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.

Lush: Lifes A Beach, And Other Things

I'm back again lovely people of the internet! If you were wondering why I fell off the face of the earth, I explain it all over here. But lets get away from that for the moment to talk about all things Lush. Over the past few months I've been lacking an interest in anything beauty related, but not so long ago I was invited to have a goo at the new things that Lush has to offer, and it sparked something brilliant back into me, ( - Now now, dirty jokes are reserved for Sexual Sunday posts.) They have brought in so many news things and said goodbye to some old favourites as well. But while I morn the loss of my beloved Dorthy bubble bar, I have to tell you about the exciting new things to grace the shelves.

First is something very new to Lush, *Lifes A Beach is a body scrub in the form of a powder. A mixture of fine sea salt, sand, vanilla absolute, tonka absolute, and gardenia extract to name a few, this is a seriously beautiful smelling product. Not too scrubby and yet perfect to use before shaving or putting on some tan. However this isn't cheap at £12.50 (roughly €18) a pop for 400g, so this might be one to splurge on then save. It also comes in a pretty box, but be warned that cardboard boxes and showers don't mix very well together. This is one I'd give a miss if you were 'just in for a look' at.

*The Experimenter is one of the most colourful and visually pleasing bath bombs that Lush has stocked on its shelves. Not only does it look cool, but once you drop it in the bath it really makes for a show. Its not often I stick around to watch bath bombs do their thing, but this is the exception. This has tonka and vanilla absolute, along with vetivert oil to give it a strong masculine and what some would describe it as a woody scent. This isn't my cup of tea scent wise, but I can't fault it when it looks like that! This is £3.95 (the €5/€6 mark). One that you will either love or hate, do have a sniff next time you pop in.

A new product that blew my little mind when I first saw it, *Damaged. We all know and love the different hair treatments that Lush has o offer in their big roundy black pots of joy, but this is a whole new level of fancy. Now there are three different hot oil treatments to choose from, all in the form of cake pop like treats. You simply put a small amount of hot water into a cup along with your product and stir until its liquefied and your left with the stick and a lovely smelling thick and creamy product. Slather it onto your dry hair and leave it to work some magic for about 20 minutes. Damaged has olive, avocado and almond oil to help ease damaged hair along with some fair trade vanilla absolute to give it that divine scent. This is £6.50 (about €8.70). I'll totally be trying out all of these as I dye my hair so often.

This lovely bubble bar caught my eye when it was recommended by one of the lovely Lush staff. I asked him for something that would help take a guys clothes off, and so Karma was pointed out. Lemongrass, mango butter, patchouli and orange oil are just some of the good things packed into this little glittery purple pyramid. And I can tell you, that lovely Lush employee couldn't have picked a better product! This comes in at £4.25 (about €5/€6). 

Lastly one that gave me a little giggle, *Wash That Man Right Out Of My Hair shower gel. This is right up my street, with rose, jasmine and ylang ylang absolute it makes it smell so lovely and sweet, while the sandalwood oil gives it that extra softening feel on your skin. Even if you don't own a bath to enjoy the bath bombs Lush has to offer, you can still indulge with this little bottle of wonderful stuff. For 100g its £4.75 (about €6.50).

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

Empties #11

I'll be the first to say I am shitty at doing empties posts when I read back over them a few months on. Its times like this when I wish I made youtube videos, because then I could waffle on and it wouldn't end up being a massive long post with overbearing paragraphs and loads of photos. So with that in mind, I decided to take my photos differently to how I normally do for these posts and I also cut out some of the boring same-same shampoos, body sprays and the rest. Hopefully it might add something to them, but do feel free to tell me its awful, I'm chipping away at sprucing it up!

Above is some hair bits, most notable is my massive Pantene that I got on offer in Tesco and really liked considering its not a brand I use often. While it didn't give me a 'wow' factor, it didn't bug me and I ran through it. A quick rant for Herbal Essences cos' this gave up the ghost one day and refused to work, while still having half a bottle of product inside. I normally like this stuff, but man it bugged me!

Lastly from the pile, its clear to see I have a liking for the aul VO5 Give Me Texture goodness. I've even bought this when its not been on sale - lads that means a lot. I think this is great and if you have hair, I'd suggest trying it out. A little extra oopphh, while also smelling lovely.

