New From Sleek: LipVIP Semi Mate Lipsticks

I'm  a huge fan of Sleek, especially their gorgeous eyeshadow palettes. I don't think a week goes by (when I'm wearing make up that is!) that I don't reach for one of those beauties. Another thing that I carry in my hand bag as a stable is their True Colour Lipstick in a daring purple shade called Mystic. But thats not listing all my favourites. Basically what I'm saying is me and Sleek are very good friends. So when I heard the affordable brand was launching new Lip VIP semi matte lipsticks, I naturally decided it was best to try get my hands on every shade!

Priced at €7.49 each, they come in six shades from a pinky nude (pictured), to a gorgeous red and even an orange (pictured). Apart from the small range of colours - which I hope they bring out more of in the future, I'm not a massive fan of the packaging. Its only something small as I really like the product itself, but I feel like it looks very cheap and can't help think of Penneys own brand of lipstick when I see them. Normally Sleek products are an understated but lovely black matte, which works well for the palettes, but I'm not a lover of these. Personally, I think their older lipsticks are much more visually appealing, 

But thats just me nit picking over them. The important thing is, do they do the job. Pictured above is the nude 'Private Booth'* and the orange 'Flaunt It'*. The entire range are wearable shades, for everyday use but they do come out different on the lips then I first thought they would from looking at the bullet. With vitamin E, shea butter and coconut oil, they glide on smoothly and are extremely pigmented without needing to apply a lot of product.

 That said, I'm not sure if I would consider them semi matte as they don't really dry at all and sit more like a regular moisturising lipstick. But considering I have less then perfect lips, I don't see how this could be a bad thing! Those of you who have tried wearing fully matte lipsticks while you have chapped or rough lips will know what I'm preaching here!

Overall, a bit of a bargain if you want something that wont open in your handbag (tired and tested!) and like more pinky colours of lipstick. And of course that you can put on easily without a mirror if your on the go as they glide on so well. I've yet to find them in Boots, but you can pick them all up on Sleeks own site. 

*I did not pay for this item, it was a PR gift.  Please see my disclaimer here.

Seventeen: Easy On The Eye

There was a great buzz around Seventeen recently when some new eye and lip palettes were launched and the world and its wife had to have one to try out. I held back for a few weeks, not really bothered by the mad rush for one, but knowing how good Seventeen was, I had no doubt that the quality would be amazing. And I was right! Theres nothing that I don't really love about this, and even before you finish reading this, I'd run out like a loon (or sophisticated person) and buy one. 

I've also taken a fair few photos of this to try and show the shades in the changing light. Just in case anyone is wondering why in gods name some of the lighting looks so different, it was just an overcast and cloudy day! However the one time that it was beautifully bright was when I went to take photos of the swatches. You can't ask for better then that!

The palette itself is plain, but sturdy none the less. It houses 8 matte, shimmer and pearl shadows, 3 metallic creams and 1 eye primer. All of them are utterly gorgeous and the pigmentation is brilliant and they are all great to build on. I'm also really impressed by the minimal fall out - and thats with really packing on the product. For €10.99 I think its a feckin' bargain! They also have another palette that has warmer tones with purples galore. I didn't think twice before choosing one though, as the light nudes and shimmery browns are my most loved and go to colours.

Above from L-R light nude, a darker shimmer, a lighter pearl and one metallic shade. 

It comes with a lovely big mirror and a double ended brush too, although I've not been a fan of those little awful brushes for years. If thats not enough, when you buy your palette you also get a how to hints and tips leaflet. It doubles as a voucher that gets you €3 off one of Seventeens mascaras. (which I will totally be using some time soon!) 

Another thing that I noticed was that some of the shades were similar to the Naked 3 palette. Some of the pink tones and also the darkest red-brown from the palette really stood out and I knew that I had something in my collection that was a lot more expensive, but almost equally the same shade. Obviously not all the shades are the same, but I think if your on a budget and love the looks that the Naked 3 can create, then maybe give it a go. It would also make a really gorgeous Christmas pressie for any make up lover!

