Best Of 2011!

I can't believe 2011 is coming to a close. I say this every year but Wow! this one went so fast. Instead of doing a December Favourites, I've decided to do a post on my favourite products from the last twelve months.

Skincare

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish

I've only started using this product this year. It has already been included in previous favourites. Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish has done wonders for my skin. One bottle lasts me a long time. If you'd like to see a full review you can check it out here.

Liz Earle Skin Repair Light Moisturiser

Another Liz Earle product I really like. I'm already on my third bottle, I fly through this stuff. I have quite oily skin so this is perfect for me. It's not heavy like other moisturisers I've tried.

No7 Quick Thinking 4 in 1 Wipes

I've lost count on how many packs of these wipes I've finished. If I'm in a rush, I take my makeup off with one of these. They are my favourite wipes on the market. No7 4 in 1 wipes are quite expensive at like €9.45 so I usually wait to get No7 vouchers (For €1.95 you can't go wrong).

Face

Nars Blush Bronzer Trio

I love this palette, it was a part of the Nars Summer collection, Portrait of Paradise. This Blush Bronze Trio contains Orgasm (blush), Laguna (bronzer) and Albatross (Highlighter). I like how it's the perfect size for my handbag. This trio was my first and only purchase from Nars so I hope to get something else soon.

Mac Fix +

Again perfect size for my bag. I like how I instantly feel refreshed when I spray this over or under my makeup. I'm tempted to buy a full size bottle and keep refilling this!

Sonia Kashuk Hidden Agenda Palette 

I received this in a swap from MakeupLand2011. I wish we could get this brand in Ireland. I love how this product is very compact. I've already hit pan on one of the concealers so I'm going to try to pick one up again.

Smashbox Blush Rush in Everlasting

My favourite blush by far this year. I got this Smashbox Blush Rush in a Limited Edition set ages ago, it;s a gorgeous everyday pinky peach shade. I'm nearly all out of this so hopefully I can buy a replacement.

Eyes

YSL Faux Cils Mascara
Love this mascara, it's like none I've tried before. Faux Cils mascara leaves my lashes full of volume, they look amazing. Price wise, this is expensive so I'm going to wait and repurchase it the next time I'm in Duty-Free.

MAC Paint Pots
I love MAC paint pots, I'm not going to pick one in particular cause I own a few. I like how they give you a pop of colour across the lid aswell as being a great base for eyeshadows.

Urban Decay Primer Potion
I couldn't list my yearly favourites post without including this fantastic eyeshadow primer. I'm a big fan of the new packaging, no product goes to waste with it. I prefer Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion to Too Faced Shadow Insurance. You can see why here! I'm going to purchase one of the other Urban Eyeshadow Primer Potion shades , I'm thinking Sin.

No7 Stay Perfect Eyeshadow in Wheatsheaf
I have four No7 Stay Perfect eyeshadow, Wheatsheaf is my favourite. It's a neutral shade that I use everyday all over my lid. Stay Perfect Eyeshadows blend beautifully and for €1.95 with a No7 voucher you can't go wrong in my books.


Lips

Sephora Lip Attitude-Star lipstick in Rosy Mad
I got this lipstick in Barcelona in September and I've been using it so much ever since. Rosy Mad is a rose pink shade with glitter. It's a lip colour that everyone may not appreciate but I do. Next time I'm in Sephora, I have to get more of their lipsticks!

Lanolips Lemonaid Lip Aid
I've had this lip balm for quite a while and I love it. Lemonaid Lip Aid  has been a great help with my chapped lips.The product leaves you with a light shimmer on your lips. I love the lemony taste too.

EOS Lip Balm in Honeysuckle Honeydew
Another product I got in a swap with Makeupland2011. EOS lip balms are also very good for those dry lip moments. I like to put this on before I apply my lipstick, they are so moisturising. I was waiting to try this product for ages and I wasn't left disappointed!

