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!

W7 HD Foundation And Sponge Applicator

When w7 gets it right, they really know what their doing. Theres been many a totally wonderful dupe, with things like the Naked palettes, Benefit blushes and mascaras. But the one thing I hadn't ever picked myself up was their brushes or foundation. Whatever about slapping things on my eyes, when it comes to foundations and brushes, I'm really fussy and hard to please. I tend to have tonnes in the back of draws that I wont touch because I felt it just wasn't up to scratch. (I give them away to family and friends, don't worry I'm not hording them!)

So when these came in the post I was intrigued to say the least. If I'm honest I wasn't expecting much from the foundation. *HD foundation in the lightest shade, buff, claiming to last 12 hours with a light coverage. After giving it a good shake, I applied it with my trusty kabuki brush and noticed that it was lightweight, with an almost - mousse foundation feel. It matched my skin tone almost perfectly which I was pleased with, as it can be hard to find a good match for me with budget brand makeup. It was really easy to build up to a fuller coverage and it lasted me all though the day after a quick brush over with setting powder. I like that it doesn't make any mad claims either with only 12 hours.

I also really like that it has a pump so its easy to get out the product, but it has a sturdy lid that doesn't come off once closed. I think it would be grand for travelling with, if it wasn't for the weighty glass bottle. I love how those bottles look displayed, but man are they a tonne to cart around! I couldn't get over how affordable they are at only €3.50 from Cara Pharmacy, definitely worth picking up if your in the market for some new foundation and you don't want to break the bank.

On the opposite end of the scale, I wasn't at all pleased with the *sponge applicator. I can see where they were going with it and to a certain extent it is handy with a handle, but I didn't like it. The sponge had a funny smell and soaked up loads of product before it got near my face. It was a harder foam then I'm used to with little make up sponges so it felt odd on my skin. But then again a good point was that it was shaped well and therefore easy to get into the hard to reach places near my nose. Overall, I'm not a fan and wont be using it again. Its not on the Cara site, but I found it on the w7 site for £3.95 which when converted into euros is a bit much for a not so amazing sponge. I think I'll be sticking to the €1.50 sponges you can get in Penneys.

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

Empties #7

I think I'm getting better at doing these empties more often, thing aren't piling up so much! I only did one of these last month but since then I've had loads more odds and ends that I've been using up. Some of them I'm very sorry to see go and will be on the list must buys again soon, once all the Christmas presents have been bought!

First is my lovely Body Shop chamomile cleanser that was an utter dream to use on my skin. It took off all my make up and didn't irritate even my eyes. It was pricey at €15 and not something I will be picking up soon, but is on my wishlist of lovely things to get when I have a spare few bob floating about. You can read my full review of it over here.

Seventeen is the love of my make up life, we all know that by now. So when they brought this new foundation out a few months ago I couldn't have been happier. I'm now on to my third bottle of the stuff and use it daily. Its the perfect tone for my pale completion and can build up to have a totally flawless - slightly thick, but full coverage. Theres not much else in the make up section that could make me change my mind. This is just over €8 but all the make up in Boots tends to be on 3 for 2 so you can pick it up on the cheap. I need to get a back up of my back up for this one!

My Garnier micellar water is finally finished. When the internet went mad for those waters I naturally jumped on the bandwagon and bought a million different ones. This one is by far the best, purely based on the price. Its one of the biggest bottles at 400ml instead of the usual 200ml. So when I next run out of all my water, I'll pick this on up again.

Ziaja is amazing, theres not one product that I've tried of theres that I've not loved - which is a big thing for me to say. The Ziaja rose butter micro peeling face scrub has been my go to scrub for months now and I'm sad thats its come to an end. I'll be keeping an eye out for this again and buying a back up when I do find them. I used this about 3 times a week and it kept my skin soft while not being too harsh or stripping it. This was about €6 if I remember right and is worth every penny. 

My fall down with these posts are the crazy amounts of hair things in them. So I'll keep this one really short. We all know I love Dove and I buy this conditioner for coloured hair religiously. Big thumbs up. Next is a let down of a Dealz find, some random shampoo and conditioner that wasn't very good. I wont be getting it again.

Onto the hair dyes now. My Bleach London dye needs a full ranting, so heres the blog post for it. I just hate it so much! The other is XXL Live and that is the other end of the scale entirely. I use this all the time and love it so much. I lasts ages and gives such gorgeous colours once its washed out. You can pick this one up on offer in Boots all the time for about €5 which is perfect for me.

