My MAC Lipstick Collection

My MAC Lipstick Collection

 Hello Lovelies! 

I hope you are all having a good week! I have wanted to do this post for quite a while now, but I always thought compared to other bloggers and youtubers my collection is slightly minimal. But I actually like my (ickle) collection and am really happy with the colours I have, so I thought why not! As you can see I have pretty basic colours and I don't have any of the crazier MAC colours and I'm sure a lot of you will think I have a boring collection but I decided to write about it anyway! So I'm sure most of you know I am a more neutral lip girl but I do like to brave a bold lip on a night out or on a special occasion, therefore it will come to no surprise to any of you that half of my collection are neutral shades. 

Hue
Without a doubt this is my favourite MAC lipstick of all time...maybe even my favourite lipstick out of all the brands of all time. This is my third tube of it! I think it is the most perfect nude lipstick, it is a pink toned nude so it doesn't give you that dreaded "dead-lip" look that so many of us try to avoid. It looks nice with a tan, without a tan. It's pretty much a good all year lip colour. The formula of this is a Glaze and I like that it isn't extremely opaque, you can build up the colour if you want. 

Creme Cup
I think that Creme Cup is Hue's mum. It's a slightly darker more opaque version. It's a slightly blue- under toned baby pink that I think would look good on any skintone. It is my go to everyday pink, you literally only need one layer of this on your lips and you're good to go. I think this is one of MAC's more popular shades and I can totally see why. As it's a CremeSheen formula it is also lovely and moisturising on the lips!

Shy Girl
This beaut was my first ever MAC lipstick would you believe. My lovely mum brought it back from New York for me and it was love at first sight. I wore it pretty much constantly for weeks after I bought it, but then moved on and went to other colours and forgot about it. Recently since the weather has been getting slightly better I have gravitated towards this again. It is a gorgeous peachy pink colour and I have been photographed wearing this and I just love the way it looks on me when I have a tan. Again another CremeSheen formula so lovely and moisturising too! 

Lady Danger 
Now we're on to the brighter colours. I got Lady Danger earlier this year by doing "Back to MAC". It was a lipstick I had seen over various blogs but never had the courage to buy it purely because I didn't think it would suit me, but since I could do the back to MAC I just decided to go for it and I can honestly say that I haven't regretted it one bit! I love this lipstick so so much! I have gotten so much use out of it since I've gotten it (which is unusual for me and a bright lipstick) 

Ruby Woo
I was after a classic red lipstick for so long and then I received this for Christmas this year and the hunt has stopped. I would normally tend to go for matte look lipsticks because you have the option of adding a gloss on top if you want to go for that look, so this was right up my street. Now when they say this lipstick is matte, they definitely mean it! Compared to Lady Danger which is another matte lipstick, it just feels completely different. It is a lot more drying so I would recommend a lip balm underneath but it is just the nicest red I've found so I am definitely willing to put up with the dryness for that!  

Girl About Town
And finally the most recent addition to my collection is the gorgeous Girl About Town. I won this in a Giveaway hosted by the gorgeous Vicky. Again it was one of those shades I had seen around for so long but never thought I would get away with it (I really need to start getting braver with my lip choices!) but again I am so glad I have this in my life now! It is a gorgeous cooler toned fuchsia pink that I honestly think would look gorgeous on any skin tone. It is an amplified finish so ladies beware! A little definitely goes along way with this one! 

So there you have it! My slightly basic MAC lipstick collection. I am really happy with all the colours that I do own and think I have good all rounders to cover me for all occasions but if you have any other recommendations for colours you think I'd like please let me know! I'd love to check them out!  

Lancome Hypnose Star Mascara

Lancome Hypnose Star Mascara

Hello Lovelies!

I want to introduce you to the latest mascara that has captured my heart! It was actually my mum that first introduced me to this mascara (I say introduce, I actually mean she bought it and I stole it to try it out!) before I bought my own. My mum loves her mascara. She must have tried nearly every brand under the sun, so when she told me that this was good I knew that was very high praise indeed. So of course I had to investigate further, and let me tell you this mascara is definitely a new favourite! 