MAC Wonderwoman Lustre lipstick in Marquise D'
This was my favourite purchase from this collection. Marquise D' is a pinky nude colour, it's perfect for everyday. I wear this most days but as it's Limited Edition I really don't want to see this lipstick run out. I adore the Wonderwoman packaging aswell, so pretty.

Nails

Butter London Nail Polish in Rosie Lee
Yes this nail polish is a part of Butter London's Holiday Glitter Trio and it's only been out a short while. Needless to say I've been wearing it alot this month so that's why it's being featured. This rose pink shade is so beautiful, I love it. You can check out a NOTD using Rosie Lee here.

Opi Mini Polish in Planks a Lot
This is a mini polish from OPI's Pirates of the Caribbean collection. A lovely purple shade, it's very wearable. I've been using Planks a Lot regularly since I purchased this set.

Body

Soap & Glory The Breakfast Scrub
I'm constantly repurchasing this scrub. Not only does The Breakfast Scrub smell amazing (like maple syrup) but it's also a brilliant scrub. One of my favourite Soap & Glory products by far. If you haven't tried it already I highly recommend you do. You can check out my full review here.

Bliss Super Sized Lemon + Sage Body Butter
Firstly, although a tube of this body butter costs €36, I got it for the bargain price of €18 during the Summer. The citrusy scent of this body butter is so nice and refreshing. I like how it's moisturing  and doesn't leave my skin feeling greasy.

Hair

Redken Extreme Anti-Snap Leave-in Treatment + Kerastase Ciment Thermique Heat Activated Reconstructor Milk
My hair has been in bad condition lately because I straighten it too much. After I towel dry my hair I apply both of these products to the lengths and ends. The difference is great and I'm really happy with the results. My hair looks much healthier thanks to both if these products.

Tangle Teezer
I couldn't find my Tangle Teezer while I was taking the picture above but it's still one of my favourites. As I have distressed hair which is prone to snapping this hair tool is perfect for me. Tangle Teezer leaves my hair tangle free without me feeling like I'm pulling my hair out. I have the Disco Tangle Teezer which  is purple and full of sparkle.

What made it into your 2011 favourites?

Laura<3

Wish I Never Bought It!! #2 Too Faced Shadow Insurance

I haven't done one of these posts in forever but I think this product deserves one. I had such high hopes for the Too Faced Eyeshadow Insurance after hearing so many rave reviews. Unfortunately I was left really disappointed by this product. Back in June I purchased the Look Of Love makeup set which included the eyeshadow primer as part of the set. I bought Urban Decay's Eyeshadow Primer Potion (new packaging) at the same time which I'm a big fan of.

Using eyeshadow primers is a big part of my everyday makeup routine as I have quite oily eyelids. If I don't use a primer, my eyeshadow is going to be gone/badly creased by the end of the day. When I bought Eyeshadow Insurance I thought it was going to give Urban Decay's Primer potion a run for it's money.  Not a chance! I found it's consistency to be a big let down, for some reason it was very watery. The product just sits on my eyelid and takes forever to blend in, which I really don't need if I'm in a hurry. I've only used this a handful of times since I bought it, which shows just how unimpressed I was by the results.

For the price, €19.70 I don't think I'll be purchasing this again. Perhaps it was a part of a bad patch, but I have my doubts. If you were going to buy a eyeshadow primer I'd recommend the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion. Not only is this my favourite product it's also cheaper (€17.30).

 What's your favourite eyeshadow primer? Did anyone have the same problem with Eyeshadow Insurance?

Laura<3

December Empties!

December has been good month as I've used up a number of products. Better than last month anyway were I mostly finished samples. Don't get me wrong there is still some miniatures featured in this post just not as many as last. December has been the month of Skincare products I think as that's what most of my empties are.

Liz Earle Gentle Face Exfoliator

I bought this in Wilde & Green quite a while ago. I've purchased my replacement already as it's been the best exfoliator I've tried in a while. Expect a full review very soon.