Two bottles of dry shampoo that I now use all the time. Batiste is an old favourite that I used a lot of especially around Halloween as it gives great texture and the white powder it leaves behind looks great too. But a new favourite is the Herbal Essence range and I have about 3 as back ups! They were on special offer in Tesco so I really stocked up. Best dry shampoo ever!

Few deodorants I really like is the Nivea no stains one and the roll on energy fresh one. Mostly the bigger bottle is about €5 in Boots but I always buy the roll on one in Dealz for €1.49 which is great for just before bed if you don't fancy having a stuffy room of spray left or if you have asthma and find that sprays irritate it. 

Next are two body scrubs, one is a mini from Soap&Glory. Sugar crush is by far my favourite scent along with the new orange one thats out. Nom nom nom, they smell so good! I'm asking santa for one of those sets for Christmas and in the mean time I might just accidentally buy one! The other is the raspberry body scrub from the Body Shop that loads of bloggers raved about. When I was in one day they had it on special offer so I picked it up but I wont be getting it again. It just didn't do anything for me and left my skin, unscrubed?

Once I found the dupe in Dealz for my Bourjoir nail varnish remover, I'm not going to be picking it up again. But this did work really well and if theres no Dealz near you then I'd recommend getting this one. Its about €6.99 so its not breaking the bank.

I really love Ghost and enchanted bloom is my favourite one of the collection. I have had this still in my shelf far too long but I could bare to throw it out. But considering its less then €30 I think I'm going to ask himself for it for Christmas. Perfume is such a lovely gift and an easy one once you know what type the girl or guy likes!

Lastly is one of the best Irish candles around, Emmas so naturals. This is one of their winter limited edition ones in masala chai. I think this is one of the nicest ones of all the winter candles out there. For €9.99 I think this is going to be bought again really soon. You can see all the other scents and full reviews over here.

Do you think empty posts are good for finding new things to try?

Empties #6

Looking back, I can't believe it was August when I did my last empties post. Madness! I've naturally loads to write about now, some samples and new things that I don't normally talk about either. First all the body things, I have my much loved Vaseline spray that I talk a lot about. Most recently I mentioned it in my September favourites as a really long lasting tin that moisturises well but doesn't feel sticky or heavy. Perfect for a quick use before jumping into clothes in these cold mornings.

I blogged in detail about the Ziaja cocoa butter shower body scrub over here. Cheap, works well and I'll be on the hunt for more of these tubs in the coming weeks. The same goes for the Soap&Glory sugar crush body butter cream, the in depth review is over here, along with other things in this range. I love using this before bed when it can soak in and work, without me rubbing it off or feeling like its a little too heavy on my skin during the day.

Last in this pile is the Bia Beauty detox body scrub. I won this at a blogger event last year and it was half used in the back of a drawer. In my cull of using all left over products, I decided to finish this off. It doesn't wow me at all and I think its far too expensive for what it is. There are so many other more worth while products that this Irish brand offer. Although the packaging is eye catching and something lovely to display, I wouldn't be buying this myself.

Two micellar waters, a Nivea one and my very first one, L'oreal. Both of these were got on offer when there was a big blogger buzz around them. They both seem to work just the same, nothing better or worse. They are so handy for taking off your make up if your not bothered to go the entire nine yards with different cleansers, toners and all that jazz. One bottle does all and gets off all your make up. I did a review of the L'oreal one here and a Garnier one too. I'd pick up any of them again, they all do the same thing!

Lush tea tree water is another product that I liked but I'm not too pushed to run out and buy it again. I've since gotten a new tea tree water thats cheaper and a bigger ml so I might stick with that one. I'll be blogging about it some time soon I'm sure. 

Lastly a total wow product, Waxperts pads. These things are so amazing and multipurpose too. I can't get enough of them and already have another tub of them. Again, I'll be blogging about them soon enough, but I'll save you the hassle of waiting for that post. Just order some right now!

Lots of Soap&Glory lovin' it seems I've got through in the past few months! More of the sugar crush line that I blogged about in detail before, and I would go so far as to say this line is my favourite from the brand. I'm totally gone off their signature scent. The same goes for my love of almond smells, oh mammy this rich and foamous body wash was just so lovely. Both of these I'd pick up again in a heart beat.

The Body Shop has all the most lovely things, but they are so madly expensive! I picked up this almond body wash when it was on sale for €5 and loved it so much that I went back before the sale was over to get another. If I won the lotto I would have nothing but Body Shop stuff, but for now I'll just keep an eye out for the sales. Lastly in the body wash line is an imperil leather that my friend picked up for me after I gushed over it. (I have the bestest friends!) I really liked this bergamot and sea minerals. Its not my normal scent as I prefer sweeter and more floral scents, but this has turned me. I'll be on the look out to try more of these.

