Gifts from Spain & a Little Sidenote

This time last week my parents arrived home from Spain, a whole ten days of sun, good food and the beach. I'm not going to lie I was a bit jealous seeing as the weather hasn't been the best in Ireland lately. I may need to take a little holidays myself soon, I'm missing the sun it feels like it's jumped into Winter so quick.

When my parents go away they always bring us kids back a few gifts, this time was no different. They picked up most of the goodies before they even got on the plane in Dublin, only one product was purchased in Spain and you can probably guess what that was. The present I was most surprised by was Jo Malone's English Pear & Freesia. I already have another Jo Malone perfume in my collection, Nectarine Blossom & Honey, I picked it up on the way to Manchester in July and I love it. I'm so happy my parents bought me this scent as it can be worn on it own or over Nectarine Blossom & Honey to give it's own unique scent. On the airplane my Mom picked me up these two sets, Liz Earle's Beautiful Skin Kit and Bourjois 5x Colour Pop Nail Kit. I can't wait to start using both of these, the latter contains so many pretty bright shades which I'll be rocking on my nails very soon, keep an eye out for some NOTD posts soon. You all know I love Liz Earle so I'll definitely be using this little travel kit alot, all the products included are not full sized but still decent and perfect for holidays. Last but not least the folks actually picked me up two bits from Spain, first is this gorgeous owl necklace, it's quite big so I think it will dress up any outfit. The other gift was the most sought after Bioderma, I haven't ever tried this before and after hearing so many reviews I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. I've used it once or twice already and I do like it but it hasn't completely blown me away. I'll use it a bit more and let you know in a future review how I've been getting on with it.  I was so happy with everything my parents picked me up they are seriously way too good, I don't think there enjoying the weather were having at the moment at all.

Just a bit of sidenote for you all, I start college tomorrow YAY! The time has certainly flown by since I announced I was going back. I'm nervous and excited about the whole experience, I'm hoping this will be third time lucky. I think I have everything sorted for going, I went a bit over board with the stationery shopping, which was to be expected I think. My Nanna got me a lovely bag in Warehouse for college, I adore it and I have a feeling I'll be using it outside of college too. Enough of the rambling I'll get back to why I wrote this sidenote to start with, as I'll be working and going straight to college from there, none of my time will be mine anymore. I want to give a 100% to college this time not like previous years so I may not be able to post as regularly as usual. I will be putting up posts but maybe only once or twice a week so I won't be gone completely, I hope you all understand.

Laura<3

The Body Shop Scents of the World Collection

With the weather being so terrible at the moment I thought it would be the perfect time to write a post. Sure no one in their right mind would want to be out in the rain. I wanted to do a review on The Body Shop's Scents of the World fragrances since I mentioned the Madagascan Vanilla Flower Eau De Toilette* back in my August Favourites. They have only been launched recently in Ireland but I seen them when I was in Manchester back in July and I knew they were going to be a hit with me right away.When I returned from my trip I was lucky to receive a package containing four lovely goodies from the collection, two Perfume Oils* (Indian Night Jasmine & Atlas Mountain Rose) and two Eau de Toilettes* ( Madagascan Vanilla Flower &  Japanese Cherry Blossom €25.95)  Alot of brands brought out their own spin on scents from different corners of the globe but they just seemed to get it all wrong. In most cases the fragrances would be overpriced and smell way too strong for my liking. The Body Shop on the other hand hit the nail on the head with this range. Firstly there's five different scents in the collection so there's definitely something to suit everyones taste. The packaging blew me away, it's really pretty and eyecatching so it would definitely look nice on your bedroom shelf. On the Eau de Toilettes there's little swing tags attached to the lid which tell you the thinking behind that particular scent, a nice touch indeed. I also like the idea that by layering the perfumes together you can create your own unique scent, something that I've never thought of doing before myself.

