How I wear it: Dark Lippy

Perfect for winter time... Every year I always try to find the perfect dark lipstick... This year I think I may have found the one...  Even better its really purse friendly :) Yay!

Its Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in the shade 'Dark Night Waterl-oops!' (380)... It costs around €6! This is a gorgeous purply pink and it is the perfect moisture rich dupe for MAC 'Rebel'.

To apply:

Firstly I line my lips.. If I don't have a lip pencil in a similar colour I take a lip brush and use the lipstick as a liner..

Then I apply the lipstick all over.. I use a lip brush as this is such a vibrant colour it can be quite tricky to apply straight from the bullet..

To finish I blot my lips with some tissue and away you go.. Simple as!

Baking Mince Pies

Hi everyone!

Today I made some mince pies... I love mince pies.. They are so christmasy and I thought what better way to celebrate a month off from college then make some christmas treats!

So here's how I made them for anyone who wants to give them a go :)

Ingredients:                                                                                          Equipment:

- 250g cold, cubed butter                                                                     - A large bowl
- 350g plain flour                                                                                  - Rolling pin
- 100g caster sugar                                                                              -  2 cookie cutters or glasses will do
- Half a jar of mincemeat                                                                      - Muffin tray
- 1 egg
- Icing sugar, to dust

• Sieve the flour into a large bowl. Rub in the butter, using your hands, until they look like breadcrumbs! 
• Then mix in the caster sugar and a pinch of salt, using a spoon.
• Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 6.
• Next, roll this out with you rolling pin to about 1cm thick or less.
• This pastry is quite hard to roll out as it is a crumbly pastry.. So an alternative is to pull off walnut sized pieces, flatten it and then cut out your shape.. 
• Cut round pieces for the bottom of the pie...
• Place the bottoms in  greased muffin tray.
• Put a heaped teaspoon of the mincemeat onto the pastry.
• Cut a smaller circle or a star shape out of the pastry and place it on top of the mincemeat, pressing the sides onto the bottom piece of pastry.
• Lightly whisk the egg with a fork and then brush this on top of the mince pies!
• Pop into the oven for approximately 12 mins or until golden brown!
• Leave on a wire rack to cool.
• When cooled dust over some icing sugar and serve... Yummy!! 

Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I did!! Let me know if anyone tries this recipe :)

My Top 3 Foundations

Hello :)

So today I thought I would tell you all about my top 3 foundations!

1) No7 Stay Perfect

This is my most recent purchase in the line of foundation.. I went into Boots and they used their 'special device' to take a picture of my skin to found my perfect shade! I was matched up to the shade 'Calico'.... The palest shade they have, curse my pale Irish face! So I've been using this foundation for about 4 weeks now and I have really fallen in love! It's easy to go on, it's liquid foundation.. Sometimes I apply it with my fingers which also looks really lovely, but my favourite way to apply it is with a duo fibre is brush.. The foundation claims to be 18hour wear, though it does last a long time with out touch ups, I don't think it lasts 18 hours! This one costs €18.50 in Boots"



2)Bourjous Healthy Mix

This is a lovely foundation.. It has such a lovely consistency.. Its a liquid foundation but not too thick, not too liquidy! It lasts most of the day, though unlike the No7 needs a couple of touch ups! This one costs about €13 but also goes on sale in Boots!




3)Rimmel Wake Me Up

Good aul reliable Rimmel! I don't think I'm ever going to stop purchasing Rimmel make up.. It's such a reliable brand, I love all their products! The Wake Me Up foundation is one foundation I always repurchase! I use the shade Ivory, which again is the lightest available shade! It lasts for a relatively long time, but not as long as the No7 Stay Perfect! The one downside I have about this product is that I find the shades to be slightly more yellow toned and my skin is more suited to a pink toned foundation and also there are only 6 shades to choose from! Other than then that this is a great, purse friendly product!






(Image sources: Boots, ASOS)

Top Party Season Dresses

Hello :)

Firstly, apologies for the lack of posts lately, I haven't been able to blog due to personal reasons, but I'm back!!