I did a review on The Body Shop Fuji Green Tea range a while back, over here if you fancy a look at more of the line. But being honest, they were lovely to use but I wouldn't buy them myself as they cost way too much for what they are. A nice box of radox and some Ziaja scrub is much better for your pocket and the skin - or so I think.

Nip+Fab Detox Blend Scrub was something I bought from Cloud10 to try out ages ago and I thought it worked well enough. Not my first choice of body scrub, but I might pick it up again in future if I pass by. Side note though, the brand in general has some real gems so do check it out.

And a random one that the sister brought back from France for me, Caudelie Shower Gel. This was peach scented and I was sadly a bit wasteful with it, slathering it on in the shower instead of saving it up. So sad this is all gone and will totally be bothering her to bring me back some again in the future. 

Considering I really love the brand, I thought I'd be onto a winner with the Botanics 3in1 Cleansing Solution, but this didn't do it for me. I think a micellar water is basically more or less all the same, but some do genuinely stand out more then others. This was used up quickly purely because it was so bad at taking off make up I needed loads. Not one I'd ever pick up again.

My love for Ziaja is pure and true, and this toner has been bought more times then I can count. Love this brand with all my heart and love this toner equally. Although the star of the show and my number one product from the brand is in the next photo below.

If I'm feeling fancy, which is lets face it, often enough, I'll wonder over to No7. Theres something wonderful about this brand and although not everything they do I like, they do really know how to do cleansers. This is the beautiful skin cleanser for normal to dry skin. I have spot prone, combo skin but I love this so much I've yet to try one thats right for my skin type. However that said, it doesn't break me out or mess with my skin so I haven't had the need to try something different. Maybe the blogger in me will pick up some others, for science and review reasons. Cough. 

As I said above, Ziaja Rose Butter face scrub is my all time favourite thing from the brand and I've bought this easily 7-10 times since I found the brand. I think this is the best feckin scrub and every time I run out I'll try something different. It never matches up and I have to buy it again. Just. Pure. Love.

La Roche-Posay was a feckin gem in that mad heat. This is a little travel one, but I've a full size in the fridge waiting for me. Can't say enough good things. it has one job and it does it. Couldn't ask for more then keeping me from being an unintentional hot mess when I'm trying to be a lady. (Another side note, I add in bits of mildly sexual comments now and again in beauty posts, as you can see. But its gas when people complain that I only write one sex piece a week. If only they read my beauty stuff!) 

Something that I really disliked to begin with was Super Drugs Deep Action Facial Cleansing Pads. Nope, these were harsh, cheap, painful to use and smelled like I was on the hard stuff. But a few months later my skin changed a bit and I found them to be handy at making my face softer. But the real gem is that even when I have double cleansed, toned twice AND used some micellar water, these still managed to find dirt and traces to make up. I'm anal about my skincare routine so to see what comes off my mug after going at it with all that for a good 15 minutes means I'll be getting at least 3 pots when I'm in again. Mightn't suit the sensitive skin types though, as it is very alcohol-y.

  

Soap And Glory Sugar Crush is all kinds of good and one of my favourite scents from the brand. I'm actually running so low on S&G things, must stock up, cos' you can never go wrong with them! I'm a big fan of their body scrubs too.

A quick one on Lush now, just to say that So White was a Christmas shower gel and not really my thing. Kind of a more fruity bitter lime thing going on, whereas Its Raining Men is honey sweet and you can get it all year round. Its got to be the men for me. (But of course the ladies too!)

Yes, more Ziaja, and I enjoyed this micellar water way more then the Botanics one! I'd pick this up again no bother, but at €6 it is a little on the pricey side for the ml. This is where Garnier wins with their massive 400ml bottles for feck all.

Speaking of, Garnier 2in1 Eye Makeup Remover is life. I've bought easily over 12 of these bottles in the past year or two and I think its just really good stuff. Plus its normally on offer in Boots for under €3. It takes off all the heavy panda eye looks that I regularly sport, win!

This was fecked into the photo here because I forgot about it when piling all the hair stuff together. Tricky business, this blogging thing. Green Angel Conditioner was a little sample I got ages ago and honest to god its bloody amazing. Something I would highly recommend getting if you dye your hair a lot, use a lot of heat on it or in general have dry, frizzy, knotty, in need of tlc hair. Its the stuff.