Random ones now, as always I have an Impulse. I have started to throw out all of these and my Nivea deodorants to, as there a bit boring to always have come up in these posts. One thing that I didn't blog about and wouldn't get again was the Lush volcano foot mask. I'm not a fan of feet to start with and when I got this as a present I was intrigued to try it out. Its got a mint base that makes your feet a strange hot-cold and is quite hard to apply. Not something I'd recommend, even for those who take amazing care of their toes!

Another Soap&Glory now, this time its the fab pore hot cloth cleanser. This is my second one of these, I just love how easy it is to remove make up after rubbing this into my skin. It a little pricey but man does it work well. I like to use this in the shower sometimes too as it really perks up and freshens my skin. You get a lovely little muslin cloth with this but I rarely use it. You could use this for a little pamper too if you were feeling it. Something I'll pick up again.

Oh man, I go through so many hair things its crazy! In short I am always trying out new conditioners so I always have loads. A must have and repurchases for me again will be the Herbal Essence mask, the John Freda conditioner and the gorgeous smelling Dove conditioner for coloured hair. Also I enjoyed the Herbal essence bee strong shampoo and the 2in1 Dove. I buy them on and off all the time, they make my hair smell lovely and leave it shiny. I wont be picking up the Fruit Essence conditioner as its not worth wasting the money. It does nothing for my hair and is left limp and full of tangles. Big thumbs down from me. The same goes for the horribly awful (and colour stripping) Bleach London hair mask. I did a review of it over here and just grrr. I can't get over how bad this product is considering how hyped the brand is! I also love to pick up the cheap Boots own brand stuff when I'm looking for a way to save some pennies to spend on make up or dye.

Lastly a bundle of make up empties. I have a Catrice and a NYC concealer that were both really cheap and I'd buy again in a heart beat. The coverage they gave was amazing and it was like I barely had spots! My Wet'n'Wild coverall pressed powder was grand and I'm sure I will pick up many more, but I am currently using a Seventeen one that I forked out a little extra for. Its not an amazing one for keeping shine at bay, but for the colder months I'm sure it will work a lot better.

Two tiny samples that I got was a Dior hydra life that I would genuinely consider forking out the major euros for. My god that stuff is sex for your skin. And then a lovely but not as wowing Vichy life serum. I'd recommend asking for little samples of both, especially the Dior one. A girl can dream.

And my most loved and ranted about foundation is the new Seventeen stay time. I've wanted to blog about this for ages but I just never got around to it for some reason. Its like the best kept secret in the 'drug store' brand or something, it just has to be. This is the most full coverage and long lasting foundation I've tried in such a long time. And to top it all off, the lightest shade is the perfect match for a pale ghost like myself. No orange foundation neck lines for me, oh no sir. I already have another one and think I'll pick up 3 more while Seventeen have a 3for2 offer on. Its got to be one of my top 2014 products this year. Yeah, I did just go there. 

Max Factor Skin Luminizer Foundation

Max Factor has another new product out, this time its for the face, *the skin luminzer foundation. This is meant to give the effect of barely there foundation, 'giving a healthy looking glow that still evens out imperfections.' There is a swirl added to this foundation as you can see in the bottle, which has skin luminizers and pearl pigments to give that instant glow. This is also meant to offer the skin hydration, vitains B3 and E and have elastomers that make light reflect off the skin so your left with a glow.

This foundation comes in only a small range of 6 colours, which I think is a little annoying. Its fine if your like me and just pick up the lightest shade in whatevers going, but for someone with darker skin it must be a real pain in the arse. I have the lightest shade, 40 light ivory. This is almost a perfect match to my colouring so I was excited to try it. It has a lovely consistency, not too thick and not overly watery. Its just right - and now I feel like the three bears are about to walk in.. Personally this just didn't do it for me coverage-wise. My skin is far too patchy red and full of spots to have a light coverage foundation like this, I need the heavy duty stuff. Even after a good base of correctors and concealers, I was still left needing way more face help. I envy those who don't have many blemishes as this would be the perfect light make up to perk up your skin, making you look more awake without having to cake on the makeup like I do. (With a shovel, might I just add. Theres not a brush out there that can help me apply it all!)

