P.S Love To Glow Face Mask Review

Hey Ladies,

So not too long ago I seen my Twitter and Facebook timeline blow up with people talking about the new Penney's P.S Love To Glow skincare range comparing certain items from the range to huge name brands like Glamglow. So naturally enough I picked up the most coveted item the Face Mask to try it for myself and see what all the hype is about. So to start off with this mask is €3.50 which won't break the bank by any means, the packaging is glass and quite heavy which you wouldn't expect for that price.

The mask claims to be a "rich luxurious, exfoliating face mask to help smooth, soften and brighten dull tired skin". It smells suspiciously strongly of lemon or a similar scent that I can't quite place my finger on. The texture is lightweight, creamy and has small grains of what feels like sand but is pumice. Once it is applied you are supposed to wait 10 or so minutes for it to dry and you will see by the picture below that it dries down to a light brown veil of product over the skin. As you are wearing it doesn't feel tight or uncomfortable on the skin although if you are in anyway sensitive this may tingle. After you have washed it off your skin feels fantastically soft and smooth. In terms of removal it was super quick and easy to remove this mask whereas some other masks can be very messy and difficult to remove.

Let's have a look at some of the ingredients:
Water (obvs.)
Kaolin (beneficial to oily skin, deep cleans pores, purifies and helps improve cell renewal)
Shea Butter (stimulates collagen and hydrates)
Cetearyl Alcohol (A good alcohol that helps with softening the skin)
Glycerin Stearate (Slows water loss in the skin and softens the skin)
Aloe Leaf Juice (Improves the appearance of dry skin)
Glycerin (Prevents loss of water from the skin)
Fragrance (May irritate sensitive skins or acne prone skins)
Argan Oil (Conditions the skin)
Pumice (to exfoliate and remove dead skin)
Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E which is very low down on ingredients list!)

So all in all the mask was alright and for €3.50 Penney's didn't cheapen out on the ingredients. Personally as someone with a dry skin this mask isn't for me as the pumice is too abrasive. It's grand though, I certainly wouldn't compare it to the likes of Glamglow but it would do if you are a normal to oily skin type looking for a mask to use once a week! I hope you found this review helpful and it also gave you a little more insight into ingredients too!

New Video: Festival Essentials

Hey Ladies,

Just incase your not subscribed to my YouTube channel (which you should be obvs tut tut) I just posted a new video all about packing the essentials for a festival. I have never been to a festival before but IF I was to go these are the things I wouldn't dream of leaving home without. I actually bring quite a few of these in my bag on a regular basis and they are so handy to have. So, if you are lucky enough to be going to Longitude or Electric Picnic you best check out my video and I will also post below my Festival Makeup Look if you are in need of some makeup inspiration!

I really hope you enjoyed this video and I will be back next week with another!

Suzie Q Reviews: The Wonder Pad!

Hey Ladies, 

After doing a MAHOOSIVE clear out of my skincare drawer it dawned on me that I have never done a post on my secret weapon when it comes to controlling blemishes! If you have never heard of Waxperts I'll give you a little bit of background info on the company. They are an Irish waxing company run by the lovely Ellen and they are masters in waxing, waxing after care and all things skin. They also have a salon in Dun Laoghaire and everything with Waxperts from the salon to the packaging of their products is vintage/boudoir inspired- which I absolutely love! 

Right, back on track. The Wonder Pads in a nutshell are treatment pads that contain salicylic acid to help prevent against ingrown hairs. So if your a wax-er or a shaver you NEED these. But if you have an acne prone skin these are ideal at controlling breakouts and clearing up skin. I have been using these for a long time now and have found them very effective without being drying or irritating.

The Wonder Pads are a crucial step in my everyday routine and I have tried replacing them with something similar like the Origins Blemish Treatment pads and to be frank...they just weren't as good and there was a massive price difference (€7.95 compared to €31). At night I sweep a pad across my skin after my cleanser and before my moisturiser, I love that there is no tingle or irritation and they don't leave any residue on the skin. Its also widely known that with an acne prone skin that scrubs are just a complete no-no and sometime you need a little somethin' somethin' to give your skin a polish and The Wonder Pads give the right amount of polish and the salicylic acid also helps to exfoliate. They are also superb for people who don't usually suffer with breakouts but get the odd breakout around "that" time of the month. In each tub you get 40 pads so whether your using them for waxing/shaving or using them for blemishes one tub lasts a long time! 

You can find Waxperts products on Cloud10Beauty.com and if you missed it I posted my first YouTube video on Saturday and in that video I showed a new release from Waxperts that is to-die-for so you can check that out here.

Until next time!

SuperDuper Mud If You Ask Me!

Hey Ladies, 

Shelling out a small fortune for a face mask is never ideal, but when said mask preforms bloody miracles I would very happily hand over my money no questions asked. A while back I won a competition on Cherry Sue's Blog (link) which was a €100 voucher for Cloud10 Beauty and with that voucher in hand I knew what my first purchase would be....GlamGlow Supermud.

