with the MAC lipsticks I was using. I cannot put any lip product on now without a good layer of this lip balm. Plus it was a saviour in hot weather when my lips felt really dehydrated. I'm nearly out of this pot but I will go straight out and buy another when it runs out!

So while I had a great time going on holiday in July, the Irish weather is really getting me in the mood for Autumn!

My first ever MAC lipstick!

I know, I know, where have I been! I have always been meaning to try MAC lipsticks but just never have. I don't live near a MAC counter and I have always found selecting a colour online rather intimidating, there are just so many to choose from! 

With all the hype surrounding the Kylie Jenner make up look I decided to take a chance and order online, and I chose "Velvet Teddy". It's not anything I would normally choose, for one thing it's matte, for another it's just not a colour I usually wear. But still, I went ahead and ordered it. I had a voucher to spend and guessed that it would be easier to pick a "me" colour next time I am at a counter. 

Well, it arrived and I was mighty impressed! The packaging is so small and neat. I didn't realise that MAC lipsticks smelled so nice either! The actual lipstick is a beautiful shade, it's more of a mauve toned nude I would say. It is exceptionally creamy for a matte lipstick so I needn't have worried about that aspect of it. It isn't drying on me at all. It applies really well and wears amazingly too. The only thing I am not sure about is if I actually suit a colour like this! Or maybe it's just because I am so used to seeing myself wearing peachy-pinky colours. 

Overall I am really impressed with this lipstick and am happy to have it in my collection. It's always good to try new things, right? I would love to know if there are any other "must have" MAC lipsticks that I should get! I have my eye on Peach Blossom! 

Clarins Jolie Rouge Brilliant Perfect Shine Sheer Lipstick "Coral Dahlia"

Here is something very exciting! When this little beauty arrived through my letter box I was dosed with the flu and badly in need of a pick me up. Needless to say it definitely did the trick!

Clarins Jolie Rouge Brilliant* are stunning sheer, glossy lipsticks. I have here the shade "Coral Dahlia" which is a new shade released as part of the Garden Escape Spring collection. When I opened this lipstick, I actually did gasp! The colour is just stunning, a gorgeous coral with very subtle golden shimmer. This is the perfect shade for Spring and Summer!

The lipstick is housed in a really sturdy silver tube. I must admit it looks very glamorous indeed. I am surprised by the weight of the packaging! It feels really solid. Twist up to reveal the gorgeous lipstick. That colour! I just can't get enough of it.

I took a close up of the swatch in the sunlight so you can see the shimmer in there. This lipstick is incredibly glossy, very smooth and creamy and is oh so comfortable to wear. I am a little nervous of wearing bold lipsticks, and I tend to stick to lip glosses or lip crayons (I was obsessed with last year's Clarins Lip Balm Crayons). I never thought that there would be a lipstick with sheer glossy colour like this! It's absolutely perfect and a real novelty for me.

This lipstick has properties of a lip balm too! It feels incredibly moisturising on, which is probably why I felt it so comfortable to wear. It has a wonderful scent too, very sweet and it reminds me of strawberry bon bons! Despite being very soft and creamy, it lasts a decent amount of time too, I had a good couple of hours wear time before I felt like I needed a touch up. It wears away evenly too, it's one of those lip products which doesn't require too much maintenance!

What a brilliant product to introduce a bit of colour into your make up routine for Springtime! I can tell that this will be my favourite lip product this season. It's just the right amount of colour, with the perfect glossy sheen. This lipstick will set you back £19 and there are now 15 shades available, including the new Spring releases "Coral Dahlia" and "Rose Petal", which also looks gorgeous!

Clarins really know how to do lip products! I don't think I have ever been as excited about a lipstick before, honestly! If you get the chance to swatch these at a counter, definitely do & you will see what I mean!




*Product provided for review

NYX has arrived! My first impressions

Good news! The US invasion continues with the arrival of NYX in Ireland. NYX is a brand I have been so eager to try, I had mentally made a wish list of things I wanted if I should ever visit the States again.
I was so lucky to be sent this great selection of NYX things to try. I have been playing around with all of these items all week and now I am here to let you know my first impressions of the brand.

 NYX Butter Gloss in "Peaches and Cream" and Lip Smacking Fun Colours Lipstick in "Indian Pink"

I love the packaging of these lip products, but I love what is inside even more! The lipstick looks absolutely beautiful, this colour is just gorgeous. It is lovely, soft and creamy to wear. It is quite a glossy lipstick though so it doesn't have the best staying power. But I can't get enough of this colour!

The Butter Gloss is just something else! I was so in love with my Tanya Burr glosses, but I think that NYX has totally taken over. Firstly, they smell delicious, like vanilla. They are super pigmented, they are very silky soft in consistency and are much creamier than the Tanya Burr glosses. They feel just a little tacky on your lips, not completely sticky like normal glosses. I love it!

