Karora's Express Bronzing Mousse.......... Rave Review

So let's face it, we all want to look our best at all times and that includes having a bronzed and beautiful body but most of us just don't have the time to primp and preen ourselves for hours. Well I have recently discovered a tan that gives you really amazing colour in minimal time. Interested? Keep reading my lovely....

Introducing one of the latest products from the Irish brand Karora. Their new Express Bronzing Mousse is described as "a new breed of luxury tanning mousse with skincare status and a development time quicker than ever before where you decide your personalised shade of bronze". Sounds good??

Love the packaging of this product.

Well in my opinion it is bloody well fantastic.....

First off I have to give some attention to the great packaging of this product. If you like expensive looking products that don't resemble tack in any way then this is a winner for you. The deep purple packaging with a hint of pink and gold peeping through screams velvet luxury. As this is a mousse consistency the pumps can often be hit or miss on these products but Karora has this one spot on. It isn't an aerosol type can but instead its a pump that dispenses the product perfectly and without any fuss. This tan is part of the Skinwear range from Karora which is a really big range of products that are perfect for getting you ready to bare all. This range includes a few new launches including a CC Cream aswell as some of their original products in new funky packaging. Their Original and Dark tanning mists are a favourite of mine and featured in my Current Fake Tan Favs post months back. You can read this here.

Fuss free pump. A great little addition.

The consistency of this tan is beautiful, it is a mousse but it is so velvety and smooth to apply. It goes on effortlessly with a mitt meaning that you don't have to buff it into the skin at all. However, it does give you enough time to mess around with the product to ensure you cover all areas. When you first apply it it smells to me like citrus. However, as the tan develops you do get a hint of the nasty tan smell which I am not a fan but because you only leave this on for a short time its not so bad. The smell isn't overpowering like other tans though.

You can leave this on for one hour, two hours or three hours and customise your tan to suit you. The longer you leave it on the deeper the tan will be. This is fantastic as it allows you to have a light tan for midweek and a beautiful bronzed deeper tan for the weekend. So no need to buy separate tans for different occasions. Of course me being a tanaholic I left this on for the full 3 hours and before I washed it off I looked radiant, however when I washed it off I was very disappointed that I didn't look any darker than before applying (see second picture below). So I got out of the shower moisturised and went about my business. Then after around an hour I noticed that my skin was a beautiful bronzed colour (see third picture below), it must have taken longer to develop on me than three hours and it states on the packaging that the colour continues to develop after rinsing and this is exactly what it did. So what did I think of the tan when it did develop??

1)Before Application
2) After washing off after 3 hours
3) After rinsing I left for around 1 hour and this was the result

To say it was the nicest bronzed exotic looking tan I have ever used is not an understatement. It gave me a really deep but very natural looking tan, almost like I was just back from a week in the sun. I was so happy with the results. It lasted perfectly well for around 5 days and began to fade after that but very evenly and no streaking at all. I wanted to thoroughly test this tan and so I packed the product on my feet to see if it would cling to any drier areas. I was very happy to see that it was slightly darker in the drier areas but didn't look in any way unnatural or cakey, you could easily get away with wearing open sandals even after I applied it in this way.

The only thing I can say that I didn't like about this tan was that after application I knew the product had soaked into my skin but yet I felt sticky in place for the three hours until I washed it off. I thought it was just me the first time but then I tried it for the second time and it was the same again. It was a little disappointing in this regard. However, if you are happy to sit and wait for the tan to develop then it is definitely worth it because the results are damn right amazing.

Like all of Karora's range of products this tan is free from any nasty chemicals and has added skincare benefits that leave your skin looking plump, perfected and very well hydrated. I think this is why the tan looks so well because it leaves your skin so hydrated that this, mixed with the beautiful bronzed look makes your skin look youthful and just simply glowing. Honestly, the more I use this product the more I fall in love with it. It gives me such a beautiful but natural tan. 