Soooo it's that time of year again...Who can believe it!!! The christmas jumpers are out and it's time to start thing about the endless amount of dresses needed for the party season! Here are a few of my favourites for this Christmas and New Year......


The 'LBD'...

An essential part of every girls wardrobe... The little black dress just never lets you down.. Need I say more!!? I am in love with this dress!



http://www.asos.com/ASOS/ASOS-Sequin-and-Lace-Skater-Dress/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=3283901&cid=14543&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=-1&sort=-1&clr=Black


The 'work party' dress...

This has got to be the most tricky outfit ever to plan.. You want to look nice, make a good impression, not drink too much mulled wine! This dress I love.. Its classy but still christmasy and nice.. It also comes in navy!




http://www.asos.com/ASOS/ASOS-Scalloped-Lace-Skater-Dress/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=2947097&cid=13930&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=204&sort=3&clr=Navy

The 'New Years' dress...

Sparkly.. Girly.. Fun.. Perrrfect for New Years Eve :) 

http://eu.riverisland.com/women/dresses/bodycon-dresses/Green-aztec-sequin-bodycon-dress-646526

The 'comfy' dress...

A cosy, warm jumper dress is perfect for Christmas time.. These with some thick black tights are perfect for Christmas day :)




http://www.asos.com/ASOS/ASOS-Christmas-Longline-Jumper-With-Reindeers/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=3379471&SearchQuery=jumper%20dress&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=-1&sort=-1&clr=Blackcream

The 'back up' dress...

For last minute nights out.. We've all been there.. Made no plans to go out, then get a text from a friend and you decide to go out, with only half an hour to get ready, hair, make up, tan and find an outfit.. Aghhhh!! I think this dress is perfect to have as a back up dress.. It ticks all the boxes for the party season!




http://www.asos.com/ASOS/ASOS-Scalloped-Lace-Skater-Dress/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=2947097&cid=13930&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=204&sort=3&clr=Navy

Hope you enjoyed these :)


(Image sources: ASOS, River Island)

Hair Care: Uniq One Cleansing Balm

When I first seen this product I was really intrigued.. I didn't know if it was a shampoo, a conditioner or something to use in between! I've used the Uniq One Spray Treatment so many times and said I'd give this one a go! 

Uniq One Cleansing Balm, €13

So eventually I figured out how to use the product! It's used as a replacement for both shampoo and conditioner.. On first impressions I was still slightly confused.. It has quite a creamy texture, but doesn't foam up like normal shampoo.. You massage it into your scalp and throughout the hair, leave it for a few minutes and rinse! Simple as that!

The first time I used it I thought no way is this going to clean my hair properly.. It didn't feel like my hair was getting a good scrub as with normal shampoo! But I was so wrong.. This product is amazing!! 

When I use this in my hair my hair feels like I've just got it done in a hairdressers.. It's so quick and easy to use.. It cuts the time of washing and conditioning your hair in half easily.. My hair lasts much longer without being washed when using this product too, I used to wash it every 2-3 days but now I wash it about once a week! I've even used this after having my hair covered in hairspray and it still manages to thoroughly clean the hair! 

This product also has 10 benefits for your hair:

1) Washes thoroughly & gently

2) Excellent conditioner

3) Protects hair colour

4) Silkiness & smoothness

5) Adds shine

6) Adds volume

7) Strengthens & fortifies hair 

8) Provides heat protection

9) Repairs damaged hair

10) Sulfate free

I've been using this product for about 4 weeks now and I love it so much! I've used normal shampoo and conditioner once since I got the cleansing balm and my hair felt completely different and not half as healthy as it does with the balm!

This product has soooo many benefits for your hair, it's quick and easy to use and the product lasts for ages! And did I mention the smell??? The smell is amazing!! It's available to buy here! 

I also use the Uniq One All in One Hair Treatment.. I love this too.. It's kind of like a leave in conditioner.. A couple of sprays after you've washed your hair and your hair feels lovely..! 

Uniq One, Hair Treatment, €12

I cannot recommend these products enough! 

