Suzie Q Reviews: NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream

Hey Ladies,

My lipstick obsession continues and to be honest it's starting to get a little bit out of hand. The latest additions to my collection are the Soft Matte Lip Creams by NYX that I picked up in New York before they became available here in Ireland. The texture of these lip products are incredible they are long lasting but I found they are more hydrating than drying and the pigmentation is second to none, no lip pencil required. Did I mention that they smell like vanilla cupcakes, added bonus. I picked up the shades Copenhagen, Prague and Istanbul. The only downside to the Soft Matte Lip Creams is that if you try to layer them they can ball up on the lips but using very little product you can easily avoid that. 

                        

Liquid lipsticks really had their moment in 2015 but I don't see them slowing down any time soon so definitely add one of these to your shopping list, there are 20 shades in the range. I have also just seen that NYX are releasing a new product called Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick that boast long lasting/waterproof lip colour with a suede finish so if you don't like the matte look this might be your guy.

   Copenhagen

 Prague

Istanbul

It's safe to say NYX have lip products covered. You can pick up the Soft Matte Lip Creams online on Boots.ie for €7.75 and you can also find the recent additions of the Liquid Suede Cream Lipsticks on there too for €9.25!

My Top Three Blushers For Pale Skin

Hey Ladies,

I love blush just as much of the next girl but me and blush have a very tumultuous relationship. I want naturally flushed....I get aunt Sally. I want glowy....I get oily. After a long battle I have finally found the three perfect blushes for my pale skin and I want to share them with you all (can you spot the coral trend?).

First up is Elf Tickled Pink blusher. It looks like Nars, feels like Nars but it costs only $3! I picked this up way back when I was in New York and have literally used it religiously ever since, can't you tell by how little is left. The texture of this blush is just perfection, it has great pay off and lasts all day on the skin without being too drying and or clinging to dry patches. It has the tiniest hint of shimmer that gives the skin a beautiful glow! A product I would definitely repurchase again and again.

Next up is the Face Form palette in Fair from Sleek Makeup. This trio is all you need to contour, highlight and blush your pale skin to perfection. A light hand is vital here as this palette is super pigmented and this highlighter literally gives me life (take that Mary Lou). The blush is a beautiful rose gold shade and is a good dupe for Nars Orgasm blush. Brace yourself as it does have a good bit of shimmer and you can see by the swatch above that again....a light hand is key.

"Yo ELF/Sleek I'm really happy for you and Imma let you finish but MAC has the greatest blusher of all time"

Lastly my favourite blusher EVER, MAC Stereo Rose and by golly she's a thing of sheer beauty. I waited for this blush to be re-released by MAC for so long (it's limited edition) that as soon as I heard it was coming, I was the first Bridie in the queue. I gives the most beautiful flush and sheen to the skin. The powder itself is so buttery and soft it just glides on. No doubt MAC will release this again in the near future as it is so popular and if they do, I'll take 5. I'm taking this baby to the grave.

So there you have it, my top 3 blushes. I hope you found this post helpful if you are a paler girl like myself. Keep your eyes peeled this Friday as I have a new video coming....EEEP.
Until next time,

My Everyday Essentials

Hey Ladies,

Today I thought I would share with you my everyday stash that I couldn't be without, a little treasure trove that lives on my desk right next to my trusty brushes. I was getting ready for work the other day and I realised that I have never shared with you the products that I use everyday without fail and have repurchased over and over. So it is safe to say they are firm favourites...this is why I haven't done a favourites video yet because all of the products would be the same every single month. I can literally bang out my work face in 10 minutes flat using these products or I could spend hours adding in other bits and bobs, they are the core products to every makeup look that I do.

A little more about my skin if your new around these parts. I have dry skin that is very prone to acne breakouts, my skin tone is very pale so I like to make my everyday face as natural as possible. And once I put my makeup on I want it to last because I hate touching up during the day - primers are an essential. The only thing I haven't included in this post is my eye shadows and brushes but don't worry I have separate posts coming up on them soon! Also please note that my lip colour is the only product that changes in and out regularly because I go through phases of different shades.

So dig into my stash...and let me know do you see any of your favourites? What are your everyday essentials? Want me to do a tutorial on my daily look?

GIVEAWAY!

Hey Ladies,

GIVEAWAY KLAXON!