Finally, the best thing about this tan is that is it is safe to use during pregnancy as it is all natural and free from all those nasty things that irritate sensitive skin. There is some essential oils in this but they are only used in minimal amounts so are not harmful at all. That comes straight from Karora's mouth too!! 
Have I talked enough? I tend to do that sometimes. Here are the details of where to buy this product:
You can get this product in Lloyd's pharmacies nationwide, Mccabes Blanchardstown and Dundrum, Sam McCauley chemist and pharmacies nationwide.This will set you back €29.99 for 150ml which may be a little pricey for some people but you do definitely get what you pay for.

Have you tried any products from Karora's new Skinwear range? What is your current Fake tanning essentials? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Have a wonderful day my lovelies.

Anita xxx



***This product was sent to me for review but this has in no way affected my opinion. My opinion is 100% honest and trustworthy. I would not recommend a product that I would not purchase myself.xxx

Green Angel Seaweed Body Lotion

For those of you have followed me for a while now know that I am obsessed with body products. I love nothing more than slathering a freshly scrubbed body with the most luxurious and nourishing lotion and getting into a nice snug pair of pyjamas.

So when I got the chance to try Green Angel's Seaweed Body Lotion I was Siked.

Image credited to Green Angel Skincare

Green Angel Seaweed Body Lotion is jam packed with amazing ingredients including Seaweed, Neroli, Camomile and Vitamin E. So what does this mean for the skin?

Seaweed is known to increase the blood flow when applied to the skin which in turn aids in healing damaged skin while at the same time leaves skin glowing, brighter and softer.

Neroli is extremely gentle and calming on the skin so it is fantastic for anyone who suffers from skin irritations. But the best bit of all is that it's not only great on the skin but it also works wonders for your mind set. When you apply this body lotion it has a really strong scent which when inhaled creates a calm and relaxed state of mind. I adore applying this before bed to aid in a peaceful nights sleep.

Likewise Camomile is super gentle and calming on the skin. So you are sure that this lotion will not irritate your skin. Vitamin E is one of the most basic but effective essential oils and when added to skincare it helps to moisturise, nourish and keep the skin subtle and youthful looking.

When all of these hard working ingredients are combined together it creates a luxurious, gentle, calming and soothing body lotion. This combination is also said to reduce the appearance of broken veins and capillaries under the skin, I cannot vouch for this though as I don't really have to deal with this problem.

I have been using this product for a while now so what do I think of it???

To say I love it is an understatement. I love that it is such a lightweight lotion but feels so moistuirising and luxurious on the skin. The scent reminds me of the oils used when getting a massage which in itself helps you feel relaxed when you use it.

It is not sticky at all on the skin. It soaks into the skin immediately and there is a very obvious difference in the skin after application. The skin looks hydrated, subtle and very youthful. A little goes a long way because it spreads very well on the skin.

Skin before applying Green Angel Seaweed Body Lotion

Skin after applying Green Angel Seaweed Body Lotion

The scent is very prominent during application but it doesn't linger too long so it won't alter the smell of your perfume or body spray.

This lotion would be amazing for using after a day in the sun but equally as nice to hydrate your skin on a winters evening. I will definitely be taking this with me on holidays next year.

I also love using this lotion to keep my fake tan hydrated which definitely keeps it looking better for longer.

The ONLY downfall to this product is the packaging. For me this does not do the product any justice. This lotion for me is so lavish that it deserves packaging to showcase this. The packaging is very simplistic and in my opinion doesn't look super fancy. However, it wouldn't stop me using or purchasing this product because the performance of the cream well outweighs any boring packaging.

Overall, I adore this product and would definitely advise you to give it a go.

Best of all Green Angel is a brand located and made in Ireland. They have a massive range of skincare products available which are sold country wide. See here for a list of stockists and they have also recently started to stock their products in Arnotts on Henry street, very fancy!!!

Green Angel have won countless awards for their products which includes an Image Magazine Beauty Award for Best Body Range. Definitely a worthy winner.

This body lotion will set you back around €15 but I do think its worth the money because the ingredients are second to none and there is definitely a difference in my skin after using this for a while!

A word of warning though to any of your ladies that are currently pregnant. This product is not recommended to use during pregnancy as it contains a lot of essential oils and the jury is still out on how safe essential oils are for use during pregnancy.

I am also currently testing out one of the Green Angel Face Creams but I need to use this for a little longer to give a full and honest review on it so be sure to check back in the coming weeks to see what I thought of this face cream.