 Jumbo Eye Pencil in "Rust", Auto Eyebrow Pencil in "medium brown", Eye/Eyebrow Pencil in "Sea Foam Green", Skinny Black Liner

I had a lot of fun with these eye pencils. The Jumbo Eye Pencil is fabulous, it's so easy to use & I definitely want to collect all of the shades! I think this colour would look great layered with MAC Cranberry eyeshadow.

The brow pencil is amazing! I am not one for fancy brow palettes, mascaras or waxes. I'm just happy enough with a brow pencil and this one is great. Initially when I swatched it I thought it was a very red toned brown, but it suits me with my hair colour perfectly. It's a brilliant twist up crayon with a lovely soft brush on the other end. It's the best eyebrow pencil I've ever used.

The green eye pencil is such a gorgeous colour! I don't think I would use it on my eyebrows (ha ha!) but it looks great on the lower waterline. My only problem is, my eyes are quite watery, so I find I really have to work with the pencil to get it on my eye and to get it to stay on!

Skinny Black Liner, where have you been all my life! I used to line my eyes with black pencil all the time, before gel eyeliners were en vogue! But I have never been able to use a pencil liner with such precision as this. Again it is a twist up crayon type, it is extremely black and stays put all day long! It's perfect for me in the mornings rushing out to work!

Love in Paris eyeshadow palette in "C'est la Vie"

And now the beautiful eyeshadow palette. The shades in here are just stunning, there is not a single shade in here that I would not use! Lovely neutrals - and I love to see a couple of green shadows in an eye palette! This is the product that surprised me the most. The eyeshadows are incredible - by far the best of any budget brand I have ever tried. I had the tiniest amount of fallout when applying them - but they have stayed put all day on me (I always use my trusty ArtDeco eye primer) and have not creased on me at all. In fact, at the end of each day they still look as good as though I have just applied them! These eyeshadows have by far exceeded my expectations and I would be eager to build my eyeshadow collection with them.  

If you can find a NYX stockist near you, I suggest you try out this brand! Their products are beautiful, fun and practical, and even better they will not break the bank. I think my favourite item has been the Butter Gloss, I adore the texture of it and the smell!

Let me know if there are other NYX products which I must try! 

*new* YSL Baby Doll Kiss & Blush - review

Lately I have been kind of obsessed with cream blushes. I don't know why, I just love how they apply as opposed to powder blushes. Plus they are so easy to use while on the go!

This is the new offering from YSL - Baby Doll Kiss & Blush - a multi use product which is designed for use on the lips and cheeks. I was so excited to try these out - however, because I am quite prone to coldsores I would be reluctant to use this on both my lips and face.

The bottle is just a little taller than a standard nail polish bottle. The applicator looks like a doe foot applicator but you can see there is a "bead" in the centre, designed for comfortable use on both the lips and cheeks, and also disperses the perfect amount of product. It's really soft and flexible to use too.

On to the product. This is the shade 10 Nude Insolent. YSL describe the formula as "air whipped" and I agree. It is very soft and creamy, and feels very velvety. It has a lovely matte finish and when blended on your cheeks it feels so smooth and powdery.

I like to dab three little dots on the apples of my cheeks and pat it in. There is so much pigmentation but it blends out very nicely. I absolutely adore the finish of it, you could wear this every single day. Sometimes I dust a little of my Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick over it if I fancy a little bit more "glow".

This is how it looks when worn as a blush. I have tested it on my lips too (not using the applicator) and while it does feel very nice on, it looks just a little too matte for me. It feels incredibly soft and not drying at all, but still I prefer a glossy finish on my lips. I do love this shade "Nude Insolent" on my cheeks, but not on my lips! There are 12 shades available in these and there are lovely orange and pink shades which might look better on lips.

What I really love about this product is the packaging. It looks so adorable and is so convenient to use - also I think this would be a great blush to travel with if you were going on holiday. The formula absolutely surprised me. I love the soft velvety texture, it feels so luxurious.

Let me know what you think of this product!



**Product provided for review

Lancome Rouge in Love Lipstick - "Midnight Rose"

I got this lovely lipstick for Christmas and I am so happy with it. When I was younger, I used to wear red lipsticks all the time but now something has changed...the idea of wearing a bold lip now terrifies me and there are so many beautiful lipsticks out there. I really want to change my ways and get back into wearing beautiful lip colours rather than just plain glosses.

I think over the last few months, Lancome has become my favourite brand and I am certainly not disappointed with this lipstick. I think the packaging is too cute. The tube is so petite, and I think looks very unusual. After reading a few reviews of the Rouge in Love lipsticks, I notice a few people saying that the packaging is disappointing and not really a luxurious style for Lancome. I personally think it is fun and stylish.

This shade "Midnight Rose" is a beautiful, deep pink. I think it almost has purplish tones. Now that I have red hair, I didn't want to choose a red lipstick for fear they would clash! I thought this would be a lovely shade and one that could be worn daytime or nighttime.

