L'Oreal Steam Pod Review

Hey Ladies,


BIG NEWS.....  HUGE....

I GOT A STEAMPOD!!!! (<- can you tell I'm excited?)

To most people that would be a whole load of gobbledygook but this is something your going to see much more of in the future as it's slowly starting to make the rounds around the blogs. Look at me getting in before the hype storm. I am literally so excited to share this video with you... ever since I got this doohickey I have been dying to review it! This is literally the bomb.com if you have curly frizzy and unmanageable hair. I won't go into too much detail because everything you need to know is in the video including a demo of how it works.

So I didn't mention in the video where I got my Steam Pod from and that is because I wasn't very happy with the service but didn't want to bash the company I ordered from. I ordered mine from LookFantastic.com back at the end of October as it was my Christmas present from Himself and we wanted to make sure we got it early in case of any postage delays and at the time it was quite hard to get/out of stock. Well, we put in a code for next day delivery and it arrived over a week and a half late. AND it gets worse, the box was pulverised so much so that I'm surprised the Steam Pod was even in there. Now, don't get me wrong I know this happens but when your paying €160+ I expected for it to arrive at least in one piece. Anyways, if you are looking to buy a Steam Pod you can find them much easier now-a-days in the likes of Peter Mark and The Style Club as mentioned.

I really hope you find this video helpful! Let me know what you think in the comment section below!

Trials and Tribulations

Hey Ladies,

Continuing on the search for the best mascara on the market I bring you my latest victim that has been thoroughly tried and tested! I present to you MAC False Lashes Mascara, which is a product I think I wrote off before I had even given it a fair chance. When this first hit the blogosphere there was a huge buzz about it but in my past MAC mascara experiences (all of which were awful!) I wasn't running out to pick this up.

Fast forward to the end of 2013 and I find myself in the CCO Antrim holding this in my hand debating whether to give it a whirl. For such a pittance I picked it up and put it in my back-up makeup drawer until I used up my fav mascaras first!

Well tickle me pink and call me Suzie this mascara is bloody brilliant. From the texture which is jet black, a non clumpy formulation right down to the cone shaped brush that coats every single lash. I have to honestly say that I am so pleasantly surprised and my faith in MAC Mascaras has been restored. I have been using this for a good bit now and there are no signs of the product drying out, it also lasts very well throughout the day with no transfer or flaking.


I am giving this on an 8 out of 10 and adding it to my shopping list for fear that I might run out!

Love,
S

Product Smackdown: Micellar Waters For Under €7!

Hey Ladies,

Is it just me or does it seem that companies are bringing out micellar waters left, right and centre? Not that I am complaining as they have become an essential part of my everyday skincare routine and just like mascaras I am on a quest to find the creme de la creme of micellar waters. In the past couple months I have put three different products to the test, two that are under €7 quid and one that is more of a premium brand but more on that in the coming weeks!

First up is the hugely talked about Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water, its packaging and size are very similar to that of Bioderma so when this hit the shelves the beauty world went into a frenzy. For under €7 you get a whopping 400ml of product which lasts me at least 4-6 weeks depending if I am wearing makeup everyday. No fragrance and no alcohol means this is super gentle and it removes most makeup, although I do find that I need something with a little more oil to remove that pesky Inglot gel liner. I do love this and I have repurchased this numerous times since I first tried it and it is a staple product for a Makeup Artist's kit.

With that said lets skip over to the L'Oreal Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Water (phew that's a mouthful!). I picked this up when micellar waters first popped up on the scene and immediately fell in love. Definitely my favourite of the two products although you only get 200ml for the same price as the Garnier which is a little lousy. I found that this takes of every scrap of makeup including waterproof eyeliner (I'm looking at you Inglot!) and mascara, whereas the Garnier didn't measure up! I also noticed less breakout with this product which is a huge bonus for me.

Both products do an incredible job at removing makeup and for such a bargainous price you really can't fault them. Even if you aren't a skincare person this is definitely the lazy man's (or woman's) way of taking care of your skin with minimal effort and throw away those bloody baby wipes because with these products it takes just as little effort to cleanse your skin.... no excuses!