I'm a fan of the packaging, its lovely eye catching gold is a big thing for me, I'm such a magpie! Its also in a plastic bottle and pump which makes it utterly perfect for travelling or just carrying in your bag and easy to use. I'm gaining muscles from carting around a glass foundation at the minute, I know I wont need it, but just in case! The only downside about this foundation for me (apart from my awful skin needing more coverage help) is the price. For a bottle of this your going to be paying €17.99 and I just couldn't fork that out for any foundation ever. However Max Factor does have a 3 for 2 offer in Boots at the moment so it might make the price a little easier to manage. Though personally I think cheaper brands are just as good and I have a load of cheaper make up brands that have great coverage, be they foundations or even BB creams for half the price of this. 

So the foundation overall is a thumbs down from me. I need a much heavier coverage. But thats not saying that this mightn't be perfect for those who are lucky enough to have clear skin. In terms of Max Factor, I'm going to be sticking to their nail varnish and maybe a sneaky look at their eye shadow. (*drools* have you seen their smokey eye pens and lipsticks?! Mmmm) Would you look at my barely awake looking self below. Swear to god, if I don't have eyeliner on my eyes are non existent!

Would you buy this foundation or do you have the same coverage issue as me?

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

W7 Make Up Review - Picture Heavy

Theres a bit of a difference in what I look like before and after I shhhllapp on a bit of make up, right?! As always, I'm putting my bare mug up for all to see in the name of W7 make up. *I was kindly given all of W7 products to try out - minus the In The Buff palette.  I was very excited to try everything out as this is a brand thats new to me and is quite hard to come by here in Ireland, so I was in for a real treat! Below I have a step by step of my before and after photos with the products that I have used. All are unedited and totally untouched, just the lower set have the flash on the camera to make sure you can see all the make up as clearly as I can show it! I am in no way a make up artist and just like to feck around with goo on my face. 

w7 makeup I used:
In The Buff palette - €10
Camouflage kit concealer - €4.99
Powder blush in baby pink - €4.99
Catwalk complexion powder foundation in beige - €4.99
Liquid eyeliner in black - €2.99
The bronzer - €4.99

Other makeup used that is my own:
Stay pout lipstick by Seventeen in Its a kiss off
Match perfect foundation by Rimmel in ivory

I used all my Madison Brushes to complete this look. 

I got uber excited about all this new makeup and did a step by step of me putting it all on. Would you look at me go! I didn't end up using the Catwalk foundation for this because it was far too dark for my complexion. However I did try it out on my face just for the lols and noticed how easy it was to apply, how light it felt on my skin and how long lasting it was (yes, I kept it on for ages, I'm sexy like that). I'm going to go and buy one that is more suited to my skin tone as I really like this foundation and think it could be a keeper. Even if I only reach for it occasionally, it's only €4.99 and wont be breaking the bank!

The Concealer has an impressive 5 shades so it caters for a good few skin tones. I used mainly 2 colours, one more warm pinky shade under my eyes and a lighter one on my many blemishes. I liked this concealer kit but I felt it didn't have an amazing coverage and if I was having a really bad skin day it would be useless to use. I don't think this is something I would pick up for myself as I prefer heavy duty concealer palettes like Catrice or Wet'n'Wilds ones.

The Bronzer makes up for any loss I felt with the concealer though. I think I have finally mastered how to use this right without looking like I fell face fist into the palette! I was at my wits end when I tanned my entire body (thats a whole other post) and my face was left looking less then alive. I used this bronzer and was so impressed. I reached for it daily to help give me a bit of life back to my face and really like using it now that I'm back to pasty pale to give a tiny sun kissed look.

Next was the Blusher and I'm still unsure about it. It does give a lovely pinky colour as you can see above, but I'm not sure if it suited my skin tone all that well. Theres not a lot of fall out with this which is a bonus.

But the two things that really stole the show were the Eyeliner and the In The Buff Eyeshadow Palette. I was a bit ifie with the eyeliner, expecting it to be less then amazing but I was wrong. The little wand is stiff and gives amazing and precise application, I didn't need to clean up parts or try again with this. The black liquid itself is thick, glides on well and theres no need to go over it a second time. I am so impressed  with this total gem and at €2.99 I will recommend this to everyone with eyelids. 

As for the eyeshadow, well I have raved about this in a monthly favourites and in many more posts. I just can't get enough of the gorgeous shades, how pigmented they are and of course the fact that its meant to be a dupe for the Naked 2 but more then half the price helps too. This wasn't given to me to try, I just wanted to include it as its something everyone should own considering how cheap it is, the fab pay off and the variety of colours and looks you can create with it.

I also really like all the w7 packaging. It looks quite cheap but then again it is! What I like most is that most of the products have little mirrors  (the foundation, concealer and blush) or small brushes to use which I wasn't expecting such a cheap product to have. I also like how hard wearing the packaging itself is. All of these have been getting carted around in my handbag at different times and nothing has broken or shattered. The same can't be said for a lot of my makeup that I regularly use. Big thumbs up from me.