So, that's enough on this little gem, although I feel I could speak about it all day.

Please let me know if you have tried any Green Angel Products and if you have any product recommendations. Also, what is your favourite body lotion/cream of all time? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Have a great day, much love.

Anita xxxx

***This product was sent to me for review but this has in no way affected my opinion. My opinion is 100% honest and trustworthy.

How to Treat and Hide Dark Circles

Whether it was a late night last night or if you have inherited them from your Mam (thanks Mam) dark circles under the eyes are something that we have all had to deal with at some stage of our life and let's face it, they really are not the most attractive. Let alone adding years on to you, they make you look washed out, sick and down right miserable. But not to worry I have compiled a few little tips that will have your eyes bright and glowing in no time. No one will ever know that you only had 2 hours sleep the night before.

There are definitely ways to conceal dark circles with makeup which we will talk about later on in this post but firstly let's talk about how to actually treat them rather than just disguising them.

-There are many causes of dark circles under the eyes which include lack of sleep, dehydration, allergies, congested nose and sometimes it can be hereditary. There isn't much you can do to prevent the lather but to avoid the rest happening be sure to get your beauty sleep, drink plenty of water every day and if you have any allergies be sure to consult your doctor or pharmacist so they can treat it effectively for you.

-Smoking is also a large contributor to dark circles as it causes the blood vessels under the skin to become blue hence adding to the darkness under eyes.

-Eating a well balanced diet, full of fresh fruit and veg is essential for your everyday health but will also contribute to reducing darkness under the eye. Too much salt in your diet causes water retention which in turn creates darkness and puffiness under the eyes so be sure to keep salt intake to a minimum.

-Using a really good eye cream is essential. Some skincare brands do have specific eye creams designed to tackle the problem of dark circles but if you cannot find one you like be sure to find an eye cream that is jam packed with Retinol and Vitamin K as both ingredients are a great way to help reduce dark circles. My recommendation for an eye cream to aid with dark circles would be Clinique's Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector which is €38 from Boots or any Clinique counter.

-Keeping yourself stress free is a great way to keep under eyes bright and radiant.

- Plenty of exercise is also great for distressing and keeping healthy but be sure to protect yourself from the sun as over exposure to the sun creates pigmentation which will only add to darkness.

A quick little remedy to help reduce dark circles is to take 10-20 minutes out and place two used teabags (can be warm or room temperature) over your eyes and lay down and relax. Do this once a day for two weeks and you will see a difference. Slices of cucumber can also do the same thing and also help reduce puffiness too.

Now we will deal with how to use makeup to conceal these dreaded dark circles.

-The main thing to be aware of when concealing the under eye is that less is more. Packing too many heavy products under the eye will only make the area look old and caked and will draw more attention to the eye.

Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer

-Peach, salmon or orange toned concealers work really well under the eye to correct any discolouration.
If your dark circles are not too bad then I would opt for a concealer like Maybelline's Age Rewind Concealer especially in the shade Nude (if this colour isn't too dark for your skin) as it has a peach tone to it, is very light weight but covers very well.

Bobbi Brown Corrector

-If however your dark circles are bad I would suggest using a peach toned corrector under the eye first, the best one on the market is Bobbi Brown's Corrector which comes in a huge range of shades. For best results I apply this with my ring finger, gently pressing it into the skin. By using your finger you are warming up the product which will help give a light even application that won't cake under the eyes.
Once this corrector has had time to set I would then apply a concealer on top of this to match your under-eye with the rest of your face. Apply your foundation and make sure they all blend well.

Ben Nye Banana Powder

-Setting your under eye concealer to me is the most important step as there is no point applying expensive products if they are just going to settle into fine lines or worse run off your face during the day. Only use a very light textured powder for under your eyes and use a very small amount of it. I like to set my concealer with an eye shadow blending brush because I know that this will not add too much product. My favourite powders for under the eyes are Ben Nye's Banana powder available here from Ireland or can be bought from ebay or amazon aswell (this is a yellow powder that adds light to anywhere it is applied) or Mac's minerlaized skin finish natural powder. Do not use any mattifying powders under the eyes!!