Who doesn't love something for free? Well, to celebrate the start of my YouTube journey I decided to giveaway my favourite lipstick that you would have seen in my latest tutorial!

All you have to do is go to my YouTube channel youtube.com/whatsnewwithsuzieq and subscribe. Then leave me a quick comment on my Vintage Makeup Tutorial telling me what your favourite MAC product is! So simple and only takes 2 shakes of a lambs tail....so who wants to win? I do...maybe I'll just keep it for myself heh. This giveaway is open up until the 29th of May so lots of time to get entering. 

May the odds be ever in your favour!

Suzie Q Reviews: Ta Hun, Penney's!

Hey Ladies,

I love a good browse in Penney's as much as the next person but I ALWAYS leave with stuff I don't need - Splurgy Sue strikes again. Thankfully this time I had a good excuse, its for the blog. That sentence constantly gets me out of a pickle.

The last time I was in Penney's I spotted that they had added to their "PS Love This' range. I have never actually tried any of their makeup items so I'll hold my comments until I do but I am constantly picking up their eye lashes whenever I'm in Penney's. There lashes range from natural to RuPaul-esque so they have you covered for every occasion. My favourite pair are the Double Trouble lashes and they cost only €2! I know, right?! I also picked up some individuals for my kit.

I also spotted the Makeup Brush Cleanser which I've seen being mentioned on Twitter a couple of times. It's alright not the worst in the world. It doesn't have an offensive scent and doesn't dry out brush hairs which is essential if you've put money into your brush collection. It's perfect for spot cleaning, beginners or people who are just too darn lazy to properly clean their brushes (I have a super detailed post on how to wash brushes here). In all honesty though if you pass one by I would pick it up for only €2.50 its a handy one to have lying around and it's not going to break the bank.

Also, how CUTE is the stationary in Penney's at the moment. I'm a well organised Bridie these days with my to-do lists and weekly planner. It makes my desk look like something off Pinterest.

So let me know in the comments what you think about the Penney's makeup rang. Have you tried it? What should I pick up next time I'm in store....c'mon enable me!

My Beauty Bucket List!

Hey Ladies,

So let's talk about bucket lists.

Every now and again I like to sit down and have a look at my bucket list, add things on and tick things off. And then I had an idea... What would be on my Beauty Bucket spendy I know exactly what to spend my hard earned money on.
List? All those products that I yearn after but can never justify to spend that much money on or simply don't need. What harm would it do to sit down and write out a list so when I am feeling particularly

Does anyone else have this problem.....when you have loads of money to burn and you see nothing you want and then the flip side when you haven't a bean to your name and you see all of these wonderful things that you would sell your soul to buy. Yeah same.

So here's my list so far.... and before you X off this page make sure to leave a comment below telling me all the things you would have on your BBL!

• Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blushers and Highlighters
• By Terry Ombre Black Star Shadows.....in every colour! 
• Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow
• Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation 
• Nars Creamy Concealer 
• Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G Night Crimson Lipstick
• Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara 
• A Zuca Case
• Tom Ford Traceless Perfecting Foundation
• Maison Martin Margiela Funfair Perfume
• Tom Ford Neroli Perfume
• Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Moonstone 
• Anastasia Dipbrow and Brow Wiz
• Elizabeth and James Nirvana 
• Tarte Lights Camera Lashes
• Nars Audacious Lipstick
• Too Faced Melted Lipstick

Back To Basics!

Hey Ladies,

In today's blog post I want to share with you my secret to a flawless smokey eye. MAC Painterly Paint Pot is a staple that you will find in every MUA's kit and to the unsuspecting eye you wouldn't think much of this little thingamabob!

In simple terms its a cream eye shadow with a pink undertone. It can be worn on its own to even out the eye for example, on my days off I pop a little bit on with my ring finger to make my eyes look less tired and prevent my mascara from running. But when it is paired with eye shadow it helps products last twice as long especially if you have oily peepers and it also helps shadows to pop! There is nothing worse that buying a gorgeous deep purple eye shadow and loosing half the colour when its put on an unprepared eye. Eye primers are so essential to a flawless eye look without them it will be no time before your eye shadow has creased and faded away.

 

MAC do a whole shade range of these paint pots but painterly is the most talked about in the YouTube/blog world. Another firm favourite of mine is Groundwork, its a taupe-y shade that you can use to create a simple smokey eye in seconds! Im hoping in the coming month to do more tutorial style posts/videos so you can see these paint pots in action.