So Sue Me Book Review

Hey everyone,


So on Wednesday I got myself a copy of So Sue Me's book: Secrets to Blogging, Fashion and Beauty..

When I first saw it I was kind of suprised by the size.. I thought it was going to have a lot more pages than it does (It has around 138 words).. But as they say it's about quality not quantity!

So after a few days of having it I love it!! It has so many great fashion and beauty tips... From how to contour.. To wardrobe essentials.. She even talks about how to get a fuller looking cleavage using make up :P

The book is split into 7 sections.. It's so colourful and there's loads of pictures.. It's really easy to read and so addictive.. It's so hard to put down ..

On the blogging side of things I thought there would be a lot more about it! But all the same Sue gives some great tips on blogging and how to make it in the 'blogging world'

I would definitely recommend this book.. And not just to bloggers, any girl who loves make up and fashion will love this book :)

This book is available in Easons all around the country!


That's all for now, Bye!! :)

Top 3 Tans & Application

Hi :)

Today I decided I'd share with you my top 3 tans.. Being Irish sadly means I'm not blessed with lovely glowing sun kissed skin :( So like many others I have to fake it..


1) Tantastic Liquid Tan

This is always my go to tan and has been for quite a long time.. It has a liquidy consistency so be careful when putting this on a mit.. Sometimes a bit more than you expect might come out! The tan is coloured so makes it so easy to see where you're applying it.. It never seems to streak which is such a bonus.. The tan shows up on your skin instantly after applying it, but gets slightly darker after a few hours.. It develops into a gorgeous golden brown colour.. This is definitely my favourite tan and I highly recommend it! The tan costs about €15 to buy but one bottle easily lasts a couple of months!




2) Cocoa Brown 1 Hour Tan

This is a new favourite tan of mine.. Irish woman Marissa Carter came up with this tan.. It has a gorgeous, kind of exotic smell to it, which is so hard to find in a tan.. The tan is in the form of a mousse and when applying it to your skin it's effortless, it's so smooth and feels lovely.. This tan is also coloured, it comes out as a medium brown colour and develops in only one hour! Wow, that's fast! This tan is such a gorgeous golden brown colour! The one downside I found with this tan is that it is quite hard to get off.. I felt that I scrubbed and scrubbed but there was still some patches for quite a while after! There is also a newer 'Night to Day' version of this tan which I haven't tried yet.. I can't wait to get my hands on it though as I've heard only good things about! The 1-hour tan can be bought for €7.99 and Penney's even stock it now!






3) Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs

Good old Sally Hansen, where would any girl be without this wonder!? It does exactly what it says on the tin.. It really does make  legs look airbrushed! I'm sure the majority of girls out there have tried this at one stage or another.. It's the handiest tan in the world... This tan is literally like a foundation for your bod.. It covers everthing.. I usually go for the medium shade, which is quite a goldeny brown.. Though this is a great tan, I think when you're wearing this it's obvious you're wearing fake tan! Sometimes you can fool people into thinking you're not really wearing a tan, but this one is quite a fake looking tan! All the same I think every girl should have a bottle or two of Sally Hansen stashed away in their room for unplanned nights out! Sally Hansen can now be got for as little as €8 and all chemists sell this stuff..

How I apply tan:

I always start off by exfoliating my skin!! This is so important for an even application of tan.. I use Soap & Glory's 'Flake Away' Scrub (it's by far my favourite).. Exfoliate the day of or the day before you plan on putting on tan!

I always use a mit to apply tan.. I put some of the product directly onto the mit and then apply it to my skin in circular motions..

Wait for the tan to dry!

Sometimes I shower the tan off to get rid of the excess colour, but a lot of times I skip this step..

To help keep my tan stick around for a few extra days I use a body moisturiser, or else a gradual tanning moisturiser! I love the Garnier Summer Body for a gradual tan.. It looks great applied over tan to make it last  longer!

Top 3 Online Shopping Sites

Shopping online is so much handier than having to go into loads of different shops and search for whatever it is your looking for.. It's so much easy to go online and most places deliver in only a few days!