Bit of a mixed review on this overall, but I had a great time trying out everything and making the makeup photos above. If you buy nothing else get the eyeshadow, or if thats breaking the bank a little the €2.99 eyeliner would be perfect for you! Once I get my hands on a lighter foundation I will make sure and post up some photos to Instagram!

You can get all these w7 products and more from Paul in the Cosmetic Outlet. See their Facebook page for more details. They post nation wide too, yay!

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

The Foundation You Really Don't Want

When I was at the Irish Beauty Show in the RDS the other week I picked up Royal Effem time defense foundation in shade 850 thinking that I might find a new make up brand that I like and it was on offer for €5 no less, happy days you can't go wrong with that. Now you couldn't open the jars and there weren't any testers out so I gave my best guess and off I went with it in a shiny bag of new things. (Who doesn't love a shiny bag of new things!?) But I was away with the fairys it seems and it wasn't until I got home and started to slap this goo on my face did I realise my horrible mistake.

I have one reaction that sums up the entire post, the no no cat:

I know, its bad if Cat is pulling out the Cats of YouTube to do her explaining for her. I honestly thought of that cat the minute I put this stuff on my face. Let me explain the no no reaction. First off, its not the easiest bottle in the world to use, it has a spatula-like thing inside so you can scoop it out, sexy. I have photos below with both the camera flash on and off so you can see the difference just in case your interested in it! However I'll say one good thing about it, it does look fancy in its little bottle and a blogger friend pointed out that its not unlike Mac foundation bottles.

Next is the smell. I have the loveliest great aunt, she is very elderly at this stage and like all lovely little old ladies she has a particular smell. Its a mixture of over powering old perfume and well, old person smell? I know, I'm a total bitch for saying that but when I smelt this she was the first thing that came to mind - apart from no no cat of course. This has the strongest scent I have ever smelt in a foundation or even in a make up product in general. I can't describe to you how horrible and off putting it is to have to put on your face.  A mixture of make up smell - kind of powdery and something else? with strong a floral scent and something else I just can't put my finger on. 

Then comes actually having to put it on your face after you get over the shock of the overwhelming smell. I expected it to be a little light on my skin tone, as I hadn't tested it and it looked a little pinky for my liking. Man I was so right, it made me look like I had got into my mothers make up bag and gone wild. I was all set for halloween, this horror in a bottle. The swatch below doesn't do the awful colour justice but I couldn't face putting it on my skin again for photos. Now this isn't really a negative thing considering the girl at the stand wasn't very helpful in suggesting a shade for me and there were no testers, so perhaps there is a shade much better suited for me, but I don't want to find out to be honest.

This foundation gives your pores pores. I have fairly big pores and can for the most part minimise them a little with the right make up, but christ on a bike you didn't have to even stand in the same room as me to see my pores with this stuff on my face. A search team would have a party if they were to go looking for me. Its oily and doesn't blend well. It sits on top of the skin and draws attention to any dry skin or raised imperfections making it almost cakey if thats the right word considering how oily it is. No amount of pressed powder helped here and even on the dry areas of my face it was shiny and sliding down my face throughout the day. 

Don't get me wrong, I tired with this foundation. I mixed it with others I favour, I tried different brushes, my fingers, I primed my skin with every bottle I had, god I was near lighting a candle by the end of it. This stuff just isn't for me, or anyone else in their right mind if you were to ask my opinion. After googling it and having a look at the Royal Effem site, I found out a bottle of this will set you back around £24 making it a more high end brand then any I have used before. Not that I would be willing to ever fork out that kind of money for this, let alone a drug store foundation price. 

The Best Of Beauty Challenge: Make Up Must Haves

Before I even begin, for the past few weeks of doing this blogger challenge I have scoured through what feels like hundreds of posts (Which is about right as I've read other posts on those blogs too. I'm nosy and love a new read!) Each time I see the effort and thought put into each one and I feel so annoyed at my crappy half put together posts and even worse photos. So to all of you out there who are doing this and in general - well done and thank you for taking such pride in your blogs and giving us readers such wonderful things too see and read about. Sappy moment over!

This is the 3rd week of the Best of Beauty Challenge that Sam from All The Buzz  is hosting. Oh my goodness this weeks one was so feckin' hard, make up must haves! I just wanted to throw every piece of make up I owned on the floor and point. Not even write about it all, just point. No explanation needed. Then I realised that that wouldn't be productive at all and I'd need to send out quite a few blogger invites. We wouldn't all fit in my room. Bare with me while I narrow it down as much as I can. It hasn't been easy.

