Clarins Instant Concealer Review

I am a little late to the party with this review! Basically, I realised I was in dire need of a concealer. I don't really get any breakouts and I use my Touche Eclat for under my eyes so I didn't really "need" a concealer!  I had my makeup done in Debenhams one day and realised how that something "missing" from my makeup routine was in fact, a nice creamy concealer. Clarins Instant Concealer was released last year. I really put my faith in Clarins makeup now and it has become my favourite brand, actually! So I knew that this concealer would be worth it.

The fabulous Makeup Monster mentioned this concealer numerous times on her blog and I knew then it must be amazing! You can read her review here.

I got the shade 01 which is a little warm but it does work for me. I don't tend to wear a concealer under my eyes as I am afraid that it will emphasise my under eye lines, but lately my Touche Eclat just isn't cutting it for me. Plus I am getting a little redness across my nose and cheeks. I need something with plenty of coverage and this is it! As you can see from the packaging it claims to smooth out the skin and revive tired eyes. I think the photos speak for themselves really!

 Before

After

You can really see the difference a bit of this concealer makes! It is a really creamy texture, so only a very small dot of this product is enough to cover your under eyes, nose, cheeks and any blemishes. You get 15ml of product for £21.00 - it may seem expensive but when you are using such a small amount it should be worth it. It provides amazing coverage, and now I don't know how I ever did my make up without it! 

Recently I also reviewed the Clarins Extra Comfort foundation (you can read that here ) and I think the Instant Concealer is a brilliant accompaniment to this foundation for a flawless finish. 

Are there any other concealers that I should look into? Particularly for under-eyes?

Galgorm Resort and Spa

I am sitting here typing this feeling totally relaxed and absolutely rejuvenated. I have just got home from a wonderful overnight stay at the Galgorm Resort and Spa, which honestly was just pure heaven! It is also my first hotel review, an opportunity that I am so grateful for. A huge thank you to Scarlett PR for arranging this!

Galgorm is situated amongst the most beautiful grounds I have seen by the banks of the River Maine, about 30 minutes from Belfast city centre. Upon arrival my sister and I were promptly shown to our room, a beautiful twin room with a lovely view of the grounds. The room was absolutely fantastic, with the most comfortable bed and lovely spacious bathroom. 

Our first stop was of course, the spa! We wanted to start relaxing as soon as we got there. We changed into our swimwear and the robes and slippers provided, and headed down to the spa where we were greeted with the warmest welcome.

We experienced absolutely everything there is in the thermal spa - there is a hydrotherapy pool, outdoor hot tub, outdoor jacuzzi pool, sauna, different aroma rooms and heated relaxation loungers. My particular favourite was the outdoor hot tub! There is a wonderful atmosphere in the spa, everyone is completely relaxed and the surroundings are so beautiful and calming.

I also had a treatment - I chose the Intensive Release Muscle Massage which I thoroughly enjoyed! My therapist was Ascensao who was a real lady and explained every step beforehand and I felt very comfortable during the treatment. As I have a desk job I feel like I have a lot of tension built up, particularly around my shoulders and neck, and it was true- I had lots of knots! So I knew this would be the perfect treatment for me. I definitely feel like my muscles have loosened up and I am less tense.

After all that relaxation we dolled ourselves up for dinner in Gillies Bar & Grill. I think it is safe to say we well and truly stuffed ourselves and the food was to die for! Obligatory food pics below.

We then moved to the River Room Conservatory for some cocktails, which was a beautiful setting if you wanted somewhere a bit quieter. There was a very relaxed atmosphere with some nice jazz music in the background.

The next morning we were once again very well looked after in Gillies where breakfast was served. There was a  huge selection including continental and cooked breakfasts and tea and coffee. After breakfast, we didn't waste any time in heading back to the spa for an hour or two. It was so nice on a bitter cold morning stepping into the outdoor hot tub!

We checked out of our room but we weren't quite ready to leave! We had a lovely walk around the gardens and just taking in the beautiful surroundings.

Before leaving we returned to the River Room Conservatory for some afternoon tea. This was really exquisite and a lovely dining experience! You have a choice of sandwich and tea with a mix of other little delicacies.

I really did not want to leave Galgorm! It was the must luxurious, relaxing experience. The staff were absolutely wonderful and were so attentive to each and every guest. We were treated like royalty!
There is such attention to detail in Galgorm, even the little finishing touches felt extravagant.

I actually think that Autumn is a lovely time of year for a getaway like this. Galgorm are offering some great overnight packages throughout November and December, I would highly recommend checking them out!

A huge thank you to everyone at Galgorm for having me, I had the most wonderful time and I will definitely be back soon. I will be recommending this hotel to anybody, it really is the complete luxurious spa experience! And I think we all deserve a little rest and relaxation every once in a while!

