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!!  

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 ;)

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?

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!

Florabotanica by Balenciaga

My boots advantage card points have been burning a hole in my pocket recently, they're an excuse to splurge without actually having to spend anything. Florabotanica has been in the back of my mind for ages and decided it was high time to try it. I mean what says spring more than a floral scent? I had enough points saved to treat myself to a 50ml of the EDP (normally €67.50). 

Based on a garden filled with beautiful, strange and dangerous flowers - Everything about this perfume lures you in. The insanely beautiful packaging was designed by Nicolas Ghesquieres, the bottle is simple yet so striking. Photograph's really don't do it any justice. The fragrance itself is intoxicating, completely different to my usual vanilla based scents. AND the campaign is fronted by actress Kristen Stewart, one of my ultimate girl crushes.

It starts out slightly bitter, citrusy cut with wild mint but quickly settles into a light floral musk with the emphasis on the rose note. The rose in this instance is thorny and not that headache inducing powdery scent in most floral fragrances. The muskier notes are a combination of white amber, vertiver root and hemp leaves. 

Florabotanica is modern, edgy rose and I love it. 

I picked mine up here. 

Current Cleansing Routine for Dry/Dehydrated skin

After buying my Clarisonic I went on a bit of a cleanser binge, splurging on a variety from both high end and budget brands.  If you've been following the blog for a while you'll know that I have very dehydrated skin but I'm also prone to bouts of cystic acne. I thought I'd share some of the cleansers I'm currently using and give you a sort of insight into my cleansing routine. 

 The Boots Botanics All Bright Cleansing foam wash was a complete impulse buy (I needed something to bring up my total to avail of the free delivery). Having heard good things about the brand in the past, I thought it was as good a time as any to try something out for myself.

I honestly wasn't expecting much from it but was surprised by how much I actually do like it. I find myself reaching it for it in favour of both my Shiseido Ibuki gentle cleanser and my Clarins Daily Energizer cleansing gel.

I use this as my morning cleanser and while I might not necessarily feel wide awake, this gives my skin the perk up it needs - My skin looks brighter and feels incredibly clean. It has a really refreshing scent and foams up nicely without leaving my skin stripped of moisture. It is priced at €5.99 and is available here.

While it is a great face wash, I wouldn't rely on it to remove a face full of make up. In the evenings, I tend to use something slightly more heavy duty, like a cleansing balm/oil cleanser. The one I'm using currently is 'Ultrabland' from Lush. I have reviewed it previously so I'm not going to go into a lot of detail but what I will say is that I've been using it religiously since last July and I honestly don't see myself changing any time soon. I'll then go back in with the Botanics Cleanser for a second cleanse to ensure there is no residue left on my skin.

 My skin tends to get quite flaky especially during the colder months so I try to give my skin a good scrub twice a week. I don't like anything too abrasive especially since I started using the Clarisonic because it is essentially an exfoliating tool in itself. The one I'm using at the moment is the Visible Difference balancing exfoliating cleanser from Elizabeth Arden - its a bit of a mouthful I know! I've been using this for a couple of months now and I really like it. I tend to be quite wary when it comes to manual exfoliators as they can leave my skin feeling raw and irritated. This one is very gentle,while still managing to remove any dead skin I may have leaving my face exceptionally smooth and clean. Again, it is soap free so perfect for anyone like me with excessively dry skin.

It is on the pricier side at €22 for 125ml however, knowing my skin is in great hands with Elizabeth Arden being one of the "it" brands when it comes to skincare I'm happy to spend that little bit more and because I'm only using it 2-3 times a week the tube lasts ages. You can pick it up here.

So that was just a quick insight into my current favourite cleansers/cleansing routine. I'm really into skincare at the moment and I'm hoping that 2015 is finally going to be the year for my skin. If you'd be interested in an overview of my whole skincare routine I'd be happy to do a post outlining some of my holy grail products - Just let me know!

Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer | Review

I'm having a bit of a love affair with concealers of late. There are so many good ones on the market, both budget and high-end. In January, one of my favourite brands (Urban Decay) launched a new one and I just had to have it. 

I love Urban Decay because their shade range is so broad. There are 8 shades available currently, even catering for those paler than myself and let me tell you, that's a small minority. 

So the product itself?

Urban Decay claim that this concealer won't settle into fine lines thanks to an ingredient called Matrixyl 3000 which basically mimic's the breakdown of collagen causing your skin to react by regulating skin cell activity, producing more collagen and elastin - Sounds good doesn't it? Well it doesn't stop there.. It also contains Litchiderm which adds a moisturising element to the concealer and Japanese Green Tea extract to enhance the skins luminousity. Now they're some pretty hefty claims to make Urban Decay..

I must admit that while these ingredients all sound wonderful, I was slightly skeptical about the demi-matte finish. How can a product be matte and moisturising at the same time?

I picked it up about three weeks ago at an event in Debenhams and I must say, my current favourite: NARS radiant creamy concealer has had to take a backseat ever since.

 I just love the texture and consistency - It is really creamy, and the coverage like a lot of the Naked range is medium but very buildable, while still looking really natural once set in place. The Japanese Green tea extract does make it quite luminous and it acts as great under-eye highlight without creasing or caking throughout the day.