The Eau de Toilettes last long on the skin, the two scents I received are beautiful and I've been wearing them alot as of late. If I had to choose one I'd go for Madagascan Vanilla Flower, it doesn't have that artificial vanilla scent that most people dislike, the fragrance itself is quite light and would be lovely for everyday. I can see myself layering both eau de toilettes together though and seeing what kind of scent is created. I'm not one to use perfume oils so I was interested to see what they were like. I was pleasantly surprised with them both, they weren't what I was expecting at all. The weren't greasy on the skin in the slightest and dried in super quick. I think these we would be great for your handbag to top up your scent throughout the day or if you wanted to layer different scents but didn't want to fork out on two Eau de Toilettes. As well as perfume oils, there's also body lotions, showergels and body mists in the collection, that come in the five scents. I'm hitting The Body Shop soon cause I want to pick up the rest of the Madagascan Vanilla Flower range, I just can't help myself. Roll on Friday, payday can't come quick enough.

What do you think of the Scents of the World collection? Have you tried any of the scents?

Laura<3

Walking with Dinosaurs Live Show

Last weekend was pretty busy, from going hill walking up the Dublin Mountains to getting the place tidy for Mom and Dad's imminent return from Spain, it felt like I didn't have a minute. I took a small break yesterday and went along to see Walking with Dinosaurs in the O2. I know some of you may be thinking to yourselves this doesn't sound like Laura's cup of tea but I actually couldn't wait to go. I won the tickets back in May, I was walking around Dundrum minding my own business when someone approached me and asked did I want to take part in a quiz. At first I answered with the usual I don't know, but I thought it would be fun and took part. I was on the radio for about ten/fifteen minutes in their studio so it was certainly a experience. I did pretty well in the quiz and walked away with some pretty cool prizes which included the tickets to see Walking with Dinosaurs. Now that I got the background story of how I came to be going to the show out of the way, I'll tell you what it was like. I decided to bring my boyfriend with me on the day as he loves anything to do with space and dinosaurs so I knew he'd enjoy it. We went to the matinee show which was of course filled with kids, this didn't bother us in the slightest. What came to follow was a superb show, clearly one that had an amazing team and big budget behind it. I was expecting like a 3D screen image of dinosaurs but no they were life size which looked seriously incredible. Of course some of the smaller dinosaurs were people dressed up but seriously the costumes were so brilliant you wouldn't even notice. I honestly only noticed when my boyfriend pointed it out to me and ruined the buzz (just kidding Paddy). There wasn't only dinosaurs to look at, there was alot of facts thrown in throughout by the charming paleontologist who had the audience hooked on his every word. Pretty hard to do when your audience is made up of mostly five/six year olds.

All in all, I really enjoyed this show and it's definitely something I'd bring my nephew Ryan to if he was that little bit older. I think the O2 was a great venue to have it in as the atmosphere is always great. As you can see from the pictures above the dinosaurs do look really life like, I felt like I was in Jurassic Park. I also sneaked in pictures from my hike up the Dublin Mountains at the end of this post, seriously there's no place like home look at that view.

Laura<3

September Empties

I don't have too many empties to show you guys this month, so I thought I'd put it up a little earlier. Some products are repurchases that I really like. I have alot of products that I'm nearly finished with so expect a pretty big post at the end of October. I can't believe how quick the year has gone, I'm starting college in two weeks so I'm hoping to still be able to post regularly. I can see myself being really busy with work and college but I'm excited to start my course, I'll definitely let you guys know how its going throughout.

I have alot of skincare empties this month so I'll show you them first. The Caudalie Cleansing Water was in my empties in August. I go through this stuff at a ridiculous rate but I like how it removes my face makeup aswell as eye makeup really well. It's for sensitive eyes so I haven't had any irritation whilst using this which is a plus as I find some micellar solutions can't be used on the eyes. It is a bit on the expensive side at around €17 but I think it's definitely worth the money. I'm going to pick another up next week on payday as I also used up my miniature one I got in their travel set. I found their travel set really good and for €15 I would certainly recommend to anyone who wants to try the brand as you get a shampoo, body lotion, face serum and shower gel in it too. They are all decent sizes too so you get a good idea of what the brand is like. My Mom is coming back from Spain tomorrow and she picked me up Bioderma. After reading so many brilliant reviews on this I'm really looking forward to trying it, maybe I'll be converted to using it instead, we'll have to wait and see. Next up I have two moisturisers, Vichy's Normaderm Total Mat* and the Elemis Fresh Skin Softly Softly Daily Moisturiser. I got the latter as a part of a set in Superdrug while I was in Manchester in July. It's a pretty small mini so I can't really determine how good this actually is. From what I've felt after using this, it does the job quite well. Like Normaderm Total Mat it's quite light but very moisturising. I know the Fresh Skin range is not readily available here but you can get it online. After having a bit of trouble with ordering stuff from the web lately I can't see myself repurchasing this and the full sized product seems pretty expensive (€28) On the other hand Normaderm Total Mat, is more on the affordable side of things (€16).  It's light gel formula which I found great with my oily skin. I did find it kept my shine at bay and it works really well under my makeup as it gives a nice matte finish. It has a beautiful scent that I love, but if you don't like scented skincare maybe I'd stay clear of it. This is another product I'll be repurchasing come payday.