Rimmel scandaleyes waterproof kohl in Nude

-Another little tip is when you are applying eyeshadow do not add too much darkness under the eye as this will only make your eyes look worse. Also applying dark eyeliner in the inner rim is often too much so opt for a flesh coloured pencil on your waterline to add brightness to your eyes. My favourite is Rimmel's scandaleyes waterproof kohl in the shade nude.

Well I think thats enough rambling for one day....I hope you found this post helpful and please feel free to comment below and let me know if my tips have helped you with your dark circles.

Have a great day wherever you are.

Anita xxx

Rimmel's NEW Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation REVIEW!!!

One of my all time favourite powders is Rimmel's Stay Matte Pressed Powder. I did try the original Stay Matte foundation (which is still available in shops so don't get confused) and wasn't too gone on it but when I seen that they had launched a new addition to the Stay Matte collection but this time in a Liquid Mousse formulation I was eager to try. 

Rimmel claims that the new Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation "leaves skin shineless yet feels weightless & cakeless" Sounds like the perfect Matte foundation right??

So does it stand up to it's claims??



-Well, it doesn't keep my skin 100% shine free on it's own but to help it stay matte for longer I do powder over it because I noticed that when I didn't I seen some shine creeping through around 11am (applied it at 8am). 

      NO MAKEUP                             WITH FOUNDATION        

-It definitely feels weightless on my skin. I was actually really surprised at how light it feels as the coverage can be built up to be medium/heavy coverage(but not full coverage). You need a really tiny amount to cover the entire face. I needed very little concealer to hide my pigmentation and blemishes after using this. The after picture above is me with just this foundation on and nothing else!!!

-As for the cakeless this is true for the most part although I did notice that it does cling to my drier areas like the area around my nose. However, I must add that it doesn't cake half as much as some other, more expensive matte foundations!!

-It blends really well onto the skin with no effort at all. The texture is kind of mousse like and feels soft and almost fluffy once you work the product into the skin. It also contains gel emulsifiers so this adds extra blend-ability!!!

Quiet a thick consistency to begin with

Dab it with your brush to soften the product before applying to the face

To apply this foundation I used Sigma's F80 flat top Kabuki Brush or Real Techniques Buffing brush from the Core Collection and both worked well. I do feel that this foundation would work just as well with your clean fingers. I don't like to use it with a normal foundation brush though. The main reason for this is when you squirt some product out it is quiet thick and needs to be worked well into the skin. I don't feel the regular foundation brushes do this well so if you have a kabuki/buffing brush use this or alternatively use your clean fingers. Also, because the foundation is thick if you use a regular foundation brush it will leave brush marks on your face....not a good look. For best results you should apply a small amount to the back of your hand, dab it with your brush like I did in the above picture to soften the product and then work it well into the skin. 

Use this ...............or this.................but not this

I have combination skin so my face isn't ultra oily but I would definitely see shine creeping through around my T-zone with other foundations. I am not sure that this would control shine for really oily skin though, it would help mattify it for a certain amount of time but as far as shine free skin all day long....I am not so sure. If you used a mattifying primer underneath and topped it with powder it would work well but that may be matte overload for some people. 

When I applied this foundation and set with powder I felt like it washed my skin out completely because it was so matte but once I added blush, bronzer and some highlight I really did like the look of my skin and it stayed in place with absolutely no touch ups for at least 6-8 hours which is pretty cool for such an inexpensive product. I don't use a matifying powder over the top of this. I used Mac's Mineralized Skin Finish Natural which is a very light powder which, if worn with another non matte foundation I would be an oily mess in a few minutes so it's not that the powder is doing the work but I just think that the foundation needs a little bit of help for it do it's job best. 

Neat and user friendly packaging

I also have to give some props to the packaging. Not the most exciting I have ever seen but none the less I love that it is a very compact little tube that won't take up too much room in your makeup bag. The packaging feels almost matte which I thought was a really cool little touch seems as this is a matte foundation. Usually I hate matte packaging because the product from your hands usually clings to it but this one can be easily wiped down and it doesn't stain the tube. The fact that it is a tube aswell is a big plus for me because it's easy to use and I feel I get to use all the product up as I can give it a good squeeze when it gets to the end. 

