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!

NOTD: Essence Choose Me!

Lots of colours could be matched with this.

Just a quick nail of the day for you all. I can't get enough of this shade at the moment and have been reapplying non-stop. Its Essences Colour and Go range Choose Me! in number 38.

 Its a beautiful and full of glitter deep bluey green colour. You need 2 coats to make it really stand out and get about 3 days wear before it starts to chip. I always put a clear finishing coat on top just to try and make it last a bit longer. Its really easy to take off as well, no scrubbing required! Ignore the silver nail in the middle, I was trying out some of a friends collection and didn't bother to take it off. I think the colours go well together.

Essence is a cheap as chips brand that I have been buying from for ever. You can get yours in Boots, most chemists and Pennys (Primark.)  There are so many shades of nail varnish to choose from and for as little as €2 you would be mad not to try some of them out. I'm a big fan of their eye liner and finishing powder too. 

Candles and a messy basket of earrings!

Have you ever tried the Essence range?

I Went Ice Skating

For those who know me and some that don't, the title of this will bring a painful, tear jerking, hold-onto-your-sides kind of laughter to you. Yes I went ice skating. The most clumsy, lack of coordination girl you could possible think of, doubled. Why do this to yourself one may ask? Well, because I hadn't done it in years and unhelpfully forgot how awful I am at it.

This all went down in Dundrum shopping centre. Thank god it was late because there were only about 15 of us on the rink. As I space walked towards the door after putting on my skates, I was reminded of a friends response to me telling him my plans of this. He laughed, in my face. The dear. Asking if I really wanted to show my boyfriend how I awkward am. I have been going out with Stephen over a year now and we live together. There is nothing the guy hasn't seen. Yet I was hesitant of it still. 

In the allocated  time given, I managed a grand total of 1 time around the whole circle. I held onto the side for dear life while trying to pose and look like I was doing fantastically every time Stephen turned round to see where I was. I think my lowest point was when I nearly wet myself laughing at a man who was clinging onto the side bar trying to get out of doing the splits and failing. But karma bites hard in the ass and no sooner had I wiped the tears away, I was that desperate soul clinging on, trying to get my footing. 

As I lay across the side of the rink panting and watching everyone else go by, one of the attendants skated by in what can only be described as an Olympic gold medal fashion asking if I was ok. To which I unintentionally spoke my mind and spat ''I hate you''. Now he smiled and took it to mean I was jealous of his skills, thank god. None the less, when it came to getting off time and I was like a limpet against a rock, the guy thought I was having him on not wanting to move. I managed a laugh at his face when realisation hit him that I indeed was terrified and wasn't about to move without the help of a crow bar to detached me from the side. He half carried me off. Lovely fellow that he was.

All in all a wonderful experience that I will gladly take part in again next year. With a few drinks. And possibly only through being dragged onto it the ice, kicking and screaming.

Nails: Essence  in Choose me! 38.

But for my efforts I was rewarded with a penguin teddy, the little guy above. I'll show you him and my lovely chocolate milkshake/nail varnish (right) instead of  the one picture Stephen captured of me holding onto the side in a frantic pose while looking as if I am either going to burst into tears or kill someone. I was far away from an exit point at that time, let me just add in my defence.  

On a side note this was McDonalds finest large chocolate milkshake that they had to offer. Not sure why being thirsty is fun. Is there some ironic value I'm missing here? I hate being outsmarted by my drinks.

Thats all from me for now. Did anyone else have experiences like this while skating or is it just me?