Fushia Make Up: The Pro Collection

Back before Christmas I attended a lovely Christmas blogger dinner hosted by Lisa from PinkSugar. We were spoiled with goodie bags from lots of generous companies and one of them was Fuschia. In their goodie bag we got a *pro palette and also some lip products, but what really grabbed my attention was the palette. I'll be honest and say that it took me a few days to try this out, I was in no hurry as I had read some awful reviews of this brand. I had previously got a sample size lip gloss to try and although I adored the shade, it didn't apply well and smelled horrible. I thought this would apply across board for all of their make up.

But I couldn't have been more wrong when it came to their eye shadows and blushes. This massive magnetized palette holds 9 blushes and 12 eye shadows. Hand over my heart when I say this - I use every single shade here, especially the crazy red, orange and the matte purples. Playing it safe, I normally only have dark browns, greys and other neutral colours in my collection. This palette however has brought me over to the dark side and I now utterly love wearing a bright pop of colour now. The shadows themselves are highly pigmented which was a great surprise. Theres a lovely mixture of mattes, shimmers and glittery goodness. The very same goes for the blushes and what I can only assume is some sort of contour - the almost black one at the bottom of the palette that I've still not used. Its a bit of a intimidating colour to use!

Not having a clue about Fuschia, I went onto their site to see what the craic was. There they give you the chance to create your own palettes starting from a single (€8.50) up to a five pan (€25) of the 60 different eye shadows they have on offer. Blushes come in single pots, but I'm sure if you wanted something similar to the pro palette above, you could fill it with lots of different depotted blushes or shadows. Each blush is €16.50 and there seems to be 10 shades available.

Not having ever had products like these before, I really like how each shadow and blush has their own number, name and ingredients list on the bottom. I've seen similar things with MAC (again, a brand I've never once tried and think is a tad overrated!) but this is all new to me and a great novelty. Although I doubt I'd fork out for a full palette, if and when any of these little pots get used up, I wouldn't hesitate to fork out the €8.50 to get a replacement or to try out a new shade - the idea of 60 different ones has me a bit giddy. 

Then again, there are times when I go on a mad one and get spendy with make up. I know last year Fuschia had a stand at the Pro Beauty show and I hope they have one again this year as I might be passing by for a 'quick' look. (read: hour long poking, swatching and demanding they take all my money.) I had a quick go of the lip lipstick and glosses that I got in the goodie bag too and it was a total different texture and smell to the other older ones I had tried. This makes me wonder if a new formula was introduced because I enjoyed using them a lot more. 

Some things Fuschia offers are totally mad prices for what they are, but as far as the eye shadows go, I couldn't fault them and would fork out in future no bother.

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

Madison Make Up Brushes

A few weeks ago I was given the chance to try out the new *Madison professional make up brushes and I was very excited. Not only am I a huge make up brush enthusiast and that these looked too good to even open, but they are also made by an Irish guy called Paul who owns The Cosmetic Outlet in Dublin. Gorgeous brushes and supporting the Irish? Well, don't mind if I do thanks!

This kit is really perfect for anyone who is a beginner or even a pro with this set including 7 natural and synthetic haired brushes all for just €30. And if thats not good enough, it even comes with a handy sleek brush holder as well to keep your brushes clean and safe while travelling. I really love brushes that come with a holder, it makes life so much easier and I feel like they are an extra luxury.

In order of the left picture below:

Flat foundation brush: Made of 100% synthetic hair

I have to say, there was a little bit of fall out with this brush that drove me mad and I ended up washing it and fluffing it off the back of my hand before round two. After that it worked a dream, using it daily now.

Powder brush: Made of 100% natural hair

Definitely one of the best powder brushes in my collection, I love the size of this and how well it picks up powders. 

Stippling brush: Made of mixed natural and synthetic

This has to be the most exciting brush in the set for me. I have never owned a stippling brush and was overjoyed when I realised it had one! I even went off to YouTube and learnt all its uses and how to use it properly. I have used this for foundation and love it, the finish is amazing. If you only get one of these brushes it has to be this one.

In order of the right picture above:

Lip brush: Made of 100% natural hair

I have actually used this brush to apply eye shadow to the crease of my eye as it gives such precise finish and I don't end up with a crease the size of today and tomorrow. I reach for this every time I'm doing my eyes now.

Angle shadow brush: Made of 100% natural hair

I use this one to blend out of eye shadow but more recently I've started to use it for highlighting my brow or in the inner part of my eye.

Small eye shadow brush: Made of 100% natural hair

I am finding it a little hard to break this brush in, its a little stiff and doesn't pick up the shadows amazingly, I might wash it and try it out again. I'll report back!

Big eye shadow brush: Made of 100% natural hair

I really like this brush, its easy to use, feather light and holds the shadows really well. I use this one all the time and would love to get another one.

You can get the set and the bigger brushes from The Cosmetic Outlet or if you go to their Facebook page you can get them posted out to you, handy stuff! Paul has also told me that the smaller brushes will be coming out if you wish to buy them separately. But you have to get that lip and stippling brush, you just have to!!

