Gotta Love A Trier...

GIVEAWAY! £50 towards a Wahanda Spa Break!

2012-02-23T00:14:00.001Z

The very kind people at Wahanda Spa Days recently contacted me offering my readers the chance to have £50 to go towards one of their Spa Breaks!

Who wouldn't want to have a little pampering break and enjoy the spa facilities to their heart's content? Wahanda has spas throughout the UK so wherever you are, you should hopefully have a suitable location!

To be in with a chance to win £50 a Wahanda Spa Break, all you have to do is...
* Follow on GFC
* Comment on this post with your GFC name and email address
* Tell me why you would love a break! Easy!

This giveaway closes at 11.59pm on Wednesday 29th February and the winner will be chosen by random number generator.

I am already jealous of whichever lucky duck wins!

* This is not a sponsored post, I simply thought this was a brilliant offer for my followers and I do not gain from it in any way.

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish

2012-02-20T23:30:00.001Z

I was very kindly sent the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish in December, so that I could try out the product and see what I thought. This tube lasted me about 6 or 7 weeks before I could pump no more!

I have been a huge fan of the Superdrug Hot Cloth Cleanser for six months now, and had been repurchasing it faithfully. When the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish arrived, I couldn't wait to try it and see if there was any substantial difference!

Firs thing's first... the presentation. Obviously, there's a big difference in buying a product in a shop and having one posted to you, but it is still lovely to receive such a nicely wrapped item. It is a very nice touch.

The product comes in a 100ml tube, with a pump, in the trademark Liz Earle muted turquoise colour. I also received two muslin cloths and this little washbag which could be handy for travel. The packaging is chic and sturdy, however it is very difficult to judge how much is left in the tube. Only in the last week or so did I begin to think that it must be running low.

The product itself is lovely; luxurious feeling thick cream, with a really fresh scent from the eucalyptus. You rub the cream on to your face, on top of your make up, massage it around, then use a muslin cloth dampened with hot water to remove the cream, and polish the skin. It leaves the skin very clean and fresh, and mildly exfoliated.

It was great on my sensitive skin, which can be prone to flare ups with new products. I can safely say that my skin loved this stuff! I used it every evening to remove my makeup, and followed it with my Murad Time Release Blemish Cleanser (I preferred to remove my eye make up first, although the Cleanse & Polish removes it easily too). Since using this and my Murad cleanser, my skin has been in the best state I've seen in a while!

So after six weeks of continuous use, the Cleanse & Polish pumped its last pump. Since I finished this about two weeks ago, I have been back to using my Superdrug Hot Cloth Cleanser, and has my skin changed or went haywire as a result of this change?... Well, no, is the long and the short of it! I have noticed neither more nor less spots since I finished this product, which I believe shows just how similar they are (though obviously not identical, some people may have better results with one than the other).

For me the main point as to whether to repurchase this or not is the price - £13.75 for the Starter Kit, which I believe includes a 100ml tube and two muslin cloths. For me, this price range is definitely in the luxury beauty category. The Superdrug equivalent is 200ml, between £3.99 - £5.99 and - for me - does the same job. However, I do still love the Liz Earle one and will definitely treat myself to it in the future, and look forward to trying other products in their range.

Conclusion - A lovely luxury skincare item which should suit most skin types. Would make a fantastic gift for someone else, or treat for yourself!

Also has been added to my Project Pan page!

Sunday Night Make Up Shake Up #18

2012-02-19T22:59:00.002Z

Another Sunday, another make up shake up!

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation 51 - I was beginning to struggle with my MAC Studio Fix Fluid last week... it has been a favourite of mine since I was 18 but I have begun to get increasingly frustrated with its oxidisation - it ends up a shade darker than I need, and seeing as I buy NC15 it's not like I can go down a shade! Also it emphasised some dry patches, but perhaps my skin is just drier than usual. I'm hoping Healthy Mix works better this week!

NYC Blushable Creme Stick Big Apple Blush - I really like cream blushes now, and am definitely going to invest in more. I recommend this one if you can find it! It's really easy to use and so natural

Lumiere Cosmetics Mineral Blush Poppy - I haven't used this in a while and it goes very well with the NYC creme blush so if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

Urban Decay Naked Palette - I have severely neglected this palette of late, which is a shame. It is one of my absolute favourites; I have had it now for over nine months and most of the shadows barely have a dent in them!

Avon Arabian Glow Multistylo - This creamy bronzing stick is an amazing base for eyeshadow! It is possibly its best use!

NYC Hi Definition Mascara - This is like the mascara that never ends! However I have had it for so long now that I think this may have to be its last outing before it is formally introduced to The Bin. It's bound to be past its best!

Essence Lipstick In The Nude - I received this recently in a make up swap with Dee and I love it! I am a huge fan of nude lipsticks and this is one of the better ones I have tried. I adore the smell too!

Make Up For Ever Gloss - I got this last year the the MUFE sale but I don't think it has a shade number. In the tube it looks like a shimmery brown but when applied it's actually not far off my natural lip colour. I rarely use this and I don't know why now!

Have a fantastic week everyone! I am now finished my make up course and am officially a Make Up Artist!! Watch this space!

300 Follower Giveaway Winner

2012-02-18T22:40:00.000Z

Using good old random.org, I have a giveaway winner...

Congratulations Mel of mldvs! You will receive an email from me :)

Thank you to everyone that entered! I hope to hold another giveaway sometime in the future!

Sunday Night Make Up Shake Up #17

2012-02-12T22:46:00.001Z

I absolutely loved the make up I was using last week, though I want to take it up a notch if I can this week - it

all depends on how long I have to get ready in the mornings!

MAC Studio Fix Fluid NC15 - Time for a change from BB Cream this week, and I quite fancy my good old SFF. Nice coverage and one of my all time favourites.

Natural Collection Cream Blush Rosy Pink- I am actually really liking this cream blush! Surprising for £1.99. It blends nicely and leaves a natural flush of colour. What more can you ask for?

Milani Baked Blush Rose D'Oro - I cannot express my love for this blush enough. I need more! Damn them being an American brand!

MUA Heaven & Earth palette - I haven't used this wee gem in a while, and it's handy for creating a variety of neutral and brown looks. You can see my full review in this palette here.

MAC Paint Pot Painterly - I think this will just be in my make up every week to be honest. Adore. A must have!

Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Liner - I don't know how many work mornings I will have the time or energy to faff around with this, but I do want to give it a go for something a bit different.

Blink+Go Mascara - A fantastic mascara all round. I am considering buying one for my MUA kit as it is brilliant and waterproof, therefore great for weddings!

Avon Colour Rich Lipstick Pout - A natural pink lip for everyday; simple.

Miners Fashion Matte Lipstick Starlet - This vibrant pink colour is unlike my usual everyday nude lip shades, so I really want to give this a go with thick black liner. Ooh aye.

FCUK Lip Gloss - A standard clear lipgloss. I rarely use these any more so thought I'd chuck it in the mix and see how it goes,

Have a great week everyone!

Jemma Kidd Pro Blade Antibacterial Sharpener

2012-02-08T23:00:00.002Z

I ordered this Jemma Kidd Pro Blade Antibacterial Sharpener in the Feel Unique January sale, for £6.00. To be honest, £6 is friggin' ridiculous for something you sharpen make up pencils in, but I was in desperate need of one and thought, surely a Jemma Kidd one at £6 will be the shizz?...

The fact that it has a sanitising blade was also appealing, as it would be good for using for kit pencils. It has a little stick to clean the blades with which is quite handy for getting all the soft bits of pencil sharpenings out.

Those points however, are where the positives end. This sharpener completely fails to produce a fine, sharp point on any of my pencils... surely that should be the one thing any sharpener is able to do?! No matter how much I clean this sharpener, pencils never sharpen fully. When I need a really fine point, I actually use my mum's Catrice sharpener which she got for about 3 euro!

All in all, a totally overpriced product! Save your money and try out a drugstore one first!

January Favourites

2012-02-06T23:18:00.002Z

I can't remember the last time I did a monthly favourites post! Oh dear, that's shameful. Well, let me show you what I have been enjoying throughout January then...

MeMeMe Seventh Heaven Moisturising Facebase - I really, really like this stuff! The citrus smell might not be to everyone's taste, but I think it smells amazing and sometimes actually crave having a sniff of it! Weird, I know. It's addictive. It sinks in quite fast, leaving skin supple and primed for foundation. I like it as it feels more natural than using a silicone based primer, yet more effective than ordinary moisturiser.

CoverGirl LashBlast Fusion Mascara - I bought this in Florida in September and put off opening it until January, but now that it's open, I really like it. It has a fat, spiky wand akin to the Max Factor False Lash Effect mascaras, and a formula that's just the right balance of fluid and thickness.

Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Liner - I picked this up during January when it was on offer in Superdrug for £4.99 instead of the usual £7.99 (it's currently on offer at £5.99 here). I love the formula of this liner; so opaque and it glides on very easily. It stays on for ages too, and can actually be a pain to remove as it's so infallible!

MAC Paint Pot Painterly - I've not had this long, but it is now without doubt my favourite eye shadow base. Nothing else can stand up to the staying power of this stuff!

MAC Eyeshadow Woodwinked - I had never used this shadow much as I found the colour could be quite hard to pair with other shades. I then watched Tanya Burr's everyday make up video and this shadow was given a new lease of life! Fantastic.

Shu Uemura Eylash Curlers Even though I have very round eyes, this still works well on my short, straight lashes. My eyes have never looked so awake! (Don't forget I am giving a pair of these away in my Giveaway!)

Lauren Luke Flat Contour Brush - This is apparently comparable to the MAC 109, but I don't own it so I can't say. This brush is now my favourite contour brush, which surprised me somewhat; I didn't think the shape would be conducive to contouring but it works very well. Currently a bargain price at £5.25 here.

Lauren Luke Pencil Brush - I like this Pencil brush for precise appliction of eyeshadow to the socket line and even for precise blending. Another wee bargain at £3.25 here .

What products have you been loving lately?

Sunday Night Make Up Shake Up #16

2012-02-05T23:05:00.001Z

I start my new job tomorrow - scary! I was cool as a cucumber about it all day but now I have the nerves. Yikes. This week's choices are quite safe, must make a good impression!

We have a few repeats this week too...

Skin79 Super+ Triple Function BB Cream - BB Cream again this week, as I have been enjoying using it and it doesn't require using a brush. So handy, now that make up brush washing seems to have turned in to some sort of boring hobby for me...

Avon Arabian Glow Multistylo - I didn't use this much last week so may as well include it again. Not a bad cream bronzer, but I need more practice...

Natural Collection Cream Blush Rosy Pink - My NYC cream blush can have a rest this week, because I have this one to use as a base!

ELF Studio Blush Peachy Keen - This is the most natural blush I have so I thought it would be most 'new job appropriate' for my first week.

MAC Paint Pot Painterly - My new most favourite eyeshadow base in the whole wide world! (ah, the words of new love ♥)

Inglot Freedom Palette Matte 360 and Pearl 423 - I didn't use these much last week so carrying them over

No.7 Eyeshadow Duo - as above!

No.7 Extreme Length Mini Mascara - I thought this was a great size for travel, plus when I saw it had a plastic comb type wand, I was sold.

ELF Matte Lip Colour Pencil Natural - The word Natural made this the easy choice! It's not too bright a colour and easy for touch ups during the day.

Cargo Lipgloss Serengeti - Also chosen due to its travel friendly size. A slightly shimmery pink colour, just to stop my lips from looking too dry from the matte pencil. It looks like there's not a lot left in this, but I haven;t used it that much! Odd!

I hope you have all had a lovely weekend, and have a great week awaiting you!

New Make Up Storage

2012-02-04T23:31:00.002Z

I don't intend this as a make up collection post by any means; just showing you some new storage bits I got in the last week or two! I recently got a new dressing table for my bedroom, so I wanted to tidy everything up more. I had previously been storing my make up in this case:

Please note that the above photo is very old; ignore any rubbish make up I previously used!
I love how my nail varnishes used to fit in this case too - now they're housed in eight Glossy Boxes!

However, my make up was beginning to overflow from this and I wanted to invest in some nice acrylic storage, so that I could use the case exclusively for my MUA kit. So I researched acrylic storage solutions and here's what I chose...

I saw that Leanne had tweeted about these drawers from Homebase a while back, so I hunted them down! They're actually an acrylic paper sorter, but they do the same job. They aren't cheap at £20.99 but I suppose that's not too expensive either. I had actually reserved the last 2 sets in my nearest shop, but when I went to collect them, one set (which had obviously been the display set) was all dusty and 2 of the drawers were stuck! So I only came home with one but it turned out that one was just the right size for most of my collection. It was, however, too big for my new dressing table! It took up so much space, so I have it on a shelf beside the table.

I also picked up this tumbler glass in Homebase, for some of my make up brushes. It was a steal at £1.99, although slightly smaller and shallower than I would have liked. I must be rather fussy, because I looked around so many shops at glasses and candle holders, and couldn't find one to satisfy me, so this was a compromise!

This cosmetics organiser, would you believe, was the most expensive item of the lot! A whopping £27! Majorly overpriced if you ask me, but I am in love with it. There were smaller ones available for around £15 but they just didn't seem big enough, and now that I have this, I am glad I went for it. My mum is eyeing this up now, too! I keep all my everyday make up in this organiser, plus some extra lipsticks, and of course the make up will be on rotation every Sunday for my weekly Make Up Shake Up!

OK, so the above isn't make up storage, but it used to be! I had previously stored my make up brushes in this vase, stuck in to black sand (vase and sand from Au Naturale, RIP) just like all the cool kids on YouTube, but I was getting very fed up with it, as the brushes always fell over and just looked messy. So now the vase is a lovely decorative feature! LED twigs (£2.99) and sparkly thingymabob (£1.49) from B&M Bargains, black ribbon from December Glossy Box.

Finally, most of my palettes, plus small No.7 mirror, now live in the December Joliebox; it is the ideal, compact size, and fits in with my black and white themed bedroom perfectly!

I love it when a plan comes together!

Small Haul

2012-02-02T22:30:00.000Z

I thought I would show just a few items I purchased on Monday and Tuesday, my last days of working in Belfast near decent shops!