I'm such a big fan of online shopping and have tried so many different sites both good and bad, so thought I would share some of my favourites :)

1) ASOS

www.asos.com

This is without a doubt my favourite website for shopping online.. ASOS is always the first place I look.. Its great for clothes for any occasion.. dressy or casual.. They also have loads of make-up, hair products and endless shoes and accessories!

2) Ebay

www.ebay.ie

This is a more recent favourite of mine... You can buy absoloutely anything from ebay.. I love ebay for buying cheap books for college.. Cameras.. Clothes.. Anything at all! I think ebay are such a good place to get in fashion bargains.. I plan to do a blog soon about tips for shopping for clothes on ebay so stay tuned :)

3) River Island Online

www.riverisland.com

I know River Island has shops all around the country but I much prefer shopping on RI's only shop... It's so much easier to find a good deal. Usually I go straight to the sale section and there's always something!

Yesterday I ordered this high shine black skirt which I love!! I seen it in the shop last week for €40 and got it on sale for only €12, delighted!!


                                        River Island, €12



Hope you enjoyed this post.. Happy online shopping!!

Beauty Budget Buys: My Favourites!

Hey everyone..

So today I thought I'd share with you some of my favourite items of make up, while on a budget.. Even better :)

1) Foundation - Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation

This foundation lasts all day and costs around €6.49 from boots!  They recently came out with a new formula and new packaging, which I haven't tried yet!


Boots €6.49

2) Powder - Rimmel Stay Matte Powder

On top of whichever foundation I use I always wear this powder... I usually go for the translucent one!


Boots €5.99

3) Eyebrows - Catrice Brow Kit

Recently I have been loving Catrice's make up range.. It's fairly cheap and the products are great! I tried the eyebrow kit recently and it's the best one I ever used! It comes with two different powders - one dark brown and one an ashy-grey shade of brown! There's also a really handy eye brush and mini tweezers! Really handy for on the go!



Cara Pharmacy €3.49

4) Mascara - Essence No Limits

This mascara is really good and adds loads of volume to lashes! It lasts all day, without smudging!



Penneys €2.99

5)Blush - Catrice Defining Blush

The colour I wear is 030 Love & Peach... It is a gorgeous coral/peachy colour and it's soooo pigmented! Definitely the best bargain blush I've used! I can't wait to try the other colours!



Cara Pharmacy €3.49



That's all for now, hope you enjoyed this post :)

Cara Delevingne: Steal Her Style!

 

Hey guys,

So I recently seen this picture of Cara Delevingne and thought she looked amazing... I love everything she's wearing, especially the coat..

I thought this would be a good Winter style steal to try to recreate!

Sooo, first off the coat....

This one is from New Look.. It looks really warm so great for this time of year :) 

                                                                                      New Look, €64.99

http://www.newlook.com/eu/shop/womens/jackets-and-coats/grey-faux-shearling-lining-longline-biker-jacket-_285176402

Next is a basic white tee like... This one is also from New Look, but you could pick one up anywhere! 

                                                                                                  New Look, €6.99

                  

http://www.newlook.com/eu/shop/womens/jersey-tops/white-burnout-v-neck-top-_289801110

Instead of this basic white t-shirt, you could try a white loose crop top and a yellow string top underneath like Cara has done here!

Cara paired her coat with a gorgeous pair of wax coated skinny jeans. These are a great item to own as you can pair them with literally anything! I love these ones from boohoo.com

                                                                                

                                                                                Boohoo, €28

http://www.boohoo.com/preview/dolly-basic-wax-coated-skinny-jeans/invt/azz44948

Black high tops are another key item which go with any outfit.. These lace up ones are from New Look..

                                                                                New Look, €14.99

http://www.newlook.com/eu/shop/shoe-gallery/view-all-shoes/black-lace-up-hi-tops-_287918601

Finally, to top it all off, a beanie hat like Cara's! 

                                                                                                New Look, €6.99

http://www.newlook.com/eu/shop/womens/accessories/black-ribbed-beanie-_286176801

That's all for now, hope you enjoyed the post!