Saturday Night Makeup | FOTD I

Let me start off by saying I cannot even begin to comprehend the reaction to last saturdays "selfie". Nearly 300 of you liked it so I must have been doing something right - I'm assuming its the makeup or the Shirley Temple curls because it can't possibly be my awkward pose.

I hate taking selfies although if you were to look at my phone you'd think the complete opposite because it is absolutely full of them. 40 odd photos at a time, each one taken at a slightly different angle in a bid to find one thats "workable". Oh the joys of being a blogger...

Anyway, I've been getting a lot of questions about the makeup I'm wearing in the photo so I thought you might like me to do a post on all of the products I used to create this look!? (Look at your one. She thinks she's a Pro MUA now - notions..)

So to the products..

Base: 
I started off with the Nivea for Men post shave balm. There has been so much hype surrounding this recently that it was inevitable that I would jump on the bandwagon sooner or later. So I bought it about a week and a half ago and have used it maybe 3-4 times. I dunno how I feel about it yet but I'll report back.

I used the Garnier Perfect Blur 5 seconds primer around my nose, under my eyes and on my chin. These are areas where I have larger pores and texture. I always use this and it's brilliant - quite similar in texture to the Porefessional primer by Benefit but a fraction of the price.

Foundation:

 I used the Urban Decay Naked Skin weightless Ultra Definition Liquid foundation in 3.5. If you like high coverage you'll like this however err on the side of caution if you're on the drier side because it can look a little cakey if you're not careful. I always add a little bit of the Nars Sheer Glow foundation to the centre of my face to ensure I still look a little dewy. 

Concealers:

I used two. My holy grail budget concealer is the catrice camouflage concealer both formulas the liquid or the cream. I used the liquid one this time as it was closest to hand. I also used the IsaDra Color Correcting concealer (the green shade) to combat redness. If you've followed the blog for a while then you'll know that about 2 and half years ago I had my eyebrows embroidered. Well the colour is beginning to fade and they look a little bit red now. For the time being I've decided not to have them redone so I apply around the brows before carving them aout with the catrice concealer. 

I used the SoSu Contour palette in shade 1 to highlight and shade 2 to contour. I've been absolutely loving this palette. It's so creamy it blends like a dream - If you pick up one product after reading this post make it the SoSu Contour Palette. It blows the Crown Brush one out of the water and I have my suspicions that it was created through them..

Powders:

I set all of this in place with the Catrice Prime and Fine powder before bronzing the rest of my face and deepenig up my contour with the Urban Decay Beached Bronzer in 'Bronzed'.

I've been using a flormar eyeshadow as a blush recently. It's in the shade 'coral wind' and it's literally the only blush I've used in about 4 months. As for highlighter? It's gotta be MaryLou by TheBalm. Hugely hyped and worth every bit of it. Just thinking about MaryLou makes me happy! I apply so much of this I might as well use it as a setting powder.

Eyes:

I always start with my brows and I've been using the Inglot AMC Eyebrow gel in '16'. I love the contrast of the dark brows with my almost white/grey blonde and this is a nice ashy brown shade. I then go on to prime my lids and to do this I use MAC's Paintpot in 'painterly' and set that with Inglot 355 eyeshadow. I used a peach shade 312 as my transition colour and blended 335 into my crease and under my lower lashline. I applied shade 563 to my lids and blended it into the burnt orange. From there I applied the AMC Gel liner in '77' to my waterline and smoked it out in my upper and lower lashline. Applied a generous coat of MAC's In Extreme Dimension Lash Masara and a set of lashes. I wore the Kiss i-Envy Lashes in '01 Au Natural'

And finally to Lips.
I'm wearing a RImmel Lip Liner in the shade 'Cappucino' all over the lips except for the very centre where I put a little bit of MAC 'Syrup' to give it a slightly glossy finish. 

Hair: 

I used the Remington Silk curling wand with a 13mm - 25mm barrel - No hair spray afterwards and the curls held in place for 3 days!!