These items from the Natural Collection in Boots were 3 for £5, as always. I got 2 green colour collectors which I then depotted (which you can see in this post) and this cream blush in Rosy Pink.

The cream blush was more liquid in consistency than cream, I thought, and so a little goes a long way! It seems to lean more to the coral/peach side to me, rather than rosy pink but it is still nice and very wearable.

I got some items in Primark (not pictured are some black super cosy tights, which I love, and a pair of men's trackie bottoms that were £5 and I have basically lived in them since Tuesday) as I don't know when I'll next get to Primark again! *sob*

This oversized skull and flower print scarf was £4. I love the oversized scarves from Primark, they're not ideal for winter warmth but are great accessories for plain outfits.

This ring was £2! You can't beat Primark for cheap and cheerful jewellery! It's so pretty, albeit a blatant rip-off of the Princess Diana ring.

Last but not least, I picked up these Sally Hansen HD Nail Polishes in... Poundland! I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw them. This was the only Hi Def (green) left, and Hue was the only yellow of this shade left too. There were lots in the shade Lite which were a brighter, more sunshine yellow, but I preferred this one.

So there you have it. Not much, but a few wee bargains! Plenty more coming up to show you too!

MAC 'Painterly' Paint Pot

2012-02-01T23:15:00.000Z

I have read many blog posts singing the praises of MAC Paint Pots, but I never felt the need to purchase one before. While they can be used on their own, most people seem to use them as a base for eye shadow, like a primer, and I figured that I was happy enough with my ELF and Urban Decay primers.

However, since starting my make up course (change the record, Lauren!) we have used Painterly in every class as an eye shadow base, and I can now see why. They work brilliantly with all shadows and set fast.This can sometimes make blending a little difficult, but also means longer lasting eye make up.

Painterly is a pale nude shade with what MAC describe as a 'cream' finish. I would say that it dries totally matte, therefore making it perfect for whatever type of shadow you put on top. It can also of course be used on its own to even out the shade of your eyelids, and if you use a tiny bit of shadow in your socket line for definition it creates an easy everyday eye look.

These aren't exactly purse friendly (well, not to my purse anyway) at £14.50 for a 5g jar, but a little goes a very long way, as I have discovered through trial and error! This is a product that is going to be well loved by me and well used in my kit, too.

I am very pleased to have finally popped my Paint Pot cherry (try saying that five times, fast!) and will perhaps invest in more in the future! Do you use Paint Pots? Any recommendations?

DIY: Depotting Stuff

2012-02-01T00:03:00.002Z

I am currently on the lookout for an affordable lipstick palette that I can use in my 'kit' (still sounds weird saying that) and am having no luck. However, when I picked up two colour corrector sticks in Boots, I knew I wanted to depot them, so that they would be more hygienic to use. I remembered this video about DIY Lipstick Palettes by MakeUpGeek.

Obviously, you can simply cut the product out of the stick and mush it in to a palette or container; simple. However, I am a bit OCD about things and to me that would just look a mess and would annoy me. The method of melting the product seemed much tidier. So, I decided to try it out on the colour corrector sticks. These Natural Collection ones are £1.99 each or 3 for £5 so it's not going to break the bank if it goes wrong! I wouldn't like to attempt it with a more expensive product until I was sure it was ok.

So you need:
* Your colour corrector / concealer / lipstick / whatever product you want to depot
* A container to hold the product (I got a pot from Superdrug for 99p)
* A candle
* A spoon

1) Remove product from it's stick/original container. I didn't want to use a knife, as I was already vandalising my mother's silver service spoon, so I used a clean kirby grip/hair clip to slice the stick. There was also a bit left in the stick which I was able to poke out using the hair grip.

2) Hold the spoon containing the product over a lit candle and wait. I was melting two of these at once and it only took a few minutes to melt completely. It is also worth noting that a silver service spoon is massive; had I been using a normal sized spoon I would have to melt one at a time!

3) Once the product is totally melted, pour in to the container and that's it! It takes five minutes to cool and set completely. Easy or what!

I noticed in the video comments some furore about this melting method actually causing damage to the plastic lipstick palettes, rendering them useless for future lipsticks as the plastic distorts and shrinks. This pot was not affected at all, however I would be cautious if using a plastic palette. I can't comment as to whether melting the stick has affected the consistency of the product at all, as I haven't used it yet, but it doesn't appear to have altered.

I hope you find this interesting, or even useful! I was all pleased with my new pot of colour corrector!

Sunday Night Make Up Shake Up #15

2012-01-30T00:15:00.001Z

This is the last make up shake up of January! People always seem glad to see the end of January for some reason, whereas it just scares me that we're a month in to 2012 already. I have my last 2 days at my current job tomorrow and Tuesday, then 3 days off! Wahoo!

Skin79 Super+ Triple Function BB Cream - Back to the BB Cream this week, due to sheer laziness. I am so fed up with washing make up brushes, especially foundation brushes, that I am going with this BB cream as I whack it on with my fingers and that's it. No muss, no fuss.

NYC Blushable Creme Stick Big Apple Blush - Still sticking with this! I need to expand my cream blush choice, really! Perfect as a base for powder blush and makes it last longer.

Avon Arabian Glow Multistylo - I have had this for yonks and never bothered with it as I didn't know what the heck to do with it! I got it as part of a present and it's meant to be a '3 in 1' product for eyes, lips and cheeks. It looked ridiculous on my eyes and lips so it got thrown in the make up box and forgotten about. I then found it again the other day and realised "Cream bronzer, duh!" so it will get a try!

Sleek Blush Rose Gold - My favourite! Need I say more?!

Jane Iredale 24-Karat Gold Dust Rose Gold - An item I received in the December Joliebox and haven't yet used as I'm not sure what to do with it! It's a bit shimmery and sparkly for using as a blush, so I will see how it goes with this.... maybe try it on a day I don't have work!

No. 7 Eye shadow Duo - This was part of a Christmas present gift set and I've not used it yet, so best change that. The shades look nice; a neutral pinky colour and a blue/indigo.

Inglot Freedom Palette Matte 360 and Pearl 423 - I won this in Rachel's giveaway a while ago and need to make more use of it. I love the shades and the shadows themselves and really want to get more Inglot shadows. I think a trip to Dublin for this purpose alone is in order!

Covergirl Lash Blast Fusion Mascara - Can you believe I bought this in Florida in September and have only just opened it?! I wish I'd opened it sooner now - love!

Natural Collection Lip Liner - I think this shade is Almond but don't quote me on it. My make up course is teaching me the value of lip liner! This is definitely a bargain at £1.99 in Boots.

MAC Cremesheen Lipstick Shy Girl - A peachy nude lipstick that should work well with the lip liner. I love the formula of Cremesheen lipsticks, very smooth and not at all drying.

New CID i-gloss Baby Doll - Another item from the December Joliebox. The colour is really nice and the formula is lovely and smooth, however, it lights up when you open it. Argh! It is immensely annoying. The light is blueish white and blinding. It washes the colour out of your face so you can't tell what the gloss looks like when applying it either. Daft, gimmicky feature. The mirror on the side is handy though.

Have a great week everyone! Don't forget to check out my last post to enter my Giveaway!

300 Follower Giveaway! (NOW CLOSED)

2012-01-26T09:40:00.004Z

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

I know this has been a long time coming, as I hit 300 just before Christmas, however there were so many Christmas giveaways on the go, I thought I would wait and gather up some nice items for it.

So, here we go!

Up for grabs are Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers, MUA Immaculate Collection Palette, VO5 Miracle Concentrate, Superdrug Vitamin E Illuminating Moisture Cream, MeMeMe Moonbeam Highlighter and Accessorize Aztec Nail Polish.

Here we have a closer look at the items...

The MeMeMe Moonbeam Highlighter is a bit of a dupe for Benefit's Highbeam, and I love it! It gives a healthy, dewy glow to the skin and a little goes a long way, so it lasts for ages. The Accessorize Aztec Nail Polish is such a difficult shade to describe... it gleams from purple to green to gold. It is really stunning.

You have no doubt heard me profess my love for VO5 Miracle Concentrate on here before. It is a fabulous hair oil that keeps hair healthy, shiny and soft. I also love this Superdrug Illuminating Moisture Cream as it gives skin a beautiful glow either when worn alone or under foundation, or even as a highlight. Again, a little goes a long way otherwise you can look like a discoball!

The MUA Immaculate Collection palette has a great selection of shades, and even an Urban Decay Dupe or two! You can see my review of this palette here.

I'm sure you have seen a blog post or two on these beauties! The infamous Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers. They are used in nearly every YouTube make up tutorial I've ever watched, and frequently referred to as the best that there are. I bought two pairs at my make up course; one for me and one for you! These are brand new, so please excuse the dent in the box, they got a bump or two in my bag on the way home.
So now the basics...

The Rules:
- This giveaway is open internationally (please note that if the winner lives in the UK the prize will be sent recorded delivery, however if the winner lives outside the UK, this will not be possible)
- You must be a follower of my blog using GFC.
- Leave a comment on this post telling me what you're looking forward to this year!
- Please state your name on GFC and an email address so I can contact you. (1 entry)

Additional Entries:
+1 entry: Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about this giveaway -

I entered the @gottaloveatrier 300 Follower Giveaway! http://gottaloveatrier.blogspot.com/2012/01/300-follower-giveaway.html #gottaloveagiveaway

+2 entries: Put my giveaway picture (above) in your blog side bar and link it to this giveway.
+3 entries: Write a blog post about this giveaway including the above picture and a link.

So if you do all of the above options, you will have 7 entries! If you do any of the additional entry methods please state which in your comment and leave any relevant links.

I cannot stand unfairness and cheating so I will check that you have followed the rules. If your blog/twitter account was created purely for entering giveaways, your entry will not be counted.

This giveaway ends at noon UK time on Thursday 16th February 2012. The winner will be selected using random.org. My decision is final.

Happy entering :)

NB: I had originally put the wrong clsoing date above, this is now rectified. Gieveaway open from 3 weeks as of date of this post.

Royal Lip Brush

2012-01-25T09:00:00.009Z

I have really been enjoying make up brushes recently, in case you can't tell! It is very true that the tools you use to apply make up can make all the difference to the final result, and so different brushes can help you vary application and how a product looks on you.

To be honest, on a daily basis, do I faff about with lip brushes? No. I slick lipstick on straight out of the bullet, like 99% of people do. However now that I am learning about applying make up on others and how to achieve different looks, a lip brush is a necessity. Would you apply a lipstick not knowing whose mouth it had been on previously? Of course not! Brushes are more hygenic for your clients as they can be washed after every use.

You might not always want a thick layer of lippie, which is also when a lip brush comes in handy. You can apply a light stain or build it up to your desired intensity. They can also be used for applying gloss too, of course.

Call it redundant, but I like it when a brush states its function 'on the tin'! Makes life simpler sometimes.

I received this Royal lip brush from iazua.com and I really like it. The fine, tapered tip of the brush makes applying lipstick accurately such a breeze. It applies it precisely and lightly, almost like adding a stain to your lips, but of course this can be built up too.

I used it to apply my Miners Fashion Matte Lipstick in Starlet, which as you can see, is a vivd hot pink. It gave a lovely result, bright but not too crazy looking, which this colour can sometimes be!

It also looked beautiful with a slick of gloss over the top and didn't go gloopy at all, thanks to the application. I haven't even told you the price yet - £1.99! Yep. A worthy little investment I think!

New Make Up Brushes!

2012-01-24T09:00:00.000Z

On my first day on my make up course I ended up spending £70 I hadn't been expecting to part with. I felt a bit guilty at first, as I always do after a big purchase. However, I figured that I would have to get some brushes for my kit sooner or later, and so this set was a good place to start.

Oooh look at my fancy roll!

This set has 14 brushes, which works out at £5 per brush. I also think, honestly, that these brushes are fantastic quality. I prefer them over my Lauren Luke brushes (although I do still like my LL ones, and use them daily, as I am trying to only use these as my kit!).

(L-R): Eye Liner Brush / Concealer Brush / Flat Definer Brush / Lip Brush / Angled Brush

The handles are long and lightweight, matte black with the make up studio name printed on the handle. I know there are a few bristles sticking out at an angle from the Liner Brush, but this is because I put the guard on wonky; now rectified! I must admit here that the names I am giving these brushes are just my names for them, based on what I use them for! Obviously you can call them whatever you like and use them for whatever you prefer.

(L-R): Eye Definer Brush / Small Socket Brush / Socket Brush / Angled Shader / Fluffy Shadow Brush

I think that, if you were at a push, you could do a whole face of make up with only this kit. There are some synthetic brushes and some natural sable ones. They wash really well too; these photos were taken the day after their second wash and they still look brand new.

Double-ended Spoolie and Comb Brush

The metal end on this scared me a little - I have nightmares of poking my own or someone else's eye out with it! Handy if used with care though, for brushing through brows and lashes.

(L-R): Foundation Brush / Blush Brush / Powder Brush

The foundation brush is also great for cream blush and highlighter. The powder brushes are so soft, and I am so happy with finally having a decent blush brush. I wish I could use them on myself every day but as I said, I am trying to relegate these for 'kit only' usage... it is breaking my heart slightly!

These brushes are available to buy for £120 from the make up studio, while students get them at the discounted price of £70. I think it it £70 well spent, and think it is a great starter set. While they may not be up to the standards of MAC brushes or the like, I think they will serve me well for a long time, and more than be worth the money.

Sunday Night Make Up Shake Up #14

2012-01-22T21:20:00.001Z

I only have one repeat from last week's products in my selection today, other than that, it's all things I haven't used in a while...

MAC Studio Fix Fluid NC15 - I changed from my Healthy Mix this week as I had some issues with it clinging to a dry patch on my nose last week... I didn't have a dry patch until I used the foundation and it took a while to shift it even with extra exfoliating and moisturising. Annoying!

NYC Blushable Creme Stick Big Apple Blush - This is the only product I am using again this week, as my make up course so far has really showed that using a cream blush under powder blush really ensures that it lasts, which I need it to!

VIVO Blush with Highlighter Duo Pink Primrose - A brilliant budget blush! The pink looks so bright in the pan but just adds a natural warm glow to the cheeks. The highlighter is decent too, and used on its own works well on the browbone and on top of cheekbones. Or when feeling lazy just swirl the brush in both and you're sorted!