VIVA LA MICELLAR REVOLUTION!
Love,
S

Summer Saviour!

Hey Ladies,

Sloughing off the dead skin, preparing the tootsies and de-furring yourself from looking like a yeti (think Harry Henderson) are all the signs that Summer is on its way. Now being in Ireland Summer may make its appearance any day so you need to be prepared!

One product for me that is really standing out in the run up to Summer is the Dove Purely Pampering Nourishing Lotion in Almond Cream with Hibiscus. Firstly this product smells incredible, which normally for me would be a huge turnoff because my skin is so sensitive and reactive that any sort of smell would result in a breakout/rash. The scent also lingers for quite a bit which is sooo nice as most scented body moisturisers I have tried don't hold their scent throughout the day.

This is a light lotion that absorbs into the skin quickly so no standing around freezing waiting for it to dry and it doesn't feel sticky once you get dressed. If you have been scrubbing your skin half to death to get it Summer ready this product really hydrates and nourishes the skin even if you only use it 2 times a week it holds its own and keeps the skin hydrated on the days you aren't using it.

It is definitely a must have for the Summer season and it also comes in a body wash so you need to skip to your local Boots quickfast and take a look (or a sniff)!

Love,
S

Getting Organised With Tiger

Hey Ladies,

Just a quick post for you today! I have become a huge fan of the store Tiger lately and it seems to be popping up everywhere, think IKEA but only for the little knick knacks. When I was in there two weeks ago I spotted this handy little lipstick holder for only €3! Yes you read that right....€3! Every time I go to buy one of these lipstick holders you can only find them online and I wasn't born with patience so never followed through in buying one.

This holder has space for 9 lipsticks but is small enough that it won't crowd your vanity. If you have tons of lipsticks like I do then this is really handy to keep on your vanity/desk with your favourite lipsticks so they get plenty of use.

I first popped this up on Instagram and a couple of people got back to me to say they picked them up too! If you want to follow me on Instagram you can find me @whatsnewwithsuzieq!


Until next time, may the wings of your eyeliner always be even.
Love,
S

Let's Be Honest...

Hey Ladies,

So I was in work the other day and a customer came in with a foundation that hasn't been produced for YONKS (throwback to the 2000's) and I thought to myself that something I've never touched on is the subject on binning your beauty bits. With an extensive collection of makeup ranging from cheaper items right up to super splurges, throwing things away is not one of my strong suits. I'll list below the expiration guide for makeup products just so you can mentally add up how long you've had your favourite beauty essentials.

I do try and switch out my foundations and concealers as often as possible as with acne prone skin, items like that can wreak havoc in the long run. If something didn't suit me or just wasn't holding my interest anymore, I would pass it on to a friend or family member but the likes of my MAC palettes that I have been slowly collecting over the past 5 years, I couldn't part with for the world. They are most definitely over the 2 year expiry date but they still have great color payoff and look brand new. I won't be getting rid of them anytime soon!


So confess, do you keep dusty lipsticks and unused foundations or do you bin 'em?
Love,
S



This image is my own. 

Marc Jacobs Deliciousness!

Hey Ladies,

Back in September when I was in New York I picked up this nail polish from the new Marc Jacobs beauty range and I have been dying to share it with you all since but I didn't have the words to describe how infatuated I am.

Each shade in the collection is inspired by Marc's favourites movies. Marc and I must be on the same page as the color I went for is "110 Gatsby" which is a ridiculously shimmery rose gold. This little gem is described as an "enamoured high shine nail lacquer" and gives fantastic pigmentation, so only one coat is needed for an opaque finish. I have noticed though if you want to do a second coat you will need to let the first coat dry completely before you layer. The polish is very quick drying so if you are like me and have the patience of a 5 year old it won't smudge.

I find the chipping is very minimal depending on how much you use your hands so if you work in a hands on environment obviously it is not going to last as long, but my favourite aspect of this polish? It's a doddle to remove so no hassle unlike some glitter polishes.