So there you have it.. All of the products I used on Saturday night. I chop and change the products regularly but for the most part the routine stays more or less the same. It takes me about 30 minutes to do the whole thing. 
If you'd like to see more of these types of posts just let me know and yes I am 100% aware of the fact that this is really long winded and I could have literally made a list but it's been a while and I'm excited to be back!!  

7 Questions from a Beauty Blogger to a Photographer

 

So as promised, 7 questions I've been dying to ask the photographer himself. You can find him @NOS_PHOTO on Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter.

1.We all love a good selfie. What advice would you give to ensure we always get it right? 

Lighting is the key I feel. We’ve all seen a grainy selfie in the past, and that is down to the lack of light. Personally, I think natural light is the best light but a strong lightbulb should do the trick. And I mean strong… Bad lighting can make you look haggard and I don’t think anybody wants that look intentionally. It helps if your light source is above your face slightly too as it defines your natural features. 

Raise the camera above your face. Everyone looks better from this angle. If you place your phone below your face you end up looking chubbier than what you actually are. Make your natural jawline visible!

2. Any advice for getting comfortable in front of the camera? 

Be confident. If you’re nervous or tensed up when a photo is being taken, this is how you’ll appear in the photo. I know it sounds obvious but I think it happens more often than many care to admit. Best tip is to relax, trust whoever has the camera in their hands and be as natural as you can be. 

3. What photo editing apps are on your phone? 

Good question! None. I don’t like to over-edit photos especially on a mobile device. Maybe I’m old fashioned but I like to do editorial work on a desktop, especially when I have professional software!

4. How do you avoid red eye or those demon eyes when the flash is on? 

Turn it off. Flash should only be used when necessary. The flash itself is lighting the inside of your retina up hence causing redeye. The only solution not to avoiding redeye completely and using a flash it to look away from the light. 

5. #foodporn snaps? Yay or nay? 

Yay if you’re an avid cook. 

Nay if it’s something you’ve ordered in a restaurant. 

6. How do you avoid bounce back on mirrored products in photos? 

I think flashes are the biggest culprits here so avoid at all costs. Bare in mind too if you’re photographing a reflective surface, it’s going to reflect everything around you. Try and photograph in an environment with the least visual clutter around you. For example, try not to take a picture of a mirrored surface when you’re in a room with heavy-patterned wallpaper because that’s exactly what will appear on the surface. 

7. What's makeup look should we avoid if we're having our photo taken professionally?

Avoid makeup that makes you vulnerable or uncomfortable. As professionals we have the skills to photograph almost any makeup, whether you’re going for an editorial shoot or a natural maternity shoot. Wear what style that you feel looks best on you and they’ll make for the best photography.

If you haven't checked it out already, you can read part one here on Niall's blog where I answer some of his questions.

 

 

IsaDora | Nude Sensation Fluid Foundation

 I've had this foundation in my stash for months. I received it at an event last year and used it a couple of times. I did like it at the time but my skin was in a really bad way - really dry and dehydrated. It would cling to the dry patches on my face and I quickly moved onto another foundation.

It's only in the past few weeks that I've rediscovered it and now that my skin has improved (slightly) I've been loving it.

IsaDora describe it as a 'super fluid foundation' with an 'airlight' finish and I have absolutely no reservations in whole-heartly agreeing with the statement.

It's very deceptive - the consistency is really watery but it's extremely pigmented with a medium-buildable coverage. The finish is slightly matte but the formula itself is hydrating so they kind of balance eachother out.

I love the matte look but because my skin is so dry naturally I've become accustomed to a dewier finish and find myself reaching for an illuminator without even thinking about it.

 It comes with a pipette despenser (or dropper) and 3-4 drops is more than enough to cover your whole face. I have it in the shade 10 Nude Porcelain and it's the closest match I think I've ever found to my own skin tone - I don't even need to blend it into my neck. It's slightly yellow toned too which I personally prefer. If you're a fan of Bobbi Brown bases I think you'll like it too!

They say you can apply it with your fingers but I'm a brush girl and have been using it with my Real Techniques Expert Face Brush and then going back in with a sponge to make sure it's completely seamless - sheering it out under my eyes and across the bridge of my nose to let my newly discovered freckles show through.