I have two makeup empties this month and they both come from MAC. This is the second Lingering Eye Brow Pencil I've gone through, it remind me of those rotating pencils you use to get in school. I bought this while I was in Manchester and I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with it. I really like the way it looks on my eyebrows and the colour is great but it is awfully expensive and I can never see how much I've used up. I could be doing my eyebrows and run out this after doing one eyebrow which would be embarrassing. This pencil also snaps easily which could be me as it use to happen in school with those rotating pencils. Another empty is their Pro Longwear Concealer, I've had this ages and the pump is broken so that's why it looks like there is so much product left. There probably is but I can't get to it as it's all caked to the side, I think it has dried up by now. I like this concealer as it has nice coverage, great for covering blemishes and lasts pretty much all day. I wouldn't use this under my eyes as it is quite heavy and I don't think it would look right at all.. I've found so many cheaper alternatives since I bought this that I don't think there is a need to repurchase it anytime soon.

I've done a full review on both these eye makeup removers recently. I wasn't too keen on No7's offering but I really like Vichy's Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover for Sensitive Eyes*. It does exactly what it says on the tin and removes every trace of my eye makeup. This even removed Benefit's They're Real mascara which I find a nightmare to get off my lashes in the evenings. I know in my review I list the prices for both of these products, I remember Vichy's eye makeup remover not being too expensive aswell. I'd just love if it came in a bigger bottle.

Here are three random empties that didn't really fit in anywhere else. I got this mini Kiehl's Grapefruit Bath and Shower Liquid Body Cleanser in a goodie bag at a instore event when I purchased their whipped body butter. I didn't notice anything too amazing when I was using this but it smells gorgeous and it apparently contains humectants that traps the moisture in your skin. I don't know if I'd repurchase this again it remains to be seen. I can't take full credit for finishing this whopper bottle of Soap & Glory Clean On Me, I left it in my shower and the whole family has been using it. I got it in a gift set last Christmas so it has taken ages to use up the whole thing. This shower gel has that gorgeous scent that you'd recognise with most Soap & Glory goodies. I would buy this again but maybe not this humongous bottle. Before I forget has anyone seen all the Christmas gift sets already in Boots? There's so many gorgeous Soap & Glory ones this year, I have my eye on so many especially the makeup ones. The last random empty is the Body Shop's Almond Hand & Nail Cream which I absolutely love. It smells amazing, works really well and leaves my hands feeling super soft. The only thing I dislike is the packaging, I don't if it's the pressure in the small tube but everytime I open this it goes everywhere, resulting in me losing so much of the product. I want to repurchase this again but I may try the Hand & Nail Butter in the tube and use it at night.

Have you tried any of these products? What have you finished up this month?

Laura<3

No7's New Makeover

When I was shopping in Boots, I noticed that the No7 stand had gone under a bit of a makeover. It looks really nice and certainly makes the most of the space they have in the store as it seems that little bit more spacious. The stand isn't the only thing that has had a facelift, the product packaging has had a transformation too. Gone is the old and dated, the new packaging is gorgeous and modern which was a much needed change. It will also appeal to alot more people as it is certainly eyecatching. They've brought out new shades in their single eyeshadows and gorgeous new quads. I picked up the shade Beach Shine, a gorgeous light neutral colour that would look nice all over the lid. I certainly have my eye on a few other shades as they are very pretty indeed and the colour range is great too. The High Shine Lipglosses now come with sponge applicators too, on the other hand I don't like these too much. There's a great colour range but the applicator doesn't pick up the product too well so you have to poking around in the tube to get the amount needed. Other bits that stood out for me were the lipsticks and the nail polishes, they all have new packaging and the range seems much bigger now, so I can't wait to try these too. The No7 vouchers have been released again but this time with a twist. There's €4 off makeup products and €6.50 off skincare which is a bit of a difference from the usual €7.50 off. I'm miss that bigger discount alot as it was so handy and you got to buy eyeshadows for only €2.