Instyler Rotating Iron Review

I was very kindly sent the Instyler to try out. I hadn't actually came across the Instyler before, but basically it is a rotating barrel which can be used to curl, straighten (yes!) and give volume to the hair. Sounds amazing, doesn't it?! It's like several hair tools in one.

 It comes with a fabulous drawstring pouch, comb, heat guard and instructional dvd. It really is an impressive kit!

This is a 32mm barrel. The barrel begins to rotate when you clamp it together. The black bristles smooth the hair and the heat can distribute evenly while the barrel is rotating. There is also a thin ceramic plate in the middle of the bristles.

The heat guard can only be used when you are straightening your hair with this barrel. You won't be able to curl your hair with this thing on, as you need to wrap the hair around the barrel. I actually burned my forehead while curling my hair so do be careful!

Here is what my hair looked like, straight after I curled it. I spent quite a bit of time curling my hair, and to be honest I was left a little disappointed. It certainly looks wavy, but not curly how I like it, even when I used the highest heat setting.

I felt the Instyler was a little too time consuming for my liking. Only a tiny section of my long (relatively thick) hair could be put through the Instyler at one time for any sort of curl to appear. You then of course have to hold each section of hair in the barrel for around 20 seconds. So I was working on my hair for a good half an hour to achieve this look! Whereas with my Remington Pearl wand I can create waves like this in less than 10 minutes by just separating my hair into about 5 big sections.

Anyway, just about an hour or two after the above photo was taken, my hair was back to it's natural straight self as though I had never curled it at all!

I'm just disappointed that I spent so long curling my hair just to get a few kinks in it like this. I tried it on freshly washed hair, and on two day old hair but it didn't make any difference, my hair just didn't take to the curl.

I also tried straightening my hair with the Instyler, and I must admit that this did nothing for me at all. My hair is already naturally straight. When I ran the Instyler through my hair it genuinely didn't look any different. It doesn't give me that sleek, polished look as when I straighten with my GHDs.

Maybe part of my problem with the Instyler is due to the fact that my hair is long, kinda thick and I have no layers cut in my hair, so it's quite heavy. I asked my sister to try the Instyler and she loved it on her short hair and thought it gave her a lot of volume!

I should also add that I don't use any styling products in my hair at all, I just wash and condition my hair. I am not sure if that would have any impact on the performance of the Instyler. I don't even own any styling products so I couldn't test it that way.

The Instyler RRPs for €120.00. It certainly is not cheap. I think the price is a little high considering I am so fond of my Remington Pearl curling wand which cost a fraction of the price. (You can read my review of the Remington pearl here! )

What I really liked about the Instyler was the fact that it is a multi-functional hair tool and would be great for travelling and you wanted to create different hair styles. It comes with a great pouch suitable for travel. It certainly was presented incredibly well and the accompanying accessories are really handy.

Sadly the Instyler did not perform on my hair as well as I had hoped. I know that i have read many a rave review on it, I guess some things just don't work for everybody!

Clarins Extra Comfort Foundation Review

So a couple of weeks ago I was browsing the Clarins counter. I was looking at the new True Radiance foundation, which I thought looked really beautiful however I had been dying to try Extra Comfort ever since it came out last year. The wonderful sales assistant let me see how the Extra Comfort looked actually on my face, and well, it was love at first sight for me!

I kind of wanted a new foundation for Autumn/Winter so when I saw how Extra Comfort looked on me, I realised it was exactly what I was after and I bought it straight away! I bought shade 103 Ivory, which is I believe the lightest shade available.

I think the packaging is absolutely beautiful. It is in a very heavy glass jar with the signature Clarins gold lid. I know many people would agree with me that it is quite impractical and at times a bit messy. For me though, my make up never leaves my dressing table so it works fine for me. However, if I were travelling I don't think I'd be taking this foundation with me!

As you can see this shade is not for the super pale despite being the lightest shade available. It is extremely creamy, so blendable. I have applied it with a couple of different foundation brushes but I think the best way to apply it is just using your fingers. You really don't need a lot of product, and this foundation can do marvellous things, you will see!

Before: No foundation…. my skin isn't great at the moment. I am experiencing some redness & hormonal breakouts.

After: much better! This foundation is amazing in my opinion. It has a great level of coverage, and I think it makes your skin look absolutely flawless.

The finish of this foundation is demi-matte, it feels really smooth and silky. Although it has a high level of coverage I don't feel caked in makeup.

It has quite  a lot of skincare and anti-aging properties, which I suppose are not of too much benefit to me right now but it smooths fine lines and wrinkles and moisturises and plumps the skin at the same time as creating this flawless base. I think that it just incredible.