I actually found the formula quite unusual, it's definitely not your traditional "wet" mascara. To be honest the first time I tried it I thought that it was a bad one and that it had dried up, but no apparently that is just the way it is and I have to say I love it! It is the blackest black and literally one coat is all you need!  The wand is a little triangular in shape which is perfect for getting into the very little lashes in the corners of your eyes and for bottom lashes too! As you can see it adds massive length to my lashes and it really holds the curl all day. The only thing I'd say about it is that towards the end of the day I did notice some flaking under my eyes but nothing too major! 

It is definitely not the cheapest option at €27 (ouchy) but if you want a splurge I think it's definitely worth it! Available from Lancome counters and online here

Garnier 2 in 1 Gentle Make Up Remover

Garnier 2 in 1 Gentle Make Up Remover

Hello Lovelies!

Bit of a mixed review today! As you all know I am devoted to my Bioderma and I constantly have a bottle of it on the go, but a few months back I randomly picked up this Garnier Make Up Remover because it was on offer. I initially thought it was just an eye make-up remover (reminding me alot of the Clarins Instant Eye Make-Up Remover in looks) but when I eventually read the bottle I was surprised to see it actually removes all make-up. 

The Garnier formula has two liquids in it, a cleansing oil and a cleansing water. I had only ever tried one cleansing oil before this one and lets just say it didn't go well but I was still excited to try this one! You have to make sure to shake the bottle well before using it so that the liquids are nicely mixed together. When they are, you pour onto a cotton pad and you are good to go. I found it did remove my make up very well (including tough mascara...They're Real I'm looking at you!) but after using it on my eyes for a few days they felt very dry and itchy so I just don't use it on my eyes anymore. I wouldn't say this has taken over my love for Bioderma, or come even close but it is a nice product. Have any of you tried this and the Clarins Eye Make-Up Remover? Are they similar?

The Garnier 2 in 1 Gentle Make Up Remover is available online here for €3.89.

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer

Hello Lovelies,

Recently I wrote about what is in my everyday make up bag and I released that some of the products that I love and use on an everyday basis actually haven't really got a mention on my blog yet. So thinking that was slightly unfair I have decided today is the day to let you know about one of my all time favourite products- the Laura Mercier Foundation Primer. I do realise foundation primer may not be apart of every ones daily make up routine but for me my make up really wouldn't last an hour without it.

I have tried a few different brands, types and formula's of foundation primers but so far this is the one I have found to be the best for my skin and hasn't broken me out like some other primers have in the past. This primer is a very watery consistency and once applied to the skin it feels extremely lightweight and sinks in almost immediately. I also found that it kept my skin feeling nice and hydrated through out the day too. It leaves my skin feeling alot softer which helps with my foundation application leaving it looking alot smoother. It also helps it set nicely and the lasting power I find to have dramatically increased! One of the downsides to this is that it does have a slight smell which may not be everyones cup of tea, but once applied it is unnoticable!

It does come in two different size options, a 50ml tube and a handy 30ml travel size which is perfect if you want to give it a go before commiting to the full size which is expensive at over €30! I was lucky enough to find mine in a blog sale so I managed to get it cheaper, but sadly since I have fallen in love I will more than likely be forking out the full price..sob!

Have you tried this primer? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Bourjois Color Boost Lip Crayons

Bourjois Color Boost Lip Crayons

Hello Lovelies!

I hope you are all having a good week, I am so busy at the moment! Does anyone else find that in Summer there is just so much more going on and you always have plans? I love it! Myself and my boyfriend went shopping last weekend and low and behold I found myself in front of a Bourjois stand. I have been absolutely loving Bourjois lately, they can do no wrong in my eyes! I've been loving their cream blushes which I reviewed here and when I heard they were coming out with new lip products I knew I had to get my hands on some!