What do you think of No7's revamp? Has anything caught your eye?

Laura<3

My Beauty Bootcamp Experience

Just over a week ago I was lucky enough to attend the All Ages Beauty & Hair course at Beauty Bootcamp on Upper Fitzwilliam St. When I left my house at 9 o'clock that morning I didn't really know what to expect from the day, but I ended up having such an amazing time. I like the idea of seeing how a certain look/style is done and trying to recreate it yourself, I really think it's the best way to learn. The Georgian building that Beauty Bootcamp is held in is absolutely beautiful and the rooms where the course takes place are big and spacious. On arrival I met the lovely Emma Jane who walked the group (10 in total) through different hair looks. My hair is a disaster at the moment after years of using the straightener so it was quite hard to get the styles to say put. During the 3 hours before lunch, we all learned the basics in blowdrying, curling and how to achieve a glamourous up do (I enjoyed this the most!). I also have my eye on the Remington Volumiser Hot Brush, come payday next week this will be mine. I could see myself using this alot instead of straightening my hair, as it adds that bit of volume and bounce which I really need. I decided on going for a fancy french twist, which the lovely Emma Jane kindly helped me with, I couldn't be happier at the way my hair turned out. All in all I really enjoyed learning a few tips on different hair styles. I don't tend to do too much with my hair in general but I found this super interesting. After lunch it was time for makeup, my favourite part. I know I do have a beauty blog but you can never have to many tips and tricks when it comes to makeup. All the beauty products were provided, all I needed to bring was my mascara and foundation which was optional as there was a great selection of foundations there. The super talented makeup artist, Leonard Daly showed us how to achieve a flawless foundation with a smokey eye, step by step which I found great. I always apply my foundation with a brush and after listening to Leonard for the three hours, I may be converted to using my fingers. It may not be the quickest compared to brush application, but you end up using so much less product in the process which is a plus if you own a rather expensive foundation. My favourite part was when we learned how to contour as it wouldn't be something I do enough. Another product I must buy is the Tom Ford Shade & Illuminate, I love everything about it including the packaging. I may be waiting a while though as this stuff isn't wallet friendly, but it's amazing for contouring and may indeed be a makeup bag must and these claims come after I tried it once. I don't contour enough and the different it makes is quite extraordinary, it looks like I have amazing cheekbones which I didn't think was possibly by just using one product. I loved the look I achieved at the end using minimal makeup but still getting a flawless finish, I kept my eyes quite simple with some browns and purples. I finished the look with my new favourite mascara Giorgio Armani Eye to Kill mascara*. My lashes look so long and full of volume after I use this, it doesn't clump or leave me with spidery lashes. I'm going to do a full review on this soon. At the course you also get given a booklet which shows easy step by steps to creating a makeup look which I found ever so helpful and it's great that I can refer back to it if I need to.

Here are some before and after pictures, I'm half asleep in the no makeup picture, along with my extremely frizzy hair that is almost impossible to work with in the mornings. Being the first no makeup picture on my blog, I wasn't sure if to put it up but I think it's a must with this post.

I really enjoyed my day at Beauty Bootcamp, I learnt so much in the space of a day. I'd love to book a course for my Mom and I before Christmas. It's something I know she'd really like to do herself as she loves learning new tips and tricks. If you want to check out some of the courses Beauty Bootcamp have to offer you can check out them out here. The day course itself would be great for before a hens or even someones birthday party as you'd be all glammed up for the night ahead.

Laura<3

College Here I come!