Boots has Seventeen on offer at the moment, along with all of their make up in the 3 for 2 offer, so you might need to pick it up for the extra bargain!

The New Lush Face Masks

 If you follow me over on Instagram (where I basically just live!) then you'll have seen that I was at a Lush event recently. While I was there I got to poke and prod at all their lovely new products and launches - which is a serious amount of stuff let me just tell you that. I'll have a Christmas product post coming up soon, so do look out for that. But for now I want to, no wait, need to tell you about the two new editions to their selection of fresh face masks on offer. I'll admit, I only ever pick up a Lush face mask when I'm bringing back my 5 empty black pots. But once these two are finished I will genuinely be back to buy some, they've upped the Lush game!

First is the bright and beautiful blue Don't Look At Me. This is perfect for those who want to exfoliate away dead skin and get smoother, softer results. This surprised me as it smells and feels like some of the Lush Rub Rub Rub body scrub with sea salt, but its actually little bits of ground rice in there! It drys really well which is another thing that I was concerned about, as they are little chunks and I thought they might end up falling off if I wasn't careful. It contains murumura butter, grapefruit oil, tofu and Tunisian neroli. This is also meant to brighten skin as it contains lemon juice.

Highly recommend this one for those who like to exfoliate often or for someone who wants brighter and softer skin. I really enjoy using it and it also smells really pleasing - I wont mention here, that one certain garlic face mask that makes me want to be sick!

However, my most favourite out of the two has to be the utterly gorgeous Rosey Cheeks. From the smell to the texture of this, there is nothing that I don't love. If your a fan of the Lush body conditioner, Ros Argan, then you will think this stuff is the bees knees. With Turkish rose oil and fresh rose petal infusion being the main scent, theres also kaolin and calamine packed into the little pot. 

If your skin suffers with uneven skin tone or general oily patches then this will calm and sooth it, to leave you with a fresh matte complexion. I think everyone needs one of these in their collections, especially with the colder winter season thats come recently. Its perfect after being out in hash wind or if its a bit nippy. And remember, if you collect and clean 5 black Lush pots, bring them back to the shop and you'll get a free face mask!

Autumn Penneys Haul

I was in desperate need of a few new warm jumpers and things from Penneys and the other weekend I wondering in and went a bit mad. Now since then I've gone back in and I picked up a few more things (isn't that always the way?) so you can see that little haul over on my Instagram here. But the first time that I went in I couldn't help but pick up a few basic string tops above. There only €2.50 each so I always love picking up some when I'm passing them. I also saw this black Boo! clutch bag a few weeks ago and found it in a reduced section from €8 down to €3. Couldn't help but pick it up!

Next is a gorgeous structured dark pink hand bag that I've had my eye on for a while. It comes in loads of other colours and I'm very tempted to pick up a black one as it was €12. Its great to have a big bag that you can put the kitchen sink in again!

I also got this gorgeous light sequins cardi that is great for the sparkly season thats upon us. It was a little pricey at €18 but its actually really warm and I know I'm going to get lots of use from it. It also comes in a jumper form and two other darker colours if you fancy one. 

This is another cardi that really pleases me. It was also about €18 but its a lovely big chunky knit with short bat sleeves, a big collar and is so comfy. I'd recommend giving this one a look if you were passing, I know its one that I'm going to regret in a few years not picking up a second I love it that much! And also its a really nice colour that I'm seeing a lot this year.

This one is another basic mid sleeved round neck top for €8 but its made with such soft material that I picked up another in a dark red since. Its not very structured so its a comfy baggy fit and goes really well with the mustard cardi above. 

 I recently got a new bed from Ikea and wanted to get some lights to put on the headboard. Penneys is stocking so many different kinds of lights this year and when I was at the till I saw these 40 clear fairy lights for only €3 - so naturally I had to pick them up! Below is a photo of them in action.

And lastly more basic bits that I needed to pick up. Two purple knickers (these fit so well!) for €2, a black pair of leggings for €4, a handy little make up sponge that was only €1.50 and a lovely new Wet'n'Wild lipstick that was less then €3.