Rimmel's Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation is available in 6 shades. Just a little note that the shades start at 010 Light Porcelain as opposed to some of the Rimmel foundations which start at 100 Ivory. It costs €7.95 for a 30ml tube. I got mine at Boots and at the time of purchase it was Buy 1 Get 1 Half Price on all makeup so I got this for less than €4. At the time of posting this the offer is still available. 

I will definitely continue to use this product and would definitely recommend this to people who have combination bordering on slightly oily skin but not for those of you who suffer from dryness. I think this foundation would be fantastic for teenagers who suffer from acne because it gives a lovely finish to the skin that looks matte but natural and gives great coverage plus for the price its great for a teenagers pocket. I know if this product was around when I was a teen I would have been very happy to buy it. 

Have you tried this foundation and if so what did you think of it? Would love to hear what you oily skinned gals thought of it.

Have a wonderful day, Much love. 

Anita xxxxx

Competition Time Again

Hi Everyone, 

Competition Time again here at Kiss and Makeup with me. To enter simply go to my facebook page and comment under the picture with your name. Then get as many of your friends to like your comment as possible. The person with the most likes gets the prize. Best of Luck everyone xxxx 

Sarah G Cosmetic Product Review

Sarah Mc Gough is the creator and owner of Sarah G Cosmetics. She is Irish born, living in the UK. I have been a fan of Sarah as a makeup artist for awhile now and have lusted after her products for ages.  So I decided to treat myself after my exams to some of her products. I emailed Sarah and asked which she thought was the most popular products and she very promptly replied to say that "The Face Kit" was by far the most popular and also her mascara and lipsticks were great sellers. So I decided to give them all a go.
Shipping was very fast so I got my products in no time and was dying to try them out. I have them several weeks now but really wanted to give them a thorough testing before I let you all know my thoughts on them. 

Let me start with my favourite, "The Face Kit". It is a really cute little black compact that contains four eyeshadows, a bronzer and a blush. The four shadows are all shimmery and come in the following colours, a champagne colour, a yellow gold, a dark brown with a goldish shimmer and a beautiful charcoal grey. The bronzer is matte which to me is an essential for contouring and the blush is the most amazing shimmery pinkish coral colour. The compact also consists of a large mirror (the full size of the compact) and some brushes which if I am honest I threw away because I don't like the little brushes that come with compacts, I would much rather more product than brushes because I could sell brushes at this stage, but I am sure others would definitely find them useful.

I used "The Face Kit" on the eyes here and also the bronzer and a very small amount of the blush on the cheeks!

I love the choice of colours in this palette. I feel they would be perfect for a simple day look or for a more sophisticated night time smoky eye look. The only thing I did find missing from the palette was a matte brown shade for the crease but me being one for experimenting I used the matte bronzer in the crease as a blending matte shade and it works so well. I actually love the colour as it has a slight reddish tone off it with really compliments my eye colour (you can see this colour in the picture above, just slightly blended over the dark brown shade to add transition from dark to light). The pigmentation of the eyeshadows is amazing. They have fantastic colour pay off and are so creamy to touch and blend effortlessly. The shade I love most is the champagne shade which I love for highlighting under the brow bone and in the inner corner of my eyes. I also adore this for highlighting my cheek bones. These eyeshadows definitely give the more expensive, overpriced brands a run for their money. The bronzer is the perfect shade, its great for contouring but is equally as nice for adding a bronzed glow to the face without looking in any way orange! I am definitely going to have to see if this comes in a full size because I am mad about this product and would love it as a separate compact. And the blush.....what can I say, its just a really pretty, just pinched colour that adds a luminosity to the cheeks. 

TOP left bronzer, right blush. MIDDLE all shadows in order as above and BOTTOM is the charcoal used with damp brush as liner.

I would suggest using an eye shadow primer with these shadows to ensure that they last all day. I have had no issues with them not lasting but I always recommend using a primer with shadows that are very soft in texture as they tend to crease easier on the eyes. The charcoal colour tends to be a little more chalky than the others so a primer will sort this out, also I found wetting this colour works very well as an eyeliner. This "Face Kit" can be purchased for £25 or €29.72 which is amazing value for what you get in this kit.