At a whopping €50 it promises to brighten the complexion of the skin, not to mention improve collagen and elastin. But my favourite claim was to de-clog congestion and minimise pore size and heal breakouts! Big claims huh?

After a firm testing, I can honestly say this mask is the bomb.com! After just one use my skin felt tighter and my pores were de-gunked. I also noticed my breakouts healed much faster than normal but the most noticeable difference was my skin looked bright and radiant and with an aggressive acne prone skin that's not easily done. I was very very impressed. I used this once a week, usually Sunday which is my pamper night to keep my skin in good nick. Completely used up now I imagine it won't take me long before I repurchase.

If your getting married this year/have a big event coming up and you want your skin to be flawless then this is a must have product. You can get the full range of GlamGlow products from Cloud10Beauty.com which is a fantastic Irish site which have free shipping once you spend over €15! which is so easily done when your feeling spendy. Go'wan your worth it!

Until next time.

    

                                

                               

Cloud10 Beauty Haul

Hey Ladies,

Not to toot my own horn but I like to think of myself as a lucky person, it seems that I win competitions all the time. Recently I entered into Cherry Sue's Cloud 10 Beauty €100 giveaway and whaddya know? I came out victorious once again. I actually just before I went to Amsterdam so I spent my holiday daydreaming about what I would spend my 100squid on. Top of the list was the GlamGlow Supermud Mask which has been making the rounds on blogs for some time now and has been getting rave reviews. This mask in particular is geared towards more problematic skin and I could definitely do with the help.Also big thanks to Yaz from GlitterMamaWishes.com for the recommendation!

I also picked up the Waxperts Wonder Pads which I've been wanting to try for the longest time, claiming to remover ingrown hairs, skin breakouts and razor burns its right up my alley. Orofluido Beauty Elixir hair oil was also on my shopping list as I have been testing it out over the last month and not only is it amazing but it smells to die for! I also picked up two Sleek palettes and a Sleek brow pencil because it would be rude not to, and last but not least a Tanya Burr nail polish! To say that I was over the moon when the postman called at 9am in the morning would be an understatement, the box was literally in my hands for the whole of 10 seconds before I ripped it apart and gave everything a good go. And don't worry over the next couple of weeks I will be doing reviews of my favourites!

Whats New: Ren Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial

Hey Ladies,

Now I love a good mask as much as the next person but I find lately I have been picking up masks that really don't live up to the hype. They are either too drying/too wet, ridiculously hard to get off and/or I really couldn't be bother with all the faffing about!

In the mornings I'm a woman on a mission I practically roll out of bed into my outfit for the day, a quick slap of makeup and its out the door. Every now and again when I do stray away from my regular skin care routine that I have mastered down to a fine art I want something that will make me look uh-mazing with minimal effort.... this is where the Ren Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial comes in.

This skin transforming treatment contains water activated Vitamin C which instantly brightens the skin in just 60 seconds. The texture of this one is very strange as when you first apply it, it feels like a gel with some very fine beads to exfoliate. But once you have massaged it in all over, left it for a little bit to do its magic and then added some water to the mix the texture totally changes to this gorgeously silky cream. As its not a harsh gritty exfoliating product you could use this every three days happily without over exfoliating the skin and one of its biggest perks is that it doesn't leave you with a red face so you can apply makeup straight away. Skin feels so soft and supple after just one use and when you put your foundation on top it just glides on like a dream.

For people who suffer with acne prone skin (like myself) this product is ideal for exfoliation as it won't make breakouts any worse and will actually help even out skin tone, you have my word for it. 

Unfortunately this product isn't scheduled for release until September and it will also set you back €38 for a whopping 75ml.

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

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. 

Candy Yum Yum!

Hey Ladies,

In keeping with bold bright lips for Summer today I bring you Candy Yum Yum by MAC. I posted a picture of this lipstick on my Instagram recently and thought I should do up a blog post! I bought this back in February in New York and up until the end of 2012 Candy Yum Yum was a limited edition shade that you could only get in the pro stores or when it came out with a collection such as "Quite Cute".

If you are a fan of MAC lipsticks you will already know all about this product. All of MAC lipsticks are super pigmented and smell like vanilla (YUM!) and this lipstick is no exception. It is a long last matte lipstick which means it will last for ages on the lips and is also unique being as it is a matte formulation.

This is a lipstick I think everyone should own, in my last lipstick post (you can read that here) I talked about how I thought a bright lip would look ridiculous with my pale skin but like the OCC Liptar in Nylon this is such a statement lip colour that will really stand out!

Imagine this.... it's Summer 30 degrees and your lying on the beach working on your tan in a teeny bikini looking like a Kardashian! Why not do a Kourtney and go for a bold statement lip?

Love,
S





Image from lipstickalley.com