If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, it's what I've been wearing in all of my recent selfies and the comments speak for themselves. The finish is completely natural and it feels like I'm wearing nothing on my face.

As for price? It's in and around the €23 so it's a little bit pricier than your average chemist brand foundation but I'm getting 8-9 hours wear without the need for touch ups where I'd normally need to apply more powder to my t-zone after the 4th hour with another foundation.

Inglot Warm Neutrals

*Warning* 

This palette is the result of a self inflicted spending ban. 

It was my intention to get through lent without buying any makeup,clothes or shoes and I lasted a grand total of 2 and a half weeks before I pushed myself over the edge by stepping through the doors of Inglot on Oliver Plunkett St in Cork.

Its been on my wishlist for a while - I'm a complete sucker for warm tones anyway and was torn between a freedom palette from Inglot and the illusive Master Series Palette One from Blank Canvas but unfortunately it has been out of stock online for weeks.

In my defense I was pretty restrained. I did contemplate filling the palette on the day but having paid a trip to Mac just beforehand I said I better be good and settled for 5 shades in a 10 palette. Not to worry though.. It'll be full before long!

In typical me fashion I couldn't wait to take photos of the shadows before tearing into the and I ended up wearing a few of the shades on Saturday night.

I will definitely be doing a full review on them in the near future but for now I'll just let you bask in their glory and leave you with this..

If you do not own a peach eyeshadow, you need to leave whatever it is that you're doing and go out and get yourself one.. It will change your life for the better. Without a doubt it is the best makeup investment I have made in a long time. It won't matter how bad you think you are at doing eyeshadow - Peach makes everything look more blended! 

Shades L to R:607 -335 - 563 BP -312 -355

Makeup Additions | MAC, Charlotte Tilbury and Hourglass

To ease my way back into blogging after what seems like forever and since my last high-end haul went down such a treat, I thought I'd show you some of the gorgeous makeup bits that I have acquired over the past few weeks - the majority of which was very kindly gifted to me by my family for Christmas. 

Hauls are my favourite videos to watch on YouTube - I think they're a great way to introduce people to products they may not have heard of before and also a great way of enabling me to spend my hard earned money. Not looking at any bloggers in particular *coughs* Lovelygirlie.com *coughs*

So without further ado.. 

MAC:

 'Soft and Gentle' MSF - 'Painterly' Paintpot - 'Chili' & 'Mehr' lipsticks

Lipliners in 'Edge to Edge' 'Whirl' & 'Burgundy'

 Charlotte Tilbury:

'The Vintage Vamp' Eyeshadow palette

'Bitch Perfect' Lipstick

 Hourglass:

'Monochrome Rose' Modernist Eyeshadow Palette

'Ambient Lighting Wardrobe'

So there you have it, some of my new in high-end makeup bits, if you see anything in particular that you'd like some more information on or a blogpost about just let me know and I'll get on it.

Or of you have any product recommendations you think I should know about also let me know ;)

Duochrome Nails

I knew that New Look had brought out their own beauty range but I never really made time to have a proper root through it.

While I was queuing up to pay for a few bits last week, I spotted this nail polish out of the corner of my eye and said I'd chance it. I have a soft spot for Duochrome and with Christmas just around the corner I've become somewhat of a magpie for all things sparkly. If it was crap I wasn't going to be out of pocket by much - it was €3.99.

Let me start off by saying that Duochrome is very hard to photograph and these photos do the polish no justice. The shade is 99 | multi coloured and it really is gorgeous with bronze,copper and pewter glitters. 

It looks everything from rose gold to a metallic khaki depending on the lighting. 

The wide brush makes application really easy - two coats and its completely opaque and you're good to go.

As for staying power? I've had the polish on for 5 days and I have yet to see one single chip. To say I'm impressed with the polish is an understatement. I'll get so much wear out of the polish over the festive season.

Have you tried any products from the New Look pure colour collection? It'll be my first port of call the next day I'm in there.