Sorry about the utter crappy quality of the photos above, they were all taken on my phone and in dull light that was fast going. If you want to see any of the above in better quality I've been posting a lot on Instagram and most of them are all shown. So take a gander over here!

Sexual Sunday: Playboy Against Womens Bodies?

If your new round these parts then you mightn't know that Sunday is the day of rest and also a perfect excuse for sex or some sexy reading - or both, you lucky ducks! Sometimes I like to review sex toy shops and other times I just ramble on about anal or casual dating. Today its all about Playboy, enjoy!

Not so long ago headlines like 'Nudes are old news at Playboy' will have been plastered all over the place and it was hard to miss. One of the most iconic 'sexy' brands are going to be giving up what they are most well known for, nudity. Why you might ask, well because of the internet of course. There is nothing you can in a magazine that you can't get more of - and in more depth or extreme ways, then online. Playboy has seen a massive decrease in the amount of magazines its selling monthly and they are looking for ways to boost sales. Love it or hate it, Playboy has been around since 1953 with Marilyn Monroe on the very first cover, and it seems like its not going anywhere any time soon.

With the website being made safe for work since 2012 they have a seen a huge increase of traffic and hope that this will continue to happen, along with the magazine. Some of the other notable changes will include a sex positive female who will write the Mr Jones sex column and the target audience will be young employed men. Leaving aside the 'sex positive female' for a second, lets just focus on the lack of nudity. Or should I say, 'what about the tits!?' as a lot of people commenting on the articles and news stories discussing this.

Personally I don't really have a problem with Playboy as a magazine. Along with it publishing interviews with people such as Jimmy Carter, Malcolm X and Valdimir Nabokov, it was one of a kind when it began and its played some part in bringing women who have been on the pages since more fame. It was one of the first notable magazines to publish a cover with an African American woman on the cover (Darine Stern) which helped to shift peoples ideas of beauty. It had featured two other African American Playmates by the time, but Naked African Americans were only published in magazines produced for and targeted at the black community. I'm not suggesting that I have an entirely positive stance on it however as it does objectify women and if your to believe all the things that are said to have gone on in the Playboy Mansion, then it could be indeed a very negative and scary brand to be involved with and give your money to. 

Back to the 'sex positive female' who will now write the Mr Jones articles for a minute, Its sad that it must be stated the person who is writing will be positive about sex. I haven't ever seen the same statement made when men write for it. I'm not having a big feminist rant here, don't get me wrong, I'm just doing my regular rolling of the eyes at how crappy people still are.

I feel that it could all be a PR stunt to get people talking about Playboy again and have it on the map, So far they have certainly succeeded in getting the brand onto every paper, site and social media platform, even with the meme of 'I only read it for the articles'. Now that 'all' that will be left are the articles, I wonder how long it will be before we see models strip again for the cause. Playboy has said that while there will still be women posing and center folds, it will be tasteful and artful. The covers are said to echo this too, as studies done showed younger people to 'like art' as Cory Jones, who is chief content officer of the magazine, was quoted on. 

I might be majorly in the wrong for saying this, but when you take the sex appeal out of a well known sexy magazine, your not left with a lot. Those who have bought it for the purpose of seeing nudes will doubtfully now buy it for the editorial content and the artistic photography, when they can get what was denied to them for free online and in greater quantities. It will be really interesting to see how this develops and what Playboys annual figures are once nudity is taken away from March 2016. I know personally I'll get the last nudity copy and then the next issue, just to compare.

So, is it good or bad that nudity is soon gone from Playboy? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Essence Haul Enabling

I've not been feeling make up hugely over the past month or two, but recently Essence reignited my love for it again. I was pottering around Penneys when I noticed the lovely Liquid Nail Effects Polish in Lady Mermaid. It comes out just like it looks in the bottle, although you need to put on a good few layers. This brought me back to an Essence stand in the hop[es of getting a white base coat so the nail varnish would go on better. Unfortunately I was away with the fairies and instead picked up The Gel Nail Polish in Give Me Nude, Babe! which is a clear varnish that has glitter through it. Its actually a lovely nail varnish and I would recommend it to anyone that wanted something subtle and nothing to bright. So really a happy accident as I love to use it now!