All my favourite things in one photo. I have bought all these again and theres no real reason to say much about them, other then love, love, love. Seventeen is affordable, the coverage is intense, an SPF of 25 AND they make it in my colour. All hail Seventeen!

Revlon is also a good coverage foundation, a little more pricey but it stays put until its bed time. Honestly doesn't budge, love it! And then of course the cult love for Maybelline Eraser Eye is a concealer that I didn't like the look of, but fell for it once I tired it out. This this also on the pricey side but I've had 3 so far and will totally buy more.

Random section now/ Cutex is the best brand of nail varnish remover ever, just a fact! It doesn't do much in the line of strengthening or whatever else it claims, but it does take off nail varnish like a hero.

So this Garnier Body Oil was all the rage last year on the blogs, so naturally I picked it up. But man I hated the stuff as it was messy, didn't sink in and was like putting chip fryer grease on my skin. But after my skin had a seriously bad month of bring dry and my drawers didn't have any bath goodness in the line of softening me up, I fecked caution to the wind and plonked this stuff in. Its still going to make you feel a bit greasy, but man did this noticeable make a difference to my skin after steeping in it for 40 minutes. I towel dried and patted off the most of it, but in the morning it was like I'd brand new skin. Yes, it felt a bit gross, yes I did have to scrub the bath for a good 10-15 minutes, but totally worth it. I'll pick this up again purely for the bath.

Lastly in this massive long post (sorry lads, if you've read right to the end your all troopers and I love you like you don't even know!) is my favourite mask, Lush Mask Of Magnaminty. You don't need to leave it in the fridge like with their other masks and it lasts way longer too. Great one for helping fight spots and leaving your skin feeling fresh. Will buy this again soon!

Seventeen Define And Conquer Contour Kit

When this hit the shops a few months ago everyone went wild for it but it didn't speak to me so I left it on the shelf. A few weeks ago when I was in Boots picking up my regular Seventeen concealers and foundation, I decided to give this a try. Seventeen is one of my favourite most used brands and I do love myself a good contour. This was on special offer too, which added to my enabling. I'd been hearing a good few mixed opinions too, so I was interested to see how I got on with it.

First off it has really lovely packaging and a handy mirror. I really like that both the products are of equal size, as some contour kits can have far too much of one and not the other. These are in powder form which is my favourite kind and you can pick it up in two shades, something I'm hoping Seventeen might add to soon. Unfortunately as soon as I tired this for the first time I knew that it wasn't going to be a favourite of mine.

I found it to be powdery, hard to blend and too dark - I've tired both the fair and medium shades just to see if it helped. The highlighter wasn't noticeable at all and made no difference to the over all look. However on the other end of the scale the contour I found really muddy and it didn't sit well on my skin at all. I just couldn't work either shades of them! 

There are a few good points though. This would be perfect for someone starting out on the contour bandwagon, its easy to use and matte so your not going to have a disco ball face on your practice runs! Its also travel friendly and the handy mirror adds bonus points. But overall this just didn't do it for me. I think the Sleek contour kit is way better and its also roughly the same price as this too, around the €8 mark. 

Have you tired this - What did you think?  

June Favourites

Its that time again and I'm a bit late with posting this but sure its here now! I've got woeful with posting over the past few months, but the mojo is hard to come by nowadays. This months favourites post had far too stuff in it, so this is the cut down version. Things like NCIS, Friends, comics and boiled eggs were high on the list. I also forgot to add in the life saver that was La Roche Posay thermal spring water spray, as it was in my fridge keeping cool. But man, I've gone through so much of it in the heat. Best thing ever.

Two things that I use daily and will have used to death pretty soon are the Wet'n'Wild Bare It All and my Mary Lou Manizer. Bare it all is a MAC dupe for Velvet Teddy and is just a gorgeous matte nude that needs to be in everyones life. Plus its only €2.99 so your not breaking the bank if you want to get yourself a lil' somein' somein'. You can see in in almost all my photos that I've posted up over the past two months. I'd wear it to bed if I could.

I'm not to natter on about Mary as I've done a full blog post all about her over here, so do have a look for the swatches and such. But in summary, its a keeper!

