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".

Simple Christmas Make Up

Hi! Long time no see, right? I have taken a little blogging hiatus for a while. Life just got a little busy and of course with Christmas coming up and the horrible weather we had been having I just did not have time to blog. But today I wanted to show you quite a simple make up which I intend on wearing on Christmas. Nothing too fancy, I have really come to the realisation that "less is more" when it comes to make up. I really don't suit a whole big plaster of make up on my face and I have been enjoying simpler looks. By that, I mean no highlight, no contour, no bronzer. Anyway… here is what I have on.

Too Faced Born This Way foundation (shade Vanilla)

MAC Pro longwear Concealer (NW15)

Illamasqua Cream Blush (shade Dixie)

Clarins Loose Mineral Powder

MAC Painterly Paint Pot

Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette (shades Salted Caramel, Milk Chocolate, White Chocolate, Semi Sweet)

MAC Blacktrack gel liner

Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara

MAC Reflects Pearl

Clarins Joli Rouge Lipstick (shade Joli Rouge)

I really like how it all looks together. For my eyes I like to use the matte browns in the Chocolate Bar palette just to give my eyes some definition. But then I remembered I had the Reflects Pearl glitter in my drawer from the MAC Cinderella collection which I have never really used. No better time than Christmas, right? I sprayed a little brush with MAC Fix+ and just dabbed it really in the centre of my eyelid. What I like about the Reflects glitter is that it really is quite subtle (despite being sparkly glitter! It's hard to describe). You don't see any big chunks of glitter, just a nice wee bit of sparkle. 

For my lips I just couldn't wait to use this Clarins lipstick for Christmas. I don't think I suit reds very much as they clash with my hair but for me this is such a classic true red, it makes me feel very old Hollywood movie star! Plus it's very creamy and nice to wear. 

Oh and for my hair I used the Remington Pearl curling wand and did really tight curls, then I just brushed through the curls with a big paddle brush.

Sorry I do not have a better pic of the make up actually on me! The lighting was so bad and it was just taken on my phone as I was heading out the door!

If I don't get speaking to you before then I hope you all have a lovely Christmas and wish you health and happiness for the new year xx

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!

Autumn face featuring MAC, Too Faced, Illamasqua & more

Hi guys, long time no see right? I took a little blogging hiatus for a couple of weeks. Just finding it really difficult to blog at the moment! I just haven't been struck with inspiration by anything in a while. But lately the nice Autumn weather we are having has made me think more about my make up and what fits this season. Everything I used is pictured above, and I will list them for you too.

MAC Prep & Prime Skin Base Visage

Clarins Instant Smooth Line Correcting Concentrate

MAC Pro Longwear Foundation (NW15)

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer (NW15)

MAC Paint Pot (Painterly)

Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette (shades Creme Brûlée, Haute Chocolate, Semi Sweet, White Chocolate, Milk Chocolate)

MAC Blacktrack gel eyeliner

Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes mascara

Maybelline Brow Drama

Illamasqua Cream Blush (shade Dixie)

MAC lipstick (Velvet Teddy)

I am really loving the MAC Pro Longwear foundation. I think it was the beginning of Spring when I got it, and I couldn't really wear it because my skin at the time was so dry, and it really emphasised any dry patches. Also at that time of year I would wear a bit of fake tan and NW15 was just way too pale. But I am finding that my skin is a lot better, and it is just the right shade for me for when I am rocking my au natural paler skin! 

Also the Pro Longwear concealer is just freakin' amazing, it covers absolutely everything and it isn't too heavy for wearing under your eyes. Though I will say the NW15 in this concealer is really very white, naturally concealers come up lighter than foundation shades but it's something to bear in mind if you were looking into buying this.

I whipped out Velvet Teddy lipstick again, even though I am not sure brown toned nudes suit me but I just adore the matte lipsticks from MAC, they are perfect and I think really great to wear at this time of year.

OK I won't bore you with more talk of the Chocolate Bar palette (aka the palette that changed my life!) but lately I have been loving creating just very simple looks with this, I went for a golden bronze look today and I really love how it turned out.

What make up are you wearing this autumn? 

My MAC lipstick collection so far

Hi! Since I have been raving about how much I have fallen in love with MAC lipsticks I thought I would give you a quick look at what shades I have in my collection (so far). 

From left to right - VEGAS VOLT - SYRUP - PEACH BLOSSOM - VELVET TEDDY - LADY DANGER

My most worn one is probably Syrup, I am absolutely obsessed with it and it goes well with everything. So I have been wearing that one a lot, however I must admit I do prefer the finish of the matte lipsticks or the amplified ones. 

My least worn ones are probably Velvet Teddy and Lady Danger. I only bought Velvet Teddy because of all the hype surrounding Kylie Jenner. It is just too brown for me and i don't think I suit this colour. Lady Danger is a fabulous colour but I don't often have the confidence to wear it. It does have a beautiful finish though.