 The above swatch was just one swipe of the lipstick! This lipstick glides on beautifully. It is not a silky, glossy lipstick which I feel move around the lips a lot and before you know it all traces of colour are gone. This is a fairly matte lipstick but the texture is quite creamy. It's definitely not drying on the lips.

Lancome boast that these lipsticks have a 6-hour wear time. Normally I would brush off these claims, because I know it is kind of difficult (and a pain) to maintain a bold lip colour throughout the day, especially if you are eating or drinking. But let me tell you, this little beauty surprised me! I don't know about 6 solid hours, I had to touch up a little after eating/drinking. But amazingly, this lipstick stays on and does not fade in a crazy way. There was always colour on my lips. None of the dreaded "liner effect"! This lipstick has I think industrial strength staying power!

These lipsticks are kind of expensive (£21.00). I don't really think it is a "must-have" item but it is an exceptionally good lipstick, probably the best I have ever owned. I feel really glamorous when I am wearing it! Now if only I could look like Emma Watson too! That would be great!

Give these a little swatch next time you are at a Lancome counter. They have an incredible range of shades, but for me it was the lasting power for which I was most impressed.

Beauty stuff I got for Christmas

Hi everyone, I hope you all had a nice Christmas! I certainly did. It is so good being off work for a while. I have been enjoying just being at home, watching movies, eating chocolates and just generally chilling out! It's going to be so difficult getting back into a routine in the new year. But I will cross that bridge when I come to it.

So on Christmas Day, it was so much fun being at my sisters house. We played games, ate great food and just had a really nice day. Christmas is so not about presents for me, although I did get some lovely things. I just enjoy having fun. But, I will now show you what beauty stuff I got for Christmas. Admittedly, I did buy a lot of this myself with money I got. (Thanks dad!)

Clarins Eye Contour Balm - I chose this as I really need to start using an eye cream again. I have read good reviews about this one and the texture is so nice. I don't see any results just yet but I swear I will apply this religiously every night!

Lancome Rouge in Love Lipstick - I adore the cute packaging of this lipstick! The shade is "Midnight Rose" which is a gorgeous deep, raspberry pink. Unfortunately I have been unable to wear it yet due to a horrible outbreak of coldsores :( but this shade is so beautiful. I cannot wait to wear it.

Clinique Party Tips Nail Polish Trio - I love these gorgeous nail polishes, and is it just me or are they the most perfect shades for New Years Eve? I am kind of excited to try out Clinique polishes for the first time. They come in such a cute bag too.

YSL Touche Eclat - Oh my God, where has this been all my life? You know how I always complain about my undereye area looking less than impressive, and no concealer helps? Well this is so light and brightening, it is exactly what I needed! I got shade 2. I swear this is the best thing I have ever tried, and the only concealer that has ever made any kind of difference.

Sampar Sea Scrub - I have been lusting after this for some time. The scent of this product is to die for, it just smells like a luxurious spa. I actually thought this product was for your face, but it is a body exfoliator. I have used a small amount on my face though. It is the most expensive product I have ever used! (it was around £50.00). It is so nice and so effective.

Lancome Hypnose Mascara - After buying a Hypnose Star mascara earlier in the year, I have decided that I think Lancome do the best mascaras. I had a tiny sample of the original Hypnose which I loved, so I decided to buy the full sized version. The wand is just perfect and the bristles are so soft. It makes my eyelashes super long and full. I love it!

Nuxe Creme Fraiche de Beaute moisturiser - In desperate need of a new skincare routine, I chose this moisturiser. It is so thick and creamy, and I think it is designed for dry skin. It feels so nourishing and has a beautiful scent. It is such a luxurious product and my skin feels so soft and plump even after just a week of using it!

I also got a ton of Lancome and Clarins samples when I bought my products, so I am really excited to try these out too!


I hope Santa was good to everyone!

Sixties styling!

I absolutely adore the 1960s. I wish I could have experienced it! A lot of my favourite music is from the 1960s and I think the hair styles and make up looks were really fantastic. So, I thought I'd try and recreate a very 1960s look. I hope you enjoy!

 The dress is by Yumi, I got it in the House of Fraser sale for an amazing £14.00. I absolutely love the style and print of this dress. It is very typical of the 1960s so I really couldn't resist! I think it looks nice with these shoes I have from New Look, I got them about 3 years ago. They are black patent and have a lovely small heel! I'm not really sure what bag I would use, I suppose any sort of clutch bag would look great!

The hair and make up was my favourite part about this look! I used my trusty backcomb brush and a few bobby pins for the hair, it really only took about 5 minutes to do. For the eye make up, I didn't want to do the very severe cut crease that was fashionable in the 1960s. I have tried it and it just looks ridiculous on me. So I used my Kat Von D "Ludwig" eyeshadow palette and used the darkest shades from there. I never usually wear my eye make up this dark but I really like this and I am so pleased with how it turned out! My lipstick is an MUA one, I can't believe they only cost £1!!

My style icon from the 1960s is definitely Lulu. I love all the cute dresses she wore, and her hair is pretty fabulous too!

Do you like the 1960s style?