I'm sure you've heard me mention in recent posts that I'm starting college. I couldn't be more excited as I've wanted to go back for a while now. I'm so out of the loop with knowing what I need to buy stationery wise, Paddy and I must of wandered around Easons for a hour picking stuff up. Only for the lady at the till to tell me I probably only needed a notebook and a few pens, that still didn't stop me paying €20 for the bits I already picked up. The course I'm going to be studying in college is a Diploma in Marketing, Advertising, Sales & PR, a mouthful I know. I've wanted to do this course for a while but I'd always made excuses to put it off for some reason. I think I just get a bit nervous about starting again which I think is the case with alot of people. Everyone keeps telling me to relax and everything else will fall into place. I'm going to be doing a evening course and after attending the college open day I realised this was the best choice for me with work and everything. I was originally going to study PR & Event Management but I settled on my chosen course as it is broader and after talking to a lecturer for a good while I decided it was the one for me. I start in two weeks time on the 1st October so I don't have too long left to go and I couldn't be more excited. I'll keep you guys updated on how everything is going throughout. I still have a few bits and pieces to pick up, like a new bag for example, Accessorize fancy backpack or a Warehouse Tote, I really can't decided. Here is what I picked up so far, my little Cath Kidston makeup bag doubles up as a nifty pencil case I think.

My Mom also got pretty excited and bought me all the goodies in the second picture. She's the best and is nothing but supportive of me, I'm sure going to need those post-its and maybe even more. They are shaped as hearts which I think is the cutest thing ever. I love the brand Treacle Moon, she picked me up their Iced Strawberry Dream Bath and Shower Gel and My Coconut Island Body Butter. They both smell amazing, the shower gel smells like Strawberry Milkshake I can't wait to use it.

What else do you think I should pick up for college?

Laura<3

Yves Rocher Vanilla Nourishing Lip Balm

I'm a bit of a scaredy cat when it comes to bright shades, I just don't think I pull them off. This results in me having a ridiculous amount a lipsticks that never see the light of day which is a waste I know. That is until Yves Rocher Vanilla Nourishing Lip Balm stepped in. I've never seen this brand in Ireland and I actually picked this up in Barcelona last year. I think it was around the €4 mark, which for a pot of this size is a bargain. I also bought a peach perfume from this brand and after looking on their website recently they do have an amazing selection of products. I'm not too sure if they are a well known brand or not it remains to be seen. They do have the lipbalm in two other flavours online, raspberry and coconut. I saw the latter in Barcelona too but I instantly fell in love with the sweet scent of vanilla so I settled on this one.

Over the past few weeks I've been applying any old bright lipstick and popping a tiny bit of this balm on top.  I know that simple and it changes the appearance of the lipstick completely. There is a white hue off this balm so that's why it works so well in toning down the colour. You certainly won't look like you have ghost lips if you blend it in right. I've been using this with a few lipsticks so far and it's worked brilliantly. It hasn't just toned down the colour, it also leaves a nice glossy finish. I've also been using them over the darker  shades of Revlon Just Bitten Balm stains, to add that little bit more moisture to my lips. Not only can this be used over lipsticks but it can also be worn alone, it leaves my lips feeling so smooth and moisturised I love it. I really wish I had of picked up another while I was in Barcelona, I'll be devastated when I run out of this.

Does anyone else have a fear of vibrant lipsticks? How do you make them work?

Laura<3

Summer Must Haves/Essentials #6 - Bloggers' Summer Favourites Part 2

This is going to be my final post in my Summer series and the second installment of bloggers' favourites. I've really enjoyed reading through all the products people have mentioned in both parts. I find it really interesting to see what other bloggers are liking, it also makes me want to go shopping just a little. Another three fabulous bloggers have agreed to be featured in this post, I enjoy reading all their blogs and I love when they have new posts up. I think there are so many amazing blogs out there at the moment, I've found so many gems through the bbloggers chat on Twitter. Enough of my rambling, I won't delay you guys too long so I'll get started.

Lauren from LoveLaughLauren
For me, no matter what age you are, summer is about making the most of what you've got. I don't like wearing heavy makeup or layers of products, I just want to make sure I feel my most confident while I have fun. I regularly exfoliate my skin with Soap & Glory's Flake Away body scrub; it smells gorgeous and is a bit oily so it really leaves your skin smooth. I follow that by slathering on one of The Body Shop's famous body butters. This one is the shea butter one, but the raspberry one is also very yummy! Being extremely pale, a bit of fake tan is a must. I haven't tried much from expensive tanning brands (although there's a few products on my wishlist!) but the St. Moriz Instant Self Tanning Mist works excellently and is only a few pounds. Whatever makeup i'm wearing, I always spritz on a bit of Avene's Eau Thermale which really ensures my makeup blends in with my skin. It can also be used throughout the day to reawaken your face and your makeup. Finally, Korres Lip Butters continue to be my favourite lip balms. This one is in Jasmine; a pretty pinky nude, but for summer I really want to get my hands on Pomegranate and Mango.