Until next time!

TFF: People You HAVE To Follow

Hey ladies,

And welcome back to the ever evolving Take Five Friday. This week I wanted to share with you some of my favourite bloggers who you HAVE to follow if you aren't already. I think its nice to share our favourite reads so we can watch the blogging world continue to grow and most importantly give a nice shout out to those who work hard on their blog and deserve all the readers they get! There is so much negativity and bitching on the Internet nowadays that a little bit of blog love would do no harm!

1. Sara Kalima who you might recognise from her many appearances on Beaut.ie is first up on my list. I love her guest posts on Beaut.ie but her own blog Love Thing is bloody brilliant! Sara is truly a spectacular makeup artist, her eye makeup looks are just so stunning and creative! I love having a nosey on her blog whenever I have a big event and I need some inspiration!

2. Next up is Anna from Vivianna Does Makeup. Anna is so well known that if you haven't read her blog you have definitely been living under a rock. I never miss a blog post/vlog or video and I take everything she says about beauty or skincare as bible. If she loves something I have to have it! Recently I divulged my love for Anna to my sister which in turn has also turned her into a massive fan. Give up your day to catch up on her videos- definitely worth the watch.

3. My next fave is a little closer to home and it's my pal Grace from Long Hair and Lashes! With Super duper in depth reviews Grace has you covered on all things beauty. This girl knows her way around a MAC 217 and will blow you away with her makeup looks. Not one to shy away from a bright eyeshadow or a dark vampy lip so there is something in there from everyone!

4. Throwing in a fashion blog for good measure.... you NEED to follow Olivia from What Olivia Did. She is my current style icon and when she posts I feel a stab of jealousy because every look she puts together is PERFECT. She also posts recipes on her blog which is such an added bonus!

5. Last but certainly not least is... Karen and Joanne from Lovely Girlie Bits. Literally one of the best Irish beauty blogs at the moment and the girls have recently expanded to the YouTube world and are taking it by storm. The girls are on the ball when it comes to the latest beauty launches and give the most honest reviews on products with an added touch of hilarity. I never ever miss a blog post!

If I missed anyone there who you think deserves to be in the next TFF leave it in the comments below!

Come Back Sun I'm Not Done With You Yet

Hey Ladies,

What a scorcher of a week we were having and of course today when I decide to put up a post to do with Summery nails, it rains. Karma. But sure look we will carry on and pray the sun will return once again.

I love switching up my nail polish and in Summer time I almost change my polish every day or two religiously. We have such long winter months of dark dreary nail colours so whilst the sun is shining (or trying to) I like to get in as much colour as possible.

My nail polish of choice this week is Pepperminty by Ciaté which has made a few appearances so far this Summer. Its a gorgeous teal blue colour akin to that of a Tiffany's & Co box (oo-er fancy). Two coats will give you an even finish and expect at least 3-5 days of wear before it starts to chip.

I got this and the some of the other Ciaté polishes featured on the blog in the Ciaté advent calendar last Christmas and to think that I am still getting use out of it now is phenomenal. Dare I say it that I can't wait till this Christmas (I know, I know its way too early to be dropping the C-Bomb) to pick up this years edition.

What polishes are you donning this Summer? Any favorite brands?

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

The Beauty Tag

Hey Ladies, 


Over the weekend I was browsing on Lauren's blog (link here) who is such a delightful to follow so I recommend you go check her out. She had posted a Beauty Tag which is something I have never done on the blog before well not that I can remember. She tagged anyone who wanted to do it to get involved so here is my rendition. Let's get into it...

Would you rather lose all of your mascaras, eyeliners and lip products or lose all of your palettes and eye shadows? 
Sacrebleu, I would definitely keep all of my shadows. I think eye liners, mascaras and lip products are much easier (and cheaper) to replace than an eye shadow palette. We all have our holy grail liners, mascaras and lippies whereas eyeshadow is one of those things where you could have 15 shades of brown but you delude yourself by thinking "THEY'RE ALL DIFFERENT!" 

Would you rather chop off all your hair or never be able to cut it again?
For me this one is an obvious choice,  chop it off....I've been there and done that. Hair always grows back so no panic and you can have the best of both worlds.

If you had €500, would you spend this on clothes or makeup?
Being totally honest I would probably buy a killer bag or shoes, I have more makeup than I need and I am trying to narrow down my closet to a "capsule" wardrobe.