In my eyes this palette is perfect for travel or for putting in your handbag as you have everything you need for a daytime or evening eye look. You have a bronzer, a blush and a  facial highlighter (the lightest of the eyeshadows)....if you took this on your holidays you would have your eyes, and face completely sorted. All you would need is foundation, powder, lipstick and mascara and any other little extras you might want to bring along with you. 

My next purchase was one of the lipsticks in the shade "107 Pink Lady". This is in my eyes the perfect pink shade of lipstick. I adore Mac's Creme Cup and Chatter Box lipsticks but I find one too light and one too deep sometimes for everyday wear. Pink Lady by Sarah G Cosmetics is a mix of both of these shades. Its not too pale and not too bright, its a very wearable and pretty pink shade. The formulation is creamy and has a lovely sheen to it again making it very easy to wear. Its a very opaque colour which is great because the colour that's in the tube is what you will get on your lips, nothing worse than a lipstick that looks good in the packaging but not as nice on the lips. I would recommend to use a very light coat of balm before applying this as it tends to dry my lips ever so slightly but on the plus side the dryness allows the product to last much longer on your lips than non drying formulations. Sarah G lipsticks are £8 or €9.51.

Sarah G Cosmetics Lipstick Shade 107 "Pink Lady"

I also purchased the "Superlash" Macara in black. I love big wands on mascara as I think they give great volume and this wand is right up my alley. The only problem with this is that its very hard to get in the inner corners of the lashes and also the bottom lashes but I have mastered a technique. When I first got this mascara I found it was very wet and kind of hard to work with because it seemed to clump on the second coat because it was so wet. So I decided to leave it for a few days and go back to it and when I went back to it I was very happy to find that it dried out slightly and now it is much easier to use and I love using it now. The wand really helps add volume to the lashes and it gives great length too when you build it up. It clumps a very small bit but nothing that cannot be sorted by brushing the lashes through with a lash comb. I really like that this mascara is black black and so adds depth and drama to your lashes. A great buy in my eyes! This mascara is £12 or €14.27. 

Sarah G Cosmetics Superlash Mascara in Black

I did also get some glitters and glitter fix but I haven't really used this much but plan to use them alot in the Autumn/Winter so I will be sure to let you all know what I think of them. 

Overall I am very happy with my purchases and I even included "The Face Kit" in my August Favourites as really thats the only thing I reached for when doing my eyes, contouring and cheeks for the month of August...that must say something in itself. All products can be purchased from Sarah's online store or you can visit Sarah G Cosmetics on Facebook. Sarah is so professional and so helpful so if you have any questions for her be sure to ask. She is also a makeup artist in the UK so if you are following my blog from there be sure to check her out the next time you need your makeup done professionally.

I am really excited to see what else Sarah has to offer and will definitely let you all know of any future purchases. 

Have a wonderful day and Love to you all xxxx

Top Makeup Tips for Glasses Wearers!!

Nothing screams powerful and sophisticated more than a beautiful, sexy woman with strong statement glasses but recently I have come into contact with several women that wear glasses and only realised how awkward wearing makeup can be when you wear your glasses so I decided to do a little post with some pointers to help you get the most out of your makeup without having to sacrifice your glasses.

1) Glasses tend to take off some of the foundation around the eye area so make sure to take off your glasses when you go to the ladies and tidy up any smudges with a bit of foundation on your brush or fingers, if you can set with powder this will give extra staying power!

2) When wearing glasses its extra important to define your eyebrows as otherwise the glasses will define your face rather than your brows. Regular brow maintenance is essential. 

3) If your glasses are already colourful that will be enough colour around the eyes so concentrate more on a nice strong and bright lip colour. Corals, Pinks and Reds are great choices. This will instantly glam up your look and make you look polished and elegant with minimal effort. The statement lip will also help balance out the severity of the glasses. 

4) If your prescription minimises your eyes line your eyes to add definition to them and also curl your lashes to make the most of your eyes.

5) If your prescription maximises your eyes make sure that your lashes are not clumpy. Instead of using a heavy thickening mascara try using two very thin coats of a lengthening mascara.