Mac Nudes for Pale Skin

 Finding the perfect nude lip shade is a lot like finding the perfect pair of jeans - Difficult at best but once you find it you feel as though you can conquer the world.

Being as typically "Irish" in the complexion as I am only adds to the already up hill battle. 

That being said, after much deliberation I have compiled a list of three of the most wearable MAC nudes for pale skin.

A lot of your "true nudes" will make you look like an extra from the walking dead if you're pale along with adding a yellow tinge to your teeth in photos so I've avoided including any. Instead I have opted for neutral shades that will enhance a paler complexion while still giving the desired "nude" effect. 

 Left - Blankety -Amplified - Brown/Beige Nude

Middle - Creme Cup - Creamsheen - Pinky Nude

Right - Syrup - Lustre - Mauvey Nude

IsaDora Face Sculptor | Review

You know when you find a product you love so much that it's almost like second nature to use it? You don't have to think about it at all? This is one of those products. It was kindly gifted to me by IsaDora at an event I attended ages ago and I have been using it non-stop since. That in itself says a lot because I'm a self confessed contour queen and it has literally rendered my drawer full of contour products redundant. My smashbox contour sticks? Haven't used them yet!
The palette itself is a one stop shop for all of your contour/highlight needs. The powders are all highly pigmented and so finely milled that they blend into the skin like butter. You only need to touch your brush off of the product to see how intense the colour pay off is.
There are four variations of the face sculptor palettes available, one to suit nearly every skin tone. 
The one I have is 01 Warm Peach and it couldn't be anymore perfect for me. The warm toned bronze shade is sheer perfection. It's not too orange and it isn't ashy so not only does it create these insanely chisseled cheek bones but it also adds this beautiful, natural sun-kissed glow on the skin.
The peach blush shade is right up my street, I've never been into pinky toned cheek colours opting instead for orangey toned peaches and corals during the summer months and mauve, plum and brown shades for the autumn/winter. 
Finally, you have the champagne highlight shade. It is beautiful, so finely milled that you're left with a this beautiful radiant glow without a trace of glitter. I sweep it along my cheekbones, on the tip of my nose, my cupids bow and on my brow bone and my skin looks glowy and healthy during the day without being at all over the top. Because it's quite a soft focus/candlelit glow, I tend not to use this highlight when I'm going out, instead opting for something slightly more intense like Mary Lou-Manizer from the Balm.
At €25 it is on the pricier end of the scale for a pharmacy brand product but don't let that put you off. I cannot recommend this palette enough, it is worth every cent. I love this palette so much that I may just have to pick it up in another shade. I'm thinking the new 03 Nude Palette which has a cooler toned bronze shade for a deeper contour.

Have you tried any of the other Face Sculptor shades? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Lust-haves #1

1. MAC | Amber x 9 palette - There are few things I like more than a neutral eye shadow palette and MAC have hit the nail on the head with release these x9 palettes. As soon as I saw this one I knew it had to be mine. The compact palette contains 9 warm toned amber shadows with textures ranging from matte to satin to frost. It would be the perfect palette for traveling with the endless colour combinations you aren't restricted to one look for day and one for night. Yes Mac - YES!

2. Narciso Rodriguez | Narciso Perfume - I have Narciso Rodriguez for her already and I love it - It's one of my go to autumn/winter scents. Ever since I smelled this one earlier on in the year I knew I had to have it sooner or later(Karen from Lovely Girlie Bits I blame you). It's a real feminine; floral and slightly woody scent - Perfect for late summer/ autumn. The thought of pairing this with chunky knits in a couple of months is getting me through this disaster of a so-called Summer.
3. Smashbox | Be Legendary Lipstick in Fireball Matte - It's an orangey/red shade, it's matte and it's moisturising. Do I really need to justify this lipstick anymore? It's a show stopper and I need it in my life.
4. Two Faced | Better than Sex Mascara - Admittedly a lot of this is to do with the name, it's a hefty claim to make by any brand. That being said the reviews I have read about this mascara have all been very positive and I haven't splashed out on a mascara in a long time. The fact that you can now buy Two Faced in Debenhams may have swayed me towards it slightly more - consider it bought!
5. Urban Decay | Naked Skin Ultra Definition Loose Finishing Powder - I've said it before and I'll say it again - Urban Decay is my favourite Beauty Brand. Their shade range is second to none, their eyeshadows are like butter and I've been thoroughly enjoying their base products of late. I have all but two products from their naked skin range, this and the powder foundation. I'm not a huge fan of powder/mineral foundations because of my dry skin so I'm too fussed about getting that. This finishing powder on the other hand will undoubtedly be my next makeup splurge. 