 Next are three things that have been keeping me happy the past while. Imperial Leather is a brand that I over look so much and theres never any love for it round the internets, so its easily forgotten about. I dug this Day At The Spa out of my drawer on a whim to use and my god am I glad I did. I've since bought two back ups from Tesco - its on special offer at the moment if anyone wants to pick up some of their body washes! Love the sweet scent of this and although its a bit sad to say, I do look forward to my shower in the morning that bit more now, because it smells so good!

After the shower I want something light and quick to slap on myself. This comes in the form of Ziaja's natural olive body balm. I love this brand and this in particular is one that I buy all the time, its so easy to use, drys in quickly and doesn't weigh you down or leave you greasy. Perfect if you need something to keep you topped up in between the odd session of thick moisturiser.

Although I love my heavy musky scents, I feel a bit over the top wearing them in the summer, so I have turned to DKNY Be Delicious Women. Its light, fruity and adds something extra. Not a scent thats overpowering but it also doesn't last long at all, so you have to top up a lot throughout the day.

  

And these last two are gems. Not sure why Wet'n'Wild is reading my mind, but I'm not complaining! Their new brow pencils are feckin' amazing and less then €3 so you can buy loads if you want back ups! I use this all the time, its replaced all my other brow products and its a must have in my make up bag. If you look at my Wet'n'Wild lipstick post over here, you'll see it in action. (along with feckin loads of their new lipsticks. Win win!)

And then my base, my love.Seventeens poreless primer was a on a whim buy, I didn't really want it. But I thought I might have a go and it turned out to be one of my best buys in the longest time. I suffer with the biggest pores known to man and nothing I have ever tired seems to help with them. That was, until I tried this little beaut. If you have a few bob left over from buying Wet'n'Wild goodies, then pick this fella up, you wont be disappointed!

Sexual Sunday: The Unedited Version

Some of you will have seen that I was featured in an online edition of a magazine last week - which was lovely, speaking about all things 'kinky' and sex related. I just wanted to put up the full unedited version of all my answers to the questions I was sent for the article. I noticed that the (has to be done) heavy editing resulted in my constant mantra of all things safe, consensual and non judgmental being left out in order to what I can only image was to fit into short, snappy answers and also to make it sound more user friendly.

You might also note that a lot of what I'm talking about below is now already done or my opinions might have changed as when I was contacted in February the piece was to be originally published in their printed magazine for May, but unfortunately for some reason that was never done as my many photos weren't just right. Now, enjoy! 

How and when did your blog start?

I started my blog on the 30th of December 2012 as a pre new years resolution to myself. I was living with my partner at the time, out of work and down in the dumps. I follow so many blogs, there like a religion to me! Reading them everyday and getting to add a comment made me feel like part of something special. I don't have any friends who like make up and beauty, so starting up my own blog was an outlet for me where I could rant about something I found really great and not get blank stares in return. Or god forbid, a round of shhing in the pub while the lads watch a match!

Sex and beauty is an unusual combo – what made you decide to cover both?

As the saying goes, a little of what you like never hurts. I'm a massive beauty lover and have a house coming down with my latest buys and offers from Boots. I can't pass up a new lotion or potion, not when its sitting there begging to go home with me. But then I've also a big interest in sex and no one else in Ireland seemed to be blogging about it, so I decided to change that. I like pushing boundaries and informing people of things they might not have otherwise known if they hadn't clicked onto my blog. I've learned loads more by blogging about sex too.

What was the appeal of writing about sex, in particular?

Sex was never something that got talked about at home when I was younger. I had to figure out what was what myself, along with the occasional poorly taught sex ed classes in school. Now that I'm older and wiser, sex has turned into something I love talking about and I wish I had found a sex blog that talked openly and frankly about sex when I was younger. For so many its a taboo subject and in 2015 I don't think thats ok. Men and women alike have contacted me to say they hadn't known about certain topics until they read it on my blog and that saddens me. When theres answers at the click of a button, why not encourage the conversation as much as I can and help to get others asking questions, wanting to learn more about sex, sexuality, toys and all that they entail.

What is the most enjoyable aspect of blogging for you?

Every time I sit down to write a post I panic for a good 10 minutes about how I will write it. What kind of layout will I do, if I should redo my photos for the third time that day or if I should give it all up and run from the internet forever. Then I take a quick glance at whatever I'm talking about that day and suddenly the post is written as if I'd just chatted about it to a friend. When you have genuine excitement for loving and wanting to share your thoughts about a product or topic, then it just flows. Oh, the utter satisfaction!