MAC eyeshadow quad Dazzlelight, Jest, Woodwinked, Handwritten - I am just going to be honest here; this MAC quad I got in September has barely been used as, frankly, I was really disappointed with the pigmentation and texture of the shadows. Sacriliege? Perhaps, but they were my first MAC shadows and I was expecting big things after seeing how crazy bloggers and YouTubers are about them, and then was totally let down. However, on my course we have actually used Jest in nearly every look so far, so I am going to persist with these.

Avon Supershock Mascara - This could be the old Supershock's swan song outing; it's a bit too dry now! *sob*

L'Oréal Infallible Lipstick Perpetual Peach - A warm orange toned peach that isn't too scary for everyday wear. It is rather long lasting, too, as the name would suggest.

NYC Liquid Lip Shine Brighton Beach Peach - It's peachy lip products all round this week! I really do like the NYC glosses; lovely colours and not sticky at all. Definitely going to stock up on them.

I hope you all have had a great weekend. This week is my last full week in work -YAY! No doubt it will drag as a result though, and I as of yet have no idea what my new job will entail.

I have been enjoying my make up course a lot, and am getting immensely excited to get started on a new venture! Next Saturday we are doing Brows and Contouring, and part of our homework was to draw or paint an apple... I think it's to make you look at light vs shade? Any other explanations welcome! I spent an hour this evening doing it, so I shall leave you with my picture!

Weakness for Wedges

2012-01-20T09:00:00.000Z

Sarenza are offering one lucky blogger the amazing opportunity to become a Sarenza Ambassador. As a large footed lady, I often have shoe woes, and so thought this was too good an opportunity to ignore!

After much perusal of the awesome array of shoes on the Sarenza website, I was struggling to narrow it down.What should favourite shoes encapsulate? They should fit my humongous hooves, for a start. I thought about my most worn shoes. The words flat, comfortable and practical came to mind... uninspiring stuff.

I thus determined that favourite shoes are the ones I wish I could wear every day, but to do so would make them less special. They should be so captivatingly cool that to observe them for to long is to make your soul weep with longing....

They should also come in my size, lest we forget.

Enter the Gold Star Wedge.

I have always lusted after Iron Fist shoes but have never tried them on, for fear that they do not fit. This would only leave me with cramp in my feet and tears in my eyes.

Do you know the woe of big feet?! Most shoes are off limits. Shops either don't stock them at all, or else they order very few which sell like hot cakes. I frequently find shops sell small fitting size 8s! Essentially, getting our hopes up, but breaking our hearts at the last minute. (The last minute usually involves an elevated pulse, a mild sweat and minor foot injuries.)

These wedges deliver - impressive and versatile. They would work wonderfully with skirts, shorts, dresses, skinny jeans, tights... They are stunning but wouldn't kill my arches like stilettos They also appease my inner
rock chick. It's not regression to my teens; it's nostalgia in the form of fantastic footwear.

Finished Product! Nivea SOS Hand Balm

2012-01-19T09:00:00.000Z

2. Nivea Hand Balm 50ml

18th January

I received this hand balm as part of my prize from Hazel's giveaway. I had never tried this type before, but I definitely would again. I kept this tube in work as the water there makes my hands very dry, and this stuff was brilliant! Really thick and moisturising. If you have very dry hands, susceptible to bring chapped or sore, I think this would be really good for you. I loved the smell to. As you can see, I chopped it open once I was unable to squeeze any more product out, and after cutting the top off I got about another two weeks' use out of it!

In other news, I have finished the first book of 2012, wayhey! So I have updated my Reading Challenge page above as well as my Project Pan page! It's a good start, folks!

2012 Project Pan

2012-01-18T09:00:00.001Z

Oh what a cliché! I see these Project Pan posts and wonder how folk can be bothered picking out certain products to finish up, or determining a certain number of items they want to use. I have so many at the minute, I would have no idea where to begin!

However, I did say in my 2012 Resolutions that I needed to do some sort of make up challenge, due to my ever increasing stash. This stash will increase even more this year, once I finish my make up course and start building up my kit, however my kit will be separate from my own products.

I have simply settled on a Project Pan with no specific number in the title, for fear that I let it down! This Project Pan includes all make up items, plus products like body scrubs and lotions as I now have so many they are threatening to take over my bedroom. I have created a new Project Pan page above, where I will note down what products I finish and when, then I can see what I achieved at the end of the year! I do have an estimated aim of twelve products though, as that would be roughly one item per month which should be plausible.

Obviously some products I will get through faster than others, especially those that I use everyday (eg: cleanser, moisturiser, hand cream etc) but every product counts in my battle against product overload.

So let me begin with item numéro uno- this innocuous little lad:

Product used up:

1. Soap & Glory Flake Away 50ml

You can track my progress herein on the 2012 Project Pan page. Let the challenge commence!

Sunday Night Make Up Shake Up #13

2012-01-15T19:53:00.000Z

I cannot believe it's Sunday already; I am so tired! After such a busy weekend last week, I have barely rested again this week! Work during the week, and then on Saturday I started a make up course, which is extremely exciting!! I enjoyed it immensely, and cannot wait to go again this Saturday, even if it means 1 day weekends until mid-February! I am one step closer to having a brand new career path!

I will have to recycle some of last weeks items this week, for various reasons...

MeMeMe Seventh Heaven Moisturising Facebase - I really like this facebase, it has a creamy yet gel like consistency, and smells divine! It is perfect for everyday use and a little goes a long way. For the time being, this will now replace my Hard Candy Sheer Envy Primer, as I feel the HC one is best suited for nights out or 'heavy duty' make up occasions.

Bourjois Healthy Mix 51 Light Vanilla - I am using this foundation again this week as, basically, I really like it! The shade is a great match for my natural skin tone and it is fine when I don't have to many blemishes, like now (touch wood).

NYC Blushable Cream Stick Big Apple Blush - I am back to using this cream blush again. We were using cream blushes at the course on Saturday and it has inspired me to crack this one out. It is a lovely everyday shade.

Physicians Formula Happy Booster Blush - Another everyday shade, this pink blush provides just the right amount of colour which can be built up for more intensity. Plus it is just lovely to look at!

Avon Super Magnify Mascara - Same as last week! I like the brush of this as it separates the lashes nicely. It can be hard to do a second coat with this but for work I really don't mind.

No.7 Palette - The same as last week too. I barely used it so must make more of an effort!

MAC Cremesheen Lipstick Creme D'Nude - One of my favourite lipsticks ever! Look how little I have left of this! Major sad face. I will definitely replace this when it runs out; I don't think it is my perfect nude, but almost!

No. 7 Moisturising Balm - I was surprised to see that this was called a balm, as I assumed it was a gloss. I suppose it feels quite balm-like on the lips, but I wouldn't replace my Blistex with it! It is very sheer and so just gives lips more shine than colour.

Those are this weeks items! Now if you'll excuse me, I am off to be a major geek by writing out my notes from Saturday's class in a tidy fashion and do my homework! (It involves watching Youtube videos and making local rumour mongers think I am getting married due to the purchasing of Bridal Magazines) Have a great week everyone!

Clarisonic Mia on BuyPowa for £90!

2012-01-13T11:08:00.001Z

I thought some of you ladies might be interested in the fact that today the Clarisonic Mia is back on BuyPowa!! Once 80 people enter the co-buy, everyone gets the Mia for £90! This is a total bargain considering it normally retails at £120!

Grab a bargain! I would if it were payday!!

NARS Night Series Palette

2012-01-13T09:00:00.007Z

Lady Luck has been on my side again lately! To top off getting a new job last week, this little beauty then arrived in the post for me! I won it in the Christmas Giveaway by the lovely Aoife, whose blog is Fashion Turn to the Right.

I know many people dislike NARS packaging, with its rubberised cases, but I have to say I like it. The case is sturdy and looks chic; definitely one to show off when taking it out of your make up bag. I do agree though that it is hard to keep the buggers clean; I am oft spied wiping down this type of packing with a face wipe to remove smudges and marks.

JUST LOOK at those colours!! It was love at first sight. I truly love them all, even the green, and I never wear green eyeshadow. This really is a gorgeous 'night out' eyeshadow palette; beautiful, smoky, dark, sparkly and attention seeking. Yus.

The shades would look great in many combinations, and their texture is wonderful. Creamy and soft, with plenty of pigmentation in one swipe. The palest shades look the least impressive in the photos, but in real life I thought they were fine; perfect pale shades for blending out the other deep, smoky shadows.

Night Rider / Night Flight / Night Breed

Night Star / Night Clubbing / Night Porter

Huge thanks to Aoife for this amazing prize; it has pride of place on my palette rack! It will be well loved!

P.S.: In other, rather exciting news, the Blogs We Love page on the Sugahfix website has now been updated with photos and information about Northern Ireland bloggers! I am so chuffed about this, so a huge thank you to Katrina and the Sugahfix team for this lovely gesture! Wee old me, on a proper website and everything! Shucks!

NYC Individual Eyes Palette - 938 Union Square

2012-01-12T09:00:00.000Z

I was lucky enough to receive this palette at the FABB NI Blogger Meet Up in November. These are a relatively new offering from NYC, however I am not sure if these are available in the UK yet (or indeed, at all) but I think they are released in Ireland for €3.99.

Although I have blue eyes, I much prefer the colours in this brown eyes palette; no one's gonna shoot you if you don't buy the one for your own specific eye colour! These are the shades I lean towards more as I, personally, think they work better for my eyes than the cooler shades offered in the blue eyes palette.

I really think quite highly of this little palette! The plastic cover and the information on the label denote where you can use the colours, for those who are unsure. I love the shades, which are a matte cream, a matte sandy brown, a shimmery chocolate brown and a slightly shimmery plum purple. The shadows are nicely pigmented, the dark brown being most and the purple least.

These shades combine to create an easy, wearable everyday eye look. I was dubious of the purple at first and thought I wouldn't really use or need it but I was mistaken; it adds lovely depth to the look. The palette also contains a primer and an illuminator which saves you carrying a primer with you, if you are that way inclined. Very handy. The primer is a nude coloured cream base, which evens out the colour of your lids and helps the shadow stay put for longer. I definitely noticed a difference when using the shadows on their own. It will still crease if you're wearing if for hours though, like me!

The illuminator is very good for the inner corners of your eye to brighten your eyes, and as a brow highlight. Another option is to use the illuminator as a base, or over the darker shadows to brighten them up and create a slightly different colour, which adds to the versatility of the set. It turns the dark brown into a pale taupe, and the purple into a shimmery lilac. The only negative about this palette would be that the cream primer and illuminator get a bit messy if using your fingers!

I would say that this is definitely a decent little travel palette to have. Very useful for handbags or even weekends away, and if it breaks or gets lost, spending around £4 on another wouldn't be the end of the world (though getting your hands on one could be another story!).

NOTD: Sally Hansen DVD

2012-01-11T09:00:00.000Z

No matter how hard I try, no photograph truly captures the true colour of DVD! It looks so lavender/lilac/blue in these, but in reality it is a deeper purple with blue sheen running through it, almost leaning turquoise, depending on the light.

The polish itself is easy to apply, neither watery nor thick. This was two coats but three would ensure optimum coverage. It is a pain to remove though. I also added some gems to the tip of my ring finger nails for some extra sparkle, but I think that they actually look better in these photos than they did in person; as the polish seems darker in real life the gems didn't go very well.

I picked this polish up in the States for around $7 or $8, and sadly I don't think they're available in the UK... eBay, perhaps? It really is a stunner!

Sunday Night Make Up Shake Up #12

2012-01-10T09:00:00.001Z

It may not be Sunday any more, but I only got home from London at 10pm on Sunday night, and slept til 2.30pm Monday afternoon - sign of a good, if sleepless, weekend I think! Onwards with this week's selection!

MeMeMe Seventh Heaven Moisturising Facebase - I purchased this after trying the sample I received in December's Glossy Box. In all seriousness, I may have primarily purchased this for the scent alone - it is zesty and fruity, like oranges and lemons! Love! It also leaves your face moisturised, refreshed and primed for make up, so I thought I should save my Hard Candy primer and use this instead. It is normally £15, which isn't that cheap for a drugstore brand, but I used the £5 discount code from the Glossy Box.

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation 51 Light Vanilla - I am almost out of my other bottle so I bought 3 more, one in shade 51 and one in shade 52!

ELF Blush Peachy Keen - Not the most pigmented of blushes but severely neglected of late so I felt sorry for it.

Avon Magnify Mascara - I won this mascara in Hazel's giveaway a while ago and I really like it for every day wear! The thin brush is great for lower lashes too.

No. 7 Palette - This eyeshadow palette was part of a No.7 gift set my aunt and uncle got me for Christmas. The colours are slightly outside my comfort zone for every day use but expanding my make up horizons can only be a good thing!

Avon Rose Gold Lipstick Luxurious Blush - I just really like this colour and wanted to use it again!

Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker - This came in my big Soap & Glory gift set, and is so weird! Very strange and feels more fizzy than tingly on the lips, but nice and natural colour.

Cargo Lipgloss Serengeti - This also came in a previous Glossy Box and I haven't used it yet. The colour payoff isn't great but it's a handy size for travel and provides a bit of shimmer.

So that is what I will be using this week! I hope you all had a good weekend. I have had a rather mixed few days; on Thursday I was offered a new job, which I quickly accepted! I start next month and cannot wait! No more 6am starts and I will be 35miles closer to home - I may get my life back! However, that evening my BlackBerry was stolen from work, which I was very angry and upset about. Really put the nail in the coffin. I will miss being so close to the shops in Belfast, though!

I was then up at 5am on Saturday morning to drive 45 miles to the airport, got a flight to Stansted and a bus into central London. Met my friends, watched Shrek the Musical (which was amazing!), had drinks and Korean food, went to the Ice Bar (also amazing!) and ended up in a bar in Soho which we feared was some sort of free love commune... it was all fun though. I then got a quick visit to the London Eye on Sunday before trying and failing to eat lunch (cocktail over-indulgence) and then trekking back to Stansted, flying back and driving home. Phew!

NOTD: Belated Christmas Day

2012-01-07T10:00:00.003Z

I am currently in London for the weekend, so I thought I would have this wee post up on Saturday. I should have shared my Christmas Day NOTD ages ago but forgot about it, oops!