Now theres just no point in me going out of the house if I haven't got that skin under control, those pesky spots and blemishes need to take a hike! Which means I'm running like a hooligan for the concealer. Right now I just can't get enough of Catrice and the All Round Concealer palette. A green for redness, pink for dark circles and three different shades of skin tone concealer makes my heart beat a little faster if I'm being honest. I'd take it to bed with me if I didn't think it would melt. And to top if off nicely, this is the only kind of concealer palette I've used that doesn't irritate my skin. Mammy, hold me!  

And what better way to cover the now multi coloured face then with a bloody good foundation? How did people live with themselves before foundation was made? Ok, slightly over dramatic but you get my point here, I'm that serious about a good one. I've just bought Wet'n'Wild Coverall cream foundation and it was meant to be. It has surprisingly full coverage for such a cheap little tube and I will be buying them all, so no need to look out for them. Sorries xox

I'm not sure if this really counts, but I couldn't put on half the slap I do if I didn't have a brush to help put all that cement in place. I'm only a novice when it comes to brushes, but I have high hopes to one day own some fancy real techniques *swoons*. Until then, I have my amazing Sleek blender brush and my Sarah Ashton eye shadow and powder brushes that are my favourites by far. (I may have just under 20 eye shadow brushes, but we wont go there.) These little beauts are reached for daily and do the job just fine!

I am obsessed with having oily skin and use pressed powder like its going out of fashion. (Soo Fetch, right?) The one I'm using right now is Seventeens Miracle Matte pressed powder. This is my 3rd and I think it works really well. Once I put enough on to cover a fleet of runway models, it doesn't budge for the day and I only have to touch up a little (mostly out of paranoia) It even has a handy mirror and a little applicator if your so inclined. 

Lastly I do not have eyes until the eyeliner goes on. Its just a fact of life that I and many others have come to terms with. (When I say many others I mean screaming 'don't LOOK at me, I haven't got my face on yet!!' Yes, I am one of those needy make up people) Essence has been my friend for many years and this is easily my 25th little €3 tube of liquid black eyeliner. The brush applicator is so easy to use and it takes a swim in the deep end of the pool (speaking from experience, unfortunately) for this to start budging. Perfect.

If your looking for more posts like this, make sure and follow the hashtag #BOBBlogChallenge on twitter! 

Model Co FluidSplash 3 in 1 Foundation

This afternoon I have a new foundation that I have been using for about a month now. Model Co FluidSplash 3 in 1 foundation* in 01 Sand. Now isn't that a mouth full? I have never used this brand before and was really interested to have a go of it, after all I'm a big fan of foundations and concealers, buying them as if there going out of fashion!

To start with would you look at the lovely packaging, its so feminine and eye catching, love it! The product is a 3 in 1, foundation, concealer and eye primer. Not bad for a little tube and very handy if your traveling light. It has a screw off lid that also holds the concealer/eye primer in the bottom. This is a medium coverage for me, as I tend to need a cement mixer of concealer first and without it I wouldn't be fit to be seen in public! The consistency is light and easy to apply, not drying faster then you can rub it in too, which is a big bonus in my book. The concealer is also easy to use but I would only use it on small blemishes or over redness as its not something you can use on those in-your-face huge spots and blemishes.

This is a long lasting coverage foundation and also has a SPF 15+ to add to the list, along with it being oil free and allergy tested. To get technical it is 'Enriched with the hydrating properties of Vitamin E and C, FLUIDSPLASH leaves your skin looking naturally radiant. The inbulit concealer and eye base contains Vitamin E and Aloe Vera that work to banish blemishes and imperfections.'

One of the downsides has to be that the product is scented in a kind of sickeningly sweet rose smell that can be overpowering the first few times you use it and off putting. But I don't really notice the smell anymore as I've been using it almost daily now. Another downside would have to be the pocket pinching price of €45 of a 35ml bottle. This is a more high end foundation and I would be used to paying no more then €12 for my regular Maybelline or Rimmel stuff. A bit much for my price range and I'm not sure I'd be buying it myself considering I could get more for my money with drug store bands instead. 

If I was kinder to my skin this is the sort of foundation I would be reaching for non stop. My skin is sensitive and oily so the fact that it is soft, kind and oil free is a must have for anyone with skin similar to mine. Overall a big 8 out of 10 from me!

Hope you are keeping warm this cold weekend and having a great relaxing one. Stay fab!