6) Try use a similar toned makeup to your glasses to help balance the look. So for example if your glasses are a warm reddish brown opt for brown/coppery type shades on your eyes. This is the same for lips. A nice Red lip would go well with this type of glasses. It will bring harmony to your face and not emphasise your glasses. 

7) Always conceal your eye area very well as the glasses will only emphasise any darkness around the area.

8) Never go above the frame of your glasses with your eyeshadow because this will just look fake and over the top. Your glasses will add alot of interest to your face so there is no need to add too much eye makeup. 

9) Adding blush and a soft highlighter to the top of your cheek bones will make your face glow and soften your face.

10) Be confident when wearing glasses, this really is so important as it shines through and makes you look super sexy and feminine. 

I hope this helps you feel more comfortable wearing makeup while wearing glasses and if you have any questions please feel free to post.

xxxx

August 2013 Beauty Essentials

August was a bit of a whirl wind month for me. I had a hectic few weeks between starting back college, doing loads of courses and just generally trying to have a life. So when I was reaching for products this month I was either looking for something quick and handy that I knew would do the job or something more luxurious that would make me feel all "awwwwhhh" inside.

Lets start with bodycare......
I wear fake tan alot but hate the thought of it clinging to my dry patches. To avoid this I use body scrubs religiously. Up to this month I had a few favourites but I was never 100% happy with them. Then I was introduced to Cocoa Brown's Tough Stuff which blew my mind. This comes in a sachet and honest to god it will get rid of any stubborn tan while at the same time removing any dead skin....all you are left with is glowing baby soft skin. It's a new must have for me and at €2.99 per sachet why would you not want this in your bathroom cabinet? Oh and it's pink!! You can read my full review on Tough Stuff right HERE!

Pic from Tesco.ie

After a full body exfoliation I love to slather myself with a really rich, beautiful smelling body cream. I found a new one in August which is to die for. It's called Flower Pharm Orange Flower Body Butter and I found mine in Tesco for €5.99 for a big 300ml tub. The texture is rich but its not too rich that it won't soak into your skin. I never have a problem with it rubbing on to clothes or anything, even if I get dressed straight after. I usually apply this in the morning and still in the evening time my skin would be well moisturised. It also smells divine. I believe the fragrance is Neroli which I have discovered recently is one of my all time favourite scents. It also has coconut oil, sweet orange and chamomile essential oils so it is bound to be very nourishing for the skin. The scent lingers throughout the day but it is in no way overpowering. It reminds me of the really nice oils spa's use for massages....Ah Bliss.

Pic from michaeltoddtrueorganics.com

I am all about Body this month and another product I was loving in August is the Michael Todd Pink Grapefruit Body Lotion. This is very different to the Flower Pharm butter. This is much more lightweight in texture but yet it is still so hydrating. I loved this for sunny days. I applied it after sun exposure for a refreshing boost to the skin. The scent reminds me of a milkshake for some reason. Really does smell good enough to eat. You can purchase this HERE and I would recommend checking out some of their skincare while you are there. Its so reasonable and I love it. 

L'oreal is becoming one of my go to brands the last while. I never really used the brand alot in the past but they have come up trumps with their recent releases. I am only obsessed with their new hair care line. Anyone I have spoken to feels the same. They do an entire range for all different hair types. I have curly hair which can get dry and frizzy so I choose the Ever Sleek range and I really can notice a difference. My curls are more defined, less fuzzy and the best thing is if I wash my hair and style it I don't need to fix my hair during the day because it doesn't get unruly like it does with other products. Definitely check this out if you are in the market for new hair care. It's a must try. I just repurchased some a few days ago and they were on special in Boots (2 for €12)!

Another L'Oreal product I am in love with for the last while is the Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Water. This is basically a cleansing water that will remove even stubborn mascara but is very gentle on the skin. Check out my full review HERE. Let's just say I had a slight panic attack when I realised this had run out and I didn't have a backup....does that tell ya something hey???? Again this on special in Boots at the moment for around €4.50 (or maybe a little less).

Ok...so now let's get on to makeup. 