I used 2 coats of the beautiful Ciaté Kitten Heels, and then using nail gems from a nail gem wheel my friend got me, covered my ring finger nails in false nail glue and went gem crazy! Loved the result, hated the removal... after soaking the nails in nail polish remover them gems came off but the glue would not come off my nail. I was getting very worried! I then panicked, drove to a local chemist and bought some acetone; problem solved, phew!

Also, check out my fake tan hands! I had wore a mitt when applying the tan the night before this photo was taken and you wouldn't think it! Oh dear.

If you want to check out my 2012 Resolutions page, you will see which one I have now achieved... yay!

2012 Reading Challenge

2012-01-05T10:00:00.001Z

As you may, or may not know, I love reading. Always have, always will. I've always had a "What I'm Reading" box in the right hand side bar of my blog, which I try to keep updated. Whether anyone notices or gives a hoot is another story but it reminds me to pick up a book if I am lagging, and sometimes it was shameful how infrequently it needed updated throughout 2011.

Now that I have my beloved Kindle, which my fantastic boyfriend got me for Christmas, it should, technically, be much easier for me to read more this year. I have already downloaded some books, and have started the New Year off with Jane Eyre, which I haven't read since I did GCSE English, and I certainly didn't appreciate or enjoy it back then.

So I have created a new Reading Challenge page at the top of my blog, where I will have lists of books... a list of what is currently on my Kindle, books that I would like to read, and any other book related list that takes my fancy! I can add to it, tick books off as I go along, and so keep track of my progress. Perhaps I will do a monthly round up of what I read. I dunno, I'm easy, let's see where this goes...

I have an overall aim to read, if possible, 60 BOOKS this year... that is a slightly scary number, as it is more than one a week, but as Sophie said, aim high, shoot low! If I hit 50 I will still be pleased. I have also joined Goodreads, where I can rate and review books as I go along too.

So, there we have it! I will start my list here, but for future updates, check out the Reading Challenge page...

Books on my Kindle...

Jane Eyre - Charlotte Brontë (currently reading)
Always Looking Up - Michael J. Fox
Dead Simple - Peter James
Drowning Rose - Marika Cobbold
The Forgotten Garden - Kate Morton
A Life for A Life (Parish & Richards 1) - Tim Ellis
The Wages of Sin (Parish & Richards 2) - Tim Ellis
The Flesh is Weak (Parish & Richards 3) - Tim Ellis
The Shadow of Death (Parish & Richards 4) - Tim Ellis

Oh, and don't forget to let me know of any good books or recommendations you might have! :)

New Year's Resolutions

2012-01-04T10:00:00.003Z

I know you're probably sick of reading New Year's Resolutions posts! A lot of them have appeared over the last few days.... I wonder why?!

Anyways, I wasn't too hot with last year's resolutions, even though they were easy, but if at first you don't succeed.....

2012 Resolutions:

Diary:

Write in it every day, even if only a line or two.

Job:

Find a new one!

Blog:

Try harder to do more OOTDs, post regularly and generally become more computer literate/html savvy. Also improve my photography skills and try to comment back to all you lovely peoples.

Reading:

I am setting myself a reading challenge, and will post about it soon...

Make Up:

I may also set myself some sort of make up challenge - perhaps a spending ban/project pan, as I have too many cosmetics at the minute! More to follow...

Health:

I was quite good last year as I kicked my 'social smoking' habit and I am so glad! This year I really need to be more active, but my job makes it damn near impossible. Basically, any change here can only be good.

Life:

Be happy and positive, even if it means counting to 10 sometimes. Failed dismally with this last year! Must be less of a grump! Try to be more creative as I love it, and basically make time for things I love to do.

So, it seems there are seven resolutions... Good thing seven is my favourite number. I have put these Resolutions in a page of their own for a bit of a reminder too!

Some Outfits of 2011

2012-01-03T10:00:00.001Z

It was interesting putting this together; some of the outfits were fairly repetitive and so I left them out, but sometimes a new buy or different style emerged. I have really felt that over the last year I have established more of my own style, and found some styles that really suit me. This is in part, thanks to blogging, as I have seen other peoples' style, taken inspiration from blogs and been keen to try more with my own purchases.

I know that I have fallen behind with the Outfit Of The Day photos, and it saddens me, but I just don't have as much time as I used to, sadly. More of an effort required this year!

OOTD - Christmas Eve

2012-01-02T10:00:00.003Z

Yes, I am extremely late in posting this, apologies! The photo taking and blogging was a bit all over the show over the festive season, but better late than never. I wore this ensemble on Christmas Eve, although I didn't get up to much - a few last minute trips down the street, visiting family and went to Midnight Mass.

Dress - Dorothy Perkins
Gilet - Boohoo.com
Super Cosy Tights - Primark
Boots - Missguided

Necklace - eBay

I thought the teal green dress was a suitable colour, and the faux fur gilet kept my back really snug and warm, as the dress has a cut out 'V' in the back. I love the Primark Super Cosy Tights - so warm! I need to buy more!

Sunday Night Make Up Shake Up #11

2012-01-01T19:00:00.000Z

My first Make Up Shake Up of 2012! I must admit this is a tricky one and will have to be drastically reconsidered for the weekend, which I will be spending in London! I am meeting some Uni friends, going to see Shrek the Musical and going to the Ice Bar. Exciting! If only it didn't involve deciding what to pack, and a 5am start on Saturday to get to the airport...

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation - One of my 2011 favourites! I am currently needing this due to all the fake tanning that accompanied Christmas time, and I need to try and tan again before I go away, eeek.

FCUK Bronzer - I need this slightly darker bronzer for contouring when I have the aul' tan on!

Milani Baked Blush Rose D'Oro - I actually didn't want to stop using my Sleek Rose Gold blush, as it works so well when Im tanned, but I figured I will use this one during the week as it is still one of my favourites, and will bring the Sleek one with me to London as it it less bulky for travel.

Sunkissed Eyeshadow Trio - This wee palette came as part of a Christmas present and athough I haven't heard of the brand before, these shadows are surprisingly pigmented, and are so compact they will fit well in my make up bag.

Blink+Go Mascara - This came in my December Glossy Box and it is now my new favourite mascara!! It is waterproof so it doesn't budge or flake, and it separates my lashes really nicely, which I wasn't expecting. A slight pain to remove, as it smears across your face a bit, but it does come off in the end!

Miners Fashion Matte Lipstick Barely Buff - I'm going for quite natural lips this week, and this lipstick shade is a good nude for everyday wear.

Maybelline Lip Polish Baby Mauve - I got this as part of my Christmas present from my dad and stepmum - I think my stepmum picked it up when she was Christmas shopping in New York, as I don't think it's an item we have here? Correct me if I am wrong! It doesn't add much colour to the lips, just a lovely shine, and is isn't sticky or messy at all!

That is this week's choices! I don't know if I will get a post up next Sunday, unless I am extremely organised before I go away, but let's face it, that's unlikely!

OOTN - New Year's Eve

2012-01-01T17:56:00.000Z

Happy 2012 everyone! I wish you all health and happiness, but remember - the year is what you make it!

Enough sentimentalities, let's get back to the shallow basics of why we're here. This is what I wore last night. I wasn't really partying; it was my first NYE in years that hasn't been spent in a pub/bar/club of some sort. I had drinks with friends, paid my boyfriend's parents a visit, then went to my grandparents' house to have drinks and a laugh with the family until the wee hours.

Jacket - TK Maxx
Fur Stole - Next
Dress - Missguided
Tights - Primark
Heels - F&F for Tesco
Bracelet - Christmas present from a friend
Watch - Morgan

Close up of the corsage on the dress, and bracelet.

Face:
Hard Candy Sheer Envy Primer
Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation - 52 Vanilla
Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer - 2 Light
ELF HD Powder
FCUK Bronzer
Sleek Blush - Rose Gold
NARS Illuminator - Orgasm
Eyes:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Urban Decay Naked Palette - Toasted, Hustle, Creep
Make Up Forever Star Powder & Diamond Powder
HD Brow Kit
Blink+Go Mascara
Lips:
Mac Creme D'Nude

Deborah Lipmann 'Razzle Dazzle' - 2 hurriedly applied coats, very gritty and dull. Was rather underwhelmed.

I hope you all had a good night, whatever you got up to! I went relatively easy on the drink last night so I am not feeling too bad at all today!

Top Products of 2011

2011-12-31T10:00:00.009Z

In my 'Top Products' of the year post, I have only chosen products that I used regularly, if not religiously, throughout the year. I can see me using them all for many moons to come, too! It will be a long post, so to read it all, just click on "Read More"...

1. Batiste Dry Shampoo - I try to only wash my hair every 2-3 days, as if I wash it too often it gets very dry and stripped of shine. My hair is also very fine and gets greasy quickly, so for the inbetween-washes days, Batiste dry shampoo is a life saver. I have tried many of the scents, and also the 'nude' loose powder and XXL volume varieties, and like them all except the XXL one. Necessity in my routine!

2. Hair Oil - Although I have pictured my L'Oréal Mythic Oil, it is not my favourite out of the oils I have have tried so far. It is still fine and does a good job, but I much preferred the VO5 Miracle Concentrate. That said though, this one is still nice and is lasting for ages, so is good value. Hair oil has made my fine, flyaway hair more more smooth, soft, shiny and manageable. I will definitely continue to use them as part of my hair care.

3. Schwarzkopf Got2B Glued Blasting Freeze Spray - This is one of the best hairsprays for my hair. It holds curls in my hair for longer than any other, therefore, it's a favourite.

Sigma F80 Flat Top Kabuki Brush - This was without a doubt my most used foundation brush this year. Buffs and blends foundation like a dream and also has survived every wash perfectly, no shedding so far. Will be using this forever!

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation - I have really liked this foundation, mainly for when I am tanned as it matches me a bit better then. Lovely coverage, smells nice, and isn't too bad price wise at £9.99. I am considering buying the paler shade too.

MAC Studio Fix Fluid NC15 - This was always going to be a favourite - I have been using and loving SFF for about 6 years now! It was the first MAC product I ever bought, and I have repurchased it time and time again. However this year, finally, I found my perfect shade in NC15, which matches my natural, untanned, pale skin wonderfully. Great coverage and longevity, and a bottle of this also lasts me for a good while too. In the words of Whitney Houston "I-iiiiiiiiii, will always love youuuuu"

ELF High Definition Powder - I think I bought this around May or June, and I have used it pretty much every single day since then! My tub is yet to run out, and it was £6 from the eyeslipsface website! Total bargain, and again, I think I will continue to purchase this for the foreseeable future.

MeMeMe Beat The Blues Moonbeam Highlighter - This stuff, as with most of my favourites, is a bargain for those on a budget! Very similar to Benefit's Highbeam highlighter, but much more affordable at £5.25, it does what it says on the tin and has lasted me for ages. I still have over 3 quarters of this left despite owning it for months.

Collection2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer - It's difficult to find a decent budget concealer, but this one started doing the rounds on blogs this year and when I bought it, I could see why. It isn't perfect - it's easy to inadvertently use too much, and end up a bit cakey under the eyes, but nonetheless, it does a great job at brightening dark circles and covering blemishes. Let's be realistic; the '16 hours wear' claim is ridiculous; I don't think any concealer could do that, and unless you're partying like a boss on a regular basis, no one needs to go 16 hours without either removing or topping up make up!

Urban Decay Naked Palette - I treated myself to this bad boy in May, and felt immense post-product-indulgence guilt, but I have used this palette SO much, and will continue to do so, thus it has been more than worth it. Twelve shadows, verging between light and dark neutrals, plus a grey and black for smokey eye looks. I highly recommend this palette; it is an investment!

MUA Pro Heaven & Earth Palette - A bit like the baby sister of the Naked Palette, and perfect for those on a budget. Has been extremely handy for taking in my handbag to work, and is also my most well-travelled palette as it accompanied me to the USA, and was more than adequate for a week away. For £4 I really cannot fault it.

HD Brow Palette - I got this in a Glossy Box, and to be honest, would never have thought of buying this otherwise. I now love it, although it seems a bit daft having 4 shades in the one kit, as I only need and use one. Not cheap at £19.95 but is something I will consider purchasing myself when this one hits pan.

Avon Supershock Mascara - I think this was my favourite mascara of the year, as I love the brush and the formula. It separated my lashes well without clumping, and was good value at about £5. Would buy it in the future.

NYC High Definition Mascara - I got this from NYC Cosmetics to try, and I am very glad that I did. It is a great budget mascara at £3.99, and apart from getting a bit clumpy after 2 coats, is still a no brainer for everyday wear. A handy one to have in any make up bag for emergencies or everyday use.

Urban Decay Primer Potion - I got this small one with my Naked Palette, and it is a great base for eye make up. Evens out skin tone and helps eyeshadow last for hours without creasing. Great for nights out or long days! Stupid shaped packaging, but this has thankfully now been rectified. Not the cheapest but a nice luxury buy.

ELF Eyelid Primer - My everyday eye primer of choice. A steal at £1.50, does just as good a job as the Urban Decay one, although the UD version might give you a few hours more wear from your make up.

NYC Liquid Lipshine - These lipglosses are really lovely - they smell a bit like vanilla/cake, have a good range of colours, and provide a great shine to the lips without being overly sticky or slippery. Cheap too! Great for having in the aul' handbag.

MAC Cremesheen Lipstick Creme D'Nude - This won't be the shade for everyone, but as I am so pale, this is a fantastic nude lipstick for me. Opaque, creamy and smells delicious. Will definitely repurchase.

Superdrug Vitamin E Hot Cloth Cleanser - I have been repurchasing this faithfully since August, and will continue to do so. A thick, creamy cleanser and muslin cloth for £3.99. It is easy to use and leaves my skin soft and feeling really clean. A firm favourite in my face routine now.

Clean & Clear Dual Action Oil Free Moisturiser - I have been using this for a good while now - over 6 months I think, and have repurchased it several times. I have found it good for my combination skin, to help provide moisture without causing oiliness.

Boots Essentials Eye Make-up Remover Gel - This is now - I think I can say - my Holy Grail eye make up remover! I first bought this in January I think, and finally ran out in November! At £1.52 that is value for money! It is very gentle on the eye area, and removes even waterproof mascara thoroughly without any hassle. Will continue to buy, forever and ever amen.

Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter - I adore this body butter! The scent, the texture, and how moisturised my skin feels when using it. As someone who doesn't like the feel of greasy creams on my skin, this sinks in well and doesn't leave me feeling like a greased up wrestler.

Nina by Nina Ricci - This has been my favourite perfume for about four years now and it still is! There is nothing I don't like about it. I love the cute apple shaped bottle, and the gorgeous, light, sweet fragrance. Beautiful.

What have your favourite products been this year?! I hope you have all had a good one, and have an even better 2012! :D xxxx

Cinderelly, Cinderelly, Night and Day It's 'Cinderelly'...

2011-12-30T10:00:00.000Z

I absolutely love Cinderella, it's one of my favourite Disney films, and has been since I was a child. When I saw this post from Adrienne featuring her pumpkin carriage necklace, I knew I had to have one. There were plenty to choose from on eBay, and in the end I opted for this one, as I thought the colour would lend itself to more outfits.

I paid £1.70 plus £1.99 shipping, which is rather cheap! As it was being shipped from China, I thought it wouldn't be the speediest delivery, and I was right. It was marked as 'dispatched' on 29th November, and it arrived on Christmas Eve!! So around 3 and a half weeks later!

As you can see, the carriage does open up to reveal a hollow interior. There isn't anything in it, and I have no idea what you possibly would need or want to put in such a small receptacle, so it is a rather redundant gimmick, really, I also now regret opening it several times, as the magnet is no longer doing as good a job at keeping it shut as it had been!

All in all, for the price I paid, I can't complain! It is very pretty and got several compliments when I wore it out. I was even asked if it was Disney Couture! Disney Couture prices are slightly out of my budget at the minute, so this is definitely the alternative for me!

FOTD - Lavender Lips

2011-12-29T19:40:00.000Z

I always feel a bit weird putting up massive photos of my fissog! Oh well. Today I thought I would wear a lipstick that I literally haven't used in months; BarryM Lip Paint in 129 Palest Lavender. I kept the rest of my make up quite understated, with matte brown eye shadow and glowy cheeks. I quite like it, and will have to make more use out of the old 129. And would you believe that these photos were taken about 3.30pm, and I needed to use the camera flash! I am seriously fed up with the dark evenings now.

Products Used:

Face:

Superdrug Vitamin E Illuminating Moisture Cream

Skin79 Super+ Triple Function BB Cream

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer 2 Light

ELF HD Powder

Catrice Multi Colour Compact Powder 020 Sand Biege

FCUK Bronzer

Sleek Blush Rose Gold

Eyes:

HD Brow Kit

ELF Eyelid Primer

NARS Eyeshadow Duo Portobello

Wet n Wild Color Icon Shadow Brulee

Blink+Go Hi-Definition Mascara

Lips:

BarryM Lip Paint 129 Palest Lavender

Also, I got the shock of my life on Boxing Night - I was out in my local pub, rather inebriated due to copious consumption of Bushmills and Coors Light, and a lovely lady stopped me to tell me that she read my blog!! Well. I pretty much had a mini-drunken heart attack. It was a bit of a surprise but fantastic at the same time, so hello LoubouLush! I can only apologise for whatever nonsense I said to you as my memory is hazy to say the least! You should also check out LoubouLush's lovely blog - another NI blogger with a shoe collection beautiful enough to turn my blue eyes green!!

What I Got for Christmas

2011-12-26T18:36:00.000Z

I hope you have all had a lovely Christmas so far! Our house has been a bit of a stress-fest, admittedly, but in between the stress it has been good. I love seeing other people's presents, so I thought I would just pop up a quick post to show any nosy people, like myself, what I got. I was utterly spoiled!

My boyfriend got me a Kindle, a leather cover for it, and DVDs of Tommy Tiernan and Peter Kay. I am in love with my Kindle already!

My mum got me the Soap & Glory Big Splendour set, a pair of GHD straighteners, and money to go towards my make up course in January. She is an angel <3

My dad and stepmum got me a bottle of Bushmills Original (standard!), a belt, Converse t-shirt and Hollister hoodie from New York, a personalised mug, a bookmark and a CK In2U set, which is one of my favourite perfumes.

Between the rest of my family and friends I got scarves, chocolates, No.7 gift sets, FCUK gift sets, slippers, pyjamas (not pictured, as I was wearing them!), perfume, Elle McPherson gift set, nail polishes and nail decorations, and a bracelet.

I am still totally overwhelmed with everything, and so thankful to all my family and friends. I am so glad to have a week off work too!

NOTD: Deck The Halls...

2011-12-22T23:06:00.001Z

I have been longing to do something Christmas related with my nails over the last few weeks but, sadly, just have not had the time. Last night I opted for a snowy, sparkly white using a white polish from BarryM and a coat of China Glaze White Cap. This evening, I decided to add a bit of blatant Christmas theme to it with an accent nail of holly berries. A few dotting tools were used to create the holly, and it was very simple. I like it, and it actually has made me feel slightly more festive - a seasonal reminder every time I look at my hands!

BarryM Matt White, China Glaze White Cap, MUA Shade 13, Ciaté Kitten Heels

I hope everyone is starting to feel the Christmas spirit; I admit, it is late arriving for me this year! I think once I get out of work tomorrow then it will be relief, relaxation and high spirits (both intangible and liquid) all round!

NOTD: Winter Romance

2011-12-19T17:38:00.001Z

I have been wearing this nail combination for the last few days, and I think it is a really Winter and Christmas appropriate look. It is quite subtle, so suitable for wearing to work, but with a hint of seasonal sparkle!

I love the Nails Inc. Saville Row polish that I won in Hazel's giveaway a while back; it is a beautifully glossy, burgundy plum colour that applies nicely and dries quickly. The accent nail is topped with two coats of Essence Time For Romance. The Essense polish is another that my mum picked for me in Sligo. It is a jelly-like, red-tinged base with tiny flecks of red glitter, and a few hexagonal chunks thrown in for good measure. I think it works really well with the Saville Row polish, plus it's not as big a pain to remove glitter polish from just one nail per hand!

Sunday Night Make Up Shake Up #10

2011-12-18T19:27:00.001Z

Here lads, it's Week 10 now. This is getting scary, time is going by so quickly! I am stupidly excited about this week's choices. No logic behind this - just proving that my addiction to cosmetics is getting out of hand!

Skin79 Super+ Triple Function BB Cream - I think this is the main reason I am so looking forward to this week's make up! I saw it yesterday, languishing at the bottom of my make up case, and literally couldn't remember the last time I had used it. I put it on today and am now shocked that I let it go unused for so long - I loooooove it! It is perfect for my skin tone, so natural looking and it evens out my skin while looking like I barely have any make up on. Result. You can see my thorough review of this BB Cream here.

NARS Orgasm Illiminator - I am including this for the second week running because I really love the glow that it gives my skin in this dull, dreary weather! It perks up lacklustre skin when I mix it with my foundation, or can be used sparingly as a highlighter.

Sleek Blush Rose Gold - This blush just works so well with the NARS illuminator, a match made in Heaven.

ELF Makeup Mist & Set - I have decided to include this spray every week for the foreseeable future, as last week my make up looked a bit cakey, and this really helped. However, now that I am using BB Cream instead of a foundation this week, I might not need it as much. Better safe than sorry, mind!

NARS Eyeshadow Duo Portobello - An item I bought in Florida but have now severely neglected. You know, the only reason I bought this is because it is the eyeshadow that Jenna Marbles uses in her YT videos. Yes, I am aware that I am a total sucker. It is nice, don't get me wrong, and as we both have blue eyes I thought that it should work for me too, but I just find the shades to damn similar for my liking. The lighter shade needs to be a bit lighter still, as to me they just look the same. Hmmph.

Wet 'n' Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Sugar - As the NARS duo has no highlight shade, this will be it.

Avon SuperMagnify Mascara - This arrived in my giveaway prize from the lovely Hazel, and I just opened it last week. It is already one of my favourite mascaras!

Make Up For Ever Aqua Eye Pencil 23L - This shimmery, champagne coloured eyeliner is great at opening up sleepy, tired eyes, making them look brighter, and making me look more awake, even though I am actually a red eyed zombie most days.

It is a lipgloss week, most definitely! Another realisation when I was looking through my make up yesterday - I have so many lips glosses and I rarely use them; time to rectify this situation! So I chose a few so that I can shop and change during the week:

BarryM Lip Wand - Toffee
BarryM Lip Wand - Bubblegum
Bourjois 3D Effet Lipgloss - Beige Elastique
Bourjois 3D Effet Cosmic Lipgloss - Brun Magic

Whether I get much use out of all of these remains to be seen - last week I was immensely lazy, and didn't bother with eyeshadow or mascara most of the time. I had an awful cold so figured it was best to do without, than have it end up running down my face!

Also, unbelievably, next Sunday is Christmas Day, so what will happen as regards the Make Up Shake Up remains to be seen... it might get done, it might not, but I will definitely be chopping and changing what I use to encompass special occasions, e.g.: going out on Boxing Night, a.k.a. my first night on the drink since 1977, approx.

Have a great week, everyone

EOTD: Aqua Eyes

2011-12-18T00:00:00.000Z

Shades used (MUA Immaculate Collection) - 18, 15, 1, 21 and 19.

I used the aqua shades from my MUA Immaculate Collection Palette for this look, plus a dark brown and dark green. As always, it was much brighter in reality. I don't understand why my camera washes out my eye make up photos so much... I always take them right at the window so that I have as much natural light as possible. And I mean right at the window - if my neighbours have ever saw me with my face and camera stuck right at the glass, they must think I'm mental!

EOTD: Natural yet Shimmery

2011-12-16T21:47:00.000Z

This look was much prettier and more shimmery in real life... camera washed it out completely :( booo! I used my Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Palette - Vanilla, Midnight 15, Midnight Rodeo and Deeper.

MUA Immaculate Collection Palette - Swatches & Urban Decay Dupes

2011-12-14T21:39:00.000Z

*Warning - Picture Heavy!*

You may or may not know my love of the other MUA Pro palettes that I have - namely Heaven & Earth and Starry Night. MUA products are such a bargain, and fantastic quality for the price, you really can't go wrong. I had read several blog posts about their newest release, the Immaculate Collection Palette, and was itching to get my hands on it, however the Castlecourt Superdrug failed me miserably. No sign of it. Then a few weeks ago, MUA announced that they had just launched their new website, where you could buy all their products online. Well, someone should have been there to stop me and talk sense, but alas, there was no one...

Let's be honest here, I really didn't need this palette. I have more eye shadows than you can shake a stick at, but at £8.00 for 24 eye shadows, why not? Plus, there was an offer - spend £8 and get an Immaculate Collection Palette free! So I actually got two for £8.

Unlike the smaller palettes, this one has the shades numbered on the back. Perhaps not a necessity for everyday use, but very useful for bloggers!

1, 2, 3, 4

5, 6, 7, 8

9, 10, 11, 12

13, 14, 15, 16

17, 18, 19, 20

21, 22, 23, 24

As you can see, some of the shadows are more pigmented than others. The frosty, shimmery shades are much brighter and easier to work with, while the mattes are a bit disappointing. At the end of the day though, for £8 I think it is still good value for money.

I would go so far as to say that some of the shades in the Immaculate Collection are very similar to some of the shades in the Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Palette. While swatching them, the UD shadows were superior for pigmentation, however there is no denying the similarity of the shades...

Do you have the Immaculate Collection? I think it is a handy little addition to any make up collection, especially for the beautiful colours and the bargain price.

Sunday Night Make Up Shake Up #9

2011-12-11T16:49:00.001Z

I'll not do the usual 'OMG it's week 9 WHAT?!' comment that these posts tend to begin with! I will warn you though that there is a lot of overlap with last week's products, as I got to use them very little and so have included most of them again this week...

MAC Face & Body Foundation C1 - This week my skin seems to have cleared up a bit (fingrers crossed) so I am hoping that I can get away with less coverage and use my F&B again! I got this over 2 months ago and there is still so much left, it's unreal.

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer 1 Fair - My Witch concealer ran out so I replaced it with this one. I have this in the next shade up but it is too dark for my untanned skin so this one is perfect.

Catrice Multi Colour Compact Powder 020 Sand Beige - I am including this again as I will need it to try and sculpt some sort of shape into my swollen face. I really like this as a contouring powder and I think it will just be a staple in my make up every week from now on.

Lumiere Cosmetics Mineral Foundation Fair Cool Cashmere - In case the F&B foundation doesn't quite cut it in the coverage stakes, I have included this matte mineral powder foundation to add a bit of extra skin camouflage!

Lumiere Cosmetics Mineral Blush Autumn - Again, I didn't get much use out of this last week and so I am going to try it on its own this week (without cream blush underneath)

NARS Orgasm Illuminator - This will be my highlighter this week. As with the F&B, I have had this since May and I need so little per use, the amount I have left is crazy!

NYC High Definition Mascara - I barely used it last week so it's being recycled this week, although I opened a new mascara toady which I am dying to get playing with...

S-he Stylezone Eyeshadow Trio - I wore this last week for a day and quite liked it, so again, being recycled.

NYC Colour Wheel Eye Mosiac Powder Pink Cadillac - I didn't use this at all last week, oops. Must try harder.

Natural Collection Lip Liner - There isn't a shade on this, I think it might be Almond but I can't be sure. I found it in my make up case today and thought it was about time it got the use it deserves.

Avon Colour Rich Lipstick Pout - Again, this didn't get used much last week so it's in again this time.

Avon Ultra Colour Rich Lipstick Luxurious Blush - My newest lipstick, I am impatient and want to use it so it's going in the box too!

So that is everything for this week. I'm back in work my usual 5 days so hopefully will get plenty of use out of all of the items!

My Blog's 1st Birthday!

2011-12-10T10:00:00.001Z

I have a bit of a funny memory for dates - when I was studying for my History exams in school, I was utterly hopeless, but the smallest dates in real life, I tend to remember with strange accuracy. Thus, I certainly remember that I created my blog on 10th December 2010.

I'm not sure whereabouts my blog's creation falls in the grand scheme of things, but I am truly shocked and so
immensely grateful for all that has happened with my blog in the last year...