So there you have it, just a few of the high-end beauty bits I'm currently lusting after. Are any of these on your lust-haves list?

Brand Focus | Nars

While in Australia what seems like forever ago, I went a little bit crazy and splurged on a tonne of high end cosmetics. Nars and Hourglass namely because they aren't easy to get your hands on here in Cork. I picked up 3 of the most talked about products by the brand and thought I'd share my thoughts overall.

The first product I picked up was the sheer glow foundation. I'm like a magpie when I hear glow, anything that will make my skin look brighter and less dehydrated. And let me just tell you.. It is so worth ALL of the hype surrounding it. It is water based which is great for those with drier skin as it means it won't cling to any dry patches. The name "sheer glow" would lead you to believe the coverage is light but this is very much a medium buildable coverage foundation. Once applied it leaves your skin with the most beautiful healthy glow. For those of you looking for a brighter complexion without it looking "dewy" this foundation is totally worth the splurge. With approximately 20 shades in the range their is literally one to suit everyone. I picked it up in the shade "Deauville" and it is the closest colour match that I've found in a foundation in a long time. 

My one and only gripe with this foundation, is an issue I have with a lot of high end brands -the lack of a pump. I just forked out €40 for this and now you want €5 more for a pump? Ugh - First World Problems!

Next on my list is the cult favourite "Laguna" bronzer. It looks a little dirty in the pan but don't let that put you off. The cooler tone mimic's that of an actual shadow meaning it is perfect for contouring. Think Benefit's "Hoola" with the teeniest hint of shimmer. Not only does it carve out glorious cheekbones, it also gives the skin the most beautiful sunkissed glow without looking caked on.  The fact that it is almost a 2 in 1 product definitely makes spending €38 on it a lot easier to stomach. I have a drawer literally overflowing with bronzers and contouring palettes and this is hands down my go-to favourite since picking it up in December and I haven't hit pan yet *touches all the wood*.

Finally I picked up the radiant creamy concealer in "vanilla". I am a bit of a self-confessed concealer junkie and my addiction has become very apparent in recent months - I want to conceal EVERYTHING. So lets start off by getting any and all misconceptions out of the way first - There is nothing radiant about this concealer. It does not have a luminous finish like that of  YSL's touche eclat for example. This stuff is heavy duty and will hide ALL of your sins. I have tear stains on the outer corners of my eyes, a few broken capillaries around my nose, a little bit of redness on my cheeks and plenty of acne scarring and this stuff hides it like nobody's business. I replaced it with the Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage concealer for a while but I couldn't resist going back to this. I don't know how I ever coped without it. 

Nars is now available from BrownThomas.com which is very dangerous indeed - I will without a doubt be expanding my collection in the coming months. The Audacious lipstick in "Anita" is next on my hitlist thanks to Orla from MakeupOverMind for introducing me. 

Smoothie Bowl | Dessert for Breakfast

I am the worst person for eating breakfast. My stomach just doesn't function that early in the morning. My day generally starts off with a multivitamin and a cup of coffee which keeps me going until about 10:30 or 11. Then I'll have a banana or some corn cakes and peanut butter to take me through til lunch.

It's not a great way to start the day - I know! It's something I'm working on. My research and mild fascination with the vegan lifestyle led me to discover the beauty that is the smoothie bowl. I didn't lie when I said it's like dessert for breakfast. Smoothie bowls taste just like sorbet - packed full of fruit and topped with whatever your heart desires. 