Liz Earle Skin Repair Light Moisturiser

I'm on to my third bottle of this moisturiser. I love it, I wouldn't use anything else on my face. I have quite oily skin so it does the job right! Skin Repair Light costs €20.50 which is pretty expensive but I do get a while out of it.

Carmex Mint Moisturising Lip Balm

I always have one of these floating around in my bag. I have such horribly dry lips this time of year so I have flown through this tube as you can see! I like the Mint flavour one the best, it's cooling aswell as moisturising on my lips.

Yves Saint Laurent Eye Makeup Remover

I got this in a Yves Saint Laurent set in Dublin Airport on my way to Barcelona. To be honest it's so tiny that it's something I wouldn't be able to give any opinion on. I got like two or three uses out of this small bottle. The only thing I can say is that it did take off my eye makeup nicely. After looking for the price of the full size bottle of this eye makeup remover it turns out that it's like around €30. Definitely not a product I'd fork out that much money on I'd rather stick with my Garnier Gentle Eye Makeup Remover (€4).

Yves Saint Laurent Faux Cils Mascara

Faux Cils Mascara was in the same set that contained the eye makeup remover. Definitely a Yves Saint Laurent product I'll be replacing maybe not til I go on holidays though. Duty Free prices for this product is better than store prices, there is a saving of around €6 which is really good. The only downside of this mascara is that it dries up so fast. This problem is something I'll have to overlook though cause it's so damn good!

Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Mask

I got this miniature at a Bliss counter. I did find this mask so much fun to use cause it leaves your face covered in foam. I did find this kind of refreshing I guess. The full size bottle costs €60 which is a bit much I think.  I do love the orangey scent of this mask.

Bliss Blood Orange + White Pepper Hand Cream

I bought this in June, mislaid it for a while and found it again. I love the scent of this product, orange and spicy. It leaves my hands feeling soft and moisturised. The set which was five euro contained another Bliss 30ml hand cream which I'm going to start using now. The full sized Bliss Blood Orange + White Pepper Hand Cream is €25 which I think is a tad expensive for a hand cream. You never know I like this hand cream alot so I may invest in some when I finish the rest of the hand creams I already own!

No7 Quick Thinking 4 in 1 Wipes

These wipes have probably featured in all my empties post bar one.  I love these so much, I've lost count of how many packets I've gone through in the past year. There such a bargain at €1.95 with a No7 voucher. These vouchers are being given out in Boots now so I'm going to stock up on more of the Quick Thinking wipes soon.

Very proud of myself with the amount of products I used up this month. I got quite a lot of skincare/ makeup stuff over the Christmas so before I open anything I'm going to try to use up more products. You'll have to check back at the end of January to see how I do.

Have you used any of the above products? What products have you finished in December??

Laura<3

A Little Gem in Dundrum!!

Last week I was walking through Dundrum when my Mom spotted a gorgeous little shop. Moss Cottage is a newly opened vintage shop, it has such a homely feel when you walk through the door.

Jen Cleary, the lovely owner was ever so helpful and kind. There is everything you could want in the shop from vintage cups to makeup bags, there is sure to be something for everybody. Having only opened two weeks ago, Moss Cottage is going to be very popular I can tell.

After browsing through what was on offer I purchased these goodies...

 

 

Lily Flame Tin Candle

I've never seen Lily Flame tinned candles before in other shops. After smelling quite a few Fairy Dust was my favourite. Fairy Dust has a warm powdery scent which I immediately fell in love with. This looks so pretty on my bedside table and I'm definitely going to purchase more in the future. I just don't know what scent to go for next.

 

 

The Handmade Soap Co. Body Butter With Grapefruit & May Chang
This body butter contains essential oils of Grapefruit & May Chang which gives it a gorgeous scent. The smell reminds me of Lush's Lemon Flutter which is a favourite of mine. The Handmade Soap Co. Body Butter is expensive at €22.95 but it does get you 200ml of product which is sure to last for ages. I love the packaging of this product as it has such a vintage feel. It's also a 100% natural and handmade in Ireland which you don't see alot of. I think I'll have to try their lip balms and shower gels next.