Sophie from Candy Cane Heart
Urban Decay All Nighter- This is by far the best setting spray I have ever used and it seems to be lasting me ages. I got this 118ml (odd amount?!) bottle at christmas and would say I still have a 1/3rd left. I loved this during the, very little, hot weather we have had and it just makes my make up last. 

Avene Eau Thermale- This is basically an expensive water spray but oh my! it is so refreshing. Again in the hot weather I loved this for a little refresh and to help calm my skin down. This little bottle has lasted me ages so worth the £3 ish that I paid for it!
Chanel Chance- This has been my go-to fragrance of the summer. It is really light and fresh but still quite sophisticated. I'm not very good at picking out the different notes but all I can say is it smells Devine and it really is worth the price tag as this does not budge! 
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat- This is the day moisturiser I have been using over the summer and I have fallen in love. I tend to get quite oily during the day and have noticed a HUGE difference since using this. It is an anti shine and anti enlarger pores moisturiser and is actually a perfect base as well. I haven't had to use primers, which is a total bonus. Oily skinned girls really need to try this out!
Laura Mercier Loose Powder- My skin has been quite good recently so I have been using this as my foundation and it gives a coverage but it is so light you  can't feel it on your skin. It's not a mask, just helps even out your skin tone. 
Topshop Nail Varnish in Parma Violet- The shade I have been wearing all summer. Seriously i haven't taken this off and that is so unusual for me. Its a dream to work with and dries quickly AND it doesn't break the bank, what more could you ask for?!
Mac Blush in Pink Swoon- Another product I just haven't stopped wearing! I love the colour of this, it gives a rather natural flush to the cheeks and my god it does not budge! Seriously I did a 12 hour shift at work recently, The rest of my makeup had given up but this blush was still there!

Livi from Beaumaquillagex
Sleek Brow Kit, Maybelline Colour Tattoo in ‘Eternal Gold’ , MAC Rubinesque Paintpot, Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel, Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua, MUA lipstick in ‘Nectar’ , Revlon Lip Butter in ‘Lollipop’, MAC Lipstick in ‘Lovelorn’, Natural Collection Loose Powder, Rimmel Fix & Perfect Pro Primer, Natural Collection Blusher in ‘Pink Cloud’, Rimmel Day 2 Night Mascara, MAC prolongwear Concealer, Benefit High Beam & Collection 2000 Fix Me Up.

My favourite finds this summer have been the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua & Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel, I have been loving these. The Chanel foundation gives such a flawless finish and looks like you aren't wearing any foundation, I like to apply this with my Real Techniques angled foundation brush. I love to apply the Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel underneath my foundation, otherwise it looks to orangey on my pale skin, I find that this works really well to give me a natural bronzed look, and it means the finished look isn't too powdery I have been loving all these products to give me a natural, but flawless bronzed look this summer. I have loved every single one of these products and that is why they have made it into my summer favourites!

I hope you enjoyed reading this post as much as I did putting it together. I may do another series during th Autumn/Winter months, I've had so much fun doing this one so I kind of want to. Thanks so much again to all the bloggers that featured in both parts of this post, I definitely have quite alot of products to add to my wishlist now. if you missed out on part one you can check it out here.

What series would you like to see next?