How often do you blog?

How long is a piece of string? I try to blog as often as I can, but some days it just doesn't happen for one reason or another. At the moment I'm trying hard to blog every single Sunday for my #SexualSunday posts that are dedicated to any and all things about sex. If they aren't posted or published late, people message me to ask where they are, which is both a pressure and absolutely lovely all in one! Other then that, I try to have at least three other posts during the week or more if I can mange.

Do you have one must-have beauty product?

Asking me that is like asking me to choose between my two cats, I could never do it! If I had to answer that in a desert island way, I would say Benefit They're Real mascara, Collections pen eyeliner, Seventeens Phwoarr concealer and a Sleek eye shadow. Don't get me started on hair or skin care, we would be needing a bigger island.

Do you get freebies? If so, whats the best freebie you have ever gotten?

I'm extremely lucky to receive samples to try out from time to time. And to be perfectly honest, each time I get something its always the new 'best freebie'. I get high end products, but then I also get more affordable brands and they all get me giddy with excitement of trying something new out and then to be able to share my thoughts about them to everyone else who might read my blog.

Why do you think more people in Ireland don't write (or even talk!) about sex?

Ireland seems to be very behind the times when it comes to anything sex related. Theres a certain feeling that your just not to talk about it because your a good Catholic girl/boy and the fear of your mammy finding out would only lead to the wooden spoon. What would the neighbours think. I'm delighted to see younger generations talk more openly about sex, but the older generations seem to be finding it hard to accept that its ok to talk about it now.

Whats the most interesting thing you have learnt while sex blogging? Has anything surprised you?

The one thing that has surprised me is the amount of hate I have gotten from people who might be very religious. They seem to come across my blog and feel the need to write to me or comment, telling me that I am polluting  minds or not being Christian enough. I never publish negative or hateful comments to my blog and always delete the emails, but none the less it baffles me that there are still mind sets like that. And that they take the time to write to me!

Is it an area you would like to expand on your blog?

I'd love to write more and do more sex blogging, but for now I am going to shops in Dublin on my own time. Trying to get interviews from sex shop owners or staff isn't as easy as I had hoped when I started my #SexualSunday slot. I also spend a lot of time nosing around sex toy shops comparing prices and product stock, so one post a week is all I can manage for the time being.

You review sex shops, whats next?

Reviewing sex shops is my new project for 2015, although I blogged a lot about sex acts and did reviews of lovely toys I was kindly sent before this. I really like all aspects of sex and I have plans of trying speed dating and kink nights in Dublin some time in the future. I think it would be something fun to write about and give readers a few giggles or more information.

Do you think its only a matter of time before more people start writing about sex?

I would really love to see more Irish people writing about sex, so I hope so! I've noticed a new trend of talking about dating experiences, things that happen on Tinder and bloggers giving their own dating advice. A few years ago it was taboo to talk about online dating, but now its perfectly acceptable to say you met your other half on a dating site. I hope dating and relationship advice is soon pushed a little further and sex will be talked of more.

How do people respond when you tell them you are a sex blogger? Did you tell your family and friends – and if so, what do they think?!

Its not something that I shout from the roof tops, but then not many people do when it comes to hobbies. I write about sex because I enjoy it and learn just as much along the way as I'm sure some of my readers do. But when I do mention that I blog about sex, its always the same reaction, shock and surprise. A lot of people get the wrong idea before I set them straight. They think that sex blogging means a tell all in depth account of my sexual encounters, instead of a continuous open conversation about different topics of safe sex, consent and reviews.

As for my friends, they were never shocked about me beginning to write about sex. If you knew me for ten minutes you would know that I love pushing out those awkward taboo topics and making others feel comfortable to talk about whatever they like. After all, we all have sex, were all here because of it (sorry for the mental image!) so why not talk about it like we talk about the weather?

My family I'm sure have copped on by now that its not just make up I blog about as I was interviewed on a programme late last year about dating and sex. They all saw it, even the neighbours!

What do you think is the biggest taboo in the world of sex?