I really love Moss Cottage and I'm sure going to pay another visit very soon. I think it brings something special to the heart of Dundrum away from the hustle and bustle of the Town Centre.

If you want to see what else Moss Cottage has to offer, you can check out it's Facebook page here.

Laura<3

Lovely Gifts I got for Christmas!

I love Christmas, it's my favourite time of year as I get to spend lots of quality time with my family. We don't see each other enough, so it's nice to get everyone together at least once a year. A super day was had by all, I stayed in after all our visitors left and watched lots of festive movies. "Miracle on 34st" has to be my favourite Christmas movie of all time. I thought I'd do a post to show you the lovely gifts I received this Christmas. I know after talking to a few bloggers on twitter that alot of people like these kind of posts including me:)

One of my Santa presents this year was a new plasma screen television, I was beyond surprised. My boyfriend and I were only chatting during the week about how old my TV/DVD combo was. It was so ancient that the DVD player was broken and I had a separate DVD player. Needless to say there is way more space now in my room with this new television. I think I need to find a new place to put my handbags though. I was given two DVDS, The Polar Express and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (from my brother). The Polar Express is a great movie and I enjoyed watching it this time of year.

Makeup wise I got some lovely products that I can't wait to start using. My Auntie got me a Stila All Over Shimmer Duo in Kitten. I don't own much Stila products so this will be a nice addition to my collection. I like how this is a multi-purpose product, it can be used as an eyeshadow and highlighter. The lovely storage box that all the products are sitting on above was also a gift from my Auntie. It's has such a beautiful floral design, I don't know what to store in it. Any suggestions? My Mom and Dad surprised me with some MAC makeup. The Viva Glam Melt Your Heart Lip bag contains both Lady Gaga Viva Glam lipsticks. I was kicking myself I didn't buy them when they were first released. I was thrilled my parents got this set for me! Mom and Dad also bought me two paint pots from the Christmas collection. Morning Frost and Let's Skate. They are both so beautiful.

More pressies from my lovely folks. I'm in love with Burberry Body. This gift set contains a 85ml Eau De Parfum and Body Milk. The Body Milk comes in a spray bottle which I love as it's so much easier to apply. The perfume bottle is huge so I can't see myself carrying it around in my bag so my Mom got me a travalo to decant some into. My Sister and I get Soap & Glory gift sets every year, I love this years offering as everything comes in this giant oversized vanity case. Many of you have probably already seen ample amounts of posts on this set across the blogosphere. I'm not going to do a post on it for that reason. But if you'd like me to do one just let me know in the comments below.

My lovely Nana and Grandad gave me these beautiful Zara boots and cosy slippers. The boots are extremely comfortable and will go with everything, I got so many nice compliments about them already. They are from Zara's Fall/Winter collection. When I came home after visiting all the family, I relaxed in my comfy slipper boots! Aren't they pretty??

Christmas wouldn't be complete without getting a gift card. My great Auntie gave me a forty euro Hodges and Figgis voucher which is my favourite book shop in Dublin. I always find what I'm looking for there. I have so many books to read at the moment that I'm going to keep this for a while until a new book comes out. If you have any book recommendations let me know?

All these gifts are from my Sister, Lisa. She got me a mixture of accessories from Topshop and a gorgeous shower set. The pink Owl (she always calls me a wise owl) is a candle which is so beautiful I don't want to use it. I'll probably just display it on my bedroom shelf. My Sister loved the Custom makeup bag I gave her, I was so happy about that!

Last but not least, my lovely boyfriend Paddy got me a gift bag full of lovely goodies. He got me a mixed selection of stuff from books to Concert DVDS to Makeup. He braved Lush and Inglot again which is something guys wouldn't usually do. From Inglot he bought me a five square eyeshadow palette. I used most of the shadows on Christmas Day. I'm really looking forward to reading the books he got me. The Maze Runner series is suppose to be like The Hunger Games so I'm expecting good things. I love every little thing Paddy gave me, he is truly the best boyfriend I could ask for!