I started off the month of August saying I wasn't going to buy any new products....that I was going to use up what I had..... Did not and never will happen!!! 

I am shade 180 Sand Beige with no/slight tan

But with my good intentions came me searching through my makeup collection trying to find products that I only used a little bit or ones that I have loved in the past that would be fun to try again. So I came across my Revlon Colour stay foundation. This was a firm fav of mine for many years and I still do love it but have really gotten back into using it the past while. I do have to say though that I think the Normal to Dry skin formula is streets ahead of the Oily/Combo skin one. No matter what skin type you are I would recommend the Normal to Dry type because it will still last all day (if you are really oily make sure to set with powder) but it just gives a much nicer finish than the Oily/Combo one. The last time I bought the foundation I used it for a day and hated it and its because it was the oily version. Its just not as nice. Overall, I adore the coverage this foundation gives without looking cakey and I love that it really does last on me all day long. This is a cult favourite amongst makeup artists and it will be one that I will always go back to when I need something long wearing and reliable. There are however two downsides to this product. I HATE the packaging. It doesn't have a pump so you have to pore the product onto your hand which means that if you spill out too much you are wasting your product....Revlon should really sort this out. Also I do feel its a little on the pricey side. Its around €18 which isn't expensive for a higher end brand but when its sold next to Rimmel and Maybelline it does seem over priced. Although I would like to add that it is well worth every cent because it really does do the job well.

Image from www.sarahgcosmetics.com

For my eyes, bronzer and cheeks this month I have really only reached for one product and that is the Sarah G Cosmetics Face Kit Palette. I won't go into too much detail on this because I plan to do a full in-depth review on my purchases from this line very soon. In a nut shell I love this palette, its convenient, easy to use, great pigmentation and very reasonably priced for the quality and amount of product that you get. You have everything you need for face and eyes in this little gem so it is amazing for reaching for in a hurry or carrying with you on the go. I am really glad I have added this to my collection so stay tuned for my full review very soon. 

Shade 010 Dating Joe Black

The Sarah G Palette does have a lovely dark grey/black colour that can be used to line the upper lash line but if you want a more defined look or want that sought after winged eye liner then I have found your new best friend. The very inexpensive brand Catrice have in my opinion the best liquid eyeliner. Its simply called Liquid Liner and its in the shade 010 "Dating Joe Black". The brush on this is so fine it allows you to create a very neat and precise line without getting it all over your face. I find this so easy to use and do believe that it would be perfect for beginners and for under €4 its a steal. Catrice is available in some pharmacy's and also alot of Dunnes and Penney's stock this brand. I would highly recommend giving this a go if you have wanted to master liquid liner but haven't been able to. 

Left Vegas volt alone..Right with Decoderm gloss over it

While I was in London at IMATS I bought a beautiful Mac lipstick called Vegas Volt. Its a bright orange coral type colour. I love how it just wakes up my complexion and adds a pop of colour to my face without looking OTT. This colour is part of the Amplified range of lipsticks which means that it has a really opaque finish, vibrant colour and is long wearing. Usually I need to topup every 3-4 hours depending on how much action my lips have gotten that day. If I want to add some gloss to this lipstick I am loving it paired with the Decoderm 3D Magnificent Gloss in shade 03. This just adds another dimension to the lipstick. I love this look. You can read my full review of some of the Decoderm range HERE.

Pic from www.eyeslipsface.co.uk

My final product this month is not a makeup item but is definitely makeup related. Its the e.l.f Daily Brush cleaner. This is great for spot cleaning your makeup brushes on days when you don't have time to give them a full on clean. Its anti bacterial so I find it great for cleaning the brushes which I use on my face so that I don't spread acne or bacteria around my face. I use this everyday on my foundation and concealer brushes and it gives me peace of mind that my brushes are clean even when I am in a hurry. This is so reasonably priced at less than €5 for a 60ml bottle. I have used this for a very long time and will continue to repurchase.

Well that's all my favourites for this month. I hope you enjoyed them and find my recommendations helpful. If you love or hate any of the products above please let me know or if you have any products which you have been loving during the month please say as I am always on the hunt for new things to try. Have a wonderful day and talk to you all soon xxxx