Would you rather only use one eye-shadow colour or one lip colour for the rest of your life?
Well, this one is a toughie. I love my classy smoky eye which usually requires more than one eye shadow so that would be bending the rules. I would probably go for a red lip, with my pale skin and a red lip is always classic! 


Bright nails or nude nails all year round? 
The brighter the better, as mentioned in the last question I have really pale skin so nude nails will never ever suit me, NEVER EVER. Whereas bright colors pop off my skin tone.  

Would you rather never be able to use lip gloss or paint your nails again?
Easy peasy, I don't wear lip gloss much to being with so this one answers itself. 

Describe your perfect mascara. Have you found one?
Mascaras are my guilty obsession, I am always trying new mascaras to find the HOLY GRAIL! So far I am loving Covergirl Lash Blast, Maybelline The Falsies and Clinique High Impact.
Cant. Get. Enough.

What's your ideal coverage foundation?
My ideal coverage is medium to full, I have acne prone skin with a lot of redness so I need something that covers everything. Usually I pair a light to medium coverage with a concealer so its not thick and cakey but gives me flawwluhhhs skin. 

Favourite high street/drugstore beauty brand?
I think Revlon is a pretty solid brand but it does have its flaws too so I like to mix and match! Little bit of Rimmel mixed with a smidge of Revlon and a dash of L'Oreal and you're laughing. 

Favourite high end beauty brand?
I know it's such a snobby brand to mention but makeup wise it has to be MAC. I think MAC as a whole is a really good brand with some outstanding products so if I had to choose one brand to use for the rest of my life it would be MAC

Is there any makeup you can leave the house without wearing? 
Normally if I'm having a makeup free day I won't be self conscious in public but if I'm having a bad skin week I need a little bit of coverage be it a CC cream or a little bit of foundation.

What is your most cherished beauty product? 
I think my MAC ombre blush in Vintage Grape, it came out a year or two ago and I was dying to get my hands on it and its counterpart Azealea Blossom but they sold out too quick. When I went into MAC the girl just gave me the tester... just gave it to me.....free of charge. I will cherish it always! 

What skin type do you have? 
I did a blog post last week on my skin and my skin care essentials if you want to have a read of that but I'm dry combination but more notably I have an acne prone skin type.  

Do you always use the same skin routine or do you like switching it up?
Throw back again to last weeks post where I mentioned that I have been using the same skincare routine for years. I am a big fan of the Clinique Anti-Blemish range but I do like to swap and change my treatment products like eye creams, masks and cleansers.

Top 5 Beauty Gurus?
In the bloggy world love love love the girls over at Viva Adonis, Lovely Girlie Bits and not forgetting the sensational Cherry Sue, Doin' The Do. On Youtube I idolise NikkieTutorials and Batalash Beauty and just in general... Pat McGrath Or Ve Neill. I count 7 there, whoops. 

Which brand has your favourite packaging?
I really like Nars packaging but it gets absolutely filthy in no time at all and with me being an OCC (Obsessive Compulsive Cleaner) that doesn't bode well.

Which do you apply first, concealer or foundation?
Foundation. Always. 
Name a makeup crime you hate.
Oh there are just too many, I think lately the brow trend is getting out of hand. Brows are bigger and more drawn on than ever before. CAN'T COPE. 

Quick Fire:
Blush or bronzer?
Blush. 

Lipgloss or lipstick?
Little bitta lippie.

Foundation or concealer? 
Depends on the coverage. 

Brushes or sponges? 
Brushes. Always. 

OPI or Essie?
OPI...as I have never tried Essie. Such a bad blogger. 

Lotion or Body Butter?
Lotion.



Phew... that was tough. Hopefully you made it the whole way through. I tag anyone who is interested in doing the tag but shout out to Grace (Long Hair and Lashes) who just started her blog so I tag you and Hannah from (Crumpets and Marmalade) I tag you also. Happy blogging! 

Love, 
S




Image via Google....credit to this lovely lady.

Take Five Friday, What I've Been Loving This Week

Hey Ladies,

Trying to get my blog on track and on a regular schedule I have been trying different topics of post but I can never seem to settle. So I'm changing it up once again and I've decided that every Friday is going to be Take Five Friday, a quick post on five things I have been loving during the week. It keeps everything a little more fresh and different a super way to detach a little from the beauty world and learn a little more about me. 