I love the packaging too, it looks just like a miniature bottle of the Urban Decay Naked Skin Liquid foundation which I am also trialing at the moment. It has a spoon like doe-foot applicator which ensures you get just enough product. 

I'm currently using the shade 'light warm' but will definitely pick up a shade lighter and one darker for all my skintone eventualities.

It is priced at €22 and available here.

Clarisonic Mia 2 | Review

A Clarisonic, for those of you who don't know is a sonic cleansing brush, think electric toothbrush but for your face. I have been firmly on the fence about investing in one for a long time. They have been around for as long as I can remember and are hugely hyped in the beauty community. With the majority of the reviews online being extremely positive, the bad ones were diabolical. I was very slow to part with my cash. 

Curiosity and post holiday blues finally got the better of me and in January I finally made the splurge, deciding 2015 was going to be a good skin year. I opted for the Mia 2, which has 2 speed settings, so you can switch between the two depending on your skins needs. Baring in mind it is in itself an exfoliating tool so don't get carried away. I wouldn't recommend using it more than once every day/second day depending on your skins sensitivity. 

When I started using it first, my skin went through a bit of a purge and I broke out in quite painful, cystic blemishes along my cheekbones and around my chin. While it wasn't ideal by any means, it was a sign that my skin was getting a good cleanse - the sonic pulses were penetrating deep into my pores, bringing all of the gunk in my skin to the surface. 

Six weeks on, these blemishes have subsided and are now few and far between - Thankfully! The texture of my skin has changed. It isn't nearly as flaky as it used to be - I do still get little patches around my chin and along my jaw but I manage these by swapping my regular foaming cleanser with a gentle exfoliating cleanser used twice a week on the slower setting and don't find that it's too abrasive for my skin. The biggest difference however has been the reduction in the size of my pores, especially around my nose and the centre of my forehead. My skin hasn't been cleaner or felt this soft and smooth in a long time, my makeup sits better on my skin than ever before, even without the use of a primer.

While it is pricey initially at €149 and you do have to replace the brush heads every few months, I honestly don't think I'll ever go back to traditional cleansing methods again. Be sure to stay tuned to the blog over the next few days if you're considering investing in one yourself as I will be detailing the different products I use along side the Clarisonic.

NARS and Hourglass Haul & *GIVEAWAY*

Happy New Year Lovelies! 

Lets just start off by stating the obvious, I'm back blogging after an extended break. I never intended to be out of the loop for as long as I was but unfortunately life gets in the way from time to time and towards the end of last 2014 it seemed like one thing after another for me. None the less, after my much needed holiday; I picked myself up, dusted myself off and I'm excited to see what 2015 has in store for me. 

I was feeling quite spendy having discovered Mecca in Australia and thought a haul would be a nice way to ease myself back into the swing of things. Most of these products were purchased purely on the recommendations of some of my favourite Irish Bloggers, the enabling bunch that they are..

NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in 'Deauville' - This has been on my lust-have list for the longest time but unfortunately for me we don't have a NARS counter in Cork so I couldn't swatch it and although looking at swatches I had Deauville in mind as my shade but I wasn't willing to risk my €40 by buying online. I've worn it twice since buying it and can safely say, we're going to be great friends!

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette - Every blogger and their mother have raved about this palette. It took every ounce of my willpower not to splash out on it before now, but I'm so glad I waited as I made a massive saving by buying it in Australia nabbing it for just €51!! 

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in 'Vanilla' - Another cult favourite in the blogging community, it's supposed to hide a multitude of sins. Both me and my jet lag look forward to putting this through its paces.

Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer & No28 Primer Serum - I couldn't decide between the two of these, they both felt lovely on the skin but couldn't justify buying 2 full size primers instead opting for a travel size off each of them. Having worn both, the primer serum is nudging ahead slightly but we'll see. I might do a comparison post in the future.

NARS 'Laguna' Bronzing Powder - Quite possibly one of the most famous NARS products of all time. If I was starting a NARS collection at all this needed to be in it. I've tried it once so far and it's really natural. I was hoping to use it as a contour shade but it's a little to subtle at the moment, I'll give it a proper test once my tan fades..

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in 'Mood Exposure' - I wanted to get the Blush palette as not only did it contain 'mood exposure' but I thought for the price it would be a great way to try a few different shades as I tend to opt for neutral shades on my cheeks. Unfortunately, it is out of stock everywhere. Having said that, Mood exposure is even more glorious in person and will get loads of wear!

Last and no means least, I managed to get my hands on not one but TWO of the most coveted lip shades of 2014 'Soar' by MAC. I has been sold out everywhere for months and I along with half of the female population have been hunting it down since it was announced that it is what Kylie Jenner uses to create her perfect pout.

I thought it would only be fair to share my luck by giving one of them away to one of my followers.

To win you MUST follow @Give_A_Posy on Instagram AND Regram this picture with #giveaposygiveaway 

The winner will be picked at random and announced next Tuesday on instagram. 

Competition IS open internationally

*Please note that if you're instagram profile is on private it won't be counted as I cannot see the Regram.

Best of luck  x