♥ the followers I have gained (292 as of today, amazing!)

♥ how much my writing and photography skills have improved (always room for further improvement, mind)

♥ the opportunities that have arisen as as result of blogging (e.g.: meeting other NI blogger ladies at the meet up)

♥ all the lovely, friendly, supportive people I have met along the way thanks to my blog, their blogs, and the powerful force that is Twitter!

To everyone who has ever read my waffle, left a comment, tweeted me, and generally played a part in the last year of blogging - I sincerely thank you ♥

I will be having a celebratory giveaway for my blog's birthday, but probably after Christmas, as there seems to be a lot of Christmas themed giveaways out there at the minute! So keep your eyes out for that.

Apart from that, these two items arrived from Avon for me on Thursday, when I thought I was on my deathbed post-wisdom tooth removal. I was lying in my bed in agony with a mouthful of blood when the Avon lady called by, and so I didn't get a look at these items until last night, when I was feeling slightly better. Can I have bought blog birthday presents for myself?!...

I got a necklace and a lipstick. As it turns out, the lipstick seems to have been discontinued, hence why it was on sale at £3.00. Now I am in love with it of course. Story of my life lately or what? Very annoyed now!

Avon Ultra Colour Rich Lipstick - Luxurious Blush

I also got this Zodiac necklace, as I am slightly obsessed with horoscopes and the Zodiac. I don't wear much red, but as I am an Aries, and it's a Fire sign, I couldn't do much about it! Thankfully, it is lovely, and was only £5.00.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Christmas Gift Ideas from Gordons

2011-12-09T12:01:00.003Z

We are all well aware of how quickly the Christmas season is encroaching upon us. I, for one, find it both an exciting and terrifying count down! I have already bought a few presents, and I absolutely love buying presents for people. I always try to buy items that I know they will appreciate and get use from, but also presents that are within my budget.

Gordons Chemists, one of N. Ireland's most established independent pharmacies, is offering some cracking Christmas gift sets this year, to suit any and all tastes and budgets.

One such gift is the Academy of Colour "Get The Look" Book, which is on offer at £10.00. This is a bit of a steal, considering all the items housed in the clever book-like casing!

The case looks like a fashion magazine, and opens up to reveal 12 baked shadows, 6 eye shadows, 5 eye dusts, 2 highlighters, 2 mascaras, and an eye crayon. It also has 2 mini mascaras, 2 mini eyeliners and some application tips on the left hand side.

Some of the shadows are more pigmented than others, but I would imagine using a primer would help the lighter shadows, I swatched them all dry. The matte shadows are the least pigmented but this is the case with most matte shadows, no matter the brand.

The Eye Dusts are well pigmented and similar to the BarryM Dazzle Dusts.

The Eye Crayon is quite clever - at first it just seemed like an eyeliner, but when you smudge it out and use a baked shadow over the top, it gives the shadow a new lease of life!

All in all, for the bargain price of £10.00, this is a versatile set that would be a great stocking filler, or secret Santa present. I think it could be a great starter kit for girls who are just starting to find their feet with make up.

The second item is the Colour Couture Smokey Eye Make Up Book. This handy little set contains 4 eye shadows that are the perfect shades for creating a classic smokey eye, plus a little eye liner and mascara for touch ups on the go.

There is again, a little guide on the lift hand side with some application ideas. The four shadows are slightly sparkly with decent pigmentation, and blended well. My favourite colour is the silver, as it is soft and so shimmery.

Look created using Colour Couture Smokey Eyes kit

This little kit is currently £3.50! I think this is terrific value, and again, a fantastic stocking filler or little extra to add on to any girl's Christmas present.

*These items were sent to me for consideration on behalf of Gordons Chemist. I am not being compensated for this post. I used the items and formed my views on this basis. All opinions are my own and 100% honest, as always.*

Flash Giveaway Winner

2011-12-06T22:35:00.000Z

Congratulations Charlotte! You won the lipstick, I hope you like it!

[CLOSED] 24hr Flash Giveaway! Haven't I Seen You Somewhere Before?...

2011-12-05T22:30:00.001Z

So not long after realising that my Miners Fashion Matte Lipstick in Barely Buff was basically a dupe for MAC Shy Girl, I started using my NARS Satin Finish lipstick in Honolulu Honey... well. This is a bit embarrassing....

(L-R) NARS Satin Finish Honolulu Honey MAC Cremesheen Shy Girl Miners Fashion Matte Barely Buff

One dupe, fair enough, but three lipsticks all so similar?! There really isn't much excuse is there?! However the Miners is such a bargain that I can't feel too guilty about it.

I think that the Miners Fashion Matte lipsticks are now discontinued - aside from my local chemist I haven't seen them anywhere, and there is no mention of them on the Miners website. I called in on Saturday to stock up before they vanish, and got the last Barely Buff lipstick for a little flash giveaway! [THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED]

Left - New lippie! Right - My lippie

[THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED]

Please first of all read...

The Rules:
- This giveaway starts at 10.30pm Monday 5th Dec. 2011 and ends at 10.30pm Tuesday 6th December. (UK time)
- This giveaway is only open in the UK and Ireland.
- You must be a follower of my blog using GFC.
- Any serial giveaway enterers (i.e.: blogs or accounts created entirely for giveaway entering) will not be included. That's just not on!
- Leave a comment on this post saying 'Enter me please'. State your name on GFC and an email address so I can contact you. (1 entry)

Additional Entry:
- Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about this giveaway - "I entered the @gottaloveatrier 24hr Flash Giveaway! http://gottaloveatrier.blogspot.com/2011/12/24hr-flash-giveaway-havent-i-seen-you.html" (+1 entry)

So you have a maximum of two entries each... and that's it! Happy entering!

Sunday Night Make Up Shake Up #8

2011-12-04T18:03:00.002Z

Terrifyingly, it's week 8!! I cannot believe I've basically been doing this for two months now. Wow. I think this week's selection will not get much use past Wednesday though, as on Thursday I'm getting a wisdom tooth out, so will be spending at least 2 days with a swollen face, spitting blood and generally feeling very sorry for myself. Lovely! Here is what I am going to try to use before that wondrous occasion!

MAC Studio Fix Fluid NC15 - This will be my foundation again this week! If it ain't broke, don't fix it and all that. This has done wonders at hiding the hyper-pigmentation left behind from the awful spots I had recently. So although the spots are gone, red marks remain but the SFF covers them brilliantly.

Catrice Multi-Colour Compact Powder 020 Sand Beige - I have been using this powder as a contouring shade and I really like it. I may not have time for this everyday at 6am, but just in case I do, I've put it in! I have a post about this compact here.

NYC Blushable Crème Stick Big Apple Blush - I used this NYC cream blush stick last week, and I really like it! I basically do a stripe up each cheek with this and then blend it out. It gives a rosy, natural pink flush of colour, with a bit of sheen too.

Lumiere Cosmetics Mineral Blush Autumn - Another sample mineral blush from Lumiere Cosmetics. I used Poppy last week over the cream blush to 'set' it and absolutely loved it, so this week I am trying the Autumn shade. While Poppy is matte, this one is slightly more dusky pink with some sheen/shimmer to it, which should be a great winter colour.

NYC High Definition Mascara - I've said plenty about this mascara in previous posts, but it's one of my favourites and great value.

NYC Colour Wheel Eye Mosiac Powder Pink Cadillac - I rarely use this, even though the colours are really nice, so about time to make some use out of it!

S-he Stylezone Eyeshadow Trio - This doesn't have a name but I really like the shades and it's a great little item for taking in your handbag.

Avon Colour Rich Lipstick Pout - A very wearable pink lipstick, that I got for about £3 from Avon a while ago. I think it smells quite fruity, which is nice, and as it is quite sheer it can be very natural, or built up for heavier colour.

NYC Kiss Gloss Murray Hill Melon - Quite simply a shiny gloss with a hint of pink.

NYC Lippin' Large Lip Plumper Plum Tart - I have this in my selection again this week as I really like it! Natural colour, reflects the light to give the illusion of a fuller pout, and it's quite minty too.

So that is my selection of products for week 8. I will enjoy them while I can, as come Thursday I don't think I'll feel like touching my face at all, even to apply make up! Have a good week everyone!

Lauren Luke Make Up Brushes...

2011-12-03T16:15:00.006Z

I was so excited about receiving my Lauren Luke (aka panacea81 from YouTube) brushes. I got them during the week and saved them until today to use them for the first time. Of course, for the purposes of this post, I took photographs of the brushes just out of the packet...

They were nicely wrapped and each brush in an individual wrapper. The handles are glossy and black, with "Lauren Luke" in pale pinky lilac writing on each. The ferrules are a lovely rose gold colour and my first impression was that they were good quality.

Top - Bottom: Powder Brush
Flat Contour Brush
Foundation Brush
Flat Eye Shadow Brush

Top - Bottom: Flat Eye Shadow Brush (again, there isn't 2 of them!)
Blending Eye Shadow Brush
Tapered Blending Brush
Pencil Brush
Angled Liner Brush

So, I think you would all agree that the brushes look absolutely brilliant?! Yes, they are beautiful, soft and I used them to apply my make up after taking the above photographs. I was beyond pleased with them. Totally chuffed!...

Well, until I cleaned some of them. I used my Sephora Daily Makeup Brush Cleaner Spray on the Tapered Blending Brush, and wiped it clean on a makeup wipe. I set it aside to dry, and did the same with the Blending Eye Shadow Brush and the Pencil Brush... at this point I stopped because I realised that my Tapered Blending Brush was looking a bit strange. Quite frazzled looking. I then gently washed it with warm water and ELF Brush Shampoo, and left it to dry. I'll let you see the results for yourself...

Post-Cleaning, Top - Bottom:
Blending Eye Shadow Brush
Tapered Blending Brush
Pencil Brush

Tapered Blending Brush

Blending Eye Shadow Brush

I am totally devastated, to be honest. The set of 8 brushes cost me £33.75, which I had thought was brilliant value. However, the fact that this has happened after I cleaned them for the first time has really annoyed me. I clean ALL my make up brushes in this exact same way, and this has never happened to any of them no matter what the brand or price (my ELF, No.7 and MAC brushes have never been affected in any way by this method of cleaning). So I don't see how my cleaning method can have caused this?

I am going to email the customer service address today with these photos and see what response I receive.

EDIT/UPDATE: I emailed the Customer Services email address and within one hour had received a very helpful response. They have very kindly offered to replace the affected brushes and provided instructions on the best way to clean the brushes too. I am more than happy with the prompt and helpful service I have received

FURTHER EDIT/UPDATE: A few days after the email, I received some shiny new brushes from Lauren Luke Cosmetics, and so far, so good. I have not yet washed the new ones, however I have washed the rest of the old ones using warm water and baby shampoo and had no issues. I am immensely pleased with the customer service I have received; it is miles ahead of other companies!

I had originally ended this post with the following:
"I am really uspet that this happened. What was initially an enthusiastic review from a satisfied customer had to become a disappointed warning about cleaning your new make up brushes. Gutted."

And while yes, I was upset, I really didn't emphasise that when I use the brushes I am very pleased with how well they work. I really like the results of using them and this was mainly why I was so annoyed - I'd used the brushes once and couldn't use these 3 again! I think the lesson is to be careful with what you use to clean your brushes, and how you clean them. I will update you all in a week or two about how I get on with them. Also, I really like them because they have my name on too - they're practically personalised!

Dear Argos...

2011-12-02T15:01:00.003Z

*** NB: The following did actually happen to me today. This is the email I have sent to Argos Customer Services. I am intruiged as to whether I will get a reply! ***

Dear Argos,

This afternoon about 1pm I was in the Royal Avenue Argos, Belfast, in quite a long queue for the tills. A teenage boy using a crutch walked past about half the people in the queue, perusing the items on offer in the metal baskets that line the queue area.

After a minute, he slowly manoeuvred two pairs of straighteners up his tracksuit jacket, and hobbled out of the store! Not one member of staff had noticed, not even the 'security' man who had been standing by the queue earlier and was now no where to be seen. I was really shaken at witnessing someone steal so blatantly. I think a few people in front of me also noticed, as when he walked off they began whispering to each other in disbelief.

I got to the till and informed the member of staff serving me. The response I received was "Oh. It's ok. They wait 'til we're busy like this. That's ok."

As a result of this incident, I am wondering what is Argos' policy on shoplifters? As far as I'm aware, most stores don't have an "It's ok" approach, so this response surprised me greatly. A security man could have easily walked after the thief on the crutch and retrieved the goods! I could have provided a description of him to the police if necessary, but the staff member just was not that bothered.

If the Argos policy on blatant shoplifting is "That's ok" it really makes a mockery of the honest, decent customers, queuing up to pay with their hard-earned money for your goods.

I don't expect anything to happen as a result of this letter; I realise that yes, these things happen and people get away with stealing all the time. It just angers me that this could so easily be avoided. Were it a clothes shop, the security tags on the clothes would have set off the alarm. If a security man were paying closer attention, the boy would not have been able to walk out. Or indeed, if the busy queue area weren't lined with goods within easy reach, he couldn't have managed it at all. Perhaps in future, staff should be more vigilant and take shoplifting more seriously, instead of telling their honest, paying customers that it's "ok".

Regards,

Lauren

*** Within 3 hours of sending this email, I received the following response... ***

Thank you for your email regarding shoplifting in our Belfast Royal Avenue store.

I am sorry to learn of the disappointment you have experience with our approach to theft in store. I can confirm if you wish to take this matter further please return to store and speak to our store manager. We do take all aspects of theft very seriously and we install cameras in our store to prevent further issues arising.

Please accept my apologies for any distress this may have caused.

Should you require any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact us at order.enquiries@argos.co.uk or call us on 0845 640 2020 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 0845 640 2020 end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Regards,

Argos Direct E-Commerce Customer Service Team.

While I am glad that Argos responded to my email on the matter, and I appreciate that they did so, I somehow don't think that me going back to the shop and trying to raise any sort of issue with the manager would be in any way successful! Aye, I'm sure he'd listen to all my ideas, eh?! So all in all, there's nothing more to be done, and this teen got away with it. Plus, when I told my family this story on Friday evening, it transpired that my mum's fiancé saw the exact same lad at lunch time, leaving BM Bargains in Belfast, shouting things at the shop security guard and a woman who were standing at the door. Whether he had been caught out in that shop isn't clear, but either way, he certainly had a wee stealing spree on Friday...