I've never actually tried a "lip crayon" before, I just never really got all that interested by them and they were always something I just never looked at when I was at a stand that did them. But I think it was the shade range in the Bourjois Color Boost line that really made me want to try them. They all seem so Summery and bright! (I hope they release some darker colors for Autumn/Winter time too!) The two shades that I picked up were Peach on the Beach (what a cute name!) and Orange Punch. You can see by the swatches I did about that they are actually really nicely pigmented, you can choose to have a nice sheer layer or you can build it up really easily to create a more bold lip. They feel lovely on the lips, they are very moisturising and they don't cling to any dry patches which is a massive bonus for me because it is something that I sometimes find a problem with! Bourjois claim that they last for 10hrs on the lips and that they are water-proof which are very high claims indeed! I don't know about 10hrs but they do last at least 3-4 hours before they look a little worse for wear and need a little top-up!

Another thing I was impressed with was the fact that they contain SPF 15! Now living in Ireland we're not exposed to massive sunshine or anything but my lips are always something I forget about when it comes to sun protection so to have it built in to a lip product I love and would wear on an everyday basis is perfect!

Have you tried any of the Color Boost Crayons? Are there any other colors that you would recommend because I can definitely see these fast becoming a new obsession!

Cocoa Brown Tan

Cocoa Brown Tan

Hello Lovelies!

Hope you are all having a brilliant weekend! As you all know by now I am a complete and utter tan-aholic! I am a woman obsessed. I think it's because naturally I am quite pale and I just hate being that pale, because it's so hard to find foundations to match my natural skin tone. Plus I always feel that little bit more confident with a little bit of colour to my skin! 

I have found the tan love of my life. Now I'll be honest and say I was always a cheaper tan fan (ooh rhyme!)  I've never been one to splurge on a tan, even though I love it, I just feel that it wouldn't last me enough to justify the price of the bottle. Enter Cocoa Brown. First off it's an absolute bargain at €7.99! I used to buy St.Moriz for around €6 so it's not a major difference for me. The packaging is just me. Bright pink and girly, you really can't go wrong! It looks lovely on my dressing table too! 

I'm not going to lie, the first time I used this tan I was completely disappointed! The idea is you just need to apply it and leave it on for 1-3 hours and then you can rise off. I left it on for an hour and a half and washed it off. In the shower all the tan came off and I was utterly disgusted!  I was as pale as I was before I started so I threw on a long sleeved top and went off to work and forgot completely about it. When I got back that evening I was amazed, the tan had developed after I had washed it off and became a gorgeous natural bronzed glow on my skin. If you're after a darker colour this can be easily achieved with another layer or two. It doesn't streak, it doesn't go patchy, it doesn't even dry my skin out like other mousse tans do! I think I will be forever be repurchasing this! It's available in pharmacies across Ireland and excitingly enough it's actually launched in the UK too! 

I would 100% thoroughly recommend you try out this tan, it's honestly the best tan I have ever tried and I don't see anything stealing it's top spot any time soon! 

St Tropez Skin Illuminator | Rose

St Tropez Skin Illuminator | Rose

Hello Lovelies!

Now you all know I love a good highlighter. They are possibly my favourite make-up products to buy at the moment. But lately I have actually gone back to something that I have had in my collection for a while but have left abandoned up until recently! I think my mum got this in a St. Tropez set around Christmas time but never used it, and of course me being the make-up horder that I am, adopted it.

I'm sure you've all heard at this stage about my love affair with Jemma Kidd All Over Radiance Creme, but since sadly Jemma Kidd is no more I have had to start using that alot less and start looking for an alternative! I would say that the St Tropez Skin Illuminator in Rose is a liquid version of the All Over Radiance Creme. You literally only need the tiniest amount (as you can see, I went a bit OTT on the swatch above) and it blends out into the most gorgeous, natural looking sheen on the skin! The one I have is the Rose version which I think is perfect for paler girls such as myself, there is also a Gold version which would look stunning with a tan! You can buy it online here.

Do you have any other highlighter recommendations for me? I'm currently lusting after the NARS Copacabana Illuminator! Let me know if you've tried this and if you liked it!   