Laura<3

Rediscovered - Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Palette

Whenever I clean up my room I always find products that have slipped under my radar. I store my makeup on custom built shelves in my room but I'm still in the process of organising everything so alot of stuff still remains in boxes. One of the products I've rediscovered recently is my Urban Decay 15th Anniversary palette. I fell in love with this when it was first released so I was surprised I hadn't used it in so long. The presentation of this palette is beautiful. A selection of limited edition eyeshadows come presented in a pretty purple tray which rests in a gorgeous velvet box. I like the idea that once you finish with the shadows you can use the packaging to store other bit and pieces, I may use mine for jewellery. The shade selection is good I like how there is a equal amount of brights and neutrals. I'm a big fan of the latter but it's still handy to have some alternatives in case you need them for a particular look. All the shadows were limited edition when the palette was released last year but since Urban Decay repackaged all their eyeshadows I think some of them are now available on counter. The brand brings out new palettes quite regularly, I think the Naked 2 palette must of took centre stage when I bought it so this one was left forgotten. That's certainly not the case now as I've found myself reaching for this more over the last week or so. All Urban Decay eyeshadows are super pigmented, like everyone I do get annoyed with the fall out but I haven't found that to be the case with this palette at all. They are so easy to work with and blend beautifully.

Here is a quick look I created using the Urban Decay 15th Anniversary palette. I'll list the shadows and the other products I used below.

Face - Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation in the Shade 2.0
Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer in Ivory
Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in Translucent
 Soleil Tan De Chanel
MAC Pink Tea Blush

Eyes - MAC Nubile Paint Pot
   UD Midnight Rodeo (Lid)
UD Deeper & M.I.A  (Crease)
UD Vanilla (Inner Corner & Brow Highlight)
Loreal Super Liner Luminizer for Blue Eyes
Bourjois Volumizer Mascara

Lips - MAC Dervish Lip Liner (All over lips)
Yves Rocher Vanilla Nourishing Lip Balm

I really enjoyed doing this look for you guys as you can see it's quite simple and great for everyday. If you'd like to see more posts like this in the future let me know in the comments below.

Do you own any Urban Decay palettes? What's your favourites?

Laura<3

Fashionista Custom Palettes

On my trip to Manchester in July, I popped into Superdrug on the look out for some new products. We do have them in Ireland but there is a wider range of products and brands in the UK stores to choose from. I went to a few different Superdrugs while I was there, but I ended up picking up the most stuff in the first one which was their Manchester Picadilly store. The brands I was drawn to the most were Fashionista, Sleek and Look Beauty, their products don't seem to be available in the Dublin store yet. Suprisingly I was quite reserved and I didn't buy as much as I though I would of done. I'm still testing out most of the products so I don't have too much to report back on. One of the products I have been getting quite alot of use out of so far is Fashionista's Custom Design Palette. I've seen alot of great reviews so I couldn't wait to try one myself. I went for two blushes (cinnamon & butterscotch) and two eyeshadows (Nude Glimmer & Brunette Bombshell), all quite neutral shades that I knew I would get alot of use out them. I went for the black palette as it looks super sleek, it is also the perfect size for my makeup bag when I'm on the go. As prices go, this was a bargain at £5 for the palette and £4  for each individual shade. There is a great selection of eyeshadows, blushes, bronzers and highlighters to choose from so you can mix & match to your hearts content. The mirror on the palette is such a good size, not an essential for me but still great to have as you can see from the picture below. I was only unhappy with the eyeshadow Brunette Bombshell, as I find it to be quite chalky which results in a lot of unwanted fallout but once blended it does look alright. Both the blushes I bought are matte and I've been using them a hell of alot, there just so wearable and very pigmented, which for the price is amazing.

I was surprised when I got back to my hotel to find a email from the brand themselves, asking did I want to try some bits from their range. They sent me another custom palette* with a random selection of eyeshadows/blushes along with their new brow kit* (review to come later). I love getting random selections of shades as they may not be ones I'd usually go for but I end up using them alot. I received a blush (London), two bronzer (LA & Rome) and a eyeshadow (Trend-setter). The latter is one of their new baked shadows, the shade isn't one I'd usually go for but you could work into a night time look. The baked blush and bronzer, LA and London are beautifully pigmented, they do have a light shimmer which I love and gives a nice glow to the skin. The matte bronzer, Rome is great on my milk bottle skin so it's definitely not too dark and it's certainly buildable.

I really think a selection of drugstore brands have stepped up their game lately and have brought out great additions to their range of products. Fashionista is no different and I can't wait to try some more bits from the brand.The only problem I have with these palettes is that it's almost impossible to remove the pans once you put them in. Maybe I'm just doing it wrong but I don't think its rocket science to remove a pan from a palette, like how hard could it be to take them out.

Have you tried anything from Fashionista? What products have stood out for you?

Laura<3