When your at a budget band stand you can't help but pick up a few lip products. I have almost every lip liner shade that Essence has to offer, but I picked up this peachy pink one in Wish Me A Rose. Its lovely and works a treat for the price, but I do find some of my slightly more pricey lip liners last longer. Also the name of this one is misleading as its not at all 'Rose' or red!

The newish Sheer & Shine Lipsticks caught my eye and I picked up Sparkling Miracle. This has a very sweet scent, so do be warned for those who are sensitive to smells. This is a surprisingly pigmented lipstick and stays really moist on the lips - I've been using a lot of matte lipsticks so its nice to get something a little more comfortable. This is a really lovely your-lips-but-better shade and its buildable too, so you can whack on one quick layer or if your like me, draw it around your lips a billion times. This isn't one you'll need a mirror for either, its great!

Its come to my attention recently on a big make up clean that I was severally lacking in mascaras, only having a handful to my name. (And half of those are almost finished ones too). I picked up Multi-Action Volume Mascara in black. This claims to give volume, length and perfect separation. And do you know, it didn't blow me over, but it isn't a bad mascara either if your not looking to fork out for something expensive. I'm going to keep it in the bottom of my hand bag for those days where I need a little something on my eyeballs, but wont cry if it goes missing. Also, when compared to other budget brand Wet'n'Wild mascaras, Essence ones will always win. 

Bur saying that, any other brand Liquid Eyeliner will win, I bought this Extra LongLasting one and its really dreadful. Not a proper black, fades quickly and goes on streaky, this isn't a good buy. The one good thing about it is that the nib of the pen is narrow so you do get precise application. This is one I would recommend for those that want to start practicing winged eyeliner, but don't want to spend a fortune for an eyeliner that they'll be rubbing off and redoing a bit to begin with. 

Next is a palette that I've seen doing the rounds on the interwebs. There are several different kinds to choose from and I picked up the All About Roses Eyeshadow. I really like the shimmer in these and 8 shadows for only a few quid is a bargain. I love that you can do a great smoky eye with this and I've been a bit obsessed with doing it daily since getting the palette. I particularly like the top right hand dark purple brown shade. Its really something. The lighter shadows wont give you the most amazing pigment, but the darker ones do the job perfectly, with hardly any fall out if your careful and take the time to pat it on. 

Lastly my two favourite buys from this haul, the blushes. I saw the 'new' Matt Touch Blush in Berry Me Up! and it was love. This goes on like a dream and I can't say a bad word about it. Utter love. Not satisfied with one, I found Blush Up! in Heat Wave that was half price and had to have it as well. This is a little bright on my skin tone, but I'm still playing around with it and will do my best to make it work!

Thats all of my haul, I've posted several photos to Instagram of my nails and all of this make up in action, so do have a look over here!

Etsy: Pygmy Pumpkin

Its not very often that I get genuinely excited about jewellery. I tend to wear the same few bits that I pick up in Penneys and not really think too much of it. But when these gorgeous things from Pygmy Pumpkin came out in the post to me last week, I was really excited. Its not often that I come across a shop so well suited to my tastes as this one and its hard not to love whats on offer. The Halloween selection is really cute, plus I love the Batman earrings (not currently listed on the site, but do email and ask about it!)

Its not just Halloween fun that you can nab, theres also lots of animals, leaves and flowers to name a few. The shop is extra special to me as its run by none other then fellow blogger, lovely Elaine of RubyLaineMakeUp. I can't recommend having a goo at her shop enough over here, if not for the cute handmade things or the bargain prices, then for the picture of her little hedgehog, Pumpkin.

If you want to see the full collection and give Elaine an email about some of her gorgeous things, take a look at her Instagram page here and feast those eyeballs! Its just the right time to search for that perfect little added Halloween touch.