Snacking Healthy | Creamcheese Graham Crackers

Snacking Healthy | Creamcheese Graham Crackers

Okay so I realize that some people don't consider cream cheese to be healthy, but really it's not HORRIBLE for you as long as you don't eat it all the time. It has some fat in it, but if you're craving cheesecake and don't really want to make one or eat all that sugar then this is your new best friend!

Oh, by the way I've decided to turn "Snacking Healthy" into a new series. Notice the new header? I figured that since I do write a post in this series every now and then that I could turn it into a full blown series.

Ingredients

2 full graham crackers

Softened cream cheese

Cinnamon for sprinkling

Directions

1. Break the graham crackers into four pieces.

2. Spread the cream cheese over them.

3. Sprinkle with a little cinnamon.

4. Enjoy!

YSL Touche Eclat Foundation

YSL Touche Eclat Foundation

Hello Lovelies!

I'm not normally one for splashing out on foundation, but when I was in London recently I decided to treat myself and buy something that I have been lusting after since its release last year. As you can see from the pictures above it is the gorgeous Touche Eclat Foundation. I am such a massive fan of the highlighter pen and it is something that I always seem to have in my makeup collection. So when I heard that there was a foundation to be released I knew I had to have it!

The main reason I don't normally get higher-end foundations is because I'm so afraid of being matched to the wrong shade and having spent all that money on something that I can't use. Plus I tend to get a bit intimidated by the sales girls and get really awkward when they try to sell me something I know is not right. So one of the evenings that I was in London last week I was in House of Fraser with my mum just having a browse. I was in the YSL section and it was so quiet that I thought now is my chance, so I went up to the girl ( who was so so nice and helpful) and got myself matched and made my purchase and haven't looked back since!

First of all the packaging of the foundation is absolutely stunning. Once again YSL did not disappoint. It comes packaged in a gorgeous glass bottle with a gold top on it with the YSL logo on top. It is a very luxurious feeling product and would look amazing on a dressing table! The main point of this foundation is to direct light to the correct areas of the face according to YSL as opposed to be a heavy coverage foundation. Although if you know and have used the Touche Eclat pen you would know not to expect this to be a heavy coverage foundation! It is such a nice light feeling foundation but even though it is light, it still evens out your skin tone and adds a lovely "glow" to your skin. I did find that it wasn't the longest wearing foundation but when I paired it with a primer and topped up slightly throughout the day I got it to last a good 8 hours on me. I don't think it would work all that well with oilier skin types as I feel it would just slide off your face. My favourite way of applying this is either with my beloved Real Techniques Buffing Brush or with my fingers. Both of these methods leaves a gorgeous natural look.

I really would recommend you get a sample of this foundation if you are around a YSL counter. It comes in an impressive 22 shades is available to buy from counters or online here for £28.

MUA Undress Your Skin Highlighter

MUA Undress Your Skin Highlighter

Hello Lovelies!

I know surprise surprise another highlighter...I'm sorry but I'm obsessed! I love nothing more than a good highlighter and it is one of my favourite steps in my makeup routine. So I thought I would show you one of my cheaper (possibly my cheapest) highlighters that I use! 

I picked this up on a whim a few months ago and was pleasantly surprised at the quality of it! I had never tried any MUA make up products before this, (I have tried some nail products which I also liked!) so I was abit sceptical about it since it was so cheap, £3 to be exact! I honestly did not have high hopes for this at all and I think it was actually the design of the product that tempted me to pop this in my shopping basket! I love the embossing in the product. I think it gives it such a luxurious feel and it looks so pretty! 

Like I said I was pleasantly surprised with this product. I had expected it to be really chalky and not very pigmented but when I tried it I found it to be lovely and silky and very nicely pigmented. In the picture above that is just one swipe with my finger and rubbed onto the back of my hand. I actually prefer using my fingers to apply this instead of a brush because I think it looks more natural that way. It doesn't contain any glitter in it which is always a massive plus for me, it just gives you a nice sheen without looking too overdone!

I would thoroughly recommend you pick this up, at £3 you really couldn't go wrong!