The New Kid On The Block, Watch Out Anastasia!

Hey Ladies,

When I'm doing my makeup there is usually only one product I reach for when it comes to brows and that is MAC Dipdown Fluidline. My holy grail product for perfect brows every time. Sometimes though it's nice to jump out of your comfort zone and try something new especially when you review products on your blog....it's kind of important to switch it up. 

My latest leap has been trying out the Maybelline Brow Satin Pencil in Dark Brown. Basically the idea behind it is very simple one end is a retractable brow pencil and the other end is a smudger. Lets talk about the pencil end first. Colour wise it is a perfect match for me and the pigment is really good. It's quite a creamy pencil so there is no need to drag the skin when applying the product. It gives more of a subtle look so if you rock the power brow then this might not be for you. Lasting all day it and being easy to remove gives it a big thumbs up in my book.

The opposite end is where I find myself a little baffled. There is a smudger brush and some dark brown powder in the cap and the idea is that you fill in your brow with the pencil first to define your shape and then smudge the colour into the brow. Now, unless you have mighty big brows a la Bert or his pal Ernie then you might have some trouble using this. If it had a little angled brush then it would be a little more practical but for €9 in Boots it's a fairly decent pencil.

I have actually been trialing the Brow Wiz by Anastasia Beverly Hills for the past few weeks and have noticed that these pencils are quite similar the only difference being the nib of the Brow Wiz is thinner!

I hope you found this review helpful, let me know below what is your HG brow product? 

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.

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

Ship Shape Lips For Summer!

Hey,

In case you haven't noticed my last beauty post was lip related as I am on a serious lipstick binge and it seems my bank account can't resist a bright pink. Summer is just around the corner and its time to de-flake our lips from their wintry state and prepare for some sun. Today I am bringing you my top four products that will revive any lip condition!

Bubblegum Lip Scrub by Lush
This will be your saving grace if you suffer from chapped lips and can't seem to get rid of the flakiness. Made from castor sugar and jojoba oil it gently scrubs away dead flaky skin to leave your kissers smooth and read for lip balm or lipstick. Lush carries a couple of flavours of lip scrubs such as popcorn and mint julips but personally bubblegum is my favourite. The best part? This product is edible so you can lick away the excess. The price tag? €6.75 and it will last forever, you can find this product in your local Lush or on Lush.co.uk!

EOS Lipbalm
This sphere shaped lip balm has taken the beauty world by storm, with fans all over the globe from the Kardashian's right down to the bloggers and beauty gurus on YouTube. Also containing jojoba oil and shea butter this nourishes lips with no colour payoff so you can replace your Vaseline for this handy little ball. It also come in a range of fruit flavours so there is something there for everyone. I picked mine up in the US but you can find it right here in Ireland on BeautyEmporium.ie for €6.25!

Baby Lips by Maybelline 
Unfortunately this product is currently unavailable in Ireland but with its huge success in the US I have a feeling it wont be long till it arrives on Irish shores. This products promises to protect the lips for 8 hours with its "exclusive lip renew formula" and does it do that? It surely does. I have the shade Grape Vine that smells just like sweet grapes and has a tiny purple tint to it, but with 6 variations I'm sure it won't be hard to find one to suit you. I have heard a rumour that these will launch in April and retail for around €10 but that could just be a rumour considering that it is now the last day of the month! As soon as I spot them I will update this post.

Lip Butter by Korres
If you want a lip balm with more pigment/colour pay off to it then maybe the much talked about Lip Butter by Korres might be the perfect product for you. Fleur De Force on YouTube is a huge fan of this product so I had to try it out. Made from rice wax and shea butter this product leaves the lips deeply moisturised and it is also paraben free! This product also comes in 6 shades/flavour but my personal favourite is Quince which is a pinky red perfect for during the day when I'm not brave enough to wear a red lip! You can find Korres products on ASOS.com and at €10.50 with free shipping, I think you've got yourself a bargain.


Love,
S

I've done it to death, but here's another one!

Hey Ladies,
This is a look you have seen many a time before but I thought I would still share it. Wait for it.....a neutral smoky eye! Betcha' didn't see that one coming :)

Here is a look I wore last week that I paired with a red lip to make it a bit more special! As per usual products will be listed below.