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

Virgin No More: Baby B Browne

Right, so heres the story. I'm an Irish girl in her 20's who has never gone near tan in her life. What rock did I crawl out from under I hear some of you saying. Yup, I didn't even know how much a tan mitt would be on average. But after been given a lovey bottle of Baby B Browne by the girls in the RDS earlier this month, how could I not try it out and see if it was worth the effort to look sun kissed. Heres how I got on and keep in mind, I've never ever done this before so if it sounds awful it could just be purely because I'm a gobshite who was trusted with fancy tan. Jesus save us!

My fears? The colour first off, obviously. What the hell am I going to look like and will I ever be able to return to my milk bottle legs? The smell. Every man I know scrunches up their face and complains of horrible smells when you mention tan. And lastly, will it rub off onto my clothes and everything I touch off of for the next week, hence ruining my bed sheets, clothes, bath towels and so on. Oh feck, I was terrified. 

First off, exfoliate, shave and then wait for the blood to dry from the nicks you just gave yourself with the razor. Bull in a china shop, me. Then it was time, I used the really handy pump and put some on the mitt. Sweet divine, it was so dark and actually didn't smell awful at all. I was tempted to eat it with the sweet smell drawing me in, but in the name of guinea pig for blogging I started rubbing it on my legs. It was a little darker then my skin but after rubbing it in - which was really easy to spread and do - I was left with sweet smelling, slightly darker legs and a plain scary looking tan mitt. (But a quick soap up of the mitt and it came out looking brand new, so hooray for getting several possible uses out of the mitt.) I only did my lower legs and feet because well, if things went awfully at least I could hid the stumps, ehrr pins. Cough.

That was day one in the morning. Soon after rubbing it in I forgot about it until I swung my legs out of bed the next morning and did a double take in my only half waking state. My legs are tanned, like glowy? How'd that happen? Oh tan, yes. I was genuinely surprised at how it turned out. I didn't look scary OR orange.. Well at least on my legs, the knees and feet needed major work. Hello orange knees and badly, half done feet. How do people tan those bits?! I need serious practice and can say it had nothing to do with the tan itself. 

However, on day 3 there was a slight eh, blonde moment on my part yet again. I used my Vaseline moisturiser spray on my legs, the force of it stripping the tan in what I can only describe as 'go faster' strips down the both of them. Oh man, major failing was had with this poor tan. On the plus side at least you can all see the nice before and after shade on my legs? Needless to say it got scrubbed off not too long after so I was no longer faster, sadly. Side note, sorry for the foot picture. How I despise them, its a passion. Thinking about them scares me, not to mention having a photo of them on my screen. So sorry. Oh and awful chipped nail varnish? Yeah, no comment.  

Over all I am pleasantly surprised by this tan. I had a few dodgy  moments but that was purely my lack of knowledge on the how to's of tanning and not knowing I could pressure spray it off! Would I use it again? Yes, I actually would which even I find shocking to admit. However, this is medium tan for face and body and as much as I really liked this, it will never ever go near my face, or any other tan for that matter. At €14.95 I don't think I'd be running off to demand more any time soon, but the bottle is 250ml and a little seems to go a long way. - Another sneaky thing to add in here. I've been testing out a few different tans for reviewing and for making better comparisons. This tan has been the best one I have used so far! Make sure you keep an eye out for my next tan review, its a shocker. 

Baby B Browne* is a Northern Irish brand and is great to see a good quality product coming out of this little island. From starting out as an idea for a good self tan at an affordable price to being stocked all over in salons, this is an amazing achievement. Have a goo at it over here.

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

The Sexy Faces Revealed: Cleanse Off Mitt

I know, this post should come with a warning as my no make up covered face is a fright and a half. But on the bright side you have now got a sneak peak of my Halloween look book for that night! Anyway, stop all this messin' and come here till I tell you about the latest thing to come out of Ireland. Its called the Cleanse Off Mitt and you should have one. Or three. 

What the hell is it woman your shouting at the computer? Well I'll tell you, its a cloth yoke you stick on your hand, hence the mitt part, wet it with warm water and then you go to town on your face with it. It takes off all your make up. Thats right, you don't need glasses, it takes off all your make up without the need for make up removers, creams or face wipes. Think I'm crazy? Look above at the photos. Apart from the obvious gas selfies, I'm only mad in the scene of sharing a skin care secret like this one with the internet. 

I ordered my mitt from Cloud10Beauty for €3.50, what a bargain! I had seen many a blog review of this lad and  thought they were all mad to be honest. How in the name of god could a little cloth mitt get off all your make up without a cleaner or something to help? But me oh my they were right and I'm sorry I ever doubted anyone! The first time I used it, it was by chance as I had to get make up off my face asap when it reacted with my skin and was burning. I even tweeted the photos above (yes, in the bath. Don't try tell me you don't tweet in the bath too!) as soon as I had all my make up off, I was that impressed with it. And to top it off, all you have to do to get the make up stains off it is rub it in some soap and taa dahh! Back to looking brand new. I threw it in the wash after using it and cleaning it like that for a week and it came out perfect. 

Now don't get me wrong, it isn't a honeymoon phase I'm in here, I did give it a good work out. Heavy foundation and contouring, some serious waterproof black eye makeup and even just for taking off face masks. If I'm heavy on the makeup I will soap it up and wash off the stains a few times but other then that and the odd bit of extra scrubbing for stubborn mascara this little mitt has proved itself and I will be getting more once this is warn out. What more could I ask then being surprised by a product that works and bonus points that its an Irish brand! Everyone and their mammies wants one in my house. When are you getting yours?