Along with being all kinds of delicious, they kick start your metobolism. Your body has to work quickly, burning excess calories because the cold smoothie is a shock to the system first thing in the morning. Those of you familiar with slimming world will know what I'm taking about when I say that smoothie bowls are known for their "speed" properties.

I've been sharing my smoothie bowl ventures on instagram over the past few days and I'm getting loads of questions about them so I thought I would give you a run down of the basic smoothie bowl recipe I use - the flavour combinations are endless. You can add extra banana if you want your smoothie bowl to be creamier. Don't be put off that it isn't as liquidy as a normal smoothie. It isn't supposed to be, it's designed to be eaten with a spoon. 

Paese | Colours of Summer

Days like today call for bright nails - Am I right? I thought I'd share some of my favourite summer brights from Paese considering the glorious summers day that's in it. I wore them to death on my toes last summer and they are getting even more use at the moment. 
I absolutely adore the consistency of these polishes - It's quite thick without being at all gloopy making them extremely easy to work with. I've had these polishes for close a year now and they are like new each time I apply them.
The colours in the collection are all really opaque so you could get away with a single coat but I always like to apply a second one for good measure.
The lasting power isn't bad, on their own I get between 2-3 days chip free which is all I need really because I like to change up my colour every couple of days. I do however apply a quick layer of Seche Vite over them to speed up drying time because I'm really impatient this also helps keep them chip free for 7 plus days. 
They hold their shine really well too as you can see from the swatches below you get a gel like shine without the need to apply any additional top coat.

ShadesL-R: Turquoise - 348, Orange - 344, Pink - 347

They are priced at a very reasonable €4.95 a piece and available from Cloud10Beauty here.

Insta-Update

Instagram is where it's at. I'm absolutely insta-obsessed and it's the social media site that I am undoubtedly most active on. So I've decided to add a new segment to the blog, a sort of monthly round up/lifestyle post. So you can get to know a little bit more about the girl behind the blog. 

Why not kick start this with a round up of the month of May shall we? 

I've become a bit of a high-end fiend again of late.. So in May I said goodbye to all of my money and hello to loads of new spendy bits that I've been trying out. My latest additions being the Smashbox step by step contour kit AND contour sticks (Expect chiseled cheekbones and a spending ban in the June catch-up - Just an FYI). 

May has also seen the return of my beloved fake tan - I'm totally besotted with the Karora express bronzing mousse in Medium/Dark. I get endless compliments when I wear it, I've even been using it to tan my face which is so unlike me.

I started watching Gossip Girl this month too, I've been binge watching it on Netflix and I'm over half way through season 4. Blair and Chuck are officially my OTP and I have my heart set on New York more than ever before. One of my besties celebrated her birthday this month and threw the most incredible Champagne fuelled brunch and I honestly did think I was Blair Waldorf for all of 5 minutes - Nothing starts the day quite like Mimosas!

And lastly, I've started taking Viviscal in a bid to speed up my hair growth and help improve my hairs health. Is this something anyone is interested in reading in? Should do a review/update post on my progress? 

Come say 'Hi' and stay up to date on instagram @give_a_posy

Charlotte Tilbury | The Dolce Vita

I have lusted over this palette for months.. I mean months and months. Regularly going onto the Brown Thomas website, adding it to my basket but inevitably closing down the tab without clicking on the 'checkout' button telling myself "Not today, you don't need it!" (I know I'm not the only person who does this - don't lie!)

Recently, having saved a few penny's, I bit the bullet and placed a well deserved order - also picking up the Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Serum foundation but we'll discuss that another day.

On it's arrival, I spent the majority of the day just staring at it, taking photo's of it in all it's unswatched glory. I didn't want to touch it, it was too beautiful.

I mean just look at it. Is it not the epitome of luxury? 

When I finally did swatch it, I fell in love. These shadows are like nothing I have every experienced before. Incredibly buttery, they blend like a dream. They are beautifully pigmented, even down to the champagne "prime" shade. With all of the shades are slightly shimmery the fall out is surprising minimal and whats'more the little bit of fall out you do get is not from the incredible molten gold "pop" shade. 