Face
Foundation: Revlon- ColourStay in Ivory
Powder: Essence- Fix and Matte
Concealer: Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection in Fair
Blush: Mac-Peechykeen
Contour: Mac- Harmony

Eyes
Primer: Mac- Painterly Paint Pot
Lid: Mac- Cork
Crease: Mac- Cork, Brown Down
Brow Bone: Inglot- Matte White and Mac- Phloof
Liquid Liner: Mac-Black Track Fluid Line
Mascara: Maybelline- Falsies
Brows:  Mac- Brown Down and Carbon


Lips
Lipstick: Mac- Russian Red

Hope you enjoyed.

Love, 

S

Green + Gold

Hey Ladies,
As I've said before I want to try using some of the products in my collection a bit more as they are being slightly neglected. This time round I wanted to try out this eye-shadow from Mac called Humid that has been sitting in my palette for so long! It is a moss green with a shimmer finish, which isn't something that I would usually go for. My sister originally bought this and never used it so I thought I would add it to my collection.

Face
Foundation: Revlon- ColourStay in Ivory
Powder: Essence- Fix and Matte
Concealer: Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection in Fair
Blush: Mac-Peechykeen
Contour: Mac- Harmony

Eyes
Primer: Mac- Painterly Paint Pot
Lid: Mac- Cork
Lid: Urban Decay Naked- Sidecar
Crease: Mac- Cork, Humid
Glitter: The Make Up Store- Eyedust in Perfect
Brow Bone: Inglot- Matte White and Mac- Phloof
Liquid Liner: Mac-Black Track Fluid Line
Eye Liner: Urban Decay- Zero
Mascara: Maybelline- Falsies
Brows:  Mac- Brown Down and Carbon


Lips
Lipstick: Mac- Petting Pink Lip Conditioner

Hope you enjoyed!
Love,
S

Black Smoky Eye

Hey Ladies,
As a make-up artist you are constantly asked for a smoky eye. But, what is smoky eye? There are many different types of smoky eyes, the one I have done today is the most dramatic. This type of smoky eye can look very harsh and strange if not done right, usually not a look for someone who hasn't worn it before. It is my least favourite type of smoky eye as it can go really well or really bad, and I always wear eye-liner and sometimes it can get lost in the darkness. I advise if you are wearing a look like this to only wear light blush, strong contour and nude lips as the eyes are supposed to be the focal point! You don't want to look like a....excuse me....tranny.

As per usual I will leave all of the products that I used below!

Face
Foundation: Revlon- ColourStay in Ivory
Powder: Essence- Fix and Matte
Concealer: Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection in Fair
Blush: Mac-Peechykeen
Contour: Mac- Harmony

Eyes
Primer: Mac- Painterly Paint Pot
Lid: Mac- Black Track Fluid Line and Carbon e/s
Crease: Mac- Cork and Brown Down
Brow Bone: Inglot- Matte White and Mac- Phloof
Liquid Liner: Mac-Black Track Fluid Line
Eye Liner: Mac- Smolder
Mascara: Maybelline- Falsies
Brows:  Mac- Brown Down and Carbon

Lips
Lipstick: Mac- Up The Amp

Hope you enjoyed!
Love,
S

FOTD + OOTD

Hey Ladies,
Today I thought I would share what I am wearing not only on my face today but also my clothes. I don't really do Outfits Of The Day posts often because I don't think I have the greatest style although I thought this outfit was appropriate for a post. My makeup for today is a purple smokey eye similar to this one here but with a twist of some purple liner and very minimal lips and cheeks! I will leave all of the products that I used listed below and also where my outfit is from.

Make-Up
Face
Foundation: MUFE- HD Foundation
Powder: Rimmel- Stay Matte Translucent Powder
Blush: Mac- Peachykeen
Contour: Mac- Harmony


Eyes
Base: Mac- Painterly Paint Pot
Shadows: Mac- Quarry, Nocturnelle, Shadowy Lady and Cork
Highlight: Inglot- Matte White
Gel Liner: Mac- BlackTrack
Eyeliner: Urban Decay- 24/7 Liner Zero
Mascara: Maybelline- Falsies

Brows
Shadows: Mac- Ground Brown, Carbon

Lips
Mac- Lip Conditioner in Petting Pink

Outfit
Dress- Maisy (Arnotts or Clerys)
Aran Jumper- Pennys/Primark
Tights- Fleece Lined Tights from Pennys/Primark
Shoes-Aldo
Belt- Came With Maisy Dress
Ring-Thomas Sabo
Ear Cuff- Topshop


Love,
S