*I did not pay for this item, please see my disclaimer here.

Boots, Pennys And Lush Haul

All these things I have picked up in the past few weeks, just in case anyone thought I had gone off on a mad one and was now a share holder in all these places! But thought I would give everyone a look at my new buys, cos' I love being nosy like that too!

First off three Boots make up things. A repurchase for me, Rimmel's Exaggerate waterproof eye definer eyeliner (€5.49) - what a mouth full! Love this little pencil, you can see it in my whats in my make up bag post. Boots is doing a buy one get on half price on some products at the moment and so I picked up Seventeen's new On The Spot foundation (€8.89) that claims to give you clearer skin in 4 weeks.. We will see. And also Seventeen's new phwoarr paint heavy duty eye concealer (€5.49). I like the sound of it already!

You might see that I'm a bit of a fan of Lush, just a bit.. I got two things in particular that I had been lusting after for months now. I am currently using up all my cleaners and will be running out soon so I finally got 9 to 5 cleansing lotion (€10.95). I have tried it before and my word. Heaven. Can't wait to use it. Same goes for the Twilight bath bomb (3.95) that I have never had before but always looked at with such longing. However it broke on the way home and to say I'm upset is an understatement. I know I will get it again though, purely because it has made my room smell fab while its been sitting in the bag. Lastly I got a little Space Girl bath bomb (€3.85) I always get the Out of This World gift set for non Lush people that I want to try and convert because this one is a small fun starter and the box looks so cool. But I have never tried the bath bomb before so I thought why not!

I also went to Pennys and nabbed some leggings (€4.00) and a pair of really lovely floral shoes (€5) because cheap and cheerful is always welcome any day of the week!

Anyone been doing a spot of shopping lately? Talk to you soon, have a fab day! :)

Whats In My Make Up Bag?

Please excuse the messy products! They get like that every 5 minutes from being together in my makeup bag :/

I said I'd do this post, I told myself many a time and even sat down to do it a few times but it well, you know the story!  So, whats always on my face and in my make up bag, keeping in mind that I don't use a lot of make up because A. I'm not bothered to spent that long on it and B. See A again. - I got the No7 bag as part of a set well over 2 years ago and never used it, only discovering it again when I was rooting through a draw last month. (I just realised I have forgotten to take a photo of it, I'll put it up in a future post, silly me!)

First off whatever foundation I happen to have floating about. Currently its Rimmels Match Perfection in the lightest shade, ivory that tends to be on offer for €6 or €7. I like this one and have repurchased it over 4 times now. It only has a light to medium coverage and I think the next time I go to buy one I will be looking for something to suit my blotchy uneven skin tone to cover it a bit better. It has an average lasting/staying power that would be fine for a lot of you girls out there but for me its only ok. I really love the smell of this too, little added bonus! 

Next is Rimmel again, my concealer of choice for about 5 plus years now, hide the blemish concealer. This is a classic, great coverage and something that really stays put once you put it on with a quick sweep of finishing powder to set it. I love this and it lasts ages too. Around the €5 mark.

My pressed powder is the Natural Collections cheap and cheerful in cool. Its the one I have been reaching for the most considering the price, how much I use it, that it lasts forever and oddly enough for something so cheap it doesn't break or go all over the place, score. It's less then €3. As you can see from the photos I'll need to be repurchasing this asap!

This trio of eye shadow is from 17 and called Matallio Coffee. As you can tell from the pictures I have used it to death and it has to be the best trio I have ever owned. Light, medium and dark brown shimmer shades that you can create a bundle of different looks with? One please! There isn't a lot of fall out with this, the colours pop by using just a little and they stay put. I never tend to use an eye primer either with this.I have a feeling this was about the €7 mark but its been ages since I've got this so do double check. On my last visit to Boots I went looking especially for this only to find that it was out of stock - devastated! But I will find it as soon as I can, cheeky thing hiding on me.

For eyeliner I use the forever trusty Essence Liquid In in black - about €2.99. I have loved and used Essence for years now and this is there most amazing formula to date. It has amazing staying power and is 100% water proof (trying to get it off can be tricky without proper eye make up remover) and the little applicator is easy to use, giving loads of product with just one stroke of the brush. For my waterline I use Rimmel's super duper Exaggerate Waterproof Eye Definer in 261 Noir - about €6. You don't need to sharpen this pencil as the product just twists down and it also has a built in smugger on the other end for days when using liquid eyeliner is just too much or when you want to get the smoky eye effect. This glides on so easy which is a must for me, who else hates when eyeliner snages on your lid? Ahh! It comes in 6 shades and I might just have to nab the purple shade when I see it next. 