Vegas Volt is a very fun colour to wear. Although it is bright I still feel very comfortable when I wear it. It has an amplified finish and it is so nice and creamy.

Peach Blossom is a great every day colour. It almost looks as though I have no lipstick on at all! I can only wear this one when I don't wear fake tan because it ends up being too pale. But it is a fantastic colour and so easy to wear. 

By the way I got this great lipstick holder on Amazon for a measly £2.00! The only problem is the little slots are too small to hold any other lipsticks that aren't as nice and compact as the MAC ones. Meaning that I want to buy more MAC lipsticks in order to fill it up!

Can you save dried up cream eyeshadows?

So recently I got the new lavender scented MAC Fix+ and I had been researching on ways to use it. I spotted online somewhere that it can be used on dried up cream eyeshadows to restore them, and I remembered about one of my faves from last year, which was the Chanel Illusion d'Ombre in New Moon. God, I was obsessed with this thing but somehow it totally dried out despite me being so careful and always making sure the lid was on tight. So here is a little experiment to see if I can fix it!

So you can see that the shadow has shrunk from the edges of the pot…

In fact it has shrunk so much that it just falls out of the pot and looks like this little dried up disc.

So first I sprayed 2 sprays of MAC Fix+ into the pot, then I got a little spatula and just started mixing it together.

At this point it started flaking like crazy and I was so upset because I just thought I had ruined it completely!

Then I just started packing it down with my finger and it began to look a lot more smooth and almost normal again.

I was afraid that the Fix+ would water the shadow down and it wouldn't look the same as it used to, but  so far the formula was pretty much the same and the pigmentation seems unaffected, fingers crossed!

So the next part of the experiment was to actually use it on my eyes!

It felt very smooth and creamy, just like when I first got it and I applied it just using my fingertips like I normally did. I always loved this cream shadow because it was like nothing I had ever seen before. It's completely multi dimensional and has pink, purple, brown, even red tones in it. I think this shadow was limited edition too which was another reason why I was prepared to give it another lease of life! I had to take the below photos with a desk lamp shining on me so you can see how incredibly sparkly it is too! 

So there is hope if any of your cream eyeshadows have died on you! 

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!

Summer Make Up Edit

I think I've made the complete transition to Summer make up. Actually my entire taste in make up has changed. I am  loving a light, glowy base, a clean eye, just keeping it more natural really. I've been wearing this exact make up on weekends or if I have somewhere to go. It just fits every occasion. Also I think it looks best if I have some tan on! Still loving my Cocoa Brown Gentle Bronze in the tanning department.

I'll start off with my Clarins Instant Light Complexion Base, Chanel Vitalumiere foundation, Clarins Instant Concealer, Clarins Bronzing Compact, Clarins Blush Prodige and a tiny bit of Clarins Loose Mineral Powder. (wow, that's a lot of Clarins!)

For my eyes, I start off with MAC Paint Pot (Painterly) and I have been absolutely loving the Clarins The Essentials eyeshadow palette. I am learning to tight line my eyes using the Clarins Waterproof Eye Pencil, then finish off with the YSL Baby Doll mascara. Oh and for brows I use the Sleek Eyebrow Kit and a tiny bit of Maybelline Brow Drama.

My favourite Summery lip colour is the Clarins Jolie Rouge lipstick called "Coral Dahlia". It is such a beautiful colour and is such a silky, glossy lip product. Plus it smells amazing! Like strawberry sweeties!

Hope you like this make up look! I'm currently trying to find something to do with my hair that is a little less maintenance as well. I've been looking into getting a Loreal Steam Pod, it's a bit of an investment but they are absolutely amazing and I think would be a lot better for your hair overall. Anyway! enough rambling!  Thanks for reading!

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! 

MAC Pro Longwear Foundation

I got this foundation a good few weeks ago now, just because I really wanted to try more MAC stuff (I STILL need to get a lipstick!). I have tried the Face & Body foundation and while I liked it at first, I have completely gone off it and really don't like the watery texture of it.

I was ordering this foundation online and MAC foundation shades totally confused me. I blindly chose NW20 and thankfully it is a great shade on me.

It is a really thick, gel-cream like texture and almost feels a little tacky on the skin for a short time after application. This is completely full coverage and literally does not budge throughout the day!

My only problem is it clings to every dry patch on my face. It doesn't look too bad from a distance but on closer inspection it doesn't look too good! (It's really visible in the photo below). So I am currently focusing on getting my skin back to normal so I can properly wear this foundation.

I really am very impressed with this foundation and definitely understand what the hype is about! I would probably save it for the Autumn/Winter months as I tend to gravitate more towards full coverage bases during that time.