There is no denying that at €50 it is on the pricier end of the spectrum for an eyeshadow quad but It was worth every cent. I'll definitely be picking up another quad in the future. What I will say is that if you are going to invest in a palette like that, don't go for something experimental. Stick to colours you know and ones you'll get use of.  It would make a wonderful gift, or a present to yourself of course!

Charlotte you and I are going to be great friends. 

The White Nail

 In case you haven't guessed it by now, a glossy white nail one of my all time favourites. It looks so chic and is easier to pull off than you'd think - even for us pale girls! It's hard to find a good one though as they can be quite sheer, meaning you have to apply several layers to get even close to the desired look. 

Don't get too disheartened though.. "White Hot Love" from Rimmel's  60 second super shine collection is the shiniest and most opaque white polish I have ever come across. Two thin coats of this polish and you are good to go, no top coat required! (I'm not wearing any in these photos and look at the gorgeous glossy finish).
As for longevity, I get a good 3-4 days chip free without the use of any top coat. With my beloved seche-vite, I get a weeks wear easily.

My dotted accent nail is made up of three shades from the Rimmel London x Rita Ora 60 second super shine collection using a dotter from Penneys.
Taupe - 'Rain Rain go away'
Peach - 'Peachella'
Red - 'Glaston Berry'

Priced at a mere €4.49 a piece I think it's safe to say I'll have the entire collection before long!

Venturing into the world of Nail Art | A Journey

  If you've been following the blog for a while you'll know that there is nothing I love more than a fresh manicure. I've been getting my nails done religiously for almost three years now and I've blogged about my experiences with gel polishes and brisa lite in the past. I was never any good at painting my own nails (my early instagram snaps are all the proof you need) so I just gave up trying, until recently that is. Wet polishes have really upped their game and I've always wanted to try my hand at nail art so that's exactly what I've been doing.. 

I've invested in dozens of polishes and tools and I'm excited to play with them and share my thoughts with you. 

I'm a complete amateur but my daisies are coming along nicely if I may say so myself. Over the next few weeks I'll be documenting my journey and reviewing different brands and polishes etc. 

So stay tuned! Stripes I'm coming for you next..

MaxFactor Creme Puff Blush | Review

 

Left to Right: 10 Nude Mauve, 30 Gorgeous Berries, 25 Alluring Rose

MaxFactor is not a brand that is widely talked about in the blogosphere - until recently that is. The brand blew up with the Creme Puff Blush Launch and rightly so. They are luminous, lightweight baked blushes, finely milled and buttery to the touch. They have been compared time and time again to the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush range - I own one of these, mood exposure and it is beautiful if not a little bit expensive for what it is. I could sit here and do the same but in all honesty I don't think it would be fair to Hourglass. If I had my time over again, I'd skip the Hourglass blush and pick up the entire MaxFactor range instead.
They are complexion enhancing highlight-blush hybrids, adding a pop of colour and the most beautiful luminous glow to the cheeks. They are packed full of pigment (gorgeous berries especially) and blend like an absolute dream. 

Left to Right: 10 Nude Mauve, 30 Gorgeous Berries, 25 Alluring Rose

10 Nude Mauve - Of the three shades I currently own, this is my favourite. It's a gorgeous neutral slightly peachy shade. I know for a fact it's going to be my go-to shade for the summer as it won't take away from from a bright lip. It just adds a slight wash of colour to the cheeks and an almost air-brushed highlight - I looooove it!!

30 Gorgeous Berries - This is the deepest shade in the collection and best suited in my opinion for the autumn/winter months paired with an dark lip and a neutral eye. It is beautiful but uber pigmented so be careful not to over do it.

25 Alluring Rose - Another gorgeous summer shade, a peachy bronze that will add warmth to the complexion, I would go so far as to say you could use it as a contour colour for a sun-kissed glow!

It isn't often I that I find myself wanting to own all of the shades available in a collection. In fact it never happens, but there is a first time for everything.. At €11.49 a piece, the other 3 shades will be mine!