Anything to do with men enjoying anal sex. There is still a huge misconception that if a man enjoys anal sex of any kind, then he must be gay. It frustrates me that we shame others out of enjoying sexual experiences for fear of the judgment and repercussions. The same can be said for all things under the kink/BDSM umbrella. 50 Shades of Grey has definitely made some things more acceptable such as light bondage, blindfolding and a Dominate/submissive relationship. But there are a lot more 'hardcore' things such as the wearing of gimp masks, ball gags and medical play that are big taboos as people don't understand them or dismiss them as weird.

Where do you stand on porn – fine in moderation, or is it a total no-no for you?

There is nothing wrong with porn at all, I always encourage partners to watch it if they wish without the fear of judgment. It can lead to really interesting conversations and suggestions! As long as it is consensual for all involved to be there preforming sexual acts and to be filmed while doing so, porn is great.

Do you think it has a negative effect on society?

I think viewing porn is fine when it is in moderation and people understand that porn is made like any other film. People have a lot of make up on, some might be over exaggerating the act or making sounds for effect. They can be given instruction on how to place themselves and how to portray their role. Porn acts can't and wont be the same in real life, for the most part. Real life sex is sometimes awkward, funny or just all over the place and thats ok! Its when people have an expectation from watching porn that can't become a reality that it starts becoming negative.

What annoys you about the sex culture in Ireland?

The fact that its still considered taboo to talk about sex, or that people don't have a mature out look on it. I was walking out of a sex shop the other day in Temple Bar when a group of adult men started whistling and shouting about a woman being in a sex shop, asking if I had bought a dildo. They soon were silenced when I walked over to them and said that I had indeed bought a dildo and would advice them all to do the same. If you shamed someone for walking out of Penneys with a bag, you would be laughed at. Why should it be any different walking out of a sex shop?

Do you think Irish people need to be more open?

In short, yes. I think we are slowly getting there, but theres a very long way to go. The more we start having these conversations and opening it up to others to join in and give their opinions or questions, the better. Thats what I try to do every time I write a #SexualSunday post. Its always my most read of the week and although a lot of people wont openly comment on my blog, I get emails and messages from people telling me how much they enjoy and learn from them. Its wonderful to know that my tiny blog is making a difference to even one person.

Do you think its important to be adventurous in the bedroom?

I don't think its mandatory, but I always encourage it. If you are happy having a normal 'quiet' sex life, then more power to you. But sometimes its fun to explore a little bit and see what you like and what your partner likes. It can help a relationship become closer, or even just help you have a better understanding of yourself and what your sexual preferences are.

Best sex shop you have visited?

Now thats a hard one. I've been into lots of different shops and they all have amazing qualities about them. If your looking for friendly staff in a 'women friendly' environment, then Miss Fantasia (South William St) is great. If your looking for a fountain of knowledge and supplies of medical play items, Good Vibrations (Capel St) is your shop. All things bondage, masks and amazing smelling leather can be found in Basic Instincts (Temple Bar). There are a few bad apples, but the majority or sex shops in Dublin have something special about them.

If you could give three tips to Irish women about their sex lives, what would they be?

(1) Masturbate. If you don't know what you like and how you like it, how will any partners know where to begin.

(2) If your not a fan of talking during sex, then sit down and have a conversation about what you like and how you like it. What are things that aren't ok to do and ask the same things to your partner. Once you know each others preferences, its so much easier and more enjoyable to have great sex.

(3) If your partner judges things you like or wont listen to you when your not comfortable or want to stop, they they are not worthy of you or your time. Listening, acceptance and consent should be number one. But if they are being ignored then theres no foundation for any type of relationship, be it long term or a one night stand. Go to bed alone and repeat (1)!

Were going sex toy shopping but we can only buy three – what would you recommend?

1. My number one sex toy of 2014 was my Doxy massage wand. If you have bits, then this needs to be in your life. Its non penetrative  and has lots of vibrating speeds with a really long cord. You can use it to stimulate the clit and nipples, but its also great for men who want to feel something new on their penis or balls. Endless possibilities!

2. Kegal balls that are made of silicone. These are inserted inside you to help strengthen your pelvic muscles and can be worn all day. I think they are great fun to use and it can be really sexy to mention casually to your partner that you have something inside you. Teasing is the best

3.  A cock ring. You will obviously need a male partner for this one, but this will make him super hard, last longer and you can buy ones that vibrate too so both of you are getting extra pleasure.