Have you tried this foundation? I'd love to try more MAC products out so please let me know below what I should get next time!

Quick Six Product Face

In the mornings when I am going to work, the last thing I want to be doing is spending ages doing fancy make ups. I'd sooner have the extra time in bed! I work in an office so I don't really see anybody, and frankly I just can't be bothered in the mornings. But I still feel like I need to wear something!

Sometimes if I am running late I will bring my make up with me and apply it when I am stuck in traffic on the way to work! So I prefer to use products that I don't have to use make up brushes.

First up, I will put on a bit of foundation. Pictured is MAC Face & Body which honestly I don't really like anymore, but for work I don't like using any of my "good" foundations so I am just trying to use up this big bottle!

Then I need something for under my eyes. I started using the Urban Decay Naked concealer this week and I am still not entirely sure about it. The formula is quite good and I do like the finish of it. But there is just something a little "off" with it. I think it is because I accidentally bought a shade which is a bit too white for me.

I use my NYX Eyebrow Pencil, which is fabulous. It's dead handy for on the go as it is a twist up crayon. It works brilliantly for me!

I am using Lancome Grandiose Mascara, which I really do love. The wand is really quite precise and it just really works well for me. I do love all Lancome mascaras though. This is the one which just happens to be in my make up bag.

I use YSL Babydoll Kiss & Blush for my cheeks. It's really easy to apply with the wand and then I just tap it in with my fingers.

For my lips I am obsessed with Clarins Instant Light Lip Balms! This is the shade Rosewood which is just a really neutral colour and perfect for everyday wear. They are so soft and comfortable and just gift a subtle hint of colour. Just what I want!



What are your every day essential make up products?

Fresh Spring Make Up!

Spring is definitely well on the way and as such, I always  feel the need to change up my make up slightly. Winter is a time for heavier make up and I like to go a bit "lighter" when Spring comes along. I have some new products to play with today, and decided to show you what I am using.
Just yesterday I treated myself to a new foundation, I got Chanel Vitalumiere. I heard it is quite good for dry skin and so far today it looks great and has lasted a good few hours without emphasising any dry patches! MAC Cinderella is also making an appearance, as is the Clarins The Essentials palette which I won in the amazing Make Up Monster's blog giveaway! Thank so you much again!

Here are the products I used with shade names:

Chanel Vitalumiere Foundation - 10 Limpide

Sleek Eyebrow Kit - Light

Clarins Instant Concealer - 01

MAC Paint Pot - Painterly

Clarins The Essentials Eyeshadow Palette

Lancome Grandiose Mascara

YSL Babydoll  Kiss & Blush - 10 Nude Insolent

MAC Cinderella Iridescent Powder - Coup d'Chic

Clarins Jolie Rouge Lipstick - Coral Dahlia

I decided to go quite light on the eyes and I have ditched the eyeliner, instead I am favouring just using a dark eyeshadow and blending it up from my lash line. The Chanel foundation is lovely and so lightweight, I am really happy with it so far. Maybe I will do a full review of the foundation when I get to grips with it.
The MAC Cinderella powder I use as a highlight. It is way too sheer to use as a blush and it just adds a little luminosity to the face. It is lovely to use, perhaps not the best highlighting product out there, but it looks cute!

Hope you all have a great Sunday!

MAC Cinderella Collection has arrived! See what I got..

I am too excited about this collection! I was really looking forward to the release of this collection from MAC and when I got the email to say that it was available online last Friday, I quickly logged on and ordered myself a couple of things. I knew I really wanted the powder. The eyeshadow palette looks lovely but I already have a few of the shades, and the lipsticks look a little too light for me. I only bought the glitter on a whim! Here is a closer look…

This is the Iridescent Powder "Coup d'Chic". It is so, so beautiful. I love the stylised packaging, it looks incredibly Disney. The iridescent blue with the gold inlay definitely is very Cinderella. The product itself is extremely shimmery. I was looking for a new highlighting powder and I couldn't be happier to own this one. It didn't swatch too well to be honest, but I will do a more detailed post on these products soon.

This is the Cinderella glitter Reflects Pearl. I absolutely love the look of this! It is so sparkly, perfect for Cinderella! I have never owned a product like this before, currently I am researching on what kind of adhesive would be suitable to use this with on my eyes. I pressed it onto my eyes with a flat eyeshadow brush but I would like a little bit more intensity, and something to hold it in place all day!

Iridescent Powder Coup d'Chic as a highlight

Cinderella Reflects Pearl in inner corners 

I couldn't be more excited about this collection, being a lover of shimmery things, beautiful packaging and of course Disney! I can't wait to have a proper play around with these products - I only got them yesterday so still kind of getting to grips with them, especially the glitter. I am hoping to do a full look with them in a post soon!

Is there anything that has caught your eye from the MAC Cinderella collection?