Unfortunately for us Irish beauty lovers this product is only available in the US (specifically Sephora) at the moment but comes in at a very reasonable price of $18 so if you know anyone heading over to the US, do your research and get them to pick you up one or two. Or better yet head over yourself, any excuse for a holiday!


Am I just a magpie or is that not the most majestic nail polish you have ever seen? Just me then?

Love,
S

  

I'm in Tatler!

Hey!

I got a Tweet from my friend Christina yesterday with some very exciting news! I know it's not that major but this is the first time I have been pictured in a magazine and not just any magazine....TATLER MAGAZINE!

I am so excited, if you couldn't already tell. The picture featured in the magazine are from when I attended the Diet Coke event a few weeks back. I hope this is the first of many good things.

Love,
S

They're Real?!

Hey Ladies,
I am currently on the hunt for my holy grail of mascara's. I now have two in close competition with each other, Clinique High Impact and  Benefit They're Real. I have already written a review of what I think about the Clinique mascara and you can check that out here.

Recently Benefit celebrated the first birthday of the They're Real mascara and working on a beauty counter I often sell this product to customers. I'm a firm believer of knowing your products, I like to give customers an honest review of a product rather than listing off a list of things the box claims it does. Fortunately my sister bought this mascara and didn't like it so she gave it to me, I never turn away a hand me down so I thought I would give this a whirl.

First impressions? The brush is made of plastic spikes and has a round top which means it is easy to create a false lash effect. This mascara separates lashes and gives them the most definition possible, and the round top means you can really get at all those hard to reach lashes. This product is super black (with no option of brown) so it really does make lashes stand out. The overall best thing about this mascara is it's staying power, this mascara is practically waterproof and you need a good oily eye makeup remover to take it off. It doesn't smudge, flake or transfer throughout the day, no matter what your day holds you don't need to worry about looking like a panda.

I have come to the conclusion that if I use the Clinique High Impact mascara during the day and the Benefit They're Real for evening I will always have a flawless lash look which is a sure thing to get you some compliments. Check out the pictures below of the mascara in action!

Love,
S

Crest Whitening Strips!

Hey Ladies,
Over the last couple of years we have become a lot more concerned with our appearance and the one thing that really has taken off is teeth whitening. The desire to have pearly whites has made us try out anything and everything that claims to whiten teeth from Pearl Drops to strips. We are constantly bombarded with images of "beautiful people" who's teeth would glow in a dark room! I have always been rather uncomfortable about my teeth, feeling as if they weren't white enough which was a real confidence knock but fortunately I no longer have that problem.

When I began watching YouTube videos many moons ago,there was a lot of talk about Crest Whitening Strips which up until then I had never heard off. After a quick Google trip I was on the hunt to find some as they seemed to be the holy grail of whitening products. Unfortunately these strips aren't sold in Ireland, you can only buy them in the US or online. I finally got my hands on some when my boyfriend went to New York in 2011 and loved them so much I have been using them ever since.

There is quite a range of strips to cater to different needs and with roughly 24 sachets in a box costing between $30-50 it is quite reasonable compared to the dental process which is about €200. The instructions recommends you use one strip per day for 14 days or for a more intensive treatment twice a day for 7 days. I noticed results within 3 days, I recommend you take a before picture to compare your results once you are finished the box.

The application is quite easy all you need to do is peel the long strip and apply to your top teeth making sure to fold the excess behind your teeth. Then taking the smaller strip do the same process for the bottom teeth. Leave on for 30 minutes making sure not to eat or drink then simply peel off. There is no residue or taste from the strip and it most certainly doesn't hurt.

I can assume by now you are asking yourself does this damage your teeth? I have been using these strips for almost two years now and I can safely say no it will not damage your teeth. I have been to the dentist numerous times and asked was there any damage the answer was always no which is fantastic! I have included some pictures of my teeth and these strips so I apologise in advance for my nasty chipped teeth it is so strange that my teeth don't look bad in person but they photograph horribly!

As I said before you can only get these strips online or in the US unfortunately. I am heading to NY in February and it is safe to say I will be stocking up on them when I am there!
Love,
S