What did you get for Christmas this year?? Hope Santa was good to you all! 


Laura<3

Merry Christmas!!

Hey everyone this is just a quick post to wish you all a very Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays. I hope Santa has been good and that you got everything you wished for! Thanks for all the support you've given me and my blog in the past eight months. I can't believe I've been blogging for that long already, I'm loving every minute of it. I hope to get up more regular blog posts up in the New Year (need to get back into a routine). If there is any posts you'd like to see more of in the future definitely let me know!!

Laura<3

Christmas Gifts From MakeupLand2011

The lovely Chie from Makeupland2011 sent me a Christmas gift which I received in the post last week. I've done two swaps with Chie in the past which you can check out here.  It was like Christmas had come early when this parcel arrived at my house!! All the products were wrapped in gorgeous festive wrapping paper.

No your eyes don't deceive you, these are the much talked about Revlon Lip Butters. Chie surprised me with three gorgeous shades, Cotton Candy is my current favourite. Revlon Lip Butters are only available in the United States, I don't think there launching in Europe until March next year. I'm going to pop up a review on these sometime in the New Year.

Chie also got me the ELF HyperShine Gloss Collection set. It contained all of the above lipglosses. I've never tried these ELF lipglosses before and so far I'm loving them. They are all wearable shades that I can see myself using alot. The middle lipgloss in the picture above doesn't have a name, I wonder what it is?

Thank you so much Chie for being so nice and thoughtful. I really love what you got me! I hope your enjoying your gifts too:D

Laura<3

A Shopaholic's Journey #9 - Pre Christmas Debenhams Haul

After seeing online that Debenhams had 15% off Beauty & Fragrance recently, I had a little look on their website. I had most of my Christmas presents sorted so I thought I'd treat myself. I was happy to see that they accepted Laser cards which some websites don't do. I just bought two items even though I could have bought more.

Urban Decay Quinceanara Makeup Bag - €19.55

I've had my eye on the Quinceanara bag ever since it was released. Purple is my favourite colour, Amethyst is my birthstone (15th February if your wondering) so that's why I love anything purple. This makeup bag is very spacious. It fits all the products that I'd use on a daily basis, with extra room for more if needed. I think this bag would be great for travelling. If you would like to see a "What's in my Makeup bag?" post let me know in the comments below.

Origins Amazing Duos- €25.50

After hearing great reviews about this product, I've been wanting to try it for a while. Origins Vitazing Eye Cream is usually €30. When I seen that you get a coffee cup with it for the same price, of course I had to buy it. I have only tried this eyecream once so far, so I shall let you know my thoughts soon. What products from Origins should I try next?

Have you picked up any Pre-Christmas bargains?

Laura<3

China Glaze Santa's Little Helpers

You probably all know my love for OPI mini nail polish sets. When I seen this one from China Glaze I was immediately drawn to it. I bought Santa's Little Helpers in Sallys in town almost three weeks ago. I already own one other China Glaze nail polish so I thought this set would be nice to add to my collection. These mini polishes are considerably larger at 9.6ml per bottle compared to OPI's 3.75ml. The whole set being €10.99 also meant it was better value than a OPI mini set which usually retails at €14.99.

Santa's Little Helpers set contains four gorgeous festive polishes.

Tinseltown

A grey/black base with different size chunks of silver glitter. I really like the look of this polish and I can't wait to try it.

Icicle

A silver polish with light shimmer.

Ring In The Red

Another glitter polish, this also has a light red shimmer running through it. Perfect for Christmas.

Velvet Bow

A deep red polish almost burgundy. I wasn't really drawn towards this shade. Saying that, I haven't tried it yet so I may change my mind.

Here is a Nail Of The Day using Icicle...

Two coats gave the finished effect above. I really like how it's not too much and very wearable.

What do you think of the Santa's Little Helpers set?

Laura<3