1. I have never been a huge candle person but since my last trip to the US and most importantly to the mesmerizing Bath and Body Works I have become obsessed. Recently I picked up this mini Jo Malone Candle in Lime, Basil & Mandarin which retails for a whopping €28 but my god it is worth every penny. I am definitely going to pick up another but this time I might go for Pomegranate Noir!

 2. I have tonnes of nail polish as you can probably tell with my millions of blog posts and it's very common that some little gems get lost in the back. Digging through my drawer recently and I rediscovered this beauty that I did a post on AGES ago (link). I won it in a Twitter comp the year before last and had forgot about it since. Definitely going to get my wear out of it this Summer!

3. Bad Neighbours. If you haven't seen it yet you need to hotfoot it to the cinema quick fast. With an all star cast including some serious hotties like Zac Efron and Dave Franco you will be clutching your sides with laughter and praying to the almighty gods that you don't wee yourself. It lacks a little in the story line but all the hilarity (and shirtlessness) makes up for it. 10 out of 10!

4. Divergent, Insurgent and Allegiant are three books written by the fantastic Veronica Roth. You may have seen the latest release of "Divergent" the movie, which I also went to see but it was absolutely AWFUL! The books however are brilliant for a light read if you are a not big book person. I am slowly getting back into reading so this was the perfect trilogy with a compelling and adventurous story line. If you like the Hunger Games, you're gonna love this!

5. I have had one song on repeat all week. Little powerhouse Ariana Grande and Australian bad gal Iggy Azalea have teamed up to create this pop chart topper. How similar is Ariana to Mariah? Girl got some skills.

Until next Friday, May the wings of your eyeliner always be even!

Love, 

S

Images are my own, except the Bad Neighbour image which is from Google. 

Thank you, thank you, thank you.....

Aloha my lovely followers,

I have a very exciting blog post for you lot today so let's get sappy for a second...

I am so appreciative to all the people who take the time to read my blog, check out my Instagram and chat with me on Twitter so I wanted to say a HUGE thank you with a little giveaway! I honestly never expected anyone to read this blog as it was created purely for my own entertainment, further my makeup skills and to have an outlet to ramble about my favourite beauty bits. I know I am not the most frequent blogger and I don't write the exceptionally long detailed reviews or opinionated posts but this is the style of blogging that I enjoy and I hope you enjoy too!.

For those of you that do read.... a mahooosive thank you!

There will be one winner who will win goodies from Rimmel, Revlon, Maybelline, Stila, Benefit, Wet'n'Wild, MUA, Barry M, Real Techniques and last but not least Essence.

To win all of this you simply have to pop your details into Rafflecopter below, to make it fair and square to all who enter. The main entry is to follow me through either Bloglovin' or Google Friend Connect so it really couldn't be any easier. Make sure you are above the age of 18 or have the permission of a parent and lastly this is open internationally so don't fret, once you have a postal address I will send these lovely goodies anywhere in the world!


Love as always,
S x


a Rafflecopter giveaway

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. 

Psssst... Want to get Illamasqua here in Ireland?

Hey Ladies,

If you are an Illamasqua fan then you're in for a treat!

If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram you will have seen I posted this picture a while back with the caption "has anyone else seen this?" and unusually there was no flurry of replies by excited beauty bloggers. As many of you know BT2 stocked Illamasqua a couple of years ago but due to low sales they pulled out of Ireland. I'm sure if they were around today they would be making a pretty penny, just as they pulled out of BT2 the world of blogging and makeup artistry exploded. So while I was in the city during the week I dropped into LA Creative/The Bar on Chatham Street to get the low down on Illamasqua's unannounced return.



LA Creative are stocking Illamasqua exclusively for their students partaking in their various courses but it is available for general sale. As the picture says there is limited stock and availability so it won't be displayed in store but if you ask they will take you through whatever they have. When I was in store I had a sneaky peruse through what stock they did have and I have listed it below as I can remember it.

• 2 nude coloured glosses
• A nude and a red lip pencil
• Black gel eyeliner in "Infinity"
• Black and brown eye pencils
• A loose pigment that appears to be "Beguile"
• Sculpting powder duo
• Neutral Palette

So there you have it! 

Are you bothered about Illamasqua's return? Would you rather shop online or in store?

Let me know in the comments.

Love,
S

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