I have been so, so impressed with this foundation. It lasts really well on me all day and has just generally performed better than anything I have ever tried. My other favourite foundation, Lancome Teint Idole, I feel does not provide this level of coverage or the same flawless finish.

Clarins Extra Comfort is a little on the expensive side at £36.00 due to the fact that it is basically makeup and skincare combined. I think that it is worth it though!

I hope this review was of help if you are thinking of trying this foundation!

*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

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Review

I had seen this product pop up on several different blogs in recent weeks. From what I read, everyone seemed to adore this stuff so naturally I had to try it for myself. I think it was around £3.50 from Superdrug. I love the Palmer's exfoliator, and I remember trying the cocoa butter lotion years ago and liking it. The smell is just divine. So, can't go wrong with trying this!

Now I know what you are thinking, this looks like a tub of fat or grease. That's what I thought, and essentially it is true. It is like a thick grease that melts when it touches your skin. I rubbed a little into my hands when I first got it and quite liked it. It left my hands feeling a little greasy and I had to wipe it off my fingers and palms because I didn't want to get it everywhere! It is a real barrier cream! But, I did still kind of like it and think it would be good if you wanted to give your skin a treat because it feels really nourishing.

So later on that night after I had a shower, I used this all over as I would a regular body lotion. I felt disgusting! I was slipping and sliding everywhere, covered in grease! The lesson is to use this sparingly. I have restricted this product to use only on my hands and feet, knees and elbows. I wouldn't recommend using it all over!

I do really like this stuff, perhaps because I am addicted to the smell! But as it is so rich, I do feel like it would do your skin a lot of good. I  just wish it wasn't so greasy!

My first MAC purchases! Gleam & Trax Eyeshadows

Nobody sells MAC near where I live. While I was shopping in Dublin recently, I couldn't stop my curiosity walking past the MAC shop. I just had to go in and see what all the fuss is about.

I swatched a few of their eyeshadows, and I really fell in love with these two. They certainly do have an impressive selection of shades! I am kind of a sucker for shimmery shades too. Anyway, here is a closer look..

This is Gleam, a beautiful shimmery champagne colour. I can see pink tones in it too.

And here is Trax. I found this one a little hard to photograph in order to show its true beauty! As you can see it is a gorgeous purple with gold shimmer.

These eyeshadows are silky smooth, I absolutely love the formula and the pigmentation. Trust me, they look so much more beautiful in real life!
Well I couldn't wait to try these shadows out. I used Gleam all over my eyelid and Trax in the crease. I think these two shades look well together. They applied well and blended like a dream.

I have fallen in love with these two eyeshadows. As I have said before, I had never tried MAC products before, I had only heard about their products from reading blogs and on Youtube tutorials. I had heard that their eyeshadows were great, and I am certainly not disappointed. I do hope to expand my collection and I will definitely pick up another few MAC products next time too!

BABY B BROWNE Tan review!

A while ago I showed you my favourite tan which is Baby B Browne. I am so ready for spring, that lastnight I couldn't help tanning myself and getting rid of some of my winter clothes! I really think I look much healthier with tan on too. Anyway, here are some before and after photos!

Firstly I am so sorry you have to see my Irish corned beef complexion! The left leg is obviously no tan at all, and my right leg was just after applying the tan. So obviously it hadn't fully developed but I still think even at this stage it makes such a difference.

Now this photo was taken this morning. I absolutely love the natural look of this tan. It smells absolutely amazing, this morning there is a little hint of that typical tan smell, but the formula itself is a lovely vanilla scent!

This tan is about £15.00 a bottle, very reasonable and I would say very comparable to something like St Tropez which I have tried before, however I think that the longevity is much better, I can get a full week out of this tan without it going patchy.

I have just ordered some Cocoa Brown tan, I have heard so much about it and I can't wait to review it when it comes!

Benefit - Blast from the Past!

I have these three "vintage" Benefit items...

Does anyone remember these??

I remember getting this Hollywood Glo as a Christmas present! I never really liked the product itself as I found it was a bad colour, and also it is really heavily perfumed. But look at the bottle!! It's as if it is straight from the 1920s and that is what I loved about it! 

Check out how 1920s this tin looks! It is the same as the Hollywood Glo only in cream form, I never really used this either, as you can see!

And this is the very first Benefit product I ever bought. I got it in San Francisco way back in 2005! I absolutely fell in love with this gorgeous powder puff, it is so elegant and of course vintage looking. It has a nice smell and when you pat it onto yourself, very fine glitter comes out. I just checked it on my arm and it still works! 

I really wish Benefit would go back to making their products more vintage inspired like they used to. It is what attracted me to them in the first place. I know they still have beautiful packaging, but I really feel that when you compare it to these that it has become a lot more fresh and modern.