Lumiere Cosmetics Eye Pigments

2011-12-01T21:49:00.000Z

Recently Lumiere Cosmetics were asking on Twitter if any bloggers would be interested in reviewing some of their products. Always interested in trying out new brands, I offered to review some items, and was sent a questionnaire to fill in, about the kind of colours I prefer. I then received these little pots of joy in the post a week or two later.

I had stated that I preferred browns, golds and neutrals, and Lumiere did not disappoint with their selection. I love the shades that they selected for me; they are definitely what I would have went for myself. Although, as they have an immense selection of eye pigments to choose from, it would be a difficult task!

Here are some close up shots I took to try and capture the true colour of each shade...

"Frosty toasted brown with diamond sparkles"

"Sun kissed nude beige with a slight sparkle"

"Gorgeous deep brown with a slight honey glazed sheen"

My swatches (on bare skin, no primer)

These pigments can be used wet too, which I can't wait to try. Here is the look I did with them dry:

A beautiful, shimmery look, great for everyday wear. These lasted very well and even though the pots are small, they will last for ages. Lumiere is a US based company, and the prices are reasonable when converted from dollars. International shipping is starts from $6, which is about £4 which I think is very good too. Some UK companies charge as much!

Have you tried Lumiere cosmetics? Keep an eye out for a few more items popping up here!

NOTD: Catrice 'Iron Mermaiden'

2011-11-29T22:02:00.000Z

I mentioned in a previous post, that my mum recently went to Sligo, and brought me back some goodies. I asked for Essence and Catrice nail polish, and this is what she kindly got for me...

The first one I gravitated towards was Iron Mermaiden. I had actually seen this before on Lorraine's blog and loved it - but couldn't remember the name to tell my mum! So I just asked her to keep an eye out for any duo-chrome colours. Mum did good!

I also love the name, I think it sums this polish up perfectly. The colour in the bottle is absolutely stunning.

I had a slight mishap with mine though - this has now happened twice when trying to open the bottle...

... what's all that about? Hmmm. Anyways, other than that I adore this polish, The brush is standard but decent, not to thin, and the while the polish is slightly sheer at first, I found 2 coats sufficient.

In natural light...

... and indoor lighting on a dark November evening:

I believe that my mum paid around 2.79 euro for this, which is a bloody bargain if you ask me. I was sad to take this colour off! I am becoming increasingly jealous of the availability of this in ROI, but not in the UK. Strange, as it seems to be available in basically all of the EU.... hmm!

Budget Beauty Buy - Superdrug Hot Cloth Cleanser

2011-11-28T21:39:00.001Z

I had just repurchased this today, when I got home and, during my blog reading, saw Leanne Marie's post about products that she always repurchases. So I thought it was a sign to finally share this product with you!

I am now on my third tube of this; I have not purchased any other face cleanser since I first bought this in August. (Well, aside from my Murad Cleanser, but I use both products every day; one does not replace the other)

This is, essentially, a knock-off of the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish. The consistency is basically the exact same, thick, creamy and luxurious. This smells different though; you can really smell Cocoa and Shea butter from this, but it is not overpowering. I find it very pleasant.

The product comes in a box with a muslin cloth and a huge 200ml tube of cleanser, which lasts me about 2 months give or take a few days. When it seems to be finished, I then cut the tube in half and there's usually at least enough for 2 or 3 more uses still in it, so there is minimum product wastage. If you're thrifty like me, that is!

Although this only comes in the 'Normal to Dry' skin variety I would say that this is suitable of most skin types (I consider myself as having sensitive, combination skin). This does not aggravate my face at all, which is brilliant, and the muslin cloth gently exfoliates without being too harsh.

The cloths are easy to wash - just stick them in the washing machine every few days and they come out spotless. After using my new cloth today it made me realise that the cloths do get a bit worn after a while and so become less exfoliating, but if you're repurchasing this regularly, like I have been, you have a supply of new cloths coming in anyway. It would be good if you could buy the cloths separately though.

One of the best (if slightly confusing) points about this, is the price - I bought this in August for it's usual price of £3.99. When I repurchased in October, I couldn't believe it had went up to £5.99! Still not going to break the bank, but I thought £2 was a substantial increase in such a small space of time. However, I bought my new one today in Superdrug on offer for £2.99! This was advertised as 'Save £1' so it would seem that it is back to it's starting price of £3.99? I won't complain, but I am baffled slightly!

All in all, I think that this is a brilliant budget alternative to high end hot cloth cleansers like Liz Earle, which are fantastic for a luxurious treat but perhaps not an affordable everyday option for everyone.

Have you tried this hot cloth cleanser? Any explanations about the price going haywire?! Let me know your thoughts.

Sunday Night Make Up Shake Up #7

2011-11-27T18:10:00.001Z

I cannot believe I have been doing this weekly change up for seven weeks now! Here is this week's selection...

MAC Studio Fix Fluid NC15 - Same foundation as last week. My skin is still awful so this is much needed to cover up blemishes and even out my skin tone.

NYC Blushable Crème Stick Big Apple Blush - A new item from NYC that I received at the FABB NI Blogger event. I haven't used cream blush in a while so this may take some getting used to!

Lumiere Cosmetics Mineral Blush Poppy - I received this recently from Lumiere Cosmetics. It is a a finely milled mineral blush that gives a lovely natural colour. Keep an eye out for an upcoming review on some Lumiere products

NYC Individual Eyes Palette Brown Eyes- Another NYC item I got at the FABB NI event. I am really impressed with this palette, despite the fact that is is aimed at brown eyes and mine are blue! NYC have stepped their game up with this and I really like it. Keep an eye out for a review of this soon...

Estée Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Mascara - Not a favourite, but mainly because of the brush. The formulation is fine and I don't want to waste this!

NYC Lippin' Large Lip Plumper Plum Tart - This is a lip plumping lipgloss which, as a thin lipped lady, is much appreciated! It is a rich plummy pink shade and I can really feel the tingling sensation when I apply it. It doesn't give you Angelina Jolie lips, but a slight boost, and it also has tiny specks of glitter which reflect the light and give the illusion of fuller lips.

MAC Cremesheen Glass Petite Indulgence - A very pink gloss that smells like vanilla and lasts quite well once applied. I have neglected it and it has ended up being more of an ornament in my room due to the lid! So time to make use of it. You can see more about this product here.

Natural Collection Moisture Shine Lipstick Rose Petal - This is a really nice rosy pink shade and is a bargain at £1.99 in Boots. I really like this lipstick, but I am not a fan of the shape of the bullet. It can be quite awkward to use and prone to bending and breaking.

So that's everything for this week! Nothing too adventurous due to working all week but I think the NYC Palette will come in handy. I hope everyone had a good week!

My First Catrice Product

2011-11-26T21:29:00.002Z

Last weekend my mum went on a trip to Sligo, leaving me to look after my little sister. All I asked in return was some Catrice and Essence goodies, which aren't available up north. I had asked for some nail polishes, but she also got this powder compact for me.

As far as I can tell, this is meant to be used as an 'all over' face powder, however, it is too dark for me! Were I choosing it for myself I'd have went for the lightest possible shade, but my mum is blessed with slightly swarthier skin than I and just bought me the same one that she was getting for herself!

Do not fear, though. On my pale complexion, it is a great bronzer! It is matte and very natural. Slight fallout, as you can see in the above photo, but blends really easily and I think it is perfect for contouring. Perhaps when I have tan on it will be more appropriate for using on more of my face.

Has anyone else tried any of Catrice's powders? Any recommendations? So far I really like this one!

FREE Sigma Shipping TODAY!

2011-11-25T08:41:00.002Z

Hey everyone!
You may have already heard that today Sigma Beauty are offering FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING for one day only, as their Black Friday offer! This is an great chance to get your brushes, Cleansing & Polishing Tool or Dry 'n' Shape at a great price plus no postage costs!

It starts at 3pm UK/Ireland time, until 11pm so be ready to start ordering!

Sunday Night Make Up Shake Up #6

2011-11-20T19:34:00.001Z

After a weekend spent babysitting, I am as tired as ever and need all the help my make up can provide this week!

I have to replace one of my Invariable products this week - my Witch Primer ran out! I may buy another as I liked it for everyday use, and don't want to use up this one too fast...

Hard Candy Sheer Envy Primer - I bought this in Florida and have kept it for nights out and more special occasions It is a fantastic primer, leaving my face so smooth with an even complexion. It will pain me to use it every day, which is why I might get another Witch one.

MAC Studio Fix Fluid NC15 - My favourite foundation, without a doubt, especially when I need more coverage - I definitely need it this week after some angry spots recently. This is a great match for my natural skin tone (the palest shade in SFF!) and I just love it.

Physician's Formula Happy Booster Blush - Another Florida buy, this is an adorable blush and leaves a natural pink flush on the cheeks.

MeMeMe Beat the Blues Hightlighter Moonbeam - I have had this highlighter for an age and there's still SO MUCH left! Fantastic value for money. It has been compared to Benefit's Highbeam although I would say that this is a more watery consistency, while Benefit's is thicker.

MUA Pro Palette Heaven & Earth - I am carrying this over from last week, as I barely made any use of it last week, whoops!

Daniel Sandler Jumbo Jet Mascara - From a Glossy Box a few months ago. Not a big fan of this but I hate to waste it so trying to get more use out of it.

NYC Smooch Proof 16 Hour Lip Stain Forever Freesia - A new acquisition from the COTY goodie bag I received at the recent FABB NI meet up. This is a medium, rosy pink shade that leaves lips looking naturally flushed. I haven't wore it for 16 hours nor tested it's smooch proof-ness so I'm afraid I can't comment on its longevity at present!

NYC Liquid Lip Shine Fashion Avenue Fuchsia - Also from my goodie bag - this slicked on top of the lip stain creates a lovely, winter-appropriate, berry lip. I am a big fan of the liquid lip shines. The photo has made the gloss look bright pink; it's actually more of a raspberry shade in real life. (How I hate the lack of natural daylight at the minute).

NARS Satin Finish Lipstick Honolulu Honey - I am carrying this over from last week, in case I need a change from pink lips!

So that is everything for this week. I am looking forward to using all of these, bar the mascara! Variety is the spice of life, after all!

Possible MAC Lipstick Dupe

2011-11-17T23:28:00.001Z

I mentioned this a few weeks ago in a Make Up Shake Up Post. I had never realised until that point, how similar these two shades are. So, in the name of a good dupe, I thought I would compare the two and see just how similar.

The MAC Cremesheen in Shy Girl is described on their website as a 'creamy, neutral coral biege'. To me, it leans more on the peachy coral side, but that is perhaps due to my very pale skin tone. The cremesheen finish is creamy and moisturising, with a hint of glossiness to it, and the expected vanilla scent. It comes in the usual sleek MAC packaging, and retails at £13.50.

Miners, funnily enough, seems to be a hard brand to find. I bought mine in a local chemist which has stocked Miners for the last million years or so (well, for as long as I can remember anyway, since I was a youngsta). I bought it for £3.99 at the time. The packaging is small and neat but slightly cheap and plastic looking. I like the fact that it has the shade on the lid for ease of reference. This lipstick is a very similar peachy shade to Shy Girl, not quite nude as the name suggested. The formula is creamy and smooth, and the smell is also of vanilla, though with that slightly plastic scent that some cheaper lip products can have. Although the name is Matte, I don't think that this dries to a completely matte finish. It is not as long lasting as the MAC lipstick and can bleed slightly, but other than that, I really think that there is little between the shades.

Sadly, I think that the Miners lipsticks may be now discontinued, as I cannot find them on the Miners website. They are also now half price in my local chemist, but I think that has more to do with the fact that they have now stuck a ruddy huge Clarins counter in it and want rid of the cheap make up! (As IF my wee town needs a Clarins counter! Ha!)

What do you think? Is a dupe worth it for the savings or would you rather have the real deal?

For Christmas I DON'T Want Body Products

2011-11-16T23:00:00.001Z

The above photo is the selection of body butters, lotions and sprays that I currently own. Some have been in my possession, and remain unused, since I got them last Christmas! (Stop singing Wham! Right now.) I was inspired to dig them all out and do this post after reading Sarah's blog post about her build up of products. I need to make a dent in these before this Christmas, at least...

Ted Baker products:

(L-R) Body Soufflé, Body Lotion, 2 x Body Sprays

I got these in a HUGE Ted Baker gift set from my then-boss and his wife at Christmas. They smell lovely, though quite perfumed for some, and they are massive. I think the lotion and soufflé are about 300mls each! I must use these up, or it would be such a waste.

Body Butters:

(Clockwise from top left) The Body Shop 'Dreams Unlimited' Body Butter, The Body Shop Coconut Body Butter, Soap & Glory 'The Righteous Butter'

I have blogged about the Dreams Unlimited body butter previously, here. It was a magazine freebie I got back in May. I used a small amount and it was the strong scent, plus the lack of absorbency, that put me off in the end and it has been hanging around in a drawer since. The Coconut one smells lovely, and I like the consistency of these body butters, but I really can't stand it when products don't sink in quickly, which is the case with these. I love the Soap & Glory Righteous Butter, it's one of my favourites, and I want to save this! Even though I've had it in a gift set since my birthday in April!

FCUK:

(L-R) FCUK Pure Body Lotion, FCUK Pure Body Spray

Again, I think I received these in a gift set at Christmas. There was also a shower gel, which I've used, and a body scrub, which I am currently using. I am also currently using both of these and they smell beautiful. I put them on a night and still smell it on my skin the next morning. I adore these and will definitely repurchase these in the future!

Randoms:

(L-R) Avon Planet Spa Illuminating Body Lotion Japanese Sake and Rice, Nivea Body Moisturiser, Korres Quince Body Butter, 'Nina' by Nina Ricci Body Lotion.