Maybellines Volume Express Mega Plush is currently in my make up bag, but its not my favourite mascara at all. When I bought it about 2 months ago I expected great things from hearing the fuss it was causing. It had a fancy flexibly brush and it was a gel-mousse with 40% less hard wax which was meant to be easier to use and wear. Eh no. The brush bristles aren't as good as some I have used and using the flex on the brush is hard. I don't think it was worth the €7.99 (on offer) I paid for it and once I have used this up I'll be glad to see it gone. 

Lastly to finish off my eyes I use Benefit's Eye Bright on my lower water line just to brighten up my eye. This is a pricy one at €21.50.

And that is all that I keep in my make bag and use daily. I can almost here to intake to breath here but I don't use moisturiser or primer, and rarely do anything to my eyebrows. I might get better one day, but I've  feeling I've a bit to go yet! As always I hope everyone is having a fab day! Talk to you all soon.

Friday Favourites #8

This is the perfect way to describe me right now!

Hello everyone! Now I'm sure you might think something is a little off and your very right. I'm posting this on a Sunday, oh dear. I got really sick on Friday night and have been in bed trying to sleep it off since with doctors orders. I have been totally out of touch with the world for far too long, I wasn't even aware that it was snowing all Saturday until Stephen opened the blinds and made me have a look. (I felt like hissing and demanding he closed them like a vampire from the bed.) So please forgive the lateness of this! However, in my absence from blogger and the internet in general there has been an increase in the number of followers here! I am super excited about this and want to wave madly and talk 90 miles an hour to you all. So hello, welcome and thank you for following me! 

Product: Rimmel Match Prefect Foundation

This is my second bottle that I've picked up in the past few months and I really am loving it. It has great coverage, a lovely finish and the colour matches my skin tone perfectly (I use the palest shade, Ivory). What more could one ask for? I will be doing a everyday make up routine in the near future so I will be giving a much more detailed review of this product, but for now you can go buy it in Boots, I really recommend it!

Film: A Dangerous Method

I was pottering about Netflix and came across this. Not having heard of it before I wasn't pushed about it but then I noticed it had Keira Knightly in it. An hour and a halfish later I was a little better for having watched it. Released in 2011 this is a historical fiction about the beginnings of psychoanalysis. The impossible case Sabina Spielrein is handed to Dr Carl Jung to be his deeply disturbed, yet highly intelligent patient. Dr Jungs method is taken from his master and father figure, the renowned Sigmund Freud. This woman takes both under her spell and is eventually let back into society, but not before leaving her mark. I was shocked at Keira's role in this and how well she played it. Its really not your everyday run of the mill drama. Now the underlining theme here is sex, so don't watch it with your easily shocked granny, but do give it a watch as it is an amazing film.

Blog: Thunder&Threads

The reason I got the confidence to start blogging? Right here! I have followed Leanne from the start, she is the most amazing Irish blogger you will ever come across. She is also a YouTuber and just a fantastic reviewer of all things fashion and beauty related. She has the most amazing style and is full of class. Go check her out here, I don't know anyone who doesn't love her. 

Book: Lazy Ways To Make A Living

This is one of the books I nabbed on my crazy charity shop book haul of about 7 books. I know I'm a total nutter but I can't turn a good book or bargain down! I might have also done some awful spur of the moment buying on Amazon Kindle and got a tonne of new lovely reads. Expect a bombardment of new book reviews! This is slowly but surely becoming a book blog, not a fashion/make up one!

Its not often I take embarrassing pics, so this has to be big!!

Product: Lush Mask Of  Magnaminty

When I was in Lush just before Valentines day to pick up a massage bar for Stephen, I got a sample from the lovely Karla. - Side note here, not only was she lovely, friendly AND gave me a free sample, but she had the most amazing eye make up I have ever seen. I have since used the cleanser a few times and wow, it makes my skin feel yummy! It smells like tooth paste and is green, but it works a treat. As you can see, I like to make an eejit out of myself by posting this sort of thing on Instagram. 

Drink: 7up

The way to do it in Ireland, if your sick you drink 7up! and that is what I have been doing since Friday night. Lovely stuff but kind of very very bubbly all the same. I think I'll stick to a nice cup of tea. Oh I tried vanilla tea for the first time the other day, it was nice but nothing could replace a cup of Barrys!

Thats all from me for now, hope everyones weekend has been nice and relaxing and were all ready for getting up early in the morning for work and school! (eh, not.) I'll be back to posting normally from tomorrow, promise! Have a comfy night :)