The Avon stuff looks lovely, and is definitely shimmery and gives the skin a lovely glow, but I cannot stand the smell of the stuff. There is nothing pleasant about it as far as I am concerned, so I don't know how much I will use it to be honest. The Nivea lotion is almost done, it's grand, no great shakes but very moisturising. I received the Korres Quince Body Butter in a recent Glossy Box and it seems great so I am looking forward to using it. Finally, the Nina by Nina Ricci lotion came as part of a perfume set at Christmas. The perfume is one of my favourites, so I don't know why I haven't bothered with this. I suppose it's because, in general, I don't think that the lotions that come in perfume gift sets are that great!

That was a lot of body products in one post! Does this product overload happen to you? Wish me luck trying to get through them all!

Sunday Night Make Up Shake Up #5

2011-11-14T21:12:00.001Z

Week five already. This post was supposed to go up yesterday but due to 'technical difficulties' (lack of camera memory card) I couldn't get it done, whoops! Anyway, I'm going to be fairly natural and simple this week...

MAC Face & Body Foundation C1 - I love this foundation, although I am slightly regretting it already, as I have two huge spots which this can't cover as well as SFF would have, eeeep!

MUA Blusher Shade 2 - A nice natural colour on the cheeks, however this is slightly chalky, which is why I don't use it much these days. Having said that though, it's not bad for £1!

Physicians Formula Mineral Glow Pearls - I threw this in to add some shimmer and dimension on top of the MUA blusher.

MUA Pro Palette Heaven & Earth - You really cannot go wrong with this palette! Lovely, wearable colours and a bargain price at £4. You can read my full review here and my comparison to the Urban Decay Naked Palette here.

Avon Supershock Mascara - This is definitely one of my favourite mascaras. I love the formula and the wand, and Avon usually have good deals and offers on their products too.

NARS Satin Finish Lipstick Honolulu Honey - This was my first ever NARS purchase and it has been severely neglected! *slaps hand*

NYC Liquid Lipshine Cappucino - This must be a purchase from a while ago, as the NYC Liquid Lipshine packaging has totally changed now! However this still seems good to use (I am wary of expiring products!) and I love the shimmery nude shade so I thought I'd make some more use of it.

So there we have it for another week! What's in your make up box this week?

OOTN - Last Minute Pub Visit

2011-11-12T18:04:00.001Z

Top & Cardi - H&M
Jeans - D2
Shearling Boots - Missguided

Not the most ground-breaking of outfits, but for a last minute trip to the pub for a catch-up with a friend, this did the job. I adore this top from H&M - beautiful nude colour, pretty diamanté studs, looks good with skirts and trousers, can be dressed up or down, and cost £3.99 I do believe. What a cheap staple to have!

The boots were from Missguided last year, I love them and were a good find as they fit my huge feet properly. Granted, the shearling trim is entirely for aesthetic purposes; these do not keep your feet warm at all, as I discovered during a snowy day at the Aviva stadium last year, but sure they look good! (Not that you can tell from my photos!)

I've had a nice long weekend this week - I was off on Thursday and Friday. On Friday I went to Belfast to the FABB NI (Fashion & Beauty Bloggers NI) meet up at the Sugahfix Office. There was tea, work of art cupcakes, advice, chat and plenty of craic! It was great to meet other blogging ladies and put faces to everyone. Looking forward to future meet ups!

Lucky Old Me #3

2011-11-10T23:16:00.000Z

Following on from my recent wins from Aurora in the Sunlight and Hazel, I was highly surprised to get a message from the fabulous Rachel from A Pretty Obsession informing me that I had won her Inglot Giveaway! They do say luck comes in threes. Within a week I got a lovely little package through the door...

These are my first eye shadows from Inglot and I was so excited to see them. I love the idea of the freedom palettes, so you can fill them with colours of your choice and chop and change shadows as you please. The palette itself is extremely sturdy, and the magnets that keep the lid in place are very strong.

The lid can be easily twisted or pulled off to reveal the square pan eye shadows beneath...

I think the shadows themselves are a good size, and the overall look and feel of the palette is fantastic.

Excuse the bumps in the left hand shadow; I was testing out the ease of removal from the palette, using a hair grip, and I managed to put these dents in it, d'oh! Rachel sent me two beautiful shades - Matte 360 and Pearl 423. These are wonderfully pigmented and lovely to apply. They will be great for both day and night looks, as they can be blended out for day time, or used for a dark, smoky eye at night time.

The back of the square pan tells you exactly what the shade is, on a large, clear sticker. I thought that these Inglot shadows were easier to work with, and had more pigmentation, than my MAC eye shadows. Also, their freedom palettes vary from 2 pan to 20 pan, so you can have several and reshuffle your palettes as and when you need! They are very affordable too, and I think that I may stick with Inglot eye shadows and palettes in the future. So a huge thank you to Rachel, for introducing me to the wonderful world of Inglot!

Here is a day time look I wore last weekend using both eyes shadows. I also used a Milani shadow for the highlight.

Have you tried Inglot before? I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more of their products in the future!

The Most I've Ever Spent On My Face

2011-11-09T23:00:00.001Z

I have no shame in admitting that I am definitely a "drugstore" kind of girl. I am on a budget and rarely splash major cash on cosmetics and such. I also think that at least with cheaper drugstore items, if they don't work for me it isn't a huge loss or waste of money, and I can move on to another product without a guilty conscience.

As you may or may not know, I have been subscribed to Glossy Box since their first box in May. One of the main points of a beauty box subscription is to try out more high end brands, and see what products work for you. Well, I got the 30ml sample of Murad's Time Release Anti-Blemish Cleanser in the August Glossy Box, and started using it straight away. I was having a lot of breakouts, and a lot of oiliness, so I thought it was the perfect time to receive the sample.

Well, that 30ml sample lasted me about 6 weeks of daily use, and by the end of those 6 weeks I was hooked. My skin looked better than it had in ages and I was devastated when it ran out. I wondered if my skin would revert back to it's troublesome ways or if I had been tricked in to thinking Murad's cleanser was my saviour when in fact, it was pure chance?... After 4 weeks of troublesome skin, I decided that Murad's cleanser was indeed, my saviour, and if there is something worth spending extra cash on, it is looking after my skin.

Thus, I ordered my cleanser and was £29 less well off. Glossy Box had offered a discount code with the August box, which would have saved me £9, but it ran out at the end of August, which I personally think is not very useful. The box doesn't usually arrive until the middle of the month, and unless it's something that you get instant results from, like nail polish or a make up product, you may not have made up your mind within two weeks if you want to buy the full sized product. Especially with a facial wash, which lasted 6 weeks!

I ordered this from Salon Skincare, and at the same time I ordered Stri-Vectin SD Eye Concentrate for my mum (she was converted by the sample received in the September Glossy Box and used the code to save £10 of the £49 purchase). I ordered on a Sunday, received a 'dispatched' email on the Monday, and the items arrived on Tuesday - brilliant! The dispatch centre is, as it turns out, in Belfast, which may have contributed to the speedy delivery within NI.

It arrived well packaged with a security sticker on the lid of the box.

The full sized tube is a massive 200ml - this will last me several months, I ~~hope~~ imagine. The cleanser itself is a white, cloudy gel like consistency, which is described as 'low foaming'. This is spot on, as while it does foam very slightly, it was only noticeable if you're looking in the mirror while using it. I often use this in the shower and it can be hard to know if you've covered your face thoroughly! The amount in the below photo is about the amount I use for my whole face.

On the skin it is very refreshing, I would describe it as actually quite menthol in feeling. It is ever so slightly tingly on the skin, and after rinsing my face feels so clean. My skin can very very sensitive and susceptible to harsh cleansers, however I have no issues whatsoever with this, which corroborates its claim of being 'extra gentle'. Also, my skin can be very dry after cleansing, sometimes quite badly, but not so when using this, so I believe too that it optimizes hydration. My skin definitely reaps the benefits of this! The anti-ageing properties in this cleanser are not a priority for me at present, but I suppose it can do no harm to start thinking about that too!

My only downside with ordering this, was the ridiculous amount of excess packaging it arrived in! It came in a large cardboard box, along with the eye cream for mum (which was in a smaller packet than this) and there was so much card stuffed in to keep the items secure, it was unbelievable!

So far, I am extremely pleased that I am reunited with the Murad Time Release Blemish Cleanser. If it keeps my skin looking healthy and relatively spot-free for however long this tube lasts, I would be more than happy to spend £29 on it in future.

Have you made any purchases as a result of a beauty box? Or do you think I'm mental for spending so much on one cleanser?! Let me know your thoughts!

OOTD - Haphazard Sunday

2011-11-07T23:28:00.001Z

Dress - H&M
Tights - Primark
Boots - Peacocks
Cardi & belt - Papaya

I basically just threw all these pieces together at random on Sunday; this dress had been missing for ages, and so when it finally reappeared (from a drawer - imagine!) I fancied wearing it. I had no opaque black tights that weren't in the wash so found these bow pattern ones. Liked them at the time, not so much now that I'm looking at this photo. Ah well, they got a hole in them and are now in the bin. RIP.

I love this multicoloured cardigan that I got in Florida - I think it was around $28. It has slightly short sleeves, which is a bit annoying but it only came in one size! It goes with lots, though I think it looks best with black items, which emphasise the colours in the cardigan.

Thanks everyone for your comments on the Make Up Shake Up posts - I see lots of people are inspired to join in, so why not!

Also, are any other N.I. bloggers going to TOWIBBelfast? If so, give us a shout!

Sunday Night Make Up Shake Up #4

2011-11-06T18:28:00.000Z

I'm finding it hard to believe that this is already my fourth week of changing up my make up for the week!

Last week's choices were very successful for me; I totally fell in love with my Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation all over again, and really like the Milani eyeshadows too. A good outcome I think, and the whole point of this weekly exercise. So, here's this week's choices...

Bourjois Healthy Mix 52 Vanilla - I still have some remnants of tan on from the weekend so I need a bit of this to match my skin tone.

MAC Face and Body Foundation C1 - I think I might need this to lighten up the Bourjois shade as the tan lightens up a bit! Also I find the light coverage better when I'm wearing foundation for such long hours at work.

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer 2 Light - I need this shade to match my more tanned skin tone...

Witch Anti-Blemish Concealer 1 - ... and this for my pale one!

E.L.F. Studio Blush Peachy Keen - A very neglected blush! I don't really rate the pigmentation of this but perhaps a bit of heavy handed application will make it more noticeable.

Benefit Posie Tint - Just in case the E.L.F. blush is a total fail!

Wet n Wild Color Icon Eye Shadows Sugar, Brulee, Nutty, Penny - Bargainous eye shadows I picked up in Florida. These should be perfect for everyday wear.

NYC High Definition Mascara Carbon - Back to the first of my mascaras! This is one of my better ones at the minute.

MUA Eyeliner Jet Black - I barely used this last week so it's getting another chance.

Miners Fashion Matte Lipstick Barely Buff - A decent budget lipstick, I think I paid £3.99 for this in a local chemist! They are currently getting rid of all the miners stuff too, and have 50% off the whole stand so I may go back...

MAC Cremesheen Lipstick Shy Girl - I genuinely wanted to use both of these lipsticks... and when I got them out side by side, realised that they are extremely similar! Colour-wise they are almost idential... although the Miners lipstick is called 'matte', I don't think it is completely matte, so the only real difference is the finish. What do you reckon?

So, that is this week's box of goodies! I worry about how excited I am to get using them! Don't forget to check out the other bloggers' choices - Adrienne, Dee, Nicole, Charli.

OOTD - A Family Occasion

2011-11-05T23:30:00.000Z

Last week it was my baby cousin's Christening, so it was a day with all the family, and a meal out afterwards. I found this dress in Dorothy Perkins last Friday, when DP were offering 25% off with a printable voucher. So I got this £30 dress for £22.50 - not bad!

Apologies for the sub-standard photos though, I was in a rush and didn't realise my dress wasn't sitting properly; I promise you the hem isn't actually uneven.

Dress - Dorothy Perkins
Jacket - Next
Shoes - Shoe Zone

The make up looked better in person than it does in this photo... and I can't even remember what I used now. I should have wrote it down or something. Oops.

All in all, this post is a bit of a fail, really! Oh well, can't win 'em all!

New ELF Goodies

2011-11-02T22:17:00.002Z

Last week ELF were doing one of their free shipping codes, so I thought I would make the most of it, as I hadn't made an ELF order in a while. I ordered the Flawless Finish Foundation for my mum as she really likes it (shame I can't say the same!) and the rest was all for me...

Nail Polishes:

I tried to apply this one day then changed my mind as I was in a rush and the formula seemed very thick. The polish also seemed more matte than the gorgeous golden pearly pink that it is in the bottle. Will have to try again and see. At £1.50 each, I am not expecting much mind you.

This also looks a lovely colour in the bottle, although nothing like the colour on the website! I have yet to wear this so can't make any further comment at present, but it seems a very wearable, subtle shade.

Mascara Wands:

I am going to a 4 hour make up course next month that requires me to bring my own kit - I think it might involve applying make up on other people so I thought these would be useful, especially for £3.50.

Matte Lip Colour:

It annoys my inner grammar Nazi that they don't change the spelling for the UK version of the product *steam erupts from ears*

Other than that, though, I am really liking this lip colour so far. It is so easy to apply, the twist up pencil means little mess, and the colour is, indeed, very natural. I really like the finish too, though I know matte lips aren't to everyone's taste. It isn't drying on me, and lasts a decent length of time before I need a touch up.

Ignore the stray hair.

Have you bought any decent ELF goodies lately? I do like stumbling across a bargain gem!

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T19:33:00.003Z

I went out on Saturday night with a few friends to celebrate Halloween N. Ireland style - a good aul' drinking session. ~~(Isn't that how people here celebrate every Saturday night?)~~

I did my make up as in the above photo - Terminator! I do love that film, despite it's 80s cheese and woeful special effects. My brother and I were slightly obsessed with Terminator 2, which this look is based on. I worked from this KlairedeLys tutorial - I didn't have the exact items she used, especially things like sculpt gel, so improvised with what I had, and I think it turned out well regardless.

I sadly couldn't get a red contact lens, as I would need a prescription one, and you can't get those in red! So I made my eye red in MS Paint, harhar! I also hairsprayed my hair to my head on the 'injured' side as if it were matted Other than that, I just wore black jeans, black top, leather jacket and black boots - I've never had such comfy feet on a night out.

If anyone is interested in seeing what make up I used just let me know!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!